"Oh how beautiful you are, my lady. If only I could touch your fair skin, and hold your fragile body. I would never let anyone hurt you, ever again."
The ivory-haired man murmured to himself as he gently caressed the painting with his fingertips. It sat in the middle of a neat row among many other brightly coloured paintings, each more detailed than the next, reverberating life into even the darkest of the room's crevices.
This particular painting, however, was arguably the most brilliant and beautiful, at least to Osfala. The young apprentice certainly appreciated fine art, and there was no finer masterpiece than the Princess of Hyrule herself, Zelda. Just staring at her still, painted image caused his knees to wobble weakly.
He'd often visit Hyrule castle to carry out errands, or to escort his master, Sahasrahla. That is when he'd slip away and wander the halls for a bit, meandering aimlessly, stumbling across places he'd never even known could exist in such a vastly spanned castle. One day, he'd discovered the gallery, and was simply taken by its grand, almost ethereal atmosphere.
Ever since the demise of Yuga, and the restoration of Lorule Kingdom, however, Osfala had not had the time to visit Hyrule Castle as much as he'd wanted to. He had not even seen the Princess since the celebration. And now that he was here once more, a million things were bombarding his mind. His longing to see the Princess again, his nostalgia for times passed, and the unrelenting poke of jealously that had begun to worm its way up.
Osfala sighed as his eyes traced the work of art. Speaking of his jealousy, Zelda was not the only one in this picture. Alongside her was a bold hero, donned in green, wielding weapons more powerful than any ally or foe. Their eyes— Zelda and the hero's— seemed to lock with each other's in an inseparable gaze. They stood triumphantly together beneath the Triforce, Hyrule's most sacred artifact. It was whole, all three pieces bonding with each other just as the two figures were bonded through sight and spirit. The painting captured it all so perfectly, yet it was the farthest thing from perfect that Osfala could have hoped for.
"Yes. He did save us all. All of Hyrule is truly in his debt. However," Osfala trailed off, eyes tearing away from the tunic-adorned figure. "There's nothing I wouldn't have given to switch places with him. I could have been the hero. Your hero… Zelda."
"Yes?" A small, sweet voice rang through the otherwise empty gallery.
The sound of dainty footsteps could be heard next, making their way in through the open doorway and across the floor. "Oh, Osfala, my friend. I didn't know you were in here."
Osfala drew in a sharp breath, knowing full well who was standing behind him.
"G-greetings, Princess Zelda." He quickly smoothed down his hair and turned to face her, bowing deeply as a courtesy. "I apologize for wandering."
"Oh no, it's fine." Her smile radiated, caused the young man's heart to palpitate vigorously. He straightened himself out, but not without feeling slightly faint. "I was wandering myself, when I thought I heard my name."
Osfala's heart skipped a beat. Were his hushed tones really that audible? He wondered how much else she'd heard, and could only imagine the utter embarrassment. He feared the possibility that the whole kingdom could somehow find out of his undying affection towards one of the royal descendants—someone who was obviously out of his league. Despite being a Sage, and aiding in the retrieval of the Triforce of Courage, he was still merely a small piece of the solution, not the real hero. If anyone deserved the love of the most immaculate being in the kingdom, it was surely that other boy. The real saviour of Hyrule.
"Are you alright, my friend?" Zelda reached her hand out to Osfala, who had been anxiously and intently glancing around the room for quite some time, afraid that if he so much as took a glimpse into the Princess's cerulean eyes, that it would give him away. He needed to get himself together. After all, he was a Sage! He was a confident warrior in his own right, with the power to manipulate magical weapons and slay hideous monsters with relative ease. The man was plenty capable of holding his own in an everyday situation such as socializing, even if he was in the presence of the love of his life.
"Yes, my lady. I am quite alright." Osfala breathed, almost forgetting to in the midst of the situation. "And there is no one here but me, my Princess. I did not… hear anyone speak your name." A lie. He gulped.
"Oh, alright then." Zelda looked mildly discouraged as her gaze turned to the painting that Osfala had been looking at earlier. A small sigh escaped her pink lips, and Osfala couldn't help but fear that her mind was preoccupied with another. The way she looked at the painting with such intent said it all. He continued to look at her, studying her perfection, and longing for just one kiss.
Though it was hard to accept, that dream would perhaps never come to be, and he would have to be satisfied with a friendship. At that point, Osfala couldn't have cared less if she did not feel the same way, all he wanted was to have her in his life in any way possible. It all started with small talk, he supposed. He could surely work his way up to some degree?
Come on, Osfala. Pull it together.
"I detect a hint of sweetgrass and lilac. Were you just in the garden?" Osfala grinned sheepishly, trying to exhibit as much charm as he could. Zelda looked back at him, then her gaze drifted sideways.
"Why, yes. I went out a while ago, but decided to come back in to get a break from the sun. I was actually just about to go out again. Would you like to join me?" Her tone wavered, but she stood firmly, the faraway look in her eyes sharpening into focus, and her once solemn grimace transforming into a half smile.
"That would be lovely, Princess." He replied, bowing yet again.
They made their way out to the garden in silence. Osfala knew not of what to say, for all that came to mind was an outright give away of his feelings.
On previous occasions, Osfala and Zelda usually only talked in the presence of the King, and if not, it was only briefly until Sahasrahla needed Osfala's assistance once more. So today was turning out especially nerve-wracking for the young man. Not only had it been a while, but there was also not a lot to say, and now they were alone together, save for a few guards who patrolled the garden.
"G'day, Lady Zelda." A stocky guard spoke up as they passed him. He bowed, then turned his attention to Osfala. "And hello to you, Osfala. Running another errand for Sahasrahla?"
The guard looked uneasy, as if judging why the man was alone with the Princess. No one wanted a repeat of the events that had taken place the last time she had been kidnapped, even though everyone in the castle knew of Osfala. They couldn't be too careful.
"I needed to escort him to the palace. Now I'm enjoying a little bit of free time." Osfala's stare hardened. He knew he was being questioned, for good reason, but nevertheless, he felt a twinge of anger from the event of being so easily suspected of hurting the most important thing in his life. His pride sunk at the feeling.
"Hmph." The guard raised his weapon, but Zelda held up a hand.
"It's quite alright, Jerro. Osfala is a very close friend of mine, and I assure you, he does not pose a threat. I believe you know this."
Jerro's shoulders relaxed and his spear was yet again lowered to his side. "Very well, your majesty."
Osfala's mind began to sing. "Close friend?" That was a new one. The young man never guessed that Zelda thought of him so fondly as to defend him against her own security. He decided he would take it, and try not to read too deeply into it, though something in the back of his mind needed that twinkle of hope.
"Thank you, Princess." Osfala said, a quiver in his voice.
"It's no trouble. I realize that the guards only want what's best for me, I understand. But they know who you are, they always have known, and all this extra questioning and prodding is getting tiresome."
The Princess sighed and held her face in one hand as they walked onward.
They were almost at the center of the garden, where a majestic, stone fountain could offer a place of respite. As they neared it, Osfala swiftly picked a few lilacs from the side of the cobblestone walkway.
"You've been through a lot, my lady." He extended his arm, showing her the flowers. Her eyelids widened.
"Oh my, Osfala, this is so thoughtful of you." She could at any point pick the same flowers herself at her own leisure, but neglected to mention it to avoid hurting the man's feelings. He responded by placing the flowers behind her ear. "Thank you."
Letting his hand rest there sent shivers up his spine. Her hair and skin were so soft, like velvet.
"Erhm…" Osfala coughed, quickly retrieving his hands once again. He was a damn fool for all of this. The flowers, the hesitation, the touches. He felt like he was just a boy again, trying to woo the girl of his naïve, schoolhouse dreams. He was usually so confident in the face of anything else. But standing here, next to the most beautiful young woman, not to mention the one most precious to him in all of the world, he was nothing but a simpering idiot.
Princess Zelda didn't question his odd behaviour, much to the man's relief, and she remained silent.
They had finally seated themselves at the fountain, and Osfala watched as Zelda dipped her delicate fingers in the rippling water.
"I wanted to… ask you something." She suddenly perked up out of nowhere, causing the man to start and pop out of his daydream.
"Anything, my lady."
She hesitated, as though digging deep for her next choice of words. Cautiously, she continued. "Have you heard from Hyrule's Hero as of late?"
Osfala's chest fell. He should have seen that one coming.
"That Link fellow? No, not so far. He's probably just trying to settle back to normal after… all he's been through. I'm sure he's alright."
His words of comfort hung thick in the air, driving Osfala mad. How desperately he wanted to take all of her pain away. Zelda missed her hero, and he realized this, but she needed so much more right now. More than even the legendary "Hero of Hyrule" could offer her.
It took the Princess quite a while to respond. "You're right."
"Cheer up, my Princess, he's quite the stand-up lad. I assure you that he'd never try to cause you anguish or worry." Osfala wasn't entirely confident in that sentiment, but he brushed it off. "After all, being a hero takes a lot out of a person."
Princess Zelda looked up, her cerulean gaze shredding through Osfala's core and making his head spin. She smiled softly and spoke gently. "Well, you would know."
He shook his head. "Whatever do you mean, Princess?"
She edged closer to the man, placing a dainty hand upon his. He held his breath.
"I mean," she leaned closer to his face, "that you are truly a hero, Osfala. Do you not agree?"
Time seemed to be at a stand-still. Did she really…? He internally shook his head. It wasn't possible that Zelda honestly considered him to be a hero. He was a Sage, and a powerful magician, and many other things, but a hero, he was not. Not in the traditional sense at least.
"W-well… I…"
"If it weren't for your help as a Sage, the Triforce of Courage could have never been obtained. All would have been lost."
Osfala's eyes widened, as he twitched under Zelda's miniscule touch. "Yes, however, I played merely a small role. If it weren't for the boy, I wouldn't have been rescued in the first place."
"Ah yes, the Dark Palace was it?" Zelda recollected what Link had told her the day it happened. "Link told me that you were there, and that you thought you could handle it all on your own."
Princess Zelda smirked.
That little brat. Osfala grumbled slightly. "That is… true."
Sweat began to form on his brow as he thought deeper about it. How much else had he told her? Hopefully no more, or else she'd have known all this time about his desires to be "her hero."
"You helped save my kingdom. I am in your gratitude as much as I am in Link's. You are my hero, Osfala."
Just then, she leaned closer to him and pulled him in for a hug. The man's muscles tightened in shock, unable to reciprocate. Was he even allowed to be in such close contact with royal authority? Despite this lingering thought, he slowly allowed his inhibitions to slip away, suddenly not giving a care. Zelda was with him, here and now, so it mattered not what judgmental eyes would see, what anyone else would think.
In fact, he enjoyed it a lot more than he probably should have, and he eased into the embrace, wrapping his arms around her thin shoulders. He took in the scent of her hair, raveling it in between his slender fingers, relishing the moment for as long as it would last.
"So he told you that part too, didn't he?" Osfala chuckled, his face warming from embarrassment.
"He did." Zelda laughed. "It was a sweet thought."
They broke apart, much to the man's dismay. If he could hold her forever, he would certainly make it so.
Zelda sighed then, averting her stare. "Link… wanted to save everyone. Which of course, is the ideal mentality. It's because he is such an astounding, selfless young man."
Tears formed in her eyes, but Osfala didn't even have a chance to ask what was wrong before her emotions erupted, and she ended up revealing it anyways.
Not that it was too difficult to guess.
"It's wrong isn't it? To wish that his primary motivation had been saving me? To wish that he would have wanted to be my hero, maybe just a little bit more? I feel so… so selfish!"
Zelda buried her face in her hands as small sobs shook her body. Osfala reached for her instinctively, knowing it was too good to be true that she did not have the young warrior on her mind since the start, but still feeling the undying need to console her.
"It may sound selfish, but I understand. It hurts when… the object of your affection does not feel the same way as you do…" He trailed off.
She wouldn't possibly detect the correlation between her situation and his own, would she?
"Oh, Osfala. Why do I do think this way? Of course I'm thankful that he did what he did, for the sake of my kingdom. But maybe I was hoping… for an extended ending. Perhaps… a kiss…" Zelda trailed off much like Osfala had done moments before and then abruptly looked into his eyes.
"Perhaps, he just isn't ready for that." Osfala said, leaning closer. Zelda did the same, until their noses were almost touching.
The young man's heart raced wildly.
"P-Princess… I—" But Zelda held one finger up to his lips, stopping him from saying anything further.
His lips trembled beneath her delicate digit, breaths escaping in short spurts, his heart banging relentlessly in his swollen chest.
Just then, footsteps could be hear approaching them, and Jerro's gruff voice cut through the silence.
"Princess Zelda, your majesty, if I may?"
"Yes?"
"The King would like you up for dinner now." He bowed.
"Very well," Zelda began, standing and stretching her hand out to Osfala. "Osfala, my friend, if you would like to join us, you're quite welcome."
The invitation had not quite registered fully with him, his emotions still in overdrive from being mere inches from the beautiful Princess' lips, but he swiftly obliged, nonetheless. "If you'll have me, my lady."
Grasping Zelda's hand gingerly, he followed her back through the garden to the exit. She did not let go of his hand, though he never minded that she didn't, and before they had a chance to enter the doors of Hyrule castle once more, she stopped him.
"Thank you, Osfala. Thank you for being such a wonderful person. You have no idea how much this means to me." Her eyes met his once more, and before the ivory-haired man had time to react, she quickly pressed her lips to his cheek. His face instantly heated under her kiss, and he swore his legs were melting under him by the second.
"Ha… i-it's my honour, Princess Zelda."
Finally, she gave his hand a squeeze, while he took way too long mentally debating if he should kiss her back or not, and above all else relishing in her company for as long as it would last.
He truly loved her, there was no doubt. Hell, even though it would kill him inside, if there was any possible way that he could make the green tunic-clad hero love her back, then he would make it so. Anything to see her smile, anything to make her happy.
Now if only he could tell her all this himself, and hopefully have this friendship blossom into something more. Osfala sighed and gave Zelda a lopsided grin. He supposed that cheek pecks and hand holding were a pretty good start.