Like Dancing Dandelions
By LunaAzul788
Summary:
Oh, how graceful these light little pixies dance across the prairie. Twirling up and down as the winds carry them about… lifeless yet so charming.
A Princess Zelda and Link dramatic one-shot.
The clean scents of the meadows were fresh on this bright early spring morning. The grass seemed greener than ever before still having the tiny dues from last evening's spring rain. Wild flowers of varying vivid colors bloomed around, and the minty smell of pine teased her little nose. The princess of Hyrule was not much of a morning person; nonetheless this indifferent bloom of the spring season lured her out of her bed and into the open meadows.
The warmth of the morning sun shone affectionately on her skin. She closed her eyes and reached out her hands as if she were to touch the cloudless blue skies. "I wish it could be like this every day," she whispered to herself. After these brief moments, she has immersed herself with nature.
Not far from where Princess Zelda was standing was a young man on his beautiful brown mustang. He was of dirt blonde hair and wore an emerald green tunic with an elf-like hat to match. He too was enticed to visit the outdoors for the same reason.
At a fair distance, he suddenly yet gently pulled his beloved Epona's bridle causing her to halt on her tracks. He dismounts the mustang and places an arm atop her back whilst looking at a familiar maiden at the distance. "Zelda…" he mutters softly.
Her eyes were closed and her head tilted to the direction of the bright morning sun, as if begging for its warmth. Her hands were held together securely yet graceful on the level of her chest, and her stance straight yet humble. There was something about the way she looks this early spring morning… peaceful and vulnerable but not defenseless or weak.
Not wanting to disturb or surprise her, the young man in green slowly yet naturally approached her, glancing back at Epona as if telling her to wait awhile. As he walked towards the princess, he made soft sounds on the grounds with the moist grass kindly thrusting against his brown leather boots. Princess Zelda realizing she was not alone, slowly opened her eyes and looked at the young man who brought her company. "Link…" she smiled.
"Pleasant morning, Princess," Link said with a big smile. "What brings you out here in the meadows with no guard?" Zelda chuckled lightly and walked moderately towards him. "It's the first bloom of spring this year. It brings me much joy," she replied quite gleefully.
In this brief moment of intimacy, Zelda examines how different the Hero of Time appears before her. He seems fresh, warm and unsullied. "He looks really great when he is not stressing over saving Hyrule," Princess Zelda thought to herself, and a felt a light pink blush warm her cheeks. Out of the blue, the princess thought of an idea and took Link by the hand. "Come with me…" she excitedly yet softly said.
Link followed Zelda as she held him by the hand. Her grip was secure, yet soft and caring. He glanced back at Epona who appeared to be grazing on the meadows. "She'll be fine…" he assured himself.
Link pondered why the princess' touch was so different compared to the many times he had held or touched her before. She did not wear her white silk gloves, yet the skin of her bare hands felt soft and warm like velvet. Conversely, Zelda was unconsciously lost in her own thought of how safe she felt with Link; likewise more than ever, she was holding his bare ungloved hand.
Zelda brought Link to what she believed to be one of the most extraordinary places in all of Hyrule. Just over the other side of a hill was another meadow filled with many a pretty white dandelions. There were no trees, no wild flowers, no small ponds or brooks… just wild dandelions and untamed pale green grass.
Link stood there in awe. He never wondered how nature could appear this amazingly beautiful. Zelda softly chuckled and smiled at his reaction before saying, "Beautiful isn't it? Impa brought me here when I was very young. She said that she wished it would always appear this way. I told her that I wished for that too."
Link looked at Zelda with an affectionate and genuine smile. "This is amazing, Zelda. We should see to it that this meadow remains this way," he says unconsciously moving closer towards the princess. Zelda gazed tenderly at his deep cobalt blue eyes but then looked away after having felt tensed with their closure. Link recovering from his involuntary action stepped back to provide him and Zelda a little more space. Just then, a thought occurred to him. This time he gently took the princess' hand, signaling her to follow him. Zelda quaintly looked at his hand on hers, then at him. "Follow me," requested the young hero.
Link led Zelda down the steep grassy hill towards the plains with the pale untamed grass and wild dandelions. "Watch this!" Link said as he speedily lets go of her hand and in a swift motion jumps onto the meadow of dandelions. As soon as his leather boots touched the grounds, hundreds of small white dandelions gracefully floated upwards with the wind. Link and Zelda stared in bewilderment and were briefly lost in the beauty of the dandelions dance on air.
"Link!" Zelda called out. "That looks so fun! I should give it a try." With no second thought, Zelda without more ado jumped towards where Link stood. Thinking she might hurt herself, Link positioned himself in a balanced stance ready to catch her. The impact of her leap caused more dandelions to fly towards the open sky.
The two young Hylians played on the dandelion meadow until sun down; hence they felt quite tired and sat down to rest on the middle of the prairie. "If only it could be like this always," Zelda meekly spoke as she leaned her weary head unto Link's shoulder. "If only there weren't that many responsibilities for a princess."
The afternoon sun gave a warm scarlet tone on the field and on the faces of the two. Zelda looked tenderly at Link who sat closely beside her, their arms resting at the backs of one other. "If only I could be like you… free without a care in the world." Link chuckled at her statement and looked sincerely in her gleaming blue eyes. "Well, I'm not extremely free," he says. "I still have to look after someone who I really care for."
The princess stared down at her dress covering her knees. "You really don't have to, you know," she said with a quaint smile. Link looked at her quite with a quite confused yet not ignorant expression. Zelda played with a small yellow dandelion flower rooted on the ground. "You don't have to always risk your life saving Hyrule, saving the people… saving me," Zelda slowly continued.
There were a few moments of silence between the two. Link did not know what to think. "Was she ungrateful? Was she trying to say she could handle herself? Was she trying to imply that I'm not the hero I think I am?" Then suddenly without thought, he quickly yet gently wrapped his arms around her giving her a most affectionate embrace. Zelda felt her heart inside her chest pound rapidly. "I…," she started but could not make out the words to say. Instead, she returned his embrace and drew him tighter to her. "I don't want to cause you any more danger," softly she spoke hugging him firmly. She wanted this intimacy to last forever.
"I would risk my life to be the hero I hoping you believe I could be," Link quietly and lovingly told Zelda who still embraced him. "I hope you realize that you're a part of me… you are my destiny." The princess felt the overpowering comfort hide her hints of guilt. "I could not thank you enough, Link," she finally said. "No amount of words could express how grateful I am for what you have done for Hyrule and its people… for what you have done for me. I am grateful to have you in my life."
Just after saying these few words of gratitude, a strong cold breeze blew and sent hundreds of white dandelions floating, like little pixies dancing along with the wind. Link then thought of another idea. He unfolded his legs from his sitting position and stood from the grassy grounds. He smiled brightly and held out a hand to the princess. Zelda looked up at him as he stood and without hesitation, took his hand and quite gracefully stood from where she sat.
Link then drew her closer before softly and tenderly asked her, "Do you trust me?" Zelda felt the pink blush warm her cheeks once more before she replied with a quiet yet confident, "Yes." Link then gently placed one arm on her waist and extended his other arm to the side whilst holding her hand. Zelda immediately knew what he was up to and followed. She placed on of her hands on his shoulder and intertwined her fingers with his, tightening their grip.
"How could we dance when there's no music?" Link asked laughing lightly. A small delicate smile formed on Zelda's lips. "The dandelions danced without music… maybe we could dance like them," she said. Moments later, the two slow danced with the wind, immersed in each other's warm and loving embrace.