When I am done for
I only want your presence
Then I'll be happy
Something soft and warm presses against my lips, then it's gone. My chest is compressed and let up rapidly. Once, twice… I lose count. I'm tired. I need sleep and it's cold. I'm too exhausted to reach for the extra blanket that's at the base of my bed. Now that I've started to think on it, this can't be my bed. It's too hard.
Where am I?
The warmth on my lips is back, my lungs filling with air.
I hear muffled shouts, and then the noises around me become clearer. Cannon fire. Booming like thunder. It sounds far away. Good.
My chest is depressed again. Once, twice… Sounds become louder, the rumbling of the cannons is making my body tremble.
That's right. The battlefield. I… I have to lead the troops.
I cough; a dull pain grips my body as a warm liquid dribbles from the side of my mouth. My eyes flutter open only to see blurred colors around me.
"Zelda!"
That's Link, isn't it? Why does he sound so far away? Are we in a tunnel? It's hard to see him. I try focusing my eyes, but everything becomes a little darker with the effort.
"Zelda! Stay with me! Hold on!"
Stay with him? What does he mean? I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere.
A sudden rush of senses comes. Now it's brighter and I can see better as everything is coming into focus. I hear his panting, barely audible with the sounds of battle around us.
Suddenly, the cold hard surface beneath me is gone, and warm arms, Link's arms, hold me. One is under my knees and the other supports my neck and back. My legs dangling limply, head leaning against his shoulder.
My limbs are cold, but my torso warm.
He looks down at me.
"It's going to be OK Zelda. We'll find Impa and get you out of here," he says, eyes wet as water slides down his cheeks to land on mine. Are those… tears? They can't be. I've never seen Link cry. I smile weakly at him, but my stomach twists in pain. With great effort I turn my head the slightest, my vision blurring once more with the movement.
His tunic has smears of red. Have those always been there? It's supposed to be a solid green… Isn't it? I look down to my own battle garb. Link's blue scarf is wrapped around my torso and pulled tight, except it's been dyed red. Funny. I don't remember when he dyed it. I see the red is not only covering the scarf, but my pale purple corset as well.
…Oh.
I let my head slide back, eyes looking upward at his as he focuses on what is in front of him.
"We're almost there Zelda! Keep your eyes open, please!"
It seems like such a simple task. All I have to do is look at his face. I try to say something in response, but I can't summon the breath. My vision is blurring even more.
"IMPA!" I hear him shout, but once again it sounds distant. I force myself to breath in deeply, body shuddering as I do so. My vision becomes a little clearer just in time to see Link look down at me, face distraught. I don't have the energy to ask why, my lips allowing me to form only one word.
"Link…" I could barely hear the single syllable as I spoke it.
"Y-Yes Zelda?" he asks, voice trembling as he leans his head closer over my face, shifting my body in his grasp. He must be standing still now. The faint movement that rocked my form as I lay in his arms is no longer there.
"I…" with every breath I'm fading. I force myself to lift one hand using all my strength. Is this my arm? It's so heavy and pale. I rest my palm on his cheek. It's wet. I can't keep it there long, for it takes too much effort. After a few moments it slides down his face, coming to land across my chest.
"Zelda!" Link cries, but it sounds far away, even though I know he's right here with me.
My body is becoming cold, at least what I can feel of it. I'm so tired. I want to sleep. It must be getting dark; I can't see his face anymore.
I won't be able to hold on much longer, but I need to tell him one last thing. I force myself to inhale deeply, my body shaking violently at the effort, drawing in sweet air and letting it slip out between my lips before they can form words. It's the last I will ever taste.
Link, I… The thought echoes in my head. I can't get it past my mouth. It's too difficult.
He must have noticed my labored breathing because I feel his lips press to mine, filling my lungs with air.
I hope he knows… I no longer have the energy to tell him, barely enough to form the words in my mind. His mouth leaves mine and I can't hear anything anymore. What I still feel of my body is becoming numb.
…Love you…
One last time I feel his lips connect with mine.
And then, just like everything else, they're gone.
A/N: ZeLink tragedy.
I know a lot of people have written Zelda dying in Link's arms, or the other way around but I thought I'd give it a shot.
I originally wrote this in past tense, but then thought it would sound better in present so I went through and fixed it. I probably missed a few things, so if there are tense contradictions or other errors, sorry about that. Feel free to point them out so I can fix them. The longer they go unnoticed by me, the more embarrassing they are once I do see them.
On a happier note, HYRULE WARRIORS IS COMING TO THE 3DS!
Sorry, I'm a bit hyped if ya can't tell. It's the most played Wii U game I own (400+ hours) so I'm super excited for it to be in 3D and on a portable system.