Chapter 1
The silence was deafening. It was one of the sounds that she loathed. One of the sounds that made her want to scream just so that it wouldn't be so quiet. When things were this silent it usually meant that something was wrong. And she didn't want anything else to be wrong. Right now her life was already falling apart but no…she had duties to attend to.
With a graceful back flip she landed noiselessly on her feet and onto the roof that was beneath her. It would have been impossible to see her because of two factors. The first being that it was pitch black and the second, that she had trained her feet to move with barely a sound to alert her presence.
From the roof she spied the band of thieves entering Kakariko Village. They all appeared to be men, all with knives and swords at their waists. There were six of them and one of her. Well, two if you counted her partner in crime that hid on the other side of the village.
She felt the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins, forcing her to take deep breaths to calm herself down. Everytime she faced a foe she would have this same reaction before battle and she loved it. It was riveting.
Before she went insane from crouching there on the roof, she inserted her thumb and index finger into her mouth, letting out an ear piercing whistle. This caught the attention of the thieves right away and they all looked up to see her as she stood to her full height atop the roof.
She wore her dark blue clothing, clinging tightly to her body like a second skin. A silvery white cloth was draped over the front of her chest with a red eye sewn into the fabric. She had used to wear a cowl and a head wrap to hide her identity but found no use for that anymore. Instead she simply pulled her golden hair back into a bun with short pieces falling out and into her green-blue eyes.
She moved her palms out to face them and closed her eyes, chanting under her breath. She could feel the energy pooling into her hands as the power gathered. As her hands grew hot and the effort sapped a bit of her energy, she kept her feet firmly planted on the tiles. A small trace of blood dripped from her nose but she had gotten used to that. Just a side affect. Then when the spell was complete she released the waves of magic, colliding with all six men who had begun towards the house she was on top of.
"Now!" She cried to her ally, leaping off of the roof. Her magic had succeeded in stunning them. It was one of her spells that didn't take much effort; she was forbidden to use those unless it was an emergency.
She wielded her sword, immediately surprising one of the thieves by taking off his right arm. He howled in response, falling to the ground as his bloody stumped waved wildly. She simply stepped over him and ascended onto another of them, their blades meeting with a clang. She grinned impishly, glad that the silence had dissolved into nothing.
Her friend had also come out of hiding and was fighting as well. He rolled underneath one of the men and thrusted his sword into his back, twisting it to keep the wound from closing. Ruby red blood spilled out onto the ground, pooling around the thief's knees as he fell to them. He kneeled in the puddle of his own body fluid, gasping for air as the sword retracted from the middle of his back.
"Link," she called to him as the hilt of her sword met a thief's temple, "we make quite a team don't we?"
"That we do Zel!" He pulled an arrow from his quiver upon seeing the last of them trying to escape. With a quick motion he released it and it pierced the coward's back. He fell forward and didn't get back up.
Link sheathed his sword after cleaning the blood off of it, turning to see Zelda doing the same. He eyed her thin frame, drinking it all in. The muscles in her legs and the way the white clothe fell against her breasts. She had already pulled her long hair from its bun and was shaking it out, her fingers running through it.
"Like what you see?" She asked with a smirk as she opened her eyes. She had felt his eyes appraising her even though she had had hers closed. It flattered her when he would stare at her that way. It gave her the chills and goose bumps rose on her skin.
"You know I do." He started for her, his arms already moving out to slip around her waist. He jerked her forward towards him and earned a surprised gasp. He looked down at her with a lustful, yet loving, look in his blue eyes.
She tilted her head back to look up into his eyes. She liked that he was taller than her, a many good inches, because it made him all the more appealing to her. She loved his constant green tunic and matching hat. She loved his messy blonde locks and the way they fell into his face. She loved that the muscles in his chest and abdomen stuck out from underneath his clothes. Everything about him from his boots to the tip of his head was wonderful and perfect in her eyes.
"What else do you like about me?" She asked quietly, batting her eyelashes purposefully at him. She parted her lips and touched her tongue to the corner of her mouth, hoping that he would get the hint. Luckily for her he did.
He engulfed her lips with his own, his arms still locked around her. She moved her fingers into his hair, carelessly throwing off his hat while her other hand cupped his cheek. The same surge of electricity passed through the couple. Their lips tingled even after their kiss sadly ended.
"That, I think, is my most favorite." He admitted throatily.
"Mine too." She agreed with a nod. She tucked a lock of hair behind his pointed ear and caressed away a patch of dirt beside his eye. He smiled down at her as she did so.
"We should get you back to the castle. Your father and…Erik…will be worried about you." When he said the suitor's name he growled. He was always insanely jealous whenever another suitor came to see her.
"Don't worry. Erik will be gone in a few days." She cooed, running her nails gently up and down beside his ear. She knew how hard it was for him to see her spending time with another man. The last time he had nearly revealed their secret love when one prince tried to kiss her. Link broke a chair in the castle that day though he regretted not breaking it over the prince's head.
He nodded and took Zelda's hand in his, leading her to where Epona was tied up down the steps leading up to Kakariko Village. She whinnied impatiently while he untied the reigns from the sign and helped Zelda onto the saddle. He then mounted behind her, circling her waist with one arm while guiding Epona with the other.
The horse led them over the bridge and across the field to the castle. Zelda was tired and so she leaned back against her love while her eyes grew weary from keeping open. She felt his arm tighten around her as if encouraging her to fall asleep. But she stayed awake anyways.
Epona rode through the market place and up towards the castle. She stopped when they reached the dirt wall that hid the couple from view. Link dismounted and took Zelda's hand, helping her down. They always said goodbye now for if anyone saw them together kissing and holding hands then the secret would be out.
"Don't go." He pleaded, moving a gloved hand to the back of her neck. He pulled it forward and rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes at the smoothness of her skin. He didn't want to think about Erik and what he would say to her or do to her tonight.
"Link," Zelda purred, trying to ease his mind, "everything will be okay. I'll say hello and goodnight and be done with it. Don't worry about me so much."
He chuckled humorlessly as he opened his eyes.
"I can't." He brushed his lips against hers before reluctantly pulling away. He watched her turn the corner and tried to keep from hitting something. Instead he set out to take Epona back to Lon Lon Ranch and getting back to the castle.
Zelda, on the other hand, gained entrance through the main gate and made her way through the field to the castle. She fingered her lower lip and smiled at the familiar tingling sensation his lips always left. How warm and sweet they were.
She opened the doors to the castle and sighed heavily, leaning back against them as she saw her father and Prince Erik just entering the foyer. She had hoped that they would still be discussing whatever they conversed about so that she could slip away upstairs unnoticed.
Many of the maids in the castle had been overheard calling the princess crazy for Erik was thought to be a very good looking man. His light brown hair was cropped and never out of place just like the rest of him. He often wore a short, blue cape on his back over his clothes, always expensive looking. But Zelda didn't think he was attractive at all. Inside or out.
"Ah, my dear, I assume that all went well tonight?" King Harkanian asked his daughter, going to her side. He enveloped her in a quick hug before pulling back to smile down at her. It was a miracle that he had allowed her, after learning her magic and how to fight, to help Link and the other Sages. But he had.
"Kakariko Village is safe now with those thieves out of the way." Zelda nodded and saw Erik approaching out of the corner of her eye. He had never been unkind to her but she felt that something was wrong with him. And the way he looked at her…
"I must say that although you have been at battle with a band of cutthroats," Erik kissed her knuckles, "you look lovely."
She nearly snorted. She saw his eyes drifting downward to stare at her chest and then at her legs. He was lusting after her just as the others did. Only Link saw her as something more than a piece of meat.
King Harkanian smiled at the two before he began for the stairs. She wanted to call out to him to not leave her alone with Erik but instead forced a small smile and returned her eyes to Erik's.
"Thank you. I am sure you understand that-"
"I was wondering if the princess would be up to taking a walk with me through the courtyard." He offered his arm and flashed what he probably thought was an award winning smile.
"Actually I am rather tired." She then set course for the stairs as well without stopping to see the heartbroken look she had left him with. Instead she spoke over her shoulder. "Perhaps another time."
With another sigh she continued up the stairs and didn't stop until she had reached her bedroom. She knew that Link still wouldn't arrive for quite some time and so she set about readying herself for him.
She went to her dresser and picked out one of her nightgowns, laying it out on her bed. She then tied her hair up while filling the basin with hot water that a maid had brought in for her. It looked very inviting, especially after it was filled with floral scented bubbles and steamed.
Her foot was first into the scalding water followed by her other foot. Slowly she lowered herself down and closed her eyes, leaning against the wall for support. The basin was a decent size but left little room for her to stretch out. But she didn't mind at all. She set about cleaning herself with a sponge, massaging her neck and chest.
It felt like hours that she had been soaking but she finally stepped out of the water and grabbed one of her towels. Wrapping it around herself, she then went to pick up the basin but a pair of gloved hands gripped the other side before she could. She looked up to see Link grinning at her.
"How long have you been here?" She asked, knowing full well that he had probably been staring at her from the window for most of the time she had been bathing.
"I could watch you forever." He declared, tucking a sweaty strand of hair behind her pointed ear before lifting up the basin and going to the window. He looked out and made sure that all was clear before dumping the water out. When it was gone he returned the basin to its rightful place.
Link returned to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist while taking one of her thighs and wrapping her leg around him. He kissed her neck and nibbled on her creamy skin, placing one kiss after another against it. He felt her arms moving around his shoulders and the grip she had on him told him that she was enjoying this.
"I declined another walk with the prince." She breathed as he began to move upward.
"Good. Had I seen him with you…" He didn't finish his sentence but merely crashed his lips into hers, slowly moving a hand up her thigh and slipping one finger inside of her. As she gasped he smirked, quickly moving another to join the other.
"Goddesses." She murmured in his ear. She held around his neck tighter as he removed his fingers and picked her up, carrying her to the bed that awaited them. He laid her out on it, ripping off the towel and letting it fall to the floor without a care.
He then watched her as she helped remove his tunic, looking up at him hungrily. He responded by kissing her again while she continued to undress him, pulling off his undershirt along with his tunic after he'd raised his arms. She broke the kiss to let her lips linger over his sculpted chest and abs, making him shiver and shudder under her touch.
"Zelda." He growled playfully as she tugged off his leggings. Once they were off he moved over top of her, making sure that her head was safely cradled by a pillow. He always made sure she was comfortable.
Somehow the sheets entangled themselves around the couple but they didn't care. He slid himself inside of her and they both moaned as he quickened his pace, always being gently and careful.
Eventually she rolled on top of him, bringing the sheets with her. She tangled her fingers in his blonde hair and lowered her face to his shoulder as she cried out in pleasure. This lasted for quite awhile before the couple was satisfied.
"Link." Zelda moaned softly one last time. He reveled in that. He never wanted her to experience that with anyone else. He never wanted her to say another man's name in that way. Neither did she.
He moved so that she laid between his legs, his arms wrapped tight around her waist with his hands folded over her flat, toned stomach. Her head rested up on his shoulder and he could smell her floral scented hair which had fallen out of its bun during their lovemaking.
"Zel I love you so much." He said it as if it were a secret. He kissed her temple tenderly before tightening his hold on her. He never wanted to let this woman go.
"I love you too Link." She replied, leaning her head back to smile at him.
"And one day, I'm going to shout it out so that everyone can hear. There will be no more secrets and no more hiding our affections." He promised her.
"I hope that day can be soon." She said sadly, letting her eyes close. He sensed that she was tired and only broke his hold on her to pull the blankets up to keep her warm. He then blew out the candle beside them and nestled closer to her.
"So do I. Until then I will still always love and protect you." He whispered in the darkness, drifting off to sleep as well.