Ahh, it feels so good to be writing Zelda fics again! So, let's skip my mindless bantering and go straight to it, shall we?
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to anything affiliated with The Legend of Zelda, nor do I make a profit from this story. The Legend of Zelda franchise has, is, and always will be owned by Nintendo.
--
"Please…"
His voice called out softly, almost hesitantly, as she stepped toward him. There he stood, dressed in his forest green tunic, stained with blood, white leggings, old bronze gauntlets adorning his lower arms, and worn leather boots. She vaguely wondered where his hat went whilst resisting the urge to reach out and run her fingers through his dark blonde hair to comfort him. She called out to him, but her voice never came forth. At first, she had been puzzled; why can she not speak? She made her way over to him, attempting to place her hand on his back to inspect the blood, but her hand went straight through him, as if he were simply an apparition. She then understood why she could not communicate with him.
A vision, she thought grimly. It's because this is a vision.
"Say something…anything…" He called again, this time a bit louder, though a bit hoarser than before, as if speaking was a struggle. He stepped forward once, away from her. His boots gave soft sighs, the leather quieted from years of usage as he continued to search in the abyss. She stared at his back, unsure of what to make of this vision she was being shown; they were usually considerably clearer than what she was seeing now.
With no warning, he dropped to his knees. "Please, goddesses above, don't take her from me…" he pleaded, his head bowed somberly. "Don't let her be harmed…I beg of you…" His fists clenched against his thighs to tightly his upper body began to tremble as he leaned on his balled up hands. The Triforce of Courage hummed vibrantly even through his glove, casting a soft glow on the hero's features. "You have me on my knees…please, keep her safe, don't let death claim her…"
She walked around his kneeling, broken frame to see the front of him, but the sight that greeted her made her cry out in anguish.
The front of his tunic was smeared with blood more so than the back of it, the most of the crimson life-force collecting at his side. Shallow cuts adorned his sun-kissed face while another, more gruesome slash was found on his neck, though it was unclear just how deep it was.
She was shocked when he lifted his gaze to her face, his piercing ocean blue eyes gazing at her, not through her, as was the case with other visions, almost as if he knew she were there, watching him. Her gaze was torn from his intense stare as she saw a shadowed figure emerge behind him, a sword poised high above, ready to strike the kneeling man before it. Just as the blade was thrust toward his back, she faintly heard him choke out,
"Can you hear me…Zelda?"
--
"No, Link-!" Zelda cried out softly as she bolted up from her bed. Sweat made her hair cling to her face and back, her nightgown and sheets gripping her lean body almost as if she were their last hope. Her breath came out in harsh, labored pants as she brought a clutched hand to her chest in a vain attempt to ease her thundering heart.
It had started about a month and a half ago.
She really couldn't explain it; this recurring vision she had every night. It was always the same, always revolving around him. Every time she had that dream, it would show her a little more, another detail, another meaning, and then she would awake, unable to decipher what these dreams were telling her.
It all started when she and Link began to get very, very close.
Granted, she and Link became good friends almost immediately following the Twilight Realm incident and Midna's farewell a little over two years ago. Strange as it sounded, it felt so…natural talking to him, and listening to him in return, almost as if they had known each other all their lives. As the months went by, they spent more and more time together, growing steadily more close with each passing day until separation became almost unbearable.
It was still hard to believe that it had only been three months ago that they had at long last confessed their growing affections toward each other. Granted, both of them were mature enough to realize that what they were feeling wasn't quite love just yet, or if it was, it was too soon to tell, so they simply contented themselves with admitting that they had feelings beyond friendship and were acting upon them. Nothing too over the top, mind you; simple hand holding, warm embraces, and the occasional chaste kiss were all that occurred between the hero and the princess. Though that suited them just fine; they were simply building a strong foundation for what they hoped would be a lasting relationship.
He had left shortly after that, what with having been officially knighted, he was rather busy. She had been rather surprised to discover that the royal council of Hyrule was quite fond of Link, and unanimously approved him as her potential suitor, what with being the Hero of Twilight and all. Though, no amount of shock could overpower her absolute elation she felt when the council accepted their being together.
That elation, however, turned to concern when, after only three and a half weeks after they became a couple, he was called to war- or at least, to try and prevent one, that is; lately, one of the smaller neighboring kingdoms was having a bit of difficulty with some renegade Twili that still blamed Hyrule for the incident with Ganondorf and Zant, and had asked for Hyrule's aid. Naturally, being a rather close ally of the mentioned kingdom, Zelda and the council to send troops to aid their smaller, considerably weaker army in resistance. The soldiers had yet to return, but the messengers had certainly done a well enough job to ensure the townsfolk (as well as their princess) that they were in good health and making steady progress in the fight.
Though, those letters did little to comfort Zelda now as she now crossed the room and sat on her window sill, her knees drawn to her chest as she felt the familiar sense of loneliness consume her as it had every night since Link's departure. The rain pelted softly on the roof, a comforting lullaby trying to ease the princess' worries, help her go back to sleep, and stave off the longing for her protector just one more night. Though, its melancholic tempo did nothing but remind her that she was alone, listening to the rain fall on her window pane.
The last time it rained, Link had been with her, wrapped in a soft blanket with his arms cocooning her as they pressed their cheeks together, reveling in their closeness. They had not exchanged unnecessary words, but simply listened to the rain, letting its sound patterns channel each other's secrets into their hearts.
Moments like that weren't very often, and when they occurred, most of them were things only they were privy to; they made a point to keep such tender displays of affection away from the public's eyes, not wanting to make their matriarch seem weak and used, which was simply not the case with Zelda, as anyone remotely close to her would attest. Though, she certainly didn't feel so certain of herself at the moment. On the contrary, she had never once felt more timid and fragile than when she sat there, her tiny frame curled within the folds of her deep black Sheikah cloak, watching the rain wash down upon the land.
As the rain continued its somber mantra, Zelda could feel her eyelids begin to grow heavy with the want for sleep at last, her exhaustion finally overpowering her deep concern for the Hero of Twilight that had plagued her thoughts since he left. Resting her head on her knees, she continued to listen to the weather outside, though had not fallen asleep quite yet. In her limbo between awake and asleep, her thoughts drifted back to Link's departure, the day prior to it, and the promise that had been made…
"Zelda, is everything alright?" She faintly heard Link ask from behind her. She turned toward him, sat down on the lush grass, and motioned for him to do the same. Taking a seat next to her, he drew one knee up to rest his arm on lazily as he continued to gaze at her quizzically.
"Link…the kingdom has been asked to go to war," she hesitated. "It seems there's been a sort of uprising near the border of Latona Kingdom. Apparently, there are still some renegade Twili that blame Hyrule for the Twilight incident that didn't go back to the Twilit Realm, and are trying to reach Hyrule through the Latona border," she paused a moment before finishing.
"Twili-!" Seeing his eyes flash with shock and the slightest hint of betrayal, she was quick to reassure him,
"These Twili went against Midna; she did everything she could to prevent this." The hero relaxed considerably knowing that his dear friend was not involved in this affair. However, it seemed as though there was something Zelda had not yet said, something important; the way her canine worried her bottom lip, the way she could not look him in the eye for very long, were both signs that she was keeping something back.
"I gather that's not the entire story," he said simply, his eyes softening when she visibly flinched.
She turned to him, her soft fingers reaching up to guide his face by the chin so that she could look him directly in the eye. "The council wishes that you would be the one to lead a group of soldiers there," she said gravely. He now understood why she had been so hesitant about telling him; now that they had become…something, now that they had gotten together, it made things a bit more difficult when he had to leave. Despite the fact that he was a knight, it was still a bit harder to take knowing what he was leaving was now his. Still, it could not be helped; Latona needed Hyrule's help, and he didn't dare to argue that.
"Then…I will go," he said firmly, though the gentleness in her tone did not go unnoticed. Knowing she was upset, he stroked her cheek with the back of his calloused, albeit smooth hand. She leaned into his touch, her lashes fluttering a moment in bliss.
"But…" she said a moment later, unable to keep her concerns quiet. She gripped his hand and held it to her face as she spoke, "You must promise to return as soon as you've completed your duties," she finished in a shaky whisper. The hero smiled warmly and clasped her hand in his.
"I promise," he swore, his intense gaze never faltering, his voice ringing with surety and valor. She knew then that she had absolutely nothing to worry about; he would go, but he would come back into her arms soon.
"When does the group leave?" He asked softly.
"Tomorrow at dawn, your company departs," she answered in the same manner, as he tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. She wrapped her slender fingers around his once more to stop him from pulling away. Nodding in agreement to his decision, she asked, "Will you stay with me until then?" Her voice had lowered to a whisper, though her hero picked up every word. His hand rested comfortably on her cheek, curling to hold it tenderly. He ran his thumb back and forth across her cheek in a soothing motion, hoping she would allow herself to relax despite the concern evident in her features.
"Do you need to ask?" He answered her question with one of his own. She smiled softly as he stood and extended his hand toward her. She gratefully took it, rising beside him and following him to Epona. He mounted her with ease before gripping the princess' hand once more to pull her up behind him. As he led the steed into a gallop, Zelda wrapped her arms around her protector, and rested her head against his back. His warmth suffused through her body, its comfort easing her tense muscles as her eyes lightly fluttered shut, knowing she could only feel this warmth for a scant few hours more.
By the time the couple had stolen away into Zelda's room in Castle Hyrule, the sun had begun to rest upon the horizon, and the soft glow of twilight swept across the land. Zelda took Link's hand and gingerly led him over to her window seat so they could watch the sun set in the distance one last time together before he had to leave.
"Do you ever feel a deep sadness as you watch the dusk fall?" Link asked her, his tone warm and smoky from misuse. She turned, not expecting something so philosophical to come from him. When he saw her surprised gaze, he chuckled a bit. "My mentor, a member of the Resistance, asked me that question before the whole event with the Twilight Realm." His eyes clouded over in nostalgia as he continued, "back then, I had no idea what he was talking about. Quite frankly, back then, a sunset was a sunset in my eyes." He smiled wryly at the memory of his own ignorance back then. "But," the bitterness in that smile dissolved into contentment. "The sunsets to me are a sort of greeting. You know, like Midna's checking in on us? Seeing how we're doing, making sure we're alright, know what I mean?"
"Yes," she breathed, moved by his words. "Before Hyrule was cast into Twilight, I would never really give the sunset a second thought. I appreciated its beauty, certainly, but to me, it never had a purpose. But now, when I see the sunset, I think of Midna and the other Twili, and I pray to the goddesses that they're all safe and happy." She smiled at the memory of Midna, whom she felt a deep connection to. Even now, she could sense Midna's presence as if she were right in the room with them. She felt Link's arm drape around her shoulders and ease her against him, allowing her to let his heartbeat soothe her frayed nerves.
"How long?" Link suddenly broke the companionable silence that had befallen the two, startling Zelda a bit.
"Huh?" she asked, unsure of what she meant. Noting her blatant confusion, he rephrased his question,
"How long will our troops be away at Latona?" her expression changed into a somber one, her cerulean eyes darkened in pain until they almost looked violet as she turned her head to gaze at the last hours of twilight before the night swallowed the sky.
"To be honest, I'm…I'm not sure…" she started slowly. "They never specified how long they needed our troops to stay, so I suppose it'll be until the uprising has been quelled." She frowned worriedly as she studied his uncertain expression. "You are…afraid…?" She peered at him, as if to decipher the emotions locked in his distant gaze, her hand rising to guide his face to have her gaze met with his. He gave a small smile, what little comfort it offered either of them.
"I'm not afraid of the battle," he stated matter-of-factly, though Zelda had already known that much, he could tell. "But," he started. "I am going to miss you when I'm away." His smile saddened considerably, and the spirited twinkle in his eye vanished in the deep sea of his concern.
"And I will miss you just as much," she replied, as if to console him, assure him that he would at least not be alone in feeling as such. "But I know you will come back, and you know that I will be here waiting, praying for your safe return. In the end, that's what counts, Link." She smiled gently at him. Unable to voice his emotions, he settled for pulling her into his lap, holding her against him one last time before he left. Nothing more was needed to be said between the two as they sat there in the comfortable silence of the room. After several hours of simply enjoying the warmth of their embrace, he lifted his head from hers to gaze once more at the sky.
"I must go now, Zelda," Link whispered, running his hand through her hair soothingly, though for her comfort or his, neither could be certain. She squeezed him tighter, not wanting to let go so soon. He looked back down at her when he felt her tremble in his arms. He knew she was suppressing tears, if only to make their farewell a bit easier, but he still needed to console her as much as he could. He rubbed small circles into her back, hoping she would calm down, even just a bit. She sniffled, but kept her tears at bay, a difficult task when all she wanted was for him to never leave. But, she knew that he needed to fulfill his duty to his country, and those it was allied to, so she didn't fight him when he slinked out of her arms slowly, regretfully as he stood. His fingertips brushed along her shoulders, rising up to hold her face as he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I will return to you," he whispered fiercely in her ear. "I promise."
"I'll be waiting," she whispered hesitantly as he gave her one last smile before he walked out the door. She stood, looking out her window to watch him mount Epona once more and gallop off into the night.
"I promise."
--
Despite the ominous echoing of the raindrops, the faint whinny of horses managed to reach her ears. Her tired eyes popped open with energy she was unaware she had possessed, her head snapping up in time to look over to her window. Her heart in her throat, she managed a hoarse whisper of,
"Link?"
--
Okay, I know it's a bit cheesy, and Zelda's much more emotionally stable in Twilight Princess than this, but please forgive me- it's only my second Zelda fic! Please read and review! It's greatly appreciated!