Private Goodbyes

AN: Happy Zelda month! Warning: this is bitter sweet. :,)


Maybe it was Zelda's imagination, but the air around her felt clearer than it had in a while. It felt fresh, and the light breeze playing with her hair felt different...normal.

It was probably just her. She hadn't been out of her Castle in forever, and when she had been out, Ganondorf had been destroying everything, making everything seem hopeless.

She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with fresh air...

Her and Midna had gotten up early, as they had talked about doing last night-the night after the battle-so that they may speak privately before Midna had to leave.

She glanced over at the beautiful woman, some strands of her fiery red and orange hair flying about in the wind, her red eyes thoughtful, her blue skin illuminated only slightly in the rising suns light.

"I will have to leave soon, you know. I'll miss you, Princess."

Zelda looked away from her as she swallowed with some difficulty, "Yes, and I shall miss you as well."

Midna smiled, "You don't have to keep up with the formalities, it is only us."

Zelda met her eyes again, but it was hard to. She didn't know why, but being near Midna made her feel weird. Not as guilty as it had felt, before, but more...nervous. Which was ridiculous. It was only Midna.

"Midna...what did you want?"

Midna's sweet smile faded, her face turning serious as she glanced down, she looked back to Zelda, though, "To exchange a more private goodbye. Link is amazing, and...honestly, I'm sort of proud of him, having watched him learn so much, but...I wanted to say goodbye to you, properly..."

Zelda swallowed again, "What about Link? You won't tell him?"

"I'll say goodbye to him...but I plan on waiting until he can't stop me. He's grown attached, hasn't he? I hate to hurt him, but he'll be okay. He is tough. That's the difference between you two. He'll fight and whine about it, you'll sit by and let me walk away, but in the end, he'll get over it, and you won't so easily."

"W-what? No, I-" Zelda stuttered.

"Just do me a favor, and understand now that this is the last time you'll see me, okay? It's gonna hurt when I'm gone, and you'll regret not talking about this."

Zelda stared, quiet as she thought it over, but she wasn't even sure what Midna was talking about. "I'll be fine, Midna. My place is here, with my kingdom, and yours is with your kingdom."

"Oh. So, is it just me?"

More confused, Zelda raised an eyebrow, "I don't understand."

Midna smiled, but it was more broken than her usual smile, and it hurt Zelda, for whatever reason. Stepping closer, Midna spoke again, "That's a first... I'm going to regret not talking to you about this. Even if this causes me more pain...I need to get this off my chest."

Zelda nodded in understanding, wanting to help Midna somehow, "Say whatever you need to, please."

"Promise...promise you won't hate me?"

"Midna, I could never hate you."

They stood in comfortable silence and Zelda felt like, for the first time in...a long time, she was relaxed. Around someone, at that. Usually she was only ever relaxed when she was alone, but now...what was it about Midna, that made her feel this way?

Midna stepped slightly closer, suddenly, and Zelda realized how close they really were. Heat crept onto her face as she stared back at Midna, her heart beat speeding up.

"Zelda..."

She wasn't sure how, but Zelda understood. She understood it all, in that moment. She leaned forward, pressing her lips to Midna's. Midna wrapped her arms around Zelda then, kissing her back passionately, and they stood there, holding onto each other like they would never get to, ever again. Because they wouldn't. They both knew that.

Midna's words rang loud in Zelda's ears then, "It's gonna hurt when I'm gone, and you'll regret not talking about this."

When they finally backed up, breathless, Zelda quickly said the words on her tongue, "I love you."

Midna seemed slightly shocked, but quickly smiled, "And I love you."

Zelda smiled too, then, but in the back of her mind she felt pain. Midna was going to be leaving soon. She pushed the thought aside though, deciding to enjoy what time they had together.

So when Midna kissed her again, she kissed her back.