The Alley

The first time I met Ike…

I remember that it was dark outside and I needed to get to the castle in Altea, and I was currently in its village. I was fourteen and at that time I was very mischievous and curious. So I knew some shortcuts in the village that led to the castle. I ran towards the alley that was the fastest route to the castle when all of a sudden a drunken man stopped me in my tracks.

"Hey there, beautiful. Do you want to come in with me?" I instantly backed away from him, and twisted my face away. The guy's breath reeked of alcohol. That's some strong stuff there…

"No. I have to go. Now, if you'll excuse me-" I went past him to no avail. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

"Come on now, we can do something together." I immediately knew what this sick man wanted. Fear and anger ran through my body and in the corner of my eye I saw a figure. I struggled against the man's tight grasp.

"NO! Now let me go this instan-Aahhh!" Pain erupted from my wrist as the man twisted it. Tears streamed down my face at the burning pain. Through my blurry vision, I saw the man running towards us.

"Come with me and I promise not to hurt you." He snarled

"Looks like you already broke that promise!" said another voice.

Before the drunk man could turn his head to the new voice, my knee kicked his private part, and I got the reaction I wanted.

"AAAHHH! Why, you little-"

The drunk man didn't even finish his sentence, instead jaw met fist and the man that was running punched the guy in the face. Hard. He sprawled out on the cobblestone floor, and from the bar lighting, I looked at him, he seemed like he was in his 20's. I shuddered. How gross.

"You alright?" I whipped around, momentarily forgetting the guy that helped me. I looked at the figure, it was a boy, and it sounded concerned.

"Uh-"

"Wait, stupid question, come here."

Careful on not pulling me from my left injured wrist, he guided me to a streetlamp that illuminated everything. Curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to see the person who helped me escape my doom. When I finally got to look at him clearly I was shocked at what I saw.

His hair….was blue! It didn't look dyed, and it looked really soft. His face was quite handsome, he also had the same color blue in his eyes and his thin lips were smiling… He also had a well-built body. Wait a second…let's not get that far. Then I remembered about my identity, but was immediately comforted by the fact that I chose to wear my black cloak that had a hood on it to cover my face. Goddesses I was grateful for that.

He seemed to be the one to break the silence though as he studied me carefully while saying. "Do I know you from somewhere?" His voice knocked me back into reality and I quickly looked down as he kept on looking at me. "You're not…? No, it couldn't be…."

Shoot…I forgot this was the first month I was here and Altea most likely had newspapers with my picture in it. I mentally cursed myself, I can't lie either. "…impossible"

"Not what?" I inquired. If it wasn't for the cloak, he would've recognized me as the princess, hopefully he won't pull it down.

"…Never mind, lemme see that wrist of yours…" Phew, he dismissed the whole idea of my identity…though he probably wasn't far off. I'm treading on thin ice here.

He grabbed my left arm, and made a move to touch my wrist with his hand, I winced.

He smirked "I didn't even touch it yet."

He looks handsome with that face of his. A new wave of pain erupted from my wrist and traveled deep in my body as my head felt dizzy.

"The pain is coming back…" I told him as I closed my eyes, fighting back the pulsing pain.

"Ok, ok, if it hurts that much, then lemme at least wrap it with….something..."

He let go of my arm, and I was confused at what he was doing until I heard the sound of cloth being ripped. He's ripping off his shirt? I quietly stood there as he held a long piece of his white shirt and took my left arm again.

"Talk to me so that way you can be distracted..."

He looked concentrated on my right wrist as he began wrapping it. I flinched as he started to make his first loop around my wrist.

"What's your name?"

"Ike...Ike Greil" He smiled at me. I smiled back at him, his smile made me smile. Although he couldn't see it, I blushed. He's really handsome…He looped my wrist with his shirt.

"How old are you?"

"14, you?"

"Same…"

"Shouldn't you be at home with your family? N-not that I'm ungraceful that you saved me, thank-you by the way, but aren't they worried about you?" His smile faltered.

"I my mother died while giving birth to me and my father who was in the war, died on his way to come see me." He looked at me.

"I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't be prodding in your-"

"No, it's ok" he reassured me. He carefully looped the fabric again, taking great care that I won't feel any pain. How sweet…

I guess he decided that he also wanted to ask the same question to me.

"I'd imagine yours would be-"

"Dead." I interrupted.

His eyes seemed to lose their color and his face seemed sad.

Trying to change the mood of depression, I asked him another question.

"Where do you live?" I asked

"I learned to look out for myself and I'm currently working at a job to pay the rent at the place I'm living. And once I have enough money, I'll lead my own life. Adventures beyond Altea that I'll get to experience…that's the life I want to have." I felt spoiled. He had to work in order for him to have shelter while I just have to be pretty all the time. Apparently, he felt that he revealed too much about himself without any information from me and so he started asking me questions.

"How about you?" he asked me.

"Huh? What about me?"

Ike smiled, "Where do YOU live…you know, so that I can check on how your wrist is doing?" he questioned.

"You know, I live here…in the village, quite close by actually." My eyes looked to the far right without moving my head. My house is so close that it's looming right over our heads…oh yea, what's that thing called? A castle. Oh, and why do you live in a castle, stranger I've only just met? Oh, it's because I'm the princess and that's where I live. Geez, I hate myself.

He didn't seem to like that answer as he frowned, but nonetheless, he was almost done.

"What's your name?" Oh goddesses…I can't answer it with a question because I already know his…What will I do!

"Hey…uh? Are you alright?" Apparently not answering immediately was something that stopped him from wrapping the last loop.

"Y-yea." I mumbled. With that weak answer he finished tying up my wrist and put his hands by his side and sighed in satisfaction.

"Ok then, but you still haven't told me your name." I gulped, unladylike, but I don't care. What can I do? Then, the answer appeared in my head: run.

"Thank-you…Ike Greil." His face told me he was confused by my answer, and he opened his mouth to say something else. But I didn't let him start; I quickly turned around and headed for the castle, sprinting as fast as I can go.

"W-Wait!" But I didn't wait; I kept on running and left a confused Ike in my wake. He can't see where I'm going.

"At least give me your name!" yelled a devastated Ike,

But if I tell him my name, then he'll know that I'm a princess! Stupid princess royalty! It always ruins everything, why can't it NOT just back off and hook its title to someone else?

After a few fake turns, I heard that he was still following me by his footsteps. Darn it, even faster Zelda! He can't see you! I kept on running at full speed. After I didn't hear any more footsteps, I went to the castle and as soon as I touched my bed, my body collapsed in exhaustion.