"Link! Link!" Zelda's frantic screams ripped through the air, filling everyone's hearts with cold chills. The princess kneeled beside the unconscious man in the stretcher, shaky hands holding his battered face. "Link!" Zelda cried out, the tears beginning to roll down her eyes.
"Get him to the infirmary! Quick!" Marth ordered anxiously.
"We're already going to do that," the paramedic nodded as he and his partner picked up the stretcher and ran inside the arena, the princess following close behind them.
Ike whirled around, glaring up at the platform where Ganondorf stood looking down at them, an ugly malicious smile on his face. The mercenary's blood boiled with rage, and he shook his fist as another hand reached up for the sword on his back.
"Stop."
Ike turned in surprise at the hand holding down his arm.
"Go to the infirmary," Marth stated. "Samus, you too. I'll meet you there. We'll deal with Ganondorf." The prince noticed Ike's hesitation. "Link needs you right now. He needs everyone. Leave us to handle Ganondorf."
Ike finally nodded and ran along with Samus in the direction of the infirmary.
The doctor and two nurses scrambled for bandages, cleaning cloths, and medication as the paramedics lifted Link's nearly lifeless body and gently laid him on the bed. Various chatter filled the air as the other fighters filed into the medical room, checking on Link.
"Oh my gosh," Peach gasped, almost fainting if it wasn't for Mario steadying her.
"This is horrible," Sonic frowned, watching the doctor and nurses tend to the hero.
"This Ganondorf…I will snap his neck!" Snake gritted his teeth, tightening his fist.
Meanwhile, Ike went up to the bed and checked to see if Link still had a pulse.
"We already checked for that. He's still breathing and his heart is beating," the doctor remarked, noticing the mercenary repeatedly checking up on the male. "And I suggest you step out of the way so that I can work."
Ike stood up. "I want to help."
"Fine. We're short on nurses anyway. We only have two. Where's Princess Zelda?" The doctor searched the room.
"I'm over here," Zelda ran over, her shaky hands holding onto a glass jar of red liquid.
"Is this the potion?"
"Yes."
Ike looked curiously at the drink, wondering what it was.
"Link…" Samus whispered, staring painfully down at the injured body as she stood next to Ike.
"We'll give him the potion in a moment," the doctor said. "First, I need those cloths prepared as well as some gauzes and ointments. Nurses! Stop wasting time! Quick!"
Just then, Marth walked in, making his way through the crowd of fighters trying to watch the scene. "Ike!" The prince finally arrived next to his friend and Samus. "How is he doing?"
"They said something about a red potion," Ike said, falling down onto his knees and reaching out a trembling hand to gently touch those now dirtied tattered locks matted with blood.
"The red potion is a special drink from Hyrule. It will replenish his health and heal him faster." Marth watched as his friend began cradling Link's head gently within his arms. "Ike." The mercenary ignored him. "Ike!" Growing exacerbated by the scene, Marth cringed. "What the hell happened on that platform?" He tried to calm himself as he stared at Link's horrible state.
"I know what happened."
The two men turned their attention to Samus, who had her head lowered, her left arm still cradling her right. Zelda turned around as well, overhearing the other fighters.
Samus looked around carefully at them. "I can tell you, but…I suggest we have all the other fighters leave first."
"Huh?" Marth blinked, confused as Ike stood up with a similar expression.
"I'll tell you guys. Just the four of us," the bounty hunter whispered.
Marth, Ike, and Zelda all looked at one another.
And then, as though knowing, Marth turned around and announced to the fighters to leave, rounding them up and pushing them out the door, much to their protests. The door was finally shut, and the room was quiet again, making the atmosphere even graver.
Marth returned to the other three. "Speak, Samus."
Samus took a deep breath. "Ganondorf was purposely distracting Link, throwing him off guard. He was playing mind games with him, and made him completely lose concentration."
"Okay, we noticed that. But what was he saying?" Marth demanded.
Samus subtlety looked at Ike, hesitant, and then took another deep breath. "He was telling Link that he was being used, that Ike only slept with him because he was just a toy to him."
The three individuals all gaped in shock at the revelation.
"Which is not true obviously!" Samus quickly threw in. "Ganondorf was lying to Link! He just wanted to fool Link into thinking that-" But her words fell on deaf ears on one individual, for there was a sudden loud clatter as Ike was pressed up against the wall by a Sheikah in the room.
"Sheik, stop this!" Marth and Samus grasped the Sheikah, trying to wrestle the individual away from stabbing the mercenary with three needles.
"This is ALL YOUR FAULT!" The clad Sheikah screamed at the top of the lungs. "It's because of you that Link is in this current state! It's because of YOU!"
Marth and Samus struggled desperately before finally wrestling the attacker to the floor, leaving Ike coughing at the wall for air.
"Zelda, calm down, turn back to your original yourself. This is not the time for this," Marth attempted to reason with the alternate form of the princess.
"Marth's right. Stop this, Zelda," Samus said, pinning those strong arms down with her one working arm.
"What are you guys doing?"
Everyone looked up to the shocked expression on the doctor's face.
"There is an injured man in the room, and you guys are FIGHTING?"
The three quickly scrambled to their feet, completely ashamed, as the doctor briskly brushed past them with a nurse and began tending to the wounds. "This is worse than I thought," the man grumbled. "I need that red potion now. He needs to drink it."
Zelda, having reverted back to her form in the process, grabbed the jar on the counter and handed it back to the doctor. The doctor raised Link's head and tried to pour the drink into the swollen mouth, but the liquid trickled to the side.
"We must get him to drink this," the doctor said in frustration.
Zelda quickly walked over and took the jar, trying to make her friend swallow the liquid, but the hero remained unconscious, his mouth tightly sealed. "It's no use. We have to wake him up!"
"But how?" Samus cried out. "He's completely knocked unconscious."
"There's a way."
Everyone looked up to see Ike standing before them. "Here," he held out his hand for the bottle.
Marth stared, recognizing this gesture. Zelda, however, gripped the bottle tighter, not willing to give it up.
"Please," the mercenary pleaded.
"Zelda, just give it to him," Samus soothed the princess.
The young woman frowned and looked at Link helplessly. And then, gazing back at the mercenary, she hesitantly handed over the red potion.
Ike grabbed the potion and took a swag in his mouth.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Zelda began protesting before feeling a hand grip her shoulder. She looked up in surprise to see Marth, who was only looking at Ike.
Setting the red potion down on the table beside him, Ike kneeled onto the floor. He pinched Link's nose, propped open his mouth, and latched his lips onto the hero's.
Zelda's brows furrowed with anger. "Why you-" She felt herself held back by the hand still on her shoulder. "Marth!"
"Watch," Marth stated firmly.
Zelda frowned, and she turned back around to see in surprise Ike take another swag of the red potion and enclose his mouth over Link's, small drips of liquid seeping from the side.
"I've seen him do this on the battlefield when he was administrating an antidote to an unconscious poisoned comrade," Marth explained, answering Zelda's silent inquiries.
Ike began coughing at the taste of blood in Link's mouth. Taking a deep breath, he repeated the process of orally giving the red potion to the hero.
"It's like mouth-to-mouth medication," Samus remarked, drawing Zelda's attention. "Now I remember. We had to do this in space sometimes when we don't have an IV present."
The princess lowered her head, and she watched as Ike took a final drink of the red potion before forcing it down Link's throat.
The mercenary finally finished and pulled back, breathing out a sigh.
"Good job. I see you are medically trained as well," the doctor patted Ike on the back with a smile.
"Only a little. Kinda' necessary on the battlefield," Ike panted, waiting for the effects of the red potion to kick in as he watched the hero closely.
The doctor turned to the nurse next to him. "We don't have enough gauges. Come with me. We need more supplies." The medical attendants left, leaving the fighters standing around Link's bed.
Suddenly, there was subdued coughing, and the individuals looked down in shock to find the hero gasping for breath.
"He's waking up!" Samus spoke out excitedly.
Everyone leaned over, anxious to see the hero become conscious again.
Swollen, blackened blue eyes slowly opened, barely seeping through the puffed up skin.
"Link," Zelda smiled, a tear rolling down her eye in relief. "Thank the goddesses."
And then, blinking, Link parted his mouth. "Ike."
The name surprised everyone, and Ike shook, watching as Link turned his head and looked at him with pleading eyes. "Ike. I'm…not just a toy to you…am I?" the hurt voice barely whispered in a painful cry. And then, Link fell unconscious again.
The question shocked the mercenary, gripping his heart painfully, and Ike immediately reached out a trembling hand to hold the hero, replying shakily, "Link, of course not. I-" There was a loud smack, and Ike felt his hand swatted away, surprising him and even Samus and Marth.
"Don't touch him!" Zelda yelled, throwing herself onto Link in a protective, possessive embrace. "You've done enough damage already!" Angry eyes shook violently at Ike, making the mercenary pull back.
"Zelda, calm down," Marth tried to appease the princess, but the young woman ignored him and placed her face next to Link's battered one.
"I have everything I need now, but I will need some help," the doctor returned with the nurse, more supplies in his hands. "Young lady, I suggest you go to the nurse back there. She is waiting for you."
Samus blinked, realizing the doctor was addressing her. "Huh? But I'm fine. This isn't too bad."
"Don't lie to me. I can see that arm is broken," the doctor waved his hand brashly. "Go to the nurse in the back. She will tend to it."
"It's all right, Samus. We'll look after Link," Marth assured her.
The bounty hunter took one last look at Link, a sad glint in her eyes, before heading towards the back of the infirmary.
"Okay, now I need just two of you to stay to help. Unfortunately, we don't have enough nurses at hand at the moment. So, which one of you will volunteer?" The doctor asked, although already knowing which one will be staying, seeing the princess clinging onto the hero.
"I'll help," Ike stood up abruptly.
"No!" Zelda protested, standing up too.
The doctor blinked, confused.
"Um, give us a second," Marth sighed, brushing the doctor to the side for a moment.
"I'm staying to help," Ike stated firmly.
"You will leave," Zelda stressed through clenched teeth. "I will not allow you to cause Link anymore pain."
Marth walked over. "Zelda, we need Ike's help right now. I won't be able to stay for now. The committee requires me to go back to discuss our next action against Ganondorf."
"Why can't that other nurse over there help out then?"
"Apparently, they have another fighter to attend to as well from earlier."
"Then I'll help the doctor alone," Zelda said stubbornly. "If you don't leave, Ike, I will kill you."
"You can kill me later."
Zelda shook, surprised by this response from the mercenary as she stared at determined eyes before her.
"You're right. It is my fault. And I deserve to be killed for it. But right now, Link needs us. Please, let me help. I owe him at least this much. And more." Ike closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before opening his eyes again. "You can kill me afterwards."
Zelda felt taken aback, not sure how to respond to this.
"There will be no killing going around," Marth sighed, standing between his friends. "Now, you two, stay and help the doctor tend to Link's wounds. I'll be back later to check up on you all." The prince eyed Ike sternly, as though giving him a silent warning to behave, and that he was trusting him for now. And then, he turned around and left.
"Well then, are you two done bickering or are we going to leave this young man to slowly die in pain?" the doctor spoke sarcastically.
Zelda, glaring at Ike, said in a strained voice, "We're both ready to help."
Link's clothing were stripped to the bare minimum, revealing more of the injuries that were deep, with harsh cuts in the skin and bruised purple skin that continued to swell, much to the grimace of the two fighters tending to the wounds. But luckily, the red potion was already kicking in, stopping the internal bleeding, so that was at least one less thing to worry about.
Zelda and Ike worked in silence, following the doctor's orders as they cleaned up the wounds, applied ice packs to the swollen muscles, and began bandaging the hero. Whatever argument the two individuals had earlier were gone from their minds, for every time their fingers touched the injured hero, their hearts twisted with pain. Both desperately wanted to hold the hero, to cradle the poor young man and whisper sweet words to him, soothing his mind and heart from this horrible incident. But both refrained from doing so, since it seemed awkward at the moment with both present at the same time in that very room, given the circumstances.
Once Ike and Zelda did what they could, the two stayed and silently watched Link, waiting for him to awaken once more. But the hero slept soundly without a stir, his bruised face a constant reminder to them of the horribleness of what happened that day.
A few hours passed, and it was time to change the bandages. This was where Zelda found herself rather incompetent, which frustrated her. Having grown up within the confines of her castle, the young princess was not well versed in the art of medically attending to others fresh from war, save for the basics like using the red potion. Even her magic was limited when it comes to healing. Thus, when Ike became the one solely changing the bandages, having had experience from his days in battle, Zelda grumpily served as his assistant, preparing new fresh rolls and throwing old ones away as she watched Ike's hands delicately remove and apply the white strips to Link's body. The thought of Ike touching a barely clad Link irked her, but given the graveness of the situation, she wisely held her tongue.
Marth came by twice to check up on them and to update them on Ganondorf's status. The committee was still meeting about it, reviewing the match from earlier to determine whether the fighter should be disqualified permanently from all future tournaments. Zelda was impatient, stating plainly that it shouldn't take that long for the committee to make what would be an obvious decision. Ike, on the other hand, only thought about ripping Ganondorf's face off, especially seeing how Link's own face is battered beyond recognition at the moment.
Night finally arrived, and Samus walked by to find Ike and Zelda still sitting in their respective chairs on either side of the bed, watching the hero intently.
The mercenary looked up upon seeing the bounty hunter. "How is your arm?"
"It'll heal," Samus cradled the right arm that was now hanging in a sling around her shoulder. "I got some of that red potion too. Apparently, it'll speed up the bone repair process." She grinned meekly before her eyes fell on Link. "He looks terrible," she frowned.
"I know," Ike stated, rubbing his own tired face with worried frustration.
"Are you two planning on staying here the whole night?"
"Yes."
Upon hearing the mercenary's reply, Zelda had the urge to protest, but again kept silent.
Noticing Zelda's unspoken reaction, Samus gave a small smile and said, "If you two need anything, feel free to come by my room. Or if you need to sleep, I can switch shifts with you and watch over Link." And then she left.
Throughout the night, the two remaining fighters struggled to stay awake, wanting to stubbornly be the one to keep watch on Link the whole night. But exhaustion from the day's events won out, and the two soon dozed off in their respective chairs, the infirmary silent save for the peaceful breathing of the occupants in the room.
Morning arrived, and Ike shut his eyes tighter as the blinding sunlight seeped through the windows. The air was slightly chilly and crisp compared to yesterday, and realizing that it was already the next day, Ike sat up from his chair in a bolt, heart pounding hard. Looking down, his eyes widened in shock.
Link's face was visible again, the swelling having already gone down over the night. The red potion really did wonders, and Ike made a mental note to find out how to get some. Leaning over, the mercenary reached out a hand and gently caressed those frail cheeks. Link still had a black eye, and there were red blemishes and bruises splotting the skin, but at least the hero looked more like himself again compared to yesterday.
There was a yawn, and Ike looked up to see Zelda waking up in her chair.
Stretching, the princess looked down and immediately gasped at the sight of Link looking less injured than before. Smiling in relief, she also reached out a hand to touch him when she noticed Ike's own on Link's other cheek. Glancing up, she glared at the mercenary, wanting him to back off. The two seemed to be at a standstill.
"Good morning."
Both fighters turned abruptly to see Marth leaning at the doorway. "I see that you two stayed here for the night," The prince briskly walked in, lowering his eyes to see Link's condition. "It appears he's getting better already."
"Yea. I'm glad," Ike said quietly with a small smile.
"What time is it?" Zelda asked.
"Early. 8:15 to be precise," Marth replied, reaching out to gently smooth out Link's tresses which now had traces of dried blood matting it. "Looks like he needs a bath."
Suddenly, there was a small stir, and Marth pulled back in surprise as the fighters leaned in to see Link's eyes twitching. And then, blue orbs slowly revealed themselves in a tired manner. Link began to sit up, only to wince in pain halfway.
"Don't push yourself," Ike quickly said, he and Zelda holding the hero up from collapsing too soon back onto the bed. They gently lowered the young man down onto his back.
Link rubbed his eyes at the brightness in the room. "What…happened?" he spoke hoarsely.
"You don't remember?" Zelda asked.
Link's hand stopped midway as he felt a bandage wrapped around his forehead. Surprised, he pulled back his hand, finding his arms wrapped as well. And then he touched his chest and stomach, fingers feeling the rolls of thin white cloth around him. "What…what…?" the hero seemed to be confused as large blue eyes began searching around the room before seeing Zelda, Marth, and finally, Ike.
"Ike!" Link cried out, sitting up straight too fast, further hurting himself again. "Ah!"
"Link!" Zelda quickly soothed him. "Be careful. You're still injured."
Link observed himself, finding the bruises and blemishes on his body. He then glanced up at his companions. "Um, do I look bad?"
"Pretty bad," Marth answered honestly. "But better than yesterday."
Link paused for a moment. "What happened yesterday?"
The three looked at each other hesitantly, and then explained to him how Ganondorf refused to do a final smash, and therefore prolonged the match by blindly beating him. None, however, included details on the things Ganondorf said to unsettle Link, but it seemed that the hero remembered for as he listened to the retelling of yesterday's event, the young man sometimes stared down at his hands in silence, as though his mind was preoccupied with something.
Later, the doctor came by and gave a nod of approval at Link's condition. "Nice. Looking better already. Although," the older man gently patted the top of Links head, "It looks like we need to get you cleaned. Unfortunately, my nurses are not here yet this early in the morning, but I think you may want to get some of that dried blood washed off now instead of waiting for them. Well, I doubt this young lady here would object to giving Link a quick sponge bath."
The jovial remark sent both Zelda and Link blushing, especially the princess.
"I was just joking," the doctor chuckled. "It would be rather inappropriate, even though you two are close. Well then, what about this young man here who was so kind as to stay the whole night and change Link's bandages?"
"No!" Both Zelda and Ike cried out adamantly simultaneously, nearly throwing the doctor backwards.
"Fine," the doctor furrowed an eyebrow, getting irritated. "I don't see a problem with having a man give another man a bath, seeing how that's more appropriate than having a woman whose not a nurse give him a bath."
Zelda coughed in disapproval at the idea of Ike having a chance to see Link naked and even touch him, and the mercenary blushed brightly while Link hid his face, blood rushing to those long Hylian ears completely red beyond embarrassment at the discussion of who would be washing him.
"Ahem," Marth's cough drew everyone's attention to himself, and he folded his arms in annoyance. "I'll just do it."
Both Ike and Zelda waited patiently in the infirmary before Marth finally returned with the hero, who was being brought back in a wheel chair since he was still weak.
Smiling, Ike asked, "How was the bath…" his voice trailed off at the sight of Marth looking overly stern in a strangely contorted way, his cheeks slightly tinted pink, while the hero in the wheelchair below him hung his head low, face flushed and body curled within the white robe he was wearing. Both Ike and Zelda blinked in surprise.
"It went well. We got the dried blood off." Marth stated seriously and wheeled Link next to the bed before lifting up the younger male onto the mattress. "He can have his bandages changed now. They're still rather wet, but we had to leave them on to prevent the water from possibly worsening the wounds. Ike, I'll leave the rest up to you." Coughing, the prince added, "I have some duties to attend to this morning. I'll be back in an hour." And without giving Ike or Zelda the chance to respond, the man swiftly turned around and walked out the doors. Unbeknowest to the other fighters, Marth was silently regretting his decision to volunteer to bathe Link, having nearly sustained multiple nosebleeds at the sight of a very adorable Link squirming and whimpering at the feel of warm water trickling down his naked skin from the princes's ministrations with the sponge. The hero was too cute beyond the law of what was allowed, and the prince strained his face and walked faster through the hallway outside to cool himself off.
Meanwhile, back in the infirmary, Ike and Zelda began gathering a clean set of bandages.
"Link, your hair is still wet," Zelda noted, grabbing a towel and drying the locks of wet strands. While doing this, she noticed Link silently gazing down at his hands, as though something was on his mind. Frowning, Zelda finished toweling the hero's hair and set the towel aside at a table. Turning back around, she suddenly stiffened her mouth at the sight before her.
The hero blinked at her blankly, his dirty blond tresses now frazzled and sticking up everywhere like a lion's mane. Even Ike found himself unable to suppress a chuckle.
"What…hey! What's so funny?" Link asked as he looked at his two companions, flustered.
"Nothing," Zelda smiled, running her finger playfully down Link's nose. "You just rest now."
Link blinked a couple times, completely boggled.
"Zelda!"
The three all glanced up in surprise to find Marth already back at the infirmary.
"Sorry, but you need to come with me," the prince huffed, out of breath.
"Huh? What do you mean? What's wrong?" Zelda asked, concerned.
"Apparently, this meeting about Ganondorf is not so simple. The committee wants you to be present, especially since he came from your land, and you are the ruler of that land."
Sensing the urgency in Marth's voice, Zelda nodded and took a step forward when she remembered that Link needed his bandages changed. And that Ike would be the one doing it.
Alone.
The thought disturbed the princess, and Zelda hesitated when Marth interrupted her thoughts.
"Hurry, Zelda. The committee doesn't like to be left waiting." And then, sensing Zelda's thoughts, he added, "And don't worry, I trust that Ike would be on his best behavior." Marth gave his friend a warning look.
Ike gave an uneasy smile in return.
Thus, Zelda left with Marth, and the mercenary was left alone with the hero.
The air was suddenly too quiet, and Ike found himself shifting around in his seat uneasily. "Um, I'm going to replace those bandages on you now." He lifted up a hand, ready to pull back the robe on the hero.
"What am I to you?"
The question startled the mercenary, and Ike retracted his hand, looking into clear blue orbs that now stared back at him. There was no discernable emotion. Link just looked at him.
Ike swallowed, feeling the young man's heavy gaze on him. Struggling for words, he tried to form a coherent sentence in his mind, but his throat was caught.
And then, the mercenary lowered his head.
"I'm sorry."
A long silence hung in the air for what seemed like eternity.
Suddenly, a punch smashed across Ike's face, sharp pain searing through his skin and nearly knocking him senseless. Completely caught off guard, the mercenary barely managed to hold himself together from falling off his chair when he glanced up and saw Link's fist out in midair. For someone who was still recovering from a fight, Link's punch sure packed an unexpected iron strength that surpassed most of those Ike knew in his lifetime of fighting.
Feeling more pain now sting the corner of his lip, where he tasted small traces of blood, Ike winced slightly before staring into large, clear blue orbs again. There was no anger displayed in those eyes. Nothing. Ike was unable to read the young man's face at the moment.
Link withdrew his hand. "Tell me the truth."
The mercenary watched the hero's firm resolve. The voice was not loud, but it was steady and direct.
"Just...be honest with me," Link stated, those eyes quietly determined.
Ike stared back. He parted his mouth slowly, feeling the surge in his heart as his Adam's apple bobbled once in his throat. Finally, he replied, "To me, you…are the very person I fell in love with."
The words startled Link, and the young hero dropped his mouth, blue orbs now widening in shock, not expecting this at all. For a while, the individuals looked at each other, neither daring to move. The hero watched as an apologetic look of pain, regret, and sorrow filled the mercenary's eyes. Ike frowned at him sadly, his face devastated by guilt for committing an unspeakable act against the very person he cared about the most. Feeling his chest caught, Link swallowed, unsure on how to respond before quickly looking away to stare at his own hands on the bed sheet.
The tension in the air weighed heavily on their minds, sucking the oxygen from the room and making it slightly difficult to breathe properly. Inside their hearts was a delicate rope that was so fragile that both suddenly felt they had to tread carefully on lest they break it and come crashing down to the ground.
Finally, with a daring move, Ike reached out and proceeded to gently slip Link's robe off, noticing the hero flinch for a second before remaining still. His hands then carefully removed the now half-dried soggy bandages, trying not to make the hero more uncomfortable than he already was. As each strand was taken off, unhealed wounds were revealed on that quiet body, and not all were physical. The mercenary worked in silence, and Link continued to glue his eyes to the bed sheet as Ike delicately wrapped new bandages on him. Gentle fingers met bruised skin, sending surprising electric currents throughout both bodies, but neither flinched on the surface, even though underneath, both hearts were racing. At one point those long fingers brushed up against the hero's forehead, and the blond male shivered at the soft touches close to his brows as the bandage around his forehead was untwined and replaced with a new one. Link felt that he could almost hear unspoken words in those large hands tending to him gingerly. Minutes passed, and the whole process took a while, but finally, the mercenary was done tending to the hero's wounds.
After trashing the old bandages, Ike proceeded to tenderly slip the robe back onto that still back. And then, he sat down in his chair and watched Link carefully, waiting for a reaction since the hero has not looked at him once during that whole ordeal.
More silence.
Soon, there were the rising sounds of loud heels clicking against the floor out in the hallway, breaking the air, and the princess returned and entered through the infirmary door in a frustrated and infuriating manner.
"The nerve of that man!" She roared. "Is the committee stupid?" She sat down in her chair with a huff next to Link's bed, surprising the two men. Crossing her legs and arms, she complained, "I can't believe they are considering letting Ganondorf stay. That man deserves to have his head cut off!" And then, noticing Link and Ike watching her intently in curiosity, Zelda blinked and immediately gathered herself. "I mean, the committee seems to be conflicted about what to do about the situation. But don't you worry, Link. I'm sure everything will work out at the end and Ganondorf will get what he deserves."
For the first time in two days, Link let out a genuine smile as he nodded. "Hm."
Zelda smiled herself, glad to see Link almost back to his old self. And then, glancing up, she asked in surprise, "Ike, what happened to your face?"
Ike touched the slight cut at the corner of his lip, no doubt the skin around it was now bruising. "Oh, nothing," he chuckled. And then, "I better get going now." He stood up, surprising the other two. "I have some things I need to attend to as well. I'll come back later around lunch." The mercenary gave one last friendly smile before turning around to leave.
Zelda watched as Link opened his mouth at his friend, as though about to say something, only to close his mouth again. The mercenary walked out the doors and the room was quiet once more. The princess sighed before smiling, and she redirected her attention to Link, about to speak to him when she noticed Link continuing to stare intently at the door.
Zelda frowned as she watched this.
...
...
Next chapter will be up soon! And thanks for the reviews so far! Keep them coming! :)