Chapter 7: Something I Can Never Have

The morning was starting to set in. Zelda made her way down the front steps outside the castle, a maid bustling closely behind her with a bag of a few of her belongings and a cloak which her father insisted she bring. She was a little nervous about travelling alone with the man, which only a few nights ago had scared her half to death. But despite this, she actually wasn't as nervous as she expected she would have been. Since that night, she couldn't take her mind off him; there was something about him that intrigued her; she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Maybe it was the mystery that hung over him; enticing her to want to know. His eyes had so much to hide, and yes, maybe she was just a little more than curious to know what.

She walked across a path lined with guards, standing at attention as she passed; the last of which signalled to a sentry for the gates in front of her to be hauled open. She held up the low hem of her dress as she walked across the dusty path. As she crossed through the elaborate archaic gates, her mind took in the scene in front of her.

Link stroked the mane of the beautiful auburn horse which would be taking him across Hyrule to Kakariko. He felt her corse hair under his fingertips, which reminded him of the last time he had seen this horse.

How ironic, he thought, with a sigh, that bastard of a King just loves to rub it in, doesn't he. He brought his face close to hers as he began to whisper in her ear.

"You've gotten me into a lot of trouble, girl". He spoke to her as if she could understand; sometimes he thought she could. "Don't worry; we will leave this place for good, soon." He looked off into the distance before he continued. "But not yet"

The mare playfully nuzzled against her master's shoulder.

Zelda took her cloak and bag from the maid before dismissing her. She watched as she disappeared around the corner, then turned towards the blond. He had his back to her, saddling one of the two horses; unaware of her presence. For a moment, she just stood there, watching him in her own anonymity.

His attire brought back memories of the time when she first saw him; beaten and dirtied; held down in his weakness. She cast those thoughts aside as she observed how quickly his body had healed. Not a scratch or bruise tainted his fair skin.

This thought just heightened her intrigue; most people would have been lucky to even survive what he had endured, let alone recover so well; he boar no signs of what he had been through. Maybe her father saw this in him; maybe this was why he was so quick to accept him.

The dry leaves under her shoes crunched as she walked towards him, causing him to turn towards the noise. He accepted her with a manner so unlike anything she ever expected of him. It wasn't his kindness that surprised her; not even his gentleness as he said her name; it was the slight, unforeseen hint of shyness that hung over him which she had never seen or expected in him before. She gave him a quick, bashful smile as he chivalrously took her cloak and bag from her and watched as he fastened it to the side of the saddle of her horse.

"I'm sorry"

With a confused expression he turned his face back to her's; his hands still holding the straps of the saddle. He shook his head in puzzlement.

"Sorry?... What do you have to be sorry for?"

"My father; he can be a little…controlling; sometimes he can't see past his own selfish wants."

He returned his attention to the saddle; letting a discrete smile escape his lips, as if he found the whole idea rather amusing.

"Trust me; your father doesn't rank high on my list of concerns." She watched his arms as he confidently tightened the strap in place, like a man familiar with riding. This thought made her realise just how little she actually knew about him. The words he spoke just seemed to keep his true self hidden from her, as if the person she was talking to was just a shell.

He helped her on to her beautiful white horse; his hand lingering against the smooth material of her dress, for a moment just short enough for her not to notice. That swift moment contrasting the two; her beautiful, gentle exterior and his dark, troubled inside.

Within the next moment, they were both galloping over the castle drawbridge; Zelda following him into the grassy, open Hyrule field. The morning sun casting a beautiful shine over the deserted countryside. Despite the twittering of unknown birds, and the rhythmic sound the hooves made, they rode in complete silence, for what seemed to Zelda like forever. Every now and again he would cast her a glance; making sure she was all right.

Within a short moment, they neared a small stream which passed through the field. Link began to slow his horse down to a steady trot as he neared the stream; Zelda followed suite. When he came to a halt in front of her, he dismounted and walked over to her (his mare not needing invitation to start enjoying the cool water).

"We will stop here for a few minutes. The horses should rest a while; it is a long trip to make and they must be thirsty in this heat." She took his hand as he helped her off her horse. She led her horse by the reins over to the stream beside the auburn mare, where he took advantage of the refreshing water.

Link sat on the grass, leaning his back against one of the rocks which were scattered around the stream. He watched the princess as she fussed over her horse; trying to entice him to drink a little more. He couldn't help but smile when he saw his own horse nudge her in the side, leaving a huge watery stain on her green satin dress. He couldn't hold back his laugh when he saw her reaction. Eventually, she gave up on trying to dry her dress and brought herself over to the smirking blond guard who was looking off into the distance; distracted by his amusing thoughts. She sat herself elegantly on the grass not to far from him. She snuck a glance at the mysterious boy. He seemed so relaxed. Her eyes drifted across his body; the tunic he was wearing bore no emblem or insignia of any neighbouring land; it looked like a uniform of some sort, but it resembled nothing she had ever seen before.

While his mind was somewhere else, he was completely oblivious to her prying eyes. His own eyes drifted over to the horses beside the stream. He began to bring his attention towards the princess, when something sparked his mind. He followed the stream downhill with his eyes, seeing it disappear through a narrow canyon.

Zelda opened her mouth to ask him something, but was cut of when he beat her to it.

"Your father ordered me to escort you to Kakariko so you could buy a dress; is it ok if I ask you why this dress is so important?", he said straightening himself up against the rock.

"I am soon to turn eighteen; with my birthday comes my right to the throne. It's sort of a tradition; a coming of age party will be held, marking this transition. The dress was my father's idea; goddess knows how many dresses I already own. My father wants everything to be perfect", the princess said in an almost exhausted tone.

"Your father seemed to take this very well- I mean; he is willingly giving up the throne; the king never struck me as someone who would readily give away so much power."

"I try my hardest not to justify, or even understand my father's actions", she said, shaking her head. Link could see there was more to her words than she intended to imply. He rose to his feet; bringing himself over next to her. She looked up with uncertainty at his outstretched hand.

"I want to show you something, princess"

His expression was soft, she wasn't sure what to do, but something inside of her made her take his hand. He helped her to her feet.

"Where are we going?", she called after him as he began to mount his horse.

"It won't take long; I promise"

She looked up at him incredibly.

"But… I know nothing about you", she laughed, not knowing wether he was being serious or not. "I mean, I don't even know your name."

He gave her a smile.

"Yes, but you've already made your decision; knowing my name isn't going to change your mind."

His deep cerulean eyes sparkled with a sense of mystery; tempting her. Something about them made her want to give in and let him take her away from this, even if it were only to be a passing moment. His eyes were more than just tempting; they were comforting; they reminded her of someone, but she didn't know who. If there were any reason for her not to trust him, his eyes definitely didn't let on.

He smiled when he finally saw her nod in consent.

"Tie your horse to the branch of that tree", he said motioning to a nearby agora. Zelda turned in the direction he signalled; narrowing her eyes in confusion.

"Why?"

His silence told her he knew what he was doing, so she decided not to further question him.

When she returned, he took her hand and helped her up onto his own horse.

"Hold on", were the last words he spoke before he nudged his feet into his horse and took off along a different route. He rode with a confidence a little perturbing to her. She kept her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. She watched her surroundings reel past her. Following the stream downhill, she soon found herself being taken into a setting so unfamiliar to her; she had never seen beyond her line of sight when she was on her sole, routine visits to Kakariko. It just made her wonder at how much of her great land she would soon to be ruling, that she had never laid eyes on before. The stream began to widen as they followed it through a narrow valley. Within a few minutes, they neared the end of the valley; the raised land around them extended out, giving way to Hyrule's most beautiful body of water. Zelda gasped when she saw the glistening lake in all its splendour. The crystal blue waters extended off into the distance; scattering the light as it hit its surface and casting sparkles of colour for any who came to bask in its elegance. The water's edge was lined in clusters of beautiful golden flowers, leaning into the sun's rays. They looked so delicate and undisturbed and reminded her greatly of tiny tulips of light.

Link slowed the horse down to a steady trot along the lake's edge.

"Isn't Lake Hylia beautiful", he whispered, leaning over his shoulder. Zelda wanted to reply, but she could not find words worthy of justifying her thoughts.

Link sat comfortably on the grass; his chin resting on his hand as he watched the princess by the water. She was walking barefoot through the shallows; her dress held around her knees; enjoying her own moment of escape. She giggled as a school of tiny fish brushed by her legs.

Link smiled when he saw how happy she was. He felt sorry for her when he thought that at the end of all this, she would have to return to the castle, and return to a life voided of true meaning and bound by restrictions and formalities. For the last fifteen minutes he had been trying to think of a way of telling her that they ought to be heading back, but he couldn't bring himself to taking her pleasure from her.

Zelda examined a few pebbles she had picked up before letting them fall back into the water with a small splash. She turned back to see the blond. He looked troubled; he was staring down at his hand as he thoughtlessly pulled at the grass around him. He gave her a strained smile when he saw her look up at him. Zelda removed herself from the cool water and sat beside Link. She could not believe how comfortable she was feeling around him, yet he had the most unusual behaviour. He could go from being so cold and detached, to so gentle and kind. After everything she had thought of him, she couldn't be more surprised and even a little confused. She wished she could understand him.

"You must tell me something", Zelda began. Link raised his awaiting eyes to meet hers.

"Please, you must tell me your name; I feel like I should be thinking of you as more than just a stranger, but without knowing your title, that cannot be"

He dropped his blond eyelashes once, temporarily concealing his beautiful cerulean eyes. When he opened them again, his eyes embraced hers in a prolonged gaze; making Zelda blush and lower her eyes. For a moment she thought he would not answer her, but when she heard his next mutter, she knew she was wrong.

"Link", she repeated, as if tasting the name on her lips. She smiled; she didn't know why, she just did. She said his name again and again, not wanting the taste to subside, not wanting that vague thought itching at the back of her mind to escape her. He looked unusually saddened as she spoke his name; she didn't understand.

She looked out along the lake; the wind had unsettled the water, sending ripples across its surface.

"Why-", she began, turning back to Link, "why did you bring me here today, Link?" After a pause and without looking up, he answered.

"It doesn't take nearly being starved and beaten to death to understand the workings of your father's mind. He may not be wise, but he has persistence and determination. There would be nothing he wouldn't do to preserve Hyrule's position and power. It's like you said to me this morning; your father can't see past his own selfish wants; Zelda, the princess of Hyrule", he said, looking up at her, "even a commoner like I can see that you have lived under his shadow, his rule, and his word your whole life. You have never set a foot beyond his control. But it's not just your father's orders; it's your duty you must uphold; that unwritten law that forbids you to experience anything… normal." Zelda tried to ignore the effect his words were having on her. Over time she had learnt to suppress any emotions unsuitable for the public's eye; she had to. She could hold back her tears, but not the realisation his words gave her. To have her situation laid out so perfectly in front of her to see; it was more than just confronting, it was saddening.

"There was once a time when I use to bring someone down to this lake; we would just sit here for hours just looking out across the water. We didn't even need to talk. In times when she felt she had no control, I would bring her here. She found this place so comforting, so releasing." He stared out across the water as if reminiscing of a better time. Zelda returned her gaze to him, asking gently,

"What happened to her?"

Link gave her a weak smile, trying desperately to cover up the hurt he felt inside.

"As time goes on, people change, people forget. She forgot about me; I guess we just weren't meant to be." Zelda shook her head.

"I'm sure that can't be it", she whispered, "If you meant to her as much as she did to you, she couldn't have just forgotten you", her words filled with the sympathy she felt for him. He gave her words a weak laugh, turning to her he replied.

"You would think so, wouldn't you?" He stared into her eyes, searching them in vain for an answer to that very question he had asked himself so many times before.

After an awkward silence, which Zelda felt to be more painful than anything, he spoke again, this time with his words unwavering and his countenance rebuilt.

"We should be heading back now. You are expected in Kakariko" Zelda's eyes saddened at the thought of returning back to her life right now. She lowered her head, for a moment considering defeat. She looked back out across the beautiful lake; the sight soothed her mind; everything else can wait.

She turned back to Link.

"Please, let me stay for a little longer" she said pleadingly. Link knew he shouldn't, but he didn't want to refuse her the one simple pleasure she may never experience again.

"What about your father?" he said shaking his head, desperately trying to convince himself not to oblige. "Your father is expecting you to return with a gown; if we don't leave soon it will be too late."

"I will tell him that I was not pleased with any of the dresses; he will be disappointed and maybe even angry, but nothing more will come of it. He will not know that you brought me here"

He would have been heartless to have refused the look she gave him; he found himself being pulled to his feet by the newly spirited princess, who lead him off to the water; this time she didn't worry about how wet her dress were to get, she was just so happy to be having so much fun.

The sky was starting to fade by the time Link rode away from the lake; the tired princess leaning her cheek against his shoulder, her arms wrapped firmly around his chest. His tunic felt a lot thinner than it looked; if she weren't so tired she would have felt a little uncomfortable being so close to him. Her surroundings flashed past her in a blur. The sound of the soldier's breathing eventually soothed her into sleep.

It was late in the evening when she was awoken by a gentle rouse. She moaned as she blinked open her eyes; letting them adjust to her environment before she could recall where she was. The heavy iron gates in front of her instantly triggered her memory. She looked around to see her white horse alongside the auburn one she was on. She lifted her head from Link's warm shoulder, and with his help, she dismounted from his horse.

As they walked along the path towards the castle's main entry, she noticed Link was giving her an unusual look. After a little while, she found she could not ignore him any more and turned to ask him what seemed to have caught his attention. He simply reached past her face and pulled out a flower from within her hair. She looked at the small golden flower with a little disappointment. She had forgotten she had put the flower in her hair and it had become crumpled from leaning against it on the way back to the castle. She held on to the flower; she wanted to keep it to remind her of the beautiful lake she had seen today; it was such a simple pleasure, but by far it was the most fun she had had in such a long time.

When they reached the door, Zelda turned to thank Link for what he had done for her; she was so grateful, she knew not how to express herself. Link gave her a smile, showing her that he understood and accepted her thankyou. Zelda turned to leave, but as she did a thought came to her mind.

"Link", she said, turning back to face him. He awaited for her to continue in a gentle silence.

"I want you to show me something", she said in a whisper.

Link narrowed his eyes, trying to follow where she was taking this.

"You perform magic like no one I have ever seen before. I want you to show me something, anything." He paused for a moment knowing full well he could be killed if anyone saw him execute the 'noble-mans' art. He looked at the wilted flower in her hands and smiled.

Zelda could not tell what he was up to; the grin on his face gave away nothing. He took the flower from her hands.

"You like these flowers, don't you?"

Zelda barely had a chance to reply before she saw what he was doing.

Millions of tiny golden flowers, the same ones she had seen at the lake, began to grow from the ground. Even the stone path they were standing on was becoming blanketed in the glow from these exotic flowers. Zelda gasped and stood in awe as she watched the court yard transform into a garden of beauty and magic. This was unlike anything Zelda ever imagined he would do for her.

Link leaned over and pulled a dainty flower from the stone below him; as he did so, something glistening fell out from within his collar. Zelda's smile of admiration slowly dropped to that of disbelief when she saw the silver locket hanging around his neck.

"No", she said, shaking her head in bewilderment. Link looked at her with confusion. Zelda backed away from him, her eyes filling with tears of betray. Link walked towards her; trying to comfort her; he didn't understand what he had done to make her react this way. Zelda's tears suddenly turned to those of anger. She reached out and took the locket in her hand, breaking the chain as she yanked it from his neck.

Link's eyes widened as he realised what she had taken. She pushed Link away from her in anger, and with words cold enough to freeze over hell she spoke to him.

"Don't ever come near me again"

Link's stomach twisted as he received her words. The flower he held dropped to the ground. As she turned and walked away, he felt her hateful thoughts directed at him. He swore he could feel himself dying, just like the field of once-divine flowers around him as they slowly decayed into an arena of black, burn ash.

This chapter was a bit long. I hope you all liked it. Please review : )