Warnings: Innuendos
Zelda awoke startled, not remembering ever falling asleep. Before the initial terror could overwhelm her, she observed her surroundings. She was in a…tent. Not a prison cell. Zelda sighed with relief, sinking back against the sleeping mat she had awoken on. Where was she exactly again? What had happened—where was Takoume?
The tent flapped open, compelling Zelda to sit upright once more, and Link entered slowly, a soft smile on his face. "I thought I might see if you were awake," he commented as he sat across from her, "How are you feeling?"
"Decent," Zelda replied, naturally shying away from conversation. The last time she had seen Link, after all, they had had a bitter argument. It was strange to be with him under such different circumstances.
Link knelt beside her, and the princess noticed he'd brought a bowl inside the tent with him. The smell of warm soup suddenly filled the air about her, and Zelda was reminded of how hungry she truly was. "You should eat something," Link explained, offering Zelda the bowl and a spoon, "It would do you good."
Forcing herself to maintain the manners she had been taught ever since she was a child, Zelda slowly, properly, began to eat her soup. Link sat back as Zelda ate, sighing. Zelda became aware of the fact that he was probably just as exhausted as she was. "You should rest," she murmured in between spoonfuls.
"Not until you're taken care of," Link smiled gently.
Zelda refrained from rolling her eyes, "Thank you for the soup, Link, but I'm not a child who needs—"
Zelda interrupted herself with a sharp gasp, nearly dropping the soup. "What's wrong?" Link asked quickly, his worry obvious by his expression.
"The baby," Zelda said, her hand clapped across her stomach, "I'd forgotten—it hasn't moved for a few hours now!"
Link's expression grew even more anxious at the news, but he crawled closer to Zelda, supporting her as she sat, "Don't panic, Zelda. I'm sure that once you get some food and water in your system, it'll be fine. You'd have sensed if something was wrong, I'm sure."
Almost as soon as Link had spoken, Zelda felt the faintest sensation—a small kick against her hand. A tiny smile instantly spread across her lips, and her eyes fluttered shut peacefully as she allowed the knowledge that her baby was still alive to seep into her skin. "What is it?" Link whispered.
"It's kicking," Zelda breathed, "Just now, I felt it."
Link was immediately calmed as well, but Zelda noticed something else on his face—a subtle trace of longing. Though Zelda did not wish to encourage any more physical contact between the two of them, she couldn't help the inkling of pity she felt for Link. He was, after all, the baby's father, and he had undeniably suffered a great deal to ensure her safety and the safety of their child. "You can feel," she offered quietly, "If you want to."
Link's eyes widened with surprise, having never been offered such a thing before. He shyly placed his hand on Zelda's rounded stomach, gasping with amazement as he unquestionably felt the tiny feet Zelda had grown so used to. He met Zelda's eyes, his own lit with delight. "It's…it's incredible," he breathed, his voice heavy with wonder.
Zelda nodded, unsure of what else to say. Link sat back again, returning Zelda's bowl to her hands, "You should keep eating. For both your sakes."
Zelda nodded again, spooning the rest of the soup into her mouth as Link watched her silently. He offered her a jug of water once she had finished, which she gratefully accepted and drained to the last drop. As her hunger and thirst were satisfied, Zelda found herself growing drowsy once more. "You may leave me now," she said a bit awkwardly.
Link reached into the satchel he'd brought with him, pulling out a small compact. "I need to tend to your wounds first," he clarified, dabbing a small rag into the wet contents of the compact.
Zelda scrunched her nose, instinctively backing away as Link reached for her arm, "I-um, I can do that myself, thank you."
"I'd rather that I did it so that I may ensure you're well cared for," Link said softly.
"Link, I'm capable of taking care of myself," Zelda murmured, trying to mask her exasperation.
Link exhaled slowly, "I know that, Zelda. But please, just let me do this so that I may appease my concerns."
Zelda sighed, knowing that she owed her rescuer as much, "Fine."
Link tenderly took her arm, which was covered with burns and scars. Zelda flinched, whimpering with pain, as Link applied the rag and ointment to the damaged skin. "I'm sorry," Link apologized, "This might sting a little, but it will help you heal."
Zelda kept her eyes pinched shut, muttering through gritted teeth, "Just…be quick about it, please."
Link applied the salve to all of Zelda's visible wounds, from the spider web scratches marring her arms to the small cut tainting her cheekbone, settled just beneath her eye. Zelda blushed as the hero moved behind her, parting her hair aside so that he could address the wounds on her back, exposed through the torn fabric of her dress. She knew she shouldn't feel this way. Link, after all, was her husband, and if any man had the right to touch her like this, it would be him. But Link…he was still such a stranger to Zelda. To have the hands of a man she didn't love on her body—the feeling made her skin crawl, despite his honorable intentions. "How did you escape with me?" Zelda questioned, anxious to break the unpleasant silence that had filled the tent.
"It was no easy task," Link chuckled tiredly, "You were barely conscious when we found you. By the time we left, you were sound asleep."
"Did you not run into any trouble while you sought me out?" Zelda asked incredulously.
"We had to fight off several Gerudo," Link admitted, "Many of the men were injured in the process, but we were able to fend them off."
Zelda observed Link's hand as he dampened the rag once more, a scar tainting the back of it. She wondered vaguely how badly Link himself had been injured during the rescue. "Have you tended to your own injuries?"
"Yes. Please don't worry about me, Zelda."
"Did you not see Takoume at all then?" Zelda realized that the sorceress had not even been brought up in conversation.
"Who?" Link's confusion was evident in his voice.
"Takoume, the witch who captured me," Zelda elaborated, "Link, she's terrible. A force to be reckoned with for sure. She has powerful dark magic—my own powers could not combat it."
Zelda's eyes widened as another memory returned to her. She turned around suddenly, meeting Link's puzzled eyes, "She wants you, Link! She was after you the whole time!"
"I-what?" Link's brow creased as he tried to comprehend Zelda's warning.
"She kidnapped me, but it's you she wants. She was using me to lure you into her trap; she intends to use your blood to retract Demise's power from the Master Sword," Zelda explained. In a rare moment of genuine concern for her husband, Zelda took Link's hand into her own, "Please promise me, Link. Promise that if you ever come across her, you'll run away. If she were to fulfill her wishes…the results would be disastrous."
Links smiled faintly, squeezing Zelda's hand reassuringly, "I promise that she won't kill me, Zelda."
"That wasn't what I asked," Zelda muttered, removing her hands.
"Running away might not prove wise if I ever do cross paths with Takoume," Link glanced at Zelda's turned face sorrowfully, "Please understand, Zelda. I promise I won't act foolishly, will that satisfy you?"
"No," Zelda sighed, turning back around so that Link could continue applying the salve to her back, "But I understand that I will get no other response from you, so I'll have to accept it."
Link continued to work in silence. Zelda exhaled, thankful that the horrible process was over when Link closed the compact, standing upright once more. She took note of the blush on Link's cheeks; he obviously felt the same way about touching her. "Thank you, you may leave me now," Zelda repeated her earlier sentiments.
Link scratched behind his head, his facial expression remorseful as he spoke, "Actually, there are…not enough tents for me to sleep elsewhere."
Zelda stared with disbelief, "Surely you came more prepared than that?"
"There was very little time for preparation," Link said, his tone weary, "And naturally, Zelda, since you are my wife, the men assumed I'd be eager to sleep with you."
Zelda turned away instinctively, shutting her eyes at the uncomfortable implication, even though she knew that Link hadn't meant it that way. Link caught his blunder, stuttering, "I-I meant share a tent with you! Sleep beside you, to keep you safe."
Zelda nodded, desperate to be rid of the discomfited atmosphere flooding the tent like an ocean, "I knew what you meant, Link."
Link bit his lip, "Is that…alright with you, then?"
"Yes," Zelda lay back down, rolling onto her side. She truly didn't intend to so frequently embarrass or hurt Link, and she was more than willing to avoid such a situation now.
There was a rustling of fabric and a quick huffing sound as Link blew out the lantern in the tent, and Zelda felt Link settle down behind her, his breathing mingling with the chorus of crickets outside the tent. Even though she was exhausted and she knew that bringing up the subject would probably lead to more humiliation, one question still plagued her mind. And she would rather ask Link in private instead of when the rest of the soldiers were present. She had to know. "Link?"
"Yes?"
"Why…earlier that is, why did you kiss me?"
Zelda didn't miss the way Link inhaled sharply behind her, his breath skating across her skin. She had no doubts that he was probably blushing once more. "I…it seemed like the thing to do," he stammered, "The men think that we're in love. I felt that…that was how two people who were in love would act upon finding each other."
After that, silence. Zelda shut her eyes tightly, her tears soundless as they rolled down her cheeks. Two people who were in love: the idea taunted her mercilessly. She smeared a hand across her cheek, wiping away her tears. This was the life she had chosen, and love was simply not a part of it. Perhaps one day she would be able to understand that.
Blinking lazily, Zelda awoke to sunlight leaking through the fabric of the tent, the bustle of soldiers echoing outside. Warmth flooded Zelda's cheeks as she distinguished Link's arm thrown over her waist, the hero still sound asleep behind her. The princess shimmied out of his grip, wondering to herself how they had reached such a position and allowing him to continue sleeping as she stood. She gasped as she took in the sight of him, for the first time in proper light. The dim glow of the lantern and the haze of her exhausted mind had blinded her to the severity of Link's wounds. A large gash from a sword decorated the skin of his bare chest. Zelda sighed with irritation at Link keeping such a thing from her. The injury looked grave, and knowing Link, Zelda assumed he had been too preoccupied with caring for her and for the other soldiers to give proper attention to himself.
Refuting her earlier decision to permit him to sleep, Zelda crouched down beside Link, retrieving the salve he had used for her previously. She dipped her fingers into the ointment and gently smeared some across the scar. Link awoke with a gasp, his eyes wide and his hand instantaneously reaching for his sword. "It's only me," Zelda soothed as she spread the balm across the wound.
"Zelda," Link winced, his eyes screwing shut, "that burns! Agh! It's fine; I've already handled it!"
"Quite poorly, I see," Zelda replied dully, "You're no good to Hyrule dead, Link. Whether at the hands of Takoume or your own. You've got to be more careful."
"I am careful, Zelda," Link yelped, his body jerking as Zelda continued to attend to the cut, "Just—ack! Please! It hurts so badly!"
"That's because you left it alone for too long," Zelda scolded lightly, finishing her ministrations, "A wound this big needs to be wrapped to protect against infection."
Link was still and silent as Zelda bound his wound, wrapping the bandage over one shoulder and under the other arm. "Thank you," he muttered, the gratitude reluctant as he stood to his feet.
"You're welcome; you did the same for me, after all," Zelda smiled, for once the gesture not being strained.
Link gave a small smile back, only to nearly jump with surprise as Thorolf burst into the tent. "Master Link!" Thorolf immediately gasped upon seeing the princess and hero.
"I-I…forgive me your highness!" Thorolf dropped to one knee respectfully, "I forgot my place and did not mean to interrupt."
"It was nothing, Thorolf," Zelda assured the general.
"What is it? What's happened?" Link coaxed.
Thorolf stood again, "There's been a turn of events overnight, sir. Our path back to Hyrule—it's been blocked?"
"What? What are you talking about?" Link demanded.
"See for yourself, Master Link," Thorolf gestured outside the tent, holding back the entrance.
Link rushed outside, Zelda hurrying after him. Outside the reaches of Faron Woods, even from miles away, Zelda made out the thick smoke of a fire sweeping across Hyrule Field. "No doubt a barricade from the Gerudo," Thorolf said grimly, "I expect they'll be waiting for us in the fields, as well."
Link growled with frustration, "The men are in no shape to fight them again—what alternative do we have?"
"There is another route, Sir," Thorolf suggested, "It's much longer, I'm afraid. It might be months before we are back."
Link glimpsed over at Zelda apprehensively, "Zelda is due in two months."
Zelda's hand impulsively wandered back to her stomach. Thorolf nodded and continued gravely, "I understand that, Master Link, but we may have no other choice. It travels deeper into Faron Woods and then wraps around through Eldin Volcano—or as some now call it, Death Mountain. Yet it does eventually once again reach Castle Town. We've travelled it before on military business."
"No, the mountains are no place for a pregnant woman," Link said firmly, "Tell the men to gather their strength and supplies. We ride for Hyrule Field on my command—"
"Link, no!" Zelda interjected, Link gazing at her with astonishment and bewilderment, "It's too dangerous; you couldn't ask so much of your men after what they've done for you."
"Zelda, your safety-" Link tried to reason.
"-is endangered either way," Zelda countered, "If we go to the fields, we risk capture, both yours and my own. You already know the severity of the consequences of that. Be reasonable, I beg you. Take the mountain road instead; I'll be fine, really."
Link sighed, obviously conflicted. Finally, he relented, "It will be as the princess wishes. Tell the men to pack their things with haste; we can't risk the Gerudo catching up to us."
And voila! Only an hour late this time instead of the usual-perhaps I'm making progress! Thanks for reading and I'll see you all again next Saturday!
