To the guest that told me the differences between apart and a part of, I know lol. It was actually a typo, "apart" wasn't supposed to be there but I got a bit too lazy to fix it haha. I was writing most of the chapter on my phone and it sometimes leaves random words out of nowhere (auto correct, most likely). But thanks for letting me know :)
Link kept his eyes focused on the fire lit on the top of the torch, the wind blowing it and leading the way. He made sure his hand was tightly linked with Zelda's, hesitant to keep moving.
"Ya know…if I'm going to be honest here, I'm pretty scared," Link admitted, softly. He stopped moving and made sure the fire was being blown, just in case he went too far past the limit. "I've never done this before, so what if I take a wrong step and get us lost?"
Zelda frowned hearing his words, but she held his hand tighter and moved closer to him, telling him, "It's going to be okay, Link. I'm here with you."
Fortunately, it reassured him as he started moving again. He didn't say anything back to her, but the gentle squeeze he gave her hand was enough to get the message across.
Soon, the silence that had grown between them grew eerie. Link wanted to talk about something to get rid of it, but he had no idea what to say. Luckily for them, Zelda spoke.
"I...forgot to mention something back there," she said. "My last name had always been said to be Bosphoramus, like my father's, but instead it's actually Hyrule. So, I guess, that's more proof as to me being a relative of the previous royal family."
Link didn't know what to say, he was still a little shaken up after hearing she was even related to a Princess. But, he laughed disbelievingly and shook his head, joking when he uttered, "May as well start wearing dresses and actually be referred to as Princess Zelda."
That cracked a smile and a small laugh out of Zelda, and it made him proud of his ability to make the situation light.
Minutes passed, and still no sign of any entrance. Link, himself, was starting to get overwhelmed and was in denial by then. He was considering giving up when he looked to Zelda, all movement ceased. "I don't think we should go any further, Zelda. What if there's nothing out there? And what if...what if the sword was all a myth?"
Zelda contorted her face, beyond confused. "What do you mean?"
"What if…" Link sighed, speaking calmly. "What if the Master Sword doesn't even exist anymore, is what I'm trying to say here." He looked ahead of him, glancing at the crackling fire. "Think about it—it's been centuries since it had last been recorded or mentioned. Like, yes, historians are still out there trying to find it, but what if it just isn't located in the Lost Woods any longer?"
When Link turned back to look at Zelda, he wasn't surprised when he saw her slightly aggravated.
"Come on, Link," she pressed. "We've made it this far! Let's just give it a few more minutes, okay?" Zelda frowned, tugging on Link's hand. "If there's nothing within the next ten minutes, then we can stop."
A sigh came out of Link, and despite his urge to give up, he took Zelda's words into mind. "Okay, let's keep going," he finalized.
The smile on Zelda's face made him glad of the decision he made, but he just gave her a smile in return and followed the direction of the smoke.
Even though Link decided to keep going, he was still slightly terrified. He was still unsure of what would've actually happened to them if they got lost or he took a wrong step or went the wrong direction—Skull Kid would've been the outcome, right? He wasn't positive, but he feared that might've been it.
Zelda, on the other hand, had seemed eager. But despite that, even she was scared. Having heard that Link was scared, though, made her go from scared to horrified, because Link really had never done anything as drastic as what they were doing at that moment.
Basically, what they were doing was risky.
But, it wasn't until Link spotted an area a few feet away that consisted of a trail leading to a brightened area that he was excited to say he found something. He tugged on Zelda's hand and made way to the bright area with rushed movement.
"Did you find it?" Zelda asked, trying to catch up with Link's speed.
Link shrugged, unsure. "I dunno, but it's something that stands out. So, maybe?" He followed the trail, and when the area became more clear he blew out the torch and set it aside near a tree, cautiously walking to a pedestal in the middle of the circle of trees.
He walked up the stairs, Zelda close to his side, and furrowed his brow seeing an object stick out of the ground he was standing on.
Zelda was the first to think. "Is...is that it?"
Link, too in awe to actually think, stopped at the top of the steps. "I believe it is…" He turned to Zelda, biting his lip as he gave her an excited grin. "Shall we go see it?"
The girl at his side nodded with no hesitation, and the two walked closer to what they believed was the Master Sword itself, but something else had caught her eye.
"Wait!" she called out. She ran past the sword, forgetting Link was holding her hand so she dragged him along, and jumped off the pedestal as she fell to her knees in front of a flower, taking Link down with her.
"Link," she exclaimed as she looked to her friend that was kneeling beside her, their hands apart so that she could lightly touch the plant. "This is a Silent Princess!" She laughed excitedly, her fingers gently caressing the plant's light-blue petals. "No one's ever been able to find these because they either went extinct or were hidden in an area no one's able to explore or discover." She was grinning as she turned back to Link, her excitement unconcealed. "It's said that these particular flowers were one of Princess Zelda's favorites from centuries ago. I don't blame her, either." She turned back to the flower, smiling warmly. "They're so beautiful—for being here for over five centuries with no one to water them, they look really health-"
A crispy, rumbling laugh stopped Zelda from talking altogether, both of their hearts dropping in fear as Link picked her up from the ground, dragging her back to the pedestal and holding her close.
"Hello?" Link called out. His eyes were searching for the owner of the loud voice.
But, he didn't have to look any further, because the thing that laughed started to speak, and the direction of the sound caused Link and Zelda to slowly look in front of them, their heads rotating upward to see its full appearance.
It was a tree, and its wooden...face...started to crack into a smile. "Long time no see," it said.
Both teens were too scared to say anything, and Link subtly tugged Zelda behind him to protectively stand in front of her.
Link was the one who spoke up. "You're...you're talking? A tree?"
The tree's wooden features crinkled more.
Zelda felt chills run down her spine while Link had a heavy hit of realization dawn on him.
"Wait a minute," he exclaimed, "you're the Deku Tree!"
Zelda's eyes widened after Link yelled out and looked at the tree more observingly. She wrapped her arm around Link's arm, feeling slightly intimidated. "Are you sure?"
Link nodded, a grin on his face as he started to utter reasons. "It has to be! It was said that the Great Deku Tree watched over the sword centuries ago as it waited for the Hero's return. And that thing," Link looked at the object that stuck out of the pedestal, "has to be the Master Sword!" He looked at Zelda and smiled, his excitement uncontained. "I never knew the tree was able to talk, though!" He looked, excitingly, up to the Deku tree, smiling as he saw the smile on the tree itself. "I never even knew you were alive!"
Zelda didn't know what to say in response to what Link had said, she only listened and stared at the tree that hadn't stopped smiling even when Link finished talking.
She was hung onto one thing the tree had said the first time they made it there, though, and repeated it to bring it back out. "Mister Tree, why did you say 'long time no see' to us when we've only met you just now?"
The Deku Tree laughed and what he said next had made Zelda's heart drop. "Well, I know who you are, Zelda. You're the reincarnation of Princess Zelda herself, but I'm sure you've figured that out on your own." The tree turned whatever gaze he had to Link, a grin growing on his features. "And you, Link, still have yet to find out about your past."
Link frowned and tilted his head. "My past— What?"
Zelda budged in, curious. "How do you know about us?"
The tree laughed, having chills run down both Zelda and Link's backs. "I'm the Great Deku Tree, as you guys call me. I was born into this world knowing who the chosen ones are no matter what age or generation it is."
Both Zelda and Link said, "Chosen ones?" They turned to each other, laughing slightly when they realized they spoken at the same time, but the tree broke the amusement between the two.
"I refuse to say any more until Link, here, is aware of his past. But, I will say this one thing: the familiarity of your guys' appearance really makes me happy," the tree said.
Zelda, tilting her head, asked, "Why is that?"
The Deku Tree laughed. "I'm sure you guys are aware, but you look eerily similar to the Princess and the Champion I had last seen centuries ago."
Link and Zelda both looked at each other, but Link looked back to the tree just as quickly. "Excuse me, what do you mean when you say I have yet to know about my past? It can't be tied to the Heroes long ago, can it?"
The tree didn't say anything, but he instead merely cracked that smile once again. "The sword will tell you."
Link inhaled a deep breath, his muscles tensing underneath Zelda's grasp. Everything the tree was telling them had made Link's heart race, but he contained himself and kept himself as calm as possible to look brave.
He felt Zelda release his arm and walk over to the sword that was sticking out of the pedestal. He turned to see her gently running her fingertips over the butt of the sword, her touch so gentle it almost looked like a feather.
She was saying, looking at the sword itself, "Does that mean Link has to try and pull this out?"
"Yes," boomed the tree, watching as the two teenagers surrounded the sword.
Zelda moved her eyes from the sword to Link, watching as he clenched and unclenched his hands while he eyed the sword. He moved his eyes up to Zelda, giving her a small smile as he spoke to the tree, eyes on her. "Isn't the chosen one only able to do such a task?"
"Yes," the Deku Tree said, "and I can't tell you whether or not you'll be able to successfully pull out the Master Sword." He watched as Link gently excused Zelda so that he was the one in front of the sword, his hands moving to grab the hilt. "But, be cautious, son."
Link froze his hands over the hilt, looking at the tree. "Why?"
"I don't know if you've heard or not, but if you are indeed not the chosen one, or not strong enough, you'll suffer from heavy injuries. Maybe even death—"
That was where Zelda cut in and brought Link's hands away from the sword, putting herself in between Link and the sword. "Link, I don't think you should do this; it's risky."
Link saw the panic in Zelda's eyes, and he smiled warmly as he placed his hand over hers, which was holding his arm. "Zelda," he mumbled, "I can do this."
Zelda was scared for his life, though. "Link, I know I've only known you for about a week, but I'm scared you won't be able to do this and likely lose your life." She had slight tears build up in her eyes, which she cursed herself for in the end. "I...I don't want you to die."
Link felt his heart break seeing Zelda in such a state of worry, especially for him, so he pulled her in and enveloped her in a hug. He rested his chin on her shoulder, feeling her hands place themselves on his back as she returned the hug. He was just as scared as she was, but he was willing to take a risk if it truly meant to find out about his past. And to get a legendary sword, too? Even cooler.
He felt Zelda quiver in his arms, but he soothed her down the best to his abilities by gently rubbing her back with his hands. He said, quietly, "I'll be okay. I know it's risky, but it's a risk I'm willing to take."
Nothing was said after that, and he held her in his arms and she held him, as well, for a few more seconds, the Deku Tree being respectful of their moment needed.
Zelda was the one to release the hug, the tears in her eyes making Link's own heart break.
"Be careful," she said, moving out of Link's way. She smiled, and Link had to hold himself back from wiping the tear that slipped out of her eye when she muttered, "I believe you can do it."
Link—instead of giving her a verbal answer—gave her a small smile and averted his eyes from hers. He walked closer to the sword, planting his feet down on the ground so that they were lined up with his shoulders and looked up to the tree. The smile on the Deku Tree was slightly reassuring, but it was also a little taunting
He shifted his gaze from the tree as well, focusing on the sword itself. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he shakily brought up his hands.
I can do this, he told himself. He tried to give himself as much courage as possible; he had made it as far as to be hovering his hands over the handle, so he couldn't back away then.
It's all or nothing, Link, he thought to himself, bringing his hands down in a clutch as he tightened his hands around the sword's hilt, attempting to pull it out. The pain that surged within from trying to remove the sword from the pedestal surprised him, so he let out a slight cry.
Zelda, watching Link very carefully, almost reached to stop him but the tree spoke with haste, halting her movements.
"Leave him be," he said, "the pain is supposed to be there, but if you stop him in the midst of him pulling it out then he'll be in severe pain; it's best to have him feel the pain now and feel nothing afterward than to have him stop abruptly and feel the pain for long periods of time."
Zelda hated having to hear Link grunting from the pain, but she watched with a hurting chest and wide eyes as he was slowly sliding the sword out of its pedestal.
Link felt a rush of blood rise to his head, and he was so close to fainting, but he pushed himself to the max so that he was able to get through it all.
Suddenly, images flashed through his head. It all went through so quick he almost missed it, but he hung onto the ones that stuck out to him the most: a physical fight between a big malice, a man-pig, and a demon king; all through flashes of imagery—a beautiful woman, too. It took him a moment, but he had then realized it was the Princess from centuries ago and the other Princesses from ages past. It was then that the pain was coming to an end when many versions of the Hero—kids, adults—were seen, all of them pulling out a sword from a pedestal, just like he realized he had done once he opened his eyes and saw the sword in his shaky hands.
Zelda laughed in excitement, and unable to contain her utmost joy—her utmost relief—of Link surviving, she jumped him with a tight hug around the neck.
Link, despite having a large headache from the visual images he had gotten, laughed breathlessly as he slowly hugged Zelda back.
"You did it!" she called out, obvious mirth to her voice. She had her arms wrapped around his neck a little longer, his own arms around her waist as he used all of his willpower to not drop the sword—the Master Sword! He was beyond surprised when he was aware he had done the task only a strong, courageous person could do—only something the chosen one could do.
"I...I did," he uttered, breathlessly, his hands still shaking as he tried to comprehend what had happened. But, once it actually hit him, he had a tight grip on the sword as he moved the sharp end away from Zelda, hugging her tightly and practically picking her off the ground as he squeezed her from enthusiasm. "I did it!" he repeated, excited.
Zelda laughed and held on to make sure he didn't drop her, removing her arms from his neck and taking a few steps back away once he set her down—the grin on his face made her heart swell.
The Deku Tree interrupted their small moment of celebration. He said, "Well done, boy. Now, you see?" The tree's wooden features crinkled, a smile on the enormous plant. "I knew you could do it—how did it feel?"
Link felt Zelda's eyes on his when he walked up to stand beside her as he looked at the tree, the curiosity radiating off of her. He looked down at the sword in his hand, holding it up to place the fuller flat on his palm while the other hand held the handle.
How did he feel? That was something he was unsure of—pain, for sure, but other than that he didn't feel anything else. Maybe, he should talk about what he saw.
"Well," he started, placing his hand down to hold the handle in his dominant hand, "I felt...pain." He moved his eyes up to the Deku Tree, aware of the concern in Zelda. "But...I was fine, otherwise. B-but, I...I saw something."
"Oh?" The tree was then smiling once again, having known what would happen. "What did you see?"
Link licked his lips, frowning as he tried to recall all that he could. "Um...well, I saw images—or memories? I don't know, but they were something and it just had to do with the Heroes and whatnot." Link had his eyes wide, still shaken up from what he witnessed. "A-and they were seen pulling out the Master Sword countless of times—the weird thing is that...that it felt so...familiar."
Zelda's eyes were on the side of his face, and he glanced over to her with a smile. "But I also had seen the Princesses from ages past." He started to give Zelda a warm smile, his voice soft. "They were all really beautiful."
That made Zelda blush just slightly, and he couldn't help but laugh just a little himself. He turned back to the tree, placing the tip of the sword on the stoned ground as he had his hands rested over the other on the butt of the sword, a familiar position he'd always done—no matter what—with a sword. He was then finding himself asking, "But why would I get those? Are they memories from the chosen ones who'd pulled the sword out? In other words, the Heroes?"
The Deku Tree didn't say anything to Link, giving him silence that was irking him. But, he did say one thing: "I cannot tell you yet."
Link almost threw his hands in the air. "Oh, come on! Why not?" He sighed, putting more weight on one leg. "I've...I've pulled out the sword, haven't I?" A frown grew on his face.
Zelda butted in, siding with Link. "He's right, Deku Tree. He did pull it out, and you said once he does that the sword will tell him something but it didn't, apparently so." She pouted slightly, looking at Link, who had looked tired of being left in the dark. "Can you please tell us what it is about his past? Is he the chosen one?"
If the tree had a head, it would have been shaken. "Not just yet, Zelda. But, I will tell you this: Link will receive more images or scenes—continuations. It'll be at random, so I cannot say how he can gain them, if you're wondering."
Link sighed, running a hand through his hair and met the edge of his rubber band. He felt Zelda place her hand on his back, giving him slow, comforting circles. He gave her a small smile and turned back to the tree, unsure of what to say.
He had just gotten the Master Sword, and the old tree wouldn't give him the answers he'd been wanting; how could he gain more images—or memories from the Heroes, most likely—without damaging himself?
"Thank you, Great Deku Tree."
Link turned his head to look at Zelda, her soft touch torn away from his body. He tilted his head.
"What for, my dear?" the tree asked.
What for, indeed, Link thought, slightly bitter for he was still on edge about the tree hiding some things.
Zelda responded, her hands clasped in front of her. "Well...for this. For not throwing us out. For—I suppose—helping us out, in some way."
The tree gave her the most genuine smile possible. "Come back once Link is all caught up. That way, I can help you both more."
Link frowned, standing straight as he tested the sword in his left hand, careful about Zelda, muttering, "Yeah, thank you." He stopped moving, looking back up to the tree, asking once more, "When will I get the rest of whatever I'm getting? All of it, I mean. When will it end?"
The tree merely said, "It all depends on you, my boy."
Link sighed again, nodding as he tried to smile politely to the large tree in front of them. "Okay, then. Like Zelda said, thank you, Great Deku Tree."
The Deku Tree smiled. "My pleasure. Come back, remember that."
Both Zelda and Link nodded in response, Link turning to Zelda with a smile as he turned around, walking toward the entrance of the Master Sword's home. He stopped there, turning back to watch as Zelda simply stood there on the pedestal, looking intently at the hole the sword was sheathed in.
"Is something the matter?" the tree asked, confused as to why Zelda was standing for no reason.
Link, too, was confused, but he waited at the entrance and looked at Zelda as she brought her eyes up at the tree abruptly, as if she was awaken from something. She was saying, "N-nothing, it's quite alright." He saw a smile on her face, the words, "Till next time, Deku Tree," uttering out of her mouth as she bounded off the steps of the pedestal.
She made it up to Link, smiling whilst he returned the expression. He grabbed her hand with his right, already having missed the feeling of her own hand in his.
He flicked an eyebrow up, inquiring, "Shall we go back to our tree?"
Unknown to Link, calling the tree theirs made her heart skip a beat, and a little red to taint her cheeks. Nonetheless, she let her friend lead the way. "Yes, we shall."
"So, uh…" Link tugged on Zelda's hand to bring her attention to him, stopping once he found a safe area to stand on within the woods. He was a lot more comfortable going out and about without the torch, but he knew the torch that was in Zelda's free hand would be needed again one day. "When we get to the tree, would you mind telling me why you were spaced out before we left?"
Zelda sighed through her nose, nodding—albeit, she was reluctant. "Sure. Um...there's also another thing I need to show you, though. But...that can wait for another day, there's too much going on already," she said, referring to the diary made by Princess Zelda.
Link opened his mouth, just slightly, to say something, but he couldn't get it out so he just replaced it with a small smile and nodded. He turned back to the smog, looking around to find the way back.
Zelda eyed the sword in his hand, squinting her eyes as another thought came to her head when they started moving again. "Link, what are you gonna do about the sword?"
"What do you mean?" Link asked.
Zelda changed her question. "I mean, where are you going to leave it? Surely, we cannot bring it with us. It's literally a legendary sword, something Heroes from back then had once had in their own hands. I doubt anyone would give you slack for a sword being in your hand, period."
Link seemed to have blanked out, Zelda's words seeping into his mind. "U-uh...maybe...we can leave it in the tree? I mean, it seems to be the safest place."
Zelda had a feeling that was what Link was going to say. "But," she started, "what if someone finds out a way to get there unexpectedly? I know it's a place only you can maneuver through, but what if one day that isn't the case and someone finds it?"
Link was stuck there, the realization of Zelda's words hitting him like a brick. "Shit- I mean—" He grimaced, the first thing coming to mind slipping past his mouth. "Sorry. I-I didn't mean to say that out loud, I don't know how you feel about bad words so I never—"
Zelda laughed, the air lightening. "Don't worry, I understand. I don't mind them, just so you know. I don't say them much myself, but I'm not stopping you."
After finishing her sentence, Link found the entrance to his little home and smiled. He stopped once he entered the safety of it and turned to Zelda, his smile directing toward her. "Thank you, I suppose. But, I'm thinking maybe we could...I dunno, bury it?
Zelda thought to herself for a moment, watching as Link lightly stroked the back of her hand unintentionally. Even though the feeling made butterflies form in her stomach, she pushed past it and said, "Yeah, we could do that."
Link grinned, nodding to both himself and Zelda as he asked, "Where should we dig it?"
Zelda gave him her answer. "I believe we should dig it somewhere that's not near the tree; somewhere not obvious."
"M-kay, that works." Link tugged her over to the tree, telling her to set the torch down—which she had done—before leading her over to an area where there was a small flock of flowers next to the root of a regular tree. It was only a few feet away from the hangout. "Here," he said.
Zelda looked at Link before looking down at the flowers, tilting her head. "How are we going to dig it up, first of all?"
Link's eyes perked open, holding the sword out to Zelda and having her jump back a little from the push of it. "Wh-"
Link smiled kindly, pushing the handle toward her direction a little more. "Hold this real quick, I'm gonna go check for a shovel in the tree. I used to like digging holes, and this was somewhere I used to always dig. I stopped, hence the flowers." He chuckled, letting go of the sword once Zelda hesitantly grabbed it herself.
"Alright then, I-I'll watch over it while you go find it," Zelda said, smiling as she watched Link jog away to the tree where all her belongings were in.
She was tempted to show him the diary—very—but she wanted to wait. They did have a lot on their plate, indeed, and the diary would likely add more...especially with it being about the Princess' personal life and her experience meeting the Hero Link and whatnot; she needed her own Link to comprehend and get more of his own...memories, she supposed.
Zelda was slightly confused, though, as she felt the weight of the Master Sword in her hand. If the sword was meant to seal the darkness, what did that mean for Link since he was the new holder?
Speaking of Link, he came jogging back out of the tree with an old shovel in his hand. He made it over to her and smiled, raising the shovel to show it to her. "Found it," he said.
Zelda smiled herself, watching as Link turned to the flowers and almost dug straight into the dirt and harming the plants—Zelda stopped him, of course.
"Wait," she called out, holding her hand out in front of him before he made impact with the ground.
Link stopped his movements and turned to Zelda, softly placing the tip of the shovel on the ground away from the flowers. He tilted his head.
"Um...you'll hurt the flowers like that. Here—" Zelda held the sword out for Link to take, being careful to not drop it as she took the shovel from his hand—"I'll do it."
Link stepped to the side to let Zelda shovel the ground in her own way, avoiding any harm to the plants. He felt a soft smile grow on his face, and despite the two having different personalities with their way of nature he still found his heart racing slightly as he thought about how much fondness he had for the girl in front of him.
She's very...delicate, in a way, he said to himself, watching as Zelda made her way around the flowers, setting them aside with the dirt in the shovel once she got all that she could have.
"Was there no other area without flowers, Link?" Zelda fussed, a slight edge to the tone of her voice that Link almost missed when she tended the flowers with her hands.
Link simply shrugged in response, even though Zelda wasn't facing him. He looked around, searching for a lonesome tree. "Not really; it'd give it more a natural look, y'know?"
He heard Zelda sigh when he went to a tree that was slightly past the one Zelda was digging through. "I suppose," she muttered, digging a wider whole.
He lightly smirked, glancing back at her as she worked before turning back to the tree that looked dead on its branches. "I'm gonna test the sword out."
Zelda stopped her work, her foot on the edge of the shovel scoop for she was going to push it in. "What? Link, be careful, that's a sacred sword."
Link shrugged again, his curiosity getting the best of him. He looked over his shoulder and smiled. "I mean, it's a sacred sword, right? One that the Heroes of many legends once used. It has to be strong, doesn't it?"
Zelda immediately had a retort, thus she deadpanned, "Yes, Link, but we don't even know what the sword is for."
"It's a sword that seals the darkness, for sure—" he turned back to the tree and made sure the sword was gripped securely in his left hand before spreading his legs to plant them firmly on the ground, holding the sword across his chest—"but I believe it can also cut trees!"
Link let his arm push through and let the edge cut through the tree. He stepped back from the strong slice he had given the tree, the sword cutting through it like butter to him. His mouth was agape when he saw how deep the gash was—it almost cut through the entire tree.
The first thing that was heard ever since was Zelda's own surprised voice—"Link!" But, despite how surprised she was, it also sounded like a scolding a mother would do to their son.
Link sucked air through his teeth, inching away from the tree as if a big step would cause it to tip over. He regretted what he did—he was grimacing, badly—but he also didn't, because he had actually used the legendary Master Sword! Inside, he was insanely stoked. Outside, he was anxiously and carefully walking back to Zelda as he eyed the tree to make sure it showed no signs of moving.
At least it wasn't very big, he thought. That's the good part. He turned around, slowly, once he made sure the tree was okay on staying put and was met face-to-face with a wide eyed Zelda.
His first instinct was to laugh at how shocked she was, but that didn't happen when Zelda stepped back a little to put space between them as she said, "You have to be more careful, Link. That sword is literally a god all on its own."
She returned to digging up the hole—when Link looked down it had already looked like it was okay for the sword, but Zelda didn't seem to think so—and Link smiled when he saw the small smile on her own face.
He crouched down, placing the sword next to the flowers that were carefully placed aside on the dry specks of grass. His eyes looked up to Zelda's face, laughing when he saw her forehead was slightly smeared with a trail of dirt.
Zelda flicked her eyes over to his face for a split second before she wiped her forehead again with the back of her hand, stepping on the edge of the scoop to have it in the first layer of the dirt. She rested her hands on the tip of the grip for the shovel and rested her cheek on it, eyeing Link. He was looking up at her with a smile on his face. "What is it?" she asked.
Link grinned, gesturing to his face as he nodded his head toward hers. "You have dirt on your forehead."
Zelda sighed, removing her touch from the shovel and used her forearm to try and wipe it off. "No wonder I feel a little dirty." She watched Link stand up and raised her eyebrows. "There?"
He smiled, a chuckle wanting to jump out of his throat. He cleared his throat and stood up to walk closer to Zelda, using his thumb to wipe off the dirt. His thumb stayed on her face though, trailing down to her cheek as he ended up cupping the side of her jaw. He brought her face up to look into her eyes, raising a brow as he said, "I just remembered—care to tell me about what happened before we left the Deku Tree?"
Zelda was blushing from the proximity, hating that Link didn't have shame in giving her butterflies or being overly touchy at times—it always made her feel some type of way, no matter what. She sighed in her head. For such a nervous guy around girls, he can be very affectionate. She swallowed hard, attempting to let the words come out but it was difficult at that moment.
Link made sure he was as far from her face as possible with his own, or else the urge to do something he'd regret would come along.
Zelda waited for Link to remove his hand, but he was persistent and waited for her to speak before he would move his hand. She sighed and reached her hand up to place it over Link's, cupping her own jaw with his. "I...I saw something, I guess. It was kind of...like a memory from long ago. I don't know if it's because I'm some kind of Princess and should know of my ancestors, but it was a vivid memory of my former self returning the sword back to the tree for safekeeping." Zelda watched Link's irises, watching as he nodded to get her to continue.
She stepped a little closer, squeezing his hand and bringing it off her face. She grabbed his hand with both of her own, being gentle as she toyed with his hand and relished the feeling of being able to touch his soft, calloused skin. "I wasn't really able to hear anything for it being hazy, but the Deku Tree and Princess Zelda were talking about something. And right when it was becoming clear," Zelda ended up slipping her fingers through his, "the Great Deku Tree we were talking to interrupted."
Zelda looked up, gazing into Link's colored eyes again. "I...was unaware of what that memory entirely meant. Just...the sword and the safety of it—even though I didn't hear anything, I was able to just get that part into my mind somehow."
Link kept his eyes on Zelda's, his lips pursed as he nodded after hearing her experience back at the Deku Tree's home. He didn't say anything other than look down at their hands, giving it a squeeze before inhaling a breath and setting it free. "I've...been wondering about this—ever since I laid hands on the sword," he mumbled. He licked his lips before he looked back up to Zelda and faced her in the eyes, saying, "If...I grabbed the sword and pulled it out, what does that mean for me? And for...whatever is said to happen in the books?"
Zelda watched Link as he looked over his shoulder slightly to give a temporary glance at the sword that laid on the ground, looking like nothing other than a sword with a few designs.
Link continued, sandwiching Zelda's hand to grab her full attention. "It's a legendary sword that has a purpose in this life, isn't it? If it is pulled out by someone who is—I guess—capable, then surely there's a reason behind it—" Link's hand started to slightly tighten around her own—"right?"
The look in Link's eyes made Zelda unsure of how to answer his question—and, if anything, she didn't know exactly how to answer it, anyway. She placed her hand over Link's and stroked the back of his hand, which was cupping their interlocked ones. He relaxed, slightly.
"I'm not too sure, Link." Zelda made sure she had his full attention. "Later—someday—we could do some research about it. I doubt you'll want to ask your aunt, and I sure as bloody hell would not like to ask my father, so we will do our research and hope all is well. Maybe," Zelda raised an eyebrow, "if a certain someone gets their visions, or whatever you'd like to call them, in place and completed, then we could ask a certain tree about this whole fiasco."
Link felt called out, but he didn't blame Zelda. Instead of feeling threatened and pressured, he laughed and grabbed Zelda's other hand with his fee one, simply holding it. "Well, excuse me, Princess, for I am not able to force my visions through so nonchalantly."
Zelda laughed herself, glad the tension was washed away. She looked behind Link and eyed the sword, turning back to him, afterward. "Should we bury it now, Sir Link?"
Link felt the smile on his face grow. "Yes, your highness."
Link and Zelda both released each other from themselves and walked to the sword. Link crouched down and grabbed it by the handle, hovering it over the hole Zelda took her time to dig without harming any plant life.
He studied the design and its color, memorising it and angling it in certain ways before he carefully placed it in the lengthy spot in the ground. Zelda crouched down by then, helping him push the dirt back into its original place. She was the one who put the dirt with the flowers atop, messily completing the safe haven for the Master Sword.
"See?" Zelda exclaimed, her mouth twitching upward as she looked at Link and gestured to the flowers while she stood up. "No flowers were harmed; our mission is complete."
Link let out a laugh while he stood up, as well. He was careful about not stepping on the flowers and walked up to Zelda, placing his hands on his hips. "All thanks to you. Hey, now that we're all done with the sword and whatnot, what do you wanna do? I mean...I...still find it cool how I have a legendary sword, but I still have no idea why I have it." He smiled, tilting his head as he crossed his arms. "Shall we head inside the tree and figure it out through the internet?"
Hearing what Link said in the end made Zelda almost roll her eyes with amusement, but she laughed it off and shrugged, turning around to walk toward their little home. "Sure," she concurred.
Link grinned and followed after her, playfully poking her side as he caught up with her and making her yelp with a laugh before she poked him back, emitting the same sound from him.
But, as they walked over to the tree, their laughter and chit chat filled over the air and blocked out the sound that came from the ground where the sword was hidden.
Pretty short, but it felt better to leave it like that for the ending of this chapter. I'm really proud of this one actually :') I actually went back to edit and make sure it wasn't full of typos this time sksksk. AnYWAY I hope this chapter was good, and your guys' support makes me all :'''')))
okay anyway bye bye till next time