The length of A Love Story was 135,000 words. This one has officially surpassed that at 137,000 words (this chapter not included). Which also makes this my longest fanfic.
Wow, thank you guys so much for all the love and support! You are the best! A HUGE thank you to Transcendent Oddity, Joseph Kuo, Grape Icies, Heidihammond14, ZelinkFanGirl, DawnAndNightfall, NRZWolf 13, Miss Ashlynn, Katie, EverlastingDayDreamer, littlelostdreamer, dbzgtfan2004, Kamil the Awesome, Mangageek26, Screen, Confesor, Zewrovie, Sbirney, ZeldaDreamsEndCreator, Irelandgal131, and Resha Tsubaki for leaving reviews!
YukieClair: Ah, you remember. 8D Yes, and that's going to be brought up soon.
Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Zelda. That goes to Miyamoto the Brilliant.
CH. 21
The plan was a relatively simple one. Zora's Domain, housed in the Northern Kingdom, was set inside a cave. This worked to both an advantage and a disadvantage. The advantage was that there was only one way in and one way out. The disadvantage was that there was only one way in and one way out.
The rebels could easily break in. A single path led to the locked entrance, both lightly guarded. But they knew once they got in and started to fight the soldiers stationed inside – which would be much more numerous – they could not exit the way they came in. It left a predictable strategy for the enemy. After all, they knew where to expect reinforcement to arrive from. But it sealed them inside with the Zoras.
So the plan was, after forcing their way in and starting to take out the guards, they would bomb their way out. Extensive searching, and a little digging, on the part of their spies had given them an alternate exit. There was an underground tunnel, halfway filled with water, which began in a lake and stopped just shy of the back wall of Zora's Domain. A well-placed bomb would open up that passage, allowing them an exit. It would be an easy way out for the Zoras, a tough way out for the rebels, but it would be unlikely they would be followed. At least not very far. And once they exited on the lake, they'd seal it off.
The only real trouble lied with the fighting. They didn't know how many soldiers would be inside Zora's Domain. And they had only brought one hundred rebels. It would be a true test of their fighting skills.
A lot of faith, of course, rested with the person who would plant and detonate the bomb. And, after some deliberation, it was decided that the best choice was Zelda. She was fast and could accomplish physical feats the others could not. Plus she was less likely to draw attention than the muscle power-house Mitch or Reego who most certainly looked the part of a soldier.
It was early night when the rebels were posed to strike. Staying low on a hill, they could look over the valley and see the stone path that was the entrance to Zora's Domain. It led up to a door bolted with a heavy lock that was set in a cliff face. Torches lined the path at intervals, shining off the armor of the soldiers that patrolled. Already it seemed Sephora had made her mark on the army. The colors they wore under the silver armor was a dark purple, the same hue as her knee-length skirt. And on the chest plate was the insignia of an 'S', which Link thought looked more like a snake than a letter. The soldiers of Acroff's kingdom had worn plain armor. But it seemed Sephora was trying to assert her dominance over her father's rule.
"Is my break-in team ready?" Reego whispered, his green eyes shining in the dark.
Link turned from where he was lying on his stomach on the hills to see the twenty in charge of breaking in raise their hands. Reego had chosen the heavier, stronger fighters since, with all the torches around, there was no point in going for stealth. Among the group was Reego himself, Logon, and Mitch.
Reego's gaze swept over everyone else. "All of you get ready to charge once we have the door open. Kill any soldiers on sight. Reassure the Zoras. If you can, steal the soldier's weapons and give them to the Zoras. Once the bomb detonates, head for the tunnel. You all know your roles."
Link turned back as he watched the group start to creep down the hill, weapons out. He could feel the warmth coming from Zelda's body as she lay beside him, quiet. He could also feel the tension coming from her. She didn't want to mess up. Everyone was depending on her.
He turned his head to look at her, deciding if he should say something. Her profile was barely illuminated by the stars and torches down below, reflecting in her blue eyes. Strands of blonde hair hung on either side of her face and some over her forehead, her braid loose from all the travel. She had the pack on her back that housed the bomb. She was really quite pretty, beautiful even. It was no surprise Mitch lusted after her. Link was actually shocked more men didn't pursue her. It was probably because of her independent, one-woman show attitude. But Link knew that was only on the surface. She was much deeper than that.
"We can do this," he whispered. "It'll be easy."
She smiled, meeting his gaze. "There's a lot resting on this, Link. If we can't do this, how do we expect to challenge Mordecai?"
"We can," he repeated.
Her smile cocked up on one side. "And what makes you so certain?"
He lifted his hand, interlocking their fingers. "Because I am the Hero, and I'm not supposed to lose." As if to underline his statement, their Triforce pieces pulsed once, faintly, on their joined hands.
She let out her breath, gazing at him. "I don't think I've ever heard you say it before."
"Say what?"
"That you're the Hero. I know you know it, but you've never said it." She raised one eyebrow playfully. "Are you saying it because you really mean it, or to make me feel better?"
"Both," he teased, nudging her shoulder with his. "Now hush, we're about to go."
They turned to see their rebels get the attention of the soldiers on duty. Quick fighting broke out, shouts silence as soon as possible and weapons clanging. Reego fought with his trademark sword and spear, spinning into the opponents. Logon slashed with his sword, running for the door and taking down those in his path. Mitch fought with a heavy sword in the rough, brutal style he was famous – and infamous – for, leaving a messy trail of blood. It wasn't long before all the guards were down, and Logon had taken the key from one and was working on unlocking the door.
"Let's go," Link said, dropping his hand from hers. He missed the comforting feeling, but the hilt of the Master Sword was second best. So he drew it as they raced down the hill with the others. They ran past the dead bodies that littered the torch lit ground and came up to the door just as Logon threw it open.
What followed was chaos, and Link thoroughly loved it. He poured into Zora's Domain with everyone else, shouting battle cries. He was hit by the smell of pure water and a slightly fishy scent. He got a quick look around at a huge cavern, the water reflecting on the rocky walls in shimmering lines. A walkway ran around the place, a couple of paths sloping down to reach the body of water – which took up most of the space. Other bits of land were scattered here and there. Numerous torches made the area well-lit.
And then there were the Zoras. Swimming in the water or sitting about, looking lifeless and miserable. They were humanoid, with silvery scaled skin and bright black eyes. Link was fascinated with the way they looked. So graceful and elegant.
And then, of course, there were the soldiers. Sephora's soldiers were everywhere in the cavern, all with swords brandished. There was no way the outnumbered and unarmed Zoras could fight against them. The sounds of battle and alarmed shouts echoed in the Domain. Link heard swords clanking against swords, against armor, and through flesh before he at last reached the battle.
Link spun into the midst of three guards, taking them out with each sword slice. It was frenetic all around him. He heard people shouting encouragement to the Zoras, saw them waking up and looking alive again. He grabbed a sword from a fallen guard and tossed it down into the water, not having enough time to see if a Zora grabbed it before he was fighting again.
He ran along the walkway, slashing and blocking. A soldier's elbow caught him in the arm, sure to leave a bruise, before he impaled him with the blood-stained Master Sword. Arrows whizzed by from the rebels' archers, helping their allies. He noticed a piece of land with rocky arches that went underneath the walkway. A group of Sephora's soldiers were on it, thrusting their swords to keep the Zoras in the water back.
Link ran to the edge and jumped off, landed roughly in the center of the group. He swung his leg out, bringing most to the ground. He parried two slices aimed at his head before giving a wide slash. One soldier went down, one blocked, and his chest plate saved another. The Hero took quick steps back as more attacks came before feinting high and slashing low, cutting some ankles. He ducked under an attack before darting forward, taking the rest of his enemies out with three quick slices.
He looked around, catching his breath for a moment as Zoras reached up to grab the fallen guards' swords. He saw Galen and Burning Joe along the walkway. Galen led, taking soldiers down before Burning Joe would pounce on them and hack away until they were dead. Talisman was on some of the land along the water's edge, fighting with his usual serenity, his black cloak swinging about him. At first he couldn't locate Zelda, but when he reached out for their bond he felt her presence and saw her jumping from one stone to the other across the water, hurrying to her destination.
Zelda bounded over the water, landing on larger rocks or tiny ones where her Sheikah skills came in handy. Her braid thumped against her back, the battle raging all around her. As she landed again, a soldier that had been knocked into the water reached up to grab her. She swung her leg around and back, kicking him in the head and rendering him unconscious. Not missing a beat, she kept jumping until she reached the other side of Zora's Domain. She was supposed to bomb behind a waterfall on the western wall. It was a thunderous cascade, coming from somewhere high up. The mist hit her, rolling off her skin. Although she and Link had scrubbed furiously to get themselves clean, their skin and clothes still had a brownish look to them. It would take some severe washing back at the Rebellion's cave to get them clean again. Not that anything was perfectly clean in the Rebellion.
She jumped the last stretch and landed on a narrow strip of land that bordered the wall. Pressing her hands against it, she scooted along until she was behind the waterfall. Drops rained heavily on her head. This wasn't the most ideal position to light a bomb, so she knew she'd have to be careful. She had three matches with her.
Zelda reached into her pack and produced the bomb, complete with netting around it to nail to the wall. She drove the nail in, finishing it off with a kick. She then grabbed the match and, shielding her hand over it, struck it against the side of the bomb. A tiny flame sprung up. She brought it over to the fuse and lit it. Zelda was relieved to see it catch fire, starting to burn. She was about to turn away and head for cover when the fuse sputtered and went out.
Not good, she thought, grabbing her second match. She lit it, keeping her hand over it to protect the fire. She brought it to the burned-down fuse and watched it ignite. She held her hand over that momentarily, seeing it start to head toward the bomb. The princess dropped her hand, made a move to run . . . and watched the fire go out again.
Panic took hold of her. She felt Link's concern through their bond, but she sent some reassurance back. She didn't want him getting distracted while fighting. She grabbed the last match, pressing her lips together, and lit it. She slowly brought it up to the fuse that was now reduced to half its original length.
And then Burning Joe was there. He closed his hand over the match and lit the bomb. He kept his hand around the flame and it burned brighter, stronger. It would make it to the end. He then took hold of her wrist and yanked her after him as they started running, jumping on the stones and stumbling in the water.
And then it exploded.
Zelda felt the heat and force slam into her back. She cried out at the pain, both she and Burning Joe thrown into the air and landing in the water. The fuse had been too small, they hadn't gotten far enough away. Water got in her pointed ears, her nose, her open mouth. Kicking furiously she broke the surface, gasping at the pain that laced along her back. She blinked the water from her eyelashes, seeing the rebels began racing to the tunnel. The Zoras splashed in and out of the water as they swam, looking like ocean gods. Blood was everywhere. So much blood. But still enemy soldiers were pursuing.
She weakly grabbed onto a ledge, whimpering. A hand took hold of her arm and hauled her up. As she got to her feet, she saw her helper was Talisman.
"Are you all right, Your Highness?" he asked softly.
"Yes," she nodded. "Thank you, let's go."
Link sighed in relief as he saw Talisman help Zelda toward the exit. She had been too close to the blast. He knew Burning Joe would be all right; fire couldn't hurt him. He just hoped Zelda hadn't gotten too injured.
He hopped down to a lower level and raced toward the tunnel. Water was gushing in it, causing the Hylians to stumble and cough as they followed the Zoras. He saw Scout, Megan, and Megan's twin brother Tal standing at the entrance and shooting arrows to fend off their opponents. The once pure water was no stained red, a metallic scent pervading the air.
Link got onto the rock that bordered the wall and scooted along it, going behind the waterfall. He splashed past the rocky rubble and down into the tunnel. Water came up to his stomach, churning and bubbling. The ground under his feet was uneven, and he grasped the wall as he stumbled and almost fell a few times. Bodies were moving all around him, trying to make a quick exit. Some brave enemy soldiers had dove into their midst, trying to kill as many as they could.
One grabbed hold of Link's hair, yanking his head back and pulling him under with a startled cry. His world went black for a moment as he was underwater. He reached up and grabbed the man's wrist, digging his nails into it as he struggled to pull it off. His lungs were burning as he stayed under longer, writing. Grabbing his dagger from his belt, he stabbed it above him, feeling it sink into flesh.
The hand let go and he flung himself out of the water, panting. His clothes were soaked, his hair dripping and his eye binding heavy. Through the drops that clouded his vision he swiveled and plunged the dagger forward, hitting his opponent in the chest. The man fell back and into the water, but Link didn't stay to finish him off. He turned back around and began running with everyone else.
Something heavy and solid hit his shoulder and sent him staggering into the wall. He looked up to see Mitch jogging past. The man cast him a smug look over his shoulder before hurrying away. Link scowled, both unsurprised and quite shocked. He knew Mitch wasn't a nice guy. Still, he'd never been physical with him before. What had he done to make him mad?
They ran for a long time before they reached the exit. By then Link was thoroughly soaked and thoroughly tired. They stumbled out onto the muddy bank of a lake surrounded by plains. The mountains weren't far away, tall and snow-capped. Link wearily dragged himself onto the grass and sat down.
Excited cheers and clapping were heard, and Reego was talking to presumably the Zora leader. Their scales shimmered in the moonlight, smiles on their tired faces. Handshakes, hugs, and pats on the back were shared. Link took it all with an exhausted smile.
"How bad is it, Link?"
He looked up at the sound of Zelda's voice, saw her back turned to him . . . and froze. The back of her tunic and undershirt had been burned away, the skin underneath scorched and blistered. "Oh . . . Zelda! What happened?" He jumped to his feet, rushing over to her. "Is this from the bomb?"
"Yes," she winced. "I was having trouble lighting the fuse with all the water around. Couldn't get away fast enough."
"Let's go see Jim Goro," he told her.
As they walked through the crowd, searching for the distinctive shape of the Goron, they heard Reego saying aloud, "We'll rest here until morning while we block off this exit. Get ready to move at dawn."
Link glanced at the sky. It looked to be around midnight. Unlike the wide expansion of Acroff's land, the sky here seemed to be closed in. Hard, black, and pierced with sharp stars. It was like Sephora herself, he supposed. It looked beautiful, but there was this underlying aura that seemed to warn against trust.
"Jim Goro," Link said as they neared the Goron, who turned and smiled at their approach. "Zelda got hurt." He spun her around, watched the doctor's black eyes grow wide.
"Uh-oh," Jim Goro said. "We need to take care of that quickly. Let's go someplace private, shall we? I'll need you to remove your shirt so I can wrap it."
Zelda sighed in reluctance. "Alright." She cringed. "It hurts pretty bad."
Jim Goro took her by the hand and gently began leading her away. Link stayed where he was, watching after her in concern, when she turned around, holding her hand out to him.
"Link, please come," she said, her eyes imploring. He saw unsaid message all over her face, felt it in their bond. I need you. And for some reason it made his throat feel tight. He nodded and took her other hand, going with them away from the crowd.
Jim Goro led them into a grove of trees. He grabbed the pack on his back and set it on the grass. Taking a blanket from it, he unrolled it and laid it across the ground. "Lay on your stomach here, please." As Zelda did so, he grabbed a white sheet and tied it between the trunks to give them a wall for privacy. The Goron sat heavily down next to her, looking the burns over. "This will take some time to heal. I'll disinfect it and then wrap it."
She nodded, moaning miserably. "Just get it over with."
"Your shirts?"
"Oh, right." She paused, glancing up at Link who was looking to the side uncomfortably. She reached up and tugged the other side of his black eye binding down, effectively blindfolding him.
"Hey!" he said with a surprised chuckle.
"Alright, let's do this," she sighed.
Link sat with his legs crossed, his arms resting on them as he waited. He heard Zelda shuffling around, Jim Goro getting in his bag. He felt a little self-consciousness coming from her and fought back a smile. Gorons just walked around in loincloths, anyway, what did she have to be embarrassed about? Oh, and there were a bunch of naked Zoras around.
Suddenly there was a flare of pain through their bond, and he straightened in voluntarily as Zelda hissed.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yes," he heard her answer. "The medicine just stings. And my adrenaline is wearing off so the burns are starting to make themselves –ah!- known. Do you have anything for the pain, Jim?"
"Nope. Sorry, I only had limited room in my traveling pack."
Link held out his hand and after a moment Zelda took hold of it, squeezing it tightly and causing the leather of his glove to crinkle. He tried to focus his emotions into comfort and send some her way. He knew his worry was leaking through, though. He felt her pull on his hand and then the sensation of her lips kissing the exposed fingers lightly. It sent shivers straight up his arm, caused his stomach to clench.
"Thank you for coming, Link," she said, her voice tight with pain.
He swallowed, kick-starting his vocal chords. "You're welcome."
The minutes passed as Jim Goro finished with the medicine and began to wrap up her wound, using layers of bandages around her torso. Once finished, she let go of Link's hand to put her shirt and tunic back on, but the cloth was so tight that the Goron had to go fetch a loose shirt that Megan had brought along.
"Stay on your stomach as you sleep tonight," Jim Goro told her. "And be careful. Allow it to heal."
"Thank you," she sighed.
Link heard him walk away. He pulled his eye binding back in its original position, looking down at Zelda. She was sweaty, her face pinched in pain. She stared up at him, just watching and not saying anything.
After a long moment passed she scooted over on the blanket. "Well, what are you waiting for? Come lay by me."
He was unable to suppress a grin at her tone. Even in the midst of pain she could be sarcastic. He lied on his side, reaching up to grip her hand. "We freed the Zoras."
A smile graced her face. "We freed the Zoras."
"This is huge, Zelda. I still can't believe it."
She closed her eyes, smile still in place. "It was amazing. You were amazing."
He laughed. "You couldn't see me."
"No, but I could feel you. Hero seemed to be singing from you."
He was quiet, contemplating her words. After a stretch of silence he said, "Mitch ran into me."
Zelda's eyes snapped open. "He what?"
"He ran into me. Knocked me into the wall when we were escaping through the tunnel. Then he looked back at me with this smirk." Link shook his head. "I swear, I can't stand that guy. And he's never been physical with me before. He's always been . . ." He hesitated and gestured with their joined hands in the air, "passive aggressive. What do you think changed his mind?"
"Well, for starters," she began, "Mitch is very physically aggressive. He's never been to us before, but it was only a matter of time. And I think he's probably jealous."
One eyebrow quirked. "Jealous?"
"Yes, of you." She shifted on the blanket, getting more comfortable. "He's been watching us for awhile now, you and I together. And you know he wants to get me alone so he can try to persuade me to sleep with him." She shivered. "As if I'd stoop so low. And you led the mission to the outpost; Reego was singing your praises when we got back. And I'm sure he noticed how incredible you were freeing the Zoras. You came away without a scratch."
He attempted a shrug in his position. "They weren't very tough. Just average soldiers."
"Link, Mitch feels threatened by you," she pressed. "And you know how he behaves when he feels threatened."
The young man sighed in exasperation. "I guess you're right. Unbelievable! I will not stand for this, Zelda. I'm not going to let yet another person think they can walk all over me. I refuse to get treated badly again and-" He had shaken his head vigorously during his speech, and his eye binding had ridden up from rubbing against the ground, showing half of his left eye.
Zelda felt her throat constrict. People had murdered his parents in front of him. Mordecai, Sephora, and Rolox had all tried to control him. Had all been cruel to him. Acroff and Ganondorf had manipulated him. Even Talisman had just pushed him along when they first met. And she realized she also could be added to that list. She had been so mean to him when he first arrived at the Rebellion. She'd treated him badly for her own selfish reasons. The thought hurt. Part of her wanted to say something, apologize – she'd never really apologized – but another part fought against that. She had no weakness, and humbling herself like that would make her seem weak. She couldn't be that. She was a leader of the Rebellion, a fugitive princess trying to save her country. She had hardened herself years ago and she had to stick to that.
Still, her conscious wouldn't let her do nothing. So as he muttered in frustration, letting go of her hand to pull the black cloth back over his eye, she reached up and gently stopped him.
His gaze flicked to hers, a silent question coming from him. They both paused, holding eyes, before Link let his hand slip to the ground. She watched him for reactions as she gently took hold of the cloth. She felt a rush of nervousness from him, followed by a mixture of appreciation and affection, followed by something else she couldn't quite identify. Something hot and deep. She'd never felt it from him before.
Zelda slowly slipped the binding off, laying it above his head on the blanket. She brought her hand back down and stared at him as he stared back. Both eyes caught the starlight, and both were so full of life. But one had the vivid blue diluted. The red lines of the 'T' seemed black in the night, running over the curves of his face. His blonde bangs brushed the top of it, shifting slightly in the breeze.
Link felt so much he wasn't sure what to feel. He was nervous, certainly. He never let anyone lookat him before. See him without the eye patch, yes, but not look. He also felt very touched. She was reaching out to him, giving him a gesture that she cared about him. That she accepted everything about him. That he shouldn't hide his hurts from her.
And something about her intense gaze made a knot twist in his gut, and caused his nerves to tingle. He'd never had that reaction around Zelda before, and wondered why he was feeling so flustered now.
She reached up and began to trace the scar with her forefinger. He shuddered, closing his eyes as she stroked over his eyelashes. She went to the top of the 'T' and back down to the point, drawing her finger away. His eyes flicked open again, searching her face.
For some reason she felt that wasn't adequate. Did he know what she was trying to say? Something compelled her to continue, to show him she cared. Mustering her courage, she shifted onto her elbows and leaned toward him.
Link watched her come closer, swallowing. As her face drew too close to his he shut his eyes. He knew what was coming, but it still sent a burst of electricity through him as her lips made contact with his injured eye. He couldn't breathe, couldn't move. She held it just long enough that his heart began to thud before she pulled back. He stared at her, blinking too much.
"Mitch won't treat you badly," she whispered. "I won't let him. I won't let anyone treat you badly again."
He gave a breathy laugh. "There are things you have no control over, Zelda."
She smiled. "I refuse to believe that."
Holding hands again, they drifted into sleep side-by-side. And the spot where Zelda's lips had touched his skin burned into his dreams.
.
LoZ
.
Acroff raced through the halls of the Gerudo Fortress, bumping into the guards as he went and calling back a quick "Sorry! Sorry!" without stopping. His white hair blew back from his face, his Demon Staff still clutched in his hand from where he'd warped.
A mixture of sand and dust seemed to swirl in the air where the harsh sunlight came in through openings that served for windows. Everything was brown stone. It wasn't exactly attractive, but it was a fortress, not a castle. And it didn't smell too pleasant, either.
Acroff looked into doorways as he passed, searching for the king of this land. And at last, sitting in a wooden chair in the library, he found him. "Ganondorf! I saw-"
The Gerudo jerked, staring up at him. "Why on Hyrule are you here and coming into my private library unannounced?"
"The door was open," he kicked it shut behind him. "I saw-"
"I left it open to cool down this room," the large man growled. He shut the book he was reading decisively, sitting it on a low table. "This better be good."
"I saw Link!"
Ganon stood up instantly, shoving his chair back and rattling the bookshelves lined with ancient texts. "What?"
The other general nodded vigorously. "I saw Link. A bunch of rebels took out my watch tower. I got taken by surprise and this guy pinned me to the ground and was going to shoot me with an arrow and then I realized it was Link!"
"What did he do?" the Gerudo pressed.
"He hesitated, then let me go and told me to get out of there." He shrugged, panting from his run through the fortress. "So I did."
"What did he look like? Did he say anything else?" Ganon was leaning forward, amber eyes wide.
Acroff shook his head. "That's all he said. He looked . . . normal. He's seventeen now, right?" The question was rhetorical. He knew Link's exact age. "He still had his left eye covered up. He looked healthy, strong. I find it hard to believe he just came out of the Realm of Eternal Darkness."
Ganondorf slowly sat back down in his chair, his face tight with contemplation. "He's been out for a long time."
The other general nodded, his mouth a firm line. "Mordecai lied to us."
He looked up. "Do you think Mordecai knows?"
"I'm sure he does. He's not one to place anything on faith. I'm sure he was keeping tabs, somehow."
Ganon shook his head, heaving a sigh. He stared at the floor for a moment, but when he looked back up a broad smile was on his face. "Link is out."
"Link is free!" Acroff exclaimed, throwing his arms out.
He took a step toward the Gerudo but Ganon held up a large hand, saying, "No hugs."
"What should we do?" the white haired man asked, stopping.
"Nothing," Ganon answered. "For now, we do nothing. Link is part of the Rebellion. He's being taken care of, and he's away from Mordecai. Let's just keep informed on what the Rebellion is doing. We don't want Mordecai stopping it."
Acroff raised one eyebrow. "Uh . . . Ganondorf. I know it's always been implied that you and I . . . um, disagree with the Master. But you've never outright said it."
"I'm saying it now," the Gerudo answered, standing again. "We can't oppose him up front. But we have to do whatever we can to make sure the Rebellion succeeds. And, at our next monthly meeting," his expression darkened, "I have some questions I'd like to ask him."
.
LoZ
.
Sephora drummed her nails irritably on the arm of her throne, staring absently out the windows. They allowed a scenic view over the cold mountains, lakes glistening in the distance. Her throne room was black, with curving designs and purple curtains. The multiple windows ended in points, gargoyle statues sitting outside. The throne itself was silver. It was a lovely manor that she'd improved upon, her home in the Northern Kingdom.
She'd just received word that a large group of rebels had broken into Zora's Domain, killed almost every soldier there, had freed the Zoras, and had moved them to an undiscovered location. She was not pleased. Not in the least bit. She'd warned her soldiers to be on the lookout for rebels. Obviously they didn't think there was any real threat and were ill-prepared.
This was a huge loss for her. Now she only had the small, scattered villages of mountain Hylians to rule. An entire race, gone from her control!
She'd asked the soldiers giving the news to tell her of any noteworthy rebels, or any that stood out to them. They mentioned several they remembered that didn't ring a bell with her, but there was the description of three that did. A man covered completely in a black cloak, moving silently. Talisman, her old enemy. He was at last showing up again. The second was a young woman, blonde and in Sheikah clothes, who had detonated the bomb. Likely Princess Zelda, still alive and well. And then there was the description of a young blonde Hylian, who fought better than everyone else, and who had one eye covered up.
Link. She had thought he was locked away in the Realm of Eternal Darkness, so what was he doing roaming about Hyrule and emancipating Zoras? Her father would need to come up with a lot of answers when she saw him at the next monthly meeting. Then again, so would she.
It was not a situation she was happy about. And once she got her hands on the Rebellion, she vowed to make them pay.
.
LoZ
.
They relocated the Zoras to a more secure lake, one that was more easily defended and provided greater protection. While the Zoras were a proud people, they expressed their gratitude to the Hylians and optimism for the future. A brief celebration was held, which simply consisted of everyone relaxing and talking. The Zoran leader had given a quick speech thanking the Rebellion and talking about the loss the Zoras had endured and the slave-like treatment Sephora had bestowed upon them.
They Hylians, too, had suffered losses. The count was eighteen rebels dead. It would have been much more if they hadn't had the element of surprise. They hadn't been able to go back for their bodies, and it was painful to leave them behind but they had no other choice. It wouldn't all be celebrations when they returned home. There would be grieving.
The trip back was long. Zelda had a slower pace because of her injury, as did many others. Link had stayed by her side, supporting her in any way he could. She had spied Mitch still staring at them, something dark brewing in his gaze.
They at last made it back to the Rebellion. News was spread and injuries were attended to. Jim Goro worked furiously to finish helping everyone he could, Impa assisting him. But by then Zelda no longer needed something to help with the pain. More medicine and new bandages were applied, and Impa had given Zelda a quick hug, saying "I'm so glad you're okay!"
Link collapsed into his cot as soon as he got the chance, and slept a full night. And, thankfully, Mordecai did not enter his dreams.
The next few days were filled with exchanging information about the mission and having funerals for the dead. It was a sad affair, especially not having a body to mourn over. But they were all heroes who had died for a greater cause. There was grief, but there was hope. Justice had been served to Sephora, to Mordecai. And there would be more to come.
One afternoon found Zelda and Link talking in his room during their free time between chores. He was lying back on his cot, arms hooked under his head. She sat on the side of it, her legs crossed and turned to face him. The lantern burned a dreamy orange, shining off Zelda's loose hair. Noises of conversations could be heard from elsewhere in the cave system.
"Impa promised to teach me to teleport soon," the princess was saying. "I'm really excited, I've been looking forward to that!"
He grinned. "It will certainly come in handy."
"Hopefully I'll learn how to use it before our next major attack." She sighed, glancing at the figurine of Hyrule Castle on Link's wooden cabinet. "Link . . . what do you think will happen after we stop Mordecai?"
He followed her gaze, regarding it. "I don't know. I guess we'll reinstate our rule."
"It's going to be hard, I think. Everything has changed so much, and we'll have to change it back. What if people don't understand?"
"They will. You heard what the Zoras were saying. People know Mordecai is wrong." He met her eyes again. "It's probably going to be tough, but we'll make it work. You are our rightful ruler, after all."
She smiled, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't feel like a princess anymore. It feels like that life was just a dream."
He tilted his head to the side, grinning at her. "I think I have something that might make you feel more royal." He sat up, reached into his pocket, and brought it out.
It had happened during the celebration at the Zoras' new home. Amongst all the talking and laughing, a young Zoran woman had come up to him. She'd said "I saw you fighting. You were incredible. Like a warrior from the goddesses. I want you to have this in thanks." She'd held up a necklace. It was an oval sapphire looped on a silver chain.
He'd shaken his head vigorously. "Oh no, I can't take that."
"Please do," she said. "I can't let you go away with no reward in thanks. My father is our leader, you see. It's in my nature to thank those who protect my people." She gave him a warm smile. "So please take it, and you can give it to that pretty girl you spend so much time with."
His face had subsequently reddened, and he'd muttered his gratitude and taken the necklace. So now he pulled it out into the lantern light, holding it up for Zelda. "This is for you."
Her eyes widened as she gasped, "Link! Where did you . . .?"
"It's a present the Zoras gave me, in thanks for saving them," he responded. "I want you to have it. It's a female's necklace, after all."
She knew that wasn't it, though. He could have sold it for money. He could have kept it for himself just to have something so beautiful. But he wanted her to have it. And that warmed her heart. She took it delicately, looking it over. "It's almost too pretty to wear."
Link grinned. "It compliments you."
She leaned forward and captured him in a hug. "Link, you are so sweet! What would my life be like if I'd never met you?"
He felt the gratefulness and affection blossoming from her, and it made him melt into her embrace. He said into her shoulder, "You're life would be a lot less interesting."
She laughed, pulling back. It felt good to touch him. To show displays of affectionate companionship. She was so glad she'd hugged him that time after the interrogation exercise. It seemed to have opened the gates for this new stage in their relationship. It wasn't as if she'd never touched him before. She had. She'd pulled him along when they were running from a raid, she'd tackled him to the ground when debris were falling, and she'd bumped into him while fighting. But this was an entirely different type of touching. And it felt so right that she didn't want to stop. And, judging by the warmth she could feel coming from their bond every time they touched, she knew he enjoyed it as well.
Zelda stood up from the cot. "I'm going to go run this to my room and head for the chores I'm assigned. Thank you, Link. I'll see you later."
He nodded, feeling so happy he was light-headed. "You're welcome, Zelda."
She favored him with one last smile before going out into the corridor. She went down the winding tunnels, putting the necklace in her pocket so as not to attract attention with it. She passed people she nodded a greeting to, but her mind was on Link. Her best friend. She thought of his vulnerability after seeing Acroff, his concern when she was frustrated with the bomb in Zora's Domain, the way he'd looked at her when she'd pulled off his eye binding- nervous and self-conscious but trusting. And then the way his skin had felt under her lips . . .
That brought on a rush of heat that jerked her from her memories. Since when was she so flustered by Link?
"There you are."
She started, focusing on her surroundings. She was in the tunnel leading to her room, the blue sheet visible just ahead. And, leaning against the wall, was Mitch. His bulky form seemed larger in the dim light, his close-cropped brown hair almost black.
"Mitch! You startled me," she said.
"I've been waiting to talk to you. Where have you been?"
She frowned. "I was with Link. What do you need?"
A scowl creased his face. "You were with Link. You're always with Link."
"He's my best friend, I enjoy spending time with him," she snapped back, not having any patience for his questioning.
"You should be careful, Zelda. If you go into his room too often, people might get the wrong idea. Or . . ." he lifted one eyebrow, "maybe the right idea?"
She recoiled, her mouth falling open. "How dare you insinuate that! Link and I actually have a moral center, something I know you aren't too familiar with. Now if you'll excuse me, I have chores to do." She turned and headed back the way she'd come. She would put the necklace up later, since she didn't trust him not to snoop in her room, wondering what she'd dropped off. If it had been anyone else, she wouldn't have cared. But she got the feeling that Mitch wouldn't react well to Link giving Zelda a present like that. He'd see Link as being competition.
Mitch called after her, "I thought you were going to your room?"
"Changed my mind." She kept walking, knew she shouldn't have graced that question with an answer.
"Come on now, Zelda, I want to spend some time with you."
She refused to respond to that one, and didn't look back until she was back in the main cavern. She felt so irritated, though, that she needed something to calm her down. She reached out for Link's presence, felt him stir and send her a question mark. But she responded back with a quick bout of reassurance. And she realized she really didn't need anything from him. Just the feeling of him through their bond was enough.
.
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