AN: Well, here we are again, and much sooner than expected! Yay! Once the creative juices started flowing, the entirety of Hoover Dam came flowing from my brain.
I just finished this chapter and couldn't wait to post it. So here you go! Enjoy!
Apologies if there are any grammatical errors. I am pretty sleepies.
[ZELDA]
For a minute I forgot where I was.
So when I heard a loud noise too close for comfort, I jolted awake instantly, ready for anything Ilia had prepared for my torture. I clenched onto the closest thing I could grab, which I learned later happened to be Link's neck, and held on for dear life.
Then I remembered where I was and a fresh wave of relief fell over my aching body. I haven't felt calm or relaxed for so long it almost felt foreign to me. The closest I would get to feeling this lighthearted was when I was with my friends. I didn't want this feeling to go away, but knew we were nowhere near out of the thick of things.
Gradually my other senses kick in and I hear the downpour of rain off in the distance. The fresh smell of petrichor wafts into my nostrils as I took a deep breath, easing my headache if only slightly. I bring my head up to look at our surroundings, and find that we are in a cave on the skirt of Hyrule field. I can see the castle on the other side.
Too close. And that is saying something.
I back up into the wall and press against it, curling up my legs and looking anywhere but at the place I spent the past two weeks. My movement doesn't go unnoticed.
"Hey," I hear Link whisper as he sits next to me. Impa and Fledge, still in dog form, are sleeping. If I had to make a guess, I think Link took the first watch. There was a campfire in the middle of the little cave, keeping us warm.
Then something hit me.
"Link, what about the fire? Isn't it a little obvious?" He laughs lightly.
"It's fine, don't worry about it. We cast an illusionary charm on this cave before we even entered it. To anyone foolish enough to traverse Hyrule field in the middle of a storm, they won't even notice the cave being here—as if it never existed in the first place." He wraps his arm around me to provide heat to my frigid body. "Believe it or not, I have good ideas. Sometimes."
I lean in to him, relieved by the contentment of this simple action. He kisses the top of my head. We sit in silence for a bit, listening to the others' slow breathing, until Link tightens his grip around my shoulders, bringing me closer to him.
He only says my name as he rocks us back and forth. I didn't even realize I was crying until he reaches his thumb to my face to wipe away the trails my tears fall from. He lifts me onto his lap to hold me closer, pressing his forehead into my temple. I close my eyes as he begins kissing the line of my jaw. I slide my hand up to play with the line of his hair. I didn't remember how long it was until his dark blonde locks were sifting through my fingers again. He pauses to gingerly move my hair away from my neck and over my shoulder. I turn to look at his unwavering blue eyes. He touches the side of my face with his warm palm, waiting.
If I knew him, he doesn't want to go too far without my consent after what I have just been through. Goddesses, he is so sweet.
So I give him permission, and close the distance.
This is what I have needed in the hours since I have been rescued—love's warm touch to melt my frigid, unforgiving heart. I feel like the 'me' of five minutes ago was a completely different person to who I am now, simply because of Link. I normally do not enjoy being reliant on others, but my personal wellness won this one out, I think. And I'm not complaining.
As he slides his hands around my waist and pulls me flush against him, kissing me fiercely, I know that there is no one else for me. I love this boy with all my being. And all I want is his happiness, whether I provide it or not.
A crack of thunder rolls across the field that makes me jump. Link only smiles, brushing a stray strand of my hair out of my face, then pressing his palm to my cheek.
"I was so worried," he heaves a sigh, closing his eyes. "Zelda, we had no idea where you were, and I couldn't bear it," he holds me close. He told me about the two weeks when I was missing. How I was taken from him and Impa in Castle Town, they went to Kakariko village to gather information, and he repeated over and over how much he missed me. Like a child making sure I got his message straight.
"I don't know what I would do if I lost you," he whispers. I stay silent. I don't know how to respond to that because we just faced that possible reality. I can't tell him to stay strong and keep going when I was ready to give up on my own accord. So, I decide to distract myself from the current topic of discussion and start kissing him again. I know this conversation will be brought up again in the future, but right now I just want to enjoy his warmth. After a while, Link pulls back.
"You should get some rest, Zel," he says, voice raspy. He stands to bring us closer to the warm fire.
"What about you?" I ask, yawning. He chuckles.
"I'll be fine, I promise. Plus, I'm sure with Fledge's sharp hearing he'll let us know something is out there before we know it ourselves. So please, rest." He plants a kiss to my forehead and rubs my head. I smile, rolling over so the heat of the fire is against my back and close my eyes.
My adrenaline must have exhausted itself because as soon as I close my eyes, I'm out like a light.
I walk through dim corridors made of brick, vines covering them floor to ceiling. I can tell that I am back in the castle, in the underground passages leading to the cells. But I am not alone.
Someone walks ahead of me, hooded and cloaked and powerful. Their aura is dark and familiar. They open the door that leads to the dungeons. I follow behind them covered by shadows.
"No," I hear Ghirahim say. I can almost feel the anger as it swells inside him. He balls his fists, clenches his jaw, and his eyes seethe.
He lets out a roar of anger as he summons magic. He pushes outward with his arms and a wave of power crushes everything in its vicinity. Jail bars become concave, metal clanks, and the pooled water is forced away causing waves to flow across the room. I back away slowly and exit out the door, breaking into a run.
"I will get you if it is the last thing I do!" He storms out of the room.
Literally.
A flash of lightning is all that remains of his presence here as he zaps away.
I jolt awake in a cold sweat. So much for getting quality sleep. I look out the cave immediately and see that the sun has begun to set. It didn't feel like the day is already ending. I guess I still have some adrenaline coursing through me. It feels like I've been asleep for only five minutes.
Link turns his attention to me and smiles.
"Hey," he says, then frowns. "Bad dream?" He scoots closer, pressing a hand to my cheek.
I nod. I really hope it was only a dream.
"You've been out almost the entire day, but if you need more rest, I understand. Impa left to get us food. Fledge is keeping watch at the mouth of the cave over there," he points over to where the wolf form of Fledge sits at attention, ready for anything; almost waiting for a challenger to oppose him.
Completely different from the Fledge we knew at the Academy.
"If you don't mind, I think I might try to sleep some more," I say through a yawn, not before I lay my head down again. Link chuckles.
"Well, since Fledge is keeping watch, mind if I join you?" I comply.
"Come here."
He lays down behind me and wraps an arm around my protectively, pulling me close. I bring my head up to rest on his other arm. I quickly fall into the realm of sleep, but not before I hear Link whisper 'I love you' into my ear.
Smiling, I embrace the world of sleep. And with Link next to me, for the first time since this entire crazy adventure started, no nightmares come to disturb me for the precious little sleep I do manage to get.
Someone shakes my shoulder urgently.
"We've got to move," I hear Link say quickly. I clamber up to a standing position, sill dazed from suddenly waking up, and feel Link grab my hand. Impa and Fledge move quickly in my peripherals, gathering the few things we managed to keep throughout this adventure. Once everything is gathered, Impa hands me the Tonto blade to strap around my waist.
"Now, keep this on you at all times. We don't want you taken from us again," she presses a hand to my cheek, her eyes intense.
"What's going on?" I ask, mumbling.
"Ghirahim," is all she says. I am instantly awake.
"Don't give in to despair, Zelda, we can outrun him," she whispers before readying her magic and a canteens of water for Mist Travel.
I had forgotten how strange Mist Travel is. We all have decided to travel to Kakariko Village, and as soon as the magic took effect, the world went black and I felt the almost unbearable pulling sensation begin. I felt like I grew at least six inches. As suddenly as it came, it stopped all together, throwing me in a world of chaotically flying dust and winds I couldn't believe. I close my eyes immediately and call out around me. I feel someone's hand on my back as they push me forward. I don't know how they are able to see in this storm, but their hands feel familiar.
"Just a little farther!" I hear my mother yell over the wind and instantly feel relief. She grabs my arm and pulls up a bit, but I still end up stubbing my toe on the stair she was trying to tell me about. She lets go of my arm and leads me to a door which squeaks loudly on its hinges as she opens it, pushing me inside.
"I have to find the others!" She turns around to head back into the storm, shutting the door behind her with a resounding thud. I pat off the sand that somehow made it into every crease of my clothes.
The room is dark, but there is a fire in the hearth, warm and inviting. I walk over to the couches and lie down. Normally I would just sit, but it took all of my energy just to execute the spell for Mist Travel that I simply couldn't stand any longer.
I guess two weeks of confinement and no food will do that to you, I think bitterly to myself.
After all the hard work I had put into building my physical stamina and strength at the Temple of Time, it all went away in those two weeks, and then some. I feel weaker than I was before all this even started, and I wasn't all that strong to begin with.
I flop my arm over my eyes, embarrassed by my own thoughts when I hear someone walk up to the couch from behind.
"Tetra? I didn't know you were down here—" I remove my arm and look up at a man with intense black dread locks and tanned skin. He wears white robes and has a friendly smile. I look at him confused.
"Oh my dear," he breathes, walking around the couch as I stand, "You are not Tetra." He brings me into a tight hug. I leave my hands at my sides.
"Um, excuse me, sir, but do I know you?" He pulls away, laughing.
"No, but I know you, my dear Zelda," he places his hands on my shoulders. "It has been so long. The last I saw you, you were only a babe. I'm Renado," he smiles. I smile back, about to respond, but the door suddenly creaks open revealing Impa, Link, and Fledge racing over the threshold.
"Impa," the man turns to greet them. "And Link, lovely. And who is this?" He holds out his hand for Fledge to shake.
"His name is Fledge," Link replies, stretching a bit after brushing off sand from his clothes. I sit on the couch, leaning on the armrest, smiling at how normal this feels. Renado shakes his hand and invites them in. I lean into the back of the couch, pressing my face against the cool leather and inhale the soothing smell of the fire. I close my eyes, fully realizing how exhausted I truly am. I haven't had much of a recoup since being rescued, and goddesses know I love my rest. I hear someone let out a soft laugh behind me and turn around to see my mother.
"You should rest in a real bed, Zelda," she states, holding out her hand. I don't hesitate and lean against her heavily. She wraps an arm around me and brings me upstairs to an open room she got a key for from Renado. Unlocking the door, she opens it to lead me to a chair next to the bed.
"I'll see what I can come up with for clothes, but for now wait here. I'll be right back." She turns around and walks out the door, closing it softly behind her. I sigh and take in the room. Rustic wood make up the furniture, walls, floor, and ceiling, along with carvings in the wood of the history of Kakariko. Or at least that is what I think it is. I stand to walk over to the dresser and hesitantly take a look in the mirror.
I don't recognize myself.
Dark bags line my eyes, my clothes are tattered, bloodied, and beyond reparable, let alone grimy and smelly. I won't even get started on my hair. Yikes.
I need a bath.
Impa returns shortly after with clothes, and a towel as if she read my mind. She points to the back of the room where a door lies in the corner that I missed before leading to a bathroom as she leaves again. I smile in thanks, pick up the clothes and towel, and barely contain my excitement over finally taking a long overdue bath.
I wake in the middle of the night to someone entering my room. I hear the sound of boots being taken off, a shirt falling to the floor, and a thud that could only be the Master Sword being set on top of the dresser.
"Link?" I sit up, my too-large borrowed shirt falling off my shoulder, and lean against the headboard. He stops and turns to look at me. The moon is bright and casts many shadows, but falls on the bed perfectly casting me in its ethereal glow.
"Hey," he says. He sounds so tired. I pull back the blankets on my left side and pat the mattress.
"Come here," I say, and before I even finished saying these two words he is crawling in and reaching for me. He pulls me close and I press my ear to his chest to hear his steady heartbeat. I smile, closing my eyes.
We both lie there in silence for a long while, soaking in each other's presence. I begin to fall asleep, until he brings a hand to my chin and lifts it upward to look at him. He stares at me. I stare back.
"Zelda," he begins, but I cut him off with a death grip of a hug, wrapping my arms around his neck. He responds in kind, sliding his hands around my waist and pulling me to lie on top of him. I breathe his scent and relax instantly.
"Zel, I just can't express how glad I am to have you back. I know I have said it multiple times since we rescued you, but it is true."
I hum in response.
"Yeah, but I looked like a train wreck," I mumble.
"No you didn't," he says flatly. "You are beautiful, Zelda. When I saw you in that jail cell, yes I was sad, but did it change my opinion of your beauty? No," he pushes me off of him and rolls on top of me, pinning me down. "It intensified it."
Yeah, like I wanted to go anywhere.
"You are so beautiful I feel it in my entire being, Zelda. You make me ache in places I never knew existed, in the best ways possible," he touches his forehead to mine. "I love you."
I close the distance, pulling him down. His body is warm against mine. He kisses my shoulder where my oversized shirt falls off.
"Link," I breathe. He stops kissing my shoulder and looks into my eyes.
"Thank you for saving me," I kiss him slowly.
"I love you, too."
This is the first time I say it aloud to him. Anytime sooner it would have felt wrong. I had to confirm my feelings for him first. But now, with everything that has happened and after reflecting on it, realize that I'm surprised I didn't say it sooner. I have loved him for a while now and didn't even realize it.
He stares deep into my eyes, his swim with emotions. Finally, he smiles and kisses me again, more passionately.
And I know without a doubt in my mind that we are going to make it. Somehow, we will make it through this mess of a life and defeat Ghirahim.