Ohhhhh boy... I haven't written for this story since December... Yikes... I am SO sorry you guys! I meant to work on this, but time got away from me and I only really decided to pick it up again after playing a whole bunch of Hyrule Warriors Legends (which is GREAT by the way! but more on that later!) Anyway, I have to say I'm actually pretty proud of this chapter. It ties up some lose ends and opens up a few new ones... ;) Plus, it also indulges my guilty pleasure of shipping Link and Cia, so there's that. But don't worry. I'm saving the sin for an upcoming chapter... But anyway, I won't keep you too long here. Let's get started!
Chapter 24: Captured Darkness
Even before she had begun her conquest of Hyrule, Cia had a special spot in the center of her treasured garden, a place that was, oddly enough, not devoted to either her magical roses or her many statues of the hero's past lives. She had kept this area, surrounded by finely-trimmed shrubs and delicate red and blue roses, barren with a very specific intent in mind, an intent that was finally being fulfilled, much to the black witch's immense pleasure. For in this once empty space was now occupied with the black witch's ultimate prize, her constant goal, her sole desire.
The Hero of Hyrule himself.
Cia grinned lustfully to herself as she stood before her captive, never tiring of admiring him, especially now that he belonged to her. His prone, unconscious form hung in the heart of her garden, suspended a foot or two above the ground by the strong thorny vines the black witch had conjured to tightly curl around his arms and legs. Despite the fact that he was currently dead to the world, he was completely at her mercy, and admittedly she had as much mercy for him as she did love. It had taken everything in Cia's power to keep herself from rushing to him and fulfilling her desires the moment she had apprehended him, but she knew that she had to be patient if her plans were ever going to truly work. After all, she had waited for him this long; she could stand to wait just a little longer if it meant she could have him forever.
Yet even despite her restraint, she still found herself drawn towards him, her heart swelling with affection and longing as she cupped the side of his face, relishing every moment of physical contact she had with him. "Oh… my love…" she sighed contentedly. Somehow, he was still just as impossibly handsome unconscious as he was when he was awake, a fact that confounded even the black witch herself. "My hero… You have no idea how long I have been dreaming of this moment… Of the day we could finally be together… With no one standing in our way… And at last, it has come. You may not be able to hear me right now, darling, but when you awaken, then the magic and romance can truly begin…"
"So that's what we're waiting for? For the dumb kid to wake up?"
Cia's gentle smile turned into a cross scowl as she spun around to see Volga and Wizzro emerge into the garden behind her. She had half a mind to obliterate them both on the spot for ruining her romantic moment with Link, but she knew that would hardly do her any good. Unfortunately for her, she still needed to keep her two dim-witted minions around, just in case things happened to go awry, which she highly doubted they would. "And what do you two idiots want?" she asked bitterly, stepping away from the hero just a bit to maintain her sense of authority.
"We were wondering what's next, of course," Volga said, crossing his arms as he glowered at the black witch. "You have your precious 'hero'. By all accounts, we won. What else is there that needs to be done?"
"Oh Volga, darling, this is far from the end," Cia laughed nonchalantly. "Even if I do finally have my beloved Link, there's still the matter of Hyrule at large. I may have sent Zelda, Lana, and all of their foolish allies away, yes, but simply banishing your enemies does not an empire make. But subjugating the people of Hyrule to my rule will come soon enough; for now, there are much more… immediate matters at hand."
Both the dragon knight and the dark wizard suppressed aggravated groans as the black witch cast a sultry glance back at the listless hero, still as dead to the world as he had been since his capture. "And what do you intend on doing with him?" Wizzro inquired boredly. "He's probably not gonna fall head over heels for you just because you captured him, you know."
Cia shot the dark wizard a warning glare, but let his sarcasm lie for now. "I am well aware of that," she retorted harshly. "Which is why I'm already taking care of that even while we speak. I realize that Link might be a bit… volatile when he wakes up, but his anger and confusion won't last very long if I have anything to do with it."
"S-so what do you intend to do?" Volga asked a bit too forcefully. The slightest hint of jealousy in the dragon knight's tone, while ignored by the love-struck black witch, did not go unnoticed by the dark wizard, who simply chuckled in amusement to himself. "Use magic to bind him to your will?"
"If that's what it takes. I've spent too many years chasing this dream, and now that it's finally in my grasp, I won't let it escape me. Link will love me, and only me! Even if I have to… persuade him a little first."
Wizzro found it almost impossible to hold back a teasing laugh as he caught onto the sound of a low, somewhat feral growl beside him, clearly coming from Volga. The dragon knight had slightly restless and on edge ever since Cia had announced her successful capture of the hero. But now, in light of the black with announcing her plans like this, his growing frustration was as plain as day, to the point that even to Cia herself.
"What in Din's name are you growling about?" she asked him with a skeptical frown, though it soon bubbled into sudden worry. "Wait. Don't tell me you sense the princess or any of her foolish troops, do you? They couldn't possibly have returned! The spell I cast on the time stream was certainly strong enough to-"
"Calm down, mistress," Wizzro laughed mockingly. His smug grin widened as he stole a glance at Volga to see that his clawed hands were curled up into tight fists, and his sharp teeth were barred as he cast a hateful glare past the black witch towards the comatose hero. "Volga's just a little… hot under the collar, if you catch my drift."
Cia, in fact, did not as she frowned in confusion towards the dragon knight, her expression nowhere near as hostile as it could have been. "Volga?"
Before the black witch could press on, the dragon knight had already lashed his claws out at the cackling dark wizard in anger, flames beginning to pour from his mouth as he seethed with fury. "Shut your mouth, you insolent imbecile!" he scolded hotly, his rage boiling even more as Wizzro dodged his sudden attack. "You speak of things you know nothing about!"
"Then what does he speak of, Volga?" Cia interjected, her hands on her hips as she raised an eyebrow at her general. "Because if it concerns me, thenI'd simply love to hear it."
"Yeah, Volga," Wizzro goaded, floating just out of Volga's range to avoid being burned to a crisp. "Why don't you fill Mistress Cia in on what has you burning up like this!"
By now, the dragon knight was beyond livid with the dark wizard, to the point that he had already resolved to rip the pathetic specter to sherds as soon as he could get his claws on him. Yet even despite his clear fury, he wasn't about to breathe a word of what Wizzro was alluding to in Cia's presence, especially with the hero, even as unconscious as he was, hanging only a few feet behind her. "I-it's nothing, Mistress Cia," Volga said quickly, nodding his head in respect to the unamused black with. "Just the insane ramblings of an old fool. Nothing that you need to concern yourself with during your hour of victory."
"Hm… yes…" Cia mused, not entirely convinced, though thankfully she let the matter pass as she turned towards Link once more. "Well, I have no further use for either of you at the moment, and so as our troops reserve their magic and strength, I recommend you both do the same. You may take your leave and do what you please, but remember. If either of you so much as tries to interrupt me and my hero at any point, I will make sure that foolish attempt will be your last. Am I quite understood?"
"Yes, Mistress Cia," Volga and Wizzro assented in unison, though the dragon knight did so with a hint of clear disappointment in his tone.
"Good," Cia nodded in satisfaction. "Now, leave me and my hero to-" The black witch's breath suddenly caught in her throat, her eyes growing wide as she felt a familiar, overpowering presence that nearly made her heart stop with fear. Though she knew it was impossible, it was certainly there, and it was drawing ever nearer with each passing second, much to her immense alarm. "Volga, Wizzro!" Cia shouted as she spun around, the terror in her voice undeniable as the dark presence began to rush closer all at once. "Bar the palace gates! Now!"
Before the bewildered dragon knight or dark wizard could even comprehend their mistress's sudden command, darkness exploded into the garden, incapacitating the black witch's generals instantly. Cia gasped in shock as Volga and Wizzro were both thrown aside by the force of the wicked magic that had dared to intrude upon her home. She was quick to summon her scepter as the dust began to clear, ready to stand against this threat once again, though she was surprised to find there was no one standing before her at all. Or so she thought.
"So… this is the legendary 'hero' of this age?" the deep voice that Cia had dreaded finally spoke up from behind her, his question posed with something of a sarcastic scoff. The black witch clung onto her scepter for dear life as she spun on her heel to find a sight that nearly made her faint with horror. Standing between her and Link was none other than Ganondorf himself, his back turned to her as he observed the unconscious hero with scrutiny. "He's certainly rather underwhelming if he allowed himself to be captured by you…"
"Get away from him!" Cia practically screamed with raw fury, dark magic already swirling around her scepter as she prepared to let it fly. "And leave my palace at once! You are not welcome here!"
"Calm yourself, Cia," Ganondorf chuckled smugly as he turned to face her. Cia cringed in revulsion and hatred as the Gerudo king smirked wickedly at her. She knew that the seal she had placed on him wouldn't hold forever, but she didn't think it would break so soon. The black witch knew that trying to seal him away again would be quite difficult, especially since she could sense that his power was steadily restoring itself. If he managed to get his hands on the Triforce of Power, then he would truly be unstoppable. "I have no intentions of harming your precious hero… yet."
"They why are you here?" Cia asked with wary suspicion. "You should know well by now that I will never relinquish the Triforce of Power to you, you despicable, treacherous, miserable thief!"
Ganondorf's expression darkened upon hearing this, and though he took a bold step forward, Cia refused to shrink away from him. She was determined to show no fear in the face of her enemy whatsoever. "You foolish, deluded little child," the Gerudo king mocked darkly. "Do you honestly think you can protect the Triforce from me? That you can protect your prized hero from me?"
"Yes," Cia replied rigidly, practically shaking with rage by this point. "I will do whatever I must to keep them both out of your murderous hands. You have never won this struggle before, and you certainly won't win it this time!"
"So you'd like to believe…" Ganondorf mused, still scowling down at the black witch. "But you have increased my chances, Cia. I have that much to owe you, despite your earlier insubordination."
"What in Nayru's name are you talking about?"
"Well, you did manage to dispose of the princess, as well as a good portion of her army. At least now I won't have to deal with them once you and the hero are out of the way."
"Please," Cia scoffed with disgust. "I only got rid of them for my own sake. And besides, even if you do somehow manage to conquer me, which you won't, then you'll still be one piece of the Triforce short without the princess. So clearly, your aspirations are not progressing as much as you thought. Unlike you, I have everything I've ever wanted and then some. You have nothing."
"Confident, aren't we?" the Gerudo king asked with a knowing smirk. "I hate to break it to you, but I have more thank you might think. Namely, a plan, and even without the Triforce of Power, I still have enough strength to defeat the likes of him…"
Ganondorf let out a smug laugh as he stepped aside a bit, unblocking Cia's view of her captured hero. The black witch surprised a frightened gasp upon hearing this, her heart sinking as she realized this was true. Though his power was fractured, Ganondorf was still not a threat to be taken lightly. His might and magic were to be feared, even despite the slight advantage Cia had over him at the moment. But Link… Well, it was true he had the Triforce of Courage, but in the weakened state he was currently in, there was no way he could survive going toe-to-toe with Ganondorf. And, as much as the black witch hated to admit it, it was all her fault.
"You wouldn't dare…" Cia hissed, her scepter glowing with power as she stepped forward. Ganondorf smirked at her boldness, returning it with a show of boldness all his own. The black witch's heart nearly stopped as a huge, deadly, blackened blade materialized in his hand, his arm outstretched so that its edge hovered over the unconscious hero's neck by just a few inches. Cia's mind and body froze upon seeing this, dread and horror filling her to the point that it practically made her ill.
Seeing that the black witch was at a loss for words, the Gerudo king spoke up, looking towards the hero with triumph over how the tables had turned. "I would dare," he said simply, his tone calm and collected. "Just think, Cia; one small flick of the wrist would be all it would take to snuff the life of the one you hold so dear out. And honestly, I don't see why I shouldn't just do it right here and now. It would save me a great deal of headaches later on, and besides, he wouldn't even feel a thing. Unlike all of the heroes of the past who have been made to suffer by my blade…"
Cia felt her fear steadily being replaced with fury as she found words once more, all of her hatred towards her foe fueling her more than magic ever could. "Leave him alone!" she practically screamed. "He has no part in this!"
"I'd say he has a rather large part in this," Ganondorf corrected. "After all, he has something that both of us want."
The black witch assumed that the Gerudo king was speaking about the Triforce of Courage, but she hardly cared. Her only concern at the moment was getting Link as far away from the deadly edge of Ganondorf's blade as possible. "I swear to the goddesses, if you don't lower your sword away from him this instant, I will make you endure more agony than any hero ever has!"
"Go ahead then," Ganondorf simply laughed with little concern. "But before you even have a chance to harm me, your darling hero will already be dead. And his blood will be entirely on your hands."
"You're bluffing," Cia remarked coldly, hiding the hint of fear in her voice well. After all, Ganondorf wouldn't kill Link without taking the Triforce of Courage first. Right?
"I don't bluff," the Gerudo king said seriously, pressing his blade just a bit closer to the hero, to the point that it was now lightly skimming his neck.
By this point, Cia was clutching her scepter so tightly that her knuckles were white. She didn't know what game Ganondorf was playing exactly, but she knew it was a dangerous one, one that could cost her Link's life if she didn't play it correctly. It was true that she had the power to take the Gerudo king out then and there, but as long as he was posited to murder the hero like he was, then her hands were tied. She was trapped, hopeless. The only thing she could do now was play his twisted game.
"…What do you want then?" she asked warily, not showing any signs of accepting his sick demands.
Ganondorf grinned darkly, knowing that his plan was working perfectly, though he still didn't lower his blade. "You know what I want."
The black witch shook her head, her resolve just as firm as ever. "I told you," she said firmly. "I will never let the Triforce of Power fall into your hands ever again."
"Very well then," the Gerudo king said with little disappointment as he glanced over at the hero. "I'll just take him instead."
"W-what?!" Cia exclaimed, completely taken aback by this sudden demand. Her racing thoughts all came to a screeching halt as she looked at Link herself, her heart racing with worry and confusion as to what the Gerudo king could possibly want with him. As far as she knew, the only thing that Ganondorf could possibly be striving towards was the hero's demise. And if that was what he wanted, then the black witch would do everything in her power to keep that from happening. "You can't honestly think I would just let you kill him, you twisted fool!"
"Please, Cia, I'm not as barbaric as I used to be," Ganondorf scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I've tried to kill the hero many times before, but no matter how many might fall, a new one will always rise up to take his place. You know as well as I do that's how it always has been and that's how it always will be. But as many heroes rise with the passing of the ages, so too do I rise again, so that we can endure this pointless struggle time and time again. And for what? Neither I nor the hero truly wins in the end, do we?" He paused for a moment, gaging Cia's confused reaction before pressing for an answer yet again. "Well, do we?!"
"N-no," the black witch stammered anxiously, unsure of where he was going with this. Yet despite her bewilderment, she knew the truth. After all, how could one not know after watching the same battle unfold over countless generations? "Neither of you win…"
"Exactly," Ganondorf affirmed rather bitterly. "But the last hero, his predecessor, thought he won. He thought that, by splitting my spirit in four and sealing them away across time, that he had ended this struggle. But like all heroes, he was a weak fool, and little did he know that his hard work was for nothing. For here I am, centuries later, my spirit mostly united and yet another hero at my mercy. Fate is an amazing thing, isn't it?"
"S-so… what you're really after is…" Cia began, though she trailed off at the abhorrent realization.
"Revenge, of course," the Gerudo king finished with a malicious grin. "And not just mere revenge. Any man can kill someone and say they claimed vengeance. No, I want him to suffer just as much as I did when my very soul was ripped apart, piece by piece. His blood is nowhere high enough of a price to pay for the sins of his past lives. The destruction of his soul however… That will make perfect recompense."
"You… y-you're mad!" Cia exclaimed in heated shock. "Absolutely insane! You cannot destroy the soul of the hero! It is eternal, unbreakable! It can withstand anything you try to do to it and then some!"
"So then, you wouldn't mind if I took him in exchange for you keeping the Triforce of Power then?" Ganondorf asked calmly, knowing he had Cia right where he wanted her.
The black witch took in a sharp breath upon hearing this, her blood running cold. She knew that even if the Gerudo king couldn't completely destroy the spirit of the hero, then he would still do everything in his power to try. The immediate thought that came to Cia's mind was torture, and the thought of Ganondorf doing such a brutal thing to Link, her Link, was beyond unbearable.
"Come now, Cia," Ganondorf continued impatiently, his blade still inches away from ending the hero's life. "It's quite a simple choice really: the Triforce of Power, or your hero. You should be glad I'm generous enough to give you such a choice at all, really. As much as I want my revenge, I'm patient enough to let it wait for his next life, you know. So really, it's up to you. But remember, you only get to choose once…"
Cia had barely heard him as she stared at the hero, her mind racing for a solution. To hand Link over to Ganondorf was unthinkable, but so too was giving him the Triforce of Power. With its might, then certainly, he wouldn't hesitate to throw any former offer out the window and slaughter both her and the hero with ease. It would be suicide, on all accounts. And yet, as she kept her gaze on Link, still hanging by her magical vines, a sudden idea occurred to her. An idea that would need more time if it was every going to work.
"You're so eager to make a deal with me?" Cia asked, hiding her returning confidence so that Ganondorf wouldn't get suspicious. "Fine. But let me make a deal with you as well. You can't very well expect me to reach such a daunting ultimatum on the spot, can you? After all, you are asking me to choose between two things that are very important to me. Which is why… I need a little… time to think it over and reach a suitable conclusion."
"How much time?" Ganondorf asked sourly, though he showed no signs of denying nor approving her request.
"Three days is all I need," Cia answered simply. "Then, you can return and claim whatever prize I consent to give you. That certainly sounds fair to me; what about you?"
"I see no reason why I should allot you any time at all," the Gerudo king said stubbornly. "Especially since you tried to foolishly seal me away."
"B-because," Cia began, her mind desperately reaching for something that could save her floundering argument. "I could still bring Zelda and her armies back! They're scattered across time now, yes, but they could return, and as soon as the princess finds out about you, then she'll completely forget about the threat I pose to her kingdom and come after you instead. After all, you've threatened this kingdom more times than anyone can count. At least in her eyes, you would definitely be the greater of two evils. And I know that she has helped him defeat you in the past…" The black witch couldn't believe she was using Zelda of all people as a saving excuse, but it seemed to work in her favor as Ganondorf seemed to take this threat seriously. Even he knew that together, the princess and the hero were much more powerful than they were apart.
"Very well," the Gerudo king said bitterly, clearly not amused by how Cia had conned him. "Three days. But that is all you get. When I return, you better have reached a decision. Or mark my words: I will kill him."
The black witch set her jaw upon hearing this, her resolve burning in her more than ever. And yet, she said nothing as Ganondorf at last left, disappearing from the palace in a burst of dark magic. Overwhelming relief filled Cia as she saw Link be freed from the threat of the Gerudo king's blade, and she didn't hesitate to run to him and throw her arms around his listless form. "My love, I am so sorry…" she whispered tensely into his hear, pressing her hand against the back of his neck firmly yet lovingly. "I gambled your life, but thank the goddesses that I did not lose it… But don't fret… I have no intentions of ever losing you or the Triforce… For by the time that monster returns, I'll have the perfect weapon on my side to stand against him with: you…"
The first thing Link was cognizant to as he came out of dreamless unconsciousness was pain. It was a dull, muted, constantly moving sort of pain, but it was present nonetheless. The second thing he noticed, even before he opened his eyes, was stated silence, which was a completely contrast to the clamor of the last thing he remembered, which of course, was the din of battle.
When the hero finally did open his eyes, he did so slowly, with a small groan of pain. His head was throbbing in a warm ache that dulled his senses, and for some reason, his arms and legs felt tight, as if they were being pulled. As he slowly tilted his head towards his arms, he noticed with a sudden inkling of fear that this was indeed the case. His arms and legs appeared to be trapped, thick, dark green vines tightly curling around his limbs as their sharp thorns painfully prickled into his skin. Despite how weak and weary he felt, he gave them an experimental pull, only for his fears to be confirmed; somehow the vines didn't budge at all, but instead pulled him back into place, suspending him a bit higher above the ground as a reminder not to resist.
Link sighed in aggravation at his immobility, quickly realizing that his sword was nowhere in sight. The only good thing about his current situation was that his earlier battle wounds appeared to be healed, but in place of the blood and pain they had given him, he know felt achingly sedated, to the point that his bleary vision was only now clearing enough for him to see where he was. As he had thought, he was still in the Palace of Souls, or in its garden now, to be exact. All around him here high walls of shrubbery and clusters of red and blue roses. Thankfully, he was positioned in a spot in the garden where he didn't have to see any of Cia's statues of his past lives, but that hardly made him feel better. After all, it didn't take him much deduction to know that he had been captured, and that he was now the black witch's prisoner, alone in her twisted palace with his allies nowhere in sight. He wasn't sure if any of them were even still alive, much less in the palace, for certainly, if they were, they would have found him immediately considering the open area he was being kept in.
As much as his muddled mind was already searching for an escape, one thought kept permeating above all the rest. This was all his fault, he knew. The only reason why he had been captured was because of his own reckless boldness, and now he was about to pay the price for it. Link knew well that Cia had no intentions of killing him, but whatever she did want to do to him only made him dread his current situation even more.
"Well, well… Look who's finally awakened…" As if on cue, the black witch's sultry voice echoed throughout the garden. Link took in an anxious breath as he tried once more to pull against the vines restraining him, only to no avail. Once again, the daunting realization struck him that he was trapped, bereft of his weapon or his allies, and completely at the mercy of an insane woman who was absolutely obsessed with him. Things couldn't possibly get any worse.
It wasn't too much longer before Cia herself appeared before the captive hero in a burst of darkness, both her mask and headdress removed to reveal her beautiful face and short, silver-white locks. Link, however, refused to be taken in by such things as he simply sent her a harsh glare, a complete contrast to the affectionate, triumphant grin she was giving him. "Hello, love…" she purred sweetly. "You can't possibly imagine how happy it makes me to see you here… with me… just the two of us… together…"
"No thanks," Link scoffed in annoyance, wanting no part of this twisted romance.
"Hm… Well, I'm sure you'll change your tone after a few days with me, darling…" the black witch said, still smirking easily.
"I don't plan on being here that long," the hero said with rigid resolve. "So you can just forget about whatever it is you plan on doing with me."
"Oh, dear… you don't know?" Cia asked coyly, her grin widening. "Poor thing… You must think that your loyal little allies are coming to rescue you, don't you? Well, I hate to tell you this, dear, but as soon as they found out you were captured, Zelda ordered an immediate retreat."
"W-what?" Link asked, slightly disconcerted at hearing this news.
"That's right. Once the princess found out that you were out of commission, she had the entire army pull out, most likely out of self-preservation. She didn't even try to devise a plan to rescue here. She might as well have just left you here for dead, darling…"
"Y-you're lying," the hero said, trying to convince himself more than anything else. And yet, at the back of his mind, there was a voice telling him to believe what Cia had just told him. It told him that, after the fierce argument they had before the battle, Zelda had no obligations to save him. After all, her priorities rested with her kingdom alone, as she had already well proven. Everything else, including its hero, was just a mere afterthought to her, and because of that, Link realized that rescuing him was most likely the least of Zelda's concerns now.
"If I'm lying, then tell me, Link, where are any of them now?" Cia asked, her tone hardening. "Face it, love: none of them ever really cared for you. They only acted like they did because you are the hero, and in their eyes, that's what makes you important. But you can believe that I don't see you like that. To me, you are so much more than just a mere hero… I've watched you long enough to truly know you… You are courageous, kind, selfless, simply irresistible…"
"I know what you're trying to do, and it's not going to work," Link said astutely, keeping his guard up despite how he had apparently been abandoned by his allies. "Say whatever you want; it's not going to make me fall in love with you. And besides, if you really did love me, then you wouldn't just keep me trapped here like this. You'd let me go."
Cia chuckled warmly at this, taking amusement in his pointless resistance. After all, she was more than confident that she would crush that resistance soon enough. "Oh, Link, I'm afraid it's just not that simple… You see, while I love you from the very depths of my heat, for some odd reason, you refuse to reciprocate that love back to me… Before, the very idea that you would choose someone like Zelda over me absolutely infuriated me. But now that she's out of the way and I have you all to myself, I plan on… changing things up a bit…"
"You can't just force me to love you, you know," the hero said coldly, watching warily as the black witch sauntered towards him. "At least not in the way you want me to."
"I'm well aware of that, Link…" Cia patronized, pressing her palm against his cheek, despite his attempts to move his head again. "Which is why I have no intentions of forcing you into anything. I just plan on giving you a gentle… nudge, if you will. In fact, that nudge has already begun to take its course…"
"…What do you mean?" Link asked hesitantly, almost too afraid to find out.
"It's quite simple really…" the black witch explained calmly. "And it all lies in the vines keeping you in place, my dear…"
"The vines?" the hero raised an eyebrow, giving the plant twisted around his arm another small tug.
"But of course! After all, you didn't think I had decided to restrain you by vines just for the sake of mere aesthetic, did you? No, darling, the truth is that those vines are imbued with a special, powerful magic of my own design. I've been preparing them long before I even captured you, to have one sole purpose: to plant the seeds of love for me, and only me, within you…"
Link was initially silent upon hearing this, dread crashing over him like a heavy wave. Even as Cia revealed this information to him, he could feel the vines curl around his limbs just a bit tighter, their thorns biting into him with no reprieve. Already, he was connecting the dull, foreign ache resonating through his bones with whatever twisted poison Cia's magic was pouring into his veins, all for the sake of converting him to her perverse affections. The hero knew that if he didn't escape from this trap soon, this it would most likely overwhelm him, driving away all former common sense and morality and replacing it with a false love for a wicked woman he had sworn to defeat.
"I see you're speechless, dear," Cia laughed. "That's understandable; after all, I'm very excited about all of this myself… To finally get to have you all to myself, to have you willingly love me in return at last… It will be a dream come true…"
Upon hearing how light the black witch was making of his frightening situation, Link's former frustration and nerve returned to him, especially as Cia drew in for a kiss. This time, the hero made sure to dodge her unwanted affections by pulling himself back as much as he could, and thankfully the black witch didn't press him any further as she backed away. "You can't do this to me!" he shouted firmly and angrily, curling his hands into tight fists as he pulled on the vines with as much force as he could muster. "I'll resist it! I'll find a way out of here and I will defeat you, with or without anyone's help!"
"Oh yes, because that worked out so well for you last time, didn't it?" Cia asked sarcastically, her expression darkening. "Face it, darling; there's no way out of this. Neither your princess nor none of your little allies are coming to save you and I will ensure that you will not escape me. One way or another, you will love me. Right now, I'm willing to be amicable, but only if you are. Regardless of my affections for you, I won't let them get in my way. You would be wise not to force my hand, Link. Instead, you should be happy that I'm going to let you keep your conscious mind and personality throughout all of this, but know that I could just as easily take those things away from you if you make the foolish choice to try and fight me. I'd very much prefer not to turn you into a mindless puppet, but if that's what it takes to bend your allegiance to me, then I will do what I must. Do I make myself quite clear?"
Despite the heavy threats Cia was making, Link refused to respond to them, knowing that he had to remain firm in his resolve, even though the black witch's magic was most likely already acting upon him .But, he theorized, that if he could resist its pull just long enough, then he would be able to find an escape the moment Cia slipped up, which would hopefully be sooner than later.
"I said… Do I make myself clear?!" Cia growled bitterly, her violet-red eyes practically alight with angry, passionate fire. Link let out a startled gasp as the vines around his arms and legs lengthened, crawling up his thighs and down his shoulders as their thorns cut into him deeply all the while. Pain surged through his entire body as the vines converged around his torso, snaking themselves around his chest tightly as their tips lightly curled up to his neck, though thankfully they didn't spin themselves around it. The hero bit back a cry of agony as he hung his head, his mind former resistance dying out as his mind went numb from the pain. Cia simply frowned at him with little pity as she stepped towards him again, gently placing a hand under his chin and forcing his gaze up to her once more. "Allow me to remind you one more time, in case you've forgotten," the black witch began, her tone icy and unyielding. "You are mine now. You belong to me. I started a war for you and I will not rest until you submit to me. You will love me… regardless of whether you want to or not…"
Fortunately for Link, Cia had left him alone immediately after that rather intimidating encounter, and she had departed rather sullenly, despite her earlier blatant fury. Needless to say, however, that the hero's opinion on the black witch had only worsened after how she had so brutally threatened him, but even so, he was not afraid of her. What he was afraid of, were the magical vines wrapped around most of his body, slowly and steadily filling him with venom that would no doubt make him lose his mind. The very thought of being forced to love Cia after everything she had done was beyond abhorrent to him, which was why he was determined to find a way out before he was too far gone.
Escape seemed to be his best and only option, even if his mobility was almost completely gone now thanks to the reach of the vines. A small part of him still dared to hope that his allies were out there, planning his rescue or perhaps they were even on their way already. And yet, that small inkling of hope was quickly drowned out by the reminder that they had retreated, that Zelda had merely decided that he was a lost cause and decided to leave him there to suffer in Cia's hands. As much as Link didn't want to believe it, he knew it had to be true. After all, if the black witch had merely killed them all off, then she certainly would have goaded about it, if only to break him down and expedite his fall into her arms. The only logical explanation was that the princess had fled, and instead of rushing to his rescue, she had abandoned him in the hands of their enemy, not even giving the slightest thought to his fate.
You don't need her anyway, his thoughts reasoned and he knew it was true. He could find a way out of this on his own. After all, he had fallen into this trap by his own accord; certainly, he could escape it without any help, right? All he really needed to do was get out of these vines and locate the Master Sword, which would make taking Cia out more than easy. And next time, he wouldn't allow himself to fall into such an easy trap as he had before. That is, as soon as he got out of the trap he was currently in.
It was as Link glanced up at the vines clinging to his arms that he realized for the first time that Proxi was no longer with him, which he found admittedly strange. After all, she had been with him throughout the fight against his dark counterparts. Where had she gone since then? She abandoned you too, his thoughts replied, though they did so with a tinge of darkness that set the hero on edge. He didn't even have to ask himself these bitter musings were a result of Cia's magic acting upon him. Yet at the same time, it did unnerve him. Chances were, its influence would only become more prominent as the hours wore on, to the point that resisting it would become an incredible feat. If and when he got to that point, how would he be able to tell where his own thoughts ended and the thoughts the vines were pressing upon him began?
Trying his best to remain calm, Link shook his head to clear it, only to find that made him dizzier than he had been before. He was begrudgingly reminded of how physically weak his entire body felt, most likely because of Cia using her magic on him while he was still unconscious so that he wouldn't be able to fight back as easily. He couldn't very well understand why her obsession towards him was so intense and unrelenting. Most people would have just taken no for an answer and moved on, but clearly the black witch was determined to get what she wanted, as she had proved by the destruction she had already caused thus far. Even if her ambitions were perverse, at least her tenacity was to be admired.
Link's train of thought was abruptly broken as a pair of arms suddenly slid themselves around his chest from behind. Even though the hero already knew it was the black witch, he still flinched in surprise anyway, wishing that he could move out of her firm embrace. She had only been gone for about an hour, though Link couldn't be too certain about his estimation of time since the skies overhead were always a consistent shade of clouded violet.
"My love… I… I wanted to… apologize for how I behaved earlier…" Cia whispered tenderly in his ear, regret clear in her tone. "My temper got the better of me and… I said some things I didn't necessarily mean… I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me…"
"Are you serious?" Link asked in disgusted disbelief. "You imprisoned me and are using magical vines to force me to love you and you think I'd actually forgive you after all that?! You're crazy!"
The black witch let out a rather morose sigh, releasing the hero from her hold as she came to stand before him. "I didn't expect you to forgive me… After all, you've been through such hardships… I'm surprised you even manage to be as good-humored and upbeat as you are after all you've been through in this lifetime alone."
"Don't pretend like you know me," the hero said distrustingly. "You may have watched my past lives or something like that, but even if you have watched me, you still don't know anything about me."
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, dear," Cia said easily, still not smiling as she gave him a rather serious, almost empathetic look. "I know that your once-happy childhood was marred by pain and loss. You were forced to witness the brutal massacre of your parents, your entire village, all while you were but a mere child, just an innocent young boy. You've carried the heavy burden of thinking that tragedy was all your fault for so many years, but that couldn't be farther from the truth… You were sought after for the power that you wield, for your heroic spirit, and even still, there are those who would seek to take that away from you by any means necessary…" The black witch's expression darkened as she remembered the heavy threats that Ganondorf had put on the hero's head, knowing that she would do everything in her power to keep them from coming to fruition.
"You mean like how you're trying to make me love you by any means necessary?" Link asked caustically, ignoring everything she had said about his past, despite how it opened up old wounds.
Cia sighed pensively, shaking her head as she frowned at the hero. "Oh, Link… You just don't understand… And how could you, really? For so long, you've been led to believe the lies of a woman who really could care less about whether you live or die so long as her kingdom is safe. You poor thing… Chances are you probably don't even understand what true love even feels like. But I can assure you that I'll show you the most genuine love I can possibly give you."
Link didn't reply immediately to this as he that distant ache flow through his veins once more, especially as he locked eyes with Cia. And yet, instead of a physical pain, now it seemed to be more of a mental one. Though he was almost certain it was her magic working on his mind, for the first time ever, her gentle words of flattery and affection seemed to be almost enticing, and that wasn't all. Words left him as he found himself surveying her slender, graceful, beautiful form, amazed at how he had never noticed the perfect curve of her hips, the warm, caramel tan of her skin, the picturesque, smooth shape of her breasts…
The hero immediately glanced away from the black witch the moment such lewd thoughts entered his mind, his cheeks alight with an embarrassed, ashamed blush. He quickly reminded himself that those thoughts had not been his own, but had instead been pressed upon him by Cia's magic. And though he had a moment of weakness, he was resolved to resist it still, so that it would never happen again. But all the same, the black witch had indeed taken notice of how he had looked at her, with the slightest hint of desire in his sky blue eyes, that it nearly drove her mad with longing and lust.
"I don't know why you're trying to resist it, Link…" she said smoothly, edging closer to him with a coy grin. "You and I both know that this is a fight you can't keep up forever. It would be so much easier for you if you simply let go and relinquished yourself to me already… You would save yourself from the pain, and you could save me from the guilt of having to harm you like this in the first place… You'll see, darling… Things would be so much better for both of us if you just gave in and loved me…"
Link glared at her a bit breathlessly upon hearing this, reminding himself not to be taking in by her immense beauty again. But even so, he did notice his heartbeat pick up again as he met her gorgeous, radiant purple-scarlet eyes. "How could I possibly love you when I barely know you?" he asked, his voice intense yet smaller than he had hoped for it to be, as though he had choked the question out. "You said you know everything about me, but I hardly know anything about you aside from the fact that you're obsessed with me."
"Hm… I suppose you are right…" Cia mused thoughtfully. "We really haven't focused on me at all, have we? Well, don't fret; we can fix that right now… What is it you'd like to know, dear?"
Initially, the hero was going to reject her question all together, but his curiosity got the better of him. After all, when would he ever have a chance to learn about his enemy in such a direct way again? "Um… Well… I guess you could start with how… all of this began," he ventured, though he wasn't entirely sure what he meant himself. Cia took the hint well however, as she turned away from him and held her hand behind her back before she began.
"Very well then…" she said calmly. "It would make sense to start from the very beginning, I would think. No doubt Lana has already explained some of it to you, but her side is only half of the story, and a very biased half at that. So perhaps it's time you learned the truth about all of this… Once upon a time, but not too terribly long ago, there was a young girl who grew up in a tightly-knit clan of magicians and sorcerers. This girl was quite happy in her youth; she had a large, loving family, many loyal friends, and wealth and respect within her community. She was a prodigy in her studies, lauded by her instructors and quite advanced in her inherited magical abilities. Yes, this girl had certainly everything she could have wanted and then some… Her life seemed perfect, for a time…
"But then, one fateful day, she was called upon by the golden goddesses themselves in a dream, and a heavy destiny was thrust upon her young shoulders. She was to be their sovereign servant, to work in their name as the trusted guardian of their sacred power. At first, she was elated at being presented with such an illustrious opportunity, excited over how she was to rise to such greatness. That is, until the golden three made it quite clear to her the price she would have to pay. She was forced to give up everything she had ever known, to isolate herself away from the world and leave all of her friends and family behind for absolute solitude. This, the goddesses said, was the only way she could ensure the complete protection of the Triforce without any distractions. And though it broke her heart to leave her home behind forever, she humbly accepted their call, for when the goddesses themselves appoint you, you have no choice but to submit to their will…
"And so she departed for a lonely palace set in a foreboding, empty wood, the place that was to be her home for the rest of time. At first, she had no one but herself and her magic to keep her company, but in time, the goddesses rewarded her diligence with a unique new power: the ability to gaze into Hyrule's past in remarkable detail. At first, she tried to resist the pull of this tempting power, knowing that it would distract her from her charge, but soon enough, she began to look back through time. Initially, nothing in the past caught her particular interest, but out of the blue, she noticed a particular soul, one that seemed to shine brighter than all the rest. It was a soul born of great course and devotion, reborn time and time again with the insurmountable destiny of protecting Hyrule from harm. At first, she merely watched the diverse feats and experiences of this soul out of mere curiosity, but as time went on, her admiration for this spirit and its bearers grew and grew into something that she could not deny was nothing less than the deepest of love.
"At first, guilt filled her heart for letting her be torn in such a way, but she soon began to realize that her love was natural, appropriate even. After all, she had been alone for so long… Loneliness has crushed her heart and suppressed her once bright spirit… For the longest time, she had turned to silent despair, and had held her pain inside of her… But as she looked upon that remarkable soul, as she watched its struggles and triumphs across every age, it was as though her entire world had brightened. That spirit filled her with hope, with peace, with renewed happiness… And because of the incredible feelings it inspired within her, she wanted nothing more than to have the bearer of that spirit by her side, to fill the loneliness inside of her own soul and love her for the rest of her days…"
Link was stunned completely speechless upon hearing all of this, having never thought about Cia's side of things like this before. He had always just assumed that her lust towards him had been born out of her own twisted heart and perverse desires, but if what she was telling him as true, that didn't seem to be the case. Instead, she had fallen for him because of her immense loneliness, out of sadness and despair rather than perversion or sensuality. The hero couldn't very well imagine what it was like to be so alone for so long, but at the same time, he couldn't actually deny that he felt the slightest bit sorry for the black witch. After all, she had been forced to leave everything she cared about behind, with no say in the matter, simply because that's what destiny had dictated. It hardly seemed fair.
"As time wore on, her inner conflict over this newfound love grew, to the point that it literally tore her apart…" Cia continued, a hint of remorse in her tone. "Though one half of her wanted to foolishly put her undeniable feelings behind her and remain chaste, the other half wasn't about to let her love fade into nothingness. Her heart craved the soul of the hero above all else; she wanted him, in body, in soul, and in mind. She wanted his company, his loyalty, his love… Everything. I'm sure you know the rest of the story from there… War was waged, battles fought, victories won… And after many struggles, she managed to finally get her hands on the hero she had so often dreamed of… This little story doesn't have an ending quite yet, but it's certainly in sight…" The black witch finally smiled as she stepped up to the hero, placing both of her hands against his cheeks tenderly as she looked deeply into his eyes. "The hero is going to fall in love with the sorceress, and after that, the two of them will live happily ever after at long last…"
For once, Link didn't try to pull out of Cia's grip as he met her loving gaze, unsure of what to really say at this juncture. He knew well that she wasn't lying to him about any of this; after all, the pain in her tone had been enough to tell him she was more than genuine about the sorrow she had endured. Sympathy filled him and he didn't try to chase it away, for despite all she had done, the black witch truly did deserve it. The hero couldn't help but think that, in another life, if circumstances had been different, then perhaps him and Cia could have at the very least been friends, if not something more.
"Cia… I… I'm sorry…" he said with sincere empathy for her. "I never could have guessed any of that… And even someone like you doesn't deserve to spend the rest of their life alone…" The black witch's expression softened exponentially upon hearing this, her eyes growing the slightest bit wet with oncoming tears as Link continued. "But… you don't have to do this. It's not too late to turn things around. If you just let me go, then I'd be more than willing to help you so you could-"
"I'm afraid it's not that simple, love…" Cia shook her head dismissively. "I'm in far too deep to back out of this, just like you're far too along for me to just release you now. Can't you feel it, Link? My magic, coursing through you, filling you with love for the woman you truly deserve? Try as you might, there's no stopping it. In just a few hours' time, your heart will belong to me, and you won't even remember there was ever a time that you stood against me. So be at peace, darling…" she cooed gently as she leaned in and gave the hero a gentle kiss on the neck, somehow making her magic spark through him as he found himself strangely relishing her touch. "Relax and let yourself fall for me, just like how I fell for you…"
Cia had left him yet again after this exchange, claiming that she wanted to "give him some time to think". When she promised him that she would return soon, Link found that he was actually a bit eager for it, as though her absence was leaving a strange, unknown hole inside of him. By now, the dull pain caused by the thorny vines had all but faded, even if he could still feel them secured around his body. His thoughts all seemed to crash into each other like waves, but they no longer seemed as directly conflicted as they had before, especially after he had learned the truth about Cia's motivations. Lana had indeed left quite a bit out of their history, for reasons Link wasn't quite sure of. His best guess was that the white sorceress had wanted to stress that the black witch was their enemy, but upon hearing about the crippling loneliness and heartbreak she had to endure, the hero wasn't entirely sure if he was comfortable calling her an enemy anymore. In reality, she was just a poor young woman who had been denied so much and had rejoiced and admired the first ray of hope she had managed to catch sight of. If Link had been forced to abandon everything to live completely alone like Cia had been, he wasn't entirely sure that he wouldn't have taken the same drastic measures that she had taken to free herself from such empty misery.
The thought of the possibility of the vines influencing him still lingered at the back of the hero's mind, but for the time being, he ignored it. After all, despite the fact that she had captured him, Cia really hadn't caused him much harm aside from the pain brought on by the vines, but even that wasn't too bad. She had apparently healed his wounds, both old and new, and for the most part, she had been amicable enough. The memory of her threatening him earlier grew more and more distant in his mind every time he tried to think about it, to the point that eventually he began to doubt whether or not it actually happened. Certainly, if she loved him like she claimed to, then she would never use such harsh words against him, right?
Yet as he thought about this, Link abruptly remembered someone who would and had callously reproached him: Zelda. Considering the plight he was currently in, he hadn't had much time to consider the princess, aside from how she had apparently abandoned him. But now, he found the memory of their argument in the woods replaying over and over again in his mind. Bitterness filled him as he recalled how she had doubted him, how she had refused to acknowledge his abilities, of how wrong she had been in underestimating him. The princess had shown her true colors then, and up until that point, he had been too blind to see it. She was narrow-minded in her goals, her only want being to keep Hyrule protected so she could continue her tight reign over it. Chances were that she hardly saw him as anything more than just another soldier in her vast army, another body to stand in the line of fire and die for a cause he wasn't really even sure he believed in anymore. Perhaps Cia had been right earlier; all of Zelda's efforts of getting close to him were for the sake of mere flattery alone, just so she could keep him in check and make sure he acted according to her bidding. He was not her lover or even her friend, but a mere tool to her, a pawn. Disposable, replaceable, and largely insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
Anger and newfound sorrow filled Link as he pondered all of this, the realization of how little Zelda actually cared for him hitting him like a heavy blow. He had done so much for her, had worked so hard to find her when she was missing, and had devoted himself to her and her leadership. And this was how she intended on repaying him? By demeaning his abilities and ultimately leaving him imprisoned, without the slightest sign that she intended on helping him? Chances were she was probably off somewhere, maybe even back at her castle, reveling in the luxury she had the fortune of being born in without even pausing to give his fate a second thought. He had been foolish to think that she ever had any shred of affection for him; after all, she was the princess of Hyrule and up until a few weeks ago, he had been just a mere recruit born of common blood. Their kinds didn't and couldn't mix. In reality, he should have known that from the start, but the brutal realization was still painful all the same.
A new wave of pain flowed through the hero as he hung his head in shame, his agony both physical and emotional this time. In the fog of his muddled main, nothing really seemed to make sense anymore. A small, almost nonexistent voice seemed to screaming a warning about vines or something like that at him, but he barely heard it and hardly heeded it. Everything he had thought he knew and trusted had been proven false, his heart torn and his faith shaken. It was as though some strange, internal force had somehow opened his eyes to a truth that he had willingly been blind to for so long. And in light of this new awakening, so too, did the floodgates open.
Cia's mood was once again bright and chipper as she appeared before Link again, a contended smile on her face as excitement filled her. She could tell, even from a distance, that her magic was steadily working on the hero, slowly drawing him closer to her side and closer to her heart. However, despite her confidence, she froze before even getting a word out when she noticed how his head was bowed and that he didn't even bother to look up and meet her gaze.
"L-Link…?" Cia frowned, approaching him a bit hesitantly. Concern blossomed within her as she caught sight of tears streaming down the hero's cheeks, even though his eyes were concealed by his blonde bangs sweeping down in front of them. The black witch simply stood and watched him for a moment, guilt and pity starting to fill her, especially as she heard him let out a small, tight sob, which he had clearly been trying to hold back but failed. "Link, are you…?"
"Y-you were right…" the hero muttered despondently, shaking his head a bit. "You were right about her all along and I was too stupid to see the truth until now…"
Cia didn't even have to ask to know what he was talking about. Indeed her magic was working to the full effect, driving away any trust and affection he once had for Zelda and replacing it with love for her instead. The time was almost night, and yet, the black witch couldn't help but feel the slightest bit of regret for it. She had only intended to stir up enmity towards the princess in him, but she didn't think that it would lead him to such despair. And as she watched her hero softly weep over his broken in front of her, she wanted nothing more than to put the pieces back together again and dry his tears forevermore.
"Shh…" she quieted him gently, folding him into a comforting embrace as she gave him a brief, loving kiss on the cheek. "It's alright, dear… Just let it all out… I'm here for you… And unlike her, I'll never leave you…"
Instead of holding his grief inside of him, Link did as she said and released his sorrow in another broken sob. Normally, he wasn't this emotionally weak, and yet, something was driving him towards this immense sadness, overwhelming him with an emptiness he really didn't know how to fill. "All this time… I followed her willingly…" he said, his voice but a despondent whisper as he readily accepted Cia's embrace. "I did everything she said… I fought for her and her kingdom… And she was just using me…"
"Yes, love… I know…" Cia affirmed, the slightest hint of disdain for Zelda in her tone. "But you're far from the first hero to fall victim to her beguiling deception. All of your past incarnations were likewise led to believe that their princesses actually cared for them. They were trapped in a cruel cycle of fate and destiny all stimulated by her… Until now. No longer will you be subject to her lies and treachery. For so long I have watched you suffer because of her, but you will never have to endure such oppression again. I have released you from the ties that once bound you to her. Now, you are free…"
Upon hearing this, Link let out a small sigh of relief, finding a strange sense of comfort in the black witch's reassurance. Though his face was still wet with tears, they stopped falling as he stole a glance towards her, fully letting himself admire her beauty as she held her face close to his and gave him a gracious smile. Her deep ruby lips were soft, full, and inviting and her eyes were beyond impressive wonders in and of themselves. Rich, crimson-tinged violet eyes stared intently at him, seeming to peer into his very soul and wordlessly, endlessly adore him all at once. The hero couldn't recall a time that anyone, not even the princess, had ever looked at him like that. Cia gazed at him as though he was her entire world, the only thing of worth or value in existence. This was not a look of mere lust or seduction; it was complete and absolute love.
And perhaps for the first time, Link decided to accept it wholeheartedly instead of trying to stubbornly refute her affections. After all, there was no question in his mind that she cared for him, far more than Zelda ever had claimed to. The longstanding ache in his bones soon caved into longing, as though any former resistance had shattered apart like broken glass. As he looked to Cia yet again, he saw so much more than an insane witch, or even a lonely, crestfallen sorceress. Now, he saw a woman who was impossibly beautiful in mind, soul, and bod. A woman who had loved him so deeply and so fully before they had ever even met face to face. A woman who had the capacity to understand him more than anyone else ever could. A woman who would never use him to meet her own ends, but instead would provide him with support, comfort, and affection. A woman who loved him for who he was and not simply for what he could offer. And, the longer he looked upon her, the more he felt as though his very soul was being moved, as though he was falling headfirst into something deep and real and wonderful all at once.
"C-Cia…" the hero choked, desperation etched into both his expression and his tone. "Please… Don't leave me…"
The black witch felt her heart quiver upon hearing him beg for her company, tears of joy threatening to fall as she drew in closer to him, taking his face in her hands and using her thumb to wipe his own tears away. "Don't worry, my darling…" she whispered both tenderly and intensely. "I never will… I promise…"
Time seemed to slow to a gradual halt as the two of them remained still for the longest time, the only sound echoing through the garden being that of their simultaneous breathing. They were so close to each other now that they could both feel each other's heart race against their chests, passion steadily building up between the hero and the black witch, who, not too long ago, had opposed each other in battle. But now, such a thought couldn't be further from either of their minds. It was as though the past had never happened and the future didn't exist. The only thing that was real to either of them was this this one sole moment alone.
Silence reigned between them, even as they began to draw nearer to each other gradually, naturally even. Their hearts stirred in equal nervousness, anxiousness, and excitement as they took in each other's warmth. And though Cia paused for but a moment as her lips hovered over Link's awaiting ones, she soon threw all of her racing thoughts and cautions to the wind and met them. Their kiss started out slowly and chastely enough, lazy and light as the black witch draped her arms over the hero's shoulders. It filled them both with a rich, warm, flickering sensation, akin to the birth of a flame. And as Cia got her first taste of what she had been dreaming of for so long, she instantly craved more. She pressed harder against Link as the kiss steadily deepened, the tiny flame soon blossoming into a passionate, glowing inferno. And yet, he never resisted her advance, instead welcoming it gladly, as though her kiss was filling his soul with new life.
Their kiss dragged on for some time, and yet neither of them felt like any time was passing at all. However, before they finally released it, the black witch skimmed her fingers along the tip of one of the vines near the hero's neck, making them all recede instantly. The twisting plants uncoiled from around his arms and legs gently, releasing them from their firm hold at long last. Yet Link hardly even noticed this as he made use of his newfound mobility to do one thing alone: wrap Cia into a tight, earnest, tender embrace. Though their lips were still pressed together, the black witch let out a contented sigh as he did so, wishing that this perfect moment never had to end.
And yet, it eventually did. Slowly, they pulled apart from each other, still locked in their firm embrace as they caught their breath together. Their eyes never parted though as they met each other in a soft, sensual gaze, warm, dizzying passion still floating between them. Neither of them could scarcely collect their thoughts properly, but in the end, the hero was the first one to break the gap of silence between them.
"Cia…" he murmured, gently pressing her head against his chest. She smiled blissfully as her heart swelled at the romantic gesture, allowing herself to feel the steady beat of his heart as she listened to him utter the words that she had longed to her him say. "I love you…"
The black witch nearly broke down into a round of elated sobs at this, but she refrained herself by shedding just a few happy tears instead. She had worked for so long and so hard; she had put blood, sweat, and tears into this cause. She had dreamed, hoped, prayed, and believed that her fantasies would someday become real. And now, all at once, she found herself in the only place she would ever find true happiness, in her hero's comforting embrace. She found herself at long last the object of his affections, one half of a love that was now fully reciprocated. She found her dreams coming true, her hopes reaching new heights, and her fantasies turning into reality. And in that moment, she knew, there was not a thing in the world as perfect or as beautiful as this. "Oh, Link…" she whispered softly, smiling tearfully up at the hero, her hero, who now looked at her with nothing less than absolute love and adoration. "That's all I've ever wanted to hear…"
Yeah, so go on and kinkshame me if you want for this. I won't blame you. But how could I resist taking the opportunity to implement one of my minor ships! Plus, this will certainly make things more interesting for Zelda and everyone else later on, don't you agree? But anyway, next time around, we're actually going to see what everyone else is up to, and a few unexpected new faces might just pop up so be on the lookout for them!
In other news, let's talk HW Legends. I am in LOVE with that game! I adore the Wind Waker chapters and Linkle is my new main! And so, for the chapter question, I want to know, who is your favorite new character added to HW Legends (these include Linkle, Tetra, King Daphnes, Toon Link, or Skull Kid). Let me know in the REVIEWS!
And finally, one more note concerning HW Legends. Chances are what I'll probably end up doing is putting out a sequel to this novelization once its done, based on the new chapters in Legends, as well as some other things I didn't get a chance to cover here, like Cia's tale. This means that we'll be getting both Linkle's story as well as the Wind Waker chapters, and chances are I'll probably add a few more things as well. So here's that to get excited about. But for now, I must go. Hopefully it won't take me another 4 months to get a new chapter out for this! Until next time!