Alright, here's the thing. This is a disclaimer: this chapter has several implicit and even explicit sexual remarks and many may be find this chapter disturbing. Although it stays relatively clean, the threat of it may make some people, including children, upset and anxious. Please do not read this chapter if you are uncomfortable with any form of sexual threatening.
"Why struggle? You're only delaying the inevitable!"
"Let go!"
"Fine," Fitz chuckled criminally as he shoved Zelda forward. He held his foot in front of hers and watched her trip forward. She hit the ground flat on her stomach, unable to catch herself with her hands tied behind her back. They were inside the decrepit cabin now as Fitz forced Zelda inside. The sunlight beamed in through the open door, casting away any darkness that dared show itself. It only smelled worse on the inside, hitting like a wave as they entered.
Fitz's eyes flashed with pleasure as he recognized the potential of the situation they found themselves in. He stood tall, watching Zelda writhe around on the ground, turning to look at her captor. His smile grew as his mind dreamed, wondering how he should start. He gave up, figuring that it would come naturally to him. He had rebound Zelda's hands behind her to make sure she couldn't evade his grasp and to prevent any escape attempt.
Fitz closed the door with his foot. He didn't look back, not wanting to take his eyes off the form in front of him. The light within the room faded as the sunlight was blotted out. Only a lonely lit candle was left, casting deformed shadows across the floor and walls as it flickered in fear. He stepped towards Zelda, eagerness and lunacy obliterating his rational thought. He could still hear the crowd outside roaring for blood as the two gladiators battled.
Zelda looked up in fear. She frowned as she crawled away a couple feet from Fitz as he grinned at her, his eyes not meeting hers. She couldn't use her powers as they wouldn't actually affect Fitz unless he were controlled by Ganon. Zelda didn't sense any corruption nearby and knew she couldn't do much to fight Fitz right now. He had knives and a short sword, she had her fingers. Fitz was also faster, slimmer and defter then she was. Not to mention that her hands were also bound behind her back. Fitz could simply use his dexterity to outmaneuver whatever she attempted. If only she were as nimble as Link or strong as Daruk would she be able to easily escape Fitz.
Zelda would have to use her rational thinking and try to trick Fitz into letting her escape. However, he just continued to scan her up and down as he took a step towards her. His eyes were unwavering and oddly focused on a task as they drifted in and out. Before he got too close, Zelda spoke in hopes to stall whatever it was he had planned.
"What do you want from me?" Zelda asked as she crawled another foot away.
Fitz eyes glinted as he hissed, "you should know that a princess only ever has one gift to give." Fitz spoke slowly, advancing towards her slightly faster.
Zelda froze, realizing what it was that Fitz had said. She suddenly recognized the look in his eyes and her body went numb with the cold claws of fear. Zelda was only just coming to terms with the sudden departure of the guard, yet alone the scenario Fitz had forced her into. She was barely a hundred metres away from the rest of her guards, yet Gilan felt a million miles from her. She clung to hope as best she could, a hope that she would come out unscathed—both mentally and physically. However, her mind cracked as Fitz repulsive gaze seemed to fill the room. He was hunched over, his fingers twitching slightly as he couldn't stop himself from grinning ear to ear. Zelda was trapped in a dark room with this man and the only exit was behind him—an exit that kept getting further away.
Zelda scrambled frantically away now, afraid of what could happen if Fitz were to get close to her. She didn't move very fast as she shuffled backwards awkwardly on her tied hands. The coarse ropes burned her skin as they rubbed considerably faster against her wrists. Zelda's largest hope was to hold out long enough for one of her guards to find her, or to somehow cut her constraints and bolt. While she worked on attempting to achieve the latter, she had to just hope for the former.
"No! Get away!" She shouted as Fitz stalked towards her, his hands twitching.
"Why do they all say that?" Fitz asked himself as his grin grew, showing his yellowed teeth.
A second passed before they both froze as the sound of a scream rose in the air, followed by another one. Suddenly, the crowd went silent outside the cabin. Fitz grinned as he knew the rigged fight was over. He wondered if Gilan had been shot or crushed by the flail; either way, Zelda was left without her dearest protector.
Zelda froze as she heard exactly what Fitz did. Her heart skipped a beat, and then beat faster than it ever has before in her life. Zelda had only been able to reason out two ways of escape as her thinned mind wavered; now, terror turned to horror as one of those options froze and fell—shattering across the abyss around her. Darkness closed in around her as she felt pain like that of an electric shock, lasting less than a second.
He can't be dead! Not like her! Zelda slipped back into her guilt-ridden mindset as she thought of Gilan. She couldn't stop herself from imagining a hundred scenarios of how Gilan's flame could have been extinguished. He would have lived to become Hyrule's second, if not first, greatest soldier if she hadn't dragged him into this scenario.
However, Zelda didn't have time to reconcile her emotions or mourn her loss as Fitz's eyes were now only a foot away from hers. Zelda jumped in fright as she refused to meet them, instead glancing down and away from him.
She was about to crawl further back when her eyes caught a glint of metal hanging from Fitz's neck by a thin string. She riveted on the piece of jewellery that she instantly recognized as the ring that Gilan had bought for her. She tried to ignore the resounding scream that she had heard outside the cabin as she looked at the precious jewel. The cold casing around her heart melted ever-so-slightly as she found where the ring was. It meant infinitely more to her now that she was convinced that Gilan would never be seen by a living soul again.
Zelda focused on the band, forcing all the trauma in a small bottle that she stuck a cork into. If she was going to survive this, she needed her wits about her and the thought of her guardian-turned-angel comforted her more than anything else ever could.
Zelda grit her teeth whilst tearing her eyes away from her soul-stone and its rejuvenating effects. Although she had tears streaming down her face, a sudden fire roared within her. She looked up in defiance to see Fitz crouching over her, his eyes looking down at her body as he inched closer—unsure where to begin.
Zelda spoke through grit teeth, "I've got an extra gift for you."
Fitz looked up in surprise, not expecting Zelda's crying to disappear so suddenly. He barely saw her eyes as her head slammed towards his viciously. Her forehead rammed into his nose, bending and sundering the cartilage within it. Fitz reared back in pain and surprise as blood filled his nostrils and trickled into the back of his throat. He took a couple steps back and slammed his foot onto the ground as his hands nursed his nose. He stood for a moment in confusion until he froze. Fitz slowly turned like a statue to stare at Zelda, an unbridled rage rushing forth as a cheetah would a gazelle.
Fitz let go of his nose, instead scrambling towards Zelda with malicious intent. He wanted to have this time for himself without a fight, but he encountered resistance before even touching her. Fitz no longer cared about being serene and just wanted to get his hands on whatever was in front of him at all times—Zelda.
He dashed forward as Zelda fell onto her back trying to get away. She had grit teeth and a deep frown that contrasted her flowing tears and rush of emotions. Fitz watched as Zelda, in desperation, attempted to force her boot into his face and keep him at length. Fitz growled in frustration as he slowed down, avoiding the flailing kick completely.
To Zelda's dismay, Fitz grabbed her right foot with his left hand as he subsequently forced her legs apart with his off hand.
"Stop!"
Fitz slowed down, forcing himself to smell the roses as his eyes drifted over the helpless princess. Fear was seeping back into her eyes as he subconsciously licked his lips. Fitz began sliding his hands forward, reaching further and further along uncharted territory. He embraced the rush of testosterone as his smile regrew. He was halfway along her thighs when he froze, hearing a sound in the distance.
Zelda barely heard it through her re-emerging crying. She wasn't able to hold her strength for long, only enough to stop Fitz for a couple seconds. When she'd lost sight of the ring around Fitz's neck, the fire within her had faded just as fast as it rose.
Zelda blinked through the tears as she noticed Fitz looking at the door, his attention subverted from her. Whatever it was had been enough to diverge Fitz' attention from pleasure and Zelda couldn't help but wonder what had saved her for a couple seconds—delaying the inevitable and offering a mote of comfort.
What she didn't expect is for the door to fly open, one of its hinges crumbling from the force. The door now hung diagonally as sunlight suddenly poured into the cabin, illuminating the dark deed that was occurring. She saw a figure silhouetted from the light barge in through the door—one that froze the instant he saw her.
The image that lay in front of Gilan burned into his retinas and forged itself into his deepest and darkest fears. Everything seemed to freeze as Gilan read the situation, dealing with every emotion he felt, both separately and instantaneously.
Zelda was lying on her back, her rope-bound hands tucked under her tailbone. Her clothes were dishevelled and wrinkled from constant rolling around or struggling. Her cloak was thrown open and the top button of her outfit, located on her neck, was ripped off entirely. Her eyes were red and visibly shaken from pain and horror as tears blinded her. There were trails along her face that would linger long after her tears dried. Her breathing was uneven as shock and panic still flooded her system, the adrenaline inducing rubatosis—nearly deafening her.
Zelda's legs were spread apart forcibly as Fitz gripped the flesh of her thighs. He was crouched just in front of Zelda and only his head turned, his body not wanting to lean away from pleasure. Fitz's eyes were shaking, not out of fear however, but in anticipation. He had a lingering smile on his face, even as he slowly recognized Gilan.
In the moment before either of their eyes could adjust to see Gilan, he saw what they felt in the moment. Fitz was hungry, venturing forth to claim something that was never his. Gilan could see the ring dangling from his neck by a delicate string as he scanned Zelda. She was terrified, cold, lonely and mourning for more than just herself.
Gilan felt everything all at once. Fitz froze as he recognized the soldier. Zelda was blinded by tears, just praying to escape this ungodly situation.
Gilan held his sword tightly, feeling an ushering of disgust, contempt and pure hatred within his altruistic soul. His job was to protect people—some more than others. He hated to kill without reason and tried to end any and all conflict with mercy to the enemy. He acted with pragmatism and refused unnecessary risk. However, Gilan couldn't quell the fury inside him. Unbridled wrath surged forward as he realized what Fitz had been attempting to do to Zelda.
Gilan barely knew how to handle the feelings he had for Zelda, but to know what traumatic horror Fitz was about to endow to her tore Gilan's rational mind to pieces. Unable to bridle the uncontrollable, Gilan went along for the ride and followed what his emotions dictated. For one of the first times in his life, Gilan was able to act without any forethought of consequences or whether he should or shouldn't. Zelda, the one most important person in his new life was mere seconds from being viciously attacked by a peasant; Gilan would never let that happen, as long as he lives no harm will befall Zelda.
"YOU DARE?!" The sound erupted from Gilan's throat as it shook the air, obliterating the sharp cold in a flash of heat.
Gilan's eyes sparked with wrath, a flame growing within his spirit that annihilated the cold atmosphere in a heartbeat. He gripped his longsword with both hands as Fitz rose hastily to his feet, drawing his short sword. Gilan breathed through grit teeth, staring down the atrocity in front of him, uncaring of what befell this man.
Fitz dashed forward, thrusting towards the man who he had presumed to be dead mere seconds ago. Fitz, being in a sudden state of panic due to his discovery, had slid forward farther than he would have liked. He also didn't aim properly, his blade aimed for Gilan's right shoulder rather than heart.
Gilan, whose injured hand never came to mind once, swung viciously upwards at Fitz's short sword. The man was too close and Gilan barely even thought about how to counter the attack, his emotions telling him where to swing—to do so as hard as possible.
The sheer force from Gilan's upper body forced his blade to collide with Fitz's before it struck his body. The villain's hands rose into the air, keeping a firm hold on his blade as it was throw upwards. Gilan felt a glint of pleasure as he used the momentum and swung again, cleanly towards Fitz's wrists.
The thickness of Gilan's longsword proved to be well-crafted as it sheared through bone and muscle like an arrow through butter. Fitz barely moved, unable to comprehend the situation as Gilan swung. The soldier didn't even look to see if his sword had connected, he just waited for a response. However, he didn't need one as he saw a small sword landed on the ground beside him, one with two grubby hands still holding onto the hilt.
Fitz didn't feel any pain at first, just the loss of feeling. It was only when he brought his arms down and looked at them that he saw both his stumped forearms. Blood horrifically flowed into the cloth, not spurting as his large jacket sleeves slunk down to partially cover his wounds. He was about to let out a blood curdling scream of agony, but was cut off when Gilan stepped towards him.
Gilan stepped forward, his eyes about to light aflame as if he were Ghost Rider himself. He brought back his sword with one hand, holding it parallel to the ground. He placed his left hand on Fitz' right shoulder, pulling the man forward. As he did so, Gilan shoved the blade forward and cleanly into the centre of Fitz' chest cavity. Gilan breathed heavily for the movement, the passion and adrenaline flooding his system. Zelda didn't even know what was happening as she slowly sat up against the far wall, pulling her knees up to her chest to soothe herself.
Gilan let go of his bloodstained sword as Fitz grasped weakly at it, his strength diminishing exponentially as the air escaped his body. His eyes were already glazed, unable to meet the guardian angel. Gilan reached forward with his right hand, grasping the ring and tugging it off Fitz's neck—tearing the string. Fitz didn't care about it anymore, it was the least of his worries. In fact, he didn't have to worry about much anymore as everything faded, getting darker and darker. He slumped to his knees, unable to pull out the metal lodged within his heart. He started tilting to the side when Gilan ran to Zelda.
Gilan tried not to remember what he had just done. He had spent his whole life refusing to kill even when commanded and now he had killed a man in what felt like cold blood. Even though it wasn't, Gilan still felt wrong in killing Fitz. The emotions within him quelled all pragmatic thoughts and he simply acted accordingly to his purest, innermost desires. Now, as he looked to Zelda, he realized why he had felt the need to end that life.
Zelda sat against the far wall, not able to look upon Fitz as she held her knees close to her chest in terror. She knew someone had come in, but she had just crawled away as fast as possible—not wanting to know how the situation could possibly get any worse.
She heard approaching footsteps and looked up, fearing the worst. She froze when she saw Gilan looking at her as he crouched beside her. She barely even felt him reach behind her and cut off the restraints. Zelda stared into his eyes, feeling an immediate rush of warmth over her. The shock of the situation flooded her senses, causing confusion as she tried to piece everything together with her conflicted emotions. Zelda was truthfully unsure whether Gilan was real or a mental fabrication of her pleads.
"Zelda! Did he hurt you?!"
Gilan put a hand on Zelda's shoulder but she barely noticed it as she blinked through her tears. She slowly reached her left hand forward, towards Gilan's face. He froze, seeing the shakiness of her eyes and instead let her act accordingly to her own will.
Zelda feared the worst, that her mind was playing tricks on her. He looked real, and Fitz was no longer climbing on top of her, but everything in the moment was too much for her senses. Only seconds had passed since she had heard a scream outside the cabin, one that she had feared to be Gilan's. Her faithful had been struck down by the faithless—of that she had been convinced; but now the details created discrepancies amongst themselves as Gilan now crouched soothingly in front of her. She saw spatters of blood on his face, horrifying her if it was his own blood. She was too scared to look down in case he had a large hole through his chest and her own mind collapsing in on itself. However, as she reached forward, her hand was stopped by Gilan's jaw—he was real.
Zelda let her hand slide along the gruff skin, using Gilan as a baseline for her emotions. Everything was scrambled, she didn't know what to sort through first but if she focused on her new feelings for her appointed swordsman, she could come around to the rest. For now, Zelda needed comfort more than a plant needs sunlight as an uncontrollable smile creased her face.
Zelda whispered, her voice cracking and wavering as she sighed, "Gil…"
Zelda leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Gilan and pulling herself up to him. She never realized the warmth he emanated nor how badly she needed it. Zelda didn't try to hide her fear or horror with Gilan, she didn't want to hide anything from him. If anyone could console her right now, it was the man who just saved her.
Zelda shoved her head into Gilan's chest as he leaned down to meet her halfway, holding her close to him. As she searched for comfort, Gilan gave as much as he could. Naturally, he was protective of anyone he cared for. Although there weren't many people that he had grown fond of over the years, he was nonetheless fiercely protective. Now, someone had almost traumatized his dear Zelda, attempting to take something that was not meant to be stolen. Gilan wrapped his arms tightly around Zelda, hearing her sobs as she took a moment to come to terms with her situation.
Gilan blinked as Zelda's powers bloomed, her hair glowing a bright gold as they both kneeled, huddling with each other in a room full of darkness. Gilan looked around the warm room as the shadows disappeared, evil being eradicated by the light. He didn't look at the crumpled heap behind him-Fitz didn't deserve even a glance. Gilan looked back to Zelda, unable to see her face or eyes. He could still feel her convulsing from each sob, unaware of her powers activating. Gilan didn't know what the catalyst to her abilities was and just assumed it was intense emotion, stress and horror being the benefactors.
Gilan didn't say anything; he just leaned down further, pulling Zelda upwards slightly as he held her tighter against him. He'd let Fitz get too close to Zelda; Gilan would never allow this to happen again. Zelda suddenly meant more than the sun to him as she was degraded to tears by a simpleton. Gilan promised to her in a whisper, "I'll never let this happen again. Next time, we don't split up."
Zelda barely heard his words above her own shaking, however she did hear the comforting tone. She let her fingers relax slightly and slide down Gilan's back—releasing tension within her. She tried to forcefully stop crying, but it only made it worse. The corked bottle within her shattered and she remembered the horrors of a minute again. She tightened her grip as Gilan did, not wanting to leave the heat and go into the cold that is the world. She was grateful for the moment of peace, without any new information or event to process.
Gilan rocked gently from side to side, forcing Zelda to start the motion and move with him. She shook less, her mind focusing on movement rather than the horrors which she should forget. Gilan had seen too many injured soldiers on the brink of death who just wallowed in pity and pain, unable to live in their last moments of life. He knew fully well what Zelda has gone through, how her mind was trying to focus on every single detail at once—barely even comprehending one.
Attempting to calm his suddenly most cherished treasure, Gilan began humming. It was a tune his mother used to sing to him when he was younger and in need of nurture and care. Her voice was always resonant, naturally soothing and just made him want to sit down and listen to it for hours. She could change the mood of a moment from dreary to cheery in a matter of seconds with the delivery of her music. She used to write and sing and it still calmed Gilan to reminisce on her nursery rhymes. Although he was unable to sing, Gilan still felt compelled by Hylia herself to soothe Zelda in every way he possibly could—to coddle her even after she refused it.
It started off slow, building up in rhythm and volume as it went. Gilan kept his side to side rocking as he went, closing his eyes as he remembered. A gentle smile creased his face as he stopped thinking and acted as he never has before—instinctually.
Zelda felt herself drifting away from broken glass and taking a step back from the reality of everything. The whole situation was overwhelming for her but she didn't have to think now, she didn't have to react. Zelda had been terrified when she thought Gilan had passed on. She'd only just gripped the emotions she felt for him, embracing them with open arms. Then, they were swished away from her like butterflies in a net only to be released once again.
Sinking is what Zelda felt as she slumped in Gilan's grasp. She softly hummed the song along with him, tuning herself with the vibrations reverberating from his chest. She drew back from the harsh memories, focusing on what comforts her rather than berates. Stress melted as did terror, resulting in a serene moment
Gilan had no intention of letting go soon, for that Zelda was grateful. Even if she were able to leave she didn't want to. She would savour this moment as long as she possibly could. The longer Zelda stayed, the more stable her mind became; the more concrete her perception, the more she realized how much she appreciated Gilan and his actions to comfort her. She could go down this slide ad infinitum if she had enough time. She knew that eventually she would have to leave, to go back and face the frozen memories, but this time she will have Gilan to help thaw them. For now, she could forget about them.
Zelda had her bodyguard back.
She had her pride back.
She had Gilan and she'll never lose him again—for both their sakes.
Alright, that was uncomfortable. Had a good ending, but definitely felt uncomfortable during most of it. It was meant to be like that and DAMN it felt so weird to write. Although I will never write a sex scene of the like in this story, the threat of it is insanely good to build characters. Anyways, hope it did okay at the spoopy atmosphere. Leave a review if you're enjoying it though! Have a good life and don't die fams.
