Author's note: I've been turning this idea around in my head for a while, so I'm glad it's finally put down in words. I hope it's somewhat humorous, despite the situation. Enjoy and tell me what you think!
Theme 51 – Princess
TP – Midna x Link
It was typical of him, she decided. Only he would run up a hill, the adrenaline of battle still coursing through his veins, while blood soaked his now shredded and dirtied tunic. Only he would give her a goofy, lopsided grin and then collapse as his wounds finally caught up with him.
"Idiot wolf," she muttered, kneeling down next to him to see if he was still breathing. He was, and her concerned lessened…slightly.
He opened his eyes. "Good goddesses, is that all you can say, Midna?" he asked, his hands clutching his sides in a sorry attempt to stop the flow of blood. His eyes, filled with pain, were locked on her.
"Yes," Midna quipped. "Now move your arms so I can see how serious your wounds are." Link frowned and remained stubbornly protective of his sides.
"Do as she says, Link," a new voice ordered. The Princess of Hyrule had joined them. Her violet eyes moved from the bleeding Hero to the Twilight Princess. "I'm glad to see you free of the curse, Midna."
"Thank you, Zelda. I'm glad to be free, too. Now, Wolfy," she continues, fixing her attention back on Link. "Move. Your. Arms."
"I'm fine," Link protested weakly. Clearly, he was lying. The ground around him was slowly turning red, and his face (and voice) betrayed the immense pain he was in. Neither princess was buying his protest.
Midna impatiently grabbed the Hero's arms and pulled them away from his sides, ignoring his painful gasps. Beneath his shredded tunic, his chain mail was torn, and there were several deep gashes, all of which were bleeding heavily. Of course, that didn't count the mass of bruises, burns, and various other injuries that covered the rest of him. Zelda moved with scraps of cloth, torn from the skirt of her dress and pressed the cloth to the wounds. Link squirmed but Midna held him as still as possible.
"We need to get the mail off," Zelda said, tearing more strips from her skirt.
"You're doing this now?" Link demanded.
"When else would we?" Zelda replied with a gentle reprimand in her tone. Link sighed and gave up on resisting the care of his companions.
Midna studied her Hero's pale face, noting how his eyes never left her own. "We could get him to Kakariko," she said. "The shaman there should be able to help. Link's too hurt to warp, but Epona should get him there just fine." Zelda nodded and stood to fetch Link's horse. Midna gathered the blood-soaked scraps of cloth and got Link to stand.
"Okay…" he said breathlessly as he finally got his feet under him, leaning on Midna for some support. "Okay…"
"Please tell me you're not going to faint," Midna said. Despite her annoyed tone, she was genuinely worried.
"No, it's not that…though I do feel really light-headed." He lost his balance slightly, and Midna wrapped an arm around his shoulders, holding him tighter to prevent him from falling. "I finally…" Link paused and took a deep breath. "I finally get that you're a Princess." And he sagged against her, barely able to stand with his eyes fluttering closed.
"It's about time," Midna quipped, trying to hold Link up.
"Well," he gasped, "It's kinda hard…to tell…when you're an imp."
"Gee, thanks." Midna rolled her eyes. She wanted to forever forget that she was an imp, cursed into that form by Ganondorf. But forgetting would be impossible, as most of the time she spent as an imp was spent with Link, and she didn't want to forget a single moment with him.
The sound of horse hooves brought her out of her thoughts. Zelda and Link's ever-faithful steed were approaching. The Hylian Princess led the horse over to Link and Midna. With some effort, the managed to get the injured Hero on Epona's back. They moved off, heading north toward Kakariko.
"You're…putting way…too much thought…in this," Link gasped. Each step Epona took sent waves of pain from each of his gashes through his battered body.
"Link?" Midna began.
"…Yeah?"
"Shut up and save your strength."
Link grinned. "Yes, your Highness."
Hiding a smile, Midna decided she liked Link's newfound realization that she was, indeed, a princess.
