Chapter 13
Link couldn't help it as a smile nearly split his face in two. Zeldas hands clutched his middle tightly as his great scarlet loftwing bore them steadily higher, Faron Woods fading into a green blur behind them. The wall of clouds had thinned and the surface world stretched far and wide beneath them. Groose whooped and hollered to his right, his loftwing dipping and swerving, throwing wakes of wind their way. Zelda laughed as a particularly strong gust tipped them sideways. He still couldn't believe they had done it; he still felt as though any second he might wake to find it had all been a dream. While he was excited to get back with the others, and share in the celebrations he knew would likely ensue, he had other pressing matters on his mind. He could feel the great black blade of Demise rub between his shoulders as Zelda leaned into him. It was the only sword he carried now…. … …. …..
….. … …. …. …. ….
"I do not have the capability to fully understand the human spirit, Link…But now, at the end of my journey with you, as I prepare to sleep within The Master Sword forever, I experience a feeling I am unable to identify. I lack sufficient data to be sure of my conclusion, but I believe this feeling correlates closest to what your people call…happiness. Our partnership is at an end, and even as we speak, I feel my consciousness fading away. Do not despair, young one, for you have a new task at hand. I know you are aware of what I speak. The great, black blade you now bear is no coincidence…you will know what to do. He waits for you. Before I enter the sleep that calls me to the sword, I wish to relay to you words that I recorded many times over the course of our journey. Many have said them to you thus far, but now I wish to say them for myself…Thank you, Master Link. May we meet again in another life…"
…. ….. ….. …. …. … …
Link leaned his head back, closing his eyes as the cool evening air ruffled his hair. She had known…somehow…He smiled. The sword was completely covered by his sail cloth but Zelda had already interrogated him about what it was. He had brushed her off with an excuse that it was a new sword, gifted to him by the Mogma clan as a thank you. At least he had stuck with the fact that it was a sword…he had no idea how he was going to explain it to her; Girahim, Demise's blade, how he intended to purify it and use the Triforce to break The Demon King's wicked spell so that his evil servant could be freed, brought back to life and that he, Link, was in love with him. It all sounded very well in his head, but the idea of explaining it to anyone…was ludicrous. He sighed, shaking his hair out of his face; he had to start somewhere. He only hoped she wouldn't hate him utterly for it. Blinking against the early evening sun, he steered his loftwing ever upward, toward Skyloft, Groose tailing behind him.
Later…
"Three cheers for Link!" Groose shouted above the din of the surrounding crowd. They were all there; the knights and instructors, the merchants from the bazaar, Pumm and Kina, even Beedle. They had all gathered in the sparring hall to feast and celebrate the homecoming of Link, Zelda and Groose.
The three of them had, of course, gone straight to Headmaster Gaepora upon returning to Skyloft, but as soon as the Headmaster released Link, Zelda and Groose from his arm-crushing embrace, he led them all out to the huge bell standing upon the roof of Knight Academy and rang it three times.
"Tonight, we feast!" He cried. "A week's worth of celebrations, the like of which none here on Skyloft have ever seen, shall ensue to hail the heroic return of the three of you!" Groose's face had turned as red as his hair.
The practice logs had been cleared away, and several long wooden tables had been pulled in from the bazaar restaurant. Piles of food had been brought in by everyone in the village, including an enormous cauldron of Pumm's famous pumpkin soup. There were also several large kegs of his special seasonal pumpkin spiced ale.
"Hip, hip…!" Groose shouted.
"HOORAY!" Echoed the villagers, raising their glasses toward the long, white cloth-covered table at the front of the hall where Link, Zelda, Groose, Headmaster Gaepora and the other instructors sat. Everyone drank deeply, especially Groose. His face was already pink, under the influence of several glasses of ale, but he raised his tankard again;
"…And let's have a very special toast, to our Zelda, and everything she sacrificed for us all. Our Goddess, our protector, our fearless leader…" He turned his chestnut eyes toward her as he spoke. Link watched as she nodded appreciatively, giving him a small smile. Groose melted adoringly under her gaze. 'Nothing's changed'…Link thought to himself, smirking under his breath.
"HERE, HERE!" Roared the crowd, louder than ever. Groose punched the air with his mug, ale slopping over the side and down his arm as he drained his glass. Link rolled his eyes, finishing off his own pint. A little liquid courage might not be such a bad idea anyway. As Groose rejoined the table, music struck up from somewhere at the opposite end of the room. Link rose and made his rounds; Pipit and Karane pounded him on the shoulder and congratulated him; Fledge approached him nervously and thanked him again for all of his work-out tips; Eagus practically lifted him off the floor in a hug that almost cracked his ribs. As he broke away, thinking another mug of ale would hit the spot, his ears pricked as the sounds of pitiful sniffles issued from somewhere off to his right. Turning around, he caught sight of Peatrice, the Item Check girl sitting alone at a small table against the wall. He glanced back over his shoulder; Zelda was deep in conversation with her father. Link turned and strode to Peatrice's table, taking a seat upon the bench across from her. She raised her puffy, bloodshot eyes to him as he sat, biting back more sobs. He gave her a sad, half-smile; he did feel a bit guilty about this…he should have known leading her on would come back to bite him somehow.
"Pea…" He began, but before he could get two words out, a wave of emotion overcame her again. Her shoulders quaked as she covered her face with her hands.
"No!" She wailed, "You don't have to explain yourself to me! It's all my fault!" His eyes widened in astonishment, he wheeled around to make sure no-one was taking notice. "I sh-should have kn-known a handsome knight l-like yourself could n-never L-L—LAAAHHHAAAHAAAAA!" she desolved again into pathetic sobs. Link sighed heavily, a smile spreading on his face again.
"Pea, please…" He reached out and grasped one of her tear-soaked hands and held it between his. "I need you to listen to me." She raised her head to look at him once more, hiccupping wetly. "I know this looks bad, but…"
"Looks bad? LOOKS BAD?" She snarled, wrenching her hand away. "Well, I don't need your apologies! I'm a b-big g-girl!" She cried, fresh tears cascading down her cheeks. He rolled his eyes and went on;
"No, no, it isn't what you think at all…" Her entire demeanor changed instantly as though a light had been suddenly switched on.
"It's not?" She sniffed, the honeyed tone back in her voice, her damp eyelashes flickering as she gazed admiringly back at him. "Well, why didn't you just say so, sweetie?!" She snatched his hand back and began caressing it with her own. "I was so worried when I saw you making eyes with that…goddess girl…Zelda…" Links eyes rolled back in his head so far he was beginning to think they might get stuck there. He sighed exasperatedly as she chattered on.
"Peatrice, I'm gay." He interjected flatly.
"…you know I'm sure no-one would notice if we just—wh-what?" The sweet lilt in her voice suddenly turned to ice. He smiled apologetically. "You…you what?" Her eyes welled again, threateningly.
"Look, I'm really sorry." He said, squeezing her hand. "I know I should have said something sooner…Goddess knows, I hardly admitted it to myself all that long ago…but it is true, Pea."
"Oh…" She gulped, allowing him to set her hand back on the scrubbed wooden surface of the table. She eyed him beadily. "You aren't holding hands with that pompous brute, I hope…" She nodded toward Groose, who was growing redder and redder as he continued to gulp more ale. Link threw his head back and laughed out loud.
"Hell, no!" He exclaimed. She laughed weakly. "I truly am sorry." He continued, looking into her eyes. "I hope we can still be friends. Please don't tell anyone else just yet, okay?"
"I won't." She said seriously. "You know me, I'm just great at keeping things safe…items, secrets, you name it." Her smile widened. "To be honest, it was really nice having something to look forward to…Now I suppose I get to look forward to our continued friendship." She squeezed his hand back and he winked at her, pushing back from the table.
He looked around for Zelda and spotted her in the corner talking to Instructors Owlan and Horwell. He turned instead toward the great, carved wooden doors leading out of the hall. He made his way around to the side of the building and pulled out his clawshots. Aiming high at the peak of the roof, he fired. Jagged metal teeth clamped hard onto the wooden beam of the roofs crest and Link slowly retracted the chain as it drew him up onto the rooftop. There was a wide spot at the very end, just large enough for him to sit cross-legged upon. With a great sigh, he gazed out beyond the light-tower as the sun dipped toward the horizon. Brilliant shades of orange and yellow and red splashed together across a sky that he couldn't remember ever being more beautiful. Red, for Girahim's silly cape that he was so fond of; Yellow, for the beautiful color of Zelda's hair when the sun caught it just right; Orange, for Impa, for the undying fire that blazed in her noble heart; and slashes of blue and purple, for Fi…he already missed her. It was going to be lonely indeed, going back to the surface without her. He inhaled deeply as the shades of purple grew deeper, welcoming the twilight.
"Link?" An angelic voice called from below. He leaned over the eave of the roof; Zeldas twinkling face stared up at him. "I was wondering where you had gone…may I join you?" Oh boy…he thought. He didn't feel ready, but he supposed it was now or never. He rummaged in his pouches for his whip, and gently uncoiled it. He extended the leather cord down to her and she wound it in her fists. He braced his foot against the roof beam as he tugged her up. Extending his hand, he helped her to the platform where he had sat looking out at the sky. "It's beautiful…" She breathed. "It's the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen. Oh, Link…" She turned to him, her eyes gleaming. Her hands reached up, clasping the sides of his face. His stomach knotted…if she was about to do what he thought she was about to do…closing her eyes, she tugged him closer. He squeezed his eyes shut and instead shifted awkwardly so her lips brushed his cheek instead. Abruptly, he snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her into a tight embrace, settling his cheek into the warm space between her neck and shoulder. With a small sniff of surprise, her arms drifted slowly to his shoulders as she recovered herself. She laid her forehead against his chest, breathing heavily. "Link, what's wrong?" She whispered. "What aren't you telling me?" Time to be serious. He broke away from her, her eyes sad and searching, and turned her carefully around to sit between his knees. He kept his arms around her waist, and she settled her hands upon his. For a long moment, he didn't speak. When he finally felt like his voice wasn't going to abandon him, he began;
"There is much I need to tell you. I can only hope that when I'm done you won't want to throw me off a bird ramp and never see me again." She turned her head right around in surprise.
"Link, if nothing else, you are my best friend. You saved my life. I owe you everything." He smiled embarrassedly. He took a deep breath;
He told her everything, save the more explicit details of he and Girahim's night in Lanayru, but the rest flowed out of him like water out of a flood-gate. He told her how The Demon had come to be in Demise's service; how he had continually spared Link his life; how their bond had grown into something more intimate; How Demise had tortured and controlled him against his will; and the last words they had shared upon the strange mirror-pool battleground. He told her what Fi had said about him becoming the sword's new master and exactly how he intended to revive Girahim by visiting the Sacred Flames with The Demon King's sword. She said nothing as he finished, drawing deep, uneven breaths.
"Maybe I should have told you sooner, but there was never a good time…and…it hasn't exactly been easy for me…The amount of guilt every time…I'm so sorry…" He trailed off. He wouldn't blame her if she never wanted to speak to him again. A long pause stretched between them.
"Do you know? I think it might just work…" She said softly, in barely more than a whisper. His heart skipped a beat. Her hands tightened upon his.
"Wh-what?" He whispered croakily into her hair. "What will work?"
"Your plan for the sword…" She turned around to look at him again. Silent tears had made wet trails upon her cheeks, but she smiled through them. His jaw worked silently as he struggled to summon words;
"You're serious? I mean, y-you aren't angry?" He stammered…he sounded almost as bad as Peatrice now. Her smile broadened, but her eyes still held a deep sadness.
"Link, am I supposed to be angry that you're being who you were meant to be? I can't say I altogether approve of your choice in a partner but… To be honest…" She said, swiping the tears from her cheeks hurriedly, "I'm rather relieved we don't have to go diving headfirst into a relationship together. I know it's what father wants, but…I feel like I have so much to do now." A brilliant bubble of happiness swelled within him, so that he thought he might burst. He couldn't believe she was taking it this well. She wasn't storming off, or punching him on the nose, or screaming at him…she was actually encouraging his crazy ideas. He blew out a relieved sigh.
"I…just…wow…I'm really…" She laughed as he struggled and stammered.
"We'll call it even, okay?" She crooned sweetly, tugging at a stray lock of his hair. He hugged her close, kissing the top of her head, and she snuggled deeper into his chest. They didn't say anything more, simply enjoyed the comfort of one another and the last rays of the sun as it dipped ever closer toward the horizon.
The next morning…
Link rolled over onto his side without waking. A cool autumn breeze drifted through his open window, and a chorus of cricket song hung in the thick, misty morning air. Brilliant orange rays slashed the early morning sky and loftwings called to each other in the distance. The young hero snorted roughly in his sleep, his hand closing upon the jet-black hilt of an enormous broadsword. As the sun rose, a gleaming ray of golden light blazed through the window, illuminating Links soft, tanned face. With a groan, he flopped onto his back, blinking his eyes blearily. He rolled his head to the side, surveying the cool length of carefully wrapped jagged metal beside him. Demise's sword…Girahim…for all intents and purposes. Link ran a finger over the blood-red ruby set into the hilt, a faraway look in his blue eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched; he was setting out today to re-visit the Sacred Flames. They had given strength to The Master Sword, perhaps they possessed the power to cleanse The Demon King's blade and revive the lost soul within. There were no guarantees, but it was all he had to go on. Even Zelda was unable to say with certainty that it would succeed, but her confidence in the idea had given him strength. There just weren't enough words to express how grateful he was for her support. He had been so afraid to tell her about Girahim, it had almost made him sick. He knew she would keep his confidence; He wasn't exactly leaping to tell anyone when he had no fucking clue if his plan was going to work. With a sigh, he slid back the wool coverlet and swung his legs over the side of the bed, toes curling into the soft carpet. He shivered lightly as the cool morning air lapped at his bare shoulders. Heaving himself up, he padded to his wardrobe. He set about pulling on his mail and freshly laundered tunic and breeches. He buckled on his belt pouch and pulled on his leather boots. He glanced at himself in the small mirror upon the inner door of his wardrobe; his face was longer and leaner, his eyes deep-set and knowing, his sun-kissed skin weathered and worn. He smiled at his reflection before striding back to his bedside. He grabbed Girahims double pointed sapphire earring from his nightstand with a fond grin and took up the great black sword. He cocked his head deliberating; he might need his sail cloth. Gently, he undid the leather cord binding the soft fabric around the blade and unrolled it. He snatched an old tunic with a hole in it hanging, abandoned, in the back of his closet and used that instead. He tied the heavy weapon roughly across his back and fastened his shield over it. Time to go.
He loped over the bridge and down the path leading to the bird ramp that would point him in the direction of Faron Woods. He skidded to a halt as two figures loomed into view before him, standing upon the near side of the ramp. The shorter of the two turned its hooded face toward him as he approached. He caught sight of a pair of twinkling blue eyes and a wide smile under its hood and he beamed. Zelda. He jogged up to her and she reached out her arms, embracing him tightly, her hood falling back. As they broke away, Link turned toward the second figure; Instructor Owlan regarded him with bright hazel eyes.
"Good morning to you, Link. I've just been speaking to Zelda here about the many unique plants and animals just waiting to be discovered in Faron Woods." Link glanced quickly at his friend; she peered back at him with a crooked smile.
"I hope you don't mind Link, but I've invited Instructor Owlan to accompany us to the surface today." She emphasized the last few words, her eyes flashing meaningfully.
"Oh, er…yeah…right, of course." He answered somewhat awkwardly, catching on. She was coming? He was coming? Link tried not to let his shock show on his face, and gave Instructor Owlan a forced smile, which he returned ignorantly.
"Well!" Zelda exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "If you two are ready, I suppose we had better get a move on!" The three of them turned and began to walk toward the edge, their footfalls echoing upon the weathered wooden beams. Link hung back slightly and tugged Zeldas sleeve;
"What are you doing?" He hissed under his breath.
"Don't worry, I've told him we're going to scope out a likely location for resettlement. I wouldn't have invited him at all except that he caught me on the stairs and asked where I was off to so soon." She whispered back. He scowled at her. They came to a halt three paces before the edge of the platform.
"I'll go first." Zelda said. She broke into a run, pelting full-force toward the edge and with a flying leap, she dove head first off the brink. A high-pitched whistle rang out from somewhere below and a moment later, Zelda's lavender colored loftwing could be seen pulling up in the distance, her golden hair whipping in the breeze as she craned her head around to where Link and the professor still stood.
"After you, Link." Instructor Owlan offered, extending his hand. Link bolted after his friend, relishing in the ice cold blast that bombarded his face as he leapt off the bird ramp. He let out his own whistle and seconds later he buried his hands in the warm, soft plumage of own his scarlet loftwing. Shortly after, he heard Owlans whistle sound from behind him and with a great woosh, the professor pulled up beside him, astride a handsome yellow bird. With Zelda in the lead, the three of them made their way in the dawning light toward Faron Woods.
