Alrighty everyone! So this chapter took while to write because of writer's block and the fact that I am sick and when I'm sick, my brain goes on stupid mode for some reason, rendering me unable to think clearly enough to write... Anyway, this is mostly just a transition chapter consisting of several interval scenes which will come to play in the next several chapters/the rest of the story! oh and i should warn you that this chapter is a little... well let's just say I'm increasing the rating to a temporary high T towards the end for... a rather intimate moment (nothing too risque though)... So you were warned! Anyhow, thanks to Waffleface, Arison Nakaru, SpiritOfHyrule and vsncheze for following/favoriting! Now onto the reviews!
ShadowNinja1011- I'm glad you liked the chapter and yeah, I feel bad for poor Sheik too... :(
Guest-Tell me about it! I absolutely ADORE A Link Between Worlds! I'm a huge fan of both Ravio and Hilda. Two of the greatest new characters in the series and clearly two of the best in the whole game! And I started Hero Mode just this week, though I haven't gotten very far yet... though I'm sure I'll be doing quite a bit of dying lol :D
Nikrael-I just figured something along the lines of a blood oath would be more binding than mere words... and more romantic for my purposes. Glad you enjoyed it!
And with that out of the way, let's get started!
Chapter 19: Hidden Desires
"Instead of satisfying me, the kisses have the opposite effect, making my need greater. I thought I was something of an expert on hunger, but this is an entirely new kind..."
-Katniss, Catching Fire
The leader of the Dark Interlopers sat upon her throne within the main meeting hall of their stronghold, watching in silence as her legion of followers assembled before her. Veress smiled darkly as she looked upon those who pledged their loyalty to her and her cause, to the point that they, like her, had abandoned their former tribe for it. But doing so was not without its rewards. After all, the rebel leader knew that her and her warriors had access to a great power, crafted from the darkest, most ancient magic that the Sheikah tribe had to offer, far more advanced and deadly than the usual forms of Sheikah magic. They culminated this power in the form of their dark relic, the Fused Shadow, which also served as their main energy source. Veress was confident that with such power they would certainly succeed in their ambitions and triumph over the goddess and the hero, but she did not let her confidence blind her. The leader of the Interlopers was naturally cold and calculating, a cunning master planner. She viewed this entire ongoing struggle as a game of both skill and strategy, one that could only be won by waiting to strike in just the right way at just the right moment. She took into account every detail, even the minutest observations, and how they could weigh in on her success or failure in the long run. And though she would not admit it out loud, she did not, by any means, underestimate her opponents in this game. Veress knew that the hero, the goddess, and the loyal Sheikah leader were all forces to be reckoned with, but, as she was about to relay to her followers, she had a plan devised for dealing with the only three people who stood the way of her completely dominating the surface.
As soon as the majority of the Interlopers had gathered for the meeting that she had called, Veress stood and stepped forward on the platform to address them, raising her hands to call them to order. "My brothers and sisters," she said in an authoritative tone as she began her speech. "It disgraces me to say that the goddess has escaped our grasp. But I do not blame any among our number for this… minor setback in our plans. For it has come to my attention that the goddess is not the one we really want. At least not any more…" A cruel smile came across the rebel leader's face as she continued. "As I've said before, Hylia's little hero is clearly the one to watch now. With that alleged 'corruption' pressing itself upon him, weakening him in more ways than one, he has made himself a target, one that we should take full advantage of as soon as possible. Therefore, I propose a plan that will not only help us get our hands on the hero, but it will also deal a major blow to the goddess as well as all those who stand on her side."
A rousing cheer of support came up from the throng of Interlopers as Veress's grin deepened and she went on. "Our main goal in this strike will be to subdue the hero at all costs," she said, starting to outline her strategy. "If we find ourselves unable to capture him, then I will simply count our losses and murder him personally. For the moment the goddess loses her hero, she loses her desire to fight on and the moment the hero loses the goddess, he loses his desire to fight on. So by getting rid of one of them, we effectively get rid of the other. And the easiest way for us to do that is to lure them both into a trap that they won't be able to avoid. And then, we fight until the hero is vulnerable enough so that we can either take him or strike him down. Who is with me?!" Once more, the rebels shouted out deafening cries of assent to this plan as Veress let out a triumphant laugh.
"And with the goddess and the hero out of the way, the Triforce and the surface shall be ours!" she said, her dark red, almost black, eyes alight with excitement and bloodlust. "We will rule the world! Already the entire world below is in our grasp. And so I think that the only place left for us to go, is to the world above!"
The roar of the crowd before the rebel leader was only a degree louder than her own wicked laughter, for she was already more than prepared to put her devious plan into action and win this game once and for all.
Even though the initial wedding ceremony had not taken that long, most of Kakariko Village did not go to bed that night until it was near dawn. The Sheikah were usually not big on celebrations, only really holding them for traditional festivals and the like, but almost every one of them, both young and old, joined the goddess and the hero in the revelry of their happy union. The village square had a holiday feel to it as a feast was held in the couple's honor, which was quite pleasant despite the plain dietary standards of the Sheikah tribe, who ate for practicality rather than frivolity. Of course, there was dancing, and music, and talking, and laughter long into the late hours of the night. All of the Sheikah could agree that the occasion was the most festive that their tribe had seen for quite some time and even their leader, who was silently opposed to the marriage in the first place, could not deny that she enjoyed it herself.
Although Link and Zelda themselves had a wonderful time celebrating their wedding among the Sheikahs, they really wanted nothing more than to have their first few moments alone as husband and wife. But every time they tried to sneak off to privacy during the festivities, they would find themselves swept back into another round of cheer and mirth. At the same time, they didn't mind it much; after all, the joy of the occasion helped them both to forget, even if it was only for a little while, the pressing problems that they knew they'd eventually have to face.
But all the same, since the celebrations went on so late, everyone, even the newlyweds, were exhausted by the time they were over. And though not all of the Sheikahs could retire to bed since they still had their duties expected of them, the first thing that both Link and Zelda wanted to do once the festivities were over was get some much needed rest. Luckily, Sheik had procured a small, empty house for the two of them to stay in during their time in Kakariko and so, once things started quieting down, they slipped away to the quiet of their temporary little home. The humble house was far from anything spectacular; in fact it was quite simple, as was the Sheikah way of life, but it was cozy enough for the couple's needs. It was already furnished for them, and contained only three rooms: a living room, kitchen and bedroom. But from the small back porch of the house, they had a full view of the outlying valley, in all its natural splendor. Not that either of them could really enjoy it at the moment, for almost as soon as they got into bed, they fell asleep, enclosed in each other's arms in complete contentment and peace.
It was around noon when they finally woke up, both of them simultaneously opening their eyes to gaze lovingly at each other, their faces only inches apart. For the longest time, neither one of them spoke as they tried to savor this blissful moment for as long as possible, wishing they could freeze it in time and live in it forever. Eventually, neither one of them could bear the small distance between their lips, so they kissed, warmth and passion flowing between them. Even though they had just woken up, both of them were wide awake from the moment their lips met to the moment they parted.
"Good morning, sleepy head," Zelda whispered to the hero with a bright smile, finally breaking the lingering silence.
"I don't think you can call me that if we both wake up at the same time," Link said, brushing a stray hair out of the girl's face.
"Ok, then," she said, nuzzling her head to rest under his chin. "I'll settle for calling you my husband instead."
"I'll settle for that too," the hero said with a soft smile, savoring the gentle warmth that the girl seemed to give off with her simple touch. "But only if I can call you my wife."
Zelda let out a small giggle as the two of them finally sat up in bed, though their arms were still wrapped around each other. "You know, all of that sounds so strange, but it feels so right," she said contentedly. "Like we were always meant to be together…"
"I think we were," Link said, giving her a small kiss on the forehead.
"I know we were," Zelda said, briefly remembering Hylia and her hero before letting her own hero draw her into another kiss, one that lasted for several long, beautiful moments.
Their kiss was interrupted however, by an abrupt knock on their front door. The couple hesitantly broke apart, but their kept their hands intertwined as they went to answer it, neither of them thinking much about who it could be. They opened the door to find Sheik standing there, a scowl on her face as she crossed her arms and glared at the hero crossly.
"Sheik?" Link said, noticing her aggravated expression. "What-"
"Where were you?" she asked hotly. "I've been waiting for you for hours. Last night you said that you'd meet me in the square at dawn for training, but here it is past noon, and you're just now getting out of bed! What's the matter with you?!"
Before the hero could even offer a reply, Zelda broke into the conversation with a joking smile. "Oh, you don't understand, Sheik!" she said with levity in the tone. "Link can sleep like no one I've ever seen! He'd stay in bed all day if you let him!"
As the girl let out a giggle, Link couldn't help but roll his eyes at her, knowing that she teased him about this way too often. However, Sheik still didn't smile as she set her hardened, angry gaze on the hero once more. "Sure…" she said, not really convinced. "But either way, since you're finally up now it's time to get going. The Interlopers aren't just going to give you a day off just because you got married last night and neither will I. Now hurry up! The day's half way over!"
"But Sheik," the hero protested. "The Interlopers haven't even made any sort of move in days. And besides, I was going to spend the rest of the day with Zelda."
"Oh, its fine, Link," Zelda said, nodding with understanding. "Why don't I come with you two? I need to practice using my bow anyway. Plus, I've missed watching you fight. Maybe it'll be fun. Is that alright with you, Sheik?"
The Sheikah leader sighed, glancing between both the girl and the hero and trying to wash away the lingering ache in her chest when she thought about how in love they were. "Of course it is," she said, mustering a small, but not really genuine smile. "Now let's get to work."
For the next several days, the sound of clashing blades could be heard throughout Kakariko Village, though it was not an unusual noise considering the tribe that lived there. Link and Zelda both quickly fell into a routine of training everyday with Sheik, who carefully monitored the hero's progress while the girl practiced on her own with the Bow of Light. The repetitive, but easy cycle of eating, sleeping, conversing and training did worlds of good for all three of them, in more ways than one. Of course, they all were steadily preparing themselves for the battle against Veress and the Interlopers that was sure to come someday soon, as were the majority of the Sheikah warriors in the village. As strategizing went on for how those loyal to the goddess were planning on dealing with those who were not, those who would fight in the battle put the lull they were in to good use and improved their skills to deal with their deadly enemies.
Since many of the older Sheikahs took on the responsibility of tutoring their younger peers in combat, Sheik was given more time to train Link one on one. And she had made it a fine point to the hero several times that she was enjoying her rank of superiority over him. For the most part, it helped her get over her hidden heartbreak, especially as she came to terms with seeing the married couple together on a regular basis. She noted that they embraced and kissed as much as possible, or as much as the Sheikah leader would allow in the middle of a training regimen. She could hardly blame them though; their time together was not going to last forever after all. They had an indefinite amount of time left to savor each other's embrace and love. But all the same, Sheik was glad that she had finally healed to the point that she could simply roll her eyes good-naturedly at the two of them kissing passionately, instead of wanting to break down into tears. Of course, she knew there was still a small part of her that desired the hero more than anything else, and she'd probably never truly get over him, but at the very least she could try and put on happy face for the two of them. Especially since she knew they were so happy together.
Zelda was also thriving in her training, though trying to use the Bow of Light on her own, without Hylia's influence coursing through her, was a very rocky attempt at first. The weapon may have seemed to come naturally to her when she breaking out of the Interloper's stronghold, but now that she was not using it under duress, she had found it awkward to use, which made sense since she didn't have any prior experience with bows. Upon noticing her unease with it, Link had volunteered to show her how to use it properly, since he had used one on his initial quest upon the surface. With the hero's firm, steady hands placed over her delicate, nervous ones, the girl let him guide her to the right pose, helped her take aim and let a light arrow fly. It struck its target perfectly and as it did, she quickly turned to give him a brief kiss of gratitude before trying it on her own. Simply being near her beloved hero again brought her untold happiness and bliss, even if she knew it would only be for a little while longer. But for the most part, she did not think about that. Instead, she tried to forget about the fact that he was going to be gone within a few weeks and pretended that she would have him forever. And the more she did, the more she was able to picture the dreams that she had that would never come true with him: the two of them creating a lasting home for themselves on the surface, having and raising children, and finally growing old together, their love never fading through the years. Every time she thought about the pain of having to lose him, she simply replaced it with thoughts of this imaginary future and let herself live in the realm of dreams for just a little while longer, even if she knew she wouldn't be able to live there forever.
At the same time, Link was also benefitting from the brief period of relative peace that they were all experiencing. Thanks to the Interlopers keeping quiet for over a week since their attack on the Sealed Temple, there was ample time for Sheik to teach him her vast knowledge of Sheikah fighting techniques. Under her direction, he learned how to use the enhanced vision of the Sheikahs that she had given him and in almost no time at all, he was able to find camouflaged enemies in near complete darkness. Once the hero had pretty much mastered the visual aspect of Sheikah combat, Sheik decided to alternate between physical and mental training each day, making sure that he dedicated time to both. Though it took some doing, Link eventually managed to get the hang of the advanced blade techniques that the Sheikah leader taught him, making him even more skilled with a sword than he already was. However, they were both hesitant to try another attempt at fear-blocking, remembering how disastrous it had been the first time the hero tried it in the woods. And yet, though Sheik tried to convince him that he didn't really need to do it, Link was insistent upon it, knowing that the only way he could be useful against the Interlopers was if he could conquer his own fear of being corrupted. Just because this was going to be his ultimate fate, didn't mean he had to be resigned to it. And so, he set out to try fear-blocking again, only this time, he did it with Zelda sitting by his side the entire time, her arms wrapped around him tightly to comfort and steady him if he needed it. Both Sheik and Fi stood by watching anxiously the two of them as the hero willingly entered the realms of his worst nightmare once more. And once again, the demon cruelly taunted and ridiculed him and for the first few seconds, it sent a chill down the hero's spine as he was reminded of all the pain and suffering that he had already endured and was doomed to go through no matter what. But as the girl took his hands into her own and held onto them firmly, he was also reminded that he was not alone. With her at his side, he had a reason to fight, a reason keep living. He had promised her that he was going to resist corruption as much as he could and the first step in that was overcoming his fear of it. And so, he placed that fear out of his mind once and for all, filling its place with determination and love for her. He wasn't sure if he'd be able win out against the corruption in the end, but he didn't care so long as he still had a little time left with her.
With his only main fear gone, everything else seemed to fall into place at once. Sheik noticed that, almost immediately after the fear-blocking exercise, Link fought with such precision and skill that it was as though he always had fought in such a way. Pleased with his progress, the Sheikah leader implemented one final test for the hero: a duel to see if he was truly ready to face the Interlopers or not. And so, on the designated morning, Link and Sheik met at the village square at dawn for the friendly showdown, which Zelda was glad to spectate in on and cheer encouragement for her hero.
"Alright hero-boy," Sheik said with a challenging smirk as her and Link circled each other in preparation of the upcoming fight. "I think we've both reached the point where there's no need for either of us to go easy on the other. And so, I'm going to fight you just like Veress would; without any kind of mercy. Think you can handle that?"
"Yeah," the hero said with a grin of equal confidence, grasping his sword a bit tighter. "Only if you can handle losing for once."
The Sheikah leader raised an eyebrow, though her smile did not fade. "We'll see," she said coyly, lifting her wooden staff up to a starting pose. "Talk is cheap. Let's get started."
Link nodded in agreement as he charged first, moving quickly just as Sheik had taught him. The Sheikah leader was ready for this initial strike as she raised her strong staff to block it and she pressed his blade off of it. The hero leapt back as Sheik swung for him swiftly, but he dodged it flawlessly, as well as her next successive strike, with well-timed ducks and rolls. Zelda watched from the sidelines with wide-eyed interest and excitement, taking in every fast-paced, skillful move both of them were making as they dueled and holding her breath as she silently rooted for the hero. And as the Sheikah leader tried in vain to hit him a third time, Link switched to the offensive once more. Leaping sideways out of the path of her staff, he came up around her side and hit her in the back with the hilt of his sword, not too hard, but with just enough force to make her loose her balance a bit. Sheik, not anticipating this, stumbled forward, but caught herself right before she fell. Giving a glance of aggravation to the hero, she dashed for him, leaping high into the air with her staff aimed right for him. He met it squarely by blocking it with his sword, but the Sheikah leader did not retract her own staff as she landed mere inches away from him. And so, the pair kept their weapons locked as they pressed them hard, both of them trying to dominate in a match of strength, skill and determination. Both of them grit their teeth as they held this pose for what seemed like ages, both sets of scarlet eyes locked on the other's intensely.
Of course, Link was more than capable of holding out in this struggle, since his previous battles had made him strong, but Sheik could hold her own as well, because, despite her slight, apparently delicate frame, years of physical training had given her strength all her own. However, as the Sheikah leader stared deeper into the hero's eyes, her determined, challenging grin faded as she felt her cheeks grow incredibly hot. Their faces were only mere inches from touching and in that moment, she felt a burning desire to be daring for just a second, long enough to bridge that small gap between them with her lips. Her heart pounded at the mere thought with both sadness and shame. Now more than ever, that could never happen. She knew that. He was married now. The very thought entering the Sheikah leader's mind was wrong in every sense of the word. It made her freeze up just long enough for the hero to prevail over her and push her back, breaking the tension between their two weapons. Sheik was still in a slight daze as Link used the back end of his sword to strike her in the stomach, fully knocking her to the ground. She gasped as she landed, not in pain, but in shock, as she broke out of her racing thoughts and stared up at him with wide eyes, noting his victorious smile.
"You… You beat me?!" she asked in false awe, her mouth hanging agape. She wasn't really all that surprised though, knowing that not only had she been distracted in the middle of the fight, but the hero had truly improved over the past few days and she had to acknowledge that.
"Yes, I did," Link said, still grinning as Zelda ran up to him and gave him a celebratory embrace and a small kiss on the cheek. "Surprised?"
Sheik averted eye contact with him, though she couldn't hide her slightly proud and embarrassed smile. "Maybe a little," she said as he extended a hand to help her to her feet. "I have to say I wasn't really expecting it. Especially after seeing how you flailed around with that blade at first."
All three of them shared a brief laugh before the hero smiled at the Sheikah leader once more. "Admit it," he said with levity. "I've gotten better since then."
She crossed her arms and grinned back at him slyly. "A little…" she said coyly, before making her tone official yet sincere. "I'd say that you've improved just enough to make me believe that you'll be effectively able to go up against the Dark Interlopers. And so, there's nothing else I can teach you, Link." She extended a hand for him to shake, despite the fact that she wanted to do so much more than simply shake his hand. "Congratulations."
"Thank you, Sheik," he said with a grateful nod. "For everything you've done to help us both."
Sheik glanced down to her feet and shook her head, frowning. "Don't thank me yet," she said softly. "Not until all of this is over."
Link frowned, opening his mouth to respond to her almost sad statement but before he could speak, Fi emerged from the Master Sword in a flourish of light, coming to land a few feet away with a tense expression on her formerly emotionless face. "Master," she said formally. "I apologize for the interruption, but might I have a word with you in private? I have urgent information for you that I am certain you will want to hear."
The hero nodded, somewhat anticipating what the sword spirit wanted to talk to him about. But before he left with her to go to a more secluded part of the village, he turned to Zelda, giving her another brief kiss. "I'll be right back," he said, noticing the slight look of worry in her blue eyes.
"Okay…" she said hesitantly, as he turned and left, following the sword spirit out of sight.
Once Link and Fi were far enough away from Sheik and Zelda, she turned to him with a serious expression, but before she could speak, the hero interrupted her.
"Fi, if this is about Sheik again, I don't want to hear it," he said somewhat impatiently. "I already told you, she-"
"That is not what I wanted to speak with you about, Master," Fi said succinctly. "What I asked to talk to you about is a matter far more grave. It concerns the corruption still pressing its influence upon you…"
A wave of sudden worry washed over Link, but he didn't let it show. "What is it?" he asked calmly, his hands balling up into tense fists at his sides.
"Master…" Fi began, letting out a woeful sigh. "It might be easier for me to begin with the current state of things. As you know, over the past several days, the Master Sword's sacred presence has been protecting you from the demon's direct influence, thereby preventing it from bringing on any spell of corruption so long as the sword was in your keeping. But all the same, it did not fully prevent the corruption altogether. Even over these past few days, it has been slowly, but steadily increasing within you, and I must report that the level of your corruption is now at 30%..."
"That much already?" the hero asked, his eyes widening in anxiety and dread. "What happens when it reaches 100%?"
Fi hesitated for a long moment, giving him a look of genuine pity and grief. "I think you know…" she said quietly and morosely. And it was true. Link did know. He understood well what would happen when he was fully corrupted. He was going to lose everything, every part of himself to something that he was powerless to stop.
"I am sorry to say that there is more to tell," the sword spirit continued. "I told you that the Master Sword would only be able to provide a temporary safeguard against corruption. I had initially anticipated that it would be able to protect you for at least several weeks, if not more. However, the demon's reigns of control over you are strong. And so I must regretfully tell you that, after today, the Master Sword will no longer be able to ward off the corruption. You will be fully vulnerable to it once more and I can tell you with almost 100% certainty that there is nothing that can protect you from it now… Master Link… I am so sorry…"
Link was silent for a long moment after hearing this, not knowing how to react. He avoided Fi's empathetic gaze, glancing down at his feet instead. His time was just about up. He only had one free day left before he'd be pulled back into an endless round of corruption, terror and pain. And in a matter of days, he'd be gone completely, so soon after his union with Zelda. Part of him wanted to scream in frustration and dread, to give up and be done with it all just to not have to go through untold suffering and agony. But another part of him still wanted to resist, still wanted to keep going, if not for his own self, but for the girl he loved and married. And that part, that braver, more courageous side of him was just a bit stronger.
"Don't be sorry," he said to Fi in a calm, steady tone. "I'm not afraid of what's going to happen. Not anymore."
A ghost of a smile appeared on the spirit's face. "I know that you are not," she said with fondness and respect for him. "It takes much more than that to bring fear to your heart. And I will still serve you, Master, until that day comes."
"Thank you, Fi," Link said with genuine gratitude as the two of them, with nothing left to say, started back to the square to meet up with Zelda and Sheik once more. As soon as the hero arrived, the girl leaped up from her seat and hurried over to him excitedly, interrupting the conversation she was having with the Sheikah leader.
"Link!" she said with a cheerful smile as she embraced him immediately. "Guess what? Sheik said that since you did so well, she's giving you the rest of the day off from training, which means that we can do anything we want! So… what do you wanna do?"
The hero couldn't help but smile at her, as any last shred of worry about falling victim to corruption fell away. He gave her a small kiss on the forehead, knowing that since he only had one day left in which he would be safe from corruption, he wanted to fill it with memories of her that he'd be able to carry with him to the end. "Zelda," he said, taking her delicate hands in his strong ones. "I wouldn't want to do anything else but spend every minute I have left with you…"
Since the remainder of the day had been relinquished to them so early in the morning, Link and Zelda had plenty of hours to spend together. They didn't really have anything planned, so everything they did was spontaneous, yet enjoyable all the same. It was a picturesque, bright summer's day, which made things all the more pleasant as the couple ventured outside of Kakariko Village to enjoy it in its full splendor. They spent the better half of the day riding around the field on Epona, with Sheik secretly guarding them from a distance to ensure that the Interlopers would not try to beset them and ruin their last peaceful day. The hero and the girl enjoyed a small picnic lunch on one of the field's rolling hills, before spending the rest of the afternoon exploring almost every inch of it. Throughout the day they talked and laughed and confided, just as they always used to do before their current ordeal started, just as they had always done throughout their years of friendship, which had now blossomed into so much more than that. And, as the pair reveled in nothing else but each other's comforting company, all of their worries and problems faded away into the distance, forgotten, even if it was just for this one blissful, perfect day.
By the time they made it back to the village, the sun had just set over the nearby hills and so they decided to retreat back to their temporary home, where they took to stargazing on its back porch. Indeed, their view was grand from there; the whole of the lush green, uninhabited valley that lay behind Kakariko Village extended far, to a point miles off in the distance that seemed almost unreachable. The summer night's sky opened up to them, spreading across the heavens in a dark, but warm shade of midnight blue, dotted with a countless flurry of stars and a large silvery moon that casted a luminous glow over the landscape. Link and Zelda sat side by side, their hands intertwined as they took in the glory of this warm evening, carrying on the reminiscent conversation they had been having all day.
"Do you remember the first time we ever saw each other?" the hero asked the girl with a contented smile.
She let out a small giggle as she nodded. "Yeah," she said, recalling what seemed like ancient history now. "We were both so little that we could barely even walk. We passed by each other in the bazaar and stared at each other for so long that you nearly tripped over your own two feet and fell flat on your face!"
"You saw that?" Link asked, somewhat embarrassed.
"Of course I did!" Zelda said proudly. "And I remember it like it was yesterday."
"Well I remember how red your cheeks were the first time we talked to each other. You couldn't even look me in the eyes you were so flustered!" the hero gave her a coy smile as she rolled her eyes at him
"What can I say?" the girl shrugged. "I liked you even back then, when we were only kids…" She sighed as her smile changed from chipper to wistful. "It seems like it was so long ago… Was it really only a few months ago that you and me were still living up in Skyloft, without any clue that any of this was going to happen?"
"I guess it was…" he said, his own smile fading. "It's hard to believe though, since it feels like we've been down here forever."
"Do you ever sometimes wish that we had never come down to the surface in the first place?" Zelda asked, finally frowning as she gazed up into the skies that had once been her and her hero's childhood home. "Maybe then none of this would have happened… We'd be safe and comfortable up in Skyloft. I mean, we still probably would have gotten married someday. And we wouldn't have to worry about all of the danger we're now facing…"
"I'm glad we came down here," Link said, giving her a small smile. "I like how everything here is different and new and exciting. And, if we had never come here, then I wouldn't be sitting here with you right now."
She couldn't hide her bright blush as she sighed once more, this time contentedly. "You're right. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else…" she said, closing her eyes peacefully. "I wish I could freeze this moment and live in it forever."
"We can always try," he said quietly, leaning in along with her into a slow, prolonged kiss. When their lips parted, they still kept their faces close together as they softly and gently caressed each other's faces.
"Link?" the girl asked her hero in a voice that was little more than a whisper, though it carried slight sadness in its sound. "I know I shouldn't ask you this, but… Do you have any regrets?"
He thought her question through for a moment before responding. In truth, he had quite a few regrets: he regretted lying to her, he regretted putting her life in danger and he regretted that he was going to leave her all alone in the end. But at that moment, none of those regrets seemed important anymore. What was in the past was in the past and there was really only one thing he regretted at that single moment. "The only regret I have is that I don't have more time to spend with you…" he said, brushing a stray strand of golden hair out of her face.
Zelda shook her head as her frowned deepened. "No," she said, glancing down. "I mean, is there anything that you've never gotten to do, but always wanted to?"
Link gave her a soft smile, one that she couldn't help but claim herself. "Well, I've pretty much done everything that I can…" he said, but as he did, a sudden want entered his mind, one that had never really made itself clear to him before. And even now it didn't really seem like a simple want, but more like a natural, almost burning, desire, one that intensified as he looked upon the girl's beautiful features. "But…" he hesitated as he realized what he was about to suggest, his cheeks starting to grow red and flustered. "There is one thing that we've never done…"
Zelda stared at him for a long moment, silently trying to figure out his intent. But when she finally did, a gasp escaped from her as a hot blush filled her own face as well. "Oh, Link…" she said in a small, nervous voice that was also brimming with hidden longing. "We… we can't do that… we're… we're…"
"We're married," the hero said, his confidence starting to grow as he took her hands in his. "It's what married people do. We've waited long enough..."
The girl took in a quivering breath as he leaned in to give her a light kiss on her exposed neck and as he did so, it felt like every part of her was being set on fire. She savored the sensation though, as it filled her with a flickering, satisfying heat. "We're married…" she repeated to herself in a whisper as she decided to let her purity fall to the wayside just for one night. "We're married…" She bit her lip for a moment as she leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed heavily. "We're married… And this feels so right…"
The hero didn't respond as he met her still moving lips with his and slowly guided them both to a standing position. Clinging onto each other with a tight embrace, they started to move to the door that led back into the house with heavily, somewhat clumsy movements, their kiss never once breaking until they reached the bedroom and shut the door behind them. In the low candle light of the room, they stood pressed up against each other, still locked in their passionate kiss, their hearts beating in unison. When they finally did break apart, their eyes met for a long, intense moment, both of them breathing heavily to regain lost air. And then, in slow, yet deliberate movements, the girl moved her warm hands under the hero's shirt, working her way up his firm, strong chest until she was able to slip it off of him, revealing his still prevalent scar, which neither of them paid any mind to. As she was doing to, he brushed his hands behind her neck and carefully undid the long braid that her hair was tied in, running his fingers through it as it cascaded down her shoulders in golden waves. Absentmindedly, they let their lips meet once more, electricity flowing between them this time as they clung onto each other tighter and surer than they ever had before. Neither one of them could think to interrupt this moment of sheer passion and bliss with words as they took their place on the bed. Absolutely nothing could tear them apart as they broke any and all boundaries and distance that had been between them before. They were united now: one mind, one body, one heart. They belonged solely to each other and anything else was unthinkable. And as far as they knew, that was how it had always been and that was how it always would be, now and forevermore.
Oooooo... Implication time! I'm not gonna say anything more about the final scene! make of it what you will, but please, don't give me grief about it if you thought it was too much. But anyway, this chapter had it all, huh? foreshadowing, angst, humor, romance, ect lol hah. So, for the next chapter, I'm thinking that we go to a key element of Skyward Sword, Skyloft itself! We haven't been there for a while, have we? Well, all I can say is that's where the plot is headed next time and it will include mostly action and drama, and maybe some angst, so I hope you'll enjoy it! So please leave me a REVIEW! until next time!