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Title: Dawn's Early Light
Chapter 6: Abditory*
Author: Sailor Song
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ABDITORY (noun): a concealed location used for storage or to hide items

… … …

"Princess," the shaman began, "I'm sorry, I hate to ask this, but…"

She smiled at him. What he was about to tell her wasn't unexpected; afterall, this was the second time soldiers from the castle had come through Kakariko Village asking questions of the leader. She'd only hoped there would be a little more time.

"It's okay, Renado," she said. "I do not wish to put you, your daughter, or your people in any more danger than we already have. I'm grateful to you for all you've done."

"You can stay another night," he offered kindly. "And it would be my honor to escort you to another safe haven."

"Thank you," she replied as the hand she was holding gave hers a gentle squeeze. "However, I think it's best for your safety that you do not know where we go next."

"I appreciate that, Your Highness," he said. As he walked away, he turned back before reaching the door. "You and Link have our support. If you ever attempt to reclaim the throne, you have the allegiance of Kakariko Village."

She thanked him again and turned back to her patient, replacing the damp cloth on his forehead. The hot springs, the Light Spirit Eldin, and the knowledge of Shaman Renado had all used their powers and knowledge to make Link stable, but he hadn't recovered. The arrow that had struck him had been coated with a paralysis poison unknown throughout Hyrule. Naboo had been familiar with the effects, and was currently on a mission to locate the plant that could provide the antidote. "Did you hear all of that?"

He squeezed her hand again. This was the most they had been able to communicate since he had fallen ill. He had never been overly chatty, but his guileless nature was such that he could not hide his feelings from being expressed through his facial features. This complete silence from him was disconcerting.

"Link," she began, "about that talk we had… and I know it's not really fair of me to do this when you can't reply… oh, what am I saying? You were a wolf when we first met." As she paused to collect her thoughts, she felt his finger run gently over her hand. "You've met my brother, so you have at least a small understanding of what growing up was like for me. My father wasn't like Daltus, but in some ways he was worse." She sniffed, wiping a tear from her eye. "He was always busy, but he knew what my brother was doing. No secrets were kept from the king of Hyrule."

Her face burned as hot tears began streaming down her face. "I've always wanted to be part of a real family," she choked out. "No one has said that they loved me in a very long time, not since I lost my mom. I think I have just been afraid that if I said… if I said it back to you, everything would all get taken away from me again."

She remembered herself and became embarrassed by the lack of decorum she was displaying. Dabbing herself with a handkerchief, she gave a sniffle and cleared her throat. Confident that she had regained her composure, she finished by saying, "I would like to understand what it means to love someone. I don't know if I even deserve the kind of love that I've only ever read about in stories, but if you can be patient with me, I promise to do everything I can to prove how much you mean to me."

As she looked at him, she wished her words could somehow free him from the sickness from which he suffered. His breathing was so shallow, his only proof of life was the weak rhythm of his heart beating in his chest. Pressing her ear against him, she closed her eyes and listened to the faint sound of life.

… … …

"I've got it!"

Zelda jumped up so fast, she fell from her seat and landed hard on the wooden floor. She must have fallen asleep against his chest while listening to the weak rhythm of his heartbeat.

"Get up," Naboo said, her voice a mix of bemusement and hast. "I need you to help me lift him up so we can get him to drink this," she said, showing off a bottle of shimmering liquid.

It took the pair of them to lift him - he was heavier than she'd thought - and with Zelda propping him up, Naboo was able to administer the antidote.

"How long does it take to-" Before she could finish the question, Link began to cough and his body spasmed.

"Quickly, put him on his side."

Zelda did as she was told and not a moment too soon for not long after, Link began throwing up.

"It's all liquid," she said, looking away as her own stomach began to turn.

"Did you think he was waking up and eating steaks while you were sleeping?" Naboo replied. Zelda didn't mind; she had missed the sarcasm.

Link's retching began to slow, but he suddenly began coughing forcefully. After a few rounds, he was able to expel a large, reddish-purple clump before falling limp in Zelda's arms. Before she could even begin to worry, Naboo said, "He's fine. That's what was supposed to happen."

"What is that?" she asked, trying to distract herself from the disgusting blob on the wooden floor by wiping the cold sweat from his face.

"The poison was starting to clot together in the lungs. The antidote expelled it before he fell into an eternal slumber," Naboo explained. "Now that it's out, he should recover quickly."

"Thank you," Zelda whispered. "While you were gone, guards came through. We can't stay here much longer, but I don't know what to do. Where are we supposed to go?"

"This is your land, my lady," Naboo replied. "It is a shame you do not know it better."

True as it was, it still stung her through the heart. She was never meant to become the ruler until Link's sudden stunt that put her directly in the line of succession.

"I know a safe place," a small, hoarse voice pulled her from her thoughts. His eyes were still closed and it seemed he was still struggling to breathe.

"Problem solved," Naboo said. "Get yourself ready to go."

"Problem not solved," Zelda retorted. "He won't be able to ride Epona this time, and even if he could, she's too recog-."

"Problem solved," Naboo said again, pointing to the window. "We can leave within the hour."

Zelda watched her leave, and as Link drifted off to sleep, she slid out from behind him and laid his head down on the pillow. Creeping softly over to the window, she saw a large wooden covered wagon waiting outside. Naboo walked out to greet a large, red haired woman. She seemed so jovial, and it took Zelda only a second to realize that she was Telma, the woman who had aided Link during the invasion.

"Princess?" She turned around quickly. Link looked the same, yet again she heard, "Princess?"

She walked over and sat down next to him. Placing her hands on either side of his face, she softly began to run them along his face in a gentle caressing motion.

"I lied to you."

"You're being silly," Zelda said, sniffing and wiping a tear from her eye. It had been so long since she'd heard his voice, it was a relief to hear him now.

"I told you that I didn't know when Midna started comforting me like this. I lied."

"Link-"

"It was you," he said, his blue eyes opening. "After you gave her your life, I knew her sudden personality change was because of you, and I have been falling in love with you ever since." He tried to lift his hand, but could do little more than grab the hem of her tunic. "I heard what you said. I won't leave you. I love you, and I am patient. You will find the words in your own time."

His eyes shut and his breathing became even. After leaving a kiss on his forehead, she began collecting their items from around the room, all the while, wiping away the tears that kept falling from her eyes.

… … …

"Renado, I am so grateful to you for giving us a safe haven. If there was some way I could repay you…" Her thought trailed off as she realized she had nothing to give in her current situation.

"I suspect I know where you are headed," he said. "You are just trying to survive right now, I know that, but I ask that you keep an open mind. It's possible that your destinies did not end with the slaying of the Demon King."

There was an awkward glance between him and Telma before he walked away.

"In you get, Your Highness," the woman said. "It's better if the two of you are out of sight."

Having already said goodbye to Naboo, who rode off with Epona in a hooded cloak in the hopes she could draw attention away, Zelda was beginning to doubt the plan. "Will it be safe to travel?" she asked as she climbed in and sat next to Link who was laying in the back. "I do not want to put you in danger on our account."

"I see what you mean about her, Link," Telma said with a laugh. "Princess, no worries. I would face any threat at the request of this boy."

When they were alone, Zelda turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Care to explain?"

"Not really," he groaned. After a few moments of silence, he said, "I may have had a drink or two when you sent me away the night I found the secret passage to your room. I think stubborn was one of the words I used to describe the girl I was in love with."

"One of?" she prompted.

"Headstrong." He paused, and reached out his hand to make contact with her own. "Determined. Focused. Incredible."

"Don't forget oblivious," Telma called from the front.

"You're not helping," he replied through gritted teeth.

She let out a laugh. "We're leaving now. Everyone hold on tight."

Zelda fell forward onto Link's chest. She caught a whiff of a musty smell and became embarrassed that it was either her own scent, or, more likely Links, for she had not thought to bathe him while he was sick. She made a mental note that once they arrived at their destination, whatever that was, she would attend to him.

"Sorry," she said, pushing herself off of him.

They rode in silence after that, mostly listening to the sounds of Telma singing songs of ancient battles. The wagon slowed, and Telma called back, "We're at the Bridge of Eldin. It looks clear."

"It could still be a trap," Link said. "Are you sure you want to attempt this?"

"You said the only other option was far more dangerous. Doesn't seem like we have much of a choice."

Zelda could see he was uncomfortable, probably because he had grown accustomed to dealing with danger firsthand.

"Okay," he said finally. "But if you sense the slightest hint of an ambush-"

"Yes, yes. Cover up you two."

Telma urged the horse forward and the sound of the horse's hooves on stone could soon be heard. Zelda grabbed the canvas to drape it over the boxes surrounding them. It wouldn't hold up to much scrutiny, so hopefully they could get through without any prob-

"Halt. By royal decree, all transport is being searched for the criminal Link of Ordon."

"What's this now?" Telma said. "Surrounding a poor woman with such handsome soldiers. On whose orders was this decree made?"

"His majesty King Daltus Hyrule."

His what? King who?

"No," she whispered unconsciously. The only way he could have become king was if the council believed she was dead.

"What do you have back here?"

"Food and supplies," Telma replied. "I own a tavern in Castle Town. Feel free to stop in-"

"I am familiar with your establishment," the guard said. He pulled away the canvas, and stared directly into the eyes of Princess Zelda, who was laying beside the very man they were seeking.

"Anything, sir?" another voice asked, and the guard dropped the canvas back into place.

The sound of neighing could be heard in the distance, and someone shouted, "That's his horse. Everyone, let's go!"

There was a thundering of hooves clomping away from them. Zelda hadn't even realized she had been holding her breath until she suddenly gasped in a gulp of air.

"Telma," Link said softly. "It's safe now."

"That was close," she said, snapping the reins to drive the horse on. "I thought for sure-"

"He saw me," Zelda said, moving the canvas from over them so she could get a breath of fresh air. "He looked straight at us."

"We still have allies," Link said, using great effort to pull himself into a seated position. "But we're running out of time. If your brother was able to become king, as long as you are alive, every moment you breathe, you continue to be a threat to his throne."

He did not speak to her after that, instead, directing Telma through the canyon. They came to an unexpected stop, and he scooted to the edge of the wagon. He turned back and looked at her sheepishly. "Can you help me?"

She nodded and jumped down before offering him a hand. He accepted and though he tried to conceal just how much pain he was in, he couldn't hide it from her.

They gathered their things and said their goodbyes to Telma. After they watched her drive off, Link pointed in the direction of an entrance Zelda hadn't before noticed. As they walked together through the tunnel, he struggled with walking and carrying their bags.

"Do you want to stop?" she asked. "Or you can lean against me."

"No," he said forcefully. "Um, I mean, no but thank you. I can manage."

He was acting weird. Before he could decline her offer, she grabbed the bags he was carrying, and said, "That should help."

Surprised at first, his features softened into a smile. "Thank you."

They walked a ways further, until finally the road opened up to become a large, hidden village full of-

"Cats?"

"Yeah," he said winded. "They are not as helpful as the ones in Castle Town, but they're still pretty cute."

"Helpful?"

"Right, I never told you about how I could talk to animals when I was a wolf."

Before she could think of what to say to him, the door of the main house opened with a creaking noise and a small, white haired woman walked out. "You've returned. And you brought with you a friend."

"Yes," he replied. "I'm so sorry to intrude, but could we bother you for a room?"

"I have plenty of rooms, but beds are scarce," the little woman replied. "Follow me."

It struck Zelda as odd that Link would not introduce them to each other, but she had to trust that he knew what he was doing.

The woman led them to one of the few buildings that still had all of its glass intact. After a quick explanation of where they could fetch water and how to start a fire, she excused herself saying, "You two look like you could use some rest. I will leave you and we can speak in the morning."

"Thank you," Link said. "We'll have plenty to talk about tomorrow, Impaz."

Impaz? She felt her heart skip a beat. Why did that name sound so familiar?

Before she could ask, she turned and saw that Link was already gone. Given his current condition and level of exertion, she became concerned. It was only when she heard a yelp and a splash that she realized where he had gone. Running outside, she found him collapsed against the wall of the well.

"Link!"

"No, wait," he said as he held out a hand. "I… I would like you to stay back."

"Why?" she said, kneeling not far from him.

"I, goddesses, I'm so embarrassed, but I really need to bathe."

"Is that all?" she asked, relief flooding over her. She had noticed him pulling away from her, but didn't realize it was for such a reason. Leaning in, she laid a kiss on his cheek. "Go inside. I'll take care of this."

She hadn't actually drawn water before, so it took a few tries to figure out the contraption. Once she succeeded, she walked inside to find him sitting on a wooden stool. She lugged the bucket in and dropped it beside him. He had a cloth and said he could take it from there.

"Let me," she said, pulling it from his hand. "If you want me to, that is." He looked at her with shock at first, before nodding with an appreciative smile.

She started first with his hair that had become matted with sweat and dirt, down to his face, ears, and neck. Once she had run out of skin to clean, she dropped the cloth into the bucket.

"Done already?" he asked.

"No," she replied, loosening the strings of his tunic before running her hands down his chest and under the shirt. "Arms up." He did as instructed, and she caught another whiff of his musky odor. She decided that it wasn't terrible. There was actually something about the smell that she found slightly appealing, just that it was slightly overwhelming.

His tunic discarded on the floor, she reached for the cloth again, ringing out the excess water before running it along his skin. She had seen his torso once before, the level of scarring he had endured, likely all of it during the events of the Twilight Invasion. All except the newest, the wound on his arm, which was finally healing now that the poison was completely out of his system.

Once she had thoroughly cleaned his upper frame, both front and back, she dropped the cloth back in the bucket.

"Thank you," he said to her. "I can take care of the rest."

She nodded nervously and was about to stand when a forceful "No!" escaped from her lips. He could only look at her as she said, "No," again. "I want to."

"Are you sure?" he asked, his cheeks turning a slight pink which actually made her feel relieved that he was feeling shy about it too.

"Is that okay?" she asked.

"All I am is yours to explore," he replied.

With that, she edged closer to him and pulled on the strings of his trousers. Losing nerve, she moved down to his boots, untying them and then pulling off first the left and then the right. Setting them aside, she looked back up into his eyes

"You don't-"

"Stand up," she interrupted, not wanting him to give her a reason to quit. He did as he was told, and as she tugged down his trousers and undershorts together, she continued to stare into his eyes. It was only once they couldn't be pulled down any further that she looked up to take in his fully naked frame. She wanted to stare, to touch, to explore, but trying to instead be confident, she reached for the cloth, wringing it out in the bucket. Working around his lower stomach and along the sides of his legs, she avoided his groin area, though every so often she would sneak a look at it.

She had never seen a naked man before. Although not totally ignorant of how it all worked, she had only seen the large members of the stallions when she witnessed them penetrating mares at the castle stables.

Once she had cleaned everywhere but his manhood, she knew it was time to have courage. "Sit down," she instructed. Link looked around, his cheeks now red, and knowing he was as nervous as she was, she commanded again, "Sit down."

He cleared his throat and replied, "I will." He reached for a towel and set it down on the stool before doing as he was told. "I just wanted to avoid splinters."

She let out a breath of relief and looked up into his eyes once more. He was still nervous, but his mischievous side was starting to emerge. Feeling bolder, she dropped the cloth in the bucket again and squeezed out the water. Now or never, she thought, and she opened the cloth and moved down his patch of straw blond curly hairs until she was touching his member. Trying to convince herself this was no different than a leg or an arm, she gently wiped the area, moving around and underneath to the scrotum. His reactions were her only clue, but it seemed she was not hurting him in any way. Far from it actually, for his eyes were closed, his breathing was beginning to increase, as was another part of his anatomy.

She had finished cleaning the area and pulled away to drop the cloth in the bucket. He opened his eyes to look at her. "Thank you," he said, though she could sense his disappointment.

"I'm not done," she said, following up with, "if that's okay." He looked a little surprised, but gave a nod.

She continued on, her hands shifting from providing him comfort to giving him pleasure. She became lost in the movements until he cried out as he dropped from the stool to his knees, leaning into her for support as he gasped for air.

She wanted to soothe him by running her hands along his frame, but since both were covered in his fluids, she stayed frozen in place. Her lack of knowledge when it came to matters of intimacy was crippling, and it caused her thoughts to wander to a place that made her feel inadequate and vulnerable.

Link pushed himself back from her slightly and ran his hands through her hair, pulling her forward so he could lay a gentle kiss on her forehead. After breaking away, he hovered close to her and whispered, "Thank you."

She swallowed nervously. "Was that… did I… okay?"

He gave a little laugh as he pushed himself back. Looking down, she could see the glistening fluid that had left a mess on her tunic, hands, his torso… goddesses, everywhere.

"More than okay," he replied as she watched him grab the cloth from the bucket. Wringing it out, he took one of her hands in his own and began to wipe it clean. She looked down at the other and wondered how he tasted. The chance to find out was soon lost as he wiped the fluid from the other hand. He was so gentle, and she could tell he was still shaking from the energy expelled through the session. Pulling away, he cleaned his torso and then the floor, dropping the cloth back in the water. "Raise your arms," he said, his hands grasping the bottom of her tunic.

"No, wait," she said, pushing him away.

He looked away, ashamed. "I was only going to help you clean your shirt," he said, grabbing his discarded trousers and using them to cover himself. "You should wash that off before it dries."

It was her turn to be embarrassed as he stood and slipped into his pants. He was about to walk out, and she realized that if he did, it might be the last she would see of him until the morning.

"Stop!" she cried out. "Please don't leave." He didn't move, but he also didn't turn around. Not knowing what else to do, she lifted the tunic over her head, leaving herself covered in a thin undershirt. Holding it out, she asked, "Help me?"

He looked back and nodded. "I'll get some fresh water," he said quietly, walking over to the bucket.

Suddenly remembering his last attempt to get water and worried he might fall into the well this time, she jumped up. "Let me." He gave a nod and fell back onto the stool, dropping his head into his hands.

After emptying the bucket, she drew some fresh water from the well. She sat on the stone and wondered how they had gone from sensual and erotic to discomfort and embarrassment. The answer was easy: she was the problem. Her constant overthinking and inability to let go and just trust him was going to eventually drive him away if she couldn't get a hold of her thoughts and actions.

With a deep breath, she grabbed the bucket and walked back in to find Link unmoved, still sitting on the stool. He looked up at her cautiously and suddenly became alarmed, jumping up and guiding her down onto the seat.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "You are crying."

Crying? Goddesses, she was a mess. She'd cried more in the past few days than she had in her entire life. "I'm fine," she replied as he wiped her cheek with his hand.

"No you are not," he said. "Tell me?"

She sniffed. "When you tried to help me remove my tunic, I thought you were wanting to reciprocate, and I was worried you would overexert yourself. I didn't mean to make it seem as though I was rejecting you."

A look of relief flooded his features. "I'm glad you told me," he said. "You asked me to be patient, but I suppose I should also work on not jumping to conclusions when it comes to you." He looked around and grabbed a cloak from one of their bags, wrapping her up tight before turning his attention to cleaning her stained top. After hanging it to dry, he turned his attention back to her. "Are you ready for bed? To sleep," he added quickly.

She nodded and allowed herself to be led to the adjoining room where he had her sit on the bed. Taking care to attend to her, he knelt on the floor and gently removed her boots one after the other and set them aside. He looked up at her and gave a small smile.

"I'll make sure everything is put away in the next room. I can either sleep in that bed," he said as he pointed behind him to the bed on the other wall, "or in this one with you. I'll let you decide."

He left, and she knew in an instant that she wanted him beside her again. She stood and pulled down her leggings, throwing them, the cloak, and the boots for good measure, onto the opposite bed before climbing under the covers in only her undergarments. She peeked out and waited for him to return, grinning when he walked in and saw the mess she had piled on the other bed.

"No mistaking that," he said and turned to her. He set down the candle and began removing his trousers but left on his undershorts. Tossing them onto the bed with the other articles, he blew out the candle and slipped in next to her. In the dark, she could feel the bed move, and though she couldn't see him, she could sense he was facing her direction. Closing the small gap between them, she wrapped her hand around his waist and soon felt the pull of his arm bringing her close to him. With her head against his chest, she quickly drifted off to fall into one of the deepest sleeps in her life.


AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter has been edited here because the Mature rating does not allow for explicit content. If you want to read the full, unedited piece, you can find the story with the same name (title and author) on AO3. Any chapter that has been edited here will have an asterisks by the chapter title. I have no excuses for my delay. Hope you enjoyed it!