CHAPTER 3: WOOD

Chop

Link drove his axe hard into the large logs of wood in front of him.

Chop

Sweat dripped down his brow, causing him to curse the sun.

Chop

Link thrust his axe angrily into the wood, attempting to take away his thoughts and his haunting memories.

Chop

Link began to have flashbacks of his childhood, of his youth. He thought of the first time he met Zelda. He thought of the last time he had spoken to her.

Chop, chop

Being spurred into a frenzy of anger, Link chopped two pieces of wood quickly. He had to get her off his mind.

Chop

Link thought of his father, and his dead mother. He thought of his early childhood father-figure, Rusl, and how often Link would stay at his house if his father was angry at him. He thought of how hard his father was on him, and that Link would use Rusl's house to hide away from his father. He thought of Uli, Rusl's wife, that took the role of motherhood that his dead mother could have never provided him. He thought of Ilia, the girl he was supposed to marry when he was older. How much different would his life be of he never left Ordonia?

Chop

"Your highness!"

Link jumped. He knew that voice, having been startled so many times by it. Link tossed his axe to the side and turned around, smiling lightly.

"Gods, Damien. How many times do you have to sneak up on me like that? You know I'm startled easily! Please, stop doing-"

"Zelda is back from her day trip with Edward," Damien interrupted quickly, urgent to stop Link from scolding him. "I just thought I should let you know."

All the color in Link's sweaty face drained away in an instant. Link's playful smile instantly disappeared from his face. He eyed the ground beneath him, suddenly very interested in it.

"Alright," Link said after a few beats of awkward silence. "Thanks."

Link turned around and continued to chop the wood. He listened for the footsteps of Damien walking away, but the sound never came. Link turned around again to see Damien still standing there, looking at him sadly.

"I'm sorry about today," Damien said softly. With that, Damien turned around and walked away.

Link shook his head and chopped his last piece of wood. He dreaded having to go inside, having to face all those nobles again, and most importantly, having to hold his tongue in front of Zelda and Edward. Having to pretend like everything's okay, like their marriage was happy, even though everyone in the castle knew that they were most certainly not okay. Not even in the slightest. Link decided to stay outside for a while longer. He just didn't feel like dealing with people at the moment.

Zelda would always tease Link for being a 'lone wolf.' She always called him aloof, and no matter how much she tried to convince him to socialize more with people, he couldn't. He just didn't feel like it.

Link used to be more social when he was young. Before he left Ordonia, he had lots of friends in his village, including his best friend Ilia. When Link had moved into the castle and joined the army, that all changed. He had to watch what he said around practically everybody, which bothered him. He became extremely quiet and reserved, only showing his true self to a small amount of people that he trusted in the castle. Nevertheless, Link was still kind and friendly to everyone in the castle, he was just more reserved than others.

Sometimes, Link missed his simple life. It was all planned out for him, but he was okay with that. He liked it. He was fine with marrying Ilia, fine with being a goat herder all his life. He didn't have to watch every word that came out of his mouth. He didn't have to deal with enormous amounts of social pressure and gossip. He worried about practically nothing. It was simple. He was simple.

Before the Era of Twilight, Link was perfectly fine with living a simple life. After, Link had changed. He felt a strong desire to do something bigger. To bring more change to the world. He felt so cooped up in Ordonia that he had to take action. So, he left Ordonia, and enlisted in the Hyrulian army, cutting off all ties with the people he once knew. Link regretted ever cutting ties with the people in Ordonia, but he knew he could never talk to them the same way he used to again.

His heart constantly ached to see Uli again. He could manage his heartache for leaving Rusl, since he had Damien around, but Link had no mother-figure. This made him miss Uli even more than Rusl. He never said goodbye to her when he left. She was like the mother he never had.

Link angrily threw his axe to the side. He hated thinking about his past. It was too painful.

Link got up on his feet and trekked towards the basement doors of the castle, where he knew there was a library. He left his chopped wood in the barn nearby, knowing that he would come back for it later to give to the lumber company another day. He arrived at the library, taking a deep breath of relief. Reading was always something he would do to keep his mind off things.

"Yesterday was great, wasn't it Zellie?" Edward asked happily, jumping around the horse barn, petting every single horse he could.

"Edward, watch out!"

Edward suddenly tripped and fell over a large pile of wood tucked away to the side of the barn. Edward's head landed on the ground with a hard smack!

Zelda burst into hysterical laughter, amused by Edward's childish antics.

"Owwww…" Edward groaned, rubbing the side of his head. He looked over to see what he tripped over. "Gods, when was that ever here?"

Zelda shrugged. "Whoever chopped it probably left it in here to give it to the lumber company," she explained.

"Well, they shouldn't put it in here!" Edward blubbered. "It's a dangerous hazard! Someone could seriously get injured!"

Zelda only chuckled at Edward's frantic state. "You're just extremely clumsy," Zelda joked.

Edward sighed, quietly laughing. "I guess I can be a bit clumsy," Edward said, smiling brightly.

Edward started to lovingly pet a beautiful white and black-speckled horse.

"I like this one," he said softly. The horse only snorted in reply.

Zelda smiled and walked over to the horse and began to pet it.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Edward marveled.

Zelda laughed quietly. "It's a he. But yes Edward, he's beautiful."

Edward lightly punched Zelda's arm. She always teased him.

Suddenly, the front doors of the barn cracked open.

"…yeah, it's in there," a man's deep voice said. "It's a lot though. I can help. I mean, I chopped it myself."

Zelda's eyes widened at the sound of the man talking. She could recognize that voice from anywhere.

Zelda, wildly panicked, backed away from the horse and frantically searched for a place to hide. There was nothing.

"Quick, act like you're doing something!" Zelda hissed at Edward. "Act like we're not just hanging out in here!"

Edward stopped petting the horse, turning around with a mild look of confusion across his face.

"What?" Edward whispered. "Why? They're just forest workers."

Zelda closed her eyes in frustration.

"Link is here," Zelda mouthed, pointing at the door that was slightly ajar. Edward looked even more confused than ever.

"Ink is near?" Edward whispered, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

Zelda immediately face-palmed. Gods, he could be an idiot.

"No," Zelda hissed. "Link is here!"

This took a moment to register in Edward's mind. Zelda could practically see the gears turning in his head.

"Oh," Edward whispered slowly, still thinking. "OH!" Wild panic flashed across his face.

"Took you long enough!" Zelda hissed.

"What are we going to do?" Edward blubbered, failing his arms above his head. "He's going to see us!"

"You think?" Zelda snapped, clearly frustrated.

"…Alright, thank you so much. The logs are pretty heavy, so I think two people should carry each log up the hill to the crates…"

"Go act like you're doing something!" Zelda hissed, panic rushing over her. "Go!"

Edward ran over to a horse stable and began to pretend he was feeding the horse.

"…Alright. So they're in this corner right over here…"

Link's face popped into view. Zelda and Edward froze.

"Yeah, thank you," Link continued, still facing the forest workers. "I think this could be pretty quick." Link turned to look around the barn, still talking to the workers. "As long as we work together, we could be done in no time-"

Link's eyes caught sight of Zelda and Edward in the barn.

His eyes widened in anger, but he quickly masked it as he turned back to the workers.

"On second thought," Link started. "I can just carry the wood up to the crates myself. I don't need any help. You may leave."

"But, your highness!" Zelda heard a worker stammer. "You'll need all the help you can get! Please, at least let us-"

"Leave," Link said sternly. The tone in his voice made Zelda shudder.

Zelda heard the workers immediately scurry away from the barn, frightened at Link's sudden change of tone.

Link turned back around closed the door behind him quietly. His eyes narrowed from Zelda to Edward, his angry blue gaze burning into their faces.

Long periods of tense silence passed as Link continued to narrow his eyes from Zelda to Edward. Zelda felt herself internally cringe, completely unprepared for what was about to happen.

Finally, Link spoke.

"What in the gods name are you two doing?"

Jack sat in his bed, staring at his ceiling. His ceiling was covered in bright yellow star stickers. His father had helped him place them there when he was a young boy.

"Now, pay attention," Link said to a 5 year old Jack. "Look at the star. See that it's sticky on the back of it?"

Jack nodded.

"Watch," Link continued. Link climbed up on top of a large stool and placed the star sticker on Jack's ceiling. "See? Super easy. You want to try?"

Jack looked a little skeptical about having to climb on top of the stool. It didn't seem too sturdy.

Sensing Jack's fear, Link got off the stool and knelt down to eye level with Jack.

"I'll be right here if you feel like you're going to fall," Link reassured him. Link reached back, grabbed another star sticker, and opened his palm.

"Promise?" Jack asked shyly, taking the star sticker from his hand.

Link smiled warmly at Jack.

"Promise."

Jack closed his eyes, feeling hot tears starting to trickle down his face.

Jack never fell off the stool that day. He managed to place the rest of the stickers on the ceiling without fearing that he was going to fall. He felt safe, comforted by the fact that his father was right there to catch him. That he was never going to leave his side, that he was never going to let Jack get hurt.

Jack felt a strong pang of abandonment in his heart. More tears trickled down his face, making him squeeze his eyes tighter to stop them from flowing so easily.

His father had abandoned him, leaving him alone. Although he was still physically present, his father was not emotionally there for him anymore. They didn't talk like they used to. They didn't laugh together like they used to. They barely spoke more than a few words to each other at supper, and that was it. Jack sometimes regretted telling his father how he truly felt that day. If he had known this all would happen, he would have kept his mouth screwed shut.

His mother was his rock now. His person that he could rely and lean on. And although he was grateful for her, he desperately craved for the need of a strong man in his life. Someone who made him feel safe and protected. Someone who he never felt alone with, who would never let him get hurt. But that one person was gone, and he could never feel truly safe again.

More hot tears ran down Jack's face, despite his efforts to close them off.

Link's bright blue eyes glanced from Zelda to Edward.

"So?" Link started. "Anybody care to explain?"

Zelda and Edward were both silent as a church mouse. None of them dared to make a noise.

"Alright," Link said calmly, even though Zelda knew he was far from it. "I'll do the talking then."

Link stared heavily at Zelda. She held her breath and locked eyes with Link, not daring to look away. After what seemed like eternity, Link finally opened his mouth to speak.

"This morning, if I recall, you told me that you were to be in your studies all day, working on paperwork," Link stated coolly. "Is that correct?"

Although Link's tone was very calm, Link was fuming. Zelda could see it. Link's eyes were widened with rage, his fists were closed tightly at his sides, and the veins in his neck began to bulge out. She knew he was far from calm.

Zelda swallowed nervously.

"Yes, I said that."

Link's fists clenched even tighter. "So it was all a god damn lie."

Zelda pursed her lips together nervously.

"N-no Link, it wasn't. I just came down here for a quick break-"

"Don't you lie to me," Link snapped, interrupting her. "Your excuses are pathetic at this point, and I am certainly in no mood to hear them right now."

Zelda shut her mouth quickly. He turned his heavy glare over to Edward, who jumped from shock at Link's gaze.

"You," Link snarled, stepping closer and pointing a finger him. Edward took a step backwards, backing against the wooden walls of the barn in the process.

Link continued to glare at him.

"I'm glad to finally announce that I never liked you since the god damn day we first met," Link spat. "You and your stupid little childish act that you put in front of others to make you seem like an innocent and kind young man. How pathetic."

Edward sucked air through his teeth, trying to calm himself down.

"Gods, I am so sick of your face," Link said. He walked closer to Edward, now completely invading his personal space. "I'm so sick of you. I'm sick of your games. I'm sick of your little innocent act you have going on with the nobles. I'm sick of your fake politeness. But most of all, I'm sick and tired of you spending all your free time with my wife."

Link was now in Edward's face, staring him down. Edward tried to work his way away from Link's face, but Link quickly grabbed his wrist and dragged him back to where he was standing.

"Link, stop," Zelda yelled.

"Ahhh…" Edward cringed at the pain of how tightly Link was gripping his wrist. "It hurts-"

"I'm not finished," Link snapped. "I've tolerated you for almost a year now. I've let you hang around my wife without ever even telling you to back off. But I'm done now. I'm done with all of your shit. You are never to see her again, you understand me?"

Edward's eyebrows suddenly furrowed in rage. He couldn't let that happen.

Edward gulped, swallowing down his fear as he opened his mouth to say some bold words.

"I will still continue to see Zelda, and there is nothing you can do about it."

Zelda screamed as Link suddenly punched Edward across his face, knocking him to the ground.

Hey guys! Thanks for the couple of reviews that I've gotten so far. I really appreciate it. I honestly wasn't expecting to even get anything at all, but you guys just proved me wrong.

Next chapter is going to be super long, so I apologize in advance. There's a lot of things happening in that chapter, which is why it's so long. I already have a rough draft of it, and I just need to go over it and correct any grammar mistakes or misspellings.

Anyways, please keep reviewing and giving me some feedback on the story. I'd like to hear what you guys think, whether it's good or bad.

Thank you so much and I'll see you guys next week!