Woo…chapter 15! Half way to thirty! (Will there be a chapter 30? Only God knows.) Well, I started reading The Shining by Stephen King, very cool so far. The little boy scares me, him and REDRUM. *shudders* Well, anyways, s'pose I should get crackin' on ch. 15, huh? Oh, and a thank you goes out to Lissa for proofreading my story a bit!
Disclaimer: *sigh* look at the other chapter's disclaimers.
*Arden*
Not only do I have to be their slave, but I have to dress like Princess Jasmine, too! This bites the big one. They have me in this disgusting red getup, like in the scenes in "Aladdin" when Jafar had Princess Jasmine held captive when he's a sorcerer, (you know what I'm talking about.) It even has the curly shoes, too! I like the shoes…if I ever get out of here, I'm taking the shoes with me.
"Hurry up, wench, the Queen's waiting!" a guard said, pushing me towards another guard in white. She held a hairbrush, and I was held down as they combed out my hair and put it up. I hated this so much I wanted to scream. But I didn't; I would never want them to see me in pain, I knew they would enjoy it too much, sick fucks.
"Now come on!" the first guard said, whipping me out the door. Jeez, I was colder now. This outfit was a bit breezy.
"Can I have my weapons back?" I asked, smirking. It was so much fun to piss these bitches off.
"No! Shut up!" the guard said, yanking my arm harder.
"Ow! Could you go easy, please?" I nagged, laughing to myself again. The guard didn't say anything. We walked through a large wooden door, and we were back in the throne room again, just through a different door.
"Ah, yes, thank you," the Queen said, grinning as I approached. The guards bowed, and stepped back to their posts. "Now, come here, child." I hesitated. "Don't be scared!" I have every damn right to be scared. Nonetheless, I walked up to her. She stood up, and smiled. "Now, don't you feel much better? You look better," she said, running a hand down my cheek. I pushed her back, violently. She regained her balance, and smiled. Guards approached quickly, but she waved them away. "Don't worry. I can handle this Hylian flower," she said, sitting back down. There was a giant pillow on the floor next to her throne. "Sit," she said, holding her hand out. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I sat down. I felt my back where they took my bandage off; it was almost all healed now. I sighed, and looked around the room. "Soon, you will call this place your home. Soon, you will learn to call me master," she said, confidently. I laughed.
"Soon, I will be out of here," I snapped, crossing my arms. She laughed.
"Get me a drink, child, I'm thirsty," she said, shifting in her seat.
"Get it yourself, sloth," I retorted. She chuckled.
"Your rudeness will stop immediately," she said, motioning to her closest guards. They came right up to me, and stuck two very mean looking javelins at my neck. "Now, get me a drink." I obeyed, what else could I have done? I walked into the kitchen under the supervision of a few guards, and poured the wench a drink. I was able to look out a window, but all I saw was desert sand and rock. The sun was just beginning to rise, but the place still looked desolate. What a horrible place to live in, so boring and dry. I walked back out into the throne room and gave the Queen her precious drink. I sat back down, and waited for something to happen. I hadn't gotten any ideas on how or when I should escape, but I figured something would come to me eventually.
"Boy, it is a bit dull in here, wouldn't you say?" the Queen asked me, smiling.
"Just a bit?" I scoffed.
"Hmm, indeed. Sarah!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. A guard in white rushed up to her and bowed.
"Yes, my liege," she said. I wanted soooo much to just kick her down. But I didn't.
"Let's liven this place up a bit, shall we?" she said. "Bring out my favorite source of entertainment!" The guard in white rushed away and through another door in the hall. "Oooh, this is going to be so exciting!" the Queen said, bouncing up and down in her chair. Wow. These people must not get out that much. Soon enough, two women emerged from the same door, dressed in golden armor, although it didn't cover much. I could tell the women were both Gerudos because of their skin tone. They had daggers and curved hooks in their hands, and had strange masks covering their faces. A lot of guards came over to watch what was going to happen next. They both bowed to the Queen, and at the Queen's cue, began fighting. (Picture the two girls fighting in "The Mummy Returns." Good movie. I suggest you all go out and see it if you haven't already.) The fighting was intense and it looked treacherous. Everyone seemed to be delighted but me.
"Someday, you'll be fighting like that, too," the Queen whispered to me. Oh no I won't! I'll be out of here waaaaaay before I ever have to face one of them! Holy shit, I'd get killed. About 5 minutes later, the one that had the upperhand in the fight the whole time finally won. She had her opponent backed up against a wall with daggers at her throat. Everyone clapped and the winner helped the loser up. They bowed to the Queen and exited the way they came in. Ohh boy I was going to be in a lot of trouble if I didn't get out of there. Fast.
*Link*
I opened my eyes and saw a ceiling. I wasn't tired anymore, and I could think clearly, but I didn't know where I was. I was warm, and there was another body up against mine. I looked over, and it was Malon! Ahh! I jumped right out of bed and onto the cold wooden floor. I woke her up in the process.
"Mmm...hey, fairy boy," she said, smiling at me. Her nightgown was all bunched up and a lot of skin was showing. Pretty nasty to wake up to.
"What?! What am I doing here?!" I exclaimed, glancing around the room. I noticed that I didn't have my tunic on, only my leggings. My armor and boots and clothing were in a pile on the other side of the room. Ohh man, I'm in trouble this time!!
"Don't you remember? You came here last night, begging to be let in!" she squeaked. That's not how I remember it. I remember coming in to ask if I could take a nap, and she forced Lon Lon milk down my throat and then I got woozy.
"No I didn't! That's a lie!" I yelled, throwing my clothes and armor on.
"Guess that Arden wasn't good enough for ya, was she?" Malon said, chuckling to herself. Ah! Arden! She's still at the fortress! I hope she's still alive! Goddesses, Link, how could you be so stupid?!! "You just couldn't stand not being with me, so you ditched the wench and went straight for me." I drew my sword and rushed at her. I held it up to her neck as she layed there.
"Arden is more of a woman than you'll ever be, and I love her!" I screamed, my fist shaking as I clutched the sword. Malon gasped, and started to back up. I was so angry, I could have killed her right there, but instead, I pulled my sword away and rushed out of there, not hearing a sound from Malon again. Epona rushed to me as I exited the building and we raced out of there as fast as we could. I was so furious…furious with Malon, furious with the Gerudos…but mostly furious with myself. I always have to concentrate on the mission, not on myself, and look what I did! Sleeping next to Malon! I let myself down, and what's worse, I let Arden down. My thoughts made me feel more and more guilty as Epona and I reached the valley. After knocking out a few guards, I was able to enter the place no problem. I had to keep checking if anyone was following me, though, so what happened last time didn't happen again. I snuck deep into the fortress walls, and finally came to a huge set of double doors. There was music and noise going on inside, and I had a good feeling that Arden was in there. I drew my bow and arrow, kicked the doors open, and stormed in. I shot four guards that charged at me, and everyone stopped moving as I screamed.
*Arden*
"Nobody move!" the man in green belted at the top of his lungs. I looked harder to see who it was, and it was Link! Link had come back to rescue me! Wait! No! Link was the reason why I got stuck here in the first place! Damnit, then why do I just want to get up and hug and kiss him? Why must my emotions toy with me so?!!
"Nobody move, and nobody gets hurt!" he screamed again at the approaching guards. "I came for the girl. Bring her to me or you will all be very sorry!" I stood up.
"Link!" I cried, rushing towards him.
"Arden!" he called, smiling at me.
"SILENCE!" the Queen shouted, grabbing my arm and yanking me back. I started to fight, but she held a knife to my throat. Damnit, Link was my ticket out of here! "Silence! All of you!" Link drew an arrow and aimed it at the Queen. She started to laugh. "Do it, and your precious little thing here dies," she said ominously. Link, don't mess with the psycho lady with a knife! Please!
"I've made a bad decision once, and I'm not going to let that happen again," he said, never taking his aim off of the Queen. The Queen started to laugh.
"I like you kids. Let me tell you something. If you promise not to kill me now, I can assure you your thing here won't die," she said. "I will let her go under one condition," she continued.
"And what is that?" Link barked from across the room.
"The wench here has to prove her freedom. Either one night with me or a fight. Your decision," she said, chuckling softly. A night with her? Fuck no. I'll fight to the death if I have to.
"I'll fight," I said, yanking my arm away from her. She started laughing again.
"Good," she said, and walked over to the guards. She returned with two swords in her hand.
"I'll fight to the death," I said, backing away from her a bit.
"Alright, we'll do it in one round. Here are your pathetic weapons," she said as a guard brought out all my stuff. I picked up my sword and shield, and without hesitating, I swung at the Queen, fast and hard.
*Link*
The Queen blocked Arden's blow, and they started fighting. I had never seen such intensity and anger coming out of Arden like that before, and to tell you the truth, it kind of scared me. What scared me more was that the Queen had the upper hand in the fight the whole time, and Arden came close to getting a limb chopped off here or there. They fought and fought and fought and fought some more, and after a while I could tell Arden was getting really tired. But I couldn't do anything but watch. The Queen finally knocked Arden down, and held her swords against her neck. I felt my stomach sink to the floor.
"Hah!" the Queen said in triumph, laughing. "I have won," she said, never taking her swords away from Arden. When everyone started clapping, she took her eyes off of Arden, and as soon as she did, Arden kicked her legs right out from under her and the Queen went crashing to the floor. Everything seemed to move in slow motion then, slowly growing faster and faster as Arden beat the Queen down. (Picture the last Star Wars movie when Luke is beating Vader before he chops Vader's hand off…with that intensity. Y'know what I just realized? I watch waaaay too many movies.) Arden just kept smashing the Queen's swords harder and harder, the clanging growing louder and faster, almost taking on a tune of its own. The Queen finally collapsed into the corner, and Arden kicked her swords away from her. Sweat was dripping off both of them, more from Arden, I noticed, giving her a glow as she held her sword to the Queen's jugular. The Queen started to laugh.
"Alright…Alright…" she said, inbetween pants. "You…win…" she said, laughing again. Arden's face was as hard and cold as stone as she pulled her sword away from the Queen and turned to me. She picked up her things off the floor and walked right past me, without even making eye contact. I looked at the Queen one last time before rushing out after Arden. She was being helped up by two other guards.
"Arden!" I exclaimed as she rushed out the door and into the blinding light. "Arden!" I called again as I got no response from her. I ran right up to her side, but she wouldn't even look at me. "Arden! Listen! I'm sorry! I had the intention to come back and rescue you, I swear! And look, I did!" I exclaimed. I got no response. "Please, Arden, speak to me! Say something! Anything?" She stopped abruptly and turned to me.
"Rescue me? Listen, Hero, I was completely capable of rescuing myself, as you just witnessed. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to change and find a way out of this sick world." She spoke harshly and bitterly. I had never heard her use that tone before. A way out? But…she can't leave! I love her!
"Arden, please!" I said, rushing up to meet her again. She increased her pace. "Arden, would you at least hear me out?" No answer. "Please?!" I pulled on her arm, and she stopped. "Just listen to what I have to say. If you don't like it, you can leave," I said, exasperated. She turned to me, annoyed.
"You have five minutes," she said, leaning against the wall. I took a deep breath.
"Listen, Arden, I'm sorry I chose Epona over you back there. But I knew it would be easier to break you out of there than the horse, so that's why I chose her."
"Four minutes," she said, looking off into the distance.
"Please, Arden, I'm begging you. You're the best thing that's happened to me, ever, and I mean that." She looked into my eyes. I felt like I was going to melt right there. I could sense the warmth returning to those cool green pools.
"You mean aside of Princess Zelda," she said solemnly, looking at the ground. I cupped her chin and our eyes locked again.
"No. She doesn't come close to you," I said, in all honesty. She smiled a bit, and tried to hide it, but I noticed it. I smiled too. "Arden, you are my best friend, and my heart would shatter if you left me here, alone, in Hyrule. Arden…I love you." There, I had said it! Boy, did that feel good! She looked up at me, and smiled. She dropped her things and jumped on me. I held her up, and she kissed me. There was electricity and heat surging through my body, some from my own excitement, and a lot from Arden. She relaxed in my arms, and deepened the kiss. I slid my tongue into her mouth, and we both gasped at their meeting. I felt so wonderful at that time, like I could just fly away or something cheesy like that. But Arden tasted so good, better than I ever could have imagined, and when we pulled apart for air, I felt myself yearning for her in ways that I hadn't before. She giggled and kissed my cheek and scruffy chin, and I put her down.
"I love you too, Link," she said, taking my hand. Okay, that was it. She bent over to pick up her things, and I scooped her up and carried her over to Epona. She placed her things on Epona's back and I lifted her up. I got on behind her and we rode out to Hyrule field, hands and lips locked most of the way.
Ahh, yes, the much awaited chapter for you love fools out there. Well, I hope you enjoyed it, cause it's just the beginning between Link and Arden, if you know what I mean, wink wink nudge nudge. So, uh, chapter 16 will be up just as soon as I write it…lol. Y'know, the weather in New England is sooo random?! It was in the 80's and 90's the past few days, and now it's supposed to snow on Monday! Gah!! Well, I like snow and hate the heat so I hope we get a blizzard, lol. Alright, enough of my ranting and raving. Cya!