Marth fast-walked down the corridor, Zelda just ahead of him, closing a door, which led to another corridor. Marth reached out for the door handle when his cape got caught again.

            "Babe." He heard a Peach's voice say shortly.

            "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't do that." Marth said in a strained voice, trying not fall backward, but to gain balance again.

            "Sorry, babe." Peach said shortly again.

            "Yes, Princess?" Marth asked Peach as he turned to face her.

            Peach just stared and grinned at him.

            "Well, I'm going to go talk to Princess—" He got cut off as Peach took him by the collar and pinned him to the wall like that morning. "Peach?" Marth asked nervously as she gave him a wide grin and let her face drift only an inch or so from his.

            "Ya?" Peach asked.

            "You're awfully close." Marth observed.

            "Is that a problem?" Peach asked coolly.

            Marth gulped uneasily before Peach pressed her lips against his. Marth hesitated before carefully placing his hands on her waist and pushed her away gently. "No." He shook his head.

            "No, what?" Peach asked, having thoroughly enjoyed her forced kiss.

            "No." was all Marth said again before freeing himself from Peach's grip and taking hold of the doorknob, opening the door, and closing it behind him, leaving Peach rather displeased.

            Marth took up a jog down the long corridor, opening up the next door. As soon as Marth entered the corridor, the very last door to the left slammed shut. Marth went up to that door and knocked with the back of his hand. "Princess?" He said tenderly, his cheek an inch from the door. "Princess Zelda?"

            "Go away!" Came a shout from inside the door, surrounded by sobs.

            "Princess…I know you're not in much of a mood to socialize right now, but…" Marth drifted off as the door opened, to expose a red faced, watery-eyed Zelda.

            "What do you want?" Zelda asked, many more tears dribbling down her face with each word she spoke.

            "May I come in?" Marth asked with a gentle smile.

            "If you must…" Zelda said, backing away from the door and walking over to the bed, sitting down.

            Marth walked over to the other side of the bed. "I take it Link has never been injured this badly?" Marth asked.

            Zelda simply shook her head.

            "So it must be some of a shock to you?" Marth asked, already knowing the answer.

            Zelda nodded, then turned a glare towards Marth and finally spoke, "I'm ready to kill you."

            "Words alone cannot prove anything." Marth said softly, trying to calm her.

            "You want me to prove it?!" Zelda said a little more threateningly, sitting up straighter.

            "Here." Said Marth, tossing her his sword straight from his scabbard. "I'm defenseless." He added, holding out his arms for a clear shot. He closed his eyes and smiled confidently.

            Zelda caught the sword by the handle and approached him, wondering where to pierce him. She hesitated, about to lunge at him. She waved his sword in front of his eyes, but he didn't move. She tapped his sword on his shoulder armor, thinking he may think she really was going hurt him, but he didn't flinch. She placed the tip of the blade to his stomach, right above his navel, but once again, he didn't move. She made a "huh!" sound as though she were about to throw herself at him, and firmly pressed the blade against his arm, but not hard enough to cut him, but he didn't even twitch.

            "You're willing to give up your life just to prove you're right?" Said Zelda in an irritated voice.

            "If you put it that way, yes." Marth said, opening his eyes and retrieving his sword from Zelda's hand.

            Zelda couldn't help but crack a tiny smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~*Meanwhile*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh, hey, Link! I didn't know you were commin', babe. How's your leg?" Peach asked, putting a hand on her hip as Link walked through the Dining Room doors.

            "My leg's fine, Peach. Where's Zelda?" Link asked hastily. "It seems like forever since I've talked to her…" He said longingly.

            "Well, sheesh, Link. You seem like another person when you talk about Zelda. You seem all sensitive and…" Peach began, but Link gave her a just-tell-me glare. Peach sighed and pointed to the corridor leading to the guest rooms. "She's over there, in her usual room, but I wouldn't go in there…"

            "I didn't know she would take it that hard, don't worry, I'll cheer her up…" Link said with a mischievous grin at the end of his sentence.

            "No, I still wouldn't go in there, babe." Peach said warningly.

            "Why not?" Link asked.

            Peach wavered slightly, "Marth's…in there. He's talking to her. Trying to comfort her, I think."

            Link had a look on his face that was beyond murder. "You invited HIM!?"

            "Well…" Peach drawled off as Link burst through the corridor doors. She sighed and looked around the large lonely dining room, the only other occupant was a brown haired pig with a red cap, shoving down as much food as fast as possible. 

~~~~~~~~~*Back at the Guest Room*~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"See? You'll be alright, and so will Link." Marth said comfortingly, rubbing Zelda's arm shortly, then walking towards the door. "If there's anything you need, let me know, alright?"

Zelda bit her bottom lip as he turned, "There is something I need."

Marth turned and smiled. "Is there a certain store you need it from?" He asked.

Zelda looked at her hands, which were starting to fiddle around with each other by themselves. "'Err…no."

"Oh, special order?" Marth asked.

"Um…no…" Zelda continued.

"Well, where may I find it?" Marth asked, a little bewildered.

Zelda ran up to him, threw her arms around his neck and kissed his lips deeply, not holding back at all.

This, needless to say, took Marth by very heavy surprise. He stumbled backward a few steps, Zelda still clinging to him, but he didn't push her away near as soon as he had, Peach. In fact, she was the one who drew back.

"I…um…" Zelda stuttered, not really sure what had gotten into her.

Marth ran a hand through his hair and smiled, but wasn't half as nervous as he was when Peach had kissed him. "Was that what you needed?" He asked, adding a warm chuckle onto the end to make her feel more comfortable.

"Yes…" Zelda said, giggling slightly. "I guess so. I think it's just the way you know what to say at all the right times and…you never hesitate to comfort and…and…" She began, trying to think up some reason she'd done it.

"I think it was just because you missed Link sorely and I guess I was the closest substitute." He said, chuckling once again.

Zelda blushed deeply and stared at the ground the whole time.

"Well…I hope you'll feel better." Marth said, giving her a compassionate smile, then turning to leave, but stopped dead, making Zelda look up.

"You…again…" Link's voice came from in front of Marth. "You…Is that all you do!? YOU HUMILIATE ME, THEN CONVINCE MY GIRL FRIEND TO FALL FOR YOU!?" Link bellowed, drawing his sword.

Zelda gasped and quickly stepped in front of Marth, shielding him from harm. "LINK! Link! …Stop…Please. I'm sorry. It's all my fault…please don't blame him. It wasn't him. I…was the one who brought on the kiss…please leave him alone. He was only trying to comfort me."

Link was thunderstruck. What was Zelda thinking? Taking up for this…this scum? This slime that had taken away his undefeated title with ease? Who had completely ashamed him? "Zelda…What are you…how can you…" Link began.

"Forget this has ever happened. That is for the best…believe me." Marth said, then stepped past Zelda and Link, and walked down the corridor, not really sure what he was feeling about now.