Author's notes: I want to apologize to RcA for getting pissed off before. I've been under a bit of stress as far as writing goes, and this fic is possibly the one that I've 100% enjoyed writing in the past month or so. So I'm a bit hypersensitive about what people say about it. Once again, I apologize for being an ass. I'll be nice now, I promise. ^^;
Chapter Eight
Roy's POV
My heartbeat slowed back to a normal pace as I rested with Zelda. She had shown me to a spot by the lake at the edge of the land, and so we lay against a log fallen near the shore. As I took in the crisp air, I felt a gloved finger run down my arm. "Thank you for saving me," Zelda's soft voice whispered.
I turned to the princess with a smile. "It was an honor," I answered with a small laugh, then kissed the back of her hand.
She showed me a smile in return and developed a grip on the hand that held her own. "You're a regular gentlemen, aren't you?" she giggled, then leaned in closer to me. "Why so proper, though?" she whispered before moving her hand up to my shoulder. "I'm not a stranger to you, am I?"
I was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the situation. She didn't want me to... I blinked hard and tried to focus on reality more than my thoughts, only to find that her hand had reached the side of my face. I held her wrist and pulled her hand away from me. "Zelda..."
She was quick to understand my meaning, and closed her crystal blue eyes. "I'm sorry," she uttered.
"Please don't be mad; it's just..." I sighed, trying to determine the best way to put it. "There's someone else. You understand, don't you?"
A small smile broke through her lips. "Yes, I understand, Roy. I had a feeling that you... Well," she cleared her throat, "I was just checking," she turned her head away. I knew that she was lying, but I wouldn't call her on it. "Well, go on."
"Pardon?"
"Go to him."
I hung on the word 'him' in her sentence. Perhaps she wasn't entirely lying.
"You should go back anyway; it'll be dark soon."
"Of course..." I muttered, collecting myself onto my feet. "Are you coming?"
"No," she sighed, her eyes set on the water. "I'm going to stay here for a little while. I'll catch up, don't worry."
I nodded once and started back toward the camp. I stopped for a second, then turned my head back to her. "How did you know?"
She looked back up at me and smiled once again. "I can tell. I guess I was just kind of hoping... That maybe you'd want a princess over a prince."
I laughed a little at her wording, then came up to her again. I leaned in and kissed her cheek. "You're a wonderful confidant, Zelda."
__ __ __
I found Marth along the edge of the camp, behind some brush. I hadn't talked much with him since the night before; everything was so hectic that we hardly had time to speak with each other. I felt there was still a lot that needed to be said. I sat down beside him on the rock he was slouched on, snapping him out of his train of thought. I wondered what it was he was thinking about.
"Hey," I greeted softly.
He turned his attention to me, and suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Hi," he mumbled.
Although I felt a bit confused, I decided to just push it away. "I, um, wanted to talk to you..."
"This is about last night, isn't it?" he put his hand on his neck, looking down.
I was a little thrown back by his reaction. "Well, sort of--"
"Look," he sighed. "Before you start in on me, I think I should just say right now that it was all a mistake... So to speak. I guess I got a little caught up in the moment, and... Well, I got carried away."
I felt a sinking feeling in my chest with his words. That wasn't at all what I was expecting... I thought he felt the same way... "So," I cleared my throat, trying not to show that I was hurt, "it didn't mean anything."
"Right," he kept his eyes away from my face, as if he couldn't look at me.
"Okay," I whispered, setting my view to my feet. I should have known that it meant nothing. He did seem a bit out-of-mind, and maybe I was just mixing signals. Whatever the cause, I realized that I couldn't stay there with him, knowing that he didn't care. Without another word, I rose to my feet and quickly began to walk toward the woods. Leaving abruptly like that didn't seem to hide my emotions well, because I heard Marth calling after me.
"Roy, wait!" I could hear his footsteps not far behind me. I inhaled heavily and hurried my pace; I didn't want him to notice at all, much less come after me. I was unaware, however, that he was running, and so he reached me quickly. "Roy, I--"
"Don't," I quavered, closing my eyes. "Please... I don't want to hear it," I stepped past him and continued toward the maze of trees.
"Please, Roy! You don't understand," he called out, then the footsteps started again. To avoid the same situation, I stopped and let him catch up to me. I didn't seem to have a choice in the matter.
When he reached me, he grabbed one of my hands. "Roy... Are you upset about what I said?"
"Look, it doesn't matter," I muttered, trying my best to keep a calm tone. "It doesn't mean anything."
"No, it does matter. I didn't want to upset you... That's why I said that."
I raised my head to him, but didn't look him in the eye. "What do you mean?"
"Well," he sighed, "I guess I thought you... Wouldn't care. I didn't want to make a fool of myself."
"You just made a fool of me," I replied in a cold voice.
"I'm sorry, Roy. I really didn't mean to hurt you."
"Then you shouldn't have done anything last night," I mumbled, and tried once again to move past him. He still stopped me.
"You don't understand. I just didn't know it meant anything to you. I didn't want you to feel uneasy about it..." he let out another sigh. "So I lied, I suppose."
"What are you trying to say?"
In response, the young prince placed his hands around my face and lifted it, meeting me in a kiss. I was surprised by his sudden actions, and found myself mumbling through his lips. But still he kissed me, and so I finally realized what he meant when he said he lied. I placed my hands on his and pressed my lips against his as well.
He slowly pulled away, and I opened my eyes to see a warm smile cross his lips. He moved his hands down to my shoulders. "We should probably head back and turn in. We have a long day ahead of us."
I nodded in agreement and turned back toward camp, slowly pulling my arm around him.
__ __ __
Everything was black. I could feel a force of cool air, so I knew I was outdoors. But the moon didn't seem to be providing much light. Maybe it was stormy. Focusing my eyes enough, I saw a few trees around me. Was I in the forest? I began to walk around slowly, trying to find a light source or, by luck, a way out. But as I moved on, I wasn't progressing very well. Nothing seemed to change.
After staying in Mushroom Kingdom for a few months, fighting Ganondorf's army, I knew not to call out to anyone, because it would fall onto the wrong ears. Even with my short range of vision, I couldn't identify any landmarks. I must have been in a part of the woods I wasn't familiar with. Now how would I get out?
T air suddenly became more of a rushing chill, and I stopped in my tracks. Something didn't feel right... I could sense something, but I didn't know what. I reached for my sword, but it wasn't in my sheath. Before I could determine what was happening, a sudden force grabbed onto my shoulders from behind. I tried to pull away, but I was turned around to come face-to-face with what had a hold of me.
The frighteningly familiar face of Ganondorf was all I could see. He had a smirk across his lips, which broke into a grin. A wave of fear struck me when he grabbed my chin, pulling my face to him. He used his other hand to grab the neck of my cape, lifting me off the ground. My body trembled, terrified of what he may do.
"Now..." he whispered in a tone that slipped down my spine. "Your friends can't save you."
__ __ __
A cry escaped my throat before I was even aware of what was happening. I found myself sitting up under a leaning blanket of brush, surrounded by the sleeping members of Falco's band. The figure next to me turned, and so I drew my attention to it. Link leaned up on his hands and looked around, confused.
"Hm? Are you all right, Roy?"
I blinked twice, recalling the dream I had just been plagued by. "Yeah... I'm fine. Sorry for waking you."
The boy mumbled something else, then turned back to return to his sleep. I looked down at him, then through an opening in the brush, giving me view of the woods. Was Ganondorf in there?
Chapter Eight
Roy's POV
My heartbeat slowed back to a normal pace as I rested with Zelda. She had shown me to a spot by the lake at the edge of the land, and so we lay against a log fallen near the shore. As I took in the crisp air, I felt a gloved finger run down my arm. "Thank you for saving me," Zelda's soft voice whispered.
I turned to the princess with a smile. "It was an honor," I answered with a small laugh, then kissed the back of her hand.
She showed me a smile in return and developed a grip on the hand that held her own. "You're a regular gentlemen, aren't you?" she giggled, then leaned in closer to me. "Why so proper, though?" she whispered before moving her hand up to my shoulder. "I'm not a stranger to you, am I?"
I was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the situation. She didn't want me to... I blinked hard and tried to focus on reality more than my thoughts, only to find that her hand had reached the side of my face. I held her wrist and pulled her hand away from me. "Zelda..."
She was quick to understand my meaning, and closed her crystal blue eyes. "I'm sorry," she uttered.
"Please don't be mad; it's just..." I sighed, trying to determine the best way to put it. "There's someone else. You understand, don't you?"
A small smile broke through her lips. "Yes, I understand, Roy. I had a feeling that you... Well," she cleared her throat, "I was just checking," she turned her head away. I knew that she was lying, but I wouldn't call her on it. "Well, go on."
"Pardon?"
"Go to him."
I hung on the word 'him' in her sentence. Perhaps she wasn't entirely lying.
"You should go back anyway; it'll be dark soon."
"Of course..." I muttered, collecting myself onto my feet. "Are you coming?"
"No," she sighed, her eyes set on the water. "I'm going to stay here for a little while. I'll catch up, don't worry."
I nodded once and started back toward the camp. I stopped for a second, then turned my head back to her. "How did you know?"
She looked back up at me and smiled once again. "I can tell. I guess I was just kind of hoping... That maybe you'd want a princess over a prince."
I laughed a little at her wording, then came up to her again. I leaned in and kissed her cheek. "You're a wonderful confidant, Zelda."
__ __ __
I found Marth along the edge of the camp, behind some brush. I hadn't talked much with him since the night before; everything was so hectic that we hardly had time to speak with each other. I felt there was still a lot that needed to be said. I sat down beside him on the rock he was slouched on, snapping him out of his train of thought. I wondered what it was he was thinking about.
"Hey," I greeted softly.
He turned his attention to me, and suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Hi," he mumbled.
Although I felt a bit confused, I decided to just push it away. "I, um, wanted to talk to you..."
"This is about last night, isn't it?" he put his hand on his neck, looking down.
I was a little thrown back by his reaction. "Well, sort of--"
"Look," he sighed. "Before you start in on me, I think I should just say right now that it was all a mistake... So to speak. I guess I got a little caught up in the moment, and... Well, I got carried away."
I felt a sinking feeling in my chest with his words. That wasn't at all what I was expecting... I thought he felt the same way... "So," I cleared my throat, trying not to show that I was hurt, "it didn't mean anything."
"Right," he kept his eyes away from my face, as if he couldn't look at me.
"Okay," I whispered, setting my view to my feet. I should have known that it meant nothing. He did seem a bit out-of-mind, and maybe I was just mixing signals. Whatever the cause, I realized that I couldn't stay there with him, knowing that he didn't care. Without another word, I rose to my feet and quickly began to walk toward the woods. Leaving abruptly like that didn't seem to hide my emotions well, because I heard Marth calling after me.
"Roy, wait!" I could hear his footsteps not far behind me. I inhaled heavily and hurried my pace; I didn't want him to notice at all, much less come after me. I was unaware, however, that he was running, and so he reached me quickly. "Roy, I--"
"Don't," I quavered, closing my eyes. "Please... I don't want to hear it," I stepped past him and continued toward the maze of trees.
"Please, Roy! You don't understand," he called out, then the footsteps started again. To avoid the same situation, I stopped and let him catch up to me. I didn't seem to have a choice in the matter.
When he reached me, he grabbed one of my hands. "Roy... Are you upset about what I said?"
"Look, it doesn't matter," I muttered, trying my best to keep a calm tone. "It doesn't mean anything."
"No, it does matter. I didn't want to upset you... That's why I said that."
I raised my head to him, but didn't look him in the eye. "What do you mean?"
"Well," he sighed, "I guess I thought you... Wouldn't care. I didn't want to make a fool of myself."
"You just made a fool of me," I replied in a cold voice.
"I'm sorry, Roy. I really didn't mean to hurt you."
"Then you shouldn't have done anything last night," I mumbled, and tried once again to move past him. He still stopped me.
"You don't understand. I just didn't know it meant anything to you. I didn't want you to feel uneasy about it..." he let out another sigh. "So I lied, I suppose."
"What are you trying to say?"
In response, the young prince placed his hands around my face and lifted it, meeting me in a kiss. I was surprised by his sudden actions, and found myself mumbling through his lips. But still he kissed me, and so I finally realized what he meant when he said he lied. I placed my hands on his and pressed my lips against his as well.
He slowly pulled away, and I opened my eyes to see a warm smile cross his lips. He moved his hands down to my shoulders. "We should probably head back and turn in. We have a long day ahead of us."
I nodded in agreement and turned back toward camp, slowly pulling my arm around him.
__ __ __
Everything was black. I could feel a force of cool air, so I knew I was outdoors. But the moon didn't seem to be providing much light. Maybe it was stormy. Focusing my eyes enough, I saw a few trees around me. Was I in the forest? I began to walk around slowly, trying to find a light source or, by luck, a way out. But as I moved on, I wasn't progressing very well. Nothing seemed to change.
After staying in Mushroom Kingdom for a few months, fighting Ganondorf's army, I knew not to call out to anyone, because it would fall onto the wrong ears. Even with my short range of vision, I couldn't identify any landmarks. I must have been in a part of the woods I wasn't familiar with. Now how would I get out?
T air suddenly became more of a rushing chill, and I stopped in my tracks. Something didn't feel right... I could sense something, but I didn't know what. I reached for my sword, but it wasn't in my sheath. Before I could determine what was happening, a sudden force grabbed onto my shoulders from behind. I tried to pull away, but I was turned around to come face-to-face with what had a hold of me.
The frighteningly familiar face of Ganondorf was all I could see. He had a smirk across his lips, which broke into a grin. A wave of fear struck me when he grabbed my chin, pulling my face to him. He used his other hand to grab the neck of my cape, lifting me off the ground. My body trembled, terrified of what he may do.
"Now..." he whispered in a tone that slipped down my spine. "Your friends can't save you."
__ __ __
A cry escaped my throat before I was even aware of what was happening. I found myself sitting up under a leaning blanket of brush, surrounded by the sleeping members of Falco's band. The figure next to me turned, and so I drew my attention to it. Link leaned up on his hands and looked around, confused.
"Hm? Are you all right, Roy?"
I blinked twice, recalling the dream I had just been plagued by. "Yeah... I'm fine. Sorry for waking you."
The boy mumbled something else, then turned back to return to his sleep. I looked down at him, then through an opening in the brush, giving me view of the woods. Was Ganondorf in there?