Chapter Fourteen

Link took one deep breath before walking back into the throne room. Zelda sat on the throne with Impa at her left side. As Link approached them, he could see a concern but smiling face that he wished he never looked at. He closed his eyes and continued walking.

"Link! Did you find out anything from Mila?" Zelda asked softly.

"Yes. But it doesn't matter. I... I can't stay much longer Zel." Link said his eyes still closed.

"But Link... I want to help you. I'm sure the Goddesses will know something we can do." Zelda said. Link shook his head.

"We can't! We can NOT talk to the three Goddesses. If we do, not only Hyrule will be endangered by me but by Ganon as well. Zel, this monster... it hungers absolute power... he desires to control and despair." Link paused and sighed. His voice had picked up a bit. "Look Zelda, you're highness," He bowed as if she wasn't a friend anymore but his ruler. "I can't stay here anymore. I'm going to figure a way to kill this beast without it coming out."

"But Link..." Zelda spoke in almost a whisper. Tears swelled up her eyes and her throat clogged up. The princess fought back hard not to cry. Why was he acting like this? She wanted so much to be there for him. To hold him and care for him. Zelda wanted to take Link's pain into her own hands. She clenched her fists tightly.

"No buts' Princess Zelda. I... have to go now." Link said.

"Link, I'm sure there is a way we can fight off this curse." Impa interfered.

"If there was and if I knew of it, I'd stay. But I don't... so I can't. Imap, you of all people should know what kind of threat I pose. Please... let me leave." Link looked at the Sheikian with his gray eyes.

Impa didn't speak. She only nodded respectfully. Link bowed again, whispering softly. "I'll miss you... Zel." The dark hero turned on his hills and walked back down the red carpet to the doors. Zelda cried softly. The tears streamed down her cheeks like a river of burning water. Her face flared up red and her body clenched up.

Impa softly rubbed her shoulders. She knew Zelda would throw herself at her, and cry loudly. That's exactly what Zelda did just as soon as Link was out of sight. Impa held the princess close and motherly. The mother-like guardian held her princess, looking out the window at the dark sky.

Link walked through the empty marketplace. It was extremely windy, he had to hold onto his cloak so it wouldn't fly off his shoulders. Every step he took felt weaker. His legs kept giving in and burned to no end. To make matters worse, his chest felt like a small box of needles was pressed against it and it started raining. Not just rain but RAIN. It poured down like cats and dogs.

Link stopped right outside the gates of the entrance to the market. He looked up, his hood falling off his silver hair. "WHY?! WHY THE HELL ME?!" He screamed loudly. His gray eyes watched as the rain poured down. Lighting flashed and thunder clapped loudly. The dark hero sighed and hanged his head when no answer came back. Link shook his head slowly before continuing his way. He wasn't sure where he was going and how to get there. For fear of being a total new person with Epona, he'd frighten her and she'd run away. So, the old hero of Time just walked. Not ran, not jog or even pace. He just walked.

The rain only got heavier. Link's clothes were completely wet and heavy. His feet started aching for he had been walking for hours. He was now almost in the Lost Woods. Even in the forest, the trees didn't stand any chance against the tears from the heavens above. If anything, it was hell of a lot more humid. The warrior breathed heavily. His chest pain was getting worse. Link looked ahead of him keeping his balance with his hand on a tree. Nothing but darkness and rain.

"Fierce Deity won't talk to me... I've made the biggest regret in my life and I've been cursed with a demonic power. It's raining like hell and it's very humid. What else could go wrong?!" Link shouted to himself. His yell echoed in the woods followed by a ear breaking clap of thunder. Link growled and looked up. "SHUT THE HELL UP!" He screamed at the clouds.

As he took another step forward, his foot slipped in the puddle of water and he landed face first in mud. Link didn't move. He laid there, breathing in the mud heavily. His whole body burned and screamed in agony. His blood was like a flowing river of lava in his veins. Link closed his eyes. His spirit was failing and his body was twisting. To no surprise, he felt the light of the Triforce of Courage slipping his grip. It wasn't long before Link fell asleep and never woke up.

"Shush Princess Zelda... you must be strong." Impa spoke to the now calmer Zelda. Zelda wiped her eyes and sniffled.

"I... I love him so much Impa... I..." Zelda whispered.

"Shhh... I know princess... I know." Impa cradled her. Zelda hiccupped.

"Impa, there has to be something I can do for him. There just has to be!" Zelda cried out.

"I know. But what?" Impa questioned. This was the first problem she didn't have answers to.

Zelda cried softly some more.

"Princess... I think... I know of a way." Came the weak and trembling voice of Mila. Impa and Zelda looked up at her. She was pale as if scared to be there.

"How miss Mila? Please... tell me." Zelda cried.

"I-I-I don't know if this will work. But..." Mila trembled so violently. "Nayru... told me."

"Nayru?" Impa and Zelda exclaimed simultaneously.

"Yes... in my dream..." Mila said. She closed her eyes.

"What did she tell you?" Zelda asked almost in a beseeching manner.

"She said... she said. That... to save him... is to..." Mila swallowed hard. Her once strong spirit and firry eyes dull and emotionless.

"Yes, what? How?" Zelda got up, her patience raising.

"To save Master Link... you... have to..." Mila stuttered. Tears forming in her eyes. "Help him..."

"How Mila?! HOW?" Zelda commanded an answer. Mila fell to her knees crying.

"I... don't know...!" She cried.

"Impa... take care of her. I'm going after Link." Zelda said.

"But Zelda... you can't." Impa stood up with her.

"Yes. I can and I will. You've always told me to follow my heart. That's exactly what I'm going to do." Zelda spoke. Never before has she stood up to what others have told her.

Most of Zelda's life was guided and pushed around by others. When her father died, she became heir to the throne. But a child cannot rule a country. Zelda never knew half the things that went on in Hyrule. But now it was time to do something she wanted to do.

"Yes you're grace." Impa bowed.

"Thank you Mila. You can rest now." Zelda said. "I'll be back as soon as I can." The princess told them. She rushed out to her room. IN her room, she grabbed a cloak and the Ocarina of Time. Zelda tried remembering the tune for transporting to the Forest Temple in the Lost Woods. She knew that's where he would be.

The notes came back to her mind and she blew into the hand size instrument. The melody of the forest came out and green light consumed Zelda and zapped away.

Zelda appeared on the pad of the Forest below the entrance to the temple. She didn't see link anywhere through the rain. So, she called out. "LINK?!" When she didn't get a reply, lda stepped down and ran in the swampy grass. She ran down the steps leading to the maze of the saceared meadow. Circling through the very simple maze, Zelda kept calling for him. She found her way into the first half of the woods.

Having this place memorized, the princess ran through the muddy woods, calling for Link. Her voice was faded into the thunder. Zelda looked into the rain. Her dress tattered and the bottom was muddy. She kicked off her high hills and ripped off from the knee down of her dress. Now she was able to run faster without falling.

Princess Zelda walked through another arch of trees and bushes. She gasped at Link.

There he was, laying in the mud in the pouring rain. His beautiful silver hair shined brightly in what light and rain was there, as if it was an aura.

Zelda rushed to him and turned him over. "Link! Please be okay!" She spoke. Link's face was covered in mud. Zelda wiped off what she could so he could breath properly. "Link, please wake up." Zelda cried softly. "Link...?" She whispered. Her face got close to his to see if he was alright. Not expecting to feel the triforce so weak within his body, she panic. "Link! Speak to me please." Zelda cried again. Her tears streamed off her cheeks onto his face.

She sat there for a moment crying softly before Link reached up and touched her cheek with his hand.

"Don't... cry princess." He whispered.

Zelda's eyes widened.

Link's gray eyes were empty. A pit of nothing; a hopeless cry.

"Link..." Zelda whispered.

"Zelda... you have to leave me here..." Link groaned in pain. His chest was in pain again.

"Not without you Link. We can work this out together." Zelda said, just as stubborn as him.

"Please... Zel... I-"he stopped there when he looked in her eyes. In the once soft and peaceful eyes, he saw determination and sorrow. Sorrow for him. "Zelda..." Link sighed.

"Link... please... let me help you." Zelda whispered their faces still close. There was a long pause. Link opened his mouth to say anything but nothing came out. They stared at one another.

Not too long after that, lightning stroked the tree near them. Link rolled Zelda over and leaped off the ground. Zelda screamed as she rolled away. Link's leg was nearly smashed. When he hit against another tree, hard, shoulder smashed. A jolt of pain sprinted throughout his right arm, disabling it.

"Dammit!" Link cursed.

"Link! Are you okay?" Zelda got up and rushed to his side.

"It's nothing... I just banged my arm out of place is all." Link groaned. As the princess looked over his arm a sudden jolt shocked his insides. Link widened his eyes and fought back from screaming out. What was going on? Was the demon trying to take control?

Realizing that might be true, Link pushed Zelda away from him. "Get away Zelda!" He screamed.

"What's wrong Link? Are you okay?" Zelda asked.

Link clenched the wet grass in his fingers. He was breathing too heavy for comfort. His whole body ached and burned once again. Without his consent, his hand reached back for his sword. Link looked at his sword arm as it pulled out the weapon. "NO!" He shouted. He tried controlling his good arm but found it to be no use. "GET AWAY ZELDA!" Link screamed.

Zelda sat there on the ground, eyes wide in terror as his sword came closer to her. It seemed like his legs were out of his control as well.

"Zelda! Run!" Link yelled again.

She was paralyzed with fear. Just as his sword came close to chopping her head off, Link threw it the other way, making the blade go into a tree. Standing tall over Zelda's frightened still body, Link breathed heavily. This monstrous power was trying it's best to take him over.

"Link..." Zelda cried in a whisper.

"Please... Zelda... kill me... now." Link muttered softly. His breathing got heavier

Link tried is best to fight back the darkness and the evil trying to come out.

Zelda got up at his yelling the second time around. She ran to his sword and pulled it out. The end of the blade laid in the ground. Link was struggling harder. Zelda allowed the rain to mix with her hot tears.

"DO it NOW!" Link screamed. His gray eyes completely white. His legs acted without him, running towards her.

Zelda didn't mean anything. She only dropped the sword and spread her arms out. Link stopped half way. His eyes wide at her. Was it really him or the demon in control right now? Zelda reacted quickly. She grabbed the sword, stabbed it into his gut. But as she got close to him, her gentle and cold lips pressed to his, she pushed the sword even deeper into his body.

Zelda could feel a small stream of blood coming from his lips. But she still kept hers to his. The rain poured down on them, getting softer this time. Link's blood soaked into his clothes. When Zelda pulled away with his sword, he dropped to his knees and she caught him.

"LINK!" She cried out loudly.

Link opened his eyes. Birds could be heard chipping a cheery song outside his wind. The rays of the sun shined in and showered his face. Though, he couldn't see anything but a bright blur, link could feel everything. The soft sheets of a soft and fluffy bed, the warmth of the air and sunlight. He could especially feel the pain in his gut. Groaning, Link slowly got up.

He stood up on the floor of his bed, waving his hands around helplessly. But his hopeless effort was accomplished when a very soft hand pulled his hand to a soft cheek.

"Zelda?" Link asked.

"Yes Link. It's me." Zelda said softly. He could feel a tear come down on his hand.

"What... happened? Why can't I see?" Link asked, confused.

"I... stabbed you. You were about to turn into that demon. I was able to get you to my palace in time to the doctor." She paused. "He said you would be temporarily blind once you would wake up. He was able to repair some of the damage on your body. You'll have a scar and I was able to do some healing magic on you..."Zelda told him.

"I see..." Link spoke in almost a soft whisper.

"Link... do you..." Zelda couldn't find the words for her question.

"No Zel... I don't feel the demon inside me anymore..."Link answered.

"Is... Fierce Deity..."

"... You know... if he is, he'd be sleeping right now." Link blinked.

Zelda looked at his clouded eyes. She smiled softly. Though he couldn't see it, Link could tell she was smiling.

"Link..."

"Yes Zelda?"

"I... I love you."

"I love you too... Zelda."

Zelda pulled his face close to hers.

End.

((Bonus chapter soon...))