A/N:
I am an evil, evil person. I haven't updated in almost three weeks. :( But I have a good excuse! I have been at band camp for the past two weeks, and I've been so exhausted that I couldn't very well write anything worth reading. So please don't throw too many tomatoes. I swear it'll never happen again. (at least I hope not!)
Disclaimer: Just like marching band is from Satan, I don't own LOZ!!! How about that! :P
Apologies
Days passed slowly, too slowly in Zelda's mind, and were wrought with uncomfortable silences and all-around awkwardness between Zelda and Link. Zelda made a note to completely avoid the man, for she felt thoroughly humiliated.
It was made even worse by the fact that she had inflicted it upon herself.
Zelda held a particular hate for cowardliness, and since she had committed such in the meadow, she fiercely chastised herself for it. Not to mention that the look in Link's blue eyes ripped her heart in two, for she was certain he thought himself completely to blame for the whole situation. So she avoided him, which worsened her guilt and loathing for herself even more.
It was not until almost a week later that the situation was resolved, albeit with help from outside forces.
Zelda was currently engrossed with a massive sized tome from Triana's bookshelf as the fairy woman and her sprites worked. When Tael and Tatl began to whine that they were hungry and needed a bite to eat for the thousandth time, Triana gave in and left the sprites to their precious food. With an exasperated sigh, she settled herself in a chair next to Zelda and watched the young woman silently.
Zelda eventually looked up to see Triana's scarlet gaze upon her. "What is it?" she asked lightly, her fair brows quirked.
Triana shook her head as she smiled ruefully. "You have been so quiet lately," she commented, "And Link has been, also. I have a feeling the two are connected." When Zelda flushed, she laughed airily. "I thought as much."
"It's a petty matter," Zelda murmured as she shut the tome closed with a loud snap. Eyeing the ground, she fell silent.
"It must not be petty if it has been troubling you so," the fairy responded kindly. "Come now. Tell Auntie Triana your troubles as you once did when you were but a sprite."
Zelda smiled slightly at her adopted aunt's remark. "It's merely that –."
She was interrupted by a shrill shriek.
"TAAAAAAAAAAEL!!!!!" Tatl squalled as she zoomed after her brother. "THAT'S MINE!!!! I PICKED IT THIS MORNING MYSELF!!! GIVE IT BAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!"
"ONLY IF YOU CAN CATCH ME!!!" Tael gibed with a giggle as his sister erupted into fury. He began to fly quicker as a result, his sibling close behind.
Triana sighed and glanced at Zelda, an apology in her eyes. Standing, she waited a moment before plucking the two fairies out of thin air; they wiggled and struggled as they dangled helplessly from her fierce grip.
"TRIANA!!! LEMME GO!!" Tael shrieked as he desperately tried to escape, although in vain.
Tatl began to cry.
Zelda watched the scene with a smile as Navi floated over to her and settled upon her shoulder. "This happens at least every other day," the sprite commented lightly. "Triana always punishes them, yet they never stop doing it. I swear, Triana is going to light their wings on fire or something if they don't."
"That's a morbid thought," Zelda replied with a soft laugh.
Navi rolled her eyes. "I sincerely hope she does." The sprite paused a moment before adding, "Speaking of fights, did you have one with Link? You really have been quiet lately, and so has he."
Zelda instantly looked away, her heart heavy once again. "I do not wish to speak of it," was all she said.
"That's a shame. I hope you resolve it, though," Navi replied honestly, "because the both of you are supposed to marry one day. And you cannot marry if you won't even speak to each other."
Zelda swiveled her gaze back to Navi, a blush forming upon her face. "Where in the Goddesses' name did you concoct such an idea?" she stammered.
Navi shrugged. "It's rather obvious," she replied blandly. "The two of you have always been close. It just seemed natural."
"I see." Zelda looked away once again to see Triana releasing the two sprites and waggling her finger at them. Suddenly feeling restless, she rose from her seat; Navi flew off of her shoulder. "Tell Triana that I'll be back another time. She seems rather busy at the moment."
Navi was already floating toward Triana. "Alright," she answered distractedly. The sprite was now on the fairy woman's shoulder as she watched the proceedings of Tael and Tatl's punishments.
Zelda waved goodbye, decided it was pointless at the moment, and left Triana's home without notice. Walking back to the village, her heart was heavy once again with reminded guilt. She absently kicked at pebbles along the trail as she traveled slowly. There was no need to hurry. No need to have to face Link again so soon.
Unfortunately for Zelda, fate conspired against her. Upon coming through a clearing that one had to pass through to arrive at the village, Zelda heard the sound of a lighthearted ditty that someone was currently playing. Cautiously she hid behind a tree trunk to eventually peer upon the form of Link, ocarina in hand. She cursed her bad luck, knowing that she would never be able to pass through unnoticed, and it would be quite troublesome to go around the clearing and through the thick foliage to get back home.
Slowly she turned to face Link and awaited his notice. His reflexes were quick and his hearing obviously acute, so it did not take much time before his gaze was upon her. Zelda shuffled her feet as silence reigned in the clearing, not particularly desiring to look into his sapphire eyes and experience more embarrassment and guilt than she already did.
Link, however, had other plans and upon seeing her rose from the rotting log he currently occupied and went before her, silent as she. He was the first to break the uncomfortable quiet, though.
"Zelda," he intoned softly, his voice surprisingly husky and unsure. "How are you?"
It seemed to be merely a rhetorical question, one in which to begin a conversation that Zelda had no wish to start. She, however, forced herself to look upon his face, to see his eyes, to look away from her feet and the ever so appealing ground. When she did so, her heart quelled at the sight of his eyes.
They held guilt and regret, two emotions that he had no right to feel.
As her heart lurched painfully, Link continued. "I have been avoiding you," he stated baldly, "and I wish to apologize. That was cowardly, and I wish for your forgiveness. But most of all, I wish to apologize for what happened in the meadow. I was not thinking clearly. I am sorry, Zelda. So sorry."
Zelda couldn't speak for a time, her chest constricted with emotion and her throat closed. Swallowing, she finally spoke, her voice quiet. "You committed no wrong, Link. Please allow me to apologize. I was naïve and foolish, a little girl. Not truly a young woman who should have acted maturely." She looked away, her eyes falling upon the blossoms that were growing closely to the log that Link had been sitting upon earlier. They happened to be periwinkle blue, like the blue of Link's lovely eyes. Her insides twisted as a result.
A few silent moments later, Zelda found her chin grasped in a gentle hand and slowly moved so as to look upon Link once again. They gazed at each for a time before Link asked quietly, "Are you afraid of me?"
Zelda's eyes widened. "Nay, nay!" she cried fervently. "You have not believed that to be the reason I ran away from you this whole time, have you?"
"I was not certain," he replied, "but I am now. Would I be too forward as to ask why you did, indeed, run?"
Zelda's gaze fell upon the ground once again, and she bit her lip. "I do not know," she murmured. "I suppose I feared the emotions I was beginning to feel every time I am around you. They are none that I have felt before."
Link tilted her chin up to meet his eyes. "Look at me," he commanded gently.
Zelda obeyed and felt her heart squeeze. How could a person possess eyes so beautiful?
His gaze penetrated to her very core as he spoke. "Never have I felt this way for a woman," Link said quietly, his eyes displaying the truth of his words. "You are so lovely, like a rose in bloom."
She blushed.
"But now, that our apologies have been spoken, could I kiss you?"
Zelda flushed scarlet and felt her breath catch. Imperceptibly, she nodded, her eyes widened to the size of cup saucers.
It was as if time stopped, as if the very breeze discontinued its advances merely to look upon the pair and their first act of love. Zelda closed her eyes as Link kissed her, gently, delicately, as if not to scare her away if his romantic onslaughts were too avaricious. That was certainly not the case, for she felt her knees wobble and her heart pound as his lips touched her own. A flare of internal fire ignited within her and she was forced to lean against him, for she suddenly possessed no control over her own ligaments.
It was sweet, it was innocent, but it was so wonderful that Zelda thought she would burst from the feeling of his lips upon her. It ended so quickly that she barely recognized his retreat before kissing him in kind once more. Link was initially surprised before kissing her deeper than before, betraying his feelings to her as she did the same.
It was in the clearing, where the breeze blew softly against the pair, that a guay took to a nearby branch and watched, instantly identifying the woman for whom it had been searching for so long.
I'm a meanie. Short chapter. So sorry. And I'm so sorry for the delay! OO I've been dead, practically, for the past few days and in noooo mood to write. But I hope you enjoyed this fluff. Bwhahaha So sad that I write this stuff. :P
kat-SageOfWisdom-princessZel: Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! Who can resist fluffy goodness? xD
aslan-chic: Yeah, I thought it would add a little more drama to the whole thing. Lol And also, A Night /w my Hero was a spur of the moment fic and I don't know if I'll be updating it any time soon… OO I lack inspiration on that one. xD
sawyerzelda: I should have had Link come in singing "Once Upon a Dream." Huhuh And Disneyland does rock, although I've only been to the original one in California (four times, I might add). :D
Nagem: "Kumiko-sama" really makes me sound Japanese. Lol Thanks so much for reviewing, Nagem-san! :D:D
Greki: Yeah, I guess you could say she's confused. Or afraid. Gotta love a little bit of drama. xD
Babydoll72489: I hope no one was mad! Lol I guess the Zelda in this fic is more innocent than usual. So she really wouldn't know what to do! XD
jade04: Thanx! I will continuing updating, don't worry. :P
ZeldaChik63: I hope you do find the evil person who blocked you. And I'm glad you like my new pen name. I thought it was time for a change. :)
nintyfresh29: Thank you, I'm glad you like it! :D
Story Weaver1: Really? I didn't think it was all that fluffy. xD Actually, I've read some fics that were oozing with fluff to the point it was nauseating. Bleh :P Please let me know if mine become nauseating. Lol
Lucibell: Link is hot. It totally sucks he doesn't exist! (cries) So unfair! :(
PIRO the unforgiven one: I'm sorry you had surgery; I hope you feel better soon! Thanks for still reviewing, though! :D
nightwanderer: (evil laugh) It was a bit cliffie-ish. Huhuh I guess I couldn't help myself. But thank you for the compliments! I feel special. xD
Bvv: Lol, I don't think I'll get very far even if I have escaped idiotdom. And I'll probably be back very soon. XD
Jewel of the Wolves: I totally love your reviews, Jewel! They're so long and funny. And yes, if anyone had plagiarized one of my stories there would be quick retribution, you can be sure. (evil laughter) I guess you could say I'm good at English (I'm much better at it than math, I can tell you that!). Thanks so much for always reviewing! I really enjoy them! :D:D:D
Lost Soul 01: I actually took the expression "going at it like weasels" from a fic that I kinda found by accident a little while ago. I guess it stuck with me. xD And I'm so glad you liked it and read it so many times! I always do that if I find really good romance fic! I'm so flattered! Lol, I feel like I wrote Zelda's Choice a bizzilion years ago instead of last December. Ah, the nostalgia. xD
Vampiress24: Lol, don't worry, I'll make it up to you! But I just couldn't have them kissing so early on, you know? Gotta give them some time to maybe get to know each other better. ;)
magnum326: I don't know if I could ever be as good an author as Tolkien, but it's nice to fantasize about! Lol XD
Hikari no Purinsesu: Yeah, Zelda is sheltered. I know how she feels. OO (shakes fist at mother)
Glorfindel Silverleaf: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. And yes, I thought the little tidbit about the book would be funny. Lol :D
princess of destiny: No matter, a review's a review, right? :D Anyway, I really didn't want to have Z and L kissing so soon… I mean, we gotta at least give them SOME time before they start making out… Lol xD
Perfect Soldier 01: I'm glad you're back! I hope you had a grand ole time in Italy (no fair!). Thank you for reviewing! (as always) ;D