Chapter 22
"Link?"…. "Link?!…goddesses… someone help me!"
Cremia crouched down on the floor, checking to see if the unconscious man was alright.
She had stopped dancing to use the bathroom and on her way she found Link, knocked out on the floor of the hallway. Confused and not knowing what to do, she called out for someone.
The first to arrive was Romani. Once seeing Link, she quickly ran out to get more people. A crowd hovered over him, trying to see if he was alright.
The wedding singer pushed through the crowd and into the front. Seeing Link, she shook her head sadly. "He has found her.", she whispered.
Cremia glanced up to her sister, requesting a doctor and for him to be taken to a clinic. Cremia had found that on the back of his head, was a nasty bump the size of her palm. Romani hurriedly ran out of the room to get one.
The singer, Jesamay, grabbed Cremia's arm for her attention. Cremia turned wildly, shocked that someone had grabbed her so forcefully. "What?", she asked.
"Where is Zelda?", asked Jesamay.
Cremia's eyes went wide, realizing she hadn't seen her friend for at least an hour. She quickly jumped up and sifted through the crowd to find the bride. Upon failure, she yelled across the room to the singer, "She's not here!"
Jesamay came to Cremia and said, "We must wake Link and fast. They have taken her back to Hyrule."
"What?", Cremia gasped. "Who?"
"No time to explain. We have to wake him up."
She looked over at the throne, where her father and the prince where standing, staring daggers at Link. The expression of the young prince was anything but happy. His face was turning red with anger.
She gave him a sarcastic smile and turned back to Link. "Looks like you've made some new friends.", she joked, nodding over toward the prince.
"Guess so.", said Link grinning.
"Come.", said Zelda, taking his hand and leading him to the balcony. She gave one last glance back to see the prince was fuming.
"So", Link started, leaning against the balcony. "What is that prince guy doing here anyway?"
Zelda rolled her eyes. "I assume it is for marriage reasons, but there is no way this princess is getting married to that." She nodded her head to the throne. "He is not focused on love and happiness. I can see all he is looking for is power."
"I can't believe you think of marriage at your age.", said Link. "Being a kid is all about adventure."
"Is it now?", Zelda challenged. "Do tell me. Is adventure everything?"
"Not everything.", said Link. "Friendship." He stood up strait, looking her square in the eye. "Love, perhaps, in the future."
Zelda smiled, with one eyebrow up. "Is it that farm girl you fancy?" Zelda hoped it not to be true, but she mustn't make herself obvious.
"Malon?", he laughed. "No, I don't have a particular pick at the moment."
She wasn't very happy with this answer. Perhaps she had assumed wrong. Maybe he never liked her in the first place. That, that one kiss on the cheek had just been his way of farewell. And maybe that morning in the courtyard had meant nothing.
Changing the subject, Link said, "One day, Zel, I will take you on an adventure with me. We can go far, far away." His voice held excitement.
Zelda smiled widely at the thought. "Now Link, that would be quiet scandalous. What would Hyrule think?"
"That their princess has runaway with a simple commoner.", he replied, grinning. "And then they would chase after you, but they wouldn't find us."
"Sounds fun. You can count on me to go.", she said. "This castle is awfully boring. I need to live my life as an independent woman." Zelda wished it to be true, but knew it was only a fantasy. There was no way she'd be able to escape the walls of the palace.
"Who said you'd be independent?", Link asked softly. "I'd be there too."
"I guess I could settle with that also.", said Zelda. She now noticed that they were standing awfully close to each other. So close that she could feel the warmth radiating from him. And when she looked up, strait in his eyes, their noses touched.
She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. Just as she was about to turn away, their lips met. Only for a brief moment though, due to a certain prince ordering guards to seize Link for his actions.
Startled, both looked over to see the prince, followed by the king and a few guards, stomping towards them. The guards grabbed Link's arms and twisted them behind his back until he fell to the floor in pain. Zelda cried out as she was pushed back by her father.
"You have been watched carefully boy.", said the prince. "And your actions displease us all very much." With one swift move, the prince took a hit at Link with a closed fist.
"Stop!", Zelda yelled. "Why are you doing this?" She went to run to Link, but was stopped, once again by her father .
"He is not the boy you should be socializing with, Zelda. We must put an end to this friendship before it gets out of hand.", he said calmly. "I'm only doing this because I know what's best for you."
"What's best for me?!" Zelda couldn't believe her ears. "So this is best for me?", she cried hysterically.
The prince ignored the argument that was taking place between Zelda and the king. He was focused on Link. "For force upon the princess, I, Marth, sentence you to death by my hand.", he said, then speaking to the guards. "I have spoken."
Zelda gave a weak cry upon hearing his words. Executed? "No! You cannot!", she screamed. "This is not your kingdom. I object to these matters."
Marth walked up to Zelda, who was now being restrained by two guards. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "It was with the king's permission, your highness." Zelda looked up at her father with pleading eyes. Had he really ordered her only friend to be killed?
"Please father. Don't do this. Link was at no fault.", she cried.
The prince studied Zelda's necklace. The one Link had given her. With a yank, he tore it off her bare neck and fiddled with it. "Did lover boy give this to you?", he asked.
Zelda turned her head away, looking down to the floor. "I see.", said the boy, lifting up her head so she would look at it. He let it dangle with one finger and then let it fall to the ground, smashing into millions of tiny pieces. "And now I don't."
With a grin, the prince turned to the ballroom, leaving her to grieve over the cherished gift.
The king looked down solemnly and turned back to the castle to leave. Her guards let go of her arms, letting her slide to the floor in tears.
The king walked up to a servant girl, who was appalled at the scene. "Take her to her room.", he said. "Let her drink this potion. I do not want her to remember this heartbreak for the rest of her life. Make sure that all memory of the boy is forgotten." With that, he handed her a bottle of purple liquid and patted her on the shoulder.
Reluctantly, the girl took the orders, and aided a crying Zelda. Gathering herself together, she looked up to see that Link was being taken away. "Link!", she screamed and tried to run to him, but the servant girl took a tight hold on her arm.
"Come, princess.", she said. "Everything will be alright. I promise."
With lost hope, Zelda gave in, and let herself be lead to her room. Once the door to her room was opened, she immediately flew herself onto her bed and covered her head with her pillow.
"Please,", said the girl. "Calm down. There is no need to be so broken." She came down to sit next to the sobbing princess, and stroked her hair.
"I know what I'll do", said Zelda with a cracked voice. "I will die at my own hand. I'll make them pay for this." Zelda got up and began forming a noose with her sheets.
"All that is unnecessary, I'm sure.", said the girl.
"How do you figure?", questioned Zelda. "Without Link, I am nothing but a shell."
"Princess, I can free him.", she said.
"What?", asked Zelda, making sure she heard right.
"Don't you find it silly that you are already planning your death before thinking of a way to save him?", she asked. "If you stay calm, I will free him for you."
"And how do you suppose you do that?", asked Zelda, curious to the idea.
With a smile, the girl pulled a bunch of keys that belonged to the dungeons from her pocket. Zelda's eyes grew wide. "How did you-"
"No time to explain. I must be going.", she said getting up from the bed. Just before she was about to go, she saw a glass of water on Zelda's dresser. "Here", she said. "I will give you something to help you rest."
Careful to pour only half of the glass into her water, she tipped it up and let the purple fluid flow down. "Drink up.", she said. "And rest well."
"Wait.", called Zelda. The girl stopped and turned to her. "What is your name?"
The girl smiled and said, "Jesamay", and with that, she left the room.
With a jolt, Zelda immediately woke up to find herself in a dark room. Her wrists has been chained to the wall, and he legs rested firmly before her. She could smell the putrid stench of dead rats. Probably ones that had been used for food by prisoners, and the rest of the bodies left to rot. To say the least, it was disgusting.
There was enough light to see that she was placed on a bed of rose petals. She figured it was Marth's signature touch. The thought of him made her blood boil.
Now it all made sense. There was no Toby. There was no man who was light sensitive. It had all been one, big, fat lie. And she had fallen for it. How could she be so stupid?
"You will pay.", Zelda vowed to herself. "I promise you Marth."
"Oh really?", came a man's voice.
Zelda jumped. Marth was in the room. In one of the shadowed corners He had probably been waiting for her to wake up.
"And how do you plan on doing that?", he said. Zelda heard shuffling noises and saw him walk into the light. He crouched down next to her, making it sure that it was too close for comfort. She turned her head to the side, avoiding eye contact.
"Did you really think you could get away with it, Zel?", he asked. A hint of irritation in his voice. "Huh? Did you actually think that a princess could runaway and never be caught?
"Tell me. Didn't you always find yourself glancing over your shoulder to make sure no one was following?", he said, further smashing her down. "Huh, Zel? Because I would love to figure out how you kept sane through all this.
"Well Zelda? Are you going to answer me or are you just going to make yourself look more stupid? I thought you had pride. I thought you were strong. Well I guess that's not the case since lover boy isn't here to back you up."
"Shut up", Zelda muttered.
"What did you say?", he asked with anger intact to the question.
"I said, shut the hell up.", Zelda repeated louder.
Marth took hold of her mouth, squishing the sides with his hands. He glared at her angrily. "You will never tell your fiancé to shut up. Do you understand!"
Zelda glared right back and spit in his face. Zelda was rewarded so with a violent smack. "You must learn your manners girl.", he said. "Any man higher than you is to be treated as such.
"You really are a fool of a princess, you know that?", he said, pacing across the room. "First, you fall in love with a childhood friend, then years later, you manage to find him, having no memory at all, and runaway from the only place you call home. You also fell in love with him a second time and got married, regardless of already being engaged. If Hyrule were to find out, you'd probably be disowned from the kingdom. What else could you screw up?
"I am not the one who ruined your life, dear fiancé. You are the sole reason of why you are here right now.", he finished.
"I am not.", Zelda argued. "I was ruined by the evil man that everyone thinks is so wonderful. You have caused so much grieve not just among me, but upon your own kingdom. You are a foul ruler, and so shall be for the rest of eternity."
Marth swooped down to her again. This time a grin was on his face. "I should watch my tongue if I were you. You are the one who is chained and going nowhere.", he said. "How shall I punish you for speaking out of turn?" His finger ran up and down her chest.
Zelda remained calm. "You must think yourself rather cleaver.", she said. "Tell me. How long did it take you to think this all out."
"Long enough, love, long enough.", he said, breathing down her neck. Zelda scowled at his behavior.
"Wait till my father finds out about you.", said Zelda. "You will be banished, maybe even executed."
Marth laughed lightly. "Dearest Zelda, your father believes your dead. In fact, the news had hit Hyrule just this morning. Your father is getting ready for the services as we speak."
"So I assume we are in our dungeon then?", asked Zelda, seeing if she could get any information out of him.
"Now aren'twe the smart one?", he said with a grin.
"And what do you plan to do after that, Marth?", Zelda asked. "Hide me here in the dungeon forever? Make me your wife and use these cells for rooms for our children. Honestly, I thought you were more kind to your own blood."
"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk.", said Marth, waving a finger before him. "We are speaking out of line again. Are you asking to be disciplined? Don't worry, I have plenty of ways to make you fallow the rules. "
Shivers ran down Zelda's back at the thought of what he could do to her. "So Marth, is there anymore secrets I should know about?"
"Nothing that you already know.", he said. "I assume you have all your memory back by now."
"Yes, I do. I regret to know, that my father was also behind getting rid of Link. I never thought he would stoop that low, but I have been mistaken."
"I see. Well, do not feel out of the circle for you are not the only one who has been betrayed. I have proudly captured my own fairy and plan to sell it for a high amount."
"Navi?", asked Zelda. "How is the little beast? She is in as deep of water as you. Good ridden."
Marth let out a yawn and said, "I am getting tired of talking, so we are going to play a little game."
Zelda didn't like the sound of that. "What worse damage can you do, Marth? You've already gone all the way. Nothing really worse than that."
Yes, I see.", he muttered. "Well, this game involves three people. You, me, and Link. Now, he isn't here right now, but when he is, we are just going to have the best time."
"Wow, Marth.", Zelda exclaimed sarcastically. "I didn't know you swung both ways." She grinned when Marth's mouth dropped.
After gaining back his composure, he spoke. "You just think you are so cute don't you. Well, we'll see when he comes. You see, this is a game I like to call 'Do or Die'. Now normally, you'd play with one person, but I thought I'd add my own touch. I will simply capture Link and place him opposite of you. Now, you will do everything I say, while he watches. If you refuse, then he will die."
"He will get you before you can capture him.", threatened Zelda. "He will not let this happen."
"Yes,", said Marth. "Well, I suppose that will take a little while seeing as I paid someone to give him a nice bump on the head before we left."
"What?", Zelda asked weakly.
"Oh, don't worry princess. It was just to stall him a bit that's all. I don't believe it will cause any sort of concussion so I wouldn't worry."
Zelda thrashed about wildly, hoping in some way, she could get out of the cuffs, and tear Marth into tiny little pieces. Marth stood with his hand on his hips, watching in amusement as the princess tired herself out from struggling.
"Try as hard as you can princess. You'll never escape."
jade2824: lol thanx
Bvv : i knew you knew it :)
kimahrigirl: Thanx... i'll be more careful to re-read my chapters
potter29vo: hmmm... i dont really think he can be forgiven in this story :)
EVILkrazyMONKEYS: lol..thanx, i'll try to make them longer from now on
Tri: Thanx
Vampiress24: sry... i wouldv'e maybe gone in more detail but with me it wouldv'e been corny :P
dan heron: Actually, i surpirsed that a lot of peeps didn't know
SoulessCalibur: oh YES
ArizonaGoddess89: sadly yes, all stories must come to an end. :(...yeah i actually have read one where he is "nuetral" and that is by sawerzelda...i've been squirmish of flying since 9/11....
Fury: Most likeley not. She WAS sheltered so she's nieve (nieve? :P)
Snowyflakes: lol..your reviews always please me
Ria the Shiekah: No, actually, he's been a bad guy in a lot of fics, thanx tho :)
Eva-Freak015: lol
Kelenariel Khelekkir: Yup, Marth the game guy... i wonder why everyone portras him as evil....oh well... thanx :D
Nessa-Cuthalian: Why thank you. :)
The Gemini Sage: Eveidently he is lying down unconsious ....thanx :)