Haha! I've gotten a TON of reviews!! *bows*...thanks a million bucks, if I
had any, which I probably would if I owned the rights to Zelda, which I
don't...curse it all...YES, HAPPY READERS, I'M BAAAAAACK WITH A VENGEANCE...wrong
line...oh, well...if you like this story so far, you'll probably love the
ending, if we can ever get there! So, I'll shut it so you can!
MUAHAHAHAHAHHAAA!!!
**
Ch. 12- Optimism
She lay in the dark cell, curled up in a corner, shivering. Airaen, I'm sorry..., she thought helplessly. Her clothes were ragged and cuts crisscrossed across her body. She shivered in the darkness as sleep threatened to take her once more. I don't want to dream that dream again...Airaen! You'll have to face him alone, I know it...alone, like you've been you're entire life...without me...your mother. How could I do this to you? If the goddesses had not come to us, I wouldn't have...
Her dream had been so real, she remembered. She had seen her...seen Airaen standing there, all alone. That look you gave me when you looked at me...it was different than anything I've ever seen. You're eyes spoke of inner peace, yet you were afraid. Afraid of your own power? What was the shadow behind you? And that sword you held...it was akin to the legendary blade, but...somehow, the blade itself was different. You were different! What have I done? What did I do to you? I'm so sorry!
Zelda placed her head in her hands and wept silently for her only daughter. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and, peering into the darkness, she saw the pale, weary face of Link staring back at her. "What is it, love?" he asked quietly. Zelda looked away, staring at her knees. Link pulled himself closer to her and wrapped his arms around her, placing his chin on the top of her head. With a sigh, she laid against his chest as he held her tighter.
"Why did we do it, love?" Zelda asked after a long silence, "Why are we putting her through this? She's only a child."
Link sighed. "I ask myself the same question every day. But, you know the answer. The goddesses of our Triforce pieces came to us and told us to do it...that she held more destiny than any of us...that she was an important asset to the future..." He sighed.
"To hell with them," Zelda whispered. Astonished, Link looked down at his love and smiled.
"Ah, that's the girl I fell in love with. Now I really know who Airaen gets her attitude from! You know, she was like that from the moment she could talk? It was tough raising her...she'd fire back at you at any given moment."
Zelda smiled, remembering the rare, chance visits she had had when she had passed by Lon Lon Ranch. The girl wouldn't even look at me, saying I looked like "trouble", she thought with a grin, giggling softly.
"What are you giggling about, silly?" Link asked. It had been some time since he had heard that sound.
"Nothing, really," she replied, "I don't even know why I'm laughing...there's nothing entirely funny about our situation."
"Oh, come, now. That's 'political Zelda' talking, now. Right now, the best thing we can do is remain hopeful and optimistic, because right now, everything lies on Airaen's shoulders, and there's not much else for us. She's alive...that's what counts. Our daughter is alive, and that's the best thing we have. She'll find a way through this, you can bet on it. Besides, Gate is with her, so, she at least has a guide. As for...everything else...we can only hope she has enough will to bear anything that comes her way...even war."
Zelda nodded and pulled closer to him. "All right...optimism. Every thing...is...er...going to be all right?"
"Eh...close enough, love. You'll have to work on that, and I'm certain we have plenty of time right now." Zelda could only nod.
**
Ch. 12- Optimism
She lay in the dark cell, curled up in a corner, shivering. Airaen, I'm sorry..., she thought helplessly. Her clothes were ragged and cuts crisscrossed across her body. She shivered in the darkness as sleep threatened to take her once more. I don't want to dream that dream again...Airaen! You'll have to face him alone, I know it...alone, like you've been you're entire life...without me...your mother. How could I do this to you? If the goddesses had not come to us, I wouldn't have...
Her dream had been so real, she remembered. She had seen her...seen Airaen standing there, all alone. That look you gave me when you looked at me...it was different than anything I've ever seen. You're eyes spoke of inner peace, yet you were afraid. Afraid of your own power? What was the shadow behind you? And that sword you held...it was akin to the legendary blade, but...somehow, the blade itself was different. You were different! What have I done? What did I do to you? I'm so sorry!
Zelda placed her head in her hands and wept silently for her only daughter. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and, peering into the darkness, she saw the pale, weary face of Link staring back at her. "What is it, love?" he asked quietly. Zelda looked away, staring at her knees. Link pulled himself closer to her and wrapped his arms around her, placing his chin on the top of her head. With a sigh, she laid against his chest as he held her tighter.
"Why did we do it, love?" Zelda asked after a long silence, "Why are we putting her through this? She's only a child."
Link sighed. "I ask myself the same question every day. But, you know the answer. The goddesses of our Triforce pieces came to us and told us to do it...that she held more destiny than any of us...that she was an important asset to the future..." He sighed.
"To hell with them," Zelda whispered. Astonished, Link looked down at his love and smiled.
"Ah, that's the girl I fell in love with. Now I really know who Airaen gets her attitude from! You know, she was like that from the moment she could talk? It was tough raising her...she'd fire back at you at any given moment."
Zelda smiled, remembering the rare, chance visits she had had when she had passed by Lon Lon Ranch. The girl wouldn't even look at me, saying I looked like "trouble", she thought with a grin, giggling softly.
"What are you giggling about, silly?" Link asked. It had been some time since he had heard that sound.
"Nothing, really," she replied, "I don't even know why I'm laughing...there's nothing entirely funny about our situation."
"Oh, come, now. That's 'political Zelda' talking, now. Right now, the best thing we can do is remain hopeful and optimistic, because right now, everything lies on Airaen's shoulders, and there's not much else for us. She's alive...that's what counts. Our daughter is alive, and that's the best thing we have. She'll find a way through this, you can bet on it. Besides, Gate is with her, so, she at least has a guide. As for...everything else...we can only hope she has enough will to bear anything that comes her way...even war."
Zelda nodded and pulled closer to him. "All right...optimism. Every thing...is...er...going to be all right?"
"Eh...close enough, love. You'll have to work on that, and I'm certain we have plenty of time right now." Zelda could only nod.