Chapter 7
"I'm taking you away from here Zel. Away from the castle and from this life. We can start a new life together away from here." Link stroked her hair. She was now quietly cradled in his lap, her breathing normal and her tears stopped.
"You'd like that wouldn't you? We could go live in Termina. You always told me how you wanted to go well here's our chance."
Zelda thought about this. It all sounded perfect. She could just imagine how liberated she would feel if Link took her from the castle and away to Termina. She had always wanted to go there because from the stories he'd told, it sounded wonderful.
"Yes, I would love that." She answered. She looked up to see his grin and he kissed her swiftly before suddenly having the two of them on their feet. She was puzzled as to what he was doing as she curiously watched him digging through his tunic. He wore a look of pure concentration on his face. He finally brightened and pulled out something from the inside of his clothes.
"Alright now I had this all planned out." He said, looking rather frustrated.
"Link?" He looked up at her. She watched as he got down on one knee though he had just stood up, and took one of her hands in his. It was a lovely picture – his large, gauntlet clad hand holding her small, delicate hand.
"Zel, I know that you have many men who want you to marry them. As they should because you are a Goddess, beautiful and perfect in every way. I love you more than any of them no matter how much money they have or how much land they own. You have my heart and my affections no matter what happens." He opened his free fist and in his palm was a silver chain. Upon the silver chain hung a charm.
"I know you're supposed to have a ring but…the blacksmith taught me how to make this and I didn't have enough money to buy a ring." He slowly got to his feet and loomed over Zelda. His face was hopeful and incredibly sexy to her.
"Zelda Harkanian will you marry me?" He held out the necklace to her and she eyed the charm dangling there. It was a small silver piece made to look like an ocarina. It looked more like a rounded tree stump but she thought it was the best thing she'd ever gotten.
"What do you think?" She asked, barely a whisper. They leaned in and kissed passionately while he slipped the necklace around her neck. The ocarina fell deep into the inside of her dress between her breasts.
She gripped the red tunic in her fists while he held the back of her head with one hand and rested the other against her neck. They both were quickly running out of oxygen but neither cared. That night had been horrible and now they were making up for it. But reality stormed in as a knock sounded at the door.
"Link," Zelda's eyes became terrified, "I don't want to go back." Link saw her distress and held her face, trying to calm her down.
"Shh. You don't have to darling." With ease and great care, he picked up the very lightweight princess and carried her to the bed, laying her down just as quickly as he had picked her up. He then motioned for her to go to sleep while he answered the door.
"Where is my daughter?" The king asked with both concern and anger. He had simply watched her flee the scene and had been embarrassed.
"The corset she was wearing began to suffocate her. She is asleep now." Link answered.
"Well is she alright?"
"I believe she just needs to rest. If it pleases you I will watch her in case she wakes. Then when the party is over you can send a maid in." To this the king nodded in agreement and Link breathed a sigh of relief.
"Notify me if she needs anything." With that he was gone just as fast as he'd come and he still didn't look very happy. After closing the door he returned to Zelda's side and she opened her eyes to greet him.
"Will we leave tonight Link?" She asked longingly, sitting up. He sat down on the edge of the bed and placed a hand on her thigh.
"I need a few days to have everything ready. I'll need to ride to Termina and rent a room at the Stock Pot Inn. I should be gone three days at the most."
"But what will you tell my father as to why you're leaving?"
"I'll simply tell him that I needed to take care of a pest and he won't know a thing." Though everything for now seemed fairly full proof he didn't want to leave his fiancée with Garin. He didn't even want to think about what he would do to her.
"You should sleep." He coaxed suddenly, gently freeing her hair from its up do. He tossed the pins onto the nightstand and watched her comb through the locks with her fingers. She then made a move to get up to take off her dress but he stopped her with a wave of his hand.
He got to his feet and stood in front of her. He was about to help her out of the dress when she reached out and loosened his belt. She looked up at him to ask if it was alright with her eyes and by the look in his own she knew it was. And so she watched his tunic fall to the ground around his feet.
He wasted no time in ripping off his undershirt and tossing it to the ground as well, the muscles in his chest and arms flexed.
She raised her arms and he slowly pulled the dress up and over her head, laying the garment over the edged of the bed before moving forward and kissing her. She laid down on the bed while he crawled over her, kissing her ravenously while her nails grazed his back. They both moaned.
She slowly moved her hands down as he got up on his knees, bringing her up with him. Tearing at his leggings, they ripped fairly easily.
"Zelda." He half moaned, half scolded while he bit down on her earlobe.
"Mmm. Don't worry I did your laundry." She pulled herself closer into him with her fingers laced together behind his shoulders. She gripped them for dear life as he unlaced the back of her corset with his free hand. His fingers brushed playfully over the newly naked skin as the corset fell away.
When she was completely nude he laid her down again. She watched him as he parted her legs and moved in between them, his hands moving up her legs while his lips touched her stomach and moved on up. When he reached her mouth he captured it as well while pumping two fingers in and out of her. She gasped into his mouth.
When he finally pushed himself into her she cried out.
"Yes Link! Yes!" She couldn't help herself. He clamped a hand over her mouth, although aroused at hearing her say his name like that, and waited for a moment before continuing. He buried his face deep into her hair and whispered her name, kissing her neck to rid it of Garin.
Afterwards they lay together, their legs tangled in the sheets but the rest of them uncovered. Zelda lay on her side facing the window, hands beneath her head. Link was also lying on his side curled around her, running his hand slowly up and down her arm while the other supported him on an elbow.
The party would soon be ending and the couple was trying to stretch out their last moments together before Link left for Termina. He traced a freckle dotting her shoulder with his fingertip, thinking about places he and Zelda could live. They couldn't live permanently at the Stock Pot Inn. Eventually they would have to move on and he wondered if they could just live right there in Clock Town. He was contemplating building a house right on Great Bay with a view of the ocean.
Zelda rolled onto her back and looked up into his face. He looked back down at her and they both studied each other's faces, trying to decipher exactly what the other was thinking by their expressions. Both faces were lost in thoughts of what their future would hold. They were young and had so much more time to live together.
"Will you be here when I wake?" She asked quietly, reaching up to stroke his cheek. He leaned into her touch and sighed ever so softly.
"No. I leave soon but I will stay until you fall asleep if you wish." She pulled her hand away and moved onto her side again. The moon was visible through the window and the sky was very dark. Stars poked through and twinkled like jewels.
Link silently understood and pulled the covers up over his princess, tucking them around her body. He then leaned over and blew out the candle. The room immediately darkened, save for the moonlight spilling through the glass. Shadows danced across the walls.
"Goodnight Zel." He murmured, kissing her cheek as she faded into a deep sleep. Her lips parted and she breathed rather heavily. Her eyelids fluttered and twitched, her eyelashes tapping against her skin.
He silently rose and went to the closet, opening it without making a sound. There, as promised, was a bin of clothes Zelda had washed for him. Taking his green tunic and a fresh pair of leggings, he crossed the room to the bed and slipped into his leggings and undershirt. He folded up his green tunic and tucked it away inside of his red tunic as he dressed in it. He dared not sit down on the bed to put on his boots for fear that he would wake her.
Once he was fully clothed again he circled the bed to watch his love sleep. She had cuddled up to her pillow with her hands still resting beneath her head. The halo of hair spread out around the pillowcase and shined in the little moonlight. Her skin lit up and glistened, perfectly formed and with an even texture. Beautiful.
He longed to kiss her or to even touch her face but settled upon raking his eyes over her form many a minute before wrenching himself from her side. Closing the door behind him as he left he returned to the lower level and saw guests already leaving. Some gathered in the foyer and chattered excitedly.
The king was at the doors, fare welling all who had come. When he saw Link his expression became worried. Link went to his side and spoke quietly so to keep their business private.
"Princess Zelda is still asleep and is well. I came to ask your Highness for permission to leave for Termina tonight. I was summoned there to assist Clock Town in a problem they have. I should only be gone for three days, perhaps shorter."
"Hmm." The king nodded to a couple as they exited. He then turned his attention to Link.
"You have my permission. Have a safe journey." He patted him on the back and watched the boy leave, hurrying across the field to the main gate.
Link made his way through the market place and across the draw bridge, dashing across the fields of Hyrule as he made his way to Lon Lon Ranch. He knew that Malon would still be awake – she always stayed up rather late. So he was not surprised to see her in the middle of the clearing.
"Link? What are you doing here?" Malon asked, running up to him. She knew that Zelda's eighteenth birthday party had been that night. She was curious as to why he wasn't there.
"I don't have much time to explain but I need Epona." His eyes flashed towards the stables before returning to her quizzical face. She was still curious and drowning in questions but nodded, leading him to her stall.
"Are you running from something?" She asked as she flung open the door. Epona nearly galloped right out but stopped long enough for the two teens to saddle and bridle her. She threw her white mane about and whinnied impatiently.
"Not exactly." He was running away with Zelda from Hyrule. But at least they were running somewhere and not just aimlessly wandering around.
"Well whatever you're doing be careful." She warned him as he mounted the horse. She thrusted a jug of milk into the saddle bag and collected two apples from the barrel at her side, shoving them inside of the bag too.
"Will do Malon." He assured her, saluting the redhead. She saluted him back and watched as he galloped off into the night, her mind swimming with thoughts of what he could possibly be doing. She wondered if it had anything to do with Zelda.
Link rode across the fields of Hyrule, heading deep into the forest. Epona was more than happy to be riding so fast. She always seemed to enjoy taking Link for these adventures and quests. She was his faithful companion and trusty sidekick. He never used any other horse unless he absolutely had to.
He thought about seeing his old friends again. He hadn't been back to Termina in over a year and missed it. The last time he had been in he had visited with Kafei and Anju, who had three kids of their own. All three called him Uncle Link though they knew he wasn't really their uncle. He had also met with Cremia and Romani. Romani had gotten very good with her bow and she and Link would practice together.
He had told stories to the Bombers and all of the other little kids in Clock Town. He had told them stories about the Forest Temple – filled with labyrinths of surprises and haunted by four Poes' and a phantom.
About the Fire Temple – burning hot lava surrounding the area, monsters that danced and exploded, and a fire breathing dragon that ate up Gorons for lunch.
About the Water Temple – where the entire time he had nearly killed himself figuring out the puzzles and killing the odd, jelly like beast that lurked there.
About the Spirit Temple – the home of two witches who fused their powers together with both flame and ice, using Iron Knuckles to do their bidding.
About the Shadow Temple – house of the dead and where Link could fly across gaps to reach the other side.
But what they loved most was to hear about the final battle with Ganondorf. They listened intently as he would spin tales of a horrifyingly ugly man who was destined to rise up and bring with him great evil. His skin was a sickly shade of green and his hair a flaming red. His eyes burned with wickedness and hatred, striking fear in the hearts of all who looked upon him.
The kids gasped in surprise when they heard about Sheik transforming into none other than the princess herself. They were awed by the way Link described her beauty, comparing her hair to the sun and her eyes to the sky. They grew scared when they heard the part when she was kidnapped. They cheered when he defeated the Evil King and rescued her from his clutches, only to become frightened again when Ganon rose up. But in the end they were satisfied when all was set right.
He smiled when he thought how they would react when he brought the real princess to see them. The boys would all blush and the girls would all want to be friends with her.
"Come on girl." Link patted Epona's rear and clenched the reigns tighter in his hands, steering her through the maze of trees.
"We'll be in Termina by tomorrow afternoon."
When the sun rose Zelda was already awake. She had been awake for quite some time, sitting in the rocking chair by the window. She tugged the brush gently through her hair for the twenty-millionth time as she stared out into the field. The guards walked their usual posts and the grass blew gently with the occasional breeze.
She planned on spending most of her time for the next couple of days far away from her father and from Garin. She knew this would be a hard task but it was worth it to try. She loathed thinking about making wedding plans and spending time with the prince.
Touching the charm dangling against her chest she thought about her real fiancée. The one who was riding to Termina to make plans for the two of them. The one whom she loved more than her own life. The one who was going to take her away from all of this. She smiled and set down the brush to get dressed.
She stepped into one of her dresses and pulled her hair into a knot on the back of her head, tucking the necklace into the inside of her dress before pulling open the door. She came face to face with someone she didn't want to see. The one whom she hated. The one who she was being forced to marry. The one who had defiled her the night before. Garin.
His eyes sparkled oddly as they usually did. He looked rather tired with dark circles beneath his eyes and the way his hair was tousled.
"What do you want?" Zelda snapped angrily, having the mind to let him have it right in the nose. He seemed fairly unsurprised by her tone and sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"May we talk please?" She laughed humorlessly.
"What is there to talk about?"
"Please just for a few minutes." Zelda continued to glare at him but stepped aside to allow him into her bedroom. He walked past her and she closed the door, turning around towards him.
"Now what is it-" Before she could finish her question, she was suddenly overcome by a sudden weight that seemed to settle over her. It soaked into her legs and arms, nearly dragging her down to the floor. Her head even seemed heavy.
"I tried," Garin took a step towards her, "very hard to accomplish this without the use of my power. But you proved to be even more stubborn than I thought. And that lover of yours…"
"What?" Her voice was strained but she managed to keep it even. She tried to take a step but his hand flew out, palm facing her, and she was completely frozen to her spot. She tried to move but though her mind screamed out to her muscles they wouldn't respond.
"I should have used a spell in the first place. But I prefer to preserve my magic for better causes." He looked smug and lowered his hand.
"You aren't really a prince are you?"
"On the contrary…of course I am. My name is Prince Garin of Alcott. My father is the king of Alcott, and my mother the queen. However they favor my brother and were going to send him here instead of me. Which is why I had to kill him."
"Y-you killed your own brother?" Zelda was dumbstruck. She had known something was wrong with Garin and yet she had been stupid enough not to do anything about it sooner. Now it was too late.
"Now, now it wasn't a great loss."
"But won't your parents know? Won't my father and the rest of Hyrule find out?" The way he laughed in response made her blood turn cold.
"Did I forget to mention that this is my brother's body? I took his over after I slaughtered him in his sleep. I am now Garin while he is…well dead."
"You're sick."
"Well that's one way of looking at it. But I need your throne. With the throne, I will come to know of the Royal Family secrets. I can then access anything I want…let's say, the Ocarina of Time? With that I can turn back time and claim the Triforce as my own." He reached out and touched a loose lock of hair.
"And I will have you." She wanted to struggle. She wanted to bite off his hand for touching her again.
"You won't get away with this."
"And why shouldn't I? No one will ever know." Now it was her time to laugh.
"What makes you think I won't tell?" He cupped her cheek in one of his icy hands and smiled evilly at her.
"You are not the only being on this planet that can use magic Princess." He pressed his lips to her forehead and breathed in the scent of her skin.
"If I cast a spell on you to fall in love with me then it will be suspicious. It is clear that you do not love me. However, I can cast another spell that will work in my favor." He then closed his eyes and pressed the palm of his hand to her forehead, chanting under his breath. Zelda tried to listen but soon felt herself slipping under.
The last thing she remembered was hearing Garin's voice.