Chapter 4: Aftermath
The sound of their steps echoed through the damp tunnel. Zelda walked close behind Link careful not to step on him. He walked slowly in front of her, on one hand he carried a lantern lighting their way and on the other he carried his sword. They didn't think anyone else would know the existence of these secret underground tunnels but after the attack at the Temple, anything was possible. It was for those reasons that Impa decided it would be best if the queen was escorted back into the castle by someone else. As a Sheikah, Impa was trained to deceive and hide from her enemies. Using her skills and magic, Impa created a second Zelda, a copy to fool her enemies and everyone else around her. She instructed Link to escort the queen to the castle using the secret tunnels built underneath Castletown. A risky move considering Link's sudden reappearance, but Impa knew she could trust her old pupil.
As they continued to walk, Zelda kept her eyes fixed on his back, specifically on the bloody print she'd left behind. Instinctively she reaches for the wound on her arm; it still stung a great deal. She turns to glance at the red stained piece of cloth that now covered the wound and suddenly went back to that terrifying moment, she tried not to think about it but she could still see the yellow eyes glaring at her from underneath the assassin's hood. The blood of her knights spilled on the Temple floor.
Distracted by her flashback Zelda failed to see that Link had stopped moving and bumped right into him. It was like running straight into a stone wall.
"I'm sorry Lord Arlen, I wasn't paying attention" she steps back apologetically rubbing her head from where she hit Link.
He turns his attention towards the queen, careful not to swing his weapon so close to her.
"No need to apologize your majesty, but are you alright?" he asks warmly and deeply concerned. He fixes the lanterns light on her, scanning her face for a sign of distress.
She keeps her gaze down thinking about how to answer his question. Was she alright? Aside from the pain in her arm she really wasn't sure how to feel. She was numb just like she had been in the study an hour or two ago.
Link continues to scan her face, searching for an answer to his question but as he does he also finds himself admiring her beauty. He admires the soft shadow her long lashes cast on her bright silver blue eyes, the delicate structure of her face, and her luminous porcelain skin covered in dirt and dried blood. Even in her present state Zelda is without a doubt the most beautiful woman he has ever laid eyes on. Inadvertently his eyes begin to scour the rest of her body, paying close attention to the slow rise of her chest.
He swallows hard and quickly averts his eyes, a red stain beginning to paint his cheeks.
"Your majesty, would you like to take a moment to rest?" he asks returning his gaze to her face.
She picks up her gaze and makes eye contact with Link at which point she finds it impossible to remain unfeeling. Slowly her vision begins to blur and she finds herself buried in his muscled chest, staining his bloody shirt with her tears.
"Zelda" he whispers softly
He carefully leans his sword against the wall of the tunnel and with his now free hand wraps his arm around the fragile queen, watchful of her wounded arm.
Zelda continues to weep and when there are no more tears to be shed she picks up her head to see Link looking down at her. Slowly she pulls away from him feeling embarrassed.
"Please forgive me my lord, I did not mean to display such weakness and I most certainly did not wish to stain your clothes any more than I already have." She says behind a false state of composure.
"Please your majesty, there's no need to apologize" he picks up his abandoned sword from the wall and beckons Zelda to follow him.
For a moment Link confused her eagerness to feel comforted for a display of affection and longing for him. After all it'd been eight years since she'd last seen him; he thought maybe their history would still mean something to her, despite being apart for that long. He couldn't blame her though; he did after all leave her behind.
They walked the rest of the way in complete silence, only the sound of their footsteps echoed through the tunnels.
By the time they reached the exit they were both exhausted and hungry wishing for nothing more than a hot meal and sizzling bath. When they reached her study from the long staircase directly connected to the tunnels they found Impa already waiting for them. She was overlooking the Temple through the large window, her arms crossed over her chest. When she caught sight of them she rushed to their side, crimson eyes blazing.
"Your majesty, I was starting to get worried!" she takes Zelda by the hand as they walk through the secret doorway in her study, leading her to the lounge chair across the fireplace. Once Link and Zelda have stepped inside the two guards ordered to keep watch close the wall shut behind them.
"Did anything happen down there, you took an awfully long time getting through the tunnels" she is looking at Link who is standing in front of them.
"Impa it-"Zelda begins to speak but Link cuts her off before she can explain what happened.
"Forgive me lady Impa but I got a little lost on the way, the tunnels were a bit confusing you see, please forgive me lady Impa, your majesty" he bows low, avoiding eye contact with the queen.
"That is no excuse, I trusted you to keep her majesty safe, you should have paid more close attention to my instructions" she barks back angrily.
Link keeps his head down; it was almost like going back eight years. Impa hadn't changed one bit, she was still the same woman he left behind, and despite being scolded he was happy that at least this one thing remained un-changed.
"Impa please that is enough" Zelda cuts in. Her voice tired and irritated.
"Please call the doctor, and please tell the council members that I need to speak with them in one hour" she orders, the fragile woman in the tunnels long gone.
"Yes your majesty, right away" she replies without questioning the queen's orders.
Impa walks to the door but stops opening it, she turns back and glares at Link. Without saying anything Link understands that Impa wants him to follow her out, he should follow her out. He shouldn't want to stay there with the queen and talk to her; but he does. He should get back to his wife, whom he left all alone in the middle of the attack; but he doesn't.
He starts to walk towards the door knowing what his duty is.
"No, Lord Arlen stay; I would like a word with you"
He stops mid stride, mildly surprised, and nods to Impa as she exits the study.
Feeling confused by the queen's request he makes no effort to decipher her purpose so he waits patiently for her to speak.
Zelda slowly walks to the window facing the Temple; every muscle in her body is aching, tense and tired. Her feet hurt from the blisters that have formed on the soles of her feet, never has she walked so much in one day. She takes a deep breath, cringing a bit from the pain in her arm that seems to have gotten worse. It would probably leave a scar; a constant reminder of this day.
"Why did you come back?" she finally speaks. Her voice is sad and low.
Her question takes him a bit surprise, he had prepared for this specific question many times before his arrival but the answers were never enough; and now the time to give her a real explanation had come and he had no idea what to say.
"I was needed" he replied.
A simple answer to a question that needed a whole of explaining but he couldn't explain everything now, not after the attack and after the deaths of those knights. He couldn't tell her about his father, about his marriage to a woman he hardly knew, he couldn't tell her why he never came back for her. Not now anyways.
"I see" was her reply. She wanted to argue and extract all the answers she could but she had lost the will to fight for today.
Knock, Knock
"Come in" she says her tone dismal.
The doors open to reveal a small man whose eye glasses are too big for his face. His stature is hunched and his white robes are whiter than the clouds themselves.
"Your majesty I am glad to see you are safe. What can I do for you today" he says while bowing.
"Hello doctor, I need you to take a look at this wound" Zelda turns away from the window and walks to her seat on the chair slightly tripping over her torn skirts on the way.
"Your majesty are you alright" Link says as he rushes to her aide with a look of concern in his eyes. He gently wraps his hand around her miniscule waist, and without waiting for a reply, or protest, slowly guides her to her seat in front of the fire. She blushes a bit, feeling embarrassed about her clumsiness.
"Thank you" she whispers, her face still pink.
"Of course" he responds, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Very well then, let me take a look at this wound your majesty" the doctor cuts in. He takes out a pair of scissors and begins to cut off the temporary bandage.
"Young man would you mind bringing me that pitcher full of water, along with the bowl" he instructs.
Link gladly brings the old man what he requested.
The doctor pours the fresh clean water into the bowl and pulls out a clean cloth from his medical bag. He then begins to gently wipe off the dried blood and dirt surrounding the cut. She winces a bit from the pain but tries to push through it.
Once he is satisfied with how clean the cut appears he reaches into his bag and pulls out three vials, each with a different liquid inside it. The first vial contains a clear substance that when opened releases a foul smelling odor into the air. Both Link and Zelda suppress the need to cough at the smell.
The doctor then soaks the tip of a different cloth into the liquid.
"Young man I am going to ask you, with the queens permission of course, to take hold of her majesty's hand while I administer this tonic to the wound" he says looking at them through his large eye glasses.
"Doctor is that necessary?" Zelda asks slightly uncomfortable at the doctor's request.
"The tonic will cause you to experience excruciating pain, I have found that patients whom I have used this tonic on before, respond better when they have an outlet in which to relieve the pain. You can use this young man's hand or I can give you a wooden spoon on which to chew, but I've had a few broken teeth with that method."
Zelda nods her head in defeat and turns to look at Link.
"Lord Arlen would you mind being my outlet" she mocks holding out her free hand.
Link chuckles and kneels next to her; he takes her hand and instantly regrets it.
Her hand is warm and soft; he is thoroughly enjoying the contact between them that is until he begins to feel a strong pressure around his hand. He turns to look at the doctor and sees that he has already brought the cloth to her arm. She continues to squeeze and Link is more than surprised at the amount of strength she is displaying.
Zelda on the other hand squeezes her eyes shut and suppresses the urge to scream. She can feel the tonic burning into her skin, cleansing the damage inflicted on her arm by that assassin.
The doctor finally removes the cloth and immediately begins to stich up the wound, using a large needle and a special thread used to seal wounds.
"I am sorry your majesty, but it was necessary to disinfect the wound" he says as he works.
"It's alright I understand doctor" she says releasing the pressure on Link's hand, grateful that the ordeal is over.
Her breath is beginning to relax and although the pain coming from her wound was excruciating, it doesn't compare to the pain the family of the fallen knights will have to face. She feels her heart drop and without realizing it lightly squeezes Link's hand.
Noticing the grip Link returns the gesture at which point Zelda picks up her gaze; their eyes lock.
She feels her stomach drop at the sight. Since the attack she had taken little notice of how handsome Link had become. His skin was perfectly tan, probably from his travels, his jaw strong and sturdy. He must have done quite a bit of physical work during his travels because when he left, his body was nowhere near as strong. His shoulders were broad and tough, his arms well defined and structured. Zelda was sure Link had muscles on his muscles.
His hair was still the same, shaggy and un-kept. It was his eyes however that fully mesmerized her. They were kind, and warm, adventurous, wild and dangerous; they reflected who he was, or at least who she remembered him to be. They were still however, the most beautiful shade of blue, like the blue from Lake Hylia.
"Very well your majesty, the wound has been sealed and bandaged, I expect you to make a full recovery-"
He realizes that the queen is paying no attention to him, but rather her attention is fixed on the man kneeling besides her tending to her other hand. Their eyes are locked and both gaze into the others eyes with longing, rekindling an old flame long extinguished.
"Excuse me your majesty" he speaks a little louder this time.
Link and Zelda break from their trance and look at the doctor, puzzlement in their eyes.
"Your majesty the cut on your arm will leave a scar, I do however have a special lotion that when applied directly to the wound once it's healed, will greatly diminish the appearance of the scar. It won't get rid of it completely but it will become less apparent" he hands Zelda the second vial filled with a thick creamy liquid.
"Thank you doctor" she says while releasing Links hand.
"I will also give you a tonic, for the pain and discomfort" he hands her the last vial.
"Thank you doctor" she says again.
"Anything for you your grace, oh and before I forget. Be cautious when taking a bath, try not to get the wound too wet and change the bandages daily, once in the morning and then at night." he takes a bow and without another word exits the study leaving Link and Zelda alone once again.
Zelda rises from her seat and walks to her desk where she places the vials in one of her drawers. An awkward silence envelops them. Any anger she might have felt at the beginning of their conversation is now gone, replaced by feelings of doubt and confusion. Why did he have to return? Why now?
Regardless of those reasons had it not been for him she would most likely be dead. Actions she would have to take into account.
"Lord Arlen I-" she faces him
He is standing directly below her, eyes on her.
"I want to thank you for saving my life" she musters nervously
He is slowly getting closer, too close..
"And I wanted to ask you what your intentions are" she tries to back away but finds herself halted by the desk behind her.
He stops a bit perplexed by her question. His direct intention at the moment was to kiss her, but she doesn't know what. So what exactly is she asking?
"My intentions?" He asks dumbfounded.
"Yes, are you here to fill your father's position in the council I presume? " she asks her nerves increasing.
"I received his letter a few weeks ago notifying me of his declining health and I wondered whether he would be able to continue to be a part of the council"
"I apologize for any inconveniences that may have caused you, but yes as the heir to the Arlen name I will be taking over the empty seat in your council" he begins to climb the steps leading up the queen ignoring every instinct in his body telling him to back away.
Zelda stays in place also ignoring her instincts. He's getting closer, and the closer he gets the faster her heart starts to beat; the shallower her breathing becomes.
He is inches away from her now and slowly he begins to caress her cheek. She doesn't back away and allows the sensation of his touch to infuse her.
"Zelda" he whispers softly as he begins to close the distance between them. Slowly he begins to descend, until finally..
Knock, knock
They back away almost aggressively; Zelda is blushing furiously while Link softly clears his throat.
"Come in" She says, her voice shaky.
"Your majesty I have been asked to inform you that the majority of the council members are already making their way to the great hall" Impa says as she closes the door behind her.
"Thank you Impa, I will be there shortly" she says walking down the steps and heading to the door.
"Lord Arlen I expect to see you there, I trust you remember where the great hall is" she says without looking at him.
"Yes your majesty I remember well my way around the castle" he responds
"Good, Impa will you please ask the maids to get a room in the east wing prepared for Lord Arlen"
"Yes your majesty" Impa responds
"Lord Arlen before you make your way to the Great Hall I suggest you change your attire" she leaves the study without waiting for a reply.
As she makes her way to her chambers, followed by the knights, Zelda curses herself for allowing him to awaken feelings she had already suppressed. She would have never imagined seeing him again after all these years and yet here he was.
Transformed from the boy she knew into a man who was finally ready to uphold his duty, a duty he had refused to accept.
She reaches her chambers and instantly begins to wipe away the dirt and grime that cover the rest of her body. She removes the ruined ball gown, torn and stained with blood. She searches her armoire for a dress that will cover her bandages and finally settles on a lavender dress with long sleeves. She brushes her hair and places her new circlet back on top of her head. As she looks in the mirror she thinks about the future, wonders how long she will have to live in fear, how long will her life be in danger and how many more innocent people will have to die in order to protect her?
Knock, knock
"Yes" she responds annoyed
"I apologize your majesty, but the council is waiting for you" Impa says while holding the door open.
Zelda looks at her tutor and nods her head gently and follows her out of her chambers.
"You know Impa, you are not a messenger and I am sorry I have been treating you as if you are one" Zelda says as they walk towards the Great Hall, where the council awaits.
"Your majesty after what happened today I prefer to be the one to deliver any type of message to you, I feel it is my obligation to protect you and keep you safe. It is the code in which I live by, protect and serve" she responds proudly
"Impa I have a request to ask of you then"
Impa looks at the queen curiously.
"Impa I want you to train me, teach me to fight and defend myself"
They have stopped walking now. Impa ponders the queen's request for a short moment, her crimson eyes fixed on Zelda.
Zelda on the other hand anxiously waits for her response, hoping she will agree to teach her the arts of a Sheikah warrior.
"I think it would be wise to teach you the arts of combat, I would feel better knowing you could at least protect yourself if you were ever attacked again." She finally responds, her eyes softening a bit.
"Thank you" Zelda says, a smile spread across her face.
"But it will have to wait until your arm is healed"
Zelda nods her head in agreement.
As they continue to walk towards the Great Hall, Zelda takes a moment to admire the colors of the sunset completely unaware of what is yet to come..