This better be over quick: Link had a desert to get to, Gerudo to talk to, and his queen to return to.
The day was decent with some cloud cover, but was as good of a day as any to spar. The noise around the training ring with brimming with excitement. Word had spread quickly that Link, Hero of Hyrule, was going to spar against a glorified prince and a foreigner at that. The men of the guard were crowding to get a good viewpoint. Link had heard that Zelda, Renado with Leda, the Noruidians and the Councillors had one side of the training ring reserved for themselves, seated beneath a canopy to spectate from the best vantage point with the best comfort. Bets had been subtly placed as to how long the prince would last before he submitted to the Hyrulean knight, the lowest Link heard to be under a minute which was ridiculous if he was being honest. Apparently, many members of the Seven Noble Families were also supposed to be amongst the crowds, probably scoping out the newest competition in the race that was Zelda's hand in marriage in the form of the Noruidian prince.
Link stood away from the crowds for the moment, beneath a colonnade that lead to the training area from the castle, the more official way to the training area rather than the passageway Zelda and Link used for the queen's private lessons. The knight was pumped and ready to go, swinging his shoulders slowly to loosen his muscles, stretching and mentally preparing to kick some princely ass. He was shirtless already, wearing on his back the Master Sword in its sheath. If Link paused he could almost imagine that the sword seemed to hum, as if excited itself at the prospect of the spar, but surely that was just his imagination.
Link was not alone, however, under the stone arches. Faris and Captain Jerret were with the younger man to help put him into a focused and tempered psyche. Faris stared down at the younger knight and gave him an encouraging pat on his uninjured shoulder.
"Don't think that this is some pampered, pompous prince you're fighting against, Link. Vahlymor is a hardened veteran with years of training and experience under his belt. He's a commander of his country's navy, a war hero, and dare I say it possibly even better than you. Do not underestimate him and Goddesses forbid that you get cocky".
Link looked at Faris and noted the sternness in his voice and seriousness in his expression. The older knight was clearly not joking around and his solemn attitude was mirrored by Captain Jerret.
"Don't lose your head, because I'm sure as hell the prince won't. He knows better".
"I won't," Link replied, narrowing his eyes a bit before taking a steadying breath.
"I know that you're pretty good with keeping your emotions in check, Link, but…" Jerret at Faris who cleared his throat and continued.
"When it concerns the queen, you can sometimes-"
"Sometimes what?" Link asked, a frown appearing upon his face.
Faris sighed and settled his one hand on his hip and cocked his head to the side a bit, looking at Link. "You're close, we get it, she's queen to all of us, but she's also your friend and this prince might just be her husband. Just don't... cut the guy in half or something or we all just might hang I'm sure".
Link was about to make a retort when he stopped and looked aside. Dammit, Faris was right. Taking another calming breath, he felt himself ease into knight mode, hero mode, with all of his focus on the task at hand. "I'll be fine. It's just sparring," he said before nodding that he was ready. "Just another day."
The three men walked down the colonnade towards the awaiting crowds. Upon seeing their hero, the guardsmen erupting into cheers and cries of encouragement and excitement. It looked as if the entire castle was present, or as much as duty would allow. Of course, posts still needed to be filled and Link was sure that those on duty right now were wishing that they could see the fight. Link didn't care at all for the crowds, at all, but there was nothing he could do about it. Keeping his eyes ahead, on either side of him were his fellow countrymen, all smiling and calling his name, shouting out support, and the swell of Hyrulean patriotism sang in the air. Pride filled the Hylian's chest and Link couldn't help but smile in response, which only made the men around him cheer louder.
Entering the circular, sand covered ring, Link saw that Prince Vahlymor was already there, standing shirtless next to his fellow Noruidians. The prince was carrying a foreign looking longsword that was both ornate and comfortable in the man's hands. Now shirtless, Link got a good look at the prince's physique. In addition to the prince's characteristic scar that cut through his brow, his toned body was riddled with scars and evidence of years of the sword. Upon his left side there was a large scar that ran from his ribs almost around to his back and Link could only imagine how the man had acquired such a large scar. One of Vahl's men gestured to the prince that Link had arrived and he looked up for them to lock eyes. Link didn't return the prince's easygoing smile but he did give him a nod in greeting. Both men silently seized each other up, Vahl being taller and more toned, but the amount of muscle one had meant nothing if they knew how to handle a sword properly.
The moment between the two men lasted only a few seconds before their attention was drawn to the vision that was Zelda rising from her seat beneath the canopy. The crowds steadily quieted down once it became apparent that their monarch was stepping into the ring and a break in the clouds bathed the training ring in warm sunlight. Today Zelda was wearing a blue dress, Hyrulean blue, that hung low on her shoulders, hugged her perfect figure, and had long, gracious sleeves that added to her elegant look. Her hair was simply styled in her classic back-braid but she was also wearing one of her smaller crowns for the occasion. Simply put, she looked as beautiful as always so when she beckoned Link and Vahlymor over to her, they didn't hesitate to do so.
"Your Majesty," Vahlymor greeted, bowing low before taking up Zelda's hand to give it a small kiss.
The crowd seemed to find that of interest as a loud murmur surrounded them but Zelda ignored this, simply smiling sweetly and inclined her head in greeting to the prince. "Well met, sir, I trust you and your fellows slept well".
"Better than we have in months it seemed," Vahl replied with a charming smile. "And you look as radiant as you did yesterday".
Zelda chuckled politely before glancing at her knight. Link managed to remain motionless while the two royals had their cute little interaction, but he still felt the tickle of annoyance at his steely resolve.
"Sir Link".
"My queen".
"You look fit. Are you confident that are well enough to spar today?"
"Of course, Your Majesty. I would never dream of denying the Prince Vahlymor a spar with the Hero of Hyrule".
"And I must thank you again, Sir Link. This is a true honour and I can only imagine my father's reaction when I send him word that I got to actually fight against one of the legendary Hyrulean heroes".
Vahl's smile was handsome, charming and infectious and Zelda couldn't help but smile wider, perhaps with pride, as she glanced back at Link. The Hylian Knight managed to smile a bit and gave the prince a nod.
"I thank you, Your Highness, for your kind words. The honour is mine".
Zelda looked between the two men before clapping her gloved hands softly together. "Well, we might as well begin. Prince Vahlymor, if you would just step aside for a moment so I might speak with my knight? I thank you".
When Vahlymor bowed his head and returned to his countrymen, Zelda looked up at Link and spoke in a hushed tone. "Are you sure about this?"
Link smirked s bit and single-handedly undid the strap of his sheath to hold the sheathed sword in his hands. "I'll be fine, you worry too much. The prince won't lay a scratch on me".
"I'm not as concerned about him harming you," Zelda said under her breath, looking passed Link and the crowd. "You mustn't harm the prince, do you understand?"
Link looked at her and drew the Master Sword and only he and Zelda could see the bluish-shine that the blade gave off. "I'm sure that the prince knows how to handle himself".
Zelda looked as though she wished to argue when Faris came to their side and said, "We should begin, my Queen, if you would return to your seat".
The queen looked between them both before giving Faris a small smile and she turned to return to her seat beneath the canopy. Zelda gave Link one last glance before she left and the knight watched her go from the corner of his eye, his entire being was focused once again upon the prince. Faris watched Zelda go as well as he muttered to Link. "I hope you understand the gravity of the situation".
"Yeah, yeah I got it," Link said handing his sheath to the older knight and expertly swung the Master Sword to warm up his wrist and forearm. "I got places to be so this won't last long".
Link stepped into the centre of the ring and seeing that he was ready, Prince Vahlymor came forward to stand across from him. Faris sighed before his lifted his lone arm and the crowd around the ring settled down once more in anticipation of the match. The older knight then approached the two opposing swordsman and in a low tone he said, "All right, you two, I'm gunna be straight with you. Prince, hero, Hylian, Noruidian, doesn't matter to me. Let's keep this to disarming or overpowering your opponent only, y'hear? Her Majesty has requested for no blood, please, so let's have ourselves a nice, friendly spar, okay?" Faris paused to look at both men, who gave him a nod. "All-righty," Faris continued with his own nod, "on my count then, gentlemen. Best of luck to the both of you".
Faris stepped back to the side of the ring, leaving only Vahlymor and Link within. The crowd around them had fallen into suspenseful silence, everyone holding their breath. A breeze blew through the training grounds, shifting the hair of both swordsmen, who each held their sword in their hand and breaths were even and calm.
"Swords at the ready!"
Simultaneously, Link and Vahlymor shifted into their defensive stances; the crowd murmured with excitement. Tension hung in the air as every person waited for Faris' signal.
Sir Faris glanced back at his queen, who gave him the smallest of nods, before the knight shouted once again. "Begin!"
The roar of the crowd reverberated off the castle walls and it became very clear who the fan favourite was. As soon as Faris made his call, both Link and the prince leapt into action and within a second or so, their blades met in the air. The clear song of the two blades meeting sang through the air and only intensified the cheers of the crowd. The moment lasted only another half second before Link spun and Vahl's sword was there to meet his once again.
This would happen again, and again, and again, and again…
Every swing Link made, Vahl parried it. Every thrust the prince struck, Link dodged and countered. The two men were in a dance, ignorant of the roars of voices and people around them. They were matched in every possible way and people watched on in awe; some tears were shed at the beauty that was their spar. At some point Zelda herself stood, joined by the Noruidians and some Councillors, just to get a better look, and everyone was afraid to blink so as not to miss a moment.
Link was alive. His shoulder's wound was a distant memory and the Master Sword seemed almost liquid that way it moved with his every thought, almost urging and wanting its master to perform at his best to the Hylian. To his queen, they both could see the blue gleam of the sword, its power, and how it brightened and dimmed every time it came into contact with Vahlymor's sword. There were moments when the hero's eyes narrowed with determination, his breath steadied and his mouth tightened, thinking he was about to get the upper hand, yet every single time the prince was there to meet him.
Minutes ticked by, not that this was noticed by either swordsmen. They were in a different realm, a different place in time, where the only two occupants were one another. The prince was older, a veteran to his kingdom's navy and army, and therefore much more experienced than Link, but there was a moment where the prince acknowledged that he was impressed by the Hylian's skill. However, the difference that became apparent to anyone if they could see it, for it was certainly made clear to Link, was that the prince's expression did not change.
At all.
With ever strike, every swing, every parry, thrust, blow and countermove, the prince's expression never wavered from the focused, even, and emotionless stare he had fixated on Link. No longer was he the lighthearted, charming and charismatic prince who had just dined with the Queen of Hyrule the night before, that man was gone. In his stead was a calm, collected, killer: an artisan with the sword. The way he moved was different from that Hyrulean Knights and the Gerudo; however, Link was able to match his moves but he wasn't able to anticipate them. That was problematic.
Sweat was forming on both of the men's' faces and arms and their breaths were becoming heavier and more laboured from exertion. The spar was getting close to the ten minute mark yet it seemed that neither men were slowing down nor tiring. Link was used to training for long hours at a time, as was part of his knight training. Hell, just a few days ago he'd been training with the Gerudo under the hot desert sun for hours at a time, so this spar should have been a breeze.
Still... there just seemed to be more at stake with this fight and any training bouts in the past… and it was pushing both men to the limits of their skills, prowess and training.
Perhaps it was because both of them knew they were on a stage, that perhaps the reputation and bragging rights of their respectful kingdoms were on the line, or… was it something else? Were they perhaps fighting over something else… someone else? Whatever their reasons, they were putting on one hell of a fight that kept the spectators on the edge of their seats.
Queen Zelda stood as poised as ever but it would take a well-trained eye or one of her closest confidants to notice how tense she really was. So many scenarios and worries were breezing through her head as she watched the match and she tried not to flinch or react every time blades clashed together or if there was a near-miss. As the Hyrulean Queen, she wished that her knight prevailed, but then again as her kingdom's monarch she hoped that the visiting prince would succeed so that he remained pleased. She prayed to every goddess she could name that neither men were injured and that this match ended fairly and without bloodshed. Zelda analyzed both mens' faces. Vahlymor was so… intense, so different than the charming prince whom she had dined with and was quite near to being formally betrothed to. Yet there was also Link, whose face she knew so well, and the expression he wore was as intense and as focused as the prince's.
Zelda had seen the expression he wore before, except then he had been fighting an evil king and not a visiting prince. Link had won that fight against the king but, he had help… Zelda and Midna's help. True it had been Link by himself to deliver the death blow but... would he win this fight against this prince? They were so evenly matched.
Just as Zelda was thinking this, herself and the majority of the crowd gasped in unison when suddenly Link faltered. Vahlymor had performed a complex maneuver, to which Link was able to block each strike, but just when it seemed that the prince was going to back off, he spun and struck at the younger knight with such force and surprise that perhaps it caught Link slightly off guard, or perhaps just off-balance? Whichever the case, when the prince landed his blow and Link stumbled back, but the prince did not back off. Like the trained warrior he was, he took the opportunity of his opponent's stance being broken and performed a flurry of strikes, to which Link barely was able to block.
In mere moments, the equally matched battle was becoming more one-sided.
Link had up his block and in the position he was, he couldn't move nor retaliate due to the ferocity of the prince's frequent blows. All the Hylian could do was block, but the intense strength and proficiency that the prince was beating down on Link forced the knight to take a knee. The instant the crowd saw their beloved and legendary hero beaten down they noticeably quieted and murmured, definite concern and worry hushing their earlier cheers. There was no way this foreign prince could beat the Hero Chosen by the Gods… right?
The narrowing of Link's eyes revealed that he was thinking something along those very same lines and he glared defiantly up at Vahlymor. The prince's expression had yet to change, for he knew that in any battle, match or spar, it wasn't over until it was over. Link was thinking the same thing but currently there was little he could do except block. Unless…
An idea began to brew in Link's head, but even he knew it wasn't the best. Zelda would be furious… but the Hylian wasn't about to be beaten by a Noruidian in the shadow of Hyrule's Castle, in the presence of his countrymen and, more importantly, under the gaze of his queen. Struggling as he currently was, knee upon the ground, Master Sword raised up in defence and the prince was not slowing down upon with his offence, it was Mahila's voice that filled his head for a moment: 'Hylians move like trees it seems'.
This was going to hurt. Link timed Vahl's blows and his breaths steadied as he steeled his body for what was about to come.
Three more blows…
The muscles of his legs tensed, filling with energy, ready to explode.
Two more blows…
His left hand tightened around the hilt of the Master Sword, his other arm tensed and the grip of his right hand loosened upon his sword, weakening his defence.
One more blow…
The knight calmly released his held breath. It was time.
Vahlymor struck down once more upon Link, wearing the knight's resolve down and trying to break his hardened defence. Just as he lifted his blade for another strike, the prince's eyes flickered with the tiniest of movements with surprise. In the mere second or so Link had before Vahl's blade would come down again, the Hylian literally sprung into action. In a fluid motion, something similar he had seen the Gerudo do, Link expelled all of his legs' power backwards and he simultaneously arched his back. His body became a perfect arch as his right hand came in contact with the ground while his left aided his momentum by using the Master Sword's weight to throw him further backward. Link had always been able to do a standing backflip so performing a crouching back handspring wasn't outside of his abilities, but it became all the more difficult when he knew full well that there was a Noruidian blade descending upon his now-exposed legs.
Vahlymor seemed to have noticed this as well and the prince tried his best to avoid striking the retreating Hylian and the crowd went wild once more when his blade slashed downwards into sand of the ring. Link's feet planted themselves into the sand a half-second after, the knight now a good few feet away from the prince, and once again he regained his stance. The prince deftly lifted his blade, sand sweeping into the air in a graceful arch, as he returned to his starting stance and it seemed to the re-invigorated crowd that round two of the intense spar was about to begin.
That is, until Link suddenly raised the Master Sword vertically into the air, his expression fierce, determined and deadly. Seeing their hero holding his sword aloft, the crowd roared with excitement, believing that this was some form of promised victory. Clearly the Hyrulean Hero was confident enough with his abilities that he would leave himself completing open by holding his sword so high, right? Vahlymor did not seem as excited as the crowd to witness such a strange strategy and the prince actually took a weary step back, his warrior's instincts telling him that something was not natural with how Link was holding his sword.
Amongst the excitement Zelda stood as serene as ever until suddenly she took a step forward, her eyes wider. Only she could see the surge of energy pulsate downwards through the Master Sword's blade until the entire sword gleamed with radiant blue light.
"No…" she whispered but, it was too late.
With a great shout, Link powerfully swung his charged sword downwards and there was nowhere for the prince to run to avoid the Master Sword's Skyward Strike. Link had learned the ancient technique from the Hero of Time himself, who had learnt the technique from a more ancient reincarnation of the hero's line, and up until that moment Link had never revealed to anyone that he could unleash a powerful wave of the sword's sacred power. The prince's eyes went wide when the wave of energy struck him square in the chest, sending up flying back to land hard upon his back. Vahlymor, who was unfamiliar with fighting against Hyrulean magic, had been caught off-guard in that regard. Even as his attack made contact, Link was moving. Sprinting forward, the knight leapt into the air, flipping forward, and both of his hands came to grip the Master Sword's hilt.
Zelda had seen this move before, the day that Ganondorf died. Frantically she tried to run forward, reaching out to desperately try and stop her knight, but she was held back by the powerful arm of Faris and she screamed, "Link! Stop!"
The tip of the Master Sword stopped a mere inch above the prince's exposed neck, Vahl's eyes went wider and he stared up up along the sword's blade to meet the deadly expression of Link, Hero Chosen by the Gods. The Ending Blow was meant to be fatal, just as the Hero's Shade had instructed Link all those years ago in the Ghostly Ether: 'The ending blow is a secret technique you can use to end their breath before they spring back into action', but Link had no intention of killing the prince.
His queen had explicitly told him to not harm Vahlymor and he would obey her command. Still, in that moment time stilled as the two warriors stared into one another's eyes and understanding passed between them. If Link had been allowed, he very well would have ended the prince's life right then and there, if Vahlymor had been anyone else.
"Sir Link wins!"
Faris' words forced time to resume and the deadly moment between warriors passed when Vahl suddenly smirked, causing Link to blink, and both recognized the sheer roar of cheers that erupted around them. Link stood from his crouch above the prince and lowered his sword as he stepped aside and reached down to help the prince up. Vahl took his hand, still smiling his curious smirk, as the men were quickly surrounded by Zelda, the Noruidians, the Councillors, among as many soldiers that dared to get as close as they could without crowding their queen's space. So many people were congratulating Link, slapping him on the back and whoopin' and a hollerin' that the knight failed to see the steely stare his queen was giving him.
The Noruidians surrounded their prince, praising him for his skills and Zelda smiled and went over to them to speak. Minutes ticked by and soon the crowd began to disperse as Captain Jerret ordered the guardsmen to return to their posts and duties and the queen bade the Noruidians farewell, asking Prince Vahlymor to join her for a private lunch later on. When it was only the queen, Link, Sir Faris, most of the Councillors and Renado with Leda left, Zelda asked that everyone leave her and her knight alone and they all bowed and left.
Link didn't say anything. He took his sheath back from Faris and slid the Master Sword inside before fastening back onto his back. Link caught Faris' expression and the younger knight's expression of joy died a bit more when he saw how stern his mentor looked. Fuck. The knight knew that he was in for some sort of punishment and he obediently followed his queen when she began to walk back towards the colonnade. The shade of the columns was darkened by the cloudy day's light and gave the pair a bit more privacy, though there ought to have been no one around to intrude upon them anyways.
Silence stretched between them and Link patiently watched his queen stare off in thought, her expression unreadable. That is until she lowered her head and he heard her whisper, "What were you thinking?"
Link straightened his posture, chin up, and placed his hands behind his back as he calmly stated, "The prince willingly asked for a spar and I-"
"What were you thinking?"
The knight frowned when his queen stiffly turned towards him, her voice no longer a whisper, and he saw the disbelief in her eyes as well as what might have been fear. "Zelda, I assure you that I-"
"Do you realize what you could have done, Link?" Zelda said, interrupting his excuse once again, coming towards him so that she right before him, her eyes wide with bewilderment and disbelief. "You could have killed the prince!"
"I had everything under control…" Link began, looking aside like a stubborn child being scolded.
"Under control?" Zelda repeated, her voice a loud whisper. "You had a sword to his neck, you could have killed him! You-you struck him with magic!"
"I broke though his offence! He had me pinned so I retaliated and beat my opponent. That's the point of a spar, Zelda." Link replied, his voice turning hard and his eyes were narrowing, not exactly understanding why Zelda was freaking out.
"He wasn't just some training opponent! Link, you attacked a member of another kingdom's royal family! You could have seriously injured him or worse! What if Vahlymor had raised his head or something? You would have killed him!" Zelda was visibly shaken, her fear, anger and worry evident in her voice, and she had to turn away to hide her eyes, trying to calm down.
"Zelda, please… You have to trust me,. I had everything under control," Link said softly, concern creasing his features, and he reached out to try and calm his queen down but she blatantly swatted his hand away.
"You allowed your pride, your ego and your emotions get the better of you," Zelda said with a sigh, looking up at Link with a frown. "There are no excuses for your actions."
Her comments stung and Link matched her frown. "The hell I did. The prince asked to test himself against Hyrule's hero and all he said was no armour. I gave it my all like any other training spar and, hey. If he wanted to see Hyrule's magic then I gave him a treat".
The knight creased his brow when his queen suddenly began to laugh, though clearly without any humour. He watched her rub her face as her exasperated chuckle died until she crossed her arms and looked at him. She stared at him hard and he stared back and neither said anything for a few moments.
That is, until Zelda spoke. "This will be your one and only warning, Link. Control your feelings and no more will you allow what you feel for me interfere with your responsibilities as a Hyrulean Knight. Is that understood?"
The weight of her words hung heavy in the air and a deep blush appeared in Link's cheeks before his own anger was ignited, if only to conceal his embarrassment. "What are you talking about? I'm fine! I beat the prince and I did as you asked: I didn't land a scratch on him. What? Was I just supposed to roll over and let him beat me?"
"Did you even consider that?" Zelda retorted, stepping forward to poke his bare chest bluntly with her fingers. "You could not allow yourself to be beaten by the prince! That it is why you did what you did. You have been beaten many a time but you and I both know that it was because it was Vahlymor you were facing that you had to resort to use the Master Sword's magic. You couldn't stand being beaten by him".
"What are you getting at, Zelda? Tha-that I had some sort of ulterior motive or something? Oh come on, give me a break…"
Link started to turn away, his face burning, but Zelda firmly gripped his arm to turn him back towards her, her mouth parted with some sort of retort when... it happened. He hadn't meant for it to happen it just sort of... did?
One moment he was turning back towards her and Link saw his queen's expression, the frustration and stubbornness that they both were feeling. The next thing he knew was that his hands were acting on their own and were suddenly upon Zelda's arms, pulling her close. It was the previous night all over again, but before he had only embraced his queen.
Zelda barely managed to alter her expression with surprise when he knight suddenly took hold of her before Link pressed his lips upon hers. The knight's eyes were closed but the queen's were wide, her breath caught by the kiss, and she stared at the man's face. Neither moved for what seemed like an eternity but in reality it was only a few seconds, until Zelda actually kissed back. From shock? Perhaps, but, regardless as to why, on their own accord her lips moved and Link responded by deepening the kiss further. Heat filled the Hylian Queen and she felt both light as air and heavy at the same time. Her hand was still upon Link's arm, though somehow her grip had softened, while her other hung limply at her side. The hero's hands remained upon the sides of his queen's arms, though in a soft embrace, and he could feel her trembling: slowly, Link moved his hands to softly embrace his queen once again and he kissed a bit harder.
In that moment, Link realized just how much he had been wanting to kiss her and show Zelda some of the feeling she had been denying for so long.
The kiss itself only lasted fifteen seconds or so and only when Zelda realized through the building fog in her mind and her eyes were beginning to close that the gravity of what was happening suddenly struck her. Her eyes going wide, Zelda tore herself back out out Link's arms, and her hand flew through the air on its own accord. The echo of the slap momentarily filled the colonnade and Link's eyes opened from the surprise of the hit and the slow realization of what the had done. Both were frozen in their positions: Link, with his head turned from the slap, expression stunned and complexion paling in comparison to the red handprint on his cheek. Zelda was looking in the opposite direction, still slightly trembling, expression a mixture of shock and astonishment, her cheeks red with blush, and her one hand numbly held the other that had slapped her knight.
Stiffly Link fell to a kneel and bowed his head, eyes staring blankly upon the stones and he felt sick to his stomach. His eyes stared at the paved stones, wide with shock at what he had done yet lifeless from the gravity of his actions. What had he done? He had… he had kissed Zelda, the Queen of Hyrule! He had… kissed… Zelda... not the other way around. No one was to kiss the queen, just as no one could ask her to marry them. Why? Well, she was the queen! The height of power in Hyrule and by kissing her without her permission, Link had just committed a transgression that, according to Hyrulean law, could be punishable by death.
In a way, he had forced himself upon his queen and… oh Goddesses, what had he done? This... this wasn't supposed to happen like this, or well at all! He was supposed to control himself, be the obedient knight, but... for a brief moment he lost control and his heart acted upon the opportunity before his head could stop it.
Zelda knew this as well and to her horror she looked down at her kneeling knight, knowing that without a trial or opposition, she could have his head. Her knight, the Hero Chosen by the Gods, her friend… had kissed her. Swallowing hard, the queen took a steadying breath and closed her eyes to collect herself. The silence was deafening, even though the air was filled with birdsong, the whisper of the wind, and the distant shouts of guards and people. Still holding the hand that slapped Link, Zelda turned her back to him and held her head up high.
"You are to leave the castle. Go to the Gerudo, as we had discussed, but if you return before a week's end you will be punished. What… what transpired here must never be spoken of. In fact, it never happened at all. You understand this as I do."
With her commands given, Zelda walked away. Each step she took further from him, hammered another nail in Link's heart until he only felt hollow and empty. When he knew she was gone, the knight stiffly stood, his eyes downcast and dark, and he turned to head to his room to change, gather his things, and leave.
Link would never know that Zelda never actually got too far, making around the first corner before she stopped, her back falling upon the wall. She had done what was expected of her, though she had been lenient, but she was the Queen of Hyrule after all. She couldn't be kissing her knights or anything of the sort in secret trysts, that was not her freedom to have.
Perhaps… what if they had been somewhere more private? Last night... they had gotten close and... what if she hadn't turned away then? Maybe then it wouldn't hurt as much as it did to walk away now? Or, perhaps, she wouldn't have had to walk away at all… she would never know.
/
"I am pleased to see that you have returned to us, Valqo, although I did not expect you so soon since you just left us".
"Yes, this... wasn't exactly planned," Link replied evenly to the chief of the Gerudo, his tone distant.
Nabila nodded and studied the Hylian voe, his expression as serious as ever, before she smacked the knight gruffly on the back before setting her hands upon her hips. "Well, you being here only means the the Goddess of Sand wishes that you be with us and, as always, you being Gerudo are welcome here. I will send word to the elders that you wish to speak with them concerning your queen's dreams.
"Yes, and also. Her Majesty Queen Zelda of Hyrule extends her utmost gratitude to the entire Gerudo tribe for saving my life. She said that you may have anything that you wish. Horses, supplies, just name it". Link's tone never wavered and his face was his blank, knightly mask, the same he had worn since having left the castle. He and Epona had arrived to the Gerudo Fortress just as it was beginning to get dark and he was met by Nabila herself when he was allowed entry into the stronghold.
Nabila slowly nodded, her brow ever-so-slightly lifting in interest of Link's lack of enthusiasm or his usual cheerful personality, but it was not the Gerudo way to pry. "Of course. I will discuss with the elders the best way to accept your queen's gratitude. Now, off with you to your room. You must be tired. I'll have food be sent to you so, take heart".
"Sarqso," Link replied with a bow of his head to the chief in gratitude. He gathered up his packs off of Epona's saddle, gave his mare a half-hearted pat, before he left her in the charge of an awaiting Gerudo, who managed to contain her joy that the horse had returned to their midst. By this point Link knew the fortress well enough that he could navigate his own way down to his room without the assistance of an escort and the Gerudo, who respected independence, did not approach him.
Link's mind was miles away, back in a certain colonnade, so he barely registered his trip to the desert, let alone his descent to his Gerudo quarters. Entering his room, the man deposited his items on the floor and lit one of the room's lanterns by his bedside. He wore his Hero's Clothes and his crimson-red knight's cape as well as the spaulder he received from the Gerudo. True his shoulder no longer disabled him, but it would remain a weak point on his person so he knew that it had to remain protected. For a moment the knight considered shedding his gear but, alas, he simply sat down onto his bed and hung his head. It was quiet in the depths of the Gerudo Fortress at this time, as the majority of the women were milling about on the upper levels now that the day's heat had ceased.
Good… he didn't want to talk to anyone right-
Link closed his eyes and groaned when a knock came at the door. "Yeah, come in," he called, his expression clearly not amused as he stared into the dimly lit room. The room's door opened and a girl stepped inside. Oh, Goddesses… he did deserve to be punished, Link knew this, but Their Graces could have waited until morning at least.
"Sav'saaba, Valqo. I've brought you some food and… why do you have it so dark in here?"
"Vasaaq, Mahila," Link greeted, glancing at the Gerudo before shrugging, not caring if the girl could see the gesture or not.
"Sa'oten… Vama was right, you really are dreary looking", Mahila commented with a smirk, setting down his tray of food and began to light more lanterns along with the room's little hidden wall stove.
"Dreary, huh," Link repeated, not really caring but he still frowned a bit at Mahila.
Mahila paused as she turned back to him with a small smirk. "I can only imagine what sort of trouble you've gotten yourself into that you had to return to us so quickly".
Link blinked at Mahila and in the flattest tone he said, "Don't imagine anything".
Mahila simply gave him wink before returning to lighting his stove.
The Hylian sighed and rubbed his face, not exactly pleased with how this was turning out. He wasn't hungry, like at all, even though he hasn't really eaten since early that morning. The plate that Mahila had brought had a couple different fruit dishes, some sort of vegetable dish, and a tall pitcher with two glasses. Two? Well, of course Mahila would invite herself to spend some time with him, it's not like he wanted to be alone, in the dark, forever or anything...
Finished with the stove, Mahila retrieved the food tray and came to sit right next to Link, setting the tray upon a small table that was next to his bed. "Eat, Valqo. Just because you had a bad day, you cannot let your strength falter. Tomorrow we resume your training".
"Wha-? Ugh, yeah. Okay, fine… whatever". Dragging off his green hat, Link ran a hand through his bangs, eyes closed.
Mahila, a piece of fruit in her fingers, glanced over at the knight and sighed. Popping the fruit into her mouth, she poured out the mysterious, amber-coloured liquid and filled both glasses before handing Link his. "Here, drink". She then raised her glass and said, "Sav'skul!"
"Sav'skul," Link repeated, knowing the Gerudo exclamation, and clinked his glass to hers before watching her shoot back her drink. Looking down at his, the man sighed before shooting back his own. Oh… wow, she brought the good stuff. Coughing a bit, Link made a bit of a face and he ignored Mahila's smirking expression.
"Too much for a voe, I see," she cooed, refilling her glass and his.
"No, not at all, I just wasn't expected it to be the strong sort".
"Yeah, well… you look pretty rough, might as well make you rougher," she replied, clinking her glass against his yet again, albeit lighter. "Sav'skul," she said with a grin, downing hers once more.
"Sav'skul," Link said quietly, drinking his drink without much fuss this time before popping some fruit into his mouth. He stared forward, dead-eyed, and found that he welcomed the heat of the alcohol quite a lot.
A few minutes went by and neither said anything, just quietly eating and sipping on their drinks, before Mahila shifted in her seat and looked over at Link. "So… will you reveal to me what happened?"
"No".
"Why not?"
"Don't want to".
"Okay… then what do you want to talk about?"
"Nothing comes to mind," Link replied dryly, drinking more of his drink.
"Humph," Mahila grunted, straightening her posture and rolling her cup in between her hands. "Well… it is not the Gerudo way to drink alone so I can leave but I will have to take this with-"
"Okay, okay, hey now... Hold on," Link protested when Mahila went to grab the drink pitcher. As much as he didn't want to admit it, drinking some of his worries away didn't sound like that bad of an idea. "Fine. What do you want to talk about? And, just for the record, I am not up to do grammar right now so…"
"Well, fine," Mahila conceded, her expression the typical, Gerudo indifference. "Have you given any thought to my offer?"
Link nearly choked on his mouthful of liquor but managed to keep it all down. This stuff was too good to waste but her calm words were enough to finally rouse a real reaction out of the knight. "What! Really? You want to talk about that now? It's been, what? Two days since we talked about that?" Link stared at the younger woman like she was crazy. His face burned, from embarrassment and from alcohol, but... Oh, come on! After what he did at the castle he sort of completely forgot the entire conversation he had had with Mahila. The Goddesses were truly punishing him... and he deserved every moment of it.
"Why not? That's not enough time?" Mahila asked, looking genuinely surprised by his sudden reaction.
Link stared at her, stunned, before he sighed and shook his head, finishing his drink and pouring himself another. "You think?" he muttered sarcastically, shaking his head some more and downing his entire glass. Gerudo… their way of thinking sometimes was really cut and dry. Sex, apparently, fit into that category.
"As I have been told and taught, voe often seek out the warmth of a woman when they are troubled".
"I am not-"
"You are troubled," Mahila said bluntly, eating more fruit and pouring both of them more alcohol.
Link didn't say anything right away, instead he simply just glared at the wall before he drank half of his portion. The liquid burned down his throat but it was also starting to settle into his mind, which only meant he had to drink more. The Hylian didn't drink often and when he did it was only a few drinks, but today seemed like a great night to just get hammered. Mahila watched him stare off at nothing before she drank her own glass down. Being Gerudo, she had a naturally higher tolerance than most Hylians, and certainly more than humans, so it would take more than a few glasses for her to feel anything. Wordlessly she got up and took the pitcher and headed towards the door.
"Hey! Where-?"
"Empty," she said simply, shaking the pitcher and there was evidently little left in there.
The man frowned a bit and took another sip from his glass, looking away. Funny: he really thought she was just going to leave and it had made him panic a bit. He thought he wanted to be alone, and maybe that was still true… and maybe it was the alcohol talking that wanted Mahila to stay with him. Staring into the dwindling depths of his drink, Link was finding it more difficult to think reasonably thanks to the alcohol. Frowning at his increasingly fuzzy thoughts, the knight set his drink aside and sluggishly and half-heartedly began to undo the clasps that held his spaulder and his crimson cape until he was able to pull them off and throw them into a heap onto the floor. It was getting warm in the room with the stove's heat and the hero wavered whether or not he should shed his Hero's Clothes as well. The clothes were magical, which meant he was usually quite comfortable with them regardless of the air's temperature, but before he could think of it more he was already pulling the green tunic off along with his chainmail.
Just as the man tossed those articles of clothing to the growing pile on the floor, the door opened and Mahila returned with presumably a refilled pitcher. Now just in his white chemise, pants and boots, Link felt more comfortable when he shimmied back to rest across his bed, back against the wall. Retrieving his drink and drinking down the rest of his cup, Link just held out his hand to the approaching Mahila who smirked and gave him a refill.
"Beginning to feel better?"
"Far from it," Link replied, taking a sip, "but it's starting to kick in".
Giving no reply at first, the Gerudo came to sit at the edge of the bed and refilled her own glass. "You know… when Gerudo drink, we tell stories as to show how well we can stand against our drink".
"Stories?" Link asked, cocking a brow at her. "What sort of stories?"
"Our legends, personal battles or hardships, tales of strength and pride," Mahila replied simply as she lounged back upon an arm and looked up at Link. "Being able to follow your story and not get distracted is the test against the drink, to hold one's own against its effects".
"Oh, I get it now," Link replied, nodding his head slowly before taking another sip. After a moment, he looked down into Mahila's awaiting expression and said, "Does this mean you want me to tell you a story?"
The girl nodded, sipping her drink and looking up at him expectedly.
The Hylian made a face before he sighed. "Fine… what do you wanna hear?"
/
"So, so! There I am, I bloody collected these frikkin' ingredients and ah… oh Goddesses, what were they? Ahh…. right! Fuckin' a pumpkin and then some cheese, both from Ordon by the way and, damn… it's been like so long since I've been to Ordon. I guess I sort of miss it, maybe. Have you been? Naw, no, of course you've never been. You sh-should go, y'know? It's like really, really pretty there, a bit boring at times, but it's so much quieter than the castle. You know? Sometimes I can't help but think like 'Fuck this place!' because it's-it's just so busy there! There's so many people around, too. I mean there's… servants and butlers and like soldiers… And now these these fuckin' Noruidians who, well screw 'em, first off! Coming in here, on their weird... deer-things… and oh, Mister Big-Shot Prince! Hey! Let me tell you something… I had that fight in the bag! You know it's true… I mean I'm… I'm the Hero Chosen by the Gods! I'm worth a damn! I've fought everything and do you think I'd let some foreign, pretty prince beat me? Hell no, nuh-uh! No, thank you… and, ummm, what was I saying? Oh, right, the soup! The goddess-damned soup… bloody Yeto hit me every bloody time… Good times, though... I miss him. I wonder what he's up to these days..."
Link continued to chuckle, cheeks red, and he drank another mouthful. Mahila was smiling too, having kept up with Link when it came to who much they had drank in the past hour or so, but the Hylian's tolerance was no match to her natural resilience. She was quite amused by his antics and was pretty impressed by some of his stories, but now it was just hard to follow what he was saying with the amount of drunken tangents he kept going down. He made both of them laugh, which was a good sign, but also she noticed how he'd drift off into silence and stare out into nothing. The Gerudo was sure that it was his troubles trying to lure his intoxicated mind away.
Mahila was also sure that his troubles were in least in part thanks to this 'prince' he kept talking about. "So… tell me why this prince is at your fortress? Has he come to conquer?" the Gerudo asked, not that familiar with Hyrulean politics.
"You could say that…" Link mumbled into his drink, narrowing his eyes before wetting his lips. "Bastard might just be the new King Consort and that makes everything all the more fun…"
"King? So your queen will claim him?" she asked, having moved to sit beside him with her back against the wall, so she saw clearly how the man's expression darkened when she mentioned his queen. Mahila's suspicions were confirmed when he didn't answer immediately, instead he thirstily drank down the last bit of his drink. The woman slowly turned her glass in her fingers, biting her lip a bit with indecision. She wanted to ask but she still wasn't sure, knowing that alcohol loosened the tongue but she weighed whether or not she should ask at all. Waiting a minute or so and it looked as though the man wasn't going to say anything on his own, Mahila nodded slowly and in a quieter voice she asked, "Your queen she is the source of your affliction?"
The Hyrulean hero sighed and a sad expression creased his face before he slightly shook his head. "No, she did nothing wrong. I… I was wrong. I made a terrible mistake".
"She is the woman you love?" Mahila asked simply, having already known that the Hylian was in love with a woman but even she did not assume it to be his land's ruler.
He didn't answer right away, although it looked like he was going to. Link opened his mouth to answer her question but then he stopped and closed his lips once more, frowning. His mind was fuzzy, his thoughts heavy and scattered and his chest hurt. To put it simply, Link was drunk, but that still hadn't erased his recollection of what he had done earlier than day.
"No," he said finally, wiping his sleeve across his face. "I cannot love her so I do not love her. Simple as that".
Mahila cocked her head towards him, slightly amused by the seriousness in his tone but she also felt sympathy for his heartache. "You forget, Valqo, that jealousy is not common for us Gerudo".
"Wha-?"
Link's eyes went wide and his words stuck on his tongue when Mahila suddenly moved and the man found a Gerudo sitting on his lap. His fuzzy mind was slow to register what she was intending but his body caught on quick as heat filled his groin when Mahila leaned in close to his face.
"You still lie to yourself about what you feel but you seem to not understand that I ask for no feelings. Just... your body". Cupping the Hylian's face with her hands, Mahila brought Link closer to her and softly kissed his lips. The alcohol was aiding in the girl's own insecurities about laying with a man for the first time but her body was ready and by the sound of his heavy breathing, he was interested as well. "Let me help you forget for a time…" Before she could say more, Link leaned in and kissed her passionately on the lips. His arms around her waist, he managed to somewhat pick her up and lay her on her back, all while not breaking their kiss. His body was saying yes, his mind was saying yes and the alcohol in his system was screaming yes. His hands explored the front of her body hungrily as Mahila wrapped her legs around his waist and his tongue flicked her lower lip as they kissed. Just as he was about to slip off her top, the Gerudo used her strength and position to flip them once again and Link found himself on the bottom. With a drunken, seduced gleam in his expression, the hero reached up to resume his exploration of her front but was stopped when Mahila grabbed his hands with his fingers tantilizing close to her breasts.
"May I claim you," she whispered, staring down at him with her alluring features.
For a moment, Link hesitated. He blinked drunkedly and looked form her face to her chest before returning his half-lidded gaze back to her face. He rolled his eyes and said in a husky whisper, "Fuck it. Sure".
Seemingly satisfied with his answer, Mahila reached down to guide his hands and together they slid down her top to reveal her breasts. Link sucked in a breath at the sight of her but if he was going to say anything more it was cut off. Their lips locked and a small moan erupted from his throat and he clung hungrily to her.
It was time to forget… at least for a while.
/
"I missed these woods… or, should I say we missed these woods, eh girl?"
Link smiled and leaned forward to pat the side of Epona's neck, to which he earned a small nicker in reply from the mare. Faron Woods were as lovely as ever and the Hylian breathed in deep to fill his lungs with the sweet aroma of leaves and forest. Having grown up in the Ordona Province, Link virtually grew up in these woods having spent so many hours with Rusl gathering wood for the village and riding a younger Epona beneath its canopy. The desert was such a vast contrast to the forest, with its heat, dunes of sand, and never-ending sun, Link had felt as though he needed a break from the Gerudo Fortress so he had requested from Nabila to be allowed a day trip to Ordon Village. He knew by now that he wouldn't be able to attend Ilia's wedding in a couple of weeks so he figured that now was the best time to go and visit.
Besides, he wasn't allowed to return to the castle yet and having spent three days with the Gerudo already the man felt he needed a personal break: if not from the desert heat then at least from Mahila's endurance.
He might be a little later than others but Link was no longer a virgin. His drunken night spent with Mahila three days ago had escalated to them being both naked and finally Mahila sitting upon Link's groin for them to become one. In all honesty, Link didn't remember much of the night because he'd been pretty darn drunk. He did know that Mahial did all the work because apparently that was the Gerudo way, at least at first when a relationship between a vai and voe were established. Gerudo are a very proud race and they aren't about to allow any man have sex with them before they assert their dominance first. How? Well, by riding the hell out of them during the act. Mahila made sure to educate all of this to Link the morning after when he awoke with a headache and she was still in his bed. That made for some tasteful pillow talk as Link just sort of lay there listening to her list what it meant to be claimed by her. Basically he could have sex with her at anytime unless she's on her moontime or if she gets pregnant. It was the most casual yet red-faced conversation in Link's recent memory. But it hadn't been all bad... because they had sex again that morning.
Once Mahila was sure that Link understood their 'claiming' agreement, she then turned over to take hold of his shaft but to the man's surprise. Link became incredibly embarrassed when Mahila then chastised him for being soft and Link had to stumble out an explanation that voe were not hard in the pants 24/7. The Gerudo just accepted this, reminding herself that she had learned this from her education, before she proceeded to aid Link with finding his passion. It didn't take long, that was for sure, and soon enough the Hylian was hard and ready to be ridden by the Gerudo once again. With not being drunk, Link was able to enjoy the whole ordeal a lot more, but he still ended up groaning with embarrassment when afterwards Mahila calmly informed him how it had lasted a lot longer this time.
Gerudo were so blunt and honest.
The next few days at the fortress were spent pretty normally, except now after Link's grammar lessons with Mahila it ended with them having sex, sometimes twice. At first the man thought he'd be treated differently by the Gerudo but they barely gave him a glance. Mahila did get a small celebratory tradition for her first claim and she and the other Gerudo had held a ceremony of sorts in prayer to the Sand Goddess that soon she'd get pregnant. Even though he could've attended, being a member of the Gerudo tribe of course, Link chose to opt out with the reason that males were never really apart of such a tradition. Aside from the sex and ceremony, things were normal. Link trained, he learned and he also held council with the Gerudo elders concerning Zelda's dark dreams.
Ultimately they decided that they couldn't be sure if the queen's dreams and the darkness that had infected Link were related. They did tell him to watch closely over his queen and he promised that he would, not alluding to the fact that things were more than awkward between him and his liege right now. The elders also had discussed what they would ask from the Hyrulean Queen from her offer of gratitude for saving Link's life. They asked for a couple of stallions and a few mares to begin their own dessert herd, along with more blankets and other such supplies. Considering what Zelda has offered them, the Gerudo were not asking for much.
"They could've asked for half of the treasury and Zelda probably would've given it to them," Link mused before he sighed. He still had a few days before he even dared to return to the castle but he hoped that this day visit to Ordon would help clear head of everything that kept swirling around in it. Mahila kept insisting to him that it was just sex and he believed her, for he knew that he didn't have romantic feelings for her but he still needed some distance from the entire situation. Besides, it had been so long since he had seen everyone in Ordon and he missed them.
Truth be told, Link missed the simplicity that Ordon offered and for that he felt guilty. He recalled his feelings of being lost and restlessness when he had returned to Ordon after saving Hyrule, having grown bored with the mundane, rustic lifestyle. Yet, here he was now seeking that out. The hero knew that he just needed a break, because he had been going hard ever since he had recovered from his arrow's wound. He would try his best to enjoy the day.
"Hm, Coro must have gone to town," the Hylian commented, seeing that where the man usually sat by his hut with lantern oil to sell was vacant.
Not giving the hut another glance, Link spurred Epona into a trot and they headed towards the tunnel past the entrance of the cave that lead to the North Faron Woods. The hero momentarily considered that the last time he came through that cave had been the last time he had seen the Hero of Time. He still missed his tutor and predecessor and he wondered what the legendary hero could possibly be up to on the other side as he and his mare entered the tunnel. Exiting back out into the sunshine on the other side, Link smiled out at Faron Spring and inclined his head out of respect to Faron, the Light Spirit, who unseen was probably aware of the knight being near. It pleased the hero to see that small fairies still resided at the spring and he watched them dance near the small waterfall until Epona took him out of view.
The Southern Faron Woods were as beautiful and as peaceful as ever. Link was too busy admiring familiar trees and appreciating the light dancing through the canopy that he failed to notice the peculiar darkness in one of the large trees next to the trail. The hero had his eyes forward, looking through the clearings of the Faron Woods to the bridge that was the border to the Ordona Province. He was almost back, he'd see his former house, his old friends, his old life…
The hero was completely caught off guard when a dark figure suddenly leapt from its hiding spot high on the boughs of the tree and tackled Link. The force not only knocked the man from his saddle but it also knocked his mare off of her feet and the air was filled with her surprised whinny. Link grappled with his attacker when they slammed into the ground, grunting in pain from the impact and when Epona landed on his leg. The mare was quick to gain her feet but before she could bring her dangerous hooves down upon her master's attacker, dark tendrils erupted from the ground wrapped around her legs, her neck, and her muzzle.
Wrestling and fighting to gain some advantage over his assailant, Link growled in rage and fought hard to pin the other down. He saw that his clothes were black, his skin… grey, lifeless and his eyes… The hero's expression flashed with surprise and the blood drained from his face when he saw the other's face.
It was… his own. The other man, figure, thing, whatever, it had his face but it was so wrong, so dark.
Red eyes glared down at him with wicked glee and if it were not for the forest setting, the light filtering from above and Epona's frantic whinnies near him then Link would've thought that he had somehow been spirited away back to the Dark Realm. The two Links grappled with one another, tumbling in their wrestle in their attempt to gain the upper hand, but every time Link thought he had his dark doppelgänger in a hold the other broke free. It was infuriating and the Hylian was finding it hard to grasp what was happening, how and why.
Just as Link thought he had the other overpowered, the shadow Link began to laugh maliciously before delivering a sucker punch to Link's abdomen with so much force that the Hylian was winded. Coughing and trying not to lose his hold, Link gasped when his wrists and ankles were suddenly grabbed tightly by what looked liked the same black tendrils that had captured Epona. There was no fighting these bounds and Link grunted with frustration and fury when his limbs were forced down and he was rendered immobile on his back. His hands were in fists and he continued to struggle but there was no use, his bounds were unbreakable and he glared up at his capture. The monochrome Link had settled at the hero's feet in a squat, his chin upon his hands and his expression was of twisted amusement. Cocking his head to the side, slowly the doppelgänger climbed over Link and ignored the hero's struggles, his curses, and came to sit on the man's pelvis before leaning forward. Crossing his arms across Link's chest, the grey-faced Link smiled grimly down at his struggling counterpart.
"Get the fuck away from me you bastard! Who the fuck are you? Release me! Now!"
"Oh, so feisty…"
Link cringed upon hearing his own voice be spoken darkly from the other and he spat in the dark-one's face. Blinking at the spit, Link watched the other calmly wipe his face before he delivered a punch across the hero's face with so much force, Link saw stars and he groaned.
"There, there, no need for unpleasantries. We're old friends, you and I".
"Who the fuck are you?" Link asked with a groan, feeling the side of his face already swelling.
"Why, Link… have you forgotten already? All the time we spent together, the fun we had! The fear in your face, the thrill of the chase… oh, look, I made a rhyme. How fun..."
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Link growled, his eyes glancing over at his frightened, fighting mare, despairing upon seeing the foam at her mouth from her fear and struggles against her bounds. His poor horse... If Link even needed a reason for this fucker was going to die it was because of his assault upon his beloved mare.
"Come now, Link. I know you know what I'm talking about and... don't worry about Epona, she's in no pain I assure you, so let's keep the focus on me, hm?" The dark being's comment directed reflected Link's thoughts and the hero looked up at his assailant with vaguely surprised eyes. Link tried to shy away when the being leaned in towards his ear, but there was going nowhere. "The Dark Realm," the being whispered. "Ring any bells? I know your fucking stupid but you're not that thick or brain damaged to forget so quickly."
Link growled and tried to bite his dark counterpart's neck or something but the other just laughed and sat up and out of his reach. Glaring up into those red eyes, Link could do little but think of all the curses he could think of, hoping that harm, destruction and ill-luck would befall the other. Behind his left ear Link could faintly hear the Master Sword's voice singing to him, calling out to him, warning him of the dark danger but there was no way to reach the sword's hilt. The Blade of Evil's Bane was trapped upon the back of its master within its sheath.
"As to who I am," the shadow being continued, taking a moment to think before grinning evilly. "I… am you. Well, I am and I am not. I guess if I were to give myself a name it would be… Dark Link. Yeah, sounds edgy and perhaps a bit cliche but oh well".
"What do you want?" Link demanded, his expression pure rage. "Why or… how are you here?"
"Good questions," Dark Link replied, nodding his head. "But… before I answer, I must get to work before someone hears your, I mean our, noisy beast". Raising his right hand, Dark Link watched, fascinated with himself, as his flesh turned black and transformed into an obsidian-looking substance as it lengthened into a blade. "Not bad…" he commented, admiring his own work and blade-hand and seemingly forgetting for a moment that he literally sat on Hyrule's hero.
"I said, what the fuck do you want!?" Link screamed at him, currently helpless and he eyed the black blade.
Blinking, Dark Link looked down at his captive, a flash of anger brightened his red eyes, before his expression shifted back its previous dark amusement. "Oh, right, pardon my manners. You have questions, which is understandable, I shall try to be quick with answering them, although… you won't be around long to fully comprehend what I'm about to tell you". Pausing with his words, Dark Link's gaze slithered from Link's blue eyes down to the hero's green tunic. Laying his non-blade hand upon the green tunic, Dark Link hummed slightly before saying in a lower tone. "Your tunic is magical, mine is not I'm afraid. I might be a perfect copy but regrettably your wardrobe is unique. It can withstand most attacks and protects you from serious injury… unless the attack is too strong or... too evil".
"Wait! Don't-!" Link's pleas were ignored and the knight gasped when sudden intense pain erupted from his abdomen. All he could do was watch when Dark Link suddenly plunged his black-blade directly into Link's gut. Blood began to soak around where Dark Link's hand impaled through the Hero's Clothes, chainmail and all. Link gritted his teeth against the pain and fought hard not to call out but, oh how it burned! Oh Goddess, no! Not again, not this black fire that was filling his stomach, being pumped in through Dark Link's flesh.
"Now, time to listen, but you don't have long," Dark Link spoke, leaning forward to drive his blade-hand further into Link, smiling at the knight's protests of pain. "As to how I came to enter this realm, I'll spare you the details. In short, do you recall that poison that those foolish Gerudo extracted from your body? Yes, that was me, of sorts. You see when those women burned that poison, your blood was also burned, and I was born from your blood and that poison. Sprinkle in some dark magic here and there and poof! The perfect recipe to create me! Well, a physical me, because I was already existing within you... but damn you just had to keep that fucking sword close so I could only peek out once in a while when you got mad. But now, believe me when I tell you that I am as much alive as you are, but with some added benefits, as you can see". Dark Link shifted his blade-hand ever so slightly to earn a scream of pain from Link, to which he relished in the sound.
"As I mentioned, I am your copy, your… reflection, of sorts. I know everything you know, all your moves, your skills and techniques. Everything, I even have most of your memories, I think. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I do. Don't you just miss Mother and Father? And Midna… damn, she turned out to be such a beauty. Do you think she was technically naked? I know you've wondered because, well you see Link…" Dark Link leaned forward so that his nose was practically touching Link's and they were so intimately close that Link tried to shy away. "I may be your reflection and know all that you know, but my power lies in your faults. Your pride, your stubbornness, your fears, you loneliness and self-doubt. I thrive off of these vices. Your imperfections, they are multiplied within me. I know all of your darkest thoughts and... desires. The lust that you try to control, the love you deny, everything. I mean, Mahila is a pretty little piece of ass and I'm so proud of you for finally losing your virginity. Yes, I watched, every single time... she really rides your dick like she owns it, which I guess she does, heh. But, come on... you and I both know whose sheath you want to stick your… Master Sword in".
Dark Link Laughed with fiendish glee and Link could not make a reply. His words were lost in the fire and pain that was engulfing his body and thoughts. His vision was beginning to blur from blood loss and the darkness that Dark Link was pumping into his bloodstream.
"I was watching, you know, when you kissed her. Zelda, I mean, and… oh, she is truly ravishing and I know how much you want to ravish her. You might love her and protect her and trust me what I say that that I do too. But, you see, within me I feel such great lust and yearning… it's nearly unbearable. With you out of the way, I will have her, I will show her how we truly feel, I will finally tell her how we feel, because I have to balls to do that, Link! She deserves everything, including knowing the truth! Fuck you, Link... and I promise you that in the end she will be moaning my, or... your name".
"Don't you dare touch her," Link managed through his clenched teeth, pure rage shining through his eyes and if looks could kill, Dark Link would have been instantly annihilated.
"Don't tell me that you're jealous… because I know all too well about that emotion too. You feel it more that you like to admit and, by the way. You really fucked you, didn't you. That kiss? You fucking moron... how could you fuck that up? You had your chance, and it was when you had Zelda alone in her study! She had been crying, true, but she was vulnerable, her defences were down, and that was your chance! Why didn't you fucking kiss her? Gah! You're such a fucking loser." Dark Link turned his gaze to the arm that was piercing Link's belly and he spoke softly, "But that all doesn't really matter now. It's nearly complete. Soon your soul will be trapped in the Dark Realm and I shall take your place on this plane. Zelda will be mine, I shall show her my love and fill her with my seed and then…"
Dark Link's voice faded from Link's hearing as the hero's eyes were beginning to close. His strength was failing, he lay in a pool of his own blood and he felt himself starting to fall into darkness. He was vulnerable, powerless, and he knew that no one would rescue him. Even if someone were to stumble on this bloody scene, what could they do? Link was not a quitter but even he knew that he faced defeat, he had let his guard down, and his moment of weakness with Zelda had given Dark Link the opportunity to ambush him alone.
A weak sound escaped his lips and Link could not keep his eyes open any longer. His body went limp and he heard Dark Link's chuckle of victory before it felt as though the weight sitting up his body lifted. One of last sounds Link heard was the call of a bird and his failing thoughts once again recalled how peaceful Faron Woods were and how much he loved him. The world seemed to flip and nausea suddenly filled Link as a light illuminated through his eyelids. He heard Epona's whinny and what might have been the sound of hooves and the cries of voices, but Link wasn't sure of anything anymore. He felt light and heavy at the same time and he couldn't even feel the ground beneath him. He felt… nothing and everything all at once.
Darkness finally took the hero and he was falling from reality. The last thought on his mind was of his failure. He failed Zelda and had lead a dark enemy directly to her. As he fell into darkness, Link suddenly found himself surrounded by blue light and a single voice filled his head, "Sleep, Master…"
That was the last thing the hero remembered before his conscious slipped away.
Silence filled the Southern Faron Woods and soon the birds returned to their singing and the wind whistled through the branches of the trees. Shadows grew as the day wore on and it was some time before voices rose from the distance. Villagers of Ordon made haste across the bridge of their province, lead by a frantic though familiar mare. The horse had suddenly appeared, stampeding through the village, nearly barreling down Jaggle and was covered in black marks with foam covering her hide. It took the combined strength of Mayor Bo, Rusl, and Fido to catch the panicked mare and it took some time before Ilia was able to calm her down. The village was on high alert and it was clear that there was a rider missing from the most famous horse in all of Hyrule. Rusl took up his sword, the villagers gathered pitchforks and knives, and a group of men warily made their way out of Ordon towards the Faron Woods with Ilia leading Epona.
They had to find Link, clearly something terrible had happened. Entering Faron Woods, the group made their way forward, using haste but with caution. They travelled up the trail and passed through the first clearing and were on the cusp of the second. Then… they saw him. Gasps filled the clearing before Ilia's scream carried through the trees and across the wind. The pool of blood that encircled the body that lay beneath a great tree rippled from the breeze and reflected the shadows of the branches above.
/
His body had been brought to her hours ago and she had yet to leave his side. Zelda stood alone in the room beside the stone table, wearing the black robe that bore the Sheikah eye... the same shroud of mourning she had been wearing when they had first met. Tears had left marks down her fair cheeks and her eyes had glassed over from loss and guilt. Her stare was unbroken upon his face, his eyes were closed and he looked so calm, like he was asleep.
"Forgive me," Zelda muttered for the hundredth time before she leaned forward and gently pressed her lips upon Link's.
He had no heartbeat, he bore no signs of life, but his skin remained warm though no breath passed his lips. Blood had stained the hero's tunic turning it from forest green to a dark, bloody brown. The only light in the small room were the candles lit around and the blue glow of the Master Sword.
"How has this happened to you?" Zelda spoke softly, fresh tears falling from her eyes onto Link's face.
How had the Hero Chosen by the Gods, wielder of the Blade of Evil's Bane, been impaled by his own sword? Zelda looked up from Link's face to stare at the legendary sword that stood directly out of Link's gut. The Master Sword was using its master as a pedestal of flesh and only Zelda could see how the sword was bathing the hero in its soft, ethereal blue light. How had Link become impaled by his own sword? How had this happened and where was the foe who had managed this?
"Who has killed you, Link?" Zelda whispered before she collapsed at his side, her hands gripping the front of his bloodstained tunic and she buried her face into his neck to weep.
