Chapter Nine Words of Poison
For the next two weeks, this then was the pattern of life for Link and Zelda. He would spend a couple of days searching and finding small pockets of various former enemies, not all were moblins but all came under the same offer of amnesty. Then he would return for the night and morning to be with Zelda while others collated new information for the next assignment.
When he was with his wife; Link could confide in her, the sadness he felt for the Moblins and the guilt that would not go away. The majority of the refugees were females and the young. The worst little group they found were only just able to be saved, a young female as yet unmated and who was trying her best to provide for ten younger children and a couple of sick elderly ones. The girl was exhausted and barely able to hold the long staff with the sharp blade that she was using, to protect the entrance to the cave they were all holed up in.
The older Moblin from Death Mountain was the one to gain her trust, praising her courage with genuine feeling; amazed that none had died in her care during the past eighteen months. But it had been close, the girl was starving herself and had not been able to get much to feed all of those in her charge; they were all close to death. Another month would have been too late entirely. Once she realised that help had come, the young female wept in relief; especially when she saw the wagon that brought supplies and therefore life.
But her gratitude had made Link feel even more guilty until Zelda got exasperated with him and his indulgence of wallowing in self pity. After listening once again to him berate himself; she turned on him, her eyes flashing with amused anger.
"You are brave Link, there is no question about that; but you can be such an idiot."
"Zelda?" Link protested, he was not used to his wife ridiculing him.
"Even you couldn't have wiped out a complete army of moblins on your own."
"I suppose not." Link grinned a bit sheepishly. "But what happened to them all?"
"There were others fighting even while you cleansed the temples Link, but I think there was fighting amongst Ganon's own people anyway. He also used his servants as if they were animals and kept them in herds. I have been talking to Sir Gron, Ganon took many young males straight away into the army and left just the breeding females; many with only one male to a 'harem'. When Ganon was defeated, the males were leaderless and without direction, many fought one another; the whole thing was a mess.
"Well we are trying to do our best now, you are right Zel; it's not helping anyone by brooding on the past, it just that it makes me mad really, all the waste."
"There is nothing we can do about what has already happened Link, now are you coming here or do I have to punish you for ignoring my Royal Order?" Link looked at her askance and grinned; before he took off at a run, with the Princess in hot pursuit; waving her slipper in her hand as she laughed evilly. After nearly knocking Impa over in his haste to get out of Zelda's range, Link found himself in a tight grip. He had forgotten how strong the Sheikah woman was.
"You have mislaid your manners Link, should I hand you over to Zelda for correction?"
"No, anything but." He laughed and wriggled out of the grasp to race down the corridor and out of sight; just ahead of Zelda. In the morning, they would have to say goodbye again; but for now the time was theirs and they made the most of it as always. Their time together was less than normal however, as the report of two moblin children came from the Zoras this time.
Zelda had the bright idea of having a small group of Moblin females to accompany the troop; it might make it easier to contact these lost women and children, if any more groups without the males were to be found. She had asked to go with them herself, longing to be part of the rescue party; but Link had vetoed it, there was still a risk of danger and she was too valuable if ever she were to be held to ransom.
The children had been spotted around the narrow paths leading up to the waterfall which blocked the entrance to Zora's Domain and had been seen using the secret warp point to the Lost Woods. Not many people used the area anymore because it led nowhere they could reach, unless they could use Zelda's lullaby. It took a surprisingly long time to coax the children to come near to them. They had been hiding beneath the waterfall in the shallow recess and sleeping in the Lost Woods, where a couple of the Skullkids had taken pity on them and stopped them from venturing too far into the unknown and dangerous woods.
It was an adolescent boy and his much younger sister who were taking shelter, the youth still had to fill out to reach his adult stature although he was nearly full grown in height; his face however was heartbreakingly young. Link felt a special satisfaction in being able to gain the trust of these children and in being able to unite them with the others of their race; even if not their real parents, he was giving them over to safety.
As they were not too far away, they were able to make it back the same day to the castle and Link's joy at this and the success of his mission, translated into his zest for his wife that night. His loving was bold and exciting, as he was full of energy and his own sense of achievement; Zelda was not complaining as once again he forgot himself and this time she could hope that his seed would take hold.
Link did not forget again though and chided himself for the self indulgence of this night. There was still a couple of months to go before the doctors had said it would be safe for Zelda and he did not want to either of them to go through the despair of losing their baby again, just because he had no self control. It was then he decided to be stronger and more circumspect in his marital relationship again.
Zelda was not quite so happy in the more restrained Link; she liked the way that she and Link paired and was herself always happy with the volatile, physical tussles and couplings they enjoyed. She of course liked the tender ways too; but now he was always so careful, the spontenaity was lacking. Zelda knew why; but it still annoyed her, that all her 'tricks' didn't work on getting her strong-willed husband to relax his self imposed rules.
Once again a call came through from the Zora; another group of Moblins and various others who were living together in hiding; had been found sheltering in the Ice Cavern and the woods beyond. To the great surprise of them all and making them much more cautious; this group was comprised soley of males, who were automatically suspicious and defensive.
Sir Gron had his work cut out for him with the leader of this group. He was a large Moblin and the phrase 'All brawn and no brain' came to mind when Link looked at him. Thankfully, although he was the leader and had proved capable at the task; the burly moblin had several friends, who were good advisors to him and knew how to be tactful and diplomatic. Eventually negotiations were under way; the males quick to see the possibilities of finding a home where they could perhaps, choose to make their own families instead of being selectively bred.
That night the Zoras held a party for them all. Celebrating the birth of the newly re-formed Moblin Race, the Zoras had pulled out all the stops and the lanterns that lit the caverns reflected their multi colours around the halls like rainbows dancing. It was even prettier than the fairy fountains Link had seen in the past and he felt a bit lost that Zelda was not here with him. Not that he lacked for company, Ruto was only too pleased to make up for the lack of his wife and to tease him mercilessly.
Still she was familiar and good company; someone he knew that he could trust and was very pleasant to dance and dine with. He made sure her plate was never empty and escorted her with all his usual gentlemanly aplomb, for as many dances as she wished. She in turn, conveyed to him that she was engaged (for real this time) to a very nice Zoran who although he was not there at the moment was eager to meet his long term 'rival'. Link grinned and reassured Ruto that he would be honoured.
A Zoran courier had been sent to Hyrule Castle to inform of the success of this mission and that the Hylians were staying overnight as guests of Princess Ruto as they celebrated with them. Zelda felt hurt, she would have loved to be with Link; but instead she was left alone while he danced the night away with of all people, Princess Fish. He should have come home to her, he was not too far away.
She sulked for a little bit, feeling guilty for being rude in her mind to Ruto. The girl was a fellow sage after all and really the two got on very well; of course Ruto teased Zelda about Link, but that is all it was and the Princess of Hyrule knew this. She was just feeling left out and bored; the life of pampered Princess was not for her, unlike her cousins who were able to just take amusements all day. She wanted to be out riding with Link, meeting her people and making passionate love; not the overly restrained kind of recently.
That night her bed felt doubly empty because Link should have been there as he was close by. Zelda tossed and turned, sighing heavily and getting more and more disgruntled. She developed a headache and her temper worsened; when Impa came in with a potion to help her go to sleep. The Sheikah sat with her near daughter until the Princess slept; she needed no explanations for her charge's unrest, the absence of Link was self explanatory.
Zelda awoke the next morning feeling drained of energy instead of invigorated and she ghosted down to breakfast looking pale and wraithlike. Impa had to hide her smiles; honestly, if Zelda was like this when she had been apart for only a couple of days, what would she be like if it ever came to Link having to be away longer. But still, it was better that she missed him than not. Impa knew that it was not just the physical aspect of love that Zelda missed, Link was the other half of her soul and she missed the completeness that being with him brought.
Although this was true and Zelda did miss Link terribly; she was getting angry at him in an almost corresponding way. The anger only got worse when he had sent a message saying that he would not be back that day either as he was escorting the Moblins to the mountains and it was expected to be a great homecoming for the males, who would at long last be able to look forward to starting a proper colony. Word had already been sent ahead and the preparations made for a grand homecoming. Link was to be one of the guests of honour and so he would be away again that night.
In truth, all Link wanted to do was get back home to his wife; he missed her dreadfully but in one way the seperation was a good thing. He was finding it harder and harder not to give in to their desire for another child. Not only that; but the closeness of the bond they shared was being compromised and he knew that it was because she was not feeling fulfilled. For this reason, Link was grateful that Tarin and his sisters were able to stay on longer in Hyrule than they had originally intended. They all got on so well, that he was sure that Zel would not be missing him as much as he missed her.
During the day, Zelda however got more and more unhappy. She wanted to be included in all the things that Link was doing; it was after all, the job that her father had assigned to both of them. Even though she tried to hide it, her mood was fairly obvious to everyone and it gave Tima his chance to stir up trouble later in the morning. He was outside the library door when he heard it open to let out his two Princesses; so being the 'gentleman' that he was, he offered both of them an arm to escort them to their rooms.
Sarah and Julia both giggled and flirted with the older man; he had been part of their brother's entourage for many years and had known both girls since their childhood, being entrusted with their safekeeping many times. Tima was loyal to his Royal Family and very fond of his young charges, but that did not stop him using them in his schemes if he could. They were halfway down the corridor when the library door opened again and Tima could smell the light perfume that Zelda favoured. Perfect.
The girls were still giggling and didn't realise that Zelda had followed them, that was all to the good because then Tima could pretend he also thought that they were speaking privately. He put on his friendliest face and flirted back with Sarah and Julia knowing that they would comment as they always did. Sarah was the first to start their familiar banter.
"Stop flirting Tima, honestly how will we know which of us will marry you if you make such pretty eyes at us both?"
"My Ladies, I could never choose between either of you; but seriously I hope that neither of you make a choice of lover soon."
"What has got into you Tima, you are not normally so solemn; you usually wish to here of all our conquests."
"I have seen things recently that makes me fear for you girls, entrapped into marriage; I had not normally considered the fate of such bondage on females and it makes me worried for those I hold dear." With this he made his face straight, with no hint of amusement but let worry shine in his eyes.
"Goodness, you are serious; are you not? But I don't know what there is to fear in a loving relationship. Surely your concern is misplaced. After all, we must marry someone; someday."
"Oh my dear young ladies; I realise this and it grieves me that you may choose a young man such as your friend, our beloved Princess Zelda has done." By now they were outside the girls' doors and the faint footfall of Zelda that Tima heard following had stopped around the corner and not overtaken them. He knew she listened. Julia spoke;
"I would love someone like Link, she is so lucky, he is handsome, brave and he absolutely adores her."
"That is as maybe but I don't like the way he treats her, he is a young man still; he leaves her all day long pining for him and then just comes home to use her as if she were no better than a whore and without even the consolation of a child. What sort of really caring husband does that. You know the policy in our country, no man travels in dangerous times without leaving an heir to follow him."
"Ah, there I can correct you; they must wait at least a full year after Zelda's miscarriage, to try again for a baby and I know it is hard for her."
"Poor Lady, but why must it wait a year, I know for a fact that doctors usually only advise that one or two cycles of the moon be waited, not a twelvemonth. I should think it is more likely that the Prince does not yet wish for children and can use this as an excuse to defer the day he becomes a father; after all is said and done, he is not much more than a child himself."
"Tima, I appreciate your concern for ourselves if we were to be wed; but you do Link an injustice surely and you must take care of how you speak."
"I am sorry my Ladies, my tongue sometimes runs away with me but I speak as I find my dears; you know this and I hate to think of either of you being treated as if you were just a carnal toy, even if it is disguised as a form of love. You would be better off with an older man whose lusts for life are a little more quenched and who will adore and spoil you as you both deserve."
"For shame Tima, speak no more of this; I declare I will not be able to look Link in the face again should you speak any more so." Tima had heard Zelda's horrified intake of breath and smiled. Then he heard his master as he approached and say to the hidden Princess;
"Zelda, you look pale; shall I escort you to your rooms and call your nurse?"
Tima vanished silently; his cruel words he knew, would leach like poison in the girl's veins.