Disclaimer: I do not own Leged of Zelda, any of it's lands, or any of it's characters.

Time May Change Us, But We Can't Change Time

Chapter 2: Catching Up

Link and Zelda entered the courtyard,

"This place hasn't changed since we were young." Link gazed around in amazement,

"Of course!" Zelda stepped forward, "I would never corrupt this place, after all, it's where I met you." She turned to him, an almost unnoticable red tint creeped across his face. Zelda glanced down to realize that she was still clutched onto his hand, she released it quickly in embarassment, "Um, terribly sorry." She turned her eyes to the ground, it seemed to be very interesting to her lately,

"Don't worry about it." Link grasped her hand once more. Zelda's face turned a light pink, accompanied by the most hypnotizing giggle Link had ever heard. She stepped forth, not releasing his hand,

"I remember these walls all too well." She sighed, approaching the window through which she used to watch Ganondorf. She could feel Link playing with her fingers,

"Zel, can I ask you a question?" She heard his voice behind her, she spun around to face him,

"Anything." She grinned warmly,

"Do you honestly love that Frederick guy?" He asked, his voice fell low,

"No," Zelda sighed, "He was the prince of Termina, I married him to create an alliance between our two kingdoms. That way we could use their armies in our war." She sat on the stone steps where she'd seen him stand when they were not but ten years old.

"Our younger years were stolen from us." Zelda said into the silence,

"What do you mean?" Link asked, accompanying her on the stairs,

"Childhood years are supposed to be joyous and carefree," She looked to the sky, leaning back on her hands for support, "Ours were full of worry and danger." She closed her eyes in remembrance of her morbid prophetic dreams,

"I think that I was more carefree back then than I am now." Link leaned back as well, staring at his female companion rather than the sky, for she was more beautiful. Her skin shone in the sun's light, it seemed to glow, so soft, he just wanted to touch it.

"How so?" Zelda asked, opening her eyes and turning her head to face him,

"Well, back then you weren't married and I could hug you for as long as I wanted without some stupid husband getting in the way." He said immaturely, as if he were a child again, she giggled,

"Yes, I miss that." She moved a bit closer to her old friend, pining for another embrace.

"As do I." Link noticed the distance between them had shortened,

"Well, you might hug me now without interruption if you wish." Zelda sounded so much more mature than when they were ten, she used to just say, "Gimme a hug." So bossily, knowing Link could never refuse,

"Okay." Link stood, holding out a hand. Zelda grasped it and he assisted her off the ground. As soon as she got to her feet, Link pulled her to him. She slid her arms around his neck, the bodies warming each other in the silence. Link inhaled deeply, taking in her scent, so fresh and mesmerizing, a smell he never wanted to forget. Just then, he heard a tiny voice whisper something, "What did you say?" He asked the woman in his arms,

"Uh, nothing." She said shakily, they finally released their hug. With their arms still around one another, they stared deeply into eachother's eyes. They were no longer in the courtyard, they were now in the recesses of their mind from so long ago, all feeling being dug up between them, they were in paradise. Unrequited paradise.

Zelda brought her arms back to herself and slunk to the ground,

"What's wrong?" Link asked, kneeling down quickly, afraid that he might have squeezed a bit too hard for fear of letting go,

"This isn't how this is supposed to happen, we weren't supposed to end up this way." She sobbed, her fingers flew to cover her face,

"Princess, don't cry." He pulled her to him,

"Don't call me that!" She shouted, pushing him away a bit, "I wish I wasn't a stupid queen! I wish I didn't have to be married to that arrogant fool! I wish you knew me!" She beat against his chest, "But you can't see! You're blind! Why must you agonize me so?" Her cries melted into a whisper,

"What do you mean you, 'wish I knew you'?" Link asked, they've been best friends for what seemed like ages, what could he not know about her?

"Eighteen years, it's been eighteen years since we first met," Zelda wiped the tears that streamed down her cheeks, "And you're telling me you still haven't noticed?" She asked, her voice shaking immensely,

"What haven't I noticed?" He asked, feeling dumbfounded,

"You fool!" She slapped him, Link then released her, laying a hand on his stinging cheek, watching her breakdown hysterically. Even now, after she'd hurt him so, with her bun falling, the tiara hanging from it's resting place, as if holding on for dear life, and her face and hands wet with tears, she was so gorgeous. After calming down a bit, she realized what she'd done, "I'm so sorry Link! I'm so, so sorry!" She flew to him, giving him multiple kisses on the cheek, "I didn't mean it, you're not a fool, I'm sorry." She stopped, moving back a bit and looking to the ground in shame,

"Zel, it's okay." Link reassured her, grabbing her hand, "I just want to know what I've missed all these years, now tell me, what haven't I noticed?" He asked, such caring sincerity in his voice, so convincing. Why did he have to be so irresistibly sweet?

"Come Link," Zelda stood, a blank expression on her face, as if nothing had just happened, "We have eyes and ears now, we must go where no one can follow." She began marching from the courtyard, Link stumbled along behind her.

After exiting the palace, they walked swiftly through Hyrule Castle Town, Zelda costumed in her Shiek disguise so no one may recognize her. They approached a tall temple, it seemed to have aged quite a bit, it's walls cracking, yet they shined so, as if they were brand new. It had stained glass windows, seven of them, each one had a recreation of a sage on it. It seemed a bit like a church, only more prestigious.

"The Temple of Time." Link whispered, his breath taken at the sight of the glorious building. They stepped inside, it was a large, empty, cold building. The opposite end from where they stood had a large altar with three tiny pedestals, no doubt to hold the Kokirin Emerald, the Zoran Sapphire, and the Goron Ruby. Two staircases stood on each side of the altar, meeting in the middle behind it. There was a large stone wall behind it with the triforce embedded on it's middle.

"Link, play the Song of Time." Zelda commanded, Link pulled his blue ocarina from the folds of his tunic and played a strange tune. It echoed from the walls and grew into a meloncholy tune that seemed to separate itself from his instrument, as if the angels themselves were singing it. The wall at the far end of the temple began to rise. They rushed up the stairs to enter the new opening. Once crossing the threshold. Zelda requested for him to play it again, Link played the melody once more and the stone wall closed them in. It appeared to shut out all light, except for the sunshine coming from a high window, it lit the pedestal from which Link once pulled the Master Sword. He stared as she rushed to the pedestal. and knelt down. She began mumbling a prayer in an ancient Hylian language, one that he couldn't understand.

"Would you mind telling me why we came down here?" Link said into the quiet, his voice loud through the dark corridor. Zelda stood, turning and stepping quickly to her friend, so much so that she seemed to glide over the floor rather than walk on it. She clenched her hands together and look upward,

"Goddesses, forgive me for what I'm about to do." She said in a hushed tone,

Zelda unwrapped the turban from her face, making it fall to the floor. She shook her head, making her hair free itself from the grip of the bun. She laid a hand on each of Link's shoulders, it felt as though he could feel her heartbeat through her palms. She closed her eyes, wondering if he knew now what she was about to do. Zelda pulled him closer, inch by inch their lips moved, cutting shorter and shorter the space between them. Adrenaline rushed through them, heat rising in their faces. For so long the moment lingered and after what seemed to be an eternity, they met in a kiss. Link thought he should have stopped her, after all, she was married! Although, he'd waited for this moment for so many long, cold years, why would he protest? He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, deepening the kiss. Their tongues slid together in a gentle manner, like they were afraid they were going to hurt one another. Zelda's lips were so soft and sweet, a taste Link was going to savor for all of his days. Link had an addictive taste, not sweet, but still delicious, Zelda didn't want to let go. He laid a hand on her cheek, lightly caressing it with his thumb. She ran her fingers through his hair, shoving his hat to the ground. Finally, they separated, breathing heavily.

"Now do you see?" Zelda asked, trying to regain her composure,

"No, maybe you should show me again." Link pulled her into another kiss. That's when Zelda came to realization, her closed eyes flew wide, she'd been so caught in her trance that she'd forgotten about Frederick! She reluctantly ripped her lips from Link's,

"We must return to the castle, otherwise His Majesty will notice our absence and grow

suspicions." She gasped, "He'll send a searchparty." She frowned at the thought,

"He's just like your Dad." Link sighed, his shoulders slumping, his fun was over. Zelda wrapped the turban around her head once more, covering her face, her violet eyes turning to a crimson red.

"Come." Zelda's voice suddenly grew deep, mimicking a man's. They left the temple, thoughts clouding both of their minds.

Zelda knew she loved Link, but she was bound to Frederick. Was there anyway she could break that without plunging Hyrule into another war, this time against Termina? That would take some persuasion, Frederick seemed very attracted to her, no matter how repulsed she was by him. She disliked her husband with such intensity, yet she loved Link, she wanted them to just swap places. She wanted Frederick to go off to war and Link to stay here, with her, in marriage. With him, maybe her castle life wouldn't be so dull, after all, he was quite the voyager, but she knew it wouldn't be wuite that simple. He'd always filled her life with excitement, that's one of the things she loved about him. He always knew the right things to say too. She could never cry without him cheering her up, he could never make a joke without her laughing, and he was the only one who could get her to confess her deeper inner-most thoughts. Plus, he was handsome. His hair, his eyes, his smile, everything about him just drew her in. Granted, he wasn't perfect, but that's what made him so perfect. She loved him just the way he was, but did he feel the same way? Or was he only kissing her because she had a pretty face? Zelda pondered what he would say if she asked him. She came up with the conclusion that it was best not to ask him at all, or ruin everything now.

Link had loved Zelda since he'd laid eyes on her all those years ago, but how would he go about telling her? He knew she loved him, but she was married to Frederick, he couldn't interject. Was he to have the whole kingdom angry at him for loving our queen so? More importantly, should he care what anyone thinks at all? It wasn't just what we thought, there were lives at risk here. In rage, Frederick could have Link hung, or worse, declare war against Hyrule. Was he to be the cause of that? No, there had to be a simpler solution, one where they could be together without death. Link thought for a moment. They could see eachother by nightfall, but what would that accomplish? By day, she'd still be in the arms of another man. Frederick would still be kissing her, still be mating with her, he would still have her. Link would go insane with jealousy, that wouldn't turn out well. Maybe if he told Zelda that he loved her, she could come up with a solution. Then again, that could cause more stress on her. She was so beautiful though, so smart, so funny, so captivating, he needed her. What was he to do? He'd simply leave it here until he could answer that question. They entered the gate with ease, the gaurds knew now that Shiek was really Zelda. As they walked along the dirt path, Link's eyes floated to her hand. How he longed to hold it, but the gaurds would see, and rumors would soon spread. He didn't think that she would appreciate that, so he kept his wanting palm to himself. Night fell as they crossed the drawbridge once more.