Chapter 12: Catch her heart
This day Captain Falcon had kindly agreed to let Mario switch places with him so that the plumber could sit next to his beloved Peach at breakfast. Mario had even moved the chair around the corner of the table so that they could sit really close.
The poor racer didn't seem to be enjoying himself at the other end of the table since he on one side had Ganondorf and Bowser and on the other Dr. Mario and Luigi, who he all had little in common with.
Marth had once again come down for breakfast but today it wasn't quite a sensational, so it didn't cause as much of a stir as before.
Zelda had trouble following the conversation since she was too fascinated by how Peach, almost automatically it seemed, fed Mario cookies while they spoke. Also how the couple would time it so that Peach started speaking when Mario could not and finished just about as he was done chewing.
"You look adorable together", Zelda said, not thinking of how she might have interrupted the conversation.
"You really think so?" Peach asked while beaming at her and her cheeks turned a rosy color.
"Thanks-a", Mario said and smiled proudly. Then the couple turned to look at each other and Peach gave Mario a quick kiss on his round nose, while blushing even more.
"Do you always eat cookies for breakfast?" Link asked, feeling a bit down over that he couldn't be as lovey-dovey with Zelda. Samus was staring down at her breakfast, embarrassed over Mario and Peach.
"Of-a course", Mario answered, eyes twinkling after the kiss.
"There's nothing better than a cookie or two for breakfast", Peach said with a giggle. "Oh, right, would you like coffee or tea, Zelda?"
"Tea", Link automatically answered for her. That Zelda preferred tea over coffee was as basic knowledge to him as the sky being blue.
"Uhm…" Zelda began hesitantly, glancing uncertainly at the hero. It was true that she normally would choose tea, but on mornings like these she would rather have coffee. Peach noticed Zelda's hesitance and glanced between the two Hylians, waiting for a decision.
"Could you pass the teapot, Peach?" Link asked as he thought Peach took way too long passing something which stood right next to her. Zelda just couldn't bring herself to say that she rather wanted coffee when he sounded so sure of himself. She decided to keep quiet this time around and was about to nod at Peach to pass it.
"An early morning like this… coffee is better", Marth stated as he crossed his arms and turned to Link, not Zelda. Everybody stared at him. He was speaking again! Sensational!
"Zelda likes tea better", Link explained, trying not to sound as frustrated as he was.
"Why do you think Princess Peach did not pass the teapot? Are you really that blunt? Besides, I am sure that Zelda's reasoning is that tea is far too calming to start a day with."
That was Marth's own reasoning and maybe he just wished that Zelda thought the same?
Zelda felt how she blushed in embarrassment. He was correct, but how? She could see Link put on his sour face, convinced that Marth was just sticking his nose into their business, which perhaps was true, without really knowing anything about it.
"But… you want tea, right, Zelda?"
Link turned to look at her hopefully and she felt her heart sink like a stone. Should she lie? Before she could decide the silence had spoken for her and Link turned away, looking grim.
"Please, Peach, could you pass Zelda the coffee?" Marth asked, elegant as always, looking very satisfied with himself. Peach smiled approvingly and passed it to the other princess.
"How kind of Marth", she said and gave Zelda a meaningful look. Zelda glanced at Link and noticed that his face was redder. Why did he have to take so hard on things like this? It was only a matter of what she was to drink today.
The coffee tasted bitterer than she had expected and she drank it like it was guilt she had to swallow. She would not embarrass Link further by trying to make things right in front of all these people and cause a scene. But she would talk privately with him as soon as he left the table.
It didn't take long before the hero hurried away and Zelda quickly rose from her chair. As soon as she ran after Link, Marth got out of his chair too and followed her.
"This is so interesting! Don't you agree Samus?" Peach asked without tearing her eyes away from Marth's back as he exited the kitchen. "I think she'll go with Marth in the end."
Samus gave her a sceptical look from behind her visor and Mario shook his head because he knew Peach wasn't looking.
"Hello, Samus", Captain Falcon said, doing his best to look cheerful. He took Link's empty seat next to her, hoping they would get better along after spying together. Things like that brought you closer after all. But Samus didn't seem to want to talk to him and he grunted as he realized she would only ignore him as usual.
Zelda wondered how Link could sprint off so fast. She couldn't be that slow, could she? Then someone grabbed her wrist and she was brought to an abrupt halt. Startled she whirled around and was surprised to see Marth.
"May I escort you?" he asked. She found the invitation quite strange, the fact that he was so frank even stranger. She nodded before she could stop herself and he let go of her wrist. Instead he offered her his arm. Still in a daze she accepted and they walked in unison up the stairs. Marth forced himself not to look at her, but he was still aware of how easily the moved together. It was as though they fitted like two pieces of a puzzle.
"Don't you think it is odd that we have so much in common?" she asked with a frown. She must have read his mind.
"I'm sure we'll find some differences in time", he said and she could have sworn she almost saw him smile. "But, yes, I do think it's a tad bit odd."
He stopped walking and turned to face her.
"I want you to know that I will try with my best efforts to be near you. As long as your hero allows it."
Well, the last part wasn't completely true. He couldn't care less about Link, but it was actually supposed to be more of a joke concerning Link's protectiveness than anything else.
She smiled warmly and he couldn't have hoped for a better response.
"Link would never be in the way as long as he knows I'm without harm, or not forced against my will."
Well, if she hadn't said anything it would have been the perfect response.
"And I really must see how Link is doing, so could we please go to him?"
He offered her his arm again and they walked in silence the rest of the way, but the comfortable mood was ruined.
Link was sitting with his back against the door when the sound of Marth's voice reached him from the other side. Since the prince spoke so rarely, his self-important, dawdling voice inevitable scarred its way into your mind whether you liked it or not, and Link did not like it. Then he heard Zelda answer and put his long, pointy ear against the door to hear better.
"Thank you, Marth, for escorting me."
"It was my pleasure. Would you mind if I make the same offer some other time?"
"Not at all."
Since when were they such good friends? Link walked over to his bed and sat down with crossed arms and a sulky look on his face. Then, as expected, a soft knock could be heard.
"Come in", he said, not being able to shut her out.
"Link, you left so quickly? Did I upset you?"
"No."
It would be awfully stupid of him to be upset so he would not admit it.
"Marth followed you here?" he asked.
She noticed that there was some form of accusation in his voice. She could not understand what Link had against Marth but the prince seemed to share these feelings towards Link too.
"Yes…"
"What did he say to you?"
She knew he wouldn't ask again if she didn't tell him but she could never keep anything away from him so she sat down and told him that all Marth did was offer to escort her.
"That was all."
Link didn't look satisfied in the least.
"You should be careful. He's rather suspicious."
She laughed and he was struck by, partly against his will, how much he loved her. He could never forgive himself if he let someone like Marth take her away.
"Trust me", she said and gave him that look of complete loyalty they were supposed to share, which always made him melt. He was so awfully weak when it came to her, especially when she made him feel like this. He tried to look elsewhere but couldn't tear his eyes away.
"It won't change anything between us", she ensured him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
It was only a guess from her side. She wasn't sure at all that it would have anything to do with her that Link held a grudge against Marth. Actually, she found it quite unlikely. But she didn't know how else to make things better.
Link was sure she had to feel how his heart beat in this tight embrace. He felt her cheek, cool against his, and could smell her hair. But he wouldn't flatter himself with the thought that he could stand a chance to win her heart, for many and obvious reasons.
She pulled away and caught sight of his sorrowful face. He looked so different from the usual Link whom you easily was fooled to believe didn't know the word trouble. She knew better. She had to hug him again and Link swallowed as he once again felt her close to his body. She seemed to turn colder but it was probably him getting warmer.
He hesitantly hugged her back and they sat like that, on his bed, neither pulling away.
"BIG ME! COME QUICKLY!"
Young Link burst in and Link and Zelda immediately moved away from each other. Young Link's face turned crimson as he concluded that he had interrupted a romantic meeting.
"Don't mind me", he said sheepishly and slowly closed the door as he left. Link got up from the bed with a loud growl and threw the door open. Zelda heard young Link scream and the sound of heavy boots disappearing down the hallway.
With a deep sigh she slowly exited the room to follow them when the Noki came rushing down the hall to her left.
"What's all this racket about?"
"Is it bothering you?" Zelda asked, thinking that the Noki had come down a bit too quickly.
"Oh, no, the other way around actually. I have absolutely nothing to do and I'm tired of staying in the office!"
Downstairs Link chased his younger self around the room, creating quite a commotion while doing so.
"Are they playing tag?" the Noki exclaimed and ran down the stairs. Just when he reached the bottom floor young Link had glanced over his shoulder and ended up slamming into Nana.
"I-I'm sorry! So sorry!" he stuttered while checking if the young girl was okay. Even the older Link had stopped his chase when he noticed that Nana could have been hurt.
"I'm fine", Nana said and smiled reassuringly, which was much unexpected since most had expected this young girl in her pink parka to start crying. As it was now she just pushed some strands of brown hair back in place. Popo seemed to have taken more damage than her only by seeing her get pushed as he stared at her in horror with his mouth hanging open.
"You just go on with whatever you were doing", she said to Link.
Young Link turned ghostly pale, recalling that he was in the middle of being chased, and was about to run off when the Noki came up to them.
"No, no, no", he said and shook his head. "You have been tagged so now you must tag someone else", he explained.
"Oh," Nana said and then laid a hand on Popo's shoulder. "Then I tag you", she said fondly.
"Then I tag you", Popo answered and gave her shoulder a gentle push.
"Tag", Nana chimed and pushed back, although it looked more like a pat.
"Tag", Popo said back and tagged her. They kept doing the same thing over and over while people came up to stare at them.
"They are so cute", Peach whispered to Mario.
"Now you have to tag someone else", the Noki said and immediately all the Smashers ran away. Nana, who had been the last one to get tagged, glanced at Popo for help but he looked about as clueless as her.
Since no one was close enough Nana pulled out her gigantic hammer and tossed it, hitting the back of Dr. Mario's head (Mario rubbed the back of his own head when seeing his other self fall to the floor with a big bruise).
"Nana!" Popo gasped in shock over her brutality.
"No, no, no!" the Noki said and waggled a finger at the little girl, which would have had a wonderful effect if he hadn't been smiling widely at the same time.
"You must touch them, nothing else counts. Understand?"
"Fine."
Just then Zelda walked down the stairs and was immediately targeted by the young girl. Nana rounded the sofa and Zelda who had been staring at her own feet was startled as she looked up to find Nana running at her with a look burning of determination. Without thinking, or else she would never have done it, Zelda put her hands on the back of the sofa in front of her, got up and jumped, her body moving in a wide circle as she gracefully flung over it. As she landed on the other side she almost tripped because of her high heeled shoes but managed to regain her balance.
Mr. Game & Watch who had run for the kitchen turned around to give her a thumbs up and most of the Smashers who was still in sight also stopped running. It was as though this unwilling reflex had brought the game into a new light as a look of eagerness filled everybody's eyes. None of them would back down from a challenge.
Zelda smiled. She was supposed to keep a low profile and play the role as the defenseless damsel in distress, but it was so very tempting to use her skills to get away. Her mind was already three steps ahead, concluding how she should avoid another attack from Nana in the best way possible.
"Zelda, make a run for the kitchen!" Peach cried, standing at a safe distance. Zelda's eyes darted to said place and Nana took the opportunity to leap over the sofa, head first, and reach out to tag the princess, but Zelda ducked. She could feel Nana's hand run through her hair as she flew past, but was convinced it didn't count as a tag.
Nana landed close to Peach and decided for her instead, but Peach proved to be about as hard to catch as Zelda.
"That's-a my Peach for ya", Mario said with a nod to Captain Falcon. "There's no one who-a can run in shoes like that-a the way she does-a."
"Thanks darling", Peach shouted from the other side of the room and waved to Mario. But her carelessness caused her to end up being cornered by Nana.
"Mario! You'll get tagged", Falcon shouted as Mario started running towards them. Peach desperately looked for an escape, even considering wall jumping to get away.
"It's too late!" Nana cried, taking the time to throw a glance at Mario over her shoulder. Then a slight quake of the ground made Nana lose her balance and a blur of green swished past and Peach was gone in a twinkling. The princess had shut her eyes tightly and now opened them to find herself riding Yoshi.
"Oh, that was you Yoshi? How kind of you to sacrifice yourself like that for me."
Yoshi made a happy sound and a high jump, Peach half expected him to drop down and cause another quake but it was a soft landing.
"Well done!" Mario praised Yoshi as he made a u-turn to avoid Nana, who was getting quite fired up by now. Popo made a weak try to make her cool down but she didn't seem to hear him.
The game continued throughout the day. The Smashers would take any chance to use their special abilities. Especially Fox and Falco, after whispering to themselves for a couple of minutes, would occasionally get tagged by any of the female Smashers to then try and tag them back. If a man was tagged they would be gone in the blink of an eye, proving that they had the speed and technique to stay away if they wanted to.
Fox was the one who, despite all his critic towards Nana, in the end had let her tag him (only to go and search through the whole house for any sight of Peach afterwards).
Soon enough people got bored and tried to find other activities, but no one was safe. Since nobody had ended the game it was still on and the Smashers would find themselves tagged when they least expected it. Ness had even dared to enter Marth's room, thinking he would tag the prince easily, but an icy stare had made him run back out again.
Marth had tried to shut out the sound of people running past his door, their laughter and their yells. When not even pulling his pillow down over his ears helped he couldn't take it anymore and decided to go out so that he could see that he was right to conclude that it was not as fun as they made it seem at all!
As he reached the bottom floor Luigi had just been tagged, after accidentally tripping, and he appeared very disheartened over the whole thing. Marth congratulated himself, he had been correct. This was no fun at all.
Luigi chased Zelda around the table between the sofa and the TV without much success. She laughed, apparently amused by the simple game and Marth leant against the wall, unnoticed, as he watched her. He was puzzled by how she, who he had thought shared the same penetrating pain as he, was able to smile in a way like this. It lit up her face. He knew that he could never even force a smile so how come she smiled so honestly? Was it possible that he had been mistaken about her all along? That it had all been an act of hers to fool him? He only knew that he had grown too attached. He would be hurt if it turned out to be that way now.
Marth stepped forwards, just as the long dress got entangled with her legs and Zelda tripped on her shoes that were not fit for running. She stretched out her arms to reduce the fall but something wrapped around her waist and prevented her from falling. It stole her breath away when her body was forced to stop in midair and she quickly tried to find the floor beneath her feet again.
"Did I not tell you to be more careful?" Marth said and scowled down at her as she turned her head to look up at him. As her gaze found his, a certain plaintiveness found its way into her eyes. He had not been imagining things. Princess Zelda was most puzzling, indeed. Maybe he was the only one who could bring forth what she kept locked deep inside?
Zelda stood up, but they still kept staring in silence at one another. Not to mention that Marth's hand still lingered on her waist.
Link would have interrupted a long time ago if not Captain Falcon had held him back. The hero had been so busy struggling that he hadn't thought of any other way to interrupt but now he cleared his throat, loudly. Zelda took a step back with reddening cheeks as Marth removed his hand and held it behind his back instead, trying to look as dignified as usual.
"Thank you for… saving me", Zelda said hesitantly, embarrassed over her choice of words as she tried not to look at Link who was glaring fiercely at Marth.
"It was my pleasure."
Link's eyes narrowed. "I'm sure it was you little…" he muttered, and the last words were, fortunately, impossible to catch for anybody but Falcon who still made sure Link didn't do anything drastic.
"Thank goodness you were here, Marth!" Peach said as she hurried over to them. Marth stared at her in astonishment which Peach took as an improvement from his usual cold glares. "What if Zelda had gotten herself hurt!"
"I tripped", Luigi said for no reason and Peach would have immediately come to fuss over him, if she, or anyone else for the matter, had heard him.
"Marth, you must come with us sometime to help Zelda pick out a proper dress. We couldn't find one last time we went shopping."
Zelda was about to protest that she hadn't heard anything about this before, but Marth answered before she had time to.
"I would be honored to accompany you."
Peach looked overjoyed and turned to Zelda, hoping to find equal content in her face but Zelda looked not even half as happy. She didn't look like she thought any of it at all. Peach sighed and was about to declare that it was settled when someone else spoke.
"I… I want to come too!"
Everybody stared at Link. Of course it would have been a disappointment to most of the Smashers if Link hadn't come up with a way to sabotage this, but none had expected the eternal "act before you think" hero to try and calmly keep an eye on Marth and Zelda, even less stay in Marth's presence for more than five seconds.
Peach did not look pleased but Zelda finally looked happy. Would Link try and get along with Marth for her sake? Marth looked about as happy over this suggestion as Peach.
"We'll see. We might not even go", Peach answered and that was the final word.
Thank you all for reviewing. People never seize to amaze me with good things to say! So, yay for zelinkness and good movies.
A few things have happened, I won't bother you with details (and I really don't want to spread my private life on the internet) but I feel much uninspired as it is now (still with an odd desire to write, I guess I need to occupy myself to get my mind off of things) so I'd like to apologize if this chapter is… well, even crappier than the others. As I've said this is for fun but it has come to mean a bit more to me (how I don't know!) and I don't want it to be the most worthless piece of…something… plugging up this section, but I'm fine with it being a bit on the bad side.
Good that there are people out there who like a long chapter, like I do. I'll just keep writing at the usual length (and yes, the last chapter was one of my shortest :P)
Oh, and about the letter Roy read being different from the one Marth sent to Zelda. I never quite explained that he wasn't writing love letters (too bad). Marth knows everything he writes comes out wonderful so he just made a few suggestions to be able to choose the ultimate apologize letter! (Link would probably write plenty of letters to get the right words out. They are so different!)
(has to add another thanks to all reviewers!)