Chapter Ten

She was in her garden, and he had taken a very familiar route to get there.

It was uncanny to Link how the route to her garden was so fluent to him, as he recalled every movement and gesture of each guard, when they would turn their backs to him, when he would pass each one, which hill to climb, bush to hide behind. The path had been etched into his mind for years, and had been put into action several times while he would sneak to visit the princess over the years. And even after a year's absence, he had performed with perfection.

And she was so beautiful when he found her, more ravishing in the sunlight, her hair shining brilliantly from the luminosity, her eyes closed with a tender smile to her dark pink lips as she delicately inhaled the scent of her flowers. There was an eerie perfection about her, as she appeared before him as a flawless painting. The folds of her dress did not suffer a single wrinkle, the curl of her eyelashes dramatic and dark.

Link had not made it obvious when he slowly walked towards her, his hands suddenly becoming very stiff at the harmonious sight of her. She seemed so calm, serene...happy. She had believed that Link broke his engagement with Malon, but little did she know that he had actually arrived to break his short affair with her.

When she had at last realized his presence, she had looked up from her flowers suspiciously, and smiled merrily upon seeing the green-clad young man. A soft, gleeful cry emerge from her mouth, as she stood abruptly and flung herself into his arms, embracing him, holding him, her head against his chest affectionately, raising her mouth to kiss him.

No, no. He couldn't let this happen.

Before she could touch him, Link took hold of her shoulders gently, yet firmly. Immediately, the princess ceased, her eyes wide as she stared up at him silently, sucking in her cheeks.

"What, what happened?" she asked him quietly, hope lingering in her voice. Gingerly, she clasped her hands together. "Did you tell Malon? Are you officially mine?"

I don't have many things I can call my own. But the princess, she does. She has so many.

Clearing his throat uncomfortably, Link softly closed his eyes, releasing his grip on Zelda, and allowing his arms to rest at his sides. He tried to maintain his breathing, a steady heart beat. Yet, he failed as guilt and pain had consumed him.

Carefully lifting his eye lids, he gazed back down at the princess, able to see his reflection in the jewel of her diadem, the face of a confused, troubled man. And with a sigh, he lightly clenched his fists.

"Princess, I..."

She bit her lip. "You called me Princess."

With wide eyes, he took a step back, pausing for a moment, observing her reaction to his two spoken words. She leaned against her hip now, her arms folded over her chest, an apparent tap to her foot, a suspicious rise to her perfectly plucked brow.

His heart beating rapidly, he rubbed at the tip of his nose. "I came to tell you, to inform you that, that we, that I-"

Without warning, she feverishly grasped the sleeves of his tunic, her grip tight and fierce, her eyes gleaming with fury as she stared up at him.

"Tell me you left Malon."

Tell me you don't love her.

Link flinched, unable to reopen his mouth to answer. Both girls' voices began to mend in his mind, causing his head to suddenly ache maddeningly. Huffing in pain, the young man pressed his palm upon his forehead in exhaustion, a hollowness in his belly.

"Link! Answer me!"

She had not addressed him as a lover, but more like a princess, demanding for a response. He noticed her fists curl into tiny, compact balls, her hands quivering as she awaited a reply, a nod, anything to settle her inquiry. Yet, he took in a deep breath, his eyes glittering as he looked down at her.

"I haven't...come to tell you of that."

Tilting her head in frustration, her glare towards him was menacing. "Then what, may I ask, have you come to tell me?"

"I have not left Malon, but I am leaving...you."

If there was any color to her delicate skin, it had vanished now. Even the rosiness from her blush, the glossy lavender applied to her eyes, the color to her lips- it seemed to fade away from her visage, leaving her completely white, colorless, ghostly pale. And her expression, it was so lifeless, almost contained no emotion, except for the fierce grief that dwelled within her eyes, which shimmered a deep blue like that of an ocean he could drown in.

"What did you say?"

Her voice was soft, yet stern, almost unsure. His gaze never left her, however, a twitch taking over the triceps of his arm. What he spoke to her next was one of the most difficult instances for him, as he forced himself to be collective, not break down, not play a back-and-forth game with she and Malon.

"I have chosen Malon. We are still engaged. And you and I are done."

Furiously, Zelda pushed him away, her fingers squeezing harshly at his chest as she did so. A bright, deep crimson red then filled every inch of her face, as she tugged at the ends of her long hair furiously, breathing loudly and heavily through her mouth.

"You are not doing this! I won't allow it! You cannot do this to me!"

Why are you doing this to me?

Letting out a moan, Link ran his fingers through his bangs hastily, shaking his head to hopefully rid of Malon's voice repeating itself in his mind.

"Zelda, I am sorry for everything. I'm so sorry that I have to do this."

There existed a shakiness to his voice as he spoke, as he was unable to remain as collective as he had liked. Yet, his lame apologies did not ease her, while the princess kneeled before her colorful roes, a look of despair drawn on her face, her hands clasped at the center of her chest.

"You told me you loved me!"

The muscle of his leg twitched, his heart breaking more and more with every word she spoke. "You said you loved me! You promised me!"

Devastation had taken her so entirely -from her heart, body, soul, to her complete being- that she had not been able to shed a single tear, unable to even find the energy, the slightest hope within her to allow her eyes the satisfaction of weeping. There was a dryness to her throat, her eyes, even her skin. And she kept shaking her head, trying to make sense of this, hoping to figure it out.

"We...had sex. We had sex last night." Strangely, she laughed, chocking out several of them, an uncanny smile forming on her lips, while she leaned forward onto the vibrant green grasses, her hands clutching at the dirt.

"You bed me, and then leave me the following day." Again she laughed, Link rubbing the back of his neck anxiously at her peculiar zeal.

"I tell you the most private matter of my life, and you betray me!"

You've betrayed me in such a way that...I don't know when I can trust you again.

He felt hidden tears sting at his eyes, compelling him to kneel beside the hysterical princess, trying to take her hands, but failing to do so.

"Zelda, you must understand! Malon-"

"Curse you, Link! Curse you and your Malon!"

He was rather taken aback by her words, as the princess swiftly stood, her posture elongated and firm, her fingers curled while pink sparked danced around her fingertips. Delicately, he gasped at her rage.

"I promise you, Link! You both will regret this! You will regret ever using me like this! You will see!"

Struggling to raise himself, the boy took several steps backwards before bumping into a firm object equal to his height.

Briskly he spun around, suddenly becoming very stiff when he stood before a very apprehended Impa. She possessed a firmness to her gaze towards him, her hand placed prominently on her wide hips, a scowl to her visage.

She didn't scold him, have the guards take him away, or did anything dramatic in front of the dear princess. Instead, she grabbed his elbow with force, squeezing diligently at his joint, as she began to lead him away.

"Come with me, boy."

And as she dragged him, Link took one final glance back at Zelda, as he saw her slouch her body in misery, kneeling besides her flowers once more, and at last begin crying into the palms of her gloved hands, by her lonesome.

Impa had pulled him through several courtyards, past many curious guards, some who had even publicly asked the royal lady if the young man had been caught trespassing. However, the woman remained eerily silent, marching forward without a sound. Even her breathing was faint. Finally, she halted them before the gates, forcing the boy to lean against the bars, her hands placed firmly on his shoulders, almost too close to the ends of his neck.

"What have you done to the princess?"

Her question was calm, yet possessed its own level of sheep desperateness. Link could feel the red in the Sheikan's eyes burn a hole through him, as he was unable to look away from her, biting down on his quivering bottom lip.

"That is between the both of us," he replied solemnly.

Angrily, she grunted at his remark, shaking him a bit before releasing her hold on him. "Foolish boy!" she beamed, a scowl claiming her face. "If I find out from her that you did something completely idiotic, I will not hesitate to tell the king of your behavior!" At his silence, she scoffed. "Well, do you have anything more to say?"

Narrowing his eyes carefully, Link slowly nodded.

"In regards to the princess's well being, I suggest you confront her of an incident which occurred during both your stay at Gerudo Valley."

At that, she glared at him oddly. "What in the name of Din are you talking about?"

"Just please, talk to her, help her. That is all I ask. I will never sneak over here again. I am done."

For what felt like a long while to Link, Impa stared at him thoroughly, as if she were attempting to read his thoughts. There was a boldness to him at that moment, a sudden straightening of his posture, a contraction to his muscles, a depth to his eyes. With merely a sigh, and without another word, she wearily opened the gates for him, allowing him his exit.

This was it: his goal for the castle was completed. He had ended his short-lived affair with Zelda, had chosen Malon, and was even going to wed her. He had retracted his confession of love to Zelda-

Oh wait, he hadn't.