This and the last one were originally meant to be one chapter, but I realized it would be way too long.
Enjoy.
BTW: Grüße an meine österreichischen Leser! Ihr seid überraschenderweise die 8. größte Gruppe, noch vor den Deutschen! Viel Spaß!
Chapter 26
Link
Link couldn't say how long they sat there, her in his arms, somewhere between crying and giggling from his silly line. Could be hours… could be minutes… he didn't care. He wouldn't let her go anyway until she had found back to her strength. When she had absorbed enough of his calm and was ready to continue onwards… not before.
He had to concentrate all his thoughts on her. He couldn't allow himself to think of the things she had just revealed to him, the danger that threatened to pervade their lives or he would have little calm left to give. If someone as strong-minded as Zelda was this terrified… and, he realized with sudden clarity, not only for herself but for him as well. Maybe even mostly for him… She had not yet revealed where he was supposed to fit in this puzzle, but her concern for him did not bode well.
Through sheer force of will he managed to keep his pulse down and his breathing tranquil, even though his thoughts were racing ominously.
Stop it! Clear your mind of this now! Right now, all that matters is that Zelda has a chance to recollect herself. The stress of the last few days could not be allowed to become a festering wound in her soul, and even less could he allow it to leave a scar. He didn't know the right way to help her, which made him angrily curse his lack of insight. But maybe for now giving her the peace to mend the stress-induced cracks in her psyche was enough. He hoped it was enough…
And even though the tension had nearly ripped her apart, her primary concern had been his worthless hide…
It did fit with her character that she would be more afraid for everybody else than for herself… Link mentally shook his head. 'Dummy!' he couldn't help thinking. He'd have to take care of her twice as fiercely, then…
Link could feel her breath softly against his chest. It had calmed…
He looked down at her, her face seemed placid and the extreme tightness of her muscles he had noticed had mostly faded.
"Are you asleep?" he whispered softly.
She made a tiny hum and slowly shook her head.
He placed a little kiss on the top of her head, allowing himself to breathe in the indescribably wonderful smell of her hair. It sent such a strong wave of serenity through him that he too felt like falling asleep, with her in his arms. He couldn't think of anything more beautiful…
It was fascinating, he thought. She too has such a powerful soothing effect on me… it's almost like we're made to support and encourage each other…
He saw the corners of her mouth rise into a tiny smile.
She stirred a little and Link could sense that she was ready to face the world again. He hoped that he was too…
He released her, reluctantly, and she sat up straight again. She glanced at him, blushed and lowered her head.
Link raised his finger under her nose. "None of that, you!" he said in mock sternness. "If you even think of saying 'I'm sorry' I'll have to hold your head under the fountain until I've washed all of that nonsense out of it!"
He grinned at her surprised expression and was relieved to see her smile a second later. "Maybe you should…" she said glumly.
Goddess damn it, girl, snap out of it! Apparently I have to shock you to get your spirits flowing again!
"Okay then, lets do it. You should undress." he said nonchalantly, standing up, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
"What?!" Zelda asked, slightly flabbergasted.
Link spoke slowly and carefully, as if to a child. "Your clothes. They're going to get wet when I scrub the 'Sorry' out of your skull. Off with them." he commanded, his faux expression of innocence cracking already.
She just stared at him, lost for words. He could see her face slowly turn red as a tomato. "What on earth are you…?" she whispered, unable to continue.
Then it seemed to dawn on her. Link couldn't hold it in any longer and exploded out laughing. He bent over, holding his stomach. "Your face… its glorious…" he breathed between convulsions.
Zelda furiously swiped a handful of ice-cold water at him. "You fiend!" she shrieked, but couldn't keep the chuckling away either. "I should drown you right now, you letch. If only that wouldn't spoil this fountain forever with your nastiness…" she yelled, sending another splash of water his way.
Link bent backwards, his arms outstretched as if welcoming any punishment that could come from her. "I always knew you wished to bathe me. Go ahead! Should I undress too?" he laughed.
"You utter slime of a pig of a prancing, predatory, priapic pervert!" she shouted, now too lost completely in a giggle fit.
"Hey now, it wasn't me who suggested we go skinny dipping. That was a rather more royal decree!" he countered, gasping for breath. He also had no idea what 'priapic' meant, but he decided to take it for a compliment.
"Stop… mercy! I can't… breathe…" she wheezed, holding her stomach.
Link decided to be merciful… this once. Mostly because he didn't want to go too far… He wasn't only bent over because of his struggle for breath now. He also endeavoured to hide something that, at the thought of skinny dipping with Zelda, threatened to spring into action… After all he'd just said, mostly in jest, it wouldn't do to let that be shown…
Thankfully, it took quite a while for her to return her giggling fit back under control. Else he'd have had to jump into the cold water…
When Zelda had fully regained her mastery over her laughing muscles, Link grinned at her widely. "Better?" he asked playfully.
She stepped close, smiling, stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss. "You have no idea how much…" she mumbled, her cheeks pink.
While Link was busy wondering how even a quick peck from her managed to send his brain into shutdown, she looked at the fountain. "We should move on. There's still a lot I must show you…" she uttered, subdued but determined.
Link was relieved to see that his improvised ministrations had helped her reassemble her resolve. "I am ready." he affirmed.
Zelda gave him a quick smile, then walked over to the basin right next to Nayru's statue. She stepped on the rim and stretched upwards. Apparently she meant to reach for the goddess' hand, but she was too short by about 15 centimetres. Link wondered what she was doing when she made an annoyed grunt. "Of all the things…" she huffed and looked at him, apparently measuring his height. Link was pretty sure he could touch the steel hand, but not its skyward palm. He didn't even know what to look for. But, sly fox that he was, he had a most brilliant idea that would benefit them all. Especially him…
He stepped close to her, called by her asking gaze. She stepped back down to let him try, but he had different plans. He, quick as a weasel, stepped behind her, grabbed her waist and lifted her up before she could even react. With a, to him, hilarious yelp of protest he sat her down on his shoulders. He waited a second to let her regain her balance. "Comfy?" he asked mischievously.
"Hardly. We can add 'Assault on royalty' to the ever growing list of charges against you. Would you ever like to get back out of the dungeons?" she growled with a mix between indignation and grudgingly admitted delight.
"That depends on whether you ever want to see me again, princess. Else you'd have to come down to my cell." he mused, looking up slightly, but he couldn't see her face from this angle… a critical flaw of this plan, he thought amusedly.
She gave a noble little snort. "Maybe I could also just start a life of deplorability, step in your footsteps… follow you down into your deep pit of dishonour, as it were. Maybe I'd be thrown into the cell next to you?" she grumbled.
Link raised his hand to his chin in a exaggerated thinking pose. "Hmmm, I might be persuaded to even share a cell with you… If you ask the warden nicely, he might even put a second bunk in… else you'll sleep on the floor." he said, pointing over his head right at her.
Zelda awarded his kind words with a little whack over the head, which he thoroughly enjoyed. "Bring me closer to the hand already, you insufferable pest!" she chuckled in defeat.
Link grabbed her ankles so he could hold her in case she fell and stepped obediently on the rim. He twisted his head trying to see what she was doing. "Its some sort of switch or button…" he heard her mutter. At least she was now easily high enough to fiddle about on the goddess' palm. After a brief search, something made an audible click and the water stopped. Observing how quickly the water drained, he said: "Aw, that's a pity…"
He felt her nod. "It is. But there's a reason. Get me to the other hand!" she commanded.
Gentleman that Link was, he made sure to make the short ride over as bumpy and twisty as possible. Zelda was forced to hold on to his head which brought him great glee.
"I'll single-handedly tear all of your hair out, if you don't stop that!" she hissed between anger and joy.
"And here I thought you liked my hair. Guess I really should cut it… or better yet, shave it off completely…" he pondered aloud.
"Hair stays, goddess damn it!" she ordered threateningly while grabbing two handfuls of it.
'Angelic caresses…' Link thought to himself, smiling. He stepped onto the rim of the other side of the basin. This one took Zelda only a few second before there was another click.
Half the basin's floor slid away to reveal a winding staircase cut into rough stone. Link thought he might have just stepped into a fantasy novel. Who would build something like this? And what could be hidden in such a place?
"Can… can you let me down now?" a voice from above asked shyly.
"Oh… sorry." He reached his arms back up and lifted her off his shoulders back onto the ground. She was so delightfully light… or maybe he'd gotten a lot stronger over the last few weeks…
She brushed imaginary dust off her trousers. "Well, if I ever need quick and cheap transportation…" she started, leaving it deliberately unfinished.
"You'll think of this trusty old pack mule. But careful! He loves to throw off anyone who doesn't behave!"
She turned and looked at his face. She had an immensely cute impishly-raised-eyebrow expression. "Well, in that case I think I'll need to be extra cautious…" she purred. Link nearly fainted at that combination. "If you don't stop that right away, even the most dutiful pack mule might get ill-behaved." he promised her, feeling his cheeks become rather flushed.
Unfortunately – or luckily, depending on how you see it – Zelda, instead of answering looked towards the dark opening in the basin. Her face instantly turned glum.
Link swallowed his excitement reluctantly and stepped beside her.
"Ready?" he asked, the ominous black hole filling him with apprehension.
"Ready!" she answered, taking his hand and giving it a quick squeeze.
Zelda had thought of everything, it seemed. A few steps down, still flooded with sunlight, she had stashed two torches and a box of matchsticks. They descended into the dark, Link in front, fascinated and at the same time a bit frightened.
"So, what is down here?" he asked.
She hesitated a few seconds before answering. "A temple, devoted to a sacred relic. A sword to banish evil…" she muttered.
A sword? Interesting… "That sounds helpful. Remind me: this Threat… why does it come back?"
Another moment of hesitation. "I don't know. I don't think we can know. Possibly it is a being that is reborn through an accumulation of all sinister deeds ever committed… Maybe it is a cosmic balance to our three creator-goddesses… a god of chaos and destruction… Obviously It was defeated before, 2000 years ago. But something in me knows that It is much, much older than that…" she trailed off.
"And the sword is the weapon created to destroy it?" Link wanted to know.
"So it appears. It too is of unfathomable age. I… it spoke to me when I touched it." Zelda said.
They had reached the bottom of the stairs and he turned around to face her with an inquisitive expression. She seemed to misinterpret it as doubting, for she heatedly said: "I'm not making it up! There is an intelligence sleeping within it!"
He raised a calming hand. "I do not doubt you. In fact, I have a theory… Is it a two edged blade with a blue, wing-like cross guard and a shining golden gem?" he asked, having a suspicion.
Zelda looked at him, amazed. "How do you…?"
"You didn't happen to have a vision about us combating a dark, shadow-shrouded man floating above flaming ruins, did you?"
She looked downright shocked, her eyes wide. "You saw?" she breathed. "How?"
"I don't know. It was like a nightmare and I jerked awake at about one in the morning. But I… it might sound a little crazy, but I knew that it wasn't just a dream… it felt as if you were there too, with me amidst the ruins…" he muttered, a little haltingly.
She gave a short giggle. "All the things that I've told you, and you think that sounds crazy to me? I suspect we both might rethink what constitutes crazy…" she mused. "But yes. This is the vision that the sword showed me. It is what made me realize that, despite my misgivings, I must involve you. I believe it was a vision of the past, two millennia ago…"
Link ignored the implication that she wouldn't have involved him if it hadn't been shown to her. He'd probably have involved himself anyway, bumbling fool that he was…
But wait… "The past? But why… it was us, there on the hill, wasn't it? I was in my body and I saw you!" he questioned, confused.
She made a thoughtful face. "Yes it was… but not quite…" she sighed. "This is where it gets really complicated… and crazy even by the new definition of the word. It appears not only the Threat is subject to a cycle of rebirth, but us too. Or some part of us... or our souls… or…" she trailed off.
Link stared straight ahead, lost in thought. "I'm not sure I like that idea…" he said cryptically.
"Right?!" Zelda confirmed eagerly. "It's like everything in our lives is predetermined! Like everything is going according to some cosmic plan that we have no influence over! It's actually pretty infuriating!"
"Hmm." he confirmed ponderously. "Still, if all this is correct, and that's still a big if, it is also reassuring, don't you think?"
Zelda frowned, wondering. "How so?"
He gave her a slight grin. "Well, our… soul-ancestors must have succeeded, or we wouldn't be standing here, right? So, by my understanding, we've done it before. You said it yourself, this thing is unfathomably ancient. Who knows how many cycles there have been. And I doubt that when the Threat wins, it'd just continue on, right? Basically, we have only ever won." he concluded.
She looked at him, surprised, then thoughtful. After a few seconds, she showed a tiny smile. "Heh. Now that's a thought that, despite a whole night of pondering, hasn't occurred to me…" she mumbled.
"Well, maybe you should occasionally try to think like a simpleton. It tends to help." he joked.
"But that's what I keep you around for! You're my idiot, remember?" she giggled, looking at him bashfully.
"How could I not? I said it with the utmost conviction." he affirmed and took a deep bow. He got a little chuckle for his efforts.
'It's funny', Link thought. 'Even in this dark, dank place that scares us, the two of us together can just… laugh. Be dumb together… have fun as if we haven't got a care in the world, even though, apparently, the world is in our care. I just feel so comfortable when I'm with her… and it seems she is no stranger to that feeling. Maybe we really, truly, do belong together since times immemorial…'
Also a pretty encouraging thought, he couldn't help thinking.
"Let's move on. After you, my lady!" he said gallantly.
"Why thank you, good sir knight!" she replied and hovered past him.
They left the cistern and entered the series of long hallways, occasionally interrupted by rooms which purpose could only be guessed at. Link marvelled at the alien architecture and darted around to and fro, his sense of adventure obviously kindled. "Have you explored all these paths? We've already passed six of them!" he asked her while stepping inside one of those branches and holding his torch out in the hopes of seeing anything.
"No. I've only learned of this place yesterday… it looks like fully mapping this place might take days. Father said that most of these corridors have long since collapsed." she explained, smirking at his childlike wonder.
He looked back at her. "Do you want to explore?" he wanted to know, his eyes sparkling.
She hesitated. "Do you?" she questioned back, looking torn between curiosity and wariness.
"The thought has crossed my mind…" he grinned mischievously. "When else can you explore an ancient temple of ultimate evil?"
"The temple isn't evil, you dolt." she scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"Of ultimate good, then! Come on! Zelda and Link, the princess and her loyal fool, adventuring!" he exclaimed. He could see by her amused smile that his grand histrionics were having an effect.
"Alright, alright, you child! But after we've done what we're here for. And if you're good, maybe I'll give you a sweet!" she mocked.
Link made wide, delighted eyes at her. "Yaaaaay!" he squeaked.
She shook her head again, chuckling, and turned around to continue on her way.
Link still scurried around all over the place but was careful not to slow them down. He didn't want to annoy Zelda or make her stay down here longer than she absolutely wanted to. He could feel how uncomfortable she felt down here, in this world of dusty darkness, with only two torches as tiny sparks of light. He wouldn't be surprised if she tried to weasel out of her promise to take a closer look at this place. He would, of course, let her… but he would tease her forever for it.
They were just passing through a larger room with what looked like an open portcullis at the end, when his eyes were drawn to the right wall.
"Wait for just a second, please." he begged.
He could feel her questioning gaze on him when he stepped closer, holding his torch aloft to shine more light on the stone. It was a mural… remarkably well preserved, he thought. You could still see most of the colours. Dry and no sunlight, he mused.
Though even more fascinating was what it depicted. Two armies, one hylian on the bottom, one clearly monstrous at the top, standing face to face. In the middle were three much larger characters… all three of them looked eerily familiar. At the top a many-horned creature in jet black and red, bottom left a golden haired woman with an aura of light and to the bottom right a man in green, wielding a bluish shining sword. The monstrosity was amidst its army of Moblins, the others were among their troops of Hyrule.
Link swallowed. "I am beginning to think you were dead on with your theory about us…" he mumbled.
He saw Zelda nodding out of the corner of his eye. "This makes my hair stand on end…" she whispered. "Who were they? Were they us? Judging by my vision we even looked remarkably similar…"
"Good for them. But I don't think they necessarily were us in all respects. Different upbringing, different experiences, different situations… I think they define a character just as much as this elusive concept of a soul… if not more…" he mused.
She looked at him, having a look of surprise on her face, as if she hadn't expected such an answer. He raised a sceptical eyebrow. "What? I don't have to be your idiot all the time, do I? No time off?" he asked protestingly.
She looked down, suddenly ashamed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to insinuate… it's just that such a complex thought came to you so quickly. I'm genuinely impressed…" she mumbled. Link hoped that in this torchlight you couldn't tell how much he was blushing. Zelda looked back into his eyes and gave him one of her brain-frying smiles. "You can be my philosopher too, I think."
Goddess, that look she gave him right now! Link would have loved to kiss her, but this was hardly the right place. And they had business to attend to… Stupid bloody goddess-damned business, always getting in the way of important stuff!
He couldn't resist, however, to step closer and give her a little peck on the forehead.
"Come. Let's move on." he said, offering his hand. She took it immediately and together they set off again. Link tried to commit this room to memory, in case there were more such murals in here.
After a couple of minutes walking along more corridors, he noticed something. He stopped once more, looking back and forth between the way forward and the way they had come.
"What is it?" Zelda asked, a little nervous at his concentrated gaze.
"Nothing worrying. It's just… I only just noticed that we're going in a downward spiral…" he said thoughtfully.
"What?" she asked, bemused.
"Yeah, look!" he gently led her to the wall to their left and motioned for her to place her head against it and look along.
"Huh. It's got a slight bend…" she agreed.
"And we've been going ever so slightly downwards the entire time. If I had a coin I could probably prove it to you… we're in one huge spiral leading down… No idea if that has any significance though…" he finished.
"Interesting nonetheless. I'd never have noticed that." she admitted thoughtfully.
"It makes sense though. We're inside the hill upon which the fortress is built. If we had walked straight for this long, we would have hit one of the hill's sides and emerged. The Nayru fountain is almost completely at the edge…"
Link pointed at the bottom of the mural towards a line of squiggly symbols. "Can you read that? Is that even language?" he asked.
Zelda bent down to get a closer look. She was silent for at least a minute. Link suspected she was in complete study-mode and he hardly dared to move so he wouldn't break her concentration.
"It's not ancient Hylian, at least not a variant that I'm familiar with. It seems older… I don't really dabble in semantics and linguistics, but some of these symbols look like our letters might have emerged from them. But I can not figure out the semasiology behind them. All I can tell you it that I think they are letters of some sort… but even the barest syntax eludes me." she lectured.
She stood back up and looked into Link's amused face. "I like it when you become all scholarly. I understand only about half of what you're saying…" he smirked.
Zelda made a haughty face and looked at him as if he were an insect. To his surprise, she could do that quite well. "Hwell. Thousands of hours spent receiving a higher education must avail me some superior status, mustn't they?" she spoke down to him mockingly.
"Certainly, professor! So allow me to expand my horizon, my little walking lexicon: what does 'priapic' mean? You threw that at me before…" he asked, radiating 'eager innocent student'.
The effects were delicious! Zelda immediately turned a deep crimson that not even the bad light could hide. She couldn't even look at him… "It's err… you know when… erm… you, I mean, a man gets… err…" she fought with her embarrassment.
To Link it was the finest ambrosia, he could barely hold in his laughter. "So good a word, is it? Well, I think I'll start using it from now on, even though I'm not a 100 percent sure what it means. And I'll tell everyone who I got it from so everybody knows how erudite their princess is!" he promised.
Outrage mixed with embarrassment in her flushed face. "Don't you dare, you illiterate! If I bash your boorish head in with my torch right here, nobody's ever going to know!" she growled threateningly.
He took a step back and raised his hands. "Well how is a simple bumpkin like me ever going to broaden his vocabulary if not by asking his betters? And need I remind you? You put that word in your mouth, not me!" he chuckled.
That seemed to have been the wrong way to put it, for Zelda, even though it seemed impossible, blushed even harder until her whole head was completely red. She looked at him rather flabbergasted.
"Err… did I say something… odd?" he asked, dumbfounded.
"No… nothing… it's fine…" she said in a quiet, high voice.
Link felt as if he was on the brink of discovering an altogether new side of this girl. He crossed his arms in mock strictness. "Could it be that you are thinking of something rather… indecent? Not to say dirty?" he asked, feeling his own cheeks flush quite a bit. "And down here at that!" he finished, enjoying the situation immensely.
Zelda buried her face in her hand, seemingly wanting the earth to swallow her up. "Please stop!" she begged weakly, her shame nearly unbearable.
He relented, mostly since he felt his own embarrassment rise to dangerous levels… but also his curiosity. "Very well. I suppose this is a conversation that is best had outside a dark, dusty dungeon of danger. We shall resume at a later date." he determined, turning away. He hoped to Farore he hadn't gone too far, but it had simply been too fun to stop. He might, for the second time today, need an ice cold bath to get him back on track… though this time it seemed the same could be said for little Miss Angelic, which was… inspiring…
He stepped away a bit so they both could be allowed to recover. He forced himself to take an interest in a half crumbled statue of an elderly man, holding a book with a strange symbol on it. Three circles arranged in a triangle, with three wedges between them, pointing towards the middle… it appeared it was meant to represent something radiating outwards. Link had no idea what it meant, though.
He looked over his shoulder at Zelda. She was once again crouched in an attempt to garner more meaning out of the symbols they had noticed. Her skin seemed to be back to normal levels…
"Shall we proceed?" he asked, still amused.
She turned, a bit startled, and looked at him. She nodded, averted her gaze and threatened to become red again. Dear goddesses above, what had she been thinking of to be so flustered? He'd definitely have to find out at some point in the future, he thought… but for now, let's release her from this hell.
"Look. Let's just forget this little episode and focus on the task at hand, shall we?" he took pity.
She gave a little snort and nodded. "Thank you." she mumbled.
He extended his hand and made a wry face. "Come then, my little innocent princess!" he chirped.
She shot him a sinister look, but after a second took his hand nonetheless.
After about another 500 metres of walking they reached a large stone archway in the left wall. "This is it…" Zelda said ominously.
They stepped through and found themselves in the enormous domed chamber. Link gave an impressed whistle. Its echo bounced off of the walls and came back distorted and frightening.
"Bottom of the downwards spiral…" Link mused. He strained his eyes, but even he couldn't see the sword from the entrance.
With Zelda by the hand he drew closer, ascending the concentric steps until he, finally, was face to face with the blade he had heard so much about.
It was just a tad disappointing…
"Hm! It seems to have aged poorly, if you asked me…" he grumbled. He bent down to take a closer look, careful not to touch it. "There's quite a bit of rust eating away at this thing. I mean, it's a wonder it's still in one piece after two thousand years… I guess I was expecting it to look bright, even glowing, like in the dream…"
Zelda nodded. "I was surprised too. Until I touched it… then I was really surprised…" she jested.
Link gave a little snort. He could see what she meant… the blade seemed to… wait… He couldn't quite describe what he saw… the blade seemed to get… younger. The oxidation flaked off, the blue turned from an aged dark to a marine colour, even the dim gem in the cross guard seemed to brighten.
Link could feel his breath quicken, though he didn't quite know why.
"Are you seeing this?" he breathed.
"No, what?" she asked, muffled. He could barely hear her. He looked to where she had stood, not a metre beside him. She was almost completely hidden behind a white mist… judging by her calm expression, she couldn't see it though. Only his increasingly unsettled face seemed to make her nervous. He barely saw her open her mouth to speak, but he couldn't hear anything. Then she was gone from his vision too…
Link was on the brink of panic. His heart was hammering in his chest as he looked around frantically. The only thing he could still see was the sword… by now it looked radiant, elegant in design, yet of an effective simplicity. He could feel pulses of power emanating from it, almost like the slow pulse. It was inviting… a welcoming, calming rhythm. He took a step closer, so he stood directly in front of it.
Fine leather was now wrapped around the hilt. It looked perfect for his hand. It was almost as if he could remember the feel of it, remember the sensation of swinging it in his arm, the weight of it in his body… This remarkable blade had been his, once… an infinity ago… He knew, yet couldn't remember… So many familiar thoughts, yet nothing to connect them to. It was like trying to remember someone else's dream…
Link found he yearned for it, thirsted for the feeling of having the perfect weapon. It scared him, but his fascination won. Slowly, carefully he extended his arm and wrapped his left hand around the grip.
A jolt racked through him and drove his breath out as if he had been kicked by a horse. His hand felt hot, scalding even, as if he'd touched a glowing piece of metal. His head swam as if he'd gotten an electric shock. He saw the earth erupt, a metre in front of him. A red glowing serpent-like creature flew gracefully from the crater, ascended to just above his head, then spiralled around him. He frantically looked to both sides. To his left and right two other, similar serpents had appeared, one blue and one green, all of them at least five metres long. His lung started to burn; he still couldn't draw breath. The three creatures appeared as if made solely of light. They were elegantly spiralling around him.
'Dragons!' Link's overcharged mind thought. He tried to pull his hand away, desperate for air, but it had cramped painfully around the hilt.
The red dragon left his orbital path and brashly floated right in front of his face. Link stared wide-eyed at the mystifying creature, noticing that it was translucent.
Its glow brightened, filling the entire dome with crimson light. Its front claw gently touched Link's forehead. He didn't even think about evading; he was too terrified.
A vision of a massive gorge, rent into red rock, at the bottom molten stone flowing tardily.
Then it, quick as roaring fire, flew right into the golden gem on the sword, which reacted with a fiery flash.
The blue dragon approached, elegant as a breaking wave. Link once again attempted to remove his hand, panic now firmly clawed in his mind. He needed air! Blue light filled the chamber. Painfully slowly the creature touched his forehead.
Another vision, a lake, surrounded by rock… a crater, filled with clear, turquoise water.
It too swiftly entered the gem, releasing an icy flash.
Link's vision started to blur and he felt his muscles grow weak. He sank down on one knee. 'If this doesn't end soon, I'll die…' he thought sluggishly.
He saw the last dragon approach with quick, whipping motions. He almost couldn't see the emerald light that engulfed him any more. It touched his forehead.
Endless forest with one, gigantic tree towering over all the rest… The tree was barren, it appeared dead…
Link's vision dimmed and went black. He felt himself fall backwards and into unconsciousness.
…
Link gasped awake, gripping frenziedly at everything he could to make his head stop spinning.
"Ow!" he heard a familiar voice exclaim.
He looked up, panic still vivid in his eyes. In defiance of his heavily blurred vision he recognized that angelic face. He didn't understand where he was, his head was revolving so sickeningly. How could she be above him?
He closed his eyes again, but that only made it worse. He felt a cool, gentle hand on his forehead. "Shhhh… calm, Link! Everything's alright. You just fell over… everything is fine!" he heard her soothing voice.
Link felt his breath slow at hearing it. He became aware of his body again… it seemed to be lying on the floor. He had, in his panic, gripped something. He looked at his hand. To his shock he saw that he had grabbed Zelda's arm, just above her wrist and held it in a vice grip. He immediately released her. "Oh goddess, I'm so sorry!" he gasped, looking back up at her. "Did I hurt you?"
She smiled softly and shook her head. "It's alright, you didn't." she assured. Link didn't quite believe her, but was relieved nonetheless. "What about you?"
He swallowed, still breathing hard. "My head is spinning like crazy. I… I couldn't breathe!" he explained, remembering that terrifying experience.
"I saw you touch the sword, then it looked as if you were in pain!" she said, her voice quavering. "I couldn't get to you… it was like running into soft glass, it wouldn't let me through! I… saw you go down to one knee and shortly afterwards the cramps that seemed to flash through you ceased and you fell. It seemed like an eternity!" she finished, clearly distraught. Now that his vision cleared, he could see a little tear in her eye. He felt his anger flare at the sword and at himself that they had worried her so… but he didn't know what else he could have done…
"I'm not ready." he mumbled. "The Mastersword told me… it is mine, but not yet. I… saw… it showed me something I needed to do."
Zelda nodded, gently brushing an errant strand of hair out of his face. "I saw… some of it. It was like I could share your vision, in part, but not through my eyes. Three lights, dancing around you, touching you, then they flew into the sword. I didn't see more because I… I could feel you choke…" she whimpered. "I was so scared!"
Now Link was doubly mad at himself. Thanks to his weakness she had been forced to experience that harrowing moment. He gritted his teeth.
"I'm so sorry you had to feel that…" he muttered angrily. "I'm alright now. It gave me a huge scare too…" he admitted. He looked back up and lifted his hand to caress her cheek. "No need to be afraid. I'm definitely too stubborn to die from a magical sword trying to choke me. I can say that from experience!" he joked, hoping it didn't sound too lame.
She gave a brief, relieved gasp of a laugh. She leaned her head slightly into his hand, clearly enjoying the feeling.
Link suddenly realized something. His head wasn't lying on the floor… but in her lap! He could feel the soft warmth of her legs through her blue trousers on the back of his head. He felt his breath calm down completely… he couldn't think of anything more comfy. She once again brushed lightly over his hair and it felt heavenly.
Quite the conundrum, thought he. Get up so she wouldn't get uncomfortable? Or remain for a bit longer, enjoying the moment after I nearly died…
…Easy answer.
"The lights you mentioned… I saw them as dragons… at least I thought they were dragons…" he began.
He could see he had her attention. "Long, serpent-like creatures, made of light, red, blue and green respectively. They emerged from the ground as if woken from a slumber… each showed me a… place… a location… I suspect this is where they can be found…" he mused.
She looked at him, enraptured. "I have seen illustrations of dragons… some of them fit with what you describe, but they are considered to be more myth than reality… And do you remember these three locations?" she asked.
"I remember what they look like. Clearly. It's like these images were firmly engraved into my brain… It was almost as if I was standing there, for a moment." he recalled.
"Maybe you have been there… an other You…" she offered.
Link thought about that… not impossible… the images were so clear as if he had seen them with his own eyes… maybe they were just memories, resurfaced through the illusory dragons' beckoning?
Zelda shifted a little, as if her legs were starting to hurt.
Oh well, thought Link. I've had my fun.
He slowly, carefully started to sit up, hoping the change in position wouldn't make his vertigo return.
"Are you sure? Do you feel well enough?" Zelda asked, concern in her voice.
My little angel, he thought. He turned back and smiled reassuringly. "It'll be fine. I can't have you sitting there, dry-nursing me forever!" even though I'd like to, he finished in thought.
He stood up. A little too quickly, as he found out, for his head started spinning again. Though nowhere near as bad as before, it was still annoying. He gritted his teeth and remained standing until it passed. He could feel her worried gaze in his neck.
After a few seconds he turned around, smiled at her again and offered his hand to help her up.
She took it. By the way she relied on his arm and by how slowly she stretched her legs, he realized how uncomfortable she must have been by the end. He felt a pang of guilt, having lain there for so long.
He led her hand to his mouth and pressed a long, gentle kiss on her fingers. "Thank you, Zelda…" he whispered, truly feeling great gratitude for her concern and help.
She responded with a shy smile. Then it turned into one of her impish grins that Link adored so much. "That was not nearly enough thanks…" she mumbled. But before he could find his brain again, she said: "But afterwards! Now I really wish to leave this place."
Link, though slightly disappointed, had certainly no objection.
L
They had walked back through the gloom in silence. Both their heads were ringing with questions. And the few answers they had led to more questions…
Their pondering was thankfully interrupted when they emerged back into the world of sunlight. Both of them simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief, then laughed at each other. The apprehension and worry of the shadowy world down there were washed off by the warming rays of the afternoon sun.
They giggled like little children as they resealed the entrance, using the established strategy. After they had restored the relaxing flow of water, Zelda still on Link's shoulders, he asked probably the most difficult question of them all.
"Now what?"
Zelda rested her hands on his scalp and thought for a minute.
"First off, you'll have to meet my father. He only agreed to let me guide you alone if we walked straight back to him after we're done. Then, beginning tomorrow, I'd suggest, we start with determining where those locations are that you saw. Once we're done with that, we plan a route." she listed.
Link grinned, admiring her. It sounded like she had already thought of plan A through F.
Meeting the king, though… "What does the king want with me?" he asked, sounding a little more nervous than he'd like.
"Well, you seem to be the… what was it? Protector? I assume he wants to meet you to see what you're like. Frankly, it annoys me that he hasn't done so already! You've single-handedly saved me from six assassins, for crying out loud. How can he not take an interest in you?" she huffed.
Link felt his alarm bells chime. Oooh… dangerous topic, it seemed… Apparently she and her father didn't quite see eye to eye… he just hoped that he wouldn't be caught in between them…
"Alright." he sighed. "Off we go then." And he started running towards the forest, knowing what would come next.
"Wait! Stop, you fool! I'm still up here!" she yelled, kicking slightly at his chest.
"So?" he asked, innocently.
"Well, I won't be up here for long if you enter the jungle! You will hardly get two metres before branches and vines snatch me." she laughed.
"I fail to see the problem." he explained calmly.
She rubbed her knuckles against his head. "Down. Now, pack-mule." she growled.
With a histrionic sigh he lifted her off his shoulders and placed her down. He let her go, but not before he gave her a quick peck on the back of her head. He just couldn't get enough of that wonderful scent…
She turned around, granted him an wry grin, then set off through the forest.
-space-
They reached the king's study. Link had insisted on making a detour to his tiny chamber so he could grab his best tunic. Zelda had rolled her eyes in incomprehension, but had given her assent.
Now they were just outside the heavy oaken door, flanked by two royal guards. Link was fidgety. 'It is absurd!' he told himself not for the first time. 'You are invited, you are a knight-aspirant, you have saved his daughter, you are apparently necessary to weather this crisis ahead… what in hell's blazes are you nervous about?'
But, as Link had found out numerous times, the brain is stupid and doesn't allow even itself messing with its work. He suspected he was anxious mostly about how he and Zelda were… well, together. Surely he didn't know that, right? Surely Zelda wouldn't want to talk about that… right?
At a regal command from her, the guards opened the door. Inside he could see an impressive room, filled with bookcases and an imposing, heavy desk in the back. The king had apparently just been about to get another book, for he was standing to the left, looking at them in surprise.
Thankfully, Link had done some reading and knew that, even for an aspirant, the appropriate greeting was a deep bow and not genuflection.
"Father. May I present knight-aspirant Link Andrésson, winner of the tournament of swordmastery and my saviour?" she spoke loud and clear, very much unlike what he'd expect one would talk to a parent. She spoke to the king…
"Link Andrésson, I present my father, King Tiberian of Hyrule."
And bow…
He heard the king step closer. "At ease." He had a deep, calm voice. Fitting for a monarch, thought Link. Hard, but collected.
He straightened up. "I greet you, Link Andrésson. And I thank you deeply for the life of my daughter." he said, almost glumly. He too seemed to be deeply worried by the recent events and discoveries… he couldn't blame him. The man was a father who knew that his daughter must go to battle with a demon!
Link bowed in thanks. "It was my duty, your majesty."
The king gave a little deep grunt. "It appears this particular duty has fallen wholly to you." he sighed. He stepped away and leaned against his desk. He too looked very tired.
"Tell me." he simply said.
Zelda began to recount their whole experience, graciously leaving out that he'd fallen unconscious. The king listened calmly, only interrupting for the occasional clarification.
When she had finished, he pondered for a minute.
"So, recapitulating, the sword has rejected you until you have found these locations where, supposedly, these three dragons reside?" he questioned. By the way he said 'dragons', Link knew that he had a difficult time wrapping his head around it.
He cleared his throat. "The Mastersword is unquestionably mine, sire. I highly doubt it would have… spoken to anyone else. But before this burden is truly mine to bear, I believe I am being tested. As for the dragons: They could very well be of symbolic nature. Attain strength, find wisdom, and discover courage… The places, at least, give us a solid lead." He was surprised at how firm and certain his voice was. The king, apparently, was too. He looked at him with a mildly astonished gaze.
"A fair point, young aspirant. I suggest you, Zelda, attempt to learn of these locations with his help. Tomorrow, though, I do not want you to exert yourself overly. One thing, before you leave!" he said the last part towards Link again.
Oh goddess, what's coming now?
"You have proven that you are a formidable swordsman. You appear to be who my daughter and that wretched Impa think you are. And you have the respect of my advisor, Sir Alistair. I would ask you to stand as Zelda's personal guard during the night. I understand that this is an additional duty and that it may come as a surprise that I would ask this of you. However, sadly, I can think of no-one better suited. If you truly are the predestined protector of the princess who will fight evil alongside her, then I ask that you shield her personally. Should another attack occur, I do not want you far from her side. Understood?" he commanded in his nearly emotionless voice.
That certainly is unexpected, Link thought. Fifteen year old knight-aspirant, personal guard of the princess? There was, of course, no question what the answer could be, even though the king's 'sadly' irked him.
"Understood, your majesty. I am well enough rested that I can fulfil this duty immediately." he confirmed. This wasn't just bravado. He would have said the same if he had barely been able to crawl. The opportunity to protect her who mattered most… officially, without any obstructions… it was too important to waste even a single night.
"Good." The king nodded. "A chamber within the inner castle will be made available to you. I have already spoken to the commander of the royal guard corps. You will stand guard from ten in the evening to six in the morning in front of my daughter's chambers. Dismissed."
Link bowed.
"And you! To bed, please. Get some sleep." the king added. For the first time, there seemed to be some emotion in his voice.
They exited the king's study.
Link followed Zelda to her chambers. That sounded very odd in his thoughts… almost scandalous.
With all that had happened, his brain was struggling to keep up. He was now the princess' protector. Ten in the evening to six in the morning, trying to read up to become a decent knight, training with Sir Alistair, finding out where those three locations were… Link scratched his head. Huh! Sleep was for the weak!
They ascended a wide, winding staircase and reached an ornate double door.
"Well… here it is." Zelda said uncertainly.
Link looked around. There had been two royal guards at the bottom of the stairs and one a little further up. The corridor extended to both the left and right. All in all there were three doors apart from the big double one. Servants' and maids' quarters, surely. As far as he could see, the stairs were the only way into the corridor if you didn't smash a window. If he stood right before her door, he'd have a pretty good vantage point.
"Erm… you know… it's only four, maybe. You don't have to become protector already…" she chuckled. It would seem she didn't take this quite as seriously… or maybe she just acted this way.
"True, but I can already make a mental map. Maybe tomorrow you'll show me how where these other doors lead." he asked, lost in thought.
He looked back at her. She had a weird smile on her face. It made his knees wobbly…
"I like that you're protecting me… I do feel a bit safer…" she said softly, almost whispering. Goddesses above she was cute!
"I'm relieved that I may. I feel better like this too…" he mumbled, enraptured by her stunning sky blue eyes.
Damn it all, he couldn't kiss her here! They might be out of sight of the guards, true, but a servant could stumble upon them at any time and…
Zelda stepped forward and kissed him deeply before he could think another word. She grabbed his collar pulled him back under the door frame, never breaking apart. His mind was racing… ohgoddessohgoddessohgoddess what if anybody sees? But his body was reacting on its own and it didn't even think about moving away. He pressed himself against her, his hands at her waist. He felt her slim, supple frame against his, felt the warmth from her body, felt her react his every move. Her scent was overpowering…
Goddess help me… I'm lost now…
Gently, slowly, as if to enjoy every last instant, she pushed him away. Link's brain was lost between 'Oh thank goddess!' and 'Oh goddess damn it!'.
She looked just as breathless as he felt, her cheeks pink and her mouth slightly open. Never before had she looked so beautiful… and alluring.
But she kept her hand between them to maintain the distance. Link was thankful for that, else he might get weak.
He chuckled. "What in the world are you doing with me?" he asked playfully.
She grinned back. "Nothing more today." she whispered.
He shook his head, forsaken. "In that case I might need a long, ice cold bath."