Chapter 33
Link
He awoke softly, his senses being carried one by one back into consciousness. Firstly he heard the rustling of leaves in a light breeze, the steady murmur of the stream, the occasional tapping of a nearby woodpecker and, most enchantingly, the slow, steady breathing of the girl beside him.
Next came touch… the slightly rough mat under him, the cool morning air brushing against his skin and the heavy weight of her head resting on his outstretched arm…
His nose was tickled awake by Zelda's intoxicating scent, which threatened to send a part of his brain right back into dreaminess. Combined with the vaguely fresh smell of running water, he felt, as a whole, instantly invigorated and ready to take on the world. However, the world would have to wait a bit longer… the slow process of waking up next to her was simply too precious to interrupt.
Finally, he opened his eyes and felt himself smile almost instantly. As his other senses had foretold, there she was, her face only centimetres away from him, her body slightly rolled up and on the side, her left hand slightly outstretched and resting a few millimetres away from his chest, as if she had meant to touch it and fallen just short. 'Just as I left her…' he thought to himself, his smile widening. For a few seconds he watched the gentle rise and fall of her breathing, his own involuntarily synchronizing to it. What in all that is holy had he done to deserve this wonder?
He looked at her face again, her nobly curved eyebrows, those long eyebrows other women would kill for, her irresistibly cute nose, those sensual lips… goddess, her lips! They were open only the tiniest bit, as if by design, to invite him. If he thought about it, he still couldn't quite believe that it was him who got to explore these lips… it simply seemed too great a gift…
Link marvelled at her porcelain skin with those few tiny freckles around the base of her nose which he loved to no end. And still… every time he looked at her like that, he discovered something, a new, fascinating detail of her goddess-like face that took his breath away.
The thought of awakening her with a kiss crossed his mind and instantly left a giddy feeling in his gut. Could he do that? Should he do that? Wouldn't that be too forward, maybe? The very last thing he wanted to do was for her to feel like he had betrayed her trust. It was a wonder to him that she already trusted him this far, that she would lie next to him during the night… He knew that he wouldn't do anything dishonourable, not in a million years, but how could she know?
But she did… somehow, even though technically they knew each other only for a few days, really, both of them felt this strong sense of familiarity… both calming and invigorating… as if returning home after a long trip abroad…
Those lips… Link involuntarily bit his own… the longer he looked, the more his prudence was overtaken by desire. Would it really be such an intrusion? …well yes, it would. But so far, he had had a good nose for what he could get away with, right?
He was already leaning closer, slowly, his inner turmoil holding him back, when she chose just this moment to shift a little in her sleep. She sighed softly and moved her left arm back to her side, leaving unobstructed view of…
Link swallowed. She still hadn't buttoned up her top correctly… Farore's mercy, the shimmer of pink skin beckoning through the button row instantly quickened his heartbeat. He could see nothing, really, just a bit of her sternum, mostly covered by bra, and a tiny bit of the skin on her trim belly… but dear goddess, it was enough! His imagination was jump-started almost painfully. How little stood between him and her incredibly attractive body… just a few misaligned buttons… and his hands would be able to explore…
He pressed his eyes shut before any more such thoughts arose, but he might as well have tried to dam a river with a sheet of paper. Naturally, he had, on multiple occasions, noticed how utterly lovely her physique was… he shapely legs, her rounded hips, still slim, but also womanly, her slender waist and, of course, her bosom, not large, but also not too small… the perfect size to cup in my hands, he thought before he could stop it.
Oh dear… unbidden, as usual, a member of his bodily family stood rigidly to attention. And that little activity alerted him how full his bladder was… so that wasn't about to go away any time soon… shit!
Yesterday he probably would have had the same problem, he reflected, if that odd, but coincidentally rescuing earthquake hadn't happened. But now?
Holy horse, what if she woke up and saw him… bulging like that?! He didn't even want to think of that, so disastrous was the image alone! And he couldn't just skedaddle, she was lying on him! Shit, what should he do? And he could still see her chest!
The feeling in his nether region, and the lack of space in his trousers, became almost painful… but he didn't even dare to make a furtive little readjusting, because he knew that this would be the precise moment she would wake up, just out of spite… and then he'd die.
Naturally, this wasn't the first time such fantasies had… animated his libido and of course he knew how to take care of it. But not with her lying centimetres away, thrice damn it!
Somehow, almost like a memory, the thought that this little blonde imp had deliberately left her blouse so askew crept into his mind. There was no way someone like her hadn't noticed that all yesterday evening… For reasons that he couldn't quite suss out, he was almost sure that she had meant to torment him, the evil witch! Somehow, it felt like something she would do… innocent my foot! Link swallowed heavily. That realization, naturally, didn't help… on the contrary… it made matters down there even more… strained. He felt so hot, he wondered how he didn't melt… and the ground around him.
Alright, we need a dip in the stream. Fast. For the next hour! We might end up cooking all the fish within a ten metre radius, but I don't care.
Endlessly carefully, he lifted her head with his right hand, snuck out his left and substituted it with the bag he had used as pillow. He took a last quick glance to make sure she hadn't awoken and then he sprinted off. He quickly shed his clothes (apart from his underpants, just to be safe) and let himself fall into the relieving cold embrace of the water. It was shallow enough that, lying on his back, his face was still above the surface while he let the rivulet's icy caress wash around him. He closed his eyes and let out a long breath. Relief… sweet, sweet relief…
After about a minute of blissful thoughtlessness (the hotness however not nearly quenched) his mind returned to her. Good goddess, she drove him wild! And, apparently, with some deliberation behind it… but…
Could he go further? Should he? As spectacularly demonstrated, his body wanted to get right to it, but… did his mind? Did hers? What if it was still harmless teasing on her part? He didn't quite believe it… however, with his brain in its current state, he couldn't be sure that this wasn't just what he wanted to feel…
The problem was, he would probably wake up like this a lot during their travels, entangled with her in some way… and while this alone seemed heavenly, he wouldn't always have an ice cold stream handy to stop him from exploding. And he would… explode, that is… she was simply too ecstasizing for him to handle.
…so what if he didn't try to 'handle' it? What if he gave in and tried to go further? This was the farthest he had ever gotten with anyone, so he had no bloody idea how one goes about going further. How does one know that the girl also wanted to take the next step? He couldn't help but imagine Zelda's indignant shock, if he had completely misread the situation. If that happened, he'd probably lose everything, every last speck of trust that she had placed in him. A terrible notion!
It seemed so… impossible, so far away… The thought of actually putting some of his raunchier desires into action, with her, this goddess made of perfection, seemed somehow wrong… sacrilegious, almost… What was he to do?
Gently kissing along her jaw, then down her neck as he opened the buttons on her blouse, one by one, showing first her collarbone, then…
No stop stop stop stop stop stop stop!... None of that! We've only just returned to normal!
Link felt as if today he had inadvertently opened a previously locked door to all these fantasies, and now the kept pouring out with such strength that he couldn't shut it again… this might complicate matters along the road…
He felt a splash of water against his face and he started up. He heard Zelda's gleeful laughter as his head darted around. When he had finally found where she stood, she smirked at him… almost as if she knew…
"Was the night a little too hot for your liking?" she asked, and he couldn't quite tell just how much she understood. He decided for the safe approach, even though a thousand playfully suggestive answers burned on his tongue.
"Between the fire and you, my dear source of heat, I felt like I was melting. Besides, there's nothing like a morning swim to start the day." Wait, that hadn't been nearly as harmless as he had wanted… Were his brain and his nether regions now conspiring against his common sense? 'Source of heat'… hopefully she didn't interpret that in the way he… totally had meant it… Thankfully his 'heat' had calmed down somewhat… and thankfully, with the water washing around his lower body, she could only clearly see the side of his torso.
If she understood, she took it in stride and just raised an eyebrow. "At least you had the presence of mind to leave your undergarment on." she purred, crossed her arms and leaned slightly forward. "Can you imagine? You lurking in wait, fully in the nude, until I 'happen' upon you? What audacious behaviour, sir knight."
It only now really occurred to him that he was, in fact, very nude, if not fully. He suppressed an urge to cover… something with his hands. That might have enticed a laughing fit out of her, and for good reason.
Wait, hang on! What had she been thinking? "If you had the suspicion that I might be naked, why did you come here where you'd see?" he asked with an impish grin, knowing he had her. And before his brain could hit the emergency brakes, he added: "Did you want to take a glimpse at the sausage knight?"
And then he had a heart attack. He actually, physically, slapped his hand in front of his mouth with a loud, wet 'smack' and looked at Zelda with shock-widened eyes. Her eyes, too, widened and her cheeks and ears turned a fiery red. Her grin, however, faltered only briefly, then returned with a wry, almost naughty quality. "And what would you do if I said I did?" she asked, her voice just audible over the stream's murmur.
Holy shit, thank the Three thrice over that this girl had such good humour! Link was still stunned by his own stupidity that he had no idea how to answer that question. "Err… scream like a little girl? Could it be that you too need to cool off?" he asked, feeling completely out of his depth.
"Maaayyybe…" she conceded and her smile lost most of the impishness that had sent vibrations through his body. She straightened back up and eyed him almost questioningly. "Well, I'll prepare for our departure, while you finish… soaking. I hope you find all your clothes strewn about… you seemed to be in quite a hurry…" she finished with one last mischievous flick of her eyebrow and left him, utterly confused. What in the name of Nayru had just happened here? Had he… just shot down her advance? Oh goddess, he had, hadn't he? He had told her to cool off, without actually meaning to! He had been so utterly overcharged with her seeing him like this, her flirting (which he, idiot, only now recognized as such), and just generally how absolutely stunning she looked that apparently every last gram of brain had taken a backseat to watch how much of a fool he could make of himself.
She had come here, had seen his clothes scattered on the way, and still had not been discouraged from making an entrance. And had not furiously rejected the notion that she had come here to have a little peek! And then her smile… Goddess damn him for an idiot, it was so obvious! And he had basically told her to cool it! How big of a dirt-eating, nose-picking, mouth-breathing moron was he?!
Link let himself fall back into the water again with a loud splash. Fuck.
…at least she hadn't been offended… she, of all people, had probably understood that he was just too stupid, and not uninterested… please, please, by Farore's love, let me be right! Let there be another time, when I can react as if my head wasn't just a trap for hot air!
Despite everything, despite feeling like the most useless waste of space right now, Link had to grin. At least he had learned one thing… Zelda could be quite bold! So maybe, just maybe, if he could scrounge together enough courage, so could he…
Until then…
He got up, cooled off, for now. He suspected that that particular fire would inevitably return. He collected his clothes and was about to decide whether to wait until his skin had dried before putting them on when he suddenly had another one of his brilliant ideas… which meant that it was utterly stupid and only might turn out brilliant in hindsight…
Now hang on! Zelda had had her fun and had sufficiently proven that he was, in fact, even dumber than he was sure he looked. But could he just let that victory go unchallenged? He suddenly had a rather mischievous grin plastered on his face… even though he felt very unsure and nervous about this plan.
She had shown her boldness. Now she could show how well she could take his'. And, as long as he didn't overstep the delicate boundaries of good taste, she couldn't even complain, since it was she who started all this. With a sly smirk, he casually strode back to camp, his clothes crumpled up in his hand.
Zelda wanted to see him in the nude? Outstanding! That is a wish he could grant! If she felt like playing scientist to try and gauge the depth of his idiocy, that's fine. Now, how will she react if the guinea-pig conducts an experiment of its own?
He emerged onto the clearing where they had stayed the night. The little innocent princess had already stowed his blanket and was currently crouching down to roll up her own, her back towards him. Perfect!
Nonchalantly, he ambulated to his backpack, started rummaging in it to create the impression that he was doing something, presenting his uncovered back to her… waiting.
He didn't have to wait long. "Link? You know… if earlier I was too… OH!" she exclaimed, then was silent.
He didn't turn around just yet, just continued to fumble around with his stuff aimlessly, apparently lost in thought. "Hmm?" he grunted and had to bite his cheek to stop himself from giggling nervously.
There was quiet for a few seconds, only interrupted by the occasional chirping of early birds. She was silent for so long, he felt more and more unsure. He almost could no longer resist looking over his shoulder to see if she was just stunned, or actually angry…
"So… why are you still… disrobed?" she asked, her voice very slightly husky. Now he slowly stood up and turned around, placing his hands in his hips for maximum effect. More than once his hands very nearly twitched to cover… something, but he successfully suppressed that urge. "To dry off, naturally! Wet clothes are not really the height of comfort…" he answered levelly, keeping his face deliberately expressionless, which proved more difficult with every passing second. Zelda's reaction was delightful to watch. Not only had her cheeks and nose turned a beautiful crimson colour, but her whole body-language seemed torn between ladylike composure and… he wouldn't quite call it desire but certainly very close attention. He could see her eyes darting furtively all over his naked skin which made him, strangely, pleasantly uncomfortable. This was going infinitely better than expected! He could feel the heat rise again under her breathless, wide-eyed scrutiny. He knew she would regain her composure any second… so, naturally, it was time to step up the game! Also because he felt his reservoir of confidence slowly run dry… he had to do something, and quick.
"Speaking of which…" he said and eyed his wet underpants critically. "I should probably get these off. Wouldn't do to catch a cold, would it?" He loosened the waistband and grabbed the hem, ready to pull them down, when he stopped as if a thought had crossed his mind, and looked at her earnestly. "Would you mind turning around for a second?" he asked calmly, like having her not subjected to… everything was just some optional afterthought.
By now, Zelda's mouth had opened in shocked surprise. Her eyes flittered between his still politely expectant face and the spot where his thumbs were already inside his underpants' hem. "Errm…" she muttered quaveringly, before his threat finally registered in her brain and she twitched and spun around. Her ears were so brightly red, they could be used as navigation lights for ships at night… during heavy fog. Link felt well and truly evil right now… and the sight of his lovely, sweet princess so utterly stunned filled him with delectable malicious glee. She held so much more sway over him than the other way round… something which, if he admitted it to himself, he rather liked… but just for once, he had her so thoroughly flabbergasted, that she was speechless. Which meant that he had to enjoy it to the fullest! Her incredibly cute reaction both emboldened and, strangely, daunted him… He wasn't quite sure whether her daze stemmed from her liking what she saw (and her head filling with pleasurable thoughts) or from being completely appalled (and her head swimming in a sea of disgusted despair).
Currently, though, he suspected the former and he was planning to ride the wave of boldness as long as he could. Let's hope her sense of humour survived his little endurance test…
Quick as the wind, with her turned away and standing there so laughably stiffly, he jumped out of his last piece of clothing. This next part required a good deal of coordination and stealth. He only had a few moments to prepare his next prank…
Once he was done, Link threw his wet trunks past his adorable victim so it landed at a carefully measured spot with a moist splat, close enough that it would catch her full attention without her having to turn, but far enough that she wouldn't think that he had tried to hit her with it. Her head snapped towards the discarded item, he could almost feel the new wave of confusion and dismay coursing through her brain. He let the implication of underpants clearly no longer covering his private sector hang for a few painstaking moments. Then it was time for the coup de grace!
"You know…" he breathed sensually, his lips now only a centimetre from her ear. She gave an irresistibly adorable squeak and froze completely for a second. Then her first reaction was to spin around, which carried her halfway before it was promptly overruled by her second, wiser, notion of turning back away and cover her eyes with her hands.
"You know…" he repeated and could actually watch the fine hairs on her neck and arms stand on end. "…that you're not the only one who knows how to mess with people?" he finished put as much victorious glee in his voice as he possibly could.
It took poor Zelda's befuddled mind a few seconds to even begin to grasp the situation. Slow like continental drift, she dared to look over her shoulder right into Link's sardonically grinning face. Her gaze full of disbelief, she swallowed and plunged her eyes down into the unknown of… his trousers, which he had naturally put on while he had snuck up close. He wasn't a complete maniac…
Zelda looked back up at him, at the trunks lying on the ground, then back to him. And finally a hint of understanding and amusement eased the tension on her face. "You dirty, rotten, despicable, perverted, wanton, foul, lascivious, crazy, repellent, prurient, vile beast of a swine!" she clamoured, starting silent and working her way to an ear-piercing scream. He jumped a metre back and, at last, released the storm surge of laughter that had threatened to split him apart. Between his back-breaking spasms he caught a glimpse of her tomato-red face, looking both impotently furious and on the verge of falling hopelessly into a giggling fit of her own.
"Disgusting, scabrous, petty, asinine, depraved, twisted, imbecilic, repugnant, odious, villainous, nasty piece of sh… shite!" she yelled, occasionally interrupted by giggling and her still prevailing inability to curse properly… which sent him even deeper into helpless laughter. His knees gave out and he had to sit down heavily on his rump while holding his cramping stomach.
"Aaaaargh!" he heard her roar in inane, powerless rage when suddenly… 'Splat!', something wet and dusty smacked heavily into his face. His laughing cut abruptly short, he instantly recognized the projectile. He slowly removed his underpants from his face and spat a bit of dirt from his lips. Zelda stood there, hands on her hips, glowing at him with eyes widened and lips exaggeratedly together, as if desperately trying to hold on to her fury but, ultimately, failing to halt the onslaught of her giggles. Link held her stare for a few seconds, both trying, and failing, to suppress grins. He pointedly wiped a finger over his cheek and eyed the result critically.
"It seems I managed to get myself dirty again. I suspect I need another wash…" he announced to the world in general before looking back at her sparkling eyes. "Would you like to start over? Or, maybe, this time you'd like to join me right away?" he purred.
She raised a slightly threatening eyebrow. "If I were to join you right now, it would only be to drown you and rid myself of your escapades!" she growled, not quite able to keep face or voice serious.
Grinning, he stood up and slowly stepped close again until she had to look slightly up, her posture unchanged and stern, but her face slowly opening into an amused smile. He looked into those wonderful eyes of hers that were so full of vigour. "I couldn't think of a sweeter death than at your hands…" he purred softly. When, at the sheer idiocy of his statement, her smile lost every rest of just ire, he leaned closer. A quick defensive finger digging into the base of his nose stopped him. "Uh-uh. Where do you think you're going? You are filthy… and your face is full of dirt. Wash and then, maaayybe, we can… talk about how you'll make that little impertinence up to me." she ordered strictly. Link took a step back and, his upper body still bare, took a deep, flourishing bow. "And for Din's sake, put on some clothes before I forget myself!" she huffed.
It was up for his interpretation how exactly she had meant that.
"Well, then… how will I be penalised for my insolence?" Link asked as they rode on, feeling almost eager for her punishment.
"I am not entirely sure yet." she answered with a thoughtful face, an evil glint in her eyes. "You will know once my vengeance is upon you."
He gave a mock shudder. "Hoo… that sounds rather sinister for a princess and champion of good, don't you think?" he questioned.
Zelda shrugged. "And you are very effective at draining my reservoir of 'good' with your antics, especially for someone who should be my protector…" she countered, bestowing upon him that impish smile that he adored, indicating that she might actually enjoy the occasional drainage…
Link smiled as they continued in silence for a while. All in all, the morning had been a delightful Goron-mine-cart-ride of emotions. From the sweetest awakening imaginable, through the most panicky early cool-down-bath, over profound, unwarranted embarrassment to gleeful revenge… He could see that travelling with this miraculous girl would leave no room for boredom… and despite all danger or incertitude, by goddess, he was giddy for every moment of it!
"How hard do you intend to push us today?" Zelda asked suddenly.
"Well, we've had yesterday to rebuild our strength, so I had planned on a hard day riding, to be honest…" he answered carefully.
She nodded, pressing her lips together slightly. "Do you have a specific goal in mind?" she wanted to know, giving him a curious look with her brilliant eyes.
He nodded this time. "I do, but… only if you agree…" he hesitated slightly. She cocked her head slightly in a questioning way and smiled encouragingly. He noticed the play of sunlight and shadow on her golden hair as they rode under the tree canopy… no matter how often he looked at her, every time he found a new fascination enriching his soul. Her smile gave him the confidence to continue. "Ideally, if we can manage a large distance today, tomorrow we can reach Ord while it's still morning. Thanks to our marathon on day one, we could stay the rest of the day there and not be behind schedule… and…"
"And you would like to spend the day with your family?" she asked softly and smiled warmly at him.
Link lowered his eyes for a moment and felt slightly ashamed… it sounded so childish and, in the grand scheme of things, just so unimportant… also, it just occurred to him, since she and her father were so far apart, seeing him get along with his parents might stir emotions that she had tried to bury… but still…
He looked back up. "With all that is going on… considering how long I might be gone… I would like to at least have a long talk… and warn them as best I can of the danger on the horizon…" he muttered, hoping that she would understand.
"You sound almost apologetic…" she observed with a slight furrowing of her brow. "Of course you must do that! And even if you need two whole days! Who is to tell us what our 'schedule' is, apart from us? Take as much time as you need!" she reassured genially.
Link felt relieved, but nonetheless felt like he should ask again, just for confirmation. "So you would be okay to go a bit harder today?"
Now she raised a gently chiding eyebrow. "You did not really think I would want to stand between you and time spent with your family, right?" she asked, her voice indicating that she thought him a dolt. Not much news there… "Link, I mean it. Take as much time as you need. Please? I can not believe I am saying this, but, shockingly, there are some things that are more important than spending time with me…" she chuckled. Link had to smile at her. Her words had been joking, but he could sense that behind them she was completely serious.
Finally, relief swept his doubts away. He couldn't quite say why he had been so worried… possibly because of how painfully the situation with her father gnawed at her soul, as he had witnessed during their quarrel back in Hyrule city. He still didn't want to put her through envious hurt by forcing her to see his harmonious family-life when she had none… He would have to think on what he could do to make this bearable for her, for the thought of her hiding her unhappiness for his sake tore at his heart. He would think on it.
For now, the more pressing question was…
"What do you want to tell them?" Zelda asked curiously.
Yeah… that… "Honestly, I am struggling to answer that…" he grumbled. "I cannot leave them knowing nothing of this horror is brewing. But how do I go about that? 'Mother! Father! Good to see you. Can't stay long, the world needs some saving! Oh by the way, I've got the princess of Hyrule among my luggage, where can I put her?'" he mimicked a more stupid version of himself.
Zelda gave her wonderful, clear laugh that still caused pleasant tingling in his stomach whenever he heard it. "Indeed, that might cause some confusion. … do you want to introduce me as, well, myself?" she asked, suddenly a bit shy but clearly very interested in his answer.
He thought about it for at least a minute. "I believe I do. First off, I don't want to lie to them on such an important topic. Secondly…"
"You don't have to explain to me…" she interrupted gently. "I trust you if you say that it will be alright… for their sake too…" she added.
Link nodded and smiled at her warmly. Not for the first time, he felt a near irresistible urge to pull her close and cuddle her fiercely… her fault for being so cute.
"I know Zelda… but I still want to hear your opinion, as this is primarily about your safety. So secondly, I know that any secret is safe with them. Thirdly and most importantly, I really, really want to seem my mother's face when I tell her that I kidnapped you. You wouldn't object to being bound when we ride into Ord, would you?" he asked, as an aside.
She showed a lopsided grin. "Being paraded in front of your village as a spectacular prize? I see nothing wrong with that…" she twittered, sarcasm only dripping slightly from her voice. "And shame on you for trying to scare your poor, innocent mother!"
"Pffff! That woman birthed me. How innocent could she possibly be?" he retorted, grinning slyly.
Another brilliant little laugh. Hopefully he could keep her laughing like this for the entirety of their travels… "True enough. I will revise my expectation from kind older lady to whatever demon could have spawned you." she giggled.
He, too, had to chuckle. "Well, whatever you do, should you wish to survive the encounter with her, do not, under any circumstances, use any word that contains 'old'!"
They had just finished their midday break and it was disgustingly hot. Apparently this August wanted to flex its muscles before it was time to pass on. Both of them were silent, because talking might risk their brains being cooked even quicker than before. Thankfully, due to the distance they planned on covering today, they would camp next to another little stream, which meant they could use their water a bit more generously. Link poured a little bit of the, sadly, also warm substance over his face and his neck and washed a bit of the sweat away, that was constantly running into his eyes. He noticed how Zelda followed his example and, much more decorously, poured just a few drops into her hand and wiped her face.
By the goddess, he liked watching her. How can one Hylian, even a princess, move with such effortless elegance? He did feel like a bit of a creep, observing her every move like that but… really, he just marvelled at her poise and grace… truly!... mostly…
Her head turned to look at him, as if she had felt his gaze on her… she smiled, and ,her glistening skin turning slightly red, she coyly brushed an errant strand of her golden hair behind her ear. His heart instantly quickened its pace and he felt the increasingly familiar excitement flood through his veins. By Din's fire, it was a pleasant sensation… only that it exacerbated this vicious heat was a tiny bit uncomfortable. It made his head spin… although, truthfully, it did not require high temperatures for Zelda to cause his body to do weird escapades… she could do that with one quick glance of her stunning eyes, and No! he would never get over how breathtaking they were.
He followed her gaze and noticed how she seemed to trace the spots where his tunic clung to his skin… he had to swallow, for his throat was suddenly a bit dry… after a few breathless seconds, she seemed to notice her absentminded staring and, eyes widened and blushing furiously, she looked away.
Link used this moment to furtively readjust his trousers to accommodate the sudden lack of space in there. Farore's mercy, she couldn't keep doing that to him! It was already so dreadfully hard to control himself at times! And, holy Trinity help, she might notice at some point! Words and insinuations were one thing, but… this? This was quite clearly crossing some line, wasn't it? Blasted male anatomy, how was that fair?
Zelda chose just that moment to arc her shapely back, stretching in the saddle, which, as he glanced out of the corners of his eyes, caused the fabric of her blouse to press tightly against her belly and chest. That, naturally, caused yet another twitch in Link's loins. Blessed Nayru, was she doing that on purpose?! Was that the revenge she had threatened to wreak upon him? If yes, it was working! Sitting on a horse while being so… erect was the height of discomfort. And he couldn't even do anything about it without it being hopelessly obvious.
Okay, mental training… think of cold water… yes… No! That just made him remember the 'adventure' earlier today! Damn it! Calm down, sausage knight!
This was the problem that had arisen since this morning and it became more and more apparent as the hours passed. When before, his thoughts about Zelda had mostly been innocent, they now were, well, mostly not. Increasingly often his mind replayed their more passionate kisses, the two in front of her chambers where he, near crazed by desire, had pressed her against the door and they had only barely been able to stop. He also recalled how he had to awkwardly pull back his hips, or twist them to the side, so she wouldn't notice his stiffness… wouldn't feel it.
The images drove him wild! So did his thoughts. Had she not responded to him? True, it had been her who had ultimately broken both contacts, but hadn't he felt her reluctance at doing so? Hadn't she, too, been breathless and flushed and her gaze full of hot passion?
…yes. Yes, despite all doubt, he was sure of that at least. He did not believe that he could be so catastrophically wrong there…
But when could a flaming kiss progress into… more? What was the signal? By the goddesses, he did not want her to think him even more of a pervert than she, undoubtedly, already did… or, infinitely worse, actually get scared of him!
So what did he have to do to? What could he do to make her feel… comfortable? Safe? Certain? He didn't even know the right question for the answers he didn't have! It was infuriating! And still she looked so unbelievably enticing! How was a man to think with this embodiment of beauty, sophistication and grace right in front of him?! And you, down there, would you, please, calm down already?!
Link heaved a big sigh and closed his eyes. Bugger it all, he had to distract himself or he would have to disappear into the bushes for a couple of minutes.
Blessedly, Farore, the goddess of life, had mercy. Something had caught his eye. "Zelda! Look there, on the tree!" he exclaimed, pointing at a mighty trunk about ten metres off.
"You may want to try to be more specific, my dear knight. We happen to be in what is called a wood." she remarked dryly, but followed his indication.
Link steered Janna towards the large oak-tree, his grin growing ever broader the closer they got.
"What is it? Tell me already!" she giggled, obviously not seeing it as she looked the trunk up and down.
"This, my dear, is our dinner!" he sang eagerly as he exited the saddle.
He could feel Zelda's doubt-filled look on him. "Do you think there's enough for both of us?" she asked, eyeing the big oak quizzically.
Link snorted and giggled. "Look at smartypants and her extensive knowledge of fine cuisine!" he taunted and drew the knife from his belt.
"It might take a while to fell this one with so petite a weapon…" she jibed back, twiddling her thumbs in an especially sweet mocking way.
"Quiet, you philistine! The sausage knight knows what he's doing!" he countered and, the knife between his teeth, started to climb up handily.
"Well, I stand rigidly to attention to watch and learn!" she purred, which made him very nearly lose his grip and fall backwards. So much for distraction… this was her revenge, wasn't it?
Trying exceedingly hard to forget what his ears and brain insisted had been intentional, he clambered up to about three metres. There, he gingerly took the knife from his mouth and got to work on his goal.
"An agaric?" she asked, her voice still sounding doubtful.
"Possibly. What does that mean?" he wanted to know while carefully wrenching his knife between tree-bark and their soon-to-be food.
"A tree-fungus, classically. Though many use the word for many different sorts of fungi nowadays." she informed, her scholar-mode engaged, much to Link's delight. "Well, you are about to learn something new, professor." he panted while he slowly, carefully cut along the mushroom's tree-ward side, while clinging to the bark with only one hand and his feet. There were three in total, grown close together as they usually do. The biggest was about five times the size of his palm, light grey with just a shimmer of reddish brown and flesh nearly as tough as the oak it grew on. Zelda watched silently as he worked… which was good, because another one of her sudden comments, while he was holding a knife three metres above ground, might be the end of him. One after the other he let them drop to the tree's roots. Satisfied with his handiwork, and with a last glance that he hadn't missed any other such treasures, he jumped away from the trunk and landed softly on the bouncy moss. He wasn't sure whether he had heard right, but he thought she had gasped slightly at his manoeuvre… hmm…
He collected the three pieces of agaric (new word for his collection!) and looked at them happily before handing one to 'Miss Doubtful'.
She gingerly took it in her hands and, scholar-mode still active, proceeded to examine it closely. He got back into the saddle, then watched her, an almost wistful smile on his face. He liked it when she made that intensely concentrated expression…
She turned it this way and that, rubbed her finger over the tough outer skin, sniffed at where he had cleanly cut it away from the bark. Finally she rapped her knuckles against it, which produced a sharp, wooden 'tok tok' sound, and eyed him critically. "Aaand which Hinox do we use to masticate that for us?" she asked dryly.
Link shot her a mock wounded look and pointed at her histrionically. "Infidel! Heretic! I shall not suffer such insolence! Never again question my knowledge of food, woman!" he boomed accusingly.
She whipped her hands in the air defensively and, in the same motion, threw the fungus back into his hands. "Forgiveness, o nourishing master! May thine sustenance be ever plentiful! This one shall dubitate thee no longer!" she sing-songed demurely.
Link held the so much doubted prize aloft religiously. "In the name of the glorious Mushroom, praise be unto him, thine sins are forgiven, child, for He is merciful. Venture forth with His blessing and sin never more!" he intoned gravely.
A second passed. Then the horses nearly shied because of their sudden, side-splitting laughter. 'Thankfully' Link thought while contorting in his saddle and watching Zelda suffer a similar fate. 'Thankfully it looks like I might be able to keep her laughing, even through these desperate times, whatever she might have to endure.'
And the thought filled him with glowing pride.
"How, err… how long is it now?" Zelda asked.
Link winced as he felt a pang of guilt at hearing the clear fatigue in her voice. She had been such a trooper and he suspected she would be too stubborn to say when she'd had enough… but he was pretty sure that she was close to the limit of her tolerance. He couldn't fault her. The day had only gotten hotter as the afternoon progressed… mostly it had gotten more humid, so when before their clothes had clung to them in places, they were now drenched completely. To make matters worse, they had had to dismount about two hours ago because, naturally, the heat had affected the horses too. It would have been cruel to stay in the saddle… and potentially dangerous when one of the beasts lost patience.
Thankfully, it really wasn't far off now. He moved a little closer, took her hand carefully and gave her fingers a little kiss. "Not long. Fifteen minutes. Twenty-five at most." he assured her. He gave her hand one last squeeze, then let go because everything was hot.
She just nodded and, without even looking up, smiled very briefly, little more than a twitch of her mouth.
He felt like he should say something. "I'm sorry for this…" he blathered, his head also too cooked to produce a coherent thought.
She snorted weakly. "For what? The heat? That might be something that even you can't fix…" she mumbled. "Besides… I will have to get used to trudges such as this. One day, we might not have an option…" she trailed off, saving her strength for walking.
You're already so brave, he thought, but… it didn't seem the right moment for this sort of talk.
They rounded another little hill, probably the sixtieth identical looking mound today when, finally, Link's sharp ears heard a gently sploshing.
"I can already hear it! And I think we'll meet the stream precisely where I meant to." he exclaimed, trying to give her strength for the last metres.
"Have you been here before?" she asked, her back getting a bit straighter at the prospect of an end of their march close at hand.
"Yes. We've entered the part of the world, the surrounding of Ord, that I know every centimetre of. You'll see! Ric, Mart and I have discovered this about four years ago. It's like a little pond that is being fed by the rivulet. One year we have found it nearly dried up because the course of the river had changed slightly and was no longer feeding it. I think we spent a whole week digging to correct that little error of nature." he chuckled softly.
She too, gave a little snort of a laugh. "Sounds wonderful…" she muttered wistfully. "Just what I need…"
Only about a minute later they emerged onto a tiny clearing directly next to a peaceful pond, only about ten metres in diameter, filled with clear, smooth water. The stream ran tangentially to it and continuously provided fresh supply of the cool wet. It truly was a sight for overheated eyes. "Ah! Wonderful! Just how I left it!" Link said, happiness in his voice. The trees stood rather closely around the pond, its shore one continuous soft blanket of emerald moss. Only where they stood, in the clearing, there were white stones leading into the water. Warm Darners hovered lazily over the glossy surface, filling the place with even more life. Zelda too seemed somewhat re-invigorated by the outlook and the possibility of a near cool-down. "Oh, Link, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed, her eyes regaining some of their sparkle. "Quick! Let's see to the horses and then we can have a dip!" she suggested and Link agreed.
By now they were pretty practised in providing for their mounts. Saddle and bags off, leading them to drink, rubbing them down… Still, it took a painfully long while for someone who desperately needed to jump into the waiting refreshment.
Finally, when everything seemed done, Zelda looked so longingly at the water it was almost unbearable. But, as he had expected, she didn't think of herself first…
"You go first… I'm okay for now…" she assured, despite her heat-flushed face and her tired eyes clearly proving her a liar.
Link looked at her with a wry smile and nodded in a way that left no doubt that he didn't believe her one bit. "You know, I really wish you wouldn't do that…" he began, drawing closer almost predatorily. Naturally, he too was dreadfully hot… which was probably why what he was about to do seemed like a good idea… but if she truly believed that he would enjoy himself while she languished a few metres away, her brain must truly be cooked well-done.
He was right in front of her now and bent down slightly. Too late, though, she noticed the mischievous look in his eyes. With one quick manoeuvre he snuck his hand under her knees and picked her up so she lay in his arms. "Whoa! What are you…? No!" she shouted.
With her firmly picked up, he strode to the pond in a measured pace. Goddess, she was so charmingly light! Even sweaty and icky as they both were, her in his arms felt right, somehow. A notion that she didn't seem to share, at least not with the prospect of what he was about to do looming above. She struggled, but not really… just for appearance's sake. Even her angry outcries were laughably interrupted by giggling. "Will you let me down at once, you oaf? Don't you dare throw me in!" she shrieked as he reached the edge and clung around his neck. Perfect!
"You misunderstand!" he said nonchalantly. "I am going for a bath. You just happen to cling to me!" He stepped into the delightfully cool wetness and proceeded until it reached just above his knees.
"No! No! No! Link! I'll get wet!" she squealed in hilarious panic.
He endowed her with his most loving smile. "That, my sweet little dumpling, is the idea." And down he sat, with her in his lap! The cold water that kissed his chest made him wince. Zelda, her royal bottom now very cool all of a sudden, gave a hissing intake of air and an irresistibly cute little giggling whimper. She looked at him with eyes widened in shock and amusement. "You filthy dog!" she squeaked with an adorably high voice.
Link couldn't help himself and looked back at her breathtaking, flushed face, so terribly close to hers, and showed a scum-eating grin. "Now… isn't that better?"
"I will kill you in your sleep!" she threatened with the same voice, her hands still frozen above the cold water, afraid to subject any more of her delicate skin to it's stinging caress.
"You have every right to!" he said softly and planted a long, tender kiss on her sweaty cheek. "But know that I will die happy."
"Idiot!" she breathed and splashed his face with a handful of water.
Unconcerned, he kept grinning at her. He was, of course, no longer holding her… she could leave his lap whenever she wanted… but she didn't.
"And now our clothes are wet!" she spat, clearly just not wanting to admit defeat.
"They were wet before. We'd have to wash them anyway. You might still smell like a garden of flowers…" he purred and snuck another quick kiss on her cheek. "…but I suspect that I don't."
"You don't smell so bad…" she whispered bashfully, blushed and looked down. Holy Trinity she was cute! Link could no longer resist. He gently guided her chin back up with his left and leaned forward, right as she did the same. Their lips met in immediately tangled in one long passionate kiss.
Goodness, she was forceful! She nearly pushed him over with her fierceness, her lips pressed tightly against his, her hands on his shoulders, pulling herself even closer. Dear goddess, she smelled seductively wonderful. The sweat on her face only enhanced it! He couldn't breathe quick enough to satisfy his need for her scent! His hands tentatively stroked her waist underwater. He still wasn't sure what he should do… what he could do…
Lovely Nayru, her incredible appeal stirred his manhood once again and no cold water would be able to stop it. What should he do? She'd notice!
An urgent whinny ripped them both out of their concentration for each other. Zelda, almost involuntarily twitched back and looked at the clearing where the horses stood. Link, too, stared and gently lifted her off, in case he needed to jump up and reach his sword… and because his other sword was on the move…
The clearing seemed quiet, only Celeste, looking at them strangely reproachfully, scraped her hooves.
"We didn't feed them…" Zelda whispered, her breath still fast, just like his. They looked at each other, both gazes a mirror of hot anticlimax and regret. They both sighed at the same time and she leaned her forehead against his shoulder in apparent frustration.
With one last wry, almost melancholy, smile, they both got up to feed their chaperones.
About half an hour later, the sun now only visible by its last golden rays, they were sitting next to each other by the fire. After providing for those pesky, meddlesome creatures that were now playing innocent, Link had gone to collect firewood while Zelda had washed both of their clothes. They were still drying (the humid air refusing to accept their moisture), so he was wearing his best tunic, while she only had her one, royal-blue outfit. It was rather odd seeing her in such an official seeming garb, sitting on a log next to a small campfire in the middle of nowhere.
He could hear her stomach growl again and grinned. "Is someone getting impatient?" he asked smugly.
"Do you need me to be clearer, o nourishing master? …come on, when will it be doooone?" she whined, accompanied by yet another musical growl.
He just smiled while he turned the two mushroom skewers slowly from this side to that. They already smelled deliciously… They were easy enough to make, you just had to know that you needed to let them soak in water for fifteen minutes to mellow. Then, quick as the wind, he had made a marinade of sorrel and a few wild berries he had found, had cut the mushroom into it and had put them over the fire to slowly roast.
"Din have mercy on you if you are making me wait on purpose…" the cute, hungry gremlin next to him grumbled, her eyes fixed on the food, turning in the fire mesmerisingly.
"Are you going to start to slaver next? That might be worth the wait, actually…" he teased with a thoughtful voice.
"Pleeeeaase?" she whined, trying to use her considerable cuteness against him. He had forbidden her from snacking, so it was rather understandable.
He took one of them from the fire and tentatively squeezed one of the two-bite-sized pits. With a satisfied nod he handed the heavy skewer to his starving girl.
She snatched it from his hands, couldn't refrain from saying "Let's hope this was worth it…" and took a bite. And another. And another.
The three mushrooms Link had reaped were more than enough for two stomachs but… Zelda seemed to want to test this judgement.
After watching her unabashed gorging amusedly for a couple of seconds he, too, dug in. And he was pleasantly surprised! It could be because he just hadn't had them in a long while, but these fungi really were excellent. And he seemed to have done a pretty good job on the marinade as well! It's sweet, fruity flavour was an excellent counterpoint to the mushroom's fleshy, bosky taste.
Apparently he really had picked up a good deal from watching both his mother and Ricco over the years…
"…do we have more?" a tiny voice from his side asked shyly.
Link looked at her, staring wistfully at the empty skewer. He looked to his own where there were still three chunks. 'I am about to do something very uncharacteristic' he thought with only the tiniest frown. With an audible sigh he handed her his. "I hope you know how much that means…" he couldn't help but say lowly.
With just a flicker of hesitation she took it and got to work. He looked into the fire… he didn't want to see how his food slowly disappeared. A few seconds later, Zelda gave him a nudge and handed the skewer back.
He eyed it critically and had to laugh softly. She had taken a bite from all three remaining chunks. For reasons not entirely explainable, he enjoyed finishing them even more now…
"That was really, really excellent, Link." she praised quietly when he had finished. He gave a soft snort. "Are you satiated then, dumpling?" he asked, grinning at her.
"Mostly…" she answered, a little bashful. "But I mean it… it really was very good. What's that agaric called?"
"Barkcap. Not the most ingenious name… I've heard some of the old in the village call it Barkchin, because, allegedly, it makes one more resilient…" he answered, showing in his voice that he mistrusted such hearsay.
"Local knowledge like this is surprisingly often accurate, you know. Ancient wisdom that was relevant when special brews were the only defence the people had…" she lectured.
Once again he gave a slight laugh and leaned over to gently rub his head against hers. His little scholar…
She responded in kind and, leaning against each other, they watched the fire. It, at least, provided dry heat, as opposed to the moistness all around.
"Tell me of your family…" she requested silently. Link hesitated. Again, he didn't want to parade the fact that he had a working relationship with his parents in front of her, as silly as that was… the gut-wrenching pain and disappointment she had admitted feeling still affected him deeply. But then again… maybe seeing a working family was what she needed?
"…where to start? Mother, father, two siblings, both younger. Ria is nine, pretty, flippant. She can fill an afternoon talking in one long, unbroken sentence about an interesting rock she found. André junior is seven, eats almost as much as me, wanted to be a horse when he grew up." he chuckled and so did she. Tentatively she snuck her left hand into his right and locked fingers. "He reminds me of myself, always about with his friends, fighting with sticks, beating each other bloody without so much as a moan, then run crying to mommy to be the centre of attention. Hm." he stopped for a second to revel in memories.
"Mother, Meera, possibly the most nosy person imaginable. She's the teacher of our village, so you can thank her for my mistakes. Strict, loving, bakes the best bread you have ever tasted… she thinks that every minute spent quietly contemplating is a bloody waste of time and she will find an activity for you, and if it's on the other side of the country." he explained and smiled. He felt her squeeze his hand gently. "My father, André senior, is a gentle giant of a man. You'd think him intimidating when you first lay eyes upon him, but really it's my mother you need to fear, and she's a head shorter than me. He's always calm, speaks little, prefers to listen, but… usually when he speaks, you can be sure that he has thought carefully about it. He's a good teacher, patient, though… by the goddess, if he looks at you disapprovingly, you know that you've screwed up… I hope to one day be as tall as him…" Link admitted. It felt so wonderful to just… open these things to someone. Someone he trusted completely. Someone where he didn't need to feign anything.
"Don't'!" Zelda said and moved her head away from his at last to look at him. "You are just the right height!" she assured and stretched to peck him on the cheek. "See?" she giggled.
Link put on a thoughtful expression for a moment, then leaned in to give her one on the forehead. "Huh… I guess you're right!" he exclaimed, as if he had just made the discovery of a lifetime. The both laughed softly, then continued looking at the fire, their heads again leaned against each other.
"They all sound wonderful…" she said. Unmistakably, the sound of regret swung in her voice, but that was to be expected. Mostly she projected genuine affection.
"They're all crazy, naturally, just like me. I think you'll like them." he said.
They were silent for a while, only the occasional breeze, the soft, steady murmur of the stream and the calming crackle of the fire was to be heard. Like yesterday, he toyed with the idea of presenting her with the earring he had bought for her. But, also like yesterday, he felt like the time was not quite there…
Link looked up. The spun had set. Only a faint shimmer of blue in the west remained of the day. Instantly, he got a bit nervous. He had planned to ask Zelda from the start, but it seemed so… off now, somehow. Nevertheless…
"Say… would you like to… have a swim w… with me?" he asked, suddenly stammering. She looked at him, both surprise and amusement in her eyes that reflected the dancing fire. "Voluntary this time, you mean?" she questioned slyly.
"Well, I mean… the sun has gone down, it's dark…" he let the rest of the sentence hang in the air.
He could see her raise an eyebrow. "Why do I get the feeling your intentions are not entirely innocent?" she uttered and smirked.
"Well, because, obviously, they're not. It's me!" he joked, presenting himself, while his heart raced with his nervousness. "But, ultimately, it's just cooling off and a little fun!"
'And wild eroticism oh please say yes' an inner voice added in his head.
He could see her blush, like he surely had. "It does sound enticing…" she mumbled.
"Tell you what: I'll disrobe and go in. Nothing your good self hasn't seen already, right?" he interjected mockingly. "Then, you can decide whether to join me. If you want, I'll look away until you're in the water."
And before Zelda could say anything more, he jumped up and, on the way to the pond, yanked the tunic over his head, shed his trousers and entered the cold water with a splash.
And now we wait… he hoped she would come. Not just because of… that. Naturally, continuing their earlier passionate kiss had crossed his mind only, oh, a thousand times, maybe? But most of all, he really, simply, wanted her to have some fun.
The seconds passed while he listened and occasionally glanced at the clearing with their little fire.
Then, finally, when he had almost lost hope, she stood up and, tentatively, came closer. It was completely dark apart from the flame and starlight. He only saw her shapely, hugely alluring silhouette against the dancing orange light. He exhaled sharply. That image alone would be worth the day. But, slowly, almost reluctantly, he could see her button down her blouse.
Link had to swallow as his throat had turned dry. Button for button her hands travelled lower. She hadn't said that he should look away… he didn't know if he even could.
With measured movement, Zelda removed her top and dropped it on the ground. A shiver, both hot and cold, crackled over his skin. He could see her shoulders against the reddish light… slender, round, unimaginably beautiful. She got to work on her own trousers… when she pushed them down her legs, another jolt, considerably stronger, coursed through Link's brain and lower body. Not even the glacial ice in Zora's domain would be able to calm him now.
At last, she stood, nude but for her undergarments, a silhouette of utter perfection, from her majestic calves to her gently wafting hair. She seemed to remain for a few tantalizing moments, almost as if to give him time to marvel at her mind-numbingly seductive body. Then, slowly, she walked into the water, right towards him.
His head swam with the implications, rejoiced at her closeness, panicked at what he had gotten himself into. He was nearly frozen in place, and shivering from both the cold water, the excitement and the fear for what might come next.
Then she stood in front of him, close enough that, if he extended his arm, he could cup her cheek. The water reached to just below her shoulders, and now, with her this close, he could see her face. Her expression seemed to mirror his own feelings…
"What now?" she asked, her voice throaty.
He didn't know… but he was going for it anyway.
Ever so gently he let the fingers of his left hand touch her shoulder. He felt her shiver slightly, just like he did. Carefully, he let his right brush against her elegant neck, gave himself the time to feel her smooth, soft, warm skin. She felt so wonderful, the best feeling he had ever experienced. Softly, his right cupped her cheek, his thumb caressing the hair behind her temple. He waited a second, breathless, shivering. Slowly, hesitantly, he felt her gentle hands stroke over his sides and up to just under his shoulders. Her touch nearly made him lose his senses. With enormous restraint fuelled by blind panic, he slowly leaned closer…
She met his lips halfway and the firework of their passion started anew. He pulled her to him, just as she eagerly stepped close. Their lips wrestled with each other, urgently, fiercely. He heard himself make involuntary, low hums, just as she gave her adorable tiny squeaks. The held each other close, tightly embraced, their breaths racing as they unified their worlds with their flaming kiss. All of Link's senses seemed impossibly heightened. Her soft nose against his, gently battling with each other. Her supple lips, hungrily nibbling, sucking, probing his mouth. Her hands on his back, reacting to each of his motions by gently digging into his flesh. The sensation of his own palms on her shoulders, gripping her tender skin sometimes mildly, sometimes tightly.
He broke contact with her lips, breathing heavily, feeling her own hot breath against his face and neck. He cocked his head to kiss down her jaw to her ear, then nibble down her neck, placing kiss after kiss as he went lower. He could feel her getting goosebumps as he caressed her arms with his hands, and heard her whimper in ecstasy. When he had reached her shoulder with his mouth, he let his teeth bite, ever so gently, then returned to where her lips waited. His travel down her beautiful neck only seemed to have enhanced her passion when their mouths met once more. He could feel her hips grind against his, his manhood feeling every tiny movement of hers. It drove him crazy! The lightning coursing through his spine got ever more intense. Finally, all caution gone, all embarrassment that she might feel his member long forgotten, he lowered his hands under water, grabbed her, annoyingly, still clothed bottom and lifted her slightly and pressed her to him.
Zelda gave a surprised squeal into his mouth, but instantly slung her intensely erotic legs around his hips. Their fiery kiss unbroken, he carried her to the mossy shore where he gently sat her down and climbed on top of her. He caressed her thigh with his left, his right needed to support himself so he wouldn't crush her with his weight. Out of the water now, he felt her hot skin directly on his. Twinges in both their bodies signalled preparations for what nature intended to follow.
Link was just about to lead his hand further up, his fingertips already below the fabric of her undies when something made him stop, he had no idea what. Something seemed not totally right. He broke the kiss and looked at her, searching in her eyes, felt her search back, both trembling and questioning, both hearts racing. After what seemed like an eternity, Zelda closed her eyes, let her head down to the ground and slowly, reluctantly, shook it.
Link sighed deeply and smiled, both in relief and disappointment. He rolled off her and lay next to her on his back. He gazed up at the stars as he heard both his and Zelda's breath calm as the minutes passed. And while his chest might be calmer, the storm in his mind was still terribly strong.
"Are you mad?" he heard her squeak next to him, her voice urgent, as if not daring to hope for a negative answer.
He tried to search his emotions, which currently was not easily done with desire and lust having created a maelstrom of feelings.
"No." he answered truthfully.
She was silent, but he could hear her fidgeting, as if unsure what to do.
"Did I… do something wrong?" he asked and swallowed, hoping to the goddesses that his doubts may not turn out true.
"No!" she said forcefully.
"Was I too fast? Did I overwhelm you?" he wanted to know, dreading the answer. By all Three, please don't let my stupidity have ruined all this! Please don't let her hate me!
"No! …a bit maybe…" she admitted weakly.
Link swallowed again, his throat dry. "I'm sorry…"
"Don't be! I… I thought I wanted to… I… I do want to… it's just…" she hesitated.
He let her think… Nayru knew it was hard enough for him right now…
"I guess I was scared…" she finally muttered.
He took a deep breath before asking. "Did I scare you?"
"Also no!" she exclaimed and he could hear the tears in her voice. "I don't know…" she confessed, quavering.
Link didn't know what to do… he wanted to hug her, but… would she want that now? …he did…
He rolled to his side. She, too, had turned to her side, facing away from him. He gingerly touched her shoulder, she twitched slightly, but didn't move away. He stroked her arm. "Come here, Zelda…" he told her, giving her the option to decline. After only a tiny moment's hesitation she wriggled close to him, she the little spoon, he the bigger one. He rested his cheek against her head, her wet hair cold between her back and his stomach. He gently rested his hand on her shoulder. She seemed to accept, as she took it and led it around her body so he would hug her.
"I don't know…" she repeated. "Please don't be mad at me…" she sobbed.
Link kissed her long, beautiful ear to show his support. Of course, he was disappointed… But ultimately, he was mostly relieved. The last thing he wanted was for her to do something she wasn't ready for. He absolutely couldn't stomach the thought of her being distressed because of something that was, both terribly important and, if you really thought about it, so completely unimportant… besides he, too, had been on the verge of panic for the entirety of this little adventure.
"I am not mad at you, are you listening? Not. Mad." he reassured her. But he felt honesty was required in this situation… anything less wouldn't do. "But I will admit that I am… not totally happy with this ending…" Apparently it was the time for euphemisms, though…
She snorted softly. "I am too… believe me! I wanted to… I want you! So much! Then, only at this last second, I hesitated." she tried to explain.
Link swallowed for the hundredth time. Her saying those words threatened to fan the flames of his lust again, but he kept them in check. The moment had passed.
"It's so dumb! I feel like I've ruined everything!" she whimpered heartbreakingly and curled up in a ball. She squeezed his hand so tightly that it nearly hurt.
He wriggled his other hand under her and used it to hug her even tighter.
"You ruined nothing, you little fool. Do you really think our affection is so easily broken? By this?" he asked, a bit tenderly, a bit strictly.
He waited a few seconds until, finally, she gave a muffled "No…"
"Neither do I. This is both our decision Zelda. If we want this, it needs us both. And I don't want you to do something that you might come to regret. Especially not for my sake."
She violently shook her head. "I don't regret it! Nothing! I now regret that I stopped us!"
"Maybe you were not ready?" he finally voiced it.
"I don't know! How does one know?" she asked pitifully.
"I don't have the faintest idea, Zelda. Am I ready? I was scared witless the entire time! How should I know? What would the scholar within you do when faced with something she might, and I stress, MIGHT, have made a wrong decision about?" he asked, hoping to help her through her vast intellect.
She only took a second to answer. "Review facts I know, search for factors I don't, draw new conclusions if applicable and revise my opinion."
"Well, we'll have to do that, then. And when the next opportunity arises, we will try again. Until it works. Or you get tired of my bumbling failures as test object." he chuckled.
"No!" she affirmed, almost sulkily. "Never!"
He had to admit, it did him massively good to hear her say that. He felt a weight the size of Death Mountain fall off his mind, now that it was clear that, thankfully, he had ruined neither this moment, nor any following ones. He breathed a lot more freely… and he would get her to forgive herself as well!
They lay quietly, her back against his belly, just enjoying the new, exciting and lovely feeling of skin against skin.
After a while Zelda stirred again. "Link? I… earlier I didn't really ask you properly… I just assumed…" she mumbled.
He had no idea what she was talking about and told her so.
"Your family… when we reach Ord… do you even want to introduce me? You know, if it's a bother to you, or too complicated, I can just wander around while you get to enjoy their company without distractions…" she offered softly.
This was the most ridiculous thing Link had ever heard. He shook his head, brushing against hers. "Dummy!" he chuckled disbelievingly.
"I'm being serious!" she exclaimed, a little piqued.
Without her seeing it, he rolled his eyes dramatically and sighed heavily, right into her ear.
"You still are a dummy." he whispered.
"Hey! Why?"
"Because, you cute little dumpling, it would be odd not to introduce one part of my family to another important part, now wouldn't it?" he purred, giggling and pulling her even tighter in his embrace.
He actually felt her adorable heart skip a beat.