To Capture the Heart of a Hero

Chapter 48 – Blood

Link had done his best to avoid a lethal blow, and because of this, the wound wasn't very large or deep. However, it was still enough to draw a terrifying amount of blood and stain the Hero's tunic red within seconds. And of course, it was still enough to rip a scream from Zelda's lungs.

"LINK!" she cried, feeling absolutely horrified.

The Hero coughed up blood and soon fell backwards. His sword and shield clattered on the floor. Meanwhile, the ReDead drew its blade back, looking irritated and unsatisfied. It knew that it had been cheated out of a kill, but that wasn't going to stop it for long. The Hero now lay sprawled out on the floor before the mummified monster, and they all knew that it would be a simple matter to snuff out his life.

"NO!" Zelda shrieked. Before she even knew what she was doing, she scrambled to her feet and picked up Link's blade. Even now, it still radiated the light energy that she had blessed it with earlier.

The ReDead growled, feeling no pity for those who were about to become its victims. With surprising speed, it threw out a horizontal swipe, hoping to cleave the Princess in two for good this time.

As the attack drew towards her, Zelda didn't think. She only dared to move. She instinctively ducked beneath the sweeping greatsword and rushed her foe. With all her strength, she plunged her blade of light into the ReDead's chest, just as the monster had done to her Hero. But she didn't stop there. She forced it in deeper, going so far that the end of the blade protruded out of the monster's back. The ReDead just froze as its body constricted around the wound.

Zelda then released an angry cry as tears streamed down her cheeks. She called upon the magic that had been instilled in the blade, and commanded it to run wild. The sword soon began to shine brighter and grow hotter, and the ReDead cried out in agony.

A second later, the monster was enveloped in a piercing light. A second after that, it was obliterated, having been reduced to nothing more than ash. The sword fell to the floor, free of Zelda's grip and no longer glowing. The only light left in the room was the soft orange glow coming from the lantern at Zelda's waist.

"Oh, Link," she whimpered before running to his side. She quickly kneeled to the floor and tried to inspect him. Already, she could feel her hands begin to shake. She was frightened by what had taken place, and even more horrified to find out what would happen next…

"Link, are you okay? Please speak to me."

Link's eyes were forced shut, and he winced a bit as he tried to reach for his bloody chest. "Zelda, I'm sorry," he said in a surprisingly weak voice. "They got me."

Her mind was going a hundred miles an hour. The words spilled out of her mouth without any consideration. "Why are you sorry? Link, you have nothing to be sorry for. You saved me. I'm the one who should be sorry. Oh so sorry." She soon choked back a sob, realizing that this horrific accident was all her own doing. But she didn't have time to process that now. "We need to get your tunic off so I can inspect the wound. Quickly."

Link didn't respond. Instead, he just did his best not to fight her as she pulled the bloody tunic up over his head and arms. Unfortunately, he couldn't resist gasping in pain. His wound was fresh and even the smallest of movements made it burn like white-hot fire.

Zelda soon gasped as well, staring at the wound in all its horrific glory. It seemed to have been opened just near his ribs. Even now, she could see the blood freely spilling out of it. It poured down his stomach and out onto the floor where it slowly began to pool.

With clenched teeth, Zelda pressed Link's tunic to the wound. The Hero immediately writhed in pain. "AHHH-ha-howww!"

A few more tears fell down Zelda's cheeks. She hated doing this to him. "I'm sorry, Link. We have to get the blood to clot. If I don't keep applying pressure, then…then…" She began to choke again.

Link's eyes flew open and twitched a bit while he glared at the ceiling. "Just keep doing it," he muttered through clenched teeth.

Zelda could tell that he was being brave. The pain must have been agonizing, to be torn open like that and then have so much pressure applied to the wound. Zelda almost felt like she was torturing him instead of saving him.

The blood got everywhere. On Link's remaining clothes. On Zelda's dress. Her pristine white gloves. What had once been the Hero's lovely green tunic was now a dark and damp mess of fabric. And worse yet, it was already losing its use. Before even a minute had passed, it was already soaked through, and it could barely keep the blood from spilling out further.

Feeling desperate, she soon tossed the tunic aside and stripped off her gloves. She crumpled up one of them and pressed it to the wound, allowing the rich white fabric to be stained red. Again, Link winced and writhed a bit as the pressure intensified.

"I'm sorry, Link. I just don't know what else to do…" They had no bandages. No potions. No fairies. Zelda soon cursed herself for being such a fool. She should have been more prepared. More careful. How could she have done this to Link?

She supposed that she could run back through the dungeon and try to get help from the Gerudo, but that would mean leaving Link all alone, and who knew what might happen then? He could very easily bleed out if she took too long. Or even worse, a monster might wander into this chamber and finish him off. Aside from that, the only other option she had available was prayer. Perhaps if she begged the Goddesses to spare Link's life, they might just grant her the power to do so.

And then it suddenly came to her. A surefire way to save the wounded Hero from a slow and painful death.

More tears came to Zelda's eyes as she realized the simplicity of it all. If she could just perform this single spell, then all would be restored. Link would be complete and whole once more. She soon retracted her bloodied hands, letting the crumpled white glove stick to the wound on its own. She then brought her hands together in prayer and gave the Hero a soft smile.

"Don't worry, Link. I'll save you, just like I saved Midna."

Link ceased his wincing and deep breathing just long enough to process Zelda's words. "Wait…what?" he asked quietly.

"In a moment, it won't hurt anymore," she promised him. "Just relax and everything will be set right."

Yes, "set right". That was the perfect phrase to describe her actions. As things stood, it wasn't fair. Link had only gotten stabbed because he had been trying to save Zelda. If she had never insisted on accompanying him into this dungeon, or recklessly thrown herself into danger, then Link would never have gotten injured. It was entirely Zelda's fault, and it would only be fair if she had to be the one to pay the price for her own mistakes.

Link still looked confused, and almost frightened. "Zelda, what are you-"

"Shh," she told him. "Just relax, Link. Please." And then she bowed her head and closed her eyes.

But Link was far from relaxed. If anything, he was seething. "No, Zelda, stop!"

She ignored him, keeping her head low as she began to call upon the Goddesses. In a few seconds, it would all be over.

With a roar of frustration, Link forced himself to sit up. One hand flew to his chest in order to cradle his excruciating wound, but he used the other to firmly grip Zelda by the shoulder. "Stop this at once!" he shouted. And his actions were so forceful and sudden and passionate, that Zelda just recoiled, losing her concentration.

"N-No," she stuttered, struggling to find her words under that fierce gaze of his. "Link, I have to do this."

"Don't do it!" he growled at her. "Don't you dare, Zelda. I'd never forgive you."

Tears began streaming down her face once again. "B-But Link…you're…you're going to…"

"Zelda, look at me," he demanded. And then he forcefully pulled her close so that her watery eyes met his own. "I'm not gonna die. I promise I won't. So stop crying already!"

"L-Link," she whimpered helplessly. "I…I don't…don't know what to…"

Link took a deep breath as he continued to look into her sapphire eyes. He could tell that she was very frightened and desperate, and the best thing for her right now would be a calm, reassuring voice. So that's what he provided.

"We just need to get the blood to clot," he told her quietly. "I'll be okay as long as the bleeding stops."

She tried to shake her head, but she found it hard to look away. "You…You don't know that…"

"Yes, I do," he said confidently. "I know it and you know it too. Now please, help me stop the blood."

"Link, I don't-"

"Please," he begged again. "I need you, Zelda."

Zelda's hands shook as they fell to her side. She could slowly feel herself abandoning her desperate attempt at sacrifice. The effect of his words and his expression were just too powerful. Eventually she gave him a tiny nod.

"Link, lie back down," she whispered to him.

The Hero just stared at her, looking skeptical.

"It's okay. I promise I won't do it. Now please."

Link took a deep breath through his nostrils and slowly lay back on the stone floor. Zelda used one arm to help guide him down while her free hand returned to the wound. By this point, her white glove had been stained completely crimson, so she set it aside and grabbed her second one. She applied it to the wound, and this time, Link forced himself not to wince.

The two of them sat there in silence for a while. The only sounds were Link's shallow breathing, and Zelda's quiet sniffling. They were both too focused on getting through this ordeal to think of anything to say.

Eventually, Zelda noticed that the endless gushing of blood started to ebb. It was a sure sign that the wound had begun to clot, and any further bleeding would be minimal. "The Goddesses be praised," she whispered.

The small sign of hope was all she needed to be inspired to action. An idea suddenly came to mind, and Zelda placed a hand on Link's shoulder. "Can you hold the glove here for a minute?"

He just eyed her. "Why?"

"I'm going to prepare some bandages."

Link gave her a curious look but nodded anyway. He pressed his own hand to the wound, continuing where Zelda had left off. Naturally, he hissed in pain.

"Keep it pressed tight," Zelda told him. "We don't want the clot to loosen."

"Right," he grunted.

Once she was sure that Link was settled for a minute, she removed his lantern from her waist and set it on the floor next to him. She then rose to her feet and walked away, off to where the lamp's light ended and the shadows began. Here, she quickly set to work, removing both of her boots and setting them aside. Next, she reached far up beneath her dress and removed her white leggings. The idea had dawned on her that this fabric might make for some decent temporary bandages, and the Princess certainly didn't need them. Her dress covered her lower half even without them.

Now barefoot, Zelda carried her boots and leggings back to Link's side. The Hero just curiously watched as she then proceeded to collect her rapier from its place on the floor and used it to make long, precise cuts into the fabric. He quickly clued in to what was happening, and he was even quicker to protest.

"No, Zelda, you don't need to do that-"

"Bandages will help," she replied simply.

"B-But your clothes…"

"Relax, they're just pants. It's not like this is a royal dress or anything."

"But-"

A loud ripping sound cut him off completely. Zelda had finished making her cuts and she was now tearing the rest of the fabric to shreds. "It's too late to argue, Link. I've already ruined them. Now come on. Let's have you sit up so I can properly apply them."

Link looked like he was at a loss for words, but he soon closed his mouth and accepted her generosity. Besides, he knew that she was right. There was no point in arguing now.

With a bit of difficulty, Zelda helped raise Link up into a sitting position. There was a good amount of grunting and hissing, and scarily enough, even a bit of swaying from side to side. It was as if he could hardly sit up straight. Although Zelda supposed this was to be expected. He had lost a lot of blood, and he was likely feeling lightheaded.

"This will just take a minute," she promised. "And then we'll have you lie down again."

"Mm-hmm," he mumbled.

Zelda had Link remove her glove from the wound before she applied some fresh, smaller pieces of fabric to it. She then took the longer strips and began winding them around his middle, completely covering the wound before pulling them tight. Once they were all applied, Zelda tied some simple knots to make sure that they would stay in place.

She took a second to inspect her work. It was a shoddy job, but it seemed effective enough. At least the bleeding had ceased.

"We should probably move you," Zelda said quietly as she glanced down. Even now, Link was sitting in a small puddle of his own blood. It would be better if he could lay somewhere dry. "Do you think that you can move?"

"I'll try my damndest," he told her.

Zelda gave him a soft, sad smile before reaching over and hooking an arm under his own. They took their time, and she slowly, carefully helped the Hero get to his feet. From here, the Princess aided him in limping to the nearest wall, where she eased him down onto his back.

"Are you comfortable?"

"No," he said bluntly. He then laughed a bit. "But it's good enough."

Zelda just sighed. She truly felt so bad for him.

"Hey Zelda?"

"Yes?"

"Could you get me some water?"

"Of course, Link. One moment."

Zelda drifted back to where the rest of their things lay and collected them. The bloody clothes, the lantern, her boots, and Link's sword, shield, and adventuring bag. She then brought them all back to Link's resting place and fished through his bag until she found a waterskin.

"Drink as much as you like, and then I'll help you wash up a bit." Even now, the Hero's middle was still stained red, as were his and Zelda's hands.

Naturally, Link went to protest such kindness. "But I only brought the one skin. There won't be enough-"

"I can get more with magic," she assured him softly. "Now please, drink."

Link was still hesitant, but he drank until he properly quenched his thirst. Meanwhile, Zelda laid out the bloodied clothes in an attempt to let them dry. Perhaps they could be used for fresh bandages later, although she honestly doubted it. Still, it was worth the effort. She also used a spare bottle of lamp oil to refill the lantern and guarantee that they would have a few more hours of light.

Once that was finished, she kneeled next to Link and took the waterskin from him. It was nearly empty, but it was no trouble. Zelda simply prayed and used her magic to fill it back to the top. All it took was a simple spell, one of many that she had mastered long ago. Now with a fresh source of water, she ran some over her hands, washing away the blood. She then moved onto Link, pouring the water on his torso while making sure to keep his bandages dry. She took her time, running her gentle fingers over his chest and removing the terrible stains of crimson.

To her surprise, Link smiled. "That feels good."

If the circumstances had been different, Zelda might have blushed at this comment, but she was currently far too solemn and distressed to think of anything other than the Hero's wellbeing. So she simply remained straight-faced. "How do you feel?"

"Sore," he said bluntly.

"Surely you are worse than that."

"Well, I'm a little dizzy too," he admitted.

"As you should be. You lost a lot of blood. Just keep relaxing."

Eventually, Zelda finished washing him, and she used the end of her dress to wipe him dry. Link just shot her a look of disapproval, but she paid him no mind. As far as she was concerned, a stained dress was a small price to pay for his comfort. Before long, the Hero sighed.

"Zelda?" he said.

"Yes, Link?"

"Thank you for fixing me up."

Zelda simply shook her head. "You don't need to thank me. This is all my fault in the first place."

"But I appreciate it all the same," he insisted. "It's not every day that you get this kind of medical care in the depths of a dungeon."

Zelda couldn't help but smile a little at this. "Tell me, what did you do when you found yourself in a situation like this before? Did Midna ever take care of you?"

Link immediately chuckled, despite the pain it caused him. "Are you kidding? She would have sooner left me for dead."

Zelda smirked a little, allowing herself to be playful for the first time in what seemed like forever. "I sincerely hope that you're exaggerating."

He just laughed some more. "I am. Midna honestly wouldn't have done that. She truly was a good friend to me." Here, he paused for a moment. "You are too."

Zelda felt her heart threaten to melt, but she managed to hold herself together. As always, Link was far too kind to her. And it didn't stop here either. The Hero soon forged onwards with a surprising look of guilt.

"Listen, Zelda, I'm…um, sorry for yelling at you back there…"

Zelda simply waved her hand and shook her head. "Don't be. I think that I truly needed to hear those words in that moment."

He stared up at her, still looking sad and a little concerned. "Will you promise to never attempt that again? I know that it all worked out in the end with Midna, but you might not be so lucky the next time. I don't ever want to hear that you sacrificed yourself to save another. It just…it wouldn't be fair to those you leave behind. Your father, your Kingdom…I would be torn up over it too. So please, will you promise?"

Zelda just stared back into his beautiful blue eyes. When he looked at her like that, how could she possibly say no? "Of course, Link. I promise to never do it again."

"Thank you," he said, breathing a small sigh of relief. "I swear, sometimes you can be so reckless."

"Says the guy who just got stabbed," Zelda pointed out quietly.

He just smiled at this. "Fair enough."

Zelda smiled back, and soon moved his adventuring bag so that it lay under his head as a sort of cushion. She imagined that it wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world, but it had to have been better than simply resting on the hard stone floor. Regardless of whether it was comfortable or not, he thanked her all the same.

"You know, I think you've forgotten something," he added with a small grin.

She just frowned back. "Is there something you need?"

"No, not me. Don't you still need to perform that sacred ritual you mentioned? The one that will cleanse this place of the Death Sword for good?"

Zelda simply blinked. In all the chaos of the battle and its results, she had completely forgotten about the ritual. "Oh, yes, you're absolutely right."

"You'd best hurry," he encouraged her. "I'd hate to have it reappear when I'm in this state."

"It doesn't work that fast," she assured him. "Will you be okay on your own for a bit? The ritual will only take a few minutes to complete."

He grinned again. "Yes, I'll be fine. Go and do your duties, Princess."

Zelda felt a bit hesitant to leave him in such a weak and injured state, but she supposed she had no choice. She soon rose to her feet. "Okay, just call out if you need anything and I'll be right there."

He nodded in agreement and she left him behind. She returned to the spot in the center of the room where the Death Sword had rested. Using magic, she created a sphere of light overhead so that she could properly see what she was doing. She then bowed low and placed two fingers on the stone floor. She soon began to chant in the old Hylian tongue.

This was an ancient spell, and one that Zelda had never performed before, although she knew it well. She had studied this magic and many others while growing up, and she had long since mastered the craft. Besides, this spell was another that was rather simple in nature. As long as she had the blessing of the Goddesses, the words and motions came to her as if they were instinct.

The Princess traced her fingers along the floor, and as she did, trails of light were left in her wake. She used this magical way of writing to create glyphs atop the stone. She continued to chant and to pray as she circled off to the side. With each step she took, she would crouch again and create a new glyph. When she finally made it back to her original position, the circle was complete. Now all that was left was the final command.

"Goddesses above, please, rid this place of evil and make it a sacred temple once more."

And with that, she touched the circle of glyphs and they promptly erupted into a blinding white light. But it only lasted for a moment until the light and glyphs disappeared completely.

Zelda simply smiled as she rose to her full height. The ritual had been a success. The Death Sword would never haunt this place again. It was now a sacred and holy temple dedicated to the Goddesses above. And it wouldn't just prevent the Death Sword's return either. Within a few days' time, even the monsters dwelling in this dungeon would likely start to weaken under the effects of this spell. It was truly a great and thorough cleansing.

Feeling satisfied, Zelda soon dispelled her sphere of light and returned to Link's side. The Hero just greeted her with bright eyes and a wide grin.

"That was really cool."

"That was nothing," she insisted, kneeling down next to him once more. "That was only the Goddesses' powers working through me."

"It's still impressive," he replied. "I certainly couldn't have done that."

Zelda couldn't help but bashfully smile. She soon shook her head, attempting to turn things back around on him. "You are talking too much. I think it might be best if you tried to sleep."

"Sleep?" he scoffed. "I can't sleep. We still need to get out of here."

Zelda gave him a look of doubt. "Link, you can barely walk right now. We'll worry about escaping after you've gotten some rest."

He frowned, looking rather upset. "So we're just supposed to sleep in a dark and dangerous dungeon?"

"Yes, I think that would be best. I'll keep an eye out for monsters, and should any approach, I will gladly deal with them."

Link frowned even harder. "Why don't you just run and get help?"

"I will not leave you," she replied adamantly. "Not when you're like this."

"Zelda, I'll be fine, really-"

"No, you won't. I nearly lost you to that ReDead and I won't risk it happening again."

"Then how are we ever going to get out of here?" he asked with a roll of his eyes.

"Be patient," she encouraged him. "Kanora and the others know where we are. If we don't return by morning, there's a good chance that they'll come looking for us. And even if they don't, you might be well enough to walk tomorrow, so we can attempt to leave on our own then. Sound like a plan?"

"No," he said flatly. "It sounds like I'm holding you back and keeping you in this dark and dingy place."

"I'm here because I want to be. And believe me, it's not so terrible." At this, she sadly smiled and rubbed his shoulder a bit. "Now please, will you try to get some rest? As a favor to me?"

"A favor of friendship?" he asked, mocking Kanora's comments from earlier in the day. "Fine, but just know that I fully intend to pay you back for all this kindness."

"Link, you saved my life," she said quietly. "That is payment enough. Now for the final time, please close your eyes and rest. Or must I sing you a lullaby?"

He couldn't help but laugh a bit. "That doesn't sound so bad actually."

"Fine, one song," Zelda agreed.

The Princess soon began to hum, her soft melodious voice echoing off the walls and ceiling of the chamber. The lullaby was beautiful. It was such a calm, peaceful sound. Link almost wondered if there was some sort of magic to it, for he quickly found his eyelids growing heavy, and his pulse slowing down. With a final sigh of contentment, he drifted off to sleep.

A few hours passed, and Zelda gently lifted her eyes open, blinking a few times. She then stifled a yawn as she glanced around the dark chamber in which she and Link slept. She had no way of telling time in this dim and isolated place, but by her estimate, it was currently the middle of the night.

Zelda had only been lightly sleeping, ready to wake up at a moment's notice should someone, or something, approach. She had been taught how to do this from a young age, in case of emergency situations where she might need to wake up in an instant and prepare to fight or flee. Humorously enough, Zelda actually had plenty of time to practice the technique during the Twilight Invasion, as she had spent many nights unsure of who would enter into the room in which she was imprisoned. During those days, the Princess never knew when an enemy might come to silence her forever.

Zelda just gave a slight shiver before shaking her head and clearing her thoughts. As always, it was best not to dwell on those dark days. Besides, she had more pressing matters to focus on. She was certain that she had just heard a noise, for it had woken her from her light slumber. She patiently waited for her eyes to pick apart the shadows of the room, trying to find any hidden signs of movement. She had extinguished the lantern hours ago, and was hesitant to light it again for fear of giving away their position. Besides, her eyes had already adjusted to the dark and she could see well enough.

A minute passed in silence, and once it did, Zelda allowed herself to relax a bit. She felt sure that she and Link were alone. At the very least, she could not see or hear anything worthy of caution.

However, a sudden sound quickly brought Zelda's guard right back up. She focused her vision once more as she scanned the room. Though, it seemed that her wariness was unnecessary, for she soon pinpointed the source of the noise.

Zelda looked to her side. There, Link lay on the floor, still asleep. However, it seemed that he wasn't resting as soundly as before, for his body was shivering a bit, and his face contorted in slight anguish. Before long, another soft groan escaped his lips.

Zelda just stared at him for a moment, frowning with guilt. He was clearly in pain from his wound. An injury that Zelda should have been able to prevent, or at the very least, treat properly. She silently cursed herself and her inability to do more for him.

Link unconsciously groaned again. Zelda was not sure what else she could do for him at this point, but she settled on reaching out and gently running her fingers through his hair. She hoped in vain that the touch might comfort him.

Unfortunately, this act seemed to have the opposite effect. Link just frowned further, and his expression turned nervous. Zelda retracted her fingers, immediately regretting what she had done. She hadn't intended to cause his sleeping self even more discomfort. The Hero soon winced, as if haunted by a terrible nightmare. He clutched at his chest before uttering a single word.

"Ilia…"

Zelda just sat there, feeling stone-faced and dismal. Not only was the Hero in pain, but he was calling out for the person he loved the most. The woman who was currently far from his side. Zelda soon felt her heart well up with sympathy for the poor man beside her. This really was all her fault.

The mumbling didn't stop there. The Hero continued to call out, and his face winced with pain and worry. He even raised a hand into the air as if he was grasping for something.

"Ilia…Ilia…"

Zelda wasn't sure how much more of the Hero's anguish she could take, so she reached out and grabbed Link's hand with her own, hoping to quell his cries.

The effect was both surprising and immediate. Upon taking Zelda's hand, Link's shivering ceased, and his face flashed a rather stunned expression. However, it only lasted for a moment before a content smile formed on his lips.

"Zelda," he whispered quietly.

He soon brought his hand back to his side, as well as Zelda's own. The Princess simply sat there, feeling speechless. Not only did Link unconsciously recognize her touch, but he took great comfort in it. This fact alone was enough to relieve her heart and bring the smallest of smiles to her lips. Suddenly, she felt like everything was going to be okay.

With the Hero sleeping soundly once more, it seemed that there was nothing left to be done. Zelda scooted closer to him and tried to settle down while keeping their hands together. She eventually managed it and provided Link with one last smile before promptly shutting her eyes.

"Good night, my Hero."

I love chapters like this. Quiet. Somber but hopeful. Generous amounts of hurt/comfort. And of course, I always love whenever Zelda gets to serve as Link's nurse and dote on him a bit haha. Our hero works hard, and when he is tired and broken, it's only fair that he is allowed to rest and heal. I'm glad that Zelda was able to help provide that rest for him here :)