soooooo I wrote a really short, oot angsty thing based on this because I’m a jerk to oot zelink.
enjoy!
He wants her to look at him so badly.
He wants to kiss her lips again and hold her tight. He wants to nuzzle her nose and watch her giggle and flush scarlet because of it. He aches to remind her, even if it was only one last time, that he loves her.
But she can’t see him. She looks right at him, but she can’t see him.
He reaches down, where she sits by the solitary, ironwork window in her towering prison, blue eyes drawn downward to watch Hyrule below her. She doesn’t see his hand reaching for her cheek—doesn’t feel his touch when he rests bony fingers upon her skin. He can’t feel her either. He’s forgotten what the smooth softness of her face feels like after all this time.
Zelda, He whispers.
He knows she can’t hear him. He knows… but he always tries to reach her anyways.
Her blue eyes shift upward suddenly. She should be staring right into his eyes, but she just looks right through him and sighs. Her long, dark lashes brush her cheek as she blinks her heavy eyelids and shivers under the heavy, black cloak she wears.
He longs to hold her until she’s warm, but he knows he can’t
For centuries, he’s waited to see her. He just wanted to hear her say his name again, to apologize for not being able to protect her even after Ganondorf was gone. He wants her to remember him, and remember everything they once were. But it was useless; she was alive again, beautiful and radiant as the sun. But he… he was nothing to the world of the living—an invisible incarnation of regrets and aching sadness.
Zelda, he repeats, wanting to see her gaze rest on him. Simply wanting to be noticed.
Zelda, I still love you.
His words disappear into the empty, frigid air the moment they leave his lips. Silent and unheard.
Hellloooo @catrin-sara-mcw I (heroineofwisdom, posting this on my fic blog) was your slow-as-sin secret santa for @zelink-secretsanta. I meant to get this out sooner, but it came out a lot longer than I originally planned. Regardless, I hope this story is to your liking and was worth the wait!
**Before anyone says it, this story was quite heavily inspired by a scene in Akatsuki No Yona. If you’ve read/seen it, I’m sure you’ll know which one.
~Enjoy!
“…Is he gone?”
Link paused in taking a bite of his apple, from his perch under a large, shady apple tree in Hyrule Castle’s gardens. He caught sight of the clueless back of a noble boy, as he disappeared back into Hyrule Castle. Link glanced up at the princess, hanging above him from a tree branch with a finger pressed firmly to her lips and a look of warning reflected in her eyes.
Today was one of the rare days he had off of his knight training. He had planned to spend the day with Zelda, but had been reluctantly rejected on the basis that there was a guest at the castle for her. Again. It’d been the fifth time that month he’d been turned down. Slightly bitter and lonely, he set off into gardens to sulk and pass the time. But to his utter surprise, he’d found his royal friend cowering in the sturdy branches of one of the palace’s diligently groomed fruit trees, when she’d accidently shaken an apple loose and hit him in the head with it.
“He’s gone.” Link nodded in the direction he’d last seen the boy.
Princess Zelda released her held breath, and scrambled back down the tree she’d been hiding in, shaking leaves loose as she went. One landed on Link’s shoulder, which he immediately brushed off as the princess settled next to him, pulling her knees under her chin.
“So… who’s that guy?” Link asked around a mouthful of apple, gesturing at the castle with his thumb.
Zelda seemed to squirm under the question, her teal eyes narrowing. “…a suitor.” She finally mumbled.
Link felt his eyes go round. “Like… someone who’s trying to court you?”
Zelda nodded glumly, her cheeks growing red.
Link stared at her a moment, pausing mid-chew. For some reason, he felt a prickle of annoyance at the thought of someone courting the princess of Hyrule.
“He keeps visiting the castle and bringing me expensive gifts I didn’t ask for,” Zelda grumbled into her knees. “And all he ever talks about is his fancy clothes and his horse and how it’s purebred and imported from Termina… as if I’d be impressed with things like that!”
The princess scoffed indignantly, ripping soft green blades of grass from the earth and letting them flutter away in the wind.
“He’s annoying.” She concluded sourly.
“So tell him,” Link told her, the prickle of annoyance having grown into a wholly unpleasant sensation in his chest. “Tell him you’re not interested in boys yet and that he’s being a bother.”
Suddenly, the princess’s shoulders stiffened and her face flared up even redder than before. The hero had expected her to protest that she couldn’t be so harsh or something, but the blonde princess merely stared at her leather boots in silence.
“What?” Link asked, polishing off the rest of his apple. “Too mean?”
Zelda shook her head. “It’s not that… it’s just… well, it’s not necessarily true.”
“But you just said he was—?”
“Not that part.” Zelda clarified, practically hiding behind her knees now.
For a moment, Link didn’t understand what she was trying to say. When it finally did hit him, he balked, his own cheeks matching the shade of red of the princess’s. He’d never considered the possibility that Zelda would already have an interest in boys, or worse, that Zelda would have someone she liked!
…Why is that worse?
“Don’t look so shocked!” Zelda cried, refusing to meet his gaze. “We’re twelve! It’s not that uncommon to start liking people!”
There was that irksome feeling again, this time penetrating his chest like a painful jab. The last thing in the world he wanted to hear was Zelda gush about this boy she liked. He didn’t ask to be involved in her romantic life, and he sure as Nayru didn’t need to hear about it.
“Why are you telling me about it?” Link suddenly snapped, throwing a hand in the direction the noble boy had gone. “Go tell him you’ve got someone else on your mind! I’m not the one you need to reject!”
“Why are you suddenly shouting at me?” Zelda snapped back, her hands clenching in her skirt.
“Because you’re annoying me!” The hero replied hotly.
The princess opened her mouth to yell something back at him once again, but she was cut off by third voice.
“How does someone like you get off yelling at the princess?”
The two blond children turned to the source of the voice, and Zelda’s face pinched in annoyance when she saw who it came from. The noble boy, dressed in fine silks, marched toward them. He was taller and thinner than Link’s boyish frame, but he looked weak, as if he’d never even touched the decorative sword hanging at his side. When the boy got close enough, he offered Zelda a bow, and straightened to level a snooty glare down at the young hero.
“Its fine, Garid,” Zelda said. While she was baffled and angry at Link for his behavior, she still didn’t appreciate her friend being looked down upon. “He’s my friend.”
Garid’s lips curled back in obvious disgust, and he reached downward to catch the princess’s arm. “Very well, then,” He tugged a very reluctant Zelda to her feet. “Come with me, we’ll go shopping in Castletown.”
Link felt himself tense up at the boy’s commanding tone. No… it doesn’t affect me. She can go run off to that guy she likes if she needs help.
Zelda pulled back as politely as she could manage without slapping his hand away. “No thank you, Garid.”
“I insist.” Garid grabbed firm hold of her arm again, attempting to drag her back to the castle. “My father already has a carriage waiting.”
“No!” Zelda yanked her arm away from his grip. “I don’t want to!”
Garid gave a passive-aggressive laugh. “Princess, being so stubborn isn’t very cute.” He said, gripping her wrist tightly. “Come. I’ll buy you something pretty.”
“Ow!” Zelda cried, as the young noble tried, once more, to drag her away. “You’re hurting me!”
It was when she made that whimper of pain that Link’s body moved on its own, and he found himself slapping the young noble’s hand away from Zelda himself. The young hero then inserted himself between the two, shooting Garid the most venomous glare he could muster.
“She said she wasn’t interested,” He said darkly. “You shouldn’t lay such a casual hand on the Princess.”
“Pardon me?” Garid scoffed. “I am the son of Sir Rydin of Eldin. My father practically owns the Eldin province. What right do you even have to be in the Princess’ presence, peasant?”
Link gave a confident smile he wasn’t actually feeling, and took gentle hold of Zelda’s hand. Both avoiding looking at her red face and fighting off a fierce blush himself, he brought her small hand to his lips and kissed the back of her palm politely.
“As a matter of fact,” Link stated, still cradling her hand. “The Princess and I have already made a lifelong pledge to marry when we’re old enough. Right, Princess?” He looked at Zelda meaningfully, begging her with his eyes to play along.
Zelda’s cheeks were the same shade as the apples hanging from the tree above them, and her teal orbs shifted away in embarrassment. “Um…”
“No need to be shy, princess.” Link encouraged, his false confidence hanging by a thread. By Din, he hoped the noble boy didn’t notice.
Garid seemed horrified by the thought. Outright ignoring Link, he turned his shocked gaze to the red-faced princess. “Princess… this can’t be true.”
“It…It is,” She finally answered with conviction. She grabbed Link’s arm and snuggled up against him, imitating what she saw ladies in Castletown do with their lovers. “It’s true. I…I love him.”
Upon hearing those last three words, Link felt an overwhelming heat consume his face and neck. He turned his head away from Garid’s stunned visage, raising a hand to his face to hide the redness. He was… happy. Ridiculously happy.
“E-even so,” Garid protested, unwilling to admit defeat so soon. “Someone like him is a mere nobody. Surely, someone like me is a better match for you, Princess?”
That statement seemed to cause something in Zelda to snap, and suddenly the red on her face was no longer a blush of embarrassment, but rather of anger.
“A nobody?” She repeated, squeezing Link’s arm so hard he looked down at her in surprise. “How dare you! He is the son and heir of Markus Cladwell, the current General of Hyrule’s Royal Army! My father was also the General of Hyrule’s Army before his marriage to my mother, so unless you mean to tell me the King is also a nobody, I suggest you take back your words and apologise to Link!”
Link felt his eyes widen. While it was true that the General had taken him in for the past two years and treated him as his own son, Markus had never promised Link his position when he was old enough. Still, fabrication or not, Garid visibly paled at Zelda’s words and quickly fell into a bow.
“M-my apologies, Sir Link,” He stammered. “I take back every word I have said against you and vow not to stand in your way any longer.”
Having said his piece, the young nobleman scurried off with his tail between his legs.
Link blinked in astonishment as he watched the boy go, barely registering the princess dropping his arm and stepping away. After Garid disappeared from sight, the hero let his eyes rest back on his friend’s face, and embarrassment immediately flooded his cheeks again.
“Uh,” He said, running a nervous hand through his honey-coloured hair. “You… were really convincing there. I guess if the ‘queen’ thing doesn’t work out, you could always get into acting.” He forced a weak laugh, but the princess shook her head.
“Who said…” Zelda’s cheeks flushed pink, and she looked at anything but him. “Who said I was acting?”
Link felt his jaw drop. He was so shocked by her words that he could do nothing more than stare blankly, as she turned on her heel and ran off. As soon as she was gone, his face heated so much that you could probably fry an egg on it, and he slapped a hand over his eyes, stumbling backwards to rest his back against the apple tree once again.
…I guess I better start working hard to get that position of General, then.
An oot au where oot link and zelda are actually happy and together, in which Link is self conscience of the scar on his eye.
~Enjoy!
Even Link couldn’t stop staring at the large scar across his right eye.
It was hard to miss; jagged and puckered with healed scar tissue, running all the way from his cheekbone to the edge of his eyebrow. His right eye, now permanently blind, always remained closed and covered under the embroidered eyepatch that Zelda had given him.
Zelda… He felt a pang in his chest at the mere thought of the princess.
In truth, he’d been avoiding her since his accident. He felt… ugly. He knew Zelda wasn’t the kind to turn people away for their appearance, and he also knew that her gaze never strayed from him, but he still couldn’t help feeling inadequate next to the foreign princes and dignitaries who still vied for her attention. The… intimacy of the relationship between the princess of Hyrule and the General of the Royal Hyrulean Army was still largely a secret, and as such, Zelda was still receiving marriage proposals weekly. Link knew it was irrational, but sometimes he feared she would receive a proposal from a decent sort of man who was a better match for her than he was.
The hero released a long sigh, wandering into his small cabin bedroom and far, far away from his vanity mirror.
While he’d been recovering from his injury, many nurses had assured him he was still very handsome, even with the scar. “You’re handsome in a very rugged way now, General.” They’d all said, but he could see it; the pity in their eyes, the slight tightness of their smiles—it all reeked of insincerity. It was stupid and shallow to be so concerned about his looks, and he knew that he would most certainly drive Zelda into the arms of someone else if he continued avoiding her, but he couldn’t help it. She was so flawless, so graceful and ethereal… he wanted to be able to match her, to look his best, but his scar made that impossible.
A sudden knock on his cabin door jarred him out of his pitiful thoughts. Link quickly checked his eyepatch, making sure it covered as much of his scar as possible as the knocking persisted. Once satisfied, he crossed his tiny, creaky threshold to open the door.
A familiar figure, garbed in an ornate, mulberry-coloured hooded cloak stood at his doorstep. The hero felt his whole body stiffen as she pulled back her hood, and golden hair tumbled down petite shoulders. Of course, he thought. I should’ve known she’d track me down eventually.
Princess Zelda sent him a sweet but hesitant smile that made his heart melt. “Hello, love.” She said softly, watching him from under thick, dark lashes.
Link swallowed, then hesitantly dipped his head like usual for a kiss. She pecked him lightly on the lips, then ducked past him into his cabin.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had any alone time,” The princess said, slipping her cloak off and hanging it over the back of one of Link’s rickety wooden chairs. “So I thought I’d come and see you.”
The hero pressed his lips together, swinging his front door closed with an audible bang. “…Yeah,” He agreed, unwilling to admit that it was his fault they hadn’t spent much time together.
As she turned to face him, her eyes finding his, he had to fight off the urge to cover his face. After a few agonizing moments, her eyes shifted away to rest elsewhere.
“Will you be returning to the castle soon?” Zelda asked, fiddling with her hands.
Link nodded slowly. “…yes. I’ll return to my position by next week.”
“Oh,” The princess smiled that same hesitant smile. “That’s good.” She grew quiet for a moment before adding, “I miss you.”
Link hated how awkward they were being. He was never awkward with Zelda—she was his other half, his everything… when had they become so out of sync? He watched her, feeling a little sad. She seemed determined to look anywhere but at him, full lips clamped tightly shut, as if she wanted to say something.
“…Link, did I do something wrong?” She suddenly blurted.
The hero just stared for a moment, dumbfounded by the question. Then it occurred to him that she’d noticed. She had noticed he’d been avoiding her, noticed he’d been stretching out his recovery time away from the castle longer than needed.
“No, of course not!” Link said quickly—hopefully not too much so as to not sound genuine.
“Then why are you avoiding me?” The princess asked, meeting his gaze now with bleary eyes. “I just don’t understand…”
When he saw her blink back tears, he didn’t even think. He simply crossed the room in three large strides and pressed his lips firmly to hers. He pulled back slightly, meeting her big blue eyes.
“Oh Zelda,” He murmured. “It’s not you, I just…” He paused to stroke her cheek. “This scar…I can’t stand this scar…and my eye. I-I feel… inadequate.”
The princess’ mouth formed a surprised little o. She was so adorable, he wanted to kiss her again.
“Link, that’s…” She reached up to caress his cheek, however, since it was the same side as his scar, he flinched away from her touch. “…You’re not inadequate.” She said firmly, withdrawing to instead cup the other side of his face.
“But it’s…” Link squeezed his eye closed. “…I’m ugly.”
The princess frowned, then leaned up to kiss him. “You? Ugly?” She murmured between kisses. “As if you could be anything but the most handsome man in the world.”
And just like that, his fears suddenly seemed so meaningless. Why had he been avoiding her, again? Zelda had always been able to lift his mood; she always knew what to say, and exactly how to say it. Why avoid the one person who made him feel like nothing else mattered? He was an idiot.
Link buried his face into her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her waist, picking her up as if she weighed nothing. She squeaked in surprise as she was unexpectedly lifted off her feet, and perched upon the edge of Link’s creaky kitchen table. He raised his head from her shoulder, and kissed her lightly again.
“Sorry,” He whispered, pulling back. “I must’ve worried you.”
Zelda shook her head. “…I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.”
Moments ticked by, but the two merely stared into each other’s eyes, a comfortable silence stretching between them. Zelda was the one to break the spell, when she hesitantly reached up to touch Link’s scarred cheek again. At first, he instinctively flinched away from her hand just like the first time, but then forced himself to remain still under her fingers.
“…does it still hurt?” Zelda asked quietly, not tearing her eyes away from his.
“…No, it’s… it’s as healed as it’s ever going to get.” He answered, barely audible.
She gave a small nod and slid her finger to the band of his eyepatch. Pausing, she looked to Link in askance. He didn’t pull away or shake his head, so she hooked a finger under the band and began to tug it off of his face. Once it was off, she noticed him dip his head slightly away from her, as if trying to hide. To combat this, she took his chin between her thumb and forefinger and tilted it back toward her.
“Don’t,” Zelda said firmly. “There’s nothing ugly about scars, Link. Please, never hide yourself.”
Link blinked his eye in astonishment. Then, as her words properly sunk in, a slow smile found his lips. Without hesitation, he leaned forward and planted his hands on either side of her. The hero paused only briefly, just to see her rounded, blue eyes, before he closed the space between them and kissed her deeply.
This princess… Link thought, as he felt her wrap her arms around his torso and pull him closer.
…It’s probably about time I started saving up for her ring.
This is a modern AU where Zelda is the heir to a giant corporation, and Link is her hired bodyguard. After being threatened into an arranged marriage to the son of the CEO of another large company, Zelda and her bodyguard are now living in disguise, on the run.
Yes, their new hair colours are supposed to reference their hair colours in the original NES games. Also, Dorian is supposed to be Ganondorf’s son.
Rated T for language and some mild sexual themes.
~Enjoy!
Harkinian heir missing. Trusted bodyguard suspected to be her kidnapper.
Local Sweetheart and Heir of Harkinian International, Zelda Harkinian (age 22) was nowhere to be found in her high-security seaside mansion this morning. Her strange disappearance was discovered by her fiancé, heir of Dragmire Incorporated, Dorian Dragmire (age 27), who found her bedroom empty while picking her up for breakfast. “It had to be her bodyguard,” Says Dragmire. “The man saw [Zelda] as much more than just his employer or just his charge. I’d almost wager to say he’d grown obsessed with her.”—
“Bastard,” Link growled, ripping the newspaper he’d been reading into tiny pieces and throwing it to the wind.
Of course Dragmire would pretend he was obsessed with Zelda. It makes for a good cover story; obsessive bodyguard, in love with his employer, kidnaps her away from her perfect, heartbroken fiancé. Dragmire probably hoped Zelda was never found, lest the real reason she disappeared come to light. Nayru only knows the guy’s reputation would be shot if the world knew Zelda was running away from her loveless, arranged marriage with her bodyguard lover. So of course Dorian would try to paint Link as being some fanatic creep who kidnapped his beloved because he knew he couldn’t have her any other way. Link wouldn’t be surprised if the asshole had planted some photos of Zelda around his old apartment, just to stack the evidence against him that much more.
Bitterly, he watched the newspaper flutter to the ground like confetti from the tiny balcony in his hotel room. After a moment, he grunted in annoyance and went back inside.
He ran a hand through his hair—once a straw-coloured blond, now dyed chestnut brown to conceal his identity—and sighed. It would be tough for a while, especially for him. The police will not only be searching to recover Zelda, but searching to arrest him. Zelda could conceal herself a little easier, as her public appearances in the past always featured her in heavy makeup. As long as she didn’t replicate that look, she should be mostly unrecognizable to the general public. But Link? The best he could do is dye his hair, grow out his stubble, and pray to the goddesses no one noticed him.
…Perhaps they should have tried to break off the marriage once more before stooping to running away, but Link doubted it would do any good. The Dragmires had ties to the Hyrulean mafia, and threatened to place a hit on Zelda if she ever stepped out of line or tried to go to the police. Link had to get her out of there, before she was killed before his own eyes.
He crouched next to the hotel room bed, where Zelda was sleeping soundly. Her hair—also dyed, but a russet, reddish colour in contrast to it’s original strawberry blonde—was fanned out across her pillow, her long eyelashes brushing her pale cheek. Her pink lips hung open ever so slightly, producing a tiny, adorable snore. Link smiled slightly.
He loved her. He’d loved her since the day they met when she was eighteen and he’d been nineteen. He loved her wit, her gentle curiosity about him, her laugh, her smile… everything about Zelda seemed to endear him. When her engagement to Dorian had been announced, he’d been heartbroken, but good at hiding it. It had been one of the happiest days of his life when she admitted she didn’t love her fiancé, and the happiest day of his life when she kissed him the first time.
Link reached up and touched her cheek, and slowly, her teal-coloured eyes slid open. When she saw him, her lips pulled into a sweet smile.
“Hi,” She mumbled tiredly, pulling herself into a seated position and stretching. Suddenly she gasped, her cheeks flaring up as she quickly grasped her blankets tightly to her chest, having noticed her state of dress—or rather, undress.
Link chuckled softly and stood, caressing her cheek. He strolled across the room to their suitcase, and grabbed the first thing folded inside, tossing it to her.
“Look away!” Zelda hissed, her face the shade of a firetruck.
“Alright, alright.” He held up his hands in resignation, turning his back on her. “Although, it’s nothing I haven’t already seen… or kissed.”
“Link!” He heard her huff, and he laughed.
He heard the faint sound of fabric rubbing against skin, and then the bed creaked slightly as Zelda’s weight left it. Small arms wrapped around his torso, and he felt a pair of lips against his back.
“So, any news?” Zelda asked, hugging him tightly.
Link felt his face instantly become sour. “Yeah,” He said, clenching his teeth. “I got a newspaper from the lobby while you were sleeping; Dragmire’s playing it off like I was obsessed with you and kidnapped you.”
“Asshole,” Zelda muttered against his back, her grip around him tightening almost protectively. “I hate him.”
“…I suppose I should’ve been more subtle about how I felt about you,” Link said, unlocking her arms from around him so he could turn around, and dip his head to plant a kiss to her neck. “I was a little obvious, and he’s using that against me.” He muttered against her skin.
Zelda wrapped her arms around his neck, closing her eyes. “…I’m sorry, Link.” She murmured, as he kissed one of the hickies he’d left on her the previous night. “If… if I hadn’t been Zelda Harkinian, you wouldn’t be a wanted man. I’ve dragged you into such an awful situation.”
He nipped her neck, causing her to let out a small, startled squeak. “That’s punishment for thinking like that,” Link said, pulling back slightly. “Because Zelda Harkinian happens to be the person I love, and I will stay by her side through anything and everything.”
For a moment, Zelda only stared, blinking. But soon, her lips curled up in a slow smile.
“Oh yeah?” She asked, touching her nose to his. “Would you cross seas and skies for me?”
“I’d cross them all.” He answered instantly.
“Would you… defeat demons and monsters for me?” She asked.
“I’d cut them down one by one.” Link promised without hesitation.
“Would you…?”
“Anything, Zelda.” He cut her off, thumb stroking her cheek. “I’d do anything for you, no matter what insane situation we’re in.”
She looked up at him from under her dark lashes. “Okay, just making sure.”
He grinned, then dipped his head to close the distance between their lips.
A short angsty story post-oot/mm. Rated t for language and suggestive themes?? I guess.
idk, enjoy. Or cry. Probably cry.
A day off.
What could have possibly been better than a day of off guard duty? A day away from that stuffy castle, a day away from the annoying, prying eyes of the castle staff, and the constant pressure of having to guard a monarch… he should be relaxed—happy, even. But he wasn’t. Not when he was away from her side.
Once, he’d found it frustrating that she couldn’t remember their time together back in the Sacred Realm. But as time went on, he grew to realize that it didn’t matter that much to him; she was still his Zelda. She was every bit as kind and determined as he remembered, every bit the woman he loved, only less sad and damaged by her lost childhood. He could live with her not remembering him fully if it meant she was happy.
That is, he could live with it before the proposal.
He was a prince from a neighbouring kingdom. He was wealthy, educated, gallant, mild-mannered, and according to several maids Link had overheard gushing, quite handsome. Prince Kael was, by all accounts, the perfect match for a woman like Zelda.
It had been painful to have to guard Zelda while this man—this man who knew nothing about her—courted her. Of course, this was all Link’s fault; he should have prepared for the day Zelda would find her prince and forget all about her childhood friend. It was his fault for letting himself believe she would just…fall back into love with him.
It was his fault for continuing to love her when he knew she’d forgotten she ever loved him.
“Mister Link,” A silky, feminine voice murmured to his left, tearing the young man from his thoughts. A pair of violet eyes stared up at him through thick-lashes, fluttering flirtatiously.
Link shifted his weight uncomfortably, and sighed.
He was at a brothel. A few of the other off-duty castle guards Link spoke to on occasion had asked him to come along, and he had impulsively—and foolishly—agreed. He’d been too distracted and heartbroken about Zelda’s engagement to refuse.
“You’ve been so quiet.” The violet-eyed courtesan hanging off his arm said, pouting. “Do I bore you?”
Link forced a smile, and took a drink of the liquor that had sat practically untouched in his glass. “Of course not.”
The women’s lips moved to his ear. “Then why do we remain here, doing nothing, hmmm?” Her fingers slid up his neck and onto his cheek, forcing him gently to look at her. “You asked for me to entertain you, no?”
Link refused to meet her gaze. “I am entertained.” He muttered distractedly.
The courtesan’s cranberry coloured lips curled into a smile, and she let out a chuckle. “Hon, you don’t go to a brothel for a drink and a conversation.” She released his face, and ran a hand through her long, golden locks. “You aren’t even slightly attracted to me.”
Link opened his mouth to protest, but the women held up a yielding hand.
“Now, now, don’t even bother lying. I’ve been with many, many men.” She tutted, stretching herself out on the large, velvet pillow they both sat on. She eyed the grieving bodyguard with a telling smirk. “I can read when someone is interested…and when someone is forcing themselves to try to be.”
Link balked in the middle of taking another drink, slightly annoyed that this woman was so perceptive.
“At first I thought it was just me,” The violet-eyed women admitted, propping her chin on her hand. “But I’ve yet to see your eyes wander to any other person here.”
Link didn’t know what to say to that, and merely stared.
The women grinned at his dumbstruck expression. “…So I figured one of two scenarios is going on here. One,” She held up a perfectly manicured finger. “Sex doesn’t interest you in any way. Or two,” She held up a second finger. “Your heart already belongs to someone and anyone else is entirely uninteresting to you.”
“…None of your damn business.” Link muttered, hating how spot-on she was.
The violet-eyed woman barked out a laugh. “Ah, what a reaction! I suppose it’s the second scenario, then.” She said, still chuckling.
Link sent the woman a glare, then downed the rest of his amber-coloured drink, coughing lightly as it burned its way down his throat. He really wasn’t much of an alcohol-drinker.
“It’s kind of a shame, actually.” The woman continued. “I wouldn’t have minded entertaining a handsome man like you, but if your heart’s not in it…?” She trailed off, shrugging dismissively.
Her purple eyes focused on Link’s empty glass, and she retrieved a nearby pitcher to refill it. Her eyes bulged when he threw back his head and downed that glass too. “Okay,” She said, setting the pitcher aside again—out of his reach. “You really need to pace yourself, Mister Link. That stuff isn’t exactly mild.”
The hero merely grunted, dropping his head into his hands as the strong alcohol began to take effect. “…I just want to forget.” He muttered miserably.
And he did; he wanted to forget that he loved someone he could never be with, he wanted to forget all about how deeply those feelings were engraved in his very being. He wanted to be able to cheer Zelda on with her new fiancé. Most of all, he just wanted to be Din-damned happy for once.
The violet-eyed courtesan’s brow knit together, and she bit her lip. “…Well, if you want, you could tell me about the person you love.” She said carefully. “It’s terrible for your health to bottle these things up. Besides, you’ve already paid me. I feel like I should do something for you.”
Link hesitated, lifting his face ever-so-slightly from his hands. Maybe it was the alcohol dulling his reasoning, or perhaps he just wanted to get it out in the open, but he felt compelled to confide in this woman. As long as he didn’t specify that he loved the Princess of Hyrule, what harm was there in telling her? It wasn’t as if he had anyone else to talk about it with.
“…She… she’s brilliant in every way.” He finally murmured. “She’s so beautiful… so wise, so kind and witty… she’s too good for me...”
The woman didn’t say anything in response to that—she just watched the young bodyguard, listening patiently.
“I’ve loved her for so long… nearly a decade. She was the only person I’ve ever pictured myself with… the only person I can picture myself with.” He continued in a dead, lifeless voice. “She loved me once, too. But she… she doesn’t remember anymore. She might as well never have loved me.”
The courtesan was watching him with pity; he didn’t have to look up to know that.
“Now… she’s going to be with someone else, and I have to watch… I’ll have to be there… at her wedding… I might even have to come with them for the honeymoon to guard her…” He shook his head, broad shoulders drooping in unconcealed despair. “I love her so much…I can’t stand it… I just want to forget…”
Something wet splattered onto his hands. Link pulled back to stare blankly at the splatters of moisture, baffled. It took him a moment to realize he had actually started crying. Shit. He slapped his hands back over his eyes and rubbed the tears away, embarrassed.
“Shit.” He repeated the thought out loud. “Shit, I’m drunk. I’m such a damn lightweight.”
The woman glanced away, rightly assuming that he didn’t want strangers seeing him cry. “No. I’m sorry,” She said in a soft voice. “That’s my fault, I should’ve told you sooner to pace yourself.”
She gave the hero a moment to compose himself, then turned to look at him again.
“Mister Link… where do you live?” She asked softly. “I want to make sure you get home safely.”
“The castle,” He mumbled drunkenly, staggering to his feet. “I… I work there as the princess’s personal guard.”
The courtesan’s eyes widened like saucers as it all clicked in her head. He’d said he loved someone ‘too good for him’… that she’s engaged… that he guards her… and he lives at the castle… he’s the princess’s private guard…
She snuck a glance up at Link, but he just seemed miserable and unfocused. She was sure he didn’t even notice his slip-up.
link embarrassed of some of the horrible scarring he's sustained on his adventures. permanently keeps the worst of it covered i.e. is always wearing a shirt or an arm band, never wears shorts, etc
ahhh, I hope it’s okay that I sort of changed the origin of his scarring, nonners! But here it is (Finally!!) HW zelink, cuz there’s not enough of that, takes place right after Ganondorf has taken Hyrule Castle and the good guys are forced to flee into the desert
enjoy!!!
Link exhaled sharply as hestripped off his outer tunic and chainmail, leaving only his blood-soakedundershirt to cover his injured back.
The King of evil had done a numberon him, slashing straight through even his chainmail with his sharpduel-blades. In many ways, Link was glad it had been him. He’d been worriedwhen the Princess had thrown herself into battle against Ganondorf—she had nosacred, evil-destroying blade to protect her from such dark magic. In the end,Link found himself strangely grateful that Ganondorf seemed to hold a muchlarger grudge toward the Hero than he did Princess Zelda. Link’s job was toprotect her; he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if she had been the onewith such a big ugly scar marring her beauty.
After all, what was yet anotherscar to him?
“…Link?” A quiet, feminine voicemurmured behind him. “—ah, I mean, Hero.”
Princess Zelda peeked her lovelyface between the two burlap flaps of Link’s tent, a tentative and sympatheticsmile on her lips. Link whipped around to face her, concealing his bloody backfrom her sight.
“Zelda!” He exclaimed, wincing athis aggravated wound. “—uh…Princess, I mean.”
Her eyebrows tugged together inconcern. “…That looks painful.” She said, biting her lip. Her eyes roamedaround his tent, lingering briefly on his small pile of belongings under hiscot, then back to him. “…May I?”
Link swallowed, but noddedbriefly.
The Princess stepped into his tent,in her arms a bucket of presumably warm water and a rag. He backed away fromher, mindful to hide his back at all times. Zelda noticed this, pressing herlips together bemusement. Her big blue eyes flicked to his cot, and she noddedat it.
“You should take that shirt off,”She muttered, stepping over his bloody, discarded tunic and chainmail. “I needto heal that wound.”
“Princess, no!” Link argued,stepping back instinctively before he could stop himself. He felt panic rise inhis chest, constricting his throat and causing his heart to beat erratically.He didn’t want her to see… not just his new wound, but all the other ugly weltsthat criss-crossed his torso. “I-it’s really not so bad.” He said, and Zeldacocked her head in response.
“Not so bad?” She repeated dubiously.“Link, your back is bleeding all over the place.”
“It’s not your concern, Princess.”He tried. He would rather not show his scars to anyone, but if he had to, hewould prefer Lana or one of the other healers. Just not Princess Zelda. Hecouldn’t bear to see the disgust on her face when she saw him. “Please, yourhighness, just send a healer for me.”
Zelda placed the basin at herfeet, crossing her arms shaking her head. “They’re very busy with the sheeramount of gravely injured soldiers there are to heal.” She took another steptoward him, and once again, he backed up. She sighed. “Link, I know somehealing magic. It’s not quite as strong as one of Lana’s spells or the healers’potions, but it’ll be more than enough to fix you right up.”
“No!” Link protested again,feeling trapped in his small tent. “Please, Princess… I can tend to myself.”
Zelda snorted humourlessly. “Sincewhen does the Hero have healing abilities? Moreover, since when can you contortin such a way to tend your own back?” Her voice grew gentle and quiet. “It’skind of you to worry, Link, but I can handle looking at blood just fine.”
He wished that were all he was worriedabout. His panic began fluttering within his chest like razor-wingedbutterflies, growing until he couldn’t breathe. Painful memories of taunts andslurs tossed his way for years, of people turning away in disgust at the sightof his torso, of endless looks of pity—all of it came flooding back. And thesewere from peasants, people who were used to ugliness and imperfection. Howwould Zelda react, when she had spent her life in opulence and beauty? He didnot want to be the ugliest thing she has ever seen.
“No, your highness.” Linkmurmured. “I… I can do it myself.”
Zelda huffed in frustration.“Link, please let me tend to you.”She begged. “You’re losing so much blood… I worry it will have some long termeffects if this keeps up.”
Slowly, he exhaled in defeat. Shewas right—if he wasn’t patched up soon, it could seriously impact him and hisfighting ability. With trembling hands, he reached up to untie his undershirt.However, this proved impossible due to his hands shaking so much.
“…Here,” Zelda murmured, grippingthe front of his shirt until he dropped his hands. Her quick, nimble fingers workedat the lacing much more efficiently than his ever had. “Let me.”
As she unfastened his shirt, Linkreminded himself that it didn’t matter what the princess thought of him and hisscars. She was the princess and he was nothing more than one of her generals. Ifshe found him ugly, so be it. She was only ever going to be his Queen, afterall.
…if that were truly the case, whydid his heart to clench so painfully?
His shoulders sagged involuntarilyas Zelda tugged the bloodied shirt from his shoulders. He pretended he didn’tnotice her lips part in shock and her eyes widen as they swept over his many,many scars. After a few seconds of staring, the princess seemed to give herselfa small shake and turn away.
“Sit down on the cot,” Shemuttered as she bent to retrieve the water basin. “I need to clean you up.”
Link obeyed silently, tensing whenhe felt her weight join him on the cot. Zelda dipped her rag in the water, and withgentle, soft strokes, wiped away the crimson staining his skin. He was rigid asa board under her touch, torn between bliss and self-consciousness. Theknowledge that this was indeed Princess Zelda tending to him sent shivers ofpleasure to every nerve in his body—he was all too aware of every motion sheswept across his injured back. However, a small part of him couldn’t help butwonder what she was thinking… if she was repulsed by him or not.
His back stung as the princessplopped her now-bright-red rag back into the basin, and planted her petite handson either side of his wound. With a sharp intake of breath from Link, the fleshon his back sewed together slowly. He waited for her to remove her hands andscurry off. That was what most people did when they weren’t outrightdisgusted—they politely excused themselves and went off to gossip about what apity it was that a boy with such a nice face was so unfortunate.
But Zelda didn’t do that. Sheremained right where she was, running her fingers over the long-healed,puckered flesh. Her hands felt so warm, her touch so gentle… the only thingwithholding him from leaning into her was her deafening silence. He dreadedwith deep, aching intensity what she might be thinking. Finally, he couldn’thandle the silence any longer, and he broke it.
“…They’re ugly, I know.” Linkmuttered, bowing his head.
The princess’s hands halted theirmovements on his back, and Link held his breath.
“…they’re not ugly, Link.” Sheresponded quietly, shaking her head. “Were these what you were trying to hide fromme?”
Link didn’t answer.
“You don’t have to feel ashamed.”Zelda whispered.
“It’s hard not to when I’ve spentmy entire life being told in one way or another that I should.”
He felt the princess rest herforehead upon his back. “I’m… so sorry.” She said softly, pulling back withwarmed cheeks. They did not know one another nearly well enough for such anintimate gesture. “May I ask… how you got them?”
Link peered at her over hisshoulder, expecting to find pity in her eyes, but instead only seeingcompassion and sympathy. “I… don’t know.” He admitted finally. “My adoptive fatherfound me injured in a ravaged cabin deep in the woods, when I was probablyabout three. He always said it seemed like it had been torn to apart bybandits, as if they were looking for something…but I don’t remember the cabinor being attacked. I was too young.”
Zelda was silent for a fewagonizing moments. Link wondered briefly if he had overwhelmed her with toomuch emotional baggage at once—that he’d already scared her off with his story.He was worried, that is, until he heard her sniffle.
He twisted around to face her, andsure enough, the princess was in tears. Upon seeing that he had noticed, Zeldaquickly scrubbed the wet trails from her cheeks and covered her watery eyes.“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be crying when you’re the one…” She cut herself off to sniffleagain. “…I just can’t believe somebody did that to you.”
He tugged lightly on her hands,sliding them off of her eyes so he could look into them. They were big andblue, and although watery and slightly puffy, he couldn’t help but find themunimaginably beautiful.
“…Thank you, Princess.” Hemurmured, gently brushing away her tears. “Thank you for accepting me.”
Zelda smiled through her tears. “Thankyou for trusting me with your story.”
EVIL. THIS ONE IS EVIL. and I made it worse by making it SS zelink
(if you want another similar idea written, i actually wrote one a while back too)
Why am I here?
It was the same question Link hadbeen asking himself all night. What was hedoing at Zelda’s wedding? He knew he wasn’t over his feelings for her—hedoubted that he ever would be. It was hard to forget a love he’d been harboringsince he was eight.
She was beautiful, clinging to herfather’s arm as he walked her down the aisle. Her slender frame was draped in agauzy white gown, her long hair piled atop her head, her lips tugged up in asmall smile. Poked into her golden locks were three green loftwing feathers—thefeathers of her fiancé’s loftwing. There had once been a time when Link had picturedher with bright red feathers in her hair. He’d always thought that he would be the one at the end of theaisle. That he would be the one toslip that ring on her finger and kiss her at the end of her unity ceremony. Hehad been pretty arrogant to assume that, he now realized.
Link watched Zelda come to standbefore her future husband. He watched them take each other’s hands fondly andfamiliarly, like it was the most natural thing in the world. Link carefully avoidedlooking into Zelda’s eyes. He’d never been afraid to look at her for nearlyfifteen years if friendship. In fact, he’d always loved her eyes, always lovedlooking into them, but now he was scared of what he would find. Love wouldprobably be shining within them, and that love wouldn’t be for him, so he didn’twant to look.
Her fiancé was Wren, a lanky, ginger-hairedboy who sported several freckles across his cheeks and arms. Link wonderedbriefly what it was that Zelda liked better about him; was it the freckles? Thered hair? Did she like that Wren was so much taller than her? Was he funnierthan Link was? Smarter? Kinder? More agreeable?
…did it matter?
Zelda had chosen Wren, not Link.He needed to stop comparing himself to Wren, or else he was going to startresenting the poor guy. Wren didn’t deserve that; he was a good man. He’d beenso civil to Link, even knowing that he was still in love with Zelda. Even whenthey first met and Link had spouted random trivia about Zelda to pettily provehe knew her better, Wren remained calm and unbothered. He was never gloating orpassive-aggressive—there was always this hint of… pity and understanding in hiseyes when they talked with one another.
Link withdrew a sigh.
Wren… truly was the better man.
He made it, just barely, throughthe vows, tensing at every mention of “love” and “forever”. Every word feltlike someone was jamming their hand through his chest and ripping out a small pieceof his heart, crushing it under their feet mercilessly. He buried his face in hishands when the kiss happened, trying to block out the cheering and clapping ofthe other wedding guests.
Ironically, of all the horrors he’dfaced on his journey on the surface, it was Zelda’s wedding which made him wantto shrivel and disappear.
(Thanks!!) A modern ZeLink where Link still goes on quests and stuff, but he and Zelda both have cell phones and he takes selfies with all of his boss battles and any time he's near something scary. Zelda has had a lot of minor heart attacks from these.
hehe just did something really, really short for this one.
enjoy!
“Just what the hell…” Zelda thrusther phone to her boyfriend’s face. “…is this?”
Link blinked at her phone, where apicture of him grinning in front of a massive beast stared him in the face. He swepthis gaze back up to his girlfriend cautiously. She had that adorable littlefrown of hers crossing her full lips, big blue eyes alive with a protectivesort of flame. No, she wasn’t mad athim—well, she was mad at his carelessness,but that was a different story. What she was mad at was the fact that Hyrule’s goddessesseemed to have chosen him, of allpeople, as Hyrule’s Hero. He smirked. His Zelda was always such a worrywart.
“She’s called Gohma, I think.” Hesaid casually, making his way to their small, dented fridge. He opened it upand fished around inside. “Are we out of Red Potion?” He hoped his casual demeanor would help her realize that she nothingto worry about.
“…why did you take a selfie with it?” Zelda cried. “It’s a… agiant spider beast!”
He poked his head out of thefridge, sighing. “Zellie, Love, there’s nothing to worry about, okay?”
Her cheeks became rosier. Theyboth knew she secretly loved it when he called her that.
“I just…” She sighed. “I don’tknow if I really like you doing all of this… dangerous stuff. Those dungeonsyou traverse are so old, Link. Evenwithout the monsters, it would still be massively dangerous. What if you gethurt from a floor caving in, or a ceiling collapsing?”
“I won’t get hurt, Zel.” Hepromised her, closing the fridge with one hand and reaching for her waist withthe other. “I’m careful. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I am.”
She let him wrap his arm aroundher and tug her close to him. “I feel like I should be helping you,” She admittedas he touched their noses together. “You’re doing this all by yourself.”
“You have enough on your plate,”Link told her sternly. “You’re running to become Hyrule’s next Prime Minister,for goddesses sake. You don’t have time to run around in caves with me.”
Zelda exhaled, almost a littleindignantly. He was right, of course. “…Promise me you’re super, completely,100% careful?”
Link blinked, but his lips quicklysettled into a grin. “Always. I need to make it back to my beautiful, wonderfulgirlfriend, don’t I?”
Zelda gripped his collar andplanted a kiss on his lips, before pulling back breathlessly. Her blue eyesbored into his own, serious and fierce.
From crownedcrusader’s prompt that was sent in via fanmail cuz I had asks turned off then (oops):
“maybe a skyward sword zelink fic where zelda feels guilty for everything she put link through (maybe he has nightmares sometimes, or gets pretty freaked out when he comes across certain areas again?) and link reminds her that he did everything for her. she never asked him to do all of this for her–he did it because he wanted to, because he loved her.”
Note: Yes, Link’s fear of thunderstorms stems from his fight with Demise.
Enjoy!
It was strangest thing in the world for Zelda was to see Link scared.
She’d known him for years, but it seemed that he was perpetually calm and cool… if not a little too much so. It didn’t matter what he faced—nothing really seemed to faze him much. Not bullies, not spiders or rats, not ghost stories or any of the things that gave Zelda the jitters. Maybe that was what had always attracted her to him; he was the calm to her storm, her anchor of sorts.
Rain pounded harshly on the roof of the Sealed Temple, pooling in the flimsy tarps that Link had hung over any damaged sections—to keep bad weather out of their temporary dwelling. Thunder and lightning boomed outside, lighting up the dark temple every few minutes in a white flash. It didn’t bother Zelda much, nor would it any other Skyloftian for that matter, since thunder and lightning were much louder and more dangerous up in the clouds. What they dealt with down here was nothing in comparison. She was surprised that it seemed to really bother Link.
He was clinging to her. His face was buried in her chest, hands gripping tightly at her nightgown. His whole body shivered in fright, seemingly only comforted by her hands stroking slowly through his soft hair.
It was so foreign to Zelda to see him like this. It seemed so… un-Link-like to her. She was no fool though—this sudden, crippling fear of rainstorms did not come out of nowhere. It was no coincidence that it had developed right after his journey. She was curious, but she didn’t want to press him and ask him what had happened to cause this. She had no right to bring up old, sore scars of his. Not when it was her fault he received them in the first place.
“Zel…” Link mumbled suddenly, his warm breath tickling her collarbone.
Zelda ceased stroking his hair comfortingly, torn from her thoughts. “Yes?”
He peeked up at her with humorous blue eyes that sparkled in the dim lantern light. “…The storm seems to have passed.” He said.
She blinked, then released him. Her cheeks flushed. “Must have been a flash-storm,” She mumbled.
“Mmm… must have.” He sat up and brushed a kiss to the corner of her lips. “…Thank you.”
Zelda smiled weakly in response, and flicked her eyes to their shared, tattered quilt. He told her a long time ago to stop feeling guilty for using him, and for hurting him and making him run to ends of the Surface for her. But how could she? His body was covered in scars, as was his heart and mind. He’d seen untold horrors, faced demons and monsters—things she, as the goddess, should have done. Plain and simple, she’d ruined her best friend and lover, dragging him into a fight that shouldn’t have been his.
“…What’s wrong?” Link asked, recapturing her attention. “Hmm?” He stroked her cheek with his thumb.
Zelda bit her lip. Great. Now she was worrying him. “…I just…”
Link’s brow furrowed, and he tilted her chin up slightly, forcing her to meet his eyes.
“…It’s my fault…” She blurted, shaking her head as her throat tightened. “It’s all my fault.”
Link blinked, clearly confused by her vague statement.
“I… you did so much… saved so much… you’re still paying for it…” Tears, hot and salty, slid down her cheeks. “It should be me… it should’ve been me…”
“Shhh…” He pressed his forehead to hers, finally realizing what she was so upset about. “Hey… c’mon, enough of that, Love.”
Zelda sniffled, squeezing her eyes closed.
“Zelda,” Link said seriously, brushing his lips to hers. “Zelda, look at me, please.” He asked softly before kissing her again, and she opened her eyes to peer up at him. He pulled her close, and she rested her cheek upon his chest so she could hear his heart beating.
“I would have done everything I did whether you or Hylia planned it or not. I went after you because I wanted to—because I needed my Zel back. I saved you on my terms, not because you planned for me to do it thousands of years ago, or because Fi said I should. Fact is, I love you and I would have come for you all the same even if I was not your chosen Hero.” She heard a smile in his voice. “We’re kind of a package deal, you and I. If you’re involved, I am too.”
She chuckled despite herself, pausing to sniffle into his shirt. “Link…I love you so much.” She murmured. “I hope you know that.”
He kissed her hair, smiling fondly. “Of course I know that.”
yyyaaaayyy! Another prompt fic that’s not at all what you’d expect to get from the prompt! Sorry its so late. Originally, I was just going to skip yesterday’s prompt because I couldn’t think of anything. But, I thought of something today... so, yeah
It’s a few years post-TP, and gets super fluffy near the end. Also, there’s a make-out scene.
Enjoy!
“This wine is truly the finest I have ever tasted,” Lord Hammod said, swirling his drink around in its crystal glass.
Link nodded absently, taking another sip of the putrid-tasting wine. He’d never liked the taste of alcohol, and while wine tasted better than most ales he’s tried, it wasn’t by a whole lot.
He had been dreading the annual midsummer gala for months. It was the first time he was going to attend a ball as Zelda’s husband and consort, at the extremely heavy scrutiny of Hyrule’s nobility. Unions like theirs were rare. Not forbidden, mind you, just rare, if not only for the reason that royalty didn’t often get the chance to mingle with common folk as much as nobility. But that didn’t exactly mean Link felt all that welcomed as Prince Consort. He could feel the hard stares, the sneers, hear people whisper about how he didn’t want to be king, how he would be unfit anyhow. He learned quickly to block it out, but lately, it was beginning to bother him again. Especially now, when Zelda seemed to be moody and tough to approach on the subject of his silly insecurities.
He sighed to himself. At least the five men he was conversing with now didn’t seem to be too overly open of their contempt for him.
“Indeed,” Lord Grimsby agreed, taking a sip. “Divine.”
“Ah,” Lord Lauterdale said, looking past the group to the other party-goers. “Lady Lydia is looking enchanting as always.”
“And Queen Zelda is also looking beautiful as ever.” Lord Pembleton added, his grey eyes watching the queen mingle with some noble ladies.
Now there was something to be happy about. Link glanced at his wife, dangerously beautiful all garbed up in her royal blue, form-fitting gown, her brown hair teased and curled just the right way around her lovely face. Sometimes he truly found it hard to believe that he managed to make such a beautiful… goddess of a woman fall in love with him.
“How is the marriage coming along anyhow, Sir Link?”
Link blinked, tearing his eyes away from his beautiful wife to the man who had asked, Lord Geoffry. He was easily the youngest, next to Link himself, in the group. He was the fancy of many ladies around Hyrule, or so Link had heard, but what was so irksome about the man was that he had been one of many who had attempted to win Zelda’s hand before she had chosen Link.
“Fine,” Link said evasively.
Geoffry nodded once, sipping his wine thoughtfully. “Well, it’s been what? A year since the marriage?” He raised one dark brow. “It’s strange that there hasn’t been a pregnancy announced yet, no?”
Link stiffened. Their lack of a child was a bit of a sore-spot for both of them, but especially for Zelda. Her family has had a history of having trouble conceiving, which was why her parents died when she was so young—because they were already nearing the ends of their lives by the time she reached adulthood.
“We… we only wish to wait until Hyrule has fully recovered from the Twilight Invasion before we bring a child into this world.” Link said as smoothly as he could. The first piece of advice Zelda had given him for talking to nobility was to pretend everything—and she does mean everything—they do was deliberate. Drop your wine on someone? Remember Link, you meant to do that.
Geoffry nodded again. “I figured it would have occurred by accident by now,” He admitted with a short chuckle. “Though I suppose I wouldn’t blame you if you did not wish to couple very often.”
Link’s hand tightened over his wine glass. “I’m not sure I understand what you mean,” Link answered stiffly. The second lesson Zelda had given him was to never, ever let what they say get to you. No matter what is said.
Geoffry’s eyes found Zelda again. “Those nightly activities are more satisfying when your partner has some semblance of passion.” He said with a shrug.
By this point, Link’s shoulders were so stiff they were practically up to his ears. He didn’t even allow himself to reply to that, fearing what obscenities would slip out if he tried.
“Honestly,” Geoffry shook his head. “Between us men, do you not fear her?”
“No.” Link answered, his voice almost a growl.
Geoffry blinked, sipping his drink once more. “There’s something about the queen,” He said, glancing back at Zelda once more. “She seems so… cold, calculating, unfeeling… like she’s inhuman.”
Link was about ready to jump the other man and beat him senseless for insulting his wife like that, but he restrained himself and practically downed the rest of his wine. It wasn’t as if it were the first time he’s heard people say that about his Zelda.
“Tell me,” Geoffry said, staring into his wine as he swirled it in his glass. “Was marrying Hyrule’s Ice Queen worth the life of luxury?”
The hero’s grip on the wine glass grew so tight it hurt.
Lord Lauterdale patted the younger noble on the back with a hearty laugh. “Ah, yes. Their marriage was a brilliantly strategic one.”
Lord Grimsby joined the laughter. “The blessed hero gets to live a long life of unmatched extravagance in exchange for a passion-less marriage—”
In an instant, Link’s wine glass imploded in his grip, causing all five men to start. Blood started to well from a shallow cut in the hero’s hand, but he barely reacted.
“I married her because I love her,” He said darkly, wrapped his handkerchief over the wound to staunch the bleeding. “And that is the one and only reason why. Excuse me.” Her pushed past the stunned Lords and headed straight for Zelda.
Could this be why she was moody lately? Had she heard these rotten rumours? Had they upset her? Zelda was so difficult to read sometimes, and he wondered if even if he asked, would she tell him the truth? That these rumors hurt her or that she felt insecure? He had to try, at the very least.
“Darling?” Zelda asked as he approached. The ladies she was with murmured and giggled, eyes hungrily looking him up and down.
Link took her hand with his good hand. “I need to speak with you,” He said firmly, which for some reason, triggered a chorus of giggles from the other women. “Please.”
Zelda blinked, and gave a dismissive wave to the noble ladies, who all curtsied in response. Although she was confused and surprised by Link’s behavior, she allowed him to drag her off without complaint. He pulled her out of the ballroom and kept walking until the clamour of the crowd disappeared. Finally they were alone.
“Link, what—?” Zelda began before he slammed his lips against hers, cutting her off mid-sentence.
The hero pushed his queen against the stone wall behind them, mouths still connected. Once her back hit the wall, she gasped in surprise and he took the chance to delve his tongue into her mouth and intertwine it with hers. Zelda wound her arms around her husband’s neck, kissing him back with just as much passionate vigor as he gave her. Her fingers wove into his hair, and she struggled to hook her leg around his waist in her uncomfortable dress and yank him closer. Abruptly, he pulled back and held her shoulders, both of their chests heaving.
“You know that I love you, right?” He said breathlessly. “I didn’t marry you for fortune or an easy life or because I wanted something from you. It was just you, that’s all I need. I’d have married you all the same if you were a poor beggar living on the street.”
Zelda touched his cheek. “…I suppose you’ve found out about the rumors, haven’t you?” She said with a defeated sigh.
He kissed her again, though only a quick peck this time. “I just want you to know that no matter what people say, this was a union of love and it always will be.”
She kissed the corner of his mouth. “Of course I know that, Link.”
The hero exhaled, pressing his forehead to hers. “You’ve been slightly on the moody side lately, so I wondered if you were upset about those stupid rumors.”
Zelda frowned. “Right,” She murmured. “About that…”
Link pulled back to blink at her.
“I actually… went to see the doctors about that,” She said, sliding her fingers up to caress his neck. “Well you see… I haven’t bled in a while, and with the mood swings…”
Zelda had hoped he would fill in the blank for her, but he still continued looking at her expectantly and she sighed. He never knew his mother, of course he wouldn’t understand how exactly these things worked.
“Darling…” She began, slightly hesitant. “…They think I might be… expecting.”
Link’s eyes widened into saucers. “You mean…?”
“Well I haven’t shown yet—!” She cut herself off with a squeal as he picked her up and spun her around, laughing.
“You’re pregnant?” He laughed. “Zelda, love, that’s wonderful news!”
Suddenly he stopped, and set her down gently as if she were made of extremely fragile eggshells. He smoothed his hands over her shoulders and down her waist, lingering at her belly as if he expected to find a bump there already.
“Link!” She giggled, placing a hand over his on her flat belly. “I’m not that far along, you goof. I’m certainly not that fragile yet, either!”
He smirked, and leaned down to press a kiss in that hallow where her neck and shoulders connected. “In that case,” He breathed against her skin, causing her heart to flutter. “Let’s ditch this party.”
She pulled his head from her shoulder and kissed him, her hand finding his wrist. “Let’s go then,” She whispered, tugging him along. “My sweet husband.”
He smiled at her, following obediently. “Of course, my sweet wife.”
Well, since yesterday’s prompt fic was angsty and sad Oot/MM Zelink, let’s balance that out with some shameless fluffy OoT/MM Zelink. Here, prepare to be disgusted with more unabashedly fluffy pillow-talk (cuz I think it’s really cute for unknown reasons??)
btw, this takes place when they’re in their early twenties
Zelda was vaguely aware of the morning chill biting at her exposed face. She shivered involuntarily under the thick layers of linens,burying her face under Link’s bare collarbone, before letting out a content sigh.
Link was still sound asleep next to her, his heavy breathing the only sound that her keen ears could pick up in his small cabin bedroom. She rather liked his little cabin out in the woods, with its quaint, woodsy feel that was polar opposite to life back at her big, bustling castle. Here, she felt so much more… normal than at the castle. It was not a feeling she disliked.
She cracked one eye open, spying Link’s fair, sculpted chest and smiling fondly. The two of them seemed to fit together perfectly, every curve and contour of each other’s bodies clicking like two pieces of a puzzle. She liked that next to him seemed to be just where she belonged.
She ran a slow finger over his chest, pausing slightly at each and every scar that marked it. Even with Ganondorf gone, there were still many dangers in Hyrule that Link had to face every day as a Knight. So many scars crisscrossed his body, scars she didn’t know the origin of—scars she doubted he would ever tell her about. She ran her fingers over the numerous faint lines of long-healed, puckered flesh, wondering how anyone could possibly find physical proof of a man’s sacrifice and bravery ugly.
There was, however, one mark in particular which made her breath catch and a chill crawl its way up her spine: A thick, short strip of slightly-raised scar-tissue just below his ribs. A stab-wound, and she knew exactly where he’d gotten it.
They didn’t talk about that day very much. It was a bad memory neither liked thinking about, but that was rather hard for Zelda to do when the proof that it happened was staring her right in the face. She hated remembering it… the horse ride that ended in disaster and almost cost Link his life. The princess closed her eyes, but she could still see it—how the stalfos’ crude blade sunk into his flesh, how Link stumbled back with a cry, but forced himself to fight on because she was in danger… and the blood. Oh Gods… all that blood. If she hadn’t been there—right there to heal him—he would’ve died.
Oh no. She could feel tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She remembered clutching his arm with hands sticky with his blood… she remembered begging for him not to leave her. She remembered the fear; the deep, aching panic that he was slowly slipping away. It was scary… just too damn scary to think about him dying.
A large, strong hand caught her trembling fingers, and warm lips kissed each knuckle slowly.
“You’re torturing yourself by thinking about it again, aren’t you?” Link murmured against her hand. Zelda blinked, causing a tear to slip down her cheek—she hadn’t even noticed him wake up.
“It’s hard not to…” Zelda admitted softly, watery eyes still focused on his scar. “…when I… I almost lost you.”
Link smoothed her hair back from her face with gentle fingers. “I’m fine, Love.” He assured her just as softy. “You saved me.”
Zelda shook her head, another tear sliding down her face. “I… I just worry… with you being a knight… that I won’t be there next time… and…” She trailed off, feeling her emotions well up within her. She was getting too upset again.
“I’m not planning to die any time soon,” Link whispered in her ear, snaking an arm around her waist. “And you and I both know I’m a pain in the ass to get rid of. Ganondorf can attest to that,” He gave her arm a quick jerk, pulling her on top of him with a playful growl.
Zelda squealed in surprise and flailed involuntarily as her face was assaulted with a barrage of tiny, quick kisses. Once it seemed her mind was off of his near-death experience, he secured his arms around her waist and nuzzled his face into her neck. He peppered it with soft, sweet kisses, until eventually, she stopped sniffling and started giggling.
“I love you so much,” She breathed, as he pressed slower kisses into her neck.
“Mmm…” He ruffed, lips grazing her collarbone. “Love you more.”
Zelda chuckled—she doubted that was possible—and nuzzled her cheek into his hair, deciding that it was, in fact, exactly where she belonged.
Anywho, this one’s angsty OoT, set long after Link returns from Termina. Enjoy!
Link would probably be arrested if he were found snooping around in the Queen’s private library. Even with his high standing in the Royal Hyrulean army of Second-in-Command, intruding on the Queen’s private space without her permission was an offense. Frankly, even if Zelda wasn’t queen, it would just be a rather shameless invasion of her privacy. Maybe he was shameless. After all, the only reason he really had for coming to Zelda’s library was some arbitrary excuse to feel just a little bit closer to her.
Ever since he left to find Navi, they’d grown apart. Link couldn’t exactly blame Zelda for that, it was to be expected that she would move on from him, and whatever cutesy puppy love they’d had as kids. That, and eight years was a long time for him to be away. Too long. He couldn’t say he regretted ever leaving though. Sure, he never found Navi, but if he hadn’t left, Termina would’ve been decimated (except on the unlikely chance that a different Hero stumbled upon the strange world in his place.) He’d be lying, of course, if he said he didn’t wish he hadn’t gotten so lost in the Lost Woods for so long. Eight years. He still couldn’t believe he managed to find Hyrule again after so long, and it has been some years since that return.
He remembered that day he’d found himself stumbling out of the Lost Woods and into Goron City. Darunia had been the one to find him, all swathed up in messily stitched together clothes made of wolfos skins and furs, his hair long and unruly. The goron Chief still occasionally joked that Link had looked like some kind of furry half-man-half-beast that day.
He’d been brought to the castle upon the Queen’s order that day and brought back to better health. All those years in the wilderness of the Lost Woods had left him weak and malnourished, and obviously, the Gorons were not equipped to take care of him themselves. Zelda had gotten him the best doctors in Hyrule and allowed him to stay in the castle for as long as he needed. He remembered how the maids tending to him commented on how often Zelda visited him. He still wondered why she’d done that, but as soon as he was better, she grew much colder and distant from him, barely speaking to him for months at a time.
Maybe she was mad at him. Link supposed she had a right to be; he promised to return to her and only did so after eight years—albeit, not on purpose, but she was still left alone for eight years regardless. Perhaps she was just swamped with her queenly duties and no longer had time to give to her once best friend and first love. He didn’t know and he suspected he would never find out. And maybe that was for the best; they were twenty-five now, and it was time to let go of the past.
Link ran his fingers over the spines of the well-worn books on her overstuffed bookshelves, not even reading the titles of her books. He imagined her picking one out and settling her elegant form in the straight-backed leather chair next to him. Zelda always had this adorable face when she read—her eyes narrowed, her brows drawn together in concentration, angular chin tilted down slightly. He loved that look, probably more than he should.
He had a lot of feelings for Zelda he really shouldn’t have. She was married, after all, and the queen. It was silly of him to keep hoping that one day she would call him to her office, and confess to him that she never forgot about him or them. Call it puppy love, or maybe just say that Link was extremely stubborn and foolish, but he still loved her. He still loved his Princess of Destiny. She still loved him too; he could feel it. She pretended to be happy with her husband, but Link saw right through it.
He sat at her large oak desk, swiping a finger across the pages of the open book that lied a top it. It was a lawbook filled with unfamiliar terms and words that gave Link a headache just looking at them. Zelda had taught him to read before he left for Termina, and he had practiced a lot since then, but some literature and books were still well above his ability to comprehend. He didn’t mind much really; the things he couldn’t read were things he didn’t need to read.
His blue eyes swept across her desk. Her feather pen and inkwell sat in the far corner, and everywhere else was positively covered with loose papers and books Zelda hadn’t bothered putting away after using. She’d always been messy—if it weren’t for maids and servants, the whole castle would probably be a cluttered mess. There was even tons of envelopes stuffed into one of the closed books sitting along the edge of the desk, probably used as a temporary bookmark. It seemed to be practically teetering, about ready to fall, so Link attempted to pile it atop some other books. It was a wasted effort, however, as the book only slid off of its new perch and plunged to the floor, the envelopes inside scattering.
Link cursed. He shouldn’t have touched anything—Zelda will figure out that someone had intruded in her library now.
He fell to his knees and gathered the envelopes. They were all unsealed, some with creases and crinkles from frequent folding and age, while others remained much more pristine. When he picked up the last one, he noticed something scrawled on it in Zelda’s distinctive calligraphy: his name. Link blinked, and started flipping through the other envelopes, searching for any more markings. Each and every one of them had his name written somewhere; some written in the messier, sloppy scrawl of a child, others written in Zelda’s current loopy, slanted script.
Were these letters meant for him? He wondered. Why else would she write his name on the envelopes?
Before he could stop and think about the fact that this was most certainly an invasion of Zelda’s privacy, he unfolded one of the older envelopes and pulled out the folded, crinkled letter from inside.
~
Hero Boy
Impa told me I should write letters to you until I see you again so that I can give them to you, and it’ll be like you never left. So here’s the first one.
Bye!
Your Princess
~
Hero boy. It had been so long since he’d been called Zelda’s old nickname. Now she just called him ‘Sir Link’ or ‘General’—he kind of hated how formal and impersonal it was. He wished she would call him Hero Boy again, or at least just plain ol’ Link.
He shook his head and fished out another older-looking envelope, hoping to quell the heart-jerking sadness that suddenly overcame him.
~
Hero Boy,
When are you coming back? It’s been months since you left, and I think father’s starting to wonder why he has not seen the Ocarina of Time in so long. You should really hurry back to Hyrule so I don’t get in trouble. And I kind of miss having someone to play with who’s actually my age.
Come back soon,
Princess Zelda
~
Link just went on like this, reading note after note, as if he were in some kind of masochistic trance. Some were short and some were long, but they all hurt to read. He couldn’t believe that she’d written so much to him as if he was there to receive them. All this time he’d been absent, she waited for him, and waited, and waited…but he’d been too late.
~
Hero Boy,
I had a pretty bad day today. I don’t know if you really care, but you need to be punished for not coming back to see me after two years, so you’re going to listen to me whine whether you like it or not. Anyways, what made my day so terrible was this ridiculous tea party gala father made me attend. I met all the noble ladies there, and I learned just how gossipy they all are. Really, they’re like old ladies! “Did you hear that Lady Tremaine has been seen in the arms of a man who is not her husband?” “It looks as if Lady Frankford has gained some weight! Oh my!” Do you find that irritating? Yes? Well, try listening to a constant stream of that for two straight hours. It was no picnic. I really do not see myself making the friends my father hoped I would there.
You should come back to Hyrule and see me again, Link. I think you owe me at least one visit after all this time. Besides, we’re long overdue for making a pillow-fort in the library.
Love,
Zelda
~
Link,
Impa’s mad at me because I snuck out of the castle. Remember when we used to sneak out together when we were ten? It honestly wasn’t fun at all without you, but I guess you aren’t planning to come back, are you? I’ll just have to make do with being alone from now on. It’s your choice in the end to not come back, I suppose, but the least you could do is bring the ocarina home for me. Four years is a long time to hold that poor ocarina hostage, you know, and I do wonder what you look like as a fourteen-year-old. I only really know what you looked like as a kid, and then what you looked like at seventeen. It would be rather interesting to see what you look like in between then.
Come home soon. I miss you, Link. I really do, and I miss the time we used to spend together.
Zel
~
Link,
Father’s begun looking for suitors for me, but I don’t like any of them. I don’t know, it’s kind of silly, but I’ve had my heart set on you since we were kids. You always were a really cute kid, you know, and your seventeen year old self was really nothing to sneeze at either. I know you would be selfless and firm, like a good king should, and I know you could protect me. Goddesses know you’ve done it before. I wonder if we would’ve been courting by now if you hadn’t left. Sixteen is the age we’re supposed to start that, you know.
I wish we could court. I think I would actually have fun if it was you.
Zel
~
Link,
I’m getting married in three days. Karter is fine, and he’ll make a fine husband but I don’t love him. At all. It doesn’t help that he’s almost ten years my senior. A part of me keeps imagining this picturesque fantasy of you charging into my wedding and sweeping me off of my feet just before the Sage slips that ring on my finger. I suppose I’ve kind of built you up in my head, like you’re my Prince Charming, even though you’re anything but a prince. It’s really just a silly fantasy, but a part of me really kind of wants it to happen. Don’t worry though; the rest of me knows it won’t.
I’ll probably be a married woman the next time I write you, Link. It’s a little strange to actually write that down or say it out loud, I wish it wasn’t true. I still miss you.
Zel
~
Link,
You came back, you little bugger. Why the hell did you come back now? Why not a year ago? Two years ago? Why not before I was married! You have the worst timing, I hope you’re aware of that.
I’m glad you’re back though. Welcome home.
Zel
~
Link,
Gods, why do you do this to me? You’re honestly too handsome for your own good. It’s kind of killing me—me, a married woman—that my eyes keep wandering to you. I need to keep my distance from you or I’m going to do some really stupid, reckless things.
Sorry Link.
Zel
~
Gods. Oh my sweet Goddesses I can’t do this. You touched my hand today during that military meeting—that’s literally all it took, I’m sorry to say—and I wanted to grab your face and kiss you in front of my husband, my father and my whole counsel. I almost didn’t care that they were all there. You’re just as I remember, and I cannot stand it.
Zel
~
I love you.
Gods. It’s so silly that I still cling to my childhood crush like this, even thirteen years after we established we both liked each other. But I still feel it, which is on an extreme level of pathetic.
I’m an idiot, Link, and I’m sorry about that.
Zel
~
Link,
I think is my last letter to you, thirteen years is just far too long to dwell on one person. I cannot keep writing them anymore, because in doing so, I am feeding into this toxic habit of constantly thinking about you. I’m so sorry. Goodbye.
Queen Zelda
~
Link stared at the last letter incomprehensively. He reread it once. Twice. Thrice. It was the last letter … and it was two years old. She stopped thinking about him two years ago.
A sharp, jarring pain ached in his chest. It clawed at his heart and yanked his stomach inside out. All this time he had told himself that there was still something there between them. That somehow, some way, they would be together again. All he needed to do was get her attention. Or talk to her. Or touch her. But no matter what he tried, it never happened. He’d still pined for her all these years. Loved her with his whole heart. He convinced himself he could recreate the past, and that was his biggest mistake.
He was torn out of his thoughts when he heard the library doors shut heavily. He hastily shoved the letter back into its envelope and jammed the bundle of letters back into Zelda’s book.
Just as he placed the book back where it should be, Queen Zelda herself rounded a nearby bookcase, her fingers pressed to her temples. When she noticed Link standing there, she jumped, placing a hand to her chest.
“Goddesses,” She breathed, looking him up and down. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”
“I… apologize.” He said. Not just for startling her, but for leaving her… for losing her.
“What brings you here, General?” The Queen inquired, taking a small step toward him.
“I was…” His eyes shifted away. “…looking for you.”
“Oh,” Zelda smoothed some runaway hairs from her eyes. “I was… seeing the doctor.”
Link nodded absently. He shouldn’t be here; alone with the queen who didn’t love him anymore. It hurt.
“Link,” She said, recapturing his attention. “They think I might finally be pregnant.”
On the outside, he didn’t react. His face remained smooth and unreadable, but on the inside it felt like she’d just jammed her hand through his chest and yanked out his heart. “…congratulations.” He forced himself to say.
Zelda nodded, folding her hands in her lap. “Thank you.”
“I should go.” Link muttered suddenly, rushing to brush past her.
“Wait, Link.” She called, and he stopped. He wished he had just kept going, but he never could ignore a thing she said. “You should find someone… to be with, I mean. You look like you’ve been a little lonely.”
Link closed his eyes, keeping his back turned to the Queen. He already had someone, but she didn’t love him. For half a second he considered telling her everything so she could reject him; for the closure he needs. But in the end, he chickened out.
“…I’ll consider it.” He finally said, before continuing toward the door.
Zelda watched her General’s retreating back—he didn’t see the longing way she was looking at him. The way she bit her lip and narrowed her eyes on the expensive carpet at her feet. The way her heart screamed at her to follow him, and kiss him senseless. He didn’t see how she locked her own feelings away and pretended they didn’t exist, just as she’d been doing since she wrote that last letter.
So um, I took a lot of artistic liberties for this one. It’s very, very loosely based after the events of Zelda II, with a few details taken from the old Valiant comics (such as the country of Calatia as a whole). Other than that though, it’s mostly made up by me. Enjoy!
((btw, they’re supposed to be about 25 in this.))
Queen Zelda sat atop her red-velvet throne, gripping the armrests with white-knuckled hands. Her back remained ram-rod straight, her eyes cool and controlled, as she listened to her Captain of the Guard relay his daring battle plan.
Hyrule was once again at war, this time with a long-bitter neighbouring country in the north called Salula. Leading the assault is the country’s assault is Zelda’s once-fiancé now-king, Lyrynn. He’d been bitter since her refusal to marry him after her fifteenth year, and that bitterness only grew as both of them ascended their separate thrones less than a year ago. Claiming Hyrule should have been his as well, he decided upon gaining full-power that he was going to simply take it by force, as long as Zelda refused to give it to him.
Lyrynn’s attacks had been swift and brutal, though nothing Hyrule couldn’t handle for the time-being. But the new queen feared for her country—if her army made the slightest slip, they very well could be overrun by Salula’s. This war had to end soon, before innocent lives became the trade-off.
However, this plan she did not want to agree to.
It wasn’t because it was a bad plan. On the contrary, if pulled off, it could end the war swiftly and cleanly. It was brilliant; the Captain of the Guard was going to negotiate with Hyrule’s closest ally, Calatia, in hopes of gaining their help against Salula. If their support was secured, Salula would be cornered and Lyrynn wouldn’t stand a chance. However, since Salula was situated between Calatia and Hyrule, her Captain would have to travel straight through enemy territory for the negotiation. He would be in unimaginable danger if he were ever recognized by the enemy, given his high position in Hyrule.
And the Queen was rather fond of Captain Link.
Two-time savior of her kingdom, slayer of the King of evil, wielder of the Triforce of Courage, and the unknowing object of the queen’s affections; Link was, regrettably, the best man for the job. After all, Calatia was his homeland, and he would be able to traverse it better than anyone else in the kingdom. But if so much as his identity were to be revealed the wrong person, there would be a very good chance he could die before he even reached Calatia’s borders.
Link watched his queen consider his proposition with bated breath, blue eyes trained on her every movement. His perceptive gaze flicked about her body; from her rich violet gown, to the golden circlet perched upon her reddish-coloured hair, finally resting on her own bright eyes. Her expressionless face betrayed nothing of her internal panic or her erratic heartrate. She could feel him trying to read her, willing her to understand things from his perspective. And she did, wholly and completely.
She just didn’t want to lose him.
“No.” Queen Zelda finally answered stiffly. “I will not allow you to embark on such a dangerous endeavor.”
Link’s head snapped up to attention. He figured she would have to think about it, but he thought she would see the wisdom in his plan enough to allow him to go through with it in the end. “What? Why not?” He blurted.
Zelda’s eyes hardened. “It’s far too dangerous.” She answered sourly. “And who will lead Hyrule’s army if you’re off on this mission?”
“I’ve taught my second-in-command everything I know, your Highness.” Link stated, his dark brows pulling together in confusion. “He’s perfectly able to lead an army as well as I can.”
“No.” The queen repeated, her nails digging into her throne’s upholstery.
Defiant as always, Link crossed his arms over his chest. “With all due respect, highness,” He grumbled. “I would like one good reason why I shouldn’t be the one to make negotiations with Calatia.”
“We’ll send someone else.” Zelda said firmly, ignoring his request.
Link bristled, his temper beginning to rear its ugly head. “You can’t just—!”
The queen cut him off with a sudden shout, “Guards!” She snapped, looking past Link to the soldiers stationed at the door. “Leave us!”
The queen and her captain locked eyes as each and every guard filed out of the throne room, the air filled with curious murmurs and stocky footsteps. The voices cut off as the heavy, metal doors were shut with an audible bang. A few slow moments ticked by as the two continued to stare one another down, deep blue eyes boring accusingly into violet ones.
Link was the first to speak.
“…how long have I been a valuable asset to this kingdom? Fifteen years?” He demanded, pacing before his queen. “Do I need to save it a third time in order for you to trust me?”
Zelda sighed, eyes shifting away from his. “This has nothing to do with trust, Link.” She said slowly. “I simply don’t believe you to be the right man for the job.”
“That is horse rot and you know it, Zelda!” Link snapped. “I know Calatia better than anyone else in this palace. I am of the highest rank in your own personal guard. I am one of the most competent warriors in this kingdom, and I’ve already saved it—and you—from destruction. Twice. What other prerequisites do I need?”
Zelda tensed, her nails digging deeply into the armrests of her throne and leaving ugly welts in the precious fabric. “My word is final, Captain.”
Link stopped pacing and turned to glare at her. “Fine,” He bit out darkly. “Send this other person. But just know that I will tail him and make sure he can make the negotiation successfully.”
Zelda clenched her teeth. “You will do nothing of the sort.”
He grinned without mirth. “Just try to stop me, highness. I will do whatever the hell—”
“Enough!” Zelda cried, her nails digging so deeply into her armrests she feared they would break.
“—I want.” Link continued, undaunted by her orders. “I’ll do whatever I think is best, even if you disagree.”
“I said enough!” Zelda shrieked, and her calm visage completely shattered.
Link’s eyes popped wide open at her outburst. It was a rare sight to see Hyrule’s ever-composed ice queen lose her cool, especially when discussing such important matters. He had struck some nerve in her. Curiously, he began slowly ascending the few red-carpeted stairs to stand before Zelda’s throne.
“You aren’t supposed to come up here,” Zelda said, her voice shaking almost unnoticeably.
Link ignored her and leaned down so he was at eye level with her, covering her clenched hands with his own. Their faces were now only centimeters apart, eyes locked. Link was sure that he spotted panic sparking within the depths of her seemingly endless gaze, that he could feel only the slightest of tremors shiver through her body.
“Why do you act like this?” He asked softly. “Hmm?”
“Let me go.” Zelda breathed.
Link’s face hardened. “Not until you answer me,”
“Let me go.” She repeated, her cheeks beginning to flood with colour.
“Why are you acting this way?” Link probed again. “Are you angry with me? Am I being punished?”
“…No.” Zelda murmured, unintentionally staring at his mouth. How could she not? It was so close. Too close.
“Then why?”
Her eyes flicked back up to meet his. “That’s not your business.”
“It is my business and I have a right to know.” He retorted firmly.
Zelda squeezed her eyes shut. “Let me go.” She commanded again, though it came out rather breathless.
“Why don’t you let me do my job, Zelda?” Link asked, smoothing her thumb across the back of her left hand in an attempt to soothe her.
“Because…” she whispered. “…because…”
“Because…?”
“You… you could die.” She said it so quietly, Link almost didn’t catch it.
He was surprised for a moment. Was that really all? He could die so she did not want to ask this of him?
“It would be my honour to die for this kingdom,” He told her, continuing that soothing motion on the back of her other hand. “It was one of the many vows I swore to before I accepted this position.”
“Don’t say that…” Zelda said, shaking her head. “Please don’t say that.” A small tear squeezed from her eye, sliding down her fair cheek.
Link’s eyes widened, and he released her hands in surprise. Crying. Hyrule’s infamous ice queen was actually crying, right here, right before his very own eyes and ears. He could hardly believe it. Before he could ask her what was wrong, she curled her fists into his tunic and buried her face into his chest.
“You can’t die,” She murmured against his shirt. “I’ll kill you if you die.”
Link blinked once, then wrapped firm arms around her, drawing her closer into a proper hug. A sight smile crossed his lips.
“…I won’t die.” He breathed, pressing a kiss into her hair. “I definitely won’t die on you, Zelda.”
So this is Skyward Sword, and takes place right after Zelda unseals from her crystal but before Ghirahim comes in and ruins the moment. It’s quite fluffy, if I do say so myself >///<
They will retell his adventure in stories and legends, praising his heroism and his bravery for delving into ancient temples filled with evil. They’d recount every twist and turn in his journey, all his blood, sweat and toil. Every giant monster he slayed, every beast he cut down would be recorded in history. Everyone would remember the courageous young man who dove below the clouds to save his best friend; who slayed a demon and saved the world.
What they would never know, however, was the way their gallant hero of legend sobbed like a lost child on the shoulder of his goddess reborn. They’ll never know how he hugged her close and clung to her, as if he needed her presence more than air or life itself. They’ll never know how many times he thought he would die, or how many times he almost allowed himself to die at the hands of the merciless demon lord.
They’ll never know how much the promise of saving his Zelda kept him going. How he hugged her sailcloth close when he slept, just to feel closer to her. How he over-worked himself sick on a weekly basis, just because he refused to take a much-needed break.
Zelda was his angel, his savior. She rescued him long before he had to rescue her. He wouldn’t have been able to make it through his lonely, orphaned childhood had she not offered him her companionship and friendship. His parents’ deaths had been an unimaginable blow to his heart—had Zelda not been there, patiently and dutifully supporting him, he would not have been able to recover from the loss. She had always been the strong one, not him. It was because of her that he could accomplish any of what he had during his journey.
He crushed her small body against his own, revelling in finally being able to touch her after so long. She was so slight, so… breakable. She was thinner than before she fell; before this all started. He worried she might just shatter to pieces, right there in his arms. Had she been eating and sleeping right? Had she been able to take care of herself properly? He felt his protectiveness over her flare up.
Zelda returned his tight hug weakly, pulling him out of such troubling thoughts. Her hands moved under his arms and made slow circles on his back, comforting him the best she could in her weakened state. He rested his chin upon her shoulder, breathing in her sweet, familiar scent that he’d missed for far too long.
Good morning… her quiet, tired voice buzzed in his ear as he held her close. …Link.
Link felt tears well in the corners of his eyes. Normally, he would be embarrassed to cry, especially in front of Zelda, but all he could focus on at the moment was how warm she was, how good it felt to have her back. It seemed like when she fell, she took all his warmth away with her and he was just left with a cold husk. The warmth had been gone so long, he’d begun to forget how nice it felt. He forgot that it was even there in the first place, that he missed it so much.
Zelda pulled back from his hug to look at him, and he realized then she had tear tracks running down her own cheeks. Link reached up and caressed her humid cheek, gently wiping away any remnants of her tears. Zelda let out a surprised little giggle, and quickly returned the favor, sniffling. He closed his eyes as she brushed his tears away with soft fingertips, then moved to touch their foreheads together.
I missed you. She whispered, touching his jaw.
Link didn’t reply—he only opened his eyes again and stared back with soft blue orbs, conveying that exact message back to her silently.
Zelda touched their noses together. Thank you for coming to wake me, Sleepyhead.
Link didn’t think; he just leaned forward and kissed her. At first, he could feel her surprise, but she soon settled into his kiss. She kissed back, tenderly and slowly, fingers sifting into his hair. More tears streaked down her face as her lips caressed his, but he could feel her smiling under his lips. It felt nice, like he was exactly where he belonged. Right there; with his Zelda safe in his arms, loving him just as much as he had always loved her.
(I hope this is okay for this prompt. I don’t know how well it fits it tbh -.-’)
So this one is Hyrule Warriors, featuring fem!Sheik and Link. I like to think they became quite friendly, both during battles and in between them. This is just a short little bit of drabble, tbh. I’d rate this at around PG-13--it’s not smut, but it takes place the morning after so... I guess you could say it’s pillow-talk? Kinda? idk, enjoy!
Sheik had to address the elephant in the room.
“…did you see my face?” She asked quietly, sliding her cowl back over her face.
The cot beneath her creaked as she imagined Link pulled himself to prop on his elbow. She must have looked strange to him, her bare back turned his way, wearing nothing but this silly mask and a blanket draped over her slender body. This whole thing had been foolish of her. She convinced herself it was okay to take off her mask because it had been too dark for him to see her, too dark for him to figure out who she was. She’d promised herself she’d remember to put her mask back on after they were finished, and head back to her own tent just to be safe. But she hadn’t done either. Instead, she’d fallen right asleep, maskless and nestled in his arms.
She sighed. And what of sleeping with her Hero? Her ancestors would be ashamed of her lack of self-control.
“…I won’t lie.” Link finally started.
Those words frightened Sheik. She cast a worried, crimson glance over her shoulder, her mask safely concealing her identity once more. As predicted, he was propped up on his elbow, his blankets swathed over his hips. He was beautiful, as always, his lightly tanned skin glowing in the morning light. Blue eyes gleaming like chips of sapphire met her own artificially red eyes, as he watched her with an unreadable expression.
“I thought about looking at you,” He finally admitted. “This morning, when I woke up around dawn to find you still in bed with me.”
Sheik’s hands clenched around the sheets, her heartbeat picking up. He knows. He has to know who I am.
“But I didn’t.” Link said, shifting his eyes away and running his free hand through his straw-coloured locks. “I was curious, I admit that… but I didn’t want to betray your trust, so I just went back to sleep and hoped you would wake up before me next time.”
Sheik’s eyes were wide. “…Betray my trust?”
Link met her eyes again, skimming light fingers across her spine, eliciting a shiver. “You kept asking me last night if I could see you.” He murmured.
She remembered badgering him so many times through the night; can you see me? Can you see? Can you see in this dark? He’s always replied no, in a lusty growl, before continuing exactly where they left off.
“And you’re never without that mask. You don’t want people to see your face; I don’t know the reason, and I won’t bother you for it, but that much is clear to me.”
It filled her heart with ease to hear him say that. She wanted to tell him the truth… really, she did. But there would always be the possibility her secret could leak out accidentally if she told him, or anyone… not to mention, she just didn’t want to make Link lie for her. It was too big a gamble on her life. She couldn’t risk it getting out who she really was—not when the enemy was hell-bent on getting rid of Princess Zelda.
“…thank you for not looking.” Sheik finally said softly, finally turning her body back around to look at him.
He reached up and caught some of her sunny blonde hair spilling out of the bottom of her cowl and kissed it, eyes not leaving hers. “I… even though Impa doesn’t trust you, Sheik, I want you to know that I do.” He said. “And that I… care for you. A lot.”
Sheik caught his hand, intertwining her slender, taped fingers with his much larger ones. She cared for him as well… too much, almost. It was strange of her to grow so attached to someone in only a couple months, but being with Link seemed as natural as breathing. He seemed to understand her better than anyone else, detecting her emotions when she thought she concealed them away so well. She remembered how one night, he’d grabbed her hand and rubbed them between his own without a word, just to ease pre-battle jitters she’d purposely been hiding. It was a peculiar phenomenon, but they seemed to be able communicate without words. They would always know what the other is thinking through nothing more than a look, whether it be on the battlefield or elsewhere.
She was glad to hear him say he cared for her—she’d been worried that the previous night had just been a lust-fuelled impulse realized.
“I care for you greatly as well.” Sheik told him earnestly, scooting herself closer to him without releasing his hand.
Link sat up, reaching under the blankets to stroke a thumb across her knee. “Sheik, if you hide your face because of a scar or something of the sort on your face…” He met her eyes. “I… I’ll understand if you’re uncomfortable showing me, but I want you to know I won’t ever be repulsed or repelled by it, whatever the case is.”
Sheik stared at their hands laced together. “It’s not… it’s not that, Link.” She didn’t want him to feel as if she didn’t trust him or that she worried he would judge her. She knew he wouldn’t; that wasn’t who Link was. “I just… I can’t let you see me right now.”
He kissed her knuckles as if she were a princess. “That’s fine, I won’t ask about it anymore. You are already beautiful to me, even though I cannot see all of you.”
She felt her cheeks fill with colour. He was so sweet to her, so wonderful. She scooted even closer, but decided she wanted to be closer still. She crawled onto his lap and wrapped an arm around his neck. Much better.
“Close your eyes, please.” She whispered, touching their noses together.
He obeyed, his eyelids sliding closed. It was a shame, really, to hides such beautiful blue orbs from view. Sheik mourned their absence as she tugged the bottom of her cowl down to reveal her lips. She leaned toward him and pressed her lips to his, cupping his jaw with her other hand. His arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.
One day. She decided, sliding her own eyes closed—she trusted him not to look while she was distracted. One day I’ll tell you the truth. One day I’ll tell you who I really am, Link, I promise.
Saw that you were taking HW Zelink prompts; if you're still up to it, could you write about how Link tries to propose to Zelda? He looks like he would be a nervous and clumsy wreck. I bet it would be cute and funny to see him struggle with that. :-)
Cuuuute idea, Nonny!! I really liked writing this one up, though it came out longer than I wanted it to be. Thank you for the prompt! (•⊙ω⊙•)
There might be some spoilers in this, idk. Read the shortfic below *dances away*
1. Even though Link and Myra did in fact grow up in the same house (He’s an orphan as per usual) they were not raised as siblings because Myra’s mother had wanted the two of them to marry since they were kids. He’s more like a very close family friend (who happens to live with them).
2. The flashback is supposed to take place with the Minish Cap incarnations (obviously when they’re much older tho)
3. The story told by Magdalena and Cacia is actually another fic I’ve got in the works. ^_^
4. I haven’t found a way to work it into the story yet, but the reason Link and Myra don’t know the Princess’s name is because it’s considered disrespectful to call the royal family by their first names, even with the title attached. They always referred to her as ‘the Princess’ or ‘Her highness’.
