XVII: What's Most Appropriate

Before the Calamity

Link's POV:

I had no idea about Zelda's magic.

I thought she just hated me for so long. I thought maybe I was just annoying, following her around and all. She probably was annoyed by that, but I was oblivious to her envy. I guess I always assumed she just had it all figured out. I didn't know it at first but... I actually cared about her. She was right in the beginning- I was mainly focused on my duty. But that changed with more time that we spent together... I wasn't only doing it for my job anymore- there was something about her. I actually wanted to protect her.

I was snapped out of my day dream by "I'm hungry." I looked over to Zelda who was pouting and holding her stomach as it growled. I realized then that I was also hungry and had not noticed. "I wonder if there's anything to eat around here," she stated.

I slowed Epona to a stop and looked around.

"Wait here," I said to Zelda. "I'll be right back."

"Ok," Zelda said, unsure of what I was doing.

I hopped off my horse and walked through nearby brush. In the distance I noticed a boar grazing in a field. Perfect, I thought as I crouched down and crawled quietly until I was near the boar. With my eyes perfectly locked in on my target, I readied my bow.

As I drew back the arrow, I felt off. I didn't shoot it- a weird yet certain feeling of something not being right plagued me. I turned around, noticing I had wandered farther than I had thought. Zelda wasn't in sight.

I ditched the boar and started running in the direction I came from. I couldn't put my finger on the problem... I just felt it somewhere inside of me that something bad could happen. Then I heard it- Zelda's scream.

My stomach dropped and it felt like all of the color vanished from my face. I broke into a sprint, leaving behind the meadow I was in. I could feel my heart racing inside my chest as my boots pounded violently on the ground. When I finally caught sight of her figure, I saw that her and Storm were surrounded by a gang of Bokoblins. But where was Epona?

My horse was smart. Before I thought to whistle for her, she came sprinting towards me. She knew.

As she ran past me, I grabbed onto her and jumped through the air, swinging my leg over one side of the saddle. Then, I immediately signaled Epona to run as fast as she could.

As we grew close enough for my arrows to be in range, I drew my bow and let loose an arrow. It zipped through the air, fatally piercing the Bokoblin nearest Zelda. Its hideous squeal told me it had fallen.

Storm spooked at the arrow, rearing up into the air- however, Zelda held on. Epona took us sprinting through the monsters with unmatched speed, and I leapt off of her, drawing my Master Sword and crashing it down on a monster.

All focus came back to me as I quickly scanned the area, seeing no bokoblins left. That's weird, I thought to myself. I could have sworn there were more...

"Link!"

My head whirled as I turned around at Zelda's startling scream. I was completely caught of guard as a black bokoblin nailed me in the chest with a dragonbone boko club. I fell backwards onto the ground, gasping for air after having the wind knocked out of me. I looked down to see blood slowly oozing from my chest in the middle of a giant gash.

I almost allowed myself to succumb to the dreariness that I felt, but all exhaustion was wiped from me when I saw the fearful look on Zelda's face. She covered her mouth with her hands, tears welling in her eyes as she gasped. I knew then that it wasn't about me.

I regained my focus and slid across the ground, reaching behind my back for my bow. I let loose an arrow at a bokoblin running behind the one that attacked me, hitting it square in the face and knocking it down. Then, I drew my sword and stood to face the black one. It squealed unintelligently and leapt through the air, its club in hand. I swiftly dodged the attack as time slowed down, allowing me to let loose a flurry of attacks on the hideous creature. It was stricken down by a final blow of my sword, and I fell to my knees in exhaustion.

I heard Storm whinny behind me as I looked back to see Zelda running towards me.

"Are you okay?!" she gasped, panicked. 

I nodded, peeling my blood-drenched tunic away from my skin. 

"Link! Oh, you're really hurt," Zelda said, grabbing the sides of my shirt as she looked wide-eyed and terrified at my wound. "No, no, no," she said repeatedly until I put my hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine. It's just a cut."

I looked in her green eyes that were stroked with worry. She then grabbed both sides of my face with shaky hands and looked at me, terrified. I squeezed her shoulder slightly to reassure her that I was okay. Then, I stood up, looking around for somewhere I could wash my tunic.

"Come," I said. "We're near Tamio river. I need to rinse this," I said, looking at my disgusting shirt.

Zelda let out a sigh and nodded her head in compliance. Then, we mounted our horses and continued up the trail.

I thought about our kiss for a while. I thought about how Zelda could have just died and ever since I kissed her back that I have been off my guard. I completely gave in to the emotions she infatuated me with... I was supposed to be protecting her, not entrancing her. It was so hard for me to reject how I felt about her, but I wouldn't forgive myself if I let her get hurt.

As I slowly became accustomed to the pain from my wound, I realized Zelda hadn't spoken at all. We rode for a bit in silence.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked nervously while clenching her hands.

"Yes, Princess," I replied shortly, not really wanting to speak.

Zelda looked taken aback. She slightly dropped her shoulders as she looked down and sighed. "You don't have to call me that. Everyone calls me that."

I didn't want to call her Princess either. I didn't want to have to say it but I felt like I needed to. "It's what is most appropriate."

Zelda's face drooped in defeat after I said that. I knew it would be hard for her. I knew this whole thing would be hard. We couldn't last as a couple... not when there are so many things at stake- not when my feelings were preventing me from protecting her as best as I could. Even then, she was the princess and I was a mere knight. I was lucky to even be friends with her. It was almost like my dream... anytime I felt myself growing close to her were the times she was in the most danger. I was so stupid. I should have known at one point I would be forced to break her heart.

She didn't say anything the rest of the ride until we reached Tamio. When I approached the river, I climbed down the cliffs alone. Zelda waited up by the bridge while I rinsed the blood from my tunic. Remembering why I got off Epona in the first place, I spotted a fish and shot it with a fire arrow, instantly cooking it upon impact. Maybe that would cheer her up.

I put my soaked tunic back over my head and climbed the cliff. I brought the fish back to Zelda, but when I tried handing it to her, she refused it and crossed her arms.

After a few seconds of consideration, she asked, "What do you mean by 'it would be most appropriate'?" She must have been thinking about that for a while- it came out of nowhere.

I sighed. I didn't want to talk about that.

"It is my duty to protect you. You know this. I'm scared I won't be able to protect you if there are... other things in the way, Princess."

"I thought I was more than just the 'princess' to you!" Zelda shouted, throwing her closed fists down at her side. "How many times will we go through this! Am I something to you or am I not? Did you even mean anything you said back at Tabantha?"

"Yes!" I shouted in a burst of anger. I caught myself and covered my mouth, realizing I was yelling out the princess of Hyrule. "Of course I-" I paused myself, frustrated. I couldn't keep letting this happen. 

"You need to eat," I said assertively. I offered her the fish again, refusing to let her shove it away.

"You eat it," Zelda scoffed, noticeably upset. "You caught it."

I wasn't mad at her. I knew I hurt her... I didn't want to but I feared I had to.

I opened her clenched fist and placed the fish in it, closing her fingers again.

"Fine," she sneered. "The princess eating would be what is most appropriate anyway."