Fan Fiction ❯ Somewhere I Belong, You'll Be Right There Waiting ❯ Part 2: When There's Love, There's Hope ( Chapter 2 )

Part 2: When There's Love, There's Hope

The sun crept up from the mountains of Death up north, indicating the start of the morning shift. Long gone were dark colors of the night - the skies were now populated with an artistic mixture of hues ranging from orange to violet to gray. At the sound of the cock's crowing, night predators crawled to slumber, while the morning creatures woke up to greet the day and begin their labor. The birds started chirping a beautiful melody, spreading the spirit of this beautiful morning throughout the province. Butterflies of all shapes and sizes flew gracefully; their colorful, heart-shaped wings quivering at flower-stops on the way. Squirrels roamed the woods searching for acorns to store. Gorons, beings of stone and pure muscle, worked like the squirrels in interconnected caves up at Death Mountain. Their 'acorns', however, were rocks and bomb flowers. A half-breed of humans and fish, the Zoras used their dexterous hands to make various items and materials, like fishing equipment and furniture.

These were nothing but minor examples of the many birds, insects, woodland creatures, and races which inhabited the magical land of Hyrule, vigorously doing their lists of activities for the day. But there were other two important races of the land: The Elvin Kokiris and Hylians. The eternally young Kokiri, though easy-going and isolated, played a vital role in being the only source of 'magic' in Hyrule. The Hylians were the largest and most active race in the region. In fact, they were the foundation of this enchanted earth; it was enough that the Harkinian Royal family, the proud rulers of this great place, were from a Hylian bloodline.

It was another splendid time for the kingdom, as sunlight slowly seeped through those mountains…it was morning, no doubts about it - and yet, an eerie, nighttime feeling enveloped the earth. A cool, midsummer breeze blew from east to west, rustling the trees and hedges of the Lost Wood and Hyrule field. The wind currents flowed randomly across the clouds, leaving visible white trails behind them. One lone wind trail, however, seemed to head somewhere; a destination set beforehand from a specific place of origin. Was it a coincidence that this lone wind current started its quest from a particular tree house in Kokiri Forest, and was heading to an open window at the highest tower of Hyrule Castle? Or was love in the air?

The soft squall fluttered the open window, carrying a stray leaf inside princess Zelda's chambers. She sat on a rocking chair a few meters opposite the window, sleeping like a baby. The chair cradled her back and forth slowly, rhythmically deepening her slumber. The wind puffed softly on her angelic face and the leaf fell like a feather on her cheek. It seemed like the wind and the leaf had teamed up to awaken the sleeping beauty, and they had succeeded in doing so with flying colors.

She was indeed awake, but she still had her eyes closed. Right now, she was somewhere between fantasy and reality, where the subconscious overpowered the conscious…and when that phase ended, she must definitely face her harsh reality.

She felt the coolness of his breath as he whispered her name. She felt the roughness of his gloved palm as he touched her cheek. She was sure that this time, when she opened her eyes, she would find her knight in shining armor standing before her.

She opened her eyes slowly, only to see nothing…again.

Brushing the leaf off her cheek, Zelda stood up and closed the window roughly. Just the wind, the princess sighed deeply as she headed towards a wooden dresser adjacent to the royal bed. How am I going to apologize if I never see you again?

If I see you next to never,

How can we say forever?

She took off her cap and placed it on the dresser, letting her golden hair loose. Looking at her reflection in the oval mirror before her, she saw her nine-year-old-self staring back at her with cold piercing cerulean eyes; a large frown sucked the life out of her face.

That wasn't how she reacted a week ago, right after the parting…when she first saw herself as a child in the mirror. It was a shocking revelation for the wisdom sage that time, when she had followed Link back in time; seven years back to be exact. Only now, there wasn't any Ganondorf Dragmire to spread evilness and darkness, thanks to Link and the seven sages. She was now in another place, another time…where Ganon was technically non-existent.

She felt this was another chance to live her life the way it was supposed to be; another chance to see her courageous hero again. You live your life once. But if you live it well, it is more than enough.

And yet, she had been suffering the aftermath of her voyage for the past week. She was in a depressed state when she woke up every morning…not finding Link there to greet her. Everyday, a feeling of déjà vu loomed over her as she remembered the events of their parting in another timeline, seven years ago. She even forced herself not to blink; she was on the edge of insanity, for every time she shut and opened her eyes, she would find herself hallucinating; going through that heartbreaking incident again, again, and again.

To her, all this turmoil was worth it. She had a feeling that Link would come…and she would be right here waiting.

Wherever you go,

Whatever you do,

I will be right here waiting for you.

Whatever it takes,

Or how my heart breaks,

I will be right here waiting for you.