Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ The Legend of Link: Lucky Number 13 ❯ Expressions of Love ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter Nine

I should have known this shit wasn't gonna fly. Give them time, you say. And in time they'll probably find a way to kill me. I know Nabooru wouldn't let that happen. But still, that thing about my mom was low even by my standards. I'd have preferred her to punch me in the mouth rather than say that. Enough with living in the past, though-I've wasted enough time doing that. Right now, I'll simply enjoy the sound of the waterfall and wait until it's safe to go back. Guess I'll give the ocarina skills a workout in the meantime. No, keeping it in my boot doesn't make it taste like feet! Besides, I wash my feet regularly so they won't stink.

You may have a point about the sound, though. It'll probably be weird considering I haven't hummed this, let alone played it, since I used to run around the field back in the day. This would make an interesting tale don't you think? An adult Kokiri standing guard at the Gerudo Valley entrance playing-what's the name of this song? What do you mean it's my song and I should know the name? I guess I'll call it, "Link's Overture." Kind of a nice ring to it, eh? What do you mean it sucks? And who's that clapping?

"What's the name of that little tune, Hero?" Ah, so she finally decided to look for me.

"I'm still working on it," I reply, as I admire the switch in her hips. Hope I'm not admiring too much to be noticed…

"I'd like to apologize, because that wasn't called for." She comes to stand beside me, giving me a consoling pat on the shoulder. Something about Hyrule I've noticed, the moon is always full. And lucky for me, it's working to enhance her amazing body to even more glorious proportions. Right, right! Focus, Link! Focus! Weird, I can't even stay upset when she's around.

"Like I said before, she doesn't owe me any apologies." My eyes cascade into the dark chasm below us, as Nabooru stares at the back of my head. "You want to ask me something, feel free."

I hear her jump slightly, surprised by my saying that, which changes the intensity of her gaze into that of confusion and puzzlement. Looking over my shoulder, I find Nabooru composed with her eyes naturally focused on my ocarina.

"Why do you still have it?" she asks forwardly, pointing to the ocarina.

I sigh through my nose, replying that, "Zelda wouldn't take it back."

A simple answer, sure, but it is true nonetheless. I'd tried to give her the thing back numerous times, but Zelda made such a big deal out of it until I just gave up and kept it. True to my expectancy, Nabooru looks upset by my answer.

"On that note," I mumble, "I think this'll look better back in here." Flashing the good smile, I put the thing back in my boot.

Slowly her frowned lips fan back into the dazzling smile I ignored for such a long time. The silence returns again, taking a shit all over the progress I've made. It's kind of weird a woman like Nabooru would be so shy around me all of a sudden.

"Are you afraid of me or something?" I don't know where the question came from, but I do know something just isn't right about this much silence.

"In a way, I suppose I am a little."

And that's a yes, in other words.

"Why?" What else do I ask at this point? Something about toenails and pig's feet? Well… where the hell do you get this stuff from?

Nabooru folds her arms, taking a long while to reply, as she puts a lot of thought into her next words. "It was something about the way you looked when Varia said you killed your mother," she says evenly. "You had the same look in your eyes when you used to talk about all the monsters you've killed. It was cold…"

"She said I killed my mother, how was I supposed to look-like I won a cake or something?"

"I'm not judging you," she assures me, but is a bit flustered by my sudden shift in moods. "I'm just concerned that you don't appear to care. Do you feel any sort of regret?"

Hmm, let me get this straight. I'm demanded to save the world, everything and its mother is out to kill me from the get go, and I'm supposed to feel sad because I killed them?

"N…" My prepared answered of "no" halts, as she pushes a few strands of wayward hair behind her ear.

Not so much the action silences me, as does the sight. A small scar above her right eyebrow, probably two or three inches, draws my attention. It's like the moon highlights the scar… the flaw that never should have happened. What kind of reaction was I really expecting? She didn't know hide or hair of me, and, after dealing with Ganondorf for who knew how long, I probably would have done the same thing if a stranger came out of nowhere knowing my name. I should have found another way; instead, I back her into a corner, and force her to fight me.

"You," I reply, gently placing my dusty hand against her cheek, and running my thumb over the offending scar. "Out of everything I've done, I only regret giving you this stupid scar." I keep rubbing in hopes that it'll fade, but it doesn't. "Even after all this time, I still feel bad about smashing your head like that."

"It's okay." She leans her head against the groove of my palm, smiling demurely at me. "You're beautiful," she whispers, slowly putting her arms around my waist.

That doesn't make sense. Her, Zelda, and Malon-that's beautiful. Me, I'm just some weirdo from Kokiri. I can't be beautiful. Just the idea alone makes me squirm awkwardly.

"I don't think so." I laugh a little, still amused by how odd that sounded. A nice compliment, but that's just a little much for me to believe. Although, it is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said about me.

"You act like no one has ever said that to you before," Nabooru adds mockingly.

I assure her though, "No one ever has. I used to get the occasional, 'You're a cute little guy' back when I was younger, but no one's ever said I was beautiful."

I'm sure my face is turning four different shades of red now. Yes, the great hero is somehow unfazed by waves of blood and jumping into dark pits. However, a woman calls him beautiful and he starts to feel the sweat prickle up and down the back of his neck. That's great.

"You're telling me your precious Zelda never once gave you a compliment?" Nabooru looks at me sternly, disbelievingly ruffled as I shake my head no. "Unreal…" She takes her arms from around my waist, and folds them across her chest.

"I never expected to get compliments. I don't even think guys can be beautiful, that's, like, something reserved for women only."

Right, well I'm assuming something was wrong in that statement by the look on her face.

"What the hell did she do to you?" Wow, Nabooru has more questions than a Keaton, doesn't she? I don't think I'm "beautiful," so what? Geez, you'd think I'd called her a Terminian Swamp Donkey or something.

"Wow, I have a nice smile and blonde hair, goody!" I squeal like a little kid experiencing his first taste of ice cream. "I'm just the prettiest thing in the world! Can we just agree that our sense of beauty is different?" I can tell she's trying to fight a smile, so, of course, I have to tickle her to bring it completely out.

"Okay, okay!" she laughs furiously, attempting to swat my hands away from her bare stomach. "But tell me this, if you don't consider yourself beautiful, who is?"

At least she asked an easy one this time.

"You are." So, technically, that could apply to the other 20 some guards who share her face… and body. But this is the Gerudo I like, the Gerudo Queen with the golden eyes, murderous tendencies, and fiery spirit.

"Thank you, Hero." I chuckle, watching her blush some and return to that silent stance.

Somehow the quiet doesn't seem that bad now. If I didn't know any better, I would say this is comfortable. A faint breeze stirs, flapping Nabooru's free-swinging ponytail across my chest. She smiles up at me, as I let a few tassels of her hair slide between my fingers. Returning the smile, it hits me. There has to be something here. How many people can you shut the hell up around and stay contented with? Not many.

After quite a few minutes of silence, her head slowly rises. Our eyes lock next, and I feel a long since forgotten feeling arising within me. I don't know if it's common place or not, but before Zelda and I ever made love, we'd exchange a look like this. Not a single word was said, we'd just look-a look like the one I share with Nabooru now-and things would begin with a kiss. I'm probably reading too much into this.

"Hmm…" As she throws caution to the wind and proceeds to kiss me, I feel like I'm not reading too much into this. At least she doesn't appear to be afraid of me anymore. Either that or her tongue has more courage than she does. And, from the way she's rubbing me through these tights, so does her hand. Well, shit, it's been awhile since I last did this, but let's see how she likes the roaming hands.

"Mmmm, hmmm," Nabooru moans into my mouth, as I tentatively place my hands on her breasts.

Ah, the sweet feeling of breasts-it's been way too long. So soft… so firm… god, I hope I don't break her. First time I'm actually going to have sex in almost five years, and it's on a bridge. I can live with that. "Ah!" I shout, as her nails graze across my dick. "Nab, hold on. Let's go inside."

Something tells me this is her first time-not the least of which is the heavy-handed treatment she's giving my dick-and every first time deserves a bed. After the first time, though, anywhere we can do it is free reign.

"We can't wait that long," she whispers against my lips, sending a shiver up my spine.

"And why is that?" I ask in the same hushed voice, trying to keep my head together. Goddess, she's taking the top off. Breathe, breathe, Link!

"Because I don't want to wait.' Nabooru lifts my clenched fists and rests them on her breasts again, as I fumble to form thought. "And you don't want to wait either, do you?"

I need to say something calm and calculated.

"You're right." Thank you, brain, for failing me in my moment of need.

She visibly shakes under my touch, moaning a little as I squeeze her nipples between my fingers. I find myself smiling as Nabooru allows her eyes to close, losing myself in the proceedings. Did I mention how much fun I'm having? No? Well I am, and my god her breasts are exquisite. Not freakishly large, not freakishly small, they're just that perfect medium. I've got to get me a taste. Whoa… Cinnamon, she actually tastes like cinnamon! I don't know what kind of soap she uses, but I can't wait to see how the rest of her tastes.

She moans gutturally, pushing my hat off and wounding her fingers in my hair as I continue to suck at her hardened little nipples. I know I'm rusty, but all I can get out of her is a sigh and a few moans? Although they're sweet moans, this just isn't going to do. In life, everything is a puzzle. It just so happens to be that Nabooru's one I'd like to solve very slowly. Life is good…

"Ahem!"

Please tell me that Nab made that sound. Her hands almost regretfully untangle from my hair, and the sultry moans I was enjoying are all gone. Shit.

"Uh, your highness, they're here," the interloping guard informs us.

I can tell she isn't watching us, which could afford me 10 minutes. That's all I need! Give me 10 minutes and…

"Mmmm, I-I'll be there in a moment," Nabooru replies evenly, even though I refuse to let go. The guard accepts this and walks away from us. A moment she says, did I mention I also like being the underdog? Damn near four years worth of sexual neglect, and she thinks I'll be through in a moment? "Hero, please… stop."

No! I let out a small groan, as I withdraw from her breast. I'm never one to deny a woman… unfortunately.

"Are you sure?" That's not to say I don't like to make them reconsider, and my slow teasing of her nipples is proof of that.

She looks me in the eye seriously, and says, "Please."

I remove my hands immediately this time. She sounds like she's begging, and that isn't the desired effect.

"Who are they?" I kneel to retrieve her top, dusting the purple garment off and trying to keep my sexual urges in line.

"They aren't important," she informs me, "I'll be back though." I help clasp the sling of cloth behind her neck, as Nabooru makes sure she's completely tucked in.

"I'll be here that's for damn sure." I laugh a little, licking my lower lip as she smiles. Her body is warm, I notice, sliding my arm around her waist and pulling her against me. As we share another kiss, the evidence of our exertion is seen in the lack of tension. Our tongues engage in a slow battle like we did so many years ago, yet, this time, with nothing more in mind than pleasure. No partially severed limbs, no extreme blood loss, but this moment is begging to be ruined all the same.

"Enough, for now," Nabooru says, pushing me off a little. Our hands stay connected as she begins to walk back to camp, before, finally, that contact is broken too. Now what? I might as well go look for a place to take a bath. Hell, the least I could do is smell fresh for our encounter. I could always jump in the river, but I really don't feel like walking the long way around to get back here.

Come on, there's probably a bathhouse or room somewhere in the fortress. Now that my dick's going down, I suppose it's safe to begin my own walk back to camp. I hear the roar of the fall slowly fade, as I round the corner and walk towards the fortress down the winding canyon's path. And to think I was planning to leave this place-idiocy, pure idiocy.

"Excuse me." I look to the shadows at my right awaiting the appearance of the voice's owner.

"Yeah?" True to voice, Sepaaru emerges from a shadowed alcove. She gives me a weird look, which probably has something to do with her still being beat up. "Sorry," I mutter, having forgotten everyone else isn't as big on the potions as I am. Damn, I didn't think I hit her that hard, though. Nothing's too fucked up, besides her eye, lips, cheeks, and bruised ego. Well, maybe something is a little fucked up.

"I beat you up worse than this and you're fine. Why aren't you hurt?"

Yeah, the ego's definitely wounded.

I laugh to myself, as she stalks beside me. "It's the fairy magic, kid."

Of course I know she isn't going to buy that.

"Do I look like an idiot?" And my conclusion is correct, as usual. "You have a secret and I want to know it." Ah, more fun with questions from the Gerudo.

"You look beat up," I kid, taking a light stab at her crestfallen ego. "But that is the truth. The Great Fairies gave me the ability to use fairy magic, and things christened with their magic. So, anything magical can heal me. And since Nabooru bought a magic potion, tada! Here I am."

"So you have magical powers? Prove it." I walked right into that one, didn't I?

"Okay, pick one of the three: Nayru's Love, Farore's Wind, or an oldie, but goodie, Din's Fire." Damn, I hope I can remember how to cast them.

Her eyebrows furrow for a moment, and then she says, "Farore's, do her wind thing."

I concur with her wish, concentrating on where I want to warp to. I wave my arms in opposite, circular directions, before I clasp them right over left at my right side, and then thrust them palm first into the air. Sepaaru gasps, as a column of green mystical energy shoots up from the ground and spins around me. Before long, an ambient ball of equally green energy floats above my palms, which is dispelled toward the entrance of the Haunted Wasteland.

"Now comes the wind part," I inform my now wide-eyed compatriot. "Give me your hand." It never worked before, but, what the hell, it might work now. After a few moments of sizing me up, Sepaaru extends her hand. The world turns white, as we're hopefully whisked away at my summons. "And that's Farore's Wind."

That's also the first time anyone has ever gone through the warp with me. Cool.

"Wow!" Do my ears deceive me? The girl actually said wow. I didn't think warriors were allowed to say that. Heh, whatever- I won't ruin her moment of childlike fun.

"Is that all?" I turn around to face the snidely little voice, only to find a man on a horse.

"Is what all?" I ask him, strolling back into the gate where he's situated.

"Link, I said I'd be back!" Nabooru blusters up, though, she seems a little embarrassed and nervous about something.

Shrugging it off, I reply, "I know." Escorting Sepaaru around the man's horse, we both come to a stop on opposite sides of Nabooru and her two guards. What are they doing with a chest?

"This is of no concern to you, boy!" snaps Mister Man-on-Horse. "Mistress Rova will not be pleased with this pathetic payment."

I don't know him and I hate him already.

"First of all, I'm nobody's boy," I tell the jackass in the cheap tunic. "Secondly, what the hell did this 'Rova' woman do that requires payment? And lastly, Mistress Rova is who or what exactly?"

I feel Nabooru tug at my hand in an attempt to make me shut up, but why? I could kill this mound of fat with a Deku Stick.

"Maybe I should teach you to show some respect." I roll my eyes in response to his empty words, turning to see what Nabooru's problem is.

"Nab, what's the pro…" My voice pauses, as the funny little man just hit me with a whip. Yeah, he cracked me right across the back. "Did he just hit me?" I ask in the guards' general direction. They all nod, but look away quickly.

"Leave him alone!" Nabooru shouts, jumping out in front of me.

"Try that again." I push Nabooru aside, because I'm going to make this fool and his teeth part ways. Even in the low light of the moon, I can see him rearing back again.

He snorts, replying, "As you w…ah!"

Catching the end of his whip, I snatch him to the ground where it is now my turn to begin the beating.

"I don't know," I respond offhandedly, kneeling down atop his chest. My fist meets his face, as I say, "Maybe it's just me," another punch connects with his jaw, "But I think it's extremely rude to hit people you don't even know." Three more… and I drop his head into the dirt. A lizalfos appears from behind his horse, which proves they all didn't die with Ganondorf after all. Oh well, that'll change.

"Kill him!" The battered errand boy shouts, coughing viciously between his words.

The lizalfos leaps over the horse and lands right in front of me, swinging its short sword blindly, as usual. Too bad it didn't give me time to draw my own weapon, but that's fine. Small note about the lizalfos: while they look ferocious, they're about as physically strong as Deku Scrubs. He thrusts right, I move left, and when he thrusts left, I move right. I don't know why Nabooru and crew haven't pitched in yet. Not like I need the help or anything, but knowing I have their support would be appreciated.

"Oh! A tail swipe, huh?" I laugh, as the monster screeches, and swings again. "Close," I whisper, noticing how it nearly forces me to stumble into my motionless backup.

I better stop this before someone gets hurt.

"Yah," I shout, ducking his overhand swipe and catching his sword-hand. As it screeches, I plunge my left fist into what little of its face isn't mouth. The lizalfos stumbles back, releasing his weapon to me, and shaking the cobwebs off. Goddess, I don't want to do this. But, I know these things keep fighting unless they die. Steadying my hand, I roll forward on the ground and bury the sword in the beast's chest, just as he takes his claws away from its face.

"Aaaargh!" The foul aroma of the monster's tainted blood blows through the summer air, as it splashes all over the place to accompany the creature's death throws. Damn, I stuck him deep to hit the black blood. At long last, the monster falls, clawing feebly for its life before succumbing to death like so many of its brethren.

I draw my own sword now, experience dictating that lizalfos always come in pairs.

"I know you're out there," I whisper into the still air, fanning my blade slowly from left to right. I can feel the beady little eyes watching me from its camouflaged hiding place. Nabooru, Sepaaru, and a newly assembled group of guards are watching me now, but so is something else… "Gotcha!"

I suddenly leap at the crowd, thrusting my sword ahead of me. Just shy of hitting Nabooru, it embeds deeply into something no one else sees. Eventually a low gurgle is heard, as the invisible monster's cloaking ability fades, and reveals a dead lizalfos hanging by its throat from my weapon. He convulses a little, but yields to the blood loss.

With a little effort, I place my boot on the dead beast's chest and remove him from my sword. As I see their faces, I decide to move him out of view of the disgusted and slightly shaken spectators. Even though she'd never admit it, this is scaring Sepaaru. Throwing the lifeless creature upon its foul kin, I focus on their owner.

"This didn't need to happen," I tell the cowering little maggot. My voice falls into that creepy, emotionless tone that I've developed over the years. "Since it did happen, tell me who this Mistress Rova is. Or, as you can see, the alternative isn't one that promises you a long lifetime."

His eyes scan the corpses, before looking up at me with terror in his eyes.

"M-M-M-Mistress Rova," he stutters, as I slowly begin to smile. I like that look of fear in his eyes for some reason.

"Never mind," I reply, watching him continue to bobble her name over and over again. "What is she charging the Gerudo for?"

Staring directly into the coward's eyes, I await his response to this question.

"D-D-Desert tax… They owe her monthly desert tax."

"To my knowledge, the Gerudo already owned the desert." I dig my sword into the ground at my left side, using it like a cane. "And, correct me if I'm wrong, but the kingdom of Hyrule collected taxes last month. Here's the kicker: they only collect once a year, too. So, here's what you're going to do for me." I pick him up by his collar, placing him on wobbly legs. "Tell your mistress that she's not going to be paid-not this month, or next month, or ever again for that matter. Do you understand me?" The voice sounds friendly, but the emotionless look on my face remains the same.

"Y-Yes sir," he agrees.

From boy to sir in less than 30 minutes, I'm glad he understands me. Taking a deep breath, I turn to assess the mental damage to my spectators. As I take up my sword and begin to walk back to Nabooru and the others, I see fit to tell them, "I'll clean them up in the morning."

"Link," Nab calls out to me suddenly, but it's too late.

Reacting out of pure instinct to the pain, I perform a spin slash. I didn't even charge the spin with magic, yet as the arrow sticks through my left forearm, I can only focus on the grim expression on Nabooru's face. I turn around to see exactly what I've done, and to find the man is still standing there with his mini crossbow aimed at me. However, his head isn't on his shoulders. A geyser of blood erupts from his neck just as his body begins to fall backwards into the dirt.

"Shit…" At times like this, I can't help but think: "If a cold look frightened her, what the fuck is she going to think about me now?" Fat bastard… all he had to do was leave! No! Let's be a dumb-ass and shoot the crazy guy with the sword! This day is not ending on a high note.

"Nabooru, I'm sorry," I sigh, shutting my eyes and turning to face her. Whoa! She's a little closer than I thought she'd be.

"Let me see your arm," she demands, not a friendly tone, but at least she's still speaking.

"It's nothing," I reply to her inspection, "it went straight through."

Nothing, that is, if you don't mind having an arrow straight through your arm. Her eyes narrow into small slants and that can't be a good sign.

"Ouch! What the hell did you do that for?" Damn it! She didn't have to wiggle the thing!

"That's something," Nabooru comments evenly.

"Like I said," I snap the arrowhead off, "it's nothing."

I complement this action with the sick sound of the arrow body being removed from the deep sinew of my arm. Her eyes widen in face of that, and I pretend not to notice, because I'm trying to see if I can still move my hand.

"Now, what are we going to do?" Nabooru adds, throwing me a rather spiteful gaze. "That Rova wench has captured and killed some of my best women. This at least brought us peace, now you've just ruined it!"

Well, that wasn't the thanks I thought I'd get.

There's something I'm missing. The name Rova… it sounds familiar.

"Her?" In retrospect, it's a silly thing to blankly say.

"Huh?" Nabooru says forgetting her anger for a… nope, there it is again.

"Twinrova, it's these two goofy witches who used to work for Ganondorf," I tell her. "They're old and funny looking separate, but when they combine they become Twinrova, also known as the wench you've been paying." I can beat her easily. Hell, I could beat her with the one arm.

"I know that, but it still doesn't change the fact that we don't have the forces to defend against her magic," Nabooru replies in a rather defeated tone, unable to hold face even in front of her people.

Enter me.

"I can always kill her for you." My carefree tone of voice is met with a horrified expression. And now she's looking at me like this is my fault. Enough of this crap. "Look, she's screwing you and your people around! I can and I will destroy her for that. So stop looking at me like I'm the monster here! I kill in self-defense, or when the people I love are violated!" And while I'm writing my own ticket for expulsion, let's go on and seal the deal. "You two grab a lizalfos and dump it in the river. Sepaaru, you take our new horse to the track. I'll get the head and its body and bury it in the sand. Go!"

I'm tired, I'm in pain, and I'm pissed-I do not need this shit right now.

Sepaaru rushes for the horse, while the two guards grab a carcass each and make for the river.

"You, I'll talk with later."

Nabooru just glares at me in lieu of the little outburst. No time to worry about that, though. I have a grave to dig… blah. This moron goes in the quicksand. Interesting expression for a dead man don't you think? Eyes frozen with fear, mouth open, and I bet he didn't even have time to realize what happened. I grab his feet and prop his head between his legs, as I begin to pull. Weird, there's no sandstorm here anymore…must be the witch's work.

"Come on, you heavy bastard." Don't talk bad about the dead? Ha! He tried to add me to the ranks, so screw him. One, two, and three! "Rest in pieces."

Get it? Rest in pieces? What do you mean that's a bad pun? You have no sense of humor. This is going to be an interesting night of apologizing. One minute we're cute and cuddly, the next I'm decapitating desert pirates. She's going to dump me, isn't she? I've screwed up more in a day than should be possible.

It was kind of nice having someone I could argue with for a change. I usually just stuck to agreeing with everything Zelda said. Keep the peace and she'll keep me was the ideology back then. But I came out here and got a fresh start with Nabooru, scare her, decapitate a man in front of a child, and I deserve to be happy? Why? Maybe that's why the goddesses kept me attached to Zelda for so long. They knew I wasn't fit to have a companion, because if I ever became too comfortable around the woman I loved, and felt equal with her, I'd do something like this.

I think I'll just give up adventuring when she drops me. Perhaps I'll go live in one of the abandoned Skulltula Houses in Termina. That way I won't meet another woman who I'll fall in love with to a point of idol worship like a lap dog. Or, better yet, I won't meet another woman I'll fall in love with and feel so unrestricted by that I'll go and kill a man in front of her. He's fully submerged now, so let's go. I'd really like to blame the goddesses for screwing this up, but I can't because this all on me.

Should've just waited like she told me to, and then I could've still had someone, and then I would've been happy. Should've, would've, could've-three words that, if followed, can prevent disaster on all fronts. Walking back through the gate, I see her standing there-hands on her hips and a frown on her lips. I guess it's time to step up and meet fate once again. I don't care if she doesn't want me… okay, so I lie like a rug. Even so, I'll still get Twinrova for her as soon as I take a day for my arm.

"I know I've probably worn out my welcome, mutilating your guests and all…" My grace-saving speech is shot to shit feeling her arms embrace me again.

"You actually love us?" Where the hell did she get that idea?

I don't think I said anything about love, I said, "When the people I love are violated…" no, that was different.

What about what I said in the desert?

"Or, better yet, I won't meet another woman I'll fall in love with and feel so unrestricted by that I'll go and kill a man in front of her." No see, what I meant to say was…uh…um… shit. You pay too much attention to me, you know that?

"I love you, Nabooru," I admit as though it was a forgotten truth. "I don't know about them, but you I'm sure."

There is something off about me. I've been here a total of three days, heading into a fourth, and I'm in love? Two of the days I was unconscious. One day I'm mostly fighting. The early morning of the fourth, I kill a man and two lizalfos, all to end up in love again. Hopefully, I won't end up wandering back across Hyrule Field in exile this time around. Speaking of which, she hasn't said anything about me yet.

"Is the silence a sign that this was a joke? Or are you planning to cast me off, too?" After the methodically slow part with Zelda, I need to know these things immediately now.

"I don't cast off the people I love." Her head rubbing cutely against my chest accompanies her small-voiced answer.

"Sure we should be doing this? People can see us after all." I place my arms around hers to see how far she's willing to let this go.

"If they think I'm weak, I'll be more than happy to demonstrate why I'm queen." She continues to rub herself against me, as I laugh at her bravado. Another one of these perfect moments that screams, "Ruin me!"

Ask and you shall receive, I notice upon hearing the footsteps.

"The bodies were disposed of," one of the guards tells us, ignoring the compromising position we're in.

"And I tied the horse down," Sepaaru adds in a rather upbeat tone of voice.

I figured she'd be pissed about being ordered around more than anyone, glad that she isn't, though.

"Good," Nabooru notes, eyes never leaving mine. "Close the gate, and make sure that no Gerudo leaves until we're prepared to storm the colossus."

"Yes ma'am," they all reply, moving along to fill the request.

"Hero," Nabooru coos, resting her chin on my chest while giving me a poignant look.

"Hmm?" Nothing beats a simple noise to answer a lady.

"You do realize your arm is pouring blood down my back, right?"

Goddess, damn it! The son of a bitch is spoiling the mood from the grave! Easy, easy, I've got to answer this calmly.

"Um, it's not what it feels like?" I succeeded with calm, but the intelligence factor on that makes a Stalchild seem gifted.

"Come with me, Hero. Let's get the wound cleaned before you get an infection."

This is going to be a long night… morning… oh, to hell with it! It's just going to be a long time. I'll catch up with you once she's done fixing my arm.