Legend of Zelda Fan Stuff

Unlike at their camp in Misty Falls, the fact that her slip was wet made it nearly transparent, and as she'd moved, the full swells of her breasts were much easier to see straining against the fabric as she wrapped the fur around herself again.

The sight made him forget where they were.  Why is she in just a slip again?

As Link fought his momentary confusion, Zelda grabbed her satchel and opened it to inspect their belongings, sighing to find a lump of soaked bread. Shaking her head, she threw the ruined food into the fire, then proceeded to ensure everything else was still intact.

Thankfully, the jar holding their fairy was fine, and she next opened a vial of potion to check the scent.

By then, Link finally managed to snap himself out of his stupor, but only to find himself watching her work as the fire warmed them over time. He recalled doing something similar in Misty Falls, and briefly wondered why it was so hard to tear his gaze away from her.

"You know, that was a switch back there."

Blinking, it took him a moment to figure out what she'd said, and even then, he had no idea what she was talking about. So, determined not to make a fool of himself, he threw out an arbitrary agreement.

"Yes, it was."

Replacing their belongings in the satchels, she qualified, "I never thought I'd have to save your life that way, and it honestly scared me. I felt like we were back on Death Mountain again and you were about to fall. I'm just glad history didn't repeat itself, though I think the Zora were already there and would've helped if I couldn't reach you in time."

Realizing she was referring to how he'd fallen overboard, Link related, “I'm sorry I scared you like that, but I'd rather you have saved me anyway.”

Smiling at him, the thought of jumping into the lake reminded Zelda of what she'd seen beneath the water's surface, and she was quick to point it out. "Oh, I forgot to mention that when we were underwater, I saw the Temple of Water. It's completely submerged in the lake.”

“Really?” Considering it for a moment, Link mused, "No wonder Myriad said we'd have to visit Zora's Domain before we could enter it. I wonder how they'll help us with that."

“I suppose we'll find out soon enough,” Zelda suggested, adding, “but it means we'll have to get wet again you know?"

"Yeah, I just thought of that," he remarked, wondering if there was any reason to dry out their clothing after all.

As he considered the situation, Zelda watched him drift off into thought. He seemed so focused, as if trying to prepare for whatever hardships awaited them in the temple, or simply wondering what they might be, and she wished she could provide an answer if only because of his somber expression.

The look suggested he had a million things on his mind, but no idea where to start—and why wouldn't he? Not only did they have a temple completely submerged in a lake to fight through, but he also had to ensure her safety until they could find Dragmire's orb and destroy it.

Zelda truly hated that he had to carry such a burden, and reached for his hand while moving to sit closer in the hopes of offering comfort.

The movement caught his attention, and he lifted an arm to place around her shoulders without questioning her motives as she leaned against his side. Still, she got the feeling he already understood her desire to provide support and didn't say a word, allowing her own thoughts to drift over various matters.

Yet for all the problems they faced, she found the foremost thing on her mind to be the kiss they'd shared on the boat, not to mention how much she'd enjoy a repeat session.

And she wasn't certain if she should.

Not that it felt wrong—quite the opposite in fact. The entire time, she could scarcely believe she was kissing him so passionately, the way their tongues met and twined together evoking sensations she'd never experienced. Her entire body tingled, leaving her unable to do anything but cling to him, and the simple memory of it had her breathless even now.

It made her question where they stood with each other emotionally, and what boundaries lie between them, or more specifically, what boundaries should lie between them.

Dismissing the ten years during their separation, they'd always been close friends, adoptive siblings with no family aside from each other and Alma who was taken from them at a very young age. That was how they were used to things being, and growing up together left them comfortable with each other—perhaps too comfortable.

After all, if care wasn't taken, their romantic feelings could easily distract them from more urgent matters, and maybe even cause them to make a few mistakes.

She also knew they were both hesitant because of their futures, unsure what their lives might look like when all was said and done—not that they'd been given much of a chance to talk more about their feelings since admitting them. Instead, they were merely enjoying each others' company in silence, sitting together so close because it simply felt right.

It wasn't awkward, nor did it feel like something they shouldn't be doing, at least, not to her. So it couldn't be completely wrong, could it?

During her thoughts, she unwittingly snuggled closer into his side just as he asked, "Still cold?"

At the question, she gazed up into his eyes, realizing the cold was all but forgotten. Yet she found herself nodding with a small smile in the hopes that he might kiss her again.

Seeing the playful look in her eyes, he knew she was simply looking for another kiss, and would've found it cutely humorous if the prospect hadn't caused his heart to beat five different directions in a single thump.

The sensation had his voice raspy in asking, "Want me to fix it again?"

With a pretty pink hue staining her cheeks, she nodded slowly while leaning up to meet her lips to his—and just like that, nothing else seemed to matter.

If it was wrong for them to harbor feelings for each other, she was in deep trouble. There was no way she could've stemmed the swell of emotion she felt for him as their lips pressed together, any hesitancy toward furthering their romantic involvement fading to a dim memory in those moments.

Instead of backing away, she latched her arms around his sides, allowing her lips to part and their tongues to meet, leaving her just as breathlessly dizzy as before—and it wasn't simply a matter of physical enjoyment feeding her emotions. It was also the affection she could sense in the way he kissed her, the care he took in holding her as his fingers thread through her damp hair and the loving way his mouth slanted over hers.

If she ever questioned the way he felt, the answer was right there, and waiting didn't matter. Modesty didn't matter. Social status didn't matter.

Only he mattered—and she wanted him to know it.

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But it became easier when Zelda lifted her head and gazed over his shoulder, remarking, “Oh, there's a home near the shore with smoke rising from the chimney.”

Finally releasing her, Link turned around to see what she was talking about, and surely enough, a red house elevated on stilts stood several meters north of their position—the same direction from which Epona had rejoined them.

With three docks stretching out into the water where numerous boats were tethered and a small tool shed nearby, the horse tracks led directly there, and they wasted no time making their way toward it.

As they rounded the corner of the shed, Frost came into view tethered to a post next to the side of the home. Relieved to see him, Zelda immediately approached the horse and remarked, “I guess now all we need to do is find your missing satchel.”

Nodding, they stopped long enough to inspect Frost, finding that he didn't have any visible marks—and Zelda's satchels were also gone.

Rolling her eyes, she ignored the stolen items for the moment in favor of casting the healing spell she'd learned in the fairy cave on both horses. That way, they'd know for sure any minor injuries sustained wouldn't cause the animals problems, and after Link tethered Epona next to Frost, he rounded the corner leading to the front of the home with Zelda right behind him.

There, they found a walkway made of planks leading from the docks to a ramp connecting with the home's front porch, and sitting at the bottom of the wooden incline was the thief. Crouched over their satchels, the young man was going through their things and tossing aside whatever he considered useless—until he came across Lyonel's flute which he regarded curiously.

It wasn't until Link's shadow crossed over him that he took notice of their presence, glancing back to see the Hylians coming up behind him.

Instantly, the thief gasped and pushed himself up to run away again, dropping the flute in the process. But Link wasn't having it, swiftly rushing forward to tackle him onto his stomach.

As sand flew around them, Zelda also moved in and grabbed the young man's arm, allowing Link to take the other and pull him onto his feet. Doing so, it was easy to see that he was scared, and didn't appear to have any truly malicious intentions. But that didn't stop him from trying to escape, starting by shoving Zelda away as she was physically weaker and easier to move from his path.

As a result, she stumbled backwards and landed on her hip against the walkway with a sharp yelp of pain.

And Link's response was immediate.

Balling his right fist, he sent it sailing into the thief's jaw, putting enough strength into it to send him falling backwards.

Landing only a few feet away from Zelda, he grunted and drew out, “Gah, okay! I give! Just don't do that again, you hit hard!"

Rolling his eyes with a low grumble, Link joined Zelda to help her up, though she didn't seem to be injured, or even still in pain. Instead, she was staring at him in surprise over the way he'd defended her—hoping all the while that her blush wasn't noticeable as this was hardly the time for notions of admiration.

So she let him help her up and confirmed that she was alright before informing the thief in response to his complaints, “Well it serves you right for stealing people's horses and going through their things! You really should be ashamed of yourself."

Sitting up while still rubbing his jaw, the thief replied, "I'm sorry, lady! But I'm not really a thief, honest! So maybe I did deserve it, but I only stole them because the rev–," he abruptly stopped and amended, "I mean, rupees are tight and my grandmother needs the money."

Link and Zelda exchanged a knowing look over the way he'd changed his wording, neither needing to ask if the other thought he was about to say the revolt—and it wasn't a surprise. Myriad said the revolt was forming around Lake Hylia and that several young people had joined, meaning he was likely one of them.

So they both shrugged and reached down to offer their hands and help him up.

In response, he peered up at them with confusion in his eyes. But if he thought their offer of assistance seemed strange after everything he'd done, he didn't comment on it and finally took their hands.

Once he was on his feet again, Link stepped back and asked, "What were you really going to say? The rev … .”

"Nothing!" he retorted loudly, continuing without pause, "Not a thing, honest. But look, don't tell my grandmother about this, alright? She's asleep right now, and she'd have my backside if she found out I stole horses. I mean, you caught me, so there's no harm done, right?"

Zelda arched a single brow before crossing her arms over her chest as Link planted a hand against his hip, neither of them sure if they should just let him get away with what he'd done so easily.

Seeing their looks, he cringed and drew out, "Oh come on!"

Link rolled his eyes as Zelda sighed. But before either could respond, the front door of the home opened and a woman's voice called out, "Cody! Where did you run off to, young man?"

Fidgeting at the sound of the voice calling him, Cody gave them a pleading look before taking off between them with the words, “I'm right here, Grandma!”

Turning around as he passed, Link and Zelda watched him heading toward an elderly woman now standing on the front porch. With long, curly gray hair, she was rather short and stood with the assistance of a cane while patiently waiting for her grandson to join her.

Keeping his voice low once they were alone, Link asked Zelda, "Should we tell her?"

Pursing her lips in consideration over the matter, she replied, "Well, we did find our horses. So I don't see the harm in keeping it a secret, though … .”

Trailing as she looked down at their belongings now strewn about the sand, she sighed and started the task of gathering everything to pack into the satchels, concluding, "With as loud as he is, I hope she's hard of hearing, otherwise he just got himself into trouble."

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Being torn between staying with Link and going to Hyrule Palace for the sake of her parents was simply unpleasant. Still, it was difficult to say how unpleasant without knowing the precise reason her parents were beckoning to her from the start. To take the throne? Restore her family name?

Or was it to clear up any misconceptions concerning the circumstances surrounding their deaths?

Without an answer, she couldn't begin to fathom the meaning behind Link's appearance and whether it was just a facet of her worry for their future, or something more prophetic. The thought had her wishing it was possible to consult Impa, but her mentor's fate was still a mystery after they were forced to abandon her at the Temple of Time. Goddesses, please let her be okay.

Still, there was another just as well-versed in such matters as the Sheikah she could consult—Myriad.

At the very least, the Sage of Light could make a few suggestions over the meaning of her dreams, and at the thought, Zelda pushed herself up with intentions of getting their day started.

Yet she regretted abandoning the warmth of the blankets as soon as she stood, shivering over the chill in the air. It seemed each day, the weather was growing colder, and at this rate, it wouldn't be surprising if they saw a little snow soon, making Link's decision to acquire a cloak in Engleton seem like a good idea.

Restarting their fire to warm their temporary camp as well as to cook a bite to eat, she took a moment as the meat cooked to retrieve the dress Kiama had gifted her with the evening before. A deep burgundy color with a scoop neck and long sleeves, it was very pretty. Even better, the material was thick, meaning it would be warm to wear.

So she donned the garment followed by tying the upper half of her hair back, realizing in the process that the neckline of her dress was just low enough to show off her amulet.

It was the first time she'd ever worn the bauble in plain sight, and all things considered, the matter didn't seem like a huge issue anymore. Perhaps someone would identify her because of it, which could spell trouble in certain situations, and yet, a part of her liked the thought of displaying it.

So she left it where it was for now and finished tying the strings lacing the bodice of her dress, then focused on cooking their meals. As for drinks, they had plenty of water—the pool nearby was clean and their canisters were already fully. Yet Shamrock had provided plenty of tea and honey to make her favorite drink before they'd left Kakariko, and she decided to make some if only to get their day started on the right foot.

Once everything was ready, she finally moved over to Link and knelt to gently shake his shoulder while whispering his name. But he only waved his hand as if shooing a fly, causing her to snicker softly.

Ever since they were children, he'd liked to sleep in—she used to stand next to his bed repeating his name and dodging pillows until he finally roused. Thankfully, he didn't have any pillows to swing at her now aside from the blanket roll, not that she intended to employ the same method of waking him.

Instead, she had a new trick in her arsenal to test out, blushing as she leaned in to press her lips against his cheek, then said his name again.

Sadly, it didn't work. Sighing, Zelda wondered if a kiss on the lips might garner better results, and decided it couldn't hurt to try. So she canted her head, but only made it halfway when Link leaned up and kissed her without warning.

Eyes going wide, she jumped just after their lips met, sitting back to stare—and he was grinning from ear to ear.

Spying the mischievous expression, she gasped and exclaimed, "You were awake!"

Snickering, his eyes finally opened to regard her with the words, "Since you said my name and I waved my hand because I didn't want to get up, yeah."

"You're so immature!"

If possible, his grin grew bigger. “I just wanted to see if you'd kiss me or not, and thought I would surprise you."

"Oh!" she groused in frustration, sitting back with her arms folded over her chest—not that she was truly upset. He was simply too playful for his own good … or was it her own good?

Regardless, she wouldn't have changed anything about him. His playfulness kept things interesting—it was just a matter of never admitting her appreciation for it, otherwise he’d probably never stop.

So, to keep herself from smiling, she grabbed some of the food she'd prepared along with a cup of honey tea and handed it over with the words, "There, Mr. Trickster, some breakfast."

"Thanks," he returned, still smirking.

As they got started on their meals, Link knew Zelda wasn't as incensed by his trickery as she tried to appear. There was an amused glint in her eyes as she'd handed his food over, and even now, she looked to be fighting a smile.

Not that he could fully focus on the matter, too distracted by her outfit to pay much attention. A deep, burgundy dress graced her figure, calling to mind the way Kiama had asked if she'd packed a dress before they left Engleton, and this must've been it. With long sleeves and a scoop neck, she looked lovely, though he was surprised to see she hadn't removed her amulet considering the outfit left it in plain sight.

Maybe it was a sign that she was growing more comfortable with her true identity, or she simply hadn't realized it was visible, in which case he felt the need to ask, “Do you know your amulet is showing?”

Looking down after sipping her tea, Zelda nodded and replied, “I know. I just don't see a reason to hide it any longer, but if it becomes a problem, I can store it in my belt pouch.”

Nodding, he finished his meal with a smile, glad she was showing it off, and not simply because it was a sign of acceptance. It was also nice to see the amulet he'd kept for ten years around the neck of the girl he'd wanted so desperately to remember, finding it served as a reminder of how important to him she truly was.

Still, as he stood to don the rest of his clothing and gear, he couldn't help thinking he didn't really need the reminder. His feelings for her were too strong to ever forget.

Considering it while buckling his harnesses and belt, he turned around to find Zelda rolling up the blankets and storing them on their horses' saddles. It was the most mundane of tasks, but he felt as if he could've watched her all morning, and found himself recalling all the times he'd denied himself a chance to get closer to her, or more specifically, to kiss her.

Such an urge was rising now, and after their confession the previous day, resisting wasn’t as integral to keep things moving smoothly. So, as he approached Epona where Zelda stood packing their belongings, he made up his mind.

As she turned to clear a path and make her way to Frost, he reached over and hooked his fingers into the back of her belt with a gentle tug. Feeling it, she cast a questioning look over her shoulder but didn't resist the way he drew her in, ready to ask what he was doing when her back met his chest and her lips were sealed with a gentle kiss.

Instantly, she sucked in a breath she forgot to release, eyes closing as his arms carefully wound around her sides. The way his lips brushed over hers was slow and very sweet, sweeping every other thought away—not to mention her equilibrium.

By the time it broke, she could only lean against him while resting her forehead against his cheek.

"What was that for?" she whispered.

"Just because I love you," he replied just as softly, adding with a mild shrug, "and I wanted to."

Letting a soft snicker, her fingertips brushed across his opposite cheek, and he smiled, ready to turn his head and kiss her palm as well. But just as he prepared to do so, the sound of water sloshing caught his attention.

Emanating from the pool behind them, Link looked back with narrowed brows, scanning the water’s surface for the source. At the same time, he released Zelda when she also turned to see what was making the sounds, and that's when the pair detected movement in the water.

Heading in from a path in the pool that tapered off into a stream, it appeared to be a moving lily pad at first, one which soon stopped near the shallow edge of the rocky shore—and the creature beneath it lifted its head above the water's surface. With wide, white eyes and a snout sporting a mouth formed into a perpetual O shape, it lifted the tip to point in their direction.

Without pause, Link reached for his shield just as a low fwoo sounded with a rock shooting from the octorok's mouth. Flying swiftly, the projectile smacked Link's hip mere seconds before he could use his shield to block it.

"Ow," he drew out, rubbing the sting out of his hip with a glare in the creature's direction. “Rude.”

Yet the octorok wasn't done, rearing back as if to spit another rock—this time at Zelda.

“Oh no you don't,” Link objected, moving toward the pool while simultaneously blocking his foe's shot.

But as he drew in closer, the creature dove underwater and burrowed into the rocks to hide, causing him to stop with a low, frustrated grumble.

Shaking her head, Zelda remarked, "Come on, let's just get out of here before more of these things come along."

"Right," Link returned, gazing at the lily pad floating on the water's surface for a moment longer as she mounted Frost.

Glancing over to spy him finally turning away from the pool and heading to Epona's saddle, she noticed the octorok resurfacing the moment Link's back was turned. Eyes going wide, she parted her lips to call a warning just as it shot another rock at him.

And her warning turned out to be unnecessary.

Proving he was fully aware of the creature's ploy, he turned and swung his shield around, performing the movement so swiftly she was sure he hadn't actually seen the rock coming. But it pinged against his shield anyway, sending it sailing right back toward the octorok.

Like clockwork, the rock smacked the creature directly in the forehead, knocking it out cold. With a splash of water, the octorok began drifting harmlessly on the pool's surface, and Link grinned, pointing with a loud, “Hah!”

Snickering, Zelda applauded his performance while exclaiming, "Bravo, well done!”

Replacing his shield followed by dusting his hands off, he gave a mock bow with the words, “Thank you, but I won't be here all evening.”

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"Then you admit it?" Betarro asked, riding in closer before adding, "How do we know for sure she wasn't in on your murdering plans?"

Murder? Link's fists clenched in anger. What has that bastard done?

Doing his best to tap down his seething emotions, Link waved a hand toward Zelda as if to cut her off from the situation completely, insisting, "She's not involved! If you saw me, then it must have been me, right?"

"Link!" Zelda gasped, unwilling to let him take responsibility for his dark half's actions just to protect her virtue.

But Betarro looked ready to jump from his horse and tackle Link, drowning her out by yelling, "You little!–"

"Betarro!" Olnor snapped, inserting his horse between his friend's and Link before the big man's temper could get the best of him. "Calm down! I'm the town's elder councilman, so I'll handle this. You just let me do the talking."

Proving they were friends, or at the very least that Olnor had the town's respect, Betarro actually calmed down—not that he looked happy about it. But his silence allowed Olnor to give Link his undivided attention, and he regarded the Hylian quietly.

Like Betarro, Olnor was a larger man, with dark salt and pepper hair and a neatly trimmed beard giving him a wise look. Thankfully, he also began explaining what had happened to Link, suggesting he had no intentions of judging without due process.

“This morning, close to dawn, someone boarded up a house and then set it aflame. Betarro saw a young man leaving the home, but had to get help as the flames started to consume the residence, allowing the criminal time to escape. By the time the fires were doused, the residents were all dead, and two other homes caught fire as well. Thankfully, those families got out in time, though three of our men were severely injured while stopping the blaze.”

Narrowing his gaze on Link, he asked sternly, “Are you admitting to these crimes?”

Link couldn't immediately respond. Each word Olnor spoke made him angrier than the last, his teeth and fists clenched tight. Furthermore, he couldn't say he was guilty because it was a lie, and yet Betarro would insist he'd committed the crimes if only because he had seen Link that morning.

He'd just seen the wrong one.

During his thoughts, Olnor's question rang out more forcefully.

"Are you admitting to these crimes!”

"Enough of this!” Betarro interjected. “They won't admit it, so just seize them both!"

“No.” Link countered firmly enough to get their attention, glaring between them. He couldn't lie and say he was guilty, and he also couldn't allow Zelda to become involved.

So he immediately told them the truth.

“She wasn't there, and had no idea it was taking place."

"We can't know that for sure," Olnor responded more calmly than Betarro probably could've given his state of ire. "If we don't–"

"She won't leave the village as long as I'm here," Link interrupted on a serious tone of voice, adding, "and if you leave her out of this, I'll go with you peacefully."

Olnor raised his brows in surprise, glancing first at Zelda, then at the rest of the townsfolk gathered as he considered it. In turn, Betarro placed a hand on the man's shoulder and leaned in to whisper something.

The inaudible words made Link restless, but Olnor finally nodded and agreed to his terms with a stipulation involved.

"Very well, but on the condition that your lady friend is placed on house arrest in one of our unoccupied homes until we can get to the bottom of this. She'll be bothered by no one, and your horses will go with her."

"Link, don't–"

"It's a deal," he interrupted without hesitation, looking back to shake his head at her in a manner he hoped communicated his desire to keep her out of an actual jail cell. After all, if his dark half was lurking nearby, the chances were good he'd use Link's imprisonment as an opportunity to launch an attack—possibly by burning down the jailhouse with him inside.

Of course, that wouldn't stop him from trying to harm Zelda while she was being held within a home in town, but at least this way, she'd have a much better chance of actually escaping. So he didn't resist when Olnor directed some of the men to apprehend him.

As they grabbed Link's arms to shackle behind his back, Olnor dismounted his horse and approached Zelda, directing gently, "If you would come with me please, my lady."

She barely managed a nod, her gaze fixed on Link as the townsfolk took him into custody. A sense of helplessness assailed her at the sight, her heart in the pit of her stomach as Betarro gripped his upper arm and pushed him forward so hard that Link stumbled.

Without his hands to catch his fall, he toppled face forward into the dirt.

“Link!” she gasped, releasing Frost's reins to go to him, but Olnor grasped her upper arm.

Struggling to reach her friend, she only stopped when he snapped at Betarro loudly enough to get everyone's attention.

"Betarro! That is not necessary. He's going peacefully, and if you can't return the courtesy, I'll place you on house arrest as well and find someone to replace you until this is over.”

Instantly, Betarro's expression turned contrite as he nodded and—thankfully—proceeded with their apprehension by helping Link back up to lead away properly.

As they departed, Olnor sighed, then turned to Zelda and stated, “I apologize for Betarro's behavior. We're all angry over what's happened, but his temper is explosive. Still, it doesn't last long, and soon he'll come to question this situation as I am."

As Link disappeared from sight with the townsfolk, Zelda finally turned her gaze up at Olnor's face, her brow narrowed angrily despite the relief his words provided. Yet her ire wasn't directed at Olnor, or even Betarro. Despite the way he'd treated her friend, she could understand his enmity toward someone he believed had murdered citizens of his community—and he had every reason to think Link was the culprit.

But he most certainly wasn't, and her anger was at Link's dark half, a fact she didn't hesitate to point out.

"I should hope he does so soon, Olnor, because Link didn't do this, and we both know who did.”

Curiosity lit in Olnor's dark eyes. “Who?”

Glad she'd at least captured his attention, Zelda did her best to explain it in the most believable fashion possible. “It's someone who's trying to kill Link. He's been following us for half a month now and causing all kinds of problems.”

“Then why did your friend allow himself to be apprehended?”

Frowning, Zelda gazed in the direction they'd taken her friend and answered, “Because he was trying to protect me while avoiding an altercation. But the one following us won't hesitate to take advantage of this situation, and when he comes back, you'll have to let Link go, or be the cause of even more bloodshed."

Olnor genuinely listened to Zelda's claim, nodding as he began escorting her along with the words, "I'll keep my eyes open for anything strange, my lady. I'm not one to want to imprison someone innocent, much less invite more bloodshed if it can be avoided.”

Zelda hoped that was true, and spent the rest of their walk in silence.

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