Blood Moon: A Story Before the Calamity

Chapter 34

It was a few days later. Hyrule Castle dawned bright and crisp, sunlight streaming in through the tall glass windows. Zelda had just returned from an overnight praying session, feeling weak and exhausted. It had been particularly disastrous, with her barely holding on till the end and left, completely torn apart, sobbing into her hands. Link had been quick to pull her out of the water, but he stood away from her as she slept it off, making her crave his warmth more than ever.

She entered her room, wanting nothing more than some tea and a good book. Her tired eyes fell on some papers on her desk, and she rubbed her eyes as she pulled out her chair and sat to read over the reports she would later have to present to the counsel, as it was meeting day.

Her eyes slid over the words, leaving behind no understanding or recollection. She soon found that she had been reading the same paragraph over and over, and, giving up, collapsed on her bed.

Head mercifully empty of difficult thoughts, Zelda let her mind drift aimlessly as she struggled not to doze off, feeling the sun's warmth through the window on her cheeks, debating whether or not to get up from bed and close the curtains because the light was in her eyes.

She sighed softly, sinking deeper into her mattress. Sleepiness was taking over, and through half-hearted struggles and reminders of the meeting soon, she slid from consciousness and fell asleep.

However, one wall away, Link was far from relaxed. Although he had stayed up half the night for the past few days to coach Zelda's fighting, and didn't get any sleep at all last night, the prospect of sleep seemed ridiculous at this moment.

He had been notified that the Hylian Army will meet Ganon's forces tomorrow at 7 a.m. sharp, and they would be glad to have him there if he could make it... His hands itched to fight, to taste blood, to feel the rightness of battle coursing through his hungry veins... But he couldn't fight this battle, one of the most important ones because of the Hylian proactiveness, a proof of lack of fear, instead of being forced to fight by monster attacks! One of the most decisive battles and he wouldn't even be there! All because he had to attend to the Princess and her pointless praying!

At this point, Link hopped off his perch on the edge of the bed and resumed his pacing. It was funny, how everything led back to Zelda.

Was it normal, how he felt for her?

Of course it was normal. She did, in fact... and a pang shot through Link's chest... remind him of Aryll. He had found solace, comfort, in her. Have they not been living somewhat like brother and sister all this time, laughing at stupid things, rolling their eyes but admiring each other all the same? Spending so much time in each other's company, it was impossible for them not to become close. After all, he had told her the ugliest, most demeaning secret he held, buried in the darkest part of his soul, and she had not turned away, but became closer to his heart than ever...

He shook his head, scowling. There was no point in overthinking it. She was a much better person than she gave herself credit for, but Link will forever be just her shadow. That was how it was. That was how they were raised to be.

And yet, and yet...

Suddenly Link noticed the time. It was fifteen minutes to the meeting time. He found it strange that Princess Zelda hadn't been calling him already. He knocked her door. No reply. He twisted the knob cautiously and slowly opened it.

And there she was, asleep, wearing a faint smile on her relaxed face. Link was suddenly keenly aware of the heat unfurling its tendrils up his normally passive face. He thanked Hylia that she had gone to sleep with her field clothes on.