No Woman Beyond

Dances with Gravestones

    ****Flashback****

Your flesh was being pelted by an icy array of raindrops. It did nothing but rain anymore, at least in Kakariko. Hyrule had been overrun by bizarre circumstances the past seven years. Between an unwelcome infestation of monsters and the extreme changes in temperature; nowhere really felt safe. During this sensitive period in Hyrule's history, you were quite the homebody. You never left your village, as you no longer felt safe beyond it. This sounded macabre, but with little to do, you often hung out in the eerie peace of Dampe's graveyard. As children, Dampe used to scold you and Link for dancing around the grave markers. He especially didn't like the never-ending laps of hide and seek. What setting was more befitting to play hide and seek than in a graveyard? "Rest in peace, Mr.Dampe." Your grievous thoughts were interrupted by a pair of brawny arms, stretching behind your waist and lifting your feet off the ground.

"Ach! Link!"

"Hey, how did you know it was me?" A mischievous curl tugged on the ends of his lips.

"No one else is out saving Hyrule with brown leather gauntlets." Your sarcasm was clipped by the glorious sheen of gold on Link's wrists. The torn and faded leather gauntlets he usually wore had been replaced by golden armored ones. "Wow, so these are the latest toy?"

Link looked at his gauntlets nonchalantly, "Yeah, gold gauntlets. They protect my hands better. The added armor seems to help me push heavier objects, if needed." Link had a habit of returning to check in between missions. Whenever he stopped by, he was always sporting a new "toy." You saw his hook shot, his bow, and different tunics from the different races in Hyrule. You name it, you saw it.

"Why are you out here in the rain?" Link asked suspiciously. You twirled around in your long, soggy skirt. "Don't tell me the hero is afraid of a little rain?" Your voice came out flirtier than you intended. Link's stare circled around you, mystified. You were happy the rain could cool down the heat that had graced your cheeks. Link continued to observe you, his unflappable intensity making your heart pulsate. The sensation traveling quickly down south.

"Do you want to dance?" He held out his hand, looking at you anxiously.

"I-In the graveyard? In the rain?" He continued to hold his hand out without saying another word. His hands were massive and calloused, compared to your tiny ones. You obediently placed your hand in his, wondering when exactly he grew up and how you missed it. "Don't you have another temple to visit?"

"I'm in no rush to go to the Shadow temple and..." both your hips swayed in perfect symmetry of each other. "I always have time for you." Both of your clothes were soaked through at this point. Your hair was drenched and plastered to both of your foreheads. Yet neither one of you seemed to care. You skipped around the different graves, humming and spinning. Except, Link learned this gnarly spin attack. When he spun you, all you felt was inertia take its toll, leaving you queasy.

If Dampe could see us now, he'd die all over again.

                                                                                
                          Your POV

Kakariko hasn't had an inch of rain since Link vanquished Ganondorf. The evil that had spread throughout the land was no more. It was safe to roam the open, vast fields of Hyrule once again. Castle town was slowly being restored to its former glory.

Link truly had done a selfless act by saving this land. He deserved his exalted title, along with the fame that came with it. He deserved to be loved, in every and any way possible. You looked around at the graveyard. The only ghostly presence you felt was the memory of you and Link dancing amongst the tombstones.

Because he deserves all that and more, because you'd do anything for him; that is why you decided to oppose your promise. You would not allow yourself to go and ruin the competition for Link. He deserved to let his heart lead the way. Without your bitter resentment that you could not be his. You slowly rose and made your way out of the home of the deceased and into your home; the home of the alive and broken hearted.

                                                                         
                           Link's POV

Link hardly recognized himself in the mirror. Stiff, metal plates of armor embellished his physique. The breast plate he wore was engraved with the crest of the royal family. The helmet they had put on him was a bit excessive. It pushed his blonde bangs into his eyes, impairing his vision.

"How can I look at Y/N?" He took the helmet off, tossing it to the ground. Link kept remembering the morose way Y/N said, "Hero of Time." Looking at his reflection, he understood Y/N's perspective. This wasn't Link at all. He scanned the room, spotting his green tunic sloppily thrown on a chair.

"I'm still me. I'm still your Link, Y/N." He began to undress with vigor, readying himself to don his Kokiri tunic. He noticed his hair was disheveled from the helmet. He made a sour face at his reflection and began furiously finger combing it. It wasn't that Link was trying to impress the court. His future wife was going to be there. He wanted to impress her.

He bulked up his flimsy Kokiri tunic by layering chainmail beneath it. He added iron shoulder pads, broadening his already burly physique. He then slipped on iron greaves beneath his traditional leather ones. He didn't necessarily need to bulk himself up. Link had developed quite a herculean figure thanks to all his dueling. He simply wanted to put as much padding as he could on himself, in hopes it would hide the fragility of his heart beneath it. What if she said no? What if she did not see him that way? Goddesses, his foolish heart was already thumping rampantly in his chest. Link decided he needed to make his appearance a tad more regal. There was a velvet, cobalt scarf with an embroidered Hylian emblem on it. He casually swung it around his shoulders, almost mimicking a sash.

Link took a deep breath. Sure, he knew he needed to judge a contest for his heart. But in his heart, there was no contest.

Edited 1/26/23