A Couple of Trials (ZeLink)

Chapter 50: Coming to Terms

"You want to head home? Already?" Zelda asked, sitting next to Link as they ate a small breakfast in the dining hall. "I think you should rest a little more. I'm not trying to force you or anything! It's just... You chose not to use the tonic, and you were wounded just yesterday."

"I understand, and that's a reasonable concern," Link laughed after finishing a bowl of food Prima had made for them. "I probably shouldn't be moving yet, but I just don't think I can sit there. I have a few things to think about."

Zelda gave him a worried look but reluctantly nodded.

"If that's what you feel you need to do then alright, but don't push yourself," she said. "Your wounds could get worse. Try and take it easy?"

"I can do that," Link smiled. As Zelda returned a smile back, someone appeared in the hall's entryway.

"Good morning, you dashing couple!" Teli said. "Sorry to interrupt, but Mayor Reede's here. He wants to know if one of you may come to help him make sure everyone is alright. That, and I think Dantz might want a little explanation. No one has gone to update him on what ended up happening yet."

"It's a little strange for Reede to want help with that sort of thing," Zelda said.

"He thinks having the princess or the hero would put everyone at ease," Teli said. "They may have gone home because of the snowstorm, but they did all see what happened during the, uh... Link's birthday."

"I don't mind helping-" Link began as he started pushing himself up from his chair, but winced the moment he was properly up.

He sighed and began stretching himself out, trying to ignore and push past the pain. After a few moments though, Zelda stood and gently placed a hand on his arm. Looking over at her, he noticed the look in her eyes, along with the small grin she had on her face.

"Maybe I could handle this?" she suggested quietly. "You did want to head home to think, yes?"

"That's... Yeah," Link said with a chuckle. "Yeah, that's a good idea."

That was over ten minutes ago.

The grin she had given him kept appearing in his mind as he walked through the snow toward the old fork in the road. It could have been his mind trying to make up for all the times he had possibly missed it or had been the reason she hadn't shown it to him in the past few months. But, it was possible he just subconsciously wanted to keep seeing it ever since he was reminded of its charm. Regardless, it was all that filled Link's mind as he made his way up the mountainside and across the bridge, right up until he stood in front of the front door to his house. After taking a quick deep breath, he placed his hand against the wood and pushed, forcing the door to slowly creak open.

The place was a mess. Weapons that usually sat in the frames on the walls were now scattered about. The floor had been stained by each spilling of blood, covering almost every board with spots of red, from small droplets to large pools. The table had been flipped over and all of its decor, silverware, and centerpieces had been flung around or smashed, with all their glass shards sparkling across the stained flooring. To add to the immeasurable number of stains and shards, near the kitchen was more of both. Wine bottles- some broken while others were still intact- laid on the ground where large pools of its contents had re-colored the floorboards entirely.

Link stared at the state of his home with tired eyes before looking at the staircase he chose to walk up. The upstairs wasn't much better. The blood splatters, though still there, weren't as many or as large, but they still were noticeable. The sheets on the bed had been thrown around, the desk had been turned over, and the picture on the wall had fallen off its hinges. Even the nightstand next to the bed had been left on its side. It was a miracle it hadn't broken from the fall.