Never Without You │ BOTW modern AU fanfic

Death Wish

Following the trail of blood that leads to my room, Cado stands by the door, his gun raised in uncertainty.

"Stand back, Link!" Cado commands, his voice grim and harsh.

"What?" Link raises both hands but his body doesn't move.

"Link, step away from her!" Cado shouts again.

Confusion and fear grip me as I shift my body to shield Link. "Cado, what's going on?"

Cado steps inside the room, his eyes darting back and forth between Link and the blood on the floor. "I'm calling 911," he says.

"No!" I get up hastily, unable to take my eyes off the gun. I've never had a gun pointed at me! It's even worse than a knife! One wrong move and–

"Miss, you are clearly in need of medical attention!" His gun still aimed, he orders Link to step away from me.

"Link didn't hurt me!" I say. "Put the gun down before I report this to my father!"

Cado hesitates, thoroughly weighing his options. I appreciate that he is trying to protect me from danger, it's his job after all, but aiming a gun at Link despite having known him for so long is unacceptable! Link has become part of the family and Cado should trust in that.

The gun remains raised. Cado approaches Link cautiously and instructs him to step away from me one last time. Link doesn't comply. His arms are raised, but he stands resolute, refusing to leave my side, which forces Cado to take a different approach. Without second-guessing himself again, Cado jerks Link away from me, his grip both forceful and controlled.

"Cado!" I gasp.

Pushing and pulling with an authoritative presence, Cado ensures Link's arms are securely held behind his back. Link knows better than to fight an armed man. Despite the tense encounter, he shows remarkable restraint, not offering any resistance.

"I order you to stop this at once!" I say to Cado but he doesn't listen.

"I serve your father, Miss, and his instructions were clear. My duty is to safeguard this home from any potential harm and danger!"

Cado knows the gravity of the decisions he must make, balancing his loyalty to my father's orders with the possibility of misjudging Link's intentions.

"Link is not dangerous," I insist, trying to reason with him.

Cado's stern grip on Link's hands remains unyielding as he probes me about my injuries. The weight of his scrutiny adds to my anxiety, and with a racing heart, I resort to a lie.

"I cut myself."

I can't fool him. He demands the truth. "Where do your injuries really stem from?"

"It's the truth, you have to believe me! I cut myself while shaving."

His skepticism is evident as he probes further. "You shave your arms? And your face? Those are clearly stab wounds. Who attacked you?" His gaze briefly shifts to Link, suspicion lingering in the air. "Are you protecting him, Miss? Are you scared of him?"

I can't tell him about Malice but I also can't let Link take the blame for this either! My lies are flimsy, and I know it. Panic settles in, and I realize there's no way I can come up with a more convincing explanation.

Maybe Cado will believe me without an explanation. I speak sincerely, cautious about my words. "Link did not hurt me. I'm not protecting him and I'm not scared of him. You have to believe me."

"But I heard you scream," Cado says. "I heard you say the word 'stop'."

The slightest hesitation gives it all away. At least to Cado, there is only one logical explanation for all of this. His mind is made up and he doesn't give me another chance to lie my way out of it. He takes decisive action, forcefully dragging Link out of my room.