The Legend of Zelda: The King's Sword

Part Eight: Strange

Link's POV:

"You got the milk, right?"

"Y-yes!" Zelda struggles to close the door behind her with her hip while she hugs the corpulent jug of milk in her arms.

I hurry to place my canvas of seeds and arrows on the wooden counter, then save her from dropping the clay pitcher to the floor.

"Thank you," she says.

I give her a kind smile before taking the container and placing it beside the bag.

"I'm going to change my clothes." Zelda makes her way across the plank floor into our bedroom as I follow. I watch her unbuckle her belt as she disappears behind the bathroom door.

"Do you love your new necklace?" I ask, admiring my own emerald that she made for me.

"The sapphire is beautiful," I hear her say.

"It would have been nice to tell you before we went to Gerudo Valley, but I could see why Nawra had a crush on you." I pull my arm inside my sleeve and my shirt off over my head.

"Oh please, don't talk about that."

I throw my shirt into my wardrobe after placing my emerald gently on the shelf above. "I'm glad the Gerudo took more of a liking to you, especially since they mistrusted me in the beginning. Thank you for allowing the rest of us a window."

"M-hm?"

"I didn't take much offense while Iván and I were watching the dancers after the wedding, but he said you were most beautiful."

"He did." There is no expression in her tone.

"You were the most beautiful." I try to confirm this.

"Hm."

"Mother Aaliyah told me to watch Princess Amira as she danced, and she wasn't lying when she said she was the best. I've never seen anything like her. So spirited."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, those dancers were amazing, and as opposed to Iván's style of dancing, the fluid movements were much better put together and definitely more appealing."

"They were nice."

"Those girls were also pretty sad when we left," I pull a forest green shirt on as I move back to the bathroom door.

"They were," Zelda's voice gets closer.

"Sure am glad that Zara didn't try to take a bite of me in the end."

"Eh?" she makes a growl.

"Too bad we can't to go back and see them for quite some time-"

A bright sliver appears suddenly before my face, striking me speechless. I hear Zelda heaving behind the door when I realize that the point of her sword has been driven partially through the door, only inches from poking my eye.

"Stop, talking, about them," she has never made that voice before.

I wait in silence as she retracts the blade with a sharp breath in, leaving a small space in between the wood planks. Metal slides against metal as the sword is placed in its sheath, possibly set aside.

The door pulls open, and Zelda, in a huff, shoulders me in the chest.

"Wait," I impede her with both my hands on her shoulder. "Baby, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

"Let go," she scrunches her nose when she tries to rush past.

"Stop," I bring her in front of me to feel in my hand the heat of her face. "Listen. Know this: they can be beautiful all they want, but they aren't enough."