The Legend of Zelda: The King's Sword

Part Twenty-Three: Sickness

A. N. I couldn't help but move on to writing this chapter directly after completing the previous, as I have never had this much momentum when writing! Also, spoilers and trigger warnings for the depressing-as-heck chapter ahead: attempted self-harm, depression, and death. 

Link's POV:

We have grown accustomed to abandoning our bedroom lamp in favor of Zelda's blue candles given us by Linh-uel. They give off scents to soothe her newfound illness. It is peculiar in that she hasn't fallen to congestion in four years.

She lies beside me in bed, tucked under the covers, and facing the ceiling, but her breath clogged by the sickness.

"Link." she puffs.

"Hm?" I roll over to face her.

"I think I'm having trouble breathing."

"Yeah?"

"My throat feels like it has a cold. Even breathing through my nose doesn't deliver enough air..."

"That's why you've been heaving." I rise to brace myself over her. "Do you want me to fix it?" I kiss her lips, breathing air into her lungs. I release, allowing her room to gasp.

She pants, "Thank you." but she doesn't smile.

Through my years on the surface, I have marked the start of new seasons by particular smells. Winter comes today, the day I come home with the bronze scent of the sun instead of sweat on my clothes. We have a new pair of yellowish-bronze curtains in the living room. Sometimes they make me forget what time of day it is; they make me feel safer, not isolated from the world, and they also smell like the sun.

She used to smell like the sun, except a sweeter, fertile variant of it.

"Have some tea, flower?" I stroke her cheek, directing my free hand toward the table bearing the warm teapot and wooden cups.

"Yes." she pitifully rasps, laying on her side over the couch.

"Oh, darling," I frown at her, pouring water into the leaf-filled cups. "I hope you get better soon."

"Me too," her eyes remain shut as she forces herself to sit up.

"Not too roughly."

She dodges my hand that approaches her forearm but snatches the tea from my hands.

"Careful, sweetie!"

She scowls over her eyes' brown bags, "Don't tell me what to do."

My heart constricts, twisting my throat into a coil, choking tears into my eyes.

She shudders, cold, despite her sweat.

"W-What?" I sputter.

She raises the steaming water to her lips.

"Zelda, it's hot-!"

"Ow!" she flinches, her eyes and brows scrunching together at the splash meeting her chin.

"I told you-"

"What the hell...?!" her face constricts.

"I'm sorry..."

She shoves the cup back into my hands with an exasperated growl.

"I'm sorry."

"Just," she stands against me. "rrgh, I need to take a bath, so move!"

"Zelda, what's gotten into y-"

"Just let me go!"

I move aside, pressing myself against the wall by the couch, both teacups to my shoulders as she storms into the bedroom's hall. I squeeze my eyes shut to keep from crying. Never has she shouted at me before. Something is definitely wrong with her. She has been indeed sick in the past, but never this...mean.