Free to Love - A Zelda x Link Fanfiction

LIX: Her Happiness

Link's Perspective:

I felt bad about abandoning Zelda but my curiosity got the best of me. I had no doubt that Urbosa could protect her. She was an amazing warrior. Still, leaving Zelda on her own always made me a bit nervous. Regardless, the machine was amazing. It was as dangerous as it seemed.

Perhaps because it had so much room, but there were several class 1 guardians scouts placed throughout the machine. Every time I approached one, the head emerged from its cylindrical torso, eye flashing blue at me and registering me as a non-threat. I had to remember to show Zelda later. This ancient technology was amazing to her and it probably helped that the scouts were almost pet-like, in the way they beeped affectionately when you approached, and scrabbled closer to you should you pet them.

She always wanted a pet. Maybe I could get her a guardian scout as a pet one day? I think she'd like that. I wandered around aimlessly, finding every place I could climb.

As per usual with Urbosa, every storage-like location was stashed with weapons, whether it be swords, shields, daggers, spears, or even just more fully-functioning guardian scouts. I eventually made my way back to Urbosa, finding her on the balcony, Zelda cuddled against her, head on her shoulder.

Her painted lips curled in a way that I could only seem to describe as something similar to a sneer. "Well, you certainly took your time, didn't you?" She asked, voice low in order to not wake Zelda. I decided to take this as a rhetorical question.

Neither of us said something for a moment, until she pushed her red hair over her shoulder in order to glance at me from the corner of her eye. "So, spill it, boy," she said calmly. "What's been going on between you and the princess?"

I didn't respond right away, trying to figure out how to respond. Should I say she's just a friend? We're dating? I want her to be my—

"Well? Snake got your tongue?" This time she actually did sneer, small sharp chuckle escaping her. I was afraid that I'd she caught me lying, she'd beat me to a damn pulp.

"We're... dating," I struggled to say. Albeit, after I said that, it made me feel so much happier. I figured it made it official. "Yeah, she's my girlfriend."

Urbosa was unreadable for a moment, but then she turned away. I couldn't detect the emotion in her voice as she spoke. I noticed the sun was already dipping below the horizon. The days were so short here...

"Alright," she said smoothly. She paused again and I figured she could sense my anxiety. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna spill your secret," she added, "I'm just thinking. I don't have any intention of breaking you two up, I just can't help but find myself contemplating how a kind of relationship like yours would affect the kingdom."

I always knew we circled back to this. "I'm a highly-ranked knight," I said as calmly as I could. "As far as commoners go, I'm nearly as royal as one can get." She tsk-ed.

"Still not a royal, though. I just mean that this... relationship will be frowned upon by the general public. They want to see her rule by making alliances, possibly securing said alliances with her hand in marriage."

"Well, her people also want to see her happy," I replied, my voice sounding a bit more venomous then I had intended to, "and a I know I make her happy. She loves me. And I—" I paused to swallow "—I love her, too."

Urbosa glared at me from the corner of her eye. "Fine." Her voice was quiet, deep and about as loud as a whisper. Her voice only got like that when she was really, really angry. I prepared myself for a sudden punch but it didn't come. "I'm going back to the palace. I'm sure you can escort her home."

She stood up, gently lying Zelda's head onto one of the surrounding pillows before leaving, hands clenched at her sides, fists so tight that her knuckles began to turn white. I watched her go, before kneeling next to Zelda. She looked so angelic when she was sleeping, like all fear and anxiety had disappeared from her face.

I admired her for a moment before I leaned down and kissed her on the cheek, brushing the hair from her face as I did. She slowly woke, eyes fluttering open, mouth stretching into a yawn. "Hey, baby," I whispered to her.

Her eyes focused on me and she smiled drowsily. "Hi..." she began to become conscious of her surroundings, glancing around. "Where's Urbosa?"

"She..." I struggled to figure out how to put it. I didn't think she'd be happy to learn that she left in anger regarding our relationship. "She left. She was tired, thought I could take you back to the Inn." She smiled woozily again, wrapping her rms around my neck.

"Mm, ok..." I helped her upwards and she yawned again, stretching dramatically. "I love you," she murmured.

I twisted the silver band in my pocket.

"I love you, too."

~~~

There's literally 15 chapters left in this book.oh boy, ain't this gonna be interesting.

In other news, I returned home for the week for mental health cuz my assignments are driving me bonkers. WHY are all of the assignments on different pages for different classes?! Why? WHY?! Would it be too easy to put assignments in the assignments folder?

In other other news, I turned 18 on Monday. Whoop, whoop. I spent my birthday on fucking quarantine cuz another bitch on my floor tested positive for COVID on my floor so now we get to quarantine for an extra two weeks after the week of quarantine I've already endured.

God fuckin sakes.