Chapter Text
Link looked on with a tired, yet satisfied, smile as the ever beautiful Zelda finally opened her eyes. She sat up and looked around her dusty chamber, as if fascinated by the location she was in. Hey, he would have done the same thing too, if he went to sleep and all of the sudden he was woken up in a crypt he had never seen before. In fact, he would have immediately explored the room and totally ignore any presence that was in the area. Well, at least he thought so, but he could be wrong. Anyhow, when Zelda's black eyes finally settled onto Link, she blushed and gave a tiny smile. Link had seen that smile before on many girls, and knew that she was thinking: 'My, what a handsome young knight'. Followed by said girl trying to hide her blush by rubbing her cheek, totally ignoring the fact that he already saw it. Oi, women were so weird to him... "You...must be my savior" she commented. Link merely nodded and respectfully awaited for the princess's next move.
After a few minutes, Zelda gathered enough energy to sluggishly stand up and walk down the red carpeted steps toward Link. It looked like she was ready to give him a speech about her gratitude... a long, unnecessary speech that Link loathed everytime he saved someone. Blah, blah thankyou and blah, blah you're a hero, it was always the same to him. He was humble, and no one really respected that about him. His ideal 'Thank you' was a quick sentence and a reward that was useful to his adventure, nothing more. With that in thought, Link sighed in annoyance as he braced himself, wondering how the princess will verbally torcher him. He watched as Zelda carefully lifted her dress up to not trip over the downward steps, a nervous smile plastered on her face. 'Oh, it is going to be BAD', he thought. Fortunately, she seemed so determined and prepared, that she somehow tripped while in thought. "O-oh dear!" She squeaked as she lost her footing. Link was quick to spring into action and catch her in his strong arms, ignorantly showing off his quick reflexes. He could tell that he impressed Zelda, because she stayed still for a good amount of time. Well, at least she was safe again, but now the two were embracing like a couple. It...slightly bothered Link, surprisingly. As pretty as she was, he just wasn't interested. His heart was somewhere else... to someone else, as cliché as it sounded. He wanted so badly to change the topic, embarrassed to reject Zelda if she confessed all of the sudden. "Whoa there, princess! Don't take things so quickly, now!" he warned with a light tone. The only response he received was her hum as she took in his warmth and protective aura, enjoying the embrace. 'Oh, great...' Link thought.
"Knight, I must admit...You saved Hyrule and you are a real hero!" Zelda announced in a quiet voice. She looked up at her savior, and Link quickly put on a fake smile as to not discourage her. On the outside, it looked like he was saying 'I appreciate your kind words'. However, on the inside, he was saying 'Yup, yup, I already know...I heard it all before, so get to the point!' Zelda saw his smile and smiled along, believing his lie. "And on top of that, I will offer you a reward" she said with giddy. She pushed away from Link to stand up on her own, and it seemed that her feet were finally adjusted to walk properly again. She gracefully looked up at Link with a sweet face and leaned toward him using her tippy toes. Link had no idea what she was doing at first, but after he noticed her puckered lips and closed eyes, he was quick to lean away. "W-whoa, whoa, whoa!" he half heartedly yelled. His hands pushed Zelda away a bit, just enough to not seem totally rude. He then started to laugh awkwardly as Zelda pulled back, her eyes wide with confusion. Oh boy, here it comes... "Pr-princess, I ... know it's a traditional thing and all for a princess to kiss her hero...b-b-but I...I'm Kind of...saving my first kiss for s-someone else." He stuttered. He expected her to cry, but surprisingly enough Zelda just looked down in defeat and muttered an "Oh, I see..."
Link felt a tad bit guilty and sighed, wondering how this even came to be...Why in the world would he push a lovely princess away from her love and beauty? Who was more important and/or better than her? Especially if it was his only chance to get the perfect girlfriend and wife? Well...to be truthful, he had no idea...he didn't know who he loved, yet at the same time, he did. He remembered the first time he met the person, it always felt like he fell in love just yesterday. Ever since he could remember, he was head over heels for a mysterious person with no identity and no body. Well, a real world body, at least...
*Link's First Dream*
Little five year old Link was playing in a beautiful garden, running after his pet bunny that seemed to be enjoying itself. It was Link's favorite place so far in his life, the garden was chock filled with trees, flowers, and other plants he didn't recognize at the time. The air was fairly warm, and the sun in the sky didn't burn him with its hot rays. There was no limit to the garden's beauty and space, so to him, it was absolutely perfect. But, it quickly became more so when a new figure appeared near him.
All of the sudden, his pet bunny disappeared like a fading image. Link skidded to a halt and looked around for his beloved Sero, surprised that the fun was cut short. "Sero? Seeero! Where aaaaaaaare you?" he called out in a high pitched voice. Sero can't leave....the fun wasn't over yet! Did he take a break? If so, then he had to look for him! After a minute of scanning the area, Link saw no other living creature around him. That was weird, where did his fluffy bunny go? Little Link was very confused, bunnies can't disappear into thin air... Momma said so herself! Especially light blue ones with four eyes and gold wreaths for ears! It must have been just his imagination, like last time...Sero probably wanted to play a new game...It must be Hide-and-Go-Seek! Yeah, that's it!
Link took in a deep breath and tried to look for Sero again, determination reaching its maximum limit. He was going to find his white bunny, he was sure of it! And then they were going to play tag again, and run until his feet hurt! It was the perfect plan, nothing was going to stop him now! But, alas, his search didn't really last long when his attention was stolen by a shadow. As Link looked behind a large oak tree, he saw a person leaning on the other side of it. They were just staring into the sky, ignoring Link completely. Now, at his age, Link didn't like being ignored AT ALL. He puffed out his chest in annoyance and said "Hey, you!" in a loud voice. The figure looked over at Link and jumped a little in surprise. What? Did he not see him walk up to him, or something? 'What a weirdo...' Link thought. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come over..." the figure said in a masculine, yet gentle, voice. Oh! So it's a guy! Link mentally yelled in excitement. No girl cooties meant he can help search for Sero, which makes the search easier on Link.
"I'm looking for my pet bunny! I need your help, stranger!" Link said, giving a heroic pose as he pointed toward the man's head. The man simply got off of the oak tree and stared down at Link. "Y-your...bunny? Are you...sure I'll be of any help?" he asked as he took a step back. "I...I'm not very good at catching innocent animals...especially those as cunning as rabbits..." "Whaaaaat? Don't say that!" Link exclaimed. He put his hand down and rested it on his free hip, smiling and nodding with a "You'll be the perfect ally to my seeking quest!"
The man laughed and loosened up his stiff shoulders, Link's pep talk seemed to reassure him. This caused him to take a step forward. 'Yes! A helper!' Link thought. Now it was time for the hard part, and he wanted to waste no more daylight! "Okay, stranger! You start over there, and I'll start over here!" Link instructed as he pointed to east and west. The stranger nodded and headed toward his assigned area, finally stepping into the light of the sun. He left Link gawking at him, who was mesmerized by the his magnificence and beauty. To Link, the man had such silky and shiny (H/C) hair that was perfectly lengthened to his liking. The man had beautiful (E/C) colored gems for eyes, and Link swore they outshined the pretty diamonds in the night sky. The man was obviously Hylian, judging from his pale skin and long, pointy ears. And, all around him, he was hilly covered in gold jewels as his pearly white tunic was embroided and trimmed in the same colored gold. The male even had a long, white cape that served as a background for his (F/C) tights and boots. Link was still young, but he knew the stranger was a prince, seeing that his gold headpiece was a dead give away. "Wow...a prince..." Link said breathlessly. Link thought that the prince looked so pretty and pure...he had to know his name! He was going to hang out with him FOREVER!
"H-hey, stranger!" Link called out. The prince stopped in his tracks and looked back at Link with curiosity, giving off a soothing vibe that made Link smile and laugh a little. "Wha-what's your name, stranger?" He asked nervously. He grabbed a fistful of his shirt and awaited anxiously for the prince's answer. He saw the prince stare at him for a great while, as if contemplating on whether or not to answer. Link really wished with all of his heart the pretty prince would state his name, because that would mean trust... and trust meant friendship! And friendship meant that they would do that marrying thing his sister always talked about! That would be so great in his opinion!! Wait, two boys CAN get married, right? "Well..." the prince started. Link held his breath nervously and erased his thoughts as quickly as he could, not wanting to miss the prince's answer. "I...I suppose it won't hurt to tell" he said with a smile. Link took in his answer and smiled as widely as his body could stretch. Oh boy, here it comes! "It's...It's Prince-"
*End of Dream*
Ever since then, for 9 years straight, Link had dreams of that same prince at least three times a week. With each dream, something different will happen, and every previous dream was never remembered by the prince. Well, all except Link. Link, for some reason, was the only thing the prince could ever remember. Not that Link was complaining, he didn't mind at all. In fact, Link was able to learn more and more about his dream prince with each passing night...all but his name, of course. The wrong questions led to the end of his precious dreams, which was not favored by Link. But, besides that, so far he learned that his prince was a gentle, soft, and kind hearted being that had so many hobbies like (Y/H) and (A/H). Everything he did, everything he said was like music to Link's ears. His prince was so heavenly, it was unbearable...it was clear to Link that he fell in love with the dreamy prince. As weird as it sounded, he wanted to marry his imaginative man without a doubt...even if he could never get his name.
Alas, that kind of thing is impossible, even for a hero. Marrying someone from your dream? People would laugh at him... But, the reason Link didn't give up yet was because of a nagging feeling deep inside of him...That...that man had to be a real, living prince...he just HAD to be! There's no way Link would have made up someone so perfect as a five year old, there had to be a reason for the Prince's appearance in his life. And, by golly, he was going to find out even if it kills him! After all, he's already saved the princess and all of Hyrule, didn't he? His main job was done.
By the time Link and the 300 year old Princess Zelda returned to the Hyrule Castle throne room, the night sky was blanketing over the land. The stars were coming out, the nightly animals were starting to wake up, and the bustle of night activity was starting to erupt. Oh yes, it was time for the day people to sleep, and hopefully for Link it meant he will see his prince once again. He didn't want to be rude or anything, but he just had to see his dream prince that night. He wanted a clue to know where to start on his next adventure. So, in an anxious manner, Link dropped Zelda off in the throne room with the current Zelda and practically dashed toward an empty guest room. He searched for one that was unlocked and entered it without hesitation. Once inside, he locked the door to it and ungracefully took off his sword and shield, making large clanking sounds as they hit the floor. He didn't bother to move them again as he made a large leap to his bed, taking off his boots and belt and dropping them to the side. "Okay, Link..." He started to say to himself. "Sleep, and find secrets about that prince! You can do it, just...find a starting point!" he said out loud. "A starting point...to find him!"
Little did he know, that as he fell backwards and tried to sleep, a magical being heard his plea. "It's time" it said.
*Link's Dream*
Link was already walking, but he didn't know why. He was in a forest, and there were no monsters out to either spy or attack him. He found it odd, but after one glance at his side, he immediately knew what he was doing. He saw the ever beautiful Hylian Prince in his pure white glory, walking down the right side of the path and keeping his head faced forward. Like usual, he seemed to glow from the sun's rays as they peeked though the leaves of the trees above them. It was as if his prince was priceless and holy, but Link knew all too well that he can touch and caress his prince whenever he wanted to. He's done it quite a few times actually, either from rubbing his prince's cheek to kissing his hand or forehead. The prince never minded, in fact, Link thinks he enjoys it every time!
Since Link was 16, his height forced him to look down at his prince, making him feel dominating and old enough to marry. Just the thought of staying with his (H/C) hair colored prince was enough to make Link stare even more with enchantment. In a few moments, the prince seemed to have noticed Link staring and looked right into his eyes. Link would have melted from those (E/C) eyes of his if not for the prince's surprised expression. "Wh...what is it? Is something the matter?" he asked. Link merely tilted his head and smiled guiltily, he just couldn't get tired of the prince's face, no matter how long he stared at him. "Nothing's the matter, I just like looking at you" he admitted. The prince's eyes grew wide, as if it was the first time he heard Link say that. He looked away with a red face, mumbling a thank you and making Link laugh. He was just so gosh darn cute, almost too cute for Link to handle. "No need to be so coy now, prince!" he said as he took a step closer to his prince. The prince didn't say anything, so Link took this opportunity to take his prince's chin and turn it toward him. "See? Now that's better! ... Well, at least on my part" he commented. The prince blushed even more, but didn't say anything. Link took this as an invitation and stopped walking, causing his prince to do the same. Link took another step toward him and leaned down a little, smiling tenderly and getting lost in the prince's (E/C) orbs. His lifted his prince's chin up a bit, getting their mouths closer and closer until both the men closed their eyes.
All of the sudden, Link snapped out of his trance and looked down at his prince. Even when he was just standing there and watching, his prince looked calm and relaxed as the wind slightly blew on his locks of (H/C) hair. He was very kissable, and any idiot would take this as their one golden opportunity. But, as majestic as the prince was, Link couldn't kiss him...well, at least not yet. He needed to kiss his prince in the real world, with his real lips and real warmth. It would ruin his main objective if Link just lived in bliss in dream world and not in Hyrule, because then he might get lazy with satisfaction and not find his prince at all. No...he couldn't let that happen. He didn't want satisfaction, he wanted enjoyment and live life to the fullest. His body needed his prince, but not in a sexual way. It was...more like a "Seeing is believing" type of deal. In huge disappointment, Link sighed and pulled away. The prince didn't seem fazed by his action, but Link sure did feel like garbage. He waited his entire life to kiss his prince, and he STILL couldn't do it! However, it was certain from then on that his mission was no longer a "Want to find him", it was a "Need to find him". Link NEEDED to find and marry his prince in the real world, he refused to marry anyone else that wasn't as perfect as his beloved dream man.
He had to carry on his mission, he couldn't let any more obstacles slow him down...no matter how attracting they might be. Link needed to know more about his prince, but he didn't want to ask another "What's your name and end the dream" kind of question. He just had to find out which question to ask and not end the dream so abruptly. "Um...prince?" Link asked. His prince hummed in question, telling Link to go on. Link could only look away in thought, but then he immediately looked back with a lightened face. He himself didn't come up with the question, the dream is telling him to say "What happened to you?"
His prince stared at Link with a blank face, it was as if he was made of stone at that moment. Every thing around the two stood still, even the wind wasn't blowing like earlier. Link felt a tad bit nervous from the atmosphere, it all seemed eerie and surprised. When his prince finally made a move, Link's world changed to darkness. He looked around in surprise and scowled a bit. "Oh, great...the dream's gonna end, isn't it?!" he asked angrily. But, instead of seeing his room in the castle walls, he saw his prince again. He looked normal, but he was sitting next to Zelda in a garden, reading a book as she made a flower crown from the surrounding Silent Princesses. Link was shocked to see the calming sight. He wasn't...waking up yet? Yes! He asked the right question! He cheered to himself as the two continued to do their activities, it looked like he was going to get a lead. It was weird, because to Link, that Zelda next to his prince looked awfully familiar...
"Okay Zelda, I think I got it!" the prince said. He put down his book and looked at Zelda, waiting for her to finish her crown. "H-hang on now, brother...Just ...one...more...There!" Zelda said. She giggled as she got on her knees and put the crown on her supposed brother's head. The prince looked at it as she leaned back and laughed. "It looks so pretty on you!" she commented. The prince blushed and rubbed the back of his head, as if he was unsure about what to say "Th-thank you, Zelda...It's nice". Zelda nodded and sat back down, ready for her brother's activity. "Okay, now you can do it" she said. Her brother nodded and faced his body toward her, cupping his hands in front of himself. "O-okay...let's see now..." he started off. Link watched curiously in the background as the prince's hands were filled with bright and shiny gold sand. "What? Where did that come from?" Link asked himself. Zelda looked at his hands in amazement too, and waited for him to finish his spell.
When the prince opened his eyes again, he looked at his hands and smiled widely "Yes! I did it!" he said happily. "D-does it work?!" Zelda asked anxiously. '''Does it work?' It's supposed to do something?" Link wondered. He decided to get a little closer to the two siblings and watched his prince intently. Said prince shrugged his shoulders and cuffed all of the sand into one hand, pinching some of it with his free hand. He cautiously leaned forward as Zelda tightly closed her eyes, dashing the sand on top of them. At first, nothing happened. Zelda opened her eyes and looked at her brother questioningly, asking "Is it supposed to take a minute to settle?"
The prince didn't know how to answer her, and sighed in defeat. He looked very distressed as he put the sand into his spare pouch, earning a pat from Zelda. "I'm sure you'll get it next time" she said with support. The prince merely looked away and crossed his arms, not buying her sympathy. "I'm 16 already, Zelda. I should have gotten the hang of these powers a long time ago! How can I be the next Sandman if I keep failing my spells?" the prince argued. Zelda looked down with sad eyes and took back her hand, folding them on top of her lap. She stayed dead silent as her brother kept reading his book, thinking about how to cheer him up. She obviously felt bad for him, and wanted to help anyway she could, but she seemed troubled on how to do it.
It was amazing that the prince had magic powers like that, but Link was occupied with something else. "What in the world is a Sandman? And what does this have to do with finding my prince?" Link asked himself. Sure, the Zelda he's seeing might be a clue, but is she a big enough clue for him to lead on? Link had to find out more, but how much more will this dream show him? Maybe if he just asked again..."What happened to you, Prince?" he asked loudly. The image of the royal siblings stayed for a second, and Link almost thought his question wouldn't work again. But, at that second, his world turned black again. The knight became excited and looked around the empty space, waiting for another piece of the puzzle. 'Hopefully this time it will be something helpful' Link thought. He started to hear voices, and the both of them were incredibly familiar. At first they were distant and Link couldn't hear what they were saying, but then the voices slowly became closer and coherent. "Come on, tell me!" one of them said. It sounded like the person as right next to Link, and all faded into the colors of the castle wall.
Link saw that he was in a study, and his beloved prince was having a chat with Zelda. "Come now, brother...I know you don't have a piece of the Triforce like Roderick, but surely you must have a stronger magic than putting people to sleep!" she complained. Link's prince sighed and leaned back on his chair. He looked tired and annoyed, as if Zelda had exhausted him "I told you, Zelda. I can also control everyone's dreams. I am the next Sandman, but I just...I just don't know how to control that power yet" he explained. 'Again with the Sandman...what is that?!' Link thought. But, at least he knows now what his prince can do...maybe THAT'S why he was in Link's dreams...Zelda hummed in acknowledgement and sat back on her seat, thinking about what to do. She looked bored, and was probably willing to ask anything that popped into her mind. "Are you...the ONLY one with these powers?" she asked curiously. The prince stared at her with wide eyes, realizing that he never thought about rivalry. "I...I don't know...that's a very good question, Zelda" he admitted. Zelda smiled happily, feeling that she accomplished a small mission. "Now I guess that starts the search, does it not?" She asked. Her brother merely shrugged and fixed his hair, directing his (E/C) eyes toward the window.
"I hope we're not speaking too loudly...a rival might be hearing us" He said quietly. Zelda turned her head to the window and quickly turned back to her brother, even more confused than earlier. "Asen...being observed? Now how can that be?" she asked. Link looked the prince curiously too, wondering where he was getting at. "It's just a feeling..." the prince said bluntly. "Well...whatever! Let's sharped your powers!" Zelda said enthusiastically. She jumped up and gently took her brother's hands, pulling him up and leading him out the door. "If you want to be a Sandman, you need to practice non stop! But, we have to hurry, though. Father said he wanted to have a talk with me later about the Triforce. It must be something important"
*End of Dream*
Link opened his tired eyes and looked around his room. Darn it...he woke up...everything looked the same as before he went to sleep. He sighed and sat up, rubbing his eyes and looking out the window. Huh...it was day break. It looked like the sun just barely rose in the sky, because everything outside was orange, red, and yellow. The air was kind of chilly, but that wasn't enough to keep Link from stretching his limbs and hopping out of bed. He felt refreshed, a full night of sleep always made him feel energized. Now, ideally, he would be annoyed by now because the dream from last night just ended abruptly. But, he actually learned some valuable information. It was, without a doubt, that the Zelda he rescued yesterday was the same one in his dream. It looked like her and his prince were close, so maybe she really could be a huge lead to his search. But, after yesterday's rejecting...was she REALLY going to help Link? Eh...worth a shot.
At about noon, Link made the assumption that the 300 year old princess was up and about. He decided to wander the castle in search of her, occasionally passing by maids and servants who looked very busy. He also spotted a few knights scattered among the castle, wielding small weapons to not scare off the staff. He recognized a few of them, but mostly they were new recruits that the castle hired for safety. At least that's what Link heard. "Have you seen the Princess?" He asked one of the knights. The knight stood still in his metal armor, but Link knew he heard his question. After all, it was a Castle Knight's job to stand still and monitor everyone's every movement. His own movement, however, was considered dishonorable. "Which one?" the knight asked gruffly. "Um, the older one. The one I saved yesterday?" Link answered. He had to wait a few moments before the knight finally answered with a huff "I think I saw her head toward the garden, but she didn't look cheery"
Link rolled his eyes and turned away, thanking the knight as he headed toward the Castle Garden. Was Zelda really upset about his rejection from yesterday? They barely even knew each other! Oi, once again women were so weird..."Is something the matter?" Link heard from behind him. He looked at the owner of the voice, and found himself looking down at the current princess of Hyrule. Well...he at least found ONE of the princesses...but she wasn't going to be any help. "N-nothing's wrong. I just, uh, need to have a talk with your ancestor family member." Link said. Zelda nodded and hummed in acknowledgement, looking off toward the window. "You know, we needed you yesterday night when you ran off like a rabbit. What happened?" she asked absent mindedly. Link flinched a little, he forgot that he ran off in a rushed manner. And the fact that they needed his presence made him feel embarrassed. But, the information of his prince he received was enough to keep him from feeling too guilty about his behavior. "Oh, I'm sorry about that. I was...e-extremely tired. I really wanted to go to bed" he admitted. Well, he wasn't lying, but he was leaving out the part about his prince. This Zelda won't believe him, but he had a feeling the other Zelda would.
The current Zelda merely stared up at Link with a blank facial expression, looking lifeless, yet wise and experienced. "If you say so, then I will respect your needs. But, please, be more aware next time" she warned. Link breathed out in relief, glad to not be in serious trouble. Anything serous, and the princess will either kick him out of the guard, or forbid him from ever coming to the castle again. That would be great, if his sworn duty wasn't to keep the royal family safe for the rest of his life...Why in the world did he promise his parents that in the first place?! It's more of a burden then a job, really...
Not wanting to admit his feelings, Link bowed to Zelda with gratitude and mumbled a "Yes, your majesty". Zelda seemed satisfied with Link's answer and nodded, turning toward her study and leaving Link alone. Once she was out of sight, Link hurriedly jogged toward the Castle's garden, wanting no more engagements with other people. He found it difficult to tell people "No" when they want to chat, so avoiding eye contact and slow movement was his go-to-plan. It worked, but to navigate the large cobble stone castle wasn't as easy. To think, after spending six years in that place, he would be fortunate enough to at least find the stairs. But, of course not! Every time he tried, he'd get lost again! "Who makes castles this big, anyway?! It's like being in a temple!" Link asked himself anxiously. He wanted the info about his prince FAST, he didn't know why he was in a hurry, but he just felt like it was necessary. He took a glance to the left and saw a girl in black and white, cleaning a portrait. He saw his opportunity and skidded to a halt in front of the maid, interrupting her task. "Hey, where are the stairs in this place?" he asked loudly. The maid jumped from his sudden outburst and turned to him with fear. She looked dirty and skinny, but Link didn't really have time to dwell on that fact. "U-um...second to the right in the middle hallway?" She answered in a quiet voice. She clenched her rag a little as Link nodded a thanks and ran off, making Link feel odd as her eyes stung his back. What was with that girl...? Oh well...
He sped down six flights of stairs after finally finding them and hopped toward the castle garden, where the 300 year old Princess Zelda was sniffing roses. It was a beautiful garden: full of scattered Rose Trees, neat symbolized patches of various flowers, and a center fountain that spewed water into thin ground troughs that reached to the outline of the area. As pretty as the garden was, Zelda looked very sad... but Link was sure it was from the rejection yesterday. All he had to do was apologize, then ask if she had a brother. If she did, then he can explain his dream to her, and he'll get a large lead toward the location of his prince! Well, at least that's what he has planned... He took a deep breath and dramatically slowed his pace, strolling up to Zelda with a calm expression. He didn't want to freak her out with the sense of urgency like with the maid, which, by the way, he WILL fix up later! But, for now, he had to look civil and friendly. He didn't want to risk anything that involved his beloved prince.
"Er, h-hello Princess Zelda" Link greeted nervously. Zelda looked up at Link and became flustered, dropping her roses by accident as she stood up and dusted off her dress. "O-oh, it's you, knight! I...didn't expect you to visit me...y-you know, after what I attempted yesterday..." she said. She looked away with a red, but ashamed, face as her hands folded in front of her chest. Link had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at the Princess's behavior, she was too wishy-washy in his opinion. "I, actually, wanted to apologize for yesterday. I was completely rude to you, and I deeply regret it" he lied. Zelda sadly smiled up at Link and said "Thank you, Hero. But, If you're trying to cheer me up, it will not work..."
Link co*cked an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side, was Zelda NOT depressed about his rejection? Then, what else could possibly be the matter-? "Huh?" he asked. Zelda looked away again and turned toward a stained glass window, admiring its many colors and symbol of the Hylian Crest. "Family doesn't live forever, my dear knight...While I was asleep, my family lived on....and so did everyone else I knew...It's hard to keep a smile on my face when I see these new faces in my old home" she explained. She sighed and looked down, breathing deeply as if to keep from crying. This made Link feel guilty and caused his ears to droop a bit. That's right, everyone she knew is dead now....She must feel horrible about waking up, and Link's rude talk probably didn't make her feel any better. As much as he wanted to help the depressed princess out, he already had a mission he just can't hold off any longer; as selfish as it sounded, he wanted no more obstacles in his way. But, how to do it and not upset Zelda? That might be a little tricky...or, maybe not if he did it right. But, again, he'll fix it up later. "W-well...um....are you ...are you sure EVERYONE you know is gone? Didn't you have, like...oh, I don't know...a brother?" Link asked casually. He saw Zelda stiffen up and turned to him, her eyes wide in realization. Did he hit a nerve, or something? Or did he remind her of a magically living family member that has been showing up in his dreams? "You're the one-...?" she asked breathlessly. Link became confused and asked "I'm the one...what?"
He didn't get an answer as Zelda lunged at him and gripped the sides of his head with her gentle hands, inspecting him as he stood there awkwardly. "Oh-um-what-....what are you-?" "That must be why you rejected me yesterday! You have your eyes on my brother, don't you? When did you start getting these dreams? Do you know anyone else who's gotten them? What does the man in your dreams look like? Is it really HIM you're dreaming about?!" Zelda quickly asked. For a second, Link had to remember and comprehend what she asked, but then he blushed immensely and pulled Zelda's hands away. He was flustered that she said his preference out loud without so much as disgusted face, let alone as part of a barrage of questions. "What are you talking about, princess?" he asked her. Zelda sighed heavily and gripped Links hands tightly "You just asked about my brother! Nobody has ever known I have a living brother, only a special person can know of him!" she yelled. She must have expected Link to think on the situation, because when he smiled widely, she became angry and frustrated. "What's so funny?! This is serious! My poor brother (Y/N) is in trouble, and you're possibly going to be his hero! This isn't a laughing matter!" she exclaimed. Alas, in Link's defense, it was actually all too good to be true... he was barely believing his ears. His prince really is her brother...and hand his name is (Y/N)! It really suited him, Link felt connected to that name and face already. "(Y/N)...W-well...I was always hoping he was a real human being...And now you just...c-confirmed it..." Link trailed off happily. "I'm really gonna meet him face-to-face...!"
Zelda softened up and let go of Link's hands, finally understanding his position. "Ah, I see now...that is why you ran off last night...to dream of my brother?" she whispered. Link blushed even harder and looked away as he rubbed the back of his neck, he felt like he was too easy to read a times. "Y-y-yeah...I...I guess so...hahahah..." he admitted. Zelda giggled at Link and sat down on the soft grass of the garden, patting a spot next to her. "Sit down, hero. If you're looking to rescue my brother, then I will tell you a story. It's a long one, and I can only tell you what I know about what happened" she said. Link smiled widely and immediately sat down next to Zelda, listening intently to every word that left her mouth. Once Link finds his prince, not only will HE be happy, but Zelda won't be completely alone in the new Hyrule.
