Chapter 5 - The Burning Red

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Chapter 5: The Burning Red


"What are you reading, Princess?" Patrick said approaching Zelda.

Zelda sat on a bench next to a table in the library reading her small pocket book. She looked up and eyed Patrick before quickly closing it and placing it in her pocket once again and saying, "Just reading a typical fairy tale... nothing more..."

Patrick sat next to her and placed his arm on his knee, causing him to lean forward. He gave out a heavy sigh and glanced at Zelda, "Why are you so quiet? Knowing you, you'd be excited for Hyrule's anniversary ball."

Zelda clenched her fists uncomfortably, "Why... yes... I am excited actually..."

Why am I like this...?

What is this feeling I have? It's different than what I was thinking before when I read fairy tales when I was younger...

Could it be...?

"You're inviting me, aren't you?" Patrick interrupted her thoughts.

"Why, yes, of course." Zelda started, "I'm also inviting Link... If you don't mind of course."

"No... of course I don't mind..." Patrick replied putting on a fake grin.

Of course he minded. He was not so fond of Link as was Zelda. Their relationship toward each other wasn't as friendly as it would seem. Patrick had seen Zelda with Link quite often lately, though. There was a certain feeling... A nagging voice in the back of his mind that kept reminding that he, himself was fond of Zelda... no... he loved her. And seeing Link with her... was it envy? Patrick lowered his head and sighed before standing up.

"I shall depart to lunch now." He said, "I was due there an hour ago."

Zelda remained sitting down, hands clenched on her knees and hearing Patrick's footsteps fade into the distance. Sooner or later the hinges creaked and the library door clicked closed. Her thoughts turned toward the next night. Zelda didn't expect it coming. She had been worked up over worrying whether Link would return safely or not, and now that he was back... she began to wonder when he would leave again, and try to spend as much time with him as possible so it wouldn't seem a shadow just merely crossed her path and departed from her. After all, he was a friend to her.

Upon pondering of the ball, she realized she had not given Link a proper invitation yet. She sat there for a moment, then rose to her feet and went for the door. Slowly she traipsed down the hallways until she came upon his door to his quarters. Zelda knocked on the door and awaited a response. It seemed forever, that moment of silence, but she heard Link's voice acknowledging her to come in.

She opened the door and peeked in first to find Link sitting on the windowsill, bathed in the sunlight that crept through. It gave his fair and pale complexioned skin a look of a bright glow. His blue eyes glittered as he turned his head to find Zelda there. She entered in his room and clasped both of her hands together and held them in front of her, as a charming little girl would.

"I'm sorry if you're in the middle of something... but I came to tell you something." She said sweetly.

Zelda sat herself down next to Link and became engulfed in the sunlight as well. She paused for a moment, waiting to see if he would except her sitting there next to him. He did not say or do anything and Zelda continued to speak.

"Hyrule's Anniversary ball is tomorrow. I would like it if you would come."

Link did not answer for a long while, which brought Zelda discomfort until he finally said, "Why would you invite me? I've confined you with burdens of my own." He looked away from her.

"Why say that?" She replied.

"I've seen it in your eyes... you don't cry... because-"

Zelda had not realized that she had took his cheek and cupped it in her palm and turned his head toward her, until he saw his eyes once more. She had shocked herself for a brief moment before she could find her voice and speak again.

"Link... of all the things to say... why say that?" She said, "Yes, I am troubled by your sadness, but-"

"Then you care not for me?"

"I do care for you!" Zelda suddenly raised her voice, "It's just..."

Zelda was trying to find an answer. She searched her mind and even her heart, but that answer was hiding, but it wanted to escape; it was like a lost child. Sooner or later, Link's voice finally filled the air.

"I will accept your invitation."

Zelda looked up and was silent for a long while before a smile finally passed her lips. She somehow felt somewhat relieved by knowing that he would come. It meant that he would not leave the next day. Zelda stood to her feet and looked at Link once more.

"Well, I shall see you soon, then." Zelda then turned around and started toward the door.

However, something wouldn't let her go any further. She had felt a tug on the back of her dress and when she turned around, she saw that Link had held onto the fabric. Assuming he wanted to say something else she turned around toward him as he let go of her silk dress and stood up and faced her so they were eye to eye. Zelda was puzzled, knowing that he would have spoken by now, but she sensed hesitation in his actions.

Surprise struck her when he had taken her in his arms and quickly set his lips onto hers. Zelda's eyes widened as she felt his leathery lips brushing against hers and she drew her head back to only look into Link's stunning azure eyes. Gently now, she took his face in her hands, gently placing both her gloved hands on both sides of his soft cheeks and set her lips on his once again.

Link could feel Zelda move under his hands as her hands slowly drifted off of his cheeks and drifted to the sides of his shoulders and run down his muscular arms. Link lifted his hand and stroked Zelda's porcelain cheek with the back of his hand and became overwhelmed by her softness and almost slipped. She was like an angel to him, and he, the same to Zelda.

There in front of the window with curtains a deep red, the sunlight hit them, making both of them glow as they kissed. However, Patrick had passed the door to find it ajar. He peeked in and found the two exchanging their now gentle kisses and his blood boiled with envy. He had moved on since he could not bare the sight any longer.

Zelda had at last come back to her senses and scrambled herself free from Link's embrace, tore her lips from his, and turned toward the door, this time not looking back. The only time when she looked back at Link, to find him in the state of shock as well, was when she reached the door. She stopped, looked back, and said,

"I'm sorry..."

She opened the door and when Link had heard the door close with a click he sat himself on his bed of blood-red sheets, he looked up and sighed as his hand drifted to his cheek. He thought himself foolish at that time and acting too quickly, kissing her didn't mean anything... did it?

As for Zelda, she thought herself rather foolish as well as she paced quickly down the hallway. She sighed heavily to herself, a sigh that sounded rather frustrated. When she reached her quarters she hastily entered in and closed the door behind herself and for a moment she rested her back on its wooden face as Zelda looked up at the ceiling.

She took a step forward and began to pace around restlessly. No matter how much she tried to think of something else, those kisses came back to her mind. She threw herself on her bed and placed a tired hand on her brow and sighed and once again the kiss came back to her. Soon after, she began feeling warm, then she noticed something that she had never felt before. Zelda had felt so safe in Link's embrace, forgetting all the troubles of the world. She kept telling herself she didn't want to kiss him, but there was another thought nagging her on the back of her mind that she longed for him.
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