FicWad

I woke up blessed out again, I didn’t open my eyes trying to prolong the moment. This time I could feel his arms around me; I scooted closer to him and buried my face in his chest. Then a thought occurred to me and my eyes snapped open, I looked to the window and saw from the sun that it must be about 8 already. I sat up quickly and he woke up from the movement, he groaned and rolled over and started to fall asleep again. That’s not good.
“Peter,” I said putting my hand on his shoulder, he didn’t notice. I shook him a little bit, “Peter,” I said with more force. He finally slid his eyes open and looked at me in confusion.
“What?” he said, his voice breaking with tiredness. It was so adorable, I paused for a moment to smile at him, but then reality hit me again.
“You have to get up, now,” I urged, shoving towards the side of the bed. He was still half asleep but he seemed to finally register the urgent tone in my voice. He began to get dressed as I did the same but he paused after he got his pants on, his shirt clutched in his hand.
“Wait, what’s the problem?” he asked looking really confused.
“You have to go downstairs,” I said.
“Why?” he asked looking at the bed like he really wanted to crawl back into it.
“Because they might come and look for you. Edmund was already asking questions,” I said sliding my shirt on.
“So?” he asked. I froze; did he really not get it?
“So… they can’t know about…” I trailed off gesturing to the bed. I still couldn’t believe he hadn’t gotten it yet. He still looked confused for a moment then realization hit his face, and he looked at me with an odd look.
“And why not?” he whispered. “You don’t deserve to be hidden.” His words stunned me; I couldn’t move or find my voice to respond. It was the first time that I knew that he really cared about me the way I cared about him. I tried to remember how to work my vocal chords again.
“I-uh,” I cleared my throat and tried again. “Thank you.” It was all I could think of to say, but it was all that was needed. He crossed the room in three strides and wrapped his arms around me. He was still shirtless so I could see the muscles in his shoulders roll as he squeezed me gently. I ran my hands across his back enjoying the feel of his soft skin.
“It doesn’t change anything though,” I said, he pulled away from me looking confused again. “Peter you’re the high king, you need respect in order to rule your people. If this gets out they might not respect you anymore.”
“But what if it turns out they’re ok with it?” he countered.
“We can’t take that chance and you know it,” I said firmly. He sighed deeply and placed his hand on my neck.
“Ok, if it’s what you want,” he said after a few seconds. He kissed me briefly, slipped on his shirt, and headed out the door without another word. I followed a few seconds later but I had no intention of hanging around that girl, Alandra, today. I wandered to the stables to get Epona. It looked like I was going to be in Narnia a while, if not forever, so I might as well get a feel for the land. As I was saddling Epona I started to get a little dizzy.
I grabbed onto the fence for support as I felt a burning in my chest. The burning seemed to get hotter and hotter until my knees gave out and I collapsed. I cried out in pain and clutched my hands to my chest, trying to extinguish the flame that wasn’t there. What is this? I heard a noise, I concentrated hard to figure out what it was, and then I heard it. It was a voice, but what were they saying?
“Link?” I heard faintly. I gasped, it was Zelda’s voice. The burning intensified for a split second then traveled down my right arm. It concentrated in my right hand and I thought it would burst into flame at any moment. Then, quite suddenly, the burning was gone. I got up shakily, and as I pulled myself up using the fence I caught a glance at my hand. The Triforce symbol was glowing. I suddenly realized what happened, Zelda was trying to find me.
I took Epona’s saddle off of her again and made my way up to the castle. I needed him to know. I still wasn’t feeling too good when I made it inside but I dragged myself to where I knew they were meeting. I flung the door open with the last of my strength and grabbed onto the doorframe for dear life. I knew I must look terrible, but was it necessary for Alandra to scream? Suddenly Peter was at my side holding me up; he dragged me over to a chair and sat me down.
“Go get Lucy,” he said urgently to someone over my head. “Link what is it, what’s wrong?”
“She’s trying to call me back,” I muttered.
“Who is? Zelda?” he asked. I was just barely able to nod, and then I leaned my head back. I would have fallen asleep but there was a rush of movement around me and the most wonderful smell filled my nose. I felt someone put something to my lips and just one drop of liquid fell onto my tongue. If I thought the smell wonderful, the taste… it tasted like sunlight. This world is odd. As soon as I swallowed the drop I immediately began to feel better, almost better than before the burning. I looked around and saw Lucy right in front of me holding some sort of crystal bottle with red liquid in it. Peter was right beside her, discretely holding my left hand, he looked so worried. Edmund, who had been at the meeting, was there as well looking over Peter’s shoulder.
“Thank you,” I said to Lucy who beamed at me. Peter let go of my hand once he saw I was fine, and before he drew attention to himself.
“So you said Zelda is trying to call you back?” he asked. In an answer I showed them the back of my hand. As they all stared in amazement I could see their faces glowing slightly in the light coming from it.
“This Zelda person, you said she’s your princess right?” Edmund asked.
“Yes, and she’s the only person that could do something like this. That and I heard her voice,” I explained.
“Her voice? Wow you must have a strong connection with her,” Lucy said, I didn’t know why she sounded so excited.
“Yes,” I said.
“And she’s trying to find you! How romantic!” she gushed. Oh, now I get it. Peter seemed to as well.
“Well you’re feeling better so I can get on with the meeting,” he said stiffly. As I got up I caught his eye and he already looked incredibly sorry.
“Yeah, sorry,” I muttered over my shoulder as I walked out. Once I made it to the hallway I paused, I heard Peter’s voice pick up in an official tone but I couldn’t understand what he was saying. I couldn’t blame him for his behavior, I had already flashed my jealousy for the world to see with Alandra, why shouldn’t he with Zelda? The excitement of riding had been striped from me so I wondered aimlessly for a time before I found myself in Peter’s sitting room again. I walked over to the window to stare out at the ocean while I thought about things.
If Zelda could get me back, should I go? This world had been good to me in more ways then one. However, I couldn’t deny that Peter was the thing that was giving me the most doubts about leaving. What if I stayed and we didn’t last? I would be stuck in this world with no reason to be here when I was given an opportunity to go home. I doubt I would be given a chance to leave twice.
Then what if I let that kind of thinking force me to leave? Peter and I… there’s no doubt we have a connection. We could be happy together; all I’d have to do was have some faith. I suppose I could ask Peter what he thought about our relationship, if you could call it that. There’s also the fact that I’m not really needed in Hyrule anymore, Ganondorf is gone.
What if Hyrule fell to another enemy and I wasn’t there to protect it? It’s my destiny to protect Hyrule at all cost, I can’t really do that from another world. However, I shouldn’t let the fact I was the chosen hero stop me from having the life I want. Yet I could feel it, there was a definite pull, a force that’s telling me to go back and keep watch over Hyrule and its people. My people. Then there was the fact that Zelda might not even be able to reach me.
Then I saw it, a shimmering near the tree line. I blinked quite a few times wondering if my eyes were tricking me, but they weren’t. The shimmering got more distinct and mixtures of colors that shouldn’t have been there swirled around the space. Peter’s room was on the highest floor of the castle I wanted a closer look but if I moved from this spot I might miss something important. As I continued to stare at the spot it glowed for a moment then suddenly took shape. It was a solid oval of…something. I didn’t stop to think, I ran from the room and down to where they were meeting. They were all coming out into the hallway just as I ran up to them.
“Peter,” I said as I skidded to a stop in front of him. “There’s…something.”
“What is it?” Peter asked looking confused.
“I don’t know,” I snapped, and peter raised his eyebrows at me. “Sorry… I’m not used to not having information for people. You just have to see it.” Peter accepted that quickly and motioned for me to lead the way. I ran down the staircases with Peter and Edmund right behind me until we burst out of the front doors and I headed right for the tree line. I saw the oval hovering in the air and I stopped about five feet from it, slightly out of breath.
“What the hell,” Peter said slowly.
“What is that thing?” Edmund asked quietly.
“It’s a portal, though not like one I’ve ever seen,” I said.
“You’ve seen a lot of portals?” Edmund asked.
“You have no idea,” I muttered stepping a little closer to it.
“Whoa, you think you should go near that thing?” Peter asked stretching out his arm slightly like he wanted to snatch me back. I just moved up a few feet and stopped to peer into it, then I froze.
“Goddesses,” I muttered.
“What?” they both said at the same time. Peter asked it as what caused me to say it while Edmund asked it as why did I say that. I was distracted, however, I was looking over a huge field and in the distance…
“The castle. It’s Hyrule castle. Zelda found me after all,” I almost whispered but the words seemed to echo around us. At the mention of her name a group of people rode into view from the side, in the middle was Zelda herself.
“Dismount!” the head guard shouted, but by that time Zelda had already jumped off of her horse and had run halfway to the portal. She stopped just on her side of it and I hurriedly stepped up to my side.
“Link! I’m so glad to see you’re ok,” she said clutching her hand to her chest. She was wearing her usual white and purple dress and she had her usual hair style. I was one of the few people that knew that this is also what she wore to fight in, not that she had to do that too often. It felt a little odd that I wasn’t in my hero’s clothes.
“Link?” Peter asked from behind me. He had a hint of fear in his voice that I couldn’t figure out.
“So are you going to invite me through? I’d like to see where you are,” She said capturing my attention again.
“Is that a good idea? What if you get trapped?” I asked.
“Oh this will hold up for a week,” she said stroking the sides of the portal affectionately. “I couldn’t resist exploring a little.”
“Well if that’s the case, it’s not my place to invite you,” I said with a smile. I stepped back and looked pointedly at Peter who stared back for a moment. He seemed to fight with himself for a moment before putting on his fake smile. He was really good at that, Zelda didn’t suspect a thing.
“Princess Zelda, would you do me the honor of joining us?” he said extending a hand and bowing politely. As she reached through the portal it shimmered around her hand. She took his hand and stepped through, a guard immediately followed her through and took in the surroundings. That annoyed me a little, I am the chosen hero, and you would think they would trust my judgment.
“Zelda, this is High King Peter and his brother King Edmund,” I said. Zelda bowed to Peter then turned and bowed to Edmund. The whole thing was way too stiff for me.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you princess,” Edmund said bowing back.
“Ok, way too much royalty around for my taste,” I muttered. Zelda ignored my joke, as usual, while Peter snorted. She was focused on the castle now, Edmund and Peter were focused on her. Peter seemed to be sizing her up, and Edmund… I couldn’t tell.
“Guard?” she said absently, he quickly stepped up to her side. “You won’t be needed.”
“Princess I think-” he started but she cut over him.
“Link is here, and unless you are saying you doubt my magical abilities and therefore my portal, there is no danger,” she said firmly. The guard had no choice but to listen to her, he bowed and backed through the portal. “I’ll check back with you around nine, as long as there is this portal our time will run the same.”
“Very well your majesty,” the guard said and walked back to his group. There was silence between us for a while before Edmund decided to take charge.
“Princess I would be honored to show you around the castle,” he said.
“I would love that, and please, call me Zelda,” she said sweetly.
“Well then call me Edmund,” he said with a smile and offered her his arm. She took it and they walked off and into the castle leaving Peter and me alone.
“She seems nice,” he said a little grudgingly, I didn’t answer. We stood for a moment in silence, both waiting for the other to say something.
“We’ll we should probably head in,” I mumbled, giving up on him saying anything. As we walked back to the castle silently I thought about what to do. What I wanted, more than anything, was for Peter to ask me to stay. It didn’t look like that was going to happen.