Twenty-one Questions: A Zelink story

Chapter twenty

I was the one who had pushed him away that day.

And in an instant, I was reminded of all the times that I had pushed him away from me, all the incidences where Link had tried to be friendly and kind and I had had none of it.

I mean really, no wonder he was so tense on the run-up to my wedding.

He shouldn't have made up those rumours, but...I shouldn't have pushed him away.

I shouldn't have ever pushed him away.

This was my fault. All of this was my fault. I had been the vile one. I had been the name-calling, shin-kicking, petty little bully that had caused all of this.

"Do you Zelda,"

Oh, shit. Here we go.

"take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband,"

I felt my breathing quicken. Why couldn't I have had this realization earlier?

"to live together in matrimony,"

I had been so foolish. I was about to ruin everything once more.

"to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him,"

Apollo beamed at me sweetly, looking the same as he had the day he proposed to me. How could I break his heart once more?

"in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy,"

I pictured Link leaving on his horse, his face sorrow, his shoulders droopy...

I couldn't let him go. 

Not yet.

"to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?"

The priest spoke, each word seeming to last forever.

I stood, stunned into silence as I tried to steady my breathing.

"Um..."

Apollo's expression dampened. He looked me up and down, leaning a little closer, as if to ask what was wrong.

"I-" I looked around the room at all the hopeful guests.

What was I doing?

Was I really about to let all these people down, because I was inlove with Link?

Inlove.

I was inlove with Link.

Oh, shit. 

I was madly inlove with Link.

"I don't, actually." People gasped and Apollo gaped at me. "I'm so, so, so sorry." I let go of his hands. "I love you, Apollo, but..."

People's faces were astonished, disgusted, some even excited. I looked back at Apollo whilst my heartbeat sounded loudly in my ears.

"You're not Link." I frowned and tried to ignore all the reactions sounding from the audience. "And I've just realised something."

I breathed in deeply and shakily. "I've just realized something huge and-" I picked up my skirt. "And I have to go, like, right now!" I ran down the steps of the chapel as Lisa, Aria and Dalia all chased after me, Lisa shouting, "Goddamnit, woman, make up your mind!"

"Wait for me, I failed sports class!" I heard Dalia's knight date, Matthew, run after us as more and more people joined in, shouting all sorts of comments and clearly excited and entertained.

I dashed through the halls, the entire audience racing behind me.

I began exiting the castle and was lifted up by two guards who carried me down the stairs, causing ripples of laughter and excitement to come from everybody.