The Legend of Zelda: Blood and Spirit

Chapter 5: Where to Start

"Zelda!" Link calling out to her from below broke through her train of thoughts. She looked down to him, staring up at her from the ground and she smiled, waving to him. Without a word, she gracefully leaped off of the goddess's hands and floated down towards him with the sailcloth, her dark pink dress flittering in the breeze.

"Hey," she greeted once she landed. "You're up early."

"Well, I didn't really sleep that great last night..." the hero admitted, though he had no intention of telling her why.

Zelda inclined her head as she frowned. "Really?" she raised an eyebrow at him. "Before we went to bed last night, you told me you were exhausted! You were even out before me and I saw you, sleeping like a baby." She flashed him a teasing grin as she rocked back and forth on her feet, twirling some of her hair with her finger.

Link avoided her questioning gaze, remembering Terminus's words. The true reason why he had trouble sleeping the previous night was because he had been been up thinking about her grave warning. It still seemed so surreal to him and yet the threat of corruption was very real. Though nothing strange had happened since they were in Termina, the hero had a sense that something bad was going to happen and soon. It was as though he could feel it in the air. It had been something he had gradually gained during his journeys across the surface; a sort of sixth sense that helped him know if danger was near. It was a feeling a lingering tension and unease and this time, it wouldn't go away. But even so, he couldn't let Zelda catch on. Even if he hadn't promised Terminus that he wouldn't tell her, he knew he wouldn't be able to bear the distraught emotions she would definitely show if he did. And so, he simply shrugged and showed little signs of worry as he said, "I guess I wasn't as tired as I thought."

Zelda was still frowning, knowing that after the arduous battle that he had been in yesterday, he should have gotten more rest. In fact, she had even planned to let him sleep in uninterrupted, but he had woken up all on his own, a rare sight that she certainly wasn't used to. "Ok then..." she said with slight suspicion as the two of them headed inside the temple. "How is your cut? I know Terminus healed it yesterday, but... do you mind if I check it out, just to make sure its really OK?"

Link's eyes grew wide at this request, fearing that she would find something that would give him away. "Zel... you don't have to..." he said, backing away from her slightly.

"Why not?" she asked with a mischievous glint in her dark blue eyes. "Are you hiding something from me, Mr. Hero?"

"N-no! Its... Its just..."

"Just what?"

The hero sighed in defeat, knowing that she was determined. And when Zelda had he mind set on something, there was no arguing with her. "Fine..." he said, bracing himself for the worst.

"Ok then," the girl said with a flirtatious smirk. "Take it off."

"Take what off?"

"Your shirt, silly!" she laughed as she watched his cheeks suddenly grow red. "How else am I supposed to check it?!"

He said nothing as he hesitantly slipped his tunic off, followed by his undershirt to reveal his bare chest. Zelda smiled in satisfaction as she stepped forward to inspect the wound. Luckily for Link, Terminus had reduced it to nothing more than a long scar, but the hero knew that something much more ominous laid beyond it. But nonetheless, Zelda gently ran a finger down the length of the scar, noticing how well it had healed. Once she was done, she let her eyes wander to the rest of his form and smiled wistfully. Goddesses, he's so handsome... she thought in slight awe as she ran her hands down his chest, knowing that it was firm, lean and toned from the many fights he had been in. It was marked it a few other, smaller scars from different battles in the past, but in Zelda's opinion, they made him even more attractive. Link instantly relaxed upon her soft touch, her hands feeling warm and comforting on his skin as she slowly ran them up and down. All worries of being corrupted left his mind as he closed his eyes, enjoying the pleasant sensation.