【 O F A N O T H E R L I F E 】
This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be. Even for the Gods, this was just too cruel.
You watched sadly as your beloved happily conversed with his newfound friend. You trailed behind them slightly, your fingers still curled around your cotton-candy stick. But you didn't want it- not to eat it alone anyway. You wanted to share the delicious treat with Link, yet his had been discarded somewhere long ago. You couldn't bring yourself to throw your own away, even though you knew keeping it would end in misery.
A blind man could see that Link was infatuated. He was like a completely different person; he was animated and expressive. It took you weeks to elicit a word from him, and a month before he showed you a smile. Yet this girl was able to do so within seconds of meeting him.
It hurt.
"That girl back there, is she your lover?"
Your ears perked up. There was no doubt Princess Zelda was referring to you. You felt oddly nervous, almost dreading the answer Link would give. You debated whether or not to turn away, but it was too late.
He answered, "[Y/N]? No. She's just a friend."
The world seemed like it had stopped spinning altogether. That's when you realized you'd never, ever be anything more than just a friend to him. Even though your heart was tied to his alone, he would never be to yours.
It felt like the Megaton Hammer was whammed into your chest, knocking all the air from your lungs. Your heart began to sting. Suppressing the tears that threatened to spill from your eyes, you carelessly tossed your cotton-candy stick behind your shoulder. Then you turned on your heel and vanished into the night.
【 P R E S E N T L Y 】
You could feel the warmth of the sun against your skin. It was almost like the heavens themselves were gently waking you from your slumber. Your eyes fluttered open slowly. The scene before you was blurry, grainy, and just a mesh of colours.
Where am I? And what am I doing here?
Slowly, your vision began to sharpen, and the mesh of colours formed into objects. You were in a tent, but not just any tent. It was filled with large sacs full of tattered books.
"Ah! You've awoken!"
Slowly, you rolled your head to the side, eyes landing upon someone who seemed very familiar. Despite your adjusting vision, you could clearly make out his features. He had a long face, accented by a set of high cheekbones and a squared jaw. You could see that his big eyes were dark green in colour behind his large glasses, vaguely reminding you of forest leaves. His auburn hair was brushed back and out of his face, curling slightly at the base of his neck.
Oh, you knew him. He was the book-worm of a Hylian who aided you and Link during your quest to save Hyrule. If you remembered correctly, Shad was his name. Or was it Shade? Chad?
Nonetheless, you definitely remembered him as the scholar who was particularly interested in your friends Ooccoo and Ooccoo Jr.
"Careful now! You had a rather nasty fall. I'm afraid your leg isn't looking too good..."
You looked down and realized he was right. You hadn't felt it earlier, but you sure felt it now. Your right calf was burning. It felt like fire was slowly eating away at your skin, through your tissues, and into the bone. You winced visibly, your reaction eliciting one of panic and concern from your saviour.
"Are you alright? Does it hurt?" He immediately rushed to your side, placing a large hand on your shoulder for comfort. "I apologize... I had a companion of mine do the dressing. I'm afraid she's the only one with first-aid knowledge, as limited as it is..."
"It's okay, it's fine." You replied, though with some difficulty.
You had forgotten how painful pain could be. Despite the durability you had built up, it seems like your body had relished a little too much in the peacefulness of Ordon. This wasn't even the worst that could happen to you. You've had much worse, from being pelted by arrows and sliced open by sharp weapons.
"I can heal myself," you muttered before singing a song containing the elements of healing.
The magic began to work at once, and the pain began to disappear. The tricky thing is although the spell could heal any physical wound, it couldn't restore your energy. That would take time. Due to the severity of your injury, it seems like you would have to take it easy for quite some time before your leg returned to its former state.
"W-Wow... You really are quite something." The redhead whispered, mesmerized.
You knew his comment was just a side-effect of hearing you sing. Most people react that way, after all. You tried not to let it get to you, but for some reason, it made you feel oddly good.
When he realized what he had done, he instantly flushed a bright shade of red.
Now that... That wasn't something you see every day. You blinked once, then twice. He was... oddly cute.
"Shad, right?"
The redhead coughed into a fist before turning his undivided attention towards you. You were taken aback by the intensity of his eyes. Despite their dark colour, they shined with clarity. This was a man with a plan. He had ambition and the means to achieve his life-long goals.
"Yes, that's right," Shad replied while offering you a kind smile. "I'm surprised you remember me, [Y/N]."
You were, again, taken aback by him. How could you not remember him?
"Well, of course! If it weren't for you, we would've never made it to the Sky Temple! How could I ever forget you?"
Your words seem to elicit another reaction out of him, for he began to flush brightly once more.
"Y-Your words truly flatter me," Shad replied, his voice slightly shaky. He bowed his head humbly, though it was really more to hide away his flushed face.
You smiled at his reaction. Somewhere in the depths of your chest, you felt one of the millions of tears within your broken heart begin to mend. It was such a strange sensation, like all the weight of the world was suddenly lifted from your shoulders. Your entire body somehow felt lighter. The world somehow seemed brighter. Your face must've shown your confusion because Shad grew worried again.
"[Y/N/]! What is the matter? Are you hurt anywhere?"
"I'm... Fine..." you replied in a small voice, still extremely curious as to what this strange change meant.
Just hours ago (you presume), you had felt so broken and so betrayed. The pain which was inflicted upon your current life seemed to have been amplified tenfold. You originally thought perhaps this was a form of punishment from the Gods; you had run away from your destiny. Yet now, you begin to feel oddly at peace.
"Are you certain?"
Your attention slowly began to focus upon Shad once more. You took a good, long look at his face, memorizing the lively glow of his green eyes; the way his forehead would crinkle ever so slightly when he showed concern; the way his lips seem to tighten into a hardline... You remembered it all.
Then you suddenly realized why you were feeling so oddly at peace. Never once did you ever think that the solace you had been seeking for in your many lifetimes would come from someone who wasn't Link.
【 O F A N O T H E R L I F E 】
You weren't too sure where you were going, but you knew you had to keep running.
From what? Several things, really.
Firstly, from witnessing the budding romance occurring between your soulmate and Princess Zelda.
Secondly, from your own thoughts. You didn't want to keep thinking about them. You didn't want to think of the possibility that he wouldn't love you.
And finally, from your own failure. You had failed yourself again. You had tried so hard in this life to become a woman worthy of Link's affections. You defied your parents in this life to help him acquire the Sacred Stones in your childhood. Then you went into hiding for seven years before reuniting with your beloved in a journey to save Hyrule. You gave it your all... So why? Why didn't he love you this time?
So you kept running and running, and running... Until your legs gave out beneath you, sending you crashing to the ground, and hopefully soon into your next life.