"You can't die just yet, silly! You have to save Hyrule! Listen, as soon as I can, I'll help you and him out... I promise. I haven't fully awakened yet... But trust me, I'll be by your side soon. I hope my weak magic that I sent to you saved you... I love you, Zelda."
I gasped.
"Oh, Zelda!"
I felt him wrap his arms around me. He squeezed me tightly, showing no signs of letting go anytime soon.
Link...
I buried my face in his neck. "Link..." I breathed softly. "What happened...?"
"Has the girl awoken?"
I peeked out from Link's body. "Ilia?"
Ilia ran over to the bed I was laying on. "Oh, thank the goddesses! I'm so glad you're alright! I'll go let my father know!"
And with those words, she left.
"What happened...?" I asked warily, holding my head.
"The bridge snapped," Link reminded me. He sat across from me on the bed I laid on. I sat up. "Three monsters had cut the ropes, causing you to crash against the wall of the gorge. You broke your ankle, and the monsters also shot an arrow through your calf."
I looked down at my right leg. My ankle had been wrapped up entirely, and my calf was the same. I sniffed, wanting to cry. This couldn't be happening, I stopped myself from screaming.
"Something happened, though..." Link said softly, looking at my leg.
"What?" I asked.
"You see, there's no way you made it up to the other side without help..." Link began, pressing his hand against his mouth, leaning on his arm. "Someone must have helped you, because there was an arrow far below the top of the bridge. If the monster was able to pierce your calf easily, they must have been able to shoot you through your back. This means someone who possesses magic saved you..."
I looked around, my thoughts trailing off. I was in a small house with paintings and pictures everywhere. I stood up off of the bed, my legs shaking. Link shook his head quickly. "Wait, Zel-!"
Remembering what had happened, I fell to the ground, unable to stand. "Agh!" I cried out. Link caught me halfway through my fall. He slowly helped me back onto the bed. I didn't feel any pain at the moment, but I knew, as soon as I stood, the pain would come surging through my body once more.
I hit my right leg, softly at first, then harder. "No, no, no!" I felt like I was going to cry. I had promised myself not to cry, but this time I couldn't help it. I ruined the mission Link and I were on. We couldn't go looking for Link's weapon if I couldn't walk! "Why am I so weak?!" I screamed. "How? Why? Now we won't be able to save Hyrule, all because of my stupid actions!"
"Woah, slow down there, Zelda!" Link grabbed my hands, holding them away from my leg. I looked away from him, avoiding eye contact. I felt terrible. He gently squeezed my fists. "Listen to me! You aren't weak! You saved Colin's life! You were willing to throw your own life away to save a little boy you had just met!" He paused, smiling. Tears formed at his eyes. "If that's not strong, I don't know what is!"
I hiccuped. "But I was so scared, that I didn't m-move, I could have ran across the bridge before it fell but I was paralyzed in fear...!"
A tear ran down Link's cheek. "Zelda, of course you were scared! I would have been, too! Anyone in your situation would have been scared!" Link pressed his warm hand against my cheek, lifting my head up. My eyes met his. "You acted bravely, and you saved a young boy's life while doing so. It doesn't matter to me if we find my weapon or not. I don't care. I'll sit in this room until you're all better. I won't leave."
I stared at him. "Link, you can't just-"
"With the Great Fairy's magic supply that she granted us, we have about three weeks we can spend here," Link blurted out, interrupting me. "I don't know if your whole leg will heal then; I'm no doctor. But I swear to you that I'll be here, and I'm not leaving." Link paused, looking directly into my eyes. "Whether you like it or not, I'm staying."
"You're the Hero, I'm not," I stated, pushing Link's hands away from mine. "Go save Hyrule. It's not like I can do anything, anyway."
Link frowned. "Zelda! Cut the crap!"
I gasped. Link had never raised his voice at me like this before.
But I guess I deserved it.
"If the gods wanted me to save Hyrule, they could have easily reincarnated me without you," Link began in a much quieter tone. "But they obviously knew it would be plain idiotic to not reincarnate you alongside me, because they knew you were, and are, important."
I buried my face in my hands. "I'm sorry."
Link shook his head again. "For what?"
"Just..." I began, throwing my arms out to my side, laying back down on the bed. I grunted. "Everything," I said, looking at the ceiling. "I didn't move because I was scared, now I'm seriously injured."
Link began to say something, when I held up my hand, silencing him.
"Our mission may be screwed because of what I did. And you know, I don't care if you blame me, because I know that it was all my fault." I sighed heavily. "I have a nasty attitude now, and I made you upset by speaking to you rudely just now."
Link was about to contradict my statement, when the front door of the house opened.
"Link, I brought my father!" I heard Ilia's voice. She sounded exactly like the Ilia in my time.
I looked back down. There was a ladder a bit ways from the bed, and then there was a small ledge. Off of it was also another ladder, leading down to the main floor of the house. The person that owns this place must live alone to have a bed secluded in such a small area, I thought.
"Do you want me to bring Zelda down?" Link called back to her.
"If that's alright with her!"
I looked at Link, shaking my head. "I just want to be alone," I whispered to him, keeping my voice as low as possible.
Link sighed. Then, he gasped sarcastically. "Oh, my! She just passed out again. You two can leave and I'll tend to her. I'll get you both when she wakes back up?"
"Are you sure she's alright, Link?" A deep voice asked. I figured that was the mayor, Ilia's father.
"Yes, I'm positive," Link answered, looking at me. "She's just tired."
"Okay," Ilia said. I heard her footsteps echo throughout the house as she opened the door, closing it softly.
"Better?"
I looked at Link, my eyes feeling weak. I closed them for a moment.
A tear slipped out from my left eye.
"Zelda, please don't-" Link began, but I quickly wiped it away. I smiled lightly.
"Oh, don't worry," I laughed. "I didn't mean for that to slip out."
Link frowned. "Zelda..."
I shook my head. "I'll be okay."
"Are you sure...?" Link asked softly.
I nodded slowly, my eyes wide and my hands clenched against the bed sheets. I smiled.
"You're not fine, are you?" Link looked into my eyes, and I felt my heart break.
My smile still plastered on my face, I shook my head.
"How can I help?" Link moved up beside me. "Anything at all, I'll do it."
Tears began to slip down my cheeks. I still smiled regardless. "Don't leave," I croaked. "Please."
Link laid his head on top of mine. "You have my word." He moved his hands to my face, wiping away my tears.
My smile broke, and I wiped away some tears on my own. "Thank you," I replied. "Thank you, thank you, thank you..." I repeated, moving over Link's shoulders. He wrapped his arms around my neck as I sobbed into his chest.