Leaving the castle

LINK POV

["Don't fuck with me boy, you wiped it away but I can still smell it, under no circumstance are you allowed to damage something of mine, do I make myself clear?"] 

Wow… that was kind of scary at the moment, but right now the memory brings a smile to my face, as I said before, I am a man of my word and I respect Daphnes, I will never damage something of his… not even Zelda.

Link was thinking as he enters the storage room through the garden's trap door, he then slowly lowers Zelda from his back and places her on a makeshift hay bed.

I was planning on using that makeshift bed to rest and recover from the shot, it is not a deep wound, thanks to Martin's coat, but I still have a bullet somewhere in my right lumbar area, I can't take it out by myself or properly care for the wound, but I have done what I can...

He stands back looking at the princess and frowns at her, he hen starts checking the storage boxes.

SHE is going to need dry clothes she can run with. Come on Maco, you must have left something… 

He found shoes, but nothing else. He then slowly looks to a corner squinting his eyes, after a deep breath, Link heads to said corner. There lay Séneca's body. The poor man was shot on the head right outside the storage, Link had pulled the body inside the storage, and used the keys he had on him to close the door that connected the storage to the castle. Link starts striping the corpse of his clothes, once done, he positions the body lying on its back with the arms crossed over the chest, and lastly uses the palm of his hand to close Séneca's eyes out of respect. 

This is definitely NOT her size, but I think she can still use it. I can fold… or better yet, cut off the parts that fit too long, and make an extra hole on the belt to adjust the breeches… she stayed too long laying on the snow, she is cold and wet, I need to change her clothes to help her recover body temperature. 

He looks at her laying on the hay bed, barely breathing.

*You can rape her you know… sex increases body temp*

WHAT THE… WHY NOW OF ALL… How the fuck…

*HOW THE FUCK? You stopped taking the pills 2 weeks ago, what were you expecting genius? For me to magically disappear? The psychiatrist told you; I am not going anywhere. Best you can do is keep me quiet… SO how do we do this? I think we need to put a gag on her first*

I AM NOT RAPING HER

Link says as he walks towards the fire he had going, and places the last pieces of wood on it. 

*Why? How is it different from trying to killing her?*

I did not try to kill her; I made a promise to my King and I WILL KEEP IT. Yes, I shoot at her out of frustration, but only because I knew the gun was no longer loaded. I was hoping that doing so would soothe the hate in me, and keep make YOU disappear forever. Guess I was wrong.

*All right, don't rape her, but you can still punish her… I mean SLAPING HER FELT SO GOOD, and it won't leave marks because of your gloves, lets AT LEAST do that*

I… give you that one, it felt good indeed, if I do that will you shut up?

*I… will behave*

Link starts walking towards the Princess, and tears her dress open quite aggressively throwing it to the fire, then wonders if he should strip her of the slip, but chooses not to, that piece of garment does not appear to be wet. He then slaps her face.

*YES, do her legs, nobody is going to notice if you leave a mark there*

Told you to SHUT UP

Link begins smacking her in the legs, hopping she would regain consciousness, he NEEDED her to realize what was happening, to see the terror in her eyes, hear her helpless cries, the King will of course hang him, but that was a small price to pay. Zelda will live the rest of her life with emotional scars from this. The peace and hope he felt just thinking about that made him bold, he started scratching her arms with his nails, latter pinching her abdomen and legs, not minding the bruise marks, then he hears a moan. 

*Did she just…*

She may be waking up, GOOD... I have just started.

*NO DUDE, you need to stop, she is enjoying this*

Of course not, that can't be true, you are just being paranoid, she can't be… enjoying this.

Link slaps her on the face again just to cheek, the blow was hard enough to turn her head, but it will not leave a bruise on her face, then he sees her open her mouth a little and produce a moan. Link steps back and stumbles falling down on his butt, then puts his head between knees.

This can't be real… how many layers of fucked up am I dealing with here?

*I don't know, but YOU have many of those yourself…. this has turned into a shit show, I AM OUT*

NO, you can't just leave me here with this dread, she HAS TAKEN EVERYTHING from me, even my only chance at vengeance… my only shot at peace from this burning hate... And now you choose to remain quiet? Shit, I can't with this. 

Link breaths in deeply and exhales, his breath forming a cloud due to the cold, when he notices this his gears start turning, he grabs Séneca's clothes and starts dressing the Princess with them. He thought it was going to be a difficult endeavor, but Zelda wasn't heavy at all, and she was completely out of it. Link shifted and moved her around to dress her, she never even opened her eyes. 

RING!!! Link answers the call noticing he is almost out of battery

"Finally, I send a message like an hour ago" Link says faking exasperation.

"AND KID IS ALIVE, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, and I thought I was finally rid of you" Wolf says happily.

"Are you in Hyrule? You can't be, or how are we using the cell?" Link asks intrigued.

"I am here, and I am not alone. We brought an antenna strong enough to intercepts the castle's signal.… DUDE, you have to let us know beforehand next time you offer a fake SWORD service." Wolf smiles at the memory "Poor Carla had no idea what the King was talking about, but she managed to make Daphnes describe what he was requesting of us, without giving out the fact that YOU MADE IT ALL UP"

Link laughs at that "You have to admit it was a GREAT move on my part, it helps Hyrule and grants SWORD access for a brief period of time. Present ourselves as an asset, and not as a menace" Link answers smiling. 

"Well yeah, but Carla did not sleep that day, she had to spend the whole night typing this made-up law of yours, and chasing enough influential people to approve it before the attack today, you need to buy her something" Wolf orders.

"Consider it done, whatever she wants; if it exists, I will buy it. If it doesn't, I will make it" Link says with certainty. 

"WOW, hehe… strong declarations, I will let her know" Wolf says chuckling "why did you texted me and not the General?" 

"I acted against his orders, I am just avoiding repercussions for the moment, but DO let him know of my current status… have you meet with the majesties?" Link asks.

"Yes, they seem drained and sad, I am sure they will get a little better once they know you are ok, and on your way here" Wolf says trying to cheer Kid and himself.

Link winces at the idea "I would prefer to stay here actually, I got shot, the bullet is still inside, tried my best to dress the wound, but still, I would rather not move around, and also…" Link looks to the hay bed, Zelda is laying there, eyes open, just staring at him "if I were to move, I would have to travel with the Princess, complicating the task even more for me"

Wolf almost chokes "HOLD ON A SEC, you have the Princess there?"

"She is staring right at me this precise moment, want me to send you a pic?" Link asks Wolf, but looks at Zelda as if asking for her consent to this, she blinks once remaining mute.

"WHY THE FUCK DID YOU NOT TOLD ME THIS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CALL? The Queen thinks both of you are dead, and has been weeping nonstop, I am worried she will dehydrate, the King is a zombie and refuses to eat… this is a game changer... this is HUGE"

"How much longer will it take for SWORD to finish this?" Link sardonically asks.

"Doesn't matter Kid, you can't stay in the castle, the Gerudo are living there now, it's like their new base, they will kill you and the princess if they find you, you have to get out of there. Just DON'T GO THROUGH HYRULE FIELD, the fight it's still on going there, head to the moat behind the castle, cross it and walk to Eldin, go as slow as you need to, that path should be safe, I will make sure a carriage is patrolling the frontier so once they spot you, then they can bring you to Goron City."

"Good, but won't be able to travel as slow as I need to. In my current state, I can't guarantee enough food for me and the Princess. Give me no more than…" Link looks up at the celling and closes his eyes frowning.

I think if I take it slow, I could carry on for 3 days, enough time to get to Eldin 

*That is with you not eating anything to help the healing process… do you plan to starve? *

No, but whatever I manage to hunt is for her… I have to keep my promise to the King.

"3 days, if by then we have not arrived, consider me dead. Start searching for the Princess by noon of the 3rd day, I may be death but that doesn't mean she is. The call is going to end soon because I have no battery"

"I will inform the General of this, and also the majesties… you should still take the cellphone with you, even if out of battery, we can use it to locate your body worst case scenario, but that won't be necessary right?... good luck Kid" Wolf says in sorrow and hangs the call.

 Now that the call has ended Link turns to the Princess, she is avoiding his gaze and hugging herself.

Don't over think it, she appears to be ashamed, but it surely isn't because she knows or suspects of what I was doing.

"Princess I"

"I forgive you, I do not approve of it, but I know it was necessary, I would like to know what you did with my dress though, I don't see it." Zelda says 

She is talking about the obvious change of clothes, GOSH… this is good I guess; she remains oblivious. 

Link point towards the small bonfire, Zelda widens her eyes.

"It was an expensive dress and you just…" she begins scolding him 

"It was the only material around that could be used as fuel for the fire…" Link sighs "we should leave now, try on those shoes"

ZELDA POV

Was that an order? He is ordering me around? He may have saved me but I can't allow this type of disrespect.

"I don't take orders; I just give them. YOU leave if you want, this is my castle and I…" she shuts up when Link suddenly grabs her by the neck with one hand and pushes her against the wall, he leans and speaks to her ear.

"The Gerudo have taken over the castle, meaning this is no longer your castle, it's a Gerudo base, and we are intruders, since you are no longer Hyrule's Princess, you can't give orders anymore, but you know what? I CAN, simply because I know what and how to do it. You would not last a day without me, it's on your best interest to OBEY, and I say WE ARE LEAVING, is that clear enough?" 

He is right, and you know it… FUCK, I hate feeling like a dead weight, and now I depend ON HIM, of all people, Nayru must be laughing at me right now. 

Link releases his hold on her and begins picking a few things up and putting them on a pouch,

"Catch" he says throwing her the pouch "you will carry that" Link informs her as he straps on himself a waist bag.

"Why?" Zelda asks as she jumps a little when Link suddenly pulls her sleeves and starts ripping the edges off, he also rips the excess of cloth on the breeches, but ends up leaving a leg a little shorter than the other, both of them raise their shoulders and choose to ignore this.

Well… that is a very unconventional way to fit big clothes on a smaller frame, but effective. 

"Because it carries a small pot I found in the garden, you will need it to cook"

"WAIT, WHAT? I AM NOT GOING TO DO THAT…" Zelda replies, fear and uncertainty pouring out of her.

"You are a girl and girls cook, so you take care of that, and I take care of finding something to eat every day, fair?" Raziel asks raising an eyebrow. 

"I am a princess, I don't…" Zelda does not dare finish that sentence, in fear of being mocked for being incompetent

"You are no longer a princess, get with the program" Link states bluntly.

"I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT!" she screams and turns her head, hiding her eyes from him "I have never done anything like that before and I…"

"Don't worry, that is what I am here for, I will tell you how, I just won't do it, YOU need to do it yourself, consider it the beginning of my lectures" he winks at her and slightly opens the trap door that leads to the garden, he looks around making sure it's safe to head outside.

He will teach me, or so he says… he knows how to cook right? NO ZELDA, you are in no position to doubt him now, he is here for a reason, and he is an agent of some sort, he MUST know…

I think he winked at me, gosh why did that made me feel uneasy? Is that how I felt? I am so confused now; can I trust him or not? does he hate me or not? he treats me with ruthless aggression, and he know I tried to kill him, so there is no doubt that he hates me… but still he is trying to keep me alive and deliver me safely. I really don't get it, what is moving him forward?

Link turns to look at her and makes her a signal to follow him, she hurriedly puts Maco's shoes on and follow him out of the storage room.