LINK POV
The Hero entered his room tired, but grinning. He had just gotten back from Gerudo Fortes. Link had to admit how surprised he was at Naboru's demeanor during the partnership agreement. She behaved social, and accommodating. A little combative when discussing what they should receive for every bar of butter they managed to produce.
But Link figured it was normal, expected even, to discuss heatedly about the remuneration aspect of the partnership. What relaxed the Hero was the attitude Agus had towards the discussion, the Hateno merchant was not discussing, he was calmly negotiating with Naboru. This new noble was on his element. Once both parties reached an agreement, they signed the contract that gives validity to the partnership and shook hands.
As the Hero was remembering the events, his cellphone vibrates with a text message. He reads it and immediately notifies Blast and Zy that in a few hours, he would be heading back to the Quantum realm and they should follow him, to at least know how to easily leave and come back to Hyrule. He then sighs.
I need to tell her, don't I?
*Actually, you do not. But if you want to keep your promise to her, you should. Just don't go to her, you are not a her trained over exited puppy, let her come to you*
Fair, the Princess should be here in 15-20 minutes, gives me enough time to take a bath, change, and leave Tali a note on the false-bottom drawer of my desk.
Link started to undress as he pulled out a pencil to write the note to let the Gerudo know he was going to be absent from Hyrule for a few days, to TRUST that he will be back and safe. He stored the note under the false-bottom drawer, and entered his bathroom to shower.
A few minutes later, Zelda entered hell. She heard the shower closing, and that meant Link was coming out soon. Trying to avoid him, she quickly entered the walk-in closet.
"HEY, I know you are in the closet, get out of there" Link commanded the Princess.
"Are you decent?" Zelda asks before stepping out.
Ziel rolls his eyes "I just got out of the shower, no clothes left for me on the bed, what you think?"
Zelda sighs "I get it, and your clothes are in here with me. I will just take my sleeping robe and change at my room, will be back in a few minutes"
"Be back as soon as possible, but changed for the quantum world. We are leaving now"
Zelda froze in shock at the news, and then shook her head "You are lying to me, and it's not funny"
"I don't lie. King Derrick also got notified that I will be leaving, and he texted me asking if I am taking you. We are both going right?"
And out of the closet comes Zelda smiling, she no longer minded watching the Hero wet and covered only by a towel around his hips.
"YES, you are taking me… The boxer and sleeveless shirt I used in previous visits no longer fit me, but I bought a cotton shirt and shorts for the occasion, also boots like yours but my size. I believe that was all I needed to mind for a safe entry" she opens the door and rushes out. A wide grin plastered on her face.
She is definitely excited about this
*Can you blame her? It has been years*
After a few minutes Link and Zelda boarded the carriage and told the driver to take them to the entrance of Kokiri forest. During the ride the Hero was discussing the wardrobe change that the Princess was going to find already packed inside her backpack. He couldn't waste time browsing for clothes at stores this time. Link claimed to have given Carla her approximate new measurements. Since he didn't use a measuring tape, his estimates might be off a cm or two. But Zelda didn't really care about that.
The carriage left them in the entrance to Kokiri Forest and headed back. Link turned to Zelda and just stared at her a few seconds. Being under his intense gray stare made the Princess uncomfortable, but then Raziel extended his right hand for her to take.
ZELDA POV
He clearly wants me to take his hand. What for?
Zelda grabbed on his hand, and Link used his left palm to close her eyes as he began pulling her behind him towards the bridge.
"Chacha obviously didn't carry you across the bridge when you came to clean my house, she either just crossed you holding hands or dragged you across the bridge" Link chuckled "Dragging you sounds fun, but I am on the clock, just keep your eyes closed and breathe" Ziel said as he began crossing the bridge pulling on Zelda's hand.
Does that mean he won't carry me through Lost Woods either? No, I don't think so. If he does not carry me, the area he has to guard gains amplitude. Right now he is just safely pushing my self-growth.
As Zelda was pondering about that, she suddenly realized that they had already crossed half the bridge, and her eyes were open. She smiled and tried to look around but immediately her steps felt unsteady and her surroundings started to spin. She closed her eyes and pulled back, but Link kept a strong hold on her hand and tugged her to continue advancing.
The Princess opened her eyes again, but not to look around, this time she looked at Link's gloved hand holding hers, then her gaze traveled up his arm to his shoulder blades. For a moment the Princess was mesmerized watching Link's green tunic as the fabric shifted with each step, tracing the motion of the muscles beneath. His clothes reshaped themselves around him with every step, revealing the quiet strength in his lean back. Then he turned his head to look back at Zelda and frowned.
"We have crossed… did you had your eyes open all the time?" the Hero asked with a smirk on his face.
Zelda shook her head "Not all the time. I can't look around without feeling vertigo. But if I only stare at a fixed point…" the Princess went quiet ashamed of revealing the fixed point she had chosen to be staring at.
Link half smiled "Small, but it can still be considered progress" he says letting go of her hand and walking ahead.
After a while, they reached Lost Woods entrance, Zidane and Robert were already there. Both of them were staring at Zelda with curiosity.
The Hero smiles "Hello there, you are coming back to Hyrule right?"
------- Both speaking at the same time--------
"Yeah, I have an interview with a baker later today" Zid says with excitement.
"I start working as a blacksmith assistant tomorrow" Li answers proudly.
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Bread baking and iron forging, both jobs sound good… but how are they going to maintain them?
The Princess shamelessly asks the loops the question Link had on his head "Brothers, I need to ask. How are you going to keep those jobs since you can't remain in Hyrule all the time?"
Li laughs "I was wondering the same thing sis. Turns out, this mark on my arm has proven very useful. The blacksmith knows that I can't keep a fixed schedule. But due to the mark I share with Prince Raciel. He won't be paying a fixed salary; he will only be paying me per completed job" the Engineer turns to look at Raciel with a smirk.
"By the way, there is NOBODY here but us. No need to feign normality LEGION" Robert taunts Link with the nickname.
The Hero growls and starts approaching Rob menacingly, Zid got between them and pushed Link back.
Zid starts approaching "Don't mind that mother fucker, the important thing is… didn't you say Lost Woods was dangerous?"
Link only nods, leaving Zid perplexed as he stares up and down at his sister.
"Then, what is she doing here?"
Zelda giggles before saying "How do you think I got to the quantum world when I meet you?"
Zid stares at the ground unsatisfied with his sister's statement "Right. But Ziel said there were enemies shooting pellets in there. And if I remember correctly Princess, you are not fast on your feet, and you have the reaction time of a sloth. How do you avoid the pellets?"
That moment, Link goes down on a knee to allow the Princess to jump on his back. And Zelda immediately does. She then looks at Zid and smiles.
Rob starts speaking "I understand… Link runs and avoids the projectiles, while Zelda holds on to him for dear life" he whistles "Sounds good but, is it really safe for both of you cross the woods like this Kid?"
Link chuckles "SAFE is a word that should not exist, NOTHING is safe. The question is: Can I cross the woods without getting any of us hurt? YES, I can. She is not heavy and does not obstruct my gait in anyway"
Zid breaths out loudly "Well, now that we have that out of the way, let's do this"
Link clears his throat to draw attention "Before you just barge in there you need to know one thing; the rooms shift their placement at random. Hence why there is no map to guide you in there. But there is a plant growth on the walls that can guide you. We will be running in there, I can't be yelling, so pay attention to where I point and memorize how the plant looks like. Wherever you see it that is where you go. If you fail to do so, it's right back to where you came from"
The Hero adjusts his grip on Zelda's legs and walks into the Lost Woods, followed by the silent Engineer and a Pirate laughing sinisterly. Rob turns to glare at Zid disapprovingly, but he quickly noticed that the laughter was a coping mechanism, the monkey boy was trying to rid of the anxiety he felt, so Rob just shook his head and chuckled.
Fuck, why are you laughing like that Zid? Stop, it's scaring me.
Zelda's eyes start tearing, but Robert touches her shoulder and approaches to whisper.
"Don't be scared Zelda; this is his way of encouraging himself. He feels that he needs to be scarier than whatever is in there… is his way of assuring himself that he can save us if we need it"
I get it; he is feeling angsty about this, maybe because of me.
Link laughs in a low somber tone "Relax Zid, this is not my fist rodeo, and neither is hers" he says before they start hearing nuts cracking and evil laughter from the skull kid "RUN"
Branches whipped against his arms as he ran, boots pounding the uneven forest floor. Pellets hissed through the air, biting into bark and soil. He ducked low, twisting his shoulder to shield her. The Princess clung to his back, her breath hot against his neck and her fingers locked tight around him.
A skull kid dropped from a low branch. Ziel pivoted, catching the child-like creature's wrist mid-swing and driving an elbow into the imp's ribs without slowing. The movement sent Zelda jolting, a gasp breaking from her lips. Link felt that gasp more than he heard it, the tremor in her arms, and the rhythm of her heartbeat pressing through his back.
Another shot cracked the air, but it was not aimed at Ziel. Li was able to block the pellet using a piece of tree bark and kicked the kid shooter in the chest. Zid caught another by the collar and hurled him sideways.
Link reassumed his run, pointing at specific places in the wall before crossing a doorway. They eventually arrived at a room with lots of tall grass; said room only had one entrance, meaning this was the last room of the maze.
The Hero ran into it and loudly yelled "YOU ARE GOING TO FALL THROUGH A HOLE" then he jumped down the hole. Zelda bit on Link's trapezius, but not hard, just enough to tolerate the fall without screaming.
Once they landed, the Princess opened her eyes and noticed Link quickly stood up from landing on a knee and moved away fast, and then Zid landed on butt. The ape boy stared at them smiling when Robert fell on top of him. Zid started groaning in pain as Li laughed. The Hero was putting Zelda down as she started singing.
"It's raining men!
Link chuckled "Hallelujah!"
Zidane tilted his head in confusion since he did not know it was an old son. Zelda was utterly pleased and continued the song.
"It's raining men!" she sang, but this time it wasn't Link who answered.
"Amen!" Robert sang chuckling.
Zelda grinned and ran to hug Robert as they continued singing the song. But after a few seconds Ziel stopped them.
"To go back to Hyrule, just climb this wall; it will eventually suck you up. Once you are back, exit the room and you will find yourselves standing at the entrance of Lost Woods"
"YEAHHH… Because Hyrule is a magical world and this makes perfect sense" Zidane states trying hard to not lose his mind over this.
Link side smiles "Obviously… you did learn how to find your way for future use right?"
Both of loops nodded.
"Perfect, I have to leave now, I am on the clock. See ya" Link says as he grabs Zelda's hand and pulls her out of the cave.
Once outside, they walk down the mountain. Soon enough they reached a small natural cave that contained a red car. Zelda was mesmerized and utterly confused.
"What is that?"
Link slowly turned to stare at her with apathy as he pressed a button on the RENAULT STEPWAY's keys to open it.
"It's a car"
Zelda pressed her right palm on her forehead "No, I mean…"
What did I mean? What should I ask him fist?
"I parked it here; it's mine… not for long though. And yes, I know how to drive. I am still in a hurry, get inside" Link orders.
Well, that kind of answered everything.
As the Hero enters the driver's seat, his cellphone dings. He closes the door and decides to quickly check his notifications. His expression morphs to uncontrolled rage as he starts yelling.
Zelda puts her hand on the car's door handle, but he grabs her shoulder and breaths in deeply.
"I am ok, I am not going to hurt you" he shows her his cellphone, it displayed news about an Asian guy who wanted to do bungee jumping in Mexico, but he never learned Spanish or took a person who could translate. So, he basically jumped to his death believing he was already strapped.
"I was supposed to be the one to tear him apart, and he stole that from me" Raziel said as he pressed hard on the steering wheel.
You were supposed to tear him apart? WAIT, he was one of Robert's assailants was he not?
Zelda sighs "Was he one of rapists?"
Link nods as he starts the car and slowly drives out of the small cave that left a small part of the Renault's hood uncovered.
Zelda looks at the image of her brother's ravisher and blows up "You pathetic excuse for a man, how dare you end things the easy way. You are not even worth the dirt you'll rot in. I'd spit on your grave if it weren't a waste of good saliva. Hope the worms choke on you, filthy coward" she ends crossing her arms, tears of rage running down her cheeks.
Link could not help to start roaring in laughter. Zelda´s outburst had released him from a pain that ran very deep… the pain of no longer being able to get revenge on him. But he will definitely take measures that won't allow the other two to avoid him.