Getting to Know You~BotW ZeLink post-Calamity Fanfiction

Part One Section Five: A Savior at Expense-Zelda

Zelda walked out of the house; a satchel draped around her shoulder. She found it and thought to bring it. What if she found something she wanted to bring back with her? Link tightened a saddle on one of the horses and looked at Zelda his eyes examining her quickly, a swift inspection to see if she was well equipped for their journey ahead.

"Where's your cloak?" Zelda sighed, turning back towards the cottage. She hoped she could get away with it. Grabbing the cloak, she clipped it and reluctantly pulled the hood over her head. Going back outside and getting on Storm, Zelda rode next to link. He went through town, and started at a trot when they exited the gates of fort Hateno. Zelda urged her horse forward as well, catching up to the hero. She remembered this. The wind in her hair, blowing down the hood, her horses snorts. How she was bounced as Storms hooves hit the ground, and the feeling of freedom she gained from every experience. Zelda realized now that every time she was with Link, Zelda felt more free, open, and happy. She was also much more vulnerable too. When her mother died, she didn't shed a single tear. She held it in until the door to her room closed and her young six-year-old child self burst into what felt like rivers of tears. She didn't dare to cry around her father, Infront of anyone. But the one person, this Hylian knight was the one who she found herself expressing her sorrows, issues, and self-doubts to. That fateful day when the calamity struck, she fell into his arms sobbing, and he let her. Catching her as Zelda fell, and letting her cry into his dirtied blue tunic. He said nothing in that minute of tears. He just lifted Zelda back to her feet when her sobs had died into sniffles and hiccups, and pulled her along once again. She hadn't cried in front of anyone until that day. They had galloped through dueling peaks by now and were on their way to Hyrule castle.

Link held out his arm, as a signal to stop. They were right outside of castle town. It didn't even look like it was supposed to be a town. It was as if every structure was torn out of the ground and taken away to leave a husk of what it once was.

"Be wary, there may not be guardians or malice, but there are monsters." Zelda nodded. He got off his horse and held his hand for her to take. Link helped her off Storm and started to walk away, leaving them to graze without being tied off to something. She hurried after him.

"You're not going to tie them off, so they don't wander?" Link didn't stop or turn his head.

"My bond with them is strong. They won't go far." Zelda didn't question it but just followed chose not to argue. His actions had yet to cause problems so who was she to not trust him. Zelda looked around, the dilapidated buildings, and charred huts. Links ears perked and his eyes searched the debris, hand gripping the master swords handle. Suddenly Zelda was wrapped in his arms. He huddled over her. As quick as his action was an explosion that made Zelda's ears ring. The loud noise was followed by a blast of heat that made her skin sting. Link must have received most of the explosion's skin stinging shot of air. Without hesitation, he was off, pulling Zelda by her hand to a semi stable building. She looked over her shoulder, seeing fire spreading the area where they just were. Her vison now blocked as he led her behind the wall. Link took her shoulders and sat her down. "Stay low until I come get you. Do you understand me?" He asked, looking over the rubble and then back at her.

Y-yes." Zelda stuttered.

"Good." His hands left her shoulders as turned, moving with quick strides as he drew his sword and left her sight. Zelda's heart raced; she was scared but curiosity also filled her. She wanted to know what was happening, so she peaked over the remains of the building and saw what Link was up against. Three Moblin's, and a couple of Bokoblins surrounded him. He was sorely outnumbered but still dodged one of the Moblin's attempts at swinging at him, and blocked another with his shield. She watched as he swung his sword and struck on of the Moblin's. It fell back onto the ground, disintegrating into nothing Link turned, just in time to parry one of the attacks from the bokoblins and then bring down his sword on it. Zelda watched as the fight went on. She was impressed by his skill. He was outnumbered but apparently strength didn't hinder his ability to block every blow and strike back with twice the amount of strength, and speed. Something in her peripheral caught her eye, drawing her attention away from what was at hand. A Moblin sniffed, its big snout moving as it drew an arrow, tongue hanging out of its slack jaw. A bomb arrow. That was the cause of the explosion from before. The arrow sparked and hissed as the Moblin started to aim right at the Hylian Champion. Zelda shot up, cupping her hands around her mouth.

"Link!" She screamed. "Link look out!" But he couldn't hear her over the clanging of metal on metal. Zelda panicked. What should she do? She looked around, seeing if there was anything that could help her but not one thing caught her eye that could be any sort of use to her. That arrow was about to fly, and she didn't want to see any death, not again. Link was her last remaining connection to what she once knew. She couldn't lose him not another person she cared about. Zelda jumped to her feet and ran towards the Moblin. With all her force Zelda threw herself at its arms, causing the arrow to fly away from the distracted Link and into the west side of castle town. It landed the far-off distance, the boom was still loud, but didn't affect them. The Moblin turned to see what made it miss. It looked down at Zelda and roared. She backed away, fear filling her body. Turning on her heel, zelda bolted, but her escape was stopped by the Moblin. She was taken by her torso, and before she could even fight, thrown.

Zelda hit one of the crumbling stone walls with an extraordinary force she couldn't even fathom. Her back and head exploding with pain as she fell to the ground, crumpled in the dirt, tears in her eyes. She felt pain beyond description fill her. All of her. Zelda couldn't even scream. She couldn't move, her whole body seemed to be paralyzed, limbs unable listen to what her brain said to do. It was more her unwillingness to try to move them. It already was immobilizing but she didn't want to hurt more. Now she had found her voice. She started to wail in agony, followed by loud cries of pure pain. Zelda looked around from the ground. This was it, she thought. She assumed that she would live longer than this. She made out of the calamity; she would have thought that she could make it a little longer than one full day after the calamity's defeat. Her eyes were falling, and it was hard to fight it. Zelda wanted to close them but knew by doing so she would be giving up. She couldn't give up, not yet. Zelda saw Muddied boots and she turned her head up even though it hurt terribly. Link dropped to his knee's as he sheathed his sword. His hands came up he scanned her body. He seemed to find where she had been hurt most and looked at her. His eyes were filled with nothing but adrenaline as he looked down at Zelda. His face was stone cold and serious.

"Can you sit up?" He asked, eyes traveling to her back once again. Zelda opened her mouth but all that came out was a small whimper of pain. Link sighed, looking up. He stood and started to Run away. She let out a moan of agony. She tried so hard to keep from doing so, but her eyes fell closed. Zelda started to accept her fate, but her eyes shot back open when she was lifted up. Link hooked his arms under her legs and back. Zelda opened her mouth, but as much as she screamed, Link didn't break his composure. He started to run. But sometimes his pace would falter, and he flinched when she cried out, his eyes closing lips pursing. Fading in and out of consciousness, Zelda didn't have the will power to scream anymore. Her throat was sore and all she could manage now were small sobs. Link held her tightly as he got on Epona. Zelda felt Link pull her to him, one hand around her waist as another had the reins. She listened to his heart. It beat a mile a minute as he started forward. His chest rose and fell, and she could hear his yell, Urging his horse into a frantic gallop. She looked up at the knight. His eyes were fixed on the terrain ahead, his mouth parted in pure concentration. Zelda slipped out of consciousness, her world leaving as she drifted into a deep darkness.