Until The Last Breath

17 - When Fighting, Try Not To Get Stabbed

"Really, I can do it."

"I...I know you can, Princess...but I've helped Master Link with his wounds before and...well, I..."

Link opened his eyes and saw that he was lying on a bed. It was the guest room in Impa's house. So they had escaped the Yiga Clan. They had made it.

A relieved sigh escaped his mouth, and Zelda and Paya immediately turned their attention to him.

"M-master Link! You're awake, thank Hylia."

Zelda was giving Paya a weird look, and Link couldn't tell why. He shifted in the bed a little, and it was then that he realized he was shirtless, and that bandages were wrapped around his lower torso. Pain shot through his abdomen, and he hissed quietly.

He wanted to ask what happened, but he felt too weak. Zelda seemed to know what he was thinking.

"One of the Yigas hit you," she said. "You literally jumped right in front of his blade."

Yes, now he remembered. He had just finished off one of them, and that's when he heard Ganondorf telling Zelda to look out. The princess was engaged in something else though, so she didn't notice the Yiga that was going to stab their blade right into her back.

He jumped between them, he remembered that, but he was sure he had blocked the attack. He didn't know that the Yiga had actually hit him.

"Link, how many times have I told you this?" Zelda sighed, and Link already knew what she was going to say. "Stop risking your life for me! You give me a heart attack every time! Do you want me to drop dead right beside you?"

Paya looked awkwardly between the two of them. "Princess, I need to apply this salve to Master Link's wounds."

For the first time in a while, Zelda looked angry. Link could hardly remember the last time the princess was mad. He didn't know if the anger was directed towards him or what he'd done.

"How dare he!" she hissed, walking up and down her room. "I have much more to offer than just unlocking my power, doesn't he know that?"

King Rhoam had just banned Zelda from overseeing the work of the Guardians, and the princess was a little more than upset about it. It was understandable.

"I mean..." Revali saw the looks the other champions were giving him, and he quickly rephrased his sentence. "Of course you have more to offer, but your powers are really important too. Like, 'saving all of Hyrule' important."

Zelda sighed, sitting on her bed beside Link. "I know, but he just doesn't understand how frustrating it is. My powers reject me every day, and the only escape from that was watching the Shiekah build the Guardians. Now what? Every day is just going to be full of failure and rejection. How fun."

Mipha shook her head. "You mustn't think like that, Princess."

"Well, it's hard not to!" Zelda snapped, and she could tell that everyone was surprised. "You're good at what you do, Mipha. I've seen you heal Link so many times. But me? I'm starting to think I don't even have powers. Maybe the Goddesses cursed me."

"You're not cursed, Princess," Urbosa said.

Daruk nodded. "Yeah, you're not cursed, just struggling. I'm sure you'll get your powers too."

Zelda groaned, and Link didn't think what the champions were saying was very helpful. Not that he really understood how the princess felt. He understood the pressures of having to be someone for everyone, like he was expected to be a hero. The difference was that Link was able to fight, he was able to protect the people like he was expected to. Zelda wasn't meeting her expectations. He could only imagine how much that was weighing on her.

"We'll leave now," Daruk said quickly, and the champions exited the room with him.

Zelda turned to Link, and he had to resist staring into her eyes. They were a trap, those things. He couldn't promise himself he wouldn't do anything stupid if he actually looked at them.

"I just want to be happy. I don't want to have the fate of Hyrule on my shoulders. I hate this. And I hate more that I can't even do what I'm supposed to do. I hate everything!"

She was pinching her wrist again, and Link laid his hand over hers. Her head rested in the crook his neck, and he could feel her shake below him. He loved the way her head felt underneath his chin. He loved holding her like this, but he knew it wasn't right. They weren't supposed to be like this.

"There's not much to look forward to these days. You're one of the few things that make this life worth living, Link."

Link squeezed her hand, hoping that the action echoed he felt the same way.

She made life worth living too.

"Fine. I'll leave," Zelda finally said, and Link hated to see her go. "But please, try not to get stabbed again, Link."

She left the room and Paya sat down on a small stool beside the bed, her face reddening as she removed the bed sheet that covered Link.

"It might sting a bit," she warned him, removing his bandages. "And we'll need to replace these."

Link tried not to twitch as Paya slathered the salve onto his stomach, and he wondered if the others were all downstairs. He wondered if they had talked to Impa without him.

"The Princess was very worried for your safety. She was crying when she brought you in. I thought you were on the brink of death, with the way she was crying," Paya's voice shook slightly, and Link could tell that she had been scared too. "But...the stab wound wasn't even that bad. You'll be fine, I know it."

This was the calmest Link had ever really seen Paya, and she wasn't stuttering the way she usually did around everyone else. She was concentrated on getting new bandages for Link, who was still a bit disoriented.

"I know you're probably dying to go downstairs...but I need to tell you something." Paya fiddled with her hands, not meeting Link's eyes. "Master Link, I care for you deeply."

Link shot up from the bed, then cried in agony from the pain that erupted from his stomach. He knew what was happening, and he'd been trying to avoid it for a while.

"You can't make sudden movements," Paya said, slowly lowering him back onto the pillow. She seemed to realize that she was touching his bare chest, and her face went up in flames. "I'm...I'm sorry."

She sat back down in the stool, and Link sighed. This was Paya. How was he supposed to reject her? He'd known Paya had feelings for him, but he thought they were fleeting. He never thought she'd actually confess to him, and he knew he wasn't going to react in the way she wanted him to.

"It's okay," she said. "I know you love the princess." Now it was Link's turn to blush. "But...I also know that you know you can't be with her. And...I love you. I...I would like a chance."

Link didn't know what to say. Paya was right. He couldn't be with Zelda, no matter how much he wanted to be. Who in Hyrule would approve of Link being king? Not only was he an orphan, but he was Zelda's knight. How inappropriate would that be?

He knew deep down that he couldn't be with her, but he always had hope. He hoped that somehow, the princess felt the same, and maybe things would work out. But that was too much to hope for. It was pretty obvious that his feelings for Zelda meant nothing. 

Paya reached for Link's hand, and he was too stunned to pull it away. This was so unlike Paya. She was usually so shy.

"I know you don't love me," she murmured. "But...maybe you could one day."

She withdrew her hand, just as Zelda opened the door. Link's face must've still been incredibly confused, because Zelda tilted her head and asked, "Is he okay?"

Paya could hardly look at Link, her face burning up. "Yes. He's fine. I shall leave you two alone now."

She left the room, and Link couldn't help but think of one of the things Paya had said.

You know you can't be with her.

He sighed, rubbing a hand across his face.

No matter what he thought inside, he knew she was probably right.