Remember When...(Link x Reader)

|| Chapter 41 || Despair

Edited 05.10.23

Zelda can hardly feel her legs which ache due to the sudden amount of exercise she's undergoing. Her toes are numb thanks to exposure to cold mud, her uncomfortable footwear being to blame for that and the painful blisters that now cover her ankles. Of course, sandals are not suitable for running long distances especially at such a speed, but it's not like she's had time to change.

Her weak hand holds on to yours as tightly as she can manage, although it still threatens to let go at any moment. Even your own grip seems to be growing weak. It's becoming more noticeable by the second that you might be near collapse yourself, having almost tripped more than once. Zelda isn't sure if it's due to the same exhaustion she feels or the news which has no doubt shattered your place in reality.

Link's running ahead of you both - just within arms length. He's the only one in the group who hasn't shown any sign of losing pace no matter how dirty or bruised he gets. You guys can't afford to stop - that would give possible pursuers a chance at reaching you which Link can't allow. As long as you're anywhere near Hyrule Castle, you're all in danger. Hell, the sole reason you even managed to escape Castle Town was due to the help of a few brave soldiers who gave their lives distracting enemies while your trio ran.

Link has to make sure his comrades' sacrifices weren't for nothing. His only goal now is to get Zelda and you to safety. He's so devoted and focused on this goal that he has completely forgotten that neither of you are used to the exact exercise that he is, after all, Zelda's royalty and so are you in a way; you aren't knights trained from childhood.

It's only a matter of time before, when glancing behind herself to make sure there's no tail to the group, Zelda loses her footing. Her hand slips out of yours and she lands on the muddy trail with a heavy thud.

You stop, immediately falling to your knees by her side and putting a hand on her shoulder with worry that she may be injured. That's the last thing any of you need right now; someone getting hurt to the point that they have difficulty moving onwards.

Link, too, slides to a stop once noticing that you're both no longer following him. He hurries back to your side, scanning the area for any monsters while you try to urge Zelda to stand, your voice as cold and tired as you feel physically, "Come on...We have to hurry. T-They'll catch up."

The Princess doesn't budge. She merely keeps her head down, salty tears dripping off her face along with heavy rain drops. All at once, everything that had happened finally begins to set in for her. To think that only this morning, she was leaving the Castle surrounded by her friends, bidding farewell to her father with a bit of a bitter taste in her mouth as she promised herself she'd make everyone proud at last...To think, that would be the last time she saw him or her home, her friends gone except for the two beside her now.

"...I don't understand how this happened...The Divine Beasts, the guardians...They've all been turned against us. The Castle, our people - Our families and friends - They're all gone. We...We've always expected to fight Calamity Ganon, n-not..." Zelda stops herself short, bowing her head sadly.

"...This is all my fault."

Link and Zelda are quick to snap their heads towards you, although you're staring at the ground, your lip caught between your teeth with tears in your own eyes.

"(Y/n), you couldn't have known he would've done this. No one did -"

"- But I should've! I'm his sister! I noticed something was off about him ever since I told him about my arrangement with Father, yet I did nothing about it! All the signs were right in front of me and I ignored them! I did nothing to help my little brother when he needed me most...I abandoned him..." You whimper, haunted by the thought of how terribly Cody must've felt to warrant him to attack Hyrule so viciously.