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Time Cannot Erase Empty spaces
fill me up with holes I've tried
to go on like I never knew you Chapter 13 "A young lady such as yourself should not be out without an escort," Zelda heard Marth's voice from behind her and turned with a smile, lowering her sword. She had not seen Marth all day, as her father had pulled him aside early that morning. The two had vanished into her father's hall and left her alone. She had waited and waited, but finally given up hope. She had retreated to the Temple courtyard an hour or so earlier to practice her swordplay. "Do not worry about me," Zelda replied. "I can take care of myself," she swung her sword gracefully before her. "Come to think of it, I guess you're right," Marth laughed. "So, what did my father want to talk to you about?" Zelda asked. Marth quickly looked away, "Oh, international relations, trade interests… those sorts of things, you know." Staring at him for a moment, Zelda was sure that he was not telling her everything. "Is that all?" she pressed. "Yes," he replied unflinchingly, "but with Aritia's current state, I don't think we're in any position to worry about trade. Of course, he doesn't know that, and I haven't let on. He still believes Aritia is a flourishing paradise. I really am interested in strengthening ties between our two kingdoms… after we end this war…." He trailed off, his eyes growing distant. Zelda watched him closely, but he didn't continue on the subject. Instead he turned to her with an amused expression and asked, "Do you carry that with you everywhere?" indicating her sword. "No," she laughed and it rung like music in his ears. "I was just practicing." "After what you did to that desert riff-raff, who say's you need practice at all?" Marth commented. "It can't hurt." "Who would teach a proper young lady to wield a blade in the first place?" he looked intrigued. "Link." "Oh," the smile falling slightly from his face. "Couple that with what Impa taught me…," Zelda replied. With a grin she lifted her hand and pointed at Marth's sword which unsheathed itself and hovered before him. "Impressive," he said with a nod. He lifted his blade, "What do you say? How about a little match?" Zelda drew back, her smile fading. "You want to fight me?" "Just for fun," he smiled. "I'd like to see first hand what you are capable of." She lowered her own blade hesitantly. "You must be joking… you're healing from a serious injury. I can't fight you." "Zelda, I am perfectly well mended. I've never felt better." Still she looked hesitant. "I promise not to hurt you," he said with a crooked grin. His cockiness got her. He wasn't taking her seriously. "I wouldn't worry about that," she smiled airily. "I'm more worried about you." "Oh-ho!" he laughed loudly. "You really are too much, Princess." "Alright," she smiled and took position in front of him and readied her blade, "If you insist." For all of his efforts to engage her in a fight, once she agreed he seemed oddly reticent. He would not attack her. So, she went on the offensive. She struck, he blocked. She struck again. He blocked. He was sizing her up. She realized he was stalling, and so she leapt into action. Quick as lightning she began hurtling attacks at him. Link had taught her to play to her strengths. She may not be very strong, but she was quick and agile. Marth soon had no choice but to fight back. The two bantered back and forth half playfully. Marth seemed to decide all at once it was time to end it- to show her he could win, but she would not relent. The harder he pushed, the harder she fought back. The two locked blades and stared into each other's eyes, unblinking and intense: both lost in their battle, somehow forgetting themselves. Zelda stared at him, shaking slightly from the power of the fight. Marth stared back, a shadowed look of concentration in his eyes. He pushed harder against her blade. He was stronger than she, no doubt about it. She could feel herself slipping. Zelda was not sure why, but something had taken over her, and it would not allow her to lose this fight. She could not beat him with the sword, she saw this now- but she had another trick up her sleeve. In a flash of smoke she vanished into thin air, her sword clanging to the ground. Marth suddenly found himself pushing his sword against nothing, and stumbled forward, almost toppling over. He caught himself before he fell, but it was too late. Zelda had reappeared with a flash, crouched on the ground beneath him. Her leg swung out of nowhere. With one circular sweep of her leg, his feet left the ground, his body lurched and before he knew what had hit him he was laying flat on his back on the grass. He lay there, panting, his eyes wide and stunned. Zelda stood up and looked down on his prostrate figure, breathless as well. Marth could do nothing but lay there and stare for a few moments. Then, instantly, he cracked. Suddenly a realization of what had happened came over him and he began to laugh. He laughed until his entire body shook. Zelda looked puzzled for a moment, and then she too broke out of her trance. Suddenly the silliness of the entire ordeal became evident and she began to laugh too. The harder she laughed the harder Marth laughed until both were hooting uncontrollably. Zelda fell softly to the grass beside him, holding her stomach and shaking with mirth. "If that had been anyone else I would be ashamed right now… I've never seen anything quite like that. No matter how many times I see you fight like that, I don't think I'll ever believe it! You are truly something special, Princess." "Thank you," she smiled as he tried to steady herself and shake off her laughter. "You were not too bad yourself." "You said Impa taught you to fight like that?" "Yes," Zelda giggled. "I am a trained Sheika: warrior of shadow and master of the unseen," she brought her voice down softly and dramatically. "Some nursemaid you have there!" he exclaimed. "She cares for you, tends to you and teaches you to vanish like smoke and destroy all who come in your path. I wish mercy upon the fool who gains you as an enemy," he was smiling at her in a different way now, and Zelda suddenly realized how close he was to her. She did not know how to respond, so she sat in silence, trying desperately to think of something to say. "I've never met anyone like you, Zelda. You are truly something special," he said again, moving closer towards her. She blushed and sat frozen as his eyes closed and his face moved closer and closer to hers. He closed his eyes and she felt his hand come around her shoulder, pulling her in. Suddenly she realized what was happening and in an instant she shot to her feet. "I have to go," she nearly shouted, her face bright red. "I need to get ready… for dinner. Yes, I'll see you at dinner, Marth." Before he could reply she was gone, leaving him sitting in the grass, staring stupidly after her.
Link found him that way
when he wandered into the courtyard twenty minutes later. Fumbling with
his bow and arrow he didn't even see Marth at first. Marth was so lost
in his own thoughts that he didn't notice Link's presence until he was
nearly on top of him. "Marth!?" Link exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" "Link!" Marth shouted happily. "Where've you been? I've been waiting for ages!" The two embraced like brothers. "It's been too long," Link laughed as he slapped Marth on the back. Marth's face became suddenly shadowed and slightly disgruntled. "You could have said goodbye, Link. You didn't have to leave the way you did." "You know why I left," Link replied with a regretful shrug. "You broke her heart. You could have at least said goodbye… explained things to her," Marth pointed out slightly angrily. "I tried!" Link exclaimed. "You know I tried…. I told you before, about all this," Link had become very uncomfortable. "She's my sister, Link!" Marth burst out. "Two years you've been gone and she still hasn't forgotten how you hurt her." "I told you, I didn't feel that way for her," Link fidgeted. Why did this always happen to him? "I never meant to hurt Elice." "Just like you never meant to hurt Zelda?" Marth questioned with raised eyebrows. Link immediately bristled. His eyes narrowed as he stared heavily at Marth. "What do you mean by that?" he demanded. "She claims you are just friends, but I think there's more going on here than meets the eye. You saved her, too. Then you abandoned her. Just like all the rest. Just like with Elice." "You leave Zelda out of this!" Link threatened. At the mention of her name if felt as though a monster had sprung to life inside of him. "She isn't your concern." "I think she is," Marth replied simply. Link was looking at him with utmost horror, "Why are you here, Marth?" Marth took a moment to compose himself and remember why he was in Hyrule. He had a mission to attend to, and he had to put his feelings behind him. "I came looking for you," Marth spoke much calmer now. "Regardless of what else has happened I owe you a debt of gratitude for what you have done to help my people already, but I have come to ask for your assistance once more." Link, though shocked to see Marth's sudden change of tone, was nonetheless glad to steer the conversation away from Elice and Zelda. "How can I help you?" he asked. "Aritia has been invaded by a dark sorcerer named Hardin. It is his ambition to not only conquer, but destroy Aritia and every one of its people," Marth had taken on the rather imperious, imposing manner of speech he adopted when discussing matters of royal importance. "I have come to ask you for help in destroying Hardin and his forces." "Of course," Link replied. "I'll do anything I can to help." Marth looked relieved. "I knew I could count on you. In matters of military importance, at least, you are always reliable." Link frowned at the unneeded quip. "I must go to the castle momentarily, then we must be off." "Marth, wait a second, you haven't even explained what you want me to do." "I need your power. You're the only one who can stop Hardin. He's too strong. You have to help me destroy him," Marth continued hastily. "What power?" Link asked. Marth was just as skilled a swordsman as Link, and not too bad with magic either. Besides, Marth was the commander of all of the armies of Aritia. Link was just one man. "Your Triforce! I know what you've told me, and I've read all about it while here. It's the only thing strong enough to stop him. It is the ultimate power!" a slightly crazed look had entered Marth's eyes. "Marth," Link sighed in frustration. "I do not hold ultimate power." "You hold the Triforce," Marth retorted. He was getting impatient. "I hold one third of the Triforce. I hold it, I cannot wield it. It isn't my place… I don't even know how to." "What are you saying?" Marth asked, his brow furrowing. "I cannot use the Triforce," Link replied sadly. "Cannot or will not?" anger was slowly creeping back into Marth's eyes. "Cannot," Link spoke defensively, getting angry in his turn. "Link, I'm asking you as a friend." "You don't know what it is you are really asking of me. I cannot wield the Triforce." "You could to save your own land, and they turned their back on you!" Marth was shouting now. He had spent over a month away from his home, from his people: safe while they were in danger, all waiting for Link. Link was his only hope, and just like that it was fading. "I did what I had to do to save Hyrule, nothing more. I didn't-" "But you won't help me?" Marth cut in. "I never said that!" "Then help me destroy Hardin!" "Marth, I will come with you. I will help you in any way I can, but I cannot use the Triforce to do so. You must understand what you're asking of me. If you'd only let me explain." "Save your pity and save your explanations!" Marth shouted. "I can see now what your friendship truly entails." "Marth," Link shouted, "you stubborn fool." "Don't call me a fool, you coward!" Marth grabbed a handful of Link's shirt and pulled him in threateningly. "I am not a coward," Link growled. "I see a coward before me," Marth assured him, "one who cannot even face a starry eyed sixteen year old girl without scampering away. Now you do the same to Zelda. I will not allow this to continue." "I told you," Link glowered, his eyes filling with rage, "you leave Zelda out of this." "I will not," Marth replied passionately. "I won't let you hurt her." "You…" Link whispered, his heart beating faster. The animal within him was awakening, clamoring to be released. "It was you…" Marth was the Prince Nabooru had spoken of. Zelda and Marth…. Rage errupted in Link and he burst out of Marth's grasp and unsheathed his sword. Marth laughed mirthlessly. "Still ruled by fear…." "As though you aren't, coming here for my help, running from Aritia," Link's eyes narrowed, his face filled with anger. Marth exploded. Once again he grabbed Link by the front of his shirt. "You know nothing of fear! You have no idea what it's like!" A terribly fury had overtaken him. "My people are dying! My world is about to be destroyed, again! Every night I go to sleep with the cries of my people ringing in my ears. Parents are watching their children starve. Children are watching their parents murdered before their eyes. They are homeless and alone. Those with husbands and fathers still alive likely will join the widows and the orphans by the end of this war. Day by day they suffer as once again their world and mine is ripped apart, leaving their lives in shards! Most wish for death, for life has become more unbearable than Hell itself. Don't talk to me of 'doing what you can'! Do not talk to me about fear!" "You don't even know what you're asking of me!" Link bellowed. "To do what you want I would have to-" "Silence!" Marth shouted. "If you will not help me…" "I can't, not in the way you want me to. If you could look past your own nose long enough you might see that I can't do what you want just because you want me to!" "Shut up! You think you are so high and mighty!" "Marth, I will come with you, but I will come as a simple man. If you let me, together we can-" "I don't need your pity!" even as Marth said it, he didn't believe it. It was all over. Without Link he had no hope left. His home was doomed. "We have already proved that as mortal men we are not strong enough. We must have use of the Triforce." "No," Link cried in exasperation. Marth didn't understand what he was saying and he wasn't willing to listen. "Now let go of me, you-" Instead Marth pulled Link closer, his eyes on fire. Desperation had driven sanity from him. All he could see now was despair. Despair led to fear. Fear turned into blind rage at his own helplessness. He brought his fist back, and Link grimaced in anticipation of the blow, but Marth couldn't do it. He let Link go. Link's expression softened as Marth turned and began to walk slowly towards the market. How had this happened? This was Marth's way: all or nothing, his way or no way. Still, the horrible things Link had said were swimming about in his head. He didn't want this to be the way it ended. "Marth-" Link called out. Marth deserved an explanation. "I have to be going," Marth called back without turning. "I don't want to keep Zelda and her father waiting for dinner. Unlike you, I will not disappoint her. She is far too dear to treat so poorly." Marth didn't have to turn to know what Link's silence meant, and a spiteful smile slid over his face as he departed Link's company. Link felt as though he had had the wind knocked out of him. The words repeated again and again in his mind. Marth was going to dinner with Zelda and her father? She was too dear to him…? Reality hit Link at that moment. It was all over. Marth and Zelda…. His Zelda!? Link had rarely wished for anything for himself. He had always had pretty much all he could ask for, save one thing… and now that one thing was slipping through his fingers for good. Now he wished, more than
anything he had ever wished for in his life, that he, like Marth, could
walk up to Zelda's castle and enter, head held high, respected by her
subjects and welcomed by her father- but he couldn't, and he now knew
he never would.
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