9) Distance, Contest Submission Thread

[Existence: DENIED]

Thread for submitting all drabbles under the theme 'Distance' .

[Angel Zelda]

Zelink Theme #9: Distance
Title: The Distance Between Us
Words: 118

Zelda watched as Link rode away from her on Epona. She continued to watched until he was long out of her sight.

Link... Zelda couldn’t help thinking. I’ve only known you for a year, so why do I feel sad that you’re leaving Hyrule?

The eleven-year-old Princess became aware that tears were pooling in her eyes. Why am I crying? she thought as she wiped the tears away.

“Link...no matter how close we’ve become, there’s distance between us now. With every mile you take, you’re further and further apart from me.”

Zelda whispered all this to herself, but she hoped that Link would be able to hear her somehow.

“Oh, Link...don’t forget about me.”

[Alantie]

Theme # 9: Distance
Title: When you Walk Away
Words: 228

Sapphire sky eyes were wet with moisture she had not allowed him to see, watching as he walked away, the distance between their bodies growing. He was leaving, and there was no telling how long he would be gone or if he would ever return.

Crystalline tears fell, slipping down her cheeks like rain, no longer able to be restrained by even her formal training. A soft sound of despair escaped her lips and she dropped to her knees, heedless of the pale pink of her gown becoming stained by grass and dirt. She sobbed her heart out, tears leaking out between her fingers. Her lips formed words, speaking though she knew he could not hear.

“Please, don’t go. . .”

An arm came around her shoulders, holding her, Impa’s soothing voice murmuring in her ear, but she couldn’t focus on anything other than the sorrow and loss pulsing through her heart. It was selfish of her, and she knew it, but she couldn’t help it. All of her life she had made the most unselfish decisions she could, putting her people always before her own happiness. Why couldn’t she be selfish, just for this once?

Because she loved him. And loving a man such as the great hero of Hyrule meant she had to let him go free, trusting that he would one day return to her.

[LZ Angel]

Word count: 697

Zelda twisted the wreath in her hands as she sat on her throne. Her expression was calm and composed, but her hands gave her away. Impa turned to look at her charge. “Zelda, are you alright?” she asked softly.

Zelda nodded. “I’m fine Impa,” she lied, scrunching the wreath further.

Impa removed the wreath from Zelda’s grasp. “Zelda, you are clearly miserable.”

Zelda stared straight ahead, her ice-blue eyes and expression revealing nothing. “Impa, I do not know what you are talking about,” she lied again, her voice soft.

Impa raised an eyebrow. “I think you do. You’re upset because you haven’t seen that Link boy for months now.” Impa hesitated before continuing. “You are worried about him, aren’t you?”

“Leave me alone!” she suddenly shrieked, jumping off her throne and rushing to the gardens. Impa watched her young charge go, an expression of sorrow on her face.

Zelda collapsed on the ground in front of the rose bushes, her hands desperately batting away the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. It wasn’t supposed to hurt like this. She was a Princess; she was supposed to keep her distance. So why did it hurt so much when he wasn't there? She let out a dry sob before the tears flowed freely.

A few minutes passed this way before Zelda’s sobs were interrupted. “Princess Zelda, are you here?” a worried masculine voice called out. Zelda gasped and instantly moved to hide behind the rose bushes, hurriedly dabbing at her eyes. She didn’t want him, of all people, to see her like this.

A few moments passed before she heard footsteps, and the bushes were brushed aside. “Princess, why are you hiding from me?” Link asked as he saw the huddling Princess. He then caught sight of the tears running down her face. “Princess? Zelda, what’s wrong?” he asked, sounding more worried now.

She turned away from him. “I am fine,” she said coldly, hoping he would just leave.

But Link wasn’t to be deterred that easily. He crouched down beside her, resting his hand on her shoulder. “That’s a lie Zelda, and you know it. Now tell me what’s bothering you,” he said.

She stubbornly refused to look at him. “Nothing.”

Link sighed. He knew how stubborn his Princess was. “Well, I suppose I’ll just leave then,” he said softly, standing as he turned to go. He wished it would just stop hurting already – every time he came back, the pain seemed to double, even when he was practically expecting her to turn him away.

He was not, however, expecting her to practically throw herself at him at his words. “No! Don’t leave!” she said.

Link’s eyes widened as he stared at her standing only a foot or two away from him. “Zelda?” he asked quietly.

She shook her head, the tears trailing down her face again. “Don’t leave again! I can’t stand it when you’re not here!” she said, throwing her pride out the window. “I know I should keep my distance, but I can’t anymore! It just hurts so much,” she said, hiding her face behind her hands.

She stiffened as she felt arms wrap around her, but relaxed when he spoke. “Zelda, I’m so sorry that I hurt you,” he murmured into her hair. “I thought you didn’t want me around – you always seemed to be pushing me away. It hurt to be around you and feel unwanted. So I kept leaving, hoping you would change your mind when I returned. I didn’t realise I was hurting you too.”

“I’m sorry too,” she said softly into his chest. “I was so wrapped up in my own role that I hurt both of us,” she said before pulling away slightly to look him in the eye. “Can you possibly find it in your heart to forgive me?”

“Of course Zelda. After all, there is nothing in my heart but you,” he said, blue eyes fixed on her own.

She blushed before moving back into his arms. ‘No more,’ she thought, sighing in contentment as he pulled her closer and rested his head on hers. ‘No more distance between us.’