Author's Note:
First of all, I'm so surprised so many of you are actually interested in this story!! Thank you so, so much for your patience. ❤️ I've been so busy with junior year, writing papers, and studying for exams...it's been difficult. During the summer, I've taken a hiatus from writing as I enter senior year. Thank you again for your support and kindness. (Good luck to those of you who haven't been juniors yet...it's going to be tough!) Without further ado, here's chapter 11!
***

Zelda wakes to the sudden movement of her pillow. She opens her eyes groggily, taking a moment to recollect her surroundings.

The morning sun barely peers into parted blinds, and Zelda infers that the time must barely be 7:00 a.m. She glances around the unfamiliar room, soaking in its settings with her narrowed, sleep-filled eyes. The walls are light grey, the bed is small but warm, and her pillow isn't a pillow at all. It's Link.

He gently lifts her head off his chest, resting her cheek against a pillow. He looks down to her calmly, a certain sadness lingering behind his gaze. The sunrise intrudes the room, bathing the boy in a halo of golden light. Zelda sighs, parting her lip to speak. The morning is serene; but Zelda's entire body aches with a feeling of anything but peace.

"Link...I don't want to go to school. I-I can't..." she murmurs. She closes her eyes.

Link must be getting ready for school. She feels the bed's weight shift, and the coldness or his absence presses against her skin. She misses his warmth. A hand rests against her forehead, seeming to observe her body temperature.

"You don't have to go to school. I'm going briefly to fetch your work for you; I will return as soon as possible," he says quietly, sincerely.

She considers his words. She knows she can't force herself into that cursed school today even if she were to try. Everything about the place now—its smells, its colors, its people—will remind her of her dark fate of the latter day. She knows she will need to take time to heal.
Time to focus. Time to plan. Her body is practically torn apart.

But Link—as much as she is content with the idea of him being here, with the idea of being safe with him, she almost feels guilty tearing him away from school. Junior year is difficult; she doesn't want to pry him from his academics. So she protests.

"Link, you needn't return for me. I'll be okay...I have the maids," she looks to him. His eyes are focused on her own.

"You are my priority. I want to be here. I don't want to leave you here alone. Unless you wish to be alone. Do you?" He asks. His eyes are stern and she knows that whatever she says, he will obey. He wears the stature of an adamant knight sworn to protect a princess. At least, she feels the circumstance is this way.

Zelda sighs. She rests a hand on his empty pillow. Its warmth from his presence still lingers. She traces patterns across the case.

"To be quite honest," she whispers. "I do not want to be alone. I know the maids are here. But they...they would die if they saw..."

Link nods slowly.

"Then I will stay. Please, get some rest, okay? I'll go to the store to fetch some more rubbing alcohol. Then I will return with your books and work. I can help you redress your wounds."

Zelda curls back into the covers, drawing her knees to her chest. She nestles her head into a pillow.

"Okay."

Link is already dressed in his uniform, and he offers a small wave before he drifts out the door.

Zelda sighs softly. She realizes she cannot stay in Link's room forever. However, his room feels safe. The faded scent of Link's rich, patchouli cologne lingers in the blankets. She blinks lazily as she ponders a few things.

What will Mipha and Paya think of her absence? She curses to herself. She completely ditched the latter class periods of the day without even alerting her friends of her reasoning. (She did tell them 'Home' but the message was vague.) Zelda forces herself upright, and the cold of the air penetrates her skin. She presses her feet into the hardwood floor, standing slowly as she regains complete consciousness.

"I've got to text them. I need to let them know I will not be at school today before they worry."

Zelda tiptoes down the hallways, scanning her surroundings. She slips into her room and fumbles through her gym bag. The glow of her cell phone illuminates in the low lights of her room.

7:58 a.m.

Mipha: hey Z! Wya?

Paya: you're never late, girl! This is a first lol

Zelda: I won't be at school today. I became ill after P.E. yesterday. Thank you for your concern💕

Paya: awh! poor Z :( we'll get your work for you!

Zelda: That isn't necessary. Link is fetching my schoolwork. But thank you so much!

Mipha: we're totally bringing you lunch!

Zelda sighs and smiles to herself. The kindness of all of her friends, old and new, stirs and strengthens Zelda's desire to protect them. Paya and Mipha have always been by her side, and Link's mere presence causes peace to swell in her heart. As Zelda's body aches and blood seeps through her bandages, her clenched hands begin to tremble.

"Everything I can," she murmurs. "I'll do everything I can do protect them."

The fire in her heart seethes.

I can't sit home today and be useless. Yes, I will rest my body. But my mind is intact. I can commence my plan. I cannot spare a moment; in any hour, any minute, or any second, the chance that Ganondorf will attack exists and pervades my entire being. So I must raise my own blade and fight. I will not waver next time.

She knows for certain that the Yiga Gang will attack again, and she knows she must be present at such event. Zelda types 'Yiga Gang attacks' into Google to research the gang's past endeavors.

Zelda scans the documents. She reads 'Yiga Gang Attacks Group at Theater,' 'Yiga Gang Threatens Lives at Bank,' 'Yiga Gang Holds Restaurant Customers Hostage,' 'Yiga Gang Slaughters Man' and numerous articles of the like. As she slides her thumb through the stories, her eyes widen. The locations and circumstances are sporadic. However, Zelda notices a tiny similarity between some events: although not all people are harmed in Yiga attacks, most of the attacks include groups of people.

She smiles to herself. So I need to locate a local event with a large number of people. But could the Yiga attacks really be so simple? She narrows her eyes. It has to be more than that. There doesn't seem to be a particular pattern otherwise.

Zelda observes the list of the victims of the Yiga Gang. She scrolls through pages, skimming past multiple unfamiliar names. Her heart swells in pain; these people were hurt because of me.

Because of me.

It's my fault.

No. No, I can't be distracted. I won't let anyone else be harmed. I have to focus. FOCUS.

She reads Riju's name. She narrows her eyes as she continues to observe the list. Two other particular names grasp her attention: Yunobo Goron and Ilia Ordon.

"These are two of the victims from two different events...It seems that although the attacks are different, and that most victims are random, these two victims are students at Castle Town High..." she murmurs, pausing as she reviews more articles.

"Mikau Indigo..." Zelda's eyes widen. "Another student from Castle Town! I know...I know now what I must do..."

She knows when the next Yiga Gang attack will be: Castle Town High's Winter Sweetheart Dance. It has to be it. The event includes large groups of people and hundreds of Castle Town students. She knows that the Yiga Gang must be targeting her. It seems only logical that the group would attack students from her school.

The dance is weeks away, but Zelda begins to knit a plan together in her mind.

"Ganondorf and the Yiga Gang will hurt no one else," she whispers. "I won't allow it."

***

When Zelda hears the front door open, she practically sprints back to Link's room. She dives into Link's bed and hastily pulls the blankets to her chest. She spent the precious hour researching more events circulating about the Yiga Gang, and she even began to type an email to her former teacher, Impa, for assistance in her formulating attack. Zelda shoves her frantic thoughts away as she focuses on the present moment. Her heart thuds rapidly in her chest as she hears Link's distant footsteps up the stairs.

The door parts slowly, and Zelda hears the shuffling of Link's shoes. Her body becomes frigid. She cannot let Link suspect anything; she knows that if he knew Ganondorf's involvement with the Yiga Gang or that Ganondorf was the one who attacked her, he would unwaveringly throw himself before the Gang in solitude. He would put himself in danger, no matter how skilled he might be. Zelda promises herself that she will have no actions that result in the endangerment of her friends and father.

She feels a sudden hand fiddling with her hair. It seems to separate her tangled locks from the back of his shirt she is wearing. She mentally curses herself as she realizes that her wounds have likely soiled Link's clothes. She needs to change her bandages again! She jolts 'awake,' causing Link to retract his hand in surprise.

"Zelda, you're awake," he says, his eyes relaxing. "I-I. Um. I'm sorry. I was merely observing to see if your wounds were still bleeding. I have your schoolwork."

Zelda frowns. The last thing he should be doing right now is apologizing!

"No. No, Link, don't apologize! I need to apologize..." she hesitates, pausing to glance at Link's blue tunic she wears. "I'm sorry. I probably ruined this shirt," she sighs, clenching its collar self-consciously.

Something flickers in Link's eyes; for a moment, a light akin to anger and sadness swirled into one emotion burns brightly within his sapphires. His voice is deep and solemn.

"Zelda, none of this is your fault. The fault is mine because I was not there to stop that bastard..." he closes his eyes, slowing his breaths. His eyebrows narrow.

"Link, don't say that—I...You...didn't do this to me, okay, Link? It's—" Zelda shuts her mouth. It's Ganondorf who hurt me, she almost says. Her entire body tenses. She cannot let Link know. Link looks to her, and his fixated eyes make her heart swirl in guilt and melancholy. She despises lying to him.

"I-it's probably time to change these bandages," she finishes her sentence. "I should also fetch a new shirt, yes?" She forces an awkward smile. Link seems to notice that she wishes to change the subject, so he obliges.

"Yes. I purchased some for you," he says, already fetching the designated grocery bag tucked in the corner of his room.

Shame. She feels so much shame. Her heart twists and contracts in agony every time she meets his eyes. I wish it didn't have to be this way. But I have no choice but to lie so I can protect him from a fate like mine.

When she reclines, she feels the ghost of rough hands groping her neck and clambering across her body. When she closes her eyes, she feels a heavy breath upon her neck. When she squeezes her palms shut, she feels a grip strangling her wrists. Tears sting her eyes, but she masks her pain.

Link cannot know. He cannot know.

"Zelda?" A voice reins her into reality. "Zelda."

Her eyes widen, and something snaps within her. She blinks rapidly, attempting to mask her approaching tears. Zelda prays Link doesn't notice.

"Is everything alright?" He asks softly, his eyes meeting her own. He tips his forehead. "I need to change your bandages."

So he didn't see, she thinks, or perhaps he's pretending.

"Right," she forces a small smile. "Of course."

The bed shifts as Link sits behind her on the bed, and she scoots forward and crosses her legs. She inhales slowly and clenches her eyes shut as she peels her shirt off, holding a towel to her chest.

For a moment, Link hesitates. Zelda holds her breath as she realizes that Link likely observes her scars again in horror and bitterness. She cannot hold the tears that drip down her cheeks. Link is quiet for two minutes or so.

"I'm going to apply the disinfectant. It will be cold and it will sting. Please tell me to stop if the pain becomes uncomfortable," Link says quietly.

Zelda bites her lip and clenches the towel in her hands as he presses the cold liquid to her scars. She pain causes her wounds to pulse and sting, and she can only squeeze her eyes shut as the agony spreads across her back. Even so, Link attempts to be as gentle as possible.

"Are you okay?" He asks, urgency evident in his voice.

"Y-yes," she croaks. She doesn't know what else to say.

Link sighs sadly, sensing her discomfort. "I'm almost finished with your back. I'll apply the bandages, and then I'll redress your front."

He presses the bandages onto her back and wraps them carefully. Then, he gently pats the bed, requesting that Zelda turn and face him. A forlorn expression briefly crosses Link's face as he observes the deep scars on her collar bone and strewn across her thighs. He looks into her eyes and asks, "Is this okay?"

She nods. Link is not Ganondorf; Link wants her to heal. He wants to take care of her. He is soft and gentle and warm. He is light. She repeats such thoughts to herself to ease her constant thoughts of Ganondorf.

Link hooks his arm under her thighs and rests her legs across his lap so that Zelda is perpendicular to him. He takes a cotton ball and applies the disinfectant to the scars on her legs. She winces, her hands trembling as she holds the towel to her chest.

"I'm sorry, Zelda," he whispers. "Please stop me if the pain becomes unbearable."

She shakes her head. She knows her scars could become infected. She closes her eyes and allows him to continue his work. Finally, he wraps the bandages around her thighs. He turns away for a moment as she tugs the new, large t-shirt he purchased over her head. When she finishes, he looks into Zelda's eyes.

Her eyes, he notices, are filled with such sorrow.

"Zelda..."

She sniffs, her eyes faltering.

"Hey..." he whispers.

She lunges forward, straddling his hips awkwardly, collapsing into his chest. He catches her in his embrace, falling back into the pillows in surprise. He realizes she's trembling, her tiny body pressed against his as if she will crumble if he lets her go.

"Zelda..." he says into her hair.

She's crying. She wails into his chest, tears soaking his shirt. He can only hold her and say nothing. Nothing he could say can heal her. Nothing can undo the harm done to her. All he can do, from this moment forward, is comfort her and protect her in any way he can. He closes his eyes and holds her closely, running a gentle hand through her hair.

"It's okay," he whispers. "I'm here. I promise you, I will always be here, Zelda."

And I'll kill that bastard who did this to you, he thinks to himself.

Her chest shakes, her hands grasping his shirt. She leans away from his chest, sitting upright upon his lap as she faces him. Her face is red and soaked in tears, and her hair is in disarray. As if she knows what he thinks, Zelda says, "Listen, L-Link..." she trembles. "Y-you...I can't allow you to become involved....Don't search for him....I don't want you to get hurt," she demands.

"It's my duty to protect you with my life," Link counters. "I've already failed to do this once. We've been over this. I will not allow you to get hurt again, Zelda! You don't have to tell me anything, and you don't have to worry about me. I will find him."

She slams a fist to his chest. "I demand you to not look for him! Link, please, h-he threatened me! He threatened to hurt you, to hurt my friends and family and everyone I love. I...I can't let someone else get hurt because of me! I-it's...it's all my fault..."

Link lifts a hand to her face and caresses her cheek. "Zelda...this is not your fault. This is the fault of that bastard. Please...let me protect you..."

She opens her eyes weakly. He sits upright and pulls her to his chest. He just wants to hold her and protect her and wash away her pain. He gingerly runs his hands through her hair, reveling in the gentleness of her breathing against his chest. He knows her heart is filled with so much agony. He longs to defeat the bastard who dared to hurt her. He longs to ease some of her pain.

In silence, Zelda pulls away from Link, settling into the space beside him on the bed. She tugs her knees to her chest. Link rises, gently pulling the covers over her tiny frame.

"I'll go make you breakfast, okay?" He says.

She closes her eyes and nods.