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realmofmirrors2012-10-04 05:33 pm
shadeofaprincess) wrote in realmofmirrors2012-10-04 05:33 pm
Princess' Shade | WW-era Hyrule Castle
[This is but one of the legends of which the people speak...
Long ago, a princess tried desperately to save her kingdom and make those who mattered most to her happy. She failed, ultimately, and disappeared into obscurity along with the remains of her precious kingdom.
The remains of which you have found yourself in.
Deep beneath the waves of the Great Sea, the Kingdom of Hyrule lies in stasis, untouched by time or the ocean bearing down upon it. The grand castle the princess of legend built stands absolutely still and quiet, surrounded by a barrier of unknown origin, cutting it off even from the rest of the sunken land.
The interior of the castle is no less solemn, with fallen pillars and broken banisters as evidence of the ancient battle that led to the country's sealing. Yet a statue still stands tall and inspiring in the hall's center, framed by portraits of the old kingdom's ruling family on either side. But the battle is over, and the world silent and unmoving.
Except, perhaps, if you catch the ghostly melody echoing within the castle's stone walls. But then again, perhaps you are only hearing things. For all intents and purposes, this place is abandoned.]
Long ago, a princess tried desperately to save her kingdom and make those who mattered most to her happy. She failed, ultimately, and disappeared into obscurity along with the remains of her precious kingdom.
The remains of which you have found yourself in.
Deep beneath the waves of the Great Sea, the Kingdom of Hyrule lies in stasis, untouched by time or the ocean bearing down upon it. The grand castle the princess of legend built stands absolutely still and quiet, surrounded by a barrier of unknown origin, cutting it off even from the rest of the sunken land.
The interior of the castle is no less solemn, with fallen pillars and broken banisters as evidence of the ancient battle that led to the country's sealing. Yet a statue still stands tall and inspiring in the hall's center, framed by portraits of the old kingdom's ruling family on either side. But the battle is over, and the world silent and unmoving.
Except, perhaps, if you catch the ghostly melody echoing within the castle's stone walls. But then again, perhaps you are only hearing things. For all intents and purposes, this place is abandoned.]
no subject
How the wolf got there is unimportant. It stops as it hears the melody--one so very familiar--and begins following the source of the sound.
... Perhaps she took this form out of fear. Perhaps she is afraid of what she may find. Perhaps it is simply something she became accustomed to while teaching her "child"... either way, its senses are better. It made things easier. ]
no subject
The song resonates from a ghostly, feminine figure, one who is crouched by the once secret entrance to the castle basement, next to the remains of a statue that has been sliced in two.
She does not seem to notice any other presence. After all, her kingdom is well and truly dead, her connection with it broken when Daphnes made the wish for a new world untainted by the tragedy of the Triforce. Daphnes himself has moved on, and the one being older than herself in this world has been slain. There is little reason to be watchful over this ruined land now...]
this is what happens when i forget to hit post
It's funny. You would expect no life to be down this deep, but the golden wolf works its way toward the woman. There's a quiet howl--mournful, almost. One of recognition. She isn't sure what to say. What to feel or do. And so instead, she sits in front of Zelda, the one red eye she has left watching. What can she even do... that would fix both of their mistakes? Even if this is what she's so desperately worked for all this time in her death, it feels so hollow, to see Zelda like this. To see all they loved abandoned. ]
pesky post button
Calmly, she looks up from the face of the broken statue to the golden wolf. While she does not smile, not quite, there's a fond, nostalgic glint in her blue eyed gaze. After all, it would seem that not all she has loved has abandoned her.
She reaches out, seemingly unhindered by the pressure or the water bearing down upon her, and cups the side of the wolf's jaw.]
Will you make me wait even longer to see your face again?
it is a stubborn thing. also this turned shippy fast--
Funny, how that works out.
At first, Link is silent. Worried. Not sure what to say. But she didn't come all this way to make Zelda wait more. And so--she's just going to hug you.
Fuck this place being underwater. Fuck all that's happened. And screw them being ghosts and being WAY TOO OLD now. She doesn't care. She is still hugging you. She doesn't ever want to let go. There aren't any words--though as a mentor she learned many--not when Link feels actions will always speak louder. ]
well what were you expecting
[She states, a smile finally beginning to play at her lips as she stokes Link's cheekbone softly with the pad of her thumb. But that doesn't last long, however, as she's suddenly pulled into an embrace and, oh, how long has it been since she's been held like this?
Has she ever been held like this? Having once been married, logic says that she should, but... there's emotion here her marriage never had.
She lets herself sink naturally into the hug, returning it, leaving no space between them be accounted for. There's no pulse to press her ear against, no true warmth they don't imagine up themselves, yet after all this time, this is the one place she feels safest.]
Hello, Link.
.............. idk, Hylian bigfoot?
I missed you. ... I am sorry I took so very long, but I could not leave any sooner. I had to watch after the next of my kin.
that's just silly
Do not speak of the past any longer. You are here now, and that is all that matters to me.
[Ganondorf is finally dead, and the Surface is in capable hands. She can finally be selfish. It is only a shame that it could only happen in death.
She leans her forehead against Link's.]
I missed you, too.
excuse you maybe he's a cousin of Yeto
We have a lot of lost time to make up for.
[ It's a good thing that, for the dead, there is always time. It's a luxury they have that, in life, Link certainly did not. ]
Yeto doesn't exist in this timeline gosh
[Such concepts she held a secret grudge against, once upon a time. But she always followed them, even when it hurt to do so. Especially when it hurt to do so. Now, though, there is nothing to hold them back, nothing to be responsible for, nothing keeping them separated, and...
She drops her gaze, almost shyly. She ruled over a country with wisdom and grace. She has personally witnessed centuries pass, and all the changes that entails. But only rarely, when in the arms of the one she calls her Hero, has she even felt something as powerful and personal as this.]
... Or space...
[That is an invitation if you want to take it as one, Link.]
no subject
There is an unspoken admiration and love, and it's easy to see in her eye. She hasn't been able to be close to anyone else; even though she had a child she died shortly afterward, and even with her marriage and her duties and knowing the Zelda from her timeline...
That wasn't her Zelda.
The fact that this was... made everything all right, different, somehow. She presses her own head against the other woman's and smiles. ]
No one would ever replace you.
[ No one. Never. Not in a million years. That said, have a kiss on the cheek, Princess. ]
no subject
... But, restraint. She will show restraint. They have time, now - more time than anyone can ever ask for.
She leans into the brush of Link's lips on her cheek, letting her eyes slip closed with the sensation.]
Not once did I forget about our promise. I thought of you every day...
[She built statues, sung songs, wove legends of Link's deeds into the very history of Hyrule, but it was never enough...]
no subject
Waited to make sure he didn't make her mistakes. Waited to make sure he was properly trained and cared for. Waited to make sure he would come back to his home, and that it would live. That when he was done, he could fix her mistakes. Their last conversation. She remembers it clearly.
"... Why won't you rest?"
"I cannot. Though I have accomplished all I was meant to, though you have learned the hidden skills I was unable to pass to my successor, I made a promise to someone. And I will stay here until the day I can see them again."
"... I'll help you."
"No one can help me. I chose this path. Begone, my child! You are now worthy of the proud green you wear. Finish what has been started!" And then she left him. But he was true to his words. He went so far to find her grave... it was almost ironic. And here she was. Link exhales, trying to rid herself of hesitation and fear, burdens long shouldered. Even in death, there was so much weight on her shoulders. And it seemed Zelda had endured the same.
No, she knew that girl that had her name and face, but it was never enough. Now would be the only time she could fix this. And she would have to have the courage to try. To lean in and properly kiss Zelda on the lips, slowing the world around them completely. Ignoring all that's here, ignoring all that's been. Water or air; did it matter? It was just them, right now. Ghosts may not need much, after all. But they were special, weren't they? Special indeed, since no one could remove this hero from her princess ever again. ]
/casually uses regular account for icons yolo
You don't have to be afraid anymore.
She waited. For so many years, she waited, and watched as her country was consumed by the sea, watched as Daphnes sought and found the Hero of the new world, watched as Ganondorf stole away her descendant, and watched as he was finally stopped for good. She had her regrets, but the children of the new land absolved her of them, and yet still she waited.
For this.
She can't help smiling against Link's lips as the space between them is finally closed, accepting the affection wholeheartedly. There's no one to tell her she can't, after all - no one to dictate how she should and should not behave. So it's with a sort of zeal she never possessed in life that she untangles her fingers from Link's only to wrap her arms around her Hero's shoulders and neck, pouring everything she has into communicating the things she had never been able to say to any other.
It's okay.
I love you.
I have loved you always.
I will love you forever.]
so this can compete with my saddest/sweetest threads of all time list tbh
I will never leave you again, my princess--no, my friend. My love. My everything.
You are my world.
And I will always be here for you. As a friend. As a lover. As a companion. As anything you will ever need.
All the things she's wanted to say but couldn't quite stutter out, having never been perfect with words. All of this. She understands Zelda. She understands the body language, the everything; this communication is something she knows too well. She isn't a knight or an unknown hero anymore, she isn't forgotten, she isn't uncared for, she isn't ancient history, right here, right now.
She is a woman who very much loved and missed the other. Every inch of Zelda was something she admired and longed for; she was so beautiful, so graceful, so amazing. She didn't see royalty. She saw this gorgeous, amazing, talented person. And she wanted her to see all the same what she did.
... Haha, the irony of the situation is thick--do ghosts even need to "come up for air"? Doubly so, as they're in an ocean? Who knows. Who cares, they'll stop when they're ready, and Goddesses be damned, they earned this. ]
so that's my cue to ruin it right
When the initial intoxicating surge of emotion begins to recede, however, and she becomes a little more aware of things beyond Link's hair in her fingers, Link's arms at her waist, Link's lips on her own, she notices there's something just slightly off about how her arms are positioned. Flushed (only because she believes she should be, not because there's any blood to rush to her cheeks), she breaks the kiss, but only just. Half-lidded, barely focused eyes look down, and she scoffs.]
This armor is ridiculous.
[And it gets in the way of makeouts. :|]
No that's my cue to make it sillier.
But Link's first reaction is kind of, although she doesn't fully break away, pout a bit, confused. She might be a bit red herself. ]
... But it's for the knight-captains.
[ YOUR ARMOR. She wore it really proudly, Zelda... ]
... What's wrong with it?
[ Link. Link you are not thinking. Use your ghost brain. What are you trying to do right now? Come on hun this isn't that hard. Come on. ... Nope. Nope she doesn't see it. Some things... some things never change. She still has some innocence. ]
gomen for moodswings
... Still, there's something endearing about it, knowing Link really hasn't changed despite the passage of time, and she can't help a chuckle and a smile as she presses her forehead to her Hero's once more.]
I want to hold you.
[With her knuckles, she raps on one of the bulky metal shoulder plates.]
Not this.
APRIL FOOLS it's actually sad again (I am gomen 4 life)
... Oh. So at first she looks confused, because wait, isn't that already happening? But then Link kind of blushes a little--god, it's funny. She looks like a child all over again somehow... ]
... Ah. I... apologize.
[ She had gotten so used to being simply Zelda's knight, and then after that, simply an old "hero". She waited for so long, for her descendant, and he could never be allowed to know truly who she was. Never. If he did... if he knew they were kin, he would grow attached to a mere phantom that should not have provided the family he did not get to have. Unlike her, however, he was gifted with a caring community of farmers and Rusl's affection. He and Illia... Link hoped, wondered, but now, perhaps, was her time for her dues. For her rescued reunion. There's a long, quiet pause. It's a little awkward for her. Somehow, she could probably change it easily, but where was the fun in that, right? And so Link quietly removes it... for one final time. One last time, the armor will come off. One last time, she will... don the simplistic outfit of her youth. ]
I wish I could say I wore this the day of my departure, but I did not; regardless, I grew... attached. It... it was... a piece of you I could hold on to, in some small way.
[ It's an off-hand comment even as she removes those silly shoulderpads and so on; they fall to the wayside with a clunk, nonexistent but quite real all the same. Want to help her, Princess? She promises to help you out of that dress in return-- ]
goddammit Link
I built statues for you. I made certain not a single babe was born in Hyrule who did not know of you. Even now, with the rest of the kingdom forgotten, children of the surface don the green of the Hero when they come of age in hopes of being blessed with the same valor and courage.
It was never enough, though.
[She returns to eye-level then, and despite her words being melancholy, there is only love and adoration in her gaze.]
But we do not need any of that any more.
[Why bother with trinkets and stories when the person they've tried so desperately to hold onto is before them, real and wanting? So yes, she will help out with the harder to reach straps, her touch gentle, if a bit lingering with each piece of armor removed.]
~whoops~
... Hah! Am I really that short...?
[ It's an idle comment, something she cannot help but say in jest even as all this is going on, even as they are sorting so many long, tortured years of separation out. Grasping and reaching, discarding slowly the weights, what binds them both. Physically, and otherwise.
... She cannot help the smile on her face. She feels like a child again somehow, so innocent, but she is so far from it. Was this what it was like, to be around someone... someone who truly knew you, whom you knew as well, whom you loved, truly?
It was concern for needing to continue a hero's bloodline that had possessed her to have a family; she had seen some of the future in her dreams, not unlike the Princess herself, and she had realized long ago that the things she needed to do... that her job, her duty, even after her time in Termina, was not completed. Admittedly, the man she married was very persistent, and she became fond of him over time. But this was different. So, so very different. There was such gentleness, and she was almost... not quite afraid, but more that there was this deep desire within her to do this right, as best as she could try.
To make Zelda happy as well as to simply be in her presence and feel her touch, that little kiss, her words; they're all tender. ]
... I feel smaller when I am near your side, regardless...
[ Bare. Unprotected. But she's okay with that. She trusts Zelda. It's funny to take all this off one final time, funny to watch that which she swore never to strip herself of be removed by the very person who had placed it on her. But again, this was HER Zelda, not THAT one. And that made it all the better. ]
whoops super late response
[Wow, there's no hesitation in response to that question. But her little grin is light-hearted and teasing, because it's not like she cares. Her Hero is her Hero, short, girlish build and all.
As the last piece of armor falls away, Zelda's smile grows, warm and loving and maybe she feels a little bit like a nervous maiden again as well, but that's not going to stop her from instantly taking Link - truly Link, not some armor she once used to guard against the world - into her arms. Not another moment wasted being apart in any sense of the word.]
Why is that?
[The question is asked idly as she snuggles into Link. Honestly she's a bit more preoccupied with memorizing everything about how they fit together, like two halves of one whole.]
whoops super not caring about how long we take
Because your presence is so radiant, Zelda. You are such a beautiful person... did you know that?
[ She probably did, but Link is forever a sappy woman, and she cannot resist telling that to the other's face. ]