The Mercenary (Beautiful_Disgrace and I)

Zelda suddenly went silent before she shook her head a little. "Today...it's coming today. My water..it broke." Zelda muttered as she held her stomach. She had wanted the baby out for a long time, but now? Now she was terrified.
 
"Wh...What?!" Impa blinked, Ike's eyes widened a fraction.

"Get Titania, now," Ike said quickly to Samus. "Impa, we need to get her in the bed and comfortable."

Training could wait...ugh, a baby? Ike knew nothing about this!
 
Zelda could barely hold herself up as the contractions suddenly got stronger. Samus was gone immediately...she had no idea what to do herself. "Link..I want Link..." Zelda panted. She was scared, and in pain. He was the only person who could make her feel better.
 
"I know," Ike promised. "Impa, go." he assured, scooping her up as he headed up the stairs. "Breathe, Zelda...in and out, Link will be here soon, I promise." Jeez, what a crazy day this had turned into...
 
"I'm scared..." Zelda admitted as she looked up at Ike, sweat breaking out on her forehead. "I can't do this without him, Ike. I need him..." She could feel tears starting to stream down her cheeks.
 
"He'll be here," Ike promised, laying her on the bed. "Link has never left you alone, Zelda...and he won't. I need you to stay strong for him, okay?" It wasn't long before he could hear footsteps, Titania and Samus, looking faintly out of breath as Titania moved forward, rolling her sleeves up.

"Samus, I need water," she murmured. "Cold water." she instructed, laying out linen as she spread Zelda's legs, helping her get comfortable.
 
Samus came back with water as Zelda continued breathing heavily. Her face was completely red as she struggled with the pain. Each contraction was worse than the last...she didn't know if she could bear it. She grabbed Ike's hand desperately, grinding her teeth hard against each other. "It...it hurts..." She sobbed quietly.
 
"Zelda!" Link said in exasperation as he moved into the room while Titania dunked a cloth into the water and squeezed it, handing it off to Ike who was grateful to replace hands with Link, his tight around hers. "Zelda, I'm here, everything is going to be okay, I promise." he murmured firmly. "Stay with me, okay?"
 
Zelda was relieved when she heard Link's voice. Even so, she didn't make it easy for Ike when he pulled his hand away, mostly because she in so much pain. Was it supposed to hurt this much? She had talked with Robin so many times, but she still couldn't prepare herself for the worst of it. Robin had been in labor for hours, but she wasn't sure if she could do this any longer than she had. "Link..I love you. Please don't leave me...please." She sobbed as she looked into his eyes. She was scared...she was scared that whatever she was about to give birth to would separate them.
 
"Zelda, listen to me," Link mumbled, fingers tight in hers and hand over hers. "I love you, okay?" he said quietly. "I love you, and I will love that child as much as I love you, I promise." He had no choice, he had to accept it...he had to accept her. He loved Zelda too much to let it go.
 
Hearing those words made her hand relax around his. Maybe it was her imagination, but...it wasn't as painful now. She only smiled up at him, reaching her hand up to caress his face. "..Okay. I..can do this. Knowing that, I can do this..." She told him softly as she closed her eyes and let her hand drop to her side.

*******

Surprisingly, the labor wasn't a long one..within a few hours Zelda had given birth to a baby boy. With the help of Titania, of course. No one else seemed to really know what they were doing since the midwife wasn't there. It was obvious...who the father was. However, she couldn't hate her child. He was...perfect, and her maternal instincts couldn't help but love him. She had carried him for so long, after all. The room was filled with all her loved ones, but it was so quiet as Zelda just held him closely to her body. It took a long while for her speak, but eventually she did.

"Leon." Zelda said softly as she looked up at Link. "That's his name..." It was a name Sona had once suggested in passing, a few months ago. Along with a few others. Zelda hadn't really picked a name until that moment though..she had been holding off on it until today. It seemed appropriate that she used a name Sona had given...and hopefully she would see her again one day.
 
"A fine name," Link smiled, dark skinned...a tuft of red hair...it burned him. But he couldn't be mad at an innocent. He wouldn't.

"You must rest now, Zelda," Titania murmured. "I'll have the healers make sure you're progressing well...Ike, help me clean up."

Ugh...him? Why? He felt like disagreeing, but Titania had that tone to her. If he said 'woman's work', he'd probably get hit. Who knew childbirth was so...that?
 
"Thank you, everyone...for helping." She wanted to be surprised for the help that Ike's company had given her, but she didn't think they were bad people..nor did she think Ike was bad. She closed her eyes contently as she held her baby. She..was a little worried about how Link might feel, but she knew that he would never go back on his promise to her.

Samus helped Ike clean up without being asked...she could tell that he was a little disturbed by the scene that had recently occurred. She herself had found it...interesting. It was a nice experience to see life coming into the world despite the circumstances on how it was conceived. Samus had been around so much death..this was something new for her, and she liked it.
 
"Hm," Titania mused. "I see someone could handle the rigors of childbirth very well," she said, giving Samus a bemused smile. Ike's facial expression went somewhere bizarre, and he simply kept scrubbing the floor. A...well, he was a father already...just...Samus? Ugh...Titania had to tease him at the worst possible time...
 
Titania's teasing did not go over her head..she blushed slightly as she shook her head. "It was...a beautiful scene. To me...hearing the baby take it's first breath and cry...I felt happy." She didn't say much, but when she did it was things that not many people expected.
 
"You'd be a good mom," Titania smiled. "I can tell...you watch Ike like a hawk, I bet any little child you have would never be without her mother's embrace."

Faster scrubbing, yes. Had to be out of his room as soon as possible as Link watched Zelda, and the sleeping baby. He nuzzled against her forehead affectionately, giving her a kiss. He was happy...in some ways. Happy that Zelda could recover, happy that he could finally let go of that frustration...
 
Samus could feel her cheeks growing hotter, though she couldn't help but enjoy the idea. She heard the sound of Ike going faster, this talk was making him nervous so she wouldn't encourage Titania anymore. She just collected all the dirty cloths into a basket and then gave Titania a small smile. "Thank you. One day, I'm sure." She answered before she left the room, if only to give Ike a small break.

Zelda returned the kiss and looked up at him for a moment. "Thank you...for being so strong for me." She whispered to him, her eyes locked on his. Maybe now..they could both come to terms with this...and accept it for what it was.
 
"I'm always here for you," Link smiled gently. "...Although, I think I deserve a chance to have a son, don't you?" he said casually, but not without a playful smile. "...In time, of course?"
 
"Of course," Zelda agreed with no hesitation, returning his smile a little too eagerly. She did want to give him a son, eventually...maybe when all this was over..maybe sooner. Either way, he more than deserved a son...and she would get pregnant by him as many times as it took to give him one. "I want to give you a son, Link...I want to give you as many children as you'd like."
 
"W...Well," Link flushed faintly. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves here!"

"You poor boy," Titania grinned. "Don't tire him out, Zelda...we still have a war to win."
 
Zelda just chuckled a little before closing her eyes again. "He started it..." She muttered softly, though she was completely exhausted..still. She wanted to hold her baby a bit longer before falling asleep.
 
Impa waited outside for Samus as she was washing the linens, arms crossing to admire her.

"...You love him, don't you?" Impa said faintly. It was a simple question, but her words held more depth than what it asked.
 
For a moment, she didn't say anything. Not that she was hesitating...it was more like, she wasn't used to people asking her such things. "I do." Her answer was short and simple, yet the emotion that carried behind her voice was truly genuine. She wasn't sure why Impa had asked her that, honestly...but perhaps she'd find out.
 
"I see," Impa murmured. "And what would you do, to protect that? To keep it safe? Would you risk your own life? If there was a choice, would you choose yourself, over him? Without hesitation? Does your life matter, compared to his?"
 
"It doesn't." Samus answered without much thought. "Ike is...the only thing that matters. Without him, there would be no meaning to anything. If that is the case, then I would gladly choose his life over mine."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom