Apologies

The minute I saw him walk into the room I lay hidden in, I knew what I had to do. He cautiously looked around the empty room, his sapphire eyes hovering on the lone bare tree before darting ahead again. He strode over to the other side of the room, only to find the door locked and barred. He turned around and headed back to the first door, and that was when he found me.

Now as I look down at his almost lifeless form, covered in deep gashes and soaked in its own blood, I wonder why I did it. Why did I attack someone that I've only seen through faded blurry images and scraps of thought in the back of my head(1)? I kicked him, but his unconcious form did not respond except for a very faint moan as more of his bright red blood spilled out into the inch-deep water, which was already tainted red. I sat down next to him, and leaned closer to get a better look at him, wearing a child-like expression of curiosity. He really was handsome, and tough to boot. he had fought long and hard, just as Ganondorf had told me he would.

I placed a hand on his head and ran my fingers through his golden hair, faintly surprised at how soft it was. I was too deeply involved in examining his hair and hat to notice his deep blue eyes open slowly and notice me touching him. I was shocked into silence when I noticed the pair of half-lidded hazy blue eyes looking up at me. He did something next that shocked me even more.

He smiled at me.

"You're not really evil, are you?"
I was taken aback. I removed my hand from his hair and placed it in my lap.
"Err....I mean....Well.....I was supposed to kill you....."
"But instead you're studying me, and I don't blame you..."
Link's voice was weak, and seemed forced at some points.  "How long have you been here, waiting for me?"
I stopped for a moment and thought. "About seven years," I replied. He looked at my sympathetically, his blue eyes appearing to look into me.
"Why do you listen to him, anyway?"
"I.....Well he gave me life...He created me...He's my master and I must obey him...."
Link looked me in the eye, wincing a little as he did so.
"You don't have to listen to him any more.... I promise, if somehow I live, I will show you freedom. I can take you away from here if you want...."
My jaw droppped. Never had I been offered something so...genuine, so pure.... All I could do was dumbly nod my head at the dying figure beside me. I managed to choke out a few strangled words before he closed his eyes again.
"I....I'm sorry, Link....I'm sorry...."
I don't know what caused it, but I felt my eyes water up and stream onto my face and onto Link, who I was currently leaning over.
'I'm crying,' I thought.
"I'm sorry, Link! I'm so sorry!"
I reached down, scooped him up and hugged him, pressing him against me in earnest, mixing tears with blood and warmth with cold. I was crying hard for a few moments when I stopped and listened to a faint sound...
'Thump...thump....thump.....'

A beating heart.