Please review! My first romance!
Medli flew from the crow's nest, not bothering to look back at Komali. She wanted to tell Aryll. They'd probably left the inn by now. The pirates (except for Tetra) would all be in the coffee house, Link and Tetra… Medli didn't know, and Aryll… didn't know either. The Rito girl flew around the island before finding Aryll.
Aryll was standing on the cliff by the tombstone, looking into the west.
"Hey, Aryll," said Medli impishly, landing next to the tombstone. "Whatcha lookin' at?"
"That was where it all started…" whispered Aryll, her eyes on a point that Medli realized was the Forsaken Fortress. At that point Medli fell silent.
"Sorry," said Aryll, turning with a bright grin. "So, how did it go?"
"Great," said Medli, and she gave Aryll all the details. Aryll's grin grew so wide that Medli was sure the little girl would burst out of happiness.
"Great! Hey, why don't I try talking to Link, and see about him," said Aryll. "I won't tell him I've talked to you, though. That way, I know what's going on with both sides." The little girl chuckled wisely and walked toward the inn. Medli looked into the distance, back toward the pirate ship. Komali was still standing there.
Aryll stood on the Ferris wheel, trying to get a good look for Link. As it rose to its highest point, the little girl spun in a circle, looking for Link. As she completed her turn, she saw Link facing south, standing on the lighthouse.
"Link, I've been looking for you!" she said.
Link turned to face her. Turning away from Outset, he thought to himself. And Headstone Island… where Medli became the Earth Sage… He shook away the thought. He didn't need to become angsty right now. "Little sis! I haven't seen you much lately!" He tugged one of her pigtails lightly.
"Quit that," she said, pulling her pigtail back playfully. "Hey, it's thanks to you we're here. Tetra was pretty grateful." She smirked as Link blushed slightly.
"Well, she had better not try anything like that, let me tell you," he said, putting on a mock scowl and pretending to swing with the Master Sword. But Aryll wasn't fooled: she could see Link would have no problem with whatever Tetra decided to do.
"Hey, have you heard about Medli and Komali?" asked Aryll slyly, looking at the gulls flying nearby.
"No, what?" asked Link, who despite his heroic personality loved gossip.
"They're a couple now," announced Aryll matter-of-factly, still watching the gulls. "Smooching the beaks off each other. I saw them with my Telescope."
"Great," said Link, smiling. He was proud to see Komali was mature enough to have a girlfriend and was happy for Medli. But then why was there a shred of jealousy in his heart? Did he… He shook it off. "They're just right for each other. They spent a lot of time together when Medli was being trained by Komali's grandmother."
"That's right," agreed Aryll. "Too bad she's taken, cause I think you two would make a great couple."
"Shut up," said Link, but he was surprised. How much does Aryll know? Wait a minute… I like Tetra, not Medli. But then why do I feel so guilty saying that to Aryll? I always feel guilty when I lie…
"I'm serious!" giggled Aryll. "You're perfect for each other… oh yeah, but I forgot you've already made 'arrangements' with Tetra." Aryll made kissy noises with her lips.
"You're just jealous," said Link, who was pretty jealous of Komali himself. But why?
Aryll humphed and rode the Ferris wheel back down.
Tetra came up a few minutes later. She shivered in the cold. Link didn't offer her anything.
"Why was Aryll up here?" she asked, wrapping an arm around Link. Link was surprised when he tensed slightly at her touch.
"Nothing," he said. "She just said hi."
"Want to come down to the inn?" she asked. "You'll be warmer."
"Nah… I'm fine…"
"I could help you warm up," she said, putting an emphasis on the last two words. And for the first time during their conversation, Link looked directly at her.
"Tetra, I can't do that with you."
"Why ever not?" she drawled.
"Look, I like you and all, but I'm not ready for that."
"Why? Is there someone else?" she hissed.
"Of course not," lied Link. What was he lying about? There wasn't anyone else… was there?
"You don't love me. Is that it?" she demanded.
Link replied almost inaudibly. "That's it."
Tetra didn't cry. She never did. But her courage, her bravery, that person behind the wink and the smile disappeared. It was replaced by a murderous little girl that longed to rip Link apart. Link sensed this and turned, his brows lowering over his steely eyes. But there was no need. Tetra boarded the Ferris wheel and rode away, glaring at Link the whole way down.
Aryll, who had heard the whole thing, ran away to tell Medli.
"So they broke up?" asked Komali interestedly at breakfast. Both Link and Tetra were there, and they were on opposite sides of the table. Taking refuge in the middle, they wouldn't be heard.
"Yeah," said Aryll. "Even though they were never really a couple."
"But they liked each other," said Medli. "At least, Tetra liked Link."
"I'm pretty sure he liked her too," said Komali, unaware of the hurt he was putting on Medli. How could he be aware? For all he knew, he and Medli actually were in love.
"Not as much as she liked him," supplied Aryll for her benefit. "He was the one who turned her down."
Medli perked up. Aryll had skipped over that important detail when she first told Medli. "Really?"
"Yeah," said Aryll. The rest of the meal was in silence.
Tetra called a meeting shortly after breakfast.
"The rooms have been changed," she said, throwing Link a nasty look. "Gonzo, Senza and Nudge will room together as before. However, Link-" she spat the word out- "will sleep with Medli and Komali, and I'll room with Zuko and Niko." She stomped off as the others discussed this.
They were going to spend a few more days at Windfall, and none of them had much of a schedule, so everyone wandered around town. The pirates stayed in the inn, drinking more beer than was thought to be physically possible. Tetra shut herself up in her room, while Aryll played the squid-shooting game again and again. Link sat under the cliff where he had met King of Red Lions.
Makar toddled over to him.
"Hey, Link," he began. "I heard about your fight with Tetra, and… I'm sorry."
"Tell me about it," said Link bitterly, but he appreciated Makar's sensitivity.
"I was just thinking, if you're looking for a new girl… Medli's not that bad, you know?"
"But she's dating Komali," said Link. "Even if I did like her that much, I wouldn't want to ruin it for them."
"All right," said Makar agreeably. The Korok walked off, and Link had to smile. The little Korok could cheer him up even better than Aryll.
At that moment, Medli and Komali were flying around the island. Medli was helping Komali fly, who was still inexperienced.
"You have to dip your right wing to turn right, and same with your left wing if you want to go left," she instructed.
Komali executed a hairpin turn around the lighthouse.
"Bravo!" she applauded, and blew him a kiss. She was genuinely proud of him, and it made her feel sad that she was using him like this. But it seemed to be working. Link and Tetra had broken up. That was a big step in the right direction.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Komali. He was out of control, and was falling closer to the ground.
Medli zoomed toward him, but there was nothing she could do. She screamed helplessly as he plummeted.
And just before he hit the ground, he flapped his wings once and hovered above the ground.
Medli couldn't help but laugh, but she was enraged at the same time. He could have been killed. Why do you care so much, Medli? came a cynical little voice. After all, he's not the one you truly love.
You don't have to love someone to be concerned when they fall like that, she responded as she flew to Komali's side.
The voice went away as she reached Komali.
"Don't ever do that again!" she yelled at him, but she was smiling. He reached out and began to tickle her.
"No," she begged. "Stop! Please!" But Komali continued, and only stopped when she offered him anything. Pulling her to her feet, he gave her a kiss.
"Well, well, well," came a voice from behind them. "Strange to see you here, Komali and Medli."
They turned around to see Quill the postman, smiling at them.
"Uncle Quill!" cried Komali. The Rito wasn't really his uncle, but it was an affectionate term.
"How have you been?" said Quill fondly. "Where are Link and Tetra?"
"Around," said Medli. "Don't talk to them about each other, though. They had a big fight."
"I see," said Quill sadly. "I must be going now. Have fun!" He laughed as he flew away.
"Why wouldn't you stop tickling me?" she asked teasingly.
"I just like to see you happy like that," he admitted. "Well, you weren't really happy, but you were laughing." He gave her a dazzling smile.
Medli looked away for a brief moment, touched. Komali really cared about her. It would break his heart if she told him it was an act. Medli briefly hated herself for doing this to him. And then she thought of something…
Link had rejected Tetra because he 'wasn't ready.' Would he be ready for her? And at that point she decided that she wasn't pretending to love Komali. It was real.
And she reached over and kissed him, not just briefly but for a long time. Right then her world consisted of the two of them, and nothing else. Link could be madly in love with her and she wouldn't care. She was in love with Komali.
Link sat under the cliff. He hadn't moved. Makar is right. I do have feelings for Medli. I'll talk to her. He walked off and found Medli quickly. She was walking with Komali.
"Medli?" said Link. "Can we talk? Alone?"
Komali raised an eyebrow. Medli placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's all right," she told him, and walked a short distance away with Link. "What?"
Link let out a breath. "I've realized something, Medli, that I couldn't see before. I figured it out when Tetra left… I think I'm in love with you."
Medli had her chance then. She looked back at Komali, who didn't know what was being said… at Link, so hopeful looking… and she realized she'd have to break one of their hearts.
"I'm sorry, Link," she whispered, a single tear moving down her beak, and she walked back to Komali, leaving Link sad and confused.
The day wore on. Medli met up with Aryll at sunset at the lighthouse.
"Link got back together with Tetra," Aryll informed her. "She agreed she wouldn't try to take it so fast, and he agreed that he'd try a little harder too." She narrowed her eyes. "I know what Link said to you. You had your chance."
"I know," said Medli happily. "But I love Komali now. And that's never gonna change."
THE ENDMy first attempt at romance… Please don't flame!