Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It still felt new: the sensation of the wind through her hair, the feeling of the hard wood that she leaned against. She relished the slow burn of tea as it slid down her throat, the pain in her hands from the hot mug, the chatter of voices in the distance, the heaviness of her eyes as she watched the moon cross the sky. It was all something that Princess Zelda had been deprived of for 100 years, things she’d always taken for granted before everything… before the Calamity.

Those 100 years in the Sacred Realm, years she’d spent holding Ganon back with all her might, had deprived her of the life she’d always expected. Her father, sacrificed by the Yiga clan to bring back the Demon Lord; her friends, grown old through the passage of time, lifetimes she could never even begin to understand; the Champions, all killed… all of them. Daruk: the Goron who’d never thought a negative thing in the time she’d known him. Even when she’d come back from the final spring of the Goddess as a failure, unsuccessful in unlocking her sealing powers, Daruk had still smiled, if only to comfort her in her darkness. Mipha: the Zora princess who heeded the call to save the ones she loved. Revali: a Rito who Zelda had come to respect, despite his brash and abrasive behavior. Urbosa: the closest mother-figure she’d known since her own mother had passed when she was a young girl. And Link: her own appointed knight and the Hylain Champion.

At least she was able to save him.

Though he slept for 100 years, and though he’d lost most of his memories of her, she’d managed to bring him back. The Shrine of Resurrection had worked just as Purah and Robbie had promised. As her closest friends, she’d never doubted them.

She could see Robbie from where she sat. Once a handsome young Sheikah, he was now a crippled old man. Zelda could remember standing beside him, scanning though research journals or watching him tinker with his favorite Guardian, one he’d affectionately named Cherry. The Guardians had been his life’s work, and nearly the death of him. He’d lost both legs, forced to created new ones as he spent a hundred years making armor to resist the Guardians and weapons to bring them down in hopes of disabling them once and for all.

He stood beside his wife, Jerrin, a fellow researcher. Though she was much younger than him, she’d seen over the past few days that they got on very well. He’d told her that they had been together for a quarter of the century, though she couldn’t help but wonder what it was he’d done for the other 75 years. In the few days since Ganon’s defeat, he’d only spoken about his time with Jerrin and their son, Granté.

Beside Robbie and Jerrin stood a girl who looked like she could be their daughter. A young child, white-haired as many Sheikah were, with thick red glasses, circular and eccentrically shaped. Though she appeared to be a girl of about 6 years old, Zelda knew that it was Purah, her closest friend. It had been Purah who found a way for Link to hear her when he woke up, and expanded the Sheikah Slate for him. She’d tirelessly been working to defeat Ganon to the point where she’d reversed her own age just to give herself more time. Though, as she’d explained, it set her mind and body back too far. She hadn’t wanted to attempt to fix it, not with Ganon still a threat. Zelda imagined that she would change her mind soon without any looming darkness to halt her experiments.

If felt good to see them together again. She knew that they’d spent the last several years apart, consulting each other from their own labs, but never working together, as she knew them to before the Calamity. If she only closed her eyes, she could still see them bickering beside an inactive Guardian, ignorant to all the loss they’d soon share between them.

Zelda hadn’t been able to bear hearing too many more stories in a row regarding her friends. Impa, once an advisor to her father—King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule—was now the village elder. Though she was more quick-witted and amusing than she had been in her youth, it still wasn’t easy to look at her, knowing that her granddaughter looked more like the woman Zelda remembered.

Her eyes moved to Paya at the Goddess Statue in the center of the village. From behind, she was truly identical to Purah and Impa, clear—even just from the back of her hair, her posture, her very demeanor—that she was their kin. Paya prayed often, Zelda had noticed in the days she’d been awake. She wasn’t sure what there was left to ask of the Goddesses. Being granted the power to defeat the Demon King felt like she’d used up all their favors on her own.

Even surrounded by the friends she loved so much, she felt desperately alone.

Her three old friends had moved on, lived their lives. Paya was about Zelda’s own age, but they’d barely spoken, and it had been entirely formal. And Link…

Zelda wished for nothing more than to sit and talk to Link, even if only for a short moment. She had spoken to him when she’d first woken up in Kakariko, but he left that same day to take care of a few errands he had to finish. She hadn’t even gotten the chance to ask what they were.

She felt a small smile creep over her face as she thought back.

Time had become an irrelevant blur to her. While 100 years in the Sacred Realm felt like a prison sentence, somedays dragging by with every passing second, at times, she felt years had gone by in the blink of an eye. One hundred years ago felt both like ages ago, and as if it had all happened yesterday.

She remembered her and Link’s adventure up Dueling Peaks, the day they’d first kissed, admiring the incredible view of Hyrule. She felt his arms around her as they ran through the forest, running from a Guardian just after the last Champion had fallen. She could still hear his laugh that she could sometimes manage to get from him when he’d guarded the door to her room and she’d needed someone to talk to.

Now, he remembered next to none of it. She didn’t even know what he did remember. He’d told her about the day he died, that he remembered her sealing powers, but that was all. He didn’t remember their conversation beforehand, that it had been her unwillingness to leave him that had gotten him killed. He didn’t remember hidden meaning that all but screamed behind their pleas for the other to get to safety. And though she’d never voiced it out loud, she was sure that he knew the extent of her feelings then, as she knew his.

Hoofbeats snapped her head up, and she rose to her feet quickly. Her heart raced, hands shaking. Who’d come into town this late?

The guards on either side of the steps immediately moved their spears into a ready stance. Everyone listened to the echoing through the night.

“Who’s coming?” Purah shouted, her innocence preventing her from knowing that everyone’s silence was to be mimicked, not questioned.

Robbie whispered something to her. She opened her mouth again, and he pressed his palm over her lips, stopping her words from spilling out quickly.

A familiar white horse rode into the clearing, the rider even more so.

Link dismounted from his horse quickly. He inched his way into the village, seeing the tension in the air, and then seeing it quickly disappear at the sight of him. Paya ran over to where Zelda stood, almost an accidental instinct just to be closer to her home in the event of an intrusion.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” Paya said, nearly crashing into her. “It will take some time, I believe, to get used to the safety of Hyrule again.”

“I don’t blame you,” Zelda muttered without taking her eyes off of Link.

In many ways, he looked the same. He certainly hadn’t aged as Robbie, Purah, or Impa had, but she could see that his few months head start in the new century had hardened him in a very physical way.

He’d smiled politely at her, but it wasn’t the infectious smile that she’d once seen from him, a grin that made everyone around join in his joy without even knowing why. Looking at him from a distance, she could see the trained soldier’s expressionless face, the rigid posture as stood beside the horse. It was how he’d once been with her, only worse. His eyes met hers almost immediately, and he bowed his head before turning his attention to the nearest Sheikah.

Zelda could hear the door behind her open. The slow, shuffling steps were clearly Impa’s and Zelda didn’t even need to turn. “Link’s returned,” Zelda said.

“Is that him? Despite these many months, I still remember him fondly with Epona. The white horse is still what I associate with your arrival.”

Zelda smiled halfheartedly. Her own horse, Storm, had disappeared during the Calamity, and she’d never been able to find him. But when she saw Link’s horse now, this white stallion with royal grace, her spirit recognized this to be the descendant of her own horse.

Her arms crossed in the chill of the wind she’d enjoyed only moments before. Now, she felt restless.

Link finished speaking with the Sheikah, who took his horse as he left, and headed in Zelda and Impa’s direction. Paya had moved up a few steps, trading places with her grandmother.

When he stood in front of Zelda, his eyes barely lingered on hers, as they once did. He clenched his fist over his heart and bowed, the old royal sign of respect. Zelda hated it. They’d moved beyond that long ago.

“It’s good that you’re back,” she said instead.

“Yes, Your Highness,” he said quickly. She was sure that her disappointment was written all over her face, because he hastily continued with his sentence. “How… how are you doing today?”

Zelda knew Link was guarded with strangers. He’d told her as much. She realized now, she was little more than a stranger to him; just someone from his memories. “I’m very well. Thank you for asking.”

Impa watched the exchange with an unreadable expression. “Well, it’s rather cold outside. Why don’t we all move indoors and continue this conversation?”

Paya moved to help her grandmother up the steps, but Impa ignored her outstretched hand. Zelda had heard Impa’s many refusals for any help over the past few days, though Paya never failed to try. Impa took her place inside on a pillow, resting comfortably as she waited. Paya grabbed two other pillows and placed them in the center of the room before standing on the side of her grandmother.

Zelda was eager to sit and hear what he had been doing, and she took her place as well. Link, however, remained standing. He slid easily into his guard stance that she’d seen every night, his hands behind his back while his sword was resting peacefully in its sheath.

Everyone was clearly waiting for him to speak, so he cleared his throat and stepped forward. “I went to check on the castle. There are no active Guardians, but there are quite a few citizens hovering about. It’s the most active I’ve ever seen Hyrule Field. On the outskirts, there are still Bokoblins and Moblins. I went to Hateno to warn the soldiers about those who may be in danger still. People saw what happened.” His eyes finally rested on Zelda. “They saw what you did.”

“’We.’ By no means did I defeat Ganon on my own. In fact, I barely did anything.”

For a moment, there was a flash of the old Link, the Link she knew well. He scoffed, rolling his eyes in annoyance as her easy dismissal of her own actions. “Don’t ever underestimate your role, Princess. I would never have been able to defeat him without you.”

She smiled, thankful to receive more than a forced response. “I’m not the one who had the sword or the bow but thank you.”

 “You held open Ganon’s weak points for me. You held back the worst of him so I wouldn’t have to face his most dangerous form. You kept Hyrule safe for 100 years, What makes you think you had a small role to play?” His eyes widened as his own words registered in his ears, his passion and determination to get through to her. To Zelda, it was a glimpse of the man she’d known. To Link, it was disrespectful to chastise royalty. His eyes lost all the fiery passion that had begun to build. He cleared his throat and bowed his head, refusing to raise it.

Zelda let out a short breath but said nothing. She could see his immediate change, and he wasn’t going to slip again soon; speaking to her in such a familiar way was not something one does with royalty.

“What else did you find?” she asked instead.

“People are confused. Without Ganon, they don’t know how to live peacefully. I spoke with several acquaintances, and they say it feels like they’ve woken from a dream in the night, unsure whether to stay awake, or go back to sleep. I believe after a few days, they’ll process what has happened.”

“I believe you are correct,” Impa chimed in. “For 100 years, the threat of the Calamity was all we knew. Our journeys had to be cautious, our livelihoods were uprooted, and our government thrown to shambles. It’s not a surprise that there is a great shockwave passing over Hyrule.”

“What do we do?” Zelda asked. While she’d been in the Sacred Realm, she had rarely though about what would happen after beating Ganon. She’d always left herself in a state of uncertainty, wondering what would happen if they lost. Never how to move forward when they won.

Impa knew that she had to take the lead for now. Looking at her old friend, she remembered that the King had only pushed her to unlock her sealing power, neglecting most of her training for her future role as queen. Neither had expected the course of events as they occurred, and Zelda had been left sorely unprepared to rule.

“I will call some of the more powerful figures in Hyrule to meet. We can meet here, or in a room at the castle that is still intact. It may help our case to be inside the castle. Hyrule has been self-governing for a century. We will need to consult the leaders in the kingdom before we make any rash decisions. But for tonight, I am rather tired. You kept an old woman waiting, Link. Don’t do it again.”

His lips tipped up slightly. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Paya?” Impa called, holding out her hand. Paya took it and helped Impa up the stairs. Zelda watched curiously, certain that Impa would have refused such a gesture of aid.

“Princess?” Link asked as they left.

Zelda’s head snapped towards him, shocked. “Yes?”

“Could we speak outside for a moment?”

“Of course,” she said, stepping through the door he’d held open.

They made their way back into the chilly night air, walking in silence for a few moments before Link said even a word. “I have a few things of yours, Prin—Your Highness.” He reached behing him, and Zelda heard a click. He held out the Sheikah Slate. “Purah and Robbie told me it had been yours before I found it in the shrine. Then, with all the photos that had been inside, I knew for sure that it hadn’t been mine.”

Zelda stared at the tablet. “I left it for you, Link. Keep it. You’ve gotten more out of it than I ever did.”

“It’s yours, though.”

“Not anymore. Please.”

Hesitantly, Link lowered his hand and clipped the Slate back to his belt. “Thank you.” He looked over at the hill where the Sheikah he’d spoken to had disappeared to earlier. “The horse, however, is yours.”

“No—” she started to protest.

“I remember your horse. He was white. Same spirit as this one, really. Their temperament is the same. Whether that’s a comfort or not is up to you. He’s not meant to be my horse. Like his ancestor, he was meant to be yours.”

“I can’t take your only horse, Link,” Zelda tried. In truth, the horse had been calling to her, reminding her of the long-gone past.

“I’ll find another. He’s called Cloud.”

Without realizing it, Zelda felt another smile come over her. “Cloud? My horse was called Storm.”

Though not a full smile, Link’s lips tipped up again. “Then it’s fate. The horse is yours.”

Zelda nodded, conceding. “Very well. Thank you. But I will only accept after you find a horse of your own.”

“That’s fair,” he said, pulling something out from a pouch that was far too small to hold anything. He offered something to Zelda, though she stared at it without recognition. Link turned it over. “Your father, the King, gave it to me the day I woke. I figured it was yours or meant for you.”

Zelda’s ears perked up. “You saw my father? What happened?”

“He helped me with the Sheikah Slate, and he gave me this paraglider. Was it not yours?”

Zelda had to stop her hand from brushing over the material. “My father died before the Calamity. He was sacrificed. How did you… did he leave you a message?”

Link coughed, glancing around to see if anyone was listening. “I saw his spirit.”

“Where?” she asked hurriedly, fighting the urge to grab him. “Will you take me to him?”

The discomfort was written all over his face. “I’ve gone back there a few times. I haven’t seen him again.”

“Maybe,” Zelda pleaded, “Maybe he’ll appear for me?”

Seeing the look in her eyes, Link’s own softened. “I suppose it’s possible. I’ll take you when Impa agrees that you’ve recovered your lost strength.”

“Thank you,” she said with a relieved breath. “I suppose it’s late now, but perhaps another day you could tell me more of what you faced? Spirits, my father… a paraglider. You have a story I’d love to hear.”

“I’m no storyteller like Kass, but you have every right to hear it, Princess.”

“Kass?”

Link smiled slightly and glanced around awkwardly, unsure of what to do with himself. “He’s a part of the story.”

“Of course.”

They stood together in an uncomfortable limbo. Zelda remembered all too well their familiar banter and easy companionship, but Link remembered so little that it was like speaking with a stranger.

And if nothing else, that she was determined to change.

Chapter Text

“Impa, please,” Zelda pleaded as the older woman fawned over her.

Zelda had felt lightheaded earlier, an unfortunate side effect she’d been feeling often since her return from her century-long struggle against Ganon. Impa had sent her to bed with the healer coming by to check on her at religiously timed intervals. And while Zelda had been given a clean bill of health, Impa insisted she rest the next day as well.

“You were in the Sacred Realm with the embodiment of evil for one hundred years. I will not take any chances on your health, as we do not know what is to be expected. Now, sit.”

Hours later, Zelda’s head lolled against the wall, bored far more than any moment she’d spent in the Sacred Realm. She wanted to get out, to see how much her home had changed. She wanted to know how much she’d changed.

“Your Majesty?” came a soft voice as Paya crept up the steps. “You look… you look healthy.”

“I’m not telling anyone next time if I feel ill or faint. Let me collapse. Anything is more tolerable than sitting here alone.”

Paya’s eyes darted to the nearby bed. “I could sit with you, if you’d like.”

Zelda’s eyes softened. Paya looked so like Impa and Purah had in their youth—or in Purah’s curious case—her future). “Only if you’d like to.”

Paya nodded and bowed before moving to take her new seat. She was a bit awkward and stiff at first but took a breath and looked at Zelda with determination. “May I ask… what was it like facing the great evil 100 years ago? I’ve asked Master Link, but he gently reminded me of his… fate.”

Zelda closed her eyes, remembering that day more clearly than she wished to. It took a moment of steeling her nerves as she let her mind sink back to the day that was so recent, and so far away all at once. “I said my goodbyes to your grandmother, your aunt, and Robbie and headed straight to the castle. It was already so different from the home I remembered only hours before. The walls had collapsed in the quakes caused by Ganon and the Divine Beasts, the malice oozed from the walls, ceilings, and floors. Newly formed Stalchildren wandered the halls, fresh from the first blood moon in centuries. It was true horror to wander the halls.

“I used my sealing power to fight Ganon’s minions off. It doesn’t just seal him away, but it is also an effective and unstable source of power. The sensation of the light through my body was beyond anything I could have humanly imagined. Perhaps that is because the power of light comes from the Goddess Hylia herself.”

She looked up at Paya, who was listening intently. Zelda continued.

“I fought off some of the Yiga, Ganon’s minions, and others who’d been revived by the blood moon who were in my way—some I knew personally—and continued on towards Ganon. He was still materializing, just a sack on a ceiling. Several last-ditch floating skulls tried to stop me, but when I used the powers, they vanished and it was just me and Ganon.

“He held me in the darkness he commands, and I was forced to release my physical body, which was restricting me. I used the power to hold his spirit—though without him being weakened by the Divine Beasts, I could not seal it permanently—I brought it away from the physical world. That is quite indescribable in itself. But I held him, despite his efforts to break free. If we were in a fight with our bodies, he’d have mauled me to death. But I had the Goddess’ favor, and for the next 100 years, I kept a hold on him, tightening when he fought, loosening while he rested, but never letting go. Then, I had no more strength. Link took up the mantel, his destiny, and drove that blighted creature from our world.”

Paya turned red at the mention of Link’s name. “I would expect nothing less from the Champion of Hyrule. But you? I’ve only heard stories of what you did. None quite compare to the truth.”

Zelda’s ears perked, eager to change the topic, if only slightly. “Stories? I’d love to hear one!”

“Oh,” Paya muttered, her fingers dancing anxiously. “We have many books about the two of you. I would recommend reading them. But most say that Master Link was killed in the fight with Ganon, and you, in a great rage, unleashed your sealing powers and sacrificed yourself. Many believe you both died permanently.”

Zelda shrugged. “That’s fairly close, I suppose?”

“The historians and poets tell the story better than I do,” she admitted.

“Well,” Zelda said, standing to stretch, “Now you’ll have to be the one to tell the true story.”

Paya’s eyes widened. “Yes, I suppose. I may see if Master Link can remember any more of those last few days. If you wouldn’t mind sharing your perspective, I can add it to Grandmother’s.”

“’Add it?’” Zelda asked.

“Grandmother kept a collection from her memories, lest she forget. It is all written down. I’d like to add your tale to the collection.”

Zelda looked around, eager to see some great volume or text, but there was nothing. Nothing that she could see, anyway. She went to ask Paya if she could see it, and to agree to help, but something stopped her. It was a feeling, like when someone knows that they are being watched. But Zelda felt more that she was being listened to.

Moving to the steps, Zelda peered down them. Link was leaning against the wall. He turned to her, a similar feeling of that sense washing over him, and he smiled guiltily.

“I didn’t want to disturb you, but you have a visitor.”

Zelda crossed her arms defiantly. “Oh, so Impa says I’m not allowed to leave, but I may have visitors? What sense does that make?”

Shrugging, Link looked across the room at someone Zelda couldn’t see. She tried to peer around the wall, but still couldn’t catch a glimpse of the surprise guest.

Her curiosity beat out her stubbornness. “Do they wish to come up here? Or should I go to them?”

The visitor, wracked with his own inquisitiveness, moved up to the steps. It was a Rito, tall and proud. His feathers were a remarkable blue, and he wore garb strikingly similar to the lower half of the traditional Sheikah outfit. Loose red feathers adorned his own on his head, and his wings petered out from blue to red to white and then back to blue again. But the thing that was most striking about him was not the color of his feathers, but the accordion that was strapped against him. It was familiar. She was almost sure she’d seen one just like it before.

“Your Majesty,” the Rito said with a graceful bow. “My name is Kass. I am a travelling minstrel. Your knight and I are good friends, and we worked together to both fight the calamity and restore some of his memories.”

At that fact, Zelda’s eyes darted to Link’s. Though he looked slightly embarrassed, more disappointment shone through his eyes. He shook his head slightly. “With very little success, Your Highness. I only know fragments of moments.”

Kass shrugged, seeming an eternal optimist. “We’ll get there! We have made it this far.” Returning his attention to Zelda, Kass continued. “You see, I have a unique advantage to help your knight: my teacher was a court poet, one who knew you personally. He was a Sheikah, one of Impa’s people, named Kilik. Does that sound familiar to you at all?”

Zelda’s eyes lit up. A memory of a tall, uniquely dark-haired Sheikah flooded into her mind. He’d been rather handsome, and she enjoyed his company, his songs especially, though she had never developed any true feelings for him. Another individual had already begun to fill that role.

“I do, of course! We met for the first time on the day of the Champion’s Ball. We officially announced the Champions of Hyrule that day, and Impa brought several Sheikah to the castle for protection. We’d suspected a spy of being a member of the Yiga Clan…” she said trailing off. The spy had been a friend, and it was not a memory she wished to hold on to. “He was a good man. He helped me when Link…” she trailed off again, needing to stop.

Kass smiled sadly. “You’ve been burdened, Majesty. Forgive me. Though in your sadness, I see the truest beauty. You are more than the songs have ever described. More than my teacher ever did either, and he certainly had a lot to say about you. His devotion to you lasted until his final day.”

“How did he die?”

Kass’ wing brushed against the accordion. Zelda realized it looked so familiar because it was the same one that Kilik had used. “A long-standing illness got the better of him in the end.”

Zelda placed her hand on his. “I’m truly sorry for your loss. I can see it still stings.”

“It was some time ago, but yes. It does. And I’m sorry for yours. All of them.”

Zelda had fallen into a mundane routine since she’d been in Kakariko, and having Kass around to break it was more than Zelda could have asked for. The Rito extended the time of supper, and after, the village joined together at the house to listen to the tales of the hero.

Beyond fascinated, Zelda was intrigued hearing the stories of the hero from 10,000 years earlier, how he and those champions and the princess truly defeated the Calamity. It reminded her both of her own successes and failures in that regard.

But as Kass continued to tell the tale, she realized that he’d switched, at some point, and the hero of the story became the Link she knew. Looking at him, she could see his smirk and red face. It seemed that only a few people had caught on to the change, but it only went to show how Link compared with a legend. They were on the same level of greatness.

The villagers began to leave for the night, only few remaining until it was Kass, Link, Zelda, Impa, Paya, Purah, Robbie, and Jerrin.

“So,” Zelda asked when things had calmed down, “How are the people of Hyrule after Ganon’s defeat?”

Kass turned to her, but his eyes flickered to Link. “They are relieved, to say the least. Many believe that it is all too good to be true, that Ganon will return, that their fields will burn again and that it’s not worth planting seeds of the future. Others, myself included, believe it is done, that you have saved us all from a wretched fate. Most simply long for a glimpse of the Princess of the Past and the Hero of Hyrule.”

Zelda studied him carefully. Though he spoke with confidence, there was something more that he was clearly omitting. She was unafraid, as she might once have been, to call him out on it. “You seem to be holding something back. Whatever it is… please, tell me.”

Kass’ eyes flickered between Link, Impa, and Zelda. “The leadership that we all have come to know in the absence of the monarchy is displeased with your return. They love their power, Majesty, and they are not going to relinquish it easily. They do realize, however, that you are Goddess-chosen, and your right to rule is divine. It’s a struggle you’ll likely find yourself in the midst of soon.”

“Sooner than you think,” Impa interrupted. “I sent word out to all who consider themselves leaders. I’ll be expecting responses from King Dorephan, Lady Riju, Boss Bludo, Chancellor Cole, and Chief Kaneli very soon.”

Zelda’s eyes brightened. “King Dorephan is still the king? And did you say Kaneli? I knew him when he was a newly hatched fledgling.”

Impa’s eyes softened. “He’s rather the aged bird now. Too fat to fly, and too old to remember how.”

Paya all but jumped from her seat in horror. “Grandmother! Do you realize what you’ve just said?”

Impa winked at her. “I’m far older than he is, and just as mobile. I can insult his age if I so wish. He and I are old friends, in both senses of the word ‘old’. Don’t let age dampen your humor, Paya. It’s dull.”

Robbie sniggered besides his wife, though he tried to hold it in. Jerrin shot him a look that said ‘laugh in private.’  But Purah practically jumped up and down in excitement. “You’re insulting me! I’m the older sister!”

Impa flashed a grin at her. “For now, you are the younger one, child.”

Zelda glanced beside her to see Link’s lips turned up, watching the scene unfold. If he saw her watching him, he made no notice of it.

“Kass?” she asked, raising her voice over the bickering sisters. “Are the Yiga Clan still active?”

Link turned to her and shifted uncomfortably. “I took care of their leader. I don’t know if they have a new one, but they were headless Cuccoos for some time. Without Ganon, I can’t even see what their purpose would be.”

Her relief was visible. The Yiga had haunted her daily thoughts and dreams 100 years ago, and she didn’t need it now. “Well, are there still Bokoblins, Moblins, and the like wandering Hyrule?”

Link shrugged. “A few, yeah. They didn’t leave when the Calamity ended, but I doubt any Blood Moons will be bringing them back this time.”

“Is it safe enough for me to venture out tomorrow to see my kingdom? As much as I love Kakariko, I need to see what’s happened.”

“You should stay here,” Impa said, speaking up and injecting herself into the conversation. “At least until the representatives come.”

Zelda turned to her in shock. “No. That could be some time still. I have to see what the Calamity wrought.”

“Well!” Purah shouted out in her childish voice. “Let me tell you that the Calamity was hard enough to handle when we lived through it! Nothing is there that you’ll remember, Princess. It’s going to be hard and you might cry but I say check it OUT!” Her hands gestured wildly.

Zelda forced a smile on her face, though it was hard to look at her former friend. There was very little of the woman she was friends with and remembered in this child. Even the way she spoke was worlds different from the scientist she knew. “Thank you, Purah. I’ll be prepared.” Zelda looked around, noticing that both Impa and Paya both wore equally distressed expressions. Zelda wondered how long Purah’s childish form had been present for.

“Ach!” Robbie exclaimed. “You don’t need to see that, My Queen. I’ll tell you all you want to know. Though… I’ve been in Hyrule Field few times in the past century. I could bring you to my lab in Akkala”

Jerrin turned and glared at him, clearly disinterested in the undiscussed invitation. But Zelda held up her hand. “Akkala is a bit far from everyone but thank you.”

The next to input their uninvited opinion was Kass. He looked smug, glancing between Zelda and Link several times. “Link was your appointed knight 100 years ago. He remembers pieces of that life, and his skills are beyond any other’s. If you wish to see Hyrule Field, your home, the ruins, everything, Link would be the most capable guard and guide.”

Zelda turned to Link, a pang of heartache rushing through her at his disgruntled expression. He was glaring at the Rito, who only seemed to grow smugger by the moment. She knew there was something she was being left out of. “Link served me well,” she said, choosing her words carefully, “but his vow was to serve the Royal Family and myself through life or death. His… sacrifice was enough for me to consider him released from that vow. His life is his own now.”

She could see surprise flicker through his eyes, though he composed himself quickly. “I’d be glad to escort you, regardless.”

 Feeling another bout of sudden dizziness, Zelda smiled and nodded, directing her gaze to the ground. It was her best effort to avoid being sent back to her room by Impa to rest. She could still feel at least one pair of eyes on her, and she was certain who they belonged to.

But Kass had begun to speak again, and the room was laughing. Zelda felt like she was floating, much as she had felt during her time holding Ganon back in the Sacred Realm to prevent the Calamity. It felt like she’d just had wine, but felt far more dissociated from her body than the typical fizzy daze.

She tried to focus on Kass instead, willing herself to forget her uneasy feeling. He’d taken out his accordion and was beginning to play; a wordless melody at first, but he soon began to add lyrics to a song that he said was written by his teacher years ago.

“An ancient hero, a Calamity appears; Now resurrected after 10,000 years. Her appointed knight gives his life, shields her figure, and pays the price. The princess’s love for her fallen knight awakens her power/ And within the castle the Calamity is forced to cower. But the knight survives! In the Shrine of Resurrection he sleeps, until from his healing dream he leaps! For fierce and deadly trials await. To regain his strength. Fulfill his fate. To become a hero once again! To wrest the princess from evil’s den. The hero, the princess—hand in hand—must bring the light back to this land.”

Zelda turned to Link. He was avoiding her gaze now, and it appeared that this wasn’t the first time he’d heard this song. She turned her attention to Kass, who set his accordion down.

“My teacher, Kilik, was determined to see you two back from the dead, to restore the long-forgotten peace. He searched every document and played every song to learn of the hero of legend’s fate in the hopes that he could pass on the knowledge to Link to save you.”

“And that’s how you and Link became acquainted?”

Kass nodded once. “I fulfilled my master’s dying wish.”

Impa reached out her hands, and Paya rushed up to grab them, pulling her grandmother to her feet. “Well,” Impa started, “It’s been quite the busy day. And apparently, our Queen has a busier day tomorrow. I’d like to take some rest. I believe we should all do so, and we can reconvene this gathering tomorrow.”

Robbie and Jerrin were the first to leave, followed closely by Purrah and Kass. Link was the last, heading outside to the inn just across the way. Paya, Impa, and Zelda were left inside.

“I’m becoming a burden to your home,” Zelda noted as Impa climbed into a small bed on the first floor. “I’ve completely upended things.”

“You have,” Impa agreed. “But I’d trade your disruption for nothing. It’s much like the day Link came barreling in. A moment can change your life, and that was the start of a much-needed breath of air that you’ve brought with you as well.”

“Actually,” Zelda said, turning to both Paya and Impa, though only Impa would have an answer. “I had a question about Link. When he… 100 years ago, he went into the Shrine rather battered. The Champion’s Tunic I made him was ripped and torn, covered in burned holes from the Guardians’ blasts, but he’s wearing it now and it’s perfect. Did you make a new one?”

Impa smiled. “No. The one he wears today is the same he wore 100 years ago. Purah and I fixed it. We rid it of blood and dirt and stitched it back. I held onto it until Link’s return. Paya has nearly finished your white prayer dress you came to us wearing.”

“Thank you, Paya,” Zelda said kindly, an automatic response, as her mind was still on Link. “And thank you, Impa. You could have left it. I can find new clothes.”

“The garb of all the Champions was always a symbol of hope. Seeing him in it these past few months has brought that same feeling back to Hyrule. Her people recognize him in his garb with the Master Sword. They love him. He is different, but it brings the same hope.”

Patting Impa on the arm, Zelda turned away from the old woman and headed up the steps to the room she still shared with Paya.

Zelda was glad it was an acceptable hour to fall asleep. Her head had begun to spin again, and she felt light, like she might drift off into the sky at any moment. Sitting down, she pulled a blanket over her, not bothering to change from her clothes. She needed to lie down.

She could hear Paya come up some time later, careful to keep her footsteps light and her nightly rituals quiet.

It wasn’t for some time that Zelda fell asleep finally, and she immediately regretted closing her eyes.

She found herself in the Sacred Realm. As if she hadn’t seen enough of it for 100 years, she had to visit it in her dreams as well. But it wasn’t peaceful. She felt her arm tug violently and a roar ripped through the air.

Ganon was back, and she had let go of him.

She tried to reach him, to move herself closer so that she might take hold of him to seal him away again. Stumbling until she was falling, Zelda frantically reached out and took hold of a wisp of Calamity, pulling herself closer to the beast.

He fought to shake her off as he plummeted to the physical realm of Hyrule below them, but Zelda held firm, as she had done in the past. She summoned her sealing powers once again: power that was both offensive, as well as able to seal away evil’s incarnate.

Immediately, she felt Ganon’s powers fighting her back, and she was losing.

Though she’d struggled 100 years prior to unlock her sealing powers given by the Goddesses, now she called it to herself easily. She pushed against Ganon, forcing his power away with a great blast. But she could hear screams from Hyrule below, and she felt she was too late. Again, she willed her powers at Ganon, but he was untrappable. It was unlike any trial she’d ever faced.

The air shuddered, and her body began to shake. The screams were growing louder, and her fear began to overtake her. She’d failed Hyrule again. They’d all die again, all because she couldn’t do her sacred duties.

Her eyes flung open and she found herself in Impa’s house once again. Relief washed over her; it had only been a nightmare.

But the screams hadn’t stopped.

She looked around, but was blinded by a bright light, one that dared a viewer to stare for too long.

It was beautiful and deadly. And it was coming from her own hand.

Chapter Text

Link headed out from Impa’s house with a speed that surprised even himself. He needed some air, stifled by the tense atmosphere. He ran a hand through his hair and let the cool breeze hit him with a hard lash across the face. He reveled in it, turning into the wind.

“You’d make a fine Rito,” Kass joked, hanging back.

Link turned to him and saw Robbie and Jerrin head towards the inn, while Purah would be staying with her former student, Nanna. Kass would also be staying at the inn. Kakariko was unused to being such a hub of activity.

“It’s just… a lot in there,” Link confessed. Kass knew most of Link’s story and had been nothing short of instrumental in bringing about the end of Calamity Ganon. Link trusted him. “She looks at me like she does, and I can see her waiting for me to look at her the same way. There’s fragments, some feelings that I can’t place, but I don’t know her. Not the way I think she wishes I did.”

Kass and Link continued towards the inn. “She understands that, Link. She’s not expecting you to remember, but she can’t help but hold onto hope. You can’t fault her for that. That one girl’s hope saved Hyrule. It saved you. I wouldn’t rule out the power of her hope just yet.”

“I haven’t. But… how much of what you told me is true? I mean absolute fact. About… us?”

Kass shrugged carefully. “Situations present themselves differently for everyone involved, but my master often spoke of how his love of the princess could never even come close to that which you two shared. He sang of it often.”

Jogging up the steps and opening the door, Link was careful to lower his voice in the crowded room. “She’s beautiful, no one would deny that. But I was her knight, and she’s the future ruler. It couldn’t have been anything more than a simple attraction, right?”

Kass chuckled and placed his wing around Link. “I wasn’t there. You could ask her. You could listen to the songs my master sang which speak of her love for you being essential in unlocking her powers. Or, you may believe the books that the young are taught from, where you were little more than her most trusted and respected knight. That is the nature of information: it is interpreted by those who receive it.”

With a disgruntled noise, Link changed for the night, favoring a loose frayed shirt to his Champion’s Tunic, which he carefully laid next to his things beside the bed and shut his eyes.

The next thing he knew, someone had thrown their body onto his bed, hand excitedly resting against their face.

He had to pull back to see who it was. Brokka, a travelling miner, was watching Link intently, as if waiting to be told a story. She’d been staying at the inn when Zelda was first brought to Kakariko, and she was now reluctant to leave and return to work. Though, she was not ignorant of the Hylian Champion’s presence.

“Brokka,” Link said with endless patience, though he’d sprung away from the bed and towards the amused Kass. “Can I help you?”

“What an interesting day! Every day that I am in the presence of the Princess and yourself, I feel more and more like I’m in a storybook.”

“Maybe,” Kass said with a wink, “I’ll put you into my next song, one that sings of this exact moment.”

Link scoffed and rolled his eyes, mildly horrified at the thought of being in yet another song.

He heard Brokka’s voice again as his thoughts returned to the present. She had said something about Zelda.

“Hrmm?” he asked, searching for her words in his mind to see if he’d subconsciously heard her. But all he’d heard was ‘Zelda’.

“What do you call her? I’m still not sure how she’s addressed,” she asked, almost annoyed that she had to repeat her question.

“I… uh… My Queen.”

Kass placed the accordion on the trunk at the edge of his bed. “You called her ‘Princess’ several times today.”

“Did I?” he asked, surprised.

“You did.”

Link closed his eyes, wracking his brain for anything, but he could only remember what few memories he’d had of her already. Rubbing his head in exhaustion, he turned to Brokka. “I need to sleep, Brokka. It was good talking with you.”

With a warm smile, she put her hand on his arm and headed to the other room, presumably to pester Robbie before he could sleep.

“Your fan club knows no bounds.”

Link scoffed and slid under the blanket. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Kass. I have a headache.”

“The great hero is ill?” Kass mused.

“Goodnight,” Link muttered, closing his eyes.

Almost immediately, he could see the world around him in his dreams. He knew it was a dream. He stood surrounded by destroyed Guardians, a field that had been burnt and trampled into nothingness. It was just outside Kakariko, a field he knew well. The one he’d died in.

He’d seen the events that occurred just before he’d died before. It was a memory that he regretfully carried. But he saw himself now moments earlier, his body draped over the Princess as a Guardian poised over them both, the beam tearing into him with a burst of smoke. His scream was mangled, a true verbal representation of just how much pain he’d felt.

But he’d remained standing, hearing the incessant beeping of a ready Guardian. His body was like a rag, stumbling around until it reached the Guardian, but the beeping stopped, and the beam of a Guardian tore through his chest, destroying the Guardian that Link had been leaning against for balance. Against all odds, Link stood up again, shattering the red crystal of the Guardian, shutting it down.

Zelda ran over to him, calling out his name, her own voice hoarse with fear as she reached him, another Guardian hurrying toward the commotion. 

Link, get to cover! I’ll run, I swear!

Her voice had been desperate as her hands hovered helplessly over his shaking and bloody body. He held himself up only through sheer determination, the Master Sword as his crutch. But the Guardian had found them, and he had to find the strength… for her.

Link, save yourself! Go! I’ll be fine! Don’t worry about me! Run!

He took a defensive stance in front of her, raising his sword one final time. The Guardian locked its red beam on his chest, and Link knew there was nothing he could do but offer Zelda a few moments to escape while the eye was fixed on him.

But Zelda had done the unthinkable. NO! she’d screamed, pushing herself in front of Link.

As she raised her hand, a great light burst from her body, and a great beam, ten times more powerful than that of the Guardians, erupted from her hand. The rain, the clouds, it all disappeared behind her light and it spread out from her like a great explosion that didn’t stop.

He could see the full Triforce on her hand just before he shot up, waking from the memory. His head was throbbing, and he could still hear the distant screams that accompanied his dream.

But as he shook his head, he realized that they weren’t in his dream, they were real.

“Wake up!” Kass said, shaking Link. It sounded as if this weren’t his first attempt to wake him.

Link sprung to his feet, grabbing the Master Sword and pushing through the crowd trying to escape the inn. But as his bare feet touched the grass outside, he was dumbfounded. The great white light from his dream was in front of him again, piercing through the roof of Impa’s house.

It only took him that moment to collect himself, and he raced across the dirt way and into the building, instinctively taking the stairs up to the loft, stumbling into the wall, disoriented either by sleep, the light, or both. The room was too bright to see anything, but Link felt his way around using the wall as his guide. He could hear the shouts of Impa and Paya over the roar the light had created.

“You must calm down! He’s not there! You and Link killed him.”

“No!” Zelda shouted, “He’s sealed and he’s broken free!”

“Ganon has not broken free,” Impa’s voice tried to say soothingly. “Let go. He is not here! You do not need to hold him.”

“What if he is?” Zelda screamed again. It was clear from her voice that she was dazed. “What if I let go and he’s free? I’ll have doomed us all once again.”

“Please,” Paya tried, her voice shaking. “Let go! Your magic is too much here.”

Link tried to move closer to the three, but the light held him back, like a physical force.

“I can’t!” Zelda called back. Even from just the two words, she sounded much more present than she had a moment ago. “My body cannot naturally harness this much energy. I can’t stop it!”

Paya began to plead to the Goddess, begging for intercession, but if Zelda knew anything, it was that the Goddess would never help her. “It’s not going to work!”

Link forced his way through the light, biting back pained grunts as he made his way towards Zelda and the others. He could see the piercing gold of the Triforce on her hand, hovering almost. Looking at his own, it seemed to be glowing, rather than sporting its usual dullness.

An instinct that felt more like the guiding hand of the Goddess washed over Link and he reached out to grab Zelda’s hand.

“No!” she screamed, her voice betraying her panic. “No, let go!”

Link couldn’t respond through the burn he felt spreading down his arm, but he kept hold of her. Something on his hand was burning, and Link pulled off his gloves. For a moment, he was distracted by the familiar Triforce. But he wasn’t looking at Zelda’s hand. He was looking at his. The burning sensation increased, and he could see his own Triforce mimicking hers, glowing a spectacular gold and floating just above his skin.

“I’m sorry!” she called over the hum, but Link had to tune out her words. He had to tune everything out as her sealing powers threatened to rip his skin apart, to burn him from the inside out. But he could see that the beam of light had reduced its size so that it was only in the room, no longer shooting out the ceiling.

“Zelda,” Impa said firmly. “Look at him! You must find a way to stop it!”

With a cry, Zelda looked inward, summoning all of her strength from wherever she could, and willed it to quell the light.

Finally, it dimmed, shrinking back into the two Triforces. Zelda dropped Link’s hand and he collapsed onto the ground, gripping his arm before looking up at her.

She was covered in a fine sheen of sweat, the hair on her forehead clinging to her sticky skin, and the clothes looking almost as if she’d been tossed into the river. Her eyes were wide and locked on the Triforce as it calmly made its way back into her skin, unaware of the damage it had caused.

She breathed heavily and stared at the back of her hand. There was only one piece.

One piece. Wisdom.

Dirt and debris settled from the broken roof, and Link saw his arm slowly returning to a normal color, his Triforce piece—courage—mimicking hers, though it faded to a skin-like dullness, unlike Zelda’s brilliant one.

“Oh Goddesses,” she muttered to herself. Her eyes darted around the room, resting on the three people who sat beside her. She scanned them for injuries she may have caused, but they looked relatively unscathed. Link looked more confused than anything else.

She could feel her arm tingling still, and another bout of dizziness fell over her. With a panicked gasp, Zelda sprung to her feet and ran from the building, ignoring the buzz of people behind her.

Link hurriedly followed Impa outside to catch up to her before the onlookers could.

“Leave her!” she commanded, watching Zelda’s retreating form head towards the open field.

Zelda could feel her whole-body shuddering as the power shot forth from her hand once again. This time, it was a smaller burst, one she could reel back in, but it was unpredictable. Volatile. Her body felt weak, as if it were too fragile to handle the amount of power she was wielding.

It almost made sense to her. Being in the Sacred Realm was purely spiritual. Her body had been trapped in the physical world, unburdened by her magic. And for the past 100 years, all she’d done, every second of every moment, was hold Ganon back from returning to his physical body in the castle. If she lost her grip, even for just an instant, Ganon would try to wriggle free. Her instinct was to reach back to hold him, and her magic reacted. After so many days, she realized how much she’d been fighting it. It had made her physically sick. Dizzy. Headaches. It all made sense.

For some time, she just kept her hands against the grass, hoping that they would not release more magic. But she was unwilling to move, even after she’d stopped her outbursts.

Footsteps approached.

“Don’t come near me,” Zelda warned.

But the steps didn’t stop until the body was right above her.

“Well,” a frail voice said. “I won’t be listening to your command for the first time in my life.”

Robbie sat beside her, and she looked up, expecting to see the young man that she knew, but finding him old. The sight still startled her. They’d been such close friends in his youth.

“Purah and I were talking. We’re going back to her lab to find a way to prevent that from happening again. Her assistant will be helping us with her notes. Jerrin will help. We’ll find a way to keep you safe.”

“Me?” Zelda asked breathlessly. “I nearly killed Paya, Impa, and Link. I destroyed a piece of a building! You must protect others from me!”

Robbie placed his hand on her knee. “We’ve studied your powers. Some of our people saw you with the Guardians, and on your way to the castle. We have notes. I am well-versed in armor to withstand Guardian blasts, perhaps it’s just a matter of reversing it. I’ll call up my son. We’ll all work on this until there is a result.”

“What if there is no result?”

“Then we’ll look harder. Princess, we will not fail you. I recommend going on your excursion around Hyrule Field with Link. He’s proven he can withstand your powers, and you’ll be away from others. Come to us in Hateno when you’ve seen what you wish and check on our progress. Purah has already gone ahead.”

“How do you know you can do this?” Zelda looked down at her trembling hands. She was only relieved no one had gotten hurt… this time.

Robbie, to his credit, laughed. “My Queen, you have not seen what I’ve made Master Link. Guardian-resistant armor, weapons to take the creatures down with a single shot. It took some time, but once I figured the formula out, it was easy. I know for a fact that this will happen because I know myself. And I know Purah. Her mind is still as sharp as it has ever been, though she may have a more difficult time expressing it. Her assistant will fill in the pieces. And you will control it in time.”

Zelda had to make herself smile, but seeing his confidence made it easier. If there was anyone she’d trust with technology, it was Robbie and Purah. “Thank you. I will come to Hateno, though perhaps not into the village for everyone’s safety.”

“Ach,” Robbie hissed. “Between then and now, you may change your mind.” He looked her over with a distant gleam in his eyes. “Well, my friend, it’s been an honor to see you again. Don’t take another century to visit me once more.”

This time, Zelda didn’t have to force anything. Her laugh came easily. “I won’t.”

He shakily turned and made his way back to Kakariko. Zelda watched him go, feeling an oddly familiar sense of déjà vu. Watching him leave in the midst of a graveyard of fallen Guardians brought back memories of her riding away from the Sheikah who were watching over Link as she rode to the castle to meet Ganon.

But she had to remind herself of where she truly was. Impa was standing beside Purah, talking quietly and with a smile on their faces, as if they’d told a joke or shared a hapy thought between them. Kass was beside them, his wings crossed as he studied something, though he was too far away to see what he was looking at. Jerrin was walking towards Robbie without any urgency. She embraced him and led him away, looking all too happy to be heading away from Kakariko. They didn’t share the look of despair that Zelda had become so familiar with. They weren’t saying a final goodbye, but another hello.

And Link… he was alive. He wasn’t still in the Shrine of Resurrection. He wasn’t covered in blood from the Guardians’ assault. And he stood leaning against the rock wall, half relaxed and half tense, staring at her across the field. She didn’t need to see him perfectly to feel his eyes on her.

Before he’d touched her hand, the power of the Goddesses had been unbearable. Her body had been desperately searching for the malevolent calamity that she’d so tightly grasped for a hundred long years with the full Triforce at her side. But when Link had her hand, she’d felt more than the Goddesses could have given her.

She could feel the power inside, but it was like she had been seeing it through a fog. His touch lifted the fog and reminded her own spirit that it was no longer sealed away. His own rightful Triforce, the powers granted to him by the Goddesses, had shared the strain until she could control it again.

It reminded her of a time long past, when she knew she could turn to him in her darkest moments.

But it would have reminded Link of nothing.

Chapter Text

Zelda was beyond thankful that the rest of the night had passed without another incident.

When she woke up, the hastily covered roof was a glaring reminder of how dangerous she was. Is sent a chill down her spine, and she was more than anxious to get out of the village, away from the reminders of what she was capable of.

And she wanted to get away from people. People she could potentially harm.

Link, on the other hand, insisted on accompanying her. A sentiment that Impa wholeheartedly agreed with.

Impa had suggested that she and Link travel without any royal regalia or identifying markers. Though Link would never leave the Master Sword unattended, Zelda knew that the Champion’s Tunic was just as telling about his identity, as the blue had become synonymous with the royal family.

Zelda had been wearing Sheikah garb for the past few days, but Paya had asked the clothing shop seamstress to work on something more fitting for the princess. At first, Zelda had been nervous when Paya told her, but when she brought in a pair of comfortable trousers and a loose shirt held more firmly against her by a corset-like belt, Zelda calmed down. She wouldn’t be stuck riding and exploring in a dress. They fit perfectly, and Zelda smiled at Paya.

“Thank you, Paya. This means a great deal.”

“Oh, I… you’re welcome.”

Though Zelda had been used to her clothes being mostly royal blue, she was pleasantly surprised by the white and deep green combination. It was a refreshing change of pace. She braided her long blonde hair back away from her face, and headed over to the stable with Paya to wait for Link.

As she approached the horses, Link’s white one, Cloud, eagerly shook his head and tried to make his way toward Zelda. She smiled and went to greet him, feeling an energy around him that she used to feel around Storm. She felt drawn to Cloud, and reversely, Cloud seemed to want to be around Zelda.

The horse was already saddled, and Zelda was deep in conversation with both Paya and Cloud, affectionately praising the steed, when a chorus of hoofbeats alerted her to an incoming traveler. She turned to see Link riding into the village on a graceful brown mare. The hair on her mane and tail was a few shades darker than her coat. She was reminiscent of Epona.

Link bounded off her with ease. He was wearing a red tunic with some green fabric strapped down around his waist by two belts, and a leather pauldron over his shoulder. He was decked out in his gloves, riding boots, and even a hooded cape that concealed the Master Sword underneath it, though the hood wasn’t up, offering her a glance at his hair. It was longer than it had been before.

“Are you ready?” Link asked, gesturing to Cloud.

Zelda turned and shook her head. “You can’t mean I’ll be riding your horse?”

“No,” Link said, his face impassive. “You’ll be riding your horse. I wasn’t joking when I said you could take Cloud.”

“I can’t take your horse, Link.”

He scoffed, as if it were a funny suggestion. “Of course you can. And you will. Your horse…” he trailed off, his scrunched brow betraying his struggle to remember something, presumably the name of her horse. Then he softened and his eyes flicked up to meet Zelda’s with a crooked smile. She felt her heart skip. It was the first time he had looked at her without a hint of confusion, almost as he once had 100 years ago. He nodded once, confidently; “Storm. You said your horse was Storm. There’s a bond between you and that horse’s bloodline. Besides,” he said with a smile. He ran his hands affectionately on his new horse’s neck, “I have Catherine now. Don’t I, girl?”

Catherine pushed her head against Link, as if she were agreeing with him.

Zelda’s muscles twitched. She wanted to reach out, to at least grasp Link’s hand in thanks, but instead, she grabbed Cloud’s bridle, keeping occupied, though her eyes were on Link until he finally turned to her. She fought to keep her hold tight on Cloud. “Thank you. Truly.”

“Of course, Princess.”

With a sudden realization, Zelda remembered that Paya was still beside them, watching everything. Zelda grabbed Paya’s hand, noting how the girl’s eyes lingered on Link’s back as he turned away. “Thank you again, Paya. I will see you soon.”

Paya squeezed Zelda’s hand in response and stepped back.

Mounting Cloud, Zelda followed Link out the southern path from Kakariko. For some time, they rode in silence.

As they passed the Guardian graveyard, Zelda sighed. “Whether or not you remember, do you ever see a place and just know that a horrible event happened there? Do you instinctively know that this field is when Hyrule was truly doomed?”

Link stared out at the Guardians. “I remembered that this is where I died. That alone is enough for this place to raise the hairs on my neck.” He looked over at Zelda. “But Hyrule wasn’t doomed that day, despite how it feels. It’s free now.”

Zelda couldn’t bring herself to look at him, fearing when she did, she’d see herself holding his lifeless, bleeding body once again. Spurring Cloud on faster, she kept her eyes straight at the path, taking in the more beautiful colors of Hyrule and letting them distract her.

. But everything brought back memories that now belonged only to her.

The mountains of Dueling Peaks were closing in on either side of her, rising up into the heavens. She’d stood up there beside Link, admiring the view of the castle… and each other. If she closed her eyes, she could see herself standing beside him, she could feel his hands in hers, and his lips against hers. The memory was nearly as painful as that of Link’s death. In many ways, the Link she’d known had died and never returned.

“This place is filled with painful memories,” she muttered.

“At least you have memories, painful as they are,” Link said, following her gaze. Save for his adventures these past months, Dueling Peaks meant nothing to him besides a cold peak and two shrines that had required him to use his rather shoddy sense of memory.

They’d both fallen silent again. Link moved Catherine up beside Cloud. “Have you seen the shrines yet? Were there any in your time?”

Our time, her mind corrected, though she didn’t voice this aloud. “There were a few that had begun to appear. I’d seen one in the west, in the Tabantha province, just south of Rito Village. I could not figure out how to enter at the time. I take it you obviously did?”

He nodded. “It was the Sheikah Slate.”

With a frustrated sigh, Zelda shook her head. “Of course it was. Why didn’t I think of that? Ancient technology would have been activated by a key, by we had been too literal. That’s why we never found one. Stupid me! How could I not have figured that out? How did Purah not figure that out?”

Link couldn’t help a small grin that spread over him. “So, was I right to assume that you were involved in the Ancient Technology projects? You seem to be as scholarly as I’d heard.”

Zelda had been more than involved. She’d been dedicated. The Ancient Technologies had been her fail-safe. Knowing that there were Guardians and Divine Beasts to fight Ganon in the event that she couldn’t unlock her power had always been a priority for her.

“Do you remember the even that caused you to become my appointed knight?” When Link shook his head, she continued. “Purah, Robbie, and I were looking at a Guardian, one that Robbie had specially modified. I was distracted and tripped, touching the Guardian in the process. It aimed its gaze at me, beeping rapidly. There was nowhere for me to go, and no way for me to take cover. But then, you were in front of me just in time, blocking the hit with—of all things—the lid of a pot. You got me to safety, and my father’s reward was your position as Appointed Knight to the Princess. I was terribly unhappy about it at first.”

“Did we not get along?”

“No, we got along well when we did speak, but I was jealous of the Goddesses’ favor on you. I didn’t understand you yet, and thought that everything had been so natural, so easy. I had yet to unlock the sealing power.”

Link nodded, something in his mind was turning. “So that’s why you were a bit cold toward me at times. My memories are a bit split between animosity and friendship. I thought perhaps we’d fought, or I’d failed you.”

Zelda winced. Of course he’d have memories of her childish grudge. “I apologized in the past for my behavior, but seeing as you likely don’t remember that, I’d like to apologize again.”

“Don’t apologize. There’s no need.”

Zelda smiled sadly at him but nodded all the same. She looked around the road again, eager to get off the subject of her past actions. “How is Deya Village? Are they still our primary fishery? I’d like to see it.”

She went to veer over the hill, but Link moved Catherine in front of her. He shook his head. “Deya was destroyed with the Calamity. All there is now are ruins.”

“What?” she led Cloud around him, urging the horse up the hill. She glanced out from the overlook. The lake that had once been a clear blue fishery was not murky, littered with the rubble of destroyed buildings and fallen trees that had become apart of the watery grave.

Link rode up beside her, looking out at the ruins. “I heard the stories. They were lost in the aftermath of the Guardians. Most of the survivors headed south, as far from the castle as they could and built a new village, one that’s now the fishery for the kingdom. It’s called Lurelin, just off Cape Cresia and the Necluda Sea.”

“Lurelin? I like that. I’d love to meet the villagers and see the village.”

“It’s not near here. I could take you another time though, if you’d like.”

“Very much. Thank you.”

Link turned back to the ruins of Deya Village. “Many of the places you knew close to Hyrule Field have been destroyed. Kakariko and several of the stables were the luckiest. The further out from the castle, the less destruction there was.”

“So, you’ve been around? Everywhere?”

He nodded and led Catherine away from the cliff, back down to the path. Zelda followed a moment later. “When I woke up, I wasn’t as strong as I assume I used to be. I had a lot to do to train. The Master Sword wouldn’t give herself up easily.”

Zelda couldn’t help but feel giddy, despite the destruction she’d just seen. The survivors had created something new, and she was able to speak with Link, almost as freely as they used to. “But it was still safely in the Lost Woods… with the Deku Tree?”

He smiled again, keeping his eyes on the path. “The Deku Tree showed me the day you brought it to him. You said you had something to tell me.”

Zelda tried to keep the surprise off her face. Without his memories, she didn’t want to say anything that could jeopardize their fragile developing friendship. “Did I? It was a long time ago.”

Again, they fell into silence as they made their way to the path. As they neared Proxim Bridge, the castle came into sight for the first time. Zelda gasped, a relieved feeling washing over her. For a moment, she’d expected to see Ganon’s spirit swirling around the peak once again, but it was oddly still. From the distance, it looked as it had when she’d lived there. She could almost ignore the stone-still Guardians that were scattered around and pretend that it was 100 years ago and she was still living her normal life.

“It might not be safe there yet,” Link said, sensing her desire to visit her home. “Impa called for it to be inspected just before you woke up. We can’t go in yet, not until it’s been cleared.”

Shaking her head, Zelda bit her lip. His words were an easy way to snap back to the present. “No. Of course. But you had said you’d seen my father? Could you bring me to him? Or, rather, to where you spoke with him?”

“It was on a cliff on the Great Plateau, not the castle.”

“Regardless, please?”

Link nodded, looking at the raised land on the other side of the bridge. “He hasn’t been there since I woke. Don’t bring your hopes up too high, for your own sake.”

“I won’t… but I have to know. I parted with him on poor terms before he was taken from this world.”

“By the Yiga?”

She steeled her expression and rode on. “Yes.”

Up ahead, she could see an abandoned Bokoblin camp, and further up the road, where she’d once expected to see a bustling outpost were more ruins. She rode past them, seeing the reminders of a fire etched into the stones, buildings that looked as if the Goddess herself had trampled over the outpost. It was a disaster, beyond all hope of repair.

Link could see her dismayed expression. A strong desire to change her mood came over him and he found himself redirecting her attention. Riding faster so she would have to catch up to speak and move past the ruins quickly, he turned in his saddle. “So, you were friends with Kass’ mentor?”

Zelda spurred Cloud on so she wouldn’t have to scream just to have a conversation with him. “We both were. He was brought to the castle by Impa to combat the Yiga threat.”

“Was he still a musician?” he asked, riding further still and slowing only once he’d passed the ruins. Zelda seemed none the wiser to his distraction.

“He played the same accordion. He was placed in the palace as the court poet.”

“So he was my friend… not my enemy?”

“Why?”

Link started to chuckle, thinking about something in his mind. But he turned to her and tried to suppress his laugh. “Kass told me stories. His mentor used to secretly spread rumors about me. He was upset that I held a high position when I didn’t come from noble birth and said that you and I shouldn’t speak because of the difference in our station. He felt differently after my death and devoted his life to helping the two of us, though we’d never know were it not for Kass.”

Zelda’s mouth dropped open. “He was jealous?”

Link fought back his laugh again. “He was more than jealous; he was in love with you, Princess.”

“What?” she exclaimed.

“Infamously.”

“I never knew.” She stared off at the castle, trying to call up a moment with Kilik where she might see his true feelings. But she had been blinded by her own affections for… another. She looked up at the Plateau again. Ghosts were all around her.

They rode along the plateau, with no way up that she could see, and she thought back to her father, trying to remember the sound of his deep voice. She closed her eyes and felt goosebumps running along her arm. “What did my father say to you?”

“He told me he was the King of Hyrule and you were his daughter and I was to rescue you and defeat the Calamity before your hold on Ganon grew too weak.”

Zelda continued back on the path, still unsure of how they’d scale the cliff on this side. They should continue further, towards the gate that would lead up the plateau. “And you’re sure it was my father, the king? If what I’ve been told about the Champions is to be taken as absolute truth for all the departed, then his spirit should have stayed in the castle where he died, as theirs did with the Divine Beasts.”

Link laughed, his contagious, and hearty laugh. “I don't think I have any reason not to trust his spirit, Princess." He groaned in annoyance with himself. "Forgive me, Your Highness. For some reason, I can’t stop calling you ‘Princess’ despite your station.”

Each time he slipped and called her Princess, it gave her a sense of joyful relief. Some part of him was remembering what he used to call her, since he would have no problem transitioning to her new title if he didn't remember.

“I'll answer to either. I'm not technically a queen. Or a princess, for that matter. Perhaps you could call me Zelda?” she tried.

He cocked an eyebrow at her, as if it was the silliest thing he'd ever heard her suggest. “I'd never do that.”

She laughed smugly. “You'd be surprised.”

He looked at her in disbelief. “I would never. You're just trying to fool me.”

She shrugged, feeling almost smug in her knowledge. “Believe what you want. But you have called me Zelda a few times.” Granted, it was while their lives were in imminent danger, but she was intent on making a point.

Scoffing he shook his head, but he went quiet. She could see him thinking, like he was trying to recall that memory.

Zelda looked at the cliff again as Link continued to slow his pace. “Has something about the Great Plateau changed, or are we going to the gated entrance?”

Link snapped his head in her direction. “Oh, no. That was sealed off. I left a ladder around here. Climbing this wall without it just takes too much energy.”

“Climbing the wall?” Zelda asked, staring at the near vertical incline. She shook her head, not about to question it. If anything, she believed Link more than capable of scaling the wall. “Right. We’re in front of the Temple of Time. Whereabouts from here?”

Link hopped off of Catherine and gestured for Zelda to follow. He pulled a long rope ladder from inside a crack in the wall where it dangled. It looked awfully unsafe, and it would be a long fall if anything should happen. “We’re going straight to the Temple.” He pulled something out from his belt pouch and handed it to Zelda. “Here. Take the paraglider. If anything happens, just pull it out. It’ll open and catch the wind. But I’ve climbed this plenty of times. You’ll be fine.”

Zelda took it. “Oh Goddess…” she muttered. Better to get it over with. She put her foot on the shaky ladder, taking her steps slowly and carefully. Each time she looked down, Link was holding the ladder, stopping it from swaying, his eyes on her. It made her feel only slightly better that he was letting her go first.

She let out a huge sigh of relief as she hit the grass atop the plateau. While she waited for Link, she took in the destruction. The temple had been sacked, walls crumpled from a Guardian blast. The view showed her more ruins, more decaying or dead Guardians, and even a few Bokoblin camps that Link led her safely around.

Despite the mess, the Temple of Time was still always a sight to behold. It was several stories high and, though significantly shorter than the castle itself, towered high above the plains of Hyrule Field so the Goddess Hylia could watch over her kingdom from the land itself.

The steps that led up to the main entrance were swallowed by grass and weeds springing through the cracks in the stone, neglected by years of disuse. Chunks of rubble had fallen in the path, having been loosened from their original homes, now covered in a blanket of ivy. An army of Guardians lay long-dormant along the sides of the temple, their attempts to bring down the temple clear, though ultimately unsuccessful.

Standing in the doorless entry, Zelda could see the entire left side of the temple caved in, but she suspected it was caused by damage to the exterior. The interior was mostly untouched by destruction, though fallen ceiling tiles had taken out a stone or two. But prominently, the statue of the Goddess Hylia remained perfect, glowing with the radiance it had always emanated. Most of the windows had even remained intact, casting a rainbow of colors through the panes with the sun’s light. For the Goddess who’s answered her prayers, Zelda would have tolerated nothing less.

Link had let her take in the sights, but she noticed him lingering by the destroyed wall. When she shot him a confused look, he motioned for her to follow him around the side. Zelda did, but with a final glance at the Goddess, she resolved that the temple would be among the first things rebuilt in honor of Hylia’s role in defeating the Calamity. Without the Goddess’ grace, Zelda’s sealing powers would not exist.

Link stood beneath a ladder, one that was all-too familiar to her. One that had apparently withstood the tests of time and war.

His bright eyes glistened with eagerness and he grinned. “Are you feeling brave today, Princess?”

Zelda's heart stopped. He'd asked her the same thing when they first scaled the Temple of Time. It had been 100 years ago, only days after he’d saved her from a relentless attack by the Yiga Clan in Gerudo Desert. She’d realized her misguided judgment of Link had been hasty, and found enjoyment with her Appointed Knight. She’d asked Link to accompany her to the Temple to pray, but found herself in this same position, on the side of the ladder that led to the top of the Temple, his eyes soft as they looked on at her.  

With anxious excitement, Zelda nodded. “I’m feeling quite brave. Shall I?”

Link stepped back, letting her take the first small step until she could grab the ladder before he followed her up. They climbed up to the edge of the roof, where Link's hands hovered by Zelda at all times. The flat edge of the roof was slender, and Zelda was moving with far more vigor than she should have been.

“Are you always this excited to do these kinds of things?” he asked as he followed quickly behind her.

She stopped herself, fighting the smile on her face. “Sorry. Sometimes I am. You go ahead first.”

He eyed her suspiciously as he passed her to pull himself up into a small room at the top of the steeple, and he pulled her up into a room where she stood beside him.

“This is where I saw him… the King. He led me up here. Something about being in here felt right, but I don't know why the King would have led me here specifically. You might think the Goddess Statue in the main room would be more appropriate.”

Zelda carefully moved to the edge, where there was a large piece of the wall missing now from a Guardian's beam. She leaned against it, feeling the cool stone against her warm cheek. “Oh, I don't know. This feels right to me.” She could almost feel his hand in hers once again as she had all but half-dangled her body out the window for a better look at the beautiful field below her.

Now, she looked out over her destroyed kingdom. Everything was different. Link was different, the people were different, the fears she had, her prayers, her family, even she was different.

Turning, she caught a glimpse of Link’s soft gaze, admiring her without her knowing. And when he'd been caught, the red flushed into his face and he tried to turn away.

Zelda smiled, fighting back a chuckle. “Come look. The world is so much more peaceful without Ganon.”

He moved beside her. “Have you ever seen such a view?” Link asked. He was looking at her again, waiting, but his expression had turned back into the now-familiar one of him searching his memories.

Zelda looked back to the field, always feeling like she was invading on something private when he got that distant look. She'd wait to answer him until she knew he was back.

Something softly brushed against the back of her hand.

For a moment, she expected to see her father's spirit, the entire reason they'd gone up there in the first place, but she looked down to see Link's hand lightly brushing hers.

His eyes were on hers, no longer staring inward, but outward again. She could see his own mixture of vague recognition, memories of this place and of her, fighting through confusion. The frustration on his face spoke volumes. He didn’t remember it clearly. He likely wasn’t sure what he was remembering. But though his mind didn’t remember, it was as if his body did.

His skin brushed against hers again, turning so his thumb was lightly brushing over her knuckles. She was positive he wasn't aware of what he was doing.

Zelda was worried that if she didn’t speak, it would make him realize what he was doing. She struggled to answer his question. “H-have you seen the very top of Dueling Peaks during your travels?”

He scoffed, moving beside her to rest against the wall. “There were shrines up there. I had to move quickly between them. Why? Have we been there before?”

She smiled, looking back into his intense eyes. “You brought me there the first time, yes.”

Though he’d moved, his hand still rested against hers. “I look forward to going back with you, then. It will be good to finally see the hard-won peace, a Calamity-free castle, a sky that isn’t streaked by Guardian’s beams. Maybe even hear the echo of intrusive construction in the field below.”

His lips turned up, and Zelda leaned back against the stone with her own smile. “I’d love to hear that. Hyrule’s recovery would be a sweeter sound than music.”

“Don’t tell that to Kass.” Link chuckled, infectiously causing Zelda to join in.

Zelda looked out over Hyrule again.

In the glare of the sun, she could clearly see the beginnings of a new tomorrow, for Hyrule, and for herself.

And for the first time in her life, she felt an immense and overwhelming sense of hope.

Chapter Text

Zelda sat by the window of the Temple of Time for what felt like hours. She could see the sun moving slowly across the sky, the changing shadows the only tell-tale sign of how long she sat there.

Link had started a fire in the small, open room. He didn’t say much, unwilling to break her from her trance. He didn’t know what she was thinking about, but she looked peaceful and he wanted her feel safe in her thoughts, not obligated to talk to him.

However, her mind was anything but peaceful.

Looking across the field, there were three versions of Hyrule she could see. Of course, she could see what was right in front of her: the very literal scene of Hyrule Field and the castle in shambles. And she could remember the view of a peaceful Hyrule before the Calamity: the days when she wanted nothing more than to learn about Guardians and escape the constant nagging of her father. Never did she think that she’d long for those days again, but her heart ached for it. But the final version of Hyrule Field she could see was one that was on fire, Guardians crawling across fallen buildings, Divine Beasts struggling for control before they lost their battles, Ganon swirling around the castle in a dark cloud of purple mist.

“I never got to properly mourn them,” Zelda said suddenly.

Link’s head whipped over to her. She hadn’t spoken in so long, he’d almost considered that she may have fallen asleep. He didn’t speak but sat down against the wall across from her, waiting in case she wanted to continue.

He could see a tear run down Zelda’s cheek. She wiped it away, never moving her attention from the view in front of her. “The ones we lost when Ganon awoke. I barely grieved for my father, my friends who were in the castle, people I knew. Then I lost Urbosa. She was a mother to me when I had none. Revali and I became close at the end. We lost him first. It was horrible to watch. You took Daruk and Mipha’s losses hard, but you barely showed it. You soldiers are better at that sort of thing. Though I didn’t know either of them as well as I would have liked, I never was able to grieve their losses.”

The ghost of a smile tipped up Zelda’s lips. “Do you remember what Mipha and I did for you? Along with Bazz, Gaddison, and Rivan?” Link shook his head and leaned forward intently as Zelda kept speaking. “We chased you up a mountain after you’d gone to fight a Lynel. You’d been out with your friends because you hadn’t seen them in, what, ten years or something like that. You weren’t guarding me, Seggin was. But you went storming off after the Lynels who were in a territory war just up the waterfall.”

Stopping herself, Zelda looked closely at him. “Link, do you remember how your father died?”

He looked away and ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head slowly.

Gasping, Zelda went to reach out to him before stopping herself. “How much did you forget?”

“I woke up with nothing. When I heard your voice, that was the first time I remembered my name. Small things started to come back to me after a while. That I was a knight, glimpses of battle, faces with no names. I did research on myself from some books and what people remembered of me, and some of it helped. But I couldn’t remember big events. Were my parents alive for the Calamity? Did I have family?”

“And you still don’t know?”

“No.”

Sighing, Zelda realized his amnesia had been worse than she thought. The look in his eyes, part confusion, part pain, was almost too much for her. She couldn’t imagine not remembering the impact her own father had on her, and what parts of her would have been gone with the memories of him.

“I can tell you anything I know about your family, though it’s admittedly not much. Do you want to know about them, or is that something you don’t want?”

“I would. Anything you know is better than nothing.”

Zelda wanted to look at him as she spoke, but her heart hurt to see that he’d forgotten. His father’s death had been so hard for him when she’d known him. His father’s life had influenced the core of his being. Without those memories, could he still be the same man he was one hundred years ago?

“Well, I don’t know much about your mother. We only spoke of her once or twice. She died when you were born, and you had no memories of her then either. I’m sorry. But your father was a knight, a celebrated one. He was one of my father’s men, for a time. I don’t remember him personally, but you told me he was a great man, a good swordsman, and a devoted father. You worked at the ranch nearby to earn some money to help him. Both of you even fought in a few battles together when you were younger. It sounded like you two were quite close.”

Link had started to fidget, as he often did when he was trying to remember. “He died before the Calamity, didn’t he?”

Nodding solemnly, Zelda shifted. “Yes, he did. It was only about a year earlier. You and he were travelling through Nadrya Snowfield. If you’ve read up on your past accomplishments, then you’ll know that when you were just a young boy, you made a name for yourself there. It was years after that event, but from what I gather, it was near the same location. Your father sent you ahead to scout the area and see what was upcoming, and your father… he accidently stumbled upon a territory battle between Lynels. He didn’t make it.”

Link nodded, like he could almost remember a dream he’d once had. “And that was why I felt I had to go after the ones near the Domain?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know what happened after? Where my father was buried?”

Swallowing hard, Zelda hadn’t wanted to continue. “You were the one who found his body among the Lynels. You killed both of them, nearly unheard of at the time, especially from one so young. But you’ve been in wars since you were a young boy of seven. I’m not surprised you handled yourself so well in battle.  

“You brought his body to the Lady Mipha, hoping she might heal him. She couldn’t. I don’t know where he is buried, but I believe King Dorephan would know.”

Link leaned back as her words processed. “Some of that sounds familiar. I’d like to visit his grave, if I can. If it’s still there.”

“If you want someone to go with you…” she started before stopping herself. “I-I mean, only if you want. I understand it’s a private moment. But you’ve come with me to my father’s apparent grave. I’d come with you to find yours if you wanted the company.”

Link smiled at her. “Thank you. For that, and for telling me what you know. I think, if King Dorephan knows where it is, I might just take you up on that. If you’re not too busy running the kingdom, that is.”

Zelda couldn’t help the snort she let out as she leaned her head back. “I’m not doing much of anything since being back. All I’ve done so far is broken Impa’s roof and endangered you and the village.”

“A roof is patchable, and no one was hurt. You’re too hard on yourself.”

Zelda stared at the back of her hand, at the Triforce. “Tell me, Link, the Champions we lost… you said that you saw them? You spoke to them?”

“I did.”

“Are they happy? Their deaths were horrible. So horrible. And I could have stopped them with this same power if I’d come to access it sooner. Their blood is on my hands as much as it’s on Ganon’s. Did they ever find peace?”

Knowing that arguing over fault with her would go nowhere, Link stared out at the field again. He could almost remember seeing the four red beams from each Divine Beast pounding massive amounts of power into Ganon. And though the Divine Beasts were no longer aimed at anything, he could still see the red lights trained on Calamity Ganon just a short time ago.

“They did find peace. Each completed their purpose. I know this for a fact. Each of them lent me their powers. Do you remember Urbosa having the ability to summon lightening? Her fury was gifted to me when I freed Vah Naboris. When we defeated Ganon, all of their powers were gone. They were only aiding me. And they moved on, their powers and spirits with them.

“I know you won’t believe me, Princess. To you, this might sound like a made-up speech to make you feel better, but Lady Urbosa told me something. She said, ‘This is how things had to happen. No one need carry blame.’ She wanted you to know that. She said you should shed your worries… and that she couldn’t be prouder of you.”

Zelda wiped a tear that had fallen down her cheek. “I can almost hear her voice through your words. I very much believe you. It makes me happy to know that they’re at peace, but I can’t help but miss them. Sometimes, it feels like they were alive just the other day, not a century ago.”

They fell into silence for some time, the only sound was that of the crackling fire Link had built.

“With them gone,” Zelda said finally, “we’ll need new Champions, if only for show. Someone must know how to work the Beasts in case of an emergency.”

“I know just the four,” Link said, though he though he felt suddenly like he’d spoken up on a matter he wasn’t supposed to voice his opinion on. “Forgive me, Your Highness. It’s not my place to make those decisions.”

Shocked at his sudden formality, Zelda couldn’t help the scrutinizing look she gave him. “Please, continue.”

Link looked unsure, but he’d already spoken. It was too late now. “Each of them helped me reach the Divine Beasts. They have the spirits of their predecessors. For Mipha, it’s her brother, Sidon. Without a doubt, he’s going to be King of the Zoras one day, and I believe he’d be more than willing to take up his sister’s legacy, as well as his father’s. For Daruk, his great-grandson, Yunobo would be right. He’s deceiving, at first. He looks and acts like more of a coward than he is. He just hasn’t fully realized his strength yet. But he’s getting there. With Revali, there’s a Rito who is a bit closed off named Teba. He’s not related, that I know of. But they share a spirit, of that I’m positive. He was injured while helping me, but he will heal soon, if he hasn’t already. And finally, Urbosa’s descendant, Riju, is currently chief of the Gerudos. She’s young, younger than you and I, but she is already strong, and she’d be more than willing to take this task.”

Zelda chuckled to herself. “Urbosa’s sister must have taken on the role of chief when she died. I’d love to meet Riju. I’d love to meet them all. I trust your judgement on this, Link. When the time comes, I’ll put these names forth.”

“You will?”

She nodded and looked back out across the field at the castle. “I will. No matter what my role to come may be, whether we reinstate the monarchy, or I become nothing, I’ll ensure that this realm is safe and prepared at any cost.”

“You’ll never be nothing, Princess,” Link said softly, before clearing his throat and stiffening. He stood up and offered Zelda his hand. “It’s getting late. We should get back on the road before it gets dark. Where do you want to go?”

“Home,” she said wistfully with a final look at the castle, but she took his hand and stood. “But I can’t do that. Perhaps a stable or an inn. Whatever is closest to here.”

“A stable, if that’s fine with you.”

“I suggested it,” she said with a chuckle and stepped down, carefully placing one foot in front of the other until she reached the ladder. Link went down first, and she followed after him. They headed back to the horses, down the second ladder.

“Here,” Zelda said, handing him the folded-up paraglider. “Now that we aren’t climbing anything dangerous, you should have it back.”

Link put it into his pouch and looked for the horses. Cloud and Catherine had wandered away slightly, fidgety, and ill at ease. Something was wrong.

“Wait,” Link said, holding out his hand to stop Zelda from moving. He pulled the long Master Sword from its sheath.

Looking around, Zelda couldn’t see anyone, but Link grabbed Zelda by the wrist and pulled her along the wall with him. It was then that Zelda noticed a third horse just behind the other two.

Link tugged Zelda closer to him and stopped, sensing something. He turned.

“You’re Link, right?” asked a young girl as she seemingly appeared from nowhere. She had to be their age, or close to it, with long blonde hair.

“Why?” There was a sharp, cautious edge to his voice. Being recognized wasn’t something new, but this wasn’t right.

“I’m a huge fan! It’s not every day you get to meet the ancient Hero of Hyrule, Champion of the Hylians, and destroyer of Calamity Ganon. Or a princess. It’s been a while since anyone has used that title.” She took a step forward, and Link pushed Zelda back one.

“How do you know who we are?” Zelda asked. No one had really seen her in one hundred years.

Link shot Zelda a look, silently telling her not to speak. She’d just confirmed their identity to a suspicious stranger. Zelda mentally cursed herself. Too trusting. She’d always been too trusting. It had cost lives in the past. Namely, her father’s. She’d let the Yiga into their home. She’d gotten him killed.

Despite his sympathy for her, Link’s expression didn’t soften, not while they were slowly being cornered against the wall of the Great Plateau. His attention was on the blonde stranger again.

She was smiling, but there was something wrong with it. It was like she was wearing a mask, completely devoid of any genuine pleasantness or emotion. It was just… there. Like she’d once been told that people smile, and so that’s what she did.

“My father taught me all about you two. You’ve met him, you know? At least, Master Link has.”

“What’s your name?” he asked carefully, his hold on Zelda tightening.

“Aia.”

“I don’t know you.”

“No,” Aia said, stepping forward again. This time, her blonde hair turned black, and the features of her face seemed to change in an instant until she looked entirely like someone else. “You wouldn’t.”

Zelda gasped, but Link only adjusted his grip on his sword, ready for anything. He’d seen people change their appearance in an instant before.

Yiga.

He was too far away still to strike at Aia outright, and too conscious of leaving Zelda open to make the first move.

Aia’s eyes flickered from Link to Zelda, understanding Link’s hesitation. Her smile widened, finally filling with a sickening emotion of joy and understanding. Link wouldn’t leave Zelda’s side, not even to fight an obvious threat. She jerked her head, and a cloud of smoke covere her. As it dissipated, she reappeared, this time, wearing the garb of the Yiga, her face covered by a white mask with the inverted symbol of the Sheikah on it.

Zelda couldn’t help but grab Link, an instinctual reaction. Since childhood, the Yiga had always been her worst fear in this life. They’d pursued her relentlessly, and since their involvement in bringing the Calamity about, that fear had only grown worse.

At that, Aia laughed. “You’re a jumpy little princess, aren’t you?”

“And you should be,” said a new voice. A man appeared off to their side. He was very tall, and he was wielding a windcleaver.

Link pushed Zelda back further. “Why should she be jumpy? Are you supposed to be threatening? I don’t see it. I still think it’s those stupid masks.”

“What’s wrong with these masks?” asked a third, appearing on their other side.

“By the Goddesses,” Zelda gasped as she stared at the three surrounding them, hoping that was the last.

Aia took another step forward. “My brothers. Eiji and Jirou. You should really be more careful when you try to overthrow a religion.”

“A religion? Is that what you are now?” Link asked, his eyes darting between the three of them, making a vague gesture to their masks. “And here I thought you were a cult.”

Zelda wished Link would just stop talking, but she knew he had his reason for baiting them further. It didn’t lessen her intense desire for them to just be gone, though.

But Link continued, much to her dismay. He addressed the girl in front of him, though she could see his stance had change, ready to move either left or right as need be. “What are you even doing? Your leader is dead. Your god is dead. Everything you stood for is gone. Go home.”

Aia bent down, her head tipped up, though despite her almost casual pose, she looked ready to spring. “Have you never heard of vengeance? You tried to kill our father. You and your spoiled princess destroyed Our Great Lord Ganon. But if that were all, there would be no point. Vengeance only gets someone so far.”

This time, the man’s voice on Link’s left spoke, though he was unsure which was Jioru and which was Eiji. “You’ve died a thousand times, haven’t you? It’s a prophesy that each time you do, your spirit is forced to return to face a great ‘evil’ force that’s been unleashed. So, when you die again, Our Great Lord will return to us. As long as you both live, he will never reincarnate.”

Link’s grip on Zelda tightened at the blatant threat to her life. “And who is your father that I tried to kill?”

“Master Kohga. But you failed to stay and see that he lived to survive the fall. You will never defeat the Yiga Clan. You’ve made us grow stronger. Now we three have taken Father’s place until he is fully healed!”

Link’s head lolled back, a calm smile— and gods, even a taunting laugh— came from Link as he lowered his sword. His grip on Zelda remained firm, an assurance that he was not as ill-prepared to fight as he appeared to them. “Kohga? So, you’re all as much of a joke as he is? I barely even picked up my blade to beat him.”

Aia disappeared and then reappeared behind Zelda, this time, with a demon carver in her hand. Link spun them both and his blade clashed against hers in a resounding echo of metal, skillfully blocking the blade before it even came near Zelda.  

He could feel a gust of wind, followed by the whooshing sound of the long windcleaver, and Ling ran the Master Sword through the hole in the center of the carver, dragging Aia forward until the cleaver and carver collided mid-stroke, forcing the two siblings blades to act against each other. One of the boys stumbled backwards, and Aia lost her grip on the weapon.

Link spun it around the Master Sword with a few flicks of his wrist and let it fall into his other hand, finally letting Zelda go to grab it. “Thank you.”

He now wielded two weapons, but it didn’t stop Link from relying heavily on defense to stay close to Zelda, nudging her wherever he needed her to go to keep her from harm.

Zelda watched as he danced around the three Yiga. As he moved, he unleashed flurries of attacks from both weapons, as well as an array of jibes. She couldn’t help but wonder where this new personality of his came from. Perhaps it was because he’d been on his own for so long?

She felt her body rock as Link pushed her back again, but this time, he grabbed her and pulled her closer to him rather than away, tucking her close to his chest as he forcefully dragged her away just before one of the Yiga appeared where she’d stood.

Looking around, Zelda noticed that the other two Yiga had disappeared entirely. This time, they weren’t reappearing. Only one of the men remained.

“We tell stories about you, Princess,” the Yiga said, pulling one more windcleaver out, holding one of the heavy blades in each hand. “They say that you were taken when you were young. We nearly had you in our grasp. And then, one hundred years ago, it was your childish naiveite that got your father killed. You trusted the wrong people. We won. For 100 years, this world was on the cusp of being ours. And you’ll watch as we take it again. When the time is right, we will fulfill that prophecy. Maybe this time, you’ll be the sacrifice we need.”

Link craned his neck so he could see her. She’d gone pale, and it almost felt like she was shaking. Though he couldn’t remember the event from 100 years ago that the Yiga was talking about, he could see that Zelda did. And it spurred Link to act.

Defense could only work alone for so long.

He let go of Zelda and handed her the demon carver before adjusting his grip on the Master Sword. “Stay here and yell if one of them comes back.”

Zelda nodded, holding the strange blade with both hands, her eyes darting around, waiting to see if the other two had retreated for good or not.

This time, Link was done with words and ran up to the Yiga, spinning his sword expertly in his hands before striking. The Yiga didn’t hesitate, matching Link’s speed, swords raised and ready.

This Yiga was no Kogha.

He moved with a speed that was blinding to the normal, untrained eye. His swords swung through the air as he moved with them, like he was dancing.

But Link was no ordinary swordsman either.

He deflected every blow from each blade, moving the Master Sword to block and counter each strike. Purely on the defensive for now, Link’s feet moved swiftly across the grass as he was pushed backwards, further from Zelda.

The Yiga caught the Master Sword between the two windcleavers and ripped it from Link’s grasp, pulling him sideways and onto the ground. He rolled as the Yiga let the sword drop to send a gust of wind at him, and then another.

But Link made it to his feet and continued towards the Yiga. Zelda watched in horror as the two blades whirled past Link’s head with unmistakable intent. But Link bent and ducked around the blows, moving like he was on a block of ice that only he could manage across. He rolled under the next swing of the blade, snatching up the Master Sword in the process and raising it just before the blade could graze his neck.

Letting out a breath, Link kicked out, throwing the Yiga off balance just long enough for Link to switch to the offensive. He relied on  speed over the raw power that the Yiga relied on. But no matter how strong, the windcleavers were no match for the Master Sword.

With the next clash, one windcleaver shattered, the broken blade skidding along Link’s arm. He barely flinched as the Yiga tossed the broken end at Link, though it was easily avoidable.

Without the second sword, Link was able to quickly overtake the Yiga, sending him to his knees almost immediately.

“No!” he heard Zelda cry out.

Link spun around in a panic. He could see that the other male Yiga had returned, healed and strengthened from the time away. And two fire arrows were headed straight at Link.

The arrows had barely left the bow when a great light flashed across the field, crashing into the plateau behind them, engulfing the Yiga archer and the arrows. Rocks began to slide, though their location was lost in the light. It began to die down slowly, receding into the outstretched palm of Princess Zelda.

She was panting for breath, her hands shaking, but she brought the light back entirely.

She wasn’t sure what had happened. When she’d first unlocked her powers, she could send small, concentrated beams to attack the Guardians who pursued her to the castle. Back then, she didn’t need to put effort into it. Once she’d unlocked the power, it came naturally to her, like it had always belonged to her, and had always been within.

But now, the light was uncontrollable, a wide, powerful blast that would have wiped out an army of guardians. She couldn’t get a handle on the power, not after using it at its most deadly strength for 100 years straight.  

As the light faded and the dirt settled, Link could see that his opponent had fled. Still, there was another body on the ground.

Link jogged over and held his breath for a moment before rushing toward Zelda as she approached, trying to stop her from continuing forward.

“Is he alright?” she asked. “We have to get him help! I didn’t mean to…”

She fought against Link’s hands, but through her writhing, she caught sight of the man’s body.

Everything stopped.

He was nearly blackened, like a fruit that was never meant to go in the fire, or a bird who flew too close to the sun. Pieces of his Yiga uniform had peeled, and his chest was still beneath it.

Zelda was only then grateful for Link’s arms holding her as she gasped and lost her footing. Her hand caught her mouth, stifling a strangled noise as she stared at Link’s shoulder, just where he was blocking her vision of the body.

“I…”

At a loss for words, Link didn’t know what to do but keep the sight of the death she’d caused blocked from her, and he held on tight.

Zelda could feel tears stinging her eyes, though she was too shocked and horrified for them to fall. For all her hatred of the Yiga, she’d never before killed anyone in her life. Reanimated redead-like corpses that arose and animated with the Blood Moon were different. Guardians were different! And the one time she’d nearly killed someone, Link had taken her weapon and finished the job so she’d never have that on her conscious.

“He’s dead,” she managed to breathe out.

Her breathing came out in short bursts. Link was concerned she might hyperventilate.

“Oh Goddesses, I’ve just killed him.”

“Princess…” Link tried, but Zelda’s eyes flew up to his, as if she’d forgotten he was there.

“No!” she shouted, springing to her feet and pushing him away as hard as she could. “Get away from me! Stay back!”

He took a step forward, and Zelda let out a strangled cry, holding her hand out to stop him before hastily clutching it to her chest.

“I’m dangerous! I mean it! Don’t come near me! I won’t lose you again!”

Link ran his hand over his eyes and sheathed the Master Sword. He watched her rush away from the horses.

With a quick whistle, both horses ran over to Link and he guided them towards Zelda at a safe distance.

Looking at the man once more, he figured the Yiga would return for him. And he wanted to be far away when that happened.

Being as far from Zelda as he was, Link could remember the cold looks she’d given him when they first met, how she demanded him to keep his distance. It was one of his few memories, and he couldn’t help but wonder if he was about to experience it all over again.

Chapter Text

In the days that followed since the incident, Zelda had become somewhat of a recluse.

She’d attempted to remain as far away from everyone as she could, but Impa, Paya, and Link continuously disobeyed her orders to stay away from her. The other Sheikah had tried to comfort her, trying to explain some of their well-guarded magic secrets to her, but she’d shut down, listening to no one else.

She spent much of her time near the cliffs, or stretched out in the grass beneath her, her hands always pressed into something, just in case. Link, however, had insisted that she stay within sight of someone who could help her if the Yiga reappeared, though they’d never dared step foot into Kakariko Village itself in over 100 years. So that was how Zelda found herself sprawled out under a shaded tree just outside the village, within sight of Link, but safely isolated from all the activity that was surrounding everyone.

Her eyes were closed, despite the images that constantly flashed behind them, stealing away her sleep and peace of mind even more so than her nightmares already did.

So, when she felt a light breeze that betrayed either Link, Impa, or Paya had taking their place on the ground beside her, she sighed in annoyance, and was sure to move her hands safely under her head, “Please, leave me. I don’t want anything to happen to you, too.”

“Grandmother asked that I bring you this.” Zelda turned to see Paya holding out a steaming mug. She also had one of her own. Zelda knew this meant that she would be receiving company, whether she wanted any or not.

Sitting up, Zelda reluctantly took the mug, keeping it close to her. “Why are you here, Paya?”

For a long moment, Paya didn’t answer. Instead, she stared out at the grove of trees ahead of them. Many had volunteered to fix Impa’s roof, and though they’d gotten a temporary patch done, it was time to begin the reconstruction in earnest.

Zelda had volunteered to assist with what she’d broken, but she was unsure of what place she could have when she needed to keep her distance. Impa had declined her request, instead choosing more physically fit villagers to chop and haul the trees from the grove back into town, promising Zelda that it wasn’t her fault, and she needn’t feel obligated to help when she so desired to be alone. Zelda was grateful for her understanding, though Impa herself often invaded her space to keep her company.

It was a conflicting feeling.

After fighting Ganon alone for a century, Zelda longed for nothing but company at times. She loved listening to stories and songs. But it was too dangerous for her to be around others. She’d destroyed a building. She’d destroyed a life. She’d turned the Yiga’s rage on them. She’d ruined the peace that could have begun to build. She wouldn’t let someone else die because of her. Not again. Her eyes drifted to Link. Not again.

Paya followed Zelda’s eyes and could see Link out in the grove, axe in hand as he worked to bring down a large tree. From this distance, Paya didn’t feel the need to hide her admiration of him. In truth, they were far enough away that it could look as if she was admiring the grove itself. 

But she looked back at Zelda and took a sip of her drink. “I know you’re not ready to be around people, but they sent messages. They’ll all be here later tonight. Are you prepared?”

Zelda shook her head, focusing instead on the warmth from the mug. The leaders of Hyrule were assembling to meet in Kakariko that night.

“I’m about to fight for the right to rule a kingdom I haven’t been in for 100 years, with people who’ve never known me, with a world that might not want me. What right do I even have to ask that of them?”

Paya shrugged. “Divine Right, Your Majesty. The Goddesses chose you, and they are still as revered to us as they were in your time. Things haven’t changed as much as we’d have liked. The Calamity slowed down progress. You’ll still recognize much of the world, and her people.”

Zelda tried to smile, but the meeting of the leaders was far more than she felt she could handle. She’d never done anything like this before. Her father had always made sure her focus was on unleashing her spiritual powers. He never thought to include her in the royal duties. Only Impa had slipped her the official files and instructed her in what she knew. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.

And now, the spiritual powers that she’d worked so hard and long for also threatened her.

Paya sighed and stood up. “Well, someone came early to meet you. Or… maybe you could say they came late. Come on. Keep your hands together, if you’d like. But you’re coming.”

Zelda pushed herself to her feet. “Who is it?”

Saying nothing, Paya held up a finger and ran back to town for a moment only returning with a young man in tow. He was dressed in Sheikah garb with longer blonde hair, side swept across half his face.

When he approached Zelda, he hastily bowed, his crystal blue eyes glistening with excitement. “Princess Zelda! What an honor it is to finally meet you!”

He was undeniably familiar, but Zelda wasn’t sure how that could be possible. He was too young for her to have known him before. He couldn’t be out of his 20’s. His defined chin and nose were his more striking and familiar features, but still... he was familiar and not all at once.

“Have we met?” she asked.

He smiled. It was wide, beyond excitement. “No, no we haven’t. Though many say my mother and I are nearly clones of each other. I wouldn’t put it past Dr. Purah to have altered some of my genetics. You know how she is. My mother is Jerrin. Robbie is my father. I’ve heard about you my entire life! I feel as if I know the great Princess Zelda already.”

Zelda’s mouth dropped, and Paya smiled before stepping off to the side. “This is Granté, Your Majesty.”

Granté chuckled and extended his hand, hesitant to know if that was the acceptable gesture or not. “Forgive me. My entire family has been calling you ‘Princess Zelda’ my whole life.”

Perhaps it was shock at seeing Robbie’s child, older than she was it seemed and nearly a clone of his parents, but Zelda took his hand, forgetting her fears. His excitement, his mannerisms… he undeniably had Robbie’s personality to an eerie degree. She cleared her throat. “There’s nothing to forgive. Personally, I prefer ‘princess’ to ‘Your Majesty’ anyway. I, too, have been called ‘princess’ my entire life.”

Granté balked and grinned. “That you have! You’re exactly as I pictured you. While others my age were hearing stories about the Lord of the Mountain, I was told about you. My father admires you a great deal.”

“And I, him. Him and Pur—Dr. Purah were my two closest friends.”

“And look at you now! You’re here with his son and Dr. Purah’s niece. How the Goddesses amuse themselves!” Granté turned to Paya. “Is Link here? I have something of his.”

“Yes, I’ll go get him,” Paya said with a quick look of approval from Zelda. When she nodded, Paya ran back towards the grove.

For a moment, Granté and Zelda sat together in silence. But he was first to break it. “Are you doing well? This must all be very surprising.”

Zelda smiled. “I’ll admit, I still think of your father as someone who’s young and unwilling to settle down with anyone so that he might work on the Guardians. But I am adjusting. How are you handling things? The fall of Calamity Ganon?”

“I can’t say much has changed for me. I have always traveled, despite the danger. I have always worked in the field of my choice—armor, that is. I have a new home and a storefront that I was welcome to during the Calamity. By Link, actually. But that’s how most of us live. Unless you are near Hyrule Field or near a battleground, the Calamity doesn’t always directly reach you.”

“You’re lucky, then.”

Granté grinned. “My father, actually, sent me out on my own when I was younger. He sent me to Dr. Purah. My mother was against it. She wanted to come with me, but he insisted. He told me that the world is as it was meant to be, and we need not fear it. So, I went to Dr. Purah, and back again and haven’t stopped travelling since.”

“Where do you live, Granté?” she asked. “You said Link gave you a house?”

“Tarrey Town, Your Majesty.”

Zelda’s eyebrow went up at the unfamiliar name. As she was about to respond, Granté stood up and stretched out his arms. Zelda followed him to her own feet and watched as Link and Paya headed over to them.

Link held up his hands, backing away from Granté a step. “I’m covered in sweat.”

Granté laughed and grabbed Link anyway. “You left before I could even say thank you. You get me a house, you get me fine ore, you give me old armor… how can I thank you?”

“Don’t, that’s how.”

Looking Link over, Granté shook his head. “Why do you look like you’re building another town?”

His eyes quickly darted to Zelda before staying firmly on Granté. “I’m helping fix Impa’s roof.”

“Building again? Are you considering a change of trade?”

Zelda held up her hand. “I’m sorry, did you say another town?” She turned to Link. Though he tried to hide his grin, it was barely concealed.

Granté jumped in without hesitation. “Link practically built Tarrey Town himself! It was just an old, unused plot of land before he and the Bolson Company built it from nothing. It took them awhile, and it started with just a few villagers, but it grew into something fantastic. Six houses, each with two floors and a balcony, a pond with a Goddess Statue, and already 13 residents. It’s an incredible feat.”

“Thirteen?” Link asked, before Zelda could comment.

“Hudson and Rhondson announced that they’re growing their family just the other day.”

Link chuckled. “Good for them.”

Granté turned to Zelda. “And on top of all his other talents, Link here is a master matchmaker.”

“You’re what?” she asked with a cheeky grin.

Zelda’s eyes scanned over him. He was filthy, covered in kicked up dirt and shavings of bark that littered his hair and borrowed work clothes. He looked less like a knight and more like someone who could build an entire village. It was a good look on him, if one she was unfamiliar with. She could picture him owning a successful shop in Castle Town, selling handmade furniture, and working hands-on jobs whenever he pleased. However, he certainly didn’t look like a matchmaker.

Link shook his head and shot daggers at Granté. “I’ve helped a few people, but I don’t matchmake.”

Zelda looked to Granté, who was nodding just out of Link’s gaze, mouthing the words, ‘he does.’

Link didn’t seem to have missed it. He rolled his eyes and started walking backwards. “Speaking of the roof, I have to finish it.” Dodging the conversation entirely, he waved. “I’ll see you later.”

“No!” Zelda called, hiding a laugh. “Tell me all about this!”

Link chuckled and shook his head, mouthing a ‘no’ back at her with a wide smile before heading towards the grove. Paya followed him part of the way until she veered towards her Grandmother instead, leaving Granté with Zelda again.

“That’s unexpected.” Zelda said as she watched Link retreat. “When I knew him, he’d never have meddled in someone’s love affairs.” She chuckled at the thought.

“Well, he isn’t the same Link as he was when you knew him, is he? That’s one thing about Link… he’s like my father. They both live in the present. Link can’t remember his past, and he doesn’t dwell on it often. He doesn’t ask how the Calamity started, only how it will end. My father didn’t see his weapons fail, he saw that failure as a chance to make a better prototype. They make new memories.

“But Dr. Purah and Impa… they live in the past. They’re old souls. You can see it just by what Dr. Purah did to herself. She tried to gain more time and became a child in that attempt. She has always looked backwards. She’s blamed herself for many of the technological failings that occurred during your time. But despite them not being her fault, she still lives there in her mind. And Lady Impa, she’s held everything she loves close to her. She’s less for change than she ever was. Even this village must look the same way you remember it. There may be new fields, but there has been very little change here at all.

“As much as I love my father and his views, I find myself dwelling on my past mistakes and getting stuck on them. But those who can look back, learn, and move forward are the most successful. Those who are haunted by the past are just ghosts in their future.”

Zelda’s lips tipped up and her eyes darted towards the grove once again. With a pang of guilt, it hit her just how much she had been looking backwards rather than forwards. She didn’t know most of Link’s story since waking up, she’d been dwelling on the memories he lost. She didn’t know any of the new towns in Hyrule, or where trade flourished and crops grew. The land she’d left behind had been scorched. Everything would have been different.

“You’re right,” she said, standing up quickly. “I need your help.”

Granté looked at her quizzically and nodded once. “Of course. With what?”

Gesturing for him to follow, she ran after Link, stopping him from his work to catch up with Paya and Impa. She had some catching up to do.

The representatives from across Hyrule arrived later that day in a large caravan. There were several members of each race, guards, weapons, politicians, Rito, Zora, Hylian, Goron, Gerudo. Many regular citizens had followed along, just to get a glimpse of the great show of power across the kingdom unlike anything Hyrule had ever seen before. Zelda stretched out her fingers, calming her mind and preparing herself to shake a lot of hands.

From the Zoras, Prince Sidon led the way. It was well known that the Zora king could no longer swim the distances that he used to, so seeing his son represent him was no surprise. Zelda recognized the Zora as Prince Sidon immediately, despite being 100 years since she saw him last. His imposing height was enough to point to him as the future king of Zoras, towering over even the tallest of his kind. As if that weren’t enough, his unique red and white coloring, as well as the many adornments helped pick him out, but what was the most striking was his familial resemblance to his sister, Mipha.

“Hey! Link!” Sidon called out when he was near. He ran to the knight and clapped him on the back. “I knew you could do it! You saved Hyrule! Zora’s Domain and my father personally are beyond appreciative of your efforts!”

Link shook his head. “It would have been impossible without Princess… excuse me, Her Majesty Queen Zelda, heir apparent to the currently empty throne of Hyrule.”

Zelda cast him a sidelong look, but he ignored her, focusing instead on Sidon.

The Zora moved over to her, forcing her to crane her neck up just to meet his eyes. He took her hand forcefully, but not without excitement. “It’s a great pleasure to see you once again, Your Majesty! I’m afraid I don’t quite remember our last meeting, though my father told me you were a pleasure to have for the short time you stayed with us.”

“I remember you fondly, Prince Sidon,” she said with a smile, still trying to wrap her head around how much he’d grown.

“Please, please; you and my sister Mipha were on a first name basis. Call me Sidon.”

“Likewise, you may call me Zelda.”

“Hrmmpph!” muttered an older Zora beside him.

Sidon scoffed. “Oh Muzu, please! There is no need for such a formality among friends!” Link recognized the Zora as the protective tutor of the Zora royalty, and only recently had he warmed up to Link, though only slightly. “Well then, Zelda,” Sidon said. “I’ll leave you to your other guests. Link, we must catch up later! There must be so many great heroic deeds you’ve accomplished since last we met! I eagerly await some of those stories!”

Link nodded, and Sidon and his Zora escorts moved on to where Impa stood to greet the guests as well. Zelda was acutely aware that Link’s posture was more formal and stiffer, not the relaxed stance she’d seen him in recently. He seemed to look more like he did when he was her appointed knight. 

Next, the Rito Chief was represented by another in his stead. Though Zelda had longed to see Chief Kaneli for the first time since he was a fledgling; she knew that he was pushing the age expectancy for Rito as it was. Instead, they met with Harth, the Rito blacksmith whose particular talent was in bow craftmanship. Though it didn’t seem so, he was next in line to take over as Chieftain when Kaneli passes. She could tell that the Rito remained lax in their style of leadership, since Harth looked more like he wanted to be at work back on the eyrie than at this meeting. He was even dressed in what appeared to be something like a day-to-day outfit rather than something for the formal occasion.

Despite this, the Rito didn’t lack respect. He bowed before the princess, a movement that rustled the rainbow-colored feathers that adorned his armor. He spoke quietly, though it wasn’t meek in tone.

“Your Majesty. Master Link. Chief Kaneli sends his regards and his apologies.”

“There is no need for apologies,” Zelda said kindly.

Link cleared his throat, unsure if it was his place to speak, but doing so anyway. “How is Teba?”

“He should be clear to fly out of Tabantha very soon. His son has been flying out with him to the flight range, but he should be set to fly long distances once again. Medoh was unforgiving, but Teba rallies rather quickly when eyes are upon him, and since braving the beast, all eyes are on him.”

“That’s good. I’m eternally grateful for his assistance.”

Link looked pointedly at Zelda. She knew it was because Teba was one of those he’d mentioned to pilot the Divine Beasts. She nodded subtly and watched Harth quietly take his ensemble over to Impa.

Next, a young Gerudo woman walked over. A Gerudo just about the size of Sidon stood behind her with a sour, distrustful look on her face. But it was the young one who struck Zelda.

She was beautiful, adorned in the finest her people had. Her crown towered over her, nearly the size of her torso. And she looked like Urbosa.

“You must be Riju,” Zelda said, before anyone else could speak. “Urbosa was one of my closest friends. I can see her in you already.”

Riju smiled, a bubbly and young personality slipping through her regal mask. “My mother told me some stories that had been passed from her mother. I’ve heard what an incredible Chief Urbosa was. And I had heard of your connection to her.”

“It’s good to meet you,” Zelda said eagerly.

“And you. This is Buliara. She’s my most trusted advisor, bodyguard, and friend.”

Buliara didn’t seem to want to say much, but Riju turned her attention to Link. “I’d almost forgotten what you looked like dressed… well… as your normal self, I suppose.” Her eyes flickered devilishly toward Zelda. “Perhaps you two should visit me. I may even make an exception for you to get into the town, Link.”

He chuckled uncomfortably and grabbed at his neck. Zelda watched with burning curiosity. “We’ll consider taking you up on that offer. Thank you, Riju.”

Zelda wondered if that girl would have the maturity to fill Urbosa’s role as Champion, but then again, she didn’t expect that the beasts would be used anytime soon.

“What was that about?” Zelda whispered to Link when she’d passed.

He just shook his head. “How about I tell you when we go to Gerudo Town?”

Zelda barely had time to straighten up before a large, elderly Goron stood in front of her. With a booming voice, he all but yelled in her ear. “I’m Bludo, Boss of the Gorons! Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

The old Goron was hunched over with a massive white beard and an eyepatch covering his right eye. He seemed serious, very similar to Harth. But he scoffed. “All these young folks being sent in place of their bosses! If you can’t do the job yourself, it’s time to train your replacement! And that’s why you don’t see mine.” Zelda hadn’t expected such a loud response from him, but Bludo didn’t seem to care. “I didn’t send Yunobo today. He could have used the experience, but he needs to learn to run the mines, too!”

“Of course,” Zelda agreed, though she wasn’t entirely sure what he was talking about. Yunobo, Daruk’s descendant, was the other who Link suggested run the Divine Beast, but it sounded like the young Goron had a bit on his plate as it was.

Bludo patted Link hard on the shoulder before he huffed his way towards Impa.

An intrigued smile passed over Zelda as she realized just how much respect these leaders had for Link. Sure, he was the Hylian Champion, but he’d earned their trust since those days. He’d done deeds beyond selflessness. And that respect shone through a meeting intended for the leaders. It struck Zelda that in many ways, Link was far more the representative of Hyrule than she was.

Zelda thought she’d be done greeting the ambassadors, but there was one more. A Hylian.

A middle aged man, slightly shorter than Zelda, stepped up to her. He wore a green suit and a top hat over his greying ginger hair. His matching mustache was oddly crooked, as was his smile.

“Ah,” he cooed out in a voice that was already patronizing. “Zelda! What an honor.”

Zelda held out her hand, wary of him and his blatant lack of respect for her. The omission of any title spoke louder than she’d expected. She had almost expected that if there would be any resistance to her coming back to power, it would be from a Hylian in control, but still the appearance of a Hylian in apparent power surprised her a bit.

With forced politeness, Zelda smiled. “Thank you…”

“You can call me Chancellor Cole.”

“It’s very good to meet you, Cole,” she said, curious where the title ‘Chancellor’ had come from. Cole’s face turned red as he, too, struggled to keep his pleasant mask up.

Link chuckled, trying to keep his amusement to himself before extending his own hand. “We haven’t met. I’m Link.”

“Oh yes, Link and Zelda, the famous duo. It’s a pity you two couldn’t come to Hyrule’s aid sooner, then we could have avoided this pointless meeting.”

Though Zelda wanted nothing more than to slap some manners into the Chancellor, she bit back her words. There were some battles that weren’t worth wasting breath on. This man wanted to keep his power and he didn’t want any to stand in his way. It was clear, even now. 

Impa clapped her hands together and Cole turned away from them, taking his seat to watch Impa. “Very well, now that you are all here, let’s not waste any more time. Please, come inside. We have many matters to discuss today.”

Chapter Text

Impa was watching intently from the corner of the room as each leader of Hyrule entered. Though the Sheikah were among the race of Hylians, she herself was included in these talks as the leader of the Sheikah people. She was well acquainted with each representative, as she had been even before her appointment.

Though it had been some time since Impa had needed to involve herself with the politics of the entire kingdom, she felt oddly at home. Especially around Chancellor Cole. He was the most familiar kind of politician that she used to deal with every day. As a Hylian, she knew where his concerns would lie, and as a schemer, she knew how he’d try to turn thoughts in his favor.

She was most apprehensive about the new Gerudo Chief. The girl was younger than Zelda and had barely had any time to be trained by her mother for leadership. As a young girl still learning the ropes, Riju was Impa’s biggest concern. It was the warrior whispering confidences in her ear. Impa would have no idea what she’d be suggesting.

For years, she had been conversing with Boss Bludo, King Dorephin, and Chief Kaneli. They were all predictably unchanging in their ways. Dorephin would favor peace, but since the death of his daughter Mipha, he would never put another race’s problems ahead of the Zora’s again. His son would be required to act on his father’s behalf, and she had a sinking suspicion that since life was about to return to a time of peace, Dorephin was about to seriously reassess his view on the world.

 Kaneli and Bludo were older and favored isolation. They’d both grown up in the Age of Burning Fields and the Time of Calamity. If things were to change, it would have to be when their successors took over. They still had strong trade routes as their primary communication with other people of Hyrule, but they favored their isolationist ways.

Each of them sat on the ground with their guards around the room, with Riju and Buliara as the only exceptions; Buliara close to the new Chieftain at all times.

For Impa, Dorian and Cado took their places along the walls. Several armed members of each entourage followed suit, and Link moved from the Princess’s side to join the others as well. It surprised Impa to see him do so. It had to be more of an instinctive memory of habit. She’d fully expected him to take a seat, considering his close relations with the leaders and his service to Hyrule.

“Well,” Impa said again when everyone had settled. “Let us begin to address several of the matters at hand. I believe it goes without saying that we must acknowledge the defeat of the Calamity that has plagued us for the past century. Link, Hylian Champion and Goddess-Chosen, was chief among the players responsible for bringing each Divine Beast back into our control and saving someone who only few have met before.

“The last Crowned Royal of Hyrule, Princess Zelda, who became Queen Apparent following her father’s death, was responsible for sacrificing herself to hold Ganon back from our kingdom until Link could awaken. Both were instrumental in defeating the Calamity and restoring our land to a peace it hasn’t enjoyed in many an age.”

Everyone in the room clapped for the heroes, some bowing their heads in deep-seated reverence for the monarchy and the Goddesses. But others, like Chancellor Cole, simply watched and waited until the room died down.

“On that note,” Impa continued when the room had quieted, “May I introduce to most of you the Queen of Hyrule, Zelda. You may know the legend of Zelda, but most of you have never seen her in the flesh.”

“We have no queens or kings in Hyrule,” Cole spat. “Besides, you said yourself that she was never crowned as Queen, therefore, this Zelda holds no higher rank than any of us.”

“The title in question is one of the reasons you have all been brought here today,” Impa all but snapped back. “But, Chancellor Cole, you’d do well to respect the Goddesses’ Chosen, royal title or not.”

Cole sat back, arms crossed as he glared across the room at Zelda.

She watched his eyes bore into her. Though she tried to watch the reactions from the rest of the room, something about his eyes beckoned her to challenge him. She refused to look away.

Impa’s eyes uneasily darted between the two before she continued, hoping the topic change would ease the tension… at least for now.

“I believe the first matter of business that we have to discuss can be settled rather quickly. The Champion’s of Old have perished. Their spirits have moved on and passed into the Goddess’ hands. Now, these beasts need new masters.” She looked to Link, and he nodded. “Master Link and I have spoken. He and the Queen have spoken. Now it is time that we all speak. With the defeat of Calamity Ganon, it is unlikely that we will ever need to have use of these Beasts, but we must have some who are trained to pilot them again, just in case. I, for one, would like to never be caught off guard again. I believe we should allow each race to offer their own Champion’s name to succeed their predecessor.”

Immediately, a murmur came over the room as everyone began to speak at once.

Zelda could hear several names being shouted out, some fighting amongst themselves, others sitting silently, without opinion.

From the Zoras, several shouts of ‘Sidon’ were being contested by cries for ‘Dunma.’ Zelda’s ears perked at the suggestion, curious who this other Zora was.

“She’s young!” one Zora shouted. “And practically royal. Her lineage is pure, and her skill innumerable.”

“How can you suggest anyone other than the Champion’s own brother?” another asked. “It should be a true royal’s task!”

“True royal? Dunma is not even close! How could you put those two in the same sentence?”

“She is the granddaughter of Trello, one of our council members. Besides the royal family, he is of the highest order.”

“Royal blood was spilled to protect the Domain! We should honor Princess Mipha’s sacrifice by choosing Sidon!”

She could see Sidon’s face, a mask of stoicism, hoping not to betray an emotion either way. She had a feeling this was a difficult thing for him, both the role itself and his own masking of feelings. Something he’d have to get used to as the future royal.

Her ears wandered to the Rito, who’s quiet debate was harder to hear.

“We should elect several members, all of whom would be trained. One would take the primary role, and should anything happen, the next would succeed.”

“But who?”

“Of course it should be Teba. He fought with Master Link.”

“But Kass has also been a great help in fending off the Calamity.”

“Let’s not forget Harth!”

“We shall vote on each,” Harth said with a scowl. “Do not speak over one another.”

Zelda could hear no more of their hushed conversation, and turned to Riju and Buliara. Neither spoke to anyone, and Riju sat patiently, her eyes alight with amusement as she watched the chaotic room.

The Gorons were the loudest. Each shouted names at Boss Bludo, his own included, and he sat stoically, waiting to hear each name. Though Zelda recognized very few names at all, she did not hear Link’s suggestion, Yunobo, come up once.

And she turned to the Hylians last. They had no Divine Beast that needed piloting, and their Champion had resurrected from the dead. There was no need to replace him. She couldn’t tell if this pleased Cole, or if it made him angrier. His face was impossible to decipher.

After several more minutes of intense debating, the room began to quiet down, and Impa stepped forward with her hands raised. “Have you decided already?”

She looked first to Riju, who seemed to decide a long time ago.

Riju pushed her long red hair over her shoulder and adjusted the jewel on her head. “I will follow in Lady Urbosa’s footsteps. She proved it was not impossible to lead, deal with the Yiga threat, and maintain the Divine Beast. I will do no different, and it will always remain the Chief’s place to pilot Vah Naboris. Besides,” she said with a wink at Link, “I’ve been up close and personal with Naboris before. I’m not afraid of anything she might throw at me.” She sat back and crossed her arms. It was an opened and closed matter for her.

“Very well,” Impa said, pleased that it would be done so easily. She turned next to the Rito representative, Harth. “Have you decided?”

Harth stood up and bowed. “We have come up with a preliminary plan of action which we will bring to our Chief before we fully commit. Speculatively, we would appoint several Rito to learn about Vah Medoh, but there would be one Champion. Should that Champion fall, there will always be someone to take their place. The children will be trained young so they may grow up with Medoh as something other than a looming adversary, as most of us did.”

“Who, might I ask, do you have in mind?” Impa asked.

“Primary Champion would be Teba, ma’am, since he has fought beside Master Link with Medoh before. If he’s not willing, next would be Kass, then myself, then Huck, and Tulin.”

Zelda noticed the distinct lack of female names on the list. She had hoped that the Rito might progress further over the past 100 years, but apparently female warriors were still not permitted amongst the Rito.

Impa grunted in acknowledgement of their unofficial plan. There wasn’t much she could say. “Very well. And you?” she asked, looking at Sidon.

“Well,” Sidon said, his voice much more chipper than his downtrodden expression. “We have decided that it wouldn’t sit well with my father to leave Zora’s Domain without an heir should anything happen to me as it did my sister, so we have chosen Dunma as our Champion. She has accepted, and I, on behalf of my father, recognize his authority.”

Zelda turned to get a better look at the Zora he gestured towards. She was a strong, blue-finned Zora with her face steeled in a guard’s expressionless stare. But Zelda could see Link out of the corner of her eye, same expression, but his head moved side to side in barely noticeable disapproval.

“And you?” Impa asked, as she finally turned to the Gorons.

Bludo shakily stood to his feet, though his stature never wavered in the confidence of a young Goron warrior, despite his elderly age. “We have decided that Master Rohan would be best suited for the task. He is a legendary blacksmith among our people, and his skillset will be more than adequate for the role of piloting the Divine Beast!”

Zelda could see Link’s eyes close at the name, the unfamiliar name. Again, this wasn’t who Link thought was best suited for the role.

“Wait,” she found herself saying, despite herself. “Wait!”

The room turned its attention on her. The first thing she was saying to this room who would decide her fate would be something that went against two of the leaders. She wanted to bite her tongue, but her promise to Link echoed through her mind.

“I do not begin to question any of your choices, for I feel you know your people best. But, I was among those who first brought the Divine Beasts to life. We did not employ those who were young, or who were most skilled or capable to repair the Beasts. We chose warriors who were strong of heart. It was the heart of the champions that guided the Divine Beasts through the Calamity. I only ask that you are sure your choices are those who are strong of spirit as well.”

“Do you have a specific objection?” Cole asked with a smug grin. “You seemed awfully in denial of the Goron choice. Do you have anything against Master Rohan?”

Zelda shook her head, hoping her vigor assured Boss Bludo. “I know very few people, as I have only returned from the Spirit Realm recently and have yet to see this land. It very well may be that Master Rohan is the most capable, but I urge you to search within yourself to be sure these are your choices.”

Boss Bludo scratched his head, his eyes passing over each Goron. Finally, he turned to the Princess again, though his words were addressed to another in the room: “Brother, who do you believe bears the spirit of our fellow Brother, Daruk?”

Link stood against the wall with wide-eyes, not expecting the question. He almost needed it repeated, unsure it was meant for him, until Bludo’s gaze and his locked.

“I… uh…” Link started before clearing his throat. “Yunobo. His courage is on par with Daruk’s, though he hasn’t quiet found the belief in himself just yet to harness it with the same confidence that Daruk did.” He was about to stop, but something spurred his words on. “And Prince Sidon,” he said as he looked at the Zora’s, “Your sister knew the risks when she accepted the position as Champion. She knew it could leave your people with a new heir. And she loved you. Her spirit would choose you in a heartbeat to succeed her. While I have seen Dunma in action, and her talent is exceptional, not every warrior wields a weapon. Divine Beast Ruta doesn’t need to be piloted by a soldier, but by a leader.”

“How dare you,” Chancellor Cole balked. “You may be the Goddess-Chosen, but until late, you were an amnesiac with little more than a name. How dare you question the choices made by your betters? You’re a soldier, nothing more.”

Before anyone could respond, Zelda stood up. She winced as a feeling of pain radiated to her hand, and she gripped her palms together, trying to hold in the powers of the Goddess.

“Were you elected, Chancellor?”

Cole turned to her with wide eyes. “How dare you? You’re not queen here, and you do not inherently possess the right to insult those around you!”

From his response, Zelda guessed that somehow, he had not been elected. It had not been her intention to truly question his election, but to segue into a separate question. She couldn’t deny her satisfaction at that knowledge, however.

“Instead of simply enjoying the sound of your own voice, you may want to listen to yourself speak. Hypocrisy is an unflattering trait.” She fought back her grin when his mouth dropped into an O.

Cole went to speak again, but Zelda huffed, sitting back down in an attempt to calm herself. “Let me guess? ‘How dare I?’”

She could hear a snicker from Riju, one that made no attempt at discretion.

Otherwise, the room had become uncomfortably quiet. It was only when Boss Bludo had enough that he broke it. “Well, as a Champion yourself, and as a personal friend of the Great Daruk, I trust your opinion. The Goddesses act through her chosen ones. You won’t find me questioning their plan. I see no strength in Yunobo to lead, but perhaps Daruk’s successor can be unconventional, even if he is a direct descendant. I will do what I can to train the boy further.”

The room turned its attention to Sidon, as the other Champion put fourth by Link. Sidon smiled, a true smile this time. “I’d be quite honored, but with the matter of the line of succession in question, this is not a decision I can make as a proxy for my father. I can only authorize another to become Champion, but not myself.”

“Despite the lack of urgency surrounding this situation,” Impa interjected, “This is not a light decision. As the Rito will do, I urge you to take the matter to your King. It is enough for now to know that there are two candidates for Champion of Vah Ruta, and that either would be a strong choice.

“But let us move past this rather… inharmonious topic and shelf it for the time being. We shall accept Riju as the uncontested Champion for the Gerudos, and we await the responses from the others regarding their compliancy with the plan. Also, Riju, you mentioned the Yiga earlier. Were you aware of their continued efforts, despite the end of the Calamity?”

Riju sat back. “I had sent some of my warriors to their hideout which Link helped to flush out. It showed evidence of recent habitation, but I was unaware there was an incident post-Calamity. What was it?”

Impa turned to Link, her head gesturing for him to step forward.

He did and cleared his throat again. “The Pri—Queen—and myself were ambushed just three days ago. Yiga members claiming to be the children of Master Kogha said he was alive, and their mission was to eliminate the two of us to force the rebirth of Ganon.”

“I see they were unsuccessful. How did you manage?” Riju looked Link over slowly, then turned to assess Zelda.

Link could see that Zelda’s eyes had darkened, and she clutched her hand so tightly that the tops of her fingers had gone white.

“I killed one of the Yiga,” Link said quickly, though his eyes darted to Impa. She and Zelda were the only two in the room who knew he was lying, and neither said a word to contradict him.

Riju grinned, though it was like she knew something was suspicious about his tale. “And they were so frightened of your physical prowess that however-many zealots retreated and have yet to return?”

Link narrowed his eyes, though it was not without a hint of playfulness. “I cannot say why the other two retreated and have yet to return, but you’ve seen my skill with a sword, Chieftain. Would you, as a Yiga foot soldier, challenge the two people who defeated the Demon Lord after losing one of your own?”

Link could feel Chancellor Cole’s seething eyes boring into him, but his attention stayed on Riju. She sat forward this time, and she crossed her arms. “All three of these Yiga were Kohga’s children?”

“So they claimed.”

“Very well then,” she said, relaxing. “I will have my warriors search their hideout again. We will scour the desert, though I doubt they will call the same area home for a second time. I recommend to the others here that you begin to search for their new base. Their presence in your land will affect everything from peace of mind, to commerce on a day-to-day basis. Flushing them out of their safe spaces will be our priority.”

The others nodded in agreement.

“Then,” Sidon said, looking at Link, “It seems you and the Queen are in rather an amount of danger, my friend.”

“If they’re looking to kill her,” Bludo added, “They could easily do it at night, in her sleep, infiltrated by spies amidst who we believe are friends. We must be vigilant.”

“They have to kill Link, too,” Riju sniggered. “And I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”

Harth spoke for the first time in a while. “Is Link not Her Majesty’s Appointed Knight? He guarded her then, can this not happen now?”

“He was,” Sidon said. “They came to Zora’s Domain together when I was a child, and from what I remember, the arrangement kept them both safe.”

“Both?”

“Yes, I remember Mipha telling me a story about Link attacking a Lynel…”

“Stop!” Zelda said suddenly, standing up again. She could see Cole’s satisfied smile at her second outburst. “Link is not my Appointed Knight. He fulfilled his duty to me 100 years ago. The appointment was until his death. I cannot ask for any more than he has already given: his life. I am not his responsibility.”

Link stepped forward, “Do I have no say in this?”

Zelda shook her head and lowered her voice so only he could hear. “Not this time. I will not allow you to die for me again. This time, your life is yours. I’m gifting you with your freedom. I couldn’t offer you that when my father kept you from living your own life to protect mine.”

The room was in a commotion again, discussion ways to keep the two of them safe and to prevent the rise of a second Calamity. No one could hear their hushed conversation. But when Link pulled out the Master Sword and dropped to his knee, laying the sword on the ground.

The room instantly fell silent, and all eyes and ears had turned towards them.

Link kept his head bowed as he spoke. “Your Majesty, you say I was released from your service upon my death, but I do not feel dead. Not yet. So as I breathe today, I’d offer myself back into your service. Not at the order of a king, but of my own free will.”

Zelda looked around. It would be impossible to deny his request, especially with everyone’s concern for potential for the Second Calamity should they both die. A public spectacle, she thought wryly. He knew exactly what he was doing.

“Very well, then, but I will amend the terms we had once set. You are released from you vow of service not with your death, but whenever you choose to leave.”

Zelda offered him her hand and he stood. The room began to liven up once more.

Link leaned closer to Zelda, a smug grin planted firmly on his lips. “You’re stuck with me now, Princess. I don’t think I’ll choose to leave my position anytime soon.”

Zelda scowled. “You just gave up your chance at a normal life! Now you’ll be stuck guarding doors and following me around. I tried to give you a chance.”

Link picked up the Master Sword and sheathed it. “No, you gave me a choice.”

The noise died down again, and Link moved back to the wall.

“Well,” Impa called out with a satisfied grin on her face, “That was quite the turn of events. I believe that can be summed up as each of us sending out teams to find the location of the new Yiga hideout. We cannot allow any harm to befall the Goddesses’ Chosen, and we must try to find some logic behind the rebirth of the Calamity. This will spread, and it will cause panic. We must work to quash that fear before it becomes our new way of life.”

Chancellor Cole couldn’t sit still any longer. “What is this Zelda to us, then? Does she send out her people to find the Yiga? Well, her ‘people’ seems to be Link. You call her ‘Queen,’ but what is she queen of? Hyrule is a republic, a democracy!”

Zelda shifted uncomfortably. She didn’t want to force a reign on anyone, especially if the people no longer wanted it.

“That’s untrue,” Sidon said. “I am a prince; my father is a king. Our subjects do not choose us.”

“Your people always worked counter to Hyrule. Your father was king when her father was. Whose authority do your people bow to, in the end? Your sister died because your father answered to the King of Hyrule, not his own authority. And I know King Dorephin has been looking for ways to officially cede from Hyrule.”

Sidon’s flesh turned redder than usual. “My sister died for this kingdom, not because of a political miscalculation.”

“Besides,” Cole continued, as if he’d never heard Sidon, “When was the last lone Queen to rule Hyrule? Her own parents were made to marry before assuming the throne. There have always been two figures to wear the crowns. No one monarch reigned alone in centuries.”

Zelda sat up. “What?”

“If you were to be monarch, you would need to be married!”

Zelda scoffed. “You’re archaic, Chancellor. Besides, you either you want me on the throne, or you want me to stand aside. You cannot have it both ways.”

“She does not need to marry, Chancellor,” Riju said with exasperation. “But she does need a decision.”

Zelda turned to the young girl. “Hyrule as a democracy is unfamiliar to me, and I am equally unfamiliar to its people. Let me meet them. Let me see this kingdom as it is now. And let the people decide whether or not they’ll have me as their Queen.”

Cole fumed in protest. “That would take some time. Besides, the people elected me and these others to serve as their leaders. They will not vote to oust their choices in favor of a stranger.”

This time, it was Zelda who ignored Cole. “With the support of the leadership here, I’d like to be given a chance to speak to the people of Hyrule, and to understand what it is they’d want. I want them to know that my rule wouldn’t mean that any of you would be removed. I want them to vote.”

“That’s preposterous!” Cole exclaimed.

“Why?” Zelda asked. “Do you not trust your citizens to decide what’s best for themselves?”

“Of course not,” Cole hissed. He lowered his voice, his eyes narrowing at her. “But I do fear for your safety. The Yiga are no joke. I would hate to see something happen to you before any coronation.”

“Threats don’t frighten me, Chancellor. I look forward to hearing what Hylians think of you.”

Cole snorted and turned on his heels. “I suppose we’re done here. Send word if there is anything else, but my people need me to return. I’ll share with them the wonderful news. Guards!”

As they left, Zelda let out her breath that she didn’t realize she’d been holding. And with a glance at Link, whose hand was hovering just over his sword, she wasn’t sure that the Yiga would be the only threat to her life.

Chapter Text

Zelda couldn’t wait until the room cleared out later that night. It had been stifling being surrounded by so many curious eyes. While she was familiar with curious gazes, even disdainful looks, she’d never been looked at like she was a legend, some fact about life that had been made up in order to make sense of the world. She was the one who sealed the Calamity. She was a legend.

It wasn’t until she was left alone with Impa, Paya, and Link that she felt some sort of normalcy again. Granté returned to join them and sat on the ground, fiddling with a piece of armor from the shop that had broken. He tinkered with it as he spoke. “Did that go as expected?” he asked without looking up or stopping his work.

Zelda leaned against the wall and sighed. “No. I didn’t expect that from Chancelor Cole. I didn’t expect such little resistance from the others at the possibility of a return of the monarchy. And I certainly didn’t expect Link to swear himself to a princess with no kingdom.”

Link shrugged, looking much more comfortable than he had before. “Technically, you’re a queen without a kingdom. But that’s temporary.”

Zelda smiled at him. “You’re just getting yourself in line to be in my eventual good graces so I’ll remember the nice things you did for me when I had nothing, aren’t you?”

He laughed. “You’ve figured me out. And I thought I’d hidden my ulterior motive so well.”

Paya looked uncomfortably between them. “You’ve sworn yourself to her again? Against the Yiga? Master Link, you must be careful. Outside Kakariko, the Yiga are everywhere.”

Zelda watched Link curiously as his eyes darted quickly to the Sheikah man guarding the door. It was fast, almost imperceptible, but she saw.

“I’ve fought my share of Yiga. I remember fighting some before the Calamity, I’ve fought them after. Your best guards are here, and you’ll be safe. The princess and I will be safe. Soon, the kingdom will be safe. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Zelda turned to the guard, watching him squirm uncomfortably for a moment before he regained his composure.

“Do you plan to return home anytime soon, Master Link?” Granté asked, bringing Zelda’s attention back to the group. “The Queen is expected there by my father and Dr. Purah. They’ll want to try some things for her powers. I don’t know exactly what.”

“Home?” Zelda asked. “Castle Town?”

Link’s eyebrows shot up. “Is that where I lived before?” Zelda nodded, and Link continued, though the thought seemed to swirl in his mind longer than he let on. “No, I have a home in Hateno.”

“You do? When did you find the time to buy a home?”

Link scoffed playfully and leaned back. “Princess, I had time to build a whole town. The house was nothing.”

“And all while I held back Calamity Ganon.” There was no malice in her words, only humor. She knew Link woke up without his full strength, and he couldn’t have been expected to power through every single day for months on end. There had to be breaks. He had to breathe, after all.

Impa shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Link, are you going to go to Hateno with the queen anytime soon?”

Link’s eyes drifted to Zelda’s expectantly. She realized that it was her turn to make the decision. “I think we can accompany Granté home. We can see how Purah and Robbie are, though it won’t have been all that long.”

“It took my father almost 70 years to perfect his anti-Guardian Armor, but once he did, it was nearly flawless and could have been mass-produced for soldiers if it wasn’t so expensive to make. He understands ancient tech probably better than the Sheikah who developed it in the first place. He already has an idea, if not a prototype, I can promise you that.”

“That sounds very much like the Robbie I remember,” she said with a smile. “I suppose we’ll start showing my face in Hateno, then. Is that where Cole is from, or does he rule elsewhere?” There was some venom to her words, and they it didn’t go unnoticed.

Impa sat down, followed quickly by Paya. “Chancellor Cole may be cold, but he has done a great deal for Hyrule. He wasn’t elected, but he took Chancellor Pane’s position upon his murder. Many thought it was Cole, many thought it was a Yiga attack. Many others thought it was a combination of those two. But whatever it was, Cole assumed power and brought protection to Hylians. He reinstated the soldiers of Hyrule, scattered though they may be, and he funded the reconstruction of many settlements. After the Calamity, Hyrule was too poor to afford reconstruction in many places, bridges, trade routes, homes. He began to rebuild, though no one ever asked where the funds came from. We were too concentrated on the new booming economy that grew from it. He chose to travel to each Hylian territory rather than living in one settlement, as his predecessors did. Chancellor Pane’s home was destroyed by Guardians shortly before his death, so the Guardians have been terrorizing any attempt to rebuild the Hylian territories. He earned a lot of favor through his methods.”

“What made him become so… distasteful?” Zelda asked after struggling for polite words.

Granté shrugged. “He’s never been the most pleasant person, from what I hear. This is only the second time I’ve seen him. He is always on the move, but he’s never come to Tarrey Town.”

“Knowing my role in it,” Link said with a shrug, “He might never visit.”

“Impa,” Zelda asked, “Do you think befriending him is an option? Would he change his mind and support my claim?”

Impa shook her head slowly. “I don’t believe he would. But I’ve seen some surprising things in my days. The return of the Goddesses’ Chosen among them.” She glanced out the window at the moon. The meeting had run longer than she expected. “Cole, Harth, and Bludo have all headed back out with their retinues. Prince Sidon and Lady Riju are staying the night before heading out in the morning. Scouts tell me that there are still many dangers in the waters leading to Zora River, and the Prince would prefer to opt for safety. Lady Riju simply has too long of a journey.”

Zelda nodded, knowing that Impa was urging her to speak with them before they left in the morning.

“You may find,” Impa continued, “That you and Link can no longer travel as inconspicuously as you used to. These Yiga are a threat to you both, and the road is still dangerous with the remains of Ganon’s followers. I will insist that you take some of my warriors with you. You might find it suits you to have a diverse travelling party as well.”

Scoffing, Zelda stood up. “I’ll be like my father. Surrounded by guards with rarely a moment’s peace.”

“If you wish to be Queen, then you must learn to move your life around these inconveniences.”

Brushing herself off, Zelda looked at the door, picturing everyone standing in the room once again. “Should I be Queen, Impa? It seems you have things working for you now.”

“We have held things together, but it has not been easy. A transition again will be difficult for the people, admittedly, but uniting Hyrule under one leader, as it always has been, is better than scattered fractions doing as they please for the good of themselves, not the realm. I believe a united Hyrule is what we need most right now. And I believe you are the one to lead us from the time of the Great Calamity.”

Zelda sighed and looked around the room, careful not to let her eyes rest on any one person for too long. “I suppose I’ve always been so single minded in my mission that I never dreamed what would come next.”

“As have we all, Highness.”

“Link? Are you coming to see Prince Sidon and Lady Riju?” Zelda asked as she headed for the door. “You know them better than I.”

“Of course,” he said, following her out. He would have followed anyway.

Zelda quickly crossed from the main house to the inn. It was packed, and the noise from inside could be heard almost as soon as they left Impa’s.

“Did you get close to either of them?” Zelda asked before they reached the door.

“Both of them, actually. If it weren’t for these two, you wouldn’t be standing here today. I needed them both to get into the Divine Beasts. I’m a bit closer to Riju than Sidon, though. She had me running all over the desert doing tasks so I could borrow the Thunder Helm. I still have to return that, actually. But it brought me to the desert more often than I was at the Domain.”

Zelda grabbed Link by the arm, a curious expression cast across her face. “How did you get inside and do these tasks and meet with her so often? Have the rules regarding admittance to voe changed?”

He smirked. “No.”

Walking backwards, he shoved his hands into his pockets and watched her expression change as she tried to figure it out. It took a lot to stifle his laughter, but he managed before they reached the door.

“Hey, hero!” said several Zoras as they passed by. Some called out his name, and he waved fondly at them. And it wasn’t long before Gerudo mulled around as well, greeting him more stiffly, but never unkindly.

When Buliara came into view guarding a door beside a Zora, Link motioned for Zelda to follow.

“Can we see Riju and Sidon?”

“It’s alright, Buliara,” called a voice from inside. Without a word, the Gerudo guard stepped aside.

Link and Zelda stepped inside and saw Sidon and Riju sitting at a table, their heads bowed in hushed conversation.

“Link,” Riju said with a smile. “And the Queen of Old! Can a humble Gerudo chief like me be any more honored?”

“You should be honored,” Link jested, sitting down beside them. Zelda watched with interest at his casual movements, nothing at all like she’d been used to. He leaned back comfortably in the chair. “We’re legends.”

Riju rolled her eyes and bowed her head to Zelda. “But it is truly an honor to be with the great Urbosa’s most respected friend.”

Carefully, Zelda took the last seat. “And I too feel honored to sit with her descendant, as well as you, Prince Sidon. You were much younger when last we met.”

“I do truly remember you and Link from when you both last visited the Domain. I have fond memories of Master Link”

Link’s brows knitted, and he tensed. “You did know me, didn’t you? Would you happen to know where my father is buried? I’ve regained a few memories by visiting sites that held a great meaning to me. I’d like to see what else I can remember. I hadn’t thought to ask when I was there last, but with the Calamity gone…”

Sidon but his hand dramatically against his chin, though Zelda could tell that most things he did were decidedly exaggerated, not mocking. “I can’t say I do. But my father would. When you come to visit the Domain next, you should ask him yourself. He’ll help, if he knows.”

“Thank you, Sidon.”

“Where are you off to first?” Riju asked.

Link looked to Zelda, though the question had been addressed to him.

“Hateno. From there, I see no reason why we couldn’t head to the Domain. It’s still close, right? No paths have been destroyed?”

“Some were, but we’ve since fixed them. Link should know the way.” Sidon smiled at both of them. He was much more positive than Mipha had been, though she was never a pessimist, Sidon seemed like there was nothing that could down his day.

“That’s good. We need this travelling party, then, and we can head out in the morning.”

“If Impa can gather everyone in time,” Link mumbled.

“What’s this?” Riju asked.

Link leaned forward against the table, like he was telling a great secret. “Well, Impa is insisting that the Princess has more protection, especially with the Yiga threat. Since they haven’t gone back to the desert, we don’t know where they are and there is just too much ground for me to cover alone. For all we know, they could be under the Domain.”

Zelda glanced at him. He could feel her eyes on him and turned to her with a wink before looking back at the two leaders.

“I can’t do everything alone anymore. It’s not realistic that I can freely travel Hyrule and look for clues.”

Riju narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms. She could see exactly what he was getting at, but it would benefit them both in the long run. “I can spare most of the guards I brought with me. They will report everything they see back to me, and if need be they’ll break off to check out any possible Yiga locations. When you come to persuade my people, they’ll be swapped out by my next best guards until we eliminate the Yiga Clan for good. Is that acceptable?”

Zelda’s eyebrows raised. “Y-yes.”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll leave some of my warriors behind when we leave tomorrow.” Riju turned to Sidon, waiting for his move.

Sidon begrudgingly nodded his head. “I will as well. But I must express to you that it is not in the same spirit that Lady Riju leaves her warriors. My father will want to strengthen ties with a prosperous nation. Once Hyrule becomes great again under your rule, he will want you to know that we were with you when you were down. Since the death of my sister, he has created many Hylian enemies for himself, and it is only since Master Link’s reappearance that he has begun to mend any of them. Without conferring with my father, I already know his plan. I will be used in his game and be put forth as a suitor for you, as will many others. I offer you these soldiers as a part of that understanding before it has even been brought to your attention. But know that it will be a point for discussion when you arrive.”

Riju laughed. “Your potential bride is speechless, Sidon.”

Zelda shook her head. “I cannot accept them, then. I won’t create an arrangement like that. I don’t even have a formal throne! I haven’t accepted—”

“Your Highness,” Sidon said, raising his hand. “I am not proposing. Not yet. I expect nothing in return. But this will be expected of me. And it’s expected of you to accept my soldiers. Our fathers were once friends, and the benefits to both our people were immense. I’d like us to be friends, regardless. Please accept them as a token of friendship, if nothing else.”

Zelda let out a long sigh and shook her head, exasperated. She turned to Link, who was rather fixated on a small piece of wood that had splintered up from the table.

“Sidon, I’d love for us to be friends. Truly. But not if it’s conditional on marriage.”

“It might not be. I will not move you like a pawn, or pretend that this would be anything other than an attempt to heal a century of mistreatment and mistrust of Hylians by my people. We will need to reestablish relations with yours, and my father will try to see to this.”

In an instant, Riju leaned over the table and pulled out the piece of wood that had Link’s attention, tossing it to the ground. Her smug expression was unmistakable as she forced Link’s head up.

But she turned her attention to Zelda. “You should have been born a Gerudo. No Chancellor, or old tradition would ever dictate how I rule. I support you, Highness, with or without a marriage arrangement. Even if my people pushed me to marry the Hylian Champion, I’d decline.”

Zelda turned her attention back to Link. Without any strange item to distract him, he looked completely flushed. He cleared his throat and tried to maintain as much cool composure as he could. “I’m that bad, huh?”

Riju laughed. “You’d be horrible! For one, you wouldn’t be allowed inside my home. My husband, Gerudo King, stuck living in Kara Kara Bazaar!”

“The objection wouldn’t happen to be that you’re young enough to be my great granddaughter, give or take 100 years,” he said, finally managing to laugh.

Rolling her eyes, Riju shook her head. “You older men are always looking for someone younger!” She leaned forward, her eyes drifting quickly to and from Zelda. “Find someone your own age.”

Riju’s tone was playful, and her expression revealed her intent to instigate a rise from someone, most likely Link, given her attention on him, like what a younger sister might do to her older sibling. Her demeanor changed, and she seemed more relaxed, more smug, like she’d seen what she wanted. Zelda could feel Riju’s eyes on her, and suddenly, Zelda wished there was a piece of the table sticking out near her so she might distract herself.

Would Cole or another faction force a marriage on both of them? Was that just another sacrifice she’d have to make for Hyrule? Like her father and mother did before her, and countless generations before them?

“She’s gone all serious now, Sidon. Look what you’ve done,” Riju scolded. “Go back to being your fun self!” She hit Sidon in the arm, and he winced.

“No,” Zelda said. “I’m sorry. It wasn’t you. I just realized… I realized how… unprepared I am. My father had me train to defeat the Calamity, but I learned so little of what’s to come next. I was just caught off guard. And Sidon, thank you for your soldiers. And you as well, Riju.”

She stood up, followed quickly by Link, Riju, and Sidon. “It’s late and I don’t want to keep you. Link, you can stay if you’d like.”

“I’ll head back, too.”

Riju bowed her head. “Highness. I’ll send my troops to Impa in the morning. And I look forward to your visit to Vah Naboris and my people.”

Sidon bowed as well. “Your Majesty, I’m sorry for the discomfort I caused. I was only trying to prepare you. My soldiers are yours. Until we meet again at Zora’s Domain.”

“Again, thank you both. I look forward to speaking with you more leisurely when I come to you. Thank you for making the trip out here as well.”

Zelda bolted for the door, and she could feel Link close at her heels. She needed the air and welcomed it as it whipped against her face with a hard slap as she all but ran into the night chill. Making a b-line for the small goddess statue in the center of the small pool, Zelda could feel her knees weakening as her head spun.

Lowering herself in front of the statue, she gripped her head. Though she lifted her eyes to the Goddess statue, her words were addressed to Link. “She’s got this all figured out. How old is she?”

Link crouched in front of her. “I don’t know. Thirteen maybe?”

“Thirteen? She knows what’s expected of me. The world knows, and there isn’t even a monarchy anymore. How could I be so stupid? I didn’t prepare for this.”

Link shrugged and sat down beside her. “You don’t have to do anything. No one really knows what to expect from a monarch anymore. Cole will push your buttons, but you can push his back. And Sidon is just trying to be helpful. He’s a prince of a people who are currently our reluctant allies, but he’s got you interests at heart. He is just trying to prepare you for your visit with his father and what will likely happen so you will already know your answer.”

Zelda just sighed, aware of this but unsure what to do with the information. “I was naïve, Link. I spent the past 100 years wrapped in visions of our past. I watched our lives intertwine across a hundred lifetimes. I saw my family rise and fall through countless generations. I saw myself die and live. But none of it prepared me for what I would do, and I never once tried to think of the future. I need a plan. I need to go to the people with a solid plan for what’s to come and what I can offer them.”

“Your hands,” Link said calmly, though his body tensed.

Zelda looked down to see them glowing, and she clenched her fists together. “Not again. No. It’s fine. I’ll control it.”

The light dimmed until it was almost nothing, but the pounding in Zelda’s head said otherwise.

“I know someone in Hateno, someone who I think can really help you come up with a plan. He’s smart, a brilliant mind, but he takes convincing. Money, materials. But he can help you rebuild, if that’s what you want.”

Nodding, Zelda pushed her hair from her face. “What’s his name?”

“Bolson.”

Chapter Text

The next morning was a blur of activity.

 Zelda grabbed all of the clothes she’d been lent and tossed them into a travel bag. She glanced over at the mess in the house and was glad she hadn’t caused most of it. Paya had been more than a little excited and nervous when Impa informed her that she’d be visiting her aunt while they were in Hateno.

When all of her things had been packed, she went over to Paya and knelt beside her, folding a pair of pants for her.

“Oh, thank you, Your Highness. It’s been so long since I last left Kakariko, I’m not entirely sure what to bring!”

Zelda continued to fold the clothes in front of her. “Bring whatever you think you’ll need. If you forget something, I’m sure Purah will have something for you to borrow. Besides… her clothes don’t quite fit now anyway.”

Paya almost laughed, but her face turned serious instead. “What could Aunt Purah have been thinking, trying something that dangerous on herself? Did you know that she didn’t tell any of us what she did? She just disappeared. She sent letters telling us how engrossed she was in her research so no one would come looking for her, but we didn’t know what had happened until she came down to see you.”

Zelda made a face. “She’s always been… devoted to her work. It doesn’t seem like that’s changed too much.”

Paya packed the last of her clothes into her bag and sat still for a moment. “I want to help her. But I wasn’t trained to be a scientist. I follow my grandmother’s path, not my aunt.”

Zelda stood up and offered Paya her hand. “I have a great love for all scholarly things, but I am not practiced in them. Not like Robbie or Purah. Still, they let me help them and they let me learn. I believe that something about my contribution impacted the events of the Calamity, for better or for worse. You don’t have to be the one doing the building or the experimenting to make a difference, Paya.”

The young Sheikah smiled. “I’ll offer my help to Aunt Purah, then. Perhaps there is something I can do.”

“I’m sure there is.”

The two girls headed down the steps and Zelda pulled the door open. She was surprised to see someone’s back instead of a clear view of the village outside.

“Link?” she asked.

He turned to face her and nodded to both of them.

“What are you doing?”

Link made a face, like it had been a stupid question. “Guarding your door?”

“Yes, but why?”

“I…” Link stopped, now looking confused himself. “Impa told me this is what I used to do. Is this not exactly right?”

A small smile started to creep across Zelda’s face as she nodded. “No, you’re doing it right. Maybe not in the doorway though.”

Zelda could see Link in his Champion’s tunic, as he was now, but instead of Kakariko, he was standing in the hallway outside her room at the palace. Towards the end, when the Calamity was close and Yiga threats were everywhere, Link had chosen not to return to the barracks, taking a great deal of liberty with his sleep in order to stay close. There had been times when she’d sit with him in the hall just to enjoy his company for a few hours more. And the pang of loss for that Link hit Zelda hard. She missed those nights where it had just been the two of them together, laughing or joking or even sitting in companionable silence.   

It was almost as if Link could tell that her mind was wandering back again, back to a time that was long gone.

“Princess?” he asked.

It was enough to bring her back, to see him in Kakariko once again.

“Sorry,” she muttered, adjusting the bag in her hand.

Link reached out and grabbed the bag from her, slinging it over his shoulder before offering his hand out to Paya as well. She handed him her bag and he made a show of it seeming heavy.

“Did you pack rocks, Paya?” he asked with a laugh.

Though she turned slightly red, she and Zelda followed Link to the horses. “No; I did pack quite a few books. I wanted to be sure I could record everything while I was away.”

Zelda chuckled to herself. “You remind me of me. I used to carry a journal everywhere. I don’t even know what happened to it, but I kept all my findings in them. I had a shelf that I kept each entry when I filled up the book.”

“It’s on your desk,” Link said, stopping her.

“What?”

Link strapped Paya’s bag to her horse, securing it before turning back to Zelda. “It’s in your room at the castle still, on your desk in your study. It was open.”

A giddy laugh burst from Zelda’s lips, and she tried to cover her mouth to stop another outburst. “It’s still there? My things?”

Link cocked his head to the side, not wanting her to be too excited. “I don’t remember your room before, Princess, but I can tell you it’s in a far worse state now. I don’t know what didn’t survive, but your most recent journal, your diary, some weapons, a flower, books… a lot did make it.”

“By the Goddesses! I can’t believe it! My journals! My diary! You read it, didn’t you?”

Link scoffed as he moved to Cloud and strapped the bag tightly down. “It was open.”

Zelda rolled her eyes. If it had been 100 years ago, she’d be beyond infuriated that he’d read her diary or gone through her things. But as it was, there were worse things.

“Wait, a flower?” Zelda could almost remember seeing Link in her room. It had been a brief glance, a moment in time that passed both quickly and slowly while she’d been in the Sacred Realm holding Ganon back. But she could remember him finding it… and she remembered receiving the flower as well… a birthday present… from Link. “Was it a Silent Princess?”

Stopping, Link turned to her and nodded. “Flowers don’t last 100 years. Was it enchanted?”

Zelda looked quickly at Paya, and she could see the Sheikah girl was uncomfortable. Zelda cleared her throat and shrugged. “Perhaps. Maybe my spirit was protecting it. Those are my favorites, after all.” Zelda gestured to the pack on the back of Cloud. “Thank you.”

“Of course.”

All three of them were silent as they stood around the horses.

Zelda could see the promised troops standing around. One Sheikah woman caught her eye.

Standing next to Granté, a woman about his age was locked in the most intense conversation with him. Her white hair was ornately done, like Paya’s, and she had two small daggers through her belt. Zelda could only assume she was joining them.

“What’s going on there?” Zelda asked Paya as the three turned in obvious unison.

Paya covered her mouth and suppressed a giggle. “That’s Lasli. She works at Enchanted, the clothing store here. It’s not surprising that she and Granté are talking. I’m sure it has to do with armor.”

“Is this something that’s been going on?” Zelda asked, simply out of curiosity.

“There’s no way,” Link commented, crossing his arms with a grin of approval on his face. “Her grandmother has her under a curfew at night and she works all day. Granté lives in Tarrey Town.”

“She can’t be coming, Nanna would never allow it,” Paya whispered.

“It might be my fault,” Link admitted. He turned away, facing the two girls instead of Lasli. “I caught her some fireflies because she missed them. Her grandmother basically locks her inside at night. I encouraged her to go back out, especially after the Calamity was over.”

Paya nodded, though she didn’t seem to be agreeing that it was Link’s fault she was joining them. “Everyone in town was so frightened after Dorian’s wife was murdered, but it was a long time ago. Grandmother tried to encourage everyone to move past it, but many of those with children or grandchildren were cautious. I was, despite Grandmother’s insistence.”

Zelda couldn’t help as her mind wandered again. She thought of Link and all the things he’d done for everyone here. She wondered how many secrets he knew, and who he truly trusted here.

“Who else is coming with us that you recognize?” she asked to Paya instead.

Paya pointed to two of the older guards. Even Zelda recognized them as being around Impa often, among her best. “That’s Steen and Olkin. Besides Dorian, you won’t find more skilled warriors here.”

Link squinted at the Zora’s who were waiting, talking with each other. He chuckled happily to himself. “Gaddison and Rivan are over there, and Torfeau is behind them.”

“Gaddison and Rivan? I’ve met them before. Though, last I saw Gaddison was the day the Champions fell.”

“Truly?” Paya asked, looking between all of them. Sometimes, it struck her hard just how many years really separated them.

“Yes.”

Link peered closer at the Gerudos and smirked. “Riju left us with Barta. She’s a troublemaker, but she means well. Then I can see Dorrah, Babi, and Marta. Very good warriors, all of them. You weren’t cheated of skill.”

“That’s kind of them.”

“It shows their faith in you,” he said before stepping away. “Do you mind if I say hello to Rivan and Gaddison?”

“Of course. Send my regards and I’ll formally say hello myself in a bit.”

Link took off towards his old friends, leaving Paya and Zelda alone.

“Are you excited, Paya?”

“Very, actually. I feel much as, I’m sure, Lasli feels: frightened and excited.”

Zelda eyed Paya’s pack. “You must take good notes. I intend to copy some from you when I get my books back.”

Paya grinned. “I have an empty spare. Several are here, actually, and one is in my bag. You may have it and take your own notes that I will need to copy off of you.”

Perking up instantly, Zelda wasn’t about to politely refuse that offer. “Thank you, Paya. I’ll gladly accept.” She thought of Link saying her old journals were intact. “You may have my old ones once we collect them. I’m sure they’ll be safe with you.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty! I’ll treasure them.”

Zelda made a face. “You wouldn’t want to call me ‘Zelda’ by chance, would you?”

Paya’s eyes widened in horror. “No. I couldn’t.”

“Anything less formal, then?”

Paya’s brows knitted together as she thought. “I don’t know what’s suitable to call a queen. I’ve heard highborns called ‘My Lady.’”

Zelda smirked. “Start there. We’ll get you to call me Zelda yet.”

The journey to Hateno Village was longer than Zelda thought it would be. Having a large travelling company meant that they had to go slower overall, and when they passed by another traveler, they were met with superstition or disbelief.

For many, the day-to-day activities didn’t change just because the Calamity had been vanquished. Trade went on as usual, and the road was more occupied than she’d anticipated.

Yet, as busy as the roads were now, they were nowhere near what they’d been 100 years ago. Along this same path, she used to see soldiers and travelers passing through Fort Hateno on a daily basis. Now, there were a few crumbled homes and villages along the way, some she recognized, and some she didn’t. None had survived.

What she didn’t expect to see was the massive towers that had popped up all over Hyrule. Though she’d vaguely noticed them on her trip to the Temple of Time, it wasn’t until she was leisurely riding just underneath one that she truly realized just how magnificent they were.

“When did this happen?” she asked to no one in particular.

Link was the first to jump in. “When I met your father’s spirit when I first woke, he had me activate the towers with the Sheikah Slate. Each tower gave me some unique information, and a pretty great view.”

“You’ve climbed them?” Her eyes widened as she took in the great height. It was a straight vertical climb, not like a mountain.

“See all of those pieces jutting out? They’re sturdy and great as a place to catch your breath.” Link chuckled and shook his head at her. “You have a thing for heights, don’t you?”

Zelda laughed, thinking how she’d stand on the rooftop of Hyrule Castle if she were able. And she thought about each of the most incredible views she’d seen. Each one with Link by her side. “I suppose I do. My father used to forbid me from climbing anything. He did everything he could to protect me.”

She turned back to Link, but he was silent, watching her with a strangely intense look on his face. Zelda had to fight not to turn red under his scrutiny.

“What is it?”

He moved Catherine closer to her, further from prying ears. But she noticed that he was also a bit pink. “It’s nothing. Just… your laugh. It’s familiar. I mean, you’ve laughed since the Calamity, but right now… it’s just…different. Like I can hear you in a memory.”

She turned her face away, biting back a full-faced grin. Instead, she tried to keep her cool. She didn’t want to scare Link away, but she wanted to know more.

“Do you remember any of the good times we shared, Link? Every time you reveal what you remember, something horrible had just happened.”

When she turned back to him, he could see that her eyes were hopeful. She wasn’t asking to shame him for his lack of happy tales, but hoped that he still knew of some.

“Do you remember trying to force-feed me a frog?”

“Oh Goddess!” she balked, letting out a loud string of laughter that echoed throughout the entire travelling party. Every eye was on her. “You had to remember that moment! And if you recall, you made me drop the frog as well!” And then, in their playful struggle, she’d fallen onto Link.

“I remember,” Link said with a distant smile.

She rode ahead of him, just slightly, to hide her ever-redder face.

Soon enough, Hateno was in view and there was a large welcoming party at the gate. She recognized Robbie, Purah, and Jerrin in the front, though the rest of the faces were a sea of mystery. Her Gerudo warriors rode ahead to check the place out while Zelda and the rest of the company dismounted to meet the welcoming group.

“Purah, Robbie!” Zelda said as she raced to meet her friends’ arms first. She moved from Purah to Robbie and even politely hugged Jerrin.

“Princess!” Purah shouted. Zelda realized it drew a lot of attention to her from the villagers, as if they weren’t used to seeing her—though Zelda later realized that they simply weren’t used to seeing her young. “Check it, you’re here!”

Robbie sighed at Purah, but scooted past her to reach his son, who’d gone straight to his mother. Paya also ran forward, though she slowed as soon as she reached her aunt.

Zelda tried to look past them for the sake of a private moment for the family reunions, but she was also desperate to see everything. She wanted to know how different or similar the place and the people were.

She only spoke after a long while, once their hasty conversations to catch up had ended.  “How’s progress coming along?” she asked.

Robbie let go of Granté and patted Zelda’s shoulder. “You haven’t changed a bit! Why don’t you set your things down before you begin inspecting our research?”

“You have to tell me something,” she tried.

But Robbie just laughed. “Nice one, but no. Put your things away. They set up the houses near Link’s for all of you, which are all for sale so they’re unoccupied.”

Zelda didn’t quite know what that meant, given that she didn’t know where Link lived, so she nodded. It sounded reasonable.

“Link?” she asked.

“I’ll show you.”

He moved to the front of the caravan of warriors and led them up a hill, but a young boy ran up to him, following beside the group.

“Is she really a Princess, Link?”

Link glanced at Zelda and nodded. “She’s got magic, too. And she’s over 100 years old, like me!”

The boy’s eyes widened as he gawked at her. “Geez, Lady Princess, you don’t look 100. And you don’t look like a magic fairy either!”

With a massive amount of effort, Zelda focused all of her attention on the power inside of her and raised her hand up. It was sparkling, shimmering like floating specks of gold dust had scattered in the wind around her hand. “Do you believe him now?” she asked with a smile.

“Whoa!”

“Cooler than my weapons, right, Nebb?”

“Nebb!” called another voice. His mother, no doubt. “You can talk to Link later. Forgive us, Your Highness.”

“It’s no problem. I hope I can speak with your son again later.” She waved her fingers and let the magic slink back inside her, feeling drained from the effort of keeping it minimal. She remembered a time when she’d have given her arm for the use of minimal magic.

Both Nebb and his mother watched in awe as her hand darkened back to its normal color, the shimmering glow of magic subsiding as if it were never there.

“We’ll see you later, Nikki,” Link said, continuing up the hill to three houses.

Outside the door of one home were two men. One was balding, a pink rope tied around his head, the same matching color as his pants, and a fur-lined jacket. He looked over the moon at the sight of everyone.

The other man had short, black hair, though he looked like his outfit was more suited to carpentry than leisure.

“Bolson, Karson,” Link said, extending his hand to both men.

The name rang in Zelda’s ears. One of these two was the one Link wanted her to meet. She tried to figure which.

“Is this her?” the more flamboyantly dressed of the two exclaimed.

In response, Link nodded with a smirk.

“Oh, Your Majesty! I am Bolson. This is my employee, Karson.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” she said politely, though she was almost positive that she’d soon let her royal tone slip around these two.

“Our Link here bought this home, fixed it up, and then never lived in it. ‘Why,’ we asked him. His response was, ugh, to die for, right Karson?”

“Right as rain, boss!”

“Well, he said, ‘I can’t stay here while the Princess is trapped with the Calamity. I can’t rest until she’s safe.’ And did my heart melt!”

Zelda’s eyes darted to Link, where he stood with his arms crossed, an amused expression on his face.

“Bolson.”

“Link,” he said, mimicking Link’s posture before turning back to the princess. “He’s my favorite customer. Did you tell her the deal I gave you on this property?”

“We haven’t really had that conversation yet.” Link turned his head and Zelda could see the glimmer in his eyes. “Princess, Bolson works for fair prices, and his favorite customers get discounts.”  Link looked back at Bolson and took a step closer. “And your favorite customer might have an idea for another job. A job that’s even bigger than Tarrey Town. The Bolson Company would be known through the entire kingdom. But we’ll talk about it later.”

Bolson did a strange dance as he nodded excitedly. “Oh yes, I like the sound of that!”

“Do you mind sharing your home with the Princess’ troops? Only for the night, nothing extended.”

“Anything for you, Majesty,” Bolson said with a playful wink at Zelda.

She smiled. His personality was genuine, not even bothering to put on an act for her. No stiff bows. No changing his voice so it might better befit the presence of a Princess. He was unapologetically himself, and it endeared him to Zelda immediately.

From his smile, the only thing that would have surprised Zelda was if he was secretly a Yiga Clan member. She wouldn’t put the deception of a friendly façade behind anyone, having been betrayed herself years ago. But Link seemed to trust Bolson, and for now, that was enough for her to believe that he was genuine.

Link turned to the troops. “This is where the people of Hateno have been kind enough to put us for the night. My home is across this bridge, and I can take anyone in as well. I suggest getting together to figure arrangements and scheduling.”

Bolson and Karson immediately took over the organization efforts. The soldiers nodded at their instructions and everyone scattered off into their own huddled groups.

Zelda turned to Link with an impressed look on her face. “Look at you!”

He scoffed. “Please.” But he motioned across the bridge. “I think there’s something you’d like to see inside.”

Eagerly following behind him, Zelda took in the impressive property.

Just from the exterior, she could see the two levels of the building, the massive chimney extending high above the roof itself. There was a small sign with the words “Link’s House” carved in, with some paint over each letter to really make it stand out. Off to the left was firewood stored under a small storage area, and to the right side led to a large expanse of land, complete with a stable and a pond under a great tree.

Link held the door open for her, and she stepped inside. Her mouth dropped open as she took in the objects on the walls. They were the easiest to be distracted by. Each of the three walls upon entering held displays of several weapons.

Zelda moved around the table to stare at the weapons directly in front of her. Her fingers ran across the blade of one scimitar.

“This was Urbosa’s.” And she turned to her right to see Urbosa’s shield beside it. She turned back to the sword and noticed that the great rock breaker was also familiar. “Daruk’s.” Then the intricate and jeweled trident: “Mipha.” She turned to the wall of bows and immediately reached for the one that looked like it was adorned in golden feathers. “Revali’s bow.” She turned to Link, fighting back tears. “You found their weapons?”

“They were gifts. To aid in my fight against the Calamity. I want to return them as we go.”

Zelda didn’t say anything as she fought back her tears. She could only imagine what the Champion’s had gone through in their last days. And though she’d seen the beasts turn to empty machine shells, she’d never seen anything of the Champion’s after their deaths. Not even their spirits. Seeing their most prized weapons… it was harder than she thought.

To occupy herself, Zelda turned to the neat dining table in the center of the room. Matching silverware waited on the table, as did fresh flowers.

“Nice taste,” she commented as she admired the décor.

“I didn’t have the time. It was Bolson and Karson.”

Deciding to give herself the rest of the downstairs tour, she looked at his small but neat kitchen with a decent bookshelf beside it. Under the stairs she could see boxes and chests tucked into a small nook.

Link’s eyes followed hers. “Clothes, mostly.”

He nodded his silent permission when he could see Zelda’s curiosity as she stared at the steps leading to the second-floor balcony that she knew immediately had to be his bedroom. She raced up the steps before stopping short and nearly falling backwards.

On the wall were three photos. The two closest to the stairs were photos of scenery from around Hyrule, but the third one, the one closest to Link’s bed, was a framed photo of herself, Link, Mipha, Revali, Urbosa, and Daruk. It had happened on the day of the Champion’s Ceremony, when they were all officially sworn in as Hyrule’s Champion’s.

“Purah took this,” she said softly. Everyone’s faces were amusing ones of surprise. Daruk had clapped them on the backs for a laugh. Urbosa looked calm, as always. Mipha and Revali looked like they were about to fall to the ground, which Zelda remembered they both did. Link looked frightened for the first time ever. Zelda was staring at Revali, cringing away from his falling form. And it had all been captured forever.

“Where did you…”

“Kilik had it, and he passed it down to Kass, who then gave it to me.”

Zelda wiped her eyes furiously as tears streamed down her cheeks. She had no images of them. And she hadn’t know this one managed to survive the Calamity.

Urbosa, Mipha, Daruk, Revali… all alive in the form of this one image. Their things on the walls downstairs. It was like they could still be here.

She spun around to Link, who was leaning against the balcony, watching her.

Zelda longed to wrap her arms around his neck, for no reason other than that she was excited and sad. She wanted him to hold her, even if for this one moment while she stared at her memory.

“Look at us,” she said instead, gesturing to the image. “Who’d have thought this group of mismatched friends would save the world?”

Link didn’t look away from Zelda as she crossed the room. “I think we look capable here.”

She chuckled as she reached out to touch the petals of a Silent Princess beside his bed. It didn’t look like it was close to wilting, despite the Silent Princess’ notoriety as a wild-only flower.

Her favorite flower.

Zelda couldn’t look at Link for fear that all of this might take over her better instincts. So instead, she crossed the room again to a desk near the stairs. Zelda grabbed the book on top of the desk. Pages were marked by objects and it looked like it had been well-worn. It certainly was old.

The Legacy of Princess Zelda

As she read the title, she shook her head and opened the book to a page that had been marked. It was all about her and her life. One marked page detailed her crucial role in preparing the kingdom for disaster. She flipped to another. On the page, it talked about the Calamity taking over the machines, and how no one could have predicted that, not even the princess. She flipped to one more, and saw an account of her ride out to Hyrule Castle and the subsequent burst of light that engulfed the entire field before she was never seen again.

She put the book down. She had to.

“You read about me?” Link just nodded as he watched her run her hands lightly over the spine of the book. “Why?”

He shrugged. “I wanted to know you. Well, I wanted to remember you. I tried.”

Zelda grabbed her arm and nodded before wiping another tear away. “I know we took the choice from you, but I’d trade your memories for your life again in a heartbeat, Link.”

“What am I missing with you, Princess? There’s something… and it just eats at me little by little. I dream about it, like I can see what it was while I slept, but when I wake up, it’s gone again. But you know what it is, don’t you?”

Zelda shook her head, looking back down at the book so he couldn’t see the lie in her eyes. “I might have my memories, but I’m not a mind reader. I don’t know what it is that you’re missing. But you don’t have to remember it, Link. I want you to know that. We can start fresh and make new memories. I mean it. We don’t have to constantly live in the past.”

Link scoffed. “You’re just like Impa. I know you know, and I will do everything I can to remember as much as I can.”

“This isn’t a fight you have to win.”

Link ran a hand through his hair and adjusted his ponytail. “If I can’t fix whatever is going on in my own mind, how am I supposed to help you? How can I face the Yiga when I can’t even defeat whatever happened to me?”

Zelda went to say something else, but Link sighed and pushed himself off the balcony and towards the stairs. “Make yourself comfortable, Princess. I’m going to go check on everyone.”

Before he could reach the door, Zelda leaned over the balcony. “Link! Thank you.”

He smiled and left, closing the door behind her.

She looked back at the photo on the wall and then the book about herself. There were several smaller books around it with no writing on the cover to identify it. She opened it and flipped to a random page.

I have to admit, running over that Bokoblin was so satisfying. If only Cloud had this kind of power, too.

Zelda closed the book abruptly, realizing it was Link’s journal. But curiosity was killing her, and she knew that Link had read her diaries as well. She opened it to another random page, closer to the middle this time.

It was strange, like meeting an old friend after years apart. But the meeting wasn’t quite as friendly. I could feel it draining the life from me with every passing moment that I kept my hands on the hilt. When the blade moved in the stone, my veins felt like sandpaper, and my arms were like octorock tentacles. But when I finally lifted the Master sword from where she slept, my strength returned, and it felt right for the first time in a long time to hold a blade. This is what I need to save the Princess. She’s in that castle. But is this enough? Am I enough, just because I have this sword? Can I really save her?

Zelda ran her fingers along the words, picturing Link under a tree, as she used to sit with him. She was in his thoughts, even when she wasn’t in his memories.

She flipped through the pages again, reading entries about sand seals, and Gorons, Bolson even made an appearance. But her eyes stuck to the page whenever she saw her name, and it was frequent.

I’ve gone to the locations of the images in the Sheikah Slate. They’re all places I went with the Princess. I can remember glimpses. An attack in the desert. Her and her father on a bridge. Us in a field and at a Goddess Spring. But I want to know more. I want to know what happened before and after what I see. I suppose, now that I’ve found all these sites, that I’ll just have to wait for the other half of the story. Perhaps I can ask her. One thing’s certain: I have to save her soon, so I can see her smile with my own eyes.

 Zelda hastily closed the book and sat back in the chair. What exactly did he remember? She knew he’d read her diary, where she detailed her strong and growing feelings for Link. Did he know how she felt, at the very least? She wanted to have that talk with him as well.

“Ah!” she cried out, grabbing her hand. “No!”

She’d felt it coming earlier, but that didn’t make the pain any easier. Her hand burned and her head felt like knives were repeatedly bashing against her brain. Something was stirring the power inside her again, and it was threatening to break free.

It took all of her concentration to make it down the stairs. She was grateful when the door flew open, and Link was there. She didn’t know how. Maybe she was screaming. Maybe he was waiting to hear the creak of the floorboards.

He raced her around the back of the house, behind a small shed, and helped lower her to the ground when it seemed like she was about to collapse. When Zelda looked up, she could see his lips moving, but no sound was reaching her ears. She felt herself spin wildly, and her body finally fell down against the grass. She could feel Link pull her back up, and take her hands. He pressed them against the ground, covering them with his own.

This time, Zelda heard herself scream. And the energy from her hands went straight down, through the dirt and in a much smaller area than before, though the destruction was still obvious. Several cracks appeared, and dirt started to cave in on itself. Rocks flew. A giant hole tore into Link’s once perfect yard.

But Zelda focused on bringing the power back, taking it within herself. There was no Ganon here. She didn’t need it.

When she felt the light painfully regress into her palm, she found herself breathing heavily. Looking at Link, she tried to say something, but her body gave out, and she passed out.

"Does reading all those books make you that happy, Princess?" his voice called.

Zelda looked around, unable to spot Link. She immediately recognized that she was in a vision, a replacement for her dreams, usually of her past lives. But this time, it was Link’s voice. The Link that she knew. And she was sitting in the library of the castle. It was before the Calamity.

"Look up,” his voice said again.

She did, and Link was hanging over the railing with a sword in his hand, and the Master Sword at his back.

"What are you doing up there, Link? It's your time off."

He wobbled the sword. "Errands."

Zelda sighed and shrugged at him. "Are we going to converse from the balcony all day, or are you coming down?"

She could remember this day. They’d researched together, reading page after page, searching for something to spark her powers. The last time Zelda’d had a vision, she was in the Spirit Realm. Before that, her visions often tried to tell her something, imparting some wisdom onto her that her ancestors had. Why was she seeing herself?

"Do you want me to come down? I don't want to interrupt anything." Link looked at the guard across the room, his usual job.

"You're not."

"Why aren't you taking this time to rest?"

Link smirked and put the sword down. "I can sleep when I'm dead, Princess. Besides, I took a nap."

Zelda balked, horrified. She wanted him to sleep. He’d barely gotten any since taking up full-time residence outside her door. "A nap? You need more hours than a nap. I might start slipping you that sleep tea I have."

He narrowed his eyes and took a book in his hand. "Remind me not to drink anything you hand me." He skimmed the pages and placed it back in front of her. "Find anything?"

Zelda picked up one of the diaries and waved it around. "You're in a lot of these entries, in some form. The restricted books are all personal accounts from our spirit ancestors, the heroes."

Link raised his eyes and took the seat beside her.

She handed him the book and shook her head. "You don't have to read it. I was just mentioning it. I've interrupted your day off. Please, go back to what you were doing."

He glanced at her before tapping the book. "What if I'd rather stay here and read this?"

Zelda tried to keep the wide smile off her face, a giddy excitement creeping over her. She managed to maintain her composure. "Then, by all means, stay."

Zelda’s eyes flew open, and several pairs of hands held her down. She wasn’t in the grass anymore, but in a room… Link’s room. And Paya, Purah, Link, Robbie, Jerrin, and Granté stood around her, each face watching her with curiosity and sympathy.

“Are you alright?”

Zelda shook her head, as if it could shake off the pain. “The library! I have to get to the castle’s library! I think there may be a book that tells me how to stop this!” She turned to Link, her eyes pleading.

“Well,” Robbie said, holding out a contraption. “This should be a good temporary fix, anyway. It’s not entirely ready, but this prototype should stop the attacks from being so frequent. It might be able to absorb some of the power, and at best, stop the power from manifesting completely. It’s made of the same ancient material that many of the armor prototypes I’ve…”

Zelda couldn’t make sense of his words as her head pounded, but she nodded anyway as he helped slip it onto her wrist.

The device was a small blue stone surrounded by metal that looked like it was meant to wrap around each of Zelda’s fingers like rings and then around her wrist as a bracelet would.

When it was secured, Zelda made a face at the uncomfortable glove-like device. It dug into her skin at places, and wasn’t terribly comfortable.

“You must get to Zora’s Domain first. You need allies, Princess, more than you need to be alone. I know this hurts you, but this should help. For your safety though, I have to ask that you don’t delay your journey. Not yet.”

Testing her fingers again, Zelda laid her pounding head back into the pillow. “Alright. But please, my head… I need to sleep.”

One by one, everybody left the building, even Link, and Zelda drifted off into a fitful, nightmare-ridden sleep.

Chapter Text

Only for a second, it felt as if the world hadn’t been about to collapse around her. She felt calm and a sense of peace.

Then a horrible sensation. Fear mingled with pain. Flashes of Ganon raced through her mind as she tried to fight them off. It was like the images were holding her down, keeping her from staying still and calm. Her breathing was ragged, like she’d just run a race through the whole of the endless Sacred Realm. Her body was assaulted by the whip of an invisible wind, and her stomach lurched as she was suddenly tumbling into nothingness.

She guessed that was why it was called falling asleep.

The night was plagued by Ganon, by the Divine Beasts, by Yiga. All the while, her hand burned hotter than it would have if it had been in a flame. She could almost see each Champion fall to the Blights, and each time, she felt herself cry out. It was all she could bear and when she felt herself jolt up; she was back in her world, covered by a heavy blanket as she laid in bed in the now-familiar bedroom in Link’s house.

She blinked awake, but she felt weak. Groaning, she rolled away from the light in the window, still reeling from the pain in her head.

Purah’s face was inches away.

Zelda gasped and sat up with a start, sliding away.

“Purah! What are you doing?”

Purah barely reacted, unsurprised. “Making sure you’re alive, of course. Gosh, Princess, what a fright you gave us! You’d think Robbie would have had a better solution by now. He’s supposed to be the expert.”

Staring at her hand, Zelda really took in the device. There was a ring around each finger and a clasp around the wrist, all keeping the device in place. There was enough give in each section to allow her to move her hand freely, but that wasn’t where the pain came from. Zelda sighed.

“I thought this would get easier. But when has the Goddess ever gifted me with an easy time?” She shook her hand out, as if that would make the pain fall away. “How does this work, exactly?”

Standing, Purah shrugged. “Ask Robbie. I deal almost exclusively in the Sheikah Slate now. Symin and I have been working to create more, but none are as effective as Link’s. Or… well, it’s yours, I suppose.”

“It’s Link’s. I barely used it.” Zelda hugged her hands under the covers, trying to resist the urge to pull at the device. “Why did you never go back to the other Ancient materials?”

Purah started shuffling through papers on Link’s desk, not really reading anything. “I worked with Robbie for years. We’re old, Princess. I might look fabulous, but we are old. If I’ve been working on the Sheikah Slate for 30 years, I still have 70 years of working on other things. But really, I haven’t kept track. Don’t count that number!”

“Do you plan to return to your true age?” Zelda secretly hoped she would age herself back up only slightly, so they might be true friends again, as they once were when they were much closer in age.

Purah laughed. “And give up this body? I doubt it. Unless science calls, I’d rather live a whole second lifetime.” Closing the book that was in her hand with a loud thud, Purah all but skipped down the stairs. “I’ll go let people know you’re alive. I’m supposed to make sure of it. Job well-done to me!”

Zelda could hear the door close downstairs and sighed. Purah was very unlike the woman Zelda had once known. Was it really possible for someone to change that much? She barely recognized her. Sure, Robbie had gotten more eccentric, but he was still the same person at heart. Even Link, though he lost his memories and had changed a bit still was unflinching in his sense of unwavering duty. He was still funny, caring, courageous. He was still Hyrule’s Champion. But Purah… it was as if she truly had become a new person. There wasn’t much of her old self left. Not even how she spoke.

Of her four friends from before the Calamity, she only had one left: one had died before Zelda had set herself to holding Ganon, Purah and Robbie aged and had lived long lives, and Link… didn’t remember her. But she was beginning to realize that what the two of them once had was starting to build once again: a friendship, if nothing else. He was all she had left.

She pushed the thought aside. She wasn’t alone here.

There was an outfit folded up on the chair that had been aimed out so she could see. Zelda inched her way out of bed and picked it up. There was a long-sleeved shirt, a green dress, an apron, and a belt. It was very similar to what she’d seen many of the female villagers wearing yesterday. She changed into it as quickly as she could—unsure if Purah was going to come back anytime soon— and folded her other borrowed outfit neatly into a similar pile that replaced her new clothes. It still felt weird to constantly be wearing someone else’s clothes, and she even longed for her white prayer dress at this point, if only to feel some semblance like herself again.

Zelda crept down the stairs and looked around. She was alone in the house. She took the opportunity to study the weapon displays more thoroughly. Though there were some signs of aging, the weapons were almost as pristine as when they were wielded by the Champion’s themselves. It was clear that no one, not even Link, had used them since their glory days, especially given the pristine care and attention the fine edges and reflective metal of the blade displayed.

She moved on to look at his kitchen. It looked about as used as the weapons. She was surprised, given how he liked to eat, but it wasn’t that shocking when she thought about how little time he must have spent here so far.

Under the stairs were several boxes, and Zelda couldn’t resist the urge to take a look inside. She peeked her head in and saw armor. The entire top box was filled with different pieces of unique armor. There were dents in the metal, rips and tears in fabric. This was recent.

“Hand me that blue armor, Princess.”

Zelda whipped around and saw Link and Paya in the doorway. Link had come inside and was leaning against the table with s smug smirk on his face, but Paya hovered anxiously inside the doorframe.

“I’m sorry, Link. I just… I was curious.”

Link shrugged and came up beside her. He reached deep into the box and pulled out a skintight blue material that was laced with hard Zora scales. Reaching back in, he pulled out a pair of pants and a helmet that looked like a matching set.

“I don’t have anything to hide. You already found out that I was reading up on you, so feel free to look around all you want.” He tucked the armor under his arm and went about folding each piece neatly. “We’ll be going to Zora’s Domain. I have to at least look the part.” He packed it into a travel bag and let it rest on the table. “Paya, come in,” he added, seeing her still half outside.

Paya inched her way into Link’s house, visibly uncomfortable. “Your home is lovely, Link.”

“Thank you,” he said reaching over Zelda again to pull out more clothes. “Make yourself comfortable. I’m just grabbing some things for the road. I don’t even know why I put them away.”

Link tossed everything into his pouch, and Zelda had to blink a few times, almost forgetting that magic existed outside of herself. His enchanted bag allowed him to carry far more than he could on his back.

The door burst open again, and Zelda was glad she’d changed when she did with all the company.

A Gerudo woman, Dorrah, quickly made her way over to Link, whispering in his ear before leaving.

Zelda waited, her face easily readable. Link’s was almost as clear as hers. Bad news.

He grabbed a weapon from the corner of the room and showily swung it around in his hand. “Duty calls,” he said as he walked towards the door.

“Wait, is it bad? Is it something dangerous?” Zelda waited, needing to know this much.

Link hesitated, debating something in his head. “I’m not sure yet. I’m going to check it out. Just stay in sight of a guard and you’ll be perfectly fine.”

And for most of the day, that’s what Zelda did. She explored Hateno with Paya as a villager named Seldon gave her the grand tour. She spoke with almost every single villager, played tag with the children, answered every question, and fell easily back into her role as Princess that she’d always played so well.

When they asked her about the Calamity, the Sacred Realm, anything at all, about the past, she’d take the time to explain it again, and again, and again. She explained about her powers, the device on her hand, the Goddesses. She talked about how she’d met Link, their local hero; Purah, their local hermit; Robbie, their eccentric neighbor. They wanted to know how much Hateno had changed, and what she’d do for them in the future.

The entire day was question after question.

By the time Purah had called her and Paya to share supper, Zelda was completely exhausted.

Everyone but Link was there, sitting around a table that looked like it had gathered some dust over the years. A Zora guard had swapped in for the Sheikah who’d been with them, and Zelda could feel herself practically falling asleep as she reached for her meal.

“Majesty, have you been enjoying the village?”

Zelda blinked heavily and refocused on her food. “Yes. Yes, everyone’s been very… friendly.”

“She’s been a real sport,” Paya said plainly.  

“How’s the device treating you?” Jerrin asked.

Zelda’s head snapped to hers before looking at her hand. “It hurts. It’s like the power wants to come out, but it can’t. How was this made? It was done so quickly.”

Robbie grinned and placed his hands on the person on either side of him. One was Jerrin, and one was Symin. He nodded to Purah as well. “We have four of the greatest minds in one room, all working on making your life livable. It’s offensive that you doubted us.” He winked at her. “I’m joking. Well, only partially. It’s made of an ancient core that’s running though microscopic wires on each of your fingers. The wires are bottling the energy and then dispersing it before releasing it slowly. The pain you feel is that slow release. Your powers are being used, but they’re being forced to hold a tremendous amount inside. I’d like to create a version that’s not as large, and that can quickly redirect the energy in a harmless way.”

Granté snapped his fingers. “She wears rings and bracelets. There might be something worth exploring about putting the core into a gem. A diamond, perhaps?”

Robbie looked impressed. “Good idea, son. Now we just have to make it. Are you staying?”

Granté looked out the door longingly, though there was nothing to see but wood. “I’m not sure yet.”

“What’s her name?” Jerrin teased her son.

Granté blushed, but didn’t answer. Instead, he changed the topic. “Paya, how are you enjoying life away from Kakariko?”

“I—” she started when the door opened.

Link stepped inside covered in dirt. He looked like a young child who’d been playing outside all day. There wasn’t a scrape on him, and Link tried to walk in as if nothing had happened all day.

“No, no, no Mister!” Purah shouted. “You’re going to tell us everything.”

Link’s eyes flickered to Zelda’s. “A minor problem. It’s been taken care of. You’re all set.”

“What?” she hissed as he tried to keep walking. That was all he was planning to say?

It was very obvious that he didn’t want to elaborate, which could only mean one thing.

Yiga.

“What have they done?” she demanded.

He grimaced and knew she’d reasoned it out. “There was someone pretending to be a villager yesterday and they were spotted this morning. I took care of it. It was a Yiga Clan member trying to get information. Probably to do with how many guards you have.”

“You killed them?”

Link just nodded, saying nothing.

The entire room went silent, trapped by the awkward tension that had filled the air, and Link skirted around it, leaving the room, though no further conversation could persist in the stagnant void that he’d left with that information.

It wasn’t until several hours later, when Zelda woke from Link’s bed again, where he’d offered her to stay, that she even spoke to him again.

A nightmare had woken her. This time, it was another vision, one that depicted her time as the first Hyrulian, the Goddess’s first mortal reincarnation: partner of the Hero of the Sky. She watched as a great beast, Demise, threatened to ravage the land and slaughter her and the hero.

When she woke, her forehead had a fine sheen of sweat on it and she needed a moment to steady her breathing. It had been quite some time since she saw a vision of a true past life, and not glimpses of her time in the Sacred Realm.

Zelda pulled on a robe and went out the front door, desperate for air.

She was surprised to find Link standing by a fire talking to Bolson and Karson.

All three of their heads turned to her, taken out of a story of their own. “Are you alright?” Link asked.

She pulled her robe tighter. “Yes. I needed air.”

“It was a busy day for you,” Bolson added, “but Link here has been apprising me of some potential work. I’d be interested. To think of the promise Castle Town has. To rebuild!”

Zelda turned to Link, astonished. He looked away, and in the light of the fire, she could see the skin on his neck deepening a flushed color.

“I love that idea,” Zelda said, more for his benefit than Bolson. “It seems that many Hylians were displaced and are living in stables and inns. Rebuilding Castle Town, the castle itself, and the Temple of Time are my three priorities.”

“Like I say to your knight here, find me the money, find me the materials, and I’ll build you a beautiful new home!”

They sat there for a few more moments before Bolson stood up. “Well, I suppose this is a matter for morning. C’mon Karson, let’s hit the hay!”

“Only if the horses aren’t in there!” Karson oddly replied as he followed Bolson across the bridge.

“That’s a fantastic plan, Link. Getting him to help with the construction.”

“His other carpenter built town an entire town with me. Bolson will have no problem with Castle Town. It’s cleaning up the rubble that will take time.”

“And if the ranch were rebuilt, as well as the Exchange, commerce could begin in Central Hyrule again.”

Link finally sat by the fire and he watched as Zelda sat beside him. She huddled close to the flames, her eyes glowing orange in their light. “Nightmare again?”

“This one was different, but yes. It felt like I wasn’t myself, but I was the darkness coming from Demise. I don’t want to hurt anyone, Link. I don’t want my powers to ever get out of control again. I need to control them.”

Moving his hands closer to the flames, Link spoke. “I have been dreaming of strange things, too. The Yiga may have me on edge, but last night, I dreamt of you. You ran up a flight of steps, running for your life, and there was nowhere to go. You were with someone, a friend, and two Yiga make a move to kill you. Then I appear, and the dream stops.”

Zelda sat up. “Link… that’s not a dream. That happened. That actually happened. That’s the first day we met in person. You saved my friend and I from death. You weren’t even my knight then. You remember.”

“How?” he asked. “How is it that I remember some things and not others? I remember the Champions. I remember almost everything about them. I remember moments, pieces. But I can’t remember my time with you, and I can’t remember my family. I can’t remember any home other than this one. How come?”

“Perhaps you need the Goddess Springs more than I ever did.”

“It’s not a bad idea,” he admitted.

They drifted off into silence stared at the cackling fire.

Zelda knew she should go back inside, but she just didn’t want to.

And when she woke up, outside and curled up and asleep on Link’s leg, she nearly had a heart attack.

“I… what?”

There was a blanket draped over her, and Link’s hand rested lightly on it. On her.

“You fell asleep,” Paya said from across the fire. “And he didn’t want to wake you. He said you were finally having a peaceful night. So I brought the blanket.”

Zelda felt Link stir awake, and Zelda finally sat up when he took his hand from her.  

“Sorry,” he said quickly. “I must have fallen asleep and forgotten to bring you inside.”

Zelda and Paya exchanged a look between themselves, and Zelda nodded along. “That’s alright, Link. Thank you.”

“You seem well-rested this morning.”

Zelda took stock of herself. Despite sleeping in the grass, she didn’t feel sore. Despite the previous nightmares, she’d sleep soundly through the night.

“Actually,” she said, “This is the best I’ve felt in a long time.”

And she could feel the ghost of his hand where Link’s had been resting against her. She could almost feel it, like it was still there.

“Good, Princess, I’m glad you got some sleep.”

Zelda smiled. She’d said that a thousand times to Link in the past. He’d sleeplessly guard her doors for days if Yiga were around.

He’s doing the same thing now, she realized.

So, his memories weren’t gone.

They were just hidden in a place that only his subconscious can reach.

Chapter Text

Zelda hadn’t been eager to leave Hateno.

Something about being surrounded by the people she knew best was comforting, despite her goal of getting the rest of the kingdom to know her as well. She wanted to bring Purah, Robbie, and Jerrin with her. She was more than surprised that Granté had decided to rejoin them rather than stay to work with his father on the tech improvements, though as she watched him interact with Lasli she didn’t know why she was so surprised. Where Lasli went, Granté went. Paya, on the other hand, was the bigger surprise.

When Zelda had asked her if she’d be joining them or staying with her aunt, it had been a courtesy, fully prepared to expect her to stay and help Purah. But Zelda felt an unmistakable sense of relief that Paya had decided to see the world while she was given the opportunity, so long as Zelda was alright with her tagging along, despite any skills in physical combat. And Zelda assuredly was more than fine with it. In fact, Paya’s company cheered Zelda far more than she realized.  

The ride from Hateno was long. Though Zelda felt like Zora’s Domain was right next to Hateno, she’d forgotten just how far around the actual path was. Someday, it would be nice to make that trade route a faster one. Perhaps a bridge or a fast mountain trail.

At first, she was wiped out. Her body had taken a toll from holding in the power within, and her head was hurting. And for days, no, for a century, Zelda hadn’t done this much walking, riding, or honestly, functioning. It was draining.

Sleeping it off was her best option, and it passed the time quickly. But the path was long, and they’d barely gone past Kakariko when she woke. They were passing Hylia River, just on the other side of Crenel Peak.

Zelda couldn’t help but stare at the shambles in the distance that used to be her home. Even from this distance, she could see that there were pieces of the castle that had completely fallen to irreparable pieces. Holes in the ground were marked reminders that the Calamity had called forth large pillars from the ground that angled toward the castle. With those gone, it was easier to see just how bad everything looked.

Link noticed her forlorn stare and rode up beside her. “I think Bolson is going to go take a look, see what he can do for the town.”  

“Isn’t it dangerous there still?”

“There are guards down there now; they’ve been cleaning up the castle and Hyrule Field of moblins, bokoblins, all those things. He’ll be able to get support there.”

“Good.” She kept staring at the castle. “Is it really as bad as it looks from here?”

Link shook his head. “Walls are broken, but the castle is still standing. It’s much stronger than it seems. But, it’s true. Guardians did a number on it. The town is much worse. It will need almost entirely to be rebuilt.”

“That’s terrible,” she said, remembering how beautiful the old town had been. She’d snuck out several times just to explore it, especially during seasons where more tourists flocked to the castle. “I hope that there’s something Bolson can do.”

“Me too. I haven’t forgotten that you want to go there. Before we head across Hyrule Field to the Rito or Gerudo, we’ll go.”

Zelda smiled sadly, tearing her eyes away from the sorry sight. “Thank you.”

They were silent until they reached the edge of Zelo Pond. Link rode beside her again, lowering his voice.

“There’s something I wanted to tell you before we got to Zora’s Domain. Something I found out before your return. You might even know this already. Well, let me start small,” Link said quickly, going slightly red. Zelda watched him curiously, waiting for him to continue. “The Zora’s are very distrusting of Hylians. I started to show them that we aren’t all bad, but some of the older ones are set in their ways. I was able to gain Mizu’s trust when I put on the armor I took out of the chest at my home. That’s because, apparently, it wasn’t ordinary armor, but it was Princess Mipha’s. Zora make this for… for the person they… want to marry. It fit me perfectly.”

It took a moment before Zelda truly understood the words. “Oh,” she said, trying to hide her expression. She turned back to the road. “I didn’t know.”

“I remember her. I remember a lot of my time here towards the end, but I don’t remember my feelings on that matter. I think I’d remember… being proposed to, or being told that she felt that way about me. Wouldn’t I?”

Zelda’s mind briefly went to her last day with Link 100 years ago. Though they’d never confirmed their feelings with words, they knew. His last words to her ran through her ears as if he were screaming them now: I can’t lose you, and I won’t.

She shrugged, trying to remain casual, though her chest was aching with fresh pain. “Yes. You’d probably remember if your feelings were strong enough.”

He shook his head, thinking. “Did we ever talk about her? It caught me off guard. Now, it’s like the King thinks of me as his son-in-law. He gave me her heirloom, her keepsakes, things someone uses to remember their loved ones by. I’m returning the Trident she used. He should have it.”

Zelda wondered whether her words would come off as the truth, or as that of a young girl jealous of a ghost. “We did talk. At the Champion’s Ball. I asked if you’d wanted to dance with her, and you bluntly told me it was one sided, that you loved her in a familial way.”

Link stopped, bringing some distance between them and the Zora guards for privacy. “That’s a small detail for someone to remember for 100 years.”

Her look was far off, remembering the sensation of his arms as he held her. For once, it had been a peaceful moment, a happy one. A shiver ran through her as she could almost actually feel his fingers tapping rhythmically against her waist to the beat of the song the musicians played. “We danced, you and I,” she said, still lost in her memory. “You were surprisingly good at it. You weren’t serious or stoic. For just a moment, the Yiga and Ganon weren’t a threat. You told me you were a musician, that Daruk had taught you to play the drums. We had fun. And then duty called again, and you were off.”

Her eyes snapped up to his and she shook her head frantically, spurring Cloud on again, realizing she’d stopped completely. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up so much of the past. It’s not fair of me.”

“Princess,” he said softly, stopping her from getting too far ahead of him. “I’m sorry. I try to remember. I want to more than anything.”

“I know you do. I shouldn’t be bringing it up like that. I didn’t mean to.”

“You can, you know. I like hearing what you remember. I just wish I could, too.”

Zelda could see that he was as sincere as he possibly could be. She sighed, needing to put a little space between her and her knight. She didn’t want to frustrate him with memories he couldn’t remember. “Is this a good place to camp for the night?”

Link looked around and shrugged. “We’d have to scout this area. It’s not what was planned.”

As if on cue, she yawned. It brought a yawn to Link’s mouth as well, so he relented. “I’ll have some of the guards check the area.”

“Link,” Zelda called before he could leave. “Could you sleep for the night, let someone else guard me? I don’t think I’d sleep with you standing over me. I’d want to talk to you, and we both need our rest.”

Link rolled his eyes playfully at her and nodded, feeling that there was more to it than that. She needed space. “I’ll have Babi guard you for the night, if that’s what you want.”

“It is.”

Zelda could barely keep her eyes open until Babi politely greeted Zelda before standing in a stiff guard position. She hardly noticed Paya setting up a place to sleep just next to her, and Granté, beside her.

But when Zelda was finally able to sleep, it was barely long enough.

Though she didn’t know how long it had been since falling asleep, Zelda felt herself lifted from the ground with great force, and her feet never got the chance to firmly land on the ground. She struggled to keep pace with whoever was dragging her, their hand firmly over her mouth, muffling her every attempt to scream.

The longer she struggled, the further they got from camp, and soon she heard a new sound. It was the sound of a campfire crackling in the logs, and hushed whispers and conversations. There were sounds of grunts and groans that had her eyes flinging open, trying to find the source. But she didn’t have to look long.

She was thrown to the ground, immediately trying to scamper to her feet. There was red all around her. Red… and white masks. The hushed whispers weren’t the casual nighttime conversations one might hear at camp, but the chants of an ancient prayer mumbled by those around the fire.

Her head spun when she saw a new red source on the ground: blood.

“No,” she whispered.

Two pairs of hands held her down where she was on her knees. Her vision began to adjust from the abrupt awakening, and she could see that just off to the side were Paya and Granté. She sighed in relief, but their lives weren’t enough. Someone had died because of her. She just couldn’t see who.

And then she saw a limp body being dragged by two more Yiga, blonde hair draped down, covering their face. But she didn’t need to see his face to know it was Link.

Please, please be a nightmare, she prayed, squeezing her eyes tightly before re-opening them to the same scene before her.

They threw his body down beside her, and she held her breath until he hissed in pain. He groaned from the harsh fall to the ground, rocks skidding against his cheeks as he landed hard in the hills. Immense relief washed over her, the sheer fact that he still drew breath was almost enough to relax her clenched muscles, until she saw the state he was in.

He looked like he’d been attacked by Guardians on his last day again. His face was swollen and bloody, almost beyond recognition, and his hands were bound behind his back. Blood dripped onto his clothes. 

This wasn’t just a nightmare, it was real.

“Link?” Zelda whispered, shaking him.

He let out a quick, pained breath. “You’ll be alright,” he managed.

She looked around again. Yiga were everywhere.

“You two don’t look as smug as the last time we met,” said a female voice. Aia, the daughter of Master Kogha, stepped forward and removed her mask, kneeling in front of Zelda. Her brown eyes bored into Zelda’s; a challenge.

“We came prepared this time. I brough enough to bring you and your little group down quickly. It may have taken more of our members to do so, but even the great Hero of Hyrule can be brought to his knees. Or… stomach.”

Someone shoved Link down, and he landed hard into the rocky dirt.

Zelda’s hands hovered protectively over Link, as if there was something she could do, and Link made it back to his knees before he wriggled backwards in front of Zelda, though he was also in no state to protect anyone.

“Who are you without your precious Master Sword?” Aia asked. For the first time, Zelda realized that Link didn’t have it. Aia didn’t seem to have it either, but she didn’t stop to revel in the moment. She rose to her feet and began pacing.

“We have your friends, your guards, your knight, you. There isn’t much that’s preventing us from killing everybody. You can see we have the numbers. We’d just rather not start a war. We don’t want every race in Hyrule to actively come after us. It’s easiest if we only take who we need. You and Link among them, in case you couldn’t guess.”

Zelda looked again, blinking past the smoke to see that most of her guards were being held by Yiga, disarmed, and either knocked out or threatened by a weapon. She flinched.

The Yiga Clan had gotten bolder over the years.

But so had she.

Her voice boomed with confidence, her questions were authoritative, not fearful in the least. “Why haven’t you just killed us? What do you need us for?” Zelda asked. The fact that she even spoke at all surprised Aia for a moment before she regained composure.

“Your deaths are a ritual. We must complete the prayer first. Then soon, the Dark Lord will rise again. Blood has already been spilled for him, but the Goddess’ Children are the ultimate sacrifice.”

“Why did you take everyone? You only need us for your stupid ritual!”

Aia leaned down again and grabbed Zelda’s cheeks, causing Link to struggle in his binds. “You two killed my brother. I’ll kill your dear little Sheikah friends if you act up, regardless of the retaliation.”

Zelda balked. “I’ll kill your other brother too if you don’t let them all go!”

“Look at you! You’d make a good Yiga member if you only believed in the Demon King.”

“Well, I don’t. He’s been sealed… I made sure of it. He won’t be back in your lifetime, or your child’s, or theirs. You will never see your god in the flesh, and I’ll make sure of that, no matter what.”

Aia chuckled and grabbed Zelda’s hand, the one that was caged in Robbie’s contraption. “How will you do that, Princess? You’re as useless as every other commoner in the realm. You don’t want the power? Well guess what? Now you’re just… normal.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Zelda could see movement from Link. It was slight, but he was making his next move. Zelda fought back a grimace, knowing he’d be figured out if she showed any signs that she could see him. Determined to ignore Link, Zelda refused to look away from Aia, hoping Aia kept listening. “I’ll take this device off the moment I can and then the Goddess and I will wipe the Yiga from existence. Especially if you harm any of my friends.”

“That’s hardly very kind of the Triforce-bearing wise woman. There will always be someone trying to extinguish your spirit-line. And soon, yours will be over. The second that our ritual prayer is complete, you’ll—”

She was interrupted by a pained scream from Link.

Zelda lurched forward and grabbed Aia, trying to hold her still while Link continued to scream. His hands were in the fire, flames steadily loosening the rope’s grip that kept him in place. The strain on his face was evidence that he was trying to pull the binds off as soon as they were weak enough.

And he did.

Link managed to throw himself at Aia just as she broke free of Zelda’s weaker grip. He pulled the Yiga away, tossing her to the ground as far from Zelda as his burnt hands allowed. He was doubled over, cradling his hands against his stomach until he had no choice but to use them again.

Zelda was surprised again to see Paya pulling Zelda to her feet and hurrying her away from the camp, but Zelda pulled her arm free, running into the nearest tent instead. The commotion outside was horrible, but she had to ignore it. She had to.

“Your Highness, we have to get you out of here! They didn’t see me, we can still get you to safety!”

“Paya, help me! Link needs something… anything he can use to heal his injuries!”

“Majesty, we have to get you out!”

“No!” she snapped, spinning around. Her hair whipped into her face as her wide, haunted eyes pleaded with Paya. “I won’t leave him again! Help me look!”

Rummaging through every item in the tent, Zelda was left disappointed and quickly made her way to the next tent, trying to ignore whatever Link was going through so she could focus. She wasn’t going to be able to physically help him fight off the Yiga, but she could find a way to heal him. The sounds of knuckle bones repeatedly connecting with his body just outside was too much to bear. There had to be something.

She went through a few more drawers until she found what she was looking for: a glass bottle with a small pink fairy inside.

There was no safe way to get the bottle to Link. If she were to approach him, the Yiga would turn their attention on her. If that was the price she had to pay, she would, but Link still wouldn’t be able to reach her. He was weak, though he still fought to keep Yiga off of him. Whenever one went to turn away, to head in a different direction or to find Zelda, Link pulled them back towards himself, taking the attention off of everyone else. He knew he could take it if he had to, and now, he was bearing the brute force of several Yiga trying to restrain him.

It was clear that he shouldn’t be standing, but the force of blows in each direction was keeping him upright, each Yiga eager for their turn to injure the Hero.

Zelda winced and grabbed for Paya, pushing her in the direction of another tent. “Paya, you have to find the Master Sword, now!”

Almost every Yiga who wasn’t chanting the words of the ritual was busy holding Link in place.

Zelda had one final thought, one she knew would have to work.

She ran forward, and with a heave, she threw the bottle into the ground at Link’s feet and watched the glass shatter, freeing the fairy as it spiraled upwards and straight into his chest.

Shock stopped the Yiga, and several turned her attention to her.

Color almost immediately went back into his face and he found the strength to stand once again. Instead of just taking the hits to his body, Link was able to counter them. His hands looked healed, and he was able to fight back.

Zelda wasted no time taking off towards the tent area again, knowing he needed the Master Sword, or any weapon, more than anything. Without one, even he couldn’t fight off that many assailants. And she knew Link. Right now, he was buying her time, though in his mind it was likely time to get away. He wouldn’t let the hoard of them follow her.

Paya was in front of her, pulling at something inside a chest. “It won’t budge!” she cried.

Zelda raced forward and wrapped her hand against the hilt of the blade. It was protecting itself. These weren’t its masters.

“Goddesses, give me strength,” Zelda prayed, just as the tent flap whipped open.

Zelda turned to see a Yiga coming at her and Paya with a sharp sickle. Almost instinctively, Zelda grabbed the frightened girl and pulled her behind her. There was no way the Master Sword would allow Zelda to fight, even if she knew how to properly wield a sword. One hundred years ago, she was barely able to get it to the Deku Tree. She fiddled with the straps on her gloved hand again, but the device containing her magic still wouldn’t budge. It was meant to stay on, and she didn’t have the time to figure the pattern to take it off.

Just as the Yiga was within arms width, there was a shrill scream from Paya. Zelda looked to see that the young Sheikah was holding out a splintered piece of wood: a torch. And it was lodged in the Yiga’s stomach.

Paya began to back up, horrified, screaming, tears streaming down her face at what she’d done. Zelda pushed her away, keeping her further from the Yiga, and grabbed the torch herself. “Give me strength,” she pleaded again before twisting the wood and yanking it out. Whether the Yiga simply fell, or died, she wasn’t sure. But either way, they were down. One of the girls had killed the Yiga, and neither would need to live with the burden of knowing it was them for sure.

Zelda wiped her hands against her legs and could see her hands shaking violently. “Paya,” she whispered, grabbing the traumatized girl. “Thank you. You did so good. Now get yourself to safety. I can do this. I’ve done it once before.”

With a deep breath, Zelda reached for the sword. It resisted her, but it was as if she could feel the Goddess’s power holding on with her, helping her to lift the blade. The Master Sword was only meant to be wielded by Link, one who can bear its heavy burden. As its master, he alone can wield it for any amount of time. Zelda could almost hear the sword screaming in her mind to be put down, but she dragged it outside with her.

She could still see Link holding his own in the large crowd, but the sword’s fight to be put down was too much for her. It instinctively knew she wanted to help, but it couldn’t stand to be wielded in a fight by any but its master. Had it known that there was no immediate danger, the near sentient sword would have let Zelda lift it with ease. It was just the nature of the Master Sword.

The weight was too much. When Zelda dropped it, it was as if a weight had been lifted off of her. She fell to the ground with the abrupt change, dragged down to her knees even as she let go. Before any of the Yiga Clan could see her or the sword, she threw her body on top of the blade, covering it from view. It looked only as though she’d fallen while she wracked her brain for a way to get it safely to Link.

But she knew her knight. She knew how to get him to come to her.

So, she screamed.

Every head turned in her direction, as did their bodies, but none moved faster than Link to reach her side first.

“What happened?” he asked quickly, looking her over.

She shook her head and rolled off to the side, revealing the sword for him. Link’s eyes widened. “Go!” she urged, pained just by looking at his battered body. But he grabbed the Master Sword and stood to face the approaching Yiga.

Immediately, several Yiga backed down, retreating slowly just at the sight of the Hero of Hyrule wielding Evil’s Bane. Link swung the sword around in his hand, challenging every Yiga with a single look.

Aia stepped forward, separating herself from the rest. “Take him at once.”

Link didn’t even pretend to look concerned now. The sword itself didn’t give him power, but wielding it, the hilt familiar in his hand, had him feeling stronger. “No more cheap shots in the night? Is sending all of your followers really the only way you can steal my sword away? It’s probably the only way you could carry it.”

“Your death is all we care about. I don’t care if it’s honorable or not on our part. Whatever gets it done.” She took out her own weapon and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Every Yiga charged at Link in that moment.

Realizing that there was only one place Aia would have disappeared to, Link turned toward Zelda and stuck out the Master Sword into the air, clanging with Aia’s blade a moment later where it would have struck just over Zelda’s face.

Zelda yelped, but stayed where she was, taking several deep, calming breaths. Link’s swings forced Aia backwards before he was compelled to alternate his focus between the horde of Yiga ready to attack him, and Aia, who looked for every and any opening to attack Zelda.

Zelda kept her head down, still too close to every blade to stand safely.

Yiga after Yiga fell at Link’s feet as he expertly defeated each opponent. Aia was stronger than he had anticipated, having only ever fought her brother. But Ganon himself wouldn’t have been able to get past Link in that moment. Every now and again, he’d feel the sting of a blade as it cut his skin, but it didn’t slow him for a second. Not when it was Zelda’s life on the line.

It was as if every instinct had taken over in his body as Zelda’s Appointed Knight. His body almost seemed to act of its own well-trained accord, keeping her safe from harm, even at his own expense. He was her shield. He always had been.

When the bodies had piled up at Link’s feet, Aia backed up. Her eyes darted quickly between Link, Zelda, and her remaining Yiga members. Some fought the guards behind, but Link had accumulated the most kills.

This wasn’t a day that she’d win, and she knew it. With a whistled command from Aia, several Yiga abruptly disappeared at once into a cloud smoke. A few others remained to run on foot.

“It’s not over,” she panted, out of breath. She too vanished, leaving the area silent and calm once again save for the labored breaths of everyone around.

When Link was sure none of the Yiga were coming back, he held his hand out to Zelda. She took it, feeling a surge of power flow through her Triforce and into Link. Pulling her to her feet, he looked her over for any injury before reluctantly letting go of her.

“You’re okay?”

She nodded but felt her breath hitch. Her hand went up to her mouth, stifling a sob. Everything hit her at once.

Yiga. Link. Aia. Ganon. Paya. Herself. It was too much.

Link’s entire body was battered. His face was swollen, and purple bruises lie underneath deep cuts. His shirt was torn and bloody, especially at the arms. She imagined his ribe to look much like his face.

But she couldn’t help herself.

She threw her arms around Link’s neck and held him tightly. Visions of him beneath towering piles of Guardians flooded her mind. She was so lost in her memories that she barely registered that he’d returned her tight hold. That he held her, despite his pain, and the blood.

She realized her head had gone from nodding that she was fine to a fierce shake ‘no’, betraying her fear. And in a hushed voice, she whispered, “I think Paya and I killed someone.”

His eyebrows went up and he gently pushed her away so he could see her face. “Where?”

Zelda went to lead him into the tent, but he stopped her before she could enter. “The others were held captive. Why don’t you go see if Granté and the others are alright while I take a look inside. I think I saw him with Barta.”

“Okay,” she said, more than alright with not going to look at the dead body. She hurried away, met with more corpses of Yiga and her own guards alike scattered along the rocks, red from battle.

Her knees were weak, and she stumbled into the rocky cliff wall beside her, bracing her body against it. Granté raced to her, holding on to her arm comfortingly as he held her. “It wasn’t your fault. They were a part of the ritual they were doing.”

“To kill me,” Zelda whispered. “All this death. It would be safer for everyone if I’d died in the Calamity. They’ll keep coming, each time with greater numbers. And we’ll lose more.”

The Zora Torfeau, and the Gerudo Babi were being carried away by the others. Their arms hung limply at their sides.

Zelda watched, forcing herself not to look away, giving them the respect in death that she hadn’t had the chance to give them in life. It felt like the Calamity all over again.

Link rushed up beside Zelda with Paya by his side. She looked mortified, shaken and wide-eyed.

“Well?” Zelda asked.

Link put a comforting hand on Paya. “Neither of you killed him. He was unconscious on the ground. It was a good shot by whoever it was that was defending themselves, but not quite enough to kill him.”

Paya let out an audible sigh of relief, sinking against Link as she wrapped her arms around him. Link returned the gesture, listening to her repeat the phrase: “Praise the Goddess” over and over as she attempted to calm her nerves. “I was so sure that one of us had killed him.”

“Thank you, Paya,” Zelda said, placing her hand on Paya’s hair, smoothing it back. “You saved me.”

“I didn’t kill him!” she whispered in response, her voice pitching up in joy. She barely seemed to notice whose arms she was in as she backed away, beaming. All she knew was that she didn’t kill him. She made her way towards the other Sheikah with her usual demeanor returning.

Link reached out and caught Zelda’s arm as she turned to follow. “Thank you. You don’t actually need me or your powers to be frightening.”

Zelda scoffed, wrapping her arms around herself. “I was always taught to keep myself safe and protected. That my powers and safety had to come before anyone else because I was the only one who could seal Ganon away. But when I saw you…” Her voice caught, sick of constantly picturing the Guardians over them in Link’s final stand 100 years ago. But that was what she saw, and she’d do anything to save him this time. Even if it meant almost killing a Yiga with her own hands just to get him his sword. If it meant putting herself between him and a blade. She’d do it. She’d done it before, on that plain. On that day, when she didn’t know if her powers would appear, she’d stepped between him and his fate. And she’d do it again.

But she couldn’t let him know. He was barely remembering her. That might be a little aggressive for someone he viewed as a stranger, or at best, a good friend. So she put on her best casual tone. “I pay you to be my knight; you might as well fight a few people in the meantime.”

Link’s eyes softened as he watched her for a moment, as if he could see straight inside her. “You don’t pay me, Princess.” He looked behind him, lingering on the tent Zelda and Paya had been in. “Come on, we don’t need to stay here staring at all of this. It’ll be safe in Zora’s Domain. And after this, we’re going to have to get you back to Kakariko. It’s protected there.”

Looking at his bruised face covered in dirt and the remains of several cuts that had been wiped at, Zelda nodded. “You’re all right?”

Link smirked, pushing some of the loose hair from his face. “Oh yeah. I’ll take care of it at the Domain. You should have seen me at the garrison. It was much worse.”

Zelda rolled her eyes. “I don’t believe that for a second. I especially don’t believe that you remember that. You’re saying it to make me feel better.”

“Did it work?”

Despite the situation they’d just been in, and their surroundings, and the losses they’d faced, Zelda found a small smile creep onto her face. “No.”

The smile faded quickly as her own words sank in. She turned back to the tent where a dead Yiga was lying on the ground.

Link would say anything to make her feel better.

Chapter Text

Camp was a mess when they returned.

It looked as if most of their things had been ransacked when they’d been taken to the Yiga ritual. Zelda found that her journal was gone, one that had been written in already. None of their more expensive trinkets had been taken, but several smaller, more personal items had been. The journal, a hairbrush, a pair of Link’s old gloves. It had Zelda far more concerned than she’d be if it had been their rupees that had been taken.

“Your Highness,” Barta, said when things finally settled.

“Yes?” Zelda asked wearily. The whole ordeal had taken its toll on everyone.

“We’d like to perform our funeral rites for Babi. I know you’re in need of our protection, but if the others could, just for a short time, take our positions…”

“Of course,” Zelda said quickly. She’d never deny someone that. “Take as much time as you need. And please offer my condolences and respect to Dorrah and Marta as well. I assume your rites are still closed?”

“They are, yes. I will pass on your thoughts.”

Rivan and Gaddison, the Zoras, stood stiffly besides Zelda. “We will have our rites with our people when we reach the Domain. Torfeau’s family and friends should be there.”

“I’d be honored if you’d allow me to attend. Unless your king has changed your rites?”

They looked at each other suspiciously. “Well, in a way. Hylians are no longer permitted at our formal ceremonies.”

Zelda sighed, realizing just how difficult this had become. “I understand. I’ll ask you to also pass my sympathies, though I will speak to the King and Prince myself.”

Rivan and Gaddison bowed and left with a backwards glance at Link as he sat down. Zelda joined him.

“And here I thought the hardest thing about this trip would be convincing the king to let his son take up Mipha’s role as Champion.”

Link winced as he adjusted the Master Sword. “He’s more lenient than you might think. It’s his advisors and the elders who are still upset about Mipha. He understands that war takes a toll. And the Yiga are bent on continuing the Calamity.”

She watched his face crinkle again. “Are you alright, Link?”

Though there was blood on his clothes and rips in the fabric, she wasn’t sure if they were from before he’d taken the fairy, or if they were fresh. As he rubbed his shoulder, coming away with blood on his hands, she had her answer.

“You’re bleeding,” she said, more informative than anything. Link often seemed too impassive about his injuries.

“It’s nothing,” he said, confirming her own beliefs about him. That much hadn’t changed.

Zelda stood up and left Link, returning moments later with an emergency kit. There were bandages, potions, and even a fairy inside.

“Take the potion, at least.”

Link scoffed. “I don’t need one for this.”

But as he looked up at her judgmental face, he hastily grabbed the bandage holding it up to show her that he was going to use something.

Link waited, watching her sit beside him silently. When she finally turned to him, Link grinned at her. Despite everything.

“Are you staying for the show? That’s fine, I just wasn’t sure.”

Zelda stared at him for another moment, not comprehending. But as she looked at the ripped fabric again, she realized that Link would have to take off his shirt to clean his wounds.

“Oh, Goddesses, I’m sorry. I didn’t even realize. Go ahead. I’ll check on Paya.”

Zelda stood up, brushing some of the dirt off of her before looking back at Link. “I was there when we put you into the Shrine of Resurrection, you know. I have seen you without your shirt on before.”

Link raised an eyebrow. “Does it really count if I was dead?”

Zelda could feel her cheeks heating up, but she shook her head slowly. “I actually don’t know. I’d still say yes. But it was a bit overshadowed by your horrible death.”

As she went to turn, she stopped when Link called her name. “Princess, wait!” He paused for a minute, studying her closely. “Are you…okay?”

Thinking it over, Zelda wasn’t too sure. “No, but I will be.”

“I’m sorry. They caught us while I was asleep.”

Zelda tried to shrug casually. “You can’t be awake forever. It was no one’s fault. They clearly planned this well. No matter where we stopped, or when you slept, they’d have found a way. Later, we’ll think of a better way to ensure everyone’s safety.” She knew his protests would continue, so she gestured to the bandages in his hand before he could. “Hurry up. You’ll get an infection.”

/

Zelda stared at her reflection in a still pool of water, adjusting her hair. She wore the nicest clothes that she’d been lent in Hateno and made sure that every hair was in place. This would be her first time in Zora’s Domain since Mipha had been alive. Now, Torfeau was also dead. She had no idea what to expect.

But there were dark circles under her eyes and the evidence of a sleepless night was glaring. She could feel Link’s eyes on her more often since the attack and she knew that he blamed himself.

“You should stop fussing, Your Majesty,” Paya said. “You look beautiful, and the King is supposed to be an understanding man.

Zelda scoffed. “Supposed to. I am coming to him with a dead soldier, and a century of apologies. I’ll likely have to rely on the goodwill that Link has built with them. What am I bringing them but suffering?”

“You’re bringing them the promise of a future that is better than the past. You can’t change what has happened, but you can control what will happen.”

Zelda smiled. “Perhaps I should bring you with ma, Paya. You sound more persuasive than I do.”

“Then let’s go and get this over with before you make me speak before a great audience,” Paya said with a reassuring pat on Zelda’s arm.

Zelda turned to where Link stood. “Are you ready? I’ll be relying on you.”

He nodded once and moved to stand behind her. His Zora outfit clung to him, fitting as perfectly as the day Mipha had made it.

With a deep breath, Zelda and her band made their way across the long bridge to Zora’s Domain.

Unlike the last time she was here, Zelda didn’t stop in the guest quarters, or prepare to meet the King in a more formal ceremony. Today, she headed up the many flights of stairs, over the waterfalls, careful to hold the rail with the slick steps.

King Dorephan waited in the throne room, towering as tall as he ever did, and Prince Sidon stood beside him, Mizu on his other side.

Zelda bowed ceremoniously, everyone else in her party hanging back several paces behind her. It was only royals now.

“King Dorephan, it’s so good to see you again.”

“My son has informed me of your plans,” he said without preamble. “I don’t approve of him becoming the new Champion. Not after my darling Mipha… I won’t lose my son as well.”

“But Father,” Sidon tried, but the king wasn’t having it.

“No, Sidon. Dunma was a wise choice. I have no objections to you helping, but the Calamity has been vanquished. Your role is done. Ruta is appeased. It’s time for you to learn to take my place. There are sacrifices you must learn to make that don’t involve throwing yourself into the path of Lizalfos, Lynels, and Divine Beasts.”

Zelda watched the father and son bicker, forcing herself not to turn to Link for support. He knew them better than she ever could, but she couldn’t rely on him alone.

“Your Majesty,” she began, “the legacy of the Champion Mipha is known throughout the land. Her sacrifice was never forgotten. But just because the Calamity is gone and Ruta has been calmed doesn’t mean she can rest yet. The Beast needs someone to take her place, and her spirit would agree that Sidon should be that person.”

“You barely knew her,” King Dorephan snapped. “You didn’t know my daughter, so do not speak for her.”

Zelda felt someone brush up beside her before lowering to their knees.

“But I knew your daughter,” Link said, keeping his head bowed low. “And I know that she would want Sidon to succeed her. Every moment that passes where the Beasts are not being controlled by the living is a chance for the Yiga to strike back. They will take that chance. They’ve already struck at the Hylian Princess, as well as myself.”

Link raised his head, showing off his bruised face, his cut lip: evidence from the struggle that he couldn’t cover up with bandages. And the skin around his face was getting noticeably more discolored as time passed.

King Dorephan and Sidon winced as they took in his appearance.

Zelda took a slight, desperate step forward, her hands clasped almost in prayer. “Hyrule needs peace, and your son is the first step.”

The king laughed, though it was humorless. He was far more intimidating than the last time she’d been here before the Calamity had stolen his daughter from him. “So, this visit is a mission of peace and not a means to get the Zora’s to throw their lot in with you retaking the throne? I have no interest in Hylian politics. Not anymore.”

Zelda shook her head. “This is not about me. If I knew Hyrule would be better off without me or the monarchy, I’d leave now and retire. But I see Chancellor Cole abusing his authority by scaring his citizens. I see trade struggling, and villages overcrowding. Hateno has far more people than it can hold, and three more houses won’t be enough. I want to rebuild Hyrule. I want it to be a symbol of hope, not destruction.”

King Dorephan shook his head. “If you claim not to bring destruction, where is Torfeau? Destruction follows you.”

Zelda couldn’t bring herself to answer.

“When were you going to tell me? Would you at all if my scouts hadn’t informed me first? It should have been the first thing you addressed when coming in here.”

Link was the one to speak again. “Torfeau died a warrior’s death. There is no greater honor than dying in the service of a cause. She thought fighting the Yiga was a cause worth dying for, or she could have gone along with the Yiga, who were looking to avoid sparking any additional animosity between the races out of self preservation.”

The King almost looked impressed. “I’ve never heard so much from you, Link. You’re impassioned.”

“When I was last here, I calmed Vah Ruta. I killed the Lynel on the mountain. I ran errands for your people. All I ask in return is that you hear Her Majesty out; truly listen to her request and give it thought. I have asked nothing else of you.”

The king considered this. “You are right. You have asked nothing. I can grant you your request, at least, but I will not grant you an answer until I have fully thought about it. I will send Impa my final decision after you leave and I can discuss this with my staff and my people.” The king looked weary, like it had all taken a great toll on him. “Now, if that is all, I’d like for you to leave tomorrow. We will speak quickly about this matter, but now we will grieve our loss.”

“Wait,” Zelda said, holding out her hand. “There is one more thing I’d ask.” She waited for the king to nod before continuing. “Do you remember where you buried Link’s father, all those years ago?”

Dorephan looked surprised by this request, something he had not expected. His expression softened immensely as he regarded Link. “You cannot remember that either?” When Link remained silent, Dorephan gestured behind him. “He is in an unmarked grave on Mikau Lake. It overlooks the Domain. There is a stone, but there are several up there.”

“We would like to visit it,” Zelda said, though her statement was a request for permission.

“Of course. But you will need a Zora to escort you. It’s inaccessible without traversing several waterfalls.”

“I’ll bring her,” Link said calmly, still on his knee. “This suit has Zora scales, if you remember.”

“That’s right. Perhaps Sidon can accompany you anyway. He can help you find the stone. After our meals, he can take you.”

“Thank you,” they both said. Link stood up and backed away, while Zelda bowed once again before being led away.

Several hours later, Sidon still hadn’t shown up.

Zelda wasn’t sure if there was a different meal schedule; perhaps the Zoras thought that Hylians and Gerudos needed to eat sooner, but Zelda and the others finished their supper and were patiently exploring the Domain.

Well, most of them were.

Link stood with Rivan just beside Mipha’s statue. Both were in their warrior’s stance, and both held blunt training weapons.

Zelda wasn’t sure she’d ever seen Link without a sword in his hand, but she watched him from a distance as he wielded a staff with expert precision, as if it were always his primary weapon. Rivan held an identical weapon, and the clash of wood echoed through the Domain again and again as they met in their skirmish. The fight favored Link so clearly, and Zelda could see that Link was holding back. She grinned as she watched him with his old friend. It almost felt like she could see them both 100 years prior during her last visit.

But it wasn’t long before Rivan was panting, signaling for Link to stop.

“I’m not as young as I used to be, Link,” he said with a laugh. “You’re embarrassing me in front of my father and daughter!”

Dunma watched her father with an amused expression and held out her hand for his weapon. “Do you have another round in you?” she asked.

Link moved some hair from his face and readied his staff. “I can go all day.”

Dunma moved with a warrior’s grace, both speedy and efficient. Her blocks and counters were perfectly executed, and she managed to land several hits on Link before he finally got the upper hand. He could easily see why she was the warrior’s choice to pilot Ruta. Her skill was unquestionable.

But she wasn’t Link.

Once Link managed to find the upper hand, he never lost it again, relentlessly landing hits until she was on her knee. She fended him off for longer than even Zelda expected of someone going up against Link, but Link knocked the spear from her hand and held his in front of her.

Link shook her hand when they’d finished sparring, and he was met by another hand on his shoulder: Trello.

“Unlike my son, 100 years hasn’t hindered your skills.”

Link grinned at Rivan, who looked away with a playful huff. Link turned back to Trello. “He still would have beaten me if I was your average soldier. But your granddaughter nearly had me a few times. I’d expect nothing less from the family of the man who trained me.”

Trello laughed. “I didn’t train you. I guided you. You came to me with your father as an accomplished swordsman already.”

“Even so,” Link conceded. “You’re one of my greatest teachers.”

Trello patted his arm again. “I’m glad you remember. I thought you’d forgotten us all when we first met. Then again, death can do that to a person.”

Link chuckled and fixed his hair. “The strangest memories returned to me. I can’t remember my father, or the Princess, but I remember training with you as a young boy.”

“Well, you saved us. Princess Mipha’s spirit reminded you of us. I’m sure you’ll regain your other memories somehow.”

Link turned and glanced at Zelda, as if he knew exactly where she was. Because this was Link. Of course he’d seen her when she arrived. She was watching from the balcony above, Paya beside her. Link looked back. “I hope you’re right, Trello.”

Dunma moved beside her grandfather. “We heard about your trouble on the road. My father was very upset. The Yiga rarely strike the Zora and near our territory.”

“The Princess was almost killed. If we both die, there’s a chance that the cycle will restart and a new Calamity could be born.”

“Her magic can’t keep her safe?” Dunma asked. “I’ve read many stories about her. She used it to cross Hyrule Field on the day she locked Ganon away.”

“Right now, it’s too dangerous,” Link admitted.

Dunma seemed unfazed. “Then train her in some basic techniques. How to defend, how to strike, how to hold a weapon properly. Watch.” She turned and beckoned Zelda to join them where they stood.

When Zelda approached, she looked skeptically at Link. “Yes?”

But Dunma brought Zelda’s attention back to her. “If I were to strike you right now, what would you do?”

Zelda hesitated, a small sound escaping from her throat. She glanced at Link, unsure. “Uh, I suppose I’d run?”

Dunma huffed. “Look down, Princess Zelda. There are weapons all over the floor. You wouldn’t grab them?”

Zelda shrugged. “I’m not sure what I’d do, to be honest. Why?”

“Pick a weapon.”

Trello and Rivan moved off to the side, leaving Dunma, Link, and Zelda in the area.

Reaching down, Zelda pulled out a thin sword, similar to a rapier. It had a blunt tip for training.

“Why am I—”

Dunma struck out with her own weapon. In an instant, the wood connected with Link’s staff, but also with Zelda’s sword. Both had raised their weapons in time.

“It seems your first thought is not to run.”

Link pulled Zelda back a few steps. “Don’t do that again,” he growled.

“She should learn. You don’t learn by going easy on someone.”

Zelda stepped forward again. “I know this weapon. I believe I used it in a past life. There were several where I was a warrior queen, and not a useless princess.” She swung the steel in her hand, familiarizing herself with it. It was like the harp, or the bow: she understood it almost immediately, and could have at least brought down a Bokoblin if she needed to.

“I don’t like this feeling,” she admitted, placing the sword back down. “I’d rather work with Purah and Robbie on their devices than learn sword fighting. But I understand your point, Dunma. It’s just… a weapon that I’ve never held shouldn’t be so familiar.”

Link inspected the blade. “Well, there are some things that we just recognize and find, no matter what. The Master Sword, the Triforce, Ganon, you.” His eyes flicked up to hers and pulled off, what Zelda now realized, was a safety tip. It revealed the true point beneath it. “You should keep this. I’ll make sure you know how to use it, or even how to defend yourself if a Yiga comes up from behind you. You have to stay safe, Princess, even if it makes you uncomfortable. I’ll sharpen the edges for you.”

Zelda sighed, but she was glad Dunma wouldn’t teach her. If anyone, she wanted it to be Link. “Thank you.”

Before anyone could say another word, Sidon came running into view.

“Why hello! What a day! I have been working on my father, Link. I promise, I will not cease until I can convince him to allow me to become the pilot of Ruta. This is for my sister.” He sighed, but his smile came back almost immediately. “Well now, let’s head up to Mikau Lake before it is too late!”

Chapter Text

“I haven’t worn a single thing of my own since I returned from the Sacred Realm,” Zelda muttered as she adjusted the tight fabric that clung to her skin in an uncomfortable way. It wasn’t her size, but it was the only armor in the entirety of Zora’s Domain that would fit a female Hylian. Paya and Gaddison were with her, helping her adjust as many straps as they could.

“That will work well enough anyway,” Gaddison said as she tested the fabric. “I know it doesn’t fit great, but at least you won’t be swimming in a dress.”

Zelda grinned ruefully. “We’ll see if I can swim at all in this. Thank you for your help acquiring something though, Gaddison.”

“Anything for an old friend. I’m glad my last memory of you won’t be on the battlefield.”

Zelda remembered that Gaddison had been the one who’d informed her and the others about Mipha’s death during the Calamity, that Vah Ruta had ceased fighting and had frozen with red corruption, spouting an endless stream of torrential water the second Mipha permanently lost control of it.

With a forced smile, Zelda nodded. “As am I. I’d love to remember everyone as they were before. Even us; we had quite the adventure last time I was here, do you remember? You, Mipha, Rivan, and myself went to rescue Link and Bazz from the Lynel?” 

“That was many years ago for me, but I still remember it clearly. That day could have gone much worse.”

Zelda chuckled and stretched out her arms in the odd fabric. “I hope Link finds what he’s looking for up there.”

“Do you think he’ll remember you too?” Paya asked.

“No,” she said quickly. “No, I don’t. But I hope he remembers his father. He’d been a big part of his life before he died.”

With a final nod, Zelda headed outside, more than a little conscious of everyone’s eyes on her as she went to meet Link on the other side of Zora’s Domain. Link and Sidon were having a conversation on the bridge, leaning over the edge, resting casually on their arms. But both straightened when they saw her.

“Why, Princess Zelda, you look quite fit for the part! I’m so glad they found something for you that fit well enough.” Sidon clapped his hands together excitedly and turned back to her again. “Can you swim well?”

Zelda tried to keep her gaze off of Link and on Sidon. “Yes. I used to take frequent trips to Lake Floria with my mother where she taught me.”

That perked Sidon’s interest. “Floria? So, I assume she taught you to dive?”

Zelda’s lips twitched, seeing where this might be going. “She did. Though she couldn’t quite teach me to swim up a waterfall.”

The prince laughed. “No, I’d expect not.” He glanced over the edge. “It’s a long walk down, but the faster way would give my people a better impression of you, I won’t lie. Seeing you in that armor also reminds them of what I would make for you if an engagement between us ever happened. Assuming you might still consider the offer, that is. But I’ll remind you of my father’s attitude toward Hylians. This is a very easy way to seal that rift.”

Finally daring a look at Link, Zelda noticed that he had turned to stare over the balcony, pretending to be distracted by the water. But she could tell that he was hanging on their every word.

Zelda wanted to reach out to Link, but she didn’t dare. She clasped her hands behind her back and turned back to Sidon. “Yes, it would be a fast reconciliation, and it would be an easy way to do so… but it would be rather permanent. I can’t marry you for a short time and then leave. Your father would withdraw his support. It’s not a decision I can make light of, nor one that I want to rush an answer to.”

“No, no, I understand that. I just wanted you to know that it is still there. I want peace with our people. This wouldn’t benefit only you. This would help my people so much.”

“Thank you, Sidon.”

The Zora Prince’s great smile returned as he stepped up onto the railing and held out his hand. “Come, friends. Let’s go.”

Link stepped up beside him and they both turned to wait for Zelda. She sighed and let in a large breath before moving to stand in the space between them.

Sidon glanced behind him. “It would be beneficial to any future negotiations if I were to help you to Mikau Lake. Your knight can help you on the return journey, but letting my people see me and you, regardless of any future plans, would ease tensions.”

Zelda brushed loose strands of hair from her face and tightened her ponytail before she nodded in agreement. Anything reasonable she could do was necessary. “I’m not jumping first though, so don’t look at me.”

“Fair enough,” Sidon said before immediately throwing himself off the bridge, spinning and whirling in the air through the fall down before landing perfectly in the water, barely any splash to his expert technique. It was otherworldly, and over too soon. Zelda wanted to watch him jump again.

Link straightened and nudged Zelda lightly. “You’ve got a thing for heights. It might become an addiction.”

“We’ll see. For now, jumping isn’t. You next.”

With a final glance at the water below him, Link looked at Zelda, winked, and flipped backwards off the bridge, spinning once in the air before he, too, landed in the water.

Zelda rolled her eyes. “You’re both show-off’s!” she called down over the railing.

Staring over the edge, Zelda’s body screamed for her to back away. A sense of self-preservation took over, her heart thudding against her chest as if it were trying to break free. Every nerve in her body was on fire, tingling in a way she’d never felt before. Her body jerked forward, then back, stopping herself from taking the leap.

“Just do it,” she whispered to herself.

Her ears stopped hearing, her vision stopped working, and suddenly, all she felt was her body falling.

She wanted to go back, to climb down instead, but she was in the air, dropping faster than she could think. Her lungs caught, preventing her from breathing. All she could do was scream. Wind whipped her hair as she plunged further downward, air deafening her to her own cries. Her heart rose up into her throat, pulsing faster than ever.

And she loved every second of it.

Her arms were out, steadying herself as she felt the wind racing through her fingers. The anticipation of hitting the water had her excited and nervous all at once.

As she neared, she remembered her mother’s instructions and brought her arms in close to her, pointing her toes.

The impact of the water was painful. Water rushed into her ears and her nose, and she had to force it out, acutely aware of the burn and the loud screech of water banging in her ears. She always remembered that it hurt, but the pain was overshadowed in an instant as she was swallowed by the wave she’d created, pulling her into the most peaceful moment of silence she’d ever felt. Her lips tipped up, and she pushed her loose hair from her face before she began kicking her way to the surface.

When she breached the water, both Link and Sidon were in front of her, smiling.

“I wasn’t sure you’d do it, Princess Zelda,” Sidon marveled as he offered her his fin to hold.

She took it and blinked drops of water from her eyes. “I wasn’t sure either.”

Link watched her with an expression that was too hard for her to read with the burn in her eyes. “Well, Princess, you just jumped off a bridge.”

She laughed. Fully, heartily laughed. “I’ve never jumped off of something so high! Only ever small waterfalls at the lake. That was incredible. If my father had seen that, he’d have me killed.”

“If the look on my father’s face is any indication, I’d have been frightened of your father.”

Zelda looked up and saw almost all of Zora’s Domain hanging over the edges, watching. “Goddess, he doesn’t look happy.”

“I did just coerce the Hylian Queen-to-Be to jump off a bridge. Come,” Sidon said, swimming towards the nearby waterfall that lead to Mikau Lake, “Let’s get out of his sight before he finds a way to curse us with his glare.

The three of them stopped at the base of the waterfall. Sidon glanced behind him at Zelda again. “You say you’ve done this before?”

“Yes, your sister brought me up this waterfall.” Zelda turned to Link, curious if he remembered this encounter. Though he wasn’t there, it was to rescue him, after all.

Sidon’s look turned distant and fond. “And she was the one who taught me to scale waterfalls as well. It seems Mipha’s influence is rarely far off.” He cleared his throat once and turned to Link and Zelda. “Are you both ready?”

Link nodded and saw Sidon motion for him to go first. Link looked at Zelda for a long moment, and Sidon moved so she was more securely over his body. “I’ve got her, friend.”

Reluctantly, Link looked away from the princess and over to the waterfall, kicking his feet at once until it propelled him upwards. His body truly looked like a fish, jumping in and out of the stream as his strong body propelled him forward. Though Zelda knew he would never be able to do that without the help of the Zora’s scales in his armor, it still took a great deal of effort on his part. In moments, he was at the top.

“Are you also ready?”

Zelda nodded, holding tightly to Sidon’s back fin. Mipha had used her trident to hold Zelda in place against her smaller body, but Sidon was so tall, Zelda could practically sit on him.

Sidon crashed into the waterfall at such an aggressive speed, Zelda had to hold on for dear life. Spray hit her in the face as they rushed up the current, splashing in and out of the water to keep momentum. He was much faster than Link, and Zelda found herself at the top before she could even take a breath.

Link was waiting just outside the water and held out his hand. She took it, catching her breath as he pulled her from the pool of water at the top of the falls. Sidon pulled himself out and gestured for the two to follow him down a small hill and around another when they reached Mikau Lake.

It was much smaller than they’d expected, but it led into two separate pools when following the falls upward. Though it wasn’t quite nighttime, the sun had started to set, and green fireflies lit the area around the orange glow cast by the sun. Blue Silent Shrooms marked the bases of several trees, as did luminous rocks dug into the cliffsides. Each light bounced off the surface of the water and cast a reflection that was as illuminated as the object itself.

Several small rocks were lined along the edge of the cliff. As the king had said, none were marked, but Sidon went over to each and brushed his hand against the top. On the third stone, he tapped it. “This is your father’s. See this symbol means it was not one of the Zora’s who is buried here, but you need to know what to look for. No other race is buried on this lake, so this is your father.”

Link didn’t seem to hear Sidon as he moved closer to the marker and knelt in front of it.

Sidon lightly pulled Zelda’s arm. “Let’s give him a moment.”

Zelda agreed and moved several feet away, out of Link’s hearing range, though she was sure he wouldn’t have noticed if they yelled right over his head.

“So, Princess Zelda,” Sidon began, “Let us be frank. What are you doing here? You cannot be here for the allies a marriage would bring, since you are not eager for such a union; you didn’t need to come yourself to inform us of Tonfeau’s death, as we would have found out from our scouts; and you’ve hardly tried to convince my people that you are a worthy monarch. What is your plan from here?”

Staring out over the Domain, Zelda wished she could see her home, but the rocks and cliffs covered it from view. “I don’t know. I never planned for the future that I ended up in. During the Calamity, I was meant to stay here, safe with you and your family. But my powers unlocked when Link was killed, and I ended up in the castle for 100 years. My father was supposed to live and teach me how to rule once the Calamity was defeated so that this would all come naturally. Now, I have nothing familiar with which to ground myself and I feel like I’m just stumbling around.”

“You have your Appointed Knight.”

She smiled. “I do. That’s why I find being on the road so comforting, even despite the events that we recently faced. It reminds me of our days together.”

“Would you try to rebuild the world you two once lived in?”

Snorting, Zelda shook her head. “I’ve only ever lived in a time where the Calamity was an ever-present threat. I want to see an age of peace for once. Chancellor Cole isn’t making plans for the future. Hyrule needs to move forward. The fact that Castle Town was never rebuilt is understandable, what with the Guardians, but Deya Village? And a new Exchange was never built? There was no Garrison to replace the one that fell? Why did they let these things go? Safety concerns, financial ones, they’re all present. We need to start working to make up the time they lost by not acting. Commerce needs to resume so we can build everything back up.”

Sidon smiled. “Lady Impa and the others prepared you well. Cole was the leader that the Hylians needed during the Calamity. He saved your people, truly. But that time is past. I support you, Princess Zelda, with or without my father’s support. I could guarantee my people’s support if we were wed, but I will still put in a good word regardless. It’s just not a guarantee if we do not. Friendships are powerful, but the chains of marriage are binding.”

“You’re romanticizing this arrangement,” she joked. That’s exactly what she wanted after 100 years trapped in the castle: more chains.

“I’ve been called a dreamer,” he laughed. But then his expression sobered. “But I’ve also been told to become more practical. My people need this, and I need to support my people, but between us, there need not be any exaggeration of what this would truly be. While I find you to be a wonderful person, and a good friend, I don’t see you as my wife. And I don’t see you wanting it either. But we’re royals. There are things we must do that aren’t for us, Princess.”

“Thank you for your honesty. And please, call me Zelda.”

The Zora grinned. “Well, Zelda, you will find that there are many Hylians who are already rallying to your cause. I’m afraid the Gorons may be as stubborn as my father: they’ve enjoyed their newfound freedom from the monarchy as an independent people. You may face some opposition there. Kaneli of the Rito may even still remember you, but either way, they too have become secluded in the past years. However, they don’t eat rocks and live on a giant volcano with an endless supply of food. Bringing them back into the fold may be in their best interest. And the Gerudos… well, I don’t know much with them. They rarely make it out this way.”

One particular part of his observation perked her ear. “Some Hylians have rallied?”

“Oh yes, Zelda, they long for a stable monarchy, rather than the tumultuous passing of leadership that has prevailed over the past decades. And there are few who respect Cole as a person. While they may agree with his results, he is disliked.”

It was a lot to take in.

If many of the people naturally were looking for a change in leadership, she already had the upper hand against Cole. But if this was an exaggeration, she could be going into any future situation with overconfidence or a poor estimate of the conditions. She needed to get to a Hylian settlement for an accurate idea of their thoughts.

“What do you know of Tarrey Town, or of Lurelin Village?”

Sidon shrugged. “Lurelin? Not much. We have our own water source, so we don’t need to trade with them often. I do know that after the fall of Deya, we became the main source water-based trade to the other races. We provided fresh drinking water when the Calamity had tainted some of theirs, and fresh fish and trees. Then, Lurelin was built and we became in competition with one another. Beyond that, I don’t know much. We have rarely communicated, and I’ve never seen it in person.” He glanced over at Link. “Tarrey Town, I also haven’t seen. I have heard a great deal, however. They’ve become fast friends of ours, and our own Kapson moved there to minister a wedding, though he now runs the inn. Our friend, Link, was instrumental in building that town. It has become a haven for many Hylians who were looking for a place to go, but it is too small. It is only just beginning its life, but the community there is quite diverse. You’d find more luck there than Lurelin, I believe. It is just north of the Domain.”

“That would put it near the Spring of Power. I believe I may need to make a trip, then.” She smiled, trying to force a more genuine one than she had been. “Thank you, Sidon. You remind me of your sister, you know? She looked out for me as well.”

“She would want me to take control of the Divine Beast. She should be the one training me to control it. But my dear, sweet sister was stolen too soon.” His face contorted into a painful grimace and he ran his hands over his eyes several times before turning in the direction of the Divine Beast. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have to see me this way.”

“What way? Mourning a lost sister? I’ve done nothing but mourn since my return, Sidon. Mourning is what shows us our that, despite everything we have seen or done, we still have our humanity.” Her eyes moved to where Link was kneeling, head bowed. “It certainly doesn’t make you weak.”

Link was not sure if he’d feel anything while he was staring at the hunk of rock that apparently was all that remained of his father. But there was something about it, something naturally sad about the stone that had Link on his knees in front of it almost immediately.

When his eyes closed, he could all but hear a voice calling out to him, asking him to look inside himself. At first, Link thought it was a dream, one that he had often of an old life, one that he never lived. But the more the voice called to him, the more he felt it hadn’t been a past life of his… not really.

Then, suddenly, he was no longer at Mikau Lake.

“Papi!” Link could hear the voice of a child, and then he watched the scene unfold in front of him. A young boy ran across a room waving a wooden sword in his hand. No older than three, the boy collided into a young man dressed in soldier’s fatigues.

“Link, what are you doing?”

“I’m you!” Link said simply before swinging the sword wildly in his hand. “Hyahh!”

Link’s father grabbed his son, tossing him lithely over his shoulder to the chorus of the child’s raucous laughter. The wooden sword clambered to the ground and a new scene appeared in front of him.

Link was older, perhaps six or seven, and held a real sword in his hand.

“Go on, Link,” his father urged.

Link stood uncertainly as a large man towered over him, an even larger sword poised to attack.

The man charged at the young boy, pulling back before swinging. “Boy! I thought we were fighting?” Link hadn’t even raised his weapon.

A crowd of soldiers had huddled around the scene, watching as the mysterious child who wielded a sword better than a trained veteran visited the sparring yard to show his skills. But the boy was quiet and reserved, not the energetic toddler he’d been just years before. Already, he could feel a weight on him, the eyes of hundreds of men forcing him deeper into his hole.

Link tapped the ground with his sword, and the soldier took that as his cue to start. He  went to bring the blade casually against Link’s, but Link parried, looking bored. The solder felt a tinge of rage at Link’s attitude, and struck harder. Link moved aside, hitting the man with the flat of his blade before running the blade lazily in the dirt. 

It was enough to spur the soldier to action, moving quicker to strike the child. But Link was ready, dodging a wide swing and meeting his blade against the veteran’s. Again and again, no matter how hard he swung, the soldier couldn’t disarm the child, or even land a tap on the boy’s shoulder. Link, on the other hand, tapped the man again and again, thwacking him with hits that would count in his favor in a real fight. Finally, Link threw his sword to the ground and backed up several feet.

“Papa,” he said, turning to his father. “I don’t want to do this anymore.”

Link’s father went to pick up the discarded sword, handing it back to his young son to hold. “You don’t have to.” He’d turned to the opponent. “He’s done for today.”

“Sir, he’s meant to train longer.”

“I said he’s done.”

Hundreds of visions of this man, of his father, came rushing back to him. Small moments, like a smile after a conversation, or larger ones, like an entire scene, came washing over him. Some memories came at once, indistinguishable from each other until Link tried to separate them. Others came in bits.

Link stood in a snow covered field, trees and soldiers were all around him. He couldn’t have been older than ten years old, but his body was covered in protective armor, so much so that it might have even slowed his movements. But Link kept spinning the large sword around in his hands, keeping his cold muscles as warm and mobile as possible during the lull.

Dark shadows moved closer as night approached, covering the field in a sea of shadows.

“We brought you here for this, Link. Don’t let us down.”

Link nodded once and tightened his grip, leading the company of a hundred men into the darkness.

His sword almost immediately met with another, though he could not see his enemy. Pressing forward, towards the end of the field, as instructed, Link could hear the sounds of his men spreading out while he continued forward alone.

A golden Bokoblin and a white Moblin waited together at the end of the Snowfield, and Link rushed at them with blinding speed.

When the two were dead, Link was covered in blood, and the ground shook. They hadn’t been the real problem. A Stone Talus rose from the ground, banging its fists repeatedly against the ground. Snow began to fall from the mountain, covering the battlefield, and the soldiers with it.

Link gasped as more memories came to him. Pain was prevalent. He felt loss, standing in the Snowfield surrounded by bodies of his friends and his enemies. He felt anger while he trained with other soldiers. But it was all nothing compared to the crushing pain of losing his father. He remembered it all: the Lynels, his own fight, carrying his father to Mipha. He remembered burying him in the spot on the hill, and his final goodbye before he returned to work as a soldier.

Then he began to remember another day.

Stationed at the barracks of Hyrule Castle, in the same garrison that his father had once commanded, Link watched the Sheikah experiments with a sense of curiosity he hadn’t felt in quite some time. A large object, a Guardian, they’d called it, sat in the center of the grass. Two of the lead scientists, Purah and Robbie, fiddled with pieces and components. Robbie was focused, tinkering constantly, while Purah corrected his mistakes from afar, writing down her observations, and directing the others. She was good at that, and very few people truly argued with her leadership.

“Link,” someone had called. “Go get that prime meat from inside, would you?”

Dutifully, Link went off to find the meat, which had been frozen earlier in the day and left to thaw. When Link returned the meat to the chef next to the boiling pot, he noticed that someone else had joined the researchers.

The Princess of Hyrule.

He watched as Purah frantically felt her pockets for something before seeing her and Robbie begin to bicker once again. Purah handed the Princess an object before both stormed away, yelling at each other about losing valuable pieces of equipment.

Princess Zelda was standing in the wind, her hair blowing into her face as she examined the object she’d been handed. But she didn’t notice her surroundings, too entranced by the tech in her hand. She started to walk around the Guardian, looking at the machine in her hand and the one in front of her. When she looked at the slate in her hands, she tripped, her boot catching a loose cog. She slipped into the Guardian, holding it to steady herself, though that hand also slipped, and she still landed on the ground.

Link went to help her, but so did several other soldiers. Until a rusty creak froze every soldier in place, Link included. Then, in an instant, the Guardian began to shoot rogue beams liked deadly, massive, thick, red arrows with an infinite trail and a bomb on the end into the sky and the walls, sending rocks showering onto the ground before it locked its malignant red gaze on the princess.

There was an incessant beeping from the machine, and as it quickened, Link could tell that it was about to fire those beams again, only this victim wouldn’t survive as the rocks did.

Link instinctively reached for the shield he used to keep on his back, but it wasn’t there. He was, after all, not technically working his patrol until later that night. This was his rest time.

His eyes darted everywhere, searching for something to block the beam from erupting. He’d never have the time to disable the machine himself, and there were no weapons in sight.

Except for the lid of the cooking pot.

With a lunge, Link grabbed the lid and continued running towards the Princess. Now, he was the only one moving, the only one who pushed their awe and fear of the strange creature aside. He skidded to the ground, and he snaked his arm around her waist, shielding her behind his body while he turned and raised the lid just in time to meet the explosion of the laser eye.

The wood splintered, and the blast all but mangled his arm. Blood was everywhere, as were the chips of wood. Despite that, Link found his eyes locked on the wide-eyed princess. Her forest-green eyes looked confused, surprised, scared, and alive all at once.

But there was no time. He used his grip to lift her to her feet and dragged her away from the beeping Guardian.

“Hey!” someone called. Link turned and caught a large metal shield, quickly sliding it into place on his arm as the beeping grew louder.

He could see the buildup of energy in the Guardian and knew it was about to strike again. Glancing back at where the princess stood, he pushed her down, perhaps too forcefully, but he’d apologize later, and she covered her head.

At the same time, the Guardian sent out it’s blast again. Link watched it hurtle towards him, faster than ever. But he waited, only raising his shield at the last minute, forcing the beam back with such power that it ricocheted and bounced back into the Guardian, exploding the eye.

Link turned back to see if the Princess was okay, but she was scampering towards a sea of hands that were reaching out to her, and she was pulled into the building before he could say another word. Dropping the shield, Link stretched his bleeding arm and started to feel the buzzing in his head. He tried to shake it off as he left to find a fairy to take care of the worst of it.

When he was back in front of the stone, Link turned to Zelda and Sidon. The same green eyes that he remembered from 100 years ago were looking at him.  

“Princess,” he gasped. He didn’t notice the fine sheen of sweat that had gathered on him until he felt his sticky palms. “I remember my father, our life, being a soldier. It’s not everything, but things came back to me.”

Zelda’s grin was genuine as she stopped her conversation with Sidon to go to Link’s side as he rose to his feet.

“That’s incredible, Link! I can’t believe this worked! I’m so happy for you!”

He felt like he was out of breath. “It wasn’t all good, but I remember. And… and I saw you. There was a Guardian, and I covered you with a pot lid? Was that a fever dream of mine, or did that happen?”

Zelda’s gaze softened, and a feeling of energy ran through him, and it left the hair on his arms standing up. His whole body reacted to her, and he found himself wanting to feel the rush of electricity again. He took a step closer to her.

“You remember that? No, that was quite real You’d already developed a habit of perfectly timing your rescues of me at that point. This was after you rescued a friend and I from a Yiga attack. I’d be dead if it weren’t for you that day. Both those days. And then some.”

Link couldn’t help but smile at her. For him, it was so easy. “The Goddesses made sure we would meet again and again.”

Her face fell as she thought of the Goddesses. “Well, the Goddesses and I weren’t on good terms then.”

Link wanted desperately to reach out to her, to hold her hand, or comfort her. But he kept it stilled by his side. An old thought passed his brain, reminding him of who she was. She was the Princess; she wasn’t just some girl.

But he wished, more than anything, that she was.

“The Goddesses brought you to me that day, so how can I really be upset with them?” He cursed himself silently for the comment. Sometimes, it was so easy to talk to her. It was too easy.

And she responded every time, as if she too forgot her own station. “It is hard when you think of it like that,” she admitted. “And when they let you have your father’s memory back… they’ve become more forgiving over the years.”

They’d both all but forgotten Sidon’s presence.

Link turned away from her, looking back at the stone. “I’ve become selfish, Princess. Memories of my father aren’t enough. I want to remember everything.”

Zelda felt a chill run through her. The way he spoke was more than a desire.

It was a promise.

Chapter Text

The Zora’s of the Domain had been more than eager to send the group on their way.

Sidon had convinced his father to let Rivan and Gaddison stay with Link, though Torfeau was not replaced with a new accompanying guard. With a promise to speak to his father and his people, Sidon said goodbye with a sadness that only he and the younger generation of Zora’s had felt. Sidon had also promised to visit Kakariko soon to update her or Impa on his progress and to check in on hers.

“Link,” Zelda said as she rode Cloud closer to Link and Catherine. They were approaching the Wetland Stable, where they’d stay for the night. “Link, stop for a moment.”

Link pulled the reins and waited for Zelda to catch up to him.

“I can’t go back to Impa. Not yet. I have to see my home, Link. I have to see the castle for myself.”

They both turned to where the cliffs overlooked Hyrule Castle. Zelda sighed longingly at what was a memory of a different time. The same view didn’t fill her with the same sense of peace it once had.

Link watched her for a minute, debating something with himself. “We can go tomorrow. We need to rest at the stable, but…”

“No,” Zelda said, cutting him off. “I don’t want the entire group there. It’s my home. I want to go home, Link. And I need to do it without an entourage following me.”

“It’s not what you remember, Princess,” he said sadly. The look in her eyes was crushing. “And there are still Moblins around. The town was cleared out, but I don’t know how well the castle was. See?”

He gestured to a group of Moblins with a Bokoblin, all sitting lazily around a fire, as if to prove his point.

Zelda shook her head. “It’s fine. I understand. Let’s just continue.”

“No,” he said hastily, holding out his hand as if to stop her. “I meant that this is going to be bittersweet and dangerous, not that you shouldn’t go.”

She turned in her saddle to face him. “I can take someone else with me, if you want. I don’t know if you want to go back there after Ganon.”

“I don’t get paid to be your Appointed Knight for nothing.” Zelda chuckled, and Link gestured to the great building as if it were not the source of a thousand terrible memories for both of them. “Besides, I know it better than I ever thought I could. I know how to get around the rubble, too. Some places are inaccessible right now.” He grinned at her, assuring her that he was fine.

Zelda smiled in return. “If we find any rupees on the ground in there, you can take them as your keep.”

“Much appreciated.”

They carried on, and the stable came into view just moments later, just in time for the setting sun to cast a long shadow over the ground.

Link could hear the music of an accordion wafting through the air and he smiled to himself. “That’ll be Kass, Princess.”

“I was wondering what that was! I look forward to seeing him again,” she said, craning her neck.

“Oh,” Link muttered as they made their way closer.

“What?”

Zelda grinned at Link’s uncomfortable expression. It looked almost contorted, but it wasn’t one of true fear, nor was that a sound he’d make if he saw a threat. He scratched his head. “Just some people I didn’t expect to see. You’ve been warned.”

“Who?” Zelda asked, too energetic for Link.

He gave her an exasperated look. “You’ll know them.”

And in fact, it did seem that the residents of the stable knew who Link was. Lawdon, the stable owner, took care of the company, setting up several extra mats for the large group. The Gerudo guards immediately went to scout the area, the Zora’s went to the river, and the Sheikah took up guard positions around the building. Paya and Granté sat by the fire, where Link and Zelda went to follow.

But the company wasn’t going to have it.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the ‘Hero!’ Have you come back to have a lesson from the real master? Or has your baby sword broken on you yet?”

Link rolled his eyes, tempted to show him what his ‘baby sword’ could do. “No, Yolero. I’m actually here with the Queen after having defeated the Calamity just a short while ago.”

“You’re deluded. I am the one who saved Hyrule. The Master Torch and I cast a spell the day the Calamity vanished.”

“Of course,” Link said with an apologetic bow. “How foolish of me.”

Zelda suppressed her laughter as she watched Yolero beat a training dummy with a torch.

“Now, I must return to my training. It was good seeing you again, though. Keep your head high. One day, you will achieve the greatness that I have.”

“I can only hope.”

As they made it past Yolero, Link and Zelda locked eyes with Kass, who’d already begun telling a tale to Granté and Paya. He stopped and grinned. “It’s been too long! I’m still used to seeing you more often, my friend! And My Queen, how good it is to see you once again!”

“You as well, Kass,” Zelda said politely.

“I’m afraid our timing is both terribly timed and wonderfully timed. You’ve caught me just as I was leaving. I must return home to my girls. I’ve promised Kheel and Cree that I would be home tonight for their duet. I mustn’t keep them waiting. But please, come see us when you come to Rito Village. I am glad I was here to see you at all!”

Link took a tentative step. “We may not make it up there for some time. There have been attacks. On us.”

Kass looked horrified to hear that. “Is that so? Was it the Yiga?”

“It was.”

“I’ll tell my chief. We will be sure to double our efforts in our search for their base. Still, despite the threat, I believe it would benefit you to come to the village.”

Zelda nodded. “I’d love to. We’ll do our best to get there as soon as it’s safe.”

“Good. Link, I’ll pass on your regards. My girls miss you, and so do the others.”

“We’ll see them as soon as we can, then.”

Kass adjusted his accordion and took flight into the sky, disappearing quickly beyond rolling hills.

Link and Zelda exchanged a nervous look. He was here for something, and it seemed her really wanted to get them to Rito Village. Zelda crossed her arms anxiously. She’d trusted the wrong people in the past. Perhaps this was another trap, set by another someone close to one of the Goddesses’ Chosen? Or perhaps there was something that Kass needed to say in a safe location.

Perhaps 117 years of betrayals and heartbreak had simply made her skeptical and paranoid.

“Princess, look,” Link said, pointing at something far beyond her line of sight.

“What?” she asked, confused.

She received an encouraging push from Link as he moved behind her, almost like he was using her as a shield. Suspiciously, she crept forward.

“What are you doing?” she asked, reaching for Link.

“Nothing, I just know there’s something over there I want you to see.”

“Why?”

“You’ll like it.”

Rolling her eyes, Zelda relented. Link wasn’t going to lead her into a trap. If there was one person she could trust, it was him. But from his tone and actions, she could tell he was up to something.

“Link,” Zelda said, exasperated. “What am I doing?”

“Yes,” came a female voice. “What are you doing?”

Zelda turned to see a woman with short hair, an apron over her dress, covered in dirt. When Zelda turned to Link, she could see him repressing a large grin, a laugh even.

“I’m sorry,” Zelda said, turning back to the woman. “What have I done?”

“You’re hurting them!”

“What?”

“They’re screaming! Can’t you hear their cries! Get off!”

Zelda stepped back into Link as the woman came closer to her, a threatening posture taking over her as her attitude forced Zelda off of whatever it was that she shouldn’t be on. All Zelda could see was freshly dug dirt.

Though she knew she should have been frightened, she could feel Link’s bobbing chest as she was pressed against him. He was laughing. Her sense of fear was not nearly as pronounced when she felt that.

Then, the woman turned her attention to Link and her eyes widened in horror. “You! It’s you!”

“Magda,” Link said cordially.

But the woman wasn’t having it. “You! My flowers are dead because of you! My precious flowers! You’re a murderer.” Her voice had dropped into a whispered growl.

Link shrugged. “I had to get to the shrine, and you just weren’t letting me. You know how important it was.”

“You’ve passed on your sadistic ways to your friend! Girl, he’ll corrupt you! They’re living, breathing beings. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t make them any less alive! These are just babies.”

Zelda stepped away from Link, turning on him. “How dare you,” she said, though her voice cracked with a giggle as she tried to remain stern. “You aren’t who I thought you were.”

Link’s eyes sparkled. “I’ll do better, please. Don’t give up on me.”

Magda scoffed. “Once a murderer, always a murderer. Don’t trust him, dear.”

With a gasp, Link turned around. “Goddess, she’s right! I fell down that hill earlier straight into that patch and they were all crushed.”

Magda looked horrified as she gathered her things off the ground. “Insufferable youths,” she grumbled as she headed toward the nearby hill.

When she was out of sight and beyond hearing range, Zelda turned to Link, whacking him in the arm with a playful grin breaking her façade of anger. “You nearly got me killed by a florist!”

“No,” he said, catching her arm as she went for a second swing. “I would have gotten you killed if I told her about the Silent Princess in your room.”

Zelda scoffed. “I could easily turn her rage if she knew you were the one who gave it to me.”

Link narrowed his eyes at her, unaware of that. He’d given her flowers? But he recovered quickly, brushing it off with a smirk. “What would you have done if she tried to kill you?”

“Push you ahead of me, like you did just now!”

“I couldn’t resist seeing your face, Princess. I love Magda. She’s passionate.”

Zelda scrunched her eyebrows. “Should I leave you two alone next time?”

“Please, don’t. She scares me. Why do you think I hid behind you?”

“The Triforce of Courage clearly belongs with me, then,” Zelda laughed.

Link couldn’t help but laugh with her, just happy to hear her true joy break through her demeanor. But when he realized how that sound made him feel, it also reminded him of his duty, and where lines had to be drawn. “Princess,” he said with a bow, “I’ve taken enough of your time. Paya and Granté probably want to talk to you.”

“Yes,” she said, her voice dropping in disappointment. “They might. But Link, I enjoy your company immensely, even when you try to have me killed. Don’t ever think you’re intruding.”

He nodded and left her to talk with one of the Sheikah, and Zelda went to join her two friends by the fire.

“How are you two doing?” Zelda asked when she sat.

Paya still looked nervous; the incident with the Yiga clearly still affecting her. “I’m doing well. Stopping for the night makes me nervous now.”

Granté nodded in agreement. “I know what you mean. It’s strange that we have lost people. It’s not something that sounds like I should be saying it. It’s a soldier’s phrase.”

Zelda looked over at Link. He was deep in conversation with several Sheikah, including the one Granté had gotten close to.

“Is Lasli alright after the ordeal?”

Granté’s head shot over to her, and his face turned red. “She said she is. She’s like me, though. Neither of us are fighters. We work with armor.”

“Will you both be going home, then?”

Granté and Paya exchanged a thoughtful look. Granté spoke first. “I was just getting to know Lasli, but I may be more use to my father and to you if I head back to Tarrey Town for a short while before returning with some things. We must find a way to stop the Yiga, and that means getting your powers under control. My parents might need something that I have.”

Paya moved a stray hair from her eyes and sighed. “I want to go home. I want to be with Grandmother, look out for heirlooms, read books, and be safe. But if I am ever to become a respected Sheikah elder, I must stick this out. There are some things you can’t learn in a book. Your Highness, I’d like to stay with you for as long as you’ll have me.”

Zelda smiled. Though she didn’t want to reveal it to add pressure to the girl, the thought of having Paya with her was comforting. She knew she should wish her friend to be safe at home, but she was glad. “I’ll have you for as long as you want to stay, of course.”

“Speaking of books,” Paya said, handing Zelda a large tomb. “A Zora gave this to me. She said she knew Link and you, and she wanted you to have this.”

Turning her body so the pages were illuminated by the fire, Zelda ran her hands over the bound leather. It was a history book about the Calamity. “Was there anything specific about this that they wanted me to know? Or is it just a curtesy gift?”

Paya shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

Flipping to a random page, Zelda felt a pang in her chest. It was about her father.

“King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule commissioned the excavation of both the Guardians and the Divine Beasts. Both were tools to be used against the Calamity, but both were turned to serve evil when the Calamity awakened.”

Zelda flipped to a different page and read aloud again. “But the Princess failed. Her ties to the Goddess were not enough to awaken the ancient power from the Spring of Wisdom. Despite her age and her time spent researching the Sheikah technology, she was unable to fulfill her destiny at that time.”

Shaking her head, Zelda tried to hand the book back to Paya. “I don’t think I want to read about my failure.”

Paya refused to take it from her. “Skip that part. When I was skimming it, there is history of what happened to Hyrule after you and Link were gone. There are things like when the Garrison was deemed beyond hope, or when Lurelin was built and settled. It’s things that you should know.”

With a sigh, Zelda took the book back into her hands and flipped closer towards the end. “Though the evidence is inconclusive at this time, it appears that there may be more Sheikah technology that has yet to be uncovered. Requests to speak with the Sheikah have gone unanswered…” Zelda trailed off, continuing to read in her head.

Link took a seat across the fire, trying to stop his smile from spreading as he looked at Zelda.

She was sound asleep against Paya’s arm, breathing slowly and peacefully, the book that she’d been reading was discarded in the grass. Her nose twitched and then she stilled, drifting back to her motionless slumber.

“You comfortable?” Link asked Paya.

Though Paya didn’t want to complain, Zelda was dead weight against her. “As long as she is.”

Link stood up again, brushing himself off. “I’ll bring her in for you.”

He could see the genuine relief wash over Paya’s face. “Thank you, Master Link.”

“Leave the ‘Master’ off my name, Paya. The only thing I’m Master to is this sword.”

She nodded and started to move Zelda off her. Link slid his arms under her legs and back, pulling Zelda’s weight off Paya and into his arms.

Her head lolled against his shoulder, unstirring but stiff. Link brought her into the stable and made his way towards the furthest bed, the one they’d designated for her. Laying her on the bed, he eased her off of him and onto the pillow. He grabbed the blanket at the bottom of the bed and pulled it over her, carefully brushing a piece of hair from her eye. He grinned when he saw her nose wrinkle again. So he knelt beside her.

“You really do need to sleep, Princess.”

Zelda’s eyes cracked open groggily. “I’ve been trying. I just can’t.”

Link shrugged, but there was a smile in his eyes. “You were using Paya as your mattress. You may have better luck in here.”

“I guess there’s no use trying to feign sleep when you’re around, is there?”

This time, he did grin. “No.”

“What gave me away?”

“Your nose,” he laughed.

“What?”

“Get some sleep, Princess.”

Zelda groaned. “You need to get sleep, Link. Your habits are the same as they used to be, and it was always concerning.”

“I’m going now, believe it or not. I’ll be the only one guarding you tomorrow, so I’m actually going to get some rest.”

Link undid the Master Sword and laid it against the next bed, the one he’d also been given.

“Link,” Zelda said when he sat down. He looked over at her, waiting. “Thank you. For everything you’ve done since I returned, and even since you woke. Thank you for everything before, too. I never said thank you for any of it.”

He kicked his boots off, thinking to himself before responding. “You don’t need to thank me, Princess.”

“Have you completely given up calling me ‘Your Highness’ now?”

Link’s face scrunched up. “I do call you that.”

Zelda shook her head. “You still call me ‘Princess’ almost every time you address me.”

“Do I?”

“Yes. I prefer it, though. When you say it. It reminds me of a simpler time. Speaking of which, you never told me if you got all of your old memories back? The ones of your father, I mean.”

Link smirked and leaned back against the pillow. “Oh no, you’re not roping me into a conversation right now. You and I need sleep. I’ll tell you everything you want to know on the road tomorrow.”

Rolling her tired eyes, Zelda pulled the blanket up closer to her face and turned away. “Goodnight then, Link.”

She could hear him roll as well. “Goodnight, Princess.”

Chapter Text

It wasn’t until early the next morning that Zelda opened her eyes. Despite the hour, she saw that most of the beds in the stable were already empty, their occupants already out an about.

With a groan, she rolled from the bed and grabbed her bag that was lying on the floor. Someone had unloaded the saddle for her, not that it required much thought as to who would do that for her.

Without needing to do much digging, she found a change of clothes she’d packed that someone else had lent her. With a sigh, she pulled them out, hoping that there might be something salvageable from her room for her to wear, tired of being a moocher for others’ clothes. She wanted to feel some semblance of herself once again, even if it was one of her white prayer dresses that she’d grown so tired of.  

She changed into a comfortable pair of pants with a simple shirt and jacket over it. She wrapped a belt around her waist and pulled on her riding boots. She knew there would be rubble, but she wasn’t sure the true extent of the damage, so she preferred as much practicality as her borrowed wardrobe allowed.

When she left the stable, she saw Link feeding Catherine and Cloud from his hands. They were both saddled and ready to go. She could see that Paya wasn’t far behind him, writing in a journal. Zelda was glad she’d had a spare after the Yiga had taken hers during the attack, though, she missed the act of writing her thoughts down and wasn’t keen on asking Paya to rip any out of her new book for Zelda’s sake.

“Here,” Granté said, coming up behind her with a bowl of food.

Zelda took it, but her face betrayed her shock.

He laughed. “Sorry, I saw you come outside. I know you’re anxious to leave.”

“Thank you,” she said, practically guzzling the hot liquid. She did miss having substantial meals, but that’s what happens when on the road, she knew.

Link turned at the sound of her voice and patted Catherine one more time before heading over. “Do you want to head out right away? You can sit and enjoy that, you know.”

She shook her head. “No, I want to go as soon as we can. Did you get the horses ready?”

“We did. They’re good to go when you are.”

Zelda slurped down the rest of her meal. Granté held out his hand for her bowl, which she appreciated as she hurried to Cloud. “Perfect! Let’s get going.”

The ride was short, but the two of them took it slow. Zelda felt that she’d need as much time to process the sights of her destroyed home as she could. The castle and the rubble of Castle Town grew larger as they rode, and Zelda could feel her apprehension growing.

It was a silent ride. Zelda could feel her anxiety rising so high as they approached that she could barely make conversation. Link was never one to force one on her anyway, but when all she could hear was her racing heart and her rapid breaths, he rode closer to her, but said nothing.

They rode up to the main gate. Zelda could barely tear her eyes away from it long enough to notice the ruined Sacred Grounds that they’d passed. Her total focus was on Castle Town.

The wide gates to the fallen town were open, and they rode through.

There were splintered pieces of wood and fallen stone everywhere. It was clearly the most prominent feature of debris. But the most striking thing to her was the lack of buildings. The Guardians had destroyed everything. There was a building or two that remained partially erect, but there were no streets, no homes, no stalls or shops, just the decayed ruins of a once thriving town.

She’d gone through the town to get to the castle before defeating the Calamity, but she barely remembered that. No, her more prevalent memories of the town were while it was blazing with flames, reeking of smoking wood and metal. The Guardians were crawling through the streets and on roofs. She was crouched down beneath a window with Link covering her as one passed.

It was the last time she’d seen Storm, her horse. Something about that hit harder than the loss of the town itself. Storm had been a representation of her progress all those months. While she didn’t consider herself to be a horse-whisperer now by any means, she’d become fond of Storm, and he, her. Link had helped the process along, and it had helped her learn to trust them both. And when he’d fled Castle Town, she’d thought Storm had died, and her progress along with him. But she was here with Cloud, a horse that every part of her spirit could tell was of Storm’s lineage.

They’d both survived, in the long run.

Link wasn’t lost in memories of their last day. It wasn’t something he’d remembered, nor was this  his first time back since defeating Ganon.  He’d gone when Zelda still hadn’t awoken in Kakariko. The malice was gone, and the Guardians were still, but he couldn’t find himself relaxing in this place.   

Zelda dismounted Cloud and went into the ruins of the nearest home. There was nothing there, not even a floor; only the vague remains of a wall and a doorway. Grass had completely overtaken everything, and only the one wall stood. Beams were exposed on the structure, and an open chest with plant growth along the metal structure was the only thing that looked even remotely like it belonged in the same world as her.

Link hopped off of Catherine and followed Zelda when she headed up to a large Guardian. It was dark, almost stone-like, but it still looked as fresh as the day they’d gotten them to work, save for the one broken leg it had. She was almost afraid to touch it, but it was blocking the steps into the center of town.

She glanced back at Link. He was holding the sheathed Master Sword, ready to pull it out in an instant if he needed to. Carefully, she placed a shaky hand against the cool metal body and held her breath.

Nothing happened.

She had half expected it to wake up at her touch, to shoot at her with its deadly beam, and to kill them as they had once before to her Appointed Knight, and as they’d done to her after being possessed by malice.

Zelda let the breath out and slipped through the gap to get closer to the castle. She shook her head as she took in the town.

“There’s nothing. There’s almost nothing here. I expected as much, but to see it…”

Link stood beside her, watching her expression of disbelief grow as her eyes wandered.

She ran up to the fountain in the center of town, staring at the broken symbol of her family. Warring sights had her conflicted. Behind her eyes, she could see the water flowing, the symbol intact, the people mulling around. But when she opened her eyes, there was just destruction.

“Can you remember when this was the most vibrant place? I used to sneak out of the castle just to experience the life that people led here. I got in trouble for romanticizing this place. It was filled with crime as well, as any large town would, but I rarely saw that side of this place. To me, it was incredible.”

“I remember some of it,” Link admitted sheepishly. When Zelda turned to him, shocked, he grabbed his neck. “At Zora’s Domain I remembered a lot of what I’d done with my father. Things we’d done, places we’d gone. I remembered the first time I saw you up close, you know.”

Zelda made a face. “With the Yiga? Your father wasn’t there.”

Link grinned, looking away. “No. You’re the Princess of the kingdom where my father and I were knights. You think I didn’t see you sooner at some point in my life?”

“What?” she asked, following Link as he began to walk. “You’ve never told me. I suppose I never thought of that.”

He was leading her somewhere as he spoke, but she wasn’t sure where. Still she followed as he spoke. “I was thirteen, maybe even younger. It was the King’s Birthday Celebration Parade. We’d all gone out to see you both. I was with my father. People were talking about the Princess’ recent return from a spring. She hadn’t smiled in weeks, and she’d been seen around Hyrule with Urbosa, the woman who’d been like her mother. Even she couldn’t make her smile. She’d begun to be called the Stone Princess. Some others called her the Silent Princess.”

Zelda listened intently. She always knew she’d been talked about. It wasn’t surprising, but the fact that Link had never told her this was. “Go on.”

“I could see the carriage in the distance as it came down this road.” He gestured to the empty space where they stood. “Two white horses pulled it. They were dressed in purple regalia, the Triforce center of everything, a feather sticking off the bridle.”

Zelda gasped in disbelief. “Those were our horses, Daphnes and Gustaf. They were the last of my mother’s horses and only worked in public when there was a festival for my father or me.”

Link’s eyes flickered up to her. “The carriage was open and red, and there was white trimming all around. It looked like an extension of the King himself. And he looked larger than life. I wondered if I’d ever get to stand beside him, just to see if he was as tall as he appeared. Then, sitting next to him was his young daughter. She was gorgeous, but so sad. I couldn’t understand how anyone thought she was stoic when it was so clear that she was hurting. I didn’t know why, but it was all over her face. Her hair was tied back, and the tiara she wore sparkled in the sun, blinding some of us when she moved her head.”

“You remember all of this? How you noticed my face?” she asked, still stunned.

Link fought back the twitching of his lips, trying to keep his face as unreadable as he could. But his hand reached for Zelda’s. She gasped as he entwined his fingers in hers, her breathing hitching in a very noticeable way. Goosebumps ran up her arm as his thumb absently ran along her skin.

“The Princess stared ahead. It was warm, but she had a blanket over her lap.”

“Because I was sick after my time in the spring. Link…”

But Link didn’t stop his story, and with every passing moment, his blue eyes grew more intense as they bored into hers. “The carriage was finally close enough to us, and I pushed through the crowd so I could see her better. At first, she just stared ahead, but then it was like I’d called out to her, though I didn’t. Her head snapped towards me and her eyes lit up, like I was someone she recognized. And she smiled at me.”

Zelda’s eyes widened even more. “Then I leaned out and you waved at me.”

“And you waved back. Then your father got your attention.”

“He told me not to hang over the edge of the carriage because I would fall and to turn around. He told me if I was to wave at one person, I’d have to wave at them all.”

“You smiled one more time before turning, and it was years before I saw you again.”

“This is… that’s…” Zelda couldn’t find the words.

Link smiled and pulled her with him as he walked closer to the fountain. “That’s fate.”

She scoffed, still shocked. “Well… here we are, over 100 years later standing in the same place together.”

“The whole world has changed.”

“This place can’t be saved, can it? The castle… I haven’t even gone in but I can already tell it must be worse than I’d ever pictured.”

“It is bad, I’ll admit.”

Zelda reluctantly let go on Link and leaned heavily against the fountain, needing something to rest against as her legs felt weak. “This isn’t what I expected. I thought I’d see something left.”

Link sat down on the stone. “There are some things that are worth starting fresh.  You can’t rebuild these old buildings, but you can make new ones.”

“Is that even what people want? Will Chancellor Cole fight me on it, as he seemed so keen on before? And if he remains Chancellor and I don’t have a position, what can I do?”

“Don’t underestimate Bolson. The next time we see him, I’m sure he’ll have already blueprinted this whole town.”

Zelda shook her head and ran a hand through her hair. “What am I even doing?”

Link’s hand twitched towards hers, but he stopped himself. “You’re building a future worth living in. It’s not something these people ever got to have with the Calamity threatening their lives every day. Ganon could have escaped and killed every one of them. But because of you, they lived. Now they have things they can plan for. They can live in a town rather than in a hastily built stable. And you’re bringing that chance to them.”

With a tight smile, Zelda nodded and stood up, walking towards the destroyed palace. As she crossed the bridge, she realized that against all odds, all but two of the royal family’s banners were still standing. Ripped though they were, they moved with the breeze, standing tall and as a gentle reminder of the royal family who used to call this castle their home.

The gate leading up the path was slightly open, just enough for the two to sneak by. As she made her way up the path, she couldn’t help but notice all the inactive Guardians. Some looked new, but others looked like they’d been gathering moss for quite some time. Every tree had been stunted, like they’d been recently cut only it was a more natural look about them. Some of the Guardian had dug their claw-like feet into the stone walls as though they were grasping the edge for dear life. And before she’d even made it to the first door, she could see fallen chunks of the walls had completely disappeared. There was some evidence of bricks lodged into corners, but most had disappeared in the weather over the years.

“Let’s go this way,” Zelda said, pulling Link by the arm into a doorway. It was cold and wet, the ground slightly flooded from the last rain. She saw the gate down, blocking their path inside and went to turn, giving up on this entrance, but Link stopped her and pulled out the Sheikah Slate.

Zelda watched him curiously as he hit a few buttons and aimed it at the water. Not a moment later, a giant ice block sprung from the water and lifted the gate into the air.

Zelda looked at Link incredulously. “Why don’t you use that more often?”

Link grinned as he slid the Slate back into his belt. “Honestly, I often forget it’s there.”

“I’ll try to remind you the next time we’re in a pinch.”

They took each of the small steps in the dimly lit hall two at a time before reaching the long hall. It was dead silent, the only evidence that anyone had been here before was replaced by fallen materials, and clawed up fabrics. Shattered glass was everywhere, each picture viciously destroyed and lying in shambles. It broke Zelda’s heart to see the ruins of her home, and she still couldn’t find the words to hold a conversation with Link.

Her fingers ran along one of the frames that had housed a landscape of Hyrule, her nail tracing the shattered glace, her thumb brushing the moldy remnants of the waterlogged painting.

They went up more stairs and through more halls, all indistinguishable from each other in terms of their levels of destruction. Paths and passages were completely inaccessible from the fallen debris, and she had to watch every step she took. Link led her through gaps in walls that connected wings of her home that had never been connected before, sliding from one floor to another down a slope of shattered stone from a falling wall.

It wasn’t until Zelda stood over a balcony at a long drop through fractured wood that she realized just how destroyed the castle was. The Guardians had truly become its main residents.

They stepped outside. Blinking in the sun, Zelda looked above her to see her tower, her rooms, just ahead. Only a few flights of stairs away, if it was still possible to get there by that path. She stopped on the step she had been climbing to stare at the magnificence of the waterfalls that lived within the palace. She’d taken them for granted for many years, but they were a sight to behold that froze her in place.

They climbed for what felt like hours. Zelda was not in as physically fit shape as Link, for which she blamed a century of being trapped without a body, and after the sixth flight of nearly 100 steps each, she was almost ready to have Link carry her the rest of the way. He didn’t look winded in the slightest when she glanced enviously at him.

But she knew how close she was, and they continued on.

The entrance to her room was through her broken balcony, one in the back of the room that was often locked from the inside. Since the Calamity, the doorway had been completely collapsed in, and the wall was crumbled enough that they could simply climb over. Link held her arm tightly as he led her through, using the sturdiest path he remembered. He held up his hand for her to wait while he peeked inside. But satisfied with whatever he did, or didn’t, find, Link nodded and stayed back, letting her move inside and take in the sight.

Her room had been torn apart.

The worst part of it was the piece of ceiling that had collapsed onto her bed, crushing the awning and the mattress beneath it. Most of the remaining room was destroyed by something rather than the Calamity itself, or the earthquakes that had followed. Paper was scattered, books ripped open, curtains torn in a rage. The only things that looked like they’d been touched by any gentle hands in some time were her journals and her diary. It lay open on her desk, out of the way of the wind, sun, or rain.

She turned to Link and tucked the diary away into the bag she’d brought. “Red handed,” she muttered to him. He shrugged with a faint smile. They’d both already reached a mutual point where reading the other’s diary was almost like reading a history lesson rather than one’s personal thoughts.

Zelda numbly grabbed a few clothes and stuffed them into her bag as well before climbing the ladder and crossing the bridge to her study. It was an equal mess. Again, the journals looked like they’d been fiddled with by Link, and she grabbed them for her bag quickly. However, Link hadn’t been lying about one thing: the Silent Princess he’d given her for her 17^th birthday was still alive. She didn’t dare touch it, but instead marveled at it. The increased burning in her caged hand made her assume that there was some magic at work that she couldn’t access with Robbie’s device on her wrist.

 “This is how my family was remembered for 100 years… by a destroyed, Guardian infested castle and some torn books.”

“It’s more than a lot of others have. Some people are just forgotten when they die. There are no monuments, no books.”

Zelda shook her head, disgusted with herself. “You’re right. That was selfish of me.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

She could feel tears welling in her throat as she looked around again. “I can’t stay in here. Not yet. I’ll come back another time, but this is too much. I need to get out of my room. Help me get back out of here.”

“Where did you want to go?”

She stammered, horror stricken as she saw a large bone in the corner of the room. “I-I don’t know. I need the library for a few books, but I want to see the sanctum. I want to see with my eyes that it’s no longer there.”

Link nodded solemnly and led her out, taking the book-filled bag from her and slinging it over his shoulders. “Follow me. From here, many of the paths are gone.”

When they were out of her rooms, she could breathe again.

While he led her around, she took in the blackened stone, the fallen Guardian Watchers, the sentry Guardians, and the rubble. So much rubble. How could she ever hope to rebuild was beyond her, and it became more and more of a dream with every passing second.

He got her to the library first, and they spent some time looking through the shelves to find particular books that she thought might be useful. Her bag was like bricks, but Link led her to one more book. It was hidden in a secret study behind a bookcase that Zelda had never been in before. Even a century later, there were still secrets she didn’t know. But when Zelda opened the book Link handed her, she immediately recognized her father’s handwriting.  Skimming the pages, she gasped.

“This was his journal?”

“I found it my first time here.”

“Thank you, Link.”

He smiled, but it was sad. He could see the hurt on her face as she was bombarded with the memories of every single person she lost. He took her bag of things and managed to get it into his magic pouch, freeing their hands and taking the weight off their backs.

“Is it safe here?” she asked, looking around the empty library she’d once spent so many days in. She’d spent time with Link, with Purah, with Robbie. She’d been in here for nights, asleep with her head on the table. Yet this was not somewhere she recognized anymore.

“You’re safe.”

She nodded and hugged the journal closer, feeling her chest constrict tighter, and her lungs burn with the effort of holding everything in. “I need a moment alone, Link.”

He left her for a while, though he could hear her from where he sat on the stairs. It took everything in him to stay seated until she came out. And when she did, the only evidence that remained were her puffy eyes.

After they were done in the library, Zelda followed Link as he led her to the peak of the castle, to the sanctum. She spent this trek thinking of the books she’d collected, if she’d gotten the right ones and whether or not she’d need to come back. It was the safest thing to occupy her mind.

But when she ascended the final flight of stairs to the sanctum, her thoughts were completely focused on the present. She took thee steps slowly, and looked around, as if she expected to see the corpses of every dead body. But there was nothing. Nothing at all.

There was no giant sac of malice and Calamity hanging off the ceiling, there was no body in the hall, no ring of Yiga chanting a ritual around her father’s body to bring back their Lord’s demon form. There was nothing at all.

It was peaceful and relieving for Zelda, who’d always somehow believed that Ganon was living somewhere, waiting. But to see nothing at all… it was the closure to his death and the deaths of many others that she needed.

She sat on the floor and stared at the room, curled up with her legs to her chest and her mind lost in the past.

Link knelt beside her. In the kindest way possible, he wished he could remember the destruction and death from that day. He wanted to see what she was seeing. He wanted her to know that she wasn’t entirely alone.

She sighed after they’d spent a bit of time inside. “I really don’t want to take all of those stairs again, but I think I’d like to go back now.”

Link nudged her with a devilish grin. “How much do you trust me, Princess?”

She scoffed. “I’d say ‘with my life’ but your question itself makes me anxious to do so.”

He grabbed her hand once again and pulled her down the stairs and over to the edge of the cliff. It overlooked the bridge, and Castle Town, though it was almost too hard to see in the shadow. She didn’t want to see it clearly anyway. It was destruction.

Link squeezed her hand and shook it, getting her attention back to him.

“You love heights, Princess. How do you feel about flying?”

“You want me to fly down? How?”

“Spread your wings and fly like a Rito, of course!” She gave him a look and his eyes brightened in amusement. “Sorry,” he said, pulling something from his pocket. “Your father gave me this. You should try it.”

Zelda shook her head as she stared at the paraglider. “I’m not risking breaking that thing by not using it right.”

“Come with me, then.”

“To fly down?”

“No stairs required.”

She could feel a rush of energy wash over her as she looked off the cliff and found her head bobbing. “Fine. But if you let me die, I’m going to haunt you like my father did.”

“Fair enough. There’s never too much of you in my life.”

Zelda’s eyes widened and he winked. Flushing red Zelda tried to look away. She was successful for a moment while she heard Link fiddling around for something before she felt Link tug her closer by her belt.

“Link!”

Link chuckled and waved a spare belt from his bag in front of her before he looped it through his belt and hers. “Extra precaution. You fall, I fall. Hopefully this gives us time to course correct before we lose our lives in a terribly ungraceful way.”

“So much confidence,” she scoffed as he tightened the loop. He left slack between it, but they were tethered at an extremely close distance that had her face burning again.

The only thing that made her feel better was that Link was just as red. He twirled the belt so she was behind him.

“Alright, hop on my back and just hold tight. I’ll do the rest.”

“By the Goddess, this is such a bad idea,” Zelda mumbled, sliding her hands onto his shoulders. She felt him stiffen before relaxing again. She hopped up, and he caught her legs while she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. She tried to avoid crushing his throat, but she really didn’t want to fall. She couldn’t even appreciate how impossibly close she was to Link as she stared over the edge of the massive gap they were about to glide down. What a bad ide—

Link bounced, pushing her higher up on his back, and she yelped, tightening her grip. He tapped her arms to loosen them. She leaned more into him so she could move her arms away safely, and he turned his head to see her. Her nose brushed his cheek and she moved away. She could feel Link take a deep breath, and he wrapped her legs around his waist.

“I really don’t want you to fall, Princess.” His voice had dropped, despite them being entirely alone. This was not the voice of her knight who did things for her safety. She didn’t know who this was, but she didn’t hate it. Not one bit.

“You’re having too much fun with this, Link,” Zelda sniggered, but she locked her ankles around him, lost for a moment in how he smelled like the woods still.

He smiled and turned back, grabbing the paraglider again. “Are you ready, then?”

“Oh Goddess…” she said, tucking her head down into his shoulder “Go ahead.”

Link ran off the cliff at full speed, jumping into the air without abandon. Zelda shrieked as they fell for a moment just before he pulled the paraglider open. It caught the wind and they jerked, a little more than Link was used to thanks to the extra weight, but in a moment, it was steady, and they were flying.

A nervous giggle escaped from Zelda, but it was stopped by her breathless gasp as she finally looked around, stunned by the view.

She’d truly never seen anything like it, and she was sure she wouldn’t again. She could see all of Hyrule Field as they flew towards it, she could almost see the entirety of Dueling Peaks, from the grass to the tip of the peak. She saw the towers that had sprung up throughout Hyrule She could see the Bridge of Hylia, the path to the desert, and the eyrie where the Rito lived.

She was surrounded by the entire world all at once, and it was magical.

She almost didn’t notice when Link’s feet touched the ground almost right on the fountain in the center of Castle Town. He put the paraglider away, and quickly untied their belts as Zelda hopped off him.

“Well?” he asked, putting the spare belt back into his bag.

She laughed and pushed her wild hair from her face. “Is that what it’s like to be a Rito?”

Link chuckled. “I don’t know, I’ve never been one.”

Zelda rolled her eyes and shook her head. “How does anyone have a conversation with you?”

Link laughed, spotting Catherine and Cloud right where they’d left them. “Well Princess, I don’t have conversations with many people aside from you.”

“So I’m special, then?” she jested.

But Link’s tone suddenly grew more serious, his voice almost deepening, or was he whispering again?

“Yes, you are.”

Chapter Text

Paya had her head down in her journal, furiously writing about the journey they had been on so far. She’d gone through several pages while the entourage waited for the pair to return from Hyrule Castle. Paya tried to remain impartial, taking the role of observer rather than someone who lived the events, but she found it especially difficult when she reached the Yiga ambush.

The sound of approaching hoofbeats broke her from her thoughts, and she watched as Link and Zelda neared. She could tell from their faces that it had been a bittersweet trip. There was a mix of joy and sadness that they both wore, though it was almost impossible to pinpoint how exactly she knew.

Zelda dismounted from Cloud when they finally reached the stable. Link took the reins and held Catherine’s bridle as well.

“I’ll take care of them,” he said.

“Thank you.”

Paya waited until Link was out of sight. “How was the castle?”

Zelda shook her head, listening to the echoing chirps of the restless crickets for a moment, reveling in the odd peace their noise brought. “It was horrible. Castle Town is gone, my home is gone. My father… there’s hardly any sign left that we’d ever lived there. At least Ganon is gone as well. That’s the biggest consolation.”

“What are you thinking?”

Zelda shrugged, weighted down by an extreme heaviness. “I feel like it may need to be entirely rebuilt. The castle as well. I’ll need to speak with Link’s friend, Bolson.” Zelda sighed and gestured to Link, running a ragged hand through her hair. “Link has my books. I grabbed as many journals and texts that I could. I need to go back there again soon, as much as I wish I’d never have to see it in that state again. But anyway, I want you to have my old things. You said your grandmother was writing down history? Perhaps you can add another voice to her story.”

Paya gasped, “I could never ruin grandmother’s hard work like that. My contributions would only bring down the quality of something that has been her life’s work.”

Zelda grabbed Paya’s hand, seeing so much of her own uncertainty in the girl. “I’ve never read what you’ve written, but I can already tell you it’s better than you think. Any contribution you make, one line or four hundred pages, will be a good one. But I understand your fears. Start your own book, if you want to stay away from your grandmother’s. Or don’t write anything, if that’s what you’d prefer. Regardless, the journals are yours.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Zelda grabbed her hand and walked with her towards the stable. “Didn’t I ask you to try something less formal?”

“Sorry, My Lady.”

“We’ll keep working on it,” Zelda said as she rolled her eyes. There would come a day when someone would call her Zelda regularly.

Barta rushed from her post to meet the oncoming pair before they could reach the door.

“There’s a messenger here for you and Master Link.”

Though she couldn’t see inside just yet, Zelda tried to crane her head before giving up and turning around. “Link! Come here!”

He left the horses in the care of the stable hand and jogged up to Zelda.

“We have a message,” she warned as they stepped inside.

Promptly, a young Hylian soldier stood up and saluted, his fist over his heart, to her. It had been some time since she’d seen that gesture.

“Her Majesty, Zelda, Heir Apparent to the Throne of Hyrule, I come to deliver a message to you from Chancellor Cole. He will be eagerly awaiting your return in Kakariko, and bids you to come with haste. He would also like to speak with Link, Appointed Knight to Her Majesty, Hero of Hyrule, and Hylian Champion.”

Zelda was stunned by the formality of it all. From what she’d gathered, things had become more lax since the fall of the monarchy, but apparently she was wrong. “Thank you, sir. We will be there first thing tomorrow.”

With another salute, the soldier hurried out the door and down the road that led to Kakariko.

“Did he walk here?” she asked the innkeeper, where he was eavesdropping.

He shrugged. “He didn’t give us a horse.”

“What could Cole want?” she asked to no one in particular.

“Looks like an early night for us,” Link muttered. “Then we get to find out.”

Zelda groaned and let the innkeeper lead her to the beds that they’d be using for their last night.

Zelda could feel her breath hitch as she plunged into another nightmare.

She was wandering around the castle, intact as it had been for her entire life. The walls were glorified by their high ceilings, regal paintings from years of royalty, and long stretches of imported carpets that made Zelda take off her shoes as a child just to feel the fabric against her feet. Banners from the royal family, royal guard, and surrounding nations encircled the next room: the Sanctum.

The further Zelda stepped into it, the more the walls began to change and transform into something vile and sinister. Thick, runny purple substances oozed down the walls and onto the floor, spreading until it encircled her feet. It wasn’t harmless. She could feel the painful stinging that quickly escalated from a sensation of needles puncturing her skin, to a heavy burn, as if she was stepping in fire.

She carefully avoided the malice and followed the path that the substance left, looking for the source. Calamity Ganon dangled from the ceiling, pulsating and breathing like any living entity. But hanging from tendrils around the ceiling, limply dangling by their limbs, were bodies.

Her eyes went first to the body of the king, her father. He had been bloodied by something, each piece of clothing stained through. The crown that he’d once worn atop his head was on the ground below him, cracked all the way through.

Beside him, each of the original Champions. She could almost tell how each had died just from the wounds they’d sustained. And it was too difficult, too vivid to look at any of them.

Something forced her legs to carry her deeper to the center of the Sanctum, stepping out of the dripping calamity. Perhaps it was just the pull of her dream. The room expanded to accommodate the bodies hanging on Ganon’s arms like marionettes. Impa, Purah, Robbie. Each looked like they had died from something unique, but none were easy to look at. Paya, and Granté were next, followed by Riju, Sidon, and a Rito and Goron she didn’t recognize.

As she walked further, she was stopped by the Master Sword, bloodied and discarded on the ground. Looking up, she saw Link, defeated by the wounds he’d sustained from the Guardians 100 years ago.

The room seemed to finally end, and she walked toward the far wall. The throne, her father’s throne, was empty, filled with cobwebs, but waiting.

Suddenly, there was a figure beside her. When Zelda turned, she couldn’t help but gasp and stagger away.

It was herself.

The other Zelda stared her down, unaffected. Without any expression, she stared up at the bodies before walking underneath Link. She picked up the Master Sword without effort, and Zelda noticed the Triforce on her hand. Where the real Zelda now only possessed the Triforce of Wisdom, the piece on the bottom left of her hand, Dream Zelda had all three pieces.

The doppelganger walked up to the throne and rested the sword against the wall before taking her seat, her eyes never flinching from the true Zelda.

They stayed like this, locked in a match of wills, until the other Zelda held out her hand. All three pieces of the Triforce lit up and a massive plume of energy swirled together, filling the entire room in light. Zelda tried to back up and call the power of her own Triforce, but it was locked behind the cage of a contraption that Robbie had made for her, and the power never reached her, though it burned.

There was no use running. There was nowhere to hide. The other Zelda cocked her head, still stone-faced, and let the power loose, engulfing Zelda in a warm flood of pain mixed with comfort. It was indescribable. She lost her breath.

And woke up gasping for air.  

Two hands were on her, steadying her shaking body.

Her green eyes flickered to his blue ones as her mind continued to race, not entirely awake nor asleep. “What happens if I let everyone die again? My powers will kill every person I love. And this throne… my kingdom… is it worth it?”

“What?” Link asked, moving to sit beside her on the bed. He was still struggling to catch up, only aware that she had been having a nightmare from her thrashing body. He didn’t know what she was talking about. “Is it worth what?”

“Do I need to use my powers, or do I need to keep them hidden away? Which was it? They’re trying to tell me something! They want to send me a message.”

“Who is?” Link tried again, but she was still in her panicked ramble.

“I’ve gotten you killed once, I can’t lose you again. I have to know which it is. The Goddesses, they have told me in dreams before what path I needed to take, but it’s always hidden. Link, help me! I can’t fail again!”

Zelda’s pleading eyes bored into his. He felt physically pained from her blatant desperation and fear. Link could only think to tighten his grip on her arms. He didn’t have an answer for her. Not one she wanted to hear.

Because Goddesses, he wanted to do whatever he could for her. He wanted to take her pain. He’d done it physically several times, but emotionally? He couldn’t be her shield there.

“You’re not dreaming anymore. You’re here, in the stables. We’re headed to Kakariko in the morning to meet with Chancellor Cole. Wherever you were in your dream, whatever you saw, it isn’t real. This is.”

“It was real! It will always be real, Link! I failed! The Calamity came to pass, and people died! And it was all because of me.”

“When you look around, what do you see?” he asked, gesturing to the room. But Zelda stuttered, leaving Link to fill in the blank. “It’s Hyrule. It’s people. If you’d failed, we’d be living in a world of darkness, we’d be in a burning field. We’d truly be dead. But I’m alive, and so are you. You have to stop believing you’ve failed.”

Her body was still shaking, her eyes still wide. Though the Calamity was 100 years ago, she still felt a pure fear. “You were there. We saw my father’s corpse. You had to pull me out of the castle. We watched Revali die when Medoh lost its fight. We saw them all go down. We watched Castle Town burn, my people dying, nothing I could do. It was horrible. And you. You died in my arms. How is that something I can ever forget? You’re the one I… that I…” she stopped herself and shook her head. “We’re the Goddesses’ Chosen. We were meant to face everything together. But I faced Ganon alone, and you came back alone.”

Link gestured to the small space beside her, a quiet request. Zelda nodded and watched him with curiosity as he moved closer to her.

He got himself comfortable, crossing his arms, his head lolling towards Zelda. “I have nightmares every night, like you. Sometimes, I’m so afraid, but I don’t know why. I’ve seen visions of your death. Not always you, but other Zelda’s. From the past. And that scares me. If I couldn’t do my job, if you died… would I even be worthy of bearing the Triforce? But that’s what courage is. It’s facing your fears, no matter what they are, no matter the cost to yourself. Wisdom? What’s that?”

Zelda looked at the back of her hand, at the Triforce. “Learning from the past. Wielding that knowledge for the future.”

She thought back to the past, to the mistakes she’d made. She’d allowed the Yiga to get close to her, to infiltrate her family from within. She’d been unable to access the sealing power, and been unwilling to listen to Link, causing him to lose the time to escape before his death.

“Princess?” Link asked after a long stretch of comfortable silence. She made a noise in acknowledgement, so he continued. “You and I, this time around, have only known each other for a relatively short time. But I’ve known you for centuries. For millennia, really. And I can feel that as truly as I know that your favorite color is blue. You were made for this life.”

“Sometimes, I wish I could have been born normal.”

Link turned to her for so long, that she too turned to look at him. Finally, Link shook his head. “No, you don’t. Not really. You want that as much as I want to be an average soldier. It’s a dream, but it’s not a desire.”

She shrugged. He was right. “Because how could we wish this kind of burden on someone else?”

“We couldn’t.”

Zelda smiled to herself and leaned her head against Link, feeling her eyes getting tired. “What could Cole want with us?”

Zelda could feel Link beneath her head. He didn’t stiffen or flinch away from her. He didn’t react at all, as if her leaning on him was the most natural feeling in the world.

“Perhaps he was just in need of a verbal sparring match. You can give him a good one.”

Zelda scoffed. “I’m sure I could, but I need him if I’m going to fight for Hyrule.”

Link paused for a moment, finally stiffening at a thought. “Can I ask you something personal?”

“Of course,” she said, uneasily.

“Are you…” Link cleared his throat, looking for the right words. “Are you actually considering marrying Sidon?”

With a shaky breath, Zelda tried to keep her voice level. “I don’t know. I might. If the Zora’s aid will help me greatly, I don’t think I’ll have much choice.” Link nodded in the darkness, and Zelda couldn’t help but stare at him. “Why do you ask?”

Link shrugged. “I don’t know. It just seems odd.”

“I was raised to do this. For me, there has been no other option. I have to do whatever I can for Hyrule. In some ways, it’s like having my own type of courage. I may not charge at a Lynel, but I’ll marry a stranger.” She sighed again. It was a weight she didn’t want to bear. She wanted that freedom that others had. She wanted so much. But there was a burden on leadership, she’d been told her whole life, one that demanded personal sacrifice.

She slid back against the headboard, and Link turned his body so he was leaning too. Zelda grinned and let her head rest on his shoulder again, which was far more comfortable in this position. Link let his own head rest on hers.

Zelda paused and her eyes moved to Link suspiciously. “Isn’t this against protocol?” She gestured to the way they were lying on the bed.

Link scoffed. “That was a smooth topic change, Princess. You’d remember protocol better than I would at this point, but I would assume this is not something I should be doing as your Appointed Knight. Do you want me to move?”

Zelda leaned her head back down and closed her eyes. “No. Stay.”

The sun was still rising when the group reached Kakariko. Zelda rubbed her tired eyes as she watched Paya jump off her horse and run into Impa’s waiting arms. She slowly made her way over and embraced her old friend.

“It’s good to see you all again. Paya,” Impa said with a large smile, “I can’t wait to catch up, but for now, Chancellor Cole is here.”

“Lovely,” Zelda muttered.

Impa nodded in agreement, a grimace on her face. “Let’s get it over with and get him out of here.”

Leaving everyone else outside, Impa led Zelda and Link into her house.

Chancellor Cole was waiting in the center of the room, a haughty and insulted look already on his face.

Zelda put on her best and most practiced smile. “Chancellor Cole, it’s good to see you again. I hope things have been going—”

“I hate polite small talk,” he interrupted. “Let us get straight on to business. I need your Appointed Knight.”

Zelda turned to Link questioningly. He looked as clueless as she did. “Why?”

Cole cleared his throat and sat down. “I have been staying up near Eldin Tower attempting to work out an agreement with the Gorons. They are being unreasonable, but at the same time, an Igneo Talus moved just above the village and has caused several injuries. Most of the Gorons have fled the village for safer ground at the mines. Their elder, Bludo, recommended I seek assistance, and I agree. I believe that your knight defeating the Talus would be of mutual benefit.”

“Mutual benefit?” Zelda repeated.

“I heard about your tragic time with the Zora’s, Zelda.” Cole smiled wide, smugness written all over his face. “Word travels fast. Were you injured?” There couldn’t have been less concern in his tone if he’d tried.

“How do you know?” she asked suspiciously. She could hear Link’s hand move to the Master Sword, the very subtle rustle of his arm.. “What do you know?” she asked again.

Cole didn’t seem too intimidated. “I know you were all almost killed by the Yiga, and the Zora’s all but refused to help you. You could use the Gorons now. Your Appointed Knight could garner you a great deal of favor.”

Zelda narrowed her eyes at him before feigning innocence that was easily see through. “Forgive me, Chancellor, perhaps it is because I never took the throne, but you seem to be addressing the Hero and I differently. Is it not still standard to show knights and royalty the respect of using their titles? Or I suppose you could just call him Link. I think I quite like calling you ‘Cole.’ It rolls off the tongue.”

Cole’s lip tipped up at the challenge. “Well, Princess, I need an answer.”

Zelda turned to Link. “You have to go. They need you.”

“I belong by your side.”

Zelda smiled, but shook her head. “Before I came back, you helped these people. They need you. Apparently, none of them can take this down. It’ll be easy for you. And you aren’t going to win against me, so don’t argue with me.”

Link rolled his eye. “Come with me, then. You can stay with the Gorons.”

“You really want me to go with you where a Talus is terrorizing people? Besides, I have some things to do here, and I’ll have the guards until you return. I have lived a life without you for some time, Link.”

“It’s just… the Yiga,” he whispered.

“I’ll do some research in the journals and books we brought back.”

“You may want to get that bracelet removed, Princess. At least while I’m gone.”

Zelda shook her head and clung possessively to her wrist. “Not unless Robbie has a replacement. I’ll go there one day.”

Link nodded. “You and the guards can stay in my house. I won’t be long; I’ll make short work of it.”

Cole huffed. “We should leave now, get this done with.”

Link balked, but he looked to Zelda for her permission. She sighed. “Whenever you are ready, Link.”

He made a face and tossed the deep belt where the books were kept to Zelda. He ran his hand through his hair. “Alright, let’s get this done and over with.”

Zelda waved as Cole stormed out of the tent, Link in tow. She made a mental note to look him up. Something was suspicious about this chancellor. And Zelda was determined to figure it out.

Chapter Text

“Yunobo is a bit hesitant to go inside Vah Rudania alone, but I finally convinced him. He’ll be doing that while I help organize a better system to keep the town safe. I’ll be back soon with a full report. I don’t think Cole is coming with me, but that’s probably for the better. -Link”

Zelda put the most recent message down on the table. She’d taken him up on his offer to stay at his house while in Hateno, and she made use of her time by getting to know the people in town. By all accounts, they were incredibly friendly. However, there was always something extra about these encounters.

The children were the most curious, and their parents were always around when she was near, questioning her with suspicion. She didn’t blame them, but the children must not have been used to that much supervision. From everyone else, she received a mix of reactions, from overt politeness to indifference.

Though her guards were constantly hovering around her, she’d managed to befriend some of the more chatty villagers. One in particular, Uma, was an older woman, one of the village elders. She’d been born during the Age of Burning Fields, just after the Calamity struck. She’d told fascinating stories, and even helped Zelda catch up on history. Together, they’d combed the book that Paya had been given at Zora’s Domain for relevant information.

And she’d known about Chancellor Cole.

“He’s a bit younger than I,” Uma said with a smile. “Not that age matters to some people. But he is rough around the edges. And admittedly, he hates your family.”

“I gathered,” Zelda said, twisting her hair absently. “Why is that? Do you know? I’ve found some things in this book, but I’d like to hear what you have to say first.”

Uma stirred the pot beside her as she spoke. “He’s spread the word of your family’s tyranny in the past. The rantings and ravings of us old folk rarely make it into the ears of you young ones, but I heard him. He said that your father stole his family’s lands just before the Calamity, leaving them nothing of inheritance, and nowhere to rule. I believe it goes deeper. His hatred is too strong, but I don’t believe it will be recorded in a history book. You’d probably have to go to the source and ask him.”

Zelda grunted, knowing that he was quite unlikely to open up to her without a good reason.

It wasn’t until later that day, with her newest journal open on Link’s desk that she really had a moment to relax, to think.

She closed the cover of her own book and pushed it to the side, making room for the history book she’d been given. Scanning through it again, she found nothing new. His family might not have been the highest-ranking family. Likely not one to make it into history books. But, they would have been in the royal ledgers, the notes of attendees, written records in the castle library. There would be a record of them somewhere. And Impa might remember a thing or two.

She’d have to ask when she returned.

Thinking of Kakariko made her think of Paya, who’d gone back to spend time with her grandmother while they were all on this slight break from their duties. In fact, everyone seemed to be returning to their usual routines.

Granté had gone with her to Hateno to visit his father before he made his way back home to Tarrey Town. Robbie and Jerrin had left for their Akkala Lab the day their son had gone. Robbie had left Zelda a new prototype to try so he could go back to use his proper equipment at his lab rather than the smaller pieces Purah had at her facility.

But Zelda had been too uneasy to try the prototype out. She didn’t want to rip a hole in the earth just to take this one off when it was working fair enough. She was content to leave it forgotten in Purah’s care.

Her thoughts had trailed away from her, and she pulled her journal back to her, recording what she could.

Anything.

Everything.

Zelda pulled her dress over her knees as she sat on the hill overlooking the windmills. Two of her friends from town sat beside her. Ivee was passing the time before she had to take her shift at her father’s store. She was more laid back than Ralera, a married woman who’d enjoyed telling stories as much as she enjoyed hearing them.

“…and the fish would get caught in the nets. I tried to get my husband to give it a shot here in the stream, but he said that our responsibility was to watch the windmills, not to catch fish. He’s so particular. I don’t see why we can’t do both. But anyway, my father would often take his raft and fish out in the ocean, bringing back different species. It’s one of the things I miss most about Lurelin.”

“Have you visited recently?” Ivee asked as she gathered her things to go.

“No, unfortunately. I miss my father most of all, but this is my home, and this is my job. I can’t just leave whenever I want to.”

Zelda watched the windmills turn at just the perfect pace. “If you’d like, I can help arrange someone to watch them and you can join us when we finally make our way to Lurelin. I have been dying to see the new fishery. I’m interested to see how it compares to Deya.”

“From what I was taught growing up,” Ralera started, “They’re almost incomparable. They fished from different water sources on two different areas of land. Trade worked differently then, and so did the concepts of supply and demand. Now, everything is always in demand.”

Ivee stretched beside the other two. “Well, I think your plan to have Castle Town become a center of trade is a great idea. It brings all our necessities to the center of the kingdom, rather than travelling for Rito feathers.”

Zelda smiled. She’d been hard at work for the past few days writing out plans for rebuilding and construction. Though she hadn’t seen Bolson again, she’d been told by Purah that word had come that he had conferred with his partner in Tarrey Town and would return later on.

“Your Majesty,” called a new voice, a young voice, running up the hill. “ I mean, Lady Zelda, I have a message for you!” A young girl stopped beside them, panting for breath.

Zelda smiled. “Karin, catch your breath! Breathe. And as I said, just Zelda is fine.”

Karin wiped her forehead. “Okay, so I was told to tell you that Link said that he’s heading back. Then I have another thing and I’m supposed to tell you that Dr. Purah said to say that you should stop by her lab first, but also that you really should go to Kakariko. I think that was everything.”

Zelda crossed her arms playfully. “Purah? She sent a message to you? I’m steps away from her lab.”

Karin shrugged and ran back down the hill.

“How is Link?” Ivee asked, watching Karin run. “He used to be here often. I know he’s with the Chancellor right now, but overall. He’s good?”

“He is. I think he likes being off doing tasks like this sometimes. Guarding me must get terribly boring after the adventurous life he’s been living.”

Ralera looked longingly towards her house. “I’ve known many people who’ve been out there, fighting Bokoblins, clearing roads and the like. My husband was one of them. You’d be surprised how many of them are willing to give up their life of adventure just to sit home, surrounded by loved ones and four walls, enjoying a hot meal and a sense of belonging. You can only outrun death for so long, and even Hero’s must get tired after a while.”

Ivee patted Zelda on the shoulder. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I have to go. But if I don’t see you before you leave, be safe and come back soon.”

She rushed to the store for her shift, leaving Ralera and Zelda together on the hill.

Zelda sighed, less than thrilled to leave their company to get on with her day. “I suppose I should go see what Purah wants. But Ralera, thank you. It makes me feel better to think that guarding me might not be a chore.”

“I wouldn’t believe either of you if you tried to convince me that boy felt it was a chore to guard you. But go, see what she wants. Give me a hug goodbye before you leave, okay?”

“I will,” Zelda nodded and went up the hill, before knocking on the lab’s door.

“Come in! Come in!” Purah’s childish voice called. Zelda would never get used to it.

“Hello, Purah. You wanted to see me?”

Purah ran into Zelda’s arms and pulled her to the nearest table. “Check it! It’s Robbie’s prototype! He left instructions with Symin and I! You haven’t even come by to give it a try!”

Zelda clutched her hand and the sort of trap it kept her in. “No, I am content with this one.”

“You can’t take it off quickly! I can tell because I helped him design it super fast, so it’s kinda wonky still! C’mon, let’s put the better one on.”

“No. I’ll blow up your lab by accident.”

“Well, yeah, if you keep that negative attitude up you will! Aren’t your powers kinda connected to your emotions? Or at least your heart rate. Here, at least look at the new one.”

Zelda grimaced and held out her hand for Symin to place a delicate bracelet in her palm.

“This is it?” she asked, skeptically. “It looks like an average bracelet.”

Symin was about to speak, but Purah moved in front of him to see. “Well, it’s a prototype so it may not work perfectly. That’s why you need to try it.”

Turning the metal over in her hand, Zelda swallowed hard. “How about for now you just teach me how to take this one off, and then I’ll go into the woods alone to try this new one out.”

Purah rolled her eyes dramatically. “Fine!” She reached up on her tip toes to get a better view of Zelda’s hand. “Press these two together then pull this band here while lifting up. That’ll take it off.”

Zelda’s forehead wrinkled as she attempted to follow. But she didn’t want to test it just in case the force of removing it would cause power to erupt from her hand. “Right. I’ll figure it out when I need to.” There was almost nothing about this child that reminded her of her formerly close friend. She couldn’t find it at all. “Thank you Purah. I will see you the next time I’m here in Hateno.”

“Not if I see you sooner!” Purah said with a wave of her hand, already walking away with her head in a book. Symin bowed and ran after Purah.

Zelda took one more look at the white-haired child and left the lab.

After saying goodbye to her friends in Hateno, Zelda had packed her things, tidied up the mess she’d made of the books in Link’s house, and made the trip back to Impa and Paya in Kakariko.

It was getting late when she arrived, and Zelda wanted nothing more than to relax and read a book by the fire, but she felt grubby and in need of a bath. Impa had asked one of her Sheikah to set up a warm tub in the loft in her home for her, though Zelda tried to protest and do it herself. She’d been overruled.  

While she waited, she watched the stars begin to appear, despite colors still streaking the sky.

“Well, at least it’s quiet today,” Dorian said from where he guarded Impa’s house. Zelda hadn’t had many conversations with him, but she knew he was often guarding Impa personally.

“Has it not been?”

Dorian chuckled. “Not quite. Cado’s Cuccos got loose again. He’s been causing an uproar trying to bring them all back, but I think there’s a hole somewhere. They keep getting out.”

Zelda tried to hide her smile behind her palm. “It sounds like you’ve been busy here.”

“Chasing Cuccos is one of the better ways to spend the day. Master Link is one of the few true Cucco wranglers here. He gets it done in no time. The rest of us… not so much.”

“So you were meant for guard duty as opposed to raising Cuccos?”

Dorian scoffed. “I’d rather never touch one of them, if we’re being honest. I got pecked by a real nasty one the other day. I’m glad they’re not mine.”

The door behind them opened and one of the Sheikah stepped out. “It’s ready, Majesty.”

Zelda stood up and headed inside. There was a small tub with steam rising as the most obvious indication of her warm bath. Either the Sheikah or Impa had left a robe out for her to use, and Zelda eyed her bag of clothes by the wall.

It was a refreshing comfort to sit and enjoy the feeling of water on her skin. In many ways, it reminded her of her days praying at the Goddesses’ Springs. It was much more relaxing than hastily bathing in a stream. She was almost sure she’d drifted off to sleep; even the water had chilled.

With a sigh, Zelda finished up and stepped into her robe, refreshed and clean. She tugged it tightly around her, relishing in the warmth it provided after the cold water, while she went to work detangling her hair. She took her time, enjoying the relaxing peace, and braided it down her back and away from her face when she was done, ready to finally change into her own clothes.

That’s when she heard the creak of the floorboards.

Spinning around, she saw a Yiga in standing in her doorway.

“Don’t scream,” a female voice said, finger pressed up where her lips would be. “Scream, and your friends outside will die.”

Zelda had to bite down on her tongue to prevent herself from calling out to Dorian. “What friends?” she asked instead, fighting through the rise of bile she felt in her throat.

The Yiga stepped forward and pulled off her mask. Brown eyes peered at her through a tangle of wild, blonde hair. It was Aia.

“The pretty young one… Paya, I think is her name? And the old woman, Impa. You wouldn’t want them to get hurt now, would you?”

Fumbling for the bracelet on her wrist, Zelda tried to pull off the clasps, but Purah’s instructions slipped her mind in her panic, and she found herself frustrated rather than making progress.

Aia watched patiently and laughed, starting to move around the room like a snake. “I’d tell you to keep your hands still, but it became clear to me the last time we met that you can’t take that thing off and that it stifles your powers. Why you’d do that to yourself in the first place is beyond me. You’re so gifted. You murdered my brother without even trying to. Imagine that kind of power, and it’s being surpressed,” Aia’s lip tipped up into a sadistic smirk, almost like she truly was impressed.

Zelda could feel her hand burning, an instinctive reaction to her body’s panicked need to defend itself with her magic. But Robbie’s hand trap prevented any of it from escaping.

Aia looked at the device, moving closer. She took Zelda’s trembling hand, eyes narrowing in a threat not to scream or move. Zelda made a panicked noise from the back of her throat, but held her breath so she wouldn’t scream aloud, for Paya and Impa’s sake. She turned Zelda’s hand over, examining the bracelet more closely.

“What’s it made of? I heard you were a sort of scholar, or something.”

Her words were barely audible as they whooshed around in Zelda’s ears. She almost couldn’t understand them, her brain was working so fast to find an escape or a weapon to use. But when Aia repeated the question, tugging hard on Zelda’s wrist as she did, she heard her.

“I don’t know. He never told me. I’d assume it has something to do with ancient materials.”

Letting go, Aia stepped back. “You’re much prettier up close when you’re not fighting me. I’ll bet that worked in your favor in the past. It won’t work with me. You might be pretty, but you’re not stupid. So, don’t lie to me, okay? This can be so easy if you just listen to me.”

 Without seeing anything in sight that could help her, Zelda swallowed hard and steeled herself with her bravest expression. “Well, you might as well kill me now. I won’t answer your questions, so get it over with.”

In a flash, Aia held the tip of a vicious sickle up against Zelda’s throat. She couldn’t help the whimper that escaped as she felt the metal against her skin. Aia didn’t move it but lowered her tall frame just inches from Zelda’s face. “This is how fast I could kill you,” she whispered.

“Why don’t you, then?” Zelda spat back.

Aia shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m not sure it’s in my best interest yet. That must make you so happy, doesn’t it? You and your precious hero might just get to live while I figure out what it is that I need from you. There’s something. I’d tell you, but I don’t think you’d be interested in helping us out… at least not yet.” She paused. “Where is your hero?”

Zelda didn’t respond, but gritted her teeth, fighting back bile that was rising in her throat the longer she looked at the uniform of the Yiga.

“Oh, Zelda, you forgot already. I told you to be honest with me. Jirou!” she called into the other room. “Kill the old one. She’s lived long enough.”

“No!” Zelda cried, rushing for the door.

Aia caught her and threw the princess onto the ground without restraint. “Oh wait, Jirou. I forgot to tell you that was a joke. For now.” She leaned down and grabbed Zelda. “Where is Link?”

Zelda tugged her robe, desperate for something to hold on to. “I don’t know where he is right now, but he went to Death Mountain. He’ll be back any time, so don’t get comfortable.”

Aia rolled her eyes. “Please, I know exactly where he is. I always know. I just wanted you to tell me. Why do you think I’m here right at this precise moment while you’re without a guard?”

“I have Impa’s guards outside. I don’t need Link to be safe from you.”

Aia balked and sat back on her haunches, looking too relaxed. “I’m in the room with you, aren’t I? They didn’t do so well. And her guards? You don’t know what her guard has done, do you?”

Shaking her head, Zelda waited for Aia to continue, but instead, she changed the topic.

“I read a little bit about you, Zelda. Your mother was supposed to be the one who had the power or taught you to use yours, something like that. But she died. Your powers retreated further within yourself until you unlocked them just in time to seal my Master away. Then, you began to use them by accident, destroying everything around you when you woke up. Murdering my brother, and all. Does all that sound about accurate? And you know what happens if you don’t answer me.”

Begrudgingly, Zelda nodded.

Aia continued. “Right, so Link tried to take out my father, you kill my brother, and yet you both think you’re good guys? How do you live with that? Being a murderer? You got scared and killed him without even realizing it.”

Out of options, Zelda realized she may just need to keep the Yiga talking. She latched on to the one thing she could, hoping it would bring the girl to a story. “Link never told me what happened with your father. He led the Yiga?”

Aia sat down, looking exhausted, as if she were at a friend’s house rather than threatening the Princess of Hyrule. “Yes, Master Kogha is my father. He became the leader through an incredible stroke of dumb luck. He’s a fool, and he’s weak. He doesn’t deserve to lead us. But his appointment gave me and my brothers every opportunity to surpass him. Then, your boy Link fought him and he fell, nearly crushed by a stupid spiked metal boulder of his own creation. We thought the fall was a blessing in disguise. Eiji, Jirou, and I took joint leadership of the Yiga after, but when they recovered my father, he was still alive. He’s still recovering, but he’ll make it.”

Zelda felt that the story was almost over, and she reached for another point. “And your mother?”

“What about her?”

“Is she a Yiga? A normal person? You haven’t mentioned her yet.”

Laughing it off like it was nothing, Aia waved her hand. “She’s long dead.”

“I’m sorry,” Zelda said instantly, hoping to play off sympathy.

“Don’t be. I killed her.”

Zelda’s eyes widened, and she shrank back instinctively to get as far away from the Yiga as possible. “You what?”

Aia stood and moved to the window. “She was a Yiga. She was a good one. What she saw in my father is beyond me, but they lived happily for some time. She started to become disillusioned by our ways, claiming that you’d never return, and that our god was lost to us forever. He wasn’t worth waiting for. So, she left.

“Leaving is fine and good. We don’t like losing our members, but we will let you go. Naturally, some of us kept an eye on her. When we realized she was selling our secrets to the Sheikah in the hopes of bringing us down, we had to retaliate.”

“Wait,” Zelda interrupted. “She tried to get you killed?”

“Worse, she tried to save us.” Aia rolled her eyes and turned back to Zelda, leaning lazily against the windowsill. “She wanted to abduct my brothers and I. My father found out and stopped her. You see, Yiga will abide deserters if they lead secluded, harmless lives. But that’s rarely the case. My mother was no exception. She became a traitor, an enemy to her former people, and a threat. We had no choice but to eliminate her. My brother Eiji and I volunteered. Even if she thought she was protecting us, betraying us to do what she thought was right, she became our enemy. So you see, this is how far we will go for our cause. Ask Dorian outside. Your trustworthy guard knows all about that.”

“What does Dorian have to do with anything?”

Aia looked out the window and pulled her mask back on. “Sorry, Zelda. Your poor attempt to divert me is done. I had my fun. It was a great chat, if you’ll admit that much. I think I’ve decided that I don’t want to kill you today. You have something… powerful that I want for my people. And I intend to do whatever I have to to get it. Even if it means waiting a little longer.”

“What is that?” Zelda asked, slightly emboldened.

Again, Aia ignored Zelda and changed the topic. “Oh, wait. Did I say I had Impa and Paya outside that door? I don’t. But I did have to have Jirou kill someone so we could safely get in. The old guy at who was on guard duty.”

“What?” Zelda said, pushing herself to her feet. She felt herself rush for the door, but a hand stopped her. She pushed it off, no longer afraid for Paya or Impa, wherever they may be, and swung her fist through the air, missing Aia’s face by a long shot.

“Ooo,” Aia cooed. “She does have a bit of fire. This is more fun! Here I thought you needed your hero to do all the work for you.”

She let Zelda pull at her, dragging her against the door. But that was all she let Zelda do.

With ease, Aia flipped so that she was the one who had Zelda pinned to the door. She held the sickle up again and whispered into Zelda’s ear. “Go ahead, you can scream now.”

Taking a step away, Aia smirked one final time and disappeared into a cloud of smoke leaving Zelda alone in the quiet room.

With a huff, Zelda clutched her robe as if it were her life force, and forced herself to breathe, if only for a moment. Wasting little time, Zelda flung the door open and ran down the stairs. She had to see if Aia was telling the truth. Was someone really dead?

And then she saw the pool of blood.

Dorian.

Her knees buckled and she felt herself begin to dry heave. She couldn’t make a voice come from her throat if she tried.

It was in that moment, the door flew open.

Reaching for the nearest item to protect herself, Zelda watched the figure turn from shadow to a Hylian form as he ran into the house towards her, practically jumping over Dorian.

“What happened?” Link asked, grabbing Zelda’s arm, looking her over for cuts or anything. His thumb ran over her throat where a bead of blood had trickled down from the tip of the sickle.

Relief flooded through her in a rush, and she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his neck. “It was the Yiga. It was Aia. Dorian, is he…”

Link wrapped his arms tightly around her. “Are they still here?”

“No, she left.”

“Cado, get in here!” Link called. “Princess, we need to get you out of here.”

Cado ran into the room and threw himself onto the floor beside his friend, trying to wake him, to see if he was alive. But Zelda didn’t get the chance to find out.

Link rushed her outside into the center of the village. It was already getting crowded, and Zelda held Link tighter.

“What happened?”

Still in shock and frozen in terror, Zelda tried to snap herself out of it. “Aia… she showed up in my room. She killed Dorian, didn’t she? She could have killed me!”

Though he knew the Yiga were her worst fear, Link didn’t have the luxury of time to chose his words carefully. “Why didn’t they?”

Zelda looked up at him, mortified. “I… I don’t know. She said she needs me.”

“For what?”

“I—I don’t know.”

Link had the Master Sword in one hand, scanning the village. But his eyes rested on Zelda’s hand.

“You didn’t take it off?”

Zelda grabbed her wrist, shielding it from Link’s view. “I couldn’t.”

“Princess,” he started. There was immense relief in his eyes, but there was also anger. He pushed them both aside for practicality. “You need to get dressed. We’re leaving.”

“How long have you even been in the village?” Zelda asked, unsure if he’d arrived while she bathed or if Aia had truly timed her appearance to a precise moment just before Link’s arrival.

“That doesn’t matter. I’m packed. Impa said you never got to unpack.” He looked around until he saw Paya and another Sheikah. “Can you go with her while she changes and grabs her things?”

He craned his neck to see her Gerudo guards emerging from the inn where they’d been off duty. “Stay with her the entire time. Don’t leave her,” he said to them as they neared. It was possible they didn’t even know what had just happened.

“Link,” Zelda said, grabbing his arm. “Where are we going? We both just got here, and it’s late. I’m tired. Let’s stay the night. I don’t think she’ll be back today.”

Link gently pulled his arm from her. “We’re going to the one place that the Yiga won’t dare touch you. They know they’ll lose.”

Zelda shook here head, not sure where he was referring to.

“Gerudo Town.”

Chapter Text

The road to the Gerudo Desert was long, especially with the large travelling company. Not only did Zelda ride beside Link, but the three Gerudo Riju had left her, Gaddison and Rivan, the elite Sheikah Steen, and Olkin, but also three Hylians that Link had known in the past who he’d recruited on his way back to her from Death Mountain. Their names were Yolero, Molo, and Flaxel. Paya, too, had been sent back on the road by Impa, though she didn’t mind one bit. The adventure was enthralling, if dangerous.

All three Hylians had been travelling together after meeting at a stable one day, and Link found them at the Woodland Stable where he’d stayed. Flaxel, upon hearing the news that they’d all be heading to Gerudo Town, was not pleased. After being abandoned to Bokoblins by her former friend, she was not eager to go back. And at this point, no one was saying anything against having more guards.

Zelda watched the three with interest as they rode, interested in their stories. Link had been almost entirely silent, focused on their surroundings with steel determination. The ride to Outskirt Stable was painfully long for this reason.

Paya was quiet, mourning the loss of Dorian for most of the trip, as did Steen and Olkin. Gaddison and Rivan tried to talk to Link, but his focus on the road and the surroundings was unbroken. And Dorrah and Marta were nearly as stoic. Only Barta knew how to have a little fun, but the mood among the group was too somber to recover from.

Zelda spoke with Flaxel as much as she could. She’d be one of her main guards besides the Gerudo’s once they entered the Town. With the strict rule that disallowed men inside the walls, Zelda would be left unprotected by her closest ally. Paya would be with her, but Paya was no fighter. And Gaddison would be staying with Rivan just outside the desert. The heat was too much for a Zora. It left Zelda with Flaxel and any Gerudo on duty.

“Your friend abandoned you, then?” Zelda asked her as Flaxel told the story of how she met Link.

“He did. He was never much of a fighter, but I never knew he was a coward. I must have been higher than the walls of the valley, surrounded by Bokoblins. It was difficult to fight, but I assure you that I am not usually in need of rescue.”

Though Zelda didn’t want to doubt her skills, she couldn’t help it when hearing that she’d been surrounded by Bokoblins. Still, this stranger was risking her life in the wake of the Yiga attack, and Zelda felt compelled to tell her as much. “You have no need to sell me on your skills, Flaxel. You seem capable, and I trust you.” Zelda nearly choked out the last words. Trust. That was something that had to be earned.

But it made Flaxel happy, and she bowed her head, returning to a conversation with Molo when she saw Paya ride up beside Zelda.

“We should rest soon, Highness. We’ve been out here for hours.”

Zelda turned to Link. For once, he wasn’t listening, as she often caught him doing. “Link?” she called. “Link!”

He turned to her, though his eyes remained unfocused, darting around in the distance.

“You’ve made this trip several times. Would you advise that we stop here?”

Link looked around, as if he didn’t realize where they were and shook his head. “It isn’t that much longer to Outskirt Stable. If you can make it, I’d recommend we stay inside shelter.”

“We can,” Zelda said, adjusting herself in the saddle. She gave Paya a look of exasperation and rode up directly beside Link. “Link, I know you’re angry with me, but please talk to me.”

“What would you like me to say? You’re the future queen. If you don’t want to do something, don’t do it. It’s short and simple.”

Zelda knew what he was talking about and her hand went to the contraption around her wrist. Since the attack, it burned. Power within her had been building. She’d felt it. And it wanted to be free. That’s what frightened her. “I was going to take it off. I never got the chance.”

Link shrugged. “You could have saved yourself. Aia could be dust in the wind and out of your hair right now. Dor—” Link stopped himself, shaking his head. “But it’s your decision.”

She sighed. Dorian might still be alive if it weren’t for her. She could have killed Aia, and whatever guard had been out there with Dorian. That’s what he was going to say. “I don’t want to fight, Link. I’m not a fighter. Not in this life. Perhaps you’ve seen visions of me as a warrior queen, standing beside you on the battlefield, but that’s not me. I’m a scholar. It kills me inside all the time that I took Aia’s brother’s life. I killed a Yiga… or perhaps Paya did, but I slid a knife into a body. It was horrible. I don’t want to fight. I don’t want these nightmares that I have to hold any more basis in reality than they already do.”

“I don’t want you dead,” Link muttered, truly looking at her for the first time. “Self-defense isn’t the same as just killing someone because they looked at you wrong. I’m a killer, Princess. You’re innocent of any crime in that regard.”

“You’re a soldier. A knight. You’re not a killer.”

He scoffed, and a lopsided grin started to appear on his face as he turned to her. “If I’m not a killer, then neither are you. Get that notion out of your head.”

Zelda closed her eyes, feeling nauseous as she pictured the bodies she’d seen. She could see it in her dreams, more dead, and it was all because of her.

“I won’t take this off while we’re around people. What more would you have me do? Tell me, please. What do you think I should do?” Zelda asked.

“Train, only a little. If I’m in the next room over, and Aia or another Yiga shows up, learn to defend yourself just long enough. You don’t have to stab anyone, just stay alive.” His eyes bored into hers and she shuddered at their intensity.

She thought about it for a moment. “You’ll train me, then? Just enough to defend myself? I can shoot a bow, if that’s any consolation for my lack of close-quarter skills. I’m not very strong.”

Link smiled and looked off into the distance again. “You don’t have to have strength to be strong, Princess.”

“I think I know where to put my feet by now, Link. Can we move forward?” Zelda said, exasperated. They’d been at the stable for hours, and she was not feeling well, but she’d agreed to learn basics of defense with Link. He’d spent most of his time showing her the basics: how to stand, when to move, when to run. 

“Alright, Princess,” Link said, spinning the small knife through his fingers.

Zelda glared at him. He was already showing off.

“Am I going to attack you, or are you going to attack me?” Zelda asked, feigning indignance. “Are we finally moving on?

Link shrugged. “We can if you want. Which would you prefer to start with? Would you like to defend against me, or try to stab me?”

“Which am I more likely to win?”

Turning to her, Link flipped the knife again, grinning wickedly at her as he did.

She rolled her eyes at him. “Well, what’s the point of all this if you don’t think I can win anything?”

“To keep you alive long enough for you to escape or for help to come. No offence, Princess, but you can’t beat someone like me or Aia after just a few training lessons. We’ve fought our whole lives. You’d have to use your magic, which you aren’t willing to do. That’s why this is happening at all.”

She glared at his snide comment and held out her hand for his knife. “So, I’ll attack you first. That should be satisfying, given your attitude.”

With a cocky grin, Link handed her a protectively sheathed knife so neither could accidently stab the other.

She took it, turning it over in her hands. “You know, I still really don’t want to fight anyone.”

“Remember, I’m not asking you to be a soldier. It’s a last resort, like if Aia somehow managed to get you alone again and attacked you.”

“I know,” she scoffed, holding the knife in her hand as Link had showed her. “So, did I steal this from you, or do I have my own?”

“We can pretend you stole it somehow, but you can keep that. Keep it on you when we’re done just to be safe.”

Zelda tried to jab it at him, but he barely moved, her thrust so far off from him. She scoffed. “Do you have anything you could be doing besides subtly insulting my skill level? I know I couldn’t have stolen the knife.”

“Maybe you stole it off of a dead body?”

With a scowl, Zelda moved a little faster, and fought a little harder. She took a step towards Link and swung her arm out, aiming for his arm. Link caught hers instead, pulling her into him and taking the knife from her with ease.

“Dead, Princess. Try harder.”

“I am trying!”

Link handed the knife back before looking around beyond the light of the campfire. He could see that everyone was in their positions, guarding the perimeter of the stable. It eased his mind enough to focus back on the princess.

“I thought you wanted to kill my attitude?”

Zelda rolled her eyes. “I know what you’re trying to do. Goading me won’t make me any better.”

Link cocked his head, gesturing for her to try again, which she did. He let her get in close to him, offering her several openings to hit him that she never saw. But he could feel her fighting to push her weight against him, trying to concentrate all her power into one motion. It was an admirable attempt, but one that failed.

“I’m the professional here, Princess. I’ll be the judge of how you’re fighting.”

She grinned, spotting the playful glint in his eyes. Neither of them could take the other too seriously, especially when they knew they’d never truly harm the other. Link would never take a real shot at her ego, and Zelda could never stab him, no matter how superficial the wound, or how annoying he could be when he wanted.

She could see Paya sitting by the fire, journal in hand, watching them along with the rest of the stable employees and patrons. Restless crickets’ chirps filled the air before she turned back to Link.

“Are you questioning your princess’ judgement?”

Shrugging again, Link held his hands up, cuing her to go again. She moved towards him, but he didn’t need to work too hard to stop her. “Technically, you’re my queen, not princess, but who am I to question royalty?”

He left himself wide open for her once again, and this time she saw his exposed side.

She went to jam the tip of the sheathed knife against Link. He’d told her not to hold back if she managed to get a hit in. For one, he was used to it, and two, he’d likely block her. So when he didn’t, and she hit him, he fell to the ground, clutching his side.

Zelda dropped the knife in shock, looking at it to be sure it had been sheathed. It was, and she could see no blood on Link, yet he coughed and held on to his side.

“Link?” she said, dropping beside him. His face was scrunched up, and he looked like he was holding his breath. “Link! Oh Goddess, I’m so sorry!”

Her hands hovered over him cautiously before moving to push his hand off the wound.

But his hand grabbed hers and his eyes opened, lit up with stifled laughter.

“By the Goddesses, Link! Really?” Zelda huffed, feeling the tension leave her immediately.

“You let your guard down,” he said, gesturing to his other hand. It was holding a knife of his own.

“You’re impossible,” she said, her hand whacking him in relief, glad to see he was alright. “Your acting isn’t as good as you think it is. It was too suspicious that I even managed to bring you down after all that high and mighty talk of yours.”

“You wound me,” Link laughed, sitting up. “I can’t wait for you to see the bruise you left.”

Zelda could still feel Link’s hand in hers and she unwillingly pulled it free. Letting out a deep breath, Zelda pushed herself to her feet. “Now that we’re done, how did I really do?”

Link joined her on his feet and handed her the sheathed knife. “You did very well for someone who doesn’t want to fight. You have to use everything you can when you’re at a disadvantage, even anger. I’m sorry if anything I said actually offended you.”

Zelda shook her head, a small grin on her face. “No. I knew what you were doing. It’s that acting skill of yours again. But I think I’m getting it. I have to use everything I can to win a fight.”

With a wide swing, Zelda went to hit Link. He moved back at just the last second, beaming up at her as he watched her next movements more carefully.

“Even surprise,” she laughed, moving closer to him again. He blocked her next few attacks with ease, and she quickly found that surprise had worn off. He caught her hand and she dropped the knife to the ground. Link watched it fall and let go quickly.

Zelda was holding her shoulder wincing. “I think I pulled something,” she muttered, bending to get the discarded knife, but she just stayed on her knees.

Link bent beside her. “Let me see.”

He lightly held her arm, moving it around with gentle care to check her injury.

Then he jerked forward at the sensation of something against his side.

In Zelda’s left hand, she pressed the discarded knife against him. “You’re dead this time. You think you’d learn.” She laughed and tossed the knife away.

Link’s eyes were lit by something much brighter than the glow of the fire as he stared at her. He nodded slowly before chuckling. “Bested once by a Guardian, and again by the princess. My two weaknesses.”

Glad for the darkening sky, Zelda could feel her body flush as she brushed herself off and offered Link her hand. “I had an alright teacher.”

He took it and didn’t let go, even after they were both on their feet.

It was only when Zelda remembered that they had an audience that she let go and crossed her arms against her. Link picked up the knife and fiddled with it as he watched her.

“I’m still not feeling well, so I’m going to end this now, before you really get hurt, Link.”

Link scoffed and turned the knife in his hand one more time before his eyes flicked up to Zelda. He handed her the knife. “Aia should be afraid of you. I am.”

With a dramatic haughty wave of her hair, Zelda couldn’t help but laugh.

It was contagious, and Link joined in before looking around the perimeter again. “Well, feel better, Princess.”

Zelda headed back towards the stable, and Paya joined beside her quickly.

“What was that? Princess Zelda, what just happened out there?” Paya was biting back a laugh, suspicion glistening in her eyes.

Wishing she knew that herself, Zelda shrugged. “We trained. You saw.”

Paya raised her eye brows accusingly. “If that’s training, I wish Link would train with me.”

“Paya!” Zelda chuckled. “Believe what you want. But I need to sleep. I’m not feeling so great.”

Paya shrugged, unaffected by Zelda’s dismissal. “Change the subject then. I’ll figure it out.” She waved. “Goodnight. I hope you’ll be better in the morning.”

Well into the night, Link finally felt a tap on his shoulder from Gaddison, a change in shift guarding the area. He thanked her and went back to the burning fire. His eyes were tired, and his body was sore. Not from Zelda. He’d forgotten about this pain entirely when they’d trained, despite all the moving he had to do.

He brushed his hand up against his ribcage and winced. Something had been wrong with the Stone Talus he’d fought. It wasn’t where it belonged, like it had been lured to attack the city. It had massively overpowered the Gorons. They’d lost good citizens in the attack. Boss Bludo and his cannons barely made a dent, and Yunobo had barely made it to the Divine Beast in time.

Bludo had the right idea. It had been a setup meant to destroy the Princess’ only selfless supporters, and possibly him. And as much as he knew going with Cole was a bad plan, he couldn’t leave the Gorons, his friends, to meet their fate.

Cole’s façade had never dropped, nor had it betrayed any intention of intentional harm. But he had to be watched. And Link knew he’d be back.

Slipping quietly to his own sectioned off bed, as everyone’s was, Link struggled to pull off his shirt. He couldn’t help the groan he let out, and he craned his neck to see the extent of the damage. The Talus had sent a boulder straight into Link, throwing him down the rocks and dangerously close to the lava. It had torn his skin, and left the entire side of his body a mix of deep blues and purples. He sighed and slipped into a looser shirt from his bag, careful to keep his arm off the bruise and to keep from agitating it.

Then he heard a low whimpering coming from somewhere in the room.

He grabbed the Master Sword and listened more closely. The noise was tinged with pain, fear, both, he couldn’t tell. But he knew it wasn’t good.

Immediately, Link ran over to Zelda’s bed and stood near the curtain. It was loudest here, and Link glanced inside.

She seemed to be sleeping, perhaps having another bad dream, as she often did. “Princess?” he whispered to rouse her from sleep. But she continued to flail about, thrashing and crying.

He moved closer to her, concerned. He put the Master Sword down and bent to physically shake Zelda awake, but as his hands touched her, he could feel that her skin was clammy and wet. Bending further, he pulled the blanket away from her face to give her some air and felt her forehead. His hand came back soaked with her sweat. She was burning up.

Link hurriedly burst through the next private “room” and shook Paya awake. She gasped, startled, but the look on his face had her alert in a moment.

“She’s burning with a fever. Will fairies work on that? What medicines do we have? I haven’t been around for any new medicines in 100 years. I need you.”

Paya nodded and followed Link to Zelda. Paya’s eyes widened. “Princess Zelda?” She turned to Link. “She warned me she didn’t feel well. I figured it would just pass.”

Link grimaced. “Me too. Can you go find whoever is here, whoever is best with this. The closest to a physician we have. Anyone.”

Paya hurried away and Link was left alone with her. He tried to wake her again.

This time, her eyes opened.

Link jerked his body back before grabbing her hand. “Princess?”

Her eyes were unseeing, lost in a faraway place. “What have I done?” she muttered.

“Nothing.”

“I’ve killed you. There’s nothing I can do. And Ganon will return. I can’t stop his return. He always does. He’s coming. He’s coming.”

“He isn’t coming, Princess. You already defeated him.”

Zelda gasped for air and shook her head, thrashing again. Link had to hold her down. Her breath was against his ear, a panicked chorus of “They’re coming” repeated over and over until she needed a breath, then it repeated.

“Princess, calm down,” Link said, holding her tighter. “Please.”

She started to shake, still muttering to herself.

“Zelda!” Link said, pushing the hair from her face. It was like he wasn’t there.

After a few moments of watching her, helplessly, Link pushed the blanket off of her completely and lifted her into his arms. He had to hold her tightly against him to stop her from fighting him, but she soon gave up, her body too tired, shivering instead.

Link quickly brought her outside into the cool air, unsure if that would be enough. They were surrounded by cool water, and if Paya wasn’t back soon, he looked for the safest way to reach the water. There was a small hill, one that was easy to climb back up, and that’s where he’d go.

Paya finally ran back to him with the Sheikah in tow behind her. She was surprised to find them outside but stepped out of the way of the Sheikah. Instead, he moved around to take Zelda’s exposed hand.

“What do we do?” he asked, panicked. “What’s happening to her?”

“Before we do anything,” one Sheikah said. Link didn’t even register who it was. “We need to bring down her fever.”

Link adjusted Zelda in his arms and headed straight for the hill. “Guess we’re going swimming after all,” he said to himself.

He wasted no time getting into the water. The cold lapping against him, combined with the chill of the wind was enough to make him wish he was dressed much warmer, but he stayed as deep as he could, making sure Zelda was in as far as possible.

In the cold, she seemed to have a moment of lucidity, lolling her head off of Link to dip into the water. Her eyes opened weakly. “What is happening?”

Link scoffed, his body alight with nervous energy. “I wish I knew. Are you alright?”

But that was all he could get from her. Her eyes closed again.

The Sheikah were all watching Link from above and his eyes met with one for a moment. A flash of Robbie popped into his head, and with a sudden thought, Link grabbed Zelda’s hand from the water to look at it better.

Underneath the power suppressor that Robbie had made her, he could see that there were faint drops of blood. Most of it had washed away with the water, but not all of it had time to clean away its own incriminating evidence.

Link shook his head. “Paya, get everyone as far away from here as you can. Fast, Paya!”

She didn’t question him. Whether she trusted him, or she’d also realized what was happening, she raced away, ushering every person further away from the stables.

Grateful that Robbie had shown him once, Link placed his fingers in the proper place to remove the hand trap.

That got Zelda’s attention. “No, don’t touch it!”

Link ran his hand across her forehead and moved the wet hairs from her eyes. “I remembered something a while ago from before the Calamity. You father once pulled me aside and told me that I was allowed to disobey your orders as long as it was to protect you. This is one of those times, Princess. Brace yourself.”

“Don’t,” she muttered, though she was too weak to do anything to stop him. “No, don’t, Link. Please!”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered as he pressed every spot and watched the gauntlet fall into the water, setting her wrist free.

“What have you done?” she asked weakly.

But Link could feel the energy building in the air. Something about the magic was physical, and you could almost taste it. Link held her tightly, and clung to the hill just before Zelda let out a scream. She held out her hand into the water, and not a moment later, a towering waterfall-geyser appeared above them, sent up into the sky with such a force that it appeared the water fell from nowhere in the sky.

The drops fell back down and pelted them like a harsh rain, the water in the small pond crashing like a stormy ocean tide.

Zelda felt slightly more herself, though she could already feel another blast building up inside her. She turned her head to see Link.

Bleeding from the forehead, Link’s whole body was slumped over, and it was clear that the power had knocked him backwards with enough force to render him unconscious.

“Link?” she asked, reaching for him.

But she screamed in pain and held her hand down into the water just as her powers shot out again, draining her of everything until the world went black.

Chapter Text

Zelda woke up in a soft bed.

Her eyes were groggy, and her head was pounding, but she managed to sit up regardless. It was hard, and her entire body still coursed with residual pain.

Looking to her right, she saw a line of empty beds. There were no curtains between them, as there had been when she’d fallen asleep.

Sun was shining through the opened doors of a stable, though she could see shades of tan and brown outside. Rock.

They weren’t in the same place they had been.

On her left, Paya was furiously writing into a journal. Zelda was afraid that she’d make the girl jump and mess up if she surprised her, so she just cautiously sat up and waited for Paya to look up once again.

“Princess Zelda?” she said, finally noticing. “Thank the Goddess’!”

“What happened?” she asked, feeling her head with her hand. The pressure that had built up until it felt like it had imploded was gone, and she was left with a dull throb.

With a gasp, she looked at her fingers. There were small burns seared into her where the power-suppressing gauntlet had been wrapped around her fingers like rings. But the only thing on her wrist was Robbie’s new bracelet prototype.

“Your powers made you sick again. Holding them in for so long, especially after Aia appeared to you, made you sick. Far worse than I’ve seen. Your condition began to improve almost immediately after you released your power. It was an incredible display, to be sure.”

It all came back to her. The water. The pain. The power. Link.

She looked around. “Where’s Link? Is he alright? Did I hurt him? Last I saw, he was—”

Paya grabbed her hand. “He’s fine. We raced you to Gerudo Canyon Stable and rode ahead into to bring back their healer. She’s here still.”

“’Still? How long has it been?”

Paya thought for a moment. “Your incident was last night. It’s midday. We all rode through the night as fast as we dared with the both of you unconscious.”

“I knocked Link fully unconscious?” Zelda asked. She tried to stand up. She had to see him.

“Careful!” Paya called, dropping her book to steady Zelda before she could collapse straight back into the bed.

“I’m alright. I have to see Link, though.”

Zelda stumbled outside, her eyes scanning for her blonde knight. She saw him leaning casually against some rock, deep in thought and hurried over to him.

“Are you alright?” she burst out as she neared him.

Link turned to her, surprise and relief washing over him as he nodded. “Their healer patched me up.”

“I knocked you unconscious…” she muttered in disbelief. “Why did you take my wrist guard off?”

“It was eating you alive. I was scared for you. We all were.” He hesitated, but opted to speak anyway. “I don’t regret disobeying you.”

Zelda shook her head. “I could have killed you.”

Link threw up his arms. “Walking down a hill could kill me too. But it hasn’t. We all take risks. I’m willing to take any risk when your life is on the line.”

“You said my name.” Zelda stared defiantly at him, hurt and worry written all over her.

“I didn’t.”

“You did, Link. You said my name. The only other times you’ve ever called me Zelda were all on the day you died. You thought we were in enough danger yesterday that you called me Zelda.”

Link didn’t want to argue, so he shifted the topic. “Well, now you have Robbie’s new prototype on. You can take it off faster in an emergency.”

Zelda was too frustrated to continue this conversation. This wasn’t his power that he couldn’t control. It was hers. And she wouldn’t let anymore people die because of it. Her fingers toyed with the contraption, feeling the easy release mechanism that she hadn’t been able to find fast enough on her other device.

“Princess,” Link said carefully, “You should get dressed to leave. We were going to bring you to Lady Riju for better treatment inside the city if you hadn’t woken up, so she may already be in the bazaar waiting for us.”

Zelda nodded, returning to Paya. Even from the stable, the sun was already beating down, casting a massive wave of heat over the area. It was nearly intolerable. Zelda put on a white dress, one from her room that was shoulder-less, but had sheer white sleeves that were as free-flowing as the dress itself. It was one of the few things she had that was even moderately appropriate for the weather. She slid into her boots and hurried outside.

Link was sitting on a makeshift bench that had been carefully shaped from the rocks that often slid into the valley. He was dressed in his own Gerudo garb, that specifically meant for voe. He was shirtless, fiddling with the straps on his spaulder and his sleeve so they’d stay together.

From where Zelda stood, even despite the shadows hiding the details, and despite Link’s deceptive physical build, he looked eerily fit. His arm muscles, often hidden beneath layers of shirts, were the easiest indicator of his training. And the muscular ripples in his stomach and back were visible even from where she stood. He was no tall, bulky framed muscular knight as she’d seen of some of her soldiers in the past. If Zelda didn’t know Link, she might have potentially betted against him in a fight. But without his usual layers and shirt, it was far too easy to see how mistaken those notions were.

For a moment, she had to roll her eyes and look away. It was no secret that she found him attractive, and she didn’t want to go over there redder than the inside of a hydromelon. With a sigh of frustration, she realized that the pounding desert sun wasn’t the only reason she’d warmed up. She took a moment to tie her hair up off her neck and felt hands helping her.

Paya’s shadow was easy to spot, and Zelda let her take over. “Paya, please tell me you’re not wearing your heavy Sheikah clothes.”

Paya laughed. “No, I have something we wear when we travel to warmer climates.”

When she’d finished, Zelda could see that Paya had changed into an outfit with no sleeves that wrapped around her neck. The same piece went down to her ankles in a flowing pant, and emblazoned in gold was the Sheikah eye. She had tied a red feathered belt around her waist and looked rather comfortable.

“That’s a beautiful outfit, Paya,” Zelda complimented. Indeed, it didn’t look like something that was common or worn often in Kakariko anyway.

“It was Grandmother’s and passed down for several generations.”

Zelda grinned as she realized for the first time that Paya’s arm had a tattoo on it. It was simple, just a red lined design with small circles on it that looped under her arm. “I didn’t know you had a tattoo.”

Paya made a face and pointed to her forehead where the Sheikah symbol permanently rested. “Have you missed this?”

“Oh, no I meant…”

“I was joking,” Paya giggled. She looked at her arm. “I’ve had these for several years now. My Grandmother told me of several of our ancestors who bore additional ink to our spiritual mark. She received some when she was an adult, and my mother did as well, so I followed suit.”

“What does it mean?”

“It’s an extension of our symbol. You’ve likely seen it on the Sheikah Slate.”

Zelda’s eyes widened, realizing with excitement that it was. “That’s incredible. I never knew.”

Paya shrugged and walked with Zelda towards the still shirtless Link. Paya began muttering to herself something about immodesty and heroes before she veered off, leaving Zelda alone.

But as Zelda neared him, moving toward his front, she stared at his chest for an entirely different reason.

Across his chest were three large scars that looked like they’d never healed properly, as if they were still fresh. The largest looked like it still caved into his skin, like a hole that had never been filled all the way. It was purple and red, veiny and painful looking.

On the other side of his body was a fresh bruise that ran along his ribs, below the waistline of his pants and all the way under his arm. Beneath all of that were dozens of old scars that were faded and worn, but still present.

Link had stopped his fiddling at her presence and put the spaulder on the ground. She could feel him watching her, though she didn’t meet his eyes.

Instead, she walked behind him, examining his wounds from the back. There was an exit wound from the blast of the guardian that looked as vicious as the front. The final blast before he’d died in her arms.

She must have gasped, because Link turned his neck toward her. “I thought you said you’d seen it all.”

She was dumbstruck, too horrified for words. “Yes, when it first happened. When it killed you. This looks fresh, not like it had 100 years to heal.”

“A dead body doesn’t try to mend wounds.”

“Does it hurt?”

He shook his head, but she doubted he’d tell her anyway.

Her hand reached out to touch the mark, wishing to Hylia that she’d been blessed with healing powers. But she stopped herself before she could brush her fingertips against his skin and she hugged her hands toward herself.

Link stood up and turned to wholly face her so that the worst of his scar was staring her in the face as he spoke. She could see the day play out in her mind. She could feel him in her arms, feel him take his last breath. “I…”

She was so lost in her memory that she barely registered Link’s brief, light touch under his chin to bring her attention off his scar. “Before you say what I know you’re going to say, it’s not your fault. Don’t you dare apologize. You didn’t do this to me. My job was to die for you, if need be. I died fighting Guardians while we were trying to escape Kakariko, and you deactivated them all in the field when you unlocked your power. Nowhere in that statement is there any blame on anyone but Ganon.”

“I know,” she said, still feeling guilty. It was a guilt she knew she’d never escape, no matter the reasoning or the logic.

But to change the topic, Zelda gestured to the fresh bruise. “And what’s that from?”

Link feigned pain. “You stabbed me really hard during practice.” She cracked a grin, despite herself, but kept her most impatient face masking her laughter. Link’s eyes lit up as he smiled at her expression, and he easily conceded. “It was the Stone Talus. I think Cole or someone lured it to the village intentionally.”

“By the Goddess,” Zelda murmured. “Was everyone alright?”

He shook his head and pulled his sleeve on, strapping it to his chest just before he did the spaulder. She didn’t need elaboration on that.

“Come on, we need to get to Kara Kara Bazaar.”

Riju was waiting in the center of the desert bazaar with several of her Gerudo guards surrounding her. She was dressed in her regal attire, crown and all. As always, Buliara was on her left, guarding her much like Link guarded Zelda.

The young girl cracked a mischievous smile. “Well, well, it’s about time you came my way! I hear you had quite the trip up here. I can’t wait to learn all about it.”

Zelda bowed to the Gerudo Chief. “Lady Riju. Thank you for taking us in.”

Riju shrugged, an offhanded dismissal that it was no big deal. “You are familiar with our laws, but I’ll just remind you that there are no voe inside our walls. Only the vai amongst you will be allowed in.”

Zelda turned to Link. She was almost positive he’d talked about being inside the town before, but he nodded, approving of this plan, and Zelda turned back to Riju. “I understand that. Your ancestor and former chief the Lady Urbosa was my dearest friend. I respect your rules more than you realize.”

With a chuckle, Riju made a face and gave Link an amused look. He returned it and nodded. Zelda’s eyes passed between them, unable to figure out what was going on with them. But despite herself, she could feel a hot pit of jealousy welling up in her stomach. So much was understood between them without speaking a single word. Riju and Link had grown close, that much was certain.

Zelda looked away from them to Buliara. She didn’t seem too concerned, though her eyes moved protectively around the area as often Link’s did.

“So, Princess, Queen, Lady Zelda. What in Hyrule do you wish to be called?”

“Just Zelda would do,” she tried.

Riju had no qualms about it. “Zelda is fine with me. Zelda, has the bazaar changed much since you were here last?”

Zelda nodded. “It actually looks completely different.”

“We rebuilt it several years ago when my mother was still Chief.” She checked the status of a brewing sand in the distance. “We can continue this in my home. I’d like to leave before that makes the path unsafe for the seals. Patricia is strong, but some of the others prefer milder conditions.”

“Patricia?”

“My sand seal.”

“Oh,” Zelda said, noticing the one seal that was lined up who was colored vastly different from the others.

“Let’s be off. Link, have fun on your side quest,” Riju said with a dismissive wave, moving to stand with Patricia.

“You won’t be here?” Zelda asked, confused.

“We’re going to find as much out about the Yiga as we can while we’re down here. You’ll be safe inside.”

She looked suspicious, but followed the guards with her own female party and grabbed a seal before following Riju back home.

When they arrived at the gate, Riju hurried them into the Chief’s quarters. “The storm looks like it will pass quickly, but we need to shelter inside.”

Zelda, Paya, Flaxel, Marta, Barta, and Dorrah followed Riju and Buliara into the throne room where Riju took a seat in her chair while other Gerudo closed the windows. “Buliara, see to my room, please.” The guard complied and headed up several steps. Riju smiled. “Dorrah, Marta, Barta, you three may return home and visit with friends or family. I have my palace guards here, and they will watch over the Hylian princess while you rest.”

The three guards bowed before running outside into the storm.

Riju started to laugh. “I’ll bet anything they’re running straight for Furosa to buy a Noble Pursuit. It’s delicious, but she won’t serve to young people. I have others smuggle it in to me when I want some. I think she knows.” Riju trailed off, unsure where she was going with her own small talk.

“Your home is lovely,” Zelda said, looking around. “It looks very similar to how Urbosa styled it.”

“I tried to take a lesson from the great chiefs of the past. Urbosa was both simple and elegant. I think that my fountain might have been a bit extravagant as a decoration, but I love it.”

Paya and Flaxel began to look around the room at every object, both intrigued and deaf to the other conversations.

“Oh good, you got in,” Riju said.

Zelda turned to see Buleria coming down the stairs, but she wasn’t alone.

“Link?” Zelda asked, surprised to see him in the forbidden city.

Riju gestured to the closed windows. “What a well-timed storm for your sake.”

“What are you doing here?” Zelda asked, still confused. “You’re… you’re inside the walls of the city!”

Link leaned back against, looking comfortable and pleased with himself. “I wasn’t going to leave you, especially after Aia. Besides, Riju owed me a favor for saving Hyrule.”

With a dismissive wave, Riju turned to Zelda. “You might be one for our traditions, but I am not. If Link needs to be in here, then so be it. As long as he’s careful not to be seen.” She got comfortable again. “But speaking of saving Hyrule, I’ve heard some negative things about your political endeavors to retake your throne.”

“Link spoke with the Gorons recently. They will support me. I was in Hateno and hopefully managed to convince them that I am a good person, a real person, which is a start. I’m not some legend.”

“The Ritos?” Riju asked.

Zelda shrugged and turned to Link. “Have you heard more from Kass?” He shook his head and Zelda turned back to Riju. “Nothing from them yet. I haven’t made it there myself. But I did get to the Zora’s.”

“And Prince Sidon proposed to you again, I suppose?”

Zelda wondered how she was so well-informed, but she remembered her father would often get reports about the goings on as well. “He did.”

Riju scoffed. “And you’re considering it because you believe it’s the only option to get you back on the throne?”

“Not because it’s the only option. But I need allies, and… yes. It’s the clearest option.”

“And they have not promised to send any without a promise of your own.”

“Exactly. They don’t seem like they’ll support Cole, but also, the Zora’s won’t support me. I’m fairly certain that King Dorephan is looking for a power move, while Sidon and I are his pawns.”

Riju thought for a moment, playing absently with the lace trim on her skirt. “I suppose, if you’re willing, you could always marry me.”

Zelda’s eyes bugged out of her head. “What? You want me to marry you?”

Riju rolled her eyes. “I think it could be beneficial. It’s not like I want to marry you. I don’t even know you. But we could be friends, and we could be strong allies if we were together. I can send aide and support, but without legal ties to the Gerudos, you’ll always be an outsider. It’s just how we are. One hundred years is a long time. We became used to being on our own.”

Zelda looked behind her to Link, and saw Paya and Flaxel listening eagerly. Link looked shocked and uncomfortable, reverting to his soldier’s stance rather than his casual position from before.

Zelda turned back to Riju. “Without meaning offence, you’re a child, Lady Riju. I would feel uncomfortable.”

Riju smiled wickedly. “And Sidon is an old man in your years. Besides, your hesitance wouldn’t be because you have your heart elsewhere?” Riju looked pointedly between Link and Zelda, grinning before she pretended to stutter. “I-I mean, you are holding your heart out for Hyrule herself, of course! You’d likely want to rule alone to just get used to being queen.”

Zelda felt her face turning red for a second time and found herself hastily seeking to get the topic off Link. “I will consider your proposal as seriously as I take Sidon’s. You’re correct, it would be a good alliance.”

But Riju crossed her arms, looking quickly at Buliara for support. “But would you really consider me seriously.” She moved closer and brought her voice to a whisper. “You have an apparent attraction to a certain knight. I’m not blind.”

Zelda was undeniably warm as she lowered her voice so Link couldn’t hear. “My father used to tell me that I couldn’t go outside to play until I’d prayed to the Goddesses. I would be scolded for trying to read, or learn anything other than how to unlock my sealing power. I have always put the kingdom before myself, and I will do it again.”

“You see,” Riju said with a sly smile, keeping her voice low, but also had her eyes on Link. “Gerudo women leave home to marry and start families, but not all of them. We don’t judge those who leave, or those who stay. Your lack of attraction towards me is apparent… but I believe you’re missing the point I’m attempting to get at. I’m trying to say that marrying me doesn’t mean you would need to sacrifice every desire you’ve ever had, unlike marrying Sidon would. I would expect nothing of you, and your heart would be free. You could live wherever you chose, and have as little contact with me as you’d like outside of a letter. We would be legally bound sisters.” She hadn’t looked away from Link, her point being blatantly unspoken.

It got a rise from Zelda that her attraction to Link was so obvious. She hoped that it was only the idea of physical attraction that everyone saw. No one needed to know how deep her feelings ran, and have been running, for over 100 years.

“Lady Riju, I’ve said I will consider it. But I promise you, if I can get on the throne, regardless of my marital alliance, I will bring the Gerudo back into the fold. Trade will come back here, and we can forge easier routes for travel. I promise you this without any expectation from you. More than anyone, I understand what the burden of duty can do to someone. You should marry for love, not because they will give your people food and help find a greater prosperity. And while I may not end up taking my own advice, I hope you will. I will be your ally in all things, no matter what the situation is, as I was Urbosa’s.”

Riju looked, for the first time, touched. She didn’t wear her childish expressions of mockery, or her regal composure fit for a queen. “Thank you, Zelda. I hope you will keep your word on that.”

“I will. I promise. And thank you for your kind… offer.” Zelda squinted at the girl and realized something. Something about Riju speaking of Link felt personal, yet distant at the same time. It was emotional and carefully worded. Zelda lowered her voice, as Riju had earlier. “And I hope you find happiness with whoever it is that your heart belongs to as well.”

Riju balked and shrugged in defeat. “We are both too obvious, then.  Either we learn to embrace it, or we need to become better actresses. Buliara is the only one who knows about her. Please keep it to yourself?”

“Is she your knight? If not, you’ll have a much easier time than me.” Zelda laughed. Riju shook her head and made a knowing face as she crossed her arms and joined in Zelda’s laughter, both staring too obviously at Link.

But Zelda eventually bowed to Riju and went to walk away, but Riju stopped her. “Wait. I understand that there is a need to sacrifice for your people. You did it for 100 years and then some. But Zelda, when your father told you to pray, was your sacrifice ultimately worth losing yourself? Even a princess should choose herself sometimes.”

Link and Zelda sat on the rooftop, staring out into the night sky. Link longed to dangle his feet over the edge, but if anyone were to see him, Riju would be in an awkward position. Instead, he laid back, out of sight. But Zelda did swing her feet in the air as she stared out over the town.

“Princess?” Link asked.

“Hrmm?” she muttered, listening, but focusing on the millions of stars in the sky.

He paused and shook his head. “Never mind.”

“Oh, now you have me curious. You have to finish that thought.”

She could see his foot tapping anxiously. “Is your only option truly to marry one of these leaders?”

Zelda scooted back away from the ledge and laid herself next to Link, close enough that she could reach her fingers out to touch his if she decided to. “I don’t know. My father raised me to believe it was, and he didn’t live long enough to teach me any other way. I was preparing for the Calamity, not for leadership. Everyone suggests it, and the benefits it gives the kingdom are innumerable. I see no other option, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one. Why? Any suggestions of your own?”

“No,” he muttered, though she could hear something in his tone that she wished she could decipher. But then she heard him chuckle. “You could marry Cole.”

With a disgusted grunt, Zelda rolled onto her stomach, so she could see Link specifically so he could see her scowl. “That might be the most horrid thing you’ve ever suggested. I once told you to eat a frog for the sake of science, and this is a worse suggestion than even that.”

He laughed heartily. “I remember that. I’ve been remembering small things. Moments, but not conversations. I remember looking out over the kingdom with you. I remember watching you work on the Guardians. You stormed out into Hyrule Field after me once. I remember these, but I don’t know why. I can’t remember what happened.”

“You’re remembering more and more. It’s progress.”

“But it’s like I have conflicting lives in my head. I have one where I never knew who you were. You were a voice in a Slate, someone I knew needed help, but I never knew why. Then there’s another life where you and I spent hours and hours together each day. I knew your favorite food, and why you felt such a connection to flowers and herbs and science. Then there’s this third life. It’s just a feeling; an understanding of all our past lives. Each time, we’ve found each other. Sometimes, a past life gets in my way. Sometimes I remember holding you on a balcony, only it’s not you and it’s not me. But it is.”

“Link, I understand what that’s like. I saw those visions the entire time I was trapped in the Sacred Realm. I know how strong they are.”

Link sat up, unconcerned with being seen. “I don’t know what’s really mine anymore. Am I the memories I’m recovering from 100 years ago? Am I who I thought I was when I woke up months ago? Or is my past life supposed to be me, or bleeding into who I’m becoming?”

“I—”

“No, wait, please,” Link interrupted. “I have to get this out now or I won’t. I…. I don’t want you to marry someone. And I don’t know if it’s because of a past life where we were together, or the life I used to have 100 years ago if we had something more. I don’t know if it’s something from before we met this time around. Maybe it’s feelings I’ve found on my own these past few months. I don’t know. I don’t know anything. I don’t even know who I am anymore.” He looked up, taking a deep breath.

Zelda took his hand and felt conflicted by her own emotions. She felt Link’s pain for him. But she couldn’t help the fluttering hope she also felt learning that Link didn’t want her to marry a suitor, and his blatant admission that he had some level of feelings for her. But here he was, confused and lost and looking to her for help sorting it all out.

“I know who you are, Link. But it’s not something I can tell you. All I can tell you are stories that are as useful as a fairytale in this situation. It’s not the answer. That’s something you have to discover for yourself. And look how far you’ve already come. I’m not sure there’s any weight to this, but I am proud of you. From the second your spirit held on with the Guardian, to the moment you woke up despite all the odds, watching you in the Divine Beasts, or even finding some rest at home. And then I came back and you were there for me, even when you didn’t know who I was. You’ve fought for me, comforted me, been my friend, been my confidant. And that’s just me. Now add everything else you’ve done. I’ve always been so proud that you’ve come this far, regardless of your memories, or visions or anything like that. It’s all you, Link. It’s all been you.”

She leaned over to him and rested her hand on his cheek, urging him towards her. She brought her lips against his other cheek and rested them there, feeling his head fighting the urge to turn into her lips. Zelda moved away and took a deep breath before standing.

There was nothing more she wanted than to tell him how she felt and to hear it returned. But he needed to know how he felt for sure without her reminding him of how they’d once been.

She stopped just before reaching the ledge to head back inside.

“Goodnight, Link. Don’t get caught up here.”

She was gone, and Link sat forward, resting his head in his hands before sliding them down his face until they covered his mouth and nose. He shook his head, more confused than he’s been when he had no memories.

“Goodnight, Zelda.”

Chapter Text

“What’s this?” Zelda asked, taking off towards a building just off the main square. Riju had been giving a tour of the town to Zelda, though it had become more of Riju following Zelda as she excitedly ran around and took in the sights.

An inn, fruit stalls, a jewelry shop. Everything was new to her, despite the familiarity of the town itself. None of her old friends were here, Urbosa didn’t lead, homes were converted, levels were added. The town was flourishing, sustaining itself better than some of the other places in Hyrule. Zelda looked at the assortment of rare foods that northern villages would pay a high price for. There were gems that had been expertly crafted into necklaces and circlets. Not only did they exist, but there was a surplus.

“Your Majesty,” the Gerudo said with a bow. “Lady Riju. How may we help you today?”

Riju walked up to a circlet and daintily placed it on her hair. “Isha, I’ll be offering the Queen a gift of her choosing from here. Buliara will see you paid.”

Zelda looked at Riju with wide eyes. “I cannot take something from you that is this expensive when I have not yet taken care of a royal treasury to pay you back.”

“It is a gift, Zelda. Accept it or you will offend me.” She smiled smugly and waited for that to sink in. She placed the jewel she’d taken back onto the display, gesturing for Zelda to choose her favorite.

Zelda looked around the store with eager eyes. “It’s all so beautiful,” she said staring at each piece individually. Finally, she picked up a circlet with golden leaves and a diamond setting.

Riju looked smug. “Now people can tell who you are. You’re royalty, and you’re trying to remind people of that. No offence, but each time I’ve seen you’ you’ve looked more like a Sheikah, since they’ve been giving you all your clothes. Except this. This white dress, it’s nice, but is it all you have?”

“It’s the only thing I have with me that is weather-appropriate for the desert, yes.”

“Hrm, we’ll see what we can find for you when we get back.”

Zelda was grateful, but every gift came at a cost later, even one that wasn’t monetary. Her father had told her that, and it left her wary. Riju waved at Isha as they left, and Buliara stayed behind for a moment longer, discussing something about rupees.

They went down a short alley that led to a whole new set of interesting places.

“Many of the women live on these outer streets rather than inside the courtyard. In front of you is the bar, The Noble Canteen. It’s unlikely Furosa will serve you either, but I could get Buliara to bring us back some Noble Pursuits later, if you’d like.”

Zelda shrugged. “I may take you up on that.” She stopped and stared down a path where she saw small bushes growing. “What’s that?”

Riju didn’t bother answering. Zelda was already headed toward the small alcove to investigate for herself.

A young girl was standing over a bush and turned at the approaching footsteps. At first, she looked wary of the stranger, but when Riju appeared, the girl’s face lit up and she bowed before holding out her hands in a welcome. “Vasaaq, Lady Riju. Do you want to see my wildberries?”

“Sarqso, Dalia. You haven’t met this Hylian vai, have you? Her name is… Lady Zelda.”

“Sav’aaq,” Zelda said with a smile.

Dalia looked at Zelda and shook her head, handing Riju a berry. Hesitantly, she also handed one to Zelda.

“Sarqso,” Zelda said as she took a bite and made an excited face. “These are delicious, Dalia. Did you grow them yourself?”

Dalia shrugged and dug her sandal into the sand. “I did, but I didn’t. I buried one in the ground after the other Hylian vai helped me with the water, but I think I used magic wildberries. That’s cheating. They popped up like SHLOOP!”

Zelda looked at the berries carefully. “I don’t think that’s cheating. You put in the work, and now you have your reward for it.”

“I’m going to sell them and other fruits when I can! This is going to be my store! Vasaaq!”

Zelda patted her hidden pocket and felt a rupee. “I’ll be your first official customer, then.” She handed the girl a blue rupee. “For the wildberry.”

“Really? My first rupee? I like you! Sarqso, Lady Riju for bringing your friend here!”

“Of course, Dalia. But we should be moving on. Lady Zelda has things to do.”

“Sav’orq,” Zelda said with a small wave at the girl.

Riju turned to her when they had walked off. “You remember our language.”

“Short phrases, yes. I’d likely struggle to catch everything in a full sentence. It’s much easier for me when it’s written than when it’s spoken.”

Riju made an approving grunting sound before pointing out a few more buildings as they walked. “Here are my guards’ training grounds.”

Zelda could see eight unfamiliar guards, and she recognized Dorrah, who’d been travelling with her. Flaxel was here as well, training with one of the Gerudo warriors.

“They are well-trained. Your warriors are the best in the kingdom.”

“Besides your knight, of course,” Riju said with a sly grin. Her eyes had begun to sparkle with mischief. “Where is he, anyway?”

Zelda instinctively looked behind her, expecting him to be there. “I don’t know. He wasn’t in your home, so I had assumed he disappeared this morning in case someone were to see him.”

With a sigh, Riju scratched her head dramatically. “I could have sworn I’d seen him around town just today.”

“Wait, what?”

Riju shrugged. “Oh well. Come on, let me show you where Patricia lives. We’ll go the long way.”

Following the chief along, Zelda started looking at the people. She surely would have seen Link, and others would have caused a stir if he’d been out. What game was Riju playing at?

She saw a Hylian speaking to another Hylian vai near the jewelry shop. One had her normal clothes on, with no attempt to blend in, while the other had the most outrageously colored sirwal compared to the traditional white pants that most of the women wore.

Then, she noticed two Gorons and a Rito.

“Riju, how many outsiders do you get passing through here?”

“A few more since the Calamity ended, but not many. The visitors you see here will usually stay a few days here, and a few more in the Oasis before heading home. Then, we’ll get a new Oasis traveler, and so on. Come this way, actually. Let me show you the other sand seals first.”

Zelda obediently followed and stared at the seals. They were red, slightly different from the brown she was used to seeing. “They’re adorable. I’m seal-ious.” She chuckled.

With a bland look, Riju shook her head. “Oh no, you’re not going to start making seal puns, too. Let’s get you out of here before you turn into a saleswoman for seal racing.”

As she went to turn, Zelda noticed someone casually leaning against the wall, watching them with crossed arms. There was no one else around, the storekeeper on the other side of the fenced in seals was far from paying them any attention.

It was the vai in the odd aqua colored pants.

But there was something else oddly familiar about her. It might have been something about the way she unabashedly stared at Zelda, careless about being caught. Riju’s lack of action against the sketchy vai was strange as well, since she was also looking directly at her.

When Zelda took another step, one that put her further ahead and able to see more of the vai, she had to clasp her hands over her mouth to hold in her gasp.

The vai’s entire side was covered in a massive bruise. One that was perhaps from a Stone Talus.

It was no vai.

“Link?” she hissed out. But releasing her mouth for that long was all it took.

A stream of uncontrollable giggles burst from her lips as she stared at Link. He didn’t mind, and in fact, she could even see the sides of his veil tip up at the sound of her voice. It made her laughter worse.

“Link,” she tried again, but she couldn’t. Her knight, her stoic, often quietly reserved appointed knight was standing before her dressed as a Hylian vai. “What are you doing?” She had to clasp her hand over her nose to stop her laughter from becoming too loud.

Link finally strode over to her and Riju. “Are you making fun of me, Princess?” he asked, playfully coming far too close into her space.

She lost it again and stepped back, wiping a tear from her eye. “No, no! You’re so pretty, Link. It’s actually odd to see just how lovely you’d be as a woman.”

“Thank you,” he said, moving beside her. His move got more giggles from her.

“What do you call yourself?”

He stopped for a moment and looked at Riju with a curious expression on his face as he thought. “Linkle.”

At the name, Zelda could barely breathe with laughter. “Stop,” she pleaded, wiping her eyes. “I’m crying. By the Goddess, I can’t look at you, Linkle!”

“Because I’m too pretty?”

“Far too pretty.”

Zelda’s laughter had always been highly contagious. When she politely laughed, it was forced, but when she felt true giddiness, it was as if she truly overcome with pure joy. And for the princess, that was rare. He couldn’t help but laugh along.

She’d seen him in armor. She’d seen him in his Champion’s Tunic. She’d seen him without a shirt. But never did she think she’d see him masquerading through Gerudo Town in these beautiful clothes with that beautiful veil covering his beautiful face just so he could bypass the anti-voe laws. It was clever, and if she were being honest, he looked just as appealing to her as ever simply because this was undeniably Link. Or Linkle. She started to laugh again.

She’d thought there was no way Link could get any closer to her heart, but she found a surge of warmth wash over her and even felt a longing pang in her chest as he managed to worm his way even closer.

“It took you long enough to see him. He’s been following us all day,” Riju said, chuckling herself.

“You have?”

“I have. I know my way around this town. I’ve been doing this for quite some time now. You’re easy to follow.”

“And no one noticed you?”

Link scoffed. “Half this town knows I’m not a vai and don’t seem to mind. The other half are like you, and they ignore me.”

“Goddess,” Zelda said, still unable to contain herself. “Please, we need to go inside.”

Riju locked her arm between the two of them and walked to her home. Buliara was waiting patiently in front of the throne, standing in her usual stiff stance. She didn’t bat an eye at Link.

“You knew about Link in the city as well?” Zelda asked her after her non-reaction. Buliara didn’t seem to respond, at least not in any way that answered Zelda’s question. It was more an openly disgusted look, and in that moment, Zelda knew that Bularia was a stickler for the rules, unlike Riju.  

Link chuckled and took off the veil that covered his face, his teeth shining as he addressed the Gerudo guard. “Surprise.”

Buliara was unamused. “Voe inside these walls, even a hero such as yourself, is forbidden. Making yourself known to your queen is not wise. The fewer people who know about you, the better.”

Link rolled his eyes and gingerly peeled off his vai top, careful of his bruised side. “Does this make you feel better? Now, anyone who barges in will just think I just wore the wrong pants today.”

“Oh,” Paya said, walking into the room with Flaxel in tow. She quickly turned her eyes away, though Flaxel seemed unaffected. “M-Master Link!” Paya said, clearing her throat. “Forgive the intrusion. Lady Riju, I-I have news from one of your guards.”

“Yes?”

“The former Yiga hideout is still abandoned.”

“Perfect!” Riju said with a sparkle in her eye. “Would you have Padda ready Patricia? I’ll get ready immediately.”

“What’s happening?” Zelda couldn’t help but ask, though she felt it wasn’t her business.

“I am going to the old Yiga hideout with Buliara to see if there were any hints left behind that they might have come back or where they were going. We’re at a loss here.”

“Wait!” Zelda found herself calling. It was stupid. A stupid idea.

But Riju saw it. “You want to come.”

“I do.”

Zelda turned to Link. He was watching her with an imperceptible look on his face. “You’re sure?”

“No,” she admitted. “But I think I need to see this place. They’re like me, in many ways. Though I’ve dealt with them several times over my life, they are still a nightmare to me, a bad dream rather than a clear and obvious physical threat. I can’t explain it. But this may be what I need.”

“Who else is going?” Link asked Buliara.

“We can bring Marta and Dorrah, if you’d like. The Lady Riju and I were going to go alone.”

“Bring them,” Riju commanded. “And bring her Hylian warrior as well. She had asked for training earlier.”

Buliara turned to Flaxel, who was beside Paya. “Find the others and ready yourselves.”

“You,” Riju said, pointing to Zelda with a jeweled finger, “You’re coming with me to my room.”

Without waiting, she headed up the stairs and left Zelda hurrying to catch up.

“You can’t go out there in just a dress. Lizalfos and others haven’t left the desert just because Ganon was defeated. Creatures still lurk beneath the sand.” She rummaged through an ornate chest and finally pulled out a piece of armor.

She handed her a golden breastplate that fastened from behind with leather straps to close it in, much like a corset, though its purpose was clearly different and didn’t need to be breathtakingly tight.

The entire piece of armor was its own work of art. There was a trim of what looked like golden stones, and along the top, there were designs akin to the individual leaves of a voltfruit that wreathed the trim, offering an additional layer. It looked like it could have been a mix of a beautiful leaf decorations, or even gave the appearance of scales crawling up her skin, protecting her the way Lizalfos’ skin does for them.

“This was one of our chief’s. You may borrow it. You’re very pretty, Zelda, but I think this is what will make you look like true royalty again. You want to be someone people listen to and look to. This is what you need. Here, let me help you.”

Riju made quick work of it, firmly setting it against Zelda’s chest.

Zelda stared at herself in the reflection of the water. Her old self, the one who’d desperately searched for the power of the Goddesses’, would barely recognize her now. She looked every bit as fierce as the warrior Queen of Twilight. Her armor shimmered with the glint of freshly polished steel, and the matching diamond circlet on her head rested carefully. Though her sleeves were off her shoulder and billowed in the wind, it added an ethereal quality to her, rather than a pure one.

Riju came up behind her and smudged some traditional Gerudo makeup across her eyes, citing the necessity as they’d be travelling through the harsh, reflective sand, but adding her own flair just for fun. “Now this is a queen I would follow. You’ve been hiding behind your former title. You are not a ‘princess’ but a queen. You are not just the girl who helped create the Guardian project, you are the woman who singlehandedly fought Calamity Ganon for 100 years. This is who your people need to see.”

Zelda smiled. “Thank you, Riju. But I’m not a warrior, as much as I look like one right now.”

“Warriors come in all shapes and sizes, Zelda.”

Riju threw her own armor on quickly. It looked similar to what Urbosa wore, Zelda thought. But when she picked up a scimitar and shield, there was no denying that it was Urbosa’s.

“Link gave them back?”

Riju swung the sword clumsily. It was still too heavy for her young frame, too long, and too unbalanced in her hand. But she took it anyway. “He did. He said it was time they rested with their people.”

The chief was as energetic as an electric keese. In a swift and sudden movement, she was already out the door, heading back down the steps to the throne room. Zelda almost didn’t notice that she’d left.

Again, she found herself rushing to catch up, flying down the stairs. She caught up to see Flaxel adjusting a new gauntlet on her wrist, and Link was back in his spaulder armor ensemble, tying his hair up high, keeping it off his neck unlike his usual low ponytail. When he looked up at Zelda though, his eyes widened.

At once, he, Flaxel, and Paya bowed.

“Wha-”

Riju walked past her and grabbed something off a shelf. “Something about gold makes you more royal than usual.”

“Does that make sense?” Zelda asked behind her, walking over to where the three stood. “Please, don’t bow to me. We are all friends here.”

“You might want to get used to it. This is what you’re asking an entire kingdom to do.”

Riju tucked the Thunder Helm under her arm and walked out of the palace without another word, Buliara in tow.

Link straightened up and pulled the strap on his spaulder tighter, wincing as he did. “I’m going to… um…” he pointed to the roof.

“Right,” Zelda said, thinking about Riju’s words. Bowing, saluting, it had always been something she never wanted, but always knew she’d have in the end. It didn’t make it easier to see people she spent her days with bend to her. “We’ll see you outside.”

The trip through the sand dunes had been uneventful, though wrangling the seals had been more amusing to watch than Zelda anticipated. Flaxel’s specifically, didn’t seem to like her presence. Zelda was glad that she herself had become more of a friend to animals than she used to.

There had been sand. A lot of sand. And in between that sand were rocks. Rocks that seemed to only exist to make traversing the sand more difficult. Cacti with voltfruit sprung up every now and then, and there was one Lizalfos that they passed, though it appeared to be camouflaged and either disinterested or asleep. The only other adornments in the sandy wasteland were the remains of long-dead leviathans that had fallen from the sky or come up from the sand during its final days, and scatterings of architecture from a time before the once Calamity-infested Nabooris had made the desert unsafe.

The narrow valley that led to the Yiga hideout was oddly quiet, though the remaining statues of several frogs with the Yiga symbol draped neatly over their eyes gave off the odd sensation that the hideout itself was still occupied. But Riju’s guards had assured her it was fine. And they had all warriors with them should anything happen. But she couldn’t think about that. In any case, Zelda was glad for the seals. She imagined that walking up the dunes would be impossible on foot.

Link led the way through the entrance of the hideout, easily recalling the doorway that led into the main rooms.

Zelda stopped short seeing the barred cell as the first thing when walking in. Her eyes slowly drifted to the hand-painted designs of the Yiga symbol that looked a bit like the Sheikah slate. Still-lit lanterns illuminated the room, and there was décor across the rope above their heads. People had lived here. It wasn’t a meeting place for scheming, but the home to several of the members.

There were designs carved into a large pillar that decorated the center of the room. A red design hung off of it, secured by more ropes. It was a huge structure, and it only went to demonstrate just how large this hideout truly was.

Zelda followed close beside Link as they delved deeper into the rooms. With every step, they looked on the floor, the walls, the ceiling. Everything had been cleaned out. There was more life in the wasteland.

They climbed more steps and decided to split up. Riju, Buliara, Link, and Zelda would turn right into the largest room, while Flaxel, Marta, and Dorrah would climb the ladder and check above.

Fifty or so lanterns were strung up around the room. Large yellow ones were closer to the ground and cast off much-needed light, while smaller red ones were frequent around the perimeters of the walls.

Something glittered and caught Zelda’s eye. She walked off to the side and looked at a topaz and amber ore sitting atop a barrel. As she investigated more, she saw opal and a ruby as well.

“Why would they leave valuables such as these behind?”

Link didn’t have his focus on Zelda’s conversation. He was too fixated on sweeping the area several times for any threats, or better yet, clues. Zelda could see this, and didn’t repeat herself, but Riju popped up beside her.

“Take them. You may need to buy an army, or something.”

Zelda scoffed. “That’s inspiring, isn’t it? But thank you. Link?” she asked, gently touching his arm so he’d hear her. “Would you take these?”

He eyed the gems, checking them for some suspicious reason they might have been left around, but saw none and slid them into his pouch.

Dorrah, Marta, and Flaxel returned. “There are about a hundred bananas stacked up there.”

Link’s hand gripped the Master Sword tighter but said nothing.

Riju grabbed several fallen pieces of parchment that were written on, though at first glance it appeared to be foreign or complete jibberish. “Their messages are coded.”

“It’s a start,” Dorrah said, offering to take the papers.

And though they checked extensively, there was nothing left in that room that they could see.

As they walked into the final room of the complex, Zelda and Riju stayed between the warriors, expecting the worst.

But nothing happened.

The room was surprisingly clean and well-lit, decorated much like the other rooms, though this one included a bed and more surfaces. Along the wall, there was more parchment, some maps with drawings, and some writings.

Riju turned one of the papers over before handing this stack to Dorrah as well. “I’ll send Impa all the news when as we figure it out.”

“Impa?” Zelda asked. “Can we not figure it out back in town together?”

At this, Riju looked surprised. “But you are going back to Kakariko. Were you not given the message?”

“Message?” Zelda looked between Link and Flaxel, though both looked equally unaware of what was going on.

Riju’s jaw tightened. “Buliara, you saw who I passed the message along to, correct?” Buliara nodded once. “I’ll need you to find out where she went and what she did. Have her followed. If there’s a Yiga member in my town, I want her taken care of. If it was a careless mistake, I want her to remember that mistakes come at a price.”

“Understood!”

Everyone turned to watch as Link slid a trap door open, glancing through to check for hidden Yiga before closing the door again. “What was the message? Is Impa alright? We were supposed to stay here for a time.”

“She didn’t say. It was from this morning. She just urged you to come back to Kakariko. It sounded urgent, and it came with a messenger who bore her seal.”

If Impa needed them to return, Zelda knew it was important, but she couldn’t help but find herself wishing that they could have stayed a few more days. It would be nice to be settled in one place for more than a day or two.

“I suppose if it’s urgent we should have left earlier.”

“Did you want to leave now?” Riju asked. “We have found everything they’ve left here. Marta, stay and keep looking, just in case. Check for more hidden compartments like this wall. I will lead them back to town and send someone else to come help you.”

“Of course,” Marta said with a bow.

“Let’s go.”

Buliara, Riju, Link, Zelda, Dorrah, and Flaxel quietly made their way back through the hideout. Every step echoed noticeably, and it made them each subconsciously try to be softer, as if there were someone else listening.

But there wasn’t.

Without concealing their surprise, they headed back to the sand seals.

“I thought, especially with those lit lanterns, that there would be someone there,” Zelda admitted. “Though, I shouldn’t have doubted your scouts, I suppose.”

Riju shrugged. “You’re right to doubt them. They may not have been lying. A single Yiga may have been here, but left when my scouts appeared. Or perhaps the one who gave me my information changed allegiances and meant to kill us all. You should wholly trust very few people, Zelda, when you hold a position of power. I trust Buliara with my life. Dorrah is one of my most trustworthy guards, otherwise I never would have sent her away with you. But even friends can betray you for the right reasons. Never give them one.”

Zelda couldn’t help but glance at Link. She’d trusted the wrong people in the past, and it had brought about the rise of the Calamity itself. But Link… she’d always trust him. Perhaps it was their thousands of lifetimes together, or maybe the deeds done in this one.

 He looked over at her as well and grinned, sharing the same thought. He’d give his life for her… he had done so once already. Despite the threat the Yiga posed, their desire to restart the cycle, there was no doubt in his mind that he’d stand between her and the Yiga freely. His growing concern was that he had the impression that Zelda would do the same for him.

As they walked, he tried to reason it out, to think of something from their past. Her job was to rule, and his to protect her. She’d let him do so in the past, but on the day he died and onwards, she’d been trying to save him.

Dropping his shield down beside their seals, he watched her step onto her own borrowed plate to skid along the sand. She was excited. He knew she got a thrill from moving too quickly, racing a sand seal, galloping on a horse, or soaring through the air. He couldn’t help the affectionate smile that passed over his lips, and he looked away at his own seal to hide his expression from her ever-watchful eyes.

“Ready?” Riju asked, though she was already turning Patricia out towards the great expanse of sand.

Whether they were ready or not, they each mounted their board and spurred the seals off.

Much like the ride up had been, the trip back to town was filled with several ill-placed rocks that needed avoiding, Lizalfos lurking in the dunes, and prickly cacti with voltfruit. Not much had changed in the time they’d been inside the hideout, and the sun was still bright in the sky, though it had passed a fair bit.

Until the ground began to shake.

There was a cry from behind, and Buliara started shouting for everyone to stop.

Zelda’s head whipped around, expecting to see a Yiga attack. But it was much worse.

A great Molduga rose from beneath the sand, a spray of small rocks bursting into the air and falling like heavy rain. And with those rocks was Flaxel.

“By the Goddess!” Zelda cried and went to run to the girl, but Link’s hand tightly gripped her arm and pulled her back to him.

“They sense movement and sound. Go to her now, and you’re both dead.”

Zelda’s muscles tensed. She looked to see Buliara protectively restraining Riju much as Link held her. Dorrah was still, though she was furthest from anyone else, and Flaxel was gone from sight. The only thing left was the Molduga.

“Don’t move,” Link warned as the Molduga cast its blind eyes in their direction. “Do you see that rock?”

Zelda couldn’t find her words. She nodded instead.

“When I move, you run there. I’ve fought these before. Just leave me and get up there. Are you ready?”

With a deep breath, she squeezed Link’s arm and nodded again.

And in an instant, Link was off, running away from the safety of the rocks. The Molduga was on him with blinding speed.

Zelda didn’t dare waste this moment. She bolted for the rock in question. Climbing it, she noticed that Buliara, Riju, and Dorrah had all also taken advantage of Link’s distraction.

Though Zelda quickly realized it was not an opportunity, but a sacrifice.

Like Flaxel before him, Link was grasped in the great teeth of the Molduga and flung into the air. The beast’s massive body jumped out of the sand to follow its prey, but Link quickly pulled out his paraglider, soaring crookedly into another area of sand as he held on with one hand, the other holding his bloody side.

When his feet touched the sand, the Molduga flipped around and made for Link once again.

This time, Link glanced behind him to see that Zelda was safe before he stood his ground and pulled the bow off of his back. He jammed three arrows into the sand to reach them quicker, and as fast as he could, he grabbed the miniature bombs from his pouch and slid one onto his first arrow, aiming only for a moment before firing, the arrow hitting the oncoming Molduga. Amid the explosion, it let out an air-shattering screech and bucked out of the sand, rolling onto its side. Link sent his second arrow at the Molduga,and readied the third as he ran to where Zelda was waiting.

Climbing up the rock hurt more than it should, but Link rolled himself up and felt Zelda’s trembling hands against him, holding him so he wouldn’t slide off before he could get his footing.

Link looked around to make sure that everyone else was safe.

“Sa’oten,” Riju called from where she stood, safely on her own surface with Bularia. The Molduga was still down, but Riju didn’t want to shout for long. “You look terrible!”

“Get back to town! I’ll take care of this and bring Flaxel back.”

“I’ll get Flaxel,” Dorrah called. “I can see her. She looks badly hurt.”

“Take Flaxel first!” Riju yelled. “Get her to safety, and then we will go. We don’t want to attract too much of its attention by going at the same time.”

Zelda looked over and noticed that both Riju and Buliara had their weapons out, ready to fight.

Link stood up and stretched, trying to ignore the pain of his bleeding and bruised side. Another scar, he thought humorlessly. And jumped back into the sand. “Go!”

All Zelda could hear were the blasts from Link’s arrows as he led the Molduga away from the retreating Dorrah. He hacked at the beast when it was down, though she could see he was tiring. He had barely recovered from the Stone Talus he’d fought on Death Mountain.

But the Molduga rallied, flipping about at it did. Its massive tail swiveled and connected with Link as hard as another blow from a Stone Talus would have. His body flew backwards, red staining the sand as he rolled.

His erratic clambering to his knees attracted the Molduga’s keen hearing and again, it charged toward him. Only this time, he wasn’t going to make it to his feet fast enough to dodge.

Before she realized what she was doing, Zelda found her own feet hitting the sand. Her body seemed to act of its own accord to get her to cross the sand, the only thought passing through her mind was the simple not again she chanted as she thought of Link. She didn’t even flinch when she watched the Molduga’s attentions turn to her.

She pulled off the bracelet that kept her powers in check and breathed in deeply. She thought about everything, everyone. Their names, their voices, people she knew, people she’d never met. People who’d lived, people who’d died.

She thought of Link.

For once, she felt calm, and the power inside her was hers to command, as it had been all those years ago.

She wasn’t going to make it to Link, but she didn’t need to. Her heavy footsteps had successfully diverted the Molduga towards her and away from him.

She held up her hand and took a breath, patiently waiting for the Molduga to open its wide mouth before letting everything go, a great flash of white light engulfing the entire area as she was overcome by every emotion she’d ever felt, and even a great searing pain that ripped through her head as it had in the water with Link, still too pent up for harmless control over it all.  

And when the light subsided, the Molduga was dead just inches from her. There was no scream, no flailing or slow death for the creature. It was instant; a gaping hole was left through the beast from mouth to tail.

Everything was silent.

Link stared at Zelda, his mouth agape. Despite the pain in his body, he finally forced himself to his feet. He wasn’t sure if Riju had escaped, and he didn’t care. The only direction he knew was towards Zelda.

She was frozen, though not in fear. It was as if she’d been drained of all energy, looking lifelessly into the corpse. Link all but stumbled into her, wrapping his arms around her in relief, gripping her hard as he left them stumbling from his momentum.

“What were you thinking?” he asked, holding her tighter.

Her arms were limp and drained at first, but finally found some life again as they moved to return Link’s tight embrace. His hand was against her neck, and he could feel her heart. It was beating fast, but not so fast that he was concerned. He stepped between her and the Molduga, forcing her eyes onto him and off the creature.

They peered up at him through her lashes and finally, he could see that she was returning to herself.

“Link,” she breathed, a wide, thankful smile on her lips as she looked him over. Alive.

The relief he felt was expected, but he was overcome by another emotion. One that had him pull Zelda against him and press his lips to hers.

Zelda made a shocked noise, but her body quickly melted against his, returning his hungry kiss with more enthusiasm than she thought she had in her. She could feel his fingers tangle in her hair, using some pressure to somehow get her nearer to him than she already was. Zelda didn’t question it, instead overcome with the same feeling as she brought her own hand up against his neck and tugged him closer. It was beaded in sweat, and his heart was pounding. She didn’t think it had to do with the Molduga. She didn’t think at all. Her body and brain had turned entirely to fire, lost within itself, as if under a spell.

She could feel his strong arm around her, and they could both feel the other shaking.

But Zelda had to pull back, forgetting to breathe.

Link appeared to be suffering the same. His shallow breaths started to slow as his gaze was drawn back to her lips.

But that movement of his eyes alone seemed to wake him up, his conscious thoughts catching up to his impulses.

“Goddesses,” he muttered, backing away and clutching his battered side as all the pain he was in came back with his shame. “Forgive me, Princess. I forget my place. That was inappropriate of me.”

Zelda was still reeling. “No, Link, it’s okay.”

His eyes darted away from her, his skin still burning from her touch. He could see Riju watching in excited shock, while Buliara again didn’t react. That should be him. He should not react.

“No, it isn’t okay, Prin… Your Majesty. You’re my queen, not some common girl. How many more times must I remind myself of that. You nearly got engaged yesterday, Highness. You told me I had to find myself again. I remember. I am the Hylian Champion. I am your Appointed Knight. Nothing more.”

Zelda didn’t respond, pain imploding her chest inward, as if her heart had collapsed. But she’d promised herself one single thing: Link needed to decide who he was now and where they stood, because her position in their relationship had been immovable for over 100 years.

Instead, she grabbed the discarded bracelet from the sand. She fumbled with it, exhausted as she clasped it back on her wrist, but steadied herself. “Okay. Fine. We need to check on Flaxel and get to Impa.”

And Link bowed. “Of course, Your Highness.”

Chapter Text

“And then I told Symin, ‘Put that thing down! That’s acid!’ and he looked at me with this funny face… go ahead, Symin! Make the face!”

“Dr. Purah…” he protested, but the pout in her lips betrayed her impending tantrum. He made a face that looked absurd. And as Zelda watched him contort his mouth muscles for the child’s amusement, she realized she truly had no idea what was going on, except that she needed to get out of this carriage and back on her own horse.

The only good thing about Purah’s story was that regardless of Zelda’s response (or lack of), she continued anyway. It left Zelda to think, and she had plenty to think about.

First, she thought of Flaxel. She’d grown to like the girl, and wished she were back with them on their travels, but she’d survived her wound and Riju had sworn to have her personal physician assist Flaxel as she healed. She’d even sent out her own guards to find an elusive fairy fountain. And once Flaxel was healed, she promised to let her stay and train until she was at full health once again. The Zoras and Sheikah men had rejoined her after they left the walls of Gerudo Town.

Zelda also thought about Impa. She’d been awfully mysterious about her summons, and when they received it in the Yiga hideout, it sounded so serious. But Impa had been almost dismissive of it. Apparently, it had been a summons from Robbie asking them all to meet him at his lab. He’d apparently also asked that they bring Granté from Tarry Town and that they have a look around while there were there, that there was no great rush.

So days after being in the desert, with very little sleep between everyone from the constant travelling, Zelda wanted nothing more than to reach Tarry Town and take a nap. Using the power had downright exhausted her, and Impa’s letter had stressed her far beyond what Zelda could typically tolerate. It felt like a cruel prank, to summon them all from so far away so quickly for a simple visit that had no urgency.

“So then, one the fox had eaten the stew, I knew I’d found the answer to all of our problems. But Symin…”

Zelda knew that story would continue, and she retreated back into her thoughts.

And her thoughts were on Link.

She kept trying to push them away. She remembered the look on his face after his actions had sunk in. It had been regret. It had been embarrassment.

He rode beside the carriage on Catherine, but with Cloud in tow, though he was far enough that he wouldn’t hear them anyway. From the window, she could see that he was sitting stiffer than usual, and there was nothing about him that looked calm or relaxed. It was almost reminiscent of how he’d been 100 years earlier. He’d always been on high alert and tense.

But she couldn’t ignore how she’d felt.

To her, there was nothing she regretted.

“What do you think?” Purah broke in.

Zelda cleared her throat and cast a sidelong look at Symin. He nodded ever so subtly.

“Yes, of course!” Zelda enthused. It seemed to be the desired response, as Purah began to bounce as she leapt into another story.

Zelda was almost sure she’d dozed off, though it felt like her eyes had closed only for a moment. Purah’s story was finished, and Tarry Town came into view just across the remainder of the land bridge. Zelda wondered how long it had been.

“Purah?” she asked groggily. The young girl grunted in acknowledgement. “I’m sorry I fell asleep during your story.”

But the young girl shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s okay. You looked tired.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Zelda peeked her head from the window and saw Granté waiting at the entrance. She strained her ears to hear the muffled conversation.

“… stop back here on the return to Kakariko. My father’s message was strange to me.”

Zelda quickly exited the carriage and made her way towards Granté. Link hastily dismounted and was on her heels, ever her dutiful shadow.

“Granté? You said you received word from your father?”

“Princess Zelda,” he said with a bow. “Yes, this doesn’t sound quite like him. He sends a letter then tells me to entertain guests at my home and have a good time before coming to visit him?  When my father wants something, he needs it immediately. He wouldn’t have sent the letter otherwise. We should go straight there.”

Zelda nodded, though one of the Sheikah was in charge of the details of their journey. She turned to two of the Sheikah, forgetting in her need for sleep which was in charge. “I agree with him. Something about this message is odd. We need to get to him immediately, especially if there’s a possibility that there are Yiga manipulating his letters.”

It seemed to light a fire under Granté, and it was clear that he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Paya offered him a hand, and he slid onto the horse with her. Zelda looked longingly at Tarry Town, but knew that it was better this way. They needed to see if Robbie was okay.

She went to get back in the carriage with Purah and Symin. She longed to ride Cloud, but he was saddled with some supplies, and she didn’t want to take the time to rearrange anything. She was instantly relieved as they began to turn the retinue around to head out of Tarrey Town and up the long hill to Robbie’s lab. Still… she wished for that restful nap at the inn, and to see the town that Link had practically built.

They continued up the mountainous hill toward Robbie’s lab without stopping. It was only when they neared the top that Granté was the first to speak, pulling the reins from Paya to halt the horse.

“Mother?” Granté called, his voice hitching up when he saw her features with clarity as they headed up the hill towards the lab. Jerrin was outside, her arms crossed protectively across her chest.

He hurried ahead, throwing himself off his horse to rush to her side more quickly. From where he’d sat behind Paya, he could see his mother wiping tears from her face.

Zelda barreled out of the carriage, followed by Paya and Link. Something was wrong.

“Jerrin?” she asked just as Purah and Symin reached him.

“He begged me not to tell you,” she said, sniffling. “Please, go inside.”

The smell hit them first when Granté opened the door. It was the smell of skin decaying, of oils to try to alleviate pain. It was the smell of death.

“Father!” Granté cried as he pushed past everyone.

Robbie was lying in their bed just on the left side of the door. A small stool had been pulled up beside it.

Robbie had removed his ever-present goggles, revealing squinting eyes that looked blindly up at the ceiling. His shirt was drenched in sweat, and his breathing was shallow. He no longer looked like the Robbie Zelda had known. His face sank into his bones, and his body was stiff under a single blanket. But his eyes were alert at the voice of his son.

“They’re all here?” Robbie asked. His voice was weak and raspy, underused. With every word, a wheezing breath escaped his lips as well.

“They’re here, my love.”

Zelda took a step back, not realizing Link was behind her. She turned to him, horrorstricken. This couldn’t be happening. It was a bad dream that she’d wake up from. He watched Robbie with wide eyes. And despite the events in the desert, Link found himself reaching for Zelda, his hands tight on her arms as soon as she’d backed into him.

“Son,” Robbie wheezed, “Stay with your mother. I need to speak with my guests.”

Granté looked dismayed but didn’t bother to argue. Not now.

“Purah?” Robbie whispered. She stepped forward, dragging Symin by the hand with her. “You are not a child, my friend. Come here, please.”

It seemed to take a lot for Purah to release her assistant, but she eventually did, and she crossed her arms in defiance, as if she could have enough of an attitude to end Robbie’s imminent departure.

“Purah, I have never known a truer friend. Your knowledge is doubtless, and I have never truly questioned you. I would never have been able to proceed in my research with the Guardians without you.”

Purah shook her head as a stream of tears started to fall down her cheeks. “I can get you a potion, Robbie. You don’t have to go through all of this sad stuff. We can just start a little younger. It’s easy.”

But Robbie just chuckled. “We could, couldn’t we? But my son would be older than me.”

“Take the potion, Robbie!” she demanded. “I can get to my lab and back faster than you can say snap! I’ll get Granté one so you won’t feel bad! I’ll grab two extras, one for him and one for Jerrin. You just need to take the potion, okay?”

“No.”

“Take it!” she cried, stamping her foor as tears began spilling faster and harder.

“You should not have taken it either, Purah,” he said, shaking his head. “There is no way to cheat death. Link did once, but he will face it in time. You cannot keep reversing the clock. It comes for us all. But the Goddesses’ arms are warm, Purah. I feel them. Don’t fear them.”

“I don’t want you to die, Robbie. You’re my best friend. Please, take the age reversing potion.” She wiped another tear.

“Immortality is not living forever, it’s creating something that will live on long after you’ve gone. And we’ve done that, Purah. Because of the Calamity… we are immortal.”

“No,” she sniffed, backing up. “I’m going to get it for you.”

She ran out the door, followed closely by Symin.

“Paya,” he whispered. “She’ll be going to her lab. I’ve told your grandmother everything. She knows I’m dying but wasn’t able to make the journey. So, tell her one more thing for me, will you? Tell her to whistle a tune for me. It’s an old joke between the two of us. She’ll understand. You take care of her.”

“I will, I swear,” Paya said, tearfully bobbing her head.

“Well, Princess,” Robbie said, turning his full attention to her. “It seems our story is at an end as well.”

Zelda looked over his frail body. She noticed that the body beneath the blankets ended just above his knee, where his fake legs began. He’d taken them off. Another reminder of everything the Calamity had taken from them all, and he'd put them aside. 

“No, Robbie. It can’t end here.” She sucked in a breath that came out a choked sob. “We’re about to build a kingdom back up from the edge. The kingdom you helped save. And I need people I trust at my side. Please, don’t leave me.”

“I have to. You heard what I told Purah. All must come to an end.”

Zelda knelt down, grabbing his weak hand in hers. “You’re all I have left from before. Please.”

He pulled his hand from hers and placed it on her cheek. “I love you, you know. Always have. I still do. Not in the way I love my Jerrin,” he said, casting her a goofy smile, “But I love you all the same, as I also love Purah. I will never leave you, as you could never leave me. You were scarred on my heart from the moment we met, Princess.”

Zelda laughed, once, sniffling as she pressed his hand into her cheek. “Did you know that you were my first real crush? It was that brain and your handsome looks that won me over. But when that subsided, you were my best friend after. You were my mentor in many ways. I’m glad you got your lab, but I wish you’d been able to study in peace without the Calamity, and I wish we’d had more than the few years together that we did.”

He shook his head, patting her hand. “My only regret in this life I’ve led is that I will not get to see you become Queen. Whatever you choose to do from here on, let it be a choice that lives in your heart. You’re no longer bound by destiny.”

Zelda brushed her sleeve over her eyes, trying to stop the salty tears that kept trailing over her lips before dropping off her chin.

Robbie had fallen silent for a time before taking a breath again. “Impa will die. She will die soon. She was older than I, so you must prepare yourself to feel this all again soon. Purah will die, though I suspect she’ll attempt to concoct another death draught. Jerrin and Granté will die. Link will die. You will die. Paya will die. It is the one promise we are all meant to uphold from the moment we are born. Then we shall all unite with the Goddesses and take comfort in that reunion.”

Struggling to stay strong, Zelda nodded. “That’s some consolation.”

“Take care of Purah. Should she restore her proper age, she may one day come to regret storming out on me. I wish she hadn’t; there was more I wanted to say. But alas, it will have to wait for our next lifetime together.” He adjusted himself slightly. “Link?”

Link stepped forward, kneeling beside Zelda with a stone walled expression.

“You made my life’s work have purpose. The armor I made, the weapons. Granté will continue my work, as will Jerrin. My notes are all here. Perhaps even the Princess might help, as she once did. Look out for her. She is precious to us all. And if your memories return, do not fight them, but do not be consumed by them. You must live in the present, not the past. This is not the past, Link. Remember that.”

Link nodded and stood up. “I will.”

Zelda let out a strangled sob as she watched Robbie’s eyes flutter, knowing his time was nearing. She leaned over and kissed his forehead. “We’re going to go outside, Robbie. Your family needs you now.”

He smiled and squeezed her hand one final time. “You are my family.”

She nodded and stepped back, letting Granté rush to take her place, Jerrin moving to the other side of the bed.

Zelda all but ran outside, hurrying over to the junk Guardians Robbie had destroyed. She climbed into the center of the pile and grabbed one of the claws that dug into the ground. It was heavy in her hand. Turning it over a few times, she let out a frustrated cry and threw it.

She felt fingers on her arm, and she turned to Link accusingly, though her anger wasn’t directed at him. “He didn’t even tell us before it was too late! We could have saved him! We might have stopped it with something! Anything!”

“He didn’t want that.”

 Zelda wanted to argue, but she picked up another claw, prepared to throw it. But she couldn’t, and it fell with a thud into the dirt, and she followed close behind. All she could do was cry with her knees to her chest, Link’s hand on her back, and the wind carrying her sorrow.

“The stars look beautiful, don’t they, Renete? I wish we could fly there. One day, I’ll find a way. But don’t wait for me, sweet sister. You need something to do until I find you again. And when I’m old, I’ll catch up.”

Zelda sat on the edge of the cliff, her feet dangling precariously over the side, staring at the stars, thinking of Robbie’s delirious last words. Purah had gone, nowhere to be found, Link had stood off to the side with Zelda and Paya while Granté and Jerrin had knelt beside him, holding his hand until the end.

Now, alone on the cliff, Zelda desired nothing more than to see Robbie walk up beside her to comfort her, as he had in the past. But she knew the presence behind her was Link guarding her and not Robbie.

“Link? What’s it like to die? I don’t believe I ever asked.”

It was silent behind her for a long time until she heard Link’s boots crunch against the grass taking steps towards her.

“I can’t remember. All I know is that I felt immense pain from the Guardian wounds, and then it was all gone and I woke up a century later.”

Zelda sighed, defeated. “I suppose that means you don’t go to the Sacred Realm. I remember every moment of it. Time passes so differently there. While it feels like a millennia, it also feels as you described: one moment you’re making your sacrifice, and then the next, you’re back. It feels like just months ago that Robbie was working outside my window to make Cherry run with Purah. It feels like it’s only been a few years since we were introduced when he was brought onto the project. It was still in its development stages when Purah and Robbie were brought in. But he’s lived a whole life, a whole century since.

“I should have expected this. They’re old, I know. But, I suppose, one is never truly prepared to lose their loved ones. Impa once told me that her people believe that spirits that were taken violently from their bodies linger in this world for a time to make sense of what had happened to them, but those who passed expectedly were welcomed to the Sacred Realm immediately, prepared for it all. Hopefully, that means he’s at peace with the Goddesses now.”

 Link took the space on the ground beside her as he listened. “I remember something my father told me once. He said that the sky itself is the true home of the Goddesses, and that’s why we can feel their eyes on us always. He said that when their creations die, they bring them home to the sky where they can live on forever to watch over their loved ones. We burn with such fierceness in our lives that we take it with us to the sky and can be seen when the night is dark. We are the stars, and a new star appears each time a soldier dies. Or, well, not soldiers. That was the context my father told it to me. It was so I knew that if he didn’t return home, he’d still be watching. But it applies to Robbie too.”

Zelda liked to think that he was still watching from beside the Goddesses, but it was too fresh, too painful.

“What about falling star fragments?” she asked solemnly. There was no life in her voice.

“They aren’t stars. Each time a ‘star’ races through the night, it is one of the Goddesses crying. We are all theirs, and they grow attached to many of us. When you and I die, they’ll likely shed a tear as well.”

Zelda scoffed. “For you, yes.” She leaned back and turned to Link. “When did you remember that?”

Link shrugged. “Some memories come to me, like that one, as I speak. Some I dream, and some I just remember.”

“Do you remember Robbie?”

His head slowly nodded. “My last memory of him is when he’d been facing down Cherry, the Guardian. It was just after I returned from the castle. But I remember us finding them all together at the Shrine of Resurrection just before I left. That’s my true last memory of him before… my own death.”

She sighed absently. Link had come back after the Champion’s had died. There hadn’t been enough power to hold Ganon back for Link, and he was forced to retreat back to the Shrine where the Sheikah had been working. But a Blood Moon, the first in centuries, had darkened the sky, bringing back every Guardian, and negating every hard-fought battle. It’s when Link had taken her away from there, forcing her to run while the Sheikah, Robbie included, held off the Guardians.

She preferred to think of the time before that, before Link had left, a time when there was still hope. Zelda could even remember their conversation just after they’d kissed. Link had no intention of returning from the castle alive, and they believed it to be their last moment together.

“Promise me you’ll come back,” she’d said, an unsettling feeling growing within her.

Link had nodded slowly, choosing his words with careful measure. “I will always come back to you.”

“What about in this lifetime?”

Link had chuckled and slowly let go of her hand, savoring every last touch before walking out towards Hyrule Field. “We can only hope.”

“I kept my promise, didn’t I?” Link asked, nudging Zelda after she’d clearly slipped into her own memories.

“Yes, you did. You…” she stopped, staring into his eyes. They were dancing with the reflected light of the blue flame, deep in thought, deep in a memory. They’d kissed. And it hadn’t been an ordinary peck on the cheek, no forehead farewell that a beloved knight might bestow upon his dearest queen. “Link, how much of that day do you remember?”

For another long moment, Link remained silent. But when he turned to her, he seemed determined. “What were you going to ask the Great Deku Tree to tell me when you brought him my sword? He showed me that.”

“What difference does it make what I was going to ask?”

“I have so many lives in my head all telling me that they’re the real thing. Am I your knight? Did I meet you in a room after a Yiga attack, or see you at a parade? Or was the first time I ever knew a thing about you when I heard your voice from my Sheikah Slate. Is it even mine? Or is it yours?”

He paused for a moment, but she didn’t answer him. Her face was flushed.

“Tell me this then: did we kiss for the first time in Gerudo Desert, or at the top of Dueling Peaks 100 years ago? Because to me, they both feel like the first time.”

“I…” she started, though she couldn’t find the words to finish.

He was too deep to stop now. “Did we enjoy it, or did I feel as if I’d disrespected the Goddesses themselves? Or did that happen both times? I am living with these questions for every single action I make. Losing Robbie feels like I’ve lost my first close friend. It’s painful and fresh and stings and it burns all at once, like I can’t breathe. But then I remember being a soldier and losing many of my friends for the first time. I remember that pain. And I remember losing Daruk and Mipha. I’d grown accustom to my closest friends dying by then, and they hurt so much at a time when neither of us could afford to feel. So how is Robbie’s death hurting so much if he’s not the first person I’ve ever lost? I don’t understand. I don’t know how to feel about it all. It feels wrong and it feels right.”

Link shook his head, realizing how much he'd just said. He stood up, bowing. “Your Highness, forgive me. I shouldn’t have put all that on you.” His words were a mixture of guilt and hidden relief. He’d needed to say it all to her, and now he had.

“Wait, Link,” Zelda said, moving to stop him.

He held up a hand. “I shouldn’t have done this now. We need to be here for Granté, Jerrin, and Purah. And… I’m here for you. Regardless of what you may think after all I’ve just said to you, I am still here for you, no matter what.”

She reached out and took his hand, relieved that he didn’t pull away. She squeezed it tightly and didn’t let go. “As am I.”

Chapter Text

The next week and a half had been hard.  

Zelda went back to the lab only for Jerrin’s sake. As soon as she could, Zelda needed to get out, to get away.

She helped her bring some of Robbie and Jerrin’s things to Granté’s home in Tarry Town, where Jerrin would be staying so neither was alone through their heartache.

The incredible feat that Link and the Bolson Company had achieved was not lost on Zelda, and she still marveled at the town, but her excitement was buried in her sorrow.

It was a grief that felt more poignant the more she thought about Robbie. She thought about him, and about her father, Urbosa, Revali, Mipha, Daruk. Everyone she’d ever known. And soon, Purah and Impa would pass, and the pain inside would burn her again.

Would she ever be able to escape?

Jerrin was holding up better than Zelda expected. Though she’d teared up several times, she kept moving. It was inspiring to see her hold back her tears to comfort her son, to let him know that life will go on. It will get better, even if she couldn’t feel it herself.

If moving some boxes helped them, Zelda would do it.

The funeral was somber. When someone tried to tell a funny story, it died on their lips. Link was left with Granté, trying to help him through, while Zelda was comforting Purah, who still couldn’t believe that he hadn’t wanted to take her age reversal potion. Impa, being the elder of the Kakariko, couldn’t venture this far out. She sent several representatives, including Lasli. Granté moved between Jerrin, Link, and Lasli for comfort.

At one point, Link was holding Jerrin in his arms, and Zelda held Purah. Their eyes met, and in that glance was the only comfort they could give each other. They knew the other was hurting. They’d both been friends to Robbie but were left consoling those who needed it more.

Zelda felt fresh tears fall down her face as she stared at her bracelet. His last invention for her. And she collapsed to the ground, tucking herself into a ball in the privacy of a secluded corner and allowed herself to sob openly.

She felt Link beside her more than she saw him, and his hand on her shoulder was comforting. She grabbed it, uncaring about what had transpired between them in Gerudo desert. To her surprise, it was Link who pulled her closer, rubbing circles on her back while he tried to keep himself calm as well. If nothing else, they were still friends sharing grief, and that was something they both understood.

Days after the funeral, once Jerrin had settled in with her son, Zelda and Link went back to Hateno for a break from it all. It was almost unbearable. There had been too much happening in a row.

With as much pep as she could muster, Zelda went back to spending her days playing with the children, or watching the windmills with her friends, Ralera and Ivee. She built connections, and she listened to as many stories as she could. Many didn’t dare speak of anything negative to her, but some were not shy in telling her that they didn’t mind Cole as Chancellor, though he was more distant than they’d like.

Zelda sat in the tavern with Ralera with Link several seats behind them to give them privacy as well as protection. She and Ralera shared a drink, something Zelda hadn’t done since her father was alive and when they’d had a glass at dinner.

“That’s her,” Zelda heard from a table or two beside them. To be honest, she’d heard that phrase more often than she’d like. But the gruff men continued. “Damned dead princess thinks she can come in and start telling us how to live. Where’s she been? She doesn’t know what we need.”

Ralera looked sadly as Zelda. “Don’t listen to them.”

“It’s true,” she muttered. “I don’t know. My father never taught me. I learned what I could from books, but those will only get you so far.”

“But you’ll learn.”

And since that day, Zelda had been pouring through every book she could find, starting with Link’s library and working through some of Purah’s history books. She took notes on the current laws, and what had been done for restoring Hyrule. She learned trade routes, and history. She read about battles fought for land among the Bokoblins. Anything she could find, she read.

It went on for days while she stayed cooped up at Link’s desk, slowly taking over more and more of his room in his house with books and paper.

“You called for me, Your Highness?” Link asked, coming into his own house where she studied while it rained.

She looked up at him. She wasn’t sure where Link had been, but his casual appearance was drenched. He was in plain clothes, not his uniform or anything even remotely dressed up. In fact, he looked like he could fall right into the bed and sleep.

“Have you been farming?” she asked, catching a glimpse of all the mud on his boots.

He fought back a grin. “I might have been. Some of the villagers wanted to start raising animals, and I know about horses. I used to work on a ranch when I was younger.”

Zelda couldn’t fight her smile, and she didn’t try. “Yes, you told me once. You were a busy soldier-in-training. How is it going? Are they making progress?”

“They… are.”

“That doesn’t sound inspiring.”

Link shrugged and ran a hand though his wet hair. “It takes time.”

Zelda was relieved to see him this casual with her after days of tense silence or polite conversations only.

He fought back every instinct to call her Princess instead of Majesty, and he rarely enjoyed staying in her company longer than usual. The Gerudo’s were on guard for now in front of the house.

“Well, I won’t keep you long so you can return. I was just wondering—and please think before you say no—but would you be willing to take me to a Bokoblin camp?”

His head snapped to her and he looked at her as if she’d suggested releasing Calamity Ganon. “No.”

Zelda closed the book in front of her, springing to her feet. Her eyes were lit up, something he could remember seeing 100 years ago when she tried to research something. He knew. This was the same look.

“Listen first: I just want to observe what they do. About 40 years ago, there was a territory grab in the southwestern corner of Hyrule Field. I need to learn about the Bokoblins. From what I’d understood, they weren’t advanced enough to… what are you grinning at?”

Link blinked a few times. He was grinning? “I…”

But he looked at her closely. She was determined in this, and he could already see that she had at least four arguments ready to go.

“You look like you’re in your element, Pri—Your Highness.”

Zelda could feel her face turn red, but she kept her eyes on Link. “Well, take me out of it. Bring me to a Bokoblin camp.”

She waited for him to fight her, but he didn’t say anything. Walking to the chest in the corner of the room, Link pulled his Champion’s tunic out and threw it over his head. “Let’s go.”

“What?”

“Come on.”

Zelda stood up and smoothed her loose shirt, certainly not armored or protective in any way. “Should I change?”

Link looked her over but chastised himself for indulging in the moment. As usual, she was beautiful. “Do you plan to fight them, or are you true to your word and you just want to observe?”

“I swear, I will not purposely instigate a fight with them.”

He nodded. “Then you’re dressed fine. We won’t be long.” He grabbed something off the corner chest and handed it to Zelda. “Here, it’s raining.”

“You’re really going to take me?” she asked, taking a hooded cloak from Link and then grabbing the book off the table, clutching it against her chest. “In the rain, in the middle of the day, you’re going to bring me to a Bokoblin camp where we might stare at them for hours? Why?”

He fought back his grin and leaned against the wall of his home. “Because you asked me to. Would you rather I said no or that we go another time?”

“No!” she said hastily, grabbing her own bag from the floor and placing the book and her journal inside. She yanked the cloak across her shoulders and carefully knotted her hair to keep it from her face. “I’m ready.”

He watched her for a moment with a confused look on his face, but he masked it quickly and nodded. “We’ll both take Catherine. It’ll be faster than getting both horses ready. Besides, it’s a short ride. If it weren’t raining, I’d say we could walk there.”

Zelda followed him outside to where Cloud and Catherine stayed beside Link’s main house. The rain was steady as he went to saddle her, but Zelda put her hand on Link’s arm to stop him.

“If it’s a short ride, I’ll just hold on. You can ride bareback, right?”

He scoffed and hopped onto Catherine. “Have you met me? I’m a horse whisperer. Remember?” He held out his hand to help her up. She took it and he lifted her, little good she was without a saddle. Honestly, she wasn’t the best rider with a saddle, but that was because she had learned to ride on some stubborn horses in her past. She’d made headway with Storm before the Calamity, and Cloud was good tempered, but she’d barely had the time to improve any skill besides traveling for long distances without becoming intensely saddle sore.

She wrapped her arms timidly around Link’s waist. Goddess, she hadn’t felt this uncomfortable around him since they first met. He felt it to. His muscles tightened as he led them out into Hateno. His… tantrum in the desert was what had caused this rift between them, and they both knew it.

Zelda didn’t feel like a princess anymore. There was no castle, no monarchy, no servants, no Calamity, no king. She helped make her own meals and served herself. No one hovered over her, constantly followed by a garrison of soldiers who would shelter her inside if she’d so much as tripped. Which, in fact, had happened to her in the past. Now, it was Link and her handful of guards. Even they were too much, though she understood with the Yiga’s presence.

As she and Link crossed the border from Hateno to Midla Woods, she realized that she’d told no one where she was going. She didn’t need permission, or an entourage to leave somewhere. There was no one to tell her how dangerous it was. In fact, she was leading Link into danger. For research.

“These woods used to be filled with Bokoblins,” Link said as they passed through. He remembered that Zelda loved the rain, even turning to watch her when he felt her shift so she could tilt her face into the rain. He didn’t make any attempts to rush to their destination.

“So close to the village?”

“Notice Thadd still guards the entrance, to be safe in case any wander too close.”

“I didn’t realize that’s why.”

They drifted back into silence.

If she didn’t feel like a princess, and the world didn’t recognize her as heir to the throne, why did Link?

The winding hills of the woods stretched into thickets of green that she couldn’t see out of. She wondered how many deer lived inside, or how many squirrels and dragonflies, even fireflies. Very few animals were out in the rain, but she could hear a few over the patter of the droplets against the leaves.

Link led them up a large incline out of the forest, one that overlooked Lake Jarrah. The bright blue of Hateno Tower lit up the sky in the distance, and she hoped one day soon to climb to the top, to look out over the world.

In the distance, a large wooden overlook structure jutted out, growing closer as they rode straight for it. Link veered off the path and closer to the nearby hills, just out of sight of the structure. He hopped off and offered his arms out to Zelda. She cautiously dropped herself off the horse, caught by Link’s steady hands.

He pointed to the structure. “Bokoblins. There might even be a Moblin or two up there. Do you want to tell me what kind of research we’re doing here yet?”

Zelda started to climb to a higher vantage point. She needed all fours to keep hold of the slippery grass. Brushing herself off, she tugged Link’s cloak tighter to herself. “We’re observing.”

“Right,” he said, following her. “But why? What’s your sudden interest in them? You sound like Kilton.”

She looked at him, puzzled. “I sound like a Keaton?”

“Nevermind.”

She shook her head. “I’m trying to figure something out. I needed… something. I was hoping Bokoblins were the answer. But…” she watched them for a moment. “They’re just standing there. One’s keeping watch, that’s interesting, but the others are either asleep or doing nothing.”

Link brushed wet hair from his face. “What is it you’re looking for?”

“An edge, I suppose.” She almost didn’t seem like she was going to elaborate, but she sat in the wet grass, staring at the structure before finally continuing. “Hyrule might be in some shambles after the Calamity, but that’s because of the monsters, not because of negligence on the part of Hyrule’s leaders. Who am I, a little girl with no skills, to take their structure from them to reinstate a monarchy? Especially when their system is working. I thought I could find something here, some way to hold back Bokoblins. Maybe even negotiate, if they were intelligent enough. But they aren’t;they never have been. It’s blind hope. Or… maybe it was just foolish. Maybe I wanted to be wrong.”

Link silently joined her in the grass, blinking away raindrops.

It took him awhile, but he held out his hand, catching a raindrop. “You once asked me if I ever realized I wasn’t meant to be a knight if I’d still so it because others said so my whole life. Do you remember?”

Zelda smiled. “You’re asking me if I remember something?”

Link couldn’t help himself as he started to chuckle. “I suppose I am.”

“The conversation sounds familiar,” she admitted.

He leaned back into the wet grass. “It was raining, like today. You… I’ve never seen you look so empty. But you asked me if I’d have chosen a different path. I answered you with a question. The truth is, I don’t know what I’d do if I had the chance to live my life over, free of all expectations. When I woke up from the shrine, your father was there, the Calamity was spreading, time was of the essence, Champions were trapped, the Master Sword was calling me. I had no choice but to follow, and even if I did, I’d have done it all again. But my chances are over. I’m a Knight of Hyrule, sworn to serve and protect the kingdom. I’m your Appointed Knight. I’ve sworn to serve you. I regret nothing that I’ve done.

“But you? You came back into this world just in time for the end of the Calamity. There is no monarchy waiting for you, no reason to rush. We’ve got the Yiga, of course, but you’re not rushing to springs to beat every sunset. You’re free to make your own decisions, for the first time, really. If you don’t want to rule, you don’t have to. There’s a working system already in place. If you want to rule, then fight for it. No more books. We go out there and we figure it out.”

“’We?’” she asked, a shy smile on her face. She didn’t want to betray how good the word sounded.

“A long time ago, we promised to bear our burdens together. I’m here with you, Princess, no matter what you decide to do.”

Zelda had to stop herself from kissing Link. She nearly moved toward him but caught herself just in time. There was no way she could push him, not when they were finally talking again.

“How often do you realize that we’re only seventeen?” Zelda asked, staring at the oblivious Bokoblin in the distance. “Sometimes, I feel so old. Other times, I feel like a teenager. But sometimes, I just wish I could become a child, like Purah did. I don’t even know what it was like to be a child. I imagine you don’t either. My mother died, and the rest of my life was all about training. If I played with toys for too long, I was scolded for not praising the Goddess. The Springs have never told me anything, and they won’t help me now either. It’s a futile thought to go back there.”

Link brushed some of the wet hair from his face again. “Sometimes, I wish life was still as simple as playing with my toy wooden horses in the mud. Most of the time, I can’t remember it either.” He grinned, joking.

Zelda laughed and stood up. She offered Link her hand. He took it, holding on just longer than he should have.

“Come on,” he said, leading her back to where Catherine waited. “We need better memories of rainy days.”

“Do you have some idea?”

He wriggled his eyebrows, hoisting himself up with ease. “I think I remember something we used to do. Two horses, but same idea.”

She waited before taking his outstretched hand. “How much do you really remember now, Link?”

Never moving his hand, he shook his head. “A lot. Let’s leave it at that for now though.”

The admission was not shocking, but surprising. She’d gathered as much. He’d mentioned their kiss at Dueling Peaks when they last fought. That hadn’t escaped her notice. He casually mentioned conversations from their past. So, she adjusted her hood and let him pull her up behind him again on Catherine.

“Hold on tight,” he warned.

He waited until he could feel her vice grip on his waist before spurring Catherine into a fast gallop. Zelda let out a surprised whoop before holding Link tighter. They rode up the hill before Link took a sharp turn to head back down, though they passed through a brilliant miniature cave filled with the clumps of unmined teal glowing luminous stones that lit the way forward. As they exited into the small grove in Firly Plateau, they started to descend again.

Zelda poked her head off to the side of Link, letting the wind and rain whip against her face. Her hood had fallen back and her hair was a wet tangle as it began to unfurl from its protective knot.

Several wild horses grazed close to the path, startling when Catherine plowed toward them. They began to ride beside the path, just far enough from the wild horses that it felt like Zelda could reach out and touch them.

Link rode up again, to the top of a miniscule cliff. He made sure Zelda was holding tight as he approached the edge before letting Catherine jump into the air, landing on the path below her with her own expert ease.

Zelda was laughing. It was the kind of giddy glee that someone feels when they’re at the height of happiness, even if for just a moment. She loved moving fast, and feeling wind burn her face. Rain tasted like sweet wine on her tongue. She was drenched, as was Link. It looked and felt more like they’d jumped straight to the bottom of Lake Hylia at an unprecedented speed.

When they reached the flat Midla Woods again, Link slowed. It was far more dangerous in the winding paths and numerous trees to ride too fast. Catherine, however, seemed too used to her rider’s ways, and headed straight for a sloped rock. Link tried to move her off path, but she wasn’t having it and went straight for the rock.

Link was as attuned to Catherine as she was to him, so he resigned himself to following her lead, encouraging Catherine to jump when she needed to, and they went gracefully off the rock, as if it had been planned. Link could almost feel Catherine’s superiority as she went back to the path without complaint. He gave her a pat as they made the climb back to the entrance of Hateno where they slowed back into a trot.

Zelda was still giggling giddily from the ride. “You’re still a showoff, Link. You always were with Epona.”

“It was all Catherine; I did nothing.”

“Humble now?” Zelda said, finally loosening her grip on Link so her hands barely rested on him.

He turned his head to look at her, coming only inches from her face. Her lips were right there, hard to look away from as he fought the warring memories in his brain.

Half of him reminded himself repeatedly that she was royal, beyond him, and to be respected at all costs. That meant keeping a respectable distance, walking far behind her, staying outside her room at the castle, remaining against the wall at the ball, or letting her cry when he wanted nothing more than to reach out to her.

The other part of him demanded he hold her when she cried, or walked beside her for company and conversation. It even pushed him to walk in front of her so he could turn and see her smile rather than imagining it. It urged him to stay in her room when the Yiga had threatened her, or to dance at a ball. It allowed him to hold her on top of the Temple of Time while they overlooked Hyrule. It’s the part that kissed her on top of Dueling Peaks 100 years ago, and again in the desert.

He turned away from her before his will broke. They crossed the bridge that led to his house, met by the Gerudo Guard, Marta. “Sav'saaba,” she said with a wry glance at the darkening sky above.

Link snickered and shrugged. Marta laughed and went back to her position while Link brought Catherine back to the small stable where Cloud dozed off. He helped Zelda down.

“That was a much better memory of the rain, Link. Thank you.”

He nodded once and walked back to the house with her.

When they walked in, Marta followed them inside.

“News came for you while you were gone,” she said. “Lady Impa has sent word that there will be another meeting of the leaders of Hyrule. This time, it will take place in Hyrule Field. Many from each village are encouraged to attend this.”

Marta looked at Link, a secret understanding passing between them. But Zelda was too caught up in her thoughts to see.

“What could they want to discuss? I haven’t had enough time, and I’ve yet to even visit the Rito. What will I say?”

Link shook his hair out in the corner, retying it out of his face. “When?” was all he asked.

“Two days. We were the last to be given word on this meeting. They’d hoped to offer as much time to mourn Dr. Robbie as possible. Impa has had a dress made for you, not of Sheikah design, I was told to add. Your Sheikah friend has it for you.”

“Goddess, this is a lot,” she mumbled, already mentally practicing greeting everyone she could possibly remember.

“Thank you, Marta,” Link said with a nod. He turned to Zelda and passed by her to go to his chest, grabbing dry clothes.

“What am I going to do?” she asked, her brain moving on to Sidon and Riju. Would she have to tell them about a decision? Would she have to choose on the spot?

“You should change,” he noted as she still stood sopping wet in a her clothes with his cloak on.

“Right. I need to sleep on this. Then… then I don’t know what to do.”

Link nodded, leaning against the wall. “You don’t need to know tonight.”

She sighed. Goddess, she wasn’t ready to decide. She needed to get more information. Perhaps Purah or Paya would know more? Or maybe she could ride out to Impa in the morning? But Link was right, she needed to change.

She went to the steps and stopped midway up, turning.

“Link?”

He made a noise to show he was listening.

“Thank you for today. Truly.”

And she meant it. Not just for the ride out to the Bokoblins, or through the woods. Not just for helping with Robbie. He’d opened up again, allowing her back in.

Link watched her go up the rest of the steps before turning to change. He’d have to find a way to talk to Impa tomorrow, or perhaps send Gaddison for an update.

He’d never expected it to be this soon, but he was glad.

He couldn’t wait for the gathering in two days.

Chapter Text

“Why is this dress something I would have worn to a ball back in my time, Paya?”

Zelda looked at the gorgeous blue and silver gown with admiration, though she was still unsure of the occasion. It was lying on Paya’s bed as the time ticked away until it was time to leave. “Were my Sheikah clothes so offensive last time that I have to wear something so formal?”

“I swear to you, Grandmother told me that everyone would be wearing their best. I believe it is because there are many of us commoners who will also be there. You’ll want to stand out.”

“Do I?” Zelda asked as she brushed out her hair. “I’d rather see the leaders of the kingdom blending in and appearing as one of us rather than standing out. Imagine Cole if he were to actually act like a decent human? It might be something to truly behold.”

Paya couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s quite true, I guess. It would be nice. Especially given the things he’s said to you. It was absolutely uncalled for from someone in his position.” She placed a gold belt next to the dress. “But there is another reason that dressing up might be nice.”

“Is there?” Zelda asked, putting the brush down, turning fully to Paya.

“Well… there… are your suitors.” She hesitated. It was clear that’s not what she was going to say. She watched Zelda eye her suspiciously until she cracked enough that she spilled. “I meant… Master Link…”

Zelda nodded with a chuckle but didn’t answer directly, looking for any way to deflect the conversation. “What about you, Paya? Your grandmother gave me the impression that you weren’t opposed to the idea of him noticing you in a crowd.”

Paya turned red, smiling sheepishly. “I’ll admit, Master Link has… admirable qualities and is… well-endowed with… many gifts. But, I have never spoken to him too deeply. We do not seek out the other just to talk when in need of company. I do not love him, nor he, me.” She stopped herself, afraid to be scolded for her insinuations. But Zelda didn’t speak still.

“I suppose that you, Princess Zelda, are the closest person he has, and I feel that it is likewise true. If it means anything, I have always believed you belonged together, simply from books and stories my Grandmother has told me. You needn’t be ashamed. I won’t speak a word outside this room.”

Zelda finally sighed. She needed to talk to someone, and Link was clearly out of the question. Riju might have been a good listener, but she wasn’t here. So Zelda had to trust Paya with her secret. “I don’t know anything anymore, Paya. My life has always seemed so linear, like there was nowhere for me to make up my own opinions. I must now create an alliance through a marriage of convenience if I hope to be able to rule my own kingdom. It’s mostly because I was never taught how to rule. I don’t know things about taxes, land, or cultivation. I’d love to restore the old towns, and even the Temple of Time. How am I to fund something like that? I was never taught. Your grandmother did all she could to help me. She slipped me books and meeting notes, but it’s not enough. So, I am back on this path that leads to my destiny, but I cannot do it alone. My only say in any of this is who I will marry.”

Paya studied her sad face. “And having learned about you a great deal over the time you’ve been back, you’re going to pick Prince Sidon, even if they offer you other high-born suitors tonight. Because while Riju offers a significant benefit to your heart, Prince Sidon is the one who provides Hyrule with more opportunities.”

“Yes. I’ll have Riju’s alliance through other means. She already seemed open to it. Sidon will be harder to convince, no matter what promises he thinks he can make for his people. The other suitors are not nearly as favorable in terms of prospects As id I’d ever consider someone like Cole anyway. While the lords can run land, they don’t bring with them an entire race of people to harmoniously create a bridge through marriage.”

“And Link…?”

“Understands.” Zelda said firmly, hanging the dress. “He knows his duty as a knight, and he has not failed to repeatedly remind me of it. Even at the most inconvenient times.”

Zelda swallowed hard, trying to put some of her animosity away as she moved behind the room dividing privacy panel. She slid out of her casual clothes and grabbed a corset that had been made for her recently.

Paya helped her into it and into the dress as well. Zelda could feel that it was good, quality fabric. It might have even been real silver sewn into the dress, especially with the way the details glistened.

“Could you hold your hair up?” Paya asked.

Zelda did, and Paya clasped it behind her neck.

“Thank you,” Zelda said, sliding into the sleeves that were attached to the side of the dress. They allowed for a lot of arm movement, especially since all of her shoulder and upper arm were exposed, but she wouldn’t be throwing her hands straight up into the sky in this dress. She clasped the fabric around her wrist as well, buttoning the end of what was mostly flowing fabric that hung around her arms.

“How does it look?”

Paya stopped and assessed the outfit carefully. “You look like a true queen. You are stunning in that dress.”

Zelda made a face and went to Paya’s mirror.

Well. She hadn’t been lying.

If ever there was a time Zelda thought she belonged on a throne, it was now. Of course, she’d felt like a regal warrior in the desert, but now, she was just a queen. She could be at her coronation. It was as if she could see her father standing behind her, as he should have been, abdicating after many long years so that his older daughter could ascend, but she was here without him.

The navy blue dress was trimmed in silver jewels that formed a pattern along her hips and leading down. The trim also led up her chest to the piece that wrapped around her neck, and it branched onto the sleeves as well. It was a dress that had been given a lot of time. She took the silver belt and tied it around her waist. It looked like the front of a crown, tipping up into a point that formed a place that a jewel might have been. It looked like a flurry of falling leaves.

“Here,” Paya said, handing her a sapphire circlet, the blue stone matching her dress perfectly.

Zelda placed it on her head, moving her hair so the circlet was placed perfectly. She slid into the shoes Impa had sent her, but proceeded to step out immediately. 

“How can your grandmother want me to wear all of this in the grass of Hyrule Field? She’s officially lost her mind. The dress will be ruined, and I’ll sink straight into the ground with a heeled shoe.”

Paya looked at the long dress. It intentionally pooled around her feet, lifted just enough in the heels that she wouldn’t trip. There was nothing but the fabric on the bottom.

“Well, at least it isn’t trimmed with these stones as well.”

“I’m not wearing these shoes. I can’t just fall on my face when I’m meant to be making an impression.”

She looked at her dirty mud-brown riding boots and her worn travelling ones. She’d brought both, unsure what Impa had provided for her.

“I have black boots,” Paya suggested. “We look to be the same shoe size.”

Zelda nodded. “I’ll try them. Thank you.”

Paya grabbed them, placing them in front of Zelda as she did some of the old make up that used to be required of her at royal events. Paya had acquired some of the ingredients, and they’d spent yesterday mixing them.

When she’d finished, Zelda slid into the perfectly fitting shoes. “Well,” she said with a laugh. “Remind me to let you borrow anything you want. We’re the same size.”

“Thank you,” Paya said with a bow. “Did you want me to put your hair up for you?”

Zelda shook her head. “This is fine. It’s more than I ever would have asked for.”

She felt tears coming to her eyes, but she fought them back. The sight of herself in the mirror, she could see her father, her mother, Robbie, Purah, Urbosa everyone who had been around for her back when dressing like this was common for her.

Her hand absently went to the bracelet on her wrist, the one that didn’t quite fit with her ensemble.

“This was Robbie’s last gift to me. I’m going to learn to control this power, Paya, whether it’s the last thing I do or not. I can’t let his sacrifice be in vain. This was a part of his life’s work.”

“I think that’s admirable, Princess.” Paya kicked a few of her things into a corner to make some room. “I believe he would have wanted you to learn from the things he created and to further them.”

Zelda nodded, not wanting to feel any more anxiety about this day than she already did. “It’ll have to wait though. We need to get you ready, too.”

“It’s okay, I don’t require much.”

“I’ll help you with your hair, then. That must be a pain to do alone sometimes.”

Paya smiled. “Thank you. I’d appreciate it.”

Zelda waited by the carriage that she, Paya, and three other Hateno residents were taking to the field. She couldn’t stop playing with the rich fabric that she wore, spinning the bottom of the dress and letting the sleeves catch the light breeze. When she remembered her time in the Sacred Realm, bodiless and tired from a long fight, something as simple as this felt silly, but it also reminded her that these moments were to be remembered with equal importance. She tried to spin in the heeled shoes she wore, but she managed to keep finding the weak spots in the ground and sank heavily, keeping her off balance. She wouldn’t tell anyone about the flat shoes she’d stashed in the carriage.

“Gaddison,” Link’s voice came from the other side of the carriage. “Do you know where the Princess is?”

“I’m here,” she called back, listening to his footsteps growing closer.

Gaddison came into view first, stopping to stare and bow. Link rounded the corner next. His jaw nearly dropped, though he managed to regain his composure before she could catch his expression as she turned to face him.

It felt like hours that he stood staring at her. His eyes slid over her, memorizing every little feature, every curve of her body, every inch of her smooth skin. Before she’d turned, he could see that her dress wasn’t exactly concealing the skin of her back, and from the front, the shining jewels lit up her face, her hair contrasting sharply with the blue that was a bit darker than the royal blue he’d once been so used to seeing her in. It was only when he realized he’d probably been staring at her for too long that he blinked several times to clear his head and slow his racing heart.

But when his eyes finally went to hers, he realized he hadn’t been alone.

She was looking him over in an equally less-than-studious way. He wore a long-necked green tunic that hugged his body in a way that defined his muscles more than his normally loose shirts did. On his shoulders were two golden pauldrons, etched with the designs of the Sheikah and with a brilliant blue stone in the center, a stone the same color as his Champion’s Tunic. A brown belt was around his waist, over his shirt, and lined with gold trim to match his shoulders. He kept his usual bottomless pouch attached, but it was clearly out of place. It was one of the few times Zelda had seen Link attach his sheath to his belt rather than his back, but his back was occupied by a long green cape that was also trimmed in gold. His tan pants looked almost like the ones he so often wore, though these were significantly cleaner and covered in fewer mud stains. His boots and gloves matched in their brown tone. He looked royal himself, Zelda noted.

When she saw him watching her, she felt her cheeks blush. At her reaction, he did too.

Zelda chuckled nervously, lamely gesturing to Link’s clothes. There was no mistaking him as anything but the Hylian Champion who defeated Calamity Ganon.

Her voice shook, betraying her nerves. She was attracted to him on a bad day, and Link was certaintly not having one of those. “Impa had something made for us both, it seems.”

“She didn’t hold back.”

“Well,” Paya said, reminding them both that they weren’t alone. “You both certainly look like you lived in the palace. Link, you look like a prince with all that gold. And Princess, you look absolutely like a queen.”

Link cleared his throat. “You do look stunning, Princess. Even someone like Cole will have a hard time keeping his eyes off of you.”

“I should change then, if that’s the case,” she mused. “But you? You’ve never wore anything like this that I’ve seen. It’s a far stretch from the old royal guard uniforms.”

“I hated those. This is a relief.” He rolled his sleeve slightly, revealing chainmail. “This is a bit more suited for actual guarding.”

“Link…” Zelda hesitated, changing her mind at the last moment. “So, what did you want to find me for?”

“Right, I have to go. I’m riding ahead of you to scout the road and to speak with Impa briefly. She won’t be attending this meeting.”

“Of course,” Zelda said with a forced smile. She hated to see him go. She needed all the support she could get going in to this. “I will see you there, then.”

He bowed almost instinctually. The sight of her was beyond regal.

Turning on his heel, Link headed to where Catherine waited, and he raced ahead without another look back.

It took a fair deal more time for the rest of the Hateno party to be ready to travel. She wondered how many people were coming at first, but when she realized it was a majority of the town, the wait was more understandable. Still, she couldn’t figure out just why the entire town had to go to this meeting anyway. They wore their best clothes, as if they were ready to attend a festival or a ball.

“Paya,” she finally asked. “What more did your grandmother say about this?”

“Nothing, Princess. Truly. I’m as surprised as you at all the people.”

“It’s time,” Marta said, holding open the door to the carriage.

Zelda hopped in first, sitting backwards and closest to the window, and then Paya sat beside her. Three more women, including Ralera, sat across from her.

“This is exciting!” one of the less familiar ones said. “Riding out into an adventure with royalty! It’s like I’m living in a book!”

“Thank you,” Ralera said to Zelda. “For letting us come. I can’t wait to see my family. My husband is minding the farm and the windmills and told me to take all the time I needed. I honestly couldn’t have asked for anyone better. Goddess, I miss my father.”

“Soon,” Zelda said, grabbing her hand. “Only a short ride from now, you’ll be with him again.”

And the ride was fairly short. They stopped in Kakariko to add to the large travelling party, some in carriages, some on horseback, and others on foot, but all headed to the meeting of leaders.

Zelda still couldn’t figure whereabouts or why this was being held outdoors in the fields of Hyrule unless there was some point to be made. She thought of the Guardians that had stopped upon the destruction of the Calamity, wondering if they were going to make a show of how they were truly gone.

But as she saw the ruins of the old ranch pass the window, she realized that they were going close to the ruins of the castle. That was the point they’d be trying to make.

The dead monarchy.

It got worse when she heard the wheels of the carriage change from rolling over grass to the sound of cobblestone. The meeting wouldn’t be in the field at all. It was going to be in the ruins of Castle Town.

She put her head in her hands and took a deep breath as the carriage finally stopped. When the door opened, Paya and the others quickly stepped out, though Zelda couldn’t bring herself to feel nearly as eager.

Until she finally exited the carriage and looked up, that is.

Castle Town, once vivacious with tall buildings, market stalls, trees and people had turned into a decaying monument to the dead, one she’d hated going through the last time she’d been here. But not now.

Now, it was restored.

Buildings lined the path into town, small though they were, and many appeared to be unfinished, they created familiar roads that were lined with empty stalls, waiting to be filled. She followed the road into the center of town were she could see a great mob of people, reminiscent of her own time, waiting by the restored and glorious fountain. Nearer the center, houses were taller and more complete. Many homes looked ragtag, as if they hadn’t been created by the same person, rooves were mismatched, doors were missing, tools were scattered.

And it was beautiful.

Zelda could feel the tears coming to her eyes, though she wiped them away as quickly as she could. They kept coming, and she felt compelled to let them fall after a while.

The crowd was almost entirely familiar. There were citizens from all over: Zoras, Gerudo’s, Gorons, Ritos, Hylians. In the front of the group stood each of the leaders: Harth stood in for Kaneli once again, Sidon for his father, Riju and Buleria, Boss Bludo, and Chancellor Cole. But in front of even them stood the most interesting group.

Though it consisted of mostly Gorons that Zelda didn’t recognize, she could tell who they were. They were the ones who built the town. It was easy to figure out, given that Karson and Bolson were standing in the center of them.

“Ah!” Bolson said, bursting away from the pack with open arms. He reached for Zelda, and she let him hold her. “No tears, Gorgeous! This is your day! This is all thanks to you!”

“What?”

“Come, let me show you my team! Reconstruction Company, assemble!”

He led her by the hand, and she spotted Link in the mix, watching her with a smile on his face. Bolson caught it and pushed her towards him. “Of course you know Link. He was instrumental in this whole process. He hired the Bolson Construction Company, which, as you know, is myself, Karson, and Hudson here. Now, if it were up to me hiring, I would have kept with company policy which states that employees of Bolson Construction must comply with regulations that all names end in -son. But, as Link was in charge of hiring, that rule was distastefully disregarded. Which brings us to the Company Carpenters. I doubt you’ll recognize these Hylians, but I like them a great deal. They too have a policy similar to mine. Their names must end in -ro. We have: Ichiro, Jiro, Sabooro, and Shiro for you. Now, my less impressive colleagues whose disrespect for policy is apparent: Bremor, Brent, Doyle, Mack, and Mutoh. Link also brought in the Goron miners, though one is Hylain. I didn’t ask why. Krane, Jengo, Dorill, Axyl, Bohrin, and Kima. Thankfully, Link designated Mutoh and me as the leaders of this project. I excel at leadership.”

“It’s massive,” Zelda said, looking around. She realized quickly why so many had been necessary to work on the town.

“It is impressive,” Bolson said with a slight dance of his hips. “I give myself the credit, of course. It’s almost finished. We are still adding floors to the outermost homes, presenting them as multi-floored or two-family. Many of the shops are outdoors with an indoor component. They are closer to the center of town.”

“And residents?”

This time, Chancellor Cole stepped forward. His face was scrunched up into its usual grimace, but he didn’t appear angry, for once.

“Zelda,” he greeted her. “For once, you look the part you’re playing. But I’ll be the first to admit it: you did well here. I do not know where you and your knight got the funds for this project, but I am among the most grateful. I have already chosen a house here for myself, as have many of the Hylians who have turned all but nomadic thanks to the Calamity. I have put out word for those who fled to return, that there is a surplus of houses and businesses. We should see a migration of sorts soon.”

“Thank you,” Zelda said with a respectful bow of her head.

“We have businesses already settling in, and many from other settlements are joining us here. Seldon, the owner of Ventest Clothing Boutique in Hateno, has expanded his shop, as have others. Link recruited some odd fellows as well.”

Zelda turned to Link, desperate to talk to him, but Bolson grabbed her hand again and pulled her toward the nearest house. She could hear the crowd beginning to disperse, mulling around merrily with music and laughter. It was a celebration, and the kingdom was invited. It all made sense now.

Bolson offered her a tour of several empty homes before finally releasing her.

She wasted no time and made her way towards Link. He was standing guard near a building, out of the way and near the center of town where he could see everything.

“How did you do this?” she asked, feeling the tears spring to her eyes again. She grabbed his arm, relieved when he didn’t pull away from her again. “It’s almost like it once was. It was a terrible ruin! Tell me everything!”

He shrugged. “You wanted it restored. Bolson and I spoke, I promised him some things that were within my abilities to give, and we got it done.”

“What did you promise?”

Link hesitated. “I let him keep anything he found in the ruins, and I amassed a fair number of rupees during my time wandering around Hyrule. I paid the others in rupees and gems. The Gorons helped provide the stone and transport it, the Great Fairy offered me a boon, from which I requested the overnight regrowth of a grove of trees so we could continue to build. It wasn’t much. I came out here whenever I wasn’t guarding you and we were close enough, but it was all managed by Bolson. Mutoh was second in charge, and together they did it.”

Zelda wiped a tear from her eyes and wrapped her arms around Link’s neck. He held her, both unphased by the eyes of the crowd. She pulled away when she heard an interested, low murmur behind her: too many eyes at once.

“How often have I cried happy tears in your arms, Link?” she asked, pulling away.

“This might be a first,” he admitted.

She laughed and wiped under her eyes. “There is no way to properly thank you for this.”

He shook his head. “You’ll want to wait. Bolson and Co. are doing the ranch next. They already have buyers. Then, they’re going to split up and work on the Exchange and the Garrison. The Temple of Time will have to wait, unfortunately, while we bring some profit to their company, but they’re here to stay. Except Hudson. He’s going back to Tarry Town.”

“OoooOOOoooOOO!” cried a new voice that startled Zelda. She turned to see a man hunched over with a massive sack on his back. “My friend! It’s so good to see you! Thank you! I’m honored you thought of me!”

“Of course, Beedle.” He turned to Zelda, “This is Beedle. He’s a travelling merchant who bought a stall with an attached home. He’s called his twin brother, I believe it was, to run this store.”

“Yes, yes!” Beedle shouted, grabbing Zelda’s hand with aggressive excitement. “Link has spoken of you, Princess Zelda! You will be a great customer! Discounts for friends!”

Zelda eyed Link suspiciously, but Beedle let go of her.

“I must get these things to the stall! It was good to see you, my friend! Bye!”

She finally turned back to Link. “You make interesting friends.”

“Wait until you meet Kilton.”

“I’m excited to.” She leaned on the wall beside him. “This is all so incredible. I can’t even believe it. And you all kept this from me?”

“Yes. Most of us have known for some time. Paya was helping me with Impa, and the leaders have known for weeks to get everyone ready. The people were told so they had the choice to move here, if they wanted. You were one of the few left out, I’m afraid. It was a surprise for you more than anyone else.”

“Was anything you told me true? Are we even here for a meeting?”

“All of it is true, actually,” he said with a grimace. “There will be a celebration, and there will be talks with the leaders. I haven’t misled you on that.”

Zelda shook her head in disbelief of it all. The things he’d been doing… it was so much. “What else have you been hiding?”

Link fidgeted and adjusted his uniform. “I might have urged Cole to recruit new Knights of Hyrule. It’s being done in your name. You can see several of them, actually, doing a horrible job around the perimeter. The new recruits have agreed to work without pay for now while they train. There isn’t a Garrison yet, so they are to train at home and come when called. Once there is a way to formally train them, we’ll begin to give them rupees for a more stable position. We’ll get Hyrule cleaned up.”

Zelda grabbed Link’s arm again and planted her lips against his cheek. She stayed too long, she knew, and when she pulled away, Link turned to her with hooded eyes and a poorly composed expression.

“I have to be on my best behavior, Princess. They’re all looking at me. You’ll make that a difficult task for me.”

“I don’t care who’s looking. I don’t care anymore. This is so much greater than anything. You’ve done more for Hyrule than anyone. This is what matters. Look around you, Link.”

He did, bringing his eyes back to hers when he didn’t know quite what he was looking for.

She grabbed his hand, hiding it from everyone’s view for his sake. “Do you see everyone here? They’re alive because of you.”

“Us,” he quickly corrected.

“Us. Every man, woman, and child here could have been killed by the Calamity when Ganon broke free of my hold. Their ancestors could have died if we’d failed them completely 100 years ago. But they’re all here. They’re all alive. And now you’ve given them a life back after it was taken away.”

“We,” he corrected again. “It wouldn’t have been done without you.”

“You should be King,” she said with a smile. “You’re beloved by them. You’re smart and determined. You know how to manage rupees and you’re bringing back trade. I swear, you’d rule better than I would.”

“Don’t say that,” he said, making a sweep around the perimeter with his eyes. “That’s not my life, and it never was meant to be.”

He cleared his throat, letting go of her hand and daring to put his on the small of her back, exposed as it was, urging her back toward the center of town. His fingers burned where they’d touched her skin, and he realized he’d done it subconsciously on purpose. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to return her embrace and hold her hand. He wanted it. Not a memory of himself from the past, or an expectation he’d had. Him.

“Go, Princess. This is for you. I have to keep watch, and make sure these new kids don’t mess up.”

“You deserve this day too, Link.”

He shook his head. “I’m exactly where I belong. Go ahead. There are people here I know are waiting for you.”

Zelda sighed, knowing she had a responsibility to mingle and take advantage of this chance. She had to thank the carpenters, and the people. She had to introduce herself to Gorons and Rito. She had to find Paya and see who they knew.

Chancellor Cole was watching her, his eyes boring into hers. He was waiting to speak with her.

And she wasn’t sure she was ready for everything that was about to come.

Chapter Text

Castle Town was abuzz with the music of the bards, songs from the different stables across Hyrule mingled into a great medley that almost made no sense anymore, but it was mixed in with laughter and joy, dancing and excitement. The town was alive.

Zelda had heard it so many times in her life that she realized she was doing it subconsciously: stay within sight of Link at all times. She found her feet almost unable to take her deeper into the city, despite all the guards, Champions, and warriors. She even knew that if she wandered, she’d find Link a fair distance away, but staying with her where ever she went. In both their minds, the threat of the Yiga was always present, and no amount of celebration could make her forget that.

So, it was no surprise to her when people began to flock to her rather than letting her find them.

Paya was among the first, but Zelda actually enjoyed her company.

“How’s your book coming? Will you be adding this momentous occasion to the story?” Zelda asked.

Paya looked surprised, and positively embarrassed. “It’s coming along quite well, actually. I hope you aren’t too upset that we all kept this from you.”

Zelda shook her head. “No, this was the best surprise I’ve had in a long time. Is there anything else you’re keeping from me?” Paya suddenly went very quiet. Zelda turned, suspicious of the change. “There is, isn’t there?”

“One. But you’ll learn of it today, whenever a certain someone feels like appearing. They were supposed to follow me so you’d know what it is, but I can’t seem to see them.”

Looking around, Zelda couldn’t find anyone who looked to fit the description.

“Princess! Paya!” Link called. He was close enough that he could hear their conversation. And he jerked his head behind them.

Zelda turned to him and followed where he was gesturing.

A young Sheikah woman was walking towards them in a far more traditional garb than even Paya wore on a daily basis.

But the face wasn’t unfamiliar.

“By the Goddess,” Zelda whispered, forgetting about Paya and Link to run towards the Sheikah.

“Whoa!” the woman said with a laugh, catching Zelda in her arms. “Be careful, Princess, I’m still getting used to this!”

Zelda could feel tears behind her eyes again. “Look what you’ve done,” she laughed, wiping one away.

“You can thank Robbie,” she said.

It was Purah. And she was Zelda’s age. Not a child.

She looked exactly the same as she had when Zelda had known her. She was quite tall, like Impa had once been before age had taken over. Purah had to continually push up her large, round glasses as they fell from her nose. Her white hair was tied up in a bun, red eyes contrasted with her family’s brown ones, but they were strikingly similar otherwise.

“What happened?” Zelda asked, holding her hand tightly. “Paya, you knew?”

Paya shrugged innocently. “I visited her.”

Purah took both of the Princess’ hands in hers. “I was selfish. Robbie knew that. He never was selfish. Symon tried to tell me, but I didn’t quite listen. I think it might have been the underdeveloped brain.”

“When? When did you do this?”

“After you left us. But, Princess, I have to warn you about something; I don’t know what will happen with this potion I took. I don’t know if I’ll age until I die, or if I’ll stop. Perhaps the effects will take time and it will happen suddenly, or perhaps I’ve perfected immortality. I just don’t want you to become too used to me being around, just in case something happens. I’ve already spoken to my sister and Paya. But while I’m here, I’ll enjoy it. I’ll live.”

Zelda nodded, pulling Purah into a tight hug. She felt the odd familiarity of holding her closest friend once more, as she had in the past.

“Come on,” Purah said, grabbing both Zelda and Paya’s hands. “Let’s go have fun.”

“Fun? So, you’ve still got some of your young self inside?”

Purah smiled wryly. “Check it! Rapid aging will do that.”

Link watched with a small smile as Zelda was led away from him until she was no longer in his sight. But he could see Boss Bludo, Riju and Buliara, and Harth in the area. They’d keep an eye on her as well.

“So, my friend, we meet again!”

Link didn’t need to turn to recognize Kass’ voice. “You’re not with the other musicians?”

Kass scoffed, moving beside his friend. “The girls are keeping me busy enough. They’re all here. I can’t chat long, I’m afraid I can’t leave Amali at their mercy for that long, especially while there is music in the area. When I left them, Cree was trying to jump into the fountain, and Notts nearly stole a flute.”

“They’ve never given me any problems. Maybe a little attitude, but never a problem.”  Link’s smug superiority was a clear jest, and Kass knew it.

He scoffed. “As they age, they realize that freedom is a thing now and they seek it out at all times. If you ever have children, you’ll understand my pain.”

Link swept the area before looking back at Kass. “How is Rito Village? The Princess and I didn’t make it there yet.”

“We’re alright. It’s been better. Chief Kaneli is not long for this world, so Harth has been assuming more and more of his responsibilities. It’s been hard on us all, but Kaneli is not a fledgling.”

Link shook his head. “Seems like everyone from my time is dying.”

Kass nodded. “I heard about Robbie. I’m sorry for your loss. The entire kingdom will feel his absence before long. Little does everyone know what he’s done for them all.”

“Purah said she may die soon thanks to a potion she took. Then Kaneli. I thank the Zora’s long life, or else I’d be afraid I’d need to add a few more goodbyes.”

“Have you seen any of them yet? The Zoras who are here, that is. Sidon is surrounded by his fans. I’m shocked you haven’t met with several of your own admirers yet. The children are all playing together. The Gerudo’s have not all seen Zora’s, so they are intrigued with each other. This gathering is more than a town that’s completed, isn’t it?”

Link looked around again. “Yes. There is a lot happening here today.”

“On the books and off,” Kass grinned. “I’ll find you later, friend. Perhaps you can stop my girls from pretending to buy a home here before they can think of it.”

“It won’t get that bad.”

Kass scoffed again and walked back toward the fountain.

Zelda almost felt guilty for the fun she was having.

Fun.

It wasn’t something she’d been able to have often. But Purah and Paya were swaying with the music that rang through the town, echoing off buildings… buildings. The town was vibrant and filled with life. It was a dream. Only it was real.

She looked around, taking in the sight of seeing so many people together for the first time in a century.

The Gerudo’s were the easiest to spot. They were all a bit taller than the rest, and those who came with Riju were the social ones. She could see Ashai leading a group through the crowd. Zelda chuckled, knowing it had to be the Voe and You class she taught each day, though Zelda hadn’t gone herself. Riju had told stories of the class, and explained a little bit about the students. Her days sitting in had been some of her best, she’d said. Pasha, Dina and Riju’s favorite, Risa. Just seeing the group made Zelda want to sneak over, if only to hear some of the infamous conversations that seemed to happen. But she stayed where she was, determined not to look too strange today.

The Zora’s were the next easiest to see through the crowd, if only because of Sidon’s towering height and the large group huddled around him. She figured that he took his older advisors with him, and they were not keen on mingling with the younger crowd. Though, for a Zora, even the oldest Hylian was a youngling.

Despite their size, the Goron’s were harder to spot, but not hard to find. Their raucous laughter was obvious even over the murmur of the crowd and the music. Boss Bludo was several levels louder than the others, though the Goron who most caught her attention was one that stood off from the others, much less engaged in the conversations than any others.

What surprised Zelda the most was how social the Rito were. Harth was laughing with a group of Hylians, and even Revali was running around, chasing his large family. She was more surprised that he wasn’t with the other musicians. But there was one Rito who held himself differently from the rest, standing close to Harth. His wing looked bandaged, and she knew that it was the other Rito who was so often talked about: Teba. He was standing with, who she assumed to be, his wife and son, though he looked constantly on alert. It reminded her of Revali in so many ways. Though he never liked to show his more serious side, he was ever the vigilant soldier, much like Link. Teba’s eyes met hers, like he was looking for her, before hastily moving them away. He was watching her.

Zelda shook her head. She couldn’t find Cole, but most of the town consisted of Hylians. It was refreshing to see that there were so many willing to live here, but it was also uncomfortable, especially since most of them had been displaced for years.

“Your Highness!” someone called. Zelda turned to see Ralera running up to her with an old man by her side. He wasn’t dressed in anything formal, just his normal clothes like several others. He bowed to her immediately. “This is my father, Rozel. He’s from Lurelin Village.”

Zelda held out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Ralera has told me much about you.”

“It’s all lies,” he said with a sardonic smile and a laugh.

“It’s all been good things, I can assure you,” Zelda laughed along.

“Father,” Ralera scolded, but he paid no attention to her chiding.

“My daughter tells me that you have not seen Lurelin yet. I’d be honored to take you on a tour and fishing on my raft when you do come.”

Zelda couldn’t help but smile at his sincerity. “I’d be honored, Rozel. Thank you.”

“No, thank you, Your Majesty,” he said with another bow. “I won’t take up any more of your time. My daughter was insistent that I say hello.”

“You may take all of my time anytime, Rozel.”

“May the Goddess watch over you, Majesty.”

Ralera led him away, leaving Zelda with Paya. At some point, Purah had snuck off, though Zelda imagined it might be to avoid talking to any Hateno residents.

Zelda turned to check on Link, feeling responsible for checking on everyone. Riju was beside him, Buliara beside her, and a strange man dragging a large bag standing beside them, too.

She knew she should let Link have some space, but she couldn’t help but creep closer to see who the strange man was. But of course, she was not as stealthy as she had been in a past life, and Riju spotted her almost immediately, waving her over.

Well, she thought, there was no point in ignoring Riju. And once her curiosity was sated, she could leave him alone.

“Hello,” Riju said casually.

But the stranger wasn’t quite so calm. He jumped, screaming before hopping from foot to foot as he turned, only to see Zelda and sigh in utter disappointment. “Oh, a Hylian. How unfortunate.”

Zelda couldn’t suppress the shock at that reaction. This man… he was different. His head was too large, his hands weren’t quite right, and his fangs were painted over his mouth. “I’m… sorry?” Zelda said hesitantly.

Link had to hold back a laugh. “This is Kilton, Princess. The monster expert. If you still have any questions about Bokoblins, he’s the one to ask.”

Zelda smiled ruefully, but Kilton interrupter her with a cry of glee. “BOKOBLINS! I LOVE Bokoblins!”

“No,” Zelda said quickly, jumping back a bit at his sudden screeching. “I believe I found the answers I was looking for, but thank you.”

“Aw,” he said, clearly disappointed. “That’s too bad. You had me excited there! But I should be off! It’s too early for me anyway.”

“You’re not staying?” Link asked.

“Oh, did I not say?” Kilton asked. “I bought a stall, but it was too small for the whole Fang and Bone. I wasn’t sure what to do, but this man came up to me and offered to buy it. Some strange fellow. He calls his store the Happy Mask Shop. Well, I thought it was an ugly name, but he asked to buy my masks of a Bokoblin, Moblin, Lizalfos, and Lynel. Well, I asked him for mon, yes? But he didn’t have any. So he traded me these beautiful masks instead.”

Kilton pulled out four strange masks, though they were quite beautiful. “He said they were monsters from another land: Odolwa, Goht, Gyorg, and Twinmold. When I learned this, I knew I had to go and see for myself if there were new monsters.” He shuddered with glee at his last words. “So, I’ll be off on an adventure for some time, my fellow monster enthusiast. I will see you soon with news. I hope to see you again on a monstrous night.”

Kilton walked away slowly, leaving the others behind. Zelda looked at Link with an amused smile. “You did warn me.”

“There is no fair warning for Kilton,” he admitted.

“So,” Riju interjected, addressing Zelda. “What should I expect from you when we’re called?”

“What do you mean?”

“I want to know what your decision is before we go in. Will you choose to fight to rule alone, or will you marry Sidon and continue to rebuild with the resources he provides? Or me, and the… other aspects we discussed.”

Zelda looked uncomfortably at Link, though his gaze was fixed on a soldier in the distance, trying hard to seem occupied. But he was listening as intently as if she were talking to him. She sighed, knowing she had to tell him her choice.

“I don’t have the luxury to fight for myself. I must always serve my kingdom. Seeing all of these people, these people who have been living in abandoned towns, stables, or with others because there was nowhere? I can’t leave them now. They’ll have no jobs outside of the shops unless we can rebuild the field, and I can’t rely on generosity. Not even from you, Link. This entire town was built with your own rupees. And while I gather you’ve found a fair amount, you won’t be able to pay for everything. Riju, we’ll build trading posts much closer to you. You won’t be left out of this, I swear.”

“So,” Riju said, sparing her own glance for Link, “You’re marrying Sidon?”

Zelda ran a tired hand over her eyes. “I don’t have any better options for my people. If they want me to be queen, I’ll have to choose Sidon.”

Riju scoffed. “These people and their antiquated rules. We could fight for you to rule alone.”

“And what funds would that bring? This reconstruction has to be a priority.”

“I could lend them to you.”

“And I would start a new age of Hyrule in debt. I can’t afford that.”

“Link?” Riju asked, almost desperately.

He turned to them, his face an unreadable stone mask. “Whatever Her Majesty believes is best is the right course of action. I trust her judgement implicitly.”

“Urbosa would fight!” Riju protested, her childish innocence coming out for the first time since Zelda had known her. Her voice pitched, as if preparing to stamp her foot in anger. “She wouldn’t want you to do this.”

Zelda rubbed her eye, though she herself didn’t know if it was to fight off a tear or to wipe away her own growing stress. “She would do this herself if she thought her people needed her to. She sacrificed her life, Riju. She’d easily sacrifice her happiness.”

Riju sighed. “Fine. I understand, but I disagree with your decision.”

Zelda backed away. “I’ll regret it for my whole life, but I’ll know it was the right choice. Now, I’m going to go forget while I still can. There’s a Goron I’ve been dying to talk to.”

Link finally turned to watch as she walked away.

He’d lost his chance to tell her.

Forever.

“Link!” Zelda said, running over to him. It had been several hours since she spoke with him last, and her demeanor had completely changed. She was high on giddiness, giggling just because she was happy for the first time in forever. “Join us! Yunobo and I are having more fun than I’d expected. He’s like Daruk in many ways, though you’d never know it at first!”

Link smiled, just looking at her made him warm up in childish embarrassment. Here she stood, gorgeous, brilliant, and wanting his company. And he knew, more than anything, that he wanted to join her, to hold her even for a moment while she spun, or to sway to a slower song. He wanted to feel her skin again, too…

But he knew her choice.

And he knew his duty.

“I can’t, Princess. I’m on guard.”

Zelda leaned close to him. “Do you remember what I did the last time there was a ball? I managed to get you to dance with me.”

He grinned, though the action pained him. Her words from earlier still burned. “Yes, when there were hundreds of well-trained guards stationed all along the room. I can’t risk it now. There are too many people here.”

“If there weren’t, would you join?” she asked. Her eyes were shimmering.

His lip tipped up, unable to stop himself. “Maybe.”

She scoffed. “I’ll get you to dance yet. Maybe not today, but the next time something like this happens, you’re not getting out of it so easily.”

“I look forward to it.”

She rolled her eyes with a smile and went back to where Yunobo was waiting.

For some time, Link watched Zelda twirl around, the bottom of her dress fanning out around her as she giggled in the arms of Yunobo. He was laughing, dancing clumsily as she spun. He hadn’t seen her so open and free in some time. Riju was beside them, bobbing unrhythmically to the sound of the music, captured by Zelda’s hand moments later and being all but thrown into a dance.

Zelda’s smile was bright, easy to spot. When she was happy, she radiated. When she laughed, it rang out in a sweet melody.

Link tensed as he felt a presence off to his side.

“I couldn’t even tell you the last time Amali and I danced without a fledgling on each limb,” Kass laughed, coming over to Link. “You should take advantage of any time a pretty girl asks to dance with you.”

“You know I can’t.”

Kass pushed his accordion onto his back, out of the way. “Have you remembered her? From the past? Something seems different about you.”

Link nodded, unable to tear his eyes away from her. “I do. But she’s marrying Sidon. She’ll tell them all when we meet.”

“That’s unfortunate.

Link hesitated before answering. He wasn’t going to say anything, but as he watched her glide around, her smile brightening the darkening sky, he felt a hard pang in his chest. And beside the pang was a worse pain, one that didn’t feel like it could ever be repaired.

“I’ve fallen in love with her twice in the same lifetime.”

Kass smirked. This wasn’t news to him; it was plain as daylight. “Perhaps that’s a sign, then?”

Link continued as if Kass hadn’t spoken, “But I’m her knight. And even if I weren’t, she’s royalty. My duty forbids me from even feeling this.” He looked around as he tried to think of anything else. But his thoughts were always back to her. To the Princess. “I don’t even know if she’d feel the same. I mean, I know she cares for me to an extent. She’s made that clear. But… I love her. I can feel it from my past, from my other lives, and from me now.”

Kass finally made himself comfortable as he watched the pained expression pass over his friend’s face. “If my teacher was right, she does.”

“Your teacher was referring to 100 years ago. I can’t. She’s marrying Sidon. Even thinking about her in any way other than as her knight is inappropriate and wrong. I won’t.”

“You’ll control your thoughts?”

“I’m trained. I’ll manage.”

“You should tell her, before it’s too late.”

Link chuckled humorlessly. “No. You’re the only one who will ever hear it. And once I say it, the words will leave me forever. I loved her before the Calamity, and I love her now. The only way I can show it now is through my silence.”

“The Silent Hero Rises Again,” Kass said before humming a strange and somber tune. “I believe I’ll title my next song after you. It will be about a fool too afraid to confess his feelings to anyone but an old bird.”

Link rubbed his hand, the hand with the Triforce. “Sometimes it takes more courage not to act. I won’t try to change her mind or undermine her decision. She’s sacrificing for her people, so I will sacrifice for her.”

“Oh, my friend,” Kass said, “You are so old, and yet so young. But I will not tell you what to do. It’s not my life. However, my wife, who I met at a stable and risked losing my moment to speak with her, has been tending to our fledglings on her own for too long. It’s almost impossible to bring them to these events, and I’ve likely put poor Amali into an early grave with the girls. So, I must go.”

“Enjoy, Kass,” Link said with a wave.

When he was left alone again, he took a moment to check on the guards. At least this time he wasn’t aiming his spear straight out toward oncoming guests. It was progress. It made him miss many of the rules and strict regulations he used to have. Everyone was always at their best, and it was the safest time in Hyrule. The impending Calamity had set everyone off and caused a crime spike, but the knights had been able to maintain a fair balance. Now, Link was afraid to move his eyes off of the recruits for fear they’d do something else.

But he did move his eyes, and instinctively, they went right to the princess. He could see her smiling, the worst parts of her day pushed aside. She had a magnificent ability to do that, to forget what she needed to in order to push through. He imagined it had to do with her time at the springs, or even just her time at court. But when the music stopped, and she was no longer dancing with Yunobo, he knew she’d remember in a flood of unpleasant emotions.

There was nothing he could do.

There was nothing he should do.

Despite that, despite himself and everything he’d ever been taught, he wanted to do something, anything for her. To be there when it all came back, or to join her in her moments of joy. He wanted it more than anything.

And that’s why he had to push it aside.

He was a Knight of Hyrule, Appointed Knight to the Princess, Hylian Champion, the Goddesses’ Chosen. If there was one thing he’s always known, it was that he and Zelda shared the same burdens. His life wasn’t lived for himself. He was a champion for Hyrule. Whether 100 years ago, or now, he had to put her first. He had to put her first.

As hard as it was, Link pulled his eyes from Zelda, checking up on the guards once again.

Chapter Text

Music was playing from all corners of the square. There were mixes of Zora influenced music, often reminiscent of some flow of water. There was an echo to everything that they played, as if it were bouncing off of waterfalls. The Rito sang, tweeting their music with airy joy. Kass’s accordion was playing in the distance, and many were laughing in that direction. Then, there was the pounding percussion of the Gorons. It went well with the strings of the Gerudo, and the woodwinds of the Hylians joined along.

It was hard to hear Yunobo over the chaotic melody, but Zelda kept her focus on her new friend, straining to hear his hushed words over the roar around her.

“And Ruta finally responded to me and went to help poor Master Link. That Talus was incredibly strong. But by the time I got to him, he’d already destroyed it, sent the pieces scattered into the lava. I-I have to work on response times.”

Zelda smiled and put her hand on Yunobo’s arm. “You are doing great. You have time. Hopefully, you’ll have your whole life and never need to summon the Divine Beast for anything other than a rogue Talus or a small threat. Thanks to your ancestor, you have no Calamity to fight.”

“That’s true. Or…” he said, his eyes trailing off to the approaching Chancellor Cole, “Perhaps we could use it on him.”

Laughing, Zelda nodded. “That might feel nice, I’ll admit.”

“Zelda!” Cole yelled, getting her attention. He was eating the last few bites of a banana, finishing off his own meal. “We are each bringing one person with us, but we’re starting now. Meet by the fountain as soon as you chose your accompanier.”

“Now?” Zelda said, her heart racing. She wasn’t sure she was ready, but the time had come anyway. 

Cole didn’t answer her, he simply walked away.

“I have to go,” Zelda said to Yunobo with an implied apology. She hurried back toward where she last saw Link. He was still standing with his watchful eyes darting all around him. They finally landed on her, and she grabbed his arm to pull him with her. “It’s time. I need you to come with me.”

He began to stutter, looking out at the new guards. “Right. I’ll have someone cover for me.” He looked behind her, seeing which of her guards had been tailing her and waved them over. Gaddison appeared. “Would you take my post while we all meet? The new recruits need to be watched.”

She nodded with a sly grin, clearly more than excited for the task. “I used to train the new soldiers for the Zora when I was still in training. I’m more than happy to watch them.”

“This sounds like a horrible idea,” Link joked before hurriedly following Zelda toward the fountain.

The others were all waiting for them to arrive. Cole had a guard that Zelda didn’t recognize, Riju had Buliara, Harth brought Teba, Sidon brought Muzu, and Bludo brought another Goron with him. They all went into a nearby house that had six chairs at a circular table. The house was impeccably neat, clearly a sign of a recent mover, or even that they hadn’t begun to live in the home yet. There were no signs that anyone even lived there. It was as bland and dry as a newly built home would be.

“This is my new home,” Cole said, sitting comfortably in his chair.

Zelda rolled her eyes. Well, it explained the cold interior, anyway. She took her seat at the table, as did everyone else, though the guards stood just off to the side of the room.

“Welcome,” Chancellor Cole said as he settled into his seat. “I’d like to first start off by acknowledging that we are once more sitting in Castle Town, long thought to be doomed to the ashes. This is, in no small part, thanks to the Dowager Princess Zelda.”

She turned to him in surprise. If there was one thing she didn’t expect from Cole, it was acknowledgement. Of course, he had to throw dowager in there, but still, it felt like progress of some sort. She nodded her head in mild appreciation while he continued.

“The future of our great kingdom is looking bright, and now, as her leaders, we are gathered to decide what happens next. A kingdom that is no longer under the constant threat of Calamity cannot be floundering under the authority of a shattered government. We must decide, once and for all, who will rule. The Dowager proposes she reclaims her throne. I propose that I maintain leadership of the Hylians, as I have for many years. Now, we bring it to all of you. Your people have seen her, and you know your people.”

Zelda watched everyone’s reactions, but it was Harth, the Rito, who spoke.

“Are we jumping straight into this, Chancellor? I wanted to discuss new trade routes that take the new merchants in Castle Town into account. It would be nice to have fish from Lurelin without flying there ourselves.”

“And a new tax will need to be considered,” Cole said pensively, turning to Boss Bludo. “How are you doing with the ore mining? Is it slowing or not?”

“We could use some new weapons,” Bludo said to Harth.

Zelda took a deep breath. She didn’t know the current taxes, nor the trade routes. Who was the most adept tradesmen, and who were the new merchants in town. She looked to Link, just needing a moment of peace. His eyes were on her, and it was as if he could sense what she was thinking. He couldn’t help her, not with this. She tried to remember the books she’d read. Well, Lurelin was the fishing village, Hateno was the hub of Hylians… Gerudo were warriors. All of the important information was slipping, though she fought to recall it.

“We all sent clothing merchants, food, and our primary exports to Castle Town,” Sidon said, leaning close and whispering to her. “The Zora have already established our own travel route between here and our home to ensure any freshwater fish don’t spoil. Lurelin has done the same with saltwater. The others don’t have to worry about timed travel, as we carry the products that are most likely to spoil. Lady Riju has fruit, but it lasts quite some time. Harth and Bludo deal in inedibles.”

Zelda let out her breath. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” he said, sitting back up.

She listened, trying to take it all in as everyone but her contributed. She had no people. None that she knew this well.

“Well, Dowager,” Cole said with decidedly less venom than usual. His smugness was overpowering his hatred for royalty. “You’ve been awfully quiet. Are you feeling well?”

“I’m fine, thank you,” Zelda said quickly, though the information she was still trying to process was making her nervous.

“Perhaps we should return to a topic you can actually participate in. Your marriage? If you intend to take the throne, your royal duty,” he spat, “is to marry.”

“I believe this is unfair,” Riju said suddenly. “This rule is still as archaic as when we first mentioned it at our last gathering. She’s seventeen.”

“Too young to rule, some might say,” Cole laughed. “Though, Dowager, was your own grandfather not told to marry when he was even younger than you are? Tradition is what will keep this kingdom sane, should we wish to return to an age of monarchy and tyrants.”

“My family have never been tyrants, Chancellor,” Zelda grumbled. “And I understand the need for tradition My entire life has been based around it. I’ve chosen to marry.”

Sidon perked up beside her, but Riju stood up, her eyes darting quickly between everyone. “I’d like to propose a marriage candidate, Princess.”

Zelda gave her a warning look. They’d already discussed this.

But Riju was determined. “I propose Master Link.”

The room quickly fell into a mute hush. Everyone’s eyes turned to the wide-mouthed knight against the wall. It was clear that he was as surprised as the rest of the room.

Riju decided to fill the silence. “Master Link is one of the Champions of Hyrule, the Goddess’ Chosen, Vanquisher of the Calamity, Undying Master of the Ancient Sword. Who else has proven themselves more worthy?”

“Are you spitting on all of our kingdom’s traditions because you are a child, or because you disrespect them?” Cole balked.

Harth turned to Link. “Link? What do you have to say?”

He faltered, stuttering nonsense in a tongue-tied moment before clearing his throat. “I will do whatever Her Majesty believes is best.”

Zelda hid her hands beneath the table, wringing her fingers anxiously. She could see him giving her a slight smile, one that was so subtle, it could only be read by those who knew him. It was in his eyes, and it calmed her slightly.

And here was her solution to an impossible situation. She didn’t have to marry Sidon. She could marry her best friend, her closest confidant, someone she trusted with her life. And more than that… after a hundred years, she might finally feel comfortable voicing her true feelings.

But Cole’s harsh laugh broke through her fantasy. “See? Even now, he is little more than a Knight. You want this soldier to be King? He will be little more than a puppet or a figurehead. We cannot afford to leave the kingdom in the hands of someone who does not know what they are doing. Link is her Appointed Knight. He gave up many of his own freedoms when he chose to do that. He was born and bred to kill, not to rule.”

Sidon looked at Link with a solemn glance, a truly apologetic look on his face. “If we are speaking of returning to a time of tradition, there is no way we could have anyone other than a Prince marry a Princess. I’m sorry, Link.”

Link nodded. He knew that Sidon couldn’t support him, no matter how much he wanted to. Sidon was the main candidate for her hand, and his people were so close to having a place in the Hylian monarchy.

“The people would choose Link over tradition, Sidon,” Riju tried again. “They all know him as the man who saved Hyrule. To my people, you are the Prince of the Zora’s. You are not our prince.”

“Put it to a vote, then,” Cole said. “Should the Dowager become Queen, would Master Link be considered a suitable candidate for her consort? I say no.”

“Yes,” Riju said quickly with a nod to Link and Zelda.

Boss Bludo turned around to Link. “I’m sorry. I believe that if you were to become a part of the monarchy, Hyrule itself would be in danger for its lack of a Champion. The threats out there are still too great, and you are needed commanding troops, not sitting in meetings about taxes or bridge construction. You’d be required to do that. It wouldn’t be your choice to say no. So my vote, unfortunately, will have to be no. Hyrule needs her Champion.”

Link nodded quickly to him, and the room turned to Harth. He cleared his throat, the universal sign of discomfort. “I believe that Chief Kaneli would agree with Boss Bludo, however, I have been given permission to make decisions as I see fit for my people. I am the next Chief, and my decisions are as respected as Kaneli’s. I say yes, Link should be considered.”

Though the news was positive, and the vote tied, Zelda felt her heart sink when she turned to Sidon. It was written all over his face. His father would want Sidon on the Hylian throne.

“No,” Sidon muttered, unable to look anyone in the eye. “My proposal still remains.”

Zelda sank back into her chair, all of her swelling hope shattered as the vote shifted out of her favor. She nodded. “I accept the decision then.”

“Princess,” Riju tried, but she sat back down when she realized it was over. There was no going back. She turned to the slouched Sidon, a glare in her eyes. “My youngest warriors have more courage than you. You choose yourself over the good of others. You’re despicable, Zora.”

“Lady Riju, please,” Cole scolded.

“I am not a child, Chancellor. I am the Chieftain of the Gerudos, and my voice will be heard. You all desire to move Hyrule into the future, but you are stuck in the past.”

Cole rolled his eyes, though he had tried to disguise it as a yawn. “We must proceed, Lady Riju. Will the Dowager become Queen?”

Zelda had to keep her eyes on a plate that rested on a counter along the far wall. It was perfectly round at first glance, but then she saw a chip in the glass that revealed the harder undersurface, what hid under the decorations. It was rough, grainy, and it didn’t look like it would be fun to touch. But the plate was familiar in at least one way: the blue patterned swirls wrapped around her own royal family crest. It was a plate from the Castle. An heirloom from Cole’s ancestor who’d lived in the Castle.

As soon as she took her eyes from the plate, she could feel the sting behind them, the threat of frustrated and angry tears that longed to spill over but couldn’t. She felt like she was in the Goddess Springs once again. The Goddesses had taken everything out of her as she desperately tried to unlock her powers, but they gave her nothing in return. She had become empty. And now, she still gave everything for her kingdom. She lost 100 long years as she tirelessly held on to Ganon. But happiness escaped her grasp. Her life as Princess was doomed to one of eternal sacrifice. And it was high time she accept it. There was no more fight in her. She was tired. So tired.

“I still have yet to meet with Harth’s people,” Zelda admitted, though her voice was monotone and dull. “And only Link has met with Boss Bludo. I’d like time before we come to that final decision so that I can visit with all of the major towns. I want everyone to have an understanding of who I am before they decide whether I should lead or not.”

Cole glared at her. “You wish to postpone it once again? Dowager, correct me if I’m wrong, but you are stalling. Either you want to be Queen, or you want to stand aside.”

“If I were to let this vote happen now, I don’t know how Harth or Boss Bludo would be able to accurately vote without having met me. I’m asking for time, nothing more.”

“You keep asking for time. You simply want the chance to change the Goron’s mind.”

Bludo made a disgusted noise. “I second delaying the vote once again. We are not weak-minded people, but I would love to meet you in Goron City, Princess. And it’s always an honor for our Brother to visit, and to have you back would be twice the honor.”

Harth nodded in agreement. “And we would also cherish a visit from you. Kass speaks highly of you, and I know Teba would most likely enjoy bringing you to see Medoh.”

Zelda turned to Link. “We can first head for Rito Village after the celebration.”

Link nodded, but said nothing more.

“Well, I obviously support it, and we now out-vote you,” Riju said. “If there’s nothing more to discuss until the Princess returns, I’d like to enjoy the music outside. It’s so rare that I get to hear the Zora’s melodic scraping of fishbones against one another.”

“Lady Riju,” Sidon tried, but she ignored him and left the room before anyone could say another word.

“Well,” Cole scoffed. “I suppose we will meet again after the Dowager returns.”

Harth shook his head and stood up. “The last title she held was Princess. At least afford her that respect, Chancellor.”

Cole smiled with venom. “She’s not a Princess, nor is she a Queen. She’s a former princess, or if you’d like to challenge that, she’s a former Queen. She is a Dowager.”

Zelda stood up and placed her hand on Harth’s wing. “It’s fine, thank you.”

She hurried from the room out into the fresh air. It was less stifling outside. Just being away from Cole was enough to allow Zelda to breathe again. Link was beside her, his face stoic and unreadable.

“Zelda,” Riju called. Zelda followed her voice to where she and Buliara stood. “I’m sorry; I tried.”

“I know. Thank you.”

Riju looked between Link and Zelda. “It’s not fair. Nothing about those old bags is fair! They need to look at the future. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice anymore.” She stopped and took a breath. “I’m sorry for dragging you into it, Link. I had to try.”

“I understand.”

Riju’s face grew redder. “You’re both going to just lie down and take this?”

Zelda tried to focus on the music in the distance. It almost sounded like Kass. “I don’t have a choice. My destiny has been set in stone. I see that now.”

Riju held up her hand. “I can’t with you two. I’m sorry, but I can’t talk to either of you right now. I’m the only one fighting for you! Just… just go enjoy yourselves before you both become trapped in a life you never wanted.”

As they watched the two Gerudo leave, Zelda sighed. “She’s being a child.”

“She’s an idealist. Who doesn’t want that?” Link said, leaning against the building with a heaviness that suggested he had the world resting on top of him.

Zelda moved next to him, too close. “What’s your ideal world, Link?”

He shook his head as he thought. “One where you aren’t threatened any the Yiga. One where you can have your perfect life.”

Zelda’s heart dropped into her stomach. It hurt to want to be with someone so badly.

“There you go again,” she joked, “trying to score some points with me for when I’m Queen.”

She could see his smirk, but he didn’t say anything. From where she stood, she could see a long-since faded scar on his neck. His blue eyes were staring straight ahead, distant and aloof. But when his senses started to itch from being stared at for so long, he turned to Zelda. Those aloof eyes immediately lit up, intense and attentive as they bored into her green ones.

Zelda slid her hand into Link’s. At first, his fingers didn’t close around hers, too unsure, but they did eventually, and they held her tight.

“Link,” Zelda whispered as she felt her heart breaking again. “I wish it was you. I wish the vote had passed. I’d have given up all the rupees and support the Zora’s bring with them to choose you.”

He gripped her hand tighter. “You used to be sick of me standing outside your door. There’s no chance you’d have lasted with me inside.”

She couldn’t find any humor within herself anymore. Not now.

“Those were my favorite nights. When I would sit out in the hallway with you, and we’d talk for hours. You’d tell me to go do something more interesting, but there never was anything I preferred to do. I’d tell you to sleep, that you didn’t get enough rest. You were always there when the Yiga haunted me.”

“Princess…”

“I don’t want to be with Sidon. And I’m not capable of running a kingdom. I didn’t understand so much in there. There’s too much I don’t know. But then, I think of my father. I’m his greatest disappointment, and if I abandon the throne, there is nothing about me that I can think he’d be proud of.”

“That’s not true.”

“I’ll have let my entire lineage down. I have to do this.”

“Hey,” Link said, stopping her. “We’ve been in this together since the beginning. I’m not leaving you now. That vote in there just means we got more time to figure this out. We’ll go to the Rito and the Gorons. It’ll give us time to find a solution where you can be happy.”

“If we’re in this together, Link, you have to be happy too. There is no joy for me knowing that there’s no happy ending for you as well.”

Link nodded. “Do you know what will make me happy?”

Zelda waited skeptically for his response, but instead, he just held out his hand.

“One dance.”

Chapter Text

For days after the reopening of Castle Town, Zelda and Link stayed behind to help move several of the new residents into their homes. Many came hauling everything they owned on the back of a mule, or piled into a wagon.

It had been Zelda’s idea to stay and help, but others quickly jumped in on the plan. Link, of course, remained with the Princess. Paya had also chosen to stay, while Granté and Lasli went to get away. Granté was still taking his father’s death rather hard, and Zelda had heard that they were headed to the Lover’s Pond together for the next few days.

Riju and all of the Gerudo who’d come with her remained in town as well. Riju had coordinated everyone to split guard duty and moving duty so that her people had enough time to sleep. But Link noticed that her guards were keeping an eye on his new recruits, the ones who were guarding the town, especially while everyone moved in. He even heard Buliara chastise someone for standing incorrectly. Though it was a bit harsh, he appreciated that someone was watching his back with his new soldiers. They had to be good enough that Link felt safe leaving the town in their hands while he went back to Zelda’s side.

Kass needed to get his girls back home, and many of the Rito left as well. Harth stayed for one additional day, but with the decline in Chief Kaneli’s health, Harth had little choice but to return home and continue his position as Acting Chief.

Sidon hadn’t been able to look Zelda in the eye for the remainder of the time he’d been around. Though she’d tried to talk to him, he hadn’t been willing, shamed by his own actions. Link had spoken to Gaddison on Zelda’s behalf, but even his fellow Zora couldn’t convince Sidon to speak with her. He’d left without half of his travelling party.

Boss Bludo, on the other hand, was not upset by his vote at all and was eager to speak with Link again, whether it be about his decision, or the new flavor of rock they’d discovered.

But after a few days of receiving glaring looks from Chancellor Cole, Link and Zelda decided it might just be time to make the trip to Rito Village. His patience would only last so long, and soon the others’ would follow.

Zelda was glad for a chance to get away from everyone, if only for the two days they’d be travelling. Wanting to see more of the kingdom that she hadn’t been able to since waking up from the Sacred Realm, they’d agreed to take the longer route through Tabantha. With her usual travelling companions of Paya, Zora Gaddison, Rivan, Sheikah Steen and Olkin, and the Hylians Molo and Yolero, and of course, Link, they headed out to the horses. The Gerudo had been allowed to stay in Castle Town to train the new soldiers. Mostly, it was because Zelda knew how much they disliked the snow, and she didn’t want to impose, especially after all they’d done for her.

She’d packed for the chillier weather and waited with Cloud as she watched the others load up their things onto their own horses. She could see Cole in the back, watching them eagerly. He wanted them to head out almost as much as Zelda wanted to get away from him.

Link finally left Marta with a wave and hurried towards Catherine. “Sorry,” he muttered, strapping some of the last pieces of equipment to her saddle. “I just had to go over a few things with Marta and Barta first.”

Zelda watched him carefully as he mounted Catherine and settled into his saddle.

“You’re good at that, you know?”

Link grinned. “Getting onto my horse?”

Zelda rolled her eyes and gave him an exasperated look. “Yes, you impress me immensely. None can mount a horse as well as you.”

With a look of false modesty, Link played into her sarcasm. “Thank you, Princess. I should hope some of my infinite wisdom might rub off on you one day.”

Zelda scoffed. “Who holds the Triforce of Wisdom again? Is it you?”

“It must be. It would take all the courage of the Triforce for anyone to stand up to that room full of Like-Likes. Perhaps the Goddesses were confused the day they chose us.”

With a chuckle, Zelda urged Cloud on. “What did you just call them? ‘Like-Likes’? I’ve never heard of them.”

“Hmph, search your older memories; I’m sure one of your past lives has seen them. They grab hold of you and constrict you until you can’t breathe while they steal what you value most.”

“That does sound accurate to politics, I’m afraid. Though, thankfully, we don’t have real Like-Likes anymore. That sounds very unpleasant.” She watched Link for a moment again before shaking her head. “You made me lose my original thought. I meant that you’re good at handling the new recruits. You’ve basically started the Royal Army all over. Single-handedly, I might add.”

“People rarely do things singlehandedly, Princess.”

“Fine, spoil my compliment, then.”

Link smiled to himself and caught her eye. “Sorry. Thank you, Princess.”

She wanted to come up with something clever to say in response, but his blue eyes had her momentarily lost for words. “Just…” she finally managed to stutter out. “Keep riding you… Horse Whisperer.”

Link placed his hand on his heart in feigned hurt as he urged Catherine on ahead to check the road before the rest of the party followed. Paya rode up beside Zelda, giving her a knowing look, though they said nothing.

As the ruins of Hyrule Castle disappeared behind some large rocks, another deserted and broken town came into view. It was the village built on the quarry, one that had been built specifically for the workers and their families. There wasn’t a single structure that had remained intact. Some even had their foundations ripped from the dirt entirely. Zelda’s heart hurt even to look at the uncompromising destruction.

Link waited on the other side of Carok Bridge, and she hurried to pass by the broken homes. He held up his hand, calling them to slow as they approached.

“There’s a Bokoblin camp ahead on the road. I count eight of them, and there’s likely a few Keese in their lairs. I know how much you like to watch Bokoblins, but please stay out of arrow range.”

“Who are you taking with you?” she asked expectantly.

Link hopped off Catherine and held out his arms as he backed away from her and toward the Bokoblins. “You’re not going to let me have some fun? It’s been too long.”

“Is talking with me not fun anymore?” she called back. She rolled her eyes and turned to Rivan and Gaddison. “If you see even the slightest problem, you get in there quickly, finish them, and drag him back here whether he’s had his stupid ‘fun’ or not.”

Gaddison fought back her own laughter, but she was more tense in her saddle, ready to move quickly if she needed to. Zelda toyed with the bracelet on her wrist that kept her powers in check. It was far less painful than Robbie’s first prototype had been, and much easier to pull off if she needed to.

There was a reason they were taking the long route to the Rito. This would be one of their last trips before she would be stuck in her role as Queen. It was obvious now that the vote would favor the return to monarchy. There was no need to even consider addressing her marriage to Sidon if they didn’t plan to restore her to the throne. The numbers favored marriage, and so they’d also end up favoring monarchy.

Even just the thought of it made Zelda both horrified and excited. She would be returning the kingdom back to its former glory. They’d remember the Calamity, but things would return to the peaceful days before it ever began. As if nothing had befallen them.

But that meant sacrifice for her.

She wasn’t unaccustomed to the idea of giving up her own desires for the sake of her people, but that didn’t mean she welcomed the idea. At least she didn’t dislike Sidon. As far as his personality, she was glad it was someone she’d considered a friend. In many ways, it could have been fine with her. If only…

She looked up to see Link surrounded by Bokoblins. Quickly, one of them was headless on the ground, leaving a small gap where Zelda could see Link. He moved faster than her eyes could follow, avoiding several wooden clubs. One even had spikes in it. She held her breath, waiting for him to make an offensive move.

He rolled out of the mob and took another down with a swipe of his blade against the beast’s legs. She could see him jab the Master Sword down into the dirt as he took out his bow, shooting the watch guards on top of their posts. It was fast, blinding and precise. Link’s bow was away as he turned quickly to the remaining few Bokoblins.

He took up the Master Sword again and twirled it around, clearly displaying what little effort this was taking from him. He looked like he wanted more of a challenge but was enjoying what he could.

Zelda crossed her arms and turned to Paya. Unlike herself, as she tried to keep her feelings off her face, Paya watched Link in awe.

Zelda wondered if there was something she could do to suggest Paya’s interest to Link. After all, she wanted him to be happy. But the moment she thought of the two of them together, holding hands or resting together under a tree, she felt her chest tighten as if there were a heavy weight on it. She tried to wipe the thought from her mind, but it became engrained there, gnawing at her. Link deserved someone. Someone good. Someone like Paya.

Goddess, she thought, forcing herself to take a deep breath. She hoped, more than anything, that Link didn’t share her strong feelings and remained ignorant of that aspect of their past. In a perfect world, she wanted nothing more than for him to remember how he used to feel about her. But in a world where he’d follow her and Sidon through the castle, stand by their sides, watch them age together… she hoped he felt nothing but friendship for her. Because if the roles were reversed…

Link could have easily finished the last two Bokoblins off, but instead, he was dodging their every move, dancing around them with graceful ease.

Zelda wanted to keep moving, and grabbed Catherine’s lead as she urged Cloud forward at a slow pace.

Link looked up at the approaching figures and sighed, finishing both of the Bokoblins in one swing. He sheathed the Master Sword and took Catherine from Zelda, a wide smirk on his face. “Not even a scratch.”

Zelda squinted, looking closely at his face. “You’ve got something on your forehead.”

Tapping around until he felt something, he nodded. “Oh, that’s from rolling over a rock.”

Fighting back a laugh, Zelda smiled. “Get on the horse, Hero.”

They traveled for hours, taking their time with everything. Zelda stopped to look at flowers, or oddly shaped rock formations. She stood on the edge of cliffs and stared over the edge. She looked out to the horizon, and shuddered at the castle she knew was torn to shreds from the inside out.

Link brought her to the Ridgeland Tower, stopping just on the water’s edge.

“Want to climb it?” Link asked deviously.

She could tell he was joking, making fun of her adventures in climbing everything else, but she turned to him and her eyes lit up.

“I wasn’t being serious,” he quickly added.

“I know, but why not?”

He subtly pointed behind him at the travelling party where they waited at the bottom of the hill. “They’ll all kill me for endangering the future Queen of Hyrule.”

She scoffed. “Don’t you start that again. You were willing to risk decapitation at the potential wrath of my father just to climb up the Temple of Time with me.”

He pointed at the tower, as if she couldn’t see. “This is significantly taller.”

“Are you afraid of the climb?”

He narrowed his eyes at her challenge. “I’ve climbed these a hundred times.”

“Good. You’ll be my tour guide, then.” She could see Link trying to hide his support under a mask of disapproval. She hopped off of Cloud and walked down the hill. “Would everyone but Gaddison and Rivan please head to Serenne Stable. That’s where we’ll be spending the night. Link’s just going to give me a little tour, and we’ll keep Gaddison and Rivan with us in case anything goes wrong.”

She waited expectantly while none of them did anything. That is, until Paya grinned at Zelda, looking between Link and the Princess before riding back to the path. The others followed, leaving the four alone.

“We’re climbing the tower,” Zelda said quickly. “If you hear a loud splash and a lot of screaming, we’ll need you two to fish one of us from the water.”

“Princess!” Rivan gasped. “How… morbid of you.”

Zelda hurried back up the hill and pushed Link toward the water. “Do we swim?”

She couldn’t help but feel her cheeks heat up as Link slowly looked over her. “You’re going to get soaked.”

“I do know what swimming entails, Link.”

He looked at her with narrowed eyes, thinking, before beckoning for her to follow him off to the right of the tower where there were large platforms and debris in the water, making it much easier to get across.

“I’m excited,” Zelda muttered to herself, covering her wide smile with her hands as she stared up at the massive structure. “I can’t believe we’re going to climb one. These are full-sized towers that were hidden beneath the ground. Even our texts that divined the locations of the Beasts never made so much as a mention of, what, over a dozen of these towers. Our excavation teams never would have been able to find these if it weren’t for you and the Sheikah Slate.” But she crossed her arms, her smile turning into a look of bemusement as she stared at Link’s wistful gaze. “What?”

He shook his head and took out the Sheikah Slate, busying himself. “Nothing. I just enjoy hearing you like that again.”

“Like what?”

“Excited. Sheikah Tech has always been where you were at your happiest.” He handed her the Slate. “Give this a try.”

He waded into the water, standing ankle-deep on the edge of the rock. There was a gap between there and the raised foothold, one that would require a good swim across. Given the time of night, only just before sunset, Link didn’t want to risk the chill. Not with the Princess, anyway.

“How do I do this?” Zelda said, staring at the Sheikah Slate.

“You’ll get it,” Link said over her shoulder.

She fiddled with the screen for a moment and shrugged. “What am I even trying to do?”

“Right. Aim it at the water.”

She did. Tapping the screen a few more times, she noticed that one of the lights near her thumb had a slight indentation on it. She ran her finger along it and let out a shriek.

She found herself no longer wading the water, but standing on a large, artificial ice block. It was the same she’d seen Link prop open the gate into the castle with, but now, it wasn’t just an object in front of her, it was under her. Her feet slid for a moment before realizing that the texture was not the same as actual ice.

“Princess!”

Gaddison flew up quickly beside them, letting out a breath when she heard Link’s uncontained laughter.

“Do you want me to just swim you over there?” she offered.

“No,” Zelda said, clutching her chest. “No, I’ll get this. Thank you though.”

With one more look, Gaddison headed back down the hill, leaving Link and Zelda alone again.

“What did you just tell me to do?” she asked accusingly over his laughter.

“That,” he emphasized, “Was not planned. I thought you’d summon it in the actual water, not underneath you.”

“Move out,” she muttered as she flailed her wrist. Finally, an ice block appeared in front of her, and she carefully stepped onto it. “I mastered it.”

Link climbed up beside her, making the motion look all-to easy. “I take back everything I said earlier today. You definitely have the Triforce of Wisdom.”

They made their way across the water and to the platform. Zelda jumped, shivering in the cold splash as her boots landed harshly in the water. They walked to the edge where they’d have to conjure more blocks.

Link climbed up first, and he knelt down. “Need me to pull you up? Or do you want to try.”

She glanced up at the tower and held out her hand to him. “I think I might need to save my strength for the real climb.”

He nodded in agreement and pulled her up beside him. He waited for her to conjure another block.

But when she did, it was too far for them to step onto. She went to find a way to shatter the block, but Link stopped her and held out his hand.

“We can make that.”

She shook her head with a laugh. “Right. Sure we can.”

“We can.”

Zelda handed Link the Sheikah Slate, which he quickly clipped onto his belt, and offered her his hand once again. Hesitantly, she took it and wrapped her fingers between his. He locked her arm against him and they both took a few steps back.

Zelda tightened her grip and they both nodded before running towards the edge, jumping only just far enough to land on the next ice block.

Laughing in adrenaline-filled excitement, Zelda grabbed both of Link’s arms. She pushed her hair back and hopped off, just below the ladder-like structure.

As he did whenever they climbed, Link handed Zelda his paraglider and grabbed the side of the tower. “Are you ready for this? You’re going to get tired, so be prepared.”

They began the climb, and Zelda quickly discovered what Link was talking about. Her arms started to hurt before she reached the first platform. She was holding on too tight out of fear and excitement.

Link never moved any faster or slower than Zelda, always within an arms’ reach of her. As they made it to the first platform, Link went first around the bend and waited for Zelda to come close enough for him to hold on to her. Going sideways was hard enough, but making a hard right turn on top of it was more of a challenge. The break she needed was long as she shook out her arms.

They continued the climb at a slow pace, though she knew that going faster would end the pain in her arms sooner, but she almost didn’t care. It was worth the time, quiet as it was. Neither of them spoke a word until they’d reached the top.

Link pulled her up to her feet, feeling her weight as she leaned heavily on him. She rested her head against his shoulder, breathing rapidly. Link held out his hands, unsure of what to do or where to place them. He felt the same anxiety as he had when he was speaking to a girl he liked for the first time, awkwardly placing his hand on Zelda’s waist as she caught her breath.

“Goddess,” she breathed out, still not moving away. “Was I this tired when we ran from the Guardians?”

He chuckled, accidently rocking her. “I can’t say I remember. We were both tired.”

“Phew!” she sighed, finally lifting her head. And that’s when she realized just how close she was to Link.

She could feel his warm breath on her face, his hand burning a hole into her waist, his eyes drowning her faster than any sea could have. She needed to back away, to get some air.

And when she did, she saw the world.

“By the Goddess,” she said again. Her eyes darted everywhere as she looked over the kingdom. “We’re higher than the castle. We’re nearly in the clouds, aren’t we?”

“You’ll have to ask a Rito,” he said, watching carefully as she darted all over the tower.

The sky had turned an amber yellow as it crept closer to the horizon just over Rito Village. From here, it looked both close and far all at once. Every mountain was silhouetted against the sky, and even the ruined castle basked in the suns warm glow.

They stayed up top, watching the sky turn from amber, to purple, to dark blue. There were no words as Zelda stared out over the kingdom, lost to her own thoughts. It was peaceful, especially with the light breeze blowing across her face.

She wanted to say everything to Link, to speak until there were no words left, but she couldn’t. It was the sacrifice she had to make for her kingdom… this kingdom. One that was already broken. One that couldn’t sustain itself like this for much longer.

Link didn’t mind the silence. It was rare now that he had any time where no one was speaking. And though he loved to listen to the Princess talk, it was equally nice to share this moment with her.

“Link?” she asked after what felt like hours. In truth, it might have been. She didn’t even know. He looked over at her worried expression. “Do we have to climb back down? Or… can we take a faster route?”

He grinned at the paraglider in her hand and moved next to her, taking it.

“Do you have enough arm strength to hold on?”

She sniggered. “Don’t make fun of me.”

“I’m not,” he said, suddenly serious.

Zelda moved closer to him, lightly brushing his cheek with her hand before pressing a soft kiss all too close to his lips, yet not quite there.

“Thank you for this. I needed it.”

His red face was not yet recovered, though he hoped it was too dark to see.

“And, Link, I’m so sorry.”

“For what?”

She wrapped her arms around him as he pulled out the paraglider, though he waited for her response.

Zelda shook her head against him. “Oh Link… I think, at least deep down, you know what I’m sorry for.”

Chapter Text

Paya watched Zelda with concern in her eyes. The young Princess was adept at hiding her emotions when she was in public. She’d been trained her whole life to mask her true feelings when there were prying eyes. But when she thought she was alone, as she did now off to the side of Serenne Stable, her heart was on her sleeve.

Paya could see her absently rubbing her finger, her dower expression evidence of her negative thoughts. And every time she sighed, she glanced over at the Ridgeland Tower, the one she’d only just returned from with Link. Putting two and two together was easy enough for Paya, and after all this time, she’d have to be a fool not to see that they were both in love with the other.

She wondered for a moment if the other knew. But they had to. Link’s whole job was to watch the Princess. Even Paya could see it, stories had been told about it, it was an old favorite argument amongst historians. But now, after seeing them firsthand through everything they’d faced since the Calamity, there was no doubt. And it was clearly mutual.

Zelda knew her duty, that was also obvious. She would marry Sidon to become Queen, as every monarch has before her. It’s what appeared to suck the life from her each time she thought of it.

Paya had seen when the Princess was happy. It truly lit up the room, spreading a mutual joy throughout the room, just because it was so contagious. Whenever Zelda spent time with Link, there was a muddy mix of that absolute joy, and utter dread. A dream, perhaps, that she knew she’d have to wake from before it truly began.

“Come have tea with us,” Paya said, finally revealing herself.

Zelda jumped slightly, but nodded, hoping the herbal mixture might send her to sleep. In truth, making the move to join the others near the fire woke her up further.

There was a lot of laughter. Many of the residents of the stable had drinks in their hand, while her guards joined the fun with their less exciting tea. Many of the residents seemed to be obsessed with Leviathans, ancient creatures from the days of the first Zelda when people lived in the sky. She listened with a hint of sadness. The adventurers talked about the great beasts, but she could only remember that their skeletons had long-since fallen to the surface and become a part of the ground itself.

“Perk up, Princess,” Link said, nudging her. “You only have these last few trips before you start a new adventure as Queen.”

She could hear something in the way he said ‘queen’ Was it venom? Hope? She couldn’t tell.

“Am I that obvious?”

He smiled lightly at her. “It does look like you’ve just seen one of their precious Leviathan’s shot out of the sky.”

She winced at the image. “Oh. So I look terrible.”

“You might consider one of Sprinn’s drinks.”

Zelda chuckled, looking over at the rowdier of the group. “Maybe another time. What about you?”

He made a face. “Me? You want me to drink while guarding you? It’s your life at stake, but sure.”

“And some people think that you’re quiet,” she muttered in amused disbelief.

“Well, get a few drinks in me, and I’ll make anyone’s ears bleed. Maybe that’s why the other knights took me out so often: it was the only time I’d speak to them.”

“That bad?” Zelda laughed.

Link winked at her. “When you’re a soldier, drinking is an—”

“Occupational hazard,” Zelda finished for him.

He grinned and nodded. “I’ve said that before?”

Zelda shrugged innocently.

They both fell silent, listening to the conversation that was happening around the fire. It had to do with cursing, and didn’t take too long for Zelda to follow exactly where this was going.

“Princess,” Zumi called. She was a young blonde girl with eyes on Link and a few of the Leviathan experts. “I’m curious if you’ve ever sworn? Or are you too pure?”

Zelda didn’t take offense to that one; it wasn’t worth it. Instead, she directed her answer away and towards Rivan, who also sat close to the fire. “I say ‘By the Goddess’ often.”

Rivan couldn’t fight his laugh. He’d been going off on a less than eloquent ramble on his ability to fit any impolite word into any sentence. Zelda turned to Link, who was watching her with an admiring grin.

“Too pure,” he said to her with a low chuckle.

“Well… you… look like a… Bokoblin.” She stopped herself and shook her head. “No, I don’t swear.” He patted her on the arm before pulling away at the contact with her skin. Zelda cleared her throat and looked to Paya. “You don’t swear either, right?”

“Oh, no! Never, Princess.”

Zelda gestured to Paya, as if she were a perfect example for her point. “See? Not everyone does. My tutors would have washed my mouth out if I ever had. Those words just never became a part of my vocabulary.”

 Zumi stood up and stumbled dangerously close to the fire before throwing herself down onto Link’s lap.

“So,” she whispered. “Have you thought anymore about what I said? About staying here?”

Zelda watched with a mask of amusement, but in truth, it hurt to see some random girl act with such ease, throwing herself into Link’s arms without another care in the world. And she wished she could have that same freedom.

Link’s arms were out, like he was trying not to touch the girl. His eyes slid over to Zelda, almost pleading, but she sat unflinching, waiting to see what he would do to one of his fan club members.

“I… uh… yes. No! I mean yes I have thought about it and no, I won’t stay here forever with you. I’m sorry, Zumi. I barely know you.”

“It’s so much safer here than it is out there!”

Link looked her over suspiciously. “Oh, I don’t know about that.”

“Zumi!” Paya yelled, pointing behind her. “The horse is… calling you! It’s… uh… stomping!”

Zumi sighed and trudged to the horses, leaving Link free to stand up and escape. He winked his thanks at Paya, and glared at Zelda.

“What?” she asked innocently, “Your fan club was calling.”

“Well, excuse me, Princess. I didn’t ask for that.”

Zelda held out her hand and Link helped pull her to her feet. “I think it might be a sign to turn in for the night. But this was fun. I wish we’d all done this more, but the Yiga…”

“I understand.”

“I know you do.”

The next morning, Zelda pulled out her warm, white, fur-lined coat. It took some time to dress, snapping each clasp firmly into place. She could hear the others taking longer to dress, and she had to admit, it made her feel a bit better that she wasn’t the only one.

When she came out, she could see others slipping into boots, and bundling up. She felt bad for Gaddison and Rivan, but as much as she wanted to offer to let them stay, she needed them to make up for the lost Gerudo. She thought she might be able to leave them to guard the perimeter of Rito Village, close to the fires of the stable if they needed to break for any amount of time.

Link had tied his hair back, leaving two loose pieces of hair in front of his face that he’d tied with adornments. He was placing a feather just above his ear, though it wasn’t staying in place.

Zelda noticed his ruby pin, meant to add warmth in the cold, on the floor. “Here, let me,” she said, flashing him the pin before he could protest. She was quick to clip everything into place, trying not to be distracted by his smooth hair.

He grinned at her and bent down to adjust his boots. “I wish I had one outfit that just did everything.”

“Wouldn’t that be something?”

He nodded. “Anyway, it’ll start to get very cold about halfway there.”

“It’s been so long since I went to the Rito. I’ve almost forgotten it completely.”

“Kass’ girls weren’t there last time you were. They’ve… livened the place up a bit.”

“Well then,” Zelda said with a smile, “Let’s go meet them!”

As soon as everyone was ready, they’d taken to the road again. The only time they stopped was to admire Dinnraal as it smoothly slid along the sky.

 Zelda was awestruck.

The next time they stopped was just to warm their bones at the Snowfield Stable. There was a respite when the snow turned to grass once again, and Link cleared out the Bokoblin camp on the road before they made their final stop at the Rito Stable.

Zelda stationed Rivan and Gaddison to the perimeter, as she had planned, and though they outwardly protested, she could tell that they were relieved. It left her with Steen, Olkin, Molo, Yolero, and Paya.

Steen and Molo patrolled the bridges that led to Rito Village, keeping a keen eye in the sky as they did. And when Paya, Link, Olkin, and Tolero finally reached the gates of the village behind Zelda, Harth and his guard, Mazli, were there to greet her.

“Hello,” she said politely. Harth was never as exciting to be around as Kass.

“Hello. We are glad you’re here. I wish it were a better time, with our Chief, but as you are aware, I act in his stead. His condition is… not well. Forgive our collectively poor attitudes today. We’ve only just learned how bad it is.”

“Of course,” Zelda said, wishing to herself that they’d come at a better time, too. “I’m so sorry to hear that. My condolences.”

“Thank you. Please, come with me.”

Harth led them up a few of the flights of steps until reaching the Swallow’s Roost Inn.

“You’ll be able to stay here. I hope the accommodations are suitable.”

“I’m sure they are. Thank you.”

Harth adjusted his rainbow colored shoulders, and cleared his throat. “I’m afraid the walk up to Kass is long for one without wings.”

Zelda tried to hide her disappointment. As much as she wanted to see everyone, she also wanted to see everything. They passed two stores on their way that she’d longed to visit.

But when they reached the top, she was warmed by the embracing feathers of Kass’ wings.

“Hello my friends. As much as I love seeing, you, I wish you had not come. Perhaps this is not the best day.”

He glanced at Harth, who nodded. “I told them.”

“I’m sorry to hear Kaneli is doing worse,” Zelda offered with a sympathetic hand on his wing.

“There’s no turning back,” Kass said, looking up the steps that led to the Chief’s room. “Harth will be Chief any day.”

“Where are the girls, Kass?” Link asked, surprised by how quiet the village was without any of the singing fledglings. He looked into the empty hut, noticing the disarray of the hammocks and the lack of Amali.

“Amali took them to the Warbler’s Nest to practice. They’ve become sick of the view and  frankly, the atmosphere here, and won’t be home for some time.”

“What a shame,” Zelda sighed. “I wanted to say hello. I’ve heard so much. You must be proud.”

Kass smiled sadly. “I’m sure they’ll be sad they’ve missed you. It’s just become so busy here recently.”

Zelda looked around the nearly deserted village, “I suppose we picked a better day than most. It’s quiet.” She suppressed the urge to spit out more sarcasm than intended.

Kass tried to smile, but it was forced. “No, it’s the Chief. It’s got our spirits down. Some of us have never had a Chief die in our lifetimes, and some have only ever known two. I suspect you know a thing or two about change.”

“I’m sorry,” Zelda offered. “I do understand.”

Kass turned to Harth, and they both exchanged miserable looks. “I wish you did, Princess. Truly. But you do have the idea right.”

“No Teba?” Link asked, looking around again.

“No. He went out days ago looking for anything for the Chief, but he hasn’t returned yet. He took his son with him.”

Harth held out a wing. “Chief Kaneli wants to see you before… well… before he dies. He doesn’t remember you, though you say you’ve met him in the past.”

“Of course. He was so young, and I wouldn’t expect him to.”

Kass slowly trudged up the winding steps to the Chief’s quarters, an area that Harth would soon take.

As they rounded the final bend, Kaneli’s brown feathers came into view. His head was tilted down, as if he’d dozed off.

But the drip of blood under his feathers betrayed that his death had been anything but peaceful.

Zelda felt wings holding her tightly. She tried to squirm, to find Link, but she sank into Kass as he pulled her along the side of the rockface.

Until she realized he was pulling too tight, and they weren’t retreating.

“Link?” she called.

A figure appeared in front of her, lithe, familiar. A Yiga. “Hold them,” she said pulling off her mask. It was Aia.

“What?” Zelda asked, trying to break free of Kass’ tightening grip. “No!”

He finally spun her so she was facing Link, rather than Aia. Link was pinned against the wall, struggling to break free of the grips of six Yiga and Harth.

“No! Let him go! Kass! Harth!”

“I’m sorry, Princess,” Kass muttered.

“What luck you have, Zelly,” Aia said as she sauntered into view. She looked Zelda over. “Your friends are rarely what they appear. This isn’t the first betrayal you’ve had, is it?”

Aia grinned before leaning down to Link’s level. He’d been pinned, but with every struggle, he slid lower and lower to the ground. “How’s it feel to fail again? I have her. And she’s finally ready.” She pointed behind him. “Whoever these guards of yours are, they’re nothing. You’re on their level. None of you can protect your queen. How were you ever able to defeat the Demon King?”

As Link went to spit out a retort, a vicious sickle appeared in front of him, the curved edge sliding against his mouth. Any pressure from Link or the Yiga would cut his entire mouth. He held as still as he could while he tried to loosen the grips on other parts of his body. He managed to kick one Yiga off of him, but the other five kept him still.

“Let him go!” Zelda demanded. Her eyes went to the restrained Paya, the guards beside her. The Yiga had spared no one.

Zelda calmed herself and let the Yiga holding her loosen his grip from her lack of fighting. When she felt enough slack, she reached across her own body and pulled off Robbie’s bracelet.

In an instant, all of her power came rushing out of her and into the air.

“Grab that bracelet!” Aia yelled. Several Yiga scrambled for it, but not before she managed to hit one. She couldn’t see him once the light enveloped him: she could only hear his screams.

The power suddenly stopped as the bracelet clicked into place on her wrist and she was held harshly against the wall.

“Make sure that thing stays on until we’re out of here.”

“Why, Kass? Harth?” Zelda begged. Her eyes were trapped staring at Link as he continued to struggle. There was blood on his face.

Kass’ voice was shaky. “They took my girls: my daughters, my wife. I’m sorry. They killed Kaneli. They took Teba and his family. For our people and our family’s safety, we had no choice.”

“You’re a traitor!” Zelda yelled, enraged as more blood spilled down Link’s face. She didn’t care that his reasoning was rational. She didn’t care about much.

“Take her,” Aia said with a flick of her wrist.

In a burst of rage, Link managed to knock the one Yiga with the sickle over. It afforded him just enough space to wriggle free of another’s grasp, and Harth was quick to let go and step back. Pulling out the Master Sword, Link began to hack at the Yiga surrounding him.

Aia watched with her arms crossed, bored even. “I thought that might happen.”

Suddenly, an arrow appeared from nowhere and went straight through the palm of Link’s right hand. He screamed, dropping his weapon. Following the line, he could see his attacker.

It was Teba.

“I’m sorry, Link,” he said, readying another.

Zelda tried to break free, but it wasn’t until the second arrow hit Link in the chest that she realized she was screaming. The world was shutting down, and Link dropped to his knees. His head swayed, but he reached for the sword once again, though he could barely get his sticky hand around the hilt.

“Stop!” Aia yelled at Teba. “We need him alive.”

Teba closed his eyes. “I know.”

And with that, he shot his arrow at Link one more time.

Chapter Text

Death was supposed to be permanent. It was the price that everyone paid in order to live. Inescapable, it was meant to loom in the distance on the best days, and scream out in a warning on the worst. Unending. Uncheatable. Death was the one thing all creatures had in common.

Except Link.

He groaned quietly before his body finally began to register the immense pain it was in. He wanted to scream, to call out, even to cry, but he was paralyzed. It was temporary, the stillness that comes from waking too quickly from sleep.

“What?” he finally managed. He didn’t know who might be there, or when it was. If he’d died, perhaps another 100 years had passed. Perhaps the princess had fallen to the Yiga and he’d failed. Or perhaps it had all been a dream. But he needed someone. Anyone.

“Link?” he finally heard. It was a soft voice, not unlike the princess.

Feeling began to come back to him, though he almost regretted the sensation. His hand was burning, and he was sure his heart was failing or perhaps on fire. Everything was hot.

“You’ll be alright, Link. Please, stay still!”

Hands were on him, and he hadn’t realized just how much he’d been squirming.

“Zelda?” he whispered.

But white hair and a Sheikah tattoo came into view. “No, it’s Paya. Rest, Link. You don’t want to get up too quickly.”

“Is she safe?”

Paya paused and looked over at someone, though Link couldn’t find enough strength to move his head yet.

But he could hear slow footsteps. And that’s when Impa appeared over him. “No, Link. The Yiga have her still.” He felt her frail hand on his bare chest. “We’ve been searching. I’ve sent my people everywhere.”

Link groaned as he rolled onto his side, clutching his abdomen in pain. “How am I alive?”

“Stop moving!” Paya hissed anxiously. “Look what you’ve done.”

She went to grab a wet rag and bandages. He glanced down to see blood soaked through white gauze, and his head spun, the sensation forcing him back down onto the makeshift bed he was in.

“Tell me what’s happening,” he demanded, too lost to follow. He was in Rito Village. How was Impa here?

“I killed you,” came a new voice. It was Teba. “With you out of the picture, the Yiga wouldn’t succeed in whatever plan they have. All I know is they want you and the Princess to stay alive for some ritual. They can’t have another piece of the Triforce lost to them. That’s all I know. I had to stop them. I’m sorry, but that meant killing you.”

“Then why am I alive?” Link asked again. Somehow, hearing he’d died lost its weight the second time around.

“Aia wanted Kass to keep you alive. She said she’d kill his girls. They have my family, too.”

“Was I put into the Shrine of Restoration? How am I alive?”

Paya pushed him back, forcing his pained muscles to obey her as she cleaned up his bloody wound. He’d torn several stitches, and Paya began humming a calming melody as she went to work re-applying them.

But it was Impa who answered him. “Kass brought you here, and I brought you to the Great Fairy. I was unaware of Kass’ deal with the Yiga, and Teba followed too late. I’m sorry. I did not know. But she was able to bring you back as thanks for all you’d done for her, but her powers are limited. They are not as effective as the Shrine. Your wounds are unhealed, and you were bleeding badly when she brought you back. At that point, it seemed that the Goddess was signaling for you to live. Teba here will not take your life again.”

“Is Kass here?”

“He is.”

Link sat up, feeling a sharp pain where Paya’s needle rammed into his flesh more violently than it had been. He stumbled to his feet, using his hand to block the blood flow, careless of her efforts, before barely making it down the stairs and out the door into Kakariko.

“Kass!” he shouted, though his weak body gave way and he dropped to his knee.

Kass, as if from nowhere, flew down and landed in front of Link. “My friend, you’re alive! That’s good.”

Link forced himself to stand. “Don’t call me ‘friend’. Not after what you just did.”

Kass’ expression remained unchanged. “I would not hesitate to do it again. I do not expect you to understand. You are not a father. But Kheel, Notts, Kotts, Cree, and Genli are all being held by the Yiga. They have only Amali to protect them in there. I must protect them from out here.”

“I could have protected them. I could have found them! I would have done anything to help you get them back. You were my most trusted friend.”

Finally, Kass showed his anger. “You cannot tell me you would do things any different. You would betray me to keep her safe. Because that is what love is! It is putting someone else above yourself. I would risk every friendship I have. I would sacrifice Harth, and Teba for my girls. For me, there is no other world worth living in without them. Is that something you can understand, Link?”

“I don’t know what I would have done if it were my family. I don’t have one to know how I would truly react, but I know that I would have tried to warn you. I would have tried to get you a message, or come to you for help. I have. When I was trying to save Hyrule, I turned to you.”

Neither of them noticed or cared about the growing crowd. Teba had come up behind Link and placed his hand on Link’s shoulder.

“Now, this is not the time. My plan failed. If you were dead, if I hadn’t missed, Zelda would have been safe, and the Yiga’s plans would have been ruined. But now, she’s been with them for days. There’s no telling—”

“Days?” Link cut him off. “That was days ago?”

“You were unconscious.”

Running his hand through his hair, Link sighed. “Do you know where they are? Truly?”

“No,” Kass and Teba answered.

Groaning, Link started to move towards the stable when he suddenly felt dizzy. And then the world collapsed into darkness.

When Link woke again, there was a young Sheikah woman standing over him, closely examining his wounds. He flinched away, surprised by their proximity and brazenness. “Who are you?” he asked. Immediately, he realized that he was sore, but feeling stronger.

The girl turned to him with barely concealed annoyance in her eyes. Eyes that were covered by thick red glasses. “You can’t recognize one of your oldest living friends?”

He cleared his throat and nodded. “Gaddison, you look different.”

The Sheikah was quick to hit Link, though it was just a light tap. “Fine. You don’t need Dr. Purah. She’ll go now.”

“What happened to you?” he asked, taking in her form. She was no longer a teen, but perhaps a thirty-year-old woman.

“I’m trying to slow it, but I’m aging quickly still. Which means that I don’t have a lot of time. We have to save the Princess, Link. We can’t afford another Calamity.”

“I don’t know how to find her. We’ve had everyone searching for the Yiga for a long time now.”

Purah nodded slowly. “So you’re giving up. I understand.”

Link rolled his eyes and pushed himself up. He was a mix of pain and weakness. For the first time, he had an idea of what death felt like, despite experiencing it before. It hurt to touch anything with his hand that Teba had shot, and he had to opt for favoring his left.

“How long was I out this time?”

Purah shrugged. “Long enough. Get up.”

Link looked around the room and put on a new pair of paints suited to travelling, pulled on his boots, and layered his shirts under his Champion’s Tunic. He strapped belts around his waist, and the Master Sword to his back.

“Teba and Kass? Are they still here?”

“Out of guilt? Yes.”

“Good,” Link said, finally making it to the door.

Kakariko looked unchanged. Though his entire world had suddenly flipped upside-down, Cado was still in his usual place while Koko played. Steen practiced his sword. It was all too normal.

Finally, he saw Kass and Teba sitting on a roof just near the Goddess’ Statue.

Before he could even make it beneath them, they hopped down gracefully. Kass went to speak, but Link held up his hand.

“I understand why you did it. I really do. But now it’s time to undo it. Let’s get the girls and Tulin. Let’s bring them all home.”

Teba nodded heartily. “I feel I must apologize for… my actions… again.”

“Don’t. I believe you did the right thing, Teba. I’d sacrifice myself for Hyrule… and for her.”

“What’s the plan?”

Link straightened himself as much as his sore body allowed. “Teba, I need you to fly to the Gerudo’s. Tell Riju what’s happened. Spare no detail. See if she can send Flaxel and any reinforcements to Castle Town. We may need as many fighters as we can if the Calamity comes back. When you’re done, fill Harth in on anything he’s missed and have him send as many of you out into the skies as he can. Then get to Medoh. We won’t be taken by surprise this time. Be ready to strike the Yiga or the Calamity.

“Kass, you’ll go the other way. Tell King Dorephan what’s happened. Let Sidon know Zelda’s been captured, but that we need him or Dunma to pilot Ruta. The other needs to lead an immediate and all-encompassing search for the Yiga. If there’s any resistance, remind Sidon that it’s his fiancée in danger.” Link all but spat out the words, but he continued with more poise. “Then get to Boss Bludo. Yunobo is very good with Rudania now. They need to search around the cooler areas of Death Mountain and Eldin. No one else can, but the Yiga can’t survive that heat either. Make sure they narrow their search away from the lava. Yunobo will make Bludo help if he refuses, but he won’t. You need to search for them on your own after.

“Tell the Yiga where we are. I want them to know that we’re looking. And if we’re too far, we hope they show themselves to brag. If we’re close, let’s scare them into revealing themselves. This isn’t a casual search anymore. Find them.”

Teba nodded again, taking his bow off his back. “You returned Revali’s bow to us, so take mine. You will need one that is strong and sturdy.”

“So will you.”

“I will take the Champion’s.”

Link nodded and graciously took the expertly crafted weapon. “Thank you. I’ll head to Castle Town. We’ll need Cole. That won’t be easy.”

As Teba was about to take off, Kass grabbed Link by the arm. “Appeal to his love of this kingdom, not the Princess, nor our families. He will listen only to logic, not to heart.”

“I will. Be safe.”

“And you… my friend.”

Link nodded once and headed to the stables, listening to the gusts of wings behind him. When he was sure they were gone, he rested his head against the nearest building, letting everything sink in. He’d died. Again. Zelda had been taken. The Calamity could return if the Yiga have their way.

If at first he thought he’d lose her to her duties as Queen, now he would truly lose her forever.

“I readied the horses,” said a voice from behind.

He turned to see Paya with her horse and Catherine. Rivan and Gaddison were already sitting in their saddle behind Paya.

“You don’t have to go. She’s not here.”

“She’s my friend. My closest friend, perhaps. I couldn’t help her in Rito Village, but I can do something now. My family has always served hers. We’ve been her friends, her advisors, her family. It’s time I did my part.”

“It could be dangerous.”

“Thank you for worrying about me, but it’s far more dangerous for her.”

Link smiled at Paya’s determination. She’d been timid, too afraid to even look at him in the eyes when they’d first met. Now, she looked determined, more like Impa than he had ever seen in her. “Let’s go, then.”

Castle Town, though there was still no castle, was lively and living up to everyone’s greatest expectations. It was bustling, there was noise that echoed off the new buildings. There was life.

Again, Link was so struck by how calm everyone was when his world had shattered. Did they need to know that their Princess could be killed? Should they prepare for the potential rise of the Calamity?

“Paya, can you find Dorrah, Marta, and Barta? They were training the guards when we left. Take Rivan and Gaddison with you.”

“Of course,” she said before they all went off towards the outer area of the town.

Link left Catherine outside the walls and quickly headed toward the inner fountain where Cole lived.

“Ohh! My brother’s favorite customer!”

Link turned to see Beedle staring at him with excitement. “Beedle?”

But the merchant shook his head. “No! Beedle is my twin brother! He must have told you I was coming here! My name is Beatle! It is so good to meet you!”

“You too, Beatle,” he muttered, wondering why they’d been given such similar names. “But I have to go.”

“Yeah, yeah! I understand, Mr. Hero. No time for the little ones anymore. I understand.”

Rolling his eyes, Link turned to Beatle. “Have you seen any Yiga recently?”

Beatle looked at him with confusion written all over his face. “Perhaps I was not clear. I did not live here before. I ran a merchant ship in a great sea. Our other brother, Beetle, runs an air shop that travels across many kingdoms. So, I do not know what this Yiga is. My brother would be of more use.”

“Well, thank you anyway. I have to see the Chancellor about them. They’re… bad.”

“I won’t keep you then, Mr. Hero! You should have led with that!”

Link began to pick up the pace as he rushed through Merchant Row, trying to avoid anyone else he might know.

When he finally reached Chancellor Cole’s house, he pounded his fist against the door.

“I’m in a meeting. Come back later.”

Trying the locked doorknob, Link banged on the door again. “It’s an emergency.”

“Everything is an emergency, depending on who’s eyes you’re seeing through.”

“What about through the Hylian Champion’s eyes?”

There was some shuffling and then the door opened. Cole stood before Link in his green suit and hat looking rather displeased.

“Fine. Come in. Telyn, we’ll have to finish this later. Thank you.” He gestured for Link to sit, though he couldn’t from his nerves.

Cole noticed Link’s frantic pacing. He looked awful. “Where is your shadow?”

Link looked down for a moment before shaking his head. “My…?”

“The Dowager.”

Link finally took a seat. “The Yiga have her. They’re trying to bring back the Calamity, or raise Ganon again. They’ve got her for a ritual and they need me alive. Teba tried to kill me. He did, actually, but a Great Fairy brought me back. We need to double our efforts to find them before they can complete whatever ritual they have planned. It’s been days since she was taken. We need to hurry.”

“Stop,” Cole said, exasperated. “I had heard you were often short of words, but this proves otherwise. So, days ago the Yiga got past your protection of the Dowager and took her for an evil ritual. As unlikely as that sounds, why are you coming to me only now?”

“I was dead.”

“Yes, killed by a friend, not even the enemy, you say?”

“Yes.”

Cole shook his head. “How odd. And you want what from me?”

“People. We need to find their hideout so we can stop them before the kingdom falls. This time, it will be for good. We aren’t strong enough to withstand another Calamity. Without the Princess, I can’t take Ganon on. Either way, whether they succeed or not, they have to be stopped. This fear can’t continue. Once the people find out, it will be chaos again.”

Cole held his hand up to his mouth for a moment.

“Very well. I believe this is a good time to test the mettle of those guards you have worked with. I’ll send them on patrols. I’ll allow you to petition for volunteers, if you’d like.”

“It’s better than I thought. Thank you.” He stood up, not wanting to ask too much of Zelda’s greatest political threat.

“Link,” Cole said, “If you don’t succeed, we’ll all die. The throne won’t matter. I’m not partial to dying, though it seems you may be. So, come back to me with any news. I need to prepare the people if it comes down to it. 

“This is too easy,” Link muttered. “Is there something you’re asking for in return?”

“No. But when the time comes, don’t forget that I didn’t fight you.”

Link nodded once and headed out the door.

After gathering the Hylians and searching the fields surrounding the castle, Link returned to the new inn in Castle Town to get some rest before he would do it again the next day.

It was odd to be alone. There were days when he would travel with the Princess when he longed for solitude. There were times he just needed his own company. But there were other times where he longed for Zelda to wake up from sleep just so she’d join him on an adventure. Leaving her alone for days at a time was never his favorite time, but he also never felt such fear while she was gone. Now, she was in danger, and there was nothing he could do for her.

That set him entirely on edge, his worst fears playing out again and again throughout his days.

It took him most of the night just to get to sleep, but when he finally did, he dreamt of her. But it wasn’t her. Not really. It was one of the visions of the past he so often confused with real life. It was easy to reason this one out. Zelda was there with Link, so of course it was not real.

Zelda’s long blonde hair was soaked as she laughed in a cavernous room. It echoed off the walls and against the pools of water. “I could do this all day!”

“We can,” Link said, wringing out his wet shirt. “Or, we could keep going.”

“Maybe we could split everything up between the next few days! Faron has time, and so do we!”

Link grinned at her, but it was clear they had to keep moving. Link wished he and Zelda could stay. Goddess, he wanted to stay.

“The Parella over there says otherwise.”

Zelda turned and saw one of the sea creatures poking its head out timidly. They had no guide, so they had to assume they were being watched. “Of all the rooms in this cavern, they found us. We’re being followed!”

Link chuckled. “It would seem so.”

“I’ll have a word with Faron. Or Jellyf.”

“They should be afraid. The Goddess’ Wrath is upon them.”

Zelda turned to Link with a playful grin on her face. “’The Goddess’ Wrath’? Would you like to face that as well?”

Link winked at her and stood up, promptly giving her a quick kiss. “Maybe.” He jumped back into the water and waited.

Zelda followed suit. “So much for drying off.”

“What made us think to dress like this? I know things are limited on the Surface, but we’re at Lake Floria. These caverns are flooded. It’s not like it’s the first time either of us has been here either.”

“I wanted to look good for Faron. And it’s been so long since I wore my clothes from Skyloft. I miss them.” She looked down at her pink dress with a bittersweet smile. “I miss my father.”

Link grabbed Zelda’s hand. “I know you do. But you have to think positive. We have Groose.”

Zelda burst out laughing before pushing Link’s head under the water, where he pulled her ankle and she joined him.

Link sat up gasping for air. It had been ages since he’d had a past dream that wasn’t about death. For once, it was light. He could see his past life in a moment of happiness. Of all nights, he figured this would be the one where he would dream of her death again and again.

He’d hoped that perhaps it would even be of one of their lives he hadn’t seen before. Something that might give him insight. Happiness was well and good when it was within reach. Any further and it became a painful reminder of what couldn’t be.

And as his mind began to process the dream, that’s what it was: painful. It was a vision of a life he’d never have, or moments that would never be. Perhaps the water spirit signified Sidon and her swimming away from him. Perhaps…

Perhaps it was the Goddess sending him this dream. Her, or her spirit within Zelda.

He got up and dressed quickly, not waiting to waste another moment. Hurrying out the door, he heard a groggy voice from near the fountain.

Paya lifted her head. “Link? What’s happening?”

He barely stopped moving, energy and a new life coursing through him. 

“I know where Zelda is.”

Chapter Text

Link had never pushed Catherine quite so hard. In fact, he couldn’t quite think of a time he’d pushed Epona this hard either. But he rode through the winds until the stinging rush became a painful burn. His skin was surely chapped, and he had begun to fear for Catherine’s health. But if he didn’t make it there soon, Catherine wouldn’t be the only one in danger, so he pushed her as hard as he could.

The rush wasn’t invigorating. Link could feel himself getting lightheaded, and he held the reigns until his knuckles turned white. He wanted to throw up, but he couldn’t tell if it was because he still hadn’t started to feel better, or because the anxiety was starting to eat away at him. He was sure neither helped.

Hours, days, minutes, Link wasn’t even sure how long it had been when he finally reached Lakeside Stable. The old man who greeted passersby, Shay, waved vigorously as Link dismounted, thrilled to have a visitor in the more remote woods.

“Oh, hello there! It’s been some time since I saw you around these parts! Link, yes?”

“Yes,” he said hastily. “Listen, I don’t have a lot of time to talk. I need to leave my horse here. She may not be doing well, I rode here quickly. How much for you to take care of her until I return?”

“Uh,” Shay stopped. “Cima, come here!”

A young girl popped out from where the other horses were kept. “Yes?”

“This man here wants to know how much it will be to keep his horse and tend to her?”

Link resisted the urge to tap his foot impatiently.

“Well, it depends on how many days.”

Link groaned. “I don’t know. Let’s say three and if I’m not back by then, I might be dead.”

Cima chuckled, thinking it was humor. “Well, I suppose for three days 200 rupees sounds reasonable if she needs me to tend to her wounds as well.”

“That’s fine,” Link said, handing her mostly red rupees. “Thank you,” he said before rushing off to Floria Bridge. He stopped just along the edge and looked around.

The forest looked normal, and he tried to remember anything about his dream. Lake Floria. He was here, but nothing seemed to ring any bells. Everything he’d seen was inside a cavern…

A cavern.

Pulling his Zora’s Armor from his bag, he quickly changed clothes, unconcerned about anyone riding by. He was single minded, and nothing would distract him.

The tight material was painful against his wounds. Now that the rush of the ride had left him, he could feel his hand throbbing from its tight grip over the spot he’d been shot. His discomfort quickly grew to pain as the material clung tightly against him. He pushed his Champion’s Tunic down into the bag and sealed it before leaping off the bridge into the waiting water below.

The impact against the water felt like he’d landed on shattered glass, and he was sure one of the stitches that held his wounds closed had ripped, but the water wasn’t red, and that meant it wasn’t bad enough to concern himself. Swimming wasn’t nearly as calming as it could have been just a week ago.

At first, there was very little current, but as he swam closer to the waterfall, the water sped up, pushing him backwards until he had to all but force his way through to the nearest rock so he could catch his breath. Though the tunic gave him the ability to swim stronger than any human could, his body was fighting him. He could only do short bursts of energy from rock formation to rock formation until he climbed up to the one closest to the waterfall.

From what he remembered of history, the Zora’s were not the same as they once had been, physically. They’d gone through thousands and thousands of years of evolution. They’d gone from small, primitive creatures that the ancients had called Parella, and soon evolved into volatile creatures who were overly possessive of their land and territory. The years had tempered them until they became amenable with Hylians and evolved into the race he was most familiar with. It was an odd feeling, to know each stage of an entire race’s life simply from having lived it in countless lifetimes of your own. Saying it at all was enough to want to make Link stop thinking at all.

But back then, he knew that there were no creatures to help his past life or Zelda’s to get to the tops of these waterfalls.

That meant he had to go down.

The deep breath he took was painful, like every movement he made. He swam down and clung to the sandy bottom to keep himself from floating back up. He let his eyes adjust to the burn of the water before looking around.

There was a lot more under the waters of Lake Floria than he expected. He wasn’t in the habit of swimming underwater recently, and rarely got the moment he needed to just look around. The waterfall cast a large bubbling blockade from seeing anything in that direction, and there wasn’t much of interest. Swimming towards the waterfall, he took a good look around and was surprised by what he saw.

Namely… nothing.

There was nothing under the waterfall, nothing for him to find.

Of course, it had been tens of thousands of years since he lived the moment in his dream. It could have been absolutely nothing. But it felt like something. It had to mean something.

Coming up for air, Link floated just behind the waterfall for a moment, thinking through his options. He’d seen himself in a vast network of caverns inside of Lake Floria. Here he was… in Lake Floria.

Going back down again, he clung to the bottom, only this time, he began to paw at the ground, pushing as much sand away from the wall as he could. It became desperate, his movements rapid and sloppy, sometimes swishing the same pile of sand right back into place. He had to go up for air several times before going down one final time. One more time and then he would leave.

That’s when he saw the hole. It was the size of his small finger, but it was evidence that there was more below. With renewed energy, he continued to dig.

Up and down, Link worked until his body screamed, begging him to stop. The light was in a completely different position, evidence of hours of work.

He needed to breathe, to sit, to take a break, but he summoned his own desperation that he felt while he dug. There was no way he could leave Zelda in there with the Yiga for another day.

He’d made a hole just large enough for himself to fit through, but the path was pitch black, completely invisible. If he were to fail, if this was all just the final strands of his hope unravelling, then this was one death he’d never come back from.

Going up to the surface for one final breath, he placed his trust in the message the Goddesses had sent him and ducked his head under once again, pushing himself through the tunnel.

It was important that he always kept a hand on the wall. While his right hand remained as still as possible, guiding him forward, his left pushed him on and felt out for obstructions. He’d never been so blind. Even his training at night had been nothing like this. This was the absence of everything. There was no sound, no light, no air. If he were to describe death, it might be something like this.

Depriving him of his senses, he also began to lose track of time. The only indication he had was how badly he needed to breathe. And his lungs ached for a breath.

He swam on and on, but there was no end, no wall that indicated he’d reached an end. It was painful, not only on his lungs, but on his battered body.

He could feel his head spinning, and his hand fell off the wall as he clutched his mouth to stop from taking a breath. As he reached back out, there was nothing. He spun around until he was disoriented, unsure of which way he’d come from and where he was going.

Finally, he took a breath. Water poured into his lungs, and he tried to cough it out, but he was trapped in a cycle, one he could already tell would kill him.

He’d always been told that drowning was peaceful, but this felt like anything but. It was almost impossible to stay calm and levelheaded. His body begged him to relax, to accept its fate, but Link struggled, fighting with his last breath.

It was courageous, if futile.

But that strong will to stay alive and fight manifested on his hand as the Triforce seemed to burst off of him, lighting the entire cavern with its golden glow.

He looked around as his vision blackened, using the last burst to its greatest effect. And he was mortified by what he saw.

Above him, only the length of two outstretched arms away, he could see the surface.

With a kick to the ground to propel him upward, he broke the surface, gasping and coughing so hard, he was concerned he’d start to bleed from the throat. His stitches had to have ripped. The pain he felt everywhere was more than intense. He pulled himself up onto a small stretch of the wall. There was no platform to stand, but it was enough of an outcrop to throw himself over while he caught his breath.

His head hit the rock, and his mind grew fuzzy, transitioning to a dream. The light from the Triforce blurred until it was no longer there, and Link felt his body relax, finally.

There was a light hand on his shoulder, familiar in every way. He didn’t need his eyes to know Zelda was there. “Hey, sleepyhead.”

Her voice was wrong. It was her, no doubt, but it wasn’t. Link looked over at her and saw a girl. She was the same age as his Zelda, but she wasn’t the same woman. This one had straight bangs across her forehead, and strands of hair that framed her face, hair that would have annoyed his Zelda to no end.

“Who are you?”

“You don’t know?” she asked cockily. It was affectionate, like the playful attitude of someone he’d known since childhood.

“I’ve never met you.”

“You have. We met the other night. I helped you find this place.”

Rubbing his head, he realized that nothing hurt. Nothing at all.

“I’m dreaming.” It wasn’t a question. This much was perfectly clear to him. Except… he felt completely awake. “This isn’t a vision.”

Fake Zelda smiled. “Believe it or not, Link, you are actually capable of dreaming, too.”

“I know,” he muttered, looking around the perfectly lit cavern. It was just a small bubble of air atop the waterway that continued on. He went to look in the water, hoping to see anything that might help him. But instead, a young girl popped out. She was much younger, this time; she looked about Riju’s age. She was suntanned and had her hair tied up. She looked like a… pirate?

“What are you doing? You’re being lazy, kid! Get up!”

He stared at the girl. “Zelda?”

“Does that matter? You’re going to die if you stay where you are. I mean, if you do die, it’s probably a good thing. No one who’s stupid enough to fall asleep in a watery cave deserves the Triforce. Maybe the Triforce of stupidity, but that’s all. Wake up, kid! Wake up!”

“It’s too dark,” he started, drifting into silence as a hand grabbed his.

Her gloved hand was small, delicate, and it felt fragile. But when he looked at her strong, steeled blue gaze, the woman pulled off her black hood. “Shadow and Light are two sides of the same coin...One cannot exist without the other.” She pressed her hand to Link’s chest. “You are the light.”

Link’s eyes flew open. It was still dark, too dark to see. He could feel that he’d slid much further into the water than he’d started, so much so that his hand was barely holding him on. He yawned before stretching what muscles he could.

“I am the light,” he whispered.

Looking inside himself, he thought of the Triforce, of every version of himself he’d ever seen, of every Zelda. They were the light in a dark world. Images flashed before him faster than he could process as he reeled from untapped power. He felt like Zelda when she’d explained how overwhelmed her powers made her once she’d unlocked them.

By the Goddess…

His Triforce was glowing, lighting up the cavern. There was energy inside him that he’d never felt, a power that seemed too great for any one person. But it was all his.

Shooting beams of energy from his hand like Zelda could would certainly be a helpful trick, he thought, but for now, it was enough that he could see. There was a sense that someone was leading him by the hand in the correct direction as he ducked his head under the water again, swimming with greater ease through the water system. As he went further, stopping in a few air gaps like the one he’d just been in, he finally recognized the platforms under the water as the ones that he and Zelda had once been standing on in his vision. The place had flooded significantly, but he knew it was the same.

It wasn’t much longer that Link passed a large room, or, what had once been a room. He could still see tile from flooring, pillars, and an archway. Most of it had eroded away, but it was still noticeable.

Link passed the archway and finally poked his head into the light, coming out of a pool in a large grassy patch of land. It was untouched, as pristine as the day Farore had created it. Link almost felt guilty to throw himself down for a moment, letting his sore and tired body rest.

He changed back into the Champion’s Tunic, grateful for the looser fabric on his wound. He took bandages from his bag, tying one around his old chest wound that had opened. As much as he wanted to shield his hand from the sting of the air, he knew he’d need that hand ready, despite the pain.

The Yiga weren’t here. This place was too perfect for them to have even considered the area. But across a long land bridge was a cave, and Link could feel the pull leading him that way.

After a few moments of using the Triforce to guide him, Link reached a part of the cavern that was well-lit. Torches lined the walls, and decorations that were all too familiar. They were the same he’d seen in the Yiga’s desert hideout.

There were Yiga guarding doorways, some in and some out of uniform. Some seemed completely normal, laughing or playing a card game with another. Others looked like they just wanted to kill something.

Link didn’t see any of the Rito or Zelda, but he hardly expected them to be kept in one of the larger main rooms of any compound.

He went down a hallway, stopping immediately when he saw two Yiga having a conversation in the middle of the hall. He ducked behind one of the larger decorations, keeping only his head out.

And Link recognized them both.

Aia stood against a wall, spinning a sharp knife around in her hand as if it was a safe toy. She looked bored as she stared at her stoic brother.

“Are you having any reservations about killing him, Jirou? I’ll do it, if you can’t. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Do you really not feel it? Regret, sorrow, pain? These are lives. And though the Lords of Darkness have always asked it of us to be their servants, it still feels difficult for me.”

Aia shrugged. “It doesn’t matter what I feel or don’t feel. If I can serve our Master, then I don’t care. When Ganon is resurrected, he will greet me as one who never backed down from what he asked of us. And this is one of those moments that will make us stronger. He’ll be coming down that hall any minute now. I’ve had people watching him.”

Link slid back, out of sight, as Aia pointed in his direction. He’d had people on him? And they knew he was coming. He had to act fast before he lost the element of surprise. But then again, that meant the entire Yiga Hideout would rush him.

He was about to make his move when he heard footsteps coming down the hall.

“How is it? Are you ready?”

“Yes, Father,” Aia said, still spinning the knife.

Link looked out at Master Kogha’s form. He had a limp, and he certainly looked as fragile as Aia had described him after his fall.

“We’ll visit the girl again today. Perhaps she’ll cooperate now.”

“I told you that I could make her.”

Kogha scoffed at his daughter. “You are always rushing things. Fear can only work for so long. And the threat of death will often push one to the extreme, allowing them to preform feats they never dreamed they could do. We do not want to push her that far. The plan depends on her desire to help us. Not her fear over not helping.”

Jirou spoke, though in the presence of their father, he sounded even smaller. “I have begun the ritual. She will help us, whether or not she wants to.”

“Foolish!” Kogha snapped. “You should not have started it already. You should have—”

There was a gurgling sound and a thud. Link peeked around again to see Kogha in Aia’s arms, blood dripping down the front of his shirt. She let go of him, letting him fall all the way to the ground.

“I told you I’d do it. Now I’m in charge. How’s that feel?”

Jirou knelt beside their father. “I feel upset. I know it had to be done, but I wish there had been another way.”

Aia wiped the knife against her pant leg. “Well, now you can continue the ritual. Pick it up, actually. We need to be ready for everything. It will happen quickly. Once she gives us what we need, we can bury Father.”

Several Yiga appeared. It was clear they’d been watching.

“Master Kogha has fought his final battle for our Lord. Master Aia will now continue his work.”

“I will,” she said with a grin. “Take him away and clean that up. We need to move quickly now.”

She started to head down a hall when Jirou called her back.

“Where are you going? That’s—”

Aia smiled. “Oh, yes, I’m going to talk to the Princess. Don’t worry, we’ll have a little girl chat. Trust me, everything will work out. We’ll be revered among the Yiga as gods and goddesses who brought our Lord back from the dead.”

Link took a deep breath, waiting for Jirou and the others to leave with the body. And he followed the path Aia took.

He had to reach Zelda. It couldn’t be too late. It couldn’t.

Chapter Text

Dragging his feet through the flooded ground, feeling the dripping water from the ceiling above, Link trudged further on through the caves, following the path he was sure Aia had taken. But she was faster than him, and he was still in pain, limping even, as he leaned against the wall for support. The Master Sword, for the first time since he’d first held it, had begun to feel heavy in his arm. His wounds were throbbing, and he wished that Teba had never shot him, not now. He could hardly grab hold of the Master Sword. It would take a miracle by the Goddesses for him to face Aia like this.

There would be no sneaking up on her, not with the sloshing noise every footstep sent echoing through the rock walls. It would take stealth and patience to reach her.

So, steeling himself for a long and slow walk, Link moved along the wall, preparing himself mentally and physically for anything.

His wounds hurt, but there was nothing more that he could do besides repeat to himself that they were simple and would heal. But his thoughts barely rested on that. They were focused on Zelda.

She’d been gone for days; he’d lost count in his frantic search for her. But he knew it had been too long. He’d failed her again. These thoughts continued as he moved along, keeping out of sight and keeping his steps slow. But they fed him with a desire to do right by her this time around.

Off in the distance, he could hear a faint noise, like a chirping. It was strangely consistent, and there was more than one of the noise happening at once. Without any trail to follow from Aia, he decided to follow the sound, hoping Zelda was in the same area as the noise.

He crept along, narrowly dodging the patrolling Yiga that littered the passages. Many were simply going about their day and were easier to fool, but there were so many. And as the noise grew louder and closer, the amount of Yiga actually on patrol grew as well.

Link could see several wooden cages that were tied together with rope to reinforce each corner. Despite the makeshift appearance, it looked to be firm and tightly bound together. The first few cages he saw were empty, though it looked like someone had been recently kept in one. He crept forward, waiting for the closest Yiga to turn his back, and slipped into the area.

“Link?” an excited voice called.

His head whipped around, and he saw Amali holding her wing over Kheel’s beak, shushing her.

Notts, one of the fledglings who’d been chirping, wiped away a tear as the sisters each began to take a cue from their mother. They all fell silent and watched Link as he ducked out of sight.

“Link?” asked the nearest Yiga.

Amali pushed Kheel behind her. “I was just telling my daughters that the Hero of Hyrule will save us. You will lose.”

The Yiga scoffed. “He hasn’t come yet. What makes you hold out hope? He won’t come for you. Trust me.”

Link resisted the urge to kill the Yiga right there, but he needed to get the fledglings out at least, before he caused a scene, that is.

The Yiga returned to his post, walking with a smug swagger that screamed of overconfidence. When the area was safe again, Link popped out and pulled the Master Sword into his left hand.

“Oh, dear; what happened to you?” Amali asked in a whisper as she looked at his bandaged right hand.

“It’s a long story,” he muttered, not wanting to say anything about Kass or Teba while their children were around. “Where are Saki and Tulin?”

Amali looked around. “I’ve heard them from that direction, but I haven’t seen them. The Yiga are using us as leverage.”

Link thought about Kass’ betrayal. “I know. Let’s change that.” He cut the ropes near the door to the cage, allowing it to fly open. “I’m going to get Saki and Tulin, then I’ll cause a distraction so you can get the girls out of here. If Kass isn’t at Rito Village, go to Castle Town.”

“Tell us when, Link, and we’re out of here.”

“Does he need help, Mama?” Genli asked.

Link smiled. “Thank you, but I’ll be alright. You just get your mama out safe for me.”

Most of the girls nodded, while Kotts clung to her mother’s talon in fear.

“You’ll know my signal,” Link said as he backed up, looking around the corner before moving in the direction Teba’s family was being held.

It took a little more walking than he’d thought, but he could see Saki and Tulin sitting in an identical cage together.

To get to them required far more moments of silently waiting for Yiga to pass than he had needed to before, at his patience was wearing thin with the thought of Zelda with Aia somewhere else in this place.

He wished their cage was closer. Well, he wished there had been no cage at all.

It took time, but he finally made it the entire way. Tulin began to bounce excitedly as Link repeated his escape for the other Rito.

“Saki, I’ve freed Amali. When I distract the Yiga, get him out of here. Don’t look back. Follow her, I’ve given her instructions. Teba is waiting for you.”

“Of course,” she said, gripping her son tightly.

“Great,” Link said, swinging his sword around before heading to the area directly in the middle of both cages. With a deep breath, he slammed his sword into the nearest object. He wasn’t sure what it was exactly, but the noise it made reverberated off the cave walls, and the nearest Yiga all came to investigate.

With audible gasps, the Yiga had to quickly recover from their shock to sprint head-on at Link.

He could already feel his wounds burning as he dodged the first Yiga. Though he wasn’t a lefty, he was still adept at fighting with both of his hands. It only took minimal footwork and a good arm on his part to take down three Yiga before they could sound any alarms.

He turned back to the cage, but Saki and Tulin were gone. Hurrying back, he saw that Amali and the girls had also used his distraction and were no longer there. He didn’t know if they knew the way out, but they were lucky to be able to fly above everything as soon as they made it outside.

Link wasn’t sure if he needed to continue his distraction for their sake, but there were no other Yiga in the area. Instead, he followed a straight line through a narrow passage and kept himself going on for as long as he could.

Finally, he could hear the melodic chanting of several Yiga.

Peering around a corner, Link could see them. There were too many Yiga for him alone, especially as injured as he was. But from his past encounters, he believed they were likely to remain in their trance-like state. Whatever they were doing, they were in too deep. 

“No…” Link muttered as he looked into the center of their semi-circle.

Zelda was kneeling in the ankle-deep water with her eyes closed. She was in her own sort of trance, but she was not restrained. There were no chains binding her, nor any Yiga close enough to reach her. She was entirely free to run.

“Princess?”

Zelda’s eyes opened and she looked at Link. She looked tired; her eyes were glazed, and there were dark circles underneath. Gaunt, hollow, unnatural cheeks made her look as though she’d been gone for months, and his stomach turned at the thought that they’d done anything to her that made her appear this way. Hopefully, it was simply a visible manifestation of something, and not a sign of anything worse.

Link noticed that Robbie’s bracelet and the Triforce burned brightly on the back of her palm. But there was something terribly wrong. He just couldn’t tell from this far away.

Her glazed eyes widened as she stared at him with wonder. “Link? You’re alive? How? I was… I watched… I saw you die.”

“It’s a long story. Come with me and I’ll tell you.”

“No.”

Link stopped for a minute, gathering his thoughts. “No? Why?”

“I can’t. She thinks I’m helping her, that she can overpower me, but I am in control. Link, my powers are strong. They’re stronger than I realized.”

Link’s grip on the Master Sword tightened as he watched her slosh towards him eagerly. “What?”

“Aia. She is going to try to use me! She wants it for herself.”

“What does she want?”

“The Triforce. She wants a wish from the completed Triforce.”

“Ganon is dead. There is no Triforce of Power. This doesn’t make sense.” He moved closer, desperate to get her out before someone showed up, or a Yiga in their trance awoke.

Zelda raised up her hand, revealing her Triforce. But Link could see what was so wrong now.

She didn’t have just the Triforce of Wisdom.

She had the Triforce of Power.

Gasping, Link held his sword ever so much more defensively. “How did that happen?” he asked, unable to look away.

“They didn’t want to wait to resurrect Ganon. They wanted me to take his Triforce. It took days. They tortured me, and I’ll admit, I broke. But it was the best thing to happen!”

This wasn’t Zelda talking. This wasn’t his Zelda. There was something feeding her words, and he glared at the Triforce on her hand as if it were a physical threat.

“What did you do?”

“It’s not what I did, it’s what they want me to do.”

“Zelda…” Link started.

“The power inside me had been growing, and I fought it rather than embraced it. Each of the Triforce bearers can access the other pieces. I’ve seen my past. It’s happened before. You and I, we’ve both done this in the past, but so have others. And then dark hearts can have their wish fulfilled. So Aia wants me to gather the full Triforce for her. She’d threatened the fledglings and the others. They have people everywhere waiting for their cue to strike. They’re in Castle Town now. I had to give in to her at first, but now I understand how to beat her, Link!”

Link looked down at his hand. The Triforce he possessed still burned brightly. “You need my piece.”

“Give it to me and we can end this. I will get to the Triforce before Aia.”

“Where is she?”

“I don’t know. It’s the perfect time.”

As much as every bone inside of him screamed for him to innately trust Zelda, he couldn’t. Not after days of torture at the hands of the Yiga. Not with Aia alive and with the potential for her to wish back the Calamity and Ganon.

“No. Princess, listen, the Rito have escaped; they’re safe. Soon, everyone will be, but you can’t use the full Triforce. It’ll make things worse. Come with me, please, Princess,” he tried, taking a step towards her with his hand out.

But that was too close for Zelda. She raised her hand up and a great pillar of light flew just past Link’s head. A warning shot.  

He flinched and stared at her, dumbstruck. “You were going to hit me?”

“Stay right there and I won’t have to.”

“Zelda, please,” he tried, daring an incredibly small step forward. “I don’t know what happened to you while you were here, but don’t do this. She’s not a fool. This is too simple.”

“Don’t! Please!” she yelled, holding her head. There was something inside of her, something she was fighting.

Link looked at the chanting Yiga behind her and pulled his bow off his back. Without hesitation, he fired straight at one of the Yiga. But the arrow never reached its target.

It burned in the air inside a stream of light.

“I can’t let you, Link. I need the Triforce to stop Aia. Give me your Courage.”

“How about you give me your pieces, if that’s the only way?” he countered.

Zelda’s eyes were so red and so empty. She held her hand out so that the next burst of energy she had would be aimed right at Link. “I have to do this.”

“You don’t. They’re making you. Where’s Aia? Her hand is in this.”

Link could feel a pull on his hand, though it felt more like someone was reaching inside of his soul and grabbing on. It took effort on his part to throw the grip off. It was like he had to pretend that he was rooted straight into the ground to gather the strength.

“By the Goddess, Zelda! What are you doing?”

“Stop calling me that,” she whispered. “Only call me that once I’ve saved you. Once I’ve saved you all.”

“Please, Zelda. I don’t want to fight you. You’re being influenced by the Yiga.”

Taking a step forward, Zelda held out her other hand. “Give me your Triforce, Link! We can end this!”

“No.”

Link only had a moment to react as he saw the great beam of powerful light coming straight at him. He rolled off to his side, clinging to his stomach in burning pain as he rose to his feet.

“Zelda!”

“Get out of my head!” she cried, letting another beam of power fly towards Link. He didn’t know who she was talking to anymore, but he wouldn’t fight her. Not her.

Link closed his eyes, imagining the Triforce of Power. He wasn’t sure how she did it, but he pictured it floating from her hand to his. He thought of the Blights he’d fought, every Lynel that had ever stepped over him that he’d come to overpower. He remembered every Yiga he’d killed, every mountain he’d climbed. He thought of Ganon’s face so clearly that the very memory brought on a flare of heat and rage from inside him. He thought of Zelda trapped for 100 years, fighting that thing alone. He thought of her now, trapped again in another battle of wills.

“Let go!” Zelda screamed.

Link knew it was working, but he too began to feel the Triforce on his hand burn.

“Link, why are you fighting me? I thought we were in this together! Please, let me end this!”

“This is Aia’s work. She’s here, and she wants the Triforce. I can’t let you.”

“I’m sorry!” Zelda wailed as she sent another light beam at Link. Only this time, it hit him.

He’d never before felt such electrifying pain. It was worse than an electric Lizalfos in the water, or even being struck by lightning. He knew he was bleeding again. It even felt like he might have been burned. He couldn’t move to save his life.

Or all the lives in Hyrule.

Floating above his head was the Triforce of Courage emanating from his hand.

“Zelda,” he murmured, letting out a pained groan.

For the first time, she seemed to hear him. Her eyes bugged out as she stared at his limp form. They darted between the three floating pieces, and Link’s body several times before she took a step. With a shout, she directed her beam of light towards the chanting Yiga. It hit one of them, and she immediately felt a massive pressure release off of her brain.

For the first time in days, she was feeling clear again, like she could breathe.

The Triforce was nearly complete, but she could feel her pieces moving back within her as she headed to Link. The Triforce of Courage was also slowly sinking back to where Link was, and Zelda managed to kneel beside Link, gently checking the wound her magic had left on him.

He sat up with her help and looked at his hand. The Triforce was back. Then he looked at hers.

“Zelda…”

She only had the Triforce of Wisdom.

Gasping, Zelda looked up.

Aia was standing in front of the row of Yiga, twirling the Triforce of Power in her hand. Her mask was off, and her lips were tilted up in a sick smile.

“So, that’s what this feels like?”

Chapter Text

Aia held the Triforce of Power tightly in her hands. It was pure power in more than name. Energy flowed through it like a stream, pouring from the sacred triangle into her hands. Her eyes rolled back into her head as the power began to fill her with a new feeling that she’d never be able to feel again. It was indescribable and overwhelming. Her breathing sped up, and the veins on her hands began to turn a dark purple, spreading down her arms until it disappeared under her red sleeves.

“It’s him,” Aia whispered, her voice soft, but strong. A purple aura had enveloped her, not unlike the Calamity. “He’s here. I can feel him.”

Her body swayed unsteadily as she absorbed some of the Triforce’s power. She looked where Link stood leaning weakly on both Zelda and the Master Sword. Zelda’s arms were struggling to support the both of them; she was still worn from possessing the Triforce of Power.

Unlike Zelda, Aia took in the dark aura, breathing it in like it were air. “I am Lord Ganondorf’s faithful servant and keeper of his power until the day he can return to us. The Yiga live to serve him and to see him revived once more. His power flows within me now… and he wants you both dead.”

Link held Zelda’s arm, keeping her behind him instinctively, though it was clear that he was in no condition for a fight. “And here I was thinking you just wanted our Triforce pieces for fun.”

Aia began to take slow, deliberate steps towards the two of them. “You will be helping to bring Hyrule to perfection under the Dark Lord. If you’re looking for recognition, then I can assure you that you will be remembered. I will see to it myself. You’ll die as the heroes of the next thousands of generations of Yiga. I’ll even let you live to see it if you give me your Wisdom and Courage.” She toyed with a wisp of malice in her hand getting the feel for the powers she’d inherited while she taunted the Princess and her knight.

“What a relief,” Zelda mocked, steeling herself from within. Aia was a formidable fighter, but Zelda could tell that the fight would be internal now, much closer to her struggle with Ganondorf for 100 years than Link’s swordsmanship battles.

“Jirou!” Aia called.

Her brother ran into the room with several other Yiga behind him. “You did it,” he breathed, skidding to a halt when he saw her. They could hear him chuckle and he was quickly on his knee before her. “I’ll admit, I doubted you. But he will be with us once again soon.”

In their momentary distraction, Zelda clutched Link so hard they were sure it would leave a bruise. “Link, you’re alive!” Zelda exclaimed in a hushed whisper, her breath catching. Last she’d seen him, he’d been shot several times by Teba. She’d seen him die. Again. But she couldn’t think of that now. “Can you fight her?”

He didn’t answer.

On his best days, he and Aia were closely matched. Now, after his injuries and recent bout with death, it hurt to simply wield his sword.

“Link?” Zelda asked as she held on to him tighter.

“I can.”

The look on Zelda’s face illuminated just how unconvinced she was by that, and she turned her attention back to the two siblings.

Aia’s voice was commanding as always, but it had taken on a more confident tone. She never lacked for it in the first place, but with the new power coursing through her, she felt invincible as she looked on at her brother. “Go, tell the others that the time to strike is now. Have our people fight for our king. Take down the Hylian leaders first, and then kill any who oppose Lord Ganondorf’s return.”

There were few advantages left in Link’s arsenal, and he was still concerned about Zelda, about what she might do after the ritual had possessed her.

Link gathered himself and ran towards Aia with all his remaining strength.

Aia turned to face him, looking bored. The mask of purple haze that surrounded her dropped, and she pulled out her knife from her belt. In a swift, well-trained motion, she knocked the Master Sword away from her and managed a small nick in Link’s side in the same motion. But what sent him flying across the floor wasn’t the force of that blow, but the wave of dark energy that followed her.

Zelda raced to his side, and Aia nodded to her brother, who quickly left the room.

“I have the Demon King on my side. You cannot fight true power.”

Zelda took one more look at Link as he fought to his feet once again, wheezing from the culmination of all his injuries since Zelda had been taken. She took a deep breath and placed herself firmly between Aia and Link. “And I have the Goddess Hylia on mine.”

Reaching within herself, she pulled on her Goddess-given powers, drawing from the very spirit of the Goddess that she possessed. Her vision became hazy, and then, all at once, it sharpened into a world she’d never seen before. Colors were brighter, details were sharper, and light blinded her almost immediately after her newfound clarity, like this was what she was meant to experience the whole time.

There was a quake in the ground, a large bang, and an awful lot of water.

Zelda could barely see what was going on, but as the light faded from her body, she finally saw.

There was a large hole in the wall of the cavern letting in light from outside, as well as the pouring water from the waterfall. Aia was lying on the ground, her face bloodied, her outfit torn, her hair wild. There was still an aura of purple around her, but it wasn’t strong enough to hold back the sheer force of Zelda’s power.

Aia pushed her hair back and smiled, though it quickly devolved into laughter. She held her side in pain, but it didn’t stop her. “Finally! She fights back! I knew there was something dark inside you. You couldn’t have wielded the Triforce of Power without it, could you?” Aia had to stop to cough, spitting out blood as she rose to her feet. “Admittedly, it felt like cheating to take the Triforces without any effort on my part. You’re both just so weak. Now I can truly feel worthy of Ganon’s power.”

With another sick grin, Aia backed up to the hole in the wall and flipped backwards outside of it.

Link ran to Zelda’s side and pulled her tightly against him. “Are you okay?”

Though she knew it wasn’t the time for this, she clutched him tightly, feeling his breath on her neck.

Breath.

Alive. He was alive.

“Are you?” she asked, running her thumb along a scrape on his jaw.

“We’ll find out,” he said, handing her the paraglider. “Do you think you can do it alone?”

“What about you?”

Link shook his head, hurrying over to the edge. “I can barely hold on to it. I’m alive, but I’m not healed. If I jump, at least you can’t fall with me, so take it.”

“Okay,” Zelda agreed, not willing to waste any more time arguing.

Link held her shoulders. “Jump out as far as you can. The water will force you down, so open it once you’re past the worst of it.”

“I understand. Let’s do this, then.”

Link grimaced and jumped off the broken ledge, soaring down into the water below with as much grace as he could manage, though it wasn’t much. Zelda followed a moment later, feeling the pounding weight of the waterfall against her body, shoving her quickly downwards through her descent. As soon as she felt the water lessen, she pulled the paraglider out and let it catch the wind, hoping to the Goddesses it wouldn’t slip from her slippery, wet fingers.

It didn’t.

She landed harmlessly in the water and swam hard for shore. Link was up beside her soon after, rolling onto his back and clutching his side as he winced. Zelda helped him sit up as they looked around for any sign of Aia, but she was nowhere.

“Where could she be?” Link asked, coughing from the effort of his most recent swim.

“I don’t know. She went to her people.”

“Hyrule Field. Castle Town, maybe?”

“Or behind you.”

Zelda felt breath on her neck and turned to see Aia holding a knife. Aia quickly jabbed it toward Zelda’s arm.

For the moment, Aia had the most difficult job: with masterful combat skills, and a newfound bursting of raw power, she struggled to rein it in and not kill either Link or Zelda. She struck out at Zelda again, only wanting to incapacitate and weaken her until Aia could take the other two Triforce pieces from them.

Zelda let out a scream as she jumped back, channeling her power into a concentrated burst, and forcing Aia’s hand back, surprising the Yiga by her intensity and reaction speed. Aia staggered back, and Zelda lunged forward, twisting the Yiga’s wrist away from her. The move made Aia wince and subconsciously drop the knife, only for it to be caught by Zelda.

Ready to throw it aside and far from where they all stood, Zelda gasped as Link’s words came back to her from what felt like forever ago. “You should keep this. I’ll make sure you know how to use it, or even how to defend yourself if a Yiga comes up from behind you. You have to stay safe, Princess, even if it makes you uncomfortable.”

Zelda had only gained the upper hand for a moment, and Aia was back on her, quickly trapping her hands down so she couldn’t try to stab Aia in the face or neck with the blade.

“If I’m in the next room over, and Aia or another Yiga shows up, learn to defend yourself just long enough. You don’t have to stab anyone, just stay alive.”

Turning the knife just enough, Zelda managed to force it down into Aia’s skin.

Aia let go, and she was about to make a more brutal move for Zelda, the malice already swirling, when she felt a sharp rip along the length of her arm.

Link pulled the Master Sword back and rammed his body into Aia, taking them both down, away from Zelda.

Aia threw him off of her, clutching her arm in pain. She looked an awful mess, blood running down her arm in a ceaseless river, torn and gored by Link’s blade. But, with a swift move of her hand, Link was flung into the grass further away from her where he groaned, stretched to clutch his throbbing back. It left Aia enough time to get to her feet, dark purple swirls pooling around her hands.  

As Aia aimed her hand at Link, Zelda stepped forward again, light building in her own palm. Letting Link be for the moment, Aia let the darkness seep from her in a rush towards the Princess, and Zelda’s light raced to meet it, sending the two clashing in the middle.

Zelda suddenly felt a wave of energy expand out from the center, remembering the powers she held on to for 100 years to fight Ganon, the clash as his malice-beast form met with her outstretched hand, sending them both to the Sacred Realm to continue their fight for as long as either could hold out for.

These were the same as Ganon’s, though wielded by a less powerful host, no matter what she thought of herself. She managed to increase her abilities, pulling from her fight with Ganon, letting strength come from the unbridled power. For the first time, Zelda had the upper hand, despite still feeling sick, winded, and sore. Light began to overtake the darkness and moved towards Aia in an engulfing stream.

Aia watched the power come towards her, and at the last moment, when she realized there was no fighting back Zelda’s strength, she redirected the magic away from her, offering her the split second she needed to disappear in a puff of smoke.

Worn out and tired, Zelda needed to catch her breath. She’d been holding back the Goddess’ powers since she’d rediscovered them. The Yiga had taken Robbie’s bracelet and forced her to use her magic, to train it so and weaken her so she could summon the Triforce of Power for them. Now that she’d done that, she was virtually expendable.

But now, she was using them. It took too much out of her, so she needed a moment to simply breathe as she hurried over to Link.

There was blood coming through his blue tunic, and Zelda tried to help him. He waved her away and stood up again.

“What happened?” Zelda tried again.

But she was quickly thrown out of the way by Link while he raised his sword just in time to meet Aia’s blade. Given his proficiency wielding his sword in both of his hands, a hand injury didn’t slow him nearly as much as it could have. But every move he made tore at the flesh wounds that had killed him once before. Still, he gritted his teeth and met Aia blow for blow, no matter the cost to himself. It left him to tire more quickly than he ever would have before.

Aia watched him carefully as they fought. It was easy for her to quickly deduce exactly where his injuries were. Of course, she knew the general area—she’d seen it happen—but as she watched the blood, and saw how he favored some parts of his body over others, she found her opening and jammed her knife into the space before Link’s collarbone, pulling the knife downwards so her knife broke any healing skin on his chest wound.

His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he collapsed to his knees before hitting the ground with a thud. His hand was trembling as it tried to cover the wound, and he took several breaths to try to bring himself back into reality and into the fight.

“Link!” Zelda yelled, unable to get to him as she was left to face Aia alone again.

Again, the two met in a clash of dark and light. But this time, Zelda was too tired, and unlike before, she was the one who took the hit.

“Well,” Aia said, out of breath and battered from the fight. “We know who deserves the Triforce more. Even the two of you together aren’t enough to beat me. And I thought you two were the stuff of legends.”

Link could feel the pressure on his Triforce as it was being pulled from him from Aia’s power. Zelda felt it, too. It was like being on a thin tether yet still trying to hang on tight without it snapping.  

She looked at Link, panicked and unsure of what else to do. If there was one thing that couldn’t happen, it was that they couldn’t let Aia wish on the full Triforce, no matter the cost. Link met Zelda’s gaze and smiled as he pushed himself to his knees, sliding from the slick, constant drip of blood that poured down his torso.

“Zelda!” he called, picking up the Master Sword. Her ears perked up as he used her name. This time, she wasn’t in a trance, and hearing it come from his lips was both bizarre and enthralling all at once. His eyes were soft, like they were alone together and not separated by a crazy Yiga clan leader. His smile grew more as he looked at her.

“Zelda,” he said again, clearing his throat, “I love you. I always have.”

Before Zelda could process his words or even respond, he’d grabbed the Master Sword and aimed it towards his own stomach.

At any cost.

“No!” Zelda yelled, tearing Aia’s attention from her task and to Link.

“No!” she echoed.

They’d lose the Triforce of Courage until the next hero’s spirit came around.

Aia had released her hold over Zelda’s Triforce to focus on grabbing Link’s before he could impale himself.

Zelda felt her Triforce return to her, and she released a small burst, though fast and powerful, at Link. As much as she didn’t want to, she aimed straight for his wound, and the pain from the impact forced him backwards and caused him to drop the Master Sword.

The distraction was enough for Aia to grab a firm hold on the Triforce of Courage, but Zelda stood up and held her hand into the sky, toward the Goddesses.

She closed her eyes. In the air was a malice broken only by the warmth of the light she emitted. She could almost feel Aia’s glare on her, but she didn’t care. Zelda let the power of the Goddess flow through her, similarly to how she’d once taken out a field of Guardians before facing Ganon.

There was a burst of light that covered the entire grassland, blinding and impenetrable.

When it faded, Aia crept forward, unhurt and confused as she looked all around her. Zelda was lying face-first in the grass, her hair splayed wildly out all around. Aia’s heartrate spiked, and she hurried to the Princess.

“Zelda!” Link yelled at the sight of her, broken and in pain as he tried to scramble to his feet, though the blast from Zelda’ initial power still had him reeling.

Aia knelt down and pulled Zelda up by the hair, her fingers so tight that she nearly pulled out Zelda’s hair. “What did you do?” Her voice was cracking in pure panic. “I can’t feel it anymore! What did you do?”

Zelda smiled weakly, but didn’t answer. She felt a hard slap on her face and winced. By way of an answer, Zelda’s eyes wandered to the back of her hand where her Triforce always glowed after using magic.

But it wasn’t there.

Aia gasped and pulled tighter. “Where’d it go?”

Zelda gasped, severely weakened by the power it took out of her, from the days of torture, from it all. Still, she managed a triumphant smile as she tilted her head towards Aia. “Shattered. Pieces scattered. Only my successor will come to know where to find them. You will never have the full Triforce, Aia. We will protect it… at any cost.”

“By destroying it?” she whispered, still shocked.

“Hyrule is safe. The Calamity will stay where it belongs, and your master will never see my people again. Have fun resurrecting him now.”

A single tear ran down Aia’s cheek as she blinked away the rest before throwing Zelda forcefully back to the ground and bending over the princess, her own smug grin wide on her face, half deranged with corrupted power, blatant fear, and unsung joy. “I’ll figure something out.”

Zelda gasped, feeling like she’d been struck by a bolt of lightning while all at once feeling incredibly warm and numb. Her vision blurred, and she clutched her stomach where the burning heat was the worst, hands coming back red.

Aia pushed her down, forcing Zelda still by putting all of her weight on her knee over Zelda’s chest. She and watched Link struggle to crawl over to Zelda as if he were her personal entertainment. He was covered in blood, too weak to stand, leaving a trail in his wake.

Aia dropped the knife into the grass and shook her head. “You think you’ve won, but all you’ve done is that now you won’t have your powers to fight me, Princess.”

Taking a few steps back, Aia ran a hand through her disheveled hair and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Link finally made it to Zelda’s side and grabbed her hand as they both lay in the grass.

She turned her head to face him, her hand shaking more than ever as she clutched Link’s, both slick and red.  

“How do you keep doing this? It hurts, Link.”

“I know,” he murmured. His finger traced comforting circled on her hand, while attempting to get his other to cover her wound. He could barely move any more than that to comfort her, and his elbows had him propped up through luck alone.

She winced, seeing a pool of blood surrounding them. “Are we both going to die here?”

Link sighed and shook his head. “No.”

“We might.”

He shrugged, calming her only slightly with his easy smile, even as they both lay bleeding in the grass.

Zelda refused to let go of Link’s hand and let the tears fall down her cheeks, trying hard to follow his lead and cover his long wound with her own hand as his skin grew more and more pale. Then, he lost the strength that had been keeping him up and fell into the grass beside her, rolling onto his back with a ragged breath.

“Link?” she whispered.

He hummed a response, feeling his head getting lighter as blood soaked began to run up his neck as he laid on his back. His eyes were closing, and then he felt it.

Zelda’s lips were on his. They were so light that he could have sworn it was the wind until he opened his eyes to check. But Zelda was leaning on her arm to reach him, her other holding on to the knife wound that Link had tried to cover.

He attempted to sit up, to put some energy into their kiss. He wanted so, so badly to kiss her back. He wanted to roll over and meet her lips with more passion, to answer her with a response that told her how much she meant to him.

Especially if it was the last time he could.

Both of them were weak, and Zelda pulled away, wincing from the effort to keep herself elevated. She let herself fall down onto Link’s shoulder, resting next to him.

“I’ve been in love with you for 100 years,” she admitted as she turned her face into his sleeve.

Link ran his fingers through the bottom of her hair, not needing to move too much to reach. “We cut it close, didn’t we?”

“At least I won’t have to marry Sidon,” she mused.

She felt Link twitch in a failed laugh, “Good. I didn’t want you to marry him.”

Zelda smiled and closed her eyes, her hand dropping off her wound. Link grew quiet too, and both rested in the bloodied grass with the other’s hand in theirs.

Link had no idea how much time was passing. His eyes fluttered shut and occasionally opened to see the girl he loved turning paler than he’d ever imagined as she lay against him. He didn’t know why he hadn’t already met the Goddess, but he suspected it might be because he still had his Triforce; he was still the Goddess’s chosen hero.

“Princess?” he rasped out, but she didn’t answer him. He blinked his eyes a few times and stared into the sky at the dark shapes that were filling his vision. “Princess?” he tried again.

The blobs began to take shape, and soon, two figures landed beside him.

“Goddess!” Kass gasped as he bent over them.

“Zelda!” Link whispered, nudging his arm against hers to try to stir her to move.

Kass’ eyes widened. “Amali! They’re still alive! Come, help me, quickly!”

Amali ran her feathers along Link’s hair. “He saved our girls. It’s time to repay the favor and save them.”

“Okay, we need…. and then they… bu…wh”

Kass’ voice began to fade out as darkness took Link once again. The last thing he felt was Kass and Amali pulling his hand from Zelda’s.

Chapter Text

Bitter cold. That’s what Zelda felt as the knife had pierced her stomach, and the feeling never left her. She woke up panting for breath, her teeth chattering violently against each other. Instinctively, she tried to curl herself into a ball, but she couldn’t move. Her body was frozen, both internally and literally.

“No,” said a familiar voice, though Zelda couldn’t open her eyes to see. “I’ll take care of her. Go back.” It was Paya. Zelda would recognize her voice anywhere. “By the Goddess, watch over him,” she muttered before clanging things together.

But they were a distant noise in Zelda’s ears, like Paya wasn’t actually making them but some faint memory.

“Paya?” she tried, but her voice came out as a groggy moan instead.

“Princess?” Paya breathed, running over to her. She could feel the girl’s soft hands warm her freezing skin.

“What happened?” she tried, but again, it was a mumble.

“Princess, I can’t understand you. Just rest. You lost a lot of blood.”

Finally, Zelda was able to force her eyes open, if only slightly, to meet Paya’s concerned stare.

“Paya?”

“Yes, Princess. It’s me.”

Pushing herself up, she winced, holding her stomach; she felt the raised bandage under her shirt. “What happened?”

“Goddess, you had me so scared. You were stabbed by the Yiga, you were weak… Link barely told us anything. Kass and Amali just brought you in and left. They’re everywhere! It’s not safe here, but we had to make sure you were both okay.”

“Paya, stop. What?”

The young Sheikah took a breath and waved her hands frantically, starting again but clearer. “You’re in Castle Town. The Yiga attacked everywhere. They were waiting, disguised among us. They made use of the large crowds and refugees and new homeowners to get around without raising any suspicions. Your soldiers drew as many of them as they could out to the field; we locked the town down. The soldiers inside are still finding some Yiga, but it’s mostly protected. The rest are out there fighting.”

Zelda’s eyes widened. “Wait, where’s Link?”

“We gave you a potion, but you’re still weak, Princess. The wound will heal, but only if you rest. Please don’t get up.”

Zelda sprung to her feet, much to Paya’s displeasure and panicked fussing. Zelda groaned and clutched her stomach before straightening out. “I have to see Link.”

“He just woke up not long before you. He’s in the other room, weak as well.” Paya was defeated, knowing that nothing would stop the Princess.

Zelda limped into the next room of the borrowed house they were in. She whipped the door open with more force than she’d intended. Sure enough, Link was standing in front of a mirror with Rivan beside him, wrapping his wounds tightly in thick bandages, focusing on padding the large gash Aia left down his chest.

Link turned at the sound of the thud from the door. “Princess?”

Zelda rolled her eyes in relief and quickly crossed the room, wrapping her arms around his neck. She cringed in pain, and felt him do the same, but neither moved away. Instead, Link’s hand tightened on her waist.

She noticed Rivan had taken a step back to give them space and she took a breath, moving away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think we’d make it.”

“You shouldn’t move. You were stabbed.”

Instinctively, her hand covered her own bandaged wound. “Maybe I learned my bad habits from the king-of-not-properly-taking-care-of-himself. You…”

She stopped suddenly, taking in his bandages that covered his already scarred body. There were far too many, and one on his hand as well. And it was then that she remembered that she had last seen Link weeks ago. “What happened? When Teba shot you, you looked like you’d nearly died.”

Rivan continued to help Link don armor, making sure the bandages allowed Link the ability to move, but also a firmness that didn’t reinjure himself from simply moving.

“I did die.”

“That…” Zelda shook her head. “We’ll have to sit down and talk when this is done. What are you doing?”

“You can hear it out there. I have to go. Aia’s our responsibility. You did your part. You saved the world from Calamity again. It’s my turn now to finish the job.” He was pulling his glove and gauntlet over his hand.

Zelda let out an exasperated sigh. “Apparently you just died. You got your arm nearly cut off by that crazy zealot!” She pointed to the wound on Link’s shoulder. Looking over him, she was becoming more flustered, “Your hand? Can you even hold your sword?”

Link wiggled his left fingers.

Balking, Zelda pushed her hair back and shook her head. “You’re injured as bad as me. If you’re going in the condition you’re in, then I’m going, too.”

Staring at her, Link tried to think of anything to say to stop her, because he knew too well that once an idea was in her mind, it was hard to get it out again. “Wha- you want to go fight? You don’t have your powers. You shattered the Triforce.”

“No, I can feel them somewhere still. It’s a shadow, but the Goddess’s powers are still here. I just have to find them.”

“Do you really think a battlefield is the place to try to find them?”

“It worked 100 years ago.”

“Zel—Princess, you can’t. You know you can’t.” With the lightest touch, he pressed his hand where he knew her wound was. She flinched and took a few steps back. If his gentle fingers could hurt that bad, then there was no way she could run out there with the others.

With a resigned sigh, she nodded. “I know. Just… come back safe. We have a lot to talk about.”

“Yeah,” he nodded, pulling on his bloodied Champion’s tunic. “Let’s finish this, one way or another.”

Zelda closed her eyes, and when she opened them, Link and Rivan were gone. She stumbled against the wall as a wave of pain shot through her. “Paya!”

Paya rushed into the room and grabbed hold of Zelda’s arm. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, yes… but I need your help. I need you to find a Rito. This will require the help of someone with wings. And I need armor.”

Link followed Rivan outside until he saw the brunt of the battle. Unsheathing the Master Sword, he took a breath and raced into the closest cluster of Yiga. They were fighting a mix of Yiga, and monsters that had been lured in by the chaos. Moblins, Bokoblins, Keese, Lizalfos. They didn’t know friend from foe, turning the field into one large mixing pot of wild swings. Yiga fought beside their enemies, if only momentarily, to take out the nearest nuisance before returning to fight one another.

Link joined, relentless against anyone who wasn’t on the side of Hyrule. He fought back the biting pain, focusing instead on the task at hand. He thought of Zelda, her sacrifice. He thought of Aia, his failure. He thought of everyone they’d lost over the years. He wasn’t going to let their deaths be in vain because the Yiga clan got it in their heads to revive a sealed god.

He proceeded in this tunnel-vision focus for some time until the ground beneath his feet shook. He looked up just in time to see a great Lynel jump midair to topple a Hinox to the ground before it rolled over, ramming its fist into the skull of the Lynel.

Link shuddered. It was a pretty terrible coincidence that they were both within range to be drawn in by the sounds of the battle.

“Go, go, go, hey! Get out of there!” a voice yelled.

Turning, Link could see Chancellor Cole beckoning the people to move away from the dangerous creatures. He was good at making his loud voice heard, as Link knew, and many of the volunteers from the city had listened to him without question, while the trained soldiers remained on the battlefield.

Link hadn’t thought to see Cole this close to the action, but he remembered that it was in fact Cole who’d begun to put Hyrule together after the Calamity. That meant he’d been near active Guardians, far worse than any Moblins or Yiga.

He had to take his thoughts off of Cole. In his state, he couldn’t afford any distractions.

Link continued to push his way through Yiga in a completely blind assault on the red-suited assailants. He no longer saw their faces; they were just a blur to him, a sea of red. There was no stopping him as he made his way to the other edge of the battlefield where the Hinox and Lynel were still fighting each other. One would be the victor sooner or later, and someone had to be ready.

There was almost no chance that Link would see Aia in the crowd by simply looking. The majority of them had their hoods up and their masks on, covering their faces. There was so much red and white, it was just an impossible task, one that Link didn’t look forward to when the time came. But for now, he had to focus on what he could control.

Comfortably able to see both his opponents and the battle of the creatures behind them, Link began to let his training control his actions, and he relaxed. His muscles took over, doing what they’d done for years. All of the pain in his body was forgotten, though he knew he’d still feel it later. It was natural. Far too natural, he realized. Killing was where he felt at home.

The ground shook again, and Link looked up to see the Hinox fall backwards, the Lynel standing triumphantly on its belly. But its victory was short-lived. It saw the battlefield and let out a deep roar before jumping off the Hinox, scraping its leg against the dirt, and charging full speed towards everyone.

“Move!” Link called, and several screams echoed behind him, warning others to get out of the way.

Grabbing his wound, Link mentally prepared himself for how much this would hurt. It wouldn’t be his first time swinging himself onto a Lynel, but nonetheless, it would be incredibly painful in his condition and he really, really wished the Hinox had won.

With several deep and steadying breaths, he waited for the impact. If there was anyone who could stop the Lynel, it had to be him, no matter what. No one else was around to do it for him, so he braced himself.

But the impact never came.

Instead, there was a different one.

Fire and smoke began to spread along the grass as a long red line led down from the sky and straight into the Lynel.

Link looked up at the source of the blast and grinned. Vah Rudania was standing off in the distance, though it was close enough that he could see Yunobo standing on its head with his hand outstretched. But he wasn’t alone.

Princess Zelda was standing beside him, holding on tightly as she pointed at the Lynel. It roared again before collapsing onto its side just in front of Link, simmering from the harsh laser blast.

He shook his head in disbelief and watched Vah Medoh soar over the sky, its shadow running along the battlefield, its attention on the perimeter of the battle to keep new monsters away.

As the shadow passed—as if conjured by the absence of light—Aia was standing several feet from Link, staring at him with a blank expression. She didn’t move, didn’t even blink.

Link tightened his grip on the Master Sword, waiting to understand her plan.

A Rito flew up beside Link—Kass as it were—and Zelda hopped off his back.

“That was close, Link! There are no other…”

Zelda and Kass turned to follow Link’s gaze and froze.

“You,” Aia finally said as she turned to Zelda. “There is no reason to keep you alive now. Jirou?”

Her brother, Jirou, appeared from the crowd, dragging someone alongside him in a tight headlock, swinging the body into Aia. She caught the small frame and held a knife to his throat.

Chancellor Cole.

“This is the man who leads your people while you hide in the shadows?”

“He’s done nothing to you,” Zelda said quickly. She tried to take a step forward, but Link held out his arm to stop her.

“Kass, get her out of here.”

“No,” she said again, not being taken from this fight again as they’d tried to do to her 100 years ago.

Aia shook her head slowly. “You’re right. He has done nothing to me.”

In a swift motion, she brought the blade across Cole’s throat, dropping him in the grass without even looking.

“No!” Zelda screamed before averting her eyes, keeping them solely on Aia.

“Imagine what I want to do to someone who has done something to me.”

“Kass,” Link grumbled, pushing Zelda back further.

“Go ahead, bird, try it. Try to take her,” Aia said with a smile. She gestured to one of the Yiga behind Jirou who had an arrow aimed right at them.

Zelda felt Link’s grip on her tighten. Her breathing sped up as she watched the Triforce glisten in Aia’s hand.

“Goddess,” she whispered, a final prayer. They were cornered. Aia didn’t need to close the gap between them to kill them in an instant, but with only the Master Sword, Link would need to. There was no way out.

Until another red beam struck the ground, followed quickly by a second.

Link pushed Zelda into Kass, who immediately dragged her away, despite her protests. Link turned to make sure it wasn’t a Guardian. The first strike had come from Vah Ruta and Sidon, aimed directly at Aia, while the second came from the other direction, from Riju and Vah Naboris. It was aimed at Jirou and the surrounding Yiga.

Brandishing the Master Sword, Link wasted no time guessing. He ran into the smoke and fire, straight for Aia.

He felt his blade connect with something, but it wasn’t flesh. It moved, and he felt the wind rush against him, the wind of a near-miss by his throat.

Aia was still alive.

They both relied solely on their other senses until the smoke cleared. Both were tired and injured. After a horrible back and forth, Aia’s pace was slow and torturous, while Link was finally feeling the painful consequences of rushing into battle.

The smoke was beginning to clear when Link felt a harsh force of air against his face. She was close, so close, yet the air didn’t come out from her mouth again.

He blinked several times, trying to clear the smoke from his eyes. And it was subsiding quickly as the wind picked up. It was enough to finally see what had happened.

Zelda was standing behind Aia’s body with a bloody knife in her hand, and Aia was clutching the side of her neck frantically, trying and failing to take a breath.

“Link,” Zelda whispered when she could see him again. “I… I didn’t know what to do. Oh, Goddess… forgive me. I killed her.”

Aia fought for life, though it was fruitless and in vain.

“Zelda, come here,” Link said, grabbing her, and holding her safely beside him. Then, in a single motion, he jammed the Master Sword into Aia and pulled it back out, kicking her to the ground where she crumpled into a motionless heap. “You didn’t kill anyone. You won’t need the Goddess’ forgiveness.”

“Link… you didn’t have to… I…” she stopped and thought back to the Yiga she and Paya had attacked, how they’d both struck killing blows so neither shouldered the burden alone, and how Link had said he’d taken care of it so none of them would ever know the truth.

“Thank you.”

He nodded briefly, standing over Aia and making sure she was dead.

As he was looking, a bright light cleared the remainder of smoke before disappearing altogether. The Triforce of Power was no longer in her hands.

It was gone completely.

Zelda looked over at Jirou. The blast from Riju hadn’t missed him. He was simmering on the ground, and Zelda looked away rather quickly. There was no surviving that.

Then, she turned to Link.

“What happened?”

He raised an eyebrow and shook his head. “What do you mean?”

“To you. Are you alright?”

“Retreat!” several Yiga interrupted. “Our leader is down! Retreat!”

Link’s grip on Zelda tightened until most of them had moved away from the two of them, and Zelda pressed her finger lightly on Link’s cheek. She pulled away and showed him the blood. “Your face is bleeding, Link. Come on. Let’s go. Our part in this is done.”

“They’re still out here,” he said, looking at the few remaining Yiga who were fighting the soldiers. With the sight of their leader down, despite her wielding a piece of the Triforce, the Yiga were retreating or losing. Badly.

“No, they’ll be fine without you. Come on. It’s an order from your Princess.”

Link turned to Kass, who’d been silent. “Is it bad?”

Kass shrugged, not wanting to say yes.

“Link, let’s go. We won. We won. Again. You need to be taken care of now. I saw you limp, now I can hardly see your lips what with all the blood. Come on. I’m not going to have you dying a third time from something as preventable as an infection. And I could use a seat, to be honest.”

Link felt the release of the tension in his shoulders as he looked back at Aia one more time.

He knew they were heading back to scrutiny, and he wanted nothing more than to kiss Zelda before anyone saw, but he didn’t want to cover her in his blood, and he was beginning to feel the impact he’d received, nauseous and unfocused. He wasn’t sure when it had happened, though he figured it had happened amid the smoke.

“Link,” Zelda said again, this time, grabbing his hand and smiling. “We won.”

He grinned at her enthusiasm and squeezed her hand, careful to see that Sidon wasn’t around. After all, his Princess was about to become the Queen. There were no excuses now. There was no more reason to delay.

They’d had their reprieve. They’d had their final goodbye when they thought they were about to die. But now, life could go back to normal.

And though they’d won the Battle for Hyrule, Link realized that he was the one who’d truly lost.

Chapter Text

Though several days had passed since the Battle for Hyrule Field, many Hylians were still afraid to travel. Cleaning up the kingdom had happened quickly. The most damage had happened in Hyrule Field itself from the larger creatures and the Yiga. The Gerudo Zelda and Riju had left behind in Castle Town had begun to fight off the Yiga attack on the city before it even began. The Rito had been cooperating with the Yiga for the sake of Amali, Saki, and the fledglings, so no Yiga had gone there to attack. But the Gorons and Zora defended their homes, though both took some losses. The Yiga had forgotten what it meant to have a home, and to have families to protect. It meant there was no stopping someone from protecting what they loved.

The Gorons had forced the Yiga back until they were in Moblin territory. Both worked together to defeat the Yiga, only to continue the fight when they’d finished. The Gorons were used to these creatures, and Boss Bludo sent Gorons to the Field to inform others of the attack. Of course, they arrived to see the chaos that had already been unleashed.

The Zoras were quick to close rank. With so many well-trained warriors already in Hyrule Field, many of the newer guards were left to defend the Domain. But even the young Zoras were older than many Yiga, and their experience went far beyond. They took out the invaders as well.

Zelda’s hand ran absently over her stomach. She could feel the raised skin from the healing stab wound. Though it was healing well, and her daily potions were speeding the healing along nicely, she knew it would scar. But it was one she was proud of.

Aia was no longer a threat, Kogha, Jirou and the other Yiga were dead, and the remainder had scattered. They were leaderless and without hope. Ganon was dead… for now. It would be the next Zelda’s responsibility to ensure he stays that way. But it was sad to know that another young girl, another her, would have to suffer, or even die, for the cause. Ganon had to be stopped no matter what. And she’d nearly given her life to stop Aia.

“Are you ready for later?” a voice interrupted Zelda’s wandering thoughts.

Zelda jumped, trying to keep her thoughts off the battle, off what she did… what she had to do. The scar along her stomached ached, and she was determined to keep her mind off of it.

“Yes, I suppose I am.”

Riju smiled and took a seat beside her. “After what you did, you know what everyone’s vote will be.”

“It’s not a guarantee.”

Riju scoffed. “Of course it is. You’ll be the Queen by tonight. You’ll get your fancy castle back eventually, and you’ll live happily ever after putting the kingdom back together.”

Zelda gave Riju a knowing look.

“You’ll figure everything out. I learned to be Chief at a young age. I had people with me, advising me, helping in every way. I’m confident enough now to make my own decisions, but even now I will ask for help. We’re all going to be here for you.”

“Cole won’t be.”

Standing up, Riju stretched. “Are you torn up about his death?”

“No, not torn up, but I didn’t want him to die. And seeing it in front of me like that… so cold hearted and senseless… I didn’t want that. Not ever. Not even for him.”

“Of course not.”

They sat together in silence before Riju couldn’t take it any longer. “When will Link return?”

“Soon.”

“What about your fiancée?”

Zelda sighed and sat back. “Soon.”

“Alright, I’ll leave you then.”

“Riju,” Zelda said, standing. “Thank you for the company. I know I’m not good for it today.”

“I understand.”

Zelda nodded, watching Riju leave. After awhile of standing there, watching the empty air in the empty house she was staying in, Zelda pulled on her boots and headed out into the brisk wind, wrapping her arms around herself.

Flaxel began to follow her, but Zelda shook her head. “I’m glad you’re better, Flaxel. You scared us back in Gerudo Desert. So take no offence when I say this, but I need to be alone. It’s not like the Yiga will come for me. I’ll be just outside Castle Town, and I’ll be back soon.”

Flaxel scrunched up her face. “I don’t think anyone would like me leaving you alone.”

Zelda shrugged, though her expression was kind. “You won’t get in trouble. I just don’t care what they want from me or for me. If I want to be alone, they’ll just have to let me be.”

“Alright. As long as you’re feeling safe enough for it.”

“I do,” Zelda said, continuing to make her way past the market stalls until she reached the tall walls that protected the city even from the Yiga.

She lowered herself into a ball, letting her dress drape heavily over her legs as she rested her arms. Her eyes scanned the battlefield. Blood still stained the grass. It hadn’t rained, and everyone did their best to clean up the field. Again.

It seemed that anytime she was around, there was a great battle that ended in the loss of her people. And most nights, it kept her awake. All the loss that had happened while she should have been around. But what helped her sleep was all the good she’d done. She stopped the Calamity, the most impossible of tasks, and she’d done it with Link. They’d taken out the highest members of the Yiga, stopped the Triforce from bringing about a second Calamity and raising Ganon.

She stood and began to walk slowly away from the wall and towards the trees. “Father,” she said quietly, making sure no one was around to hear her speak to the ghostly air. “Have I done enough? Are you finally proud? This was my destiny, was it not? I should be asking the Goddesses this, but I want to know… I want to hear you say you’re proud of me. I know it will never be possible, but I wish… I wish I could speak to you now. I could be your daughter this time, not the failure you knew, not the princess who could never thrive. I could have been so much.”

Wiping tears from her face, she nodded to herself and crossed her arms against the chill the air brought. She chuckled. “Is that you, or is that just the approaching cold?”

She watched the sun pass in the sky, simply enjoying the peace and calm that she finally felt. It was the first time in her life she felt unburdened and at peace. And then she remembered, and her whole body tensed in fearful anticipation.

By tonight, it was likely that she would have the entire kingdom to worry about. She’d be telling King Dorephan how to calm his people, or she’d be forced to discipline Harth for the Rito’s betrayal. She had Riju to repay, though she had no idea where to start. And Boss Bludo would be expecting something from her, wouldn’t he?

Movement caught her eye along the horizon as a large mass came into view, growing with every passing moment. She turned to see that the soldiers atop the wall were looking, and it brought her comfort to know that they were, and they were unconcerned. Either that, or she’d have to talk to Link about their vast incompetence.

As she waited, the mass soon became clearer. Riders on horseback slowly returning home. Catherine was unmistakable, as was her rider. They were leading the large group’s return to Castle Town.

Link nodded at Zelda and pulled Catherine off to the side, letting the rest of the company ahead of him. He grinned at Gaddison as she continued past him, an unspoken joke passing between old friends.

When everyone had finally entered the walls, Link dismounted in front of Zelda and bowed deeply. “Your Majesty.”

“Don’t start with me,” she scolded.

Link rose up with a grin on his face. “You’ll have to get used to it after tonight.”

Zelda was struck again by the large scar on his face, still healing but bright and obvious. “How did everything go?”

He moved beside her, leaning heavily on the wall. “All clear. There was no trace of them, no sign that anyone made it back to clean up. We scouted the entire area. They’re gone. Scattered, if nothing else.”

“Whatever will we do now?” Zelda mused. “There will be no need to constantly look over our shoulders or live in fear.”

“Well, you have a kingdom to run. Is your fiancée here yet?”

Zelda scoffed and shook her head. “No. I still have some time to myself before I’m married to the kingdom and my duties forever.”

“You sound so excited,” Link joked.

She looked at him blandly. “I love Hyrule. I’d do anything for it… and that’s the problem.”

He nodded. “I understand.”

Zelda let out a long breath. “Is it time we finally had that talk about everything that’s happened?”

“The Great Fairies revived me, I saved your life, you owe me big time, and the Yiga are gone.”

She hit his arm with a laugh, playing along. “Excuse me, I came to your rescue with Yunobo. We saved you from that Lynel, and then I stabbed Aia for you. I think you might owe me.” She crossed her arms defiantly.  “But I do want to hear more of that Great Fairy story later.”

“Princess,” Link started, his joking expression fading quickly. “You’ve got Sidon. You’ve got Hyrule. My role as Champion is done. There’s no chance of Ganon returning in our lifetime. I’ll be your Appointed Knight for as long as you’ll have me, no matter the circumstance. Without the constant threat of the Yiga, you won’t need me trailing you every second of every day. If you and Sidon are more… comfortable with a regular rotation of guards, I understand.”

She threw her head back against the wall, perhaps with too much force. This wasn’t something she wanted to talk about. Ever. “What do you want, Link?”

He chuckled darkly. “No.”

“’No?’ That’s not an answer.”

“I think you know what I want. But it can’t happen. So, I’ll defer to you, as always. I respectfully decline to answer that question.”

“Ever the dutiful soldier,” she muttered, wishing he’d just say it, because the words from his lips would likely be enough to stop her from doing her duty to Hyrule. “Okay. We know where we stand. We’ll continue to live our lives for the kingdom, like we were both raised to do.”

Link nodded, though the weight and sorrow he felt was palpable.

“It might not be the best time to ask, but I’ll be needing a few days off soon, if you’ll allow it.”

Zelda scoffed. “’If I’ll allow it’? You just saved Hyrule. Take as much time off as you need. Take some time to heal.”

He shook his head, placing his hand over his chest. “It won’t heal, Princess. This one is permanent.”

“What?” she asked, moving closer to him. “What’s that mean?”

“It means forever. It’ll never heal.”

Zelda hit his arm a little harder than she meant to. “Don’t joke. What do you mean? Are you dying?”

Link’s face hardened. “I don’t think I am. Not of anything unnatural, that is. For all I know, I could be. But that’s not what I mean. I meant I probably won’t be taking on anymore Lynel. Ever. It hurts to do the things I used to. My hand isn’t healing. It looks like I’ll be a lefty now. I can still fight. You saw that. But I can’t single handedly take on an entire onslaught from the Yiga clan.”

“How do you feel about that?” she asked, placing her hand on his arm.

He didn’t answer at first, but he finally leaned his head back and sighed. “It’s time for me to move on from the past. I’m not the Hylian Champion. This is me now. It’s fitting, you know? After my memories, this is a fresh start. I remember my old life 100 years ago, my past lives thousands of years ago, my blank life when I woke up, and my new life now, made up of all of it. It’s time for the future, not the past.”

“That’s a rather positive way to look at it,” she said, starting to make her way back into Castle Town. Link was beside her immediately. “This has been your whole life. Everything you’ve done has led you here. You were trained every day to become a knight. You’re just… giving it up?”

He grinned, though it was humorless. “I’ll always fight when I’m needed. But Princess… I’m… Goddess, I hate saying this… I’m in pain. It’s not going away. I understand that things take time to heal when you don’t have a magic shrine, but I can feel it. It’s not going to heal. There are some things you just know. But do you want to know what?”

Zelda waited as he thought to himself.

He stopped, pulling her to a halt with him. “I don’t regret anything. I don’t regret dying… twice. I don’t regret kissing you in the desert, or on top of the Dueling Peaks, even knowing that this is how it will end. I don’t regret rebuilding Castle Town, and Tarry Town. I’ve even stopped regretting not being there when my father died, or not protecting you when the Guardians closed in. All of it brought us here. We’re living in peace. They’re safe, now. We saved the world, Princess.”

Zelda pushed Link into a more private alleyway and looked behind her quickly before continuing their conversation. “I feel like I’m going to be taken by the Goddesses. We’re not meant to be here, neither of us. We’re out of our time. We should have died from old age some twenty years ago, unless we were to have a great lifespan like the Sheikah. We should never have seen Robbie’s funeral, but he should have seen ours.”

Link rubbed his hand along her arm. “Do you think the Goddesses will take back our stolen time?”

“No. I think we earned it.”

“We did.”

Zelda crossed her arms, hugging herself. Link’s hand had sent chills down her spine. She stared at Link’s lips, trying to remember what they felt like against hers. She shook her head, trying to erase the thought. She could hear people marching by, the jingle-jangle of metal armor. They’d be gathering any moment, and she needed to be there.

“I feel like we’re saying goodbye,” she whispered, feeling the sting of tears behind her eyes. She fought them back.

“In a way, I suppose we are. I’ll always be here for you. Always. But the past is over. And it’ll hurt, maybe even worse than dyi… worse than anything. But we have always paid the price for Hyrule. It’s our Goddess-given curse, isn’t it?”

Zelda felt a tear fall down her cheek and nodded, turning on her heel to face the street. “Let’s get this over with.”

She felt oddly like she once had, once…what felt like a lifetime ago. She and Link weren’t anymore than thrown together by fate, walking as two silent entities, her body filled with hate. And she hated everything as she took each step towards Cole’s house, where the meeting was being held in honor of his death. She wouldn’t let the burning tears fall, no more. No more.

She passed by several Zora on her way. They’d be as much her people soon as the Hylians. But was that even fair? Hadn’t Riju done more for her, the Gerudo’s, Urbosa’s people? They were hers, too. But by law, she would rule them all… unequally. Her trade would favor her husband’s people. They’d provide her with the rupees to rebuild. It was the start of Hyrule’s New Golden Age.

But everything felt so dark.

She stalked towards the house, eager to take her seat and get this over with. But a familiar face stopped her in her tracks.

Sitting in a wheeled chair was Impa.

Zelda felt the crack of a smile as she moved toward the old woman.

“I didn’t know you still left the village.”

She smiled kindly. “Well, I figured I’d see what you and Link had done with the place. It looks beautiful. It will be even better than it once was.”

“I’m counting on it.” She looked around for a moment, distracted. “Where’s Paya?”

Impa laughed. “She’s in Kakariko with her Auntie Purah. They’re my blood and can lead the village in my absence. Paya’s gotten more worldly thanks to you, but it’s time she learns firsthand what she will do when I die and her turn to lead comes.”

Zelda grimaced, but Impa shook her hand and her head. “No, no, Princess, it’s alright. Death comes to all of us, and I have been blessed with the Goddess’ favor. I’ve had a long life, and I don’t regret any of it. Unlike my blasted sister who cheated death.”

She rolled her eyes with a smile, but Zelda had to force hers to stay. Impa’s words were surprisingly like Link’s had been.

With Zelda still unspeaking, Impa took her hand and squeezed. “I’ll be representing the Hylians in the wake of Cole’s death, Goddesses lead him to peace. But that means you have my vote today, regardless of your choice. If you wish to start a navy, sailing the seas to find a new home, I’ll agree with you.” Impa winked and turned to the Sheikah who was pushing her. “Go in, please. Princess, I’ll see you inside.”

Zelda nodded and turned to Link, an instinct when she felt upset. One she’d need to learn to break. She took a deep breath and shook her head. “Don’t look at me like that,” she warned Link as she stole a glance at him. He looked concerned, like he wanted to reach out and hold her. But there was something else. It was like he wanted to shake her. Or maybe… maybe she was seeing what she wanted to see.

“I’m going to throw up,” she sighed as she grabbed the door.

“Aim at Sidon,” Link whispered quickly, pushing past her so he could hold the next door open for her. She needed air, but they were trapped in this ghostly house at a small table once again. Link stood in front of her against the wall next to Buliara.

Impa was at the head of the table, and Boss Bludo sat at the other end. Respect for the elders, Zelda figured. Sidon and Harth weren’t at the table yet, but Riju was next to her and leaned in.

“Are you feeling better than you were earlier?”

“Worse, actually. I might be getting sick.”

Riju sniggered, though it wasn’t malicious. “You’re getting sick, but I don’t think it’s a cold.”

Zelda was careful to angle her mouth away from prying eyes, spectators eager to see the next, and first, Queen. “I have never wanted to run away more than I do right now.”

“You’re doing something you hate, for reasons that aren’t your own heart’s, and you have an audience for what, might I just say, might be the most uncomfortable day of your life.”

Zelda’s eyes widened in horror. “Wait, am I supposed to marry Sidon today?”

Riju patted Zelda’s hand. “If it’s that horrifying to you, why are you doing it?”

“My father—”

“Your father has been dead for over one hundred years. I’m sorry, but it’s true. He isn’t the king, and you’re not a child. You’re about to be queen and you’re taking your orders from a rotting corpse. Grow up, Zelda. Be a Queen, not a Princess.”

Zelda winced at the young girl’s harsh words. She glanced over at Link, where he and Buliara watched the exchange with concern, thought they couldn’t hear what had been said.

Zelda’s head shot to the door as Harth and Sidon walked in with their guards. Teba nodded politely to Link and Zelda, and Link’s old friend, Bazz, was beside Sidon. He waved excitedly before returning to his trained demeanor and took his place with the other guards.

Zelda couldn’t help but wonder why Gaddison hadn’t attended Sidon. She was a far superior warrior. But… it must be because Sidon is planning to leave Gaddison with her, a female guard. At this point, Zelda realized that she’d be followed not by ladies of the court as she once had, but by female guards. She had Gaddison and Flaxel, and perhaps some Gerudo that Riju might gift to her service. ‘Gift.’ The word sounded dirty, but she had to prepare to dive back into the courtly life.

The room was not empty by any means. Off to the side and on the balcony, people crammed inside and crowded the doors and windows to keep an ear to the event. Zelda was greatful that they weren’t outside where the number of onlookers would have been uncountable.

“Well,” Bludo said, his voice rumbling. “We are all here, so let’s begin. Chancellor Cole is no longer with us, as we know, so until we have officially declared anything, Lady Impa will be acting with the Hylian’s best interest at heart. And, despite the terrible circumstances that brought about another change, Harth is now the official voice of the Rito, given the death of Chief Kaneli, we welcome Chief Harth. I represent my own people, as does Chief Riju, and Prince Sidon acts on behalf of his father. Well, I hope I did Cole proud anyway. That was a mouthful. For a little guy, he sure had a lot of air!”

The room chuckled.

“Well, we all know why we’re here, but I’d like to honor Cole one more time by talking when everyone wants me to stop. I’d like to personally thank everyone who helped fend off the Yiga. I was in Goron City, but the lad, Yunobo, and the other Champions, some at this table, were instrumental in keeping the large critters at bay. The soldiers who have been trained by Master Link and Chief Riju’s people were a stunning success. And most importantly, to those who lacked training, but put their lives on the line for the good of Hyrule and their families. For those who fell in battle, we hope the Goddesses have welcomed you into the Sacred Realm.”

He took a deep breath, not accustomed to talking this much… ever.

“Good. I think that covers preliminary proceedings. Let’s move straight in to the main event. Princess Zelda?”

She looked up from the table and clasped her clammy hands together on her lap, out of sight. “Yes?”

“We have spoken a number of times about the necessity of your marriage to Prince Sidon. It’s been agreed. And with a royal marriage in place, I have spoken to my people. We accept you as our next monarch.”

He looked at Sidon, and he smiled widely at Zelda. “My father accepts these terms, as do my people. We will be pleased to welcome you into the family.”

He turned to Harth. It seemed he was still settling into the role of Chief, and he nodded harshly, almost with too much authority. “We accept.”

Riju waited for him to say more, but when he didn’t, she placed her hand on Zelda’s. “Of course, I am confident in you. You’ll be a wonderful Queen. My people and I have also spoken and are wholeheartedly in agreement.”

Impa nodded along. “I have not spoken to everyone, but I know my Sheikah accept you. From Chancellor Cole’s desire to continue moving along with the wedding in these proceedings, I believe he, too, would agree that you’d make a fine Queen, and we accept.”

Everyone’s eyes expectantly turned to her. Zelda wrung her fingers until they were in physical pain.

“Your father has been dead for over one hundred years. I’m sorry, but it’s true. He isn’t the king, and you’re not a child. You’re about to be queen and you’re taking your orders from a rotting corpse. Grow up, Zelda. Be a Queen, not a Princess.”

Voices in Zelda’s head swirled. She could hear Cole, clear as he would be if he were right in front of her. “When was the last lone Queen to rule Hyrule? Her mother was made to marry before assuming the throne. There have always been two figures to wear the crowns. No one monarch reigned alone in centuries."

It was nagging, persisting. She could hear him, his constant reminder that Hyrule either needed a married monarch, or something else. “You call her 'Queen,' but what is she queen of? Hyrule is a republic, a democracy!" It made sense once. Heir to a throne of nothing. But now? Hyrule could thrive with its people.

Even her own voice rang in her ears. "I don't have any better options for my people. If they want me to be queen, I'll have to choose Sidon." If she wanted Hyrule to thrive, if she wanted it to grow, she had to do what was right. She needed the Zora.

She was not a child. Despite her age, this was her biggest choice. It was bigger than the Calamity. That was a moment thrust upon her by destiny. Was it destiny that she marry Sidon for the throne? "I understand the need for tradition My entire life has been based around it. I've chosen to marry." Was tradition the same as destiny?

Again, she could hear Riju. It was like the young Chief had turned her head and spoken: "You should have been born a Gerudo. No Chancellor, or old tradition would ever dictate how I rule.”

"You should be King," she’d said to Link.

"Don't say that. It's not my life, and it never was meant to be."

Link’s voice stuck in her head now. She looked up at him. He was watching her. They all were. Waiting. On her.

"Zelda," he’d said, calling her by her first name. "I love you. I always have."

She’d seen Link die once before, but seeing it again… it would have killed her. What he was willing to do for Hyrule… for her… was she being selfish? Was she just a selfish child?

 You did your part. You saved the world from Calamity. It's my turn now.

He was selfless. He gave up everything to be a knight, to allow her to be a Queen, for Hyrule, for her people.

Her breathing sped up, and she felt a sharp pain where her fingernail dug into her skin.

"I've been in love with you for 100 years," she’d finally said it. And it had been a release of pent-up air that had been threatening to burst inside of her. And she felt that air now, thinking of Sidon, of a life with him.

"At least I won't have to marry Sidon," she’d mused just moments before believing she was about to die.

And Link had laughed, even on the brink of death, "Good. I didn't want you to marry him."

Goddess.

Zelda couldn’t. There was nothing she could do. She just had to push Link from her thoughts. She had to push herself out. This was a kingdom, a legacy, a destiny.

“You just gave up your chance at a normal life! Now you'll be stuck guarding doors and following me around. I tried to give you a chance." She remembered the day Link had re-sworn himself to her service, she felt her heart surge. This was it. Now.

"No, you gave me a choice."

“Princess?” Boss Bludo prompted.

“I…”

She sniffed and shook her head, feeling bile rise in the back of her throat. She was sure she’d faint.

“Riju,” she said finally, feeling her anxiety skyrocket as she finally managed to speak. The girl grabbed Zelda’s hand below the table, stopping her from plucking at her raw and bleeding skin surrounding her fingernail. Zelda swallowed and nodded. “You have been Chief of the Gerudos for some time. Your mother died young, and you were left to learn. Your family has guarded the desert for many centuries, and you are their Champion. You saved them from the Yiga, from the Second Calamity. Your people have thrived in the face of adversity. Yet, you were there, offering me aid the day I needed it most. You’ve been supportive emotionally, and you’re willing to extend your hand for Hyrule.

“Harth,” she said, turning to the Rito. “You… you did something terrible. You betrayed us. And I was upset at first, of course, but I understand. I respect your decision to consort with the Yiga. Children were at risk. Your people. I believe I’d have made the same choice. Yet Teba went so far as to kill Link for the sake of Hyrule, even with his wife and son on the line. The other day, you were there for us all. Your people were the first to aid me when I needed to get to Yunobo. You’ve been there. Kass has been there. He helped Link end the Calamity.

“Boss Bludo, I haven’t gotten to know you as much as I’d have liked. But I know someone who does, and who has spoken highly of you no matter what. Personal feelings aside, you have chosen Hyrule over your friendships. You sent Gorons to aid us despite your city being under attack. You have been training the most amazing Champion and future leader. Daruk was a father figure to many of us, and you are as well. You’re a father without favorites.

“And Sidon,” she said with a soft smile. “You I understand best of all. You are a friend, and I have known you since you were young. Your sister was a beautiful soul, and you learned a great deal from her, whether you realized it or not. You were first to help Link in the Calamity, quick to offer me assistance to rebuild, and eager.

“But that’s what I understand the most. You are so eager to please your father. He wants our marriage more than us. Of course he does; it’s smart, and your father has never lacked for that.

“I also wanted to please my father. I wanted to more than anything. If I’d held the Triforce, I fear that my wish might have been just to hear him say that he was proud of who I’d become. But someone wise recently pointed out that I’ve been taking orders from a ghost, a memory.”

Zelda took a deep breath and looked around the room. She smiled at Riju and squeezed her hand.

“Robbie was a man of forward thinking. I don’t know how many of you knew him, but he looked backwards only to learn, and then he continued forward. There is only one other person I know who was strong enough to do that, especially with the past that we’ve had.”

Her eyes rested on Link.

“And that someone reminded me that it’s time to move on from the past. It’s time for the future.”

“Princess,” Sidon tried, and the room began to buzz with murmurs from all those listening.

“No,” Zelda said firmly. “I am not meant to be here. I’m supposed to be dead. None of you should have ever known me. I should be a name in a history book to you. And my presence disrupts the natural course of time.”

Impa was smiling at her, but Zelda felt Riju’s hand tighten. “You’re not going to kill yourself, right? That won’t change things, please.”

Zelda turned her attention to Link, though she gripped Riju’s shaking hands. “No, I’m not. But if there’s one thing I know, it’s that this second chance has given me a choice. I was born to be Queen of Hyrule… but I wasn’t meant to live as Queen.”

“I don’t understand,” Bludo said.

Impa nodded happily. And for the first time, Zelda felt her body relax to a point that she believed she might fall from her seat. Her nausea disappeared and her mind was calm.

“All of you have been maintaining Hyrule for a century. But you’ve done it alone and separated. You’ve each shown that your love of Hyrule is far greater than anything individual. You’ve all proved it. Perhaps it isn’t time to be united under one monarch, but to unite as one. A coalition, a council. Look what we have here today! Everyone has come together for a common goal. Hyrule is your common goal.”

“We can’t do that,” Harth said, leaning forward, focusing intently. “We are not well-funded enough to provide for the others.”

“You told me that the Zora’s don’t have an efficient trade route to reach you. We now have Castle Town up and running. If everyone focuses their efforts into rebuilding, you’ll all have new hubs like the Exchange once was. Or, well, none of you knew what that was. It was a place for trade along a route that was closer to the Gerudo so perishables wouldn’t spoil from a long, hot journey, and so merchants didn’t have to spend days travelling, among other things. Branch out! Centralize trading here for now. What you don’t currently do is cooperate; you work as five separate entities. Become one! What’s good for the Gorons isn’t always what’s best for the Zora’s, but maybe it’s time to put aside this separation. It’s time to become one Hyrule.”

“Lofty words for someone who just declined their power,” Bludo pointed out. It was not aggressive. It was clear he was still thinking.

“Is that truly what you’re doing?” Sidon asked.

Zelda closed her eyes, searching within herself one more time. But there was nothing, no objection she could raise even to herself.

“I’m declining my seat in the line of succession in the Hylian monarchy. There is no one left in the line to take my place.”

“Then there is no monarchy, no marriage, and no more discussion on this matter,” Impa said, looking firmly at Sidon, who promptly closed his mouth. “Tell us, where will you go?”

“Nowhere,” Riju said firmly. “She may not want the monarchy, but the Hylian representative seat is still unfilled. With respect, Lady Impa, you’re only filling in.”

“That I am.”

“Then, if this council thing is happening, I vote that Zelda becomes the standing representative of the Hylians. If she wants it.”

Zelda chuckled and shook her head. Hadn’t she just denied a seat of power?

Absolute power.

This wasn’t the same.

“I don’t know. No only do I not know if I should, I don’t know that I deserve it.”

Riju nodded, but it was Sidon who spoke up. “You know more about sacrificing for Hyrule than any of us. You’ve been fighting for these people… your people.”

“Our people,” Harth corrected, absently.

“Right, our people.”

Riju saw Zelda’s eyes flicker over to Link for a moment before looking back down at her hand. Riju grinned. “There’s nothing you have to sacrifice for this. The Yiga are gone. We don’t want you to lay down and die, but we know that you would. You talked about what each of us has done for Hyrule, but let’s talk about you. You were willing to give it all up. One hundred years ago, you had to leave Link to potentially die while you fought off the incarnation of evil for 100 years. Is that not proof enough, or would you rather I make a list?”

 Harth sat forward. “If you’ll have it, I’ll vote ‘yes’ to you joining us on this… adventure.”

“I will as well, of course,” Impa added.

Bludo nodded slowly. “Change is for the young. I’m not sure I’ll be fit to lead my people through this, but I will try. And I’d feel better if you were with us.”

Zelda turned to Sidon.

He looked guilty. He knew his father wouldn’t vote for this. He’d try to get something more. But he was not his father.

“Yes, I agree.”

“It’s all up to you, Zelda,” Riju said.

Zelda found her head bobbing before she could even process what was happening. “Yes.”

Riju patted Zelda on the back and stood up. “This was the only matter we wanted to discuss today, and we have. I believe we all need a good rest and some planning before we meet up again. We can all stay in town, or we can reconvene soon.”

Bludo nodded. “We’ll each come up with plans and strategies. In the meantime, we each continue to enforce our own rules, as we have done. We’ll reconvene in, say, a week from today?”

“Agreed,” Harth said, standing. “And Princess… you and Impa can co-manage the Hylian issues until then. She can show you what to do.”

“I’d be happy to.”

“Wait,” Bludo said, stopping everyone from leaving. “’Princess’?”

Sidon pointed to Riju. “If you were to leave the desert, would you still not be Chief because that was the highest position you’ve held? We could call her Chancellor Zelda, but she is, and will always be, the last Hylian Princess. The title is hers.”

“Princess it is, then.”

The room began to clear out, but Zelda couldn’t leave her chair. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks, but unlike earlier, they weren’t sad tears. She felt relief.

It wasn’t until Riju rubbed a small circle on her back that she realized there were only four people left in the room. And two of them were leaving.

“Zelda, you did so good.”

Zelda let out a harsh sigh, one that was actually a laugh, but she couldn’t find any strength to make her vocal chords work.

“Thank you, Riju,” she said after a while. “Your words helped me realize that I was trying to do what my father had planned for me. I didn’t see it… how could I not have seen it?”

“You had bigger problems,” she said before glancing at Link and back to Zelda. “Buliara and I are going to stay here for a day at least. Come visit if you need to talk. I don’t think you will, but the offer is there.”

She winked at Link as she and her guard left, leaving only the two of them.

Zelda could see Link walking in her peripheral vision, but she still couldn’t move. It wasn’t until she heard the chair in front of her scrape that she looked at him directly. It had been the first time in a long while from the start of the meeting that she’d looked at him for any length of time.

His scar wasn’t even the first thing she saw, and not the fact that he wasn’t sitting in the chair but moving it out of the way. It was his smile.

He was giddy.

And when he slid onto the table, sitting cross-legged in front of her, she looked up at him with the same giddy look.

“By the Goddess, what did you do, Princess?”

Zelda chuckled and shook her head. “I don’t know. But I’m free.”

“It was a good show. And you’re beaming.”

Zelda stood up, leaning her arms on the table, just in front of Link’s knees. He glanced down quickly. Zelda left little room between them.

“There’s one thing that’s bothering me,” she said. He hummed his acknowledgement, waiting for her to speak while his eyes filled the time drifting lazily over her features.

“I know what I said about Hyrule, and I meant it. But there was something else. Something you said once. Not to paraphrase your brilliant words, but you said it was your time. We did our jobs, and we deserve something now. Well, it’s my time now, and I couldn’t marry Sidon. There are some things that aren’t replaceable, and when I tried to walk away from you earlier, my heart was breaking.

“Link, I love you, not Sidon. And, Goddess, I can finally say it without feeling guilty! Like I could have somehow caused the end of the world by indulging in three words.”

“What about four?” Link asked.

“What?”

“If you indulged in four words that you thought would cause the end?”

“What four?”

“I’ve always loved you.”

Zelda nodded vigorously, laughing at the sound of the words when she wasn’t bleeding out in the grass beside him. “Yeah, the world is still here. It’s not like the moon is falling. We’re fine. We can say them.”

Suddenly, Link grabbed Zelda’s arm, though he didn’t move from his spot on the table. “What… did you hear that?”

Zelda turned around but didn’t see or hear anything, shoving his shoulder. “You look too comfortable for it to be serious.”

Link let out a laugh. “You know me too well.”

Zelda rolled her eyes and pulled Link down to her level by the collar of his shirt and pressed her lips against his. The distance was too great, hurting his neck in a moment that he was desperate to savor in for as long as she’d allow.

Link bent down, pushing her gently away from the table so he could slide off, letting their bodies press up against the other more comfortably.

For once, there was nothing rushed about their kiss. They weren’t afraid to get caught by any prying eyes, or stealing this moment in the sunset. There was no looming engagement or threatening title like ‘queen’ or ‘champion’ hanging over either of them.

Months—years, truly—worth of emotions poured out into this one kiss, leaving them both winded and breathless. Link was the first to pull away only fractionally so he could stare at the door.

Zelda pressed against him as she turned as well. “What are we looking at?”

“Just waiting for someone to come interrupt. Beedle must be around somewhere.”

“I think his brother Beetle lives here, actually, not Beedle.”

Link hummed and smirked. “Oh sure, show off just how popular you are.” He pressed his lips against hers once again, cherishing every moment, every brush of her skin, every accidental clang of teeth.

“Finally!” a voice cried.

Link and Zelda hastily pulled away from each other. Zelda turned to Link, who was smirking like a smug idiot.

“Riju, you scared me… us,” Zelda said, pointing to Link, as if she didn’t know who she was referring to.

“Thank the Goddess, I thought this would never come! Honestly, I’m not even sure how you stayed off each other during the meeting. I was sure you’d have jumped over the table as soon as you turned Sidon down.”

“Riju,” Link began, clearing his throat. “What are you doing here?”

She quickly rushed to her seat and grabbed a ruby. “Dropped this. Bye!” She hurried out the door, leaving the two alone again.

Link wrapped his arm back around Zelda and leaned in, but Zelda jerked away.

“Have you realized that we’re in Chancellor Cole’s house?”

Link let go immediately and looked around. “Yeah, let’s get out of here. Where do you want to go?”

Zelda smiled to herself and sighed. “Anywhere.”

Chapter Text

“You know, I don’t think I ever told you this before,” Zelda said as she lovingly ran her hand along his hair, “but you are quite lovely. I mean, things have been rather difficult with us. Hectic, that is, and though I feel I’ve gotten to know you, I think we’ll be even better friends in the future.”

With a swoop of his head, Cloud took the apple from Zelda’s hand and nudged her, causing her to stumble with a giggle.

“Once, I struggled quite a lot with my horses. From the time I was a young girl until I met Link—your old rider—I was hated by every horse I’d ever tried to handle. Then I received Storm, my last horse before you. Well, he hated me as well at first as well. I think we had reached a pretty significant point when… well, when the Calamity happened.”

She sighed and let him nudge her again. He was looking for attention and she was more than willing to give it.

“I think you and I are in a much better place than Storm and I were. I do miss him, though. There’s something to be said for the first horse who can tolerate you.”

She turned her head, avoiding a fly that was annoyingly hovering in her eyes, and saw Link resting his chin in his palm as he leaned against a stone wall, watching her with unhidden affection. They were both still getting used to the idea that neither needed to steel their expressions into hard masks.

“By the Goddess, Link! You scared me!”

He grinned into his palm before leaning forward. “Who’s the better listener: me or Cloud?”

“The horse, for sure,” she said, laughing.

Link vaulted himself over the wall so he could walk toward them. He kissed Zelda quickly, still trying to remember that he was allowed to linger longer. But he placed his hand lovingly on Cloud’s back, scratching up to his mane. “She prefers you, my friend. It’s been a long road, but here’s where we part. At least I’ll always have Catherine. But I’ll admit, you wound me, Princess.”

Zelda watched Link with a warm expression. “You don’t have to call me that anymore.” Though the decision had only been made yesterday and she didn’t expect Link to break the habit anytime soon, she couldn’t deny that she loved hearing him call her Zelda.

Link studied her for a moment and moved closer. “You don’t have to come with me, you know.”

“I know that. I do wish you’d tell me where we’re going, but no matter what, I’ll come with you. Unless you’d rather I didn’t. I’d understand that as well.”

“No, no, that’s not it. I want you to come. I’ll need you more than ever when this is done.”

“Ominous,” she muttered, giving him a wry look. “You did ask for days off. This doesn’t sound like anything pleasant.”

Link shrugged nonchalantly. “I wouldn’t call it pleasant or unpleasant, just something I have to do.”

“Okay, that’s good enough for me, I suppose. I am here if you want to talk about it. Whatever it is.”

Link smiled and grabbed her hand. “I want to, I just… don’t think I can yet. You’ll understand.”

“Are you and Catherine ready?”

“We are. How about you and my replacement?” he patted Cloud lightly.

“Far less fussy than you, so he’s been ready.”

“Alright,” Link said, laughing. “Let’s head out then.”

Zelda took her time finishing packing her things onto Cloud. From what Link had told her, they wouldn’t be gone long, especially now that everything was about to change in the Kingdom. It was almost too soon for them to be going off on any long-deserved vacations, but Link said this specifically was something he had to do, and Zelda wasn’t going to argue.

The road was peaceful. They crossed the first bridge over Hylia River in silence, taking in the fresh air and freedom that came with it. Zelda was giddy in her saddle, riding alongside Link with a newfound appreciation for just about everything.

It was rare, she figured, for someone to be so happy and so content with their lives. After the events of yesterday, she could be surrounded by fire and still find the bright side of things if she looked hard enough.

Air tasted sweet, and the bounce of her horse was as comforting as a parent rocking their child. She felt like she could sleep, drift away peacefully and feel safe while she did. And it wasn’t just because Link was there.

She could see him glance at her through the side of his eye.

“If you’re tired, you should hop on with me. I don’t want you to fall off.”

Zelda shook her head. “Tempting, but I’m not sleepy. I’m tired, but it’s a different kind of tired.”

Link nodded and returned his attention to the road. Despite the Yiga being eliminated, there were still monsters about, and he kept his trained eyes ahead, looking for Bokoblin camps and other adversaries.

 It was only as they passed north by Woodland Stable that Zelda knew where they were going. Of course, he could have been taking her on a mountain path through Death Mountain, but it was becoming quite clear that they were headed to the Lost Woods… to the Deku Tree.

Trees enclosed around them as they made their way down the path through the Minishi Woods. It was slow, peaceful… green. There was hardly a sign that the fighting or chaos had reached this little haven, even if it was only so long as one road.

The last time Zelda had come this way, she’d been delivering the Master Sword to its sleep while they both awaited Link’s return. Now, she felt a serene peace that she’d never known.

It was only until the woods let off a natural haze that the sun clouded and drops of light escaped from the hidden sky above. It was beautiful… and unnerving at the same time.

Zelda dismounted, still surprised that he was taking her to the Deku Tree. Of course, it made sense that he would want to know what was going on. He was ancient, a keeper of secrets and knowledge alike. It was probable that he already knew the Triforce had nearly been used and was now broken.

Link grabbed a torch off the ground and lit it in a nearby flame, letting it catch and ignite before he turned back to her. He held out his hand.

Zelda grinned and took it, pulling herself close to him, enjoying the simple warmth his hand provided hers as they walked.

But it was strange, too. She felt the need to glance behind her, to make sure there were no scrutinizing eyes on them.

“This will take a little bit of getting used to,” she said squeezing his hand so he knew what she meant.

He nodded in agreement and glanced up at the flame, making sure it was stable before following the early trail of torches. “I think we’ll get over it.”

Zelda looked him over unabashedly. He was in his Champion’s Tunic, but she couldn’t help but catch a glimpse of the blood stains and tears that were all over it. It had been washed since the battle, but there was no saving some of the fabric. She wondered what made him insist on wearing it.

“How’d you get through here when you let the Sword sleep?” Link asked, glancing beside him before back to the flame. They’d finally run out of torches lighting the way and had to remain diligent. Admittedly, he took every opportunity he could to look at her, to remind himself that yesterday hadn’t been a dream; that it was real.

“I suppose I was being guided by the Master Sword, whether it wanted to guide me or not. It was like I just knew what to do and where to go.”

They walked hand-in-hand together, silently moving along the grassy path, following the trail of floating embers. The dense fog made it impossible to see far out, but they were both content with their slow, silent pace. It was a settled calm, a new norm.

Birds whizzed by their heads, hurriedly racing to an unknown destination. Deer bounded across the grass, careful to avoid any roots that stuck out. Bunnies were happily grazing, unaffected or concerned by the travelers.

And at last, they reached the end and followed a small path that led into a break in the large canopy of trees, one that allowed bright sunlight to shine through once more.

Koroks had an incredible ability to be incredibly hard to find, yet also, incredibly bad hiders. They could see hidden faces behind bushes or suspended from branches or hovering. None did a particularly good job at making themselves unknown until they ducked back into their hideaway to avoid closer inspection.

Only a short walk away was a glorious beam of bright light, gleaming almost as much as Zelda’s powers had, that shone down on the pedestal where the Master Sword had rested. Zelda and Link climbed the slope into the Triangle and glanced down at the pedestal. It looked cleaner than the surrounding stones, like it had been taken care of.

“So,” boomed a sudden and unexpected voice, “Thou hast decided to return unto me! My, my, how time has passed, Princess. You are a sight. Well done. I knew it t’was within you, though you perhaps did not see. And Link, nary a day goes by when my Koroks have not brought me a story of your heroism.”

“She’s done most of the hard work, Great Deku Tree,” Link said, finally letting go of Zelda so he could gesture towards her.

“So I have heard,” he said with a grave sigh. “Princess, what a terrible thing to endure, but you saved Hyrule once again. You are her caretaker after all. It seems you have finally said the words you would have entrusted to me all those years ago.”

“What words?” Link asked before shaking his head. “I remember… I think. It’s what I’ve been asking you about, right? The thing the Deku Tree showed me?”

Zelda still felt odd uttering the words. They were entirely true, and nothing could change it, but after too long forcing the words and the feelings to stay hidden, it was more difficult than she thought to say them in a time of peace.

“I… I didn’t know if we’d meet again. I wanted the Deku Tree to tell you… to say that I- I love you, Link. Knowing about your memories, it’s a good thing I didn’t. That would have overloaded you.”

“That’s possible. Now I know why you kept dodging every question I had about it,” Link admitted, glancing up at the tree. “Thank you for your aid, Great Deku Tree. It’s come time that I ask you for one final favor.”

Zelda turned to Link with interest. So, this was their true reason for being here.

But the Deku Tree already seemed to know. “I accept, Hero. You’ve done well. You both have.”

Link gave Zelda a look, one that could only be described as anxious. She stepped backwards off the podium as he lined himself up with the Deku Tree, just behind the pedestal.

Taking out the Master Sword, Link raised his head up to the sky, looking somewhere far off in the distance, though Zelda could not see where.

And then, Link was kneeling.

Zelda waited for him to say something, anything at all, but he remained so still for so long that Zelda moved to make sure he was okay.

And that’s when she saw the Master Sword.

It was slumbering again.

Link had returned it to its pedestal, though his hands remained on the hilt. It was like a physical battle had been fought and tired Link to the bone. He couldn’t stand, and he needed to find the strength.

“I will watch her for you, Link, until you come to claim her again. For you are her Master, and she is your Sword. This is not the end.”

Link finally stood up, pushing himself with shaking arm muscles. “When evil has been sealed away, it is time for the sword to sleep again.”

“Yes,” the Deku Tree agreed.

“But that’s your sword. Why can’t you keep it?” Zelda asked.

Link held out his hand once again, and she took it.

“You and I have accomplished what we were born to do… and so has the Master Sword. Now, it’ll wait a lifetime for our next selves, and its task will be born again.”

Zelda let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around him. He returned her embrace, needing to feel her as the empty weightlessness of no longer bearing the sword made him feel like he was about to float away, ungrounded and unsure.

“I know how much the Master Sword meant to you. I’m sorry it’s time to part with it.”

Link kissed her quickly, remembering their audience. “Thank you. It’s over. It’s finally over. This is proof of it.”

“No,” Zelda said, taking a few eager steps out into the grass.  She smiled and held out her arms, feeling the air on her fingers. “Now it’s the beginning.”

Chapter Text

~Two Years Later~

“Link… open your eyes.”

Link blinked away the sleep from his eyes, seeing bright light blinding his vision almost immediately. A dark shadow passed the light, darkening everything until all he could see was a blob, still blurry from his tired eyes.

But he could feel her warm flesh against his. She started to push his shoulder, urging him to wake up.

“Wake up, Link. It’s a big day.”

“It happens every year. Go back to sleep,” he mumbled, turning over and wrapping his arm around her, pinning her below him.

“No!” she protested with a giggle as she found herself trapped on the mattress, her arms smushed against Link’s bare chest.

Zelda tried to squirm away, but Link held her tighter, a small grin spreading on his face, waking up much to his displeasure. One look at her had him far more excited at the thought of waking, though.

“They’re going to hate us, Link,” she tried. “Do you remember last year? We were so late.”

“You know, I thought last night felt familiar. If I recall though, neither of us really wanted to go to thisthing last year either.”

Zelda sighed, finally relenting and relaxing into his arms. “Well, this year is different. Sort of. I mean, it really isn’t, but we need to be there. We’re important people, remember?”

Link groaned. “This day is literally about us. Can’t they at least let us sleep in? Just another few minutes.”

“To think, there was a time when I couldn’t get you to sleep! Awake all night outside my door, awake in the woods, awake for days! Now, you just want to sleep when it’s time to get up.”

She lightly pounded his chest, but she put no real effort into her escape this time. She was far too content.

“Retirement, Princess. I was meant for it.”

“Oh please, ‘retirement!’ You have to be there earlier than me because you’re not out of a job… yet. You really do have to get up or that might be your inevitable fate.”

“I know,” he muttered, releasing his hold on her.

Zelda rolled over him and grabbed her robe, one she’d retrieved from the ruins of her room at the castle and slipped into it.

“It’s already colder out,” she noted as she thought about the dress she’d laid downstairs out the night before, thankful for its long sleeves.

“More reason to stay in bed,” Link grumbled.

“You’d better be in your uniform when I come back up here,” she threatened with a roll of her eyes. She headed down the stairs of Link’s… or rather, their home in Hateno.

It took Zelda some time to change into her formal dress, one that she only wore on special occasions. It was one of the other items she’d managed to salvage from her room at the castle. It was blue and white with gold trim, formal, heavy, but not unfamiliar.

Changing into it brought back old memories. A time when she stood with the Champion’s of Hyrule, a time of Calamity. When the people she loved died and there was nothing she could do about it.

But that time had passed.

She was in the alcove under the stairs, and grabbed a circlet from a box that had been neatly tucked away. She was no Princess anymore, and there was no need for such extravagance.

Unless it was the anniversary of the day the Calamity had been banished from Hyrule.

Which it was.

Zelda placed it securely in her hair before looking back at the box. She pulled a journal from under the fold and brushed it off before holding it tightly against her chest. She flipped through the pages until she found the one she’d read the most, evidenced by the wear that kept the page open without her needing to hold it.

"I have been told my Zelda went to the Spring of Wisdom... This will likely be her last chance. If she is unable to awaken her power at Lanayru, all hope is truly lost. If she comes back without success, then I shall speak kindly with her. Scolding is pointless now. I forced 10 years of training on her... and after all that, it seems her power will stubbornly awaken some other way. Perhaps I should encourage her to keep researching her beloved relics. They may just lead her to answers I can't provide. For now, I sit anxiously, more a father than a king in this moment. I sit and await my daughter's return."

She closed the book again, needing only to read his words once to feel her father’s presence. Opening the box, she could see his blue cloak that they’d found in the remains of his room sitting atop some of his other possessions. She’d found a few things of her mother’s, her father’s and some relics. There was an ancient lyre that was said to belong to the Goddess herself.

Hyrule Castle itself was a memory. The castle had been demolished in a sign of symbolism and expansion. In the two years since the Calamity, Castle Town… or rather Market Town, as it had been renamed, had become a hub of safety and a sign of growth for the kingdom. Before the first year had even come to a close, the town was full and the streets were crowded. The castle had been salvaged for stone, and cleanup had taken the entirety of the next year, but finally, homes and memorials lined the grounds where the castle had once stood. There was a new museum devoted entirely to preserve many of the royal artifacts and put them on display.

Zelda had gone several times to see it. The names of as many people as possible who’d died in the family had been recorded. Scholars made an effort to find the families of survivors, to gather a new history that could be recorded in peace. As strange as it was to see that her old home was no longer there, it brought her a bittersweet sense of peace and resolution in knowing that it was time to move forward rather than to dwell on what once was. 

Today was the final piece. The Reconstruction Company, Bolson and Mutoh’s co-led company for larger projects, had been working tirelessly to meet their deadline, and the last of the homes were finished in time for the anniversary. 

Zelda opened the door, letting some of the brisk air into the house as she leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms.

Link came down the stairs moments later and eyed the circlet on her head. “You found it?”

“It was at the top of the box.”

“Really? I could have sworn I put it somewhere else.”

Zelda chuckled. “You just don’t want to admit that you couldn’t find it yesterday and it was in plain sight.”

“I’ll never admit that,” he laughed, circling his arms around her. She leaned back against him and closed her eyes.

“It feels like it was so long ago. When I close my eyes, I can sometimes remember Ganon, but mostly I just feel a chill and a strain from holding him in the Sacred Realm for so long. It’s like a dream. But then, I can remember seeing Vah Medoh falling from the sky, or your arms around me in the rain. I can remember waking up and you were someone who didn’t remember me. I remember the strangest moments with such clarity.”

Link tightened his arms and kissed her hair. “I had a dream last night and I saw something I’ve never seen. I think it was another memory. We were riding through the field on Epona and Storm, wind rushing and laughing.”

“We’ve done that plenty of times,” Zelda said, trying to thing back 102 years ago.

“I didn’t have the scar on my face, we had different horses, and…” he chuckled, causing Zelda to turn around. He was biting back a grin and ran his hand gently along her cheek and then placed his finger above the bridge of her nose. “You didn’t have all these worry lines on your face.”

Zelda’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped. Link held in his laughter as her face contorted, and she too was fighting back a grin.

“Lines? Lines on my face? I am physically twenty years old, Link, I do not have lines on my face! Take it back!”

Link grabbed her hand and hurried down the steps, leading her to the stable where Cloud and Catherine stayed. “You’re right. The only one of use with a line on their face is me.”

Zelda rolled her eyes, looking at the long scar from two years ago. It had faded, but like his other scars, it hadn’t disappeared. “That’s not funny. Though I think I can see a grey hair near your ear, so maybe we are even. Come here, let me pull it out to show you.”

“Grey hair?” he asked, scoffing. He quickly readied Catherine while Zelda handled Cloud.

Zelda grinned. “Stress can do that to a person.”

They both knew they could poke fun at each other without hurting the other’s feelings. For Zelda, sometimes it reminded her that Hyrule was peaceful enough that she could enjoy the small moments, moments when she didn’t have the fate of the kingdom in her hands. She could just be a young girl who was in love with her best friend.

She ran a hand through her hair and turned to Link. “I was thinking of cutting mine.”

“Your hair? Any reason why?”

She thought for a minute. “I think… it’s a fresh start. Market Town is fully open, and we have a new beginning to everything. It’ll be a better decade. A happy one.”

Link leaned on Catherine as he peered over at Zelda. “Does that mean you’ll finally answer me? You know, the question you won’t let me ask.”

Zelda smiled smugly. “Next year, when we have some rupees stored away after everything we’ve spent these past two years.”

Link watched her as she climbed onto Cloud’s saddle with a wistful look on his face. He’d wait. Of course he’d wait. Besides, she’d already said yes unofficially, and they were already living together. He did have to admit, he wanted a new title these days, one that only Zelda could give him. He wanted the title that he’d never dreamed of having, despite how domestic and common it was. Maybe that’s why he wanted it: now, he could be like everyone else. He could have a life with Zelda. And he could have the title he’d never dreamed of having with anyone.  

“You’ll look beautiful with short hair,” he said with a smile.

Zelda chuckled. “I don’t know how short yet though. Maybe I’ll go shorter than yours.”

Link hopped onto Catherine, adjusting his guard’s uniform when he’d settled. “You’ll give Paya a heart attack. I say do it.”

“Poor Paya. I’ll tell her you said that.”

They rode out of Hateno together in silence, careful to avoid any of the other early travelers. Everyone went to Market Town to celebrate the anniversary. Link nodded to one of the guards on patrol, pleased to see that they were actually on time this year, unlike the bumbling mess everyone had been last year.

It was a long ride, and the sun had only just begun to peek over the horizon when they’d woken up. By the time they’d finally reached Kakariko, it was already brightly lighting their way.

Zelda dismounted, knowing that she didn’t have long before they had to keep going. She hurried into Impa’s house and opened the door.

Paya was sitting on the floor with Purah, Symin, and Jerrin. They were hovering over several documents and an open book that they were sharing between them. At the sound of the door opening, all three heads turned.

Paya was the first to her feet and ran to greet Zelda with a hug.

“Aunt Purah declined.”

Zelda turned her head to the older woman. She was not a child anymore, nor was she a teen, but she also was not nearly as old as she should have been. She shrugged, uncaring.

“My place is in a lab, not as village elder. I told my sister that years ago. I would not be the one to replace her.”

Link moved up beside her, his head tilting to read the book. Zelda took Paya’s hand. “How is Impa?”

Paya shrugged. “She’s getting old. I’d let you visit her, but she’s asleep and I know you have to get to Market Town early.”

“Are you coming?”

“Later on, I am.”

Purah helped Jerrin off the floor. “We’re going to let Mellie know that she’s the next oldest non-warrior in Kakariko. She’ll be the next village elder if she’s willing.”

“Jerrin!” Zelda called before the two could leave. “How’s Granté? Is he back yet?”

Jerrin crossed her arms and nodded. “He didn’t even come visit. He and Lasli just went right to Market Town. What does it matter, being a mother? I only raised him, and he can’t bother to come visit me to tell me anything about his new life as a married man. It’s as if being a husband has nullifies being a son.”

Zelda chuckled, though she tried to hide it for Jerrin’s sake. “I’m sure he can’t wait to see you.”

Jerrin sighed and went to catch up with Purah outside.

Paya moved beside Zelda, watching the two women leave with Symin scurrying after them. “You know,” Paya started after they were all out of earshot, “Aunt Purah is planning to move with Symin to the Akkala Lab. She and Jerrin are planning some sort of research. They wouldn’t say what.”

Zelda watched with suspicion as the two women whispered amongst themselves. “Link? Do you know anything?”

“I don’t know,” he muttered. “Maybe. They were seen gathering spare parts from decaying Guardians out in Hyrule Field recently.”

“Spare parts?” Zelda hurried out the door. “Purah, wait!”  When she caught up to them, her face darkened. “Spare parts? You can’t be serious. Don’t you dare try to bring a Guardian back online, Purah. Please. The council already authorized the Guardian’s reburial.”

“I wasn’t going to,” Purah said with such a straight face that she was almost believable.

“Please… by the Goddess, don’t. They were a good intention that was corrupted. They killed our people. It was a massacre. You remember it. Don’t restart them.”

“I won’t.”

“I hate that I have to trust you,” Zelda mumbled, turning back to Catherine and Cloud. “If you do this, I’ll never trust you again.”

Purah just nodded, the same bleak face as she’d had before. “I know that.”

Zelda took a breath and turned back for the horses, waiting for Link to follow her. She nodded at Paya, a goodbye for now, and she and Link continued on.

They moved lithely around the meandering tourists, folks with nowhere to go who simply enjoyed the view. And it was only when they finally reached the gate that they were met by the terrifying glare of a one Riju.

She stood just outside the walls of Market Town and crossed her arms, watching as they approached.

“Link, I know you’re the hero of the day, but the Captain of the Hylian Army has to be on time for… well… the rest of his army!”

Link grinned and hopped off Catherine. “The thing is, Riju, I have trained everyone in my army. And those I left in charge for today knew exactly what to do. I even saw a few of my soldiers already patrolling the routes. They’re finally getting it together, which means I can be a few minutes late.”

“Well, I brought my warriors as well in case you needed more eyes out today.”

Zelda crossed her arms and looked around. Today, the anniversary of the Calamity, was the day she feared the Yiga would make their return. She’d felt the same cold apprehension last year, and it hadn’t faded with the passing of another. It would be the statement day for their return.

Link could sense Zelda’s anxiety. “We won’t need them, but I’ll gladly accept. I’ve had scouts out for days looking for any activity. Everyone knows to be wary.”

“I just…” Riju sighed. “I don’t want anything to happen again.”

Zelda grinned at the younger girl. “Buliara taught you well. If anything were to happen, you’d be able to single-handedly wipe them all out. I’ve seen you. You’re better than Link.”

Link looked at her in with feigned hurt. “Better than me?”

Riju laughed and nudged Link. “Everyone’s better than you these days.”

“Pick on the injured one,” he muttered.

“No,” Zelda said, grabbing his arm as they headed into town. “If you needed to fight again, you could.”

“Yes, I absolutely could. You should have seen me clear out some Moblins the other day. I made the new recruits bow before my greatness.”

Zelda snorted. “Okay, Hero. Let’s go before your ego is too big to fit through the doors.”

Together, they made their way to the barracks on the far end of Market Town. Link turned the handle on the door and rolled his eyes. These new recruits…

“Hey!” he called. “It’s nearly time. I shouldn’t see anyone in here. Get to your posts!”

Several soldiers scrambled past him, either wordlessly or mumbling hurried apologies. Some took their time, those he recognized as soldiers going to their later shifts. He nodded a greeting to them and took a stack of paper off the table.

“How do you live this life?” he asked, waving the stack in front of Zelda.

“You can’t train more people without filing paperwork with the council.”

He scoffed. “I live with the council.”

“Don’t whine,” Zelda laughed, pushing him out the door. They walked toward the other side of town, past the stalls that were setting up for the day still. There were makeshift stands, crowded streets, anything that fit in a space had been taken up. The festival was prime market day, and all venders took advantage.

It meant Link and Zelda had to push through the crowd more than usual, but once they passed the inn, the area began to thin out.

Zelda felt a hard thud and stopped. “I’m sorry… I…” she looked up and saw Granté standing in front of her, Lasli just a few steps behind as she caught up.

“How are you?” Zelda exclaimed, pulling them both into a greeting embrace. “Are you enjoying married life?”

“I love it,” Granté said. Lasli nodded along, but her attention was elsewhere.

“I’m glad. I’m so glad you two found some happiness. Your mother was telling me about your ceremony on Lover’s Pond the last time I saw her. Well, not today, but the last time. I did see her today. She’s upset that you didn’t visit.”

“Of course, she is. What with her and Dr. Purah moving back to my father’s lab, I can’t see how she has time to be upset with me.”

Lasli pulled on Granté’s arm impatiently. “Sorry, Princess, but we have to set up our stall before the crowd starts to gather. Clothing and armor.”

Zelda nodded and let go. “I won’t keep you. But congratulations again.”

When they left, Link turned to lean against a building, watching them walk away. “They seem happy.”

“They do, don’t they? That could be us, you know.”

Zelda shot him an amused glance, and he grinned. He enjoyed reminding her of it as frequently as he dared, and though she maintained her stance on waiting, the thought had her giddy as well, and she loved hearing it.

Link and Zelda moved through an alleyway until they reached a flight of steps that led up to the parapets.

Sidon was standing close to the steps, like he’d been debating leaving and decided against it.

“Sidon?” Zelda asked.

He turned, looking like his usual upbeat self. “Hello, hello! How are you doing, my friends?”

Link stepped off to the side and glanced over the edge of the wall. He was already beginning to slip into his guard demeanor as his eyes scanned the area.

Zelda answered instead. “We’ve been great! How about you? How’s your father?”

“Oh, we’re doing very well! Still concerned over the Deya issue, of course.”

Zelda scoffed. “This isn’t the time to bring up council discussions. We already voted in favor of Lurelin. We’re not restoring Deya Village. It will take all of the trade and commerce from Lurelin.”

“It’s so much closer.”

“We will not deprive hard-working people of their homes and their livelihood just so the trade route is slightly closer.”

“No,” Sidon said quickly, glancing between Link and Zelda. “No, of course not. It’s just that… well my father wants that.”

Zelda shrugged. “I don’t know what to say. We aren’t here with the council and I’m not changing my vote. I won’t give in to pressure from anyone… not anymore.”

Zelda could see Link smirk, and she knew he wasn’t as engrossed in his work as he appeared. “Sidon, I’d like to enjoy as much of today as I can before it somehow turns into a mess. Last year, I was swarmed about the Temple of Time’s restoration, and this year, I want to hold off as long as possible.”

“Of course,” Sidon said again. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”

“I’ll see you at the Warbler’s show later with Kass.”

“Yes, yes you will.”

As Sidon turned down the steps, Link spun around. “I like your determination, Princess.”

She moved up beside Link and leaned against him. “Of course you do.”

They stood over the land of Hyrule, watching the sun pass through the sky. It was peaceful, safe, flourishing. Crowds of travelers headed into the city for the anniversary.

It was two years since they could sleep at night. Two years since they didn’t have to have an evacuation plan from Hyrule. Two years since two heroes emerged from a time distant past to save the world. After all, it was their destiny.

“I need to go, Zelda,” Link whispered, kissing her forehead. “I have to make sure everyone is okay.”

She tightened her hold on his arm and pulled him back. “Just one more minute.”

He chuckled, thinking back to that morning. He gave in and leaned against her as well. “Now you’re the one asking for more time.”

But Zelda didn’t hear him.

“The Goddesses really did answer us. They heard every prayer I ever sent. Hyrule is safe. We sealed Ganon away. And… I’m with you.”

Link pulled her in front of him, never tiring of the sensation of holding her in his arms. She leaned back, resting on him.

“We’re in this together, Zelda. We always have been.  You saved me when I needed you the most. You helped me find my memories, and you let me create new ones. I was lost and I followed your voice. You’re not just the light of the Kingdom, Princess. I love you. Every moment we’ve shared, and every moment we’re apart, I love you more. And I know you won’t let me ask you that question, but I want you to know that I’d rather die tomorrow than go back 100 years ago.”

Zelda turned her head to watch him intently. “Why not?”

“Because, 100 years ago, things might have been peaceful, we might have had our old friends and families, but I wasn’t with you and I never could have been. It’s selfish. So incredibly selfish. But after 102 years, I think I can stop blaming myself for things. I can be a little selfish for the first time in my life.”

Zelda turned into him and pulled him until their foreheads were touching. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, Link. I chose to love you over the crown. You’re not selfish, but even if you were, it’s worth it.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought her lips against his. It was a soft kiss, but filled with passion. His hand ran through her hair, and hers caressed the skin at his neck before sliding down to rest on his chest. His fingers tightened on her waist, and he never wanted to let go. But unfortunately, he remembered where they were and that there were eyes watching them. He wished they were home again, together in Hateno. But they weren’t.

“Later?” he asked, smugly as he begrudgingly pulled away from her mouth.

Zelda chuckled and took a few steps backwards towards the stairs. “It’s our celebration. We can leave early.”

Link nodded. “I think I want to end this day the way we started things.”

Zelda thought back to their first meeting with a smile.

A young man, a familiar man, held his blood covered blade at his side, watching the second Yiga member. His dark blonde hair was tied away from his face, and he wore the uniform of a Royal Soldier. The Yiga member struck out with her blade, and the soldier easily threaded his blade through the center of the circular cleaver and disarmed the Yiga member. He looked like he was about to sheathe his weapon, to spare the unarmed assailant, but a fire began to emerge from the Yiga woman and the soldier shook his head, almost disgusted. Swinging the word around, he was easily able to impale her, ending her life before the fire made it off her palm. He pulled the sword from the corpse and turned to the two women in the corner.

Upon seeing the princess, he quickly dropped to one knee, his icy blue eyes falling to the floor.

"What are you doing here, soldier?" Zelda asked breathlessly, grateful that a soldier was nearby.

He kept his head face down. "I was asked to bring the seamstress to you."

“With a Yiga attack?” Zelda asked, grinning.

Link snorted. “Goddess, no.”

Looking out over Hyrule, he knew he’d finally found his own peace, a peace he could live with for the rest of his days. And he could live them with her.

Zelda stopped with her foot on the steps as she moved to leave Link to his work. She’d gathered her dress and prepared to head down into the crowd. But her thought swirled around one person. Always that one person.

“The way we started…” she thought with a giddy grin. “Together.”