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moonoftabantha · 1 year ago

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Princess! Princess!

Linktober 2023

Day 12: Princess

One week after the Princess of Hyrule returns to the surface, everyone wants an audience with her.

A week. Six days, seven hours, and eighteen minutes, to be exact. He was sure he could get it down to the second if he really thought about it. He had no doubt Purah stopped a clock somewhere or took a—what did she call it? Screenshot?—something that marked the exact moment Zelda plummeted down from the heavens.

Marking the time wasn’t of immediate importance to Link in that moment. Once he held Zelda in his arms again, splashing down into the pond below, time didn’t matter so much anymore.

For the first three days, she took no visitors. Link and Purah made sure of that. Purah ran test after test on Zelda, checking for any lingering effects of draconification or time travel. Link’s head still reeled when he tried to grasp it all. He’d never fallen back in time, though suddenly falling forward was beginning to feel like a theme in his life. Zelda couldn’t recall a moment of her time in the sky, though she believed every word of what Link told her regarding it. She eagerly examined photos of the Light Dragon, her fingers lingering over the images as if they might come to life and bite her. She expressed disquiet at the striking blueness of her draconic eyes, but she could not recall a moment beyond clutching the sword and crying out her final plea: ”Protect them all!” Having been in stasis, much like Link’s initial slumber but for tens of thousands of years, her body needed a little more time to recover and adjust to living on the ground again.

Link stayed by her side, holding her hand every moment. Zelda teased that she didn’t plan on falling down any chasms any time soon. Link tried to laugh.

On the fourth day, the first visitor arrived. Words of the princess’s return spread like wildfire through Hyrule. Ripples of news spread out from Lookout Landing, reaching new ears with every turn of a merchant’s wagon wheel.

The first to approach were Karson and Anson. They knelt before the princess, told her in earnest voices that they were thrilled to see her back, and reported on the progress of the Castle Town Restoration Project.

Link leaned back against the doorpost, watching both young men begin their petitions to the newly returned princess. Anson spoke first.

“Your Highness, firstly, we are very pleased that you’ve returned safe and sound to Lookout Landing!” His broad smile brightened the room, bringing a polite yet sincere return from Princess Zelda. “When you left us, we were in the process of clearing out the debris from around the main square. We are happy to report that the first ring around the fountain has been cleared, and efforts are underway to prepare the space for the first foundations.”

Karson nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! And the first buildings have been constructed along the path to the Landing! We’re still waiting on confirmation from Hudson on who won the bids for those buildings, but we’ll be sure to keep you posted.”

Zelda thanked them for their diligent efforts, assured them of her continuing support for the project, and promised to inspect the completed homes herself when she was feeling a little more like herself.

On the fifth day, new petitions arose.

Josha came in that morning, scrolls of parchment in her arms and a small army of researchers behind her. She bowed low to Zelda, the words already spilling out of her mouth before her head popped back up.

“Your Highness, I am so excited to see you back here again! We were praying day and night for your safe return! My team and I especially worked super hard to help Link navigate the Depths and defeat the Demon King! Link was invaluable to my research team, and I hope we were equally invaluable to his search for you, Your Highness.” She cleared her throat, tossed all the other scrolls onto the floor, and began to unfurl the largest.

“As you can see from this document, Link has assisted us in mapping out the entirety of the Depths. Ah, this is a printout from the Purah Pad.” Josha began, indicating the small Sheikah symbol in the corner of the page. Link, for his part, had no idea what a “printout” was but listened attentively, watching Zelda’s expression for any sign of disapproval or discontent. “We have a pretty good idea of the overview, but we have barely scratched the surface of what the Depths have to offer. As a fellow scientist, I’m sure you’re as excited as I am about all the possible discoveries to be made down there! For instance, in just this short time, we’ve identified several new species of plants, fungi, insects, and new minerals! Or, well, new to us, I suppose.” Josha laughed. “I doubt zonaite is very new to you, Princess.”

Zelda giggled, hiding her mouth behind her hand. “It is not, but I did not have the opportunity to witness the Depths myself when I was in the past. I would like to review your research, if that is acceptable to you.”

“More than acceptable!” Josha exclaimed, quickly picking up the scrolls and handing them to Zelda a handful at a time. “Oh, my goodness, yes! And, Your Highness, if it would please you, once you have read all of our materials, that is, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble-!” She stopped, realizing she had handed everything over and left the princess quite buried in research notes. “Would you be interested in funding a permanent research base in the Depths?”

“Would I- what?” Zelda asked. She stared at Josha, a bit bewildered by the question. With a quick glance at Link, he took the mountain of scrolls from her and set them aside. “Well, we’re working within rather small margins right now. The kingdom’s income is stretched thin as it is, and until we can rebuild to such a point that revenue meaningfully increases…” She paused.

Josha’s big, childlike eyes pleaded, her hands clasped in front of her. And, if Link didn’t know any better, he might be inclined to say she even pouted.

Zelda sighed. “I’ll see what I can do, Josha.”

The girl squealed in delight, assuring the princess over and over that she wouldn’t regret her decision to support the sciences and that the investment would be paid back tenfold.

The next petition cut more to the point.

Gralens took a wide stance after bowing in respect, his hands neatly behind his back. “Your Highness, allow me to congratulate you on your return to Hyrule. My men and I have done our utmost to keep your kingdom safe from Ganon’s threats in your absence.”

“You have my sincerest thanks, Captain. Hyrule is in your debt.” Zelda replied. She sat up a little straighter in his presence. Link didn’t doubt that her father drilled certain etiquette into her head regarding the proper address and behavior around the military.

Her words seemed to please Gralens. He shifted slightly, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice and remain professional. “Princess, with your return, the tide of our war with Ganon’s servants has at last turned in our favor. Gloom has ceased seeping from the Depths, and we believe this may be a sign that the blood moon itself may soon discontinue. That being said,” The captain briefly locked eyes with Link, though for what message or purpose Link couldn’t hope to interpret, “we are requesting additional funding to raise a fourth monster control crew.”

Zelda tilted her head. She eyed the captain suspiciously, narrowing her emerald gaze. “And why is that? If the tide of the war has indeed turned, why do you require more forces?”

Gralens straightened further. “Put simply, Your Highness, we wish to launch a final, decisive campaign. With a fourth team, we could begin a sweep through every Hylian region. We have so far been focused on Akkala, Hyrule Field, and Necluda. As I’m sure you’ve heard, Faron was invaded by monsters who all but destroyed Lurelin. We did not have the manpower to retake the village. I believe it was your knight who restored that settlement and drove the pirates out.” Gralens again looked to Link. “And while your swordsman is remarkably talented, if a bit reckless—“ Hey!”—he cannot be everywhere at once. We would prefer that he remain here for your protection, Princess, though we will take his aid as often as you can spare it.”

The way that Zelda bit her lower lip, the ghost of a grin on her face, sent heat to the tips of Link’s ears. He was, of course, at her disposal. And yet, the idea of anyone asking her permission to access him always made him a bit uncomfortable in his core. His princess knew this and took advantage of it—often.

“Captain, I understand your position, but the kingdom’s income-,” Zelda began but stopped when she saw Gralens raise a hand to object.

“Forgive me for speaking out of turn, Your Highness,” Gralens interjected. “I believe the control crews to be a wholly profitable endeavor from the kingdom’s perspective. Our funding need only be temporary. As monsters are cleared out, and the roads and fields become safer, the economy will adjust to fill in the spaces where destruction once reigned. Frightened people do not produce very much, as you well know. I believe it is in this kingdom’s best interest to act now and snuff out the remaining monsters and free up resources for productive work.”

A measure of silence followed this argument. Zelda twisted the hem of her tunic back and forth, mirroring the thoughts in her head. Her lips parted slowly. “Thank you, Captain. I will…consider this petition.”

Gralens bowed low once more, thanking the princess for her time before taking his leave.

On the sixth day, letters began to arrive. Zelda read over their contents with increasing frustration. The spoon in her mouth, which had been used to stir honey into her tea, shifted from side to side as she read. She’d barely eaten breakfast when the demands for the princess’s attention rolled in. After she’d finished each letter, she passed them to Link.

The first letter smelled like fish and river. Link doubted that the Zora had much reason to send paper letters, and likely, the use of ink and parchment was a novelty to the new king, given the smeared characters. Link squinted as he tried to decipher the meaning of the text.

“King Sidon has invited us to a banquet in my honor,” Zelda explained between bites of toast and jam. “It would be rude of the Princess of Hyrule not to attend.”

Link would not comment upon the propriety of a princess to do anything she wished, or didn’t wish, to do. He smoothed the letter flat on the table, careful not to smudge the ink any further.

The second was written by several hands, many of which Link recognized. Mastro’s close hand repeated his desire to have Link join the Stable Trotters as a vocalist. The other musicians expressed their gratitude toward Link in reuniting their band—those sentiments nearly outweighing their greetings to the princess herself. Besides Sidon, very few of Zelda’s petitioners remembered him. Zelda let him write his half of a reply letter to the group, his cucco-scratch taking up the lower half of the page below Zelda’s flowing, elegant script informing them that she would be quite pleased to hear the song they had written in her honor.

The third letter (or packet, rather) conveyed the deepest, sincerest desires of the Lucky Clover Gazette to interview Princess Zelda about “the Demon King, the ancient past, King Rauru and Queen Sonia, the sages, Castle Town, the school program, international policy, and any other topic you feel so inclined to address.” Zelda paled as she flipped through the pages, neatly written on almost two dozen sheets of paper. The cover letter referred to the following pages as “starting points” for this future interview, though Zelda referred to them as ”fucking interrogatories” under her breath. She spent the rest of the day preparing for the imminent threat of the press, leaving the rest of the petitioners to wait until the next morning.

At the conclusion of their seventh breakfast together since Zelda’s return, Link gathered the plates, stacking one carefully on top of the other. Zelda wrote replies with her right hand, her left setting her empty tea cup back onto its saucer.

Link lifted the teapot, testing the weight of it. Not much remained. He’d better brew another pot at the rate she was drinking it. “Princess-.“

”What?! She snapped, glaring up at him. Violet began to make a home under her eyes. “What else could anyone possibly want from the princess?”

Silence crackled between them. Link, taken aback by her outburst, slowly lifted the teapot up to show her. “Do you want me to brew another pot?”

Zelda’s glare faltered, her lips parting in shock at her lack of charity. “Link, I- I’m sorry. Yes.” She frowned, shaking her head. “No, that isn’t sufficient. I’m sorry for snapping at you. That isn’t how a princess should behave.”

The teapot could wait. Link took her free hand in his, stroking her knuckles with his thumb. “I think you need a break from being a princess, Zel.”

“I can’t-.” Her voice tightened, tears welling up in her eyes.

“You’re tired.” Link said. He held her gaze, refusing to lose her for even a moment. “You need to rest. Hyrule can wait.” Link took a slow breath in, exaggerating the movement of his shoulders. Out of habit, Zelda copied him.

Her fingers curled around his. “I’ve left Hyrule for months. I have a lot of old work to catch up on, and new work on top of that. I have more to do now than ever.”

“I know.” Link took another breath, watching her mimic him. “But no one said you have to do it all at once.” He squeezed her hand. “Or alone.”

A tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped it away before it reached her chin. “I can’t ask you to do this work for me.”

“You’re not asking. I’m offering.” Link reminded her. He gave her a lop-sided smile. “Would you deny your knight the opportunity to serve you?”

A quiet laugh escaped her lips. She shook her head, smiling despite herself. “No, I would never deny you that, Sir Knight.”

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moonoftabantha · 1 year ago

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TOTK Prequel Fanfic: In Three Years... [PART 1]

It’d been a few years since Ganon had been defeated–three years to be exact. After visiting all regions of Hyrule, Zelda and Link return to Hateno village to rest for a few months. Rebuilding efforts are underway and the Princess–now twenty years of age–couldn't be happier, especially now as Link is back at her side. The Silent Knight himself felt just as content; he was always happy so long as his Princess was safe and sound.

But the Princess wasn’t safe from her regrets.

Link’s house was simple and quaint, with only one floor and a loft. It was those little touches of color and light that Zelda brought into the residence–with Link’s permission–that made it feel homely for her. It might not look like much when you first open the door, but light the fireplace, bring out the eye-catching ceramics, add a few wildflowers in a vase for color, and it transforms into a place of warmth and comfort.

Zelda loved it so much that she asked Link if a cooking pot could be fitted in his home so she could learn to make all the unique dishes they had in their travels. He agreed to the idea, but only under the condition that she would follow a recipe and not her own. It was the first big addition to the house after a series of small ones and the princess was looking forward to doing more in the future–with Bolson’s help, of course.

She liked living the simpler life–but why? Zelda wondered this until she thought back to her early life in the Castle.

The cold, stone walls surrounding her.

The servants bustling in and out of her room.

The giant banners reminding her she was royalty.

And of course, the expectations that came with.

But here in Hateno Village, everyone showed nothing but unrequited love for their princess. The first day she moved to the village, she was given new clothes to wear, food to eat, and flowers to make her smile. The Mayor saw to it that every one of her needs were met, so long as the people could help it. All the elders taught her useful skills, such as sewing or preparing ink to write with.

But the children–goodness, those children!

They were especially fascinated with her highness, particularly for her knowledge of the wild; all it took was one small lesson on the different types of frogs there were on a rainy day, and the questions all came flooding in–the princess never felt so elated to answer them! It took parents calling their tiny scholars home for Zelda to finally catch a break. The Mayor’s daughter, Karin, gave her a big hug before running home, expressing how excited she was to learn more from the princess.

“Goodnight Miss Zelda!” The girl had said. It filled the princess with contentment; never had she felt so overwhelmed with open arms and joyful faces. Hateno Village was truly the place to call home.

But…

The more she pondered those smiling faces, why did it make Zelda feel more and more–guilty?

“Princess?”

Zelda shook her head out of her reverie. She was seated at the dining table, book in hand, with a half-empty plate beside her. “Y-yes?” she stammered. How long had she been staring off into space?

Link was standing by the door.

“I’m going to grab some rice and eggs from East Wind.” He said. “Do you want anything?”

“Oh–Milk,” Zelda said, forcing a smile. “I know I’ll sleep better after a warm cup of milk.”

Link nodded. He turned and reached for the door handle when he paused. Zelda looked up at him, anticipating a question from him. Instead, he shook his head–

“I won’t be long.” Link said before the door shut behind him.

That much was true. He wouldn’t take longer than ten minutes, which was all the time Zelda needed to get ready for bed.

Closing her book, she left it on the table to get changed up in the loft.

But as she undressed, the princess became lost in her thoughts again; this always happened after traveling through Hyrule for months. On the road, Zelda was never so distracted. Obviously, her mind had been occupied by the rebuilding efforts and the needs of her people that she hardly had the time to sit down and just be on her own. At some point under all that stress, Zelda was practically begging for a break from her duties–

But now that she and Link were taking an extended break after three years of almost non-stop travel, she suddenly felt–unease? Was that the right word?

Zelda wasn’t so sure; it wasn’t that she felt unsafe by any means, especially not with Link at her side, but those voices of doubt that once plagued her mind a hundred years ago somehow resurfaced, taunting her. She thought she was beyond those voices but seeing those faces–the faces of her current subjects, so few in numbers–they all had to adapt to living on the edges of the world because Zelda couldn’t stop the Calamity in time. The way they were living now, vulnerable to weather or monster attacks out in the wild, was because she had failed them long before they were born and they didn't even know it. The villagers were so welcoming to a long lost princess–

But if they found out that she was responsible for the kingdom’s downfall, how would they react? How would they treat her then?

Zelda thought about the elders of Hateno and the stories they told of their families; how their parents clamored to escape central Hyrule and the loved ones they lost amidst the chaos. To this day, none of them know if they have any surviving family members around the kingdom. If they somehow did, they're too old to travel alone and are far more vulnerable to the elements and monsters.

“It took a few decades for the village to feel safe here,” Uma had said to Zelda a day ago. “My husband wanted to start a family but I had that feeling in my heart that we needed to wait until the world was a little safer. My darling was upset with me–he thought I’d lied to him about wanting to settle down, but that was far from it.” The old woman sighed. “After five years, when those bokoblin hordes migrated towards the west, we all breathed a sigh of relief. My husband felt so guilty and apologized thereafter. We had our baby the next year and became the family we’ve always wanted.” Uma had smiled fondly at the last sentence. “Take it from an old woman–at some point in your life, you’re going to have to make sacrifices for the people you love, even if it hurts them.”

Those last words resonated within Zelda–why?

The princess laid awake under the covers, dressed in her nightshirt. It was all she could do while her mind raced with all the kingdom’s grievances post-Calamity.

Then she heard the front door click open followed by footsteps.

“Princess?”

It was Link. He was back from East Wind.

But rather than greeting him, Zelda remained still under the covers. She heard him call her again, then his footsteps walking up the stairs. She closed her eyes, and took slow breaths. She didn’t see him, but after a few moments of silence, she heard him descend to the bottom floor.

She hoped Link didn’t feel bad.

The night brought on a chill. Regardless if Zelda had the sheets on her person, her skin prickled as the core of her body shook violently–did Link forget to add fuel to the fire place?

Perhaps the window needed to be shut–but was it not already closed? Zelda remembered doing so.

Why was she so–

Cold?

Shaking, Zelda propped herself up on her hands and called for Link.

“Link–”

AHHHHHHHH!

Screams.

There were screams everywhere.

Zelda shot up from bed and looked around–it was dark, but from the cracks in the window, she could see a glow of red wisp seeping through. The Princess gasped and jumped out of bed, backing away.

“Link?” She called again. When no answer came, she ran downstairs to find the first floor of his house empty. Even the furniture was gone, all except–the dining table and the vase full of silent princesses, now wilted. Zelda looked at their pitiful state.

“But… these were just picked–”

The door burst open, but Zelda had no time to react when Link, in his tattered champion's tunic, grabbed her hand, and hauled her outside his house. She yelled in protest, but the Hero wasn’t listening–she didn’t even have a chance to look at his face. She tried to pry his hand off of her arm until she realized–they were no longer in Hateno, but a burning Castle Town.

And Zelda was no longer in her nightshirt, but her ceremonial dress. The sky burned an angry red color, and the sun’s rays felt more like a burning blaze than a gentle warmth. The Guardians, she saw, aimed at innocent, helpless, lives. Families–mothers, fathers, grandparents–and children–All vaporized in the blink of an eye.

It was all Zelda could do to not scream, but she had to keep running with Link.

They made it past the gates of Castle Town, but rather than veering off into the east, Link kept running straight ahead.

“Link! Where are we going?!” Exclaimed Zelda.

But he didn’t respond.

When they crossed onto the Sacred Grounds, Zelda finally ripped her arm free from his grip. She massaged her sore forearm and noticed the red marks where the Hero’s fingers had grappled her.

Link stopped just a few yards before her, his back turned to her.

“We have to find Impa!” The Princess called out to him. “She said she’d–wait for us…” Zelda trailed off. It was then she realized–how quiet the world became. Not even the wind blew.

But the sky was still red.

And Zelda felt even more cold.

“You failed.”

She looked up at the Hero.

“W-what?” she gasped. “Link–how could you–”

“Is it not true, princess?” He sounded so–so–Robotic. “You failed to unlock your sacred power–you failed to stop the Calamity.”

Zelda stood frozen in the center of the Sacred Grounds. She always felt weak and helpless–but Link never judged her. He would never say these things to her–unless this is how he truly felt about her.

“You’re–you’re not the Link I know.” Zelda said, growing in confidence. “The Link I know, he–he would never say these things because understands me!” She pointed at the imposter. “So tell me right now–who are you?!”

The puppet of Link started to chuckle in his voice–then the chuckle crescendoed into an evil cackle–and finally, maniacal laughter until his body slowly disintegrated into gloomy red wisps.

But now… there stood a familiar figure in the distance. Zelda’s eyes widened in shock.

“F-father?”

King Rhoam walked towards the Sacred Grounds from the south. Wait–

How did he escape Hyrule Castle? That was the last time Zelda saw him before he…

She shook her head.

“This–this must be a dream.” She said to herself.

“Oh no, Zelda.” said his voice in her head. “This is no dream, princess.”

The Princess looked up to see her Father standing before her–without a face. She backed away.

“I-I’m asleep and dreaming–” she told herself when she bumped into someone behind her. She spun around to see Urbosa–also faceless.

“No–this is reality.” She heard her voice in her head. “You did fail–one hundred years ago.”

“Now look at us–” said Mipha’s voice in Zelda’s head. The Champions appeared around Zelda, also faceless.

“Look at them.” said Daruk’s voice in her head.

Zelda soon found herself looking in every direction, seeing standing, faceless bodies of Hylians, Zoras, Gorons, Ritos, Grerudos–all Hyruleans, all of Zelda’s people. They all perished in the Calamity and Zelda now saw how many suffered.

“This is all because of you.” Revali's voice said in her head.

“Because you failed.” King Rhoam’s voice said. “And now you must pay the price.”

Zelda tried running in one direction but was blocked by a wall of faceless bodies, closing in on her. She tried running in another direction, but to no avail.

She was trapped–she had nowhere to go.

Zelda fell to her knees, tears falling from her eyes as she begged–

“Father! Urbosa!”

They all closed in on her.

“N-no! Please!”

And closer.

“I couldn’t–!”

And closer…

“Forgive me!”

And closer–

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

Link sprang up from his cot and grabbed his knight’s sword before running up the stairs in one swift motion. His heart was beating fast–who or what got in his house? How could he not have heard–

He paused at the top of the stairs, only to see Zelda screaming and writhing in bed. Without a second thought, Link dropped his sword and hurried to her bedside. He reached for her flailing arms, trying to keep them from hitting him.

“Princess!”

“NO, LET ME GO!”

Her eyes were still closed as she fought him. Finally, Link pinned her arms down at her sides as he said–

“Zelda, open your eyes!”

When Zelda opened her eyes, she saw Link looking over her–then screamed at the sight of him. He stepped back, hands raised in defense in case she tried striking him–not that she would ever do that to him, but with the state she was in, Link wasn’t so certain. He kept his distance.

"It's okay.” He said.

Zelda's eyes had so much fear in them. She was a sweaty mess and her hands gripped the bed sheets so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"It’s okay," Link said again. “It’s me.”

After a moment, Zelda slowly looked around the room. The fireplace was still lit, but the fire burned low. And the moonlight glowed a pale white through the window.

No red sky–no faceless people.

And Link was here with the most concerned expression she’s seen from him.

Zelda felt for the center of her chest–her heartbeat was finally slowing down as reality settled in. Then she broke down crying into her hands.

Before Link could say anything, there was an urgent knock on the door. Zelda became fearfully quiet.

“Link!” called a man’s voice from outside. “Is everything alright?!”

Link took one look at Zelda before hurrying down the loft to answer the door. When he opened the door, Thadd, Nack, and Rhodes greeted him with pitchforks and a farming hoe.

“We heard screaming,” said Thadd. “It sounded like the Princess. Is she alright?”

“...Ah.” Link hesitated to reply. “She’s, uh…” He stopped when he heard sniffling up the loft. He sighed, turning back to the men.

“She will be alright. I can’t say anymore than that.”

The men didn’t appear all too satisfied with that answer, but they weren’t going to argue with him. Not at this hour anyway.

“Let us know if there’s anything we can do to help,” said Nack. “You know I live close.”

After saying their goodbyes, Link quietly shut the door. He didn’t hear Zelda crying anymore, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t upset. He took the stairs to the loft and when he made it into her field of view, he saw her curled up on the bed, clutching onto her pillow.

Link carefully approached her and knelt down by her bedside. He took her hand into his.

"It was only a nightmare." He said.

"No, it wasn’t…!” She cried. “It was the Calamity! All those people–the ones we saw in Castle Town when the Guardians cornered them and they… they…!"

Link reached for the bedside drawer to pull a clean cloth; he held it up to her.

“Here.”

Zelda slowly craned her head up and took the cloth with a shaky hand. She sat up slowly, wiping the sweat and tears off her face. Link gave her a moment to compose herself. She dropped her hands into her lap and took a ragged breath.

“That’s not all,” she said. “It wasn’t just Hylians, but all the other races and…” She looked down at the cloth in her hands. “Our friends... My father… they said I had failed them…!”

Her face twisted with grief as the tears began to flow once more. Link sat by her side.

“I know there’s no changing the past, but I can’t help this–this feeling of guilt when the people of Hyrule are still struggling…” She closed her eyes, recalling what the elders of Hateno had told her and the people's plethora of needs. The burden weighed on her heart like lead.

“How can I protect the people if I’ve already failed them once…?”

Zelda felt Link’s hand atop of hers again. She looked up at him with a tear-stained face; there was a tenderness in his eyes that soothed something in her soul.

“My Princess,” He said softly. “Before I was appointed to you, I had made the decision to not speak. That decision has taught me to be grateful for becoming a Knight of Hyrule–but it has also taught me to listen. Of all the people whom I’ve had the pleasure–or displeasure–of meeting, none of them compared to the struggles that you’ve endured.” Link closed his eyes for a moment, remembering the times Zelda had been berated and yelled at by her father. “You did everything you could to fulfill your destiny–even if the attempt was futile, you still tried because you had hope that something would come of it. You did it out of love for your people, and because of that-you yelled at me in frustration, but I understood why." He chortled slightly at this before turning solemn. "You don't realize how many people love you or, at least, learned something from you-I know I have.” His brows furrowed with self-reproach. “During the trial of the sword, I failed so many times for days on end–every time I reawakened before the sword’s pedestal, I… I thought that the sword was wrong in choosing me. I was ready to give up until I remembered all the sacrifices you made–how you never stopped trying, no matter how futile the attempt was.” Link shook his head. “I wasn’t going to let your efforts go to waste. I was determined to keep trying, no matter how long it took, so that I’d be strong enough to defeat Ganon. I wanted to defeat him, to free you, because…”

Link stopped.

He told himself he would never mention this to anyone, let alone Zelda. The words that lingered on his tongue would make him a burden to her, something he forbade himself to become; he was her knight and that is how it should be, nothing more than that–

“...Because what?” Asked Zelda. She looked so helpless–she needed comfort, and he was the only person who could give her that. But if he said these words, their relationship would forever change. Was Link prepared to go through with it?

Yes. He most certainly was.

“...I wanted to see your beautiful smile again.”

He couldn’t even look at her while saying those words.

Zelda was speechless–this was how he felt all along?

All these years, she thought Link was only trying to save face because of her royal status–but hearing him open up, realizing that she’d always been on his mind from the moment he was at her side…

It made her cry even more.

Link appeared worried and was beginning to regret everything he said so intimately to her highness when she leaned into his chest.

“Link, hold me–Please…” She begged.

How could he say no?

He held her close in his arms, and Zelda never felt so safe and relieved.

[END OF PART 1]

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