#anyways happy barbieheimer

[microwave-core]

Would You Still Love Me if I Was No Longer a Worm?

Zelda x Fem! Reader

From her initial disappearance, to her many cryptic apparitions, you’ve held onto the hope that Zelda might eventually come back to Hyrule. You never could have imagined the reality of her fate, nor how things could have ended.

A.K.A. The continuation of “Would You Still Love Me If I Was a Worm?”, which you can find linked in my pinned masterlist instead of here because Tumblr is sometimes weird with links. Like a worm on a string, this bitch is long.

Everyday felt the same. You woke up, you worked, and you waited. When was the last time you were truly “all there”? When was the last time you weren’t lost in thought, leaving your body to operate on auto-pilot? It was hard to say. You were barely aware of the time passing you by.

In truth, there was no point to it. You originally counted down the days, watching on in suspense as the sun climbed further and further into the sky until it dipped below the mountains, fully aware of every second that passed. Every minute meant the potential for an even worse disaster, but the world and her news took too long to reach you, and, soon enough, you paid no attention to the time that passed at all.

Your feet took you where you needed to be, your hands finished work without much of a problem, and those around you made sure you kept up with your health. All so your mind could be off somewhere else, high above the clouds, never to come down unless to ravage any news about the whereabouts of your beloved.

There seemed to be a permanent outline of your form on the side of the School in Hateno. Like old times, you waited with baited breath, hoping that maybe, just maybe, she would walk out after all of the children had left, eyes filled with admiration and smile laced with joy. She would be there, like this was all just a twisted, shared nightmare.

 But, of course, that never happened. You would wait and wait, but nothing changed. Sometimes, you arrived early enough to see the children leave to go play and hit each other with sticks in the street. The poor, sweet children who were too young to understand what was happening in the world. The children who only knew that their favorite teacher had disappeared. 

Sometimes, you could catch glimpses of worry and anxiety on their faces. Sometimes, you’d watch them pretend to be heroes in their wild games of imagination, where they’d eventually find the lovely princess and bring her home where she belonged. Sometimes, they’d hand you poorly drawn pictures of her, and you would hold them close and pretend that the paper wasn’t suddenly stained with tears.

Symin would follow, watching you with concern. He would approach, placing a hand on your shoulder, reassuring you that everything would be alright, and that she would be back one day, safe and sound. Some days, you would walk through town together in an attempt to keep her off of both your minds. Other days, you would collapse into his arms, shattering at the slightest bit of comfort.

When you heard that Link had been found, having gone missing since the new maelstrom of events struck Hyrule, you ran to meet up with him as soon as possible. The journey to the foot of Hyrule Castle all the way from Hateno was a long one, but, thankfully, the prospect of seeing your lover (and a great friend) again gave you the drive and confidence to press forward.

Had it not been for Purah holding him back for so long, he would have fled Lookout Landing as soon as he arrived. After all, he was just as desperate to find Zelda as you were. Knowing he was safe filled you with a sense of relief, of course, but that didn’t stop the iron-clad grip of dismay from surrounding your heart.

He didn’t have the heart to tell you about her sudden appearance at the castle, knowing that the information would only get your hopes up. Besides, another mention of her name without any news of her whereabouts would surely cause the cracks in your resolve to deepen.

You lingered in the small settlement for several days before heading back. Winded from your long journey and hampered by disappointment, it was far easier to remain there than head back home immediately. Besides, news of her whereabouts would sooner reach the Lookout than Hateno.

The eventual return trip was long, considering that you weren’t beelining through every obstacle to reach your destination. The stables along the way helped restore your fatigued body, and the issues of the Lucky Clover newspaper kept the burning dread in your being at bay. The new issues were read several times over, and old issues thoroughly combed over for any details you might have missed in the off chance that there might be some mention of the princess.

But even with the growing drama between the mayor and fashionable mushrooms, Hateno simply lacked the excitement of Lookout Landing, leading to you journeying between the two frequently. The fresh air and new scenery helped keep your misery at bay. Or at least, that’s what you told yourself.

Each visit progressively became longer and longer, until, eventually, Lookout Landing was essentially your new home. Helping Purah tinker with her beloved Sheikah technology and aiding Josha with her Depths research was leagues better at keeping your mind busy than any of the mindless work in Hateno. And when you eventually had to return to the farming town for short periods of time, you could check in with Robbie and let him ramble about his discoveries and inventions.

While you loved to check in with him, though, you were all too anxious to return. You simply couldn’t bear the thought of missing any new information. No amount of distractions could fully blow away the anxiety embedded in your bones. Nothing could fill the ever growing void nipping at your heart.

You clung to every bit of information, no matter how small or unbelievable. So many sightings had been reported from all across the kingdom, and even though the princess they describe was so far removed from the woman you knew so well, you chose to believe them. You hoped and prayed that she was somewhere, anywhere, even if she was a vastly different person

And while the newspaper was, generally speaking, a great source of information, nothing compared to the fount of knowledge that was Link. Zelda means as much to him as she does to you. He knew more than anyone the pain that her disappearance had caused your aching soul. He was busy, traveling across the world and solving crises left and right, but he always made time to bring new information to you.

Hearing about the various Zelda sightings from him made the tales feel so much more real, even if the woman in the story never ended up being the real deal, and he filled in gaps that you never even knew existed. Interwoven within his words were stories of his exploits. About the Zonai, and the Depths, and the Sky Islands, and the general alteration of the world. It helped to ease your mind, in a weird way, and it seemed to help him relax a bit as well.

Through it all, you were sick and eaten away by worry. Zelda was a capable woman. If she was in danger, she would know how to defend herself, surely. She would be fine, and would turn up, somehow, and life would go back to how it was before. And you told this to yourself over and over again, yet a part of your mind refused to let it stick.

But your mental setbacks could be pushed to the back of your mind as you watched Lookout Landing grow. The various races of Hyrule all pooling into one area overtime, spreading tales of their people and the hardships they had just endured, filled your heart with warmth. A comforting, fuzzy feeling that you had all but forgotten about for far too long.

While dread filed into the pit of your stomach each day that passed, knowing that the various kingdoms of the world were prepared to spend all available resources to find the princess rekindled the spark of hope in your soul that was previously burnt down to the cinders.

With the knowledge that Link had cleaned up the last of the strange phenomena in the world, you anxiously awaited his return, knowing that he would have new information to share. When he finally did, though, having to go through the onslaught of people wanting to thank him for all he had done, he approached you with a level of hesitance you had never seen before.

Link, the man you had only ever known as being fearless, if not the very embodiment of courage itself, appeared to be anxious. On edge. His posture, the look that he gave you when he finally met your eyes, told you that he was nervous. But before you could even greet him properly, Purah let out a garbled scream, as all eyes turned towards Hyrule castle and the blood-red sky.

You have never been so high up in your entire life. Had it not been for the serene beauty of the cloud painted landscape below, you’d be clambering to return to the surface. He’s told you about the Sky Islands before, and in extreme detail to boot, but actually standing on solid ground far above the world you hailed from was otherworldly to say the least. Not that it took away from the current situation.

Link had called this place “The Temple of Time”, a name that seemed odd to you, considering that such a place existed on the surface, although with a vastly different appearance. Getting past the moving gears to get to the back of the temple was almost as unnerving as getting to the sky in the first place. Almost as unnerving as standing in the open air, on a platform that felt as if it could crumble at any moment.

Almost as unnerving as facing the reality of the situation. Of facing the information that Link was going to tell you that made it necessary to come up here in the first place. His insistence of coming to this place, along with his blatant nervousness from before, was more than enough to put you on edge.

Your only saving grace was learning that the Zelda plaguing Hyrule and, primarily, her stables was a mere puppet created to spread chaos throughout the land. But a part of you already knew something was wrong with “her” to begin with, considering that the stories didn’t sound like your Zelda. And given how Link looked when going into Hyrule Castle, it was evident that he already knew as well.

Still, the entire event put you on edge, watching on with baited breath as he made his way into the castle, followed by his entourage of companions, or sages as Purah called them. Their eventual return, bearing disastrous news about some so-called “Demon King”, delayed Link even further. But seeing each of his friends was nice. While you didn’t know them well, they all knew you, and, more importantly, your relation to the princess.

Through their discussion of how to purge this ancient evil, they gave you rather effective comfort. But as they eventually left to their own domains, prepared to attack as soon as Link was prepared, you were left with him. His nervousness, while less obvious, was still noticeable, as he insisted upon taking you somewhere different to tell you what he had learned.

Slowly, you turn to him. Link’s gaze darts around the horizon, seemingly looking for something just out of view. Whether he notices you waiting or not doesn’t seem to matter. You were always anxious to hear what new information he had amassed, but this was an entirely different matter. 

The sound and feeling of your heartbeat prevented you from calming down, as your anxiety threatened to take over. Though the scenery and strange sensations-primarily the bizarre sound of the temple’s bell and the constructs and, what seemed to be, odd roaring in the distance-provided a distraction, it was only a matter of time before the dam to your emotional reservoir would burst open.

Suddenly, he perks up, motioning you over to the edge. Shifting over slowly, as if any sudden movement would hurl you over the edge, you gaze out into the open sky, as a strange, albeit familiar, shape enters your field of view. A dragon. You had seen it flying around before, surely, but were never sure if it was one of the others slithering about the skies or something entirely new. 

From here, it was obvious. The golden fur (hair?), turquoise accents, and… wide eyes made it clear that this dragon was new to Hyrule, likely appearing alongside the Sky Islands and falling debris. The longer you looked, the more features you absorbed and committed to memory. It was strange, but it really reminded you of-

“Zelda.”

“..What? What do you mean-”

“It’s Zelda.” You look at him. You stare. Surely his words couldn’t be true, could they? Realistically, there’s no way a person, especially your Zelda, could become something so.. so different, but the conviction and earnestness in his tone, and the fact that he would have no reason to lie to you, on top of the fact that he spoke…

You turn away from him, looking back at the horizon, at the dragon slowly grazing through the sky, cutting through the air like a fish through water. The golden hair, the blue accents, the effortless grace laced into its movement…

Link grabs ahold of your nearly limp body, preventing you from tumbling into the lake far below. Your legs had given out from under you, strength leaving the moment his words truly sank into your mind. You weren’t sure if you should laugh or cry at, what very well may be, one of the worst cases of cosmic irony the kingdom had ever seen.

You shook in his grasp. The expression on your face was blank, as tears formed in your eyes and fell to the pristine floor below. Link’s embrace and attempts of comfort went unnoticed, as your entire being was focused on the dragon in the distance. On the woman you love, who’s been here since this shit storm began, who was both so familiar yet so different at the same time. There was but one thing you could do for her now, and no force in Hyrule would be capable of holding you back.

You all but begged Link to take you up to her, properly this time. While the regular dragons of the world weren’t entities you were familiar with, you knew that they were peaceful creatures. Surely, she would be the same. You were confident. He knew how much this meant to you, but it was difficult to find a good time and place considering that she was constantly on the move. But eventually, it happens.

Being launched into the sky by an amalgamation of foreign devices made for a terrible experience, but it was worth it to reach her. Despite your insistence, you hesitated to get off of the Lovecraftian machinery Link had concocted. Pressing your foot onto her body as gently as possible, as if your body weight would cause her excruciating pain, you slowly move onto her.

Link follows after, jumping off of his device with reckless abandon as it topples to the ground below. He’s done this song and dance before, many times, you were sure, but it still made you uneasy. He takes you by the hand and gently leads you down the expanse of her body, moving slowly so as to not disturb your balance.

Your hands lingered on her turquoise spines, holding them gently, the same way that you would hold her hand. The iridescent glow of her yellow scales was a marvel on the eyes, but you kept yours fixed forward so as to avoid looking at the ground below. Although, the movement of her limbs consistently grabbed your attention, as they waved back and forth and periodically clutched around nothing. It was cute, in a sense, but then again, you thought everything she did was cute.

The blond mane at her head was odd. Thicker and more coarse than regular hair, but not unpleasant to the touch. It crunched slightly under your boots, as if it had not been disturbed in many, many years. You grimaced at every step. Even though she showed no signs of distress, or even any acknowledgement of your presence, you couldn’t help but think otherwise.

At the top of her head, Link stopped, looking back at you. With hesitant steps, you follow, making sure that what you were doing was fine. He releases the hold on your arm slowly, before stepping back. He couldn’t just leave you up here alone with no way to get back down, but he could still give you some privacy. 

You move to sit down, perched between her elegantly-curved horns, to prevent yourself from falling. Your legs felt unreliable, which was understandable considering how high up you were with nothing to save you if you fell. Not to mention the fact that the creature you were standing on is the love of your life, a notion that still felt so shocking that it made your limbs weak.

Your hands ran over the fur that covered her head, it’s softness contrasting her sleek, cold-to-the-touch scales. Her horns, which were oddly chilled as well, appeared delicate and almost glass-like with the way they caught and reflected light, but were strong and sturdy in your hands. Amazement and awe fought tooth and nail with your anxiety and dread.

It felt somewhat strange to speak to her. Would she even understand your words, or would they come off as gibberish? And even if she did understand, she wouldn’t be able to properly respond to you, would she? On second thought, maybe it’s better if she can’t understand, because otherwise she would be trapped in her own mind, unable to communicate.

“Zelda.. I’m sorry it took me so long to see you.” Not the words you meant to say, but that’s all that came out, sounding tired and pathetic. You really hoped that Link couldn’t hear you.

“Do you remember what I said to you, before you went under the castle? About being a worm and all? I said it as a joke, sure, but I want you to know that I meant what I said.” You shuffle slightly, peering over from your spot to look into one of her eyes. It remained unchanged, staring off into the abyss aimlessly. Still, you hoped your words reached her, even if she didn’t understand them.

You move back to your spot. Brushing your hand over her head, you lean down and gently press your lips onto her forehead, the same place where the Master Sword had occupied for so long. Another thing Link had told you, about the ethereal light that poured from it while embedded in her skull, and about how she thrashed about when he attempted to pull it, and the realm of golden light she brought him to, and about how she spoke to him afterwards. About why she changed herself, potentially forever, for the sake of the world.

You decide that maybe it’s best to join her in staring off into the sky beyond. The mix of brilliant orange and bright yellow peering over the horizon has always been beautiful, but you haven’t appreciated it since she disappeared. The moment felt… right. You desperately hope there would be a way for her to turn back, but you could still make this work.

You could somehow make your home in the sky and take rides with her across the world. You could remind her of all the things she loved, tell her about all kinds of technology and discoveries made in the world since her human form left and bring her Silent Princesses. You could scold Link when he inevitably shot arrows into her body, even though she didn’t appear to be in pain. You could live together again.

With newfound determination and vigor, you stand slowly, turning back to Link. He had traveled pretty far down her body, having picked off a handful of spikes that had come loose since the last time he visited her. You nod, signifying that you were ready to go back down to the surface. 

As much as you want to stay with her, you have a whole slew of things to do in order to keep your promises. Besides, the longer you stayed, the more motion sick you felt. Hopefully, you’d build up a tolerance over time. Hopefully. He jogged over to you, sticking the spines into his pocket.

“Were you going to Tarrey Town anytime soon?” He turns his attention from his infinite pocket space to look at you, eyebrows knitted. You lean against one of her horns for balance, running your hand over its somewhat rough surface.

“You know, to ask about a dream home.” He looked at you with some concern, then carefully considered your words, before giving you a look as if to say ‘that isn’t going to work’. You try to convince him otherwise, about how Hudson Construction could pull off anything with enough resources and determination, as he grabs your arm again and prepares for a rough trip down.

For once in a very, very long time, you felt somewhat at peace. The all-encompassing dread that previously crushed your soul had lessened dramatically. Knowing that Zelda was safe took the weight off your chest, but failed to pluck away your anxieties in full. Even though you were determined to stay by her side, and were willing to do whatever to be with her, you were afraid of spending the rest of your life with her like this.

You could manage for now, sure, but it was only a matter of time before the constant trips to and back from her, as well as the reliance on Link to actually get up to her, would run you ragged. You’d never tire of her, of course, even if she can’t communicate with you, but you could do without the journey.

Maybe you could find a way to build a small house on her, that way you wouldn’t have to leave as often. Link has the inexplicable ability to build things, sometimes out of thin air, so maybe he could help. But, then again, that would probably be uncomfortable for her.

No matter. You’d have time to think about that later. Like always, you have to focus on seeing her again. Your short visits to Hateno were all but forgotten about, as you were all too focused on trips to see Zelda, and when you weren’t doing that, you were helping out around Lookout Landing.

 Admittedly, you haven't told anyone about the princess’s fate. It’s not necessarily an easy topic to bring up, assuming that people would even believe you to begin with given how unbelievable it sounds without actually seeing her in person. The people around you had no idea what you were up to on all of these trips, but they were at least happy to see you in better spirits.

Each trip would be relatively the same. You’d set out on your horse and ride around until you caught sight of her. It took a considerable amount of time to do, but you managed to follow and track her general path throughout the land on horseback, meaning all you had to do was travel along the path until you found her.

On some trips, you would just ride along in her shadow, as if the two of you were going on a walk throughout the countryside, no matter how rocky the terrain or terrible the weather. Other times, you had Link by your side, which allowed you to sit with, or rather on, her, but only after having a minor heart attack in the process.

Even though the Demon King’s rise was imminent, he always found the time to help you up to her. If anything, it gave him an excuse to relax and rest for a few hours. He’s been through hell and back multiple times, and will undoubtedly face much worse threats soon, so taking a little time to himself, especially when he can help you in the process, does his soul good. Besides, he misses her, too.

While there, you would talk to her. You’d tell her about all her old friends and companions, about how they’ve been doing and how much they miss her. You talk about the most recent discoveries revolving around the Zonai and about the innovations Purah and Robbie have been making. You talk about what life has been like since she “disappeared”, although it often ended up being barebones, considering you spent most of that time thinking and worrying about her, and she didn’t really need to know that.

You’d also bring her Silent Princesses, making sure to show them to her, even if she never looked directly at them. You’d weave and braid the stems into her hair and around her horns, and any left over would be left on her head. They’d wither away eventually, assuming they didn’t fall off first, but it never deterred you.

You’d bring other objects as well, one’s with some sentiment, although not important enough just in case they were dropped. You had brought books she’d gushed about and personal journals. There were also pieces of clothing, like her favorite kind of tunics, as well as the hoods she had taken a liking to after the Calamity. You also brought her barrettes and a brush once, with the intention of brushing her long mane, but it got stuck almost immediately. Not wanting to risk hurting her, you gave up after getting it untangled, sticking to running your hands through it instead.

All in all, being with Zelda as is was a full time job, one that was both time consuming and rewarding. But you could keep this pace up, at least until after the Demon King had been defeated. Once he was dealt with, the world could regain a sense of normalcy, making your life easier to some degree. Maybe you and Link would even be able to tell the others the truth about her disappearance, taking some of the stress off of your shoulders.

You had just returned from an annual trip to Kakariko Village, dozens of Silent Princesses on your person. The massive chasm that collapsed the center of the forest was terrifying to navigate around, but the fear of falling was worth it for her sake.

Stashing away most of the flowers for later, with the remainder carefully packed into your horse’s saddle pocket, you begin planning your next outing. Or, you tried to, but it was difficult to think straight with the tension in the air. Link had finally gone beneath Hyrule Castle, putting everyone on edge. 

His companions-the sages-had all showed up, ready to provide him aid. They only stopped by for their final preparations before setting off after him, but seeing them made the situation feel much more real. It reinforced how dangerous their mission was. It made you think about all of their terrible things that could happen if something went wrong.

It was obvious that everyone was on the same wavelength, trying to keep their thoughts off of what ifs and go about life as normal. But it was truly impossible to just brush off the momentous battle happening beneath your feet, impossible to pretend that everything was perfectly normal.

Trying your best to act natural, you tend to your horse while thinking of what to say next time you see her. You would need Link to come back alive, something you were certain would happen, in order to get up to her. There would be so much to talk about, and she deserved to know every last detail. She especially deserved to know that the ancient evil, the one that led to her being trapped within the body of a dragon, was gone for good.

You look back at the castle, wondering if they were all faring well against the previously imprisoned evil, if they were even fighting him at present at all. You think of Zelda, naturally, wondering if she knew what was happening. Realistically, she didn’t. How could she? But it was interesting to think about what she would do if she could help Link fight.

Your gaze shifts over to Purah, perched on her prized telescope, panning over the general castle area. She, like everyone else, was determined to act as if the current situation wasn’t affecting her or her work ethic. However, she hasn’t moved from her position since Link left. If she saw anything happening in the castle or around the crater, she didn’t let on.

You look around the rest of the Landing, watching just about everyone do the same. All attempting to do their work or training while keeping their eyes transfixed at the floating castle. You look back at your horse, continuing to brush through its delicate mane. If only you could be ignorant to the happenings around you, only worried about getting your hair brushed.

You focus your mind on anything else. About Zelda and wherever she was on the path she had chosen to take for the rest of her worm life. About the horse in front of you, who didn’t have a care in the world other than your affection and care. About the swaying trees and fauna out in the distance, bouncing in the breeze. Or about the fish leisurely swimming in the nearby lakes and rivers. Or the monsters chanting with one another at their campfires.

Or the shaking of the ground. About the tremors from deep below the earth that shook you to your core. About the ones that previously racked Hyrule Castle when it originally ascended into the sky above alongside a cloud of red and black flame. Or the screams of people around you, terrified at what was happening above.

Looking back in a panic, you see it. First, it’s the castle shaking, as parts just out of view seemed to shake loose. But from below, a dark, bellowing figure, appearing to be made out of pure malice, emerged. The ghastly figure takes root, limbs reaching out to grip the castle walls, which were abandoned when the castle proper rose, as it escapes from the abyss.

The being soon became concrete, as it flew higher into the air. It was another dragon. A dragon bigger than any of the ones you’d ever seen, with massive curled horns and a viscerally bloody mane. The Demon King, the ancient evil who had been trapped under the world for centuries.

Before you can even consider what might have happened to Link and the sages for it to break free, another figure, high above, catches its attention. It’s Zelda, swooping below the Demon to catch something, or someone. Presumably, hopefully, the small speck in the sky that fell between the two was Link.

The two dragons intertwine with one another, as the Demon continuously attempts to attack Zelda, only for her to dodge past his maw and blazing hellfire. She flies far above him, before suddenly dropping down, as if preparing to catch something, before repeating. You have never seen her move so quickly, soaring through the air, as if escaping the clutches of evil was an effortless task.

The battle is both terrifying and enrapturing, as the two dragons appear to become more and more desperate. Their movements become more rapid, more erratic, the Demon lashing out to do anything to survive while Zelda does everything in her power to stay out of the line of fire. 

You're too distracted thinking about Zelda’s safety that you don’t even notice the sky twisting red, or the sudden rise of the moon, or the massive light bursting from the Demon’s head, or it’s wretched screeches as it burrows further into the air, where it implodes into a massive pillar of light.

In the back of your mind, you’re aware of it. You know it was there, that it happened, but your focus was entirely on her. She coasts through the air, moving about like normal, floating around the pillar of light, until she stops.

You watch with baited breath as her entire body begins to still and glow with a brilliantly soft light. In the blink of an eye, she’s gone. The Light Dragon is gone, as the light from her body scatters into the sky. In her place is another tiny speck, followed by the other.

You can hear the commotion around you. People are still yelling in confused panic, some clinging onto each other in fear. Others are praying, or stationary in disbelief. Those brave enough left to the foot of Hyrule Castle, watching for damage and any other threat that may slither out from the Depths below. But your mind isn’t here. It’s with her.

You watch as the two figures inch closer to each other and the ground. Your mind was simultaneously far too busy and far too empty. Dozens of thoughts and possibilities flitted across your consciousness, but each one was discarded as quickly as it was conceived. You couldn’t think about what could or might be. There’s no room for anything other than her.

Her body comes closer into view, now held by Link who directs their falling forms into the water below, crashing into it’s pristine surface. Shakily, you swing onto your horse, as adrenaline courses through your veins. You’re vaguely aware of Purah yelling after you, but your body moves on its own. Spurring your stead forward, you move as quickly as possible to the small pond by the Landing, praying for the best.

As soon as you see Link, you jump off of your horse. Despite the shakiness in your legs, the weariness in your bones, you force yourself over to him. He looks up at you, nodding reassuringly. He’s tired and haggard after witnessing unseen horrors, but you can’t focus on him. Because past him is her.

Zelda. Dressed in strange yet beautiful clothing, it’s Zelda. Not a mindless dragon soaring through the air, laying in the bed of flowers before you, it’s Zelda. You kneel by her side as Link backs away, ready to give you both space. She stirs, eyes cracking open slightly. She looks around, regular, emerald eyes taking in her surroundings, and then sits up. She looks to Link, confused, and then to you. 

“What? How did-” Her voice comes out hoarsely, but with an undertone of warmth. However, she’s cut off as you bring her into a tight embrace, holding her body against your own as if she could slip through your fingers at any moment. She sits there for a few seconds before coiling her arms around you.

She eventually leans back, fighting against your grip, in order to make eye contact. She looks up at you, eyes brimming with joy and tears.

“Would you still love me if I was no longer a worm?”

“Of course. Whether you’re a big dragon or not.” You move a hand to her caress her cheek, voice so soft that it was barely above a whisper. “You’re too important to me to just let go like that.”

She laughs, a wonderfully bright sound that for so long only existed in your distant, hazy memories. She wipes away the tears rolling down your cheeks. You don’t even know when you started crying.

“Well, I’m glad… I..” She sniffles, as the tears welling up in her eyes threaten to spill over. “I never thought that I would get to see you again.”

“I came to see you whenever I could. I followed you across Hyrule just to see and speak to you.” You brush away her tears with all of the gentleness you can muster, before taking the hand away to grab her own cradling your face, gently guiding it to your lips, pressing a gentle kiss to each knuckle. “I even tried to build a home in the sky to be with you.”

The gentle tears turned to sobs, as she fell back into your arms. Despite her crying, the same bright smile is painted across her lips. She takes a few moments to compose herself again before speaking.

“I’ve been asleep for all this time, but I can remember a warm feeling, like a wonderful, loving embrace.” She moves your conjoined hands away from your face, squeezing it gently, before leaning up to press a sweet, delicate kiss to your lips. The amount of warmth and love in her expression was blinding.

“Oh, I wish you could have seen it, the founding era of Hyrule. The world the Hylians and Zonai built together was wonderful, and all of the people I met, the King and the Queen, they…” She trails off, voice quiet, as if you were the only two people in the world. “I wish you could have met them. They would have loved you so much.”

Her smile somehow brightens, as her tone morphed into the same one she used when discussing her discoveries. She rambles on about the people she met and all that she had seen. You’re both vaguely aware of the people around you, in shock and disbelief that the princess was safe and sound. But you didn’t pay them any mind, and neither did she. She was home, and that’s all that could ever matter.

[junemo10]

✨ Is it my destiny to live and die a life of blonde fragility?✨

“Arthur! Will you turn that down? You’ve been listening to that for days! It’s time to go, we’re going to be late for Oppenheimer!”

Check out Merlin getting ready for Oppenheimer