#because he copes like I do and says 'pfff nah nothing's bothering me let's distract yayayay' and then it hits him like a freight train

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Breath of the Sky Ch 9 (Skyward Sword meets Breath of the Wild)

@blossomingwaters @telemna-hyelle @skyward-floored @neutralvoiceartist @twilight-linkess @ whoever else wanted to read Breath of the Sky GUESS WHAT GUYS I MANAGED TO CONTROL THE CHAOS AND MAKE A CHAPTER

Summary: When Princess Zelda goes to the Spring of Courage to pray, accompanied by her appointed knight, a giant magical cog spitting out a goddess is the last thing she expects, but it is what she gets. Meanwhile, the Spirit Maiden Zelda is trying to figure out what the heck is happening and where her missing husband/chosen hero is.

(Click to read on AO3)

First chapter

<<Previous chapter // Next chapter>>

When Link and Zelda returned to their room for lunch, they found clothes waiting for them on their bed. Curious, the two examined the garments and were astonished at their richness. Zelda’s dress was made of multiple layers of white with gold thread sewn throughout for embroidery to accentuate the waist, collar, and just above the elbows. A necklace made of pure gold sat atop the ensemble, forming what looked like the goddess symbol. Lastly, there was a golden headdress encrusted with sapphires. For Link there was a pure white cotton undershirt covered by a silk green tunic with a leather belt that had intricate embroidery and a pure gold buckle with the goddess symbol engraved on it. Dark brown trousers, a royal blue cape, and shiny black boots completed the ensemble.

Servants were there to give them a brief rundown on how the festivities were to progress. The pair was to follow them to a large open area where what sounded like the entire population of Hyrule would be there.

So… that couldn’t be too many people, right? Link eyed Zelda nervously as he adjusted the foreign clothing he was wearing.

At least Zelda looked radiant in her outfit. Her eyes trailed over him from his head to his toes before making their way back up to his face. He felt his cheeks blush at the expression she made.

“You look nice,” she said quietly, her own face coloring slightly pink.

Link found he had no voice to answer. He swallowed thickly and rubbed the back of his neck. Zelda then giggled, easing the growing emotions between the pair, and he offered her his hand. They walked together, listening as the servants continued to brief them on what was to come.

On top of being greeted and honored by the people of Hyrule, there were gifts to be presented. Link specifically was going to be given a ceremonial sword of some sort. The servants said it was some sort of symbol of handing of responsibilities – a knight would present him with the blade and he would determine if the knight was worthy to take the blade and the mantle of protector of Hyrule by returning the blade to him.

Link felt his stomach churn. He wasn’t entirely sure why this knight needed his approval. His role had been given to him, chosen by—

Well. By… by Zelda, he supposed, if he thought about it hard enough.

He tried not to. Besides, Zelda herself had said she hadn’t fully understood until the end of their journey.

In either case, it made Link no more qualified to choose a new “protector” than anyone else. He had no right to be included in this ceremony at all.

The servants leading them paused in front of large ornate doors, and Link already felt dizzy. These clothes were strange on him, this castle was too big, and he didn’t even have to be in the room to sense how many people were in there.

He could hear them. And it sounded like a lot more than the population of Skyloft.

He couldn’t even fathom it.

Zelda squeezed his hand tightly. Glancing at her, he saw her looking similarly nervous, but she gave him a reassuring smile. Link swallowed and smiled back.

The servants pushed the doors open as trumpets blared, and the crowd in the room grew silent.

Light shone into the dark hallway as Link and Zelda stood there a moment, taking a breath. Then the couple walked forward together.

The room reminded Link of the Temple of Hylia. The ceilings were massively tall, the room rounded in shape with stone curved pillars. Link and Zelda were on a balcony of sorts, elevated above the crowds below, separated from them by two staircases and a small brick railing. The only thing on the same level as them was a large chair situated in the center overtop a red carpet. Link couldn’t quite see what or who was below until they reached the chair, which Zelda stiffly sat on while Link gazed down below.

There… there were so many people. And it wasn’t just people who looked like him and Zelda – Link saw Gorons! Gorons and others, one of which looked like—

Link immediately put a hand on Zelda’s shoulder, whispering, “Are those—?!”

“They can’t be,” Zelda whispered back. “We’ll find out, Link, but not now. Everyone’s watching.”

The Not Loftwings continued to hold Link’s attention for a while more before he really started to comprehend just how filled to the brim this room was. He was suddenly overwhelmingly hot and dizzy, and he took a step away from the balcony’s edge, his leg brushing against Zelda’s chair. He wasn’t entirely sure why only Zelda had a chair, but he needed to sit down or he was going to fall.

Shakily, Link leaned against the chair and saw that Zelda looked similarly overwhelmed. Seeing her look helpless brought some grounding energy to him, and he settled for sitting on the armrest and draping a hand over her shoulder to offer some sort of support.

A murmur rang through the crowds below at the sight, though Link couldn’t fathom why. He frankly didn’t care either.

Link eventually got a hold of his breathing and heart rate, and he started to scan below once more from his perch. He noticed the crowds were organized into four groups, each headed by someone dressed in a variation of a blue garment. In front of the four groups were two people dressed as fancy as Link and Zelda themselves, and one other flanking the girl in the center of that group who also wore a variation of the blue garment. Something was in his hands, wrapped in silk. Based on its shape and length, it had to be a sword.

He supposed that was the knight, then.

But some things weren’t adding up. Why were there two separate groups of humans? One stood in the center with the fancy dressed people in front of them, while another stood with a woman leading them. In fact… in fact, all of those humans were women.

Maybe they were Sheikah?

That aside, though… where were the Mogmas? The Kikwis? And who were the Not Loftwings and fish people? Were the fish people related to the Parellas?

Link still couldn’t believe there were bird people here!!

Before Link had much more time to ponder the matter, the three people in the center below stepped forward a couple paces, and the four leaders behind them did so as well. Then, the white-haired man to the left of the girl in the white dress knelt, and everyone else in the room did so alongside him.

Except the girl.

At first nothing happened. The girl seemed to be frozen, her eyes locked on to Zelda. When Link glanced at his wife, he saw that she was similarly entranced. He didn’t want to break the moment, but he was feeling the tension in the room grow, and he eventually stood, his hand sliding along Zelda’s shoulder.

The girl cleared her throat. Her hands went to her chest, cupped together and fingers interlaced, and she began to sing. Her voice was soft, breathy, shaky, and timid, but melodious, nonetheless. Link immediately felt himself relax.

“O Protector, Goddess of Hyrule and Time,

Grant that my wish be one with Thine.”

With the first verse sung, the girl’s hands unclasped and bowed outward as she dipped her head and torso in a slight curtsey, and Link felt his veins will with ice. Singing and dancing in a prayerful message to the goddess reminded him so much of Fi that it hurt.

This girl was speaking as Fi spoke when relaying messages from Hylia.

“Watch over this land you made,

Give us grace to continue the groundwork you laid.”

Here the girl folded one hand over another over her heart and she knelt as well. Everyone else in the room bowed deeply from their positions, already on their knees.

“We honor you and offer you the fruits of our labors,

And I implore you hear your child of ages.

We seek your care and protection and favors,

And hope you grant them through your sages.”

The girl rose to her feet, hands clasped once again as they had been in the beginning, head bowed in prayer.

Prayer. Oh goddess. She was praying to Zelda.

Link felt dizzy.

“Goddess Hylia, I pray you give me the strength to protect my people.

O Protector, Goddess of Hyrule and Time,

Grant that my wish be one with Thine.”

The room echoed with a deep and loud rumbling sound as everyone recited some memorized verse before growing silent once more. The girl relaxed her posture, stepping aside as a Not Loftwing stepped forward from the crowds. The room cleared as people backed farther away, hidden in shadow, and then several musicians and others took center stage.

“Your Grace, Mythical Hero,” the gigantic humanoid bird spoke—spoke!—to them. “With your auspicious visitation, we seek to invite you into a brief tale of the history of Hyrule. We understand you have traveled a vast time and distance to get to us, and we wish to impart on you the knowledge of the greatness of the land you established and protected.”

Link and Zelda exchanged glances, the previous awkwardness forgotten in lieu of genuine curiosity. The couple leaned forward eagerly, eyes alight.

The man cleared his throat as the musicians played an intro on strings and windpipes. “Millennia ago, the Golden Goddesses descended from the heavens to create the earth. Din, Goddess of Power, used her strength to create the land. Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom, used her logic to create order and law. Farore, Goddess of Courage, bared her soul to create life. With the land established, the Golden Goddesses departed this mortal plane, leaving the Triforce as an imprint of their power, with the Goddess Hylia in charge of its care and the land’s protection.

“For ages, the land was prosperous under the watchful eye of the Goddess Hylia. But then, a great Calamity tore through the earth, seeking utter destruction. To defeat him, Hylia breathed life into the clouds of the sky, and from it descended The Hero of Myth and Legend.”

Link choked on his spit.

“Together, the Goddess and the Hero defeated the Calamity, sealing it into the earth and establishing the Kingdom of Hyrule. With children to rule the land around them, the Goddess and the Hero returned to the heavens above, where they would remain until the Calamity Ganon returned.”

“Wait, so we go back to Skyloft after we establish Hyrule?” Zelda whispered confusedly. “What happened to the Triforce?”

“I’m still trying to figure out how you sneezed into a cloud to create me,” Link shot back.

Zelda barked out a laugh and then turned beet red as the entire room froze. She shriveled into the chair a little, and Link looked down at the speaker, who looked a little horrified.

Oops.

Link gave the most reassuring smile he could muster and nodded for the Not Loftwing Person to continue.

The musicians began to play once more, and the pause only in reality lasted a second or two, despite feeling like an eternity, and the feathered man continued, “Through the ages, Ganon attempted to take over Hyrule again and again, only to be thwarted by the Goddess’ descendants and her Hero, whose soul would descend to the earth whenever needed. Across time and through twilight itself, the Soul of the Hero and his Sacred Blade protected Hyrule and its people.”

Link leaned forward, growing more interested. They knew of Fi? Zelda, on the other hand, had grown considerably still, eyes wide and breath caught as she glanced between the storyteller and her husband.

“Ten thousand years ago, Calamity Ganon tried once more, though this time, the people of Hyrule also chose to fight alongside the Hero and the Princess. Divine Beasts, fashioned after the Divine Bestial form of the Hero, were piloted by Champions, who supported the Hero and Princess in their quest to vanquish the evil.

“Since his last defeat, it has been foretold that the Calamity would come once more, and in true form of the Goddess Hylia’s wisdom and protection, the Soul of the Hero has returned once more, prepared to fight alongside the Holy Descendant, the Princess of Hyrule.”

A shiver started to make its way down Link’s spine as the words truly began to sink in. Zelda hadn’t moved a muscle.

These people… thought Link was there to stop this Ganon person? Who was supposedly the person he defeated back… when…

Link’s mind went blank, completely ignoring what he’d just heard. He felt his breathing quicken, and he closed his eyes, trying to center himself. He couldn’t put two thoughts together, his head hurt all of a sudden.

“There’s no way he survived,” Zelda whispered, and judging by how her voice shook she was trying to reassure herself more than him.

Link tried to center himself to give her some support, saying softly, “It’s just a story, Zel. They didn’t even understand what we had to go through. They don’t even know who Demise is.”

“It’s not just a story,” Zelda hissed. “Or we wouldn’t be sitting in Hyrule Castle.”

“Well,” Link scrambled for an explanation as the crowds below moved into some new arrangement. “We were told as children that Hylia defeated Demise, that she had chosen a hero to aid her in the war and together they’d won the battle. In reality, Hylia reincarnated into you and I was chosen across time to help you defeat Demise. Their story isn’t true, Zel.”

“Listen to yourself, Link,” Zelda argued. “The story we were told as children was about us. Hylia—I—the fight against Demise was foretold for a reason.”

“Hero of Myth and Legend,” a different man, the one dressed in fancy attire with white hair, suddenly announced. Link stiffened, slowly standing. “We present to you our Champion, the bearer of the Soul of the Hero. We pray for your blessing and your protection.”

Oh… this had to be the presentation ceremony that the servants had mentioned. Link shook his head subtly, trying to keep up with everything that was happening. He still couldn’t quite comprehend the story he’d just been told, the fact that everyone expected him to protect Hyrule, a land he had helped establish, and now he had to—

Wait, bearer of the Soul of the Hero?

Those who share the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero… They are eternally bound to this curse.

Link felt ill. No. It can’t be.

NO.

Shaking his head, he focused instead on the knight walking up the stairs to meet him, a silk cloth covering the blade he would no doubt present. The closer the knight came, the dizzier Link felt, and then—and then—

And then he recognized him. He didn’t recall ever seeing his face, but his tunic, his hair, his earrings, his build… he recognized them.

This was the person he’d seen in his nightmare.

Bearer of the Soul of the Hero.

Was… was that why he’d seen himself with the knight in that dream? But what about Fi? She was in the dream too, and—

The knight approached him, eyes downcast, face blanket, and pulled away the silk covering.

And held the Master Sword out to Link.

Link’s mind became blank. His blood ran cold. His breath caught in his throat. He was frozen, unable to process what was in front of him while simultaneously having it all crash down on him at once.

This was the future. This was the future and Demise had somehow survived and Fi was here.

Fi.

Link slowly remembered to breathe again, mainly because he was growing dizzy, and he reverently reached for the blade.

Would she know he was there? She had said she’d be locked in an eternal sleep. Was… was she in there still?

The knight slowly let the weight of the blade fall into Link’s hands, supported at the hilt and the sheath. His fingers brushed against the knight’s, and his entire body nearly bucked at the sensation.

And Fi sang.

Link heard Zelda leap to her feet behind him, and the knight stared at the blade in shock. Fi’s familiar hum reverberated through the room, the blade warm in Link’s hands, and then it faded.

Link’s last bit of sanity faded with it. He looked at the knight in front of him, eyes wide. “How did you get this blade?”

The knight swallowed, his posture rigid, and his eyes darted to somewhere behind Link as Zelda approached.

“She had to have chosen you, didn’t she?” Zelda surmised as Link’s emotions continued to spiral out of control. He wanted to run out of the room, he wanted to scream.

The knight nodded stiffly.

“Goddesses,” Zelda breathed, hugging herself. “He… he really…”

Link clutched Fi so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Zelda centered herself first, looking at the knight once more as Link started to step away from the pair, unable to breathe. “I’m… I’m sorry. About before. I didn’t… I didn’t know what was going on, and I was worried about Link.”

The knight turned white as a sheet. Link didn’t really notice or care.

Fi. How was she here, how—

How the hell is this all happening?!

He’d thought it was over. Zelda had said it was over. They’d ended the war, Demise was gone—

He wanted to go home. He wanted to go home and forget about all of this, forget about the sinking realization in his heart and mind and stomach that made him feel so violently ill he was going to pass out. He wanted to sit beside Fi in her pedestal and chat with her as if she could still hear him, back in Faron Woods where things made sense and the ache of her loss was logical and he knew she couldn’t reply because their mission was over.

Goddess, he wanted to die.

“Link.”

Zelda’s voice sounded so far away. He closed his eyes, holding the blade close.

Warm hands settled on his cheeks, making him open his eyes and see his wife looking at him. Her face was decidedly neutral as she herself was trying to wrestle her emotions, but her concern was clear in her gaze.

She looked so ancient all of a sudden, so foreign, so much like she had back in the Temple of Hylia when she’d first told Link everything about their mission. Link felt his knees tremble, threatening to buckle entirely.

“Zel,” he whispered so quietly he couldn’t even hear it over his deafening heartbeat. He felt so lost, so completely alone all of a sudden, as if even his own wife was somehow a stranger to him in this land. His chest was tight, everything was too present and too loud.

Zelda’s hands slid carefully from his cheeks to his ears, playing the tips and covering them from the world around him. She leaned her forehead against his, the Master Sword blocking full contact between them, and he gave in to the embrace a little, trembling and closing his eyes once more.

The world was dark and silent as he tried desperately to let his mind just rest from the raging thoughts. He just felt her hands, heard her thumbs caressing his ears, felt her breath tickle his mouth. His body subtly urged him forward, and his lips brushed against hers in a ghost of a kiss.

For a second he felt safe. For a second he felt sane again. Zelda’s right hand traced its way from his ear down his neck and chest to settle on the Master Sword’s hilt, adding a small amount of weight to what he was already carrying.

The weight brought his situation back with it, crushing him.

The knight was waiting. The crowd was still watching below. There were too many people and too many expectations and too many things going on.

Even Fi suddenly felt foreign, old and different and no longer an acquaintance. She had chosen this knight, this new Hero, this—

The image from nightmare seared into his brain, and he opened his eyes, jerking away from Zelda. Stiffly, he turned back towards the knight, who himself looked rather like he wanted to fade into nothingness right there as well. Link had never related to someone more in his life in that moment.

He held out the blade wordlessly, begging the knight to take it. The knight received the blade as if he were getting his life back.

Link felt as if he had just given his away.

The pair stared at each other for a moment longer before the knight adjusted the blade so it could rest on his back, and then he bowed before walking back down the stairs. A booming voice announced something, and the room burst into motion as everyone filed somewhere.

Zelda was at his side in an instant. “Link, we’re heading outside.”

Outside? Had the servants said something about that? Oh, they had, hadn’t they? Something about after the initial ceremony was over, the festivities would take place outside to accommodate everyone.

Accommodate everyone. Because this giant room filled to the brim with people somehow still wasn’t enough.

Link blindly followed his wife, praying that this night would be over soon.

XXX

Princess Zelda breathed in the outdoor air with relief. She had led many religious ceremonies in her life, but never had she done so with the goddess herself right in front of her. Though her nerves over speaking with Hylia were far less than they had been in the beginning, it still was a daunting idea.

But now that was out of the way, and she could just enjoy the celebration. It wasn’t often that Hyrule had reason to celebrate these days, so seeing her kingdom bustling with cheer and joy brought her a great deal of happiness.

Her father walked beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder as he beamed with pride. “Well done, Zelda.”

The princess felt her heart flutter at the compliment, and she felt tears sting in her eyes. It had also been a long time since she and her father had a discussion that hadn’t ended in some sort of negative manner between them. This night was turning out to be fantastic.

“Thank you, Father,” she said thickly.

The king hesitated in his step as he watched her, and his smile grew gentler. The moment was interrupted when the crowds outside went insane, cheering for the monarchs and then for the mythical figures who emerged shortly after them. Zelda watched the legendary couple stand at the entrance, looking around them and taking in the sights. Strangely, they suddenly looked so small.

Her father went to them, directing them to a table set aside for their use that was elevated above the rest of the plaza. Hylia guided her Hero to the table, and the two sat quietly. Zelda wasn’t entirely sure what to make of them, honestly. Hylia acted as one might expect a goddess to be – stoic, distant but not cold. The Hero was a bigger mystery, though – the power move he’d pulled inside by sitting on the throne alongside the goddess herself had certainly caused a stir, let alone the strange pause in returning the Master Sword to Link.

“You led the prayer beautifully, little bird.”

Zelda turned to see Urbosa and laughed in delight. “Thank you! I admit, I’m glad it’s over, but it seems she took it well.”

Urbosa hummed, her eyes darting towards the table with the legendary couple before she returned her attention to the princess. “I would say so, yes. Have you had a chance to speak with her privately?”

Zelda shook her head. “Not since… well… that first time.”

“We’ve gone over this,” Urbosa said gently. “She was worried about the Hero, not mad at you.”

“I know,” Zelda replied honestly. She had already managed to piece that together herself when she’d discovered Hylia was from the past, and Urbosa had helped her frame that day in a better context as well. “I’ve been thinking it over. I figure this is as good a time as any, but… I’m not sure if they want anyone approaching them.”

“What are you talking about? This party is the perfect time to introduce yourself,” Urbosa commented. “Especially after the bard already did the introduction for you.”

Zelda laughed sheepishly. “I suppose you’re right.”

Nodding to herself, she turned to head towards the table when she nearly ran face first into the Goron Champion Daruk’s massive rock hard belly.

“Princess!” Daruk greeted cheerfully as Zelda stumbled back. “That was great with the prayer and everything! You really are something. Can you believe that a goddess is here?! It’s wild!”

The princess laughed shakily as she regained her composure. “Well, yes, it is very exciting.”

“The princess was actually going to go talk to the goddess,” Urbosa chimed in helpfully, nudging Zelda.

Smiling thankfully at the Gerudo chief, Zelda started to walk towards the table when she saw a different champion making his way to the legendary pair.

Daruk stared as well. “Huh. What do ya think Revali’s doing?”

“Making a fool of himself, probably,” Urbosa grumbled.

The princess watched uncertainly as the Rito Champion marched towards Hylia and the Hero, chest puffed and feathers ruffled as he bowed deeply to the couple. She supposed she’d have to wait.

On the other side of the plaza, Link walked around to ease off the nerves that had nearly crushed him back in the throne room. The entire ordeal of handing the Master Sword had almost reduced him to a pile of ash out of sheer horror and anxiety. He’d heard of the ceremony before, and after being talked through it felt a little less horrified about handing the legendary sword over since he was supposed to get it back, but a part of him had wondered if the Hero would actually return it.

The long wait, and the Hero turning his back to him, had certainly solidified those fears. But then Hylia of all people seemed to convince the Hero to give the blade back, had apologized to Link for her earlier actions.

Link supposed that was appropriate since he himself had been chosen by the goddess.

But what did any of this mean? That Hylia’s earlier vitriol had been misplaced, forgotten? That the Hero himself didn’t like Link?

He didn’t know. All he knew was that hellish experience was over and he’d somehow survived it without falling to pieces.

Link caught sight of his father in the crowd, dressed in colorful formal regalia. The two locked eyes for a moment, gave a subtle nod of acknowledgement, and moved on. This was not the setting for anything more than that. Link wandered a little aimlessly as the lively music continued, wondering what exactly was expected of him now. Perhaps he could just go to the dining tables and eat all the delicious food and be left in peace.

He looked to the other Champions to see what they were doing and saw that Mipha was gazing at him with a soft smile. As soon as they made eye contact, she headed his way. Link felt his heart flutter a bit, and he choked down the feeling. She was his friend from childhood and nothing more. Even that was pushing the protocol, anyway, but he couldn’t stand to not be around her at all.

If Princess Zelda could allow for a friendship between him and her, then maybe it wouldn’t be viewed poorly to have a friendship with Princess Mipha too. They’d known each other longer, anyway.

“Link! Isn’t this party amazing?” Mipha said in her soft tone as she drew close enough to be heard. Her eyes glittered in the candlelight, her face aglow with excitement.

Link tried his hardest to keep a neutral face. There were too many prying eyes, this setting was too public, so many things could go wrong if he said or did something inappropriate. Nevertheless, he felt his face soften, even if he couldn’t emote in any other way, and he hoped it was subtle enough for no one to notice but present enough for her to see. He gave a polite nod of acknowledgement.

“Have you spoken to Hylia Incarnate or the Hero of Legend?” Mipha asked.

Link shook his head. His mind had screamed for him to answer when the Hero had demanded how he’d gotten the Master Sword, but anxiety had choked the words before they could leave his throat.

“I wonder what they’re like?” Mipha thought aloud. She stroked her chin and gazed off towards the mythical figures, and Link fought with all his might to hide an affectionate smile. She looked so adorable, so beautiful.

Link bit his tongue hard enough to make it bleed.

“To think Hyrule is finally getting everything together—the divine beasts, the guardians—and then the goddesses send this,” Mipha continued, unaware of Link’s scrutiny. “Fate truly is on our side, I think! There’s no way Calamity Ganon can defeat us now.”

Link considered it for a moment. Perhaps she was right. It should have been reassuring, but somehow it made him feel inadequate, like the goddesses had to send the original hero because Link couldn’t live up to the expectations.

It kind of seemed like the Hero thought Link couldn’t live up to his role.

“Imagine the things you could learn from the Hero!” Mipha said delightedly, looking back at Link with a sincere smile.

Link felt his stomach clench and he gave a noncommittal shrug.

“Link, let’s go try the food over there!” Mipha said, suddenly changing the topic and pointing off in the distance.

Link followed her gaze and saw mountains of different dishes, the smell of fish wafting in the air. This time he couldn’t hide the small smile from his face, and he trotted alongside her as she practically skipped over to the table.

XXX

Although the crowds had grown exponentially, being outside made it far more bearable as Zelda picked at the food provided to her and Link. The food looked amazing, but she didn’t have much of an appetite at the moment, and it seemed Link didn’t either.

Her mind was whirling, picking through everything they had learned in the course of the last fifteen minutes.

Demise was alive and well and causing chaos. He might go by a different name, but Zelda had dealt with him enough times, remembered him enough, to know it was him. It had to be. It made her simultaneously terrified and enraged down to her core, so shaken at the thought that despite everything they had gone through, he was still a threat.

What more could they possibly do?! They’d used the Triforce, she’d—Hylia had—all that planning, all that suffering—

And what about now? Who determined who had to fight Demise now? The words in the prayer, the words in the story, they burned into her brain.

Through the ages, Ganon attempted to take over Hyrule again and again, only to be thwarted by the Goddess’ descendants and her Hero, whose soul would descend to the earth whenever needed.

Given her own experiences, Zelda knew this could be interpreted a number of ways because it could have been learned a number of different ways by the people. But descendants were descendants. There was no misinterpreting that.

Descendants.

Zelda’s eyes drifted to the girl in the white dress, to Princess Zelda and King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule.

Her and Link’s descendants.

Link shifted beside her, and she glanced at him to see that his eyes had finally honed in on something rather than dully staring at the world around him. She followed his gaze and saw another birdlike person approaching.

She had no idea what to make of these bird people, except that it was mind boggling and amazing to see them. She tried to maintain her manners and not stare too hard, but it Link… well…

Link had never been one for manners, anyway.

The bird man reached them and bowed deeply. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Revali, Champion of the Rito, and the greatest warrior in Hyrule. I have been chosen to assist Princess Zelda and Hyrule in its fight against Calamity Ganon.”

Zelda cocked her head to the side, raising an eyebrow. She was detecting an inordinately high amount of Groose flavored ego in this Revali person. “Nice to meet you, Revali.”

Link, adaptable as ever, seemed to pick up on it too. His expression shifted from overwhelmed to amused in a heartbeat.

“The honor is all mine, I assure you,” Revali replied. Well, at least he was polite. “I wanted to assuage your concerns and say that the fight against Ganon is in the most capable hands. I have already mastered my Divine Beast and will be able to support the princess in every way possible. Personally, I could even be the one to wield the Sword the Seals the Darkness, if need be.”

Link leaned back in his seat, and his face practically screamed, ah, there it is. Zelda choked back a groan; she didn’t know how Link had patience for this, she had too many things to worry about.

Before the conversation could go any farther, another rperson approached, one of the other leaders in blue that Zelda had distinguished from earlier. She had a massive build and wore… little to no clothing, though what she had was fashioned like colorful armor. It made little sense to Zelda – perhaps they were dancers who fashioned themselves as fighters?

But the yellow eyes and ruby red hair were striking enough to catch her eye. She gave a sidelong glance to Link, who had a similar curiosity in his face.

“Your Grace, great Hero,” the woman acknowledged with a bow. “I am Urbosa, Chief of the Gerudo people and Champion of Hyrule.”

“How many champions does Hyrule have?” Zelda questioned, looking between the two and wondering if this was some sort of competition that she didn’t have the energy for.

“Five,” Urbosa immediately answered. “One from each group of people within Hyrule, all working together to support the Princess of Hyrule.”

The Princess. The one who led the devotional prayer. The one who was of Zelda and Link’s bloodline.

Zelda felt giddy, looking at her husband. Then she felt dread as she looked at the champions and thought of their purpose.

Good heavens above, this night was a whirlwind.

“I was curious is Your Grace and the great Hero would be interested in joining the festivities in the plaza,” Urbosa continued. “Believe me, it’s far more entertaining to join the fun than stay here and be cornered by the nobility. Unless, of course, that is Your Grace’s wish?”

Urbosa raised an eyebrow at Zelda, but something in her eyes screamed a sense of knowledge and confidence that reminded her of some of the instructors at the academy. This Urbosa woman knew that Revali was practically harassing the pair and was giving them a means of escape.

Zelda liked her.

“Well, I see the dancing,” Zelda offered, nudging Link. “We do love a good dance.”

It wasn’t a lie, after all, Link and Zelda both loved to dance. The scrutiny they would get here would probably dampen the fun, but if they ignored it… well, she didn’t know. Zelda wasn’t the kind of person to just immediately wipe anxieties and nagging thoughts from her mind.

Link, on the other hand, was. Her husband immediately grabbed her hand, dragging her farther towards the people standing in lines and dancing together as the music played cheerily all around them. It was clear he was eager for a distraction.

The moves to the dance were simple to follow. The couple stood and watched, ignoring the onlookers as others continued to dance, oblivious to the two. Tap the left feet together with the partner, then the right, repeat once more. Do-si-do with a twirl at the end, then a couple flourishes with the arms before a step and twirl to the left and switching partners.

Well, that part would be interesting. Zelda actually cackled at the thought of it. She couldn’t wait to see people’s faces when they saw that their new dance partner was a goddess.

Okay, that was reason enough to dance.

Link rushed ahead to take a spot across from Zelda, and the pair started to do the moves, laughing whenever they messed something up. Link’s giggling was so freeing, it did manage to release the tension and worry building in Zelda’s heart as he beamed at her.

Off in the distance, the Gerudo champion, hidden from view from the couple, nudged the princess into the line of dancers as well.

Zelda laughed as she brushed shoulders with her husband, face flushed with excitement. When it came time to twirl to the left, she smiled at her new partner, a young man dressed far simpler than most of the people in that other room had been.

Which meant he hadn’t been in there. Which meant he didn’t know who she was.

Golden Three, what a relief.

The two smiled politely as they moved, and then the man asked, “Can you believe this party? I’ve never seen anything like it in my life!”

“I can’t say that I have either,” Zelda remarked with a chuckle.

“They say the Goddess Hylia is actually here, but my sister said you’d know because of the thunder. She says there’s no way the weather wouldn’t be going crazy with a goddess here. So I think they might be wrong, but at least we can all enjoy ourselves!”

All right, Zelda did have to laugh at that. “You’re absolutely right, there’s no way the goddess is here if there isn’t a fire tornado or something.”

“That’s what I thought!” the guy continued as they did the do-si-do. “Well, either way, hope you have fun!”

“Thanks, you too!”

On to the next partner. This one was a tall woman of similar build to Urbosa. Maybe another Gerudo, then?

Oh. That meant…

“Your Grace,” the woman acknowledged with a pause in her step.

“You’re going to interrupt the dance!” Zelda said with as much cheer as she could muster.

The woman stared at her a moment longer and then laughed, stepping in rhythm once more. The two passed the time in somewhat amicable silence after that, and Zelda was grateful when they moved on to the next set of partners.

And saw the Princess of Hyrule standing across from her.

“Your Grace,” the Princess said with a curtsey.

Zelda stared at her, frozen. Eventually she choked out, “H-hi. I…”

The world continued to move around them as they stood still, and Zelda shook her head, getting herself together. “I’m sorry about… about before. When I was… I mean, I was being rude. I’m sorry. I was just scared about Link. Thanks… thanks for helping.”

The Princess watched her in seeming wonder and then let out a relieved breath, smiling. “Of course. I—oof!”

Both girls grunted as the dancers moved to their next positions, heedless of the pair planted firmly in the midst of it. Zelda had to laugh, reaching out to drag the princess out of the line so they could continue speaking.

Goddesses above, now that she truly looked at her… the necklace, the dress… they were all styled after Zelda.

Clearly the princess had inherited her hair from Zelda as well, though it had darkened a little through the generations.

Through the generations. Holy Golden Three above.

“I…” Zelda tried to say, not really knowing what to say. “It’s… really good to meet you. Properly, you know.”

The princess took a shaky breath, eyes widening as her cheeks flushed. “Y-yes. Well, I—it’s good to meet you too. I mean, we already—well, yes. I…”

Here the princess fidgeted and then burst out, “I have so many things I want to talk about with you!”

Zelda recognized her own burning curiosity in the girl’s eyes, and she her heart was suddenly so full. She giggled. “I imagine you do.”

“Okay, first, were you there when they made the Divine Beasts? Oh, and what was it like all the way back then, I mean—I mean Hyrule wasn’t even founded yet, and—”

Zelda laughed, waving her hands in the princess’ face. “Wait, wait, I can only answer one question at a time, Princess!”

As the princess spluttered to a halt, Zelda’s eyes traced over the crowds to see that Link had somehow vanished in the crowds. A hint of worry slivered its way into her heart, and though she was still filled wonder and joy at meeting the princess properly, she had to make sure he was okay.

Putting a hand on the princess’ shoulder, she said, “I’ll talk to you later, Princess. I have to check on Link first, but I’ll come find you okay? Though…”

Looking around, she added a little nervously, “There are so many people here… maybe we can meet after the party if I can’t find you?”

The Princess looked mildly bewildered by the remark, but then she eagerly nodded. “Yes, of course!”

Smiling, Zelda bade the princess farewell for the moment and started to hunt for her husband.

XXX

The tapestries seemed endless. Tales woven throughout the fabric of history were immortalized on the castle walls. Ceremonies and treaties, queens and kings.

Heroes and monsters.

Link felt his blood run cold, the joy of the dancing from earlier leaving him with the change in pressure as a chill blew through the drafty hallway. He’d snuck away from the crowds after a few rounds of partners, growing weary despite the joy the movement brought.

There were too many people. There was too much noise.

It was all just too much.

“Link?”

He couldn’t look at her. He couldn’t piece two words together in his head let alone in his throat. Zelda walked up to him and followed his gaze, her eyes lingering on the images of the royal family.

“It’s so…” she trailed off, also struggling to put her feelings into something coherent. “I can’t believe they’re all… they’re our family.”

Family. They were family.

Heroes and monsters were banished from his mind for a moment as the words tumbled around in his head. After all, he hadn’t missed the words used in the storytelling or prayers. He was an airhead, it was true, but he was no fool.

He felt like he was being pulled in so many different directions, and an overwhelming dizziness was prevailing over it all.

Zelda grabbed his wrist, and he finally looked at her to see excitement in her eyes. A question lingered in her gaze, her cheeks turning steadily pinker.

Link blinked. What was she…?

Before he could finish his internal question, Zelda pulled him by his wrist, dragging him down the hallway. He yelped at the force of it, and before he knew it, they were in the bedroom provided to them by the king. The door closed abruptly behind him, making him jump. “Zelda—”

“Oh, isn’t it just wonderful? Knowing that our efforts will yield such results? I mean, just look at this place, Link! And we—they—we have—the royal family is—”

Zelda was practically beaming, breathless, pacing the room, her hands clasped in front of her as she gazed off in wonder. Link had to smile at it. It honestly was pretty incredible seeing this place, but while he was still struggling to process everything happening around them, it seemed like it was finally slamming into Zelda’s mind. She seemed almost giddy.

She paused her frantic steps, looking at him again, her face aglow with delight. “Let’s make a baby.”

Link let out a laugh. Her excitement was infectious.

Then her words sank in.

Link felt his entire body go rigid. “Wait, what?”

“This place is everything we’ve built! It’s our legacy!” Zelda twirled in place, oblivious to his stammering. “Oh, it’s just so amazing.”

She paused, looking at him with bright eyes. “Link…”

Link swallowed, his body ice cold and burning hot all at once. Despite his typical lack of concern for decorum, he was pretty sure these actions were supposed to take place in the couple’s own home. Somehow it didn’t seem very polite for this to happen here, for their first time to be in the home built by their descendants while there was still a party happening in their honor.

Their descendants. Holy goddesses above. Maybe it was starting to sink in.

Or at least it would have been, except Zelda suddenly was in front of him, kissing him with a ferocity he only got a taste of during their wedding festivities. Her hands were to his chest in an instant, busying themselves with unburdening him from the garments he’d been given. He didn’t know what to do, his heart racing faster than it ever had. He wasn’t going to stop her, goddesses no, all he wanted was to continue, his mind and body both eager to push the night’s festivities far behind him, but by all that was holy this was happening fast—

Anxieties from their wedding night, exhaustion from the past few days, uncertainty from their situation were all forgotten in place of a singular, searing desire. Link impatiently helped Zelda rid them both of their royal garb, and soon husband and wife became one and nothing else mattered.

XXX

Impa sighed. She wasn’t sure how she ended up being the messenger for the king, but as a dutiful Sheikah she wasn’t going to argue the point. Something was troubling His Majesty, and all he had asked her to do was request Hylia Incarnate’s presence in the throne room as the festivities died down outside.

Of course, this was easier said than done. Impa was used to dealing with royalty and nobility, but deities? How would she even approach this? Was she supposed to bow? Curtsey? Prostrate herself on the ground? This was Hylia herself—it was almost too insane to fathom! Not to mention with her was the Hero of Legend, the one to start the line of chosen heroes who would wield the Master Sword—the one who forged the Master Sword! How did one address a goddess and a legend?!

Taking a calming breath, Impa paused outside the door to the quarters provided to the pair. They were given the largest room available, one with a sitting area leading to a bedroom. Perhaps she could just… knock, enter the sitting room and announce her presence? Wait, wait, what if they were sitting right there when she entered? She still hadn’t worked out the proper protocol for what she was supposed to do.

She shook her head. She would always genuflect before the king. Hylia and the Hero of Legend deserved at least that much respect, so she supposed she would start there.

Impa knocked on the door. “Your Grace, I wish to have an audience with you.”

Silence.

Impa shifted. They were there, right? The guards had seen them heading that way, and in quite a hurry too. Wait, was something wrong?

Impa knocked again. Spoke again. Still nothing.

What was she supposed to do? It was far too early for them to be sleeping. Maybe they were just farther from the door and couldn’t hear her. Clearing her throat, she turned the knob and slowly opened the door, announcing herself again. “Your Grace, this is Impa of the Sheikah. I wish to have an audience with you.”

Peeking around the door, she saw that the sitting room was empty. Ah. So that was why she wasn’t heard. Entering, she closed the door behind her, walking slowly and purposefully towards the bedroom. She would knock there next. If she didn’t get a reply she’d know they weren’t actually in here.

A noise caught her ear as she got closer to the door. She supposed that meant they were actually there. Well, that would cut her hunt short, but it made her slightly nervous all over again. She took a calming breath as she approached the door.

Raising her hand, she started to move her fist to the door when she heard the noise again. Scrunching her brow, she leaned closer. She wasn’t one to eavesdrop on conversations, but this didn’t sound like words – was everything all right in there?

Shaking her head, she inhaled to announce her presence again, when she heard the sound a third time and realized it sounded like heavy breathing. Her senses went on alert. Was the Hero of Myth still unwell? Her hand flew to the doorknob, ready to turn it, when she something clicked.

Oh. Oh.

Her hand recoiled as if the doorknob had burnt it. Her face certainly felt like it was burning. Impa practically flew to the entrance of the chamber. By the goddesses, oh my Hylia, oh no, no, NO, this is SO WRONG—

Impa fled the room, her face in her hands as mental images she did not want nor need appeared in her head. She was going right back to the king as soon as she calmed the hell down and was going to promptly say Hylia was indisposed, thank you very much and then proceed to find the nearest alcoholic beverage in sight.