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skyloftian-nutcase · 2 years ago

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Breath of the Sky Ch 8 (SS meets BotW)

(@ludoluck @goosekee @artisticgamer)

GUESS WHO FINALLY GOT THIS SUCKER UPDATED

Not that much happens but it's something okay

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 here to read on AO3)

Chapter 1

<<Previous chapter // Next chapter>>

Chapter 8: Making Plans

Link felt like he was floating in one of the Goron hot springs. His body was completely relaxed and blessedly warm. A comforting weight was pressed over his waist, grounding him. He stretched his legs lazily, feeling the blood flow. Faint birdsong echoed outside the window, making him slowly flutter his eyes open.

It was still fairly dark. The sky was midnight blue with the slightest hint of sunlight starting to peak over the horizon. It was time to get up.

Yawning, Link rubbed his eyes and started to sit up when he felt the weight on his waist once more. Glancing confusedly, he saw two arms draped over him.

What…?

A loud snore made him jump, and he remembered where he’d fallen asleep.

Looking to either side, he saw that he was flanked by his parents, who clearly had made an effort to both keep him comfortable and make sure they knew when he would be leaving.

Link debated pretending to sleep until they got up so he could sneak away. He hated goodbyes.

His father stirred first, and Link hastily slid back under the covers and closed his eyes like a child being caught awake after bedtime. He felt ridiculous, but he didn’t want to deal with any kind of parting words. He was never good at them, and they made him sad.

He felt his father shift in bed, scooting closer to him and snuggling against him and his mother. His arm moved to brush hair out of Link’s face.

Well, now he was trapped. He had to either bite the stick and deal with the consequences or arrive late to Kakariko, possibly missing Impa. The latter was unacceptable, so he gritted his teeth and started to sit up.

Despite his father’s movements, it was his mother who spoke first. “Honey, are you okay?”

Link nodded. “I have to go.”

“Not without some food in your stomach first, young man.”

Link sighed heavily at his father’s tone. He didn’t argue. Maybe he could get away while they prepped something… but the thought of skipping breakfast made his heart and stomach hurt almost as much as having to say goodbye.

Turning to sit up more, he felt his father grip his shirt gently and pull him back down. He looked at him to see the man’s eyes were closed, his brow furrowed.

Behind him, his mother chuckled.

Slowly, his father opened his eyes. “Stay here with your mother. I’ll make breakfast.”

Link didn’t like it, but he nodded, watching his father get out of bed and stretch before he felt his mother pull him closer to her. Well, at this rate he might as well give up on sneaking out. He bit his lip and sighed. There was no sense in fighting. Turning to face her, he snuggled into her embrace, enjoying the comfort while he could.

“I wanted to talk to you about something before you left,” she said into his hair.

Link stiffened, wondering what she was about to say.

His mother planted a kiss on his head and then pulled away to look him in the eye. “I heard about the stories from the castle. About the goddess herself and the legendary hero. Knights brought the news to the entire kingdom, even all the way out here. Your father was telling me about it last night, and he said you were in the middle of it. But I never got any letter or anything from you. I can’t even imagine what it was like. What happened?”

Link stared at her, unsure what to say, his throat closing up. The overwhelming emotions that he had come home to escape returned. His mother watched him for a while longer and then sighed, pulling him to her once more.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, running her hand over his hair. Link felt pathetic, but he didn’t push her away.

The morning air was quiet. The smell of eggs cooking filled the house. His mother gave him a gentle squeeze. “I… I know, Link, that you have a lot on your shoulders. I just… hope this isn’t making it worse. I want you to talk to me if something’s wrong, okay?”

Tears stung in his eyes, catching him off guard. He didn’t dare speak.

“Link?”

He buried his head into her neck in an attempt to avoid looking her in the eye, mumbling, “I love you, Mama.”

He heard her sigh, and a silent understanding slipped between them. “I love you too, sweetheart. More than anything.”

Eventually he would get a hold of himself. Eventually she would let him go. Eventually he would get out of bed and go outside to wash up and prepare to leave. Eventually he would eat the breakfast his father was making for him and accept the affectionate pat on his shoulder with a warm smile.

But for now, he would relax in the notion that his mother at least understood what he was going through, even if he hadn’t said a word. She always was the most intuitive person he’d ever met.

Closing his eyes, Link felt some of the weight lift off his shoulders, and he smiled through his tears.

XXX

The traces of a flowery perfume. Something stroking his hair. Someone humming. A heart beating.

Link took in a deep breath, shifting. His head was on something soft, something warm. Fingers massaged his scalp, and his skin tingled. He wanted to stay in this moment forever, but his chest burned too much for him to settle back to sleep. Opening his eyes, he saw Zelda’s shining face smiling at him.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” she greeted softly.

Link smiled, leaning forward to kiss her briefly. She pulled him closer to her, and he nuzzled her neck. His body ached, exhausted from being ill, stiff from being in bed for too long, sore from exertion yesterday, and burning from a desire that had yet to be satiated since they’d snoozed right through their wedding night. But he was at peace in this moment, and he ignored the feelings that were swirling inside of him. He was happy, and so was Zelda. They were together and they were safe.

Yesterday had definitely taken a toll on him, but he didn’t regret it. Zelda had been so lost and scared, and he knew exploring new things was something she loved. It was why he’d suggested they explore the city in the first place. What was it called again? Castle Town? He supposed that was easy enough to remember.

Then again, there was also the information they'd learned at the end of their expedition.

He still couldn’t quite fathom it, couldn’t quite process what he and Zelda had learned yesterday. That somehow, their settlement had blossomed into a city bigger than Skyloft, into a castle, into a land.

Hyrule. We made Hyrule.

It didn’t make sense. It didn’t click. Saying it in his mind didn’t matter. It was just too much to take in right now. All it was at the moment was a statement, not a declaration, a robotic understanding of a fact rather than an acceptance of a truth. It felt kind of like the first time he’d gone to the Surface. Fi had explained so many different things to him that he’d grown overwhelmed, and her words had glossed over him like water on a loftwing’s back.

He felt Zelda kiss his temple. He sighed into her, and she giggled. Cooing like a dove, she’d called it one time. He’d felt a little silly the first time she’d described it as that, but it made her happy and that was all that mattered.

By the goddesses, he wished they could just stay like this. He was so tired, but his body refused to let him go back to sleep. He could settle for cuddling the day away, though.

There was a knock on the door, and the moment shattered. Link jumped, startled, and Zelda’s hand slid from his back to his ear, covering it while his other ear was pressed against her chest, listening to her heartbeat. He heard her melodious high voice reverberate through her chest, asking who was at the door. Some muffled voice replied, Link being unable to discern it with his other ear being covered. He supposed Zelda was trying to let him stay in his little half-asleep daze, but there was no point now.

He felt Zelda’s hand slide off his ear as she said, “Come in.”

Link stiffened, trying to sit up, not comfortable with a stranger entering and him being unprepared, but then he recognized the healer. The anxious tightness in his chest eased as the brunette middle-aged woman approached the bed.

“Good morning Your Grace,” she acknowledged with a deep bow to both of them. “Hero of Myth from the Sky, I have come to inquire after your wellbeing.”

Link stared at her, baffled by her words and mannerisms. He vaguely remembered her from previous encounters where she was much more casual and caring, but perhaps that was because he had been less cognizant.

Link and Zelda exchanged awkward glances, and then he said, “I’m okay, thank you.”

It was a bit of a lie, but he didn’t think the healer could do much else for him. He just needed to let his body take care of itself.

The healer kept her eyes downcast. “May I assess you?”

“Uh…” Link automatically looked at Zelda for guidance, still bemused by the healer’s behavior. Zelda shrugged. “Sure, but can we get dressed first?”

“Of course!” the healer chirped, seemingly frantic. “I apologize for coming unannounced, I simply wanted to check—”

“It’s okay,” Zelda interrupted kindly. “We know you didn’t mean any offense.”

The healer nodded gratefully. “I’ll be in the chamber outside, Hero. Your Grace.”

With another deep bow, she exited the room.

“Well, that was weird,” Link said.

Zelda sighed. “Yeah. Weird.”

The two dressed themselves in silence. Link didn’t like it. Zelda seemed uncomfortable and closed off. After hiding a wince as he put on his knight’s tunic, he walked over to her, placing his hand on her back. “Zel? You okay?”

Zelda shifted, turning slowly so his hand slid along her back. She watched him seriously for a moment, and then her face softened and she smiled. “I’m okay, Link.”

Link reflected her smile back at her, satisfied. “I wonder where we can get food?”

“They were bringing it to us before,” Zelda supplied thoughtfully. “But you were still bedridden at the time.”

Stretching, Link blew out an annoyed huff. He was glad he wasn’t stuck in bed anymore; as much as he loved sleeping, he also liked to move. He hated feeling confined.

The two finished reassembling their knights’ garb and made the bed before walking out together. The healer stood by a chair, alongside several strangers. Link paused, uneasy.

“Your Grace,” the strangers, three women wearing identical light blue plain dresses that reached their heels, greeted with a deep bow. They clasped their hands in front of them and seemed to work in a unit, any identifying feature hidden behind white headdresses, closed eyes, and schooled expressions. They then said, “Great Hero.”

Link felt himself take a small step back. He had started to grow accustomed to people treating Zelda differently, but not him. Zelda had mentioned that people here knew of him, but still…

The healer motioned towards the chair beside her, breaking the tension. “If I may, Hero, will you please sit here and let me assess you?”

Link nodded mutely, walking to the designated chair. He saw Zelda acknowledge the women, who rose and started to speak with her. Link tried to listen, only catching snippets of conversation over his drumming heartbeat in his ears as nerves got the best of him. He felt his chest tickle, the beginnings of a cough trying to escape, and he bit it back as best he could.

The healer’s soft hands started on his face, making him jump slightly. She apologized briefly, but her formal manner was lost in favor of an analytical eye and practiced movements. Satisfied that she felt no fever in his cheeks or forehead, she pulled out an object that, based on how she placed it in her ears and moved towards him, seemed to be some kind of listening device. She warned briefly that she would be reaching under his tunic to place the device against skin, and he watched her try to fiddle with his chainmail to little avail. He blushed in embarrassment; he supposed he shouldn’t have put everything back on if he was going to get an assessment from a healer.

Waving her off with an awkward laugh, he said, “Sorry… maybe I should take some of this off.”

Or at least, he was going to say that when his eyes fell on Zelda, who looked immensely ill at ease. He choked out “Sorry,” and then stood, ignoring the healer and walking to his beloved friend. “Zel, what’s wrong?”

Zelda took a deep breath, looking at the ground uncertainly, and then smiled at him reassuringly. “It’s… just weird. They’re doing a celebration for us today. It starts this afternoon and goes on through the night.”

“A… celebration? For us?” Link didn’t know how to process that. “What are they celebrating?”

“Just… us.”

“What did we do?”

Zelda shrugged. “I guess… the stuff we did… a while ago.”

“But… this is the future,” Link tried to reason out. “That… that would have been so long ago to them…”

“Begging your pardon, Your Grace, great Hero,” the healer haltingly interjected. Zelda and Link turned to face her, and she continued, “Your feats are our legends. You are… you are the living embodiment of everything we treasure. Everyone would love to meet you, to celebrate what you have done for us.”

What… what they had done for them?

Link felt the room spin a little bit. He… he hadn’t really pondered what he’d done almost a year ago, at least he hadn’t tried to. Nightmares would plague him and Zelda both, haunting looks would cross his beloved’s face, and then he would be forced to confront what had happened to them. He’d comfort Zelda, he’d support her through her trials. Their settlement, their entire life being uprooted was a glaring reminder, but he still refused to acknowledge it. He didn’t want to think about it. It was over. It was over and that was that. He'd... there was nothing else to say about it.

To think that such a journey still affected people thousands of years later… it was foolish to assume it wouldn’t, but…

Link leaned against Zelda, overwhelmed. He couldn’t process this. It was too much. His hands trembled as he held his wife’s arm.

Zelda’s steady hand rested over his grip, and he heard her say to the healer. “We appreciate the gesture, thank you. You may go now.”

The healer’s footsteps left, and Zelda turned to face Link fully, pulling him into an embrace. Link didn’t say anything, too overloaded with feelings and sensations and too dizzy. Zelda didn’t say anything either, knowing that words weren’t what he needed. The two remained there for an eternity, holding each other for stability and strength in a world so completely foreign and enormous.

Link had to smile. At least this time we have each other.

XXX

The sun shone brightly overhead, warming the earth despite the cool breeze that blew between the trees. The well worn road to Castle Town was practically packed the closer they got to the capital, and Link felt himself growing involuntarily tense at the sight of it.

Too many people. He didn’t like it.

There were a lot of reasons to dislike it, most notably due to threats. He wasn’t able to tell who was Yiga and who wasn’t, and the thought of Yiga trying to infiltrate the festivities was not an unreasonable one. Security in the castle and the capital was going to be extra tight.

Link, of course, would be at the princess’ side, alongside her royal advisor, Impa. The white haired Sheikah rode on her own steed just beside Link, eyes thoughtful.

“I can’t believe it,” she muttered, as she had been for a good portion of the trip. Impa often thought aloud, which was useful in filling the quiet void that Link’s silence created.

It also could grate on his nerves in specific situations.

“How do you even approach the goddess?” Impa wondered, stroking her chin. “I mean… it has to be more than what we do for His Majesty and the princess. But… well, do we even try to approach her?”

Link gripped the reins of his horse more tightly. He understood her dilemma, truly, but he was already going to have to deal with this upon their arrival. And it wasn’t like the thoughts hadn’t been spiraling in his mind ever since the possible-Hylia’s arrival.

He wondered if Princess Zelda had learned more of the situation. He imagined she had – she was the smartest person he’d ever met. If anyone could figure this out, she could.

Behind the pair was Impa’s entourage, who murmured to each other as Impa threw out more matters to ponder. All of the Sheikah were excited to see this goddess, just as the rest of Hyrule was.

Including Link’s family.

His father hadn’t spoken to him directly about the matter – all they’d briefly discussed at breakfast this morning was ensuring that the castle was secure. But he’d heard his parents speak about his father’s interaction with the goddess and the Hero.

He’d mentioned their unexpected departure from the castle and that he’d found them wandering Castle Town. He’d said something even quieter that Link hadn’t heard, but he wasn’t sure what to make of it.

It seemed like everyone had a better hand of the situation than him. His thoughts were only spiraling, especially once he really started thinking about the inevitability of the situation.

He’d have to interact with them tonight. He was sure of it.

Would he have to say something? He prayed he wouldn’t. And then he stopped in mid-prayer in a panic – he was praying to Hylia, after all, and she was—

This situation was so baffling. If there was at least one thing to look forward to tonight, it was that maybe Princess Zelda would have more answers for him.

As the gates to the capital came into view, Link had to slow his horse’s pace. There were literally hundreds of people crowding around the entrance, and security checks would make this a long process.

Guards on the wall caught sight of them and called for backup. Several soldiers cleared the road for Impa, Link, and the entourage to approach. As they did so, Link also caught sight of another group that was getting immediate access. Multiple female warriors entered, dressed in varying colorful clothes, cloaks covering their usually exposed tan skin to protect them from the cold that they were not adapted to.

Gerudo.

Urbosa noticed Link and smiled, nodding in acknowledgement before marching ahead with her people. She no doubt was going to hunt down the princess as soon as the formalities with the king were finished. Link would see her again soon. He had some reassurance from that – Lady Urbosa always had a confident air to her, knowing what to do. She was also an excellent warrior and good mentor and friend to the princess. Seeing her gave him comfort in knowing Princess Zelda would be safe and, dare he even hope, happy.

“Wow!” Impa gasped quietly after they passed through the gates. The city was decorated in colorful banners and flags, and the central square was filled to the brim with flowers, tables, and so, so much food. Link’s mouth watered at the sight of it.

Okay, so there was going to be something to look forward to tonight.

As they approached the entrance to the castle, the group dismounted. Impa’s entourage was held at the entryway for a security checkpoint while Link and Impa continued uninterrupted. Link caught sight of a flash of red and the glistening reflection of a hand-crafted spear, and he paused, doing a quick double take and seeing nothing.

Still, he couldn’t help the way his heart skipped a beat.

After all, given the circumstances, it was assured that all the champions would be here with their people.

Link swallowed hard and took a deep breath to settle himself. He watched Impa walk ahead to no doubt meet up with the princess and decided that despite his curiosity, he should wait to speak with her. Perhaps they’d have time before the festivities started.

Glancing out into the garden, Link caught sight of two familiar faces and felt his heart stop.

Oh goddess, they’re just… they’re just hanging out in the garden.

The knight quickly turned on his heel and headed in the opposite direction. He wasn’t going to have any extra interaction until this evening if he could help it. His nerves were frayed as it was.

He promptly almost headbutted the princess herself.

“Oh! Link!” she gasped as he stumbled back.

Link got a hold of his footwork in time to bow to her. The princess gave a quick flick of her hand in his line of sight, signaling for him to rise.

“I didn’t realize you’d gotten back,” she continued as he straightened himself. “But it’s good to see you! I have more information that I learned. A-also—”

Here she hesitated, and Link had to wonder what was possibly wrong. He waited patiently until she sighed.

“Well, it’s the ceremony. I am to lead the devotion to Hylia, and you are to present the Hero with a gift.”

Link curled and uncurled his fists. Oh.

He’d expected the princess to have a role in this festival, for sure. He’d expected to be involved by proximity.

He hadn’t considered that he himself would be part of the ceremony as well.

“You are to present him with the Sword that Seals the Darkness.”

Link almost instinctively reached for his blade. The Master Sword had become such a part of his identity at this point that the mere thought of giving to anyone else – why was he—?

Well. This was the original Hero, the one who had forged the Master Sword. He supposed it made sense. His mind treacherously returned to the memory of Hylia holding the blade and turning it against him.

Had he lost the right to the sword? Or was this merely ceremonial? What did this even signify? Was the Hero going to give the sword back?

Link felt dizzy and clamped his jaw shut tightly.

"As for my research, I'm afraid I didn't learn much more," Princess Zelda commented, blind to his racing thoughts. "The goddess Hylia was indeed called the goddess of time at one point, but I can't fathom why she wouldn't understand who we are. Perhaps she simply hasn't... looked...? I... don't really know how that works. But perhaps... well. I don't think we'll be speaking to her tonight - the festivities are more of a presentation than any chance for conversation, though I suppose that depends on the goddess herself, but..."

Princess Zelda looked like she was going to continued when another voice piped in.

“Little bird, there you are.”

The princess turned, her face lighting up at the gentle tone. “Urbosa!”

Link remained in place, his mind whirling as he watched the princess rush down the hall to greet the Gerudo chief. He hadn’t noticed the pair had long left until the corridor had been quiet for a considerable amount of time.

Tonight was going to be a nightmare.

XXX

The day was beautiful.

Zelda sighed happily, leaning against a large tree behind her. Link’s head was in her lap, his eyes closed as he relaxed peacefully. The sunlight was bright, with barely any clouds in the sky to block it out. A gentle breeze blew through the garden, carrying the scent of so many flowers Zelda didn’t recognize, the smells blending into a wonderful cacophony of olfactory sensations, leaving her smiling.

The start of their day had been too much for both of them, and Zelda had decided that after breakfast was brought to them by the servants who had met them with the healer, they’d go outside. Some fresh air would do them some good and make them feel less crushed under the weight of everything happening around them.

Zelda remembered celebrations in her honor as Hylia. She remembered services, worship, praise. She remembered people adoring her and petitioning to her, so, so long ago. It made her stomach churn. Not that she didn’t appreciate the sincerity and effort being put in, but… it reminded her of being someone she still wasn’t sure of, someone different. She and Link had struggled so much over the last ten months trying to rework their relationship, trying to help her figure out who she really was. Memories of Hylia flooded her mind, changing mannerisms and words, making Link flinch sometimes, making her heart break at the sight of it. But they’d gotten stronger together, they’d figured it out together, and this place was threatening to tear that apart all over again just days after they’d vowed to be together forever.

Link’s eyes slowly opened and then widened, and he gasped and shot up in an instant. Zelda jumped, her hands jerking away from where they’d been massaging his scalp. He pointed in a particular direction. “Zelda, look! Birds!!”

She followed his finger and saw a small group of tiny birds hopping around in the grass. Her heart melted at the sight of it, even more so after she saw Link’s face glowing with wonder.

“I can never get over how small they are,” he whispered. “These look even smaller than the ones we’ve seen before!”

He stood up quickly, scurrying over to the tiny balls of feathers. Zelda giggled and followed him and then bit her lip to stop herself from laughing as he let out a sad noise when they flew away.

“They’re so skittish,” he lamented, his lower lip sticking out in a pout.

“I have an idea, hang on,” Zelda said patting him on the shoulder, suddenly excited as she remembered something. There was a place on the other side of the garden where there was bird seed; she’d seen it when she’d wandered the area the other day. If they used that, surely they’d win them over. Rushing towards the castle, she burst through the door and down the hall to cut through to the other side of the courtyard. She passed a couple guards on the way, both of whom jumped, recognized her, and practically fell to their knees out of respect. She skidded to a halt just outside the entrance to the other side of the garden, grabbing a bag and scooping it full of bird seed before turning on her heel and rushing back, passing the same guards just as they had started rising only for them to fall to their knees again in a crash of armor.

Rushing back outside to where Link was, she dug her hand into the bag and gave him some. “This’ll help!”

Link gasped in delight at the seeds. Grinning widely at Zelda, he started to slowly make his way to the trees where the birds had gathered. He and Zelda both tossed seed all around them and patiently waited as the birds cautiously made their way over. Eventually, a sense of trust was developed and the two were on the ground giggling as birds landed in their hands to eat the treasures they offered.

“They’re so soft!” Link squeaked as he rubbed his cheek against one. “It’s like a baby loftwing!”

“Wait, I want to pet one!” Zelda said excitedly, slowly reaching her hand to the thoroughly fluffed bird nestled between Link’s hand and his cheek. The sensation was indeed similar to petting down feathers on a young loftwing, and she couldn’t help the wide smile that came to her face. A small part of her missed home at the sensation as well, but she wasn’t going to ruin the moment.

“Do you think they have pet birds?” Link asked curiously as all their new friends decided it was time to leave. “I know there aren’t loftwings here, but…”

He trailed off, suddenly sad. Zelda cocked her head to the side, about to ask what was wrong, but she figured she already knew.

“You miss him, don’t you?” she asked. Link looked down, nodding.

“I miss my loftwing too,” she added, leaning against him. “But we’ll see them soon.”

Link agreed happily, though she could tell by how he was starting to lean heavily on her he was about due for a nap. She didn’t dare say it out loud, though, or he’d vehemently protest. Stretching, she laid down in the grass, and Link automatically followed her. The two snuggled and settled in for a peaceful rest, the discomfort of the morning forgotten.

XXX

The king of Hyrule stood in his study watching the gardens down below through his window. Outside were the two people of interest that had the entire kingdom talking excitedly. Hylia Incarnate sat under a tree with the Hero of Time’s head resting comfortably on her lap. The king couldn’t fathom it. He’d long since accepted who they were, but upon seeing them in person, there was something that just struck him.

They were so young. Both were still obviously teenagers, and barely older than his own daughter, which meant they had just come of age. When he’d spoken to Hylia Reborn for the first time, she’d been somber and stoic, but also sometimes seemingly at a loss for words. He’d attributed it to the fact that she hadn’t slept in nearly two days and gave her and her hero much needed space and rest as preparations were made all throughout the kingdom to celebrate them.

The hero himself was very obviously young, perhaps even younger than his wife. But what struck the king about their age was that not only were they young, they were experienced. These two had already endured a calamity, the original Calamity himself, and had not only defeated it, but also started to found Hyrule and had gotten married. And they were barely of age. Were they still children when they’d fought their war? Were they still children when they’d established Hyrule?

Sometimes the king didn’t remember… sometimes he’d think of Hylia Incarnate at their meeting, he’d think of the scars on the Hero of Myth and Legend that he’d seen when the young man had first been brought to the castle, and he’d think that of course they’re the mythical figures he’d heard about all his life. And then he’d look out his study window and see the two cuddling under a tree, he’d see the hero spring up and yell “BIRDS!” upon seeing tiny feathered creatures fluttering about, he’d see Hylia in the flesh scurry into the castle to get bird seed so they could both attract their new little friends… and he’d realize they were still scraping out of the edges of childhood.

And it made him think about Zelda, his dearest daughter, whose childhood had been ripped from her on the day of her mother’s passing. He had pushed her from the age of six to fulfill her duty. Prophecies of doom had loomed over all of them since before the queen had died, and Rhoam could do nothing to stop them. It had all hinged on his daughter’s abilities. And then six years later, after so much fruitless training, the hero appeared, Master Sword in hand, young face taught with trepidation and determination. It had clearly impacted Zelda’s confidence and caused the king to worry even more.

He just wanted her to be safe. He just wanted his kingdom to be safe. How could he do that without pushing her? How could he be both a loving father and a good king? Could these two legends chasing birds be his answer? He felt guilty and weak at the thought of it, at the idea of requesting help from two who had already fulfilled their destinies and endured their own burdens, at the idea of admitting he was losing faith in his daughter’s ability to unlock her power on her own. But if they weren’t here to help, then why would they be sent here? As guilty as he felt, he didn’t want it all to sit on his daughter’s shoulders either, not when there was an alternative. And maybe, just maybe, he could then see his daughter laugh like those two did.

He would ask her. He would beg Hylia Incarnate for her help and her wisdom. He would help his Zelda.

He just couldn’t help feeling his heart ache when he heard the two young lovers squeal in excitement as birds started to gather around them.

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