The Arbiter's Grounds were dead silent. His boots clattering over ancient, sandy stones made soft sounds that echoed like the screams from the final battle. He approached the altar he'd been to many times. Tentatively his hand brushed against the blackened iron that once held something beautiful. He knees met the ground first and thankfully, no tiny glass fragments embedded into his skin. The glass must have been swept away by the wind and replaced by loose, grainy sand.
Link shifted, moving from his knees to a sitting position. He stared up at the block where the mirror had projected through the mirror's frame. His shoulders hunched forwards and his blue eyes, dulled by pain and crippling memories, slid to the sky. He waited to hear the familiar voice scolding him for being so sentimental. He waited for his blunt daily reminder that Hyrule needed his help and that it wasn't the only Kingdom who did.
The reminder never came, not matter how long he waited. Still, week after week, he made the long trek to the desert with no hope of ever hearing the familiar teasing tone again.
He allowed himself ten minutes and stretched it to fifteen before he pushed himself up from the sand. Sad blue eyes traced the mirror's former location slowly and he turned away. He would be back later, but presently, there was a kingdom that required his assistance. Midna would understand.
The stone railing was cold beneath her hands, even through her expensive silk gloves. She stood silently, stiff-backed, at the edge of the balcony, looking down at the Castle Grounds. Soldiers and commoners alike were carting supplies into the courtyard and the castle itself. There were many repairs that needed to be completed on the castle. Zant and Ganondorf's possessions had not been gentle on the ancient building.
They had not been kind to her people either. Her subjects had much to do in their own town for the reconstructions too. Most of Hyrule was still crippled by the war, and Zelda knew her kingdom needed time to recover. She longed to be amid their midst and to work to fix everything with her own hands. The work would be sufficiently distracting.
Yet her council ensured she was idle and only allowed to supervise. They reasoned that she was a Princess, one who would soon be Queen and that she was above the manual labour. They also thought it would keep her pristine and away from the common folk of her kingdom. Still, Zelda wanted nothing more than to walk with them and show them that she cared, that she was working for a new Hyrule and that she too bore scars from the war.
Her scars ran deeper than most. Her shame at surrendering was still potent in her mind, but she knew she had saved thousands of lives. Her body still rejected many of the rich lavish dishes she was served thanks to her time spent imprisoned in the tower with only stale, nourishment-deprived food. Furthermore, her mind and body had not yet returned to their full synchronisation. Her pride wanted to blame someone for it, but her wisdom reminded her of her sacrifices to save her Kingdom, to save Midna, and to save her brave, selfless hero.
The war was over, but Zelda remained a prisoner in her own life as she was forced to observe the reconstruction of the old world from above.
Day after day, when he wasn't running away to the desert, Link worked and he worked and he worked. The labour was exhausting and back-breaking, but it was good. At the end of the day, he only ever had enough energy to collapse into a hard wooden bunk in a tavern turned shelter for those currently without homes. His exhaustion was the only thing that ever allowed him to sleep. Even if the sleep he received was fitful and unhealthy, it was usually dreamless. There were not words to describe his gratitude for it in that sense.
Some nights he simply lay on the bunk and listened to the other villagers. They spoke of how the town reconstruction was coming along at a good pace and how it might even be more successful and beautiful than it was before the war. They whispered about the mysterious young man who had taken upon their dangerous tasks during the war, and how they had wondered if he was the hero. Their suspicions died, however, when the young man, Link himself, worked amongst their ranks with no heroic status post-war.
He supposed, silently, that he did have heroic status. The Princess, Zelda, had offered him the world. He could have been a Lord, or a Hylian Knight, or the richest man in the whole land. Every suggestion she could think up, he refused. He would not take from the people of Hyrule when they were in a time of need and recovery—he would never take from his people anyways. He was a giver and he gave and gave and gave. He did not want a fancy title. He wanted to go home to Ordon with Epona and herd goats.
Zelda had been stunned by his decision, but she respected it. She said nothing of his choices, but he remembered her grand show of respect to him. In their last audience, over two months ago now, Princess Zelda, Hyrule's reigning monarch, bowed to him solemnly and thanked him on behalf of the goddesses. Link had been stunned. Even seeing the crown of her head when she bowed for a second was incredibly humbling. He felt validated and he returned her respect and sentiment with all the respect he had.
Link knew no one had expected him to stay in Hyrule Castle Town after he refused his reward, so he took Epona from the Royal Stables and headed home. He made the journey across Hyrule Field and through Faron Woods in only two days and stumbled tired and worn into his village. It had been late so his neighbours—his family—had not seen him arrive. His exhaustion had carried him dreamlessly and untouched into the morning.
The next days were the hardest he'd faced since he defeated the King of Evil. His old friends clamoured around him, demanding the details of his journey and praising him. The children insisted upon in-depth retellings of his fights and Ilia watched from the side, silently evaluating. Link was overwhelmed far too quickly. The attention was suffocating and painful and trying to tell the stories unsurfaced terrible memories and wounds that had not healed. The gentle reassuring touches of Sera and Uli were not enough to bring him out his fits sometimes.
He retreated to his tree house and shut himself away from the village, refusing visitors. Most left him alone, and Link wasn't blind to the rumours that swirled amongst the tightly knit community. They said he was damaged and scarred and different. They were not slurs and were worded in pity, but they cut him like knives and Link shied further away from contact.
Then the dreams came. Night after night the pain and terror of his adventure suffocated him and dragged him down. Either he awoke screaming in a cold sweat, with tears on his face, or was too petrified to even wake so he dragged himself through days like a zombie because even though he slept, the dreams drained him far worse than other things did. Nothing he did lessened them, and he grew more withdrawn and dark. The nightmares would not leave him alone.
She stood in front of a long mirror in only a silk slip as she studied her body. She did not see herself as beautiful and breathtaking as the men of Hyrule might, but she saw a young woman—a child—trapped in the body of an adult who had seen too many horrors. She was thinner than when the war started and her maids had all her dresses taken in without a word. Still, Zelda pressed shaking hands against her figure and studied the markings left upon her after the war.
To pretend like she was not scarred was a fool's errand, yet she put on the façade that she was the pristine, perfect Princess she was before. Her mentality was shaken, as was her confidence. And her body too, saw its fair share of blemishes. Once perfect alabaster skin was marred by thin scratches that were not healed by expensive creams to retain her beauty. Alongside the small cuts were larger ones—scrapes that had come from the final battle.
She remembered very little of her confrontation with the hero in the end, but Ganondorf had ensured that her soul was present enough that the Princess would cry out soundlessly every time the hero felt the electricity that she assaulted him with. Despite her assurances to her hero, their duel had not left her unharmed, as her back and several other places showed the residue of the white hot energy they'd batted between them. The burns had scarred her, but the long scar on the left side of her ribs was the boldest reminder. Made by the Blade of Evil's Bane, the wound had purified her body and driven out the evil influence, but that did not change the fact that it remained on her body.
Zelda's fingers ghosted over the mark above her heart. It looked like an ugly scar, but in reality, it had not come from any weapon. This mark was a reminder of a sacrifice she had made to protect someone not of her kind. When she had leant Midna her lifeforce so the Twili would not die and leave the hero alone, the mark had stayed as an ugly reminder of the time she spent living inside the mind of another. The Twili magic had placed it there as a reminder that she was not of their kind and Zelda accepted the punishment silently.
The mark was not the only thing that Midna had left Zelda with. She could name many things: broken relations with foreign kingdoms, broken relations and trade routes within her own country, a rundown mess of a capital city, and the decimation of almost her entire castle. The most prominent was the aggrieved hero. Zelda knew the relationship between the hero and Twilight Princess was difficult and complicated, but the overwhelming adoration that Midna contained for her hero was nearly crippling.
Zelda was astounded when it was over and the exotically beautiful Twilight Princess returned to her home. She still remembered the look of reverence that Midna had cast back, along with the tear that had severed their worlds forever. The hero's protests, crushed and bruised and battered, still rung in her ears because Zelda didn't understand how Midna, who loved him so much, could leave him behind.
She wanted to comfort her hero, but in the end, Zelda found herself staring at an interesting obstacle because Midna's feelings had merged with her own and she had a love for the young man she hardly knew anything about, but she had no doubts it was real. It was real and it was painful and impossible because just by looking at him, she knew he was damaged. She reached out to him the only way a Princess with no knowledge of love could: she offered him titles and jobs and money, but was unable to express her own emotions.
He refused her, despite it all, and had vanished like smoke. Zelda wanted to find him, to seek him out, and tell him that she too ached for Midna's return because the two princesses had been one and because she wanted to see him happy, but she didn't. When he refused her offers he had been humble and gentle and tender, and Zelda knew he deserved better than a life of confusion and corruption amongst the royals, so she let him go and trapped herself.
She awaited her maids alone staring at the body of a woman who did not feel like herself. She wished that for once, she could crack and break something or even cry into someone's shoulders. Yet in her castle, the broken glass would be swept away and tear stained red eyes would simply be made up without a word.
She was a Princess, soon to be Queen, and her kingdom couldn't afford a leader as damaged as she was.
Three weeks after he arrived home, Ilia found her courage. His old friend knocked on his door and came in despite the silent response she received. Link was by the window, as he always seemed to be, and Ilia found a spot near him, but not too close. She didn't touch him, even though Link knew she wanted to. Ilia had always communicated with him through touch, but her hands knitted in her lap and she tried to read him with her eyes.
Link said nothing and let her run her diagnosis. He figured she had it all laid out in her mind and that she knew exactly what was going on. Even as children, Ilia always knew everything that was going on. She hummed to him and Link turned away, so she cut off. The melody was familiar, but it made him think of Epona's strong flanks underneath him and then the sickening twilight over the land and the Princess' arrows flying out from behind him as they pursued the Evil King. Ilia studied him, but she still did not touch him.
"Fado could use a hand with the goats," she informed him quietly. "It's almost time for the harvest, so everyone will need all the help they can get."
Link clung to his silence stubbornly, but Ilia's gentle gaze cracked him. "Who told you?"
"A combination of Telma, Auru, and Rusl," she answered shamelessly. "Telma was your confidant during your travels, and Auru and Rusl have both been to war before. They explained what was probably going on in your head. They did say that certain things could set you off and that certain things could bring you back."
Ilia took a deep breath and finally reached for his hand. Link retracted it out of her grip and looked away to avoid her disappointed look.
"Link," she pleaded. "Familiarity could help you. The work would distract you and Fado really would appreciate the help. I just want to help you." Her words were soft and gentle and Link's defences lowered. "I just want the old Link back."
Link let his eyes fly to the window and he stared out. Ilia quieted and studied his blue eyes. They were pained and heavy and her initial thoughts were cemented. The old Link had died as the Hero of Twilight emerged and now, nobody, not even Link himself, knew quite who remained.
The letter was a surprise. The handwriting was feminine and a bit crude, but Ordon was not a rich province, so Zelda was not surprised. The paper was cheap to her touch, and the ink had bled, but the message was received none the less. The signature at the bottom was familiar in many ways. Bo Garten was the mayor of Ordon and a very nice man whom Zelda liked quite a bit. She knew he had a daughter around her age, and through Midna and the hero, Zelda had become familiar with the girl. Ilia Garten loved the hero quite a lot, even if he could never love her back.
Zelda folded the letter with care and placed it in the top drawer of her desk. There it rested amongst inquiries from many people about the hero of the land. They asked when he might return, and if he would be staying. The bolder few even questioned if the Hero of Twilight would be rewarded with a position by her side as King. None of the letters received personal responses, but her assistant saw to it that each letter received a vague and relatively personal reply that neither confirmed nor denied suspicions.
Still, she dipped a quill into an inkwell and wrote a reply to Ilia. The words were a little impersonal, but Zelda knew exactly what to say. Ilia had expressed concerns about the hero and explained that the entirety of Ordon Village knew the identity of the hero and that they were all concerned for him. Zelda had replied to that by saying that it was good for him to be amongst people who knew him. She said that it would help him to settle back into his old life.
Ilia's reply was quick and as she read it, Zelda questioned the girl's gall. Some of her phrasings were almost offensive, but it did not bother her since it really ignited concern for her hero and for his recovery. Ilia's second letter said that the village, his people and friends, did not understand. They prodded him for heroic tales and exposed scars that had not yet healed. The hero's old friend was concerned that the village was too small and quiet to sufficiently allow the hero to heal and to move on. Ilia said, not lightly, that the Hero of Twilight had changed and no longer belonged in Ordon amongst the innocent minded and their suffocating pity.
Zelda's next letter was to the hero himself. She thanked him formally again for all his work during the war. She discussed the disarray that still existed in Castle Town, but made sure to say that it was better off than it could have been. She mentioned fleetingly, the reconstruction of the capital and hoped that her hinting would be enough. It was unlike a hero to leave people in need of help, and Zelda knew her hero was cut from the same cloth.
If it was work he needed, then she could supply him with it. The exchange with Ordon distracted Zelda enough that she nearly forgot about the formal summons addressed to her from her council on the subject of her supposedly long overdue matrimony.
Link was not enough of a fool to ignore summons from the Princess. Though her letter had been delicately worded, he had understood. Hyrule Castle Town, and the castle itself was in need of his assistance. He would be another strong back and one that people respected. He departed almost immediately, wondering if he would even recognise the once bustling city thanks to the devastation.
On his first day, Link worked with several other men on Telma's tavern, lifting beams and rebuilding the stone southern wall. The men chattered to him excitedly about the hero that had saved Hyrule and Link realised that the people of Castle Town had no idea who he was, besides someone who had helped them during the war. He listened to the men prattle off praises and comparisons and outrageous stories, but since they spoke about him as if he was a different kind of being altogether, the stories did not hurt.
At the end of the day, Link was tired. The restoration was hard work, but Telma was more than happy to let Link crash in the inn amongst the other workers. The glint in her eye told Link she knew everything: about his struggles, about being anonymous, and that he truly was the Hero of the Gods. She said nothing, and Link was glad.
That night, completely tired, he fell against the hard bed that would become his salvation for the next month. For the first time since his transformations into a wolf began, Link slept dreamlessly. There were no nightmares and there was no thrashing and waking up screaming. Instead, he rose with the sun and headed back into the town to find more manual labour to drive his exhaustion.
For a week, Link worked himself to the brink with the other men on the reconstruction of the capital. Night after night he slept without dreams, but he was still missing something. The work was good and distracted him from his darker memories, but Link didn't want to forget. He wanted to recover, but the nightmares and the flashbacks were too brutal to bear alone, so he kept working.
News of a convoy that was carrying vital materials that had been delayed in the Gerudo Desert reached Telma's bar, and the bartender didn't have to do more than look in Link's direction before he was rising and heading out of the city in the direction of the desert. He went quietly, accompanied by only Epona, his loyal horse as steadfast as ever.
The convoy was easy enough to locate—it had simply been suffering a broken wheel, which was an easy enough fix. He'd sent it on its way to the capital and stared out over the desert. He had not been here since he bid Midna farewell. Something seemed to guide his feet further into the dunes and he went willingly. The Arbiter's Grounds towered above him once again and Link squinted up towards the Mirror Chamber through the afternoon sun.
He didn't dwell too long on why he'd come, instead, he forged ahead, intent on reaching the familiar location. When he stood alone above the desert, Link ran a hand along the worn iron and breathed deeply. Coming here ignited memories he would have rather laid to rest, yet it also brought him peace. It reminded him of Midna and the comfort she had once offered him.
Link began cutting time out of schedule to head to the desert at least once every two weeks. Whenever he wasn't working himself to death in town, he was relentlessly trekking for the desert, determined to treasure whatever memories and comfort the former prison brought him.
The reconstruction was continuing at an incredible pace and Zelda's chest swelled with pride. The castle was complete, only seven months after it had all begun. The capital was nearly complete too, and the hard work of her people was to thank. Still, her council had forbidden her from involving herself in the labour, no matter how badly she wanted to. Zelda released constant updates to the public and funded more projects than any monarch had done before. In some ways, it was to spite her council, but it was also to assure her people that she was fighting with them in their recovery.
She was not deaf to the rumours in her city, and they pleased her greatly. Apparently, there was a young man who had done many people in Castle Town services during the war that had joined the reconstruction efforts. Men whispered about his silence and solemn strength and women gossiped about his sharp appearance and haunting beauty. Still, no one argued that he was good for the efforts. Zelda could only pray that the work was assisting her hero.
Her own recovery was slow, but consultations with journals and several private advisors helped. Now at least there were nights that she would awake from her nightmares and have a way of realising that the war was over and that her fears were unwarranted. Thus, her sleep became less restless. Some nights, though, she was still plagued by terror, and required more drastic measures, like small sleeping spells or medications, to get a full rest.
As she slowly grew back into herself, her council began heaving new responsibilities onto her shoulders. They urged her to consider marriage, and new trade propositions, and new alliances. Zelda had repaired relations with many countries, as well as with her own disillusioned subjects, but her council pushed for her to increase their influence. She stood firm. Hyrule still needed time to recover.
The subject of matrimony pursued her the hardest. Her council was vying for a man to sit by her side, and for her to produce a royal heir, and her court insisted that she would be far less uptight and worried about the country if she found a man to rule by her side. Zelda found it insulting. She knew it was an insult from her council since they did not believe in being led by a woman. They wanted her to pick a young, upstart noble who they could manipulate and control to push her out of the picture.
She refused to give in and rebuffed any suitors that tried to win her affections. She told her council and her court that she would pursue a suitor herself once the economy and affairs of her country were under control. She also brought up the topic that she should be crowned before her marriage, as her coronation could help bring along Hyrule's recovery at a faster pace. The men of her council were sceptical, but they agreed to consider her proposal. Zelda knew that it was the best she could do at the moment, so she let them consider it.
She went back to releasing her memos to the public and to handling and smoothing over internal and external affairs. And Hyrule recovered. With the life that her country was starting to blossom with, Zelda felt herself blossoming too. She remained the strong, independent ruler, but she opened the castle to more and began entertaining more frivolous thoughts again. Her personal advisors were pleased; they told her it was a sure sign of her recovery from the war.
One afternoon, Zelda was summoned before her council and they revealed, ten months after the war had ended, that they had agreed to allow her to ascend the throne. Revelling in her victory, Zelda visited the chambers that had belonged to her parents and she prayed. She prayed for their guidance and wisdom and strength. She would be one of the first queens ever to take the throne alone, and though recovering, her country would need her to be loyal and steadfast and dependable.
Despite the seemingly overwhelming workload they had faced in the beginning, the reconstruction of the capital was finally completed. Link had celebrated with several other men, but he still kept to himself as best he could. The country was well on its way back to being the international power it once had been, and Link, ever a servant to his land, was proud to have been among the labourers who rebuilt the castle and the city.
While the physical reconstructions were finished, there were still political and social issues to be addressed. Many people were afraid Hyrule would fall into isolation and never repair the relationships within its own borders, but Link was not afraid. He had every confidence in the woman leading the country forwards. As it turned out, he was right to trust in Zelda. The memos she released to the public settled nerves and brought about a more peaceful atmosphere.
Still, the back-breaking labour that had allowed him to forget the darkness of his journey was completed. Lately, when he'd lay against a bed of any type to catch some shut-eye, he would awaken restless, exhausted, and with his hand curled tightly around his sword, despite his obvious safety. He was, by no means, cured by the work he had completed. Instead, it had merely served as a good distraction. Now that it was over, he was left in Castle Town wondering about his future.
He did not intend to return to Ordon—the simple life of a farmer was not one he felt he could return to, having spent almost a year surrounded by the bustle of Castle Town. Not even the lively Kakariko drew his attention. Link wanted to remain where people knew him, but they didn't know him. Castle Town had that option with the many friendly faces, and the knowing gazes of Auru, Ashei, Shad and Telma, if he ever did need to talk.
Still, he needed work to keep busy and so that he might forget for even a while longer. Telma had him doing trivial things for her tavern, but he had too much stamina for that, and it did not have the same desired effect on him. Link knew someone who would be able to find a use for him, but he was wary of approaching. She seemed so far out of reach, and even the work she'd offered during the reconstruction, had been a mere suggestion in a formal letter. Link did not seek out the Princess.
Her coronation was set for the one-year anniversary of the day that Ganondorf was defeated. Zelda had protested the date, fearing it might bring back bitter or unpleasant memories, but her council did not waver. She would be crowned on the day. When they did not listen to her, she bristled and argued like a petulant child. It was not only the memories of her people she feared, but the suppressed recollections in her own head.
Her council did not waver, so Zelda finally agreed and had all the official invitations sent out, on one condition. There was one letter she wanted to send herself. It was for someone who would normally never be included on the list, but she owed him too much to exclude him from this, especially with her knowledge of his reconstruction efforts.
She sat down at her desk one afternoon and pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment. Her pen stroked rhythmically across the paper as she scrawled her message. She attempted to sound as formal as she could, but she feared that some of her affection had leaked through. At least that way, she had tried to reassure herself, he may feel more welcome and less estranged.
True to his nature, he responded affirmatively to attend her coronation and Zelda spent the rest of that afternoon with a small smile on her face. He had refused her offer to publicly honour him at the event, but she took what victories she could have.
Some days she wondered if he had found further work in Castle Town or if he was intending on returning to Ordon. From what Ilia had said, Zelda was not sure she wanted him to return to his hometown. They could not fathom what he had been through, and perhaps it would be better if he did not. She promised herself to enquire upon his future work at her coronation.
Still, her council dragged her thoughts away from the hero quickly as she was swept into planning her coronation. Accommodation at the castle would be arranged for foreign dignitaries and the nobles of Hyrule that came from furthest away. She had also offered it to the hero, but he had respectfully declined, claiming that his accommodation in Castle Town was more than satisfactory. She worried—he was probably comfortable with a bed of any sort and a door that locked.
He was out of place. Normally he would have thought that everyone would notice, but he had spent the entire evening standing in the shadows so he wasn't even sure that people knew he was there. Telma and Shad had helped him find appropriate attire for the evening, and it made him slightly uncomfortable. The navy tunic with the white embroidery was more expensive than anything he'd ever owned and the seamstress hadn't even charged him, as thanks for his work on her shop.
He had spent most of the evening watching nobles glide across the dance floor, spinning elegantly. Their chatter was political, but also frivolous and he saw no reason to interact. He accepted the invite to the ceremony out of respect for his then-Princess, now-Queen. Link wasn't sure he'd be staying much longer. He was just another face in the crowd and the only person who would note his absence would be Ralis.
The Zora prince had attempted to introduce Link to some nobles, citing him as a warrior of the crown, but the nobles hadn't been particularly interested. Link understood and was grateful. If they knew he was the hero, they would have swarmed all over him all night. He glanced down at his boots. They were scuffed and dirty, but they were his and they made his ensemble a little more bearable.
A click of expensive heels on the floor brought his eyes up and he was startled to see the newly crowned monarch standing before him, smiling radiantly. He swiftly bowed and took a silent deep breath.
"Your Majesty," he greeted politely.
"Hero," she responded. "Are you enjoying the evening?"
Link shrugged. "Link is fine, Your Highness. Everything looks so beautiful, it's all just a little much for me."
"Well, in that case, Link," she said slowly, testing his name, "would you call me Zelda?"
Link raised an eyebrow. Calling royalty by their first name was very disrespectful, but the queen obviously meant no harm or offence. "As you wish, Zelda," he replied lightly, dipping his head in respect.
As he said her name, a shiver ran up his spine and he blinked. In the split-second that his eyes were closed, the image of the ballroom disappeared, being replaced with the memory of a barren field with fires dotting the edges of his vision and a dark figure looming over him. Link jerked back into focus and backed up into the wall behind him.
The queen was staring at him in surprise and Link realised that he'd been reaching for his sword, even though he hadn't brought it to the party. The pace of his breathing increased and the room began to feel increasingly claustrophobic. He locked eyes with the queen and she took a small step towards him, looking worried.
Link could barely focus on the room he was in, his memories of a field and the way her name had torn from his throat then versus how softly he uttered it now. He could feel the darkness looming above him and desperately wished for his sword to drive it away.
He stumbled forwards, away from the Queen, and fled, leaving her alone against the wall to stare after him with curious eyes.
It took her only a second to pursue him, her heels clicking urgently across the marble floors. She had noticed him looking uncomfortable all evening, but she knew what was coming over him now. It was the same feeling that she herself had been suppressing all night.
She followed his panicked retreat down a corridor to a balcony not far from her study. She stepped onto the stone balcony and spotted him. He was hunched over the railing, breathing heavily, and his tunic was stretched tight over his shoulders as he flexed beneath it, feeling far too restricted.
"Link," she called out carefully. He froze. "I'm sorry," she apologised. "I asked them to change it, and I told them no good would come of having the coronation on this goddess forsaken day."
"I've caused a scene, I apologise," he murmured. Some of the tension lessened in his body, but Zelda could tell he was ashamed of how he had behaved.
"You have nothing to apologise for," she said gently. She walked over to the railing next to him and tentatively touched his arm. "I see it too, you know. All of it."
Link stared at her, his blue eyes wild and half-terrified. "I still wake up screaming her name," he muttered half-heartedly.
Zelda drew her lips in. "I'm so sorry. You've suffered enough for this kingdom."
Link twisted his body to face her better and Zelda was suddenly startled by their closeness. She didn't move away as she studied her hero's face. Midna's attraction was certainly not baseless. He had high arched cheekbones and beautiful eyes. His skin was tanned from days in the sun and there was a scar on his right jawline. Unintentionally, she lifted her hand and ghosted her fingers above it. He was one of the most handsome men she'd met, and he was heroic and kind, but so miserably broken.
She withdrew her hand and smiled sadly. "There is a position available in my personal guard that I'm looking to fill. The council wants me to evaluate younger soldiers, but I know that the job you could do would be superior to anything that anyone in the army could. I would like to offer it to you if you'd like."
Link remained silent, so she continued. "The pay is good, and you'll have food and lodging at the castle. Plus, if you'd like, I'm always willing to talk about anything," she offered slowly, almost unsure of herself.
"I'm honoured," he replied politely. "Zelda, there are some things you should consider if you're going to do this."
"Link," she said, "any troubles you have are shared." Her hand fitted itself overtop his, her pale slender fingers, resting on the ridges of his callused, larger ones. "We have both suffered greatly because of the war, and I am truly, truly sorry for any residual pain you are left with."
Zelda was now very much aware of how little space remained between her and her hero as his breath fell gently across her face. His hand drifted up, as hers had before, and brushed away a strand of hair that had fallen from her extravagant updo.
Her heart pounded painfully in her chest, but she knew the consequences that her actions could have. She was a young monarch, and unmarried, and he was the hero of her land. She could still spare him the disaster that was the old-fashioned attitude of her court. She stepped away and smiled once more at her hero.
"Captain Monsor should be able to arrange your position if you're still interested. I assume you know who he is?"
Link nodded slowly, "I do."
"I should go, but please, stay as long as you need to. It was nice to speak with you." She nodded to him one last time and turned to leave, her skirts swishing around her legs, a familiar reminder of her status.
Captain Monsor was almost too willing to accept Link as a new member of the guard. He wasn't necessarily in the army, but apparently, the queen had put in some favourable words for him, so Monsor knew he was a good fighter. The captain then became very eager to see Link fight, pitting him in practice matches against soldiers with varying skill levels.
At first, Link could have beaten the soldiers without even drawing his sword. Some of them he simply disarmed and used their swords. He didn't actively try to demolish the soldiers, it just happened that most of the fights were over almost as soon as they began. Really, they were poor fighters and Link went easy on them. He tried to hide this from the captain, as so not to embarrass the army.
The rhythm of battle was familiar and welcome. Step, slash, block, parry. His footwork was light, and his blade fast, and no one in the entire army could seem to beat him. Even when Monsor put forwards a Lieutenant, Link disarmed him neatly in three sword moves. After that, with the eyes of the entire army on him, Monsor was practically required to offer him the position.
As the captain handed him the standard issue uniform for guards, he looked Link straight in the eye. "She's in your hands now. I trust you'll keep her safe."
Link dipped his head respectfully. "Of course. I swear on my life."
Monsor's hard glare relaxed as he nodded. "The queen trusts you and your swordsmanship is certainly impressive. I believe you."
Zelda's first official meeting with Link was overseen by Monsor and two of her councilmen. Monsor praised the hero's abilities and the council reluctantly accepted him for the position. Link knelt at her feet and laid his sword on the ground in front of him. It was a position taken by warriors to swear allegiance. Zelda felt a warm ball of pride swell in her chest.
When he rose, bringing his sword with him, she smiled. A tiny, hidden smile curled up his lips and Zelda dismissed her councilmen with a flick of her hand. They frowned at her, but left the room, acknowledging her dismissal. Monsor lingered a moment longer, glancing between Link and Zelda one last time. Eventually, he bowed and left the queen and her hero alone.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Zelda beckoned to Link. "Walk with me," she requested. "I want to hear about the rigorous testing that Monsor put you through to make sure that you were ready. Several ladies in my court were gossiping about it earlier. They insisted that you were the finest swordsman in the land."
At first, Link just looked at her like she was crazy, but when he noticed the teasing smile on her lips, he realised that she was only joking. "Well," he began, his voice light, "there was the lava trial first, and it was followed by a wrestling match with a Goron."
Zelda laughed. "How amusing it would be to see a human wrestle a Goron."
"I've done it. Mind you, I had some assistance, but I did it," Link said. Zelda stared at him. He scratched the back of his head. "It was the only way they would let me help them back when I was on my journey. I had to beat a Goron in a sumo wrestling match. The only way I managed was with the Iron Boots."
She shook her head in amazement. "You wrestled a Goron," she said, surprise and a little awe leaking into her voice. "I don't know what I'm even supposed to say to that."
Link just shrugged. "Well, I didn't win on the first try. It's probably not even the weirdest thing that I did on my journey. I think firing myself out of a giant cannon would probably be up there in that category."
A dark thought flitted across her mind and she turned away slightly. "Fighting the Princess was probably pretty new too." Link stopped walking and Zelda turned away from him. Her sudden dark turn had startled him, and it had startled her too. At first, he said nothing, so Zelda crossed her arms defensively.
"Your Highness, that wasn't you and you know that."
She turned to look at him, shame burning in her cheeks. "But I was weak. I surrendered my kingdom to a tyrant, and I was too frail to resist Ganondorf possessing me to use me as a weapon against you!" Her voice was sharp.
Link's hands settled on her shoulders and his blue eyes bore into hers, concern and resolution in his gaze. "Your Majesty, you were not weak. Yes, you surrendered to Zant, but his army would have slaughtered the people had you not. You saved the lives of so many with that act. You sacrificed so much for Midna too, and I owe you my life for that."
His voice cracked as he said Midna's name and Zelda noticed how pain flashed through his eyes. He withdrew his hands and moved to turn away, but Zelda's hand flashed out and touched his wrist.
"Link, I am so, so, sorry. I know how much she meant to you. And," she inhaled deeply, "I know how much grief and pain you've been through to help me. I am so sorry you had to do that. I am so sorry."
"Please, Zelda, don't do this. I would lay down my life for this kingdom and for you in a heartbeat. It was an honour to serve my country."
Zelda shook her head at her hero. "You are far too heroic for your own good." She turned away and sighed deeply. "With an attitude like that, it's no wonder you never get your happy ending."
Tears pricked sharply at her eyes, but her hero remained silent. Zelda took that as a cue that the conversation was over, and she began to walk away. She heard Link silently follow her, but neither of them uttered another word.
At first, living in the castle was a nightmare. The beds were too soft and it was too silent. Over his journey, and even growing up, Link had been accustomed to hard beds and background noise. Whether it was just wind rustling through the trees, or the bustle of people or animal, there was always sound. In the castle, it was dead silent.
He ran on little to no sleep, but he diligently followed the queen wherever required and made sure not to tell her of his troubles. She did not need to be concerned about him. After his first official day on the job, they had not spoken of his journey, especially of Midna, and Link felt as if he was walking on thin ice constantly around her. Whether he was protecting her, or the other way around, it was enough to dissuade deep conversations between the two of them. Instead, they took comfort in each other's constant company.
Slowly, as he settled into the palace routine, Link's sleep quality increased, and he began to get more than two hours per night. He still rose with the sun and went to the training yard each morning. There he had twenty minutes of solo training before someone noticed him. Then, he had seventy minutes of training and teaching whichever soldiers were watching him before he had to go to the queen's side for the day.
He didn't think she noticed he slipped away in the mornings since he usually never guarded her chambers at night anyways. On the odd night, he would be too restless to sleep and would trade with some other guards and stand loyally at her door all night. It was a quiet shift and he reflected on himself during it sometimes. He compared his life two and a half years ago—a farm hand with a tidy little future planned out—to now—an unsung hero with crippling post-war shadows working as a private guard.
Nothing was as he might have expected it to be.
Still, the few nights he spent in silence outside her door, were nothing compared to the icy panic that flooded over him when her screams landed upon his ears. Link threw the door open with ferocity, fear clouding his judgement. He charged into the room, drawing his sword and preparing to fight the queen's assaulter.
He was not prepared for a room lit only by various streams of moonlight through drawn sheer curtains and a single flickering candle by the door. Aside from himself, the queen was alone. She was curled up on her bed and Link blinked. He shut the door behind him and moved towards her. He lit the candle next to her bed and hovered awkwardly above the queen.
She was trembling, her head buried against her arms. "Dreaming," she muttered lowly, her voice fear-stricken. "Just a dream, just a dream," she chanted softly.
Link blinked. He quickly dropped his sword to the ground and tentatively sat on the edge of the bed, brushing a hand against Zelda's arm. "Your Majesty, you're not dreaming anymore. No one is going to hurt you now."
"You don't see it," she said sharply. "You don't see what I saw when Ganondorf controlled me! It won't get out of my head!" Her hands tangled in her hair and she looked at him desperately.
"Zelda," he soothed. "It's over. It's all over. He'll never touch you again. I swear to you that no one will ever hurt you again."
She slammed against him, clutching at his tunic, and shook miserably. Link wrapped his arms around her, shielding her from her nightmares.
"I see things too," he offered gently. "Monsters in the places of people, blood and wounds where none exist, a river of red that stains my blade and my hands, and buildings on fire with innocent people screaming in the middle of a peaceful afternoon."
Zelda's hands shifted as she looked up at him in the dim light. She looked so simple and afraid, but she was beautiful and Link's heart thudded painfully. Her fingertips braced themselves against his cheeks and she sighed.
"We're a mess, you and me."
Link's arms tightened around her. "The crazy Queen and her damaged knight," he joked lightly.
She frowned. "You don't think I'm crazy, do you?"
Link shook his head fervently. "Of course not. You're perfectly sane, I assure you."
She smiled at him, and the room began to feel a lot lighter.
The Prince of Labrynna was starting to get on her nerves. Her court had been pushing for her to start meeting with suitors since the moment her coronation was over. When Link had been new to his position, she had managed to delay the meetings by saying that her guard should be more familiar with the castle. Yet, after a few weeks, the council insisted that she meet a suitor. Zelda had finally decided on the Labrynnan Prince, must to her distaste, and her council had scheduled the meeting for as soon as possible.
When they met, the prince had guided her out into the courtyard, and they'd strolled through the gardens. Several times the prince had noted his distaste for the third party that was escorting them, but Zelda brushed him off. Link was there for her protection, and she certainly wasn't going to send him away. That didn't stop Prince Kastio from complaining about his presence. Even if Link hadn't been there, Zelda figured that the prince would have found something else to complain about.
Most recently he was criticizing Hyrule's economic choices and the lack of tariffs on trade materials. Zelda was ready to tear her hair out. The prince was cocky and irritating and he was undermining all the decisions Zelda had made as monarch of Hyrule. He also kept inserting little jabs at the decorum of her castle and talking about how Labrynna was so much better, and how much improvement he could do to her kingdom when he became king.
The boldness of his words made her bristle. He said it with such finality, and it made her angry. After spending only fifteen minutes with him, Zelda already knew that making the Labrynnan Prince the King of Hyrule, was the last thing she wanted to do. She bottled up her fury and painted on a smile, fooling the idiot prince, but Link caught her eye with an irritated look more than once and she knew that her hero was feeling the same anger she was.
Kastio led Zelda through the gardens towards a hedge maze. They entered it at a leisurely pace, but just moments later, his hand fastened around Zelda's wrist in a vice grip and he started pulling her at a violent pace. He twisted and turned through the maze and Zelda cried out for Link, but her loyal hero had been taken by surprise when the prince had grabbed her.
After several seconds of running through the maze to evade Link, Kastio pinned Zelda against the wall of a hedge and covered her mouth. From inside his tunic, Kastio pulled a knife and he turned the point on the queen and Zelda's breath caught.
"Now, Your Highness," he sneered. "You're going to accept my marriage proposal right here, and I'm going to be King of Hyrule."
The knife's blade pressed against her throat, cold and unforgiving, and he removed his hand from her mouth, expecting a submissive response. Zelda's voice seized in her throat before she could get any words out as she was suddenly in a much different environment, watching as another cruel man–one much worse than a greedy prince–sat upon her throne, sneering down at her subjects.
"She'll be doing no such thing," a voice cut in suddenly. It snapped Zelda out of her vision and caused Kastio to turn sharply, removing the knife from her neck.
Link was standing just steps away, his sword drawn and his expression was both furious and stern. As soon as Kastio had removed the knife from Zelda's thrust, Link lunged, catching the blade of the knife of the hilt of his sword and jerking it away, tossing it behind him and away from the prince. In the scramble, Kastio tried desperately to hold onto his knife, but he only succeeded in backhanding Zelda in the face while trying to do so.
She stumbled back, clutching her stinging cheek. Link drove the hilt of his sword into the shoulder of the prince and the Labrynnan went down howling and gripping his shoulder in pain. Link stepped around him and gently curled his fingers around Zelda's arm, the fury fading from his eyes as concern set in.
"Are you alright?" he asked. Zelda nodded, brushing her own fingers against his to reassure him.
She was about to call for more Hylian guards when she saw Kastio awkwardly lurching towards her, brandishing his recovered knife. "Link!" she gasped out.
The hero had only moments of confusion before Kastio was upon him and drove the knife into his back. Link's eyes widened and he pitched forwards unceremoniously and Zelda barely had time to brace herself before his weight collided with her. They tumbled back together, falling to the ground with Link on top of her, and Zelda was immediately concerned for his safety.
Her gaze shot from the hero to the prince who had stabbed him and her eyes narrowed. Kastio had a smug look on his face and she knew he would gloat. Anger flushed through her and she lifted a hand. She let the warm feeling of her magic flood through her and Kastio stumbled back like he was being grabbed. Her magic slammed him into the hedge wall and he crumpled.
She then quickly turned her attention to Link, noticing that he was barely conscious and his expression was tight with pain. He had been trying to lift himself off of her, and she gently pulled him back down, removing the strain from him. She closed her eyes and let her magic weave down his back, healing what she could of his wound.
Then, she shot sparks into the air–an identifiable cry for help.
Being stabbed was, unfortunately, not a new experience for Link. Being stabbed without access to immediately healing abilities from a fairy or a potion, was. He knew the queen had tried to heal him, and her magic was comforting, but not built for healing. So he'd ended up in the infirmary anyway, and he was not happy about it.
What he was pleased with, was the news that Prince Kastio had been sent back to Labrynna unceremoniously with a message from Hyrule saying they would never deal with the Labrynnan Royal Family again.
Link was also reassured by Captain Monsor, that Queen Zelda would be under careful watch to ensure her safety for the coming days and through all further visits with suitors. He still didn't like the idea of Zelda meeting with stuck-up Lords and Princes from other lands, but she was the queen and she had to. Link just wished it would be less unpleasant for him. He had seen how uncomfortable Zelda had been through the entire suitor process, and that in turn made him equally uncomfortable.
Still, he was on bedrest for a week, and off of physical training for another two after that. The inactivity was frustrating. His dreams had been awful lately, and he'd ripped his stitches three times through thrashing. The movement and the focus involved with his job protecting the queen had been as successfully distracting as the hard, laborious work he'd done repairing the capital.
Thankfully, today was his last day of rest so he could get back into doing minor tasks instead of just sitting around all day. The medics of the castle had been shocked and horrified at how quickly Link had wanted to get back to work and had adamantly refused his requests to do anything physical, despite how he protested. They were impressed with how fast his wound seemed to heal, but angry whenever he revealed that his stitches had torn overnight while he was thrashing in his sleep.
Now, though, despite the heavy looks the healers gave him, Link left the infirmary with a spring in his step and his sword slung across his back. He was not going to spend two more weeks away from his job, even if it meant injuring himself again. Monsor had been dead set against the idea, but Link had simply said that the captain didn't have much choice in the matter.
Today, Zelda was set to be in her study working on a few official documents, so Link suited up, ignoring the fiery stabs of pain that twisted through his body when he over-rotated or moved his back too much. He made his way to Zelda's office and the guards at her door both started at the sight of him. They had not assumed he would be back in action so soon, but Link was glad to prove them wrong. They clapped him on the shoulder and smiled.
Link took a deep breath and knocked softly on the door. The queen's barely audible voice called for him to introduce himself, and he did. "Your Majesty, it's Link."
There was a painful second of silence before the doors swung open and Link found himself face to face with Hyrule's beautiful queen. Her dark hair was falling over her shoulders and to his dismay, her eyes had poorly hidden bags underneath them. Queen Zelda barely cast a glance at the two guards on either side of her door before she pulled Link inside her office and shut the door behind him.
Zelda was not sure what had quite possessed her to isolate her and the hero so absolutely in her office, but she was so happy to see he was alright. The last she'd seen of him, he was being carried to the infirmary with no indication of whether he would make it out alright. She had obviously heard, through chatter, that he would make a full recovery, but she had felt guilty. He'd only been assaulted for protecting her.
She had not been kind to Kastio after she knew Link was being taken care of. She had verbally scolded him quite heavily in front of her entire court, much to the glee of the gossips, and then had issued a harsh proclamation that severely limited Hyrule and Labrynna's interactions. Then, she had immediately closed down many other prospective suitors based on their similarities to Kastio.
Zelda realised quickly that she had been standing in place, simply staring at her hero's face for too long. "Are you alright?" she asked quickly, shuffling further into the room and letting her concern be known.
"Your Highness, I will be fine. The injury was nothing to worry about. I am far more concerned about you. You do not look well," Link replied.
Zelda let out a low breath. She had not been sleeping well lately. There had been more dreams of the pain Zant and Ganondorf had inflicted and many more of horrible memories of her fighting against her hero and hearing his screams against her ears as she could do nothing to aid him. Those memories brought a helplessness that was hers, and burning anger that was not, and Zelda did not have to think particularly hard to realise that the anger came from Midna and was directed to all those that harmed the Hero of Twilight.
"There are still dreams," Zelda admitted. "I am sure you know enough about that to understand it is not something that will fade easily."
He laughed bitterly. "There are some scars that will never heal. I pray the kingdom never knows the full extent of its peril."
"And you?" she asked softly, staring into his crystal blue eyes.
"There are some stories even you would not care to hear," he answered honestly.
"You will not tell me?"
He shook his head. "I am sorry. You need to focus on your kingdom now, and it is not the time for us to discuss such trivial topics."
Zelda bristled. "Stop. Your pain, and my own, is nothing to scoff at. Our sacrifices are far too real, and they deserve to be discussed." Her heart was pounding painfully. She cared about him, and she knew now that perhaps it had stemmed from Midna's affection, but now those feelings were her own.
She took a step closer to him, leaving a less than proper amount of distance between them. It felt both more and less intimate than the night of her coronation had. Her hand bravely came up to rest on his cheek, and she flicked away a strand of hair that fell before his eyes. He was watching her, seemingly paralysed as he did not move a muscle, neither towards or away from her.
"I assume you have not considered that I care about you, have you? That perhaps, it is for that reason I found myself worrying you would perish because of me, and throughout your journey, I wondered if your pain came from my own ineptness. I thought that if I had been stronger, then you would not have had to be so strong. See, my dear hero, there is little I would like to do more than apologise to you. Because I am truly sorry."
He took in a shuddering breath and his eyes closed. "I have not asked you to apologise. This was as much my destiny as it was yours."
"Then let me say I'm sorry that Midna left. I know how that must have hurt you, and it hurt me too."
His eyes snapped open and locked with hers. "You shared her spirit, didn't you?"
Zelda smiled sadly. "And from that, we became intertwined in many ways I have only just begun to understand. I am hurting too. There will always be a part of my spirit that longs for her now, and even here, I feel it crying out."
He laughed bitterly. "I suppose you felt it then, what she felt for me and how I loved her, but I could never give her all of it because I never had enough to give."
Her other hand came up to rest on his cheek, holding his face tenderly. "Then perhaps we are a perfect match."
Zelda did not know who moved first, but space dwindled into nothingness and her lips pressed gently against her hero's. She let her eyes shut and clutched desperately to the moment. Memories swirled in her head of a Link that looked not unlike hers, but not the same, clutching her hands and kissing her and laughing with her and smiling and she gently broke away, eyes wide.
Those memories were not hers and she was startled to know that someone before her had lived as Zelda, a princess, and had loved Link, the hero. They were not the first, and the way her heart was pounding and how their Triforce pieces shone softly from the backs of their hands ensured they would not be the last.
Yet, she could not bring herself to look at his eyes anymore. She loved him, she figured she always would, but she should not have to bring him into the swirling complications that came with her being Queen. It could destroy him, and it just might. She carefully retracted her hands and stepped out of his reach, avoiding his gaze.
Her voice came out soft and deceptively steady, as she was really trembling inside. "I'm sorry."
Since the day in her office, something had changed. Zelda still consulted him for things and requested he was around her as a guard, but she did not touch him. The platonic, gentle, reassuring brushes of contact were always a constant with her, but she'd since withdrawn and seemed to be shying away from any physical contact with him.
As much as he wanted to complain, he knew she was right. She was a Queen and him just a member of her army with no official recognition. There was too much separation between their worlds, and just as he was struggling with putting aside whatever feelings had lingered after Midna had left, Zelda's confession led him to understand that her feelings had been deeply intertwined with Midna's and she needed to be able to distinguish what had been hers, and what had belonged to the Twilight Princess.
It hurt to see her pull away, but he did not let it show. He had felt enough pain in his life, and the steady, sad pull in his chest, was nothing he couldn't handle. Still, he thought of her far too often and perhaps she made too many excuses for them to be alone in each other's company, especially now that she'd started pursuing some of her suitors very seriously.
Today he stood at the entrance of the gardens, watching her interact with one suitor. There were three other guards around, but they were clearly not necessary. This suitor, the Calatian Prince Elcind, was a gentleman and Link actually liked him. He had been very polite and kind and the soldiers from Calatia who'd journeyed with the prince had said nothing but good things.
From observing, Link had noticed that Zelda seemed almost at ease and happy with Prince Elcind. He was the first of the suitors to draw a smile from the queen and she continued to smile as the two spent time together. Elcind was a good person and he had even given Link a nod in respect as he walked with the queen. The King of Hyrule should be righteous and of royal birth, and Prince Elcind seemed to fit all the categories for such a person.
Link knew Zelda liked him. Even when he wasn't around, she spoke favourably of him, comparing him to the better of the Lords in her court, and once to her father. Link humoured her by listening and offered his advice: a prince of his calibre would not be unmarried for long, and even if she couldn't love him, the kingdom could.
Zelda had given him a sad look, but she had smiled anyways. She knew he was right, and he knew he was too, and she left him to go find Elcind to speak of making their courtship official, leaving him alone in her office. Link departed quickly, unable to stay alone in a place so wrought with memories that made his chest hurt.
Even when she would inevitably marry Elcind, he would stand by her because she was his queen and he was her hero, and he loved her.
"Your Highness," a voice greeted evenly, drawing Zelda's attention away from the men training in the courtyard below.
She turned to face the speaker, and though she wished to return the greeting, her words died on her lips. Prince Elcind did not look offended in the slightest. Their courtship had been interesting, but the Calatian prince was growing used to the odd mannerisms of Hyrule's Queen. The Prince strolled over and took a stance at her side, peering down at the fight that had captured her attention.
"You are troubled," he noted, turning his eyes back to her.
Zelda laughed hollowly. "Such is the life of a Queen, is it not? I am always troubled."
"I suppose so," Elcind agreed. "Yet you have sacrificed so much for your country. You raised it from ruin after the war. And you are still troubled. To me, that in itself is troubling. Tell me, Your Highness, would you sacrifice your sanity for this kingdom?"
Zelda stiffened. "I would lay down my life for Hyrule. I'm offended you have to ask."
Elcind held up a hand. "I'm sorry, that was poorly worded. Your Highness, would you give up everything you had, your personality, your dreams, your feelings, your control, if you could save this kingdom? But by doing so, you still had to live as an empty shell with nothing left. Would you still lay it on the line for Hyrule?"
Zelda did not move, and Elcind touched her elbow. "It's difficult to say," he assured, "because even the strongest do not know their own strength until they are pushed beyond the limit."
"You are awfully poetic today," Zelda replied, her voice a little cold.
"There is a lot on my mind as well," Elcind said simply. "Mostly, it has to do with you," he confessed. "If I may be bold, I would like to ask you some very personal questions."
Zelda studied her fiancé. "I suppose," she agreed tentatively.
"You and I are friends. You're a wonderful Queen and I am a Prince from a foreign land. When we are wed, it will be a great political tie between Hyrule and Calatia. But, you are the Queen of your land, and a stubborn and powerful Queen you are. So why, Zelda, would you choose me?"
She frowned a little. "Elcind, you said it yourself: it is a great political tie between our countries. Furthermore, you are pleasant and I could see myself treasuring our friendship well into the future without us treading on each other's toes for power. We will make an excellent pair on the throne."
He laughed. "We are friends, and even once we are married, we will never be anything more than friends. I understand this, and so do you because it is the nature of marriages at our standing. But still, you would let me take lovers, and would you take your own?"
Zelda's eyes flicked from the Calatian prince's face back down to the courtyard. Her hero was still duelling the guards, and he was beating them soundly. She knew also that he was not even showing them his full arsenal of skill. "I will not take a lover," she replied firmly.
"I figured as much. You know, Your Majesty, you could marry a commoner and your kingdom still would worship you," Elcind probed gently.
"I know," she said softly.
"So why don't you?" Elcind asked curiously. "I am not blind, Your Highness; I have seen how you look at him and how you act around him. You are more relaxed with only him around than you are when we are surrounded by guards. You told me he was simply a knight under your service, but I know the tales of your land and the whispers that follow him." Elcind stared down at the hero. "My men say he could best an entire battalion without breaking a sweat. They say that he fights like a demon, but never draws blood because he is ruled by his honour. And yet, he is humble."
"I am a Queen. I must do what is right for my kingdom," Zelda argued.
"And you have. And you will. But do not say that your hero would not make a brilliant king. The people already love him, and this time, you could afford to be selfish."
"I am selfish. Right now, I am being more selfish than I ever have been before. Link is an excellent soldier with an extraordinary spirit, but he could never be king. He is too loyal and humble and torn by battles he should never have had to fight for the deception and unforgivingness of the life of a monarch. I could never subject him to the darkness and unrest and mistrust that comes with ruling. It is a profession I would not wish even upon the worst of men."
"And yet here we are," Elcind murmured.
Zelda took a deep breath. "I am being selfish by saving him. I will not let him be king, but I keep him close nonetheless because I cannot let him go."
Elcind touched her elbow gently. "Perhaps you have not considered all your options, but your decision is wise." He nodded to her. "You are a wise Queen, and would make a fine wife to any man. I am just sorry it is I with whom you will grow old with."
"I do not believe you are the only one who is sorry," she answered carefully.
At her words, Link defeated his foe and glanced up towards the balcony, catching Zelda's eye. He smiled at her, and she gave him a wary smile of her own. This life was killing her, but as Queen, her people had to come first. Protecting Link was more important than her own desires because he had already given far too much for her sake.
Link knelt before the throne. Besides the fifteen guards along the walls, he and Zelda were alone in the throne room. Her husband was absent, dealing with some military manners, while Zelda was watching over the throne room.
"Rise Sir Link," she said, and he did.
She had succeeded in finally knighting him after her wedding, and he had risen up further in the army, taking over after Captain Monsor finally retired. Link enjoyed his position. The work was good and the pay was good, and he was still close with Zelda, despite her marital status. Still, they were reaching the end of their prime, and there was still much for him to explore in the world.
"May I have a word in private, Your Majesty?"
"Of course," she replied. With a wave of her hand, she dismissed the guards, leaving them alone in the beautiful hall. He still remembered carrying new pillars in and replacing many of the windows and clearing away rubble after the Twilight War. The memories were both fond and also undesirable as they reminded him of days when his life was simpler, but still plagued by dark memories.
"I have news for you, Zelda, and I'm afraid some of it you will not like," he informed, ascending the steps towards her throne.
She rose and stepped towards him, her hand landing on her stomach. Though he knew she did not love Elcind, their heir was still needed, so it was consummated without protest, and he knew she would not bear many more children, but they would be as beautiful and righteous as she. "I suppose, due to the nature of our environment, that this information pertains to yourself."
Link took in a deep breath. Though they had matured, she was still beautiful and he would always miss her. Their companionship had been a constant for so long, he was wary of leaving it behind, but it had to be done.
"Your Highness, the kingdom is safe from peril and your guard is capable, and there are a plethora of fine knights you may choose for your next captain."
"So this is it?" she asked. Her blue-grey eyes were hurt, but also understanding.
"The castle does not need me anymore," he replied curtly. "There are places I must go, and people I must see, and things that I must do. I am still a hero, and I have unfinished business in many places both across Hyrule and outside of it. I am asking for your permission to resign."
"And if I do not give it?" she challenged. "If I asked you to stay, and to stay with me?"
"I would do it," Link replied firmly, bowing his head. "You are my Queen and my ruler, and I love you."
The words were not foreign. Zelda had spoken them first, just before her nuptials, and Link had echoed her. They were true, and though they could never be together, they still bound them together. For so long, Link had associated his peace and happiness with Zelda, but he still had other people outside of the castle he had not seen in a long time, and there was one more place he longed to revisit to finally lay his journey to rest.
"Of course I will not deny you, my brave hero. You have earned eternal rest. I am only thankful that you stayed in my service for as long as you have," she said calmly. "Just know," her voice wavered a little, "that I love you too, and I'm sorry this couldn't have happened differently."
"I promise that I will return should you, or Hyrule, ever be in need of my services again," Link assured.
Zelda sighed deeply. "Oh Link, please do not. You have done far too much already. There is nothing that will come now that cannot be handled by the army you trained or the kingdom we raised from the dust. Please, don't ever swear your service to me again."
He laughed. "Zelda, I've always been yours."
"I know," she replied. "And I, yours."
Silence filtered between them, and it seemed oddly final. Link studied the queen, and she smiled at him before lowering herself into a bow. It was respectful and a beautiful farewell and he returned it, mirroring her. They rose in unison and Link finally turned away, descending the steps back to the floor of the throne room.
He had crossed half-way across the room before she called out to him.
"How long do you plan to consider yourself the Hero of Hyrule?"
"I suppose," he answered, without turning, "for all time."
Author's Note: What a project this was. I started writing this when I finished Twilight Princess in November, and it just kept coming. This officially takes the title of the second longest complete piece I've written, and I'm very proud. Here's to another generation of Zelda, as Breath of the Wild launches today. I really need to get myself a Switch, as well as this game. It's something I want, and it will have to be a future investment.
Thanks for reading guys! Drop a review if you feel so inclined.
-Nicole