"We can't, Link," she pleaded, grabbing his hand to stop him from storming out. "Just not yet. Give me some time to convince them."
"You're twenty years old, Zelda," he argued. "On the cusp of becoming Queen. If you can't do what you want, then what are we doing?"
"What I eat for breakfast is controlled and regulated, yet you honestly think I can elope with a lieutenant in my queensguard and everything will be alright?" Zelda all but screamed. "That my ministers will just accept it?"
"We've been waiting for years," Link said exasperatedly. "They could be trying to keep us apart on purpose; did you ever think of that?"
"Of course I've thought of that," Zelda had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. "All the more reason to wait them out. Once they see our devotion to each other-"
"Right now, I only see my devotion to you," his blue eyes were as cold as ice.
"You don't mean that," tears pricked the corners of her eyes. "You don't mean that, Link, please. I would do anything for you. You're my best friend. Link."
"You would do anything but marry me," he spat. "Your ministers seem hell-bent to prevent it, and you would rather we change their minds than dare them to nullify a union blessed by the Goddesses."
"It is not that simple and you know it," Zelda said through her tears. "Those ministers could refuse to recognize the marriage, brand any child we have as bastards, and pass their birthright on to one of my cousins. I'm sorry I do not have sole dominion over my country, but that's the way it is."
"Then what's the point of trying?" Link sighed. "They won't let us marry, and you won't marry me without their blessing, so."
"No, Link you can't think like that," she grasped his hand. "We can fight for us. We can be together."
"They won't ever let us, Zelda," he looked away from her. "I should just resign my position and give them what they want."
"What about what I want?" she yelled at him. She was openly crying now, not even caring how she came across. "I want to be with you, and I will never give up. You hear me, Link? I will never give up on us."
Link didn't respond, or couldn't. He only wrenched his hand from her grasp, turned around, and left without another word.
Link wasn't sure what to make of the letter. He hadn't spoken to the now Queen Zelda for almost three years. Yet here was a letter from her asking to meet with him at the castle. Specifically at their spot, the small courtyard just off the throne room, where they first met. Link didn't know what to make of the letter. What did she want after all this time? Her last words to him echoed in his head. I will never give up on us.
Perhaps it was best to let her down slowly.
Zelda dressed in her most casual clothes, but as Queen that meant the dress was still rather extravagant for a simple meeting between friends. She hoped Link still thought of her as a friend. They had gone through so much together; he wouldn't have given up on that at least, right?
There was only one way to find out.
She waited for him, trying to not get her hopes up too high. There was only a 50/50 chance he would even show up. She stood watching the servants bustle about the throne room. The regalia banners had to be changed. Two of her lords had resigned their positions in her ministry, so their house colors were being removed. Zelda had expected as much from the oldest members of her ministry, but it was a simple price to pay to get what she wanted.
"Your Majesty," a soft voice called behind her.
Zelda turned and saw Link, kneeling before her and looking down respectfully.
"Rise," she said sternly. "And I don't want to see any more of that formality bullshit while you're here."
Link laughed and stood up, "I see you haven't changed."
"And I see you have," she stepped down from the raised platform near the window. "You're taller."
"Finally," he smiled, but it quickly fell. "Zelda, why did you summon me here?"
Her brows knit together in concern, "You did not have to come if you didn't wish to. I only wished to inform you of something in person."
"And that would be?"
Zelda wanted to turn away from him, to put on her queenly mask and hide behind her 'declaration voice.' But she forced herself to look him in the eye.
"This afternoon I will sign a law that gives myself and all future royals of the House Hyrule exclusive discretion over whom they chose to marry."
"What does that mean?" Link asked confused.
"It means I can marry whomever I want, and my ministers can't do anything about it," she smiled triumphantly.
"That's," Link shook his head. "That's great, Zelda. I'm glad you finally got what you wanted."
Zelda didn't know what she was expecting. Certainly her wildest of fantasies involved Link immediately proposing or just sweeping her up and kissing her like he used to. But this subdued congratulations was nowhere near how she thought Link would react.
"I did this so that we could be together," Zelda said bluntly. "You always doubted that it could be done, and I lost some of the lords in my ministry over it, but nevertheless I prevailed because I knew I would not be happy unless you were in my life."
She had said her piece, but Link only stood there refusing to meet her eye.
"Zelda," he finally said. "I, I'm with someone, right now. We're happy, and she understands my hang-ups with the past."
All feeling seemed to leave Zelda's body. Link was still talking about the girl he had been with for almost eighteen months now, but she was numb to the world. She had spent three years arguing and fighting and pushing against the social conventions of history. She had even gone so far as to refuse to marry until her ministry allowed her to make this law. But Link didn't even care. He had moved on. He had left her behind, hadn't believed her when she said she would fight for their relationship.
"I see," she said hollowly. "I hope you two are happy together, and I bestow upon you my blessing should you ever chose to marry."
"Zelda, I'm sorry-"
"Goodbye, Link."
Zelda turned and refused to look at him, silently crying in the courtyard until the sun was hidden by the walls of the castle.
Link tossed and turned at night. He thought he had moved on, but seeing her again, even if it was two years ago now, had brought back every memory. He had loved Zelda so much, but he had honestly thought there was no path forward for their relationship. Yet, she had proved him wrong. He forgot that this Zelda was the same woman who in another time trained with the Sheikah so that she could aide her devastated country, who tried to defeat the monster of the Shadow Temple on her own so that he wouldn't have to. That stubborn determination was still there. And how did he reward it? By leaving her behind while she fought to allow their relationship to happen.
It took him another month to work up the courage to request a visit with the Queen. He was happy with Malon, really, but he couldn't live without giving his relationship with Zelda another chance. He would regret it for the rest of his life if he didn't talk to her again. For some reason, Malon complete understood, and Goddesses above, he didn't deserve her or any of the kindness she showed him.
So Link dressed up in his best tunic and went to the castle for his appointment with the Queen. He was led to the receiving room, which was a bit of a letdown since Link was hoping Zelda would have them meet in their courtyard, but he brushed it off as a need to keep with formality.
"Link," she smiled as he entered the receiving room. "To what do I own this pleasure?"
He bowed and kissed her ring as if on autopilot. This was not his Zelda; this was Queen Zelda, and Link had never been on this end of her Queen mask.
"Your Majesty," he smiled back. "I came to discuss something rather personal with my friend, Zelda, and I'm afraid I don't quite know how to proceed."
"Alright," Zelda sighed and relaxed her shoulders as she sat. "I can metaphorically take off the crown just for you, though I am not sure what advice I can offer."
"It's not really advice I seek but an answer," he looked into her eyes, ready to stop with this word game. "I was wrong to ever doubt you. You were right to fight for our relationship, and I can't ever say how sorry I am that I didn't stay and fight with you."
He took a breath and tried to gage Zelda's reaction, but her face was still passively neutral.
"Since seeing you again, I came to realize that I was frustrated with having no control over our situation and later on just scared of returning once I ran away. But I knew I would wonder forever if I never spoke to you again, and I would regret not asking you if you were still open to being with me."
Link held his breath. Zelda's neutral look was still plastered on her face. She blinked a few times before finally opening her mouth.
"Well, I must say this was not what I expected when I saw you requested an appointment with me," she said. "Honestly, I would love nothing more than to yell at you for taking two years to come to this conclusion, but I promised myself a long time ago that I would not waste emotion on a man who didn't believe in me."
Link opened his mouth, but one look from Zelda cut him off.
"I loved you, and while I fought for that love, you left it and me behind," her words stung like daggers. "So it should only be natural for you to hear that I am now in a relationship. We had planned to announce our courtship next month, so I must ask you to keep the information to yourself for a time."
"What?" Link felt as if his insides had twisted up and hollowed out. It was worse than any wound he had ever received.
"Did you think I would wait for you?" she asked in a completely non-malicious way that somehow made it worse. "Link, you gave up on us. After all the stories you told me of your travels with the Ocarina of Time, I thought you would never stop fighting for something you loved, but now I wonder how you even survived since you seem to give up at the slightest inconvenience. And now you come back just expecting me to leap into your arms now that you've figured out what you want. You had given me every indication that you had moved on, Link, so much so that I assumed you were here to tell me you had married Malon or welcomed your first child into the world. I hate to do this to you, since we did have a loving relationship, but the time for us has passed, Link. You should go back to Malon and have a wonderful life with her."
Zelda stood, compelling Link to stand as well. She gave him a hug that did nothing to help the pain in his chest.
"May the Goddesses bless you, Link."
He left without another word, wondering if the pain he felt at knowing the answer he sought was worth trying to avoid the regret of never knowing.