This little excerpt takes place after Ocarina of Time, with some hints of Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess, etc. It is basically the POV of the adult Zelda who was left in the world that was corrupted by Ganondorf as she sends Link back to his time as a child.

It may not accurately depict the Legend of Zelda Historia and Timeline, but I tried to stay as canon as I could while allowing myself the freedom of bringing something creative to this story. Anyway I can explain more in the bottom, after you've read this story so I don't spoil anything.

I hope you enjoy and I do not own The Legend of Zelda and its characters.

~Final Regrets~

In the many years that have passed there is a legend of the hero who travelled through time to save the land of Hyrule. It was through these events and even by a choice I made on my own accord that created three different timelines by the end of this great journey.

The evil that awakened with the Triforce of power was sealed away… although Hyrule Kingdom was destroyed… I stayed behind to be able to help the people rebuild a new world, and govern a new land that may be brought back to peace.

We tried… but after my passing… and where the people I loved had passed and the hero was returned to his own time… the world suffered great floods as the new evil would awaken… but I prayed my descendants would rise from such a tragedy again...

It wasn't until the three Goddesses approached me, as I passed a sage, and told me that these timelines that existed meant that the evil would continue to awaken time and time again.

It made me wonder if there would ever be an end to this cycle but I knew that if the Triforce and the Goddesses existed… there would be no change to it… I continually spent time trying to find a way to end the cycle but there was nothing to go off of, and even though many spirits dwelled where I was, they could not give me the answers I was hoping for.

I was alone. Even though I felt that I passed peacefully, my soul was unsettled.

… Because I had yet to realize, my heart missed the hero that saved us all...

The hero was returned to his true time… the time of a child...I was in awe at how he'd gone on a separate journey, a land of a parallel world, one that is only heard in stories… I watched over this hero… I watched his downfalls and his triumphs… he was searching for something… a friend…

He became a great knight… he'd had his own family... but one thing still made his heart empty… he was missing something - as much as I felt that I missed something…

This hero… though he is the Hero of Time… he was not known or remembered as such… but he still travelled and visited the people he once knew as a hero… even the Princess there, my own counterpart... though she cherished him as a friend, and learned that he was the hero of time through her dreams - did not grow to love him as I had…

How different things ended up being through changing the timeline.

He fought great battles and had his own children… but when he finally passed… he did not come to where I was… this did hurt knowing that I was still alone… I watched as the world changed… how the people therein changed…

...Up until the great evil awoke once again… and this time it was the hero's descendants and my own, that rose to fight this evil. My powers were given to my descendants of that time… and I watched over this new hero. I saw the similarities in him and the hero of time.

And that's when I saw it… the regretful soul of the hero of time aiding the new hero, who would be known as the Hero of Twilight, in becoming as skilled as he was to fight the evil…

The Hero of Time had taken a new appearance… one that proved him as a restless soul and missing one of his eyes… just as he lost one during many of the battles I saw him fight in.

The hero would stay in his own deserted, ether world as his descendant would master a skill, and he would remain trapped in that world… as I could not reach him. He was hurting for not being remembered as the hero of time and losing the relationships he'd made on his journey.

The Goddess Nayru knew of this as she approached me… after years of being in this place and not being able to rest peacefully… the Goddesses would speak to me occasionally...

"You've been watching over this one for a long time, no?"

"Why has his soul not rested?"

"He is the hero chosen by the Goddesses. Yet he does not have the recognition, or great journey to follow through with such a title…"

"So he's been trapped in this world?"

"It's one he built with resemblance of places from his memories…"

His regrets.

"... He could not be the same hero in this time… even though he is named that hero…"

The realization of his troubles made my heart ache for him.

"He perished in one of Hyrule's great battles… He could not teach his kin the ways to fight following his death, so he is here to teach his descendants… it's his new calling by us… what we have set him out to do so that he may be able to rest peacefully and pass on his knowledge…"

"Then where will he go…and why am I here unsettled by my past?"

"Wielder of wisdom… you hold a special place in his heart and when you sent him back to his time he felt hurt… he thought maybe he could have what he had with you with the Princess of his time… but… these are two different times… two completely different events have taken place; therefore the feelings are not the same…"

"What?"

"What troubles you my dear…?"

"I just don't understand…"

Nayru's hand rested on my shoulder, and I felt the truth through her touch.

"Your biggest regret Princess Zelda, Hylia's incarnate, is sending him back and leaving yourself alone in your time. You could never give your heart the way you had given it to him back then… you wait for him… though you do not admit it… his restless soul differs from yours… until he can relieve his regrets, he cannot come here. He must train his descendants to save the world we've blessed once again so that evil does not win."

I still waited for him… as he completed his teachings with the hero to save the world from darkness that came upon their time… I was on verge of tears as his purgatory world slowly started to disperse… he finally found his resolve…

The Hero of Twilight was triumphant in his own journey and a nostalgic feeling rose in my chest… I couldn't help but smile as an affectionate mother would for her children…

I waited for my hero, and kept searching for him until there was a path that cleared it's way for me and I did not hesitate as I followed it… the voices around me told me he was there…

I was stopped as I found a pool of water… for the first time in ages I looked upon my reflection… in a white and gold garb that resembled that of the Goddess… I was t surprised… as I now understand the great role I had taken on...

I was surprised as I looked beside myself and I saw the six sages who'd once aided the journey of the hero of time…

Rauru… Nabooru… Impa… Ruto… Darunia… Saria… they all came to see the friend they bid farewell to long ago…

Saria stepped forward smiling warmly towards me as she took my hand and gave it a squeeze… above me flew a small fairy… in her ethereal essence after having passed when she would have fulfilled her duties long ago.

She was very excited as she flew towards me.

"After you, Princess!"

I felt them behind me as I walked across the water, and I soon came to the realization that the numerous spirits that knew the hero of time were coming along as well…

They all wanted to see him.

It made my heart swell knowing all the ones who remembered him as I did had awakened to meet him… and I realized I really had not been alone all along…. their spirits had been around me all this time… and it kept me from falling into madness as I had yet to find a peaceful rest...

It was quite some ways, but I caught the glint if the armor… I rushed over and fell to my knees. He lay without movement, still appearing in the form he'd taken on as the hero's shade, I lifted his head so it would rest on my lap… my hand placed over the side of his head as the Triforce began to turn gold on his hand with mine as well… his body lifted, and I moved back and watched as the Golden light from his own Triforce swirled around him…

I watched in awe as he stood upright facing the other way… he looked down at himself and his hands… more than likely seeing his reflection in the water… it seemed as if time slowed as he turned around…

His face and body now returned to normal… he looked as how I remembered him… young and vibrant… eyes as blue as I remember them… his armor now replenished to the color and finish that it once had as I watched over him…

At first, I didn't know what to say as his eyes locked on mine. In a matter of a century's time I was face to face with the hero of time… I had thought long of what I could say to him but now words escape me… I stood up and took a few steps close to him...

"I'm sorry."

It's the first thing I can think that is important for me to bring up to him… a part of me is responsible for causing him the pain and regrets of his past…

"It was the right thing to send you back to where you belonged... but had I known what it would cause you to feel… I'd have never done it…"

I lowered my gaze…

"It's my fault… I wish things would have been different but it is the Goddesses prophecy that we must follow… but I wished I could have changed that for you."

I looked up at him and smiled sadly.

"I waited here for a long time… I watched over you… you became the hero's shade… then I could no longer see you until you began to teach your descendant your skills…"

He studied me quietly… as he always was… but his eyes were also sad… I wanted to believe what Nayru told me but I wanted to hear it from himself…

"I could not rest here… until you came back to me… Link…"

His eyes widened at what I said because it was the truth… I turned slightly as I could not meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry for everything…"

There was a minute of silence before I felt a pair of strong arms wrap themselves around me. I gasped and raised my head to see that Link had discarded his helmet and his body was pressed against mine.

"Zelda… it was never your fault…"

I was frozen in place… I felt the light… warmth… and love in his arms… my tears finally fell freely…

"Link…"

"There were many things I did… to try and figure out what life I was meant to live if I wasn't going to be fighting a great evil in the future… I was lost without a purpose… I tried to find that fulfillment again but nothing was the same…"

I felt his loneliness even though he had the chance to live a full a life...

"I always wanted adventure… and to help people...but even though I was content in being able to do those things... I was still missing something…"

I knew that he meant the relationships he had with so many of his friends as the hero of time… it wasn't the same… because they couldn't remember the great things he did as the hero of time… but he was content because at least there was no great evil that affected any of them…

Still… how could one go back to a time with fond memories that no one else has…?

He held me close for a long time before I slowly separated myself from him to look up at his face. His eyes were determined… a familiar look he had whenever he faced something that took much of his courage… he never gave up with that look on his face… that was the one thing I adored of Link… he never backed down… he was never afraid…

Even when he was sad or hurting… he never lost his courage.

His face softened as if he read my mind and he brushed the hair back that fell in front of my face.

"I missed a lot of things… but one of them that affected me the most was that I was missing my Princess."

Even though Nayru already told me this… I still was surprised to hear him say it.

"I fell in love with this young girl… who guided me and secretly helped me on a long journey before she revealed herself as the beautiful, wise woman who I believed carried traits of courage and power within herself… and I knew that I would give my life before I let anyone hurt her…"

I stare at him in awe of his words…

"I thought I would never get to meet her again… and I was devastated because it wasn't the same when she sent me back to the time I was from… her heart of gold wanted me to experience the life I missed out on having and keep that timeline safe from the evil king…"

His hand rests on the side of my face, his touch soft and feather like, my tears are falling freely. His thumbs reached to brush them away.

"... but she didn't give me the chance to tell her that I was in love with her… and I would have stayed by her side if she needed me to…"

It was his final regret… and all his past was lifted from him. I could feel how free he finally felt. I laughed softly and smiled.

"Even if you were not remembered, you are and always will be my hero. The hero of time. I waited a century for answers without realizing that I was just waiting for you."

I paused and placed a hand on his chest. It was real. He was here. My hero… my Link… He had returned to me. I shook my head.

"I missed you."

I whispered it so softly that it was barely there but I knew he heard it.

He smiled down at me, his eyes locked onto mine, his arms protectively around me… I moved first as I leaned closer to him and he closed the rest of the distance as he pressed his lips against mine… something long overdue… and it just felt right…

We part and I really can't stop smiling… I take hold of his hands and bring them up in front of me as I look at him.

"Well… Hero of Time… I should tell you that it seems your arrival here was not meant for our reunion alone…"

I couldn't hold the big smile I knew crept up on my face, as I pulled away from him holding onto his right hand… he gave me a curious look before he turned and saw the six sages and his fairy, as well as the many people he helped along his journey as the hero of time there to greet him. He let out a laugh of disbelief as they all waved at him.

"We welcome the hero to where he belongs…"

"See…? Everything's alright."

"As expected of our brotherhood!"

"Now you can be with us!"

"You did well, chosen hero."

"You never fail to impress, kid."

The fairy flew over and gave Link a peck on the cheek.

"Hey! Took you long enough to get here!"

The cycles will not change… it can't be changed or the world will be destroyed… that is what I realized as I had Link by my side… It seemed like it would be a proper solution to simply get rid of what causes the evil...

…Although...even my descendant… wise as she is, understands that light cannot exist without darkness. The Triforce thrives on balance, and imbalance would bring more havoc than anyone could handle. The Goddesses know that one day the evil will be extracted... but until then they cannot simply remove the Triforce of power to avoid any of this...the important thing to remember is that as long as the pieces remain separated from evil - that is that the evil does not hold the Triforce in its entirety - then it will be under control. A chosen hero and the Goddess Hylia reincarnated shall always be born. They will be the ones to tame the evil should there be a call for it.

...And now?

I already know… I must come to terms with my eternal peace. But no more regrets. Words aren't needed as Link stands by side…

"You know in all lifetimes… there's one thing that's never changed about you, Zelda…"

"What is that?"

"You're always the most radiant beauty in the kingdom…"

"Is that so?"

"Undeniable."

"... I love you."

I take his hand and smile at him as his happiness brings me more peace and joy... I know that everything… the past... the present… the future… it will all be okay.

"Ready?"

I question quietly, but I already know that he is. His voice is calm and relieved as he responds knowing there are no heartbreaking goodbyes this time and our souls have finally found eternal peace.

"Let's go home."

FIN.

THAT'S IT THAT'S ALL.

How was that? Good? Bad? I did this for fun so go easy on me, jeez!

You all know who the fairy is... think about it... I'll spoil soon... do you know?

… YES ITS NAVI!

I always felt sad when I learned the Hero's Shade was Link from the childhood timeline who regretted that he was not remembered as the hero of time. But it made Twilight Princess so much more interesting. 100 years is a long time but if you think about it... between OOC and TP that's not really a giant gap in years... its really close together if you think about it.

This is sort of a closure... adult Zelda had passed in her timeline... but the Link she sent back in the childhood was still alive and living his life... being a Sage and descendant of the Goddess meant she possesses some divine abilities so she was able to watch over many timelines, she also wanted to know why the cycle continued on... but there is no real answer... just that it keeps the Triforce and the world balanced. And many of the things in this story is up for everyone's interpretation, based on your own understanding of Zelda theories and timelines.

Another thing I should mention is that in this story and based on a theory I watched online, (because I have been obsessed with Zelda theories recently) the Hero's shade could not rest peacefully until he passed his legacy down to the hero of twilight which he was able to do. And in my story, Zelda could see him as he opened up his world for Link (TP Link), and as he finally found his resolve he could go to where she was and rest peacefully.

Also everyone who speaks before Navi goes up to kiss Link on the cheek is in the order that Zelda states their names before that, so have a look in case you don't know who is saying what.

Any other questions you have please feel free to ask, but honestly this was just fun to write based on my love of Zelda and the theories around it.