The rain pounded against Zelda's window.
"My queen, I would advise you to leave your room. I understand you are upset, but there are matters to attend to," said a noticeably worried and newly married Shad.
Zelda, now about thirty, had been sitting on the edge of her bed with her head in her hands for weeks now, almost constantly. She looked up wordlessly at Shad, her eyes welled with tears, and her head fell back into her hands. He sat next to her and put an understanding hand on her shuddering back. "Your Highness, please—I understand you lost a friend but life must go on."
"I loved him..." she whispered.
"You... what?" asked Shad, who hadn't heard her through her sobs.
She collected herself slightly. "I loved him, Shad. I loved him, and I never told him. And I just..." She lost her grip on herself and started sobbing uncontrollably again. "And now he's gone, and he will never know!"
"You know, Zelda, I've always thought of you as my child, even if I'm not much older than you. And I must say I would not have expected you to be like this. Yes, he'll never know. Yes, you loved him. But you always had put your kingdom before yourself, and I hate to say that you must calm down." He patted her back gently. "You know your kingdom will suffer if you carry on like this."
She nodded through her sobs. "Thank you Shad, I don't think my own father could have said it any better," she said in between sniffles. "I am glad I have you around again, it was so foolish of me to allow you to leave for those few years."
He nodded. "But you were young, you didn't know. You thought you didn't need a parental figure around, and I thought it was better for you to figure it out by yourself. And look at you now! Hyrule's sweetheart, the strong, independent, loving queen who would do anything to help anyone, who still needs a second opinion every once in awhile."
A cough loud enough to awaken the dead shook her room and brought her back to the present. It was dark outside, and the window filtered just enough moonlight in to see, although she didn't like what she saw. Zelda had coughed up a lot of blood, she didn't know how she could have any left. The old queen sighed and closed her eyes. Eventually, after what may have been minutes or even hours, she opened them to find a figure at her bedside. The figure was that of a man she hadn't seen in years, although he was nearly transparent.
"Link?!" The woman's smile was brighter than sunshine.
The misty figure smiled. "I've missed you so much, Your Highness."
Her eyes were full of tears. "Link, I never got to tell you... I love you, so, so much."
The specter walked to her bedside. "I love you too, Zelda. I never got a chance to tell you, either. Please do not cry, there is no need. I'm here now, and I'll never leave you again."
A wrinkled hand covered her mouth as she was overwhelmed with joy, and she realized she was no longer in pain. It hit her like a wall, and sad tears mixed with the happy.
"Come on, my love, it's time for us to leave," he said, offering her his hand.
When she extended hers, she noticed her skin was no longer wrinkled. She touched her face, and she felt the plump, tight skin from her youth. Link laughed as she took his hand, still looking over herself, now wearing her dress from her birthday ball many years ago.
He whisked her away and carried her into the light.
Hey guys! Thanks or reading this, I do have an epilogue on the way, it'll be up tomorrow. If you could review, I'd really appreciate it!