For generations, the Zora would find themselves speaking of the day their domain was visited by a Goddess. Those who were present would treat the memory with a certain reverence, talk about the sensation of just knowing who they were in the presence of, in hushed tones. They would pass it down the story down to their children and the children would pass it down to theirs and so on and so forth.

Even when enough time had passed for the tale to turn into legend, the pool surrounding the Ne'ez Yohma Shrine glittered with an ethereal light and always would. Anyone who dared wade in its waters would find any pain in their bodies healed, their broken bones mended by the following morning, their energy restored.

All of this, the grandness of being visited by Farore herself, was overshadowed by the Zora people's concern for the Hero of Hyrule.

The same individuals who would later pass the story down the generations were the first to tell others of what they'd seen of the Hero when he and the Princess had arrived, bathed in light. Ragged breaths and sickly colored skin covered in a network of new scars. The Princess, having been possessed by a Goddess, had not looked much better when Prince Sidon had carried her off.

By the evening of that same day, the entirety of Domain feared that the Hero and the might not make it through the night.

Their beloved Prince had addressed them shortly after sundown, at the height of their worried whispering.

He spoke of the skill in their healers, spoke about how the Princess would be alright with a few days rest.

When someone in the crowd questioned about the Hero's condition, the look of concern could not be missed on the Prince's face.

"The Hero remains alive and with us. He is ill, very ill indeed. In the coming days, should anything change, for better or worse, I will be sure to let you know."

So, with bated breath, they waited and they prayed for the Hero.

While the quick work of Madame Meeda and her healers had certainly saved Link's life, his body was still damaged. Both from the weeks of strain the Blight had placed on him and the poison itself.

The first few days after he was deemed no longer in danger of passing at any moment, he found himself sleeping most of the time. With his body no longer fighting against itself, it desperately needed rest. Thankfully, Link found his rest empty of any dreams.

He would eventually find that his body would no longer stomach certain foods, much to his dismay. Spicy peppers would have him laid up in bed for days at a time. Foods heavily seasoned with herbs, especially those that smelled or tasted too much like the poison, nauseated him instantly. Certain meats became like a roulette for him; sometimes he ate them and was fine. Other times, he'd be in the restroom for hours after eating. But, with time, he would adjust.

During his first wash while in the infirmary, he could finally see the extent of the Blight's influence had left behind. He found, with a certain amount of shock, that he was covered in lightning shaped scars. From head to toe, they wrapped around him in every way possible. He lightly traced his fingers along them, following them up to his throat, his chin, his cheeks, even his ears. He would find that they would never fade from that deep pink, would never lighten enough to truly match his skin tone. It would always be a reminder of his second brush with death.

During his first week truly awake and lucid, Madame Meeda personally stopped in to see him twice a day. In his heart of hearts, he knew that the elderly Zora must have felt partially responsible for his condition.

That suspicion was confirmed the fourth week into his stay.

As she had every day, she was checking on his progress, checking on his level of pain, noting any progression or change she saw. She was part way through checking the range of motion in his arms when she suddenly spoke.

"I need you to know how sorry I am Link. For not helping you more."

He'd lowered his arms, waiting for her to continue. When she did not, he spoke, his voice still weak, despite the weeks of rest.

"You did all you could for me. I know that, Madame Meeda."

She shook her head slowly as he spoke, her eyes not meeting his.

"I gave up on you too early, I didn't see this through the way I should have. I could have done so much more then to bottle your death for you and send you on your way."

Slowly, he took her hands into his own, squeezing them gently.

"You said it yourself. Before me, no one had ever survived the Blight. There was no way for you to know my fate would have been any different. You did what you could with the tools and information you had."

It was then that she had had met his eyes, a smile on her face as she squeezed his hands back.

"Well, no one can say you aren't a man of your word. Didn't you tell me that you'd be the first? Look at you now, Mr. Hero."

They shared a smile and Meeda knew there had never been anything to ask forgiveness for in the first place.

It would be another two months before Link was strong enough to even consider leaving Zora's Domain.

Through all of this, Zelda was with him every single day. He quickly learned the reason for the heavy bandages on her hands and feet.

She told him herself about how the Goddess had spoken to her, had possessed her, had burnt her extremities from the inside out. Her burns would heal, though the scars would remain there for the entirety of her life and never regain feeling in the tips of her fingers.

In turn, Link told her about his dying dream, of the choice Farore had given him. He told her about the pool of light, of how he swam through it, despite the endlessness of it.

They shared these wonderful, terrible experiences with one another, for who else could understand how beautiful and sad and vast it was to be touched by divinity. They trembled as they spoke, even when they gently held each other's hands, trying to provide some comfort.

As he healed and grew stronger with each day, an increasing amount of people came to visit him. The first, outside of Zelda, the infirmary staff, and Prince Sidon, was Lady Impa and Dorian. He came to learn, after some coaxing on his part, that the Prince had sent word of his and Zelda's arrival only an hour after they had arrived. They had made their way as quickly as they could, though given Impa's advanced age, the going had been extremely slow.

Upon seeing him, Dorian immediately approached his bed and pulled Link into a tight hug.

"I am so happy to see you alive, Link." These were the only words Dorian offered him, but they carried everything that needed to be said.

His memories of the weeks spent in Kakariko are clouded by lack of sleep and buzzing, terrible voices in his head, but he remembers Dorian's help clear as day. From staying up every night with him, to teaching him to play cards, to stopping him from clawing at the back of his own neck, Link remembered.

Link returned the hug gladly, his heart filled with gratitude.

When he grew strong enough to walk unassisted, he insisted on trying to make short lap around the walkway that encircled the infirmary.

"My friend, you may not realize this, but my people have become…invested, in your recovery." Sidon had warned him as he led the way down the infirmary halls, mindful of his speed.

Though Link was capable of movement, both the Blight and the extended bed rest had atrophied much of his muscles, leaving him to tire easily.

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Sidon." He said, mindful to keep his pace slow and breathing even.

If the Prince had eyebrows, Link had the distinct feeling that one would have been raised at him.

"It'll be fine." Link said again, now trying to convince himself more than Sidon.

For the most part, he had been correct. It was still early in the morning when they made their way outside, the brisk morning air sending a chill down his spine.

They walked slowly, deliberately, Link being mindful of his footing. The first time he had stood up, he hadn't been prepared for the wave of dizziness nor sudden weakness in his knees. He'd been very lucky that he had fallen backwards onto his bed and not forward to the floor.

They were about halfway around the walkway when Link became aware that this was, in fact, not going to be ok.

A young Zora, perhaps out on some sort of early morning errand, spotted them. As soon as they had, they let out an excited yell as they waved at them.

"Mr. Hero, Mr. Hero! Hey, over here!"

Link waved back slowly, suddenly unsure of himself and the decision to take this walk.

It wasn't before long that the walkway, so empty and quiet, was bustling with Zora's of all ages and sizes, trying to see him, to shake his hand, to congratulate him on his recovery, to offer advice on how to build up muscle again. Link couldn't get a word in edge wise, couldn't move forward. His legs had started to grow weak under him and he wouldn't be able to hold himself up for much longer.

As if Sidon could read his thoughts, Link found two large hands under his armpits, pulling him up and away from the crowd. He was seated on Sidon's left shoulder and his hands instinctively went to the fin on the top of his head, holding himself steady with it.

"I do apologize everyone, but we really must be getting on our way. Thank you so much for your well wishes and kind words."

Without another word, Sidon cut a path through the crowd and made short work of reentering the infirmary, mindful of Link's added height at the door ways.

"Thank you." Is the only thing Link can offer, suddenly weak and tired from the excitement.

"Anytime, my friend."

By the time Link was healthy enough to travel, the entirety of Zora's Domain had come to treat him just as they would on of their own. While extremely moved by the compassion and love the Zora people had shown him, he was nearly overwhelmed by the constant well wishes and well-meaning advice.

Kakariko was a sight for sore eyes by the time he made it back.

It was almost nine months to the day of Link and Zelda's abrupt arrival into Zora's Domain that Link received a letter. It was from Hudson, much to his surprise.

He was further surprised by the news the letter brought with it. Hudson and his beautiful Gerudo wife, Rhodson, had welcomed their first child into the world.

A little boy, with flaming red hair and dark skin like his mother. Hudson wrote of his son bearing the strangest birthmark on the back of his hand. He described it as almost looking like the Triforce.

The letter invited him to visit Tarrey Town in a month's time to celebrate the birth. He had immediately penned back, assuring Hudson that he would be there and, if it would be ok, could the Princess come too?

Hudson's next letter was just a series of exclamations and assurances that, yes, of course the Princess of Hyrule could attend if she so wished.

So, with two weeks until the party, Link, Zelda, Dorian and Paya set out Terry Town. Though, Link and Zelda demanded that they make a small detour.

They reached Satori Mountain in good time, and knowing the importance of this place, Dorian and Paya stayed at the base to set up camp for the night.

Climbing up the last bit of the cliff side, Link let himself lay on the ground, arms over his head, breathing heavy.

"I told you we could have rested at the last ledge a little longer." Zelda said, crouching over him.

"…I'm…too…impatient…" He huffed, wiping the sweat from his forehead. While so much stronger than he had been months ago, Link would never have the stamina he once did. The Blight had stolen it from him and the poison had damaged him enough that he would never fully recover that loss.

Zelda snorted and shook her head at him, playfully tickling his nose with the ends of her hair.

He weakly batted the locks away from him, his face pulled into an exaggerated frown.

"Quit it."

"As you wish, Mr. Hero." She said as she stood, mock bowing to him.

He took one, final deep breath of air and slowly got to his feet, rejoining Zelda.

"So, where's this spring I saw the pic-"

She need not finish he sentence as the very top of a pink, blossoming tree came into view. As they walked closer, the full tree came into view and, with it, the spring. Just as he had remembered, the spring was still edged in long grass and clusters of Silent Princess. Fallen pink flower petals clung to the surface of the water, floating peacefully.

This spot really did have the best view of Hyrule field, no doubt about it.

"It's beautiful." Zelda said under her breath.

Link turned his attention to her, taking in how the sunset framed her face just so, watched as her mouth curled into a smile. The same smile he had fought so hard all those months ago to see again.

He let his own features upturn into a grin as he took her hand into his, lacing their fingers together in a smooth motion that had become second nature to him.

"Much nicer in person, isn't it?" He asked, squeezing her hand.

Her smile widened as she squeezed back.

"Yes, it is. Your photo didn't do this place justice."

They stood their together and enjoyed the sights around them, the Princess and the Hero hand in hand.

Hyrule was safe and so were they.