Zelda always enjoyed Link's kisses more and more with each one. She pressed closer to him and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. She could feel Link wince under her grasp and she immediately let go.

"I'm so sorry, I forgot you're hurt!"

She lifted Link's arm and looked closely at it.

"You need attention."

"Zelda, I'll be okay. I've gotten through much worse before," Link smiled at her and his blue eyes sparkled in the sun. The glint reminded her of something and she turned abruptly. Her attendant was walking towards her and Zelda ran back to her.

"You have to go, don't you?"

"I must follow the orders I was given."

Zelda sighed, "Don't… don't forget about us."

Impa rested her slim graceful hand on Zelda's head and smiled with a motherly air. The woman in white smiled and gazed onward as Impa left her presence and perhaps her life.

"Thank you for your service. And your friendship," Zelda whispered.

She lightly rested her hand over her heart and Link took her other hand.

"Let's go home."

~X~

"Gah!"

"Sorry! I'm trying to be as careful as I can!"

Link chuckled and flinched as Zelda cleaned his back, his shirt was off and Zelda's face was bright red.

"You're cute, you know that?"

"Oh, be quiet. I'm trying to concentrate."

She dabbed the angry red gash on her husband's back and walked to the table where she had put the length of bandages. She walked back over to the bed and grabbed Link's shoulder.

"Please don't scream if it hurts. I'm really doing everything I can."

Link sighed and grinned, "Don't worry, I'm not hurting. You're making a bigger deal out of this than you need to."

Zelda rolled her eyes and unwrapped some of the bandages, slowly and tenderly weaving them across Link's back and around his chest.

"You okay?" she checked up for the umpteenth time.

"Yes. I'm fine. You don't have to keep doting on me," Link smiled.

"I know, I know. I just feel horrible about what happened," she commented as she finished and stood back.

"It wasn't your fault."

Zelda looked at the floor and rubbed her arm.

"I know. I'm sorry I dragged you into everything that's happened."

"Remember?" Link lifted her chin with his two first fingers and took her arm, then walked her to the bed. He sat down and put her on his lap. "I chose to come after you that first time. I was worried out of my mind that something terrible had happened or was coming. But here we are."

Zelda couldn't help but smile a little as Link took her hand and rubbed little circles on the back of her palm.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?"

"For making me happy. For being there for me."

"Well then it's you who I must thank, Zelda."

Zelda turned her head to look into Link's eyes and he leaned toward her, his lips meeting hers like two pieces of a puzzle. This time Zelda was not afraid to press closer to Link, and he welcomed her, no wincing. Zelda reached up and laced her fingers through Link's shaggy hair, his fluid motions still going over her other hand. Link smiled on Zelda's lips and she laughed behind them.

Zelda drew back slowly from Link and bit her lip.

"You okay?"

"Mhmm. You're wonderful."

Link let go of Zelda's hand and lifted his hand to her just behind her ear, then traced her jawline. Zelda caught his wrist and moved his hand so that it cupped her cheek, and she tilted her head into his warm, tender grasp.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you," her husband said, the loving look in his eyes making her heart melt in her chest.

Link's thoughts wandered to when he first confessed his feelings to Zelda.

"I like you… a lot," Link stared at his feet and laughed at himself, the silly remark that somehow took him six months to conjure the courage to tell her.

He heard nothing following, and looked up to greet the silence. Zelda's hands were covering her mouth and she stared wide-eyed at him.

Link rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks turning red, and he gasped as he watched Zelda hurl herself at him, thrusting her arms around his waist. He stood shocked for a moment until her voice snapped him back to reality.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear those words from you."

Link let a little laugh escape his mouth as he gazed at his beautiful wife, dazed with wonderment that she would pick someone as much of a dork as him to be married to.

Suddenly Zelda started laughing. Her teeth showed through her parted lips and she released Link's hand. Link smiled.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. I laugh when I'm happy. You should know that first hand, mister," she gently poked him on the shoulder and Link began laughing as well. He wrapped his arms around his wife's waist and breathed in her scent, like flowers and vapor, which he had become so accustomed to, yet could never get enough of.

"Link!" Zelda shrieked playfully as she sat in his arms, shaking with laughter.

Link laid back and let Zelda roll off next to him, both of them laughing until tears formed in their eyes. Zelda propped herself up on one elbow after a while and looked at Link, who was still laying down with his finger interlaced over his stomach.

"We've had a long day, huh?"

"Yeah, but who says we can't end it well? I'd say this is a pretty good way to end the day."

"Well the day isn't over quite yet…" she paused. "Could you tell me about your parents?" Zelda whispered with a solemn air.

"Okay," Link said casually. He was sad about his parent's passing, but he loved to talk about them, especially to Zelda, though she already knew most everything about them.

"Let's see… What do you want to hear?"

"Tell me your favorite memories with your mother."

Link smiled and gazed at the ceiling of the tiny house.

"She had the most beautiful singing voice. Every night she would sit on my bed, and gather me in her lap. She'd place my palms on hers and sing me a lullaby, always the same one,"

Zelda smiled and began to hum an enchanting melody, her own voice mixing with Link's memories of his mother's.

"That's the one," he whispered. "And I would join in, once I was old enough to learn the words and the notes to sing."

"Would you sing it now?"

"Of course," Link sat up and opened his mouth.

"Fly little child, fly into my arms

let me keep you safe, let me keep you warm."

Zelda hummed the tune as Link sang.

"Here I'll hold you, hug you tight, chase your fears away

tell you stories, sing you songs, until the light of day."

Zelda smiled at her own memory of hearing her mother play with her and hold her after nightmares came in the night. She couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if she one day became a mother and held her own child in her arms. A sadness rose in her throat at the thoughts of her mother, and Link seemed to read her thoughts. He pulled her close and held her, stroking her hair. He did so in a different way than her mother, but still with the same comforting effect that put Zelda's fears to ease.