-Zelda-
I wake up to the sun light streaming through the windows of my hospital room. It was the first night in about a week that I slept all the way through and was able to wake up on my own. Usually, Fi has to come in to wake me up with a tray of food because I have to eat.
Glancing at the clock on my bedside table, I see it's only eight in the morning. Part of me wonders what time it is in Wellington. My heart sinks a little bit in dismay that I'm not there to have breakfast with Agitha, or hear a funny story from Komali.
Link stirs in his sleep. He has the uncanny ability to feel when I'm awake.
Looking at him in his sleep, I can't help but admire him. His hair is so messy these days, but it's still perfect in every way. I look down at my hand to see it lightly grasped in his. A smile crosses my lips as I rub my thumb across his hand.
I look up at him and I'm met with his turquoise blue eyes, so bright and piercing for being only 8 a.m.
"What a perfect sight to wake up to," he says from his pillow in his nest. "I could look at you, just like that, every minute of every day."
"Good morning to you too," I grin, hugging his arm close to me.
"You slept through the night," he replies, sitting up. Like I said, he always knows when I'm awake.
"I did. And I woke up on my own too," I add.
"I'm very proud of you. You've come so far this past week, Zelda."
I smile in response, thinking about how a week and a half ago, I was brought into this place unresponsive, and now I'm able to stand on my own.
"I couldn't have done any of it without you," I admit.
Link shakes his head no and runs his fingers through my hair.
"You're the strongest person I've ever encountered in my life. I'm sure you would have done fine without me," he says after a long pause.
"Link, I wouldn't have woken up without you," I say, slightly joking but we both know it was the truth deep down.
A solemn, sad expression crosses his face.
"Well, never again. I won't ever let that happen again," he replies.
We stay like that for a while until Link lets go of my hand and stands up.
"I'd better change and stuff. Fi told me last night after you fell asleep that they plan on getting you out of here today. In which case, we'd better be ready," he tells me.
"Really? You think I'll get discharged today?" I ask, excitedly.
"If you can eat some more, yeah. Fi said you've gained five pounds since you've been in, so your body is taking to the food well enough. I guess we will see today though. I know you're ready to be out."
I am ready to be out, he's right. But part of me is scared to be out. I've grown so used to the hospital: the staff, Fi, the food, the routine, the schedule, the set meal plans. Link. What happens when I get out? What if I don't eat as much or get depressed again? Inside here, I'm in a box. A place of healing. The outside world stops when you're in a hospital and suddenly everything becomes more simple. My only worries are what my salt and caloric intake is and the rest of my troubles are put on hold. But when I get out, it all has to be dealt with again.
"At least," Link interrupts my thoughts, "I think you are."
"I am," I say quickly before he thinks anything is wrong. "I'm just thinking about what to do when I get out of here."
"One thing at a time, my love. We will figure it out when we need to," he reassures me, holding my chin up.
"Okay," I smile as he walks away.
There's something about him. Maybe it's the way he says "my love," or always includes the word "we" in every sentence. He won't abandon me. All of my problems he takes on as his own to help me solve them. Which is something I never thought I'd encounter in my life.
When Link returns, he's in new clothes and his hair is brushed. He looks normal. The way I'd see him at Blair Cavington on early mornings before we'd start adventuring for the day.
"So fresh," I say.
"I try," he flashes me his 1000 watt smile that makes my heart skip 1000 beats. "Want to try to stand up?"
I nod and Link comes over to help me. He barely holds my hand, I know in order to see how I do on my own.
"You good?" I hear him say as I let go.
"Mhmm," I nod, looking down in order to stabilize myself.
"Wanna change your gown and brush your and stuff?" He says, holding my back now.
"Yeah," I nod, assuring him I can do it.
We walk to my bathroom where Link (with his eyes closed) helps me into another hospital gown.
"Okay, now tie this part," I say after I've gotten fully covered.
"Zelda, I feel like we've been here before," he says, slightly annoyed I'm sure.
"Are you referring to the hand incident because I thought we agreed we would never bring that up again," I reply.
"You mean, the hand incident where I told you if you weren't careful you'd shut your hand in the door and then, of course, you didn't listen and you grabbed it anyway and then you broke your hand and then had to have me do everything for—"
"Yes, yes, that's the one," I interrupt as he ties the string at the nape of my neck.
"Well yes, that's the one I'm referring to," he turns me around and smirks.
I seem to be at a loss for words when he makes that expression at me so I just glare at him while he revels in his rightness.
"Come now, darling, you know I didn't mind any of it," he laughs.
"I did," I say, because I hate having to have help doing anything.
"Oh I know, trust me," he says as he untangles my IV from my gown.
"Moving on then," I turn around and grab my toothbrush.
After I brush my teeth, Link escorts me back to my bed. He darts back in my bathroom and grabs my hairbrush, then sits behind me on my bed. I sit up straight, letting him brush the knots out of my hair for a while. Soon, he's brushed them all out but it feels so good that I don't move, so he just continues to brush.
"You know, when I found you in Morehouse, part of me thought you'd just end up staying here forever. I didn't think you'd ever want to go back to Hyrule," he tells me.
"Really? Why is that? You know how much I love Hyrule."
"I know you love it, but this is your home. And home is home no matter how much you hate it. After you left that night, I knew you'd gone home. Something told me you did. Because you didn't allow any of us to follow you. So I figured, you had to be here. Of course, I checked with Fledge before I made the trek all the way here," he replies. He has a point.
"Well, it is home. But after my grandparents died, I realized I had nothing left here. Or anywhere, I thought. So I just…didn't do anything," I confess. The "didn't do anything," really meaning I didn't sleep, didn't eat, and tried to will myself to die as my only hope of escape. But I didn't say that. Because he knew that.
After a long while, Link finally answers.
"You have me."
I turn around and face him. I look in his gorgeous eyes and move some of the hair out of his face.
"And you have me," I reply, because the words "I know," or "Thank you," just don't suffice.
Link leans in and I meet him half way. He kisses me slowly and softly. Then he leans in and kisses me again. And again. Something goes off inside of me. Some sort of switch is flipped, something I've never felt before. It's as if no matter how close I am to him, I have to be closer.
My hand goes from his face to his shoulder, to the inside of his sleeve. I graze my hand across his velvet skin, feeling the contours of his back and arms. His hand slides down my back and to my waist. With ease, he lifts me up and sets me closer to him. Only, being closer doesn't suffice my hunger for him, it only makes me crave him more. I wrap both of my legs around him and pull my body closer to his. Link's hands go from my waist to my back, slightly making their way into my hospital gown. His fingers trace down my spine and around to my stomach, caressing my waist, my hips, my ribs, my back, to my shoulders and back down to my waist again, all the while pulling my body closer to his, our chests breathing in rhythm against one another. Never did I think I would love my body again until today. I slide my hand from his shoulder down his chest, my fingers grasping at his skin, begging it to let me in more. Link kisses me harder, and I don't recoil, I return. We go back and forth like that for a while, never taking our lips off the others, although I'm not entirely sure how long. We both eventually slow down, coming to our senses. When I finally open my eyes, Link's hand is in my hair and mine still in his shirt.
Both of us breathing heavily, Link leans in and gives me one last short kiss. I return it, leaning my forehead against his.
I sheepishly laugh as I remove my hands from his shirt. Link lifts a hand and slightly fixes my hair.
"All that brushing for nothing," he says, looking at the top of my head.
My cheeks heat up. But the minute we make eye contact we both start laughing for some reason.
"Whoops," I say through my grin.
"Worth it," Link replies, winking at me. And whatever piece of my heart that I held fell right out of my hand and into his.
"Maybe if you brush it again we'll just repeat ourselves," I snicker.
Link looks at me for a moment and then grabs the brush. I can't help but laugh, which causes him to laugh, but I take the brush out of his hand and set it down.
Reluctantly untangling myself from him, I sit back in my bed, properly.
Link runs his hand through is hair and sits down in his chair next to me. He glances at me and then slightly laughs.
"What?" I inquire.
"Nothing," he waves it off.
"No, you have to tell me. What?"
"It's just—," he stammers. "Only you, Zelda."
"Only I what?" I press, getting agitated.
"Only you could be in a hospital bed with an IV stuck in your arm, wearing a hospital gown, and still be really, really hot," he answers.
I immediately blush and run my fingers through my hair, because I didn't know what else to do.
"Th-thanks," I stammer.
Link looks at me with a flirtatious smile and shakes his head.
Before either one of us can say anything else, there's a knock on the door and Fi enters the room with a breakfast tray.
"Well, I see you woke Link up this morning," Fi says as she sets my tray down on my lap.
"Yes, she did," Link says with a smirk on his face. Fi's back is to him so she doesn't see the wink he tosses my way. I have to conceal a smile as hard as I can.
"We woke up about the same time," I say to Fi, changing the subject. "What's for breakfast?"
"Oatmeal and toast again. We decided to add some chocolate milk today, you need some sugar," she informs me.
Surprisingly, I eat it all fairly easily. Fi and Link converse as usual while I eat my food.
"—Probably today," I catch Fi say.
"Probably what?" I ask.
"We plan to get you out of here today, Miss Zelda," Fi informs me.
"Really?" I ask excitedly.
"Yes. The doctors said if you are 80 pounds or above today, we can send you home."
"Oh my goddess, that's great!" I exclaim. "We can go home!" I look at Link. He knows what I mean. Home, as in the real home. Back to Hyrule.
Link returns a genuine smile at me and I know he's just as excited.
"We just need to prove you are stable enough to get out on your own," Fi reminds me.
"I took a shower all by myself yesterday," I point out, trying to prove I'm already way stronger than I was before.
"Yes, and you were able to walk quite a distance a few days ago. We just need to weigh you and watch you eat some more before we release you for sure. Alright?" Fi pats my leg under the covers.
"Okay," I sigh. I was hoping they'd tell me I could leave today.
"I'll be back in a few minutes with the scale and we will see. Fingers crossed, okay? You're on your way to being out of here, I promise," Fi states.
Nodding, I wave as she exits the room.
"Told you it wouldn't be long before we'd go back home," Link says, standing up.
"Yeah, I just hope I get to go today."
"Let's wait and see what you weigh and then we will see. Don't get discouraged," he smiles at me, and I smile back.
As Fi moves the weight, I hold my breath. She glides it by the 70s. But it still wasn't balanced.
I close my eyes.
"Eighty four," she says aloud.
Finally. I was above eighty. That meant I could leave.
I spin around and nearly jump off the scale.
"Eighty four! Did you hear that, Link? I'm over eighty!"
Link hugs me and then lowers me back on my bed. He must be afraid I'm going to hurt myself or something.
"I am so proud of you!" His eyes light up as he looks at me.
"As am I," Fi chimes in.
"Do you think I'll get to go home today?"
"I'll report back to Dr. Renado and see what he says. I'm hoping with your new-found craving for food again they'll say you're ready to go," Fi explains.
"Tell them I an stand and walk too," I tag on.
"I'll do that right now," Fi smiles and eagerly leaves the room with her scale.
After she leaves the room, Link falls down into his chair.
"Zelda, I'm so happy for you," he smiles, taking my hand.
"Me too. I'm ready to get out of here."
"I know you are. I know Komali and Agitha will be so happy you've decided to return home. Agitha was worried sick." Agitha. How I miss her.
"I'm happy too," I reply.
My mind wanders to the thoughts of Hyrule and how I feel like I belong there. But fear comes over me as I think about what would happen if Fi said I wasn't able to leave yet. Sure, I'm nervous about what happens when I leave here. Going back into the real world and facing all the trials that await. Then again, I'm worried about not getting out of here and having to spend yet another week staring straight up at the same ceiling boards, the same walls, the same bed, not being able to lay on one side because of my IV, and all the other little annoyances that come along with being stuck in here.
"Want to play the tile game?" Link speaks up, breaking my train of thought.
"Sure," I smile in response.
About an hour later (and an hour after Link gave up), Fi knocks on the door and enters with my lunch. Only this time, a team of doctors, the ones who have been overseeing my case, follow her.
"Zelda," Fi starts, introducing me to all of them, although I already knew Dr. Renado.
"Hi," I say to them, confused as to why the three of them were here.
"Zelda, after reviewing your chart and seeing your progress, we believe you're officially ready to be discharged," Dr. Renado states.
My mouth drops open.
"You mean it?" I ask in disbelief.
"Yes. But on one condition," he continues.
"What is that?"
"You have to promise us you will continue your instructions and not push yourself too hard once you are out. And you must continue to eat and try to build your strength up. Patients find it hard to keep going once they've been discharged at times, but we know you're ready. Should you have any trouble, therapy might be required, but we want to see how you do first."
"Oh, I promise," I say with confidence. "I promise I will."
"That's what we like to hear," Dr. Renado smiles. "In that case, Miss Zelda, we wish you the best of luck and hope that you go on to live a happy, healthy life. You have touched us all with your diligence and your strength. We all agree we've never had such an inspiring patient."
"Th-Thank you," I reply. I had no idea that they had even really known who I was besides an underweight girl in a bed with a low heart rate. "That means a lot to me," I add.
"We hope to see you again, Miss Nohansen. Just not in here," Dr. Renado smiles at me. I smile in response.
"Yes sir, me too," I reply as he starts to leave.
"I understand you plan to return to Morehouse, or perhaps Hyrule. Either way, your follow up appointment can be done at either place with your usual doctor. We will send the information to them and they are welcome to consult us on anything they need to," Dr. Orca, the oldest of the doctors, adds.
I really don't know what else to say to them, they have done so much for me.
"I can't thank you enough," I finally choke out.
"It's been our pleasure, Miss Nohansen."
Each of them nod, then one by one, file out of the room.
"Well, Zelda, I guess you'd better pack your things. I'll be in later to unhook you and take the IV out. Then we can get you on your way," Fi says after a moment. She seems melancholy.
"Alright," I respond. "Thank you."
After Fi leaves, Link immediately embraces me, which I am thankful for.
"We are going home, my love. We are finally going home," he says in my ear, and for some reason I'm crying.
All I can do is nod my head.
"Come on," Link says after he leans back. "Let's get ready to get out of here."
"Okay," I say nervously.
Link stands up and starts packing things up into his backpack, the one thing he had with him this entire time. I don't have much of anything, save for the dreadful clothes I was in when I was brought here and the teddybear Link bought me.
"I think all this stuff should fit in my bag," I half-way hear him say as he stuffs the game and book in his backpack.
"Oh, Zelda."
I turn to face him.
"I, uhh, forgot to show you this," Link says sheepishly, pulling something out of his bag.
"What is it?" I question excitedly.
"Well, it's just some—uhh, some drawings I did back in the day. I—I thought I'd bring them to show you if and when I found you," he stammers. I've never heard him so nervous for some reason.
I look down at the drawings Link hands to me and immediately gasp. All of the drawings, the sketches, each of different sizes, they're of me. The most outstanding one is, however, is not of me, but of my eyes. I knew they were mine, because of the color they were. I always hated the color of my eyes because they seemed dull. Link's eyes were a bright blue, a turquoise, piercing blue. Mine were just dark. But the way Link drew them made them seem quite the opposite. The detail and the intricacy in the drawings were flooring.
"Link," I breathe. "They're of me."
"Yeah." He answers quietly.
"W-when did you do these?" I choke out.
"Over the year. But this one I drew about ten minutes after meeting you," he says, pointing to the drawing of my eyes.
"Wow," I feel tears forming in my eyes. "You certainly did a good job for having only seen them once. I'd have forgotten what they looked like between the walk from the cafeto my room," I shrug.
"I'd have to die to forget your eyes," he replies. I look up at him. "And probably not even then," he finishes.
I swallow hard, trying to conceal my tears. I know he's seen me cry a river the last few days but for some reason I can't stand for him to watch me again. And for another reason I can't name, I can't seem to find words. No matter what I could say, nothing would even be half sufficient enough to exhibit my love for him. So instead of saying anything, I lean over from my bed and wrap my arms around his torso and hug him tight. He returns my hug, stroking my hair.
"Link," I finally say after a while.
"Yes, Zelda?"
"I wish to never be parted from you, okay?" I hear myself say.
Link pauses for a while before finally responding.
"Okay, my love."
An inexplicable peace washes over me when he speaks the words. Happy, genuinely happy, I let go of him and let him return to packing. There was nothing more to fear. So there was nothing more to discuss.
Link finishes packing his things starts to straighten up the room by putting his chair back. Part of me almost felt sentimental toward the chair that had become known as his nest. How many times I'd woken up in the night to see him sleeping soundly. He walks in the bathroom to throw away trash. I hear his footsteps stop, as if he's waiting or watching something.
"Zelda?" He calls.
"Yes?" I say back.
"What do you want me to do with your clothes?"
I've come to loath the things. Frankly, I didn't want to take them back. It's not like I'd ever wear them again.
"Throw them out," I reply.
Link appears from behind the wall.
"You're sure?" He checks.
"Are you not?" I ask.
Link shrugs and turns around to throw them away, I think. Instead, he walks out holding the trash can.
"Would you like to do the honors?" He asks, holding up my clothes and setting the trash can down by my bed.
"Together," I nod.
Link and I hold my clothes and count to three before both throwing them with force into the trash can.
"With good riddance!" I say as he picks it up and takes it away.
"I couldn't agree more," he smiles.
We take a look around the room to see if we left anything behind. There was nothing. The room was exactly like it was when I woke up. Link puts his hands on his hips in and stands in accomplishment. I suppose he has the most to feel accomplished about. He's the one that found me, saved me, helped me, healed with me, put every piece back together, and then cleaned up the mess that was left behind. Yes, he has a lot to feel accomplished about.
A knock on the door interrupts my thoughts. Fi enters the room alongside another nurse.
"All ready to go?" She asks excitedly.
"I'm ready," I smile confidently.
Fi walks over to my bed, Link and the other nurse close behind. Fi picks up my arm and tries to gently tear the IV tape from my skin. She winces a little as she peels it from my skin. I do too, since it's been on there for so long it's basically attached itself to my body now.
I feel it finally tear off and I rub the skin where it was. Finally.
"This might hurt a little," Fi says as she starts to remove the IV catheter from my arm.
"We must endure a little pain to achieve freedom," I say as I feel the stinging pain shoot up my arm. But I don't turn away. I watch her pull the tube from my flesh. I want to take in every second of it.
Fi glances up at me as she does her work.
"Are you sure you want to be watching this?" She questions as the other nurse starts in on some other cords that I forgot were attached to my body.
"Go ahead. I used to insert IVs on my dolls all the time, it kind of makes me nostalgic," I answer. I see Link slightly tilt his head in confusion.
"If you say so," Fi replies, pulling out the catheter. It stings a little, but for some reason I don't mind it.
Fi hands me a change of clothes that I requested. It's just the same pair of shorts I've been rotating between when I'm not wearing the long-underwear type hospital pants and a t-shirt she got from who knows where. But she knew I wouldn't wear my other clothes out and there was no way Link could have gone all the way back to Morehouse to get my things.
I get up to go to the bathroom to change and instinctively reach for my rolley-polley. I stop in mid reach and realize it's not attached to me anymore.
Sheepishly shrugging and tossing a sideways laugh, I make my way to the bathroom, feeling all eyes on my as I walk on my own with nothing to balance on.
Once I shut the door and am out of their sight, I lean against the back of the door and sigh. It was nearly the first time I'd been alone in weeks.
I reach behind my neck and untie the gown, letting it drop to the floor along with my leggings and under garments. Finally alone, I can truly see myself for what I have become.
My reflection in the mirror stares back at me. I am skinny, yes. Grossly skinny, perhaps. But I'm standing. And I'm standing on my own. And my eyes are open. Fully open. The circles beneath them are gone. My lips are pink and my cheeks have color again.
I have a long way to go. I have a lot to relearn. I have a lot to fix. But I am no longer considered broken. And in this moment, that's enough motivation for me.
Putting on the change of clothes, I feel like a new person. I must look like one too, because when I come out of the room, Link gasps and Fi places a hand on her mouth. But no one speaks.
I slightly put my hands out to my side and do a little curtsy to show off my new clothes. My actual clothes.
"Why, Zelda, you're in your civies," Link smiles. I can't help but laugh. Suddenly he puts his hand up to his mouth as if he's holding a microphone and begins to speak in an announcer's voice.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Zelda Nohansen is sporting a ravishing Kokiri t-shirt atop a beautiful, hand tailored pair of Termina shorts, just perfect for this season's weather." I put my hand on my hip and pretend to strut down a runway while Fi and the other nurse ooh and ahh as if they are in the crowd of spectators.
"I owe it all to my wonderful designer," I gesture to Fi.
For the first time in a long time, I see Fi actually laugh, and I can't help but laugh with her.
When our laughter subsides, I realize I won't be seeing her every day anymore. I know she has only been my nurse for the last few weeks, but I've formed a bond with her.
Before I can stop myself, I run smack into her arms and hug her tight. She seems taken aback at first, but then I feel her arms encircle me and she returns my affection.
"Thank you, Fi," I whisper.
"It was truly a pleasure, Zelda," she replies, a hint of a cry in her voice.
She leans back and holds my face and I realize we are both in tears.
"Now, remember what all we talked about. Don't forget to eat your meals. Don't forget to brush your hair. And…don't forget us, Zelda," a tear slides down her face as she speaks.
"I could never forget you, Fi, not for the rest of my life. But in your future, even after all the patients you have for the rest of you career here, don't forget me, either," I make her promise.
"Even after I've moved on from here, Zelda, I'll never forget you."
I hug her once more, a little shorter, then pull away. I thank the other nurse that accompanied Fi.
"Now, don't give Link too hard of a time, alright? I gave him all the instructions, so you better be a good patient," Fi says as we walk out the door of my room.
"I'll tryyyyy," I moan, smiling at Link.
Link rolls his eyes and then looks at Fi.
"Wish me luck," he smirks, holding out his hand for Fi to shake.
"You'll need it with her," Fi replies, taking his hand.
Before she can pull away, Link puts his other hand over Fi's and flashes his piercing blue eyes at her.
"Thank you, Fi, for all that you've done for us."
"Don't mention it, Link," she replies to him.
I take one last look into my room, saying a final goodbye to what has been my home for the last two weeks. I have mixed emotions about leaving it. It's a bitter-sweet feeling. But I know I have to go. The grey walls can only hide me away for ever so long.
Before I can get nervous, I feel Link's hand encompass mine.
Fi shows us to the front desk, taking care of the last minute stuff regarding my discharge.
She follows us to the front door of the hospital, which I don't even remember.
"This is it, Zelda," she says.
I only nod.
"You're going to be fine, my little fighter. I promise. You have the rest of your life waiting for you, Zelda. Don't let this hold you back from living it," Fi states.
"I can do it," I tell her.
"Yes, you can. Now go," she replies.
Instead of any last goodbye or even last hug, Fi presses the button to open the automatic door and extends her hand to the world outside.
I smile at her, wave, and step out.
The wind hits my face and whips my hair back. I take a deep breath of the fresh air. It's the first time I've been outside since I ran to my old house back in Morehouse.
"The sun shines a little brighter when you're out here," Link says next to me. I open my eyes (I hadn't realized I closed them) and look at him, smiling softly.
"You shine brighter than the sun itself," I reply. Link smiles sweetly and grips my hand.
"I love you, Zelda."
"And I love you, Link."
We tumble off the bus at Morehouse. Standing on the one and only paved road, we turn around and watch the bus pull off, leaving only the desolate town in front of us.
"Hmm," I mumble.
"What is it?" Link turns to face me.
"This is difficult."
"What is? Being back here?" I can hear the worry in Link's voice and I suddenly feel bad.
"No, it's okay being back. I just mean…knowing I'm not really coming back. Saying goodbye to people and stuff," I answer.
Link pauses a long time and then puts his hand on my shoulder.
"You know this doesn't have to be goodbye forever. I'll bring you back here any time you want to come back," he says gently. It's such a heavy promise, but when I look at him
I see that he whole heartedly means it.
I lean forward and hug him tight. I didn't know what to say. Not only because it touched me to the core but because I really didn't know if I ever would want to return or not.
"Thank you," I finally say.
"So, what do you wanna do first? Pack up or see Henya?" Link asks. I forgot I even needed to go see her. Of course I was going to tell her goodbye but I forgot there was a matter of some importance she wanted to see me about before all of this happened.
"It won't take long to pack me up, trust me. There's nothing much left to get. So let's go to Henya's first," I answer.
Link and I walk to Henya's, which isn't far at all, but I'm still out of breath when we finally get there.
I walk up the doorstep and take a breath before knocking.
The sound of shuffling feet gets louder and louder until the front door opens in front of me. Henya only stares at first, seeming shocked. I have no idea what to say, so I just stand there.
"Oh my child," she greets.
"Hi, Henya," I say back.
"I thought you'd taken off and weren't coming back for another year," she smiled, but her eyes were sad. I only shrugged.
"Come in, dear. You too, Link," she opens the door wider.
"You already met Link?" I ask, surprised. But before Henya has a chance to answer I've already connected the dots in my head. Link mentioned he met people and that's how he even found where to find me.
"Yes, we have," Henya replies, sparing the details. "How are you, Link? I never heard back from you so I figured you either found her or gave up trying."
"I'm doing well, ma'am. But I never gave up on finding her. I finally did," Link answered. Something in my heart leaps when he says he never gave up.
"Have a seat then, and fill me in on those details. I have some matters to discuss with you too, Zelda," Henya gestures to the small round table that sits in her living area. It's been years since I've stepped in her house, and the place has gotten exponentially messier. Books lye all over the place and there are random trinkets and pictures scattered about.
Link and I take a seat two of the chairs at the wooden table and soon Henya joins us with a pot of tea.
"Now, tell me where you managed to disappear to this time," she says as she pours tea into my cup. She knows what kind I like, she always has.
"The hospital." I speak. The words come out like stone. But Henya isn't shaken. In fact, it doesn't even shake her. She merely continues pouring tea into Link's cup before pouring her own.
"And who was able to take you there?"
"Link. With some help." I say.
"I see. And, why did you need to be taken to the hospital?"
Out of the corner of my eye I see Link staring at me. I never glance at him, though. I only continue staring into my tea cup.
"Because I didn't eat."
"Why not?" Henya presses. Her voice isn't angry. She isn't even worried or scared. She asks just as if she already knew the answer. But I answer her anyway.
"Because I didn't want to."
"Do you feel like eating now?" She questions as she sits down next to me.
"Yes," I reply.
"Good. So I take it you're feeling better?"
"I'm getting there," I answer honestly. I don't feel the greatest I've ever felt, and I still get a little nauseous at the sight of food. But it was a far cry from where I was two weeks ago.
"I'm glad to hear it," Henya smiles at me. She takes a sip of her tea while I wait for her to bring up whatever subject she wanted to see me about long before Link even found me.
"I believe we owe a great deal of thanks to Link, here," Henya points out.
"There's no need to thank me. I did what any friend would do. Zelda doing her best to try to recover is enough thanks to me," Link chimes in. I look over at him and smile. I hope he can read my thoughts.
"Still yet, credit yourself with some of the victory," Henya adds. Link only smiles shyly and puts his head down and I find myself wanting to be wrapped up inside of him.
"Now, there is a matter of some importance I've needed to discuss with you," Henya finally states.
"Yes, what is that?" I press.
"As you know, your grandparents were very dear friends of mine, Zelda," she starts.
"Yes," I nod, swallowing tears.
"As their friend, they left me the documents and notes pertaining to their will, some of which they left to me, Goddess bless them. After your parents died, your grandparents were also in charge of everything they left behind, which was lumped into their own savings as well," Henya states.
"Yes, my grandparents told me that I was too young to inherit anything right off the bat, so it was given to them. But I'd honestly forgotten about any of that. I thought there was only some money that they got and I was supposed to get the house, but that was lost in the storm anyway," I inform her.
"Well, that wasn't all you were supposed to get, Zelda."
"What do you mean?" I ask Henya, not quite following.
"Your parents, and your grandparents, left you everything they had. You're the sole child to inherit their lifetime 're the only one that can. And only now, this past year, have you become old enough to claim it," Henya concludes.
I'm in such a state of shock that I nearly jump out of my seat when I feel Henya's furry cat rub up against my legs.
"Wh-what does this mean?" I stammer.
"It means, you suddenly have a very large inheritance. A very, very large inheritance."
I sit, staring at her with only wide eyes. I can't seem to comprehend what she was telling me. I knew my parents had some money, but I wasn't aware any of it was left to me.
Much less my grandparents, too.
"Zelda," Link touches my arm.
"What do I do now?" I ask, dumbfounded. I have no idea where to begin on how to sort that out.
"For now, all of the money has been transferred into a sort of savings account for you. But with that being said, you should probably find someone to help you manage that amount of wealth. With you traveling back to Hyrule, I suggest you find someone there who you trust through the school to help you know where to go from here," Henya suggests. I nod my head in response.
"I have all of the information you'll need," Henya says as she stands up and walks over to a chest that sits in her living room. I have no idea how she manages to find anything at all, but it only takes her a few seconds. She hands me a big three ring binder full of papers.
"It's all in there, the entailment, the amount, everything," she informs me.
Still in shock, the only move I'm able to make is one that consistently pets her cat who is now in my lap.
"Henya, I'm not sure what all this means for my future," I start.
"It means you'll never have to worry about money ever again," she finishes. Suddenly, I feel guilty.
"How much did they leave you?" I ask. I know the question seems inappropriate, but I couldn't leave Morehouse without knowing that she was taken care of as well.
Henya smiles and puts a hand on my cheek.
"Your grandparents were very generous to me, Zelda. They left me more than enough to be perfectly fine the rest of my life."
"What about their house? What about their things, their clothes, all the stuff in that stupid storage shed behind the house—," I shake my head, wondering how I'd be able to sort through all of that. I was the last surviving Nohansen, after all. It was my job now.
"Tell you what," Henya interrupts before I have an all out panic attack. "You go home today and get what you need, what you want, any keepsakes, anything of any kind, and then leave the rest to Gondo and me. The house will stay there and be in your name unless you want to sell it, and then that money will go to you. I know in this state you see no reason for it, but I suggest you keep it in case you decide to return to Morehouse any time, you'll have a place to stay. At least for the next few years or so, and then you can sell it if you see no more use for it."
I think about what she said. But I suppose there's lots of time before I have to really worry about it. I can keep it there until I'm ready to let it go, I guess. Right now I can't tell if I am or not, so all I manage to say is "okay."
I feel Henya and Link both staring at me, probably trying to figure out what I'm thinking.
"What is your cat's name?" I ask.
"Louise," she answers.
"I like her," I answer as I pet her furry companion. Louise purrs in my lap, leaning her head into my hand.
"She clearly likes you too," Henya answers. "She's a moody old cat. Found her out by Gondo's one day looking puny, so I kept her. Now she's just fat and spoiled," Henya retorts.
I let out a laugh. Link reaches his hand out and gently pets her head.
"I'm going to get fat and spoiled too, Louise," I say to her as I scratch her head.
"Speaking of which, I have some fresh bread I want you to eat while you're here," Henya stands up and walks into her kitchen.
"You really don't have to do that," I call to her.
"Non sense, it's been ages since I've gotten to dote on you anyway, honey," she replies from the kitchen.
Link stares at me, his sweet gaze grazing from mine to the cat.
"You two are a picture," he comments. I smile and squeeze his hand.
Henya walks back into the room carrying a two plates and a bowl of butter.
She sits down and slides the plates and silverware to us. Two thick, warm slices of bread are on both, and I am immediately met with the wonderful smell of fresh bread. On my plate, Henya also placed small cubes of cheese, just like she did when I was little. Any time I was at the library reading, she would bring me a snack, which always consisted of toast and cheese cubes.
"I've missed these," I say as I pop one in my mouth.
"I thought you might need some comfort food," she smiles at me.
"You know me so well, Henya."
The three of us talk and chat for hours and I find myself being happy again. I ask her about Morehouse, the people there, what happened in the last year. She informs me on all of the latest gossip about people I had nearly forgotten about. We all laugh at a story she tells about the local salon owner, Iza, catching one of her clients hair on fire and having to now keep a fire extinguisher in the window in order to even get business. I also couldn't help laugh about Mamamu Yan's disappointment when her faithful steed, Richard, didn't place first in the dog show held in Kokiri. Apparently there was a misjudge, according to her. Although I think the prejudice judgment was from her, not the actual judges. She and Link get along immensely well. I can tell her adores her. He even chimes with small stories of his past I had no idea about.
Finally, Link and I know we have to go. We intend to leave Morehouse at earliest opportunity, which means after I get my things packed and tell everyone goodbye. However, it's already late and we both know there's no point in going back to the airport to sleep there. Henya, of course, offers for us to stay with her, because there's no way I would want to stay at my grandparents. Besides, it would look wrong for both Link and me to stay in the same house just the two of us.
Link has relatively no clothes left to wear, so Henya offers to wash whatever he has with him and even let him borrow some old clothes of her late husband's. Evening settles in and then night. I go ahead and shower hospital germs off of me and then Link does the same. Henya seems the happiest I've seen her in quite some time. I even hear her singing in the kitchen as she prepares dinner for all of us.
After Link emerges from the bathroom, I can't help but start smiling.
"What?" He asks.
"Nothing it's just—," I start, hoping I won't offend him, "you look like a real Termanian," I laugh.
"How's that?" He starts to smile too.
"In those clothes of her husbands, you look like you were born and raised here."
"Is that a bad thing?" Link raises an eyebrow.
"Nope," I shake my head, "Besides, it's not completely accurate."
"Why is that?" He puts a hand on my head from where I sat at the table.
"Because no one from Termina looks as handsome as you," I smile.
Link's eyes disappear in his smile as he bends down and kisses my forehead.
A few moments later we walk into the dining room and sit down to dinner with Henya. It's the first time in years that I've sat down to a meal in a home with more than just myself at the table. And I love it. We talk of our plans tomorrow, the things I'm taking with me, when we will officially arrive in Hyrule, all the rest of it. We enlighten Henya on the beautiful land of Hyrule and all that it and the school has to offer for us. She beams with delight for us. I tell her of all the things I've learned since I've been to Blair Cavington and of the wonderful friends. Link tells her about Komali and Agitha. I can tell she is fascinated by Agitha's success for her age, as anyone would be. Agitha is a rarity among the rarest. I miss her.
Link and Henya watch me like a hawk as I eat my food. Henya slops a massive heap of mashed potatoes on my plate, but I know I can't finish them.
"Haven't I eaten enough food?" I ask, holding my stomach.
"Just three bites," Henya states.
"Do I have to?" I beg. Link only watches the exchange. He's probably glad he doesn't have to be the one to enforce the eating for once.
"Zelda Nohansen you eat three bites of those potatoes or you're not excused from this table," she points her serving spoon at me.
"I'm fine with leaving unexcused…," I retort.
"Zelda," Henya raises her eyebrows at me as she stares down. She isn't big at all but she can still be intimidating. She continues to stare at me as she stood over me, waiting for me to take a bite. Reluctantly, I scoop up a forkful of potatoes.
"More," she gestures to the pile in front of me. I sigh loudly.
"Henyaaaa," I draw out, hoping she would give in.
"More, young lady. That doesn't classify as a bite, Spanky could eat more than that!"
"Who's Spanky?" I hear Link quietly inquire.
"Spanky was her pet bird," I answer for him from my hunched over position.
"Yes, and he ate more than her, trust me. Now put more potatoes on that fork," Henya demands. I shoot her a look and add more to my silverware. I take a bite and swallow, despite every instinct I have telling me to spit it out. Not that it isn't good. But I am full.
"Swallow," Henya says, reading my thoughts. I hear Link snicker beside me.
"This isn't funny," I jab at him as I try to chew my food.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Henya commands again.
I let out a moan and swallow.
"Good, only two more times and then you're done," Henya smiles at me.
"Fine," I answer.
Five minutes later, I've finally managed to swallow the last of my meal.
"That's my girl!" Henya cheers. I roll my eyes and try to hold in my smile.
Night time rolls around and I realize how incredibly tired I am. It's the first night I've spent outside of the hospital.
"Zelda, dear, I've made a bed for you on the couch. Link can have the guest room. Is that alright?"
I nod my head, uneasy about sleeping alone for the first time in almost two weeks. Despite Link being right down the hall from me.
"Alright, you go ahead and get tucked in and I'll come in to check on you both before I come in to turn out the lights. I'll leave my door open in case you need anything," Henya says, holding my hand in both of hers.
"Thank you, Henya," I smile.
She disappears in her room and the door shuts behind her. I look at Link and he immediately starts in.
"Hey, it'll be alright. You'll be fine sleeping on your own for now. I promise. I'm right there anyway," he gestures to his room. "Just focus on the fact that tomorrow, we will finally be back in Hyrule," he smiles.
"Alright," I smile back.
He leans in and lightly kisses my lips.
"Come on," he stands up. "You need to rest. We have a big day tomorrow."
Link takes my hand and leads me to my couch bed. He throws the covers back and I climb in before he gently places them back on me.
"I'll see you first thing in the morning," he lets go of my hand.
"Wake me up if you wake up before me," I make him promise.
"I will. Sleep tight, princess."
"You too, hero," I say as I nestle down in my bed. Link turns on his heel and walks into his room before shutting the door.
In the silence of Henya's house, I try to find some peace. Luckily, Henya walks out of her room.
"All ready for bed?" She asks.
"Yes'm," I answer.
"Alright. You know where to find me should you need anything."
"Thank you, Henya. I don't know what I'd do without you," I nearly tear up, because I don't.
"You'd survive," She touches my cheek with her soft hand, "Because that's what you do. And that's the trick. The trick isn't to live, Zelda. The trick it to survive."
I nod at her. She's right. I have to survive. I may not be happy right now or for the rest of time. But I have me. And that's all I need to survive.
However, I have Link. And that's all I need to be happy.
"I promise I'll come back and see you," I tell her.
"That's all I need to hear, child. Rest easy. Tomorrow is a new day for you."
A tear rolls down my cheek. Henya wipes it off of my face and smiles tenderly at me. I haven't been looked upon like that since I was a child.
Henya stands up and walks over to the hall that led to her room at the end. She stops by the light switch and looks at me.
"Good night, Zelda," she whispers.
"Good night, Henya."
And then all was dark.
The early morning light wakes me as it shines through the windows in Henya's living room. I, surprisingly, made it through the night, despite waking up once or twice. I remember reaching out to feel Link next to me. After a few seconds of panicking, I remembered where I was and was able to calm back down.
I nuzzle the plush pillow, pulling the soft sheets up to my chin and hunkering down under the warmth of them.
There is change in the air.
I get up and dully walk into the kitchen to see the time. It was fairly early, but Link and I had a lot to do today in order to get back to Hyrule on time so I decide to go wake him.
I softly knock on the door and wait for him to answer it. He opens the door, scratching his head, hair in front of his eyes.
"Hmmm," he mumbles.
"What?" I whisper.
"You knock on doors now?" He smirks. It's only seven in the morning and my heart rate is already up from looking at him.
"At other peoples' houses I do," I reply.
"I see," he smiles at me.
We stare at each other for a while, eyes dancing back and forth.
"Are you ready to go back?" I ask him.
"I am, but only if you're coming with me," he replies. "Going back means nothing if you aren't with me. If you'd refused me and told me to go back alone I would have. I think.
Luckily I don't really have to know. All I know is, I'm only ready if you're ready," he answers honestly.
"I am," I nod assuringly.
"Only a few more hours," he traces my cheek.
My eyes dart down, thinking of all the things I have to do between now and then that I dread.
"What is it?" Link asks, noticing my sudden sadness.
"Listen, Link," I start, leaning against the door frame. "I know this is my home and all. And these people are really the only family I have left. And all of my things are here and my childhood is here. But I don't want to stick around today. I don't want to stay at my grandparents' house long. I want to get my stuff and go. I'm bad at goodbyes. I want to say goodbye to this place and then leave as soon as possible. I don't mind sitting at the airport long if you don't. Coming home was good closure for me, I do agree to that. But it's time to go now."
Link scans my face with a serious expression.
"I promise you, Zelda, I will make this as clean and quick as you want it to be. I'm just here with you. We won't draw anything out though. I will have you at that airport and on the ground in Hyrule at earliest opportunity," he promises me.
I smile, feeling like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Something about his promises, something about the feeling that someone else was helping me out, that I finally wasn't on my own, that I had someone alongside me, made me feel ready to tackle whatever jobs I had to today in order to get back to Hyrule.
"Are you two up?" I hear Henya call as she came down the hall.
"Yes ma'am," Link replies.
"Ready for some breakfast?" Henya smiles as she ties her robe.
"I'm still full from potatoes," I growl.
"Well good thing I'm not making potatoes then, huh? You can fit a waffle or two in there," Henya snickers as she shuffles past me and into the kitchen.
I look at Link, annoyed, but he only grins.
"I like that woman more and more every time she talks," he comments as he gestures toward the kitchen.
Link and I manage to scarf down every waffle Henya put on the table. Link did more damage than I did, but I was at least able to eat some. After we are both done, Link get's up, thanking Henya, and walks to his room to pack up his things.
"Oh, I better get his clothes from the laundry," Henya says as she heads to the laundry room.
I remain in the kitchen, trying to plan out my day, mentally. I knew I had to go to my grandparents' house, which I hadn't stepped foot in since I holed up there and then went to my old house. Frankly, I dread going there but Link will be with me so that puts a different spin on it. Something was weird about the two lives mixing though. It's like sunshine burning at midnight. The two never seem to be in one place at the same time.
Henya remains very stoic as I pack my things to leave. Not that it takes me long. I only have a few things she gave me since I went to the hospital with nothing.
I know deep down she's sad, because I am too. I hate leaving her here in this town. However, unlike me, she has friends here. She has a life.
I change and brush my hair on my own, already feeling slightly more back to normal. I am improving by leaps and bounds. The walking might be interesting today, but I think I can do it.
When I emerge from the bathroom, Link's belongings are already at the door. I hear him casually chatting with Henya, perhaps helping her do whatever in the kitchen.
I mosey in the room, dreading the next few moments of me telling her goodbye.
"Look," Link says when I walk in, holding up paper bags. "Henya made us a to-go lunch incase we are on the road today and get hungry."
"Goddess bless you," I say to her. I know I won't be hungry but Link is bound to get hungry at some point. I have to remind myself his stomach didn't shrink down to the size of a peanut.
"Don't mention it, honey. Just promise me you'll eat it," Henya raises her eyebrows at me again.
I sarcastically raise my right hand.
"I, Zelda Nohansen, hereby swear to now and forever more eat food," I recite.
"You flatter me," Henya shoots me a glare as I shoot her the most snarky smile I could muster.
My smile soon fades, however, as I realize it's time to go.
"And promise me you'll be safe," Henya adds. This time, there is no joking behind her voice.
"I promise," I reply, no joking in mine either.
I drop my bag at my feet and bend down to hug her. She holds me for quite some time, rubbing my back and hair as she does.
"Everything is going to be fine. You're going to be fine. And happy. And if you ever need to touch base with home, you know where I'll be," she says quietly to me.
I nod my head, swallowing hard to hold back my tears.
"I'll always come back to see you," I reply. After a long pause, I speak the words I have to tell her before I go. "You're the only family I've got now. I've got to see you every once in a while."
Although I can't see her face, as my head is rested on her shoulder, I know she cries.
"I'll always be here for you, Zelda."
"I love you, Henya." I cry.
"I love you too, Zelda."
Finally standing up straight again, I see Link's face, sad and troubled.
"Thank you for all you've done for me," he says to Henya.
"It was my pleasure, kid. Just take care of her for me. Make sure she gets back safe," Henya smiles as she takes Link's hand in both of hers.
"I will. I promise."
Link grabs both our bags and opens the door for me. I step out on her porch. I turn around to face her one more time.
"I'll see you soon," I wave to her.
"See you soon, dear."
Link mutters one last thank you that I don't really hear because I am looking down the street I know I won't return to for quite some time.
The sound of the door shuts behind me and I know it's over.
Link's hand lands on my shoulder and he gives it a light squeeze. I know he is telling me I have to walk away now. That I have to face the rest of the day in front of me. That I have to accept and move on. They're not coming back. This is all that's left of them now. And it's my duty as the last one—the last surviving member of the Nohansen family—to salvage what I can. And cherish it for the rest of my days. Because after this, all I will have left are memories.
My grandparents' house isn't far from Henya's at all, but the walk still takes a lot out of me. By the time we get there, I am winded and decide to take a seat on the porch for a moment.
I collapse down more than sit. Link sits on the porch step next to me. Under the small awning, we look out over the desolate place. There are only a few houses in sight, most of them dilapidated. The rest of the scenery is filled with weeds and grey skies.
"Do you see the line where the earth touches the sky?" I ask aloud, pointing to the open air before us.
"Yes," Link nodded, following my stare.
"I used to wonder if, perhaps, there was something else beyond it. That maybe if I ran far enough and fast enough, I would just fall into this other place. Maybe the ground wasn't really the ground, it was the edge of a cliff I was looking at. Or that maybe the sky wasn't really the sky but the ocean," I tell him.
I wait for his response, but instead he says nothing.
"Funny how, when you look at something long enough, the whole scene becomes different. If you analyze and stare and ponder for an excessive amount of time, you reach this point where you don't even know what you're looking at anymore," I continue.
"I don't like that feeling," Link finally replies.
"…I love it," I say after a pause.
"Why?"
"Because suddenly none of it matters anymore and you can start from scratch," I explain. "When you forget what you're looking at, you can just make stuff up. And eventually your mind will start believing it. And then seeing it for itself."
"And that's what you would do when sitting here?" He inquires.
"Yes. Either that, or I would just take off running and hope to get there," I answer.
Link studies me for a while. Instead of questioning he decides to leave it be. We say nothing for a while until I start to feel uneasy and restless. My stamina comes back, so I stand up and take his hand.
"Well, we'd better pack up my things so we can get a move on," I chime.
"Aye-aye captain," Link stood up.
There is nothing to say about the house that I spent the remaining years of my orphaned childhood in. Nothing to say about this or that corner I spent hiding away in. Nothing to say about the books upon books stacked in every space imaginable that I read. There is nothing to prepare him for. And nothing I want to say about it.
I push the front door and let it swing wide open before I take a step in. The place clearly hasn't been cleaned for a while so it's fairly dusty, but other than that it looks just the same as when I left it.
Not certain of what to do really, I immediately walk in my bedroom. Link follows, since I gave him no direct objective.
"This is your room?" He asks as he enters behind me.
"Yes," I say, not even looking at it.
He is quiet as I open my closet door and throw the remaining suitcases I left behind on the ground.
"Alright, I'll put my other clothes in this one and then the very few keepsakes I have in that one," I point. Link only nods in response. This was probably weird for him.
Most of the really nice things I had were from my childhood anyway, so they didn't fit me anymore. After my parents died I never went anywhere, so I never bought or needed any dresses or things like that. The only clothes I had left to pack were just miscellaneous things I left behind before moving to Hyrule.
Hastily, I grab all of the remaining clothes in my closet and throw them into the suitcase. I walk over to the drawers I had in my room and pull everything out. I didn't want to waste time thinking about how my grandmother was the last one to fold them and put them in there. I couldn't think about how she dusted and cleaned my room each day that I was gone, waiting on the day I'd return. Because if I thought about it now, I would collapse into a thousand pieces and never able to be put back together.
Soon, I remember something I must take with me. Something I left hidden here shortly after my parents died. Searching frantically though the drawers, I reach in the very back and pull out an old, soft, long sleeve shirt. Upon looking at it, I shove it in my face, nearly smothering myself. I inhale deeply, barely still able to smell a hint of my mother. It was her favorite shirt to wear on rainy days.
I hold it to my face a little longer, trying to take in the last of the lingering scent. After rubbing my cheek against it, I neatly fold the shirt and put it in my suitcase. Next to the shirt in the back of the drawer was a tie of my father's that I kept alongside my mother's shirt. It was something I always made fun of him for wearing as a little girl, because I said it looked like a girly tie. I roll it up and place it next to my mother's shirt.
"I really don't have too many things to take with me," I say to Link as I zip up my suitcase. I had to derail my train of thought.
"That's alright. Take your time, look for whatever you want," he smiles at me. Goddess bless him.
I stand up and walk over to my dresser. There are only a few things here and there that I have sitting on it, knick knacks I made when I was young, random jewelry I never wore, whatever else.
However, there are two things I will take with me.
I pick up the two picture frames. One is of my mother, father, and me when we lived at our house. My dad held me in his lap while my mom had her hand wrapped around his arm. The other was of my grandparents together, smiling. Wrapping them in a small blanket from my bed, I gently place them in the suitcase.
"Alright, that takes care of that," I say as I walk out of the room to find whatever else I want to take with me. I know one day I will probably regret not taking time to go through each item and prolong the closing statements I have, but today is not that day.
"You're sure that's all you want to take?" Link asks from my room as I walk down the hall to my grandparents' room.
"Yep," I say aloud.
In my grandparents' room, I find more pictures I decide to take with me.
I step into their closet and am met with the smell of both of them, much stronger than the lingering smells of my parents.
I find an old shirt of my grandmother's that she used to wear when gardening alongside another shirt of my grandfather's that I remember him wearing on my birthday the last time I was home. I grab them both from the hangers and take a look around to see if there is anything else I want while I'm there. My grandmother had a lot of beautiful clothes and jewelry from her younger days, but I couldn't find the desire to go through them all. Beauty was her department. All of this was her department. The laundry that was hung by color, the clothes folded perfectly and stacked neatly in the shelves, the ship shape kitchen. It was all hers. Just like she left it.
When Link enters the closet, he finds me sitting in the floor with my head cradled between my knees, rocking back and forth, smothering my face in her shirt.
"Zelda!" He nearly shouts. He quickly kneels beside me on the floor. He doesn't ask any questions. He doesn't even say anything. He just wraps me up and sets me in his lap, rocking me back and forth and holding me while I cry.
I mumble something while I cry, something about her and how I'm going to make it without her. I can't even really hear my own thoughts, much less my words. But whatever I say, it doesn't phase Link. He continues to say nothing.
After my tears stop and my breathing slows back to normal, Link lifts my chin and dries my eyes with his thumbs.
"My darling," he whispers, "No one is asking you to be strong. No one is asking you not to miss them. No one is asking you to be brave and face the future alone. But you are strong by nature. You'll always miss them. And you don't have to be brave. Because I'm not going anywhere without you. You and I can be brave together, alright?"
I nod my head, like some incompetent child, and then wrap my arms around his neck and hug him tight.
"I love you," I choke out.
"And I love you," he says as his hand pats my back.
"I want to go back," I say louder, reminding myself I still have tasks ahead of me.
"Whenever you're ready," he replies.
I move back and start to stand up. Link holds my arms and helps me stand. We walk out of the room and I shut the door behind me. I go back into my room and put the shirts and pictures in the suitcase. Taking one last look around my room, I decide I'm done. There's nothing left to take anyway. I zip up the suitcases and pull them out behind me, shutting the door as I walk out.
There's nothing in the kitchen I want or need. Nothing in the living room. Nothing in all the rest of the house. I'm finished.
I stand at the door with suitcases in hand and take one last look around. I mentally say goodbye to it all.
"Is that everything?" Link asks after a moment.
"Yes," I say. But before I can turn around to leave, I remember something. Dropping my suitcases, I sprint forward through the living room into another room that connects to it. I can't believe I almost forgot all of this.
Standing in my library, I take a deep breath and smell all of my musty books.
"Zelda, what—," I hear Link behind me. He stops mid-sentence and is taken aback by everything around him. Walls and walls of books surround us. Books line the floor. Books still left open. Scrap paper with notes scribbled all over them lye in the floor, pages torn from other books next to them. In the corner lyes a pillow and blanket I used to fall asleep on. This was my sanctuary.
"Whoa," I hear him breathe.
"This is my book collection," I reply to him.
Link steps around the room, walking in circles as he observes everything.
"How many—,"
"2,847," I answer before he can ask the question. That's how many books are in here.
"And you—,"
"Every one of them," I answer again.
Link bends down and picks up some chicken scratch notes that I left on the floor who knows how long ago. My grandmother was always careful never to touch a thing in here. I suppose she kept that habit even after I left.
"Are these your notes?" He asks.
"Yes."
Link nods in awe of the cluttered room.
"You are genuinely something else," he said as he shook his head, looking around.
"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not," I eye him.
His head snaps toward mine.
"Of course it is," he smiles.
He kneels down and picks up a piece of notebook paper that had some random questions I made up. I always liked playing games with my grandfather and making up questions and riddles to see if he could solve them.
"Only one other word can be made from all the letters of insatiable, what is it?" Link reads aloud.
He thinks for a minute, but then searches the rest of the paper to try to find the answer. He flips it over but there's nothing written on the back.
"Well?"
"Banalities," I answer, smiling.
"What even is that?" He asks with a contorted face.
"Unoriginality."
"Did you make this up?" He inquires.
"Yes."
"Of course," he rolls his eyes.
"Here, try another," I bend down and pick up another paper with some more questions. I read the next one for him: "Zelda likes 225 but not 224; she likes 900 but not 800; she likes 144 but not 145. Which does she like - 1600 or 1700?"
Link thinks but doesn't attempt to really answer.
"1700," he says allusively.
"1600, she likes perfect squares." I answer.
"Well I like Zelda and all of her perfect squares," Link reaches out and grabs my waist pulling me into a backwards hug.
"You still lost," I remind him.
"It wasn't ever a competition!" He argues.
"Everything is a competition," I correct him.
Link and I do a few more questions and he observes some of my works and other random notes and pages.
"Zelda, you can't just leave all of this here," he says, hovering over some quantitative equations.
"I have no use for them now. I did these over a year ago. They're pointless anyway."
"No, people could use these. They need your intelligence, Zelda. They need your observations and your abilities. You're genuinely an asset to them. And I don't think you realize how valuable you are," he retorts. I can tell he's serious by the sternest in his voice.
"Even if you think that, what am I supposed to do with all of it? I can't take all this stuff back with me," I question.
Link thinks for a moment and then I see him light up with an answer.
"You don't have to take it back with you, just pack it up and ship it to your address back in Hyrule. We will find somewhere to put it there. But I refuse to get on a plane knowing you left all of this, your life's work, behind you in this room where it will only get dusty. One day, you'll thank me."
I think about his proposal.
"But shipping all of this would cost a fortune," I say.
"That's not anything you really have to worry about anymore, is it? And besides, it's not like it's not worth spending the money. I really think you should do it."
He has a point.
"Alright. I'll do it. But we have a lot more to pack."
Two hours later, Link and I have successfully packed every note, book, picture, and scratch paper I wrote on. The task wasn't that hard considering everything was already in stacks. The process merely consists of stacking the stacks into stacks of boxes. Link packs while I then wrote the address on the top of the box to be shipped. When we are done, we high five each other, admiring our hard work.
"Alright, we can tell Gondo on our way out of town whenever you tell him bye. Deal?" Link says.
"Deal," I agree happily. Suddenly, in the golden light of my library, knowing I won't have to say goodbye to all of my belongings and memories of this room, things seem brighter.
Link and I walk to the gas station. I eye the gravel road behind it, knowing what lies down the path. But I refuse to walk down it. Going back there will do me no good.
"You're sure there's nothing else you need before we say goodbye and head out?" Link asks, eyeing me carefully. I had no idea he was even watching me.
"Yes," I nod authoritativly, "I've done everything I need to do."
"Alright then. Let's get this show on the road."
I head the familiar chime of the door when I walk in.
"I'll be right with you!" I hear Gondo shout from the back, no doubt tinkering with some project back there.
When he emerges from the tiny back room, he stops dead in his tracks, his face astonished.
"Well I'll be darned," he says as he takes off his gloves. "Henya mentioned you were in town, but I figured you'd already left."
"I couldn't leave without telling you goodbye," I say.
Gondo opens his arms out to me.
"Well then what are you standing there for, kid!"
I graciously run to Gondo and thrust myself into his embrace. He smells of gasoline and some sort of burnt metal, just like he used to when I was little.
"I knew you couldn't stay here, not after what happened," Gondo says as he puts his hands on my shoulders, much like my father would.
"No, I can't." I admit.
"And this boy here, Link isn't it?" Gondo gestures to Link.
"Yes," he nods. I'm confused at first but I remember they already met before Link found me.
"Link lives in the place you're going too, huh?"
"Yes, he is. He's taking me back," I tell him.
"You gonna take care of her?" Gondo looks at Link.
"As long as she'll let me. And after that too," Link says to Gondo, but looking at me.
"You're a good man, Link," Gondo squeezes my shoulder. "Is there anything I can do for you before you leave?"
"Well actually there is one thing," I start in. I tell Gondo of the boxes back at home. He assures me that he will take care of everything. I give him one last hug. Link stands by the door, opening it and waiting for me to exit. But before I leave, he stops me and bends down so that we are eye level.
"Zelda, you listen to one thing before you go," he states. I nod my head. "Should you ever need anything that you can't get help from anyone else, you call me. I will always vouch for you. No matter where I am and where you are. I'll take care of anything you need me to back here. I know your parents are gone. And I know your grandparents are now too. But that doesn't mean you don't have a family back here, you understand? We are with you all the way, little genius girl. We always have been. You remember that."
I feel a tear spill over my cheek.
"Thank you," I whisper back. Gondo merely nods his head and smiles a warm smile at me.
"Now go, kid. You've got far better places to be than here."
And any slight sliver of the smallest hint of doubt that I was doing the wrong thing by going back to Hyrule vanished. He is right. I have to go. And while I am going because I love Link and want to be wherever he is, I realize now that it's not just about following him. It's about running ahead of myself.
"Yes sir," I reply to Gondo. He stands up, we shake hands, and I walk out of the gas station as Link holds the door.
Link waves goodbye and then I hear the door shut behind me. But just like at Henya's, I don't turn around.
Ten minutes later the noon bus approaches and we both get on. We take our seat for the two and a half hour ride to the airport. This trip will be a lot less daunting and scary with Link next to me.
He picks up his backpack and pulls out the sacks Henya made us, bless her heart.
"Lunch?"
I take the sack and set it in my lap, ready to observe the contents. My appetite wasn't exactly there but I liked the thought of having lunch with Link outside of a hospital. There was something normal and comfortable about it.
We eat our sandwiches and chips, alongside some fruit she packed in the bags for both of us. At the very bottom, we both have a big, chocolate chip cookie awaiting us.
"Goddess bless that woman," Link says as he kisses the cookie. Lucky cookie.
"Amen," I reply, taking a bite out of mine. No matter how much I felt like my stomach would literally turn itself inside out any moment from food, not eating a cookie after a sandwich was something unforgivable. Especially a cookie of Henya's.
After we both finish our lunch, I lean my head over on Link's shoulder. I'm overcome with fatigue, for some reason, so I feel like sleeping would be a good idea. Link leans his head on top of mine, without saying a word. And, within seconds, we are both out.
"Zelda," he shakes me.
I blink, my eyes adjusting to the new light.
"Zelda, we are close to the airport," Link tilts my chin up.
"Oh, thank goodness you woke up," I say as I come to.
"How are you feeling?" He asks.
"Minus the stomach ache from all the food, I feel good," I tell him.
"The doctor said that would happen for a while. We still need to ease you into food again. We'll have to take it easy when we get back to Hyrule too. Maybe Agitha can help us."
I smile at the thought of Agitha. I miss her so much. She would surly know what to do.
Link and I sit in silence, each pondering the beautiful land of Hyrule.
The grey landscape zooms by from outside the bus. Even in the bigger cities of Termina things are grey and run down. Concrete buildings still lye in rubble from wars and storms. Graffiti is painted all over the city, and even that is faded and dark. There are overturned cars from storms that sit, untouched, in the middle of fields. I think about my family's car lying like that somewhere. I never saw it again. It still sits somewhere, housing little critters in the middle of no where now. And it's a shuddering thought.
Looking out the window gets daunting, so instead I look to Link. I trace is features in my mind and outline his piercing eyes. He catches me though, because he turns around and sees me staring at him.
"What is it?" he asks.
"Nothing," I smile at him as I rest my chin on his shoulder.
We pull up the airport and I immediately stand up, eager to get out. I wait and let a few people in front of me make their way off the bus before grabbing my suitcases and nearly running down the isle.
I thank the driver and tumble down the stairs waiting for Link, who I nearly bump into when I turn around. I had no idea he was right behind me.
"Let me carry," he says as he takes the suitcases from my hands. He knows more about checking this kind of baggage, so I obey.
We make it through the endless lines and finally to our gate. We are pressed for time, due to our mandatory packing of my library, but nonetheless, we make it on time.
"Flight 475 to Wellington, Hyrule is now ready to board. Now boarding Flight 475 to Wellington," the lady at the front of the gate reads.
We stand up, Link with his backpack slung around his shoulder and me with my messenger bag around mine. I only brought one thing for this flight: one book. It would be completely different now that I have Link next to me. And because this time I'm heading to Hyrule, not away from it.
We take our seats and I pull my legs up to my chest.
"Comfy?" Link smiles warmly at me.
"Very," I answer.
Soon, we take off. My heart slightly aches when my feet leave the dry ground of Termina. While I hate it, it's still my home. And there's something painful about leaving one's home. However, it's less painful leaving it than it is living on it. In a way.
But I know I can't stay there. Staying here will only lull me back into a sense of delusion and ultimately death.
Link pulls out his sketch pad and begins doodling away. I imagine he feels the need to flex his artistic muscle since it has been so long since he has done any art. I watch him for a while in silence, the white noise of the plane engine filling my ears. I like to watch his hand move across the page. I like to wait and see what he is creating, fascinated by his ability to see the entire picture before he has even drawn one line. I rotate my body to where I am leaning on his arm, pull out my book, and start reading. It has been so long since I read for enjoyment and actually enjoyed it. But here, on a plane back to the place my heart truly belongs, next to the person I truly belong with, I feel as if all of my troubles were left on the ground at Termina, and I am able to fully let them all go. Opening the first page of the book, I let my mind be taken over by the words on the pages.
A few hours later, I look over to see Link asleep. I've managed to finish my book. 387 pages wasn't long enough. I toss it back in my messenger bag and peer over Link out the window. We are somewhere over the Great Sea, and the sun is setting. I nestle down, managing to weasel my way onto Link's shoulder, propping his head up on mine. Closing my eyes, I think about when we will land. I think about when I'll hear the flight attendant announce we are in Hyrule. I think about when I'll walk off the plane again and be greeted with the beautiful scenery of Hyrule once again. How many times I feel as if I've done this. It should be daunting, really. But this time, it isn't. For once, I'm not running away from something behind me. I'm merely returning.
A/N: OKAY THIS CHAPTER IS FOREVER LONG I'M SO SORRY. I had no idea it had gotten so long. But I went ahead and uploaded it because I am moving soon and I wanted to get it out there now in case I didn't have the chance to later. You all have been so patient with me, and I can't thank you enough for it. This story is winding down, sadly, but as always if you have any questions or remarks, shoot me a message or a review and I'll try to answer them. Again, sorry this is so long. I hope you all have had a fantastic summer! Despite me moving, expect to hear from me soon :) Happy Summer!
P.S. I had a royally horrid time trying to upload this chapter (I don't know if you all are experiencing the same technical issues) so the format may or may not be funny. If so I am so sorry and I'll try to fix it. Fingers crossed that it isn't.
P.S.S. I am in need of some new music. If any of you wanna list your top 5 favorite songs of the summer, or just favorite in general, OR the stuff you've been listening to lately, then feel free. I've been on a Dresses kick (mainly just Sun Shy), Florence and the Machine for some unknown reason, and Oh Wonder. But yeah, whatever floats your boat.