The Legend of Zelda:

The Right of Passage

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: The Princess of the Other Time

Every piece of her, every part that made her—all was perfect. All beautiful.

Even her fear was radiant, glowing a fierce spark from her eyes, the blue in them trembling as a delicate drizzle of rain. And I saw the droplets form near her eyelashes, lingering on the tips before leaving the haven of her eyes to trickle down her porcelain cheek. Such a beautiful sight, such perfection.

Everything beautiful, everything I always dreamed of.

And I wondered if seeing her was a dream—that Adara had trapped me within the realm of my own desires, to convince me that what I witnessed was reality, instead of the false sweetness that was my thoughts.

But there was something about her-the gentle creases above her brow, her darkened lips, as well as an aura to her that suggested the beginning of her graceful aging. She was older, more mature. It seemed that as thirteen years had passed in my own world, the same time had gone here as well.

This was a Zelda who was nearly thirty years old, a fully grown woman. And yet, her perfection continued to stun me. I did not know the expression I kept on my face as I stared at her. Perhaps it matched the amazement and fear shown on hers. I felt my body still, unable to flinch, to move closer to her.

She had been knelt in delicate prayer, but at my sight her shoulders lifted, contracting in a frightened hunch. For a long moment, she stared at me, bewilderment gleaming in the blue of her eyes. Yet, she did not move to hide from me, scream in terror or fear. Her fright stemmed not from horror, but of shock and disbelief. I saw her blink her eyes several times, as if to envision me away, that my presence was only an allusion. But the more she blinked, it seemed the more she saw me, all of me, every part that made me real.

Her chambers were decorated primarily with the color crimson—a deep shade, matching the hue of fresh blood. From her bed sheets, to the silk curtains covering her windows. So very much unlike the flowery shades of pink that had used to compliment her. And even now, as she knelt before the icons, the dress she wore was crimson, a mournful crimson. Beautiful it was, yet it suggested much more than the attire of a queen.

Long, flowing hair, falling past her back, coils of blonde curled in front of her shoulders, complimenting the pale creamy flesh of her face, the natural blush to her cheeks. She wore the same diadem on her forehead, just as I remembered. Just as she was the last time I had seen her.

Goddesses, her beauty stunned me so terribly that I could not speak! A thousand words trickled at the bottom of my tongue, begging to be spilled, and yet those words became afraid—afraid that they might say something not worthy of her ears. What could I possibly say to her? After years of my disappearance, my tiny words could do no justice.

There was a strange golden glow growing in the spacious room, one that had not immediately caught my attention. And it was that glow that allowed me to finally focus on the occurrence, as I looked down at my body and saw that the light was coming from my own me. Lifting my arm, my eyes squinted in slight pain as I stared at my hand, and though I glanced for only a second, I could see my golden form.

My eyes shifted quickly, as suddenly I regained my composure, mustering up every particle of courage within me, and clenched my fists by my sides, pursing my lips while I directly stared at Zelda. She remained on the ground, holding herself now, the tremble to her body apparent. And when I widened my eyes with determination, I saw her hold herself tighter, as she began to slowly shake her head.

"No," I heard her whisper gently, the sound of her voice a beautiful hum. "It...it can't be."

I came to her slowly, my heart beating maddeningly within my chest, the veins in my wrists pulsing so fiercely I felt that they would shatter. As I approached, I saw her hold her knees against her chest, not caring of the wrinkling of the expensive fabric. She was afraid, as was I.

Our distance from each other short, and as I stood over her body, I looked down at her apprehensively, watching her stare at me with big eyes, seeing her tear from her refusal to blink or squint from the light of my body that hit her.

Her lips were parted, short breaths fleeing past her mouth. Her voice was just as breathy. "Link...?" She spoke with uncertainty.

And there I extended my arm, a warm yet heartbreaking smile consuming my face. Before I was even aware, Zelda took my hand, lifting herself up and into my arms.

She felt finer than silk—softer, smoother. Goddesses, I held her as close to me as I could, feeling her face against my shoulder, her tears staining my tunic. Her embrace was powerful, yet simultaneously weak—as if she were a child, clinging onto something she knew she could not have, but desperately wanted.

The more we embraced, the more I felt her quiver, as she began to realize how real I was, that I was flesh and bone just as her. Her hands began to travel, as I felt her palms sliding along my back, then traveling upwards hastily to grasp my shoulders. It was here when she pulled herself away from me, her slender gloved fingers remaining straddled by my neck, her eyes large while she stared up at me, her head still shaking.

"Link," she spoke, her face crunching in sudden anguish. "It can't be you." Painful dimples indented her cheeks while her voice cracked from the tears she held in. Letting go of me, she clutched her palms to her face, her body almost becoming smaller as she released more tears into her hands. "It just can't..." She turned her back to me.

It pained me to see her so miserable at my sight, but I understood her agony. For years, I had been nothing but a memory to her, as she had been for me. And here I was, magically appearing to her, my body almost angelic. She must have believed she was going mad. But I needed to convince her that it truly was me she was seeing, that I was the boy who saved Hyrule from turmoil those years ago.

"Zelda."

Her body stiffened at my voice. It was the first time I had spoken since my arrival, and my direct address of her had stunned her for a moment. I kept my posture firm and forward as I watched her carefully turn to face me once more. She had lowered her arms to lie carefully by her hips, as her face was still moist from her tears, yet her eyed glistened with a new glimmer of hope.

And when our eyes met, a thick breath fled my nostrils, and there my shoulders relaxed, a bittersweet smile tugging at my lips. I saw the glow my my body warmly hit her face as I extended my arm to her, the light illuminating from the tips of my fingers. She looked from my hand, then back to my face, her eyes growing larger, the blue in them trembling as thundering waves of an ocean.

"It's me," I spoke to her gently, feeling a tremendous warmth overcome me. "I'm here."

I watched her face crunch up again, but this time there was an overwhelming bliss to her expression. More tears released from her eyes as she took my hand and embraced my fingers hungrily, pressing my palm against her cheek, allowing me to feel the beautiful wet warmth that excreted from her eyes.

"Goddesses," she choked, continuing to hold capture of my arm. "How is this possible? How did you find me?"

I felt a lump form in my throat at her inquiry, my mouth suddenly becoming dry. I did not want to burden her with the knowledge of my arrival, and yet, selfishly, I did not want her to know about my marriage. I feared she would not look at me as the man she had sent back. For, I was not that same confused boy she had returned. I was a married man, a father. And throughout my entire journey—or better yet, my whole life—this was my single defining moment. Everything that I had accomplished somehow led to this: to finally see my princess again, the one I had been dreaming about for all these years.

I did not tell her how I came to her time, despite her agonizing curiosity. I informed her not of my life, my marriage, my children, or the adventure that had led me to her. I told her nothing, except that I placed my other palm on her opposing cheek, lifting her face to gain better access to her eyes. And there, I confessed the contents of my heart to her.

"I will not be here for long. I don't know when I will be taken back." I trembled as the words spilled from my mouth, tears stinging my eyes as they began to trickle slowly down my cheeks. At the sight of my cry, she, too, began to whimper, and I could feel her tears wet my fingers, her eyes squinting in blissful sorrow as I continued to speak to her in an unsteady voice.

"I need you to know, though," I said to her, my hold on her face more compact, my voice cracking desperately despite my efforts to remain as calm as I could, yet the more I spoke, the more passionate I became.

"I just want you to know," I began again, unable to keep my emotions under control any longer, "that all this time, I have dreamed of you. And I cannot accept you as only a memory, or a figment of something that may or may not be real."

Her face became a mess of tears, and mine had as well. She chocked a cry at my words, as I lifted her face closer to mine, feeling her breath warm me, able to smell the sensuous fragrance of her body.

"I have dreamed of you, Zelda." My voice was hushed now, almost a whisper consumed by our heavy breathing. "For so long, I've envisioned you in my mind. And I need to say that I love you, and only you. And when I go back, it will still be you that I love, and you that I will continue to dream of. Since you have sent me back, my mind has filled with thoughts of you that have been with me even as a child. And forever, they will be with me."

There was no hesitation, no careful transitions. The moment the last word fell from my lips, we took each other in a kiss that felt like nothing I had ever experienced before. Zelda had thrown her arms around my neck, while I continued to hold her face, pushing her against me as compactly as I could. She was not woman, she was Zelda. Not woman and man but Zelda and Link—I kissed her with a mouth bleeding of affection, lips gliding and tasting the beauty that leaked from her. Heavily, we kissed, a passion I had held within me for too long immediately erupting. And suddenly, all the sorrow from my life vanished.

The most beautiful moment of my existence was taken too quickly from me. It was a slow departure, our mouths pulling away gently, my lips feeling wonderfully swollen. The beauty of Zelda shone even brighter as she stood before me with reddened cheeks, her lips parted as she gracefully moved her fingers through her hair, placing several strands behind her ear.

Her face was still wet, her eyes glistening. "Since that day, when I returned you to your time," she said to me, "there has not been a day that has passed where I have not thought about you." I could see her emotions beginning to rattle up once again, yet I noticed her ability to control them this time.

She placed her palm at her chest, near her heart. "I was certain at first that I had made the right decision," she continued with a shaky voice, lowering her eyes to the ground. "Yet, as time passed and I grew wiser, I wondered if my choice was indeed well made."

She lifted her gaze back to me, and here I did not know how to respond to her. Her choice to send me back did have its consequences—good ones, and yet equally horrible ones. Should I have told her about the decision of her father to make war with the Gerudo, relinquishing the race? Or, of my dreams of Ganondorf's return and obtainment of the Triforce in the world I lived in? How would she feel if I described to her the person she was in my time—someone who would lie to me to protect the dignity of her kingdom?

Yet, even here, her kingdom was important to her. She wanted to believe she had done the right thing—that she made the choice that would prevent the damage Ganondorf did to Hyrule, and the choice that would allow me to gain the years of my youth that I had lost, and live them without her.

I could not tell her the complete truth, because it would break her. But it was not her fault.

"You made the right choice," I said to her, taking her hand and bringing her knuckles to my lips. "Hyrule was spared from Ganondorf's destruction. You made the right choice, Princess."

I saw true happiness in her eyes as she smiled, yet that blithe was mixed with the simultaneous despair she felt, still tormented yet in awe of my sight. "I promise," she spoke to me in a tearful tone, stroking my cheek with her palm, "that your legend will live here forever, Link. No one will ever forget about you. Your legacy will live on. Kings to come will speak of your bravery. Scholars will marvel at their study of you. You will be forever known as the Hero of Time, the one who saved Hyrule. By the grace of the goddesses, I promise you."

She took in a deep breath, her chest rising and dropping gently as she exhaled. "I love you."

We kissed again, with the same passion and heartache as before. I tasted the inside of her mouth, drank the agony and satisfaction that resided there. The tenderness of her lips, the salty tinge of her tears—I took in all of her, to forever have all of her.

As we embraced, I felt a change in my body. I opened my eyes to find the light emitting from me to be stronger, more intense, and soon I could not feel her mouth against mine anymore. Zelda, too, felt the difference, and took a quick step back as she witnessed the transformation.

My body was disintegrating into pure light, beginning from my legs, traveling up my body to claim the rest of it. There was no sound, no wind or rustle. It was the calmness of the light, taking me away. And she watched me with sad eyes, trying to smile, yet I saw the curiosity that remained in her.

"Go home, Link," she whispered to me, the last thing I heard from her before I vanished. She stood silently, her arms resting at her sides. "Home... Where you are supposed to be...the way you are supposed to be..."

My last glimpse of her was a tear falling down her cheek, clutching at her chest as she fell to the ground, happiness and grief taking over her.

~oOo~

"He's waking up!"

Blotches of black blurred my vision for a moment as I opened my eyes. A hum buzzed in my throat as I attempted to lift myself up, yet could not find the strength to do so. Slowly, my sight returned to me, and I was startled to find two dark skinned faces staring down at me.

"Mr. Link!" Victoria beamed, a smile sewn on her face as she threw herself onto me and hugged me excitedly.

Patting the little girl's back, I managed to lift myself up, sitting on the floor of Adara's home, scratching at my head peculiarly as I glanced about the room, my heart beating rapidly, pounding at my chest.

Victoria remained on my lap, hugging me graciously, while I sat there rather dumbfounded, trying to recollect all my thoughts, wondering whether I had woken up from a dream or that the situation I imagined was in fact very real.

My body tingled all over, the hairs of my nape raising as a chill took over me. My mouth felt swollen and puckered, as well as the smell of a perfume lodged within my nostrils.

And then, I saw Adara, her large almond eyes capturing mine. She asked no questions of me, inquired not if the spell worked, or curiosity of my experience. She simply smiled at me, hair falling in front of her face, brows lifted in an expecting manner, and I returned the gesture. And there, she seemed to know that her magic was successful.

This was where my journey in Pulkinoa ended. And at its halt, I felt at ease with myself, with the life I had lived, with everything I had overcome.

And once it was all over, I felt a new overwhelming feeling—I wanted to see my family again—to hold my daughters, make amends with my wife. I wanted to leave and take back the life I had ran away from.

I wanted to leave, but I did not want to let go of Victoria.

I did not find the friend I had been looking for, but I did find a child who had no one to take care of her. I was the only one she trusted.

Adara and I agreed that she would take the girl in, and keep her as a daughter. But Victoria did not want to stay in Pulkinoa without me. And to be honest, I did not want to leave Pulkinoa without her.

Perhaps the decision to take Victoria with me was a selfish one. She possessed a magic in her that still had me baffled, and it protected me from getting lost in the forest. I wanted to keep her, to protect her. Perhaps she would make my daughters jealous, my wife even more. But I could not abandon her. She had become a part of me.

To the Pulkinoans, I would be remembered as a hero, the man who relinquished them of a spell, who denied their throne, and left just as mysteriously as he came. To Adara, I would be remembered as the man whose tale of love and time paradoxes astounded her, whose dreams she allowed to come true for only such a short time—the man who saved her kingdom. A hero.

The sky was dark when we left Pulkinoa. As the two of us saddled onto Epona, we left the wondrous kingdom like thieves in the night. Never to return or see anything that resembled traits of their distinct culture.

And as we entered the forest, I thought of my princess, and the few moments I shared with her. Such a short moment it was, and in that time I did not tell her the complete truth of what her choice had resulted in. Yet, I knew that her action stemmed from a personal hope, to save the lives of those who Ganondorf killed, and to grant me the opportunity to live the life that was taken from me.

I felt a gentle fulfillment clutch at my chest, allowing a smile to capture my face and the warmth spread to my heart.