Every inch of North Castle Town was filled with confused and concerned citizens, waiting anxiously to see what all the fuss was about. It had started this morning when the Gerudo king appeared for the second time in less than four months, then there were rumors that Gerudo guards had been spotted outside the city. The last straw was when some of the castle staff saw guardsmen arresting the royal advisors. By the time Anju and Alfonzo arrived to call a gathering, everyone had already shown up demanding answers.
"General Alfonzo, what is going on?" a nervous guard cried from his post at the gate.
"Yeah, the people have all but stormed the gate," his partner, the senior guard added. "What has Lord Ganondorf done? I thought we were trying to avoid war, not start it..."
"Nothing to fear, gentlemen," Impa said as she caught up to Alfonzo. "Everything is well."
"General Impa!" The guards immediately saluted.
"Aye, though it's not me you need be saluting," Impa said with a grin, and motioned to the castle entrance. Zelda stood there nervously, Baby holding one hand and Ganondorf the other.
Several guards gasped and dropped their weapons. "Does this answer your question, Captain?" Alfonzo joked to the senior guard, as Impa took Ganondorf's place at Zelda's side so that he and Aveil could properly restrain Harkinian.
Zelda led Baby and Link forward, stopping in front of the senior guard. "Forgive me, but are you the guard who broke the news of my death to Ganondorf seven years ago?"
The senior guard could barely process her words, let alone speak. He saw this little girl in her coffin! She can't be... "A... alive...?"
"Yes, good sir," she said and smiled. "I have Impa and Anju to thank for that."
"The little princess... You're alive! Alive!" The guard suddenly grabbed Zelda into a bear hug, startling her but eventually causing her and the others to laugh. "Oh, Golden Goddesses above, thank you for giving our princess back to us!"
Alarmed that her hand was suddenly empty, Baby became nervous and tugged on Zelda's dress. "...Mama? Are you okay?"
The guard let Zelda go, and glanced down to see one child looking up at him and one clinging to her mother. "Hey, the little one from earlier! I saw her as Lord Ganondorf entered the castle. Did she say 'Mama'? You're really a mama?"
"Yes," Zelda said as she scooped Baby up into her arms. "This is my daughter, Baby, and her best friend, Link. I understand this whole situation must be terribly confusing, but we were just about to go before the people and explain everything..."
"I understand, Your Majesty. You know, when I saw her earlier, she made me think of you. General Impa told us change would be coming, though she did not tell us the specifics."
"What is your name, Captain?"
"Shiro, Your Majesty."
Zelda thought for a moment, then patted Shiro's shoulder. "Captain Shiro, you may not realize it, but you were a very important player in what happened today, and we owe you our gratitude. You will be rewarded, and we will see to it that your family is provided for."
"Me?" Shiro bowed and shook his head. "Oh no, Majesty, I'm not worthy of any reward! Simply knowing you are alive is reward enough!"
"Oh, shush, you talked me out of burning Hyrule to the ground seven years ago. That in itself deserves a reward," Ganondorf piped in from the rear.
"We better not delay any longer," Impa advised. "I can hear the crowd on the other side of the gate getting very restless. Shall I go first?"
"Let me go first," Ganondorf sneered, shoving Harkinian forward with the Master Sword under his chin. "Show them their rat of a king."
"No, that would be foolish," Zelda interjected. "Impa and Alfonzo go first, to calm the crowd. Then I'll come in with the children, and you follow me. If you go in first, with him, the crowd wouldn't understand why and they might riot."
The generals nodded, and went out to quiet the people. Shiro offered to accompany Zelda's party for extra protection, which she accepted. Once it sounded as though everyone had calmed down, Impa came back. "It's time."
Zelda held Baby tight as the gate opened, and marched out onto the walkway. There was a little balcony right above the steps into town, where Alfonzo was waiting. Once Zelda reached him he ducked out of sight, leaving her staring at the entire population of Castle Town.
"Um..." Zelda paused, and tried to start the most logical way. "I owe you all an explanation..."
The crowd was silent as they studied the figure before them, most unable to believe what they were seeing. As Zelda thought up what to say, a young girl shoved her way past the soldiers at the front and came running up to Zelda.
"Are you really Zelda?"
Zelda regarded her with curiosity, before handing Baby to Impa and kneeling down beside her. "Yes, I am. What's your name?"
"Don't you remember me?"
Zelda thought for a second, before noticing the silver clip in the girl's hair. "...Wait, yes I do! I met you years ago at the Orphanage, and gave you my hair clip. Your name is Kaylee!"
"Mamma, it is her!" the girl yelled, jumping up and hugging Zelda. "The princess is alive!" The crowd suddenly burst into cheers as the girl ran back to her mother.
"Everyone, everyone, please! I must explain!" Zelda shouted, after giving the people a moment to celebrate. "I understand you are happy to see me, but there are things you must know, first and foremost why I was declared dead when I am most certainly not!"
Zelda turned to Ganondorf, and beckoned him forward. When the crowd saw their king on the end of a blade they immediately got silent. "Since this pig has no voice of his own, I will speak for him," Ganondorf barked. "Your king is the one responsible for Zelda's supposed death."
Gasps and whispers rang out through the crowd, as Impa stepped forth to testify. "Lord Ganondorf is correct. Princess Zelda was never dead, instead she was sentenced to a life of banishment for going against the royal council. The king and his conspirators knew Zelda was loved by the people, and since they knew you would not stand for such a punishment, they lied and said that she had been killed by the Gerudo."
Zelda took Baby from Impa's arms, and turned to the people. "My 'crime' was that I had chosen Lord Ganondorf as my mate. A little under seven years ago, we conceived this beautiful child together. However, the council did not approve of our union. They had plans to use me as a pawn and marry me off to whomever suited their fancy, and unfortunately my pregnancy interfered with those plans."
"Tell them what you did," Ganondorf hissed, pressing the blade closer to Harkinian's neck.
"..."
"TELL THEM!"
"That gutless son of a bitch poisoned the princess!" one of the soldiers yelled, after it became clear Harkinian wasn't going to talk. The crowd erupted in anger, many of them calling for Harkinian's execution on the spot.
"How could you poison the little princess?!"
"You poisoned a pregnant woman?!"
"She was always so kind, what did she do to deserve such a thing?!"
"Blessed Zelda always made time for the people, why would the council go against her?"
"Those bastards! They should all be hanged!"
"His seneschal was the one who did it, and I have already executed him," Impa boasted. "But the poisoning was really an attempt to terminate Zelda's pregnancy! That stunt nearly killed Zelda, and caused her innocent child to be born without sight!"
The mothers in the crowd scoffed and lamented Baby's affliction, as the men continued to call for Harkinian's head. "People, please," Zelda pleaded, "we have already passed judgement on my father for what he has done. What we ask now is for your support."
"You have it!" the royal guards cried, causing the crowd to cheer. "Long live Queen Zelda!" the soldiers shouted, raising their spears into the air.
"Long live Queen Zelda!" the crowd echoed, and soon everyone was bowing before their new monarch. Zelda tried to finish her speech, but Impa made it clear there was no way she was going to break through the revelry.
"Face it, Shazadi, you're their Queen now. Heh, shall I start calling you Malika instead?"
Zelda sent a nasty glare Impa's way, causing her to laugh. "Okay, I'll keep things the same. But if you'll excuse me, I'd best show our 'guest' to his holding cell until we can make the journey to the Shadow Temple," Impa said, leaving to guide Ganondorf and Aveil to the secure dungeon.
"Your Majesty, if you please," Anju interrupted as Impa took her leave, "I think the people would like to be introduced to their new little princess, and her noble guardian." Anju motioned to the little ones in the crowd, who kept standing on their toes or climbing atop their parents' shoulders to get a better glimpse of Baby and Link.
"...Oh, I guess it won't harm anything," Zelda said with a smile, and smoothed out Baby's hair. "Everyone... I would like you to meet my daughter, Princess Baby Hylia Dragmire, and her companion, Link of Ordon, descendant of the Hero of Time."
More cheers broke out, as well as several prayers for Princess Hylia's prosperity. Zelda was pleasantly surprised- she expected people to dislike Baby's middle name, but instead the populace was embracing it. She decided to take Baby and Link closer to the crowd and let them meet some of the town children, much like Impa did with her when she was a little girl. Baby was shy at first, but Link held her hand and acted as her eyes. Soon she was happily chatting away with Link at her side.
"Your grandchildren will be so lovely," an old granny said to Zelda, patting her on the shoulder.
Zelda's face turned bright red, and she was grateful Ganondorf wasn't around to hear such a remark. "Th-thank you, but we're quite a long way off from that... They're only six after all..."
"Heh, time flows faster than you think, young lady. I remember when your mother presented you to the people," the granny said. "It is so good to see you on the throne where you belong, instead of that corrupt monster. Your grandfather was a good king, and I know you will be a good queen. Will you make your husband king?"
"...It was my intention to, yes," Zelda admitted. "My plan was to retire and focus on my children. Does that make me a poor queen?"
"Not at all!" the granny answered. "Children are our life. Your husband is already king of his own people, no? I remember, before him no one tried to make peace. Your husband had the courage to think of his people before himself. We can trust him, especially if he fights for you."
"Thank you for your confidence, truly." Zelda smiled, and looked over to the children who were still happily babbling away. She sat on the edge of the wall and accepted tidings from individual townsfolk, until Baby and Link came back with grumbling tummies. Scooping them up, Zelda bid adieu to the granny and the rest of the townsfolk, then retired to the castle for the first time in seven years.