To say that Zelda was confused would be an understatement. In the space of moments, Link had gone from wanting her close to pulling away, going so far as to leave the warm water that was helping them unwind. Was it something she had done? She didn't know. But the intensity with which he spoke made her shiver.
"Zelda… there's something I need to know," he repeated. "It's about before… before Calamity Ganon struck. When you were fighting so hard to unlock the power to seal him away."
"Before?" She was no less perplexed now. "What about before?"
He fell quiet, trying to put what he wanted to express into words. Zelda suddenly wished she was out of the water, wrapping a towel to protect herself from whatever he might say.
"Do you have all your memories of before the Calamity?" The question was asked in a low voice, his face still turned away from her. "Do you remember who you were before… everything changed?"
"Yes," Zelda turned around, crossing her arms on the ledge to rest her chin, keeping the rest of herself submerged in the murky, bubbling water. "Most of it feels hazy, as if I'm trying to recall things that I'm unsure if they happened or not. But sometimes bits and pieces will be as clear as if they happened yesterday. Like remembering how Daruk felt about dogs."
"What do you remember about me?" Link finally turned toward her. "Tell me everything."
She shook her head slowly. "But… don't you remember?"
His silence spoke volumes.
"Link, you regained your memories before you rescued me, didn't you?" Zelda prodded. "You told me that you remembered me."
"I did… but only the memories of you. The memories of the Champions. Of serving you as your appointed knight. Of wielding the Master Sword. Nothing more." His hand clenched in a fist. "Tell me. I need to know what you remember."
Zelda was at a loss for words. Silence for a long minute before she formulated a response. "Link… what difference will it make knowing that now?" she whispered.
"I keep feeling that I'm missing something. That I can't… I can't properly ask for your love and your hand in marriage when I don't even fully know myself." His shoulders shook, and it took Zelda a moment to realize that he was crying in the darkness.
She pulled herself out of the water, wrapping a towel around her shoulders before embracing her knight. "Link. It doesn't matter anymore who you were. What I care about is who you are now."
He didn't say anything, resting his head in her lap as the sobs lessened.
Zelda ran her damp fingers through the locks of his hair. "What I remember of you before the Calamity… You were quiet. I don't think I ever heard you speak before my father assigned you to be my appointed knight. When I learned why he'd chosen you, and of our intertwined destiny, I became resentful." A pair of tears rolled down her own cheeks. "I felt like Father was reminding me of my own failure at unlocking the power to seal Ganon away. It's why I snapped so often. But, even through that, you never left. You never repaid my bitterness with anything beyond support."
Link's eyes closed, allowing the soothing tone of her voice to wash over him.
"The more time I spent with you, the more I saw beyond just the knight. You didn't always verbally show it, but you expressed your feelings through your actions. Holding me when I wept at the Spring of Power. I loved you, but I didn't dare say it because I was afraid you wouldn't reciprocate my feelings. I was sure that you loved Mipha, and I was jealous of that," Zelda admitted.
"She loved me, but I couldn't love her the way she wanted me to," Link broke his silence, his voice thick from having cried. "It was something that I discussed with her spirit after freeing her from the Blight that killed her. I was a hundred years too late, but I was finally able to put that uncomfortable situation to rest for good."
"She forgave me for my jealousy," Zelda's fingers slowed near his neck. "She was sweet. I feel guilty that I was unable to spend more time with her because of my resentment."
"She wouldn't hold it against you." Link sighed, his blue eyes opening to gaze into hers. "I still have barely any memories outside of the ones reminded to by the pictures on the Sheikah Slate. Was I really only your knight? Nothing more?"
Zelda turned red, nodding quickly. "When I finally recognized my feelings… it was too late. Ganon had arrived, and you were dying in my arms." She shivered involuntarily at the horrible memory. "I thought I had lost my one chance at loving you. It was Fi that told me about the Shrine of Resurrection. That hope remained, but that we both would have a long journey ahead of us. Little did I know that meant loneliness. Emptiness like nothing I'd ever felt before. Hearing all the people I cared about dying around me. I didn't know if Impa had escaped. I heard my father fight and fail to overcome the monsters that Ganon drew to the castle. You were lying lifeless in the Shrine of Resurrection. Everything I cared about was gone. All I had was my prayers to the Goddess, and faith that you would someday return for me."
Link's hand reached up to her cheek. "And I did. Even when I didn't know who you were, I sensed that you needed me. And something about your voice…" He pushed the hair framing her face back behind her pointed ear. "It felt like home."
Heat flooded over her face. "The Goddess gave me the ability to see through your eyes when you were stirring, and speak into your mind. Without that knowledge that you were awake, working on strengthening yourself to come and save me... I think I would have lost hope completely."
Link pushed himself up on an elbow, staring deep into her eyes. "Are you certain that it doesn't matter? I can't remember if I loved you then like I do now, and it's gnawing at me."
"I mean it," Zelda met his gaze and didn't waver. "The past is behind us. We've defeated Ganon, and now the work of restoring Hyrule to the glory of a hundred years ago is upon us. What matters now is the future."
"Thank you, love." He pressed his forehead against hers, exhaling softly. "You've no idea how much I want to kiss you right now," he confessed.
She made a slight noise in the back of her throat, her heart nearly pounding out of her chest.
"But I'm not going to," he finished softly. "You deserve better than a first kiss driven by lust."
Her warm lips gently touched his forehead. "Thank you, Link," she whispered. "But know that I won't turn away whenever you decide to kiss me."
He groaned, rolling away to grab the bag and rifle through it for a shirt to sleep in. "You're not making this any easier, princess."
"I know," she acknowledged with a touch of smug satisfaction. "You didn't either when I was seeing your bare chest and back so often during the last week. Turnabout is fair play, is it not?"
He tossed a shirt towards her face that she easily caught, though the towel around her shoulders slipped. Automatically, Link turned away, giving her privacy as she pulled the soft garment over her head. An amused smirk crossed his face as a thought occurred to him. "You didn't happen to take longer than necessary when applying that last poultice, did you?" he teased.
Zelda pretended not to hear him, scurrying over to her bedroll without responding. The proximity of it to Link's wasn't as close as she wanted them to be, though she wasn't about to admit that aloud.
He shook his head and chuckled softly at her blatantly dodging the question, but didn't pursue it, crawling onto his own bed. "Goodnight, love. May the Goddess smile upon you and bless you with pleasant dreams."
"And also to you," she murmured sleepily, the events of the day catching up to her.
Link lay awake after she drifted off, mulling over what had transpired. Zelda's reaction had caught him off guard. The longer he worked through her reasoning though, the more peace settled over him. It was true, he might not remember much about himself from before the Calamity. But what did he know? He was loyal to the Princess, and was firm in his convictions about doing what needed to be done, regardless of the cost. Now, he was blessed with the knowledge that his Zelda reciprocated his love. When the time was right, he would make her his, forever. He was thankful for the foresight in changing their focus when desire heated up. If there was one thing he wanted to be sure of, it was that he didn't rush things, especially when it came to intimacy. A princess deserved the very best he could offer, and that's what he intended to give her.
The sun had warmed their small camping spot by the time the Hylians arose in the morning. Zelda stopped Link before he could put his boot back on, giving him a stern look when she saw the swelling had returned to his ankle.
"The waters usually heal it more fully, if I give it more time," he protested. "I didn't spend as much time in the hot springs as I should have last night."
The princess held her ground. "Which is precisely why I shall be healing it before we head back into the city today."
Link sighed but didn't argue further, gesturing to his straightened leg. "Go ahead, then."
Zelda wasted no time, kneeling beside him and beginning her prayers. The familiar, warm golden glow of healing magic flowed through her palms and onto the sprained ankle.
Link bit back a slight gasp at the sensation the healing provided. He wasn't awake for most of the healings she'd given him when recovering from the Lynel attack, so it felt new and different. The limb tingled slightly while the pain eased from it completely. He watched as the skin lost its discoloration and returned to normal.
When the glow had faded, her gaze lifted to his face. "Is that better?"
He stretched his leg in front of him, and rotated the ankle, checking the full range of motion. "Much better. Back to normal. It's certainly a blessing that the Goddess has bestowed on you."
Her cheeks turned pink. "That's not the only blessing I've been given. But now, you can finish pulling your boots on, and we can head back up the mountain."
"Don't forget your helmet," he reminded her, handing her the hated headgear.
She made a face but pulled it on over her head regardless. "I'll be extremely glad when we've returned safely off the mountain and I can choose more suitable clothing."
"This is suitable," he reminded her with a smirk. "Suited for the heat and fire of Death Mountain."
Her eyes darkened behind the helmet, and she punched his shoulder hard enough that he winced slightly. "Not funny," she grumbled.
Link raised his hands defensively, then went back to binding up their bedrolls. "Oh, before I forget, when we get back into Goron City, you need to see the carving in memory of Daruk."
"Is it in Goron City itself?" Zelda inquired, her curiosity piqued. "Did we pass it on our way in?"
"Yes, but we were rather focused at the time, as was Bludo. You can see it from in front of his house," Link explained.
"Good. I need to pay my respects to him still," Zelda said quietly. "I have a feeling that Bludo doesn't wish to hear more from me than is necessary."
"It's nothing against you or anyone specifically. It's just the way he carries himself." Link tried to be encouraging. "You know that Daruk wasn't like that. Nor was Yunobo."
"No, Yunobo certainly wasn't." She shook her head. "I'm not sure what to make of him."
"He means well, and he's decent enough to interact with. He needs to be sure of himself."
"That's rather an understatement, don't you think?" Zelda waited for him by the edge of the path. "It would take a great deal for him to have the confidence needed to be a warrior rivaling his ancestor, Daruk."
Link didn't argue this, sliding the pack onto his back. "Ready for the trip back up the mountain?"
"Quite. I much prefer less… fiery regions," she admitted with a sheepish smile.
"Mmm, can't handle the heat?" he teased, earning a swift punch to the shoulder. Again. "Owww. That's hardly becoming of a princess," he complained.
"So is mocking her preference of cooler, more temperate climates," she argued back coolly.
"I yield," came the immediate reply from the knight.
Zelda smiled softly to herself as she trailed behind him. He wasn't prone to disagreement, at least on the little things. She was hard-pressed to find anything that they had to fight over.
The Gorons in the Southern Mine waved at the Hylians as they passed. Zelda caught a glimpse of Kima's back as the man stooped to try and snatch up a Fireproof Lizard. Judging by his countenance, he neither saw them nor had any luck catching the swift reptile.
Link made a face as they got to the berm in the middle of the road. "First thing we're going to do is tell Bludo to fix this."
"That would be wise," Zelda agreed. "It's not as steep on the far right. Perhaps we can try that way?"
He studied the entirety of the terrain before slowly nodding. "Go in front of me, that way I can boost you up if you slip."
She wasn't sure what to make of that, but reluctantly assented. "I think the boots are heavy enough to keep me from slipping."
"Likely, but I'd rather not chance it."
She climbed slowly, thankful it wasn't steeper. Her hands she used for leverage while ascending. She could sense Link's watchful eye on her until she reached the top. Turning carefully, she gazed down at him. "Toss the pack up to me, so it's not weighing you down."
"As you wish," he replied, giving it the requested heave into her waiting arms. She grunted slightly at the impact but slid it over her shoulder without a second thought. She made no attempts to hide her appreciative gaze as he climbed, something he paid little attention to thanks to his concentration.
Dusting off his hands when he reached the top, he put his hand out for the bag expectantly.
Zelda shook her head with a soft laugh and jogged up the path, calling over her shoulder, "If you want it back, you'll have to claim it."
Link's eyes narrowed, then a smirk crossed his face. If it was a competition she wanted, it was one she'd lose. "Better get a head start, Princess. That's the only warning you'll get."
She let out a soft gasp and tightened her grip on the pack. Her feet pounded up the dirt path, and she swallowed down her laughter. Laughing made it hard to focus on running and breathing. It didn't take more than a few seconds for her ears to register the sound of footfalls coming from behind her, and she pushed herself harder, but to no avail.
Strong hands wrapped around the pack and tugged at it, causing her to stumble and lose her balance. Abandoning her grip on the pack, she tumbled to the ground, laughing at herself. "Note, don't try and outrun the Hylian Champion," she wheezed.
Link's concerned expression behind his helmet turned to one of amusement. "We might need to add more endurance training to our schedule so yours can rival mine."
"I haven't been running all over Hyrule for the past few months," Zelda pointed out, rolling to a seated position. "It's only natural that I can't keep up with you."
"Still. It'd be good for you to practice in case something were to happen." Link offered her a hand up, which she gratefully accepted. "You were doing pretty well at first," he encouraged, tugging her towards him.
"You mean pretty well for someone who's out of practice," she argued, ignoring the heat on her cheeks from the closeness to her knight.
"I meant what I said."
She reached for the pack again, earning a dark look from Link. Zelda ducked her head demurely. "You're not going to let me carry that now that you're feeling better, are you?"
"You catch on quickly," he grinned, leading them into Goron City.
Zelda's eyes scanned the rock walls surrounding the city. "Is Daruk carved into one of these cliffs?"
"Yes. He's not visible from the southern end here though. Follow me." He guided them through the hilly, winding paths over lava flows, and around shops to the top of the city. They stopped in front of Bludo's house, and Zelda heard the sounds of voices coming from inside. Link's hand on her shoulder caught her off guard, and she startled until he gestured up at the cliff.
"There's Daruk."
Zelda squinted for a moment, trying to make out the face in the rock, then smiled after a few seconds. "So he is. Quite a fine likeness, if I may say so."
Link gazed up at the carving, a slight grin crossing his face. "Glad you think so… because he's there."
Zelda's mouth fell open. "What?"
Daruk's spirit was standing atop his likeness, smirking down at them. "Well, it's about time I saw my two favorite Hylians again. I gotta say, that was some mighty fine work you two did taking down Ganon. You have my hearty congratulations!"
The princess glanced at Link, then up at the spirit. "Thank you, Daruk," she said sincerely. "I only wish that it hadn't come at so great a cost."
"Aww, don't worry your little head over that, Princess. I did the best I could to take out Ganon. Guess he was just that much stronger than I was." For an instant, melancholy overtook his tone. It was swiftly replaced by his normal, jovial voice. "But hey, that's okay! Long as you two are around, Hyrule's in good hands!"
Zelda opened her mouth to respond, but Bludo's brusque tone from behind her interrupted.
"What do you think you're doing, hollerin' outside my house?" The old Goron asked gruffly.
Link spoke first. "Did Yunobo find you?"
"I'm here, goro," the Goron youth replied from behind his elder. "Thanks again for saving me last night."
"Hmph," Bludo grumbled. "I suppose thanks is in order for getting him back to me."
"The Igneo Talus north of the Southern Mine has been taken care of as well," Zelda explained, forcing a smile. "It would be wise for several Gorons to level the road through the section it inhabited. I'm afraid it's rather steep."
"You think I can spare the workers for a few hours?" Bludo huffed.
"Yes, we do. If the road is repaired, that means travelers are more likely to come in search of your ores," Link pointed out.
"That'd be good, wouldn't it, Bludo? Now that Vah Rudania is calm, it'd be good to get people back up here," Yunobo added.
"Also, you've got the hot springs as a natural attraction," Zelda commented. "Perhaps if you set up accommodations for travelers closer to those, you'd encourage more tourists."
"Fine! We'll fix the road. If I give you some reward for bringing Yunobo back, will ya let us get on with our business?" The Goron groused.
The Hylians exchanged glances, quickly nodding. Zelda heard a faint chuckle from Daruk behind them, but when she turned to look, the Goron Champion was gone.
"Here. Sapphire ore, mined from here on the mountain. Take it to a jeweler and they'll make it into whatever you want, or sell it. I don't care."
Link caught the chunk of valuable blue stone that was thrown. "Thank you, Bludo. Good to see you again, Yunobo."
"Nice to see you too, goro. Take care of yourselves," the youth waved awkwardly.
The Hylian Champion tucked the ore carefully into the pack and pulled the Sheikah Slate off his hip. Zelda didn't say a word as she slipped her arm through his, watching him select Hateno Village. Runes wrapped around their legs, and the couple soon found themselves in the noontime sun and light breeze of the quiet village.
Without hesitation, Zelda yanked her helmet off, wiping her sweat-soaked hair off her forehead. "I hope that trips to the Eldin regions and Death Mountain specifically won't be frequently necessary."
Link chuckled. "Can't say I blame you there." He pulled his helmet off and shook his head to loosen his hair. "Let's go back to the house. I think it's about time we eat."
Zelda agreed wholeheartedly, following her knight across the narrow bridge that led to his home. The familiar sight of Bolson and Karson lounging in the shade of the apple tree, with the cooking pot nearby welcomed them, returning the sense of normalcy that Zelda had grown to appreciate.
What wasn't expected was the spirit that made her appearance as they closed the door and set the pack down. "Master Link, you have completed the first portion of your quest to restore peace to Hyrule. The second phase will depend on all that you have accomplished thus far."
