Everything moved around her at an alarming speed. Monsters rushed at her, destroyed at the last possible moment by an unseen force. She couldn't move, rooted to the ground where she stood. Fog surrounded her, blurring her vision. Was this a dream? Somehow, it didn't feel quite real enough for her to be awake.

Light filled the area, temporarily blinding what little eyesight she had. Zelda shielded her eyes on instinct, only dropping her hand when the intensity faded. A figure was silhouetted in front of her, and approached slowly. As it drew nearer, she could make out a woman's form, then the familiar face of her mother. Tears sprang to her eyes, and Zelda ran into her embrace, sobbing with abandon. "Mother," she whispered.

"My dear Zelda," her mother soothed, warm arms tightly wrapping around her daughter. "You've done so much for Hyrule, and I couldn't be more proud of you."

Zelda wept harder, clinging onto her like a child. "I missed you so much… there was so much I wanted to tell you. To ask. To… to share with you."

"Shhhh. I know, my little bird. I know. Just as your father and the spirits of the Champions have been able to observe you and offer wisdom, now it's my opportunity. I've seen you grow in your own strength, in your connection to the Goddess, and in your relationship with your handsome knight." Her mother's tone took on a light, teasing quality. "You really have been blessed when it comes to having Link."

Her mouth fell open. "Mother! What would Father say if he heard you referring to him in that manner?"

"He would agree with me. He always was fond of Link, though protective of you."

"More like overly protective of me, especially after your passing," Zelda retorted, her tone growing melancholy. "Everything was different when you passed."

"Believe me, my little bird, I wanted nothing more than to be with you and your father. But the Goddess's will is higher than ours, and she knew that my time in Hyrule had come to a close." She embraced her tighter. "Not a day has gone by where I haven't checked in on you, to see how you've grown and how Hylia has taken care of you."

Zelda snuggled against her shoulder, exhaling softly. "It's gotten a bit easier now that I have Link. It's far from being free of issue, but the adjustment is coming smoother."
"And that's what having the love of a good man will do for you. Your love for him will ensure that your marriage will be strong and withstand whatever trials come against you. Remember, even as you take over the duties of ruling as Queen, to make time for your husband. This is crucial, for both of your sakes, not to mention, to set the example for your children."

The princess blushed. "I'm not entirely sure I'm ready to be a mother," she admitted. "I'm only seventeen."

"And I was barely nineteen when I conceived you," her mother reminded her. "You've reached adulthood, and you're married. Whether you feel adequately prepared or not, you are in the window where you could easily bear your husband's children within the next several years."

"And I'm certain comments will be made as soon as I am crowned about 'carrying on the royal bloodline'," Zelda quipped. "I've heard mention of it before, though only in a joking manner from one of Link's friends. From one of OUR friends," she corrected herself.

"As you said yourself, children are a blessing from the Goddess. When the time comes, you'll be prepared for them. In the meantime, my little bird, our time together wanes. I must send you back to Link," she said sorrowfully.

"Promise me you won't leave me again!" Zelda pleaded, clutching her tightly. "Promise me I won't be alone again!"

"Oh, my dear Zelda…" her mother sighed. "You were never truly alone. And even now, you have Link waiting for you, and the guidance of the Goddess Hylia's hand upon you. We'll be with you in spirit, watching out for you. Don't fret, my little bird. This is not goodbye, just as my departure from Hyrule was not 'goodbye'. It's merely a 'see you later', when the Goddess wills it. Go in peace and strength, and know that you carry the wisdom of all generations that have come before!"

Her voice grew stronger, then faded away, along with the ethereal form of her body. Zelda was left being plunged into fog, then a consuming darkness that was broken only a faint sound and a vague glimmer of light.

"-da. Zelda."

"Zelda. ZELDA!" Link pleaded, his voice growing hoarse from repeated prayers and saying her name.

Her blue eyes fluttered, then blinked open, regaining focus on his face. "Link?"

"Oh, thank the Goddess Hylia," he croaked, pressing his forehead against hers. "You've been unconscious for over an hour."

"An hour?" she whispered incredulously. "What happened?"
"You had a panic attack, hyperventilated, and passed out. I wasn't able to rouse you. Nothing that Fi recommended had any effect. You didn't stir." Worry covered his features, and large beads of sweat trickled down his face.

"I'm okay," she protested, trying to sit up. "I think I feel a bit better now."

"Don't move too fast," he ordered, pressing his lips against her forehead, then resting his head on hers again. "Just let me hold you and know that you're okay."

She couldn't find it within herself to argue, and allowed him to hold her tight as a wave of dizziness washed through her. Her emotions swirled from the vision she'd just experienced. There was no way to describe it as anything other than a vision. She'd been unconscious in Hyrule, and had spoken to her long-dead mother. Yet somehow, she felt more at peace than she had since entering the castle. The presence of her loved ones' spirits were nearly palpable in ways she'd not felt before. It was far from the place she'd once called home, but that didn't matter. She wasn't alone, and like her mother had said, she never truly had been, though it had felt that way at the time.


Link insisted that they eat and allow her to rest before they left the sanctum. Zelda allowed him to fuss over her, keeping mostly quiet. There were many rooms still left in the castle that needed to be cleared, and she was in no mood to argue. Goddess only knew, stress was already high enough for the young couple. She cuddled close to him on the bedroll, sighing softly and gazing into the crackling fire.

"What is it, love?" he asked, concern creeping back into his tone.

"Just remembering the vision I had while I was unconscious."

He laid still, processing what she had said. "You had a vision?"

"I did," she confirmed, explaining the details..

He listened, asking a question for clarification when needed. Conversation died out for a few minutes after she concluded before Link finally asked, "Are you going to be okay when we get to the rooms your parents used?"

Zelda was quiet for a long moment. "I think so, but I can't really say with any degree of certainty."

"I think you should let me handle anything in those rooms," Link stated, rolling onto his side to gaze at her. "Alone."
"No," she shook her head. "There's no reason why I shouldn't at least make an-"

"I don't think it's wise to plan otherwise," he interrupted. "You have no way of knowing for sure how you're going to react."

She huffed and looked away. He was right, though she wasn't eager to admit it.

"Zelda… I have a question I need to ask you," Link gently turned her head to look at him. "What's going to happen to those rooms when we move back into the castle?"

"I hadn't given much thought to it yet," the princess admitted.

"Would you consider using the royal bedchambers for our rooms, once they've been renovated?" he prodded.

She fell silent, mulling over his suggestion. It made sense, in all practicality. Her mother had passed years ago, and now that her father was gone too, there was no need to preserve the rooms as a shrine in their memory. She opened her mouth to respond when pain shot through her back and abdomen. An involuntary cry escaped from her lips and she curled around herself.

Link bolted upright. "Zelda! Are you okay!?"

She whimpered and forced herself to nod, feeling the all-too-familiar pain settling in. "Remember how I mentioned that I hadn't had a monthly in a while?" she bit out.

Her husband's face flushed and he nodded. "I-is that what it is?"

Her pained expression said it all.

"That might explain why you passed out earlier," Link pieced together. "What can I do?"

"There's nothing to do at this point," she said through gritted teeth. "I've got what I need to take care of things. It should last for a few days then leave."

"Are you going to be capable of fighting?" he asked.

"Of course," she snapped with more venom than she intended. "I'm not a child. I've done many things while suffering my monthly. It's hardly been an issue before."

Link sheepishly backed away. "I didn't mean to doubt you, love. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," she grumbled, rolling over to face away from him.

"... so, I take it that intimacy will have to wait until that's over, right?"

"LINK!" Indignation flooded her voice.

"Sorry! Just thought I'd ask."

"Cuddling is fine. Anything beyond that, you'll be handling yourself."

"Understood, princess." Link's arm gently slid over her waist and he brushed a kiss against the back of her neck. "If you need anything, let me know. I love you."

"Love you too," she whispered, doing her best to block out the pain so she could drift off into a restless sleep.


Despite her protestations, Zelda was not feeling well the following morning. Pain was intrusive, and she had little left to cope with it. Link could do nothing more than gently cuddle her, whispering soft words of encouragement in an attempt to soothe her. Fi did nothing to help matters, making her appearance just after the couple had finished a light breakfast.

"Master Link, the monsters within the castle remain a threat. Lingering in one location for more than a day is ill advised."

"You think we don't know that?" Zelda snapped at the spirit. "We're not merely going to sit back and do nothing. Allow us a few minutes to pack up our items before moving on."

"Zelda," Link warned quietly. "There's no need to be angry. Fi usually states the obvious."

"Well, it's not helpful at the moment. Being needlessly rushed on when we were already preparing to do so is… it's annoying!" the princess huffed.

"Love, don't be rude. Please," he pleaded. "I know you don't feel good but that's no reason to-"

"Don't tell me what to do or how to behave," she snarled. "You may offer advice but I am my own person, capable of choosing how I wish to conduct myself, and I would thank you to remember that!"

Anger flashed in Link's eyes. "Still, it's no excuse for you to snap at those helping you. I'm still your husband, not some nobody you can order around at will. I thought that meant something."

Hurt covered Zelda's face, and she turned away from him, silently fuming.

"I wasn't finished, Princess," he bit out. "Fi might not be capable of feeling emotions but that doesn't mean you shouldn't apologize."

"Apologize for what?!" She crossed her arms and glared at him. "For being frustrated at being told something we already knew?"

"You were rude! Not just to her but to me too." Link pointed out. "Pain doesn't give you the excuse of treating people unkindly."

"I wasn't—," she began, slowing when she saw him raise an eyebrow and she sighed. "... I was, wasn't I?" she acknowledged.

He silently nodded.

Her arms dropped to her sides and she looked away, her anger fading. She'd forgotten how volatile her temper could be when she was in pain, and it was only heightened by the fact she was under a lot of stress. She took a deep breath and faced her husband and the spirit floating silently behind him. "My deepest apologies, Fi. I didn't mean any offense."

The spirit ducked her head in acknowledgement but didn't say anything.

Zelda swallowed hard and approached her now-silent husband. "I'm sorry, Link," she whispered, gingerly stepping into his arms for a hug. "I wasn't thinking clearly. I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know. You're forgiven," he answered, smoothing her short hair while she pressed her head against his chest. "We do need to move on though. I've gotten fond of sleeping in a real bed beside you, and the castle is currently lacking that."

"Not just sleeping," Zelda quipped with a small smile.

"Well, no, but I'm not going to focus on that when you're dealing with womanly stuff," Link pulled away and busied himself with packing up their few belongings.

She nodded slowly, wrapping her arms back around her waist. Guilt was creeping in and settling, despite the apology she'd given.

"You wanted to do the royal suites first, then head towards the lockup?" Link asked, oblivious to her internal struggle.

"Yes," she answered automatically.

"You're going to be okay with what we talked about last night?" he prompted.

"No. I'm going with you. If there's any issues, I need to be there to back you up."

He sighed. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Be that as it may, I don't feel comfortable just letting you do all the work," Zelda protested. "We don't even know how many monsters are in those rooms!"

Link silently gestured to Fi.

"There are five Lizalfos, four Moblins, and seven Bokoblins occupying the suites that once belonged to the king and queen of Hyrule," the spirit informed them.

"See? That's more than you can handle on your own!"

"No, it's not. I've killed more than that in a single day many times over while I was strengthening myself and preparing to rescue you," Link pointed out.

"We'll see how it goes when we get there," she said authoritatively.

He didn't argue, allowing her to guide them through the winding hallways to the royal wing. The main door into the suites was hanging off the hinges, allowing a glimpse inside the rooms. Zelda's breath caught in her throat.

Floating scraps of fabric atop the windows gave a haunted feel. Broken pieces of wood and stone furniture littered the floor. Grunts and snorts from the monsters, both seen and unseen filled the room. One of the Bokoblins caught sight of the Hylians and blew a horn, alerting all in the room to their presence. A pair of Lizalfos charged at the door, with three Bokoblins at their heels.

Link drew the Master Sword, stepping in front of Zelda. "Grab your bow. Let's take them out!"

Zelda's hands shook as she pulled her bow off her shoulder and nocked an arrow. She drew it back, and released the string, giving a slight shriek when it flew harmlessly over the shoulder of the approaching monster. "No… dear Goddess, no," she whispered, yanking out another arrow from her quiver.

Link made short work of the Lizalfos, focusing on the trio behind them. An arrow nicked his ear, settling into the Blue Bokoblin's rib cage. He felt blood trickle down his neck from the minor wound, but couldn't dwell on it. He dodged left to avoid being skewered by a spear, and he swung his blade, swiftly removing it from the monster's hand. A third arrow clattered to the floor beside him, coming up well short of its intended target. He couldn't turn from the onslaught of enemies, so he shouted over his shoulder. "Zelda! Just wait outside for me!"

The pale, shaking princess fumbled and dropped the Sheikah Slate, unable to keep her grip on it. Her legs gave out, and she crumpled to the floor, her breath coming in uneven gasps. Clutching the slate in her fist, she forced herself to crawl just outside the door where she wasn't visible to the enemies. Pressing her back against the cool stone wall, she dropped her head between her knees and silently trembled. Monsters overrunning the room she'd sought refuge in with her mother when she was a young child. Her monthly curse draining the strength from her. The stress of fighting day in and day out. It was all too much for her. Tears streamed down her face as she listened to the sound of combat within. Everywhere she turned in the castle was a reminder of what she'd lost. Family. Friends. Servants. Her home was in ruins. It was enough to bring anyone to the end of their strength, and she prayed aloud, allowing her broken words to echo and ring through the empty hallway. "Goddess above, hear my cries! Aid us while we rid our home from these vile creatures! Fortify us! I grow weary… so weary," she wept. "Grant your Hero the courage and strength to overcome these adversities, and please, Hylia… I need your wisdom and peace to set things right within my kingdom again."

No audible answer came, not that she expected one. Inside, Link had heard the vague sound of her voice amidst the chaos of battle but had no time to think about it. His skills were put to the test, facing so many enemies in rapid success, but Fi proved her worth, keeping him constantly apprised of where they were. Numerous attempts were made by the monsters to flank him, to catch him off guard, but to no avail.

A snort from behind him caused him to whirl, automatically launching a spin attack that sliced the Moblin off his feet. A second jab from the sacred blade in the monster's chest eliminated the threat. "How many more, Fi?" Link panted.

"Two Bokoblins remain," she replied. "They have taken refuge on the far side of the chamber, and are armed with bows and shock arrows."

"Perfect," he grumbled, sheathing the blade. "Well, two can fight with arrows. Why haven't they attacked yet?"

"They did not wish to harm their comrades."

"... but they're not truly sentient." Link couldn't understand it.

"While they lack what you would define as sentience, they are not entirely without wits as you have previously surmised," Fi explained.

"What are they hiding behind?" the Champion asked, changing the subject.

"One chose to hide behind a broken pillar, the other behind the corner of the bed. They seek to create an ambush when approached."

The tired knight pulled his bow off his shoulder and reached into the quiver for a shock arrow. "Which is closer?"

"The one on the left, Master."

"They'll know death, and then we're going to rest," Link stated darkly, leaving no room for discussion. "Zelda needs it. I need it after all of this."

"Very well, Master Link."

He was incredibly thankful for his lightness of foot as he crept forward. It wouldn't take much to catch the attention of the monsters in the now quiet room. No sooner had the thought crossed his mind when his foot hit a loose chunk of wood, sending it across the floor with a loud clatter and grabbing the attention of both Bokoblins. Biting back a groan, he dodged the first shock arrow, rolling to the side before sending one straight back. The Bokoblin howled as the shock overtook their body, and their bow dropped with a clatter. The second drew back an arrow aimed at the Champion, but it flew high. Link growled under his breath as the first snatched up its bow while he was distracted killing the second one with a regular arrow to the heart. His reaction time was faster, and the second Bokoblin vanished like it's companion.

"All the monsters in this room have been eliminated," Fi commented. "The Princess fares poorly. Her energy and spirits are low. Rest is recommended, for the sake of recovery."

He nodded wearily. "Is she still outside?"

"She remains near the door. No other monsters occupy this wing of the castle."

Link dropped his pack near the dusty fireplace with a grimace and slowly made his way to the doorway.

Zelda was curled against the wall, facing away from him in a fetal position, whispered cries and sobs pouring from her lips without pause. She gave no indication she was aware of his presence, startling hard when his arms curled around her from behind.

"Easy, Zelda. It's just me," he comforted her. "Come on. Let's go inside and rest."

Her legs shook and refused to support her weight as she tried to stand. "I can't," she whimpered brokenly.

"Then I'll carry you." His own weariness forgotten, Link gently scooped her into his arms and carried her inside. He cursed his lack of foresight in not preparing the bedrolls, but given how she clung to him, he doubted it mattered.

Zelda's eyes darted through the room, as if expecting an apparition to jump out and frighten them. "They're dead, aren't they?" she asked.

"The monsters are all dead," Link confirmed as he sat down by his pack, keeping her securely in his arms.

"Nobody's here but us," she murmured, mostly to herself. Her arms curled around her legs, and she dropped her chin onto her knees. "It's okay, Zelda. Nobody's going to hurt you. Nothing's going to scare you. The monsters are gone," she repeated, as if trying to soothe a child, rocking herself back and forth slightly. "Nothing's going to hurt you."

Link hugged her as tightly as he could against his chest. The stress of everything had gotten to his young wife, and there was little he could do to fix any of it. But that didn't stop him from doing the one thing he could. He kissed the top of her head, then her forehead and repeated the words her mother had said in the vision that morning. "You're not alone, Princess. I'm here. You're never going to be alone again."

It wasn't enough to stop the memories from resurfacing, nor was it adequate to calm the panic that came from knowing the future of Hyrule rested on her shoulders. But at least it was enough to soothe the heart of the exhausted princess enough for her to drift off to sleep, cuddled against the shoulder of her beloved knight.