Impa and her entourage have returned to Kakariko, seeing as there's absolutely no reason for them to remain in Hateno. Impa is irritated that Zelda hasn't checked in very often (or at all really). "But I suppose it's to be expected with how busy you've been. And that terrible business with the Yiga." Zelda nods and takes the excuse.

Impa is pleased with Vah Medoh, who now sits on a hilltop over Kakariko. She's pleased with Zelda's diplomatic inroads with the cultures she's visited so far, although she does keep phrasing her praise in ways that make Zelda intensely uncomfortable. "...how you commanded the Gorons during the construction on Vah Rudania..." "...how you selected the Rito Champion..." "...how you delegated the Gorons to repair the reservoir..." She corrects Impa every time, but it seems Impa believes she's being modest.

Impa is very pleased with the mail system, as it will allow Zelda to stay in contact. And let Link send regular reports on her safety. And let Impa send Zelda guidance. Zelda is proud of how well she hides her cringe. Impa is also glad to receive her letter from King Dorephan, and Zelda accepts that praise gladly. Connecting the leaders of Hyrule is a true accomplishment.

"I have to tell her," Zelda whispers to Link. They're at Enchanted the armor shop, because Link is convinced she needs a cloak, and Claree has slipped into the back room to see if they have anything with a little bit extra embroidery, even though Zelda has expressed that that's completely unnecessary. "I feel miserable for not telling her already. It's like I'm lying to her."

"Then, yeah. Tell her."

"She doesn't deserve to be deceived. She has Hyrule's best interests at heart. And I'm certain at this point that I don't want to be queen. I don't need to be queen!"

"It's true."

"And we've made so much progress without wielding the monarchy like a club. We've already come so far."

"You're doing great."

"Surely she won't be too upset. Not if I'm clear and assertive. My reasoning is sound, and she'll have to accept the logic to it."

Link...doesn't say anything.

They have a grand dinner of stir fry and noodles, of sushi and dumplings, of glazed pears and honey-brittle, and Zelda doesn't explain her intentions to Impa. There are too many people around.

The crowd does not stop Impa from explaining how they must find a way for the Gerudo to fit into New Hyrule, they must find a way to appease the women from the desert. Perhaps Zelda could offer the chief a governorship over the desert province. If tensions are too strained, they could perhaps look into annual tithing to the crown, rather than quarterly, as is proper. At least to start.

Zelda tries to trade a look across the table with Link, but he is pointedly focusing on his noodles, which stretch and stretch from his bowl to his chopsticks.

She takes a deep breath. "Offering to allow Chief Riju governorship over a province her family has ruled for centuries would be beyond insulting. I doubt the Gerudo would be open to further dialogue if that's how we start."

"Of course, child," Impa says. "You must first ingratiate yourself as you have with the other leaders, then work up to these difficult topics. Being queen requires both a delicate touch and a firm hand."

When it comes to Impa, it seems Zelda has neither. So it's for the best that she won't be queen.

Maybe it's also best if she just leaves tomorrow without telling Impa, if she ignores everything Impa has said, and avoids the Sheikah matriarch for the rest of her life.

"I'm afraid that in my old age, I grow tired early," Impa says. "I must retire for the night."

Zelda nods and moves to leave with everyone else. "Of course. We'll see you in the morning."

"Nonsense. You will stay here as my honored guest."

Zelda and Link exchange a look.

"And, Paya," Impa calls, "will you make arrangements for the hero to stay at the inn?"

Zelda's eyes widen, but Link recovers well. "You don't have to do that. I've already got a bed on Vah Medoh."

He says that, but Zelda has no doubt he's going to spend the night on Impa's roof, watching for the Yiga.

It seems Impa has the same idea to avoid uncomfortable conversations, because when Zelda wakes in the morning, it's to find Impa has already set out to speak to Cado, and when Zelda finds Cado, he says Impa has gone to see Rola. Link drops into step next to her, and Zelda makes a cycle of the village, giving up after Rola says Impa has gone to see Olkin.

Link takes her up one of the hills to a grassy space right in front of the shrine, where they can see the whole village stretched out below them, and theoretically they can look for Impa. But if they can't find her before they leave, there's not much to be done about it. Zelda removes her coat so she's just in her red shirt and she can enjoy the sun on her arms. There's an apple tree, from which Link grabs a snack for each of them, and they sit side by side in the grass, watching the delicate movements of the village.

They're due to leave in the afternoon, when they'll warp over to Hateno and announce that Vah Medoh is coming. They should probably land the Divine Beast up at the tech lab. Maybe by the little pond just below it.

Zelda lies back to enjoy the warmth of the sun, to enjoy the heat after so many days in the chill of Vah Medoh. Maybe it's the scenery with the gentle tinkle of wind-chimes, or maybe it's the symbol of their success in the form of the Divine Beast perched across the valley, but it's the most peaceful she's felt in ages.

Link lies down too, resting his head on her belly. She threads her fingers through his hair. He threads their fingers together, extending both their arms out like a starfish in the grass. They stay like that so long, she thinks Link might have fallen asleep, but then he turns his head to nuzzle into her stomach. Her muscles jump as he presses slow kisses through the fabric of her shirt, as he works his way up to brush teasingly against the underside of her breast, then back down to just below her navel. His free hand traces her ribs. It slides down to her hip, where there's a divot in the bone of her pelvis that seems almost made for his thumb.

She closes her eyes and lets a smile rise to her lips. She tugs at his hair and enjoys the moan he lets escape. A fuzzy kind of joy washes over her in shallow waves, something that never pushes into something needy and frantic, rushing to a precipice, hurrying towards an end. She could lie back and enjoy this for hours.

All of a sudden, he licks a thick stripe along the sliver of skin where her shirt has ridden up. She gasps with a sharp spike of pleasure, her back arching, her fingers tightening in his hair, which he most definitely likes, because his grip tightens on her hip and he licks her again.

And there's that frantic feeling. She wants to grab his hair and yank—yank him where? To her mouth? To ruck up her shirt and kiss his way up? To work his way down? Goddess! Any of them. All of them.

She rolls, flipping him onto his back. She throws a leg over his chest and tosses her hair over her shoulder and pins his hand holding hers over his head. He gasps, a sudden tension in his fingers tangled in hers, a sudden tension in his stomach muscles beneath her. It's a tension that breaks as she bends down to take his lower lip between her teeth. His shoulders go slack, his arms go boneless, he lets out a shaky breath as he surrenders completely. She sucks on his lower lip with enthusiasm, enjoying the heated speed of his breathing as his lips try to chase her and his free hand gravitates to her thigh, massaging slowly higher.

A bringing chime strikes the air, and Zelda sits up to look. Paya stands on the front porch of Impa's house, ringing a large triangle, calling everyone in. Link's hand tightens against her thigh, as if he wishes to hold her there, to not let her go. He blinks up at her, then swears in understanding, his head falling back to the ground with a thump. He looks obscene spread under her. His hair out of sorts and his cheeks red. He's trying to catch his breath, but it's not working. His lip is swollen, and she watches him wet it with his tongue, then make a pained face. She reaches up to follow his tongue with her thumb, dragging it over his lip in fascination. He gives a desperate groan. His hips jerk.

It would just be cruel to leave him like this. She can pretend she didn't hear the chime.

She seals her mouth hungrily over his, pressing ever closer. Below them the triangle rings and rings.

#

She thinks they clean up rather well from their aggressive necking. His hair is sorted, and her coat is back on, and they don't look too flushed. Or at least they would look normal if Link would stop sneaking touches like he wants to curl up and snuggle for the rest of the day (which definitely are not making her blush and most definitely aren't making her giggle. She's quite sensible.) They would look innocent if he would quit looking at her with such intensity. I know what your navel tastes like. Everyone is going to know. Especially since he's holding his shoulders like he's immensely proud of himself.

On the way down the hill into town, he brushes his fingertips against hers and sneaks three separate kisses to her shoulder.

"Stop that," she giggles. Not that she's giggling.

They slip into Impa's house and pull up short, because there's some sort of meeting happening—which, of course, would be what all the triangle ringing was about.

Impa interrupts herself to demand, "Where have you been?"

"We went to the Great Fairy to upgrade the princess' new clothing," Link says without any hint of deception.

"That is hardly as important as this meeting."

"I wasn't aware we had a meeting scheduled," Zelda says.

"Well, if I could beg a moment from your busy schedule, perhaps you could shed some light on this." Impa holds up a roll of paper, marked with a blue ribbon and a silver wax seal.

"Is King Dorephan's letter surprising in some way?" Zelda asks.

"Aside from the part where he praises your wise decision to not become high queen?"

Ah. Zelda closes her eyes and lets out a deep breath. She keeps her shoulders back and clasps her hands behind her back, prepared to take Impa's tongue lashing.

"In light of this, it's clear you are not prepared to continue your diplomatic tour. You've been too unsupervised." Her eyes narrow in Link's direction at that. "You require guidance. We will return to the original plan of rebuilding Hyrule Castle."

Zelda shakes her head. "There are other infrastructure projects that are in more dire need than the castle. And we can't cut our tour short before we meet the Gerudo. They'll already feel slighted that we're visiting them last, especially with Vah Rudania and Vah Medoh up and running. We at least need to let them know that Vah Medoh is coming."

"We will send a Sheikah delegation. You will oversee the rebuilding of the castle. It's time you returned home."

"Hyrule Castle has not been my home since the moment it became my prison."

Impa ignores her. "Until it is rebuilt, you will live here. Where you can be chaperoned. You're living like a commoner. The clothes you've been wearing! And you vanish without warning or proper escort! I will not have your integrity questioned. You are the princess of Hyrule, and heir to the throne!"

"The monarchy is dead," Zelda snaps. "I am heir to a throne of nothing."

No one breathes.

Impa's face turns red, her eyes wide enough to show white all the way around. She shakes with rage so hard that the tassels on her hat wobble.

Zelda ticks her chin higher.

Impa spits out, "Leave us!" and the Sheikah hustle from the room.

"You too," she snaps, glaring at Link. "Don't think I can't see your influence in this."

Link doesn't move.

After a moment, Zelda looks over her shoulder at him, makes eye contact, and nods. Once. To which he turns on his heel and heads out the door.

Impa scoffs.

For a long moment, they stare at one another, both with narrowed eyes, neither of them relenting.

Finally, Impa closes her eyes and sighs. "I understand that the prospect of ruling must be daunting. You must feel anxious and overwhelmed and alone. But the answer is not to run away and turn your back on your country. The Sheikah are here to support you. To guide you."

Zelda attempts to match Impa's even tone, to match her calmness. Her position is, after all, born of logic rather than emotion. "Yes. The prospect of rebuilding Hyrule is daunting, and I am anxious. But you're wrong. I would never turn my back on my people. And I don't feel alone. I am confident that we can restore Hyrule to its former greatness and more."

Impa's frustration lashes out like a whip. "Then what's all this about abandoning the monarchy?"

"Hyrule has not had a ruling monarch in a century. They will not accept me as their ruler simply because I declare myself their queen."

"You are the princess. You are blessed by the Goddess. You have fought for your people. For a hundred years, you have protected them. You sealed away Calamity Ganon. If that doesn't earn you their respect, then they are fools."

Zelda shakes her head. "For a hundred years, I have been a legend. A rumor. Most of the country believes I'm dead if I ever existed at all."

Again, Impa scoffs.

"Rebuilding the castle and planning my coronation are not the most pressing concerns for the people of Hyrule. They need roads and trade and safety from monsters. They need to believe the Calamity is finally, truly at an end."

"They will know the Calamity is over when they see that the castle is no longer infested with malice, when it is restored to its former glory!"

"We should be rebuilding bridges and settlements. Not a place for me to rule over them."

"No! This is how we will make the people feel safe! With a strong leader rising to the occasion and taking control, they will feel secure. They will know they are looked after. They will know things have returned to normal!"

"Normal for you! No one else remembers! We are in a new time, a new world, and there is a new normal now. A new normal where a monarch is obsolete. I know because I've spoken to my people. I've seen them, and I've listened to them. How am I supposed to rule when I'm out of touch with my people's needs, when I'm working from a rule book from a hundred years ago? They don't need a queen, they need an organizer."

"A queen is an organizer! And the people can't tell you what they need, because they don't know. That's why they need a strong hand to guide them. They need someone wise."

"Wise like me?" Zelda asks. "Because you don't consider me mature enough to arrange my own sleeping situation."

Impa tips her head back and groans.

Again, they fall into silence while Impa closes her eyes and massages her forehead with both hands.

"You're so young," Impa says. Her voice is tired, almost resigned. "And I remember how it feels to be young and in love. As if you're the first person to discover it. But I worry for you. You have so much to lose if you give your heart away."

"I trust Link to keep it safe."

"Yes. I'm sure you do." Impa lifts her eyes and gives Zelda a long look. "He is a sweet boy. Brave and loyal and devoted. And I know the two of you have been through a great deal together."

Zelda nods.

"But with him it is forever. You must understand that. If you change your mind in a year, or two, or ten. If you grow apart. If you grow up. It will be immeasurably painful for you to lose him. And I worry for the future of Hyrule should the two of you be at odds."

Gently, Zelda says, "So you wish to keep us apart? After we've been thrown together by fate and duty and tragedy. Now when we've finally found a way to work together, you want to separate us?"

Obviously frustrated, Impa has nothing to say.

Zelda lets her posture loosen. She steps closer. "I appreciate your loyalty even after all this time. I appreciate everything you've done for Link, and by extension everything you've done for Hyrule by giving him aid. I appreciate that you care for me—I truly do. And more than that, I appreciate how much you care for the people of Hyrule. But, Impa, the world has changed. It hasn't left us behind, although it sometimes feels that way. We must adjust."

"Oh, it's that simple, is it?" Impa spits.

Zelda laughs, even though it's not at all funny. "No," she says. "It's not simple at all."

#

Zelda feels bruised and exhausted as they arrive in Hateno, and she tries to calculate how long they can hide in Link's house before they have to speak to the people in town, and how long that might take so they can get back to Vah Medoh in time. "I'm not even sure who we should speak to first," she says. "Hateno doesn't have a mayor."

"But they have a system for spreading gossip," Link says, squeezing her arm. "Come on."

They head into town and Link plants himself in the middle of the street. He immediately has the attention of three ladies loitering in front of the general store, Manny leaning against the donkey stables, two children, and an older man who considers himself the welcoming committee.

"Hey, everyone," Link says. "We've got news, if you could listen up. Yeah, gather around."

The crowd eases forward. Link gestures for Zelda to take over, and she steps forward and raises her voice.

"For the past few months, we've been taming the Divine Beasts, bringing them back online and uniting them with new Champions. Vah Medoh, the bird Divine Beast, is as we speak making a circuit of Hyrule, connecting the scattered people of the country with goods and correspondences. She will be here later this evening."

The crowd gasps. Manny clasps a hand over his heart. They all look to each other in panic.

Zelda hurries to say, "I assure you there is no danger. The Rito want to make a trade deal: Your fabric for Tabantha wheat."

"If we give them the fabric, will they leave us alone?"

Zelda startles. "Pardon?"

"When will they be here? How long do we have to gather what they want?"

"They...want to trade. They're hardly marauders come to take your resources at sword point."

"Why use a sword when they have lasers? When their mechanical monster could just step on us? Hateno's been safe for a hundred years. Why did you bring them here?"

"Hateno has also been isolated. I swear to you, the Divine Beast comes in peace. There's a young family aboard. A traveling minstrel and five children. They're here to help."

"They said the Divine Beasts were here to help last time, and look how that turned out."

"Yeah," another villager shouts. "They went bad once. They could go bad again."

"They'll take my cattle over my dead body!"

"Yeah!"

"Ready your weapons!"

Link grabs Zelda's arm, pulling her away while the crowd condenses, pulling together to all talk at once. They're discussing weapons. They're discussing hiding.

"We have to stay," she gasps, "make them understand."

One of the women turns to look at them. She narrows her eyes. The grip on her cane tightens.

Link shakes his head and walks faster. "We have to get out of here," he says.

A few more people turn and glare at them, and Zelda's blood runs cold as she agrees. "We need to warn Vah Medoh to change course."