~Zelda~

There's a cool breath on my face.

It's him.

Somehow, I know it without looking.

There's a rustling noise, and then I feel his hands encircle me before resting on my back. As he pulls me in closer, I finally open my eyes to get a good look at him.

A content smile rests on his face, his eyes closed as he nestles into my hair and continues to draw me in. Warmth from his body seeps into mine, and for the first time I feel something I hadn't thought a goddess could feel; joy, quickly followed by embarrassment when I remember the events of the night before.

Quickly I jerk back, waking him up with a yelp in the process.

As I pull the blanket to my body and hold it tightly, he blinks rapidly before asking sleepily, "Hylia? What is it?"

Tufts of blond poke out from behind his ears, and as he looks at me with a confused expression I try hard not to avoid his gaze before muttering, "I...I'm sorry. I was just...startled."

For some reason that seems to wake up him up; instantly he leans towards me, reaching out with one hand for my cheek before stopping mid air.

"Are you okay? I...I wasn't sure if it was okay but…" he trails off, his voice growing smaller with each word as he looks at me sheepishly. When I continue to stare at him, he turns bright red before covering his face and turning away from me.

"I'm sorry!" he apologizes as I continue to stare. The tips of his ears grow red as he mutters, "Don't look at me, I'm embarrassed now."

I can feel a smile creeping onto my face at his words, and when I scoot closer towards him I see that he's hiding from me.

"Link, look at me."

"Just give me a moment!"

"But I want to see your face now," I plead, tugging at his hands. "Please?"

It's the please that gets him-slowly, he drops his hands before looking at me with an expression of utter defeat and humiliation. Biting back a laugh at the look on his face, I settle in closer to him and take his hands gently in mine.

"It was okay. Why wouldn't it be?"

As I reach for his hair and weave my fingers into the knots and tangles, he mutters, "It isn't proper you know. A man and a woman like this without courtship feels wrong; it's rarely heard of here. I feel guilty about it."

"And is that all you feel?"

He looks at me finally, and my breath catches in my throat as his eyes pierce mine.

"No, it isn't."

His lips are inches from mine as I ask, "What else do you feel?"

"Overwhelming happiness," he admits. "I think I've wanted to tell you how I feel for a long time now. And I wanted you to love me back so badly that when you reciprocated I just...stopped thinking rationally."

He moves back, and I let out the breath I was holding before smiling at him.

As he scolds himself and stares at the ground, I can't help but want to laugh.

It's incredible.

Being with him here, knowing that he could throw away all logic and reason just to be with me.

He loves me.

He loves me.

It's a feeling of ecstasy, something I never thought I could experience as a goddess.

Love.

It is a sentiment and a feeling I've heard of many times before. It had been thrown at me by disciples and priests and worshipers before, but never once was it ever given to me with depth and meaning.

He would put me before all else.

He would do the unthinkable, just for me.

And even still, the more incredible idea that I love him in return.

For a moment I hesitate, fear sweeping over me when I consider what might happen now that everything has changed.

I am a goddess, a divine being. We were never meant to interfere with the humans, to change their fates.

Have I done something wrong?

Link seems to sense the anxiety as it pulses through me, and quickly he grabs my hand, bringing it to his lips. As he gently kisses my wrist, my worries seem so ridiculous.

After all, it's only love.

What could possibly be so wrong about something like that?

I jerk awake, my heart pounding furiously as I stare up at the ceiling of the temple. As my breath slows and I shake the sleep from my eyes, I quickly try to steady myself and snap back to the present.

Since my revelation my memories have become even clearer than before, and with each intimate memory I grow more distressed at the thought of seeing Link again.

I loved him.

I still love him.

Why do I have to keep hurting and abandoning him?

Impa seems to sense my inner turmoil, but when she looks over at me questioningly I shake my head and move to sit closer to her. As she hands my breakfast, I pick at the food before glancing longingly at the door that leads to the outside.

Although I understand that the outside is still dangerous and ravaged from war, I haven't been outside in what feels like an eternity.

I'm starting to feel trapped in this temple, and while I know that I must remain inside I can't help but wonder if there is anything else I could possibly be doing while I wait for Link to open the gate and meet me.

As if she can read my thoughts, the Sheikah asks, "Would you like to hear something that you told me once before?"

"Sure."

Impa smiles before glancing at the door.

"You loved this land that you watched over, but you always felt like you were trapped and could never really see it. I once asked you how the Goddess could be trapped with the powers you possess, but you just smiled at me and said that no amount of powers or abilities could ever free you the same way your being with Link did."

I consider this for a moment before asking, "Do you think I could hear more about Hylia and the hero? I…"

Impa patiently waits as I struggle to say my next words without blushing.

"I've been experiencing some...close memories of myself and the hero. I've been feeling guilty about it every time I wake up because I know that no matter how wonderful the memories are, they all end the same way-we both died. I still haven't recovered all of that particular memory but...well, I would like to hear more from you about what you saw in your time with me."

I fiddle with my skirt, still avoiding Impa's eyes as I finish, "It would help to pass the time, if nothing else."

When I finally meet Impa's gaze, I see that she's smiling at me with a forlorn expression on her face.

"No matter what I tell you about your past, you will only continue to feel guilt," the Sheikah says with deliberation, meeting my eyes. "As much as I would love to answer your questions, I think it might be better for you to tell me more about your life as Zelda."

I hesitate, and Impa sighs before telling me, "Zelda, while I don't know everything I do know that you and Link have a complicated bond. I have watched you as both Hylia and Zelda struggle with this relationship; I have watched you suffer once before and have been watching you suffer for the last few days. Hylia cherished her time with her hero; I believe it would be better for you to tell me more about your hero so that you may do the same."

The gentle look in her eyes makes me feel better for the first time in ages, and when I think more about things I realize that the Sheikah is right.

The more I worry about things that have already happened, the more I punish myself for something that can't be changed.

All I can do now to feel free is to remember my time with Link, and to hope for a better future with him once this is all over and we're free of our duties as the hero and Goddess.

A bittersweet feeling overcomes me, and I smile before saying, "You know, Link was always sleeping. Always. I remember this one time…"