ooh. been a minute, huh?
this is for zelink fan 354 on, specifically. I had seen their comment and frankly, I didn't know if I could do it! it was too soon in the story at the time, I felt. AND I already made let's make an oath, and it's hard to repeat tropes for me. but I wanted to see if I could. and 13k later, I guess I can. ha!
this is part 4 of the hyrule world tour series and takes place after wrap me in wonder, just fyi!
edit: I changed the title, sorry! it was chafing, you know - didn't fit as well as I wanted, haha. this was my first choice when I was deciding on a title and I should've followed it! the title is now from the same song I used for wrap me in wonder - bury me by duendita. once again, a very Them song in my opinion.
anyways, onward and upward.
The catalyst is a quick conversation – something so small and easily forgotten, compared to, well…everything.
"Zelda?"
Link thought his voice sounded ridiculously loud, breaking the heavy silence of the cavern they were in. The only noise that had filled the emptiness came from the grunts of their large buffalo carrying their supplies, the drip of water hitting stone, and the soft burbling of the stream they'd been walking along. The glow of luminous stone made the cavern feel otherworldly and made the hair on Link's neck stand up in apprehension as they traveled deeper and deeper beneath the earth.
He didn't really know why he had called Zelda's name; they were resting, for the moment, and his eyes wandered around with his thoughts, eventually landing on Zelda as she kneeled to take a drink from the stream. She looked tired; they've been down here for a couple of days so far, and Link had no idea just how far they had to go. Her dreams had been increasing, have become more intense, and it doesn't look like it will get better the further they go.
Link wasn't sure what to expect from this, but he was…worried. He did his best not to show any of it, but it sat in his chest like a stone. He's wondered what would happen, after this – what they would do, once they followed the call of Zelda's dreams and found…whatever was looking for them. Whatever was waiting for them.
Link remembers promising Zelda just this spring, that whenever this unfinished business came to a head, they would face it together. He just wasn't expecting that time to come so soon.
"Link?"
He looked up, eyes automatically finding Zelda's, and every thought he had slithered out of his head, water from a sieve.
"Are you alright?" She asked, cocking her head to the side. "You look kind of funny, and not in the good way. Do you not feel well? We can rest if you need it."
"Um –"
He wracked his brain. He really didn't know what he wanted to say to her when he called her name. Wait – that wasn't true. Link has so much that he wants to say to her, all the time. It doesn't even have to be anything important; Link just likes talking to her. He likes knowing her thoughts. And he's worried, because – because he always wants to have her around to talk to. He wants to always have stupid debates about food, and someone to laugh with, someone that will roll her eyes whenever he makes a stupid pun. He always wants to walk with her, and he's so – he's so scared, deep down, in a place that he doesn't even want to look at – that something could go wrong, and she wouldn't be with him anymore.
The drip of water against the stones sounded unbearably loud, mocking him; making his worries ring louder in his head the further they go. He tries to shake it off. Tries to stay focused.
"I…I'm fine." He answers slowly, but he must not have sound confident enough. The concerned frown didn't leave Zelda's face, and he raised a reassuring hand. "I am, I promise. I just –"
He hesitated. What could he say? "I was thinking. There's something on my mind. And I guess I have a question to ask – an important one – but…I don't really know how to word it."
That was the truth, at least; he did have something to ask her. But he doesn't have the words just yet.
But his mouth runs anyway – always running, always making up for lost time. "I don't – you don't have to answer now. Since we're…um."
The lights of the luminous stones reflected in Zelda's eyes, giving them a faint glow, and Link shuffled in place, trying to get his words together. "But, um –like I said. It's important. I think. So I just – I wanted to ask if – if you, um -"
"Link."
Zelda had wiped her hands off on her trousers and rose from her crouch, lips curved in an indulgent smile. Link automatically felt his muscles relax as Zelda moved into his space, reaching out to cradle his face in her hands.
"You said it was important, your question?" Zelda asked, and he nodded. "Okay. Then –"
She smiled. "You should ask me later. Since it's something important to you. When we – when we go back home, then you can ask me. Okay?"
She brushed a thumb across his cheek, and Link couldn't resist the urge to turn his face into her hand, even though he knows they should probably keep moving.
"Okay." He says softly. "I'll ask you when we go home."
When, she said. When they go back home, not if. It was so small, but Link noticed it, and he appreciated Zelda's confidence all the same. It bolstered him, and helped him put his worries aside, because worrying wouldn't do anything. He had promised Zelda that they would face whatever was waiting for them together, and no matter what, they would see this through and come out on the other side.
He pressed a kiss into Zelda's gloved palm. "I'm ready to keep going, if you are."
The fumbled conversation slipped his mind as they continued down the unknown path, Link helping Zelda up onto the buffalo before they carried on following the stream. It stayed in that spot, in the cavern by the stream, forgotten as they delved further into the dark. Forgotten, in discovering rocks and ruins and temples, art telling stories of years past.
Forgotten, due to the discovery of streams of Malice – something Link thought he would never see again.
Link doesn't remember that moment again for a very long time.
-o-
They are gone for days searching the underbelly caverns of Hyrule Castle, discovering their long-forgotten secrets.
Later – much later, after Hyrule Castle is nothing more than pieces of broken stone, a crater in Central Hyrule – Link wakes up slow.
Sensation comes back to him slowly, and he wants to groan as it does, but he feels weighed down. Everything hurts; there's no part of him that doesn't ache, especially his arm.
His arm.
His right arm throbbed so much that the pain took his breath away; he pried an eye open, just to make sure there was still an arm to use, and saw it wrapped in bandages from his elbow to the tips of his fingers. The memories returned to him in a wave, crashing over him –
The waves of Malice that swamped the empty cavern. The corpse at the center of it all, the source of the Malice, head thrown back in an eternal scream. Sunken eyes that burned with a hatred so strong and familiar – eyes that Link thought he would never have to stare into again. The hand, glowing a familiar otherworldly green – his hand –
The look on Zelda's face, as the rocks gave way beneath her feet.
Zelda's voice, calling out his name.
Zelda –
Where was she?
Panic sent his heart-rate skyrocketing, his breath catching in his chest, and Link forced himself to wake, muscles screaming in protest as he tried to sit up. He had to go, he – he had to find her, he –
"M-Master Link!"
A calloused hand pressed against his chest, holding him still, and the warmth of skin against his was so startling that he stilled immediately. "You can't move!" A familiar voice says, not a hint of a stutter to be found; that's how Link knows it's serious. "You were so injured, both of you – lie down, please!"
Where was he? He needed to focus.
Awareness creeps in, his senses stretching beyond the panicked beat of his heart in his ears. He feels the softness of the mattress beneath him, and the blankets wrapped around him. His vision focuses, and he can see the familiar wooden walls and floors, the fire crackling in the hearth. He was in one of the few guest rooms in Impa's house.
Link was…in Kakariko?
Kneeling at his side, Paya looked at him with concern, hand still pressed against his bare chest. There were bags under her eyes, like she hadn't slept in days, and Link wondered how long it's been. He needed to know.
Link opens his mouth. Closes it. Licks at his dry lips and tries to find his voice. "…How long -?" He started to ask, raspy, but Paya quickly cut him off to answer.
"You've been asleep for – for the last four days. You showed up here almost a – a week ago."
That was one question answered. But now more stood in its place – one important question that stood out above all the others. "Where – Zelda? Where – where is she?"
The tense lines around Paya's eyes softened somewhat, and she smiled, just a little. "She's right here, Master Link." She said softly. "Right next to you. Here, lie down. You – you still need to rest."
Gentle, she pushed at his chest, encouraging him to lie back down. Link gave into her silent urging slowly, trying not to wince as he sank back into the pillows. He turned his head slightly, just enough so he could see –
It was just like Paya said. She was right there. Right beside him, this whole time. How did he not notice?
Zelda was lying next to him on the bed, just a few inches away. She was as stripped down as he was, with bandages wound around her arms, around her chest. Her hair was freed from its braid and curled around her cheeks, and though dark circles bruised the skin under her eyes, she was – fine. She was bandaged and bruised, but she was alive.
The tension and panic that tightened his chest loosened, and Link tried to fight the prickle of tears in his eyes, relief crashing over him so fast he felt lightheaded.
He had despaired over how unfair it was, deep in the underground – how he had sworn, he had promised her that they would face what waited for them together. A promise he was forced to break, dragged away kicking and screaming – leaving her to face the source of Calamity alone all over again.
But she found him. All on her own, she found him, and now –
Link wanted to wrap Zelda in his arms, hold her close and feel her warmth against his own just to reassure himself that she was here and living. But he didn't want to aggravate her wounds. The most he could do to satisfy that urge was inch his hand across that small space between them and hook his pinky around hers, holding on. It would have to be enough for now.
"Master Link." Paya called softly, requesting his attention. She didn't speak again until he turned his head to look at her, blinking slowly. "Lady Zelda won't wake up for a while yet, I think. So…so just – rest. Rest, for now. Okay?"
That sent a fresh stab of worry through Link's heart. "Is she -?"
"She's fine. She's just – she's just tired. She was the one who – who carried you here, from – from the –"
Paya gestured vaguely out towards the direction of the castle – where the castle used to be. "She just needs sleep. And – and so do you!"
Wiping her hands off her trousers, she rose to her feet. "I'll leave you for now; it's the middle of the night. I'll – I'll let grandmother know you woke up in the morning. Okay? Go back to sleep."
Link looked at the chair that Paya had been sitting in before sliding his eyes over to the Sheikah girl. "…Thank you."
She frowned a little, confused. "For – for what? I didn't really –"
"No, you did. You - you stayed with us. I wouldn't have – I would've freaked out if you weren't here. Thank you."
A light blush dusted her cheeks, and she smiled at him, nodding slightly as she nervously fiddled with her fingers. She quietly wished them goodnight, slipping out of the room and closing the door shut behind her, and Link immediately turned his head back towards Zelda. The fire crackled, the soft noises filling the silence as Link watched the rhythmic rise and fall of Zelda's chest as she slept.
Lying there watching Zelda sleep, Link could feel nothing but gratitude. Gratitude that Zelda was safe, that they somehow made it out of this alive, that the dreams that have been dogging Zelda's steps for the last year will finally stop. Past the crackle of the fire, the wind blew around the house, making the wood groan slightly, and Link wondered how long they were gone. It had been late autumn, when they left – nearly on the cusp of winter. It didn't feel like they were gone for very long, but he wasn't sure.
In her sleep, Zelda sighed quietly, and the sound pulled all of Link's attention back to her. His eyes kept roving over her face, going back to the dark circles again and again. She just looked so tired. It threw him back to when he first spirited her away from the castle after they vanquished the Calamity – or what they thought was the Calamity – when she fell asleep and didn't wake for days and days.
Link hoped he didn't have to wait that long again; he wanted to see her open her eyes as soon as possible. He wanted to hold her. He tightened his pinky, still hooked around hers, and forced his breathing to stay even. It was easier when he decided to match Zelda's breathing, following the slow rise and fall of her chest. Eventually, his eyes started to get heavy – and he fought it. He didn't want to go to sleep yet. He wanted to stay awake, just in case – just in case –
But his body didn't seem to care about what he wanted. He was asleep in moments.
-o-
Link didn't know how long he slept, but it was deep and healing.
Sensations drifted in and out – soft, but not obtrusive enough to wake him; a warm damp cloth at his chest, hands gently changing his bandages, the scent of lavender as fingers combed soap through his hair. He felt Impa's hand, too, once – he could recognize it anywhere. Soft and warm, brushing his bangs away from his face before pressing against his forehead, his cheek. Unconsciously, he turned into it, that warmth.
His dreams were aimless and jumbled. There was nothing worrying or foreboding to be found here, not anymore; here in his dreams, there was just a riot of sound and color, scenery that he's seen, places he's traveled to, blending into one mass. Throughout it all, there was one constant –
Zelda.
In every dream, she was always there. Smiling at him and grabbing his hand, holding it tight.
Link wants to be able to hold her hand forever.
-o-
He wakes up because of the intense feeling of being watched.
Link is usually able to ignore it, when he was being watched; months on the road can do that to you, and if he didn't work to discern that the eyes on him were a curious fox instead of a sneaky bokoblin, he never would've been able to get any rest. But this – this he couldn't ignore. The feeling was weighty, expectant, and it made his skin prickle. He had to wake up.
Reluctant, Link pries open his eyes.
The first thing he registers is that the room was dark – and a little chilly. The fire that kept the room warm had died down to embers, bathing the room in the faintest glow. The wind outside howled, and Link vaguely wondered if it was storming outside. A cautious shift let Link know that he could probably move, if he wanted to; he didn't feel as much pain as he did when he woke up the first time, putting aside the stiffness in his muscles from lying in one position for so long. The room was empty, from what he could tell, but he could feel it, still – the eyes on him.
Slowly, Link turned his head.
And he stared into Zelda's eyes.
His heart kicked loudly in his chest when he saw that she was awake – Zelda was awake - but the elation in his heart quickly sank into his stomach when the dying firelight revealed the tear tracks on her face. Link coughed quietly, working his dry throat to speak. "Zelda," he rasped, "are you okay? What's wrong?"
As soon as the words left him, he wanted to cringe. What a stupid thing to ask; there had been plenty things going wrong for the last few days. Who would be alright after all that? Maybe this was why he didn't talk as much before – he was always putting his foot in his mouth somehow.
Zelda's breath left her in a shaky exhale. "Link?" She asked quietly, trembling. "Are you – are you okay?"
It took Link a second to register the words that just came out of her mouth, and once they sank in, he had to stomp down the urge to burst into incredulous laughter. After what they – what she went through, she wants to ask after his wellbeing?
"I –I should be asking you that." He says in disbelief. "Especially after – oh –"
Link's brain stuttered to a halt as more tears slipped down her face, and he felt so helpless – more helpless than he's ever been. He always felt like this; Link never knew what to do when she cried.
"Zelda, it's okay." He tried to soothe. "I'm right here. It's okay. Don't cry."
"I'm trying." She blubbered. "Bu-but I can't stop. I'm sorry. I'm really tired."
She raised her hands with a wince, lower lip trembling as she swiped at her eyes, but it was just as she said – the tears just wouldn't stop.
"I looked for you." She wept. "I really, really did. I was so scared, I thought – I thought you –"
Link couldn't stand to see her cry anymore – couldn't bear it. He would do anything to stop it, and with a grunt of effort, he pushed himself onto his side. "Don't move!" Zelda scolded through her tears. "You – you're injured, I don't want you to h-hurt yourself even more–"
"It's fine." And it was. He felt so much better than he did when he woke up the first time that he barely registered any pain, if there was any. He's dealt with worse injuries, anyway.
"Zelda." He says. "Come here. Please?"
He held out an arm in offering, and Zelda set her jaw, sniffling as she slowly rolled onto her side before carefully shuffling that small distance across the bed into his arms. The feel of her skin pressed against his, her warmth sinking into him, immediately brought tears to his eyes. Link wrapped his arms around her shoulders, held her tight to him, and Zelda's hands clutched at his back as they hugged each other as tightly as they could.
"I know you looked for me." He said into her hair. "I don't doubt it – because I was looking for you, too. After we were – were separated. And you found me, didn't you? You found me."
Zelda let out a low sob, curled into him and buried it in his shoulder. "I did." She agreed wetly.
"And we took care of it together, didn't we? Just like I promised."
"Yes. We - we did."
They didn't speak for a moment, the occasional sniffle from Zelda breaking the silence. Slowly, Link traced the tips of his fingers across Zelda's shoulders, her back. Lightly, carefully, he felt the softness of her skin, the texture of the bandages, and his heart dropped further at each one.
"…Zelda?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry."
Zelda stiffened in his arms at his apology, pulling back to stare into his eyes. Her eyes roved over his face, where Link knew his remorse was plain to see, and she shook her head. "Link-" She started to say, but he couldn't stand for it.
"No, no…Zelda, I have to apologize, I –"
A lump grew in his throat, closing his throat shut. "I was really scared." He choked out. "I had – I swore we'd stay together this time. And I couldn't even keep that promise. When we – when I couldn't find you, I thought –"
During those days of his mad fight to find Zelda, Link was more scared than he had ever been. He had been terrified that the one fear that caused him to storm Hyrule Castle before he was fully ready would come true. That he would be too late this time.
Link didn't know he had started crying until he felt Zelda's hands on his face, wiping away the tears. "Sorry." He croaked again. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to leave you alone. I'm supposed to protect you – keep you safe."
"We keep each other safe." Zelda corrected him softly. "And it's alright – it's alright," she stressed when Link began to open his mouth in protest, "because we – we succeeded in the end. You still kept your promise."
"Just barely."
"But enough that it still matters." She sniffed. "I was scared. When I found you again, I –"
Her voice cracked, and she stopped talking, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks, across the bridge of her nose. It broke Link's heart, and he thought of something, anything that could brighten her spirits.
"Well," he says slowly, "at least something good came out of this."
His words stopped her crying somewhat, and she stared at him, perplexed. "…Aside from facing the true source of the Calamity for the past ten thousand years?"
"Aside from that." He smiled a little. "We finally got to tear the castle down. Just like you wanted."
Zelda stared blankly at him. Link continued to smile, waiting.
A loud snort burst out of her, and Zelda clapped a hand over her mouth as she dissolved into laughter. She tried to turn away and hide her face even though they were pressed so close, and Link wiped away the stray tears that still slipped down her face despite her laughter.
"I-I guess we did, didn't we?" She choked out. "B-bomb runes would have been better, but – this was more effective!"
Zelda sighed and sniffled as her laughing fit calmed down, and even though her eyes were still red and swollen, there was a smile on her face – which was infinitely better than tears.
"I love you." Link tells her, just because he wants to, because he can. Because he was afraid that he would never get the chance to tell her he loved her ever again.
Her amused smile melted into something softer, her hands cradling his face once more. "I love you, too." She replied, her thumbs brushing against his cheeks.
They just stared at each other after that, and Link watched Zelda's eyelids slowly get heavier and heavier, blinking slowly as she tried to stay awake. "You can go to sleep." He reassures her. "It's okay."
"But I'm not tired." She protests, very obviously lying as her eyes drift shut again. Link loves her so much it makes his chest hurt.
"Yes, you are." He says, so fond. "If we sleep more, we'll heal faster. I'll be here when you wake up."
"Do you promise?"
"I do."
"Alright." Zelda gave in easily, wrapping her arms around his neck and snugly tucking her face into the crook of his neck. "Alright…"
Link could feel her breathing even out against his skin as she drifted off to sleep, and he tightened his arms around her. He absorbed every bit of this moment, soaking in the sensation of Zelda, warm and soft and alive in his arms – and he was so grateful.
This time he didn't fight it, when sleep finally came and pulled him under, and with Zelda finally back in his arms, he slept better than he has in days.
-o-
After that, well –
They heal. They go back home. Life goes on.
That isn't to say things are perfect, once they return to their home in Hateno; Zelda's dreams are no longer Goddess-touched, but that doesn't stop her from having regular nightmares. And there are still some days where Link wakes up in the middle of the night, heart pounding as he reaches out to remind himself to stay in the present – that Zelda was here with him and hasn't been taken away.
The destruction of Hyrule Castle has set any hopes of reconstruction work beginning in Central Hyrule back by a lot, an addition to the growing pile of tasks they had to deal with as they worked to help rebuild Hyrule. But that was fine; it gave them something to do – something to keep them occupied in the coming years. Besides, it was far, far down the list of other things they were focused on; trying to build a new foundation after abolishing a centuries old monarchy was taking all their effort, anyways.
There was barely any complaint when Zelda decided to officially dissolve the monarchy, but before their journey underground there had been plenty of chafing on trying to figure out something to replace it that could work. Eventually they figured something out, separating the land into their own distinct countries – but then that leads to redrawing borders, and who is in charge of what province, and does Lurelin want to stay as part of the Necluda region, or does it want to become its own country -?
And then there was the issue of the Divine Beasts.
Zelda hated the thought of leaving them as they are, untouched and abandoned. She believed that they could do some good for the land, helping the people and speeding up the reconstruction process. The Sheikah were in her corner, but everyone else…it would take time, to warm them up to the idea.
All this to say that…they were very busy. There was so much ahead of them to keep them occupied, and then when one issue was resolved, ten more rose up to take its place.
Who could blame Link, for taking so long to realize?
-o-
He finally remembers the conversation two years later, on a muggy summer night.
It was too hot in the house to relax, even with the night upon them. The windows were opened so air could circulate inside, but the house still felt stifling. Zelda suggested that they just go outside for a moment to try and cool off. Link agreed wholeheartedly, and as Zelda went outside, he cut up a couple of hydromelons and placed the pieces in a large bowl so they could have a snack that would help cool them down. The grass is cool beneath his feet, and sunset fireflies lazily drifted around, the flowers in the yard swaying with the light breeze.
Link sighs in relief at the temperature difference, taking a second to enjoy the wind brushing against his sweat-damp neck. Then he began his search for Zelda, walking around the house until he found her by the pond out back. He had rounded the corner just in time to see her nightgown flutter onto the grass, almost dropping the bowl he was carrying at the line of her bare back before she jumped into the pond.
He tries not to look too flustered as he approaches the pond, setting the bowl aside so he could sit and place his feet into the water. There's no reason to be flustered, he tells himself, absently grabbing Zelda's discarded clothes to fold them up. In the past couple of years, he's seen plenty of Zelda – and yet here he was anyway, feeling like the flustered boy he was years ago when he first told her he loved her.
"Link?"
Cool hands brushed against his knees, and Link was pulled out of his head to stare into Zelda's bright eyes.
She smiled at him. "There you are. Are you going to come in here with me?"
"You just want to get me out of my clothes." Link teases her.
Zelda doesn't even try to deny it. "Would that be so bad? It's so late, now - no one else is here."
"And here I thought we were just coming outside to cool off."
"We are." Zelda flicks some water at his shins. "This is just me taking that extra step – you know, like we always do."
"Hmm…" Link cocked his head to the side. "Maybe later. Right now, I brought a snack."
He held up the bowl of hyrdomelon, and Zelda's face brightened at the offering, eagerly grabbing a piece for herself. The air was full of the sounds of summer as they ate, the cries of crickets, frogs, and the occasional call from an owl. Eventually, Zelda moved so she could press her back against the side of the pond, keeping one arm wrapped around his calf as he handed her melon slices. Above their heads there was a waning crescent moon, and Link felt so peaceful that he never wanted to move.
As Link licked the sweet melon juice off his fingers, his eyes began to wander – and as his wandering eyes always do, they end up landing on Zelda. The little light that the moon gave brushed over her wet hair and shoulders, giving her a faint silver glow, and she looked happy, the overheated flush gone from her cheeks. The curve of her bare shoulder just peeked out of the water, and in the dim light, Link could see it – the pink scar that he knew started at the top of her shoulder and traced down to the middle of her back. Even though it was long healed, that it doesn't bother her anymore, it still makes him ache, the fact that she got hurt.
He was pulled back to those chilly days underground, fear of what awaited sitting so heavily on his shoulders that he felt weighed down. He remembered – he remembered – that there was something. There was something important, but he –
It was that same feeling, from when he was running back and forth across Hyrule, trying to find the scraps of his memory. A prickle at the back of his head, a feeling washing over him that was akin to déjà vu. They were down in the caverns, walking among ruins – they were resting together by a stream, the light coming from ores of luminous stone making the space feel unnatural, and he had said – he said –
"Zelda."
She hummed in question, turning towards him a little, but just saying her name made everything click into place.
I guess I have a question to ask – an important one – but…I don't really know how to word it.
When we – when we go back home, then you can ask me. Okay?
That's right. That's right.
He had wanted – he didn't know. Link had been so apprehensive in the underground that he'd been too scared to pinpoint what he wanted, because what if they never got out of here?
But they did. They got out. They came back home. And Link has been thinking.
It comes and goes, these thoughts, but they always pass him by in the peaceful moments. During the mornings when Zelda wakes him up with a kiss, or when he wakes up before her and gets to watch her sleep. Every time they kiss, every time she laughs at his jokes, or when they travel, and her eyes light up when they stumble upon something new. It's during those moments, every time, that Link thinks to himself –
I want it to be like this forever.
And it could – couldn't it?
"Link." Fingertips pressed against his cheek, and Zelda was staring up at him, amused. "You were gone for a bit." She says. "You called my name. Were you going to say something?"
"I…"
His lips parted slightly, and he stared hard at her face, searching for something. And then his mouth is moving before he could think.
"Have you ever thought about getting married?"
Link didn't register what he said until it was out there, hanging in the air between them, but once he heard it – it was like something slotting into place. Even though his heart was racing, he wasn't scared. It made sense. It felt like they would always end up here.
Yes. Yes, this is right. This makes sense.
In the water, Zelda stared up at him with eyes as big as the moon. In the faint light he could see it, slowly crawling across her collarbones, up her neck – a bright pink blush.
"I –" She sputtered, pulling her hand away from his cheek to press it against her face. "I, uh – what – what brought that question on? This is so sudden."
She looked so cute, wide-eyed and flustered, and Link had to work hard to not laugh at the expression on her face. "I dunno." He shrugs. "I've been thinking about it for a while. Sometimes. Have you?"
She can't not have; they live together, they share everything, do everything together. When Link looks ahead, when he thinks about the rest of his life, he can't imagine it without Zelda by his side.
"W-well –" Zelda ducks into the water a little, embarrassed. "If you must know, then – then yes. I – I have."
Link couldn't stop his smile if he tried. "How long?"
"What?"
"How long have you thought about it?"
"Oh, I don't know!" She bursts out. "A while. I mean – it would make sense. Wouldn't it?"
It would – it's the only thing in the world that makes sense, for him. "It would." He agreed.
"It all feels like a formality, at this point – we're practically married already, honestly! But I think – I wouldn't mind it if we had a ceremony. And a party. I'd – I'd be happy to."
A party…Link could almost see it now – a small gathering, all their closest friends around them. It didn't feel hazy around the edges, like most dreams do; this was clear and concrete, sharp at the edges. This was something well within reach. "Me, too." He says softly. "I'm sorry for startling you. I just – I've wanted to ask you for a while. But I didn't know how." Which was mostly true.
"It's fine." Zelda was still pink all over, but her shoulders relaxed some. "It was just – your question was very sudden! Should I expect a ring hiding at the bottom of our snack bowl?"
"Huh?!" Now it was Link's turn to flush to his hairline. "I – no! I was just – just asking! So we could be on the same page! That's all!"
"Oh. I see, now." She grinned up at him. "I guess I should expect a surprise in the near future?"
Zelda's flustered air had vanished, replaced with a new lightness he hasn't seen before, and now it was Link's turn to feel shy, squirming in place as she got close to him, rising out of the water. "I…I guess so."
Her teasing smile had softened some, and Zelda cupped his face in her hands, moving forward until she was standing between his legs. Link tries to picture it – a ring made just for her, sitting on her finger. He feels a little lightheaded at the thought, the idea that it could happen any time and she would be fine with it – joyful, even – it feels like a dream.
"I always love your surprises." Zelda tells him softly. "I look forward to it. Whenever it happens."
She was magnetizing; the light in her eyes, her smile – Link could never resist getting pulled into her orbit. He leaned in eagerly when she gently pulled his face to hers, hands automatically finding their home on her waist as she slotted her lips over his. Slowly, Zelda wound her arms around his neck, and Link was so caught up, so distracted by warm skin and lips and teeth and tongue –
That he wasn't prepared for Zelda pulling him into the water.
He broke the surface of the pond sputtering, and Zelda's laughter rang brightly into the night air.
-o-
Once Link got the okay that he could propose to Zelda at any time, he couldn't stop thinking about it.
He was obsessed; he wanted it to be perfect, no matter what. This is more than when he planned Zelda's new birthday, or when he took her on the journey that led them here in the first place. This is asking Zelda to spend the rest of her life with him. This is binding her to him under the eyes of the Goddesses.
This had to be something memorable. A day she would never forget.
So before he knew it, he was getting plans in order. Even though Zelda knows about his intentions, he's sneaky about it, regardless.
The first thing he does is buy the ring.
He dresses up for a trip to Gerudo Town, making excuses to Zelda and getting caught up in receiving goodbye kisses before he finally warps to the desert. Link already has an idea for the ring he wants to commission, has been picturing it in his head for weeks – a shining gold band, with a gem as green as her eyes. Nothing too ostentatious.
He was worried that the jewelry shop wouldn't have a supply of the gems he was hoping for. Zelda had explained it to him, how they didn't have any ore in Hyrule that produced emeralds, so merchants would source the gems from other countries.
And then the Great Calamity happened.
So Link walked into Starlight Memories with tempered expectations; it's been over a hundred years, and it's highly possible that the gems he wants are no longer in stock. It would make sense; he's sure outsiders wouldn't try to brave a Hyrule ravaged by the Calamity. He was prepared, though; he had a backup plan, just in case what he hoped for couldn't work out – sapphires would work just as well, and he had plenty of those.
But something out there was looking out for him – perhaps it was the Goddesses.
"Link!" Cara happily cries out. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"
"Sav'aaq." He greets her with a little wave, and Cara smiles indulgently at his accent. "Can I commission Isha for something?"
"Of course, as long as you have the rupees!" She laughs. "What is it?"
"It's – um." He knew his veil wouldn't hide his blush, and he shuffled in place. "Um…you know. A ring."
"A ring?" Cara cries out, eyes growing wide. She whirls around on her heel and cups her hands around her mouth. "Isha!" She hollers. "Isha, come here this instant!"
"What do you want?"
"Link wants to commission a ring!"
There was a loud 'crash!' in the back room, and Link wanted to melt into the ground as Isha barreled into the room, disbelief clear on her face. "What?!" She gasped. "A ring! Link! Are you finally asking for that lovely vai's hand?!"
"Uh –" he squeaks, "…yes?"
Cara claps her hands in delight as Isha throws her hands up. "Praise be to Din and the ancestors!" She cries out. "It's about time! By the sands, Link! I'll make whatever you need – a ring! Goodness!"
Link couldn't stop himself as he covered his hands over his burning face. "Is it really that big a deal?" He asks between his fingers.
"It's so obvious, how much you love that girl." Cara says. "Half the merchants in the square thought you were married already! We're not trying to tease you – we are just happy for you."
"We are!" Isha confirms. "Now – tell us about this ring, and we'll go from there."
His face was still a little heated, but Link pulled his hands away from his face to describe the ring that he wanted, moving quickly to placate them when the women frowned a little at the mention of the jewel he wanted. "It's okay if you don't have it." He reassures them. "I've brought some sapphires with me, just in case –"
"No, no." Isha cuts him off distractedly. "I think – just a moment. Cara, if you could -?"
"Ah, yes. I'll help."
She turns on her heel and retreats into the depths of the store, Cara quickly following her, and all Link could hear for a few minutes was the sound of wooden boxes scraping against the floor. He shuffled in place, waiting, and there was a grunt and creak of wood as something was pried open, swiftly followed by a triumphant laugh.
Cara returned to the front, a pleased smile on her face. "We can make the ring." She confirms. "Exactly how you want it."
Link's heart swooped. "You – really?"
"Yes! We had to check to be sure, but we still have a few of the gems you want in supply – just enough, I think."
It was hard to believe. It was ridiculous, how lucky he felt. "Th – thank you." He stuttered out. "How – how long will it take?"
"Oh, give us, hm…about a week? You don't need it any time soon, yes?"
"No, no, I'm just – just preparing."
He paid his commission fees and was promised that it would be finished by next week, and he felt like he was floating a bit as he left the shop.
Now that the ring was taken care of, there was just planning…everything else. It felt a little daunting; Link knew that he could just propose over breakfast and she would light up with that smile he loves so much. But it has to be special.
He'll take her somewhere, he decides. The day he proposes, they'll make a day of it; they haven't been able to really travel in a while. They do visit the settlements and Kakariko to talk over reconstruction plans, but that wasn't the same as when they were just…traveling for them.
So, that's what he would do. He'll take her somewhere, spend the day exploring, just the two of them, and then –
Then he would ask.
-o-
In the end, Link doesn't put his plan into action until winter.
It was an agonizing test of patience, once he got the ring; he was ready to ask her that very day, the minute he walked into their home. But he refrained.
He didn't think it would take him so long to decide on when to ask, either, but with every idea he thought up, every possible option, every location he had taken her to before he quickly shot down, feeling that the location just wasn't – it didn't fit right.
In the end, he decided to take her to the Great Plateau.
Link has never returned to this place since his awakening; he's heard through others that some work has been done to try and repair the place, but neither he or Zelda have been there since their defeat of the Calamity. It feels fitting to him, for some reason – to have this moment in the place where his journey began.
He dressed warm and warped to the plateau just to see if what he heard was true. It was surprising to see the stairs leading into the Great Plateau cleared of the rubble and dirt that blocked it, and when he went to explore the Temple of Time, the empty Guardian husks had been cleared away. The temple was still emptied inside, the ground covered with soft green grass, but the roof had been repaired, protecting the inside from the elements. Here, he decided – here is where it would happen.
They wouldn't head here right away, though; he would take her somewhere else for the day, and then they would come to the plateau. And then…he'd finally ask her.
He'd give himself a week – that should be enough time to gather everything he needs to prepare. Link nods to himself, determined, and heads back to Hateno in a whirl of lights.
During that week, he sneaks around just a little more. Zelda has to be onto him by now with how often he's leaving the house – willingly! In the cold! But she never calls him out on it - well. That's not entirely true.
She did mention it once.
"You've been going out quite a bit." Zelda casually mentions one evening while she was brushing her hair for bed. Link bashfully looks down at the drawer he was rifling through, slowly picking up a nightshirt.
"I have." Link agreed, voice muffled as he pulled his shirt on. "I've been pretty obvious, haven't I?"
"Just a little bit." Zelda says, teasing. "What do you have up your sleeve this time, Link?"
She cuts him a look out the corner of her eye, a little smile on her face, and Link has to actively remind himself that just because she would say yes if he proposed right now doesn't mean he should and mess up all his hard work.
"I wanna take you somewhere." He finally tells her. "I can't tell you where, though – not yet. It's a surprise."
Zelda's smile widened a little more. "Another surprise! Will it be worth braving the cold?"
"I think so."
"Then I can't wait."
When the day comes, it comes clear and bitingly cold, and Link wakes up before the dawn. He needs to, if he wants to make sure everything is set up on the plateau. So he quietly slides out of bed, checking to make sure that he doesn't wake Zelda with his movements, and goes downstairs to bathe and dress. Once dressed, he doubled back to be completely sure that Zelda was still asleep, and then hooked the slate onto his belt, silently stepping out into the pre-dawn light.
Link returns home in time to wake Zelda with kisses, laughing at the way her nose crinkled when his cold cheek brushed against hers. "Why?" She whined, and another laugh slipped out.
"It's time to wake up!" He says. "We're going out today."
He could see slivers of green as she pries her eyes open to glare at him – but the effect is lessened by her fluffy, sleep-mussed hair, curling around her cheeks. "Does it always have to happen so early?" She huffs.
Link folds his arms on the edge of the bed and rests his chin on his arms. "Yes. Because we've got a ways to go." He explains. "But I think you'll really like it."
"Oh, really?"
"Really-really. You usually like the places I take you, but I definitely think you'll like this one. See – I was looking at the map on the Sheikah Slate a couple weeks ago, and I noticed something north of Hyrule Forest. There were these ancient ruins, and I've never been to them – and I think we should spend the day looking at them."
Her ears twitched a little, and Link knew Zelda's interest had been piqued. "…Are they more ruins from the Zonai?" She asked slowly.
"I'm not sure. The map only says they're the Thyphlo Ruins – do you wanna go check them out?"
He knew he had her when she quickly sat up in bed, eyes wide with curiosity.
Link made Zelda a quick breakfast while she was getting dressed, and once the food was gone, they were on the road, warping to the shrine closest to where the ruins are located before making the rest of the trek on foot. They made their way west, huffing and puffing as they slowly made their way up the rocky hills, heading towards the rocky outcroppings that circle the Great Hyrule Forest. The land below them stretched on and on, parts of it still dotted white with recent snowfall, and where Hyrule Castle once stood, only a few of the stone pillars that surrounded it remained – the only reminder that there was once a castle at all. The brisk air slowly helped Zelda wake up further as they climbed, and eventually she started talking.
"Is this the reason that you've been sneaking about so much?" She asks, reaching out to grab his hand.
Link hummed. "It's part of it."
"Only part!" Zelda tilts her head back and laughs to the sky. "Where are we going after this?"
"I can't tell you." He smiles at her. "That's the part that has your surprise."
She made a face at him in return, but he knew that she was excited for whatever was in store for her today – which was great for him, in his opinion.
They used their paragliders to get ahead when they could, wind whipping through their hair as they soared over the rocks. The Great Hyrule Forest hovered at the edges of his vision, the pink blooms of the Deku Tree peeking out over the thick fog that hung over the forest like a shroud.
Link knew they were close to their destination when Zelda made a soft sound of surprise, pointing at something nearby. Upon inspection, it was a mossy statue, carved into the likeness of an owl. There were other statues like it, further down the hill, and to their right, there was a stone bridge that led…somewhere, the area covered in a shadowed dome.
Zelda's hand slowly wrapped around his arm as they neared the bridge, and her skin shimmered some, at the sight of the tainted bog that surrounded the dark forest. They started to cross the bridge, and Link opened his mouth to ask her if she would be alright, but it was quickly forgotten as Zelda made a startled noise and everything went black.
His vision adjusted slowly. Just a few feet away, he could see a lamp in the shape of a bird, a flame burning brightly. His other senses sharpened to make up for his lack of vision – his ears picked up the sound of night creatures, crickets and owls, even though it was in the middle of the day, and he could feel Zelda's hand, gripping tightly at his arm.
"Well," she said, her voice an octave higher, "I'm assuming that…this is a trial, then?"
"Most likely." Link agreed quietly, fumbling around until he could place his hand over hers. "There's probably a shrine at the end of this, somewhere. I guess we'll find out if they're still active after…after everything."
"Yes."
They didn't move yet, the two of them pressed close in the crushing darkness. The proximity to the bog was still making Zelda's skin flicker with light, so Link knew they would have to start moving soon.
"I didn't know it was going to be so dark, though." He said, apologetic. "I'm sorry."
Even in the dark, Link could picture the incredulous expression on her face as she turned to look at him. "Why on earth are you apologizing?"
"Because it's too dark to see the ruins!"
"A little darkness isn't going to stop us!" She huffs, letting go of his arm. "Come on – grab a torch from the slate. I'll use this one over here."
Zelda scooped the torch that was offered off the ground and held it to the flame, her face bathed in the warm orange glow. "We'll just have to stick together." She says as Link lights his own torch. "It'll be good that we have our own torches – that way, if something happens and we…we have to fight…at least one of us will still have one lit."
"Yeah." Link adjusted his sword belt. "Do you want your bow?"
"Probably for the best." She says. "It's always good to be prepared."
He held onto her torch as she grabs her bow and quiver from the slate, staying attuned to their surroundings as she got herself ready. "Alright," she says, taking her torch back. "Let's…let's go in."
With his hand freed, Link reached out into the dark to find Zelda's hand, lacing their fingers together and giving it a squeeze. "We're staying together." He promises, and she makes a little noise.
"Together." She says in response.
And then they run into the dark.
-o-
Rising to the challenge that the Thyphlo Ruins offered wasn't as daunting as they feared, but it was exhilarating all the same.
It was easy to get turned around in the dark, occasionally stumbling into a chest they've already opened, or running into a dead end. Link knew they needed to find more of the bird lamps to continue to light the way, but they weren't that easy to find. And the challenge only increased when they stumbled upon a flock of keese, or a pair of wolves, their eyes glowing an unnatural green in the darkness. They were able to find a way to examine the ruins as well, which was the entire point of Link bringing Zelda out here, anyways. Their combined torches created enough light to be able to see, and Zelda was delighted when she was able to decipher enough of the stone designs to make a conclusion that these ruins also came from the age old Zonai.
"It's so curious!" She cried out as they lit another lantern. "I know that the Zonai were thousands of years old – older than the Sheikah! – but with the shrine being tucked away in these ruins, I wonder…"
"Maybe they're just using the ruins as a hiding spot for the shrine?" Link guessed. "This is a pretty good place for a trial."
"It's a possibility." Zelda concedes. She continues to think aloud as they walk, lighting any more lanterns that they can find "But it also makes me wonder if the pasts of the Zonai and the Sheikah are more entwined than I thought. Perhaps –"
"Hold that thought."
Link holds out an arm, bidding her to pause. Zelda instantly fell quiet, and Link's ears twitched as he caught the guttural snores on the wind. Somewhere ahead of them, there was a Hinox – possibly the last hurdle they must overcome to find the shrine.
"There's a Hinox nearby." He explains in a whisper. "Get ready. Okay?"
He could hear the rustle of clothing as Zelda readied her bow, and Link quietly pulled his sword from his sheath before they quietly crept ahead. Sure enough, Link could make out the massive form of the Hinox, sprawled across the ground – and the orb meant for an altar tied around its neck.
It would be a pain, having to take down a Hinox in the dark – but it's not the worst thing in the world the two of them had to face. They could do this.
And they did.
Link, at this point, was tired of fighting; after the things he's gone through in the past couple of years, he figures anyone would be tired of fighting, if they were in his shoes. But it was a little easier with Zelda at his back, firing arrows into the great beast's eye whenever she saw an opening. Together, they were able to take down the Hinox with little issues, and Link scooped up the glowing orb to place it into the altar that had to be nearby.
They found it eventually, and the ground beneath them trembled as the shrine slowly rose out of the ground, the lights on the stone glowing a dull orange – still active.
Link's heart sank into his gut at the sight, and he let out a shaky breath. There's no way – even after everything they've done? Their work still isn't finished?
"Link."
Zelda grabbed his hand, held it tight. "Link, I know what you're thinking." She began, soothing. "I know, and I promise you – our work is done. There is nothing more for us to do."
"Then –" he croaked, "then the shrine – so why –"
"Our work may be done," she says, "but the monks – their task isn't."
Link thinks of the monk waiting for them in the shrine ahead. Of all the monks, that have waited for thousands and thousands of years – for him. Guilt fills his gut at all the other shrines he's left unfinished – all the monks he's left waiting, unable to rest, their duty unfulfilled – and he squeezes Zelda's hand. It – it makes sense. The dread leaves him slowly, and he lets out a soft sigh.
"Okay," he breathes, "okay."
He takes one step forward, and then another.
"Let's…let's go get our blessing, then."
-o-
It was sunset when Link warped them to the Great Plateau, the sky beginning to turn blue with the encroaching dusk. Zelda made a confused noise when she took in their surroundings, taking Link's offered hand as they stepped off the shrine platform.
"The Great Plateau?" She asked. "What are we doing here?"
"I wanted to look around." He explained. "I haven't been here since I woke up…and I wanted to see what changed, since I heard that people were able to access it and start doing repairs."
Link cuts a side glance at Zelda, a smile teasing at his lips. "Your surprise is here, also."
"It is?" Zelda's confusion melted away, replaced by excitement. "Really?"
"Really!" Link laughs. "It's over at the Temple of Time."
"Well, then let's go!"
Zelda quickly leads the way, pulling them into an eager run towards the temple, and Link laughs again, even though his heart is starting to race. He should feel nervous, but when he tried to look for it, there isn't a trace of it to be found. When the steps leading to the temple neared, Link was feeling as eager as Zelda.
He watched her eyes rove across the scenery as she took in the empty spaces where Guardians used to be, and her eyes were soft with melancholy, a nostalgic smile on her lips. "I remember so many trips that my family made to the Temple of Time when I was a girl." She tells him. "To be back here after so long…"
She sighs. "It's…not like it was. But it's still standing – that means something."
"It does." Link softly agrees, giving her hand a squeeze. "Come on."
The statue of the Goddess Hylia stands tall at the end of the room, bathed in shadow, and in one of the corners there's –
"A camp?" Zelda asks. She looks over the large tent with a perplexed eye. "You – is that the surprise? We're camping here?"
Link shakes his head. "That's not the surprise. We are camping here, though – just for the night. Your surprise will come later."
Zelda pouted at him as he led her to sit near the small bonfire that was waiting to be ignited. "How much longer am I going to have to wait?"
"Not that long." Link brings her hand to his lips to press a kiss to the back of her hand. "Just be patient a little while longer, okay? Are you hungry?"
Soon, he had the fire crackling and a blanket wrapped around Zelda's shoulders, looking through the slate to find the food he prepared before this trip. Zelda's eyes grew large as the dishes appeared – all of them Zelda's favorites. "Goodness," she whispered, "this is…Link, when did you find time to make all this?"
"During all my sneaking about." He smiles a little, handing her a fork. "Ready to eat?"
"We're not making plates?"
"Why bother? We'll eat what we can and save the rest for when we get home."
Link didn't realize just how hungry he was until the first bite of food hit his tongue; they had missed lunch, during their foray into the Thyphlo Ruins, and his hunger let itself be known, rearing its head. They didn't talk much as they ate, Zelda occasionally breaking the silence to compliment his cooking and how good everything was, and Link tried not to squirm with pleasure each time.
"Oh, that was good." Zelda sighed, placing her fork on one of the half-eaten platters. "Thank you for cooking all this, it was delicious! And all my favorites! What did I do to deserve all this?"
"You didn't do anything." Link mumbled, setting his fork aside. "I just – I wanted to."
"Mm." Zelda stared at him, eyes half-lidded. "Are you cold? Come here –"
She held open the blanket, beckoning Link closer until she could wrap it around his shoulders and pull him in, pressed against her side. Zelda sighed in content as she snuggled into him, staring into the fire with a little smile on her face. Outside, the nightlife was starting to come alive, filling the empty space in the temple with their cries.
"Do you know what I realized?" Zelda suddenly asked. "I realized that – that it's been quite some time since we've been able to travel like this. I know we go and visit, you know – the settlements, and all that, but that's for – that's for rebuilding efforts. It's not for us."
Link hummed. "I realized that, too. It's kind of why I set this whole trip up. We just…haven't been able to be out like this in a long time."
"I didn't realize how much I missed it."
Pressing her cheek against his shoulder, Zelda gave Link a smile. "Thank you for doing all this – today was fun!"
"Even fighting the Hinox?"
"Ah – well. I could've done without that part, but – it wasn't too bad. Because we handled it together."
Slowly, Link smiled back at her, and then leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead. "Night's not done yet." He says quietly. "Would you like your surprise, now?"
Link jerked back in time to avoid Zelda's forehead slamming into his nose as she quickly sat up, eyes bright and eager. "Yes!" She says happily. "Yes, I would!"
"Okay. Come on –"
He wriggles out of Zelda's grip and hops to his feet, offering his hands to help her up. After putting the leftovers back into the slate, Link leads Zelda to the tent, pulling back the flap and gesturing for her to go in first. Zelda gives him a look, the weight of her gaze lingering as she enters the tent – and she gasps. It was soft, but to Link, it echoed into the air.
His pulse was loud in his ears, and Link worked to keep his hands steady as he pulled a small, velvet bag from the slate before following Zelda into the tent.
Inside, the tent was glowing.
Link had decorated the space with string lights, the fairies he painstakingly caught floating languidly in the glass jars. Around the large bedroll, there were dozens of flowers, their petals glowing softly – blue nightshades and silent princesses. Zelda took it all in with a hand to her heart, mouth dropped open in shock.
"Link." She says, breathless. "I – what's all this?"
"It's part of your surprise." He answers, surprised that his voice didn't betray how shaky he suddenly felt. "I have the other part here, but – you have to close your eyes. Okay? Just for a second."
"Okay…" Her shoulders lift a little as she tightens her grip on the blanket still wrapped around her. "They're closed."
"Okay. Okay."
Link upends the velvet bag and lets the ring inside tumble into his hand, attached to a long, golden chain. He had asked Cara to add a chain, when he arrived to pick the ring up, so that Zelda could have the option to wear the ring as a necklace when she needed to. Because Zelda is always getting into something, always going out into the world, and reaching out to improve it with her own hands, and Link doesn't want anything to happen to something so important. He knew she would be so upset, if the ring got lost somehow – so he took that little extra step, so she wouldn't have to worry.
With shaky hands, Link undoes the clasp on the necklace, and takes a step forward until he's standing at Zelda's back. He brings the chain overhead, carefully clasping it and letting it go, the clasp bumping against the nape of her neck. Zelda's breath catches in her chest, and Link steps back, just a little. "Alright." He says, hushed, as he slowly gets down on one knee. "You can open your eyes, now."
Link would never forget the look on her face, when she turns and sees him there, down on one knee. The glow from the decorations he set up were nothing in comparison to the light that filled her eyes, the ring he made for her clutched in her fist.
"Link." She says again, her voice barely a whisper, and suddenly he feels like crying.
"Zelda," he starts slowly, "a couple years ago, when we – when we were traveling beneath the castle…I called your name. I said I had a question for you – an important one – but I didn't know how to say it. Do you remember?"
Her eyes filled with recollection. "I…I remember."
He lowered his head a little, exhaling slowly. "It…took me until only recently," he admitted, "but – I finally know what I wanted to say. I know what I want to ask you."
Link raises his head, eyes bright and determined. "Can I ask you now?"
"Yes." Zelda answers in a rush, nodding eagerly. A smile was growing on her face, wider and wider, and Link couldn't resist smiling in return. Her mounting joy was contagious.
"I thought that – that the Great Plateau would be a good place to ask this, since it's – it's where everything started for me. I know you said it was practically formality," he says, "but…I wouldn't mind it so much, either. I want – I want to make a home with you. I want to rebuild Hyrule with you, and travel to every corner of the land with you and have you by my side in everything. I want to spend every moment in this life with you, and if I'm lucky enough to be born into a different life, I'm certain I'll find you again. I love you so much."
Link says it loudly, declares it happily – he states it with a smile. Zelda sucks in a breath, reaches for him with her free hand, and he holds onto her eagerly.
"I love you so much, and I'd be so lucky to be yours forever. Zelda. Will you marry me?"
Zelda let out a laugh that sounded more like a sob as she slowly sank down until she was kneeling on the ground with Link. She let go of his hand to wind her arms around his neck, and pulled him in, closer, closer, until they toppled back onto the bedroll with a loud 'fwomp'. The heavy quilts fluttered around them, but Link paid it no mind as Zelda pressed kisses to any bit of skin she could reach.
"Is this – is this a good response?" Link stuttered out, and Zelda laughed into his ear.
"Mm-hm." She hummed. "Yes. Yes! Link, I really, really want to marry you."
Even though they talked about it, his heart skipped all the same. She told him months ago that she wanted to marry him, that she's thought about it, but to hear her accept his proposal –
Link wound his arms tight around her waist and buried his face into her shoulder. His vision swam with tears, and he sniffled a little as Zelda held him just a little tighter. "That's good." He croaks. "I know we – we talked about it, and I knew – I knew you'd say yes. But I'm still so relieved. Is that silly?"
"No." Zelda laughs. "I don't think it's silly at all."
He was loath to separate from her, but Link pulled away regardless, pushing up onto his elbow to stare at her. Zelda beamed up at him, incandescent with happiness – literally, in her case, a faint golden glow humming beneath her skin, and it made Link's heart swell, seeing that light. He always felt like that, during those moments where he made her so happy, she started glowing – like it just couldn't be contained.
"I love you so much." He tells her again in a quiet tone – because he wanted to. Because he can. Because he's going to spend the rest of his life with her. "Sometimes I don't know what to do with myself. I don't know how I can hold it all."
Light as air, Zelda brushed his bangs out of his face, her free hand automatically finding the ring he made for her, brushing her fingertips across it. "I feel that way, too." She murmurs. "All the time. I love you so much, some days I think I might burst, because of it. I'm so happy."
She cradles his face in her hand, glows a little brighter. "I'm so happy I get to spend every day with you."
Zelda beams at him, bright and golden and perfect, and how could Link ever resist dipping down and kissing his adoration into that smile? He can't.
It is an urge he gives into happily, and Zelda receives him with open arms.
-o-
They decide to marry in the spring.
They had a hard time deciding on a location for the wedding, at first – should it happen in Hateno? Kakariko? – but eventually they decided to have the ceremony in Tarrey Town. They asked for Impa to be the one to officiate the ceremony, and the Sheikah elder was so honored that she cried.
The ceremony was small, their closest friends the only guests, and they made sure the decorations weren't too extravagant. The remaining winter months felt like they passed in the blink of an eye, amid all the planning, and still working on reconstruction efforts on top of that. When spring eventually came around, well –
Link didn't know what to do with himself.
The ceremony was due to start any minute. He was standing before the Goddess statue now, resisting the urge to wipe his clammy hands onto his trousers. To distract himself from his racing heart, Link looked around at the guests milling about, at the decorations draped around the town square.
"Link!"
A cool hand landed on his shoulder, and Link looked up and up into Sidon's smiling face.
"You look like you're going to pass out." He said warmly. "Worry not, my friend! Everything will be fine."
Link relaxed a little at Sidon's reassurance, and he exhaled slowly, pressing a hand to his chest. "I have no idea why I'm so nervous." He admitted softly. "I don't think she's going to change her mind, or anything."
The Zora shrugs. "Sometimes, nerves don't make sense. Everything could be going just as you want it, and yet they appear anyway."
He wasn't wrong there, and Link sighed again, adjusting his tunic. They both decided that they didn't want to do anything extremely fancy, when it came to clothes, so Link was dressed in the nice blue tunic he had bought years ago, the white embroidery still bright as ever. He wondered what Zelda was going to wear; he'd think she'd look beautiful no matter what, but he was excited to see regardless.
There was a slight hush in the small crowd when Impa appeared, resting on Paya's arm as she made her way towards the altar where Link stood. She smiled when Link offered his arm to escort her the rest of the way and pat his hand in thanks when he helped her sit on the chair that was set out for her.
"We'll be starting shortly." She tells him. "Are you ready?"
"Yes." Link responded instantly. "But I also feel like I'm going to throw up."
Impa laughed loudly, slapping at her thigh. "Wedding jitters!" She cackles. "Everyone has to deal with it. Once you see her, you'll forget why you were even nervous."
He hoped so; his heart was beating so fast, he was afraid that it would burst from his chest.
It took him a second to notice that the crowd had fallen silent, the sound of Kass' concertina filling the air. He jerked his head up, eyes wide, and –
And there she was.
She was wearing blue, he noted absently – the blue dress he had bought her for her birthday. Her hair had been pinned up, and Link could see that someone had braided flowers into her hair – white and blue blossoms he couldn't recognize and a couple silent princesses. Zelda beamed at him, clutching at a small bouquet as Paya walked her to the altar, and Link felt all the nervous energy leave him in a rush.
Why had he been so anxious? His nerves felt so far away, now.
Link held his hands out to her as soon as she was within reach, and Zelda giggled lightly, handing Paya her flowers and pulling her into a hug before placing her hands into his. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her if he tried, and Link listened with half an ear as Impa sat up a little straighter, clearing her throat.
"Good afternoon, everyone." She says, a wide smile creasing her face. "Today, we've gathered here to bind our dear friends, Link and Zelda, in holy matrimony. Now – before the ceremony, our bride and groom took the time to prepare their own personal vows. Link, if you're ready, you can begin."
Link breathed in slowly, brushing his thumbs across Zelda's knuckles as he thought on his words. He's had his vows ready for weeks – read them so much that he feels like they're forever imprinted on the back of his eyelids. It was too important – there was no way he was going to mess this up.
"Zelda," he starts slowly, "I'm really happy that we got here. The two of us, we – we've been through a lot, haven't we? More than a regular person could handle. But through it all, I was able to face it, because – because I have you by my side. When it comes to what's out there in the darkness, the Goddesses couldn't give me a better person to face it with."
Squeezing his hands, Zelda gives him a watery smile. He has to take a second to compose himself before he could continue.
"Zelda, before the Goddess Hylia, I promise that as your husband, I will always protect you. I'll always be there for you to make you smile, and to comfort you. I can face anything in this life, so long as I can hold your hand through it all."
He nods determinedly, jaw set against the tears prickling in his eyes, and Zelda laughs a little.
"Zelda?" Impa says. "Whenever you're ready, you may say your vows."
"Ah –" Zelda's voice cracks a little, and she clears her throat. "I…When I first met you, all those years ago, I never – I never thought we would end up at this moment. I'm sure others didn't see this coming, either! But I've never felt so lucky, to be able to end up here."
"Link," she sighs, "you're my cornerstone. I can always trust that whenever I fall short, or stumble, you'll always be there for me, waiting and keeping me steady until I can stand on my own again. And I hope – I hope I can be the same for you, too. Before the Goddess Hylia, I promise that as your wife, I will always keep you safe. You'll always find a home in me. As long as I'm with you, you'll never want for anything. I'll love you for the rest of my life, and long after it, too."
It was so quick, that if Link didn't have all his attention focused on Zelda, he would have missed it – a flash of gold light, sparking over their joined hands and quickly fading away. Tears beaded on Link's lashes at the obvious message that their union was Goddess-blessed, and he couldn't let go of Zelda's hands if he tried as they turned their heads towards Impa.
She smiled at them, eyes shining with tears. "Link, Zelda – friends and guests - with the blessings granted to me by the Goddess Hylia, I present to you our newly married couple! The Goddess bless you, and keep you, and give you nothing but bliss in your marriage. You may now kiss!"
Link didn't need to be told twice, and he yanked Zelda in by their joined hands, her laughter ringing in his ears, clear as a bell. She eagerly met him halfway, arms winding around his neck as his wrapped around her waist, and the cheers and clapping from the crowd felt so far away as his new wife kissed him with so much joy that he was dipped back a little. He kissed her again, and again, before picking her up and spinning her around, holding her tight as giggles spilled out of the both of them.
Flowers rained down around them, blue and white petals settling on their shoulders just for a moment before getting scattered by the wind, and the light of the sun overhead could barely touch the radiance of Zelda's smile, and it was beautiful.
She was beautiful.
It was bright.
-o-
The end of their wedding day found Link and Zelda by the Goddess statue, swaying back and forth in each other's arms.
It had been a long, long day of celebrating, filled with food and music and dancing. Lots and lots of dancing. But Link didn't mind it; he liked dancing, and he liked it even more when he was dancing with his new wife.
His wife – it still felt surreal. All day, he's been looking at Zelda, and every time he was filled with a sense of awe, because she was his wife. She married him.
How was he so lucky?
It was evening, now, and most of the guests had started to retire for the night; Link had to return Impa and Paya to Kakariko around sunset, as the elder could only be gone for so long, and he had loathed that moment of separation, eager to return to Tarrey Town – to Zelda.
"Link?"
Zelda's voice pulled him back to the present, and he hummed quietly to let her know he was listening.
"Do you remember the last time we were here? For Hudson and Rhondson's wedding?"
He nodded, feeling only a little dissatisfied when Zelda pulled away some to look at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I do," he says, lacing his fingers at the small of her back. "We ended up right here. We were barely dancing, at that point."
"Mm. We had danced all day, it was amazing that we were still upright. Did you – did you ever think we would get here? That this would happen?"
Link stared at her, thinking about it. She was beautiful, in the light of the fire – just like that evening, too, all those years ago. Mussed and tired from dancing, but happy – still so happy. He couldn't resist leaning in to kiss her – just a little.
"No," he murmured when they parted, "I didn't expect it – but I always discover new things, when I'm with you." He shoots her a little smile, and she grins back, leaning in until their foreheads were pressed together. Link was overcome by a wave of déjà vu, then, feeling like he was seeing in double – Zelda in pink, Zelda in blue, flowers in her hair and arms around each other as they danced in their own little world.
The rhythmic sound of the water lapping against the Goddess statue filled the air, and Link barely registered that the music had stopped. Still they continued to sway, moving to their own music. "It looks like everything's winding down." Zelda notes, fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. "Do you want to go home?". And Link felt a little shiver travel down his spine, even though he shook his head in protest. "We can't go home – we have to go right into our honeymoon, don't we?"
Zelda rolled her eyes a little. "Our honeymoon trip can wait until tomorrow. Besides –"
She closed that little bit of space between him to give him a kiss – just a teasing brush of lips that made him chase after her when she pulled away. "I want to be alone with you." She whispers. "In our home – just for a little while. Okay?"
Her eyes glowed gold, in the light of the fire, and his heart felt heavy in his chest, swollen and aching. He'd give her anything she asked for, anything – he'd pull the moon from the sky, swim to the bottom of the ocean. If she wanted to go home for a while? Then that was where they would stay if that made her happy.
"Yeah." He nodded, tongue heavy and clumsy in his mouth. "Okay. Let's – let's go home."
Zelda leaned in for one more kiss, lingering, and when she pulled away, she had the Sheikah Slate in hand, pulled off his belt when he wasn't looking. She smiled, grabbing one of his hands and placing it over hers, and Link didn't look away as they left the remnants of their wedding day behind, dissolving into streams of light as Zelda spirited him away.
Guiding him home.
whew! okay! cool.
this was actually very hard to get out, ha. I'm on the tail end of a smooth depressive episode that lasted for a fun and sexy three (3) months! so writing has been a little tough. nothing has felt right. but I hope this did. I did my best, haha!
I hope everyone's been doing well. it's spring now, so hopefully my mood picks up a little bit! we'll see.
I think that's all I want to say? as usual, comments and kudos are loved and appreciated. happy easter, if you're into that!
until next time!