LOVE IN A TIME OF CALAMITY
Part 2: After Catastrophe
Chapter 13: The Funeral, Part 1—Link's Duty

A big thanks to the ten reviewers of last chapter, and a special thanks to JPH3 who went above and beyond, for his extremely detailed and thoughtful comments! As promised, here's the next chapter early. Enjoy everyone!

Chapter Warnings: none

The day started early. Link was up before sunrise, giving himself plenty of time for a full morning warm-up. Throwing on a plain shirt and ratty pair of old trousers, he made his way down the hall to the double-doors at the end, nodding to the solitary guard on duty as he pushed them open and stepped out into the courtyard.

Thankfully a clean-up crew had been by earlier in the week to haul away the last of the rubble and debris, enabling him to extend his workout space to the full length of the east wing courtyard. He began as he always did: stretches, then push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups, ending with a brief jog down and back along the trail which wound around the castle cliffs. By the time he returned to his chamber just down the hall from Zelda's, the sky was beginning to lighten. He took a few minutes to wash off the sheen of sweat that had accumulated on his skin in the room's wash basin, then dressed in his freshly starched Champion's Tunic and tan trousers—courtesy of the recently re-staffed castle laundry maids. Pausing to buff out a smudge on the chest plate of his newly forged custom armor which hung regally from a mannequin provided by Zelda—an uncomfortable necessity for the ceremony—he grabbed the Master Sword where it leaned against the bedside table and headed through the door, out into the hall, and towards Zelda's room.

The sun was beginning to rise as Link replaced Zelda's evening guard, a scruffy Sheikah warrior named Dorian, with a friendly nod outside her chamber. The hall was quiet in the early morning stillness, and aside from the solitary guard at end of the hall, it was empty of any passersby. He was admittedly grateful for the man; since his recent placement, he'd been free of any giggling girls peering around corners—a nuisance he'd long since become tired of. Assuming his usual stance before her door by muscle-memory, he trained an ear towards the wood as he'd done every morning since he'd learned of her… struggles; silence emanated from the room beyond. Still sleeping.

Link inwardly sighed in relief. He'd hoped that today of all days she would get the rest she needed. She seemed to be sleeping better since he'd given her the sleeping draught, and… since they'd talked. It had admittedly been one of the more uncomfortable things Link had ever done. Despite her insistence on friendship and equality, she was still his superior, and defying a superior the way he had was a behavior which had been trained out of him long ago, despite its prominence in his youth. Openly refusing a direct order and calling into question her judgment was something he had never done, and it had been nerve-wracking to do it; but she'd needed an equal and opposite force to get her to admit to and address her struggles. Though it had been extremely… uncomfortable, he knew he had to be that force. Thankfully, his efforts had not come to naught.

In the days which followed his mind had mulled over that night many times as he stood guard outside her door. He'd been left with a niggling feeling he couldn't quite identify; but after a while, he'd come to realize what the feeling was—and it left him with a goofy, happy grin he'd tried very hard to hide while on duty. Though he shouldn't have been surprised as she wasn't one to engage in deception, he'd come to realize that she was really, truly genuine about her wish for them to be friends. Though she could have done many things both in the moment and after, she had not rebuked him, had not criticized him, had not punished him or pushed him away. She had instead opened up to him, accepted his help with humility, even thanked him—just as a real friend would. It gave him confidence—confidence to really be himself with her knowing that, despite their positions and differences in status, she did truly see him as an equal.

She'd proven that she'd placed her trust in him in a way she had with few others; and so he felt compelled—no, he wanted—to offer her the same. Though he'd already been making some effort, he found it suddenly easier to let his guard down more, to speak his mind more freely—and she had accepted all of it with open arms. He felt gratified by her genuine desire for and appreciation of his honest thoughts and opinions, and surprisingly relieved at not having to worry so much about titles and bowing and other formalities around her—even if it was only in private. Though he hadn't realized it, he'd gotten far too used to being merely part of the landscape. The changes in their relationship had proven… unexpectedly comforting.

And, somehow, within this new compact of trust between them—in so short a time and despite the fact that all his efforts had been focused on helping her through her hardships—she had managed to help him through his; hardships he hadn't even realize he was experiencing. Simply by caring she had reminded him of who he was—that he was Link, not just some duty-bound knight or a hero of legend. To her, he was important for who he was, not just what he could do for Hyrule. He'd spent so long trying to quietly bear the burden of the Master Sword that he'd forgotten he was ever anything more than just its wielder.

That realization evinced several feelings from him: humility, happiness, gratitude, but also the weight of responsibility—though it was a burden he was happy to carry. Just as he felt a sense duty as her knight and the wielder of the Master Sword, he now also felt a sense of duty to her as a friend. Perhaps the line between the two wasn't quite as distinct as he'd always thought. After all, a happy ruler was a good and effective ruler. As a servant of Hyrule, he wanted the Kingdom to prosper; and as her friend, he wanted her to be happy. In a way, his duty as her knight and his duty as her friend each were different sides of the same coin.

Though he was only just beginning to understand—and enjoy—their newfound friendship, he knew that it would have to remain a private affair—that in public he would have to adhere strictly to royal protocol and royal etiquette, and most importantly, keep a respectful distance. A part of him was frustrated by this constraint, but a greater part of him understood, if grudgingly: they both were public figures—they always had been, even if their prominence in the public eye had only just reached these new heights in the wake of the Calamity's defeat. They each had an image to uphold, and that image affected public trust in and scrutiny of the monarchy.

One of the many burdens of drawing the Master Sword had been that very scrutiny, and the image he suddenly had to worry about maintaining. So many had looked to him for guidance and hope—things he felt in no way capable of truly offering. So he had turned to silence and solemnity, choosing to blend into the background and allow others to impose their hopes, thoughts, and perceptions upon a blank slate. It had worked beautifully for the year and a half he'd thus far been the sword's wielder, even if it had been a lonely path to take. Yet now…

Now he found himself resenting the loneliness that self-imposed silence had created. Through all their struggles over the past year… could they have been friends, all that time? Could they each have not been so alone?

Link's reverie was broken by a dull thump coming from within the room, interrupting the stillness and silence of the hall. Tilting his ear towards the door, he could faintly hear her footsteps shuffling across the stone floor, then the grating of wood-on-wood as she opened and closed dresser drawers. Another thump suddenly echoed loudly from within the room, followed by a high pitched curse and a string of barely-audible angry mumbles. Link smiled, suppressing a chuckle. It seemed the Princess had awoken.

-:-:-:-

Half an hour later Link stood on the edge of the castle shrine, his back to Zelda and the finely carved statue. The shrine had managed to stay in relatively good shape, likely due to its location on one of the castle's lower tiers.

The statue of the Goddess stood on a central stone dais situated on the far end of a circular, grassy bank. Flowers sprouted from the edges of the stone and a single tree grew to the side of the statue, providing shade to any visiting devotees. Water surrounded the bank—a small, shallow pond fed by a creek born of the castle's waterfalls. Fleet lotus seeds and lily pads grew within the water, and the splash of the odd roaming frog occasionally broke the solemn quiet. A wooden bridge crossed the shallow water, and it was on this bridge Link stood as Zelda knelt in the grass before the shrine, hands clasped against her chest.

It had surprised him, given her usual aversion to it. When he'd asked why, she'd shrugged and said with a sheepish smile, "Habit, I suppose." In a way he understood: despite all the changes that had rocked their lives in such a short span of time, this was a familiar and comfortable routine—something she could latch onto to ease her nerves.

It had admittedly been been odd to see her settled in front of the statue in her prayer dress. It was a familiar scene, one he'd observed dozens of times before when they'd been at the castle; yet now that familiarity was intruded upon by the sight of defunct guardians and burned-down buildings spread out across the lands beyond the moat. There were still moments, he was finding, when he had to remind himself that the Calamity had truly happened, and that Hyrule had changed in its wake.

Change… It seemed an inescapable state since defeating Ganon. In many ways, today would mark the transition into a post-calamity Hyrule—and the official start of a new life for each of them. Neither had made a public appearance since its defeat, and he wondered just how public perception had changed. How would the citizens of Hyrule greet them? He knew of his own popularity with the young women of the castle, his 'fangirls', as Zelda had called them; but what of the rest of Hyrule? With nothing but sorrow and loss and worry left in many of their lives to occupy their idle minds, gossip would likely become as valued a commodity as food or water. How much had the truth become distorted, positively or negatively? Would expectations be higher now that they'd accomplished such a tremendous feat? Would they be the subjects of undue hero-worship? Or worse, would they be feared?

A barely audible sigh escaped him as his thoughts chased themselves around in his head. Though wary, he was prepared to meet this change head-on. It wasn't something he'd necessarily wanted or anticipated—he hadn't anticipated drawing the Master Sword in the first place—but he'd long ago chosen to make a life of running head-long into dangerous and unexpected situations; this wasn't so different. And besides, he always was one to roll with the punches. However the people ended up viewing him, he'd deal with it when it came.

Zelda, however, he worried about. He knew she was strong, but even her strength had limits—limits she had recently begun to run up against. She was already under a lot of stress from her responsibilities as Regent, not counting whatever feelings she had surrounding the Calamity—and public pressure was not a stress currently in the mix. Adding to that was the main event of the day. Funerals were tricky; they brought out all sorts of emotions in people, no matter how prepared they thought they were. He'd been through his share, and each had been harder than he'd thought it would be. This one seemed ready to be yet another trying experience she didn't have time to process.

He shut his eyes momentarily, breathing deep as he solidified his resolve. However things ended up going today, no matter how hard, he'd be there for her. She wouldn't have to suffer alone.

Link looked briefly over his shoulder to gaze at Zelda's kneeling form. A light breeze tousled her long golden hair and fluttered the edges of her dress. Despite that, she looked focused, and strangely at peace. Link smiled, his stance softening momentarily as he gazed at her calm, still figure.

She deserved to be at peace, even if just for a moment.

-:-:-:-

The rest of the morning was spent following Zelda all across the castle grounds as she finalized preparations for the evening ceremony. Organizers and laborers and officials mobbed her at every turn with questions and concerns and otherwise undue fussing. She handled each inquiry with grace and kindness despite, in Link's opinion, the idiocy and needlessness of some of the inquiries and requests. As he observed the fifth council member walk away, appeased after receiving her patient and dutiful attentions, he found himself marveling at how she managed so many people and tasks at once without utterly losing her head. The fact that it had taken her as long as it had to break under the pressure was astonishing now that he could see exactly how much there had been.

Until recently, most of Link's time with the Princess had been dominated by her training. It alone had received the bulk of her attention for the year or so he'd spent as her knight prior to the Calamity. Aside from occasional indulgence in her scientific interests, he hadn't seen her engage in matters of the Kingdom. Now that he had, he realized just how vast her capacity was; not that he'd ever really doubted, but believing in theory and seeing in reality were two different things. He smiled. She really would make a great Queen some day.

The flow of people trailing her slowly ebbed by late morning, and early afternoon found the two of them walking up the steps to the observation room balcony for a rare moment of peace. A cool breeze blew in through the arches, ruffling Zelda's hair as she lifted her skirts to ascend the stairway. Link followed behind, subtly observing her swaying figure with a critical eye. There was a falter in her step, and her shoulders were slightly stooped. She was already getting tired and the ceremony hadn't even started yet.

As she reached the top step, Zelda turned her head and spoke wryly but humorously over her shoulder, "You can stop looking at me like I'm about to fall over at any moment."

Link's expression wrinkled with chagrin. He climbed the final step, coming to stand next to her as he glanced at her sheepishly. She only smiled in response.

"I appreciate your concern, Link, really I do; but I'm doing alright—I don't want you to worry. It's been a long morning, yes, but its nothing a hearty lunch and cup of strong tea won't fix." She turned to glance at him, her long locks flowing gently over her shoulder as she offered him a reassuring smile before turning her attention to the scene that stretched out before them.

Castle Town, or what remained of Castle Town, lay spread out beyond the castle gate. Much of the rubble had either been cleared or piled for removal, but even still it was a disturbing sight. Zelda took several steps forward, coming to stand before the parapets and placing her hands lightly upon the stone. Link followed, eying her closely. She may say she was alright, but that didn't mean he wasn't still going to keep an eye on her. Just in case.

A soft sigh escaped her as her eyes swept the landscape. The southern Castle Town gate and portions of the southern wall had been rebuilt, and the evidence of the coming ceremony was just barely visible in the form of banners and flags hung from the top of the wall and servants scurrying about like ants in the distance. A handful of wagons and horses had begun to fill the temporary stable she'd arranged further back along the road into Castle Town, but the gate and wall blocked the view of the new monuments and any early visitors.

She had erected two, one for civilians and one for soldiers, on either side of the road leading into the city—right where so many had met their end. He hadn't seen them yet, but he would be very soon once they headed down for the start of the ceremony. The evening formalities were to take place on the other side of the wall, between the two monuments, on a podium hastily built by the construction crew specially for the ceremony. It was there she was to give her speech.

Yet despite the accomplishments of rebuilding the southern gate, burying thousands of people, erecting the monuments, and orchestrating a funeral within only a little over three weeks of the council meeting, Link sensed distinct uneasiness in her disposition. Knowing her, he suspected she was still displeased with her progress.

Zelda's solemn voice broke the silence, confirming his suspicions.

"Already so much work has been done, and yet there is still so much more left to do. Rebuilding seems so daunting, and I find it difficult to imagine the end of it all."

Link moved to stand beside her, observing her as she continued with her eyes fixed ahead.

"I do have hope. During my training I always told myself: 'One scales a mountain a single step at a time… one foot in front of the other'. It kept me going when it felt like there would be no end to my struggle." She sighed. "But after the Calamity, it was so hard to maintain that perspective when what I thought would be the end turned out to simply be the beginning of another long and difficult journey." She slowly turned, meeting his blue eyes with her own as a smile grew, "But you helped remind me. I don't know how well I would be maintaining my positivity if it weren't for you."

She paused, gazing at him with a slightly furrowed brow as she seemed to debate something before slowly continuing, her voice soft as a faint blush rose to her cheeks. Her hands fidgeted upon the parapet. "I don't think I've ever told you, but your support means the world to me. Thank you… for… for caring."

He was taken aback by her words, feeling butterflies erupt in his stomach, but found himself smiling anyway. Her sparkling green eyes shone with sincerity, her head tilted in affection. He had a sudden urge to wrap his arms around her and hold her close, but stayed himself. Yet still, a warmth within him burned to be released. Instead, he reached forward and gently took her hand, feeling the softness and warmth of her skin beneath his calloused fingers. Meeting her gaze, he allowed himself simple but heartfelt words.

"You're not alone. I'm here whenever you need me."

Zelda's smile broadened. The urge to hold her rose within him once more and unconsciously Link took a small step towards her, his thumb gently caressing the back of her hand as he held her gaze. Her faint blush darkened ever so slightly. It was… adorable. He smiled.

The double-clack of a herald's staff upon the stone floor startled Link from his reverie. A loud voice from the doorway echoed within the spacious room. "Your highness, Master Teba of the Rito has arrived."

Zelda tore her gaze away from Link's, taking a step back and turning her attention towards the stairway as she surreptitiously smoothed the bodice of her dress, "Oh… already? Time has really gotten away from me…"

She was flustered, that much was clear, but Link couldn't be sure if it was simply a result of the sudden interruption or because of him. A small, foolish part of his heart hoped it was because of him.

As she continued to fiddle with her gown realization began dawn on him how foolhardy his action, small though it was, had been. They weren't in the privacy of her chamber or the solitude of the sanctuary tower; he couldn't allow himself to be so… familiar with. Though the balcony afforded them some degree of privacy, they were still in public. This was exactly when foolish mistakes would be made—when he started to get comfortable with her and lax in his behavior.

He could ill afford such a mistake.

Composed, Zelda turned on her heel swiftly, skirts flaring as she approached the steps to the arched entrance of the observation room.

"Thank you Harold, please show him in."

Gathering up her skirts she headed down the stairs as the herald disappeared around the corner. When he returned, a white-feathered Rito entered carrying a paper-wrapped parcel in his arms. Harold disappeared around the corner, his job complete, as she approached their new guest. He bowed respectfully, uttering a low, "Your Highness."

Zelda smiled politely, gesturing for him to rise.

"Thank you for coming, Master Teba. I hope you take no offense at my directness, I've much still to do today. Is this the bow?" She asked, gesturing to the parcel.

Teba nodded and extended the bow towards Zelda but she instead gestured towards Link.

"Please give it to Link, as he will be the one using it."

Link followed her lead and stepped forward, arms extended to accept the package. Teba handed it to him then bowed slightly, stepping back with a smile.

"It is a pleasure to be in your presence Hero. If I may be so bold, I knew Master Revali personally and I expect if he here were still with us he would be honored for you to use his bow for tonight's ceremony."

Inwardly Link blanched but kept his expression neutral. Honored? HA! More like scoff in his face; But Teba need not know his thoughts. Nodding politely, he kept his response simple.

"Thank you."

The Rito then turned back to the Princess.

"Master Teba, I wanted to again thank you for accepting my proposal, especially on such short notice."

The Rito smiled, inclining his head. "It is my honor, Princess, to be the new Rito Champion. Though I admittedly feel I have large shoes to fill." Zelda did not answer, and out of the corner of his eye Link could see her smile falter ever so slightly.

"I will not keep you. It has been a pleasure to meet you, your Highness, Hero. I wish you both well for tonight's events."

Zelda offered him a soft, "Thank You," and with little more pomp he turned and left the room.

The parcel in his hands was light, and as Teba's figure disappeared around the archway, Zelda turned to Link.

"Go ahead, open it. I'd wanted you to use this tonight for the closing ceremony. I thought it might be a nice way to honor Revali's memory."

Slowly Link peeled back the paper, revealing a gleaming golden bow within. He recognized it from the many times Revali had waved it proudly before him as he boasted of his skill in the art of archery. Vaguely he felt something bubble up within him as he hefted it in his hand, feeling the weight and the smoothness of the wood. As much as he and Revali had had their differences, he'd never wished him ill. Holding his bow in his hands, now, he felt the distinct pang of loss.

Suddenly Link felt a gentle squeeze on his forearm and he turned to see Zelda's hand resting comfortingly on his arm. Glancing down, he noticed his hand clenched tightly around the bow's grip, his knuckles white. Relaxing his fingers, he looked up distractedly to meet her eyes. She offered a compassionate, knowing smile, gently squeezing his arm once more—a silent, 'I'm here'.

Inclining his head, he offered a small smile in return, allowing his gratitude to show in his eyes rather than with words. He wasn't sure his voice would work, anyway. Allowing her gaze to linger a moment longer, she finally released his arm and nodded in the direction of the archway.

"Still more to do," she said softly, with a hint of exasperation. Deftly he slung the bow on his back and turned to follow her as she headed into the hallway.

None of this was going to be easy—for either of them. Today would be long, and perhaps even a bit grueling. But Zelda was right: they'd take it one step at a time. They could do this—they could get through this. They just had to stick together, and trust in the other to catch them if they were to fall.

And after everything, Link rather found that was something he was more than happy to do.

A/N: As promised, ten reviews and here's the next chapter early! Though I'd been hoping to release it a bit earlier in the week, life (and broken toilets) got in the way. But oh well. A special thanks to JPH3 for his super detailed and thoughtful review, which was a tremendous help and really aided in my pre-post revisions for this chapter. Speaking of which, this chapter marks the beginning of the end of Part 2! The next chapter is one of my favorites so far, so I'm looking forward to it. That will be coming on Thursday, as usual. And though I'd love to respond to my reviewers from last chapter in detail, I've gotta get up early to wheel an octogenarian two blocks to the dentist early in the morning, so... please know I appreciate all of your thoughtful comments! Much love. See you all then!

P.S. don't forget to review!