LOVE IN A TIME OF CALAMITY

Part 3: Letting Go
Chapter 21: What Can Never Be

A/N: Hi everyone! Consider this my missed December update. I hope to get another one out before the end of the month to stay on track. Wish me luck! Now, I know there were a lot of reviews since the last update and I will get to those review responses this week, but I figured you all would appreciate the update first rather than wait. I'll update the chapter with responses later on. So enjoy! And thank you for your patience!

Update 1/27/19: review responses for chapter 20 at bottom.

Zelda felt lighter than she had in a while. Though seeing Sidon in such a state had quickly summoned lingering tendrils of guilt to squeeze at her heart, his easy acceptance of her own pain had done much to soothe the sting of regret. Crying with him on the bench, his short, pudgy arms wrapped tightly around her waist, she felt a release—felt some of that pain drain from her heart and wash away. It had been the lifting of a surprising weight.

However, the unveiling was quickly approaching. Adjusting her skirt, she prepared to head upstairs to check in with Link when a knock at the door startled her out of her quiet meditation upon the vanity stool. Rising to answer her visitor—perhaps Sidon had returned, she was surprised upon opening the towering stone door to see Seggin standing before her.

"Oh—Sergeant Seggin! How may I help you?"

The green-skinned Zora bowed briefly, handing her a rolled scroll stamped with the seal of the Zora royal family.

"Good afternoon, Princess. I was sent by King Dorephan to accompany you to the unveiling. I have been told Master Link will be unable to attend, and I have been sent in his place."

Zelda started, her earlier worry returning forcefully as she grasped the outstretched note with confusion and more than just a little trepidation. Cautiously unrolling the delicate fleet-lotus parchment and vainly attempting to keep her anxiety at bay, she was greeted by a brief note in the King's jagged handwriting:

"Princess-Regent Zelda,

My sincerest apologies, but Master Link was not feeling well after our meeting. He and Mipha were very close and I believe he may need some time for himself. Though I realize this is highly unconventional, I have given him leave and sent along Sergeant Seggin to accompany you this afternoon to the unveiling in his stead. Master Link has pledged to return to the royal quarters by the evening.

-King Dorephan"

Zelda read and reread the note with disbelief several times before lifting her gaze from the parchment to stare into the polite face of Sergeant Seggin, standing dutifully straight with silver spear in hand.

Dorephan did not have the authority to dismiss Link from his duty, and she knew he was quite well aware of that fact. Doing so anyway was… most unorthodox, to put it mildly, and a breach of her sovereignty to consider the action in its most severe terms. So what would possess Dorephan to do such a thing? If he felt it necessary, despite the blatant overreach of power such an action exerted… was Link alright? Was he ill? What could have so distressed him as to render him unable to appear publicly at the unveiling?

Or perhaps… perhaps Link simply could not bear to reveal such weaknesses to her. Perhaps he felt more comfortable grieving before King Dorephan, whom he had known since he was a child, than he did before her—despite how close she thought they had become.

No… no, she couldn't think like that, it was unfair. Whatever had happened… she needed to have more faith in Link. The real question now was not about Link, but the King. Dorephan had long since been a trustworthy ally. Despite this transgression, should she trust his judgment or confront him about this overstep? But she was a guest, and largely responsible for the death of his daughter. Would he view it as an aggression against him or the Zora Kingdom?

Though in her heart it felt a cruel thing to confront him on such a matter at a time like this, she couldn't help but worry about setting a precedent—that Hyrule would permit its authority to be subsumed by any ally nation's whims or wants. It would not do to have Hyrule appear weak at such an unstable time, and especially under her, truthfully, unsure and inexperienced leadership.

But… it was his daughter's memorial, and until now he had always been a friend and faithful ally of the kingdom…

A subtle cough returned her attention to the Sergeant standing at the threshold, awaiting her instruction. She didn't have time to debate this. Rolling up the scroll and hiding her mounting worry behind a false smile, she nodded politely.

"Thank you, Sergeant. Please check in with Master Barlow upstairs, I should be ready to leave shortly."

As she closed the door, she set the scroll down atop a table near the door, hand hovering over the parchment before turning towards the vanity and taking a seat once more before the mirror. Staring into the weary eyes of her reflection she let out a heavy breath. She would do nothing. She did not know for certain if her chosen course of action was the right one, but in that split second a feeling had arisen within her, bidding her trust and patience—and despite her logical instincts to the contrary, she felt compelled to listen.

She lifted the blue hairbrush, made of the same stone as the Domain, and slowly ran it through the strands of her hair as she gazed past her reflection in the glass. That still, however, left that matter of Link.

Whatever was going on with her knight that compelled the King to such actions… she desperately hoped he was okay.

-:-:-:-

The unveiling was a somber, mournful affair. The whole of Zora's Domain was in attendance, cramming into the central plaza until there was little room to breath let alone move. Zelda stood near the front before the statue, Barlow and Seggin on either side of her and just a step behind. Though she tried to hold a regal air, the effect was somewhat nullified by Prince Sidon clinging to her skirts. The poor boy barely reached her hips in height, his arms wrapped firmly around her knees. She didn't mind… it was comforting to feel such an expression of warmth during such a sorrowful affair.

The statue was lovely. The polished blue stone sparkled in the sunlight. Mipha was depicted holding her lightscale trident across her chest point down, looking regal and gentle and beautiful as she rode a cresting wave. As soon as King Dorephan had lifted the cloth covering it and her likeness became visible, tears and sobs erupted around the plaza. Zelda held back, though only just. Little Sidon, however, offered no such restraint, crying freely into her knees and soaking the fabric of her gown. Zelda yearned to hold him once again, but with the limited room around her to move, settled herself with resting a hand comfortingly atop his head.

King Dorephan offered only a few words, speaking to the crowd with a level voice despite the tears which flowed down his cheeks.

"May our dear, sweet Mipha find rest in the arms of the Goddess; and may this statue commemorate the noble sacrifice she made to keep Zora's Domain and all of Hyrule safe from the Calamity."

And that was that. The crowd remained thick for many minutes after, and Zelda contented herself to stand and gaze upon the stone likeness of Mipha, contemplating the Princess' passing and her role in it until the crowd cleared.

Try as she might she couldn't shake her lingering sense of responsibility, despite managing to move beyond the soul-crushing guilt she'd felt upon learning of the news. She was beginning to suspect she would never be rid of it; a battle scar of a different sort, rent upon her heart instead of her flesh. She suspected, now, that this was why her Father had pushed her so hard—why he had at times been so cold with her. Though his reign had, until recently, been largely peaceful, he nonetheless knew of war and the cost of conflict. At the time his scoldings had felt so much like simply the disdain of a disappointed parent; but he had been trying to protect her as much as the people of Hyrule—from this.

After a time Prince Sidon bid her a teary farewell, to follow after his father who had retreated to the throne room to grieve in private; yet still she lingered, captivated by the gentle expression upon Mipha's stone face. The Princess had always been so gentle—always possessed the tenderest touch with which to heal any wound, and the most comforting words to reassure any heart.

Her thoughts wandered to Link. He would have liked to see this; perhaps there would be an opportunity tomorrow, prior to their departure. Where was he? She hadn't felt it appropriate to inquire of the King during the unveiling, and didn't wish to disturb his grieving after. She was worried, and becoming moreso with each passing moment despite the King's assurances. He had been so remarkably even-tempered prior to their audience—calm waters, as always; but perhaps that most worrisome sign. Amidst all this turmoil, he was simply too calm.

As her thoughts began to tangle and weave into an ever-tighter knot, she finally turned from the statue, heading in the direction of the royal chambers with an unusually silent Barlow and Seggin following after her. She needed to get her mind off of these matters—especially the matter of Link's disappearance. He promised to return by evening, and so she needed merely wait. Perhaps her books could keep her occupied until then.

-:-:-:-

Zelda lifted her pack, setting it atop the blissful water bed and digging through its contents. Finally finding the object of her search, she lifted a small, rectangular package wrapped in several layers of waxy paper and tied with twine. Undoing the knot and pulling off the paper, she held the old, delicate tome with both hands, eying it with satisfaction.

No title adorned the cover, but flipping to the title page revealed the books contents: "The Founding Myths of Hyrule". No author was listed. It was a hand-written tome, evidence of its age and era as more modern books had long since been created by presses.

She had decided that the best way to learn about her powers—something that had been passed down through her line for countless generations—was to start at the beginning. So, prior to her departure, she scheduled a side-trip to the library to search the ancient texts section of the Royal Archives. She hadn't had as much time to peruse as she would have liked-despite everything going on in the Kingdom, somehow someone had found the time and interest to put forth a request to visit the Royal Archives to research a personal project, and the ever-dutiful library staff had granted his request in timely fashion. Coming on the heels of the funeral and with her Royal tour looming, she'd felt in no mood to put on a polite smile for the man, let alone share her sanctuary with a stranger-and so she had cut her visit a bit short.

Yet even still, as she quickly navigated the shelves of the ancient texts section, she soon found this promising volume. It was a facsimile of one of the oldest tomes documenting the earliest period of the Kingdom. The original, or rather what was left of the original, was locked safely away behind glass in the preservation room; and so she felt no qualms in requesting this copy packaged for transit.

Carrying the tome to the window seat—perhaps she might spot Link when he returned to the royal quarters—she opened the book and began to skim through its thick vellum pages. As she flipped to chapter one the title caught her eye and she stopped, leaning in closer to read:

"The Goddess Hylia and the War with Demise"

"There was once a war of unmatched scale and ferocity, the likes of which would never be seen again.

One dark, fateful day, the earth cracked wide and malevolent forces rushed forth from the fissure. Led by a creature called Demise, they mounted a brutal assault upon the surface people, driving the land into deep despair. They burnt forests to ash, choked the land's sweet springs, and murdered without hesitation. They did all this in their lust to take the ultimate power protected by Her Grace, the Goddess.

The power she guarded was without equal. Handed down by the Gods of old, this power gave its holder the means to make any desire a reality. Such was the might of the ultimate power that the old ones placed it in the care of the Goddess.

To prevent this great power from falling into the hands of the evil swarming the lands, the Goddess gathered the surviving humans on an outcropping of earth. She sent it skyward, beyond the reach of the demonic hordes, beyond even the clouds. With the humans safe, the Goddess joined forces with the land dwellers and fought the evil forces, sealing them away. At last, peace was restored to the surface.

But all was not well. Her Grace, the Goddess—later called Hylia, was mortally wounded by Demise's final blow. No longer able to carry out her sacred duty, she hid the ultimate power away, burying it deep within an ancient stronghold and guarded by powerful creatures and difficult trials. She then crafted a sword, sharper and swifter than any other blade—an unbreakable weapon containing a shard of her very own power. This sword, the Goddess Blade, was to be wielded only by her chosen hero to battle the malevolent forces should they ever return. This too she hid away, its location entrusted only to the leader of the sky people.

With her dying breath she cast a powerful spell, binding her soul to the task of guarding the ultimate power, her chosen hero, and protecting the land and its people from Demise and his forces, should ever they return.

In her honor, the people came to be called Hylians, and the land: Hyrule."

Zelda reread the passage several times, the thrill of discovery bubbling up within her. Though it was only a book of mythology, myths and legends were born of truth—her own father had been skeptical when years ago that fortune teller foretold Ganon's return. Everyone knew of the legends but none believed them to be true. Sure enough, as the fortune teller's first warnings of dark creatures invading the land came to pass, her father's skepticism morphed into genuine fear, and it was that fear which spurred him to dig through the tomes and scrolls which documented Hyrule's history. It was within a secret chamber in the castle library—a chamber stumbled upon by a hapless librarian's assistant, which held the ancient texts proving the fortune teller true. Perhaps there was such a kernel of historical truth within this myth as well.

There was little documentation about the Goddess Hylia, despite being Hyrule's primary deity. Though still respected, the old gods Farore, Nayru, and Din had ceased to be the primary subjects of worship in the Kingdom shortly after the last calamity. Though there were pockets of people within the Kingdom who still worshiped the old pantheon, it was to Hylia that the shrines throughout the land were dedicated. This lack of information had been a point of frustration for Zelda as she worked to unlock her powers over the years. It was from Hylia her family had been blessed—without the guidance of her mother, and with little to no knowledge or understanding of The Goddess, her gift, or her intent in bestowing it, it had felt an impossible task to unlock her powers.

But here… even it if was simply a myth, perhaps she could find other texts to cross-reference with this information, to determine what details might hold truth and which may be fictions. It was a starting point at least. Leaping from the window-side bench with eagerness, she grabbed her research journal from her pack upon the bed and returned to her seat to begin jotting down notes. Several hours passed as Zelda laid out key details and possible hypotheses, reading the passages which followed with eagerness and fascination. According to the text the people of the sky flourished for many decades as the surface world returned to a sort of primal peace. Over the years their culture blossomed and they tamed great birds of the sky to fly between the islands Hylia had lifted above the clouds. There was a yearly event amongst the people called the Wing Ceremony, wherein the island residents competed to prove their skill and strength. It was during the Wing Ceremony some quarter century after their ascension into the sky that the future of the sky people changed forevermore.

Eagerly Zelda flipped the page, excited to learn more of these ancient sky people and what happened to change the course of their history, but stopped suddenly at the sight which greeted her. Her heart sank in disappointment. Extending a hand, she felt along the binding at the jagged edges which were all that was left of the twenty or so odd pages which appeared to have torn from the binding due to damage. Flipping to where the pages resumed, the fledgling Kingdom of Hyrule had been established and was under the reign of King Gaepora II.

It was around this period that other tomes documenting the early history of Hyrule began, as it was around this time when the Kingdom had reached its first period of stability and peace, and permanent records began to be kept-which meant there was likely little more of Hyrule's early history hidden in these pages. An inexorable sadness overcame her at the lost history she would never know. What of the Sky People? What of the founding of Hyrule?

She sighed heavily, gently closing the cover. She would have to wait until her return to the castle to look into the matter further.

Lifting her neck from the book, she pulled her shoulders back and stretched, feeling the stiffness slowly fade from her limbs. Looking out the window across the Domain, it glowed faintly in the picturesque golden light of early evening. Yet despite the beautiful scene an anxiety gnawed at her. She felt as though she had forgotten something… something important… Suddenly, her eyes widened. Link!

She hadn't seen him return—he would have had to walk right past her window to reach the stairs to the balcony above. True, she had been quite absorbed in her text, but surely she would have noticed… But perhaps she had just missed him. He could be so silent when he wanted to be. Trying to calm the worry which flared at her realization, she folded the book and her research notes with forced calm, placing them neatly back in the pack. Heading out the door, she climbed the curving flight of steps to the second floor guards quarters and knocked on the door, wringing her hands as she awaited an answer. Barlow appeared before her, gazing at her curiously with a friendly smile.

"Your Highness! How can I be of assistance?"

Behind him she could see Seggin sitting at the round table near the door, cards laid out before him. Glancing quickly around the room, Link was nowhere to be found. Clearly, he had not yet returned. Zelda tried to hide her distress.

"Ah, sorry to disturb you, I had just wondered if Link returned, but it seems he has not," she smiled, but it felt horribly fake even to her. Barlow clearly picked up on her uneasiness as his casual smile faded as well, replaced by a look of reassurance.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon, your Highness. No one is more dependable and loyal to the crown than Master Link. Don't you worry."

Zelda nodded, attempting another smile. "I'm sure you're right."

Yet despite his surety, she couldn't stifle the uneasiness which plagued her, adding fuel to the fire her anxiousness was stoking. She needed to cool off—to let out her anxious energy.

"I think I'm going to go for a walk."

Barlow made to turn and grab his sword and shield from beside the door, but she stopped him with a hand upon his arm, "No, no, you and Master Seggin stay and enjoy your game. I'd like some time to myself, and I won't be going far."

Barlow eyed her skeptically, so she attempted to infuse self-assurance into her barely-there smile. "I'll be quite fine, Master Barlow. I won't be departing the domain, and I won't be gone long. You and Seggin have a good evening." Without giving him an opportunity to utter a word of protest, she turned and headed back down the stairs. Halfway down, she allowed herself a sigh of relief upon hearing the thud of the door.

Crossing the bridge into the central plaza of the Domain, her mind churned with thoughts. It was utterly unlike Link to simply… disappear, especially while on duty. Even when he'd cracked a rib at the start of his appointment during a test with the guardians he hadn't stopped to see it mended, simply grit his teeth and gone on to guard her the rest of the day without complaint. He finally headed off to the infirmary when his shift was over for the night, but even then he hadn't listened to Healer Ravio and taken a few days rest—he had returned to his duties diligently the next afternoon.

Had he and Mipha been closer than he'd led her to believe? He'd been so reserved on the matter, she felt she couldn't really be sure. Then again, he was with most things. Had her passing truly hurt him that deeply? Perhaps finally being in Zora's Domain had made it all sink in.

More than simply that, however… she worried for his safety. If he was as distraught as the King's letter suggested, what if a monster was able to take advantage of his distraction? Lynels and Lizalfos were known to haunt the waters and mountains surrounding Zora's Domain. What if, in his upset, he wandered right into danger? But no… she was being silly. He was the wielder of evil's bane! He could take care of himself.

But… what if…?

Zelda wrung her hands as she absently turned off the main promenade leading out of the domain and onto a side path. No, Barlow was right. Surely Link was fine and would return shortly. She was just being… fretful. The King hadn't made mention of anything seriously wrong, so she shouldn't assume the worst. She just needed to calm down and be patient.

As she reached the segment of the winding side-path with a covered balcony, she stopped and leaned against the railing, gazing out at the brilliant blue of the Domain. She sighed, wishing very much that she knew what was going on in the head of her knight; just a small insight would be nice. She'd thought things were going so well between them, that they'd gotten to a point where they could comfortably and freely confide in one another. And yet it seemed Link, perhaps, did not feel the same way? She'd bared so much of her soul to him, it hurt to think that maybe he didn't trust her enough to do the same.

As her eyes swept the view before her, they stopped at the sight of a bent figure standing on a rocky outcropping below the domain's promenade, near the water's edge. That was odd. She squinted, trying to more clearly make out what she was seeing. As the figure lifted its head, a shaggy blond head of hair became visible and her heart skipped a beat. Link!

Without a seconds consideration, she lifted her skirts and ran carefully back along her path to the promenade, then to the ladder which led to the bar beneath, ignoring the curious gazes of Zora guards. With careful but hurried steps she descended, relief rushing through her. As her feet hit the ground, she quickly turned. He stood on the opposite side of the rocky bar, facing away, and hadn't yet noticed her presence. Gathering her skirts she ran forward, the rushing water masking the sound of her footsteps.

"Link—oh Hylia, Link! Where have you been? I've been so worried. You disappeared without a trace… the King had to send word! What happened?"

As she approached, she noticed what she couldn't see at a distance and it slowed her steps. His shoulders were hunched, tense and quivering; and in his hands was what looked like a navy blue tunic, clutched tightly in a death-grip. He didn't answer her, and didn't turn around. A pit settled in her stomach.

"Link?" she asked tentatively, "Link… what's wrong?" Worry and fear bled into her voice and began to wind slowly around her heart. Something wasn't right.

"Leave."

His command was firm and his tone gravelly. She'd never heard him speak in such a way, to anyone let alone her. A shiver ran up her spine, but after all her worrying and waiting, now that she had finally found him she would not be so easily deterred.

"Link, what is going on?"

"LEAVE!" This time he shouted and she took a shocked step back, her heart pounding a rapid and heavy beat in response. Her first instinct told her to do as he said; but another, more stubborn part kept her feet firmly planted. Just as he'd not been cowed by her anger all those weeks ago, neither should she allow herself to be so easily cowed by his. Gathering her courage, she took a step forward, ignoring her whispering doubts and speaking with the calm authority she had learned to use with the Council.

"No; not until you tell me what is going on."

She took another tentative step forward, but Link did not acknowledge her words.

"Link…"

Suddenly he turned on his heel, red-rimmed eyes blazing and shoulders shaking with rage. Her heart thundered at the terrifying sight before her and she flinched, unconsciously taking several steps back.

"Din Dammit, Zelda!" he roared, "You can never just leave well enough alone, can you?!"

Zelda felt pinned beneath the force of his rage, her hands trembling where they'd moved to hover protectively over her heart. He had never yelled at her—at anyone, that she knew of. Though several responses floated aimlessly across her mind, fear and confusion and stinging hurt left her throat dry and her tongue silent.

"I said LEAVE! Climb back up that ladder and take your Goddess damned legacy with you!" he spat. His tone was contemptuous, his face contorted into a snarl and his eyes blazed with a fiery rage. Who was this strange man standing before her, and where was the Link she knew? Despite the thick skin she had developed over the years of criticism for her failure to unlock her powers, hearing those words from him of all people, said with such vitriol… Suddenly Zelda didn't feel like the strong, confident Princess-Regent of Hyrule she'd so been trying to be, she felt like the stupid, silly little girl she'd always worried she truly was.

And right now, that stupid, silly little girl felt like crying.

Though she tried to hold his gaze—to hold on to what little courage she still felt, moisture began to pool in her eyes. Afraid and unsure, she turned away, biting her lip to force the tears back.

As quickly as it had come, the rage which had overtaken his features faded away—and in its place was shock. The sound of his knees hitting the bedrock brought her gaze back to his-back to wide, stunned eyes. His voice, only moments ago loud and ferocious, was hoarse and cracked; broken.

"Oh Goddesses, Zelda, I'm so sorry…" He fell to his hands, head hanging and hair covering his face as he whispered, "Please… please forgive me…" Unbidden, a single, quiet sob escaped him.

Though she felt tossed in a dizzying whirlwind of emotions, the sound of his uncharacteristic expression of grief cut through the hurt and confusion clouding her mind. He wasn't angry at her… not sincerely. Whatever had happened over the past several hours had wounded him deeply; more deeply than anything ever had in the time she'd known him. Pushing his angry words away and rallying her courage once more, she stepped forward, kneeling to join him on the ground. Tentatively she placed a hand on his shoulder. When she felt no resistance, she let it settle more firmly.

"Link…" she said softly, "What happened?"

He was silent for several moments before speaking in barely a whisper, "She… she…"

Reaching forward with one hand, he grasped at the blue tunic—a full set of armor, she realized now that it was sprawled across the ground—pulling it towards him with trembling fingers. Eying it as best she could in the dim light, she noted the insignia of the Zora Royal family, and the scales which shimmered along the garment's sides. It looked like… it looked like Zora armor. But that didn't make any sense…

Lifting his head he met her confused gaze, eyes hollow and expression anguished. He spoke weakly, hesitantly.

"Do you know the story of the Miracle of the White Scale?"

Slowly, Zelda nodded, gazing at him without understanding. She didn't see what that had to do with anything. Mipha was the only Zora Princess in the past several hundred years, and she hadn't been seeing anyone. In fact she couldn't even think of anyone outside of her family and the Zora elders she spent much time with, except…

Dear Din. Suddenly, everything clicked into place. Link's meeting with the King, his sudden distress, the armor he clutched so desperately… Her eyes widened. Reaching forward with shaking hands of her own, she gently grasped the item he clutched so tightly, straightening it out until she found a white scale in the center of the breastplate.

"Link… is this… is this Zora armor? From Mipha?"

He nodded, shutting his eyes as moisture pooled at the close of his eyelids, a single tear leaking down his cheek.

It all made sense. This… this changed everything. In rapid succession, one-by-one Zelda's memories of Mipha took on a completely different hue; Why she'd seemed so distressed when she found out Link was the Hylian Champion, dropping so many hints about Link visiting the Domain more often on his own, her eagerness to assist Link in his training… Her chest tightened.

"Oh, Goddesses, Link…" she whispered. Without a second thought she reached forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him tightly to her. He didn't resist, letting his arms drop as she held him close, her head burrowing into the base of his neck where his hair hung freely. Slowly, Link raised his arms and wrapped them around her back, his grip tightening as tremors began to wrack his body.

Zelda's mind was in overdrive. Mipha had been in love with him… so much so, that she'd wanted to marry him! Had Link known—or at least suspected? He had always referred to Mipha as just a friend, a close one, but a friend nonetheless; but he hadn't been all that forthcoming on the details. Had he been so silent on the subject because of this? Had they been seeing each other in secret? And even if they hadn't been together, even if Link hadn't known how she'd felt… did… did Link love Mipha in return?

Despite herself, and despite the fact that she knew it to be petty—selfish even, Zelda felt a vine of bitterness and jealousy wind around her heart at the thought. Link was his own person, and he was free to love whomever he wanted. She didn't own him just because he was her appointed knight. She wanted him to be happy. So why did the idea of him and Mipha together cause her so much distress?

She knew. Truthfully she'd known a while but hadn't been willing to face it; and right now, in light of this recent revelation especially, she refused to acknowledge what was growing deep down in her heart. Right now, it didn't matter. Right now she needed to focus on Link and his feelings, not her own petty jealousies. Just as he'd been there for her, she too would be there for him. No matter how much it hurt.

And she tried not to think about how, really, Mipha's death was her fault.

Feeling Link's tremors beginning to ease, Zelda slowly pulled herself away, feeling his arms loosen as she placed just enough distance between them to see his face. His eyes were puffy and errant tears had smeared across his cheeks. Her heart wrenched at the sight. Raising a gloved hand, she gently ran her thumb across each cheek, wiping away the moisture. He shut his eyes at the gesture, raising his own hand and placing it gently atop hers, stilling her movements.

She bit her lip gently, wishing desperately to sink into this moment of stillness that had settled between them—to simply enjoy the feeling of his hand atop hers; but... she had to know. Bracing herself for his answer, she softly asked the questions she both urgently needed answered, and desperately wanted to avoid.

"Did you know she felt this way?"

Without speaking and without opening his eyes, he shook his head. She gathered her courage.

"Did… did you love her in return?"

Zelda waited with baited breath but his answer was not forthcoming. Letting go of her hand, he slowly pulled himself away, then stood and walked to the water's edge; all without meeting her gaze. She watched him go, her heart sinking more than she wanted to admit. He had loved her, then.

Link spoke lowly, his tone aching. She almost didn't hear him over the water.

"She sacrificed herself without a second thought: for her people, for Hyrule… for me…" He trailed off as she stood, listening attentively, "She was always there for me, always healed me when I did something stupid and got myself hurt. She never judged, never scolded. She just… cared."

Zelda walked slowly towards him. She could see him struggling for words as he gazed down at the object in his hands.

"She gave me everything." His grip on the armor tightened and his voice became weak. "And I gave her—have given her… nothing…"

Slowly she stepped up to the waters edge beside him, watching him gaze out at the waters of the Domain. He shut his eyes tightly and ran a hand down his face as a tear leaked from under his eyelid.

"What kind of person am I?" he whispered.

Zelda felt a swooping sensation of relief. He… he hadn't loved her… then immediately felt the harsh sting of guilt. She shouldn't be happy about this! He was hurting so badly, and all she could do was feel overjoyed his heart didn't belong to another. What kind of person was she?

Shaking her head to rid herself of her troublesome thoughts, she refocused on the man beside her—and the issue at hand.

"Link… you've done nothing wrong by not returning Mipha's feelings. You cannot help the way you feel."

Link suddenly turned on her, shaking the armor in front of him, eyes angry once again.

"She wasn't trying to invite me to dinner, Zelda, she wanted to MARRY me," he growled, before turning from her and walking to the opposite end of the sand bar, "You wouldn't understand," he murmured angrily under his breath.

Though his tone stirred the hurt already simmering quietly inside of her, she ignored it and followed after him, answering with a surprising amount of calm. "I understand quite well, actually." He turned an angry glance on her, but remained silent.

"Mipha was a princess; I am a princess. And marriage for a Princess is not a simple matter." Link didn't respond, but the anger in his gaze had faded when he once more chanced a glance at her. She took that as a cue to continue.

"Link…" she sighed softly, "I have had noblemen from across four nations approach my father to secure an arranged marriage with me, for themselves or their sons, since before I could speak. Thankfully, unlike some Kings of the past, he had the good sense to refuse and allow me the choice of who I would one day wed.

"But even still… I have obligations to Hyrule which limit my choices. Whoever I marry must be of noble blood or noble heart; they must possess the fortitude and skill to rule by my side; whether I want to or not, I must some day bear children to carry on my blood line. And, Goddess forbid, I cannot find the man of my choosing before I become too old to bear a child, I must find someone to marry anyway who can give me an heir."

She chanced a glance up at Link and found him gazing at her intently.

"Mipha was a Princess, and the heir to the Zora throne. Though the Zora tend to be somewhat more relaxed about marriage and put a greater emphasis on love over lineage than Hylians historically have, she too had similar considerations to make." Zelda turned to Link, voice softening. "I have no doubt her ultimate desire was to have you by her side. But Mipha was strong, and kind, and understanding—and I have no doubt that she would have managed if you were honest with her about how you felt. I suspect she valued your friendship too highly to simply throw it away because you did not feel the same. Whether it was as her husband or her closest friend, Mipha wanted you in her life; and you gave her that," she finished gently.

Link gazed at her for several silent moments before turning to stare sadly down at the armor in his hands as he rubbed his thumb gently over the sparkling white scale at its center.

"The King told me he would always think of me as a son," he said lowly. The comment struck her as rhetorical and Link seemed lost in thought as he stared at the armor, so she remained silent. Finally, he sighed, lowering his hand and looking away.

"I don't know…" he said wearily, "Even if I had felt the same, I'm not ready for marriage. I wouldn't know the first thing about being a Prince-Consort, let alone a King-Consort if it ever came to that. I feel like I'm somehow cheating the King by letting him think I might have accepted." He paused, gazing out at the water with thoughtful eyes, mulling over something in his mind. "But maybe… maybe I could have… for her…" He trailed off, then sighed again, rubbing an eye with the palm of his free hand, voice desperate and confused, "Din, I don't know…"

Zelda felt her heart twist. Gently, she grabbed his shoulder, turning him to face her.

"Link… you can't get lost in what could have happened. You will drive yourself mad if you keep asking, 'What if'?" She offered a self-deprecating smile. "Trust me, I know. I've done much of that over the course of my training, and it only ever made me feel worse.

"What has happened has happened and it cannot be changed. And… for what it is worth—I am so sorry." She let out a soft sigh, briefly closing her eyes before returning her gaze to him. Gently, she grabbed his hand, the one which clutched the armor, lifting it slowly to rest against his chest just over his heart.

"Keep her close. Think of her often. And remember: she would want you to keep living, to lead a good, happy life—despite her passing."

Link closed his eyes, taking several deep, ragged breaths before his breathing slowly evened out. As he opened his eyes he nodded, a ghost of a smile alighting upon his face. He then let out a final release of breath before turning to look critically out over the water.

"It's getting late. I'm sorry I stayed out this long. You should get some rest, we'll be rising early tomorrow."

Zelda smiled softly, accepting the change in subject to mean that Link had, at least to some degree, found his footing. True closure, she knew, would take time.

"You, too," She reminded gently, stepping back and turning her head towards the ladder. "After you?"

He nodded, draping the armor over his shoulder as he headed towards it.

Once Link had made it a few feet above her head, Zelda reached for a rung, then suddenly stopped. The hairs on the back of her neck raised as the overwhelming sensation of being watched prickled her skin. Turning slowly to glance behind her, she jumped, voice caught in her throat and eyes widening at the sight before her.

Hovering silently over the water some five feet from the shore line, translucent and glowing an ethereal blue, was Mipha. She wore a sad but tender smile, gazing at Zelda kindly. Heart beating a thunderous rhythm in her chest and mind racing to understand how this could be, she was pulled from her shock by the soft, gentle tones of Mipha's voice echoing in her mind.

"Thank you, Princess. Please, take care of him for me. He always was so reckless."

Zelda simply stared for several moments, heart racing; then, dumbly, she nodded. Mipha smiled just a little bit brighter.

Then, without another word, she vanished.

A/N: Oh my gosh thank you all so much for the flood of comments on this chapter ;_; I love you all so much you just absolutely make my day and inspire me to write more! Okay, as promised, here's the review responses for the last chapter!

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Review Responses

aso83: Aw, thank you, that is the sweetest comment ever! I do the same thing, and every now and then I accidentally read a fic that isn't finished and the ones that are really good I stick around for biting my nails until its finally finished, lol. I really hope to get back to a regular publishing schedule soon-inspiration has struck and I've been an absolute nut lately writing until like 4am every other night, so I'm hoping to make some real progress soon and have lots of chapters stored up! Thank you so much for sticking around, I hope you enjoy the ride!

Nekotoko: Thank you! And you've got like... three more chapters homie, I promise, and its a fluff parade for most of the rest of part 3! I cracked myself up writing the fluff chapters, they were so much fun.

Shurikanhime: Oh gosh thank you so much :3 That is the best thing to hear when you've put in a lot of effort. I really wanted Link and Zelda to come to life in a way that was really relatable to actual human experience (as opposed to "generic fantasy character" experience). So thank you so much!

Ultimate blazer: Thank you! I just absolutely died when I saw him in the DLC cutscene and was like-oh gosh, I have to write something with baby Sidon! Too cute! So I'm glad you liked it, I had fun writing the little peach.

Kansa: Thank you! That means so, so much, I worked on this chapter for ages. I knew this was going to be a big pivotal moment in the story so I think I had an outline of it before I'd written the chapter where they arrive in Zora's Domain. I made a lot of minor tweaks to it over the course of many, many reviews and revisions, so I'm glad it had such an impact! I really wanted Link to have "his" moment, you know?

ninelanterns: Thank you! Better times are right around the corner, along with some fluffs and laughs. I wanted the fluffs and laughs to feel really earned, after some hard-fought emotional work.

starspangledfeels: I feel ya! There was a part of me, like, "okay, how can I make this hurt REEEEAL bad..." lol. But in seriousness, I really wanted to convey the hard work of grieving, since it is a lot of hard emotional work and doesn't just "pass" like its sometimes depicted in TV and film and books, when its convenient to the plot that the characters are "over" it. People don't just "get over it", and pain always seems to surface when its least convenient, especially when you repress your feelings. And it feels good to let it go finally when the moment is right, and this was Link's "right moment" :]

Rem: It is 12:30am and the household is asleep and I am straight up grinning and laughing and squealing into my pillow trying not to wake people up THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEW IT ABSOLUTELY MADE MY WEEK. It is without a doubt the single most flattering and heart-warming and validating moment to hear someone talk about my work the way you did, with such enthusiasm and genuine investment, THANK YOU SO MUCH I CAN'T EVEN! I am so stoked you hate Freder so much, especially since he's an original character and I was trying really hard to make him hate-able and kind of had to build that hate-ableness from the ground up (but tbh you're not going to *really* hate him till next chapter). And I'm just so thrilled that you're not only able to track but are invested in all the moving pieces (Freder, Pikango, Traysi, the council, Link and Zelda's feels...), because straight up I was super worried when I started this that I'd start losing people with how much was going on in the story. So thank you from the bottom of my heart! Your review was the best and meant so much!

Monkeyman8290: XD

Stephaniaelle: Thank you!

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Until next time, friend-o's! We'll be taking a bit of a detour next chapter, but I think you'll like what's in store.