Sorry I forgot to upload this yesterday even after I promised I would try to remember to keep to the consistent schedule of updating. Unfortunately, college has been ramping up as the end of term approaches and real life obviously has to come first before posting stories on the internet as we all know. Life always comes before hobbies such as this. Either way I got it posted now, so I hope I didn't upset anyone by being late with this.

As usual; I am not Nintendo, or Rick Riordan. I do not own the Legend of Zelda, or the Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus series, only my imaginations of them.

Please leave a review with your opinions.

Chapter Six

Joy

Finally, at long last, Zelda's ninth month of pregnancy was nearing its end. Just a couple weeks ago, we'd also celebrated her twenty first birthday. There was no alcohol involved with it for two reasons. First was the whole no-alcohol-while-pregnant reason, and the other was because my wife and I had no interest in ever drinking alcohol of any kind. We'd never had any before and we weren't planning on breaking that streak.

The both of us were practically glowing with excitement at the prospect of our coming child, so much so that although the situation outside was truly terrible, we weren't very affected by it. Although it wasn't a super recent thing of course, having been a thing for roughly the last month or so, I had recently been assisting my beloved Zelda regularly. It wasn't easy being that pregnant after all. While she didn't always take my offers for assistance, she was always thankful for my consideration. Of course, there were also times where she very much appreciated the help, like when getting up from sitting or lying down and stuff like that. The council meetings at this point in Zelda's pregnancy were a real chore, it was hard enough that sometimes she simply stayed home and I made notes of what was said to give to her when I got back from the meetings. I never demanded or insisted she stay put, rather I always encouraged her to be as active as she thought she could manage.

We were sitting next to each other on the sofa on our porch, while we conversed with our neighbors Lexa and Austin. My wife had her arms wrapped around her enlarged stomach. Zelda and I had told them how utterly excited we were, expecting our baby within the next few days. Although there had already been several occasions where we had thought the baby was coming only for it to be a false alarm, always occurring in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT! They expressed their own eagerness, it was heartwarming really. Austin opened his mouth to say something but we never figured out what it would have been, because the universe naturally chose that moment to interrupt.

We were all frozen by the slight sound that made itself heard. It was hard to describe, but the closest I can think of is the sound of Ziploc bag full of water being sliced a little and the water leaking out. I was confused, what in the name of Hylia was that? I looked over at my wife, seeing her staring blankly into space, a look of not confusion but surprise on her face. Then her eyes and head angled downward to look at the small wet patch between her legs.

Lexa immediately put two and two together and sprang to her feet with an exclamation of "Zelda, I think your water just broke!"

That jolted me to my feet as well. Oh, dear goddesses! It was happening today and right now no less! My wife would be going into labor any minute probably! My mind was suddenly frantically trying to process all of this, what should I do? What did she need right now?

Lexa, fortunately, was able to keep a much clearer head than I was currently.

"Austin, run and fetch the healer, Zelda let's get you inside and make you comfortable." She said calmly and soothingly, while I was I mentally panicking.

Austin immediately dashed off as Lexa and I supported my wife between us as we helped her inside and up to hers and my bedroom. We set her on the bed and I pulled up a chair and clasped her right hand in both of mine. I mentally prepped myself for an argument when the healer would arrive of how I had to leave and wait and how I would insist I wasn't leaving. No one and nothing could keep me from witnessing my child being born. That had happened in my last life, I was not thrilled that was for sure. We waited a couple minutes there like that, Zelda trying to slow her rapid breathing, to calm herself as much as possible before the inevitable anything but calm period that would be following shortly.

Luckily, Austin returned with the healer soon afterward. To my relief, the healer said nothing about me not being allowed there. The healer then shooed Austin and Lexa out, with Lexa basically pulling Austin behind her as he sputtered indignantly that she didn't have to do that, but she didn't listen.

After they were gone, the healer got Zelda prepared and ready, although her contractions had not yet started. They did just a minute or so later, and I tell you it was sudden. She suddenly clenched her hand in mine, the nails biting into the skin a little making me wince slightly, as she suddenly cried out in pain.

The healer told her to breathe as was typical, and Zelda gasped and panted a few times before she clenched again, clamping her hand in mine more tightly than she was ordinarily capable of. I admit it hurt when she gripped my hands in hers like that, but I knew she couldn't help it after all. Plus, what did I know? While I was no stranger to pain in general, as evidenced by my numerous scars, there were some pains, like childbirth, that I would never know. Of course, I sympathized with her and wished that she wasn't in pain, but I was too much of a chicken and all kinds of unmanly things to wish that I could take her pain onto myself instead.

It felt like an eternity as I sat there holding my wife's hand as she gasped, panted, whimpered, and cried in pain, her eyes leaking tears as her muscles repeatedly contracted as she pushed to bring our child into the world. Zelda was pushing herself to her limits and I could see her inching toward exhaustion from her exertions when we finally heard it. Our ears were suddenly met with the sound that we were overjoyed to hear in the moment although would likely hate later on. We were thrilled by the piercing sound of our child's cry as they took their first breaths.

"Congratulations, you have a healthy baby girl!" The healer said warmly, lifting our baby daughter up and placing her into her mother's waiting arms after wrapping her in a blanket.

The healer left the room then, giving us some privacy to enjoy the moment. I got up from the chair and walked around to the other side of the bed and sat down next to my wife to be closer to my baby daughter. I had a daughter! My wife and I stared transfixed at our little girl as she finally cleared the fluid from her lungs and quieted down. She shifted slightly and drifted off to sleep.

"What an absolute angel." Zelda said softly, voice full of excitement and love, and her face also looking happy but exhausted from her ordeal of giving birth, the tears still on her cheeks.

"She is very much that." I softly reply.

"What do you want to name her? Have you decided on a name yet?" She asked me quietly, happiness brimming in her voice as she looked up at me.

"I think," I started, tilting my head a little as I looked at our daughter's corn silk colored hair, and recognizing her from that vision I had nine years ago (crazy it had been that long already) when I was twelve, "that we should call her Ilia, Ilia Parker."

"I think that's a wonderful name for her." Zelda responds happily, gaze returning to the little bundle in her arms.

"Welcome home, Ilia." I say quietly, voice full of joy.

We stayed there for a while, staring at our sleeping daughter, mesmerized at all of this. We were an actual family now, we were parents to a beautiful healthy baby girl. I felt more complete now than I ever had before in my entire life. Of course, I cared for my father, but that was different than this. The way I loved my father wasn't the same as the way I loved my wife or the way I loved my child. I would go anywhere, give everything, and do anything for my wife and daughter. Their safety would now come before anything else without exception. Tears began to fill my eyes from the strength of my happiness at all of this.

That night, as our daughter slept in her crib in her room which was close to ours, it again struck me just how wonderful this all was. 'I'm really actually a father! My wife and I are now finally a family, after almost four wonderful years of marriage, I'm finally a father to a beautiful baby girl.'

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Early the next morning, we were awoken by Ilia crying. We glanced at each other, we would both have preferred to sleep longer but there was no point complaining when our child was in need. We quickly conferred between us without actually speaking about who should take care of her. In the end, seeing as she was almost certainly hungry, we agreed that Zelda would handle it.

Before Ilia was born, we both agreed that when it came to feeding that Zelda would take care of that herself. Yes, there were all kinds of baby formulas. Yes, they were reasonably simple to use. No, that didn't mean they were better. Additionally, those required more effort, and to Zelda and me it just made a lot more sense to do it the natural way. Call us old fashioned if you must, but my wife and I felt that the natural way was the way we wanted to do it. Also, it was a known fact that doing it the way nature intended helped strengthen the bond between mother and child.

Not too long later, Zelda came back to bed and laid back down beside me.

"Was she hungry? I assume so, she hasn't eaten since she was born otherwise." I ask her quietly.

"Yes, she was hungry, now she's back to sleeping like the little angel she is." My wife tenderly answered.

"Hmm." I simply hummed in reply, drifting off to sleep again.

Zelda giggled softly before snuggling into my chest and falling back asleep as well.

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Over the next few days, my wife and I got to experience the joy of many things for the first time. It was on the day after Ilia was born that I first held my child in my own arms. I had initially been apprehensive and hesitant about it, worried that I would accidentally injure my little girl, but Zelda had quickly soothed my worries. She assured me that I wouldn't hurt Ilia as she tenderly settled the newborn into my arms, gently positioning my arms in the proper position for holding an infant. Before I knew it, Ilia was nestled securely in my arms, it was almost indescribable, the rush of affection and love that flooded over me. This tiny creature belonged to me and would for eternity. This little, fragile, and adorable bundle would be my precious daughter for as long as we lived. I was transfixed by her, her large eyes staring back into mine.

We both saw some of ourselves in her, although her hair was identical to that of her namesake, her eyes were the same indescribable blue as mine and she had her mother's slightly paler skin tone. Her ears were just like those of her parents, long and pointed. We obviously absolutely adored her and considered her our dearest treasure. Just as any parent would say, for sure. We also wondered how many other characteristics of ours she inherited.

Although other first time things were…less than joyful. The crying, especially at night time, quickly became a nuisance. The responsibility of changing the baby, ugh! We knew it was necessary but still it was gross and not a glamor job that's for sure. I had also had a couple of shirts ruined from Ilia spitting up on them before I had memorized the warning signs of an impending vomit. But despite all of that, she was a keeper obviously. As for the night time interruptions, Zelda was so glad that she could now have tea again.

Lexa and Austin were quickly won over by our daughter and they told us she was the most adorable little baby they'd ever seen. The news of our daughter's birth spread through Camp Half-Blood like wildfire.

Our little Ilia was the perfect shield for us against the darkness that was constantly happening out there. Serving as a perfect means of distraction we were significantly less troubled by the grim and unsettling reports coming in all the time. Oh, we still cared and knew we would eventually need to do something about it of course, but because of our little girl, we weren't anywhere near as distressed. Since Ilia was born, the Sheikah slate had proven to be useful in another way too. It had become an indispensable means of storing various baby supplies for when out and about. For example; a blanket to cover the baby if she got hungry while we were in public, and whatnot.

Ilia was just about two weeks old, when an idea occurred to me. It was an idea that I hadn't yet recalled from my life as the hero of the wild even though I'd recovered a large amount of my memories from that life some nine years ago now. This idea was of a possible guardian for our child, someone who I had been able to summon with the Sheikah slate.

I had discovered it by chance soon after I woke in the shrine of resurrection and acquired the Sheikah slate. After I had acquired the bomb, stasis, magnesis, and cryonis runes, I had been inspecting the slate, and noticed that it was showing a fifth rune (or sixth if counting the two types of bombs separately), something called amiibo. I had no idea what that meant, but when I had tapped it, an animal materialized in front of me.

It was a wolf…but not like any wolf I'd ever seen before. He had black fur on his back and sides, and white fur on his underside. His forehead displayed a very unusual symbol almost. Most strange however, were the blue earrings in his ears. They were so similar to mine that I instinctively reached up to my own ears to see if they were still there.

Then it hit me, this wolf was me. When my life as the hero of twilight ended, my soul must have taken the form of a wolf. As I wandered around Hyrule, he stayed by my side without fail other than when I entered the shrines, divine beasts, and Hyrule Castle itself when I went to fight Ganon. Twilight, as I had referred to him, was my faithful companion. He helped me find materials, fight off the monsters that plagued the land, and most importantly helped alleviate the sometimes crushing loneliness.

If I could summon him again now, he would be the perfect companion for our little Ilia. I brought up the idea to Zelda, she was totally accepting of this idea, and gave me full permission. She accepted my invitation to observe me summon Twilight. I picked up the slate, located the amiibo rune (again, no clue what that meant), held out the slate, and activated the rune.

Just as before, Twilight began to form out of black particles that looked very much like the twilight matter. After he solidified and came into focus, he was just about to howl like he always did when I summoned him. I was quick to shush him, why I don't really know, last time no one but Zelda and I, and our children of that time, were able to see or hear him. I never found out why that was.

He looked at me confused, then gazed at Zelda, then back to me.

"It's nice to see you again Twilight." I greeted him, nodding.

He panted a little and nodded himself.

"Twilight I have summoned you again because I have a task I would like to assign you. Zelda and I have a little baby girl and we would love if you could be her guardian." I asked him.

He nodded again, wagging his tail. He then followed us up the stairs to as we took him to our daughter's room so he could see her. I quietly opened the door, mindful of our sleeping baby. Twilight padded into the room, inspected our little Ilia, then trotted back over to us.

"Her name's Ilia." I tell him, answering his wordless question, remembering how Ilia was the name of someone he/I knew in that lifetime. It was really weird now essentially having two separate versions of me here at the same time.

Zelda and I then headed down the stairs again, Twilight following close behind us. For the next hour or so, we just relaxed and read our books as Twilight lay on the rug near us. Although he was really a wolf, he acted more like a dog who was always guarding his pack. Twilight's ears were always alert and his eyes ever watchful, after a while though he relaxed a little. His ears went back to their relaxed position and his eyes drifted closed as he fell asleep for a nap.

Soon it was getting on toward dinner time and Zelda and I were trying to decide what we should make, when we heard Twilight's claws clicking on the floor. We turned our gazes to him, and saw him looking at us, head cocked. I quickly figured out what he was trying to say.

"Are you hungry Twilight?" I asked him.

He panted and wagged his tail by way of response. As we obviously hadn't thought to get dog food, and thinking about it now he probably wouldn't have appreciated it anyway, we decided to give him one of the leftover raw bone-in pork chops we had in the refrigerator. Yes, he had person level intelligence, but he was also a wolf. His system just wouldn't be able to handle a lot of the foods we could have. I guess it could be stated that he was a person in the body of a wolf, save for some canine type behaviors.

He gently took the offered food out of my hand, and walked off about twenty feet to eat his meal. Thank the goddesses his intelligence was so high, he knew to eat it on the floor where cleanup would be easier. I also didn't need to tell him to be careful of the bone. As Zelda and I decided on pesto pasta and started making it, I observed Twilight in peripheral vision.

Soon my attention wandered from him and instead fixed on my wife as she flitted about the kitchen as we prepared dinner. She was truly a wonderful cook, she made the most amazing meals, and since we married I had practically wicked up those skills like a sponge. My wife now liked to tease me that if wasn't so fit all the pasta I eat would be showing itself. Yeah, my dear wife was basically saying if I wasn't me, I would be fat from my diet. I wasn't offended though, this was just the usual kind of back and forth we played.

Dinner was almost ready when a nose nudged the back of one of my knees. Turning around and looking down I saw Twilight looking back at me, the bone held in his mouth. I realized he was asking what he should do with it, I pulled out a paper sack for trash and he walked over and placed it in the bag. He then wandered off and lay down, still within sight of us as we headed for the table for our dinner, but keeping an ear pointed in the direction of our daughter's room.

Just a couple of days later, something particularly unexpected occurred. It happened when Lexa and Austin visited, but they weren't the unexpected thing. They knocked quietly, mindful that our child may be sleeping because that was the kind of generous people they were. I opened the door for them thinking nothing of the fact that Twilight was still stretched out by my wife's feet in front of the couch, after all nobody other than my wife and I could see him, or so we thought. However, the moment I opened the door, Lexa and Austin both suddenly snapped their gazes to the side. I followed their gaze, turning my head to see what they were looking at. They were looking right at Twilight, who was staring back with complete surprise as well.

"Is…that a wolf?" Lexa whispered, turning her gaze to me.

"Wait…you can see him?" I ask genuinely curious.

"Uh yeah, there's a wolf laying right by your wife!" Austin murmured with concern.

"Oh, that's just Twilight, he's…well…one of my past lives. Sort of anyway, I think he's the soul of one my previous lives. I summoned him to be a guardian spirit for our daughter." I explain, then added, "Don't mind him, he won't hurt you. Twilight come say hi to our guests."

He gets up and pads over to greet them, sniffing them briefly and then panting and wagging his tail a little. They relaxed upon this display of dog-like behavior, they then came inside and we visited for a while just chitchatting.

Later, when Zelda was taking a nap on the couch, worn out from the exhausting demands of caring for an infant (well we both were, but I wasn't a napping person, I never had been), a question for Twilight popped into my head unbidden. I am just about to ask him if Zelda and I got together when I was the hero of Twilight since I don't remember. I then decide I actually don't want that question answered, in case the answer was no and leaving me tormented with sadness. I decide instead to ask him if he ever saw Midna again in whatever plane he inhabited after he died.

He shook his head no, he never did see her again, not even after they both passed on. That was a shame, I wondered how she fared after she shattered the mirror of twilight, did she live out her days in peace? Was she able to find happiness like she deserved? I really hope she did. That night, I relived the memory where Midna shattered the mirror of twilight.