Links' grandmother sat in her chair, looking fondly at the grandchildren she loved, whisked away by the calm of their sleep.
It was a sight she had not seen in so long, and a sight she knew she'd never see again.
Aryll and Link in their beds, their calm breathing accompanied by the crackling fire beside her as she considered how lucky a grandmother she really was to be loved by such sweet children.
Normally, she would doze off in the very chair she sat, restful and happy that her grandchildren were safe.
Yet, instead, she savored the moment, every last moment she had.
Suddenly, however, there was a third sound, a rather new one at that.
Links' breathing was quickening, his sleep becoming worryingly restless.
His grandmother stood up as he started to thrash around, her expression saddened when she saw the furrow in Links' brow.
He'd had nightmares before, but this was different.
The fitfulness of his sleep, the discomfort in his expression, the tossing and turning, it was all too painful for the worried grandmother to witness.
She wanted him to have just one night of peace, for all his nights to be peaceful.
Yet, that seemed so unattainable at the moment, as even a brush of her warm hand against his cheek did nothing.
Tears fell from her eyes as she retreated her hand, wringing it with the other as she watched her grandson suffer, horrified at the dreaded thought of what he must have been seeing, experiencing, feeling.
Rehashing…
"No…" He said in his sleep, his grandmother's eyes widening with intrigue, and an equal despair.
"Come here," Link continued, "I'll keep you safe, Tetra…Zelda!…Zelda!"
She wanted to wake him up, to tear him away from his distressed screams, from the nightmare in his mind's eye, even from the nightmare he went through to save his sister.
But she just couldn't.
She remembered her sadness at seeing the dark circles under the poor boy's eyes, his scratched up face, the limp arm tied in a sling, the bruises on his forearms and his shoulders when he wore his old nightclothes, his fatigued and worn out countenance.
She knew he was so tired.
The grandmother didn't want to think about how many nights he sailed without sleep, cold and alone on the ocean's waters.
She was as worried for Link as she was for Aryll, all those months she spent awaiting their return.
She always thought that when they finally came home, they would be safe, in their beds, in her arms.
But she feared Link would never be safe.
After all, she couldn't save him from his nightmares, from the apparent trauma, from growing up too soon, from having to leave too young.
She regretfully left her grandchildren to their slumber, stepping out into the outside air.
The grandmother took a deep breath before setting her sights on the pirate ship before her.
It wasn't long before she saw the girl, shouting up at the boat from the shore.
"Niko!" Tetra yelled as the old woman approached, "Niko Look at me! Where am I pointing?!"
"There we go," she said with an exasperated movement of her hand.
Tetra put her hands on her hips and continued,
"Honestly, it's like they—"
Tetra's eyebrow's furrowed, swearing she heard something behind her.
"Do you ever sleep, child?" The grandmother asked when Tetra turned around.
"Are…are you Link's grandmother?" Tetra asked, forgetting the previous question entirely.
"Indeed, I am," the grandmother said with a nod, "but you can call me Carolyn."
"Of…of course…" Tetra said nervously before looking back at her ship, fearing those fools would have accidentally caught it on fire with they way they've been using their brains lately.
"Is there something you wanted?" Tetra asked when she turned back to Carolyn, "Have we been too loud?"
"No," Carolyn said with a shake of her head and a small smile, "I wanted to speak with you."
"Me?" Tetra retorted, surprised.
The old woman nodded and said,
"Just for a little bit,"
"Sure," Tetra said before they walked to a large rock, both sitting on its' ledge as if it were a bench.
"I'm sorry about your grandson," Tetra said.
"He's just so young," Carolyn replied, "too young…but he…he can't stay here…as much as I want him to…He's been through too much to stay here, but he will need someone to help him. He will need you."
Tetra's attentive gaze shifted from her ship to the old woman beside her.
"Help him? What are you talking about?"
Carolyn didn't reply, looking over instead at the house she knew he must have been sleeping restlessly.
"That's why you came out here," Tetra said, "you're worried I won't be able to take care of him? I mean we usually have enough foo—"
"No," the woman interrupted, "that's not what I meant."
"Then…?" Tetra prompted, not understanding.
Carolyn turned her head, looking directly into Tetra's blue eyes.
"I can only imagine what Link has been through to bring Aryll safely back home, but you…"
The woman clasped her hands around Tetra's right hand, bringing it chest-level.
"You know…you understand…he…he's grown to trust you, I can tell. You can support him, help him get past all this, help him to be happy again."
"I…" Tetra stammered.
"I know it's a lot to put on you, but you must understand, I just want him to be happy. He won't be a joyous little boy anymore, he can't be, but at least I'll worry less knowing…"
"Knowing that someone cares about him," Tetra finished.
Carolyn smiled as she gently released Tetra's hand.
Tetra looked to her right and left cautiously before leaning in further and saying quietly,
"I do genuinely care about him, just so you know, he…he's already been there for me as well."
"He has always been such a sweet boy," Carolyn now doting upon her grandson like the proud grandmother she was, "I'm not surprised he would support you like that."
Tetra gave a small smile.
"He told me he saved you?" The woman asked, now making conversation, eager to continue being in the company of such a kind girl.
She was glad Link would have her.
"He…he mentioned me?" Tetra asked in disbelief.
"That boy talked more about you than he did about himself."
Tetra found herself flustered, words coming to her with so much more difficulty.
"I…I can't imagine about what," she finally made out.
"Oh, this and that…I didn't expect him to talk much about himself anyway, He's too stubbornly humble for his own good."
Tetra gave a snort and said,
"That's an understatement."
Caroline smiled when she saw Tetra's eyes light up with familiarity.
"Miss Tetra!" They heard a voice echo from the shore.
"You'd think they'd never readied a ship before," Tetra grumbled as she slid off the rock.
Her eyebrows furrowed into a puzzled expression when she saw half the crew on the shore all surrounding something she couldn't see.
She crossed her arms in front of her, stopping to say,
"There better be a good reason why all of you are down here while the ship is still half—"
Her arms released to dangle by their sides, her eyes widening when they the group of sailors parted.
She walked slowly forward, Link's grandmother watching from a distance.
In front of them all was a boat, a rather familiar one at that.
Red, with white accents, the head of a lion at its' front.
Links' boat.
Everyone was in silence around her as she stared, expecting it to come alive, wanting so much for it to say anything.
She barely knew why she wanted it to and of course, her crew was silent because they hadn't the slightest idea what it was.
Tetra concentrated on its' lifeless eyes. It was just a boat, nothing more, no king beneath its' surface, no warning in its' words, no destiny in its' purpose.
Just a boat…
Tetra placed her hand on the lions' face, tracing her hand with its' patterns, its' textures.
Yet, her hand was on it only a few seconds before a huge splash of water erupted before her, drenching everyone in salty seawater.
When she looked up again, she staggered back in surprise, her wide eyes seeing a humungous fish in the bay of outset island.
He was dark blue, almost black, with small orange eyes and a bright torch That hung off the growth on his forehead, quite resembling an angler fish.
"Princess Zelda," the fish said in a deep voice.
"Y-yes," Tetra stammered in fear as she stepped forward, the crewmen whispering among themselves and Carolyn letting out a soft gasp.
"I am Jabun. I wish for you to favor me and relay this gift to Link. The Hyrule of old, though now on its' deathbed is ever grateful for his service, as well as yours. The boat he once sailed no longer contains the spirit of the King, yet it is the least I can do to thank him for his courage. And…for your wisdom…"
Tetra's eyebrows raised, not expecting anything for the small part she played. She watched as something golden and glowing descended from above her, shining too bright for her to distinguish until it landed softly in her hands.
A golden crest, with a magenta jewel in the center, the headpiece she once wore as a princess.
Tetra herself may have once considered it a score, pawning it for supplies, for rupees.
Yet, she instead looked upon it differently, treasuring it in quite a different way.
"These," Jabun continued, prompting Tetra to look up at him, "are the last remnants of Hyrule. Much like you and Link, they have lost their destiny, lost the past they had been intertwined with, lifted from the curse of their lineage, Those are meant to be forgotten. But not you two, and not the Hyrule that once housed hope. These trinkets will serve as a symbol that the Hyrule of old dies, yet it's spirit lives anew in your future, that our mistakes will hinder you no longer, that we send you along with hope in our heavy hearts. Dear princess Zelda, may you sail to your future with the blessings of the past."
"Th-Thank you," Tetra said with a nod before looking back down at the trinket in her hands.
She barely noticed the large fish descending into the waters as she stared. Her crew members all deeming her the center of attention as she caressed the golden crest.
Tetra was brought out of the trance with a gust of wind, making the wooden boat creak.
She looked up as she brought her arms down, clutching the crest with one hand.
Staring at her crewmen expectantly, she eventually exclaimed,
"Well, does this look like the deck to you, or are you all priding yourselves on a job half done!"
The crew suddenly Brought to their senses, they hurried back to the ship with a chorus of 'yes ma'am'S', Tetra swearing she heard at least one 'yes, your highness'.
She would have to give Niko an earful next Time she saw him.
"He won't need it now that he's riding on your ship, right?" Carolyn asked as she stepped next to Tetra.
"I have a feeling the fool will want to sail it for old time's sake," Tetra replied, "will be a fun game to see how long he lasts when it starts to rain."
"He hates the rain," Tetra and Carolyn said at the same time.
They looked at each in response, Carolyn harboring a wide smile and Tetra flustered once again.
She hated it.
"You should probably wake Link up," Tetra said, "he'll want to see this."
"Yes, of course," Carolyn said with sad eyes, knowing that her efforts to give her grandson a peaceful night's rest were futile.
"Come with me," she pleaded.
"Come…?" Tetra started to question, but was stopped by the sincerity she saw in the old woman's eyes.