Zelda awoke with a groan. She felt as though she could still sleep more, however she could also feel the impending headache from sleeping far too long, as well. Zelda grinned and ran her fingers through her matted hair. How long had it been since she had slept that soundly; even before the Calamity began?
The princess raised her hands as she stretched, trying to hold back a yawn. Suddenly, something crossed her mind. Not only did she not know where she was, but her friend was nowhere to be found. She looked about as she rose from the bed, noticing it was now at least late afternoon. He had to be awake by now, she figured. On her way out of the bedroom, the Princess caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and winced.
Her hair was in a complete rat's nest, and grime covered both her dress and herself. It did not miss her that her face was completely clean, however. How on Earth did that happen? She thought, confused. Before she could go into explanations for the phenomenon, her thoughts were interrupted.
"O-oh! You're awake!" Zelda heard from the entrance. Not being used to company for the past century, Zelda yelped in surprise.
"I-Impa?" Zelda muttered, squinting a bit, "Wait.. no…" The young lady before her certainly had some traits of the princess' old friend, however, this woman's face was covered in tattoos and her hair was a different consistency. Besides, the more the Princess thought of it, there was no way Impa would have remained this young.
"N-n-no, Your Majesty!" The girl bowed her head slightly, "My name is Paya. I-Impa is my grandmother… you see…"
"Oh!" Zelda exclaimed, deep in thought, "Of course, of course." The thought of one of her best friends being a grandmother was alien to the princess. Zelda still felt young, still looked young, but the world went on without her. All of her friends, all of her family… anyone who survived the Calamity must have been ancient at this point or…
Zelda shook the thought from her mind. It was something she thought of often while she was containing Ganon. It was no shock.
Then why does it pain me so much? Zelda inwardly cried, wrapping her arms around herself.
"Are you a-alright, Your Majesty?" Paya asked, concerned.
"Hm?" Zelda responded, half in her own mind, "Oh, yes, I'll be fine. Just thinking, is all." Zelda perked herself up, not wanting to worry the young woman in front of her. "And you do not have to call me 'Your Majesty,' you know. We've been one hundred years without a monarch, I highly doubt my title has any pull anymore."
"Then what should I call you?" Paya questioned shyly, fidgeting with her tunic.
"Zelda is quite alright, thank you," The Princess answered, smiling gently.
"Alright, Lady Zelda," Paya replied
"N-no just Zel-" Zelda started but was cut off. Perhaps she wasn't heard by Paya.
"I should go tell my grandmother you are awake! She'll be so pleased!" And without another thought, Paya skipped down the stairs happily.
Zelda sighed heavily. It was as if she had forgotten how to communicate. How long had it been since she had a proper conversation? She talked at Link, but, as per usual, he did not speak much back. It was much like speaking to a wall with a face painted upon it, much like it was before he opened up to her. Did he forget that much?
Before she had time to ponder these thoughts further, Zelda was greeted by a familiar, yet much older, voice.
"My dearest Zelda… It's been one hundred years…"
Zelda's breath stilted as she turned to the door once more. Tears began to well up in her eyes. Impa was there. One hundred years and one of her dear friends still lived, still breathed. Impa opened her arms wide, and Zelda ran to return the embrace. She felt the arms of her old friend wrap around her like a security blanket.
"It has been too long, my friend," Zelda whispered, her eyes burning and threatening to release tears she had been holding back for one hundred years.
"Indeed it has," Impa agreed gentilly, tracing comforting circles on the Princess' back before taking her friend by the shoulders to get a good look at her face. "I must say I am quite jealous. Time has been all too kind to you" Zelda laughed in return, wiping some spare tears from her eyes.
"I'd tell you the secret," she sniffled, "but I am afraid I do not quite know it myself. And do not speak so harshly of yourself, Impa," Zelda jokingly reprimanded. "I would dare anyone to look half as beautiful as you at a century old! You're gorgeous, do you hear me?"
"I do, my dear," Impa laughed heartily, "I do. Oh, we have so much to speak of." Impa looked at her old friend, a smirk growing on her face, "Though before we speak of the old days, perhaps you should rid yourself of what remains from them. That grime must be a century old, my girl!"
"Well, I'm sorry," Zelda retorted jokingly, "I had some priorities… such as sleeping for, what, twenty hours straight?" The hours following were filled with laughter, memories, and amazingly hot water. Zelda hadn't felt more at peace than in those moments.
By the time Link had returned from hunting and preparing his catch, he could hear girlish giggling from the upstairs bedroom of Impa's home. Curious, he placed the prepared and paper wrapped venison on the table and headed up the stairs. Quiet as ever, he could hear the women sharing stories and gossip. At first he rolled his eyes, and then he heard his name.
"I can't help it, Link is so strong and quiet… it's slightly intimidating, and I'm just too shy…"
"Oh, Paya there is no reason to be scared of Link," He heard Zelda say. He couldn't help but grin. She was awake!
"Oh, Impa, have I ever told you the story of how he once tried to ride two horses at the same time?"
Link stopped in his tracks.
Oh. He dreaded to himself. Oh no. Link might have not remembered much. But this… this he remembered. Mostly because he tried again one hundred years later. That jogged his memory. It also was just as unsuccessful.
"So, there we were in Hyrule Field, perhaps slightly south of the Outpost there, and we had just returned from the Spring of Power. I was feeling, well… that isn't important. So, anyway, Link sees this group of horses gallop in front of us and he gets this idea." Zelda giggled, "He got this ridiculous smile on his face and told me to watch. Imagine my surprise as he mounts his horse, rides right up to one of the other horses and places one foot on his own horses back, and the other onto one of the wild ones! At first I was impressed! He really did look rather masterful for a moment." Zelda then burst into a fit of laughs.
"But then," The Princess started, "Then the wild horse just bucks underneath him and he falls! Not onto the ground, oh no, he gets caught in the saddle by- ha! Ha ha!- by his belt." The other women start cackling at full strength.
"Oh no," Link heard Paya giggle, "Was- haha- was he o-okay?"
"Oh, Paya, you should have seen it!" Zelda continued, "He-"
There was a knock on the door frame.
"Any...any chance I can interrupt?" Link asked, red-faced and quiet.
"Yes, my boy, come on in," Impa beckoned, "Zelda was just telling us a story about you."
"I heard." He replied sternly. However, when he looked at the Princess, he couldn't help but smile. She was all clean, her still-wet hair draping over her shoulders. Her emerald eyes shone all the brighter as her smile reached them. Her cheeks were blushed from the heat of the bath she no doubt just had and her skin was like polished porcelain.
He had to make sure he didn't stare for too long. Link shook his head and mind, clearing his throat before continuing.
"I, um," he fished, "I caught dinner, if anyone is hungry."
"Oh, yes, actually," Zelda perked, obviously excited at the prospect of food, "What are we having?"
"Well," Link started quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. He hadn't really decided yet. "What would you like?"
Zelda looked deep in thought for a moment. She most likely hadn't eaten anything since Calamity Ganon was sealed away, at least she hadn't to Link's knowledge. Suddenly, the Princess looked up with a grin.
"If I remember correctly, you made a fantastic meat stew, didn't you?"
The truth was, Link couldn't remember if he had even cooked in the past. Perhaps it was something he just picked up along his journey. However, with those green orbs staring at him pleadingly, he couldn't refuse. A small smile grew on his face.
"Meat stew it is then."
"The first meal I've had in a century," Zelda groaned, grasping at her stomach, "and I decide to eat so much that I make myself ill."
"To be fair, dear, I could barely keep myself from eating too much," Impa smiled, "That was delicious, Link, my boy."
"Hm?" Link hummed, lost in his thoughts while washing the dishes from the meal.
"I said, the meal was delicious," Impa scolded, "Do try to pay attention when someone compliments you."
Link laughed softly and nodded in thanks.
"Really, though, Link," Zelda asked with a grin, "Where did you learn to cook like this? I had always wondered in the past, as well."
Link just shrugged. He never really had learned. Cooking, somehow, had come naturally to him. It was an inherent skill he had come to enjoy. He found it rather relaxing and comforting somehow.
"Wait a moment," Impa said with a sneaky smile, "If I remember correctly, your mother owned a tavern in Castle Town. Rather popular, from what I had seen, when I found it necessary to visit."
Link froze. His mother? It had never occurred to him. He was here, wasn't he? Obviously he had to have had a mother. He couldn't remember her; not a single thing about her. All of the sudden, he wondered what she was like. Was she stern or loving? Was she funny? Did Link even like his mother?
"My…" Link muttered, barely audible.
"Your mother, yes!" Impa explained, "Now I remember! It was called 'The Stewpot Inn,' I think. I never got to go in, myself, but I always heard lots of laughter from that place, before it closed. That was a good while before we met you, though, Link. Wouldn't have known if your father hadn't mentioned it once or twice."
"The…" Link stammered, his hands starting to shake, "The… Stewpot…?" Link's eyes found the now clean stew pot he had used earlier.
There was a loud CRASH as the terra cotta bowl in Link's hands fell to the floor.
"Link?" Zelda called, her voice sounding frightened, "Link, what is the matter?"
He didn't move, his bright blue eyes were moving wildly, as if he were seeing something different. He started to mutter slightly under his breath, unintelligible. His breathing quickened. Suddenly, Zelda knew. He was remembering. He was in the past.
Zelda stood from her seat and rushed to her friend, taking his face in her hands.
"Link? Link, come now, " She urged gently, "Look at me. We're here. We're with you." She tried desperately to get him to focus his eyes on her, but the memory only worsened. He fell back a tad, and Zelda could see a cold sweat developing on his face. What could he be seeing? The Princess panicked.
Link, unable to move back any farther, tripped and fell to the floor. It frightened the knight, but did not break him of his vision. The young man curled up and began to weep, grasping at his hair like a child grasping a security blanket. It was as if he had to hold onto something, anything.
Zelda knelt in front of her knight, her eyes beginning to feel the warmth of tears herself. All that was mentioned was his mother, wasn't it? She thought desperately, Could it have been that terrible?
"Link, please…" She begged, urging him to look at her once more. Her small hands took ahold of his rough ones. She could feel how his body shook, how upset he was. She hadn't seen him recover a memory first-hand, but it couldn't have been like this every time, could it?
I… I didn't do this to him, did I? She thought, trying desperately to hold herself together. This wasn't about her. Not now.
"Please," she begged, giving her knights hands a comforting squeeze, "come back."
Link's eyes finally began to focus onto her. He looked around, attempting to adjust his eyes to reality. He tried to control his breathing as his friends looked on with concern. The young man looked to the broken bowl, to Zelda kneeling before him. He took a still shaking hand and wiped his face, noticing the tears and sweat.
"Link?" Zelda whispered, deeply concerned. The young man averted his gaze from her, looking down to the ground, his face made of stone; then gently pulled his hands from the Princess's, rose from the floor, and calmly walked out of the now quiet house.
"Wait!" Zelda called after him, rushing toward the door.
"Leave him be, Zelda," Impa suggested calmly, "He's always prefered to do this on his own."
The Princess stopped for a moment, looking to the elder and then back to the door. Impa was right, of course. He did always prefer to fight on his own. Letting others in was a struggle. He shared many secrets with her in the past, many of which she was sure Link could barely remember. However, Link had never mentioned his mother; not once. His late father was his role model and, from what Zelda gathered, his best friend. But of his mother….
"You're right, Impa, he does prefer to fight on his own," Zelda stated, her fists clenched, "but that does not mean he has to."
Without another word, The Princess of Hyrule dashed after her Knight.