The hallways of the imperial castle stood empty as always. Sunlight permeated the narrow space from windows high above eye level. Zelda walked these halls alone, several books from the royal library tucked under her right arm. Long golden ringlets hung down her back and a glistening silver tiara sat atop her delicate head. She wore a long light blue gown lined with intricate beading and lace. The dress's train made the only noise in the hallway as it dragged lightly behind her in sync with her steps. Her face was starting to show signs of age around her eyes and lips, but her body still appeared fairly youthful. The skin sagged slightly underneath her bottom eyelids, a result of many years of sleep deprivation and stress.

It had been more than ten years since she had come to live at the palace. Although she'd been married to the king for almost a decade before that, she'd only been allowed to live with him after her son had officially been declared dead. No remains of Caleb had ever been found, but just a year after his kidnapping, the royal guard had called off the search. The investigation had ceased mostly because Caleb and his mother had been a secret to everyone who was not directly related to or working with the King. Caleb had never even been in the city, so how were they supposed to conduct a search for a boy no one even knew existed?

Heartbroken and lonely, Zelda came to live with her husband and become the official Queen of Altea. They married a second time, inviting the entire kingdom to come watch their King pledge his vows to his beloved. Zelda became greatly loved by her subjects and gave birth to a daughter merely a year later. Although life went on and the family appeared to be joyful and prosperous, thoughts of Caleb never left anyone's mind. Zelda cried for her lost child almost every night after the wedding, and she would light a candle for him every year on his birthday in hopes that someday he would return and be able to blow the flame out himself.

Marth kept the castle heavily guarded at all times, hoping that keeping his new child under his own watch would keep them all safe. However, both Marth and Zelda knew that Caleb's kidnapper would not return for their second child, especially since now they were all public figures to the people. Now, ten years later, everything remained just as it did. No one attempted to take the girl, but Caleb was never found either.

Now, Zelda couldn't help but think of her son. Yesterday had been his nineteenth birthday, and as tradition, she had lit a candle in his honor. The only difference had been that she did not cry as she had in past years. There had been tears, but not the heavy sobs she had experienced before. Afterward, she couldn't help but wonder if this meant that she was finally accepting that he was gone. Would there come a year where she wouldn't cry at all? Would that mean that she didn't love him anymore?

These thoughts depressed the Queen to no end. Dead or alive, Caleb would always be her first-born child. Those lively, icy blue eyes would never leave her memory, but would there be a day when she didn't love them unconditionally? She prayed with her entire soul that the love she held for her son never faded.

Zelda soon came to her destination at the end of one of the winding corridors. The large, wooden doors before her were the only thing that stood between her and the King's study. Hesitantly, she pressed a hand to the door, making it creak slightly. Marth looked up from his desk when he heard his door open.

"May I come in, Your Highness?" Zelda inquired, peeking her head around the door's heavy frame.

Her husband's face had aged with the years just as hers had. His hair had not begun to grey, but the color was not the vibrant blue it once was. A short beard ran across his mouth and up to both ears. His chest was broad as it had always been, but his shoulders slumped down futher than they had before. The royal crown still resided atop his blue locks, which still ran past his ears and almost covered his cerulean eyes.

"Love, you don't have to address me so formally." Marth chuckled. "You are the Queen, remember?" His smile was warm and inviting. He gently motioned for the maiden to come in with his right hand.

"I know, but…I hate disturbing you when you work. Therefore, it seems more appropriate for me to address you as others do when you are busy like this." Zelda closed the door behind her before advancing toward her husband. She placed the books she held on a nearby table.

"I suppose that makes sense, but that means I should show the same courtesy to you." Marth continued, standing and taking his wife's hands in his own.

"That's not true," Zelda replied, looking down and feeling the man's soft touch. "I do not work in the same way that you do. Reading and painting is not as important as making life better for everyone in the kingdom."

"But I always feel so guilty when I interrupt your concentration on those things." Marth leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her pale forehead before proceeding. "You always have such a lovely expression on your face when you do the hobbies you enjoy. So from now on, I will call you quietly by your imperial name if I need you when you are working." The Queen's cheeks flushed to a light peach color as he said this.

"You are too good to me," She murmured with a smile.

"I have a feeling I could say the same thing to you, Love." Marth chortled lightly. "However, I know you have come to me today for a reason."

"Indeed," Zelda answered, her smile and blush fading. "I came to tell you that yesterday was Caleb's birthday."

"Oh yes," Marth murmured. "He would have been nineteen, if I'm not mistaken."

"I miss him so much." Zelda whispered, burying her face in her husband's warm chest. He wrapped her arms around her dainty shoulders comfortingly.

"We both miss our son." Marth cooed. "He left us too soon."

The King could feel the tears of his wife begin to stain his cardigan, which caused him to pull her closer. She'd suffered so much after Caleb's disappearance, and even more when he was pronounced dead. He wanted so badly to ease her pain, to somehow lift the burden she bore. However, he realized long ago that her agony far surpassed his own. Really, he had not known Caleb like she had. She'd been with the child almost every moment since he was born, and when he was ripped from her life, it caused a torturous grief like no other. How was he supposed to ease such an intense pain? It was the adversity he faced every single day.

"Love," Marth whispered after a moment of the maiden's silent sobs. "I've been thinking about something recently."

Zelda lifted her tearful gaze to meet Marth's loving smile.

"Yes?" She squeaked, removing the water from her eyes with the back of her palm.

"It's been almost two decades since you've been back to Hyrule." He said softly. "Perhaps now is the time to return and seek the Goddesses' advice."

Zelda's eyebrows furrowed in confusion; she didn't understand.

"Before you fled here, you tended to turn to your blessed Goddesses for help, right?" Marth clarified. The maiden nodded, still looking somewhat lost. "Perhaps if you went back home and got into contact with them, you would find some of the answers you long to know."

The Queen's face softened, as if suddenly remembering what the man was talking about. It'd been ages since she'd last spoken with the Goddesses of Hyrule, but somehow she had never thought about the matter until now.

"You're right," Zelda realized. "But everything was destroyed by the invaders so long ago…I'm not sure if I could contact them without being in some sort of temple."

"Hyrule is a very large territory, Love." Marth reassured, lifting a hand and caressing her cheek with his thumb. "There is sure to be a temple left somewhere."

Zelda leaned into his touch, feeling the warmth that was so familiar.

"Will you be okay here alone with Evelyn?" She murmured, closing her eyes.

"Our daughter will be safe with me." Marth promised. He took note of how her face looked so peaceful in that moment. The tears had ceased and her aged face appeared serene. He secretly wished the expression would never leave her, assuring that she was always happy and at ease.

I can only hope she will find some peace from the Goddesses, he thought. She's held onto Caleb for too long; perhaps this trip will bring her some closure. As much as Marth didn't want to think that his son was dead, he couldn't find a better explanation for the situation. It was almost easier to think that he had perished long ago, instead of wondering what cruel fate kept him alive.

Marth then shifted his hand under his wife's chin. Slowly, he leaned down and met her lips with his own, tasting the unnamable sensation of her mouth. It felt the same as when he'd first kissed her so long ago, and now more than twenty years later, those feelings still engulfed him like a blanket. Although their lives together had not been easy, he'd never doubted the love he felt for her, even the fateful day when she'd come to tell him the news about Caleb.

"I love you," Marth whispered, pulling away. "Never forget that."

Zelda nodded slowly, wrapping her arms around his wide torso.

If only we could stay like this, the King thought. I would give anything to stay like this forever…

To be continued.

A/N: Kinda short, but personally, I like it. Starting to figure things out yet? hehe
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