'Facing the consequences of one's mistakes can be a relief or a burden. As a princess, very few will truly be able to understand the suffocating weight of knowing that a single action can have catastrophic consequences. Even if there are those out there who have forgiven and forgotten, there will be ghosts that haunt me far beyond the grave.'

—Extract from the supposed memoirs of Princess Zelda XVI, known colloquially as the Princess of Destiny

In The Shadows

~O~

Chapter 11: Little Bird

Maybe everything isn't fine.

After walking home and forcing myself to get some sleep, it's not long before I find myself assaulted by nightmares that leave me waking up every few hours in a cold sweat before falling back into the pit of dreams once more. Some are hazy and confusing, like the feeling of trudging through slick mud and tugging someone along behind me, their face hazy and unrecognisable apart from their exhausted blue eyes. I remember rain and the feeling of hunger gnawing at my gut, then my vision being lit up with blood red lights and I lose the grip on the person I'm with.

As soon as I hear them fall to the ground, I bolt upright in my bed with a cry.

Others are more horrific and vivid worse-case scenarios that could have happened at the temple ruins where I'm lying on the ground and unable to save Link from Cia's murderous wrath. Other times, I don't even make it to the temple at all.

Some of those times, I can hear Link's parents demanding why I didn't tell them I'd killed their son.

"We trusted you!" Raven cries one time. "And he trusted you! How could you destroy that?"

"Never forget," Link says to me another time, his voice filled with hurt and anger. "That my blood is on your hands…"

After clawing my way back awake again, I slump against my bed with my legs tangled between the sheets and breathe hard. I don't know why this guilt is weighing me down so much—it's not like it's all my fault. I did everything I could to save Link and protect his family…

And what could they have possibly done if I'd told them sooner? I ask myself in a desperate attempt to think rationally. If anything, they would've been fretting for longer and worrying about Link. It's an emotionally charged situation; they're in an awful place with no one to blame other than a woman called Cia who they've never met or seen before. We told them the truth when we knew for sure that Link was safe and could ease their worries, something we wouldn't have been able to do when he first went missing.

I just hope that they see it that way soon enough.

So surely I can stop feeling guilty about it? I did the best I could…

And yet, I just can't seem to shake the awful feeling that my best still wasn't good enough.

I could've done so much more… could've been so much better. If I'd been better, maybe I wouldn't have needed to hide the truth from Link's family. If I'd been better, maybe I could've stopped Link's suffering.

"My blood is on your hands…"

And it's something that I'll never forget.

So when Aryll calls me a few hours later, not even her good news can lift my spirits.

"The doctors said if he keeps doing well, they should be able to take him off sedation tomorrow night," she tells me, the smile evident in her voice.

My immediate reaction is relief. Relief that he's doing better, relief that things are starting to look up, relief that we can start putting this case behind us. But then the guilt I felt when I first spoke to Link's family slams back into my body and saps me of my joy. My heart soars at the news, but my guilt crushes my happiness.

"That's wonderful news," I say anyway, forcing myself to sound as overjoyed as I feel. "It's such a relief."

She seems to notice how my voice shakes, "You're always welcome to come here, you know. Don't take my dad's words to heart; he just wishes he could've done more."

Me too…

"Thank you, Aryll." She soon gets called back by her family and we say goodbye. When her voice disappears, I sink to my knees and let my phone fall from my hand so I can cover my face as I cry.

My heart desperately wants me to grab my keys and get down to the hospital as soon as possible, then I can smooth things over and wait for Link to wake up. But the voice at the back of my mind reminds me that I don't deserve it, not after all the mistakes I've made, and the voice is so loud it overpowers my heart.

I won't go. I can't go. Not yet, anyway. His family should be the first people he sees, not me. I'll face them all when the guilt doesn't hurt so much.

My shoulders heave with emotion. If only denying myself of this didn't hurt me so much either.

Shakily forcing myself onto my feet, I resolve to do what I can to distract my dark thoughts. Rain starts splattering against the windows as I start tidying the flat, scouting out what few messes I can find until I've cleaned everything. It's strangely draining to do such menial tasks so by the time I'm done, I sink onto my sofa with a sigh.

My heart drops when my eyes fall on a blanket draped over the sofa, the same one Link had used when he stayed over after I'd received that ominous prank message from Vaati. The memories of his comforting presence stirring both warmth in my heart and coldness everywhere else. I took him for granted, taking advantage of his kindness whenever I needed it and rarely worrying about ever losing it.

I shudder at the thought of the other person who took advantage of his kindness.

Maybe I can return the favour and be his comfort. Either way, I won't ever take him for granted again.

I shake my head. All these thoughts from looking at a blanket? Nayru above, I'm an idiot.

I sink onto the sofa and let the blanket fall into my lap as I fall deeper into my train of thought. Resting my elbows on my legs, I let my head fall into my hands. The dark thoughts are one thing, but the longing in my heart is another.

After half confessing my feelings to Cia at the temple, I'm not sure if I'll be able to ignore how I feel. Still, I doubt I'll ever get the courage to say it to him again. I press the heels of my hands into my eyes. Can I carry on as if nothing's changed?

"No," I breathe. "I can't…"

It doesn't matter. He doesn't share how I feel and I know it. How could he after I left him to suffer?

I groan and fall back against the sofa. Whatever I feel doesn't matter right now. What matters is making sure that Link is alright, getting justice for everyone hurt at the hands of Cia, and twisting the knife in the back of this case and finally ending it. My feelings can go on the back burner until later.

Letting my head fall back against the arm rest, I suddenly have the desperate desire to drink some wine.

Despite my best efforts, the cycle of nightmares and guilt continues for the rest of the day and into the next.

It almost becomes a pattern at one point, flitting between sleeping and being half awake. My phone goes off a few times but I let them go to voicemail, unable to muster the strength to pick it up. The main people who call are Paya, Aryll and Urbosa, all of them either checking up on me or giving updates.

"Just wanted to make sure you're doing okay. I, um… I haven't heard from you in a bit. Th… things are pretty hectic down here… but I'm here if you need to talk."

"They're gonna stop sedating him tonight so he should be awake tomorrow. He's getting better, Zelda. You'll be so happy when you see him. Hope to see you here soon!"

"I'm sure this case has you pretty tied up, but I hope you're alright. The news said that someone was in hospital, though the culprit's been caught. Aryll filled me in on the rest. I can only imagine how you must be feeling… I'm here for you, little bird."

Even the good news and everyone asking about me isn't enough to bring me out of my funk.

I spent most of the day working on the general case report so it can be used as evidence. The public knows that Cia's been charged and that someone's in hospital, though they don't know much else about Cia's intentions or the details of who's in hospital.

I'm just glad my door isn't being kicked down by the press.

Rewriting the events that made up this case brings it all back, both good memories and bad. Looking back with the gift of hindsight just shows how much Cia played us for a fool, expertly deciding how much information we had to work with and when she wanted us to find new information. And we had no idea until it was too late.

"Would you be able to walk me downstairs? I-I feel rather shaken after tonight and there's something I'd like to ask you in private."

Why didn't I realise sooner? I ask myself, not for the first time since I started typing up this damned report. It didn't feel right at the time… if only I'd followed my gut…

But I didn't and now this report will become a lot longer and a lot more gruesome.

And then she'd taunted us with her journal and my heart breaks just as much as it did the first time I saw it now I'm talking about it again. 'Come and see for yourself, Princess Zelda.' That's what she wrote to me. And I still had no idea where she was. Then Astor easily overpowered me and left me with a concussion and, by the time I finally got my act together and worked out the puzzle, it was almost too late.

The guilt slams into me again tenfold. I hope he's alright…

I shake my head. I don't deserve to know after what I've done.

I manage to finish the report by early evening, my heart heavy as I put my laptop away and fall back onto my sofa with a sigh. I check my phone but there's no new messages or missed calls, so I pour myself a glass of voltfruit wine and tumble back into the abyss of dark thoughts, too tired to even object and rationalise.

That's until I hear a knock at my door.

They'll go away soon, I tell myself. They'll think you're busy and—

"I know you're in here," a familiar voice remarks, their voice muffled by the door between us. "Open up, Zelda. Everyone's worried about you."

Urbosa…?

Something in me shifts and I force my tired body into standing, dragging myself to the front door and opening it the tiniest amount to reveal the Gerudo on the other side, the flickering hallway lights highlighting her red hair and her green eyes which shine with worry. She holds up a bag of takeout food and a bottle of Noble Pursuit—an alcoholic Gerudo delicacy—and I eye them with apprehension.

"I wasn't sure what mood you'd be in, so I prepared for every occasion."

I stare at her with parted lips before murmuring, "I'm fine, Urbosa. I'm just tired and busy. You didn't—"

"It's rather chilly out here," she cuts in with a warm smile. "And there's too much food for me to eat on my own."

She's not going anywhere until I let her in and we both know it. I sigh and unlock the door to let her in, instinctively comparing how awful I look in comparison to her. Her vibrant hair is pulled back to show off her gold hoop earrings which practically glow in the light. Her black skirt, which is short at one end, contrasts her brightly coloured top and heels and sways with each step she takes. In comparison to my baggy top and leggings, she's practically a reincarnation of Din.

I subconsciously wrap my arms around my chest as I follow her into the kitchen, silently watching as she takes out two glasses for the Noble Pursuits and dishes out two plates of Goron spiced curry—my favourite. She nods over to the sofa and I do as asked, wringing my hands uncomfortably as she moves about in the kitchen.

I know I've been quiet in the past few days, but surely people have been too busy to notice? Link's family will be focusing on him recovering, Paya and everyone at the station have a case to finish, and Urbosa will surely have her own work to take care of. Not that I don't appreciate her support, but have I really done so much to cause such worry?

I'm not the person in hospital… they don't need to fret over me.

Urbosa places my drink on the table and hands me my plate, ordering me to, "Eat before it goes cold," before disappearing into the kitchen to grab her own meal. I cross my legs on the sofa and place the plate in my lap, surprised when I start eating and realise how hungry I was.

The Gerudo chuckles at my eagerness as she sits next to me, eating her food much slower than me as she asks, "What have you been eating recently?"

I shrug and reply once I gulp down my food, "Whatever's around. I don't remember specific meals." She makes a disapproving sound and I sigh. "You don't need to fret over me, Urbosa. I've been eating just fine. This is just…" I take another mouthful and revel in how tasty the spices are. "Really good…"

She relents and lets me eat. While I'm mildly frustrated at her motherly tendencies, I really am grateful to have her. She's always been there for me even when I haven't asked for it, and I remind myself not to take her for granted like I have done with Link.

I clear my plate before she's even gotten through half of hers, reaching over and taking a sip of the cocktail she brought with her. The tropical drink easily slides down my throat and bursts with sweetness followed by a soft burn from the alcohol. The taste reminds me of days spent at the beach.

Finally… some nice memories for a change.

Once Urbosa finishes her food, she places the plate on the table and reclines in her seat, kicking off her heels and resting them on the table, "It's been a while since we've had a nice meal together, little bird." I snort.

"I'm not sure takeout can be considered a 'nice meal' but…"

She waves me off, "Well I for one am enjoying the good food and even better company. Now," she adds after a few moments. "I want to know why you've been radio silent these past few days."

"I-I've been resting and writing up the report for Impa," I say. It's only a half lie. "I've had a lot on my mind so I've missed some calls. I'm sorry for worrying you."

"Not just me. Aryll rang me to ask if I'd heard anything from you since she hadn't." She passes me a pointed but sympathetic look. "We're all worried about you. You went through an awful experience and no one could ever blame you for needing some time to process it. But none of us want to let you do this alone."

I lower my gaze as her words sink in. Of course she's right: I have the right to process what I went through and I shouldn't force myself to do that alone… but the guilt that plagues me isn't one I want to talk about yet, if at all. And the way Urbosa looks at me now is pleading with me to release all the skeletons I'm hiding, though I'm not sure I have the heart to do it.

But I have to try.

"I'm not sleeping well," I admit. "I keep dreaming about what I saw and what might have happened if I failed."

Failed more than I already have , my mind dares to add.

"It will take time, Zelda," she reassures me. "But you need to remember that you didn't fail. He's going to wake up soon and will be eager to see you, I'm sure." I doubt it… "What was that?"

Dammit. I must've said it out loud. I shake my head, "It's nothing. Anyway, enough about me. How are you?"

Urbosa takes a sip of her drink and raises a brow, clearly unsatisfied with my attempt to steer the topic of conversation away from me. "I'm fine, although most of my thoughts are focused on how you're determined to hide from those who want to help you."

"I-I'm not hiding," I weakly defend. "I've been busy and—"

"Zelda," she steps in before I can finish. "You're exhausted and throwing yourself into work to distract yourself from what you saw. What's more, you and Link are usually attached at the hip and yet you haven't been at his side in days."

I chew my lip nervously, "His family won't want me there. They have enough to worry about without me getting emotional on them."

"And you fear they won't forgive you for holding back the truth," she remarks perceptively, her lips tugging up into a small smile at my surprised expression. "Aryll told me they weren't too happy at first, but we can hardly blame them. They were reeling from the news, but they'll understand in time. You can't punish yourself for wanting to protect them."

I hum absently. Taking another sip of my drink, I quickly start to feel its effects. "I just…" I sigh and slump against the sofa. "I wish I didn't feel like this."

"Like what?"

I can feel her carefully pulling away at my defences. She's always been like this: comforting and kind, but also stubborn and determined. The Gerudo knows that she can get through to me eventually with careful wording and enough time, though I suppose the alcohol helps a little too. My heart aches, desperate to express itself freely, and I soon have little choice but to comply.

"So guilty," I whisper. My eyes instantly fill with tears and I angrily wipe them away. An alarmed look crosses Urbosa's face as she sets down her glass and shuffles closer to me, resting her hand on my knee as I force myself to look away from her.

"Oh, little bird… you need not carry such blame."

"I tried so hard," I murmur. "I tried so hard to protect his family from the truth. I worked so hard to save Link… but his family hate me anyway and I couldn't stop her from almost…"

I can't finish.

I bury my face in my hands, unable to hold back any longer.

A pair of arms bundle me up, the smell of Urbosa's favourite incense washing over me. I cling to her desperately, gasping for air between sobs. She silently smoothes back my messy hair and lets me cry, her presence doing more to ward off the dark thoughts that have been plaguing me for the past few days than any other attempts I've made on my own.

"Come now," she says, pulling away to hold me at arm's length and brushing some wet strands of hair out of my face. She frowns, thinking on her words, before finally asking, "When you were attacked by Sakon… did Link ever tell you how he felt?"

I nod, thinking back to our conversation at Telma's, "He didn't think he'd be able to forgive himself for letting it happen to me. That he…" Realisation suddenly dawns on me. "He felt guilty for not realising how dangerous Sakon was… for not stopping him before he hurt me."

"I kept an eye on him as we waited for you to wake up," she tells me softly. She's never told me this before. "Din above, he was a wreck. It was a little easier when the doctors told us you'd be alright, but it didn't change how guilty he felt for not protecting you. I told you to talk to him about it, remember? What did you say to him?"

I sigh, feeling my defences starting to break. "I told him that he wasn't to blame… that Sakon was the only person who couldn't be forgiven."

"So what would Link say if he could see you now, in the same position that he was?"

I sniff and try to avoid the right answer, "That I'm stupid for getting so worked up." But Urbosa shakes her head.

"I know he'd remind you that you saved his life and protected many more from suffering," she corrects me. "But more than that, if he was here right now then I'm certain he would say what I'm about to tell you now: I couldn't be more proud of you for what you've done and the woman that you've become."

I fall onto my last defence of sarcasm as I murmur, "I don't think Link would say it so eloquently."

Now she does laugh, the sound warm and welcoming. Then her face softens and she tenderly cups my cheek, "Shed any worries you have, little bird. You need not burden yourself with them."

She's put things in a context I wasn't able to, and that's enough to start the healing process. It's not like my guilt has magically gone away, but it's definitely a start.

I know that Link has harboured a deep-rooted sense of guilt over what happened with Sakon, so I can only imagine how hurt he was when it first happened. He seemed to hide it so well when I first woke up and, even after I spoke to him about his guilt, it took a long time for him to reach a point where he could start healing himself. Even now, he's still certain that he won't be able to forgive himself, but he's at a point where he can move on from it. Hopefully, with his help, I can start to heal like he has and reach that point too.

I wipe my face with the back of my hand and sniff again. "Thank you, Urbosa…"

She smiles warmly. "Now, let's get you cleaned up. We all care about you, and that boy loves you like mad—"

I groan and point an accusing finger at her, "Don't joke about that. That's not funny." But she just grins at me.

"Who says I was joking? Anyway, maybe another drink is in order…"

I roll my eyes. Rising onto my feet, I head to the bathroom to wash my face. I think on her words, unable to describe just how grateful I am to have people like her in my life. I won't ever take for granted what she has done and continues to do for me, glad that she and everyone else I care about love and care for me.

As I wander back into the living room, I feel Urbosa's eyes on me. I sit down next to her, our glasses refilled and hers already going down. I reach out and take a sip of mine, "What?"

"The kid really does love you, you know." I choke on my drink which makes her laugh.

"I told you, that's not funny."

"I'm not joking," she says, glancing up to the ceiling as if in prayer. "Din save me, you're just as oblivious as he is. I finally cornered him the last time I was up here and asked if my suspicions were true. He was pretty defensive… but I got it out of him in the end. I have my ways." My heart skips a beat.

"He confessed… to you?"

She chuckles, "In the end, yes. I thought the boy would grow a backbone and tell you himself, though I'll get a kick out of telling him I got there first." She chuckles at my stunned expression. "I thought I'd nudge you both along. It's not like you don't feel the same way."

"Well, I…"

"Come on, little bird, you can't keep denying it. I see it on your face whenever you're around him or we simply talk about him." She smirks at me, "Now we just need to work out who's going to tell who first. Please let it be you, otherwise I owe Riju two hundred rupees. All's fair in love and war," she adds with a wink when I gasp at such a high bet. "Now, I don't know about you, but I'd rather not spend our entire evening talking about boys. I haven't even told you about the sand seal championships from last month."

"You're sealiously slacking," I mock with a giggle, trying to ignore how fast my heart's beating. She groans and lets her head fall back.

"And you're as bad as Riju—I need to be more drunk to cope with your horrid puns. Anyway, as I was saying…"

As we finally lapse into a happier conversation, I nurse my drink and eagerly listen to her racing prowess that's earnt her a reputation back in Gerudo Desert. Our Noble Pursuits keep the conversation light and easy as the night drifts away from us. The guilt in my heart hasn't completely gone, but as we laugh and joke like old times, my heart soars more than it has in a long time, and I'm pretty sure the drinks and good company aren't the only reason.

But by the time I go to bed, I stare up at the ceiling with a ghost of a hopeful smile on my face.

He loves me…

Renewed by the alcohol and good company, the next day I resolve to finally go and see Link.

Even though Aryll said he'll wake up today, I know from past experience that he probably won't wake up until much later in the day, both from my experience of hospital visits and also my experience of Link's sleeping pattern. The sound of cooking draws me into the kitchen where Urbosa, who insisted on staying overnight, hums an old Gerudo tune as the sun slants in through the blinds and illuminates her figure.

"Good morning," she greets warmly as I wander into the kitchen, already dressed and ready for the day. My stomach growls at the smell of the omlet she's cooking. "Did you sleep well?"

And I did, much better than I've done in days. Sure, the nightmares still came and went, but their sharp edges seemed to have dulled over—probably from the alcohol, but I'm not one to question it. Either way, I woke up with a sense of renewal that's been evading me since this case first began.

"I'm glad," she murmurs when I tell her how I slept. "You seem brighter too, little bird." She plates up our breakfasts and we lean against the kitchen counters as we eat. I take my chance to tell her about my plans not to visit the hospital just yet.

"I will see him today," I explain. "But I haven't seen you in so long and you know what he's like—he'll sleep the day away." That elicits a light laugh from her. "I'd rather pass the time with you over going mad in one room all day. I haven't been to Castletown since the start of summer and I've surprisingly missed it. And you too, of course." Setting down her plate, the Gerudo's eyes shine as she gets an idea. "Go get yourself ready. I have a few errands to run."

I have no time to object before she heads out whilst I change and get ready for the day. The thought of spending the day outside these four walls fills me with nothing but joy, and that feeling grows when the Gerudo returns with a bag of fruit and snacks, a broad grin on her face.

"I thought we could go for a picnic in the park," she declares.

I raise a brow at her and nod over to the window as I fail to stifle a laugh. "Urbosa, it's autumn. It'll be freezing outside and we both know how much you hate the cold."

"Nonsense," she smiles. "We just need to wrap up warm and we'll be fine!"

I can't deny her when she's this enthusiastic, so I quickly grab my winter coat and scarf and follow her outside. We pass Koume and Kotake on the way, and the elderly Gerudo women grin at the sight of us. Compared to how they last saw me, I must look like a completely different person. I'm just glad that I feel a little more like myself.

The late morning air is crisp, but the skies are bright and the sun on our backs keeps us warm. We wander through the maze of streets and into the central square, passing by the large fountain that sits in the middle, the phoenix in the Hylian crest standing tall as water bubbles at its base and flows into the large basin. Most of the benches are occupied by friends and office workers on their breaks, letting the world pass them by without a care.

The square itself is situated in the shadow of Hyrule Castle, its spires towering high above us. It remains the seat of power with the royal family, but Cia's words still linger and the sight of the magnificent castle only reminds me of her deluded beliefs that I was the Princess of Hyrule.

Urbosa doesn't seem to notice my inner turmoil as we make our way towards Hyrule Forest Park on the eastern side of the city, the only real green space we have. Despite the slight chill in the air, the park's still decently populated with runners, those on their work breaks and clusters of school children on trips. The loud murmur of everyone going about their business is a little overwhelming at first, although Urbosa's presence keeps me well grounded.

We pass by a small fountain and take a seat on the grass, unpacking the apples and wildberries that Urbosa bought this morning and dive in, contently sitting in silence as we eat. I soon flop onto my back and stare up at the sky, unable to hold back a smile as I watch the clouds lazily drift by.

When Link's better, I resolve. We'll come here and enjoy doing nothing. We deserve the break.

The hours go by quickly and the conversation remains light. I often ask about how things are back in Gerudo Town, asking after her family and in particular how Riju's doing. "She's the same as always: outgoing and determined to compete in next year's sand seal championships. She's a vai after my own heart, I'll tell you what…"

"I'll have to come and visit soon," I say to her, turning onto my side so I can see her better. "Especially since it'll be getting colder here too."

"If it weren't for work, I would've asked you to move to the desert years ago," she jokes. "You Hylians are suckers for the heat."

The day goes by and we stay in the park long after we run out of food. As the afternoon turns into early evening, the park glows with a honey light and the sun casts long shadows across the grass. We watch the passersby from our spot underneath the tree, the wind rustling the leaves and casting ripples across the nearby pond. Realising the time, my promise to visit the hospital comes back with a vengeance and I start to grow restless.

The Gerudo sitting next to me seems to notice too because she starts chuckling at me, "I think it's time we get you out of here."

"I-I'm sorry," I stammer. "It's not that I don't enjoy your company, Urbosa, but I…"

She holds up a hand to silence me, her lips twisting up into a smirk. "I'm here to take care of you, little bird. And taking care of you means getting you to where you need to be." She starts picking up our things and climbs onto her feet, holding out a hand for me. "It's not too far of a walk from here."

I smile and take her hand, murmuring my thanks and walking with her out of the park. A strange lull has come over the city now and there's far less people, so the walk to the hospital goes much quicker than usual. My nerves bubble beneath the surface no matter how many deep breaths I take, coming back in waves when Urbosa drops me off at the entrance.

"Let me know when you need picking up," she says. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

I thank her and watch her until her figure disappears into a nearby bar, steeling myself before heading inside. I wander through the corridors at a much slower pace than when I was last here, excited to be back here but also held back a little by the lingering guilt in my heart. I brace myself against the wall for a moment, trying to calm my pounding heart.

I round the corner and find Pipit still on guard outside the room. He smiles when he spots me. "Hey, Zelda! It's been a while," he remarks. "I was starting to get worried." I laugh lightly but don't respond, unsure of what to say. He nods to the door behind him. "His family only just left, by the way."

I stop myself from outwardly breathing a sigh of relief. I need to smooth things over with them and I will do it, but I'm glad that I can just focus on Link right now. I smile and thank Pipit before heading inside, quietly closing the door behind me and letting my forehead fall against the door.

For a brief moment, I don't want to turn around.

I curse myself for stumbling at the last hurdle. My doubts are creeping back in, wondering if I really am worthy of being here after the pain I've caused. But Urbosa's voice drifts back into my awareness and soothes my nerves, "Shed any worries you have, little bird. You need not burden yourself with them."

I turn around.

Aryll really was right when she said he was doing much better, and seeing it in person makes me want to slump against the door in relief. His sleeping face, which used to be so pale and sickly, has finally got some colour back, and the air doesn't rattle in his lungs with every breath he takes like it used to.

He doesn't hang in limbo so much anymore.

My heart sinks at the purpling bruises on his neck, healing well but still sticking out like a sore thumb. His wrists are still heavily bandaged too and I don't dare think about what his leg wound must look like. I sigh and take up one of the forgotten chairs at his side, shakily reaching out for his hand like I did last time, and breathe a sigh of relief when I interlock my fingers with his.

After how awful I've been feeling these past few days, just feeling Link's presence again is enough to bring me a moment of peace.

I laugh when a random thought pops into my mind.

"Aren't I supposed to talk to you?" I ask him. "That's what people do in all those cheesy films, right? Someone's asleep and their voice wakes them up." I chuckle and lean back in my chair. "This isn't a film… but I can humour myself."

Link, of course, doesn't respond.

I glance over at the door, "You'll be so happy to see your family again. I don't even remember when you last saw them, but it's been too long. I'm glad you'll all be able to catch up." Returning my gaze to his sleeping form, I swallow thickly and add, "Hopefully you'll be as happy to see me too. I'm sure you will… I just wish the voice in the back of my head would stop telling me otherwise."

I squeeze his hand, a part of me waiting for him to squeeze back like in every romantic film. But he doesn't. Running my free hand through my hair, I murmur, "Is this really how you felt when I was poisoned? Did you really feel this… overwhelming guilt infecting every part of your body? You told me that you felt guilty, that you'd probably never forgive yourself… but did it really hurt this hard?"

A part of me wants to say that of course it didn't hurt as much for Link as it is for me, but I can't invalidate whatever he felt for the sake of my own emotions. We both have been and still do feel pain and guilt over one another, but our strength comes from helping each other out of the dark woods we get lost in every now and again. When he felt this way and was lost in his dark forest, I held the lligjt for him. He'd do the same for me.

I smile at him, "I care about you so much, probably more than you've ever known. Maybe that's why I feel guilty about everything. I wish I'd realised sooner to stop more people from suffering, of course, but everything changed when she made it personal." I run my thumb over the back of his hand, feeling the scars that Cia left there. "Everything in my life stopped. Everything changed. I had to stop her, but you were my focus. You were the first thing I thought of when I woke up and the last thing when I fell asleep."

Realising just how corny that sounded out loud, I can't help but laugh at the absurdity, "Look what you've done to me, Link. I never used to be like this." His breathing remains the same; slow, steady, with no signs of him waking up. "I just… I don't feel worthy of you, you know? But… if you do feel the same like Urbosa says, then I want to be worthy of you."

I fall silent for a while, unsure of what else I can say without feeling more silly than I already do. Glancing at the time on my phone, I realise that visiting hours are almost over. If Link wakes up after I'm gone then I won't get my wish of me or his family being there to be there for him. I frown at the thought.

My heart stops when, a few moments later, he stirs.

His chest swells as he inhales deeply, every second stretching out for far too long as I watch on with parted lips. His eyes start moving behind closed lids, brows furrowing when he starts to become more aware of his surroundings. I steady my breathing as best I can but quickly fail, my eyes growing warm as I pray I'm not imagining things.

His eyes flutter open.

My heart leaps into my throat as he slowly looks around the room, taking everything in and trying to process why he's no longer in the temple. I wet my lips as his gaze falls onto the hand I'm holding, then drifts up my arm and finally lands on me, the simple look instantly stealing my breath away. So many times I've seen his eyes in my dreams, glazed over and clouded with pain. Now they're hazy from just waking up, no pain shining in his bright irises.

"Hey…" I mentally scold myself. Really? After so long, that's how you say hello?

"Hi," he croaks, instantly frowning at how scratchy his voice sounds from disuse. He weakly tries to clear his throat and, when that fails, he adds in a rasp, "I sound awful…"

The sound of his voice is enough to shock me back into reality that he's really awake. Unable to hold back the waves of relief that flood into my body, my eyes fill with tears and my face twists as I fail to hold them back. I burst into tears and let go of Link's hand long enough to lean forward and gently fall onto his shoulder, the one thing I'm certain isn't hurt, and wrap my arms around him.

The feeling of his arms around my shoulders only makes me cling to him harder. He buries his face in the crown of my head, breathing hard as he holds me close. I don't know how long we sit there and just enjoy each other's presence, although I still hold him close when I finally pull away. I rub my eyes with a sheepish smile, my heart squeezing when I realise he's been crying too.

"You're okay," I breathe. He smiles but says nothing, probably still processing the information like I am. I gasp when I realise that I haven't asked something. "H-How are you feeling?"

"Like taking a nap for a hundred years wouldn't be long enough," he mutters. Despite the clear fatigue lacing his tone, the fact he sounds so much like himself makes me have to shove down another wave of emotion. I offer him a watery smile.

"I could barely handle these three days, let alone an entire century." His eyes widen a little.

"Three days?" he parrots hoarsely. I nod numbly and he lowers his gaze, seemingly wracking his brain for his memories. He snaps his head up moments later and whispers, "Is she…?"

"She's in custody, and Astor too. They've both been charged and they can't hurt you or anyone else again." He stares at me for a second, unblinking, before turning his face away. His breathing goes funny. I reach out to his hand and let him have a few moments to take it all in.

"I…" He looks down at his wrists and inspects the bandages. "I don't remember much…"

"Don't strain yourself," I plead softly. "You're still recovering."

"I remember them," Link continues as if he hadn't heard me. "And you… you were…" His eyes find the bruising on the side of my head from when Cia attacked and he gingerly reaches out for it.

Of course one of the things he remembers is me being hurt…

"I'm fine. We've all been far more worried about you than the few scratches I got."

He frowns, "We've?"

"Your family's here too." I sniff as we both look back down at his arms and my voice cracks a little as I add, "If I'd been any later, I doubt you'd…" I can't finish the sentence before I'm picturing the consequences in my mind's eye and I can't take it. I drop my head into my hands as my vision blurs with tears and I sob, "I'm so sorry…"

"Hey," he soothes, failing to gently pull my hands away from my face. I effortlessly fall back on my previous guilt and pull away from him, forcing myself to find his eyes and finally apologise for everything.

"No, it's all my fault," I whimper. "I'm sorry for being so horrible to you. I said that your guilt was getting the better of you, but look at me now—I can't say a thing. I let you go with her and I was stupid enough not to put two and two together before she went after you. I could've stopped her, Link! I could've saved you from this—" I angrily point at his bandaged arms. "—but I was too stupid to…" I bury my head back in my hands when my voice fails me.

"Zelda," he whispers. I can feel a hand on mine. "Zelda, look at me." And despite my overwhelming guilt, I listen to him. There's no anger on his face, just worry for me. "I don't blame you for any of this. You found us and stopped her before she could do anything else. I-I don't remember much, but I remember you being there for me. You were so brave…"

"But if I'd been sooner—"

"That doesn't matter now," he says. "We're safe now, and I wouldn't be here without you." My lip quivers at his sincerity and his lips twist up into a smile. "I really wouldn't, you know. We're too stubborn to give up on each other." I make a sound that's halfway between a laugh and a sob but it has the desired effect because his smile grows. "That's better."

I take one of his hands and rub my thumb over it. I can't help but stare at him for a while, grateful that he's awake and alright, but just wishing that I could tell him how much I love him. And I will one day because Urbosa's given me hope that he feels the same, but I'm not saying anything while he's in hospital—it's not really the place I want to think about when I remember the moment I told him how I felt.

So, instead I say, "I missed you."

He rests his head against the pillow and he offers me a tired smile. "Me too," he murmurs, and I can feel my cracked heart start to heal. We watch each other for a few moments without saying anything, just holding hands and being present. A part of me wishes I hadn't unloaded all of my grief and guilt on him so soon, but I know he doesn't mind and I can hardly help myself at the moment.

But after all that's happened, it's hard not to let my anxiety get the better of me because I start to panic when Link's eyes start drooping. Overwhelmed with determination to keep him awake, I swallow thickly as I squeeze his hand and breathe, "Don't go to sleep just yet… I-I need to tell someone you're awake…"

"It's alright," he says with a small smile, forcing his eyes open with some effort. "I'm just tired, that's all." I swallow thickly as I ring the bell to call for a nurse—that way I can keep an eye on him without having to leave his side. He sees my worried expression and squeezes my hand lightly, a ghost of a smile gracing his features as he murmurs, "We're going to be alright…"

"Just make sure you wake up," I whisper fiercely. He smiles, starting to give into sleep.

"I promise… everything's going to be fine…"

And I believe him.