Chapter 8

Zelda's pregnancy was announced across the kingdom and the people were thrilled. Anticipation grew around the castle as the months passed and Zelda's swollen belly grew bigger every day. As her due date became closer, the four sages traveled to the castle to give their congratulations and bring gifts to the new prince or princess. There were many false alarms were Zelda thought she was having contractions only for it to be false labor. Link stayed by her side nonstop and provided support when he could.

During a meeting one day, Zelda began feeling mild contractions but assumed it was false labor once again. Link noticed Zelda's discomfort but reassured him she was fine. The contractions continued as the King and Queen were getting ready for bed.

"Zelda, do I need to get the doctor? The contractions seem to be getting worse," Link asked worriedly.

"I'll be okay," Zelda brushed him off, "I just want to sleep right now. It's been a very long day."

Zelda crawled into bed and adjusted her pregnant belly around the many pillows she had to support her. Link looked at her with concern but figured she knew her body better than anyone. He joined Zelda in bed and pulled the sheets over them. Despite all the pillows he snuggled close and draped his arm over Zelda's large belly.

"I love you," Link whispered to Zelda but she was already asleep.

In the middle of the night, Zelda woke in more pain than before and noticed her side of the bed was completely wet. She was confused by the wetness when an intense contraction took over her body. She whimpered from the pain and realized this was not false labor. Her water broke while she was sleeping and her contractions were closer together and more painful. Nerves about labor and childbirth hit her all of a sudden and she quickly sat up to wake Link.

"Link! Link wake up!" Zelda yelled as she violently shook Link's shoulder. Her voice was scratchy from sleep.
Groggily, Link's eyes fluttered open and he stretched to wake up.

"What's wrong?" Link barely spoke, his voice heavy from sleep.

"I think the baby is coming!" Zelda said urgently.

Link still was not fully awake and rubbed his eyes. With confusion he asked, "What?"

"THE BABY IS COMING! GET THE MIDWIFE!" Zelda screamed in his face as another contraction came over her.

At Zelda's statement Link was fully awake and jumped out of bed. He ran to the nearby chest of clothes and hastily dressed himself in simple clothes. He heard Zelda crying in pain and turned around to see her clutching her abdomen. He ran back to her ignoring the damp spots on the bed.

"Oh goddess, what do I do?" Link asked himself frantically not sure how he could help his wife.

Zelda looked up at him trying to breathe through the contractions.

"Tell the guards to get the midwife and medical team!" Zelda commanded.

Link nodded and quickly left the bed, then paused and returned to Zelda's side. He felt his hands shaking as he kindly asked, "Is there anything else you need?"

"GO!" Zelda screamed as she struggled with the pain.

Link stumbled across the room and swung the bedroom door open. He noticed the guards that were pacing the hallway and was stunned they had not heard Zelda screaming. Link raised his voice and ordered to the guards,

"Queen Zelda has gone into labor! Go get the medical team now!"

"Right away your majesty!" the guards responded then ran off.

Link reentered the bedroom and sat next to Zelda holding her close. All he could do was support her through labor and birth. Within minutes the midwives, nurses, and Zelda's ladies in waiting flooded the bedroom with various tools and equipment for childbirth.

"I apologize, King Link, but you need to leave the room. Only women are allowed during a royal birth," the midwife stated.

Link was ready to protest when Zelda squeezed his hand.

"It's okay, Link," Zelda reassured him though she struggled to say the words, "I will be well taken care of. I promise you."

She gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand one more time. Link glanced towards Hilda and Rose, her ladies in waiting, and they nodded reassuringly.

"We will be by her side the entire time," Hilda stated.

"If anything happens you will be notified immediately," Rose followed.

Link bowed his head unhappy with the situation then nodded in agreement. Disregarding royal protocol, Link grabbed Zelda's face and kissed her on the lips. The ladies in the room gasped at the king's boldness but smiled at the sweet gesture. Breaking away from the kiss, Link held Zelda's gaze for a moment still cupping her face. He tried to convey his feelings for her through his intense gaze since the words would not come, then turned and left the room begrudgingly.

Link was forced to wait in one of the main rooms with other personnel that lived in the castle. He was anxious and constantly paced the room never sitting down once. No one said anything as the king continued to pace up and down the room. At that moment, the four sages quickly entered the room having heard the news of Zelda's birth from other castle officials. Riju was wrapped in a plush robe with her hair and makeup somehow perfect, while the other sages looked like they had just rolled out of bed.

"Well, how is she doing?" Riju asked warily.

"I don't know," Link responded frustratingly, "This has been going on for more than an hour and I still haven't heard one update!"

Link finally sat in a chair but bounced his leg restlessly. Sidon went over to his friend and sat next to him placing his large hand on Link's shoulder.

"These things take time, my friend. This is Queen Zelda's first birth so labor will take longer," Sidon attempted to comfort Link.

"But why has there been no updates?! How do I know she's okay?!" Link asked frantically as he struggled to push back tears. He was not going to cry in front of everyone in the castle.

Sidon sighed and simply said, "I don't know."

Link sighed in frustration and buried his face in his hands. He hated feeling so helpless. For years he was Zelda's appointed knight and swore to protect her at all costs, but now he sat in this random room completely useless.

Young Tulin stepped forward tentatively and said, "Queen Zelda is strong and wise. I know she will be fine as well as the baby."

"I agree!" Yunobo stated confidently.

"Me too," Riju chimed in.

Link looked at the sages individually including Sidon. The Zora king gave Link an encouraging head nod. Link dropped his hands to his lap and hung his head embarrassed by his behavior, then slowly nodded.

Multiple hours passed while everyone sat in silence waiting for news of the Queen and the baby. Some people had dozed off including Yunobo and Tulin. The sun was beginning to rise when Hilda entered the room. Link jumped to his feet and ran towards the lady in waiting.

"Is Zelda alright? What about the baby?" Link spoke rapidly.

Yunobo and Tulin jerked in their sleep and quickly woke up hearing Link's urgent voice.

"Queen Zelda is resting and doing well," Hilda comforted then smiled wide and continued, "Congratulations, your majesty, Hyrule has a new princess."

Link felt his heart swell with elation as excited gasps were heard around the room.

"Princess?" Link asked softly, "It's a girl?"

"A healthy baby girl," Hilda confirmed.

Link felt weak in the knees as Yunobo clapped him on the back sending him to the floor unceremoniously.

"Congratulations, goro! Oh, and sorry about that," Yunobo stated as he helped Link back to his feet.

"How wonderful!" Riju exclaimed.

"I knew it would be a girl!" Tulin cheered.

"I'm so happy for you, my friend!" Sidon said with his signature fist pump and shiny smile.

Link felt the weight of the world leave his shoulders as he finally allowed himself to relax.

He asked Hilda, "Can I see her?"

Hilda nodded and said, "Follow me, your majesty."

Link followed Hilda through the castle until they stood in front of the delivery room. She pushed open the door and held it for Link as he entered the room. The sun was rising in the sky casting beautiful shades of orange and yellow. Link noticed most of the nurses and midwives had left and only two remained to clean the room. They looked up when Link entered the room and curtsied saying, "Congratulations, my king."

Link barely nodded in response then finally looked over at Zelda. The bed sheets had been changed and Zelda was wearing a new nightgown. The nurses must have cleaned the bed and given Zelda new clothes after the birth. She quietly hummed a lullaby to the small bundle in her arms. The same lullaby that Zelda always hummed when she wanted to be comforted. The sunlight poured through the window and balcony bathing Zelda and their child in an ethereal glow. She looked even more like the Goddess Hylia than she already did. Zelda was too distracted by their baby to notice Link had entered the room until the nurses gave their congratulations. She looked towards the door where Link stood and gave him a sweet but tired smile.

"Come closer, Link" Zelda said softly.

Shakily, Link crossed the room and sat in a chair that was placed at the side of the bed. One of the nurses must have left it for him. Quickly, the two nurses left the room to give the king and queen privacy.

"How are you feeling, Zelda?" Link asked he brushed some hair behind her ear. He noticed how sweaty her hair was and realized how much energy she must have exerted during birth.

"I'm tired and my body feels sore, but I'm okay," Zelda answered.

Link simply nodded then looked at their daughter for the first time. She was sleeping peacefully in Zelda's arms and swaddled tightly. He could see a few pieces of golden blonde hair sticking out the sides of her tiny hat. It was remarkable how much the tiny princess resembled Zelda.

"Isn't she cute?" Zelda asked excitedly.

"She's beautiful," Link responded as he reached forward to stroke the baby's face. He was surprised by the softness of her skin.

"Just like her mother," Link continued as tears filled his eyes again, though this time he did not stop them from falling. Link leaned forward and cried into Zelda's chest as he wrapped his arms around her and their child. He held them close as more tears poured out of him. The last time he cried this much was his father's passing, but this time it was tears of joy as his body shook from his sobs. Zelda leaned her head against the top of Link's head as her own happy tears rolled down her face and into Link's hair.

"I love you both so much," Link mumbled into Zelda's chest as he gasped for air in between his cries.

Zelda understood him and replied, "And we love you, Link. We always will."

Once Link's tears mostly subsided, he leaned back and wiped his puffy face on his sleeve. His usual handkerchief was somewhere else in the room.

"The sages are downstairs if you want them to see you and the baby," Link told Zelda.

"I would love that," Zelda said as she wiped her own tears.

Link composed himself, though he knew his face was still puffy, and walked back to the room where everyone was waiting. The sages nearly ran through the castle eager to see Zelda and the new princess. Upon seeing the tiny princess, there were overlapping comments of "how cute!" and "she's perfect!" and "congratulations!" among many other happy remarks. Zelda simply laughed and thanked everyone.

The princess grew up looking more like Queen Zelda every day, however, her eyes were the same piercing blue as her father, King Link. She was named after her mother keeping with the traditions of Hyrulian princesses being named Zelda. Sometimes it was confusing which Zelda was being spoken to when both were in the room. This led to humorous situations.

About eighteen months later, Queen Zelda gave birth to a boy, and he was named Rhoam after his grandfather. Their son resembled Link, but he had his mother's emerald green eyes. He was quite a rambunctious child and kept his parents busy with his antics.

The princess had the same drive to learn and read just like her mother. Once she was old enough, she joined the queen in her studies as they researched technology and other improvements for the kingdom. Link taught his son how to swing a sword and basic maneuvers in a fight. It was a great way for the prince to release his energy. Once he was old enough, he would train to be a knight just like his father.

Link and Zelda knew their daughter, Princess Zelda, would be a great monarch for the Kingdom of Hyrule and their son, Prince Rhoam, would be a gifted knight. Link loved his little family so much and prayed his parents would be proud. The kingdom finally had an extended time of peace for the duration of Link and Zelda's reign which lasted decades.

Once old age finally caught up to them, they passed peacefully knowing the next generation would protect Hyrule, and a new Link and Zelda would be reborn one day.