Chapter 16

Link kept a careful eye on Zelda as the girl, now dressed in a red short tunic with cream pants covering her wooden leg, walking slowly down the hallway with the help of a cane Guyat had given her. The green tunic he had been given kept catching his eyes, it weird to be back in green again.

Zelda tripped again, getting Link to flinch forward. He kept himself from helping her, still nursing his hurt pride at offering to help her after the first few trips got himself yelled at. She wanted to be independent again, he knew that, but he just wanted to help. With the help of the cane, Zelda fixed her leg again and continued forward in the direction Guyat had told them to go.

"Impa's never gonna let me leave the castle now," Zelda mumbled.

"She'd be mad enough just knowing what all we've done the past three days," Link offered, unsure what to say. He watched her walk, noticing whoever had made the leg had done a good job to make it even with her other leg. Her boot covered the foot perfectly, preventing anyone from seeing the truth. All that showed was a limp and every once in a while a grimace of pain pulled at her face. He wanted to help her, he wanted to carry her, but he knew that wasn't what she needed. He let out a sigh as he tried to convince himself what she really needed was to get used to the leg.

Seeing the doors Guyat had told them that led to the room Hera was in, Link sped up to his normal speed of a walk and opened the door. He held it open and watched as Zelda made her way in.

"Thanks," Zelda offered, walking through the threshold.

Link followed in after her, pulling the door shut behind him, and took in the large oval study. Hera stood behind a desk talking to a young man just a couple of years older than Link or Zelda.

Noticing the two walking in, Hera cut himself off. "Zelda, Link. It's good to see you two back on your feet. This is Gunter, he was just a boy last I saw him but he managed to survive what all Yavin did to him." Hera turned to the man and offered, "This is Zelda and Link of Hyrule."

"Weird to think Hyrule's real," Gunter said, looking at the two. "Sorry. Pleased to meet you."

"Like wise," Zelda said with a nod of her head. She turned to Hera and asked, "What are we going to do with the Tri-force now that it's whole?"

Link noticed the powerful device was absent from the room, worry pulling at him at where it might be now.

"Yavin may have been demented in the head, but he knew his history," Hera admitted, motioning his hand to the two sofas facing each other. "Gunter, you should hear all of this too," Hera added.

Link let Zelda take a seat first, sitting down beside her on her left side as he was used to. Watching their host, Hera let Gunter sit before sitting across from Link.

"When I was little, my mother would tell stories of the goddesses using Grandfather's father as caretaker of the Tri-force before they were going to give it to the new kingdom of Hyrule. One day it was supposed to come back and I, or my brother, would be charged with keeping it safe until the time it was needed again." Hera looked down at his hands in his lap a moment before continuing. "I never believed her." He looked up, his face hard for a moment before it softened as he eyed the two before him. "When you're ready, I'll take you to it."

"Let's go," Zelda said, gripping tight to the cane as she used it to help her up.

Link quickly rose to his feet, ready to catch her in case she stumbled, only to watch her make her way to the door. He threw a glance at Hera and Gunter to see them getting to their feet. Turning back to Zelda, he hurried after her to get the door for her. He watched her go by and held the door open for the other two before closing it and hurrying to catch up to Zelda's side.

"How's the leg doing for you?" Hera asked as the three kept pace with her.

"I've just gotta get used to it," Zelda said, keeping her eyes forward.

"Is it the right length?" Hera asked. "I did what I could to make it according to the measurements Guyat gave me but I wasn't sure to trust those numbers."

"You did a really good job," Zelda offered. "It's just weird not having control passed my knee."

"Have you had a chance to try it out on stairs?" Hera asked, leading them around a corner only to lead them to a set of stairs going upwards.

Zelda stopped a moment, looking at the stairs before them, before letting out a snort. "Guess I'll learn now."

"I'll be right behind you, to catch you," Link promised.

Zelda threw him a look he couldn't read before leading the way up. Link watched as she stepped first with her right leg and brought up her left leg and cane to sit on the step before moving on to the second step. He kept himself only two steps behind her as she worked her way up. Watching her carefully, Link worried how she would be once they were no longer around people or doing things. She was keeping it off her mind, he knew that. He had heard stories of others who had lost limbs and how quickly they tired while even after years of having the prostatic. She wasn't giving herself a break.

They got close to the top of the steps before Zelda faltered for the first time. Link quickly reached his hands up to hold her by the waist and help steady her before, without a word, she continued the last couple of steps. Peaking the stairs, she turned and watched the three reach the top.

"It's this way," Hera offered, leading them slowly towards the right and down another hall.

Link kept pace beside Zelda, seeing pain straining her face. He wanted to open his mouth and offer her help but knew to at least wait until they weren't with Hera and the young man.

Hera led them into a room that had curtains pulled over the walls, the only light being from the Tri-force in a glass box in the center of the room. He stopped next to the platform and turned to look at the three. "This is where the Tri-force stayed until your world needed it and history will repeat itself again when one day your world will need it again."

"You're sure it'll be safe here?" Zelda asked.

Hera gave her a smile before reaching to a flat part of the pedestal holding the Tri-force and grabbing what looked to be a hand mirror. "I'll do all I can to keep it safe but in the meantime, I want you to have this. It's a royal heirloom and what got me into inventing. It's called the magic mirror."

Zelda took the mirror in her free hand and looked into it.

Link leaned closer, expecting to see their reflection only to gape at seeing Croo in Grandfather's old library as he was blowing a candle out.

"That mirror connects these two worlds," Hera explained. "With it you can see through to the other side and even use it to travers between the two."

Link looked up at Hera, surprised. "Is this what Yavin used to send Lotan to us?"

"I'd believe so," Hera offered. "Only this and an invention of mine can travers between worlds and I haven't figured out how to make mine portable."

"Unless he had something from your world," Gunter offered.

"Thank you," Zelda offered. "It's time we should be getting back home. How do you activate this?"

"Grip both sides, where there's decoration, and look in," Hera offered. "I hope to see you two again."

"Will do," Zelda offered, giving him a smile. She turned to Link, holding the mirror to him over her right hand holding her cane.

Link took hold of the right side of the mirror as she held the left side before looking into the surface. The mirror showed them in the library Croo had just left, leaving the room dark with only the light coming in from the window. A strange sound blocked out any other as a shimmer took away the Tri-force room. By the time he could see again they stood in the library, finally back in Hyrule castle.

"We're home," Zelda said, giving Link the mirror to hold.

-.-.-.-

Link almost inhaled the food before him, breakfast feeling like months ago now instead of just a day. He sat at the table, dressed in his knight's blue tunic, and checked across the table at Zelda. The girl ate her pork and steamed vegetables now that she was dressed back in her normal white button up shirt and trousers, her ribbon today purple around her collar. They had already informed Sir Izo and Lady Hugolin of what had happened before coming to get dinner in the silent cafeteria. The two had been shocked and surprised at what had happened to the two in the past few days. Izo had ordered Zelda to go to Mother Teric to get her leg checked out but let them eat beforehand.

Link wondered how long they would go before Lady Impa found out what all had happened when he looked up at Zelda to see she had stopped eating. He could see her lips quivering and reached out a hand to lay on her arm.

Zelda looked up at Link, not bother to hide the pain on her face as she fought the tears already in her eyes. In a soft whisper to the empty room she said, "It hurts, Link."

Link quickly rose to his feet, leaving his chair out as he walked around the table, and took the seat beside her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her head close to his chest as she started to cry. He started petting her hair, moving her braid so it wouldn't be in her way.

"I'll never be able to fight at your side again," Zelda said through the tears.

"Oh I don't believe that," Link tried, carefully wiping away her tears with his fingers. "I'm sure once you get used to your new leg you'll be able to do most everything you did before." He put his hand back on her head as he realized that was the same fear he had had when he thought he would lose his own leg. Letting her cry on his chest, Link eyed the food still on the table as his stomach quietly grumbled at him. He looked back at the girl in his arms as her tears started to slow.

"Sorry," Zelda mumbled, wiping her cheeks with her hands.

Link dropped his hand to her shoulder, hoping to keep her there for a moment longer. "Why?" Link asked. "You lost a leg. I think that's far past the point of allowing you time to cry."

"It still hurts," Zelda admitted. "How long am I supposed to feel something I no longer have?"

"When we go to Mother Teric, we'll ask her," Link said only to have his stomach growl louder.

Zelda let out a snort of a laugh as she pushed herself out of his arms.

"Sorry, it's been a while since we last ate," Link tried, not wanting her to leave his arms.

"Go ahead and eat," Zelda said, picking back up her fork. "We've still got a few things to get done today."

Link rose and pulled his food across the table so he could eat beside her. He pushed his chair closer to Zelda's and quickly ate the last few bites of pork he had. Within a few more forkfuls, he finished his plate and watched as Zelda ate.

"You really think one day I won't need the cane?" Zelda asked, turning to look at him.

"You've overcome so much more," Link said, surprised that was her question. "It might be a good idea to keep the cane around, 'cause I'm sure some days it'll hurt more than others, but I can see you in less than a years' time no longer using it."

"I'd like to believe that," Zelda said, stabbing the last tree of broccoli to eat. She took a sip of her drink before letting out a sigh. "I guess we better go ahead to Mother Teric."

"Let me carry you," Link offered, getting to his feet as he grabbed the dirty dishes.

"I've got to get used to this leg," Zelda said, pushing her chair back and grabbing the cane that had been hanging off the table.

Link quickly put the plates and cups at the drop off window, keeping an eye on her as she stood up. He returned to her side as she let out a cry of pain, her new leg twisted weirdly to the side.

"You've been using it all day and it's still new," Link said, eyeing the girl he loved as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Alright, fine, you win," Zelda said, resting a hand on the table to help her balance.

Link pushed in the chairs before stepping over to Zelda. He turned his back to her and crouched down, throwing a look over his shoulder.

"I hate this," Zelda grumbled under her voice as she carefully took a step forward to wrap her arms around Link's neck.

Link put his hands under her thighs, making sure he had all her weight to get conferrable before looking at her over his left shoulder. "Comfy?" he asked.

"No, but that's only my dignity," Zelda retorted.

"I could carry you bridal style down the halls," Link pointed out as he walked out of the cafeteria, using his feet to push open the door.

"I guess this is better."

"I kinda like it," Link admitted. He heard the door closed behind them as he walked down the hall, heading to the infirmary.

"I have a cane and I know how to use it," Zelda warned.

"What? I can't want to have yo-" Link cut himself off as his brain caught up to what his mouth was about to say.

"What was that?" Zelda asked.

"Nothing. Never mind," Link said quickly, feeling his face heat up.

Zelda put the back of her left hand against Link's cheek only to let out a laugh. "I can't wait until you finally say what's on your mind instead of leaving me guessing what you were gonna say."

"That'll probably be a while," Link admitted, kinda of sad when she put her arm back securely across his chest.

"I can wait."

Link gave her a smile, knowing she couldn't see it.