Sir Link Outset stood next to his best friend, Princess Zelda Hyrule, at the top of Mt. Hylia. Their only other companion was Kass, who played an unnaturally mournful tune on his piano accordion. A piece he called 'Twilight Princess's Lament.' The middle aged Rito had his eyes closed, and he swayed to his own music. Zelda held a Royal Guard's Claymore in both hands, the blade pointed towards the ground. She wore a long blue-black dress, and a black veil covering her face and long blond hair. Link was in his Royal Guard's uniform, dyed black some time ago in Hateno Village. They'd been traveling like this for weeks now. A month after the defeat of Calamity Gannon, Link, Zelda and Kass set out to honor the dead. A million lives claimed by the Calamity.

Link knew Zelda blamed herself for the deaths. Link also blamed himself. They both agreed that they should have been stronger 100 years ago. They shared the burden of all those lives lost. They needed to do something, anything to make up for those deaths.

They'd started by crafting gravestones at different battle sites. But then Kass found them at the first site. He'd found the Princess of Hyrule and the wielder of the Master Sword a few paces away from Fort Hetano. He'd asked what they were doing and Zelda had explained hers and Link's burden. Kass's eyes had gone wide, and then he shook his head.

"The events of 100 years ago were a tragedy, no question. But it is no fault of yours, dear Princess. Nor yours, brave Link. No, this tragedy falls squarely on Calamity Gannon's shoulders. By slaying the beast, you both have allowed the spirits of all those fallen heroes to rest in peace. Their vows to Hyrule are fulfilled as the kingdom is no longer in danger. You have saved not only the living, dear heroes. You have saved the dead." Kass had opened his wings then, a sad smile gracing his beak. "Now you both honor those who have fallen. Their spirits have found peace, now it is our job to remember them." Zelda had lifted her veil for the first time since putting it on, to reveal her tear streaked face. Link thought it might have started to rain until he realized the sky was clear. He was crying too, for the first time in well over 100 years. Suddenly, Link felt so horribly old but so terrifyingly young as well. Both he and Zelda had run at Kass. As Link melted into the Rito's embrace, he remembered that Kass was a father as well. That made Link think of his own father, his mother, his sister, and his grandmother. His tears leaked faster from his eyes.

"It is an honor to bear witness to the tears of the kingdom." Kass whispered, "How you feel is how all of Hyrule felt 100 years ago. We thought we'd lost you both. But Hyrule is on the path of healing. Just as you both are now. Come, dear ones, I shall help you on your quest for honor and remembrance."

And so he had. He'd been there with a song, brave words, and an embrace when they visited the ruins of Lon Lon Ranch, where Link grew up. He'd been there when they visited Akkala citadel, tall, imposing and destroyed. He'd been there, and played a song called "The Champion Mipha'' at Zora's domain. He'd offered words to Sidon and King Dorfin. He'd been there, though rather uncomfortably, when they traveled to Goron City to remember Daruk. He'd played "The Champion Daruk" for Link, Zelda, Yunobo, and Chief Bludo. He played "The Champion Revali" at Revali's landing for Link, Zelda, Elder Keneli, Teba, Saki, their son Tulin, and Hearth. He'd visited his daughters with Link and Zelda, and as he'd played with the young Rito girls, Link was reminded that life continues, and new life is born. They reminded him of Aryll, but he thought that maybe, Aryll was with them as well. Kass had been let into Gerudo town alongside Link and Zelda, to play "The Champion Urbosa" for all of Gerudo town.

He was with them now, on the Great Plateau, playing a new song Link hadn't ever heard before. It was simply called "Rhom" but Link got the feeling that it would go down in history as "The King of Hyrule". Zelda took off her veil, for the second time in their journey. Link saw her puffy red eyes, and knew that he looked much the same. Great Hylia, so many people had seen their Princess and their Knight break down in front of them this past week. Tears again ran down their faces, as Zelda placed her father's sword by the rocks that made up her father's grave. Neither of them knew who had constructed the grave, but they knew it was his. As they made their way down Mt. Hylia, Kass played "The Champions Ballad" which now didn't feel as though it was just for Link, Zelda and the other Champions. It now felt like it was for all of Hyrule.

Kass played until they were before the great Goddess statue in the Temple of Time.

Link and Zelda joined hands as they approached the statue. Light that seemed to break through a barrier of clouds and poured down as Link felt the attention of the Goddess Hylia upon him and Zelda.

Just like it had all week, Link's unreliable voice was nowhere to be found. He looked at Zelda, pleading. She nodded to him.

"Great Hylia." Zelda said, "We complete our journey of mourning."

"Dear Princess, Brave Knight," The disembodied voice of Hylia spoke. Kass gasped quietly but said nothing. Just like everytime Link heard her voice, Link was filled with an intense feeling of safety, and he found his voice. Still even with this discovery he wouldn't interrupt Hylia.

"I sense you both feel incomplete. Allow me to ease your burden."

"How are they?" Link whispered. "How is Aryll, Grandmother, my parents, the Champions? King Rhom? How are they?" Hylia simply gave a sad laugh, and her attention disappeared. Link felt a stab in his heart until he heard a voice.

"Link!"

Aryll.

He and Zelda turned around, and found nine spirits in front of them. The four Champions stood together. Aryll's spirit ran from where she'd stood between Link's parents and Grandmother. Kind Rhom stood, arm and arm with a beautiful Hylian woman who looked like an older version of Zelda. The Queen of Hyrule, Queen Marin held her arms out to her daughter.

"My dear Little Bird." She said, and Zelda sprinted to her parents. Link was only a fraction slower. Aryll jumped to him and he caught her mid air. He ran towards his mother, still in her work clothes. Towards his father, still in his knight's armor. Towards Grandmother who was in her muted red dress, with a purple sash, and her green blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Exactly how Link remembered them. He fell into their embrace, which felt so very real. His voice was gone again, but once they broke Link signed.

"I am so happy to see all of you."

More tears fell.

"Well I hope we didn't come all this way just for you two to ignore us." said a grumpy voice. Link looked over at Revali just in time to see Urbosa smack him upside the head. Link gave his parents and Grandmother a last squeeze, before running over to the Champions, Aryll still in his arms. He gave Revali a hug since he was the closest. Zelda gave Urbosa a hug at the same moment. Revali gasped, but slowly Link felt wings wrap around him.

"I'm so sorry we were not as friendly as we could have been when you were alive. I missed you. You made me laugh on the inside." Link signed to Revali. Link thought that the Rito's confused and surprised expression was because he didn't know Hylian sign, but then he spoke.

"I made you laugh on the inside?"

"Yes. I admired you. You worked so hard, you were a champion of your people, but you could still speak." Revali put a wing on his shoulder.

"Is that why you were so quiet, because you were a champion?" It wasn't quite why but it was a large part of it. Link nodded. And Revali hugged him again.

"Revali, would you mind stepping aside? I would like to hug my oldest friend." Said a soft voice. Mipha. Revali scoffed dramatically, but smiled and stepped back, allowing Link and Mipha to hug.

"I missed you, reckless one." Mipha said softly. "How is dear Sidon?" In his mess of emotions, Link somehow found his voice for one word.

"Shiny." Mipha laughed first and then everyone joined in. Mipha's soft laugh. Aryll's high pitched giggle. His father's silly snorts. His mother's, Daruk's, and Urbosa loud, and unapologetic laughs. Rhom's deep chuckle. Zelda's and Queen Marin's identical little giggles. Revali's surprised, squawking like he couldn't believe he was amused enough to laugh. Link managed to laugh as well, snorting in between chuckles just like his father. Any tension Link held bled from him, the tight ball of anxiety in his chest left.

"Sidon is well, Mipha." Link said. Then everyone was hugging everyone, talking, laughing and crying. Link hugged Urbosa, got slapped on the back by Daruk. He shook hands with King Rhom. Queen Marin hugged Link and thanked him for always being by her daughter's side. When Link tried to protest, the Queen took his hands in both of hers.

"Even if you were not by my Little Bird's side physically, you were always there in spirit, just as her spirit walks beside you." Link hugged her this time.

Then it was just catching up. Kass even got over his shock and began mingling with the spirits, eventually striking up a conversation with King Rhom and Grandmother. Zelda and her mother walked to the side and talked in hushed tones. Urbosa, Daruk and Link's mother laughed loudly together, all of them having the same sense of humor, as Revali complained about not understanding their jokes. Mipha, and Aryll had found a spot on the ground and were playing together, as Link and his father stood together and watched. A peaceful silence they'd shared many a time as the other three residents of their house goofed off. Though Link hadn't experienced losing his voice quite yet, he got tired easily and often was too tired to join in the shenanigans.

The family stayed together until late afternoon, and the glow of Hylia's attention filled the temple, and mixed with the colors of the sunset.

"Dear heroes, it is time for you to return to your afterlife. But first, Kass, Rito Bard, please step onto my dias." Kass did as asked. Hylia's attention gave him a divine spotlight in the growing twilight. "I have a request for you, and a title. I would like to make you the Royal Bard of Hyrule, I understand that you were taught by the last one, a Sheikah."

"Yes, O Goddess." Kass responded quietly, sounding awed.

"I second this choice." King Rhom spoke, "But I suppose it is up to Zelda."

"I accept this Bard." Zelda said, her voice thick with emotion, she still held her mother's hand.

"The Queen of Hyrule accepts." Hylia entoned, "Well then, would you play for us, gifted Bard?"

"The Queen?" Zelda asked, shocked.

"Yes, brave one. You are the last of the Royal family. You are the Queen of Hyrule."

"I- I-" Zelda floundered and Link put a hand on her arm. That seemed to give her the courage to speak.

"I would gladly accept the title, Goddess Hylia, but Hyrulean law states that a King or Queen must be 25 years of age or older to ascend to the throne. So I would like to stay as Hyrule's Princess for now."

"As you wish, brave Princess." Hylia said, "Now, Kass, would you play?"

"I shall, O Goddess."

Then he played. He started with the Champion's Ballad, then moved seamlessly through the individual themes of each Champion, then to "Rhom" Hylia's attention raining upon him the whole time. His last piece seemed so much smaller than the grand pieces he'd played previously. Smaller but no less profound. A simple melody that seemed achingly familiar, almost like a song Link had heard as a child.

"Zelda's Lullaby." Queen Marin whispered. Link glanced at Zelda who was smiling and crying once again. Link took her hand and they stayed like that until Kass's song was over, and Hylia's attention left the temple.

"Oh Kass." Zelda said, and both Link and Zelda embraced him on the dias.

"Mother, he knows our song!" Zelda exclaimed and she turned. Link turned as well, and felt his heart drop. The spirits of his family were gone.

"Mother?" Zelda asked into the quiet.

"Their spirits rest." Kass whispered. With that, Link and Zelda began to cry once again.

Link didn't know what time it was when they said goodbye to Kass and he teleported them to the Hateno village shrine. They didn't even speak as they trudged to Link's house, and they both collapsed into his bed. Link wrapped his arms around Zelda, and she returned the embrace. Their eyes were out of tears, emotions quieted and minds wrung out. They didn't even think, they just needed some comfort, any comfort at all. It was like they were all that was left of their family.

They went to Kakariko village in the morning. Zelda spent the whole day with Impa and Purah, making plans about what to do with the Sheikah technology, they knew in their hearts that the guardians and Divine Beasts had to be dismantled, they were too dangerous.

While Zelda stayed in Kakariko, Link roamed around the Layru pass. He'd forgotten there was a Lynel that hung around there, but he used defeating it as a way to keep his mind from running rampant. He took a pretty nasty hit that made him remember that since the Champions were now at peace, their gifts had left him. Link wondered if Yunobo's power had also left him, since his grandfather's spirit was now at rest. None of the other Gorons had protection like that. Maybe Sidon had lost his power as well? But no, all Zora had the power to manipulate water and heal, Mipha's was just the strongest.

'Strong enough to reverse death.' Link thought as he dodged a hit from the Lynel. Time slowed for him and Link rushed the beast, slaying it in a few perfectly timed hits.

When he got back to Kakariko village, Purah gave him a lecture about his new injuries, while Paya tended to them. Impa gave him a disapproving glare throughout her sister's whole lecture, but Zelda… Link couldn't read Zelda this time. She looked almost tired, not of him but… He didn't know.

Zelda didn't speak to him until they were back at their house in Hateno village. They'd eaten the food Link prepared and were now in bed. Zelda took Link's hand.

"I have been worried about you for so long, Link. So long. Over a century." Zelda's hand shook in his. "Please, I don't know if I can take more." She was crying now, and Link felt tears prick at his eyes.

"Okay." Link signed with his free hand, and Zelda grabbed him in a hug. They stayed like that until the morning.