Chapter 13: Tea and Coffee
As snow compacted and crunched around them both, it proved to be the only sensation either Link or Zelda had.
It was pitch black, powdery snow surrounding them and disorienting. Link spat a mouthful of snow out and felt it roll up his face, disorienting him more.
He briefly wondered if he was in a world with different rules for gravity.
"Wait...we're upside down?" he wondered aloud.
The compacted snow muffled the noise.
"Link, I cannot move… It is hard to breathe…." Zelda murmured from somewhere nearby.
He could make out her laboured breathing, panicking but doing her best to hide the fact. Link tried to move his feet to kick away some snow but found it hard under the weight of however much snow was on top of him. Worry started to manifest in his mind as his pulse quickened.
He rushed through some options in his mind.
Could he withdraw something from his pouch to help?
"Damn it…" he cursed, as his arms could barely move either.
Maybe if he wriggled?
"No...that wouldn't work…" he sighed as he felt pressure on every angle of his body.
He felt Zelda was somewhere behind him and there was a small hollow in the snow they were in, so he could at least move his head. He needed to know more.
"Zelda, can you hear me clearly?" he asked aloud.
"Yes. What are we going to do now? I can not move."
She asked, urgency tinting her voice slightly. However, her voice sounded clear. They shared this small chamber, rapidly running out of air.
"Can you use your Triforce piece to melt this snow maybe?" he suggested.
A moment later she responded.
"Maybe. But we could cause another avalanche doing that…"
"Ah...fair point…" he mused.
But then, an idea struck him...melting the snow…
The only option he could think of didn't fill him with optimism, but it might just work, even if it would embarrass him.
To offset his concerns, he spoke to her again.
"Hey, could you tell me the funniest thing you ever experienced in the castle?"
"I...what?!" she asked incredulously. "I can scarcely breathe…"
"Then speak slowly. It'll help you calm down and use less air".
In truth, he had no idea if that was true. He just didn't want her to have any idea what he was going to try.
She was silent for a moment as she considered his words.
"Well...I suppose it is a valid point…" she thought aloud.
As she thought, Link fought to bring his hands closer to his body.
It took significant effort, but he managed to place his hands on his chest.
"One time, whilst I was addressing a room full of dignitaries, there was one man in the audience who looked pained…" she began.
Link forced his hands to his waistband. It was easier with his arms at his body.
"I wondered about him but had to finish my speech. Something to do with taxes on farmlands…"
"Oh?" he replied, hoping to buy some time as he loosened his leather greaves.
"So the speech carried on, but he continued to look pained all through it. So, I thought to ask him if he was alright afterwards…" she continued.
Link pulled his greaves down, exposing himself in the cold as he started to urinate.
"Seems reasonable." He said, as casually as possible.
"Absolutely. So, afterwards, I spoke to him personally. I asked if he was alright and noted that I saw he looked pained. He quickly assured me that he was fine and it was nothing to worry about"
Link continued to empty his bladder, the stream being aimed upwards from his upside-down position, melting some of the snow.
"I was still concerned, so I mentioned it would be no issue to find a doctor if he was pained. He continued to deny it. So I left him to it but kept an eye on him. It would not do well for a host to ignore a guest who was suffering after all."
With his bladder emptied, there was now a large void in the snow. With greater ease, he pulled his greaves and fastened them.
"...Are you alright Link? You are moving around a lot." she asked innocently.
"Yes! All fine. Just working on something" he said, blushing pure red.
"Please, continue!"
"What smells of ammonia?" She wondered.
Alarmed, Link couldn't bear to tell her the truth.
"Ammonia? I've not heard of that before. What is it?" he said, doing his best to ward her off finding out.
As he distracted her, he now had greater movement and started clawing through the mushy snow, managing to dig through. Elated, he continued.
"Oh, it is a chemical. Normally it is found in some cleaning fluids. Though it has a peculiar smell."
"Ah, thank you. Afraid I can't smell anything strange though. I may have a way out of here though. Please, continue your story?" he asked a little frantically.
Whether Zelda realised he was being evasive or not, he had no idea. Thankfully, she carried on.
"Very well. So, at the dinner afterwards, this man didn't look any better. And I had had enough at this point. I felt like I could help, but could not. So I approached him quietly and asked him more insistently 'What is it that troubles you?'"
Link continued clawing through the disgusting snow, creating a larger void as he packed the mush densely and forced it to the ground, above his head. His legs were easier to move now.
"I believe I caught him off guard. Perhaps being so direct was what caused him to relent. The only thing he said was "I am sorry your majesty, but I am bunged up."
"...What?" Link asked, wondering what the man had meant.
"That is what I said too. I asked him to clarify, as I was younger at the time and did not have much worldly knowledge then."
Link started to slowly butterfly kick his legs, widening the void in the snow.
"The man became evasive and I grew more frustrated. My guards came to me, seeing my agitation and asked what was wrong. The man grew more flustered, but I still had no idea what he actually meant"
Link had a realisation.
"Wait…"
"So as I was surrounded by four guards, my father, his guards and several potentates and several guests, the man finally explained 'Forgive me your highness, but I am constipated and have been for a week. I feel like I am stuffed with rocks and have been praying for release"
Link blinked as he tried to process what she had just said. As the ridiculous situation unfolded in his mind, he burst out laughing. Zelda too, laughing melodically. Feeling far lighter and happier, he felt the snow getting less dense with each kick.
Finally, blissfully, Link broke through the thick layer of snow and let in natural light from the outside.
"Wait...I can see light! Link, did you manage to free us somehow?" Zelda asked, a playful tone to her voice.
"I may have!" With more room to move, he started to try and push himself upwards and out of the hole he had made.
The movements were far easier now.
Pushing and grabbing on the piles of snow, he inched himself backwards and upwards to the top.
Zelda began to follow too, with Link no longer obstructing her back.
"Here, take my hand! I can feel I'm on the surface now!" he offered enthusiastically. She twisted herself around and took his hand, wrinkling her nose at the smell as she came through.
As he steadied himself, he pulled her up through the snow with her pushing herself up, finally breaking free from the snow. Taking a deep breath, they stood on top of the fresh pile of snow, blazing white under the morning sun.
Relief washed over Link as he could breathe normally again. Zelda closed her eyes and breathed deeply, relishing the sensation too.
After dusting themselves down, Link opened his pack and took out his whiskey canteen, offering some to Zelda first.
"I think we've earned this" he said, handing the flask to her.
"Not at all, you have. I was unable to do anything. How did you manage to get us out of there?" she asked, full of curiosity. But taking a sip of the whiskey anyway before passing it back to him.
Link sighed a little, realising he may not have had any other option other than to explain himself. He steeled himself with a large sip from his flask.
"Well, to be honest, I know that exact method. But as a favour to me, I would like to ask that you let me keep it to myself" he replied flatly.
Zelda seemed a little taken aback. They had been sharing a lot of themselves since they were travelling together. She looked a little crestfallen but seemed to realise that there were some things he wished to keep private. So she nodded politely.
"Very well, there are things I would not share about myself too. I shall not pry."
Link felt awful. Despite that danger, the pain, the wounds and the torment, he found travelling with Zelda to be enjoyable. He had not had a companion since Midna over two years ago. The talks, the support and the jokes… and now here he had felt like he had stabbed her in the back.
"I'm sorry Zelda. In truth, I'm incredibly grateful that you came along with me. I don't like keeping things from you, considering how much we've already shared...but this...it's more that it's embarrassing. Like the story you had about that nobleman who was constipated. Please don't hold it against me"
In that moment, Link felt alarmed at himself. Was he dependent on other people? He realised that since he had been travelling alone, he had been far more scatterbrained and unfocused. Was he only fit to travel with someone else, to keep him on the right path?
He realised that he had forgotten several important things already, like getting a musical instrument for the Skull Kid in the forest. Or how he was supposed to train soldiers with Ashei some days ago. Link tried to shake off the realisation, telling himself he would get a journal when he next could to help him keep track of things.
Zelda meanwhile, surprised Link entirely. She strode over to him and hugged him, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder.
Completely taken aback, he awkwardly returned the hug, lightly wrapping his arms around her shoulders. His heart beating out of his chest as his mind raced, having no idea what he was supposed to be doing. A moment later, she let go and stepped back a little.
"Link...Please do not apologise to me. You have every right to have things you wish to keep to yourself. That noble I told you about? I should have let him have his secrets rather than force the issue out of him. I learned that a long time ago."
She smiled warmly, looking into the distance, recalling the valuable lesson.
"But I would like to thank you too. Your words were very sweet and I will treasure your opinion of me for a long time." she smiled earnestly at him, the corners of her mouth creasing.
Link meanwhile felt both overwhelmed and as if he was walking on air.
"Oh...thank you!" Link managed to stammer out.
"I...don't know what to say…"
Zelda giggled at his reaction.
"I can see why Midna liked you" she said casually.
"Oh…" he replied, remembering Midna and their travels together once more. "Yeah…"
Zelda looked concerned.
"Ah, I apologise Link. I meant to compliment you, not make you feel bad…"
He managed a weak smile.
"Zelda, there's not a drop of bad blood in you at all. I know what you meant… It's just...hard. I think I've been throwing myself into all these dangers because it helps me to not think about her. About how she isn't here..."
He was making himself feel worse. How could remembering someone he loved make him feel so bad? It irritated him that he couldn't make sense of it. The memory of kissing her filled him with joy and then like there was a bottomless void in his chest the moment after.
"But I am making plans to find my way back to her. To the Twilight Realm."
He withdrew a piece of the mirror of Twilight he had taken from the Arbiters Grounds. He turned it in his hand so she could see.
"Link...I...is that…"
"Yes. I'm trying to rebuild the Mirror of Twilight or at least build a new one to get to the realm."
A silence developed between the two of them. Link was letting his mind race, processing ideas and methods of approach and how he could achieve his goal. Zelda however looked inscrutable, yet Link didn't even notice whilst being wrapped up in his thoughts.
Wordlessly, they both started navigating down the freshly fallen snow. The navigation was arduous as the fresh snow was loose and unpacked. Slipping and sliding slowed their progress. But hours later, they both managed to find exposed rocks, granting their exhausted legs some much needed rest.
Link sat and removed his boots. He coated his feet in snow and rubbed away the sweat and grime. Zelda sat and leaned back, taking a long deep breath. They knew they both needed to rest. But to do so on the site of a recent avalanche didn't seem smart.
"We don't have much further to go. I can see the plains from here. With any joy, we can make it down before the sun sets and find a good spot to camp."
Link looked over the mountain slope and tried to find an ideal route to take. To his relief, the rock formations continued down the southern side they were already on. Though awkward, it would be far safer than the fresh snow.
Zelda followed his gaze and pointed towards a cluster of trees.
"I believe I see a river between those trees. I would love to brew some tea. The whiskey has helped, but I can't wait for something that doesn't burn the throat."
Link smiled, agreeing. Also relieved that they were talking again. It had been playing on his mind for some time.
"Good eyes! The tree cover will help us deal with the cold a bit better too. I brought something special with me. It's not tea, but coffee. Developed quite a taste for it recently." he explained.
Zelda's ears perked up, ever so slightly.
"Coffee… that sounds wonderful!" Her enthusiasm warmed them both. "Here is a thought for you to consider. Would you say that tea or coffee requires sugar?"
"No, not at all. The flavour of either gets overpowered the very second you add sugar to them."
"No sugar?! Of course it would overpower the taste if you added an entire bag to a cup. But a single teaspoon? It mixes with the bitterness and enhances the taste!" she retorted.
Feeling a friendly spark of competition well up in him, he smiled and responded.
"If it's bitter then it's been brewed for too long or too much was added! If you have to add sugar to correct that, then the entire drink was doomed from the start!"
Zelda felt the same spark of competition, and a passion ignited in her expression.
"Bitterness is in both no matter how you brew it! It's the fundamental part of having either drink and the most expertly brewed drink can be dramatically enhanced by adding sugar to it!"
Her evident passion served to fire his own.
"No matter how you brew it? I think your staff may not like you if they're serving you bitter teas and coffee. All you have to do is add a single scoop of either and let it brew for two minutes at most, then it's perfect as it is!"
"I brew my own, I'll have you know" She playfully pouted, enjoying the debate. "And two minutes? That is barely enough time. No wonder you have never had bitter drinks, you are drinking hot water!"
Neither Link nor Zelda were willing to back down.
"Fine! If you are so certain in your method, then show it to me when we camp. And then, I will make you my own. Then we shall decide whose method is correct" Zelda said, determined.
"Hah! I'll give you a brew so fine that the goddesses will give me the Triforce of wisdom. For in this, I am the most wise." he teased.
"Oh, is that so? Well, I shall brew such an expertly made drink that you will realise that true wisdom means you know that you know nothing. As you have proven with your barbaric theory on brewing drinks!"
Link couldn't contain himself any longer as he burst out laughing at the ridiculous argument. Zelda doubled over with her own laughter.
As they calmed down, Link felt the gnawing worry in him melt away. He had a new respect for Zelda's uncanny ability to lighten the mood when the time called for it.
They both ate some of their rations and began the walk down the mountain, the sun long past its peak.
To their relief, their climb down the rocky path proved to be the right idea. It was far easier to balance on rough rocks and they made it down in far less time than they had planned. As the slope of the mountain finally started easing, the pressures on their feet eased, granting much needed relief.
Smiling at each other, they walked towards the trees near a small river that Zelda had seen earlier. To both of their immense surprise, they saw Epona galloping towards them from further away, with Zelda's horse, Cyd, following in tow.
"Cyd!" She shouted in surprise. Holding her hands to her mouth, quite unable to believe her luck.
She ran towards her horse, a lone tear rolling down her cheek.
Cyd whinnied happily, slowed to a trot and stopped right in front of her.
"I thought I would never see you again..."
She exhaled deeply in relief, stroking his ears. He snorted, happy to be reunited. Link knew Epona would always be there whenever he needed her, but he was equally as relieved to see her again.
"Oh you are a sight for sore eyes, Epona… You won't believe what we've been up to. But what about you?"
Epona tilted her head towards Cyd with a small rasp.
"Ah, you were helping Cyd then? Good girl… I imagine it must have been hard. So thank you, yet again. Here, try this."
From his pocket, he produced one of Zelda's tablet cubes and held it in front of her snout. She sniffed at it once and ate it in an instant. She snorted happily.
"Hah! I thought you'd like it. Come, join us. We're going to camp for tonight before we head back tomorrow".
Taking Eponas reins, he led her towards where he wanted to camp. Zelda followed close by with Cyd. Despite being worn out from an intense day, there was a new spring in her step. He could not help but respect Zelda even more now. It spoke to her character that she could care for her horse despite her position as princess. A thought crossed his mind.
"I was wondering, do you get to ride Cyd that much? I've limited ideas on how complex royal duties are, but if they're as claustrophobic as you say, it sounds like you'd spend most of your time in the castle."
"This is true, sadly. However, as part of my training regimen, I was given Cyd some years ago and taught to ride properly. In reality, I welcomed the chance. It felt like something removed from my position, I suppose. That if I truly wanted to, I could take Cyd and ride off into the distance, never to be seen again."
Her casual remark surprised Link. To think that she had even toyed with the idea made him realise how much of a double-edged sword that being a ruler could be.
"Well, then I'm happy you got the chance to put those skills to use." Link let go of Epona's reins. She didn't need tying down for that was just how dependable she was.
He started unpacking his camping equipment and setting up a camp. Zelda set up her own and built a fire for them to share.
As they laboured, Cyd and Epona drank from the river. Looking over at them, Link replayed the past few days in his mind.
"Here's a thought for you. How would you rate it? This…" He gestured around aimlessly "...adventure of ours".
Zelda looked up from tending the fire and looked thoughtful for a moment.
"I have enjoyed every second of it, Link. Even the parts when we nearly died several times. Despite the bad parts, I count this as one of the most valuable times of my life."
His eyes went wide. He had thought that maybe the near-death experiences would have been enough to cast doubts for her at least. But here she was, relishing the experience.
"I didn't expect that!" he answered honestly.
"I can see why. But part of my fascination is getting to see you work too. I only have second-hand accounts of your exploits during the Twilight crisis. To see you in your element is something I've wondered about for a long while."
She took a moment to unpack some things and place them near her. A teapot amongst them.
"And as I was saying, despite the danger, we've done some incredible things. Like killing that strange monstrosity inside the mountain or narrowly escaping a collapsing ice cliff… It wasn't fun at the time. But looking back, I feel proud of myself. When else would I ever be able to attempt things like that?"
Link smiled at her honesty. He couldn't imagine himself attending court every day, with a hundred servants attending to his every need. His unique role in life was tough and brutal. But for the challenges, he looked back over his experiences fondly. Midna leaving still stung as freshly as when it first happened, but everything else made him feel proud of himself, for overcoming such odds.
"I appreciate you sharing this with me. It's nice to see Zelda the Hylian, not Zelda the princess"
A moment later, he realised what he had said.
"Oh crap...Uh...I mean...uh…" he stammered desperately.
She laughed warmly, however, to his immense relief.
"Oh Link, you have such a way with words…"
He buried his face in his hands.
"Shall we make tea and coffee? Please?"
She laughed again as she started to prepare her tea. Link got up, fetched his coffee, and percolator and set about making his favourite drink. He figured they both deserved a chance to finally relax and reward themselves.
The two focused on making their drinks with an unusual intensity, neither wanting to lose to the other. Measuring carefully, he added the exact right amount of grounds he wanted. Zelda put some leaves in a strainer as she slowly poured boiling water through it.
A few moments later, there were two hot drinks ready. Sipping his own to test it, he was satisfied. After he had tried it at Telma's bar, he had asked her to show him how to brew it properly and paid attention.
A little nervous, yet eager, he walked over to Zelda and offered his cup.
"For you, the finest hot drink to ever grace Hyrule" he said with a smile.
Zelda responded in kind, offering her cup.
"And for you, a better drink."
Taking the cup, he sniffed at it. Whatever leaves she had chosen smelled delightful. Tasting it, he tasted a small amount of sugar in the drink as it contrasted with the slightly bitter brew. The taste was incredible. He sipped slowly, wanting to relish every mouthful.
Meanwhile, Zelda sipped at his unsweetened coffee. He had added half of his coffee and half milk into the cup to smooth out the bitter notes.
Her reaction was almost the same as his own to her tea. Her eyes went wide as she took a larger sip and let the flavour shine through.
They both sat quietly as they enjoyed each drink, wordless but content.
Zelda was the first to speak.
"I am impressed… I can see why you don't opt for sugar with that coffee. The flavour alone was enough to make me want for more. Thank you, Link"
She smiled as she looked into the empty cup. Link meanwhile, felt warmed by her kind words.
"That tea was incredible. Just the right amount of sweetness… Perhaps we should both abandon our roles and open a restaurant instead."
Zelda laughed at the notion, though she looked thoughtful. He daydreamed of the idea, where it could be and having regulars come in.
Some time passed as Link and Zelda started setting up their tents, ready to sleep for the night. The day had taken a toll on them both, as their eyes grew weary. The evening blended into the night as the cold temperatures peaked. They both wore warm clothes as they sat around a fire, cooking a large fish Zelda had managed to catch a little earlier.
"You'd be a fine hero yourself you know. After everything I've seen of you so far, I'm certain you'd excel." Link remarked.
"Oh! Well, thank you, Link. It is nice of you to think of me like that. In some ways, I do think I would enjoy such a life. But then, reality has to go and dash that notion. Perhaps in another life?" she shrugged.
He smiled as he stared into the fire. The orange and yellow spears of heat danced their own rhythm. It was pleasant, trying to determine patterns in the movements. He felt more open and relaxed for once. Enjoying the rare moment.
"It's going to be a hell of a job trying to build this mirror...But if it was already built once, I'm sure it can be again."
If he could talk to anyone about his idea, surely the one person who possessed the Triforce of Wisdom would be able to help.
"Link, I am sorry. But I do not think that it is a good idea"
He was taken aback as he looked from the fire back to Zelda. She looked concerned, a sharp contrast to her happy demeanour a mere moment ago.
"Alright...so why exactly?" he asked, a little irritated.
Zelda took a breath and closed her eyes, composing her thoughts.
"Link...I was there when Midna left this world."
Her confidence, her charisma and boundless wisdom were replaced with concern and apprehension. He couldn't understand why. That fed his irritation more.
"What do you mean, exactly?" he asked as flatly as he could.
"I saw her do the most difficult thing she had ever done in her life… leaving this world severed from her own. Even if it meant leaving you behind too. I have never seen anyone besides you so torn up by what she was doing. It was, without a doubt, the hardest thing I have ever borne witness to."
Her words stung him. Leaving him behind? That it was hard for her? How could she know all of these things? Was it the Triforce that gave her insights? Did she not think they would work together? He wrestled his thoughts down, anger slowly roiling inside him. He couldn't get angry at her…
"You still haven't explained your point." he asked, louder than he planned.
She recoiled, ever so slightly.
"My point is that even though it was the hardest thing she had ever done, she committed to the act anyway. She even said that the bridge between her world and ours was what led to the Twilight Crisis. She did not do it because she did not love you. Quite the opposite."
Zelda paused, drawing a slightly shaky breath.
"But after everything you both experienced...the horrors committed by Zant and Ganondorf… her innocent people suffered because of that. Some were outright killed. Others were enslaved to wills that were not their own."
She looked over at him, almost pleading. Why? Why was she pleading with him? His frustration grew, knotting in him and turning hot.
"They are both dead. They pose no further threat to their realm…" Link managed to get out, his chest tightening and his throat stinging somehow.
"Yes. But even now, Ganon's agents are seeking what may be a viable way to revive him...Bring him back to the world."
She paused for a moment, hoping the words would sink in. Was she patronising him? Link felt the heat inside him flare at the thought.
"Let us imagine that they are successful in bringing him back. What then? Do we have any guarantee that their world would not be sundered by his fury? This is why she did this Link...in any other situation, she would have happily gone anywhere with you and loved you for all of her life. The cost though is that her people could be dominated and exploited all over again…"
"Could be?! So our worlds must be separated because of what might happen? This is what the Royal Army did during the Twilight Crisis. They stopped patrolling and allowed Ganondorf's forces to sweep through the realm unchecked. Prince Ralis of the Zora? His mother was killed because of that. There is no such thing as guaranteed safety" he retorted, frustration bursting through.
"Link...I know this. But Midna herself thought that it was the best option, despite it tearing apart both your heart and hers. By attempting to rebuild the Mirror of Twilight, it is disregarding her wishes when she made an ultimate sacrifice. She protected both her people and our own."
Zelda, for the first time, sounded desperate. Why couldn't she see that all he wanted to do was see Midna again? And ask her why she lied, saying that she didn't love him. It had been cruelly thrust on him at the last possible second, with no chance to process it. How could he just accept it and move on with his life?
"In the entire time I was fighting against the Twilight Crisis, I asked for nothing. I demanded nothing because everything I needed found its way to me. When you awarded me all of that money and prestige as thanks for my work? I didn't ask for it."
Feeling vulnerable at exposing his innermost thoughts, he took a quick breath.
"After everything I have done, every bone I have broken and every near-death experience I have narrowly survived… This is the one thing I want. Surely after all of the suffering, I can ask for at least this. Or am I somehow unworthy?"
Link knew what he was saying was selfish. He couldn't deny Zelda's wisdom, even as tense as he was. But after sacrificing so much, he believed that he should at least be allowed this, in spite of any risks.
"I did not say nor imply that you were unworthy, Link! Of course you deserve to have what you want most. I also did not say that you should not either. I am trying to warn you of the consequences of this matter. I know how much love can compel you, but there are real problems that are twinned with this idea."
Zelda sounded fragile. Her voice wavered with each word and she even appeared to be trembling. Why?!
"You know how much love can compel me? Are you saying that someone you constantly think about is forever beyond your reach and the mere thought of them causes you agony? That they were cruelly ripped away from you with no time to process it? That even though you love them it is forever doomed to you?"
Link's anger was burning hot inside him now. He didn't like his own body controlling him like this. He felt like biting and snapping at anything that got too close.
"I do know. Far more than you realise." she said coldly. "But that aside, what of Ilia and your child? Are they both of no consequence here? Do you plan to leave them behind in your bid to reunite with Midna?"
Her sharp retort cut through him.
"What?! I have been doing all of this for them both to try and save them! Do you think me to be so fickle that I can be strung along by whoever loves me? Midna said she didn't love me and then shut off an entire world to ensure I could never see her again. What I want from her is to talk it over and have a chance to process it, rather than have it just dumped on me!"
Zelda was quiet this time, unable to respond. Link felt the fire in him flare up, pushing him forward, seizing the moment.
"Now that that is 'aside', what do you know of love compelling me? How can you know so much when you don't even elaborate on it? Or was it just to try and make it seem like you knew what I was going through, to make your point appear less harsh than it was?"
It was then it dawned on him. What she had implied. What secrets she had wanted to keep to herself, when he had asked her not to pry into how he had gotten them both out of the avalanche and said she had secrets too.
As the horror overtook him of how insensitive he had been, Zelda spoke through streams of tears, almost broken. In an instant, the fire in him was snuffed and replaced with cold horror.
"I know what it is like because it is you I love, Link." she said, her voice wavering.
With astounding bravery, she looked him in the eye despite coming undone in front of him.
"I know how much you love Midna, Ilia and your child. I knew that if I was to follow my wants, it would make things even harder for you. So despite seeing everything you had risked and done to save all of Hyrule, I refused to act upon it."
She took a shaky breath, wiping her eyes.
"A man so ready to act for other people before himself, to brave impossible horrors just so everyone else could sleep soundly. A man who could make me laugh like I never have before. Who tutored me, duelled with me and fought alongside me. Who showed me the real world outside of the castle...how could I not be enamoured with you? You would have been an incredible king"
He felt as if his heart was ripping apart all over again.
"But as a princess, I must always put other people before what I want. So it was with you too."
She couldn't bear any more. She cried openly into her hands, hiding from him.
Link sat there, feeling as if all of his strength was utterly spent. The roiling fire of anger and frustration was gone in an instant and now stinging guilt sat in its place.
How could he have been so blind? He cursed himself and his thoughtlessness. Zelda had said she loved him. And here he was, arguing with her valid criticisms.
He could not summon the bravery to even address her, staring down at the floor in shame, horrified at himself.
The minutes that passed felt like lifetimes. Her broken sobs the only sound in their private camp.
No. Now, there was no threat of Zelda leaving his life forever into another world. He could still talk to her at least, but not before he made a monumental effort.
"Zelda…?" he dared ask, timidly.
"What?" she asked weakly, head still in her hands.
He poured the last of the coffee from his percolator, mixed it with some milk and this time, a measure of his whisky. Swirling it around to mix it, he prayed to any deity that could hear that this might be enough to start mending what he had shattered.
"Here...please...drink this". He could barely summon his voice.
She looked up from her hands and saw the drink, the peace offering. Her eyes were swollen and red, making him feel even worse.
She took the cup and sipped it. A moment later, she started taking longer sips from it. He knew from experience that the sting of the whisky was enough to help refocus and clear the mind a little.
He sat next to her, but on the floor. He didn't feel worthy of being near her. Swallowing his pride and his reservations, he knew he had to be earnest or forever taint their relationship.
"There are not enough words for me to tell you how sorry I am...I feel like...the worst person alive"
Getting the words out was difficult. The crushing guilt rooted him to the spot. Would she ever be able to forgive him for how callous he had been? And thoughtless?
"Here I was, letting my emotions make me stubborn enough to try and fight what was advice. From someone very important to me…"
The knot in his stomach tightened. Was this sincere enough? What else could he do? His mind was beginning to race again, trying to think of anything he could to make her feel better. He would worry about himself later.
"I don't expect you to forgive me. But, please, know just how sorry I am," he added, hoping dearly that she could, one day at least, forgive him.
She slowly turned her head.
"How much?" she asked weakly.
Caught off guard, he wondered what she meant. "How much...what?"
"How sorry are you?"
His mind went blank and she saw his confusion, even though she was looking him in the eyes once more.
"About this much?" he wondered, spreading both of his arms as wide as he possibly could, stretching his shoulders as far as he could push them. He looked from side to side, to check if it might have been big enough.
Zelda got off her seat and sat in front of him. She leaned into his shoulder again and wrapped her arms around his chest. She sat there wordlessly, just embracing him.
Warmth finally spread through him, melting away some of the crushing guilt. As relief began to wash over him, he let out a shaky breath as he wrapped his own arms around her and held her tightly. She tightened her own grip as they sat together for a long while, under the glowing moonlight in their serene camp.