"Free the divine beasts... Go to all the places these pictures show... And go to Hateno to see this Purah lady," Link thought out loud, tapping the words he spoke into the ancient slate he held in his hands. He thought it best to keep notes of all he had to do—a journal of sorts. After finishing his current entry, he tapped on the edge of the slate's body. "Well, I might as well knock out the easiest of them first: head to Hateno and meet Purah so she can fix this thing."
He tapped on the Hateno entry he had entered, where an orange dot had appeared on the Slate's map, signaling where he needed to go.
"And it looks like I'm already on the right path," he said, placing the slate on his hip as he looked up.
While he had been typing, the mahogany horse he'd captured a few days ago had continued dutifully following the path, carrying Link through the fields of Hyrule without ever veering off. Proudly, Link reached out and stroked its mane.
"A good boy at heart, just like I thought," he said gently before looking up at the scenery.
It had been changing as they progressed—from thick, healthy wilderness to desolate wasteland of dead shrubbery and decayed logs. Destroyed and defunct machines—similar to the ones he had encountered on the Great Plateau— scattered the ground in different areas of the landscape, increasing in number as he continued on.
"I hope none of these are active," Link thought.
He furrowed his brow as he passed one of the machines near the path, carefully watching it as he passed, all the while hoping its gray eye wouldn't suddenly brighten and turn blue. Thankfully, it remained inactive, permitting him to pass without incident. Continuing his journey through the fields, he diligently took note of just how many machines there were, until eventually, he saw the remains of a wall in the distance.
Most of it had been destroyed, with massive holes and even whole sections missing from its build. There appeared to have been an attempt to repair it, based on the wooden logs that had been used to reinforce the open areas, though Link couldn't imagine they would do much against one of the still-functioning machines. The landscape around the wall was even more destroyed than the path leading up to it, with armies of the machines laying around, some appearing frozen in time as though they were still trying to climb up the wall's surface.
It was all a sight Link couldn't help but find strange, and even...familiar?
Before he could reach the wall, he brought his horse to a stop, making the admittedly-poor decision to climb down from the saddle. He walked around, inspecting the machines that littered the area, the still-clear divots in the ground, and the ruins scattered throughout the fields. They were almost unnoticeable, for they were nearly completely obscured by the overgrowth. Had there once been a village here? Or perhaps a barracks for the fort?
He moved on to explore the area near the wall itself, rooting around its base and the defunct guardians, picking up any salvageable parts he could find, until suddenly, he heard that dreaded hum. Gritting his teeth, Link looked over to see one of the machine's cylindrical heads beginning to shudder, its lights flickering before its eye started to glow. It looked at Link and turned red, aiming its laser reticle toward his chest.
Link reached back for his shield, but before he could ready himself, he felt someone grab him by the back of the collar.
"What are you doing? Hide!"
He felt himself being tugged behind one of the lifeless machines, and after a few seconds, the whirring of the active one's head swiveling around went away. With a sigh, Link replaced the shield onto his back and turned around to see who had dragged him behind cover. He was a darker-skinned man, with a shaved head and a dark brown beard. His clothes were thick and sturdy, and on his back was a large, stuffed backpack with a shield and other necessities. Clearly, he was a proper traveler.
"Have you gone crazy? What made you think you could take a guardian laser with a shield?" the traveler asked incredulously. "Even these broken ones are still super dangerous! Anytime there's an active one, the first thing you do is hide out of its line of sight, you got that?"
"Y-yeah, thanks," Link said. "I'll make sure to remember that for next time."
"I'm surprised you've managed to survive out here if you made it this far without knowing that, judging by the direction you came from," the man said. With a grin, he held out a hand. "Hiya, the name's Garill."
"Hi..." Link said, taking the hand into his own. "I'm Link."
"Link, huh? Your parents must've been fans of the Hylian Champion if they named you after him," Garill said, giving Link's hand a firm shake before releasing it.
"You know about the Hylian Champion?" Link asked.
"I sure do!" Garill said excitedly. "That's the reason I'm here. Look around us—"
He gestured to the war-torn field they were crouching in.
"—this place—Fort Hateno—was the last line of defense between Hateno Village and the awful tragedy that happened all those years ago," he explained. "Everyone's gotta come and pay their respects at least once in life, right? And that's why I'm here."
"To pay respects to those who died here during the...Calamity?" Link asked. The traveler nodded.
"That's right, and to give extra respect to one man in particular," Garill said. "Have you heard the story of the warrior that fought here a century ago?"
"No, I haven't," Link said as he took a seat in the grass. "Can you tell me about it?"
"I sure can!" Garill said excitedly. "So, one hundred years ago, we had these special warriors called Champions, and one of them—the Hylian Champion—fought here against all these guardians."
"All of these?" Link asked, looking around at the horde of destroyed machines. Garill nodded.
"It's true. I know it's hard to believe, but that Champion was something special. He led the charge against the guardians and protected everyone who was evacuating through the fort," he explained. "It was because of him we Hylians are still around. They wouldn't have made it in time had he not stood his ground and held the line."
"And, what happened to him?" Link asked. "The Hylian Champion?"
"They say he gave his life here," Garill answered simply. Link felt his heart thump at the sound of this. "Even he couldn't survive a battle against this many guardians, though I have heard rumors that he might have gone into a deep sleep in order to heal from his wounds. Which means, he's still alive, right? If he's still in slumber, that is."
Dusting himself off, the traveler stood, careful to ensure he was still obscured by the guardian they'd hidden behind.
"I'd love to meet that guy," he said, placing his hands on his hips. "He did great things. The more I see of this place, the more it hits me just how hard the old tragedy struck here. But even knowing that, when I see so many guardians here, it boggles the mind. That warrior must have been some threat to the forces of darkness, huh?"
"Yeah...I guess so," Link said, picking himself up from the grass as well.
"If it weren't for him and the soldiers that risked their lives here to protect the world, there wouldn't be a Hateno Village today. If I had been there, I like to think I'd have fought these guardians right at the warriors' sides," he said. "I wasn't there at the time, but I'm alive now because of them. So, if there's one thing I can do, I'll make sure future generations know about their sacrifice!"
Garill placed his hand upon his chest.
"Sorry to have jawed at you for so long, but it's about time I pay my respects," Garill said. "I like to give a moment of silence to this area in their honor. You're welcome to join me if you'd like."
"You know what, I think I will," Link said, his demeanor having become more reserved than before. "For all those who died here defending the wall... They deserve it."
With a happy nod, the two stood in silence, taking in the weight of the fort's history, though one of them felt the burden a lot heavier than the other. It was almost as if he knew he had been there before, even if he couldn't recall the memory.
The afternoon sun beamed down upon the village hidden behind the mountain peaks, warming up and melting the previous winter's remaining snow. With spring now upon Hyrule, the plants were just beginning to bud and the birds were returning in droves. Now that midday had passed, the door to the elder's home opened as one of the Sheikah guards ended his shift. He stepped out, taking a deep breath of the fresh spring air before turning back to the elder inside.
"I shall be taking my leave for the day, Lady Impa," Dorian said through the open doors with a bow. "I'll make sure Cado comes to take my place for the rest of the day."
"I appreciate the care you've both given me over these last few weeks, dear Dorian," Impa replied from her pillows, "but, I don't believe sending Cado inside will be necessary. You two may return to your regular duties in front of the staircase from this point on."
"Lady Impa, are you sure that's alright?" Dorian asked, raising an eyebrow. "Paya still hasn't returned—"
Suddenly, his pointed ears twitched as the sound of multiple sets of approaching hooves echoed through the village. Turning away from Impa, Dorian stepped over to the wooden railing and peered toward the village entrance. There, he could see a group of horses with riders on their backs headed toward the elder's staircase.
"Lady Paya has returned!" Dorian exclaimed, causing Impa to chuckle.
"If you would greet them and then send them up, that would be wonderful," she said, nodding her head, causing the metal ornaments along her hat's brim to chime softly.
With a nod, Dorian closed the doors and hurried down the stairs, stopping just in front of the group of horses.
"It's good to see you, Dorian," Link said, climbing down from his saddle first. The moment he touched ground, he walked over to help Zelda out of hers. "How has the week been since I've last seen you?"
"Most of it was spent dusting shelves and cleaning floors," Dorian said, heading toward the horse Paya was on, who was sitting behind Celessa. Holding out a hand, he helped the elder's granddaughter down from the horse. "It's great to have you back, Lady Paya. I'm not sure how many more shelves I can dust before I lose my mind."
"It's good to be back. T-thank you for helping me down, Dorian," Paya replied, bowing to him in gratitude before turning toward the rest of the group, who had all dismounted. "Will you all be coming to greet my grandmother?"
"I think Traysi and I will stay out here," Celessa said, much to Traysi's dismay.
"Hello, the elder of the Sheikah is a fantastic source, you know; a source you all recommended—"
"Come on, let Paya greet her grandmother," Celessa scolded. "You're in it for the long haul now, aren't you? We're all bound to come back here eventually. I'm sure the princess and Link have a lot to talk about with Lady Impa, too."
"We would like to detail our experiences with the Master Sword to her, if that's alright," Zelda confirmed. "I plan to make many trips to see Lady Impa in the future, and I guarantee you'll have your meeting with her."
Traysi folded her arms, but after a moment's consideration she huffed.
"Fine."
The group blinked, and when Traysi caught their gazes, she raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"Nothing, it's just... You accepted that so easily," Zelda answered.
"Yeah, I expected you to put up a bit more of a fight," Celessa added.
"Usually I would, but I just spoke to a talking tree, a talking sword, a floating skeleton, and witnessed you three talking to invisible forest creatures," she said. "Frankly put, I don't have the energy to argue with you about it."
"So she does have a limit," Link remarked casually. The group chuckled, while Traysi turned her head away, disgruntled.
"Shall we head inside?" Paya asked, clasping her hands politely in front of her. "Knowing my grandmother, I'm sure she's expecting us."
"As a matter of fact, she is," Dorian replied. "It seems she sensed you coming well before you arrived. Head upstairs and you'll find her sitting on top of her pillows, as usual."
Link nodded while Paya and Zelda bowed in acknowledgement, then they all headed up the stairs toward the doors Dorian had exited from just a few minutes prior. The trio walked in to find the elder waiting for them. The moment they had crossed the room, Paya clasped her hands in front of her and bowed.
"I've returned, Grandmother," she said with a smile. "It's wonderful to see you again."
"And you as well, my dear Paya," Impa replied, looking up from under her large straw hat. "I'm happy to see you in good health. It seems you've gotten some dirt on your hands, and your skin has slightly darkened. From what I can see, you truly embraced the adventure I sent you on. Tell me, how do you feel about your time spent outside Kakariko?"
"It was...Hm... How should I put it?" Paya hesitated. She turned back to look at Link and Zelda before smiling. "It was truly a new experience, one I'm grateful to have had. I learned a lot, and even I can tell I've grown."
Turning back to her grandmother, she bowed again.
"Thank you for sending me with the princess," she said.
"I'm glad you were able to find purpose in your travels," the elder nodded. "I look forward to hearing more about them later on. For now, it looks like the princess and Link have news for me."
"We do," Zelda confirmed from behind Paya. Paya nodded as she stepped aside, allowing Link and Zelda to step forward. "My apologies for intruding upon your time reuniting with Paya."
"Nonsense," Impa said, waving Zelda's apology away. "I was the one who sent Paya with you, so I will hear her full tale after you tell me what happened with the festival and the Master Sword."
"Did you feel it?" Link asked. "The Master Sword's power?"
"I felt its power, and the princess's as well," Impa answered. "It seems there is much to discuss. Do fill me in..."
For the next hour, the couple told the elder of their adventure, detailing how Lurelin readily accepted the princess's title and the future of reconstruction, how the festival went, the gift to the representatives of each race, and then the conclusion of the Trial of the Sword. The elder didn't ask any questions as they spoke; she simply listened and nodded when they asked if she understood. At the end of the explanation, she hummed.
"I see... So the Master Sword cleansed the land of malice and most of the monsters with the help of our princess's power," the elder said with her eyes closed, "allowing the reconstruction of Hyrule to commence much smoother than it would have otherwise. A gift to use wisely, that is for certain."
Opening her eyes, she looked at Zelda and smiled gently.
"I'm proud of you, Princess," she said "You were able to draw on your power willingly; something you thought wasn't possible before. You've grown."
"It helped to have the Master Sword guide me, but...somehow I simply had more faith in my ability to do so," Zelda said, looking at the back of her hand. "Truthfully, I couldn't tell you where this sudden confidence came from, but I'm glad it's here."
"As am I," the elder nodded.
"Hm," Zelda nodded. "Also, Impa... There's one other thing I need to inform you of—"
"I assume it has to do with the disappearance of my ancestors?" Impa asked.
"You know?" Zelda asked. The elder laughed.
"I sensed the moment Maz Koshia vanished from our plane of existence," she explained, "and even if I hadn't, it was hard to miss the light show last evening. The shrines around our village all went up in blue lights. It was something one could see only once in a lifetime. I'm sure my sister won't agree, though."
"Oh boy, I didn't think about how Purah would feel about the technology's disappearance," Link said, bringing a hand to his bangs. "Or Robbie, for that matter."
"Our visit with her once we return to Hateno might be a little more hectic than we'd originally anticipated," Zelda said, looking over to Link.
"Yeah... We'll figure it out once we get there," Link sighed.
"Will you two be heading off soon?" Impa asked. "You're both welcome to stay for dinner."
"I wish we could, but we should actually leave now," Zelda said as they got to their feet. "We'd planned to be back in Hateno by this evening, even if it's a little late."
"Ah, I understand," Impa said with a nod, her ornamental chains rattling once again. "I don't blame you for wanting to be home after so long. Do visit when you get the chance. I'm excited to see the future you two create for Hyrule."
"Right; though, we'll return just to visit as well, if that's alright," Zelda said with a smile. Impa chuckled.
"Of course," she said. "You two are welcome anytime. Now run along, and enjoy your special time at home. I'm sure reconstruction will take much of that time away when it truly starts, so enjoy the freedom you currently have."
"Thank you, Impa," Zelda said, bowing, while Link nodded his head. When she rose, both turned to Paya. "I'm excited to see you again, Paya. I do hope the time for you to rejoin us on our travels comes soon."
"I hope so as well; though, not too soon," Paya admitted. "I appreciate Dorian for taking my place, but it looks like I have much cleaning to catch up on..."
"Then we'll leave you to it," Zelda said before turning to Link. "Are we ready?"
"I believe we are," Link said, and after another nod in farewell, they exited the elder's home.
...
"Have you said all of your goodbyes?" Traysi asked as Link and Zelda stepped off the large staircase and back onto the dirt path.
"I believe so," Zelda nodded. "It's now time to head back to... Where's Celessa?"
"Right over there," Traysi answered, pointing her thumb behind her. "She decided to converse with the old painter guy."
"Painter guy? You mean Pikango? Is he back in town?" Link asked, looking over Traysi's shoulder. There, standing near the goddess statue's shrine, was Pikango. In front of him was an easel holding a large canvas, which Celessa was currently admiring. "I thought I saw him in Lurelin. He really does like to just appear in random places."
"I saw him as well, now that you mention it, but... I don't remember specifically inviting him. Not that he wasn't allowed to be there, but..." Zelda trailed off, furrowing her brow in suspicion before calling out, "Celessa, what have you done this time?"
"Princess!" Celessa called cheerfully. "I didn't see you come back! Come over here; I have something to show you! You too, Link!"
"Do you think this is going to be good or bad?" Link asked and he and Zelda left Traysi and headed toward Celessa.
"Knowing her, it could be either," Zelda answered cautiously. "Let's hope it's the former and not the latter."
"Okay, so, you're probably wondering why Pikango was in Lurelin," Celessa began the moment they arrived, stopping them before they could see the painting. "Well, I wanted to surprise you two with a special piece of art! Pikango claimed could sense your love when I told him about you two, and it inspired him!"
"You painted us?" Link asked Pikango kindly, who nodded, causing his tall, paintbrush-shaped hairstyle to wobble.
"How could I not?" the artist asked. "The girl here spoke of love in its purest form: a painting of the two of you unaware of your surroundings, smiling at one another with complete authenticity. At first, I thought she was just trying to sell me on the idea of painting the two of you, but when I saw you both on that beach, holding each other under the sparkling night sky, I knew without a doubt I had struck a diamond-worthy scene.
"Excuse me, did you say...on the beach?" Zelda asked slowly.
"Under the stars...?" Link added.
"Just take a look for yourselves!"
Nervously, Link and Zelda stepped closer and looked at the canvas. Zelda gasped. It was of her and her lover.
"By the Three Golden Goddesses—-you were there?" she asked, covering her mouth with her hand as her face reddened. "Why? How long—"
"Pikango, how much did you see?" Link asked calmly, still looking at the painting. He reached over and placed a hand on Zelda's shoulder, silencing her as he brought her into a hug, allowing her to hide her still-reddening face. "Did you see anything after this?"
"Not a thing," Pikango said proudly. "I finished this up in a matter of minutes before leaving the two of you. Any longer and I would have ruined the natural beauty of it all."
"Great. It's okay. He didn't see anything," Link said to his lover, stroking Zelda's golden locks as she continued to hide her face in his neck. "What do you plan to do with this painting, Pikango?"
"Well, Celessa intended for it to be yours, so if you'd like to take it, it's yours," Pikango answered. "I've seen the sight, and captured its beauty. It's time to find my next piece to capture."
"Would you mind dropping it off at Hateno when you get the chance?" Link asked. "We don't have the space for it at the moment."
"Hateno, eh? I haven't been in those parts in some time. Maybe I'll find something to paint there," Pikango mused. "Not a problem. I'll deliver it as soon as I can!"
"No rush, but thank you," Link said with a smile. "Celessa, I think it's time we start heading back home."
"Y-yeah... Right behind you," Celessa said nervously. The pilgrim had gone quiet the moment she realized what moment had been painted.
With a nod, the three began to head back to Traysi and the horses, with Zelda still covering her face with her palms.
"S-sorry... I thought he'd capture a more...innocent time," Celessa said awkwardly.
"Hey, I think it came out great," Link said cheerfully. "But... I'm pretty sure you're gonna get an earful from Zelda on our way back to Hateno."
The sun had begun to set as the remaining group of Hylians continued their ride through the grasslands of Hyrule Field, having left behind the mountains where Kakariko remained hidden hours ago. They followed the worn path, passing overgrown trees, shrubs, and the occasional bokoblin camp, now empty and lifeless. Eventually, the natural beauty of the land gave way to dead trees and the ruined remains of ancient buildings.
It was a sign that they were drawing near Fort Hateno, the halfway point in their journey, back to the village it was named after.
Though the sight wasn't new, it was still rather difficult for Zelda to look at, for every time she did so, she remembered the swarm of guardians that had chased her and her people down, before she'd managed to destroy them all...at a heavy cost. As they rode through the fields, she couldn't help but peer over at her knight, at ease on Epona, casually telling any stories that came to mind for the reporter to take notes on. Zelda smiled.
Though the pain and loss would always be remembered, it was starting to be overshadowed by gratitude for what was still here.
"Hey, Zelda," Link's voice suddenly echoed in her ears.
"Huh? Oh–yes, what is it?" she asked, snapping back to reality. Link gestured forward, in response.
"The guardian remains," he said. "They're still here."
Surprised, Zelda realized that they had arrived at the fort, and just as Link had said, the guardian remains littering the ground were still there. At least, most of them were.
"It looks like the ones that were still active have disappeared," Link said, scanning the fields as they continued on.
"It seems as though Maz Koshia was only able to make the active ones vanish," Zelda said, looking around as well. "Most likely due to their lack of power—they weren't able to respond to their order."
"That might be the one thing that keeps Purah sane," Link chuckled. "Maybe some of her and Robbie's stuff managed to stick around."
"Oh boy, Traysi is going to lose it when she sees Miss Purah," Celessa giggled, looking over at the reporter, who looked up from her notes when she heard her name.
"You can't tell me there are more surprises in store," Traysi asked. "It can't be more shocking than anything else I've seen."
"I'm not so sure," Link said in a teasing tone. "Have you ever seen a one-hundred-and-twenty-something-year-old lady in the body of a six-year-old?"
"What?" Traysi asked, furrowing her brow in confusion. "At this point, I can't tell if you're all just messing with me or if you're being serious."
"I'd love to say we were merely teasing, but that simply isn't the case, unfortunately," Zelda sighed, thinking back to the first time she had met with Purah in her child form. "We still have a lot to fill you in on."
"And the list of things to write about grows ever longer..." Traysi mumbled, swaying on her borrowed horse as she returned to her scribbling. "I never thought I would want the stories to slow down. Just a second—just a second to catch up and process all of this would be nice..."
"I think you're breaking her," Celessa giggled to Zelda, who smiled awkwardly in return.
The group continued through the destroyed but slowly healing landscape, arriving at the wall to find a traveler beside it. Turning on his heel, the traveler saw the group coming toward them, and to their surprise, he shouted.
"You!" he exclaimed, pointing a finger toward Link and his horse.
In response, Link tugged on the reins, pulling Epona to a halt, mimicked by the other three riding alongside him. The man dashed toward them and skidded to a stop next to the chestnut horse.
"Link! It's you!" he exclaimed again.
"Yeah, it is me, Garill," Link said curiously, raising an eyebrow. "What about me?"
"Oh... No one ever told Garill..." Celessa said under her breath, which Traysi managed to hear.
"You know him?" she asked. The pilgrim nodded.
"He's a fellow traveler and an acquaintance of mine who appreciates history about the Calamity," Celessa explained. "I would talk to him about the princess of old, while he would talk about—"
"The Hylian Champion!" Garill exclaimed. "That's you! I heard the news! How come you never told me? And you—"
He suddenly directed his finger toward Zelda and her stallion.
"You're the princess of Hyrule! You're Princess Zelda!" he continued. "And... Celessa, is that you? Did you know?"
"Yeah... Sorry Garill," Celessa chuckled awkwardly. "I probably should have come to tell you I met both the princess and the Hylian Champion."
"You should have come!"Garill exclaimed, stamping his foot on the ground before turning to Link. "And how could you not tell me?"
"I guess I'm sorry too, Garill," Link said, bringing a hand to the back of his head. "When we met, I didn't know I was the Hylian Champion. My memory was foggy from the healing I had just awakened from. To be fair, I did tell you my name was Link."
"Yeah, but I thought you were simply named after the Hylian Champion! Who would have guessed you were the champion?" Garill asked.
"Come on, do you really think you would have believed me if I'd just told you that's who I was?" Link asked.
"Probably not, but an attempt would have been nice!" Garill said. After huffing, he turned his attention to Zelda. "I only just heard you've recently returned to us! Hiya, and how do you do? I'm Garill."
"I'm well, thank you," Zelda smiled, watching as Garill bowed in respect. "From what I overheard, you've been studying Link's past?"
"I have," Garill said as he rose from his bow. "I've mainly studied this fort though, the last place the champion stood his ground against the horde of guardians, along with the help of the remaining knights that were stationed here. To think that was you, Link—and you must've been there as well, Princess!"
"I was, but...how did you learn of the truth?" Zelda asked.
"Yeah, how did you find out, Garill?" Celessa asked. "I didn't think word would spread that quickly."
"I was informed by a man named Hoz!" Garill answered. "He passed by here only yesterday and told me about what happened in Lurelin and the rest! Of course, I decided to stay and see if you all were actually coming back to Hateno, and here you are!"
With a grin, he placed his hand over his chest with a thump.
"Princess, Link, you have my word that I will support you in all reconstruction efforts!" he said. "If you would have me!"
"Well, we'll take all the help we can get, right?" Link asked with a glance toward Zelda, who nodded kindly.
"Of course," she said. "Would you like to come with us to Hateno?"
"I would! But, I'll have to catch up later. I've got some packing to do," he said. With a deep breath, he looked around the fort and field. "I've stayed at this fort for quite a long time, always telling travelers of what happened here, and observing a moment of silence each day for all who fell here a century ago. I wanted to...keep the memory of their sacrifice alive, and now that I'll be joining you all in this journey, I feel as though I've accomplished my goal."
"A moment of silence, you say?" Zelda repeated. "One to keep the memory of their sacrifice alive..."
Pensively, she looked around at the fort and its destruction, remembering once more what had happened there a century ago.
"Zelda?" Link called out.
With a hum, she looked over at Link before realizing she had zoned out again. Turning her attention back to Garill, she smiled and nodded.
"I praise your efforts to honor those who had fallen," she said with a nod in appreciation, "and I hope to see you soon in Hateno Village. I hope you'll help spread word of our plans for the future of this kingdom."
"That's the best excuse I could have to keep jawing at people about your accomplishments," Garill said happily before turning to Link, "and Link, you'll have to show me your skill with a sword sometime. If it really was you who fended off those guardians, then I need to see your skill!"
"You'll see it one day, Garill, promise," Link said. "Though, it might not be against any guardians, now that they all vanished. Sorry about that."
"Ha, so that did happen because of you guys!" Garill laughed. "That was something to see yesterday, watching all those machines and shrines vanish into the sky. Well, I won't keep you any longer than I already have. I'll be giving this place one last moment of silence before starting to pack, so you all head on without me."
"Thank you, Garill. I appreciate your support," Zelda said kindly. "I look forward to seeing you again."
After a final bow, Garill stepped away and commenced staring out into the machine-riddled field with his hand over his heart. Receiving a quiet gesture from Link, the group spurred their horses to trot through the fort's destroyed entrance, leaving Garill behind to have his moment. As they rode, Link guided Epona closer to Zelda's white stallion.
"Hey, are you doing okay?" Link asked quietly. "You always get a little out of it when we pass there. Does it still get to you?"
"I'd be lying if I said it didn't," Zelda admitted, carefully guiding her horse around any large branches on the road where they'd entered a dense forest. "But, it isn't like it was before. In fact, while riding through this time, I was appreciating the fact that...you're still here with me."
With a warm smile, she looked over at Link, who smiled in return.
"I'm glad to be here with you," he said. "You know nothing could keep me away. Not even death."
"You are stubborn," Zelda giggled. "I also...took what Garill said to heart."
"Hm?" Link hummed in question. "Which part?"
"Honoring and remembering those who fought and gave their lives to defend against the Calamity and the guardians," Zelda said. "I like that idea; always remembering what happened before, and honoring those who fell while giving us the second chance we have now. I wonder if there's a way I can help do that."
"If there is, I'm sure you can think of something," Link said. "If anyone can, it's you. I'll think about it with you—throw some ideas I have around."
"I'd love that. Thank you, Link," Zelda replied. "Truly."
"Forever and always," Link nodded. "Now, I wonder if there's any game I can catch here in these woods. We need to restock on food now that the Sheikah Slate is gone."
With a cheeky smile, Link urged Epona from a trot to a canter.
"How do you expect to hunt without a bow?" Zelda called out as Link rode ahead.
"I'll find a way! Just you watch," Link called back with a grin.
This made Zelda and Celessa laugh (Traysi simply rolled her eyes) as he began looking around for creatures, presumably planning to catch them with his bare hands.
...
The sky had darkened and the stars were visible well before the group arrived in Hateno Village. Much of the snow that had blanketed the town since the last time they had been there had melted away, though a few patches remained here and there in the shaded places between buildings or behind walls. Upon their arrival, they first stopped at Link and Zelda's cliffside house across the bridge, where Traysi felt the need to comment on how run down it was once she saw it.
After boarding Epona and Storm in their makeshift stalls beside the house, they made their way back into town, with Link and Zelda leading the other two on horseback toward the stables in front of the Great Ton Pu Inn. The moment they arrived, Traysi and Celessa climbed down from their saddles, allowing Link to board the horses properly. While he worked, Zelda looked up at the inn with a nostalgic smile.
It looked just as it did before, with its bright blue promotional banners fluttering around its perimeter, the large, welcoming lantern illuminating its front against the darkness of the night, and its windows glowing with the light from the torches inside. The building was dark, yet its outline stood out in stark contrast to the moon's light reflecting behind it. To Zelda, it was homely.
"Happy to be back?" Celessa asked, coming up behind her.
"I am," Zelda nodded, still looking up at the building. "It's only been a little over a month, and yet it feels as though I've been gone for years."
"If that's how you feel about the inn, I know you'll really feel at home when you return to your own house properly," Celessa teased, giving her a nudge on the side of her arm. "Especially since you'll finally have some real quality time with Link. You know, the not-dangerous kind."
"That...is true," Zelda said thoughtfully.
With this thought now planted in her mind, she looked back at the hero, who was still boarding the horses. He guided them with such ease, with a gentle tone and a smile on his face, his body illuminated in the moonlight, making him look almost ethereal. It took Celessa's teasing giggle to snap her out of her trance.
"Yes, you're right," Zelda huffed, turning back to the inn, ignoring the burn on her cheeks. "I will be able to spend some proper quality time with him, won't I? Are you satisfied with that answer?"
"Oh, I'm more than satisfied," Celessa said, her cheekiness clearly undeterred, "and I know Prima will be, too."
This broke Zelda's facade of nonchalance, and even worsened the effects when Celessa began dashing up the large staircase.
"Hey—Wait, what do you plan to tell her?" Zelda called. "Celessa—?"
"It's too late, Princess," Traysi said coolly, watching as the pilgrim disappeared through the inn's double doors. "Besides, you shouldn't shout. It's the middle of the night."
"It is late," Link said as he came up behind them, having finished boarding the horses. "It doesn't matter much anyway, right? Prima was going to hear all about us at some point. Why fear the inevitable?"
"I suppose that's one way to put it..." Zelda grumbled. While she knew what Link said was true, she couldn't help but feel the burn on her cheeks grow warmer. "Shall we head inside then?"
"Please," Traysi said, already climbing the stairs. "My bottom is sore and my thighs are burning from all that time in the saddle. I really think I'd prefer to walk everywhere... A real bed would be nice too, not one of those cheap stable ones—"
The reporter continued to list her complaints as she journeyed up the stairs, making both Link and Zelda chuckle.
"I guess we'd better follow," Link said, holding his hand out to Zelda. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be," Zelda replied, accepting his hand.
They followed after the reporter, who had already disappeared inside the inn. Link took one of the doors by the handle and pulled it open, allowing his princess to walk through first.
The moment they stepped in, they were greeted by a burst of comfortably warm air. With a smile, she looked around the lobby, which had been properly maintained in her absence. The bookshelves were organized, the floors and staircase properly swept, and the front desk had clearly been dusted. At that desk were two people—the reporter, who was standing in front of it, and the innkeeper, who was behind it.
"There you are," Prima said, closing the check-in journal as Traysi set down the quill she had used. "You're set for the night. We appreciate your patronage here at the Ton Pu Inn."
"Fantastic. I'm heading right to bed," Traysi said. "I have to get up early and prepare myself for yet another surprise..."
Receiving a slight bow from Prima in response, the reporter climbed the staircase to the second level. The moment she was gone, Prima turned her attention to the two new guests who had entered into the hall. Her proper, innkeeper smile immediately changed to one of cheekiness.
"There she is," Prima said, leaning forward and placing her hands on the surface of her desk. "The princess and her knight, back in town once again."
"It's good to see you, Prima," Zelda said, making her way to the desk. With a giggle, Prima moved from behind the counter and the two embraced.
"It's good to see you too," Prima said. After a moment, the two pulled back. "Are you staying awhile?"
"I am," Zelda nodded. "We have a lot to plan..."
The princess stared at Prima for a moment, who raised an eyebrow.
"What is it?" the innkeeper asked.
"You're...oddly calm, considering what Celessa just told you," Zelda said, feeling the burn start to return to her cheeks. At this, Prima squinted her already rather narrow eyes.
"What was she supposed to have told me?" she asked, now looking between her and Link. The knight snorted.
"I think Celessa got you," he said, unable to contain his impressed grin.
"It sounds like I have a few stories to hear. Some intimate ones," Prima grinned. "Did the bottle I sent with Celessa that day work wonders for you both?"
"What? But— She didn't—?" Zelda stammered, but before she could finish, a laugh could be heard from inside the dining hall. "Celessa!"
Laughing, Celessa appeared in the dining hall's doorway.
"You can't blame me now, Princess," she said through her laughter. "You outed yourself."
"Only because of you!" Zelda said loudly, forcing Prima to bring a finger to her lips.
"Hey, we still have guests sleeping upstairs," she said sternly, "and this time, there's more than just Teli and Jules."
"Jules is still here?" Zelda asked. "Has she been working here this entire time?"
"I have been," a voice answered for Prima. Following Celessa out of the dining hall was the woman in question, wearing a dark-colored inn uniform that paired well with her dark purple hair, and holding a broom in her hands. She smiled upon seeing Zelda and Link "Hey. It's been awhile. It's good to see you."
"It has, and it's good to see you as well, Jules," Zelda said, giving her a slight bow while Link offered a small wave. "I appreciate you picking up my workload. I hope it wasn't too hard on you."
"Nah, I got it all figured out," Jules said. "You know, after having to redo the same task a few times over."
"It's how you learn," Prima said proudly as she placed her hands on her hips. "But, speaking of those other guests, Miss Princess—"
The innkeeper looked at the princess with steely eyes.
"—I'm assuming you're the reason all of these travelers are coming to Hateno, right?"
"Y-yes," Zelda said, noticing Prima's intense gaze. "Is that a problem? I thought it would be good for business..."
"It is good for business, don't get me wrong," Prima said, waving that concern away, "but, you do realize there's only so many beds in the inn, don't you?"
"I... Hm..." Zelda hummed thoughtfully, glancing at the staircase Traysi went up earlier. "Oh dear..."
"Yeah," Prima said. "I love the business, but if there'll be more people coming at some point, you're going to have to figure something out."
"That's...something we should bring up to Purah tomorrow," Zelda said, now speaking to Link. "We may need to find a new base of operations. I didn't consider how small Hateno Village actually is."
"I'm sure she'll have an idea of what to do," Link said confidently. "I don't think we have to worry just yet."
"If anyone can come up with some crazy idea like that, it's Purah," Prima said confidently. "Until then, it looks like I'll need some extra hands to help take care of all these extra people—if a princess would still want to work her old job, that is."
"I'd love that. In fact, I was just talking about how I'd like to return to work only a few nights ago," Zelda said with a smile. Clasping her hands in front of her, she gave Prima a slight bow. "I'm excited to be in your employ again."
"That is great news," Jules spoke up. "I dunno if I could have served all these extra guests and the Hateno regulars by myself during the weekend parties. I hope you still remember how to do everything."
"It's only been a little over a month," Zelda said confidently. "Believe me when I say I can still do my part, and I plan to do it well."
"Ha! That's the spirit," Prima exclaimed. "It's good to have you back, Zelda. The first day of the weekend is tomorrow, so you're welcome to return to work then!"
"I don't mind coming in tomorrow! Though, we do have to go see Purah first, if that's alright?" Zelda asked, receiving a nod from Prima.
"We can handle the preparations, all you need to do is be ready to serve drinks and take orders," Prima said.
"Alright! Jules and I can have a drink together again!" Celessa cheered, wrapping her arm around Jules's shoulder, who frowned in response.
"You do realize I'm also working tomorrow, right?" she asked.
"We'll figure something out," Celessa said confidently, yet she was quickly shut down by Prima.
"Excuse me, Celessa, but you owe me for all those drinks you took to Lurelin last week, remember?" Prima said firmly. The pilgrim recoiled.
"I...Uh..." she stammered. "Do I have to start working tomorrow...?"
"I suggest you get some rest, because you have a long day of work ahead of you," the innkeeper said with a piercing look. Celessa lowered her head in defeat.
"Right..." she answered disappointedly, causing the group to chuckle quietly.
"Speaking of rest, we'd better head off and get some of our own," Zelda said. "It looks like we have quite a long day ahead of us as well."
"You sure do, and don't forget: you have a few stories to tell me tomorrow," Prima said with a grin. "Make sure you come in a little early."
"Prima..." Zelda sighed. After a moment, she groaned. "Fine. If I must..."
"Fantastic," Prima said, clapping her hands together. "As long as that is understood, you two are free to go. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow."
After saying their goodbyes, Link and Zelda departed from the inn. Holding hands once again, they retraced their steps, heading through the town, passing under several lamp posts to the fork in the road, and then across the bridge to their home on the cliffside. Again, Link opened the door first, allowing Zelda into their home in front of him.
The house was just as Zelda had seen it last when she had come to grab the Champion's weapons off the walls, though for Link, he noticed a few new things.
"We got new shelves?" he asked, looking around the home as he closed the door behind them. "It doesn't even look all that dusty in here after so long..."
"Clavia had been tasked with taking care of it while we were away," Zelda said, looking at the new decorations on the table. "She kept the place clean, and redecorated."
"That was nice of her," Link said, stepping toward Zelda. Coming to her side, he placed a hand on her hip. "Are you ready for bed?"
"I am," Zelda said, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I hope we have some spare sleepwear somewhere. I'm sure our other ones vanished along with the slate."
"If they did, I wouldn't mind sleeping without any," Link said, giving Zelda a kiss on her forehead. She giggled.
"Trying to give me yet another story to tell Prima?" she asked.
"Well, we did it in the sand last time," Link shrugged. "Maybe you oughta have one ready that sounds a bit normal."
"And since when do you care about normalcy?" Zelda teased.
"Do I need to keep coming up with excuses?" Link asked with a grin.
With amazing speed and strength, he picked the princess up into his arms. Giggling, Zelda wrapped her own arms around his neck, securing herself as he carried her up the stairs and to their bed.
"What's...exactly happening here again?" Zelda asked, looking around the mess of a building she and Link were standing in the next day.
That building was the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab, where (excluding Link and Zelda) four individuals were running around causing mayhem, albeit organized mayhem. Papers were flying around, gray guardian parts were strewn all over the place, and books were laid out and open all around.
"Forgive me if my explanation wasn't clear a moment ago, Miss Princess," Symin called from the chaos without looking up from the journal he was writing in. In fact, everyone seemed to have something in their hands to write on. "We are taking inventory of everything we have left in this lab."
"It really isn't that hard to understand," came Robbie's voice from behind one of the stacks of books and papers. "Most of our functioning technology vanished a few days ago—"
"—something I'm positive you had something to do with!" Purah shouted from the top of the ladder she was standing on, writing furiously in her little notebook while peering at the inner workings of a guardian creation hanging from the ceiling near the corner.
"It wasn't as though we could stop it... We were also affected, you know," Zelda said with a frown. "We lost a lot of our belongings in the Sheikah Slate when it vanished..."
"We know, Sweetie!" Jerrin said, who was the only one who paused her work to look at them. "I'm sure whatever it is that happened, you both—"
"Did you say the Sheikah Slate vanished?" Robbie called out, peeking over his stack of papers to reveal his goggle-covered eyes.
"That should be a given, judging by the criteria we determined for vanishment," Purah shouted as she worked. "Any device that was connected primarily to the ancient Sheikah at the time of command vanished. The Sheikah Slate was one of the most preserved and intact devices we were able to repair. It's a given that would vanish with everything else. Just like our guidance stone."
The little girl pointed down to the visible tower base with the quill that was in her hand. At one point, a guidance stone had been there, on a small dais rising from the floor, and a much larger section hanging from the ceiling. The entirety of the device had completely vanished.
"It seems only the destroyed pieces of technology escaped the command to vanish," Purah said, returning to her writing spree. "They probably didn't have enough energy to receive the signal at the time of command. Hence, the reason we're doing this count in the first place."
"Speaking of that, did either of you see any guardians roaming around when returning to Hateno Village?" Symin asked, again without stopping his searching and writing.
"No," Link answered. "Only those that were completely destroyed were left behind. Any that had even a little bit of power were gone."
"If that's the case, then we still have a considerable amount of parts to work with," Robbie said. "I do have that mountain of guardian remains at my lab in Akkala. I just hope Cherry is okay—"
"Robbie, of all the things that should have vanished, I hope it was that oven—" Jerrin began to shout, but Symin had already chimed in before she could finish.
"We'll have to find a way to transport them all if we're to make use of them," Symin said.
"Are you bringing them all here to Hateno?" Zelda asked. "I'm not sure that's a good idea. In fact, one of the concerns I wanted to discuss was where we should hold our base of operations for reconstruction. I was informed Hateno might be too small—"
"Well of coooooourse it's too small!" the little girl said, aggressively dotting a completed sentence in her notes. With a "hup!" she slid down the ladder and began walking toward the princess, twirling her quill between her little fingers while she double-checked her work. "Hateno was never going to be our base. Aaaaaaaaanyone could see it was too small for something of such magnitude."
"Why do you think Jerrin and I are here?" Robbie asked, having ducked back down behind the pile of books he had been behind earlier. "We are prepping...for the future!"
Robbie's hand and quill could be seen poking up from behind the stack, a sign he was doing his signature pose.
"And what is this plan of yours?" Zelda asked, as Purah came to a stop in front of her.
"Our first objective in reconstruction," Purah claimed. Finally, she looked up from her notebook and pointed her quill at Zelda. "Hyrule Castle!"
"The castle? Already?" Zelda exclaimed in surprise.
"She says that, but that's not entirely true," Symin called, to which Purah clicked her tongue.
"It's more grand to say the castle!" she said, stamping her little foot on the ground.
"But, it's more accurate to say that we wish to retake Hyrule Field," Symin said. "At first, we thought it would be a far more challenging task, having to deal with the castle monsters and guardians that roamed the field; however, now that the active guardians have vanished—"
"Retaking Central Hyrule should be a snap!" Purah said, snapping her fingers. "That puts us in equal communication range with all the settlements in Hyrule—at least as equal as possible with such an uneven landscape."
"I see, but... There isn't anything left out there except the castle," Zelda said, "and I'm not sure it's in any condition to use. Everything else is gone—"
"Which is what makes it so perfect!" Purah exclaimed.
"You need to start looking at the bright side of things, Princess," Jerrin said with a smile. "Yes, there isn't much out there, but all that means is we now have open land to organize everyone who chooses to join our new kingdom!"
"Oh... When you put it that way, it would certainly be a perfect area," Zelda said, bringing a finger up to her chin. "But, if we aren't going to use the castle, then what will we use?"
"That is what we originally came to find out!" Robbie said loudly. "And you're going to help us! In order to rebuild, you have to repair what once was, but you also need to make something new!"
"We're going to build a new base, one that has everything we need in order to look over all of Hyrule; a place to connect everyone once again!" Purah said excitedly, giving both Link and the princess a wink. "A lookout of sorts! It won't be a snap to build, but if we pool all of our resources together, I'm sure we'll have it done in reasonable time!"
"I guess we'll have to get to work with our plans soon then," Zelda said. "I wish we could start helping today, but I actually have to work tonight."
"You're working?" Jerrin asked. "Even though you've taken your title back?"
"I'd still like to take part in this community for as long as I can until reconstruction truly takes off," Zelda said. "I may be taking my title back, but I still am in the beginning of the process. I'd prefer a slow transition."
"I believe that's the right call," Purah agreed before pointing her quill at Link. "I know you don't work at the inn though, so be prepared to be up here working with us for the next few months! You're perfect for the tasks we need done."
"And I guess I just found my job," Link chuckled, placing his hands on his belt before looking at Zelda. "If here is where you want me to be. I won't really be able to rack up rupees like you will be, at least not much. I might be able to hunt game every now and then, depending on how often I'm sent out of the village, but that's about it."
"Oh, absolutely," Zelda said. "In fact, I think this is perfect for you honestly. No one can traverse Hyrule as skillfully as you can, so you would be a big help to them, especially now that we don't have the Sheikah Slate. If you handle much of the manual labor, I can be here working and then helping up here with the planning."
"Then it's settled!" Purah said loudly. She jumped up, spun around in the air, before landing in her own signature pose: two peace signs over her eyes. "The reconstruction crew is ready to get to work! We'll get Hyrule going in a snippity-snap!"
The tech lab roared in agreement, setting the reconstruction of Hyrule properly in motion.
...
Evening arrived in Hateno Village, covering the mountain in a twilight glow. Just as they did every weekend, farmers put their tools away a little early, shops closed, and parents put their kids to bed, all in order for them to visit the inn for the evening festivities. Some of the patrons checked in for the night, others only planned to have a few drinks, while some just went for the music and fun. One thing was certain: all who visited gathered in the dining hall, eagerly anticipating the arrival of one person in particular.
Word had spread throughout Hateno that Zelda had returned and that reconstruction was upon them; rumors that were confirmed to be true by Mayor Reede and the inn's guests that had come from afar. Everyone who lived in the village knew that the princess had been away on business regarding said reconstruction, and after a month of absence, she was finally returning to work. With this in mind, the villagers filled the seats of the dining hall—which felt far more crowded than usual—as Prima appeared at the front of the hall. Raising a large pot in the air, she banged its side with a ladle, which echoed throughout the room.
"Hey there! Quiet!" the innkeeper shouted, bringing the loud chatter of the room to a quiet murmur. "Thank you kindly. Welcome to another weekend here at the Great Ton Pu Inn! I see a lot more faces than usual, and I think I know why. You're all waiting to see her, right?"
The crowd cheered and applauded in response, stopping only when Prima raised the pot once more, threatening to hit it again.
"I hear you, I hear you," she assured them. "Well, I promise you, she will be serving you all tonight; however, she won't be the only one. I'm sure you've all heard, but many of our guests are here to take part in Hyrule's reconstruction. I would assume most of us here are excited to give Princess Zelda our support?"
Again the crowd cheered, much louder than before. This time, they quieted themselves before the innkeeper could threaten their eardrums.
"Then let's make this a special celebration tonight," Prima called. "Not only is it the first weekend of Spring, but this marks the day Hateno Village rejoined the kingdom of Hyrule. So, let's have a good time tonight! Bolson, don't you dare—!"
The moment the crowd began to cheer again, Bolson's confetti erupted through the dining hall, much to Prima's displeasure. With a sigh, she gestured toward the hall's entrance.
"Let's welcome our first two barmaids," she continued. "One of them you've gotten to know this past month, but the other will be working her first shift this evening. Make sure you don't go easy on her! Celessa and Jules, please come on out!"
The crowd cheered again, watching as Jules and Celessa both came out smiling, wearing dresses that matched the innkeeper's, and carrying trays of drinks. They stopped in front of the crowd and performed a synchronized curtsy, skillfully keeping the trays in their hands.
"You're surprisingly good at this," Jules said to Celessa, who grinned in return.
"I've watched the princess do this plenty of times. You pick up on a few things," she answered before turning toward the crowd. "Hoz! Hey! I see you out there!"
Near the middle of the hall, Hoz waved a hand in greeting to Celessa's call. Once the crowd's noise died down, Prima chuckled.
"I'm glad you're happy to see them, but as you know, we have one more barmaid that'll be serving you tonight," she continued, keeping the people in anticipation. "This may be one of the few times you can say you were served by none other than the current princess of Hyrule, so make sure you get as many drinks as you can. Let's welcome her back home...Princess Zelda!"
The cheer from the crowd was the loudest it had been up to that point as the golden-haired princess stepped into the hall, once again wearing her barmaid uniform. With just one tray in her hand, she used her other to drop a far more elegant curtsy than the other two, using her free hand to hold her skirt. While the crowd roared their approval of the princess, Prima grinned.
"Oh we are getting paid so well tonight," she mumbled to herself before spreading her arms wide to the crowd. "Make sure you put these ladies to work—especially Celessa— and let the night begin!"
"Did you have to call me out specifically—?" Celessa protested, but her voice was drowned out by the joyous cries of the hall.
The inn was the liveliest it had been in years that night. Farmers played music, others drank and ate while laughing, Bolson grabbed a few people to dance with in the middle of the floor while sending out more confetti, and the barmaids were kept busy well into the night. In fact, it wasn't until after midnight that the inn began to slow down.
The music had lowered to a simple, slow, yet cheerful tune which echoed through the Ton Pu Inn's halls. While many continued to talk and laugh, others had fallen asleep in their chairs or turned in for the night. With everything slowing down, Prima had retreated behind the inn's front desk, counting the mountain of rupees she had earned throughout the night. Smiling at her financial haul, she moved from behind the desk and re-entered the muted dining hall, where she looked around before spotting a silver-haired merchant sitting at one of the tables, with a familiar barmaid who was apparently sleeping beside him and the reporter sitting across from them.
Since no more drinks were being ordered, Prima headed to the dining hall counter and filled up two mugs of Hylian ale. With the two mugs in hand, she trekked across the hall, stepping past sleeping or wobbling guests, before placing the mug in front of the silver-haired merchant. Confirming that the barmaid sitting next to him was Celessa—who had actually fallen asleep at the table with an empty mug of ale—Prima chuckled as Teli looked at the drink she'd placed in front of him.
"So, Celessa still managed to get a hold of a drink, huh?" Prima asked.
"She stole one of the drinks I'd ordered. What's this?" Teli asked, taking the mug in hand with a grin. "Are you trying to trick a dashing fellow such as myself into drinking more so you can add to your stash? I know you certainly brought in a good haul after tonight's events."
"I sure did," Prima answered, leaning back against the table with her own mug in hand. Getting comfortable, she pointed down to his mug before saying, "That's why this is on the house."
"Hm. How unusually kind of you. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were another Yiga in disguise—" he chimed, causing Prima to scowl at him.
"Keep talking and I'll reach into your wallet myself," she said sourly, to which Teli chuckled, though he didn't tease her any further. Looking over, she saw Traysi scribbling in a notebook. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "and what are you working on? I'm surprised you can focus in this noisy place."
"Trust me, it's a struggle, but I'm doing my best," Traysi said sardonically, without looking up from her notebook. "I'm trying to brainstorm how to go about doing this..."
"Doing what?" Prima asked. "Spreading the word around Hyrule about Zelda's return?"
"And rebuilding Hyrule, and explaining the hero, and so many other things," Traysi sighed. "I didn't even go see that Purah lady today because I didn't think I could handle another piece of information. I need to get something written down before taking anything else in."
"I don't blame you," Prima nodded. "Is all of this going to go into your Rumor Mill series?"
"I thought about it, but I don't think so," Traysi admitted. "I don't think a piece trying to convince people of the truth should be in a publication with 'rumor' in the title. No... I need a new publication, one that people can trust is the absolute truth. A publication that'll keep the people connected and informed."
"Looks like you're dedicated. I have no doubt you'll succeed," Prima smiled. Receiving a small wave in gratitude, Traysi focused on her writing, prompting the innkeeper to turn her attention back to Teli. "So... What do you think?"
"Of her writing?" Teli asked, but Prima shook her head.
"Of Zelda finally deciding to take on her role as princess again," Prima said, watching as the sea of guests before her calmed.
"Are you worried about her?" Teli asked, taking a sip of his ale. Prima shrugged.
"Maybe a little," she said. "She is my employee after all..."
"You'll have one heck of a marketing tool now, being able to say you hired the princess of Hyrule to work at the Ton Pu Inn," Teli said. Noticing Prima's chuckle, he continued. "I think she'll be fine. She's strong. You should know that better than anyone else."
"Strong and stubborn, that one is," Prima sighed. "But, you're right—I do know. I've seen how hard she works firsthand, though I wouldn't say I know more than anyone else. I think that lover of hers has me beat."
"Those two... Link and Zelda..." Teli mumbled after taking another sip of his ale. "They make quite the couple, don't they?"
"They do. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the slightest bit envious..." Prima said, taking another sip of her own mug. At this, Teli's eyes grew wide.
"The great, stone cold Prima wanting love? I never thought the day would come. You wouldn't happen to be drunk already, would you?" he teased, to which Prima lightly hit him in the back of the head with her free hand. Teli laughed before looking at her, noticing her gaze had drifted elsewhere. Looking around, he suddenly spotted the person her eyes were on. "Worten? Are you into Worten?"
"By the goddess, you can never keep your mouth shut, can you?" Prima asked. Teli simply held up the mug in his hand.
"It's your fault," he said, to which Prima sighed. It was true, she did walk into that one.
Trying to change the subject now that she had realized her grave mistake of talking to her friend while drunk, she quickly looked around for something to comment on. Suddenly, something dawned on her. Furrowing her brow, she made sure to carefully scan the room before asking Teli another question.
"Did those two sneak off?"
At this, Teli looked around himself before laughing.
"Those two..." he said. "You know, I'm amazed they stuck around for as long as they did, if I'm being honest. A dashing couple like them needs their alone time every now and then, wouldn't you agree?"
"Yeah, I certainly would," Prima said.
"What do you think they're up to?" Teli asked, prompting Prima to hum in thought.
"Probably something they should have done a long time ago... Maybe I should follow in their footsteps..." she said, pushing herself off the table.
The merchant watched as Prima walked across the hall again before taking a seat next to the villager known as Worten. Teli chuckled and nodded in approval before gazing up at the night sky through one of the inn's windows.
You'd better be enjoying yourselves, otherwise Celessa here will be upset, he thought to himself as he watched the large, bright moon hanging peacefully above them.
Teli took another swig of his ale as he listened to the music echoing in the inn's halls, humming snatches of the tune they were playing. While he hummed, two others were also humming, singing their own tune at that very moment. They were on the other side of the village, in a home hidden away by the mountains, where one needed to cross a bridge to reach. In the house, two Hylians were in the middle of the small dining area, having the time of their lives.
They spun around in proper dancing form, with Link's hand on her hip and Zelda's hand in his free palm. As they danced, they hummed the tune that had kicked off their adventure, occasionally singing a verse from the song.
"The princess's love for her fallen knight awakens her power...and within the castle, the Calamity is forced to cower..." Zelda sang quietly.
"But the knight survives," Link continued. "In the Shrine of Resurrection, he sleeps, until from his healing dream, he leaps..."
"To become a hero once again..." Zelda sang.
"To wrest the princess from evil's den..." Link followed.
Together, they quietly sang the last verse:
"The hero, the princess—hand in hand—must bring light back to this land..."
Their gazes were locked as they smiled and giggled before eventually, Zelda stepped closer, allowing herself to be encircled in Link's arms. Their bodies were pressed together, locked tightly in each other's grasp. Link's fingers brushed through Zelda's short, golden locks, while she clung to the simple tunic he wore.
Zelda's work dress billowed at her ankles as they danced to Link's slow, quiet hum. The princess was at peace—true peace— one she hadn't ever experienced until now. Relaxed, she rested her head in the crook of the hero's neck, her eyes closed as she allowed Link to guide them, trusting him with each step they took. With one hand still stroking her hair and the other wrapped around her waist, Link glanced over at the wall, where the Champion's weapons were once displayed. The wall was now filled with pictures and other shelving, but this was okay. He knew the weapons were with their proper owners. He didn't need them anymore. He was at peace, and he was at peace with her.
"Hey, Zel..." he called softly. At his whisper, Zelda lifted her head, matching her sparkling emerald eyes with his azure blue. The moment their gazes met, he smiled. "I'm happy to be here with you. I may be stating the obvious, but... I never want to leave your side again."
Hearing this, Zelda blushed slightly before smiling.
"Then don't..." she said, pressing her body against him even more. "Always be by my side."
"Is that an order?" Link asked, to which Zelda giggled and shook her head.
"It's a request," she said, slowly beginning to lean in. "Not as a princess, but... as someone who loves you... deeply."
"Well, as someone who feels the same way, I can only accept," Link replied quietly, slowly leaning down as well. "I love you, Zelda."
"And I love you, Link," the princess answered before their lips locked.
The two stayed locked in their embrace as the night continued on. For the next few years, they managed to keep that promise, even as they fought monsters and planned the reconstruction of their lost kingdom. It wasn't until the Master Sword called upon the hero again did the chances of that promise breaking start to grow, but that happens later in the story, for in this moment, the two's lips were locked together as they became one.
The end.
(?)