Children of the Triforce: Retold

Chapter 6 – Collapse

Months passed, and Zelda's condition continued to improve, but at a rather slow pace. Her nausea remained, although still not as severe as its initial appearances, usually only striking Zelda once a week. The stomach pains also lessened, and the bleeding stopped altogether, which Zelda was thankful for. Her fears of having a miscarriage slowly began to melt away, but they never disappeared entirely. She had been through far too much already for her doubts to be completely dismissed. It didn't help that she still experienced the sharp stomach pains from time to time, which only renewed her concerns, despite the physician's assurances that everything was fine.

Eventually, Zelda's condition reached a point where the physician felt it was safe for her to leave her bed. Like everything else, this newfound freedom was limited, of course. Zelda had to take it slow, only being allowed to be on her feet for a fraction of the day, for fear of things taking a sudden turn for the worst. Zelda was careful though, and above all else, grateful to finally have the opportunity to leave her room. She had been cooped up there for far too long, and she was dying to move about her castle.

As she did, Zelda finally felt some joy return to her life. She was able to see her children on a daily basis, and even play with them (although she couldn't do anything too strenuous, of course). She also managed to visit the court for a few hours every day and help her father with his duties there, signing documents and discussing the state of the Kingdom.

This naturally lessened the load on Link's shoulders as well. The poor hero had spent the last few months trying to juggle all of Zelda's duties while also trying to keep her comfortable and healthy. He was nothing short of grateful to finally receive a break. But above all else, he was truly happy just to see his wife in high spirits. Her joy was his joy, and he could tell that finally being free of her bed had done wonders for her. Not to mention, he was happy to know that her condition was improving. His own doubts about the pregnancy began to melt away as well, with the thought of a miscarriage seeming less and less likely with each passing day.

As time passed, Zelda's belly naturally began to grow, taking on the small, rounded curve of her baby bump. Link and Zelda both saw this as a good sign, as it meant that the baby was growing stronger by the day. They truly hoped that all of this pregnancy's complications were behind them, and that things would only get easier from here on out.

"It's moving," Zelda said one night as the two of them lay in bed. She smiled as she placed her hands on her growing belly. Before long, a few tears appeared in her eyes. "It's really moving."

Link smiled back. He understood what she meant. After all of these complications, it wouldn't have been a surprise for Zelda to deliver a stillborn. Fortunately, she could now feel the child moving within her; another sign that the baby was doing well.

Zelda sniffled a bit, trying to rein in her emotions. She then turned to Link. "Do you want to feel?"

"Of course," he said with a laugh. He soon rested a hand on her stomach as well, and she helped guide him to the position where she felt the tiny movements. After a moment, Link grinned as he could feel it too.

"Our baby's alive," Zelda said with a soft smile.

"Yeah, it is," Link assured her. "And it won't be long before we finally get to meet them."

"Yes," Zelda agreed, rubbing her belly some more. This pregnancy had truly been a hellish experience, but she still looked forward to the day when she could safely hold her baby in her arms, and all would be well.

Unfortunately, Zelda continued to experience her terrible nightmares, although they occurred less frequently as the pregnancy improved. Zelda wondered why this was the case, but Link attributed it to her fears about the pregnancy. Now that things were progressing smoothly, Zelda's subconscious mind wasn't nearly as worried, and she therefore wasn't subjected to as many nightmares.

Zelda wasn't sure if she truly believed that. She felt like these terrible visions that she witnessed in her sleep were entirely outside of her control. She just prayed to the Goddesses that the nightmares would hopefully cease soon, and that things would continue to improve.

Eventually, Zelda made it to her final trimester. She was grateful to be at what felt like the "final stretch" of this pregnancy. However, as with everything else, this phase came with its own complications.

First off, there was the fatigue. As Zelda's rounded belly continued to grow, it was only natural that she would begin to tire more easily. This, however, was something beyond that. Even doing the smallest of tasks tended to leave Zelda feeling exhausted, and she often had to sit down and rest multiple times throughout the day. Nobody was exactly sure why this was happening, not even the physician. It seemed that her energy levels were low, and she just didn't have the strength to make it through the day. The doctor simply advised her to be cautious and not push herself too hard, while also getting plenty of rest.

Unfortunately, the nausea also made a return, starting to worsen as it had before. No matter what Zelda ate, it always seemed to unsettle her stomach. She ended up making far more trips to the chamber pot, expelling the bile and draining her energy even further.

Link quickly found himself growing more concerned again, but Zelda put on a brave face and assured him that she was okay. Admittedly, these symptoms were not nearly as bad as what she had experienced early on in the pregnancy, and she felt like she could manage. Besides, the doctor had not confined her to her bed yet, so she felt that she was still doing okay, all things considered.

Link sighed and trusted her words, but he made sure to keep a close eye on her at all times. The last thing he wanted was for things to worsen. He especially wanted to avoid a repeat of the first trimester, where Zelda's mind constantly dwelled on the miserable thought of a miscarriage.

Fortunately, Zelda managed to stay positive for the most part. She could still feel the child moving within her on occasion, and this alone was usually enough to assuage her fears. As long as she had this hope to believe in, she was more than ready to take on whatever challenges came her way, whether it be the fatigue, the sickness, or even her nightmares.

It also helped to have her family by her side. Link and Harkinian stayed very supportive during these trying times, and simply seeing her children was enough to lift Zelda's spirits. They too were simply happy to have any time to spend with their mother, and they treasured it greatly.

One day, as Zelda was entering the eighth month of her pregnancy, she decided to take her children outside to the courtyard to play. These days, Zelda didn't often have time for activities such as this, due to her fatigue and constantly needing to rest. Today, however, was different. Zelda had made sure to completely clear her schedule so that she could focus solely on this task. So that she could devote all of her energy to her two children. Of course, Zelda still wasn't able to run around or do anything strenuous with them, but she was just happy to join them out in the sun for a change.

Cecil ended up running around the courtyard, lifting a stick over his head. "I'm a brave knight of Hyrule!" he cried.

Zelda just giggled as she watched him. She currently sat on a bench off to the side. "Why, yes you are, sweetie."

The boy beamed. "Don't worry, mommy! I'll save you from these monsters!" He then charged at one of the nearby hedges, harmlessly hacking at the leaves with his stick. "Yah, yah!"

Zelda giggled some more. "Just like your father," she mused.

Just then, Zelda felt someone tug on her dress from below. She soon glanced down to spot her daughter staring up at her with wide eyes.

"What is it, Kristin?" she asked softly.

The girl didn't say a word. Instead, she just smiled before raising a hand up to her mother. In it, she was holding something.

"Oh? What do we have here?" Zelda asked, inspecting the girl's hand. She then smiled once she recognized it. "Ah, some flower seeds? Did you get these from one of the gardeners?"

The girl smiled some more before nodding. "Can we plant them, mommy?"

"Of course we can," Zelda assured her. "Do you have a spot picked out?"

Kristin soon pointed to a pot off to the side. It was empty save for some fresh black dirt.

"That looks perfect," Zelda told her daughter. "Come on, let's go over."

"Yay!" the girl cheered, happily running off.

Zelda just sighed as she slowly rose to her feet. The added weight of her pregnancy never made this easy, and being as tired as she was just made it even worse. She soon waddled over to the flowerpot, which was by no means a great distance, but even this small amount of movement left her feeling a little winded. Still, Zelda took a deep breath and put up with it. She could handle this, as long as it was for the sake of her children.

With another tired breath, Zelda crouched down next to the pot. She then assisted her daughter in properly burying the seeds in the dirt, making sure that they were all spaced out and could comfortably take root.

Zelda then placed her hands in her back as she rose to her full height. Once again, she felt exhausted. "Now, we'll need to give them some water."

"We need a watering can," Kristin realized.

Zelda smiled. "That's right. Maybe we can have your brother help with that?" She soon turned to where her eldest child was playing, and called out to him. "Cecil, can you do us a favor, please?"

The boy quickly ran to her side. "What is it, mommy?"

"We need a brave knight to go and fetch us a watering can," Zelda said playfully. "Can you do that for us, sweetie?"

Cecil grinned, happy to have his "knight-like skills" acknowledged. "Leave it to me!" he said confidently before running off.

Zelda just smiled and shook her head as she watched him go. He was always so excitable and full of energy. He was clearly his father's son.

Before long, Cecil returned, bringing the watering can to his mother. She graciously accepted it, although she did find it to be quite heavy. Even lifting it made her feel like she was exerting a lot of energy, but she managed to raise it over the pot and give the freshly planted seeds some refreshment.

When she finished, she set the watering can down with a tired sigh. Even though she had rested all morning, she still felt exhausted. Nevertheless, she gave her daughter a smile. "There. Now we just need to give them time to grow."

"Will they grow into pretty flowers, mommy?" the girl asked.

"Yes, Kristin, I'm sure they'll be lovely." Zelda then sighed again as she rubbed her stomach. Maybe it was because of all the sudden movement, but she was starting to feel the dull pain return to her midsection. Zelda just closed her eyes as she rubbed it some more, hoping that it would harmlessly pass as it often did.

"Whoa!" Cecil suddenly yelled in surprise. "There's a lizard over there!"

Zelda quickly opened her eyes, just in time to see her five-year-old son scampering after a small shape in the grass. Growing concerned, she soon called out to him. "Cecil, don't go too far, okay? Stay where mommy can see you."

The boy paused before glancing back. "Huh? But I want to catch the lizard!"

Zelda sighed as she took a few more steps towards him. "Just stay in the courtyard, sweetie."

Cecil seemed a little disappointed to have his freedom restricted. Still, he gave her a nod, and made sure to be mindful of where he was running.

"Mommy, can I run too?" Kristin asked from her side.

"Hmm?" Zelda asked. "Oh, yes, go ahead. Just stay with your brother, okay?"

"Okay!" she agreed, also scampering off.

Zelda wanted to watch them, to keep an eye on them and make sure that they were staying close, but she was having a hard time focusing. The pain in her stomach had slowly intensified, nearly locking Zelda into place. With a wince, Zelda clutched onto her belly, fearing what was coming next.

Oh no…she thought. No, please no. Not again…

It was as she feared. A strong, sharp pain tore through her, searing her middle with its intensity. Zelda immediately cried out, loud enough for the whole courtyard to hear.

Immediately, numerous servants that were working nearby turned to her, wondering what was wrong. Some of them began running to her side, hoping to help.

"Princess!"

"What's the matter?"

"Is everything okay?"

Zelda just took a few shaky steps forward, all while her mind turned hazy. "The physician," she whispered. "H-Hurry…"

Zelda then felt her body sway as her vision went black. She collapsed to the ground, completely unconscious.

Hours later, Zelda awoke with a gasp, the remnants of a nightmare fresh in her mind. She took a few panicked breaths as she looked around her, wondering where she was. Within seconds, she realized that she was lying in her bed.

It wasn't long before Link appeared by her side, shushing her and trying to calm her down by gently rubbing her arm. "It's okay, Zelda, it's okay."

Zelda just turned to him, still feeling dazed. "Ugh…What happened?"

"You fainted in the courtyard," he explained quietly. "We carried you here so the physician could do another examination."

Zelda's eyes went wide at this, her panic escalating. "The baby-!"

"Is fine," he assured her, still rubbing her arm. "But like always, the physician said that it's not in good shape. The pregnancy is still at risk."

Zelda slowly nodded as she shut her mouth. She then reached down, hugging her pregnant belly in her arms. She had been so worried for a moment there…

"The physician wants you on strict bedrest again," Link continued. "No getting out of bed until the pregnancy is over."

Zelda nodded again. "I understand," was all she said. She didn't enjoy receiving this news, but she certainly wasn't about to argue against it. At this point, she wasn't sure if she could handle any more scares.

"How are you feeling?" Link asked as he rubbed her shoulder.

"I'm tired, but okay," she replied honestly. "How are the kids?"

Link gave her a sad smile. "They were a little spooked after seeing you collapse like that, but I calmed them down."

Zelda felt her lip start to quiver. She hated having to go through this, but she truly hated that her children had to suffer as well. "Why does this keep happening?" she asked as tears started to spill out of her eyes.

"I don't know," Link replied, calmly pulling her into a hug. "I don't know why this keeps happening, but we'll get through it."

Zelda didn't respond, instead just sobbing into her husband's chest. She had no idea what to believe anymore. She just hoped with all her heart that he was right.

The hurt/comfort is real :'(