Author's Note: Welcome back everyone!
So, there's been a slight change of plans. This is NOT the last chapter of Book I just yet - Chapter 9 will be. Once I sat down to write this one in particular, I decided it needed more time and room to breathe. This was originally supposed to be the frontend of the arc's resolution, but I felt like I'd have to shortchange too much in order to cram it all into one chapter. So I just didn't do that and instead wrote this full-length chapter and delayed all the other resolution stuff for next time.
That's all I've got to start out this time! I hope you enjoy the latest chapter!
Book I - Meeting
Chapter 8 – Trust
"You know he'd hate you if he found out the truth, right?"
Zelda was standing alone in the middle of the very same cave Link had defended her in, the same spot he had drawn his weapon against Sooga and promised vengeance for what the Yiga Clan had done to her that day.
Her heart still leapt when she thought about it.
But something was strange. There was no entrance or exit to this room. And she was entirely alone. Isolated. Cut off from everyone and everything like she always had been. With only the cold voice of her twin sister Hilda for company.
"Even someone as stupid as you has to understand that," her voice rang out again. She wasn't in the room that Zelda could see but still her voice still echoed within it. It swirled around her, reverberating off the rocky walls the same way the Yiga general's had before.
"I…was amazed he accepted me in the first place. So even if it means admitting the truth…I still want to…trust him." Zelda's own voice, though timid, was also steadier than she was used to when speaking with her sister. It was surprising.
"Trust? That's a funny word for you to use. You haven't trusted Link with a thing. He still doesn't even know the real reason you want to marry him is because it's what Father asked you to do. You haven't told him that he's nothing more than a way for you to fulfill your desire to be useful to Hyrule for the first time in your pathetic life."
"That's…not…"
"Not true? Oh, Zelda – don't delude yourself. Do you really think you're falling in love with him? You don't even know what love feels like. Anyone who doesn't look at you like the trash you are would be good enough to make you feel special. Unless, of course…are you really so arrogant that you think he's falling in love with you?"
Zelda shook her head quickly, so fast and frantically that she felt a jolt of pain in her temples.
"N-not at all! I would never…assume I'm good enough for Link to fall in love with…"
"Good. You're not. And you never will be."
"That's not true, Miss Zelda!"
She gasped as a new voice echoed around the room. This one was Glenne's, clear as day and filled with pep. She had no idea what he was doing here but almost smiled despite herself as she heard his good-natured encouragement fill the cold room.
Hilda's exasperated voice rang out again, directed this time at the newcomer.
"Oh? And who do you think you are, intruding on my alone time with my precious sister? Another idiot who doesn't realize she's not even worth the dirt on the soles of your boots?"
Zelda felt boiling hot shame well up inside her. It filled her stomach and shot up her body before settling in her face, her cheeks burning crimson. She felt her throat tighten and her eyes sting. It was painful to hear things like that…but Hilda was right, after all…
"You're not actually listening to this person, right Miss Zelda?"
She gasped as he spoke those words, tearing her eyes from the ground and glancing around the room.
"G-Glenne…"
"Seriously – don't listen to that jerk! I'm here to tell you that Master Link is happier than I've ever seen him. I know you see it too. And you must know it's because of you…right?"
"I…try my best to make his life better…"
Hilda scoffed, her omniscient voice echoing sternly around the chamber.
"Your best has never been good enough and it never will be."
"I know…"
"Stop listening to her," Glenne encouraged again, louder this time. It was as if he was trying to drown out Hilda's voice entirely. "Why do you think me and the others tried to fight the Yiga to save you? It certainly wasn't because we thought we could win! It was because they were trying to take you away and you're someone important to all of us now."
"…I…"
"Miss Zelda, you're one of us. I know it's hard for you to believe, but we all wanted to save you because we like having you around. And nobody likes having you around more than Master Link does!"
"Shut up," Hilda sighed, huffing in an all too familiar way. "You don't even know the first thing about her."
"Oh yeah? And what's that?" he demanded.
"That she is a failure. Just wait, little boy – you'll see. She'll disappoint you too. Sooner or later, every person in that miserable dirt heap will grow to resent her and wish for her to simply disappear. Why do you think I wanted to send her out there in the first place? I was already so sick of her I could scream. I wonder who will tire of her miserable face first – Link or the hicks in town?"
Zelda wanted to cry as silence fell over the room. She looked around, hoping that anyone would come to her aid, but nobody was in the room aside from her. She was still sealed away, all alone. Stuck with Hilda.
Abandoned.
"You're pretty stupid, you know that?" Glenne's voice echoed around her.
Zelda felt her heart sink.
"I know…"
"No, no, not you, Miss Zelda. Your sister."
Zelda felt her eyes widen in shock.
"Excuse me!?" Hilda shrieked. Her voice filled the space without effort.
"Seriously. I know I'm not the smartest person in the world, but even I can recognize when someone's just saying dumb things to hurt people like you are."
"You little brat! You'd do well to watch your tongue!"
"Ah, what are you going to do anyway?" he scoffed, his tone dismissive. "As long as Master Link's with Miss Zelda, you can't even touch her."
"You little-"
"Do you really think we're all just pretending to like Miss Zelda? Cause if you actually do, you might want to go back to whatever rich girls' school you went to and retake your social etiquette classes."
Hilda didn't say a word but Zelda could feel the intense pressure of her hatred bearing down on the room. It felt like gravity itself had increased substantially.
"We put our lives on the line for Miss Zelda and we'd all do it again in a heartbeat. Of course, Master Link would be at the front of that group leading us all if a situation like that came up again. Because no matter what you say, Miss Zelda can trust him. He won't abandon her."
"Glenne…" Zelda murmured, resisting the urge to cry again.
The young warrior gasped in delight, his elation pushing back against Hilda's crushing anger.
"Are you starting to believe me? Good! Like I said, Miss Zelda, nobody wants to keep you safe more than Master does!"
An explosion shook the walls a moment later, causing Zelda to jump as the expanse around her filled with dust. She blinked several times and, as the haze cleared, her eyes fell upon a familiar silhouette entering the chamber. He was close to her own height, wearing a light blue tunic, the Master Sword slung over his shoulder.
Link.
"Y-you…came for me again…" she managed at last.
He offered a gentle smile, extending his hand towards her.
"Of course I did. I promised you I'd always come for you if you needed me. Glenne's right – you can trust me, Zelda."
She smiled…but felt her heart sink a moment later.
"But…I haven't trusted you at all…Hilda was right about that…"
"See?" Hilda chimed in. "You're wasting your time with her. She's incapable of trust."
Link's gentle smile never faltered, though.
"Then why don't you start right now?" he proposed, his eyes focused on Zelda's.
"Start…now?"
"Tell me everything. Let me in. You know I'll listen."
Zelda hesitated for a long moment before managing a timid nod.
"I…do know that. Thank you…"
As she crossed the room towards him, she was vaguely aware of Hilda's cold voice suddenly screaming how worthless she was at her back. But this time, she kept going. Kept ignoring her sister's cruel words. Kept walking until she was within arm's reach of Link. Finally, she placed her hand in his waiting palm.
The familiar warmth of his gentle grip enveloped her fingers again.
And a moment later, Zelda's eyes fluttered open.
It took her several moments to realize where she was, blinking in surprise as she came back to reality. She was lying in her bed, safely inside the room Link had so graciously given her a month and a half ago. She had no idea how she'd gotten here or what had happened after Link's duel with Sooga, but it seemed he had taken her home after that.
Wondering what time it was, she moved to sit up and take in her surroundings. There was very little natural light coming in through the window so it must have been fairly late in the day. But before she could even finish raising herself up, she was taken by surprise.
"Zelda?" came a worried voice from her right.
Shifting her gaze towards the sound, her eyes fell on Link. He was resting in the chair that usually accompanied her desk, having moved it across the room to allow him to sit at her bedside.
Whereas earlier he had donned a blue tunic for battle, he now wore that familiar green sweater he tended to favor on cold days. It always looked right at home on him.
His eyes were wide and shimmering with concern as he watched her.
"L…Link?" she murmured, settling into a sitting position. Her blankets had been carefully tucked in around her and she found some difficulty in freeing her arms.
"Thank the Goddess you're okay," Link murmured, reaching out and taking her hand between both of his.
Zelda's heart skipped a beat as she felt her hand wrapped up in that familiar warmth, the same one she had imagined in her sleep. He was always so warm with her…maybe the Glenne in her dream had been right after all. Maybe he did care about her more than anyone else…
"W…what happened before? All I remember is…you forcing that Yiga general to retreat" she managed.
Link's worry seemed to be dissolving into relief right before her very eyes and he finally answered after drawing a calming breath.
"You fainted down in the cave; I'm sure you were still recovering from the weakening elixir, not to mention everything else you went through today. So I carried you back home through the rain. Lissa came by and changed you out of your wet clothes and into your nightgown. Then I dried your hair as much as I could and tucked you in so you could rest for a while."
Zelda's heart was overflowing as he explained what had gone on since he had found her in the cavern. He had…gone to such lengths to take care of her. Nobody had ever done that for her, not in as long as she could remember.
"Y-you didn't have to…go that far. I'm sorry if I put you in a difficult position…"
Link shook his head and smiled at her. He still hadn't released her hand, his grip gentle and reassuring.
"You have nothing to apologize to me for, Zelda. Helping you is never an inconvenience."
Zelda felt her cheeks heat up a bit before he spoke again.
"It looks like most of the color has come back to your face, too; that's great."
She couldn't bring herself to tell him she was just embarrassed by his words.
"T-thank you…"
"How do you feel?" he continued, his voice as kind as ever.
Zelda took stock of herself briefly before answering, gazing down at her hands.
"I…feel decent, all things considered. My…my wrists hurt some from the rope earlier. And I still feel a little weak. But otherwise, I'm okay."
"Are you warm enough? It was raining pretty hard earlier and I was scared you'd catch a cold so I covered you with your blankets and started a fire in the other room to heat up the house."
"I'm very warm," she admitted, doing her best to show him a reassuring smile. "In fact...I don't think I've ever woken up feeling warmer in all my life. Thank you."
Link's smile widened.
"I'm so happy to hear that."
A comfortable silence fell over the room. Zelda noticed, however, that Link still hadn't let go of her hand. She was a bit surprised that he was willingly holding onto her like that. She figured he'd just done it in a moment of relief that she had awakened at last. Had he really been that worried about her to warrant still keeping her hand in his like this?
She didn't really mind the sensation...
"Zelda…I'm sorry," he murmured suddenly.
She looked up towards his face hurriedly and found his eyes downcast, a fog of guilt having clouded them. Zelda shook her head and tried to meet his gaze.
"Y-you really have nothing to be sorry for," she insisted.
Link shook his head though.
"That's not true. I should've considered the situation more carefully. Leaving you here by yourself, no matter how much I trust the people of this village, was stupid of me. I should have done a lot more to guarantee your safety. Even if you didn't come into the Castle, I could have brought you with me anyway. You'd have at least been safe in Castle Town with the soldiers there. It's…as much my fault that you were kidnapped by the Yiga as it is theirs for taking you…"
"That's not true," she insisted, more forcefully than usual. Link, keying into this, met her gaze again, his eyes having widened just slightly. She let herself continue before the passion left her and she shied away from what she really wanted to say.
"You…you risked your life for me. You did everything you could to save me today. And even before that, you've gone so far out of your way to make me feel comfortable here with you…to make me feel welcome. I've…never felt that way before. S-so…please…don't blame yourself. It wasn't…your fault…"
Her momentary bout of confidence vanished in moments and she averted her eyes, suddenly feeling very guilty that she had forced her opinion on Link so aggressively. He didn't need to change his thinking for her. She shouldn't even be speaking so assertively with him – it wasn't her place to do so. Maybe Hilda was right…maybe he really would grow tired of her before-
"That's the first time you've ever said something so passionately to me," Link murmured. She grimaced, assuming the worst, but was surprised to find a wide smile on his face when she braved meeting his gaze again. "Thank you, Zelda. I really appreciate that."
"O-oh…um…y-you're welcome…" she managed, the feeling of awkward uncertainty she was now wrestling with almost enough to steal her voice away entirely.
"Really. I don't want you to regret saying that. It means a lot to me – more than I can put into words. I can really tell you're trying to trust me…even after being given every reason in the world to not trust another soul ever again."
At this, however, Zelda felt her heart plummet and a nagging sadness resurface in her mind.
"I…I'm doing a terrible job…of that…" she managed at last, her eyes downcast.
"Of what?"
"Of…trying to trust you."
"Hey, it's okay to take your time. I won't ever rush you."
"I…I know. But…that's not quite what's worrying me."
"Do you feel like telling me what is?" he asked, his voice gentler than she'd ever heard. She truly hadn't believed such a thing was possible.
Zelda considered him for a long moment. Her dream earlier had brought the truth to the forefront of her mind – she felt guilty. Not for hiding her past with Hilda and her father, but for hiding the truth of her role in their engagement. The truth of her status within her family. The truth of her existence entirely. It hadn't been a conscious decision, but she had buried everything else in the hopes of hanging onto this fleeting happiness as long as she could, until it was no longer hers.
But…no more. If her own words were to end that happiness, then she would at least be able to take some solace in the fact that she had been as open and honest with Link as he had always been with her. It wasn't something she was willing to hide from him any longer.
There was something she needed before she told him everything, though. Something she couldn't continue without.
"I…do. May I ask…a selfish favor first?"
Link gave her a warm smile.
"You can ask me for anything at all."
"Would…would you please bring me the coat I was wearing earlier? I…there's something in it…that I need…"
"Something in it?"
She only managed a nod, but his smile never faltered.
"Of course I'll bring it. I've had it drying by the fire; give me just a few seconds."
Link vanished from the room, removing his hold on her hand at long last. It felt…strangely empty now.
'What an…odd sensation…'
He quickly returned, carrying her white winter coat. She was stricken by the irony that, though she hadn't been entirely conscious for it, Link had indeed seen her in her new outfit…even if it had been while she was tied up on the floor of a freezing cavern.
"Here you go, it's not that wet anymore," Link assured her, offering the garment to her.
Zelda fished carefully within the pocket she had utilized that morning and her fingers brushed against the hair tie she had so carefully prepared for Link. She breathed a sigh of relief as she realized it was still there. She was worried it had fallen out while she was being carted around by Sooga but it was safe and sound, right where she had left it. She closed the fabric in her hand and carefully withdrew, hiding it from Link's view.
"Did you find whatever you needed?" he asked, his voice warm.
"I…did. Thank you so much."
"Of course. Let me hang this back up and then I'd love to hear whatever it is you need to say."
Link placed the white jacket by the fireplace again before returning to her side, sitting down in the same chair as before. Zelda, while he was gone, had moved higher in the bed, now sitting cross legged beside him.
"Now, what's on your mind, Zelda?" Link asked, patiently waiting for her words.
She took a long, slow breath. She couldn't back down now. He deserved to hear the truth. From her own mouth.
"Link…I…haven't once been honest with you since I arrived here a month and a half ago," she began, avoiding his gaze.
He very kindly didn't interject at all; she was afraid if he spoke she would lose her nerve. So she soldiered on, forcing the words out no matter how much they scared her. No matter how likely it was that she would lose the one place she'd ever felt…happy…
"When I arrived on your doorstep…you believed I was someone important…that I was one of the two Princesses of Hyrule. But…you're an incredibly intelligent man; I have no doubt that you've seen how…different I am from the rest of my family. The truth is…I haven't been considered a Princess since I was nine years old, outside of certain official meetings.
"I have no ability to use Sealing magic; my sister is the only one of us who awakened to that power. After Father realized I had no hope of aiding her against the Calamity, he gave up on me and Hilda began to resent me for not being able to support her. I cannot blame either one of them for this. It was my own failure. And, shortly after the truth of how useless I really came to light, I was made to serve as my sister's servant.
"She had every reason to demand this of me. If it was the only way I could manage to aid her in the face of the coming Calamity…then I had no right to complain. Father made no objections and slowly I transformed from her equal to…what essentially amounted to her slave. I did all I could for her over the years, but none of it was ever enough to make up for my failures in life."
Zelda was lost in the throes of her tale, laying bare her heart for Link at last. He would finally know the truth about her. He would know everything she had ever hidden from him, all the secrets, all the ugly truths of her existence. Perhaps he wouldn't want her around any longer…but at least now he could make an informed decision. He deserved better than to be deceived.
And so, she pressed onward.
"After you and the others averted the Calamity, Hilda's dislike of me grew in the face of my worthlessness. Each day, I failed to live up to even the lowest of expectations. Things continued like this for years until eventually, about halfway through the Eleventh Month of this past year, Father…called Hilda and I both before him. He never concerned himself with my meaningless opinion so I can only assume he wanted me there simply to learn the future of the Royal Family that I was, very technically, still a part of.
"That day, Father announced that Hilda would be chosen as your fiancée. He…wanted to tie you to the Royal Family so that you would never leave Hyrule and take the Master Sword with you. He said it was to ensure the safety and longevity of this Kingdom. Hilda…was unhappy with this arrangement and proposed that I take her place in this matter. Father agreed. And so…for the first time since childhood…I was given a task – ensure that you married into the Royal Family and that you never left Hyrule.
"I didn't have much of a choice in the matter but…I still accepted things as they were. I let this task become my reason for moving forward. It was the only thing that was ever asked of me by my father after he learned what a failure I was. And since the day I arrived here…you have been forced to live a lie…because of me."
Zelda hung her head as she began to cry but refused to stop speaking. If she didn't finish now, she would choke on her words and regret it for the rest of her life. Link deserved the whole truth. She wouldn't let herself keep things from the man who had saved her life any longer.
"You…were made to believe that you were marrying a Princess when I am the furthest thing from one. You were told that I was being sent to you for the sake of your happiness…yet it was simply to chain you down for the rest of your life...and a convenient way for my family to rid themselves of my insufferable company. You have…wasted so much of your kindness on me, someone entirely unworthy of it. Someone who has willingly gone along with this plan to take away your freedom and your happiness this entire time. And today…you risked your own life to protect me…
"So I decided…I had to tell you. Even if it means you resent me. Even if it means you come to hate me. I…owe that much to you. You deserve the chance to have your own happiness and it's wrong of me to pretend what I'm doing to you isn't hurtful just for a little taste of that happiness myself. That, Link…is the whole truth. My being sent to you benefits you in absolutely no way…it was a selfish plan from the start…and my entire family is at fault for it, myself worst of all."
Link was silent as he watched her, probably waiting for her to finish. She didn't dare raise her eyes to meet his though. She was so used to seeing those kind, caring blue eyes of his shimmer with happiness that she couldn't take witnessing them filled with anger. Or even worse…heartbreak. Mipha had told her he was coming to care for her quite deeply.
She should never have let things get to this point…
"If…if you wish to call this whole arrangement off, I will make it so. I will return to the Castle and take the fall for everything. I will give any excuse necessary to keep Father's and Hilda's ire from being directed at you. If…if you…want me to leave tonight, I will. If you can no longer stand the sight of someone who lied to you and would rather I disappear from your life, then I will vanish the moment you command it. And if you wish to vent your anger towards me, I will gladly bear it all."
The tears that had fallen earlier had dried and all she was left with was a strange sense of peace. It was as if she were standing in the eye of a storm. She was surrounded by uncertainty and turmoil but right now, in this moment, at least she had been honest with him. Completely and entirely. There were no more secrets about why she was here. He knew the truth. He could choose what happened next while having all the important information, not just what she chose to share with him.
But…there was one more thing she needed to do before the fallout, something she had been too scared to do before now.
Zelda opened her tightly balled fist, revealing the sky-blue fabric that was Link's new hair tie, the very same one she had meant to give him weeks ago and had constantly talked herself out of. Perhaps it was a bit too late, but she needed to repay his kindness. He deserved that, too.
"I…I made this…for you. It's a hair tie. I know it isn't as nice as the one you wear right now, but…I asked Lissa to order some fabric for me. I…made it by hand so it m-may not be good enough but I…had hoped to repay your kindness in giving me the clothing you so graciously had prepared for me. This is hardly comparable but…it's all I was capable of. Perhaps after learning the truth behind this arrangement…you would rather throw it away or even burn it. If that is the case…please…feel free to. It is yours to do with as you see fit…
"That…is everything I wanted to tell you. I couldn't live with myself…if I continued to lie to the man who risked his life to save my own. You know all that I've hidden from you now. I am so deeply sorry that I lied to you for so long…Link."
Zelda fell silent at last and extended her hands, presenting the hair tie to him. She lowered her head even further, squeezing her eyes shut. That was it. Every awful secret she had hidden from him. Out in the open now.
She wasn't sure what she expected. Perhaps Link would yell at her or throw something across the room in anger. That seemed fairly unlikely, though. In the short time she had come to know him, it was abundantly clear that he wasn't a violent man. No, he would probably just be disappointed in her and ask her calmly to leave. That…would hurt a lot more. But she would bear it all because it was her fault things had gotten to this point.
"You know," Link began, reaching out and taking her hands. Zelda stifled a gasp as he continued. "You might need to lay down and recover from that weakening elixir a while longer – I think it might still be playing games with your mind."
Zelda was baffled by his comment. Was he making a joke in order to better come to grips with the situation? What…was this?
Despite her better judgment, she slowly raised her head and peeked up towards him from the tops of her eyes. She couldn't stop herself from gasping in surprise this time.
Link's eyes were shining and his smile was enormous. He kept gazing between her and the hair tie she held in her hands…or rather, the hair tie that now rested between their hands. He took that left hand of his and slowly tilted her face up towards him, trying to meet her gaze more directly. She was too befuddled to resist.
"I…um…I'm not…sure what you mean…" she admitted at last.
Link just laughed a little.
"I was just thinking…you must not be fully awake yet if you really believe I would ever want to throw away or burn your precious gift to me."
Zelda's mind ground to screeching halt as he smiled at her, warmer and wider than ever before. The words that followed echoed in her mind like an enormous bell.
"This hair tie is the first present you've ever given me. And you made it for me by hand. Nothing else in the world could compare to it. I'll treasure it for the rest of my life, Zelda."
Her throat constricted violently. She was immediately on the verge of crying again and couldn't have made a single sound if she wanted to.
He…he liked it?
But even still, Link wasn't done. He reached up and pulled his current hair tie away, letting his long, sandy hair fall down to his shoulders.
"Zelda? Will you tie my hair for me with your gift?"
A single tear fell down her cheek before she responded as best she could, choking out the word through the tightness in her throat.
"Y-yes."
"Thank you. You're the only person I'd ever want to do that for me."
She couldn't even manage a word this time, instead nodding several times as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.
Link reached out and took the hair tie, placing it on the nearby nightstand, before moving onto the mattress next to her. Before Zelda was even aware of what was happening, his strong arms pulled her into a tight hug, that incomparable warmth and kindness engulfing her again.
"Zelda," he began, his voice soft and close to her ear, "I'm sorry I didn't say anything while you were talking earlier; I hope I didn't scare you, being quiet like that. It hurt me to see you cry…but I was afraid if I interrupted, you'd lose the confidence you were speaking with – it seemed like it was really important to you that you get all that out. But I swear to you, I'm not upset with you in any way. And I already knew the King's goal was to keep me from leaving Hyrule."
Zelda's eyes shot open and she tilted her head back enough to see him, even though her vision was still swimming with tears.
"You…knew?"
"Your father has never been subtle about his desire to tie me to this Kingdom. I've known from the day I received his first letter that this arranged marriage was meant to force me into the Royal Family."
"I'm…so sorry that I-"
"Shh," Link whispered, one of his arms moving back so he could reach her face. He brushed her tears away with a delicate touch before letting his hand rest against her cheek. "I'm not upset with you, Zelda. And I don't care what led to our meeting. Because after the last month and a half, I have every intention of letting myself be tied to the Royal Family."
"You…do? But why…?"
"For the same reason I told your father at the Castle yesterday – my life is so much brighter with you in it than it ever was before. I want to honor this arrangement with you once we're both ready."
Zelda's mind went entirely blank again.
"Um…I…y-you mean…you don't…want me to…leave?"
Link shook his head before fixing her with the kindest, gentlest gaze she'd ever beheld.
"I don't want you to be anywhere but right here by my side, Zelda. If you left, I'd be sad every day. Extremely sad. Sadder than I've ever been in my life."
Zelda's gaze started to swim again.
"But this isn't just about me. Do you want to stay?" Link asked her, his warm hand still on her cheek.
Zelda's life swirled around in her head for a few moments. The first beacon of light in her life, her mother, had passed away when she was only six. For two and a half years after that, she and Hilda had been there for each other through everything. But after that, it all fell apart…
'My sister hates me. My father doesn't care about me. And not just them, either. The people at the Castle always distanced themselves from me. Urbosa could never visit. I was told day in and day out how worthless and useless and miserable I am. What a failure I am. How my life meant nothing…
'But Link…Link doesn't feel that way. He cares. He cares about me. He…wants me to stay with him. Despite everything I just told him…he wants me to stay anyway. He's the only person since Mother to care about me. He proves it day after day. He has shown me kindness…like I've truly never known. I…if I had to choose between him and anything else in this world-'
"I want to stay with you!" she wailed at last, collapsing against his chest and throwing her arms around him. It was the first time she'd ever hugged him back, despite the now several times he'd held her; it only took a second for Link's powerful arms to fully wrap around her once more. She was well aware of the fact that she was crying uncontrollably against him but it didn't matter anymore.
She was where she belonged.
Zelda's words poured forth without hesitation for the first time in thirteen years.
"Nobody has ever made me feel like they care about me before you! Nobody has ever wanted me to stay by their side! Nobody sees me as anything more than a failure! But you do! I've never been happier in all my life than the days I've spent here with you! I know it's selfish of me to focus on my own happiness but I just can't bring myself to throw that all away anymore! Not after everything you've done for me! I want to stay with you, Link! I want to live here in Hateno with you! I don't ever want to leave!"
"Then don't ever leave, Zelda. Stay right here with me."
She nodded as best she could against him, hugging him even tighter. His strong arms drew her in closer in response. The warmth of his embrace was greater than any warmth a blanket or a fire could ever provide.
"You said something earlier I can't let go without responding to," he murmured, leaning closer to her ear.
She sniffled but couldn't calm herself enough to speak, instead just nodding again.
"You said before that you being sent to me doesn't benefit me in any way. That's not true, Zelda. You being sent to me might very well be the greatest thing that's ever happened to me and I never want you to think otherwise. Just meeting you is all the benefit I could ever want for. I'm so glad it was you that knocked on my door that night. I don't want anyone else by my side. Only you."
Zelda all but went to pieces at those words. She cried into Link's chest harder than she'd cried in a long time. He held her close, even stroking the back of her head with soft, rhythmic motions. He didn't once try to push her away like Hilda would have. He didn't once try to downplay her emotions like her father would have. He became her anchor, shielding her from the stormy waters of her own intense feelings. She could hold him. She could rely on him. She could…trust him.
She could really trust him.
"I'm so happy you're home safe, Zelda."
She somehow managed to force a few words through her streaming tears.
"I'm…I'm so happy to be home!"
Link stayed with her on the mattress, hugging and consoling her for a long while. Despite the intensity of her tears, it was the most deeply comforting thing she'd ever felt.
Link held Zelda close for several minutes as she let out the powerful emotions that had finally come to the surface. During their first date, he had been worried about overstepping her boundaries and prying into her life, approaching her with too much familiarity.
Today, things felt very different.
She had chosen to open up to him fully and completely for the first time; he had an idea of how incredibly hard that had been for her. Perhaps it also helped that he had realized the truth of his feelings for her after almost losing her to the Yiga Clan. But whatever the reason, Link felt no hesitation as he embraced his fiancée and consoled her.
He was a little taken aback that she had willingly hugged him, though. That was a first. A very wonderful first that sent his heart fluttering away inside his chest…
After a little longer, Zelda began to relax again. Her breathing was slower, her tears had dried, and her sniffling had almost stopped. Link lifted her face from his chest and met her eyes. They were red and a little puffy, but she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on.
It wasn't the right time to tell her that, of course, but the thought was still very much there in the back of his mind.
"I'm…sorry," she murmured, a familiar expression of guilt flitting across her face.
Link smiled at her and brushed the last remnants of her tears away.
"Don't be. You don't ever have to apologize to me for something like that."
"You're…so very kind to me, Link…"
"I'm glad you think so. I always worry that I'm not approaching you in quite the right way."
She shook her head quickly.
"D-don't…worry. I…have never been shown such consideration before."
"I'm happy to hear I'm doing right by you. Hey, Zelda?"
"Yes?"
"You said a lot before and I was trying not to interrupt but…is it okay if I respond to a few more things from earlier?"
"Of…of course. If you want to…"
"Thank you. May I start with a question?"
"P-please do."
"You don't really think I'd hate you because of something you were forced to go along with, do you?"
Zelda averted her eyes and hung her head.
"…no. I-I'm sorry if I insulted-"
"Don't worry, I'm not upset with you," Link promised, squeezing her shoulder with a soft touch. "I just want you to know that nothing about this situation was your fault in any way. And Zelda…I could never hate you."
A tiny squeak of surprise escaped her as she brought her eyes back up to his, a mixture of surprise and melancholy on her face.
"I…am so lucky…that you show me such kindness…"
"That's another thing I wanted to tell you."
"W-what's that?"
"You said you don't deserve my kindness – that's not true, either. In fact, you deserve kindness more than anyone I've ever met."
"T-that's…um…"
"I mean it. You're very selfless and you care about others so instinctively…even though you've been hurt so badly for so long. That alone makes you deserving of kindness. But more than anything else…I just want to treat you the way I do."
Her cheeks flushed and she averted her eyes again. It wasn't because she was upset this time.
"T-thank…you…"
"You're welcome. I want you to know that I don't care about the specifics that led to our meeting. I don't care about your title or status. You can be a Princess or a random villager from a faraway land and it makes no difference to me. Because you'll always be Zelda, and you'll always be someone I'm happy to see each and every day."
She looked like she might cry again but instead managed to offer a tiny smile.
"And…I'm happy to…see you each day…too…"
Link took her hand in his again, careful not to do it too intimately. Interlocking his fingers with hers felt like a step too far still so he instead rested his palm atop the back of her hand. She tensed up but didn't pull away.
"Would it be okay if I ask you one more question?"
"O-of course."
"Why do you think you're a failure, Zelda?"
Her eyes fell away from his yet again and she bit her lip before drawing a slow, steadying breath. Her hand remained in his through it all.
"I…have never been able to live up to anyone's expectations. I never awakened to my Sealing magic. I left the responsibility of handling the Calamity on Hilda's shoulders. I…was completely unable to help my family or my Kingdom even once…"
"But isn't all of that just what Hilda told you?"
Zelda's eyes widened just a little before she responded, her voice timid.
"I…she…she's right, though…"
"I don't think she is."
Zelda didn't seem to know how to respond so Link continued, careful not to pry too deeply before she was ready.
"When I was at the Castle yesterday, Hilda called you that to my face," he murmured, scowling as he remembered her twin sister.
"I'm…not surprised. She likely…wanted to make sure you weren't going to be stuck with someone so disappointing…"
"Somehow, I doubt that. It felt much more like she did it because she's a petty, miserable woman who can't let anyone else but herself be happy."
Zelda gasped, her eyes widening. She seemed to be at a loss for words again.
"She looked me right in the eyes and called you a failure because she was upset that I'm happy to have you around."
"I…um…"
"You know, I told her she was the failure," he added, grinning at her at last. Though he had behaved childishly with her…it had still been satisfying.
"Y-you…said that…to Hilda?" Zelda managed in disbelief.
"Of course. It's true, after all. The way she's treated you over the years is disgusting. I've never seen a bigger failure of a sister; she doesn't deserve to have someone as kind as you in her life."
"…I…don't think she was wrong to feel the way she did though…"
"Maybe a very small part of her feelings were understandable. But she was wrong to put you through the hell you've suffered, Zelda."
She opened and closed her mouth several times, unable to find her words yet again. He squeezed her hand a little tighter in response.
"Your sister…is the most deluded person I've ever met. She was upset with you because you didn't have the same magic she did? Honestly, that's ridiculous. Everyone always tells me I'm the Goddess's chosen hero. If that's true, then she must have had a hand in Hilda's role in preventing the Calamity as well, right? Who is Hilda to criticize the Goddess for bestowing such magic on her? And who is she to question the Goddess's judgment where you're concerned? Just because you didn't get the same powers doesn't mean you're a failure, Zelda. It only means you have a different role to play. That's all."
Her eyes widened again as if she were considering such a possibility for the first time in her life.
"Do you…really think so…?"
"I do. I know it'll take a lot more than some nice-sounding words from me to convince you of that but…I'll keep saying them until you really start to believe it," he promised, smiling at her again.
Zelda finally offered the tiniest smile in return, her small hand nestling closer into his.
"Thank you…Link. It may take a long time but…I'm willing to try. But…now that you've brought it up, I realize I never go the chance to ask you with all that happened today – how was your trip to the Castle?"
"Terrible – I had to talk to your sister, remember?" Though his words weren't much of an exaggeration, Link also gave Zelda an easy grin to let her know he was mostly kidding.
It seemed to work, much to his surprise. After the wide-eyed shock wore off, she began to laugh lightly, covering her mouth as if to hide the amusement she was experiencing. Link made a mental note to get her to laugh like that a lot more often; it was far too adorable not to experience again. Preferably many times a day…
"In all seriousness, though," he continued, his smile unfading, "it was fine other than that. Your father is very supportive of things and left the decision of when and how to proceed entirely to us. I'd be surprised if he didn't continue to support us fully from here."
Zelda nodded.
"That…seems like Father. Like you said…what he really wants is to make sure you marry into the Royal Family."
"That still bothers me, honestly," Link murmured.
"It…does?"
"Not in the way you're thinking. It bothers me that the King of Hyrule is so negligent towards his own daughter. He didn't even ask me if you were happy…"
"It's…just the way he's always been," Zelda admitted, though her words were somewhat hesitant. "For a long time now…I was something of an afterthought."
"I could tell," Link sighed, his face falling. "Zelda…you deserve so much better than you've ever had."
Her eyes widened quickly and she shook her head.
"I-I am…um…I don't…deserve more than I've had…"
"You do," he insisted, his voice gentle yet emphatic.
"But…but I…"
"Everybody deserves happiness. Everybody deserves to be loved and cared for by their family. And I'm sure it's Hilda's fault that you think you don't deserve that love and happiness…right? Just like it was her fault you were trapped that night you told me about before…"
Surprise eclipsed Zelda's face.
"You…know that too?"
"She all but told me herself." Link fought down the bile of hatred that threatened to well up in his chest. Even now, he could hear her sickening laughter.
"She…she was only…um…"
"Zelda," Link began, resting his free hand against her cheek again, "you don't have to make excuses for her."
"…huh?"
"She doesn't deserve your kindness. I said it weeks ago and I still mean it now. She never did anything because she was in the right or because you really deserved it. She's a hateful, spiteful, bitter person who tormented you for years just because she felt like it. Nothing she did was justified. And I know you may not believe that right this moment, but I won't ever stop telling you that truth. I'll help you come to believe it, no matter how long it takes; I promise."
Zelda's face was nearly blank. He had surely stunned her and he was dangerously close to overstepping his place in her life, but he wanted her to understand the truth. She didn't deserve the miseries that had been heaped upon her for more than a decade. She had been abused by her sister. Again and again and again until she was all but broken…
"Link…th…thank…you…" she murmured at long last. Her voice was barely a whisper.
"I'm not trying to force you into thinking the way I do, though. I just want you to see how I view the situation as someone looking in from the outside. In the end, it's your choice entirely how you think of your own sister. And I'll never be upset with you for whatever answer you come to."
Zelda eyed him with wonder again before speaking, her voice a bit steadier now.
"I…have always been aware that what she's done to me is cruel and horrible. But…I thought I deserved it for never being able to live up to the expectations of my family. I…really do believe I'm useless in a lot of ways…"
Link finally released her hand and pulled her into a hug again.
"I know you do. And I'll try to show you that you're not, each and every single day, little by little."
"Thank…you…"
"But you know, the reason you never found your role at the Castle was because your family took it away from you, not because you're actually useless."
"…w…what do you…mean?"
"Just because you can't use the same magic Hilda can doesn't make you useless, not at all. I can't use magic and I was still able to help. I'm sure there were things only you could do, too. Take earlier today, for example – you managed to come up with a very clever plan when the Yiga took you and you've never even dealt with a situation like that before. Yet despite your fear, you judged things so quickly and accurately. Just imagine if your father and sister had ever taken the time to encourage your strengths instead of berating you for things out of your control. If, let's say, you'd been selected as the leader of the Champions, become our tactician and been the one to plan our responses to the monsters and the Calamity itself, who knows what would have happened? Things probably would have gone much better for all of us."
Zelda's eyes were shining. It was a small twinkling of amazement, but it was there. Maybe he was finally helping her take that first little step, the one that would let her start to move forward from her family's abuse.
"You…really think there were things…even I could do?"
"I'd go so far as to say that's something most people couldn't do. Staying cool under pressure like that is a rare talent."
"I…never…thought of things like that…"
"Your sister never wanted you to. She was probably jealous of you, to be honest."
"…I know she was."
"It was probably pretty obvious to you, wasn't it?"
"Yes. She would talk like she just hated me but…I know she started treating me badly because I wouldn't have to fight the Calamity myself. Because Father placed all his expectations on her. She…was jealous and thought I had an easier life than she did…"
"That sounds like her…"
"You know…we were really close until we were nine," Zelda murmured, her eyes somewhat wistful. "We're twins but Hilda was born two minutes before me so technically she's my older sister. But she always looked up to me when we were young. When…when…Mother passed away…I remember Hilda crying into my shoulder until my nightgown was soaked. I…swore I would protect her and make her happy after that. So she would never cry like that again…"
Link gave her a somber smile.
"Then she really did care about you once?"
"She did. After she discovered her Sealing magic, she would stay up late with me and show me how to use it. Even after a long day of training with her powers, even when she was completely exhausted, she would still try to help me discover my own. I…wanted to awaken my own abilities…so I could help her…I wanted to stand at her side and be able to support her. I knew how fragile her heart was. I…just wanted to be there for her.
"But…I never awakened to those powers. I don't think I ever had them to begin with. And after Father told me I wasn't to waste mine or Hilda's time in trying to discover them anymore…she started to resent me pretty quickly. She probably felt like I'd abandoned her…and I never blamed her for being upset with me."
"She was probably too young to understand it wasn't your fault, even if you were the same age…" Link murmured.
Zelda nodded slowly, leaning into Link a little closer.
"I think so too. I…grew up faster than Hilda did…so I could keep her safe and happy. I never wanted her to cry like she did when Mother passed away ever again…so I tried to make myself her caretaker. But…after she decided I'd abandoned her…things changed. Our relationship…got worse and worse…
"She threw me out of our bedroom. Until then we shared a room in one of the towers. But…she told me if I wasn't going to fight beside her then I couldn't sleep beside her either. I…knew she was suffering so I accepted that. It…it hurt, though. I wrote about it my diary, how sad it made me that she hated me now…"
"Zelda…" Link murmured, his own eyes downcast.
"She didn't like that I was staying in the guest rooms either and began to run me out of each one night after night. I think it…became something of a game for her, a way she could vent her frustrations towards me and the world around her. But she…found my diary once…and read the entry about her. She got so upset she threw it in the fire, even as I begged her not to.
"That diary was…special to me. I had started it once I was old enough to read and write and I wasn't that good at it…but I had written a lot about our last days with Mother. And Hilda…just threw all that away…that was the moment I think I knew things would never go back to normal between us…
"As she kept chasing me to different guest rooms, she would take some of my possessions, things I was forced to leave behind each night as I ran away like she demanded. She took a few dresses and nightgowns, more and more each time…until I had very little left. Eventually…she came to me and offered an olive branch…she invited me to go exploring with her through the Castle late one night…just like we used to when we were little. That's the night…she trapped me in the dungeons…"
Link squeezed Zelda a bit tighter, trying to reassure her that she was safe with him. He knew this memory was painful, probably the most awful one she had. But he didn't say a word. She wanted to open up to him, to let him in. She was trying to brave her worst nightmare. He wouldn't do anything that might rattle that tremulous confidence.
But he would support her in every way he could.
"She…told me we were going down to a secret room. I was so excited to have my sister back that I never even questioned it. I…led the way inside and she closed me in the dark and locked me in. She…told me she had trapped me in the dungeons…and then she left me there for the night. It was…so cold though that I couldn't bear to just stay on the stairs. I knew they gave blankets to the prisoners so I thought maybe I could find one at the bottom. But all the prisoners were awake. They…wanted to use me as a hostage so they could escape…"
Link was very aware of his heart pounding in anger, harder the longer her story went on. He wished he had been there with her. He wished she hadn't been all alone. His desire to defend her was impossible to deny.
"I was…smart enough not to go anywhere near them. But then they got mad at me for not trusting them and yelled at me. I ran back up the stairs. Then I…sat there in the cold all night and…and…I apologized. To my sister. To Hilda. For…for upsetting her so much. By the time the guard came in the morning…I…I…was so terrified of her…t-that I-"
"It's okay, Zelda," Link whispered at last, moving even closer and holding her against him. She was trembling a bit and her voice was haunted. "You don't have to relive any more. Thank you for trusting me with that but let's stop here for now, okay? You don't have to endure the rest of that memory after everything else you've been through today."
Zelda gave a timid nod.
"Thank you…Link. I'd…be happy to stop for now. But to be honest, I'm…mostly okay. I…usually feel much worse when I think about that night. I'm a little surprised, actually."
Hopefully his support had helped her some. He felt a little less guilty about embracing her yet again.
"I'm just glad you're feeling okay right now. She…Hilda…did something so awful to you. I don't take any delight in saying this but…she really is a horrible person…"
"I…I know…"
Link was a bit surprised to hear Zelda say that. She had defended her sister every time she had come up. Maybe it was finally sinking in just how much hell Hilda had forced her to endure over the years.
"You should say it for yourself," Link encouraged in a gentle voice.
Zelda shifted around in his arms and met his eyes again, her face wrapped in surprise.
"I…should?" There was no anger or fear in her voice. Just wholehearted disbelief and bewilderment.
"You should. Acknowledging what she did to you might help a little. But even if it doesn't just yet…it's bound to be a little cathartic, don't you think?"
"…cathartic?"
"How many names did she call you over the years? Maybe I'm not the best role model for how immature I was with her yesterday but…sometimes it helps to vent your frustrations a little."
"I…um…I…never really thought…about it like that…"
"I promise I'll never repeat a word you say about her to anyone."
"I…know. I trust you."
Link's heart rate quickened again as he heard those wonderful words from her. From the incredible woman he held in his arms, the woman who had been given every reason to never trust another living soul as long as she lived. She had even said those words with such confidence this time…
Zelda spoke again, her voice a little less hesitant now.
"What…should I say…?"
"Whatever you feel like saying. I've said plenty of mean things about her…even some to her face. But you're the one who's had to suffer the most because of her."
"W-what…have you said to her face?" she asked suddenly, her eyes wide.
Link chuckled a little.
"Yesterday, I told her she was overconfident and useless in a real fight."
"O-oh…I'm sure she didn't…respond well to that…"
"She didn't," he assured her, laughing lightly again.
"Did you…say anything else to her?"
"I…did."
"M-may I ask…what?"
Link braced himself. This one would probably reveal more of his feelings for Zelda than he yet intended but he wasn't going to back down now. Not if it would give her the courage to fight back against the chains that had bound her for so very long.
"I told her she was a horrid psychopath for laughing at the things she'd done to you."
Zelda's mouth fell open.
"Y-you…said that to her?"
"I did. And I don't regret it at all."
"You said that…for…for my sake?"
"Of course. I can't tell you how angry it makes me that she's been so cruel to you for so long."
That seemed to finally light a spark behind Zelda's eyes. She took several steadying breaths before drawing her hands into small fists and nodding…but there wasn't much outward confidence in the gesture.
Just the fact that she was steeling herself was worth so much, though.
"S-she…Hilda…is…"
"Yeah?" Link egged her on.
"Hilda is…a…a…a mean person!" she insisted at long last, her voice surprisingly loud.
Link couldn't stop himself from laughing lightly. Zelda's face turned scarlet as she averted her gaze and buried her face in her hands, mumbling between her fingers.
"D-did I…do it wrong?"
Link placed his hand on her shoulder again.
"Not at all. I'm sorry; I'm not laughing at you, I promise. I was just thinking about how very kind you are, that's all."
"I…um…thank you…"
He couldn't deny that it was somewhat amusing that those words were Zelda's idea of calling her sister something meanspirited. Even he had called Hilda much more offensive names before and the worst she'd ever done to him was tell some unbelievable lies. But…it made perfect sense for how kind Zelda really was. And it was a good first step, all things considered.
After several more moments, Zelda recovered and brought her face up again. A timid smile played across her pink lips as she met Link's gaze once more.
"I know…it doesn't really change or fix anything but…it does feel a little good," she admitted, allowing that smile to grow slightly wider.
Link couldn't fight down the grin that stole his face.
"Doesn't it?"
The two laughed together for a few moments, a relaxed atmosphere settling over them once again.
"Link?" Zelda began, her soft voice washing over his ears.
"Yes?"
"You…asked if I'd tie your hair earlier…m-may I…do so now?"
Link felt his heart skip a beat.
"I'd be very happy if you would."
Zelda reached out and lifted the blue hair tie she had made specifically for him from the nightstand and moved around behind him. A moment later, her hands moved to his head. Despite the intimacy of the act, she seemed to move with confidence and certainty, something he wasn't used to seeing from her. She clearly knew what she was doing and there was a delicacy to the process Link had never stopped to consider before. Each day, he carelessly seized his own hair and tied it up into that short ponytail he usually wore.
But Zelda…was being so gentle with him. Her small hands ran through his hair with an unmatched tenderness, as if she were trying to comb away any knots she could find before continuing. A few times, her fingers grazed his scalp and caused shivers of delight he didn't dare comment on in her presence to scurry down his arms and back. Luckily, she was too focused on her task to notice.
Finally, she began to wrap his hair up with her gift, that beautiful hair tie that she had probably toiled over for weeks. He didn't feel even the slightest tugging as she fastened the material into place. And finally, after several more moments of careful positioning, she sat back and smiled.
"F-finished. Do you…like it…?"
Link gazed across the room into the mirror. The fabric was just long enough that she had been able to fasten a small tail coming from the loose knot she had secured his hair with. There was an elegance to it that he wasn't used to seeing on himself. His usual hair tie was just fine by him but this one had a stylistic appeal that he would never have achieved on his own.
It was also something she had handcrafted for him. That alone made it incomparably special.
"It's wonderful, Zelda. Thank you so much," he assured her, turning his attention back to her. The smile that played across his lips was enormous; there was no fighting against it.
Zelda's face flushed before she smiled back, her voice shaking slightly as she spoke.
"I'm so…h-happy to hear that. I-I choose…that color because it m-matches…your…eyes…"
Link felt his own cheeks heat up a bit in response.
"It's…it's a perfect color, Zelda. Really."
"I'm…very glad you're pleased with it."
"You know…I don't think I'll ever be able to make it look this good by myself. Would you…mind helping me with it in the mornings from now on?"
Zelda's face was almost crimson now but she managed a quick nod.
"I-I would…be honored."
Link felt compelled to reach out and take her warm hands in his again. To hug her. Hold her. Anything to bring her closer to him. It was an all-consuming desire he had to be near her. Stronger than he'd ever felt.
But the delicate atmosphere of the moment shattered a second later as the front door flew open and a streak of red bolted into the house, her eyes panicked.
"M-Mipha?" Link managed, trying to quell the raging blush that had appeared on his cheeks as he shifted slightly away from Zelda. He hadn't expected they'd be interrupted.
"Link! Zelda! Are you both okay?" she demanded, hurrying into the bedroom and falling to her knees beside the mattress. She reached out and seized Zelda's hands. "Glenne told me you were kidnapped by the Yiga Clan!? Zelda, I'm so sorry I wasn't here to protect you!"
Mipha was beside herself like Link had rarely seen. Before he could find his own words, however, Zelda spoke to her new friend.
"I-it's not your fault at all, Mipha," she assured the Zora Princess, still reeling from the sudden interruption it seemed.
"She's right," Link insisted. "They were watching the village anyway so they'd know when you left. None of us were prepared for that."
"P-please, don't blame yourself," Zelda added, doing her best to console Mipha.
The Zora raised her head, bringing her somber eyes up to Zelda.
"You are very kind, Zelda. I'm so sorry you had to go through something like that. And I'm beside myself with joy that Link was able to save you."
"I…wouldn't be here right now without him," she agreed.
"Mipha," Link interjected, drawing his best friend's gaze, "would you do me a favor?"
"Anything."
"They hurt Zelda's wrists earlier tying her up like they did. Would you please use your healing powers on her?"
"Of course I will."
As Mipha rose to her feet again, Zelda's eyes widened and she shook her head.
"P-please, you should tend to Link first. He's the one who fought to protect me. I…I'm okay anyway."
Link reached out and let his hand rest on her shoulder.
"That Yiga general didn't even scratch me, remember? I'd much rather know you aren't in pain anymore."
"B-but…"
"Mipha? Would you please?" Link insisted again, removing his hand and scooting back to give her enough space.
"I'll do it right now. Stay nice and relaxed for me, okay Zelda? I promise you'll barely even notice I'm doing anything."
"O…okay. Thank you…both of you…"
Mipha raised her hands and pointed them at Zelda. A moment later, a gentle, blue glow enveloped her palms and she closed her eyes. It only took seconds before the light bruising and red marks on Zelda's wrists began to disappear before Link's very eyes. It was always astonishing to watch Mipha do this; injuries just melted away as if they had never existed at all.
When Mipha finally finished, she lowered her arms and smiled at Zelda.
"How do you feel now?"
Zelda gazed at her wrists in wonder, running her thumb over the places she'd been bruised just moments before.
"I…feel like I was never even hurt to begin with. That's…incredible."
"Isn't it?" Link agreed, smiling at her. "I've seen Mipha do that plenty of times, usually for me, but it's always amazing."
Mipha smiled warmly at her.
"I'm just glad you're doing better again."
"How did you know to come back anyway, Mipha?" Link asked, curious as to her unexpected return.
"Apparently, Glenne waved down one of our patrols while she was passing by the bay. He asked that she send word to me that Hateno had been attacked by the Yiga, Zelda had been kidnapped, and you had rescued her. He thought I'd want to know everything was okay. He's a very considerate young man."
"That he is," Link agreed.
"But I still insisted I was coming back to Hateno tonight to check on everyone. Father had no qualms with that; no celebration is worth more than the lives and safety of my friends, after all. And I figured if the Yiga really had attacked, it was possible some of the people here were injured and I wanted to come help if I could."
"T-that's…so kind of you, Mipha," Zelda told her, her eyes suddenly insistent as she continued. "The…students that Link trains…they tried to stop the Yiga Clan from taking me away before he got back. They're all…hurt some…w-would you…"
She trailed off and averted her eyes. Link felt for her; surely, she was worried it was too soon in her relationship with Mipha to make such requests. Hopefully, she would soon come to trust that Mipha wasn't the type of person who would ever be upset by an earnest request to help anyone.
For now, though, Link took it upon himself to finish explaining.
"Nobody's life is in danger," he assured his friend, resting his hand on Zelda's shoulder once more for support. "They're all resting at the inn right now while they recover. But I'm sure they'd love for Hyrule's Guardian Angel to pay them a visit."
He threw a wink up towards her.
Mipha just grinned and faked an exasperated sigh.
"You never get tired of calling me that, do you?"
"Hey, I didn't come up with it. You can thank the villagers for that."
"It doesn't stop you from using it, though."
"Guilty as charged."
They laughed lightly, Zelda even joining in herself, before Mipha clapped her hands together.
"Zelda, I would be more than happy to take care of Link's students," she insisted, meeting his fiancée's timid gaze. Once again, all she could do was gaze on in amazement as another person approached her so amicably.
"But first, let me heal you as well, Link. Just in case," the Zora Princess added.
"P-please," Zelda insisted, nodding fervently.
"Don't you worry, Zelda. I'll make sure he's completely fine."
Link relaxed and allowed Mipha to cast her magic over him. It was a much shorter amount of time than he was accustomed to and she soon lowered her hands again, smiling over at Zelda.
"If there was anything to be concerned about before, there's certainly nothing wrong now – you have nothing to fret over, Zelda."
"T-thank you…"
"Yeah, thanks Mipha."
"Of course. Now, I know I just got here, but I'll head over to the inn and help everyone there too. Do the two of you need anything before I go?"
Zelda spoke in a quiet voice.
"S-shouldn't…Link escort you to the inn? I wouldn't want you to be…alone."
Mipha gave her a wide smile before placing a hand on her head.
"You are so kind, Zelda. But don't worry about me at all. I swam all the way here myself; a short walk won't bother me!"
"And," Link added, "everyone in this village knows and loves Mipha. They won't be surprised to see her coming to their aid again."
Zelda watched them both with uncertain eyes for a moment before looking sadly at Link.
"B-but I'm sure a lot has happened since you saved me…the villagers would probably be glad to see you…"
"They'll be just fine without me for a night," he insisted, drawing her surprised gaze again. "I left everyone to Glenne; he's really coming into his own. I'm not worried at all.
Before she could protest, Link spoke once more, taking her hand gently in his own.
"Besides, you're the one I'm taking care of tonight. No one else."
"H…huh?"
"I won't leave your side until I know for a fact that you're entirely okay."
"I…I am…"
"You're just going to have to let me take care of you this time," he insisted with a warm smile.
Zelda's eyes widened and shimmered all at once before she finally nodded.
"O…okay. Thank you…Link."
"I'm glad you came around before I had to start insisting too," Mipha sang, an enormous smile on her face.
"Um…I…" She seemed to be blushing a bit again.
"Just leave everything to Glenne and I, Zelda," the Zora Princess continued. "I promise you have nothing to worry about."
"T…thank you…Mipha."
After assuring Zelda he would be right back, Link rose to his feet and walked Mipha to the front door. Along the way, he spoke to her in a whisper so his fiancée wouldn't overhear; he didn't want her worrying about anything but her own recovery tonight.
"Mipha, I should warn you – Melo turned out to be working for the Yiga. He was the reason they knew she was here and I'm sure he brought that general and the others to kidnap her. We're holding him at the inn, too."
Mipha frowned and let slip a light sigh.
"How disheartening…I thought the timing of her kidnapping was a little too perfect. That does explain why Melo-san dropped by last night, though; he seemed rather interested in the fact that I hadn't returned home yet. Link…I'm really sorry I couldn't protect her…"
"Hey, don't beat yourself up so much. I was the one who left her alone; it's my fault far more than anyone else's."
"Hey, remember that you're also the one who saved her. So don't you beat yourself up so much either," she insisted.
"I'll try not to."
"I'm so glad you managed to get to her in time, Link."
"Me too. I'd have hunted them to the ends of the earth if they'd gotten away, though. I would never have given up on saving her."
"I know you wouldn't have. You know…I have to say," she added with a grin, "the two of you look to be a lot closer than when you left even yesterday morning."
Link felt his cheeks flush a bit but didn't avert his gaze.
"We had a real heart to heart before you got here; she's really trying to open up about things. And I think she might even be starting to warm up to me some."
Mipha's grin settled into a gentle smile.
"That's wonderful, Link. I couldn't be happier for the two of you, truly."
"Thanks, Mipha."
"And what about you? Do you feel closer to her after all this?"
There was a time Link might've been embarrassed to admit the truth to Mipha, but that was before he'd almost lost Zelda just hours ago. Now, he was just thrilled to have her home safe and sound. He had nothing to hide from his best friend anymore.
"I do. I realized something earlier when I found out she had been taken – I think I'm falling in love with her, Mipha."
The Zora Princess's own cheeks began to heat up and she offered him a bemused grin.
"Y-you have to make sure not to overwhelm her by saying something like that so suddenly when it comes up, okay? If I'm embarrassed, just imagine what she would feel like."
"Don't worry, I won't overwhelm her. It's not time to drop that on her yet, anyway. But I figured it was either tell you the truth or listen to you tease me for weeks so…this seemed like the better option," he insisted with a grin of his own. It wasn't often that Mipha got flustered about things.
He was rather surprised by how calm he was about it, all things considered.
"Well, thank you for taking advantage of my delicate tendencies," she scoffed, her blush settling at last. "But I really am happy for you, Link. Let's talk more about it later, okay? I can't wait to hear the details."
"I'll tell you everything, don't worry. But for now, I know at least five students of mine who would love to see their Guardian Angel."
"There you go again," she chided with a smile. "I'll head over to the inn then and see how everyone's holding up, then. But I won't be leaving before I come back and check in on the two of you one more time, okay?"
"Deal. See you soon, Mipha. And thanks for stopping here first and taking care of Zelda."
"Always. Oh, by the way, your new hair tie looks fantastic! She really did a splendid job making it, didn't she? Very refined."
Link's face flushed badly.
Quite pleased with herself, Mipha headed back outside before he could respond. As he leaned against the doorframe, Link noted that the rain had cleared up at last, though dark clouds still lingered in the skies. It was dusk now and the dark of night was encroaching upon the horizon as his best friend threw a final wave back across the bridge towards him. He returned it before she disappeared into town.
Link eased the door closed once more, shutting out the frigid evening air, and headed back towards Zelda's room.
"So," he began as he arrived back in the doorway. "Are you hungry? Can I make you something to eat?"
She gave him a gentle smile, meeting his gaze with eyes less timid than usual.
"I…would love some dinner if that's okay with you."
"I'd be happy to make anything you like. Do you have a preference?"
"O-oh, anything you feel like making is fine with me," she insisted, waving her hands.
"I'm supposed to be taking care of you, remember? I'd love to know if you have a request – I want you to have whatever would make you happiest to eat tonight."
Her cheeks darkened slightly before she finally gave a shy nod.
"T-thank you. Um…in that case…would…the curry you made the first night I shared dinner with you…be doable?"
Link crossed the room and offered Zelda his hand, smiling towards her.
"Of course! Do you want to come sit by the fire and keep me company while I cook? That way you'll still be warm but won't have to be stuck in bed anymore. I'm sure you're going a little stir crazy, right?"
She gave an eager little nod.
"I…would really like that."
'She truly doesn't realize how adorable she is…'
"Here, I'll bring your blankets just in case you get too cold," he insisted, bundling the fabric up in his free arm.
As he met her gaze, though, he noticed that Zelda's eyes were swimming with uncertainty again, as if an unpleasant thought had suddenly occurred to her.
"A-are you sure…I'm not intruding on your cooking? I know you said…you prefer to do it alone…"
"Zelda," Link assured her, his smile warm, "there's not a thing I'd prefer to do alone when I could share it with you instead."
Her eyes grew a bit glassy, accompanied by the return of her tiny smile. The longer she thought about his words, the wider that smile grew.
"T-thank you, Link. I would be honored…to share that time with you," she murmured. At last, she extended her hand and placed it in his own.
He helped her to her feet and kept a steadying arm around her shoulders just to make sure the weakening elixir wasn't still affecting her body. From what he could tell, though, it seemed she was perfectly fine again.
He left his arm around her for the walk into the other room though…just for good measure, of course.
"And after dinner, I'll run you a nice, warm bath and you can relax for as long as you like," he insisted with a reassuring smile.
Zelda looked for a moment like she might say he didn't need to go to such trouble for her…but she instead offered him an even bigger smile than before. It was truly dazzling.
"I…um, thank you. B-but…should our roles ever be reversed for any reason…may I be the one to take care of you?"
Link laughed lightly before nodding at her.
"Of course you can. I wouldn't want anyone else tending to me but you."
Zelda leaned a little closer into his side.
The two proceeded into the main room of the house, taking small, slow steps, both wearing smiles as they went. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Link was convinced he'd never seen Zelda smile as easily and as brightly as she had that day, even back during her first trip into town. The sight made him vow to give her even more reasons to smile every single day they shared together from here on out.
'I'll protect you, Zelda. But I'll also do my best to make you happy. Because just having you here with me…is such a wonderful gift.'
Link eased Zelda down onto the couch before covering her with her blankets again and setting to work on dinner. Despite everything else that had happened that day, it looked like they would have a quiet, relaxing night together.
The thought filled Link's heart with euphoria.
9/8/2023
Post-Chapter Note: Welcome back everyone! I hope you enjoyed this latest installment.
I had a really nice time writing this chapter. We haven't had a good Zelda and Link chapter since back in 6 and I'm glad I decided to lean so much deeper into these scenes than I had originally intended. I feel like it gives the plot more breathing room and reestablishes the central characters after all the excitement and how long they've been apart. You know me - writing these two together is my favorite thing about these stories so I'll never pass up the chance to do so! And I felt it was a much more serviceable decision to slow things down and put the spotlight squarely on them and leave the Yiga and Melo stuff for later. Don't worry - you'll still get all the answers next time! And that really will be the end of Book I!
I don't have a ton of specifics to mention with regards to this chapter other than I liked using Glenne as the voice that countered Hilda in Zelda's dream at the beginning. Especially after the lengths he went to to save her, I feel like it makes sense that Zelda has finally come to accept that he, like Link, really does feel positively towards her. Plus, it's a dynamic we've never seen (and might never see) - Glenne vs Hilda - so it was a fun little scene to explore. Of course, it also served to portray Zelda's fears and insecurities about her arranged marriage with Link, something she hasn't really admitted to herself before this chapter.
I really wanted that acceptance scene since the beginning of this story. I knew Zelda would confess everything she felt guilty about for a long time now and that Link would accept it all, accept her, and wouldn't even care about anything else. So I'm really happy to have finally been able to write it for you all! I hope the shift into the decidedly warmer tone this chapter felt earned and believable - we've been working up to it for quite a while! Of course, Zelda still has a long ways to go with coming to grips with her past and her traumas, but now she knows without a shadow of a doubt that Link is on her side completely. For someone who's been through so much, that's such a huge step for her.
Also, Mipha is a delight to write as always. I like the idea of her being a bit more laid back and unafraid to joke with Link since they've been friends for so long. It's a side of her character we never really see but one that feels natural to me given their exclusively platonic relationship in this little world I'm writing. I hope you're all enjoying her too!
As a fun little side note, today marks what is effectively my one year anniversary posting these works of mine on FF and Ao3! Though I'm a few hours early, I managed to accidentally post at almost the exact same time a whole year later. It's been a wild journey so far and the response to and support for everything I've written since I started has been absolutely staggering! I've been writing for a long time but I originally started posting here just as a fun little throwaway thing to maybe entertain a handful of people who enjoyed the same fandoms I did. But this so quickly evolved into so much more for me and I want to thank each and every single one of you for turning this random impulse of mine into an enormously fun and engaging hobby I can consistently take so much joy in! I've always loved writing but sharing these works with all of you makes things so much more special to me. I appreciate you all so much and I cannot wait to keep writing much, much more in the future!
So thank you all again so very much for reading this chapter and any of the works I've posted before this that you might have - it means the world to me! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! I'll be back again next Friday with the real finale of Book I and I can't wait to share it with you all. Take care everyone and I'll see you again soon. And once more, thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all your support!
