Chapter Text
After the dust settled and sunlight streamed into her eyes, causing her to squint, for the first time in a century, Zelda felt herself breathe and it resonated that she was truly corporeal again. She bended her fingers and wiggled her toes for a moment to emphasize this point to the fog that was slowly parting within her brain. The castle was in ruins, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She didn't have a load of pleasant memories there of recent years. Prior to being trapped for 100 years in a continuous power struggle with a demon, she'd felt trapped most of her 17 years pre-Calamity. The space where the walls used to be and pillars used to dominate now exposed the cerulean expanse above that was adorned with puffy white clouds and a globe of fire that warmed her skin.
She was warm.
Nothing the sun could have done warmed her up quite like the feeling of seeing her personal knight. Her breath hitched in her throat, even if she was just marveling at the simplicity and satisfaction of simple breathing. He was golden in the sunlight, eyes matching the sky in color, but the sun in intensity. His face, as per usual, was mostly unreadable. His Champion tunic billowed in a soft breeze that did the same to her hair. He stared right at her or perhaps through her. She can never tell, but all she knew was that the potential for elation was overbearing and she needed something to say since she knew they'd be here for hours before he spoke first.
What does one say here?
Her mind harked back to what she initially wanted the Deku tree to tell Link for her in the event that she fell to the Calamity as well.
"Words intended for him would sound much better in the tones of your voice, don't you think?"
That was certainly true and if she learned anything through this whole experience, it was that time mustn't be wasted.
Perhaps, though, he didn't remember her? He did not look at her like she was a stranger, but then, Link never did even from when they first met. Whenever she met his eyes, she felt like she was looking into the soul of someone she'd been born knowing. She resented this at first and grew to appreciate the instilled camaraderie between them. Even such, she couldn't bear such heady words on him so soon, not when she hadn't a second to think properly.
It was overwhelming and gut-wrenching to contemplate Link's struggle with identity this past year. She did her best to watch over him and ensure his safety, but Link never made that very easy for her even when she was a spiritual being. It also didn't take away the fact that she'd stripped him of his knowledge and his understanding of life. He had every right to hate her, but nobody hated her more than she hated herself for it. She thought with such self-loathing on multiple occasions throughout her time with Ganon. It was the best she could do for Hyrule and in the moment, she was just glad that the something she'd done worked out.
The worst part, was that she couldn't stop reeling it back to her. Her heart ached at the thought of his losing all of their interactions- especially as they were often the memories that got her through the darkest part of the last century. The pain at that being nothing to him more than a photograph of a stranger bubbled up her throat before she could stop it and soon words were tumbling from her mouth.
"May I ask, do you really remember me?"
And for a moment, she thought he wasn't going to verbally answer in true-Link fashion. It was just the whistle of the breeze and the pounding of her heart between them. She knew better now than to wait for a verbal answer from him so she analyzed every feature of his face. He'd grown so much since she'd last seen him and she wasn't sure if it was the work of the shrine of resurrection or the year he'd been awake, but he looked much more like a man than a boy with more defined features, muscles, and a noticeable growth spurt. His eyes still held the same contemplative passion that calmed the many storms that she'd caused. Truthfully, he looked at her like she was of another world and she couldn't decipher whether or not this was good sign.
Even if he didn't remember, she would vow to help him, if he let her.
She was so lost in her own internal spiraling when she was abruptly yanked back into the moment, "Yes."
His voice was quiet yet certain and a small smile quirked at the corners of his lips. Without thinking it a moment longer and frankly, dying from being touch-starved for all of these years, she took to barreling towards him until she threw her arms around him and buried her face into the crook of his neck. He effectively caught her without so much as wobbling, though the impact did knock the breath out of him. His strong arms wrapped around her waist and he returned the gesture in kind. He smelled of smoke and leather and the outdoors and she swore she would revel in it for the rest of time if she were given the option.
She took what was given to her though and released a sigh that might have been trapped within her since that horrid day that he fell before her. Zelda is unsure how long they remained like that, but as far as she's concerned, the world could crack in half and she wouldn't pay it any mind. They'd won and they deserved at least a moment.
He pulled back from her first, but only to look at her face. His eyes scanned her tentatively and it did not appear solely to check for her wellbeing. A gloved hand reached up and caressed her cheekbone with the back of his hand- so gentle that he seemed afraid she might break.
"I just..." He trailed off for a moment before turning his hand to cup her cheek. "I can't believe you're real."
Tears fluttered involuntarily from her eyes and he frowned, his own eyes set with deep concern. She leaned into his touch partially from the sentiment and partially because she was utterly exhausted.
"I am real. This is real. We won." She said softly.
He hummed and stooped down to press a kiss on her forehead- feather light and had she not been so easily stimulated in that moment, she might have not noticed, but heat rose all around her and she raised her face to look at him. Their noses were touching and for a beat, she thought they might...
"ALL HAIL THE PRINCESS AND THE HERO OF HYRULE!" A loud cheer startled them apart.
Not entirely apart, but enough for the two to get a look at the burgeoning audience behind them. Sure enough, there was at least one hundred people of varying shapes and sizes surrounding the perimeter, each looking happier than the next. Some whistled, others had their children raised on their shoulders to see the excitement, and everyone looked relieved. It seemed, the conclusion to the final battle had drawn many of the curious locals to investigate whether their century of suffering had finally come to a close. Word spread fast and all who could come raced to the very spot Zelda and Link stood in jubilation.
It was settled on Zelda like a heavy sack of potatoes that these people needed to be guided through restoration. If the rest of the kingdom looked half as tormented as the surroundings of the Castletown, Hyrule was in great destitution. After a beat, it struck her even harder that it was her who needed to do it. She didn't have her father or the same elder advisors she would have had 100 years ago. They were long gone.
It wasn't all fear that struck her though, but a sense of empowerment. These people still believed in her after 100 years of waiting. Surely, she could rise up.
When they stood to fully face the cheering crowd, the whistles and claps only intensified. Zelda was suddenly very aware of herself and her tattered clothes, sweaty skin, and disheveled hair. It was the first time many of these people ever saw their future-queen in person and she knew she wasn't exactly lending an ideal impression being dirty and so cozy with her knight. Everyone seemed too lost in euphoria to care much for pretenses though and a sudden surge of her own excitement rippled through her like a last testament of power. She smiled and waved.
"People of Hyrule, the Calamity is vanquished." She confirmed and she looked to Link before joining their hands and raising them. "Now, we rebuild."
The crowd went wild.