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Chapter Text

Zelda gazed at the buildings around Kakariko Village absent-mindedly, sitting on a stool by the cooking pot as Link prepared a yummy risotto lunch, listening to the peaceful sounds of nature, and letting the August sun warm her face. Her eyes drifted to her chosen knight, following the thin line above his eyebrow, once a deep cut, now scarred over, a trophy from his fight with Calamity Ganon.

It had been nearly three weeks since its defeat. After one hundred years of fighting the boar off herself, Zelda was relieved when Link finally showed up and knocked its teeth out, and even more relieved when he took her to Kakariko Village to rest at Impa’s home.

Link caught her staring at him and gave her a smile before looking back down at his edible creation, humming a cheery tune. Zelda was still getting to know this new Link. Gone were the days of the stoic, silent knight, replaced by a quirky, spirited man, who didn’t mind playing tag with the village children, nor did he mind diving headfirst into the pond surrounding Impa’s house to catch some fish for dinner. Zelda had laughed at that. Impa was furious.

But there were still remnants of that knight. He was perfectly modest and gentlemanly around her, blushing and slamming the door closed when he accidentally walked in on her changing, apologizing profusely. Zelda almost mentioned that she had been privy to every time he had stripped down to his skivvies and set an entire Bokoblin camp on fire just for the heck of it, but she kept that to herself.

“Could you pass me the salt, Princess?” Link asked.

He also had a habit of calling her “Princess.” It never used to bother her, but Zelda didn’t fancy herself much of a princess anymore, the title dying alongside her Kingdom’s glory.

“Link,” she said, handing over the small package of salt, “Why do you call me “princess” still? It’s not like there’s really any royal family for me to be a part of anymore.”

“Once a princess, always a princess,” he said simply.

“I suppose you’re right.” Zelda sighed and tugged at the collar of the tunic Link had lent her, glancing up at Impa’s home. “It’s very nice of Impa for letting us stay here, however, I’m worried about overstaying my welcome,” she confided with a creased brow.

“You’re always welcome at Impa’s,” Link said, ladling some risotto into a bowl for her.

“I know,” Zelda said accepting the bowl, “But I don’t want to be a mooch.”

“You can stay with me,” he said instantly, making a bowl for himself.

Zelda chuckled lightly. “That would still be mooching, just off a different person.”

Link shook his head. “Not at all,” he said, giving her a warm smile. Her heart skipped a beat.

Of course Zelda would have been willing to stay with him. After all, they had spent so much time together before the Calamity and had grown to be close friends. Except there was one teeny tiny detail she had forgotten about. Zelda was madly in love with Link.

She couldn’t say no, nor did she want to. Link—the goddesses’ literal gift to mankind—was offering her a place in his home, his beautiful home, with a lovely kitchen table with flowers on it, a shelf with books to keep her occupied and…only one bed… The offer was tempting. So tempting. Oh, but what would her father think? What would Impa think?!

“You don’t have to if that would make you uncomfortable,” Link said quickly, noticing her pink cheeks and lack of response.

“Oh, no, no!” Zelda said, shaking her thoughts from her head and holding up her hand assuredly, “That would be lovely, you’re so kind, Link. I promise I’ll find a place of my own as soon as possible.”

Link clicked his tongue. “Well,” he said, looking away, “I guess if you don’t want to spend time with me.” He took a bite of his food.

Zelda’s eyes grew wide. “No, that’s not what I meant at all! I just meant that…” Link looked back at her with a pout, but couldn’t hide the playful twinkle in his eye. He was teasing her. The absolute nerve. Zelda chuckled softly. “I just mean I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness.”

Link smiled. “Is it not my job to serve you?”

Maybe it was, once upon a time. Zelda’s mind traveled back to when she first met her chosen knight. Link Wilde, son of Captain Wilde, her own father’s personal guard. She could have made him wait on her hand and foot, fan her with Korok leaves and feed her peeled grapes. But Zelda never took advantage of Link’s station, not even when they were on bad terms, and Zelda didn’t plan on taking advantage of his kindness now.

She scoffed. “That doesn’t include housing and feeding me.” Zelda began to eat the food he gave her, wishing it didn’t taste so good. “And besides, it’s not really your job anymore, either.”

“Then let me do it as a friend.” Link gave her a smile. “I know you consider us good friends don’t you?” His smile turned into a smirk, and Zelda blushed.

She actually would have preferred if they were more than friends, and Link knew that, and Zelda knew that Link knew that. Kass’s final song had been pretty clear.  That being said, she still felt wrong taking anything from Link when their current relationship status was less than romantic. She sighed.

“Fine, I’ll stay with you if it isn’t too much trouble,” Zelda conceded, “But I promise I’ll help with chores and find a job to pay you back. It’s only right since you still insist on acting as my knight.”

Link chuckled. “I’m glad you see it my way. And whatever you make is yours to keep, Princess. I’m doing this as your friend, remember?”

Zelda returned his smile and nodded.

Three days later, Zelda sat on a rock, stripped down to her undershirt and bloomers dipping her toes in the river running between Kakariko and Hateno, the trail several yards behind her, letting the evening sun warm her face. Before, Zelda wouldn’t have been caught dead dressed in such a way, but, as an ex-princess, she could now afford the luxury of casualness, in front of Link anyway, who was a little ways off, trying to catch fish with his bare hands, dressed only in his shorts.

“Look, Princess.” Link managed to pick up a trout and held it up to show her, but it flopped out of his hands, smacking him in the face and falling into the river. Zelda laughed, watching Link bend down to catch more fish, and trying to avoid admiring his chiseled abs and tanned skin. She failed miserably.

“I hope you can catch something,” she called to him, “Otherwise we won’t have any dinner.”

Link looked back at her. “This is harder than it looks. Why don’t you come try?”

“Very well.” Zelda slid off the rock and into the water, shivering as she submerged her body into the cool water. “And stop calling me Princess,” she insisted, wading over to Link, standing waist-deep in the water.

“There’s a porgy right there,” he said, ignoring her request and pointing to a fish sitting in the water.

Zelda doubted she would be able to grab it with her hands, but she tried anyway, slowly inching closer to the fish and darting forward, but her fingers closed around nothing as the fish shimmied away.

“Drat,” she said under breath, spotting another fish in the water. She quickly reached for it, but stepped on a rock covered in slippery moss, disappearing into the chilly water as her feet slid out from under her. Link gasped and moved to pick Zelda up, but she shot out of the water, gasping for breath and flinging her long hair away from her face, coughing and blinking the water out of her eyes. Link almost asked if she was okay, but instead doubled over with laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Zelda demanded, brushing drops of water out of her face.

“You looked so ridiculous,” Link said between fits of laughter.

“Oh, stop.” Zelda blushed and turned away, searching the water once again and spying another porgy. “There’s another one,” she said, determined.

“Carefully now,” Link murmured, still grinning.

Zelda made a grab for the fish, but just as she touched its scaly body, it fled. She let out a small growl of frustration and Link chuckled.

“You gotta be sneaky about it,” he said, crouching slightly, inching toward another fish. He grabbed it as if it were a toddler about to bump into furniture, easily and smoothly, and held it aloft for her to see. Zelda stared, open mouthed.

“Show off,” she muttered, splashing Link with water.

“Hey,” he laughed, dropping the fish and sending a small wave her way.

Zelda cried out with laughter, shielding her face with her hands. “That’s not very nice, Link!” she said, splashing him some more, and he splashed her in turn.

“Who said I was a nice guy, Princess?” Link shouted over the sound of splashing water, laughing boisterously. “You’re getting water in my eyes,” he said with a grin, rubbing his face.

Zelda put her hands on her hips. “Oh, boo hoo, the hero doesn’t like a little water in his eyes,” she teased.

A smirk grew on Link’s face. “Are you…sassing me, Princess?” he asked, taking a step closer to her.

Zelda’s face grew warm at the look on his. “I might be,” she said quietly.

Link took another step and cocked his head to the side, narrowing his eyes. “Is that so? That isn’t very nice.” He closed the distance between them. Zelda swallowed.

“Who said I was a nice girl?” she whispered, echoing his words. Link’s eyes flickered to her lips and he put his hand on her wrist. Her heart beat faster.

“Nobody.” Without warning, he twisted Zelda’s arm behind her, bringing her closer to him so that their chests were touching, faces mere inches apart, and nearly knocking her off of her feet in the process. She grabbed his arm with her free hand to support herself.

“Which is such a shame, ‘cause you look so nice,” he continued, glancing down at her lips again. Zelda broke out in a sweat but tried to maintain her composure.

“What are you going to do about it?” she challenged. Link’s smirk grew.

“That’s a good question. I have to find some way to keep you quiet so you don’t say anymore mean things.”

“How so?” In her mind, she willed him to kiss her.

“I can think of one way.” Link slowly brought his face closer to Zelda, stopping just before her lips and cocking his head. “I could put a gag on you.”

“Oh, shut up,” she said, wiggling out of his grasp and pushing him away from her, making him laugh. Zelda took several steps away from him, before turning around with an irritated look in her eye. “Like I said before, you’re very mean.” She sent another wave of water his way.

“Hey! What did I say about being nice, Princess?” Link lunged for Zelda and she shrieked with laughter, trying her hardest to run away in the water but not making it far before Link wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug, lifting her feet off the ground. Zelda giggled, not even bothering to fight back. “Now I’ve captured you.”

“And what are you going to do with me?” Zelda asked with a chuckle, feeling Link rest his chin on her shoulder.

“Oh, I’m going to—”

“Hey, Link!”

Link and Zelda snapped their heads to look at who had spoken from the trail by the river, a man on the back of a donkey, waving his arm at them. But he wasn’t alone, no, a group of about ten or twelve men, some on horseback or donkey and some on foot, moseyed along casually, each one giving the couple cheeky grin. They were all men from Hateno. Link’s neighbors.

Link quickly released Zelda and she darted behind him, concealing herself from the men on the trail, placing her hands on Link’s shoulders.

“Hey, Manny,” Link said casually, raising a hand in greeting. The tips of his ears were a brilliant shade of scarlet. “How’s it going?”

“Oh, just great,” Manny said with a smirk. “Who’s your friend?” This question seemed to excite the group. Several repeated the question and others whooped and whistled. Zelda’s face practically lit on fire, and she shrunk even further behind Link.

“You can meet her formally later,” he insisted, watching the group plod along the trail.

“Oh, I hope so,” Manny called, twisting in his seat as his donkey moved ahead, “Gotta check out everyone who comes into town!” The men whistled and cheered some more and Link groaned quietly. Before the group was even out of sight, Link whipped around to face Zelda.

“I am so sorry, Princess,” he said, gripping her arms. “I had no idea they were going to be coming through here today.” Link’s cheeks were as red as Zelda’s felt. “And I promise you they’re nice guys. They didn’t mean anything by it; they were just teasing me.” Zelda chuckled at the pained look on his face.

“It’s all right,” she said, patting him on the shoulder, “I’m sure they’re lovely.”

Link nodded staring down at the water pensively. “They are,” he said. He stared at the water glittering in the sun. “We should get going. Don’t want to be out too late after dark.” Zelda nodded and began wading back to the edge of the river, but stopped when Link spoke again. “You know, it’s because of you that those people can live happily, Princess. Because of your sacrifice.” Zelda looked down, clasping her hands together, and nodded again.

“I did it for them. And I told you before, call me Zelda.” With that, she stepped out of the water and pulled on her outer clothes, trusting the sun to dry her off, and climbed onto her horse. Link followed, and soon they were back on the road, making their way up the trail to Hateno Village. Zelda was careful to keep her horse from tumbling off the edge of the cliff that led up to the town.

Link pulled his horse to a stop and signaled for Zelda to do the same. “There’s a bokoblin just up the path,” he said, pointing in the direction they were headed. “Wait here while I take care of it, please.”

“Alright.” Zelda watched Link slide off his horse and jog away, brandishing his sword. She sighed contentedly and smiled. Link always had a way of wanting to take care of her.

Well, that is his job, isn’t it? she thought to herself, But It’s not really his job anymore. Surely he cares for my well-being for more than just a paycheck now. But maybe he’s being gentlemanly. Or maybe it’s a sense of honor.

Zelda wrestled with her inner thoughts for several minutes, lazily combing her finger through her horse’s mane and occasionally glancing up the trail. Link sure was taking his time. How long did it take to kill one bokoblin? Zelda sighed again, this time with impatience, hoping Link hadn’t been hurt. She slid off her horse and took a few steps down the trail, contemplating going after him, but thinking better of it when she realized she had no weapon. Perhaps she could fashion a sword out of a tree branch. It wouldn’t be great for fighting, but it would do in a pinch. She spied a fallen tree branch on the path and bent down to pick it up.

“Yoo-hoo!”

Zelda stopped and turned around at the voice behind her, belonging to a man dressed in traveler’s clothes. He approached her.

“Excuse me, miss,” the traveler said politely, “I was wondering if you had a moment to talk.”

“Actually,” Zelda said, taking a step back as the traveler took a step forward, “I can’t right now. I’m worried my friend may be in danger.” She turned around and took another step away from the man, but he grabbed her shoulder and made her face him.

“This will only take a second.” He grinned too brightly. “Do you have a moment to talk about the savior of Hyrule, Calamity Ganon?”

Zelda regarded him perplexedly. “Uh—I’m sorry?” she asked, wondering if she had heard correctly.

“Calamity Ganon!” the man said, “The wonderful being that sent the Yiga Clan to kill you and the hero. My clan.” His grin turned into a leer. Zelda’s blood ran cold. “Found you, Princess.”

Zelda gasped. “Link!” she cried as the traveler transformed into the Yiga spy that he had been all along. Zelda turned and ran down the trail, hoping to get to Link in time, but the Yiga spy was quicker. He ran in front of her and she skidded to a halt.

“Your hero fell right into our trap, Princess,” he said, “While he deals with my friends up ahead, that gives us time to finish you off.” Zelda heard the footsteps and laugh of another foot soldier behind her. “You’ll pay for what you did to Ganon, Princess.” The spy raised his vicious sickle above his head. “And you’ll pay with your blood!” Just as he moved to bring his weapon down on her, the tip of an arrow sprouted from his neck.

The clansman gave a strangled cry and grabbed at his neck, shuddering violently as he fell to the ground. Zelda looked up to see Link running to her, nocking an arrow.

“Duck!” he cried, and Zelda remembered the other Yiga spy behind her. She hit the ground and Link let his arrow fly over her head, hitting the spy in the shoulder. She howled with pain and grabbed the arrow, snapping the end off and raising her bow, nocking three arrows at once. She took aim at Link, but due to her injured shoulder, missed when she took the shot.

Link cast his bow aside and drew his sword when he reached the foot soldier, raising his weapon against her. The spy also abandoned her bow, but instead of drawing another weapon, she pressed her fist into the palm of her other hand, disappearing in a puff of smoke. Link let out a growl of frustration, but then sighed and turned to Zelda, still on the ground, breathing heavily.

“Are you alright, Princess?” he asked softly, approaching her and sheathing his sword. Zelda nodded, but couldn’t speak. Link held his hands out for her to take and pulled her to her feet. “Come. We must get to Hateno quickly.” She nodded again and let Link lead her back to her horse and help her into the saddle. They galloped off, leaving the first foot soldier lying on the trail.

The couple arrived at Hateno village just as the last rays of light disappeared from the horizon, plunging the world into darkness. Link nodded to the man guarding the town gates and briefly introduced Zelda as an “old friend of his.” The man gave her a smile and a hello, stepping aside to let them past.

Zelda looked at her unfamiliar surroundings, trying to make sense of them in the dark, but she couldn’t make out any details before Link took a sharp right, leading her past a few square buildings and across a bridge, reaching a modest house. Link dismounted and helped Zelda off her horse, leading the animals to a tiny stable on the right of the house. She waited by the front door as he took care of the horses, but her impatience to get into the safety of his home got the better of her. She pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The first thing Zelda noticed when she entered was the brilliant blue light of the Ancient Blade Saw hanging on the wall cutting through the darkness, illuminating her surroundings. She looked around, seeing all the things that were completely foreign to her, but also familiar. She had seen this place many times as she kept watch over Link from her place in Hyrule Castle. She knew every detail, down to the grain of the wood, but it was different seeing it with her own eyes. She placed a hand on the doorframe, solid under her fingers and smoother than she thought it would be. Bolson was good at his job. She stepped further into the house and sighed contentedly. A floorboard creaked behind her and Zelda felt a pang of fear shoot through her stomach. She turned around and saw Link watching her curiously as he closed the front door, locking the deadbolt securely. Zelda sighed with relief and turned back around to look at his home.

“Do you like it here?” she said, hugging her arms around herself.

“Yes, it’s pretty nice having a place to myself,” Link said. Zelda heard a drawer slide open and a match being lit. After a moment, candlelight glowed from behind her. “Not that I don’t want you here,” he said quickly, “I do. It’s just…nice to have a home is what I mean.”

Zelda nodded but then dropped her gaze to the ground. “Are you sure you want me here?” she asked, turning around to face him. “I really don’t want to impose.”

Link shook his head with amusement and walked past her, candlestick in hand, and lit a few candles on the dining table. “I already told you, Princess, it isn’t an imposition. And, after what happened today,” he set the candlestick down and looked her in the eye, “I’m not letting you out of my sight.” The soft flame sent dancing shadows on his face.

Zelda’s heart hammered in her chest at his intense stare and she willed herself to calm down. If they were going to be living in the same house, she couldn’t get flustered every time he even breathed in her direction. Urbosa taught her better than that.

Zelda could recall a thirteen year old version of herself discovering boys for the first time, telling Urbosa about every single crush she had, and Urbosa, in turn, taught her how to be a heartbreaker. She said to tease a boy mercilessly and then let him catch her in the gardens kissing his best friend. Zelda inwardly chuckled at the memory. Thirteen year old Zelda was a lot braver with boys than she was now. But, then again, thirteen year old Zelda had never actually been in love. She regarded the man before her, wishing she could just spit it out and tell him. Kass’s song wasn’t enough for her.

“Now,” Link said, picking up Zelda’s pack and putting it in her arms, “You go wash the river water out of your hair, and I’ll get your room ready.” He picked up the candlestick and handed it to her as well. “The bathroom is just in there,” he said, pointing to the door in the wall next to the stairs, underneath the loft. “Feel free to use the bath bombs. Do you want anything to eat?”

“No, I’m not hungry.” Zelda had lost her appetite after the Yiga attack. She pushed open the bathroom door and set the candlestick on the counter, letting the light from the flame bounce off the mirror in the dark room. She set her pack on the ground and turned the handle on the bath faucet, sticking her hand under the stream and shaking off the cold water. She let it turn warm before putting in the stopper and undressing, dipping her foot in. Judging it to be a reasonable temperature, she slid herself into the tub, letting the warm water sooth her worries.

As she soaked, she contemplated the events of that day. For one, the Yiga had attacked. Obviously this wasn’t good, but Zelda didn’t want to dwell on the subject, so her mind quickly went on to the next.

Link.

Zelda thought back to what Urbosa had taught her. He had to have been flirting with her when they were playing in the river. She felt her cheeks heat up for reasons that had nothing to do with the warm bath. They had been so close he could have kissed her.

And why didn’t he? she thought, annoyed. Was it possible that he didn’t actually like her and that her was only teasing? Link wasn’t that cruel. He had listened to Kass’s final song but never gave his opinion about it, leaving Zelda in the dark once again about his inner thoughts. But she had gotten him to open up to her before, and she was determined to do it again. It would only take time. And food, knowing him.

Chapter Text

Zelda awoke to a heavenly, sweet smell emanating from the kitchen below her and soft morning light that filtered through the window in the loft, sinking beneath her eyelids. She yawned and stretched, but turned and buried her face deeper into her pillow, or rather Link’s pillow, not wanting to leave the warmth of the sheets. The linen fabric blocked out the scent from the kitchen, replaced by his musk.

The night before, Link insisted that Zelda take his bed, saying that he didn’t feel right making her sleep on the floor. She, of course, had protested, arguing that she could have stayed at the inn, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Zelda relented, grateful for a soft bed to sleep in.

She rolled over again and breathed in the scent of whatever delicious concoction Link was creating down below, finally opening her eyes and pulling the covers off of her. Zelda gave another yawn before standing up and plodding downstairs to find her knight flipping pancakes on the stove.

“Good morning,” she said, resting her hand on the back of a dining chair.

Link looked over his shoulder at her. “Morning,” he said with a soft smile, his eyes giving her a quick scan. He quickly turned back to the stove, and she crossed her arms across her chest, suddenly feeling self-conscious in her night gown. She stared at his back, drinking in the sight of him in his pajamas, a thin, old shirt, and a long pair of woolen trousers. He also left his hair down, an impractical style for fighting, but Zelda thought it suited him. She could get used to this sight.

“I hope you like pancakes,” he said, “They’re almost ready.”

“I do, thank you.”

Link placed a stack on a plate and Zelda helped him set the table before they sat down to eat. She took a bite of the fluffy goodness, impressed once again with his culinary skills.

“Did you sleep well, Princess?” he asked, cutting a piece with his fork and putting it in his mouth.

“I did, thank you, and stop calling me that,” Zelda said casually. “How about yourself?”

“Oh, I didn’t sleep.”

A pang of guilt shot through Zelda’s stomach. “I’m sorry,” she said with a grimace, “I should have let you have the bed.”

Link shook his head with a smile. “It wasn’t that; I can sleep just about anywhere.” The smile dropped from his face and he stared at his plate. “I was keeping watch.”

“For the Yiga?” Zelda bit her lip with a creased brow.

“Yeah.”

Neither said anything for several minutes after that, eating their pancakes in silence while worry constricted her chest. They Yiga spy from the day before said that the clan was after both of them, and if Link was constantly watching over Zelda, he wouldn’t be able to protect himself. He could die. She could lose him. Again.

“Don’t cry, Princess,” Link said quietly, reaching across the table to grab her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze, “I promise I’ll stop at nothing to protect you.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she whispered, her voice breaking on the last word. She blinked away tears she hadn’t realized been forming.

Link’s eyebrows pulled together and he put his fork down. “Don’t worry about me. I—”

“How can I not worry about you?” Zelda said softly. “Your quest is done and still your life is in danger. All because of me.” She stared at her plate with blurred vision.

“Hey,” he said firmly, squeezing her hand tighter, “We killed Calamity Ganon together. I think we can handle a few Yiga footmen.”

“But if I had succeeded a hundred years ago—”

“No,” Link interrupted, giving her a hard look. He had never interrupted her before. “I don’t want to hear that. What happened has happened. We can’t change it; we can only move forward. You might not have killed Ganon back then, but you were not the only one who failed, either.” The hard look dropped from his face, replaced by remorse. “I failed to protect you.”

A vision of Link lying dead in her arms flashed through Zelda’s mind. She had always thought his death to be her failure but never considered that he thought it was his.

“Maybe,” he continued solemnly, staring blankly past her, “Neither of us were truly prepared. Just two kids with big destinies to fill. We had to grow up too fast.” Link ended in a whisper.

“Just two kids,” Zelda said softly to herself, looking at the boy across from her, no more than eighteen if you subtract the years he spent asleep. “I suppose it’s time to grow up.” She sighed. “I think you’re right, Link. About moving forward, I mean. We should move on from the past. Remember it, but not let it rule us.”

“I’m still working on that remembering part.”

Zelda winced. “Sorry.”

Link chuckled and waved her apology away. “It was a joke.”

Zelda regarded him with disbelief, but her face melted into soft amusement. She shook her head with a smile, throwing her napkin at him. “So not funny.” He laughed again.

They spoke of lighter subjects for the rest of breakfast. When they finished, Link cleared the table and Zelda insisted on helping with the dishes even if he thought such chores were below her station. It was only right since she was now living in his house rent free.

“Go get ready for the day,” Link said, “I’ll talk to Bolson about commissioning another bed to be made.” He pulled his hair into a ponytail and left, leaving Zelda alone in his house.

She took her clothes into the bathroom with her and started on her morning routine, letting the monotony ground her after the emotional breakfast. She brushed her teeth, washed her face, combed the knots out of her silky hair, and changed into her borrowed tunic and leggings. She would have to get some new clothes soon.

Zelda exited the bathroom to find Link sitting at the table, waiting for her, already dressed and wearing a blue shirt with a lobster embroidered on the front. He smiled when he saw her.

“Good, you’re ready,” he said, jumping up, “Now I can show you around town.”

Hateno Village looked more familiar in the light of day. Being able to see the town with her own eyes added a layer of richness to the place that Zelda couldn’t help but admire; she got to experience the kindness of the shop keepers and the adorably squishy faces of the children. She also got to personally meet a few of the men who saw them in the river the day before.

“Hello, Manny,” Link said, shaking the hand of a boy standing outside a donkey’s stall. “This is my friend, Zelda.”

“Hello,” she said with a smile, sticking her hand out for him to shake. He took it gingerly, regarding her with wide eyes and a face glowing red. He cleared his throat.

“Hello, miss,” he said, slowly shaking her hand. Zelda loosened her grip to pull away, but Manny tightened his fingers around hers. She looked down at their hands, taken aback. He quietly drew a sharp breath and released her, rubbing the back of his neck and swallowing. Zelda regarded him cautiously and took a small step back, instinctively looking to Link. He stepped slightly in front of her.

“So, Manny,” he said, and the boy tore his gaze away from Zelda. “What was up yesterday? Why was everyone out on the trail?”

Manny cast his eyes about and leaned closer. “It’s the Yiga Clan. They’ve been pretty antsy lately, ever since the Calamity left Hyrule Castle. There’ve been sightings all over.”

“Hyrule Castle,” Link mused to himself. Of course the people in this little village didn’t actually know what happened that day. Only a select few knew of Link’s showdown with Calamity Ganon. “And they’ve been acting up?”

Manny nodded. “There was a sighting nearby, so all the guys went to check it out. We only got a couple of them, though, before they ran off.”

“I see.” Link looked at the ground with creased brows. Zelda put a comforting hand on his back, watching as the gears turned in his mind, knowing that his self-imposed job of protecting her just got harder. She wrapped her fingers around his arm and began pulling him away.

“Well,” she said, “It was nice meeting you, Manny.”

“And-and you as well, Miss Zelda.”

Zelda looped her arm through Link’s, pulling him along the path. “Don’t worry, Link,” she said, “Everything will be alright.” He looked at her with a soft smile.

“I know.”

Link introduced her to a few more residents as they made their way through the village, passing houses and farms until they made their way to Hateno’s Ancient Tech Lab. Zelda couldn’t wait to see Purah, who had been one of her closest friends and colleagues before the Calamity. And because she wanted to tease her about her failed aging experiment.

He pushed open the door and ushered Zelda inside. Symin was hunched over a table, feverishly searching through texts, alongside a Shiekah woman who had her back to them. Symin looked up at them in surprise.

“Master Link!” he said. The woman stood up straight and whipped around, looking like a deer caught in headlamps, but, upon seeing the princess, her expression morphed into pure joy.

“Zelda!” she shrieked, launching herself at the princess and wrapping her in a hug which Zelda promptly returned.

“Hello, Purah,” she said, “It’s good to see you.”

“Purah?” Link looked at her with disbelief.

She released Zelda and gave him a sheepish smile. He could now see her face clearly, still round with youth but more mature than a child’s. “I’ve been working on an anti-anti-aging rune while you’ve been fighting Ganon,” she said, “And now I’m about the physical age of a Sheikah teenager, roughly fifteen or sixteen.”

“You should not have been so hasty through the adolescent stage,” Symin scolded her.

Purah turned on him. “There is no way I’m staying a twelve-year-old for more than a few days.”

“Well, I hope all the stretch marks are worth it,” he said pointedly.

She rolled her eyes and looked back to Link and Zelda. “How about we sit down to tea and you two tell us all about your fight with Ganon.” Zelda’s stomach twisted in knots.

Purah moved her research papers out of the way and set down a tray with a kettle full of hot water and several tea cups. She poured a cup for both her guests. Zelda left the talking mostly to Link, a phenomenal rarity, speaking of his arrival at the castle and the battle with both Calamity Ganon and his Dark Beast.

“What about you, Zelda?” Purah asked gently, “How was your fight?”

Zelda looked at her cup of tea, letting it warm her fingers. “It was terrible,” she whispered. “It was as if I was fighting with some kind of demon. A raging beast, but somehow…intelligent. Like he knew what he was doing, and…he knew how horrible it was.” Zelda felt Link’s hand on her knee, hidden from view under the table. He gave her a reassuring squeeze, rubbing his thumb in circles. Zelda took a breath. “But I had help. My past lives were all there to support me. And their heroes were there to comfort me,” she said, acutely aware of Link’s hand on her knee.

Zelda was forever indebted to the heroes of old who comforted her lest her grief for her own fallen hero consume her. They told her stories and jokes that she would have laughed at had the wrath of Ganon not been too much to bear. They visited often, as their absence would only bring her more grief, for they reminded her of him. Not how they looked or acted, but the spirit that was inside them, the spirit of a hero. The spirit of Link.

“And then Link freed me,” Zelda continued with a forced smile, “And we’ve been friends ever since.” Purah and Symin chuckled.

“Well, you two are adorable together,” Purah said. Zelda shot her a look, but she only smirked in return.

“Thanks,” Link said. He gave Zelda a wink, and she looked away, cheeks burning.

Symin took their cups and set them on the tray. “It was wonderful having you here, your highness,” he said, “But miss Purah and I must get back to our research, so we can figure out if her experiment on herself is even safe.”

“Oh, no,” Purah said, standing up and grabbing Zelda’s arm. “I haven’t seen one of my best friends in one hundred years. Our research can wait. Now,” she pulled a chuckling Zelda toward the door, “You two play nice in here while we have some girl talk.” Purah pushed the door open and let it close behind them, leading Zelda up the stairs wrapping around the building.

“So, Purah, I know you’ve been a child for quite a while,” Zelda said, teetering on the narrow steps as she ascended the staircase, “But how long have you been a teenager?”

“About two weeks. I just couldn’t stand being a little kid anymore and I guess I just wanted to grow up.” Purah chuckled. “Like all kids do.” Zelda hummed in agreement.

“And you skipped puberty?” she said.

Purah nodded. “Yup. It was way easier the second time around.” 

“I’m sure,” Zelda said with a laugh. She thought back to a conversation she had with a past hero, who’s second puberty had been far worse that his first.

They reached the door to Purah’s bedroom, and she pushed inside, taking a seat on the bed. Zelda sat on the chair by the desk. “Is it weird going from being a child to suddenly being a teenager?”

Purah shrugged. “Honestly it’s way more convenient. I can reach high shelves and lift heavy objects. But I liked being able to fit into small spaces as a child. That was the best part. But enough about me,” Purah said with an arched eyebrow, “I want to hear about you,” she pointed a finger at Zelda, “And your man.” She pointed at the ground, indicating Link, several floors below them. Zelda’s face grew warm, and Purah gave her a psychotic grin. “Have you gotten together?” she whispered.

“No!” Zelda cried with wide eyes. “I’m getting there,” she added quietly.

“Oh, ho, ho! I bet you are!” Purah laughed with delight. “What was the sleeping arrangement like last night?”

Zelda rolled her eyes. “Link offered me the bed and he kept watch.”

“He was watching you?” Zelda scoffed at the suggestive look on her face.

“No,” she shook her head. Or was he? If he had, he probably wasn’t trying to be creepy or anything, merely watching for her protection.

“Are you sure?” Purah said when the princess did not continue.

Zelda shook her thoughts away. “Yes, I’m sure. He was watching out for the Yiga. A few attacked us yesterday.”

Whatever comment Purah was going to make died in her throat and her eyes grew wide.

“They attacked you?” she asked quietly.

Zelda sighed. “Apparently, ever since Ganon’s defeat, the Yiga clan has been acting up quite a bit.”

“What are you going to do?”

Zelda shook her head. “I don’t know. I suppose I’ll just have to trust Link to keep me safe.”

Purah smiled. “Oh, I’m sure he’ll do just that. Now, let’s discuss some ways you can be a damsel in distress for him.”

Zelda laughed. “I am not a damsel in distress. I’m a strong, independent woman who doesn’t need any man.”

“Oh, of course, of course,” Purah said, waving her hands dismissively, “But accidents happen, don’t they? And maybe you ‘accidentally’ fall into a pond while wearing a white blouse—”

“Purah,” Zelda scolded, grabbing a notebook off the desk and chucking it at the laughing girl, who shielded herself with her arms.

“I said ‘maybe’!”

Zelda opened her mouth to further chastise the girl, but a knock interrupted. She reached across the small room from where she sat to open the door, letting Link poke his head in.

“Sorry to intrude,” he said, “But Symin said he needs you downstairs, Purah, and I still have a few errands to run with Zelda.”

As much as Zelda wanted to continue her conversation with her friend, she didn’t want to keep Purah from her work. She followed Link downstairs, and they bid farewell, making their way back into town.

“Let’s head to the clothing shop,” Link said, placing a gentle hand on her elbow, leading her down the street to a little boutique. “I want you to have some nice clothes.”

Inside the shop, Sophie, the timid store owner, showed Zelda what they had in stock, weaving around other customers who searched through the racks.

“I think this would look quite nice,” she said, holding up a light green linen dress. “Would you like to try it on?”

“Of course,” Zelda said with a smile. She disappeared into the dressing room and reemerged wearing the dress, its only decorative element being a little bow at the front. She twirled for Link and Sophie. “What do you think?” she said, “Is it quite lovely?”

“No,” Link said instantly with a shake of his head.

“‘No’?” the two women said in unison.

“I mean you look lovely in everything,” he quickly amended, “But this dress is too…simple. You need something that will turn heads.”

“I hardly think that’s necessary.”

“Well I disagree, Princess.” Link crossed his arms over his chest, staring Zelda down.

“I’ve told you not to call me that,” she said quietly, returning his glare.

“Sophie,” Link said, not bothering to look away from Zelda, “Bring us the most luxurious and expensive dress in the shop.”

“Link,” Zelda warned, “I don’t want you spending an outrageous amount of money on me.”

“Now, please?” Link finally turned to Sophie, with a smug smile on his face. Zelda sighed, watching the shopkeeper rush of.

“Link, I’ve told you—”

“And I’ve told you,” he dropped his voice to a whisper, “I will treat you like the princess that you are.”

“But that doesn’t mean you have to spend all your rupees on ridiculous dresses,” she said exasperatedly.

Link shrugged. “I’ve got plenty to spare.”

“They’ll run out eventually.” Zelda scowled at him.

Sophie returned before he could respond, holding a garment bag on a hanger. “Here we are,” she said with a smile, “This one is called ‘The Princess’s Gown.’”

“How fitting,” Link said with a grin, “Now go try it on.” He took the bag from Sophie and stuck it in Zelda’s arms, giving her a little shove into the dressing room, already deciding on buying the dress no matter how Zelda felt.

“How much is that dress anyway?” he asked.

“2,850 rupees,” Sophie said.

Okay, maybe he wouldn’t get the dress.

Zelda came out of the dressing room, wearing a deep red, silk gown that, in Link’s opinion, hugged her in all the right places, the corset back emphasizing her slim waist, and the outrageously low neckline revealing far too much cleavage for a proper princess. Link felt heat rise in face. He was definitely getting her that dress.

“It’s a bit immodest,” Zelda said with an embarrassed laugh, covering her chest with her hand.

Link snickered. “I think it’s perfect,” he said quietly, eyeing her up and down before looking away bashfully. She rolled her eyes and swatted his arm lightly.

“This is meant to be worn with a shift underneath,” Sophie supplied. Link had no idea what a shift was, but Zelda nodded in understanding.

“Give us a twirl, Princess,” he said, taking Zelda’s hand and raising it above her head, allowing her to spin for him. The hem of the skirt brushed his ankles as it flared out. “It’s perfect for dancing.” He rested his hand on her waist and pulled her into an impromptu waltz in the small space by the dressing room. Zelda giggled, cheeks turning pink as she rested a hand on his shoulder, letting him lead her in a small circle.

“It would be perfect for the harvest ball this autumn,” Sophie said.

“Perfect indeed,” Link said, stopping the dance but not yet releasing Zelda. “We’ll take it.”

She groaned. “You’re not giving up on this, are you?” she asked letting her hand slide down to his chest.

“Nope.”

She sighed. “Well, at least let me get some practical clothing as well.”

Zelda picked out a few every-day items from the racks, cringing when Link handed over nearly three thousand rupees to the cashier. She tried to protest, but he wouldn’t listen. They left the shop with arms full of bags.

One of Hateno’s villagers, Nikki, watched them go from behind a mannequin, a sly grin forming on her face. So that handsome young man found himself a lady friend, did he? She never thought Link to be the domestic, caring type, but she had been wrong before. Perhaps he was ready to settle down with a sweet bride after traveling . Or…

Maybe that young woman was just a toy to him, something new to preoccupy his time. Nikki had never seen her before, so it was entirely possible that he had picked up a young girl, desperate for love and attention, on his travels and decided to bring her home with him. Or she’s a lady of the night who just wanted a handsome man to take care of her. The possibilities were endless. She left the shop resolved to explore every possibility with her friend, Amira.

Chapter Text

The frigid desert-night air sent shivers through the young woman’s body, her thin armor doing nothing to stave off the cold. She reached under her mask to wipe away the tears forming as she watched her clansmen lower her husband into a shallow grave before stepping away.

She took a few tentative steps toward her husband’s lifeless body, scooping up a handful of sand and sprinkling it over him. She opened her mouth to say one final goodbye, but sobs came instead of words. She sank to her knees, feeling comforting pats on her back from her friends.

It was supposed to be an easy mission. The hero and the princess were alone and still weak from their fight with Lord Ganon. At least that was what she had been told. An entire team set out to dispatch the traitors, to ambush them on the road. She watched the hero leave the princess and couldn’t believe their luck. She would be much easier to kill without him in the way. But, once again, the Yiga underestimated the might of the hero, and her husband payed the price.

“I will make them pay,” she choked out, clutching her husband’s hand as her tears turned hot with rage. “They’re going to regret taking you from me.” She sucked in a sharp breath and screamed, “I’ll kill them both!”

“Your anger is not misplaced,” the clans leader said, his calm, deep voice muffled by his own mask. “What they have done to you is an offense that can only be payed for by blood. Can I trust you to lead your brothers and sisters into battle to avenge your husband?”

“You can trust me,” she said in a low voice. “I will end their lives…or die trying.”

…

Bolson had proved before that he was good at his job, but Link was still surprised when the man produced a bed, two loveseats, and a dressing screen, all made of the finest quality in this part of Hyrule, within the week. And with the acquisition of the new furniture, Link had done a bit of shuffling around. Zelda’s bed now stood where his had been, and he had pushed it across from hers against the loft railing, leaving a space only large enough for a narrow walkway between the two, too small for the nightstand now at the foot of her bed. The dressing screen stood in front of the wardrobe so they could maintain privacy, and the two loveseats sat facing each other in front of the weapons displays on the first floor.

Altogether, the pieces had cost about as much as Zelda’s fancy new dress, and, though Link had acquired many riches during his travels, he realized (at her insistence) that his funds weren’t unlimited.

 “Link, have you thought that it is time for us to get jobs?” she asked as they sat talking in bed the morning after Link’s redecorating fiasco. “I’m afraid with the both of us living here, you’ll be spending more than you use to.”

Link nodded. “You’re right. I’ve been living off the land for the past few months, and I forgot I have someone to take care of now.” He laughed softly to himself, looking down at his comforter.

Zelda didn’t respond in fear that she would squeal with girlish delight at the notion of being taken care of.

“I’ll ask around town today. Oh that reminds me,” he looked back to her, “I must run to the grocers and stock up for the week.” He smiled. “And I wanted to make you a special dinner. To celebrate.”

Zelda laughed. “Celebrate what exactly?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Being alive? Being here.” He gestured vaguely around them. “Being together again,” he added more quietly, looking away as the tips of his ears turned pink.

Once again, Zelda refrained from speaking and had to physically force herself not to giggle like a school girl. She took a deep silent breath and said, “Well, after breakfast, why don’t we go together.” Link gave her a dizzyingly sweet smile and agreed.

After eating last night’s leftovers, they left the house and made their way to the market. Link held his elbow out for Zelda to take and she looped her arm through his, trying to keep her breathing even, but her heart refused to still.

“How’ve you been adjusting the past few days, Princess?” Link asked.

Zelda rolled her eyes. “What have I told you about the ‘princess’ thing?”

He chuckled. “And what have I told you, your highness?”

She sighed, taking careful steps across the bridge. “I’ve been adjusting well, actually. I wasn’t sure it’d be easy going from living in a castle to living in a regular house, but I like this town. The people are so kind and welcoming and you’ve been a great host. I love…” She trailed off, looking away with pink cheeks.

“Love what?”

I love seeing your face when I wake up. But Zelda couldn’t say that. Instead she said, “The breeze—I love the ocean breeze.” She took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. “Nothing better.”

“Riiiight,” he said, sounding unconvinced, but smiled nonetheless.

Their trip to the market was oddly exciting for Zelda. Having grown up in a castle, she had never shopped for groceries before. She asked Link what all the different ingredients were and for what they were used, and he happily explained, answering every question with a smile.

“Sorry I’m asking so many questions,” she said with a guilty chuckle.

“It’s alright,” he said with a wave of his hand, “I like talking about cooking. I must show you a few recipes sometime.”

Zelda smiled. “I’d like that.”

Cooking with Link. It sounded so…domestic. Like something that a married couple did. She bit her lip as her smile grew with the thought, and turned her head away to hide it, but not before an elderly woman with sacks full of groceries saw the couple and walked up to them with a smile.

“Link,” she said, “Is that you, dear?”

“Hello, Uma,” he said giving her a one armed hug as the other arm held a bottle of milk. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Who’s your friend?” She gave Zelda a warm smile.

“This is Zelda. She just moved in with me.”

The smile dropped from Uma’s face, replaced by a stern expression. “Moved in? I hope there’s nothing inappropriate going on.”

Zelda blushed but Link chuckled lightly. “No, nothing like that. We’re just roommates.” She toed the ground at his words.

“Oh, that’s more like it,” Uma said, smiling at her again. “Where are you from, dear?”

“Um…” That was certainly a good question. She glanced at Link who looked at a loss for how to respond. What could she say? The truth? Absolutely not. “Around Tabantha, near Rito Village,” she lied.

“Oh that’s far. Did Link meet you on his travels?”

“Um, no,” Zelda shifted from one foot to the other, wringing her hands, “We knew each other when we were younger and…we recently reconnected on his last visit.”

“Well that’s sweet.” Uma patted her arm. “Why don’t you come over for tea later and tell us all about it? I’m having a little get together at about ten o’clock and I’d love to have you.”

Zelda’s instincts were at war inside her. On one hand, she wanted to keep a low profile and not talk about herself or Link to anyone lest they secretly be Yiga spies. But on the other hand, the white-gloved princess hand, Zelda couldn’t turn down an invitation to tea from a sweet, old woman. The socialite in her won out.

“Tea would be lovely, thank you.”

A few hours later, Zelda sat at Uma’s table, tea cup in hand, chatting with a few other women about the goings on of Hateno.

“It’s wonderful to have another young lady in the village,” Prima said to her, “It’ll take some attention away from the rest of us.” She chuckled.

“Oh, certainly,” Amira said, sharing a glance with Nikki, “You’ll have to beat the men off with a stick.” Zelda laughed at the image that comment created in her mind.

“But aren’t you and Link a couple?” Ivee said.

“No,” Zelda said, trying not to sound forlorn, “We’re just friends. He offered me a place with him after my father died.” This technically wasn’t a lie; the offer did in fact take place after her father’s death. Way after.

“He’s such a dear,” Uma said, pouring herself a cup of tea, “I know he’ll take good care of you.”

“Really good care,” Nikki said under her breath, but loud enough to be heard by the others. She sipped her tea innocently and Amira burst into laughter. Zelda cheeks grew warm at the implication and Ivee rolled her eyes.

“Would you please, Nikki?” she said, giving the woman a raised eyebrow.

“What?” Nikki gave Ivee a wide-eyed look. “I only mean he seems like a good, caring man. You’ll never want for anything, Zelda.”

“Oh, sure,” Ivee said, “Like how Lady Purah got an assistant and you said she’d take care of him?”

“I know a sugar-momma when I see one!”

Zelda giggled at Purah’s expense. “I can assure you, my relationship with Link is nothing like that,” she said.

“But…?” Prima prompted with a grin.

“But nothing.” Zelda shrugged and took another sip of her tea. “We’re just friends.”

“But you wish there was something more.”

“No,” she lied, feeling her cheeks warm.

“You’re blushing!” Prima said with delight.

“I am not!”

“All right, all right,” Uma cut in, “Stop teasing the poor girl.” Zelda gave a look of silent appreciation. “What are you planning on doing now that you’re staying in Hateno, dear?”

“Actually, I was planning on looking for a job.” Zelda drained the rest of her tea and flipped the cup upside down on the plate, resting the stir spoon on top of it. “You wouldn’t happen to know anywhere to look?”

“The inn could always use more housekeepers,” Prima offered.

Zelda only thought about it for a moment before dismissing it. She had spoken to her maids in the past and learned that housekeeping was hard work. She didn’t feel cut out for it with a high-class background.

“You could help out at the shop,” Ivee said.

“What are you good at, dear?” Uma asked.

“Well…” the only thing Zelda was good at was studying, whether it be guardians or mathematics. “I suppose I’m only good at academics.”

“Academics?” Amira said, perplexed, “In this day and age?”

Zelda chuckled nervously. “I suppose I’m a bit of a scholar.”

“Hmm.” Uma set her teacup down on the table. “I used to work at the schoolhouse, but I retired last year, and we’ve been trying to find a new teacher. Would you be interested?”

Zelda’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I would love that,” she said, clasping her hands together. “It’ll be so much fun teaching children and passing on the wisdom of our predecessors.”

“If you say so,” Nikki said, unconvinced, but Ivee chuckled with amusement.

“I’ve been quite studious ever since I was a little girl,” Zelda continued, “And I know these kids will have the best education in all of Hyrule.”

“Humble, much?” Amira asked with a raised brow.

“It’s not a thing about pride. It’s the truth!” Maybe it was a little bit about pride. “My father made sure that I had the best tutors from all over the country, and even a few from Hytopia. Oh if only I had all my notes from home, then I’d—”

“Wait, I thought you said you were from a tiny village in Tabantha,” Prima said, “How’d you get such a formal education?”

“Um…” Zelda’s heart beat faster in her chest as she quickly devised a lie in her head. Perhaps all these lies weren’t good to spread, but she didn’t want the Yiga to find her out. “My father sent me away to school.”

“Where did you attend?” Uma asked with a gentle smile.

“The…Hytopian School for Girls,” she said, hoping the school still existed. “And before that I had a governess. Afterward, I spent all my time reading books from travelling merchants.” Zelda swallowed, hoping the lie was convincing enough. “What about you,” she quickly turned the conversation away from herself, “Where did you attend?”

“Oh, right here in town,” Uma said and the other ladies concurred.

“With such an education as yours,” Nikki said, “I’m sure you’ll be a fine teacher for our little kiddies.”

“I hope so,” Zelda said with a laugh, taking a bite of crumpet.

“Pay is a hundred rupees a week. Does that sound fair?” Dantz said. Link agreed and shook the man’s hand. “Just show up at six tomorrow morning, and we’ll go over everything then.”

“Sounds great,” Link said with a smile. He bid his new employer farewell and started down the trail back into town, watching the sun begin to color the blue sky peach.

He had a job now. It was neither glamorous nor high paying, but it was a job. Of course, herding sheep and cattle would be tough work, no doubt about that, but putting food on the table for Zelda made all the future blood, sweat, and tears totally worth it, much of which had already been shed for her. He didn’t mind sheading any more. Anything for his princess. He smiled to himself, spring in his step, as he thought about how happy she would be.

He arrived home to find the front door wide open and voices from inside belonging to Zelda and Uma. He entered and found the pair on their hands and knees, scrubbing the base of the stove with wooden brushes. Zelda had her hair pulled back messily.

“Make sure to get in all the little crevices,” Uma said, “The grease can be tough to get out, so really put your back into it.” Zelda began to scrub more vigorously.

“What’s going on here?” Link asked, and the two women looked up. Zelda smiled, though her face was red and shiny from exertion.

“Hello, Link,” she said, “Uma was just showing my how to keep house, since I’m absolutely hopeless at it.” She chuckled, but Link frowned. A princess shouldn’t be cleaning stoves. Zelda and Uma stood up and wiped their hands on their aprons. “She also got me a job at the school teaching children. Isn’t that exciting?” She clapped her hands and grinned widely. Link couldn’t help but smile back.

“That’s great, Princess.” Zelda rolled her eyes at the title, but Uma looked between the two with suspicion. Perhaps she didn’t buy the whole “just roommates” thing, especially with such a nickname.

“How many times have I told you?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Stop calling you princess.” Link chuckled as Zelda washed her hands in the sink. “Oh, and I also found a job, with Dantz; his ranch is near Purah’s lab.”

“Dantz is an absolute dear,” Uma said, “You’ll love working for him.”

“The pay isn’t great,” Link said with a shrug, opening cabinets and pulling out various foodstuffs and cooking supplies, “But a job’s a job. You staying for dinner, Uma?” Link opened the icebox and pulled out milk and cheese.

“Oh please stay,” Zelda said with a smile, drying her hands on a towel. “It’s been wonderful having you.”

“That’s sweet,” Uma said, “But I really must be getting home. I promised my grandkids I’d bake them cookies today.” She bid Link and Zelda farewell, leaving them to start on dinner. Zelda set the table, chattering on about her schedule for the schoolyear as Link washed vegetables, but he wasn’t listening, instead pondering what he had seen of her and Uma.

Though his memories of the past were still hazy, he remembered Zelda to be a refined woman of class and status, not a common maid who cleaned up other people’s messes. It didn’t seem right to him. He should be the one cleaning after her. Not the other way around.

“Link, are you listening to me?” Zelda asked.

“No.” He began chopping onions.

“I asked how much your job pays.”

“Hundred rupees a week.”

“That’s not too bad,” Zelda said, taking a loaf of bread out of the breadbox. “Are you excited?” Link nodded but didn’t say anything. She sighed and set the bread down on the table. “All right, what’s wrong?”

Link paused his chopping to look up at her. “What makes you think anything’s wrong?” Zelda crossed her arms.

“You’re doing it again.”

“Doing what?” Link asked, suddenly defensive.

“That thing that you do where you decide you don’t want to talk anymore. It means there’s something on your mind.” Link sighed. She knew him too well.

“I just…don’t think it’s right. You cleaning up after me, I mean. You’re a princess, Zelda, and I know you don’t see yourself that way, but I still do.”

Zelda regarded him with puzzlement before bursting out laughing. “You’re a dove, Link,” she said, patting his shoulder.

“What?”

“If I’m not going to clean the house, then who is?” she asked, resting her hand on her hip. “Not you, since you have a job now.”

“So do you,” he retorted with a frown.

“Teaching isn’t exactly back-breaking work as I can imagine ranching is.” Link sighed and went back to chopping, rubbing the oniony fumes out of his eyes with the back of his hand. “Besides,” she continued, “I told you that I wanted to pay you back somehow for giving me a place to live, and this is how I want to do it. I’m sure you’ll get used to having a sink empty of dishes and all your laundry clean.”

“Fine. But I still get to call you princess.”

“And I will still complain about it.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

As summer turned to autumn in the weeks that followed and as Link settled into his new role as the main provider for the household, he came to appreciate Zelda’s helping hands. She tidied up daily, washed the dishes, and did the laundry. At first it bothered Link, but he soon realized that, with his new job, he could not do everything for her, and so, if she was willing, he would let her keep house.

“Zelda,” Link said one day as he dressed for work behind the dressing screen. “Do we have any milk left? I would like to make a stew for dinner.” She looked up from the lesson she was planning for school starting the following week and tapped her pencil on the paper.

“I think we ran out yesterday,” she said.

“Could you pick some up while I’m at work?”

Zelda smiled a pleased little smile. Over the past few weeks, Link had been working on asking her directly for little favors. “Could you pick up milk?” “Could you chop these tomatoes?” “Could you set the table?”

“I would love to, Link,” she said.

“Thank you.” He appeared from behind the screen with a smile on his face. “Well, I’d best be off. I’ll see you this evening.”

“Have a good day,” Zelda said, turning back to her lesson.

“I will.” He squeezed her shoulder as he passed, causing her heart to beat a mile a minute, and descended the stairs, making his way out the front door.

She still couldn’t get over the little touches throughout the day. A brush of hands here, a shoulder touch there; they were all perfectly chaste, but still burned down to her core. She sighed.

“That boy better marry me,” she muttered to herself. If she thought to continue her lesson-planning, she was mistaken, caught up in daydreams about herself dressed in white walking down the aisle to meet her beloved knight, be married in holy matrimony, and have many beautiful golden-haired babies.

She sighed and realized that she hadn’t taken in a single word on the page in front of her and stood up, leaving the house to pick up the milk from the market, as well as purchasing a little biscuit to have as a snack. She sat down on the stone wall by the store to eat, when she heard her name whispered from nearby. She pulled the biscuit away from her mouth and chewed slowly, straining her ears to hear the secret conversation.

Nikki and Amira, hidden by a water trough, spoke in hushed tones to each other.

“That Zelda girl is absolutely lovely isn’t she?” Nikki asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. “I bet she makes Link very happy, don’t you think?” She bumped Amira with her hip and the two women giggled.

“Oh and she acts like such a lady,” Amira replied, “But probably not much of a lady when they’re alone.” Another fit of giggles overcame the women and Zelda’s face burned crimson. She covered her mouth to hide her gasp.

“I think we might have a little scandal on our hands soon enough.” They laughed once more but Zelda’s insides churned.

Is this how others saw the two of them? It was a far cry from her image as a princess. But, then again, the two of them traveled alone often before the Calamity. She could only imagine the rumors that flew then. But she was a political figure then; these women didn’t even know her. And yet they gossiped! Well, she had had enough gossiping at her expense.

She stood, blood boiling in her veins, gritting her teeth in anger, and jumped down from the wall, stepping into their line of view.

“So is that what you think of me?” she demanded. The two women gasped in surprise and looked away guiltily. “That I am a woman of no virtue who only takes advantage of her friends? Well, you’re wrong! You don’t even know me! I’ve heard enough gossip about myself to last a lifetime, and I don’t need any more of it!”

“Zelda, we’re very sorry,” Amira said, and Nikki nodded repentantly.

“I don’t know why I’m even surprised,” she said, rubbing her temple, “Gossip seems to follow me wherever I go. I would’ve like to hope it hadn’t followed me here of all places, of all times.” They looked at her in confusion at that, but Zelda continued on. “If you must know,” she put her hand on her hip, “Link and I are friends, nothing more, nothing less, and if you think anything different, you can bring it up with him.” She whipped around and stormed off, stalking home with her little bag of groceries.

She set the bag on the kitchen counter and sighed as her anger died out. She lost her temper. She knew she would have to apologize, the princess-y thing to do, but she was more embarrassed than guilty. Zelda had just met these women and had already screamed at them, her own neighbors. And not only that, what they had said about her and Link… If they thought the two of them were in a secret relationship, what did the rest of the town think? Did Zelda’s defensiveness make it worse?

She groaned. “What have I done?”

She put away the groceries before trudging back upstairs to finish her lesson, forcing herself to focus when she wanted to do anything but. When she couldn’t take it anymore, she lay on her bed, moping until she heard the front door open, realizing that it was already the afternoon.

“Link?” she called.

“Yeah?” his voice rang clear from the kitchen.

“I’ve done a bad thing.” She sat up and got out of bed, walking to the top of the stairs.

He laughed. “Oh, I bet this is gonna be good. What did you do?”

“I yelled at Nikki and Amira,” she said, descending the stairs.

He grinned. “They deserve it.”

Zelda grimaced and shook her head. “No. I heard them talking about us, and I lost my temper.”

The grin dropped from Link’s face, replaced by a frown as he combed through the ice box. “What did they say?”

“Well…” A blush grew on her face, extending to her ears. “They said that…perhaps you and I are…not exactly platonic…”

“Aaaah,” he said, amusement plain in his voice. “I see.” Zelda refused to look at him.

“So I confronted them and told them they were wrong,” she picked up a carrot that Link had placed in front of her to wash, “And that I had dealt with enough gossip in my life.” She ended in a low mutter.

Link set down the ingredients he was holding and put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Princess,” he said, “What others say can be hurtful, but pay them no mind. They don’t know who you really are.”

“No one does,” she said tiredly with a shake of her head.

“I do,” he said, moving his face into her line a vision. He looked at her with a soft smile. “The Zelda I know is strong, and confident, and triumphs over evil even when everything is against her. She wouldn’t let the town gossips get her down.”

She smiled. “Thank you, Link.”

“You’re welcome,” he said kindly.

Zelda thought that was the end of the conversation when Link began to help her prepare the food, but he had one more thing to say. “Also, the Zelda I know would totally yell at two old women.” He grinned cheekily and had to dodge the carrot she threw at him.

Chapter Text

“…And so I wish to apologize for yelling at you the other day,” Zelda said, looking at her feet, “It was completely inappropriate.”

“Oh, Zelda, do not apologize,” Amira said, “We are the ones at fault.”

“Yes,” Nikki agreed, patting her arm, “We are very sorry.”

Only sorry you got caught. But Zelda smiled and said, “I do hope we can become friends, especially since I will be teaching your children in school.”

“Are you excited for the big day tomorrow?” Nikki said, “I would be nervous.”

Zelda laughed. “A bit of both, I suppose, but I’m sure it’ll be fun.”

"Well, I wish you luck. Those children are monsters."

She agreed and bid the two women farewell, beginning her walk back home. After Zelda's outburst at the gossiping women, she wanted to make amends so that their future relationship wouldn't make her job teaching their children any more strained than it needed to be. When she arrived at the house, she found Link who had just got off work for the evening.

“How’d it go?” he asked, polishing the Lightscale Trident that he had taken from its display.

“Well,” Zelda flopped on the couch across from him and tucked her feet underneath her, “Future PTA meetings will be slightly less horrible.”

He chuckled and propped the Trident on the couch, giving her a smirk. “If you’re basing friendship off of PTA meetings, then don’t expect it to get very far. These moms are ruthless.”

Zelda laughed and stared at the jewels hanging from the Trident. “Mipha gave that to you, didn’t she?” she said, pointing to the weapon.

Link looked over at it, as elegant and graceful as its last wielder. He nodded. “Yeah.” Link looked but seemed to be staring through it, lost in thought. Zelda thought she saw a longing look in his eye and couldn’t help the quiet jealousy that settled in her stomach, immediately replaced by guilt.

Link had loved Mipha. Zelda didn’t know to what extent, but she knew they were friends long before she was friends with him. Even back then, she couldn’t help but feel jealous of the Zora princess. But now it was different. Mipha was…gone. How could Zelda think to take her place?

“Princess,” Link said, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Would you like to learn how to fight?”

Zelda met his neutral expression with a confused one. “Fight?”

“I was thinking,” he said, looking back to the trident, “That if perhaps Mipha had been a bit more skilled—that’s not to say that she wasn’t,” he quickly added, “But if she had been, then maybe she wouldn’t have…” He trailed off, touching the tip of one prong gently with his finger. He sucked in a breath and let it out in a huff, looking back to Zelda. “I just want you to be prepared for anything in case I’m not around to help you.” Link stood up and walked past the kitchen table, under the stairs.

 “I suppose it is a good idea,” Zelda said, “The Yiga are aware that we’re both alive, and I don’t think they appreciate that.” Her visage darkened. “I’ll need to be able to defend myself.”

“Well, I’ve got plenty of weapons you can use,” Link said, sitting back down on the couch next to her, holding out a traveler’s sword for her to take. “Here, this one’s pretty lightweight.”

Zelda took the sword, but had to use two hands to hold it, unaccustomed to the mass of a solid block of steal. It wasn’t too heavy for her to use, but it wasn’t feather-light either. “Lightweight?”

“Relatively. Now come along.” Link stood up, holding his hand out for her to take. “Let’s begin our practice.”

He took Zelda out to the backyard and drew the Master Sword from his back, the evening sun gleaming off its pristine blade. “Before we begin, I’ll show you the proper stance. You want your feet a bit more than shoulder width apart with a slight bend in your knee and a straight back. Keep everything loose so you can react quickly.” He demonstrated for her before sheathing his weapon. “Now you try.”

Zelda did her best to imitate Link’s stance, blushing under his scrutiny as he circled around her.

“Feet a little farther,” he said, tapping the inside of her foot with his. Link set one hand flat on her back and the other hand gently tugged her shoulder backward. “Keep your back straight.

“How’s that?” Zelda asked after making some adjustments.

He smiled. “You look exquisite, princess. Oh, your form does, too.”

She rolled her eyes.

Link led her through the very basics of sword fighting, going over drills usually taught to young boys and girls who were not yet admitted into the royal army. It wasn’t long before Zelda worked up a sweat in the evening sun, fighting a post that Link had stuck in the ground.

When they paused for a water break, Link looked at her and said, “That sword doesn’t really suit you.” He pulled the pristine weapon off his back and handed it to her. Zelda took it respectfully, gazing at its gleaming surface.

“This sword is special, you know,” she said. “There’s a spirit inside…I’ve spoken to her before, when you…” She cleared her throat. “She accompanied the very first Hero on his journey from the heavens to the earth beneath.”

“She told you that?” Link asked, looking at the sword with renewed interest.

“No. He did.” She took her stance in front of the post, gripping the sword with both hands. “When I was imprisoned by Ganon,” she moved the weapon through the basic drills with languid motions, “My past lives were with me the entire time.” She swung the Master Sword around, stopping inches away from the post. “Your past lives visited from time to time as well, telling me stories.” She stabbed the sword into the post with a quick jab and pulled it out, adjusting her footing as she did so. Link’s eyes never left her. “Of course, they could only visit when they weren’t out performing, and I quote, ‘babysitting duty.’” She finally looked at him and giggled.

“Babysitting duty?” he asked, cocking his head.

“That’s what the Hero of Winds first called it,” she said, “Then it caught on, and everyone started saying it. It was when they couldn’t be by my side because they were watching over you.”

Link’s lips parted slightly, and he furrowed his brow. “They were watching over me?”

“Yes,” Zelda said, the sword resting by her side, training forgotten. “They each had their own way.” She turned and looked at the valley in the light of the setting sun. “It could have been the breath of the wind in the trees, the passing of day to night, or the proud eyes of a wild beast guarding you as you slept. You were never alone. They were with you for every second. Like I was.”

Zelda looked back at Link but he was staring at the ground with wide eyes. “You saw…everything?” He looked at her, frightened, and she nodded, fighting a smile. “They saw everything?” A giggled escaped her, and she nodded as Link’s face reddened. He whispered, “Oh no.” She let out a hardy laugh, giving Link a light shove.

…

Giddiness coursed through Zelda as she sat alone at her desk in the empty classroom, the weak light of morning barely lighting the space. Today was the big day, the first day of school! She had hardly slept the night before, overcome with excitement. Growing up as a princess meant that she didn’t go to public school, instead having private tutors, and she had always seen it as a rite of passage she had been denied. She could only claim that rite by instead teaching.

Zelda gasped at a knock on the door, jumping up as it opened, expecting a student and their parent even though school wouldn’t start for another hour. Link stepped into the room and approached her desk with his hands behind his back.

“Good morning ma’am,” he said.

Zelda grinned. “Link, what are you doing here?” she asked, sitting back down.

He stopped in front of her desk. “I was wondering if you could tell me where Ms. Zelda is. I hear she is the new teacher in town, and I have a little welcome gift for her.” He removed his hands from behind his back and proudly displayed a shiny, red apple, most likely from their tree at home.

“Well,” Zelda said, “The teacher you’re looking for is right here.” She put her hand on her chest.

Link’s eyes went wide in mock disbelief. “No!” He dramatically fell back against a student’s desk in front of hers, clutching at his own chest. “It can’t be you! I’m looking for an old maid, not a beautiful, young woman!”

Zelda laughed. “Oh, stop,” she said, waving a hand at him.

“Teachers are supposed to be old ladies so the kids aren’t distracted,” he said, sitting on the desk and kicking his feet. “How are they supposed to concentrate when they’re too busy ogling at their teacher?”

Zelda shook her head with amusement. “They’re little kids, Link. They’re not quite old enough for that yet.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “The only one ogling at me is you.”

It was now Link’s turn to blush. He averted his eyes and cleared his throat, though a small smile still played on his features. “Right,” he muttered. Zelda smirked. “Well,” he said in a normal volume, “I really just wanted to come and say hi and wish you good luck.” He slid off the little desk and placed the apple on hers, giving her a smile.

“Thank you,” she said. “I’m still a little nervous, though.”

“You’re gonna do great. I know you will.” He took her hand, which she had left sitting on her desk and gave it a squeeze. “I’ll see you at home.”

She nodded and gave a small smile. “See you.”

Link left, giving her one last look as he walked out the classroom, a sweet smile that turned into a smirk, winking at her and closing the door behind him. She grinned and rolled her eyes at the closed door.

Zelda waited patiently for her students to arrive, excitedly rushing to the door when the first student and parent walked in, and greeting them eagerly as they introduced themselves. Most of the students were happy to meet her, save for the few that grumbled at a new school year. Luckily none of them clung to their parents, weeping, so the year was off to a good start. The parents were simply happy to be rid of their kids for a few hours every day. Once all of her students had settled in, Zelda stood at the front of the room.

“Hello, everyone,” she said with a smile, “My name is Ms. Zelda—should I write that on the board?” Could her young students read yet? “I’ll write it on the board.” She paused, picking up the piece of chalk and writing her name in the corner of the chalkboard. She turned back around. “I’m very excited for this new school year. I’ve never been to school before so this is—”

“You’ve never been to school?” Sefaro asked, frowning. “Then why are you teaching us?” Zelda took a breath to respond, but Aster cut her off.

“She’s way smarter than you!” she said.

Narah turned in her chair to look at her friends. “Mommy said everyone has to go to school!”

“Yes, I—” Zelda tried to speak.

“But she’s never been to school!” Azu said. “So lucky!”

“Kids, settle down—”

“I wish I didn’t have to go to school,” Nebb said, “Then I could play all day.”

“You’d be dumber than a rock, Nebb!” Sefaro shouted.

“Kids—!”

“I am not dumb!”

“No I said you would be!”

“I think you’re both dumb!” Aster said.

“Hey, shut up!”

“Everyone, quiet!” Zelda shouted.

The kids clammed up, looking at their teacher sheepishly. She smiled tightly. “As I was saying, I didn’t go to regular school because I had private teachers come to me instead. I always wanted to go to regular school, and this is the best way I can do that. But I need your help to show me how a regular classroom works. What are some things that you like to do in school?”

“Circle time!” Karin said.

“Recess!” Sefaro said, and Narah shouted in agreement.

Teebo muttered something softly.

“What was that, Teebo?” Zelda asked. He repeated himself but she still couldn’t hear him. “Can you please speak a little louder, dear? I’m having trouble hearing you.”

“He said—” Azu piped up, but Zelda held up a hand to stop him.

“Let him speak for himself.” Zelda took a few steps closer to Teebo’s desk. “What do you like to do, Teebo?”

“Story time,” he said softly, not looking up at her.

“I love story time,” she said, giving him a smile that he met with a small one of his own.

Zelda walked back to the front of the room. “I think this is going to be a fun class, don’t you? Now, let’s create a class schedule…”

After her first day as a teacher, Zelda was secretly glad that she had not had to attend school as a child. They were so cute, she would never deny that, but neither did anticipate that children would be so much work! She knew it in her head, but only after experiencing six straight hours of high energy bundles of joy did she rethink wanting some of her own. They were noisy, talking back at every opportunity, and constantly hurting themselves or others. Recess nearly gave her a heart attack when three of the boys tried to climb a tree with their eyes closed. Her first day with the kids made her want to apologize to Impa after what she had put her nursemaid through.

Zelda tiredly trudged through her front door at the end of day, slumping into a kitchen chair. Now she had to plan the next day’s lessons. She groaned and dragged herself up the stairs to her desk. If she finished quickly, she would be free when Link got home. The next few hours passed slowly until the front door opened, and Zelda jumped up, sprinting down the stairs.

“Link! You’re home!” She threw her arms around him, taking him by surprise. He put his hands on her waist to steady them both.

“Yes,” he said with a laugh, “And I'm sweaty and gross, so perhaps I should take a bath before we get too intimate, Princess.”

“Sorry,” she said, “I’m just really glad to see you after today. Who knew kids could be so much trouble?”

Link chuckled and hung up his tools on a rack. “Just wait until you’re a parent,” he said, “When I was a kid, my sister and I—” He paused, a faraway look clouding his vision. Zelda waited for him to speak. “We…we would always play in the woods and come home with scraped knees.” He chuckled. “Dad would scold us for not being more careful and then we would go running to mom to patch us up as she yelled at him for yelling at us.” He turned back to Zelda to see the soft smile on her face. “But we would always do it again.”

“What was your sister’s name?” she asked.

Link’s eyes met the ground. “…Aryll,” he murmured, “Her name was Aryll.”

“Well,” Zelda said, “She sounds sweet.”

“She was a stinker,” he chuckled, “I just wish I…had more time with her.”

Zelda looked away, frowning to herself. If only she had unlocked her powers sooner, then Link would still be with his family.

Link continued, taking a seat at the dining table as he stared blankly at the wall. “When our mother died, we didn’t know what to do. We loved our father, but…” he shrugged, “How can anyone replace Mom?”

Zelda nodded. “I know what you mean,” she said softly.

“Dad did his best, and I tried to be there for Aryll,” his frown deepened, “But since I was in the army so young, there was only so much I could do. And Dad was captain of the guard, so he was busy.” Link brought his hand to his face, covering his eyes. “I just wanted to be there for her, but I was duty-bound to be your guard.” Link sucked in a sharp breath, feeling Zelda’s hand fall on his shoulder. “I just wanted to be there for her.” He swallowed and cleared his throat. Zelda kneeled by his chair and hugged him tightly, letting him wrap his arms around her and rest his head on her shoulder, and hating herself for stealing his life—his family—away from him.

“I’m so sorry, Link,” she whispered. “If I could go back and change everything, I would. I’m sorry that you were forced into this life. But I know that…your sister…Aryll would be proud of all you’ve done.”

“She’s gone now, though,” Link said.

“And that is a wrong that I cannot right,” Zelda said, rubbing circles into his back. “I can only ask for your forgiveness.”

Link pulled away, looking at her with a frown. “There’s nothing to forgive. What happened by Ganon’s hand is not your fault, nor do I hold you responsible. I just want…” He looked away, rubbing the back of his head. “Can we keep hugging?” Zelda drew him in again, squeezing him tight like her life depended on it. “Thanks, Princess. I really appreciate that I can…be honest with you. You’re the only person in the world who even can begin to understand what I’m going through.”

Zelda sighed. “I think,” she said bitterly, “That the Goddesses can be funny, if the stories of our past selves are anything to go by. They give us the bare minimum to do our job, watch us be broken to the point of mental illness, and then force us to live with that pain for the rest of our lives, all while setting us bearers of the Triforce on some pedestal.” Tears filled her vision.

“You don’t know the horrors of what the Heroes of old told me, Link,” she continued, “Most didn’t even want to play the hero; they just wanted to do what was right. And how were they repaid? How were you repaid? The Goddesses just left us Hylians to fend for ourselves. They don’t care about what happens to us at all.” The tears fell on her cheeks.

Link didn’t say anything, pausing to take a breath. “Hylia cared,” he whispered. He ran his hand down the length of her hair, threading his fingers through the silky strands. “And she still does care…Don’t you?”

Zelda nodded into his chest. “I do.”

“I wish I could have my family back again,” he said, “But I swore my life to you.” Link pulled her back to look her in the eyes. “I swore my life to protect the blood of the Goddess.” He raised his left hand in front of her, balled in a loose fist so she could see the back of his hand, a soft light shining through his skin, three divine triangles tattooed onto his soul. “Whenever you need me, Hylia, I swear I will be there for you.”

“Why is it,” Zelda sighed, “That you will call me the name of a goddess and not just ‘Zelda’?”

Link laughed and stood, pulling her to her feet. “Do you prefer ‘Princess’ or ‘Golden Goddess, Hylia’?”

“Do not start calling me that,” she scolded. “And go take a bath. I’ll start on dinner, so make it quick before I burn the house down.”

“Whatever you say, Goddess Divine,” he said with a grin, letting her push him into the bathroom, “For I have sworn to do your bidding.”

“That’s laughable,” she said, closing the door in his face.

In the following weeks, Zelda still didn’t know what to think of her job as a school teacher. Did she like it, or did she hate it? The answer changed day to day. But one thing she knew she loved was sharing her knowledge with her students. She could ramble on about any subject for as long as she wanted and the kids had to listen! Not even her old servants at the castle were willing to tolerate such nonsense, but the kids had to sit there quietly and take it. Zelda thought of it as a spectacular victory on her part. But there was one thing her formal upbringing wouldn’t let her ignore and had come to a head during lunch time.

The children had no table manners!

Food went everywhere, smeared on faces, desks, the floor—anything that might have been clean didn’t last that way for very long. Getting the kids to chew with their mouths closed was a losing battle but one she fought anyway. The topics of conversation ranged from fart jokes to who can run faster than whom, spoken only at the volume of a raging warlord’s battle cry, and she simply couldn’t take it anymore. So on Link’s day off, she convinced him to come to school with her.

He resided in the tiny kitchen opposite of the classroom, cooking the fanciest, most delectable dishes that they were both certain the kids wouldn’t appreciate. Meanwhile, Zelda removed the desks from the classroom and replaced them with a long table on one side of the room, leaving the other side open. Uma stopped by to help set up the room and to help Zelda with her special lesson she had planned for the day. The kids arrived, looking around in confusion.

“Everyone, take a seat on the floor,” Zelda said with a bright smile. “Ms. Uma and I have a very special day planned!”

“Is Ms. Uma teaching us again?” Azu asked, looking scared. The other kids, too, wore worried expressions.

“You’re not leaving, are you?”

“Don’t leave us, Ms. Zelda!”

“We love you!”

Zelda laughed. “I’m not leaving, silly children. Ms. Uma is just visiting today. And Mr. Link is also here, but he’s in the kitchen, preparing for our lessons later.” The kids began to interrupt, demanding to see him, but Zelda shushed them. “We’ll see him in a bit. Now, who knows when the Harvest Festival is?”

“Mommy said it’s next week,” Karin said, raising her hand.

“Yes, that’s right,” Zelda went on, “And I thought I might prepare you with some lessons in etiquette to prepare for the event.” Zelda began teaching the kids everything she could remember from her childhood lessons (albeit in a much more relaxed manner than what she had endured) going through everything from chatting with your neighbor to afternoon tea, asking Uma to help demonstrate when needed and giving the kids a chance to roleplay as well.

“Okay,” she finally said, “I think I’ve gone on long enough about manners. Let’s get to the fun part.” Zelda strode across the room and opened the classroom door. “Link!” she called into the kitchen, “Could you come here?”

“Busy!” he called back.

“Just for a few minutes,” she said, “Can’t you leave the stove for a bit?”

“You really don’t understand how cooking works, do you?” He appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. “But yes, I can help if you need.” Link followed Zelda into the classroom, smiling at the excited kids, several of whom waved at him. He waved back. “So,” he turned to their teacher, “Are we doing the dancing now?”

“Yes, we are,” she said with a grin.

“Dancing?” Sefaro said in disgust.

“Yup! Today, we will be learning how to waltz. Now back up a bit so we have room,” Zelda ushered the students out of the way, and they pressed up against the wall, “Now, Mr. Link and I are going to get into a waltz position. Since I’m the lady, I will take his left hand in my right hand and put my other hand on his shoulder, while Mr. Link puts his other hand on my waist.” The kids looked on in shock. “When you are dancing, always let the boy lead.”

“Why?” Narah asked.

“I don’t know,” Zelda said, “That’s just the way it is. I’m going to let Mr. Link lead me in a three-step pattern.”

As she went through the dance steps for the children, Link had to force himself not to make a cheeky comment. At home, he could speak as freely as he wished, but here in Zelda’s place of work, he had to be respectful. As much as he wanted to flirt, he remained as silent as he had when first taking on the role of her protector all those years ago. But he didn’t mind much, vowing to tease her later. He would have danced with Zelda all day, but had to finish preparing the children’s meal, giving the little group of kids and their teacher a fond look as he stepped into the hall.

“Alright, everyone,” she said, “Now it is your turn to try.”

She had the kids pair up and attempted to get them to dance properly, but they had a long ways to go by the time lunch rolled around. It didn’t matter, though, as she knew they would receive proper lessons when they were older.

“For lunch,” Zelda said, “Mr. Link has volunteered to cook us a special meal.” Actually, Zelda had volun-told him to do it, but he didn’t mind that either. In fact, he liked cooking for others. “We’re going to practice eating with proper etiquette.” She ushered the kids to the long table on one end of the room. “Gentlemen, pull the ladies’ chairs out for them. It's a sign of respect.” Only Azu listened to her, pulling Uma’s chair out for her.

“Thank you, dear,” she said, patting his head.

“Yes, thank you, Azu,” Zelda said, sitting down in the middle of the table. “You’re a proper gentleman.” He beamed with pride. Once everyone had sat down, she directed the group. “Never place your elbows on the table during your meal. It is alright to do so in between courses, but while eating, you may place your forearms against the edge of the table. Conversation should be respectful. Never pry for information or try to make the other people feel uncomfortable.” Nebb raised his hand. “Yes, Nebb?”

“If you’re going out to dinner with a girl,” he said, “Do you have to pay the money?”

“Well, that depends on the situation. If a man is willing and able to pay the bill, the woman should respectfully let him pay, but it is alright to split the check if needed.”

Link then arrived with the first course on a rolling cart, prompting Zelda to give the kids a bit more direction on how all their utensils worked as he set the plates in front of everyone. On each dish sat a small bit of salad with a piece of fish on top.

“This is not enough food,” Sefaro said with a frown, poking at his meal with a fork.

“This is only the first course,” Zelda said, “When food arrives in multiple courses, they have to be small so you don’t get full before the end of the meal. By the time lunch is over, you will all feel stuffed, I can assure you of that.” She laughed. “We will be having a three course meal today, meaning an appetizer, a main dish, and…dessert.” Zelda smiled as the kids’ faces lit up.

The appetizer and main dish courses went about as well as Zelda could expect from the young children. They still made a mess, but she managed to get them to not throw their food at each other. She nervously chewed her lip when Link came in with dessert, each plate concealed with a dome cover. He didn't tell her what he had planned, but the smug look on his face had her on edge. What was he going to give her children?

“Don’t take the lid off your plate until I tell you,” he said as he set their dishes in front of them. “It’s a special surprise for Ms. Zelda.” She gave him a wary look and he laughed, setting her plate before her last and resting his fingers on the handle of the lid. “Alright, go ahead.” He and the other diners lifted the lids of the plates, and Zelda gasped in delight.

“Fruitcake!” she said, clasping her hands together. The kids forgot about propriety and attacked their slices of cake at once, eating as if it was their last meal.

“Surprise,” Link said softly, swiping some frosting off of her piece with his finger. Zelda slapped his hand away.

“Hey,” she said, “That is my cake.” He laughed, licking the frosting off his finger. “You’re a bad influence, you know, teaching the children such horrible manners.” She picked up her fork and tucked into her dessert with a smile.

“I’m sure you’ll correct the damage, Princess,” Link said, pulling the chair from behind her desk and squeezing into the spot next to her. Zelda noted silently how his knee was pressed against hers as well as the fond smile he gave her. She wasn’t the only one to notice.

“Ms. Zelda, Mr. Link?” Narah said.

Zelda looked over at her, picking up her glass of water to take a sip. “Yes, Narah?”

“Mommy says you two are gonna have a baby.”

Zelda choked on her drink, and Link looked at the child in shock, both their faces turning red.

“What?” he said. He may have liked to tease Zelda more than was acceptable for the average male/female friendship, but he lost all vibrato having been called out on it.

“Narah,” Uma said gently, though visibly holding back laughter, “Remember to keep conversation respectful.”

“Is it true?” Aster asked, wide eyed.

“No,” Zelda said at once, “It is not. Mr. Link and I are just friends.”

“Why not?!”

“I think you’d be cute together!”

“How can you have a baby if you’re not married?!”

“Oh, dear Hylia,” Zelda muttered, resting her face in her hands, slumping on the table.

“Ms. Zelda, you can’t have your elbows on the table!”

Thank goodness Uma was there to reign the kids in because Zelda’s soul had practically left her body at that point. Link said nothing throughout the whole fiasco, his face falling back into its blank mask. It worried her.

Could he tell how strongly she felt for him? Did it scare him, or was he just embarrassed. She wouldn’t know because he soon left to clean up the kitchen, and she had to force herself to continue lunch as if nothing were the matter, breathing a sigh of relief when recess arrived after the meal.

“How about I watch the kids,” Uma said, giving her a pat on the arm, “And you can clean up in here?”

“Uma, you’re a saint,” Zelda said with a smile of appreciation. The older woman took the kids outside, leaving her in the peace and quiet of the empty classroom. Zelda began picking up plates and cutlery, giving a small start when Link’s hand appeared over hers.

“Princess,” he said softly as she set down the stack of dishes, “May I say something?” She nodded, noting his frown. “I want to apologize for…for how I’ve treated you as of late.”

Zelda cocked her head in confusion. “What do mean?”

Link looked away. “Well, you’re a princess, and I’m just a—”

“Okay, I’m going to stop you right there,” Zelda said, putting her hands on his shoulders, frowning when his blank mask returned. “You already know how I feel about that whole thing, so I’m not even going to address it." She took a breath. "Ever since I’ve come here to live you, you have treated me with nothing but respect. Never mind what the children and the gossip mongers say. They don’t know who you really are,” she said, echoing the words he told her after she confronted Nikki and Amira. “And if you’re worried for my reputation, I think we burned that bridge a long time ago.”

He chuckled softly. “You’ve never been one for a spotless reputation, have you, Princess?” She grimaced, making him laugh even more.

“It’s the spice of life, I suppose,” she said. “Come. Let us clear up the dishes before recess is over.”

“Whatever you wish, my Golden Goddess.”

“Don’t make me smack you.”

Chapter Text

“Ouch, mama, that hurts!” Link cried as his mother raked a comb across his little head.

The young boy sat on the floor in front of the couch, letting her comb his hair (or rather enduring it) for the Hateno Harvest Festival. It only came around once a year, so Link had to look his best for the event.

“It wouldn’t hurt so much if you’d stop squirming,” she scolded, continuing to comb her son’s hair that always seemed to be in disarray. “Are you going to be a good boy for mama and papa tonight?”

“Yeah!” Link said with a nod of his head. She placed her hands on his temples to stop the movement but chuckled.

“Honey!” she called into the kids’ room where her husband was dressing Link’s little sister. “Is Aryll ready? We need to go soon.”

“Yes she is.” Captain Wilde strode into the living room with the child on his hip. “And she’s looking like a little princess in her new dress,” he said, tickling her side.

Aryll giggled and wiggled out of his grasp, running to Link with a grin. “Look,” she said, holding out the skirt of her dress and twirling around.

“You are so pretty, Aryll!” the young boy said brightly. He turned to his mother. “Isn’t she pretty, mama?”

She smiled. “Yes. She is absolutely beautiful!” Their mother picked Aryll up and tossed her in the air, making the girl giggle again. “Now, let’s be off. We don’t want to miss the Harvest Festival.” The young family left their house and made their way into town.

The Hateno Harvest Festival was one of the biggest events in the kingdom. People of every race visited, seeing old friends, sampling new food, and dancing the night away (or until their feet hurt too much). At seven years old, Link was over the moon with excitement. He just couldn’t wait to play games with all of his friends from school! And eat the Jones’s famous pork roast! And maybe he’d even see Lady Mipha again! She was SO NICE!

He sprinted past the vendors selling their wares and ran to the crowded barn at the top of the hill. His parent chased after him with a warning to be careful, but Link didn’t listen. He bolted inside, looking all around for his friends but frowned when he didn’t see them in the throngs of dancing people. Perhaps they were playing in the field. He started to run out of the barn when he stopped, eyes falling on a young girl dressed entirely in black.

She looked about his age, but she didn’t seem to share his excitement for the evening, looking at the ground in front of her morosely. He frowned again. Why was she so sad on such a fun day? Was it because she didn’t have any friends to play with? The only person by her side was a Sheikah woman, looking at the crowd around them critically. She would’ve been scary had Link not recognized her as one of papa’s friends from work, Lady Impa. But who was the girl?

“Mama,” he tugged on her skirt and pointed. “Who is that girl there? She looks so sad.” His mother put his hand down and knelt beside him.

“That’s Princess Zelda,” she whispered in his ear. Link’s eyes went round as discs. The princess was in his hometown?! “She’s sad because her mama, the queen, passed away a few months ago.” Link's brows pinched together.

He didn’t know much about death, like where people went when they died, but he knew that they could never come back. He couldn’t imagine his mama going away forever, so the princess must be really upset.

“You should ask her to dance,” his mother prodded. Link's head snapped over with an incredulous look, and he vehemently shook his head, making her laugh. “Why not?”

“What if she says no?” he asked.

“Then just say ‘Sorry to bother you,’ and then walk away,” she said. She gave him a little push in the princess’s direction. “Go on. And remember to bow.”

Link tentatively walked over to where the princess sat. Impa smiled at him, but it did nothing to quell the nerves that ran haywire when the princess looked up at him expectantly. He bowed awkwardly.

“Um, hello, your highness,” he said in a timid voice. “Would you like to dance with me?”

Zelda looked dejectedly at the crowd and shook her head. “That’s very kind of you,” she said, “But no thank you.”

Link’s heart fell. He nodded and stepped away. “Okay. Sorry to bother you.” He turned and started to walk back to his mother but stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun back around to see that Princess Zelda had gotten out of her chair and stood in front of him.

“Wait,” she said, avoiding his eyes, “Actually…I would like to dance a little bit.” And, just like that, Link’s fear was gone. He smiled widely.

“Really?” he said, excitement creeping into his voice again. “Come on, let’s go!” He grabbed her hand and rushed onto the dancefloor.

“Be careful, Link!” his mother called, “Don’t hurt the princess!”

“I won’t, mama!”

Link and Zelda stood in position and began to dance some simple steps, twirling around and clapping their hands to the beat of the song, drawing a small crowd of cooing adults, including Impa and his parents.

“Hey, you’re a good dancer,” Link said with a smile.

Zelda looked at the ground, frowning a bit. “Thank you. My mother taught me.”

He didn’t know if he should broach the topic of her mother’s death, so he didn’t. “My mama taught me, too.” Link’s smile softened at the return of hers. Princess Zelda was really very pretty, he noticed. “That’s something we have in common!”

“Well, I think you’re a good dancer as well,” she said.

He brightened at the compliment. “Thanks, Princess.”

“Please, call me ‘Zelda,’” she said with a wave of her hand.

“Okay, Zelda! You can call me ‘Link,’” he laughed. “Can we be friends? ‘Cause I would like to show you how to bake muffins.”

Zelda giggled softly, letting him give her a twirl. “Princesses don’t eat muffins,” she said.

“What?!” Link said incredulously. “But they’re so yummy! I won’t tell anyone I gave them to you."

Zelda laughed louder this time. “Well, if they’re as yummy as you say,” she said, “Then I must try some.”

“Really?!” Link grinned. For some reason, talking to Zelda made him feel very happy. He took a breath to say something else, but someone called his name.

He stopped and looked over to see several of his friends from school standing in the doorway of the barn, beckoning him out and one of them holding a ball over his head. “Do you want to play ball with me and my friends?” he asked.

Zelda frowned again. “I don’t know if I’m allowed to,” she said.

“I’ll ask.” Link grabbed her hand again and ran to his mother. “Mama, can Zelda play outside with us?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” his mother said with a frown. On the one hand, Link’s friends were mostly good kids. But on the other hand, she didn’t want to be responsible for the injury of the crowned princess, especially since said princess was only six years old.

“It’s alright,” Impa said calmly. “I’ll watch them.”

“Well, in that case,” his mother smiled, “Yes she may.”

Link grinned impossibly wider. “Thanks! Come on, Zelda!” He bolted out the door, pulling the laughing princess by the hand, and they met up with his friends. Impa followed after, smiling at the look of pure joy on Zelda’s face.

Link’s friends were shocked to meet the princess, but they quickly accepted her as their friend, teaching her how to play their games. They laughed and played until Zelda fell and scraped her elbow.

“Ouch,” she muttered, pushing herself into a sitting position. Link gasped when he saw the blood.

“Are you alright, Zelda?” he asked, helping her to her feet and hugging her when she began to sniffle.

“I’m fine,” she said, rubbing the tears out of her eyes. Link took her hand to lead her back into the barn to wash the blood off, but jumped when Impa appeared out of nowhere.

“Come along, Zelda” she said softly, putting a hand on her back, “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

“Can I come, too?” Link asked, worry etched on his young face. He wanted to make sure Zelda was perfectly fine before he could even think about going back to playing games. Impa smiled.

“Of course,” she said, “I expect nothing less from a future member of the royal guard."

Link beamed and took Zelda’s hand again, walking her back to the barn.

Link smiled softly at the memory as he looked at the black smock that Zelda had discarded on her bed. She was busy getting dressed for the Harvest Festival and had been preparing all day. Link didn’t exactly know what that entailed to take the entire day, but it seemed to involve her putting a lot of creams, lotions, and other types of goo on her already perfect face. He had been ready for hours, wearing the Royal Guard uniform he had found in Hyrule Castle.

“Link,” she said from the other side of the dressing screen, “Could you lace this up for me?”

He stepped past the dressing screen and felt a small rush in his chest. The other side had always been forbidden territory when occupied, and of course Link was a gentleman. He would never sneak a peek no matter how much he wanted to. Regardless, she was a princess and he would never take advantage of her. But being on the same side of the dressing screen as she was set his cheeks aflame even though she was fully clothed.

Zelda chose to wear the expensive red dress that Link had bought her when she first came to live with him. Unfortunately, she was wearing a chemise underneath, making the garment much more appropriate then when she had first tried it on. But he didn’t mind, thinking she looked every bit of her title in the luxurious gown. It felt right, seeing her dressed as the royalty she was. She only needed a crown to go with it.

Link brushed her long hair to rest on her shoulder and began to do up the lacing on the back of the dress, taking his time and relishing the moment. “I remembered the day we first met,” he said softly.

“You mean when I took your measurements for your Champions tunic?” she asked. He chuckled.

“No, it was long before that,” he said, “When we were young. I think it was the Harvest Festival right after your mother passed. You looked upset, so I asked you to dance to maybe cheer you up. You turned me down though.”

Zelda laughed out loud. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Link!” she said, “I was a terrible child! If I had known how lovely you are, I would’ve said yes, I promise.”

“Actually,” Link tied and untied the bow at the base of the corset so he could prolong the time with his hands on her back, “I guess you felt bad for me because you stopped me from going and said that you would like to dance.”

“Ah, well, there you go,” Zelda said with a grin, “I wasn’t all bad.”

“You’re not bad at all, Princess.”

She sighed. “How many times, Link?” she asked, but not without amusement.

“As many as it takes to get you to realize,” Link said, finally finishing off the bow and spinning her around to look at him, “That every day I spend with you makes you more and more of a princess to me.”

“I think you’re biased,” Zelda muttered, removing his hands from her waist, but he could’ve sworn he saw a blush on her cheeks. She turned and stepped to the other side of the screen into the room. “And completely insufferable.”

“Rude,” he intoned, joining her in the room.

Zelda laughed, sitting down at the desk and opening her makeup case. “When is Prince Sidon arriving?” she asked, beginning to apply foundation to her already flawless skin, marring its divine beauty (in Link’s opinion, anyway).

“He should be here soon,” he said, sitting on his bed and watching the hypnotic movements of her brush, smiling to himself when she made funny faces to accommodate her beauty tools into the creases of her skin. He giggled softly.

“What’s so funny?” Zelda asked without looking over at him.

“Nothing,” Link said with a shake of his head. “You’re just cute. That’s all.”

Zelda gave a small smile and turned her head slightly away from him. “No, you’re cute.”

He grinned. “You’re cuter.” Before Zelda could respond, they heard several rapid knocks on the door, and Link stood to answer, brushing his hand across her back as he passed. “That’ll be Sidon.” He descended the staircase and opened the door, grinning when he saw one of his dearest friends.

“Link!” Sidon cried, throwing out his arms before crouching down to hug the little Hylian, nearly squeezing the air out of his lungs. “How happy I am to see you!”

“It’s good to see you, too, Sidon,” Link wheezed, chuckling when he let go. “Please come in.” He stepped back to let Sidon through, who had to duck under the doorway to get in.

“I love what you’ve done with the place,” he commented before turning to smile at Zelda up in the loft, just about eye-level with her. “Princess Zelda!” he boomed, “It is great to see you again!”

Zelda paused putting on her makeup to give him a bright smile. “Hello, Prince Sidon. How have you been?”

“Wonderful! Just wonderful! And, please,” he said, bringing a hand to his chest, “Just call me ‘Sidon.’”

“Very well. Then I must insist you just call me ‘Zelda.’” She went back to putting on her makeup. “Someone ought to,” she muttered.

Link rolled his eyes. “She’s mad at me ‘cause I keep referring to her as ‘Princess’ and not her actual name.”

Sidon gave him a knowing look. “You…like to refer to her by her…title?”

Link grinned. “Of course,” he said with a discreet wink, and Sidon chuckled.

“Well, in that case,” he turned back to her, “‘Zelda’ it is.”

The three chatted about what they had been up to as of late until Zelda was ready to leave, and Link gathered up plenty of rupees into a purse for her to spend at the various vendors lining the streets. They crossed the bridge into town, shielding their eyes from the afternoon sun.

Everywhere they looked, they saw people dressed in their finest attire, going from stall to stall on the main street, haggling for the best prices on goods and produce. Music filled the town, coming from violins, guitars, flutes, and there was even an accordion somewhere. And at the top of the hill, light poured from the biggest barn on Dantz’s ranch, no doubt already packed with dancing patrons. There were Hylians, Gerudos, Zoras, Gorons, heck, Zelda even thought she saw a Korok or two hiding around. Nearly every citizen in Hyrule filled the town of Hateno, and she hadn’t seen such liveliness since the celebration thrown for the Champions one hundred years before.

“Zelda!”  a voice called. She turned to find Purah running up the street to meet her, wearing a wide grin. Zelda left Link’s side and ran to her friend, catching her in her arms for a hug.

“Oh, Purah, have you ever seen such excitement?!” Zelda cried, sharing a laugh with her.

“Not since before I turned into a six year old,” she said sheepishly, adjusting her glasses on her face. “But you simply must come try some delicious stew from this Sheikah’s food stall.” Purah pulled Zelda along followed by Link and Sidon, who greeted friends as they passed.

Link didn’t remember a whole lot about Hateno’s Harvest Festivals, but if the food was always this amazing, he would make attending each one a top priority of his. He dragged his friends from one food stall to the next, gorging himself until he felt sick. It was the best.

“Link, no, I simply can’t eat any more!” Zelda cried as he tried to stick one end of a kabob in her mouth. He only laughed, watching her bite into a piece of meat and pull it off the pointed end. She hummed in pleasure. “This one is good as well!” He finished off the kabob and went looking for a sweets stall.

“Come find us when you throw up,” Zelda said, looping her arm through Purah’s, “We’re going to go look at the wares.” Link, still chewing, nodded and gave her a thumbs-up.

The two women looked at every shiny and beautiful thing that caught their eye, oohing and awing, and occasionally opening their rupee purse for a trinket. But when they stopped at a Gerudo selling textiles, Zelda’s jaw dropped at the fine fabrics. There were linens, cottons, hemps, and wools, but what caught Zelda’s eye was a fine bolt of green silk. It was perfect for what she had in mind.

“This is so beautiful!” She brushed her fingers against the soft material, watching it shine as it caught the evening light. “How much is this?”

“Forty rupees a yard,” the Gerudo said.

Zelda only needed two yards, coming to eighty rupees, but she only had thirty-five left in her purse. She let out a little growl. “I need to find Link and see if he has any more rupees,” she said to Purah, and then turned back on the Gerudo. “Don’t sell that!”

She rushed off, looking for Link and Sidon and finding them sitting with their backs against a stone wall near the general store. Link had his head between his knees, letting Sidon pat his back.

“And what have we learned?” Sidon asked him.

“Don’t enter an eating contest on a full stomach,” he groaned.

“Link!” Zelda came to a stop in front of him, and he looked up at her with a pale face and bleary eyes. Thoughts of her lovely fabric left her mind and she crouched beside him. “What happened?”

“I threw up.”

Zelda gasped, pressing her hand to his forehead to feel for a fever. “Are you sick or did you just overeat?”

Sidon laughed. “What do you think, Zelda?”

“I thought,” Link paused to swallow, “I thought that I’d join a pie-eating contest…but it didn’t end well.”

“Come on,” Zelda took his arm and gently pulled him to his feet, “I’ll take you home.”

“No,” Link frowned, pulling his arm away, “Absolutely not, Princess. We’re here so you can have a good time at the festival.”

“You just threw up!” she argued.

“And now I’m all better.” He crossed his arms, and they gave each other a challenging glare. Link was first to drop his gaze. “Anyway, what did you need? You came over here rather quickly.”

“Oh, right. How many rupees do you have left?” she asked, reaching into the pocket of his suit jacket and taking out his rupee pouch. She rummaged through the pouch, and smiled when finding he had plenty.

“No, please, help yourself,” he said dryly.

“Come on,” she said, taking his hand, “I must show you two this lovely silk I want to buy.” Zelda led him along slowly so as to not upset his stomach, but she itched to get her hands on that fabric before anyone else could.

Her mind drifted back to when she made the Champions’ garb. She had made Urbosa’s sarong out of silk imported from Hytopia, Mipha’s sash and Revali’s scarf were made of wool because it is both waterproof and warm. Daruk’s scarf was a sturdy denim, and Link’s tunic was a lightweight linen. Zelda had taken great pride in crafting the Champions’ garb, pouring love into every stitch she made on each piece. Each piece apart from Link’s tunic, that is. At that point, she still resented him and the ease that he’d achieved his destiny, so, while she made the others’ clothes with love, she had made his tunic with hate. And she wanted to correct that.

“What do you think?” Zelda asked with a grin, showing the two men the bolt of silk.

“It’s very nice,” Link said with a nod

“I like it,” Sidon grinned, “What are you going to make with it?”

She turned away, eyeing the fabric once again, “Oh, I don’t know,” she said with a shrug, even though she did know. “I’ll think of something, I’m sure.”

Zelda purchased the silk, grinning as she watched the Gerudo cut off two yards for her, and got a few notions to go with it, some thread, lacing, and buttons.

She pulled Link along, showing him all the pretty things the vendors had to offer, and she got lost in the sparkly jewels, now antiques, but had once been brand new back in her day. Zelda nearly did a double take when she spied a familiar artifact.

It was a silver brush with white horsehair bristles, once shiny, now tarnished, but its fine craftsmanship still showed through its age. Zelda recognized it because it had once been her brush. She picked it up off the table, running her thumb along the engraving on the handle reading Z.H., her initials. In the back of her mind, she could still feel the pull of the bristles as her mother brushed her hair, braiding it before Zelda knew how to.

“See something you like, missy?” the vendor asked with a grin.

Zelda looked down at her brush and then at the other wares on the table, recognizing a brooch of her mother’s, her father’s favorite cufflinks, and many other jewels belonging to the royal family. Hot indignation flared in her mind at the realization that her family’s priceless jewels had been looted from the castle. But her anger died out. If she didn’t even want to be a princess, what right did she have to any of these jewels? But she looked at the brush again. Those mornings and nights spent with her mother were some of her fondest memories.

“Give me a moment,” she said, placing the brush back on the table. She stepped back to Link’s side where he had been admiring some cast iron pans, and grabbed his arm. He looked up at her and frowned at her expression.

“What’s wrong?”

“Do you see that vendor over there?” she whispered, nodding her head at the man. Link glanced at him, seeing him smile and give a little wave. “He has possessions of the royal family!” He raised his eyebrows and looked back at the man’s stall, combing his eyes over the table of jewels. “He has my favorite hairbrush.” Zelda crossed her arms with a pout. Link smiled and made his way to the table, but her eyes grew wide. “Link, wait! What are you—?!”

“Is this it?” he asked picking up the silver brush.

“Yes,” she said, preparing herself to restrain him before he could come to blows with the man.

“That brush belonged to the late princess Zelda,” the vendor explained.

“Surely it’s not the real thing.” Link raised an eyebrow, looking over the brush critically. Zelda was one hundred percent sure it was the real thing and opened her mouth to say so but stopped herself. An average Hylian wouldn’t know what the royal family’s possessions looked like, and, since that was who she was pretending to be, she held her tongue.

“Oh, but it is!” the man insisted. “It was found in her room along with all of her jewelry.” He gestured to the rings, earrings, and other pieces sitting in velvet boxes.

“How much for the brush?” Link asked.

“900 rupees.”

Link laughed sardonically. “You’re kidding, right? I would never pay that much for such an obvious replica.”

“But, sir, it is the real thing!” the man cried.

“I can do 200,” Link said, setting the brush down.

“Now you’re the one who’s joking.” The man frowned and crossed his arms, but Link only shrugged.

“Very well,” he said, wrapping his arm around Zelda’s waist, “If you’re not interested in selling to me, I’ll be going. Come on, Princess.” Link began to pull her away, and she looked back at the brush in alarm. She was so close to getting back a piece of her mother's memory, but that apparently wasn’t going to happen.

“Wait, sir, don’t go!” the man said frantically. Link stopped and turned back to him. “Your lady friend seems quite interested in this brush, so…How about 800?”

Link crossed his arms. “250.”

The vendor sighed. “700?”

“300.”

The man rubbed his eyes, muttering something into his hands. “600.”

“350.”

“500. I will go no lower, sir.”

“400?” Link cocked his head, but the man frowned.

“500,” he said, “Take it or leave it.”

Zelda looked between the two men, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Would Link yield? Or was he too stubborn? He glared at the man but sighed.

“Fine. 500.” Link dug through his wallet as the vendor wrapped the brush in tissue paper, thanking him for his smart purchase.

“I’m sure your lovely friend will be very pleased with you for making the right choice,” he said.

“Hmm, she better be.” He and Zelda shared a small laugh.

“Thank you, Link,” she whispered, giving him a hug.

“Anything for you, Princess.”

After their wallets weighed significantly less, the group decided to head to the barn to dance the evening away. Sidon offered to take their new treasures back to Link and Zelda’s house to pick up later and would meet back up with them.

Zelda looped one arm through Link’s and the other through Purah’s, practically bouncing with excitement as she pulled the two along. It had been over one hundred years since she had been to a dance, and this time, she didn’t have to put on a royal mask. Her close friends might have known she was a princess, but no one else did. She could finally enjoy herself without any sort of societal pressure.

Her eyes grew wide when she entered Dantz’s large barn, seeing the hordes of people dancing the night away under the light of festive lanterns and fairy lights that twinkled in the rafters, matching the steps of the people below with their bobbing light. The lights cast shadows over the brown walls where couples hid, stealing secret kisses and whispering oaths of affection, and where children played hide and seek until they grew tired and ran to the buffet of snacks.

Zelda pulled Link and Purah into a new dance as it started up, joining the outer circle and stepping in time to the rhythm. She giggled and weaved inside and out of the circle, exchanging partners and occasionally sharing a few words with them until the song ended, placing her in front of Link once again. She shared a look with him, grinning at his cheerful smile and rosy face, knowing hers was equally red. She laughed softly and swept her friends into another dance, calling Sidon over when she saw him enter the room.

The dances grew closer and more intimate as the night went on, and Zelda’s heart beat giddily in her chest whenever Link asked her for a dance. She found she could hardly meet his eyes at the start of one such dance, looking away bashfully when they bowed to each other. The air between them was electric, becoming supercharged when they grew close in proximity of each other and expelling in a metaphorical shock when they held hands. Soon everyone else disappeared and it was just Link and Zelda dancing in their own little world. She could feel his eyes on her, watching her every move, and she ensured that her steps were more graceful than any other girl's at the party, though she doubted anyone else could match the skill of a princess. The applause of the people around her brought her back into reality, signaling that the dance had ended. She clapped along with the others, blushing at herself.

Zelda grew anxious whenever Link was away from her, dancing with someone else or hounding the buffet. She though it selfish of her to want to keep him away from other girls, bitterly reminding herself that they were not a couple no matter how fondly they treated each other.

Link on the other hand blatantly ignored the fact that they were not exclusive, kissing her hand at every opportunity and running his fingers through her hair when they waltzed, holding a whispered conversation where only they two were privy. No one could here them underneath the music, the sound of a familiar melody that she couldn’t quite place, but recalled hearing it while watching over Link.

“Have I told you how radiant you look tonight, Princess?” he asked softly, rubbing his thumb against the silkiness of her dress. She giggled.

“Only about five times within the past hour,” she said.

“Well, it’s true. You are the most beautiful woman who has ever walked the face of the earth.”

Zelda grinned and rested her head on his shoulder, sliding her arm around the back of his neck. “Oh, Link,” she said, letting him embrace her more tightly, “If you keep on like this, people might get the wrong idea about us.”

“The wrong idea?” he said, “And what would the wrong idea be, my golden goddess?” He kissed the top of her head.

“That we’re…” Zelda trailed off, blushing furiously.

“In love?” Link finished for her. “What makes you think that’s the wrong idea?”

Zelda snapped her head up, looking at his smiling face in shock and slowing to a stop in the middle of the dance floor.

“I love you, Zelda.” Link kissed her once, softly, chastely, but tears grew in her eyes. She covered her mouth to stifle a sob and his face fell. “I-I’m sorry. Should I not have said that?”

Zelda laughed through her tears and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her eyes into the crook of his neck. “I love you, too,” she choked out.

“I’ve wanted to tell you for a while now,” Link said, squeezing her tightly, “But I couldn’t find the right time and I…well it’s just kind of nerve wracking.” He chuckled softly. “But it feels good to get it out. I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you.”

Zelda laughed again, her heart throbbing in her chest, and looked up at him. “I love you, too.” This time, she kissed him, smiling against his mouth. Had she been a hundred years younger, she would’ve kicked herself for such public displays of affection, but she didn’t care anymore. And it wasn’t as if anyone cared about some random couple kissing at a ball. But Link took her by the arm and began to lead her away from the dance floor.

“Do you mind if we go somewhere more private, Princess?” he asked. “I would like to talk without all these prying eyes.”

“Of course,” she said with a smile.

They gave Purah and Sidon a small goodbye, Zelda saying she wanted to retire for the evening, and they promised to stop by in the morning to pick up their souvenirs. The young couple exited the barn, brushing past two others who stood in the shadows, a tall man and a woman.

The woman scratched at her head, itching under the brown wig concealing her platinum locks. She did a double take when Link and Zelda passed by, her eyes growing wide and her lips parting with a small breath. Anger twisted her features, and her hand went to her pocket, clutching at a knife concealed within her clothes as she made a move to follow them, but the man stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

“No,” he whispered, “Not here. There are too many witnesses.”

The woman let out a small growl, releasing her hold on the knife, and slumping back against the wall. She would have her revenge one day. Not soon enough, she thought, losing the couple in the crowd.

Link and Zelda walked down the path, hand in hand, as they made their way home. She hadn’t imagined her night taking the direction it had, but she wasn’t complaining.

“Do you know when I first started loving you?” Link asked. Zelda’s heart beat faster and she hummed in question. “I still don’t remember very much about all those years ago, so I don’t know how I felt then, but it was actually a memory of those days that did it.”

“Did you remember seeing me at a ball like this in a stunning dress?” Zelda asked with a smile.

Link shook his head. “No, it wasn’t anything like a ball,” he said, “It was when you tried to get me to eat a frog.”

She laughed. “It was for science,” Zelda said, squeezing his hand, but Link rolled his eyes.

“Right,” he said, “For ‘science.’ Anyway, after that memory came back to me…I don’t know, I just couldn’t get you out of my head. It was like I would think of you, and I would get a bunch of butterflies in my stomach, and my face would get all hot, and I didn’t know what was going on with me.” Link chuckled softly, unable to meet her eyes. “When I finally realized what it was…I just wanted to save you as quickly as possible. The final nail in the coffin was Kass’s song.”

If Zelda thought she was blushing before, her current shade would put garden variety beets to shame. She had forgotten about Kass’s song, the one that basically does the job of proclaiming her love for her. And, of course, every past incarnation of the both of them were watching that little scene take place, cheering even at the Rito’s assertion that she “only had eyes for her escort, her own knight attendant.” Even Calamity Ganon felt her embarrassment, lashing out painfully at the flux of emotion.

“Until then,” Link continued, “I was sure that you didn’t feel the same for me, some lowly knight that you absolutely hated, but…” he smiled, “I’m glad I was wrong.”

“I never hated you,” Zelda said with a shake of her head, “I was jealous that you fulfilled your destiny so quickly and I didn’t.”

Link shrugged. “Everything happens for a reason, princess.”

“And why is it,” she pouted, “That you were able to talk to the goddess statues and I wasn’t?” By then, they had crossed the bridge over the river, reaching their little house.

“‘Cause Hylia likes me,” he said with a wink, but Zelda scoffed.

“Hylia thinks you’re a pain,” she said flatly.

Link raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?” he said in a low voice. Zelda opened her mouth to respond, but he swept an arm around her waist, pressing her back into the door. She gasped lightly, and her heart broke into a run at their close proximity as well as his sultry gaze. “If I’m such a pain,” he murmured, his eyes flickering to her lips, “Then why are you still living in my house?”

Zelda swallowed as cool perspiration dampened her skin. “Because I-you…you said I could stay here and…” She trailed off, gazing at his lips.

“Uh-huh?” he whispered, inching closer.

“And you were trying to be nice,” she murmured.

Link grinned. “And…?”

“And I love you.”

“That’s what I thought.” Link closed the distance between them, kissing Zelda with a fiery passion, or at least as fiery as could be out in the open. With his lips still on hers, Link felt around for the doorknob and pushed Zelda inside, closing the door with his foot. He broke away with a sharp inhale and picked her up in his arms, sending Zelda into a fit of giggles as he took her into the living room. He carefully deposited her on one couch and lovingly attacked her with his lips again.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this,” Link said when Zelda pulled away for air. He settled into the crook of her neck, keeping a tight hold around her waist.

Zelda giggle and ran a hand through his hair, removing his cap and setting it on the couch. “I must admit,” she said, “I think I have some idea.”

Link planted a kiss on her neck. “Then perhaps you wouldn’t mind taking this upstairs? Half the town thinks you’re having my baby, anyway.” He made a move to kiss her again, but Zelda pushed him away, standing abruptly.

“I beg your pardon, good sir!” she said, crossing her arms with a pout and underlying amusement, “But I am a princess! Not some lady of the night for to have your way with!”

He looked at her with confusion. “Wait…what? Since when do you call yourself a princess?”

“Not me,” Zelda shook her head, “You have been calling me a princess.”

“Okay,” Link said, standing and taking her hands in his. “I’ll stop calling you 'princess.'”

“Oh, no, no, no,” she said with a smug grin, pulling her hands away and crossing her arms again. “You can’t have it both ways, Link. Either treat me like a princess or don’t. And you’ve chosen the former.”

“Well, I didn’t know you were going to be a prude about it!” he said, throwing his hands in the air.

Zelda chuckled. “Your mistake.” Link scoffed and fell back on the couch.

“Unbelievable,” he muttered with a pout.

“Well,” Zelda said, making her way to the staircase, “It’s been an exciting evening, but I think I’m going to turn in for the evening. Good night, my love!”

“You’re the worst,” he muttered.

Zelda stopped with her hand on the railing. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, what was that?” she said, even though she had heard him perfectly, merely wanting to taunt him with the pet name.

Link looked right at her. “I said ‘you’re the worst’!” He pouted some more and Zelda giggled.

“Yup.” She turned around and ascended the staircase.

“I hate you.”

“No, you don’t,” she replied, the smug air never leaving her voice.

Link groaned because she was right.

…

The mysterious man and woman pushed through the crowds of people in the small town, but they couldn’t find the hero or the princess anywhere. They didn’t know if the two were still out on the streets, at the inn, or had gone back home to wherever they were hiding. The woman let out a growl of frustration.

“Worry not, Sedu,” the man said to her, “We will find them in time.”

Sedu whirled on him, pinning him with an icy glare. “But what if we don’t, Dusta?” she spat. “What if our only chance at resurrecting Lord—” She paused and glanced around at the bustling crowds. “—Him was by catching them tonight?”

“Since we can’t find them,” Dusta said, “It doesn’t matter. Have some faith. There’s only two of them and an entire clan of us. They may have divine blood, but we, too, have a god on our side.”

Sedu sighed and gave a small nod. “You’re right,” she muttered.

“Now, come along.” Dusta placed a hand on her shoulder and directed her towards the barn once again. “Let us enjoy the evening. We are in no hurry to find those monsters tonight.”

Sedu let him pull her along, but, as the evening wore on, thoughts of revenge never wavered from her mind.

Chapter Text

Zelda gathered her coat tighter around herself as she walked to the market. Though winter was fast approaching, they had not had any snowfall, but that would be any day now. She had to stock up on food storage while she could. She consulted the list Link had given her, marking each item off the list as she got it. He had already gotten grains and other things kept in large bags but had asked her to get some smaller items while he finished up work. She was about to go home when a traveler caught her attention-a Goron with an array of spices before him.

“Excuse me, miss,” he said, flashing her a grin, “Could I interest you in some of my world famous Goron spice?” Zelda looked at the little bottles, reading the different lables. “This one,” he continued, holding up a bottle, “Is our original flavor, best seller, and an older recipe than the Calamity itself. But this one,” he held up another bottle, tinted a bit more orange than the first, “Is a brand new blend, formulated for the extra daring connoisseurs of spice.”

Zelda took the bottle from his hand and looked it over. “Extra daring, you say?” It would be a lovely surprise for Link, who would finish work after the market closed. She could even give it to him for Yuletide. “I’ll take one of these.” She handed over a few rupees and left the market, finally reaching her home. She threw a few logs into the wood burning stove, stoking the fire before she went upstairs.

Zelda pulled open the second drawer from the top on the left side of the dresser, the drawer containing Link’s tops. Each one was neatly folded and right where she had left them after putting the laundry away last night. She glanced over her shoulder, finding herself alone in the house, and pulled out the Champion’s tunic.

She liked the cut of it, but he wore it too often. She folded it up again and put it away before pulling out his lobster shirt. It was one of his favorites, but she didn’t like the neckline. She put that one away and pulled out the Gerudo blouse he got in the desert. She chuckled and put it in her own drawer. Zelda let out a sigh, looking at the clothes with a critical eye.

With the air getting colder and Yuletide drawing near, she was running out of time to make Link’s gift. She intended to copy a tunic of his into a pattern for a special new one, making the garment with the precious silk she bought at the Harvest Festival. She could have drafted a pattern using his measurements, but she didn’t remember what they were and didn’t want him to catch on to her plan by measuring him over again. So she had to use a tunic he already had.

It had been a long time since she had sewn anything, and Zelda wasn’t sure if she had retained that skill after her hundred year quarantine, so she purchased yards and yards of muslin for mock-ups. There was no way she would mess up the final piece; the silk was too expensive.

Zelda reached into Link’s drawer one last time and pulled out his Tunic of the Wild. It was simple in design and didn’t have any sleeves, but she could draft those easily and its cut allowed for plenty of embroidery. She smiled.

“Perfect.”

Zelda closed the drawer to the dresser and took the tunic downstairs to the kitchen table where her tailor’s paper, pencil, and scissors sat waiting. She flipped the tunic inside-out before laying it down on the paper and traced around it, cloning the tunic into a usable pattern.

“Link is going to love this!” she squealed to herself.

As she admired her drawn pattern, imagine what type of embroidery she would do, she heard the front door open. She looked up with wide eyes to find Link striding in with a smile.

“Link!” Zelda said, clasping his tunic behind her back and stepping in front of the table to hide her work. She swallowed and smiled widely. “You’re home.”

“Yes, I am, Princess.” He smiled and swept her into his arms, giving her a deep kiss. She took that opportunity to shove his tunic into the back of her skirt before wrapping her arms around him and returning his kiss.

They had only been in a relationship for a few weeks, and Zelda was still getting used to it. She loved being able to show affection whenever she wanted, but it was a bit much sometimes. Growing up a princess meant that she had to always be proper around men, a habit that she didn’t necessarily want to break. Link would occasionally suggest going beyond what she would deem proper for an unwed couple, so she would decline. Of course he was disappointed, but he never pushed her to do anything she didn’t want to do. She was grateful for that because, if she was being honest with herself, she was not ready for anything too intimate. She didn’t fault him for his desires, but she didn’t give in either.

Link released her too soon, looking lovingly into her eyes. “How was school today, my love?” he asked, sending a giddy rush through her stomach. Zelda smiled.

“Insane, as usual,” she said. “Sefaro twisted his ankle at recess and the kids tried to doctor him themselves without telling me.”

Link chuckled. “You managed to help him eventually, right?” Zelda nodded. “I for one know that you are an excellent doctor. I should start calling you Dr. Zelda.” She laughed and Link cocked his head. “But it doesn’t have the same ring to it as ‘Princess.’”

She rolled her eyes, pushing him away. “I’d prefer ‘Doctor’ actually,” she said, putting her hands on her hips.

Link laughed again, his eyes straying to her project on the kitchen table. “What are you working on?” he said.

Zelda’s stomach contracted nervously. “I-I was just working on a little something for-for Impa. Yes! Um, I thought I would make her a nice little tunic for Yuletide.” She swallowed and hoped her lie was convincing, mentally adding Impa to her list of gift recipients.

“That’s nice,” Link said. “So, what’s for dinner?” He turned to the kitchen and began combing through their cabinets. Zelda let out an internal sigh of relief that he hadn’t pressed the subject.

“I’m in the mood for rice balls,” she replied, gathering up her sewing supplies and taking them upstairs.

“I have some quail that’ll go nicely,” he called from the kitchen.

“Ooh, quail sounds delicious,” she said, extracting his tunic from her skirt and shoving it in his drawer.

“Only the best for you, Princess.”

Zelda could hear the amusement in the voice and let out a chuckle. She put her supplies back into her craft drawer, alongside the green silk. She ran a hand over the shiny surface and smiled softly.

And only the best for you, Link.

Dinner was delicious as usual, the rice and meat cooked to perfection. Zelda spoke more of work as they ate, making him laugh with stories of the kids’ antics.

“I’m sorry,” she said with a shake of her head, “I’ve been going on and on. How was your day, dear?”

Link shrugged. “It was fine.” She waited for him to continue, but he didn’t say anything else.

“Did anything exciting happen?”

“We found out one of the goats is pregnant,” he said, with a shrug, “So that’s kind of fun, I guess.”

“That’s cute,” she giggled. “Did you know that goats have rectangular pupils?” She went off on a tangent about the biology of goats until the end of dinner. Most of it went over Link’s head, but the situation amused him greatly. He took in none of it, instead watching her with his cheek resting in his palm and a small smile on his face which remained throughout the meal, during a short nightcap of lavender tea in the living room, and when she excused herself to work on her tunic, leaving him alone on the couch.

Zelda began her project, pushing down the anxiety that Link would realize that it was for him. She could feel his eyes on her as she worked on drafting his tunic at the kitchen table, and she glanced back at him, catching him look her up and down. She chuckled softly to herself, knowing that his mind probably wasn’t on the tunic.

“Zelda,” he said in almost a whining voice, “Come cuddle with me.”

“Shush. I need to focus,” she said.

He scoffed. “Focus some other time.” Link stood up and slowly made his way over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “I want to kiss you,” he whispered.

“You can kiss me some other time,” she replied with a smirk. Link didn’t say anything after that, instead moving her long hair onto one shoulder and pressing a kiss onto her neck. And, just like that, her focus was gone. She sighed and put down her pencil. “You know, sometimes I really don’t like you.”

Link murmured a laugh and pulled her onto the couch, capturing her lips with his. It made her shiver even though he had her locked in his warm arms, nestled between himself and the back of the couch. Zelda could taste a hint of lavender whenever their tongues touched. She hummed happily against his lips, running her fingers through his hair and feeling his arms tighten around her in response. When she pulled away for a breath, he moved his lips to her neck, sucking on her delicate skin. She giggled and pushed him away.

“That tickles.” Link didn’t comment, putting his lips on hers again.

Zelda wasn’t sure how long they remained in each other’s arms, but when the kisses subsided into whispered declarations only meant for each other and wide yawns, she coaxed her love upstairs and into his bed.

“Sweet dreams,” she murmured, planting a kiss on his forehead.

“Make me,” he muttered cheekily, letting out another yawn.

She chuckled. “I’ll try my best.”

“I love you,” he said.

She couldn’t stop the grin exploding on her face. “I love you, too.”

Zelda eventually finished the first mock-up of her tunic, making note of the flaws. They were small, but the tunic had to be perfect. When she made the second mock-up, she corrected those flaws and found that new ones had taken their place. With the third mock-up, she managed to correct both sets of flaws, and, after the forth, she was ready to move onto the final product.

She held her scissors in one hand and the edge of the fabric in the other, but hesitated. What if she messed up and cut a huge slash where she hadn’t meant to? The fabric was so expensive, and she didn’t want to ruin it. But she took a breath and began to cut out the pieces, one at a time.

Link watched from the loft, but didn’t interrupt (for she had told him not to). And it was a good thing he didn’t because, if he had, her nerves would’ve sent her hand careening off some direction and destroying her precious fabric. When finished cutting out each piece, she set the excess off to the side and began to pin her first two pieces together.

She stitched the pieces together carefully, one at a time, anxiety rising whenever she had to unpick her stitches. Normally she wouldn’t have gotten so worked up about a simple tunic, but this one was special. Even moreso than the Champions tunic. This one was made with love. Things were going somewhat smoothly until she had to attach the sleeves, muttering angrily at the garment that refused to lay right. Stupid silk, slipping and sliding all over the place. She worked at it furiously until an uncharacteristic curse fell from her lips.

“I think that’s enough for one night, Princess,” Link finally said. She looked up at him with a small frown.

“But I’m in the zone,” she said, placing her piece down nonetheless.

“I know,” he said, “But it’s late, and you’ve been working yourself to the bone lately. Please come upstairs.”

Zelda sighed and ascended the staircase, disappearing behind the dressing screen and changing into her nightgown. “I have not been working myself to the bone,” she muttered, reappearing and sitting at the desk and picking up her hairbrush. “I just want to make sure y-Impa’s gift is perfect.” She lifted the brush to her hair, but Link gently took it from her hand.

“It doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect,” he said, slowly drawing the brush through her golden locks, massaging her head. “She’s going to love it no matter what. Because you made it for her. She’ll see the love you put into it with every stitch.”

Zelda smiled softly. “I hope so.”

“So what are getting for me?” Link asked with an impish grin, and she chuckled.

“You’ll find out,” she said in a sing-song voice.

“Is it a new horse?” Zelda laughed again. “A new sword?”

“You’ll find out on Yuletide,” she insisted, reaching back to pat his leg.

“Oh, I know what it is,” he said matter-of-factly. Zelda rolled her eyes.

“What?”

“A diamond encrusted frying pan!” She laughed out loud.

“Yes!” she said, “How did you know?!”

“Clairvoyance,” Link laughed, “Actually, no, I read your diary, and it said that was what you were getting me.”

“Oh, really?” she said, “What else did it say?”

Link set the brush down and bent over her, hugging her around the shoulders. “It said,” he murmured in her ear, “That you love me very much. And that you really, really love…when I call you ‘Princess.’”

“Oh, please!” Zelda laughed, removing his hands from her. She stood and crossed her arms at him. “I can assure you that I did not write that.”

Link mirrored her pose with a smirk. “But I read it with my own two eyes, my dear.”

“Well, your own two eyes were lying to you.” Zelda brushed past him, with her nose in the air, but couldn’t stop herself from giggling as she climbed into bed. Link chuckled as he put out the lights before settling into his own bed muttering unintelligibly to himself. She tried to make out the words, but found herself drifting off.

“I love you, too,” he finally said in a normal volume.

Zelda grinned to herself in the darkness. “I love you more.”

Link laughed once. “Debatable…Zelda?”

“Hmm?”

He didn’t say anything else for the longest time, and she thought he had fallen asleep, but he spoke again.

“Do you think that…you and I would be good together in the long run?”

She looked over at him, seeing his black silhouette against the light coming from the Great Flameblade mounted downstairs, but she could tell he was looking at her.

“Like…If we were to someday get married…”

Zelda was suddenly wide awake.

“…Would you be happy?”

“Yes,” she said instantly, “Yes, I would.”

“Me too.” She could hear the smile in his voice. “Well,” he yawned, “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” she said, stilted.

Goodnight? Goodnight?! That’s all he had to say after dropping such a bomb?! It wasn’t a proposal, but still! How could he not have more to say? Zelda opened her mouth to speak, but his gentle snores cut her off. She huffed out a sigh.

She tossed and turned all night long, unable to fall asleep. How long had Link been thinking about this? Was he planning on proposing to her in the near future? The distant future? Was he just so tired that he wasn’t talking sensibly? Zelda tried to calm down, reminding herself that she could speak to him about it in the morning, but she couldn’t put her thoughts to bed.

Was she even fit to be a wife? Sure, she knew a bit of housekeeping, but she was a princess for Hylia’s sake (Ex princess, she mentally added). She knew more about diplomacy than housekeeping, strategic war than child-rearing, and knew more about manners than she would ever learn about cooking. How could she hope to be a halfway decent wife when she didn’t possess any traits that Link needed in a spouse and companion.

But it only matters that we love each other, she reminded herself. Even if I have my faults, so does he. She would speak to him, really find out exactly what he needed from her and hope she could provide it. But what if she couldn’t? Zelda frowned, picturing the scenarios where she couldn’t give Link everything he possibly wanted and he ended up leaving her. He would tell her they made a mistake and she would try to explain that she could do better, but it was no use. He didn’t love her and he never truly did.

Before Zelda knew it, soft sunlight shined in from the windows. She let out a groan, realizing that she hadn’t slept a wink.

She turned on her side and faced Link. He slept soundly on, unaware of her quandary. Surely he really did love her, didn’t he? She sat up on her bed and reached over to him, shaking him awake. He jolted and gasped, eyes flying open and finding her face over his.

“Zelda? What’s wrong?” He sat bolt upright and looked her over in alarm. “Did something happen? Are you unwell?” He pressed his hand to her forehead, presumably to feel for a fever.

“I’m fine,” she said, but the pain behind her eyes couldn’t be ignored. “I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Could you be coming down with a cold?” Link asked, but before Zelda could respond, he stood from the bed. “I’ll make you a tincture.” He rushed downstairs before she could stop him and she tiredly stood up to follow.

“I’m fine, Link,” she said, watching him gather ingredients for a cold remedy.

“Are you sure?” he asked, sparing her a glance before returning to his work. “You don’t seem your usual self.” He opened a jar and grabbed a spoon, but before he could begin measuring out ingredients, she stopped him with a hand on his arm.

“I’m not sick, dear,” she said, “I’m just…” She sighed and rubbed her eyes.

“Are you on your cycle?” he asked. Zelda chuckled once and shook her head.

“No, it’s not that.” She lowered her hands, giving him a shy look. “It’s what you said last night.”

Link gave her a blank stare. “Oh. Oh.” He chuckled sheepishly. “I’m sorry if I made you worry. Though that isn’t very hard to do,” he muttered.

Zelda chose to ignore that last part. “Were you serious?” she asked, hugging her arms around herself. “About wanting to marry me?”

Link smiled, crinkling the corners of his eyes. “Yes, I am serious. I would like to marry you, if that’s alright.” She returned his smile and nodded.

“It is alright,” she said, “I love you more than anything. But I have to ask what brought this on.”

“Well,” Link turned around and began to put away the ingredients he had taken out of the cupboards, “I love you, and you love me, so marriage just seems like the next obvious step, right? The way I see it is you’re the only person I could possibly want to be with, Zelda. You’re just…I mean, you’ve always been there, you know.” He shrugged, turning back around and leaning casually against the counter. “I just think we’re good together.”

Zelda nodded slowly. “So you really do love me?” she asked guardedly. “You won’t ever…change your mind?”

“My mind is made up,” he said resolutely. “I love you more than my own life, and I’ll keep you safe for as long as I live.”

Zelda nodded slowly. “Oh. Good. So is this a proposal?” she asked with a raised eyebrow and soft smile, but Link chuckled.

“Oh no, love,” he said with a shake of his head, “I still have to plan that little detail out. But I think you’ll be surprised.”

“Maybe,” Zelda laughed, but then sighed, “I suppose I should get ready for school.”

“It’s Saturday, Princess.”

“Oh, excellent!” she said, brightening, “Then I can work on my tunic now.”

“Nuh, uh,” Link said, taking her by the shoulders and directing her upstairs. “You are getting some sleep, young lady.”

“Oh, but I still have so much to do!”

“Off to bed with you!” Link pushed her into her bed and tucked her into the blankets, planting a kiss on her forehead and crawling back into his own bed. “I’ll wake you up when I deem appropriate,” he said, giving her a wink. Zelda rolled her eyes, but settled in, soon falling asleep from exhaustion.

Zelda sat before the Yultide tree that she and Link had set up, working on the tunic. She stared at it intently, brow furrowed in concentration. The embroidery was so complex and tedious that she nearly gave up altogether. But no. She was going to finish it for Link so he would know how much she loved him. Not that he didn’t know; she only wanted to make sure. Just a few more stitches until…

It was finally finished. After weeks of toil, a beautiful tunic now sat before Zelda, reflecting its green light in her eyes. She had accented the silk with golden embroidery depicting little scenes of heroes past around the collar, hem, and sleeves. Originally, she had planned to do a simple leaf pattern, but, after hearing prideful yet well-meaning whispers in her ear, she decided to pay homage to her love’s ancestry.

Zelda folded the tunic and placed it in its box, wrapping it in a festive fabric and tying a bow around the gift. She took a breath and set it under the Yuletide tree with the small pile of presents waiting to be opened. The gifts came from their friends all over Hyrule, as well as a bag holding the little bottle of Goron spice she had purchased several weeks before, but Zelda eyed the two gifts from Link, wondering what they were.

Both packages were about the size of her two hands placed next to each other and only a few inches tall. She tested the weights in either hand and found that, while they were both roughly the same size, one was much heavier than the other by at least a couple pounds. So they couldn’t be a pair of something. Did they correlate in some way?

She wouldn’t find out until the next day, Yuletide morning. Oh, but she itched to know right then! She gently shook the heavier of the two, but it was solid and unmoving. She set the box down and shook the lighter one, feeling a slight shift in the weight of the contents. Her fingers drifted to the ribbon wrapped around the package. It would only be just a peek…

The front door flew open behind her, and the gift nearly toppled from her hands. Zelda quickly replaced the box on the ground and jumped up, spinning around to see Link walking through the door.

“Link, my dear!” she cried, flying into his arms before he could brush the snow off himself. “You’re back from the shop.”

He chuckled and gave her a peck on the lips. “I was only gone for twenty minutes, love.”

“Well,” she said, “I’m just happy to see you.” She stepped to block his view of the tree, hoping he wouldn’t notice any tampering that might have been done to the gifts. “So,” she peeked at the package he carried under one arm, “What did you get?”

“Some fresh veal for dinner tonight.” He set the package down on the counter and began stripping off layers of snow-covered articles, hanging them by the door. “I wanted everything to be perfect for tonight,” he said, “So I had to get some meat from the butcher’s. Anything I hunted for would’ve been far too gamey.” He kicked off his boots and went to unwrap the package of meat. Zelda recognized the intense focus in his eyes, usually reserved for training. She knew this would be a delicious, artisan meal.

“You didn’t have to do that, love,” she said, hugging him from behind, but he paid her no mind, going about prepping ingredients. “I’m happy with whatever you cook me.”

“Only the best for you, Princess,” he reminded her.

She rolled her eyes with amusement. Typical.

“Well,” she said, “Let me know if you need any help.”

Link only hummed in reply, but she couldn’t tell if it was in affirmation, apprehension, or non-committal. It didn’t matter though. She would bother him regardless.

As Link cooked, Zelda went about decorating the dining table with pinecones, wild berries, and mistletoe.

“A kiss from my sweetie?” she asked, holding a sprig above his head. Link grinned and complied, giving her a wet smack on the lips, but otherwise seemingly ignored her presence, too busy cooking to give her more than one word answers to direct questions. Zelda tutted softly, reminiscing about their days as princess and knight one hundred years before. But she preferred the chef over the knight.

But he probably had a lot on his mind back then, what with the pressures they both faced. And it wasn’t as if he was without troubles these days either. He still had to take care of her, work on the ranch, be mindful of the Yiga. Surely he had much to think about. Her mind drifted to their conversation of marriage the other day. Yes. Much to think about…

“I remember,” Link said, snapping her out of her thoughts. “It was the Yuletide,” he continued, “The season I made it into the guard. Father and I were invited to the Yule Ball. He kept trying to get me to talk to you, but I was too embarrassed.” He chuckled lightly.

Zelda cast her mind about for the evening he referred to. “All I remember about that night was that I had done my makeup wrong but didn’t have time to fix it,” she said, “And I spent the whole night with green eyeshadow all over my eyes.” Link chuckled again.

“Well,” he said, “You looked stunningly beautiful that night. And every night since.”

“Do you remember anything else?” she asked delicately.

He shrugged, adding a dash of cream to the sauce before him. “Only that the rice hors d'oeuvres were not as good as some Sheikah recipes I’ve had.” He grabbed the roast from the oven as Zelda laughed, turning to set it on the table. She helped him transfer all their dishes to the dining area, trying not to let her mouth water too much. Lastly, Link grabbed a cold bottle of milk from the icebox, pouring them both a glass before sitting down.

“A toast,” he said, raising his glass, “To the princess of Hyrule.”

Zelda gave him a flat look. “And a toast to Hyrule’s biggest doofus,” she said, quirking an eyebrow at him.

“I’ll drink to that.” He grinned and tapped his glass to hers. The each drank deeply, savoring the taste of milk.

Zelda awoke slowly, blinking at the light filtering through the windows. She rubbed her eyes, disoriented and sat up, yawning widely and looking around. She found herself on one of the couches downstairs with multiple quilts tucked haphazardly around her, spilling onto the floor to cover a still sleeping Link. They were both in their clothes from the evening before. She laughed as she recalled what had transpired, they two speaking late into the night until falling asleep in the living room

She smiled at her sleeping knight and shook his shoulder lightly. Link sucked in a gasp and jolted suddenly, hitting his foot against the edge of the couch. He let out a small “ow.” Zelda chuckled softly and grinned at him.

“Good morning, dear.”

He yawned but didn’t open his eyes. “Morning, Zelda.”

“Happy Yuletide.”

At that, he peeked at her, giving her a sleepy smile and taking her hand in his. “Happy Yuletide, Princess. What would you like for breakfast? Pancakes? An omelet?”

Zelda laughed and shook her head. “It’s always about food with you, isn’t it?” she said, earning a chuckle out of him.

“Yeah, pretty much.” He sat up with a yawn before leaning close and pressing a kiss to her lips. “Or perhaps we should brush our teeth first,” he said with a wink. Zelda chuckled and nodded, allowing him to help her up and into the bathroom.

“So what did you get me for Yuletide?” she asked, putting toothpaste on her brush.

“You’ll find out,” he snickered.

Zelda thought about what her two gifts might be as they brushed their teeth.

“Eh ih a uw heikah hate?” she asked around her toothbrush.

“Huh?”

She removed the brush and spit the toothpaste out of her mouth. “Is it a new Sheikah slate?” Link laughed and rinsed out his mouth.

“You’ll find out.”

With their mouths clean, the couple retreated back into the main room. Link made for the kitchen to start on breakfast, but Zelda grabbed his arm.

“Presents first,” she insisted, “Then breakfast.”

Link laughed. “As you wish, my dear.”

Zelda excitedly pulled him to the tree and sat on the ground, giving Link the box with his gift in it. “Here you are, love,” she said, her eyes shining. “I hope you like it.”

“You first,” he said, setting down his gift and giving her the smaller of her two. “Open this one first.”

“Alright.” Zelda removed the wrapping from the small box and opened the lid, revealing… “A tiara?” It was a slim, gold tiara encrusted with rubies and sapphires, simple in design but of breathtaking craftsmanship.

“A beautiful crown for my beautiful princess,” Link said with a cheesy grin, taking the tiara out of her hands and placing it on her head. Zelda wanted to give him sass for a gift obviously meant to annoy her, but the way he clasped his hands and beamed at her took away her fight. She settled for giving him a flat look and shaking her head. He laughed.

“Now for your second gift,” he said, handing her the larger package. She opened it to reveal a thick volume titled Applied Uses of Ancient Technology.

“Purah wrote this,” she said, noting the author at the bottom of the cover.

“Yup,” Link nodded, “She said that she had published it shortly before I woke up in the Shrine of Resurrection. She was going to mention it to you, but I wanted to surprise you with a copy of your own.”

Zelda grinned, thumbing through the crisp, clean pages just waiting for notes to be scribbled on them. She turned her grin on him, setting the book aside and leaning over for a hug. “Thank you, Link,” she said in his ear.

“I knew you’d like it,” he said, giving her a peck on the cheek as she pulled away. “Now what did you get for me?”

Zelda grinned and watched him open his gift. Link pulled out the tunic with a puzzled look. “Isn’t this the tunic you made for Impa?” he asked.

“Surprise!” she said, “It was actually for you.”

Link smiled and changed into the tunic at once, running his hands along the smooth silk. “Thank you, Princess. I like the little guys on it,” he said, pointing to the embroidered hem.

Zelda laughed. “Oh,” she said, picking up his second gift, “I got this for you too. It’s just a little extra thing.” Link opened the package of spice and beamed radiantly when he saw it.

“Oh I’ve had this once before! Tanko gave me a sample when he was still working on the recipe.” Link jumped up and ran to the kitchen. “Just wait until you try this, Zelda, it’s absolutely phenomenal!” He combed through the cabinets, pulling out various ingredients. “I’ll make you something with it right now!”

Zelda laughed and joined him in the kitchen. “So, I take it you like your gift?”

Link gave her a grin. “I love it! It’s these kinds of things that tell me how much you really love me. And I love my tunic, too,” he said, running his hand over the silk again. “Thank you so much, my love.”

“You’re very welcome,” she laughed, giving him a kiss. “And thank you for my gift as well.”

“Even the crown?” he smirked.

Zelda rolled her eyes. “Even the crown.”

Chapter Text

Straia guided his horse carefully through Gerudo Canyon. If he hurried, he’d make it to the stable before noon. He smiled to himself and urged the horse faster. The sooner he got there, the sooner he could be with his sweetheart, a girl from Gerudo town. Since he lived far away and couldn’t enter the town, they often met up at the stable.

His hand went to his pocket, feeling the ring box resting inside. If all went well, tonight would be the night he proposed. He bit his lip, beginning to sweat, feeling nervous and giddy at the same time. Yes, the sooner he got there the better.

But he had been on his horse for a long while without letting her rest. He slowed to a stop and dismounted for a short break, giving her an apple and treating himself to a stale biscuit.

“So, what do you think, old girl,” Straia asked the horse. “Is she going to say yes?” The horse nickered in response, making him chuckle. “I suppose you’re right. Won’t know until I ask her.” He made to get back on the horse, but a voice stopped him.

“Hey! You there!”

Straia looked around, seeing a lone man walking up the road. He rose a hand in greeting. “Morning.”

“I was wondering if you had a minute to chat,” the stranger said.

“I’m sorry,” Straia said, “I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

“This will only take a second!” he said quickly, grinning brightly.

Straia sighed and gave him an expectant look.

“Have you seen, oh, I don’t know, the princess and hero of old, perchance?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Pardon?”

The stranger chuckled. “You know, the ones from the stories. Have you come across them? I hear they’ve been roaming around somewhere in Hyrule.”

“Uhh…no. I haven’t seen them,” Straia said. “I don’t think many people have. Besides, I’m pretty sure the only people looking for them are the…” he trailed off, blood running cold at the sight of the stranger’s sickly grin. “…Yiga clan.”

The stranger shrugged and chuckled. “Well…” In a puff of smoke, he revealed his true form, a Yiga foot soldier, poised for battle.

Straia let out a cry and leapt onto his horse, urging her into a gallop. Arrows whizzed past his head, and he could hear the laugher of several more Yiga soldiers. An arrow caught his steed’s shoulder, and with a loud whinny, they crashed to the ground. Straia rolled across the dirt, splitting his head on a rock, but he remained conscious. When he managed to push himself up, he found himself surrounded.

“Please,” he said, holding a hand to his wounded temple, “I don’t know anything. Have mercy!”

“Hmm,” the first soldier spoke. “I suppose that would be the good and right thing to do, since you’re ignorant and all…But I think I’m just going to kill you instead.”

He raised a vicious sickle above his head and brought it down on the innocent man, spilling his blood on the soil.

…

Zelda wouldn’t stop snickering, giving Link a side-eye every chance she could. In turn, he shot her glare, making her giggle even more. She had expected him to be a better sport than that, but she supposed the getup was a bit emasculating.

“Excuse me, miss?” she said, breaking the silence, “But could you show me the way to Gerudo town? I’m supposed to meet my super manly boyfriend there.” Link only gave her a flat look over his veil. “Though I guess he wouldn’t even be able to get in, being so macho and all. But I’m sure a cute girl like you wouldn’t have a problem with that.” She went to pinch his cheek, but he swatted her hand away.

“Ha. Ha,” he said without humor, but Zelda laughed anyway.

They had almost reached Gerudo Town, having made a trek throughout Hyrule over the holidays to meet with friends and have an excuse to get out of the house. The desert was by far the warmest place they visited, its climate about the same year round. It was warm enough that Link didn’t have a problem wearing his set of Gerudo clothes. Well, physically he didn’t have a problem with it, but the way Zelda teased him…

“Do you have a boyfriend, honey?” she asked, leaning over to peek at his face. Link sighed.

“Please tell me you aren’t going to act like this the whole time we’re here,” he said tiredly.

“Act like what?” she grinned. “We’re just two sweet girls visiting Gerudo Town and doing all the girly things that girls like to do.” She bumped her hip with his.

“One of us is a cute girl,” propping one hand on his adorned hip. He smirked and gave her a wink. “And the other is a goddess.” Zelda giggled, leaning in to kiss his veiled mouth. Link laughed and pushed her away gently. “Stop, the guards are going to see!” he whispered, gesturing to the gate, about a hundred yards away.

“See what?” she laughed. “That’s what girls do when they’re friends!”

“I’m sure it isn’t,” he said with a shake of his head. “But what do girls really do when they get together with friends?”

Zelda paused. “I’m not really sure. The only friends I had growing up were Impa and Purah. But we didn’t really do girly things together…I suppose we could talk about boys and do each other’s makeup. Dress up in fancy clothes.” She grinned and poked his side. “But you’ve already done that, haven’t you?”

“I’m only doing this for practical reasons, you know,” he huffed and crossed his arms. “You’re lucky you can walk freely without a face covering. It gets hot in this thing.”

Zelda gave him a small pout. “Oh, boo hoo, the hero can’t handle wearing a mask?” she teased.

Link rolled his eyes. “I can handle it; I’m just saying it’s inconvenient.”

Zelda continued to poke and prod his ego as they made their way through the gate of town. Her eyes lit up as she looked around at the various shops and open-air markets, as well as the people milling about the town square.

“It looks exactly as I remember…” she said in awe. But her face darkened. “Except for the people, though.”

He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “They’re all very nice,” he said. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.” He pulled her to a little clothing store called Fashion Passion as a woman finished dressing a mannequin outside the establishment. “Saula!” he called out to her. She turned around and grinned.

“Link! My dear,” she said brightly, “It has been far too long since I’ve seen you around these parts. And who’s your cute, little friend?”

“This is my girlfriend, Zelda.” She gave a hello and was about to say something else, but Link spoke ahead of her. “I told her about your shop once and she’s been dying to try on some outfits.” Zelda raised an eyebrow at him, and he winked in response.

“Oh, of course!” Saula cried, “Come in, come in!” She led the two into her shop full of luxurious silk garments, glittering bedazzled belts, and chiffon veils. Zelda could recall similar shops in Gerudo Town from before the Calamity, but Saula’s was new to her. “We have the biggest selection in town,” she said. She looked Zelda up and down critically. “For you, I’m thinking of a cute bralette and sarong.” She plucked a few things from a rack and handed them to her, ushering her into the dressing room. Zelda looked at the clothes with a grin and pulled the curtain shut. As Link waited for Zelda to change, someone else walked into the shop.

“Sav’otta, Link,” Chief Riju said, coming in with Buliara in tow. “Here for a new sirwal?”

He chuckled. “Actually I’m here with my girlfriend. She’s in the dressing room,” he said gesturing. “Say ‘hi,’ Zelda!”

“Just a minute!” she called.

“Zelda?” Riju said, raising her eyebrow. “Do you mean who I think you do?”

“Perhaps,” he shrugged.

“If I may, I’d like to speak with her,” she said, looking too serious for someone as young as she.

“Actually…” Link looked to Buliara. She was more than capable of protecting Zelda if he slipped away for a bit. “I have to go run an errand, so you can speak freely without my…prying ear.”

“Thank you,” Riju said with a smile.

“Zelda,” Link called, “I have to go out for a bit. Chief Riju and her guard are here to speak with you.”

“Are you sure?”

“You’ll be fine!” he said with a chuckle. “See you later!”

Link cast one last glance at the dressing room curtain before rushing out the door. He didn’t think Buliara was incapable of defending his princess in case of a Yiga attack, but he didn’t want to push his luck. He made a beeline for Starlight Memories, the jewelers.

“Sav’aaq, Link,” Isha greeted him, having just finished up with another customer as he walked in. “How can I help you?”

“Well,” he rubbed the back of his neck bashfully, “I’m looking for a ring—an engagement ring.”

Isha’s eyes lit up, sparkling brighter than her wares. “Well,” she said excitedly, “You’ve certainly come to the right place!”

She led him to a counter with various diamond rings displayed behind glass. “I’m always fascinated by the Hylian way of proposing. So tell me; how did he do it? A candlelit dinner? A picnic by the beach? Did his little brother spoil the whole thing and he got mad at him for blowing the secret?!”

“Actually, I’m proposing to my girlfriend,” Link said. He scanned the rings in front of him, trying to decide which one Zelda would like best.

Isha gasped and let out a squeal. “How are you going to do it?”

He looked up with a small grimace. “I don’t actually know.”

“Well, every woman is different. Just put your heart into it!”

He chuckled and agreed, turning his attention back to the jewels.

“So, what style were you thinking?” she asked.

“Hmm…” Link honestly didn’t have a clue what he was thinking. “I want something…royal-looking. She’s my princess, so it has to be grand.”

“In that case,” Isha unlocked the back door of the case and pulled out a display of several rings with square shaped diamonds, “I would suggest a princess cut.”

Link grinned. “A princess cut, eh?”

“We have several options in stock that we can resize for you, or you can order a custom band from our catalogue,” she continued, placing a pamphlet in front of him with sketches of different bands and short descriptions of each. He briefly flicked through it until his eyes landed on a design that looked like the tiara he had given Zelda for Yuletide. In fact, he had ordered it from that very catalogue a traveling saleswoman had shown him several months before. His princess would have a matching set.

“I’d like this band,” he said, pointing, “And the princess cut diamond.”

Isha circled his choice with a pen and made some notes beside it. “What metal would you like? Gold, sterling silver, platinum, or rose-gold?”

“Gold.”

Isha made another note before asking, “Do you know what size she is?”

“Yup.” Link pulled a ring off his pinky, one of Zelda’s that he had borrowed to “sell the look” as he had put it (to throw off any of her suspicions). He placed the ring in front of Isha, which she took and placed on a conical dowel with markings and numbers going up the side.

“Six and a half,” she said. “If it needs any adjustments, we can resize it, free of charge.”

“Thank you.”

“Okay,” Isha replaced the sample rings she had shown him and locked them up, “I should have the ring ready in two days’ time, but you can pick it up any time after that.”

“Perfect,” Link grinned. He and Zelda would be there all weekend, so the timeframe worked perfectly. He gave Isha a down payment and swiftly left for Fashion Passion again.

Upon returning, he saw that Riju and Buliara were admiring Zelda’s new clothes as Saula scurried around, piling accessories on her person. They laughed and grinned as Zelda twirled about, showing off her royal purple outfit, a bralette and sarong trimmed in gold, a turquoise belt, and gold jewelry. Her hair was pulled back into a double-banded  ponytail and a circlet rested above her brow. Her high heeled shoes matched her dress, but Link didn’t think they’d be practical in the desert. Perhaps woman had better balance than men… Zelda grinned when she saw him, almost skipping up to his side.

“What do you think?” she asked, spinning around for him. “Do I look positively stunning?”

Link bit his lip, scanning her form with his eyes. “Yes,” he replied. “You always look stunning. Especially when I can see you belly button.” He gave it a poke, making Zelda giggle.

“I’m just glad they had clothes in my size.”

“We always have Hylian sizes in stock for tourists,” Saula said, adjusting one of Zelda’s armbands. “And I must say you wear them exceptionally well.”

“Thank you very much,” she laughed.

Zelda and Riju shopped for a long while more. Link sat on an ottoman by the dressing room, flicking through the pictures he had taken on the Sheikah slate and trying to not let boredom settle in. He resorted to taking pictures of his hands, zooming in on his skin texture for no reason other than it gave him something to do. Zelda suggested shopping for clothes with them, but he already had women’s clothes to get into the town, so he didn’t bother. He just continued taking pictures, even sneaking a few of her. After nearly an eternity, the two girls payed for their things, and were ready to leave.

“Would you like to rest for a bit at the palace?” Riju asked. “Travelling through the desert is no easy task.”

“That would be wonderful, thank you,” Zelda said. She grabbed Link’s hand, pulling him along with her as she inquired after Gerudo Town’s well-being over the past one hundred years, which was uneventful due to their military prowess. Riju led them up to her private chambers, inviting them to take a seat and relax while Buliara stationed herself outside on the balcony.

“Thank you very much for having us here,” Zelda said, crossing one leg over the other in the most distracting manner.

“It is an honor to have the Princess Zelda in my hall, as well as her esteemed knight,” Riju replied, extending her hand to him. Link nodded once before letting his eyes drift back to Zelda. She didn’t seem to notice, continuing her conversation.

Gerudo clothes really did suit her, showing off her impeccable figure and toned legs. He liked her with her hair up, too. It gave him easier access to her neck (which he would’ve taken advantage of had they not been in the company of a minor who also happened to be their diplomatic equal). The gold accents went well with her skin tone, tanned from the sun apart from her stomach, which didn’t see the sun much. He wondered what else didn’t see the—

“Link?”

“Huh?” he said, looking up, feeling heat on his face and ears.

“Are you listening?” Zelda chuckled.

“Um, no.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry.”

“I was only wondering,” Riju said, “why you always where the veil over your face.”

“Well, I can’t very well come into town without it,” he said with a shrug.

“You could wear makeup,” she said.

Zelda looked at him with a gleam in her eye that he didn’t like. He could hardly give his dissent before the two girls were pulling him off the couch and dragging him to Riju’s vanity. They set to work, powdering up his face and eyes, rouging his cheeks and lips, and even going as far as curling his hair into ringlets with a hot iron. Link had never felt so un-manly before, which was saying a lot considering he had basically flirted his way into getting free boots once or twice.

Zelda squealed at her finished product, shoving a mirror in Link’s face. He grimaced. Though he would admit that his natural features weren’t the most rugged, he couldn’t even pass as male looking as he did then. Purple eyeshadow and deep blue liner drawn into sharp wings made his already large eyes look even bigger, rosy-pink lipstick accentuated the pout that he didn’t realize he had, and the soft pink blush combined with a blinding highlighter made his round face look downright babyish.

“You’re beautiful,” Zelda whispered in awe. He regrettably agreed. “What else should we do to you?”

“No!” Link stood up, fending off the makeup brushes they stuck in his face. “You two do each other’s makeup! I’m going to get some fresh air.” He stalked out of the room, hearing their giggles behind him, and onto the balcony.

The first signs of night colored the sky orange, mirroring the dunes below, and casting the entire town in a warm glow. Link looked down on the people milling about in the square, living peacefully, happily. That was when he heard a quiet sob. He glanced over to see Buliara on the opposite end of the balcony with her face in her hands, shoulders shaking with gentle cries. He didn’t quite know what to make of the sight as he had always taken her to be tough, courageous, and determined. What could have made her so upset? He slowly approached.

“Buliara?” he asked softly.

Her head snapped up, and her back went ramrod straight as she stood at attention. “Champion Link,” she said powerfully, belying her previous tears.

“Are you alright?”

“Perfectly fine.” Her tone left little room for argument.

Link sighed through his nose and turned to face town square once again. Badgering would get him nowhere with the stubborn woman, but he didn’t want to leave her by herself when something was bothering her.

“Might I ask why you are made up like a doll?” she asked before he could think of anything to say.

Link laughed awkwardly. “Zelda and Riju were having a bit of fun with me,” he said with a shake of his head.

A small chuckled escaped Buliara’s lips. “Bless you for putting up with them.”

“Ah, anything for Zelda.” He gave a dismissive wave of his hand.

They said nothing more after that, continuing to gaze at the town in the setting sun until she spoke again.

“You two must love each other a lot,” she said quietly.

He nodded. “Yes.”

Silence again.

Link was about to excuse himself to return to Zelda’s side when Buliara spoke once more.

“I was supposed to meet with my boyfriend this morning at the Gerudo Canyon Stable, but he never showed,” she said. Link looked over at her silently, allowing her to continue. “After a few hours passed, I went out looking for him, and—” she drew a sharp breath, “And I found his body lying in the road. He appeared to have been killed by the Yiga.”

Link gasped quietly. “The Yiga?”

Buliara nodded. “His w-wounds matched their weapons, and their tracks were everywhere. There were so many. He couldn’t have survived.” Her lip wobbled.

“I’m so sorry,” Link said aghast. “Is there anything I can do? I could return to their hideout and—”

“It’s all but abandoned these days,” she said with a shake of her head. “And you needn’t worry yourself over these matters. Your duty is to the princess. Let us handle the Yiga.”

Link wanted to argue that since the both of them were being hunted by the Yiga anyway, he could worry all he wanted. But he thought better of it, merely nodding.

“You go on and keep the girls company,” Buliara said in an obvious dismissal. He complied; he thought she might want to be alone to mourn her lost loved one. He retreated back into Riju’s quarters, but not before he could hear her cries once again. He allowed himself a small grimace before sliding on his mask of indifference.

Link lay on the bed of their hotel room, stripped to the waist and staring at the ceiling, thinking. He was vaguely aware of Zelda brushing her hair at the little vanity against the wall of the opulent suite, the overhead chandelier the only light in the room as the sun had set an hour or so before. Faint moonlight shown in through the open air balcony of Hotel Oasis’s top floor.

“You’ve been awfully quiet this evening,” Zelda said.

“Aren’t I always?” he asked.

“Not these days.”

Link sat up and looked over at her, expecting her to dig her way through to his innermost thoughts, but she stayed silent, continuing to brush her hair. “I was just thinking,” he said, “About the Yiga…about you…” His eyes fell to the silk bedsheets, fingers absently fiddling with the decorative covers. I spoke with Buliara earlier. She said that her boyfriend was killed by them just this morning.”

Zelda stopped brushing her hair and slowly set the brush down. “That’s a shame,” she said quietly.

“It is,” he whispered.

“And you think…” Zelda began, “That it’ll happen to me.”

“It won’t happen,” Link said with a scowl, looking to her face in the mirror. “Don’t be afraid, Zelda. I refuse to allow anyone to harm you!”

Zelda met his eyes. He couldn’t tell what the expression on her face meant. He expected fear or worry, but she just looked tired.

“I know you won’t,” she said. “That’s why I’m afraid.”

She stood and disappeared behind a dressing screen in the corner of the room next to the balcony. He wasn’t quite sure why there was a changing area open to the entire town, but perhaps it doesn’t matter much when everyone is the same gender. He heard the sliding sound of fabric as she changed out of her Gerudo outfit and reappeared in a swath of silk and lace, a nightgown she had purchased at the shop that day. She crossed the room with the tread of an angel and climbed onto the bed next to Link, hugging her arms around him. He guided her head onto his chest and leaned against the pillows.

“I know you think I’m reckless,” he murmured, running his hand down the length of her hair, “But It’s only because I care about you.”

“I wish that wasn’t the reason,” she whispered. She ran her fingertips across his chest, painting each of his scars with her touch. He shivered.

“I would do anything for you, Zelda,” he said.

She looked up at him with a sad smile, reaching for a kiss. In a good way, Link would never get used to her kisses. So soft, so sweet, and such a great way to truly express how he felt. Link was no good with words, but he could say everything he couldn’t aloud with a kiss.

He couldn’t tell how long they made out, delirious from either ecstasy or lack of sleep, but they eventually settled in for the night. Zelda fell asleep in his arms, and Link would not have had it any other way, for by his side was the safest place for her to hide from her enemies. He knew she hated how protective of her he was, but he couldn’t help it. He died for her once and he would do it again if it meant saving her. He just prayed to the goddesses above that it wouldn’t come to that.

Chapter Text

Link was quiet. Even more so than usual. Quiet and contemplative, giving Zelda wistful looks when he didn’t think she was looking. It was understandable after what he’d heard of Buliara’s lover. He probably worried that the Yiga were going to burst down their front door and murder them both in cold blood. It was a valid worry, but she didn’t want that burden on his shoulders any more than it already was. So she worried too.

Zelda watched him from the corner of her eye as she washed up after dinner. He sat on the couch with his elbows on his knees staring blankly across the room, deep in thought. Or at least he seemed to be. He was staring at the opposite wall, so she couldn’t see his face. She turned off the tap, slowly crossing the room and placing her hands on his shoulders. Link gave a start but relaxed again when she slid her hands down to his chest and bent over him from behind.

“Everything alright, love?” she asked, placing her cheek against his. She could feel his smile.

“Yes, I’m fine,” Link replied, wrapping his fingers around her wrists. “I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

His smile grew wider. “Nothing in particular.”

She turned to look at him. “Nothing? You were staring a hole in the wall about ‘nothing in particular’?”

He met her eye with a sparkle in his. “You know me; I’m a simple-minded guy.”

“Indeed.” Zelda pecked him once on the lips. “But that’s okay. I do enough thinking for the both of us.” She stood up straight and Link followed her up.

“That, you do, Princess.” He grinned and reaching his arms around her waist and under her backside, pulling her over the back of the couch into his lap, making her giggle.

Link kissed her face, neck, shoulders, any bit of skin he could access, making her go red. He settled in at the base of her throat and she experimentally nibbled on the tips of his ears. He seemed to like it, emitting a low growl that rumbled through her neck. She giggled some more.

“Do you know how much I love you?” he murmured, pushing Zelda against the couch cushions and moving his lips to hers.

“How much?” she asked between kisses.

Instead of answering, he intertwined his tongue with hers.

It was well into the night before they settled down, Zelda lounging with Link under her arm, resting his face on her chest, and their legs tangled up together. She drew little designs on his face with the tips of her fingers.

“How much?” she asked again. He shushed her gently.

“I’m sleeping,” he said.

Zelda shook her head. “Little twerp.”

“I heard that.”

“How can you hear if you’re asleep?”

“I…it’s a secret. I just can”

She laughed, making his head bounce gently. “Would you like a pillow?” she asked.

“No, I'm fine,” he said, pressing tighter to her. She laughed but slid out of his grasp, ignoring his pout.

“Off to bed with you,” she tapped him on the nose, “or you’ll pass out right here.”

“Maybe I want to pass out here.” He snatched her up again, pulling her against his chest and running his hand down the length of her hair. “I love you very much, Zelda,” he whispered. She grinned and snuggled closer.

“And I love you very much, Link.”

She caught him staring at her the next day at the grocers as she perused the grains. Zelda looked up, and he smiled warmly. She couldn’t keep the smile off her own face at such a look. Blushing, she went back to shopping.

“Did you want more rice meal, dear?” she asked, breaking whatever tranced he had put himself in. “I’m in the mood for mochi today.”

“Anything for you, love,” he said, pecking her on the cheek as he accepted the bag she handed him. The other patrons in the store pointedly ignored the public display of affection.

“We could make miso soup and mochi ice cream and have a picnic at the beach.” It was nearly spring break, and it had been a long time since Zelda had gone swimming.

“The beach, huh?” Link asked, tapping his chin. A smile grew on his face, splitting it from ear to ear. “That’ll be perfect. Let’s go…this evening.”

“Great! I’ll grab some noodles,” Zelda said, walking to the next aisle. “It’ll go great with that broth you made the other day.”

Link followed her, leaning on the shelf and smiling at her with adoration. She looked back at him.

“What?”

Link chuckled. “Nothing.”

She rolled her eyes and finished gathering their groceries for the week, picking up a few extra ingredients for their picnic before leaving for home again.

After putting away the groceries, Link disappeared into the tool shed. He’d been doing that every so often ever since they returned from their trip to Gerudo town. She often wondered what he was doing in there especially since he forbade her from entering, saying all the sharp tools were too dangerous.

“I don’t see what’s so dangerous,” she had said, “especially since you’ve been training me to use a sword for the past few months.

“Well,” Link rubbed the back of his neck, “There’s a lot of pointy objects sticking out everywhere, and I don’t want anything to poke your eye out.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Zelda scoffed, making a move toward the shed.

“No!” Link stopped her frantically, grabbing her shoulders. She gave him a shocked look. He took a breath, his eyes softening. “Please. I just don’t want to ruin it.”

“Ruin what? The tools?” Zelda was even more confused.

“No. It’s…it’s nothing important,” he said, looking away. Zelda frowned.

“What are you hiding in there?”

“Nothing!” Link said, frantic once again. “...What did you see?”

“Nothing,” Zelda said slowly, crossing her arms. Her eyes flicked to the back of the house and Link’s grip tightened.

“Please don’t go snooping,” he pleaded. “You’ll ruin the surprise.”

Zelda’s eyes flicked back to his. “Surprise?” she asked, her mood sweetening again. She smiled. “What surprise?”

“I don’t think you understand the concept of surprises.”

“Just tell me!”

He didn’t of course, and Zelda had been wondering for over a month what it was Link was hiding in the tool shed.

He came back into the house as Zelda flicked through a cookbook, looking for the mochi ice cream recipe she had once seen. She smiled at him.

“How’s my surprise coming?” she asked. He grinned.

“I should think it’s nearly ready.”

Zelda clapped her hands with a little squeal. “Is it a pet guardian?” she asked.

“I told you already, no hints.”

“You’re no fun,” she pouted.

“But I feed you.”

“That’s true.”

Link set to work making the miso soup while Zelda struggled through the ice cream recipe, spilling milk all over the table. He laughed at her expense, but still offered his help, consoling her with kisses. Soon enough, the picnic basket was packed, and they changed into their swimwear and cover-ups.

It was still early afternoon when they set out, making their way through the village without hurry, stopping to talk to their friends when they passed by, so half an hour had passed by the time they arrived at Hateno Bay.

“So,” Link said, pulling the picnic blanket out of the basket, “Food first or swimming?”

“Food first, I think,” Zelda said, helping him spread the blanket over the sand. “I worked hard on the ice cream and I don’t want it to melt.”

“Good plan, sweet cheeks.”

She opened the picnic basket and spread the food out—miso soup, mushroom skewers, bacon rice balls, mochi ice cream, and milk (the adult kind). Link poured the milk into two wine glasses and gave her one.

“Shall I propose a toast?” he said.

“What are we toasting?” she asked, swirling her glass.

“Hmm…” Link tapped his chin, “How about a toast to the beautiful princess of Hyrule?”

Zelda rolled her eyes. “We are not toasting that.”

Link tutted. “Fine. How about a toast for the most amazing past few months that I’ve gotten to spend with you.”

Zelda smiled warmly. “That I can toast to.” She tapped the rim of her glass to his, and they both took a drink of the sweet milk. She looked out at the ocean waves, letting out a sigh. “Has it really only been a few months?”

“This summer’s end will make a year,” he replied, beginning to load his plate with food.

“It just feels like we’ve been together so much longer.” She took another drink and bit her lip. “It feels like a lifetime ago that you had rescued me from the Calam—”

“No, no. None of that,” Link interrupted, pressing a thermos of soup into her hands. “Today is going to be a fun day, so no moping!”

Zelda chuckled. “You’re right. Let’s enjoy this delicious meal!”

“Say ‘aah’.” Link held out a bite of rice on chopsticks for her to eat, and they began to take turns feeding each other. It started cute, but soon dissolved into trying to catch mushrooms thrown from a distance in their mouths. He had much better aim than she did, but she pretended that she was just better at catching and contributed her bad aim as his inability to do so. Before she could get entirely full, she opened the ice cream and dug in. Link joked that he’d have to beat her off of it with a stick before she could eat it all.

“Are you up for some swimming?” Zelda asked once they had had their fill.

“Aren’t you supposed to wait twenty minutes after you eat?” Link said.

“I think that’s for…endurance swimming.”

“Oh, my mistake.”

She made a show of removing her swim cover, knowing that he would be staring even if her back was faced to him, and walked to the surf. The water was cold on her feet.

“Oh!” Zelda squeaked, stepping back. “It’s a bit chilly today.”

“Don’t you know the secret is to get your whole body in at once?” Link said, appearing shirtless next to her, his hair loose of its ponytail.

“A bit hard when the water is only a few inches deep,” she retorted.

“Here. I’ll help.” He bent down and picked her up by the legs, making her laugh. She held him around the neck as he walked farther until the water reached his hips and she had to bend her knees to keep her legs out of the water. “Okay, ready?”

“You’re not going to throw me in are you?” she asked with a stern look.

“Yeah,” he grinned.

“Link, don’t you dare—!” Before she could finish her sentence, he tossed her in. But, as she still clung to his neck, she pulled him in with her. The water crashed over them both as they laughed and coughed.

“That was completely uncalled for!” Zelda said, not even trying to hide her grin.

“My apologies, Princess,” he said, giving her peck on the cheek. “I was only trying to help.”

“I’ll forgive you just this once,” she replied, wrapping her arms around him, “But only because you look good without a shirt.”

“So shallow.”

“Oh, shut up and kiss me.”

…

Zelda couldn’t have asked for a better day. She’d had a picnic, gone swimming, and was now sat on the beach with Link’s head resting on her lap, looking up at her dreamily even though it was her most unflattering angle. He didn’t seem to notice or care, and that just made her love him even more.

“Thanks for today, dove,” she said softly, brushing his hair out of his face to better see how the sunset cast shadows on his cheeks.

Link smiled. “Anything for you, Zelda.” He sat up, and she almost protested, but stopped when he gave her a smirk. “Now, do you want to know what your surprise is?”

“Yes!” she said grinning from ear to ear.

Link smiled softly. “Okay. You have to stand up and close your eyes.”

“Okay!” She jumped to her feet and pressed her hands over her eyes, giggling. She heard a bit of shuffling, the slip of fabric, and the crunch of the sand under his steps.

“Alright,” he said after a moment, “You can open your eyes.”

Zelda pulled her hands away to find Link down on one knee, holding a little box with a diamond ring nestled inside. She gasped and covered her mouth.

“Yes!” she squealed, “Yes, I accept!”

Link grinned. “But I haven’t even asked you anything yet.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.” She took a calming breath, clasping her hands before her and looking down at him expectantly.

“Zelda, my love,” he began, his eyes shining, “When I first woke up in the Shrine of Resurrection, you were the voice that I heard, guiding me every step of the way. Even though I didn’t remember anything, I knew that I loved you. And since that day I saw you for the first time again in Hyrule Field, my love for you has grown. Everything I do, I do for you. Everything I am, I want to give to you. I only ask that you give yourself to me in return. Zelda Hyrule, would you do me the honor of staying by my side for the rest of my life? Will you marry me?”

Zelda was crying in earnest now, and it took her a moment to find her voice again. “Yes…Yes, yes, yes!”

Link laughed and stood up, accepting her bone-crushing hug. He took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger, kissing her hand.

“How long have you been planning this?” she asked, wiping her tears.

“You mean the ring or the proposal?”

“Both.”

“Well,” Link took her hand, lacing their fingers together and cupping her face with his other hand, “I bought the ring when we were in Gerudo Town, but I had been thinking about it for a few weeks before that. As for the proposal, I couldn’t make up my mind what I wanted to do. I wanted it to be special though. And when you suggested going to the beach today, I thought that sounded nice.”

“It was perfect,” Zelda said, placing her hand over his, holding it close to her cheek. “I’m so happy I could just die!”

“Please don’t,” Link chuckled. “At least wait until after our wedding night.”

Zelda laughed, but she promised she would manage at least that much.

Chapter Text

“Faster, Link, faster!” Zelda screamed in his ear, clinging tightly to his back as they zipped across the fields on the Master Cycle Zero. He laughed and urged the bike forward, speeding up, but he didn’t even go half as fast as he could have. Zelda didn’t need to know that though.

It had been only a month since they had gotten engaged and school was out for the summer. Link took a week off work for wedding planning, and they had just come from Tarrey Town where they booked the Venue and ordered Zelda’s dress from Rhondson.

They headed for Zora’s Domain to extend an invitation to the royal family and a few of their friends, opting to visit in person rather than send an invite through the mail. They had planned to go on horseback, but Zelda had never ridden the Master Cycle Zero before and begged Link for the opportunity.

She whooped and clung to him tighter when he took a sharp turn, passing and ignoring enemy encampments. The Lizalfos squawked indignantly, raising their bows, but Link and Zelda were too far away by the time they fired.

He steadied out as they drove through an empty field. It was nearly nightfall so Zelda took the opportunity to watch the sunset, hugging tighter to Link and rubbing his chest, resting her cheek against his back. He smiled softly and leaned back into her.

The Master Cycle Zero ran out of fuel just before Inogo Bridge and they set up camp for a night under the stars, pitching their tent and starting a fire. Link made meat and mushroom skewers as they discussed wedding plans.

“What if we released doves?” Zelda asked.

“Doves?” he repeated.

“Yeah.” Zelda paused to take another bite of her skewer. “To symbolize peace and love,” she finished around a mouthful of food.

“I don’t know if that’s very practical.”

“Weddings aren’t supposed to be practical, silly,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “They’re supposed to be the biggest celebration of your whole life! So everyone knows how much you love each other.”

“I think that’s the princess part of you talking,” Link grinned.

“Oh dear, you’re right,” Zelda laughed.

By the time darkness had fallen, they were no closer to picking what they wanted released (if anything at all) at their ceremony. Link let out a yawn and stretched.

“It’s getting late,” he said. “Head to bed and I’ll take the first watch.”

“And have you conveniently ‘forget’ to wake me for the second watch?” Zelda raised an eyebrow. “Certainly not. I’ll take the first watch.”

Link opened his mouth but then shook his head and ducked inside the tent, realizing it was pointless.

“Night, love,” she said a little too smugly.

“Night.” Link peeked his head out with lips puckered and Zelda gave him a quick kiss before shoving him back inside, laughing at his grumbling. She settled in front of the tent, watching the embers burn in the dying fire, hearing Link’s soft snores after a short time. Not long after, something red caught her sight, and she looked up at the source.

She shivered under the watchful gaze of the Bloodmoon, something that had not gone away even after Calamity Ganon’s demise, though it no longer brought back dead monsters. It stared down at her in almost a mocking way, as if to say, “Just because you killed one version of Ganon doesn’t mean there won’t be more,” before it was swallowed up by dark clouds. She shook her head and gazed back into the fire, thinking instead of her wedding.

It was happening in Tarrey Town in front of the statue of the Goddess. Paya was to be her maid of honor and Sidon, the best man (if he agreed when the visited him, that is). The ceremony would take place at sunset with Kapson officiating, they would say their I-do’s and then a small reception would take place with delicious food and lots of dancing. At the end of the night, Link would whisk her off to Lurelin Village for a magical honeymoon by the sea.

It would be perfect, and Zelda would be that happiest woman in the whole worl—

A twig snapped.

Zelda sat up straight and stared into the darkness. It could’ve been a wild animal, but the heavy feeling in the pit of her gut suggested danger.

As quietly as she could, she shifted from her seated position and backed through the tent flaps, crouching by Link’s side.

“Link,” she whispered, patting his arm. “Link.”

He stirred, lifting his head. “Is it my—”

Zelda shushed him as quietly as she could. “I heard something.” He sat up. “It’s probably nothing, but…”

Link grabbed his sword and crept out of the tent, looking around in the darkness. He couldn’t see anything. Just as he was about to shrug it off and return to the tent, he heard sinister laughter and a puff of air. He brought up his sword just in time to catch the blade of the Yiga foot soldier, parrying his attacks and pushing the man further from the tent.

“Zelda!” he shouted, “The slate! Warp us!”

She gasped and grabbed the slate, leaping forward to grab hold of Link so they could warp together and touching the icon of the Ne’ez Yohma shrine in the center of Zora’s Domain. She looked up just in time to see the Yiga clansman lunge forward, the tip of his finger barely brushing Link’s arm, before they split into shining blue ribbons.

She was incorporeal for only a second before they reappeared in front of the shrine, but she couldn’t breathe a sigh of relief yet. The foot soldier’s forward motion sent him and Link crashing into the ground. Link kicked him off, regaining his own footing and shoving Zelda backward into the shrine’s dome. He wrenched the slate from her death grip and stomped his foot onto a button on the floor of the elevator. She began to descend into its depths. Zelda gasped, caught off balance, and pressed her hands against the elevator walls, looking up. The last thing she saw before the elevator’s cap closed was Link catching the clansman before he could jump in after her, and pulling him away.

Link threw the Yiga at the stairs leading to the shrine and heard him grunt in pain at the fall before disappearing in a puff of smoke and reappearing at the top of the stairs, his bow drawn. Link dodged out the way and chased him into the center of the plaza. The Yiga discarded his bow, pulling his blade once more, and meeting Link in a clash of metal once again. It had started to rain, making the ground slick. Link blinked the water out of his eyes and had to avoid slipping with every step, but the Yiga was faring only a bit better, having to resort to teleportation to get around. He started the spell once more, but, foregoing his weapon, Link punched him in the face, cracking his mask and knocking him to the ground. He drew his vicious sickle, only for Link to bat it away and kneel on his stomach as he thrust his own blade into the clansman’s chest. He struggled and then went still

Link breathed heavily from exertion, watching blood pool around the Yiga’s body. He pulled his sword out of his chest, wincing at the squelch and fell onto his hip, kicking the body away from him.

He didn’t like killing. Monsters were different, literal demon spawn; this Yiga clansman was a person. An evil person, but a person nonetheless. He was a threat to Zelda though, and that was more than enough justification for Link.

“Zelda,” he muttered, shifting to his knees.

“Link!”

His head snapped up to see Sidon and a group of guards running his way. The prince skidded to a stop before him.

“What happened?” he cried.

“The Yiga found us on the road,” Link said numbly. “We used the Shiekah Slate to warp here but brought him,” he looked back at the dead foot soldier, “on accident.”

“Where is Zelda?”

“In the shrine.”

Link jumped to his feet and raced back to the shrine, pressing the elevator button half a dozen times until he descended, mentally urging it to move faster and it finally came to its resting stop. He nearly tripped over his own feet sprinting to where Zelda paced back and forth. Her head snapped up and she opened her arms for him to crash into.

“Are you alright?” she asked, holding him close.

“I am now.”

He grew heavy in her arms and they sunk to the floor. He pressed his eyes into her neck and sat there, still for a long time, letting her rub his back.

“Should we go to the inn now?” Zelda began to pull away, but he squeezed her tighter.

“No.”

“It’s alright, Link,” she said, rubbing his back soothingly. “I’m alright. You’re alright. Everything is fine.”

He took a few slow, deep breaths. “Let’s stay in the shrine for the night,” he said in a small voice.

“Okay,” she whispered, kissing him on the head. Zelda gently pulled him into a laying position, resting her head on his arm, and letting him hold her tight. She could tell he needed it.

“What happened after I came down here?” she asked.

“I killed him.” Link didn’t elaborate.

Zelda frowned. Link had killed Yiga before, and it had never affected him like this. But now things were different. They were in love and were going to be married. Now he knew what he had to lose.

“I love you, Link.”

“I love you, too.” His voice broke and he let out a shudder.

“I promise you that nothing bad will happen to me.”

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he assured her, burying his face in her hair.

“But you have to promise me that you won’t put yourself in danger because of me.”

Link looked up at her with a frown. “I won’t promise something like that.”

Zelda sighed. “Link—”

“No, Zelda,” he interrupted, “You’re the most important thing to me. If I lost you, I couldn’t go on living.”

“And I feel the same way about you,” she said, resting her hand on his cheek. “So please, if you do have to fight for me, be careful.”

Link put his hand over hers and turned his head to kiss her palm. “Okay. For you, I’ll be careful.” He removed his hand from hers and slipped it around her waist. “Now get some sleep, Princess.”

She didn’t even scold him for the use of the nickname.

…

Despite what Zelda might have thought, Link was fine. Sure the night before was rough, but the love of his life was nearly murdered before his very eyes. Anyone would’ve been shaken up by that. Honestly, Zelda was underreacting, in his opinion.

They led Sidon and his guards down the path to Inogo Bridge where they had first encountered the Yiga foot soldier. Zelda wouldn’t stop prattling off apologies.

“We’re so terribly sorry that we unwittingly brought him to the Domain,” she said to Sidon for the umpteenth time. “Truly if there’s anything we can do to make it up to you, anything at all, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“All I ask,” Sidon replied, “Is that the two of you remain safe.”

They crossed the bridge and found the tent they pitched from the night before undisturbed. The guards searched the meager belongings they brought as well as the surrounding area for any clues left by the Yiga. They found none and returned to the Domain heavy with thought.

Lunch began as a somber affair. If Link thought Zelda had exhausted her store of apologies, he was wrong.

“It was inexcusable of us to bring the Yiga here,” she said to King Doraphan, “And we deeply apologize for any offense or inconvenience.”

“There is no offense,” the King assured her, “I am well aware of the dangers the Yiga Clan poses to any who travel our lands. Let us move on from such unpleasant topics. Won’t you tell us the reason for this surprise visit?” He gave them a small but genuine smile, and Link and Zelda shared one of their own.

“Well,” Zelda grinned, “Link and I have recently become engaged to be married—”

Sidon gasped, his eyes glittering.

“—And we wanted to extend an invitation to your family in person,” she continued. Zelda pulled a painstakingly penned invitation out of her pocket and set it on the table before the king, but Sidon snatched it up.

Doraphan’s own smile grew, but his eyes were sad. “We are honored to receive the invitation. I am unable to leave the domain myself,” he said, “But I will send Prince Sidon in my stead to represent the Zora’s.”

“Oh, I would’ve gone anyway!” Sidon said, flashing a grin. “My best friend can’t possibly be wed without me giving him support!”

Link laughed. “I wouldn’t dream of leaving you out,” he said.

The news lifted everyone’s spirits, and, though the Yiga attack was still in the back of their minds, they allowed themselves a moment of respite. Link even found himself relaxing a bit as he and Zelda walked around the Domain. She was going on about future baby names, and Link was shooting down every one of them for absurd reasons.

“We can’t name our son ‘Clyde,’” he said, “That will give playground bullies the opportunity to rhyme it after the word ‘slide.’ He’ll become ‘Clyde the Slide Guy.’”

“That’s ridiculous,” Zelda scoffed, “No one would call him that.”

“Let’s name a daughter Clyde.”

“What?”

By then, they had made it to Mipha’s Statue. Sidon stood before it, gazing up at her likeness thoughtfully, but he gave them a smile when they came up next to him.

“Afternoon, cuddle-fish,” he said with a wink. “Enjoying the sights?”

“Indeed,” Zelda nodded, “I’ve always loved coming to the Domain and appreciating the architecture.” She gazed up at the statue. “It is a shame that Mipha is not here to enjoy with us.”

Sidon sighed. “Yes. All things considered, I think she would’ve been happy for the two of you.”

The three looked at the statue in silence until Link spoke up. “Sidon, there was another reason we wanted to come to the Domain in person. I want to ask you to be my best man for the weddi—”

He didn’t have the chance to finish before Sidon pulled him into a bone crushing hug. “Yes!” he cried, “A thousand times yes!”

Zelda laughed. “You might as well be asking him to marry you,” she teased.

“Sidon,” Link wheezed, “Can’t breathe.”

“Oh! Sorry.” He set him back down and gave him a pat on the back. “I’m just…very pleased and surprised that you want me to be part of the wedding party.”

“Didn’t you say earlier that we’re best friends?” Link asked with a smirk. “You’re the only person I would ask.”

Sidon smiled warmly. “Still, I’m glad.” He set his shoulders and took a deep breath. “Now come, let us tell my father the happy news!”

Link and Zelda shared a chuckle and followed after him.

They didn’t notice Sidon’s wedding invitation flutter out of his pouch and onto the damp ground when he hugged Link. They didn’t notice any suspicious character spot the invitation, nor see them pick it up and slip into their pocket. And they certainly notice a mask sticking out of the stranger’s backpack with an upside-down Sheikah eye on it.

Chapter Text

Link and Zelda were making out on the floor between their beds. That was the compromise they had come up with. Due to the late hour, they didn’t feel like going downstairs to the couch, but Zelda felt uncomfortable doing this in one of their beds. Somehow, they mutually agreed on the floor.

They lay side by side, locked in an embrace and lips locked on each other’s, breath mingling in soft gasps. Link broke the kiss, taking in gulps of air, and Zelda moved on to his neck, sucking his pulse point. She gripped locks of his hair in her fingers, and he held her closer.

“Tell me again,” he panted, “How this is different from a bed.”

Zelda reluctantly removed her lips from his neck. “It makes a difference in my head,” she said. “Beds are for married couples, and I want to wait until we’re married. You said you agreed to that, remember?” She resumed her administrations on his neck.

“Yeah, I remember,” he said, letting his eyelids flutter closed. “It’s just that…though it might make a difference to you, it doesn’t really for me.”

Zelda paused. “What do you mean?”

“Well…” Link’s hand fell to her hip and he kneaded small circles into the hollow of the bone with his thumb. “We’re honeymooning in Lurelin, yes?”

Zelda hummed in affirmation.

“I plan on making love to you on the beach at least once.”

She flushed, acutely aware of his hand on her hip, but all she could say was, “That sounds unsanitary.”

Link chuckled and kissed her again, tasting her with his tongue. She shivered when his lips led down her jaw and neck, covering her skin in wet kisses.

“So you’re saying…” she began, “That it doesn’t matter where…” She trailed off when he reached her collar bone.

He paused to untie the small lacing at the collar of her nightgown. “I’m a man, Zelda. We don’t care where it happens.” His lips were on her again.

Zelda thought he wasn’t giving men enough credit on that account, but she had to admit he had a point.

“So you’re saying that, as careful as I try to be, you’ll always be a red-hot blooded Hylian male?”

“Mm-hmm,” he replied, his voice sending a small vibration through her sternum. He stopped just before reaching the swell of her breast, lifting his head. “But as you’ve said, you want to wait, so I shall wait too.”

Zelda grinned and pulled him in for more kisses on the mouth. She had to admit it was hard to control herself when he treated her so tenderly, and each time he affirmed her needs, she only wanted to give herself to him all the more. But she was grateful that he did not resent her for wanting to hold back. She had been raised for seventeen years to be conservative around men, and that wasn’t something she could just shrug off even if there was no one around to check her. Link probably thought it was some princess thing like table manners (she was still working on that one with him), so he was more than willing to comply with her wishes. Although, even if she wasn’t princess (which she certainly wasn’t anymore), Link was the kind of man that would respect her wishes anyway. It was one of the reasons she loved him so much. She gently bit his lip, hearing a small whimper from the back of his throat.

“One week,” she said against his mouth. “One more week until the wedding, and then I’m all yours.”

“I’ll be counting the minutes,” he murmured huskily.

They stayed on the floor until their lips were numb before finally going to bed.

Zelda’s friends arrived the next afternoon, bearing gifts and yummy dishes, and Link’s friends arrived to remove him from the scene. It was the night of their bachelor and bachelorette parties, one last wild night of freedom before they tied the knot (at least that’s how Urbosa had once put it). They said their goodbyes with greedy kisses, ignoring their friends teasing, until they pulled the two apart. The girls waved goodbye to the boys, wishing them safety on their hunting trip. Zelda closed the door after Purah told them to give a generous tip to the strippers, not that they would find any of those in the woods outside of Hateno.

Zelda turned to give a bright grin to the girls that came, a mix from Hateno and Kakariko.

“Congratulations!” Purah shrieked, throwing her arms around Zelda. Everyone repeated her sentiment.

“Thank you so much,” Zelda said warmly.

“Grandmother gives her best wishes,” Paya said, “And even though she can’t be here to throw your bachelorette party for you, she helped me plan everything. So, I really hope you enjoy yourself!”

“Great!” Purah jumped in. “What’s first on the agenda?”

“Party games.” They waited for Paya to elaborate. She did not.

“Which would be…?” Purah waved her on.

Paya’s face turned red. “W-well, the first one is…” she covered her face with her hands, “Pin the junk on the hunk!” She pointed to the messenger bag she brought that had all the games with it, and Zelda pulled out a large poster board with a man’s silhouette, along with a cheeky smirking face, drawn on it. There were also cutouts of, ahem, a certain male body part to stick on the board as well as a blindfold to tie around their eyes.

They took turns blindfolding themselves, having Paya, who had declined to play, spin them around three times, and stuck their cutout on the board, trying to get as close as they could to where the cutout was supposed to go. Prima and Lasli got the closest, but Zelda didn’t do too badly, her cutout landing on the hunk’s left hip.

Other games were dressing each other up in toilet paper wedding dresses, coming up with different words for each letter in “bride” within a certain time limit, and finding small paper wedding rings that Paya hid throughout the house. Whoever found the most rings won a prize, a set of bath bombs, which went to Ivee.

After the games, they took a break for snacks, among which were chocolate covered bananas and baby carrots and tomatoes stuck together with toothpicks. Zelda shook her head in amusement at Impa’s expense. She took this time to open her gifts, most of which would never make it out of the bedroom. She was blushing as hard as Paya.

Zelda couldn’t have asked for a better night with her friends. Well, there was a hollowness in her heart where Urbosa and Mipha should’ve been, but she was still happy.

Meanwhile, Link and his friends, Sidon, Teba, and Yunobo, were in the woods just south of Hateno. They were supposed to be hunting, but instead were camped around a fire, sipping on milk that Teba had brought.

“So, Link,” Sidon began brightly, “Are you nervous about the wedding?”

Link let out a hum, swirling his bottle of milk before answering. “Not nervous per se,” he said, “just…anxious that something will go wrong. I don’t want Zelda getting upset on our special day.”

“At least something goes wrong on your wedding day,” Teba said with a wave of his wing. “Just do your best to take it in stride and everything will work out.”

“Did something go wrong at your wedding?” Yunobo asked, making Teba squawk with laughter.

“A hunter mistook me for a quail and shot me down during the ceremonial flight.”

Link normally wouldn’t have laughed at something that serious, but he was too tipsy on milk to stop himself.

“I wasn’t hurt, though,” Teba went on, “And he apologized. We even invited him to the reception. Just remember that the wedding isn’t the important part. It’s the marriage that’s important.”

“That’s very sweet,” Sidon said with a goofy smile. “I hope I can find love like that someday.” He sighed. “What about you, Yunobo?” he said, nudging him with his elbow. “Any cute Goron girls you’ve got your eye on?”

“There aren’t really any Goron girls,” Yunobo said. “We all come out of the lava as guys.” He scratched his head. “I don’t really get what the fuss is all about with romance but it’s nice that other races like it. It’s always just been me and my brothers, goro.”

“As long as you’re happy,” Link said, setting his empty milk bottle on a fallen log. He looked at it. “Think I can shoot this with an arrow?” he asked.

Teba laughed. “How drunk are you?” he asked.

“Not that drunk!” Link said defensively. He backed away a few yard and the others stood back to give him room. Link notched an arrow and let it fly through the glass. “Easy-peasy.”

“Well obviously,” Teba said with a roll of his eyes. “You’re barely a wingspan away. Try this one.”

He threw his own empty bottle in the air and Link shot it down when it reached its peak.

“A competent marksman even when buzzed.” Teba cocked his head. “How about we turn this into a little game between you and I? Sidon and Yunobo can throw apples into the air.” He plucked a red fruit from a nearby tree and tossed it above him, taking out his bow in the same motion and sending an arrow through the apples center. “And we take a shot of milk for every one we miss.”

Link grinned. “You’re on.”

And so, several hours and several bottles of milk later, Link came stumbling through his front door and a very bemused Zelda had to help him into bed, nursing him back to sobriety for the next two days.

“Please don’t drink this much at our wedding.”

“Trust me, I won’t!”

Chapter Text

It was too similar.

Well, not really. This was a wedding dress. That was a prayer gown. Big difference. Obviously. They weren’t even the same shape. Zelda’s prayer gown was tea-length, high-waisted, and sleeveless. The wedding dress she stared at herself wearing in the mirror was a ballgown with puffy, off-the-shoulder sleeves. Really the only similarity was the color. She hated white.

“You look beautiful!” Paya said, re-entering the bridal suite, a room at the Tarrey Town inn. Link was right next door, dressing himself for their wedding. Zelda began to sweat a little.

“Thanks,” she muttered, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes.

“Are you nervous?” Paya asked.

“Not at all!” Zelda confidently lied, squaring her shoulders.

Paya gave her an understanding smile through the mirror, adjusting the veil atop her head, moving her curled hair away from her face. “It’s okay to be nervous,” she said, “Just don’t get cold feet.” She gave Zelda a wink and the two shared a chuckle. “I’ll get your jewelry.”

As Paya adorned her, Zelda couldn’t help but feel déjà vu. She thought back to the suffocating outfits her maids stuck her in for some ball or another. Not that she didn’t enjoy dressing up, but when someone else dressed her, made decisions for her, she wanted to scream.

“Thank you, Paya,” she said once the last bit of jewelry was on, a necklace with a repeating pattern of the Triforce.

Paya peeked out the door and exchanged a few words with someone on the other side before letting in her grandmother, stepping outside to give them a private moment. Impa squealed and covered her mouth at the sight of the bride.

“Look at you!” she said, fussing about with Zelda’s veil. “It seemed just yesterday we were flirting with the squires together. Now you’re marrying your hero!”

Zelda chuckled. “Am I crazy for doing this?” she asked. At that, Impa laughed out loud.

“Perhaps! But where’s the fun in being sane?” Impa turned to the dresser by the bed and picked up Zelda’s makeup bag. “Give me your face,” she said, pulling her down by the jaw. “Paya’s hand has always been too light with the makeup.” Impa gently dabbed sparkly eye shadow on Zelda’s lids, a fond look in her smile. “I wish you could’ve been there my wedding. All three of them.”

“I had no idea you were such a man-eater,” Zelda quipped, her eyes fluttering open as Impa rouged her cheeks.

“Only if they like being bossed around. I’ve always been good at that.”

“Oh, I’m aware.” That remark sent Impa on another round of laughter.

“You’re bossy too, you know,” she said with a smug look. “It’s a good thing Link likes being told what to do, Mrs. Wilde.”

Zelda flushed, giggling behind her lips as Impa painted them red.

“There,” she said, adding a final bit of highlight to Zelda’s cheekbones. “You look perfect.” And just in time, too, as Paya entered the room once again.

“They’re ready for you,” she said with a grin, looping her arm with Zelda’s, mirroring her grandmother and leading them outside the building into the mid-morning sun.

A crowd of people burst into cheers and applause, startling Zelda. They came from all over Hyrule, Riju representing the Gerudo, Teba, kass and their families from Rito Villiage, Yunobo, sporting his ancestor’s blue scarf, and of course, Sidon, Link’s best man, along with many other people he had met on his quest. Zelda grinned and waved at their various friends and diplomats, making her way to the Goddess statue where Link waited with Epona. He grinned, taking her in, and looking dashing in his own silken green overcoat. Impa and Paya gave Zelda one last hug before giving her to her groom, and Zelda offered him her hand, giggling when he gave it a peck before helping her onto the horse. He began to lead her away from the statue and across the bridge out of town, taking the wedding party up the trail to the Ukuku Plains, for there were too many people to fit inside Tarrey Town. The procession sang celebratory hymns of marriage as they followed, children dancing around their parents' legs, everyone laughing.

“You look beautiful, my love,” Link said, smiling up at her dreamily.

“You’re not so bad yourself.” Zelda gave him a wink, making him blush and look away. She giggled at his expense, feeling much more relaxed just being near him.

“So if we’re getting married,” he asked casually, “Does that make me a prince?”

She rolled her eyes heavily, not missing his mischievous smirk. “You’d be my prince consort, if I was the princess regnant,” she said, and had to add, “which I’m not.”

“‘Prince consort.’ Royal baby-maker.”

“Dear Hylia, there’s people around!” she chided, stifling her giggles behind her fingers.

“The kids will have your eyes,” he said.

“Probably,” she said, matter-of-factly. “Green eyes are dominant over blue.”

“I’d like you to dominate over me.”

“Link!” she hissed. “Shut up! Save that for tonight when no one else is around.”

His shoulders shook with laughter and she had to resist the urge to smack him in the back of the head. Thankfully, they were a few yards away from their entourage who wouldn’t hear their conversation over the singing.

Link led the group up the road, a few of the more elderly guests huffing and puffing during steeper parts, until they reached where the venue had been set up overlooking Ulria Grotto. Chairs were set up in a rainbow shape around a wedding arch decorated with faux Silent Princess flowers, and lily petals dusted the ground. Link helped Zelda down from Epona’s back and they followed Kapson up the aisle as the guests took their seats, Paya and Sidon taking their places beside the bride and groom. The elderly Zora gave the couple a reassuring smile and cleared his throat.

“Friends and family,” he began, “We are gathered here today to celebrate love and commitment. We celebrate the joining of these two souls, Link Wilde and his bride Zelda,” (they decided to keep her last name of ‘Hyrule’ a secret), “under the eyes of the Goddess Hylia and before all these witnesses. If there is anyone who has reason why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

A pause.

When no one said anything, Kapson nodded and continued. “The rings, if you please,” he said, gesturing to Sidon. He perked up straighter, fishing the rings out of the pocket of his coat, and gave them to Link, giving him a brotherly clap on the shoulder. Zelda took the band meant for him and grinned. They were so close. She was almost Mrs. Wilde!

“Zelda,” Kapson went on, “Do you accept Link as your husband, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?”

She had already waited for him for over one hundred years, so that was a no-brainer. “I do!” she squealed. Link’s smile grew softer, his eyes going glassy with moisture, and she could feel tears pool in her own eyes as well.

“Link, do you accept Zelda to be your wife, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?”

“Heck yeah I do!” he said, making Zelda and the congregation laugh.

“You may now exchange rings.”

They fiddled with the rings, both trying to put each other’s on at the same time, giggling. Zelda beamed. They were nearly there! All that was left was for Kapson to announce them as husband and wife and then it would be official and Link could sweep her off into the sunset. She looked back at the priest expectantly.

“I now pronounce you,” Kapson said, with a grin of his own, “as husb—”

“Hold it right there!” a voice shouted.

Zelda’s head snapped to the shocked audience, scowling at the woman standing in the middle of the aisle. She didn’t recognize her. She must’ve been one of Link acquaintances.

“I object to this wedding!” the woman shouted, making everyone gasp.

“Well, you missed your chance, buddy!” Zelda shot back, taking her hands from Links and balling them into fists at her sides.

“You two don’t deserve happiness!” the woman spat, matching her scowl.

“Get her out of here!” Link said to whomever was meant to deal with rowdy guests, which was apparently the best man. Sidon swiftly made his way back up the aisle to subdue the nuisance.

“You’re nothing but a bunch of rotten Goddess-kissers and my Lord Ganon will have your heads on a platter!”

“What?” Zelda went white, hearing Link gasp sharply beside her.

“Sidon, stop!” he cried, but the rowdy guest only laughed, disappearing in a puff of smoke and reappearing with a change of costume, revealing herself as a member of the Yiga. Over a dozen other members of the congregation followed suit, laughing with her and transforming into their Yiga disguises.

Everyone screamed and fled as the Yiga began their attack, striking with sickles and arrows. Zelda barely registered Link drawing his weapon as he fought off the group. She couldn’t move. There were so many of them, she couldn’t hope to fend them off, especially without a weapon.

“Zelda! Run!” Link’s words jolted her into action and she took off down the aisle, her high heels slowing her down, as he followed behind. “Get to the horse!” But Epona had already been spooked off, nearly hundreds of yards away. He cursed and grabbed her hand. “Come on!”

They barely got a few feet before a Yiga foot soldier engaged them, his blade narrowly missing Link’s face. Zelda stood frozen, watching them battle and her blood ran cold when a gloved hand grabbed her by the neck, laughing menacingly in her ear.

Link whipped around just in time to see his bride disappear in a puff of smoke. The rest of the Yiga laughed raucously and disappeared as well, leaving the plains in eerie silence. Where they went, he had no idea. All he knew was that one second Zelda was there, safe beside him, and the next second, she was gone. He numbly fell to his knees in the grass.

And for the first time in over a hundred years, Link cried.

Chapter Text

Tears streamed down Link’s cheeks as he pounded the ground with his fists, wailing laments. “She’s gone!” he screamed, “The Yiga took Zelda, and it’s all my fault!”

“Link! Please calm down,” Sidon said, running to his side, “She’s not dead! Zelda’s going to be just fine.” The Champion’s descendants, as well as several members of the Shiekah, followed behind him, the latter already in the midst of gearing up for battle.

“How do you know?” Link demanded, his face twisted in grief. “That’s been their goal all along, hasn’t it? I should’ve been more careful!” he sobbed. “We should’ve kept this private. Then Zelda wouldn’t be…” he broke down again, covering his mouth to attempt to stifle his sobs.

“Snap out of it, son!” Dorian, one of Impa’s guards and former Yiga Clan member said, crouching by Link’s side and grasping his shoulder. “She’s not dead.” When Link didn’t interrupt, only giving the man a tragic look, he continued. “The Princess’s death is not the ultimate goal; resurrecting Ganon is. They need her alive to perform the ritual.”

“Ritual?” Link whispered.

“On the night when the Blood Moon is at its height, they will steal Zelda’s life force by sacrificing her to the pit at the clan’s hideout and offering it to Calamity Ganon.”

“W-when is the next Blood Moon?” Link asked, voice shaking.

“Three days from now,” Paya cut in, a rare steadiness in her own voice. “On the eve of Hyliaday.”

“We have to get there!” Link jumped up and ran for Epona, who had only just begun to calm down, standing nearby. His friends ran after him.

“You have the support of the Gerudo army!” Riju said, Buliara giving a firm nod behind her.

“Is an entire army necessary?” Link asked.

“Do you want to keep at this game of cat-and-mouse or end it once and for all?” Buliara said, crossing her arms.

He nodded. “You’re right,” Link conceded, “Let’s just end this.”

“The Rito give you their support as well!” Teba said. “I’ll gather my archers and meet you outside Gerudo Town.” Without another word, he took off flying, heading towards the Hebra Mountains.

“The Gorons, too.” Yunobo said, pumping his fist in the air. “We’d love to help! I’ll gather the warriors and meet you guys there, goro!” He took off rolling down the path.

“The Zora can’t follow you into the desert,” Sidon said, regret painting his features, “But we will supply you with as many weapons and material as you need.”

“Thank you,” Link whispered. He went to mount his horse, but Sidon gripped his arm.

“You will get her back, Link,” he said. “I know you will.”

Link nodded once, and Sidon let him go, Champions and Sheikah alike going their separate way to prepare for battle as Impa rounded up the scared wedding guests, speaking in calm, reassuring words and tending to the injured. Her gaze fell on Link’s retreating form, letting a heavy sigh fall from her lips.

“Save your princess, Hero.”

As Link took off to prepare himself, Sidon swam back to the domain, ordering his soldiers to gather supplies, spears, shields and rations, sending the Zora populace into a flurry of activity, and frightening the tourists. One such tourist, Traysi, the investigative journalist who ran the Rumor Mill, looked about in confusion.

“What’s going on?” she asked a passing Zoran soldier.

“The princess has been kidnapped,” he said in a clipped tone, clearly not interested in a conversation.

“Princess? What princess?” The last princess that Traysi knew about had died about a hundred years ago.

“The Princess Zelda who faced the Calamity,” the soldier replied. “She was kidnapped from her wedding to the hero, Link.”

“Link?” She grinned. “Hey I know him! Good guy!”

“Yeah, he’s great,” he said. “But if we don’t get to the princess before the Blood Moon, the Yiga are going to throw her into the pit in Karusa Valley. And probably kill him for good measure.” The soldier rushed off, clearly done talking with her, to grab several pieces of armor to lend his prince’s friend.

It was a shame that the princess, who was apparently still alive, was kidnapped, but it would be an even bigger shame if Traysi didn’t get the scoop! And she couldn’t get the scoop if the princess died. So Traysi, ran off, fleeing the domain and spreading the word to everyone she saw, going from stable to stable, spreading the word as far as she could. The more people who could help, the more likely the princess would live and Traysi could get her story!

Meanwhile, the hero galloped to his home as fast as Epona could carry him, making a mental list of what he would need for his fight with the Yiga Clan. Each of the Champion’s weapons would come in handy, including the Master Sword. He would also need as many arrows he could find, and grabbing the Sheikah Slate couldn’t hurt either. He cursed himself, a fool for carelessly leaving it at home when Zelda could’ve used it to teleport away.

He stuffed his gear in his pack, fingers dancing over any other armor he might need when his hand brushed something smooth and soft. It was the green silken tunic that Zelda had made for him the previous winter for Yuletide. He brought the tunic to his face and wept into it, slowly falling to the ground.

The Yiga would pay. Every last one of them.

Zelda let out a yelp as a clansman stuffed her into the chilly cell, tripping over the voluminous skirts of her wedding dress and falling to the floor. The cell door slammed shut behind her and she looked up at her captors in anger.

“What’s the matter, princess?” one asked. She was the same woman who had interrupted the wedding. “Aren’t you going to use your fancy demon-sealing powers on me?” She cocked her head as if awaiting an answer, but Zelda didn’t give one, only a glare, unbidden tears streaking her face.

No she would not use her sealing powers. They’d been exhausted during her century-long battle with the Calamity. Maybe if she had unlocked them sooner… Zelda wept into her hands as the Yiga laughed at her, spiraling into her old self-hatred. If she had unlocked her powers sooner, escape would be easy. She didn’t even feel a spark. If she had unlocked her powers sooner, she wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place. Perhaps this was her penance to the Goddess for being a useless princess. She wouldn’t know until she finally rested in the Sacred Realm. She wept anew.

She’d never see Link again.

Chapter Text

Zelda let out a shudder, tightening her arms around herself as her breath puffed out in little clouds. She’d been stuck in the cell in the Yiga Clan’s hideout all day. Only one guard stood sentry in front of the barred door, but she could hear others elsewhere within the caves, some bickering, most celebrating.

“Hey, Yato,” came a voice around the corner, and her guard perked up. “Shift change,” the newcomer said, giving the first a pat on the shoulder. “Go get some grub.” He lifted his mask up to take a bite out of the cucco leg he carried, taking the first guard’s place when he left. Zelda stared at the meat as he brought it to his lips again. Her stomach growled. The guard turned his head at the noise.

“Hungry, Princess?” he asked with a grin. Zelda said nothing. He chuckled, turning around to face her fully. “They haven’t given you anything to eat, have they?” They hadn’t. “You want it?” he asked, dangling the cucco leg in front of the cell bars tauntingly. She narrowed her eyes “Pretty princesses like yourself deserve three square a day.” He took another slow bite, the juices dripping down his chin. “I’ll let you have some if you do something nice for me.” She gave a noise of disgust and turned her head away.

“Aw, come on, don’t be like that, Princess,” he cooed. “I just wanna look; no touchy…unless you wanna…” He laughed. She wouldn’t look at him. “You’re supposed to be honeymooning right now, aren’tcha?”

The guard was right about that. Had things not gone horribly wrong, Zelda would be Mrs. Wilde, vacationing in Lurelin Village with her husband. Link. Her Link. She choked a sob, pressing her hand to her mouth.

“I know I’m no hero,” the guard said, “but I can make a decent substitute.” He went on about the various things he could do for her, but Zelda pressed her hands to her ears, attempting to block out his jeering, only succeeding when she began crying. The guard laughed at her. “What’s wrong, Princess,” he asked in a sickeningly sweet voice. “You don’t think I can keep you safe and warm?”

“Leave me alone!” Zelda sobbed. He laughed again.

“Actually, I think I’ll invite myself in,” the guard said, pulling a key ring off his hip. “I think you’ll find my company to be most pleasurable.”

Zelda shook her head, pressing herself against the back wall of the cell, but before the guard could unlock the door, a huge animal appeared out of the shadows, snatching the keys out of his grasp and taking off with them.

“Hey!” he shouted, giving chase to the beast, leaving Zelda alone in her cell. She took a few steadying breaths, unsure of what she just saw but grateful nonetheless.  Before she could ponder it, another animal appeared, this one tiny. A small rabbit hopped up to her cell. She blinked. Was it a trick of the light, or was that bunny pink?

It slipped through the cell bars without a problem, hopping her way and settling just in front of her. The bunny looked up at her, it blue eyes unmistakably human. It hopped onto her lap and nosed her hand, dropping a small, warm object into her palm. It was a ring with a single ruby inlayed in the metal, a magical aura surrounding it. She slipped it onto her finger, warmth immediately flooding her body. Zelda let out a sigh, glancing down at the bunny.

“Thank you,” she said. She gave it a scratch behind the ears, but it removed itself from her lap, hopping to the cell door. The other beast had reappeared, a grey and white wolf with strange markings on its head. The wolf carried a bundle in its mouth that he set in front of the bars, pushing it through with his snout. The rabbit hopped up to the bundle, turning its human eyes on her and stamping its foot several times. Zelda crawled over to retrieve the bundle, untying the knot in the cloth to reveal meaty pumpkin rice balls. She gasped and immediately tore into them, finishing them off in record time as the animals watched.

“Thank you, Hero of Twilight,” she said, reaching through the bars to give the wolf a pat on his head. “And thank you, Hero of Legend.” She made to pat the rabbit on his head, but he jumped out of her reach, hopping through the bars and into the shadows. The Hero of Twilight turned to follow.

“Wait!” Zelda said, sticking her hand out to stop him. He faced her, ears perked forward. “Is Link alright?” she asked. The wolf gave a nod of his head before running off into the shadows. Zelda breathed a sigh of relief. “Please hurry, Link.”

…

Link only stopped to let his horse rest, nestled in a shallow cave in Gerudo Canyon. He had been in a rush to get to Gerudo Town and meet up with the warriors there, but Epona was exhausted. And…so was he.

But he couldn’t rest. Not while Zelda was in danger.

By the light of the moon, Link moved through some basic sword drills so he would be prepared for the inevitable confrontation with the Yiga, ignoring his body’s demands for rest. A slash to make a head roll, a jab to pierce a heart. Whatever it took, he would get his beloved Zelda back.

“Hero!” a voice called. Link looked up cautiously, but it was just a Sheikah warrior. “Paya told me you had come this way.” Though the warrior had a stocky, masculine build, their voice was distinctly feminine. It was hard to tell their gender with the mask on their face. “Have you had anything to eat?” Link’s stomach growled, making the warrior chuckle. They sat down and built a fire, waving him over.

The fire was warm and the food was good and Link just wanted to sleep. But he couldn’t. He slapped himself awake. The sooner he got to Gerudo, the better.

“She would want you to rest,” the warrior said, and he didn’t think they meant Paya.

“I can’t.” Link shook his head vehemently. “Not while she’s in danger.”

“Exhaustion will only put the both of you in more danger. If you value her life, and yours, you will rest now.” Link scowled at their words. But he had to admit they were true.

“Fine,” he spat. “But only for a few hours.”

“I will wake you before the sun rises.”

Link lied down on the ground, and oh how tired he was! The warrior began humming a familiar lullaby, pulling him deeper into the realm of dreams, but he had one last thing to say.

“What’s your name?” He wanted to thank this warrior properly for their help.

“Sheik.”

“Thank you, Sheik.”

“Not at all, Hero.”

Link closed his eye and rested.

Chapter Text

Link was at the head of the small army that marched through the Gerudo Desert. Gerudo, Sheikah, Hylian, Goron, and Rito warriors marched, borrowed Zoran weapons gleaming in the sun, towards Karusa Valley.

They would pay. All of them. Link would kill every last one of the Yiga Clan if it meant getting Zelda back.

“Yiga!” Buliara pointed ahead at the mouth of the valley, and Link could see a small group of footsoldiers waiting. His vision went red, but only the set of his brow betrayed his rage. He began running.

His ears were deaf to his comrade’s battle cries, focused only on his enemy. He met the first footsoldier in the clash of metal. He would not be pulling any punches today, and the footsoldier realized only when it was too late, falling into a pool of his own blood on the ground. Link stepped over him and met his next combatant.

His small army pushed and pushed until they were at the Yiga’s doorstep. Link pulled out his bow and aimed a fire arrow at the tapestry that hid the entryway, burning it up. He landed several more arrows at the Yiga that spilled out of the opening. The remainder he tore through with his sword. Once the flow of soldiers had ceased, he sprinted inside and down the narrow hall to the wooden cell.

“No, no, no!” he muttered finding the cell empty. Only a bit of white tulle suggested Zelda was ever there, torn and dirty. Rage filled his eyes once more, and he let out a wordless roar, running further into the Yiga’s hideout.

…

Zelda had been woken at dawn. Her captor wrenched her upright by the wrist, making her gasp in pain.

“Rise and shine, pretty princess!” the woman sang cheerfully, voice muffled by her mask, but there was nothing cheerful about her firm grip. “Look at you, as sweet as a flower.” She ran her hand down Zelda’s face, but she yanked her chin out of the woman’s grasp, earning the back of a hand to the side of her head.

“Let me go,” Zelda whispered, but the woman tutted.

“Can’t have that, now, can we?” she said. “You and I have some unfinished business.”

“I don’t have any business with you!” Zelda spat. The woman slapped her again but that had nothing to do with the tears that filled her eyes. She just wanted to be with Link again.

“Oh, but we do.” The woman pulled her out of the cell and two other soldiers began binding her with rope. “Do you remember, it was many months ago, when you were travelling to Hateno Village?” She grabbed Zelda’s arm in a vice grip, forcing her to walk forward, down the stairs and through the hideout. “You and your hubby were attacked by a few of us. It was almost too perfect, really. Hubby simply walked off and left you alone, letting us make our move. But,” she sighed heavily, “We underestimated the skill of your hero, yadda yadda yadda, and he came to your aid. This is where it gets personal, and please excuse me if I tear up!” The woman clutched her chest dramatically. “The hero murdered my husband in cold blood.” Zelda bit her lip.

“We couldn’t have known who he was,” she whispered ruefully.

“But it wouldn’t have mattered either way, would it?” the Yiga woman asked, voice going hard. “You know, we wouldn’t be in this mess if it had been any other person. But it was my dear, sweet husband, and, unfortunately for you, I hold a grudge for a long, long time.”

By then, they had made it to the back room of the hideout, the hidden door to the outside already open. Zelda could hear the roar of a crowd, a large crowd, and she was pushed through the door to see that the entire basin of Karusa Valley was filled with red-clad soldiers. Her face went pale. There were so many of them, staring and jeering as she was forced through them. There was no way she could escape.

A small stage had been erected right by a seemingly bottomless pit in the center of the valley. Zelda was dragged upon it and forced to her knees. Her captor raised her hand in the air, silencing the crowd. The eerie quiet was almost more deafening then the cheers.

“My fellow Yiga!” the woman said, her voice booming within the circular amphitheater. “Behold! Princess Zelda!” The cheers were back even louder than before. The Yiga woman basked in them for a minute before silencing the crowd once again.

“How long have we laid in wait?” she demanded. “How long have we allowed the Goddess’s lapdogs to go unchecked? How long have we suffered at their hands. Far too long!” The crowd screamed and jeered, throwing banana peels at Zelda. It would’ve been comical had she not been so terrified.

“WE SHALL WAIT NO LONGER!”

The woman grabbed Zelda by the hair and pulled a large knife from her hip. Zelda gasped and squeezed her eyes shut, but the blade did not bite into her skin, tugging, instead, at her hair. The woman held up a fistful of her golden tresses, making the crowd go wild. Then, as gently as a butterfly fluttering in the breeze, she held the bundle of hair over the bottomless pit, letting the strands slip through her fingers.

“Our Lord Ganon!” the woman called, reaching for the heavens. “Accept this offering from your faithful servant! Rise up once again!”

At first, nothing happened, but then, creeping slowly across the bright, sunny horizon, was the moon, red as blood. Zelda whimpered. So this was the end. She was to die here, to be slaughtered and sacrificed so that the apocalypse, that she herself had banished, would rise once more.

“I’m so sorry, Link,” she whispered, letting her captor pull her to her feet. “I love you.”

The Yiga woman held her knife, blade gleaming red under the pale light of the blood moon, pointed at her chest.

“Sweet dreams, Princess.” She raised up the knife and swung it down upon Zelda.

…

Link sprinted through the hideout, his army following close at his heels as they tore through the Yiga clan. He could hardly tell if he was making killing blows anymore, anxious with his haste to reach his beloved Zelda.

He could hear the screams of a crowd coming from the arena where he fought Kohga. His pace quickened, and he hacked his way through the ranks of soldiers separating him and his wife. Eventually he reached the back door of the hideout and ran through it. He had never seen so many Yiga before. But it didn’t matter. He would slaughter them all.

Over their heads, he could see her! Zelda stood on a raised platform, trembling in fear at a Yiga that stood next to her, brandishing a knife. The gleaming red of a panic blood moon flashed across the blade into his eyes. The Yiga raised the knife to bring down on her.

“NO!”

Link pulled out his bow, drawing back an arrow and sending it flying directly through the Yiga’s hand. She screamed and dropped the Knife, head snapping over at him.

“You!” she spat.

The crowd of Yiga had noticed him at that point, but he only tore through them, vaguely aware of his comrades following his lead behind him, making his way to Zelda.

“Well, well, well,” the Yiga woman said, grabbing Zelda by the shoulder and forcing her to the ground. Rage flashed in Link’s eyes as she jumped off the platform. “If it isn’t the h—” But she never finished her sentence, for Link had already swung his sword. Metal clashed as they battled, clanging in his ears as he forced the Yiga away from Zelda, but, despite her diminutive form, the Yiga was strong. He grew tired as they battled.

“What’s the matter, hero?” his enemy asked sweetly. “Can’t handle the heat of a blood moon? We Yiga find it quite refreshing.” She flexed her arm for him.

“So you really are monsters, after all,” he spat, hatred plain on his face.

“Call us what you will, but you can’t argue with the results.” She nodded her head towards the crowd, and he chanced a glance at them. From even that brief look, he could see that his army was struggling. Whether by the strength of the blood moon, or the sheer number, the Yiga were winning this battle.

“Maybe if you ask really nicely, I’ll spare you,” the Yiga woman said. He spat at her feet. “Very well.” They resumed their fight.

Link pulled out every trick he had, but the woman would not falter, hacking at his sword. Somehow, he shifted from offense to defense, blocking her blows frantically. He tried to wear her down, but she wouldn’t tire, even bleeding from her sword hand as she was. She feigned and he fell for it, letting his sword be batted away, clattering to the ground. He fell back, barely a foot from the bottomless pit. The Yiga pointed her weapon at his throat.

“Link!” Zelda cried.

He looked over at her. Her eyes shown with tears that he no doubt held in his own eyes. He failed her once again.

“I’m so sorry, Zelda,” he said. “I love you.”

But before the Yiga could bring her weapon down on him, an arrow flew from high above, planting itself in her neck. She choked, hands clutching her throat as her sword clattered to the ground. Link jumped up and fisted her tunic, twisting them so that she was in between him and the pit. He leaned in.

“Say hi to Kohga for me.”

With a hard shove, she tumbled down into the depths of the pit.

Without wasting another moment, Link grabbed his sword from the ground and ran back to Zelda, jumping up onto the platform.

“Are you okay?” he asked, frantically cutting her binds. The rope had left her skin an angry red.

“I’m fine, but look!” Zelda pointed, and he looked up to see people from all over Hyrule dropping into the valley. From all walks of life, from all regions, nearly every person Link had ever met had come to their aid, fighting off the Yiga and tossing them into the pit as he had. The Yiga’s numbers dwindled until the last few survivors ran off, realizing they had lost.

There was silence.

And then a glorious cheer spread through the ranks.

“Long live Princess Zelda! Long live the Hero Link!”

“Oh dear,” Zelda muttered, blushing at all the smiles directed at them. “Who has told them that I’m the princess?”

Link chuckled. And he chuckled some more. And then he laughed and laughed until he was crying, sweeping his wife into his arms and sobbing on her shoulder.

“I thought I had lost you!” he whimpered.

“It’s all right, Link,” she said softly, rubbing his back. “I’m safe. You saved me.”

“My Princess,” he whispered.

“My Hero.” He pulled back and gave her a watery, albeit bright, smile.

“Now you’re getting it,” he said.