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Chapter Text

Zelda smiles to herself as she watches the children of the Hateno school play during a recess. It’s simple things like this that make life worth living, she thinks.

One of the children runs up to her and calls for her attention. “Missus Zelda!” 

Far be it from her to pass up a chance for a lesson, even on etiquette. “Oh, I’m no Missus. I’m not married, so I’m Miss Zelda!”

“Oh.” The young girl seems almost dejected. “I thought you were married to Mister Link.”

She fights to keep a blush from overcoming her features. If she didn’t know better, she’d think the children had a magic sense for flustering her. “Why ever would you think that?”

The girl explains herself simply. “You live together, and Link always does whatever you say. A brother wouldn’t do that, and you’re not his mom either!”

Solid logic, for a child. “Well, yes, but…”

A boy jumps in. “And!! He calls you Princess! That means he looooooves you!”

What? But she was literally THE Princess! “No, I- he’s my knight, after all….”

A third child joins, much like a shark smelling blood in the water. “A knight and a princess! Just like the fairy tales!”

Fairy tales? She hardly remembered any from her own childhood. Did they really star princesses? “No, I mean- he’s sworn to stay by my side and protect me. That’s all.”

“Like a husband!”

All pretense of not blushing is gone. She glances to the side, hoping Link is too busy with other children to notice. “N-no! I… can ask many things of Link. But I can’t ask him to love me.”

“Why not? Have you tried?” The innocence of the question is all that keeps her temper from flaring, even as her blush deepens.

“Wh- I most certainly have not!”

“You should try things before saying you can’t do them. Mister Link said so!” She doesn’t think that’s the best advice, let alone the most applicable advice, but contradicting ‘Mister Link’ might just confuse them.

“Then let me correct myself. I shouldn’t ask him.”

This seems to almost placate the children.

Almost.

The first child runs off to Link, making no secret of what’d been discussed. “Mister Link! Did you know Miss Zelda wasn’t married?”

Link nods, amused. Zelda can’t even pretend to look away from the impending carriage crash of a conversation.

“You should marry her! Then she can be Mrs. Zelda!”

Link falters, or perhaps Zelda imagines he does, as he thinks of a response. “I don’t know, ” he says teasingly, “I don’t have a ring for her.”

Zelda’s world stops. Surely he’s jesting.

“A ring?” asks one boy.

“A ring! Oh, you need a ring!” says a girl, excited at the prospect of jewelry.

Link nods. “Can’t get married without a ring,” he says as if this is the only thing wrong with the situation.

“I know,” says the same girl, excitingly pointing towards the direction of Kakariko Village. “Get her that ring! It’ll be so big, to show how much you love her!”

Link half-chokes on his response as he stares at the Ring Ruins off in the distance. “I- uh. That might be a little too big. Where would we put it?”

The children begin wracking their brains, as if this were feasible, and Zelda wonders when Link became so good with children. “Besides,” he continues, “I’m pretty sure that ring belongs to my friend Paya. I can’t just take it.” 

A simplification of the matter, Zelda thinks, but not inaccurate.

The children mutter and grumble in disappointment. “I wanted to see a wedding,” says one.

Link nods in understanding. “I want to see one too. For now, let’s keep playing before it’s time for Mister Symin’s next class!”

The children scatter after a chorus of “Not It!” erupts from them, leaving Link standing there watching. He turns to Zelda, and she feels her world stop again as he comes over. 

“Children,” he says, as if this sums up the entirety of the experience.

“Yes,” she manages to squeak out. “Children.”

Zelda is unsure whether or not to be thankful to be left alone with her thoughts soon after, as she spends her usual studying time contemplating today’s events. She has a collection of fairy tales in front of her, though it sits largely ignored as she thinks.

Like a husband. Those words come back to her, now. Surely not! Link was many things for her at this point- defender, chef, housemate, travel companion, coworker… but husband?

She contemplates. What would she even want in a husband? She can hardly imagine herself being a housewife. Link does so much of the housework, whether because she gets caught up in work or because she’s still, somewhere in the back of her subconscious, still expecting a maid or butler to take care of matters for her.

She’d want either an equal or someone completely okay with supporting her, she thinks. Whether or not she has a castle, she is still considered a Princess, after all. It wouldn’t do to have just some handsome face by her side. Not that Link isn’t handsome- she squashes that thought as it comes to life. 

Who else supports her as much as Link does? Link, who makes a home for her. Link, who cooks her food, guides her on the road, and goes wherever she does. Could someone else ever take his place? It was hard to imagine.

But. Someone would have to, one day.

Unless.

His words feel like they’re fresh in her ears, making them burn all over again. “I don’t have a ring for her.”

What a simple statement, and yet full of possibilities, strange and exciting. Why would he need to say that? Was there an implied ‘yet’ in that sentence? Did Link harbor feelings for his appointed charge? Was there truth in these fairy tales, about knights and princesses? (Had her father been a knight? Her mother, his princess? All records of such were likely destroyed, and she had never asked.)

She couldn’t ask Link to love her, but… maybe he already did. Was there something else? Some other clue as to what Link felt? He wasn’t particularly talkative, so she didn’t have a lot to go on.

She stops as she turns a page, and a picture of a traditional knight and princess appears. The words “Happily Ever After” pop out to her.

Certainly, the defeat of the Demon King was as “Happily Ever After” as she had ever dared to dream. But… if she were allowed to dream a bit more…

A house, like this one- and a partner who could support her, like Link.

…Nothing else comes to mind. Her life, she thinks, is perfect. If she must get married, perhaps, it can be to Link.

“What are you reading?”

She almost leaps out of her seat, not having realized Link had come down the ladder to her study. “L-Link! When did you-“

He seems concerned. “A minute ago. Are you alright? Your face is red.”

Pointing it out just makes the blushing worse. “I’m fine! Just… startled!” Technically, it’s the truth. 

“If you’re sure? Here, a snack, and the news.” He hands her a bowl of honeyed apples and a folded-up paper.

“Oh, thank you. And…” She almost forgot to answer his question. “I was reading fairy tales, for children. I don’t remember reading them myself as a child.”

“Oh! I hope they’re fun.” It occurs to her that Link may not remember fairy tales, himself.

“They’re…” She searches for the right word. “…enlightening.”

He nods, and she wonders how much he gleaned from just that word. “I’ll leave you to it, then. I’ll be back later.”

As Link ascends, she turns her mind to her snack and the news, sealing the revelations she just came to behind a mental iron gate for now. What did the Lucky Clover Gazette have for its readers today…?

“Zonai Tablets Depict Royal Married Life” (An article discussing Rauru and Sonia, something she perhaps did not ever expect to see- she wonders if she could be interviewed as a primary source on the subject? Would they even believe her?)

Memories of tea and being teased about Link bubble to the surface, and she moves on.

“Zonai Jewelry- necklaces, rings, mushrooms, and more!” (An article discussing Zonai fashions, and how timeless mushroom fashion seems to be.)

She eyes her own Zonai-inspired jewelry, a gift from the Queen- timeless, indeed.

And for its advice article on the back…

“5 Ways to Say You Love Someone”

Her ears burn again immediately. She wonders if the universe is plotting against her, somehow. Marriage, rings, and love, all on the same paper! And yet, her curiosity gets the better of her, and she soon finds herself engrossed in the article. 

1) Share your food, or even cook for them!

She glances to the food that Link had prepared for her.

2) Spend time with them, even if you’re doing nothing together.

She glances to the spot Link sometimes occupies on the ground when he has nothing “better to do” than guard her.

3) Let down your guard, especially if you’ve always got your guard up. Touch them lightly, or let them touch you!

Does he ever let his guard down, she wonders? Considering how guarded he was before the Calamity, just seeing him laugh and tease is more “guard down” than she ever expected.

4) Give them something that used to be important to you!

She realizes that she is idly playing with Link’s old hairband again.

5) Tell them. Perhaps the hardest way to say I Love You of all, especially for those of us who aren’t good at talking!

Zelda puts the newspaper down. Emotions and memories swirl about her, resulting in her face turning red as she comes to a conclusion: Link loves her. Maybe it’s not romantic, but… maybe it is. It was no longer a possibility she could ignore.

What could she even do with this information? Did she love Link? 

It’d be kind of hard to deny that she did after all this worrying, wouldn’t it? Would she be worried at all if she didn’t love him? It’d be idle wonderings. Something she could laugh off.

Was it romantic? Her own blush fought to tell her so.

What now, her thoughts asked- no, demanded of her. What should I do with this information? How do I ask Link if he loves me? How do I tell him that I love him?

She stares at the article again. Words will likely fail her, here. She’ll just… have to do what Link does.

She spends what feels like hours plotting ways to purposefully tell Link she loves him, but each idea comes up short. Some, she already does on a daily basis, cementing her belief. Others, she’s too embarrassed to try. 

By the time Link comes to remind her to sleep, she’s so worked up that she can’t. She lays awake, thinking about how this is Link’s bed (even if he hasn’t used it in a while). This is Link’s house. She wonders, by how many people’s definitions, she could say she was already married to Link- certainly, the children thought so.

Maybe she could skip the whole flirtation phase. She wasn’t sure she’d be good at it. She’d seen other young folks flirting, and it seemed… complicated.

“Can’t get married without a ring.”

The words haunt her dreams, it feels like, and while she remembers little else about them- something about a Goron crime family, ridiculous as it sounds in the waking realm- she felt sure, now.

She was going to get Link a ring.

Chapter Text

Zelda has a plan.

A vague idea, more like, but she knows who can help her change that. The Gerudo had academic courses on romance! The Gerudo were the best (if not the only) jewelsmiths in Hyrule! Surely they’d be able to help with her problem.

She drafts letter after letter, wondering how best to broach the subject with Riju. However, each letter seems to fall short of her expectations, and she keeps putting off sending any letter at all. Riju, who had become one of her strongest confidants and closest friends, was not always easy to approach. She had her own duties as chieftain to her people, after all, so visits from the Hylian princess were often accompanied by official matters. Official matters meant being accompanied by Link.

She wonders if it’s a blessing or a curse that Link falls ill the morning of one such visit to Gerudo Town, freeing her up to talk with Riju without Link’s keen ears nearby. He insists he’ll be fine by the end of the day, but there is regret there, that he can’t be by her side. She ends up promising not to leave Riju’s side while she’s gone.

“I’ll be back tonight,” she promises. “Who knew Mineru’s transportation circles would still work even now? It certainly makes it easier to get from town to town. The wonders of technology!”

“Hnn,” Link replies.

“Oh dear,” Zelda says as she pauses in her preparations. “You’ve reverted to syllables. You really must be feeling worse.”

“Hmph,” he grunts, as if this somehow disproves her point.

She picks up the last of the gear she’ll need (a paraglider with a nostalgic pattern of Hyrule’s crest) and takes out the Purah Pad. “I’ll see if I can find any medicine in Gerudo Town while I’m there, alright?”

“Kay.”

“Alright then, I’m off!” With that, she disappears into strings of blue light, leaving Link alone for now.

-

Zelda glides down from the shrine above Gerudo Town, startling the guards who were still unused to such things. Riju, who was awaiting her as if this were normal, shakes her head in amusement. “You know, we could always put up ladders.”

Zelda chuckles at the idea. “Perhaps, but where’s the fun in that?”

They discuss politics for a fair bit- largely reconstruction efforts, as Hyrule is still not yet in a state to be ruled, or so Zelda says. Even so, trade between Gerudo Town and other regions has picked up significantly, and issues such as the connecting roads and stables need to be addressed.

Eventually, the pair begin to retreat to Riju’s room, where they can speak on more informal terms. Riju is the first to speak as they escape. “Something’s been bothering you today, and it isn’t just politics.”

Zelda blushes as she’s confronted with the topic before she can ready herself. “Yes. Well, I might be having… voe issues.”

Riju gives her a knowing smile as they walk. “Let me guess. Link?"

Zelda almost trips on a stair. "How did you- no, I suppose it was obvious."

"If it weren't,” Riju says with a laugh, “Link would be on the list of Gerudo Town's Most Eligible Voe."

“There’s a list?” The gears in her mind turn, wondering if she should voice the second half of that thought. “And he’s not on it??”

“As Chief, I may have… pulled some strings. I figure you deserve better than competing with half the town.”

Zelda suddenly imagines every Gerudo she’s ever met vying for Link’s attentions. “Well. That’s very… considerate of you.”

“Only the best for my dear friends.” Riju stops to take in the view of Gerudo Town from her balcony for a moment. “Now then, how can I help? I might not be the most experienced vai but I do listen to my people speak of such things.”

“I-“ The words catch in Zelda’s throat, as if she’s afraid Link will hear her from the other side of Hyrule Field. “I want to get… a ring.”

Riju’s eyebrows slowly slide all the way up as she delays a verbal response. “…You’re serious.”

Zelda feels the weight of her words in her throat. “I am.”

Riju brings her eyebrows back down and tries to center herself. If it were possible for her to blush, Zelda thinks, she’d be doing so. “I wasn’t aware you two had gotten so far in your relationship.”

“Neither was I! But…” She can feel her chest tightening, her heart trying to escape as it works hard to express everything she feels. “…It feels right.”

“That is what is important. Now then, we’ll have to have Isha make the band, but do you have a gemstone in mind?”

“A gemstone?” A small sense of panic leaps within her. “Oh, dear. I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”

Riju crosses her arms as she thinks to herself. “Hmm. While we could go use any old gemstone…”

It didn’t matter too much to her, Zelda thinks. Link was swimming in precious gems from his adventures. “Yes, I- suppose we could… I think a sapphire might-“

“-I can solidly say you both deserve something better than just a gemstone.”

Zelda’s mind feels like it comes to a crashing halt. “Oh.”

If this showed on Zelda’s face, Riju did not notice. “I’ve heard stories of a gem called Hyliaite, that seems to change color depending on the angle viewed. Rare, of course, but said to be imbued with holy power. A perfect fit!”

“Hyliaite…” Images of the goddess, of prayer, of temples and shrines and altars and tears cross her mind. “I don’t know…”

Riju puts a hand on her shoulder. “I think if anyone deserves to be blessed, it might be you two.”

The sincerity in her eyes swayed Zelda to her side. “If you insist… then alright. A Hyliaite ring will certainly make a powerful statement.”

“Exactly!”

Meanwhile, one of Riju’s seal plushies seemed to shift ever so slightly to face the conversation at hand. Unbeknownst to the royal pair, this seal was, in fact, a member of the Yiga clan. They had infiltrated earlier that day in hopes of gaining some insight to the scheduled meeting between Riju and Zelda, and heard only snippets of the conversation.

Those snippets being “Hyliaite ring” and “powerful.”

This slight shift was enough to betray the Yiga’s presence to the ever watchful chief. “Who’s there?!”

The soldier transformed from seal plush to person in a plume of smoke, laughing despite being caught. “I heard! A powerful ring, meant for our greatest enemies! We’ll see how powerful it is when we have it!”

Zelda pales, processing not the Yiga’s misunderstanding, but the fact that the entire Yiga clan would know about the ring.

If they knew about the ring, it’d only be a matter of time before they mentioned it to Link.

A crash of thunder breaks her out of her worrying, the Yiga disappearing before they could be roasted alive by Riju’s power. 

Riju scowls as she searches the room. “I thought my plushies were out of place… but to think a spy would do such a thing! I’m so sorry, Zelda.”

Zelda shakes her head. “No, there is nothing to apologize for. I just… goodness. What am I to do? They want the ring, and we don’t even have it yet.”

Riju finds an identical sand seal plush under her bed and puts it in its rightful place, where the Yiga had sat. “They’ll have to fight for it. In the meantime, why don’t you check out Goron City? I feel if anyone might have a lead on Hyliaite, it’ll be them.”

Thoughts of Link, sick in his bed, spring to her guilty mind. “Oh, but I promised Link I’d stay with you until it was time to come home.”

“Then we can go together. I’ve always wanted to go, and I hardly need a better excuse than helping the princess. Unless you have some other objection?”

Zelda thinks for a moment, a seed of doubt trying and failing to pick apart this plan. “No, I… don’t think I do.”

“Great! Let me inform Buliara and then we can be off.”

As Zelda follows her friend back downstairs, something in the back of her mind tries to settle for just a ring. It’d be lovely in its normalcy, just like their house. There was no need for her to get holy powers involved- but seeing Riju smile made her think how much it would mean to everyone else, too.

Perhaps, this once, she could overachieve.

Chapter Text

Surely, between Riju and Yunobo, this was a perfectly safe trip.

There were certainly no Yiga after her, or the gem she was seeking, or the ring she was making. Not here, not in Goron City. And yet, Zelda finds herself looking over her shoulders anyways, as if the Yiga could also cross the entirety of Hyrule in seconds. Perhaps Link was secretly here? ‘How’ didn’t enter her mind. He was Link. He could do things like that.

“Is something the matter, Zelda?”

Riju’s words make her realize she may have zoned out a bit- quite the faux pas. “I’m sorry, you were saying?”

Yunobo, bless his heart, doesn’t seem bothered qbout repeating himself. “Well, like I was saying, Hyliaite’s, like, really rare, goro. I don’t think we’ve found any since I started Yunoboco. But some folks have all been excited because the scientists figured out how to make their own gemstones! I don’t know too much about it, other than the gemstones they make aren’t very tasty.”

“The scientists” could only be a few people in all of Hyrule, and Zelda instantly calls to mind a conversation in which Purah was talking about the applications of Zonaite in various experiments. “Artificial gemstones…”

Riju shakes her head. “Not the lead we were looking for, I’m afraid.”

“Sorry, goro…”

Zelda hurries to assuage the Goron. “Oh, don’t apologize! Actually… this might even be more appropriate. Laboratory-made gemstones… I want to know how it’s done!”

Riju lets out a knowing sigh. “Ah, of course. How could I forget our princess’s love of all things science?”

-

With something to look forward to, Zelda and Riju make their way to Lookout Landing, which has begun evolving into a town in its own right. Zelda’s fears of Yiga and Link are forgotten with the light of Science guiding her forward, and she almost leaves Riju behind in her hurry to get to Purah.

Josha, who was quickly becoming one of Zelda’s favorite people, was the first to greet her. “P-Princess! I didn’t know you’d be coming today!”

Zelda chuckles at the young scientist’s rush to appear proper. “Neither did I, but here I am. Is Purah busy right now? I’d like to speak with her about a matter of… personal importance.”

“Oh! I think Doc was working on an experiment, but it’s probably safe to enter! …..probably!” 

With Josha in tow, they enter Purah’s workspace, where she indeed seems to be writing down observations on a piece of Zonaite. Purah raises her goggles, and an eyebrow to go with them. “Well, this is a surprise. What brings you out here? And without Linky in tow?”

Zelda had almost forgotten about that, and she stammers. “W-well, Link is home sick today, so I’ve been…”

Purah points to Riju with a smirk. “Having a girl’s day out?”

“N-no!” 

Riju shrugs. “She’s not wrong.”

Zelda huffs. “I mean, that certainly isn’t the goal. It’s just that, well…”

Riju notices Zelda’s flummoxed state and steps in. “We hear tell of an interesting advancement. Something about making your own jewels?”

“Oh, that? It’s certainly… something.” Purah puts down her notepad. “I can guess why Riju might be interested, but what’s got you hooked, Princess?”

“Well, I was…” She takes a moment to collect herself. “…interested in the scientific process of it all, naturally, but we were also wondering what sorts of gemstones you’ve managed to create.”

“Rubies, sapphires, topaz, opals, diamonds, the works, really. They don’t seem as magically charged as the real deals but they look pretty enough, and I’ve had Gorons confirm they’re as solid as the real deals too.”

Zelda swallows her curiosity for the sake of her current mission. “What about rarer gemstones? Such as, say… Hyliaite?”

Purah’s eyebrow shoots back up. “Okay, now I know there’s an angle here, but Hylia help me if I know what it is. Trying to make some kind of fancy jewelry? I did hear the old royal regalia had a solid chunk of Hyliaite in it, looking to replicate that?”

Zelda almost feels embarrassed, forgetting a detail like that. “Ah… not exactly…”

Riju steps in to cut to the chase. “We’re looking for the perfect gemstone for a… personal accessory. Hyliaite was my idea.”

“Personal accessory…” They can see Purah light up as she connects things together. “Is this… for Linky? Oh, it is, isn’t it?” Zelda doesn’t deny this, but can feel her blush coming back. “Oh my. I haven’t been this invested in a courtship ritual since Impa’s.”

Josha seems confused by the state of matters. “Courtship ritual? I’ve never heard the term. Is it some kind of religious matter?”

Purah tries not to laugh. “Oh, something like that. Make sure not to repeat what you hear here to anyone else, mkay? Courtship rituals are usually… very private matters.”

Josha salutes with confidence. “You can count on me!”

“Good! Now then… I don’t know for sure if I can replicate Hyliaite, but I might be able to if we can figure out its elemental frequency.”

Words Zelda knew independently, but not together. “Its… what, now?”

“The essence of it, literally.” Purah digs around for something in her lab as she speaks. “A little hard to do without a sample of the gem itself, but… I won’t say impossible. Rubies are fire-aligned, for instance, and sapphires are ice. The thing is, diamonds are light-aligned, so it’s a question of what Hyliate even is. Is it a mixture? Another element altogether? Both?”

She finally lifts something up to see. “Ah, here we go! Precious opal! Look at this beaut of a stone!” It is certainly a beautiful stone. It shines in the light with a rainbow of colors. For a moment, Zelda thinks that it might be a suitable replacement for Hyliaite. 

Riju interrupts that thought. “There are plenty of opals in the world. What makes this one different from a regular opal?”

Purah snorts. “Can’t a gem just be pretty? But also, you’re right to question that! The process we use affects how the gemstone turns out, creating precious and non-precious versions of different minerals. Does Hyliaite truly exist as its own stone, or is it a precious form of another mineral?”

Zelda shakes her head. “Now I’m just confused… how will we even know we’ve made Hyliaite, then?”

“We won’t!” Purah says this as if it’s obvious. “Not until we run extensive tests on each stone we make. And for that, we’re going to need…?” She turns to Josha, expectant of an answer.

Josha speaks up like a child in class. “Funding!”

“…I was going to say ‘a repaired microscope’ but sure.”

“Your microscope is damaged?!” Zelda could only imagine how crushed she would be if such a valued piece of equipment of her own were ruined.

“Yeaaaah, tried to tamper with a ruby’s essence under the scope. It didn’t turn out well.” An understatement, Zelda thinks. “But at least I know what not to do next time! I just need to wait for my replacement to arrive.” 

“Well. That’s encouraging.”

“It is running a bit late though…” Purah’s gaze shifts to the windows. “I hope nothing’s happened to it on the road…”

Riju chuckles to herself, drawing eyes from everyone else. Purah is the one to speak up. “Is something funny, lady Riju?”

“Oh, yes, I was just thinking… that sounds just like a cue for Link to come in with the microscope, having rescued it from bokoblins.”

They all burst out laughing at the very idea.

—

Zelda returns home after securing a promise to at least try to create Hyliaite from Purah. All in all, the day that feels much shorter than normal, and yet it is clearly late now as the sun sets over the hills. She crosses the threshold, and notes it’s a bit dark inside. “Link? Are you in?”

A groan is her only response. “Oh dear. Still sick? Well, I’m here now, and I don’t think I’ll be leaving until you’re better, this time.” 

Another groan emanates from the dark as she lights a candle. “Oh, don’t be dramatic, Hyrule can wait a day or two. They know where to find me.”

She looks down as the house lights up, and realizes the groaning isn’t coming from Link.

It’s coming from the Yiga spy laying on the ground.

There’s a sound of someone behind her, and she turns with a yelp- only to see that it’s Link, this time. “Zel! You’re back! What’s wrong?”

Zelda forcefully pulls him inside and points to the Yiga soldier. “Explain.”

Link blinks owlishly at the scene. “…Beats me. I was food shopping.”

The Yiga gets up and tries to pretend they weren’t laid out on the floor. “C-curses! Foiled by a fiendish trap! We’ll let you off for today, hero!” The Yiga disappears in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a banana peel on the floor.

Zelda and Link stare at each other for a long moment before it occurs to Zelda what seems to have truly happened. “Link… did you have bananas for lunch?”

His face freezes for a moment as realization dawns. “I… might have…”

Zelda isn’t sure whether to laugh or cry at the absurdity of it all. “…Next time, clean up after yourself.”

She must have used her teacher voice, because his response is “Yes, Missus Zelda.”

She freezes. “What’d you call me?”

”Missus-? Oh! Right. The not-married thing. I guess I had children on the mind…”

Her breath hitches. “Ch-children?”

”Yeah, I saw the kids playing in the street on the way here. Are you okay? You’re not getting sick now, are you?”

Zelda realizes her body language and tremendous blush might not be signs of total confidence in her own health. “O-oh, I hope not…”

”Well, let’s get dinner made and see if that helps improve things.” Link continues on, getting ready to prepare a meal as if a ninja had not been on the floor two minutes ago.

”Yes. Let’s,” Zelda says, hoping Link will not question why a ninja had been here in the first place. Maybe it was a coincidence! The Yiga were just… like that.

But in the back of her mind, “Link,” “children,” “ring,” and “Yiga” all began to take on new meanings for her.

Chapter Text

Link was furious.

Not at Zelda, (never at her,) but at how much danger he had put her in by simply leaving the house for a few minutes. 

The Yiga were growing bold, or desperate- he wasn’t sure which. It had been too long since he had checked in with them as his alter-ego, Blademaster Newguy. Maybe it was time for such an excursion once again.

‘Blademaster Newguy’ wasn’t exactly a secret from Zelda, but he certainly didn’t know how to go about telling his- friend? Charge? Boss?- that he was, by all technicalities, inducted into the cult dedicated to killing her. That he was sworn to kill himself might get a laugh out of her one day, though, so he’s waited for the right moment.

Now is not that time, he thinks, as Zelda spends today using her free time to perform experiments with Purah. He’s not sure what exactly for (he thought he heard something about the properties of gemstones), but he has oddly been separated from Zelda at her own behest. Bodyguarding wouldn’t have been a waste of his time, but he supposes she feels completely safe in a laboratory environment. 

With her distracted, Link takes the Purah Pad for himself. He teleports to a remote shrine (Eventide’s works wonders for privacy), dons his Yiga gear, and then teleports again to the Yiga hideout in the Gerudo desert. They welcome him in with only a hint of suspicion- that was as much trust as anyone got around here, if their name wasn’t Master Kohga.

One of the other Blademasters looks ‘Newguy’ up and down before nodding. “There you are. Been bringing the fight to our enemies, I trust?”

Link nods in return. “When I can. That Link is no slouch.”

“That he isn’t. What brings you here? Did you perhaps hear the news?” Link shakes his head. “Ah, I suppose it wouldn’t have spread yet. It seems our foes have caught wind of a powerful artifact. A Hyliaite ring.”

“Hyliaite?”

The Blademaster postures as he speaks. “A holy stone, or so it is said. We’re unsure of the properties of this ring, but it seems they don’t yet have it. A boon for us- if we can capitalize on it. Between the holy sword and holy princess, a holy ring can only mean trouble. But in our hands…”

Link nods in understanding. “I see… it could make us stronger.”

“Exactly. We’re sending out orders to all agents to keep an eye out for Hyliaite. They might try to disguise the ring as something else, or transport it in pieces to prevent the whole from falling to us. We must be vigilant!”

“There was something else I’d come to ask about…” Link hated asking for explanations, it always involved more talking than he cared for. “I’d heard an agent was caught sneaking into the hero’s home. As I understood, that place was considered off-limits, in case we might anger him. Did something change?”

The Blademaster noticeably straightened, as if sensing Link’s anger even as he tried to hide it. “Oh. It seems an agent thought the swordsman was weakened, and entered the house without waiting for orders. Of course, it was a trap- the swordsman had only pretended to lower his guard. It is not a mistake that shall be repeated.”

Was that really all? A single spy got brave because he had been sick? He makes a mental note that the Yiga seemed to be discouraged from trying again and leaves it at that. “Right then. Hyliaite ring… I will be on the lookout. Glory to Master Kohga!” He hated saying such a thing, but he supposed it helped make his disguise all the more convincing.

“Glory to Master Kohga!” 

—

He quickly changes back into his usual gear and is back in Lookout Landing before he can be missed. He’s left alone with his thoughts for a while, which is rarely a good thing in the long run, but at least watching the hustle and bustle of other folks keeps his mood up.

He doesn’t really have the slightest inkling of what the Yiga were talking about. A Hyliaite ring? He hadn’t heard of Hyliaite before, though he could guess it was important with the Goddess’s name attached. Magic rings… he remembers the rings on Rauru’s right hand. Maybe it was something like that.

But where was the ring now? He hated not knowing. He could always ask Zelda, but then he’d have to either explain himself, or lie. He wasn’t keen on either of those ideas. If Zelda had wanted him in the loop on such a thing, he’d know. He’d already made peace with the fact that he couldn’t know everything, especially when it came to politics. He was here to protect Zelda, not any of her jewelry- though, her Secret Stone was certainly also a priority. 

Maybe it was a gift from some foreign dignitary? If it was making its way from outside of Hyrule, it’d explain why he didn’t need to be in on the loop, at least until it made its way here.

The very idea of a gift sent his head back to yesterday, when the kids asked him if he had gotten a ring for Zelda yet. The townsfolk giggled, and Link had laughed it off, but it was beginning to weigh on him. What did Zelda mean to him? What could he do to show her? Any old gift he could give seemed cheap in comparison to everything she had done. He had also given her so much that he didn’t know what else he could give.

“Whatcha thinking about, Swordsman?” Link shakes himself from his thoughts at the sound of a curious Josha.

“Oh, uh…” Maybe Josha might know. Certainly, there wasn’t any harm in asking, right? “What do you know about Hyliaite?”

“Hyliaite?” She seems surprised. She looks back and forth, making sure no one else can hear her but Link, and then she leans in. “Is this one of those ‘courtship ritual’ things?”

“Courtship-?!” Link can’t fight off his blush, not this time. “N-no, I don’t- think so? I was just curious.”

“Oh. Well, in any case, I’m not actually sure what it is. Doc seems convinced it’s some kind of super-precious gem. The Princess-“ Josha immediately gasps and shuts her mouth, as if she’s made a mistake.

“The Princess?” Why would she be trying to hide this from people? Was it as powerful as the Yiga said?

Josha quickly ponders how much is okay to tell Link. “Well… she seems to want some for- some reason?” 

Zelda wants Hyliaite. There, he heard it from someone who wasn’t a Yiga! “Oh. Huh. And she doesn’t… already have some?”

Josha shakes her head. “Nope!”

The gears turn in Link’s head. Maybe this Hyliaite ring is a means to an end? Maybe she wants it for science. He thinks of the smile on her face when she finds something new to study, and how it feels to watch her.

That settles the matter, Link thinks.

He’s going to make sure Zelda gets her Hyliaite.

Chapter Text

Link doesn’t have a plan.

He has a vague idea, but he always has one of those. The Gorons knew everything about rocks! They had an entire market dedicated to gems! Surely they’d be able to help with his quest.

He doesn’t feel right sending a letter (do the Gorons even use paper?) when he could just ask in person the next time one of Zelda’s trips takes him to Goron City. In the meantime, he does what he does best- stand there and look pretty by Zelda’s side. It wasn’t very exciting but he was fairly sure it was in his job description.

Well, as he would describe it to people, anyways. He’s not sure he has so much a job as a mission- a purpose. He fought for months on end (a century, some would say) to be by her side, and damn if he was going to give up that position just because she wasn’t paying him anymore.

It felt almost wrong to seek an excuse to not be at her side- but when she gives him one, to go ahead to the Bedrock Bistro and order their lunches while she speaks with Boss Bludo, he accepts it. He performs his task admirably (or as admirably as one can order a rock-grilled steak), and finds himself talking to a familiar face- Gomo the goromand.

The mustachioed Goron gives his signature large grin. “Ah, Link! It’s good to see you. Here for business or pleasure?” Link’s not sure what the difference is with their usual arrangement- Link doesn’t mind having the extra money, and gathering the ripened flint is certainly a pleasure for Gomo.

“A bit of both,” Link says. 

“Do tell!”

Link comes to terms with how much talking he’s about to do. “I’ve been hearing… rumors, about a super rare gemstone. I figure a gourmet like yourself might be in the know.”

Gomo plays with his ascot. “Hm. I certainly do keep my ear to the ground.”

“What can you tell me about…. Hyliaite?”

Gomo’s usual cheery self deflates a little. “…A rarity, that. Even when found, there’s plenty of reason for a Goron to keep such a find to themselves.”

“Ah, I was afraid of that…” Link sighs. “I’m hoping to find even a speck of it. A pebble, even.”

This piques his interest, at least. “Oh? For what purpose, might I ask? Just to taste it?”

Ah, right. Gorons. “No, I… want to give it to the Princess, for her studies.”

“Hmm…” Gomo plays with his mustache a little. “I have been hearing rumors about… artificial gemstones. Gemstones that look real, but are quite… tasteless.”

Link nods. “She’s seemed really interested in the research. Loads of practical uses for even ‘fake’ gems, I guess.”

“Practical uses, eh? Uses that might… see a decrease in real gemstones being used for experiments?”

Gomo clearly has an idea, though Link has no idea what about. “Huh? I… guess? If they’re easy enough to make.”

“Hmm. I think…” Gomo takes a moment to finish that thought. “I might be able to dig something up. My associates, shall we say, have a vested interest in quality gemstones. While a crumb of Hyliaite might be… difficult to acquire, it’s not impossible.”

Link’s heart jumps in his chest, “Really? Oh man, I’d really owe ya one!”

“Well, I’ll call it a one-time favor for the two-time savior of Hyrule. You’ve hardly lorded it over the rest of us.”

Link blinks at being referred to as such. It doesn’t feel like he’s saved Hyrule twice, now that he’s had time to relax. “Just… doing my job.”

Gomo takes a bite from his rock roast. “Take it from me, you could stand to be a little bit more selfish.”

—

Link pondered those words as they waited for their meals. He was plenty selfish! Just because he went out of his way to help people didn’t mean he was selfless. He liked helping people, that’s all.

If he weren’t selfish, he wouldn’t insist on cooking so many of Zelda’s meals himself. He wouldn’t have built that dream home in Tarrey Town for just the two of them. He wouldn’t… try to mean more to her than he does.

He used to be happy just being her knight. It still makes him happy! But every once in a while, someone would make a careless comment, an assumption that he and Zelda were something… more. Children, it seemed, were especially prone to this lately.

More. The word left a bitter taste in his mouth, even though he didn’t dare repeat it. How could they possibly be more? She means everything to him. She was his best friend, his leader, his savior, his reason to get up in the morning.

His Princess.

How could he ask for anything more? Others made it look so easy. A flirt here, a wink there- how could he ever bring himself to attempt changing his relationship with Zelda? If it failed, at best it’d be awkward. At worst, he’d damage what they already had.

If Zelda wasn’t going to broach the topic of love, the way other people loved each other, than neither would he. He’d just do what he always did, and hoped ‘more’ was an acquired taste.

He suddenly blinks when Zelda waves a hand in front of his face. How long had she been trying to get his attention for? “Link? Are you alright? You’re pretty quiet, even for you.”

He’s embarrassed, though he tries to stuff down the feeling. “Oh. I guess I was… thinking.”

“Well, clearly. What about?”

“I…”

“Oiii!” A familiar journalist calls out to them at their table. Penn the Rito touches down nearby and walks over. “Well, if it isn’t Link! I haven’t seen you in a while. Traysi’s been over the moon with your advice articles.” 

Link suddenly burns at the very thought of his advice articles being public. It was something he was doing on a trial basis, after his adventures of being an investigative journalist sparked his interest, but he still wasn’t sure if his writing was up to snuff.

Zelda laughs, and the sound clears away his worries for now. “Advice articles, Link? For what? Who’s this? I don’t believe we’ve met.”

Penn seems to realize she’s there for the first time. “Oh! Name’s Penn. Partner here’s been writing for the Lucky Clover recently. Good stuff! He seems like a well-experienced guy. And you are…?”

Zelda seems almost delighted to not be recognized.“Oh, I’m Zelda. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I think I’ve seen your name before! It’s nice to put a face with the name.”

“Oh, thanks! Nice to meetcha, Zelda. Just like the Princess!” Link tries not to laugh- some things never change. “Treat my partner nice, ya hear? He might not be the greatest knight in Hyrule, but he’s a total keeper!”

It’s Zelda’s turn to awkwardly laugh and fight off a blush. “Oh, I don’t know, he’s the greatest as far as I’m concerned.” Zelda winks at Link knowingly.

Link freezes on the spot. 

“Ha! Sounds like she’s a keeper too! I’ll let you keep on with your date then, I’ve got stories to investigate! Soar long, pals!”

Zelda waves him off as he takes to the air, chuckling to herself. “He may need to get his eyes checked. So…” She immediately blows past Penn’s ‘date’ remark. “…advice articles, Link? Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve helped, you know.”

Link remembers to breathe again, even as Penn’s remarks sink in. “Oh! I, uh… wanted to do something for myself.”

She seems surprised for a moment. “…I guess I can relate. So much is expected of us, after all. But, I do hope you take me up on my offer.”

Link holds his tongue, wondering how a princess’s point of view could help for everyday advice articles, but he supposes she could check his grammar. “I’ll think about it.”

Their steaks arrive soon after (gourmet for Link, and prime for Zelda), and thoughts of love and dates and articles about the same cease weighing on him for now. After all, he was having lunch with his princess, and few things were more important than her and food. Combine the two and he was content.

Content was all he’d ever dreamed of being, some day. But now? Now he wasn’t so sure.

Chapter Text

Zelda starts to encourage more “Me Time” for Link. True, she misses him sorely every time, but her plans were starting to take form, and the less Link knew of her plans, the better- or so insisted Riju and Purah. That he’d come back with more stories to share, recipes he found, and precious objects he received in compensation made reuniting with him an experience every time. She begins looking forward to finding out what he did without her, even as she wishes she was there with him.

She begins planning the ring in earnest with Riju and Isha, coming up with designs for the work and trying to decide what material to use for the ring. Certainly, gold was traditional, but Zelda wanted something more personal. The design, she decided, would be that of Silent Princesses, and silver suited that plan more. Silver was more the purview of the Zora, and Zelda felt it would be appropriate, in a way, to use Zora silver for this. The Zora were like a second family for Link, especially King Sidon. He deserved to be part of Zelda’s plans.

It wasn’t long before she got her chance to meet with him, though for official business rather than personal. King Sidon (King! She wishes she had been there) was as earnest and straightforward as ever, and Zelda found an odd kinship with Queen Yona, who had moved into Hyrule shortly before the Upheaval.

Yona was privy to Zelda’s plans- and that “Me Time” wouldn’t be enough to part Link from Sidon. So it was, that when business was officially over, Yona quickly came up with an excuse (“Sir Link! There is a tear in your armor!”). She took him away a bit insistently, and he gave what seemed like a pleading look to Zelda and Sidon, who waved him off.

Zelda turned to the man that considered Link his very best friend. “Your majesty-“

He is quick to interrupt. “Please, call me Sidon. I much prefer that, coming from you and Link.”

It feels odd to speak to a king so (certainly, Rauru requested no such thing), but she obliges. “Right… Sidon. I have a request, if I may be so bold. It actually concerns Link.”

“A request? Certainly, if it is within my power, I don’t see why not.”

“I…” She fights her blush and uses some of her royal training to continue speaking. “I wish to ask for Link’s hand in marriage. As perhaps the closest thing to a family he has… I was hoping to ask for your blessing before I do so.”

Sidon, for his part, does not immediately leap for joy or shout it for all of Zora’s Domain to hear. “Truly? I… see.” He seems distant, for a moment.

Zelda thought this might happen. “I know this might be… conflicting, especially because of Mipha. I understand if-“

Sidon shakes his head vigorously. “Far from it! While yes, it is true that my sister held a great love for Link… she wouldn’t wish for him to deny himself either. I’m honored to be asked. I think this is truly wonderful, Princess!” He gives one of his signature smiles, to help sell his sincerity.

Zelda can’t help but smile back. “Please, call me Zelda. I’m hoping to be part of this family of Link’s soon enough.”

“…As you wish, Zelda.” He kneels down to look her in the eyes. “I can say with utmost certainty that Link doesn’t hold any other woman in his heart.”

Zelda feels that her entire body must be turning red. “Utmost certainty?”

Sidon seems to notice. “I- ah. Perhaps I speak out of turn. It’s just that… even when you’re apart, I know Link thinks of you fondly.”

“Yes, I’ve…” Words fail her for a moment. “I’ve come to realize how much Link means to me. I’m a very lucky woman.”

They discuss some particulars (including a purchase of silver) while they wait for Link’s armor to be ‘repaired’. Link soon comes back, none the worse for wear as Yona trails behind him. The moment Link is distracted from his princess by Sidon, Zelda whispers a thank you to the Zora queen, who is clearly more than happy to have helped.

-

It all seems to be coming together perfectly, Zelda finds. What she lacks now, besides the gemstone, is a plan to propose. She’d been doing research into the matter, and while it wasn’t an exact science, people had… ideas. 

“Ooh, you’ve got to find someplace that means a lot to both of you,” Purah suggests, as if she has experience in the matter.

“Timing is key! You need to set the mood!” Riju sounds very sure for someone who was single.

Yona’s advice seems somewhat practical, despite being in an arranged marriage. “Make sure you look your best, it’ll be a moment to remember for a long time.”

Eventually even Impa is let in on the plan, and she doesn’t seem surprised. “It won’t need to be perfect. Find a moment of joy, one you want to last forever- that’ll give you the courage you need.”

So it is that Zelda finds herself… distracted, trying to satisfy so many conditions at once. Where could an important place be? Lovers’ Pond? The shore of the Bottomless Pond in Hyrule Field? Certainly not Hyrule Castle, and though it was of importance, Fort Hateno was rejected as well.

What did it mean to ‘set the mood’? Was this one of those flirting things? She was unsure how to do so without blowing a fuse. She could at least look her best, though as a princess she always strived for a certain level of beauty… even if she ruined it on a regular basis with her activities.

Of course, all of it would be useless if courage failed her. How ironic, she thinks, that it is the thought of Link that makes her quake. After all the fighting and sacrifices, she is finally allowed a future of her own choosing- and no one had a right to deny her that.

No one but Link.

She could no longer imagine a future without him, and yet a seed of doubt grew within. What if? What if Link didn’t love her in that way? What if he was still here out of some sense of loyalty or chivalry? What if he was avoiding love on purpose, or simply did not have romance in his heart?

She had to remind herself that these futures did not mean losing Link as a friend. Even in the worst-case, they could still be friends- and Link’s friendship meant more to her than whether or not he wanted to share her bed. (The thought of this set her face burning once again.)

No, she thinks. The man who fought for months on end to save Hyrule would not leave her side just because of some awkwardness. She was sure of it. He had faced worse in his journeys (plenty of stories he told Zelda in good faith were beyond awkward), and he was here now.

She just needed to be brave, like him.

Chapter Text

Link notices that Zelda gives him more time to himself, after she finds out about the articles. He’s not sure he wants time apart, but he does find ways to entertain himself- and he always has something to bring back as a souvenir. He begins looking forward to coming back, and seeing her face as he recounts whatever tale had occurred that day.

When it comes to official business, however, he’s left alone with his thoughts again. Even in the presence of Sidon, he can’t help but let his mind wander. He looks to Yona, and notices how at ease she and Sidon are in each other’s company. Even on official business, they have time for japes, and they touch each other lightly whenever attention is required.

He again finds himself wishing he could so easily do the same with Zelda.

Link is confused when Yona takes him aside after the meeting. She’s a poor actor, and Link knows for a fact his armor is fine (he always checks before every visit to Zora’s Domain). It soon becomes clear Yona isn’t taking him to get his armor repaired, and she slows down and turns to him. “There. That should be far enough, I think.”

He trusts Yona, but this is odd even for her. “What’s going on? Is there something I should know?”

She has a seriousness in her eyes he remembers seeing back during the Upheaval. “Sir Link, I’m the one who wants to know. Why did you look so intensely sad during the meeting today?”

It showed? “I- don’t really know what you’re talking about.”

“You are like my Sidon, strong and straightforward. It is not like you to get pushed back by the current. Something troubles you greatly.”

It showed. Crap. “…and here I thought I was hiding it. Am I that obvious?”

“It helps that I was the one looking. Is it perhaps something about Zelda?”

Link is taken aback. “You are… scary good at reading people.”

“Thank you. Is that a yes?”

“I…” He rarely felt so cornered. “…Yeah, sure.”

She tilts her head, as if she isn’t some kind of psychic. “What concerns you? That you might not be good enough?”

He’d feel offended if she weren’t right. “Okay, how are you doing that? Seriously.”

“I have seen the way you look at Zelda before. I have seen that look in the river, staring back at me. Sometimes I still wonder, am I good enough? For my dear Sidon, for this beloved Domain?”

He’s seen all she’s done, and been there for some of it. “Of course you’re good enough-“

She interrupts. “Exactly. Doubts do not care for the truth. You are good enough, Link. That we are here is proof of that, I think. Zelda could not ask for a better man at her side. My Sidon has said much the same.”

“I’m… not so sure. I’m a good enough knight, sure, but…”

Yona gives a sly smirk. “Oh? Do you know of someone that would make her happier than you do?”

“No?” He almost clamps his mouth shut. Why was he opening up to Yona of all people?

Yona shifts to a gentle smile. “Then be confident. You make her happy. That is enough. Please, remember this when next you make her smile.”

Link sighs as he tries to recompose himself. “…Please don’t tell her.”

“I suppose I can promise I will not, if you do not tell my Sidon I suffer the same. Is that a favorable deal?” She winks at him.

Link speaks without thinking. “Ah yes, because I’d love to gossip about my friend’s wife behind her back.”

She chuckles at that. “Sarcasm! An improvement over before.”

“You sure about that?” He raises an eyebrow to accentuate his question.

She mock-gasps. “You think I offend so easily? I’m wounded, sir Link!”

It takes a short while to get the laughter out of their systems before they return to their partners. Zelda’s already smiling, but her smile only gets bigger upon seeing her knight return. Yona’s words already ring in his ears. Yes, he thinks. He is good enough. He just needs to be brave, like everyone says he is.

—

The days pass by, and though he doesn’t feel the change right away, Link begins to notice that Zelda smiles when she sees him- it gives him confidence, that he means something to her. He feels like he isn’t stuck in the muck anymore. How funny, he thinks, that Yona would be the one to save him so.

He also notices she’s beginning to not smile as often when left to her own thoughts, much like himself. Something weighs down on her, and though she insists it’s nothing, he quickly grows concerned. After all, he just got done feeling sorry for himself- it was perhaps time to pay forward Yona’s kindness and see if he could help Zelda.

It’s not long before Link decides to do something, during one of the princess’s frequent trips to Purah’s lab. Zelda seems distant, distracted even, as they perform yet another gemstone experiment. They still haven’t told him why they’re doing this, or why it must be Hyliaite specifically. Frankly, he’s a little miffed.

‘A little miffed’ is all the motivation he needs to enact his plan.

“Okay, it’s break time, Zel. Let’s go get you something to eat.”

Zelda blinks in confusion before she checks the Purah Pad. “Really? I could swear-“

He grabs the device right out of her grasp and begins toying with it. “Nope, wrong. Let me see… here we go.” He presses a button, and in an instant, he and Zelda are taken away by streams of blue.

Purah stands there for a moment, flabbergasted. “Did he just…”

Josha finishes the sentence. “Call her Zel?”

“That too.”

—

Zelda soon finds herself standing at a familiar shrine- the one overlooking Tarrey Town, and their “vacation home,” as she’d come to call it. She’s- annoyed, confused, but she’s not scared. Link would never hurt her. Not on purpose.

“Link? What… do you think you’re doing?”

He looks completely serious as he explains himself. “Doing my job- saving the princess.”

She rolls her eyes. “From what, the laboratory? Purah and Josha?”

“Yep,” he says with the same level of seriousness.

Zelda supposes he’s more than earned the right to be questionable sometimes. “…Explain.”

“I’ve been watching you, Zel. You’ve… been in there too much. You send me on my way to spend my time how I please while you’re in the lab. When was the last time you were out and about? When was the last time you felt free?”

Zelda pauses to consider his words. “Well, yes, but…”

“But what? Is this Hyliaite worth all of this time and effort?”

She takes a step back out of shock. “You know about- no, I shouldn’t be surprised. But why would you even ask that?” If he knows, then why-

“I don’t know why you want some so badly, but you can wait a day, can’t you? You need a vacation. It’s obvious, even to me.”

She sighs in relief. He doesn’t know everything. “Hmph. And so my knight decides to kidnap me.”

Link’s eyes take on a pleading quality not unlike a puppy’s. “For your own good! C’mon. You don’t need to be the Princess here. You can just... be Zel.”

She’s completely unable to resist said eyes. “…Honestly, you’re so silly. You could have just asked.”

His eyes shift back to a sterner gaze. “Maybe. But would you have listened?”

She pauses to consider that. “…I always listen to you, Link.”

“I… ah.” His cheeks flare red within moments- a rare sight indeed for Zelda.

She chuckles as she turns to face the vacation home. “If my personal protector feels the need to save me from myself, well, I suppose I need saving! Now come on. You’re making lunch. What do we do after?”

Link motions to Tarrey Town. “You want to test drive some of Hudson’s Zonai contraptions?”

Zelda can’t help but smile. “…Yes, actually. I would like that very much.”

Chapter Text

Days turned into weeks as experiments with gems failed to bring them a step closer to Hyliaite. Zelda was, understandably, giving up hope- but Purah was viewing this as a challenge. They began producing ever more esoteric forms of existing gems, many of which are perfectly suitable in Zelda’s eye (she especially likes something they dubbed ‘dark opal’, but wasn’t able to convince Riju and Purah it’d be romantic. At least Josha was on her side.)

Then Link had happened, and now she was driving Zonai vehicles around a race course while he cheered for her, loudly. Hyliaite became the furthest thing from her mind, though the ring itself hovered within the space between hopes and fears as she turned a corner as hard as she could.

Part of her thinks that he was being childish, but she has to admit- she likes that part of him. Before the Calamity, it had seemed like Link had grown up far too fast, and felt like another voice in the choir telling her to do the same. Now? He’s the one urging her not to lose herself in her work. He’s the one who brings magic into her life.

They take turns riding the vehicles (which were desperately in need of safety measures, Zelda thinks), using Link’s overstuffed Energy Cell. Zelda has one of her own, as do several other folks, but nobody has mined as much Zonaite as Link has. She wonders how soon that might change, with the Depths being (mostly) cleared of monsters. (Frox were still a pain, it turns out, and not simply a byproduct of the Upheaval.)

She giggles as Link tries to do tricks on a two-wheeled device, not unlike his acrobatic shield-surfing stunts. He’s practically grinning, though she’s unsure of whether to himself or to her. It’s not a sight she’s seen often these days, and makes her realize how much she’s missing out on by trying too hard to make things perfect.

Maybe artificial Hyliaite isn’t a pipe dream. But, Link means more to her than perfection does. And, just as important, she means more to Link than that, too. A dark opal will be just fine, she thinks, as Link accidentally falls off of his vehicle and eats dirt. Life is already good enough as it is.

—

After that, they return to Lookout Landing. Zelda insists Purah and Josha should be informed that she is quite alright, if slightly disheveled from all the racing around. “Right,” Purah says. “Racing, sure.” At least Josha believes her.

While she’s there, she grabs the large sample of dark opal she had Purah make ‘just in case,’ and decides then and there to bring it to Isha for the ring. She hopes Link didn’t see her pocket it, but it matters little at this point. He can connect dots all he wants after he has a ring on his finger.

They head to Gerudo Town next, only to find a guard stationed outside the jewelry store instead of Isha. Link notices before Zelda does that something’s wrong. He goes up to the guard with his usual confidence. “Hey, what happened here?”

“Ah… the swordsman. There’s been a robbery, it seems. Jewelry theft.”

Isha comes out of the shop, clearly distressed- and eager to try to hide it, when she sees Link and Zelda. “Princess! Link! You’ve come at a bad time, I’m afraid. Someone broke in and stole…” She looks Zelda in the eye for a moment, and there’s- fear, there? But why- “all of our rings.”

Oh. 

Zelda and Link each have different reactions. Zelda focuses on the hidden subtext there. “All of them?!”

Link, meanwhile, focuses on the other half of the statement. “The rings in particular?”

Isha nods to both of them. “Yes. Finished rings, unfinished rings, personal rings, marriage rings- all of them. I have no idea who or why.”

Zelda tries to process this as best she can. Beyond what it means to just her, Isha was the best jeweler in Hyrule. "That- that’s awful! All of that work…”

Link, meanwhile, has his thinking face on. “I might know who, but why is another matter. I’ve heard the Yiga are after a specific ring-“ Zelda chokes and hopes Link doesn’t notice. Isha clearly does. “…but that doesn’t explain why they’d take so many.”

Isha gets caught up in Link’s speculation. “A specific ring, you say? Do you know more than that?”

Link looks to Zelda with a slightly guilty look. “Uh- yeah, actually. Have you heard anything about a Hyliaite ring?”

Zelda’s heart stops, and her mind swirls with questions. When did Link know? How long has he known? Was he trying to hide that he knew from her?

Isha nods. “Yes, I… was working on the design for one, but thankfully I was still waiting for the gem to arrive. It’s a shame, but I’ll have to start over on that and other rings- if I can even afford the losses.”

Link frowns, thinking hard about that. “That’d be bad for loads of people…”

“You can say that again. Accursed Yiga! When will they be satisfied in their torment of the town?”

They soon let Isha return to picking up the pieces of her business, and Link stands there for a moment, contemplating things. Zelda tries to gather her courage to ask Link, how did he know? When did he know? Before she can, Link turns to her with determination in his eyes. “I’m going to get those rings back.”

Zelda is surprised, to say the least. “What? How? Why? It might not have even been them!”

Link shakes his head. “It makes perfect sense to me- they’re after the Hyliaite too, but maybe don’t know what it looks like. But they know it’s supposed to go on a ring.”

She hears him loud and clear. He knows. “H-how do you know that?”

Link smiles, perhaps to put her at ease.  She wishes it did. “I may have… forgotten to report an encounter or two. I didn’t want you to worry.”

She thought this might happen, just not exactly like this. “Link, I’m plenty worried! It’s one thing to take on small groups of Yiga, but if they brought that back to their hideout, going after them is dangerous!”

Link shakes his head. “They won’t even know I’m there.”

Zelda pushes a finger against his chest. “And how do you intend to accomplish that? I know you’re good at stealth, Link, but these are Yiga we’re talking about.”

He avoids looking her in the eyes. “I have… my ways.”

“And those are?”

He looks- embarrassed? Guilty? “Ah… would you believe me if I said they just let me walk in the door?”

That’s the boldest claim he’s ever made, and Link is a very bold man. “….No. No I would not.”

He reaches up to scratch the back of his neck as he speaks. “If it helps, I just put on a mask and suddenly I’m just Some Guy to them.”

She realizes he’s not joking. “Link. Link did you infiltrate the Yiga without telling me?”

“Maybe?” His voice reaches a pitch she’d never heard before in his awkwardness.

“It’s a yes or no question, Link.”

He tries to play it off. “Okay, so, funny story, I’m currently ranked the number one strongest Yiga, in addition to being their number one enemy.”

“Link.” She is trying very hard to keep a straight face, but this man makes it difficult.

“Yes?”

“That’s hilarious, but now is not the time.”

He seems almost disappointed. “Drat. I was saving that one for a rainy day, too.”

Zelda sighs in exasperation. This man! “Just… promise me you’ll come back okay. With or without the rings. Your life is more important than jewelry.”

“Of course! It’ll take more than the likes of them to put me in the ground. You know that.”

She thinks back to seeing him perform stunts earlier for her amusement. “Yes, knowing you, the only thing that’ll kill you is a shield-surfing accident.”

He’s taken aback by her tone. “It’ll have to be an amazingly bad accident. I’ve had some… harsh crashes and come out fine.”

She huffs before she hands him the Purah Pad. “You can tell me all about it when you get back. We’ve got a lot to talk about.”

He chuckles awkwardly. “You can say that again… well, wish me luck!”

Zelda doesn’t even think before she pulls him in for a hug. “Good luck, Link.” She then kisses him on the cheek, like she’s seen other people do.

He seems as surprised as she is, and just as red, but he soon smiles. “See you soon.” He warps away, leaving Zelda in the middle of Gerudo Town with what she realizes now are onlookers.

She blushes so hard, she wonders if she blends in.

Chapter Text

Zelda spends her time with Riju after that, partially for safety and partially to beat the wave of whispers that surely followed in her wake. Riju reacts as Zelda figured she would while they discuss things over tea and cookies. “You kissed him? In public??”

Her cheeks refuse to stop blushing. She’s unsure if she’s stopped since the kiss. “On the cheek! It was for luck!”

“Still!” Riju takes a bite out of a cookie before continuing. “…Come to think of it, you never did tell me when your first kiss was. When did you become so bold?”

“Um, well, that is to say…” Riju leans in, listening intently. “That was the first one?” Zelda can feel the squeak in her voice.

“What.”

Zelda takes a sip from her tea.

Riju leans in further. “Zelda. Were you going to propose to that man without ever having kissed him?”

When she puts it like that, it does sound… ridiculous. “I was following my heart!”

Riju shakes her head. “I’ve heard of lovesick vai but this is… something else.”

“I’m embarrassed as it is, Riju!”

Riju leans back into her seat. “Okay, okay. So now we wait while the voe you want to propose to rescues the ring you’re going to propose to him with.”

“That… sums it up, yes.”

Riju gives Zelda one of her knowing smirks. “Link never ceases to make things interesting.”

Zelda can’t help but agree. “He really doesn’t.”

It takes some time to change the topic, but eventually, Riju and Zelda settle into a peaceable silence as they await Link’s eventual return. 

—

Link comes in after dinner, looking somewhat exhausted. Zelda runs up to him, concerned. “Link! Are you alright? What happened?”

He tries to avoid looking her in the eyes. “…I’m not sure I want to talk about it. But I got the rings back!”

She levels a stern gaze of her own at him. “Link. We’re going to talk about it.”

He flinches, and she almost feels sorry for him. “…Alright, I’ll talk. Do we want to do this here or…?” He motions to Riju, who is quietly sipping tea and positively vibrating with excitement.

Zelda feels she’s given Riju enough gossip material for one day. “…Let’s go home. It’s been… a long day, for both of us.”

“Right. See you around, Riju!”

Riju waves them off while wearing that knowing smirk. “I’ll want details later, Zelda!”

—

Link begins preparing dinner for himself almost immediately, while Zelda stands there with her arms crossed. “So. You’re in the Yiga clan. How’d that happen?”

“It was during the Upheaval. I ended up with a full Yiga uniform and thought to myself, why not?” He reaches for bananas to mix into his meal. Dealing with the Yiga must have left him thinking about them.

“And no one ever saw through it?” Surely, someone must have!

“Oh, Kohga did, every time,” he says matter-of-factly. “But he’s missing right now, so I can come and go as I please.”

Zelda places her face in the palm of her hand. “You’re ridiculous. You know that, right?”

“So are they, Zelda. So are they.”

He’s not wrong. “And this… infiltration, is how you learned of the Hyliaite ring?”

He brings his creation to the table. “Yeup. You ever going to tell me why you want it so badly? I can guess why the Yiga might want it, but…”

She sits down across from him. “They weren’t supposed to find out. Nobody was supposed to find out, until I had the ring in my hands. But a spy overheard me talking with Riju and made… assumptions, about the ring.”

“Really? What kind?”

“That it’s powerful. That it would be used for its powers. Frankly, I have no idea if it’s powerful! After today, though… I think I’ve given up on the idea of a Hyliaite ring.”

He seems surprised. “What? After all that effort?”

“Yes. I’ve decided all of…” She gestures to just about everything. “…this, hasn’t been worth it for a piece of jewelry.”

Zelda can almost hear him thinking hard, connecting dots. “…So you wanted the Hyliaite for a ring, and not the ring for the Hyliaite?”

She almost chokes on air trying to respond. “What- what gave you that idea?”

“I thought the Hyliaite ring was like, a gift from a foreign dignitary, or something. That you just wanted to study all the scientific properties of something that hadn’t been studied before.”

A surprisingly thoughtful response, and an angle she hadn’t considered. “Link.”

“Yes?”

“Now I want some Hyliaite. Thank you for that.” She isn’t sure if she’s being sarcastic.

“You’re welcome?” Neither is he, it would seem.

She breathes in deeply, hoping to come up with a topic change before he becomes curious about the ring. Or the kiss, for that matter. “So. How did you get the rings back?”

He seems deeply embarrassed, and takes a minute to work up the courage to speak. “…Paid for them.”

Zelda slips in her chair and has to right herself. “What?”

He continues. “Out of pocket. A thousand rupees. Not nearly as much as it was all worth, but…”

Link was by no means poor, but a thousand rupees was quite the setback. “Link. Why did you pay outlaw cultists a thousand rupees for stolen goods? Why did they even steal the rings in the first place?”

He levels her a tired stare, as if he can’t believe what he’s about to say. “…It was a mix-up.”

“A what?”

“One of their engineers asked for steel rings. The others… mistook what he said, given recent orders.” Zelda doesn’t know how to respond. Link gestures to her. “That was my reaction too.”

“And then you offered to buy the rings?”

“Well…” He prepares himself for the long explanation. “First I mentioned that the Gerudo were going to come take the rings from their dead bodies if we didn’t bring them back, but they didn’t want to do it for just free. So, they were going to hold them for ransom! I paid the ransom and told them to use the money to get actual steel rings this time. I brought the rings back to Isha, everyone’s happy! Except my wallet.”

Zelda sits in disbelief for a moment before addressing him. “Link.”

“Yes?”

She doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry or perform some off the wall response to his shenanigans. “Those are your enemies you just did a favor for. You’re allowed to be at least a little bit selfish.”

He looks almost offended. “Why does everyone keep telling me that?”

“It might be because it’s true.” She certainly thinks so, though now she’s interested in who else Link has been talking to.

“I’m selfish! I want,” He gestures to his plate of food. “…things!”

She’s not sure she believes him. “Oh really? Like what?”

“Like… jewelry! I like jewelry. I’ve bought some for myself that I definitely didn’t need.”

She knows this to be true, but a prime opportunity to tease the man is now dangling in front of her. “Oh? Like all those rings?”

“Like all those-“ His eyes widen in realization. “Wait no. Zelda!”

She giggles. 

He tries his best to give her a stern glare, but he’s trying not to laugh too.

She outright guffaws. He soon joins her.

She loves this man. The ring can’t be finished soon enough, she thinks.

Chapter Text

It takes a few days for Isha to make the ring. She says she wants everything to be perfect, and Zelda isn’t going to be the one to rush it. In the meantime, she feels like she’s grown suddenly closer to Link- it’s easier to touch him, to speak with him, to laugh with him. She isn’t sure if he’s the one letting down his guard, or she is.

She recalls the advice article from the Lucky Clover, and wonders if Link had been the one to write it. It was far too late to check now, but she puts it on her list of things to eventually ask him once she breaks any final barriers between them.

It becomes part of their routine to “escape” together after official business, finding one adventure or another to go on. One day is horseback riding; another, going fishing in Lurelin. Riju delivers the box with the ring to her after a particularly fun afternoon sand-surfing. She hands it off with a wink, telling her not to wait too long- or else she might try to claim Link for herself!

Zelda thinks she’s kidding. Probably.

After a particularly long day, speaking with not just the Gorons in the morning but the Rito in the evening, she finds herself wanting to escape once again- but it’s already getting dark. “That took much longer than I expected… we should probably go home and just relax.”

Link has a different plan. “Actually, Tulin gave me an idea earlier. Have you been stargazing from a sky island before?”

She has to pause to think about it. “No, I- I haven’t. All of my sky business has been during the day.”

He takes out the Purah Pad. “Come on, then. I know just the place.”

‘Just the place’ turns out to be the Temple of Time, high in the sky. She and Link go out to the end of the floating bridge, where the altar lays. This takes a bit more hassle than she might’ve liked, but it’s certainly worth it.

Zelda marvels at the sky above, the cosmos closer than ever, and the lights of distant Hyrule below. “Link, this is… beautiful. You said Tulin suggested this? Remind me to thank him!”

Link chuckles. “I’d gotten so used to the sky, but I forgot it’s not something I’ve… really shared with you, by ourselves.”

Zelda thinks back to the one time she’d been up here before- after it was all over. Thoughts of Mineru float through her mind, and she wonders if she’s up there with the stars, now.

They sit there together, pointing out constellations (or making new ones), and trying to guess what each light down in Hyrule means to the people below.  She’s leaning on him, in a literal sense she’s never been able to before, and she’s never felt so close to him. Everything, she feels, is perfect.

A shooting star passes by them, falling to earth. She can feel Link tense, as if getting ready to pounce. He wouldn’t- no, he would. “Link! Make a wish like a normal person!”

He laughs as he relaxes back into her. “Do you think catching it would make a wish come true?”

She shakes her head. “That kind of thinking is unique to you, Link. Come on, let’s wish on it together.”

She bows her head in prayer, one as earnest as any she’d given to Hylia. I wish, I wish, upon this star… that Link says yes.

After she’s done, Link starts reaching into his pockets. “Speaking of wishes…” Link takes out a small box, decorated with a familiar symbol- the mark of the Gerudo jewelry store, Starlight Memories. “One of the rings Isha made caught my eye, and I… might’ve asked her to make another one like it.”

Zelda looks to the box and then back to Link, the gears in her head screeching to a halt. “Link are you giving me a ring?

“Yes?” He doesn’t sound sure of himself. “I know you said you gave up on it, but…” He motions to the box, allowing her to open it to see it for herself.

A small but intense rainbow of colors reflects between two silver silent princesses.

Her heart stops.

He starts chatting to fill the silence, a sure sign that the Upheaval was returning. “I got it from a group called ‘the Goron Brotherhood,’ if you can believe it. It sounds like they’re expecting great things from your gem research, and-“

“Link.”

“Yeah?”

She thinks back to that fated day, with the children of Hateno pointing out what she now knows was blindingly obvious. “I know you know what… giving a ring means.”

He shyly looks away, into the distance. “…If doesn’t have to mean that if you don’t want it to. You can use it for your research! I just… want to make you happy.”

She can’t believe Link has even considered the option she might say no. She can feel tears welling up in her eyes. “You do, Link. You make me happy every day.”

His face is as red as hers has ever been. “O-oh.”

“In fact…” She pulls out a small box of her own, with the same dimensions and the same symbol on it. She opens it to reveal a dark stone with an inner light, like the night sky itself is set between two silver silent princesses. It feels like time stops as she kneels before him, presenting it. “Link. My knight, my partner, my hero. My best friend. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

He’s too shocked to respond for a moment, and that seed of doubt tries in vain to grip her thoughts. He gently cups the ring, and her hand, in his own hand. A single tear drops as he connects everything. “You were… all that work… for me?” 

She nods. “It felt like the least I could do for you.”

He swallows, recomposing himself even as more tears threaten to spill. “I’m the honored one. Yes. Yes I will marry you!”

Zelda half-expects all of Hyrule to light up with fireworks, to congratulate the happy couple. Instead, the Temple lets out its lonely bell, reminding them of the time. She gets up and hugs Link tightly before pressing a kiss to his lips. He stiffens at first, before leaning into it.

She’s not entirely sure how long the kiss is before she eventually pulls back. “Thank you. For making me the happiest woman in Hyrule.”

He chuckles. “It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it.”

She lightly smacks him in the shoulder for that. “Oh, if you love your job so much, why don’t you marry it?!”

She wonders if all of Hyrule can hear their laughter. She finds that she wouldn’t mind that, just this once.

Chapter Text

Purah is disappointed, to say the least, when it turns out Link had miraculously found some Hyliaite, and even has some to spare for research. “I was so close,” she insists. “And now you just hand it to me. You’re a monster, Linky.” Thoughts of the courtship had completely left her brain.

Josha reacts with a mix of awe and horror when she realizes what ‘courtship rituals’ actually meant. To her credit, she congratulates the happy couple and then goes back to researching Hyliaite. Stones and other things dug up from the ground interest her much more than people wearing them, thank you very much. Zelda can hardly blame her.

Riju is both in awe at the story of their proposals, and proud that the Hyliaite ring looks as beautiful as it does. “You can thank me later,” she says. “I expect great things from this union. I couldn’t be happier for you two.”

Isha laughs at having been the only person to know for sure how the proposals might play out- or that Link had planned such a thing at all. “You two ever need anything else, you can have a discount. You’ve saved my life, my livelihood, and my belief that love is real.”

Yunobo and Tulin are surprised to find out there was a romance going on at all, though Zelda thanks them both for the roles they played all the same. Sages or not, they’re important friends, and she hopes they continue to be in her life.

All of Zora’s Domain (excepting perhaps Muzu) celebrates when they come to break the news personally. The one and only Sir Link, friend of the Zora, would become a prince in his own right! “And one day, a king,” Sidon remarks. “I already considered us equals, but now the world will see that too.”

Penn comes by once the news eventually breaks at large, looking for an interview with the happy couple. The shock he receives when he finds out Link is dating the Princess is so great, he forgets to write anything down the first time. It’s only when he comes by again that he puts the pieces together about Link’s identity, too. “I won’t tell Traysi if you don’t,” he says with such confidence Link has to visibly restrain a laugh. “Couldn’t have asked for a better partner, whether with a sword or a pen.”

The Yiga Clan send their congratulations alongside their death threats for the next while. At least they’re polite.

As for Gomo… he got what he wanted out of all this, but Link thanks him with ripened flint all the same.

—

Zelda smiles as she watches the children of Hateno playing with Link during a school recess. Such a sight might never grow old, she thinks.

“Missus Zelda! Missus Zelda!” One of the children comes up to her to show her a frog they just caught. Teaching children etiquette might get old, however.

“Oh, I’m not Missus Zelda just yet. Until the wedding, I’m still Miss Zelda!”

“Oh.” It takes a moment for the news to settle in. “Are you marrying Mister Link?”

She finds she no longer blushes when it comes to such talk, even from children. “Indeed I am!”

Another child cuts in. “Did you get a ring??”

She shows off her Hyliaite ring, letting the children ooh and aah. “Of course! After all…” She eyes the matching ring on Link’s finger, who notices her staring and waves with a smile.

“…Can’t get married without a ring.”