Chapter Text
The red sky dissipated; the monster before them had been defeated at last. It felt somehow like they had been here many times before…
They stood in Hyrule field, facing each other, and Zelda’s words rang in Link’s head.
“May I ask… Do you really remember me?”
After all this time, all the recovered memories, the tamed Divine Beasts, the Shrines and Towers, beating the Blights and then beating them again, this was what she asked. Hers was the first voice he’d heard in his new life. Even before the memories resurfaced, he could feel her in his bones. Every bruise and cut, every single injury he endured was worth it, because it was in service to her. He spent the last year of his brand new life gritting his teeth and clawing his way back to her.
And now here she was, standing right there in front of him, outshining the sun.
“Do you really remember me?”
Every answer that flooded Link’s mind was wholly inadequate.
Yes. Of course I do. How could I ever forget you? You’re like a searing hot brand on my soul. You’ve been my entire purpose this last year, my reason for being. I love you. I love you. I love you.
No, he couldn’t say that.
But this was Zelda. His Zelda. She waited patiently as he silently deliberated. She knew him better than he knew himself. She understood him back then, and she still did, there in that field in her dirt-and-blood-soaked prayer gown.
And so, Link simply nodded, as hot tears fell from his eyes.
Suddenly, they were running to each other, crashing together, falling to the grass, sobbing and smiling.
She pulled away to look at him. “I’m free. Link, we’re finally free.”
He pulled her back into his chest, propriety be dammed. Link never would’ve dared to be so bold in his last life; that much he could remember. The feeling of walking five paces behind her, pining for her, desperate for a look, even a scowl from her perfect face. Quite frankly, it was pathetic. And was he really any better now? His fingers threaded through her impossibly soft hair, the other hand clutched her shoulder, holding her close. His only solace was that she was holding him just as urgently, her nails pressing crescent moons into his skin through his tunic.
Link wanted to believe she cared for him, but he knew he wasn't the same person from before the Calamity struck. He barely remembered his life from back then. How could he expect her to trust a stranger so easily? Sure, he trusted her, he loved her, but he didn't even know himself. They weren’t even really friends back then, were they? Just allies against the apocalypse. A Princess and a Knight, sworn to protect a kingdom that no longer existed.
He set these thoughts aside. They weren't helpful, not now. Zelda was still in that horrible prayer dress that Link loathed almost as much as she did. She's been through enough, he thought, she deserves rest.
"Here." He reached into his pack and pulled out his Hylian Tunic and the matching bottoms and boots. "Do you want to change into something, uh, clean?" They were close enough in size that she would probably fit his clothes well enough.
Zelda exhaled heavily. "I would love that."
Link helped the Princess onto his horse and led them by the reins to Wetland Stable, the closest one to where they were. Epona didn't even whinny in complaint at their slow pace, after all, she too had been a part of the battle, cantering around the beast as Link nocked arrow after arrow. They made their way there in comfortable silence.
When they finally reached the stable, Link handed off his trusted horse to the stablehand for some well-earned rest and food. They sat by the cooking pot, eating some rice balls Link had in his pack.
Link cleared his throat after he scarfed down his meal. Zelda was still nibbling at hers. “We can head to Kakariko at dawn, then we can make our way to Hateno after that.”
She tilted her head in confusion. “Why Hateno?”
He blinked. “Oh. That’s where my house is.”
“You have a house?!”
Link rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. She would have plenty of time later on to learn about everything he'd done over the last year. “Yeah. Long story. But I figured we could both stand to rest for a couple days while we regroup.”
“Right. Good idea.”
“Plus, Purah has a lab just up the hill—“
“Purah’s there?!” She squealed in delight.
He bit back a smile. “Yes. She might look a bit different from how you remember her.”
“Oh, that’s right, she’ll be well over a hundred now.” Zelda tapped her chin in thought.
“She doesn’t look a day over seven,” Link deadpanned.
“Hm?”
“It’s hard to explain.”
They'd each had a soft bed to themselves and passed out almost instantly. When Link jolted out of a nightmare just before sunrise, he saw Zelda already awake, sitting on her bed. She smiled at him, and they made their way outside. He led Epona from her stall and readied her before returning to the counter.
Lawdon greeted him at the counter with a smile.
“I’d like to take out Storm, please,” Link said.
“I see, and will you be boarding Epona?”
“No, actually, my companion will be registering Storm as her own.” He handed over the 20 rupee fee.
Zelda’s jaw dropped as the attendant guided out the white horse from its stall.
“But this is… How?” She held out her hand to the beast and stroked his face once he nudged her.
White horses were a very rare thing in Hyrule. A century ago, the only one was Zelda's horse, the original Storm. He must have sired an heir at some point because this horse was said to have royal lineage and Link hadn't come across any others like it.
“It’s a descendant of your horse, or at least that’s what I was told.”
“He’s beautiful.” She stared up at him in awe.
“He’s yours.”
“I don’t know how to thank you…”
“You don’t have to.” He handed her an apple for the horse, who took it from her hand eagerly. She grinned, feeling Storm's rubbery lips tickling her palm.
They arrived at Kakariko Village in good time, taking a path around the wetlands and then leaving the road behind altogether to trot along the mountainside. Two young Sheikah girls greeted Link enthusiastically, talking over each other, asking about playing and cooking, respectively. The guards on either side of the staircase stared at Zelda, mouths agape. She politely ignored this and walked past them, Link in tow.
The double doors groaned as they opened, and the sun streamed in, spotlighting swirling specks of dust.
“Is that who I think it is?” croaked the old woman, seated as she always was on three stacked pillows.
“Impa!” Zelda exclaimed. She moved farther into the room and, for the first time that Link could recall, Impa hopped off of her plinth.
The princess crouched to greet the minuscule old woman.
“My Zelda. You did it. You really did it.” Impa cradled Zelda’s cheek in her hand.
“Is it really you?”
Impa barked a laugh. “What? Don’t you recognize me? Have I changed in the last century?”
“You got old!”
They both laughed.
“Well, excuse me, Princess! I didn’t know I needed your permission.”
Zelda pulled her into a tight hug. “My dear friend, I’ve missed you.”
“You’ve missed a lot,” Impa replied.
“Tell me everything.”
And she did. She told Zelda the last hundred years of Hyrule’s history. She told her of Link’s return, his memory loss, and the various quests she sent him on. The friends who had survived the calamity but died of old age before she got to see them again. Zelda's eyes filled with tears, but she didn't allow them to fall.
When she had finished, Impa gestured for Paya in to bring them some fortified pumpkin stew. It took two bowls for Zelda to feel like herself again. Then they were whisked away to the royal guest rooms.
"Explore the village, have fun," Impa called after them, "but not too much fun!" Her eyes sparkled with mischief.
Zelda tied her borrowed Sheikah jacket into place in the dim light of their room. “I can’t believe Impa’s a grandmother now… and her granddaughter is older than us!” she sighed. “To think I used to have such a crush on her,” she muttered.
Link’s eyes widened. “You what?!”
Zelda’s face reddened. “It was a long time ago!”
He stared at her, waiting for an explanation.
“She was a few years older than me and she was so cool and good at fighting, with her Sheikah magic, you know?”
“I’m good at fighting…” Link mumbled under his breath.
“She was my guardian for a while before you, so we spent a fair amount of time together.” Zelda looked wistfully into the distance. “She was tenacious and brave and smart. Not to mention she was just so pretty.”
“I don’t remember what she looked like. I didn’t recover any memories of her.”
She fussed with her hair in the mirror. “Hmm… She looked quite a bit like Paya, actually. Almost identical, though Impa was a bit shorter if memory serves.”
“Ah. Well, it sounds like their personalities are pretty different.”
“How do you mean?” Zelda put on the Sheikah-style hat and examined herself, frowning slightly.
“She’s painfully shy.”
She took off the hat and smoothed her hair. “Is she? I haven’t had the chance to speak to her.”
Link snorted. “It took Paya months to look me in the eye.”
She stopped fidgeting in the mirror and turned to face him. “Really? Why?”
“She’s not used to interacting with… um… men?”
“But you’re not.” She shook her head. “What I mean to say is… you’re just so, um…” She trailed off when Link raised an eyebrow at her, then continued “Well, it’s not that you’re not manly, of course, I mean obviously. But you’re so—“
“What? Short?” He smirked.
“No! I mean, I suppose you are rather short— but that’s not—“ Zelda covered her face with her hands, “Oh goddess, please strike me down.”
“Pfft.” He unsuccessfully tried to hold back his laughter.
She shot him a playfully apologetic look. “You’re just Link, to me. Not just some man. I guess that doesn’t really make any sense.”
“I think it kinda does,” he said, quietly, smiling at her with those ridiculously blue eyes of his.
Zelda wondered briefly if he was so blessed because he was Hylia’s chosen hero or if he was chosen because he was born so abundantly blessed.
The trip to Hateno, they'd decided, would be broken up by a brief stay at Dueling Peaks Stable. Zelda didn't want to rush. She'd been in stasis for so long she needed to see what had changed, and she was starting to fully appreciate the little things she had taken for granted before.
Zelda turned her face to the sky, allowing Storm to steer himself. “I’d forgotten how it felt,” she said wistfully, “to feel a breeze on your face, and the way the persistence of the sun heats your back. And the sky…” She looked at Link, smiling. “I forgot how big the sky was. It’s infinite.” She turned back to it. “How could I have forgotten that?”
He grinned back at her.
They departed at dawn, just as the sun was making its appearance on the horizon. In the dim haze, the ride was creepier than it should've been. Cold fog was rising off the wet grass, and it sent a chill down Link's spine. Though he supposed the cold wasn't the only factor.
The path through Blatchery Plain was unavoidable, but all the same, Link wished they didn't have to take it. Not only did he remember what had happened here a century ago, but he remembered the day he recovered that memory. He knew it would be bad; his body screamed at him not to stand there, not to look. Unfortunately, some part of him would always be a soldier, following orders against his own best interest. Impa had sent him there, so he had gone.
And now here he was, eyes paranoid, scanning the horizon for threats. His heart raced like the frantic trill of a piano. It was like he was back there again, dying again, failing again.
Zelda turned to him, an inscrutable look on her face. Then she blurted, "Last one to Fort Hateno is a Korok seed!" And urged her horse to a gallop.
Link blinked, smiled, and sped off behind her, all thoughts of his death left behind in the dust.
Link insisted on cooking, partly because he liked the methodical practice and partly because he had a vague memory of an attempt Zelda made before the calamity struck, and he wasn’t 100% sure her cooking didn’t spur Ganon on.
He chopped up a big hearty radish, and Zelda watched over his shoulder.
“Are you sure I can’t help? Maybe I could… um…” She trailed off.
Link paused in his knife work to look at her. “You don’t need to help, really. I’m just enjoying your company.”
She fidgeted with a dish towel. Link pulled it from her hands and tossed it onto his shoulder. “Fine.” He grabbed the apron from the hook that Bolson had given him as a housewarming present. He put the neck loop over her head and then reached behind her to tie the strings in a bow. Link froze, realizing how close she was, how his arms were hovering around her torso. He looked into her emerald eyes, and they looked back at him. Then she looked down at the apron.
“…’Kiss the Cook’?” She read the phrase aloud, and Link swore his soul left his body.
He jumped back. “Ah, sorry! I forgot it had text. Bolson gave it to me; he had it embroidered, his idea of a joke, I guess. I’m sorry—" The words came out all in one breath.
Zelda giggled. “I’ve never seen your face so red, Link.”
He swallowed hard. “Um. Right. Well, I was hoping you could help by passing me spices and stirring while I prep. If you want.” Link looked anywhere else but her face. “You don’t have to.”
She smiled widely and saluted him. “I’m at your service, Chef!”
Hylia must know. She must have done this on purpose. Maybe to punish him for his past failures, or maybe just for a laugh. She made this perfect person, blood of the goddess, heir to the throne, and Link was supposed to, what, ignore how cute she was? She was smart and sweet and so damn adorable, it was giving Link chest pains.
Finally, he said, “Cumin. That’s next on the list.”
She shuffled around, finding various spices and chatting away. Link thought it was probably the best day of his life.
Zelda bowed her head to pray over her food. He wondered why she still did it, out of reverence or just out of habit?
She immediately grabbed the salt shaker and violently seasoned her meal, to Link’s horror.
“Why are you a-ssaulting my soup?”
She looked up, grinning sheepishly. “It probably needed salt.”
“Well, taste it first, you monster!” Link couldn’t hide the smile behind the scolding.
Zelda brought a spoonful of soup to her lips, blowing gently to cool it. She licked it at first, then ate the rest of it. Link had never known himself to be jealous of cutlery until that moment.
“Mmm! It’s good, really good!”
“See?”
She immediately added more salt to the soup.
“Someday you will pay for your culinary crimes.” He pointed his spoon at her accusatorially.
They both laughed and continued eating.
Zelda leaned forward, studying him.“You look very happy when you’re cooking. It’s the only time I’ve ever noticed you humming.”
“Ah, sorry, did it bother you?”
“No! Don’t be sorry, I didn’t mean that- I like it!”
“Oh.”
“Who taught you how to cook?”
He hesitated for a moment. “In the last lifetime? I’m not sure. In this one mostly trial and error. Some stuff came back to me after a series of… shall we say dubious attempts?”
She smiled, and her eyes crinkled at the corners. “Do you have a favorite thing to make?”
Link swallowed a mouthful of soup and said, "Fruitcake."
Zelda's face lit up. "I love fruitcake!"
Link knew that, of course. The idea of making it for her was what made it his favorite. Finding the old recipe in the castle library gave him a vague recollection of her scarfing down three whole slices in the dining hall one day, and he'd practiced until he made it perfectly. "I'll make you some." Goddess, I'm pathetic, he thought, as if I wasn't obvious enough before.
She shook her head, "Oh, you don't have to, I'm sure it's a lot of work—"
He cut her off, "I want to."
When they'd finished their lunch, he left some dough to do a second proof for dinner. Zelda was very impressed with the chemistry of it, asking what made the dough rise, how he'd made his starter, and what it meant to 'feed' it. He got the feeling she was stalling their visit up the hill, but he managed to get them there anyway.
Seeing Impa had been quite a shock to Zelda, and the idea of seeing her vibrant, eccentric sister also shriveled and aged was a bit nauseating. Nevertheless, the two of them trudged up the hill to the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab. Link pushed open the door and ushered her through. She lingered on the threshold, taking in the lab's interior: the guidance stone, the sculptural manta hanging from the ceiling, the papers strewn across the floor, the child— wait, child??
Link ventured forward into the room, and the child looked up. “Linky!”
Zelda’s mind whirled. What in Hylia’s name is going on? This child had Purah’s red eyes, her signature hairstyle (minus the red streak), and even her glasses.
The child turned to her, recognition dawning on her face. “Oh my gosh! It’s you! You’re here! Finally!”
“I… I’m sorry, have we met?”
The little girl pouted. “Not you too, Princess. C’mon, it’s me, Purah! Don’t you recognize me?” She posed in a very Purah-like way and said, “SNAP!”
“Goddess above, it is you.” Zelda moved closer, intrigued by this strange turn of events. “How did you…?”
“I’ve been testing out a theory. The good news is, it works; the bad news is, it works too well.”
Zelda couldn’t help herself. “You’re a child!”
“Hey! I’m working on it, young lady!” Purah scolded.
“Right, sorry. What happened?”
Purah sighed dramatically. “I de-aged myself, but I didn’t realize how young it would make me. I’ll show you my notes later. I’ve already got some ideas of how to get back to being an adult, at the very least. I’d like to skip puberty this time around. I did NOT enjoy having pimples again.”
“Fascinating…”
“Enough about me! You two kids defeated Calamity Ganon! How does it feel?” She pulled out her notebook and started scribbling. “And more importantly, have you noticed any adverse effects from being in a stasis for a century? Were you conscious the whole time? Linky said your voice woke him up. How’d you manage that?”
It was easier to reconcile with the fact that this child was her friend now that she was acting like herself. Zelda fell easily back into research mode. “I haven’t noticed any adverse effects thus far. I would say I was in a state of semi-consciousness, gaining more awareness in the last year after waking Link, which I don’t really know how I was able to do. That one I’ll just have to chalkk up to mysterious Goddess-magic.”
Purah was enthralled, documenting her every word. “And do you still have access to your powers?”
Zelda faltered. “I’m… not quite sure.” She took a deep breath. She knew Purah wasn’t judging her, but she couldn’t quite shake all the years of criticism from authority figures, most notably, her father. “When my powers were newly realized, right after Link… well, died—” She winced but carried on, “I was able to hear the spirit that resides in the Master Sword.”
“Whoa.”
“Yes, I agree. I haven’t been able to hear it since Calamity Ganon’s defeat.” Zelda fidgeted nervously. “I’m not sure if it’s because my powers have left me or if she just has nothing to say.”
“She?”
“Oh, I think so. Wouldn’t you say, Link?”
“Yup, definitely a she,” Link agreed.
“…Master Sword appears to express gender… prefers feminine pronouns… has been known to communicate to the wielder as well as descendants of the Goddess…” Purah muttered to herself as she caught up to the conversation in her notebook.
The visit to Purah had been exhilarating and exhausting all at once. Zelda had gone back and forth with her almost nonstop for several hours about Shiekah tech and everything Purah was working on, and the desperate need for a school in Hateno, with the ever-growing population of children.
It gave Zelda hope that there was something to work towards, but there would be a lot of work to do. Link left her to write everything in her journal (a gift from Purah) while he whipped up dinner, humming softly to himself. When she'd finally finished, her stomach gave a loud grumble of complaint. She laughed and put the notebook and quill away.
The food was fantastic. Anything would've been fantastic, given how hungry and tired she was, but Link was genuinely a skilled cook. She thought about when she'd asked him all those years ago if he would've chosen a different path and wondered privately that he would've chosen to become a chef.
After scarfing down their meal, Link led her up to the loft, indicating drawers for the few clothes she had so far and where the extra blankets were if she needed them.
Zelda frowned. "Where will you sleep?"
He rubbed the back of his head and laughed. "I'll make up a bedroll downstairs. Don't worry, you'll have your privacy."
She blinked at him. "A bedroll? In your own home?"
"I haven't had the chance to ask Bolson for a second bed yet, so…"
Zelda put her hands on her hips. "Link, I'm not going to put you out of your own bed."
"It's fine!"
"I'll take the bedroll."
"What?"
"I insist."
"No, Zelda. You shouldn't sleep on a bedroll."
"I've done it before!"
"Really, it's fine, I'm used to it."
"Don't be absurd. After everything you've done for me, you should at least sleep in your own bed!"
"I won't make you sleep on the floor, Zelda."
"Well, I won't allow you to sleep on the floor either."
"Then I guess we're at a stalemate."
"I suppose so." She sat on the wooden floor for emphasis, arms crossed and nose in the air.
He was quiet for a while. "Zelda…" She glared at him as he crouched in front of her. "What exactly do you expect me to do here?"
"Sleep. In. Your. Bed."
"I can't!"
"YES, YOU CAN."
He looked at her, eyes huge and blue and lovely. "Please, Zelda. Take the bed."
She almost caved. Almost. "I am not going to sleep in the bed while you're on the floor."
"Likewise."
"Then I guess that's all there is to it. We'll both sleep on the floor." She curled up on her side on the cold hard wood and said, "Goodnight!"
Link sighed heavily and stood. "What if…" He clearly didn't want to say it. He looked like he had a bad taste in his mouth. "What if we shared the bed?" His face was steadily turning more and more red as the silence stretched on.
Her eyes widened. It wasn't as if she hadn't considered it, of course. It was certainly the most appealing option available to them, at least in her opinion. Would it sound too desperate to say yes? All she could do was echo his question back to him, "You want to share the bed?"
"I'm sorry, forget I said anything. I don't know what I was thinking. Why would you want to share with me?" He let out a strangled sort of laugh and turned away from her.
"Wait, Link." She stood and moved in front of him, catching his eye. "I wouldn't mind sharing…" Her voice came out much softer than she meant it to.
"Really?"
"Of course!" She took his hand. "I care about you, and I trust you, more than anyone." She laughed awkwardly. "And to be completely honest, sharing sounds much better than either one of us sleeping on the floor."
"Oh." His face was completely blank. "If you're sure?"
"I am. Are you?"
He nodded, and they silently got ready for bed, Link changing in the nook below the stairs and then showing Zelda where to wash up and brush her teeth.
They lay in bed as far apart as possible, which wasn't very far at all. Both of them were unnaturally still.
"Link?" Zelda whispered into the dark.
"Yeah?" he whispered back.
"Are you awake?"
"Mhm."
"Oh." What a stupid question, she scolded herself. "Rupee for your thoughts?"
He laughed slightly, and she felt the bed dip as he turned to face her. "You want to know my thoughts?"
If he only knew. "I always want to know your thoughts." She turned towards him, and there was just enough moonlight seeping in through the window to see his face, leached of color in the darkness.
"I've never shared a bed with anyone before." He cleared his throat. "That's what I was thinking."
Zelda felt her face heat from the double meaning. "Nor have I…"
"Are you sure it's okay?"
She groaned exasperatedly. "Liiiink!" They both laughed, and suddenly the tension eased. They settled into the bed and got comfortable, and when their knees touched, neither of them pulled away.
It was the first night since the battle that she slept soundly all night. When they woke up, their legs were tangled. Their fingers were threaded together, and his arms had snaked around her right arm. His head was nestled into her shoulder, and her left arm wrapped around him. Zelda was so blissfully warm and rested that she had absolutely no desire to move. She knew she should wake him, but his hair smelled lovely, and it was intoxicating. She stroked his back absently and felt him sigh into her. Maybe we could stay like this forever.
Minutes or maybe hours later- Zelda couldn't tell which- Link stirred, first nuzzling into her and tightening his arm around her arm, then blinking in the sunlight. Finally he turned his head to her, every muscle in his body tensed. He looked almost scared.
"Good morning, sleepyhead." She smiled calmly. Maybe if she just pretended this was normal, it would happen again.
"Hi." He still looked nervous.
"How did you sleep?"
He thought for a moment. "Better than I have in a long time, actually."
Zelda smiled at him. "Me too."
"Uh… Zelda?"
"Yes?"
"Is this… okay?" He didn't have to clarify what he was talking about.
"Of course! Unless you're uncomfortable?"
"No, I'm very comfortable," Link replied.
They looked at each other and chuckled.
"This is the first time I've had a full night's sleep without nightmares since— acutally, since before the Calamity, come to think of it." Malice had haunted her dreams even back then.
"Yeah, me too."
That surprised her. "You had nightmares?"
Link nodded. "They got worse the more I remembered. Most nights, I ended up not sleeping. I would just keep going until I couldn't stand anymore and then knock out here or at some stable."
She squeezed his shoulder. "I'm sorry."
After a long silence, he spoke softly. "Maybe we don't need to get that second bed just yet?"
Zelda smiled, and she wondered if Link could hear her heart trying to beat its way out of her chest. "I think it can wait."