It was done. Calamity Ganon was defeated by Link’s blade and sealed away by Zelda’s power. Zelda turned to Link, her eyes finally falling upon him for the first time in one hundred years. Her heart fluttered in her chest and she only wanted to touch his skin and prove to herself that he was truly alive. “Thank you, Link, the Hero of Hyrule. May I ask… Do you really remember me?”
Her breath caught in her throat as Link moved towards her. His hands, calloused and worn, felt warm and comforting on her cheeks. His lips pressed against hers and she let herself fall against him. His strong arms wrapped around her and he nestled his face against her neck. Zelda let the tears escape from their hold. It was all over. It was finally over.
“I promised you I’d come back for you,” Link’s soft voice said to her.
They stayed in their embrace until Zelda’s breathing steadied and she worked up the strength to pull away for a moment. She cast her eyes upon Hyrule Castle, no longer enveloped by Ganon’s dark power, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.
“What… what do we do now?”
Link hesitated and followed her gaze onto the castle. Her question haunted him - now what? Ganon was gone, but there was certainly much left for them to do. And Link was far too tired to think about that. The only thing he knew for sure was that he didn’t want to be there, on the battlefield, a moment longer. And it was clear that Zelda didn’t want to be, either, judging from the expression of defeat on her face.
“Let’s get out of here,” Link said simply, pulling at Zelda’s wrist. He helped her get on his horse, then mounted behind her, taking the reins.
“And go where?” Zelda could feel the anxiety rising in her chest. Where could they possibly go? How much of Hyrule was destroyed? Did anyone truly remain?
Link kicked at the horse, directing her in the opposite direction. “Kakariko Village,” he said as the horse broke into a canter across the field.
The village. It was still standing. “Impa? She’s alive?”
Link laughed lightly. “That woman will never die,” he muttered.
With this knowledge, and with Link’s arms around her, Zelda was able to relax. She had been locked away for so long, keeping Ganon at bay, that she had no idea what their world had come to. She was thankful that it was not as bad as she feared.
They were quiet as they rode across Hyrule, neither of them quite sure what to say. It wasn’t until they reached the road to the village that Link slowed his horse. The setting sun set the sky ablaze in colors of oranges and pinks that slowly darkened into twilight as they entered the village, yet every villager was outside, apparently awaiting their arrival.
Zelda looked on, speechless, as the villagers got to their knees, bowing to their saviors. She was certain that the survivors of Hyrule would all soon see that the darkness was eliminated and Hyrule Castle stood tall and free once more. This would be enough for them to know that she and Link succeeded in their duty to save the kingdom and Hyrule was at peace once more.
Impa, Paya, and Dorian stood outside as Link and Zelda approached. Dorian bowed his head to them, taking the reins from Link as he dismounted, then helped Zelda to the ground.
“You have done well, Princess,” Impa said with a smile. “It’s good to see you safe after all these years.”
“Impa,” Zelda started, but she could not find the words she wanted to say to express how happy she was to see her.
“You both must be exhausted,” Impa said. “Let’s not worry about anything more right now, hm? You should come in and get some rest.” She turned and lead them inside.
“Impa.”
Inside, Impa turned to face Zelda, offering her a kind smile. Zelda blinked back tears and hurried to the old woman, wrapping her arms around. She didn’t think she would have anything left in this world, but she had Link and Impa, and that was more than she could ever ask for.
*****
Despite Zelda’s elation at their reunion, Impa insisted that they hold their celebrations for the morning. She sent the young heroes upstairs with a sternness in her tone but a smile on her face.
Link let his body fall onto the bed, his face buried into the pillow. He wasn’t exactly comfortable, the weight of his sword and shield still on his back, but he was too tired to do anything about it. He turned his head over to face Zelda as she sat on the edge of the other bed. She was talking very softly, staring at the floor, but he could barely make out her words.
“I still can’t believe it,” she said. A small smile parted her lips. “You and Impa… I only wish… I only wish the others could be here to see this. Urbosa, Daruk…” When Link did not respond, she looked up, but he was already asleep.
*****
Waking up, Link turned over, his eyes opening slowly. He waited for them to adjust to the lighting, but was surprised to see the room was dim. Out the window, he could barely see light from the sun - was it morning? Evening? Had he slept for another hundred years? He pushed himself up and looked around. He was alone in the room, and his sword and shield had been tossed onto the floor. He vaguely remembered waking up at some point and throwing them off of him. Impa would have had a fit if she had seen how carelessly he treated the legendary sword.
He lay back against the bed. He couldn’t remember the last time he slept so much - or at all, for that matter. He felt like he hadn’t slept since he awoke from the Shrine of Resurrection. He moved his eyes to the window; the sky was a gray blanket, but he did not hear the sound of raindrops on the roof. The room was quiet, but he could just barely hear faint voices from down the stairs as Impa and Zelda spoke.
“You’re certain he has all his memories back?” Impa asked.
“Yes.” Zelda was quick to respond. Link strained to listen, but it seemed their conversation had paused for a moment.
“All we can do is hope for the best.” A new voice. Purah.
“I don’t understand,” Zelda said. “Isn’t that what we want? For him to have his memories back?”
Another pause. Purah’s familiar child voice continued. “Of course. In a perfect situation. But you must remember, Princess - we’ve asked a lot of him. Regaining those memories could not have been easy. The circumstances were far from ideal.”
“War takes a toll on those involved,” Impa said as if to back up Purah’s statement. “Everything was pushed on him quite suddenly. It’s not uncommon for those affected by war to be… affected in other ways, long after the war has ended.”
“It would have been kinder to keep his memories from him,” Purah said.
“You can’t mean that.” Link could hear the waver in Zelda’s voice.
“What’s done is done,” Impa said. “You must try to understand, Zelda. Allow him to adjust as he needs to.”
“He’s fine,” Zelda argued. “I know.”
“I’ll be keeping an eye on things,” Purah said. Link imagined she was crossing her arms in the way she usually did. “Any changes must be noted so we can better use the shrine in the future.”
“He’s not some machine you can research,” Zelda hissed.
Purah’s voice was light; arrogant. “I’ve been researching him since he came out of that thing.”
“Maybe you should work on getting your body back,” Zelda sneered.
“And look like that? No thank you.”
“It’s a shame you stopped there,” Impa said. “A few more years and we wouldn’t have to hear you talk.”
“Of course,” Purah said. “Let me get you some prune juice, Granny.”
“Grandmother!”
There was a loud thud. Link blinked up at the ceiling.
“You’re a little rusty, there,” Purah taunted.
Another thud.
“For the love of Hylia.” This voice was Symin’s.
“Put me down, Symin!”
“Yes, put her down for a nap, will ya?”
“You-!”
A door closed.
“Grandmother, why do you let Aunt Purah get to you like that?”
“Someone needs to keep her in line,” Impa muttered.
Link turned over in the bed, his eyelids heavy, despite having slept through the night and what seemed to be most of the morning. He didn’t want to be a part of that conversation, anyway.
*****
The sun had broken through the clouds when Link awoke again, but this time, Zelda stood over him, her arms crossed and her brows knit together. He looked up at her, meeting her gaze for a moment, before turning his back to her with a light groan.
“Do you plan on sleeping all day?”
“For the next one hundred years,” Link muttered.
Zelda made a dissatisfied sound. “I don’t recall you being so lazy.”
“I’m the hero of Hyrule,” Link said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “I think I deserve a day off.”
“Well, just a day, then,” Zelda said, moving away from him and towards the door. She looked back at him over her shoulder. A day off with Link - or two - sounded perfect.
2: 1
Admittedly, Zelda was in no hurry to return to the castle and resume her duties to Hyrule, but that didn’t stop her from enjoying what time she had left in Kakariko Village with Link. Though most of the time, it was impossible to find him. When he wasn’t napping on top of a straw pile in the barn, he was impressing the children in the village with his archery skills, sharing an apple with the horses, or running from an angry chicken when he accidentally stepped on them.
When Zelda did catch a moment with him, however, he seemed to have resorted back to his old self, one hundred years ago, when they weren’t as close. He hardly spoke a word to her and always seemed distant. She would try to distract him with conversation or a race through Hyrule Field, but that part of him seemed long gone. She considered what Impa had said to her - that he would be different. She tried to accept that and be understanding of the remorse he felt, but she couldn’t help but to feel aggravated with him. He wasn’t the only one suffering, and Zelda was doing everything she could to make things as normal as possible. Why couldn’t he do that for her, too?
“You’re hiding from me,” she said. She had found him sitting on one of the cliffs outside of the village, overlooking Hyrule. She sat on the ground beside him and stretched out her legs. The first starlights of the evening made their appearance in the darkening sky, twinkling strong and bright.
Link said nothing for a moment. Finally, he spoke. “You’re watching me.”
Zelda blinked at him. “No I’m not,” she said quickly.
“I don’t know what you’re waiting for,” he said, leaning back against his hands, “but you’re not gonna get it.”
“I’m not waiting for anything,” she said softly.
“Fine.”
Zelda hesitated, unsure if she had upset him somehow. “Do you… want to talk about anything?”
“Like what?”
Zelda let a soft sigh escape her nose. She turned and looked out over Hyrule. “I don’t know,” she said with a small shrug. “Did I upset you?”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because you hardly talk to me. You’re… different. Everything is different now.” She pulled her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She let her chin rest on her knees. “I guess it was silly to think everything would be the way it was.”
She looked up as Link got to his feet. She met his gaze as he offered his hand to her. She took it and he pulled her to her feet.
“We’ve been sitting around for too long,” he said with a soft smile. “That’s the problem. We gotta get out and do something.”
“Well, we’ve already saved Hyrule,” she said. “What more can we do?”
“You’re in charge,” Link said with a shrug.
Maybe he was right. The idea of their destinies being fulfilled seemed so daunting, and now that it was over, she felt strangely empty. Living the rest of her life as Hyrule’s queen seemed very unsatisfying, if she were being honest. Somewhere between her struggles and fears, she had enjoyed her travels around Hyrule with Link at her side. There was something freeing, being outside of the castle walls. Some part of her felt more at home out in Hyrule. Maybe Link felt that way, too.
She fumbled with the Sheikah Slate on her hip. It had been so long since she had even looked at it. It was still connected to the Divine Beasts… except for Vah Ruta. She knew she would have to return to the castle, but perhaps this would give them the distraction they needed. A chance to get out of the village, travel through Hyrule, make their way to Zora’s Domain to make sure everything was okay.
“Perhaps we can check on the Divine Beasts one last time,” she suggested. “Though, I cannot avoid my duty to return to the castle.”
“Hyrule needs their queen,” Link said with a nod.
“Well,” she said, returning the slate. “We can set out in the morning, then, and see where things take us.”
Link instinctively followed her as she made her way back towards the village.
“We’ll need to help rebuild,” she continued. “Clear out all those Guardians as well.”
“We?”
Zelda turned and met Link’s gaze. “Is there a problem?”
A small smile tugged at the corner of Link’s lips. “Not at all.”
*****
Link and Zelda stood atop the hill overlooking Hyrule Field. In the distance, Hyrule Castle stood tall, no longer shrouded in the dark power that was Calamity Ganon. It had been a week since Calamity Ganon was defeated and sealed away, but they could not hide away in Kakariko Village forever. Zelda still had a duty to her kingdom to take the throne as queen and help the kingdom rebuild. She was determined to bring Hyrule to its former glory, and then some. But in doing so meant she would have to return to the castle, and that frightened her. The last time she was there, it was not her home any longer, and she wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to call it home again. But with Link at her side, perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad.
Zelda turned her gaze to the Sheikah Slate. “We’ll make our way to Zora’s Domain,” she said. “Divine Beast Vah Ruta looks like it stopped working. Let’s investigate the situation.” She looked out towards Zora’s Domain with pain in her heart. She lowered the slate. “Mipha’s father… I believe he would like to hear more about her. The least we can do is visit him and offer him some closure. Although Ganon is gone for now, there is still so much more for us to do. And so many painful memories that we must bear. I believe in my heart, that if all of us work together, we can restore Hyrule to its former glory. Perhaps… even beyond. But it all must start with us.”
She hesitated a moment, letting her gaze linger on Hyrule Castle. Admittedly, she was grateful that she would not have to return at that moment. But she was concerned as well that Vah Ruta had stopped working. Though they were no longer under Ganon’s threat, Hyrule’s future was cursed to repeat history, and without proper defenses, Hyrule would surely fall. The Divine Beasts would remain, under the control of their new Champions, for as long as Hyrule remained.
“Let’s be off,” she said, walking towards the horses. She paused halfway, hesitant. “I can no longer hear the voice inside the sword. I suppose it would make sense if my power had dwindled over the last one hundred years.” She turned to Link and smiled. “I’m surprised to admit it, but I can accept that.”
Link made his way to her side as they walked towards the horses. Zora’s Domain was only about a day’s ride away, but he was eager to get back in the saddle and being the trip. There was a sense of familiarity - of a time before Calamity Ganon struck - that grounded Link and eased his own anxieties slightly.
He settled into the saddle and followed Zelda, pushing his horse into a gallop across Hyrule Field. For a moment, he didn’t think about his fallen comrades. He didn’t fear the Guardians’ deadly blasts. He didn’t feel suffocated under Ganon’s threatening shadow. For that moment, he was galloping beside Zelda towards South Akkala in a race to see who was the better rider. He was sitting with her under a tree as they waited out the storm. He was holding her in his arms when she wanted to give up. He was gazing into her eyes at Sanidin Park. He was pressing his lips against hers. He was pulling her out of harm's way, protecting her from the blades of the Yiga, the blasts of the Guardians. He was in her arms, fighting to stay alive.
And then he was gazing out over Hyrule with no memory of any of it.
“Link?”
He looked up and met Zelda’s gaze. He hadn’t realized they had stopped riding. He turned his eyes down at his horse who was grazing quietly. He realized, then, that his knuckles were white from gripping the reins unnecessarily hard. He forced his fingers to loosen, but there were deep marks in his palms that had started to bleed.
“What’s wrong?”
Link’s gaze moved back to Zelda’s. He forced a smile. “Nothing,” he said. “I was trying to let you win.”
Zelda didn’t buy it, but she didn’t argue with him, either. She returned his smile. “Sure you were,” she said, turning her horse back around. “Or this time, I have the faster horse.” She pushed her horse forward once more. She had no intent on racing Link, but he caught up easily and stayed at her side as they rode to Zora’s Domain.
*****
Link looked up at the statue of Mipha. He had seen it countless times during his travels. He had no memory of the Zora princess when he awoke, or even of Prince Sidon when he first stumbled upon Zora’s Domain. It wasn’t until his gaze was cast upon the statue erected in her memory did the memories of her return to him.
“You act as if you had never seen it before,” Muzu said as he walked to Link’s side.
Link narrowed his eyes at the Zora elder. He was still skeptical of the elder, aware of his previous disdain towards the Hylian knight.
“I suppose we are in your debt once more,” Muzu continued. “You have done well in your duty to stop Calamity Ganon. I must thank you for all you have endured for us.”
Link said nothing, turning his gaze back to the statue.
“It was no mystery that Mipha lost her life when Calamity Ganon rose,” Muzu said. “Still. It eases our pain to know that her spirit is free and Ganon is gone. And Prince Sidon has really taken to that Divine Beast. I suppose he only wants to follow in his sister’s footsteps, hm?” Muzu turned away from Link, his fins clasped behind his back. “It’s good to see you well, Link,” he said as he walked away, leaving Link alone once more.
Link watched him leave for a moment, then turned his gaze to Zelda and Prince Sidon as they made their way across the bridge, finally finished with Vah Ruta. Prince Sidon was babbling on enthusiastically to Zelda and she laughed along side him, smiling to Link as they approached.
“Clearly I don’t possess the same skills Mipha did,” Prince Sidon said. “But I’m honored to be entrusted with Vah Ruta.”
Zelda turned to him and smiled. “Just don’t break it again,” she teased. “I can’t keep coming out here and telling your father it was just a technical error. He’ll get suspicious.”
“Of course,” Prince Sidon said with a grin. “Thank you again for your help.” He turned to Link. “I’m sure you have much to do, but don’t be a stranger. I quite enjoy your visits.”
“Just as long as I don’t have to go back into that Divine Beast,” Link said. He pulled his hood over his head and started towards the bridge. He listened as Zelda said her goodbyes, then paused to wait for her to catch up. They walked side by side in silence for a moment before Zelda spoke.
“We could check on the other Divine Beasts,” Zelda suggested. “Make sure there’s no trouble before we return to the castle.”
“Sure,” Link said simply.
“Impa said that they would be able to move the Guardians,” Zelda continued. “I’d like to see Castle Town thrive again.” She sighed. “It will be so much work to rebuild.”
“I know a guy,” Link said.
Zelda turned her gaze to him. “You know a guy? That can help?”
“Is that so surprising?”
Zelda smiled. “Who else do you know?” she asked.
“A pretty good cook,” Link said with a grin. “He makes a pretty good fruitcake.”
“Oh yeah?”
“I may have given him some cookbooks I found around the castle.”
“So, that’s what you were doing that whole time? Instead of fighting Ganon, you were sneaking around stealing cookbooks?”
“I found your journal, too.”
Zelda stopped at the edge of the bridge, watching angrily as Link mounted his horse. “You didn’t.”
Link only smiled at her. “Where to, Your Highness?”
3: 2From Zora’s Domain, Link and Zelda continued onward to Goron City to check on Vah Rudania and its new Champion, Yunobo. Under Bludo’s watchful eye, Yunobo proved to be able to work the Divine Beast without issue. Link and Zelda didn’t spend a second longer than necessary in the sweltering heat and quickly made their way off the mountain.
Zelda was still fuming about Link reading her journal when they got off the mountain and stopped at the nearby stables for the night. She wasn't sure whether she actually believed him or not, but she didn't dare bring it up for fear that it was true, and he would spill all the embarassing details to her. She felt better thinking there was a chance he was playing with her that he actually didn't know any of the details at all.
In the morning, the journal was no longer on her mind, and they began the trip to Rito Village to check on Vah Medoh. It was the same route they traveled one hundred years ago, though it seemed like it was only yesterday to Zelda. It felt so surreal to be there again with Link, and an eerie chill shot up her spine. How oblivious they were then to Calamity Ganon's threat. She couldn't help but to feel that his threat lingered on the horizon once more. But of course, he had been defeated, by her and Link, no less, so surely that wasn't a possibility. Perhaps, then, it was just the strange sense of de ja vu that stirred inside her.
They left at the first light of day in hopes of getting to Rito Village before nightfall, which meant a very long ride for her and Link. And to Zelda's dismay, Link still didn't have much to say to her. Their conversation – or what little conversation they had – was forced and even awkward, and Zelda couldn't help the feeling that there was much left unsaid between them. Her mind continued to replay the moment they shared after Calamity Ganon's defeat; their victorious kiss, the promise he had made to her. Perhaps it was nothing more than a brief celebration.
She blushed simply thinking about it and tried desperately to push the thought aside. Whatever it was, it was short lived. It seemed to delicate a topic to bring up, especially considering how cold Link had been since then. She couldn't make heads or tails of any of it. All she knew was that he was closed off – nothing like he was a hundred years ago – and it hurt her too much to think about. Clearly it would only upset him more if she continued to pry about it. But how long could he really keep it up, anyway?
“What?”
Zelda looked up, realizing then that she and her horse had trailed behind. Link's brows were furrowed together.
“What?” Zelda repeated.
“You sighed.”
She did? “Oh.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “If you have something to say, say it.”
Zelda bit the corner of her lip and looked away. “I have nothing to say,” she said simply. She kicked her horse gently with her heels, encouraging him into a trot until they took the lead. She ignored Link's lingered stare as her horse slowed back to a forward walk.
Link trailed just slightly behind her through the rest of the afternoon. The sun's slow descent behind the horizon was blocked by dark clouds that moved in quickly. As they came around Piper Ridge, the clouds opened, and the rain fell in sudden, heavy sheets. They pulled their cloaks over their heads, though their hair was already plastered to their faces. The rain soaked their clothes within moments and brought a chill to the air. Zelda shivered as she pulled her cloak tighter and Link trotted to her side. He had to shout to her over the heavy rainfall.
“Come on,” he said as he pulled at her reins. He kicked his horse forward and they both broke into a fast gallop. Their horses' hooves splashed against the dirt, kicking mud up in their wake, their necks craning forward as they moved as fast as they could. Their breathing panted in rhythm to their steps, and their riders leaned forward out of their saddles, urging the horses faster still.
The rain pelted at their faces, and Zelda's eyes squinted in an attempt to keep the rain out. She could barely see through the rain as it was without the drops attacking her eyes, and all she could do was pray that her horse could see enough to get them to the village. At the pace they were moving, it wouldn't be long before they reached the first bridge.
When they finally did reach the bridge, Link and Zelda were soaked, their legs covered in the mud that the horses kicked up as they galloped along. They slowed their horses, and Link slid off before pulling his to a stop. He caught Zelda in his arms as she clumsily slid off her own horse, then he hurried to lead both horses into the nearby stables. He removed their wet equipment and the horses immediately shook out their wet coats with a satisfied sigh. They mosied over to a large pile of hay and began to eat happily.
Zelda hurried into the stables behind Link, removing her hood and wringing out her hair as best as she could, muttering to herself under her breath about the rain. She looked up when Link sighed. He, too, removed his hood, and briefly shook his head and ran his hands through his hair. He caught her gaze briefly, then turned his attention back on the horses, using his own cloak to wipe down their muddied legs before it dried and caked on them.
Zelda stripped out of her wet cloak and sat on a bale of hay and leaned back against the wall of the stables with a light sigh. Despite the protection the cloak offered, it was not enough to keep the heavy rain of seeping through and soaking her to the bone, and another shiver shot up her spine. It was not the first time they had been caught in some rain. In fact, two specific moments came to mind, each one bringing a wave of emotions with it.
The first time, they had taken shelter for the night, building a fire to allow their clothes to dry out as much as possible. Zelda sternly instructed that he turn away after Link offered her his dry shirt. It was large on her, naturally. But it was warm and comfortable. She felt safe. Slightly exposed, and convinced Link was undressing her with his eyes, but safe nonetheless.
The second time, Calamity Ganon had struck. They were trying their best to escape the Guardians that had been taken over by Ganon's power. They were going to the only place they could think of as a last attempt to win the war when they were bombarded once more and Link fell in her arms.
Zelda looked up, noticing then that Link seemed to be watching her. She pinched her lips together and wondered what was going through his mind. She offered a smile and dared to speak.
“Rain, huh?” What a stupid thing to say. She cursed herself internally.
Link's lip twitched into a smile and he shrugged. “Yup.”
*****
Though Yunobo eagerly accepted his role as Champion, Teba proved to be more reluctant for the task, still holding a small grudge against the beast that tried to kill him. But he was a warrior to his very core, and he eventually warmed up to his new role, following dutifully in Revali’s footsteps.
Link and Zelda stayed in the village over night, and by morning, the sun had pushed the last of the rain clouds away. Warm, dry, and their stomachs full, they gathered their horses and continued on their way south-east towards the desert to check on the final Divine Beast.
“Do you remember,” Zelda started, breaking the silence as they rode, “how terrible I used to be with horses?” She smiled down at her horses and leaned forward to pat his neck.
Link made a sound through his nose.
“But I still managed to beat you in a race,” she continued. She straightened and turned her gaze to Link with a smile. “Remember that?”
Link's brows furrowed together. He shrugged. “I let you win.”
Zelda's smile grew. “Do you remember -”
“Is this necessary?” Link hissed, cutting her off. He narrowed his eyes at her. “Are you trying to quiz me?”
Zelda's smile disappeared. “What? No. Why would I -”
“Stop breathing down my neck,” he muttered, turning his gaze away. His voice softened. “I remember everything.”
Zelda tore her gaze away from him and bit her lip. Her horse, reacting to her posture change as she slumped slightly, slowed and trailed behind lazily, his tail swishing along behind him. Her heart ached painfully and her throat tightened. She hadn't meant to upset him, but she was starting to see how painful the memories were to him. Perhaps he didn't want to remember any of it. Not even the good moments they shared. Perhaps he was too far gone. It seemed just as Zelda had feared; things would never be the same between them again. Tears stung her eyes and she swallowed hard in an attempt to push down the lump in her throat. She blinked back the tears before they could dare to escape and took up the reins once more, encouraging her horse to move into a more forward walk.
Link had turned back when he realized Zelda had fallen behind once more. He watched as she seemed to fight to regain some composure. When she looked up again and pushed her horse forward, Link tore his gaze away from her and his horse walked on once more. He pinched his lips together but said nothing as Zelda caught up to them. He could tell she wanted to say something, but she remained silent, careful to avoid her gaze as if it would upset him further. He regretted his angry outburst towards her as soon as it happened, and he only felt worse when he saw how it effected her. He bit his tongue in an attempt to keep himself from saying anything to worsen the situation. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her. He was already failing miserably at that.
*****
It was late in the morning of the next day when they arrived in Gerudo Desert. Riju was eager to assume her role as the new Champion, just as her ancestor, Urbosa, had done. She showed no fear towards Vah Naboris and even seemed fond of the Divine Beast, speaking to it as lovingly as she did with her sand seal, Patricia. Her excitement bubbled through even when they returned to the ground and she cooed to Patricia. She scratched the seal’s head and Patricia purred happily.
“So,” Riju started, her hands on her hips. “When do Vah Naboris and I get to see some action?”
“Hopefully you won’t,” Zelda said. She laughed lightly as Riju hung her head in disappointment. “But should anything arise, we will be counting on the two of you.”
Riju saluted them enthusiastically. “You can count on us,” she said proudly. “We’re up for any challenges. If Calamity Ganon ever tries to show his face around here again, he’ll meet our wrath!”
By early afternoon, they made their way out of the desert and back towards Kakariko, where Impa's soldiers waited to accompany them back to the castle. Zelda patted her steed’s neck as they rode through the canyon away from the desert.
“I suppose that’s it, then,” she said. “Nothing left to do but return to the castle.” Despite it being her home, she did not feel anxious to go back. In fact, the idea of going back felt haunting. The last time she was there, Ganon had infiltrated the castle and she fought for her life. After that, she wasn’t sure if it would really feel like home again.
Link said nothing in response. Admittedly, his mind, too, was on their return to the castle. Despite the emotional trouble he was sure he was putting Zelda through, it felt good to be on the back of a horse once more, roaming through Hyrule. It gave him a sense of purpose in a time in his life where he knew he no longer served a purpose. After all he had been through, he wasn't important any longer. Most of his friends were gone and Hyrule was almost completely destroyed by Calamity Ganon. If it weren't for Zelda, he would have truly had nothing left. Nothing waited for him back at the castle. While Zelda still had a kingdom to rebuild and rule, he had nothing.
And that haunting sense of nothingness followed him like a dark cloud, slowly swallowing him, threatening to take him away, and he was afraid he'd lose himself to the darkness.
4: 3Link and Zelda returned to Kakariko Village, their last stop before returning to Hyrule Castle. Link seemed just as distant with her as he did when they left almost a week ago. They worked silently unsaddling their horses and leading them into the stables before making their way to Impa's.
“I trust everything went well?” Impa asked as they entered. She looked up briefly to acknowledge them, then turned her eyes back down to some papers scattered around on the table.
“Everything's in working order,” Zelda confirmed.
Impa nodded once. “Good. I have one last request of you, then, before you return to the castle.”
This was a relief to Zelda. “What else can I do for you?”
Impa eyed the queen carefully. “Am I putting you out, Your Highness?”
Zelda smiled and shook her head. “Of course not.”
“I'm not much of a rider these days, and my men are a bit preoccupied getting ready themselves to make the trip with you back to the castle.” She paused for a moment. “And I have a feeling you're not quite ready, yet.”
Zelda hesitated. “I have to return soon.”
“Just as soon as you return the Sheikah Slate to Purah, hm?”
That would make for another day's ride just to get to Hateno Village. “Return it?” Without realizing it, she had grown attached to the device.
“Well, neither you nor Link have much use for it now. And Purah is anxious to see the data that has been collected from the Divine Beasts. You know how she is with her research.”
“Yes,” Zelda said. “We can do that.”
“There's no rush,” Impa said. “Rest and leave tomorrow.” She bowed her head slightly to Zelda, nodded towards Link, and made her way outside, leaving them alone.
“Well,” Zelda said with a sigh. “One more errand, then.”
But Link seemed disinterested in conversing with her. He seemed disinterested in just about everything lately. He shrugged. “Sure.”
Zelda met his gaze and hesitated. “You’re different.”
Link narrowed his eyes at her. “How so?”
Zelda turned her gaze to the floor. “You’re… cold.”
“I’m not cold,” Link retorted.
“You are,” Zelda argued. “Cold, stiff, and angry.”
Link rolled his eyes at her. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re doing it right now,” Zelda hissed. She caught his gaze once more. “Ever since… since…”
“Since when?” Link snapped. “Since I awoke from some one hundred year slumber without a clue as to who I even was? Since I was told to defeat Calamity Ganon all while getting my memories shoved in my face? Since I brought Calamity Ganon down, all for a world that has already been destroyed?” His eyes narrowed further. “Angry? Of course not. Why would I be?”
“Subtle,” Zelda growled at him. “You’re outspoken, too.”
“Well excuse me, Princess,” he barked at her. “Pleasantries were thrown out the window one hundred years ago.”
“Look,” Zelda started, her temper growing short. “It’s all over with now. No one is forcing you to hang around. I have a duty to my kingdom, but yours is done with. There’s nothing keeping you around any longer.”
“I’m glad I have your permission to leave, Your Highness,” Link snarled at her. He lifted the Master Sword over his head and let it drop to the ground at Zelda’s feet. “I’ve done enough for this damned kingdom.” He turned his back to her and left her alone in the room, slamming the door behind him.
Zelda stared dumbly after him, still processing his abrupt exit. Her eyes turned down to the sword at her feet, but she was no longer fuming. She felt… heart broken. She thought she were enough for Link to stick around. She thought… she thought… It didn’t matter what she thought. She thought wrong.
She looked up as the door opened once more but her heart sank when she saw it was only Impa. She turned away but could feel Impa’s gaze hard on her back.
“Did he leave?” Zelda asked softly.
“Yes. And he seemed quite angry.”
“I don’t understand,” Zelda started. “He seems so different now. So angry.”
“War is not easy, Zelda,” Impa said gently. “Especially for a Chosen Hero.”
“I know,” Zelda said, growing frustrated. “I just thought… I thought things would be different. I thought things would get better.”
“War takes a toll on people,” Impa continued. “It changes people. It hardens people.”
Zelda turned and met Impa’s gaze. “Why?”
“We expected a lot from one man,” Impa said. “Think of what he’s had to endure.”
“And I haven’t?”
“You’ve changed, too.”
Zelda stiffened. “I haven’t changed.”
“You’re a little angrier, too.”
Zelda turned her gaze back to the Master Sword, still lying on the ground. “I thought - when this was all over - I thought everything would go back to the way it was. Before all this happened.”
“The world will never be the same,” Impa said softly. “We can only learn to adjust to the changes and make something good out of it.”
Zelda turned her gaze out the window. The village was set aglow by the burning light of the setting sun.
“I never wanted to be a burden,” Zelda said softly. “To anyone.” She turned and met Impa’s gaze. “I want to learn to defend myself. I want to learn to fight.”
Impa hesitated. “Link will return,” she said, but Zelda shook her head.
“I don’t want to depend on Link any longer,” she said sternly. “I can take care of myself. I am the last ruler of Hyrule, after all. I should learn to protect myself as much as I can.” She picked up the Master Sword and let her fingers run along the hilt.
“I suppose that’s a reasonable request,” Impa said.
*****
Link regretted his childish outburst the moment he galloped out of Kakariko Village. But he was still fuming, and his anger outweighed his regret, pushing him forward until he was out in Hyrule Field where he finally slowed his horse. The sun had disappeared over the horizon, and millions of stars dotted the night sky. It was then that his mind finally seemed to quiet and he stared up at the sky. And it was then that he decided he would not return to Kakariko, or to Hyrule Castle, or to Zelda.
It was clear to him, then, that nothing would ever be the same. He was not the same person he was one hundred years ago. He knew it. Zelda knew it. And it was hurting her. Link didn't exactly understand it himself. Most of the time, he didn't even realize how he was acting until he saw it on Zelda's face. He was already hurting as it was, and seeing how it effected Zelda only made the pain worse.
But he couldn't escape it. The memories. The dreams. In everything he did, he was haunted. He couldn't shake off the darkness that threatened to swallow him whole. He was afraid; afraid of what would become of him. He couldn't bear to let Zelda see him suffering, and he would give anything not to see her suffer. If he were the reason for her pain, then all he could think to do was take the pain away. He couldn't be around her any longer.
He looked back over his shoulder towards the village. She was safe now. She didn't need him around to protect her. And she had the entire Sheikah clan, who would do a much better job helping her than he would. He turned forward once more and kicked his horse on, eager to get as far from the village as possible. He probably knew Hyrule better than anyone, and he was sure he would be able to find a place away from prying eyes where he could be alone.
He rode through most of the night, stopping only to give his horse a much needed rest. He found himself at Grinnden Plains, on the high hill that over looked the Taobab Grasslands. From where he stood, he could even see out into the vast Gerudo Desert, which was lit ablaze by the rising sun to the east while the rest of the world was still shrouded in darkness. He uncinched the girth to remove the saddle from his horse and put it down gently beside a tree. As soon as he removed the bridle, his horse picked her way through the grass until she found a patch to graze on. Link sat on the ground, letting his head rest against the tree, and closed his eyes.
*****
For five days, Link stayed near the grasslands. With only his bow for a weapon, he busied himself with hunting the animals in the area. He galloped across the grasslands, letting his horse stretch her legs. She threw her head in the air joyfully as the wind whipped through her mane. He took her to Lake Hylia where she dipped her nose eagerly into the water, blowing bubbles before taking a long drink. And then they plunged in together, the mare happily kicking her hooves under her as they swam through the cool, refreshing water.
At night, Link stared into the fire, paying no mind to the mare as she wandered through the tall grass. It was at night when his mind was as quiet as the world around him. Only the crickets offered him company as the darkness closed in further around him. He felt no better now than he had felt five days ago. Though he wanted nothing more to be alone where he wouldn't be able to hurt Zelda, he felt like he had even less purpose than before. At least with Zelda, he was a little more present. Even though they were running seemingly menial tasks, he was doing something. And in the back of his mind, he was still there to protect her, not that any trouble should arise. But at least it was something. He was starting to think leaving Kakariko was a bad idea.
It was on the morning of the sixth day when he decided to return to Kakariko. And if Zelda wasn't there, he would go to the castle to find her. There was no doubt in his mind that she would be furious with him, but he would cross that bridge when he got to it. But as he proceeded to saddle his horse, something caught his attention. From where he stood, he could just see into the canyon where a cloud of dust seemed to form. From the distance he was to the canyon, the dust cloud had to have been very large for him to notice it.
He stepped into the stirrup and pulled himself into the saddle, immediately pushing his horse into a gallop. They moved across the grasslands towards the cliff face on the other side. It wasn't particularly high, but it would still take Link time to scale the cliff, and he was sure whatever was going on would be long over by the time he reached the top.
He began climbing regardless, picking his way over the rocks and shoving his foot into every nook and cranny, pulling himself up until he reached the top. As he predicted, the dust cloud had cleared by the time he got there, and there seemed to be no further activity. Nothing but a man that seemed to lay lifeless on the ground.
Link checked his surroundings quickly before making his way down the other side. When he reached the bottom, he could tell that the man had been attacked and appeared to be bleeding out on the ground. Link picked his way carefully over to the man until he stood above him. The man's breathing was forced and shallow, and it was only a matter of minutes before his body would fail him. He opened his eyes as Link's shadow moved over him and he winced slightly. But when he realized Link posed no threat, his eyes widened, frantic.
He tried to sit up, but the pain was too much for him, and he immediately fell back to the ground, coughing up blood and nearly choking to death on it. When his breath returned to him, he spoke as quickly as he could, ignoring his pain.
“The Yiga Clan,” he said, his voice hoarse. “They're looking for you.”
Link narrowed his gaze on the man. He dropped to his knees and grabbed the man by his shirt, pulling him towards him. “What do you know?” he snarled.
A whimper escaped the man's throat. He closed his eyes. “I know,” he started. “I know that you and the princess were at Kakariko. They attacked me. Forced me to tell them.” He coughed up more blood. “I'm sorry.”
Link pushed the man into the dirt angrily. He stood and kicked the man in the gut, seemingly kicking out his last breath. The man stared, his empty gaze on the sky as blood continued to pool around him. Link tore his gaze off of the man and looked down into the canyon. The Yiga Clan had sent their spies out looking for him, surely looking to get their revenge after Link murdered their leader. And now, they knew where Zelda was, and they would stop at nothing to see her and Link dead.
5: 4Link didn't waste a second returning to his horse, and by nightfall, they were galloping out of the grasslands and back towards Kakariko. He was sure that the Yiga soldiers that had attacked that man would return to their base to share the information they had gathered, and they would not waste a second moving out to get to Kakariko. Though Link was presumably in the lead, he knew the Yiga Clan would move quickly, and he had to get to the village before they did. Which meant even in his exhaustion, he could not stop riding.
He rode through the night, into the morning, and into the night once more, running purely on adrenaline. If he didn't stop, he could reach the village by morning. But as it was, he was barely able to keep himself in the saddle, and his horse would surely need more than just a few minutes of rest. At that moment, he found himself slipping out of the saddle, and he landed hard on the ground, the force enough to wake him up once more. He rubbed at his temples as his horse peered at him over her shoulder. She seemed to be judging him from where she stood, and she waited for him to get to his feet.
It took all of his strength to get up. He scanned the area around them. There was no sign of the Yiga Clan, and he supposed he could stop for long enough to get a few hours of sleep. He took the reins and walked his horse off the path and into the nearby woods. He had just enough energy to remove the saddle and bridle before he let himself fall to the ground where he immediately fell asleep.
Dawn was just breaking when he awoke, and for a moment, he felt disoriented. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and yawned loudly. He jumped at the sound of his horse moving through the brush, and he suddenly remembered why he felt so tired. He moved quickly to saddle his horse to continue the journey to Kakariko, stepping into the saddle and pushing the mare into a gallop out of the trees.
They rode through the morning and into the afternoon, making sure to keep off the main roads. He slowed only when he heard voices and turned to see a group of red clothed figures moving around the corner. He dismounted quickly and quietly and knelt low to the ground, making sure to keep hidden in the long grass. He moved towards a large boulder, keeping hidden behind it as he peered around. In the distance, coming up the road, was an army of red. They did not march like any soldiers, nor did they wear armor. Link did not need to guess at who they were, for they were none other than the Yiga Clan. And there were many of them; foot soldiers and blade masters. A few jumped ahead, likely scouting out their path. They were headed across the river towards Sahasra Slope, which would no doubt bring them into Kakariko Village.
Link pressed himself against the boulder, his heart racing. They moved quicker than he anticipated, and it wouldn't be long before they reached the village. He didn't think it would be possible to outride them without being noticed, which only left one option.
Instinctively, Link reached for his sword, but only grabbed air. He cursed under his breath; why did he have to be so brash and stupid? He left Zelda alone, unguarded in the village, and he didn’t even have a weapon on him.
He hurried through the grass towards his horse. The mare grazed quietly, patiently waiting for her master to return. She lifted her head and flicked her ears as Link hurried towards her and climbed into the saddle. He turned the horse around and kicked her into a gallop, making sure to keep close to the tree line until the Yiga Clan was out of sight. As long as they didn't see him, they would have no reason to quicken their pace. As long as Link remained unseen, he would have a chance to get to the village before they did.
*****
It had been over a week since Link left the village and Zelda was growing anxious. She never expected him to be gone for so long, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he was gone for good. She couldn’t hide out in Kakariko Village much longer, but she didn’t want to make the trip to the castle - or even live in the castle, for that matter - without Link. Now that he was back in her life, she was unwilling to let him disappear again, and he had already done just that.
Zelda trained day and night with the Sheikah soldiers, and though she was certainly no master swordsman, she felt confident in her abilities to be able to adequately defend herself. At the very least, she could assume the appropriate stance and hold the sword as necessary to best attack and counter her opponent. She was no Hero of Hyrule, but perhaps if he ever returned - when he returned - she would be decent enough to put that son of a bitch in his place. You know, payback. He was getting too arrogant, anyway.
It was nightfall on the ninth day when Zelda turned in from another day of training. Impa had been dropping reminders to her to return to the castle. She graciously parted with her own Sheikah soldiers to accompany Zelda and even stay at the castle to reform Hyrule’s own army. They waited patiently for Zelda to finally agree to return to the castle, but she wasn’t ready. Not just yet.
She sat on the edge of the bed, her gaze resting on the sword in her lap. It held up surprisingly well over the last one hundred years. Of course, why wouldn’t it, as one hundred years was surely nothing compared to the life of the sword. How curious a blade it was, over ten thousand years old. So much it had seen and endured, and surely its life would not end there. It would see many more heroes and many more battles. It would save many more lives and seal away more darkness than Zelda could ever imagine.
A small explosion brought her out of her thoughts, however. She turned her gaze out the dark window as another louder, closer explosion followed the first. She jumped to her feet and hurried to the window, gazing out as lit torches hurried throughout the village. She watched as shadowy figures seemed to leap out of nowhere, jumping down from rooftops and trees and emerging out of the darkness. She peered out as the figures darted through the village and caught an all too familiar sight of red that belonged to none other than the Yiga Clan.
Without wasting another moment, Zelda hurried out of the room, grabbing the Master Sword as she passed it, and leapt down the stairs. Impa was standing with one of her commanders as Zelda hurried by them, ignoring Impa’s shouts to remain inside.
Outside, Zelda froze on the top step, watching in horror as Sheikah soldiers battled with members of the Yiga Clan. Steel clanged against steel as their weapons struck and their battle cries filled the air, sending a shiver up her spine. She understood, now. No training would ever prepare her - prepare anyone - for the true heat of battle. Nothing could ever prepare her to throw her life on the line, for anyone or anything. In that moment, all she wanted to do was run and protect herself. She was who they like wanted, after all.
She gripped the sword in her hands with determination. She wasn’t about to be marked as a coward. She, Hyrule’s queen, needed to show as much courage as she expected out of any of her own soldiers. She would be a leader to be loved and feared. She would never go down without a fight. If she could seal away Calamity Ganon, she could take on a few Yiga soldiers.
She hurried down the steps, ready to plunge herself into the battle, but stopped short before she reached the bottom. A Yiga blade master stood at the bottom of the steps, grinning wickedly at her. Zelda raised the sword, but the threat did not intimidate him. Instead, he raised his own deadly blade and did not hesitate to bring it down upon her. Zelda reacted quickly, however, blocking the blow with the Master Sword, but he was far too strong for her, and she buckled under his weight. She rolled to the side as his blade came crashing down beside her, and taking advantage of the moment it was stuck in the wood, she leapt to her feet and thrust her sword at him. Before the sword could hit its target, however, the blade master disappeared before her eyes, laughing wickedly.
She spun around, her heart racing, as she searched for any sign of him, but he was seemingly gone from the battle. She lowered her sword and her eyes scanned the battle. Something wasn’t right. He was there somewhere, watching her, waiting.
And he had found his moment. The moment where Zelda dropped her guard.
She knew it was too late when she saw him. All she could do was close her eyes and wait for her life to end. She felt a blow to her side and she was knocked to the ground. She looked up at an all too familiar sight as Link stood before her. But this time, Daruk’s red shield protected them from the blade master’s attack, knocking him forcefully across the village and onto the ground. Daruk’s shield grew, enveloping the Sheikah soldiers inside as ferocious strikes of lightning annihilated the ground. The force of the attack caused the ground to shake and split as each strike hit a clustering of Yiga soldiers. When the attack died down, Daruk’s shield disappeared, but the battle had not been won: one Yiga blade master remained.
He threw himself towards Link, now defenseless and without a weapon, but Link was quick to dodge the blow. As he did so, he kicked at the blade master's feet, causing him to stumble, then lurched towards the enemy’s blade. He twisted the blade master's arm, and in the moment of a sickening snap, he grabbed the blade and kicked the Yiga blade master forward. As he stumbled backwards, Link seized the opportunity to bring the blade across his enemy’s neck. Blood spewed from the open wound and out the blade master's mouth as he fell to his knees first, then face down onto the ground.
Zelda watched in horror as Link let the blade drop to the ground. He turned to look at her over his shoulder, his brows knit together angrily.
“You idiot -” he started, but his expression softened as his noticed the fear in her eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but could not find anything to say. His stomach twisted sickeningly at the idea the he had caused that fear in her. He turned his gaze to the lifeless body at his feet.
“Zelda -”
“That’s quite enough drama for one night,” Impa said from the top of the steps. Her eyes narrowed at them through her wrinkles. “Are you content on destroying my village, Link?”
Link turned his gaze to Impa, his expression hard once more. “I get results.”
Impa, however, was not amused. “They’re watching you,” she hissed at him. “Following you. They will stop at nothing until you’re both dead.”
Zelda got to her feet slowly. She avoided Link’s gaze as she turned to Impa. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ve done this. I’ve brought them here.”
Impa hesitated, her expression softening. “Get inside, the both of you.” She turned her gaze to the Sheikah soldiers. “And get rid of these bodies.” She turned her back to them and disappeared inside.
“That was a dangerous move, Link,” Impa said as they walked in behind her, but she did not turn to them.
“I didn’t have much of a choice,” he said through gritted teeth. He moved to Zelda and grabbed his sword from her hands.
Zelda winced slightly as he forcefully pulled the sword from her. She turned her gaze down at her feet. “I figured you’d be useless without it,” she muttered.
“I don’t need a sword to fight,” Link snapped at her.
“Indeed,” Impa said turning to them. “It seems Link has some remarkable abilities as well. No doubt a blessing from the spirits of the Champion’s you freed.”
Link paid no mind to Impa as he secured the Master Sword on his back once more.
“Daruk,” Zelda said. “I thought that shield seemed familiar.”
“Fortunately for you,” Link said simply.
“Enough bickering,” Impa snarled at them. “That is unfitting for a queen and a knight.”
Zelda crossed her arms stubbornly, turning away from Link.
“Did your mother teach you nothing?” Impa barked at her.
Zelda let her arms drop to her sides and hung her head.
“It is time for you to return to the castle,” Impa said. “Hyrule is awaiting their queen. Do not disappoint them.”
“Don’t you think the Yiga Clan will go straight there?” Link growled at Impa.
“Zelda has a duty to her kingdom that cannot be overlooked. It is her duty to help rebuild, which means rebuilding the castle as well, regardless of the threats that lurk in the shadows. You cannot run and hide from the Yiga Clan. But you will not be without an army, Zelda. My men will guard the castle night and day, and when it is time, the Yiga Clan will be defeated.”
“That might all sound good,” Link started, forcing himself not to add the insult he had brewing in his mind, “but Zelda won’t be safe anywhere until the Yiga Clan is gone.”
Impa turned her gaze to Link, her eyes narrowed at him. “Then I suggest you work on defeating them before they get another chance to attack. And I can assure you it won’t be as easy as infiltrating their base like last time.”
“Last time?” Zelda echoed, finally turning her gaze to Link, but his hard, angry eyes were focused on Impa.
“I can assure you there won’t be a next time,” he said simply.
“What happened last time?” Zelda repeated, turning to Impa, then back to Link.
“Link murdered their leader.”
“Just another item checked off the list,” he said. “You’re welcome.”
It was no wonder they were after her and Link. Her eyes darted between him and Impa as they bickered back and forth.
“I did not thank you for that,” Impa said.
“So far, you haven’t thanked me for anything.”
“Watch your arrogance, Link,” Impa hissed. “I’m in no mood.”
“I’m sorry I almost destroyed the village,” Link said, but the tone in his voice was less than sincere.
“I must have Purah look in on that Shrine of Resurrection,” Impa muttered. “Because clearly it has turned nice boys into obnoxious men.”
“Do me a favor,” Link started. “Don’t stick me in there again.” Without another word, he turned and left Impa and Zelda alone in the house.
Zelda stared at Impa as the old woman sighed.
“Good luck,” she said to Zelda. “You’re going to need it.”
6: 5To Zelda's relief, Link did not take off again, but he didn't make it easy for her to find him, either. In fact, he seemed to avoid her, and she didn't see him until later that night as they made their way upstairs. He ignored her when she complained about wanting her own room, making comments that she didn't need to be guarded. She gave up the argument, knowing she would not win, and pulled the blankets over her shoulder in her best attempt to stay out of sight. She didn't think Link would ever settle down, and she almost yelled at him to quit his pacing, but thought better of it.
She didn't relax until his pacing finally did stop and he sat against the other bed. She listened for any further movements, but he didn't seem to do anything more but sit. “I seriously doubt we'll be attacked again,” she muttered, but Link did not respond.
Zelda sighed and stared at the wall, trying desperately to block the images of the fight that had taken place just hours earlier. It wasn't so much the Yiga soldiers that frightened her, but the sight of Link so easily slicing through the neck of the blade master that disturbed her. It certainly wasn't the first time he had seem him fight, but in the past, they were simply monsters that surely had some correlation to Calamity Ganon. They were murderous beasts that wanted nothing more to do their master's evil bidding.
The Yiga Clan, however... they were different. They were human. They were once Sheikah; soldiers that the royal family entrusted with their lives. They had betrayed that trust, betrayed all of Hyrule to join forces with Calamity Ganon. For what purpose, she didn't know. But even still, despite their intentions, they were human. Living, breathing souls. Men that surely had families at one point. Even if they wanted to kill her and Link, she couldn't possibly fathom ending their lives. The idea festered in her mind and caused her stomach to twist sickeningly.
She supposed, at the very least, it was what Link was trained to do. To be unaffected by such turmoils as was she. To be a cold, emotionless, fighting machine, who's only purpose was to protect the princess and defend Hyrule.
It was no wonder he acted the way he did.
*****
The full moon rose high above Hyrule, it's wicked, red glow casting an eerie red shadow across the land. The air around him was electric and thick with spilt blood, and he could feel his throat closing up. He was alone in the vast, rolling hills of the kingdom. The castle loomed before him, a dark shadow cursed by Calamity Ganon's presence. The dark essence of his enemy swirled around the castle, creating a barrier.
Link... Please... Help me...
Zelda. Link ran across the field towards the castle, but the castle only seemed to move further and further away. Zelda's voice grew more and more desperate, pleading with him.
Don't leave me. Don't give up.
He skid to a stop as the ground began to shake under his feet. Creatures began to rise from the ground, materializing out of thin air. Their shapes twisted and morphed before his eyes, then began to close in around him. He reached for his sword, but the weapon disintegrated in his hand. He turned quickly, watching panicked as the creatures moved in. He turned his gaze to the horizon, movement catching his attention. The Divine Beasts moved away from their positions and onto Hyrule Field. Their wicked roars bellowed over the land. As they neared, he could see each of their respected Champions, his friends, running for their lives.
Revali swooped through the air, taunting Vah Medoh. He pulled back his bow, his gaze fierce as he took aim and let his arrows fly. But the Divine Beast was much too powerful, and with a single blast, he locked on to Revali and blasted at his target. Revali's lifeless body fell from the air, landing with a sickening thud on the ground.
Daruk, too, fought desperately against Vah Rudania. His red shield circled around him as the Divine Beast closed in, but it proved no match for the beast's blast. The shield was destroyed immediately, leaving Daruk exposed, but the Goron stood his ground, looking up at the beast before him. But before he could think to attack, the beast blasted at him, and he, too, fell to the ground.
Link tried desperately to shout to Urbosa and Mipha, but no sound came out. He pushed his way through the monsters that swarmed him, realizing then that they were nothing more than distractions. They clawed at him with their hands, but otherwise, did not make any motion to attack him, seemingly weaponless. Still, they crowded him and clawed at him, slowing his movements drastically. He tried desperately to shove them aside and clear an opening for himself, but there were simply too many of them.
He watched helplessly as Urbosa met the same fate as Revali and Daruk. And then Mipha fell, too, unable to stop their Divine Beasts from attacking. Link fell to his knees as he watched his friends give their lives. The monsters closed in around him, blocking his vision of the red sky, and swallowed him in darkness. In that last moment, his chest felt utterly empty, and it simply hurt too much to fight against the creatures. He gave up and let himself succumb to the darkness.
Link awoke with a start, his breathing heavy. Before his eyes could even adjust to the darkness, he heard Zelda yelp and her feet hit the wood floor suddenly. He turned over just in time to see a light emit from her hand and he leapt across the room, knocking her back onto the bed. “Don’t!”
The light disappeared instantly as the wind was knocked out of her. She struggled beneath the body until she realized it was Link. She blinked into the darkness, confused. “What?”
“Are you trying to kill us?” he snapped at her, now meeting her gaze.
Zelda’s breath caught in her throat, her mind still trying to process what had happened. “What? What do you mean? What happened?” She turned her gaze to her hand as her piece of the Triforce faded. She had almost used her power, but at what? At Link?
“You scared me,” she said breathlessly, now recalling what had happened.
Link backed away quickly and made his way across the room. “Sorry,” he muttered.
“What happened?”
“It was just a dream,” he said as he fell back onto the bed, his back to her. “Go back to sleep.”
Zelda stared into the darkness, just barely making out the edges of his body. She had been startled awake by a sound she could now not recall, but something about it brought her to her defenses. Without her realizing it, she had summoned her own power, as if to attack some intruder. If Link had not stopped her, she likely would have killed them. Or, at the very least, turned Impa’s house to rubble. The sound she had heard, then, must have been from Link. Did he have a nightmare?
“Link?”
But he did not respond. She lay back in the bed, her face against her hands. She did not want to accidentally use her power again.
*****
Zelda found herself alone in the room when she awoke in the morning. Impa greeted her warmly when Zelda made her way downstairs, Dorian at her side.
“My men are ready whenever you are,” Dorian said to her.
“Bring Purah the Sheikah Slate,” Impa instructed. “My soldiers will go with you to Hateno Village, and then to the castle.”
“What about the Yiga Clan?” Zelda asked.
“You will be safe with my men,” Impa assured her. “We can focus our efforts on the Yiga Clan once you are safe at the castle.”
“The Yiga Clan is our main concern,” Dorian said. “I have sent my own spies out to gather intel on them. We will have them dealt with as soon as possible.”
Their words offered little reassurance to her. Even though she knew they were there to protect her, she still felt uneasy going into Hyrule knowing the threat the Yiga Clan posed.
Zelda made her way outside, finding Link in the stables where he prepared their horses from the day's ride to Hateno Village. To her surprise, Link's mood seemed to have improved from the last few weeks, and he smiled to her when she approached. She wasn't sure what had changed, but she didn't dare ask.
“You're going to miss that stupid thing,” Link said. He handed Zelda the reins to her horse.
Zelda smiled. She followed Link out of the stables, leading their horses. “Yeah, actually,” she said. “I'm a little jealous that Purah gets to use it and I don't.” She sighed lightly. “Though, I supposed I've used it enough. Purah will be able to study it better than I.” She put her foot into the stirrup and swung her leg over her horse, settling into the saddle.
The morning was still young when Link and Zelda rode out of Kakariko Village with the Sheikah soldiers. A few of the soldiers rode ahead while the others remained behind them. The ride was relatively quiet as they made their way into Hyrule Field.
“Thank you,” Zelda finally said softly, her gaze on her hands. “For… coming back. And saving me.” She hated to admit that she did not have control of the situation as she had hoped.
“Did you really think you were going to take on a Yiga blade master?” Link’s voice was light.
Zelda looked up and met his gaze. “It was worth a shot.”
Link nodded thoughtfully and he turned his gaze to the horizon.
Was she imagining things? She was sure that he seemed… impressed.
“That’s the secret,” he said with a smirk.
“The secret?”
He met her gaze once more. “Pretending you have any damn clue what you’re doing.”
Zelda narrowed her eyes at him. “Is that so? So the whole time, you were just swinging that sword wildly and hoping for the best?”
“More or less.”
Zelda made a sound of disapproval. “And to think my father trusted the fate of Hyrule in your hands.”
Link smirked. “What was he thinking?”
Zelda shook her head. “I don’t get it,” she said. “When did you become so sarcastic?”
Link pretended to look off thoughtfully. He leaned back in the saddle and stretched his legs out. “You tend to look at life with a cynical eye when you wake up in some shrine with no memories and are expected to be some hero.”
“Right.” Zelda sighed. Whether he was trying to or not, it only made her feel guilty. And she couldn’t get his words out of her head. “Do me a favor. Don’t stick me in there again.”
“I ate one of those frogs,” Link said, bringing Zelda out of her thoughts.
She turned to him and raised a skeptical brow. “What?”
“The hot-footed frog,” Link said with a grin. “Remember? You tried to get me to eat one.”
“You… remember that?”
“I ate one,” he repeated.
Zelda blinked at him for a moment. “And?”
“It was disgusting.”
Zelda laughed lightly. “You can’t just eat it,” she said. “You cook them.”
Link nodded. “Yeah. I found that out after. Some traveler told me. Tried to convince me he had the best recipe for hot-footed frogs.”
“Did he?”
Link shrugged and smirked. “I’ll make it for ya some time,” he said. “Won’t even tell you what it is.”
Zelda turned her gaze away, looking out over Blatchery Plains. The area was still littered with inactive Guardians and it sent a chill up her spine. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “For making you go through all that.”
“I’ve eaten worse,” Link said casually.
Zelda turned and met his gaze. “I mean… for putting you in that shrine.” She hesitated. “I thought… I thought it was the right thing to do. It was my only option.” She bit her lip and turned away as the memories flooded back. “You would have died, Link. You would have… broken your promise.”
“Princess!”
Link stared at her. He opened his mouth to speak, but Zelda’s attention was turned towards the Sheikah soldier as he trotted up to her side. Link watched as they spoke to one another, but he could not hear their words. He watched Zelda, his heart pulling in his chest.
I’ll never break my promise.
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