#'queen zelda ruled for many years and it is said her knight was by her side through it all' OUAGH MY HEART

[marenwithanm]

You know Zelda, most Links actually were children during their adventures. Breath of the Wild Link Georg who was over 100 years old was an outlier and should not have been counted

As you can see, I'm still not over the idea of a younger Link and older Zelda in alttp. She feels so bad about dragging a little kid into this whole mess 😭

[margindoodles2407]

Hey who wants to see my ancient WIP for "Let's Take Eros And Psyche But Make It Zelda"

Inspired by this glorious fic by my dear friend @whyoneartheven

Many years ago, there was a great and beautiful sorceress- so powerful and so stunning that the people of the land mistook her for a goddess. Her name was Cia. One might have supposed that a woman as talented and attractive as she would be gracious and kind as well, but the sorceress had let pride cloud her heart, and in time became jealous and vindictive- resenting anyone who would dare to rival her.

Within Cia’s realm lay the small Kingdom of Hyrule, and while it may not have been the largest of the earthly kingdoms, it was a happy and prosperous land indeed. For the pride and joy of Hyrule was its princess, Zelda. Not only was she well-versed in the arts of magic, she was also exceedingly lovely. But more importantly, she was kind, just, and fair, and ruled her people with goodness and mercy. Her subjects adored her, and in time they even began to say that she was far superior, in every respect, to Cia herself. 

What began as local whispers of awe and admiration soon began to spread outside Hyrule’s borders, and it was not long before they reached the ears of the sorceress. The witch became enraged, and furiously began to plot the downfall of the princess.

At this point, it would be prudent to mention that Cia had a ward. His name was Link, and he had once been none other than the Captain of Hyrule’s Royal Army. But in a ferocious battle- waged on none other than Cia herself, for in older days the kings and queens of Hyrule had not been as terrified of the witch and had valiantly attempted to free the lands from her dominion- he was gravely wounded in combat and left for dead. In the aftermath of the battle (in which Hyrule’s forces had been thoroughly routed), as Cia walked amidst the carnage, whether by fate or the hands of the gods, her eye caught on the Captain- barely breathing but still alive. She had seen him fight bravely, and, noticing that he was also very handsome, she decided to spare his life. She revived him with her magic, under the condition that he would serve her as her champion and warrior. Though hesitant- for he knew that Cia was a jealous and petty woman, and could be dangerous if her wrath was incurred- Link agreed. He thus had been her servant and soldier for many a year (for her magic both saved and increased his life and beauty), and in time, Cia grew to develop an obsessive lust for him. However, despite his pledge of servitude to her, Link shared no reciprocative feelings towards his mistress, and in all his time under her command, had done all he could to avoid her unwanted advances.

As Cia schemed against the Princess Zelda, she finally decided to humiliate the maiden so as to lessen her reputation amongst the people of Hyrule, for she yet saw no need for death. So, using her most potent magic, she created a draught that would make its victim fall hopelessly in love with the first thing, person or otherwise, they saw. She then called for Link, for she required his assistance in the plot.

“Draw your sword,” she commanded, and as he did so, she coated its blade in the potion. “You are to steal away to the Princess’s chambers in the dead of night, when no one will see you, and touch her with the blade. But quickly! so as to avoid being seen, should she wake at its coolness on her skin.”

So that very evening, the knight set out for Hyrule’s castle. He arrived [insert time here], and, slipping into the Princess’s chambers, drew his blade to do as Cia had commanded. 

But something about the lady Zelda gave Link pause. Even in the half-light of the moon, he could see that she was perhaps as beautiful as the rumors had said, and, were the softness of her features and the small smile on her lips any indication, just as kind. 

And, whether it be fate or the hands of the gods, in his moment of hesitation, his hand slipped, and he cut himself on his own blade.

[elegiacmarquise]

👑🏰Zelda of Hyrule - Concept art for some incarnations🏰 👑

Click below for better view and some infos about them!

a. 18 years old

The first princess born in 100 years, Zelda was raised by well meaning but overwhelming parents, thus living sheltered and highly dependent on the mother. Unfortunately, a phantom of Ganondorf who came from another version of Hyrule broke out into the castle. Zelda sent her help with the weak telepathy she had. Link, the only one who heard her, came to the castle. Together they fought the monstrosity, in vain. In fact when Ganondorf seemed defeated he immediately regenerated himself, mortally wounding Zelda’s mother and destroying Hyrule’s castle in the process. Without knowing what else to do, Link and Zelda fled towards Kakariko village, where they could be protected by Impa, Zelda's old caretaker. This Zelda is a shy and compassionate person who holds a great sense of duty but is easily overwhelmed by her feelings and is prone to not listen to her needs in fear of disappointing anyone. During the course of the story Zelda found a job by assisting Impa in her role as the village’s mortician and developing some meaningful friendships. Since then she gradually accepted her grief, enhanced her values, she developed her spirituality further, to finally help Link throughout his journey, thus defeating Ganondorf for good. b. 16 years old

The golden child of her family, as well Link's older sister, this Zelda is born in Hiruela, a small village said to be found by Link and Zelda of Skyloft, by a farmer family. When she was a child, she had a dream thanks to which she found a well which saved her village from a drought. Since then she was regarded almost as a deity and was sent to study in Kakariko with Impa in order to fully master her powers. Although she seems a cheerful, generous and brave person, her confidence is built on frail foundations: after many years she didn’t manage to control her magical abilities, as they seem to appear and disappear without any reason. She compensated for her lacking by mastering swordplay and languages, her true passions, even showing off these sides of her. It seems that some mysterious race from space spied on Zelda for a long time, looking for the perfect moment to take advantage of her weaknesses and taking her with them to fully experiment with her magic.

c. 80 years old

In a now tropicalized Hyrule, many millennia after the first game's events, Queen Zelda ruled peacefully for a long time. However, widowed and with her sons patrolling distant places in Hyrule, she felt lonely, until she found two abandoned newborns in front of her castle: an Hylian and a Gerudo she called respectively Link and Miregan, who she lovingly raised as her own. Zelda is a kind and protective person who can also be abrupt and strict. Unbeknownst to most, Zelda has an extensive knowledge of witchcraft, which she used to protect her kingdom in the past and to cover up the bad results of her culinary attempts. Unfortunately, when Link and Miregan were eight, the latter got sick and passed away shortly after. Since then many mysterious events are plaguing Hyrule and Link, willing to help his grandmother, left the castle to find out what happened there.

d. 25 years old 

Many centuries before the events, all Hyrule’s races united and revolted against the Royal Family, founding a republic in its place, giving life to an apparently strong government. This Zelda, known with the name of Gilda, is the legitimate heir of the Royal Family but she’s more interested in acting, as she’s part of a traveling company. After years of apprenticeship, she was about to debut as the protagonist of a play about a knight princess who, with her bow, would protect her kingdom. While her company was in the midst of the premiere, Castle Town was invaded by an army of monsters commanded by Vaati, leading everyone to flee, Zelda included, losing sight of her fellow actors. Zelda felt forced to collaborate with Link, a police officer with whom she argued before regarding the contents of her play, the one brave enough to find a solution to save the republic. During the adventure, Zelda playfully teases Link about his beliefs, especially after she revealed to him about her true identity. Nonetheless, she guides him where they could find the Aulos of the Stories, a magical instrument said to recall what happened in the places around before. However, it seemed to be cursed…

e. 40 years old 

The newly crowned Queen, Zelda is the daughter of the late King of Hyrule and Impa, taking proudly the latter’s heritage and culture. She rules her kingdom together with her husband Link, with whom she had two daughters named Linkle and… Zelda. She’s also the director of the major hospital of the kingdom. She rarely goes out of her castle, preferring to spend her time in her huge laboratory to experiment as an alchemist, trying to develop a fluid capable to create endless energy. While may appear aloof, she’s actually an enthusiastic person who loves to think about her experiments, admittedly her only interest. Lately Hyrule is afflicted by a terrible plague which was hurting each race in the same way, leaving the patients seriously debilitated and endlessly agonizing, without causing the patient to die. While Zelda stays in the City to care about her patients and her daughters, she now struggles night and day to find a cure, which she found the recipe but which ingredients are rare to obtain, being located in the most remote angles in the kingdom. So, she pleads with Link to find the ingredients for the medicine she would later enhance with her light magic, with the hope of strengthening its effect.

f. 60 years old

Formerly the Gerudo matriarch, Zelda left her role in the favor of the newly came of age Ganondorf, who leads the tribe with the same if not more charisma than her. However she still retained a certain authority there, as she now is the fortune teller, using her special cards to advise the king whether or not to engage in a battle or to conquer a territory. However one day they foretold to her not trust the king anymore, as he began to hold some dangerous ambition to conquer all of a now scattered Hyrule, an ambition that could cause her tribe’s destruction and a civil war with another Gerudo Tribe. Devastated by the prognostications, Zelda does her best to use her influence to change Ganondorf’s mind before and later outright lying about consulting the cards in order to keep him in his place. This Zelda doesn’t interact much with Link and is too old to fight but she perceives his good intentions, offering some food, a bed and some advice disguised as prognostics, in which she tells him some important information about Ganondorf and some treasures he hid around Hyrule. Her cards would later reveal themselves as the Triforce of Wisdom, passed from generation to generation of leading women.

g. 6 years old

The little princess of a fully industrialized New Hyrule, this Zelda was lovingly raised by Link, her babysitter and Impa, who also rules the place as a regent in place of her mother, who is said to have mysteriously disappeared some years prior.Zelda is an energetic and carefree little girl, with a pronounced tomboy streak and a curious attitude. She’s pretty fascinated by clockwork gears and the air, dreaming to pilot an aircraft one day. She always carries with her a korok shaped plush, which she claims to be gifted by her mother. One day, she also disappeared suddenly, leaving a message to Link in which she said she dreamed about her mother on the verge of dying. Link immediately sought for her and found the child crying in front of a mysterious statue depicting a beautiful woman covered by all sorts of plants.

h. 37 years old 

The Princess whose statue Link and little Zelda found in the cave, a statue which she uses to communicate with people. This Zelda renounced her title and her throne to meditate as a monk and trap within herself a seed in which contained the spirit of an evil sorcerer who attempted to possess the kingdom many years prior. She evacuated the people of New Hyrule from reality to a virtual world she created for the scope, letting them live safely while she let grow within herself the evil sorcerer's seed, fighting him alone in meditation. In order to concentrate better, Zelda rejected every part of herself she deemed distracting to her duty, sacrificing her humanity in the process. Unable to completely eliminate them, they assumed the form of the little princess, a testament of this separation. This Zelda doesn’t directly speak with her alter ego or Link until she defeats the sorcerer, after she can break her vow of silence. She instead communicates with them with telepathy.

[pastelsandpining]

Belongings

A BotW Post-Calamity Zelink hurt/comfort one shot

Summary: Zelda struggles to find her place in this time she should not be a part of, and she doesn’t understand how Link makes it look so easy.

Words: 8156

Warnings: blood mention, depression, honestly not sure what else to add here so proceed with caution and let me know of anything I need to tag!

tagging @etiquetteemotions :) I hope you enjoy!

When she watched him, she wanted to be upset that he couldn’t remember everything. It wasn’t his fault of course, and she knew he was probably facing deep turmoil for it, but she still cried out for the knight she fell in love with. Yet she couldn’t be upset, because he smiled now. He seemed so free of the burden on his shoulders all that time ago. He smiled and laughed and talked.

But it was never with her. Not the way it was with everyone else. 

She saw how he interacted with Sidon and Riju and Yunobo and Paya. She saw how he spoke to stablemen and village people. She saw how his smile was wider, his eyes were brighter, and it was a stark contrast to when he was with her. 

At least, she thought so. Because when he looked at her, his eyes seemed distant. His smiles didn’t reach her heart like they used to. And when he touched her or held her or did anything of the sort, he was so careful. Like he was afraid she’d break apart if he were to touch her in any other way.

There were many times when Zelda felt like she would never fit in with this new life. That she would never connect with Link in his Hateno house, or fit in with all of his new friends, or be anything other than Princess Zelda. Sure, helping Purah and Robbie with research and talking with Impa brought her back down to Hyrule—made her believe that it wasn’t as bad as she thought it was. But then she would return to Link’s home, eat dinner across from what might as well have been an empty chair, and lay in bed, feeling the hopelessness wrap around her like a weighted blanket. 

Some nights, she would feel Link’s arms hugging her ever so gently, and she’d think that maybe it wasn’t so bad.

And then the morning would come and she would wake up alone. 

Maybe it was her. Maybe she’d just become... unreachable. With nothing but the Calamity to keep her company for a century, maybe she’d changed without realizing it. Or maybe she was just a reminder to everyone about what the Calamity had done—how she failed them all the first time. Had it not been for Link, Hyrule would’ve been devastated beyond hope of returning.

The Hero of Hyrule. The savior of them all. Even her. 

And after a century of growing doubts and fading hope, she supposed she would be different too. But her difference didn’t come with the freedom his did. Because Link had done everything right up until the very end. She did nothing right until there was nothing left to do.

There was nothing left to do. No pieces to pick up and put back together—not here. Not in Hateno. 

And after staring at a page filled with scratch outs and unfinished sentences, Zelda decided there was really nothing she could say. Nothing but a sincere thank you, and a hope that his life of newfound freedom would bring him nothing but happiness. So that was all that she left behind. 

Her hands were scraped and blistered from the hours she spent yanking at rubble, at the cave in that cut off the entrance to her bedroom. It was the first place she wanted to see, even though she couldn’t imagine it looked very good. Link said he’d gotten in through climbing, but she certainly didn’t have the upper body strength to climb the tower to her study. She was left with no choice but to use a rusty old sword she’d found to try and help her loosen the rocks and stone and dirt. And she’d done a decent enough job too, or at least that’s what she wanted to believe. The most she’d done was get the rubble to crumble and slide just enough for her to be able to squeeze between the top of the pile and the ceiling. 

Zelda let out a slight scream when the rock beneath her hand gave out and she went sliding head first down the rubble, into her room.

It was completely trashed, which she’d sort of expected. But seeing it was a different story. Her living space, what she’d called home for her whole life, was reduced to practically nothing. Her bed had collapsed in on itself, her papers and books were yellowed and ripped, the staircase to her study was completely gone, and it looked so sad and empty. Yet she had seen so much destruction that she could not bring herself to mourn any more than she already had. 

She ran her fingers through the layer of dust on her vanity. Her mirror was cracked, and spiders had taken over. Her rugs were torn and looked to be burnt up, and the only thing that looked truly intact was the Royal Guard’s Bow above her fireplace, that Link had gifted her a century ago.

She peered out to her balcony, and then up at the missing staircase. Going to her study was out of the question entirely, so she supposed she’d have to wait until the staircase was rebuilt. At least she still had her journal, which Link was kind enough to recover for her. 

She busied herself by carefully pulling down the time-worn papers above her desk. The edges crumbled under her fingers, but her writings and drawings remained untouched—other than the fading. She set them down on her desk in a neat stack and gathered the ones from the floor, then set the paperweight on top of them. Then she got to work on pulling her small, circular table back upright. She pulled the yellowed table cloth off of it and tossed it into a corner. Soon, the pieces of broken chair joined it. 

Her bed was going to be a little tougher to deal with, so she stuck to small things for now. Picking up what rubble she could, using the sword to knock down spider webs, throwing everything she didn’t want to keep into the pile. But it didn’t look like she’d done anything. Maybe her room was also too far gone for her to do anything with.

But to rebuild everything from start..? 

No, not for her room or study. She could manage. But the rest of the castle—she could gather people willing to help. Gorons, Sheikah—all of Hyrule could help if they were willing.

She could invite the Sheikah to return and implement their technology—or at least encourage them to return to creating, and use that in the restoration of Hyrule. She could take the kingdom a step further than it was before, bring it into an entire new age with the help of those her family had wronged.

With the ideas filling in her head, Zelda fished her journal from the bag she carried and quickly scribbled down everything she was thinking of. 

Gorons to help get rid of the rubble. The Bolson Construction Company could work with the Sheikah to create new floor plans and interior designs. The Zora could bring their designs in too, and incorporate the beautiful luminous stones that lit their architecture.

But how would she go about bringing this up to them? She would have to go up to all of the leaders individually—which was not an issue, since she’d been considering going to each region to propose the permanent station of the Divine Beasts as memorials for the Champions. That would be another thing to the list. 

Zelda paced in her room, relaxing into something that felt familiar to her. Brainstorming, keeping herself busy. She could bring in Purah and Robbie to help rebuild the Research Lab too, which sent a flood of excitement through her.

Maybe once she thought she could stay away, but this was where she belonged. She had a duty to her people, to her kingdom, and she refused to fail them again. She refused to sit idly because of what she’d been through. She wasn’t the only one, so she had no right to sit and sulk. Hyrule needed her.

Didn’t it..?

Zelda’s pacing slowed, and she looked back towards the pile of rubble with a frown.

Did Hyrule need her?

Now that the threat of Calamity Ganon was gone, was she really of any use? A century without rule seemed to do Hyrule just fine—even if the kingdom was only beginning to recover. The four regions were thriving well on their own, under their own leaders. And the remaining Hylians—what did they truly need her for? Other than reconstruction, but even then, did they need her for that? She could propose ideas all she wanted, but she could do very little with her hands. 

And now that it was safe for Hyrule to begin rebuilding, who’s to say they wouldn’t? Who’s to say they wouldn’t rebuild on their own? There were brilliant minds out there that didn’t need her permission or her ideas.

Zelda took a slow seat into the red velvet chair and looked around her crumbling room again. 

Did she not belong here either..?

There was no one. Her father—everyone within the castle walls had perished when Ganon rose. Sadness and bloodshed were embedded deep in the walls of this place. There was no one left to tell her how to be a queen, how to rebuild a kingdom. She’d spent her entire life devoted to awakening a sealing power that came all too late. Her father had been right, it seemed. She was an heir to a throne of nothing. Nothing but failure. 

Maybe she shouldn’t have come back. But if she was the heir, didn’t she owe it to the kingdom to rot alongside that nothing? To be reminded of her failure everywhere she looked? 

She didn’t realize she was crying, screaming her voice raw, clutching her father’s journal to her chest, begging aloud to deaf ears—like she’d done for years. What she would give to feel her mother’s hugs, or Urbosa’s comfort again. What she would do to see her father again, even if he were looking down at her in his disappointment. What she would do to have someone, anyone left to guide her. 

To get an answer from Hylia about what to do now that they had won. 

But no one would hear her. 

Zelda curled up in her chair, hugging her knees to her chest, and leaned her head against the top of it. She was reduced to gasping for breath and squeezing her eyes shut, as if that would stop the flow of tears.

It was getting dark now. She’d spent hours here, but she couldn’t bring herself to move. Where would she even go if she did? 

It was getting colder. In regular circumstances, she would have someone light her fireplace. But this was not regular circumstances, and there was no one left to do anything. 

She must’ve cried herself to sleep, because she certainly didn’t remember going willingly. But instead of the nightmares, she was left with a dull ache. Nothing but darkness. Nothing but nothing.

———

When Link returned from hunting to find his house empty, he knew something was amiss. There was a sense of loneliness—the same one that filled the house when he first bought it. He didn’t quite know what to make of it, but he tried not to make assumptions. As much as he wanted to protect her, to not lose her again, he also didn’t want her to feel suffocated. Perhaps she just wanted to take a breather.

But it didn’t feel like Zelda had just gone on a short outing. It felt more like standing among a village of ruins. It felt sad and dull, like the life that once filled it took all the color with it when it left. There was something she brought with her to Hateno, and that something was gone now. Maybe he was simply overreacting, and he would find her at the lab with Purah. 

She would come back later.

Except, the minutes turned into hours and she still hadn’t returned. Link became restless, and he took his horse up to the lab to check for himself. But Purah said that Zelda hadn’t come by at all that day. 

Link raced back to his house to search for any sign of where she might’ve gone, but what he found made him feel nauseous. In her neat handwriting were the words:

Thank you for all you have done.

I wish nothing but happiness for you, and that a day will come where we can meet again.

He read the message over and over again, desperate to pry some other meaning out of it, but it was useless. He knew what she meant by this. 

From the weeks he’d spent with Zelda, to the memories he recovered of her, he knew this wasn’t like her. It wasn’t like her to disappear, or hold back whatever was on her mind. He saw how hesitant, how closed off she’d become since she gained freedom, but he always hoped that maybe she’d talk to him eventually. He shared stories of his journey, took her to see everything he’d seen, in the hopes that she would someday feel comfortable enough to speak. He never wanted to force her.

But maybe he should’ve, because she was gone.

Link didn’t bother grabbing anything other than his gear before taking off towards Kakariko. He had a feeling she wasn’t going to be hiding with Impa, but he was going to need help. 

There was only one other place she could be, but he struggled to imagine why she would return to the castle alone. Why she would suddenly leave without a word. Had he done something? Did he say something that made her want to leave? Did she feel trapped? 

He didn’t know, because she hadn’t talked to him. 

It was dusk by the time Link was finally able to set out for the castle, accompanied by Purah, Symin, Paya, and Impa. He’d been weary about so many people at first, but he let it slide for the sake of finding her before something happened. Sure, he made sure to kill every monster he found when he explored the castle, but there was no way of knowing if other monsters found their way in. Or people looking to find treasure. Or anything, really. Did she even know of the danger she was in?

Of course she did. He needed to give her a little more credit. She faced Ganon alone. Surely she could take a few monsters, or people, right? There were weapons in the castle, scattered everywhere. She would be fine, right? 

Still, Link urged Epona to go faster. They raced past Dueling Peaks, through Central Hyrule, through the gates of the castle. 

“Go,” urged Impa at his hesitation, with a nod towards the tower he’d climbed what felt both like yesterday, and a year ago. “We’ll find our way. Take this. Go find her.”

Link took the damp towel and bandages into his hands and slipped them into his bag before turning on his heel and sprinting towards the tower. He knew at the top would be the study, and the bridge that led to her room. Would she be there..? He couldn’t imagine how she’d accessed it, but no one knew this castle better than Zelda. He was sure there were ways in even he didn’t know about.

The pattern of the stone bricks underneath his hands and feet were familiar as he scaled his way up the tower, going as fast as he could. With no guardians to shoot him down, he was able to reach the midpoint and use Revali’s Gale to get him the rest of the way—at least, to the open window. The study looked as empty and depressing as ever. Zelda was not in here, though he wasn’t surprised. The stairway was broken, after all.

The bridge was empty too, so Link continued on to the princess’s room. 

He could spot her from a mile away. Even if it was dark, and he was descending slowly on his paraglider, he saw her curled up in that dusty chair. Part of him wondered how she got in, and the other part broke upon closer look. She was asleep, but still she looked troubled—almost like she’d been crying. And—was that her father’s journal, in her hands?

And oh, her hands. He crouched besides the chair and gently took hold of one of her wrists. He pulled it gently to him, causing her to only stir, and examined it up close.

Years of climbing experience made him recognize the blisters, but she hadn’t climbed. No, because there was dirt underneath her fingernails and under the torn skin, and there were scrapes caked with dry blood. A glance towards the rubble pile outside the doorway confirmed his suspicions. She’d dug her way in.

Link looked back to her hand and gently pressed the towel to it. She flinched away and was awake in seconds, her wide eyes searching over him like she couldn’t believe them. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

“Hi,” he said softly.

“Link,” she replied, her voice hoarse. “I-“

“Your hands,” he stated, holding one of his own out. “They’ll get infected.”

Wordlessly, Zelda placed her hand back in his. Her father’s journal rested on her lap in favor of the Sheikah Slate, which she tapped away at with her free hand. Link only looked up when he heard the familiar warping sound of an item. 

“Here,” she said softly, holding out a glass bottle filled with water. Link took it with a quiet “thanks” and dumped some on the cloth, figuring he could ask about herbs for medicine later. The priority right now was cleaning the wounds.

He dabbed at one of her palms, mumbling an apology whenever she would wince. He knew from experience that it stung, and it made him feel even worse. And the silence—it was more agonizing by the second. So he tried to fill it.

“You tidied up,” he said, nodding his head towards the trash pile.

“Hardly,” Zelda replied. “All I really managed was stacking some papers.”

“And that, if I recall correctly, is new.”

Her smile was weak and small, and hardly sincere. It didn’t belong on her lovely face. He took care with wrapping her hand and fingers, for an excuse to hold onto her a little longer. 

“I think if there wouldn’t have been a Moblin in here, it wouldn’t be as bad,” he continued, thinking back on what a scare it’d given him originally. The last thing he’d expected to find in her bedroom, a place that was supposed to be so private and safe, was a monster. But then again, a monster had long since taken over her home. “They don’t have the best manners.” 

“A Moblin?” Zelda asked, her eyebrows furrowed. 

“Not sure how it got in,” Link said with a shrug, wetting the cloth again so he could begin cleaning her other hand. 

“A century is a long time,” she replied, her voice breaking just enough to make his fingers twitch with the urge to hold her hands tighter. “There’s really no way to know if the collapse happened during... or later on. It could have found its way in at any point. You mentioned monsters of all sorts infested nearly every room.”

“Not your study. I wish I could take you see it, Zel.”

She was quiet. Link looked up at her to find her gazing at the missing staircase, but he didn’t know if she was actually seeing, or if she was lost in thought. He watched her for a moment, wondering just how much she was thinking of. What memories she must have been replaying—if they were ones he no longer had, if they included him at all. He knew he had been in her study with her at least once, if not multiple times all those years ago. Maybe he used to help her research, or kept her company while she did. He wanted to take her to her study, show her the Silent Princess that bloomed right in the middle. He could remember her mentioning prior attempts to grow them domestically and save them from extinction. Did it result from an attempt of her own, only able to actually flourish a century later?

Link returned his eyes to her hand. It was cold against his, despite what the red, irritated, and torn skin suggested. He tried to stay as gentle as possible as he wiped the grime and blood away, feeling worse every time her hand stiffened in pain. The silence was getting to him again, as was the still overhanging question of what drove her here.

“Zel..” he spoke. If she looked his way, he didn’t know. He busied himself with wrapping her hand. “I would’ve come with you.. You didn’t have to come back here alone.”

“It’s home,” she whispered out. Link glanced up at her, holding her hand just a little tighter.

“I know,” he said. “But home doesn’t have to be just one place.”

Zelda did not reply, but he could faintly hear his name being shouted. He’d nearly forgotten about the others, and clearly Zelda was as shocked as he was. But he stood from his position, letting her hand go at last, and jogged to the pile of rubble.

“—in there?” someone said, muffled by the wall of filth.

“We’re in here,” Link called back, wincing at how loud he sounded. “There’s a hole in the top that you can squeeze though, or we can try to remove more of the cave in.”

He thought he heard something like “stand back”, but he wasn’t sure until he heard a loud crash, and rubble began sliding down towards him. He backed up just in time to miss being pelted by a large rock and the rush of dirt and dust behind it. He coughed, waving his hand in front of his face to try and disperse the cloud it had created. 

“This’ll take a lot more force to clean up entirely,” came the voice of Purah after a coughing fit of her own. 

“We’ll manage,” replied Impa. Once the dust settled, the four were able to enter the bedroom at last. Link gave them all a polite nod and turned back to Zelda, who was staring at them as if they were ghosts. She looked pale.

He crouched before her again and raised the cloth to her face. When she didn’t move to pull away, he started wiping at the grime and scratches.

“This is quite the place to run off to when you’re upset,” spoke Impa again. She sounded far closer than she had before and Link had to keep his surprise that she could move that fast at bay. 

“It’s home,” Zelda repeated, adverting her eyes. Though this time, something about her voice gave away that she didn’t believe it. 

“Maybe once, a long time ago,” Impa said. 

Link raised a hand to Zelda’s cheek, holding her still while he wiped at a scratch on her forehead. She was making a point to avoid looking at anyone. She looked a little guilty, too, though he couldn’t think of why. 

“We can rebuild,” Purah promised, standing to the side of the cushioned chair. “Really, your room isn’t that far gone at all. And most of the castle structure is still intact—at least, the parts we can get to. Really, Princess, it’s not as bad as it looks.”

“That’s kind of you,” Zelda replied, but she shook her head. “But reconstruction will take years.”

“It’s not impossible,” Purah argued, grabbing the arm of the chair with her little hands. 

Link slowly lowered his hands now that Zelda’s face was, for the most part, clean. He capped what remained in the bottle and set it aside, reaching instead for the Sheikah Slate. When she didn’t stop him, he placed a hesitant hand on her knee and got to work looking through their gathered materials. He could make a healing potion for her hands with the right parts.

“No,” Zelda agreed, leaning back in the chair. “But it’s long and tedious and.. and we— I do not deserve your help.”

He furrowed his eyebrows and looked up at his princess with a frown. He wasn’t the only one, but her eyes remained stubbornly glued to the floor. An overwhelming desire to see those green eyes sparkle with happiness once again hit him, but he didn’t know what to do about it. Was it even his place?

“The concept of being ‘deserving’ of anything is silly,” spoke up Paya. Her voice was soft and rushed, like she were nervous to be speaking up to a princess. Link didn’t blame her. He felt like that too, in the beginning. “I’m sorry, Princess, but everyone deserves kindness, regardless of what they themselves think. To imply that they don’t is to say that they’re not.. human.”

“Paya is right, dear child. But I can think of no one more deserving of a comfortable home and happiness than you,” Impa said. 

Zelda looked like she was trembling. Link set down the Slate and gently took her bandaged hands in his own. Only then did she look at him, her green eyes glistening with unshed tears. The sight tore his heart in half. 

“Talk to us,” he whispered, running his thumbs over her knuckles. “To me. Please.”

He wished he could read her mind, soothe whatever fight she seemed to be having with herself. But all he could do as tears slipped down her cheeks was kneel upright against the chair and wrap her in a hug. And the journal she kept in her lap fell to the floor when she pressed closer, holding parts of his shirt in tight fists. He held her tighter, hoping just maybe, he could keep the remaining pieces of her together. 

“I’m sorry,” she said again. Link shook his head.

“Don’t apologize, please. You have nothing to be sorry for. But if there’s anything I can do-“ 

“Link, you’ve done so much.” She was looking at him again, like he were some kind of grand hero. He was, according to almost all of Hyrule. But when she addressed him as such, and looked at him as such, it was different. Like he were her hero, and hers alone. Sometimes, he wished he were. “Really, there is nothing more for you to do.”

“I can be here, with you. If you really wanted to come back, I would’ve come with you.” 

He felt like he was begging. Begging for her to still give him a place in her life. For how confused he’d been when his journey began, he felt so inexplicably complete when he finally got her back. He wanted to feel that way again—wanted her to know that feeling if she didn’t already. But he would struggle greatly with acceptance if she didn’t want his help.

“Why come back?” she asked, pulling back from his embrace and leaving him empty. She looked so sad. “The heir to a throne of nothing. Is that really who you want to follow?”

He could still hear those words, spoken originally in the gruff voice of the king. At the time, Link found him to be acting as neither a king or a father. It was cruel, to spit those words in a sixteen-year-old’s face. To relay to her what the gossip mongers said behind her back, to imply that they were correct in some sort of way. She tried all she could, but they refused to let her be of any help outside of her supposed destiny. Little did they know her destiny involved facing a great evil alone, locking herself away for over a century. And yet, all these years later, those words still bit deeply into her. Did she truly believe them? After all she had done?

Link had never once believed in those words. Though he was as clueless as anyone else on why the goddess remained silent, he instead believed that she would save them all. Her worth and ability were never tied to any sacred power. Not to him, not to her friends, and not to her father. It was just a shame the king picked so late to act like one.

He reached up to hold her face again, trying to get her to look at him. 

“I follow the princess who cared so much about her kingdom that she sealed herself away with evil incarnate for over a century. I follow the princess who worked tirelessly to fulfill her duty. I follow the princess who knelt in freezing waters for hours at a time to pray on deaf ears. I follow the princess who did everything she could, and not just because she was told to.”

“You follow a princess who killed you and countless others with her inability to do her job,” she spat, but there was no venom to her words. She just sounded.. tired. Link shook his head again, racking his brain for the right thing to say. What had he said back then, in moments like these? What would work to comfort a broken soul? 

“Please.” He was begging again. He was desperate, because her coming here alone meant more than what she was saying. “Please don’t blame yourself for the things Ganon caused. I hate to admit it Zel, but we were fucked regardless whether or not you unlocked your powers. But they don’t blame you—and neither do I.”

“But why don’t you?” Zelda asked, finding a grip on his shirt once again. “I was so cruel to you, so jealous of you.. and in the end... I don’t understand.”

“I took a vow to protect you with my life, Zelda.” He brushed his thumbs over her cheekbones, wishing he could get rid of her unshed tears that easily. “And I’d do it again. Without hesitation. Wherever you go, I will be there.”

Because without her, it felt so very empty. Even with the friendships he’d made along the way. And the why evaded him until he’d come to understand that it was better left unspoken. And the weeks spent with her in Hateno, while they tried to adjust to this world neither of them were really a part of, was when the pieces of the puzzle fell together. 

“That vow was made as a knight to a princess and a king, in preparation for the Calamity. There is no threat. There is no more king. And there is hardly a princess. But should you need it, I, Princess Zelda of Hyrule, officially release you from your vows.”

Link shook his head again, as if it could prevent the words from reaching his brain, his heart.

He felt like she was slipping right through his fingers. Just as she had with every memory along the way. One minute she would be there with her green eyes and warm, sunny smile, or annoyed glare, or concentrated expression. Then he would open his eyes and find himself alone, with any lingering warmth fleeting to join her in the castle, locked far away from him. He would look towards the castle and think of nothing but her. This Zelda that he knew long ago, this voice that compelled him to find her, this Princess that a century ago, he had fallen in love with and given his life for. And maybe his memories were fragmented, and maybe he’d never get them all back, but he was certain of that much.

“I made a promise to protect you, Zelda, princess or not. Because I want to. So if this is where you want to be,” he freed a hand to gesture to the room around them, “then I will be there too.”

“You belong to the wild,” Zelda replied simply, bringing her hands to cover his. “I can’t take you away from that.”

“Then stay with me there, please. Or, or with Impa in Kakariko, or Purah in the lab. Anything is better than here, cold and alone.” She had to know that. To return to a place of nightmares...to consider staying... Link was so afraid she was too far gone, and they hadn’t caught anything until she’d broken. 

Zelda peeled his hands from her face and shook her head. Link couldn’t find the right words, and he’d never felt so hopeless before.

“I’m afraid,” began Impa, joining them at the chair. Her wrinkled hands covered theirs. Link hoped with all his heart that they were bringing warmth back to her icy fingertips. “That her century with malice has driven the light from her mind. Princess, why have you convinced yourself that what you want is unreachable?”

Zelda recoiled at the question. Link tightened his hold on her hands ever so slightly, because he felt her trying to slip away again. 

“There are times when the darkness can extinguish the light,” she replied, tearing her green eyes away. 

“And the blame for that does not fall on your shoulders, sweet child. In fact, Hyrule would not have been able to recover at all, had it not been for your selflessness. The horrors you endured, sealed away with a beast, are something we cannot ever understand. But we can recognize that without you, Hyrule would have fallen completely to Ganon’s control. When you focus solely on your stubborn power, you ignore the other things you were able to do. Without your help, the Champions would have been unable to master their Divine Beasts.”

“The Champions are dead,” Zelda repeated, her voice trembling again. Link knew the feeling, and goddesses, how he wished he could grant her the closure he’d received. He found himself praying, begging out for Urbosa to somehow come to her aid, appear to her and let her know in a way he couldn’t that it was alright. 

“The Champions knew just what and how much they were risking when they answered your call, Princess. You chose well. But I’m afraid Link is right, Ganon would have taken them out even if you had awakened your power. The beast was prepared for our attack, and I’m afraid by following our ancestors so closely, we doomed ourselves. But the blame for that does not fall upon you.”

“But if I had just worked harder, if I had done more, prayed harder, then maybe-“

“Zelda,” Impa said, her voice stern. Even Link felt like he was being scolded, and he was nothing more than a bystander. “You gave all your efforts and in the end, prayer was hardly what woke your power.”

Her eyes drifted to Link. She looked defeated, because she did know. And so did he. When Kass relayed to him the song, he’d nearly cried. It wouldn’t have been the first of the tears shed on his journey. And it wasn’t the first time he’d learned of a princess doing something out of her love for him. He remembered quite clearly when he found out—how he spent that night asking into empty air if it were true. No answer ever came to him. 

“I know,” Zelda replied at last, ducking her head and instead looking at their hands. In two simple words, his answer had come.

“Then I trust you to make the decision you believe is best for you. But no decision should be made at this hour. I suggest we get some sleep before dawn’s light is upon us.” Impa’s hands lifted, and with a simple gesture to Paya, they disappeared through the rubble at the doorway.

“If you ever need a place to go, or someone to talk to about ideas, my door is always open. But I have to agree with my sister on this one. You should get some rest, and make your decision in the morning.” And Purah and Symin were gone as well.

Now that they were alone, Link wished he knew what to say. He wished he could leave it at that and tell her to get some sleep. But he couldn’t.

“I still don’t understand,” he said, releasing her hands so he could dig in his pockets. Zelda lifted her head to look at him, and he held up the piece of paper she’d torn out of her diary. The writing that was burned into his brain. “Why?” 

She lowered her gaze again, but she did not answer. 

“I thought you might’ve been at the lab with Purah,” Link continued to fill the silence. “And then I thought maybe you went to Kakariko, but Impa said she hadn’t seen you.”

“I’m sorry,” Zelda said softly. Her eyes were fixed on the dirty rug beneath her chair, but he could tell she was looking far past that.

“Why didn’t you talk to me..? Or say goodbye, at the very least?”

“I just.. I couldn’t,” she admitted, hugging her arms. “It would’ve made it harder.”

“How long have you been thinking of leaving..?”

“A week or so...” 

Link let out a sigh, dragging a hand down his face. He felt guilty again, for not saying anything when he first noticed her drawing back. Maybe she thought he was disappointed, because she continued,

 “I just—I didn’t know what to say. I’m sorry.”

“Did something happen, Zel..?” he asked hesitantly, lifting his gaze back to her’s. It was selfish, but part of him needed to know if it was him, or the setting. “To make you want to leave, I mean. Do you not like it in Hateno?”

“No, no-! Hateno is lovely, Link.” She straightened up, reaching out a hesitant hand towards him. But she dropped it before it made any contact. “I just...”

“You don’t have to talk to me,” Link said, lifting a hand to her face, though he desperately wanted her to. “But if there’s anything you need, please let me know. You don’t have to suffer alone.”

After a moment more, he dropped his hand to his side and picked up the Slate again. He wished there was more he could say or do, to help her. But this wasn’t something he could swing a sword at and disintegrate.

“Do you ever feel like you don’t quite belong here?” she asked, ending the stretch of silence. “Like you shouldn’t be, because you belong to a different time?”

Link looked up at her, masking his surprise that she was perhaps finally speaking what was on her mind. He nodded once, but said nothing more, urging her to continue. She did.

“At first, Hyrule didn’t look much different than it had before.. But seeing Castle Town and Central Hyrule in ruin was still... so fresh. Something that took years to build and was once full of life, was destroyed in minutes. So many lives lost... And then I find this new village—two, actually, filled to the brim with life. Like the Calamity had never touched them at all. And it was so.. different.”

“A Hyrule one hundred years later,” Link said, finding her hands again. “Toeing the line between recovery and destruction. And the only thing keeping that line steady is you.”

“I’m sorry,” Zelda said again, her hands twitching like she wanted to pull them away. “I shouldn’t be complaining when you’ve no memory of the Hyrule we were a part of all those years ago.”

“But maybe that’s a good thing,” he responded. It made her finally look at him, her eyes wide with shock. But he’d thought long and hard on it, and he was being honest.

“Link-“

“I’m serious,” he insisted. “I don’t remember everything. And it hurts sometimes, that I can’t remember everything about you, and about our friends. But I don’t feel the pain that came with fighting Ganon, or fending off guardians. I don’t feel the burden of the sword. I’m.. a little more free of that trauma than you are. For a century, you sealed yourself away with nothing but evil incarnate. And you still remembered everything you had done and been through up until that moment.”

“You make it look so easy. Living in this Hyrule, I mean. You have so many friends, you seem so comfortable and at home..”

“It’s hard not to make friends when they risk their lives to help you. And I don’t think I’d be as well off if I still remembered everything. But it’s not easy. I’m living in a world I really know nothing about. And as for home, well... it didn’t feel like home. Not until you were with me and safe.”

Zelda blinked. She looked like she wanted to cry again, but Link was being more honest than he’d ever been. Yet for some reason, a fraction of hurt took over her eyes. It was gone as quickly as it had come, but he saw it.

“You hardly know me,” she said. Even she winced at that and went to apologize, but Link held her hands a little tighter and willed her to look directly at him as he spoke, pouring everything he could into his words.

“I know that you love your people so much, you faced Ganon alone. I know that you love to research and wanted to learn as much about Sheikah technology as possible. I know you faced criticism from everyone, even your own father, but you pushed yourself to your limit anyway with a silent goddess. I know you saw me as a reminder of your own failures, and I know you tried to convince me to taste a frog. I know your favorite dessert is fruit cake, I know you had a white horse you named Storm who you struggled with at first, I know Urbosa was like a second mother to you, I know Revali annoyed you just as much as he annoyed me, I know we somehow ended up as friends, and I know what woke your powers in the end.”

Zelda looked as if she couldn’t find the words she wanted to say. It wasn’t impossible to believe, given he’d mentioned some things only someone who was close to her would know, but maybe that last part should’ve stayed to himself.

“Urbosa did always say it was quite obvious.” She shook her head and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. “Did she tell you?”

“Kass did,” Link replied, adverting his eyes. He felt a little guilty to admit it. “The Rito Bard. His teacher, the court poet, set out to.. learn some ballads about the ancient hero, so he could help me. He mentioned it in his song. Though, now that I think about it, it was a little... rude. I mean, it’s no one’s business and..”

Zelda looked amused. Link forced himself to stop speaking, which was new. He was still getting used to a lot of things.

“Well, he didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. It’s better you hear it from them, than a gossip monger who has nothing better to do but impose on the life of others.”

“I’d rather hear it from you,” he replied with a shrug before he could stop himself. Even in the dim lighting of the room, he could see the way her cheeks flushed. 

“You just did,” she argued, ripping her hands away so she could cross her arms. Link held his hands up in defense. 

“All I’m saying is that having a descendant of the goddess Hylia herself love you is quite the feeling.”

“Oh, so being Zelda isn’t enough for you then? You’ve got to play the goddess card to inflate your already big head?” But there was no malice behind her words, and the faint smile on her lips was more than worth it. 

“Now I never said that,” he defended, fending off a smile of his own. “I happen to find Zelda absolutely wonderful all on her own. But having goddess powers is cool, too.”

A small giggle passed her lips. The light was returning to her eyes slowly, but progress was progress and Link was desperate to keep it up.

“I’m glad someone around here appreciates Zelda,” she joked, leaning back in her chair once again. He rested a hand on her knee and looked up at her, letting the smile onto his lips.

“Someone should tell her that she’s deserving of love, and happiness, and a fresh start too.”

Zelda’s smile was weak, but it was there. It was enough to make him swell with hope that maybe, maybe they’d figure it out eventually. But something was still eating at her. He could see it in the way she adverted her gaze again, for what seemed like the hundredth time.

“What if I don’t get along with your new friends?” she asked at last. “If I don’t fit in?”

It would’ve been rude to laugh. Her fears were absolutely valid, and he took her hands again in an attempt to show that. But it was hard for him to imagine any of his friends not getting along with Zelda. She was lovely, even after years of nothingness. He was sure she would fit in perfectly.

“Sidon will absolutely, enthusiastically praise you for every little thing you do,” Link began, counting off his closest friends. “Yunobo will bow to you with your strength, maybe even ask you to help him with his own. Riju will be the little sister you never had. And Teba may be just as proud as, but he’s less openly arrogant than Revali. They will love you, I promise.”

“And if they don’t?”

“Zel, I can’t believe you’re worried about that. If you could hold the Calamity back for a century and make me fall in love with you twice, then you can easily make friends who’ll love you just as much.”

The confession he hadn’t intended on making caused a smile to tug at the corners of her lips, and Link knew maybe, finally he’d said the right thing. He gently pulled her forwards by her hands but before he could kneel to meet her, she’d joined him on the floor. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing her into his chest with an unspoken promise to continue being by her side until the end of time.

“If you’re really ready to be here,” he whispered out, “then I’ll be here. But if you’re not, it’s never too late to come back home.”

Zelda pressed her face into his shoulder, and he leaned his head against hers, drawing gentle shapes on her back.

“Thank you for coming after me.”

“Of course. If I didn’t, people would think I was mad at my princess or something.”

Zelda let out a quiet laugh and he felt her hold him a little tighter. 

“What, so you only came after me to protect your reputation?” she joked, tilting her head up so she could look at him, forcing him to lift his head.

“Obviously,” Link said as he looked back down at her. “Can’t be the Hero of Hyrule if I leave their princess all alone.”

“If I recall, you did that for over a century.”

“My bad.”

Zelda laughed again, the sound bright and joyous in the empty room. It filled him with comfort, and he couldn’t help simply gazing at her, taking in every little detail he could see. Part of him wondered if he’d really forgotten her, because it felt impossible to imagine a time he didn’t know her face. Her lovely eyes, her warm smile, her infectious laugh, her pink lips—it wasn’t something that could be forgotten. A beauty like hers transcended that. 

“I meant it when I said thank you for everything,” she said with a small smile. “Hyrule really is in your debt.”

“I would do it again and again.” Without thinking, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. It was lucky for him that her love lasted over a century. 

“Get some sleep,” she said softly, tugging the cushion from the chair and tossing it behind him. “You must be exhausted.”

“I slept for a hundred years. I think I’ll be fine,” he replied, but laid back and rested his head on the cushion anyway. Zelda laid gently on top of him, resting her head against his chest. Link folded his arms around her and took a deep breath so her scent enveloped him again. Her fingers tapped against his shoulder, keeping time with his heartbeat. He knew, just as he had for a while, that they were right where they needed to be. He couldn’t speak for Zelda, but he knew that he belonged with her, no matter what life it was.

And he closed his eyes, missing the dawn’s light peaking over the horizon.

Masterlist

[loz-and-lu-fan-blog]

Royal Blood-prologue- Linked Universe

*based off a part in this fanfic that I felt like exploring. Also one of my legend Headcanons..enjoy*

It was years after the fall of the hero. The beast know as Ganon had been locked into the realm. It was after that bloody conflict their came a time of peace. The people praise queen Zelda for everything she had done. She eventually had a daughter and died and soon the crown was passed on. For years everyone waited in wonder for the next crown princess to be born.

Then child was born.

It was a boy.

Whispers began among the nobles and knights, talking about the old king who didn’t take his daughters warning seriously. The old hero who failed in his quest. However almost everyone came to agreement.

The male child would ruin Hyrule.

So one knight stole the child away. He never said what was done but the blood on his dog spoke loud enough. He was execute of course despite the nobles protests. However after all this a female child was born and was appropriately named Zelda.

This became the trend.

If a male child was born to the crown, he would be taken away and killed. It didn’t matter wether it was the royal family or a rogue noble or knight. It was a curse that males of the royal family would not survive.

They were nicknamed Hyila’s basterds.

This went on for centuries, becoming an unspoken rule among the royals. None tried to stop it, even if they wanted the child he would be taken away by others.

Then came the day Link was born.

The queen had not even realize she was pregnant. She had been alone in the castle beside her right hand Impa. Her husband and other nobles at a ball elsewhere. She had laid down in bed before experience incredible pain. She didn’t scream however, just beared through it; wanting no one to view her as weak.

Then it stop.

Then she heard a cry.

To the queen shock she had just given birth to a child. She thought about doing a lot of stuff then as she picked it up. Realizing it was a boy she thought about many ways to give him a quick death.

But as his cries got louder the queen couldn’t ignore the ache in her heart as she brought him closer.

She couldn’t let anything happen to her baby.

She couldn’t, she loved him.

She named him Link, after the lost hero. Maybe this little one could bring the hope the kingdom so desperately needed.

She tasked Impa with an important mission that night, to take the child and make sure he was safe somewhere. The Sheikian who was loyal to the royal crown did just that, disappearing with the baby boy.

The queen never spoke of her son again, always wonder if he survived.

About a year later she would have a daughter, taking on the family name Zelda.

However she wouldn’t live through the childbirth to even tell her about her lost brother.

‘I’m sorry Link’

—

Link can’t really say he ‘loved’ his parents. He didn’t hate them but he surely didn’t feel any ache when they both wouldn’t wake up. Years he had spent hiding from his father during his rages while his mother just laughed. He couldn’t bring himself to care after that.

Then his uncle found him.

He loved his uncle with all his heart. The knight cared for him and helped him learn in anyway he can. He didn’t miss how his uncle would skip meals just so Link didn’t have to. Everyone in the kingdoms was going through a hard time, only the princess and the nobles ate everyday.

Then Link found it.

It was a letter, saying he was the prince.

He was so excited, here it was! A ticket so he and his uncle didn’t have to grow hungry anymore.

The piece of paper earned him a slap and tears.

His uncle tearfully explained hyrules bloody history of killing the princes and ask Link to do one thing.

“Never let anyone know”

So that what Link did. He keep it a secret.

Even when he help rescue and save the princess, even when he stopped Ganon.

He even talk Ravio out of confessing.

He claimed it was for Ravio sake but Link knew somewhere deep down he was doing it for selfish reason. So to make up he ask Ravio to live with him.

He did and they stay together.

Then he got sucked into another universe where he met all the other Links.

His secret never said and will always remain a secret....

Right?....

-

“Zelda dearie you are sixteen now” Impa said to the not so young princess.

“Yes I am” Zelda said happily, despite running the throne for years it felt exciting to reach her birthday.

“Well here you go” Impa said handing her a key. Zelda stares at in confusion.

“You know that golden chest of your mothers” was all Impa had to say before Zelda took off running. She had adored that chest for a long time, it being to her mother. It been locked for years and now it’s finally time.

Zelda opens it and the first thing she sees is a blanket and a letter.

‘To my dearest Zelda. If you are reading this then I am no longer with you to tell you this story..I’m sorry

You are not an only child’

[ashleyswrittenwords]

How To Be A Queen

Note: This is my debut LoZ fanfction! Yay! I really want to explore a deeper part of Zelda’s character, and eventually Link’s later on. I think it’s interesting to explore the mental and physical toll of what it is to have a planned fate. I just think it’s neat. Also hopefully a slow burn somewhere in there, well, a lot in there. Lots of ZeLink slow burn. Is it obvious I like those sorts of things? Anyway, please critique. It’s going to be very AUish because the games don’t exactly spit out Link’s personality, but it will be heavily based off of BOTW. Let me know what you think!

Summary: Princess Zelda is at a loss. Her handed royal responsibilities have begun to weigh heavily on her and she is eventually backed into a corner. Live a life she loathes or run away from everything she's ever known? Navigating life is hard, and Link forces her to learn that she doesn't have to do it alone.

Warning: Some mentions of body weight and general mental health.

Want to read it on Fanfiction.net?

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How To Be A Queen

“Princess?”

Goddesses spare me.

Please, what did I do to deserve this.

Just a few more sips and I’ll be done. That will be it.

Oh, Hylia, end this suffering soon.

“Princess?” Old Grog Guildford sounded concerned.

“Oh! Yes, Lord Guildford?” I replied attentively, trying with every once of my will to not sound adverse. Lord Guildford is a minister and a relatively good friend to Father. Don’t get me wrong, he’s well-meaning but Goddesses in heaven can he make awful bread pudding. I can’t even remember why I’m here to taste it.

“How is it?” He looked at me eagerly expecting. One look at the old man’s face and I realize why no one has been truthful to him. He’s like a little boy asking if his art is good, only the cold-hearted can say anything negative. But, wouldn’t it spare the other poor bastards that would fall victim to it if I spoke up? I cleared my throat, trying to find anywhere else to look at beside the brown puppy dog eyes of Old Lord Guildford. Alas, I couldn’t escape.

“It’s delicious!”

Hylia, forgive me for I am weak.

“Oh, joy! I must share it with the chef for the next festival! Your Father comes up with the most fantastic ideas, Princess.”

I smiled weakly and nodded. I watched as he talked his way into the kitchen. Something about the winter solstice festival. I stood slowly, afraid to upset my stomach anymore. The dining room was one of the largest in the castle, and here I was alone and possibly poisoned by bread pudding. Well, it wouldn’t be the worst fate. I grinned up at the large, stoic murals. Here I am laughing at my own jokes as I stare up at ancestors who were able to do so much more than I ever will. Somehow I feel at ease, it’s been a while since I was alone today.

“Princess Zelda!”

The irony of it almost hurts.

“There you are!” It’s one of the head maids. She looks relieved to see me. “You must come for a dress fitting for the solstice, Your Highness.”

A feel myself politely smile and my hands grip themselves behind my back. So close. “We should be on with it, yes?”

This has been amongst the many things that have conspired in the recent weeks. As Father grows older, he’s believes that more responsibility should fall onto me. Whether it be bread pudding taste testing or short discussions about land disputes, it has indeed begun to take a toll.

It’s been so hectic that I’ve barely been able to think. Learning who the ministers are, their wives, their political leanings has been one thing. I can deal with simple studying. An entirely different venture is the world of pandering.

Forget physical activity, trying to suck up to people is by far the most exhausting activity I have ever experienced in my life. Oh, Lord Hicks how impressive it is to learn how to differentiate milkwine by simply looking at it. Lord WhatsYourName, how is the mistress you’ve been having an affair with? And the kids?

Can you believe I was taught how to laugh properly a week ago? And here I thought I laughed just fine. Oh no, how wrong I was. Last week I was introduced to a woman who told me I sounded like an old rat stuck in drain pipe. I still haven’t recovered from it.

A middle-aged blonde woman pulled a measuring tape around my waist. I looked at myself in the mirror as she focused. It’s been a while since I was last measured. I stood there in my shift and stared. The old woman made a weird noise, “It’s been a couple months since I last measured you, girl.”

“I believe so, Mrs. Bea.”

“You’ve widened by a few centimeters, Highness. Tsk tsk,” she shook her head.

My cheeks lit up in embarrassment. Did she have to say that in front of two other maids? I didn’t really know what to say. Sorry? It was the bread pudding, I swear. I have a feeling if I told her the joke wouldn’t land well.

I looked at the mirror again as she took measurements elsewhere. It wasn’t like I was overweight, but I suppose my cheeks did fill out a little. It wasn’t awfully noticeable, but being the person that stares at themselves every other hour – it was more apparent now.

The day trudged on, and my thoughts moved elsewhere. To say that my head wasn’t with my body was an understatement. Too much was going too fast. Between the pudding and the Mrs. Bea incident, the day was already becoming bigger than I can take on. With the sun now descending, I was able to slip away from preparations to climb the staircase. My quarters were on the fourth floor and what a long journey it was. I started to reconsider if I should exercise more.

Once I made it to the hallway, I saw a man standing next to my door. He stared straight ahead as if studying the lines on the opposite wall. There was a law somewhere in the books that soldiers were not to make eye contact with royalty. One of the many questionable rules that leave me wondering “What’s the point?” Link always stood very straight. It’d been a couple years since he was promoted to my guard and the man had said a handful of sentences to me since then. There wasn’t a law about talking to royalty, so instead I suppose he doesn’t like talking. Or maybe just talking to me. It makes the relationship as awkward as you can expect. The castle walls aren’t as thick as you think and I’m positive he’s heard me ranting to imaginary no ones more than a few times.

I tried catching my breath before speaking, but the words came through breathless anyway.

“Um, Link,” I spoke.

Much to my disappointment, he didn’t answer. But the small shift in his step told me he was listening. As I looked up at him a thought occurred to me. We could easily have that forbidden Princess/Knight relationship. It’s not like I lock my quarters anyway, with having one of the top men in this society outside to protect me and all.

Oh, Hylia, I need some sleep.

Not without a light flush, I responded to his lack of, “Link, could you keep anyone from disturbing me? It’s been an awfully long day.”

Again, he didn’t move to say anything. So, I continued, “Tell them something along the lines of how I’m planning out my solstice speech.” Which wasn’t a complete lie. I’d at least think about it. And Link didn’t disagree, I assumed it sounded alright. He was dressed in the traditional royal guard uniform. It was plated in a type of metal and I wondered if it weighed down on him.

You know… there’s nothing wrong with a man in uniform. Or one without for that matter.

I told myself to shush and smiled a little, “I trust your day went well?”

Again, no response. Oh well, a girl can try. I walked past him and went for the door handle, “If another guard in your squadron comes by, you should tell him to cover your shift tonight. I know it’s not the most thrilling job.”

With that, I went into my quarters and shut the door behind me. I want to say we were close despite the lack of words, but we aren’t. I don’t know too much about him other than that he came from a small village in the southeast, my father trusts him, he talks to his peers often (those thinner-than-you-think castle walls), and that he’s a prodigy in his profession. He also tends to fidget with his holster sometimes when I have a one-sided conversation with him. It’s quite the resume.

I put down whatever journal I was holding for my manners courses and try to undo the outer layer of my dress. The laces have a tendency to tangle if I don’t focus. The dresser mirror only gives so much visibility.

So what I have eaten a little more than I usually do? I’m a little stressed, okay?

I frown at my inner dialogue and shift my thoughts away from Mrs. Bea. Finally, the laces come apart and I lift the mess of fabric over and away from my form. What is left is my white shift. I sigh and sit in a red cushioned chair. It’s in front of my desk filled with small trinkets. This is when I realize the fatigue in my legs and I almost slump over. I swear aloud at the relief and fumble through my things to find a small book.

Meanwhile I hear conversations outside. All I can make out is Link’s deeper tone and a lighter, more uplifted voice – probably Anju, a personal maid. I can’t help but smile a little, she’s probably just checking in, but I appreciate Link’s attentiveness. I don’t think I can handle another interaction now. I grasp the metal ink pen and wipe off dried ink from the tip with a loose garment. The lid of the ink pot always gets a little stuck. I flip through my diary to find a blank page and fill my lungs with a breath.

“Dear Diary,” I mouth, it does make me spell better if I do so. What follows is a recap of today’s events and general frustration. Much of how I hated that bread pudding, the fake laughter, fake smiles of the court, Mrs. Bea’s comments, and my inability to be able to connect to people on a personal level. The latter concern bothering me the most. Based on the books I’ve read and the interactions I’ve witnessed, every person I’ve talked to has been on business terms. The lords, the maids, and even Father at times.

I frown deeply as I spell out my thoughts in whispers, “One night many years ago, not long after Mother’s passing he told me after hours of drinking that my conception was for the state’s sake, and only for the state’s sake.” My throat closed, but I continued scratching the words into the paper.

“I’m starting to believe him.”

[ethien]

Link x mermaid s/o?

Let me say: I love it. I love mermaids so much, Little mermaid is still my favorite disney movie and my acutal bedwear is little mermaid I know too much information.

I made it a bit longer and it’s more a story how they meet and how reader will tell it. Hope you like it as much I like it.

Under the sea

Genre: Fluff, little drama (soft drama)

Words: 3.018

“I congratsyou, my dears. All of you were successful in the test and the most important,you reached the age for our survival mission. I know the goal is hard toachieve. But I believe in all of you. Please spread yourselves over the sea andfind your mate outside the water surface. Everyone here will be waiting foryour comeback”

Everyoneapplauded and seemed touched by the words of the queen. Everyone could hear herconfidence for the new generation of the tribe. Of course, her dear daughterwas under it. You glanced to her. You saw how luckily she was to go on thismission and making her mother proud. It was true happiness. She needed it asthe future queen. You tried also to be happy but you couldn’t. You knew it wasimportant for you and your tribe. However, you hated the way the tradition washold. It was a must for every young mermaid. The only thing which brightenedyour mood was the journey to the outside of the ocean.

You werehighly curious to see how the world was. You only saw pieces when you hide inthe reef in the night.

You wereborn as a mermaid. Your type was a sub type to the normal hylian. For more than10.000 years, your ancestors escaped the rising evil ganon by transformthemselves in hybrids to live under the sea. In all the years, they used theirleft magic abilities to create a new life form: mermaids.

They couldlive in piece under the sea without facing the evil. But the price was high.They were shield for the rest of the world, so no one knew about them. Ofcourse, the transformation wasn’t completely successful. Only the royal bloodmermaid could mate with each other. Everyone could not propagate with eachother. That’s why only female could go on the mission. However, there were notmany kingdoms under the sea for the royal mermaid, so all mermaids needed to goto the outside of the ocean. This is the rest of the magic from theirancestors: They could transform themselves into a typical hylian to walk overthe surface. On the surface, they need to find a mate, propagate with them andafter this, returning to the ocean to give after some month’s birth to a newgeneration. To go on this journey, every mermaid need a training in fightingand living outside the well-known sea. And a minimum age.

Youachieved both of them, but it didn’t change the fact you didn’t like thetradition. The evil was gone long ago, there was no need to hide. And itsounded very unromantically in your ears to make love to someone and having noopportunity to see each other again. You did not understand the urge to stillhiding. However, there was no rule how long your journey should be. There was alimitation of your well-being on the ground but you had a good solution for it:You only need to be in the near of water.

Because themaximum limit outside without water contact was two days. After this, youdehydrate faster and this would mean your death. You were confident you won’tget this problem.

The thoughttraveling around the country you only knew from stories and books fascinatedyou. And of course the feeling of having a mate. Just without the urge topropagate. You wanted to stay at the outside.

Yourjourney started in a cave near Lurelin Village. It was the only place you knew.You dived out the water and sat yourself on a stone. You concentrated and feelhow your fin turned into beautiful legs. You did this many times before butevery time you were astonished by the result. It needed some time to get enoughstrength to stand and walk. You made slow steps around the cave to search yourlittle chest with some clothes to wear. It was pretty usual to wear nothing asa mermaid, so you were naked. You would not mind going out naked. But youlearned from the stories and your own observation that nudity was anembarrassing issue.

You tookthe cloths on and went out. You took a deep breath in and enjoyed the view. Thesun started setting. It was a good opportunity to walk around. That’s why youwent to the Village. The fact the evening came do not change the mood forpeople walking around. You had seen some before but now, you were one of themand they were so close. It made you really happy. The darker it got, morepeople went away. Despite the excitement you totally forgot where you will besleeping. Well, you had luck or you could call it coincidence when you bumpinto someone. It wasn’t a hard impact but it still surprised you. Neverthelessto say, you bump in a male hylian. He should be around your age, hadblond-golden hair and deep blue eyes. He had a good posture and the sword onhis back would mean he could fight. You found him quite handsome.

“Oh sorry,I didn’t see you” he apologized and offered you a hand. You took them and nowyou stand next to him. You didn’t know why but he made you a bit nervous.

“It’s okay.I did not see you either. My mind was in a bubble” you blurt out as an answer.He looked serious at you.

“You shouldnot walk around at this time. It’s quite dangerous outside in the night. Youshould go to bed” he said to you and wanted to continue his way.

“I…I don’thave a place…to rest” you murmur. He turned around and went back to you.

“You had nohome?”

You nod.

“And let meguess, you don’t own any rupees?”

You nodagain. You hide the urge to ask what rupees are. You guessed something forpaying. Like the shells at your home.

You heardhim sighed. You knew you are very careless. But you were full of happiness soyou simply forget the easiest things.

“I willhelp you” you heard him saying and got you back of your thoughts. You nod andfollowed him.

That wasthe beginning of your first friendship with a person outside the sea and yourjourney with him. His name is Link and you could say, he was a knight from thekingdom. He travelled a lot around Hyrule and fight monsters, solves miraclesand dungeons and helped people. You had a feeling he liked and hated it at thesame time – He was quite surprised you never heard of him or his adventures.You knew from the tales a hero appeared and defeat the evil. You guessed inthis time, it was him. You were very happy to be around him. He had learnedfast you had no idea of Hyrule. You said to him you were from far away and youreally wanted to visit it. Well, not everything was the true but he believedyou. The friendship grow between you while you travel and fight with him. Youknew you gave him at your first visit the view of the careless woman without orientation.But you had learned to fight and you could fight. The fact your orientation isbad was forgotten.

You had noproblem with finding a good water spot every second day – It seemed quitenormal to bath every day. It played you in your cards.

You had alot of fun times, playing around or just relaxing the field admiring the sky orthe sunset. You went to festivals with him or to marvelous temple. You got toknow castle town and had an audience with princess Zelda. It was a short talk,but you feel her love for Hyrule.

You spendevery day together.

You bothgrow close together. It took some months after you realized your feelings forLink. Maybe it was a bit of your instinct of finding a mate to survive. But themost part were from getting to know him more and more. You were afraid hewouldn’t feel the same for you. You never read how to confess feelings. Well,you really did not get a chance to confess.

You and hewere in a battle and it went well. At the end a silver Lynel appeared and thefight was horrible. The Lynel injured both of you, but you two made it todefeat it. You were exhausted and tired. You went to him and wanted tocongratulate for the win when he suddenly hug you. You could feel how hetrembled a bit. He did not let you ask what was. He put lovely his lips onyours. It was a short one, but soft and full of emotions and desire. After youtwo parted, he lean his forehead against yours.

“I wasafraid…the Lynel would defeat us. The fear to lose you was so intensive and nowI am so glad we both successes. Please…[Y/N]…Stay by my side”

Youanswered it with a deep kiss.

The monthspassed while you travelled with Link and being his girlfriend. You had the urgeto tell him your true nature – he deserved it. But you did not know how.

You did notknow at the moment the gerudo desert would give you a good moment when youshould tell him. You knew from Link’s telling it was quite hot and dry in thisarea. You were afraid to go there but also interested. You just hoped it willbe a good trip.

It wasn’t.

The momentyou took your feet on the sand, you suffered. You could feel how much you sweatand how your mouth went dry. Both of you had a lot of water on the trip to the oases.Well, you emptied them on the first half of the walk.

You wereglad he was a caring person. He noticed how you walked more slowly and yourheavy sighing rang in his ears. He also noticed how fast you ran out of waterand how pale your face got.

Heremembered you said you had some problems with extreme heat and dry humanity.He never expected it this worse. He wanted to travel to gerudo town to show youaround. He knew he had to wear his vai gerudo armor but the fact you alreadystruggle at the way to the oases worried him. He could see you were close to collapse.He supported you with his shoulders and his water savings. It was just enoughto arrive at the oases.

He sat youand himself under a tree to cool down. You were shaken and thirsty.

“Don’tworry – I will get you something to drink” he said and you watched how he buyssome drinks and food. You knew it would help a bit. Deep inside you knew itwasn’t enough. You had to go in the water. This was one of the rare moments youwanted to swim with your fin. You glanced to the little spring in the oases. Itwas like you act automatically when you jumped in the water.

You couldfeel the change immediately. Of course, Link noticed how you jumped in. He wasstill worried but chuckled a bit when he saw how happy you were in the water.

“Glad you’renow better. The next time, we will jump directly in the water” he said andjumped to you.

You wereglad he didn’t notice. But it also made you sad he did not notice. There were alot of moments he could think you were different.

Youremembered good how both of you swam. You could also swim very fast as ahylian, much faster as Link. You noticed a lot of hylians had problems withswimming for a long time. He often needs breaks and he was astonished by yourstamina.

He had toknow it. But how?

You twoabort your visit and went back. You really wanted to Lurelin Village. You saidto him you had a surprise for him. You had his attention.

During thewalk, you got nervous. You really did not know how he would react. A lot oflies will be revealed. He would learn why you react so badly to heat. Why youcould swim so well. Why you said you wanted to be intimate when married. Youwere afraid he would leave you.

“Iseverything alright? You’re quiet the whole way”

“Everythingokay. I am just a bit nervous”

He nods. Itconfused him why a surprise made you so nervous but he said nothing.

You arrivedand rest a bit. In the evening, you took him for a walk. You walked in the cavewhere you started your journey.

“I have totell you something…about me” you started while you watched the water in thecave.

“I…I hidesomething really important before you.” You started. “I lied when I said I amfrom a far away country. My home was always next to Hyrule, but no one can seeit.”

“What…doyou mean?” he asked hesitated and confused.

“My home isthe sea”

He tooksome steps back from you. “W-What?” he just asked.

“I am…I-Iam not a fully hylian person. We are a rare culture who lives under the sea –we’re mermaids.”

You saw hiswiden eyes and his shocked expression.

“There is atradition at my home. We should travel to the ground, find a mate, makingbabies and return to the home…to give birth to a new generation. We also hide,but it wasn’t necessary in my opinion. I hate this tradition, but it was theonly way to get to know this beautiful landscape…” you said and look himstraight in the eyes. “And it was the only way to get to know you…and fallingin love with you”

He saidnothing and did nothing to break the distance. You could see he was confused,feared and a bit hurt.

“I…I reallywanted to tell you sooner. Really. But I never had a good moment and I wasafraid you would think I only use you for the one thing. That was never myintention”

It wasquite between you two. The atmosphere was intense and you really had no ideahow Link thought about it.

You wantedto scream – the pressure of a silent Link was huge. You could not read hisface.

He took astep to you, he had a serious look on his face.

“[Y/N]…I…Inever expect this…as your surprise. I am kind of hurt you lie a lot to me”

Your heartclenched by his words, but you deserved it. It was the truth.

“I am soangry and confused at the same time. I really don’t know how long it will needto trust you fully again..”

You feelhow tears appeared in your eyes. You knew it would come and he had every rightto be angry. It did not change the fact it hurt you and made you sad…

“But I alsocan’t forget my feelings for you. I can also understand a bit your reasons tohide despite the fact it was wrong to lie…”

Suddenly,you were in his arms. You really did not expect this.

“Like Isaid after the Lynel fight…I don’t want to lose you. You’re the only one whereI can feel so free and calm. It will need some time to heal this wound…But to throwmy love away only because you had your reasons for hiding…isn’t fair for you…orfor me…I love you, [Y/N]. No matter if you’re fully hylian or not”

With this,you kiss him passionate. You also cried a bit. You were highly afraid he wouldleave you. But he accepted it and it made you to the happiest person. You feelhis hands on your waist which took you closer to him. You put your arms aroundhis neck and caress the back of his head.

The momentwent long and you two parted your lips. You saw a curious light in his eyes.

“Would you….wouldyou show me….how you looked?” Link asked a bit shyly. You nodded.

At first henearly falls from the stone when you fully undressed yourself. He saw you nakedbefore but this was very sudden. You jumped in the water and concentrate a bit.It took some time. You dived out and saw how his mouth was wide open.

“Oh hylia..”he said more to himself than to you. You feel a bit embarrassed. It should benormal for you being naked around him. But you were yourself before him and howhe admires your whole body made you shiver.

“Can I…touchyour…?”

Instead ofanswering, you took his hand and lay them on your fin. He could feel how warmit was…and how wet.  Your sheds were indifferent colors and shine brightly.

“You’rebeautiful” he only said and sat himself next to you. It was again quiet betweenyou. This time, it was a good silence.

“Ahm..” hestarted and you looked at him. He blushed hardly and looked shy away.

“Is yourtrue form the reason…we..you know…?”

You gotwhat he means and also blushed. You nodded.

“Well…yes.We mermaids are very fertile and despite the fact how much I love the idea ofhaving a family with you…at the moment, I don’t want one. Is this….okay for you…towait?”

His blushincreased and scratched the back of his neck. He chuckled shyly.

“I am gladit’s that reason. To tell the true, I really did not believe the reason withthe marriage. I really thought…you…ahm…don’t like my…my…my master sword…”

You werenow red like a tomato. Then you chuckled. He also started to chuckle.

“I couldnever hate you or your magnificent master sword.” You started and got an embarrassedglance from him.

“I love you…Link”

“I loveyou, too…[Y/N]”

[pocketseizure]

The Legend of the Princess, Chapter 22

A Swiftly Encroaching Darkness

In which Zelda almost gets what she wants as her kingdom falls apart. NSFW

(Chapter 22 on AO3) (Story Tag on Tumblr) (Cover Illustration)

* * * * *

It’s amazing, really, how rapidly order can descend into chaos. One moment everything is fine, but the next moment nothing is. In retrospect we desperately wish we could have foreseen the catalyst that triggered the calamity, but at the time our eyes were turned elsewhere.

----------

“But I saw everything,” Zelda objected. “That monster, whatever it was, destroyed Hyrule. There was a city, and it burned. The entire land burned.”

“That ‘monster’ was a god, and it didn’t destroy Hyrule,” Ganondorf replied in voice that was so devoid of emotion that it disturbed Zelda more than his earlier anger. “Hylia did that.”

“But why would she – ”

“To keep it out of the hands of her enemies.”

Zelda opened her mouth, thought better of what she was about to say, and closed it. This was something to think about. She was still overwhelmed by what she had just witnessed, but a stray thought tugged at a corner of her mind.

“When the monster, or god, or whatever is was… When it cursed that girl, it didn’t curse her specifically, did it? It cursed her descendants. That’s what it said, right?”

Ganondorf narrowed his eyes. “What of it?”

“So listen, maybe all we have to do to break the curse is not have children.”

Zelda watched as the light of understanding filled Ganondorf’s eyes.

“That’s… That’s why I came here,” he said.

“That’s why you… What?”

“That’s why I came to Hyrule, to avoid having children.”

Zelda was struck by an icy stab of jealousy. Who would Ganondorf have children with? Now that she thought about it, it would make sense for him to be engaged already. Or, at the very least, being surrounded by women as he was…

“I thought you came to attend my coronation,” she said, unable to excise the bitterness from her voice.

“I had to fight Nabooru to get her to allow me to attend in her place.”

Something about this didn’t sit right with Zelda. “But aren’t you the king of the Gerudo?” she asked. “Why wouldn’t it be you who attended?”

“I’m the only highborn male in a city full of women. I have one job as king, and it’s not to rule the country.”

Zelda suddenly understood what he meant, and Ganondorf laughed as her eyes widened.

“I made it clear that I had no interest in that sort of thing, but Nabooru managed to convince the council of state that I might find inspiration if I spent time in Hyrule.”

“And did you?” Zelda asked. She smiled before she kissed him.

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There are many things about the current state of affairs in Hyrule that Zelda suspects but does not know. How could she?

How could she know why all the Darknuts have left the castle? How could she know why Barghest has remained? Zelda is attentive to detail, but she is bothered by these questions no more than a baker is bothered by the comings and goings of the assistants to the miller who grinds his flour. In an earlier era, perhaps a monarch would have been able to track the movements of every member of her staff, but Hyrule has thrived and flourished in the two hundred years since the last war, and the size of the bureaucracy that occupies the castle has grown along with the population, as has the number of people needed to keep the machine of state running efficiently. Zelda’s domain is the abstract realm of numbers and letters, not the care and feeding of the horses in the royal stables.

How could she know, then, that rebellion has fermented among the Darknuts, and that Barghest’s motives for remaining in the service of the Hylian king have little to do with loyalty?

Link knows, and he might even have told her if she’d thought to ask him, but she didn’t. Why would she? Zelda has always been aware that he hides things from her, but it’s only recently occurred to her that what he hasn’t said is far more important than what he has. As she sat on the floor of her father’s study surrounded by her late mother’s letters, Zelda considered finding Link to confront him, but it took her no longer than the space of a sigh to decide that their conversation could wait. After all, she has other fires to attend to at the moment.

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“This doesn’t have to be so complicated,” Zelda murmured into Ganondorf’s ear. “We can be civilized and have this conversation like civilized people.”

“Civilization didn’t make your ancestors any less evil,” he responded, turning his head to kiss her.

“‘Evil’ is a strong word,” she said, twisting her face away from him.

“So is ‘monster.’” He put a hand on the back of her neck and pulled her to him. She allowed his tongue to find hers. He took his time.

She eventually pushed him away, her hands on his chest. “I should go,” she said, intending to do no such thing.

He placed his hands over hers. “Don’t go,” he said, kissing the corner of her mouth. “We haven’t finished talking yet.”

“Can you convince me to stay?” she countered, allowing the upturn of her question to linger on the fullness of his bottom lip.

“Just try to get away,” he said. She felt every movement of his teeth on her skin.

“Is that a challenge?” She smiled and turned to leave. He caught her by the arms and reeled her in so that her back was pinned against the front of his body. He had her trapped, at least in play.

“Would you like to be challenged?” he asked, trailing the fingers of his hand down her throat and sliding his thumb under the strap of her gown.

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In less than two days Zelda will become a queen. This has real political significance concerning the balance of power in the kingdom, but the ceremonies themselves symbolize the stability of continuity and reflect the contentment of a people who have never been attacked, who have never readied themselves for war, who have never known true hardship for hundreds of years. Peace has resulted in wealth, and wealth demands comfort. Trade has flourished, as has culture. Hyrule is a prosperous kingdom, and its people have much to celebrate.

As dignitaries from across the land congregate, festivities continue within the great hall of the castle. Likewise, raucous merrymaking enlivens the city, until suddenly it doesn’t.

All it takes is a single spark to light a fire, but that spark will not catch if it doesn’t find kindling to burn.

The centuries since the last war have been good to the victors, but the prejudice against those who opposed the monarchy has been slow to fade. The Zora have enjoyed the favor of Hyrule, as have the Rito and the Gorons. The Darknuts, once proud knights who served both the Hylians and the Gerudo, have not been so lucky – the Sheikah saw to that. Entire generations were lost on both sides the last time Hyrule Castle came under siege, and neither the monarchy’s allies nor those who fought alongside the vanquished Gerudo were forgiven. Cubs were lifted from the cold hands of their parents and placed into the homes of Hylians, who took their language and names and shaped them into model subjects of the queen who had denied the same opportunity to their families. Children grew as decades passed, and perhaps injustices would have eventually been forgotten had not memory persisted in the shadowed hills and forests of Ordon, where the light of the divine queens could not reach.

The Darknuts had once despised the Moblins. They thought, as did most of Hyrule, that they were no more than savage beasts, barely capable of language and only good for the most menial of tasks. The Darknuts were strong, but they were architects while the Moblins hauled stone. The Darknuts were fierce, but they were strategists while the Moblins fell on the front lines. The Darknuts had a way with animals, but they bred prize horses while the Moblins shoveled shit. When the Gerudo turned their backs on Hyrule and the Darknuts had nowhere else to go, however, the Moblins gave them shelter in the ruins hidden in the forgotten corners of Hyrule. The Moblins defended their territory with the ferocity of a people who know what it means to be hunted, but the Darknuts quickly learned that they were by no means uncivilized.

The Gerudo keep a close watch over these ruins, and they maintain good relations with the communities that live there. Water springs from deep within the bedrock upon which crumbling towers and dusty underground palaces have been built, presenting opportunities for Gerudo engineers and Darknut masons alike. Trade flourishes, with the fruits of the sandy soil exchanged for cool water, and in recent years strange relics have begun to surface and circulate. Old grudges fade slowly, however, and the Gerudo know better than to interrupt the slumber of the ancient deities that may still dwell within the sites once sacred to the Hylians. Neither the Gerudo nor the Darknuts venture farther than their Moblin guides will lead them.

This balance was maintained until, almost two hundred years after the Darknuts were driven from Hyrule, a Gerudo prince once again ascended to the throne. The prince asked questions, and he demanded answers. Unlike those who came before him, he was not afraid of the power of the ancients, and he devoured the messages of the glyphs carved into the timeless walls with a ferocious hunger that could not be sated.

----------

Ganondorf slowly moved his hand until it was directly over the line of fabric dividing Zelda’s skin from her dress. She could feel the weight of his palm on her breast, whose peak stiffened into a hard point from the pleasant friction. Ganondorf must have noticed, for he shifted his palm to cup her breast and circled her sensitive nipple with his thumb. Zelda sighed softly, and he kissed her neck with an equal softness.

“Let me touch you,” he whispered into her ear, and Zelda nodded.

Ganondorf slipped his hand under the fabric, and then the heat of his palm was directly on her skin. He met the curve of her breast with the firmness of his fingers, trapping her nipple as he teased it with his thumb. He did not paw at her as other men had done, but neither was he gentle.

He kissed her at the base of her ear and then moved his arm around her as his hand glided down to the skirt of her gown. He touched her bare leg, murmuring in appreciation as he stroked the smooth skin of her thigh, and then he raised his hand so that the thin fabric of her dress cascaded like a waterfall from the ropy muscle of his forearm. The tips of his fingers burned against her stomach as he caressed her bare skin. Zelda knew exactly what he was doing, and she allowed it to happen. She whispered his name into his mouth and reached down to position his hand between her legs.

He exhaled as his fingers slid over the silk of her panties, and he cupped her sex delicately, as if it were a precious thing. When he began petting her, he did so gently, moving his fingers back and forth slowly across her. The strong pressure of his middle finger created a delicious tension, especially as it lingered at the top of her slit.

Ganondorf shifted his position, and touch of his hardness against her back made her feel as if she were melting. She wanted more, and so she turned to face him, pressing herself against him as she pinned his waist between her legs. His eyes were liquid gold as he gazed at her in wonder, and she kissed him.

She tasted sweetness, nothing but sweetness, a surfeit of the sweetest things – the taste of his lips and the touch of his hands and the fragrance of his hair. When Zelda had dallied with men before, there would always be a moment when her curiosity chilled and curdled into discomfort, but her desire for Ganondorf only grew warmer. There was only his cool breath, the spiciness of his tongue, and the pressure of his fingers on her neck, calloused and unyielding, forcing her to lift her face and open her mouth to his.

As they kissed Zelda remembered how he had led her in a dance through the air above the ruined castle in the Twilight Realm. She felt the same giddy rush of flying, but now she had complete control. She guided Ganondorf's hands where she needed them to be, flush against her skin. He grew even harder at her waist, the thickness of his length hot on the skin of her belly. When she moved to adjust her position he groaned low in his throat, and she rocked against him, taking her pleasure as she teased him. She knew what his hands were capable of, and she wanted to force him to use them. She wanted to force him to lose control.

----------

The Moblins waiting outside the city walls have been watching for a sign, and the smoke rising above the ramparts is as good a sign as any. It’s difficult to say who throws the first stone, who fires the first shot, who bellows the first war cry. Various people will later proudly claim or vehemently deny the charge, but in the end it doesn’t matter. Buildings burn, fighting fills the streets, and Darknuts lead battalions of Moblins as they pour through the city gates to join their brothers and sisters. The soldiers withdraw from the chaos, determined to defend the castle at all costs. Their commanders believe that Hyrule Castle is the primary target of the invaders, whose forces move through the city on their way to the center. This assumption proves to be correct.

Ganondorf was not being entirely honest when he suggested to Zelda that his primary purpose is to breed Gerudo children. He had been raised to be a king, and he occupies a political position equal to that of the council of elders who govern the Gerudo city in the desert. He has never seen himself as a leader, however; his interests are far more specific.

When his mother was poisoned by the Hylian queen he realized that he would not be able to serve his people through statecraft. He knew his martial prowess would never be equal to that of the women who spend their lives training to serve at the palace, so instead he developed his talent in magic. The pursuit of knowledge became its own reward; but, for every question he answered, dozens more sprang up in its place. Eventually he arrived at the mystery that lay at the core of these questions – Where did magic come from? All evidence pointed him in the direction of Hyrule, where, ironically, magic had all but disappeared. Why?

Ganondorf ventured deep into the abandoned temples and sprawling underground mazes where the Darknuts and Moblins made their home. Unlike the other Gerudo, he was eager to learn their language, and with only a minimum of instruction he had taught himself to read the spiraling mosaics that served as their writing. The Moblins had drawn this system from the patterns of glyphs covering the walls of the ruins they occupied, and with their help Ganondorf began to read these walls, lines running along narrow corridors and across vast chambers, which flared to life with magic as he chanted, one wording echoing like a refrain – Triforce. No matter how much he learned, he still kept asking questions. Why? Why? Why?

Ganondorf was courteous and generous to the people who watched his journeys and assisted in his excavations, but he felt no sense of obligation to them. Nevertheless, they were infected by the relentless flame of his curiosity. “Why” is a powerful question, and the answers it dredges up can be dangerous. At first Ganondorf was nothing more than a child, and then he was a strange and sullen teenager, and when he became a king he ceased to visit at all, bound as he was to his people. Nevertheless his legend spread among the Darknuts, who have never forgotten their history, and even the Moblins have started to whisper the name of a fallen god who may one day rise again – Ganon.

----------

The doors to Ganondorf’s chambers burst open, sending a pile of books flying. The vibrations upset a vase perched on one of the bookshelves set along the wall, and it shattered on the floor, spilling flowers and water in a fan across the tiles.

“Impa!” Zelda exclaimed, digging her nails into Ganondorf’s shoulders as his muscles tensed.

Impa stood in the doorway as a dozen Sheikah filed past her into the room. “Seize this man,” she ordered, fixing Ganondorf in an icy stare.

Zelda rose to her feet and adjusted her dress, blocking Ganondorf with her body. “What is the meaning of this?” she demanded. “I’ve got this situation under control.”

“I have no doubt you do,” Impa responded, “but the orders to arrest him came directly from the king.”

“Then we will talk to the king directly,” Zelda insisted. “The Gerudo ambassador has done nothing to deserve this treatment. And can’t this wait until morning? Surely my father knows better than to send Sheikah barging into the rooms of one of our guests in the middle of the night. I will not allow you to take this man anywhere without my permission.”

“If I may,” Ganondorf spoke up from behind her.

“What?” Zelda muttered, not allowing her eyes to leave Impa’s face.

Ganondorf laid a hand on her waist, and there was a metallic hiss as the Sheikah drew their weapons in unison.

“Stand down.” Zelda raised her voice in the cool assurance of command, and Impa shrugged in acquiescence. The assassins stepped back, but they did not sheath their blades.

Ganondorf gently positioned Zelda to the side as he stood. He stretched his arms and fastened the clasps at his collar. “I’ve been meaning to see the castle dungeon,” he said casually. “I knew this would happen sooner or later, and I’m honored to have been granted such a fine escort. By all means, take me away. I’m sure this will be resolved soon, one way or another.”

Zelda glared at him, but he didn’t meet her eyes. The silence was so thick that Zelda could hear her heart beating in her ears.

Impa weighed his words for a moment before arriving at a decision. “Blindfold him,” she said, snapping her fingers at the woman positioned at her right hand. “And make sure his wrists are bound in the back. Keep a knife at his neck, we don’t want to take any chances with this one.”

As her orders were carried out, she walked to Ganondorf, putting herself between him and Zelda. “I wouldn’t try anything funny if I were you,” she said. “I’m sure you know what will happen if one of those blades so much grazes your skin.”

“I’m familiar with your poisons,” Ganondorf sneered. “Intimately.”

Impa narrowed her eyes. “Gag him too.”

Ganondorf allowed himself to be bound and led out of the room tightly ringed by a phalanx of Sheikah. Impa remained behind with Zelda, who watched the proceedings with a blank stare.

“Well, that was fun,” she said after the doors whispered shut. “Do you want to explain what’s going on?”

Impa took Zelda’s hands before pulling her into a fierce hug. She released her but kept her fingers twined through Zelda’s. “Heart of my heart,” she said, “I understand what you were trying to do, but I can’t even begin to fathom how you could bring yourself to touch that man. I thought it would be better not to tell you, but he’s single-handedly bringing about the downfall of this kingdom. He cursed Jabun and the Deku Tree, which are dying as we speak. If they die, the Zora and the Kokiri will die with them, and he doesn’t care. He provoked the dragon on Death Mountain into attacking Darunia’s son, and the boy is as good as dead. Still he sits in this castle and smiles like a thief. But don’t let him fool you. If only you knew what he’s done…”

“Impa,” Zelda said softly as she squeezed her hand. “I knew.”

----------

Daphnes is a good man, kind and just. He is a good king as well, and he has tirelessly devoted himself to the welfare of his people. He knew about his wife’s affair, and he accepted it. He performed his duty to her as best he could, as he continues to do his duty to her daughter – their daughter. He loved the queen, but it was a distant admiration, and he gives all the affection he could not express to her to Zelda. He adores his daughter, and he has faith that she will become a capable ruler who brings glory to Hyrule, but darkness enfolds his heart like a shroud.

One night the queen, who had never so much as touched his face with her long and graceful fingers, came to him in the moonlight. She begged for a child, weeping all the while. After so many years of following along behind her like a dog he could not do as she asked; there was no spark of intimacy between them, and it was impossible.

And so she drugged him and took what she wanted.

He was unaware of this until her pregnancy was announced. He jumped to the natural conclusion a man might come to in this situation, but when Zelda was born he could not deny that she was his own. He hated his wife, yet he still loved her in his sad and patient way, even then. He grew attached to the child as he had never allowed himself to grow close to anyone else the castle, and so he was the first person to understand that the girl was different, and powerful.

He demanded an explanation, and the queen obliged, finally. If Ganon had returned to the world, she told him, then there must be a Zelda, and she must be a trueborn daughter of the royal line. She told him about the Triforce, and about the terrible enemies that would seek to claim it. Armies could be amassed, but they would all be consumed by flames; the only defense the kingdom had was the princess and her chosen knight. Hyrule had been cursed by a primordial demon, and only Hylia’s heir was its equal. If Zelda couldn’t seal this evil, then no one could.

Daphnes was the second son of a minor aristocrat who governed a small stretch of coastline in Faron province, and he loved nothing more than the sun on his face and the wind in his hair. He knew nothing about gods and demons and curses, but he would do anything to protect his daughter.

“Kill the Gerudo prince,” he told the queen, and instead of objecting she had grown thoughtful. Later she came to him in the night, and for the first time he embraced her as her husband. The next day she left for the desert, and a week later she was dead.

Daphnes was not a vain or a foolish man, but he knew the queen had selected him as her consort because of the cast of his face. He had the outward seeming of a king, and suddenly he was forced to become one. To his surprise, he was good at it, and he allowed the work to consume him and shape his character. If there were gods and monsters in Hyrule, he had no problem with them as long as they paid taxes and settled their disputes in court. Despite the tragedy lingering over the untimely death of the queen, it seemed as if his reign was blessed with peace and prosperity.

When his Sheikah advisors reported to him that the Darknuts had started meeting in secret under the cover of darkness, he thought nothing of it. Better to allow them to dream of rebellion than to imprison anyone without cause. When the urban gentry complained that Moblins had begun to congregate in growing settlements outside the city walls, he permitted it. Castle Town was growing, after all, and the Moblins were hard workers who didn’t demand high wages. In fairy tales it is said that Hylian ears are long so that they can catch the whispers of the gods, but Daphnes had no use for old legends or divine revelations.

All of that changed when Ganondorf came to Hyrule Castle.

Other people may wonder, in retrospect, what moment led to the calamity that resulted in the end of an era, but Daphnes knows, and he hates himself for knowing.

( Link to Chapter 23: A Daring Rescue )

[desolate-rose]

Chapter 8 magic is real!

I have a plan!

And it only took me two years and some change!

And that’s not the only thing i've done in the last two and a half years! (that would've been a very boring two years) I can walk AND talk! And through these new skills (which were a pain to get let me tell you! Learning to walk left. So. Many. Bruises.) I had discovered all sorts of things!

I had confirmed that I am in fact a princess, we do in fact live in a castle, and that I am indeed a hylian.

That knowledge had sent me into another one of my depressingly common panic attacks, but it wasn’t all bad!

My new skills led me to the discovery of, (drumroll please) A LIBRARY!

Oh sweet literacy how I missed you!

I may have given my parents the mistaken impression of being some sort of baby genius or something, but in all honesty I was just desperate to be able to read again. Again being a baby was very very VERY boring, and my rationale thought and impulse control had honestly been worn down by the lack of intellectual stimulation! I was sooooooo bored of baby babble.

Also it wasn't exactly out of character for the cannon zelda, she had repaired / created an incredibly advanced guardian as a child which was not only capable of showing a personality planing and a facsimile of emotion, but also TIME TRAVEL.

Should I have pretended to be the average three year old because I'm not actually some sort of genius? probably. Will this have consequences for me? most likely. Will I regret this later? Almost certainly. Do I care right now? NO!

Consequences can suck it!

Mama needs to feed her addiction!

Also it wasn’t like I had just started to read books bigger than my head either, I’m still learning to read hylian, it’s a whole new language writing system and alphabet! I’m still stuck on baby books and basic words, but it’s better then nothing!

And sadly the little i can decipher of the hylian writing system is also more advanced than the nothing that real three year olds know. So I’m now the castle's little genius, mom and dad are absolutely brimming with pride. Honestly it’s too much attention placed on little ol me but if it’s a competition between too much attention or not being able to read, I’d choose to read every time.

I’m currently trying to figure out a rough chronology for the events of breath of the wild and all of its proceeding events. (assuming I'm not in the age of calamity: hyrule warriors timeline, but that timeline only exists as a split off of the original timeline so for now i'm assuming im in the original timeline. Prepare for the worst hope for the best and all that rot. Also im not stupid enough to assume that i can be a baby genius and just yha know MAKE a time triveling gaurdian) so that I can best implement my plans. Here’s my rough ROUGH timeline.

10,000 years before the start of the game Gannon attacks and is sealed away by the hero and princess with the help of the 4 champions, the Divine beasts, and the guardians.

At some point after that the sheikah become distrusted due to their powerful magic and technology and are banished.

They split in two the yiga who hate the royals of hyrule for their betrayal and join forces with gannon, and those who remain with the spirit of the sheikah and give up their great skills to remain serving the crown

98,983 years later princess Zelda is born. Shortly before that link is born

At some point a prophecy announcing the return of calamity Ganon is made.

At some point Zelda's mom dies making her unable to learn sealing magic from her.

Zelda is pressured into praying and praying and praying to unlock her sealing magic, at one point even collapsing in freezing water nearly losing her life if it wasn't for urbosa saving her.

The sheikah rediscover the Divine beasts, guardians, and sheikah slate.

Zelda helps to study these ancient artifacts to the disapproval of her father

Link finds the master sword

Link is appointed zelda's personal knight

The champions are chosen

Zelda goes to the spring of wisdom on her 17th birthday and Gannon returns

The champions, king bosphorus, and thousands of innocent people die when Gannon turns the Divine beasts and the guardians against them

Link is mortally wounded and Zelda unlocks her powers.

Link is sent to the shrine of resurrection

Zelda returns the master sword to the lost woods and goes to face Gannon alone for the next 100 years

100 years later Link wakes up with no memories and the events of the game commence.

In the end my plan is quite simple. Make sure my mom doesn't die. All of Zelda's problems stem from her mom's death, Gannon could only wreak havoc because Zelda's mom wasn't there to teach her the sealing magic or deal with calamity Gannon herself. At best my mom could teach me the magic and we could seal Gannon away together or she could do it or I could do it, at worst I can use the magic because I'm not actually the girl who is meant to be the zelda incarnation of hylia. Either way gannon gets defeated, bada bing bada boom no great calamity no destruction of all i've come to know and love.

Does it sound stupidly simplistic yes. But in all honesty it needs to be. There are too many variables at work here to have a twenty step plan and have it all go accordingly. Life is messy and unpredictable and not exactly amenable to complex multi step plans that rely on everything going a certain way. There's a reason that the saying ‘the best way to make God laugh is to tell him your plans,’ is so poupar. This isn't a game any more, stuff happens, free will is a thing. I can't rely on what I think I know. Who knows how much the butterfly effect has already affected things. So simplicity is the name of the game, it allows for the flexibility a rigid multi step plan would not.

So my plan really only has two components: learn sealing magic as soon as I can, And make sure my mom survives.

simple but hopefully effective

______________________________

I toddeled determinedly through the halls ignoring the bemusedly indulgent granny trailing behind me.

Fun fact about being a princess, you don't get any alone time. Ever. i am constantly being monitored, be it by granny, spots, father, mother, or some other random sap assigned to guard duty. Literally the only times I am left alone is when I head to the restroom or am put to bed for the night.

It's only mildly infuriating.

Mildly.

But anyway, at this time of day I would usually be at the library attempting to read some of the less difficult books or in my nursery playing with my toys under the watchful gaze of granny or spots, but today I have a mission. I was going to get my mom to start teaching me sealing magic if it kills me. I had found the perfect excuse as well. An old story book depicting the great matrilineal line of queens and their unique gift bestowed upon them by hylia herself. Now to enact my plans and deploy my greatest weapon. puppy dog eyes.

I stumbled my way into the office where my mom was going over various papers with a serious look upon her face. “Mama!” I cried practically throwing myself into her lap. McGuffin clenched in hand. “What is it my little bird” she smiled blessing my day, watering my crops, clearing my skin, and healing my wounds. “I found something i don't understand!” I chirped, squirming myself into a more comfortable position, book tucked into my arms. “Oh and why didn't you ask ila?” (so that was granny's name, huh.) “mhhhmmm i wanted to ask you!” que puppy dog eyes version 37 bright, cheerful, innocent. Work that toddler arua!

Mother chuckled while granny rolled her eyes behind me, I saw that missy! Don't give me your sass! “Oh and what didn't you understand?” PLAN IS A GO “mama what's se-al-ing magic? Why does the book say I have it? I'm not magic!” I pretended to pout indignantly, flipping to the page in my book that referenced it.

“Sealing magic baby, is the reason our line has ruled hyrule since the hylians lived amongst the clouds, it's a special gift from hylia herself.” hook, line, sinker. “Really?!” “yes my little bird, it's a special magic that lets us seal away bad guys, banish evil, and protect our kingdom. It's proof that we descended from hylia herself” as mother said this she raised one of her hands allowing for it to be bathed in an ethereal golden glow, bathing her in light and making her look like something genuinely devine.

Before this there had always been a little part of me that had been denying the truth. No matter how often it was mentioned in books or stories. No matter how many things had pointed to this being the hyrule of stories, a small part of me had been screaming that magic isn't real and that the legend of Zelda couldn't be real. But now, bathed in divine light and witnessing true honesty to god magic for the first time I could no longer deny the truth. Normally this confirmation would chill me to the bone and cause hysterical fear, but the power before me was warm, comforting, and at the same time incomprehensible. I could not fear when this light this power was here to bolster my spirit. I had never been adamantly religious before, but in the face of this light, for the first time I truly believed in the divine.

As the light faded away and I blinked spots out of my eyes I reaffirmed my mission. I needed to learn how to do that. Yesterday.

“Teach me! Teach me! Teach me!” I chanted practically vibrating where I sat, eyes wide in wonder and awe. “Now now little one, not so fast!” my mother chuckled, ruffling my hair.

“Why not!” I asked indignantly and was a little worried. I NEEDED to know sealing magic for my plan to work. It wasn't safe to put all your eggs in one basket. No matter how hard i would be working to save my mother regardless of calamity ganon.

“You're not old enough yet, my little songbird.” NOT OLD ENOUGH! I WAS 17 YEARS OLD WOMAN WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT!? “I am old enough! I know how to read and everything!'' I frowned, doing my best not to show the inner turmoil starting to boil.

A little of it seemed to show on my face with the way mother immediately began to sooth me “zelda that's not what i mean.” my eyes searched hers, they were uncommonly serious. “Our magic is powerful and dangerous. There is a reason i can't teach it to you yet. Your not yet old enough in body or mind to be able to withstand the strain that kind of magic would put on your spirit.” my face must have still looked mutinous because she continued on. “Beyond just that, your power is not developed enough yet even if you could withstand the strain. You wouldn't be powerful enough to actually use your sealing magic.”

This is bad very very bad. “When can i learn it?!” mother chuckled at my assumed enthusiasm “Numbers hold power baby, when you turn seven you can start your lessons.”

Seven, SEVEN! That's years from now! The remaining calm and serenity from the glow of hylia's might drained from my body.

“Now i think it's time for your nap! Come on little bird i'll put you to bed, maybe afterward you can sing me a song hmm?”

Why do the gods hate me?

Also on FanFiction.Net! https://m.fanfiction.net/s/13547505/8/

[littleladyyred]

I Promise

“What now, your grace?” 

He tilted his head, waiting for his Queen’s response. She parted her lips and leaned into him, her bare chest brushing against his. The top of her thigh went between his legs and was graced with the feeling of him, already aching with want against her pale flesh. Link closed his eyes, waiting to feel her soft lips press against his, but was instead just met with her breath. Her musical voice danced past and vibrated against his open mouth, causing his own breath to hitch and a strong feeling of voracity to envelope him.

“Love me.”

Because I’m a slut for zelink smut. NSFW. Enjoy.

“Take off your clothes.”

Zelda, The Queen of Hyrule, sun kissed hair spilling over her shoulders and forest eyes deep with desire, sat regally in her chamber armchair. Her silky legs draped over one another, while her electric blue robe tumbled over her body, giving her a sultry and provocative look that would make any man quiver.

But not this man.

Link, the Hero of Hyrule. The one who defeated the Calamity. The one who helped her restore peace to her broken Kingdom. The one who gave his life for her—Her appointed Knight—Her Hero—

Her lover.

The blond-haired Knight stood in front of his Queen, sapphire eyes drinking in the delectable sight that was given to him. Outside, the sun had begun to set, causing the rich rays to slice through the bedchamber window, drowning the two lovers in gold. This was not the first time he had found himself graced with this situation. Their ‘relationship’ had been going on for months now. Kissing quickly in between council meetings, making love in her study—hoping that no one was around to hear their moans of pleasure….

The Calamity had fallen all of three years ago, and since then the Castle and most of Hyrule had been rebuilt. Granted there was still plenty of work to be done, and the ancient Kingdom would never be exactly the same, but it was tremendous progress. Link and Zelda had worked so hard over the past few years, making sure all of the races were getting along nicely. Making sure that all of the Divine Beast were working properly. They had grown close, over their escapades. Zelda called it, ‘making up for lost time’, but it wasn’t until she had been crowned Queen, for this relationship of secrecy to be born.

What a scandal, if anyone were to find out that the Queen of Hyrule was being pleasured (more than once a day) by the Hero himself! The gossip mongers would have a field day if the Queen and her Hero’s secret activities would to somehow find its way into their ears. And of course, they had to hide it. He was her Knight after all, and she the Queen. Their relationship would most definitely be frowned upon, and Link would more then likely have to take leave from the Capital.

Zelda didn’t mind. In fact, she found the secrecy to be quite the turn on. There was just something about fooling around behind the council's back that was so exhilarating. Making love in the most indecent spaces, Kissing around corners, Link being forced to climb out her chamber window in an attempt to not be seen...She loved it….

She loved him.

And as long as they were together, then that was all that mattered to the Monarch of Hyrule.

So here they stood, in her chambers once again, about to do what they do best. About to love like no other. Zelda begun to twirl her hair in between her dainty fingers. Delicately twisting the honey strands slowly, while her alluring eyes bore into her darling Hero. She noticed then, that something was off. Usually by now, he would have already striped and graced his way over to her, eyes hungry and intoxicating. But tonight, he was motionless. Standing in front of her, with arms crossed over his chest and eyes filled with—worry? Or was it hurt?

“How long can this go on for?” he asked, voice low and husky.

Zelda tilted her head to the side, expression softening slightly but still keeping the look of arousal. “What do you mean?”

“This. Us. How long will this last?” His question was simple, but there was a deeper meaning behind it. Something else was definitely going on…

Zelda breathed deeply, allowing the warm summer air to breeze through her lungs, her eyes never leaving her Knight’s. She smirked, still keeping her sultry look. “Are you not having fun anymore? Do you wish for this to end?”

Link gave her an incredulous look, his lips parting slightly before saying softly, “You know how I feel about you. You know I don't want this to end, just as much as you.”

Hearing his words gave the Queen a comfort in her chest. She felt an over abundance of love fill her heart as the feeling of butterflies swirled around in her stomach. After three years, he still managed to have this effect on her. He still managed to make her feel like she was a giddy teenager with a silly crush, even though their relationship was so much more than that.

He loved her, and she loved him. And even though they had never actually said it to each other, they seemed to have a mutual understanding. They could go a thousand years without say those three simple words and it wouldn't matter—

—Because they both already knew.

“Where is all this coming from?” Zelda asked. Her eyes and tone of voice softened, wanting her Knight to confide in her what was bothering him.

Link bit his lip, and began to sway on the balls of his feet. He did this when he was nervous. Zelda found it to be quite adorable.

“I overheard Impa speaking to the council earlier.” He paused while his eyes wandered to the open window. The breeze was light, softly blowing back the sheer white curtains while the setting sun cast through.

“What were they on about?” Zelda questioned, slightly curious now.

“They were talking about the future of this Kingdom. More specifically, they were talking about you producing heirs.” His eyes met her’s again. He was visibility upset. Zelda felt a pain in her chest at the sight. “They want to set you up with a suitor. They want you to rule with a King by your side.”

A King. She had thought about it, and knew that the council would push for this eventually—but she didn't expect it to be this soon. Hyrule was just beginning to blossom back into a civilized Kingdom. There were so many more important things that needed attention, and Zelda was surprised that Impa—of all people—was pushing for this. Zelda felt a wave a panic surge through her. She wasn’t ready for marriage, or children...Especially to a suitor she had no prior engagement with. The thought of her having to marry a man she didn’t know—let alone, love—absolutely revolted her.

“If—once that happens, there won't be an us anymore.” Link’s rough vocals dragged Zelda back to the conversation. “This thing, that we have, would be forced to end—because you’d then be required to do this with your husband. With your King."

Zelda parted her lips as she blew out a soft breath she had been holding. Her eyes glimmering with love and desire. She stood up then, the fabric of her robe cascaded downwards as she walked closer to him. Stopping a fraction away from her Knight, she noticed that his cheeks were suddenly stained pink. She smiled at the way he still managed to get flustered when she was close. She always thought he was so cute when he was blushing.

“Link,” Zelda breathed. He could feel her hot breath on his lips and was suddenly intoxicated with her presence. She had a smile like the sun, but laced underneath was yearning—a passion. Her words were like butter, smooth and delicious, and they halted his voice in a way that made him feel like putty in her hands. “Do I look like a Queen who needs a King?”

Her eyes never broke his, even as she waited for his response. And the response was simple. Link already knew the answer to her question, he just needed to find his voice to say it. Although the fact that she was stood inches from his face, dressed in nothing but a silk robe, was quite distracting. Nevertheless, he found his vocals after several long heartbeats, and he couldn’t deny the sly smile that just barely grace his lips as he responded with the obvious.

“No.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about.” She reached up and caressed his cheek, her fingers lingering over the tinted pink flesh.

“But what about Impa—” He started to argue, but was quickly brought silent as her finger lifted to his lips.

“Impa is not the Queen. I am.” She leaned in then, bringing her lips to his ear, her voice just barely above a whisper. “And there will always be an us."

When Zelda pulled back to look at her motionless Hero, she was met with a pair of longing blue eyes. He gave her a look she had only seen once before. A look filled with devotion, desire, want, love—

It was the same look that he had given her, one hundred years ago, as he laid in her arms choking on his own blood.

“Now,” Zelda said, removing her hands from her Knight. “I’m going to ask you again,” Her dainty fingers slid to the tie that held her robe together. They dipped into the knot effortlessly, quickly undoing the binding and allowing the garment to fall helplessly to the floor. Link’s eyes immediately went to her naked body, clearly devouring the magnificent sight that was set upon him. Zelda brought her her hand back up to him, this time gently grasping underneath his chin. She brought his sight back to her own, and matched his passionate gaze with a voice lathered in lust.

“Take off your clothes.”

Link did not say another word as he quickly pulled his cerulean Champion's tunic over his head. His pale undershirt was next, followed by stepping out of his brown leather boots and then sliding down his beige trousers. His briefs were last, pulling them off slowly and then finally discarding them into the pile with the others.

The two of them stood there for a moment, silently consuming their bare bodies. The still air was broken by Link’s voice, deep and hungry.

“What now, your grace?”

He tilted his head, waiting for his Queen’s response. She parted her lips and leaned into him, her bare chest brushing against his. The top of her thigh went between his legs and was graced with the feeling of him, already aching with want against her pale flesh. Link closed his eyes, waiting to feel her soft lips press against his, but was instead just met with her breath. Her musical voice danced past and vibrated against his open mouth, causing his own breath to hitch and a strong feeling of voracity to envelope him.

“Love me.”

No further explanation was necessary, as all Link needed to hear were those two measly words.

He was on her in an instant. His feverish mouth parting with hers. Their tongues mingled and their breath mixed as she moaned into him, her hands sliding into his hair. She played with the strands and rubbed small circles to his scalp, earning a low groan from the aroused Hero. He then moved his own hands over her hips, squeezing lightly, and she complied by jumping up and wrapping her legs around his torso.

He held her like that for a moment. Her weight on his pelvis, hands in his hair and mouth attached to his. She started to rock against him, up and down, putting pressure on where he wanted her the most. He could feel her wetness collide against his skin as she moved, her breath hitching with every grind. She was perfect, and amazing and Link just couldn’t get enough of her. He wanted to touch and taste every part of her goddess-like body, and make love to her as if his life depended on it.

He moved them to the bed. Laying them down with care, yet never breaking their kiss. She was on her back now, while Link hovered above her. Zelda kept her legs wrapped tightly around him as he moved his lips over to her neck, littering her flushed skin with flawless little kisses. She continued to grind against him, eliciting a deep rumble within his throat. He felt her chuckle, a light vibration spread underneath his chest and then a pair of delicate fingers found his chin, lifting his eyes to meet hers.

“Do you like that?” Zelda mused. The tones of her voice covered in excitement. “Hmm? When I rock against you?” She repeated the motion, making sure she hit her mark exactly where he was most vulnerable. His mouth fell open with a breathy moan, eyes closing ever so slightly.

Zelda smiled, mischief beaming all over her face. She kept up the grinding, eyes never leaving his. Her own heat started to build, settling in her lower belly. Her rocking became more urgent and suddenly her own moans were beginning to overcome his. Before she could reach her blissful climax, Link detached her legs from his torso, removing the contact completely. She felt cold from the missing body heat as a sudden feeling of frustration blossomed into her expression.

Now Link was the one with the mischievous smile.

What a tease. She thought.

He slid his hands over her abdomen, feeling every inch of her silky skin. When his calloused fingers brushed over her breasts, her hips involuntarily lifted upward, aching for contact once again. Link reached down and gripped her upper thigh, pushing her back onto the bed. He met her lust filled eyes with his own; a smile spreading across his face. An idea popped into his head.

“Tell me what you need.” He asked, voice rasping.

His Queen bit her lip, never breaking sight with her Hero when she breathed, “You.”

Link almost growled at the sound of her voice, dripping with want and need. He leaned down and found her collarbone, dragging over his tongue and gently nipping at the flesh. She moaned, and her lower half—again—started aching to be touched.

“Do you need me here?” Link mumbled against her, his mouth never leaving her skin. He moved his heady kisses lower, this time finding her nipple. “Or—perhaps—here?" Zelda threw her head back and started spilling curses from her pretty pink lips. Link moved further, his tongue stroking down her abdomen. “What about—here?” Her body was shaking now, and her hands started griping the cream colored bedsheets. Link didn’t stop, he kept going downward. His mouth trailing over, and his voice vibrating every time he spoke. It was beginning to drive her mad.

The Queen of Hyrule was a puddle in his hands, and he absolutely adored it.

He absolutely adored her.

Finally, Link reached his destination. His hungry lips just barely hovering above her dripping center. He looked up to meet her emerald eyes, and was surprised to see her already staring. Link cocked a smirk.

“Oh….” he murmured. “I see…..you need me here.” Tentatively he dragged his hot tongue over her sensitive core, causing his Queen to cry out.

“Oh—fuck—” She cursed, breathy and vulnerable. “Yes—oh goddess, yes. I need you there—right there.”

Link reveled in the sound of her voice. He loved to be the cause of her unladylike like curses. Loved how she cried out his name, every time his tongue flicked against her sensitive spot. He thought about the first time they had done this. The first time his tongue ever touched her, and the first time his name ever fell past her lips in a blissful moan. He remembered how overcome with pleasure he became as he tasted her for the first time. Sweet and warm and oh so delectable—

He loved the way she tasted.

Link’s mouth explored her sex, his tongue lapping over all the right places, just how she liked. He could tell she was nearing her climax as her hands found his head and had begun to push him deeper. She started to grind again, hips moving into his open mouth. Link pushed his tongue into his Queen, sending her over the edge. She cried out his name as her entire body jolted from pleasure. He held her firmly to the mattress, but his mouth never left her core, allowing her to ride out her climax against his lips. Her delicious juices flowed into his mouth, and he slowly devoured it all, savoring the taste.

As Zelda regained her breathing and steadied herself from her explosive peak, Link sat up while wiping off the excess wetness from his mouth. The sight made Zelda’s stomach tighten. The way he moved the back of his hand across his lips, his eyes completely satisfied as if he just ate the most delicious thing he had ever tasted.

The Queen found it incredibly sexy, and found that she was already beginning to feel the pool of heat budding in between her legs, once more.

She sat up then, abruptly pulling her Hero into a searing kiss. She could taste herself as her tongue danced with his. The aftertaste of a sweetness that elicited a pleasure within Zelda. Feeling hot with need again, she pulled Link downward onto the bed. He was the one on his back now, as she climbed on top and straddled his pelvis.

She could feel him, hot and hard and ready as she settled into his lap. Link's chest began to rise and fall, ever so slowly, as he watched his Queen position herself just above where he wanted her the most. The heat of her sex emitted off of her as she lowered herself downwards, eventually connecting with him. They both moaned in unison as their bodies became one.

Zelda began to move, rolling her hips in a way that made Link see stars. His hands found her thighs, fingers gripping into her flesh, as she continued to rock against him. They soon found a rhythm, his sex slipping in and out of her effortlessly, causing a feeling of euphoria to quickly engulf them. She was so good—so perfect as she bounced up and down, her golden locks falling around her shoulders. Link’s hands moved with her hips, and soon Zelda slid her own hands to cover his, intertwining their fingers as her thrusts became faster, harder.

His climax was quickly approaching. His chest was heavy and his breathing erratic. Their moans and whimpers of pleasure filled the bedchambers, the hot summer air making their bodies sticky with sweat. Link was sure that they would be heard. Zelda was now practically screaming with ecstasy, and even he was groaning louder than he anticipated. There was a sense of urgency in their love making. A sense of desperation….There was something different about tonight...Sure, it was still amazing and Zelda never felt—so good—but there was something else that hung in the air, that Link just quite couldn’t put his hands on.

“—Link—”

A strangled cry came from his Queen as she came for the second time that evening. Her eyes squeezed shut and her body stilled from the violent orgasm. Link was not far behind, as her last thrust was just enough to snap the coil that had wound him tightly. A loud lustful moan slipped past his lips as he spilled himself into the Monarch of Hyrule, eyes closing and satisfaction clouding his mind.

Silence filled the air, except for their erratic breathing as the two of them came down from their heavenly climax. They were both covered in sweat, both from the humid air and the strenuous activities they were just engaged with. Link peeled his eyes open and found his breath catch in his throat at the sight of his Queen. She was still sat upon him, skin glistening and golden hair plastered against her body. Her gorgeous eyes locked onto his, and a smile spread across her pink lips.

...There will always be an us…

Link’s head felt fuzzy, looking up at Zelda. His chest hurt at the sight of her, yet he just couldn’t tear his gaze away. She was undeniably beautiful as it was, but here—settled in his lap—she looked ethereal. She looked like the goddess Hylia herself—and for a moment, Link couldn’t believe that she was his.

Too soon—the feeling of her heat, sliding up and away from him, captured his attention. She rolled off, laying on her back; shoulders brushing his. Link turned to face her, snaking an arm around her waist; pulling her close. She nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck and practically melted into him, a light audible hum of happiness vibrating within her throat.

A comfortable quietness fell over the two of them. Outside, the sun had dipped just behind the horizon, leaving the two lovers now shrouded in darkness. Fatigue slowly began to take them, as they huddled peacefully together. Link could feel the heaviness of his eyelids began to close and by the feel of Zelda’s steady breathing, she was on her way (if not already) to sleep as well. The Hero gently squeezed his arms around his Queen, the feeling of complete bliss washing over him. His forehead rest against hers and he felt a smile on his lips as the started to nod off.

Then he heard her voice.

“Link?”

It was soft, and quiet and peacefully wonderful—And Link couldn’t help but grin wider at the sound. His eyes remained close, as he was so close to drifting off, but he answered her with a light squeeze accompanied by a, “hmm?”

“Promise me you’ll never leave?”

Link opened his eyes at that, the question leaving him puzzled. His sapphires met her emeralds and he immediately took notice in the look of worry, painted across her features. He squeezed her again, comforting her and affirming in a silent way that he wasn’t going anywhere. He then answered her with voice so soft—he was afraid she might not even hear him.

“Where would I go?”

“—Just...promise. Please—no matter what happens in the future, promise you’ll never leave me?”

Zelda’s voice seemed to crack at the last part, her eyes beginning to gloss over. Link took her face in his hands, his forehead against hers and his thumbs rest upon her rosy cheeks.

“I will never leave you. Not now—not ever. I promise.”

Zelda smiled, a few tears spilling over, but they were not tears of sadness. He pulled her into affectionate kiss, their lips parting carefully and slowly together. When Link moved back, he noticed more tears had streaked her face. Before he could ask what was wrong she gave him a smile that made his heart race, and three words that would make him remember this moment until he would take his last breath.

“I love you.”

Her voice wrapped around him, causing an inevitable grin to overcome his features. Complete eternal bliss pumped through his veins, and It wasn’t until he felt his own tear fall unconsciously down his cheek, for him to realize that he had not responded. He placed his lips upon hers once more, tender and perfect—and against her mouth he finally let the words spill helplessly from his throat, causing more tears to fall from his Queen.

“I love you.”

[marenwithanm]

You know Zelda, most Links actually were children during their adventures. Breath of the Wild Link Georg who was over 100 years old was an outlier and should not have been counted

Clearly, I'm still not over the idea of a younger Link and older Zelda in alttp. She feels so bad about dragging a little kid into this whole thing 😭😭😭

[sage-nebula]

LoZ BotW - Afraid to Fall

Notes: This is a $25 commission purchased by the lovely and impossibly kind @somegiantmess. I hope this fulfills your wishes to the letter, but if it does not and you want any changes, please let me know. ♥

This is post-canon and contains spoilers for Breath of the Wild, so everyone else, please be wary of that going in.

When she saw him---properly saw him, as something more than a vision as she held the Calamity back---for the first time in one hundred years, Zelda felt the air dissipate from her lungs as a smile tugged at her lips. He was weary; blood and grime caked his skin and sweat glued his bangs to his forehead. Even with his hood drawn up, she could see tendrils of hair coming loose from his ponytail due to the exertion of riding and fighting. His clothes were ripped and torn in places, and as he walked toward her it was with an unsteady gait---not from any wounds that she could see, but due to the adrenaline that she noticed was still causing him to tremble. He sheathed his sword as he neared her, and despite his clear exhaustion, despite the way her muscles felt like jelly after one hundred years of restraining the Calamity and the exertion banishing Ganon at long last had required, she smiled.

“Do you . . . really remember me?” she asked.

Link stared at her, his lips parting a little, his eyes widening. It was enough, in that moment, to cause her heart to stall in her chest, to cause her own smile to tremble. But then he smiled, a flush pooling in his cheeks and light springing forth in his eyes, and before she had a chance to process how seeing him smile made her feel, he crossed the grass and threw his arms around her in a hug. He embraced her tightly; she felt something in her back pop as he crushed her against his chest, his face buried in her hair, and she smiled against the fabric of his ragged tunic as she felt him huff a laugh.

“Of course I remember you,” he said. His voice was hoarse, but oh-so-warm, and she hooked her arms under his to hug him back just as tightly. He was battle worn, and frankly, he smelled awful . . . but in that moment, she didn’t think she had ever experienced anything so wonderful.

Looking back, Zelda supposed that would have been the opportune time to tell him how she felt---to confess the feelings that, one hundred years ago, she had tried to get the Great Deku Tree to tell Link on her behalf. But as opportune as it may have been, she hadn’t thought of it. It wasn’t until several days later when Link took her to Hateno Village, his hands over her eyes as he led her to what he said was a surprise, that she remembered she had something she needed to tell him.

It wasn’t that moment, exactly. Though Link smelled much nicer after he had a bath and changed into fresh clothes---though his hands, despite being rough with callouses, were warm and gentle, and though there was a little note of laughter in his voice as he guided her across what sounded like a wooden bridge, away from the bustle of the village, she hadn’t quite remembered what it was she was supposed to tell him just then. It wasn’t until he brought his hands away from her eyes and said, “Ta-da!” --- wasn’t until he showed her the little stable where their two horses would stay just beside the house, or the little room in the back that he said she could use as a study, or the beautiful lights above the kitchen table, or the singular bed that he said she alone could have until she, without thinking, said that she didn’t mind sharing---that she remembered.

Link, of course, had been flustered. After a stammered agreement about sharing the bed he had sputtered an excuse about needing to feed the horses and had fled down the stairs, taking them three at a time before Zelda had a chance to call him back. But that, she had supposed in the moment, was for the best. Ganon was vanquished. Link, though a bit more talkative now, was the same sweet person he had been one hundred years ago. Her feelings had not changed, and now that the burden was lifted, telling him should have been so very simple . . .

But as she stood there, her hands clasped in front of her stomach and her heart fluttering in her chest, she knew it was anything but.

Ganon was vanquished, at least for the time being, but that did not mean their duties were completed. The people of Hyrule were still scattered, still suffering. They were survivors. But there was a difference between surviving and thriving, and while Zelda was not eager to return to the castle and rule as a monarch from the throne, that did not mean she could not act as queen for her people. As her appointed knight---no, as the Hero of Hyrule, Link had just as much of a duty as she did to see to it that the people were cared for. So it was not long before they began traveling, visiting the different settlements across Hyrule, and meeting with the leaders of the people from which her Champions had once hailed. Link didn’t mind. On the contrary, he was the one who suggested they go by horseback rather than using the Sheikah Slate to warp, saying that it would be more enjoyable for her.

“You haven’t seen Hyrule in a hundred years, Princess,” he said. “There’s so much for you to see, and no better way to see it than on horseback.”

So they rode. While they were traveling on business, their journey was so much more than that. On horseback, the two of them raced across the plains, their laughter---joyous and light and free---filling the air like a song. Link taught her how to shoot while riding, and---when they were in the area---introduced her to his horseback archery instructor, a man named Jini, for additional instruction and practice.

But still, she did not tell him how she felt. She did not tell him when he helped her cross a river, skipping across the stones with her hand in his. She didn’t tell him when they came across an entire meadow of Silent Princess flowers, or when he plucked one and, after a moment of careful thought, tried tucking it in her hair. (Tried, because even after three attempts it kept falling, and he pouted as he said, “What the heck, the stories make it sound so easy.”) There were a thousand reasons why she said nothing, but none more important than the first and foremost:

He was her appointed knight. But he was Hyrule’s Hero, and she was, by all rights, Hyrule’s queen. Their duty came before anything else.

- - -

One day, in a break from their usual tradition, Link used the Sheikah Slate to warp them to the tower on the Great Plains after breakfast. They sailed down (Zelda having constructed a paraglider much like his after studying his for enough time), and Link led her across the plains to a deserted and decrepit temple that Zelda recognized even before it was fully in view.

“The Temple of Time?” she asked, as Link led the way up the broken steps. Spider webs clung to the edges of the stone, which had greatly been faded by the wind, rain, and---Zelda supposed, however ironically---time itself. “Why?”

Link hummed a little as he entered the temple proper. He didn’t look back at her, at least not immediately. Instead, he looked up at the Hylia statue in the middle of the temple, gazing at it for a long moment before he said, “I don’t know. It’s just . . . this place has always felt special to me for some reason. It’s always called to me. Even back then, I think. From what I remember, anyway.”

“I see.” Zelda came to a stop behind him. Link had brought her there for a reason, or so he had said at breakfast, even if he wasn’t entirely sure what that reason was. She would give him a moment or two to figure it out.

A moment or two was all he needed. He spun back around to face her, and when he did, he smiled softly. It was different, somehow, from his usual smiles, and she felt a little thrill run through her.

“Do you know what day it is today, Princess?” he asked. Zelda shook her head, and he said, “It’s the anniversary of the day we defeated Calamity Ganon. One year to the day.”

“The day you defeated Calamity Ganon,” Zelda corrected him.

“Uh, who was the one who actually sealed him?” Link asked. “‘Cause I’m pretty sure that was you.”

“Yes,” Zelda agreed, “but only after you wore him down.”

“Right. So we defeated Calamity Ganon,” Link said, and there was a note of smugness in his voice that made Zelda snort a laugh against her will. He grinned. “Anyway, like I was saying, it’s our one year anniversary. And since it’s our one year anniversary, there’s something I want to say.”

“All right . . .” Zelda said slowly. “What is it?”

Link took a deep breath, his smile fading. The look he fixed her with was piercing, as if he was seeing not only her, but through her to some part of her that even she herself wasn’t aware of. She was taken aback by his sudden intensity, but before she had a chance to question it he said, “I don’t feel . . . like your appointed knight anymore.”

Zelda’s heart plummeted to her feet. She wouldn’t have been surprised to find pieces of it scattered around her boots. “What?”

Link looked away from her, up at the ceiling of the temple. “Things have . . . changed between us, I think, over the past year,” he said. “Or maybe they changed before that---maybe it was after I woke up in the Shrine of Resurrection, and started going around, doing all of that stuff to save you and Hyrule and everyone else. But I don’t feel like---I think that things have changed, that they were different from how they once were, even after our relationship improved.” He looked back at her. “Don’t you?”

Zelda opened her mouth to answer, but no sound escaped. Her feelings had not changed---she still wanted the same things she had back then, had swallowed her desires down as she had back then, for many (if not all) of the same reasons. She hadn’t known what his feelings were, but she had a feeling she was about to find out, and a strong part of her realized then that she did not want to hear it.

“Princess?”

“I . . .” She swallowed, cleared her throat. Difficult conversations were nothing new, even if she was out of practice. She could do this. “I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what you mean. Do you no longer wish to be my knight?”

“What? No, that’s not it,” Link said, and she forced herself to meet his eyes again. “It’s not that I don’t want to be, it’s that I feel that I’m not.”

“What is there to feel? You know your duty, so---”

“It’s not a duty to be with you,” he interrupted, and for all that he still called her ‘Princess’, she realized then that over the past year he had quite the habit of treating her casually, all propriety dropped. “That’s what I’m saying. I don’t feel like I’m fulfilling my---or a---duty by being with you. I feel like I’m just . . . being with you. Happily. Being happy with you.”

“Oh.” She flexed her fingers, and licked her lips. “Are you saying you weren’t happy being my knight?”

“No, not exactly.” Link shifted his weight to his other foot, and looked up at the temple ceiling again. “Sometimes it was hard, but the main thing is that I was always pretty aware of my duty back then. I was doing a job---my job. And now, I’m not so much, outside of the whole Hero thing.”

“You are quite preoccupied with ‘the Hero thing’,” Zelda said dryly, and he shot her a grin.

“Right, but not so much with the appointed knight thing.” Link took a deep breath and faced her properly again. Once more, the smile was gone from his lips, replaced with a determined expression. “What I’m trying to say, Princess, is that I don’t think I’m . . . I don’t want to be just your appointed knight anymore. I think we’re more than that now. I think we’re . . . friends?”

It took Zelda a moment to process what he had said, and when she did, she blinked. “Are you asking me?”

“Well, I don’t really know if it’s okay,” he said. “And also, I figure friends is a pretty careful and safe step to take for now, you know. The least likely to be a danger zone.”

“Danger zone? What do you mean by that?”

“You know . . .” Link waved one hand, gesturing vaguely. “Sometimes there are places where you know, if you go there, you’re going to get hurt. Or maybe you won’t get hurt, necessarily, but you know you shouldn’t go there, because it’s not time yet. Or maybe it can be time, if you decide it’s time, but it’s going be a lot harder if you make it time now versus if you just waited a little while longer until you were better prepared.”

“And you think that such a danger zone exists with me?” Zelda asked, and he nodded. She was aware, suddenly, of the thudding of her heart in her chest, and it felt so strong that she wondered if Link could hear its beating. Her skin felt flushed and warm. “What is it you’re trying to say? What do you believe this danger zone is?”

Link swallowed, and looked over to meet her eyes once more. His eyes were beautiful, a clear blue that reminded Zelda of open skies and carefree days riding horseback across the plains. He opened his mouth, but silence met her ears, and she saw his tongue toying along his teeth.

“Link?” she said softly.

Still, he said nothing. The silence ticked between them, each second broken only by the pounding of Zelda’s heart. And finally, in a voice so soft that she more read his lips than heard him speak, Link said, “You’re very special to me, Zelda.”

The breath was knocked from her lungs even before she threw herself forward, her arms locking around his neck in a hug just as tight, if not tighter, than he had given her that first night after Calamity Ganon’s sealing. His returned her hug immediately, automatically; he enfolded his arms around her, and his embrace felt so perfect, so natural, that she could hardly conceive of breaking it. So she didn’t; instead, she pulled back just enough so that she could look up at him, and---all duties, all responsibilities, all destinies and greater roles forgotten for that singular moment---she cupped her hand on the back of his head, and tugged his head down so his lips could meet hers. His hand found the small of her back, and he tugged her a bit closer as she wove her fingers through his hair, her mouth moving against his surprisingly soft, warm lips.

The Temple of Time had been silent for a century. Once a beautiful, spellbinding temple, it had fallen to the ages and demonic blight, and lay in partial ruins around them. But in that moment, as Link held her against him and she tugged herself closer, she thought she could hear ethereal singing echoing back at them, and perhaps the faintest of approving chimes from the sword still strapped to Link’s back.

(Commission Info.)

[melancholicwriteaholic]

Ever wondered why Skyward Sword Link seems so much more emotional and expressive than the others? Or wondered why Link doesn’t talk? Ever wondered why Zelda’s personality changed but Link’s always the same (not counting SS or HW)?

I love (and even prefer) BOTW’s explanation for why Link doesn’t talk, but the following is a thought that came to mind long before its release.

Word Count: 1537

Ships: Highly Implied Zelink

Decline Timeline

My name is Sahasrahla. I share this name with the men of my family before me. Ever since the Hero of Legend who defeated the great Ganon in the Dark World, the oldest hero scholars can remember (though there is evidence of heroes existing long before), the men and women of my family took to studying hard in order to assist the hero should he need us once again. 

It was a Sahasrahla, after all, who assisted the Hero Between Worlds who protected Hyrule once again. And there is evidence to suggest that many heroes existed in between that instance and me, and I’d bet my ancestors assisting each one of them in some way or form.

I admit that when I first met the chosen Hero of my time, the one the people have took to calling “The Last Hero” in an optimistic bid that the last threat to ever reach Hyrule has passed, I could not help him very much at all. He came to me defenceless and in need of guidance, but all I could do was offer him my sword. You see, Ganon had resurfaced and won. There was no information about his whereabouts at all. There was no communication between towns, no rumours to serve as leads, nothing at all that I could alchemize into valuable information and guidance. 

He did seem grateful enough, however. With just a sword and nothing at all else he left my humble cave to travel throughout the abandoned Hyrule to do what he could against the evil Ganon. As a testament to his power, intelligence, determination, or perhaps his blind luck, he fought through the trials the land had to offer with no help or allies and brought an end to Ganon. 

Years later I was determined to be of more assistance. In the few years after he had slain Ganon, the hero had become a teenager and the kingdom was returning to its former glory. Towns were rebuilt and littered throughout the land and communication between settlements began picking up despite the perilous, monster infested lands in between. I gathered what little information I could get my hands on and called the Hero to my house to explain the final piece of his quest.

I told him of the Princess Zelda, the ancestor of the princess, now queen, of whom he saved years ago and currently ran the kingdom with an expertise beyond her years. I told him where he could find the sleeping princess and how to rescue her. With that, and barely a word from him, he left. A month later, he returned victorious. 

The sleeping princess is now awake and living with me and the hero in my cave-turned-home. Instead of a palace, the princess preferred the presence of a teacher like myself who could tell her of all that happened to Hyrule while she slumbered. She also enjoyed the company of her hero, who gladly returns that affection. Far from resenting my lack of usefulness the first time around he has become one of my most treasured friends.

 He still works as a travelling ambassador, and peace-keeper, under Hyrule’s ruling monarch and makes regular trips to the palace and around Hyrule, but has a room and bed in this cave of ours and, dare I say it, possibly a woman to come home to.

But I still hardly ever hear him speak a word. The princess, who keeps her title as her descendant took the throne, asks me about it sometimes as she’s wary of asking him in person. As close as they are there are some topics she seems to know she should avoid in his presence.

So, while she was working in the garden and the Hero and I were taking a break, I asked him why he rarely spoke. 

I expected him not to answer. I expected him to give a shrug, or a face, or some other nonverbal answer. Maybe I even expected anger or frustration.

Instead, after what seemed to be a weary sigh, he did something I did not expect.

Link spoke to me.

His voice was low, coarse with lack of use. He didn’t face me while he spoke, instead watching the princess from out the doorway. He sounded very tired, but also determined. His expression was one I imagined he must have worn often while on his quests to save the land; beaten down but not resigned.

“I... I love her," Link said.

“Who? The Princess?” I said.

“Zelda. I...” Link shook his head. I thought the conversation was done, but then he looked at me, a slight grin on his face. “One time, I was a regular boy in the clouds.”

“Pardon?” I said.

“You don’t have to believe me. There’s little evidence and I have no wish for anyone to know, actually. But... once, I was just a knight in training in an age long gone. I laughed at jokes, I had hobbies like wood carving, and I... I was different in my first life,” Link said.

I looked at him curiously. He seemed to be describing a dream, though he sounded like he truly believed what he was saying.

“Zelda... both of our Zeldas, they can remember bits and pieces of our past lives together if pressed. They’ll remember names of people and places who no longer exist in this life. But they don’t remember everything, because those memories don’t belong to them. They belong to the Zeldas who came before. Because our spirits are the same, but our souls change. That’s why there’s two of her but... but they’re the same spirit. These two Zeldas share the same spirit, but they’re different people. Just like all of the other Zeldas were.”

It took me a long while to piece together what he was trying to tell me. This was the most he had ever said, ever, and I believe that it’s been so long since he had conversed non-verbally that he had forgotten how to communicate clearly. Thankfully, he gave me as much time as I needed.

“The Princess... no, both the princess and the queen... reincarnate? And so do you?” 

He nodded. “No one remembers, but it was once common knowledge that our spirits were meant to follow each other into eternity. The spirit of the hero is a legend that’s still passed down, but no one remembers her. No one remembers the passing down of the blood of the Goddess.”

Link smiled. “The name Zelda isn't the only thing our Queen inherited from our Princess."

He didn’t speak for a while and I just watched him silently, perhaps overwhelmed by the information he was giving me. I admit that I didn’t know how to respond or if I even believed what he was trying to say.

Then he continued. “Our spirits are bound to reincarnate forever and defend Hyrule together when evil persists... but there’s no guarantee that we’ll meet each other when we come back. It’s possible for us to end up fighting for Hyrule separately. Unless... unless one of us keeps our memories. Unless one of us remembers who we are and seeks the other out each time.

Zelda has been a cheerful girl. A hyperactive girl. A cold and stern woman. A fearful woman, a brave woman. She’s had a million hobbies and interests and personalities. She’s free. 

But the price for the freedom to be a new person each time is that there’s too much for her spirit to hold on to. She... she can’t keep remembering each life. There’s too many identities and stress to hold on to for her.

So I’ll do it for her. As long as I stay quiet... as long as I stay the same person in each and every life cycle... I’ll be able to remember. I’ll remember to come and save Zelda, each and every time. I’ll remember each Zelda even when history itself has forgotten her...

...because I want her to be herself in every life, whatever that may be.”

I followed Link’s gaze toward Zelda, who looked as though she was finishing up with the weeding. I knew that when she came in the conversation would end, and might never pick up again. For Link to speak his mind like this happened only once in a blue moon, I was sure. 

Despite wanting to know more, despite the millions of architectural, philosophical, historical, and scientific questions that burned in my scholarly mind, I asked the question that I thought was the most important of all.

“Link... don’t you want to be yourself, too?”

And he replied, “I’ve spent so many lives holding back any hint of an identity other than that of being a legendary hero that I don’t even know what that means.”

Zelda was picking up the tools and dropping them off at the tool shed now. She’d come in soon and we’d have a nice dinner and end the day by the fireplace, and Link would turn back into that silent hero of whom I now doubted was a real person. 

He said one last thing before I turning around and dropping the subject forever. 

“Even if you don’t believe me, she will. So please... never tell her.”

I kept my promise. Despite knowing the burden he seemed to put on himself for the sake of his beloved, I never spoke a word about our conversation to princess Zelda.

This week I’ve been invited to meet with Hyrule’s queen to talk about the country’s needs and other topics of importance. Indeed, we’ll have much to discuss.