#and zelda had to heal Hyrule and play politics

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Febuwhump Day 6 - "You Lied to Me"

I decided to try something different today, and I hope y'all don't mind. Introducing Link, the Hero of Power—predecessor to Captain Link, the Hero of Warriors—and Queen Zelda, the Sacred Diplomat. Together, these two legendary figures, alongside Gerudo Chief Hemisi, split Ganondorf's soul into pieces and sealed him away across time and space as a permanent way to end the ageless curse (before that got reversed in Hyrule Warriors). Anyway, here's a little angst with them!

X

The water was almost too hot as it bubbled against his skin. Link sighed, trying to relax into it, accepting this odd vacation he and Zelda had been given. The Gorons weren't unfriendly by any means, but it was strange that they had invited the monarchs to their hot springs for some time off.

Stranger still that Zelda had accepted.

Link glanced over at his queen as she bathed in the water, her figure wavering in the heat as it lazily drifted up from the surface. He was still curious why she'd agreed to come. The pair had never taken time off, and most certainly never together alone. This was a bizarre move, and it made him slightly uneasy. Although it felt beyond freeing to leave the castle, he missed his children. Relaxing like this was a foreign concept to him at this point.

What are you up to, Zelda? he wondered.

He decided to try his luck, swimming over to her. She turned in the water as he approached, face imperceptible as usual.

"Why are we here?" he asked softly, cautiously.

"The Gorons invited us," Zelda answered simply. "I wasn't going to refuse such kindness."

"Because they would view it as a slight, or because of something else?" Link pressed. When Zelda watched him a moment longer, he continued, "We've... been married for years, my queen. I imagine we can speak plainly to each other by now? It's just you and me."

Zelda's façade cracked, her lips twitching, gaze falling to the water level. "You can call me Zelda, you know. You do that, sometimes, when we are being intimate."

He supposed he did. And he supposed this was a moment of intimacy and vulnerability. "Then what's this about, Zelda?"

"I just..." Zelda faltered, showing uncharacteristic hesitancy. It reminded him of how she'd acted at her father's funeral, when it had just been the two of them, long after the crowds had dissipated (and after she had left). "I just wanted you to have something nice. I... I wanted us to have something nice."

Her voice grew so quiet as she added the last statement, nearly shriveling into the water. Link could understand why. She wasn't exactly responsible for giving him anything nice for a long time.

Well... aside from their children. But even then...

A bitter part of him let her look this small and defeated, demure and timid and so penitent. A part of him was angry that she was even trying.

You had promised a brighter future for all of Hyrule, that voice snapped. You lied to me.

It wasn't a lie, though, and he knew it. Just because he had sacrificed his happiness and his life didn't mean the rest of Hyrule wasn't thriving.

Link sighed tiredly. Despite all the hurt between them, he still didn't like to see her like this. It wasn't as if he was the only one who had sacrificed everything. He leaned forward, pulling her close, letting her rest against him, his finger absentmindedly tracing the green paint that adorned her arms, watching it slowly trail off her pale skin. "That's... considerate of you."

Zelda's own hands traced a scar on his chest, and he swallowed, feeling his heart start to race. She pulled away, though, calming his rushing blood and making him curious again.

"I figured I'd... try," she said quietly, refusing to make eye contact. "After... we don't do this much. Spend time together."

Why would they? This marriage hadn't exactly been his choice. He'd hardly spent enough time with her to create an heir the first year. Though in the years after that, he'd used her as his escape as much as she'd used him as her political toy.

So was she using him now? Or was she being genuine? He remembered she was capable of being kind to him.

Was she lying to him now?

"Is this some sort of favor to the Gorons?" he finally asked, letting himself be candid. She'd requested as much, anyway. "Creating a child in their homeland? Would they view that as some sort of honor?"

"This isn't--this isn't about that," Zelda shook her head. "I just wanted you to be able to relax. Back home, you... you're usually taking care of the children more than me."

"Then why did you come along?" Link questioned further. When Zelda winced and swam back a hair, his wariness died down, replaced by guilt.

She really... she just wants to spend time with me?

Oh.

She was lonely.

Link huffed, looking away. Goddesses above. He really was being self-centered, he supposed.

"Well..." he trailed off awkwardly, not really knowing what to say. "Even sacred diplomats need a break, I guess."

Zelda smiled a little forlornly, still looking into the water. Link moved towards her again, letting his body sink into the bubbling warmth so he could look up at her from where her gaze had stayed. He rose up to her with an inviting kiss, and she let him lead.

Though the act was nothing new, it held a bit more tenderness to it than ever before, a sort of mutual pain that emanated between the quiet couple as they sought comfort in each other. Typically after the fact the two would go their separate ways, but this time they basked in the heat, letting themselves dry off on the volcanic rock, draped in towels. Neither had anything to say—at this point what could they say—but they stayed, and Link settled into a nap that was more restful than he'd had in years.

[shekorla]

Linked Universe Zeldas

So last December I decided to draw my idea for the Zeldas on a whim. Found the WIP recently and decided to finish it.

Also, I typed up all my headcanons for them because I have a lot. They are below the cut. 

And I put down nickname ideas, because I'm bad at naming things, and I think the LU discord has already decided on a set of nicknames that they like. Personally, I really dislike most of those though.

❖Corresponding Link: Four

     o Age: Teen, just older than Four. Not a major difference, just enough that she can tease him about it.

     o Status: Officially still holds the title of princess, acts more like a queen. Her father is extremely protective of her, but after Vaati he conceded that he couldn’t protect her forever. Since then she has been learning to fight, forge (not good at it), and taking over more and more responsibilities from her aging father

     o Nickname ideas: Light, Picori, Force

     o Fighting style: Mostly fights with a sword and shield. Has extremely strong innate light magic. (light force, although weaker now) Doesn’t necessarily know how to focus it yet (magic bomb, some healing). If you are going to be on the battlefield stop running around like that.

     o Current relationship to Link: Best friends, practically siblings. When they were kids there was definitely some major crushing going on. Then everything with Vaati happened and things got… complicated. Neither she nor Link really knows what type of romance they want for the future. They still play lots of pranks on people. She helps keep him stable on the days when his colors get a little too wild.

     o Random stuff: Hyperactive and cheery. Always something new to see or learn and she wants to do it. hates sitting still, she is always moving somehow (got turned to stone). Top is hers; Link made the sword (gift), rest is extras from four’s parts (stolen). Hair is naturally extremely curly, lets it down for formal things, tied up for adventuring. Helped four get back to functioning as Link after being four people. Will attack him to get him to take care of himself. Is taller than both four and wind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

❖ Corresponding Link: Hyrule

     o Age: At least a hundred. Was 18 when she was cursed to sleep, no one is exactly sure how long she was asleep.

     o Status: Was a princess before falling asleep, offered the crown once woken up. Really over being royal. Link helped her get a job and lodging on a farm at the edge of Hyrule. Really likes that.

     o Nickname ideas: Legacy, Farmgirl, First, Ancestor.

     o Fighting style: Healer. Lots of bandages to patch everyone up. Doesn’t like to fight, but will stab a man if the need arises. The world is cruel, be kind. Has weak magic, a little bit of healing, and lots of prophetic. Knows the best places to hide on a battlefield.

     o Current relationship to Link: They are good friends. He checks up on her from time to time, and she makes sure that he always has a place to rest and relax in safety. Their world is a little bit of a mess, everyone needs a support system.

     o Random stuff: Has insomnia. Afraid of not waking up. Extremely wise, or maybe just world-weary. On tense but good terms with current queen Zelda of Hyrule. Forgives her brother, has come to terms with her fate. Taciturn and calm, probably depressed. Extremely sensitive to dark magic. (like an old burn wound) Dislikes people who use it to forcefully get their way. Doesn’t outright hate the principle of it, but will actively shy away from the presence of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

❖ Corresponding Link: Time

     o Age: Adult, mentally/physically the same age.

     o Status: Queen of Hyrule. She is married and has a daughter.

     o Nickname ideas: Destiny, Sheik, Queen, Lyre/Harp (what is that thing?), Sage.

     o Fighting style: Fights mostly with magic. Uses the harp to play songs (ironically fights like HW sheik) has basic sheikah skills. Has only been training to fight for a short time, is still fairly physically weak. One of the most proficient magic users all round. Can take down the basic mooks, but won't last long against a bigger enemy. Knows how to fight alone.

     o Current relationship to Link: Strained. Not OOT sheik. Is MM Zelda. Only knows link as the boy who showed up to save the day, then left. Has had occasional interactions, she visits the ranch, he works with the guard. Only in the past year or two, she has had dream glimpses of the alternate timeline. She knows that she and link killed Ganon side by side, that she helped link disguised as sheik. Does not know about the seven years or most of the trauma. Basically, seen like five cutscenes and nothing else.

     o Random stuff: Prophetic dreams. Knew she would be leaving on a quest. Kingdom is well set up to work in her absence. Loves her family, is an idiot who doesn’t know the importance of checking in via letters for anything other than politics. Snobbish, proud, put too much stock in titles. Best manager, not a great leader (doesn’t have the personal skills for it). Sees the world as extremely black and white.

❖ Corresponding Link: Twilight

     o Age: Young adult.

     o Status: Newly coronated queen, has been running the show for a few years now, it's just barely official

     o Nickname ideas: Dusk, Dawn, Shadow

     o Fighting style: Uses mainly rapier to fight. Also, a great archer. Because of temporarily sharing a soul with Midna, has access to powerful twilight magic. Not as strong as Midna, still strong. Has goddess magic (channel through weapons). Tries to hide twili powers mostly since it's “dark magic”, but only technically. She knows it's not true dark magic and really just wants to avoid a lecture (does not get along well with time’s Zelda). Knows her way around the edge of a battlefield.

     o Current relationship to Link: They barely know each other. Only really interacted through saving the world things. Then they went separate ways. She considers Midna a sister and wants to slap both Midna and Link for not realizing they like each other. Once she knows Link better, she will probably tease him a lot.

     o Random stuff: Unlike most of the other Zeldas, sees the world as being mostly shades of grey, rather than stark black and white. Somber and stoic. Secretly a massive gremlin. Has a few habits picked up from Midna's soul along with the magic. Is awkward around ‘normal’ people. Has spent almost her entire life in political settings. One of the best politicians. Rather open about her feelings, it's just small and easily missed. Feels guilty for the troubles that befell both Hyrule and the twilight realm. Hates having to stand back unable to help. Screw rules she is going to help.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

❖ Corresponding Link: Wild

      o Age: 118-120ish(?) I don’t know how long it has been since the events of BOTW.

      o Status: Technically queen, currently is focused on rebuilding Hyrule. Has no intention to take up the throne any time soon.

      o Nickname ideas: Scholar, Architect, Champion, Urbosa, Scientist, Little Bird.

      o Fighting style: Not a great fighter but she is learning. Decent with a sword. Gets a crossbow from twilight and then makes her own out of sheikah tech. (currently has no magic and good riddance). Learning to navigate a battlefield.

      o Current relationship to Link: They are good friends, but it's awkward. Neither of them are totally sure how to act around the other. Basically, either gremlin adventures, or awkward small talk. Past the first road trip, only interact a few times a month. She is caught between trying to mourn her knight and accepting her new hero. Cooking shenanigans.

      o Random stuff: Loves learning new things. Can and will study and find the effects of every plant. Knows poisons, antidotes, elixirs, potions, and everything else. Still trying to come to terms with everything that happened. Frequent nightmares. Claustrophobic/minor insomnia. Knows all the languages. Loves studying sheikah tech, and finally gets the chance to as much as she wants. Hates the castle. So many things change culturally over 100 years and she has no idea what to do. Awkward, but sincere.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

❖ Corresponding Link: Wind

     o Age: Teen

     o Status: Technically the queen. Hyrule currently consists of a single town on the mainland, and lots of plans. Queenish. Anjean is teaching her how to politics.

     o Nickname ideas: Name is tetra that’s it.

     o Fighting style: Uses a pirate saber as well as the phantom sword. (IDK if spirit tracks is part of Wind’s story, but I was not passing up the opportunity to give tetra a massive sword). Decent archer, and can channel light magic into weapons…. most of the time…... It’s a work in progress. Also has general goddess magic. Big explosion of light. Knows her way around a battlefield

     o Current relationship to Link: Serve on a crew together. Best friends and partners in crime. There is a lot that needs to be done to start a country, they will do it together. It’s not going quickly. They keep getting distracted. Why do paperwork when you can steal things.

     o Random stuff: Smol. Link hit puberty and got a growth spurt. She did not. Not a politician, this child should not be in charge, whose idea was it to let a pirate child run a country. Great leader. All the social skills. Shoot first… that’s it. Sassy. Trying her best to be a good princess and live up to her lineage. It's hard. There is no book. Feels like she is letting everyone down. Hates big birds. Occasional nightmares. Really hates being cold. (turned to stone)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

❖ Corresponding Link: Legend

     o Age: Older teen

     o Status: Queen. Has ruled for a while. Amazing support system. They regularly keep things running when she gets kidnapped. Good relations with all surrounding countries.

     o Nickname ideas: Maiden, Sage, Hilda.

     o Fighting style: Doesn’t. Pacifist. She can attack with light magic, chooses not to. Healing magic, team buffs, defense. Just because she doesn’t fight doesn’t mean she will let her team die. Strongest support magic. Does not know her way around a battlefield.

     o Current relationship to Link: Good work friends. They get along well enough. No massive personal relations. She asks him for help with killing monsters, he asks her for help with laws. It works for them. Occasionally they will get lunch together and catch up. (aka make sure he didn’t get himself killed.) Can use telepathy to contact Link at any time. Keeps it to emergencies only. Because he finds it massively annoying, and a little creepy.

     o Random stuff: Massive romantic. Currently single. Misses being able to gossip with Hilda. Kind and compassionate. Does not stand for injustice. Will forgive until the end of time. Just because she is kind does not mean she is weak. Strong-willed. Good politician. Loved by her people, even if Ganon has attacked like five times. Ganon is the only person on the list of people she would happily shank. So much paperwork. Give the girl a break. Keeps craft supplies on her for long imprisonments. Scrying magic, and a little bit prophetic.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

❖ Corresponding Link: Warriors

     o Age: Adult. Older than warriors, younger than time or his Zelda.

     o Status: Queen of Hyrule, and commander of its army. Her Hyrule has been in turmoil for a while even before the war with Cia.

     o Nickname ideas: General, Commander, Tactician.

     o Fighting style: Best fighter. Can use all the weapons. Summon a bow or rapier of pure light magic. Strongest understanding of how the goddess magic works with weapons. Mostly fights as Zelda (basically her gameplay style), still uses her sheik disguise sometimes (ironically fights similar to smash bros sheik because of extensive sheikah training.) Lives on the battlefield.

     o Current relationship to Link: They work seamlessly together in battle and are friends outside of it. They haven't actually known each other very long so it's awkward sometimes. She still has to occasionally remind him that she doesn’t need a title. If they were two kids in a village then they would probably date. But they are not, and things are complicated. Duty to the kingdom comes first.

      o Random stuff: Best makeup. Amazing, if ruthless, politician. Best historian. Blunt. No time for crap. One of the best leaders doesn’t have the pure charisma to outdo warriors though. Resting B Face. 90% of soldiers are scared of her. Comes across as harsh, rude, cold. Really, she is just a bit awkward and hides behind a mask. Can’t do people, can do basically anything else. Minor prophetic magic.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

❖ Corresponding Link: Sky

     o Age: Old teen/young adult. Older than Sky.

     o Status: Technically the queen, but Hyrule hasn’t been founded yet. Officially goddess Hylia reincarnated. She doesn’t go around flaunting the title, but sometimes the memories of Hylia she gained will overwhelm her. Full goddess mode. Doesn’t stand for dark magic.

     o Nickname ideas: Hylia, Sun, Swallow.

     o Fighting style: trained at the academy and knows how to fight with a sword. Not a good fighter. massive bursts of power usually win her fights. Sometimes she can channel a little bit of her power, but usually, she just gets overwhelmed by all of it. General goddess magic, cannot channel through weapons. Thinks she does, but in fact, does not know her way around a battlefield

     o Current relationship to Link: Do I need to explain? These two are head over heels. Sappy love birds all the way. Childhood friends. Everyone is surprised they're not engaged yet.

     o Random stuff: More adventure-ready style to reflect working on founding Hyrule. Fierce and determined. Kind. But she will get her way. Struggles to balance her mortality and newfound divinity. Feels bad that Sky had to fight for her. Loves her bird. Beautiful singing voice. She is trying her best but is in fact very bad at being an adventurer. Good at sewing. Loads of people skills, working on leadership skills. Best with children. 6th sense type prophetic magic. (aka see a shot before it is taken, but not a coming calamity.)

That's it. Congrats on making it to the end. You get a cookie. 🍪

[ganymedesclock]

How do you think Zant and Ghirahim would interact? Likewise, how do you think Ganon would treat the two in a setting where we could explore such a relationship?

My particular read on Zant is he’s not wild about social interaction unless he’s already decided the person is okay; I interpret him as the specific flavor of autistic where he’s only really comfortable in a social situation by shadowing a particular person for comfort’s sake. In which case I think he’d have a lot of sideways interactions with other people, but, not a lot of super direct engagement.

Ghirahim superficially is much more polite, but, given his particular complex relationship with his master and his childhood (a friend of mine, @golvio draws a lot of comparisons between how they imagine Ghirahim’s treatment under Demise and the Pearls in Steven Universe) it’s just that- superficial. He wants to be well-mannered because he feels keeping up aristocratic airs is an imperative he has to justify avoiding, but unless something really catches his intellectual curiosity, he, scientifically speaking, tends to not give a shit.

So I feel like you could have Ghirahim and Zant cohabiting in the same area and just sort of operating with a mutual regard to not say anything to each other unless the other’s hair is on fire and someone else isn’t already intervening. They could absolutely take more interest in each other, but, they’d need to at least get shoved into some kind of buddy cop adventure story to shake the topic loose. Just leaving them around each other, they’d never get anywhere. They would politely ignore each other. You would ask Ghirahim what he thought of Zant and after asking you to clarify who you’re talking about, he would make an idle note of “So that’s what his name is.”

With regards to Ganon and Zant, I sort of like the vein that Hyrule Warriors took with it in the sense that Ganon seems to regard Zant as a protege and student- not something as warm as “like a son” but that’s because Ganon’s not exactly the type to hand out familial affection very easily if at all. I imagine him taking a sort of scholarly, educational angle; Zant is his apprentice. Even if the guy lives for centuries, he’s significantly younger than Ganon himself, so there would be a certain degree to which Ganon looks towards Zant as someone in need of guidance, rather than a peer and equal.

That’s not to say Zant doesn’t impress him, or ever surprise him; Ganon might have a certain compassion for the downtrodden but he doesn’t seem the type to have patience for slackers or the talentless in his inner circle. But there’s definitely a distance between them, that would be altogether reinforced by the overly-reverent pedestal Zant puts Ganon on, though I think as time goes by and they had more time to interact with each other, or even just Zant operating on his own for a time because Ganon hasn’t been resurrected yet, he’d become a little less starstruck by Ganon, for the better- creating an environment where they can actually talk to each other and Zant isn’t fountaining the glories of his god, because Ganon might be cocky but I think the last thing he’d want to be is someone’s deity.

That would also affect Ghirahim; not the mentorship, because Ghirahim is one person who can not only match Ganon in age but actually surpass him- though I think this would average to them seeing each other as peers because the gaps in Ghirahim’s resurrections are much larger and they’re both at a certain level of time abyss where what’s a century give or take, actually- but the thing where Ganon has no particular desire to be regarded as a god. Distant reverence is fine on paper- it certainly flatters his ego- but in practice it just means people project a lot of expectations and perceptions onto him and that would make him shift a little uneasily in his skin considering the whole situation he had as king of the Gerudo.

It also doesn’t help that the person Ghirahim would be reminded of looking at Ganon is Demise- there’s no way to ignore that Ghirahim would be comparing Ganon to Demise. And the thing about Demise is, they are, in brief, an abusive tyrant; Ghirahim is someone deeply marked by the fact that he was raised from the cradle to disregard his personhood and feelings for Demise’s benefit.

This is completely counter to how Ganon operates, and would be a wall he would inevitably run into hard, dealing with Ghirahim- Ganon’s nice and cozy with Zant as a protege because Zant has all of his hopes and desires right there on the surface. All Ganon has to do is play the genie in the bottle, feed those hopes, encourage them, and, when Zant becomes more of a favored student than a useful tool, he can still use them to prop Zant up. Zant wants to feel powerful, Zant wants to feel valued, heard, supported- Ganon knows exactly what words to cook up to feed a flagging spirit.

Ganon operates selfishly on a certain level, and, he also works best with others who are also operating selfishly- not necessarily maliciously, but, what do they want? They want something for themselves.

Ghirahim is a standout among many Zelda antagonists in that he really doesn’t want anything. His resurrection of Demise is because he sees it as his responsibility. If he attaches emotions to it, it’s that he’s pleased to feel like he belongs, like the world makes sense, like he’s filling his role, and then, slowly, that he’s actually a bit curious about this person who’s so good at thwarting him.

But that’s one selfish desire, and it’s clear Ghirahim writes it off as a petty and ridiculous thing. Him, wanting things for himself, even if it’s something as simple as having the pleasure of figuring out who the hell this twerp in his way is.

And I think Ghirahim’s sense of self-denial would logically be a lot harsher any context in which he’s interacting with Ganon- because Ghirahim would have to deal with the keen awareness that Demise threw him away. He is not alive now because of Demise’s grace, but as an oversight, in a world Demise may well be incapable of returning to, and the sense is that this is just fine to them; they don’t need him or want him back.

I can see Ghirahim falling into step behind Ganon if he’s at a particularly low point and just needs to feel like someone actually wants him to be here, whoever that is, but I also feel like Ganon would galvanize Ghirahim in interesting directions- because coming from someone who is inevitably going to superficially remind Ghirahim of Demise, Ganon’s entire stance is going to be “but you’re a person, you’re made of metal and you’re a sword, that’s great, I’m largely made of meat slime that grows eyes, physiological construction is completely irrelevant here, the point is, you think, you have opinions, and no matter how hard you’re trying to pretend you don’t, you want something.”

Ganon focuses on the idea that people want things. He himself is so driven by this you could argue that his less-corporeal forms are basically one big grudge spirit. While textually, Ganon’s dying words in Ocarina of Time and Demise’s curse intend to mirror each other, it’s worth noting how Ganon’s words are basically pure spite- while Demise’s curse is methodically, systematically worded, functionally aloof; it’s the patient explanation of an adult to someone they perceive as a none-to-bright child that no, actually, you haven’t won anything of meaning. You’ve inconvenienced them. And they will not forget that you did that.

So Ghirahim would inevitably initially see Ganon as an entity similar to Demise, and that perception would inevitably come utterly torn down around the edges because Ganon and Demise are such fundamentally different people.

Frankly, my perception of Ganon and Demise is their relationship is comparable to that between Hylia and Zelda- the first Zelda was bodily born out of Hylia, making her a sort of mortal-incarnated demigod, but, the more Zelda became aware of Hylia, the less she was able to stand Hylia and was repulsed by Hylia’s thought process and the way she viewed Link. That’s continued through all of her descendants; Breath of the Wild Zelda suffers a huge amount of misery trying to connect with Hylia only to be given a repeated cold shoulder, and even awakening her powers, it’s only to be a pawn in the face of Hylia’s scheme.

Hylia is, in short, Zelda’s sort-of removed divine mother, and, she’s also an incredibly cold, neglectful parent.

I think the same goes for Demise and Ganon- they in a sort of abstracted manner had a hand in Ganon’s origin, but, this isn’t a family that could so much as sit through a very uncomfortable holiday dinner. And this is relevant to Ghirahim, because Demise’s treatment of Ghirahim obviously aligns with a lot of Demise’s attitude as a creator and towards the world in general- an attitude they actually share with their sworn enemy, Hylia. (both Fi and Ghirahim are ultimately discarded once they’ve “served their purpose” in the eyes of their respective creators)

Ganon, conversely, is heavily drawn towards the suffering outcast, and, as I talked about in my long post about what Ganon’s healing power means about him, that draw isn’t “I can exploit this” nearly as much as it appears to be genuine compassion. A lot of his narratives and behavior suggest that he feels that way himself- that as someone who has spent much of his life marked as a pariah, he has a certain visceral empathy for the discarded.

More than Ganon would not want to treat Ghirahim the way that Demise did, he would be loath to tolerate someone who treats fully loyal servants like Demise does. If Ganon stabs someone in the back, it’s because he’s either sure they would do the same in a heartbeat or because from his perspective they’ve already put a dagger in him. He’s not the kind of person who gets rid of someone he knows would never betray him, or has no reason to believe they’d do so.

If anything, this makes me wonder if Ghirahim would initially find Zant revoltingly whiny and needy- he can’t imagine why Zant would utterly humiliate himself and Ganon both by drawing Ganon’s attention to his needs and wants, or even just openly expressing distress in front of Ganon. 

And then after a while Ghirahim starts to feel a little weird watching them interact because the fact that Ganon actually responds to Zant and encourages him, or even just, irritably orders someone to see Zant to his bed after the latter’s magically overworked himself, would just sort of start to contextualize for Ghirahim the gaping void of affection or even basic care that he received in his own development.

[heartofhryule]

Breath of the Wild: Captured Memories - Chapter 4

First and foremost; SPOILER WARNINGS. If you have not played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, or completed the Captured Memories Quest and want to stay un-spoiler-ed for it, DO NOT READ.

So I am writing these as I play through BotW for the first time - which means they probably won’t be ‘one-a-day’ consistent as its taking me forEVER to get to all of them, AND they probably won't be in any respectable order - just what I get to as I find them. My intent is to find them all, and summarize once I have found and have a story for each of the 18 memories required to get the bonus ending for the game. Once that's done, I will wrap it all up with a final chapter after I beat the game.

I will post them as I can though! Promise! I also plan to include links to the cutscene for you to watch at the bottom, if so desired - at least for the ones I can find. Any other warnings that become necessary, I will add for content as I go. For now, enjoy!

Chapter 4 - Mipha’s Grace

Straight from the Ancient Ruins to the moat of Hyrule Castle he’d gone, with every intention of looking for something familiar - The parapet in his album, remnants of the castle one hundred years ago… maybe even the princess herself to ask questions, see if she was still alive. 

Something burned deep within his chest that prayed she was still alive. He didn’t fully understand it, but the closer he got to the castle, the less he cared about the whys. They were not as important as the feelings he was experiencing every time he allowed himself to wonder if she was dead. She couldn’t be. If she was, despite recalling very little, he knew all was lost. 

At the time, skirting the edges of the cliffs surrounding the deep moat of the castle, he’d decided to put analyzing these feelings off until he had time to deal with it. The castle was a fortress, covered with the blight of Ganon and from what he could see through his scope, many Guardians. 

Realizing, after hours of reconnaissance, that there was only one way into the castle and it was traversing up the series of waterfalls at the back side of the palace, he’d concluded that despite his drive and desire to infiltrate, he was not currently equipped to do so. 

The castle, would have to wait.

That had been a few days ago. He’d summoned his horse, frustrated and driven, riding away from the castle as his heart filled with longing and anger. That was when he decided perhaps taking a closer look at his thoughts would be a good idea. He’d heard that the Zora to the southeast were able to swim up waterfalls. They were merfolk, so maybe there was nothing they could teach him. Or, maybe there was. He would have to go and find out. 

He had not been met with a warm welcome upon his arrival at the Zora kingdom. The Young ones found him a commodity traveler. But the older of the long lived race knew him - and despised him. They blamed him for failing, for destroying the life of their princess, Mipha. Mipha was the Zora Champion he’d seen in his vision, and all spoke of her kindness and loving heart.

The old steward Muzu was droning on about how unworthy Link was, and Sidon, the king’s son (and Mipha’s younger brother) was debating the old cod on Link’s behalf, but Link wasn’t listening. His eyes were focused on the statue of the beloved, lost princess, and something stirred within him. 

***

High in the sky, Link sat atop a stone platform looking out over Hyrule - from the trunk of Vah Ruta. His arm hurt, but he knew it was about to not somehow. And then, he heard her voice. 

“I was thinking… this reminds me of the first time we met.”

Looking up, sitting next to him was a beautiful Zoran girl. Her scales were the color of the most precious rubies in Hyrule, eyes the golden-green of new spring leaves. But it was her soft smile that drew a pang from his heart. “You were just a reckless child,” she smiled, “Always getting yourself hurt at every turn. Everytime, I would heal you. Just as I am doing right now.”

In the memory, there was great affection for Mipha. Even vague recollections of his childhood cam to mind, and how he and Mipha were the best of friends. He’d not always known she was a princess. She’d hidden that from him, later explaining it was for fear he’d not want to play with her if he knew. But it had changed nothing. She was his best friend from those times.

“I always thought it was funny how, being a Hylian… you looked grown-up so much faster than I did.” She paused, and Link could see the memory and truth of her words brought a touch of emotion to her voice. “I was always willing to heal your wounds, even back then.”

Before his eyes, her soothing touch and magic knit and healed his wound, leaving his skin unblemished, as if it had never been. Marvelling for a moment both in the dream and as he watched the vision, Mipha turned to look out to the horizon.

“So if this Calamity Ganon does, in fact, return, what can we really do?” Her pause was laden with concern, the tilt if her head indicating there was more to her thoughts than she let on. “We just don’t seem to know much about what we will be up against.”

Her gaze dropped from the horizon to her lap, and Link watched, keeping quiet to let her finish but urging her silently to go on. Mipha had always been sweet, reserved. It was sometimes difficult to get her to open up about wheat went on inside that keen and caring mind of hers. He was not about to stop her now.

“But know this: that no matter how difficult this battle might get… If you-- If anyone ever tries to do you harm… Then I will heal you. No matter when, nor how bad the wound… I hope you know… that I will always protect you. Once this whole thing is over, maybe things can go back to the way they used to be when we were young. You know…”

Link watched as she looked up at him, and there was a sadness that tinged his affection for her now. They way she looked at him, he knew. 

“Perhaps we can spend some time together.”

“I’d like that,” he said genuinely, despite knowing it was not precisely what she meant. “Once upon a time, you were my dearest friend, Mipha.” His words made her smile again. “I’d like to keep it that way, should we all survive.”

***

As the vision faded, Link was taken with a sadness, a true sadness for the first time since this had all begun -again- for him. Mipha. Sweet, kind, generous Mipha… had loved him. Not just the love of a dear childhood friend and lifetime companion, but loved him as he loved another. And now, Mipha was gone. He remembered more, more than just that vision - everything to do with Mipha. Childhood playing knights and monsters in the streams around the Zora domain, how Mipha helped him practice and train to be a knight before he’d gone off with his father to Hyrule Castle. How upon seeing she was the Champion of the Zora when they had been called to the Castle had thrilled him… how the day Calamity Ganon had taken the machines, he’d heard her screaming. 

 “I remember,” he said softly, staring no longer at the statue of Mipha in front of him, but the pool of water at his feet. His heart ached. He could not bear to be under her forgiving gaze just now. 

 Though his words were soft, they stopped Sidon mid sentence. “What is the matter Link?” the prince asked kindly. “Are you unwell?”

“I remember,” Link said again, looking up to Mipha’s litter brother, the guilt and shame that came with the hundred year old knowledge of what had once been weighting his gaze. “I remember Mipha. Everything.”

The next bit of time, Link was reserved, polite, respectful, and hearing nothing of what the elder Zora clansmen were saying of him. The King was kind, and gave him a gift that Mipha had made a century ago, ‘for her beloved’. It was no surprise to the knight that it fit perfectly. It also weighed heavily on his heart. 

Now he and Sidon were going to purify Vah Ruta, in Mipha’s memory and save the Zroa domain. After that, he could go back to Hyrule Castle, searching for answers. But none of it brought him joy, or excitement.. Or even anger. His heart was too heavy for any of that just now. But as it seemed might become a recurring theme in his life, Link was not allowed time to mourn the dead.

---

Standing over the activation panel in Vah Ruta, Link stared at it blankly for a moment. Having activated all other terminals and defeating the Waterblight beast poisoning the Divine Beast, this was the last thing to do before leaving. 

The last thing to do before he would never hear Mipha’s voice again. 

 It was bittersweet - she would be free, but it would truly be an ending… However she’d waited long enough on him to get his life together. No need to keep her waiting longer.

Touching the tablet to the panel, it lit up, and he took a step back in case something moved. Yet a sound behind him drew his attention. 

 “Hello, Link.” He startled to hear it so bright and clearly, looking around to see if he could find a source. “Because of your courage, my spirit is now free.” To his right, a greenish-blue light began to grow, and no sooner had he seen it, than the spirit flames took on the form of Mipha. 

“And Ruta as well,” she added with her gentle smile. “Thank you. For I am now allowed by that freedom, to be with you once again.” 

 Too stunned to speak, Link has a thousand things he wanted to say - that he was sorry, for failing… for everything. Sorry that he’d not been able to come sooner. Sorry that he’d failed her above all other champions… Sorry that he could not love her the way she had him. 

“Since I am now a spirit,” she said and began moving towards him, “My healing power would be wasted on me. I have no need of it. So therefore, I would like you to have it.” Link watched, his heart wrenching in his chest for the gentle kindness and generosity she had even in death. Sidon had not been able to join him inside Vah Ruta, so no one but Mipha’s spirit was there to see the dampness in his eyes as his heart broke a little for his once dear friend. 

“Please accept, Mipha’s Grace.” With her words, magic entered him, not unlike the spirit orbs to which he had become accustomed accepting inside the Trial Shrines. Vitality and soothing healing magics coursed through him, but his eyes were locked to Mipha’s spirit still. 

“Yesterday, I was awash in a pool of tears. I had nearly given up hope and resigned myself to being trapped here, as a spirit, for the rest of eternity. But now you’re here,” she said an looked up to him. He remembered well to let sweet, soft spoken Mipha finish her thoughts, even if his heart was breaking. “All this time, my hope… was to see you once more. Promise me that you will not hesitate to call upon my power if you ever find yourself in need. Knowing that… will let my spirit rest in peace.” He wanted to promise her, to swear it, and tell her how sorry he was, but his voice was lost to the lump in his throat. Instead, he gave her a firm nod. She would know. She already knew. “I must go. Ruta and I have our roles to fulfill. We are both honored to be able to play the role of support,” she said, and clutched her hands to her chest. “We will annihilate Ganon together. Farewell…” Magic glowing around him, he knew Mipha was sending him outside of the Divine Beast for some purpose… and he looked up to force words to her as a last chance, but it was Mipha that spoke. “Save her, Link. Save the princess… Save Princess Zelda.” And in a flash of warm, golden light, he was gone.

Mipha’s Touch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KPczUNIKw4 Freeing Vah Ruta - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEn1umKCQOA

[ofzeldas]

Hello i’m D and I’m bringing one of my favorite characters since I was little princess Zelda, in her version of the latest game Breath of the wild. Here are the basics:

Name: Zelda Hyrule 

Age: 23 

Pronouns: She/her 

 Occupation: Personal Assistant to the Mayor

And under the cut there is more about her canon and Echo Springs!

⁂ Canon: So the Zelda timeline is a mess, and BotW has many mysteries and time line weirdness so for the sake of simplicity for me the timeline will be: Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, Breath of the Wild. Never played a game and don’t know what that means here is a “little” summary of the canon and ofc of her ⁂

 Skyward Sword: The three ancient Goddesses that created the word bestowed a great wish-granting power: the Triforce. The Demon King Demise, a deity who had conquered time itself, laid waste to much of the land seeking to take the Triforce. The Goddess Hylia gathered the survivors and sent them into the sky, allowing her to launch a full-scale offensive against Demise. She was victorious, but the land was severely damaged. Centuries later in the city in the sky Zelda is the mayor’s daughter and her childhood friend Link is training to become a knight, she is taken away and he goes in her rescue. During this is discovered she is the resurrection of the Goddess Hylia reborn to be able to use the triforce to fight against demise who managed to come back, Link himself being the chosen hero to destroy demise. They manage to seal the demon king away but he curses Link and Zelda and their bloodlines, and says he’ll come back, and they three will be fated to repeat this fight . The city in the city lands once more.

Ocarina of Time- Many centuries later the story of demise and the city of the sky is mostly forgotten although the legends of the goddess hylia, the triforce and the hero that banishes evil are prevalent, The kingdom of Hyrule is flourishing, the royal family keeping the triforce in a safe place. The king just appointed a new advisor Ganondorf from the Gerudo, but ever since the young princess Zelda has been having prophetic dreams about a great evil taking over and she is sure Ganondorf has something to do with it but her father doesn’t believe her. She meets Link a kokiri child that sneaks into her garden and carries the kokiri emerald, she knows he is also part of what she has been dreaming and asks him to get two jewels from other races so they can open the sacred realm and be able to properly protect the triforce. Unfortunately Ganon takes over and Zelda must flee with her guardian impa leaving a message behind for Link, he gets to the sacred realm but Ganondorf uses this moment to try to take the triforce for himself. The triforce breaks, Link is put in a deep sleep and Ganon becomes the king of evil. Seven years later Link wakes up and after a long journey he and the princess Zelda fight Ganondorf (who is demise’s mortal resurection) it’s revealed that each now has a part of the triforce in them.  Ganondorf takes his real shape Ganon but Link and Zelda are successful in locking him away, Ganondorf as demise did before him curses Zelda and Link

Twilight Princess- Even more centuries pass, but Hyrule keeps being a prosperous kingdom until they are invaded by strange creatures they take Hyrule castle and force Princess Zelda to surrender and the kingdom is plunged in Darkness, she is a prisioner in her own castle and after meeting Link advises him on what to do to fight. Later is discovered that Zant the leader of the twili that invaded Hyrule was given his powers by Ganondorf and Link fights him with Zelda’s help.

Breath of the Wilde-  Many many centuries later he ancient Sheikah race had developed Hyrule into an advanced civilization, protected by four enormous animalistic machines called the Divine Beasts and an army of autonomous weapons called Guardians. When the evil Calamity Ganon appeared and threatened Hyrule, four great warriors were given the title of Champion, and each piloted one of the Divine Beasts to weaken Ganon while the princess with the blood of the goddess and her appointed knight fought and defeated him by sealing him away. Centuries later the kingdom of Hyrule had since go back  to a medieval state. Reading their ancestors' prophecies, the Hylians recognized the signs of Ganon's return and excavated surrounding areas to uncover the Divine Beasts and Guardians. During this time, Princess Zelda trained vigorously to awaken the sealing magic needed to defeat Ganon while trying to maintain her personal research. In the meantime, a knight was appointed to protect her, that being Link, who was chosen due to his ability to wield the Master Sword, also known as the Sword that Seals the Darkness. However, Ganon possessed the Guardians and Divine Beasts, turning them against Hyrule. King Rhoam and the Champions were killed, the castle town was destroyed, and Link was gravely wounded. Zelda took Link to safety for him to heal, hid the Master Sword in the Lost Woods   and used her magic to seal herself and Ganon in Hyrule Castle where she’d stay for 100 years until Link awoke once more.

-------

Echo Springs

Zelda was born in Echo Springs, her family being rather well known on town and very affluent, many members of her family being involved in politics, her own father being mayor for some time. Her mother was very loving, and Zelda was very close to her, her father although she has never doubt he loves her very much is more closed off and distant, she has always felt the need to make him proud and raise up to the expectations he and her family line have for her.

When Zelda was thirteen her mother passed away, which was devastating for her and her father as well, sadly instead of bringing them closer it brought them even further apart since neither really knew how to communicate with each other and her father dealt with his pain by focusing more on his work. What she did was to focus on her studies and researching things she liked, she found a passion in history and science though really she just loved to learn and discover things.

However those passions weren’t exactly liked by her father, sure he liked she liked to learn but he didn’t feel she was putting her time into things that really mattered. With her still wanting to please her father and the sense of responsibility to her family she felt she had she went to study law in Yale.

Some would call it luck some would call  it having connections but she secured the job of assistant to the mayor, she is good at her job and she knows her father hopes someday she will run for mayor herself she can’t say is what she really wants though she does love Echo Springs and she does want the town to be a great place for everyone to live so it wouldn’t be terrible, besides something deep down does feel she would do a good job leading but it will be in many years anyway.

In her free time she still spends time researching things that she finds interesting and she has also found a nice hobby in photography.

[heartofhryule]

Heart of Wisdom - Chapter 1

If this goes well, I will post a second chapter. I got a hankering to be zelink trash and have no shame. No reposts please. Clearly it’s just Fanfiction, but I still wrote it. Thank youz!

DISCLAIMERS: Contains Hyrule Warriors spoilers and story items. I highly recommend playing the game if you haven’t! It’s complete fluff, but fun fluff.... minus Lana. 

______________________________

Heart of Wisdom - a Tale after Hyrule Warriors | Chapter 1|

Chapter 1 - Aftermath

Having returned the Master sword to The Sacred Grounds, the rifts in the fabric of time and space healed, friends returned home and the Guardian of Time disappeared back to her vigil, now as Lana, Hyrule began to pick up the pieces left in Gannon’s wake.

Returning to Hyrule Castle shoulder to shoulder, Link was greeted with a Hero’s welcome. Hyrule Council was moved to promote the young knight, and recommended head of Castle guard. However it was the princess’s wish that the Hero of Time become her personal guard.

It had been a week since the defeat of Gannon on Hyrule Field, and Link stared out the window wistfully. Not for reliving that horrifying event - he still couldn’t get the smell out of his blue scarf despite the magic of the castle’s washer women - but because somehow fighting a primordial beast crafted from the soul of a hungry, warmongering madman and the heart of destruction seemed less painful than the tedium of a Council Meeting. After covering literally all of the new births and deaths reported from around the kingdom, the old man with the dry, boring voice droned on to the crop and livestock counts and any issues reported to the court.

It was all Link could do to stay awake without groaning.

That and watch Princess Zelda. How she managed to stay interested and sincerely focused was beyond him. But there she sat, golden hair illuminated like unto a divine halo by the morning sun and intently watching the Chamberlain list off how many goats there were in the eastern village. While he’d become accustomed to the warrior he knew her to be, Zelda was presently not dressed for battle. Instead she wore a dress of light blue with an overdress the color of an afternoon sky that made her violet-blue eyes look all the more lavender. Her crown was also not that of the war general, and while the jewels were in a similar pattern, they were red, and the gold settings were smaller and far less pointy.

Lost to his silent admiration of her for the moment, Link found himself sighing softly. What a week it had been since that moment where they had together saved Hyrule - and apparently not for the first time. Midna, of all people, had taken him aside one night before they’d fought Cia and explained everything to him so that he would not be surprised by what they found in the Temple of Souls. It was good that she had too - He was brave, but that entire experience had been beyond upsetting. Midna had explained that while he was not the Link she had known, his soul was, and that he was bound to the Goddess Hylia - alive in the blood and soul of the beautiful Princess sitting next to him and discussing more livestock with her Chamberlain.

He’d felt it, the moment she’d looked at him in the courtyard, while the soldiers were talking, wondering what the princess was doing ‘wasting her time’ with them, he’d felt it. Felt that her eyes were on and only for him… as his were for her. He’d not even noticed Impa until they were called away. At the time he’d dismissed it as his romantic heart and overactive imagination, yet after talking with Midna, things made a lot more sense.

But then this week had not gone how he’d hoped. As the head of the Princess’s personal guard, he’d expected to spend more time… well… around the Princess. instead he’d been given an exhaustive course on the Castle grounds, tactics, battlements, secret passages and every inch of grey stone and gardens Impa could dig up and claim was the Castle. He’d also been made to memorize every weapon, shield, harness, buckle and grommet in the Armory, every face on staff, even having had Impa throw in a few impostors to try and trip him up, but while he’d passed every challenge she’d flung at him with flying colors, by the time he made it anywhere near Zelda’s chambers, she was asleep for the evening and he could not enter, instead merely guarding her door.

Summoned to her chamber this morning had made his heart thrill with excitement, but he’d walked in to find Impa…. Again…. There with the princess when he’d been requested as her escort to the council meeting. But he’d smiled, eyes only for Zelda, and accepted on one knee, as was expected of him. He did so wish that he could have a moment to talk with her. They had spoken many times over the last months. Candidly by the campfire on the side of Death Mountain, in the safety of the Goddess Statue when they’d had to regroup in Skyloft, and many more times now that he knew his conversations with Sheik had also been her - but never about their pasts that he now knew, and wondered idly if she did.

That was what had done it. Certainly she was beautiful and strong. But Sheik he had considered a friend. Funny, wise, intelligent and with scathing humor when only he seemed to be paying attention, Link had known he was dangerously close to love when Zelda revealed she had been Sheik all along.

And somehow he’d known? But then if he listened to Midna, that’s because he did know, because he knew her. And it wasn’t so strange that he loved her so easily, so quickly. He’d loved her, and she him, in many life times.

Now, only if he could get her alone to speak with her. He had no idea where they stood currently, if she knew or had any inclination to their histories beyond what they’d seen in Gannon and Lana. Maybe after this meeting…

He watched as her eyes flicked to him briefly, and her expression softened from the grim intensity she’d been wearing since the meeting had been called to order. In fact, the corners of her eyes seemed to turn up in a secret smile just for him, causing the Hero’s heart to tense violently and reaffirm his hope.

-

Zelda was so aware of the way Link continued to watch her, it was all she could do to stay focused. He looked tired, and she wanted to comfort him. He’d been so busy over the last week she’d hardly been able to see him. That was until this morning. She’d been observing his tasks and duties since her decree for him to be her personal guard, and those observations lead her to have a meeting with Impa that morning.

She’d sat in her bedchamber, playing her harp softly as she waited for her most trusted companion to arrive, smiling at the idea this conversation was even necessary. She knew it was from a place of good, but… well it was going to stop.

The knock heralded Impa’s arrival a moment before Zelda stood and bid her enter. The General of the Hyrulean army came in and bowed politely, but in her respectfully informal manner. “Majesty,” Impa said standing, “What calls me to you so early this morning? Have the nightmares returned?”

Zelda smiled gently and shook her head. “No, my friend. I am well. However I must ask you something.”

“Anything, Highness.”

“For what reason are you keeping our Hero so busy that I have been unable to speak with him in more than seven days and nights?”

Impa gulped and visibly looked… well guilty. She knew better than to lie to Zelda. Triforce or not, reading people was a speciality of the Princess’s. “Highness… I, well you see, Zelda-” The Princess listened with a gentle smile. She knew what it was. Impa felt responsible for Zelda. Since the death of her parent’s at a young Age, Impa had been Zelda’s guardian. She was like a mentor, an older sister, Zelda’s dearest friend.

Walking forward and setting her harp on the bed, Zelda smiled, taking Impa’s hand in both of hers. “Impa, your concern for my heart and virtue is appreciated. You are my dearest friend. But I am no longer a girl, and wish to make my own decisions, even if they become mistakes. I am a woman now. A Princesss-”

“And the reincarnation of the Goddess,” Impa pointed out, eyes squeezed shut against her stinging chagrin.

“Yes.”

“And the Royalty of Hyrule.”

“Yes.”

“And looking at a peasant boy trainee as if he hung the moon and stars.”

Smiling more broadly, Zelda shook her head. “He is a knight… and The Hero. My Hero.”

“Yes but-”

“No Impa,” Zelda said and reached up to cup her friend and guardian’s face, willing the magic of the triforce and the goddess to aid her. “Remember…”

When it happened, when Impa’s mind opened to the times she’d shared a life with them, when she’d aided their quests against the Darkness, Zelda felt it. Tears streaming down Impa’s cheeks she met Zelda’s eyes. “Your Hero,” she said, a new understanding taking root in the Sheikah’s mind. “You you hardly know him in this life.”

“And I don’t think that’s much going to change if you keep him so busy I never get to see him, do you?” Zelda urged, but with a kind smile and laugh. “Now, why don’t we summon him to escort me to the meeting, and then perhaps our Hero can have the day off from memorizing the kitchen pans, yes?”

And there they sat, Zelda giving genuine responses and answers while equally counting the heartbeats until they were done. His gaze was like the caress of fairy’s wings over her skin, the likes of which she found exceedingly distracting. Finally the Council meeting was called to an end, and each of the members paid their respects before exiting the chamber. As soon as the last eyes were off them, Zelda slumped back in her chair and sighed.

Suddenly Link was beside her. “Highness?” he said taking her hand. “Are you alright? Faint? Can I get you anything?”

“Not unless you have a way to make our dear Chamberlain less boring,” she said softly, squeezing his hand. She felt his pause as his mind shifted gears from concern to amusement. Taking a knee, he rest his elbow on the arm of her chair, and chin in the bend of his resting elbow. She also noted he did not remove his hand from hers.

“That would be a true miracle, I think,” Link grinned softly, facing beaming up to her. The warmth in his gaze as she met his clear, crystal blue eyes made her blush. He was so very handsome, and adorable when he looked at her like that. “No greater a miracle than having a moment to myself with you, though.”

“I have addressed that with Impa,” Zelda promised with a soft smile. “Your duties will steer more now towards actually protecting me.”

“Not that you need it,” he chuckled. “I’ve seen you with a sword. And hope to never be on your bad side.”

She smiled and turned in her chair to face him full on, her heart skipping with giddy excitement to finally be alone with him. She wanted to ask him what he knew, what he remembered once the timelines had merged. But she hadn’t the first clue how to start. “Link, I want to ask you,” she said and leaned a bit forward.

Her Hero, in his newly cleaned and pressed green tunic leaned up from where his chin had been resting and over the arm with a hopeful smile. “Anything, Princess.”

“Zelda.”

“Hmm?”

“Please, when not in formal court, please just call me Zelda.” She watched as a smile blossomed over his face, chasing chill bumps from her head to her toes.

“Of course, Zelda. Was that what you wanted to ask?”

“No, I-”

But a knock at the chamber interrupted her and they both jumped up to attention, Zelda with her back straight and hands folded delicately once more in her lap, Link standing straight up aside her chair, hands behind his back. Impa came in rapidly  storming across the room and looking nonplussed. “Highness,” she said needing her stride by taking a knee. “We have a problem.”