Chapter Text
"Link...do what you must!" Zelda's voice echoed all around him and reverberated in his skull as the gigantic eye poking out of the Beast Ganon looked around. Gripping the reigns of the horse of legend tightly, Link led it to small hill nearby. Barely dodging the blasts coming from the beast, He gulped and ran his horse up the hill as fast as he could and ordered it to jump. Link's heart pounded violently in his chest as he jumped off the horses back, caught the wind the flames made from blast attacks, and flew upward with his gifted glider. Once he reached the perfect height he let go of his paraglider, quickly pulled the bow of light out and shot a single arrow to the giant beast's eye.
The arrow hit the eye dead on, Link's job was done. It was all over.
The Knight watched as Zelda gracefully floated out of the malice and destruction that was Calamity Ganon and floated her way down to solid ground. He ran to her, Master Sword in hand as the blood of the Goddess ran through her veins and made the golden light illuminate her skin as she reached a hand up to the gigantic monster. He stood by her side as she fearlessly looked the beast in the eye, as it writhed in pain and anguish, as it roared and lunged for her. He stood there as he watched her destroy him once and for all, banishing him away using the golden sealing powers of the Goddess. The reddish burgundy color in the sky cleared up almost immediately and finally, all seemed well.
The princess turned around with a tired smile on her face. "Link...," She took a step forward but her legs gave out beneath her and she fell, thankfully Link's reflexes never failed him and caught her, "Link..." Zelda breathed out again. Her smile widened but something was off, Link could feel it. A certain light was leaving her eyes and it made the hylian knight panic. Link propped her up and put his sword away as he tried to think of what he had on his person that could help the Princess. A wild berry crepe? Some monster cake? Fairy tonic? He looked around wildly as if someone, anyone, would be close to help. But no, no one would be. No one would be insane enough to be out on Hyrule field when a giant raging boar monster made of thousands of years of anger and demise was out. The princess blinked slowly and stared up at the hero. "Not once did I lose faith in you. I always knew you would come back." Link's mind was still racing, making it hard for him to make a decision. Maybe he could quickly make some sort of elixir? He could use the scales of the dragons and maybe the rare Silent Princess, perhaps throw in a fairy? Did he even have fairies? "The courage in you burns as hot as Death Mountain. You are Hyrule's light. You have saved us, your family has saved us, for countless generations." No no no, he didn't save anyone. Zelda sealed the terror away, she kept it at bay for a century. All link did was rescue some ghosts and beat him down. "The royal family is forever in your debt." Zelda breathed out shakily, frowning a bit. "However I'm afraid we may never repay you..." Mipha's grace could heal her. But how could he use the gift given to him on someone else? He couldn't exactly ask Mipha for help... "As strange as it may seem I'm quite happy with this outcome. Calamity Ganon is defeated and all the malice and pain he has brought is gone as well." The Princess sighed happily as her gaze shifted from Link to the clear sky.
"It may have taken a long time. It may have taken the lives of many...the lives of those we care for...but now we can rest easy knowing that the darkness that once loomed over our great kingdom is gone and will not return for a very, very long time." She coughed and continued. "Do you think my father would be proud of me, Link? Do you think...our friends, the champions, would be proud? Urbosa? Revali? Daruk? Mipha? What about the Goddesses? Do you think they're proud of me now? Of us? I guess it doesn't matter if I ask you. I'm closer to seeing them." Tears began welling up in the princess's eyes. She was beginning to question whether or not she was really dying, the talking didn't make it seem so but she knew she was as her body became more relaxed by the second. Link, however, was fully panicking. Adrenaline coursed through his veins again as he quickly lifted her up to carry her in his arms and sprinted to his horse.
"Link," Zelda cupped the hero's cheek with her hand, "You have done so much for me, for Hyrule. You've carried an enormous weight on your shoulders and you've carried it well. But now I'm afraid you have to carry one more..." Link shook his head as he rested the princess on top of the horse and climbed on himself. He leaned her against him and kicked the horse, signalling it to start running at top speed down the path. "I will not be able to run the kingdom. There is no other kin of the royal family...I'm entrusting you," she had to pause for a moment to catch her breath, "to be the next ruler. You must lead us back to our once prosperous state. You must do this, please." Link shook his head rapidly as he tried to decide where to go. Kakariko village? Zora's Domain? Which one had the better doctors? Which one was closer? Rito Village maybe? A stable? Should he just make a break for the shrine of resurrection? Maybe in this moment of desperation the many different shrines could make an exception this one time and allow Zelda and himself transport to different locations? Without thinking about it any further he guided his horse to the path that led to Kakariko Village. Looking down at the dying princess in his hands, a strangled sob escaped him. This couldn't be happening, this shouldn't be happening. She was the princess, she had the blood of a goddess, she can't die. If she dies then what of the Kingdom? What of Link?
"I'm sorry." She weakly wiped the knight's tears away and smiled as softly as she could muster. "I didn't want this for you but..." She paused, letting out a small sob. "Please Link, you are Hyrule's final hope. You're the last person I can trust my— our home to." Her tears were streaming out of her eyes and dripping away in the wind. "And thank you." Zelda wheezed and closed her eyes, dropping her hand. "For protecting me all this time."
From there on until he reached the village, time seemed to go slower. He continued signaling to his horse to go faster but it didn't seem to go any faster. His heartbeat however, was racing. Perhaps faster than the horse. No, definitely faster. All he could think about was himself really, and how he had just failed the only thing he had to do in life. Here was Link. The Hero of Hyrule, holding the princess in his arms. He didn't want to think about how he couldn't feel her breath on his arm anymore or how limp she was. At one point he let go of the reigns and shakily pulled out some fairy tonic to try to desperately make the limp princess drink it in hopes of it working. It didn't.
Racing into the village, Link paid no attention to the villagers or the travelers as they jumped out of the speeding horse's way. He paid no attention to them as he leapt off the horse with the princess still in his arms and ran up the stairs to Impa's home. The only thing he did pay attention to was how Impa had apparently already instructed Paya to prepare a bed right under the painting of the battle ground where the guardians rested. She was prepared for this outcome and it terrified Link to think that Zelda had known of her fate all along. The second Link laid Zelda down Paya offered her condolences before hesitantly shooing him out of the house as Impa slowly stood up and walked to where the princess was laying. Link tried to protest but Paya was persistent and eventually he was locked out. While out the house he was mobbed by a crowd of villagers. They threw question after question at him, asking him who the girl was, was she okay, is it over. He didn't speak however (not like he ever did), he just stood there and stared at the door, hoping Zelda would burst through them at any second to announce that her death was just an exaggeration. Eventually enough time passed and the crowd disbanded but Link still stood there, still hoping. The Korok that usually hung around the small statues waddled over and brought him an apple and Link accepted it however he couldn't exactly eat it. No, his nerves were taking up every inch of available space in his gut. Instead he squished the poor fruit, leaving him with juice all over his hands and an extremely disfigured apple in his fist. Finally, after what felt like an eternity Paya opened the door and allowed the Hylian in.
Zelda was still laying there. Her hair was combed and a flower crown made entirely of silent princesses decorated her head. Link wanted to vomit. Impa, who was sat in her usual place, beckoned Link forward.
"I'm sure you know what I'm about to say, Link." He nodded slowly, his hands clenching into tight fists. It was difficult not looking over to the princess and it was difficult to resist the urge to burst into tears but he did resist and stayed as stoic as ever. Just like he was trained to be. "Now don't beat yourself up over it." Impa's voice shook, Link could hear it. She was struggling as hard as he was. "You did everything you could. And judging by the way her mouth was tinted pink you still tried to do more. Her death..." She stopped, sighed quietly, and continued, "had nothing to do with you. Spending one hundred years constantly using an intense godly power depleted her life span greatly, but she hung on long enough to...," the old woman closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling, this only made it harder for Link to keep it together, "to fulfill her true duty." Out of the corner of his eye Link could see Paya cover the princess's body with a golden sheet before heading upstairs. He was silently grateful for that, at least now he didn't have to see the results of his colossal failure.
"Link," Impa stood up and walked over to the knight, "before I go any further just know that I think you will be a fine ruler to Hyrule." Link blinked and looked at the woman in slight confusion. She smiled warmly, sadly, and responded, "A hundred years ago when it was you on your death bed, Zelda sent a message to me saying that if she happened to perish at any point and you did awaken from your slumber that you were to be the next ruler. If I were unavailable of course. I can only assume that she told you this before she took her place among the Goddesses." Paya walked back downstairs, a bag strapped onto her back. Impa walked over to her granddaughter. They spoke for a moment before Paya hesitantly walked over to Link, hugged him briefly, and quickly ran out the house. Impa returned to her seat.
"I just sent her out to the Dueling Peaks Stable. She'll return shortly, she's only going to hire a couple of the stable workers to ride around the kingdom and deliver messages to the smaller towns...to prepare for the Princess's funeral. Now your task is similar. Only you will visit the Divine Beast's homes and notify them." Link nodded though the look of discomfort on his face was quite obvious. "I understand. You believe I am going a bit too fast and not exactly allowing you to mourn for Zelda before already making preparations for her funeral, not only that but having to tell the four great Kingdoms is something of great discomfort, correct?" Link nodded a bit. "Again, I understand, but we must...we must start now. I don't enjoy saying this but planning this will be both a distraction and help us deal with the fact that one of the last survivors of the Calamity is now gone. It will be good for the kingdom and it will be good for you. It may not seem like it now but believe in me when I say it is." Another nod from the knight and Impa patted his arm. "This may have seem harsh or just plain unemphatic but please, put some faith in me."
Link stood silently and waited as Impa slowly made her way upstairs and back downstairs. She returned with a small, light bag. She explained that inside of it were just some letters explaining the current situation. Link's task was to deliver the messages and answer any questions if he could. Of course he wasn't obliged to, Impa clearly explained in her letters that the poor boy just had the princess die in his very arms and he shouldn't be pushed to answer any sort of question if it made him uncomfortable. The old woman smiled and handed Link a small covered pot which contained some nice meaty stew. It wasn't anything fancy but Link smiled and hugged her tightly, grateful for the gift.
"Go on now," Impa led him slowly to the doors, "I will wait for your return but for now I will say goodbye and I'm sorry." She hugged Link tightly once more, the gesture making Link tear up just a bit before letting go, smiling warmly, and closing the doors behind him.