Epilogue

"Karane," Zelda laughed, spitting her friend's auburn hair out of her mouth, her arms slung around Karane's shoulders. "I'm fine."

"I know, I just," she sniffled, her arms still wrapped around Zelda's waist so tight it was a struggle to breathe. "I was so worried. We were all so worried."

"It didn't help that Link kept coming back covered in blood," Pipit said, the joke falling a little flat on Zelda but Groose found it amusing. He was standing beside Link as Owlan and Heron fussed over him, Heron literally offering to give Link the shirt off his back since his was covered in blood.

"Your dad would have had an absolute fit if he saw you like this," Heron mumbled, shaking his head as he Owlan continued to examine Link's skin through the open parts of his tunic. "Do you remember when you were four, and you broke your leg?"

Link shook his head, but Owlan chuckled. "I remember that. I'd never seen your mom get angry before, but your dad was in a panic, saying you wouldn't be able to walk. She threw him out of my office because she didn't want him to scare you. It was so funny, seeing your dad cowed by your mom when she was always so calm. Sort of how you are now."

Zelda watched Link nod, a small smile on his face, less pained than it would have been even six months ago. That was one thing she wanted to ask the Sheikah when they found them eventually, if they'd ever come across a man or a woman who had fallen, or anyone from Skyloft who'd fallen over the ages they'd been up there. Perhaps they had a gravesite, or at least Link would know they had been taken care of after they fell, though part of Zelda wondered if this was for her own resolution to grief rather than for Link.

Karane finally released her, Zelda watching her fold herself into Pipit's arms. She had so many questions, how they got together, when they got together, all things she'd have to talk to Karane about when she had a moment to breathe. It didn't seem like one would be coming soon, though this wasn't a bad thing.

Zelda's father embraced her again, though not as tightly as he had when they'd first walked out of the temple. She'd been raw with emotion, having said goodbye to Impa in the past, then again in the temple during their own time. Seeing the bracelet on the wrist of the old woman hadn't been a complete shock, but Zelda still felt surprised. She'd wanted to ask her questions, so many running through her head, but they'd only had a few minutes of time before Impa's presence had faded away, her task completed, the Goddess calling her home after so many years.

"When your people return, if they return, or if you and Link are the only ones who stay here… I would ask that you seek out my fellows. The Sheikah. We have been sworn to serve the Goddess since she first walked this world and as her incarnation, we are sworn to serve-"

"I don't need anyone to serve me," Zelda had protested, but Impa had squeezed her hands in her ancient ones and smiled.

"It is an honor, it is in our blood. They will welcome you and will want to help you and the others get settled, it will be an adjustment, as I'm sure you know."

Somewhere inside her, Zelda did know this. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, settling on the surface, but it would have to be done. They couldn't survive any longer on their island. With the power of the Triforce gone, it would eventually become uninhabitable, the older part of Zelda still amazed the Skyloftians had survived and thrived for as long as they had.

She felt strange, though she supposed that was to be expected. The soul of a Goddess was fused with her own, Hylia's memories and feelings mixing with her own. There had been moments where she'd felt overwhelmed by a strange sense of nostalgia, like when she'd set her eyes on the statue of the Goddess and when she'd walked through the courtyard. Those had been Hylia's feelings, Zelda confused why the sight of something she'd seen every day since childhood made her weep. Her tears over seeing her father again, Zelda losing her breath when they'd embraced, those made more sense.

Zelda wasn't the only one who'd had tears since they'd returned to this time. Groose had gone silent and buried his face in his hands when Impa had vanished before them, having spent all of his time on the surface with her. Zelda didn't have any words of comfort for him, nor had Link, so they'd just sat beside him on the stairs for a long time until he announced he was ready to leave. Though they hadn't left at that moment.

Link had turned away from both of them to head to the back of the temple, where the sword - his sword - was mounted in stone, shrouded in heavenly light. He'd stayed a long while, silently staring, both Zelda and Groose giving him space.

"Do you think… we should say something?" Groose had asked when Link knelt down in front of the sword, Zelda wondering if he was praying. She shook her head, glancing up at Groose, still surprised by the care in his eyes. So much had changed since she'd been on this journey, and almost all of it had nothing to do with her.

"I think, out of all of us, Link is the one with the most experience in grieving. I say we just let him be until he's ready."

Groose had nodded, standing beside Zelda in a silent vigil while Link mourned not only the loss of his sword but the spirit inside it.

"I feel naked," Link admitted later when all the chaos over their return had settled down, his legs dangling over the edge of the statue's hands, the harp on his lap. "Not physically, but… it feels like a part of me is missing. Or that… I describe it. But I feel naked."

Zelda sat beside him, the pair of them having retreated up to the statue where they finally had a free moment. Groose had agreed to show Karane and Pipit around, along with Cawlin and Stritch, who'd followed the others down when Heron called a few of the Knights to order after the statue fell. Heron, Eagus, and Corvus went with Zelda's father to examine the immediate area, while Owlan volunteered to go back to Skyloft and keep everyone informed of what was happening.

"Do you think it's also because you need a new shirt?" Zelda teased, trying for some humor but frowning when Link pursed his lips. She let out a long sigh, looking at the empty baldric around his chest. "I've heard that when every knight has his sword made, Gondo takes all of their specifications into account. I'm sure that… when you decide to make one…"

Link nodded, swinging his feet idly, the action childlike. It made Zelda smile, and she slid closer to Link until their shoulders were touching.

"I should have taken Heron up on his offer," Link murmured after a few moments of silence. "Made him walk around the woods without a shirt on."

"It would have been pretty funny," Zelda agreed, laughing softly when Link smiled. "I sort of wish I could be there if they come across any of the Kikwi's, more for their reaction than anything."

"That would be fun, but I agree with what they said, I'm a bit too tired to go walking all over the woods right now," he said, looking at her over his shoulder, cheeks pink under the blood streaking them. Zelda smiled back, pulling the sleeve of her dress over her fist and wiping it across his face, trying to clean what she could off his face and neck. Link allowed it, never wincing, though Zelda did the more she wiped away. There were no obvious injuries, whatever magic she'd used to heal him - Hylia's magic - had resolved the worst of them, but there were yellowish bruises underneath darker ones on his cheeks. She could only imagine what the rest of him looked like.

"I'm sure it's pleasant sitting next to me," he said with a small grin. "I'm sweaty and bloody. The knight of your dreams."

Zelda laughed and wrinkled her nose playfully. "Well, there is a lake over there, I could always push you in it. Probably safer than pushing you off this statue."

Link laughed, Zelda grinning at him, though her chest and throat both went tight when she recalled that day, Zelda releasing Link's chin to fiddle with her hands in her lap.

"What do you think we should do with it?" Zelda asked, looking over her shoulder at the glowing Triforce behind them. Link followed her gaze, expression calm as he stared at the artifact. "I said I wanted to stay here and keep it safe, but you claimed it, so I'm not sure-"

"That only means I need to watch out for it too," he said quietly. "I don't… I think we should keep it to ourselves, or just a few others. I don't want everyone knowing about it."

"I agree," Zelda murmured, the glowing triangles shimmering, as though they knew they were being discussed. "But what should we do with it?"

"Put it back?" Link suggested. "That… what's under this statue, it's well guarded. I don't know how to get into it now that's buried but I'm sure we could figure that out later if we needed. But I think it should be kept there for now."

"Is it just a temple?"

Link shook his head, looking up at the Triforce again. "No, it's… more than that. I can't explain it, it's like a place between places. But whatever it is, it'll be safe there for now. That's where Hylia kept it after all."

Before Zelda could nod, or before Link could issue any sort of wish or command, the Triforce behind them seemed to sense their intentions, fading back into the stone, the statue shuddering as it moved to the place Link had described. His eyes widened, flicking to Zelda for confirmation that he'd just seen. She nodded, and he shook his head.

"Speaking of magic, what did you do to me?"

Zelda stared down at her hands, flexing her fingers open and closed. "I healed you, I'm guessing."

"That… might come in handy."

"Why? You plan on repeatedly injuring yourself?"

Link smiled. "I don't know, you gonna shove me off the statue again?"

"Link, about that… I'm..." Zelda said, watching as he stood up, offering her his hand and pulling her so she was facing him. He was smirking slightly at her, eyes moving over her face, the ache for him Zelda had felt for so long returning in an almost violent manner, as though it didn't belong just to her.

"We should probably… go down now."

"I'm sorry?" Zelda asked, the flood images that filled her head making her blush. Link gestured to the ground below, the empty courtyard where he'd landed after receiving her sailcloth.

"Go back down? I mean… I like it up here, but I… haven't eaten in at least a day, and you haven't-"

"Oh, right. Right. Yeah, we should get you some food. I probably should have some too."

Link nodded, looking amused by something as he pulled out his sailcloth. Zelda looked to the sky, where Blue and his Crimson Bird were fluttering in the distance. She put her fingers to her lips, whistling loudly, but neither bird moved from their spot.

"The wind might carry different down here," she said. "Maybe they can't hear us."

Link shrugged, staring over the edge of the statue's hands. "We can jump. If this sailcloth can slow Groose and I as much as it did, you and I will be a piece of cake."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because you are tiny compared to Groose," Link chuckled, giving Zelda a smile that made her cheeks warm. "Come on."

"Are you sure about this?" Zelda asked as she put her arms around Link's waist, fisting her hands into what was left of his tunic as she looked over the edge. "It seems like a long way down."

"It is, especially when you're not expecting it."

Zelda turned to him, watching him snort at the horrified look she was giving him. "Link, I wasn't… I got really... nervous. And I didn't think you would jump, and the longer I stood there the more nervous I got so I just-"

"I'm not mad," Link assured her, pulling the sailcloth out from his hip.

"I know, but I still feel bad because it wasn't very… it wasn't nice of me to do that just 'cause I was nervous. What if you'd gotten hurt or-"

"I trusted your sailcloth. I trusted you made it right so... it wasn't like you pushing me when I knew my bird wasn't there."

Zelda scoffed, offended when Link laughed at her. She shook him gently but didn't let go, wanting to keep him as close, even if he was being annoying. "As if I don't feel bad about that too."

Link shrugged. "You shouldn't."

"But I do. And why shouldn't I?"

Link smirked, putting his arm around her shoulders, Zelda shrieking when he leaned too far, and they tumbled off the edge of the statue.

Every instinct she had told her to spread her arms and legs out wide. That's what she'd been taught as a child, since the moment she could walk. It was instinctual, and fighting against it made her feel sick. But Zelda held tight to Link's tunic, wrapping her arms around his chest, her legs trying to find his to hold on as well. It felt like ages, like too many seconds, the ground hurtling toward them, tiles on the stone courtyard beneath Hylia's feet becoming clearer and close enough that Zelda could see the faint pink and blue coloring on-

A sudden jolt and Zelda gripped Link even tighter, noticing that one of his legs had wrapped around hers as he whipped out the sailcloth and their descent slowed. She exhaled in a huff, cursing under her breath when she heard him snickering quietly as they landed in the stone center. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she swatted him on the arm, pouting when he continued to laugh.

"That wasn't funny. You startled me. What if I wasn't holding onto you tight enough or-"

"I had my arm around you. I wasn't going to let go," Link said as he put away the sailcloth, his arm still pointedly around her shoulders. Zelda frowned and poked him hard in the chest.

"Still, that wasn't funny." Link raised his eyebrows at her and Zelda sighed. "But… I suppose I deserved that."

Link laughed again while she glared, pulling her close and pressing his face into her hair. Zelda's grip on him softened, her arms still around his waist, his around her shoulders. Not tight, but enough that he had her pressed into him, Zelda able to smell the rusty scent of blood, the saltiness of sweat, and underneath it all the faint hint of syrup. She lifted her eyes, Link staring down at her, neither of them moving to break apart.

They were close, unnecessarily so now that they were on the ground. Zelda's heartbeat picked up and she found herself staring into his eyes, blue as the sky above them and just as comforting. She could get lost for hours in those eyes. She had in fact, so many times that she'd stopped counting years ago.

"Why did you get nervous?" Link asked, breaking the silence that hung between them.

"What?"

"During the ceremony. Why were you nervous?"

Zelda swallowed, heart quickening again. "Weren't you? You had to jump off the statue."

"I was, but it… it wasn't because of the jumping," he admitted.

"Was it cause you thought we'd mess up? Or that I'd… mess up the prayer or the song?"

"Is that why you were-"

"No, no it's… no, it wasn't," Zelda murmured. She chewed her lip and stared at her hands, their position against Link's chest and how she could feel him breathing. She swallowed and tucked her hair back, looking up at his face, at his eyes and the way they studied her, his lips as they pressed together softly.

"I told you after, when we were flying, that there was something I wanted to talk to you about," Zelda mumbled, her own lips pressing together as she stared up at Link. "I was going to say... I should have probably done it sooner, but maybe it was good that I didn't considering everything that…"

She trailed off, Link patiently waiting, squeezing her gently around the shoulders. Zelda took a breath, steeling her courage to say the words that had been nesting inside her for so long.

"But it's over now, and we're here, and I… Link, I wanted to… I need to tell you how-"

Zelda was cut off, Link not allowing her to finish, which might have been a good thing since she wasn't sure how to phrase everything in her head. How to tell Link she loved him, that throughout everything he was always on her mind, that there were times she dreamed about nothing other than his face. Was it the right thing to say? Maybe it would be too much for Link, too overwhelming after everything and she should take things slower.

As it turned out, Link had no interest in taking things slowly, and he put everything Zelda wanted to stay in to a simple action when he squeezed his arm tight around her shoulders and pulled her to him, tipping his head to press his lips hard against hers.

Zelda leaned in, relishing Link's ardent sigh and the feel his chest under her palms. She could taste the sweetness of his breath, feel the warmth of his body, and when he lifted his hand to cradle her face Zelda whimpered, her fingers tightening in his tunic.

But just as she'd started to pull him even closer, Link pulled back, panting softly and dropping his forehead against hers, a suddenly apologetic look on his face as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't - I've wanted to kiss you for so long, and I should have asked but you were just there and close and I couldn't-"

"Why'd you stop?"

Link paused, exhaling softly, opening his eyes to look at her. "I…. I didn't want to do anything you don't like."

"I don't like that you stopped," Zelda mumbled, pulling him closer by the collar of his shirt.

Link sighed into her mouth, turning to face her completely, one hand sliding into her hair and the other wrapping around her waist. He tilted his head, kissing her deeper, Zelda relishing how they fit together like puzzle pieces made for each other. She looped one arm around his neck, her other hand sliding to his jaw as he pulled her even closer.

Amidst the desire she felt, the incredible relief at having this urge satiated after so much time dreaming about it, part of Zelda was amused. Not by the kiss itself (though Zelda made a mental note to thank Kina for helping teach Link how to kiss so well) but by how desperately Link kissed her, while still making sure to avoid bumping her with his nose.

Eventually, the thought became too much, and Zelda found herself consumed by a giggle, Link pulling back to stare at her, his eyes a little glazed over and hand still in her hair.

"What's funny?" he asked, looking slightly concerned. Zelda smiled, her hand cradling his jaw when she leaned up to kiss his nose first, then pulled his forehead down to hers.

"Your nose isn't in the way."

Link breathed out a laugh, smiling as he leaned in again to kiss her again, the feel of it sending Zelda's head spinning. The sounds of the birds around them, the courtyard itself, it all began to fade away. They were alone for once, no one else around to interrupt, the only thing Zelda caring about at this moment was Link and his hands in her hair, the feel of his lips, and the warmth of his body against hers.

She didn't know how long they kissed, only that whenever he stopped she felt hollow inside, an ache that was only soothed when he brought his mouth to hers again. His arms were around her waist now and his face cupped between her hands, the two of them breathing slowly.

"What now?" Link whispered against her lips when they stopped to breathe, his eyes closed as he rested his forehead against hers. Zelda shrugged, her fingers toying with the ends of Link's hair.

"I don't know. I don't care. There are things I want but I only want them if I can have them with you. I don't want to be anywhere else but where you are."

Link smiled and blushed, his cheeks a dull crimson in the fading sunlight. "As if I'd go away from you now."

Zelda grinned and kissed his nose, giggling when he leaned forward to kiss her firmly but quickly on the lips. "Then I don't care where we go, or whatever happens. We can handle it together, just like we always have."

Link smiled gently, his cheeks pink under her palms. He took her hand away from his jaw, toying with her fingers before linking his pinky inside hers and kissing her knuckle. "Promise?"

Zelda beamed, squeezing his fingers softly, leaning up to kiss him on the nose once more.

"I promise."

Notes:

I don't know what to say. This has been such a journey for me and so much has come out of it. The response I've gotten, the support from all of you and hands-on editing and support and encouragement from truly incredible people, has made me decide to try and have some of my original work published. I've joined a local writers group, and I have several things in progress that I hope to submit. It could be a pipe dream, and it doesn't mean I'm giving up writing other things like fanfic, but that's where I'm focusing. If it does happen, I'll be sure to post something on my Tumblr and Twitter so people can check it out, cause heaven knows I could use the support.

And speaking of support, thank you all for your kind words, your endless cheers, the kudos, the hashtag commentary, the reblogs, the pages long reviews that I would re-read when I was having really dark days. You have no idea how much it means to me that you all found enjoyment in my little story, that it brought you a smile, a laugh, or some tears. It means the world and I appreciate everyone who has reached out to me and the community I've been able to form. Thank you over and over again. I adore you all.