Zelda shot awake, propping herself up on the cold stone floor of the Shrine of Resurrection until her breathing could keep up with such sudden, intense activity.
I fell asleep?! How could I have fallen asleep?!
"Oh! There you are, Your Highness, did you sleep well?" Impa moved from her bloodstained sister towards Zelda.
"How could you have let me fall asleep?! The world is literally ending!"
"You were exhausted, Your Highness."
"You fell asleep on your own, Impa soothed you a little after Link..." Purah sighed and gestured to the sealed chamber. "And anyways... you needed to be still while we patched up that wound of yours. Kinda hard to move when asleep, right?"
All their eyes swept over to the stitches in Zelda's lower stomach, a hastily closed wound that lacked any dressing. Some sort of fluid seeped out of the remaining slits in her skin, she tried not to mind it.
Purah's face bore an uncertain demeanor, she had little pride in the job she'd done. "How are you feeling?"
Zelda signed loudly, pressing her fingers to her forehead. "I'm not sure." She spent a few moments evaluating her newfound headache before shoving herself upwards.
"Princess! Please do not act rashly!" Impa attempted to hold her still, but she shoved past without a missed beat.
She grasped the tattered Master Sword from where she'd dropped it earlier and quickly evaluated the damage. "Hyrule grows closer to destruction with each passing moment. We cannot just stand by!"
"But, Your Highness!"
"No! This is my kingdom and I cannot allow it to fall!" Zelda gasped once for air and stumbled a little, eyes landing on the back of her right hand. "I was once incapable of such a task, and many perished because of it... but no more. I stand now, ready and willing. I only ask you would assist the survivors."
Although she noticed that Zelda was in no state to act, Purah nodded, aware of the princess' stubbornness. "Give us our orders and we will gladly follow."
"Purah, I task you with monitoring Link's recovery. I trust you with his life as if it were my own."
"Yes, Princess."
"And Impa," Zelda turned rather quickly to look her advisor in the eyes, placing a hand on her stomach to maintain balance. "I trust you to take care of the remaining Sheikah as I would. There's a chance... I may not return tonight."
Tears welled in the eyes of all three of them. "We'll be praying for you..." Impa assured. "...take care of yourself... and the little one, they're our best hope for Hyrule's future."
"I will... and thank you." Zelda wiped her eyes, looked once more where Link laid and headed out.
The burning landscape swallowed her whole line of sight as she headed out, more tears blurring her vision as she walked back into uncertainty. While Zelda couldn't see the Korok Forest from where she stood, she knew it lay between Death Mountain and the now Malice-ensnared castle.
The castle... Zelda's home...
What happened to Father? Is he alright? Did he escape when Ganon revived? Or... is he with Mother?
No, she couldn't let herself become distracted. As the last survivor of the six-person anti-Calamity team and as the last descendant of Hylia, Hyrule was counting on her.
The Sword was damaged, but she believed it would work in a pinch. Her powers were her main source of defense; hopefully, she wouldn't need her husband's weapon... for she was a weapon.
YOU ARE READING
Saying Goodbye
Fanfiction"....How? ....How did it come to this? The Divine Beasts... the Guardians.... they've all turned against us. It was... Calamity Ganon. It turned them all against us!" The Kingdom of Hyrule had been preparing for Ganon's return since Zelda was only m...
