Summary: Mipha and Link visit Hyrule Castle so Link can explain what happened. Afterward, Link visits the castle library and, to his surprise, learns who the Zelda he met truly is. Later that evening, Zelda has a surprise of her own as well.
A week had passed since Link returned from the Forgotten Temple, and it was a bright sunny mid-day at the Royal Ancient Tech Lab. In honor of his deed, Zelda prepared a luncheon in Link's honor and invited Purah and Robbie to hear about Link's adventure.
"Are you ready to leave, Dr. Purah?" asked Robbie. "We should head out soon."
"Just one more moment," replied Purah as she carefully placed a Hearty Lizard back into its terrarium.
"You know, I hate to admit it, but I missed you and your lizard collection while camping overnight at the Forgotten Temple," said Robbie.
"I missed you too," admitted Purah as they walked out of the lab together. "It was quite unsettling coming back here late each night to feed the lizards. Even though there were guards outside, the thought of a Yiga spy hiding inside gave me chills. The lab was so quiet and eerie at night; I couldn't help but be on edge. I kept listening for any sounds of movement and always kept a dagger with me, just in case. I wished you were here in case of an unexpected attack."
"I'm flattered you believe I could protect you in such a dangerous situation, Dr. Purah," remarked Robbie as they crossed the Moat Bridge.
"Protect me? No, no," corrected Purah. "I meant that if anyone came after us, they would probably attack you first, giving me a chance to escape."
"What?!" exclaimed Robbie, though he quickly realized from her playful smile and twinkling eyes that she was joking.
"Very funny," laughed Robbie. "But I am very eager to hear Link's story of what happened."
"Me too," agreed Purah.
As they arrived at the gates of Hyrule Castle, they were escorted to the main dining hall.
The polished marble floor of the dining room gleamed under the warm sunlight that streamed in through the stained glass windows. It cast a kaleidoscope of colors on the fine linen tablecloth draped over the long banquet table. The air was filled with the pleasant scent of fresh flowers and rich food.
Inside, Zelda stood at the head of the table as she inspected every detail to ensure perfection. She wore her golden crown for the occasion, which sparkled in the sunlight.
"Welcome," she greeted them with a gracious smile. "Mipha and Link should be joining us shortly. I am quite eager to hear all Link has to tell us. I've been thinking about it all week."
"We are happy to be here, Your Majesty, and just as eager," Purah replied while Robbie nodded in agreement.
Just then, Mipha and Link entered the hall, looking stunning in their Zora attire. Mipha's jewelry glinted in the light, and Link's polished Zora armor shone silver and blue as he walked confidently beside her.
Zelda greeted Mipha with a warm hug. "You look stunning as always, Mipha, and forever young," she said.
"Thank you, Zelda. You look beautiful too," replied Mipha.
"Now, let's give a round of applause to our hero of Hyrule," announced Zelda, prompting everyone to clap and cheer for Link.
He blushed at the attention.
"I thought we agreed not to use titles, Zelda," Link pointed out as they hugged after the applause died down.
"Oh, come on, some formal recognition is well-deserved in this situation," laughed Zelda. "Plus, I make the rules. Now, shall we all be seated?" she added as she gestured for everyone to take their seats.
As they settled into their seats, Zelda turned to Link once again.
"Honestly, I should be giving a speech and awarding you a medal for your incredible feat. Thanks to your bravery and determination, Hyrule has never been safer."
Link smiled modestly. "I couldn't have done it without your decision to explore the Forgotten Temple and Dr. Robbie's expertise in excavation and ancient languages. And Mipha's wise words were crucial in preventing any rash decisions on my part. It was a team effort, so there is no need for a medal."
Zelda nodded in agreement. "Well then, there's no need for long speeches either because we're all hungry. But I do want to express my deep gratitude to you, Link, for once again proving yourself as the hero of Hyrule. Now, let's all enjoy this delicious feast and each other's company. And afterward, Link can tell us the full story of what happened."
The mouthwatering scents of traditional Hyrule dishes filled the air, including a fresh Hearty Bass for Mipha.
"I think I'll have some cooked fish this time," Link said. "It's good for staying in shape."
"Living with Mipha has certainly refined your appetite," laughed Zelda. "But good for you! I hope you will at least save room for a slice of Royal Fruitcake in honor of the occasion?"
"In the spirit of being a gracious guest, I think I can manage," Link laughed.
"You should already know by now, Zelda, that my husband is the epitome of politeness when it comes to accepting food," teased Mipha, eliciting laughter from everyone in the room.
Once the meal ended and the Royal Fruitcake had been served, Purah couldn't contain her curiosity any longer.
"Now, if it isn't too much to ask, I think we're all dying to hear what happened," said Purah. "My curiosity is absolutely killing me."
"With how you conduct experiments sometimes, we're lucky your curiosity hasn't already killed all of us," Robbie replied, prompting laughter from everyone else but a stern look from Purah.
"Yes, without further ado, let me begin," said Link after sipping his tea and clearing his throat. "And before anyone teases me, let me concede I am hardly a gifted speaker. So please save your questions for the end so I don't lose the flow of events."
Link then recounted every detail of what had happened as he had done earlier to King Dorephan and his family, astonishing everyone except Mipha, who already knew. He then took out the bracelet he had been carrying and presented it to Zelda.
"This is the perfect time to give you the other bracelet that was given to me by the Zelda from that time," said Link. "I hope you will wear it in good health."
"It's lovely," said Zelda as she admired it and then put it on her wrist. "I can sense that there is something special about it, something sacred."
"I hope some research in the castle library may reveal the identity of that Zelda," said Link. "The spirit of the sword addressed her as 'Your Grace,' but she had no royal title as the kingdom of Hyrule was yet to be established."
"Why not just ask this Fi person, the sword spirit, who that Zelda is?" asked Robbie. "She obviously knows."
"She doesn't answer me," said Link. "I suspect over time she has evolved to where she only communicates when something of vital importance we might be unaware of occurs, and then only mentally. She apparently doesn't appear in person anymore. And perhaps Zelda telling me to search for the answer in Hyrule's history is another reason why she will not answer."
"A shame," said Robbie.
Zelda's voice was filled with awe as she spoke, "To me, the most incredible part of your story is that the TriForce truly exists, and you were able to touch it, Link. I learned of it in history classes, of course. But it was considered a myth or a legend, perhaps symbolic of someone's powers, not an actual physical object."
"It does exist, or at least it did," replied Link. "And its power is beyond measure, given what it accomplished with just one wish."
Purah interjected, "It's a shame you couldn't stay longer and explore further. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But I understand the urgency, with Hyrule's survival at stake."
Robbie hesitated, tempted to speak up about the plans he had discovered for creating a Time Gate. However, upon further consideration, he decided it was best to keep quiet. The process involved obtaining an abundance of Timeshift Stones, which seemed beyond his abilities for now. It would be unwise to make promises he couldn't keep.
After lingering a bit longer, it was time for the meal to end. Purah and Robbie said farewell and left to return to the lab.
"I think I will head to the library to investigate who that Zelda might be," said Link.
"Mipha, why don't you remain here with me," said Zelda with a smile. "I'd love your company."
"It would be a pleasure," said Mipha. "I would like that, too. We have so much we can discuss."
"Then I'll be off," said Link. "And thank you for a delicious meal and your kind words. I appreciate it. I will return later to say goodbye."
"You will return later to have dinner with Royce and me and then stay the night," said Zelda. "I won't take no for an answer."
"Who am I to refuse another delicious meal?" Link laughed, then headed off to the library.
When Link arrived, he at once consulted with Leona, the Rito librarian on duty.
"I'm looking for whatever material we have about the time before the kingdom's founding," said Link.
"Oh! I am not very familiar with that," said Leona. "We don't get much interest in that time period. But whatever we have will be in the section I will show you. I fear it may be very limited, though."
"That's alright," replied Link. "Any information, no matter how small, could be helpful."
Leona led Link to a library shelf filled with ancient texts and scrolls.
"Whatever we have would be here," said Leona. "Don't hesitate to consult me if you need help with anything else."
Link thanked her and then began examining the books and scrolls. As he turned the brittle pages of ancient tomes, dust particles danced in the slits of afternoon sunlight that penetrated through the high windows. The air was heavy with the scent of antiquity, of stories long forgotten, and Link felt a sense of solemn respect for the immense knowledge contained within these old texts.
Hours slipped away as Link skimmed over fragments of tales and legends, chronicles of great battles, epics of heroes and courageous princesses. Each scroll he unrolled, each page he flipped, held onto secrets of the past, and yet, there was no mention of the Zelda he had encountered. Long-lost lore and legends were slowly unfolded, but as the hours slipped away, Link found no trace of the Zelda he had met.
The castle's grand clock signaled it was late afternoon, and Link rubbed his temples. His eyes were beginning to blur from pouring over countless texts. As his frustration mounted, Leona approached him with a warm mug of tea.
"You should take a break," she kindly advised. "These texts can wait. And this Sheikah-made tea is known to improve concentration."
Link gratefully accepted the cup and thanked her before settling into a comfortable chair nearby. He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the warmth of the tea as its soothing scent filled his senses.
After finishing the tea, he returned to the table and resumed reading. It was about an hour later when he stumbled upon something that seemed unimportant at first. A bundle of scrolls tied with a ribbon caught his eye, and when he unrolled them, he saw they were titled "The Writings of Gaepora as Translated by Phalia."
To preserve this story for future generations, I, Phylia, have translated these writings of the ancient Knight Academy Headmaster Gaepora into our current Hylian tongue.
The text began with a title and dedication.
This is the account of my life and, most importantly, the events surrounding the defeat of the Demon King, the migration from Skyloft, and a prophecy fulfilled - partly as told to me by my daughter Zelda and her husband, Link.
I dedicate this to my dear daughter Zelda and her brave husband Link, without whom our land would have been doomed to eternal darkness.
He recalled that the Link of that time period mentioned Skyloft at breakfast ... why was he so prone to relating events to the occurrence of meals? ... Mipha always teased him about that ... Anyway, he recalled that the Link of that time period referred to Skyloft as their old home, so this scroll looked promising. And if it were them, then obviously, Link and Zelda must have married.
As Link scanned the document, he found a section dedicated to discussing the relationship between Zelda and her dear friend, also named Link.
It began by recounting an ancient tale of a fierce battle against a powerful Demon King, led by the Goddess Hylia and a hero bestowed by her with a blessed sailcloth to glide through the air. Then, the story fast-forwarded hundreds of years to focus on Gaepora's life - from marriage and the birth of his daughter Zelda to the loss of his wife and his rise as headmaster of the Skyloft Knight's Academy. It delved into Zelda's enrollment at the academy, her friendship with Link, and their participation in the Wing Ceremony, where the winner would receive a sailcloth from one portraying the goddess Hylia herself.
The document then discussed Zelda's abduction from the sky and her rescue by Impa, followed by her journey to three temples to pray at sacred Goddess Statues. Meanwhile, it detailed Link's role in strengthening the Goddess Sword and his battles to grow in strength and courage.
Finally, Link came across a passage that left him breathless - a conversation between Zelda and her Link about Hylia's plan to save her people.
"Her second plan was to abandon her divine form and transfer her soul to the body of a mortal. She made this sacrifice, as you have likely guessed so that the supreme power created by the old gods could one day be used. For while the supreme power of the Triforce was created by gods, all of its power can never be wielded by one. Knowing this power was her last and only hope, the goddess gave up her divine powers and her immortal form. You've probably figured it out by now, haven't you, Link? You are the chosen hero, and I, Zelda ...I am the goddess reborn as a mortal."
Link paused and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. So that was why Fi addressed her as Your Grace. He had actually met Goddess Hylia in mortal form, the deity he prayed to every day, and had dedicated his life to serving. The weight of this realization crashed over him like a wave, and he couldn't hold back the tears that gathered in his eyes. He felt blessed in some indescribable way.
Suddenly, the sound of the castle clock chiming brought Link back to reality as he realized he was due to meet Mipha, Zelda, and Royce for dinner. With a final wipe of his tears, he composed himself and approached Leona's desk carrying the scrolls.
"Excuse me," he said softly, interrupting Leona's work. "I'd like to come back to these scrolls later on. Can you hold them aside for me?"
Leona smiled warmly at him, taking the scrolls from his hands with a gentle touch. "Of course," she replied kindly. "I hope you found what you were looking for."
Link nodded gratefully, still feeling overwhelmed by his discovery. "Yes," he said with a small smile. "Yes, I did. And I'm still a bit overwhelmed by it all."
Link was the last to arrive at the family dining room, where everyone else was already gathered.
"Hello Royce, good to see you again," said Link as they shook hands.
"Great to see you too," said Royce.
"Sorry if I'm late," Link apologized.
"Don't worry, Link, you're right on time," said Zelda with a smile.
"You still hold the record for never being late to a meal, sweetheart," joked Mipha, causing Zelda to chuckle and Link to shake his head.
They all sat down together, and Link shared what he had discovered.
"The Goddess Hylia herself? In mortal form?" exclaimed Zelda in amazement. "That explains my bloodline - my connection to the Goddess. My mother told me I shared her ancestry, but I never knew how."
"It all makes sense now," agreed Link. "There may be more information in the scrolls, but I stopped for dinner."
After discussing Link's findings and enjoying their meal, Zelda finally spoke up.
"Mipha, Link, I had planned for this dinner to be when I shared some special news with you both, but Link's revelation about Goddess Hylia has somewhat overshadowed it," she said with a smile. "But I want you both to know that Royce has proposed marriage to me, and I have accepted."
"Congratulations!" exclaimed Mipha and Link simultaneously."We are so happy for you both!"
They all stood up to exchange hugs with Zelda and handshakes with Royce.
"Mipha, will you do me the honor of being my matron of honor?" asked Zelda.
"I would be honored and delighted, Zelda," replied Mipha. "And I couldn't be happier for you and Royce."
"Let me propose a toast then," suggested Link as he refilled everyone's glasses. "To Zelda and Royce! May they have a lifetime of happiness together."
The dinner and conversation lasted late into the night, and Mipha and Link agreed to remain overnight. After repeating goodnight and congratulations, they returned to the room they usually stayed in when visiting Hyrule Castle.
"So, Zelda is getting married," said Link after they arrived at their room. "I'm so glad she found someone. She has been suffering from bouts of depression for so long over what happened and blaming herself. After everything she's been through, she deserves to be happy. Now, I hope she can look to the future without regrets."
Mipha nodded in agreement, "And with Hyrule safe once again, it's a perfect time for her to start a new chapter in her life. And for us to continue our journey together as well."
"Indeed," Link said softly, gazing into Mipha's eyes. "But right now, I'm just looking forward to being alone with you."
He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "The one true love of my life, the one I wished to be with for so long but feared to say it, the one who's made me happier than I ever ...."
Mipha blushed and laughed, feeling a warmth spread through her. "Are you sure you didn't have too much to drink, sweetheart?"
"I'm pretty sure, dearest," Link chuckled before pulling her close and kissing her deeply.
At that moment, all other matters disappeared as they shared passionate kisses and melted into each other's arms. It was the perfect conclusion to a fantastic day.