Chapter 18: Sunshine at Midnight
"You… you want to have a… what?" Sheik asked Link and Zelda as calmly as she could, despite the fact that the request that they had just made to her made her want to scream.
"An elopement," Zelda beamed insistently.
"You do know what that is, don't you Sheik?" Link asked, remembering that she had told him her tribe did not celebrate marriages whatsoever.
The Sheikah leader glared at him, knowing that being bitter and angry was the only thing that could keep her from breaking down into tears of heartache. "Of course I know what an elopement is," she snapped. "And I'm sorry to tell both of you this, but my tribe is ill-equipped to perform such rites. We haven't held a marriage ceremony in this village in decades, centuries even."
"Oh, well we could show you how we hold weddings up in Skyloft," Zelda offered. "And it doesn't have to be anything too extravagant. It can be small and simple, and we'd be just fine with that."
"Why?" Sheik asked with genuine confusion. Though she didn't know much about weddings, she knew that they were normally large, fancy affairs: elaborate ceremonies put on by hundreds of spectators, elegant outfits and decorations, songs and dances. But the kind of event that Link and Zelda were asking the Sheikah tribe to hold for them was a far cry from that sort of fantastical imagination and Sheik didn't really understand why they would want something so unimpressive and commonplace.
"Because we love each other," the hero said plainly as he took the girl's hands and gave her a small kiss on the forehead.
Sheik took in a deep breath as she tried to glance away from them, but she found that she was unable to. With a sad frown, she watched every tiny move that implied romance shared between the two of them but as she did, she realized something. They really did love each other, in the truest sense of the word if they were both so willing to make a commitment to each other as serious as marriage without a moment's hesitation or doubt. And it was for that reason that she knew she had to do this for the hero and the girl, even if it would hurt her on a level that they would never know.
"Alright, fine," Sheik finally said, crossing her arms and sighing. "I'll talk to the village elders and see if they can get the people assembled to put something together for the two of you… When do you want it to happen?"
"Tonight," Link and Zelda both said in immediate unison.
Sheik raised an eyebrow at the two of them. "Tonight?" she asked incredulously. "What's the rush…?" Her question trailed off as she answered her own question just by glancing at the hero. She closed her mouth and bit her lip as she realized why both of them wanted this to happen as soon as possible. Though it was undesirable thought, all three of them understood well that Link was going to be gone sometime in the near future due to the corruption that was only currently being held at bay thanks to the Master Sword. Which meant that there wasn't much time left for the girl and the hero to be in love and thoroughly explained why they didn't want to put this off any longer. Both of them were still quite young, perhaps a bit too young to be getting married by most social customs, but in an extenuating circumstance such as the one they were in, an exception to the norm had to be made.
And so, realizing that anything that she could possibly say to try and diffuse their plans would be useless, Sheik shrugged and turned away from them to get to work but not before muttering under her breath: "I'll do my best…"
The stars shined bright and numerous in the dark heavens above Kakariko Village as Link and Zelda stood outside of the meeting hall of the Sheikah elders, folded in each other's arms as they gazed into the sparkling night sky. They had not been permitted to go into the council meeting with Sheik, since neither of them were Sheikah, and so they had to wait outside for the ultimate decision over whether or not they could have their elopement within the village. Both of them were somewhat anxious as they silently hoped that, within a few hours, they would finally be married, like they had always dreamed.
"So…" Zelda started with a bright smile as she relished the sensation of having Link's strong arms wrapped around her securely once more. "What's going to happen after we get… married?" She let out a small sigh of delight before saying the word "married", simply trying to imagine how happy they'd finally be, even if it would only be for a short while.
"I don't know," the hero said, giving her another kiss on the cheek. "But I guess we'll find out soon…"
"I hope we will…" she said wistfully.
"I know we will…" he reassured her as he started to draw her into another full kiss. They were interpreted however when they noticed that a small Sheikah girl, who couldn't have been much older than eight, had broken off from the rest of the Sheikah who had been going about their usual evening activities along the town's various paths, and had stood only a few feet away from the couple, watching them with curious red eyes the entire time.
"Hello," Zelda said to the little girl as her and Link gave the child friendly smiles and relinquished their tight embrace on one another.
"Mistress Sheik says that you're the goddess," the girl said to Zelda inquisitively. "Is that true?"
Both Zelda and Link let out a small, warm laugh upon hearing this innocent question. "Yes, I am," Zelda said in a kind, nurturing tone, kneeling down to the child's level. "I'm Zelda, and this is Link, my chosen hero. What's your name, sweetheart?"
"I'm Nia," the girl said with a somewhat bashful grin.
"And how old are you?" Zelda asked, still smiling sweetly.
"I'm seven," Nia said, holding up seven fingers to show her age.
Zelda nodded with a warm smile as she continued to casually talk to the little girl. Link smiled as well as he watched the adorable exchange between the older girl and the child, knowing that Zelda always had a way with children. In Skyloft, all of the little girls used to look up to her and idolize her, and in turn she was always sweet and gentle to them, never finding them to be below her and always willing to play with them when they asked her. The hero knew there was just so much to love about her, including her inherit goodness and kind nature. He also knew that she would make a wonderful mother one day and he thought it was a shame that she might never get to be one. She had already made it clear that once he was gone, she was never going to remarry, which meant that she would probably never bear children. And as Link thought about how unfair that was to her, his smile faded and he waited patiently for Zelda's conversation with Nia to end so he could speak to her about it in private.
After a few natural curious questions, the child ran off with a bright smile, calling a cheerful greeting back to Zelda as she hurried back to the crowd of bustling Sheikahs filling the town square. As she stood and turned to face Link again, she frowned when she noticed his troubled expression. "What's wrong?" she asked, taking his hands in hers.
"Zelda, I'm sorry…" he said, avoiding eye contact with her.
"I thought we agreed that we were both done apologizing," she said gently.
"I know," Link said, taking in a deep breath. "But this time it's different. I know how much you've always wanted to have a family and kids… and you'll never be able to have that with me…"
"Oh, Link…" Zelda said in almost a pitied whisper. "That doesn't matter to me. I'd rather have you for a short time than a family for the rest of my life. And besides… you are my family… You always have been…"
Before the hero could say anything in response to this, the girl pressed her lips against his firmly and passionately as they simultaneously wrapped their arms around each other once again. They held this kiss for several long, peaceful moments, neither of them noticing Sheik as she finally stepped out of the meeting house to tell them what the elders had ruled, carrying two bundles of clothing in her arms. The Sheikah leader did not interrupt the couple but merely watched as the finality that she would never know the love she craved sunk in. But she had decided to accept it gracefully. After all, she wanted the hero to be happy in his last few weeks of his life and she knew that this was what he wanted, so she wasn't going to deny him of it.
When their kiss finally disbanded, Link and Zelda noticed Sheik's arrival and they looked to her expectantly, waiting to hear what the council had said. The Sheikah leader took in a deep breath as she prepared to deliver the news that had come out of the short meeting. "The elders agreed that, despite the fact that marriage ceremonies are not within our tribe's normal customs, they are willing to make an exception for the two of you, considering the fact that you are guests in our village and your statuses as the goddess and the chosen hero," Sheik said in a very formal tone. "And so, they've decided that the entire tribe is to hold a wedding ceremony for you, at midnight tonight, as you requested."
Upon hearing joyous news, Link and Zelda both broke out into gales of bright, triumphant laughter as they embraced and kissed once more. Sheik did not join in on their revelry and excitement, but she found that she did not resent how happy they were, though she didn't know why.
When the couple split apart once more, the hero turned to the Sheikah leader with a grateful smile to express his gratitude for her help. "Thank you so much, Sheik," he said sincerely. "If there's anything we can do to repay you-"
"There's no need," Sheik said, still frowning as she held the two bundles of clothing she had with her out to them. "Here. The elders said that these are for the two of you. They were passed down through our tribe since the days Hylia was immortal, protected by Impa until she passed away. She instructed the elders and I to give them to the spirit maiden and the chosen hero when they arrived to this land and well, now seems as good a time as any…" She handed the first of the two bundles to Zelda, and the girl could tell what it was from the pure white fabric that it made of. It was a dress that was once worn by Hylia herself before she gave up her immortality centuries ago, a long, flowing white gown, different from the one that Impa had given her when she first arrived on the surface in that it was much more elegant and immaculate. Zelda smiled as she realized how perfect of a wedding dress it would make and so, she briefly excused herself so she could quickly change into it to get ready for the soon-coming ceremony.
Once the girl was gone, Sheik held out the other bundle, made up of a deep red fabric, to Link, not bothering to say anything, for what could she really say to him at this point? The hero looked at her instead of the bundle as he took it, expecting her to say something, though he wasn't really sure what. They held a silent eye contact for a long time, their expressions unreadable, until the Sheikah leader finally broke it off by turning to head towards the square. "I'm going to gather the villagers so we can prepare," she said tersely as she started to walk away.
"Ok," Link said with a frown as he watched her go. "Thanks again."
"Yeah!" was all she called back to him as she faded into the crowd.
After watching her leave, the hero looked to the bundle that she had given him and unfurled it. It consisted of a long, flowing red stretch of cloth, a cape obviously. With it, came a set of strong golden shoulder armor that matched the cape perfectly. Link had no idea where these things came from, or even what their significance was, but he put both the mantel and the cape on nonetheless, just as Zelda returned from changing into the goddess's dress.
Upon seeing each other wearing the new clothes, both of them froze and stared at each other for the longest time, both of them awed for different reasons. Link was stunned by how radiant Zelda was in in the silky white gown she wore. The dress was without a single flaw or blemish, and it almost seemed to shine against the girl's pale skin in the lofty moonlight. It cut off at her shoulders in simple straps and a golden neckline, revealing her still bandaged injury, but that did little to detract from her loveliness. The gown ran all the way down to her feet, some of it dragging onto the ground since she was a bit too short for it. Her flaxen hair ran long down her back in its usual way and the two braids that framed either side of her face were laced with white and purple ribbons that had come with the dress. Overall, she was the image of purity and perfection in the hero's eyes and he knew that after all he had done to hurt her both physically and emotionally, he didn't deserve her, yet she had decided to give herself to him freely anyway because of the deep love that they shared.
As the hero was captivated in the girl's beauty, she was taken in by another sight altogether. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the golden mantel and cape that he now wore, for she knew that she had seen them somewhere before. And as the memory of her recent dreams clicked inside her mind, a rush of memories belonging to the goddess hit her hard. She took in a quick, silent gasp as the pieces of this fractured, ancient memory finally came together and all at once, it all made sense to her as she came to an important revelation. Centuries ago, before she gave up her divinity and became a mortal, Hylia had another hero, the first one that the land had ever seen. Though the details were somewhat misty, the tragic tale of this ancient hero played out in Zelda's mind as she gazed upon her own hero.
In the days before the humans were sent to the sky, Hylia's first hero had been the most valiant warrior among the knights of the land, skilled with a blade and fiercely loyal to the people he vowed to protect. Hylia had watched him from afar for quite some time, anticipating Demise's oncoming attack upon the land and had grown quite fond of him during that time. However, not long before war erupted across the land, the hero was falsely accused of a betrayal that he did not commit and was imprisoned by his fellow knights for four long, hard years. Though the goddess greatly pitied the sorrow and pain that he had to endure, but she knew that it was necessary to mold his spirit into one that would stand up against the demon king without a moment's hesitation. And, when Demise's followers began scourging the land in search of the Triforce, terrorizing and slaughtering the people, they all turned to the hero for aid once again, releasing him from prison and begging him to save them in their hour of need. So, in his selflessness and love for the land, the hero agreed to lead the knights in battle against the demon king's forces. It was then that Hylia descended to the surface herself and finally met with her hero face to face. She gave him a sacred blade crafted by her own hands, the Goddess Sword, and tasked him with defeating Demise and restoring hope to the fearful people. To put an end to the relentless bloodshed, Hylia sent the humans and the Triforce to the sky, yet her hero volunteered to stay on the surface with her and conquer Demise so the people could return soon. And it was as the goddess and the hero were preparing for the oncoming battle, that they developed a close bond that was unprecedented. Hylia tried to resist her strong feelings for the hero, knowing that she had to devote herself to ridding the land of Demise's evil and protecting the Triforce, but she could not deny that she really did love him. Which was why is nearly tore her apart when she watched her hero receive a fatal wound in his arduous battle against Demise. Upon seeing her beloved hero fall, Hylia, in all her grief and fury, poured out all of her sacred power into sealing Demise and his followers away for one thousand years. And though she brought peace to the land once more, she found that she was too late to save her hero's life. Before she could even return to him, he had died from his wounds and the goddess's cries of sorrow could be heard throughout the land. The hero's life had been too brief and difficult, yet despite that he had been honorable and courageous and for that reason, Hylia blessed his heroic spirit, so that it would live on and continue to protect the land in the future. The goddess cast of her divinity so she would be able to stand at his side as a mere mortal in the distant future, when they would both return to put an end to Demise once and for all. "Whenever this land is in danger…" Hylia had said as her last words to her fallen hero. "We shall be reborn…"
And indeed, this prophecy had come to pass with the appearance of the reincarnation of the goddess and the new hero. And as Zelda looked at Link, wearing the same cloak and armor that Hylia's original hero had worn, a million thoughts entered her mind at once. The first among these was that fate had been so very cruel to Hylia and her hero all those years ago, and it seemed as though history was destined to repeat itself in the present. Once again, the goddess, now reincarnated as a mortal, was about to lose another hero, only now it was much worse. Link and Zelda had a close bond that had been formed from years of a tight-knit friendship, compared to Hylia and her hero, who had only spent a few weeks at best together before their romance came to a grinding halt. And, unlike Hylia's hero, who had died an honorable, fairly quick death, Link was forced to suffer a slow, agonizing fall, one that was physical, mental and emotional and would ultimately end in a fate even worse than death. But no matter how it was going to happen, the ending was still the same: the hero was going to be lost and the girl was going to be left alone, morning over him, just as it had been centuries ago. But there was one crucial difference in this new love story and it was that the love that Link and Zelda had for each other was actually going to be fully realized on this very night and in that fact alone, the girl found some comfort, though not much.
The second most vital thought that occurred to Zelda was what made her decide not to tell Link about any of this, since she didn't want anything at all to ruin this night for both of them. But even so, the girl now knew that Hylia herself had ordained that her and her hero would be reborn in a future age. And not just then, but whenever the land was in danger. Which made Zelda think that perhaps her love for Link was not as original as she used to think it was. Could it be that she didn't love him out of her own heart, but simply because she had already loved him in another life, ages ago? She desperately didn't want this to be the truth, but she had an unshakable feeling that it was. After all, the two of them had been almost instinctually drawn to each other since they were both very young, inseparable for as long as they could remember. But at the same time, their love felt so natural and so right that even if it had spread across multiple lifetimes, it was obviously deep and rich enough to withstand the test of time and all of the struggles that came with it. And even if their own love was doomed to end in tragedy, perhaps one day in the future, one with the Blood of the Goddess and one with the Spirit of the Hero would finally find a happy ending together.
Altogether, it had taken around three hours for the residents of Kakariko Village, who were all more than enthusiastic about getting to witness the union of the goddess and her hero, to prepare for the elopement ceremony, which was to take place at midnight. As Sheik watched her people scurry about taking care of the last minute details, she frowned and crossed her arms. Her mind was running over the Skyloftian nuptial traditions that Link and Zelda had relayed to her and the Sheikah elders a few hours ago and with each one they told her about, the more resigned to this idea the Sheikah leader became. She could tell how much the girl and the hero loved each other, simply by watching the two of them together; how they embraced, how they held hands, even how they looked at one another. And though she knew that her heart would probably always silently pine for what she could never have, she had come to terms with this. And as she turned around to see Link and Zelda standing behind her with joyous, blissful smiles, their hands intertwined as they prepared to take this next step in their love together, Sheik couldn't help but return their warm grins as she realized something. She did not have to pretend to be happy for them.
"Are you both ready?" she asked them as the crowd of Sheikah began to congregate in the center of the square.
The couple nodded, both of them having never been so excited for something before in their entire lives. Sheik returned their nod with a look that told them to wait at the edge of the square while she headed for the center, the crowd parting to create an aisle for her to walk through. As per Skyloft marriage customs, a table was set up at the center of the square containing five deep-set plates and a finely pointed dagger, which were to be used in the ceremony. The Sheikah leader took her place behind the table along with four of the village elders, all of whom would all preside over the ceremony. And once the spectating Sheikahs were all collected and quieted down, Sheik nodded to Link and Zelda, signaling for them to begin their march down the aisle.
In a traditional Skyloft wedding procession, the father of the bride would march her down the aisle to give her away to the groom, but since Zelda's father was not present, much to the girl's regret, her and Link walked down the aisle together instead, their arms intertwined with every step. Of course, both of them had been silently waiting for this moment their entire lives, but now that it was finally here, it seemed like it was a dream, one that they never wanted to wake up from.
When the pair had finally reached the table, Sheik held her hands up to gather the attention of her people and they all watched in revered silence, paying respect not only to their leader, but to the goddess and the hero as well. Once she was certain everyone was ready, she began the ceremony. "My people," Sheik began in a loud, officiating voice. "Tonight we are gathered together for an occasion that is not common to our tribe. As you all know, we do not celebrate marriages in our customs and traditions. But it is for a special purpose that we are holding one on this night. We are here…" the Sheikah leader hesitated as the next set of words caught in her throat for a moment, but she pressed on anyway, ignoring her feelings of sadness and regret. "We are here to join Link, the courageous chosen hero of the goddess who saved this land from eternal darkness, and Zelda, the mortal reincarnation of her grace, the honored goddess Hylia, together in a ceremonial union, as per their own request. And so the ceremony we hold here tonight is not based upon our own traditions, but rather theirs, in the manner of the sky folk. And so with that said, let us begin."
Sheik did not have to give Link or Zelda any further instruction, since they knew more about Skyloft wedding ceremonies out of anyone else present. They both watched with anticipation as the Sheikah leader lifted the knife that was sitting on the table and held it up so the people could see as she explained its purpose. "In a traditional Skyloft wedding ceremony, there are five virtues that a couple vows to commit themselves to. Each commitment made is symbolized by the couple spilling their blood onto these five plates, each of which contain something that symbolizes one of the virtues. And so, this knife represents commitment; the commitment that the couple will make to each of the virtues and the commitment that the couple will make to each other."
When she finished speaking, Sheik held the knife out to Link first, but not before meeting his eyes for a moment. And in that moment, she felt a strong wave of desire and longing, but she forced it away quickly and as soon as it had appeared it was gone as the hero took the knife from her. Knowing what he was supposed to do, he positioned the tip of the blade over the palm of his free hand and dug it into his skin, enough to elicit a small, somewhat painful, but necessary cut. However, as Link handed the knife to the girl, he noticed something that made him audibly gasp, with Sheik and Zelda doing the same seconds later. Their surprise and shock came from the fact that the blood that had already started pooling on the hero's palm was not red as it should have been; rather it was pure white, shining like a pearl under the pale moonlight. It took all three of them less than a minute to figure out that this was another side effect of the corruption that was plaguing the hero, as the Fierce Deity's blood had been of the same color when Link defeated him. However, the common villagers of Kakariko did not know this, as a low round of nervous, confused whispers went up among the watching crowd as they noticed this as well. They were all immediately silenced as Sheik held her hands up once again, but most of the people still glanced at the hero with tentative, curious expressions. The Sheikah leader gave him a sad, pittied look, feeling somewhat bad that the ceremony had been interrupted in such a way. Zelda, however, refused to let something like this get in the way of their special night. And so, as Link was staring at the white blood on his hand in with wide eyes of both awe and apprehension, the girl grasped his arm tightly with her free hand, giving it a small squeeze. He glanced over at her and saw that she was not looking at him with sorrow or fear, but she gave him a small, reassuring smile instead, as if to tell him that this change didn't matter at all. That no matter what, she was still with him and she would never abandon him, even in the end. And that alone brought relief and peace to the hero as he nodded to her, thankful for the steadiness that she supplied him with, even in the toughest of times.
Upon seeing that everything was fine, Zelda used the knife to cut her own palm so the ceremony could go on. The couple then nodded to Sheik, telling her and the elders to continue, as if nothing had happened at all. And so, deciding to just go ahead as planned, Sheik motioned for the first of the four elders to begin their part.
"The first virtue that this couple will commit themselves to is a strong foundation," the first elder said, motioning to the plate of smooth rocks that sat on the table in front of them. "These stones symbolize a durable love that will survive through any trials and hardships, built upon a firm foundation that will sustain them until the end of their days."
Upon receiving a confirming nod from the elder, Link and Zelda moved their hands over the rocks and together, they both let a drop of their blood fall onto the grey stones, watching as the small drops of red and white slipped through the crevices between them. This was an easy commitment for them to make, for they both already knew that their love was built upon a strong, unshakable foundation, one that nothing, not even the greatest threat or sorrow, could destroy.
"The second virtue," the next elder said as they motioned to the plate piled with lit coals in front of them. "Is passion. It is symbolized by the heat given off by these hot coals. Passion and true love between two people are the things that create devotion and selflessness. Without it, a union is not true, but with it, all men and women find a true purpose, not to themselves, but to the one they love."
Exchanging a warm smile, the hero and the girl spilled two more drops of blood onto the coals, which ate the red and white drops of liquid in a sizzling burst. They both highly valued the passion and love that existed in their relationship and it was from both of those things that a strong commitment between them had been formed early on, one that they hoped would last as long as it could.
"The third virtue is fertility," the third elder continued, pointing to the plate of fresh soil sitting before them. "Just as this earth here symbolizes growth and birth, so too does a couple strive to let their legacy be carried on through children. The purpose of this commitment is to bless the couple with fertility, so their love will thrive through many offspring in the future."
Even though the elder nodded for the two of them to drop their blood onto the soil, Link and Zelda both hesitated, exchanging a sad glance. There was little chance that any children would ever come out of their union, considering their time together was so limited now. But nonetheless, they both let their blood spill onto the dirt, which soaked it up thirstily, despite the fact that this was one virtue that would never prove true in their marriage.
"The fourth virtue," the fourth elder said, motioning to the clear water pooled in the plate in front of them. "Is union. When the couple spills their blood into this water, it will mingle together. This symbolizes how two separate people will be joined together in this union, and become one."
The pair did not hesitate this time as they spilled their blood into the water, watching as the red and white liquids swelled into the clear liquid, mixing together until the water turned a light shade of pink. Link and Zelda both smiled at it, realizing that they were no longer apart now. They were one, and so long as they had each other, they would never be alone again.
"The fifth and final virtue," Sheik said in a formal tone as she glanced down at the plate laden with small bird feathers in front of her. "Is community. Though a couple is united and devoted to each other, they are not alone, for there is always a larger community that supports them and that they become an equal part of together. And though this couple does not come from our own community, we fully welcome them to be a part of it," The Sheikah leader gave them both a genuine, warm smile, which they both returned. "These feathers represent that community. In both the sky and among our own people, birds are symbols that are highly revered and honored and by spilling their blood onto the feathers, the goddess and the hero will be welcomed to stay among the Sheikah for as long as they would like."
Sheik gave the pair a nod and her smile did not fade as she watched their blood stain the feathers white and red. Link and Zelda both nodded to the Sheikah leader in gratitude for the kindness and hospitality that her and her people had shown them in these difficult times. The crowd of spectating Sheikahs cheered their support for both of them, until Sheik raised her hands for a third time to finish the proceedings. "This couple has committed themselves to a strong foundation, to passion for each other, to fertility and offspring, to an unbreakable union and to their community in the sky and to our own. And so, it is with great pleasure…" The Sheikah leader started to choke on her words once more as she tried hard to suppress her oncoming tears. Her next words came out in a voice that was shaky and quieter than it had been moments before. "That I… Sheik, the leader of the Sheikah tribe… now pronounce Link, the chosen hero and Zelda, the goddess's reincarnation… husband and wife…"
Sheik waited until the cheers of the villagers had grown so loud that they concealed the sound of the sob that she finally let out. No one took notice of it though, as they were all celebrating in the union of the hero and the girl, who both joined hands, despite the fact that both of their palms were still soaked with blood. And, as they beamed at one another in sheer bliss and joy, they didn't hesitate to embrace each other firmly and kiss passionately, no longer as just friends or a couple, but as husband and wife, for the first time. And, despite the fact that the night sky above them was dark and blanketed in shadow, it felt as though the brightest sunshine was bearing down upon both of them in the depths of midnight.