V.E.: Well, it's been a while since I've written something for the Legend of Zelda. And yet after that really big chapter I published, I knew I needed to do a one shot before I went on to Princess of Egypt. Might not be as long as the others, but might as well.

Well, like my other one shots this involves Princess Zelda, only this time this involves two of them. TP Zelda and OoT Zelda. It was inspired off of a picture I saw a while ago. I'll try and see if I can put it as the cover image.

Well, let's get this show on the road.

Quote: "Legacy. What is a legacy? It's planting seeds in a garden you never get to see. I wrote some notes at the beginning of a song someone will sing for me."- Lin Manuel Miranda, "The World Was Wide Enough" Hamilton (Before anyone asks, yes I am Hamilton trash.)

Princess Zelda's memories of her grandmother, Queen Zelda VII and the Zelda before her, were almost nonexistent.

Given the circumstances, it was completely understandable. The woman was the current Queen and completely engrossed in the matters of state (even on holidays, she rarely took a break). At the time, she was neither the heir to the throne (her father, honestly a part of her wondered whether she imagined the look of anticipation in his eyes when his mother's health took an ill turn) or the second in line (her older brother, who died from an illness before her father succumbed to the same disease). In fact, as a princess she had mostly been overlooked by the castle staff and the people as a whole. Even her own personal nurse tended to favor her brother over her.

So for the most part, Zelda had been left to her own devices, wandering the gardens, the library, and even sneaking into the town (which she rarely got caught) as she pleased. She was a bit spoiled as a child, but being royalty that was to be expected.

Still, even though she did not see her grandmother that often, she was fully aware of her presence by hearing about her from the servants. At the tender age of ten back when she was still a princess, her grandmother had helped foil a takeover of Hyrule by the Gerudo King Ganondorf. After her own father's passing, she ascended the throne and ruled wiser and more just than any had come before. Eventually, she had made an alliance with a nearby kingdom which involved her betrothal to the second prince that resulted in her father before the man died tragically young after a long period of ill health (it struck her very odd how many men in her family died due to illness).

The maids, in particular, liked to talk about the tragically short marriage. Betsy (one of the maids in charge of cleaning around the royal wing) would shake her head and sigh when she would recount the story to the newer maids. "Such a pity. You'd think the Goddesses would have allowed the Queen some happiness in life. And the Crown Prince and her barely speak to each other! Honestly, if my daughter treated me like that…"

Then Ella (another maid in charge of the royal wing and Betsy's oldest and dearest friend) would shush her friend and interrupt. "Oh, shush! Going on like it's some grand romance! While they didn't hate each other, the Queen certainly wasn't as broken about the Prince Consort's death as you're making it out to be. As for the Crown Prince…well, the less said on that the better."

Betsy seemed to huff at Ella's realistic approach to the matter. "Well, maybe it didn't seem like she was broken up about it to you at the time, but I've caught her staring out the window at the courtyard when I've had to deliver her evening snack. And the look on her face was just like my grandfather whenever he used to remember my late grandmother. Couldn't stand to be without her, went on two years after she did."

Ella's face seemed to scrunch up in throughout (her wrinkles and usually red face always remind the young Zelda of a raisin). "That's funny, I'm pretty sure the late Consort didn't really hang around the Courtyard that much."

But Betsy would never hear a word against her fantasies and the two would squabble trying to prove their own point before the head maid would catch them and send them all back to work.

For some reason, the conversation ignited a sense of curiosity regarding her grandmother and had her pouring over the library for any records she could find. In the process, she learned quite a lot about the other women who had shared her name. She had been especially drawn to the tales of them with their heroes, young men who were clothed in green that wielded the Master Sword and struck evil down. It was these tales that interested her so much, she pretty much forgot about looking up her grandmother.

And it was under those circumstances that she did finally come face to face with Queen Zelda VII.

It had been the day of her tenth birthday. Though it was proclaimed a feast day, it was nowhere near the level it would have been if it had been her father or her brother's birthday. Still, it was impressive and she was about to get ready for bed when Ella had come up and asked the princess to come with her.

Suspicious and curious, the later eventual won over as she allowed herself to be guided to a part of the castle where she had never really explored: the wing where her grandmother resided.

Finally, after going up a substantial staircase, Ella opened what appeared to be a simple looking wooden door and motioned the young princess to go inside. Zelda did so and the servant shut the door behind her as she left.

The small bedroom she had found herself in was actually pretty sparse, nowhere near as luxurious as hers or her. The only things that were in the room was the bed, a desk with numerous papers spread out upon them, and a chair by the window and it was the person sitting it in that caught her attention.

She knew who it was immediately.

Even in old age, her grandmother was a striking woman. Her blonde locks had become silvery and braided which contrasted the golden crown on her head. Her dress was actually very similar to young Zelda's own, both in style and colors (purple, white, golden accents). Her face was not nearly as wrinkled as she thought it would be, her sky blue eyes (which matched hers) was gazing out the window lost in thought.

It took a little while for the old woman to realize someone was watching her (or maybe she knew but was too busy with her thoughts), but she eventually turned form the window and looked at the young girl with a warm smile. She beckoned to her with a wave of her hand. "There you are. Come, Zelda."

A little taken a back to actually being addressed by her name instead of her title, Zelda eventually got over it and walked over to her grandmother. She stopped at a good distance as her grandmother opened her hands to her. "May I see your hands?"

Without realizing she was consciously doing it, she did as she was told. The gloves her grandmother wore felt so soft. Her grandmother seemed to stare down at her hands before her left thumb stroked the strange triangle birthmark on her left hand. "I see….so you have been chosen as well."

Before she could open her mouth to ask what the old queen meant, the old woman pulled her close and engulfed her in a tight hug. A quiet whisper reached her ears. "I am sorry."

Once again, Zelda was caught off guard. This wasn't like the quick kisses or squeezes that might have counted for hugs her late mother gave her. It was warm, comforting, caring. Then the hug became less firm and started to shake, the little girl seeing the sky blue eyes full of unshed tears. Not sure what else to do, she reciprocated the hug. It prompted some incredibly mixed feelings for her. On the one hand, she was warmed by the love and attention that was being paid to her. On the other hand, she had to wonder why her grandmother was trying her hardest not to cry.

Eventually, the older Zelda lessened her grip and the two separated from their hug. Any evidence of possible tears was gone from the queen's eyes. The light blue orbs sparkled with knowledge and amusement as she smiled at the younger princess. "This is all quite strange to you, isn't it? Well, you'll learn in time. Tell me, what do you think is expected of you my dear?"

It didn't take Zelda long to think of an answer, fully aware of how her father and the servants viewed. "I suppose I will fulfill my duty as the princess by linking Hyrule to whomever is chosen for me by Father."

That seemed to provoke a dark glint as the old woman seemed ruminate on those words. "'Duty,' what a simple word and yet it rules us so."

Her expression clearly showed her curiosity and the old woman began to talk. "All my life, I have lived for duty. I have played the part of a princess, queen, wife, and mother. All because of their expectations, all because of my duty. And because of that I have lost that which I loved the most."

She turned eyes towards the window, which caused young Zelda to turn and see the Castle Courtyard.

The old woman's eyes misted as she continued. "I met him for the first time down there. It was as if the dreams of prophecy I had been having had come to life. Though that wasn't the first time I met him, all those memories came back to me later…. but even then we were never strangers."

As confused as she was, there was one thing young Princess Zelda knew: her grandmother was most certainly not talking about her grandfather."

The old woman went on, lost in her memories as she reminisced. "The gossip really started around the time he came back from his trip to Termina. He was no longer a child then and neither was I. Nothing ever happened, nothing beyond what was proper, but…"

That seemed to bring a thoughtful pause one, a silence in which a pin dropping could have been heard. She shook her head and went on. "My father knew all of that. Still, he could never allow it. He told me to send my hero away and pick a betrothal or cease to be his daughter and leave the castle. I had one week to make my choice."

She then gave a twisted smile. "In the end though, he made the choice for me…because he knew I could never choose."

Her voice dropped to whisper, seeming to lose sense of her surroundings. "I hated you so much back then, for leaving me behind again. But it doesn't matter anymore…. Link…. I'm tired…. I want to see you…."

It was then the old woman remembered that she was not alone in the room and turned her attention back to Zelda. Forgive me, my dear. You deserve better on your birthday than to listen to an old woman's ramblings on the past."

Silence seemed to reign before the young princess asked. "Umm…. If you could go back to that time, would you have gone with him?"

The old woman's eyes widened at the little girl's boldness before she simply smiled.

It was answer that said everything and nothing at all.

Finally, the smile lessened as she nodded to the young girl. "You can go to sleep now. I hope you had a happy birthday, my Zelda."

The young girl's cheeks flushed, a little surprised and embarrassed by the warmth the queen was using with her. Nonetheless, she knew she was being dismissed and she was starting to feel a little tired. She curtseyed and turned to walked towards the door.

She didn't get far before her grandmother called out to her. "Zelda."

She turned towards the old woman with a questioning expression. "Yes?"

The old woman's smile was almost pained as she gave her granddaughter some advice. "When you meet your hero…. don't let him go."

It was something that Zelda didn't understand as she left her grandmother alone in that room. It wasn't something she understood when the queen had been found the next morning, having passed in her sleep. Even as she began hanging around the courtyard that her grandmother had gazed so lovingly at, she still did not understand her grandmother's last words to her.

It was not until she became a prisoner in her own castle and Midna had brought her visitor; a wolf with eyes too blue, too kind, that felt so familiar to her; that she began to understand.

V.E.: Yeah, not my best work by far, but it's been awhile.

I was inspired by two things for this fic. The first was that picture I mentioned earlier. The second was a little story I read about an old Eliza Hamilton. Funny, the things that can inspire you. I think my next one shot will be in One Piece though.

Please review and I hope someday I'll get the guts to write that future story idea for this fandom that I've got posted on my profile page.

Thanks for reading!