Hey, lookie that. And no warning either! Amazing, I know.
Well, it's Disney based. How could I NOT have a happily ever after? Come on. That would have been so cheap. Wouldn't you have felt cheated?
I knew it.
Thanks for reading until now, people.
Hylian Kings
By CM
Final Chapter: Rebuilding
A year.
A single year that had lasted longer than all of their years put together. So much had been given in that year.
A year that had turned utter misery to absolute prosperity.
Link was seated quietly in his private chambers, gazing outside the window at the banners and draperies, the lot of which had been put out specifically for this day. Flags and heraldry floated in the wind, which carried flower petals by the hundreds. White and pink and red whirled around the rebuilt white towers. High on the roof, servants were cheerfully throwing them. Down below, crowds of people were sporting smiles and their finest clothes.
A year.
It had been so long. So long, but at last, this day was his.
And hers.
If rebuilding had taken all her time and attention, he hadn't been ready to give her up completely to Hyrule. Holding on to her hand, he'd risked begging her for more.
And she'd said yes, tears in her eyes and pure light blue robes billowing in the breeze.
And now, at last, they were ready to fulfill the promise they'd made not but three months ago.
He heard Mikau walk in, dressed in official wear that Link knew made him uncomfortable.
"So," the man said, reaching Link's chair and looking out the window as well, "ready to become Hyrule's King?"
"I think so."
"It's lucky that ya—no. Not 'ya'. You. Lucky you haven't been bothered by this consort person. Maybe you've got luck and he's dead. Maybe he won't come to claim your wife, well, future wife, well… You know what I mean."
"I wouldn't worry about the consort, Mikau," Link said, with a secretive smile.
It was true, though, that Link hadn't revealed himself to anyone, letting them fret, for his amusement, about a consort that had already come to claim the princess anyway.
"Whatever you say. It's true it's a bit late now."
"Not really, but don't worry about it." Link smiled. Mikau rubbed his toe on the floor, unsure. He finally spoke.
"Actually, I came on behalf of Darmani too. The big ole' chap' was practically about to break down. He wanted to come with me to congratulate you, but then he began to have tears in his eyes and he felt he couldn't come right now to congratulate our kid with me."
"Kid?"
"Hey, don't forget you're like our son, kid."
Link turned to look at Mikau. And smiled. "I won't forget. Thank you for everything, Mikau."
"Yeah, you better be grateful. These clothes are the worst. If it weren't your big day, I'd say to hell with it all. But…"
"It's my big day," Link said softly, grinning. "Thank you."
Mikau clapped the young man's back, and paused. Then, breaking into a fit, he embraced his companion with vigour and loud, almost comical sobs. Link, laughing, patted his friend's back.
"Kid," Mikau sobbed, "You've gone farther than me! I'm so godspraised proud!"
Link said nothing, but he was smiling softly, happily.
"I'll never run away again," Mikau mumbled, tiny tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. "Ever," he sobbed. "If this is where it got you."
A year. Zelda heard her handmaidens bubbling about everything. She felt the veil flutter down before her eyes. Her dress, of pure white, was light and beautiful.
A year of rebuilding, of constant efforts. A year of waiting for this very instant.
She felt anxiety eat at her, but it was erased by her complete joy.
"The only thing that can go wrong is that consort business," her headmaiden said, and instantly, Zelda's beautiful face fell.
"I'd almost forgotten about that," Zelda frowned. "Do you think—"
"Don't fret 'bout it, Princess," her youngest handmaiden advised. "As long as you have Master Link by your side, you'll be fine."
Zelda smiled softly. "Thank you."
"You're beautiful," another handmaiden gushed. "He'll fall in love all over again, Princess!"
Zelda felt her heart swell at the thought of Link. He'd looked so eager, so gentle, so sheepish, so awkward three months ago, when he asked her…
A delighted smile bloomed on her face.
"I don't know how my luck came to me."
"You've worked so hard, Princess. You deserve the recompense."
Tears pearled in the princess' eyes. Her eyes became glossy with water.
"There is nothing I could have possibly done that deserved me a man like Link."
"I think he believes the same," the headmaiden giggled. "I heard him talk with obvious amazement to Masters Mikau and Darmani."
"What did he say?" Zelda grinned, entertained, though she took it lightly.
"That he didn't know why you'd even agreed to it. He said that it was beyond him. He said he thought you'd want a higher standing man."
Zelda shook her head. "That sounds like him. He's apparently unaware of his own worth."
"Still," a handmaiden mumbled, "I hope this consort doesn't show up before the wedding is over. Wouldn't that just spoil it?"
"If he hasn't shown himself, then he is not going to," the youngest exclaimed. "And now stop talking about him! Can't you see that the Princess wants to be happy today?"
"Thank you," Zelda repeated, appeased by her handmaiden's words.
The banquet following the splendour of the ceremony was loud, cheerful and satisfied even Darmani, who ended up presenting his congratulations to the newlyweds despite his good-humoured tears.
In fact, everyone, including Anju and Kafei, who had been wed only a month earlier, had taken to drink, and presented touching toasts. Now, the party was rolling on its own, and Link and Zelda, after sharing many dances-focused only on the other-eclipsed themselves, without anyone noticing them.
Which was why, though the party was still ongoing, they were out by the many fountains and were amiably talking. They hadn't lost their goals, and hadn't lost sight of the global view, but in that instant, they allowed themselves to focus on each other solely.
He kissed her neck from behind, pushing aside her golden, moon-touched locks. He took in her scent, the delicate perfume making him long for more of her.
"Link," she breathed, "you know about two weeks ago?"
He blinked lazily, smiling against her bare shoulder. He'd pulled her sleeve down slightly so he could access the skin. He hummed. "Yes."
"I think you're going to be a bit surprised."
"Try me," Link mumbled, furrowing a brow, curious.
She turned to smile at him, her blue eyes shining. "I think you're going to have an heir, my dear King of Hyrule."
Stunned, Link felt his jaw drop, only to pick himself up and say, "You mean tonight's job is already done?"
"I think so," she breathed, and kissed him soundly. "Are you alright?"
"Alright?" He breathed. "I should be asking you the question! Are you well fed? Do you sleep well? You won't be missing anything, I promise."
"Link," she laughed.
"Zelda," he breathed, "I love you, and I love the child already."
He kissed her softly, brushing aside the locks of her hair that brushed her cheek. He pressed his forehead to hers, saying, "I don't know how I managed to get you in this way."
"In this way? What way? What do you mean?"
Link blinked, then smiled, and backed off, laughing to himself. She gazed at him inquisitively. He turned to her.
"Zelda, are you glad to have married a man of your own choosing?"
She smiled. "I don't think I could have chosen a better man. I'm glad the consort my parents chose didn't appear."
Link sighed, still smiling. "Actually," he said, taking her by the waist and pulling her along with him, towards their bedchambers, all the while nuzzling her ear, "he did show up. And I'm still surprised I did not need him to make you mine."
She moved away slightly and gazed at him, panicked. "What?" She breathed.
Link was still smiling. She looked horrified.
"You didn't kill him, did you, Link?"
He shook his head, now laughing out loud. "Dear Nayru, no! Zelda, you really have a morbid imagination."
"Then," she frowned, "what happened? And why didn't you tell me?"
Link sighed. "Well, he wanted you to choose the man you wanted, and not to interfere. He knew that if he was meant to be with you, he would be." He grinned. "And he was right."
"But I married you…" Zelda breathed, worried.
"Yes," Link said, opening the garden door to their private chambers and ushering her in with a smirk. "But you see, Zelda, there's a little something that I, well, that I omitted to tell you..."
The intricate garden door closed behind them.
Glad or what?
Okay. All you people who DIDN'T review and STILL read my story until now, please just drop an anonymous little review, telling me something like, 'i like a lots roflolololmao". Come on. Don't be cheap. I gave you a Disney ending. How could you diss a Disney ending?
Come on. Review.
Please also note that I'm going to slow down a bit now in the matter of uploading just about everything. You'll have noticed I uploaded a heckuvalot in the past two months, so I think I deserve a short break.
This is not a good bye. Geez, stop panicking. I wouldn't be able to quit writing even if I wanted to, so...
See you next time.
Love,
CM