Epilogue

"And do you, Nvelo Longzora, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, till death do you part?" said Zora, her father, and she stood, or swam, rather, they were treading water, as was the Zora tradition.

Nvelo turned and looked into Ruto's eyes, who was gone in the ceremony. "I do," he said. Ruto knew it was stupid to be so excited over those words, especially since what did she expect him to say? No? But she felt a little thrill. He was there, this was really happening, it really was.

"And do you, Ruto Zora II, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, till death do you part?"

"I do," Ruto said quietly, looking up at Nvelo almost shyly. There was murmuring.

"Sorry, dear, what was that?" said Zora, smiling grandly.

"Oh." She grinned. "Sorry. I do," she said, louder.

Nvelo laughed, warmly, his eyes on her the whole time.

"Then I pronounce you, in the name of our Lord Jabu-Jabu, on this day 23 Courage Moon, 3712, husband and wife," said Zora. "And now--Prince Nvelo, Princess Ruto--you may kiss."

She didn't even see him coming, and she didn't see herself coming, either, all she knew was that she was kissing him, and Nvelo was hers, and she was Nvelo's, and she knew Zelda stood next to her, beaming, smiling, the Queen of Hyrule (in a protective bubble), that Link was in the audience, up front, in his Zora Tunic and his Iron Boots, that Kasuto and Saria and Darunia and Nabooru and Impa were there (also in protective bubbles), next to Link.

She pulled away and breathed, easily. She wasn't looking at Nvelo now, not at anyone, really. She knew. She knew she was in love with someone who loved her back. She knew herself, better than she had before, anyway, enough to go on, enough to grow up. She knew she'd explained it all to her father, and he'd been pleased with it, deeply pleased, and she knew Mykiss was her father's wife, though not her mother, and she knew her mother was gone, although she had been there, and her stone, her stone, had helped to save Hyrule.

Just as Ruto had.

Link looked back at Hyrule, at the disappearing Hyrule Castle.

"We'll come back," said Kasuto, meeting his gaze. "It's not like we're banished or anything, this was my idea." He was grinning. "In the meantime, concentrate on where your horse is going." Link gave him a quick kiss and turned around.

They didn't say much to each other. Neither smiled. Both looked forwards, always forwards, Epona and Arion trotting as close as possible to one another.

"Aren't you the Sage of Light now?" said Link suddenly. "Are we allowed to do this?"

"You're the legendary Hero," said Kasuto. "If you can do it, so can I."

"Good point," said Link, and once more they rode in silence.

"I ran away from home because they were making me marry someone," Kasuto said suddenly. Link slowed Epona down.

"Oh," said Link.

Kasuto slowed Arion down and turned to Link. "I didn't love him," said Kasuto.

Link nodded.

"I thought you should know. His name was--is--Louis," said Kasuto.

Link hoped he wasn't being paranoid or crazy when he felt some sort of shade of longing in Kasuto's voice when he said the name. He ignored it. He had a lot of nerve, not trusting Kasuto. "Thanks for telling me."

"Link."

"What?"

"I thought you should know... When we were in the Chamber of the Sages, Zelda asked the Triforce if Gerudomy was sinful. It said it wasn't. It said it was beautiful."

Link burst out laughing. "Kasuto, I knew that."

Kasuto looked shocked. "You did?"

Link smiled at him. "We're not wrong, Kasuto. Everybody else is wrong." He looked at him for another minute and kissed him.

Kasuto pulled away, after savoring the slow kiss, and grinned. "Now let's go find my parents."

"Yes. Let's," said Link, kicking Epona to a canter.

"Then what?" Kasuto said, after catching up to him and Link knew he knew these things, he was just testing him.

"Then, we do... whatever," said Link.

Kasuto grinned and kissed him again. "Darn right."

THE END