-Four years later-

It had been a long battle. Hyrule had won the war, but at great cost. The Gerudo were extinct. They had all fought to the death - loyal to the end of their fallen king. The Kokiri were also gone. Without the Great Deku Tree, their life force had diminished. Emma, the last remaining Silver Forest, dedicated her whole power to keeping the forest alive. The prophecy had taken its course - I suppose the Great Deku Tree had foreseen this. Emma was not a Kokiri. She would survive as the Kokiri would not. The forest needed someone to keep itself alive. However, Emma's life force was now tied to the forest. No one has seen or heard of her in two years - she disappeared in the Lost Woods and no one has seen her since.

I had fought hard in the battle. The only thing keeping me going was the memory of Madeline. I had to save Hyrule - for her. 

Every few days, I rode Epona to the entrance to the Lost Woods and played the Elegy of Emptiness. I wanted the forest to remember her. I could feel her spirit whenever I played. I wanted her back. I wanted to tell her that I loved her.

This particular day when I rode to the forest - the war was finally over. It was the first time in four years that I had time to grieve for her. I played with all my heart so her song echoed through the trees.

A_ B A F A D_ B_, A_ B A F A D_ B_, A_ B A F_, A B A G E_

I almost dropped the ocarina as the tears came. They welled up in my eyes before they poured down my cheeks. I'd missed her with all of my heart these past four years. I wanted more than anything to have her by my side. I was terrified at the thought of her getting hurt in the war, but I knew she would want to fight with me. She had always been like that. She didn't want to be protected, she wanted to be the one to fight. I'd always admired her for that. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back and lifted it to the sky.

Come back to me.

A bright light began to glow above me. I opened my eyes and watched as the ball of light descended from the heavens. In the center, I saw Madeline's body floating down. I stared in awe as she landed softly on the ground. I ran to her and held her in my arms. I felt her chest rise as she drew in her first breath in four years. Her eyes flitted open, glowing bright emerald. A flame danced in her eyes, and I let out a gasp of air as joy flowed through my heart. Without thought, I kissed her. Her lips were warm, and her presence filled me with immeasurable joy and relief. 

"I missed you," I whispered as I held her close.

I felt her tears stream down my shoulder. She squeezed me with the strength of a child clinging to their mother. "I love you," she whispered softly.

_

NOTE TO SELF: Base epilogue after end of Artemis Fowl