Zelda was ready to greet him. A smile was all she needed. It was easy--she had always known this day would occur.

Once Link finally took his step into Hyrule a new atmopshere enveloped him. The warmth of the trees, a contrast to Termina misty woods. The sun high up instead of the moon. And Zelda. She was there, standing, waiting for him. The moment she laid eyes of his ragged form her eyes softened and she realized how much her heart really had longed for him.

"Welcome home, you reckless idiot," A smile played at her features, her brows upturned as a small streak of tears washed her porcelain face.

"Yeah, sorry it took so long. I suppose I got a bit lost on the way," Link's own smile appeared, but it was fragile.

"But you-" she choked up, "You're finally home. Please don't ever leave again."

"I won't. I promise. I won't break another promise, especially to the princess of Hyrule, right?" He joked a bit. He hadn't known what words would come to mind when he finally saw her again, but instinct chose for him. It was as if he jumped in right where they left off and there wasn't any more reason for tears to be shed.

"Oh, um..." Zelda diverted her eyes from Link's. She began to feel a warm trickle on her cheek.

"Wait are you okay?" Worry was suddenly engraved into Link's features.

Zelda tapped the warm feeling,  realized what it was, but chose to ignore it. "Please, we should be worrying about you right now."

Link cursed himself for taking so long to arrive, "Zelda, you're hurt."

"Stop it, I'm fine. It's been forever since we last met so can we just enjoy it? Please?" Her eyes begged him, but the stream of blood that washed with her tears down her cheeks was too painful for Link to look at.

He embraced her in a hug, sharing his warmth. "I'm sorry I took so long."

"W-why would you say that? Link I'd never blame you," Zelda returned his hug and gripped his dirty shirt.

"What did you have to do to bring me home?" Link asked in her ear at a barely audible volume, but Zelda heard.

She didn't want to reply. Not now. Not so soon. "Can we please, uh, discuss this later?" She released their embrace, taking a step back. "We should go back to the castle."

"Oh, sure," Link nodded. He looked down at the dirt, "I just wish, I wish that I could have gotten here without your help."

To Zelda's surprise, his words stuck a pain at her heart. "Link, it's alright, really."

"I know but... Just the thought of you sacrificing your time for me, I'm sorry."

His words hit harder than they meant to, and it was because he was right. She sacrificed everything. "I chose to!" Zelda reached for his hand, pulling him beside her as she began to tread the Lost Woods, "We should hurry to get you a fresh set of clothes."

Link bit his lip. He could tell she was hiding something, but it would be inappropriate to force it out of her. She would tell when the time came. Link nodded, "Alright."

As they made their way through the Lost Woods, something caught Link's eye. "Zelda?"

"Yes?"

"Is this my grave?" He pointed out a stone with some words carved into it.

"...Yes."

"Did you really believe I was dead?" He had expected Hyrule to have forgotten about him, but he always hoped at least Zelda would have still held his memory in her heart.

"No! I didn't, it's just everyone else. They forced me to--they all said to get over it, that Link is dead, but I couldn't believe that. I've always trusted that you would return."

Link was slightly taken aback by her sudden defense, "Oh."

"Ack, I'm so sorry. I should have never had the funeral."

"No, it's alright. I'm just really glad that you still remembered me," A slight smile was painted on his face. "Even though it took me far too long."

"I don't know how I could have forgotten."

They continued on, and soon left the woods. Zelda's horse awaited them.

"I don't think she can carry both of us," Link mentioned, "This may be an odd request, but do you have an ocarina?"

It took her a moment, "Oh. You broke it. Uh, I don't usually have instruments with me."

"I guess I'll walk."

Zelda nodded, "I'll walk with you."

"Are you sure? It must have been a long trip to get here. You're probably exhausted." Link questioned. But what he was worried about was morr than just that. She was bleeding earlier. Zelda forced him to look past it and she wiped it all away, but it haunted the depths of Link's mind.

"I'll be alright," Zelda assured. "This is so strange."

"What is?"

"I don't know how to explain in... Just the fact that you're here. I can actually see you and touch you and it's all just so surreal, as corny as that sounds," Zelda studied Link's face as they walked towards the center of Hyrule. "It amazes me."

"Well it's all thanks to you."

"I don't think so," Zelda sighed, "that couldn't be right."

"I mean I guess I had help from some people," Link said, but made sure to add, "But truthfully if I hadn't heard your vocie back there I'm not sure where I would be right now."

Zelda looked at him with curiosity, "Can you tell me about that place? What was it like?" As she spoke she felt her bottom lip dampen with a warmth and quickly turned her face away from him, smudging a drip of blood off her chin. It was the last thing Link needed to see. She was going to be supportive, she had the role of support. She wasn't a hero, but this was what she could do. Link needed to be safe again, and Zelda knew that, so in order to keep him from worries she would have to hide the truth as long as she could.

"I can tell you about it. I'm just not sure where to begin, it was ten years after all."

"That's okay," Zelda turned back to Link with a smile, "Just tell me everything. It's a long walk after all, and I'm a good listener."

---

This chaper can literally just be called "awkward convos because we haven't seen each other for a while" xD