He had woken up before her. Her breaths were still slow and calm, the expression on her face filled with peace. The marks her nails had made in her hand were still visible, he cringed at them. Because there were no matters to tend to, but he surely wasn't going to leave her after everything that had happened, Link softly examined her with only his eyes. Her nightgown, still stained with dried blood and the right shoulder still slit, draped elegantly over her curves.

He loved those curves, they announced her femininity without being extensive or drastic, yet distinct enough to send flutters through him. Her belly rose and fell with unconscious breath, declaring that she was full of love and fully loved.

He would fight for both of them in a heartbeat, even his slumber knew it. While on the topic of their coming child, Link looked up from Zelda and scanned the bed they slept in. I hope the Castle becomes safe soon... this bed's gonna get a little small once she gets a little bigger. He thought, without any reason to explain why he thought so. Maybe if she gets closer and we still can't go back... maybe they'll let us move to Hateno. Yeah, Dad could give us a nice place, and she could give birth there, safe and sound... There aren't many monsters around the village. Yeah, that would be nice. The village would be a nice place to welcome the baby...

A small yawn distracted him, followed by a stirring.

"Aww, you're supposed to sleep until I wake up." Zelda's eyes blinked away her remaining sleep, slight disappointment in them.

"Sorry, honey." Link leaned over and kissed her 'good morning'. "You feeling any better?"

"What do you mean?"

"Blood Moon, last night, you tried to dig holes in both of us." He pointed gently to where the marks remained in his and Zelda's sides.

"Oh!" Zelda pulled her dress up as her fingers meticulously calculated the depth of the marks in the same motion. Hands shaking, she checked herself over for more self-inflicted wounds.

"Hey, hey," Link brushed the side of her face. "hey... you're alright. Don't panic."

"Don't panic?!" She batted his hand away. "I'm attacking my own family every time there's a blood moon and you're telling me 'don't panic'?! What if there's a blood moon while I'm in labor and I kill the baby?!"

"You aren't attacking people!" Link cowered back at his own volume, realizing he'd just snapped at Zelda. "You're trying to alert me and protect Little Hyrule but you're just in so much pain that your nails are digging in." He took her hand and brushed his fingers across her knuckles, kissing them like he did at the very beginning of their time as a couple. "And I firmly believe that there is no force on Hyrule that would cause you to attack our child." They both sat up in bed, hunched over slightly. "Sorry I snapped..."

Zelda shrugged with only tired palms. "My stress makes you stressed, I know. I should be a bit better."

Link wrapped an arm around her. "No, you're completely fine, please don't apologize. You've had this whole weight on your shoulders since you were a baby yourself and I've barely even gotten a sip of what that's like, I shouldn't yell at you."

She curled her body up against his, falling silent for a long time.

"You know," He stroked her hairline. "It's almost your birthday... we've been so busy with the little one that I haven't asked you what you would like to do."

"I've already made arrangements with Impa to ascend Mount Lanayru. I must know if the final Spring is the key..." Zelda glanced down at the rash on her right hand. "It's been so reactive lately... maybe it will awaken there."

"I hope so too." Link rubbed the back of her hand. "But please... be careful... The summit of Mount Lanayru is one of the coldest places in Hyrule... I don't want either of you to freeze."

"You know you'll be with us, right?"

He kissed her forehead softly. "Just letting you know that I'll be dragging you out of that water every five minutes to have you sit by the fire."

"...Maybe we could go to Sanidin Park? The day before?" Zelda pushed herself up from Link's chest. "We could celebrate, just us and Little Hyrule, without any formal regulations."

He smiled. "You want that?"

"Very much, yes."

"Alright, Sanidin Park it is."

"Oh! Can we have a picnic at Lake Kolomo?"

Link laughed a hearty laugh. "Is that my kid or my wife asking?"

Zelda chuckled too. "Can it not be both?" She giggled as he responded with a flurry of kisses. "You seem to agree..."

"If you're feeling up to it, and the Castle allows it by not feeding us beforehand, then sure."

A frown fell upon Zelda's face. "I have not faced Father much after the incident."

"It's alright... maybe give it a little more time to settle."

"He took away one of the two things that gives me hope... what if he finds a way to take you and Little Hyrule away too?"

"I'm not going to let him. I'll take over the kingdom for you if it comes down to it... just don't tell anyone I said that."

"Deal."

Link got out of bed. "Let's not borrow that trouble though. Give him the benefit of the doubt." He suddenly beamed. "How's about some breakfast?"

Zelda laughed at her gluttonous husband before following him down to the main floor.

"Good morning, Your Highnesses." Impa greeted them. "It's just us three this morning. The rest of the Champions already left for their homelands and His Majesty's with the Sheikah. Your family went home as well, Your Highness."

The news didn't seem to faze Zelda. "That's fine, Impa. It will be nice to have some quiet."

Her aid responded with a nod, then looked at Link with a somewhat sly smile. "And if I know you the way I think I do, you're wanting food now. Am I right, Prince?"

"Yes, please."

"I thought you would, so I got food for you both as soon as I heard you stirring up there." She pulled two bowls from a shelf. "How are you doing today?"

Zelda took a bowl from her. "Alright. And thank you very much."

"That's good to hear, especially with everything that's occurred. When do you plan to talk with the Sword again?"

Link's face twisted in confusion before remembering, he pulled the sword out a tiny bit before putting it back.

Zelda slowly pulled herself from the bowl she was sipping from. "Fi? Well we pretty much just got up, I was going to compile a list of questions to ask her beforehand."

Impa nodded. "How wise."

The princess' eyes cast downward. "Please, you know I am not."

"Princess, you are quite wise, that much is clear."

Link enthusiastically nodded, stopping his slurping to do so.

"See?" Impa chuckled at her decision to use Link's love for food as an example.

Zelda giggled too. "One would think you'd be a starving beggar by the way you react to food, Link."

Link took another slurp of his food. "I look at you the same way." He mumbled with a hand over his mouth.

"Oh I'm sorry," Zelda set her bowl down and adopted what Link had declared her 'signature pouty face.' "I was unaware that I was depriving you of the affection you so desperately crave."

Link's hand flew to his face as he tried desperately to keep from spit-taking with laughter. He quickly swallowed before adding "I think you're confusing my problems with yours. That was your biggest issue two years ago. I'm loved plenty."

She sounded an amused snort of agreement before sighing and brushing a hand over her stomach. "By the grace of Hylia, that's no longer an issue."

Little Hyrule kicked in agreement.

"The world thanks you, Your Highness." Impa nodded in Link's direction.

He shrugged. "No need to thank me." He was always so humble with his accomplishments, reaching over to scratch the bottom of Zelda's ear instead of paying the praise any thought. "It's my job. I couldn't just leave this Luminous Stone under all that Malice."

Zelda instinctively leaned in Link's direction, eventually curling up against him.

Just as things had settled down enough for Zelda to consider eating some more of her meal, a knock was heard at the door.

Impa blinked in confusion. "Someone's knocking?"

"Maybe they didn't want to bother us." Link rubbed Zelda's shoulder gently.

Zelda began to push herself up. "Well, if they are considerate enough to do so, then we should greet them now." She felt Link's hands wrap around her.

"I'll lift you. Don't struggle." As he pulled himself up, Link cradled her body to his until they both found feet under them. Once they had found their footing, they headed over to the door and found an abnormally pale Hylian in a purple cloak.

Upon seeing Link and Zelda in royal dress, accompanied by a royal advisor, the Hylian let his face light up. "Your Highnesses! Oh, you're safe. Since I heard the news, I've been so anxious..." His eyes seemed to drift innocently to Zelda's stomach. "Oh, how thoughtless of me, I've forgotten to congratulate you, Your Grace , I... was unaware that you were..." A wicked smile curled on his lips. "...gestating."

Zelda's eyes shot wide, seemingly recoiling at being called 'Your Grace'. A dark world returned to Zelda's mind at the sight of his face. She remembered him from that world, he'd manipulated her at her weakest point to create a world for Ganon.

There was nothing loving about the memory, no matter what that form of her thought.

Link blinked in concern, reaching an arm around Zelda while staying silent.

Instead of acknowledging Zelda's discomfort, the Hylian seemed discreetly elated. "You remember me, Your Highness?" A soft smile glimmered on his death-like features. "I'm honored..." His focus turned to Link, who felt himself tighten simply at the unknown visitor's glance. "And you must be the lucky guy! A friend had told me Her Highness had married the Hylian Champion, but I'd sworn he'd lost his mind... I see I must apologize for my disbelief..."

"What do you want?" The words snapped coldly from Link's lips. He did not like this visitor in the least.

The unwanted visitor blinked, taking a step back to convey a scene where the prince he'd come to check on was attacking him. "I've merely come to pay my respects, and to see that you both are not terribly harmed." At the mention of potential harm to the young royals, the Hylian clutched a fist to his chest. Although his act seemed genuine, Zelda felt his eyes search her body and focus on her stomach and the slit shoulder of her dress. His 'friend' had informed that Zelda had awoken that night before a slit deep enough to kill the child could be made. She fought back with the fury of a knight's wife, but her regal upbringing shone through in the scream she released when cold metal collided with her shoulder. That had disturbed the sleeping Champion. Had she stayed silent, he would have slept peacefully through the deaths of wife and child.

Curse the Princess' shrill scream.

"I wasn't surprised to see you here, in the village of the people who have served you since the beginning of their existence, but for the Princess to personally remember me?" His innocent facade returned to its undeniably genuine appearance. " That was a surprise. However, I've done what I came to do, you both seem fine and well, and you must be exhausted after these past few days, Your Highness. I will take my leave and leave you to yours. Good day, Your Highnesses." He waved without much grandeur and descended the stairs leading to the house.

Impa quickly ushered the royals back in and shut the door.

"Are you alright?" Link cupped her face as he turned to give himself a three-quarters view of her. "You're still real nervous and tense."

Zelda gripped her arms. "It's just..." She sighed. "I shouldn't let a dream make me act like this." She ripped her head away. "It's nothing."

Impa zipped around to get into Zelda's face. "A dream, Your Highness? What happened in it? Women of Hylia are known for premonitions."

Zelda turned away from Impa too, gripping her arms a little tighter as she closed her eyes and sighed. "I..."

"Sit." Link motioned to a chair and led her towards it rather aggressively. "You need to get this out."

Probably because she knew she wouldn't win a battle of strength against Hylia's Chosen Knight, Zelda settled herself in the chair. "I've had it twice now... both times during the Blood Moon. He was in it, both times, but was significantly stronger the second time." She took a huge breath. "I... was fifteen. In the first. In the second... maybe twenty." She locked eyes with Link. "I had just realized I was in love with you... I was still desperate, unloved and desperate, and I created an elixir. But this elixir was no normal elixir... it actually had the power to force you to fall in love with me, something even the best of the craft recognize as impossible."

Her audience was captivated. Their faces twitched into a new emotion with every detail, all stoicism gone from Link.

"It worked wonderfully... but it wore off as all elixirs do, and you realized what I had done to you. You were furious, snapping any connections we may have had into shards before storming out." Zelda began to sniffle, tears pooling in her eyes. "I... was devastated." Tears fell down and she began crying.

Link held her close, running one of his hands through her hair and down her back. "That part's just a dream, Zelly... I love you." He kissed her softly on the cheek, letting the soft peck drag on longer than necessary to soothe her. Zelda curled up closer to him and he responded by nuzzling her wet face. This dream was full of lies, but they were powerful enough to play with her mind. Link had to remind her of the truth.

"After I recovered enough from the shock to stand... I had fallen in despair... I set out for a little encampment in the Gerudo Desert. There were guards, they were poised to attack, but he called them off. He called me 'Your Grace', as he did just now and as Fi does, but I recognized the title even in my younger state. I called him 'Fortune Teller', a seer if you will, and he remarked on the pain in my expression. I-I told him everything. Then I broke down, declaring that I truly was unloveable, since even the one chosen specifically to fight alongside me hated me, referring to myself with profanity I do not wish to repeat..."

"That's a first." Impa quietly remarked, only to get smacked upside the head by Link in retaliation.

Zelda didn't seem to notice their tiny skirmish. "He replied that I was the sole descendant of Hylia, then suggested that I was feeling this way because love was too soft a method... he convinced me to use fear and my own power instead." She grimaced and covered her mouth, more tears pouring down. "Then I... we headed back to the Castle and... I... I killed Father."

Impa doubled back, then suddenly checked Zelda's tender body for weapons. The princess yelped in pain. "Stop! Stop, stop!" She instinctively tried to shove Impa away from her aching body.

Link suddenly bodychecked her. "She said stop! You're hurting her!"

Once released, Zelda carefully looked herself over, breathing rapidly. After a short look over, she looked over at Link, he knew to assist her. With hands that seemed to have no more force than a feather, he felt her torso and back. "You feel alright. Stay down." Zelda nodded thankfully before he turned to Impa with a glare colder than the Hebra North Crest at midnight. "Don't. Again. You hurt her."

Impa's expression didn't change. Link detected no shame. "...my apologies, Princess. Please continue."

"Okay... well, after I... overthrew Father... he returned to my side. I called him..." Zelda's eyes opened wide. "I remember! His name is Astor! Anyways, he was already commander of my army by that point. He congratulated me on my victory, bowing and declaring that my reign would be glorious. By the time I had wrapped my head around everything, I was coming to. I heard Link's voice muttering to me and I woke up. The Blood Moon was gone and I felt fine again. When Link pressed his ear against my stomach, I felt a tiny echo from the baby's heartbeat. That was it." She glanced down at her swollen stomach, concern renewed by every blink. "Last night... the dream came less suddenly, maybe because I was already asleep by the time the Blood Moon rose. In that one, it was five years later... approximately. I was Queen, but a terrible one indeed. Essentially all outside alliances had been destroyed. I think Astor may have become my king in that dream, I don't wish to dig deep enough to know. We had a son together... born of you and me, Link, but declared as me and Astor's. You were a prisoner of mine, I hadn't forgiven you; you were an example. My son was named Pipit, after an ally of Hylia Reborn and her Link, with the middle name of Twilight in honor of that mythical realm. I seemed to care for him, and maybe Astor did too, but I seemed more interested in raising him as a puppet heir than loving the infant, and Astor got frustrated whenever Pipit's holy blood messed with his device. He was too busy revering me as a supreme overlord than anything else. I welcomed the child openly, inviting him to experience the demise of the Zora. The dream abruptly ended as Astor approached us, and I haven't experienced any more since."

"That must have been when Link put the Master Sword on you. It purged a large amount of Malice from you, that must have been causing the dream..." Impa pursed her lips. "This Astor must be working for Ganon!"

Link liked this news in the least. "How has he already found us?!" He reached out for Zelda and clung to her protectively, looking deep into her eyes with his own fear.

"We'll be safe... right, Impa?"

"...I don't know, Your Highness. If this evil seer has already found us, a Yiga ambush here in Kakariko is incredibly likely."

Zelda's face scrunched, blending her features in random, disproportionate ways. "Fi!" Her voice boomed like that of her father's when he went to battle. "Hyrule is in need of you!"

A soft sound that seemed vaguely like the unsheathing of a sword was heard, then the spirit appeared before her.

There is no reason to shout, Your Grace, I never left your close proximity.

"She's upset." Link defended.

As are you, Master.

One of Link's signature gasps was heard.

It is alright, Master, Your Grace, being upset is nothing to be ashamed of. I am not with you.

"A visitor has come to us, Fi, Impa believes him to be an ally of Ganon, based on how he has appeared in dreams I've had during the Blood Moon. His name is Astor, Fi."

Fi didn't seem to do much more than blink.

There is no record of that name in my memory.

"Oh." Zelda breathed the single sound.

However, since this Astor appeared to be tied to Ganon, the following information has an 85% chance of being useful to you.

All three focused on her.

In approximately two weeks, all evil forces will surge. This will include the Yiga, all monsters and the Blood Moon. You will know this surge is within twenty-four hours of occurrence when the next Blood Moon rises. After this surge, Hyrule will endure a great peace where Calamity-related fears will be forgotten, after which a capable force will defeat the Calamity.

Zelda noticeably held her breath. "So we will seal the Calamity?"

Only after the great peace has passed, Your Grace.

After this soaked in, she turned to Link and beamed. "We're going to save Hyrule!"

He nodded and beamed as well. "I've always known we would." He sighed with relief. "Hearing this makes my mind a little clearer."

"Indeed" Impa glanced over to Fi and Zelda. "How about you, Your Highness?"

"It is a great relief." Zelda gave a small nod before looking back at Fi. "Will Little Hyrule be alright? In the surge? A-And when the Calamity does come?"

Fi made a sound that seemed like she was calculating something.

The one you refer to as "Little Hyrule" will be fine. There is a 100% chance that you have underestimated your abilities as a mother, and a 95% chance that this was caused by your own mother's premature death and your father's subsequent abuse.

"So nothing's going to happen to them?" Zelda glanced over at Link for what meant to be a split second, but was caught by his warm gaze back and the soft smile he sent her, eventually she turned back and gazed upon Fi with a cautious joy.

Just don't be rash, Your Grace.

Zelda nodded more eagerly, overjoyed at this revelation. "I won't!"