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Link looks down at the bracelet that Messenger had made sure everyone got a copy of. It's a simple gold band with a purple stone set into it. Of course he isn’t overly fond of magic, he thinks he can get used to it just this once because of what owning this bracelet means.
“Link?” Illia’s voice draws hink from his musings on the bracelet to meet the eyes of his childhood friend. “What have you got there?”
Link slips the bracelet onto his wrist and smiles up at Illia, he doesn’t notice the slight frown she gets when she sees him put the jewelry on.
“Sorry, I was just thinking about my family.”
“Oh, you mean that strange group you were travelling with until recently?” She sits beside him on the bench he’s been relaxing on.
“Yeah.”
“What were you thinking about? Does it have anything to do with that bracelet?”
“Uh, well,” He looks down at the ornament and shrugs, “Sort of.” He smiles thinking about how Legend and Messenger had finally managed to confess to one another. “Do you remember which one was Legend? His girlfriend made these for everyone so that we’d all remember the journey together.”
Illia’s smile seems to get brighter. “Really, that was sweet of her, though I do have to wonder what kind of person Legend would be able to keep around long enough for her to be his girlfriend. He was a bit prickly.” She scoots closer to him, leaning against his side. “So why don’t you tell me what this latest adventure was about? You left so suddenly the last time you stopped for a visit.”
Twilight moves away just enough to get some space, moving right to the edge of the bench. “Well we had to save Hyrule, there were monsters and people needing rescued.”
Illia pouts at his answer and tries to move closer, but Twilight stands and steps away.
“Um, look, I should get to doing my afternoon chores.” Twilight is soon making his way toward the goat pens to check on their food, water and the bedding state. He’d only just done it this morning, but you never know. Besides, he needs to get away from Illia. Ever since her memories had mostly returned she’d been trying to get close to him in a way that left him feeling uncomfortable.
It also made him think of when Mayor Bo had come over and taken Rusl out for drinks. When Rusl had returned he’d mentioned that Bo had been wanting to make sure there wouldn’t be any problems between him and Illia in the future. At Link’s blank stare, Rusl had explained how they’d talked about Illia’s dowry.
At the time Link hadn’t said anything. He hadn’t known he would be given a way to visit Midna, to have a chance with her. He’d thought, ‘This is what’s expected of me.’ and left it at that.
He hadn’t encouraged Illia, but he hadn’t pushed her away either.
Maybe he could just disappear and go to live with Midna in the Twilight Realm.
Twilight shakes his head, grabbing a bale of hay and moving it to another area of the barn. He drops onto it and lets his head fall toward his knees, hands coming up to rub at his face in frustration. Why hasn’t he at least gone to see her? It's been weeks since he and Dusk were sent back to his Hyrule. She’d used her own bracelet from Ravio to return home, asking Twilight if he was coming with her. He’d only made excuses, he had to check on his family, let them know he was home. That this latest quest was over.
Of course after she’d left Twilight realized why he hadn’t wanted to go with her. He was afraid that Midna didn’t see him the way he saw her. As long as he put it off the more he could fool himself into thinking she felt the same way he did.
Getting back to his feet, Link leaves the barn and heads for the Ordon Spring.
The sun is setting as he arrives at the gates of the spring, the cool colors of twilight are overtaking the warmth of the sunset and Link lets himself breathe. His eyes are closed as he stands there and remembers a snarky princess bossing him around as he fights monsters and navigates dungeons.
He feels himself relaxing and a smile quirking up the corners of his lips.
“Well you seem rather happy for how long you’ve kept me waiting, Puppy.”
Spinning around, Link’s eyes go wide as he sees Midna standing at the edge of the spring.
“Midna!”
She opens her arms as if asking for a hug, “I think you were just putting on a show for your friends last time we saw each other. You haven’t given me a hug yet. Even after I’ve come all this way to visit.”
Link is making hurried footsteps before the Twili is even done speaking and wrapping her in a tight hug by the time she is.
“Sorry, you caught me off guard. It's good to see you, Midna.”
She leans back to smile at him, having to crane her neck slightly to look up at him. “I remember you being shorter than this.”
Link laughs as he looks down at the woman in his arms. “I had a bit of a growth spurt after my adventure with you.”
“Figures.” Midna sighs and leans against Link. “Why didn’t you come visit?”
Link tenses at the question, not sure if he should tell the truth or figure out a lie.
“And don’t lie to me, you’re terrible at it anyway.”
Link slumps his shoulders even as he takes Midna’s and pushes her back a bit, his gaze cast down to his feet.
“Sorry, I know it won’t sound like much of an excuse, but I was nervous.”
“Nervous? You?” Midna smiles at him, “Why brave hero, I’m shocked you would be nervous about anything.”
A pout forms on Link’s lips as he looks up at Midna’s teasing grin.
“I was only nervous because I didn’t think I could handle you telling me we’re just friends.” Link flushes red as the words he just said register in his ears and he goes to turn away from the other.
“Now hold up.” Midna takes Link’s hand, pulling him back to face her. “Why would you think I thought of you as just a friend?”
“Calamity mentioned a law you put in place to keep your realm separate from mine. He didn’t mention the reason, but it was part of his explanation for why he used my wolf form when interacting with Wild.”
“Link.” Midna sounds exasperated as she brings a hand up to his face before harshly pinching his cheek. “You are such a moron.”
“Ow!” Link brings a hand up to rub at the sore cheek as he steps back with a frown. He goes to open his mouth to tell the imp off for her attack but finds himself cut off as Midna presses up against him and gently lays her lips on his.
Just as quickly as it happens Midna is putting space between them a curious darkening of her cheeks present.
Link, likewise is standing there, mouth agape and blushing redder than the setting sun.
“You aren’t the only one who was upset when the mirror was broken.” Midna turns away from him and turns her head up, eyes closed in a haughty look. “I knew it was the only way both our kingdoms could recover. Our people both needed us and so I closed that gate behind me, sealing our realms apart.” A tear trails down her cheek, just as it did that day so long ago at the Arbiter's Grounds. “When Messenger gave me that bracelet a few years back after we fixed the timeline I thought about coming here everyday.”
“Why didn’t you?”
She turns to him. “I knew it would just hurt us both even more. We both had duties that we needed to perform. I’m queen now, I had just been crowned before the War of Ages took place. You had the Queen of Hyrule sending you all over the kingdom as an errand boy to clean up after the mess my people left behind.”
Link feels his heart aching at the reminder of how impossible this love is.
“Then why are you here now? What’s changed?”
Midna turns back to him, her melancholy at remembering the past melting into a warm smile. “I’ve been working hard these last few years so that we could at least spend time together. Put things in order so that my advisors can run things smoothly while I take at the very least vacations. However, that was when we only had the one bracelet.”
Midna steps forward, taking Link’s hand and lifting it up to show him the bracelets they are both wearing.
“They will certainly make it much easier for you and I to visit one another. And maybe with time we can work something out so that we can be together for longer than just brief visits.”
Link swallows and looks at Midna as he realizes what they both want and that she’s been making efforts to make it possible.
“I, I think I can give it a try.” Link leans in to meet Midna part way, but a throat clearing has both blinking and stepping back from one another to turn to the gate of the spring where the postman is standing awkwardly.
“I have letters for a Link and Midna?”
They both blink at him before holding out their hands to accept the letters.
Both are made of fine parchment and have a royal seal of Hyrule stamped into the wax holding them closed.
“Well I’ll be off for now. More letters to deliver after all.” The postman takes off leaving both standing there in confusion.
“I suppose we should open them.”
They look down at them once more, turning them over in their hands to see if there was any other clue what they might be before they open them.
With a sigh, Link breaks the seal on his first and looks inside to see a finely penned letter.
‘You are hereby invited to a royal wedding between Prince Link Gustaf Hyrule and Lady Ravio of Lorule.’
The rest of the letter has dates and instructions on when, where, and how to arrive at the castle in Legend’s Hyrule.
“It's an invitation to a wedding?”
“Legend’s a Prince?”
They both look at each other in surprise at their different reactions.
“I need to let my family know I’ll be going on a trip.”
“You need to let Zelda know so she can find you something appropriate to wear.”
Link blinks before looking up in shock at Midna’s comment, “What’s wrong with the way I dress?”