The Memories Between Them | ✔

Epilogue

In which they finally live happily ever after.

Link was a storyteller forced to be a soldier.

As time went on, he was a soldier, king, husband, father, and legend. But his favorite title was storyteller.

He told stories over open flames of valor and courage. He told tales of love and loss to children – both his and others – that sat on his knee. He tols his story over and over again. He wrote them down and published his tales with a small hope that if and when another Hero and Princess returned to conquer another evil and rise another fallen kingdom, they would know they were not along like he once felt that he was.

Link was a lover molded to become a fighter. Those closest to him always knew this. They knew that if he could have, he would have chosen a different path.

But then again, the path he took led him to Zelda.

Perhaps I shouldn't feel too bad for setting him down to that trial.

Our young Hero lived. He lived to see gray in his and Zelda's hair, and wrinkles on her face that he would kiss and call beautiful. He lived to see weddings and children and grandchildren. He lived to see Zelda become a wife and mother of two. He lived to see Sidon become King. He lived to see Riju marry a beautiful woman and see Buliara retire. He lived to see Yunobo become a fearsome and kind leader. He lived to see Teba become Elder of Rito Village, and to see Tulin become an archer to rival Revali.

He lived a life he would've never imagined for himself a century before. He made that life for himself.

I've seen Heroes fall so easily once the trials ended. I've seen Heroes unable to handle the memories or guilt. But not this one. Not this one, with a will of iron and a heart unbecoming of a stoic soldier.

But again, he was never truly a soldier.

And while I will forever hate myself for forcing them to carry such a weight on their shoulders, I am so happy to see them flourish once the job is done.