Guilty as Ganon

Epilogue

"Father?" Zelda clutched her belly, newly freed from its corset. "Why did you make Link and I out to be that way?"

Her father sighed, and could not look her in the eye. He hadn't wished to follow procedure on the matter, but he also desired his daughter's wellbeing and safety. "You know there is protocol for such matters. Something like this cannot be swept under a rug."

"You referred to Link and I as prostitutes! As if we'd shamed the very kingdom."

"I had little choice. The law dictates that should a royal woman become pregnant without explanation, her and any males who were with her unaccompanied must stand trial. If you had taken your entire guard to the Spring of Power, I would have charged all of them in addition to Link."

"I gave you an explanation. The Goddess demanded it done of us right there."

"And if you had come forward with that information immediately upon returning to the Castle, we could have avoided this." The King sighed, finally looking in his daughter's direction. "When I saw you like that, and then for you to act so defensive and secretive... I feared the worst had befallen you."

"Father, you know Link."

"Yes, I know Link. You know Link. But the fact of the matter is, because you would not come forward about it, I could not prove that the Spring of Power underneath the Goddess' direction was where it happened! I could not prove that it was Link who'd made you with child, and I could not prove an absence of ill intent. You know how the people think of your knight and his people during the spring season. Nothing less than infallible evidence could convince them otherwise."

She felt his eyes in hers. Her father was right. Her desire to protect Link had only worsened affairs for all of them.

"And you know there's policy we must follow if we wish to wed. I appreciate you wishing to honor your husband, but an elopement is not the correct way to do so. And I am disappointed in Urbosa and the others for working off your fear."

Tears burned in her eyes. "I was afraid... afraid you'd have Link executed."

"I almost did have Link executed!" His royal voice boomed through the chamber. "I thought he raped you!"

Zelda couldn't respond. The chamber fell eerily quiet. Then, she broke out into a wailing sob.

Though it was not becoming of a king, and though he'd scolded Link for doing so just days before, Rhoam wrapped his daughter in his arms. "I forgive you, Zelda. And I'm sorry for whatever I did that had you believe you couldn't trust me."

She felt better. It had been so long since she'd been held like this.

There was no reason to scold her. No reason to be a king now. He hated that they'd been left in this situation, that they'd been stuck at odds for ten long years. There would come a time for duty, later. Now, the doors were closed. Their respective guards outside the door. Just him and his daughter.

"I'm sorry, Father..."

"I've forgiven you, Zelda." He finally released her, now that she was not trembling so violently. "Please, if someone tries to hurt you, let me know. I'm the king. I may have to be harsh with you when you don't want me to be, but I can make sure that anyone who hurts you never sees an ounce of joy. You understand, Zelda?"

"I understand... Father."

Rhoam wasn't sure if the expression on her face could qualify as a smile. For this moment, he wasn't going to expect a smile out of her. In trying to be a good Royal Family, in trying to serve all their subjects, the law had forced them to vilify themselves and each other. He'd try harder. He should've tried harder to begin with. That was a mistake. But he looked at her now: fresh tears streaking down her flushed face, her trembling upper body, the curves in her torso that had drilled such cold fear into him but he now smiled upon... He'd brought this upon her the very moment her name was bestowed. He prayed to Hylia that her child would bear any other name. It would not be fair on her to pray for a grandson, he'd brought enough unfairness onto her, but he could pray that whichever Zelda would bring into the world in only two seasons... that they would be free of the chains that bound both him and Zelda. He knew she prayed for the same. Perhaps this was the Goddess' way of giving them hope. Another way out.

His daughter asked for his hand in standing, he braced her back as well. "So you're not... going to banish Link and our child?"

"Of course not. We will move on from here. When you are ready, I think the kingdom could use a celebration in these dark times."

She finally smiled. "I'd like that very much, Father."

"I would too."