Blessed

Chapter Fourteen: Agitha

A/N: Whoa! An update? ...You know you love me.

They were welcomed into the throne room immediately upon Ghirahim's return. The demon insisted that Link wait for him a moment before coming in, and so the former Hero stood out in the hallway uncomfortably, listening to the conversation.

"Where is he?"

"He's waiting just outside."

"What is he waiting for? Send him in."

"I merely wanted to remind you that you have no right to control him as you once did, especially not after what you've done to him."

"Ghirahim, I've spent a hundred years waiting to apologize. Grant an old woman some closure, will you?"

Link heard his former master clear his throat. "Very well, then."

At that, the blonde pushed open the door with one hand. He held his head high, and his eyes held the embers of a former fury that had once burned within them. "I'd say it's nice to see you again, Zelda, but we both know that would be a lie."

"Link..."

Zelda wasn't anything he remembered her to be. Yes, her posture was similar - she carried herself mostly the same, except it seemed she now had more weight to bear. But her skin had lost its youthful, pristine glow over the years. Her eyes no longer glimmered with her hopes for Hyrule.

She had grown old, while he remained the same. It was...different.

"I'm sorry," she breathed, her voice cracking. "I know that two words aren't nearly enough to make you forgive me, but I've searched for all this time and still haven't found anything powerful enough."

"That's okay. I probably wouldn't have forgiven you no matter what you said."

"Link, there's no need to be so harsh," Ghirahim insisted, resting his hand lightly on the blonde's shoulder.

Link ignored the demon. "I kept wondering afterwards. I kept asking myself why you didn't listen to me, why you didn't even seem to consider the words I was speaking, why you decided to kill him even when I begged you not to. Amidst all of my questions, the biggest one was why you didn't seem to care that I loved him."

"I didn't know - "

"Don't be stupid, Zelda. I made it painfully obvious. You knew perfectly well. Tell me why."

In an instant, the regality and dignity faded from her noble image. She sat down in the throne, looking to weigh as much as the sky. "I don't know."

"Don't lie to me."

She looked up to meet his gaze, tears brimming in hers. "Maybe I thought he had found some way to put that emotion in your eyes, in your voice. Maybe I didn't want to believe that my Hero had fallen for not only an enemy, but a man. Maybe I just couldn't process it at first. And...maybe I was jealous. Jealous that he received your affections when I never could." She turned to meet Ghirahim's eyes. "Congratulations, Ghirahim. You've earned my envy."

"I never wanted your envy in the first place, Zelda."

"Then what did you want?"

He looked towards Link, letting his hair fall over his face. "I'd explain, but we have matters to settle. You said you knew why we've returned, so please - do tell."

She let her shoulders slump. "You've read the story, correct?" When they nodded, she continued. "Then you know that Ganondorf was sealed away, never truly defeated." They nodded again. She sighed softly. "I fear that the seal is breaking."