Chapter Text
Zelda held onto her legs as she sat curled in the lounge chair in the sitting room as Link finished telling her the day’s events. Once he was done she gently offered, “I’m sorry, Link.”
“It was fun,” Link tried, forcing a smile on his face. He looked over at the harp sitting on the table in front of the empty fireplace and added, “But I think that thing should be locked up before it sends anyone else through time.”
“Excuse me,” a voice said, turning the two to the doorway to see a man standing there with a box in his hands.
“Come in, Croo, what is it?” Zelda asked, letting her feet drop so she sat up.
“I was cleaning through Sir Link’s library as you asked, “Croo started, eyeing Link as if he was worried how Link would react, “and I found this the family must have missed. It’s addressed to Sir Link.”
Croo handed it to Zelda only for her to look at it in surprise. She looked up at him and said, “Thank you for delivering this.”
“Your welcome, Queen Zelda,” Croo offered with a bow before leaving the room.
Zelda leaned over and handed Link the box, saying, “It’s for you.”
Link took the box, confused what she meant if it had been addressed to Grandfather. He looked at the top only to see in Grandfather’s handwriting, “To Sir Link of Hyrule, only to be opened after he has earned his title,” Link read aloud. He looked up at Zelda, worry at the pit of his stomach. “I changed the past.”
“Or you’re were always supposed to go back,” Zelda said, sitting on the edge of her seat. “Go ahead and open it.”
Link lifted the lid off to see a letter sitting atop something wrapped in paper. He sat the lid in the chair beside him and took the letter out, unfolding it. He glanced at Zelda before reading it aloud. “Dear Link, as long as the outside is read like it should have been, you’ll be getting this shortly after you last saw me. I didn’t find your note until I was moving-“
“Your note?” Zelda interrupted.
Link looked up and admitted, “I felt bad about throwing one of Grandfather’s figurines in the fire as a kid so I left him instructions on how to make a fireproof lacquer. I didn’t sign it but I guess it was obvious it was from me.”
“Sorry, continue.”
Link looked back at the note and continued reading, “I didn’t find your note until I was moving my stuff into the newly built castle. At the time I didn’t want to do what you asked me to do for fear I’d change the future or past for you, but eventually I did. I shouldn’t have been surprised when seven year old you put my remlit in the fire. I don’t know if you ever wondered how I could forgive you as easily as I did, I know your parents were furious with you, but I knew the man you would turn into. I had a little more knowledge than they did. With your father’s help, I fished the remlit out and set to work on repairing it. It’s thanks to you I had any of it left to repair. So as long as this letter stays in this box, the remlit should be what is wrapped below this. Take good care of her, I modeled her off of Mia, Gaepora’s remlit.
“Link, don’t ever forget this. I love you and I’m so proud of what you’ve acomplis-“ Link’s voice cracked as he found himself fighting back the wave of emotions. He paused and closed his eyes, trying to take back control when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Zelda standing beside him with tears in her eyes. Turning back to the letter, he forced out the last part. “I’m honored to be the great-grandfather of both a knight and hero of Hyrule. May the goddesses give you a long prosperous life.”
Link looked the letter over once more before sitting it opposite of Zelda, in the lid of the box. He reached into the box and pulled out the wrapped wood carving, carefully pulling the paper away to reveal a yellow and brown sky cat.
“Aw, it’s cute,” Zelda offered, sitting on the chair’s armrest to lean closer and look at it.
Link looked it over, surprised at how much it still looked like the cat he had seen earlier in the day more than a hundred years ago. “I never did understand how Grandfather wasn’t mad at me that day,” Link admitted aloud. He looked up at Zelda and said, “Guess it makes sense now.”
“We always knew he knew more than he should,” Zelda offered. She leaned over and wrapped an arm around him. “And I agree with him. I’m proud of you too.”
Link reached up and hugged her, closing his eyes as he put his face in her shoulder.
The End