Tales of Hyrule: Love Stories Through the Ages – Endlessly

 “What the hell happened in here?!” Fresh paint was splattered on the walls and spilled on the wooden floors in annoyingly vibrant shades of pinks, blues, turquoises and yellows. Little handprints had been left on nearly every surface in the small bedroom, and if Midna was being honest, it was like a bomb of paint had exploded. And the walls and floors weren’t the only things covered in paint.

There, along with her godchild, was her lover, Queen Zelda. Pink paint was splattered on her arms, and turquoise streaked upon her face. Her sundress was no longer white, but a mottled shade of various colors.

“You do realize the paint is supposed to go on just the walls, right?” Midna quirked an eyebrow at Zelda, her arms crossed.

Her lover let out a huff of air, glancing hopelessly at the three year old that giggled as she left yet another streaky handprint on the walls.

“You try convincing a three year old of that…” She sighed, picking at a strip of pink paint in her golden brown hair, a frown tugging at her soft lips. Midna couldn’t help but stare at them, a small smirk quirking the corners of her mouth as her eyes took her in.

The light from the windows shone on Zelda’s hair, making it appear like glittering bronze. Her indigo blue eyes shimmered in the light of the sun, and her dark lashes long and wispy. Her skin was fair and blemish free, her cheeks a soft rosy color.

The queen was beautiful, to say the least. But her beauty hadn’t been the reason Midna had fallen in love with her.
Zelda had a heart of gold. No matter what was tossed her way, she always overcame it and never succumbed to the hopelessness that Midna knew occasionally took root in her heart. She never complained, and instead simply pushed through and did what needed done. The Queen had earned her utmost respect during the time of Twilight. Midna had watched Zelda struggle with the choices she had been forced to make in order to save her kingdom. When it had been time to seal the Twilight Realm away and leave Hyrule behind, Midna had finally come to realize the feelings she felt towards the woman.

At first, she had assumed it was respect, coupled with nothing more than simple affection. But as she turned her head one last time to catch a glimpse of the hero and Queen, a tear had slid down her pale cheeks and an intense longing risen. Her heart had burned, her blood a raging fire in her veins. It was as if her whole body had known how wrong it was for her or have to leave, how things shouldn’t have to end this way. The unmistakable bond towards the Hylian woman had strained, as if reaching out for her.

Even just remembering it brought unbidden tears, and they stuck on in her throat. Zelda’s forehead creased in concern, taking in Midna’s watery eyes. “What’s wrong?” She got to her feet gracefully, making her way to place a gentle hand on Midna’s cheek. 
Midna leaned against it, placing her own hand over the Queen’s as she closed her eyes and took a shaky breath.

“Nothing. Just remembering the moment I realized I had fallen for you.” She opened her eyes, the sun dancing in her ruby depths. Midna watched as Zelda’s face softened, and the Hylian woman wrapped her paint splattered arms around her. The paint was dry, but Midna wouldn’t have cared even if it wasn’t. Zelda rested her cheek on the Twili’s chest, and the Midna couldn’t help but smile, soaking in her warmth.

“You know, I realized it about the same time you did. But it took me a little longer to come to terms with it.”

“Yeah?” Midna wrapped one arm around Zelda’s waist, running her fingers through the silken strands with her other hand. Her lover’s body was warm against hers, and the faint scent of jasmine and sunshine tickled her nose.

Zelda nodded, and Midna could feel her smile against her chest. “Mhm. I wasn’t really sure what the ache that I felt was from. But each time I’d close my eyes, I’d see you.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “I didn’t think I’d get to see you ever again.”

Midna kissed the top of her head. “Me neither. Let me tell you, I never want to feel that kind of pain again.”

Zelda leaned her head back, her ocean blue eyes searching Midna’s flaming red ones. “How did you come back?”
She shrugged, her copper hair rippling with the movement of her shoulders.

“Honestly, I still don’t know.” She looked down at her wife, smiling sweetly. “But I don’t think I’ll question it, because it brought me back to you.” With that, she kissed her deeply. She wanted to portray every emotion she felt towards the Queen, every ounce of love and respect she felt. She wanted her to know how much she needed her. She was sure the small box that seemed to be burning a hole in her pocket would get the point across. But she wanted to get the point across without it, first.

She broke the kiss off and leaned back, her eyes twinkling as they roved over Zelda’s flushed face. “Take a walk with me?”

“Of course. But what about Abigail?” Zelda asked, glancing towards the giggling child as she rubbed her small hands on the plastic wrap around her.

As if on cue, Illia walked through the doors, scooping the child up into her arms. She turned towards them, smiling.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got her. It’s about time to get her home into the bath anyways. Although, I may just have to have Link help me get all this paint scraped off of her,” she laughed, kissing Abigail’s blond curls.

“Thank you.” Midna returned the smile before looking towards Zelda, offering her arm. Zelda giggled softly, taking it and leading her through the door. 
Midna glanced backwards at Illia, catching the wink as she and Abigail waved.

“Good luck!” She mouthed, and Midna tossed her a mischievous grin.

“So where are we going?” Zelda asked, her voice soft and curious.

“Well, I thought we might walk down to the garden and watch the sunset,” Midna replied, keeping her voice steady as her heart pounded in her chest.

They walked on in silence, enjoying each other’s company as they passed through the many halls and finally out to the back garden.

The air was heavily scented with roses and jasmine, and the tinkling sound of the fountain residing in the middle of the garden greeted Midna’s ears. A lake stretched ahead of them, the sun glinting off its mirror-like surface. Lillypads rested on top and a white swan bobbed languidly on the water, casting ripples with it’s little feet. To the left, wooden arbors lead down a cobblestone pathway, wisteria and climbing roses dangling from their heights and flowering bushes lining the edge of the walkway.

Midna lead her down the path, slowly making their way to the white gazebo that resided at its end.

Zelda leaned over the wooden railing, breathing in the summer air as she watched the sun’s downward decent, it’s last rays set parts of the hills beyond aglow with a wash of golden light. Midna stood beside her, enjoying the peacefulness that surrounded them.”It’s hard to believe that, at one point, I thought I’d never see the sun set again,” Zelda murmured, her voice low and thoughtful. A slight breeze played with her hair, tossing it over her slim shoulders as her eyes roved the view beyond.

Midna slowly turned her head towards the Queen, letting her eyes drink in the sight. Her heart picked up speed, and she could feel it thumping roughly against her ribcage. She thought it may even bruise it, if that was possible. Her hands felt suddenly clammy, and she rubbed them roughly on her black skirts. 
She took a deep breath, steadying her swirling thoughts.

“Zelda…” Zelda turned her head towards the Twili, a smile slightly tugging at her lips. “I have so many things I want to say to you… so many thoughts that are running through my brain, tumbling over each other to get out. But the only thing that I can think of is how much I love you and need you in my life.“

Zelda placed a hand on her chest, her eyes beginning to tear up.

“Zelda, I can’t live without you. I don’t think I will ever meet someone that could really compare to you. I’ve met all sorts of people, and no matter what they say or who they are, they aren’t you. They don’t even come close to being you.”

Midna reached into the pockets of her skirt, pulling out a small wooden box as she got down to one knee.

A slight sob erupted from Zelda’s mouth behind her hands, and her tears fell freely as Midna cracked open the box, displaying a simple diamond ring with two small sapphires placed on either side.

“There is no doubt in my mind that you are my soulmate. We are two sides of the same coin, and I don’t think there’s anyone else who could understand me the way you do. Zelda, will you marry me?” She watched her Queen’s face, taking in every little detail, her heart hammering.

“Yes. Goddesses, yes!” Zelda both laughed and sobbed at the same time, holding out her shaking hand. Midna gently slid the ring onto her finger, getting to her feet. She leaned down, wrapping her arms around her fiance’s slim waist and pulling her close, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. Her heart felt full to bursting, and it was like nothing she had ever felt before. She would be spending the rest of her days with this wonderful woman.

Against all odds, their love had survived.
Midna leaned back slightly, a smile on her face as her own ruby eyes filled with tears of joy. “My dear Zelda. I promise that no matter what comes our way… I will love you forever and always. I will love you endlessly.”

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Savannah Gault is an Original Content Editor for Zelda Dungeon. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her taking photos and exploring. Follow her on Twitter!