*Ordon Ranch*

"Is that all, Link?" You tried to keep your voice neutral in spite of the exhaustion you felt. If this is what he did prior to becoming a hero, he shouldn't have had to endure much training. You waddled over to where the other bales of hay stood. You threw yours on top, completing the perfect triangular stack Fado asked you to make. 

Link folded his arms in response to the pride you were displaying. You turned to catch him watching you as a grin unfolded on his face. 

"What?" You barked at him. 

"Oh, nothing. It's just for someone who told me Twili don't have emotions; you sure are demonstrating a lot of hubris right now. You could admit you're tired. This is tiring work for someone who isn't a ranch hand." 

"Yeah, this isn't work for a delicate lady such as yourself." Fado seized the opportunity to swoop in as the savior. He laid a gentle hand on your back. You could feel the sweat from his palms saturate your clothing. "Link, why are you making her do the bales of hay? You can handle them yourself. I would have had her do something less strenuous. She could gather the eggs from the cucco coops." Fado turned to you with a flirtatious glint in his eyes. "He's just grumpy these days because he's about to lose his freedom." 

You found the expression odd. Any time someone said something you didn't quite understand, you simply repeated it. Often times, they would reiterate, helping you understand what they meant. "Lose his freedom?" Fado gave a loud chortle, "Link? You didn't tell her you were engaged?" Then he lowered his voice, attempting to keep Link out of earshot. "He's engaged to the mayor's daughter. I am single. In case you're wondering." 

"She isn't." Link walked up, clearly irritated. You couldn't help but notice the change in his demeanor whenever there was mention of his engagement. How you wish you could connect with Midna. There were so many things about the Realm of Light you wanted to ask. Link had an edge to him sometimes. One that intimidated you. Although, he did have a lot on his plate. You were kind of an inconvenience in his life. Perhaps it would be best to at least try to seek lodging elsewhere. He didn't deserve to have his life put on hold by your selfish mission. Once I meet Zelda, we will part ways. You inferred that this was the right thing to do. Yet the thought of leaving Link was heavy on your chest. 

"Y/N?" You cast your widened eyes toward Link. He gave you a suspicious look. As if he knew you were mentally planning something. Link brought his face slightly closer to yours. He was close enough that you could see the pores on his face. There was a sheen of oil cast on the apples of his cheeks that made his face shine. You wanted to touch his skin. To feel it beneath your eager fingers. You wanted to feel his human qualities, which made him the living hero you were taught to deify. "Whatever it is, don't think about it." 

"What?" 

"Your face always gives you away. We need to teach you how to have a poker face." Link's lips curved into a tired smile. You felt your chest constrict. You instantly reached your hand up to your heart. As though you could grab hold of it through your chest wall and make it stop its arrythmia. 

"What's a poker face?" You gave him an inquisitive glance. You doubted that you made many other faces besides that. 

"It's keeping a neutral facial expression. So that you don't give away your feelings. As a Twili without feelings, there is no reason to use a facial expression to hide them." He sounded dejected.

"With all due respect," you were excited to try out one of the phrases of empowerment you always wanted to use. "You don't have a very good poker face when people mention your engagement." Your hands were cupped over your mouth as soon as the words left it. Link's eyes went wide. 

"Y-you," he struggled to string together a sentence. "You don't speak my language, and yet..." His face grew soft with respect. He picked his finger up, tapping where your heart was. "Yet you understand me in here." 

"I don't think we are very different." You tapped his heart back, "in here." It was true. Link had the ability to feel emotions, but something told you that he didn't give himself permission to feel. The very thing you wanted to do, he could do, yet didn't want to. How ironic. 

His eyes seem to swell with adoration. You've never seen someone look at you in such a way. How you wished you could take a photo of it to bring back to the Realm of Twilight. Midna would probably hang it up in the "Hall of the Hero." A bizarre sense of selfishness arose within you. You wanted this moment to just belong to you. Link opened his mouth but was overpowered by an exuberant female voice.

"Link! There you are!" You saw an attractive female jog towards you. 

She had big eyes that displayed the innocence of a deer. Her lashes seemed to flutter at an abnormal rate as she continuously blinked, amplifying the deer look. Her short hair had the same feathered texture as Link's. It was even remotely the same color as Link's. Maybe that's what couples in the light do? Match each other? She wore a simple ivory tunic and brown linen pants that cut off mid-shin. You hated to admit it, but she and Link did look like they belonged together. 

That was until they hugged.

You watched as Ilia wrapped her arms around Link, pulling him close. Link seemed to go limp within her grasp. He loosely hung in her embrace as though he were a rag doll. She began to smother him with kisses on his cheek. Like she hadn't seen him in years and didn't just unfairly scream at him a mere few hours ago. Maybe that's why Link seemed so despondent at her touch. 

For some reason, you decided to avert your eyes toward something else. The whole spectacle left you feeling uncomfortable. You couldn't figure it out. You wouldn't see Link again after today. What was wrong with his fiancée showing him affection? You couldn't place what it was; you just felt irritated. 

You hoped you could stay in Castle Town. You remembered the ice cream vendor who gave you his address. Maybe he would take you on a date to the "Lake Hylia" place he mentioned. 

Anything to escape the sensation running through you. You were starting to think emotions weren't all that they were rumored to be.

*Hyrule Castle*

Neither one of you had said much since departing the ranch. Link felt ashamed over the interaction that took place with Ilia. Both of you silently wandered through the animated crowds of Castle Town. He thought of the way you looked at the mud while you were in Ilia's arms. As if the mud was more pleasing to look at. Why was he so uptight over what Y/N thought? He hadn't done anything wrong. Yet the way he severed himself from Ilia's arms, said otherwise. Twili couldn't feel. Link didn't like how hopeful he felt that maybe, just maybe, you were jealous of his engagement. Though jealousy was not the feeling he wanted to introduce you to.

He knew Zelda would pick up on any unwarranted tension lingering in the air. Link knew he needed to break the silence. He gave his hair an uneasy ruffle, "Y/N?" Link stopped in front of you, anxious to see if you would look at him. You didn't. 

"Before we meet Zelda, I wanted to know if you had any questions-" Before Link could finish his question, he was cut off by a flat "no." 

"I see. A-are you mad at me?" Link stammered. He could stand the silence no longer. He had to know why you were treating him so coldly. 

You responded in a monotone voice, "No. Why would I be mad? I wouldn't even know what that feels like." Link noticed that instead of looking at him, you were looking past him. Link twirled around to see if there was something behind him. There wasn't.  With his back turned, you took the opportunity to glide past him. You quietly made your way up the Castle stairs. 

Link watched the back of your figure continue on without him. Link knew anything more he had to say would only be viewed as disparaging. Maybe Zelda can fix this. Link wished he could open up to you. He didn't want this engagement any more than you assumed he did. 

*

Zelda paced back and forth, perturbed. The clicking of her heels against the marble floor tiles was not nearly as loud as her racing thoughts. She had a meeting with the chancellor at noon and had nothing of value to contribute. She stared at the stacks of paperwork that were piled around her. 

"I have read these damned documents numerous times. There is not one explanation in them that persuades me to consider Gerudo Mesa's interest in annexing part of Eldin Province." She picked up a stack, furiously flipping through it. 

"Not one!" She shouted in annoyance, tossing the papers to the floor.

"Princess?" A guard stood nervously at her door. "Forgive me, princess. Are you willing to accept visitors?" 

"Well, now is not really-" Zelda was cut off by Link's appearance in the doorway.

"Oh, Link, what brings you here? Fabian, you may be dismissed." The guard gave a gracious salute, doltishly hopping back to his assigned post. 

"Zelda, what is all this? Can I help in anyway?" Link greeted Zelda, revering her with a polite half- bow. Their relationship was past the point of veneration. Next, Zelda would insist that he was the hero, and it was silly for him to always present such decorum. In Link's mind, he was still a poor rancher. He was a green rupee in the presence of a silver rupee. How could he not hold the princess of Hyrule in the highest esteem in which she should be regarded?

"Link, must we always have this discussion about bowing?" Zelda's eyes meandered past Link to the refined presence in her doorway. "You have brought a guest with you?" Zelda's eyes lasered in on Y/N's presence. "A Twili, no less."

"H-How?" Link stood with his mouth swinging ajar. 

"You mean to tell me you don't know she is of the Twilight? I'd expect more from you after everything that occurred, Link." 

"I-I do know. I have seen her markings. How did you know without seeing them?"

Zelda adjusted something behind her thick curtain of dirty blonde hair. With a snap, she unclasped a necklace and dangled it in the air. Y/N's eyes lit up, her pupils following the clockwise circles of the small pendant that hung in Zelda's hand. It was a shard of the Mirror of Twilight. 

"OH! A- shard of the Mirror of Twilight!" Y/N exclaimed. You prudently stepped forward in Zelda's presence. Unlike Link and his familiarity with the princess, you only knew of her through stories. Listening to the stories of Princess Zelda was as mythical as listening to stories about the ancient sages. Seeing her with your own eyes was the conclusive blessing you needed for your pilgrimage. You were not bereft of the praise you wished to grant the princess, Midna's other half. 

You kept your forehead resting on your bent knee as you spoke. "Princess, you are correct. I am from the Realm of Twilight. My master Midna speaks so highly of you. Because of your existential dedication to your people, you have changed Midna. I have spent my existence on the side of the mirror where only Midna has reigned. She credits you for everything she has done for our inhabitants. As well as you, Hero of Twilight. She credits herself for nothing." You lifted your head to slowly meet Link's face. Link was grateful for some type of acknowledgment, no matter how ephemeral it was. 

You continued, "And so I wanted to understand the reign on this side of the mirror. This realm. I-I... have come to this realm under selfish pretenses. I wish to convert into a Hylian. I wish to serve the light the way my ancestors intended. I also wish to beg your forgiveness for their actions so many centuries ago."

Zelda abstained from showing any emotion. This wasn't hard for her to do since she was constantly in the eye of the public. It came with the territory of royalty. She gave a slight tilt of her head to demonstrate her intrigue.

"It is possible to regain your standing within the light." Zelda began her familiar pacing pattern from earlier. "I must wonder, if you become part of the light... will you wish to remain in it? For I know beings in the light, that would much rather exist in the Realm of Twilight. Beings who would rather provide their civic duty without the daily annoyances of emotional defaults. " Zelda blatantly eyed Link when she said this. An intuitive dialogue passed between them.

"Don't convince me you didn't wish to join Midna in the twilight, Link. The shadows are where you are most comfortable." Zelda walked with calculated steps around Link, studying him. 

"You're not wrong, Zelda. This girl is a lot like me. We want to exist in the same place. We don't know where that place is. That is why I agreed to help her." Link watched Zelda with a stringent face. 

"And help her, you shall." Zelda continued her intimidating laps around Link.

"Yes, if you seek to become part of the light, there are certain trials. You must go to the Arbiter's Grounds next. You will find that the voices of the past have wise words for you about the visions of the future. Report back to me after your visit. I will consult with Midna."

"You can speak with Midna?" Your head shot up at the mention of Midna. 

Zelda balled her hand into a fist and wrapped her other hand around her wrist. She pressed the Mirror of Twilight shard against her chest. For a moment, she seemed to smile. You realized she was reminiscing. "I see you are still learning the power of the shard. I'm speaking to Midna right now."

"What!" You gasped in disbelief.

"Midna said, much like your homework assignment, you'll find you can hear the voice of truth. Her voice. She supports your decision to attempt the trials of conversion. However, she has one request..."

This next part made Zelda devilishly smile. For a moment, she looked no different than Midna. Link wondered if Zelda was channeling Midna through the Mirror of Twilight shard. 

"Anything." Your voice squeaked with elation. You couldn't believe Midna and Zelda approved of your conversion into a Hylian.  You stood, ready to skip out of the royal palace. You felt as though you could tackle any trial that was thrown your way.

 Invincible. 

Until Zelda interrupted with, "You must allow the Hero of Twilight to aid you on your journey."

With that single sentence, your indomitable spirit was shattered. 

A/N: Edited 11/13/22

***If you read through this and notice any confliction with voicing, please tell me. As it is hard to keep track of different voices and I have been catching errors. :) ***

Your conversion into the Realm of Light has been ordained by Princess Zelda and Midna. But a certain someone has been tasked to aid you on your quest. With a possessive Ilia in tow, how will it be possible for Link to help you on your journey? And what is it you feel about his upcoming wedding? 

Check out my other completed OOT Zelda work- No Woman Beyond