#postgame speculation

Hilda wasn’t used to being surrounded by comfort, much less opulence. She had always taken the utmost care with her appearance, knowing the effect her silks and jewels had on those she commanded, but her living quarters were another story altogether. Simply put, the exterior of her castle was far more politically strategic than her bed linen.

Ravio had insisted, however. Nayru only knew where he got the rupees, but he paid for everything without telling her. Between one day and the next, the broken windows of her study were repaired, the warped floorboards damaged by the tempests that periodically blew through the upper reaches of the castle were replaced, and even the moldy fabric of the divan in her sitting room had been reupholstered.

“Hilda, are you there?”

Hilda put down the book she had been holding and looked closely at the mirror. There was still nothing there, just her own hazy image. Light from the setting sun shone directly onto the glass through the tower’s western window. She had left it open to let in some air, and the delicate lace curtains that bordered the window trembled slightly in the breeze. Behind her reflection she could see her wall of bookcases, where all of the volumes that had been lost through the years had been replaced and meticulously arranged in an eye-pleasing array.

The taste that informed these renovations was exquisite, which is how Hilda realized that Ravio had not been operating on his own. She had Yuga to thank for the beauty of her quarters. She still didn’t trust him fully – she never had and probably never would – but she couldn’t deny that he was a useful man to have in her employ. If nothing else, he had a keen eye for details that would otherwise go overlooked. “Everything must be perfect, Your Grace,” he was in the habit of saying, “as exquisitely perfect as your face.”

“Hilda!” the voice called out again. “Can you see me?”

Hilda realized that she recognized the voice. If she wasn't mistaken, it was Zelda. But how...?

She approached the mirror to take a closer look. It was only when her nose was almost touching the glass that she was able to see Zelda’s face smiling back at her.

“Give me a hand, will you?” Zelda requested as she pressed her palm against her side of the mirror. Not knowing what else to do, Hilda placed her hand against Zelda’s. She felt an odd tingling sensation in her fingers, and then Zelda was in the room with her, tumbling into her arms.

Hilda caught her, and Zelda hugged her tightly. “It actually worked!” she exclaimed, laughing.

Hilda pushed Zelda away, frowning as she held her by the shoulders. She was happy to see her; she couldn’t help it. In fact, she’d been thinking about Hyrule and its princess more than she’d like to admit, especially after the calamity that had almost befallen them because of her selfishness and lack of foresight. As much as it gladdened her heart to see Zelda standing in front of her, Hilda was certain that Zelda wouldn’t go through the trouble of coming to Lorule unless her kingdom were in grave danger.

“Zelda? What’s wrong?” she asked. “What happened?”

Zelda's smile faltered briefly but then burst back onto her face. “Everything’s fine! I just wanted to see you again.”

“That’s it? You created a portal into my world… for a social call?”

Zelda nodded vigorously. “That’s right! Well, that, and I read about this spell in an old book. Apparently, mirrors have been used as gateways between worlds before, and I wanted to try it out for myself. Just think, now we can see each other whenever we want.”

Hilda didn’t believe that Zelda was lying, exactly, but she still doubted her motives. It had been months since she had returned to her kingdom. Why had she suddenly decided to visit Lorule?

“Are you sure that's the only reason why you're here?” Hilda asked.

“Well...” Zelda chuckled sheepishly and looked away. “I actually came to ask for your advice about something. I really like what you've done with your study, by the way.”

“This is all Yuga’s doing,” Hilda responded dryly.

“That’s... That’s actually what I came to ask you about!”

“Yuga? What about him?”

“Well...” Zelda steepled her fingers together and then intertwined them, which was the closest thing she had to a nervous tic. She caught Hilda watching her and blushed, pale pink roses blooming on her cheeks. Lovely Zelda, Hilda couldn’t stop herself from thinking.

“I wasn't able to see Link's battle against Yuga, since, well...”

“Since you were trapped in a painting, yes,” Hilda finished for her, wanting to move past the unpleasant truth as quickly as possible.

“But I was fairly certain that Link struck him down. He must have, if the Triforce of Power returned to us. You could have allowed him to die, but you didn't. Why not?”

Why not indeed. Hilda had often wondered about this herself.

“Yuga is a pretentious, swaggering mass of rudeness and insults, but he's intelligent and efficient, which is why I allowed him to enter my service in the first place,” Hilda replied. “I thought it would be better to keep him in my sight than to let him roam free, and I reasoned that I could put his various talents to good use. And he was loyal, for the most part. He was only acting according to my orders when I sent him to Hyrule, and it was I who allowed him to be corrupted by the power of the Triforce. None of this would have happened if it weren't for me, so...”

Hilda found herself at a loss for words, unable to articulate what she was trying to say. She was also, strangely enough, on the verge of tears.

“So you forgave Yuga because you wanted to be forgiven yourself?” Zelda offered.

“Something like that, yes,” Hilda admitted, swallowing the lump in her throat.

“I never blamed you for anything, you know,” Zelda said softly, taking one of Hilda’s hands in both of hers. “I think I might even have done the same thing if I were in your situation. Which is why…”

Zelda squeezed Hilda’s hand before releasing it. “Do you mind if I sit down?” she asked.

“Of course,” Hilda answered, concerned. “If you don’t mind, let’s go to my sitting room. It’s just…” Hilda gestured toward the doorway, and Zelda nodded. Of course Zelda already knew where her sitting room was; there was no reason to tell her.

“Thank you,” Zelda said gratefully. She left the study, and Hilda followed along behind her.

“Why, this is lovely!” Zelda said appreciatively. “It’s completely changed from how I remember it! Things have really improved here, haven’t they?”

“They have, and they haven’t,” Hilda replied. “Change is gradual, but I like to think we’re on the right path now. As for this room, it’s more of Yuga’s handiwork, and Ravio only encourages him.”

“They must really care about you,” Zelda observed.

Hilda made a noncommittal sound, and Zelda fell silent as she sat on the newly reupholstered divan. She took her time adjusting the skirt of her dress before smoothing it down. She started to steeple her fingers again, caught herself doing it, and then folded her hands neatly in her lap.

So something was going on in Hyrule after all, Hilda mused. Zelda had said that she never blamed her, but that couldn’t possibly be true, not after all the trouble she’d caused. Hilda took a deep breath as she walked to Zelda and sat down beside her. She didn’t know if she would be able to make things right between them, but she would have to try.

“Tell me, what’s on your mind,” Hilda invited, laying one of her hands over Zelda’s.

“It’s… It’s about Ganon,” Zelda muttered, stumbling over her words. “I’ve been thinking, and… Well, was it the right thing to do? To kill him?”

“Of course it was the right thing to do!” Hilda exclaimed. “Ganon is nothing more than a mindless beast! A monster! Think of what he almost did to Hyrule!”

“But you forgave Yuga, and…”

“Yuga is useful to me. I didn’t spare his life out of compassion, and I certainly didn’t forgive him. He owes me an enormous debt, and I intend to make him pay it. Simply put, Yuga is a tool. Nothing more.”

“And Ravio? Is Ravio a tool?”

“Ravio is a friend. Perhaps the only one I have.”

“I wish you would consider me your friend.”

“Then I will. So, as your friend, I want to know why you’re so concerned about Ganon.”

Zelda sighed. “Whatever Ganon is, or whatever he did, it just doesn’t seem fair to keep him in an eternal state of purgatory, especially not when he can be summoned back to life by whoever performs the ritual. It’s not fair to Hyrule to have such a dangerous threat lurking in the shadows, and it’s not fair to Ganon to be punished like that, just for wanting the Triforce for himself.”

Hilda suddenly understood what Zelda was implying; the parallel was as clear as crystal.

“What are you suggesting?” she asked, unable to keep her voice from trembling.

“While I was in that painting, I thought a lot about Hyrule and its legends, and since then I’ve been reading everything I can get my hands on. I think it may be possible that, if it weren’t for Ganon, then Lorule wouldn’t exist. It was called ‘the Dark World’ before it was purified by the hero of a former age, but it’s been written that the Triforce created Lorule as a reflection of Ganon’s heart. And, you know, it’s not so bad here. It’s beautiful, in its own way. I mean, if it weren’t for Ganon, then I never would have met you…”

Hilda had read the same theory of Lorule’s origin in various places herself. It wasn’t common knowledge, however, and she intended to keep it that way. It bothered her that Zelda now knew what may just be one of Lorule’s darkest secrets, if it was indeed true. She suppressed her earlier burst of emotion with the force of her will and turned a sharp gaze on Zelda.

“I appreciate the sentiment,” she said, “but what use is Ganon to you?”

“What… What use is he?” Zelda repeated, appearing not to have understood her question.

“If Ganon isn’t of some use to you, then why go through the trouble to summon him? Because I can assure you, what you’re proposing to do sounds like nothing but trouble.”

“I hadn’t really thought about it in those terms,” Zelda admitted. “I was just thinking that we could keep him in the Eastern Palace, or in the Desert Palace if that would make him happier, and then just… I don’t know, let him die of old age, I guess. And then there would be no more Ganon for people to go around resurrecting. Or he couldn’t resurrect himself, which is an even more frightening prospect…” Zelda shook her head. “But I wasn’t thinking about how this could benefit me personally. I suppose it would be good for Link. He’s been getting restless, and I worry about him. If the old stories are true, the last hero left Hyrule. He was full of regret, and he always worried that evil would return, so he set out for foreign lands and never came back. But maybe, if Link had something worthwhile to do…”

“So you’re going to resurrect Ganon just to keep Link close to you?” Hilda demanded. She was suddenly furious. Did this mean that Zelda had come all the way to Lorule to ask for advice about trouble with some boy? Even if that boy was the hero of legend, that was nothing short of pathetic, and she couldn’t contain her disappointment.

“Oh Hilda, no,” Zelda assured her, shaking her head earnestly. “This isn’t about Link at all, but… The idea of him keeping Ganon as a pet is a little amusing, you have to admit.”

Hilda allowed herself to smile, but it was bitter. Lovely Zelda, always managing to see the bright side of any situation and always assuming the best of people, even when she knew they were being difficult. Hilda tried so hard to keep her own emotions hidden, but she couldn’t help pushing back against Zelda’s positivity just a little. She knew that she should take Zelda at her word, and she knew she was ruining a perfectly fine conversation by expressing her jealousy, but she did it anyway.

“Well, I just wanted to be sure,” Hilda said breezily, as if the matter didn’t concern her at all. “Because all sorts of rumors make their way to the castle, and I heard something interesting before I even met you. Did you know that people say that you used to leave your room every night to visit the portrait gallery of your castle? They said you would stand in front of the painting of the hero saving the princess. Who knows, maybe you have fantasies about your own hero?”

Zelda giggled in response. “That’s true! That’s absolutely true. I did used to do that. But let me tell you a secret – I always thought the hero in the painting was a girl. I mean, the hero wore their tunic like a skirt, with no pants on underneath, and they had such long and lovely pink hair. It was silly, but I had a huge crush on them! And then, when I started having nightmares about Ganon, I would actually see Link in my dreams. I knew who he was, and I knew that he would become the hero, and it made me a little sad. So when I woke up in the middle of the night, I would go out and look at the painting and hope that, even if I was kidnapped, I would get to meet at least one cute girl along the way.”

“And you know…” Zelda continued with a sly grin, “I helped to spread that rumor myself. I found out that one of my night maids liked to gossip, so I made sure that someone tipped her off, and then I waited until she was awake and able to follow me so that she could see me for herself. I was actually hoping that someone would figure out my secret.”

Hilda stared at her. Was Zelda really saying what she thought she was saying?

“Come on Hilda,” Zelda pleaded, squeezing her hand. “Aren’t you a little glad to see me?”

Hilda turned away. “You came to ask for my advice about Ganon, and here it is: leave that monster alone,” she said, blushing furiously.

“I’ll think about it,” Zelda promised. “I haven’t decided anything yet, though. I still need to do a lot of research. I imagine I’ll have to come back to ask for more advice as things progress. If that’s okay with you, of course.”

Hilda slid one of her hands out from under Zelda’s to adjust her hair. Just like Zelda’s steepled fingers, it was her own nervous tic, and she hadn’t done it in years.

“That would be fine, I guess,” Hilda muttered. “I do know a thing or two about monsters, after all.”

“Thank you for saying that! I’m so happy!” Zelda exclaimed. A bright smile spread across her face, and her eyes sparkled with genuine joy.

To Hilda, it seemed almost too good to be true that the princess she had admired from a distance and then admired as a painting would be sitting right next to her, telling her that it made her happy to have an excuse to spend time with her.

“I’m just sorry that I can’t be the hero you were hoping to find on your adventure,” Hilda said with a faint smile.

“Oh, but you were,” Zelda murmured before she leaned forward and kissed her. Her lips were soft and warm, and her skin smelled like sunshine.

Zelda smiled as she pulled away, and Hilda could only gaze at her in wonder.

“I was so afraid, when I was stuck in that painting,” Zelda admitted. “I thought I had prepared myself for what it would be like, but nothing can really prepare you for something like that, not even knowing a hero will come to save you. But you stayed with me the whole time, talking to me, telling me about yourself, telling me about Lorule… I could hear everything you said, you know. And while you were looking at me, I was looking back at you. I thought I had never seen anyone more beautiful.”

“I felt the same,” Hilda responded, not believing that she was allowing herself to speak these words aloud.

“Can I kiss you again?” Zelda asked.

“Yes,” Hilda answered. “I think I would like that.”

Zelda leaned forward again and did just that. She took her time, raising her hand to stroke Hilda’s cheek as their lips grew warm with each other’s heat.

“You are a hero, Hilda. You’re the hero who saved Lorule, and I’m so lucky I got to meet you,” Zelda whispered as she broke the kiss and pressed her forehead against Hilda’s. Her breath was as clean and refreshing as rain, and Hilda wanted nothing more than to kiss her again.

“Link’s time as the hero has come to an end, I think,” Zelda continued, “but my story isn’t over yet, and there’s no reason it has to end the same way the last one did. There’s no reason our worlds have to remain divided from one another, and there’s no reason for us to be apart.”

Hilda had once sworn to herself that she would never marry, and she never thought she would ever be kissed. Then again, she never thought her plan to take the Triforce from Hyrule would be successful, or that she would be able keep Lorule from falling apart long enough to be respected as its queen. Her own story had taken an unexpected turn, and there was no use denying the potential benefits of a stronger union with Zelda. If their destinies had become intertwined, then so be it. It doesn’t hurt that I’ve already fallen for her, Hilda thought.

“You’re right,” Hilda agreed, pulling Zelda closer. “No one has ever done this before, but it will be an adventure. And I think it’s about time we got to have an adventure of our own.”