Welcome Home

Impa and I walk down the street, ice cream in hand. The sun at the horizon is casting long shadows and the orange sky inspires Impa to take a selfie with me, beach and pier in the background. It's Friday night, we just ate at Daruk's and survived the first week of our second semester at Hyrule University. The temperature is pleasantly mild for a late January evening.

"Wanna hang at the pier for a bit?" Impa asks, biting into her cone.

"Sounds good to me. Let's see if we can finally win that plush for you," I laugh.

On our way to the pier, I get more and more nervous thinking about tomorrow. I will see Father again for the first time in a full month. We are having dinner at the house and I have no clue what to expect. We have been oddly friendly yet very distant. This is all uncharted territory for both of us and when we do call every once in a while, he sounds just as unsure and nervous as me. Though he is much better at hiding it.

I am ready to talk to him about everything; me moving in with him most of all. I miss my room, my clothes, my shower, and my personal space. Of course I love being close to Link, but sharing a bathroom with a bunch of frat boys is not something I enjoy, to put it nicely. And the noise... Their parties are driving me insane.

"Hey! Hands off my car, Prick!" Impa snaps at someone and I look up from my feet to see who she is yelling at. I freeze at the sight of a policeman writing a ticket for the red car parked on the side street.

What are you doing? I want to whisper at her but fear and worry have turned my tongue to stone.

"Excuse me?" The officer turns to face us.

"I said: Hands off my car, Prick," Impa repeats heedlessly.

"You are insulting an officer. I can increase your fine," he warns.

"Bullshit. My freedom of speech is protected under the first amendment," she crosses her arms and adds, "Asshole."

Disappointed and visibly vexed, the man shakes his head, clicks his tongue, and writes another ticket.

"S-so–so sorry," I stutter and awkwardly bow my head to the man before dragging Impa away by her arm. Out of earshot, she bursts into laughter and looks back to see if the man is still in sight.

"What are you laughing at?" I scowl at her. "That wasn't even your car."

"I know," she cackles. "I feel bad for whoever owns that piece of junk."

"Karma will come back to bite you," I sigh.

"Karma already kissed my ass when I had to go to court for things I didn't do."

"So," Impa draws the word into length when we reach the pier, "people are finally talking about you and Number 11."

"Really? Nobody has said anything to me." Not even Malice. Granted, I haven't seen her since New Year's Eve.

"Nothing too far from the truth, actually. Just that you guys have been hanging out a lot. There's this one rumor though," she pauses.

"What rumor?"

"That you guys hook up at frat parties."

"Great," I roll my eyes unruffled. It's not like I didn't expect it, no, I even would have bet my money on this rumor to be born, but I still find it laughable that people feel the need to talk about Link and me. All we did was leave his room at the same time. I suppose that does look suspicious. I just wish people didn't talk about him that way.

I have come to accept that people will talk about me sooner or later. I can't prevent it and just have to trust in my friends to believe in me over a handful of strangers. I am not at all worried about that. Link, Impa, Mipha, Revali, even Pik have proven themselves to be loyal friends. The one person I do worry about is Father. He is easily convinced of the ugly fairytale version of me. It has been difficult to change his opinion but now that he has promised to hear me out and give us a chance to talk, I have faith that he will be on my side for once.

Despite the crippling anxiety clawing into my spine, I feel a lot of relief since I am no longer scared of meaningless rumors, the only thing that truly does bother me is that Link is involved. He is not the type to hook up with girls at parties, so hearing other people say that about him makes me feel guilty for dragging him into this.

"You okay?" Impa asks. I zoned out as we were walking toward the arcade.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"You sure? 'Cause if you need me to kick some ass..."

"I'm okay, I promise," I smile up at her. "Don't say ass."

"Hypocrite."

"I only say it to tell you not to say it."

"Still makes you a hypocrite. But..." She shoves the last piece of the cone into her mouth before she continues. "You're okay with people talking shit? Usually you totally freak out."

"I don't care what people say."

"Since when?" She raises an eyebrow at me.

"I know, it's strange. But I really don't care anymore."

"Hey, good for you. Because it's only going to get worse."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if you end up dating, like officially, people will start all kinds of rumors to attack you. It's going to be a shitshow, especially in the beginning. The president's daughter and our generation's most famous wunderkind."

"As long as they don't attack Link... We are already expecting rumors. I just don't want him to get hurt. I don't want this to affect his career in any way."

We enter the arcade and aim for Impa's favorite claw crane. Three little kids have claimed the machine for themselves but Impa spooks them away in a matter of seconds by simply glaring at them without blinking.

"You're going to make a great mum one day," I joke.

"Yuck, I hope not," she giggles.

We spend the next two hours trying and failing to win that one cursed plush until we give up and head to the Ferris wheel instead. At the top, Hyrule's campus is partially visible in the hills. Link said he was going to practice baseball tonight. Every time he picks up his bat or says that word, I cringe as images of Karusa flash through my memory. Why does it have to be baseball? Why couldn't he play tennis instead? I suppose Hyrule really wants to beat Lorule in baseball and Link is their only shot at victory. That's why he has a full-ride scholarship after all. Now he is training day and night to fulfill his duty.

"You're thinking about it again, aren't you?" Impa breaks through my thoughts.

"Hm?" I look at her. She opens a Redbull and takes a sip.

"Baseball."

There it is again–that word. A cold shiver runs down my spine. "How could you tell?"

"You're staring at the campus with the same face you make when you eat shrimp."

"I hate shrimp."

"Exactly. Are you still worried about Link?"

"It's just very upsetting."

"What is?"

"How everyone expects him to succeed. He's only human like you and me. It's unfair to put this much pressure on a single athlete. And also..." I sigh and lower my eyes. "One of their first games will be against Lorule. I am worried that they will try to injure Link again."

"Eh, I don't know. It's much harder to foul someone in baseball. It's not really a contact sport, you know?"

"I hope you're right."

"I'm always right," she says proudly. "I for one am hyped for the game."

"Why?"

"My probation will be over and if I remember correctly there's a certain Boar on the baseball team that still owes me a good fight."

I gulp. "It's not a good idea to get in a fight with the Boars. Ganon is on the team too and you know what he can do to people."

"Yeah and soon he'll know what I can do to people," she displays a wicked grin.

"Can't you just stay away from them? I'm already worried sick that they will injure Link during the game, now I have to worry about you too."

"I don't get why you're this worried about Link. It's not the same as soccer. It's a different team, different coach–"

"Same school," I counter.

"If you're so concerned, why don't we go to one of their games to see if they foul their opponents?"

"N-no," I quickly decline. "I'm not going anywhere near their campus."

"Okay, then we won't," she shrugs unbothered and drinks the rest of her Redbull.

We spend the night at her parents' house. She convinces me to watch an old live stream of one of Lorule's baseball games. They don't seem to foul other players, at least not as aggressively as they did during the soccer game last semester. That doesn't mean that they play fair. Seeing Ganon and Karusa makes me sick and I suggest we watch a movie instead.

How will I bear to sit in the stadium and cheer for Link while those other guys are only a few feet away? I get nauseous just thinking about it... Only four weeks remain until the game. At least it's in the beginning of the season and if we beat Lorule, we won't have to worry about them for the rest of the semester.

✤ ✤ ✤

Impa is standing in the door frame and watches me curl my hair. I have been so worried about meeting Father, but now that it is almost time to go, I feel the calmest I have all week.

"You're a bit overdressed for dinner at home, don't you think?" Impa chuckles.

"I haven't seen Father in a month, I want to look nice."

"Okay but a dress? It's over the top."

"What do you suggest I wear?"

"Ripped jeans and a–"

"No," I laugh, remembering Father's reaction to Pik's ripped jeans.

"Hey, want me to drive you? That way you can have some Vodka on the way there. You'll need it."

"I'm good, thank you. I'm not nervous anymore."

"They grow up so fast," she pretends to wipe a tear.

"Ha–ha," I roll my eyes and unplug the curling iron after curling the last strand of hair, then I grab my purse and get on the way.

The drive home is calm. No traffic, no noise inside of my head. The playlist I made for Link is playing in the background but I don't listen to the lyrics. My mind is too absent. I'm thinking about everything and nothing until I reach the mansion at the top of the hill. I get out of the car without any painful hesitation and walk up to the front door. Cado greets me with a nod, then the maid welcomes me home as she removes my purse and jacket.

I walk to the living room and remain standing next to the sofa for a minute. When I hear footsteps approaching me, I turn around and watch as Father steps into the living room. He is carrying a genuine smile and a tint of tension. I'm tense too but only because I don't know how to act or behave in this situation.

"Hello, Dear."

"Hello, Father."

"Dinner will be ready soon, we can move to the dining room."

"Okay." I follow him quietly and take a seat opposite of him. The house is so quiet. Quieter than I remember. "How was Europe?" I need to find something to start with some small talk.

"Excellent," he nods and clears his throat. "A successful trip. We partnered up with a young but promising company."

"Good, good," I say, my voice losing volume with each word.

"How was your winter break? Did you celebrate Christmas?"

"I did, actually. It was very nice." That's a lie. Christmas wasn't very nice. It was chaos and one panic attack after another. But I did enjoy the actual Christmas part of it.

"How did you celebrate?" He asks. His tone is so strange. Not in a bad way. I'm just not used to him asking questions out of courtesy rather than throwing accusations at me.

"I, er... I spent Christmas at the lodge. I know I should have asked but..." I shake my head at a loss of excuses. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's alright. I'm glad you had a nice time. Did you go by yourself?"

I blink a couple of times, trying to comprehend his calm reaction. "I... I did. I mean, I didn't." I'm a mess. He is shuffling my thoughts with his odd behavior. "I invited a couple of close friends."

"Ah." This information is bothering him but he tries not to show it. "Well, it is your lodge now, so you may invite whomever you want."

"Thanks," I nod and chew on my lip.

This is so awkward. I feel like I'm having dinner with my boss, just that he is trying not to look like my boss right now.

"Have you found an apartment yet?" He asks, giving me a shy smile.

I shake my head. I wanted to wait until after dinner to address the whole living situation but since we're already at the topic, I might as well get it over with. I take a deep breath and collect the words when the maid walks in with our plates in her hands. The goddess sent her, just so I don't have to turn this dinner into a screaming match quite yet.

What am I thinking? I'm sure Father will be thrilled to hear that I want to come back. He will probably try to tell me that I never had a chance at surviving on my own in the first place. I really hate having to overthink every little thing.

When the maid places the plates in front of us, I am surprised not to find a fancy assembly of cubed meat and peculiar vegetables, but ordinary steak and mashed potatoes instead.

"I thought to keep it simple tonight, I hope that's alright," Father says, having noticed the way I am eying the food.

"That's... perfect," I mumbled impressed. "I like it simple."

He sends a smile across the table and picks up his fork and knife. I follow his lead. "Wine?" He asks.

"No thank you. I don't drink." Do I even have to explain that to him?

"Good." Or is he testing me to see if I have become a drug addict or alcoholic while I was gone? No, offering wine is natural to him. He does that every time we have guests over. I'm overthinking this.

"So... I hope you don't mind me asking, but if you haven't found an apartment yet, where are you currently staying?"

I painfully swallow the meat and dodge his eyes. "I slept at Impa's house last night." That's not the answer he was looking for but at least it's not a lie.

"I will help you find a decent place of your own. If you'd like, I can make an appointment with my real estate agent and you can tell him exactly what you are looking for."

Maybe he doesn't want me to come back home anymore. That must be it. He has gotten used to me being gone. No more trouble, no more disobedience. He wants me gone... No Zelda, stop overthinking!

"Father," I quietly interrupt him discouraged. "I have been thinking... Maybe it's time for me to come home?"

His eyes shoot up at me and his jaw stops chewing mid-motion. He is frozen, staring at me in disbelief. "Home?" He mutters and nearly drops the food that is in his mouth. He immediately picks up his napkin and covers his mouth. His startled expression is still visible, even when half his face is hidden behind the white cloth.

"I don't mean to upset you," I murmur, holding my head between my shoulders.

"Upset me?" He gapes. "I've never received more pleasant news! Well, perhaps when your Mother told me that we were expecting a little Hyrule, but this is a close second."

I think this is the first time I hear him jesting. If you could call it that. I am utterly perplexed. "It-it is?"

"Of course it is. I have been hoping you would come back."

"But... We didn't really get along."

"Perhaps we can work on that," he gives me another one of those genuine smiles. They are starting to creep me out. Who is this man?

"It's not that easy. I don't want to just come back and go back to how it used to be. I have new priorities and conditions that we need to discuss first."

"That would be wise, yes. I have conditions too." Oh no. "I understand that my rules have been a little extreme in the past and I want to do better in the future, but you are still my daughter and as you Father, your safety is still my priority."

"That's valid. So we will have to settle with compromises."

"So it seems," he nods.

"Well... If I were to move back in, what would be your conditions?" I ask him, drawing little shapes into the mashed potatoes.

"If you do not come home for the night, I would like to be informed."

"To follow me?" I mutter at the floor.

"No," he lets out a sigh of regret. "After seeing that hickey and finding out what has been done to you, I just want to ensure that you don't get hurt again."

"You can't protect me from everything."

"I wish you weren't right. But the least I can do is be informed when you are gone. Can you imagine the pain I suffered sitting here each night, powerless, left in the unknown? Someone could have taken you at any time and I wouldn't know your last location or the clothes you were wearing that day... I was worried sick! You are right, following you around is wrong, that's why I am asking you kindly to share your location with me so that I don't have to follow you."

He was worried sick... The same way I worry about Link? Not exactly the same, but possibly close enough for me to comprehend what he feels like. I nod at him. His brows relax and he leans back in his chair.

"I will inform you when I plan on spending the night somewhere else."

"Thank you."

"What are your other conditions?" I hate that word almost as much as I hate the word baseball.

"I would really like to have a way of contacting your phone."

"I am not comfortable sharing my phone number with you as of now," I say honestly.

"Please. I promise not to intervene with your privacy again. I would just like to be able to call you. Contacting Urbosa or Impa just to get a hold of you is incredibly inconvenient not only for you and me but for them too."

"What about email?"

"It's not immediate enough. What if there is an emergence?"

"Like what?"

"What if you are in danger or in pain?"

"911 will do the job," I let a snarky comment slip. "I apologize. I don't mean to be rude, but you really hurt me when you tracked my phone. I just... I know you don't want to hear this, but I just don't really trust you at the moment. And I'm really sorry, but for now I cannot give you my phone number and if you ask me to hand over my phone when I disobey or disappoint you, I will not hesitate to pack my bags again. I am an adult now. You can't ground me anymore. I will still behave and respect parental judgement, but no longer will I allow you to treat me like I am below you."

It takes him a few seconds to digest my words but he finally gives me a nod. "I understand," he forces himself to say.

"I have more conditions. No curfew, no interrogations. Let me assure you that I do not break the law or purposefully waste my life getting high. So stop assuming I do."

Another nod from his side of the table. He is quiet. We both know if he speaks now he might say something offensive and I will start yelling at him and leave. My heart is racing, I'm not even sure why exactly but I try to keep my words at a slower pace.

"I want freedom at school. Currently I am still double majoring in politics and my grades are all at an A. I will not sacrifice my mental health to get a 100 at each assignment, but I do want to make it to the President's List each semester until I graduate. As you can see, I do not need to be blackmailed into perfection. I will strive to achieve that on my own."

He opens his mouth in an attempt to speak but closes it again to let me finish.

"There is one rule of yours I would like to keep: No lies. However, this only works if you can accept and respect the truth. The only times I have lied to you was when I feared your reaction. So please don't judge before you know the whole story."

"Okay. I apologize for being prejudiced in the past."

"I forgive you." Those words used to come with so much hardship. Now they have become one of my favorites. They are so freeing and powerful.

"In the future, you might hear stories about me. I am fairly known around campus and people talk. What they say isn't always nice. If you hear anything upsetting, please trust in your daughter. If you seek reassurance, consult with me first. One of my greatest fears is that you believe some strangers over your own daughter..."

"Zelda," he whispers and reaches across the table to take my hand. "I have erred in listening to the whispers among incompetent citizens. I should have taken your side. I am trying to be better. I cannot promise to change overnight, but I am willing to try if you give me the chance to be a better father."

I blink the tears away and give him a quick nod before retreating my hand to continue the meal. "Thanks," I mumble, my mouth full of food. Why is he being so understanding? I expected words to fly like bullets.

"Father... There is one more rule you made last year that I would like to address. N-not just address but remove."

"I am listening."

What? He should already know which rule I'm talking about. Or did he forget? If he did, would it be wise to avoid the topic? Mentioning it could only cause him to–Stop overthinking!

"No boyfriends," I speak clearly with a stiff spine.

Father coughs and thumps his fist against his chest a couple of times before he speaks again. I am killing him. The police won't be able to pin it to me but I will live on knowing that I caused Father to choke to death.

"You have a boyfriend?" He asks in a broken whisper. He has turned crimson but I am sure my skin is an even deeper shade of red.

"No."

"Oh," he says relieved.

"Not yet."

"Oh," his brows furrow in distress.

"I am going to ask him out soon."

"You are going to ask him?" His face is twisted in confusion. He can't comprehend this. I knew he wouldn't be able to.

"On Christmas, he asked me to be his girlfriend but I requested more time."

"Christmas? He was there? He was at the lodge with you? Who is this boy?"

I should be just as upset as Father. For different reasons; he is interrogating me again. But I am too fascinated by the way his face has only shifted one shade of red and yet you can tell how drastically it changed from embarrassed to enraged.

"Zelda, tell me."

"Father," I try to remain calm.

"No–Don't," he waves his finger in the air. "I have been patient but this is too much, even for you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I snap.

"Inviting a boy to my lodge. It's outrageous."

"It's my lodge," I argue. "And he is not just any boy."

"No, I know that. He is your lover," he scoffs.

"He is not my lover!" That's like calling the night sky a light bulb. Link is a million things more than just a lover. "He is my best friend, my rock, my safety net, my haven. If you utter a single word against him, I am walking out these doors." I wait a second, almost hoping for him to interrupt me. When he doesn't, I take a breath to calm myself and continue in a softened tone. "We slept in separate rooms. Impa was there, as well as Mipha. Two people you care about."

"I hardly know Mipha," he shakes his head.

"But you praise her. I know you like her. All I'm saying is, I didn't go there with any... er... sexual... intentions." His lips are parted but silence is all I am given in return. "Ugh, this is exactly what I'm talking about. You hear one piece of information and totally misinterpret things."

"You're right, you're right I'm sorry," he sighs. "I see what you mean and I am trying not to be that way but sometimes I am not in control of the way I react." I know what that's like all too well. "I don't intend on upsetting you. I just... I care about you. And hearing these things is shocking to me. I can't help my reaction."

"I understand. I do. I'm not angry. You are trying, I can see that and I appreciate it."

"You truly are forgiving."

"Foolishly so... I hope I'm not making a mistake by coming home."

"You are not. This is your home and it should feel like it. I want to make sure you feel comfortable and I will work on myself."

"Does this mean you agree to my terms?"

"Let's say I'm not pleased with your conditions but I am willing to agree to them and see how it goes. If I may add another condition, I would like for us to sit down and dine together at least once a week. I believe it would be good for us to have this time to talk about school, society, anything really. It is just nice to sit down and reflect on the week. Share your thoughts with me."

"I would like that. We will probably argue a lot in the coming weeks, but if we can handle it like this, we might just have a shot at getting along," I smile.

"It is worth trying," he smiles back at me. "Does this mean you will come back?"

"I suppose it does. This doesn't guarantee my stay, but if it is okay with you I will move back in tomorrow."

An even bigger smile is blooming on his face now. "Welcome home, Sweetheart."