"A Glimmer of Family"

As the sun shone brightly on the 21st of March, a sense of excitement and nervousness filled the air within the castle walls. It had been a long and arduous search, but finally, after weeks of scouring the land, Link's extended family had not been found, but a breakthrough had been made - his mother, a woman who had given birth to him and then been separated from him at a young age, had been located. The news had spread like wildfire, and the entire castle was abuzz with the tidings. In the throne room, Zelda sat with Link, awaiting the arrival of his mother. Link's eyes seemed to gleam with a mix of emotions - excitement, nervousness, and a hint of trepidation. He had not seen his mother since his fifth birthday, and the memories of her had begun to fade like a distant dream. The doors to the throne room swung open, and a woman with a long blonde ponytail stepped inside. Her eyes scanned the room, and when they landed on Link, they widened in shock. Link's eyes locked onto hers, and he felt a jolt of recognition. The woman's ponytail was remarkably similar to his own. "Mom?" Link's voice was barely above a whisper, his eyes searching for confirmation. The woman's face crumpled, and she rushed towards Link, her arms open wide. "Link! Oh, my baby!" she exclaimed, tears streaming down her face. Link stood up, his eyes never leaving his mother's face, and took a step forward. His mother enveloped him in a tight hug, holding him close as if she would never let him go. Zelda watched the reunion with a warm heart, a smile spreading across her face. She had heard stories about Link's mother, about how she had visited him when he was a prisoner in the forest, and how she had been unable to reveal herself to him. As they pulled back from each other, Link's mother gazed at him with tears in her eyes. "I've thought about you every day since I lost you," she said, her voice shaking. "I visited you once, when you were just a little boy, locked away in that terrible place. You were so small and scared, with those big eyes and that messy blond hair. You had just been there for two weeks, and I could see the fear in your eyes." Link's eyes dropped, and he looked away, his face flushing with embarrassment. His mother took his chin in her hand, gently turning his face back to hers. "I knew it was you, Link," she said, her voice filled with emotion. "I knew that was my baby. I wanted to take you home with me, to keep you safe, but I couldn't. I had to leave you behind, and it nearly killed me." Link's eyes met his mother's, and he smiled, a small, tentative smile. "You have a long blonde ponytail, just like mine," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. His mother laughed, tears streaming down her face. "I used to have it long, just like yours," she said, running her hand through her hair. "I cut it short after...after I lost you. I couldn't bear to look at myself, to see the hair that you had inherited." Link's eyes softened, and he reached out, gently touching his mother's ponytail. "I'm glad it's long again," he said, his voice filled with emotion. As they stood there, holding each other, Zelda knew that this was just the beginning of a new chapter in Link's life, one filled with family, love, and healing.