i.

Even after years of being out in the open air and sailing over the raging sea, she had yet to face a sun so hot. This peaceful island had seemed like a peaceful place, a temperate land that somehow fascinated the people there enough that most never even left.

How could they do it? Tetra wiped sweat from her forehead. If she had to face this kind of heat then she would get out, and fast.

The two seemed to not mind the heat, as did the other children roaming around the beach. They ranged in ages, some quite young, and others around Aryll's age. Tetra and Link were the oldest out of everyone their. From the distance, a few adults watched them. There were even a few pigs wondering around the beach!

"Hey, Tetra!" Aryll called, waving her hands. "Want to come help Link and I build our sand castle? It's going to be amazing!"

She bit her lip; there were so many other things that she could be doing. This was supposed to only be a quick stop, one where Link could see his family and the rest of the crew could get supplies. She had expected a few heartwarming moments, one that she wouldn't break up this time, but she hadn't exactly expected this.

"Oh, Tetra, please?" Aryll's eyes widened. "Please?"

Link pulled the same look, though he didn't do it quite as well; Tetra had to keep herself from laughing.

"Fine," she said. She put her hand on her hips. "If we find any treasure here then it's mine. Deal?"

"Deal!" Aryll began to wave her arms again. "I've already found some!"

Tetra grinned. "Really?"

"Really!"

Link furiously nodded beside her.

Tetra ran forward. "Well don't mind if I take a look!"

The so called treasure turned out to be a bunch of seashells, and dirty, slightly broken ones at that. "This is what you guys consider treasure?"

Link smirked. His hands were still, but she could already imagine what he would be signing.

Aryll nodded. "They're pretty."

"Yeah..."

"Do you not want them?" The girl's wide smile quickly turned into a frown, and she slumped slightly.

"No, of course I do!" Tetra looked down to them. "I'm sure there are lots of things that I could do with them. Maybe I'll throw them at my crew to keep them in line!"

Aryll burst out laughing, and Link couldn't help but smile. "You would actually do that?"

"Well, someone has to remind them of who is the boss." Tetra winked. "Thanks for giving me this awesome idea, kid."

No, it seemed wrong to call her a kid. She had grown, as had Tetra; the world had changed. Ganondorf was gone, the Ghost Ship and the monstrous Bellum defeated as well, and there was a chance that a new Hyrule would be built as well. Aryll had seen the world, and changed for it. She carried a sword of her own, and had challenged her brother to a fight right after giving him a hug. That had certainly been an interesting first meeting after finally seeing him again. There was also a look in her eyes, a look that Tetra would recognize anywhere; that was a look that she regularly saw in Link, in her crew and other pirates, and even in herself. It was more than just a desire to feel the world, but to leave a mark on it. Already, she had made her mark on the island.

"No problem," Aryll said. She picked up her bucket, then ran towards the water. "Want to help me out with this? Link is mainly focusing on the detail."

For a moment, Tetra again wanted to decline. It was so childish. Then again, who would it hurt?

She picked up another bucket, then ran to the water herself. "So what kind of sand castle are we building?"

"The best that the world will ever see!" Aryll spoke with pure confidence. "It'll be wonderful!"

ii.

Tetra had been unsure of whether getting on the roof of Link's grandmother's house was safe, but Aryll had assured her that it was fine.

"It'll be wonderful," she said, holding her hand out towards her. "Link and I used to do it all the time."

Well, it seemed that she definitely had some of her brother's courage.

"Are you sure?"

Aryll raised an eyebrow. "I thought that you were a pirate. Aren't you not afraid of anything?"

Tetra crossed her arms. "I am not afraid; all I'm doing is thinking rationally. I've got to live up to this whole Princess of Wisdom thing."

Aryll laughed.

Tetra looked away from her. The small house was filled with the smell of soup cooking and Aryll's grandmother humming. "Well, just for a few minutes. I am not staying up there all night."

Aryll's eyes widened, and she reached forward and clasped Tetra's hands with her own. "You would really do that for me?"

She nodded, her cheeks hot. "Yeah, I will." If she did it once then maybe Aryll wouldn't ask again.

"Come on," Aryll said. "The climb isn't that bad."

She hadn't been lying. Soon enough, the two were on the roof, which surprisingly did not fall in. Aryll lay down, her eyes looking above to the starry sky. She began to move around her finger.

"What are you looking at?" Tetra didn't see anything too out of the ordinary in the night sky.

"Patterns," Aryll responded.

"Like constellations?" Tetra's mother had always pointed out constellations to her as a child, telling her the names and the right times to see them. At this moment, Tetra could not see any.

"No, just patterns. They exist everywhere. I like them."

For a moment, Tetra said nothing; she had never considered things that way before.

For a while, they were silent. Aryll seemed content to look at the stars, and Tetra tried to follow along after her. It was certainly peaceful, and just the kind of break that she needed from being a pirate captain.

"My mom used to teach me about the stars." Tetra closed her eyes for a moment, allowing images to pass through her mind of her younger days, back when her mother still was alive. "Who taught you about the stars?"

"Three people," Aryll responded. "My grandmother, Link, and myself. There are a lot of nights where I come up here and look at the sky. I've been meaning to get a new telescope since Link took my old one, but I never got around to it."

Tetra laughed. "I could pick one up for you, if you'd like."

"Really?" She reached forward and hugged Tetra. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"It's nothing."

"I'd have to make it up to you somehow."

"No, it'd be fine. I won't do something free for everyone, but you are my exception." There had to have been something about Link and his sister and their grandmother; she always ended up being nice to them. Maybe they were just easy to be nice too - they were truly happy, not like those fakers that Tetra and her crew usually met. Not only were they happy, but they were kind, even to Tetra and her crew.

"You're amazing, Tetra."

She smirked. "I know."

"Tetra, may I ask you something?" Her tone had turned serious.

"Yeah, what?" She bit her lip.

"May I kiss you?"

The question took a moment to register in her mind. No one had ever asked her that before; she looked back to the girl. Then again, no one had ever truly looked at her with those wide eyes before either.

"You want to kiss me?"

Aryll's face turned red. "I'm sorry about that; I sound ridiculous, don't I? It's just something I've always wanted to do because you're so, you know, amazing, Tetra."

She grinned. "Of course you can." If anyone should, it was her. "I would be honored to."

Aryll leaned forward, then gently placed her lips against Tetra's own. They were so soft and warm, and Tetra couldn't help but lean forward. Feeling her lips on the other girl's felt nice, like something she had been waiting forever for without realizing it. It was peaceful and calm, so different from the pirate life; maybe that's why she liked it so much.

The kiss ended.

Then again, wouldn't Aryll make a wonderful pirate? She certainly had the spirit for being one; her brother Link had turned out to be great as well.

"Aryll, I wanted to say to you that you, uh..." Tetra's mouth went dry.

"What?"

"You're amazing too." It wasn't her original question, but it was something good to say. "You really are."

She smiled, moonlight reflecting off of her. "Really?"

"Really."

iii.

The next morning, Tetra finally worked up the courage to ask the big question. She and her crew would be leaving with Link soon, and she had no idea when she would see the girl again.

"Aryll," she said, looking over to her.

"Hmmm?"

"I was wondering if you had ever thought of becoming a pirate. It certainly has to look exciting." Tetra looked down to her cup of juice. "Living your life free on the open seas, exploring where people have never gone before... That has to seem pretty cool. I definitely would love it if you joined my crew. So, what do you say?"

For a moment, Aryll said nothing, just stared at Tetra wide eyed. Then, she reached out and hugged her. "Oh yes, yes, yes, yes!"

"It would be fine with your grandmother, right?"

Aryll nodded. "She told me if I ever wanted to leave, I could, just so long as I stay safe. She had traveled around and gone to other islands before when she was younger as well; she loved to see the beautiful scenery of the world."

"Well, you'll sure be seeing a lot if you come with us. So you'll do it?"

Aryll giggled. "Didn't I already say yes?"