Author's note: The storyline of BotW is just too beautiful but also incredibly sad, I've always wanted to explore the serious side of Link and Zelda, they both had so much responsibilities as the hero and princess, but they also cannot ignore how much they are drawn to each other. I finished playing the game and this has to be done. Please enjoy.

I.

Link watched her from aside, his clear blue eyes followed her every move, every gesture, even every breath she takes. He listened to every syllable that breaks from her lips and noticed every shift in her tone, making sure again and again that she was really standing in front of him, not a ghost rising from his broken memories, which had both haunted and harbored him during his journeys throughout Hyrule.

Link was standing only a few steps away from Princess Zelda, he could easily grab her within reach, but he felt so far away still, the distance between them spoke of a hundred year solitude, it was an aching void that neither of them could easily fill.

Zelda looked up at King Dorephan, she looked so small in comparison to the Zora King, but she held her head high and spoke with certain dignity that could only be found on members of royalty.

Yet, Link heard her voice quiver slightly when she mentioned Mipha's name, the sight of her lowered head with guilt written all over her face triggered something in him, his memory of her from 100 years ago suddenly overlapped, and everything around him seemed to fade away as her heart-wrenching cries swallowed him whole.

It was a night with endless pouring rain, she looked at him from the ground with eyes so lost, if he didn't catch her falling into his arms he was sure she would somehow disappear before him. He held her closely as she cried for her lost friends, her lost Kingdom, and most of all, her lost father. Link never despaired, not even when he was facing a stronger enemy, but when he saw Zelda crying, and realized he could not protect her from the darkness of this world, he felt genuine fear for the first time.

"Please do not blame yourself for what happened, Princess Zelda." King Dorephan's voice brought Link back to the present instantly. "I know Mipha had always followed her heart, she was honored to be at the service of the kingdom, I…couldn't be more proud of her."

Link could sense Zelda tense up upon hearing those words. "The kingdom will never forget, King Dorephan, and I…will always remember." Zelda almost whispered the last sentence.

When King Dorephan and Princess Zelda finished their conversation, Link accompanied Zelda to the Veiled Falls since she wanted to see a better view of Zora's Domain. The sun was just setting, painting creamy shades of pink and orange across the sky, Zelda's skin glowed under the soft hues, making her look divine, as if she was not a mortal being of this world.

"Princess, about what King Dorephan said earlier…" Link wanted to make sure he was not overthinking Zelda's behavior, he was worried King Doerphan's words might stir up memories that were too heavy for her to bear.

However, all of his doubts vanished when Zelda turned around to face him with a smile warmer than the sun. "Please Link, after all we've been through, I want to hear you call me Zelda."

His heart skipped a beat by her invitation. Zelda continued, "I know it's hard for you to remember all of your memories, but there is no need for formality between us."

She turned back to look at the landscape. "It's breathtaking, isn't it?"

You are what's breathtaking. Link thought silently to himself.

"The beauty of this place, it was as if the evil powers have no effect here. It reminded me of the first dream I've had in a very, very long time."

"What did you dream about?"

Zelda was silent for a moment. "It was morning, I was waking up, I can feel someone holding my hands, I turned and saw…my mother, and my father was right beside her. She looked exactly the same from my childhood memory, she smiled at me and said that I had overslept, and reminded me it was my 17th birthday."

Link's heart ached, he remembered clearly what really happened on Zelda's 17th birthday, it was the awakening of Calamity Ganon.

"I looked around and realized I was sleeping in my chamber, back at Hyrule Castle, with all the furniture in place, everything was in the right order. My father patted my head and said he had prepared a feast for me." Zelda placed a hand on her chest, trying to hold back the emotions throbbing inside her heart.

"I asked, what about Calamity Ganon? What about my duties and responsibilities as a princess? Father looked at me as if he did not understand a word I was saying, and I realized, oh thank Hylia…I was only having a nightmare. Calamity Ganon does not exist, my mother is still alive, and my father, he's not disappointed in me."

Link touched Zelda's hand, wanting to tell her she was never a disappointment to anyone, and none of this was her fault, but he didn't know how to voice his feelings, he was used to being concealed and composed, it was always safer that way.

Zelda noticed his unusual demeanor, and showed an apologetic smile. "It was a silly dream, nothing more, I'm sorry if I made you worry." She looked at him with her big, emerald eyes that could look right through his soul, "You are always very kind to me."

The sunset has turned both of Link and Zelda's skin into a pinkish shade, Link thanked the Goddess in secret because at that instant, he felt his cheeks flush bright red, her sincerity and candor somehow had the ability to slip pass his guard and cause violent ripples inside him.

When Zelda speaks, her heart was bare for others to see, there were no hidden politics, no unnecessary polishing, it was a trait he thought too dangerous and risky, but he also found it admirable, at times even remarkably attractive.

"King Dorephan told me there would be a welcoming feast tonight, there is still some time, I want to rest for a bit, will you come to wake me up?"

Link nodded, and escorted the princess back to Zora's Domain shortly after.

Link's mind wandered off as he watched the Zoras prepare for the night feast. It still felt unreal to him that only days ago he traveled here alone, with his mind was determined to save Zelda. Surprisingly with a hundred years apart, Zelda's voice, which repeatedly echoed in his mind during those long, endless nights, was what held him together, she gave him a reason to wake up every morning knowing there was someone waiting for him, that he was not alone in the vast land of Hyrule.

The thought of her made him forget that he had no memory and no foundation to hold onto, slowly, the weight on his shoulders became lighter, he was able to run faster at day and sleep better at night, the closer he was to Hyrule Castle, the more courageous he became.

After the defeat of Calamity Ganon, the moment Link saw Zelda standing alive and well in front of him, warmth flowed into his once empty heart, and the appointed knight was so relieved, because finally after one hundred years of endless searching, he found where he belonged, as Zelda's eyes met his, he was no longer lost.

Soft music drifted into Link's pointed ears, realizing the night feast was about to start, he made his way up to the guest chamber where Zelda was sleeping. He was about to knock when he suddenly heard muffled cries from inside, alarmed, he swung the door open to find Zelda lying on the water bed, everything was still and quiet.

Link walked up to her, scanning the room at the same time, when he found no signs of intrusion, his eyes fell on her delicate face and saw trails of tears sliding down her left cheek. The sight stung him as he knelt down beside the bed, his face leveled with hers, and gently brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. "Zelda, wake up."

"I'm sorry…" Zelda mumbled in her deep sleep, tormented by wounds unknown to the outside world.

Link removed the Master Sword and put it aside, then gently lied down and wrapped his arms around her as if protecting a child, shielding his princess from the demons plaguing her mind. This was not the first time he heard her cry at night, she would never show her weakness in front of others, but Link knew Zelda had not yet recovered from the loss of her kingdom.

The Shrine of Resurrection had deprived him of his memories, but Zelda remembered everything. She had absorbed all the suffering and agony Hyrule released one hundred years ago, and caged them deep within her heart, every night since then death itself would whisper the lamentations into her ear, dragging her deeper into oblivion.

Link pulled Zelda closer until his forehead touched hers, he studied the outline of her features and wiped every teardrop away, slowly, Zelda's breathing became even again. Silence engulfed the whole room, and for the first time in a long while, they were at peace.

However, unbeknownst to them, shadows crawled from beneath the bed and corners of the wall, waiting in the darkness for the princess to wither.