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Chapter One – A New Start

Link watched as his Loftwing flew away with Zelda's. It was the end of his days in the clouds, but the beginning of a new life. He looked down to see he was holding Zelda's hand. Facing her, he grabbed her other hand in his and gazed into her beautiful blue eyes.

He could hardly believe she was here, standing in front of him. But her soft hands felt so real, and her eyes held the same love and depth he had always known. It really was Zelda, his best friend.

Zelda stared right back into his eyes, a small smile coming to her face. She finally broke the silence. "It's really over, isn't it?"

Link nodded. "It's hard to believe it's real. I can't believe you're actually here."

Zelda's eyes glistened with moisture, and they embraced one another. If there was any doubt of her reality before, the feeling of Zelda in his arms dispelled it immediately. It felt so right to hold her close.

When they finally split, they looked around them. For the first time, Link actually took a moment to think about where he was. Sure, he had known he was on the surface, but a certain someone had occupied his mind so overwhelmingly that he hadn't acknowledged the beauty of the surface.

Link sighed as he thought of the massive undertaking they had before them. A little break would be nice, but he wouldn't leave Zelda in a thousand years. Besides, after all he had been through, he was sure he would grow restless within a few days with nothing to do. However, building a colony on the surface wouldn't be easy.

"How do we even start," asked Link, looking all around him.

Zelda laughed. "I suppose we just start! My guess is that as word spreads above that the surface is habitable, adventurers like yourself will venture on down here and bring their skills and trades."

Zelda paused for a moment before continuing. "Until then, it will have to be us. But that's fine," she laughed lightly. "I have a little experience creating."

It took a moment before Link realized what she meant. Then it all came back to him again. Holding her and looking into her eyes, she had been Zelda, his best friend. He had forgotten that she was also the goddess Hylia, and suddenly Link felt unworthy to be holding her hand and laughing and joking with her.

Link released Zelda's hand quickly. When she looked up at him questioningly, he said something about making camp so they could be have a place to stay while they built a colony. He started walking off.

"We can just stay in the statue of the goddess until we build some homes," Zelda called after him.

That did not help Link. Your statue. Built hundreds of years ago. But it's a statue of you.

Not looking back, Link called out, "I'll go fishing then…get some food."

Link needed time to think, and fishing was the perfect thing to do. Walking until he reached Lake Floria, Link couldn't think straight. As soon as he cast the line into the lake, though, he was able to organize some of his thoughts.

He knew it was Zelda. She was still there. After all, that's who he saw when he looked in her eyes. When he held her hands. When he hugged her close to him.

But she was so much more, now.

So am I, thought Link as he jerked the fishing rod, successfully hooking a fish, and reeling it in.

It was true, while Zelda was the goddess Hylia in mortal flesh, Link was her chosen hero. He wielded the power of the Triforce, the power from above. He was able to do what Hylia couldn't do alone. Together, they had destroyed Demise.

Together.

Link fished for many more hours, all the while sorting out his thoughts and feelings. When he finally returned to the Sealed Temple at dusk, carrying over a dozen fish, he found Zelda sitting by a fire. He stopped a distance away, to watch her. She gazed into the flames, lost in thought. He must have looked the same just minutes earlier.

He was still very uneasy about the revelation, but he had come to a conclusion that he shouldn't let it affect his relationship with Zelda as long as she didn't let it affect their relationship.

As he approached the fire, he noticed Zelda had already been hard at work, having created makeshift tables and chairs, tools and utensils, and bedding (which he assumed she collected from Impa's quarters) for their immediate use over the next few days until they got a better handle on the situation.

She looked up at Link with searching and hopeful eyes. Clearly she knew something had caused Link to be upset. He flashed her a comforting smile, which he didn't have to force. In fact, looking down at her, his concerns seemed to melt away. He knew they would not be as they were; how could they? But he also felt a confidence in their future.

He sat down on the log which she had rolled near the fire. Their back was to the statue, which Link thought was likely on purpose. Not only did Zelda not want to remind him that she was Hylia, she probably didn't want to spend the evening staring at a statue dedicated to her.

Link sat right up next to Zelda, and put an arm around her. The evening was beginning to grow cold, and Zelda leaned into Link as much as she could. Her head came to rest on his shoulder. He squeezed her tightly and kissed the top of her hair gently.

For hours they sat together, eating, talking about their adventure, and fueling the fire. When it was time to retire, Zelda led him to the Sealed Temple, instead of the statue. She commented that it would be easier to use Impa's living space (which Link had never noticed before) while they build homes for themselves. Link demanded that Zelda take the bed; after all, he was used to sleeping on the ground and the extra quilts were already such an improvement from what he had used for the past months that he felt spoiled.

Before Link left Zelda's room for his own, he sat down on Zelda's bed next to her.

Staring at his hands, Link spoke softly. "I'd be lying if I said things haven't changed, Zelda."

He felt her move to speak, so he cut her off before she had the chance. "But I don't think that's such a bad thing." He looked up to see her confused eyes.

"You and I have both grown. But even though we've been apart, I feel we've grown closer."

He reached up and cradled her head in his hand, gently rubbing her cheek with his thumb. "You were my best friend in the world. And you always will be. But now…now, I hope that that can grow, too."

Zelda smiled, and her eyes darted quickly from Link's eyes to his lips and back again. That was all the sign Link needed to use his new-found courage. He slowly leaned forward and pressed his lips lightly against hers.