It was her last chance. Seventeen years in the making came down to this day, this very morning. She tried to tell herself that there was much more to the fight against the darkness than her role, but she knew deep in her bones that she held the key to their advantage. If she didn't harness the power of the Goddess now, their chances of winning were extremely limited. And if she failed in her part to play, she would not be counted amongst those who fought on the battlefield. There would be no part for her in the fight against Calamity Ganon. The Champions would still pull through — they had to — and Link…

Princess Zelda glanced to her right. The stoic Knight kept pace with her, looking directly ahead at Mount Lanayru, his golden hair shining in the sunlight. But his face was emotionless.

It was difficult not to think of how handsome he was.

Her eyes flicked away, settling upon the dirt path upon which she walked, concentrating her thoughts on what was to come.

Today, they (she and Link) were to journey to the Spring of Wisdom. There, she would ask for the Goddess' blessing to access her latent powers (which she supposedly had due to her lineage), though now, after two failed attempts, she wondered if she even had any. The young woman had been unsuccessful at uncovering and equipping them at the Spring of Courage, then subsequently at the Spring of Power. Would this time be any different?

Her heart clenched in her chest. It had to be. The alternative was horrifying. Embarrassing. Unimaginable.

What would he think if her prayers weren't answered? Would he be frustrated? Or angry? Upset? Even disappointed? Questions clogged her head and she longed to spout them from her lips, but would not. She hardly knew what Link was thinking these days. It had taken them so long to come to an amicable state — her fault, she knew — but these past few days, his responses had become shorter, his silences longer. He was keeping something from her. She knew it. But what it was, she could not guess. And with the imminent battle, the distance between them felt longer and longer by the second.

She did not like it one bit.

Princess Zelda sighed as they reached the foot of the mountain.

"Are you alright?"

She looked up to see Link's eyes focused on her with concern. Did he think she was too weak to make this journey? That she was not worthy of the Goddess?

No, Link had never given any indication that he believed her to be less than.

Who knew? She was not in his head. He could be thinking anything he damn well pleased.

Pushing her insecurities aside, she gave him a hapless smile. "As fine as can be. I'm not entirely sure I'm looking forward to this climb. You know how cold weather and I don't agree." She faked a giggle. If she could at least give off the impression of normalcy, perhaps that would calm her nerves as well as breach whatever unsaid gap lay between them now.

He nodded. "You'll need your coat."

"Yes. Right." The Princess pulled off her pack and dug out a long, purple coat. She shrugged it on and tightened it around her body, already feeling the insulation keep her body heat close. "Ready!"

Together, they trucked along the path, ascending Mt. Lanayru. Luckily for the pair, the path was well trodden; many made the venture to the Spring as a yearly pilgrimage to the Goddess. With this in mind, she hoped that no actual mountain climbing would be involved in the journey. The Princess had no desire to embarrass herself in front of Link, which would certainly happen if she had to use her upper body strength.

I really should have taken up Urbosa's offer to learn acrobatics...

As the snow crunched beneath her boots, the young woman hunched her shoulders to her ears and dug her hands into her pockets. She shivered as a gust of wind passed over her. It was a well-known fact to her few friends that she and the cold did not get along. If she had her pick of perfect weather, it would be the warm, yet sometimes humid climates of the Faron Woods. Now, the freezing temperatures combined with the thoughts of the impending ceremony made the world feel oppressive as if it were closing in on her.

A lump grew in her throat.

"Princess."

"Hmm?" Zelda met Link's blue eyes, a tremor running down her back. Those eyes drew her in each time; they were one of her favorite features of him. Cool, calm, yet warm and welcoming. Maybe she was imagining that. Wouldn't have been the first time.

"Watch your step. The snow isn't as stable as it looks." He pointed to a pack of powder next to his foot and tapped it lightly; it burst as soon as his boot touched its surface.

"Thank you."

They continued their hike in silence for the next half hour. Zelda felt her thighs burn as she trudged through the snow, but never did a complaint pass her lips. It would be wrong for her to do so; the expedition was important to all of Hyrule. Complaining would be juvenile, and this trip was anything but. Besides, she most certainly didn't want Link to view her that way.

Oh goddess, she needed to stop thinking about him every time she was to say or do something. It was becoming a larger problem.

But maybe it was only a problem since there was something between them, something that kept them from communicating in their usual manner, carefree, friendly, honest, open. How she longed to know what he thought of the prayer she would offer at the Spring of Wisdom. Did he have any advice? Thoughts on what she might do differently? Or did he have any words to simply cheer her up with?

None of these thoughts mattered. The young woman cast her eyes to the right yet again to see that her Knight kept his gaze straight ahead, his face impassive, as he had the entire trip (why did she think it would be different?). His mind was somewhere else, obviously. It was selfish to believe he would be present for her.

She turned her thoughts to what awaited her at the top of the mountain. It played in her mind, over and over again: she would kneel in front of the statue, say her prayers, draw the sign of the triforce with her fingers in the air, and ask for Hylia's blessing. But anything after that, her mind could not imagine.

From the histories, she had read of what it was supposed to be: lights descending from the heavens, melodies filling the air, a breeze encircling her body as she rose above the water, a feeling of warmth growing inside of her, as if something were growing and blossoming — coming to life. It sounded magical, miraculous even. But these were only stories. Who knew if they were even true.

Although an inkling inside of her whispered they were.

"Link, what do you think will happen if I," she hesitated and continued, "If I don't receive the blessing?" Her voice was small as the question slipped out of her mouth, unbidden. It was hard for her not to talk with him, even if he would not with her.

"Don't think about that." He responded in a neutral tone. It wasn't harsh, simply matter-of-fact.

As the corners of her mouth turned downward, she watched her feet as they crushed the white snow beneath them. That was not exactly the response she hoped for.

"I worry how my father will react, should I fail today. He will no doubt be angry. I fear...I fear he will not let me help anymore. But I know I could, especially with the Guardians."

"The King is reasonable." Link turned his head towards her, though this time she did not meet his eyes, choosing to keep her gaze to the floor. "We still have the Divine Beasts, Princess."

Again, not the answer she wanted, but better than the previous one. However, now that they were talking, she would ride the momentum and continue the conversation.

"I saw the latest studies on the Guardians. The technology is fascinating." Zelda moved her eyes to meet his, faltering then adding, "Maybe we could sneak to the courtyard tonight and look at them? That way my father won't know. I have a few ideas about how to control their mapping capabilities."

"As you wish, Princess." He replied in a monotone, though she could see the glint of mischief in his eyes.

She smiled and turned her face towards the horizon. They were close to the peak now and she could see all of Hyrule from here. The young woman stopped in her tracks, eyes sweeping over the landscape. Sun rays sparkled as they cascaded across the vast sea of greenery. It was beautiful the way the sun lit the plains below as if the Goddess were shining down at that moment, bestowing her grace upon the land.

But Hyrule was in danger. A danger that Zelda could prevent. Needed to.

Her body tensed.

"We have to protect it. We must." She murmured.

Link didn't respond, but she could tell he agreed. She felt him, just behind her, mere inches away. He was so close, she could hear him breathing. The young woman wished he would touch her, just put a hand on her shoulder, or even better, wrap her in his arms and tell her it would be alright. That everything would proceed how it should. The Goddess Hylia would hear her prayer and bestow upon her the power needed to seal Ganon away.

"We're almost there, Princess." He whispered.

She shut her eyes and sighed. The caress of his words combined with an inkling of disappointment washed over her. Turning, she locked her eyes with his and willed herself to appear calm and collected. Nodding, the young Hylian brushed past him and continued up the path.

Upon reaching the summit, Zelda's heart hastened. Her chest tightened as she walked towards the spring, where the Goddess' statue was planted in the middle. Steam rose from the pool, and the blue flowers that grew at every Spring, her favorite, blossomed around the edge. The sounds of the spring water drizzling down from the hidden pocket inside the mountain gave off a sense of tranquility. If she weren't there to receive the blessing, she would have enjoyed the atmosphere more so.

Quietly, the Princess shrugged off her coat and handed it to Link, whose solemn eyes bore into hers with an unknown emotion. Butterflies flit around in her stomach, but her lips remained creased in a line, betraying no emotion. Delicately, she pulled the blue ribbon in her hair and released ponytail, her golden tresses falling down her back and sides. Nodding to Link, the young woman turned and walked towards the pool. It was time.

The cold air skirted against her pale skin and goosebumps sprouted along her arms as she neared the edge of the spring. With a breath, she stepped out of her boots and into the hot water. Though many would have complained at the temperature, being too hot, it was perfect to Zelda, especially after the long, freezing climb. A smile danced on her lips as she sank lower and lower with each step, the bottom half of her body completely submerged by the time she reached the statue.

Her heart pounded as she knelt, the water rising just beneath her chest. Placing her hands palm to palm, she bowed her head. She felt an unseen pressure pushing down on her chest and her shoulders tensing as she reached for the words in her mind. They floated to the forefront, eager to push their way to her tongue, but the young woman did not speak. Her blood roared in her ears as adrenaline shot through her body, jolting her heart, making it race. She squeezed her eyes shut, the anxiety completely overtaking her. What would she do if nothing happened? What would she say? How could she fix it? What was wrong with her?

But a small voice whispered in her ear: what if something did happen?

The seconds passed, possibly a minute or two, and she sat, frozen in that position, head bowed, hands glued together in prayer. She knew she had to continue with the ceremony.

A tear escaped her eye and fell down her cheek. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and imagined her heart slowing on her exhale. Zelda copied the exercise once, twice, three more times. Finally, her heart only beat a few seconds faster than normal. It would have to do. She could not delay any longer.

Clearing her throat, Princess Zelda opened her eyes and looked at the stone statue, cracked with age. Resolute, she began: "Goddess Hylia, hear my prayer. The land of Hyrule, your blessed land, needs your protection. We ask for your strength and your guidance in this time of crisis." Zelda drew the symbol of the Triforce in the air, just above her chest and continued, "Goddess Hylia, I kneel before you as a descendant of your line. I ask that you bestow upon me the power which can seal the ancient evil away. The power of the Triforce of legend. Please provide unto me your strength, your wisdom, your courage to defeat our enemy."

Zelda held her breath.

The words hung in the air, waiting for an answer.

Seconds passed. The air remained still. The statue resolute.

And seconds turned into minutes.

The silence was deafening. Zelda could feel its oppressive weight on her as her lip trembled.

"Please..." She whispered as her eyes began to warm. "Please talk to me."

At the Spring of Courage, she'd been concerned. At the Spring of Power, she'd been angry. Now, here in this moment, at the Spring of Wisdom, she was…

Heartbroken.

Tears poured down her cheeks in rivers, and Zelda bowed her head.

It was over, and she had failed.

The Goddess would not hear her. Perhaps she was not strong enough or learned enough. But it didn't matter. Hylia deemed the princess unworthy. Zelda was unworthy of the power to save her world. She was unworthy and useless.

"Princess."

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Zelda turned to see Link waiting at the edge of the pool. The sun had positioned itself just right so it blinded her, preventing her ability to see his expression. No doubt it was one of concern, but concern for Hyrule, since she had not achieved her goal and therefore would not be able to perform her duty. She was thankful she would avoid that expression, and thankful for the blinding sun, as it gave her a moment to collect herself under the guise of being irritated by the sharp rays.

Swallowing, she treaded back towards the edge of the pool. With every ounce of calm, the Princess met Link's eyes. "It seems we will have to progress without Hylia's blessing."

He did not respond but instead held out a towel for her to dry herself with. Surprised, she took it from him, her fingers brushing against his. "Thank you."

"I didn't think it would be a good idea to have you not dry off before we go back down the mountain." He gave her a smile. "Wouldn't want the Princess to catch a cold."

The young woman nodded, knowing full well it was an attempt to lighten the mood. She didn't imagine that her Knight wanted to acknowledge the reality that awaited them at the bottom of Mt. Lanayru. Neither did she for that matter. But she needed something, anything to feel that there was hope in the battle against Ganon, even if she could not participate directly. The smile helped fill that hole.

"Princess. Zelda."

Her eyes slightly widened at the sound of her name flowing from his mouth. She loved it when he spoke her name, the way it rolled off his tongue. She could listen to his voice all day long, like a melody that played the strings of her heart.

"What is it?"

He shifted back and forth between his legs. Slowly, he suggested, "We could rest. Up here that is. Just a few more minutes."

It was as though he'd read her mind. He'd always known what she was thinking; she did after all wear her heart on her sleeve. He knew what a disappointment this was, a blow to her self-esteem. He knew how it shook her to her core. And here the young man was, attempting to take care of her and give her the time needed to strengthen herself before she would have to convey to the other Champions and her father their worst fears.

She ought to be strong. She ought to say no. But these could be her last few moments of peace before the battle. Her last few moments with him.

"I would like that."

Zelda put her coat back on as Link shrugged off his shoes. Surprised, she tilted her head at him, questioning. Silently, he gestured to the pool and sat at the edge, dipping his feet into the temperate water. The young woman took a seat beside him, leaving a couple of inches between their bodies.

Neither said anything for a few minutes. What was left to say? As soon as her father found out, he would turn away from her, hating her. She imagined that he would never speak to her again, his worthless daughter. This was an exaggeration of course; she tended to think in extremes. At least, the young woman hoped that would not be the case.

Shame burned on her cheeks and her hands clenched into fists. Casually, she turned her face away from Link's, feeling the sobs pounding in her chest, pushing their way up through her throat, eager to be released. This was all of her fault. And now Hyrule was in danger because she could not do the one thing she was supposed to. If the Divine Beasts did not succeed, Hyrule would be plunged into darkness. Everyone she knew would die. The Champions, her father, and...

Link.

Her body shuddered as a strangled cry flew through her gritted teeth. The young woman forced it down, clamping her throat together. She buried the emotion into her gut. Her stomach turned.

The touch of his hand startled her.

Zelda whipped her head around to see Link, sorrow in his eyes, placing his hand over hers.

"I'm sorry. Princess."

Her heart leaped in her chest and twisted in agony. Swallowing, she brushed the other tears away with her free hand. "It's not your fault, Link." Slowly, she turned her face back towards his, eyes glistening, though the tears receded. "It seems, this was not my destiny." Hesitantly, the young woman unclenched her hand and turned it over, meeting his palm with hers.

He was silent, the sympathy ever growing in his eyes made her want to melt into the water right in front of him. How she wished he would take her in his arms and kiss her. Or leave her on the mountain to live the rest of her life alone, in exile, ashamed of that which she could not do.

Instead, he closed his fingers over hers, never once taking his eyes off of hers. "Princess."

"Yes?"

"I will always be here. For you."

Her breath hitched in her throat. Her stomach flip-flopped. Within the worst moment of Zelda's life came the very best. The Goddess had a wicked sense of humor.

Heart pounding, Zelda felt the blush creep into her cheeks. "Thank you. Link."

A minute passed, and the pair remained as they were, seated side-by-side, holding hands. It was the most perfect of moments, physically connected with the one she loved more than anything in the world. Intimate in a way that words could not describe. As she smiled, so did he. They were in perfect harmony together: coherence. And for a moment, the horridness of the world disappeared.

The wind howled, jolting her, the spell broken.

"We should be going." Link said, drying off his feet with the towel.

Numbly, she nodded, copying him. Once he stood, he offered his hand, which she took. Together, they took the few steps back to their packs and slipped on their shoes. Zelda could feel reality soaking back into her conscience, overtaking any sense of peace and serenity she had felt seconds ago. When she arrived at the bottom of the mountain, everything would change, and not for the better. Who knew what the future held or what terror and possible death hovered in the future.

Death...

Zelda paled. She had to tell him how she felt.

"Link?"

He glanced at her, at attention.

The Princess stared at him, willing for the confession to fall off of her tongue in an eloquent, romantic fashion. But the words did not come. They quivered in her throat as his eyes drew her in.

"Never mind."

He nodded and turned to the path, leading the way down the mountain.

Biting her lip, Zelda gazed at his retreating back. Her Champion would never know how much she cared for him, how deeply and ardently she loved him. The young woman had missed her chance. As soon as the others found out she would not wield the Goddess' power, Link would leave her to focus on the plan of attack against Calamity Ganon. Anything she said or did would only serve as an irritating distraction. Her love had no place on the battlefield.

But fate knew better.

A/N: Hello friends! I'm off for summer break finally. Looking forward to doing some fic writing as a change of pace from all the screenwriting I've been doing. This one-shot has been sitting in my doc-box for a while, so I wanted to finish it up. It's on the angsty side, but I wanted to explore what those few moments were like for Zelda before Calamity Ganon conquered Hyrule. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, even though it wasn't the most uplifting.