Author's notes: I've had this idea floating around in my head for a little while now. I'd just like to say that this story will gradually go up in terms of rating – updates between chapters may be long at times – and that this does not take place in any particular timeline. Rather, it's supposed to be seen as its own contained story within the Zelda universe... I just haven't figured out where it would best fit. Anyway, enjoy the fic, and drop me a review at the end

Zelda was a chain worrier. Once she worried about one thing, the subsequent 'what if's' that that worry spawned seemed innumerable. Annoyingly, these worries occupied her thoughts every night as she tried to sleep, and the princess often went about her day having had less than six hours sleep.

Tonight, she was worrying about Gulso, who was serving his last few hours as Captain of the Royal Guard as Zelda tossed and turned in her lavish four-poster bed. Gulso had come to the age, he had told her quietly over breakfast one morning so that the younger, fitter men could not hear, where he could no longer spring out of the shadows or, indeed, out of bed, in emergencies. 'To continue serving you, my lady, in this capacity would spell disaster for at least one of us eventually.' Zelda's eyes had brimmed with tears, and she contemplated begging him to stay at his post – Gulso had been the man tasked with protecting the Zelda as she ran about the palace in her younger days, laughter bubbling from her lips as she played 'hide and seek' with the exasperated knight. He had been the one who had caught her falling from a tree she had been trying to climb with the young girl from the kitchens, carrying her swiftly in his strong arms to Impa, who scolded her whilst tending her wounds. Gulso had been the one to hear her scream one morning when she pulled back her covers to get out of bed and saw them covered in blood – he barged into her room, sending the door flying from its hinges, his huge hands clasping his broadsword as his eyes darted wildly about the room for an intruder – only to find that the little girl he'd said goodnight to yesterday had become a woman. Having no mother to explain such things to her (Zelda's mother had died several days after bringing her into this world, Zelda remembered with a guilty pang which she had never confessed to anyone), Gulso's face turned a bright red, and he 'urrrmed' and stuttered about until he called Impa to help him in his task of explaining what the gorier side of womanhood entailed. Zelda recalled with a smile that Impa had probably hidden longer than was absolutely necessary just to hear the knight embarrass himself.

So, the new Captain of the Royal Guard was probably arriving at the palace as the princess laid in her bed, reminiscing about her Gulso, one of the very few constants she had enjoyed in her life. She simply couldn't imagine having such a relationship with whatever new knight was appointed – and that was what worried the blonde. She was lamenting the loss of a dear friend, of his company, of his wit and humour, of his willingness to listen to her as she complained about things which probably failed to pique his interest whatsoever.

There was, however, one thing which Zelda would have to broach with the new Captain of the Royal Guard, something which she knew Gulso would downright refuse if she were ever to ask him. 'The sooner I ask, the better', Zelda added in her head, before mentally scolding herself and squeezing her eyes shut, trying her best to turn her mind off so that she could sleep.

Just as her body and mind were sinking into the pleasant embrace of sleep, Zelda could have sworn she heard hooves on the stonework outside leading up to the palace, muffled voices, and the quiet neighing of a horse.

"My lady did not sleep well last night," Impa said matter-of-factly as she pulled a dress out of the coffer sat at the foot of Zelda's bed. The princess' eyes opened, and she peered at the Sheikah blearily.

"I do not sleep well every night," Zelda replied, staring up at the canopy of her bed. She wondered whether Gulso would linger in the palace to say goodbye to her before he left to do... she frowned. Just what was Gulso going to do now that he was relinquished from his service...?

"Come on. Dress. Your father wishes to see you down in the dining hall – not frowning or looking as if you'd just rolled out of bed, dear," Impa added curtly, knowing without looking that her liege was pulling a face.

"I need help getting to sleep, Impa. I cannot abide this any longer," Zelda said sadly, slowly getting out of bed and undressing. She handed her nightgown to Impa, who folded it neatly over her arm, and dressed herself in the gown that had been picked for her – a long, lemon-coloured piece with floral embroidery on the bodice. It reminded her of the long summer to come.

Impa busied herself in the princess' chambers as Zelda dressed herself, thinking over the predicament in her mind. Unfortunately, a solution failed her as it had done every morning for the past year, so she said nothing. After a while, she went over and combed Zelda's hair with her hands, calloused from her Sheikah training.

When Zelda was presentable, they went down to the dining hall together in an amiable silence. Since her sleep troubles had started, Zelda had found it difficult to concentrate and carry a conversation so early in the morning.

The dining hall had several soldiers milling around, finishing up their breakfasts. Zelda smiled at each of them as they stood and bowed to her with a solemn "Good morning, Princess" as she made her way to the head table where her father still sat, staring at the opposite wall as if it held the key to all his troubles.

"Good morning, father," Zelda said as she took her seat beside him. Immediately a serving girl – the same one, Zelda realised with another pang, that she had played with as a young girl – brought over her favourite food and drink. She began eating it unhurriedly, knowing that her father wanted to speak with her, but not wanting to destroy the pleasant atmosphere between them.

So, Zelda eat her entire meal in silence, and still her father stared at the wall opposite them like a man possessed. She contemplated giving him a nudge or clearing her throat as her dirty plate was taken away for her, but decided against it.

"As you know," the king said, as if he had only just realised his daughter was there, "this morning marked the end of Gulso's nineteen long years of dedicated service to the Royal Family." Zelda nodded, her stomach dropping at the reminder. "He is still within the palace grounds and will see you before he takes his leave of us permanently. He will not be available for several hours as of yet, as he is in meetings with the new Captain of the Royal Guard, who starts immediately."

"What is his name, Father?" Zelda asked, wanting to know the name of the man who was replacing her ever diligent and loyal Gulso.

For the first time that morning, the king tore his eyes away from the wall, and stared at his daughter. "Does it matter?"

Zelda looked into her lap. He was in one of those moods today. "No, Father. I suppose it does not."

Silence.

"Does it matter?" the king repeated, "If I had known Gulso was about to do this to me, I would have had him killed for his blatant disrespect to you and our family. He is no Captain – he is merely a boy!" His voice began to rise, and the remaining soldiers in the hall pretended not to notice, whilst Zelda found herself steadily wishing she was elsewhere.

"Gulso must have a good reason for wanting to appoint this particular man, Father," Zelda reasoned, laying a hand on her father's arm in an effort to calm him. Clearly this state of affairs was upsetting him. "Perhaps he is a powerful fighter, and brave, and wise. Gulso would not leave us with someone he did not trust."

The king looked at his daughter again, and for a moment, she feared he would throw her hand off his arm in a regal huff – but he did not. He instead sighed heavily, and adjusted the sleeves on his other arm somewhat irritably. "I suppose you are right, Zelda. The man insisted that his replacement is the best there ever was, and yet..."

Zelda smiled. Her father's poor mood was merely a consequence of his worry for the safety of his daughter. She lightly squeezed the arm she still held with her hand. "Gulso would not say that if it were not so. We must trust him one last time, as we have done for the last nineteen years."

The king smiled. "Your counsel is good, Zelda. You're becoming wiser by the very day." He leaned back in his chair. "You will make someone a fine wife," he said, and left it at that.

For reasons Zelda didn't want to think about, her father's parting comment irked her. She thanked her father for their morning conversation, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and decided to sit on the balcony in her chambers which overlooked the glorious fountain and towering gates which lay before her. Various maids came to sit and chat with her for a short while, asking whether Gulso had stopped by yet to say goodbye – and soon Zelda bored of her condition and decided to walk the gardens for a while.

Wandering the sprawling palace grounds was a favourite pastime of the princess for this time of the year. She enjoyed the opportunity to be alone and clear her thoughts, admiring the budding flowers and leaves on the tress which had been dead for what seemed to be an eternity.

After her third walk around the garden, again Zelda tired of her favourite pastime, and she decided to make her way to the barracks to see whether Gulso was free from his meeting.

Before she rounded the corner to the training area, Zelda heard a door open to her left, and out stepped her beloved Gulso. Her face broke into a beaming smile, and she ran over to his open arms, and he chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"A pretty girl like you shouldn't throw themselves like that at old men like me," he quipped in his gruff voice, but his eyes were sparkling. This close, Zelda could see every wrinkle and patch of grey in his smooth hair, and she decided that yes, perhaps he was too old to be protecting her. Nevertheless, she would miss the company of her lifelong guard and friend.

"Where are you going to go?" She asked, as if not sure that she wanted to know the answer. She linked her arm inside his, and they walked around the training area, avoiding the passionate fights of the men with ease.

Gulso grimaced. "I feared you'd ask me that. You know I can't lie to you."

"I'm not a little girl anymore, Captain. Tell me."

"Aye, I shall, but I'm no Captain anymore. I'm just plain old Gulso... and I mean old, Princess. I can feel the cold settling into my bones at night, and even the warmest bath won't shake the aches and pains anymore." He shivered as if to emphasise the point. Zelda winced, finding it hard to accept that her hero, her knight in shining armour was getting old and leaving her. 'He has earned this', she reminded herself, but she said nothing.

"Now now, don't be getting all morose on me now – and don't say you're not, because I can see it in your eyes, young lady." Gulso stopped in his tracks and looked at her. He was probably the only person in the palace – excepting Impa – who could get away with talking to her so casually. It only reminded Zelda of what she was about to lose.

"It's just... I'm going to miss you so much, Gulso!" Zelda said, hearing her voice break a little at the end. Gulso winced at the sound.

"Don't be getting emotional on me, now. I can't handle emotional – I'm a knight. Or I was, when I was younger, but now I'm an old man, princess. I need to spend my twilight years with my family and let somebody else have the honour of serving and protecting you." His tone was light-hearted, but his eyes were serious.

"You will come and visit, won't you?" Zelda asked, suddenly feeling like a little girl again. Gulso smiled.

"I promise I'll visit whenever I can – and I'll get my page to write you a letter to let you know what I'm up to." Zelda smiled again, knowing that he wasn't lying to her. "I will miss you too, my lady." They embraced again, for a long time. The sounds of the fighting were getting louder – huffs and grunts from men, and barely stifled curses as the sound of metal struck metal, so hard it rang in Zelda's ears a little. She focused on the bustle around her to avoid thinking about the man in her arms she was saying goodbye to, because maybe the journey from wherever Gulso was going would be too far for an old man to make on his own once he was settled, and maybe he wouldn't have time to write to her after all, and...

"Now, stop your worrying and turn around. You may as well see what all the fuss is about," Gulso said, turning around quickly (and, if Zelda wasn't mistaken, he was dabbing his eyes dry on a square of silk she had embroidered for him the year before last) to face the hubbub.

"I don't understand-"

"It's him, princess. Your new Captain of the Royal Guard."

Zelda looked. All she could make out was a green blur, and the man who had been unfortunate enough to challenge him to a sparring match. She could see the sweat gathering at Mincke's (or was it Moult's?) brow, hear his favourite curses as he struggled to fight off the blows which seemed never-ending. The action was fast-paced, and it was a wonder the poor swordsman could raise his shield quick enough to block the blows. Tears streamed down his face as he tried not to blink, fearing that he would miss the onslaught and take a hit in front of the rest of the Guard and, indeed, his princess.

Deciding that she had seen Moult (or was it Mincke?) suffer enough, Zelda decided to end this and formally introduce herself to the new Captain of the Royal Guard. She held her arms up, painted a pretty smile on her face (because she at least wanted to appear amiable, even if this man was enabling Gulso to leave her), and raised her voice above the crashing of sword against shield.

"Captain of the Royal Guard, present yourself to your Princess!"

Immediately the knight stopped mid-swing, and fell to his knees before the princess. Mincke (yes, it was definitely Mincke) blinked at the sudden lack of movement, before removing his helmet and giving the princess a wobbly bow before falling backwards onto his arse. A few of the men chuckled – but even more of them were watching the scene with awe. The new Captain of the Royal Guard had barely broken a sweat, and was not panting as Mincke was – it had been a pantomime, Zelda realised, a performance to demonstrate his capabilities to the undoubtedly sceptical barracks. They did not doubt him anymore.

Slowly, Zelda approached the new Captain, ignoring the other men in as they in turn bowed and mumbled "Princess," as she passed. How could he not be the slightest bit tired after that frantic display of movement? Her eyes had strained to make sense of what she had been seeing.

"Princess," Gulso's voice came from behind her, "meet Link, Captain of the Royal Guard. Long may he serve you and your family."

Zelda was close to the man now. He was not quite a boy as his father had said, but it was obvious that he was no older than twenty-three. It was uncommon for someone so young to hold such a position of authority – but rather than convince Zelda that this meant he would prove dissatisfactory in his service to her, it and the display she had just seen convinced her that he would do splendidly.

He was completely clad in green, and he had golden brown hair peeking out from beneath the hat that he wore. Still he had not raised his eyes to look at her.

"You may look at me," Zelda said after a while, realising that Link was not about to raise his eyes.

Slowly, Link's blue eyes rose to meet with Zelda's own. He was handsome as well as young (were Zelda's cheeks heating ever so slightly? 'No, it is merely the lack of breeze that is making me warm,' she decided, and she smiled).

"You're very skilled, Captain," Zelda said slowly, and Link looked for a moment as if he was unsure of what to say or do, but then he smiled back and bowed again, still on his knees before his new employer.

"Your words mean a great deal to me, Princess – thank you," his voice was deep, with an air of authority beneath it.

A chuckle came from behind the princess. "I think that's the most I've heard you speak in the past four years, Link!" Gulso said, jokingly. Link smiled at the comment.

"You are not talkative?" Zelda asked, her heart sinking a little. It had just been too much to ask that she would be able to build a relationship with her new Captain as she had managed to with Gulso. She could hardly establish such a relationship if he didn't talk much!

Link considered the question for a moment. "Before this I didn't talk much, Princess. But if I'm to train and lead this lot-" he gestured to the crowd behind him "-then I will need to talk."

Zelda smiled. "You can stand," she said, and Link did so, immediately. He was slightly taller than she was, and beneath his green tunic he looked well-built ('Curse this still air!' Zelda thought, as her cheeks reddened again). Barely a speck of mud from the scuffle he'd had with Mincke had clung to his clothes, although already his boots had acquired a muddy crust. Only his knees were dirty, and that was because he'd been bowing to her. Already he was proving himself to be quite the gentleman – Captain, Zelda corrected herself. He was a Captain.

"What do you think of your new Captain, Princess?" Gulso asked, and Zelda stirred a little as she realised all of Link's men were listening to her response intently. No doubt what she said now would influence what they thought of the new Captain as well, so she needed to get this right.

She started by giving him a wide smile. "I've never seen a man move the way he did against Mincke." Mincke looked appropriately satisfied with himself that the princess remembered who he was, and grinned, despite the way his soiled trousers were clinging to his buttocks uncomfortably. "And he speaks well." This time, she addressed Link directly. "I am happy to have you as the new Captain of the Royal Guard," she announced, "I believe you'll make a fine leader of these men, and a great protector of my family and I."

Link smiled. "Thank you, Princess," he said with another bow. "May I carry on?" He asked, gesturing to the men behind him. Several of those nearest to him physically recoiled as if in fear, and Zelda nodded her assent. With that, she turned back to face Gulso, a genuine smile on her lips, and they headed back in the direction of the palace gardens for a stroll.

"He's young, I know that," Gulso said as soon as they were out of earshot and the sounds of cursing men and steel on steel faded away, "but he's really one of the very best."

"How do you know him?" Zelda asked, genuinely curious.

"Remember that trouble a few years ago with the Gerudo bandits plaguing Death Mountain?" She remembered. "Well, your father dispatched me and fifty men to try and sort out the problem. We met with the Goron ambassador on the trail, and he introduced me to the 'Goron Brother Link'. He was maybe eighteen, nineteen at the time – but the way he fought was unlike anything I'd ever seen." Gulso's eyes glazed a little as he remembered.

"What was different about him?" Zelda prompted.

Gulso sighed, remembering. "He moved quickly – that what you just witnessed was not even close to the speeds he was producing on the mountain trail. Not only that, he was the most courageous fighter I'd ever seen. He'd launch himself into the middle of a gang of thieves and annihilate them, Zelda. Some called him fearless – others brave – I wasn't sure whether he was just stupidly fortunate, or stupid. But anyway, he took on the leader of the bandits single-handedly and came away with barely a scratch."

"Sounds like he's a hero from a storybook!" Zelda commented, surprised by the prowess of her new Captain.

"Aye," Gulso agreed, and they stopped to sit on a bench situated just before the fountain which Zelda's balcony overlooked. "Anyway – he helped us catch some of the Gerudo bastards to keep as hostages on his horse... what's her name again? Pona? Abone?... EPONA, that's the one... anyway, turns out his horse is just as frantic as he was. Thanks to her speed, he was able to capture at least five bandits with no trouble, none whatsoever. Barely spoke a word the whole time, though. Eventually the Goron Ambassador – was his name Gora...? Damned if I can remember now – filled me in that his name was Link and that he'd joined forces with the Gorons since he'd heard the news about the bandits on the mountain trail. He'd done so much for them, they considered him an honorary Goron Brother – the first to be given such a title in over one hundred years! Anyway, I thanked the boy, told him who I was, and offered him a job as one of my men."

"What did he say?"

"Nothing!" Gulso exclaimed that word, laughing so loudly he disturbed some birds from their nest in the nearby tree. "He said absolutely nothing! He just stared at me as if I'd grown a third head." Zelda rolled her eyes at the crude joke. "Anyway, I decided to leave it at that, but told him that if he ever needed my help again, he knew where I'd be.

"As time went on, occasionally I'd get letters from the Gorons, and sometimes they'd have updates about Honorary Goron Brother Link's whereabouts – he was doing this and that, helping some other poor folk... relations with the Gorons are at their best of late in part to the common interest we had in the boy. Anyway, the Gorons were the first to know I was considering retirement," Gulso continued, scratching his chin thoughtfully, "because I knew that out of everyone I'd ever seen in the field of battle, only he could be the one to replace me."

Zelda sat back on the bench, processing all that Gulso had told her. Who would have known a chance meeting could inspire such an opportunity for the young man?

They enjoyed a comfortable silence. Judging from the position of the sun and the length of the shadows from the palace, it was almost time for dinner. At length, Gulso heaved a sigh.

"I'll enjoy the palace food one last time with you all tonight before setting off tomorrow," he said slowly, stretching his legs as he sat. Zelda nodded, reminded that he was leaving her again.

"I will miss you."

"I know. And I'll miss you too, princess."

"You never did tell me where you'll be going."

Gulso began stretching his arms. "I'll be travelling to Kakariko – the wife and her gaggle of women moved there a few weeks ago to have everything set up for me when I arrive. I'll live there, wait to get settled and then travel a bit more to see some old friends before-"

"Stop it," Zelda commanded petulantly. She did not want to think about her Gulso dying. The old Captain fell silent.

"I will write to you, princess. And I will visit, Goddesses willing."

"I will pray that they are willing." Zelda promised. Gulso smiled indulgently at her thoughtfulness.

"Anyway... food will be ready soon. I wonder what they'll have tonight? I'm hoping its lamb! I love a bit of lamb pie."

As it had turned out, the food prepared had been specifically suited for Gulso's tastes. Everyone cheered as Gulso and Zelda entered the dining hall together, much to the old Captain's embarrassment. The king himself waved them over to the high table, and they proceeded to eat their way through courses and courses of delicious, hot meals – and of course, lamb pie with flavoursome gravy and seasoned potatoes. Hilde, the main cook, outdid herself with the grand finale - a cake that had been made in the shape of a lamb. The whole affair almost brought tears to the old Captain's eyes, but instead he focused on laughing and chatting to the others at the high table, and hugging Hilde so tightly she almost snapped in two as thanks when she came to clear away their plates.

After that, there was little left to do but exchange 'good nights' and go to bed. And as she had done for almost every night for what seemed like a long time, Zelda couldn't sleep. She kept thinking over the events of the day, playing them over and over in her mind, questioning whether she said or did the right thing at the right moment.

Eventually, the princess heaved a loud sigh, and she opened her eyes. She got out of bed, sipped some of the water her maids had left out for her, and opened the door leading to her chambers. She would sometimes chat to the guards stationed outside her chamber door when she failed to sleep as it helped to distract her mind.

Stood outside her door was the new Captain of the Royal Guard (and Honorary Goron Brother) Link. He didn't seem surprised to see her standing in her chamber door.

"Good morning, Princess," he said quietly to her, hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword. 'He is left-handed', Zelda observed.

"Is it really so late that it has become morning?" Zelda whispered, pulling her cardigan closer to her body. The corridors of the palace could get very drafty at night, even though the weather was improving by the day.

Link nodded.

Silence.

Zelda looked up and down the corridor. A candle was still lit in Impa's chambers just down the hallway, and the princess could faintly smell the incense she was burning in there.

"How have you found your first day as Captain?" Zelda asked after a while, finding the quiet perturbing. She hated it when the castle was so quiet, much preferring to hear something rather than nothing. It made the palace seem creepy and uninviting.

"Interesting, my lady," Link said, and Zelda could tell that he was being genuine. "Finding out the habits of the men under my command and the day-to-day events of the palace has been very interesting to me. I enjoyed hearing all the advice Gulso had to offer... and meeting you, of course," he added with a smile.

'He has a very charming smile,' Zelda thought to herself as she nodded. "You're very kind," she said. She frowned a little. "You've had a long day – when's your relief?"

Link's eyes moved to look behind Zelda, through her window. He made a guess based on the length of shadows that he could see, which wasn't much to go on. "An hour."

Zelda nodded. It suddenly struck her that, relatively speaking, they were alone. Now was her chance to broach the subject with him – the one she'd wanted to ask Gulso, but hadn't for fear of... well, rejection and ridicule, mostly. The only other person she could ask would be Impa, but she doubted that the Sheikah would have the patience to assist her...

"Captain, I must ask something of you... something that you must not share with anyone, do you understand?" Link stared at her, face revealing nothing. To Zelda it seemed as if his eyes had hardened a little, though it was difficult to tell in the gloominess of the corridor. She squinted at him slightly, as if doing so would reveal the secrets of the universe, but she received no divine revelation.

The quiet was beginning to unnerve Zelda a little, and she was losing her nerve. She could vaguely hear sounds coming from Impa's chambers, and sensed it was only a matter of time before the Sheikah stormed from her room, and ordered that Zelda go back to bed, because 'she could not fall asleep standing up chatting in a hallway', but she 'could fall asleep with her eyes closed in a warm bed'.

Being both quick and quiet was in order. She would not have time to ask him now, but perhaps... "We must take a walk tomorrow, Captain," she whispered, hiding behind her door, ready to close it, "We must get to know each other better. Would you walk with me from the barracks around the palace grounds tomorrow afternoon?"

Link stared a little longer, until Zelda began to wonder whether he'd heard her. Then, she saw a curt nod from him.

"Of course, Princess. Now go to bed – Impa will be out any minute," he said softly. His tone of voice made Zelda realise, for some reason, that she was very, very tired.

Zelda nodded. "Good night Captain." She said, closing her door.

"Princess!" Link almost hissed, and Zelda paused, poking her head around the door. She could almost sense the annoyance from Impa in the other room.

"... Call me Link, Princess," Link whispered with a slight smile, as if unsure of himself. Zelda blinked, and nodded.

"Good night, Link," she corrected herself, and finally shut the door.