Mayor Bo lifted his left leg up and brought it crashing to the ground. He widened his stance and visibly shifted his immense body weight. Link adjusted his own stance as well. He glanced at the spectators all around him. Their faces were lit only by the nearby bonfire and the light of the dusk moon.

Mayor Bo had constructed a Goron-style wrestling ring in the middle of the village. Link's dealings with the Gorons had apparently instilled some nostalgia in the Mayor. It was mostly the kids who got into wrestling, but the match between Link and Mayor Bo was the one that Ordon Village was truly excited for. Link scanned the crowd and caught Zelda's gaze. Her face was concealed by the hooded cloak she was wearing, not that most of the villagers knew what Zelda looked like. Link could only imagine how they would react if they knew they had the Queen of Hyrule and keeper of the Triforce of Wisdom in their midst.

Ilia slammed the mallet into the gong to signal the start of the match. Mayor Bo was ready. He immediately charged at Link, his shoulders pointed down and his center of mass low to the ground. Link jumped out of the way as the Mayor skidded to a stop at the edge of the ring. Not missing the opportunity, Link slammed his body into the Mayor's back, driving the rotund man out of the ring. Ilia rang the gong once again to signal the end of the match. It had been an exceptionally short match. Needless to say, the villagers demanded more rounds. Link stretched his muscles as he prepared to face the Mayor again.

Link defeated the Mayor a second time, and then a third time. He had never before had such an easy time dispensing with the man who was usually a very challenging opponent. It occurred to Link that he was giving his best effort because Zelda was watching. He suddenly felt his face heat up when he realized that Zelda was seeing him shirtless.

He had gained immense admiration for Zelda after all she did to assist him and Midna in saving Hyrule, but she had always seemed so aloft to him, certainly someone who had little in common with a simple goatherder. But was he still just a simple goatherder, he asked himself? After all that had happened, was it really that simple? He bore the Triforce of Courage on his hand. He had wielded the Master Sword and used it to slay both Ganondorf and Zant. He had even ventured beyond the Mirror of Twilight to the Twilight Realm. Certainly, that had to put him on more equal footing with Zelda.

After Link had handily defeated the Mayor five times, the wrestling came to an end but the night's festivities raged on. Link threw on his shirt and quietly slipped away from the crowd. Zelda wordlessly joined him. Link found Epona and stroked her mane. He then leaped into his faithful horse's back and held a hand out to help Zelda climb up behind him.

His heart raced as he felt Zelda's hand clasping his own. It was almost as if their respective Triforce triangles were resonating with each other. Zelda sat down behind him, her legs on either side of Link and her arms wrapped around his waist. He had ridden Epona with Zelda on the back before, but that was when they were fighting Ganondorf. This was different. It felt different. Zelda leaned forward to speak into Link's ear.

"Let's go to Ordona Spring" she said softly. I want to sit on the ground and talk with you."

"Queens don't sit on the ground" said Link.

"This Queen will make an exception tonight" she replied.

Link guided Epona to the Spring. He dismounted first and then caught Zelda by the waist as he helped her down. She let down her hood and gave him a subdued smile. They sat down side-by-side on the ground, gazing out at the spring water illuminated by the moon and stars.

"What do you want to do with your life, Link?" asked Zelda.

Link scratched his chin. "I haven't really given it much thought lately" he admitted. "Since the day the children of the village were kidnapped and I was transformed into a wolf, my life has just felt like a blur. If I had to think of something though, I suppose I would continue to work for Fado over at Ordona Ranch until I can earn enough money to buy some land and some livestock of my own."

"But deep down, you know that can't happen" said Zelda. "Your travels have changed you. I didn't know you before the day when you became a wolf, but even I can see that you have changed. Your beast form may have been discarded forever, but the restlessness inside of you hasn't died. Your fellow villagers can see it too. They no longer see you as Link the goatherder. They see you as Link the legendary hero. The Triforce on your hand is your mark that you are different, that you are more than what you once were."

"You're right" Link admitted. "I can see it in the way they talk to me. The children all openly idolize me, and the adults act very awkwardly around me. Even Ilia, my oldest childhood friend, acts differently around me now. I guess having a normal life in Ordon Village may not be possible for me anymore, but it's my home. Where else do I belong if not here?"

"Hyrule Castle" replied Zelda. "You have a home in Hyrule Castle should you choose to come with me."

"But Hyrule Castle was destroyed by Ganondorf!" said Link. "I saw the explosion!"

Zelda shook her head. "That was only the throne room that was destroyed, and even it is nearly finished being rebuilt. The rest of the castle was untouched."

"So when you said that you wanted to take me away from here, you were talking about taking me back to Hyrule Castle. Why are you giving me that choice? You are the Queen of Hyrule. You could just give me the order and I would have to come."

"All of Hyrule is deeply indebted to you, Link" replied Zelda. "I have too much respect for you to take away your free will. After all, it was your free will that led you to save Hyrule. But I have another reason beyond that. I'm afraid that I will have to call on you again for help. There is no immediate danger to Hyrule at this time, but nevertheless, I require your assistance with an important matter. However, you must agree wholeheartedly to our mission without reservation or we have no chance of succeeding."

"What mission could be so important?" asked Link.

Zelda's gaze intensified as her jaw clenched. "I intend to enter the Sacred Realm and retrieve the Triforce of Power. I have very good reason to believe that it was sent there upon Ganondorf's death, and I will need your help to make it into the Sacred Realm."

Link sighed. He didn't know much about the Sacred Realm but he knew it was separate from the Twilight Realm. If he could access the Sacred Realm then why not the Twilight Realm? That's where Midna had returned to. The pain of losing her still weighed heavily on his heart.

"Let me sleep on it" said Link. "I will have an answer for you tomorrow."

Zelda nodded. "Take as long as you need to decide, because once you agree, I will need you to be fully committed."