Finals are finally done, and I can get back to writing. Thanks for being patient… and sorry about the holdup. Chapters will update more frequently, especially once I finish my summer work. So I won't force you to wait another three months as I edit and publish chapters. Here's a long one to make up for my absence.

Also… keep an eye on my profile. After seeing that trailer for the BotW sequel, I naturally have to write about it.

-=]I[=-

Link glanced around wildly, trying to find some sort of way out. There was an open balcony, but no way to tell how far the drop was. After all, he wasn't about to risk Lana's safety trying to escape the King.

This wasn't the first time he'd seen the king up close. Once before, during a knighting ceremony, they had come face to face. But this wasn't the King he'd seen before. His kind eyes were narrowed in anger, his fists clenched tightly at his sides, and the once kindly expression was erased, replaced instead by one of fury.

Link wasn't the best in difficult situations, but he knew he had to do something. Drawing a blade would surely be illegal, but if he had to become a criminal in order to stop Gabon, so be it. But before he could speak, before he could do much as react, Lana stepped forward.

"Father… forgive me."

Wait… did she say… father? Suddenly, everything began to click together. Her familiar appearance. Her knowledge of the castle. Her previous lack of knowledge of the wild. Her refined accent and behaviorisms. And now, calling the King her father. It all made sense. He had been traveling with Princess Zelda. He turned towards her in bewilderment.

"You're… Princess Zelda?"

Lana- no, Zelda- turned towards him, tears sparkling in her emerald eyes. "Link, I… I didn't mean…" she stopped, the tears spilling over. They ran down her face, finally dropping onto the floor. Link was tempted to run over and comfort her, but she had lied to him about… everything. Could he trust anything that came out of her mouth? Could he even trust those tears?

The king motioned to his guards. "Take the boy to the dungeon, and take Zelda to the throne room. I wish to speak with my daughter…"

Left with nothing but a sinking sense of betrayal, Link was roughly seized and dragged away into the depths of the castle. The air seemed foul down here, colder and mustier. Almost as if the remnants of the Calamity still hadn't been removed. He was roughly thrown in a cell, and the door was locked.

As the guards were walking away, Link recognized one of them. They had sparred together while training. Neither of them were particularly muscular, so naturally they were paired together almost every day. Yet Link's superiority had moved him to another level. He probably resented Link for that. That was a long time ago… the memory seemed to be fading already.

The door to the dungeon slammed shut, leaving Link alone with his thoughts.

Zelda… he had been traveling with the princess the whole time?! No wonder she had looked so familiar, her face was all over the kingdom. He should have put the clues together. Her helplessness at first, her extensive knowledge of the castle. Everything had been blatantly obvious, and yet he still didn't pick up on the clues that had been dancing in front of him.

He ignored the tiny voice in his head, telling him that he had been purposely blocking out the facts. That he'd been so infatuated with her that he refused to admit that maybe she wasn't as perfect as she appeared to be. Was he really that desperate? He had never gotten along well with anyone, much less someone so kind and inspiring. In truth, he admired the princess, despite her falsified identity.

And to think… for a moment… he was almost falling in love with her. He couldn't deny his feelings for the girl he rescued from the Yiga clan. But was Lana really the same person as Zelda? Or was her personally another lie, fabricated to protect her identity?

With nothing left to do, Link stared out the prison window, watching the rising moon.

-]I[-

A deadly standoff. The warriors: a father and daughter. Their weapons: none but their own words. For a long time, Zelda stared into the eyes of her father, unsure what to say. Would he berate her? Punish her? Or worse, do harm to Link because of her actions? She couldn't imagine what he was doing now, probably cursing her name as he struggled against cold iron shackles.

Zelda tried to find her voice, find something to say, but the words stuck in her throat. A rising feeling of dread bubbled in her stomach, insinuating a sense of dread. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, as did the tips of her ears. She couldn't meet the penetrating gaze of her father, worried that his eyes would bite straight through her.

Her father motioned to the guards, silently commanding them to exit the Sanctum. They turned and left, in no small hurry to leave the room. Zelda longed to follow them; she couldn't bear to spend any time alone with her father. She struggled to form a sentence, even a simple "I'm sorry" would suffice. But the cold atmosphere of the room took her very breath away, and she was forced to stand and wait.

The king rose from his throne and began making slow, deliberate strides towards Zelda. She couldn't help but hold her breath in anticipation as he made his way towards her. Her heart pounded against her ribs, so hard she thought it would jump right out of the rib cage.

Her father stopped a few feet in front of her, stoic and silent. Zelda slowly raised her eyes to meet his, but couldn't draw them past his chin. For a brief moment they stood there, neither of them daring to speak. Tears welled up in Zelda's eyes and cling to her eyelashes, threatening to spill over.

And then… her father did the one thing Zelda didn't anticipate. He reached out his arms and pulled her into a tight embrace. Zelda didn't hesitate before returning it, allowing the tears to flow freely down her cheeks. She stood there, wrapped in her father's arms, clinging to him tightly. And for a brief moment, she felt all of her worries melting away, vanishing into the air, unnecessary and forgotten.

"Father, I… I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, Zelda. I'm just so relieved you're safe."

Safe. All at once, the world came crashing down again. She was a titan, bearing the sky upon her shoulders. Would she transfer the burden to another? Or would she stay silent, and allow the Goddess's calling to remain a secret?

"Zelda… I should have told you…"

Zelda glanced up at her father, somewhat confused. "Told me..? About what, exactly?"

Her father sighed, taking her hand in his own. "About the return of Ganon."

Ganon. The name hit her like a ton of bricks, rendering her wordless yet again. The word seemed to resound in the air, reverberating in a most ominous manner. Of course. It all made sense now. The crimson moons, the increase of monsters, Hylia's desperate calling. The pieces of the puzzle were all coming together, leaving a finished product of despair.

She had no choice. She had to tell her father about the messages. If he knew about the return, surely he wouldn't bar her from her destiny?

But if he was so desperate to keep her safe… if he was willing to force her into marriage… would he allow her to risk her life because of a few dreams?

"Ganon is returning? Are you… are you sure?" The evidence was irrefutable, yet she still grasped for some sort of way to disprove it, to pass it off as a mere false alarm. Yet the twisting feeling in her gut wasn't the hopeful kind.

"We are positive." Her father's grim voice echoed around the chamber, the statement lingering in the air. Zelda nodded her head, wise enough not to deny these findings.

"Then I will do whatever I can to help prevent it."

"No!" His tone was stern, but slightly laced with desperation. Zelda realized with a sinking feeling that her suspicions were correct: her father wasn't willing to allow her to risk herself. Her mind raced for some sort of way around this, but her only thought was to sneak away again. But she would likely be under close surveillance, to ensure her "protection." Still, there was no point in arguing, no point in wasting precious time. Zelda resigned herself to bowing her head.

"Then I shall return to my room. I'll do any research I can in Ganon. It's the least I can do to assist you."

Her father seemed to relax in relief, as if he had been tensing himself for an argument. Zelda felt a pang in her stomach, realizing that he was genuinely afraid for her. But she wasn't going to stand idly by as Gabon's return was on the horizon. She- and Link- both needed to complete their destinies. If the hand of fate had really chosen them, they wouldn't turn her back on her destiny.

Zelda hurried to her room, avoiding eye contact with the guards. The winding corridors and torchlit halls It was still dark outside; there was at least an hour before the sun rose. She had no time to waste… it was imperative she worked quickly.

She needed to find some way out of the castle again, this time it was more likely to have heightened security as well. Not to mention… she couldn't leave alone. Link played as big a part as her in this convoluted future of Hyrule's, and he was most likely sitting in the dungeon, awaiting punishment. Sure, she could get away with running off, but she was the princess. The most they could do to her was a slight tap on the wrist. But Link… Link was different. He was a soldier, taught obedience from a young age. And… he was going against orders from the king. That alone was enough to land him in a cell for a few years at the least.

The dungeon wasn't difficult to reach, but breaking someone out? That was a suicide mission. Not to mention that that was a very serious offense. Running away was one thing, but she was planning a jailbreak. Even though she was the princess, she still couldn't directly go against the law, especially one so severe. If she was caught, she was doomed.

Still… if she wasn't caught… Link would be in even more trouble with the law. Was she really willing to doom him to that sort of punishment? It could double his sentence, leaving Hyrule mostly unguarded. If Link was doomed to rot in a cell, Hyrule was doomed as well. How was she going to explain that to her father without sounding completely insane?

And that was all assuming Link was willing to go with her. After everything she'd said… after everything she hadn't said. Did he still trust her? And would he be willing to join her and defeat whatever horrors were awaiting Hyrule? Or would he turn his back on her, instead venturing out on his own, determined to take the oncoming challenges on his own.

Zelda traced her fingers over the sheikah slate, finally opening the map of Hyrule Castle. She carefully scanned the map, hoping to find some sort of clue or passage that could help her out. The dungeons were still titled "lockup" on the slate, which sounded better in her opinion. Lockup was directly underneath her study, but there were two problems. The first was the guards who had been stationed there, keen eyes scanning the tower for any… discrepancies. The second was the location… getting underground would be difficult, to say the least. She was confined to the passages leading into the dungeons.

She hoped Link was alright. She swore to herself that she would get him out, no matter the cost.

-]I[-

One can only stare at a cell door for a few hours before going insane. Link assessed the dungeons, hoping for some form of escape to present itself to him. Even without guards, the whole thing was locked up tighter than a drum… good for keeping criminals in, but bad for him. He had to save the world, for Hylia's sake!

Surely there was some sort of way out… a secret passage, perhaps? The cell wall looked like it was partially crumbling, but Link doubted anything short of a bomb could break through.

And in the midst of all this confusion… where was Twilight? He had slipped away in the confusion, and Link hadn't seen him since. Twilight was most likely 1) searching for some way to help Link, 2) bringing the books away from the castle and getting help or 3) raiding the dining room. Most likely three, if he was being honest with himself. Twilight was helpful at some points, but a lot of the time, he was surprisingly dog-like. Not even a wolf, but a dog.

Zelda. The mind wouldn't stop racing through his mind. He had been traveling with Zelda. He had trained Zelda. He had nearly fallen in love with Zelda. It was the only thing he could think about, swallowing the rest of his thoughts like a tidal wave. He could hardly think straight.

A while ago, he had hated her. Hated the concept of the Princess of Hyrule. She lived in luxury, untouched by the evils of the world. And then he was assigned to marry her. As if fate's cruel hand had chosen him to toy with.

So he left. It was treason, but he couldn't be bound to that. He couldn't sacrifice his freedom for something he hated. And if he ever married, he wanted to be like his mother, who had left her post as a knight of Hyrule and had married a farmer. He wanted to marry for love.

And then he had met "Lana." He had been intrigued by the aura of mystery that surrounded her, but he had fallen for her spirit, her inquisitive mind, and her willingness to just have fun. In his eyes, she had been perfect.

In a way, she still was. But the lies she'd fabricated… he knew it was to protect her from her own destiny, but could he ever look at her the same?

He wondered what was happening to her. She had seemed terrified to face her father. He felt almost sorry for her. He was in jail, but at least the cells were a way to hide from what he'd done. She had to face it head on.

Despite his initial anger towards her, he hoped she was alright. Because somewhere… in the depths of his heart… he couldn't deny with. He still loved her.

-]I[-

Zelda dressed herself for dinner, slowly and solemnly. It was a chore to dress herself in royal clothes again; she'd become accustomed to wearing her traveler's clothes. It was incredibly tight, and she simply didn't feel like herself anymore. She managed to style her hair into a sort of braided crown, with the ends still flowing down behind her pointed ears. She was somewhat nervous to see the reaction to what she'd done, but at least she had her father on her side. For now.

The good thing about dresses is that one can hide all sorts of things under the long skirts. Including the Slate, a piton (not for stabbing, for climbing. She was an adventurer, not an assassin,) and a key she "obtained" from the guards that was able to unlock the cells in lockup. In truth, she'd gotten it from a bit of pickpocketing. The guard was drunk and asleep, he'd never even seen her enter the room, much less steal the key. Twilight was missing, but Zelda assumed he was with Link. The two were practically inseparable.

How would Link react when he saw her? The thought raced through Zelda's head, his face swimming in her mind. She missed him terribly, but what did he think of her now that she had been revealed? She had come so close to telling him in the Lost Woods. Surely it would have been easier on him if she had been the one to break the news.

Yet she still had hope. Link had made it quite clear that he had secrets of his own. While he might not yet be willing to share them, perhaps he would forgive her for harboring her own secrets.

Zelda's footsteps echoed through the halls, clicking loudly as she walked. She wished it was a bit subtler, seeing as she was the disgrace of the kingdom after her little "adventure." She wondered if her father had told his court the truth, or if he had covered up his daughter's outburst. Hopefully the former; she didn't need the nobility to scorn her any more than they already did.

Some said that the court hated Zelda, and they wished that Hyrule had received a male heir. She laughed at this. Clearly they didn't understand Hyrule's system of royalty. Hylia's blood presented itself in the form of the Princess, and the whole court revolved around the coronation of the Queen. It wouldn't be long until Zelda's coronation, actually. Her 21st birthday marked the day she officially became Queen of Hyrule. In truth, she dreaded the day. She was far more accustomed to her adventurous lifestyle, though it had only lasted a few weeks.

Yet those few weeks had been the best of her life. Which is exactly why she intended to return to it.

The dining hall was lit brightly, as per usual. Zelda walked slowly into the room, avoiding the piercing gaze of the others seated there. Zelda never understood why her father insisted on having his entire court at dinner. It made it so difficult to speak to him personally.

She took her seat to the right of her father. Chancellor Cole sneered at her as she sat down, but she paid little attention to him.

"Ah, yes. As you can see, Zelda has returned from her trip to Gerudo Town. Chief Afia told us she was a delight to host. Zelda, would you be so kind as to tell us about your trip?"

So he had covered for her. Zelda felt like embracing her father, and she felt a pit form in her stomach, knowing she was about to betray his trust yet again.

"Ah, yes. Gerudo town. Well, the desert is sweltering, but the town and Kara Kara Bazaar are perfectly fine. The food there is different as well… they eat a lot of hydrating food. I suppose it makes sense, living in the middle of the desert. Oh, and I saw a real Molduga, from a distance of course."

Her father glanced at her, clearly impressed at her ability to lie. One of the perks to living with politicians is that you learn to lie as if it is a second language. Zelda picked up on it from an early age, which seemed somewhat alarming, but was usually perceived as natural.

"Thank you, Zelda. Now, King Sidon, what was it you were saying about the Diving Beast?"

"It seems to have reactivated. The last time it was operational, I was still just the prince of the Domain. I wonder what may have activated it."

"The Sheikah towers have also emerged. Interesting. It appears the Sheikah are reawakening, or at least their technology is." Zelda said, remembering her nights with Link under the Plateau Tower.

"What may have caused this, I wonder?" Sidon mused, looking down at his plate. Zelda and her father exchanged worried glances, and the King hurried to change the subject.

"Well, I just had an excellent trade deal with the Rito…" Zelda quickly stopped paying attention. Trade and finances were never something she took a particular interest in, and she instead focused on her plan.

She needed to get to the observatory, in order to climb down and make her way into Lockup. But to do that, she needed some sort of excuse to leave…

"Father, does it feel hot in here to you?" Zelda asked, feigning a worried expression. "I'm afraid I feel rather feverish."

"Seems to be perfectly reasonable to me. Are you alright?"

Zelda's heart pounded in her throat. No going back now. "I'm… I'm not sure…"

"You look ill, Princess." Sidon was looking over at her, rather concerned.

"I think I'm fine…" Zelda allowed her voice to sound somewhat feeble. "Although I might…"

Zelda slumped herself into her chair, allowing her eyes to roll back.

"Guard, bring my daughter to her room!" The King's worried voice filled the room, and Zelda felt strong arms carefully lifting her out of her seat. Perfect.

They were out of the dining room. Zelda felt somewhat bad for what was about to occur, but Link needed her help. She wasn't going to waste time giving it to him. Zelda reached towards her waist, grasping the Sheikah slate. Her fingers traced over the surface until she had selected the Stasis rune. She was thankful for the Hero of the Wild for upgrading it… now it was able to freeze living things as well as objects.

Carefully, she targeted the foot of the guard, doing her best to maintain the charade. She released the rune, and in a burst of golden light, the guard froze in his tracks, unable to move. Zelda leaped out of his arms and dashed down the corridor, taking the staircase to the observatory. The guards there were somewhat confused, but parted upon seeing the princess.

Without a moment's hesitation, Zelda ran over to the balcony. Before the guards could react, she swung herself over the banister and began frantically climbing downwards, using the vines that crawled up the side of the castle for support. She was grateful she had brought the piton; she was able to make her own handholds using it, which was actually quite useful for scaling the wall quickly.

A few feet off the ground, Zelda allowed herself to drop. Her ankle twisted and it hurt like hell, but she forced herself to continue running, into the tunnels beneath Hyrule Castle.

The Slate was a good map, and within minutes she had made it to Lockup. There weren't any guards inside, which was somewhat alarming. Zelda made a mental note to tell her father to fix that, but it was convenient for the time being.

Zelda scanned the cells, which were mostly empty. There was a black bokoblin in one, but it hardly counted as a prisoner. She glanced into a cell filled with massive bones, taking care not to wander inside. Rumor had it that the stalnox inside could still walk, and the knights used it as a test of skill. She didn't even have a decent bow to shoot it with, and she doubted she could take a stalnox on even with a royal bow.

One cell, however, wasn't empty. A lone figure sat huddled inside, tucked against the wall. His features were unrecognizable, but Zelda could make out the familiar ponytail. It was Link.

-]I[-

Link was surprised when he heard the doors opening. He had expected his trial to be soon, but not this soon. He glanced outside one last time. A storm was heading towards the castle; Link could make out lightning flashes in those dark clouds. He glanced back towards the door, wondering who it was that had been sent to retrieve him. Maybe if he knew who it was, he might be able to talk his way out of this?

The figure came closer. With a jolt, Link realized that it wasn't one of the guards… it was Zelda. She looked absolutely regal in a stunning green and gold gown, with her short hair braided along the top of her head. This must be how she usually looked, without her disguises. She really did look like a princess.

"Link, I'm here to get you out of here." Link noticed the key dangling from a chain, clutched tightly in Zelda's hand.

Link couldn't even form words. It was a surprise, yes, but what was he going to say? Instead, he resigned himself to silence, following her as she led the way through the depths of Hyrule Castle.

As they neared the docks once again, Link noticed Twilight waiting for them, a dark shape clutched in his fangs. Upon closer inspection, Link saw it was the journal they'd found before. Maybe this whole ordeal hadn't been for nothing after all.

They had the journal, and potentially the location of the Master Sword. But what was the cost?

-=]I[=-

Well, this took a little while to update... sorry about that...

Wow, it has been a crazy past couple of months. I'm not even going to get into the details, but I haven't had the time to write. In the meantime, I was able to revise some of my old chapters and write this chapter now that it's summer. I've still got summer work, but I'll be able to update a lot more now :D

Anyway, it's the best time of all: reviews! Bladeofthebookworms, you are correct. She's my favorite Zelda, so I sent her to be a "guide." Or potentially more than just a guide. Shhhhh... And... thanks for being understanding about delays. It's been, what, two months now? Oof. Oracle, it's always fun to see people who ship the same stuff as me! I feel like their relationship would definitely grow post-game. Ai Star, yup. Pretty much. Midnaisbae, I am not implying that all Links are related. The way I see it, they're related spiritually, and Twilight sees Link as a spiritual, but not physical, descendent. I guess they're all "linked." Pun intended. And hey, GoT reference. Nice. And the whole "Lana" thing was chosen because it was a non-canon game. I like using canon names for actual characters, like Malon in the beginning. Dark-Huntress Sam... sorry this wasn't updated sooner. NoImNotObsessed, thank you :)

Stay tuned for more! Hopefully I will update again soon!

~Silver