Malon stood close to her friend, the wind blowing their hair and clothing about. A crystal clear stream flowed lazily nearby, gently rolling into some small stones. The sound of a few songbirds could be heard faintly in the distance, interrupting the otherwise quiet scene.

"Link, I have to tell you something..."

Malon looked into his eyes and instantly felt vulnerable, as though he could see right through her. His expression was calm, though he could easily tell that Malon was unsettled. She sensed that he somehow already knew what she was about to say, and that he was able to read her emotions and thoughts clearer than any book. Time seemed to stand still for a few moments, and she could think of nothing except for the two of them.

"No interruptions this time. Here goes nothing."

"What is it?" he asked.

"Well, this is difficult for me to say... just bear with me." She suppressed a lump in her throat and tried to ignore her racing pulse and subtly shaking knees. As far as she could remember, it had never been so difficult for her to say something so simple. Three little words - I love you. It was all she would have to say, but there was so much more to be said.

Link opened his mouth to respond but decided to remain quiet.

"Over the past few days, I've realized something." She struggled to keep eye contact with him but forced herself to anyway. "I should've realized it long ago."

"When I saw you floating out in that lake a while back- when I heard you had been arrested, I hadn't felt so devastated in years. The thought of losing you was... horrible. It felt like I was losing more than a friend."

Unconsciously, she wrung her hands together, trying to steady her nerves. Link also began to feel weak and continued to stay quiet. She wiped away a tear that had made its way down her red cheek and stepped a bit closer to her friend.

"I've done things that I never dreamed that I would do... and I would do it all over again. You mean so much to me, Link. You always have. I've known you for years, and I've always admired you ever since I was a child. Your strength, your bravery and selflessness... I've never met anyone else like you, and I know that I never will."

Link was almost speechless. "Malon?"

She took one last breath before she spoke. "I... I love you, Link."

He stared back at her in shocked silence. He felt weightless at the sound of her words, as though he had been waiting to hear them all his life. Link struggled to form a coherent response.

"Y-you mean that?"

She nodded her head slowly but firmly, not regretting a single word. "Of course I do." Her body was still tense, but it was a relief. She no longer had to bottle up her feelings.

Link felt as though a fog had been lifted in front of him. He did not question his own swirling emotions- instead, he felt his heart leap.

"Can I say something too?"

Malon became quiet, too nervous to speak again. She nodded once more for him to continue. A part of her worried about what he might say next, fearing that she may have somehow affected their friendship.

"Nothing makes me happier than when I'm with you, Malon. You were the one person who I chose to see before I was sent here... and I'm so glad that I did."

Malon could almost hear her own heartbeat and knew full well that her face must have been bright red, though she did not care. She found it a bit easier to look him in the eye, now that she had finally spoken her true feelings- there was nothing left for her to hide.

"When I was in that prison- when I was out here, I was thinking about you. A lot. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't seen you again."

A smile spread across his face, and he could no longer contain his emotions. His voice became a bit uneven, though this didn't bother him.

"I know I might not say it enough, but I've always admired you too. You're the most compassionate and kindhearted person I've ever known... I love you too, Malon. And I mean that with all my heart."

She shivered at his words and a small gasp escaped her. A bright smile crossed her face- a massive weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She almost couldn't believe what she had heard. Tears of joy trickled down her cheek as she embraced him as hard as she could and buried her face in his shoulder.

Caught off guard by her sudden movement, they both collapsed to the ground and held each other in a rather awkward heap. They remained wrapped in each others' arms, whispering to one another.

"Promise... promise you'll never leave again," she murmured.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he returned, trying to control his shaky voice.

They parted slightly from their mutual embrace and looked at each other as though they had never seen each other before. Link had always acknowledged how attractive Malon was, though he had never said so out loud. But now, seeing her like this, he had never been so completely struck by her beauty. Everything about her was gorgeous. Her captivating smile filled him with joy. Her soft, flowing red hair glistened like a sunset, and her gentle blue eyes reminded him of the clearest ocean. But her beauty ran deeper than that - her warm heart and cheerful optimism were unmatched by anyone that he had ever met. He knew that he was the luckiest man in the world.

Malon was just as overwhelmed, and she knew that describing him as handsome would be quite an understatement. His rugged yet youthful complexion, striking blue eyes, and chiseled features made her blush slightly. Though they were surrounded by miles of cruel wilderness, she had never felt safer as he held her in his arms. She had finally found her knight in shining armor.

Without a word, their lips met in a passionate kiss. For the both of them, it was their first time to ever do so. Link brushed away her long hair and gently held her head in his hands. They had never once considered being together like this, but it now felt completely right. It was more wonderful than either of them could begin to describe.

Everything around them seemed to fade away, and they could only picture each other. Their minds became free from the fear and uncertainty that had clouded them for so many days, and were now filled only with peace. Malon closed her eyes and could not imagine a more perfect moment - locked in a kiss with the man she loved.

Against all odds, Zelda and Lera now stood at the mouth of Death Mountain. The cavern at their back sent warm, unpleasant bursts of air at them as they overlooked the trail below them. The coolness of the night air was a welcome relief from the unpleasant journey through the volcano.

Cover of darkness or no, it would be foolhardy for the dethroned queen to continue with such an obvious outfit. She unwrapped the cloak from around the Master Sword and donned it, raising the hood over her head. It covered enough of her to keep her somewhat inconspicuous, though she remained apprehensive about moving through Kakariko. Nevertheless, Lera was pleased that it was so difficult to recognize her face beneath the hood. Pretty much everyone in the kingdom would instantly be able to recognize her without it.

Zelda fastened the sword to her back under her cloak. It protruded awkwardly, though it was more important that nobody could see the weapon. In the night, it would glow as bright as a torch were it not for the scabbard.

"Ready to move out, Lera?" she asked.

"Thought you'd never ask," she replied with a smile.

The two of them began to climb over the ledge leading down the mountain. It was difficult to find a proper foothold in the darkness, and they both knew that one false move could be disastrous. They moved slowly- every movement had to be deliberate and firm. The cool wind at their backs unnerved them- as though a gale might have the strength to knock them off. What would normally have taken a skilled climber mere minutes to descend took them quite a bit longer.

They breathed a collective sigh of relief when they finally reached solid ground at the base of the large cliff. All that awaited them now was a gently sloping trail to the village. Zelda had only a passing knowledge of this area, though it would not be hazardous enough to warrant concern. More troubling to her was Kakariko Village at the bottom, which was undoubtedly patrolled by Tason's men.

"We have quite a ways to go. Once the sun rises, it'll be almost impossible to pass through Kakariko unnoticed," Zelda noted. She began to jog with Lera keeping pace just as well.

"How bad do you think it'll be, Queen Zelda?"

"No idea," she replied, leaping over a small crevice in the ground. "With any luck, most of Tason's mercenaries will be asleep."

"I can go on ahead - make sure the coast is clear. They won't be looking for me."

"Not a bad idea, but we need to stick together. If even one of us gets caught, they'll be crawling all over the place to look for other escapees."

"That's true."

Lera vaulted awkwardly over a ledge and landed with a stumble. She regretted wearing such formal and cumbersome attire during the day.

"Queen Zelda, I've been thinking about where we could go."

"You've got an idea?"

"Well, a few weeks ago, a man from Lon Lon Ranch came to deliver some milk to Castle Town. He stayed and talked with my parents for a few minutes before he left- mentioned something about Link. Seemed like a really nice guy."

Zelda stroked her chin and recalled the last time the man showed up at the castle. The milk was delightful, but she was baffled when he almost fell asleep in the middle of their conversation.

"Yes, I've heard of that place. We actually get some of our best horses from their stable. But I've never actually been there. Have you?"

"No, but I think it's worth a shot."

"You think he'll be loyal to Tason?"

Lera shook her head, beginning to doubt her previous idea. She had never spoken personally to Talon before, and had not seen nor heard of him since the coup.

"I hope not. But we might not have anywhere else."

The two slowed their pace down to a walk as they neared the gate at the foot of the mountain- it was the only possible way into the village. A lone mercenary sat outside, obviously half-asleep. Zelda and her assistant ducked behind a large rock, which would keep them hidden for the moment. She never thought she'd be so relieved to see a guard resting on the job.

Zelda turned to Lera and whispered to her, keeping a sharp eye on the watchman. "I don't think we can just walk right past him... no matter how tired he looks."

"Is there a way around the gate?"

"I don't think so... this is probably our only option."

Lera looked at the man for a second and turned back to her. "I can distract him, Queen Zelda. You can make a break for it while he's not looking." She knew that she might not be able to outrun him, but it wouldn't be difficult for Zelda to slip by.

"That's kind of you, but we've been over this - we're going to stick together."

"You're sure?"

"Absolutely," she replied, looking towards the guard once more.

Zelda considered multiple plans. On the one hand, she could simply try to divert his attention, or she could impersonate somebody and walk right by. As an absolute last resort, she thought of brandishing the Master Sword and intimidating him to allow them through, though that seemed rather unlikely.

"Keep it simple - fewer opportunities for mistakes."

She reached into her pocket and produced a smoke pellet. The small gray orb was the very same kind she used only a few hours earlier. It would be her last one - she could not afford to miss her mark.

"Get ready to make a break for it," she whispered.

Zelda hurled the pellet as hard as she could at the foot of the guard. Before he could react, a thick cloud of smoke overtook him. The dark, blinding smoke would only last a few seconds. Without delay, Zelda sprinted headlong towards the gate with her friend close behind. They slipped easily past the mercenary, who had doubled over, trying to swat the smoke away and contain his coughing.

Even as they passed the gate, they continued running as far as they could into the village, unsatisfied until they were far beyond the man's sight. The two ducked into a dark alley and finally began to catch their breath.

"Well done, Your Majesty. Do you think he saw us?" Lera asked.

"No, but he's going to warn his friends. We really need to keep moving," Zelda replied, peering out of the alley and into the village square.

The town was every bit as silent as the rest of Hyrule late at night. The townspeople had long since gone to sleep and the bustling markets were abandoned hours ago. Only the creaking of a windmill could be heard.

"Is the coast clear?" Lera asked, unable to see much from her spot.

"For now. Let's go."

It was a long sprint across an open section of town to get to the front gate. At risk of being spotted, Zelda didn't stop to check the alleys nearby- they could be flanked easily. Instead, she ran past them and desperately hoped that she wasn't noticed. Whatever little shadow the buildings provided was helpful, though the town's various lanterns made it difficult to stay completely hidden.

As they neared the front gate, they found an unwelcome sight - a large sell-sword paced by with a scowl on his face. Before he could see the two escapees, they hid behind a shop a few meters away. Unlike his fellow guard on the other side of the village, he was clearly wide-awake and wasn't about to fall asleep anytime soon. In one hand, he held an axe that appeared as though it could cleave a large tree with one slash.

"Blast," Zelda murmured. "I'm out of smoke pellets."

"I-I might have an idea," Lera said, before whispering into her ear.

Zelda nodded her head. "...It just might work. Let's give it a try. Just be careful."

Lera left the safety of the shadows and approached the man as slowly as she could.

"Oh, this was a bad idea," she thought, already second-guessing her plan. "I'll only have one chance - can't mess it up..."

As the young girl came within earshot of the guard, she began to sniffle and whimper just loud enough for him to hear. The guard slowly turned around to see her, raising an eyebrow at the sight.

"M-mister..." she began, trying to make herself sound younger. "I...I'm lost. I can't find my parents."

"Goodness, this is so pathetic," she thought. "I must look like such a child."

"What's that? What do ya want me to do?" he replied coldly.

"I... I'm worried about them. I haven't seen them in days." Lera circled around the man subtly, ensuring that his back was to the rest of the village.

The guard rolled his eyes at the girl and knelt down to her. He let out a sigh, not terribly interested in her "problem".

"What do they look like?"

Lera glanced over his shoulder as Zelda tip-toed up to him. She would have to buy them a bit more time.

"I-I think... they were... umm..."

The man's patience was already wearing thin. "Come on. Out with it."

"They went to..."

"What is it? Hurry up!"

Zelda was now directly behind the unsuspecting guard. She slowly brandished the Master Sword and hefted it backwards before driving the pommel into the back of the guard's neck. He fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"It worked after all. Nicely done, Lera," she said, replacing the sword.

The two ran into Hyrule Field and straight for the lone ranch at the center of the massive meadow. They couldn't even see it yet, as it stood several miles away. Across that distance, it would be a very open path with little to conceal them from passersby. The long grass parted as they ran across the hilly landscape.

"You think he'll be alright?" Lera asked. "I didn't want him to get hurt too badly."

"He should be fine. I didn't put all of my strength into that one," Zelda replied, feeling a little sorry that the man would probably wake up in quite a bit of pain.

The escapees did not stop until they reached the entrance of the farm. Even now, they looked back to ensure that they weren't followed. With the meadow empty, they walked into the ranch and knocked on the house door. At first, there was no response, so Zelda pounded on the door harder. The two young ladies looked back and forth, still unconvinced that they were not spotted. Finally, a muffled voice could be heard inside.

"Malon? Is that you? Oh, it's been so long-"

The rancher opened the door and his face immediately turned from joy to confusion. Upon seeing Zelda, he knelt before her, facing the ground.

"My Queen! W-what brings you here?"

"It's alright, sir, please rise. May we have a word with you?"

"Of course!" he said, somehow fearing that he was in trouble. "P-please, come right in."

The women stepped into the warmth of the farm house. For the first time in many hours, they felt safe from the watch of Tason's henchmen. Talon wrung his hands together as he stood as straight and poised as he could.

"What's the issue, Your Majesty? If your army requires more horses, we can easily-"

"No sir, that's quite alright. We need your help."

A large tree provided a welcome patch of shade for the two Hylians. For over an hour, Link and Malon had lied underneath it in each others' arms. Malon rested her head on the swordsman's chest as Link draped his arm around her. Over the past few days, they had grown to detest the forest around them, but now they almost wished that they would never have to leave. Malon had to keep reminding herself that she wasn't dreaming, and Link swore that nothing he had ever seen could compare to her beauty.

"How long have you known?" he asked, partially resting with his eyes closed.

"About what?"

"About how you've felt about me... about us."

She pondered it for a second. "Well, I guess I've loved you like this for a while now, deep down. I don't know if I would've had the strength to come here if not for you," she replied earnestly.

He pulled her a bit closer to him and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I know you would have. Don't tell yourself otherwise."

She smiled and looked up at the swordsman, placing her hand on his arm. By accident, her soft, cold touch sent chills down his spine. It relaxed him nonetheless - it was impossible for him to be discomforted at a time like this.

Malon closed her eyes and stretched slightly before she returned to resting next to him. "What about you? When did you realize how you felt?"

"I've loved you for a while now too," he said as he fiddled with a bit of her hair. "Couldn't get you off my mind. At first I didn't know why, but I do now."

"Better late than never, Fairy Boy," she joked, poking him in the side.

Link chuckled slightly and looked upward. A few scattered clouds interrupted the otherwise fair blue sky. He would be content to be with her like this forever, but he knew that that would have to wait. His thoughts drifted to his homeland, and he dreaded what he might find awaiting them. The young man sat up slowly and regretfully.

"We've still got a lot of ground to cover," he said with a deep sigh, gazing to the east. "If we move quickly, we should be out of Gattel by tomorrow morning."

"Sounds good. It's been days since I've seen an open field. This forest can get so confined at times."

Link stood and helped his companion up with a hand. Onward to the east they continued, not stopping for any more breaks. Walking together hand-in-hand, they traversed the sea of trees, looking forward to the day when this was all a distant memory.