I want to say thanks to all then reviews and favourites I've gotten. I know I say it a lot but I do actually mean it. This was my first story for quite some time and I do feel I have improved hugely. Still some way to go though. So I'll see you all in the next chapter whenever that is :)

Chapter 25- Digression of the Best Kind

Days had passed since Link had won that race. She had expected him to go a little easier on her like most people but it seemed the Knight had an unexpected competitive edge. That smug look on his face, whilst lurched on his horse, was too good for this world. She'd be competitive too if Link wasn't too damn good at horse-riding to allow it. It was almost certain now that he spoke whatever languages horses did.

"You're doing it again I'm starting to think you're not the princess but some rouse by Ganon," Purah said shocking Zelda back into the lab.

Purah looked across from the other side of the desk drinking up the sight of Zelda's state and Zelda looked back questioningly not knowing what it was she'd done this time to warrant such a close inspection.

"You know I didn't even realise you could smile without being told to," Purah grinned showing all her white pearls.

Zelda annoyingly flushed up and said, "Sorry, I'll get back to work."

"DOOOON'T STOP," Purah wailed. "This is the happiest I've seen you in years and your research hasn't been getting any worse, we're making more progress than ever."

Purah was right just in the last week they had managed to get the guardians not just operational but actually controllable and the divine beasts were all running beautifully, now that all the adjustments had been made. Daruk had needed some extra help with Rudania, which she had fixed in record time and for the first time when she looked at herself in the mirror each morning, she saw a glimpse of a hope in her eyes that she hadn't seen for a long time.

Link agreed that they did seem to be on top of everything, in the usual pent up way that she had grown to love over the past few weeks. There was just that one nagging feeling at the back of her head.

Though there had been a definite change in Link too. The obvious was that he was talking more, even without her having to put plates of food in front of him. But, even without the talking, just sharing a look with him was like having a conversation in itself. It was becoming a joy to travel with him, to the point where she couldn't even bear being out in the wild without him anymore.

There were still the obvious practical reasons for the too. Without Link any life outside the castle would be short lived for Zelda. Both Yiga and monster attacks had been getting more and more frequent and the enemies more ferocious then Zelda could ever imagine.

Rhoam especially had gotten spooked after Link's run in with Alfonzo, and the order to assassinate her. He had suggested she should take more guards with her and for the first time she had said "I don't need them," truthfully.

With Link she was quite safe. He tore through any enemy like they were nothing but a pile of twigs waiting to be cracked. He wasn't immortal though, as their run in at Death Mountain had taught them both. There had been so many of them crawling from behind rocks and clawing at their retreating feet. Link had shred through them like a cannon dragging Zelda along almost faster than she could take. It was just one sudden wild blow that had given Link a nasty gash on his arm. It had warranted a lecture from Zelda, one which she hoped had gone into his stubborn head.

Medicines in the Castle had seemed ineffective on the cut so Link had gone to visit Mipha for help. Zelda would've gone with him if not for the massive breakthroughs they were making.

Yesterday when she heard of his arrival back into Hyrule she had forgotten how much she had missed his constant presence and he had been gone for a full week. Like always it was easy to get out of the castle when the guards couldn't be bothered to chase you anymore.

Bombing it across Hyrule, dark storm clouds rolling overhead reminded her that she could be a klutz and forget the most basic travel equipment. It was already raining when she had gotten to the village Deya where Link was resting.

The locals had just pointed up at a small hillock with a tree when she had asked about a boy in blue. Even before she reached the top, the sound of the shimmering shriek of the blade had reached her ears, a noise she was all too comfortable with now.

Link broke his solid focus with a single open eye as she arrived and calmly watched her walk over and sit at the sheltered base of the tree. It was where there had spent the day hidden from the weather, isolated from everything.

It was always funny she had thought Link was the one who had changed so much but there beneath the trees Zelda found herself saying things she'd never really expected to think, let alone confide with in Link. Often she felt nervous about how much she was telling him but it was too late to go back on things now, she had opened a door that was never going to close again.

It had been where that one dreaded feeling she had always had finally burst up in its full terrifying form. Stating it aloud for the first time dragged her down, like the earth dragging water from the clouds.

Link had stopped mid movement, he never stopped during practice. She couldn't even meet his intense stare as he looked over. He was a blur in the corners of her vision and as it got bigger she soon felt the heat from his body beside her. They looked at each other with one of those imperceptible silent conversations. Link's big concerned eyes saying more in a few seconds than Purah could say in an hour. Finally she gave into the feeling and rested her heavy head on his shoulder, realising just how much everything had gotten to her.

That feeling would never let her go, especially now. Her father looked more frustrated than she had ever seen him. Yiga attacks were at an all-time high and it was getting to the point where not even Central Hyrule could be properly protected. It was obvious that Link's run in with Alfonzo had gotten to Rhoam too but, at the core of it all was the prophesy and the looming approach of Zelda's next spring visit.

"You're doing it again," Purah said.

Zelda murmured something like "Huh?" before snapping her attention back onto the shieka.

"The whole spacing out thing," Purah said. "I know what you're thinking about I know you too well. You never know maybe this time will be different."

Zelda stared vacantly at her. "Purah… if I think like that and it doesn't—I just can't."

For once Purah didn't have anything to say for some time.

"Link's back right?" Purah's voice perked up.

"Yeah…?"

"If there's one thing that'll take you mind off it, showing Link our progress would be just the ticket!" Purah suggested, leaning so far across the desk it would've been easier for her just to lie across it.

Zelda looked back down at her work briskly pretending to look at something she really wasn't. "He's busy, I wouldn't want to—"

"Don't even try to give me that, we both know it's not true," she urged. "Take the day off I'll be fine manning the fort myself."

Zelda hesitated.

"Go on," Purah cooed. "You've done more than enough this week you should be proud."

Zelda tried to pretend to get up unenthusiastically, shuffling towards the door like a tired stal, but as soon as her legs made it through the door she had already broke out into a run. At least if you could call trying to run in a stupid dress running at all.

It was only halfway down the hallway before she hurtled into someone. Whoever it was would've fallen over if they didn't have such good balance. Her hands were gripped onto their tunic anyways, on the blue tunic.

"Princess?"

She looked up carefully and sure enough Link's blue eyes blinked down at her in what looked to be shock.

"Oh—Link," Her hands released the ball of fabric quickly and she took a few steps back laughing, "Sorry I guess I just never learned not to run in the corridor."

He laughed with her. Goddesses that laugh, how many people had he let hear it, she may have been the only one to hear it since he gained a certain glowing object. The laughter died down and then they were looking at each other awkwardly again. It was like they were in some battle to not say the first word. Like always Link soundly destroyed her.

Creasing down the length of dress she began to wonder just what Link was doing down here. He almost never came to the sheika area of the castle. They were the only people he trusted to keep Zelda safe. His eyebrows were screwed awkwardly in some kind of pained expression but no matter how long she waited Link did not manage to force his words out.

Fine I'll get it out of at some point you stubborn idiot

"They're testing the guardian down by my courtyard," she said as casually as she could pull off. "Come with?"

Link smiled, "Yeah sure."

"Did you… want to say something to me?"

He sighed, "It's fine don't worry about it."

Link wanted to tell her whatever it was that was bothering him recently, she could tell by his tensed posture as he walked. But Zelda knew better than to pry, that would just make him retract more and she was getting more and more out of him, she had to be getting close to a breakthrough.

"Back here huh?"

Link's sudden voice startled her as they entered into the sunlight, before them the length of the bridge to her study. The very place they used to meet as children.

"It hasn't changed at all…" Link murmured thoughtfully.

"Don't act like you haven't been here climbing," she smirked.

"I haven't… not for some time," Link wandered out in front looking at the top of the tower, remembering everything that had happened there for the first time. How in just a few years he had looked into the mind of a girl most didn't even see in their lives.

"Do you ever wish we could've stayed like that," Zelda asked. It was like she could almost see the bright child leap up from the tower, covered in bruises, cuts, scrapes and torn clothes. Her waiting, smiling by the door trying to hold back how relieving it was to feel the gnawing loneliness finally melt away.

"Since we got back from Gerudo," Link was looking in the same spot as her now. "I haven't stopped thinking about it all. It's like I'm seeing it all for the first time again."

Link's voice was breaking a little and his posture had sagged making him look almost completely different to the staunch Knight everyone knew.

"I don't understand," Zelda replied. "What do you mean?"

A whir from below made Zelda's ears prick up in excitement and she lunged towards the sides of the bridge staring down. The very sight of it was still managing to fill her with unbearable joy but she kept herself under control for Link's sake.

"Incredible… We're at a point now where we can actually control them. At the current rate we'll soon know all we need to know about the Guardians and the Divine Beasts!" She whirled back to look at Link's happily relaxed expression. "And should Ganon ever show itself again, we'll be well positioned to defend ourselves."

"What are doing out here Zelda?"

The voice jolted through Link like he was a child back on Ploymus Mountain, falling through the air down to the icy cold waters of the lake below. Dread began to grow in his throat until its weight became unbearable and the rolling stone of a plummeting horror dropped through his body and hit his legs hard. Link dropped to his knees instantly and his head went with it, drooping low in submission.

All noise began to fade away. All that remained was the feeling of escalating tension between father and daughter that Link felt in his very core. Thoughts fired around Link's head shattering and rational further and further.

From the corner of his blurred vision he saw Zelda's shaking hand clench into a fist.

Mind solidifying, he knew the emotion he was feeling now: overwhelming guilt. Why? He had played his duties to the T. Dedicating his mind, body and soul to the self-creation of the ultimate knight. He had kept the King's daughter from harm and often death more than he could count with all his fingers and toes. Despite the strange patch with the sword, now it was a part of him and day by day Link felt completely prepared to face Ganon, whatever form the thing would take.

Back in the world, back on the bridge, vision clearing. At the edges of his vision, the tiny figure of Zelda standing tall as possible beneath the bulk of Rhoam.

"When will you stop treating this as some sort of childish game?"

"I'm doing all I can."

Back now again, into the inner depths of his mind and conscience.

He was lying to himself. Link knew the exact root of this feeling. Ever since he returned from Gerudo life had been good, better than it had been for a long time, or at least as far back as he could remember. His duties had not changed. His commitment to his goal neither. He did not regret repairing the hostilities with Zelda, nor did he feel that his time spent with her had brought her away from her studies. But one thing was wrong.

Selfish, unproffesional, totally out of proper etiquette

They had grown closer than most in the Kingdom would see as proper and Link agreed with them. A whole night camped beneath the storm, listening to the sound of rain. Her head leant gently on his shoulder. The feeling of warm, gentle breath against his neck but worst of all the mixture of emotions he had felt whilst there. It had been nice.

Scandalous

King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule had always been a protective man, of his kingdom and especially his daughter. This had all gone too far, recovery or not from the dregs of being a hero, Link had overstepped the boundaries. He was in servitude to the King and this had all been a betrayal.

And Link's feelings…

"No more excuses Zelda!"

Back again how much had he missed this time. Somehow Link felt it was all about to reach climax.

"Stop running away from your duty. As the King, I forbid you to have anything to do with these machines from this moment on and command you to focus on your training."

Zelda's whole figure had crumpled like the stacks of paper she buried her nose in when Link wasn't around.

"Do you know how the gossip mongers refer to you? They are out there at this moment whispering amongst themselves… that you are the heir to a throne of nothing… nothing but failure. It is woven into you destiny that you prove them wrong. Do you understand?"

"Yes. I understand." All emotion had been sucked from her voice, leaving something tender and vulnerable.

Rhoam turned and walked away leaving Zelda and Link alone, and leaving Link with the lingering feeling of guilt deep within his chest.

This whole thing has to stop. Take your leave and go back to your chambers wake up tomorrow and train. Travel with the princess if she requires to go to the shrine. Do not speak unless it concerns her safety. Always keep a meter's distance behind her to respect her higher rank.

Link realised his body was already stood up and he was staring directly at the back of Zelda's dipped head.

Take leave, return to your chambers. Proceed with the knightly protocol. Prepare yourself for Ganon.

"It's not fair Link…" there were tears glimmering in her eyes as she turned and stared at him.

Take leave, return to your chambers.

Link walked forwards slowly but with clear purpose and wrapped his arms around the Princess' back bringing her in to a tight embrace.

"It's not fair." She repeated.

"I know," Link replied.

Tears seeped into Link's shirt but he didn't care. All that guilt and all those noisy voices had gone and all that mattered was making his friend feel better.

"You need to get out the Castle," Link said firmly.

"My father—"

"I don't care," Link's tone remained brazened.

What was he saying? That was his ruler he was talking about, the person he had sworn an oath to be in service to. If anyone even saw them like this he'd be exiled from Castletown, chosen by the sword or not.

Zelda withdrew a little sniffling a little but a happy smile on her face. "Doctor's order's right?"

Link chuffed, "Right... You got it princess."

"One condition," mischief glinted in her eye, it was nice to see that come out. "You call me Zelda from now on, no more 'princess'."

"Deal…" Link said, feeling like he was signing his soul to some sort of demon. "…Zelda?"

She laughed, "You sound like you've forgotten my name." She paused for a moment. "Wait you haven't actually forgotten it right?"

"Let's go before the King decides you need a study rota."

It was a short trip out of the castle. It was more of a breeze for the two of them, they were better at escaping the Hyrule Castle than Zora were at swimming. The root sure was nostalgic too, it always seemed a little more exciting when they were children but Zelda still found herself filled with that same joy she had felt in those younger years.

"What's the plan big guy."

Link stared back at her with a look that could cut stone. "Big guy...? I call you Zelda once and now this? I didn't agree to nicknames."

She rolled her eyes and brushed past him, looking back with the best bored expression she could muster, "What's the plan, Link."

"I've got something to show you," Link said. "Or at least I hope I still do."

The sun was beginning to run low and time was running out. Soon she would have to be back in the castle, so as not to incur the wrath of her father. The spacious field around them seemed pretty empty. Long ago even at this time caravans and returning farmers could be seem littering the road. Now there was not a soul in sight. Everyone was likely tucked away in some locked house, or if they were clever and wealthy, in somewhere as far away from Hyrule Castle as possible.

"Wait here," Link grinned. Walking out into the centre of the field he lifted two fingers to his lips and let out a piercing whistle.

A few moments passed and nothing happened. Link whistled again… nothing. Soon he was beginning to look a little annoyed.

"I hope you didn't take me out here to show me your whistling," Zelda laughed before getting cut off by a sharp whinnying.

Out from the trees galloped the most magnificent steed Zelda had even seen. Mane the same white as her horse but coat a beautiful chestnut brown. It shot across the field at a speed Zelda didn't think was possible, before coming to a stop before Link.

"Took you long enough," Link growled.

The horse tilted its head to the side expectantly.

"Yeah I brought your favourite," Link moved through his bags lifting out a bundle of gigantic carrots.

After another neigh the two met and Link began to run his fingers with a gentleness Zelda would never have even realise was possible for the knight. Like always Link was talking to the horse, whispering and making strange noises of his own.

Link turned back and looked at Zelda. "She's amazing huh? Don't you recognise her?"

Zelda's memory came back in a flash. This was the legendary horse Epona. She had run circles around the guards and all the horse tamers of Hyrule, evading capture time and time again. All up until Link's father had managed to tame the horse.

"Bryne…" Zelda murmured moving up to touch the horse.

Epona shifted her head back nervously on Zelda's approach but, a few more nonsense words from Link and the horse had moved into her hand, breathing gently. Zelda stared into its dark eyes which seemed to hold an understanding and awareness unlike any horse she'd ever seen.

"When I left the forest after my father attempted to lift the sword, the cord had been severed and Epona was gone," Link smiled fondly. "I thought I had lost her, at that point I probably didn't even care."

The words prompted a snort from the horse.

Link patted her again, "It was the first week back from Gerudo. I was sick of all the meetings, the questioning and prying into what had happened with my meeting with our guardian angel, the Yiga Knight himself. I needed to get back into the outside again, so I escaped into the field and watched all the life around me. Then she just appeared out of nowhere, wandering across the field towards me and then stopping in front as if to say, 'what you waiting for'. I could hardly believe it… it was like—like seeing a ghost for the first time"

Zelda glided her hand up into the soft white mane gaining a huff of approval from Epona. "Why didn't you take her back to the stables? I haven't seen you ride her once on any trip since then."

"I don't know," Link mumbled. "It just felt wrong, like I was taking her away from her natural habitat. Epona is a wild horse to her core one that is completely untameable. Locking her up in a stable… it would make her go even more crazy than she is. Some horses just belong in the wild."

He shrugged, "And it's not like I don't make enough time for her normally."

"How do you do it?" Zelda breathed.

"Huh?"

"You have like some weird power over horses," Zelda said looking at the calm eye of the horse. "You can make even the wildest of them all feel comfortable, push them beyond the limits of anyone I've ever known. And when you ride it's like you and the horse are one."

"Before we even managed to tame them, horses were prey animals. It's pretty natural for them to distrust you. All you have to do is make them feel at ease with you."

"Not everyone can speak horse like you Link," Zelda said getting another treasured smile from him.

"Look, just be sure to take the time to soothe your mount…" he pushed his hand up into Epona's mane making Zelda's breath shorten a little. His hand was but an inch from hers. "That's the only way will it know how you feel."

"Sound advice," Zelda retracted her hand, her mind racing. She just had to get rid of some excess energy that was all. When Zelda looked at Epona's eye again she realised what people meant by the glint of mischief she had as a child. Was the horse inviting her?

She looked at Link who was lost in thought and then back to the horse. It definitely was inviting her. Zelda smiled back at it and then in Link style, she swung herself onto Epona's back.

"ZELDA!" Link yelled as Epona exploded into a gallop.

She laughed as the wind hit her like a block, the speed itself coursing through her veins. Link was not going to be happy but it would be good to leave him in the dirt for once.

"STOP!"

Link sure could be loud when he wanted to be. This volume could even present a challenge to her father. She began to wander just what it was that caused it to come out. It wasn't like the horse was trying to kill her.

"STOP—THE—DAMN—HORSE—FOR—HYLIA'S—SAKE!"

Zelda shrieked as Link nudged her leg, voice just as loud as the beginning. Head turned back she saw the Knight. His arm and belt tangled in the hair of Epona and other arm holding on for dear life.

"Link?!"

Zelda pulled hard on the reigns. A decision which in hindsight had not been the best of her life, as the sudden stop in speed launched a terrified knight tumbling across the floor, rolling hard down a slope and into the trees.

Zelda jumped from the horse in a panicked state, "LINK! MY GOD I'M SORRY."

She followed the long track of churned mud into the bushes which looked like they had been blown up. There at the base of a tree lay a crumpled Link.

Well his tunic sure was immaculate but as for the rest of him… Twigs and leaves tangled up his now loose hair which now was just as messy as it had been when he was a boy. His Hylian trousers were ripped and beneath them cuts and friction burns were clearly visible. On his face his eyes were half closed in a dazed expression.

"Link! Are you okay?" Zelda rushed down and kneeled beside him grabbing his shoulder firmly. Link groaned, encouraging Zelda to immediately loosen the grip and apologize

"I—" Link began. "I am going to kill… that stupid horse."

Zelda made sure there weren't any proper cuts.

"Zelda?" Link murmured still clearly dazed.

"It's okay Link try not to move too much…" Zelda said as she propped him up properly with great effort. Link was way heavier than he looked and she had to pull him upwards with both arms.

"Zelda I need to—" Link mumbled.

The words caught Zelda off guard who without realising it grabbed a handful of his tunic with the hand that had ended up on his chest. "Need to what Link?" she asked hurriedly.

"—need to ask you."

Her heart fluttered a little and her voice became a little more urgent. "Ask me what…" Maybe this was an unethical way of getting what Link had been trying to say out but Zelda couldn't wait any longer.

Link's eyes blinked slowly and widened a little and he murmured a slow, "Ugh."

"Tell me what Link?" Zelda grabbed his tunic a little tighter.

"Huh?"

"You were going to tell me something, tell me what?" Zelda said firmly.

Link shifted a little but was now making direct eye contact with her. Zelda could practically see a machine stirring behind those eyes.

"It's nothing…" Link whispered.

Zelda realised just how close their faces were but she didn't care he was going to tell her what he was going to say one way or another.

"Oh c'mon Link you've told me that the past five times I've asked since you got back from Zora's domain," the thought entered her head of what it could possibly be about. "Is this… about Mipha?"

It became difficult to swallow and they stared at each other for what felt like hours. All noise faded away for both save for the sounds of the breath, heavy in the air.

Link closed his eyes for a moment, when they opened again there was a strange sincerity to them. "I lied to you about how long I was stayed in Zora's domain and I lied about the fact I need Mipha to heal my cut."

"Oh…" Zelda said, trying to ignore the sinking of air in her lungs. She knew what was coming next, there was no other reason why Link would be visiting the Zora capital. Even if it was coming, why did she have to care so much?

"I spent a day there and then I travelled to Hateno."

The air lifted again bringing relief but also questions and she started to murmur something like "I don't understand—"

Link's eyes were unwavering. "Ever since he died I never visited my father's grave. I thought it was because it didn't matter to me but that wasn't the case. I've just been hiding away from my own emotional pain my whole life. After all I have to be the hero. Pain and sadness only make you weak, they make you fail.

"I wanted to kill it all, everything that made myself Link. In the end all I was really fighting for was survival, a way to get myself through this damn mess and that seemed to be the only answer. It was in that cell where I realised that without the negative emotions you cannot have happiness, you cannot know joy, I realised there was beauty in my weakness… in my greatest weakness, in what I really should be fighting for."

He looked across Zelda's face for her reaction, though she wasn't sure which one to really give him.

"I took his body to Hateno where I'll bury him next to my mother. It's time for me to finally move on from it all. After all I've kept everything pent up for years; I have a lot a grieving to do." He smiled sadly.

"Your greatest weakness, the thing that made you break out of that cage and find me… what was it?" she asked.

He paused for a moment longer. "It's time we get back, as you said we don't want to upset the King himself." Link tried to lift his body up but winced with pain.

Zelda stood up and offered him a hand which he reach out and took firmly.

He stared at her again, "Come with me to Hateno. I don't want to face this alone anymore."

And with that, for the first time in the years Zelda had known Link; it was her who was the speechless one.