The room was dim when Link awoke, presumably early in the morning. He blinked up at the ceiling for a moment, allowing his eyes adjust to the lighting. He opened his mouth to yawn loudly but snapped it shut quickly when he felt movement beside him. Zelda mumbled in her sleep as she turned over, her back to him. Link sat up, fully aware of where he was, now, and who he was still with. He blinked at her delicate shape under the sheets and grinned to himself. He moved carefully under the blankets, swinging his legs over the bed, and as carefully and quietly as he could, he left Zelda alone in the bed.

He dressed quickly and tip-toed across the room. He pulled the door open gently and slid through, closing it quietly behind him. He moved silently through the hallways, down the stairs, and out one of the back doors. He followed a cobblestone path as it wound its way around the building and into a courtyard which overlooked Kakariko. The sun was just beginning to rise, its rays stretching over the city and glinting off the windows of some of the taller buildings. Living in the city for so long, Link had grown to admire the early morning sunrises, and it was no different here in Kakariko, though it was a considerably smaller city. But the people slept soundly all the same, their alarm clocks not quite ready to wake them from their peaceful slumber. On this morning, however, they would awake to a country at peace once more. It was truly the dawn of a new day.

"Expecting trouble?"

Link turned around, watching as Dorian approached him. He eyed the weapons Link still carried with him, slinging them around him when he had dressed earlier. It was a habit so ingrained in his mind that he hadn't even noticed. Just getting dressed for another day. Link shrugged and turned his gaze back over the city. "Habit."

"Hmp." Dorian stood at Link's side, his gaze out on the horizon. He didn't say anything for a long moment. Link snuck in a glance, noticing he still carried his gun, too. Though, Dorian's was mainly for show. He didn't think any of the Sheikah ever really relied on them when their own powers were much more sufficient.

"Link," Dorian finally started. "I'm sorry-"

Link raised a hand to stop him. "Forget it, Dorian," he said. "It wasn't your fault."

Dorian hesitated. "Your father," he began softly. "Before he died, he was helping me get out of the Yiga Clan. When I wanted out… I told him everything. He was the only one I could trust. And when they… when they killed my wife…" He turned his gaze to Link. "He protected my children. He died for them."

Link did not meet Dorian's gaze. His brows knit together. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I made a promise to him," Dorian said. "A long time ago. When you were very young." Dorian paused for a moment. "He told me about the dreams you had been having. About the voice you heard from the Master Sword. He never wanted to drag you into any of it. I made a promise to him that day, and the day he died, that I would help you in any way I could. That I would keep you safe. You deserve to know the truth. Your father was not a traitor."

Link's eyes moved to Dorian. He felt suddenly guilty that he ever doubted his father's motives, and that he doubted Dorian. He wasn't sure how to respond to Dorian, but to his relief, Dorian didn't seem to expect a response. Instead, he sucked in a breath and turned away, letting his hand rest briefly on Link's shoulder. His gaze turned serious as he met Link's for a moment.

"I expect a full report on my desk on Monday," he said simply. He let a small smile part his lips before walking away and leaving Link alone in the courtyard.

Link watched Dorian leave and sighed. He absolutely hated writing up reports. But after almost a year of work, he supposed it was time for it to be done. Who knew working in the Queen's Special Forces Unit could be so boring?

By midday, the four Champions of Hyrule bid goodbye to Link and Zelda, taking their separate ways back to their homes. Dorian's selected Sheikah soldiers were preparing to make the trip with Link and Zelda back to the city. Though the war was over, there was still much to do to rebuild the country. The Guardians needed to be cleared from the city, the city and palace needed to be reconstructed, and Zelda needed to oversee all of it as Hyrule's new leader. And though Link's job was essentially complete, he was determined to help Zelda in any way he could, and he was certain she would find something for him to do. If she didn't, Dorian surely would. Whether he liked it or not, it seemed he would be stuck in the SFU for life. All he could do was pray to the goddesses that he wouldn't be dragged into any more heroic work. He was ready to put that all behind him.

Leaving Kakariko, however, proved to be an overwhelming task. Reporters pressed themselves against the heavily guarded front gate as Link, Zelda, and Dorian approached. Their car waited on the street, just on the other side, which meant they would have to push their way through the crowd that had gathered. The reporters shoved their arms through the spaces in the gate, mics in the hands as they barked their questions at them. In all her life, Zelda had never experienced such chaos. Sure, her father had held numerous conferences over the years. Reporters weren't anything new to her. But their behavior in that moment was nothing she had ever experienced in the palace. They were wild as Hyrule's two heroes made their approach.

She didn't argue when Link stepped in front of her. She slunk back slightly, intimidated by their excited shouting. Dorian stepped further ahead, raising his hand in the air in an attempt to dismiss them, by they persisted, still shouting their questions.

"Is it true that the war is over?"

"Does the Master Sword really exist?"

"Queen Zelda, what are your plans from this point forward? Can you promise that Hyrule is safe?"

"The war is over," Dorian said, his voice rough. "Ganon and the Yiga Clan no longer pose a threat to our country. We will focus our efforts on fixing the damages and rebuilding our nation. You can rest assured that Hyrule is safe."

"What steps are you taking to ensure this?"

"Can you promise that Hyrule will not be in danger in the future?"

"Members of the Sheikah, myself and Impa included, are taking the steps necessary to keep Hyrule safe. Hyrule's army and the Special Forces Unit will remain in place. Nothing will change in our defenses, and we will be prepared for whatever the future brings us."

"Are you saying that you're expecting another war to rise?"

"Are the legends true, then?"

At this last question, the reporters fell silent.

Dorian muttered under his breath. "How quickly you've forgotten your history," he said. "Pick up a damn text book. Learn of the sacrifices that were made to keep this land safe, and know that we will continue to do so with all of our power. Let history serve as a reminder of the fate we must endure for all time."

The gates opened and Dorian marched through, pushing the crowd aside with his arms. They erupted once more with questions, directing them at Link and Zelda as they passed, but Link pushed Zelda forward and she hurried into the protection of the car. Even when the doors were closed, the reporters barked their questions at them, stepping away only when the car pulled away from the curb and out into the road.

"Goddesses," Zelda muttered as she slunk back into the seat. "Do not let them follow me into the palace. I do not want to be on tv."

Dorian glanced at her in the rear view mirror. "Better get used to it. You're going to be very popular for a while."

Zelda groaned and tried to push herself further into the back seat, hoping to disappear completely. "I don't know what to tell them."

"Most of the time, your father didn't know what to say, either." Dorian smirked.

Zelda raised a brow. "Really?"

"Come on, you can't fuck up," Link said with a grin. "The war is over."

Zelda rolled her eyes. She almost preferred to be fighting Ganon than deal with those damned reporters. She had no idea how to lead an entire country. Link took her hand in his and she looked down as their fingers interlocked. She relaxed slightly and met his gaze.

"I'm sure I'll manage to fuck something up."

"For starters," Dorian grunted. "Don't swear on tv."

Zelda smiled in Dorian's direction. "Clearly I'm not fit to be a queen."

Dorian met her gaze briefly. "You'll be fine. You'll have a whole team of people to help you."

Zelda moved her gaze out the window. "There's no one left," she said softly. "Everyone died with my father."

"You have me and Impa," Dorian said. "We're the only ones that had any say, anyway. I promise you, you're in good hands. We kept your father from fucking up, so you'll be fine."

"My father wouldn't have fucked anything up," Zelda said, narrowing her eyes at Dorian. "He's the reason we're still at peace with the Zoras."

"That may be true," Dorian said with a nod. "I'll give him credit for that one. He wasn't an idiot. But I can assure you, he was not perfect." He paused for a moment in thought. "Did you know he wanted nothing to do with the Divine Beasts?"

Zelda raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"Garbage, is what he called them. Nothing but trouble."

"He wasn't wrong," Link muttered, folding his arms over his chest and glancing out the window.

"Those Divine Beasts saved your ass," Dorian snarled at Link in the rear view mirror.

Link let a smug smile tug at his lips.

"I talked him into keeping them around," Dorian continued, his gaze back on the road. "You're welcome."

"They tried to kill me on numerous occasions," Link added with a shrug. "But yeah, sure, thanks."

"My advice to you," Dorian said, glancing to Zelda. "Get rid of your Captain. He thinks he's smart shit."

"I saved Hyrule," Link said smugly. "You're welcome."

"Let's not forget," Zelda added. "You couldn't have done it without me."

"Semantics," Link said.

As they drove, Link noticed they were not the only vehicle on the road. Though they were being followed by a train of black town cars of the other Sheikah soldiers that accompanied them, other vehicles dotted the roads and highways as people ventured out of their homes for the first time in months. Guardians no longer patrolled the roads, laying lifeless where they fell when Ganon was finally defeated. From time to time, a car would stop to gaze upon the Guardian, but otherwise, the people ignored the old machines, continuing on with their lives.

Entering the city, however, proved to be a more difficult task, navigating through the debris and rubble of the destroyed buildings and homes. More lifeless Guardians were scattered through the city, and Dorian had to navigate around them carefully. The city was in complete shambles, and it seemed almost impossible to Zelda that it could be rebuilt and returned to its former glory. The sight of the city in ruins brought a lump to her throat and her stomach knotted. It was too easy to hide out in Kakariko and ignore the true destruction that had taken place. Being there in the city made it feel all too real. The last few months had been such a blur to her, she had almost been able to convince herself it was just a nightmare. But the true nightmare seemed not in the war, but the after effects of it. And all of Hyrule relied on her to help rebuild.

Dorian pulled up in front of the palace, which was in far better shape than the rest of the city, but the sight of it haunted Zelda. She stared at it from the safety of the vehicle as Dorian and Link stepped out. She watched as they spoke to one another, then directed their attention to the other Sheikah soldiers as they, too, stepped out of their vehicles. Link's brows were knit together as Dorian barked his orders at his men. It would be some time before the rubble was cleared, and they would need all the help they could get. Dorian knew this, and he wasn't about to waste a second in bringing life back to the city.

Zelda found the courage to leave the car, gazing up at the palace, ignoring the men behind her. They seemed to be oblivious to her as she stepped over some of the rubble and found her way inside. She stood alone in the central room. The large windows behind her let in the early afternoon light. The sun cast diagonal rays of light through the windows and across the marble floor. She looked up at the second level platform; it was just a few days ago when Ganon stood there with his cold, wicked smile on his face. Zelda shuttered at the memory. She felt like a stranger in her own home. Although everything remained as she remembered it, nothing about the palace was the same, especially without the presence of her father.

She heard footsteps echoing off the walls behind her. She did not turn as the footsteps entered the room and paused. She could sense Link watching her carefully, but he did not speak.

"I don't know how to do this," she said softly.

The footsteps moved across the room and Link stood at her side. He, too, looked up at the balcony, his head cocked to the side slightly.

"Did you know I shot myself in the foot once?" he said with a grin.

Zelda turned to him. "What? Really? How?"

His grin widened as he recalled the memory. "I was barely eighteen. Never shot a gun in my life. Just starting out in the army. My father was trying to show me what to do. I tried to act like some big shot to hide the fact that I was scared of a damn gun."

Zelda smiled. "You? Afraid of guns?"

"I thought he would give me shit if I told him, but he ripped me a new one when I accidentally pulled the trigger, which was far worse."

Zelda laughed. "You're making that up."

Link shook his head. "I was an idiot. I always wanted to learn growing up, but he'd never let me." His smile disappeared for a moment and he turned and met Zelda's gaze. "I bet he regretted that after I shot myself."

Zelda laughed lightly. "Good thing you don't shoot like that anymore."

Link's soft smile returned. "We'd all be fucked if I did." He turned his gaze back to the balcony. "At least you don't have to worry about shooting yourself in the foot."

Zelda sighed lightly and followed his gaze. "Maybe not literally." She hesitated. "At least you had training. I'm coming in blind."

"You don't have to do it alone," Link said. "No one expects you to."

Zelda pinched her lips together and nodded once softly. She supposed he was right. She had Impa and Dorian to help her. She had Link. She turned her gaze back to him and smiled. "Don't let me shoot myself in the foot."

"Don't worry," he said. "You're already way better than I was then. You don't give yourself enough credit."

Zelda smiled down at her feet. "Well," she started. "All I can do is try my best."