As soon as Link walked through the door, the guards crowded him, wanting to see the ring. He chuckled before telling them to sit down so he could get settled back in before he did anything with the newly crafted ring. While they grumbled about waiting a tiny bit longer, they did what he said; watching as he sat down before pulling out the ring from his pouch.

The ring was silver with a tiny ruby gem ( he had Jaggle help him with that part ), along with the engraving he had placed in there before he allowed it to cool off. It shined in the light thanks to the ruby.

Everyone stared in awe.

"Wow," Jack breathed out, eyes wide. "You made that?"

"Yeah," Link nodded. "It took me three tries. I had help with getting the gem in there. Everything else, however, was me."

Tyler smiled softly as he took it between his fingers to take a closer look. Link's handiwork was something; clearly showing he was from Ordon with the way it was crafted but it was clear it was also his first time in truly making something on his own without any help too.

"This your first time making something like this?" he asked, arching an eyebrow as he gave the ring back to him.

Link nodded with a shy smile. "Yeah, I never made something like this before."

Egil grinned as he slapped him on the back. "It's really good for a ring."

"I hope so," Link smiled shyly as a faint blush appeared on his cheeks. "Do you think she'll like it? I have no clue if she likes rubies. Jaggle said you could never go wrong with one though."

"I think so," Tyler said.

Link nodded with pure relief on his face as he took Tyler's words as confidence. He was confident now that Zelda would like the engagement ring he had made for her with his bare hands, and for a split moment, he hoped his father was proud of him. He hoped the Hero of Time was proud of him for his decision.

What he wouldn't give to meet with his mentor one last time for advice on proposing to his love.

It would mean a lot to him.

"What are you thinking about?" asked Tobias, taking a sip of his beer.

"Hmm? Oh, about how I'm going to ask her," Link answered as he looked at the ceiling for a moment before gazing back at him. "I'm thinking about taking her to the field of Silent Princesses."

Egil smiled. "That'll certainly make it memorable."

"You really think so?" asked Link. "I want it to be memorable compared to our small Ordon wedding we agreed about if we were ever to marry."

"A proposal in the field of Silent Princesses, what else could a gal want?" grinned Jack as he leaned back. "You'll beat us with proposals if you do that."

Tyler snorted, "Please. He'll beat us no matter what considering who he'll be marrying. I'll be jealous for my entire life."

Link chuckled as he grinned right back at him. "As long as you don't try stealin' her, we're fine in terms of friendship."

Laughter rang throughout the barracks as Tyler winked in agreement, placing a tankard of beer in front of him, holding his own up in a toast for the engagement ring's completion and to the future proposal in the field of Silent Princesses.

Later that night, Link slept with nerves as he tried to figure out the date he would propose until he found himself in a familiar misty place with familiar heavy breathing behind him. He twirled around to see a golden wolf sitting there before it howled, changing into a skeleton wearing rusty armor with leaves hanging off of it.

He smiled when he realized it was the Hero's Shade. He bowed in respect to his mentor and watched as he did the same in reply before moving towards him, holding up to one hand before turning around to take off his helmet.

Link's eyes widened when he saw golden hair in a short ponytail fall into place. The Hero's Shade turned to reveal sharp baby blue eyes. His bangs apart, and there was a scar on his left eye, forcing it to remain closed. Link swallowed, thinking it had been taken out somehow but didn't dare to ask.

The man stepped forward and soon enough, the armor slowly turned to a much brighter color than the rusty one before it turned into a white long sleeved shirt and brown trousers. Link stepped back slightly, wanting to give him as much room as possible.

"Hello," Link greeted him with as much courage as possible.

"Hero of Twilight," the Hero's Shade greeted back with a sharp nod. "I'm proud of what you have been able to do concerning Ganondorf and Zant."

Link smiled happily at the words. I'm proud. His ancestor was proud of him! That gave him such a happy feeling. "Thank you, Hero's Shade."

"Please, just Hero of Time."

"If you insist."

The Hero of Time smiled before moving his arm to pull his descendant into a hug. Link melted into it, hugging him back, sensing a fatherly feeling from him before realizing he was pulling something out of his pouch to reveal the ring.

"H-Hey!" Link yelped. "Give that back! That's—"

"Princess Zelda's ring," whispered the Hero of Time. Link stopped when he saw tears slowly forming at his right eye. "It looks like the one I gave mine."

Link halted completely. "It does?" he asked softly.

The hero nodded as he held out his other hand, and slowly but surely a ring made of silver appeared in it. He held the two side by side. Link's eyes widened when he saw the only difference; the engraving.

"Wow," he breathed.

The Hero of Time's ring said; I'll cherish you forever— while his' said; You're my everything.

"I miss her," the hero whimpered. "It's torture being apart from her. But I'm here until you don't need me anymore."

"I'm keeping you away from her?" Link asked, feeling guilty that he wanted his advice, guilty that his ring reminded the Hero of Time of his own.

The Hero of Time shook his head. "No. I chose to come here," he replied. "I chose to help you— I want to. The fields— it's a good place to ask her. She'll love it. She loves you, so… whatever you choose as the ideal proposal place; she'll love."

Link nodded slowly. "Where did you ask yours?"

The Hero of Time smiled brightly as he relaxed; the smile reminding Link of someone who was truly happy. "By the lake," he hummed. "Sun was bright, there were no clouds, everyone was happy. It was a National Holiday and I managed to convince her to come with me… I ask her in front of everyone. Just after she had given her speech before the fireworks."

"Wow… I can't compete with that."

"We don't have to compete. We scored Princesses. Ones that brings the best out of us; not even our wolves can bring that out."

Link chuckled as he nodded, taking his ring back when the Hero of Time offered it back. He placed it back in it's safety place in his pouch. "Point taken," he smirked.

The Hero of Time smiled. "You should tell her what's in your heart."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "That's what I did; she cried when she heard it and as she said yes. There's nothing that warms a woman's heart than to hear the man she loves hear he only thinks of her above everyone else."

Link smiled, nodding. He hoped he could tell Zelda everything that was in his heart like the Hero of Time did with his princess and he hoped it would be as special as the Hero of Time's proposal.

They knew they couldn't keep this from the council any longer, especially with the way they were speaking about sitors nowadays. Link found his wolf becoming angry whenever Zelda spoke about the meetings and how they would constantly fight over who would be a wonderful King to rule beside her and he was becoming fed up with how they didn't think she could find someone on her own like she had already done.

Link had argued it would be better for them to simply tell them right now. It would allow them to stop having to hide the relationship; meaning they could walk freely around the castle without having to worry about Christopher or the Nobles seeing them.

"You're right," Zelda agreed. "We should tell them."

"I'll see you at your next meeting then," Link said, kissing her cheek. "When is it?"

Zelda sighed. "Not until the afternoon."

"I'll see you then."

The rest of the day went as smoothly as he could possibly expect as he waited for the moment where her meetings would begin. Zelda came to get him as she headed towards the council room; he held her hand tightly with growing nerves before he stopped outside the door to kiss her gently before asking if this is what she really wanted to do.

Zelda took a moment to decide and nodded firmly; there would be no more talk of suitors and she would be free to show him affection that she normally wouldn't show others. Plus, there was nothing the nobles could do if they were displeased; he could always scare them with his wolf.

It made him laugh.

"That's my girl," Link purred as he kissed her again. "A good idea if they're displeased with the idea of us."

It helped him knowing the Hero of Time approved of his relationship with her. No matter what, he had his ancestor at his back which meant this could be easy. It would be easy to tell them off if they wanted someone else.

He wasn't letting her go.

"Let's go," Link said, grasping her hand. "I wanna tell them outright and end this meeting right away so we can head out to the water."

"The water?" Zelda blinked. "Why?"

Link smirked. "To relax," he explained, remembering the Hero of Time's words. "Lake Hylia is a great place to have a swim."

Zelda laughed. "Alright."

The moment they opened the door, Christopher stiffened with slight fear as he watched Link coming through the door with Zelda while the nobles looked confused. One looked like he was about to ask until a glare silenced him.

Zelda smiled softly as Link placed his hand on her shoulder, pulling her to his side as he snarled with challenging eyes, daring someone to speak up about the display before he opened his mouth to speak; ready to end this meeting as quickly as it began.

"Enough talk of suitors," Link hissed. "Princess Zelda doesn't need a suitor. She's got me. We're together. In a relationship; no one can say otherwise or I'll bite off your head in my wolf form."

Christopher's jaw dropped. "That's why you didn't wish to marry Prince Andrew," he mumbled out as it clicked.

"Along with the others we picked out," another grumbled. "Why pick someone like him? His origins compare nothing to yours. You should be marrying someone of noble blood! Not mere commoner blood."

Link stiffened at the stab at his origins. "One, I saved all of your asses," he growled out, silencing any other comments. "Two, I could've easily let you all die from Ganondorf's hands but I didn't because the Kingdom and everyone's lives were on the lines and I was the only hope. Three, I'm the descendant of the Hero of Time who served this Kingdom with his entire life, even in death. Four, I love her and she loves me!"

"I don't care about his origins," Zelda stated. "It doesn't matter— I only care about who he is now and what got him up to this point. He made me smile unlike everyone else, and he keeps doing so."

"We understand each other and our fears," Link added. "Don't come running to us on who we can be with and whom we can't."

Zelda gave him a quick peck on his lips, much to the other's surprise. It wasn't until someone got out of their shock did they say the one thing they both didn't want to hear at this moment. It made her worried for Link's reaction and at the demand.

"Then… you should be marrying!" a noble cried out. "Hyrule needs a King!"

Link stiffened. "No it doesn't," he countered. "Not all Kingdoms need a King and sometimes— it's better if they don't have one. A Queen can rule as much as a King! Quite frankly, if we do, I don't want so much power; that's all on her. She's going to have more power than me because of her origins and I don't mind; as long as I'm with her. But we're not marrying under demands."

"We'll marry when we see fit," Zelda agreed.

Link smirked at the nobles before pulling her towards the door, gazing over his shoulder as he grinned smugly. "Well, see ya!" he replied. "We're off to go somewhere cause she needs a break from your childish fights."

For once, Christopher didn't argue.