When Tetra woke up the next morning, she struggled to get out bed. She didn't want to leave it. Not because she was tired even though she got pretty much zero sleep the night before, but because she was going to have to explain this decision to Link and he would have to make one. After their little adventure the night before in the forest, she didn't think she could. She felt bad wondering if her actions might already have swayed his choice. He deserved to make it independently. If his grandmother or sister tried to sway his decision, this was ok. They were his family. Tetra though didn't think they would either way but firmly agreed with her ancestor it was ultimately Link's choice to make and she would not interfere.
Her crew greeted her as she made her way on deck. They were invited to breakfast at Link's house and were waiting for Tetra. She agreed to go, but privately she wanted to avoid Link now. She was afraid of how he would react to her telling him what needed to happen now.
As her crew arrived at Link's house, he and his family were waiting for them. His grandmother had made a spectacular breakfast, the best food Tetra felt she ever had. She was sitting next to Link but the two didn't talk even though she could see Link did want to a little. Tetra ate rather quickly despite the food being beyond delicious. She privately would've eaten a lot more. She excused herself and started to walk towards the door though before she did she glanced over at the portraits on the wall of Aryll and Link together. She sadly looked at these. As Tetra was on the small pier ready to jump on board her ship, Link called out to her and she stopped.
"Not now!" She whispered actually scared to face him now. Turning around she saw Link was beaming, happy to see her. Tetra's heart was beating rapidly.
"Hi Tetra, was my grandmother's food good?" He asked her.
"Yes…It honestly was the best food I ever have had." She answered truthfully.
"Great, tonight she is going to make me and Aryll's favorite soup for everyone. Whenever during my journey took me back here, I always stopped by my grandmother's and she always made some for me. I love it." Link said happily.
"You came back here multiple times?" Tetra asked hearing his words surprised to hear this.
"Yes, over there on that cliff was a massive underground cavern filled with floors of monsters; keese, moblins, zombie like creatures whose screams froze me in place and darknuts. I fought my way through it to the end and found a treasure chart that showed me where a piece of the Triforce of Courage was under the sea." He pointed to the cliff where the entrance was. "And over there was where an actual piece of the Triforce of Courage was hidden beneath the waves." He pointed toward the front part of the ocean just beyond Outset's beaches.
"Link," Tetra started to say. She decided she had to talk to him about his decision now before she wouldn't be able to. Link kept talking,
"During that time, I found these power bracelets that let me lift extremely heavy statues and rocks… and pigs. That giant black pig of Joel and Zil's was extremely heavy to lift. It was a great treasure digger though." He pointed up toward their house.
"Link" Tetra said more loudly, but Link again was finishing talking about the island.
"Of course, every time I came back here, I always went back to that forest to be healed by the fairies and I remembered our first meeting and-"
"LINK!" Tetra yelled at him. It was too much for Tetra's heart to hear this now especially knowing what she had to tell Link now. Link looked flabbergasted at her.
"Wha…What Tetra?" he asked her surprised to see her looking so angry at him.
"Link…I…I don't how else to say this but you remember how before the King of Hyrule drowned, I vowed to find the next land of Hyrule." Tetra began, her anger subsiding rapidly, her voice becoming very soft and quiet.
"Yes, I…I remember." Link slowly replied remembering that conversation.
"Well, I…I have decided, me and my crew are going to leave Outset to start searching for this new land. I know that this is my fate do this, I must do this."
"You will find it Tetra, I know you will…wait… you're…you're…leaving!" Link said back slowly realizing what she was saying. He looked shocked now hearing this.
"Yes Link…I will be." Tetra said quietly back to him.
"But then...that means," Link started to say before Tetra held up her hand to silence him. He stopped talking and stared at her.
"I…I am giving you a choice. You can come with me in three days to help me find this new land or you can stay here and be with your loving family." Tetra told him even surprising herself with her proclamation though she knew the more time she gave him, privately the less she would want to leave this island herself. She felt three days would be enough time for Link to make a rational decision.
"Three days?" Link replied back blankly, his body now feeling rather numb. There was a knot in his chest now. He never expected this to happen.
"Yes Link, 72 hours from now, my crew and I will set sail. My decision is…final. You have three days to decide. I will not do or say anything to sway your decision one way or the other. You fully deserve to make this decision on your own. You rightfully deserve to after everything that you have done. You deserve to choose your own fate. I want you to take the entire time to decide. I don't want to know your answer until these 72 hours are up." Tetra finished. It was beyond difficult for her to say all of this.
Tetra then climbed back up onto her ship without another word and went to her private cabin and shut the door. She stood in the middle of her room, fighting back some tears. She didn't want to do this. She knew now how her ancestor had felt with all of this with the Hero of Time. Meanwhile, Link had just silently stared at Tetra as she boarded her ship and once she closed the door leading inside to the hull, he just gazed out to the sea in front of him silently, his thoughts going in all different directions.
As the night of the first day arrived, only 60 hours remained. Tetra wasn't sure if she wanted to go to Link's house for dinner. Her crew did have good food on board the ship, but she had to admit it wasn't as good as his grandmothers. She figured the soup would be very good. But she really didn't want to see Link or look at him. Tetra decided she would sit by her crew instead of Link.
As her crew went to his house again, Tetra saw a seat had been saved by Link for her to sit next to him. Tetra sat next to Nudge and Gonzo and had Niko sit next to Link instead. Link looked a little sad seeing this Tetra could tell. She inside felt beyond hurt. Her heart wanted to sit next to him but she vowed she would not interfere in his decision making in any way. As Tetra started to eat Link's grandmother's soup she instantly fell in love with it. It not only was delicious, but Tetra felt a strange power coming from it. She felt stronger and at peace with the world. She had two bowls of it. She wasn't the only one; her entire crew ate a ridiculously large amount. All of them were in an extremely good mood.
Link then was asked by Niko about his adventure. Link looked at Tetra wondering if he should explain it. She stared at him for a second and then nodded and Link started talking. He explained what had happened at the Forsaken Fortress the first time. He put his arm around Aryll after he explained getting captured by Ganondorf's bird. He explained how he met the King of Red Lions who was really the King of Hyrule who brought him to Windfall Island after he was thrown out of the Forsaken Fortress. How the King believed in him from the beginning (Tetra shifted uncomfortably in her seat remembering how she didn't originally believe in Link at all) and how he vowed he would return to the Forsaken Fortress and save Aryll. He talked then about his quests on Dragon Roost Island and Forest Haven.
Tetra listened with great interest to Link's story but kept her face neutral. She knew though everything Link was saying was true. She was amazed hearing about his tale of venturing into the active volcano on Dragon Roost and slaying a monstrous fire-breathing crab-like monster and how he saved Medli and how Prince Komali apologized for his behavior towards Link when Link first arrived on the island (again Tetra shifted uncomfortably in her seat hearing this thinking about her own behavior toward Link in the beginning). Link talked about the King of Red Lions giving him the Wind Waker and how using it, he learned to control the wind at sea so it would bend to his will. Using it, he changed the wind to blow south to now head toward the Forest Haven.
Link next talked about how after arriving at the Forest Haven he immediately went to the Forbidden Woods near Forest Haven to save Makar and fought off a massive demon plant and how he used a boomerang he acquired to help him. After saving Makar, Link talked about arriving at Greatfish Isle that was cursed and how the postman found him and told him about Tetra's pirates. All of Tetra's crew was listening with great intrigue. They never knew any of this.
Link talked about sailing through the fierce storm over the sea and finding Tetra and her crew in the bomb shop on Windfall and how he listened in on their conversations and how Tetra had spotted him. As everyone looked at her, she softly smiled a little and her crew realized this was the real reason her decision to stay the night had changed. Link talked about how Gonzo gave away the password to her ship to Mako. Tetra eyed them both; they both looked away from her ashamed.
Link talked about how he passed the test Niko had given him. Niko smiled proudly remembering this. Tetra in her mind was smiling too. She still regretted she hadn't been able to watch this. Link mentioned how Tetra caught him taking her crews bombs and she just shrugged a little hearing this. Link explained how he finally reached Outset, healed his grandmother, who hugged him then for this. How he blasted open Jabun's cave and how Jabun gave him the pearl that dispelled the eternal night and rain. Link then explained how he raised the Tower of the Gods up from under the sea. Tetra just sat there remembering everything she had heard from her ancestor explaining all of this.
Link then talked about how he passed the trials inside that structure and was acknowledged by the gods to be the chosen hero and that he 100% understood and accepted his fate now. He explained how he went below the sea to Hyrule Castle and how he got the Master Sword and how he fought his way out of the castle. He explained after that how he learned to use cyclones to travel the Great Sea quicker. Nudge and her crew let out gasps. Tetra laughed a little hearing this having already known the truth. How he ended up having to fight it out with a giant squid (Link mentioned he fought six of these in total) on his way to the Forsaken Fortress which Tetra remembered. Link described then as he got close to the Forsaken Fortress he was ready and prepared his cannon on his ship and let those inside know he was coming to save his sister and would not fail this time. Aryll smiled hearing this, Tetra privately inside was as well.
Link talked how Tetra, Gonzo, and Senza came to the tower and rescued Aryll and the other girls trapped there. How they had distracted Ganondorf's bird long enough for Link to reach the tower. He explained how the tower started to flood after they left and ran up it dodging Ganondorf's bird who had returned. How at the top of the tower he defeated Ganondorf's monster bird avenging both Aryll and Tetra's kidnapping by it and how he confronted the King of Evil. As he described what happened next, how Tetra came in and saved him, everyone started to look at Tetra. She kept her eyes down. Link talked about how Quill and Prince Komali swooped in and got them away from Ganondorf and took them to the Tower of the Gods. Link then explained what happened below the surface at Hyrule Castle when he and Tetra went down there.
"Tetra is a Princess!" All of her crew shouted when Link said this. Aryll and Link's Grandmother both gasped! Tetra glared at Link. She had planned on telling her crew herself when the time was right. Link looked at her and knew she was upset by this. Tetra then immediately let go of her anger at him and calmly explained to her crew the painting they had found and her family's history she had learned, that she really was Princess Zelda. All of them gasped except Nudge and Gonzo. Gonzo admitted he always thought there was another reason behind him sailing with Tetra and her mother and why she felt so important to him. Nudge said something similar. They all felt honored knowing how important their roles were and how their ancestors had protected the Hyrulian Royal Family for generations.
Link talked about sailing the seas and finding numerous treasures along the way while searching for the new Earth and Wind sages who were needed to restore the Master Sword to its true form. Link didn't know it, but Tetra was eyeing him at this point feeling a little jealous though also was enamored of his treasure hunting skills. He might be a better pirate and treasure hunter than she was. Link continued to talk about awakening Medli and Makar to their real roles in the world and how he guided both through the dangerous Earth and Wind Temples.
Link spoke of how he fought a massive ghost in the Earth Temple and used a shield he had found that was like a mirror to shine light on the ghost and used the power bracelets he had found on Fire Mountain to lift up the massive ghost and hurl it toward the spiked wall. How in the Wind Temple he fought a gargantuan worm like creature and used a spring loaded chain device called the hookshot that he used to latch onto the creatures tongue and attack it. How after defeating these two monstrosities, Makar and Medli were able to bless the Master Sword so it became the sword of evil's bane again. How after doing this, Link and the King suspected Ganondorf had gone back to Hyrule below the surface and was searching for Tetra after Lord Valoo destroyed his tower at the Forsaken Fortress.
Link explained how he started to try and assemble the Triforce of Courage using his treasure hunting skills he had learned over the course of his adventure. How only by assembling it could he return back to Hyrule below the sea. He talked how after he saved a very, very strange odd man on Windfall Island at the beginning of his adventure who was obsessed with fairies, how that man deciphered charts that showed where pieces of the Triforce of Courage were buried under the Great Sea. He mentioned at one point how he found a ghost ship as well as he now owned a private cabana on the Great Sea that had one of these Triforce charts hidden on them. He said he didn't understand why the teacher on Windfall Island who had given him the cabana said it could be his "little bachelor pad?" Tetra fought incredibly hard not to start giggling at this seeing Link be so naive to what the teacher was really saying. Looking over, Tetra saw Link's Grandmother was smiling a little as well. Link mentioned though he wasn't the biggest fan of it seeing that there were rats and undead zombies living underneath the cabana whose screams had him freeze in his tracks as well having a butler that wailed all the time realizing he was really just a door.
Link then talked about how he finally reassembled the Triforce of Courage and sailed back to the Tower of the Gods to go to Tetra's side and confront Ganondorf. How the Triforce of Courage appeared on the back of his hand and how the King of Hyrule anointed him the Hero of Winds and the gods acknowledged Link to now be a true hero. Link spoke of when he went back into the castle to see if Tetra was still safe, Ganondorf kidnapped Tetra away to his tower! Tetra shuddered a little remembering this frightening scene but remembered at the same time the fire in Link's eyes seeing her not safe. How something awakened inside of him in that moment. Link continued taking about how he angrily chased after them, how he confronted illusions of his fiercest battles in Ganon's Tower that Ganondorf tried to use to stop him and defeated them again. How he found and used light arrows to destroy Ganondorf's phantom self and discovered Ganondorf's portal to the surface above the Great Sea he used to escape from his seal during the flood to the surface.
Link talked about how he ran to the top tower and confronted Ganondorf while Tetra was sleeping. How Ganondorf even told him to not be so hasty trying to save Tetra. Tetra hearing this realized that her mother was right that Link was beyond determined to save her. Link explained how Ganondorf then created a massive puppet like creature that had three forms including a spider and snake form. How Link defeated the puppet like form using light arrows on its tail and thought it was over until the creature turned into a spider. How Link used the reflection of the water below him to see where the spider was going to land to crush him and once again used light arrows on its tail until the spider turned into a snake. How the snake's form was incredibly quick, slammed into walls and tried to end him then and there. Link said how he trusted his aim using his bow and took down the evil creature with light arrows again aiming for its tail. Link then talked how afterward Ganondorf called him the Legendary Hero of Time reborn and challenged him to a final showdown while he carried the sleeping Tetra in his arm. Link talked about climbing his way up to the top of the massive tower and after reaching it took a deep breath knowing what was coming next before he went to the roof of Ganon's tower but that he was not afraid. Tetra hearing this was just awestruck realizing how much Link had been through just to get to the top of that tower.
Link explained how Ganondorf lowered his guard down a little by talking about his past and then quickly ambushed him and stole his Triforce piece and had assembled all three allowing him to make his own wish. Link explained that he then was too dazed to know what happened next. Tetra then spoke up and told of how the King of Hyrule beat Ganondorf to actually touching the Triforce and what his wish was. Link nodded now understanding this himself and explained how him and Tetra awakened and prepared for battle knowing all Ganondorf wanted now was to murder both of them as revenge for this and that this was his last and final stand.
As Link started talking about this final confrontation, Tetra eyed him as she didn't want him to go into too much detail especially about him saving her at his own expense. Link looked at her as he started talking about that final battle and he sensed why she was looking at him that way. He privately agreed with her that would be their secret together. Link didn't go into too much detail about the battle, but explained how Tetra helped him defeat Ganondorf and why he had all the injuries that he had and what happened right before Tetra's crew found them floating above the ocean.
Tetra's crew just sat there shocked hearing all of this, so were Aryll and Link's grandmother. They couldn't believe how young Link and Tetra were to have done all of this. Link looked a little embarrassed, Tetra too, but they both deep down were beyond proud of the other. Tetra and her crew as night came went back to her ship. Though as her crew left Link's house, Link said good night to Tetra as she left but Tetra just kept going ignoring his words. She couldn't look at him anymore; it was too much for her heart. She wanted to, but couldn't.
Morning came; dawn of the second day, only 48 hours remained. Tetra had nightmares again, the same ones as before except they were even worse now. She struggled to sleep and stayed awake after the one with Link vanishing in front of her forever. Tetra and her crew though again went to Link's house for breakfast but as the night before, Tetra did not sit by Link or talk to him in any way. She couldn't or she felt she would be influencing his looming decision despite privately wanting to spend time with him. Some of her crew after breakfast went to Orca's house and were practicing their battle skills. Link joined them in this teaching them some of his sword moves. Tetra normally would've gone with them. She privately wanted to see how good her own battle skills were compared to Link's.
Tetra instead went for a walk around the island. She was amazed how peaceful and quaint it looked. She never had ever gotten the chance to really do something like this before having almost always been on an island that was abandoned or filled with monsters. Tetra also had a a strange feeling in her chest thinking of how her and Link first met here and their interactions back then. Tetra did still feel a little guilty thinking about this. But Zelda her ancestor was right and Medli said the same thing, her words did get through to Link and she was just trying to protect him back and Link most importantly knew it and never was upset at how she had treated him. As Link came walking out of Orca's house some time later, Tetra quickly ran back to her ship pretending she hadn't seen him. As she opened the door leading inside, she decided to turn around and saw Link slowly walking back toward his house from the pier; he had tried to catch her to talk to her. Tetra's heart dropped seeing this.
Nighttime came; night of the second day, 36 hours remained. Tetra had spent all afternoon inside her private cabin. No one bothered her here. She didn't even go to dinner with her crew. She felt ashamed of how she had been ignoring Link. She privately wondered if her actions actually were influencing Link's decision. That he might decide to stay on Outset because he felt Tetra didn't want him to come with her or was done with him now and no longer needed him. Tetra knew what she wanted him to do personally, but her ancestor was right, it was Link's call to make himself and she had to respect that. But she also wondered if her not talking to him eventually would lead to what she had always done before she met him; block him out of her life like she did to others. Tetra never had wanted to be close to anyone after her mother's death. She couldn't in her heart go through that pain again after losing her mother so suddenly. She never even got the chance to say goodbye. Tetra just sat in her cabin thinking this. She looked over toward her picture of the Hero of Time and again just remembered that final memory of him she saw of her ancestor saying goodbye to him forever.
Tetra stepped out of her cabin later and went above deck. It had to be late now as her crew was already sleeping. She went towards the wheel of her ship and just stared at the massive ocean in front of her. She wondered what would happen when she did in fact leave Outset whether with or without Link by her side. Would there be danger? Which direction would she go? How would she know when she truly had found the next Hyrule? Would she continue the Royal Family or have some other way of ruling the land? Would she and her crew have to fight for the land? No matter what she wanted to find this new land. She owed it to her family's bloodline she now knew about, how much they had sacrificed for generations to keep peace.
Tetra then turned around and looked over towards Link's house. On the front deck, looking closer someone was out there. They were wearing green. Tetra could see Link had his arms on the railing and was staring at the ocean…no he was staring at her ship! She worried he might have spotted her. But instead of retreating back below to her cabin, Tetra looked back at him. The two were staring at the other, but neither could see the others face. Tetra's heart started to beat faster seeing him. Almost all of Tetra wanted to go be with him and gaze out at the sea together but that small part of her knew she couldn't. It felt again like hours passed as they both stared at each other though not knowing what the other one was thinking.
Tetra finally then went to bed. Tonight, she didn't have the nightmares she feared she would have again. Instead she had one dream. Her and Link were walking, holding hands. They were older now, in their very late teens. Link was much taller now and was now taller than Tetra though not by much. He had now a man's body and muscles to prove he was older but he still was wearing his signature green tunic and hat. Tetra was also still wearing her white shorts, blue vest and lavender shirt with her red scarf around her neck. Turning to look at each other, Tetra gasped a little seeing Link's face. He was unbelievably handsome as a young man but still had a boyish charm to his eyes that were full of compassion, the same kindness he always had. His face was one of pure joy he was with Tetra like to him she was the most beautiful thing in the world and he loved her with all his heart. Tetra didn't know where they were. She realized they were on what looked like a cliff looking out over a beautiful vast land below them during a sunset filled with green pastures and what looked like a castle in the distance along with a massive tall tower near it. Tetra gasped again…They were in the new land of Hyrule! Her and Link then just gazed over the horizon holding hands like they were beyond proud of their new land they had founded together. Before Tetra knew it, she and Link were hugging, just like they had in the Forest of Fairies. Link had a big warm smile on his face as did Tetra. She wondered, were they now together and a true couple?
Morning came; dawn of the final day, 24 hours remained. Tetra did not want to wake up. Her dream had been the most happy she ever had and had felt so real. She wondered if her dream had been her real feelings for Link now, that this is what she really wanted to happen in the future. She opened her eyes and all the happiness that had happened in her dream ended immediately! Fear was gripping her now. In one day, she and her crew would be departing. She had already told her crew this two days ago. Niko in particular was saddened to hear this news. They all had asked her if Link was going with them. Tetra told them Link himself would decide what he would do and forbid them to talk to him about it.
Tetra was undecided if she would go to breakfast today. As she was thinking about this, Nudge knocked on her door. Tetra agreed to let him in. Tetra guessed why Nudge had come to talk to her. Just like they always did, Tetra sat on her bed while Nudge sat on the chair by her desk.
Nudge told her, "Good morning Miss Tetra, we are all set now to depart tomorrow morning right as you said."
"Good." Tetra responded back bluntly. She could tell Nudge used this simple update so he could try to get her to answer his real question.
Nudge Tetra could see was hesitating to ask her his next question, but he wanted to know the answer.
"Miss Tetra, forgive me if this seems wrong to ask you but you do have some feelings for the boy and I believe he has some for you as well. Your behavior has been rather odd the last few days. Why are you ignoring him now?"
Tetra looked at him rather angry,
"I'm not ignoring him Nudge, but I will not try to sway his mind one way or the other about going with us or not!" She said back fiercely.
"Miss, I apologize. I didn't mean anything by my words, but I can see Link is confused and a little hurt I think by your behavior the last few days. You haven't talked to him and you have ignored him when he has tried to talk to you. He asked us this last night at dinner. We didn't have an answer to give him." Nudge responded back.
Tetra sat there pondering her next words. Link was hurt by her actions… She didn't want to tell Nudge what her ancestor had told her. She didn't think he would believe her. But before she could say anything, Nudge spoke again.
"I still remember when you first brought Link aboard our ship Miss Tetra. You were hard on him. You scolded him I think as bad or worse than Niko or anyone else on this ship ever has been scolded by you. I still remember as I was guarding your cabin here since Link was onboard, he approached it and I immediately told him he wasn't allowed in here. What amazed me the most was that he then asked me about you Miss Tetra! He asked why you were captain and why we all had so much respect towards you. I told him about your mother's passing and how well you handled it and he looked sad thinking about it. Of course, now that I know the real truth about my ancestry and yours, it makes obvious sense why you lead us."
Tetra hearing these words felt knots in her stomach and chest. Link really did think of her wellbeing from the beginning.
Nudge then added,
"Miss, if you want Link to come with us, why not tell him? If you continue to ignore him, he might believe you don't want him to come with us."
Tetra finally then spoke though privately she completely agreed with what Nudge was saying,
"Nudge, if I interfere with his decision it would be wrong. I know now the real truth about my ancestor and the legendary Hero of Time, the one in the picture on the wall here. How they worked together as well to stop Ganondorf. My ancestor did not give him a choice in his fate. She chose it for him and… I can honestly say I do not know if it was the correct decision in my mind. I owe this to Link. If he wants to come with us he will but if he wants to stay and be with his family, this is ok as well. He has earned the right to choose. I won't try to force him one way or the other."
Nudge nodded but as he left her room telling Tetra that Link's grandmother was waiting for them with breakfast, he added not facing Tetra.
"This is just my personal opinion Miss Tetra but as the person you usually consult for decisions to be made, I believe you should go talk to Link at the very least. You don't have to bring anything up about his looming decision but he does deserve I believe to talk to you even if you don't really want to." Nudge shut her door. Tetra sat there blankly not knowing what to do now.
Deciding she would go to breakfast at Link's house, Tetra saw that this time as she entered, Link had already assumed she didn't want to sit next to him and simply motioned for Niko to again sit next to him like he already knew Tetra didn't want anything to do with him. Tetra looked at this scene unfolding and decided she couldn't keep doing this. She ordered Niko to switch her spots and he did so at once. Tetra then sat next to Link who looked shocked to see her sitting next to him again. She then smiled at him a little and Link's face broke out into a small smile as well seeing her actually smiling at him again and wanting to talk to him. He seemed really shy talking to her now. Tetra seeing this instantly felt better and had to resist reaching for Link's hand to hold under the table. Tetra didn't rush eating breakfast this time either. Her and Link talked a little as well. Tetra asked him questions about him finding treasure throughout the Great Sea over his adventure. Tetra didn't notice, but Nudge was smiling watching the two.
After breakfast Link and Tetra walked around the island together. The two talked though now Link was asking about Tetra's adventure after what had happened in the Forsaken Fortress the first time. Tetra kept her calm and avoided going into too much into detail about her actions, certainly not how she really felt towards Link now or that she had followed him to the Forsaken Fortress the second time mesmerized by his actions she had seen him do. She also did not mention her bizarre dream while captive she had with her mother and ancestor and how she broke down crying remembering how she originally treated Link and how thinking of him being her friend fully awakened her powers. Tetra felt this was right and wasn't interfering with his decision. Link also seemed to not want to discuss what his decision might be either. He did not hint at all about which way he was leaning but he seemed in good spirits.
Tetra, as they were walking back towards Link's house and her ship, remembered the King of Hyrule's last words. She then thought about Link's lifeless boat on her ship. She gasped, Link had not seen it yet and Tetra felt he needed to before making any decision. Tetra turned to Link.
"Link, there's something I need to show you on my ship." She said rather meekly.
"Ok…" Link responded not sure what Tetra meant by this.
They both climbed aboard her ship. She walked him down to the hold where for now they had The King of Red Lions stored, Link gasped when he saw it.
"We… we found it while you were sleeping a few days ago." Tetra said quietly to him.
Link looked at the face of the boat and saw its eyes were gone, it was lifeless. He just blankly stared at it for a while. Finally, he reached out and put his hand on the face of the boat just thinking about how much him and the King of Red Lions had gone through together. How the King had fully believed in him and his courage and was willing to risk everything on it. Tetra just stood silent watching this.
"Good bye King of Red Lions and…thank you for everything." Link finally spoke quietly. Tetra fought every inch of her body to not immediately go and hug Link. She wanted to comfort him just like he had comforted her in the past. She instead put a hand on his shoulder and he didn't say or do anything to this, he just continued to stare at the lifeless eyes of his boat for a while.
Tetra and Link then bid each other good-bye for now. He nodded and left for his house. Tetra stood on deck feeling a lot better that they were talking again despite her fear of his decision tomorrow morning. As the afternoon started to end, Tetra began to worry more though. Her fears had started to consume her. She didn't want to stay on her ship, but if she did, she wouldn't have to see Link and feel worse. Sure, she had in some ways made up with him, but still it wasn't like it had been a few days ago, things couldn't be at least not now.
Nighttime came; night of the Final Day, 12 hours remained.
Tetra did go to dinner tonight and did sit next to Link but Link was rather quiet. Tetra figured he might be considering what he knew now about his boat. The two talked very little. Tetra's crew was sad knowing how much they would miss Link's Grandmother's cooking. Tetra privately felt the same way. After dinner, Link didn't leave to go outside with Tetra and her crew. He instead started talking Tetra noticed with his grandmother in the corner of their house rather seriously and very quietly.
As Tetra was walking back toward her ship with her crew, she looked out toward the other side of the island and saw a lookout tower. She remembered seeing it as she walked the island before. She had wanted to go and climb it, but since there was only one way down from the lookout, Link could've cornered her here and ask her why she had been ignoring him. Tetra decided she wanted to see it before she left the island.
"You all go back to the ship." Tetra said to her crew.
Tetra walked over to the other side of the island and climbed the tower. The view was rather amazing. There were a few seagulls around flying around the tower as well. Tetra just stared at the sea thinking. Tetra then thought she heard someone climbing the tower. "Not now, Link!" She pleaded in her thoughts.
"Hi Miss Tetra!" Someone said brightly but Tetra knew it wasn't Link's voice. Tetra turned around and saw it was Aryll.
"Hi Aryll," Tetra responded quietly.
Aryll smiled at her.
"Do you like this tower Miss Tetra? I always come up here to play with the gulls. I like to call it Aryll's lookout. "
Tetra smiled a little at Aryll. She in some ways reminded Tetra of herself before her mother's death.
"I still remember how I found my big brother up here sleeping on his birthday. Grandma was waiting to give him that green tunic to wear. I still don't know why, but he looks good in it despite him probably being really hot wearing it."
So it had been Link's birthday when these horrible events started Tetra thought, just like it had been hers when her mother had died. She privately agreed with Aryll that Link did look good in those clothes despite her original thoughts of seeing him in that outfit. Tetra couldn't imagine Link wearing anything else now. A small smile stayed on Tetra's face thinking this.
"I let him borrow my telescope for the day and when he was looking through it is when we saw the postman and then looking up we saw you in the air being carried away by that giant bird! Your crew hit it with a boulder and it dropped you in the forest. I told Link you needed help and I watched as he immediately went to Orca's house to get a sword and then he started running as fast as he could towards the forest to find you."
Tetra's heart beat a little faster hearing this info she had heard vaguely from the postman when he described Link's actions that saved her from monsters in the forest.
"How I saw you both coming out of the forest and then that bird…" Aryll started to say sadly.
Tetra then put her arms around Aryll to comfort her.
"Aryll, I never have gotten a chance to say to you this, but it is my fault that you got kidnapped…I'm so sorry. I'm sorry you had to be in that horrible place for so long." Tetra softly said to her.
"It's not your fault Miss Tetra. I don't blame you for anything." Aryll said back a little puzzled why Tetra was apologizing to her.
Tetra couldn't believe it. Aryll was just like Link, not blaming her for any of this.
"It… it was scary, especially when that bird grabbed my big brother the first time but when I saw his face when he returned the second time, I was so happy to see him and relieved. I was surprised how nice your crew was afterward despite you not being there. I was a little scared of them at first, but they really were kind." Aryll finished.
Tetra smiled hearing this about her crew. It made her feel proud that despite their mistakes, they really were good people. Tetra's smiled vanished though when Aryll spoke again.
"So, my big brother said you are leaving tomorrow?"
"Yes…Yes I am, I have a long journey ahead of me."
"Why can't you stay? You can live with us?"
Tetra privately in ways did want to stay on Outset, but she knew this was impossible.
'Because, I…I have to Aryll."
"…But why?" Aryll asked looking sad.
Tetra didn't want to tell Aryll it was a grown up matter like she said to her at the Forsaken Fortress regarding her next actions or Link's. Aryll while she was really young was incredibly tough Tetra thought to have survived that nightmarish place especially after having to watch her brother get thrown out of there the first time and have to wonder in fear whether he was still alive afterward. Her last image of him being in that monster bird's beak being taken away from her and her screaming out for him.
"Because, it is my destiny that I have to leave," Tetra answered finally getting that horrible image out of her head.
"Is my big brother going with you?"
Tetra froze; she didn't know how to respond to this.
"I…I do not know." Tetra answered truthfully to Aryll.
"I don't know either what he is doing, all he said was he has some type of decision to make, I don't know what he means by it. He was quietly talking to my Grandma about it after you and your crew left tonight. Anyway, it's getting a little late and I'm sure Grandma is starting to get worried about me now. I don't know if my big brother might be looking for you now. Do you want me to send him up here if I find him?" Aryll asked Tetra.
"No, no, I'm going to head back to my ship now. Good night Aryll and thank you for helping my crew out when you were with them." Tetra said as Aryll started to climb down the ladder.
"You're welcome Miss Tetra, or should I say… Princess Zelda." Aryll giggled to these last words to her.
Tetra stopped and then smiled as she watched Aryll run back towards her house. She was so carefree Tetra felt and so innocent. Tetra gazed back looking out at the ocean. This time tomorrow, her crew would already be sailing, the only thing that was left to decide was whether a young hero wearing green would be joining them or not.
Tetra slowly walked back to her ship. She gazed up towards Link's house for a brief moment as she reached the pier then continued walking. As she went to into her cabin and jumped onto her bed, she knew that when she woke up, Link's time to make a decision would pretty much be up. Tetra just hoped their time together was not.