Link watched as the golden haired girl slept next to him. She held his arm close to her warmth as her breathing became calmer and calmer. Link sighed, having now calmed his own self down after an hour of excruciating fear and uncomforting thoughts. It's not as if he didn't like her closeness or her affection, if anything he wanted it from the moment they had defeated Calamity Ganon. However he felt unworthy of her affection. It took him a hundred years to save her, failing during the Calamity's arrival and then taking his time preparing when he had awoken.

His mind had travelled to the events that had taken place only about an hour prior. He hadn't actually left Zelda. He had teleported back to the Shrine of Resurrection when he had left Zelda in the forest as to give the appearance he had actually left her, and had been watching over her from the cliff side. He had actually believed she had been doing pretty well. He had laughed a bit when she had tried to shoot the boar, though he was a bit weary when it charged at her. However, Link had stayed for a specific reason.

Zelda had camped out before. This wasn't new to her. Being alone was new, but actually camping was at the very least normal for her. They had travelled enough in the last hundred years to be used to nature, though it was a lot less comfortable since they didn't have her royal gear with them. No, Link had another issue on his mind.

The night monster's, the Stalkoblins, Keese swarms, Stalmoblins, so on so forth. The day monsters had survived after the final Blood Moon, meaning the night monsters must have survived as well. Link hadn't had time to verify this since he had been home with Zelda during the night for the last few weeks. However, there was more reason to believe they would show than not appearing at all.

Link observed Zelda's feats of intellect, using the bolder to break the mineral instead of swinging the axe as he would have done, and watched her cozy up. Link couldn't help but wish he were down there with her. He knew very well of the loneliness that came with adventuring alone. Of course this was just training for her. He couldn't always be there... Link frowned a bit at that thought. Eventually she would have to be on her own. He couldn't always protect her. Maybe he could? Who said he ever had to leave her?

Link, who was lost in thought, hadn't noticed the sun go fully down. He heard the sound of creaking bones behind him. With intense speed and accuracy he grabbed the Royal Bow he had on his back, dodging the Skalmoblin's club with ease as he backflipped back. Time seemed to slow as he drew his bow. He fired at the two skulls, knocking them off their shoulders, defeating the beast with ease. However, as Link landed he immediately noticed something was wrong. Only two Skalmoblins had attacked him. Usually there were three.

Link immediately turned from his vantage point and spotted Zelda, shooting two Skalkoblins off. Link scanned the area for the third Skalmoblin, however it was nowhere to be seen. He checked behind him once again to ensure he hadn't missed it before hearing the distinct rumble from a distance. He looked down to see the gigantic skeleton crawl out of the ground in front of Zelda, who now had both the Skalmoblin and a Skalkoblin at both her front and back. He watched Zelda fall to her knees. He quickly looked at her quiver. She had run out of arrows.

Links hand quickly went for the Master Sword, preparing to jump off the cliff to Zelda's rescue before hearing the voice he hadn't heard since the final battle with the Calamity.

"Master. Please wait a moment."

Link couldn't believe his ears. Was the Master Sword, the blade thought to be created by the goddess herself, telling him not to protect the descendent of the goddess? And more importantly, was it telling him not to protect his Zelda? Link thought for half a second before wrapping his hands completely around the blade before seeing Zelda. He watched as she used a tree branch to dislodge the heads of the skeletons, take one of their weapons, and finish them off.

Link stared down at her in awe. She had done it, alone. Her form was off, and her swings were unnecessarily large... But she had won nonetheless.

"Master..." Link turned to see the Hilt of the Master Sword faintly glowing. "I was created for the sole purpose of sealing and keeping the ancient evil at bay. Protecting the one you call Zelda is subsequently involved. However, just as you have learned to hone and use your power... The descendent of the Goddess Hylia must hone hers as well..."

The voice faded away as it spoke until Link could no longer hear the voice. Link contemplated the swords words before jumping and paragliding down towards the shaken girl below.

Link sighed as he returned from his memories back to the moonlight room. Trying his best not to pull away from Zelda (though her grasp was stronger than he had anticipated) he stared at the barely visible purple hints in the dark. Link had understood what the sword had meant. Zelda wasn't a child, nor was she just some regular girl either. Royal or not... She had the blood of the Ancient Goddess, whatever that had meant. Link had never payed attention to those stories. Or he couldn't remember them from a hundred years ago.

It had been weeks since Link had told himself at Hyrule Castle, that he would learn more about the Master Sword and it's secrets, however he had made little progress. The sword only spoke when it deemed necessary. It frustrated him. The sword, one of the oldest and ancient weapon... No... This entity, potentially had all the answers to what he was. What Zelda was. What the Calamity was.

Yet it refused to speak to him.

Link rolled back over to once again look at the girl holding his now painfully asleep arm. Link slowly closed his eyes as he started to drift, staring in to Zelda's beautiful sleeping face. The secrets of the Master Sword would have to wait. First and foremost... Zelda needed him now.

Zelda sat on the cliff on the outskirts of Links house overlooking the lush green land of Hyrule, holding the travelers sword she had taken from the Skalkoblin the previous night before. The morning sun was just barely peeking over the mountain tops from afar, the orange light encasing the land and Zelda in its otherworldly glow. And yet, even with the sight, all Zelda could think about was the fear of the night prior.

She had woken before her ex-knight had. She had carefully unlatched from his grasp, a little red from the boldness she had shown last night, and had put on a tan shirt and brown trousers she had found in the Sheikah Slate. And now she sat, contemplating everything. Last night hadn't felt real. But the fear, the adrenaline was there.

She should have known Link hadn't actually left her. A part of her knew he was still around. She could sense the sword he had on his back. However, when the monsters had attacked... All she could think about how no one was there this time. The Champions, her father... No one was there. She had to fight. Alone.

Was this how Link felt? Months and months of carrying fear and grief, day by day learning about the people he cared for most just to relive the grief over and over again? Every night... Alone to fend of monsters as he travelled, for months. At least she felt like it was a dream. Link truly lived this.

Could she do this? Could she really be able to be like Link? Link wouldn't be around forever. No. That wasn't what she was worried about. If anything, for the time Link was around, she didn't want to be a burden to him. Just a scholar with no way of truly helping out. She had to be more, she had to be... Useful.

"You alright there?" A familiar voice said behind her. Zelda refused the urge to turn back and look at Link. The moment she had heard his voice she had noticed the tears running down her face. She did her best to wipe her tears away, hoping Link hadn't noticed.

"Yes, Link I'm quite alright, thank you." Zelda said, trying to act as normal as possible. Link sighed and sat down in the soft grass next to her. Zelda glanced over a Link, who was in his usual blue and tan, though he didn't have his boots on, nor was the Master Sword on his back. That was unusual.

"The Master Sword... It's not with you..." Zelda said quietly. Link looked at her before turning to the sunrise.

"I... I want to understand the sword more. However the more secrets I try to unravel, the more the sword... I don't know how to describe it. Won't talk to me? Can't talk to me?" Link scratched his head and chuckled. "I feel like the Sword is apart of me... So why does it also feel so foreign at the same time?"

"I understand that to a slight degree..." Zelda said, also turning her attention to the sun rise.

"Sometimes the best way to understand something... Or someone? Whatever the sword is... Sometimes it's best to take a step back to understand." Link said. Zelda turned curiously to him.

"When did you get so...Bright?" Zelda asked.

"I've always been bright. You just don't listen." Link said with a smile. Zelda frowned.

"Why don't you speak more then..." She mumbled quietly turning back towards the sun once more. Link laughed.

"I'm getting better!" He said. The two sat in silence for a second.

"Link... How did you do it?" Zelda asked, not looking at him. "How did you do that alone for so long?"

Link took a second to respond. Zelda took a quick glance at him. Link was emotionless as he stared into the distance, his eyes a bit... Empty.

"It was challenging." He finally said quietly. "But... I had a reason to keep moving. People who believed in me. Promises I had to keep. Wishes I had to carry to fulfill. Someone I just had to see again."

Zelda had turned to fully face him now, as Link continued to stare straight ahead.

"Where do I find that? Yes I want to rebuild the kingdom but... That's more of a duty than anything... You were able to do you duty. I wish I could progress like you Link-"

"I didn't keep going because it was my duty, Zelda." Link said, cutting her off. He turned towards her and looked into her emerald green eyes. "I just... Had a personal goal. It was important to me. It was personal. That is what made me succeed."

Zelda took that in for a moment. What had made it so personal? The wishes of the champions? The feeling of regret? Was it... her? But Link had always somewhat pushed her advances away. It must've just been in a friend way. Even Zelda knew they had cared about each other. But her own personal goal... Her love for him... That only made her want to stay in that house more. The feeling of wanting to explore and stay was swirling in her head. What was the right choice?

"Where do I find that? That... Goal? That... Wish?" She asked sincerely. Link kept staring into her eyes before looking out to the land.

"Out there. As scary as it can be... It's also a wonderful journey. I know last night shook you Zelda... But your an adventurer. A scholar at heart. A fighter not so much, its something you can learn though. But learning, travelling, studying, and wanting to improve. That's you. And well... being in that house all the time, stuck in Hateno... Doesn't seem like a very Zelda thing to do."

He gave her a small smile. Zelda felt the tears well up again. She had really been crying a lot recently.

"You're right Link... Its not very like me." She exhaled and looked ahead with a smile. "I want to journey. I want to explore. I want to see this new land, meet the people and... Live. Truly."

"That's the Zelda I know. And I'll follow right beside you." Link said. Zelda returned his smile.

"Thank you... Link."

The two stared at each other before a voice yelled at them from afar. The two turned to see a traveler on horseback waving at them.

"I've got a letter! A letter for a... Link?" The traveler yelled at them. Link and Zelda looked at each other before getting up. Link ran over to the messenger as not to keep him waiting, as Zelda followed at a walking pace. By the time she had caught up, Link had already began opening the letter as the messenger and his horse started off back across the bridge.

"Who is it from Link?" Zelda asked curiously.

"Well.. if you'd like... It looks like adventure is calling us. King Dorephan has requested I come and take a look at Vah Ruta, it looks like it's stopped working. He knows I was going to save you... So I'm sure this is also and indirect summon to see if you are well... Maybe." Link turned to look at Zelda, letter still open in his hand.

"Do you want to go?"

Zelda stared at Link with a blank face before a smile grew from ear to ear.

"Of course! Well then, we must be off as soon as possible! I want to investigate what is occurring on Vah Ruta! We must leave at once!" Zelda said, hurrying into the house. Link smiled as he watched her run inside.

This is where the true adventure begins