Zelda brought a hand up to her mouth as she witnessed the tumbling of the Hylian Shield off the mountain. She watched as Link tried to catch it, however the weight of the boulder had weakened his legs. The Hylian Shield, the legendary shield of ancient times, the shield of heroes, Link's favorite shield, was now gone. She watched as Link, wincing in pain, stood and quickly rushed over to her. Zelda's eyes grew wide as she saw him grow closer with anger and frustration in his eyes. She had never seen him like this... not towards her at least.

Link quickly stopped in front of her. Zelda closed her eyes, fearing Link would do something, however all Zelda heard was Link's panicked voice.

"Are you okay?" Link asked quickly. Zelda looked up at Link without answering, worry clouding her mind. Link winced in irritation, seemingly losing patience. "Are you okay!?"

Zelda quickly nodded, sweat falling down the side of her face. Was he asking if she was okay? What about him? He had just taken the weight of a boulder for her! Link nodded, quickly accepting the answer as he looked towards the cliff the shield had gone over.

"Zelda, give me the Slate," he called out anxiously, his hand held out as he impatiently waited for Zelda to hand over the Sheikah Slate.

"Link, what are you-"

"Give me the Slate, Princess," Link said irritably as his neck snapped towards the area where the Hylian Shield had fallen yet again, his hand still outstretched towards Zelda as she remained on the ground. Zelda quickly unclasped the Slate from her belt and quickly handed it to Link. The instant the Sheikah Slate was in his possession, Link hurried over towards the cliff. Zelda looked on, confused as to what the Hylian Champion was doing before panicking at what she saw. Link, without any hesitation, had jumped off the cliff.

"LINK, WAIT!" Zelda cried out, now getting up and rushing towards the cliff side. Zelda peered over the cliff desperately trying to see her blue clad knight. Eventually she spotted him, somehow hovering safely above the water. Zelda allowed herself a large sigh of relief. He was okay.

After thanking the goddesses, Zelda peered over yet again to inspect what Link was actually doing. It was hard to make out from so high up, but it seemed as though Link was standing on an ice pillar holding the Sheikah Slate in front of him as he frantically looked around towards the water. Zelda could only assume he was trying to use Magnesis to get the shield out of the water.

Zelda leaned back from the edge of the cliff and walked to the side of the island wall. She pressed her back against the rocks, her hands covering her face as she slid down until she was sitting. What had she done? She hadn't listened to Link when he had told her to stop detonating the bombs. Why hadn't she noticed his panic? Did she really just cost him the Hylian Shield?

Zelda felt tears running down her face. This was supposed to be a bonding trip. And it was. She had been doing so well until she had gotten upset. She did the same thing when Link had found her inspecting a shrine a hundred years ago, ripping into him for no reason other than she was upset with things out of her control. This time was different however. She wasn't a princess anymore. Link had every right to get angry with her and could show it now.

Zelda dreaded the moment Link appeared in front of her from the ocean waves. While she wanted nothing more to immediately fix things with the knight, she knew he would not be happy when he returned. Whether he had his shield or not.

...

It felt as though an eternity had passed since Link had dove into the ocean below in an attempt to recover the Hylian Shield. Zelda had not moved from her spot, now with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees as she sat awaiting the knight's return. Thoughts ran rampant through Zelda's mind, thinking of every scenario that could happen when Link appeared before her. If he appeared before her, that is.

Zelda shook her head, desperately trying to rid her mind of the fearful thought. Link wouldn't leave her for this. Not because of the shield, right? Zelda curled into an even tighter ball, putting her face in her knees as well. What was she supposed to do?

The moment the question had crossed her mind, a gust of powerful winds slammed against her body. Zelda looked up from her legs as a pillar of gusts rose from the ocean and well above the cliff side. In a matter of seconds, Link soared into the air with his paraglider in hand, gracefully floating back down until he landed a few meters away from her sitting spot. Zelda remained on the ground against the wall. The Hylian Shield wasn't on his back. Link didn't say a word as the paraglider disappeared into the Sheikah Slate. He glanced over at Zelda, his eyes devoid of light. Zelda's face fell even further.

"L-Link I-" Zelda started, however Link immediately cut her off.

"You got a good amount of gems, right?" Link asked in his old, knightly tone. Zelda's heart cracked.

"Y-yes, but Link-" Zelda started again, however Link's sudden movement made her silent yet again. Link silently walked over to Zelda, the Sheikah Slate in hand, stopping just in front of her with his hand now outstretched. Zelda, not wanting to push Link's patience any further, immediately took his hand as he stood. Tears formed in Zelda's eyes as they started fading into blue.

Link's grip had lost it's warm nature it had given her only minutes prior.

...

The two silently walked down the natural grass bridge towards what Zelda could only assume was the newly constructed Tarrey Town Link had mentioned earlier that day. It was a small town, the buildings forming a neat circle around the Goddess statue that lay propped in the center. Zelda couldn't help but admire the architecture, even in her moment of guilt and unease. The squarish buildings vividly reminded her of Bolson's Houses on display just across her and Link's bridge back in Hateno.

Zelda hung her head low, the thought of her and Link's house appearing in her mind. What she wouldn't give to be there with a happy Link right then. She silently followed Link, now staring at the heels of his boots as they walked down the circular road. Link suddenly stopped, no warning to Zelda as she bumped into his backside.

"There's a young Goron just around the bend," Link said without turning back to face her. "There he sells ores and other gemstones. Anyone will buy gems, but he'll give you a pretty fair price. It would also help his business out. Go there."

"W-Will you not be coming with me?" Zelda asked nervously. While she knew Link was upset, she had hoped he would still stay by her side. It didn't seem as though he were leaving her, however Zelda couldn't shake the fear from her mind. Link shook his head.

"Not this time. I need to go have a word with someone," Link said, now pointing towards one of the house balconies. "I'll be there when you're done."

With that, Link walked off leaving Zelda standing alone in the walkway. A dejected look formed on her face as she watched the knight walk away. She hated this. It had only been about fifteen minutes and Zelda already wished she could do something to remedy the situation, but what?

Zelda sighed as she began to turn towards the path to continue walking down it, ready to look for the shop. The moment she moved however, she immediately bumped into yet another person. This time however, it wasn't the forgiving Link she had run into beforehand.

"What are you doing girl!?" the person screeched. Zelda looked up to see a dark skinned man, his blond hair neatly groomed with his bushy blonde mustache twitching with anger. "Watch where you're going! Do you know who I am?"

Zelda blinked a few times in fear. She had never been yelled at before, not in this manner at least. What was she supposed to do? She wasn't a princess anymore, she couldn't just demand respect. What did commoners do when someone got mad at them?

"I-I don't know, I'm really sorry I-" Zelda began stuttering out however the man cut her off.

"You listen here girl, I'll have you know I'm one of the richest men in Hyrule. I worked hard to get where I am and I will not be disrespected by some poor adventure girl! I've had enough of adventurers, especially that blue clad one. He has yet to dispose of those two guardians even after I've given him that down payment!" the man ranted. He raised a finger, putting it directly in front of Zelda's nose. "Now you-"

"Hagie, dear!" A voice called out. The two turned to see an elderly lady slowly walking towards them. "You're scaring the poor girl. She simply didn't see you. Please keep in mind you have an image to maintain, you know."

The man known as Hagie stared at the elder before adjusting his tan vest and necklace.

"I do believe you're right, madam Monari... I do have an image to uphold," he said before turning back towards the young Hylian girl. "What is your name?"

"Ze-Marin..." Zelda stuttered out quietly. Hagie snorted at the name.

"Well Marin, I'll let you off this time, but bump into me again and I swear I'll put you so far into debt I'll find a way to make indentured servitude acceptable in society once again."

With that the man turned away, walking off in a huff. Zelda and the woman named Monari watched the man walk off. As soon as he was out of earshot, the woman turned back towards Zelda.

"I do apologize for his rudeness," The woman said with an apologetic nod. "A Hylian with too much money and not enough items to purchase gets a bit grumpy at times."

"No, I bumped into him. I... I appreciate the assistance," Zelda said, bowing to the elder.

"Now don't you go bowing to me child, I know the ancient princess of Hyrule when I see her," The woman said with a gentle smile. Zelda's eyes grew wide as she looked back up towards the woman.

"You know who I am?" Zelda asked. The woman chuckled.

"Why, dear, take a look at me! I'm as old as time. I'm one of the few who remember the Calamity a hundred years ago. Not many do, but with proper care we Hylians can live a long time as well. Though, we unfortunately get more and more wrinkles as time goes on, unlike the Zora." Monari said cheerfully. "It's good to see the royal lineage has survived, along with the Hylian Champion. I assume it was that power King Rhoam had always preached about that kept you looking this young. I could use that power myself!"

"You recognized Link, too?" Zelda asked, amazed. The woman nodded.

"There's not a single elder in Hyrule that wouldn't recognize the Hylian Princess and Champion. While the young are blessed with ignorance, we elders remember the time of the Calamity. Your faces were everywhere back then. I was but a young girl when you visited the town of Hateno back in the day. I am assuming you're hiding your identity for the time being?"

"Yes. I don't plan to take the crown for a long time..." Zelda said. The Hylian woman nodded.

"Probably for the best. However, if you're here, then I'm assuming Link is as well? Where is the strapping young man?" Monari asked, looking around. "He's always so kind to me during his visits. He's always willing to taste my Monster Cake..."

Zelda's face fell at the reminder that Link had left her alone in the town.

"Link... went to talk to someone. I...l cost him his favorite shield and he's not happy with me at the moment," Zelda said sadly, looking down at her fidgeting fingers. The woman frowned as she nodded.

"Ah yes, that silver and blue shield. That was a legendary shield, said to have been forged by one of the three dragons of old and used by one of the legendary heroes," the old woman conveyed. Zelda, though surprised the woman could remember something like that over the course of a hundred years, felt an even greater pang of guilt.

"If I had to take a guess, he must've gone to that young Sheikah researcher," Monari said with another nod, putting her hands behind her back. "That man always finds the rarest of items. Though if I'm being honest, that Hylian Shield was one of a kind. Whether the legend of the dragon forging it is true or not, its durability combined with its legendary protection was unmatched. There have been replica's in the past used by other heroes, but all where Hylian made copies. None match the durability of the original proclaimed dragon made Hylian Shield."

Zelda felt more tears coming to her eyes. Hearing this did not help. How was she supposed to make things up to Link if the shield she had cost him was so valuable? Before the tears could fall, the woman put an old hand onto Zelda's arm.

"I also remember," the woman said, looking into Zelda's eyes, "hearing an old song written by an old Sheikah bard back then... If you do still love that Hylian Knight, then things will work out. Have faith. I must be heading home, you do your best out there... Marin."

Zelda blinked a few times as the woman walked off. How did the woman know she was in love with Link? An old song written by a Sheikah bard? Zelda couldn't help but remember one of the Sheikah bards bothering her every now and then with a song when she was doing her research back then in the castle... How did he find out? And why in Hyrule did he write a song about it?

Zelda couldn't help but pray Link hadn't heard whatever song the Sheikah bard had written. That would be a horrible way for Link to find out. Zelda thought for a moment; the song had to have been written a hundred years ago. There's no way it could have been passed down.

Zelda shook her head, ridding herself of the thought. She had much more important matters to worry about. She had to figure out how to make up with Link, however the importance of the Hylian Shield kept rising in her head. The guilt in her chest kept rising. How was she supposed to fix this?

Zelda sighed sadly as she walked down the road towards the goron run shop. She had a lot to think about now...

...

Kenny Boi here!

So if you played Skyward Sword, then you would know the Hylian Shield in breath of the wild is actually the same shield forged by the dragon named Lanayru that you achieve after passing his trials. Breath of the Wild actually states it is the same shield used by the old hero *Skyward Sword Link!

That means Hyrule castle and the Royal Family has held on to that shield for thousands of years! and all the shields in other games where possibly Hylian Made replicas of the Skyward sword shield. At least, that's my head canon.