Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda world and its characters belong to Nintendo.

Author's Note: I am so sorry that it has been so long. I promise you that I am still faithful to this story and love it, almost as much as I love hearing from you all about it. Summers are crazy – the weather is nice so everyone wants to do things, like have weddings and cookouts. It is definitely not this introvert's favorite season on top of all else that goes on. This chapter is moving the story along as Link does need to get back to business, but it has a few nice moments that I hope you will enjoy. Thanks as always for reading, and please leave a comment if you'd like!

Ruto was a constant presence. Even when Link could not – would not – bring her with him.

As Link delivered the final slash to Bongo Bongo's eye after what felt like an eternity, the disembodied beast was dead.

The Hylian stood back and pocketed the Lens of Truth, blinking with an air of unruffled calm as Bongo Bongo faded to nothing and the portal appeared. Stepping through, he had to shield his eyes from the light that momentarily blinded him before Impa appeared in the Chamber of the Sages.

Finally, he forgot about his own princess for a few moments upon seeing Princess Zelda's caretaker and learning from her that Zelda was alright. Princess Zelda was safe. He could feel his tension melt at the words, tension that he had not realized he carried. Impa's gaze struck him as critical, knowing – did she know? But if she did, she said nothing. He supposed Hyrule gossip was below her.

Upon receiving the Shadow Medallion and finding himself back in the Kakariko Graveyard, his relief dissolved as his mind turned back to the other princess. His princess.

She had been quite unhappy with him upon learning that he intended to carry on without her, to leave her behind at Thora's house while he fought the good fight. His mission, he had said, was best undertaken solo. Not only was he worried for her safety, but the distraction she could present to him. Oh… how he craved the sorts of activities that had transpired between them before he left. Part of him wanted to mount Epona and run at full speed back to her, while the other dreaded returning to find that she had run off on him, back to the Zora Domain, which he had adamantly cautioned her against after Sheik's warning.

Making his way through the graveyard, he caught and bottled the Poes that presented themselves to him. would give them to Ganristian since he liked to turn them in for money. That is, if he saw Ganristian. Link hoped the man was not dead; he owed him much for reuniting him with Ruto and now unknowingly providing them with shelter.

The world is so strange now, he thought. How dark everything was, how desolate and unyielding. At least he had one piece of the world he had known. Ruto was older, but she was relatively unchanged and not restricted to a life in the Water Temple. Lost in his thoughts, he nearly ran into the jogging man as he made his way into the village. Dodging just in time, he tripped over a very indignant cucco.

Well, at least some things are the same.

He put his cloak over himself for the rest of his journey home. He thought he should have stopped to bathe first, but he couldn't bring himself to delay seeing Ruto any longer.

When he opened the door, Ruto was leaning over Thora's chair, admiring her needlework. Ganristian was home, to Link's relief, snoozing in the chair across from the ladies. Ruto immediately ran to Link. "Oh, thank Hylia," she whispered, pulling him into a tight embrace. Thora beamed at the two. It was so nice to see a young couple in love. Ganristian was just beginning to rouse from his sleep, yawning heavily.

"Well! It's nice to see you again, young man," he said. "Our Ruto here always did say you was a good 'un."

Link made easy conversation with the man that Ruto called Uncle and learned of his whereabouts before handing him the bottled Poes, much to his thanks. An anxiousness gnawed at him, a relentless feeling of wanting to be alone with his love, something which Ruto picked up on after a while as she suggested that she and Link go for a walk together.

She had been so glad to see him return, she had forgotten about her ire from a couple of days ago. If she tried to summon it, she found that she could not. There was nothing like watching him leave and feeling uncertain about his safety and if indeed he would return. She was reminded of those lonely nights at the Zora Domain after Ganondorf invaded Hyrule Castle, wondering if Link was safe and if he thought of her after their first kiss. Now, she ached for him. The last couple of days had felt unbearable, although she had put up a contented front for Thora's sake.

They left the house and made their way through the forest in a comfortable silence, walking toward the creek.

"Is there any word of Princess Zelda?" Ruto asked after a time. She felt oddly shy.

Link cleared his throat. "Yes. She is alive and well. I think I will see her again soon."

"Oh." Ruto's heart fell. She was glad that Zelda was safe, but she felt some degree of jealousy at the thought of her reuniting with Link. "I'm glad she's well."

The Hylian looked over at her, half in amusement for she was a very different Ruto from the one he had left a few days ago. "You seem a bit subdued, Princess. What's going on?"

He noticed that a blush colored her cheeks.

He stopped in his tracks, and she mirrored his movement. Without pausing to deliberate, Link pressed her against a tree and kissed her deeply. Her blush deepened, but she kissed him back with as much hunger, pressing her body against him. To Link's disappointment, she cut it off before either of them could become too aroused.

"I missed you," she whispered. Ruto did not wait for him to say it back, for that was not her aim in telling him. "It's just so… odd." She looked down and moved away from him.

"What's odd?" He furrowed his brow and followed her.

"When I… thought of you as a young girl, and I told you about what my stone meant," she answered, deep in her thoughts. "It felt so different then. I was fond of you, more than fond, but I never obsessed about how I might feel if you… if you… went away and never came back. I thought of you a lot, but never in a way that made me feel afraid until after our kiss that day. And even that doesn't compare to now. Link, I was so afraid while you were gone. I could hardly think about anything else."

He reached for her, but she evaded his touch.

"It's even worse now that we… were together. Like that," she explained. "When we were like that, I felt so complete. But then you left so soon after we were complete, and I… oh, I don't know how to describe it, really."

Link stood still, just listening. That seemed to be what she wanted and needed at the moment. He knew he didn't entirely understand, for he had left with the knowing that she was safe with Thora, provided she did not turn willful and go to do the things he had asked her not to. For the most part, he had trusted that she would remain in safety. Finally, she looked at him. The pain in her eyes was too much, and again, he moved toward her.

This time, she let him hold her. "I'm not going to die," he promised. "I'll always come back to your side. I promised your father that I would marry you, and it is a promise that I intend to keep."

But that was the wrong thing to say. Ruto pulled back from him and avoided his gaze. "This isn't about my father. It's about you and me. Link – I want you to want to marry me. I want you to honor me, and love me, and cherish me because you want to, not because it is expected of you."

"I do want to. Ruto…"

She looked at him, and he held her gaze as he knelt before her. "I'm sorry. I never did ask you properly, but I have been thinking about it for a while now." He reached into the pocket of his trousers and brought out a ring he had found during his recent travels, a small silver ring with an emerald stone. It had reminded him of the Kokiri, and seeing as the person he'd plucked it from wouldn't need it anymore…

"Will you marry me?"

Tears glistened in her eyes as she held out a trembling hand and allowed him to slide the ring onto her finger.