They sat around the round table, deep in the bowels of Hyrule Castle. Each pilot was present, the first time they were all in the same room. The princess and hero were there as well, and the air was thick with tension.

"Isn't it a bit risky to have us all here and away from the beasts?" Kadli asked, her bow and arrows at her side.

Zelda and Link glanced at each other. "What we have to say is urgent," Zelda said, "and top secret."

"Secret enough you can't trust Impa's technology?" Darlas asked.

"Only Link and I have spoken about this, and we need more opinions."

"If it's girl, feel free to name her after me," Reba said, "Oh wait, you have that tradition to name girls after yourself."

Zelda only smiled at her friend's jest. She could see Link blushing out of the corner of her eye, the dear. The whole table glanced between the two of them, and Zelda realized they didn't think Reba's joke was as obvious as it was. "With preparations ready, and the rogue Sheikah growing more bold, we were thinking of setting a date to draw the master sword, and potentially release Ganon."

"Why do you want to release Ganon any earlier than he's already coming?" Kadli asked.

Zelda didn't quite have an answer that she thought would satisfy them. It was Link's idea after all.

"We want to live," Link answered for her, "Ever since I killed that witch it's been one thing after another, and I'm tired of it. I want to live."

The pilots were all quiet for a bit.

Finally, Amphritus said, "I'm not getting any younger. I have no objection putting a date on when we finish things."

Zelda had predicted as much. The old warrior wasn't impatient, but he knew waiting too long had its own problems. That, and Link had told her he and Amphritus were something of kindred spirits.

"I have been ready since the final part of Vah Medoah was placed," Kadli said boldly.

Darlus, who'd been quiet the whole time, said, "Much like magnolia's, we must strike while the flowers are in bloom. If you believe that time is now, I trust your judgement."

It all fell onto Reba now. Which is what Zelda had also predicted. "This has to be a unanimous choice, Reba," she started, "If you have some reason to think we shouldn't, please, tell us."

She was staring at the table when she asked, "May I speak with just you?"

Zelda smiled slightly. "We can go the room over."

She stood, and Link did too. "Alone," Reba reminded.

He seemed to have stood on instinct, and sat down again.

The two women went into the other room and the door was shut behind them.

…

The table was quiet. Reba and Zelda were the only ones of them that were true friends, though that wasn't to say they didn't get along.

Darlus broke the silence. "So you know where the master sword is?"

Link knew that was top secret, only the royal family and few select others knew. And as much as he trusted the pilots, Zelda had sworn him to secrecy. Diplomatically he answered, "We will be able to proceed if Reba agrees, yes."

Darlus seemed to realize why he spoke in such a roundabout way and apologised, "You must forgive me, I've just heard it's a sight. And while I'm not one for inorganic beauty often, I thought perhaps it would change my mind. Honestly I hope Reba will agree. I'm tired of being on death mountain all the time. Once Ganon is sealed again, the monster attacks should go down, and traveling will be easier."

"While I understand patience is a virtue," Kadli started, "I also hope to finish this all soon. I was going to say something if we continued in this limbo state."

Link smiled slightly, of course she would. "You have good instincts I think."

…

Reba was pacing.

"Reba, if you're not ready you can just say so. That's fair. We are ahead of schedule."

The Gerudo shook her head.

"If you're scared, that's okay too," Zelda said. She wrapped her arms around herself. "You wouldn't be the only one."

Suddenly Reba wheeled and pointed at her. "You're not just doing this so you can get married sooner, are you?"

"...What?"

But she wasn't done. "I get it, really, but really, you should make military plans with your brains…"

"How do you know that," Zelda asked in an urgent whisper.

Reba blinked once, then smiled and laughed. "So you don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

"Well, you were having quite a bit of fun," she muttered, "At your birthday, you didn't realize the punch was alcoholic and got very drunk."

She remembered that much. She wasn't one to over indulge, but without realizing it she'd signed yes on those drinks.

"And I was the one tasked with watching you, and well, I wasn't the one you were wanting to spend time with."

"What did I tell you exactly?"

"Just that you and Link were planning on getting married after Ganon was defeated. I assumed this was what that was about. You two getting impatient"

Zelda bit her lip. She wasn't wrong, not exactly. It wasn't passion though that drove them, but a desire to start a new life, to close this chapter of sadness and bring in a new era. "We haven't spoken that plainly about it, but–"

"It's clear how much he cares for you. And while you can keep a proper exterior, it's plain to those who know you how you feel." She looked her in the eye. "So tell me that it's as a monarch, and not as a woman that you're making these decisions."

Zelda fixed her gaze. "Reba, I appreciate you for your concern, but the Hero and I are good friends and right now that's all we can be. This was not a hastily made decision, and that is why we called you all here. It was made because we found out the rogue Sheikah group is larger than we thought, and growing bolder with the power of Ganon."

"And why don't you tell them that?" Reba gestured to the closed door.

"Because if we can defeat Ganon now, it may go away with him. This is not something to shed light on yet, because I believe it would be no sunlight to a wound, it would cause panic. As of now, I am the only target, the rest of you are safe."

"And how can you know that?" Reba challenged.

It was too much to go into at that moment in time. Even Link hadn't asked, but that was probably more due to them both being busy and him trusting her almost too much.

The truth was, Zelda only knew because she was the reigning monarch, as, for better or worse, they were Sheikah secrets. While the Sheikah were more integrated with Hyrule at large than ever before, they were still slow to trust anyone, even the royal family in which they pledged themselves.

Bana had been one such Sheikah with trust issues, small in faith of the goddess Hylia, or the golden goddesses. She'd been visited by demonic spirits to try and sway her to Ganon's side and it worked. Too late, she'd formed a small faction of equally minded individuals. Too late, as the elders had caught on and were planning to capture her. Somehow, she had caught wind of this and escaped.

This was all that had been in her file, while the fact that she had a daughter was new, unverified news that Paya had found. News that it turned out to be more correct than not. As long as they kept an eye on the girl, it was unlikely that Bana would allow anyone to make a move.

And if they defeated Ganon, it was unlikely the group would do anything more considering their lord would be sealed.

But unfortunately, it was Sheikah matters, and Zelda couldn't reveal them to someone outside of the royal family, even if that person was her best friend.

"You'll have to trust me," she finally said.

Reba crossed her arms, and then let them fall to her sides. "I do trust you Zelda. I do." She sighed. "I just… this isn't how I thought any of this would go."

"Me neither."

The two friends were quiet for a bit, until Reba said, "Well, time to go tell them you convinced me."

"Oh like they could believe that," Zelda said with a smile, "But then again, could they believe I gave you reason to think my passions would over take my reasoning?"

"I was having trouble believing that myself," Reba said, "But you were talking in a way I'd never seen before, and you and him are so close now, what with your conspiring…"

"We do not conspire," she insisted.

"You two conspire often."

Zelda opened the door with a laugh and returned to the meeting. The remaining seemed to be having an impromptu paper throwing competition. Zelda shouldn't have been surprised, with people as competitive as Kadli, Link, and Amphritus in a room, along with Darlus who's special talent was creating a comfortable environment.

They all turned their heads to look at the two young women, with the silent question of 'are we getting the master sword?'

"Reba was just misunderstanding something," Zelda finally said, "I had explained something poorly to her, so really, it's my fault."

Reba waved her away, "Oh, I was jumping to conclusions."

There was a collective breath of relief.

"How long after you draw the sword should we expect more intense rumblings?" Amphritus asked.

"There's no way of knowing for sure, but to mitigate damage let's assume immediately," Zelda answered, returning to business. "We'll be sure our defences are ready, and give the command once we're already on our way."

"Right, sounds like a plan to me," Darlus said, "We'll go back to our domains, and give the signal when we're each ready."

Zelda nodded. "Exactly." She stood and raised her head. "I would like to formally thank each one of you for taking this risk, and apologise for my own lack of power."

"We're only doing our duty," Amphritus said, "And you have no reason to apologise."

"I think…" Kadli started with uncertainty, "Perhaps your lack of power was sent from the goddess as a way to bring us all together. Our united power is greater than even the greatest of your ancestors."

For the first time in a long while, Zelda felt something move in her heart. Something broke in her. Just shattered. Seeing her subtle expression change, Reba said, "I think you're right, Kadli."

"Wisdom from the mouths of babes," Darlus quipped, earning a glare from the Rito.

"I'm not a baby!" she crossed her arms and turned her head.

Zelda was holding something in the for the first time in a long time, and it was all she could do to curtsy deeply, staring hard at the table. Link, who had stood when she had, smiled. "You'll have to forgive me, but the princess was up late drafting plans, she wanted to hold this meeting as soon as you all arrived. We can discuss more later."

Considering it was nearly brunch time, and they had all been rushed into the meeting, the pilots all left easily enough. Link helped a clearly shaken Zelda to her rooms to hand over the duties to Paya. He hadn't been lying, she hadn't slept in about 24 hours. On their way there, he murmured to her, "I think Kadli's right."

She glanced at him questioningly.

"If it were just you and me, well, I'm sure we could still do it, but I feel better with help."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him close. They were in the royal quarters and it wasn't entirely proper for them to be alone, but at that moment she was starting to feel again. He didn't fight her, but didn't make any moves himself either. She grasped his shirt and pressed her forehead to his shoulder. Instinctually, he wrapped his arms around her.

"You were the only one who ever thought you were a failure," he murmured in her ear.

She felt tears prick her eyes, and the glass around her heart cracking more. Hairline fractures covering it like spiderwebs. But she couldn't break yet. Not yet.

She pulled away and when she saw the tenderness on her hero's face she knew they were playing it more dangerous than ever before. "I'm sorry," she said. It was cruel of her to give him the physical affection he wanted so carelessly, and take it back the same way. She knew that. But this was how it had to be.

He glanced around before taking her face in his hands and kissing her forehead. "No, I'm sorry." he stepped away, grinning like he'd gotten away with something big and held out his arm for her to take. "Let's get going then. I need a nap."

She took his arm and held it closer than normal. They made it to her room and Paya was waiting for her already. Without words, she gave a nod to Paya, and went to lay down. She could hear Link say something to Paya, but couldn't make it out. As she lay in her bed, she looked up to see Paya sitting on the edge of the bed.

Calmly her guard stroked her hair, and Zelda was able to fall asleep.