Nighttime had almost fallen upon them. He huffed. He was suppose to be out of the kingdom, laid up in a beach chair with a bottle of wine by his side. But instead he was babysitting two teenagers. The same frown that was placed upon her face was the same look she sported from the moment she woke up. He cracked a smile smile, rolling his eyes. That was his Zelda.

The same Zelda he watched grow up, cry and mourn her mother, become a strong, independent woman. Achieving and sometimes even overachieving. Her at sixteen was a greater Hylian than he ever was. He smiled, she walked faster than him and Link, out of range to be able to hear they're voices.

"She still doesn't like me, sir." Link blurted out loud enough for him to hear but now loud enough for her to hear. Xeri looked down at the much shorter warrior before scoffing. "Nothing I do makes her happy. She always scolded me."

"Welcome to being the Princess's appointed knight. She's usually used to traveling with me, but I guess she's just pissed that's ending soon."

"Does she have to take it out on me?" Link asked making Xeri almost laughed, nearly choking on the smoke of his cigar. "I don't know what I've done to her for her to harbor such a hatred for me."

"Well for starters, that sword you wield doesn't help. But she'll come around. Trust me, she can be a walking hell on earth but when she deeply cares about you she'll make it known. She'll do everything possibly to make it known that she cares about you. I remember the monster raid when she was thirteen. For some reason, there were no guards on lookout. So a couple Moblins and Bokoblins came stomping into castle grounds. A couple of them got they're hands on royal gear. Moblin sliced my side with a claymore. Stayed in the infirmary for about 2 weeks, she didn't leave my side within those two weeks. Whatever she needed to get done, she would and she'd be back next to me sleeping on a cot. But she was always there, trust me Link. She'll come around."

Content by his answer, Link nodded and continued to walk the path. A gust of wind swept through the area, Xeri watched the leaves on the trees dance in the wind. He seen Zelda slow down a bit before she turned to face them, the sunset sky painted her pale white skin an orangish-pinkish color. Xeri stopped with her.

"What's the hold up?" Xeri asked with a brow furred.

"We've been traveling for hours," Zelda answered. "I could use a couple minutes or so to gather myself together.

"The nearest stable is still a couple miles away." Link said as he examined the map of Hyrule. His face studied the map carefully. "Rito Village is still likely a good day away." And with that Zelda scoffed in annoyance.

"We should set up camp under this tree," She made her way to the lonesome tree in the field. Sitting under it, she looked at the two men. Guess that was the final say. Her final say.

"Link look for wood. Me and Zelda need to talk. In private." Link looked at him, Xeri nodded before Link gave a nod of his own. He quickly dispersed into the field. Xeri looked down at a very annoyed Zelda. With a hard gaze of his own, they both buried a stare into each other's soul. "You and I need to have a talk."

"About?"

"Link."

"I don't want anything to do with him," She said the last word with a hint of venom in her voice. "I do not need him for anything or will I ever need him."

"Boo hoo, cry me a river Zel. It's time to grow up." He said coldy, her head snapped looking at him as if no one ever talked to her that way. Her shocked face, turned into a frown.

"How dare you!?" She scolded standing up on both feet now, her eyes meeting his chin. "Don't you dare speak to me like that." The anger in her green orbs bored a hole into each Xeri's face. If looks could kill, he'd already be dead.

"Please child, it was me changing your dirty underwear as a child. It was me teaching you to shoot a bow and arrow. I'll take whatever tone of voice with you I choose. And if I were you I'd keep that tone to myself." He said getting closer, inching himself towards the Princess. "I know you'd love to keep all your teeth."

She stared at him with anger in her green orbs. She scoffed before looking away, then closing her eyes. "Why is it nobody listens to me?" Xeri's face turned into a grimace.

"What are you talking about?"

"Just look," She said, tears now forming in her eyes. "Look at what he has. He managed to wield The master sword with ease. I can't even harness this stupid blasted power! Don't you see? Don't you see I'm a failure Xeri? Why can't you see that?"

"Because it isn't true."

"But it is!" She raised her voice higher. "What have I accomplished in life? What achievements do I have to my name other than being the Princess of Hyrule? You just wouldn't understand." She cried a little harder. Xeri walked closer, before he brought into a hug. Her wet teary face soaked his tunic a bit, but that didn't mind. He didn't mind holding her and comforting when she felt like this.

"Zelda, I had to get arrested more times than I can count on my fingers before I could make a name for myself. You at sixteen, are a better Hylian and have accomplished more than I ever could've dreamed of." He pulled her face out of his chest, taking his thumbs he wiped the tears from her face. "You'll harness the power. You will, because I believe your better than you think you are. So many people dream of achieving what you have. Some people's kids are totally pieces of Moblin shit. But you have a fire in you Zel, I see it and so do you."

She looked at him, before a tiny sad smile spread across her face. He smiled as well, before hearing footsteps. Link had returned with the wood, enough to build a fire.

"You two get comfortable. I'll handle the fire." Xeri said. Link sat the wood on the dirt ground.

Night eventually dropped in on the trio. A fire cracked in the night, sparkles of flames went into the air creating a smoke signal. He had hoped it wouldn't attract any unwanted attention. He didn't really feel like getting into a fight. Link had sat quietly against a little log studying the map more. Zelda sitting across from him leaning against the tree, looking at her book. He felt his pocket, before realizing. No cigars.

He huffed, before remembering. He quickly sighed into his bag before pulling out a little black bag. In the bad contained a cigar wrapper, and none other than Lurelin's finest cannabis. He chuckled before opening the little baggie of weed and sniffing.

"What's that?" He looked up at Zelda, who had an eyebrow raised.

"Some of Lurelin's finest." He chuckled through the sentence. Link looked up taking notice, before his eyes widened. Xeri noticed this. "What's up kid? Something wrong?"

Link fumed and stumbled a little before he could get the sentence out. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yep."

"What's going on?" Zelda asked now agitated. She closed her book. Xeri looked at the book before reaching it and swiping it out of her grasp. "What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna roll this, then smoke it." He said nonchalantly. "And if you dunderheads didn't notice, it's weed." He began to break it into little pieces, using Zelda's book to roll it on. He looked towards Zelda, who had a dirty glare at him. "What?"

"Are you seriously going to get high right now?" She said, her voice hinted at with a little annoyance.

"Yeah. Why not?"

"We're in the middle of a field, with no protection and a fire giving away our location to any bloodthirsty monsters who could come sneak up on us and kill us." Zelda scolded.

"I'll tell you one thing about me Princess," Xeri shifted his fingers all around the cigar wrapping, rolling it, licking it and making it tight enough to smoke. "There won't be a monster that'll be able to sneak up on me." He set it down on the book before putting the leftover of what he used back into his bag. He pulled out a lighter before grabbing the blunt and lighting it.

He felt the immediate buzz vibrate his body. He took another puff of it before handing it to Link. Link looked at him as if he seen a ghost. "Well? You better take this Link."

Link hesitated before grabbing it. He kept it in between his fingers. He took a tiny hit from it before inhaling. He coughed the smoke out, before being able to regain himself. He slowly passed it back to Xeri who took another decent hit from it. He looked at Zelda, before offering it to her.

She had a face of disgust before she looked at him. "You really think I'm gonna partake with you two in smoking drugs?"

"Hylia Zelda, we're not doing cocaine. It's weed, it's harmless." He urged her to grab the blunt, she slowly did grabbing it with her thumb and pointer finger. She sniffed it before ripping her head back. She looked at him.

"Are you sure?" She asked innocently. "What if Father founds out?"

Xeri rolled his eyes. "It's completely fine Zelda. Your father isn't going to find out."

She looked at him, then looked at Link who was seemingly calm and high looking back at her. She put her lips on the blunt before taking a hit, she pulled back and coughed. Xeri had bursted into laughing. He heard Link's quiet giggled as she coughed her lungs up. She seemed annoyed when she could finally stop coughing, staring daggers into both Xeri and Link. She pointed her finger at the two warriors before staring at her finger dumbfounded. She looked at Xeri, her form was now completely staggering. She was swaying back and forth, with a goofy smile on her face.

"What was in that?"

"Nothing," Xeri answered. "Lurelin's finest, that's for sure." He passed it to Link, who took a puff of it and gave it back. "How you not coughing out smoke like the chimney right here?"

"Some of the soldiers smoke cannabis. I join here and there." Link shyly said. He could see the highness in Link's form, his eyes red and half lidded. Plus he looked relax, too relaxed.

"Not even surprised. Our soldiers get high, Hylia help us." He chuckled.

"Is it my turn?" Zelda's voice slurred a little from the weed, Xeri turned his head towards her.

"You've had more than enough, young lady." She pouted, poking her lip out before taking one last hit of the blunt and putting it out. He was completely stoned out of his mind, he needed this. After he had to hold off going to Lurelin and retiring, he had to take one last adventure with Link and Zelda to Rito Village. After that, the two would venture to the other races. He looked towards Link. "Y'know, after this little adventure to Rito Village, your officially taking my place. How ya feeling?"

Link took a couple seconds to answer. "I think I'm ready." He looked towards Zelda, who was even paying attention. But drawing in the dirt, last time she smoked weed for sure with him for sure. He turned towards Link.

"I'm glad you think you ready kid, this job isn't easy." He said. "You sure your ready?"

"Yes-" Before he could finish the sentence, Zelda practically jumped in between the two. She smiled at the two goofy, before giggling.

She turned her head to Link, before sighing and giggling. "Link," she slurred. He tensed up, eyes searching all over the place. "Why don't you ever speak to me? I think you hate me. Can you tell me about yourself?"

Link's eyes darted back to her. They darted to Xeri, in a search for help. Xeri shrugged his shoulders. Wasn't much he could do. He was stoned. It was long before Link opened his mouth.

"Where is your family?" She slurred out, but she had a serious look on her face. Hopefully that would be the high wearing off. "Where's your mother?"

"She's dead."

Xeri's heart pounded against his chest.

"After my father died in war, she became numb. She practically ceased to exist. She wouldn't speak to me, wouldn't touch me nor even look at me. It was the worst time of my life and I remember it so well. It hurt at a young age, living with a mother whose heart wasn't just shattered but broke into tiny pieces. And it couldn't be fixed. I didn't know what to do. Those four years were the worst of my life. Eventually she shipped me off to the military at a young age. I was regarded as the youngest warrior of all time. I trained non stop, and I was picked on and humiliated. There was a certain point in my life where I wanted to kill myself."

Xeri wasn't the type of person who gives out sympathy. But the kid had been through hell, no wonder why he was emotionless. He looked over at Zelda who had been a teary eyed mess. Her lip quivered and not before long she threw herself at Link, he had frozen completely solid. Before looking towards Xeri who was chuckling, he nodded towards him in a "I told you so" kind of way.

It wasn't long before Zelda unwrapped herself. "Link, I apologize for everything." She didn't sound high, she sounded completely sincere. "I see why now you are Hylian Champion."

She had continue rambling to him when he had notice something in the background. A pair of glowing dots. Purple.

"Link. Zelda. Don't move." They froze. Looking at him with surprise in there eyes. "Link. Glowing dots to your left. Don't move your head, just your eyes."

Link obliged, his blue orbs flickered to the left, they stayed there before he flicked them back to Xeri. "Is that what I think it is?"

"I don't know," He said sharply. Zelda watched as Xeri slowly loosened his sheath for his sword. He heard a tiny crunch from behind him.

"Xeri!" Zelda yelped. As fast as lighting, Xeri quickly pulled his sword from his sheath, he swiftly spun around being the sword down on a Lizalfos cutting deep into its neck. Falling limp to the ground, he turned around to heavy steps before seeing the Lynel run high speed towards him with its sword.

It swiped, stretching it's arm far enough to slide Xeri's head off. But due to his ability to dodge, he jumped back far enough for the Beast to cut nothing but hair. He began to work on offense, before swiping quickly at the Lynel's face. His sword connected, leaving a mark but not before a gigantic club smacked him in the head. He stumbled before falling over, he spun on his back before seeing it was a Bokoblin that struck him. When the fuck did monsters team up?

A flash of blue entered his vision, a single swing of the master sword and the bokoblin was struck down. Lying lifeless in the dirt, the lynel used this opportunity to backhand Link with his shield. Blocking it with a shield of his own, Xeri spotted an opening.

In a flash, he leapt forward smashing his fish into the monsters face. He had almost feel his hand break from connecting square with it's jaw. It's head snapped back for a second, before spitting out a tooth. Looking at Xeri with a dangerous look, it roared. Swing the sword down hard on Xeri, he managed to sidestep it and get out the way. But not before the Lynel used it's humongous forearm and smashed it into Xeri, sending him flying into the tree. He slid down it, he looked towards Zelda who had a look of terror. He looked at the beast before it howled in pain. It had began to jump around and gallop around. He spotted Link on it's back, slashing and stabbing away. He took the time to stand himself up, using the sword to heave himself up. He noticed a pain in his leg, a nice freshly cut from that damn lynel sword.

The Lynel had finally managed to kick Link off it's back but no before Link was able slice at its legs. It roared in pain, as Xeri rushed in to swipe at its arm. Another deathly cut came from Link as he swung the sword clean enough to slice a bit into it's neck. The Lynel began to grab it's wound with its hand. Xeri took the time to quickly slash and cut the Lynel's chest and body.

He felt himself began to tire out but not before slashing and swinging his sword around at a inhumane speed. The Lynel finally began to retreat but not before a blood curling how. It finally dropped dead, now lifelessly laying in the ground. Xeri dropped to the ground, before letting out a sigh of relief. He then began to chuckle. He sat up, before looking at Link who was exhausted as well. He turned to his left to spot Zelda with her hands up to her face.

Standing up, he walked over towards the dead Lynel. He grabbed the gigantic sword that the Lynel had wielded. "Why not reward myself after that?"

"Are you seriously acting like nothing happened?" He turned around to see Zelda looking at him with a traumatic look on her face.

"This isn't my first time fending off a Lynel."

"Really? Because for a second it seemed like it had you before Link hopped in."

"Yeah. It's called being middled aged. I'm not going to be in my prime forever. But what's bugging me is, monsters never team up and plan things out like an ambush."

"Could it be a sign of Ganon?" Link asked sheathing the master sword.

"I don't know. But it's better to get to that stable. Clearly out here ain't safe." Xeri sighed. Putting a hand to his face. "Grab your things ya'll. We got at least a mile or two before we get to that stable."