"It looks like we're going to have to put our Zora armor back on, Link. We have to keep going north, and it looks like the easiest way over these cliffs is by swimming up the waterfalls. Will you please turn around?"

Link obeyed, allowing her privacy to change into the Zora armor.

He put his on after her, and he walked over to her with a confused look on his face.

"Something's been bothering me, Ari. Where did you get that fancy dress of yours?"

Zelda tried to keep her breathing even. I hadn't even thought of that. "My parents were well-off." At least it's not a lie.

"I see. Okay, I was just wondering. It just looked pretty fancy for a commoner's dress." That must be why she had so many rupees, too.

She said nothing, but Link seemed to let it go. They jumped into the water, swimming to the base of the first large waterfall together. They quickly grabbed onto each other and Link released the paraglider, landing them both safely on the next level. They repeated this with the second waterfall, and they ended up safely in a grassy field high above where they had just been.

"Zora's Domain is so beautiful from up here, Link!" Zelda exclaimed, looking back high above the village.

"Yes, it is, but it's not as beautiful as you," Link whispered, kissing her soft lips as she blushed at his words.

"Oh, Link. You're such a hopeless romantic."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Not at all," she replied, smiling at him. Oh, Goddess. I love him so much.

They held hands as they turned and walked toward the Akkala region, gazing out at the landscape around them. There were a few towers and shrines they could see in the distance.

"Ari, I was thinking it might be a good idea for me to focus on getting towers and shrines for a bit. Do you mind if we do that along the way to see Robbie?"

"I don't mind at all. I want you to be as strong as you can be, Link. Getting more Spirit Orbs and Heart Containers would be wise, and it would be nice to fill in the Sheikah slate map so we don't have to keep looking at the paper one."

Suddenly a camouflaged Lizalfos sprang out at them. Link was quick to guard Zelda with his shield, and it clanked as the Lizalfos' weapon smacked it hard. Link grabbed his Lightscale Trident, striking it multiple times from a distance until the enemy disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.

"Link! You're getting much faster with your reflexes!" Zelda exclaimed, impressed. He's learning fast!

Unfortunately, that was just the first of many Lizalfos they cut down along the way, but they destroyed each one of them without incident, along with a few scattered Moblins and several Bokoblins.

The first shrine they came to was the Dah Hesho shrine. Link quickly activated the travel gate and descended into the shrine after making sure no further enemies were nearby. He emerged several minutes later with another Spirit Orb, a Giant Ancient Core, and an Ancient Battle Axe.

"Look at this weapon I got, Ari!" He was smiling proudly, showing off his blue glowing weapon. He equipped it, then turned to her again.

"Ari, do you see that grassy island with a narrow land bridge across from us? I wonder what that is. Maybe we can check it out later, but I want to see if we can get that tower over there first." He was pointing farther away from them in the distance to the west, and below them at a lower elevation. "I can see there are a few Skywatcher Guardians around the tower, but I know we have a few more of those Ancient arrows. Think we can manage it?"

"Definitely! We'll see Robbie soon anyway, and Impa said he has more he can give us."

As they walked down the mountain and closer to the structure at the base of the tower, Zelda realized what they were looking at. While a new Sheikah Tower was in the middle of the ruined walls, she instantly knew it was Akkala Citadel, a fortress that was decimated during the Calamity. Several decayed Guardians and Guardian stalkers sat still around them, which jogged her memory. Most of the soldiers within its gates had been killed. Robbie somehow managed to escape, according to Impa, but the fates of most of those inside were grim once the corrupt Guardians made their advance. Zelda felt her heart break again at the thought of the soldiers and their families. No! I can't dwell on the past.

By the time they reached the proximity of the Akkala Citadel ruins and had defeated the many Moblins, Lizalfos, and Bokoblins guarding the area around it, it was late afternoon. They carefully tiptoed around to the side wall of the Citadel, avoiding the Skywatchers' red searchlights. They hid, waiting for the perfect moment to strike them with their Ancient arrows.

They watched as the Skywatchers circled the Citadel ruins, and Zelda aimed hers first. She got a perfect shot on the first one, destroying it immediately in midair.

"Ari, you're clearly a better shot than me, and I don't want to waste our arrows. Will you do the second one?"

"Sure, Link." She waited for the next one to circle the ruins, and she got it in her sights. She destroyed it easily.

"Excellent shot, my lady!" She jumped again at her familiar nickname, and they ran to the ruins, destroying every enemy they encountered easily together.

"Link, this place is covered in Malice! And look at the tower! The entire bottom of it is covered. How are you going to get up there?"

"Hmm…I think I may need to get creative." They walked the perimeter of the tower that was set in the midst of the ruins, looking for a way up that wasn't blocked by the putrid black ooze. They came upon a tall, thin broken wall across from the base of the tower that was close enough for him to possibly jump high enough to land above the malice.

"Something like that!" Link said, pointing to the wall. He explained his idea to Zelda.

"Link, I think that just might work. You're brilliant!"

"Thank you, although I don't think it would be a good idea for you to come up with me this time. Will you stay down here and wait for me? We killed all the enemies."

"Of course."

Link climbed up the thin wall and got himself up to the edge, then was able to paraglide to the side of the tower, landing just barely above the thick puddle of Malice that was stuck to the tall ancient Sheikah structure. He quickly made his way up the side of it, crawling around and avoiding the random scattered pools of the corrosive substance, and he finally made it to the top. Zelda saw the tower shift as Link activated it, and Link used his paraglider to join her at the bottom again with more of the map of Hyrule successfully filled in on the Sheikah slate map.

Link was feeling satisfied with himself, with more Spirit Orbs in tow and another piece of the map complete. Darkness was quickly flooding the land, and Link turned to Zelda. "Ari, do you think we should find a place to rest for the night? I was thinking we could check our house in Hateno. It might be completed enough to where we could sleep there, and I'd like to visit the Goddess statue in Hateno Village. I've built up enough Spirit Orbs to get another two Heart Containers."

"Yes, that sounds good to me, Link. Tonight is supposed to be a Blood Moon, and I don't want to be out in the wilderness if we can help it."

They instantly teleported to the shrine in Hateno Village and walked to the Goddess statue, then their house. To their surprise, it already had walls and a roof, which was enough for them to sleep under for the night, even if they had to use the travel bed.

"Hey, you two! Long time no see!" Bolson shouted from his usual place under the tree near the cooking pot. "See, what did I tell you? We'd have this looking like a house in no time!"

"That's great, Bolson! We were thinking we could sleep here for the night."

"Karson! Hudson! Get those two beds up to the bedroom, pronto!"

A third man neither Link nor Zelda recognized came from around the corner of the house. "But Bolson, I was just about to finish my last day here."

"Don't you worry that burly head of yours. You can go home as soon as you get those beds put upstairs, you stud of studwork, you!"

Hudson sighed and disappeared around the corner with Karson. The two of them carried each bed one by one into the house, and when they were finished Hudson told the rest of them goodbye and disappeared out of sight.

"There goes my best worker. I had to send him to Tarrey Town to start a new project. He'll sure be missed around here! But don't worry, I have plenty of hard workers who will continue putting the utmost care into building your house."

"I don't doubt it, Bolson. Thank you." Link shook Bolson's hand. Before he turned to leave, Bolson spoke again. "If you two ever find yourselves in the Akkala region, make sure you stop by Tarrey Town and say hi to Hudson for me."

"We were just in the Akkala region! We're going back tomorrow!"

"Great! Well, it's time for us to skedaddle. Karson!" The construction workers left Link and Zelda alone for the night.

Link prepared a somewhat fancy dinner for Zelda, and they cooked a few more meals at the cooking pot to store away in the inventory. It was nearly midnight before the two of them opened the door to their house, walking inside for the first time. It was bare and primitive, with mostly wood frames separating each of the rooms, but it would be enough for a free and safe place to stay overnight.

Zelda didn't understand why she was so nervous. Her heart was pounding as they made their way up the stairs and into the bedroom. She collapsed onto her bed, and Link stood above her, hesitating for just a moment, then did the same on his own bed. She noticed him hesitate, and against her better judgment, she looked over at him and opened her mouth to speak.

"Link…please…"

He whipped his head around to face her, and she was silent and slightly embarrassed.

"Please what, Ari?"

"Will you…stay with me…in my bed tonight?"

He took a quick breath in, wondering if he should fulfill her request. He tentatively walked toward her with pure love in his eyes and sat down next to her on the bed. Zelda slowly inched her face nearer to his and gave him a slow, passionate kiss. Her tongue found his, and they kissed for what seemed like ages before Link pushed her onto her back on the surface of the soft bed they found themselves in. They kissed for several minutes, and Link's tongue found her neck, just as it used to a century ago whenever they had the chance to be alone after they began courting. She let out a quiet moan, sending a wave of desire through Link.

"Ari…".

It wasn't her name, but she loved the sound of it escaping his lips in such a blissful tone. Goddess, help me…

Link and Zelda heard sudden, loud grunts and growls coming from outside. Link jumped up and quickly ran to the window, looking out. It was midnight, and the Blood Moon was in full effect, casting a dim, eerie red light across the region. The lifeless bodies of defeated monsters were reanimated again, and their cries and shrieks from outside the village could be heard through the thin wooden frame of their house.

"It's nothing, Link. It's just the Blood Moon. It's when defeated enemies come back, and my nightmares are the worst."

"Well, maybe I'll just have to keep you…awake all night then?" His eyes were wrought with desire for her, and she gasped at his boldness and his tone of voice that brought a shiver to her spine.

"Wh-what exactly d-did you h-have in m-mind?"

"Ari…you know I don't mean anything beyond what we've done…" He was blushing. "...I would be the luckiest man in Hyrule if you would keep your lips against mine all night."

"Oh, Link. I would love nothing more."

They kissed on Zelda's bed until they were both exhausted, finally falling into a deep sleep as they held each other on top of the bed.

Zelda didn't suffer from a single nightmare.