A Hero's Ballad

by ArtemisPrince006

A Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild story. This will be a trilogy. The first book takes place 100 years before the start of Breath of the Wild. There will be lots of action and adventure and things will get pretty dark, however ultimately it's a story of how two unlikely people come together to overcome incomparable odds, terrible loses, and find love.

39. Because I Care About You

Somehow I managed to fall asleep that night, but not until very late. Therefore when I cracked my eyes open the next day, the sun was already high in the sky. I sat up in bed, my thoughts instantly going to Impa. Throwing the sheets to the side, I bolted from the bed and made for the exit.

"Are you going to stop her?" I paused to look behind me, finding Revali sitting at a table with... Link.

"You're here." I said, my eyes glued to Link.

"And you're finally awake." Revali retorted.

I pursed my lips and headed for the table, sitting down in the one empty chair. "What did I miss?"

Revali shrugged, "Just catching up with this knight of yours. Mipha did stop by early this morning when Link arrived. She said Impa will be fine, she just needs to rest for a day."

I breathed a sigh of relief, "That's wonderful to hear." I folded my arms on the table and rested my head on them as all the stress and worry melted from my body.

"She also saw to our injuries as well." Revali said and I noticed then that the scrapes and scratches I had sustained from the battle were all healed. I had also been given new clothes to wear as mine had been stained and torn from the battle.

"That was kind of her." I said, lifting my head up. "She didn't have to do that."

Revali scoffed, "Isn't healing her job?"

"Yes, but our injuries were only minor." I turned to Link. "How are things in Kakariko Village?"

"We chased away the remaining monsters." Link reported. "The village is safe for now, although most of the buildings have been damaged. There were quite a few fatalities and many injured. The Zora sent a group of warriors this morning to help them, including a few healers."

"They will appreciate the assistance." I said, feeling grateful for the Zora's help. A small trickle of guilt crept up inside me for having ignored the Zora for so many years. I would make it a priority to establish a good relationship with the Zora once again, like my mother had. "I will need to thank Mipha and King Dorephan."

Revali and Link looked at each other, making me frown. "What?" I asked, instantly worried something had happened to Mipha or Dorephan.

Revali exhaled, his eyes growing serious. "We received word from Akkala this morning. The attack on Kakariko Village wasn't the only one yesterday. Apparently an army of monsters assaulted the citadel as well."

My eyes widened in shock. "The citadel... Is it..."

"They managed to fight them off." Revali replied, "However Daruk requested your presence. Says there is something you need to see."

I blinked, not expecting that. "Did he say what?" Daruk wouldn't ask me to come unless it was something important.

Revali shook his head, "No."

I frowned, an uneasy feeling growing in my gut. "We should leave for Akkala soon." I looked over at Link, who merely nodded in agreement. I bit my lip, torn. "But Impa..."

"I'll see to the Sheikah girl." Revali spoke up, "You and Link," He gave Link a disdainful look, "Can go to Akkala. Based on the frequency and calibar of these attacks, I'm sure we all can infer that we are running out of time."

"You're right." I agreed, "We'll head out for Akkala tomorrow. Once done there, we'll report back to the castle. I need to start focusing on my sage training."

Revali nodded, "I'll see to it that Impa makes it back to Kakariko Village. From there I'll need to report back to the Elder. But I'll meet you back at the castle once I'm done in Rito Village."

I glanced over at Revali, surprised. "You'll join us back at the castle?"

Revali huffed, "You clearly need my skills. Especially with this one as your knight. Can't even protect you from a few monsters." Link narrowed his eyes, glaring at the Rito. Revali returned the look with an annoyed one of his own.

Despite the circumstances, I gave a little chuckle and shook my head, earning a surprised look from both of them. "Alright. We'll meet you back at Hyrule Castle." I gave a pointed look at Revali, "And I can assure you that Link is the best knight I've ever had."

Revali gave me a dull expression "Clearly you Hylians need to invest more in proper training for your knights then."

I sighed, "Is everyone clear on the plan?"

Revali and Link nodded.

A little later, after going over details and catching each other up on what happened while Link and I were parted, I went to visit Impa. She looked groggy, but at least she was awake and didn't look in pain. "Hey." I called, letting her know I was here. Impa lazily glanced over at me, her eyes half open. Walking over to her bed, I asked, "How are you?"

"I feel like I could sleep for the rest of the day." She said softly.

"Any pain?" I probed.

"Nah." Impa replied, "I'll be good to go once my body gets some rest. Mipha healed my injury. All that's left is a scar. Guess it still took a toll on me though."

I gave a slow breath out. "I can imagine. You've been through a lot. I was so worried. I wasn't sure I'd make it in time."

Impa cracked a small smile, "But you did. Never doubted you."

I frowned, "You were barely conscious throughout it all."

"Fair. But I still had faith in you." Impa closed her eyes, "So what now? Mipha mentioned the village managed to fight off the monsters, but..." Impa trailed off, not sure where to even begin. Quickly I began to relay everything that had happened; Kakariko Village was safe for now, albeit heavily damaged. Furthermore, there had also been another attack in Akkala on the citadel. Link and I would be leaving for Akkala in the morning.

"Lovely." Impa said once I was finished. "You're leaving me with the Rito."

I shook my head, although it made me feel a little better she felt well enough to joke. "It's only for a little while."

Impa rolled her eyes. "Although, he did save me. I must admit that."

"Is that so?" I said and smiled, "He saved me too."

Impa groaned. "Now we're all going to owe him."

"He definitely will hang it over our heads for a while." I agreed.

"For a while?" Impa whispered, "More like forever."

We both laughed a little at this. Talking with Impa made me feel better. I was so relieved to see her well. For a moment I was certain I would lose her. It made me even more terrified for the battle ahead.

"My father?" Impa asked, "Is he ok?"

"Yes, Link talked to him briefly after the battle." I relayed. "He only have minor injuries."

Impa sighed, "And Purah is at Central, while Jomih is in Hateno. I'm glad they weren't around for the attack." Impa frowned, "But Grallel... did you hear anything about him?" Impa asked about her fiance, clearly worried.

I shook my head, "I'm sorry Impa. I don't know."

Impa sighed and shook her head, "He's not a fighter, so I'm sure he retreated to the temple. I'm sure he's fine and helping the injured."

I reached my hand out to Impa and held her hand in mine, trying to provide some comfort. We stayed like that for several silent minutes. I prayed to Hylia that Grallel was ok. I didn't want to see Impa sad.

"And what about you and Link?" Impa's question jerked me from my thoughts.

"Link?" I asked, not expecting the topic to change so suddenly.

"Yeah." Impa said knowingly, her eyes closed, "Remember? Before he left you kind of kissed him."

I swallowed, "...Right."

Impa cracked her eyes open, "Were you hoping I'd forget?"

I bit my lip, not sure what I was hoping for. It wasn't like I had forgotten about the kiss, more like I had just been too busy and caught up in the battle against the Yiga that I didn't spare much thought about the kiss. Or what I was going to say to Link once he had returned. "No. I just don't think this is the best time to talk to him about something like that." I replied, "We all need to focus on defeating Calamity Ganon. I'll sort things out with Link eventually." Or at least I hoped we would make it that far. First I had to awaken my powers.

"I'll hold you to it." Impa said.

I sighed, "I know you will."

The next day Link and I left for Akkala. I made sure to thank Mipha and Dorephan before we left, then said goodbye to Impa and Revali. The rain had stopped yesterday, thus the trail was dry as our horses trotted along. Soon we left Zora's Domain and headed northwards to Akkala. Eventually we passed through the colossal archway leading into Akkala, the citadel appearing in the distance once we were through.

Soldiers were stationed everywhere in Akkala. Link and I were quickly recognized and several soldiers joined us, escorting us to the base of the citadel. Making out way there, I could tell a battle had been waged recently: buildings and tents were torn apart and the earth was stained with blood.

"Zelda!" I tore my eyes away from what remained of the battlefield to find my sensei waving his thick hand in my direction. Besides a black eye, he looked to be in good shape. Halting Icefire, I slid off my steed and ran to Daruk. Daruk's eyes shifted behind me and he grinned, "Glad to see your knight is back." He pointed at Link and I nodded.

"Me too." I agreed, Link joining us seconds later. My eyes turned serious then, "Daruk, what happened here?"

Daruk frowned, his hand going to scratch the top of his head. "We were attacked by a pretty large army of monsters. Bokoblins, moblins, a few wizzrobes, and a hinox. Luckily we were able to drive them away from the citadel. So the damage isn't bad."

"And what did you want to show me?" I asked.

"Right, it's up where we chased the monsters too. See, once we drove them from the citadel, we chased them up by where the mine is. That's where some of the soldiers found the stuff."

I raised an eyebrow. "Stuff?" I asked in curiosity.

"Not sure what else to call it. It's not like anything I've ever seen, but it's definitely bad. One of the soldiers touched it. Caused a nasty wound, almost like a blight."

I narrowed my eyes, intrigued, but worry was stirring inside me. "Can you show me this stuff now?"

Daruk nodded, "Yep. Follow me."

Link and I climbed back on our horses and road behind Daruk as he rolled across the land. We traveled north, passing by the mine until we reached the field next to it. The field was littered with corpses, the grass stained with dried blood.

Unrolling himself, Daruk cast a grim look on the scene. "We've been so busy tending to the wounded and the citadel we haven't had a chance to take care of the mess here." Daruk shook his head.

I crinkled my nose at the smell of rot and decay. The bodies were stiff with rigor mortis. "This way." Daruk lead us around the field of death to an outcropping of rocks to the northwest. My eyes widened in shock as the purple-pink goo came into view. I already knew what it was, having seen it in my visions and red about it in one of the books in the catacombs.

Stopping a few paces away from it, I jumped off Icefire and walked close to it, revolusion and awe filling me at the same time. The sludge-like substance appeared to be some giant organism, moving and groaning. "Malice." I whispered under my breath. I never would have imagined I'd see such a vile thing.

"Malice?" Daruk asked from behind me. I turned to look at Daruk and pointed at the substance.

"That's what this is called." I stated. "Malice. It's a creature that lives off evil and death. It can't be a good sign that its taken root here in Hyrule." My eyes flickered to Link, who was staring at the Malice, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Is there a way to get rid of it?" Daruk asked, grabbing the hilt of his giant claymore, ready to hack away at the sludge.

"From what I read, you need to defeat the core." I said. "Which is usually kept hidden or if the organism is not old enough, hasn't properly developed yet. The core is easy to identify. It looks like a giant eyeball." I recalled from the ancient text I had read.

"Well I don't see any eyeballs around here." Daruk started with a frown.

"It's probably too young." I said, "If it just formed. This wasn't here a few months ago when Link and I were in the area."

"So there is no way to get rid of it?" Daruk asked.

"For the time being, not that I know of." I answered truthfully. "But maybe if I take some samples we can do some research back at Central on it. Robbie should have some equipment I can use to take samples."

Daruk looked up at the sky as long shadows had spread over the land, signifying there wasn't much daylight left. "How about we come back tomorrow for that?' Darik suggested.

"That's a good plan." I agreed. I'd rather not get caught after dark near a place saturated in death. There was something eerie about it. Quickly the three of us headed back towards the citadel. Link and I stopped at the South Akkala Stables to lodge Icefire and Epona. I also decided to store my saddlebags there, only taking a few items with me . We returned to the citadel, where Daruk said we could spend the night. The citadel was busier than usual, with Hylian, Goron, Sheikah, and Zora soldiers stationed about.

As we approached the tall building, a guard walked over to us. "Hello, Princess." The Hylian guard bowed her head. "Daruk asked that I escort you and Link to a room. Unfortunately space is limited in the citadel, so we don't have many rooms to spare. We have a larger room near the top of the citadel that the two of you could share. If that is ok with you."

"Of course." I replied, giving an indifferent shrug. "We've shared closer quarters before." In fact we shared a bed once at the hotel in the Kara Kara Bazaar.

The guard arched her eyebrows, intrigued by my response, although she quickly tried to hide it. "Yes, this way, Princess."

It was then I realized my mistake and put a hand to my forehead. The guard hurried away, not looking to see if we were following. Link gave me a soft nudge, a small smirk on his face. I glowered at him, not appreciating the teasing look in his eyes. Quickly, I scurried after the guard, Link close behind.

We climbed up far too many stairs and by the time we reached the floor our room was on, I was winded. Although I was in decent shape and trained my body rigorously, it appeared excessive flights of stairs would always be my undoing.

"Here you go, Princess." The guard pointed at a room. "I will have someone send food up for the two of you right away."

"Thank you." I said, "That would be lovely." The guard dipped her head and was off. Once she disappeared, I turned the knob on the door and opened it, revealing a large room with elaborate furnishings. "Oh my." I said. No wonder this was one of the few rooms available. It was for the royal family for when they visited the citadel. I remembered staying in it when I was a small child with my mother and father.

"It's huge." Link said from my side.

"Mine as well make yourself comfortable." I said, sitting down on the deep blue couch in front of the fireplace. There was a small table in front of the couch, which is where I placed my backpack, which contained the few items I brought with me.

"The view is beautiful." Link said as he stared out onto the balcony, the land of Hyrule stretching out before him.

"If you want, you can go out onto the balcony. The door is over there." I pointed to the far wall.

Link looked over at me, "Do you want to join me?" His face looked hopeful, and although I was tired and wanted to lay down and enjoy a nice meal, I also hadn't been able to talk to Link alone since he returned.

I stood up and walked to the door. Seconds later, both Link and I were on the balcony, enjoying a nice breeze. The last rays of sunlight were peaking over the western Horizon, and Death Mountain glowed a deep red to the Northwest.

Tearing my eyes away from the mountain, I glanced at Link, who was leaning against the brick railing along the balcony. I took a deep inhale, not sure what to even say to him. Link had told me a little about what happened in his trials when we were in Zora's Domain with Revali. And I had caught him up on the most important things that had happened with the Yiga and the Shrine of Resurrection. Yet it felt like there was so much more to say but I had no idea what.

So instead I walked over to where Link was standing and folded my forearms on the brick railing, leaning against it as I looked over Hyrule. From this perspective, it looked so calm and serene. I never would have guessed it was on the cusp of a violent war.

Glancing over at Link, I saw him fiddling with a small charm around his neck. I had never noticed the necklace, and asked, "What is that?"

Link glanced down at the charm, which was in the shape of a teardrop. "The Keeper gave this to me." Link took the leather cord from around his neck and held it out in front of me. It was then I saw the glow of green flames flickering inside the locket. I felt a chill course through me and shivered, a strange feeling coming over me.

"The Keeper." I repeated, recalling Link's brief description of his time beneath the Lost Woods. He had fought the spirit that resided deep underground, defeating him as his final trial to unlock the Master Sword's true power.

"He was... strange." Link voiced.

"How so?" I asked, curious now. "And what is that locket?"

Link looked down at the charm. "It's a piece of the Keeper. A part of his flames."

I crinkled my brows. "A part of him?"

Link nodded, "The Keeper had green flames around him, like a lion's mane and then a tiny wisp on his tail. He gave me a part of his flames. Said it can be used to call upon him."

I blinked, surprised. "That seems helpful."

"Yeah. But you can only call upon him in the darkness. For he is a being of shadow and mystery." Link recited.

"That could still be helpful." I said again, "Besides the more allies we have the better."

"The Keeper also said we didn't have long until Calamity Ganon returns." Link frowned, "Only a few months at most."

I widened my eyes. We all had expected it, especially with how frequent these attacks were becoming. But to hear it confirmed was a different thing. It made it more real. "You should have mentioned that when we were with Revali." I said, my mind whirling, trying to calculate if we would be prepared in time.

Link shrugged, "I don't know if knowing that is actually helpful or if it will just cause panic."

I furrowed my brows. He did have a point. "Perhaps, but I still think having a timeline is helpful. It will at least give us an idea of when to be prepared."

"We've been preparing for months, Zelda." Link replied, "By now we should be mostly ready. It's just a matter of waiting."

This was also true. We had put most preparations in place. A few more months wouldn't really change much. Perhaps we'd be able to practice more battle strategies, but that would be it. Everything was in place for the war ahead. Everything else was ready... except for me. "Well it's helpful for me." I said. "It lets me know how long I have to awaken my powers. And my birthday is in about two months; I hope I can make it to the Shrine of Wisdom before it returns."

"Your birthday?" Link echoed, looking at me with wide eyes.

"Yes." I frowned, "Did you not think I had one?"

"No. I just never thought about it." He replied.

"Speaking of which, when is your birthday, Link?" I asked, curious.

Link shrugged, "It was back around when we first started our journey."

"Oh." I said, "I had no idea. You should have said something!"

Link chuckled, "I don't think you particularly cared about when my birthday was back then."

I pursed my lips... he did have a point. I wanted nothing to do with the knight back then. "Well now I do." I stated firmly. "We'll do something nice for your birthday next time."

A small smile pulled at the corners of Link's lips. "You don't have to do that, Zelda. Birthdays were never that big of a deal after I became a knight."

I narrowed my eyes at the knight and stood up straight. "Regardless, we're going to do something fun. You're im-" I cut myself off, blushing as I had almost told him he was important to me. Clearing my throat I restarted, "You're my knight. After everything you've done for me, it's the least I can do." I looked to the side, too embarrassed to look at Link. Once more I had almost slipped up. "I think I'm going to head back inside. I'm quite tired." With that I spun on my foot and made for the door. However I didn't get far as a hand latched around my wrist, stopping me.

I turned my head to see Link, his blue eyes glimmering in the fading sunlight. "Zelda." He said softly. We stared at each other, frozen for several minutes it seemed, and then Link released my hand, which fell limply back to my side. Straightening himself, Link cleared his throat, "Let's do something for your birthday too."

I had almost forgotten what we had been talking about. I blinked several times, "O-oh." I stuttered out. Looking down at the ground I said, "Well, I'm not sure if we'll be able to. Going to the Spring of Wisdom takes priority. But maybe next year we can..." I trailed off. I had no idea what things would look like a year from now.

But Link nodded, "Yes, let's do that." I smiled. It made me feel hopeful making plans for the future. It was as if perhaps once Calamity Ganon was defeated we could go on living our lives.

"It's a deal." I extended my hand towards Link and he shook it in return, sealing the deal.

As he released it, he said, "Zelda, remember when I left for the trials? I said I wanted to talk to you about something when I got back?"

I nodded my head slowly, my heart clenching. "Yes..." I replied faintly, my heart beginning to beat rapidly. After everything Link and I had been through, surely being honest with him about how I felt was a trifling thing... And I had promised Impa I'd talk to Link about this... And yet as I stood facing him, the words lodged in my throat. A wave of terror washed over me, although I had no idea why this would fill me with such fear. I had fought monsters! I had jumped into a flooding river with little disregard! I had scaled cliffsides! And yet I couldn't bring myself to have this conversation with Link.

"Link." I said before he could continue. "Would it be alright if we stopped here for tonight? I really am exhausted and I'd like to get up early tomorrow to collect samples."

Link nodded, "Yeah, it's fine." He replied in an even tone, but I could see the disappointment in his eyes. It made me feel bad. And what exactly was I going to do next time this came up? Come up with another excuse? No, I was going to have to have this conversation with Link eventually. I couldn't keep running from it.

A cold breeze whisked past us then, the last rays of sunlight finally sinking below the horizon, plummeting us into darkness. I shivered. Link's hand went to my shoulder and he motioned towards the door. "Let's head inside" He gave me his signature soft smile. "I can start a fire and make us some tea."

"That would be nice." I said, and followed Link into the room. While Link made the fire, I found a nice, fluffy blanket and sat down on the couch. My eyes went to Link, who was now placing a kettle of water over the fire. A deep longing went through me and I wished more than anything that I wasn't a princess. That I was just an ordinary girl who could like whoever she wanted and didn't have the fate of the kingdom on her shoulders.

The next morning, Link and I got up early. Breakfast was brought up to our room, just as dinner had been last night. Link made tea again and we ate our breakfast in silence as I scribbled away on a paper what I would need to get at Robbie's lab.

Once finished, we climbed all the way down to the base of the citadel, bringing all our belongings with us as I planned on leaving for the castle after I was done collecting samples. There was no point to stay here any longer, especially when I wanted to hurry back to Central and focus on my sage training.

We hurried to the stables and collected our horses, trotting at a nice pace all the way to Robbie's lab. Link and I didn't talk much on the way there. I grimaced as we passed the remains of the battlefield, the repugnant order still in the air. I hoped they cleared out this area soon. Akkala was normally a very beautiful place, but now it reflected the terrifying reality that we were at war and nothing was safe. Birds and rodents scurried about the bloody field, gnawing on corpses and picking at entrails.

Eventually we made it to Robbie's lab and I hopped off Icefire and ran into the building, wanting to make this quick. I only needed a few sample vials and some protective equipment. Link stood at the door as I searched the lab. Hurriedly I grabbed the items as I found them and shoved them into my backpack. It did not take long and we were back on our horses, traveling back down towards the battlefield where the malice was located.

We rode our horses to the edge of the battlefield, which is were we dismounted and continued on foot, as the horses seemed a little skittish, which I didn't blame them. I felt a mixture of emotions walking next to the decay and death. The smell was nauseating and if I looked at the scene to carefully, I was sure I would throw up. So instead I focused on the purple blob ahead of me.

Once we reached it, I quickly donned a pair of gloves and began to scrape some of the sludge-like substance into a vial. The substance was thick, like chuchu jelly. The malice didn't react as I tore several fragments from it, shoving the goo into vials. I stored the vials away and tucked the gloves into a bag, which I would dispose of later.

"That should suffice." I said, turning back to Link. "I can take a closer look at this specimen once back at the castle and hopefully figure out how to get rid of it." Carefully I wrapped the vials in cloth and then securely placed them in my backpack . I turned back towards Link and was about to tell him we can leave, when I froze, my eyes locked on a figure just beyond Link.

I stared in horror and disbelief, not fully sure if what I was seeing was possible. Yet I was certain that what was before me was real. I would never be able to forget such a creature after encountering the one at Mount Ploymus. It was death incarnate.

"Link." I whispered, my eyes shifting to him, only to find his gaze fixed on something behind me, beyond the malice. His face was set in a serious but neutral expression and his hand was on the hilt of his sword.

"Zelda." He replied softly, "We need to leave."

Unable to form words, I pointed behind him, finally drawing his attention to my panicked face. He whipped his head around and froze. Seconds later, he turned back to me, grabbed my shoulders, and whispered, "You need to leave. Immediately. Collect the horses and go back to the stables. I'll meet you there."

I swallowed a pit of fear in my gut... after all, I hadn't been able to do anything against the Lynel I had encountered back in Lanayru. Still I pushed my fear back, knowing it would only cloud my judgment. "And what about you?" I whispered back fiercely. I knew Link could handle himself, but I didn't want to abandon him. I had my bow on me, I could at least help this time and stay at a safe range.

Link's eyes remained serious and alert, "I'll handle them."

I narrowed my eyes at his words, "Them?"

Link's eyes shifted from my face to behind me, his lips pressed together in a grim line. Slowly I turned my head and peered over the outcropping of rocks the malice was growing on. Not too far in the distance was a familiar silhouette... another Lynel.

What were two of them doing here? Unless the decomposition and stench of death had attracted them...

Resolutely I looked back at Link and he frowned, knowing what my expression meant. "No." He said firmly.

"I'm not going to leave you to fight these two monsters by yourself." I protested, making sure to keep my voice low. "Lynels aren't like other beasts-"

"Exactly." Link cut me off, "They aren't like other monsters. That's why I need you to go. I have to focus solely on killing them."

I bit my lip in frustration. I understood why Link didn't want me around. He wouldn't be able to protect me adequately while focusing on two Lynels... and even with my archery skills, I doubted I'd be able to take one of them on by myself. "Perhaps we could sneak away?" I whispered as I scanned the area.

Although I knew that wouldn't work given the openness of the field and the proximity of the Lynels. If we tried to sneak away, one of the Lynels would surely notice; they weren't as oblivious and easily outsmarted as other monsters. And if one Lynel noticed, then the other surely would soon after. Link must have deduced the same thing as he shook his head in response.

Once more I surveyed the area, trying to come up with a plan. Link already knew what I was doing, and released the hilt of his sword to grab me by the shoulders once more, his eyes serious, but there was a pleading look to them now. "Please Zelda." He whispered, "I need you to leave."

I opened my mouth to protest, but I couldn't think of anything to say to combat his argument. Instead I closed my jaw and merely nodded, my eyes looking down. I understood he needed to focus solely on defeating the Lynels, but at the same time I felt horrible for leaving him.

Link released my shoulders, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thanks Zelda."

I bit my lip and looked up at him, his blue eyes back to their alert and serious mask, no trace of emotion. "I'd take out that one first." I said, pointing to the one that was roaming around the battlefield behind Link. "It has a blue-mane and should be weaker, thus quicker to defeat. The other one will be much harder since it's white." I advised Link, my voice hollow. Although the thought of fighting the lynels terrified me, leaving Link to fight them by himself made me feel even worse.

Link nodded, "Thanks." With that he turned away from me, drawing his sword as he stared at the lynel. I chewed my bottom lip and then began to creep away, trying to be as quiet as possible. I grabbed my bow and an arrow, just in case I needed to defend myself.

I watched as Link charged the blue-maned lynel, taking it by surprise as it was turned away from him. He quickly slashed at the creature, cutting open a long wound along its back and rear leg. The lynel whirled around, roaring in anger. It grasped the mighty sword on its back and slashed outwards at Link, who dodged it effortlessly, then countered with a flurry of strikes to its chest. The Lynel let out a fierce roar that shook the ground as Link retreated, his silver sword covered in dark crimson blood. The lynel stomped at the ground then rushed Link, cutting downwards as it ran at Link. Link lunged to the side, barely missing the blow.

The lynel didn't give him time to mount a counter though as it quickly turned and followed Link, slashing its giant sword at Link. Link didn't have time to dodge; instead he whipped out the Hylian Shield that he carried on his back, taking the brutal force head on. The sound of metal on metal echoed throughout the field and the Lynel roared in anger.

The sounds of battle hadn't gone unnoticed by the other Lynel. From my peripheral, I saw the white-maned Lynel walk closer to the area Link and the blue-maned Lynel were fighting. It stopped briefly and inspected the scene before it, trying to process if it should attack or not. After several seconds of processing, it let out an ear splitting roar and hoisted it's giant crusher from it's back, the metal gleaming.

At the same time, Link and the blue-maned Lynel were still locked in battle, Link holding his own as the Lynel pushed against the Hylian shield with the giant claymore. Growing irate, the beast reared up and smashed its front legs into the Hylian shield, pushing Link backwards from the sudden, unexpected force. Link stumbled and tripped over one of the monster corpses, falling to the ground just as both Lynels charged him.

As I watched these events unfold, I didn't even think... my body just reacted. All I saw was Link and two Lynels bearing down on him. Fear for myself disappeared, the only thought in my mind was to help Link. My feet moved of their own accord and before I knew it I was standing a few paces away from Link, in between him and the white-maned Lynel who was charging at me, the massive crusher swinging wildly over its head. Yet I remained calm, my bow raised and an arrow aimed at the vile creature.

Everything melted away: it was just Link, me, and the Lynel. I felt an odd sensation welling up in my chest, as if there was pressure building inside me. With razor-sharp focus, I kept my sights trained on the Lynel, and once it was close enough, I released my arrow. All the pressure that was inside of me came to a crescendo and then funneled from my chest into my hands.

At the same time, Link scrambled to his feet, sword in hand and swung his blade, clashing the master sword against the giant broadsword of the blue-maned Lynel.

As soon as my arrow flew from my bow, a bright white light surrounded it and the arrow twirled in the air, saturated in power. The arrow descended upon the Lynel, its brilliant glow piercing. I brought up a hand to shield my eyes from the intense glow, squinting as I watched the arrow hit its target. Then the strangest thing happened. The arrow punctured the Lynel's head and in a blast of white light, the Lynel disappeared, as if it had been completely obliterated.

I blinked in confusion, uncertain what had just transpired. Yet I knew the danger wasn't over, so I ignored it and turned to Link, grabbing another arrow, ready to assist. However Link had the situation handled, quickly darting backwards, which caused the Lynel to stumble forward. While the beast was unbalanced, Link darted to the side and sliced at the lynels front leg, completely cutting through it. The Lynel fell to the ground, roaring in hatred. Link quickly silenced it by sticking his sword clean through the Lynel's chest.

Pulling his blade free of the beast's body, Link wiped it of blood then sheathed it and put his shield on his back. His hand went to his bicep and I saw blood beginning to blossom on his shirt from an attack I hadn't noticed he had sustained. Putting my bow and arrow away, I ran to Link, ready to inspect his wound.

"Link." I called as I reached him, my hands instantly going to his bicep, ready to bandage it. But Link swatted my hands away, startling me. I glanced up at Link, my eyes wide in shock. Link's eyes bored into me, anger swirling in them. I took a step back, stunned. After spending so much time with Link, I never once saw him angry. It was deeply startling, especially since it was directed at me.

"I told you to leave." He said coolly, making me flinch.

I swallowed, not sure what to say. "I know." I replied softly.

"Do you not trust me?" He asked, his voice harsh.

I furrowed my brows, "No! Of course I do!" I exclaimed. "I just..." I shook my head. "I saw both those Lynels charging you and... I just reacted. I didn't even think! My body just moved." I looked to the side, guilt creeping up in me. "I'm sorry."

"You could have been killed, Zelda!" Link said, his voice rising.

"I know!" I said, my voice also rising. I didn't want to fight with him. I hadn't meant to upset him. I just couldn't stand the thought of him getting hurt. "But so could you! I couldn't just stand and watch while you were in danger!"

Link shook his head, "I'm your knight, Zelda. You're a Princess. It's my job to protect you, even if that means being put into dangerous situations."

I ran a hand through my hair, the urge to scream growing inside of me. His words stung. His anger stung. I knew my actions had been reckless and stupid. But I just couldn't bear the thought of Link being seriously injured or worse. The vision I received back at the Spring of Power flashed through my head once more, haunting me with the image of Link's lifeless and bloody body. Tears welled in my eyes and I blinked them back. "I don't care about that." I said, my voice raw. "I don't care about any of that. About knights. About Princesses." I closed my eyes, my hands curling into fists. "I just couldn't stand to see you hurt! I care about you so much!" The words were out of my mouth before I even realized.

I opened my eyes in shock, meeting Link's startled look too. I knew there were multiple ways to interpret what I had said... but after everything Link and I had been through, there was only one way those words could be taken. Link and I stared at each other for seconds, minutes, the words I had just uttered ringing out between us. The anger, the adrenaline rush from battle, all of it gone.

Then the fear came rushing back, hitting me full force in my chest. But this fear was different. I felt overwhelmed and didn't know how to correct my faux pas, so I ran. I spun on the balls of my feet and ran as fast as I could. I bounded over the corpses, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. My heart beat rapidly in my chest, both from sprinting and from the fear at what I had just said.

Pushing myself faster, I ran towards the horses, hoping I'd reach them before Link caught up... if he was even following me.

Ugh! I screamed inside my head, What have I done?

Emotion welled up inside me, and I craved the pain in my chest from oxygen deprivation and the strain on my leg muscles as I ran... anything to drown out the flood of emotion coursing through my veins.

And then I felt a weight on my wrist, clamping down and pulling me to a stop. I spun around, glaring at Link, already knowing it was him. But when I saw his eyes, the glare faded away, and the tears I had been so desperately holding back came pouring out.

"I'm sorry." I sobbed. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..." I repeated, not sure what was wrong with me, why I was having a complete breakdown over this.

And Link, being Link, gave me a soft, kind look. "For what?" Link murmured and with a gentle tug on my wrist, he pulled me in close to him, wrapping his arms around me in a warm and secure embrace. "I care about you too."

My arms instantly wrapped around Link, holding onto him tightly, my fingers ensnaring his blue tunic in tight fists. I placed my head in the crook of his shoulder, tears streaming from my eyes. Yet throughout it all, Link held me, rubbing my back in a soothing manner. Eventually my sobs began to quieten and I felt slightly embarrassed that I had literally just broken down like that in front of Link... although it wasn't the first time.

Link, still holding me, gave me a gentle squeeze and said, "You know, we need to stop doing this every time a Lynel shows up." I could hear the smile in his voice.

I gave a small laugh since he did have a point. I pulled away from him slightly so I could look up at him. His eyes found mine and he smiled at me, his eyes soft and kind, the anger that had been in them earlier, completely gone. "I'm sorry." I said again, my voice tight. "I didn't mean to... I just didn't want you to get badly hurt." My eyes flickered to his bicep, the cloth there stained with fresh blood.

Link sighed, "I'm sorry too, Zelda." I looked at him in surprise. "I shouldn't have reacted like that. I think I had the same mindset as you; I didn't want to see you get hurt either." Link shook his head, "But that was wrong of me. We're a team, and we should face these things together."

His words warmed my heart and I felt tears stirring in my eyes once more. Why was he so sweet and understanding? Did someone like me really deserve someone like him? I took a step back, releasing Link. Link's arms fell away from me, his warmth and safely disappearing. I brought my hands to my face wiping my puffy cheeks. "Why are you so nice to me?" I questioned, not for the first time. "I don't listen. I do reckless, irresponsible things at times. I'm far too stubborn. And I'm a Princess. And you're..."

"A knight?" Link finished, his hand coming to face to brush back a stray lock of hair that had escaped my braid. "I thought you didn't care about that?"

I brought my hands up to the top of my head, pulling at the roots. "I don't!" I said, a note of desperation in my voice. "But almost everyone else does. There's just no way..." I shook my head in dismay, "There's just no way anything could ever work out between us Link."

Link stared at me for a moment, and then he took a step towards me, one hand going to my shoulder. "There's always an easy path and a hard path. I can't say how it will end, but I'm willing to walk down this path with you, Zelda. Together." Link smiled at me, so sweet it almost broke my heart. "But only if it's what you decide too. I won't force anything on you, so take your time and think about it."

I bit my lip. After everything, I wanted nothing more than to continue my journey with Link, to stay side by side and fight whatever came our way, from Calamity Ganon to social customs. "But what if something happens? What if you get hurt? Or they revoke your knighthood?"

"Zelda, I think after what happened today, we both know we can't always protect each other from everything. But we can face whatever comes our way together, as a team."

I stared at Link, my hands falling to my side. Reaching out to him, I grasped his hand, my green orbs locked with his blue. "Then I want to do this." I answered, my heart beating frantically in my chest. "I want to do this with you."

Link's smile grew, "Are you sure?" He asked, his hand squeezing mine, his head leaning closer to mine.

I nodded, "You're worth it." I replied, knowing I wanted to do this with Link. I wanted to continue to fight side by side with him, to laugh with him, to share meals together and travel Hyrule. I wanted to share all the good times and bad times together. Because Link made me better; he saw me for who I really was and instead of shying away or judging me, he accepted me and was there to help me overcome my demons. When I had needed it the most, he was there to offer a hand, even when I didn't realize it.

I really didn't deserve someone like him.

Link leaned in, his face growing closer to mine. I closed my eyes, leaning towards him until our lips met. This kiss was different than the first. It was sweeter, soft and gentle, whereas the first one had been more forceful, filled with adrenaline. It only lasted a few seconds and then Link pulled away, but only a little. He then rested his forehead against mine. "That was for Mount Ploymus." He spoke softly.

I blushed, and took a step back. "I didn't- I... well..." I closed my lips, feeling embarrassed. Clearing my throat, I said, "I apologize for that. It was quite inappropriate of me."

Link chuckled a little, then reach back out for my hand, holding it in his. "Don't worry about it. If you hadn't kissed me then, I don't know if we'd be having this conversation now."

I smiled, "Yes, perhaps you are right." I glanced down at our hands, then back up at Link. "But what do we do now? I don't know if now is the best time to... upheaval the dichotomy of Nobility and commoners. Not with everything happening with Calamity Ganon."

Link nodded, understanding my point. "Defeating Calamity Ganon should be our main priority. We don't want to take focus away from that."

"Then until this war is over... I guess we need to keep our relationship a secret." I said, and frowned, my thoughts going to Impa, Urbosa, Revali, and Daruk. "Well mostly to ourselves. I'm pretty sure Impa would murder me in my sleep if I kept something like this from her. And Urbosa would probably figure it out."

Link nodded, "We won't make it public, but those we trust can know."

"Yes." I said, "You're family as well. If you want."

Link grinned, "You still have to meet them."

I gave a nervous laugh. I was curious to meet them, but the thought also made me a little anxious. Would they like me?

As I was lost in thought, Link glanced back at the battlefield, and then his gaze returned back to me. Link narrowed his eyes and then blinked at me several times. "Zelda." He started, "The other Lynel... it's gone... how did you...?"

I stared back at Link, only now recalling what had happened with the Lynel... the white glow and how it had vaporized the Lynel. I had been too consumed by everything else to spare it much thought. But now that Link brought it up, my eyes widened in surprise. Could it have been... My powers? Had they finally manifested?

"I'm not sure." I said, still thinking over what had happened, "When I was taking aim at the Lynel, I felt this pressure inside me and when I let it go, the pressure seemed to go to my arrow. If that makes any sense." I shook my head, "There was the white glow surrounding my arrow and it consumed the lynel... I think... that might have been..."

"Your powers." Link finished. We stood frozen staring at each other for a minute. Then Link broke out into a grin. "Zelda, you did it!"

I shook my head, still uncertain. Had they truly awoken? It didn't feel like it. "I don't know Link." I said hesitantly. "I don't feel any different."

"Can you do it again?" Link asked.

I shrugged, but grabbed my bow, ready to test it out. Notching an arrow, I took aim at a tree trunk a decent distance away, focusing - trying hard to channel whatever I had in the fight against the Lynels. Yet as the seconds ticked by, nothing happened. I didn't feel that strange feeling well up inside of me. Disappointed, I brought my bow down and sighed. "Whatever happened, is gone now."

I felt Link's hand clamp down on my shoulder, his reassuring smile comforting me. "This has to be a good sign though." Link reasoned, "Nothing like that has happened before. That had to have been your powers. Perhaps they are very close to being awakened. If it has to do with your age, you did say your birthday is approaching."

I nodded, feeling better. "Yes, that may be it. And if not, well maybe at least this might give me an idea of what I need to do."

Link frowned, "You're not fighting anymore Lynels."

I laughed, "I didn't plan on it. I'd be happy if I never saw one again. Let's go." I motioned towards the horses. "We have a long day of travel ahead of us. Let's get back to the citadel, then head for Central."

Link agreed, the two of us walking side by side as we made for the horses. As we trotted back to the citadel, I couldn't help but feel things were different now between Link and I. He was still Link, and I was still Zelda; nothing had changed there. Yet there was an openness and a shared resolve between us now. I wasn't sure what the future held for Link and I, but I was happy that I'd be able to face it with him.

Let me begin with I really enjoyed writing this chapter. This may be one of my favorite chapters to write thus far. I hope you guys all enjoy it as much as I did! I was going to publish this chapter a few days from now, but I thought you all would appreciate it now, so here it is ;) Also, I finally got caught up on editing as I know I've been behind by a few weeks. Going to try and continue with the weekly updates.

But yeah, Link and Zelda finally talked and we got some progression in their relationship. About time! And Zelda's powers... almost awakened. Not sure how much detail I want to go into right now since it will be explained eventually (as to what happened and why they didn't fully awaken). I'm not trying to keep it a secret per say; I just don't want to get too much into it since I'll explain it later.

As always, thanks so much for reading :)