How Zelda Got Her Groove Back

by ZeldaRubix

Seven years after the events of Twilight Princess, Zelda is queen. However, she must right the wrongs of the past and help a broken hero heal. What lies ahead for the queen? She will be guided with the help of an unexpected friend. Reupload. Original upload May 2012.

8. Chapter 8

Inspirations: "This Woman's Work," by Maxwell, Lamaze breathing, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and ninpo ninjutsu: taijutsu (bare handed combat), and "Tree of Life" album by Audiomachine for the 2020 reedit.

All Orginal Shout Outs: ML, N7 Gianni, The Sorceress of Fake, Kyu-Momo, Tarooso, Jadely, Aaliyah, Jin99012 thanks for reading.

Recommended Readings:"Link's Uhh Awakening," by Jadely, "Gone in a Flash," by Blazer672, "Reunion," by N7-Gianni; "Hero of Time," by Norkix; "Scarborough Fair," by Sorceress of Fake.

Author Notes: Reuploaded 3/4/2020. Reedited 3/31/2020.

Word Count: 18,329

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Chapter 8

The predawn hours of the morning, Link

Last night was unexpected. I didn't get very much sleep considering all that happened. I swear, that Ghoma I was fighting in my dreams was real. I could still visualize her hairy spider legs and greenish sputum crawling across the ceiling of the Temple of Time. It was the nightmare I reverted back to the most because it was the first giant monster I slayed that had a connection to the Hero of Time. I didn't fear Ghoma, but her particular brand of evil was something I could never forget: her eggs... her eyes... her tail with a stinger, everything. She was an insidious creature, and though she was long dead, she was the monster that haunted me the most. That was, until last night. Last night was the first time in seven years I slept without having dreamed about her or her brethren. I woke up several times fully expecting her to appear as she always did, and saw that she didn't. That was when I knew I was healed.

No one knew I was suffering from nightmares in Ordon, except Ilia. And she only came to that knowledge when she heard me in passing one night as she was walking by my home from Ordana's Spring. I kept it to myself. The trauma of fighting was not a hero's tale, though it should have been. The people needed to understand that heroes weren't infallible. I recall when the Hero's Shade told me that suffering alone was still suffering. He told me to find the healing I needed. I did as he directed and searched for it on my own, not knowing exactly what I was looking for, until one day I just gave up. I considered a search for this 'something', 'anything' as elusive as the Hero's Shade himself. But, now... now that was no longer an issue. Little did I know my source of healing would come knocking at my door.

I couldn't rightly put into words what Zelda did for me. She literally saved my sanity. First, it was embarrassing for her to see me that way. Second, if I didn't catch myself, I could have killed her. I could have killed Queen Zelda. Imagine the shock and awe of that story in the Hyrule Historia: "Elusive Hero kills the Queen in a fit of Rage." However, instead of such an outcome, there was no ridicule, or lecturing of me on her end. Only kindness and pity. I usually rejected the latter, but I appreciated her form in helping me. Nayru's Love healed my fractured mind and I was finally able to rest easy. There was no flinches in the dark. There were no threats waking me from my sleep. There was no intense breathing with the anticipation of a kill. There was simply peace. I was free. I was truly free.

When Zelda went to bed, I woke up and stood watch for awhile. I couldn't sleep for reasons other than nightmares. I was calm, I just couldn't sleep. I watched her and the area outside the window above her bed, until I went back to just watching her once again. I thought back to when she started crying. She really showed some raw emotion yesterday. I had no idea what I was going to say was going to elicit such a reaction. She looked scared and hurt by my words. She was probably still so lonely in that huge castle with all that power and no one to love. She hadn't married yet and a part of me knew why. Her reaction was when I knew for a certainty she was hurting as deeply as I, just in her own way. She was dealing with the past and all its fallouts in the public sphere, but got vulnerable in a way she didn't expect. I hated to see her cry like that. I hated it. She could use a little of Nayru's Love herself.

Why did I ask her those things in that way? Why did I assume it would be okay to address her in that fashion?

Zelda was only Hylian after all.

Zelda...

I gave her a long once over. She looked so serene right now. Her eyes were closed, with her long lashes caressing the apple of her cheeks. Zelda's beautiful hair was sprawled across her pillow, while her breathing was deep and steady. I listened for a moment. It sounded like she was getting some much needed rest. She must have worked tirelessly throughout the night to solve one of those riddles. I saw her referencing the Book of Mudora constantly while we traveled. She was always an academic and scholar, and she looked so inquisitive as she read. I remember her always having something clever to say about a subject. She never made me feel lesser than her when she spoke. She always had the utmost respect for whatever subject she talked about. I admired that quality. It showed she was studious in her thought process, not superficial. She lit up like a lantern when she discussed subjects like alchemy or mathematics.

I remember one conversation years ago when Zelda spoke to me about the simple concept of water. She gave a literal, a figurative, and an illustrative example in how water represented life, love, and unity. She also expanded on it in terms of symbolism and spirituality, stating it as a means of purity and a birthplace of life. I never thought to think of it in such a way, but she helped me see the beauty of something that appeared so abundantly in nature. Before then, I looked at water as just water. However, afterward Zelda made me appreciate the aquatic element so much more. I recalled another time when she told me a metaphor about lying. In that particular instance, her timing seemed uncanny. I was dealing with my own personal situation regarding the subject. She said: "A baptism of truth at the lips is worth more than all the whimsical words of lying poetry Master Link." She had me thinking about that for days. I had plenty of 'baptizing' to do after that. That Triforce of Wisdom was something else.

I grinned at the thought, but then it faded a little bit. I took in a deep sigh and thought about how I could help her the way she helped me. I wasn't sure what I could do, but I wanted to do something. Perhaps I could give her a gift as a token of my appreciation. I remember her liking flowers, especially "silent princesses". They were hard to find these days, but if I came across some in the brush, I would pick some for her.

It has to be something special. Something she would appreciate.

With my thoughts in tandem, I found it exceedingly interesting that Zelda had been sent by Hylia herself. Why in the world would the Goddess of Hyrule send Zelda to do a task that all the other guardians were so against? It didn't make sense. I was convinced there was something else going on that I, and maybe even Zelda, wasn't aware of yet. I did believe that all the queen wanted to do was help me, but there was a great deal of disjointed information being given. There had to be something greater waiting for us over the horizon. This was more than looking for a mirror. This was bigger than finding Midna.

I paused at the thought of the twilight queen.

Midna...

What a woman. I couldn't lie, I missed her. I really did, but if finding her meant putting Hyrule in danger, then I would rather not search for her. It would be foolish of me to be solely interested in meeting up with the twilight queen when there was potentially so much at stake. What if my actions hurt the people? What if it brought back Ganondorf? What if some other ancient evil were released? It wasn't worth it if it meant people dying. Midna was a treasure, a jewel that would forever have a place in my heart. I loved her and would always love her. But, Hyrule was my country and the citizens were my countrymen. I would give my life to protect my fellow Hylians. Even so, if I was going to be honest with myself, I did have another big reason. And that reason was laying in her bed across from me. This was an unexpected comeuppance.

I looked away, suddenly confused with this current situation. I found myself reminiscing on the past when Zelda talked about it. I couldn't deny we had some genuinely good times. When she talked about tutoring me, I remembered that. When she talked about me learning ancient Hylian, I remembered that. When she mentioned us sliding across the mountains together, I remembered that. I remembered a great deal of things. I remember going to the Aristocrat's Ball and being by her side. I remember being her confidante when she had none. I remember riding in the fields with her when she wanted some time to talk alone. I remember it all. I remember caring about her in much the same way I cared about Midna at a time. I even loved Zelda back then. I loved her so much. However, it wasn't to be.

That's over, I told myself. It's been over, there's no sense thinking about any of that.

I paused at my recollection, then pulled my sheets back. There was no sense sitting here idly and thinking about the past. The past was the past. There was nothing I could do to change it. In the here and now, I needed to get up and get ready for the day. I was quiet about stepping past Zelda and out the door. I went immediately to the tree and checked on our clothes. They were dry, but I would collect them after I washed up. It was a beautiful morning, with the sun starting to creep above the mountains for the sunrise. There were even two mountain goats in the distance neighing nearby. I grinned at the sight of the stubborn animals. I was ready to get the day started. Afterwards, I washed up and swam back to shore to get dressed. When I went to the tree for the second time, I noticed a few of our garments were gnarled in the branches. I anticipated this being an easier activity, but it seemed I was wrong. I slid on a dark blue tunic, some undergarments, and a matching pair of pants before I got started.

"That damn east wind," I muttered.

Even so, I went about collecting everything. I had to give Zelda credit for finding as much space as she did on the two branches she utilized. I took the garments down and folded the clothes neatly. However, as I was pleating the wears on the lower branch, I noticed something I was not expecting to see. There was a handkerchief laid out neatly on the branch next to my other clothes. I stared at it for a second, knowing it was placed this way intentionally to be found.

I halted at the realization.

"So... you know I have this."

I picked up the doily and stared at it once again. I didn't want our present circumstances to end up like our last meeting before I left the castle. I didn't want there to be this contentiousness between us when this was all over. I clutched the handkerchief and placed it in my pocket for safe keeping. I was glad I hadn't lost it in the river. I was concerned about that. Afterwards, I finished up with my task and brought everything else inside. I placed the dry items by the table. Not so surprisingly, Zelda was now awake. She greeted me with a wide eyed innocent look, but I suspected she may have been watching me from the window, which meant she knew her handkerchief was now back in my possession. I didn't expect her to ask me about it, just as I was sure she didn't expect me to talk about it. I just stared at her for a moment and thanked her silently for retrieving it for me. But, I also couldn't get over how incredible she looked with her hair down. It was over to one shoulder and shined in the sunlight. My goddess, this woman was so beautiful.

She grinned at me when I entered and nodded.

"Good morning."

I returned her greeting.

"Good morning."

She glanced over at my unkempt bed.

"Did you sleep well?"

I nodded.

"I did, thanks to you."

She raised her arms and stretched.

"I told you, that was nothing," she yawned, then asked, "are you always up at the crack of dawn?"

I thought about it for a second and shrugged.

"Pretty much. Even when I wrangle the goats in my village I'm usually up this early."

She nodded again.

"I see."

There was a brief silence between us after that. There was a great deal of unspoken candor. I decided to try and quell it.

"If you want to wash up, you can use the upper river right outside. The water is standing right now, so you won't be swept in any currents. I'll wait in here so you can have some privacy."

She didn't answer right away, but her dark blue eyes were searching my face. She then grinned again.

"Thank you for being so thoughtful," she said gently.

I didn't think anything of it. It was the least I could do after what she had done to help me.

"Anytime." Her lovely eyes made me smile. "Anytime Zelda."

~SSS~

Zelda

I didn't say much regarding the handkerchief, but I was glad the hero had it back. My grandmother often told me never to make mention of what wasn't necessary, so I didn't. Anyway, with Link already up and about, I got up, bathed, and got ready for our departure. I didn't want to delay, today promised to be an important day. About twenty minutes later, the hero and I were heading out to Kakariko Gorge. From our current destination of Lake Hylia, Link informed me that the journey to the chasm would be at least a week to walk. I stared at the horizon surprised after his utterance. A week... I hadn't anticipated that. Even so, I mentally prepared myself for the long trek and the sweltering heat that we would encounter in the process. Hyrule Field could be particularly punishing when it came to its open expanses.

The sun going southeast towards the canyon was brutal. The light beamed into the earth at such an angle, that the particles bounced off each other creating thermogenic friction. It was this diffraction, or bending of light, that caused the heat and the phenomenon known as the Hylialis Borealis found at the bottom of Kakariko Gorge. Or, that was what I initially thought. With the news of there being a second Mirror of Twilight, it was quite possible, to keep its existence secret, that a piece of the mirror was hidden at the bottom of the canyon somewhere.

The subject of the Hylialis Borealis was quite an enigma. Though the phenomenon was extraordinary, it was also fairly young, with only two hundred years of historical references to its inception. The only approved data concordance was an almanac known as the Socratic Hylian. The Socratic Hylian was created by a scholarly group known as the Borealis Society. This society was set up by one of my ancestral fathers to explain its history. From the very beginning, the explanation provided was not sufficient from the view point of counter scholars. There was a fair share of suspicion regarding the discovery of its prefects. Many scholars wondered why there was only one peer reviewed journal for the phenomenon, and why there were no actual excavations to the area. Other truth seekers believed the details recorded surrounding the Borealis record were false. Even two hundred years hence, whispers of a second mirror circulated heavily in the academic world. Those searching for the 'real truth', as they called it, were either stopped or never seen from again. There was no denying the sheer amount of coincidences and misgivings surrounding the disappearances of these geologists and their findings. The disdain and distrust only deepened towards my family for such actions. Even so, after those occurrences, there were very few who challenged, or even spoke about what was presented by the Borealis Society. Even members of the royal family remained pacified or were left in the dark about some of its secrets. I should know, I was clear evidence of that. The thought of that left me unsettled.

I had no idea two mirrors had been assembled, I had only heard rumors. It was only after Hylia's divulgence that I understood there was another.

Keeping the mirror secret wasn't simply the work of some enthusiastic scholars. There had to be some other powerful procurers behind the scenes exchanging information for reasons other than a price. I was talking about possible connections to the arcane society known as the Brotherhood of Hyrule. The Brotherhood of Hyrule was founded at the beginning ages of the kingdom. At first, the brotherhood had noble intentions, with even the Hero of Sky being a member. Truth seekers everywhere came together to discuss the actual history of Hyrule. As with any country, there was the reality of truth, and the written record presented as truth. The tradition was kept orally for the sake of secrecy. As the centuries went on, there were some in the brotherhood who believed the Nohanseen bloodline was too powerful to rule. There were some who even went so far as to say the bloodline no longer had the blessing of the goddess. Those same contrarions actually pitied the plight of the evil incarnation known as Demise and his master the Moon Goddess. Those persons infiltrated and twisted the alchemical schools of the brotherhood into what they were today. Though, there was no direct evidence showing that this society was still operating. It was quite possible that the brotherhood knew of the existence of the second mirror and kept it a secret.

To be quite honest, many facets of the history of my family were hidden from me. My grandmother informed me when I was a child that the only way I was ever going to know the truth of who we truly were, was to search for it. At first, I thought her words were strange, but considering everything that was happening, I now understood what she meant. As such, it was up to me to investigate and find the truths hidden from me. This second mirror may have only been the beginning. My new hypothesis led me to believe that one of my ancestors found the mirror and had all knowledge of its existence removed from all known circulating texts.

I do remember pondering as a child when studying the subject that there was a very sudden appearance of the Hylialis Borealis without any other evidential markers surrounding it. There was no recorded cataclysm. There was no war. There was no celestial phenomena that accounted for its manifestation. There was nothing it seemed. It just appeared out of nowhere. Even when I went to question my tutors about it, they always referred me to the Borealis Society for more information. I knew I was being deferred, but even then I questioned the scholars as aptly as I could. However, my inquiries were often side stepped, or ignored altogether. I was informed that the explanation didn't need to make sense in order for it to be true. I was surprised at how audacious that response was. It never sat well with me, though I didn't bother to inquire further either. According to the Borealis scholars, the diffraction began after a particularly heavy rain that left many areas of Hyrule flooded. The water displacement was supposed to have caused a great erosion of rocks at the bottom of the canyon, allowing the minerals to shine through and thus create the light spectra.

That was it.

That was their explanation.

I should have been a little more forthcoming as a child.

It didn't end there. I did a little more digging and found that the biggest loophole in the explanation was that the light spectra actually started around the same time the first mirror was written to have been constructed. This was according to other texts. If the two mirrors were built at the same time, it was quite possible the second mirror was broken when relations between the Twilight Realm and Hyrule went sour. The shards were then displaced and hidden to keep its knowledge a secret. It was this theory I was going on in the hopes of finding the missing shard.

The Hylialis Borealis may merely be a man made counterfeit.

I never thought I would garner the same distrust for some of the institutions created by my family as the people.

A piece of the mirror must be down there... I can feel it. It has to be the catalyst reflecting the atmospheric light back to the sky creating such a beautiful effect. That's why it's so confusing down there.

At the bottom of the canyon, the radiant brilliance made it easy to get lost. People often reported temporary blindness and sensorial shock as aftereffects from traveling through the canyon. If Link and I traveled down there it was quite possible we could get lost too. There was much to consider. However, we would face that once we got there. I was amazed how one little riddle could convey so much meaning.

It had been three days since we left the shack in Lake Hylia. This was day four and it was turning out to be very true what Link had said. It was going to take a week to get to the canyon. The days were long, but we were making progress. For the trip today, I was dressed in Lydia's dark pink dress, along with my brown hooded cloak. It was important for me to cover in the sun because I was so fair skinned. Link, unfortunately, wasn't as providential. He had a cloak, but he walked the majority of the time. He insisted that he was fine, even though I knew the heat was getting to him. We had to stop at an oasis a few hours back because he was sweating profusely. I thought he was going to pass out. I watched him as he dunked his whole head in the water after drinking from it. He looked so refreshed and I couldn't ask for more than that. I was a little worried that he was taking on too much without thinking about having a break. I was glad we were able to stop for a moment.

One of these days, he's going to have to get on this horse and rest his legs. We could shave off a day and a half's travel if he would just get on Epona.

However, I knew he would shoot that idea down. His Epona seemed to mean more to him than his own well being. I admired his love for his horse, but Epona was a horse. She was a powerful animal that could easily hold two people. Perhaps he was just being considerate. Even so, I wanted to be sure Link was okay, after all, I did promise Ilia to look after him.

I looked over at him to see how he was doing.

"How are you doing down there?" I finally broke the silence.

The hero turned his head at my inquiry and shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm alright."

I glanced up at the sun. It was two hours into the afternoon. We had been traveling for ten hours already. I was surprised his hair was still damp from the oasis this morning.

"It's getting pretty intense. I think it would be in your best interest if you got on Epona and we rode a few miles for a little while."

Link grinned at my concern.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. This is nothing compared to the Gerudo Desert. Besides, Epona is much more comfortable with one rider."

I smiled at his explanation. He surely loved his mare.

"I see."

We continued on for the next mile without much talk, that was, until Link broke the silence again.

"So why Kakariko Gorge your majesty?"

I gave him an offhanded look.

He'd forgotten again. It had been happening off and on over the past few days.

"It's Zelda remember?" I corrected him.

Link turned to look at me once more and put his fist to his forehead.

"Right," he gave a sheepish grin, "I keep forgetting, sorry… Zelda."

I chuckled a little at his reluctance, but I admired his air of respect.

"Well, there's this beautiful light cadence that takes place there. I'm sure you've seen it."

Link nodded.

"The Hylialis Borealis, I actually traveled through it sometime ago."

I was surprised to hear that.

"Exactly," I felt a sudden sense of excitement, "I have a feeling a piece of the mirror is hidden down there."

Link turned to look at me again.

"Based off what my lady?"

I gave him a stern look just then.

Link pursed his lips together, forgetting once more.

"Sorry, sorry," he said quickly, "I meant Zelda."

Now I know how Hylia feels.

I went on anyway.

"Based off what I gathered in the Book of Mudora, and... a hunch."

Link glanced at me with a hint of cynicism. Guessing wasn't exactly what he had in mind.

"A hunch?" he repeated.

I nodded.

"Yes." My confidence grew. "There is only one place in Hyrule that makes any sense geographically to what we were given in the clue."

Link raised his eyebrows and turned back around to face forward.

"I suppose. What references did the Book of Mudora offer?"

My expression became thoughtful just then.

"There were some off references to symbolism and science. That was pretty much it. It seems the guardians really wanted us to use our own wits."

Link chuckled.

"That's your department Zelda. You're the one with the wisdom here."

I smiled at his comment.

"You say that with a hint of hesitancy," I joked. "Don't you have faith in my ability?"

The hero chuckled again.

"Of course I do," he admitted. "After all, you were the one up all night figuring this thing out."

I just nodded.

"True, true. I guess that attests for something."

I looked down afterwards and tightened my grip on the surcingle of the saddle. Thinking about the other night made me feel more embarrassed. It was foolish how I reacted when he told me I was beautiful. I really made more of that than I should have. We hadn't talked about it since it happened. The last few days had been peaceful, but it was apparent it was lingering in the background. I decided it was time for me to address that.

"Um... I... I wanted to apologize for my behavior the night we stayed at the shack. I realize in hindsight how ridiculous I was."

Link seemed surprise by the change in subject matter and didn't answer right away. However, he did stop Epona for a second to turn and look up at me.

"There's no need for you to do that. I should have been more sensitive to your feelings."

I looked away.

"Even so, what you said was true, and I guess... I guess I wasn't ready to hear any of it."

Link as quiet for a moment and patted Epona's mane.

"I still should have been more considerate," he said anyway. "And I hope you can forgive me for making you feel so uncomfortable."

I grinned at his concession and nodded.

"Of course I do. I hope you accept my apology as well."

He nodded in return.

"I accept it, and think nothing of it. It's the past."

I appreciated him saying that.

"Indeed I will."

Link got quiet again. He looked thoughtful, and I realized it was because he was going to change the subject in the same vein that I did, but focus more on himself.

"Since we're discussing that night. I... I too want to apologize again for scaring you like I did. I'm embarrassed and ashamed you had to see that."

His words were telling. He had been through a great deal throughout his journeys. He had nothing to be ashamed of. I smiled in an attempt to show him everything was alright.

"You don't have to be ashamed for being Hylian. Anyone who had gone through what you had gone through was bound to have some measure of effect still gripping at them. It must have been quite an ordeal."

Link didn't reply right away, then turned back around and faced forward again. He tugged on the reigns to get Epona moving.

"It was, and I want to thank you for the Nayru's Love you used on me."

I stared at the back of his head and grinned.

"You're welcome," I then added, "after all I... I did promise to look after you."

Link paused, but then turned and looked at me curiously from his side view.

"Who told you to do that?"

He probably already knew the answer. I hesitated for a minute myself, thinking maybe I shouldn't have shared that comment, but then went on ahead and told him anyway.

"Ilia."

Link was quiet for a long moment afterwards. He looked like he was reflecting, and then nodded. He didn't reply.

They are apparently very close.

I cleared my throat before I spoke again. I wanted to gain a deeper insight on his relationship with her. He always seemed downcast when he thought about Ilia.

"Do you mind if I ask you a rather personal question?"

Link didn't answer right away, but I was sure he knew what I wanted to inquire of him.

"Um..." he was debating his reply, "why?"

I shrugged.

"I just have an inquisitive mind."

He still didn't reply right away. He hesitated and was silent for what seemed like forever before he finally decided to comply with the request.

"Okay, go on ahead."

Admittedly, I was a little surprised he said yes, but I promised not to pry too much.

"I just wanted to ask you more about your friend Ilia. She cares for you a very much, doesn't she?"

Link looked away. Again, he didn't answer right away, but I could tell by his body language that this was a very sensitive subject.

"She does," he replied finally, then added quietly, "she always has."

I nodded, and absently stroked the hair of Epona's mane.

He seems so sad when he talks about her.

I decided to go on.

"She…" I wasn't sure I should ask what I wanted to ask, but did so anyway, "she's in love with you, isn't she?"

Link groaned at the question. It was apparent he did not want to discuss this. He attempted to deflect.

"Why does it matter?"

His response was gruff, but I understood it. It wasn't the norm for a man in Hyrule to just openly express his feelings. A more reserved appearance was more respected. I must have gotten under his skin, but I wasn't deterred.

I shook my head.

"It doesn't, but you have to know it isn't wrong for her to love you. You're... you're an amazing person Link."

Link then stopped Epona again and turned to look at me. He stared right into my eyes. I stared right back, and offered his stern expression a small smile.

"Please don't be upset." My voice was barely above a whisper. "She cares for you so much. How could she not?"

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"How would you know?" he snapped.

I shrugged.

"You just told me." I then looked away from his eyes. "And... and I know what it's like to love someone who doesn't love you back, it's not easy."

His breathing then quickened.

"Ilia isn't-"

I shook my head.

"I wasn't trying to make you upset, I swear. I just asked a question. I'm sorry if you feel that I pried, but please don't be angry."

There was a tense silence after that, with Link never taking his eyes off me. He looked upset, but then he seemed to calm down a bit after he rationalized my words in his head. He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. He then focused his attention on Epona so as not to look at me.

"Yes... she's in love with me," his voice had a hint of sadness, "she's always been in love with me."

That was obvious. I wanted to ease the tension somehow. I attempted to do so by trying to lighten the mood.

"Well then, I better make sure I bring you back to Ordon in one piece. I don't want her to have my head."

I hoped for a smile on his end, but it didn't seem to work. Link didn't reply. It was apparent he didn't want to talk about this any longer. I decided to let the matter go. It was obviously none of my business. Their history apparently ran a lot deeper than I had any right knowing. It was just as well. In the mean time, we continued our trek through Hyrule Field.

For the next hour or so we traveled in silence. The roads were clear and it was another mile before we caught sight of another carriage traveling north to Castle Town. The day was giving way to dusk, so it made sense that the carriage was heading to the city at this time. There was nothing unusual about the transport. However, all of a sudden, from the brush nearby in the west, another wagon came onto the same road and went rapidly approaching the other carriage.

I stared on interested.

That's odd, I wonder what that is all about.

Link too was engaged with what was going on. So much so, he raised his hand to stop Epona for a moment.

"Hmph, why is that wagon traveling so quickly?"

It was a rhetorical question. I shook my head puzzled.

"I have no idea," I said anyway.

We continued to watch as the wagon came up to the carriage's side door. Once it situated itself, the inhabitants of the wagon began seizing the occupants of the carriage. There were six men, dressed in bandages and strange garb unfamiliar to the territory. They suddenly pulled out swords and went pilfering without remorse.

The hero and I looked on stunned.

"What in the-?" Link stopped himself.

I covered my mouth and gasped.

"Dear Nayru!"

A woman's terrified screams suddenly rang through the air.

"Ahhhh!" her voice echoed from the distance.

I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. Were they really going to kill a woman and steal her goods without so much as a qualm? What happened to plain moral decency? I was immediately in fear for her life.

"Oh no! Those must be the bandits Master Rusl cautioned us about! We have to do something!"

At hearing the woman's scream, Link wasted no time and immediately mounted Epona. He wrapped his arm around my waist, securing me tight, and we quickly galloped to get to the wagon. We were traveling at full speed. I had to lower my head because of the increased wind velocity. My heart was racing. I just hoped we would make it in time before it was too late. I also knew I had to be of some use. This was a very grave situation. With Link at the reigns, I quickly opened my satchel and took out the bow and a quiver of arrows I had packed. I understood from the onset that this wasn't going to be some delicate situation. This was going to take some aggressive measures.

"Bandits cannot be coddled."

I readied an arrow and took aim. If there was one thing I knew how to do, and do well, it was shoot. It was the duty of every princess to learn and master archery. My father began teaching me at the age of four. I practiced everyday for hours and hours and years after that. This was how I helped the hero seven years ago. I planned to do so again. He was impressed by my readiness.

"I like your thinking!" he spoke over Epona's hooves. "Wait for us to get closer to get a clear shot!"

I nodded in agreement, pulling my arm back to set the recoil.

"Of course! I remember that retched Ganondorf! We worked together then and we'll work together now!"

The distance was closing as we quickly approached, when suddenly Link unharnessed himself from Epona and jumped off. He back flipped and rolled before landing on his feet. Afterwards, he quickly unsheathed his sword and took his battle stance. At seeing Link's feet set, I released an arrow prematurely, and it hit the wooden orifice of the pane of the carriage's window. It barely missed one of the men's head. Two of the bandits looked up in alarm when they heard the puncture of my projectile. They then turned and looked on in surprise when they saw Link and me in the distance. Link immediately scolded me for my slippery fingers. That move could have been disastrous.

"I want you to keep your assault from afar!" Link farther advanced. "Do not get closer until I secure the area! Understand?"

I nodded. I was not a strategist, but my men often counseled me on combat logistics every week. Even in times of peace, it was important to know what the schematics were for the kingdom. I read all of the great wartime philosophers, participated in the fight against Ganondorf, but knew battle informatics wasn't my area of expertise. I needed to follow the hero's lead.

"Right!"

I pulled on Epona's reigns to make her stationary. Afterwards, Link ran on ahead, and I readied another arrow and took aim. If anyone tried to ambush Link, I was going to take them out. As Link got closer, two of the men broke away and engaged him in a fighting formation. I could tell right away that these men weren't trained in any particular fighting style. They were merely thugs using hack and slash methods to incite intimidation, just like any unpolished brute. Link stopped his advance and waited for one of the bandits to engage him. One thing about low skilled fighters was they fought impulsively. That was to Link's advantage. And, true to form, both men raised their swords and went in to attack without any finesse. I stayed back and waited. I didn't want to disengage a controlled situation. After both men attacked, Link parried one fighter with a slash across the belly, while the other received a diagonal slice across his chest. The force from the second attack caused the tangs of both of their cheaply made blades to crack.

I couldn't believe it.

That was amazing to witness.

Wow, I took my eyes off my target for a moment.

That was quite an impressive display of skill on the hero's part. I knew he could fight. I just didn't realize he could fight so well. I had seen him take down Ganondorf, but much of what I remembered was muddled due to the aftermath. Presently, the two bandits were shocked, not realizing who they were up against. After seeing they were horribly outclassed, they took several steps back before calling out for assistance.

"We have company!" one of the men shouted to the others inside the carriage. "We could use some help out here!"

There wasn't an immediate answer, but soon another bandit on the inside poked his head out to see what all the commotion was.

"What?" he called back. "What the hell are you idiots talking about?"

However, he got the answers to his question indirectly. He looked on in surprise when he saw that it was only Link and me causing the ruckus. Showing the same over confidence as his comrades before him, he instantly jumped out and unsheathed his sword. He ridiculed his partners in the process.

"You duds are afraid of a pretty pansy and his little girlfriend?" he mocked, shaking his head. "Here let me show you how it's done!"

The other two men stepped back again and ignored the insults from the newly engaged bandit.

"This ain't no pansy!" one of them said, but then foolishly took out a dagger from his holster. "But we'll treat him like one!"

When I saw that, I immediately took aim for the man's hand and quickly released a shot. The arrow went right through his palm and he let out a scream.

"AHHH!" he yelped, then looked to me. "You bitch! I'm going to get you for that!"

I readied another arrow and took aim at him once more. He was going to have to do better than cliched threats.

"Serves you right for trying to initiate gang formation tactics! If you're going to fight, then fight with some bloody honor!"

Link then turned his head to look at me. He was not pleased with my harrowing.

"Do not take another shot unless I give the okay!" he ordered in a stern fashion. "Do you understand me? I mean it!"

I understood.

"Agreed!" I called back.

His concern was well noted. He unfortunately had the added responsibility of looking out for me while he was engaging these idiots. If I acted in a rogue fashion, it could endanger us more. Even still, I reset my recoil and took aim. There was going to be no untoward retaliation on my watch. The three men then went to attack Link again. The hero in turn countered with a running attack where he jumped in the air and landed hard into the ground. The gravitational force sent the men flying backwards and onto their bottoms. That again was an incredible display of skill. He was such a marvel to behold.

Dear Hylia! How often do I get to see a great man like this fight?

However, I realized this wasn't the time for silly admiration. The danger was far from over, especially when the rest of the men still in the carriage abruptly jumped out and went to help their company. While that was all happening, I saw smoke beginning to filter to the sky.

I looked on stunned.

What the…?

My eyes followed the aerial trail back to its roots and it was just as I feared. The carriage was on fire. These dishonorable bastards set an innocent citizen's carriage on fire. My biggest fear was for the people still inside. Without thinking, I left my post and took hold of Epona's reigns. I galloped her towards the new onset of flames to see if I could help. Link stared me down as I rode by, and I could tell he was not pleased with my presumptuous act, but he did nothing to stop me. I think he knew I had to go. I couldn't just sit idly by and do nothing.

I rode up along the other side of the carriage while the bandits were distracted by Link. I then leaned over with my body outstretched to take hold of the dangling reigns stuck underneath the now stressed out horses. The animals were stuck near a bush and still attached to the carriage. This was going to turn into a massacre if I didn't hurry. It took several attempts on my part, but I finally got a hold of the leather straps. I gripped the reigns as tight as possible and pulled back as hard as I could, forcing the horses to settle down. They neighed, but soon calmed that they were freed. I had to halt them so they wouldn't run away.

Afterwards, I turned around on Epona and hurried to open the carriage door. I had to get the people out before the flames engulfed them. The only good thing about this situation was that the fire was slow moving, which told me this carriage had more metallic elements than wooden ones. However, when I looked inside, I watched in shock as a pregnant woman, who looked about ready to give birth, was cradling the body of her other unconscious child. The smoke no doubt overwhelmed the young boy's breathing defenses and caused him to pass out. The mother also had bruising on her face like she was assaulted. The child too had a bloody lip and a bruise across his cheek. The mother was trying to revive her son.

"Reghalt!" she cried, tapping his face. "Reghalt darling please wake up!"

I wasted no time in offering my help.

"Madam, give me your hand!" I tried to reach for the woman.

The woman turned and looked at me with great fear and drew back. I could understand her distrust considering what the other men tried to do, but now wasn't the time for her to shrink back.

"Are you with the others?!" she demanded of me.

I shook my head immediately.

"No! I'm not here to hurt you!" I tried to diffuse the situation. "Please! You must come quickly! There isn't much time!"

The woman looked at my hand, then at me, then at my hand again, and in a minute decision she took it. She realized this wasn't the time for a conversation. I grabbed hold of her unconscious little boy first and secured him across Epona. I had him facing up so his airway was secured. I then stationed Epona closer so the woman could mount. Unfortunately, her protruding belly was not going to let that happen. I quickly dismounted, making sure the child was still alright, then helped the woman out of the carriage by hand. Afterwards, I immediately took hold of Epona's reigns and guided the woman along with the horse to a grassy area away from the fighting.

When we were away from the danger, the woman quickly cradled her unconscious child once she sat down on the ground. I assisted her by looking into the child's mouth. I saw that black soot was at the back of his throat. That was a dangerous sign because he may have asphyxiated. I then put my head to his chest and checked his lungs and heart. They were beating and perfusing with a slight murmur and crackle. Following the examination, I opened my satchel and pulled out a bottle of red potion. I gave it to the child, hoping the contents would restore the vitality to his pulmonary system. His mother was looking on in fear and panic. I didn't have children of my own, but I could only imagine what she was thinking.

"Reghalt!" she sobbed. "Please, please don't die on me."

I was doing some silent begging myself.

Come on little one, come on...

I finally got a sign of life.

When the boy began to cough, I was relieved. At seeing her child revived, the woman immediately took hold of her son and buried her head in his chest. She cried uncontrollably. I watched for a moment. The mother was holding onto him for dear life. I could understand her fear all too well. Losing a loved one was the worst kind of hurt.

"He's going to be okay," I reassured.

The mother nodded.

"I know that now," she sobbed, "thank you."

Now that the passengers were safely away, I turned my attention back to Link to see how he was faring. None of the men bothered to come after me, which told me the hero was handling them easily. However, as I and the pregnant woman were now on stand by, all of a sudden something strange happened. Very strange. Out of nowhere, a loud rustling took place in the bushes behind where we were situated. I immediately looked behind us and went to shield the mother and her son.

What was that...?

Naturally, I thought it was another bandit, so I readied myself by procuring my bow and arrow once more. The mother was now looking in the same direction as I. I leaned back a little to whisper to her.

"If you have to, take your child and run as far away from here as possible. I will hold them off for you."

The woman was looking at me terrified.

"What about you?"

I shook my head.

"Don't worry about me. You must think of your child and your condition."

The woman was holding her little boy tight and swallowed hard.

"Alright."

I set my recoil all the way back.

"Stay low if you can, and go on my ready."

The woman held her child tighter and nodded. I waited and watched the bushes. My eyes were open. I was ready. However, much to my surprise, a bandit didn't show his face from the foliage. A warrior dressed in skin tight dark blue ninja gear, with a large emblematic red and white eye on the breastplate of the chest, front flipped out of the brush. I was taken aback at the sudden jolt. It made me lose focus momentarily.

Who in the world is this?

I was stunned at the sight of the ninja, but I quickly got my bearings together and went back to protecting the woman and her child. The warrior staring back at us appeared to be male, was a little shorter than six feet, with dark brown bangs protruding from his bandaged face. When he turned to look at me full on, I saw he had piercing red eyes. I suddenly had an epiphany at the recognition.

"Oh my goddess!" I whispered.

This man looked exactly like the one whom Lydia described to me. Judging from his dress and manner, he was no doubt a tribe member of the long lost Sheikah people. The Sheikah were once protectors of the royal family. When the last great Sheikah guardian Impa died, there were no other tribe members who came in to fill such service. Contact with the mysterious people had been lost over the years. There was even an old saying that went 'if you wanted to find a Sheikah, then you have to pray that the Sheikah find you'. I couldn't lie, I was awestruck by his presence. There was a real live Sheikah in Hyrule. But why? How? I thought they were lost legends. At his full disclosure, the ninja made eye contact with me, then to the pregnant mother behind me. However, he didn't engage us in any way. In fact, he took two steps forward, crossed his arms over his chest, and looked beyond us to the fighting in the distance. He appeared to be watching Link and the other men fighting.

It was then he made his first utterance.

"The great hero..."

I looked at him taken aback and was aghast with fear for a moment. I raised my bow once more, but the ninja cut his eyes back to me.

"Put your weapon away," he warned. "I'll be back for you."

A chill ran down my back. He had a deep sonorous voice, as though it were other worldly almost. I didn't understand what he meant by his latter statement, but I did follow his command and lowered my bow. Something almost compelled me to. My heart was beating a mile a minute.

"What-what are you going to do now?"

The warrior stared at me for a second and didn't reply to my inquiry. He just nodded and suddenly went to go join Link.

"Look after that woman," he said before taking off.

I stared at him taken aback and didn't understand what was happening. I watched after the warrior in open disbelief. What was he going to do? In the distance, Link was handling all six bandits with relative ease. Three were already compromised and stopped fighting. The other three weren't faring too well. Was the ninja going to ambush him too, or was he going to help the hero fight? I was about to get an answer. Without any cuing from Link, the mysterious man jumped right in and began fighting alongside the hero. He immediately parried an oncoming strike.

"I'll handle this one!" the warrior said without waiting for confirmation.

Link looked at the man surprised and was obviously caught off guard at the sudden inclusion of help. However, considering the numbers and the odds, he didn't argue.

"Very well, be careful, they fight dirty!"

The ninja nodded.

"Right."

One of the men attempted a swift attack from the side on the new challenger. Unsurprisingly, the Sheikah dodged the attack and countered with an immediate arm strike. The crack was apparent and the scream that followed told all of what happened to the bandit. The hoodlum immediately grabbed his now broken limb and cowered back in pain. I looked on stunned, as the warrior was extremely fast, using skill sets and combinations with amazing accuracy. I had no idea where he came from, or if he was a true member of the Sheikah tribe, but something about him was definitely off, I just couldn't put my finger on it. However, I deferred the matter for now.

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth Zelda, as long as he helps Link.

After seeing what happened to their comrade, the two remaining bandits immediately halted their advance and took flight the other way. The injured man followed, and in a matter of minutes, the rest of the crew scuttled up and unfortunately escaped on their wagon. I was sure Link would have gone after them, but suddenly he had a new problem on his hands... the ninja. When Link attempted to step forward in pursuit of the bandits, the warrior stepped in his pathway. The ninja narrowed his red eyes at the hero and turned his attention solely onto Link now, then initiated the ninpo taijutsu, or unarmed fighting stance.

I gasped from afar at the sudden shift in events.

"Dear Hylia!" I covered my mouth.

Link stared at the man in sudden alarm as well.

"What the hell-?" the hero demanded, then stopped himself, but kept his battle stance. "What are you doing?"

The mystifying fighter didn't default from his stance.

"I just wanted to clear the area of the vermin so I could properly fight you myself, Hero of Twilight."

I couldn't believe what was now taking place.

This is madness! I looked around the immediate vicinity. Where did I put my bow?

However, when I did find it and got it reequipped I found I had another problem on my hands. The woman next to me was still cradling her son anxiously, when suddenly she gripped her protruding belly in panic.

"Ah!" she cried out in pain.

I turned to look at her surprised.

"What's the matter?"

The woman's body was suddenly trembling.

"My water just broke."

I was stunned.

Dear Farore!

"Wh-what?"

"My water broke," she repeated, "I'm going into labor!"

That was what I feared she'd just said.

"Uh… okay," I took my hood off, trying to figure out what action I should take next, "lay back."

Talk about unexpected events. I had to allay my fears and use some rational thoughts. I knew when women were in labor, several things had to be monitored: the woman's breathing, the state of the child, how much blood was lost from labor, and warning signs of shock. I quickly untied my cloak and put it underneath the woman to try and maintain a clean area to work with. I opened my satchel, wishing I had some sort of mineral oil or something. I read that saturating the womb with mineral oil could help ease the transition of birth. It would decrease the risk of skin tears and provide a small measure of comfort for the birthing mother. My throat tightened as I lifted the woman's dress and removed her undergarments to see if the baby was bulging out of the mother's womb. Fortunately, she wasn't crowning yet, but her cervix looked to be fully dilated, and the skin around the womb was thinned out with a blue tint. She was ready to go. I needed something to wrap the baby in when he or she was delivered. I took out one of Lydia's dresses and set it aside. The torn one would work just fine.

I'm sorry Lyddie, but I have no choice.

I also set aside a bottle of water and a fresh bottle of red potion. I didn't know if things were going to take a turn for the worst or not, but I had to be ready. She was going to need immediate medical attention, so getting her to Castle Town and Dr. Borville's office was a must once the baby was born.

Hylia give me strength, I closed my eyes and taking in a deep breath.

It was all a waiting game now.

Just a waiting game.

~SSS~

Link

I kept my eye on Zelda in the distance and saw that she was preoccupied with an emergent situation. Afterwards, I focused my attention back on this madman who apparently had a score to settle with me. I didn't remember him from my past journeys, but he obviously had an agenda. I stayed engaged and sheathed my sword, waiting for the warrior to engage me first. The ninja's unarmed stance wasn't the standard Hylian fighting approach I was used to. He was using an eastern method of fighting that most Sheikah were proficient in. It was exotic, but it didn't mean I didn't know how to handle it. The taijutsu, which was the name of his fighting arc. It had several techniques to it: the jujutsu, which primarily focused on throwing and striking, the judo, which focused on throwing and grappling, and akido, which focused on throwing and joint locking. This warrior's taijutsu was in the engagement of jujutsu, so his primary concern was offensive based strikes. This limited me from the kind of offense I wanted to take. I was forced into a perpetual defensive posture. Since I wasn't sure how this fighter was going to approach me, I was going to have to wait for him to initiate combat.

Are you going to engage from the left or the right?

My eye didn't waiver and eventually, the ninja struck first, aiming for my midsection. He didn't connect his attack because I caught his fist, but it didn't matter, because he was fast, too fast to be quite honest. The Sheikah took hold of my elbow and flipped me onto my back. Once I was down, he tried to stomp on my chest to push in my pulmonary vagal plexus. Fortunately, I quickly rolled out of the way before the man's foot connected. That whole series of attacks was known as the ameti wara, or fighting with an emphasis of destroying pressure points. It was actually considered a very old, generational way of fighting, since armor gave way to better defense. I realized one thing right away, this man was no amateur. He was going to come at me with everything he had. I quickly jumped back up onto my feet and reengaged my battle stance.

Now it was my turn.

The best counter for the ameki wara series was knowing where the opponent was going to strike first. I saw that the warrior was still engaged in the jujutsu fighting stance, but instead of drawing back, he was going for a forward assault aimed at the chest cavity. I knew that if I could counter this next move, I could probably put him down, or at least knock the wind out of him a little bit. The ninja struck again, aiming for my neck. I dodged it and half turned into a strike stance, which forced my elbow hard into the man's chest. The attack was followed by a loud sickening crack... that was either the breastplate or the ninja's ribs. Either way, one of the two was broken, perhaps both. The ninja flew back onto the ground and didn't get up immediately. He was breathing hard and looked up at me with furious red eyes. I didn't disengage my stance. The warrior got up slowly, but didn't initiate his taijutsu jujitsu any further. He just stared back at me. It seemed the match for him was over. I had to admit, this was strange. He was an odd fellow, because afterward he started clapping very slowly.

I gave the ninja an offhanded stare.

The warrior then narrowed his eyes at me.

"Your reputation precedes you, hero. You are truly worthy of every ounce of adulation you receive."

I didn't reply to that, trying to see if he was trying to catch me off guard.

The warrior went on.

"You and that woman, your queen in disguise. You have no idea what you're going to awaken by putting that mirror back together."

I looked at the warrior surprised. How the hell did he know who Zelda was? How did he know we were looking for the mirror?

"What are you talking about? How do you know what we're after?"

The man's gaze never faltered.

"I've known for quite some time," he said in a low voice.

I gave the man a long once over and took a step forward.

"What is going to be awakened?" I was unsure if I should trust this man's words or not. "Why are we being given all these vague warnings?"

The ninja got quiet for a moment.

"The 'Arbiter's Kiss', that's what will be awakened."

I took another step forward.

"What the hell is that?"

The ninja got quiet again.

"It's the union of the attributes. Your queen's insatiable need to reprieve you, along with her selfishness for wanting to bring two countries together who may be at the brink of war is foolish. Her haughty ambition will bring Hyrule to its everlasting end."

I looked at the man completely confused. I noticed he was being emphatic purposely.

I shook my head.

"You're not making any sense. We're attempting to go back to the Twilight Realm to request an audience with Queen Midna for a reconciliation. It's been years since there was an emissary between both realms."

The warrior didn't reply right away.

"That's what you think. I know what you're attempting to do, and you are both stupid and foolhardy for doing so!"

I didn't take kindly to that.

"You bastard! Who are you to drive insults when you're not even man enough to show your damn face?! Who are you?!"

The ninja paused again.

"I'm someone who's going to stop you if you proceed with this any further. My name is of no importance right now. Just know that if you continue with this, you will regret it."

I had no qualms.

"Is that a threat?"

The ninja scoffed.

"I make no threats," he warned. "I only make promises Hero of Twilight."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Oh really?" I challenged.

He nodded.

"Yes, really."

The ninja then took a few steps back and bowed.

"It was an honor fighting you great hero. Now I think you better tend to your queen. She's in a situation that you've no doubt dealt with before."

I looked at the man taken aback.

"What?"

The warrior didn't bother to answer my question, then pulled out a deku nut and threw it on the ground. I covered my eyes to cover the residual effects of the flash. Once the smoke cleared, the man was gone. I stared at the ground troubled with all that he said, but quickly snapped out of my daze when I remembered Zelda's plight. I hurried over to where she was and gazed on in pure shock when I saw that the woman Zelda was caring for was giving birth. My stomach churned.

Dear Farore, I think I understand all too well.

~SSS~

Zelda

I looked up at Link when he approached and gave him directions.

"Wipe the perspiration from her face!"

While Link was fighting, the woman had effaced, crowned, and was bearing down to push the baby out. Link immediately sat down on the grass next the woman's head and wiped the sweat from her forehead with part of the cloak resting on the ground.

"It's going to be alright," Link reassured. "Just keep breathing."

I looked at the hero pleased. That was exactly what she needed to hear.

"He's right madam. Just keep breathing."

Speaking of breathing, I looked over at the woman's other child. The young boy was breathing too, but his eyes were closed and he was lying nearby on the grass, unaware of what was going on. It was probably for the best considering the circumstances. I turned my attention back to his mother. The woman had her eyes closed and she took in a deep cleansing breath the way Link instructed. She tried to calm her overwhelming feelings.

"You're doing great. On my count of three we're going to push, okay?"

The woman merely nodded.

"Okay," she said breathlessly.

I nodded towards Link.

"Link you help her. If she feels helpless, you put your hands at her back and lean her forward a little bit."

Link looked at me terrified just then.

"You want me to what?"

I was frustrated, not having time for his silly hang ups about childbirth. I needed him to be focused. How in the world can this man fight so incredibly, but then wilt at the thought of a life being born?

"I need you to help her push if she can't."

Link's eyes widened.

"That's what I thought you said," he muttered, but then stationed himself behind the woman.

I ignored him for now.

"Okay, let's begin, one… two… three!"

The woman sat up a little, and then began to push.

"Uhhh!" she closed her eyes.

Link turned his face away, like most men, and looked like he was ready to vomit. I could've killed him for his immaturity.

Is he serious right now?

I had to remember my role.

"You're doing great!" I watched the canal elongate and spread open.

Soon, the top of the head was out. I tried gripping the baby, but he or she wasn't out far enough.

"I need you to push a little bit more! We're almost there!"

The woman shook her head and became overwhelmed by the sudden command.

"It feels like I'm being torn apart!" she screamed suddenly.

My heart beat faster when she said that. That meant the baby was about to come out completely.

"Link help her! Now!"

Link sat her up and leaned her forward.

"Come on you can do it! Push!" he directed the woman. "Don't worry I've got you! Just push!"

The woman squeezed her eyes shut and bore down. She pushed with all her residual strength. The rest of the baby's head then popped out. I hurried to grip the baby and pulled. Suddenly, the shoulders rotated, and the rest of the body came out with it. The baby was a girl. I turned the infant on her back and patted her gently until she cried. I looked over at Link, knowing I needed to work quickly.

"I need your knife!"

He whipped out his dagger and handed it to me. I in turn cut the umbilical chord and tied it off. I looked into it to be sure the anatomical structure was okay: two veins and one artery. It was fine. I wrapped the baby in one of Lydia's dresses and the cloak she gave me, then handed the child back to the mother. Afterwards, I turned my attention back to Link.

"We have to get her to a doctor quickly!"

The woman was holding onto her newborn, but her face was pale, and her breathing was getting shallow.

Dear Hylia! She's going into shock! We only have thirty minutes until the placenta comes out! If she's not properly cared for, she could die!

Link wasted no time picking the woman up with her newborn and hurrying towards Epona. I went and picked up her other child and unharnessed the horses still hooked up to the carriage. Fortunately, the fire smoldered on its own. I placed the child on the Gerudo Stallion and mounted it bareback. We then galloped in haste to Castle Town. When we arrived, Link and I hurried down and through the alleyways of south Castle Town to the doctor's office. The streets were still full of people though many of the vendors were starting to close. Link pounded on the door, and when the doctor answered he looked indignant, but when he saw Link carrying the woman and her newborn baby he quickly changed his disposition.

"Come in immediately!" He pointed to an empty bed, then called for some more assistance. "Nurse, come in here and take care of this newborn!"

Another woman immediately came from behind the curtain and went to help Link. The hero placed the mother onto the bed gently. The woman gripped her newborn daughter anxiously, until she was temporarily released in the nurse's care. The hero then went with the nurse to assist with the baby. The woman was beginning to shiver uncontrollably. I then came into the room and placed her sleeping son in the bed next to her. The boy was still very somnolent, but arousable. However, when the doctor caught sight of my face, his eyes widened stunned. I hadn't even realized I was walking through uncloaked.

"My goddess!" he whispered shocked. "Your majesty!"

I froze, but then took several steps back at his recognition. I didn't know how to proceed after that. Since he recognized me so readily, then no doubt his other medical staff would recognize me as well.

The doctor's gaze never faltered.

"My lady, are you alright? You're covered in blood."

I was dumbfounded, not knowing what to say, and with my hood gone, my cover was blown. Even so, the doctor should have known why I was covered in blood. Could he not see the patient now in his care? This was ridiculous.

"I... I..."

The woman I helped then looked my way stunned.

"What do you mean 'your majesty'? Good heavens, you're the queen?"

I finally shook my head.

"You are mistaken. You are both mistaken."

The doctor shook his head.

"I think not."

I was trying not to get upset, but he was making that impossible.

"Will you please do your duty and tend to your patient! This is completely inappropriate when this woman and her family needs your help!"

The doctor narrowed his eyes slightly, not wanting to take this too much further because of the extra ears. However, the doctor's suspicions only deepened.

"What happened?"

I was so frustrated. Why was he asking me? Why wasn't he asking his patient? It was then I turned from looking at him. I knew it was an auspicious thing to do, but I panicked and was taken aback by his questions. I hadn't thought about my unhooded flight through Castle Town. I was just interested in this woman's safety. My cloak was bundled around her new baby. Even with my unkempt hair, slightly smudged and blood stained appearance, I was still fully recognizable. A moment later, Link reentered the room. The hero saw that we were all quiet. Realizing all too well what was going on here, he stepped in. He walked over to me first.

"I'll handle this," he whispered in my ear.

I closed my eyes and stepped away from the main area.

"Thank you," I whispered back.

The doctor cut his suspicious gaze from me and gave an even more poignant one to Link. I think I understood his look completely.

"Master Link...? It's... it's been years."

The woman was surprised again.

"Master Link? You mean, you're the hero?"

Link looked down at her and paused for a moment. Finally, he nodded, not stating much else. He then turned his attention back to the doctor. The hero understood the disbelief all too well.

"It has been," he replied finally to the doctor, "but we're going to have to catch up later. I need to tell you about this woman."

The doctor looked from him to me again. I knew why he was doing that.

"Why is her majesty-?" the doctor tried.

"That woman is not the queen," the hero interrupted.

The doctor bucked his head back.

"Do you really expect me to believe that? Why it is clear as day-"

"-that you are wrong. She is not her majesty."

The doctor narrowed his eyes.

"I-"

"She's my wife."

I stared at the wall in utter disbelief at the rebuttal. I couldn't believe he just said that. I was stunned.

His wife?

The physician gave him an incredulous look.

"Your wife?"

Link did not want to take this conversation any further.

"Yes," he confirmed more sternly, "my wife."

Dr. Borville didn't believe a word of it.

"Do you take me for a fool? There has never been such a look-a-like in all the land."

The hero went to correct him.

"That is where you are wrong. Such women do exist."

"Oh really?" the doctor challenged. "And when did you get married?"

This was starting to get out of hand.

"Very recently."

Dr. Borville didn't let up.

"Preposterous! There would have been great fanfare regarding your wedding great hero. The gossip mavens would have found out about it before you could even mail off your invitations. How did you manage to keep it a secret?"

Link was quiet for a moment.

"It was easy, I chose not to tell anybody."

The doctor too paused.

"What is your wife's name?"

Link was losing his patience.

"That's none of your concern."

I then turned back around to help him.

"My name is Elga."

The doctor cut his eyes to me.

"Elga of where?"

I paused when my heart began to beat faster.

"Elga of Dragon Ire," I fibbed. "I live in a province on the outskirts of Dragon Roost. That was where I met the hero."

Dr. Borville showed his open distrust.

"Interesting because I know all the families from Dragon Ire," he said. "I never met a family with a daughter named Elga, and I would have remembered if she had a face like yours."

I took a step back nervously, and then turned back around. I had done more harm than good.

Dear goddesses...

The hero was getting frustrated.

"Perhaps you should focus on why we are here. You have a patient in need of your care. Your bedside manner is slipping. I expected more from you."

Dr. Borville got quiet for a moment, but didn't seem to care that he had been called out as a charlatan.

"Hmph, well, there are simple ways to negate this issue. There is the marriage registry. Your names will be logged there. After all it is a matter of public record now. Congratulations on finding your look-a-like to her majesty. She's very beautiful."

Link didn't have much to say to veiled threats. The unspoken tension here was very telling, very.

"Do what you must, and yes, my dearest Elga is. She is very beautiful." He then changed the subject back to why we were here. "Anyway, this woman and her child were traveling here to Castle Town, when they were suddenly ambushed by some bandits. The bandits tried to rob the woman and set her carriage on fire. Her body was so overwhelmed by the incident, that she went into early labor. My…" he looked back at me, "my wife helped her with the birth of the baby."

I didn't turn to face them again. I was too shaken.

"The placenta was not delivered yet," Link went on, with surprising knowledge about the last stage of labor. "She's showing signs of shock with her weak pulse and cold limbs. I didn't check her belly for early signs of reverse involution." The hero then turned to me again. "Did you see any… uh… dear?"

It was useless.

We weren't convincing at all. Even so, the condition he was speaking on was when blood was hemorrhaging in the uterus. It was impressive that Link knew so much about child birth. It was like listening to a doctor, or a midwife.

"Uh… no."

Link gave his attention back to the doctor.

"That's all we know before we brought her here. If you need her health history, you need to ask her those questions yourself."

The doctor paused when the explanation was over.

"Thank you, you've been most helpful," the doctor then glanced back over at me.

Link then got in the doctor's line of sight of me. This was deplorable. His behavior was a disgrace. I couldn't wait to leave. However, the doctor addressed Link again.

"Do you and your… wife want to wash up before you head out?" he asked all of a sudden.

I had no desire to do such a thing. I turned immediately and answered before Link could.

"No!"

My actions precipitated everyone in the room to look at me, even the patient.

I was beyond embarrassed.

That was foolish of me.

"No, we'll go to an inn for that."

My tone was calmer the second time, but the damage had been done. Link hid his frustration with me, but slowly shook his head. I was only making matters worse.

He probably thinks I'm a fool.

The doctor narrowed his eyes, completely confident with his thoughts now. He probably knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was the queen.

"Very well my lady," the doctor said purposely, then added, "oops, I'm sorry I meant miss."

My throat tightened when I heard him intentionally call me out. I had nothing more to say to him. I turned my attention back to the hero.

"Darling... can we leave?"

Link saw my stress and his features softened with empathy. He knew I wasn't good in situations like this. The hero merely nodded, then came up and guided me to the entrance. Afterwards, we left. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Outside the doctor's office I closed my eyes and nearly stumbled over my own feet. Link had to catch me.

"Are you alright?"

I ignored his inquiry and fidgeted with my fingers in apprehension. Things were only going to get worse from here.

"He knows," I said more to myself than to Link. "He knows, and he's going to tell everyone I'm not in Dragon Roost with Elbourne."

Link stared at me concerned.

"You have to remain calm in situations like that. We would've been fine if you weren't so jumpy. He would've eventually believed you were merely a look-a-like."

I looked down, knowing he was right.

"I know and I'm sorry, but he already guessed who I was."

Link led me over to a corner of the street to afford us more privacy from the open alleyway entrance. He put his hands on my shoulders, trying to calm me down.

"Put it out of your mind for now. Nothing good will come of dwelling over it. We'll find an inn for the night and continue to the gorge tomorrow. We're going to have to buy some new wares, and you need a new cloak. You will be recognized by everyone in your unhooded state."

I still avoided his eyes, feeling like the wasted day was my fault.

"I'm sorry," I apologized again. "We would be halfway to the gorge by now."

Link's disposition softened more when he realized I was blaming myself for what happened today. He lifted my chin up to look into my eyes. I was grateful we were alone in the alley.

"It's okay, you did really well. You saved that woman and her children's lives. If you hadn't been there, she would have died. And I don't see how you can blame yourself when those bandits sidetracked us."

I pursed my lips together and tried to smile at his kind words. I thought it was very considerate of him to try and help me see the good of what I was doing, though I couldn't see it myself. He returned my smile and caressed my cheek. I looked up at him surprised, but then noticed a couple guards looking our way as they were doing their perimeter checks. At the sight of them, I started to panic again.

"We're being watched," I whispered.

Link's back was to the entrance. He put his hood over his head and then stood in front of me.

"By who?"

I looked up at him.

"Two guards quickly approaching this way."

Link listened for their footsteps.

"Do they look like they are going to turn this way?"

I glanced over his shoulder.

"They're getting closer. They're looking right at us."

Link quickly took action and suddenly walked me backwards against the adjacent wall. I looked at him shocked. His arms then went around my waist.

"What are you doing?" I whispered panicked.

He stared into my eyes and drew in closer.

"Forgive me," was all he said.

Then without waiting for a cue from me, he pressed his lips against mine. I froze, and I noticed his eyes were still opened. My breathing increased from nervousness, but he quieted me.

"Shhhh," he shushed against my lips.

I tried to calm down, but I was too nervous. The guards were walking into the alley now. Suddenly, Link went from mere lip smashing to full on kissing me. I couldn't believe it. I was stunned, but that didn't negate me from moving my mouth in response to his. I forgot how good he was at this. He kissed me deeper when the guards got closer, which surprised me. The guards were actually walking towards us when they saw us huddled in the corner. Link then brushed his mouth against my ear.

"I'm going to hoist you up and I want you to wrap your legs around my waist."

I wasn't certain that was a good idea.

"You want me to what?"

He didn't repeat himself, and suddenly he lifted me in his arms. He guided my legs around him.

"You have to be convincing," he whispered in my ear. "Hold me tight."

My heart was pounding.

"But there's blood on my clothes."

"So what, there's blood on my clothes too. Just do it!"

There was a hint of impatience in his voice, but I couldn't protest it, because he immediately started kissing me again when the guards got closer. He was right up against me. My legs were around him and I hugged myself closer to him the way he mandated. I kissed him back with the same ardency he was showing me. I hoped this was convincing enough. The guards were looking right at us now.

"Hey, what are you two doing?" the first one asked.

However, the other wasn't too concerned.

"It's just a couple getting their jollies in a corner," he interceded. "Leave them be. I thought it was something more serious."

However, the other wasn't so quick to leave.

"Still, this is ridiculous," he said, then he shouted at us. "Get a damn room. Do you want to be arrested for lewd behavior?"

Taking this opportunity to deflect, Link paused for a moment. He stared into my eyes, warning me not to say a word with a look. I understood. He didn't turn his head when he spoke.

"Sorry officers, we're newly weds. Just got a little frisky with the miss's."

The more relaxed guard snickered, while the other guard groaned.

"To be young again."

"Damn kids. Whatever, just be gone before we make our next round."

Link nodded.

"Yes sir."

Surprisingly, the hero reached in and kissed me again. Seeing there was no danger, the two guards left. Soon their footsteps could be heard outside in the main alley once more. But... Link and I were still kissing. I couldn't lie, suddenly this felt like more than just acting as a decoy. Our breaths got in sync, and, for a moment, it felt like old times. I held onto him tighter, never wanting to release him. But soon the hero pulled away, realizing he had no justifiable reason to keep doing what he was doing. He released me from his hold and placed me back down on the ground. Admittedly, I was disappointed the decoy was over.

"They're gone," he whispered.

I was trying to catch my breath, still taken aback with what just happened. I stared at him stunned and swallowed hard. He saw my discomfiture and went to reassure me.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I was just thinking quickly."

I shook my head.

"Please don't apologize," I whispered back, "it's okay."

He nodded and stared into my eyes again. He caressed my cheek once more, and let his touch linger.

"We better go. I want you to wait for me outside the south gate entrance. I'll find a room, buy you some things, and then come and get you, okay?"

I was surprised he was taking charge so easily, but I was okay with that.

"Alright." I did not argue with one recommendation.

I couldn't traverse Castle Town the way he could. We finally left the doctor's office and exited back out the south gate. Link allowed me to use his cloak in the meantime, while he scoured the city. I waited for the hero outside the gate like he instructed me to. He was back to get me within an hour. Considering all he had to do, that was rather quick. He certainly was resourceful with his time.

"Here." He handed me a new dark brown cloak. "I got us a room at the inn near the castle."

I nodded, wishing we weren't so close to the tektite's den, my home, but it was what it was. I gave him back his cloak, but he didn't put it on. He took me by the hand and guided me back into Castle Town. We were discreet in the streets, but it was difficult traveling with Link because of his recognizable face. Since he hadn't been in Castle Town for some time, he was getting stopped quite frequently. After all, he was the Hero of Twilight and Light. He was greeted by vendors and patrons, servant workers and shoe shiners, painters and builders, along with cooks and tailors. Link was a very popular man. However, I was also surprised by how many women were stopping him. In fact, there seemed to be more women stopping him than men... not that I was observing too much. But seriously, it seemed like every beautiful maiden stopped to greet him.

"Master Link!" one pretty blonde girl said surprised as we walked by. "It's been ages! When are you going to visit the tavern again?"

By the tavern, I'm guessing the young lady meant "Hylia's Tavern". I looked up at the marquee and it seemed like a place a single young man would pass his time. There were beautiful servant wenches everywhere inside. I raised a brow about how often he and Bastion may have went there.

It wouldn't surprise me at all.

It was probably awkward for him to talk with me around, but Link managed.

"I'm not sure."

She smiled a radiant smile.

"Well, how about today?"

Link paused for a moment.

"I... I can't. I'm here on business."

She seemed sincerely disappointed at hearing that.

"Oh... that's too bad." She batted her big brown eyes. "I was hoping I could buy you a drink."

I didn't want to come off as insolent, but I wish she would flirt later. I really wanted to get to the inn. I rolled my eyes and groaned softly. Link obviously heard my audible displeasure and decided to cut the conversation short.

"Maybe some other time."

The blonde then noticed me behind Link and finally realized I was with him. She smiled, but then shot her eyes to me.

"I'll be sure to keep you to that." She then came close to him boldly and whispered. "By the way... you look incredible."

Link cleared his throat at the compliment.

"Thank you."

She smiled.

"I was hoping if you could prove to me if all those rumors about you were true. Don't be a stranger."

That was telling.

Rumors? What rumors?

I couldn't see Link's face, but judging by the blonde's smile apparently he was very aware of what she was talking about.

"Right," was all he said in reply, "I'll see you around."

She grinned.

"Sure."

After leaving the blonde's company, we encountered several more women who also showed overt interest in Link. It seems Elbourne had some serious competition. I digressed, realizing the one hundred feet to the inn may as well have been a mile because it seemed we were never going to get there. We were then finally stopped by a gentleman. Not to be a nuisance, but I was grateful for the change of sex.

"Master Link," the gentleman greeted, stopping him. "It's wonderful to see you. You haven't been to Castle Town in quite a while."

Link nodded and smiled.

"I've been busy planting pumpkins and chasing goats."

The man laughed at his reply.

"It's still hard for me to see you, a great hero, as a farmer." He shook his head. "Unbelievable."

Link grinned at his words.

"Dirt cleans off easier than monsters' blood," the hero reasoned.

For such an informal discussion, it was a very sobering thing to bring up.

That's very true my friend, very true.

The man nodded.

"Indeed Master Link, indeed."

Even with the stop and go approach to our destination, I grinned underneath my cloak, liking that I was able to hear Link have so many informal conversations. It was interesting hearing the different perspectives of the people, and many of them carried a great deal of respect for Link. It wasn't surprising considering he was the reason they were able to go about freely. I was grateful to him too. However, I wasn't ready for the sudden shift.

"I'll give you this, that's better than what our queen is doing. Imagine going on a tryst with a man like Elbourne of Dragon Roost. It's bad enough she stays in that castle all day, but when she does decide to come out, she goes off to have some scandalous affair."

I stiffened immediately when he mentioned my dealings with Elbourne. This was the first time I was hearing the disdain I so knew my people had for me. It was the complete opposite of the admiration for Link. I was stunned that I was right here and I couldn't say a word in rebuttal. I felt all the blood drain from my face just then.

Link abruptly looked uncomfortable.

"You shouldn't say such things about the queen. She really does try to do what's right for Hyrule. She loves this country."

The man scoffed.

"You're a good man Link," he replied, "too good to be quite honest. Even after everything she did to you and with the history of how depraved the royal family is, you still serve the country loyally. That, good sir, is devotion."

My breath stilled for a quick second before I breathed again. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard at the man's blunt words.

Even the subjects haven't forgotten, I felt a sudden onset of guilt, how could they forget? How could anyone?

Link didn't say anything in reply, wanting to end the conversation.

"I... I am loyal to Hyrule no matter who sits on the throne. But I really must be going, I have some business to attend to."

It was then the man glanced behind Link at me and gave the hero an approving nudge.

"Yes, you take care of that business."

I looked to the ground and sighed helplessly just then.

Great, not only does he think I'm a terrible queen, but he also thinks I'm a whore.

Link shook his head.

"It's not that kind of business sir."

The man smiled.

"Sure," he said sarcastically.

I took in a frustrated breath. I had had enough of his snide insults.

"It isn't!" My tone was sharp. "Now would you kindly mind your own business!"

The man's eyes suddenly widened in embarrassment at my outburst. Link was a little taken aback now as well.

"Oh… sorry," the man rubbed the back of his neck, "no offense to you miss."

I realized I overreacted a bit. Why should I care about how one person sees me? I wasn't going to change his mind.

"None taken sir."

With that, we left the man's company and headed for the inn. After a few more stops, we finally arrived at our destination. We were given the room on the second floor in the back. When we got settled, I washed my hands at the basin, took off my cloak, sat down on the bed I was going to sleep in, and sighed. I was a little disheartened with what I heard.

So, that's what the people think of me. Well, it's no matter I guess. I knew it wasn't good.

I noticed Link staring at me from the corner of my eye as he washed his hands and dried them off with a towel. It was obvious to him I was bothered by the man's comments. There was a brief silence between us before either one of us spoke.

"Uh..." He did not want to address the issue directly. "would you like to use the washing quarters first?"

I shook my head no and didn't look at him.

"You go on ahead, I can wait."

Link stared at me for a moment and didn't move immediately at my reply.

Let me just get this over with.

I took in another sigh and shrugged.

"What is it?" I already knew where this conversation was going to go.

Link didn't answer right away and pursed his lips together.

"He doesn't speak for everyone Zelda."

I appreciated his kindness, but the reality was the reality.

"He speaks at what a great deal of them think. They think I just sit in the castle and live a pampered spoiled life. Most of the others that spoke with you didn't even bother mentioning me. I think it's safe to say that I'm not greatly liked."

Then of course there was the other matter he brought up...

Link paused for a moment, knowing what I said was true. He looked to the ground, then back at me.

"I won't lie," he admitted. "I thought you were a little pampered and spoiled for awhile myself even when I first worked at the castle. However, after spending these last few days with you, I've found that you're a very surprising person."

My ears perked and I looked over at Link.

"Really?"

He nodded.

"Yes." He shook his head impressed. "Look what you did today. I didn't know you knew how to deliver a baby."

I blushed at the compliment and grinned.

"Yes well... I've read a great many books, and birthing babies was one of them. It's my duty to know a lot about everything. I do have the Triforce of Wisdom you know."

Link sat down at the table and looked at me thoughtfully just then.

"I suppose you're right. It must be hard living a day in your shoes."

I sighed at his comment.

"If you only knew." I was talking more to myself than to him. "If you only knew."

There was a brief silence between us again.

"Hey," Link called to me softly.

I looked over at him.

"Yes?"

He grinned.

"I think I'm beginning to know."

That was very kind of him to say. Our comfort levels seemed to have increased as the days went on. I think it was because we were having to rely on each other so much directly. That, and he was taking such painstaking measures to be accommodating towards me. I certainly appreciated that. Link wasn't as hard to talk to as I initially thought. We were silent for a moment again, before I broke it.

"I wanted to tell you, you were pretty impressive in the doctor's office when you were talking to the physician. You must have read a few books on babies yourself."

Link seemed caught off guard by the compliment. He cut his gaze and looked down at his hands.

"Oh... uh... yeah. You women have a pretty big responsibility when it comes to bearing children. Sometimes I don't think we as men appreciate you."

I found that utterance very telling.

It takes quite a man to admit that.

"That's wonderful that you see the importance of having children. Most men don't see things that way. They feel as though women are hysterical and that child bearing is for the simple and weak."

Link avoided my eyes as though he were lost in thought.

"There's nothing weak about having a baby. Hylia bless all of you for being able to take on such a task."

My eyes narrowed slightly, because it seemed like a profoundly personal statement. He was so different than when I first encountered him a couple weeks ago. I couldn't believe this was the same man I was talking to that manhandled me at his house.

"Well, well, well... you're right, your chivalry has grown up."

Link finally looked at me again.

"I just know it's devastating when a woman loses a child. It's like part of who she is dies as well."

I looked over at him surprised, not expecting the serious turn in conversation.

"You don't know how right you are."

Link merely nodded and looked away.

"Actually, I do know how right I am." He was talking more to himself.

His statement had its own meaning. I was tempted to ask, but I didn't. I did not want to interfere. There was another silence that overcame us. I appreciated the candor we were both giving.

"So…" I wanted to continue with the conversation, "do you plan on having any children?"

Link shrugged his broad shoulders.

"Sure, why not? I'd love to have a few monsters to call my own."

I grinned at his statement.

"Monsters? That's an awful way to refer to your future children."

Link chuckled at my statement.

"It wont matter, they'll know daddy loves them."

I stared at him for just a moment.

He really is a kind person.

I looked away for a moment. Link as a father, that would be a sight.

"What about you? Any princes or princesses in your future?"

I nodded.

"Of course. It's my duty as queen to produce an heir."

Link gave me a wayward look for a moment. He smiled, then shook his head at me.

"Some things shouldn't be done for duty alone Zelda. Some things you need to do for love. Children should always be the fruit of love."

I blushed at his words.

The fruit of love... will I ever truly have that?

"I know that," I then got quiet, "but you have to understand there's more to life than love."

Link paused for a moment to mill through what I said, staring deeply into my eyes.

"And you have to understand there's more to life than duty."

He was so profoundly right. I knew that. I had nothing to say in return.

You're right good hero, and I think Hylia's helping me to see that.

There was yet another silence between us. I was glad we had that conversation. It felt like we were beginning to have a better understanding of each other. However, I knew there were other things we needed to discuss as well. Link wasn't ready to talk about them now, but I hoped he would one day soon. It was then I decided to change the subject.

"Excuse me for saying so, but you are quite the popular man, especially with the ladies."

Link grinned at my assessment.

"I suppose so."

That only made me more curious.

"I know you'll consider this a brazen question, but I'm going to ask you anyway. What was that young lady talking about when she mentioned the word 'rumor'?"

The hero fanned it off.

"Uh... it's nothing."

That was quite dismissive. I looked at him taken aback.

"Link... come on, tell me."

He still hesitated before he finally addressed the subject.

"It's an old rumor. One that's dated."

He wasn't going to change the subject that easily.

"Which is?"

He raised his brows.

"You really want to know?"

I hated that question.

"Yes, that's why I asked."

He paused again, then finally told me.

"It's the rumor where everyone thought we were sleeping together."

My cheeks reddened immediately.

"I beg your pardon?"

He grinned at my reaction.

"The tavern girl mentioned what she mentioned because of that old rumor about us. Just another fantasy to get caught up in."

I was so discomfited.

"I... I..."

He chuckled at my reaction.

"It's nothing for you to be embarrassed about Zelda. It's not like the rumors were true."

I didn't know why, but that made me blush more and I suddenly got up from the bed and fidgeted with my hands nervously.

"So... so I guess that means she probably likes you."

Link shrugged.

"Probably, but I haven't given it much thought. What she's after was never my kind of thing."

I looked over at him just then.

"What's that?"

He avoided my eyes.

"Promiscuity. That isn't who I am. I tried that life and didn't like it."

That was a very honest disclosure.

I didn't know what to say.

"Oh... well, that's good."

The hero chuckled and shook his head.

"Same old Zelda."

I gave him a knowing look and blushed.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Link shook his head.

"Nothing, but you've always been the kind of girl who blushes easily."

His words were prophetic. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You think I'm a prude, don't you?" I accused.

Link stared at me for a moment.

"I don't think you're anything other than who you are, with the exception of you being painfully shy."

I took a step back.

"I-I-I've gotten better with my shyness," I stammered. "You shouldn't be so impertinent Master Link."

He nodded.

"Uh huh, it's Link... remember?"

I blushed again.

"Of course I remember!"

The hero just grinned at me.

"Right."

I pursed my lips together and went on.

"I suppose that's why it was so easy for you to call me your wife in the doctor's office and kiss me. You see me as a boring prude who's probably never had any excitement in her life."

Link gave me an offhanded look at the new subject of conversation.

"Zelda I said you were my wife because it was the first thing I could think of. And I'm sorry if my kissing you made you uncomfortable. I admit, I got a little out of hand, but I didn't want the guards to see you."

I had no qualms with any of what he did.

"I wasn't uncomfortable, I guess it just means I'm boring. You never would have said that if the tavern girl were with you."

He gave me another offhanded look.

"Are you seriously trying to get upset about this? Zelda, you should be glad you're looked at as a woman a man wants to marry. That's what a man wants, a woman he can marry. A woman he can rely on."

I blushed again.

"I'm-" I stopped myself.

I didn't know what to say.

Link simply waited, but I never continued. Instead, I groaned and looked away from him. I was frustrated because he was right. There was another brief silence between us that made me wish I hadn't bothered with the subject. This seemed to always be the issue with me: I made small things big things when they really weren't. I needed to stop being so silly over nothing.

"Anyway, I suppose it doesn't matter. And I know you'll think me a prude for changing the subject, but this is important."

Link gave me his undivided attention at my disclosure.

"What's that?"

I interlaced my fingers.

"The ninja you were fighting, who was he?"

My guess was as good as his.

"He wouldn't say, but judging from his appearance he's probably a member of the rumored dark tribe. He fought with an old style of combat hardly used nowadays."

I nodded at his conjecture.

"He was wearing the symbol of the Sheikah. That symbol on warriors has been hidden sense before the days of my grandmother. It was odd, he was dressed just like one of them."

A troubled expression crossed Link's handsome face.

"But why is the question."

That was what we needed to get to the bottom of.

"What did he say to you?"

Link paused, as if debating whether or not he should tell me.

"He was strange. He talked about stopping us from assembling the mirror, and then he said some things about your rule."

The hero hesitated when he realized what he disclosed.

I looked at him puzzled.

"Go on."

Link paused and cupped his chin.

"He said this whole endeavor was foolish and that Hyrule and the Twilight Realm were on the brink of war."

I looked at him surprised.

"What?"

Link took in another deep sigh.

"He mentioned the attributes again. Whatever the attributes are, apparently they are extremely deadly. Not only are we being warned by the guardians, but now strange ninjas as well."

When Link put it like that, it made the matter more disconcerting.

"This is getting very bizarre."

Link shook his head.

"It's been bizarre."

I sighed at the revelations.

Who is that warrior? What are these attributes?

There was only one way to find out.

"We better get plenty of rest. We're going to get that shard in the next few days. I have a feeling before this is all over it's going to get even more bizarre."

---

Thank you for reading.