The darkness that consumed him now than when he had fallen asleep was different. It was strange, even darker than that of any shrine trial he had completed in the past. He looked around, trying in a useless attempt to gather his surroundings as best he could, yet it wasn't until a light appeared above him. It was a faint purple aura, unable to illuminate any of the darkness except for his own features. It felt warm and caring, as if it had a life of its own.

It grew brighter— almost blinding him— but nothing else happened. This confused him. Everything felt so familiar, yet something was off. It was like there was supposed to be more; he was supposed to listen to something, or maybe someone. Despite this feeling, there was nothing but the light above, familiar and safe, yet eerie and filled with purpose. It wasn't the only thing signaling this. A feeling, one in his chest, told him that there was something more. It was something he had to do.

He didn't have time to think about this purpose. After a few moments of basking in the light, the supposed invisible force that kept him on his feet disappeared. He felt himself beginning to fall, downwards into the darkness he went. The light began to grow smaller as he began to fall faster. He squinted as hard as he could, trying to keep sight on the light until he simply could see it no longer. He then looked down, expecting to see more of the dark void. Instead he saw a girl, falling in front of him.

Suddenly the world seemed to flip, and now he was falling after her, reaching out his hand, trying desperately to pull her towards him, though she remained just out of reach. He stretched out as far as he could, his fingertips so close to hers they almost brushed, and yet something appeared behind her. A monster, one that gave off a sinister power. It opened its large jaws, waiting for the girl to fall into its throat. His heart pounded against his ribcage. He needed her back. He needed to catch her– to save her. She was right there, just out of reach. It was his mission, and if he couldn't catch her now— if he couldn't save her— then everything afterward would be his fault and his alone.

But he knew he couldn't do it. No matter how hard he knew he would try, he couldn't change the outcome. He saved her, but caused everything after. It was all on him. He glanced down at the girl with his hands outstretched, but just as before, the beast spread its mouth out even wider as the girl fell inside its being, and with a snap of its jaws, she was gone.

Just as fast as the beast closed its jaws, Link's eyes shot open. In a panic, he quickly attempted to sit up, but was immediately held back. He looked down at his chest to Zelda, still clinging to the collar of the tunic he had fallen asleep in. She didn't seem bothered by his sudden movement, and in fact, she seemed as though to have somehow helped her get even more comfortable than she already was.

After taking a moment to stare into her beautiful sleeping face, he relaxed his body as best he could. He replaced his arm back over her, pushing her body closer into his chest in an attempt to calm himself. He began to take deep breaths, trying to ignore the heavy pounding of his heart in order to process the dream he had woken up from. The terror felt so familiar, and yet it was so different from the ones he was used to having.

One thought immediately came to mind, one had been sitting in the back of his mind for months now as he tried to focus on the threat he knew was currently around him. As best he could, he glanced over at the writing desk, where the Sheikah Slate sat quietly, waiting for whenever it needed to be used again. Even though it sat deep in the slate's contents, he could still feel it. The whisper in the back of his mind, always reminding him, regardless if he understood completely what it meant.

Once his breathing was under control and taking some time to enjoy the softness of the woman in his arms, again he attempted to sit up. Zelda, however, refused to release her fingers. Even in sleep, her grip remained tight, refusing to let him leave her side. Eventually, the only way for him to gain freedom from her grasp was to slide out from his tunic, leaving his torso bare to the frigid air. He pushed himself into a sitting position, watching as Zelda began to hug the tunic tightly to her face, before reaching over and pulling open the nightstand drawer. He pulled out another tunic and threw it on. With that, he stood from the bed and headed to the dining room, only pausing to glance at the slate on his way to the staircase.

He didn't stay in the house for long, only grabbing a few carrots from the food cabinets before heading out into the cold outside. The moment he opened the door, he felt the icy wind brush against his cheeks, freezing them and his nose as he stepped out. The snowfall hadn't calmed at all, and even seemed a bit stronger than before. Rubbing his free hand against his face to warm up his skin as best he could, he went over to the horses, who stood calmly despite the storm around them.

"If it gets worse out here, I may need to take you to a nearby stable down the mountain," Link said as he stopped in front of Epona's stall.

With a grunt, the horse lowered her muzzle, allowing him to rub his hand against it. To his surprise though, after only a few brushes, Epona pulled away, shaking her mane and snorting in displeasure. Link furrowed his brow.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

He quickly looked around, examining the area in case someone was there; someone that could be making her uncomfortable. A reason for him to worry. Yet, from his quick look, no one was there. Supposedly. Carefully, he turned back to her.

"You've never pulled away from me like that before..." he said as gently as he could bring his voice through the cold. "Is it because you haven't eaten yet? Here, eat this for now, while I brush the snow off the hay. Don't worry, I brought some for you too, Storm."

The horses began to chew away at the snacks in his hand, breathing through their noses happily at the taste. While Link would usually watch to make sure they were enjoying them– in case he needed to get fresher carrots— this time his eyes were wandering. From the barely visible field next to the house, to the frozen pond, and up to the heights of the house's chimney, he surveyed the area. He was always watching. Always waiting.

It took awhile for him to clear the thick layer of snow from off the hay bales he had stacked up a few weeks ago. A pitchfork wasn't the best tool for the job, but then and there, it was the only one he had. After properly feeding the horses, Link went back inside, closing the door behind him before brushing snow out of his hair. Silently, he stared around the house. It was the same as usual, yet even with a night of somewhat decent sleep, to him it felt different. It felt cold, even with the clothes on his back.

"Link?"

At the call of his name, he looked up the top of the stairs to see Zelda, still dressed in only the bright blue tunic she had worn to bed. She looked down at him, still clinging on to the tunic he had managed to squirm out of earlier. Even from up there, Link could see the glint of relief in her eyes at the sight of him, and while it looked as though she wanted to comment on his sudden absence, she simply gave an uneasy smile.

"Good morning," she chose to say.

"Yeah, good morning," Link answered as best he could, though he was unable to return the smile. He simply couldn't fake it anymore. The responsibilities floating around his head had become far too loud. Still, Zelda kept her smile, even with her eyes growing more worried.

"Did you sleep well?" Zelda asked, something Link knew was an attempt to learn if he had actually slept or not. "Do you feel a bit more rested?"

"I... I slept, if that means anything," Link answered honestly. When Zelda lost her smile, he added, "I feel better in some ways, but... stranger in others. It's fine, thank you. Are you going to get ready for work?"

"Y-yes, in fact, I'm actually running a bit behind," Zelda answered.

It was clear she didn't seem bothered by this. Usually Link would find this odd, but today, it was easy for him to guess why. It was something that would be confirmed for him only a moment later as Zelda spoke again in an even softer voice than she had already had.

"You remember your promise, yes? The one from last night?"

Link didn't immediately answer. He looked away for a moment, glancing over at the Champion's weapons on the wall on the other end of the room. The responsibilities were echoing, telling him he shouldn't, that he should go back on his word. There was too much to prepare for, too much of a threat around them. He had to be ready, for he could strike at any moment.

"Link?"

He looked back up at Zelda, catching her pleading green eyes. He had already broken a promise before. A few in fact. He looked down at his feet and took a deep breath before looking back up, brushing his bangs out of his eyes as he did.

"Yeah... Yeah, I'll be there," he said.

"Will you really?" Zelda asked nervously, to which Link nodded.

"I will."

Upon hearing his answer, she smiled again more authentically this time.

"Great. Then I'll just be up here getting ready for the day then," she said. She turned, ready to head back towards the bed, though she paused. She looked back down at him one last time. "Please, try and enjoy it. I promise, there's nothing to worry about."

You say that, he thought to himself, but you seem worried yourself, and judging from how you were last night, it's not just about me anymore.

"Oh– and, Link," she said suddenly.

She hurried down the stairs, allowing the tunic to dance dangerously at her thighs—something Link couldn't help but take note of— before stopping just in front of him. She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Happy birthday," she said.

With that, she hurried back up the stairs and disappeared. Link stayed in place, staring at the top of the stairs where she had been standing only moments ago.While his heart did jump, especially watching the tunic's bounce as she ran up the stairs, he wished it wasn't overshadowed by everything else in his mind.

With a sigh, he walked over to the table and took a seat, bringing his hands to his eyes. Even with the uneasy rest he had gotten the night before, they still burned as if he hadn't slept at all. He could still feel the guilt from the dream inside his chest, one that he couldn't tell was his or not. Of course, he felt guilty thanks to his distance from Zelda, having to lie and to hide, but it was the only way. Still, he couldn't help but feel this was different.

So many emotions, so many things to think about, to prepare for, to worry about. The Yiga, the sword, the trials, Zelda, the party, the safety of Hateno, the safety of everyone. They constantly swirl in his mind, stronger than even the snowy winds outside. He wanted to crumble, to give up, to just go and lay down, to simply wake up next to Zelda with a genuine smile, but he couldn't. He had a duty, one he had to live up to, one he was constantly reminded of. One that continued to haunt him, even in his dreams. He had to keep everyone safe. He had to keep himself safe to live a life with Zelda. He had to keep her safe.

"Zelda!" he called out suddenly. After a few echoing footsteps, Zelda appeared, leaning over the loft railing in a fresh work dress and her hair half braided. "I'm walking you to work today."

"Really? Are you sure?" Zelda asked. When Link nodded, she raised a worried eyebrow. "All right, but... why all of a sudden?"

"Just because I want to," Link said simply. "Do I need another reason?"

"N-no, you just... You haven't done that in awhile," she said. Though it looked like she wanted to prod him more, she nodded. "Okay then. I'm almost done getting ready, just give me a few more moments."

She disappeared from the railing, leaving Link again alone with his thoughts.

I'll keep you safe, he said to himself. Now, at this party, until I find the Yiga, and forever after that. I will keep you and everyone safe.

...

The inn was quiet, allowing for the wind and snowfall to be heard from outside, filling the lobby with a peaceful ambience. Along with the winter sounds was the scratching of a quill, one that was in the clerk's hand as she wrote on a thin stack of papers at the front desk. The silence remained right up until rustling came from the second level. With a groan, Manny walked down the stairs with a hand on his forehead. At the sound of heavy footsteps, Prima looked up from her work.

"Would you look at who it is," she said as Manny stopped in front of the desk, "the lightweight."

"Hey, look here," Manny managed out through the pain. "I am not a lightweight. I just... last night was just–"

He instantly stopped talking the moment he caught Prima's unamused glare. Coughing (painfully) to clear his throat, he continued.

"W-was I that bad?"

"You were," Prima answered. "Teli had to buy you a bed and help you up the stairs. You should thank him later."

"I-I will. Sorry," Manny said guiltily, now rubbing the back of his head. After seeing the guilt in his face, Prima slightly chuckled, something that brought an awkward smile to his face. "So, is there anything that needs to be done before tonight?"

"A few things, but Zelda will handle it," Prima answered. "Just don't go and get wasted before the usual time. That's assuming you're staying here until evening."

"I might as well just stay," Manny said. "I'd only be gone for a few hours before heading back, right? No point in leaving."

"Then go in the dining hall and eat," Prima said, beginning to move the tip of her quill again. "I made food. Don't worry about the cost."

"A-are you sure?" Manny asked, to which Prima raised an eyebrow without looking up from her papers.

"Would you like to pay?" she asked. The large Hylian quickly shook his head. "Then off you go."

At her words, Manny turned to head to the dining hall, but before he could take more than two steps, the front doors began to open. Prima tilted her head expectantly, barely glancing up from her papers.

"Good morning, Zelda. You're a little late, but if I were being honest, I expected you a little later–"

She paused. Coming through the door was the golden-haired employee, just as she expected. What she hadn't expected was to see her lover walking in right behind her. With a raised eyebrow, she placed her quill on top of the papers and folded her arms.

"I'm surprised to see you here," she said as Zelda and Link stopped at the front of the counter. "Happy birthday."

"Yeah. Thanks," Link said with a small smile. "I just decided to walk Zelda here today, though."

"Is that all you plan to do today?" Prima asked, narrowing her eyes. Link took a breath.

"I'll be here this evening," he said in a slightly quieter voice. Prima's eyes remained hardened, forcing him to add, "I will. I already promised Zelda I would."

"Oh, you did?" Prima asked, glancing over at Zelda, who blushed slightly before averting her eyes. With a small grin, she turned back to Link. "Well, I better see you trying to have a good time then. You're of age now, so now you can drink like an adult."

"Exciting. I'll do my best," Link said before turning to Zelda. "All right then, I guess I'd better head home for now."

"I'll come by tonight so we can walk there together. I can at least do that since I'll be working," Zelda said. Gently, she reached out and took one of Link's hands into her own. "You will have a good time. I promise."

"I'm sure I will," Link said with a forced smile. The two locked eyes for a moment before reluctantly releasing their grip on each other. "Okay, I'm off—"

"Hey."

At the call, everyone turned to see where the voice had come from. There was Manny, standing behind them. Surprisingly, he had gone unnoticed, having never left for the kitchen. His eyes met with Link's the moment he faced him. The two hadn't truly spoken to one another since their chat in the front of the village those few weeks ago. As they stared, Link's eyes remained the same– calm and collected– except, just as before, there was the glint of irritation behind them, one that Manny had previously noticed. Despite this, the large Hylian spoke.

"Erm... Happy... Happy birthday," he said simply, placing his hands in the pockets of his overalls. After a brief pause between them, Link nodded.

"Thanks... I appreciate that," he said, matching Manny's simplistic tone.

After another awkward pause, both men turned and headed to their respective exits. As Prima watched Manny head into the dining hall, Zelda watched Link disappear out the front doors and back into the heavy snow.

"Well, that was a little strange," Zelda said. "What was that about?"

"Even men will act like boys at times," Prima said. "They won't fully admit it, but they're buddies, despite whatever it is they're going through between themselves."

"There's something going on between them?" Zelda asked.

"You could say that," Prima said. "It seems to be a very similar situation to another couple of individuals I know."

Zelda's brow immediately furrowed.

"We are not buddies," she said, which made the clerk nod.

"That only makes you two worse than the boys," she responded. "You better get over it quickly. She'll be helping you today, as well."

"We were perfectly fine cleaning together yesterday," Zelda said. "I'm sure we can go another day without–"

"No, Zelda," Prima cut in. "I was gonna say it while Link was here, but I thought it'd be a nice surprise. She'll be helping by taking your place tonight."

"What?" Zelda said. "Why's that?"

"It's so you can spend time with Link— more than just walking here with him— to ensure he has a good time, and to make sure he stays in line," Prima said. "Someone needs to keep an eye on him, and why not have it be the girl he loves and enjoys being around him the most?"

Zelda couldn't argue against this. She actually liked the sound of that.

"Still... She'll possibly hold this over my head for a while," she said, thinking about the potential consequences.

"Both of you are just full of assumptions. She's the one who offered," Prima said, picking up her quill. "You got Link here, now you just need to make sure he has a good time. Unless you'd prefer if Jules spent time with him while you worked?"

Zelda averted her eyes, biting the inside of her mouth. Prima raised an eyebrow at her before looking back down as she started scratch against her papers once more.

"Celessa and Jules are already in there eating, actually," she said. "You might as well finish up your job early. Maybe you can spend some time with Link before the event. Wouldn't that be nice?"

Zelda nodded, even if she didn't properly wish to admit it. With that, she turned on her heel and followed Manny into the dining hall. As she disappeared through the doorway, Prima glanced up from her work, slightly shaking her head before looking back down. As she continued her work, in the hall, Zelda immediately looked around. Her eyes landed on Celessa and Jules, sitting next to each other as they ate, chuckling cheerfully between themselves as Manny was standing in front of the cooking pot making himself a bowl of food. It was Jules who had noticed Zelda first.

Her smile vanished as soon as their eyes met, yet the glint in her eyes was different than the day yesterday. The anger had vanished, replaced by the usual hint of what Zelda could only assume was jealousy, something she now understood. Celessa, who had noticed Jules's attention move away from her, looked to see the employee as well, giving her a smile and a wave, encouraging her to step forward.

"So?" Celessa asked as Zelda came within range.

"Did you convince him?" Jules asked, clearly trying to keep her usual nonchalant voice.

"I did, actually," Zelda confirmed. "He promised he'll be here this evening."

"That's good, yes?" Celessa said cheerfully between them, yet Jules's and Zelda's expressions didn't change.

"I'm assuming Prima already told you?" asked Jules.

"She did," Zelda replied. Jules simply nodded.

"I hope you have a good time," she said, placing her elbow on the table and resting her chin in the palm of her hand. "I'll try not to get in your way."

"T-thank you," Zelda answered. It was all she could come up with, despite how somewhat wrong it felt even with her irritation from last night still very much in her heart. "If you two are done eating, I'll take your bowls."

The two gave the bowls to her in order for them to be washed. After cleaning what little of the hall needed to be done, Zelda left the room.

"I actually need to go too," Celessa said after she and Jules watched the employee disappear. "I need to do some shopping before the stores close down for the weekend."

"Buying food again?" Jules asked casually.

"I sure am," Celessa answered. "Prima is gonna start charging for food again soon, so I need to be prepared."

"Didn't you buy food a few weeks ago?" Jules asked.

"I did," Celessa nodded, "but some of it went bad. Unfortunately, I don't have some magic ancient thingy that keeps everything fresh like Link and Zelda do."

"They do have some nice stuff, don't they?" Jules asked with a simple chuckle.

"They do, and I can't help but feel a little envious at times," Celessa said. "Whatever ancient tool they have really makes life easy. I wish I could find one."

"Well, there's always that thing we just can't have, you know?" Jules chuckled depressingly. Celessa gave her a look.

"Are you going to be alright tonight?" she asked. Jules paused before nodding.

"Yeah, I'll be okay," she said. "Thanks."

Though Celessa hesitated, she nodded and headed out the room, leaving Jules by herself at the table. It only dawned on her that she wasn't alone when Manny spoke up from another table.

"Jules," he said in a low tone. Confused for a moment, she glanced over to find the large Hylian looking at her with stern eyes. He too hesitated, wondering whether a line would be crossed if he brought up what was on his mind, yet he chose to continue. "The advice you gave me... about showing that you really care, and how you want to see the person you care for happy... It's Link for you, isn't it?"

All Jules did was nod silently before looking away. Manny furrowed his brow.

"Knowing him... He doesn't even realize, does he?"

She didn't look back. All Manny could see was the back of her head as it just barely shook back and forth. Manny didn't have anything else to say. He didn't know if he could properly understand her. Prima, as far out of reach as she made herself, wasn't with anyone. Link was.

"The hard part isn't realizing when you can't have someone," Jules said suddenly, breaking him from his thoughts. "The hard part... is accepting it."

...

Link stepped back into the snow, allowing the front doors of the inn to close behind him. He furrowed his brow, ignoring the frost that stuck to his cheeks and nose. He glanced around at what was visible through the fog, trying to get a view of the village rooftops before checking any other surroundings. He wasn't oblivious; he had picked up on the pattern of showings after the little bit of sleep he allowed himself the night before. The Yiga always showed himself when it looked as though he may finally be ready to relax.

Not this time, Link thought as he stepped down from the inn's staircase. I'll catch him before he can catch me off guard.

Just as he had done the last few weeks, he walked through the snowy village. Up every road, behind each house, and even sneaking up onto all the roofs, he searched. Everywhere had to be checked to ensure tonight's safety, especially if he was supposed to relax, even if he knew he wouldn't. He searched for hours, right up until his fingers began to burn in pain from the cold, but to no avail.

The Yiga was nowhere to be seen.

Eventually Link found himself standing in the middle of the road, practically spinning in circles as he triple and quadruple checked every area he had looked. Everything was normal. He furrowed his brow as a wave of emotions rushed into him. Confusion, nerves, exhaustion, frustration, all coursing through his veins with every heavy pump of his heart.

"No, no, no..." he murmured to himself, starting to walk down the road to his house. He brought the palms of his hands together and raised them, bringing his fingertips to his lips as he walked, unable to lift his gaze from the white powder on the ground. "Looking back, he always appeared when I let my guard down, as if taunting me. I fell asleep last night, and accepted to go to the inn this evening, so now would be the usual time for him to appear. Unless..."

He stopped, only just now realizing that he had made it to the center of the wooden bridge that connected his mountainside to the rest of the village. He looked back, where the construction company's display houses stood covered in snow, blocking the view to the rest of Hateno. He stood silently in place, staring back at the town before shaking his head.

"No, that wouldn't be smart," he mumbled, turning back to finish his journey across the bridge. "It would be at his disadvantage to attack this evening... but, he hasn't attacked any other time he's revealed himself..."

With a frustrated blow of air from his nostrils, he made it to the house and pushed open the door. Closing it behind him, he brought a hand up to his eyes and dragged it down his face before allowing his arm to drop back to his side. He looked around the house, just as he had done earlier that morning, yet something was different. It felt colder than when he had left.

With a sigh, he began going up the stairs. He couldn't make sense of it, why the Yiga would appear those specific times before, and then now, not at all. Unless, he simply wasn't there at all to begin with. Link stopped at the top of the staircase, looking down at the wooden floor before glancing over at the writing desk. His eyes landed on the Sheikah Slate, where its screen remained dark. With a frown, he moved on from the desk and sat on the edge of the bed, clasping his hands together before resting his chin on his fingers.

He thought to himself, going in circles about whether or not the Yiga was really in the area. He still had no proper proof, and even the patterns of his appearance didn't seem accurate to him. He wanted to just accept it, to lay down right there on the bed and take a nap in preparation for tonight, something he knew Zelda desperately wanted him to attend willingly and joyfully. Yet, he knew couldn't. He could feel it; he just knew something was wrong. He had to be ready.

Even if it meant keeping watch at the inn.

He turned his torso to look out the window, examining the little light that could be seen through the heavy snowfall. He had a few more hours before the weekend drinking was supposed to begin. With a hum, he looked down near his boots, eyeing the shadow of the bed's underside. It was possible to get a few hours of training in before Zelda would return home. He began to bend down, reaching out his hand to grab the handle he had become familiar with. The only thing that stopped him was the sudden opening of the door.

Immediately he looked up as his ears pricked up at the sound of the door closing downstairs. With a furrowed brow, he slowly stood and walked to the other side of the loft. Peering over the railing, he looked down at the door to see Zelda, dusting the snow off her work dress and out of her hair.

"Link?" she called out, looking around the moment she finished cleaning herself off. "You're home, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am," Link said, though he hadn't budged from his spot on the loft. Zelda looked up with a relieved smile, yet that soon disappeared upon Link's next words."What are you doing here?"

"Well, that's a little hurtful," Zelda said. "You didn't need to ask like that. I thought you'd be at least a little excited to have me home early..."

"Sorry, it's just," Link said, now stepping towards the staircase, though he refused to take his eyes off her, "I thought you said you'd be home later on."

"Yes, I did, but it turns out, Prima had a nice little plan she surprised me with," Zelda explained as he came down the stairs toward her.

"Really?" Link asked as he carefully closed in on her.

His eyes began to narrow, examining every detail of her body. Noticing the dim flame behind his irises, Zelda took a step back towards the door.

"Yes, she allowed me to leave early so that we could go to the inn together, instead of... me... working..." she continued, sounding more nervous the closer he grew. "W-what's wrong?"

He didn't immediately answer. Instead, he stopped in front of her before raising and resting his forearm against the door above her head. He stared her down, causing her to almost shrink in his shadow.

"L-Link?" Zelda asked in a whisper.

"Answer me this," Link finally spoke in a low tone. "Are you really—?"

He stopped. He had been watching every move she had made since his eyes first rested upon her. So closely, in fact, that he noticed her finger and thumb grip the fabric of her dress near her thigh. She had begun to rub her fingers back and forth against the threads, fidgeting with them as the rest of her body filled with her increasing nerves.

He looked back into her eyes, which were filled with the fear that he had put into her. He recognized this look, one that she had given him only once before back in the forests of Kakariko. His eyes quickly softened.

"Are... you really okay with going with me?" he suddenly asked. Zelda blinked.

"Wha... What?"

"Are you sure you wanna go with me?" Link asked again, pulling away from the wall as he took a step back. "Won't that affect your pay?"

"I... Um..." Zelda stuttered. She looked at him, allowing the fear that had ridden her face to switch to confusion. After a pause, she placed a hand on her chest and took a deep breath. "Of course I do. I wouldn't pick work over spending time with you if given the option. Prima insisted it was alright, so it'll be fine."

"Okay... Yeah, okay, great," Link said with a nod. "I'll get ready in a bit then. We still have a few more hours of daylight. Maybe I can cook us something to eat before then. Does that sound good?"

"It... does?" Zelda replied uneasily. "Yes, I'd appreciate that. Thank you. I'm going to go and fix myself upstairs; maybe change into a new dress since I cleaned in this one."

"Okay, great. Then I'll start cooking down here," Link said.

Hesitating for just a moment, Zelda finally tore her eyes away from his. She headed towards the stairs, yet instead of heading up to the loft, she nervously glanced back at him.

"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked.

"I told you earlier," Link said. "I am."

He could see the frown forming on Zelda's face, yet he didn't say anything more. After staring at each other through the silence between them, she eventually gave in, averting her eyes before disappearing up the stairs. Guilt began to fill Link's chest the moment he was left alone, with memories of the forest flooding back into him.

Be careful, Link, he told himself as he made for the front door, where the cooking pot outside sat waiting for him. Don't make that same mistake again.