The sun sank toward the horizon as the Princess and her knight rode side by side, casting everything with a golden glow. They made their way up to Sanidin Park at a leisurely pace.

"Be sure to take the time to soothe your mount," Zelda said, quoting Link's words of advice as she patted her pure white horse, "That's the only way it will know how you truly feel." She turned her head to look at Link. "Your advice was quite helpful, thank you. This little one are getting along quite well now."

Link gave a small smile. He was glad to see the bond between her and her horse getting stronger. He briefly recalled when he'd bonded with his own horse as Zelda began ranting about her ride's royal gear. He'd been younger, maybe ten years old when he'd really started to get along with his own mount. A chuchu had snuck up behind the young stallion and spooked him. Somehow Link had managed to calm the horse down after getting rid of the little monster. Since then, his steed had no issues charging into battle, confident that Link would protect him. And he did.

He snapped back to the present when Zelda turned to him again.

"I'm trying to be a bit more empathetic. Benefit of the doubt, you know?"

He nodded, then looked ahead. Right ahead was their destination. A life-sized statue of a rearing horse sat on a pedestal. When they arrived, they alighted off their horses, allowing them to graze.

Zelda clung softly to the railing, looking out at the hills highlighted by the burning sunset. "See that mountain? That's Mount Lanayru. It takes its name from the Goddess of Wisdom. Lanayru's decree is very specific. It says 'no one is allowed under the age of seventeen, for only the wise are permitted a place upon the mountain'."

Link knew where this was going. Even after all her hardship, the Princess was still set on her goal.

"I've prayed at the Spring of Courage and at the Spring of Power, yet neither awoke anything inside of me. But maybe up there... Perhaps the Spring of Wisdom, the final of the three, will be the one." She raised her hands to her chest. "To be honest, I have no real reason to think that will be the case. But there's always the chance that the next moment will change everything. Tomorrow... is my seventeenth birthday."

She turned to face her knight. Silhouetted by the light, her expression was hard to see. But Link could make out a hint of cautious hope.

"So then I shall go," she said, "and make my way up the mountain."