Snowhead Mountains

Soft grass was the first thing Dark knew. His knees rested in the grass, cool and wet. The predawn air was chilly and heavy.

Gently, he lowered Sienna's body, smoothing her long hair from her cheeks. He grimaced when it left behind bloody streaks. He stripped off his ruined shirt, unbuckled the sheath at his hip.

Standing up, he moved to kneel at the nearby creek, splashing the water on his face, scrubbing his hands until they were red and raw. Once he was clean, Dark turned and walked to the cottage, now empty. When he went inside, a fresh wave of tears clawed up his throat. Working quickly, he grabbed a bucket of water, a cloth and a clean sheet.

Sienna rested in the grass, her eyes closed, her hair tangled around her head. Kneeling next to her, Dark wrung out the cloth and very carefully cleaned her hair and face of blood. He dabbed at the awful wound on her neck, tried to swipe the blood from her the bodice of her dress.

Dark paused, pressing his fist against his mouth. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

Dawn was breaking over the peaks when he'd finished. Sienna wore a simple dress he'd found in her bedroom in the cottage. Her hair was damp and clean. Carrying her in his arms, Dark jumped into the grave he'd spent the morning digging a short distance from the house, lowering her in.

Letting out a shaky breath, Dark forced himself to leave her side, to climb out of the grave. A pressure was building itself inside him, waiting for a moment of weakness before it burst. Dark shoved it down and tried to think of something meaningful to do.

Most people in Hyrule worshipped the three Goddesses to some degree. Some were more faithful, more devoted, than others. It was a comfort to some. Those in Termina who worshipped the Goddesses were fewer, but just as dedicated.

Faith wasn't something Dark had ever put much effort into. He saw no point in praying.

Sienna's favourite prayer was a simple one—she'd often recited it in the morning, asking her Goddesses for a blessing, for guidance and protection.

Dark knew no other prayers by memory, so he spoke Sienna's favourite aloud for her. He hoped it was enough.

When he'd finished burying Sienna, he found a rock big enough to act as a temporary headstone and draped the vial of medicines around his neck over its width.

Walking back to the cottage, Dark closed the door behind him and stumbled numbly through the quiet interior until he reached his old bedroom. It was just as he'd left it; the small bed with the quilted comforter Sienna had made unrumpled. The morning light made the dust in the air glow like fireflies. Curling up on the bed, Dark let the dam inside him break wide open.

~oOo~

Hyrule Field

"Where are we going?" Link asked.

Zelda took his hand in hers. "Just a bit further," she replied, tugging him along.

The camp was quieting down for the night, with many of the Gerudo heading for bed early in preparation for the next day, when they would meet with Impa and her forces. Dark had already turned in for the night as well. Link had planned to do the same, before Zelda had shown up at his door, asking him to come with her.

They wandered through the village, eventually wandering to the outskirts. They hopped a bordering fence into the tall grass. Zelda's hair was muted without the shine of moonlight. She moved with almost no sound, just the soft shushing of the grass as it brushed against her.

She stopped when they reached the top of a hill with a perfect view of Castle Town, an indistinct mass in the distance. Twin specks of light winked at them—torches showing the way to the drawbridge.

"I thought we could sit here for a while," Zelda said, tucking her legs under and sitting down in the grass.

Link followed her lead, looking out towards the castle.

"It reminds me why we're doing all this," she said. "Even in the sad state it's in now...there's still hope for a better future."

They sat in silence, both contemplating what the next day would bring. Zelda twisted to face him, her hands in her lap.

"I wanted to give you something," she told him. "Before the battle tomorrow."

Link turned to face her, waiting expectantly. Zelda lifted her hands from her lap, holding them palms up. Closing her eyes, she focused, and Link felt the familiar whoosh of magic hitting him. White light flashed from her palms, blinding, then disappeared. In her hands she held a half dozen golden arrows. Larger and sharper than average, they were beautifully adorned with carved designs.

"There are Light arrows," Zelda explained, letting him lift one to examine it. "They will weaken Ganondorf." She smiled at him. "They're my gift to you."

Link took the arrow from her, running his finger over the flared fletching, reminiscent of a fairy's wings. Tomorrow at the battle, Zelda would be well protected by Impa and others to guard her, keep her safe until she was able to take back control of the throne. Link would be far away, fighting his way to Ganondorf. Now, in a way, Zelda would be at his side during the final battle.

Placing the arrows in the grass between them, Link scooted closer and reached for her hands. "Thank you," he murmured, tilting his head towards hers.

She smiled again, meeting his eyes. Her fingers stroked over hands, slow and soothing. Even in the darkness, he could see her pupils dilating, the green-blue hue of her irises bright. Without thinking, Link cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs stroking over her cheeks, her jaw.

He wasn't certain whether he moved first or she did, or maybe they'd leaned in at the same moment, drawn together by some unspoken command. Their lips met in a slow, tentative kiss. Her skin was soft beneath his fingertips, warm against the cooler air. Her mouth even more so, if it were possible. A soft, sweet pressure that sent shivers racing over his spine.

Her fingers traveled over the breadth of his shoulders, pulling him in closer. She broke their contact for a brief pause, then realigned them and she was kissing him again. Trailing his fingertips over the smooth skin of her slim neck, Link never wanted to stop. Some piece of him recognized the ephemeral nature of the kiss and longed to savor it, to hold onto it.

Too many seconds too soon, she gently leaned back, ending the kiss.

"We should head back," Zelda whispered. Her fingers toyed with the ties of his shirt at his neck.

"Okay." He ran his hand over his head, ruffling the hair at the back. Link slowly eased away, holding his palm out for her to take.

Zelda took it and they stood up from the grass, taking the bundle of Light arrows with them. Hand in hand, they walked side by side back to the camp. Sneaking a look at her, Link saw a little smile on her pink lips, a faint blush on her cheeks. When she stopped outside the house where she was sleeping, she hesitated a second, then lifted on her toes to place a quick, feathery kiss on his cheek.

She dropped back down and let go of his hand. "Goodnight, Link," she whispered.

"Goodnight, Zelda," he said back, waiting until the door closed on her smiling face.

Someone had hollowed out his organs and pumped them full of air. His footsteps didn't seem to touch ground. Walking back to the vacant house he was sharing with Dark, Link tapped his fingertip against his mouth, recalling the tingling electricity of his kiss with Zelda. It was muted now, as if only the memory remained there to taunt him.

The door creaked open and Link found his way in the blackness. The moon was missing tonight, and the barely discernible shapes in the room were the two beds, their gear and Dark's sleeping form. He navigated by the soft bluish glow of Navi's wings. She slept on, curled in his hat.

Link stripped off his shirt and boots and lay down on the bed under the window.

Sleep was slow to come, as he didn't want to just yet. Waking tomorrow meant rising to face his destiny. Finally taking on the final task. Facing the final battle.

And he wasn't quite ready. Link rolled to his side, facing the window to see the star-studded ebony sky. Tomorrow could wait.

He would hold on a moment longer to tonight.