A/N: I am so sorry that this took so long! I had to do some major thinking about where this story was going and came to the realization that it was going to be much longer than I had hoped, so after days of consideration and debate, this will be the final chapter of this book.

So strap in and enjoy this last ride.

Aeris leaned heavily against the window in their room as she watched several servants bustle about the open courtyard below her. They had been in Hyrule for a little over a week, Zelda's birthday had come and gone and there was still no sign of Link. She sighed heavily as she swallowed another wave of anxiety. Maybe the young boy had no reason to set out on his adventure this time around or maybe he was conflicted about what to do.

Did he even remember?

She pressed her head against the cool glass of the window and focused on one of the maids in the courtyard below. She was a pretty blonde thing who thought she was being sly when she teased one of the younger guards as she passed him. Aeris smiled softly to herself remembering her own days of sneaking around with Ganondorf, they felt like a lifetime ago.

The door to the chamber opened and she turned to see Ganondorf closing the door behind him. "How are you feeling?" He crossed the room and kissed her hair lightly.

"A bit better," She had been feigning illness for the last few days. She had bumped into a young guard in one of the corridors and an image of blood staining his white-blond hair and bubbling past his thin lips had sent her into a panic. She had bolted from the room and had been in their chambers ever since.

"King Daphnes asked about you during our meeting," She allowed him to guide her toward the bed and the smooth leather of his armor was cool against her cheek as she curled into his chest as he laid back on its soft surface.

"What did you tell him?" He stroked her hair softly as she clung to him, the gesture that would have usually calmed her did little to ease her anxiety.

"That you are no longer as acclimated to Hyrule's climate as you once had been," She listened to his breathing as they laid together, finding solace in the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

A broken sob left her as a sudden wave of emotion crashed over her and she felt Ganondorf tense under her. She felt so lost, nothing was happening the way she thought it would and she was struggling to handle it.

Ganondorf sat up slowly still cradling her against his chest and began rocking her slowly. "Are you alright?" She knew that he was unsure of what to do, he had never been the best at dealing with her random outbursts of emotion.

She felt weak and stupid as she clung to his chest sobbing like a child. "I feel so lost here," She took a heaving breath and buried her face into the leather of his armor. "I want to go home,"

He sighed deeply and held her a little closer to him. "I know,"

"No, you don't," She pulled away from him and wiped her face. "I wasn't meant for this," Years of doubt suddenly began bubbling to the surface. "I'm so out of my element, I have no idea what I'm doing here,"

"I didn't realize you felt that way," She pulled away from him as he reached for her and rose from the bed to pace the length of the room.

"Of course, you didn't" Her voice was full of venom as she whirled around to face him. "You'll never know what this feels like, to be this out of place and—" She snapped her mouth closed immediately regretting her words

He nodded slowly and rose from the bed. "I'll make arrangements for us to leave in the morning," He didn't look at her as he turned to leave the room.

"Gan, wait," She reached for him but the door closed behind him before she could stop him.

She buried her face in her hands and mentally kicked herself for being an idiot. She had let her emotions get the best of her and now things were spiraling even further out of her control.

The sun was barely rising over the horizon as Aeris watched the Gerudo guards ready their horses for their departure. She pulled her cloak closer around her shoulders as the first hint of an autumn breeze caressed her skin.

"Are we ready?" Aeris ducked her head as Ganondorf spoke feeling like a child who had ruined the other children's fun. They hadn't spoken since her blow up and he was refusing to even look at her.

She shook her head to wave away the sudden dizziness that overwhelmed her as she swung herself into Starlight's saddle.

"Is everything alright?" Imeone moved her horse closer to Aeris and helped to steady her.

"I still don't feel very well," She tried to smile as the guard looked her over.

"We'll be home soon," The guard patted Aeris' shoulder lightly and moved back into formation.

Aeris took in a shaky breath as the dizziness subsided and guided Starlight to stand beside Ganondorf. She swallowed her pride and reached to lay a hand on his arm. He flinched at her touch and she withdrew her hand.

She cursed herself again as he wordlessly motioned for their small group to move. She spurred Starlight forward and rode a few paces behind Ganondorf, keeping her head bowed low.

By the time they passed through the gates into Castle Town, the sun had risen above the horizon and the chill was slowly being chased from the air.

The early market was slowly coming to life as Aeris scanned the cobblestone square. She perked up when she thought she saw a flash of green moving through a small group of people but quickly lost sight of it.

She tried to find whatever she had seen again and barely noticed a small boy clad in green slip out of the group and make a break for the city gates.

"Link!" She spurred Starlight into a light canter and quickly caught up to the young Hylian and leaned to grab him by the back of his tunic to swing him up into the saddle in front of her.

She heard Ganondorf yell her name as she urged Starlight into a gallop. Link scrambled to grab his hat as they flew across the draw bridge and into Hyrule Field.

She paused briefly and turned Starlight toward Kakariko hoping that she would be able to buy herself a few moments alone with Link.

Starlight was panting heavily as they crossed the small bridge that crossed the stream that fed into the moat around Castle Town.

She slowed the horse to a stop and let go of Link's waist and he slid from the saddle and landed clumsily on the ground as Aeris swung herself from the saddle.

"Are you alright?" She helped the young boy up and dusted his tunic off.

He stared at her with wide blue eyes and nodded slowly. He pulled his arm away from her and looked quickly over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry I grabbed you like that, I just needed to talk to you," She let Starlight wander to the edge of the stream and drink from it.

"He looked different," Link's mouth was set in a firm thin line as he looked up at her.

"He is different," She smiled softly and took Link in. It was strange seeing him as a child again but his eyes still held the same resolve they had before.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," She brushed a stray piece of hair from his face. "You don't need to worry, we're going home,"

The young boy nodded as he stared down at his feet as he shuffled uncomfortably. "Are you alright?" He seemed unsure if he should be asking about her well being.

"I'm fine," She ruffled his hair playfully though his hat. "I'll be even better once I'm home,"

She laughed as she scowled and straightened his hat. "So, it's over?"

She nodded. "It will never happen in the first place," She knew that it was only a small relief to the boy, he had still done and seen things that no child should ever bear witness to. "So Mr. Hero, what are you planning to do with your new-found freedom?"

"Look for Navi," There was a pain she recognized behind his voice. Pain that spoke of the loss of a friend.

She understood why he was speaking in a soft voice and only using the words absolutely necessary to get his point across.

"Here, take this," She pulled a piece of cloth with a leather cord tied to it out of her pocket. It was slightly charred and covered in dirt and soot but the Gerudo sigil was still visible on its surface.

Link took the slip and examined it closely. "Why?"

"I know you'll likely never use it, but I want you to have it," She closed his hands around it and gripped them tightly. "If you ever need anything, you are welcome in the desert,"

Link looked up at her, his face unreadable. "I-" He swallowed thickly and pulled his hands away from her. "Thank you,"

"I hope you find your friend, Link," She patted the top of his head and moved to grab Starlight's bridle. "Be safe,"

"You too," Link smiled as Aeris swung herself into the saddle.

"Will you be alright here alone?" Link was standing near the steam staring into the swiftly moving water as Aeris guided Starlight onto the bridge. "Do you want a ride back to town?"

The young boy shook his head and turned toward Kakariko. "I'll be fine,"

Aeris watched as the young hero began walking toward the Sheikah village, even though he was back in a child's body he moved with the same odd grace he had as an adult. She hoped that he would be able to have some semblance of a normal life.

"Alright girl, let's go home," She clicked her tongue and spurred Starlight into a light gallop back toward Castle Town.

As she approached the drawbridge she saw two of the Gerudo guards and Ganondorf standing just outside of the city gates. Ganondorf was obviously agitated and the two guards were trying their best to calm him.

The sound of approaching hoofbeats caught their attention, Ganondorf turned his head and shoved his horses reigns toward one of the guards and rushed to greet her. He grabbed Starlight's bridle and pulled the mare to a halt. "Where the hell did you go?" Starlight swayed uneasily as Aeris swung herself out of the saddle. "Who was that?" His golden eyes held something between confusion and anger as he stared down at her.

"Link is an old friend," She removed his hand and gripped it tightly. "You worry too much," She cupped his cheek with her free hand.

He leaned into her hand and sighed. "You don't exactly make it easy not to worry,"

"I know, and I'm sorry," She rubbed her thumb over his cheek. "It will be better once we're home,"

She squealed as he suddenly lifted her by the hips and put her back into her saddle. "Then let's get you home so I can keep an eye on you,"

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," She watched as he mounted his own horse with a smile.

"Good, I don't plan on letting you out of my sight again anytime soon," The four guards were obviously relieved to see the pair interacting again as they turned toward the Desert and started the journey home.

Aeris listened as the guards talked amongst themselves they were eager to return to their friends and families. She rode close enough to Ganondorf that their thighs brushed together with every stride and was keenly aware that he kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, both of them were clearly worried about the other.

As they passed the ruins of her childhood home Aeris paused. Fresh sprouts of spring grass were pushing their way through the burned floors and ivy was winding its way up the blackened struts working to return the husk to nature.

She pulled Starlight to a halt and swung out of the saddle, one of the guards tried to call out to her but faltered when Ganondorf raised his hand to silence her. He watched as his wife walked among the charred remains of her life in Hyrule.

He had no way of knowing what she was thinking or feeling and he likely never would, but, as she bent to pick up a mildewed plush goat and it disintegrated in her hands he knew that part of her went with it.

There was nothing left for her in Hyrule.

Her home was in the vast golden sands, her home was with him.

A/N: I just want to take a moment and thank everyone who has given this story a chance and everyone who has left amazing words of encouragement, you guys are awesome!

I know that I've said some things in my notes before but, I started this particular work as a coping mechanism after my SO was diagnosed with cancer in late March of last year and it has helped us both tremendously.

It gave us both something else to talk about when we needed a break or when he was panicking in the middle of the night. We started joking that he was my ghostwriter because he would help me work through the plot and give me ideas on how to move forward with the story.

So again, from both of us thank you all so much.

I do plan to move forward with the next arc very soon, but I will be taking a small break to work on my other WIPs so if you enjoyed this work feel free to check out my others!