It was an ominous scene - the usually lively nightlife of Gerudo Town during the night was filled with suffocating silence. Murmurs floated amidst it, but it was nowhere enough to mask the curiosity and sorrow that befell the place. Colors were leached out from people gathered outside - their clothes changed to fit the occasion's solemnity. A large pyre was set up in front of the Gerudo Royal Palace, its flames roaring high as if to reach the stars. However, even the stars combined would not be enough to lighten the dismal atmosphere.

Burial urns were set on one side of the pyre while the dismembered bodies found southwest of Hyrule Field lay waiting in two rows on the other side. One row will return to their grieving families; the other, the fire would claim. In the end, all of them would return to their ancestral birthplace. Their white and red shrouds - the colors of the Sheikah and the Yiga - are the only signs of their former identities.

At the princess' behest, the royal blue of the Hyrulean Royal Family covered those who died in service of the lands and its people. It matters not their past as former enemies - their deeds and will to live until their last breath are to be honored and recognized. A procession would be held at one point, but these are all the Gerudo could offer the dead for tonight.

Wild silently watched the proceedings. Not as a voe deliberated disguised as a vai but as a welcomed male guest of the Gerudo tribe. As a survivor of a tragedy. As a witness of genocide. Less than a hundred died at the hands of one person - a malevolent entity who had worn his brothers' faces to kill. There were no tears in his eyes as the flames lurched and reduced a corpse to ashes. Maybe he had tired of shedding tears and gone numb. Or perhaps the earlier hours have yet to sink in fully.

The Champion would have stayed there until the end if it were not for Four. The Smith touched him lightly on the arm to avoid spooking him. He did not take offense when the latter showed no awareness of the other hero's presence. Nonetheless, he still spoke. "Zelda is looking for you."

A brief lull, then a slight nod. Wild rose from where he was seated on the palace stairs and climbed. He said nothing to the Hero of the Four Sword. Not even a glance in his direction. The other hero could only watch him go - a faint I'm sorry, Wild lost in the cold desert wind.

The royal corridors were dimly lit, despite the lanterns and the moon shining brightly overhead. The Hero of the Wild knew it was long overdue - the conversation he dreads having. He cannot keep running away from the princess and the Vah Ruta in the room. It was just a matter of time, but even he could not imagine that the deaths of many would be the catalyst.

He killed them, did not he? It was his fault, was it not?

Dark Link had sent the Yiga after Hyrule. The former Sheikah would not have been led into a wild goose chase if Wild had done his job. He has one fucking job! He should have ended Dark Link in the previous era! The Champion should have slit that monster's throat, even if it cost his life. The others would probably mourn for him, but does it matter? They will move on, return to their eras, and live their lives. They would not be in this situation if he had ended this goddess-damned quest a week ago. His Sheikah friends and the Yiga would not have died a miserable death if he had not run away!

Wild restrained himself from punching the wooden door of his assigned room. It was slightly ajar, and he could see Zelda seated on his bed, dressed in a traditional Gerudo garb for mourning. She had forgone any ornaments and simply settled with her hair tucked back and hidden inside a black veil. Despite that, the Champion could still see her bloodshot eyes behind the thin fabric. She was staring at a burnt piece of cloth nestled in her palms - one that he recognized belonged to one of the Sheikah spies.

The door opened quietly, and Wild stepped in. The Hero of the Wild had not closed it when the princess stood up and marched towards him. His instincts warned him of danger, but he remained rooted where he stood. There was a sharp SMACK! as a hand hit his cheek. It hurt, but that was nothing compared to the pain, sorrow, and fury in Zelda's eyes.

"...Why?" The princess' voice was raspy, choked by her tears. "Why did you do that? HOW COULD YOU?" She gripped the front of his clothes. "Link! People are dead. Our people! YOUR PEOPLE! They're dead, Link! They're dead! And YOU-! You could've been one of them!"

Wild turned his face away, daring not to look at Zelda. He did not have the right to look her in the eyes after everything he had done. Does the princess blame him? The answer was clear as day: Of course she does! After the stunt he pulled and everything that happened today, she had every right to blame and despise him. The Champion knew he deserved it, and there was no going back.

Zelda lowered her head. "Why…? Why does this keep happening? What did we do to deserve this?"

Wild's hands curled into fists. No, Zelda did not deserve this. He did. "I…" He paused and bit his lower lip. "I'm sorry. It's my fault."

The princess sobbed harder against his chest. "W-Why…? Why Link? I-I could have helped. I could have something! Anything! Why can't you trust me? Is…Is there something wrong with me? Am I a burden to you?"

That made the Champion look at her. He clutched her shoulders firmly. "NO! No, Zel! There's nothing wrong with you. You're not a burden! I…" He pursed his lips as the words faltered on his tongue. "That's…That's not it…."

"THEN, WHAT IS IT?" She demanded. "Tell me! Please…please, Link. I'm begging you! Tell me. What do I have to do? What could I do? I don't want this. I don't want…Not again…."

The Hero of the Wild shut his eyes, forcing away the tears. "...No. I don't…." He took a ragged breath. "I…I don't want to put you in danger, Zel. So, please. Just…listen. Don't ask anymore. Don't fight me in this."

The princess could not believe her ears. She slapped his hands away and stepped away from his reach, shaking her head in disbelief. "N-No…NO! Stop!" She pointed at him accusingly. "YOU don't fight me on this! That's bullshit, and you know that, Link! This isn't about me! There's something else. You-!"

She tore the veil off her head and furiously ran her fingers through her hair. "I can handle myself! You know that, Link! You've seen me! You're the one who taught me!"

"I did," Wild swallowed dryly. "And I know." And he should not have.

"Well, it doesn't seem that way!" Zelda shot back. "I don't understand! Why do you have to be so self-sacrificing? Why do you have to do everything by yourself? Why do you have to choose to suffer alone? You have always been like that from the start! Why? Just because you're the destined hero? Because the Goddess told you so?"

"WHAT? Do you think no one will grieve for you if you die? Do you think Teba won't mourn for you? Prince Sidon? Yunobo? Riju? Purah? Paya? Or even Impa? Did you think I won't mourn your death?"

The princess reached to cup his face. "Link, look at me. Look at me in the eyes!" The Champion did not want to but still obeyed. "You nearly died in my arms one hundred years ago! I almost lost you that day! I don't want to repeat that!"

"Zel…" The Hero of the Wild held her wrists loosely. "You won't." It was a lie, yet those two words easily left out of his mouth like nothing. "You won't lose me. I promise."

Zelda shook her head. "No…don't! I'm tired of promises. Tired of losing people that I care about." She took a shaky breath. "Please, Link. Just this once. Tell me what I have to do. Tell me what I can do to help. I don't want to lose you. I don't want to lose anyone again. Especially you."

"Anything. I will do it." She pleaded. "Just…Just don't ask me to turn a blind eye. Don't tell me to abandon you. You've suffered enough. Please…please! For the love of the goddesses, no more! Not for me, but for yourself."

For himself. Not hers. The princess spoke as if she had not suffered a wretched fate like him - like her Link. Why? He wanted to ask. Why does she keep looking at him? Why does she keep holding out her hand to him? It would have been easy if she had turned away when he confessed he was not her Link. Yet, why? Why did she not? Why does she keep caring?

Wild wanted to ask, but the words would not come out. Do not cry. He did not want to break down before the person who needed him the most. She needs him. He cannot falter, yet words seem to fail him.

What should he say? What should he do? The Champion did not know. He has nowhere to run to. Twilight was not here, nor was Sun or Missus Malon. Even…Time was not here. They were the ones to whom he had entrusted his burden. What will they tell him? Does he run like he always does? Or…?

Wild did not know. He felt so lost, confused, and in great pain right now. The gravity of today's tragedy and the days leading to it slowly gripped his neck like a tightening noose. So many dead. So many died because of him.

"I eliminated these nuisances for you, Hero of the Wild. Now, they won't bother you again." Dark Link had boasted to him. "Isn't that a happy ending for everyone?"

For him. The Shadow had killed many for him. It was his fault that many had met a horrifying death. It was like back then one hundred years ago. His people, his king, his fellow Champions, and his own family…they were dead because of him.

Wild had not realized he had collapsed on his knees, clutching the princess' hands like his only lifeline. "I-I'm sorry… I'm sorry…." The words stumbled out of his mouth like a pitiful mantra. Hot tears blurred his sight. "It's my fault. I'm sorry, Zelda. I'm sorry… It's my fault. My fault…."

The Hero of the Wild did not know why. Those people were not his - he had not had a chance to meet them a century ago, but why? Why does it hurt so much? Why does he grieve for them? He had shed tears when he first met the Champions' spirits and was still doing the same. Why…?

"I…" The Champion confessed. "I'm scared. I-I don't know what's happening anymore! I don't know what to believe anymore. I don't know who I can believe in! I'm scared. I'm so, so scared, Zelda."

Wild did not want to, but the walls he had tried to build between him and the princess had started crumbling. The emotions he had bottled up since returning to his era threatened to break free and swallow him whole.

Just this once.

Hylia, just this once…let him fall from grace. Let him be a normal person. Let him hurt before her children. Let him cry as much as he had bled. Let him wail as he had roared in battles.

"...Who…Who am I? Who really am I? I-I don't know anymore. I'm not Link, but you and everyone else think otherwise. I'm not a hero, yet Hylia recognizes me as her own. I… I'm not the rightful master of the Master Sword, yet it…she…."

The Champion let go and gripped the front of his shirt. "It's my fault. My fault…they died. They died because of a fake hero." He sobbed. "I…I killed them, Zelda! It's my fault. I'm sorry - I'm sorry…."

Wild expected to hear the same things - the admonishments and denials he was used to hearing. It would be easy - they would end this conversation and act like nothing happened the next day. Everything would return to normal, even with many deaths hanging above their heads.

Say it. The Hero of the Wild begged quietly and desperately. If the princess does, he will stop hesitating. He would kill these conflicting emotions in his heart and live the rest of his life without feeling anything. Please say it! Tell him how foolish he is. Deny his claims like always. Say it! Do it -

Fabric rustled, and a pair of arms pulled him into another body. Wild could not see behind his tears, but he could hear the heartbeat of a fragile chest. "I'm sorry…." Zelda's voice was barely a whisper. "I'm sorry. I… I've been too selfish. Too blind, too consumed by my desire for everything to be okay. I thought I…."

"I didn't know I was hurting you like this. I'm hurting you as I did one hundred years ago. I was so hung up on what I wanted that I'm becoming the person I don't want to return to." The princess buried her face in his hair. "I'm sorry for hurting you again and again. I...I don't know what to do. I wanted to help you but don't know how to. I'm so lost, and I'm scared of history repeating itself. I-"

A raspy sob. "I'm afraid to lose you again. I'm sorry, Link. I'm sorry…."

Zelda held him like she was her precious world - tighter than when he had lent his arms during their run a century ago. However, it was loose enough for the hero to wriggle away. She would not stop or blame him if he wanted to pull away.

Does he want to?

Wild does not. Not when he gripped her sleeves like a scared child. Not when he wailed and mourned in her arms. The words I'm sorry were repetitive - a phrase he had spoken and heard so many times it had gone wearisome. Still, it spilled out of their tongues, carrying the feelings they had bottled against each other, the world, and Fate for so long. It was an open wound that had festered long before tonight - before Malice had overrun these terrible lands.

Resentment.

Guilt.

Sorrow.

Fear.

Pain.

These raw emotions had become unbecoming of them - the princess and the hero - but who could blame them? They had witnessed too much tragedy that the death they feared seemed a sweet escape. But is it the only way? Would insanity be a better alternative?

"I'm sorry…."

They had scarred one another at one point, yet they still leaned on each other's shoulders for support. One hundred years ago and now, they had always been similar. As they shed the last of their tears and drifted to sleep in each other's arms, they knew their fight was not over, and they would have to face a cruel world again tomorrow.

But for tonight, the princess and the hero could only cling to each other. It matters not if the floor chilled their sides nor the two people who came in quietly to cover them with the warmest blankets and murmur apologies that had gone unheard. They curl with the person they had hated and learned to love.

…And the only one who truly understands them.