"Demon Lord Ghirahim, I am Zelda, Princess of Hyrule. What world do you speak of?" Zelda asked as she slowly rose from the blanket. Ghirahim turned around, redirecting their eyes from him. Zelda could not believe she hadn't noticed it; she had been so entranced by the newcomer.

"A Portal?" Link asked as he too stood from the blanket. Ghirahim turned back towards the pair and smiled.

"Yes, a Portal. Now come, my Princess, the Lord of my world seeks you," Ghirahim beckoned.

Zelda shook her head, "You did not answer my question."

"Bold little girl you are. I am from the Otherworld. My King wishes to see you, surely you'll oblige?" He asked as he made his dagger visible.

"No, I won't. If your king wishes to speak with me, he can seek me out. I will not travel to the Otherworld!"

"If you don't willingly come, I will have no choice but to force you," Ghirahim threatened. Link made a move for the Master Sword and Zelda for her own sword. Together they face Ghirahim.

"You will not," Zelda stated. Ghirahim let out a sigh and rolled his eyes.

"Such dramatics… Save it for me, I would outshine you all," Ghirahim said. "But really now, my King awaits you," he said as he quickly unsheathed his dagger and stabbed Link.

Time seemed to slow down for Zelda. There was Ghirahim, his mouth set in a smile as he lunged for Link, his dagger pointed forward. Then there was Link, his eyes widening and a shocked gasp escaping his lips as the dagger plunged into his abdomen. Zelda screamed and made a move for Ghirahim with her blade but he parried the attack and proceeded to disarm her. He turned Zelda to face Link and put the dagger to her throat.

"Let – let her go!" Link commanded as he grasped the bleeding wound.

"I will not harm her. But you… The next time we meet I will fight you. I promise not to murder you up front so please, make it worth my time," Ghirahim said, licking his lips with his abnormally long tongue. He backed away with Zelda and the Portal engulfed them.

Link lay on the blanket, his wound bleeding. Was he going to die? Was this his cost for sneaking around behind Kaeru's back? Was this the cost of protecting someone you love?

Link didn't register the footsteps approaching until he was lifted from the ground and carried back through the castle and into the healing halls. All went black.

"Zelda is nowhere to be found," a man's voice said as Link slowly opened his eyes. Kaeru stood before him, his brow creased and his eyes downcast.

"Ghirahim," Link said before falling into a coughing fit, causing his abdomen to ignite in pain. A spark lit in Kaeru's eyes.

"The Demon Lord Ghirahim?" Kaeru asked. Link nodded. "Tell me everything."

Link opened his mouth then closed it again. Where was he to begin? Was he really going to tell Zelda's father that he had been sneaking around with his daughter? It seemed as though Link had no other option… Although he didn't have to tell Kaeru everything.

"I had found that passage a week ago and knew I had to take Zelda there. It was beautiful and I wanted to share it with her," Link said with a smile as he remembered her beautiful face light up when she looked upon the natural garden. "Before Zelda and I even had the chance to open the picnic basket, there was a sly voice that spoke from behind us. He called himself The Demon Lord Ghirahim. He said that his king sought Zelda but she resisted. I made to defend her but found Ghirahim's dagger in my abdomen before I could even blink. He took her through a Portal and vanished as I bled," Link finished. Kaeru remained silent, processing what Link had told him.

He finally spoke, "A Portal to where?" He breathed, his voice eerily calm.

"The Otherworld," Link said, looking straight into Kaeru's eyes.

"It seems the time for your test has come," Kaeru said as he lifted his head. "If you choose to accept this task, you will leave as soon as your body has healed; it shouldn't be long now," Kaeru said as he stood and made for the door.

"Kaeru," Link said. "I mean my King," Link corrected as Kaeru stopped.

Kaeru waved him off, "Kaeru is fine. What is it?" He asked without turning around.

"I love Zelda, I really do," Link offered. Kaeru turned his head slightly and nodded, accepting this.

"Heal quickly, Link."

Link knelt before the King as he sat on his throne, waiting as the court assembled. He looked up at King Kaeru and wondered how he was able to school his features so that they betrayed nothing of his internal thoughts or judgements. Surely Kaeru was worried sick? If so, he didn't show any sign of it!

"Court!" Kaeru called and the hall fell silent. He brought his eyes down and they met with Link's. "I have summoned you here today for official record as well as to inform. My daughter, Zelda and Princess of Hyrule, was taken from within the castle borders through a Portal and into the Otherworld." Shocked gasps and chatter quickly filled the room, but Kaeru held up a hand, silencing them. "Princess Zelda managed to find the Hero of Time and he has undergone training supervised by Impa. Link is here before you all today to accept his final task and his final test so he can truly become the true Hero of Time: he will save and bring Zelda back to Hyrule," Kaeru stated as Link stared at the hem of his green tunic. He gripped the hilt of the Master Sword tighter as Kaeru spoke again, "Link," he said. Link brought his eyes up to Kaeru's and knowing passed through them. "Be safe on your journey. I trust that you will bring my daughter back safely and by any means necessary. Do not disappoint me or counter my judgement of you on this day. You leave in the morning." He finished. Kaeru stood from his throne and exited the hall first, his procession of guards following him. Link then stood and exited the hall, the Court following behind him.

Although he had his own chambers, they had never felt like home to Link. He soon found himself at the door to Zelda's chambers. With a tight fist he pounded on the door, the bang echoing through the empty halls of the top floor. He was so frustrated! He was so, so angry, he would kill Ghirahim the next time they met! Link pounded the door again, and again, until his hand began to throb. Slowly, he lowered his hand to his side and unclenched his fist. He turned the handle and entered Zelda's chambers; the first time since his last visit to Zelda. The healers had spent an entire week working on Link's wound so that he would be able to leave as soon as possible. He gritted his teeth as he walked through the familiar rooms.

But, as Link neared the door to Zelda's bedroom, his anger disappeared and was replaced with sorrow. With a deep, shaky breath, Link opened the door and walked into Zelda's bedroom, leaving the door wide open behind him. Her bed had not yet been made; it looked like she had rolled out of it only moments before. Link bit back his sadness. Zelda had been strong for him numerous times; it was his turn to be strong for her. He would be as strong as the Hero of Time had to be when he had saved Hyrule numerous times.

He walked up to her bed, but found he could not sit upon it, frightened that he would ruin the perfect image that it portrayed. The image that Zelda would sleepily walk through her door, coming from the bathroom, and return to Link's side in the warm bed as she had done so often. He wished more than anything to see her walk through those doors again. Instead, Link sat by the hearth that bore no fire. It was wrong; the hearth should be lit, warming the room for Zelda's return!

Link stood, anger coursing through him once again. He fumed as he paced around the room. He walked up to the tapestry-covered wall, balled his left hand into a fist, and punched the wall. Pain ignited in his hand and a stream of colourful words flowed through his mouth. He cursed himself for being stupid enough to punch the wall, then again for how much it hurt. He glared at the wall where he had hit as if it had provoked him to do so. But, his anger dissipated as his eyes fell upon the face of the Goddess Hylia stitched into the tapestry.

It always had that effect on Link and he wasn't sure why. As he gazed upon her, he reached his left hand out and his Triforce ignited, glowing on the back of his broken hand. A warm feeling flowed through his hand and he could feel his hand mending. He looked from his hand to the Goddess on the tapestry and brought his hand closer to the fabric. The glow of the Triforce brightened. He rested his now-mended hand on the tapestry and pressed it against the stone wall and the glow intensified to such an extreme it nearly blinded Link.

The glow of his Triforce winked out but a glow remained in the room – from behind the large tapestry. Slowly, Link reached for the edge of the fabric and gripped it in his fingers. He quickly thrust it aside, tearing down the tapestry from the wall. On the other side of the Goddess's tapestry was a stone door with the Triforce glowing Golden etched into it. Link's eyes widened.