Hi! Yes, I know it's been a while, and I'm very sorry about that :( But now that it's winter break, I'm back in business! Speaking of which... HAPPY HOLIDAYS! :D

So this chapter sort of explores the fun side of Link and Zelda's relationship, because you can't be serious ALL the time! You have to be silly sometimes ;) Enjoy!

Chapter Forty-Three: Falling Into Place

Zelda tried as best she could to explain everything that she had figured out to Link. The entire time he maintained a composed, dispassionate face. With each word, she found herself searching his face for some kind of emotion, something to let her know what he was feeling. The only thing she saw was that signature sparkle in his blue eyes, though they were drooping in exhaustion. Yet as she spoke, it felt as if a heavy burden were being lifted from her shoulders, and it was as if she could breathe more easily. She knew that this was mostly a mental change, but it still relieved her beyond description.

"Do you remember that dream I had?" she asked after explaining some background from the book. Link narrowed his eyes curiously. "The one about the Triforce, and the wonderful place that we were standing in, but we didn't know where it was? With the golden sky and green grass? And you kept on repeating that power is the key."

Link suddenly nodded, and she could see the memory flooding into his brain.

"I think I finally know what that place is," An excited smile spread across her face. "It's the Sacred Realm. And I know why you were talking about the Triforce... The Sacred Realm is the home of the Triforce. It's where the goddesses descended upon Hyrule."

Link's eyes stayed narrowed, as if deep, intricate thoughts were rushing through his mind.

"I have the Triforce of Wisdom. You have the Triforce of Courage. We're missing the Triforce of Power..." After this, Zelda had to pause to take a breath. She was now having trouble calming herself. "It's in the Sacred Realm. The Triforce of Power, the one we're missing, is in the Sacred Realm."

Link opened his mouth, as if he were about to say something, but there was silence. Zelda gazed at him expectantly, waiting for him to respond to her unbelievable discovery.

"Link, do you realize that once we have the Triforce of Power, nothing can stop us?" she continued, practically hopping in her seat. "It holds the power that originally stopped this source! So once we have it, it'll all fall into place."

"How are we going to get it?" Link finally said, his voice completely calm. Zelda paused, taking a moment to think over the question. Then, without answering, she grabbed the book and began flipping through the pages rapidly until landing on the correct page. Then she pointed a slender finger and showed Link.

"It says here that the only entrance to the Sacred Realm is through the Temple of Time," she bit her lower lip, wracking her brain for some kind of solution. Once again, Link remained silent. "...Where could the Temple of Time be now?" she said, mostly to herself than to Link.

Suddenly, his face took on a nostalgic expression. Zelda furrowed her brow curiously, watching the emotions unfurl in his features. His eyes narrowed slightly, and she could tell that he was struggling to remember something. She raised her eyebrows, waiting for the hero to respond. For a few, deafening moments, there was complete silence. Link's chiseled face maintained the same expression. Her stomach flipped impatiently, and she had to try harder to keep her composure from slipping. She knew that her gauge of patience was slowly but surely being emptied. It seemed to her as if Link didn't realize the magnitude of this situation; that was what he was acting like, though Zelda knew that wasn't how he truly felt.

"What do you think?" she urged, leaning forward slightly. Her excitement was growing rapidly without end. This could mean the end of this journey and peace in Hyrule once and for all.

"I..." he paused, sighing dramatically. Zelda was now aching to hear the answer. "I know where the temple is."

"W-where?" Zelda gasped, a broad smile appearing on her flustered features.

"It's in the Sacred Grove."

"...What? How could it be there and nobody know about it?"

"There's not really a temple there," Link sighed, as if it were a burden explaining this. Zelda assumed that the memories simply brought him pain. "It's mostly ruins of the Temple of Time. But Midna and I found a secret entrance that leads back in time to the whole temple."

By this time, Zelda was in shock. Here, Link was telling her something that she'd never expected to hear. At the mention of Midna's name, he had become more somber, a fact that Zelda understood.

"And the pedestal?" she continued urgently. This could be the moment when all their problems would be solved, and the ecstasy was hard to maintain

"The pedestal is in the temple. I'm guessing that the entrance is still open," Link shrugged.

"If we can find the entrance to the Sacred Realm from the Temple of Time, we can finally defeat whatever monster is attacking my kingdom!" she exclaimed, unable to hold back her glee any longer. "The ingredients to the cure are in the Sacred Grove, too! Everything is starting to fall into place..."

LINK POV

Finally, Link cracked a smile. He loved seeing Zelda so joyful and excited, and watching her face light up beautifully. He just wanted to stroke her face, feel her skin against his, hold her in his arms, and whisper in her ear. He wanted to feel his fingers running through her silky, smooth hair, and her warm breath on his face. He wanted to spend all of his life by her side, protecting her and guarding her from whatever may harm her. Simply seeing her smile made his heart melt, and he could feel the tingles starting in his toes and running all the way to the red complexion in his cheeks. He'd never experienced anything like this before; not with Ilia, not with Midna...only with Zelda. He knew that she was definitely the one.

And now he had the chance to make her life easier, and he would grab it as quickly as possible. Anything that would make her happy, Link was willing to do; whether it meant spending a few rupees or sacrificing his life, he would do anything it took to keep her beside him. Returning to the Sacred Grove to find the Triforce was actually easy in comparison to the lengths that Link was willing to go. But Zelda still had a price to pay as well. She still had Link's reward, and just the thought of it made him giddy... but first, the Sacred Grove.

"I'm ready when you are," he nodded, grinning dumbly. Zelda bit her lower lip excitedly, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Tomorrow morning," she finally decided, taking a moment to glance out of the window at the darkness. "We both need our rest after the past few days."

"Speaking of which," a shadow suddenly fell across Link's face, and an expression of pure vengeance appeared. "What happened with the Royal Council?"

Zelda turned away, lowering her gaze anxiously.

"I couldn't stop the tax from passing," she swallowed, as if the words gave her great pain. Link felt his fingers instinctively clench into fists. She went on to explain the entire ordeal at the table, where Caine had outdone her logic and convinced the others. Link's anger flared at the mention of Caine.

"What does Caine look like?" he asked randomly, his mind reverting back to the man he'd seen with Zelda.

"He has blond hair, he's tall, and he has green eyes."

A low, menacing growl was emitted from Link's throat habitually.

"...What's wrong?" she put her hand worriedly on Link's arm, a look of concern on her face.

"I saw what he did to you," Link finally admitted through gritted teeth. "When I was sneaking through the castle, I saw you two in here."

Zelda's eyes widened, and she froze, holding her breath nervously. Link's anger only increased as the memory continued flashing in his mind.

"He can't threaten you," he murmured. "Not while I'm here."

"Link, please," she sighed. "Don't be rash! He's just an arrogant fool who doesn't know what he's talking about. Let him stand on his pedestal. The bigger they are, the harder they fall."

"I can't just let him get away with this," his voice remained chillingly low.

"Please be the mature one here and let it go," her satin voice filled Link's ears like a soothing, calming melody. "I'm fine. We'll deal with the Council when we return."

"Fine," he agreed hesitantly. "But don't think this is over. Caine will get what he deserves..."

"Try to get some rest," Zelda sighed, running a hand nervously through her hair. "We have a lot of work to do tomorrow."

"All right," he nodded, if somewhat reluctantly. "But Zelda, I also found this."

He pulled out the folded picture of the Source, handing it to the princess. She gently held on to it with a curious manner. Before moving to the other side of the room, where the elegant sofa waited for him, he put his hand on Zelda's cheek and laid his lips softly on her forehead.

"Good night," he smiled charmingly, noticing her cheeks becoming bright red.

"Good night, Link," she replied somewhat bashfully. He took off his hat, knapsack, sword, and boots as he lay on the couch, staring up at the ceiling blankly. After a few minutes, he could hear Zelda catch her breath in the silence. He snuck a glance at her, noticing that she had just unfolded the picture. There was now a pensive expression on her face, emphasized by the light of the candle at her side. Every detail of her flawless face was shown, making Link shiver.

With one last final sigh, the tired princess blew out the candle and pulled the blanket over her shivering arms. It took Link a lot longer, but eventually he, too, closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.

He dreamt of the reward that he was hopefully to receive soon.

The sun was just barely rising when Link was awoken by the sound of footsteps. The first thing he saw was the soft cushion of the sofa. His eyes seemed determined to stay closed as he groaned quietly, groggy and wanting more rest. Instinctively, he rolled over to stretch his arms and legs, and found himself tumbling awkwardly off of the narrow sofa. He landed on his stomach on Zelda's carpet, creating a small vibration throughout the room. A quick jolt of slight, sudden pain rushed through him as he rested his chin on the ground, grumbling in irritation.

Zelda jumped at the thump! She turned away from her bed, eyes wide and curious. When she saw Link, on the ground and mumbling to himself miserably, she couldn't hold it in; she burst into uncontrollable laughter, doubling over and clutching her stomach. Though Link wasn't very happy, he was glad that she found his pain funny. He kept repeating to himself: Anything to make her happy. Anything.

"I see you're awake," she giggled after the excitement had died down. Link rolled his eyes with a smirk, standing up clumsily and dusting himself off. "I'm glad the sofa was so comfortable," she joked. Link couldn't help chuckling, excited to see her so joyful.

"Yes, and the floor was even more comfortable," he teased. Zelda smiled as her face became brightly colored, and her eyes stayed intently on Link. As he sat back down on the sofa and slipped on his boots, he snuck a glance at her.

The princess looked more ravishing than ever. Her long hair was let completely down her back, without any golden tiaras or braids. It was rare to see her hair so...free. It simply ran down her back in long, straight strands, like a waterfall, glistening perfectly in the light of the rising sun. She was wearing a beautiful yet simple dress, but Link still couldn't understand why she was wearing one in the first place.

I guess princesses always have to wear dresses, he thought playfully. Then again, he wasn't complaining. He couldn't even imagine how horrendous he must've looked, especially after his clumsy little fall.

"I know it's early, but I wanted to get a head start," she ventured to remark. "There are only so many hours in one day."

She tucked a straight lock of hair behind her pointed hear, staring at Link with a gorgeous smile. He nodded in agreement, standing up and securing the sword on his back.

"Of course," he finally put on his signature hat. Zelda began to walk closer with twinkling eyes. She walked until her face was inches from his, and Link could feel her breath on his lips. He wanted so badly to just lean forward as she ran her fingers through the ruffled, blond hair on his forehead.

"Your hat is crooked," she finally said quietly, adjusting his hat. She didn't take her eyes off of him the entire time, and kept a completely straight face. Link felt his heart beating ten times faster than usual, and his fingertips aching to stroke her face and run through her long hair.

"There," she smiled. "Perfect."

"Completely perfect," he whispered, putting both of his hands on her cheeks. He began to lean forward, about to lay his lips gently on hers—

"Princess? Princess Zelda, are you awake?" a harsh knocking came from outside, and Link sighed heavily as Zelda turned away.

"Uh," she paused, and he reluctantly put his hands back at his sides. "Yes, I-I'm awake!"

"It's Rolph, darling," came the gruff voice once again. "I was wondering if you needed anything! May I come in?" The doorknob began to turn. If Rolph were to walk in on them, looking like this...

"No! No, Rolph, don't come in!" she warned, swallowing nervously and throwing a worried glance at Link. He lifted his shoulders in a shrug, peeking at the slightly opened door.

"Why? Is everything alright?"

"Yes, yes, everything's fine, it's just..." she paused. Then her face became bright red. "I'm getting dressed!"

Link had to cover his mouth with his hand to suppress his laughter.

"You're what?"

"I'm getting dressed! I just woke up..."

"Are you implying that you sleep naked, Princess?" Link whispered teasingly, making Zelda's jaw drop.

"Link!" she gasped quietly, yet he still saw a small smirk on her thin lips.

"Oh...very well then, Princess Zelda," Rolph cleared his throat. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you, Rolph," Zelda laughed nervously, and then heaved a sigh of relief when she heard the footsteps descending down the stairs. Then, it was Link's turn to burst into laughter.

"Oh, stop it," Zelda slapped his arm lightly. "Let's just go."

"Fine," Link chuckled. The darkness was beginning to disappear outside, and Zelda took a deep, cleansing breath. He reached his arm forward, gesturing, and she accordingly wrapped her arm through his and laid her hand atop his. "Shall we go?"

"We shall," she nodded, and they both began moving toward the door.

Once they were in the main hallway, Link began to get a nervous feeling in his stomach. They'd both made it clear that they didn't want anybody noticing them sneaking out of the castle yet again, so they were going to have to be extremely inconspicuous. Somehow, they managed to make it outside without anybody noticing them. A few times they'd seen someone, and Link had hid behind a wall or a statue, but in the end, they made it out safely. From there it was fairly easy.

They passed the guards with no trouble, for they didn't even bother to ask where Zelda was going. After all, it was Princess Zelda, and the guards gave her the power to do anything she wanted...apparently. But as soon as they emerged into the town plaza, she lifted her hood, and they remained completely silent during the entire trek.

"Here," In Hyrule field, Link got out Epona's horse call and gave it to Zelda. "You can do it."

Just as the first time, Zelda took great glee in playing the horse call to summon Link's loyal steed. The music flowed from her lips and through the horseshoe as if she were born to play it, and the music made Hyrule Field significantly brighter.

"How long do you think it will take?" Zelda asked once they were safely trotting across Hyrule Field. Her cheek was leaning against his back; her arms, wrapped around his waist. He could feel her hair billowing in the wind and tickling the back of his neck.

"Probably around an hour," he replied.

Just as he had predicted, they arrived in North Faron Woods in one hour's time. After assisting Zelda in dismounting, he wove his fingers through hers and began leading the way.

"Is that the Forest Temple?" she asked in awe, pointing up the path. Link nodded, smiling at the memories of monkeys and giant Deku Babas. "So...where's the Sacred Grove?"

Instead of answering, Link stood up on the small plateau where Rusl had first led him to the Sacred Grove and the Temple of Time, and Zelda followed curiously. Then, he pointed to the entrance. Her jaw dropped, and she instinctively clung to Link's muscular arm.

"Across the gorge? How in Din's name are we going to get over there?" The worry in Zelda's voice was slightly evident, a rare occurrence. But Link simply smirked, leaning down to grab the small patch of grass at his feet. Then, he blew into the feather-shaped leaves. Zelda looked around frantically, wondering what was going to happen.

Link put out his arm for the Golden Cucco to land on, and it squawked loudly as it flapped its sparkling wings. Zelda furrowed her brow, staring at the creature in disbelief.

"A cucco?" she asked, obviously doubting the cucco's flying skills. Link, a man of action, remained silent. Then he wrapped his right arm around Zelda's waist and pulled her in tightly. She offered no resistance to his actions, but instead leaned into him.

"Close your eyes, and it'll be over in a second," he said to her. Then he held onto the cucco's leg with one hand, and after a running start, jumped into the air with Zelda securely in his arms. With a quiet squeak of fear, she held on tighter, her nails digging through his tunic and into his skin. The Golden Cucco flew beautifully through the air.

After what seemed like ages for Zelda, they were at the entrance to the Sacred Grove. Link was smirking triumphantly, letting the cucco fly off as they landed softly on the grass. Zelda's eyes were still tightly shut; her fingers still clutching Link's now aching arm.

"You can open your eyes," he whispered reassuringly. Slowly and uncertainly, her eyelids lifted up. After a few blinks, she smiled.

"It worked," she let out a deep breath. "We're here."

"Are you ready?" Link raised his eyebrows, stepping toward the entrance cautiously. Zelda nodded bravely, walking beside him with her head held high.

"Yes," she said in her smooth, strong voice. All the fear she'd been showing a few moments ago was gone, and she had maintained her clear composure and pride. It seemed to Link as if she were trying to hide the fact that she'd ever been scared in the first place.

When they walked into the darkness of the Sacred Grove, he paused with a flinch, expecting to hear the cackling laugh of the small creature that usually hung about this area. To Link's surprise and relief, there was nothing. The only sound was the eerie rustling of the trees, casting their shadows on the grassy ground of the grove. Zelda inched closer to him as they emerged into darkness.

"I think it's this way," he led her through the first doorway of the Sacred Grove's labyrinth.

Fun stuff, right? Haha I hope you guys liked it! Don't forget to review! Also, keep a look out for the sneak peek of my next LoZ fanfic! I'll be putting the prologue up soon, so keep an eye out for it! Thanks guys! :D and if you haven't already...CHECK OUT THE POLL ON MY PROFILE! :DDD