So I know I really left you guys hanging, but I hope this is satisfactory as a follow-up to that little surprise (thought must of you already knew ;) So i don't really like this chapter, just cuz I feel like it's rushed...but I guess I'll see what you guys think! Haha enjoy!

Chapter Fifty: Renado's Welcome

ZELDA POV

Zelda was staring down at the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen, and found herself unable to breathe properly. The twinkling diamond was large, yet small enough to suit her tastes. The golden band supporting it was engraved with intricate, meticulous designs, and the rising light of the sun helped the colors of the rainbow shine off of the diamond.

Her eyes began watering, and her heart was soaring. Everything about this moment was flawless. Once again, Link had managed to amaze her with his absolute perfection and planning. For a few minutes, it seemed as if they were the only people in all of Kakariko...no, all of Hyrule.

Zelda was snapped out of her trance as Link gazed into her eyes, a lovely expression on his face. He brought his lips to her knuckles as he grabbed her hand, and it was the gentlest touch she'd ever felt. It only made it harder to suppress the sobs.

Marry me... the words echoed in her mind, provoking a quiet laugh of astonishment. She'd never expected those words to flow so smoothly from his lips, and it left her in a state of absolute shock. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. Instead, she saw a flashback of her dream: lying in Link's arms...dying...

Blinking away the tears hastily, she began shaking her head slowly. She was afraid that if she said something, her voice would surely break. Link simply smiled that alluring smile of his, and wordlessly slid the ring onto Zelda's finger. For what seemed like the billionth time, she couldn't hold back the tears. They flowed endlessly as she looked toward the inevitable future, concerning the Source and a certain sacrifice.

"Well?" he stood up slowly, raising his eyebrows expectantly. She shut her eyes tightly, and continued shaking her head. But when she opened her mouth again, she wasn't even in control of what she was saying.

"Of course!"

She fell into his arms, as if it were more natural than the wind blowing through the trees. She buried her face in his neck as he held her close, her arms wrapped around him as if she would never let go. Zelda was never going to let go. By this time, of course, she was crying harder than she'd ever cried before. He kept his arms around her almost protectively, letting her tears run down his neck.

"Don't cry," he murmured softly. The princess couldn't reply. Yet the guilt was already beginning to eat her alive; she was agreeing to spend her life with him when there was so little of it left. Regardless of what Link said, the path to her sacrifice was one from which they could not stray. Her close death was inevitable, but she could never bring herself to say no. There was nothing in the world that she'd rather have done than marry him.

Beautiful things never last... she remembered the warning of the Guardian in that fateful dream. That hurt her more than anything, and she cursed herself for leading him towards such pain. The fact that he was so happy made it even worse. However, there was something specific that allowed her to say yes: there was a tiny spark of hope, deep inside her heart, that Link was right. Maybe they could go against the odds and somehow stray from the path set by the goddesses. Perhaps she could survive.

They pulled away to face each other, though they refused to let go. His face was beaming brightly, and the twinkle in his blue eyes said more than words ever could. Her tears fell harder.

"What is it?" he whispered, leaning his forehead against hers. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing. I just..." she paused, her phrase interrupted by a choking sob.

"Do you love me?" he asked, his voice barely audible.

"More than anything."

"Then nothing else matters," Link grabbed her hand and instinctively ran his fingers over the ring. "Not the Royal Council, not the people, not even the Source. It's just you and me."

"Link, I—"

"Zelda," he sighed, taking a moment to stand back and stare into her eyes. It gave her chills. "If this isn't what you want..."

"No, no!" she shook her head frantically, finding that her voice was returning. "I don't want anything but this." She held his face in her hands, stroking his cheeks longingly with her shaky thumbs.

"Then why are you so upset?" he persisted, an expression of concern on his face.

"It's not you," she replied as he cupped his hands around hers, playing with her delicate fingers. "It's the whole situation, I suppose. With the Source and all."

"We'll find our way to it soon enough," he reassured "We have all the pieces. Don't worry about anything."

She took a deep breath, letting his familiar, warm aroma fill her senses. Though his words soothed her temporarily, she knew better. He didn't know what Zelda knew; he couldn't see what she saw. There was always going to be worry, buzzing around in her brain. Ever since she was little, worry had been a constant factor of her life, though she refused to show it. At that moment, she didn't want to be worrying about anything...she shouldn't have been.

"I never expected this to be your reward," she admitted. He smiled entrancingly, and she saw a hint of mischief in his eyes.

"I deliberated a lot about it," he shrugged as he hopped into the spring. Then he helped Zelda jump down beside him. "But ultimately, I knew what I wanted from the beginning. Since I first set my eyes on you...as a wolf."

The memories rushed back to her in a flurry of nostalgic images, and she found herself grinning dumbly. They were walking slowly through the shallow water, and deep inside, Zelda could feel Eldin's strong presence around them.

"I didn't know what to think of you, to be honest," she chuckled, as they linked arms and continued strolling. "The first feeling I had was pity, I suppose."

At this, Link chuckled quietly and closed his eyes. She gazed at him affectionately.

"I just wanted to help you."

Suddenly, as they absentmindedly strode past Renado's house, Zelda saw something out of the corner of her eye. It was Ilia, disappearing back through the door. There had been tears.

"She was watching us," the princess observed. Link nodded solemnly, a slightly pained expression on his face. "Is this what you two fought about earlier?" As she asked the question, she lifted her hand to look at her beautiful new ring. He nodded again.

"So you've known for a while what you wanted."

Another silent nod.

"I'm sorry."

They walked on without a word, meandering through the quiet little village. Though the sun was now shedding its light upon them generously, there was little movement among Kakariko's inhabitants. They paused in front of the gate leading into Hyrule Field and just stared ahead for a while. Zelda was the one to break the silence, unable to keep the words from coming out. It was a question she'd been dying to ask.

"Do you miss her?"

"...Infinitely so."

"Do you think of her often?"

"Every minute of every day."

Zelda glanced up at him, and saw a single shimmering tear rolling down his pale cheek.

"She loves you, you know," she whispered. "That's why she broke the Mirror."

He sighed. "I know."

"You love her, too," Zelda had no idea from where this was even coming. The words and thoughts just seemed to flow endlessly. The strangest part was that she didn't even feel the slightest pang of jealousy.

"Yes..." here, he took on a pensive look. "But not in the same way that I love you."

"She was a truly remarkable person, and for a while...she was my best friend, and the only one I had." As she spoke, she felt as if a heavy weight was being pressed against her chest. Ever since that fateful day in the Gerudo Desert, Zelda had been trying her hardest not to think about Midna. It was much too painful.

"You gave your life for her," Link said. The memory made her flinch, though minutely.

"Of course I did..." she paused, and her head began to pound. "You know I'd...I'd do the same for you."

He was silent. It was deafening to her. She didn't know what was going on in his head. Finally, he spoke.

"...I know."

LINK POV

"You two were out quite early," Renado observed. They were sitting around a table, peacefully eating their breakfast. Link kept quiet as he ate his eggs, and Zelda cleared her throat. Before coming back inside, she'd taken off the engagement ring; they had agreed that they were going to wait until after all of this was finished to announce the news. They didn't need any more drama in their lives for the time being. Yet looking around, Link could see Ilia hiding her emotions. He was certain that she'd seen the entire proposal.

"What do you plan on doing now?" the shaman probed after a long pause. Link sighed as the burden of secrecy weight heavily upon him.

"Just wait," Zelda gave him a slightly sad glance. "There's nothing more we can do at this point."

"Sounds perfect," Renado grinned good-naturedly. She smiled back, hiding the uncertainty that Link knew was there.

"I'm all packed up," Ilia said bluntly. Link felt his pulse quicken. "I can leave whenever the escort is ready."

"The Goron is prepared when you are," Renado nodded.

"So is Epona," Link interjected. Zelda looked at him with a furrowed brow, but he kept his eyes firmly on Ilia. She blushed and smiled appreciatively with a flash of her bright teeth.

"Thank you."

"Are you...travelling?" the princess ventured to ask. Ilia swallowed, as if just hearing Zelda's voice hurt her.

"Yes. I'm going back to Ordon. They need me now more than ever, especially since Uli died." Ilia choked back a quick sob.

"Well, I wish you a safe trip," Zelda smiled, and Link saw guilt in her eyes. Ilia grinned back, eager to break eye contact. There was a heavy, awkward silence following, and Link shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The tension between Zelda and Ilia had definitely returned.

After breakfast, Renado, Zelda, and Link all gathered outside to see Ilia off. A Goron was waiting for them, and Epona was saddled and ready by the spring. They proceeded to say their goodbyes, though the hero was reluctant. He'd already spent enough time away from Ilia...yet he knew this needed to happen for her well-being.

"Come back soon," Ilia whispered in his ear desperately as they hugged. "Just to visit, at least."

With a somber expression on her face, she nimbly mounted Epona. The mare squealed in momentary terror when she noticed it wasn't her master, but she calmed when she felt Ilia's familiar touch on her back. The Goron, completely stone-faced, held the reins and began leading the horse out of the village. Link waved meekly as they became smaller and smaller in the distance. Ilia turned and looked back one more time before turning around the bend and disappearing.

"This town is becoming more quiet with each passing moment," Renado noted sadly. "Soon, we will have been reduced to nothing." With a slight shake of his head, he sauntered back to his hut, where his daughter was waiting. Luda was just beginning to recover from the illness, now that she'd been given a drop of the cure.

"What do we plan on doing?" Zelda sighed. Link just shrugged. Ever since their earlier conversation, he couldn't get Midna off his mind. She kept popping back, as if haunting him and relishing in the torture her image was causing him. It was a new, fresh burst of pain.

As if reading each other's minds, they once again began walking, side by side, through the village. They didn't say a single word; Link was caught up in his thoughts, and he knew Zelda was caught up in hers. He just enjoyed having her beside him. No, he needed her beside him, to keep him grounded. They walked past houses beginning to stir and show life, and the tiny stores that still weren't open. They just basked in the simplicity of Kakariko, in this chance to escape the complicated world outside those gates. They walked up and down the road, never speaking yet never stopping. All Link needed was her strong, regal present to make him content at that moment.

Suddenly, a tremor rushed through the earth, and they both sensed heavy footsteps. Glancing around them anxiously, Link had a horrible feeling in his stomach. He felt as if something dangerous were approaching. Everybody else around noticed, as well, and they squinted curiously as they searched for the source of the tremulous footsteps. Link looked forward toward the gate, and Zelda narrowed her eyes suspiciously. His fingers instinctively reached for the hilt of his sword, and he stepped in front of his fiancée. His mind was racing in speeds he never thought possible, as the princess stood as still as a statue, barely even breathing. Then, Link was able to slightly make out the approaching threat.

It was a large group of people, all mounted on horses. At first, Link didn't recognize them, for they were blurred and darkened by the shadow of the wall rising up to block the sun. But behind him, Link heard Zelda catch her breath. In a swift, instinctive, and protective reaction to her tenseness, he grabbed her hand and leaped into a narrow space between two buildings, where they were in shadows and barely noticeable. They put their backs against the wall, staring out into the main road, though they were perfectly hidden and squeezed in cozily.

"...It's the Royal Council," Zelda whispered quietly. Link scrunched his forehead. "They're looking for me." His heart was thudding heavily, and for a few moments, he was certain that Zelda could even hear it beating.

"Shh," he finally said. Both of them were completely silent as the Royal Council rode in. Every single horse was the purest shade of white, donned in beautiful saddles and intricate reins with golden embroideries, and their manes and tales were braided cleanly. They stepped in perfect unison, and were in a tightly circular formation. The people of Kakariko Village were murmuring worriedly amongst themselves as the Royal Council looked around, each one wearing a concealing helmet with a slit for their eyes, and a red feather sticking out from the top. However, they wore no armor; it was simply regal, traditional attire.

"Good morning to you all!" the leading rider cried. Immediately, all voices were hushed. To Link and Zelda's relief, as they looked around, they failed to notice them crouched in the nook between the two buildings. Though the chosen ones had limited vision, it was enough.

Instantly, Link recognized the voice. His mouth twisted into an angry snarl, and his stomach did an uncomfortable somersault.

"We have come on a special mission," the man continued. "The Princess is gone!"

There were many gasps emitted from the people of the crowd, and their eyes widened as this news sank into their minds.

"Now, we are unaware of her whereabouts, or how she escaped," he explained. "She may have left of her own accord...but she may have been abducted."

Link resisted a scoff of disgust.

"We have been ordered to search every nook and corner of Hyrule for her, and we must not rest until we find her!"

Finally, the speaker lifted his gloved hands and pulled off his helmet. Link felt a rush of abhorrence rush through him. It was the man...the one who had threatened Zelda. The one with the blond hair: Caine. He felt Zelda become tense, even as his own emotions began to run wild. Simply the sight of this repulsive man made his blood boil like he'd never felt it boil before.

"Stay calm," Zelda warned, touching his arm soothingly.

"Is she here? Tell the truth!" Cain bellowed. The people rapidly shook their heads, genuinely unaware of the fact that the princess was, in fact, among them at this very moment.

"Men! Go! Search for her everywhere!" he ordered mercilessly. The inhabitants were now beginning to get worried, and Link caught his breath. There was no way he was going to let this happen. He subtly inched forward, grabbing the hilt of his sword...

"Excuse me," Renado's deep, steady voice cut through the air. Everything stopped, and Link paused. Though he couldn't see the shaman, he could hear him perfectly. "Is there something with which I can help you, kind sirs?"

"We are members of the Royal Council," Caine looked down condescendingly as his horse shifted beneath him impatiently. "Here to find and retrieve Princess Zelda."

For a moment, Link felt his blood run cold. There was the sudden, unexpected fear that Renado wasn't willing to keep their secret. The hero had come to learn that nobody could be trusted...

"I assure you, she isn't here," Renado's words were a major relief to Link's senses, and he felt his tension lessen slightly. "And if she is, I was not aware."

"She could be hiding anywhere, or kidnapped," Caine narrowed his eyes. "How do I know you are telling the truth?"

"Very well," Renado sighed. "Feel free to stay here in Kakariko Village. We welcome you with open arms. I can ready rooms for you immediately in the Elde Inn. Then you can take as long as you want searching for the princess."

"We mustn't stay," Caine argued, shaking his head. "We must continue, for anything could be happening to the princess as we speak!"

"Please, sir," Renado chuckled. "Calm yourself. It will not hurt to stay one night. I can promise you that the princess is faring well."

"...How do you know?"

"She's made it this far, hasn't she?" Renado questioned. "Through this crisis? I find it shocking that she's survived this long through the turmoil of Hyrule without losing her sanity. She can take care of herself, sir. Now, the inn is this way. You may tether your horses right over there."

"Very well," he grumbled reluctantly. The men backing him, however, seemed tired and relieved to finally have a break. "But only for one night."

"I shall ready your rooms," Renado came slightly into view as he bowed. "Enjoy your stay here in Kakariko Village."

Link and Zelda watched stiffly as the men dismounted and tethered their horses, the villagers gawking. Then, with Caine leading and still looking around suspiciously, they filed into Elde Inn. Link was still in shock at this surprising arrival, but he and his princess let out sighs of momentary relief. Then, cautiously, they slithered out of their hiding spot.

"If they find me, everything will come crashing down," she observed calmly. "And they'll be searching all day."

"They won't," Link growled, anger flashing in his feral eyes. "I'll make sure of it."

They stayed inside for the rest of the day, naturally, and Renado found numerous ways to keep the men from coming inside of his hut. Though for most of the time, all the members except Caine were simply sauntering around the village leisurely, not bothering to look for the princess. They were all worn down and exhausted, as Link noticed. In the hut, though there was little to do, they kept themselves perfectly occupied. Since Luda was nearly healed, she was able to come downstairs, and Link and Zelda delighted in her company. Renado told them stories of his childhood, and the myths of ancient Hyrule. While Link was familiar with none of them, Zelda was familiar with almost all of them. But he loved seeing her face light up and her eyes twinkle, and it made his heart flutter madly. He almost forgot that right across the road was Caine, probably sitting inside the inn and planning his next tactical move.

"If you find it necessary, you may travel tomorrow morning," Renado had told them. "I can help you safely escape." It was agreed that they would leave tomorrow.

That night, as Link lay in bed, he couldn't find a single moment of sleep. The goddesses simply refused to let him rest for even a second. His mind was buzzing with worry and concern, and he was slightly sickened at the fact that Caine was here searching for his princess. Renado was at the door, staying awake all night to guard and make sure nobody came in of his or her own accord. Nevertheless, Link couldn't stop being paranoid.

He sat up in bed, and heard something down the hall. Afraid that Zelda was going to try and run away again, he rushed out to the corridor, and that's when he noticed he'd been sweating ever since he'd gotten into bed. Yet when he looked around, he neither saw nor heard anything. To his relief, the door to Zelda's room was securely shut. Carefully, he twisted the knob and built up the courage to glance inside.

Zelda was continuously pacing back and forth on the wooden floor of her room, rubbing her temples and taking deep breaths. She was so immersed in her own mind that she didn't notice him slip inside until he closed the door, at which point she paused abruptly and opened her eyes. Her face was completely blank.

"You couldn't sleep either?' she asked, though it was more of an observation. He shook his head and took a step toward her. "They'll search every single house in Hyrule until they find me. They'll most likely be here tomorrow morning, if not later tonight."

"Just trust Renado," Link moved even closer, into the spot of milky light cast by the dwindling flame of the candle. "He knows how to protect you."

The princess managed an unconvincing nod. Link remained calm as he gently kissed her cheek, trying to reassure her. The touch felt ethereal, almost surreal. She closed her eyes again, providing no resistance to his approach. His instincts began to take control as he moved his hands to her slender hips, and put his lips seductively on her neck. When he glanced at her momentarily, there was a serene smile on her face. The fire inside of his heart burst jubilantly as he pulled her closer, until they were chest to chest. Accordingly, she put her hands on his shoulders and swayed subtly. His fingers moved up and down her spine longingly, his lips hovering slightly above her collarbone and up to her jaw. She was as still as stone, yet as warm as the sunrise.

Just before his lips touched hers, she opened her eyes. Then, without a word, she bent down to the side, and Link's fingers began to tingle as her hair fell like silk over her shoulder. He was able to catch one last expression of delight before she blew out the candle.

Oooh...

Hahah so, we're coming to the end guys. Just a warning. This story is ALMOST finished :( But keep a lookout for my new one, for which the prologue is already completed. And don't forget to also check out the poll on my profile! Again, thanks so much guys! I LOVE YOU ALL, THANKS FOR KEEPING ME MOTIVATED! :)