I found myself face to face with a horde of Bokoblin.

"You think your friend would have already cleaned up these gruesome things," complained Ghirahim as he slashed one Bokoblin after another.

"Well, at least you're getting your exercise!" I shouted to him above the grating sound of metal clashing with metal.

I've had just about enough of this! I growled to myself and spun around, my blade extended. The Bokoblin all fell backwards and lay still.

"Sweet Hylia! That was worse than I ever thought imaginable!" exclaimed Ghirahim. "I never have been on the sharp bladed side of a Bokoblin before. Remind me to never use such creatures again."

"Noted," I said and looked about with my hand shading my eyes. Far above, I saw a green figure walking toward a temple entrance. "There he is!"

Ghirahim squinted as he looked up and replied, "I can get him before he goes inside."

"How?" I skeptically asked.

"Like this!" he said as he grabbed me and we disappeared, leaving dust in our wake.

I felt nauseated as we reappeared and came to a spinning halt right in front of Link. He made a startled sound and unsheathed his sword at the sight of Ghirahim. However, his face froze in shock as he saw me.

He couldn't utter any words and Ghirahim pushed me toward him, grinning like a sly cat. I refrained from rolling my eyes and smiled warmly at Link as I said, "I have come to aid you."

He looked uncertainly at me and on impulse, I drew him into an embrace and whispered, "It is good to see you, my friend."

His demeanor relaxed and I drew away from him. He inclined his gaze toward Ghirahim and with an elaborate bow, Ghirahim said, "Lord Ghirahim at your service! I do say, you're a lot shorter than I imagined but I think you'll do this Hero task splendidly as long as you don't go about lollygagging."

I sensed Link did not trust Ghirahim and neither did I. At least, I only trusted him to a certain point. I turned to Link once more and said, "We have much to discuss."

Our gaze did not leave each other as Ghirahim said, "Oh, it's one of those moments. I will just go and find some more Bokoblin to slay. Call me when you're done with this talk."

As he stepped away, I heard him mutter to himself, "Love – the oddest and most perplexing emotion I've ever encountered and that's saying something."

Ghirahim gone, Link relaxed even more and asked me what I was going to say before he was swept away. My heart caught in my throat and I cleared it as I began, "As a child, you were my best friend and even now, you still are… I…" but I could not go on.

A strange silence engulfed us as Link looked curiously at me. Suddenly, he took my hand into his and I found myself looking at him with wide eyes. He told me that he knew I had affection for him since the moment I pushed him off the cliff with the sailcloth. I blushed tomato red as I remembered the thought I had had before pushing him off. That thought came to me now and I leaned into him, my face a hair's breadth away from his.

Before I could pursue my thought, he beat me to it. He gently took the back of my head in his hand and I closed my eyes as I felt his lips on mine. Oh merciful Hylia! I thought with exhilaration as I tasted the sweetness of his lips for the first time. He deepened the kiss and a sigh of content escaped my mouth. He drew away with a grin on his face and I found myself grinning back.

I was dazed for a moment but then I remembered that I needed to tell him about Ghirahim. I explained to him what had happened and his eyes widened in concern. He agreed that helping Ghirahim was necessary but that we should be cautious, just in case anything went wrong.

I looked down at our entwined hands and back up at Link. He smiled at me and gently placed a stray hair behind my long ears. I blushed and with loud lungs yelled down the mountain, "Ghirahim!"

With a small poof, Ghirahim appeared by my side, looked at my hand that was holding Link's, and said with jest, "Either you two will fight together or fight each other down the road!"

I softly punched him in the upper arm and he laughed like a child. Despite myself, I smiled at his jest and Link looked at him with amusement.

I looked at both of them and thought to myself, An odd trio we make, but we are bound together until fate decides for us to separate ways.