Author's Note: So, hey. I know it's weird and it might be annoying, but I think I'm changing this story into the present tense. I feel like it has just evolved into that over the last few chapters. Sorry if this confuses anyone. Again, this is my first fanfic ever, and I've never written something this big, so yeah.

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own the Legend of Zelda?

Zelda

Could this really be happening? Did I just watch three of my people be killed? I don't really know, but only one thought forms in my head: It's all my fault.

It's all my fault, it really truly is. From the very beginning I have made my people suffer. From that very moment when I surrendered my country, I have put my people through such agony. If I would have just chosen to fight, we might have had a chance at winning that war. But it's too late. It's all my fault.

My ears are filled with the cries of sadness over the dead people. Before I have time to say anything, Link guides me back to Telma's bar, trying to encourage me. He says that everything will be fine, that it's no one's fault, but I can still feel the sadness in his voice. I can't help but think he's lying to me. Saying it's okay on the outside, but knowing it's not on the inside.

When we make it back to Telma's, she's sitting at a table, asking what happened. As Link starts to explain, she says she's run a bath for me and that I should clean up. I quietly thank her and head to the washroom.

The tub has a bit of steam coming off of it, and I'm anxious to soak my sore muscles.

As am about to step in, I notice someone in the mirror hanging on the wall. This girl, she can't be me, can she? I look around the room. Yes, I'm the only one in here. That is me.

But how can it be? I'm covered in a thick layer of dirt and sweat, and my legs and arms are a bit more muscular than I remember. My once perfect oval nails are now chipped and covered in Goddess knows what. My hair is a tangled and dirty mess, and frankly I'm surprised I don't have a swarm of flies flying around me.

I quickly get into the bath, wanting to be clean as soon as possible. The warm water automatically starts relaxing my aching muscles. The once clear water turns into a shade of light brown before I even start scrubbing. I grab a bar of soap that smells like lavender and begin to wash my hair and body. It feels really nice just to be clean. I think about how many baths I've had in the past months. Before all this started to happen, I took one at least once a day. How many did I take during the Twilight Invasion? Maybe one a week? Less? I cringe at the thought.

After I'm done scrubbing, I just sit there, not wanting get out of the warm embrace of the water. I try to keep my mind off recent events, but no matter how hard I try, I continue to think about them.

I feel weak. I feel as though I couldn't defend my country when I needed to. I keep wishing my parents were here. I was much too young when they died; I didn't get to learn how to properly rule a country. I just want someone to talk to. Someone to tell me what to do. And a second later I get my answer. Link.

By now the water has gotten cold, so I climb out of the tub and notice that Telma has laid a set of fresh clothes out for me. I quickly dress and put my hair in a braid down my back, and walk out of the washroom.

Link, Ashei, and Shad are sitting at a table, idly chatting. I take a seat next to Link.

"Oh, Zelda," Link says. "Ashei and Shad would like to ask you something."

"Yes?" I question quietly.

Shad begins to speak. "Well, um, we were, um, wondering…"

"We want to come with you," Ashei cuts in quickly. "We don't want to sit on our butts and wait for something to happen. We want to take action."

I think about it a while, weighing the pros and cons. It would be nice to have two more people to help us, but that means two more mouths to feed. However, it also means two more friends, but wouldn't that mean two more people we care about are being put in danger?

I finally give an answer. "Sure," I mentally slap myself. I honestly wanted to say no, but I couldn't bring myself to disappoint them.

"Wonderful!" says Shad. "Well, I'll be off to bed! We have a big day ahead of us!" He takes his book and leaves.

"I should go rest up, too" Ashei says, also heading to her room.

"We should go get some sleep, too, you know," Link says. I nod silently and we both head off to our room.

I crawl into the bed as Link starts to make his on the floor.

"I could sleep on the floor if you want," I offer.

He shakes his head. "No, I'm fine. I've slept on the ground plenty of times before."

I nod and cover myself with the blankets.

"Something wrong?" He asks.

"No, I'm just," Upset. Sad. Angry. None of these describe exactly how I feel, so I just settle for "tired."

"Zelda," he says. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

"Really, it's nothing. Just a bit upset about what happened tonight," I say.

"I think we all are," he says. "But the best we can do is hope that things will be okay."

I nod. His words soothe me a little, but not enough that I am at ease.

I close my eyes and relax my mind, but sleep never comes. I shift for hours trying to find a comfortable position, but I never discover one. I wake Link up accidentally in this process.

"Can't sleep?" he asks.

I shake my head.

"Do you want to go out for a walk and talk about things?" he gets up from his makeshift bed.

"I think so," I respond.

We walk out to the once again deserted castle town and begin talking.

"So, what's on your mind?" Link asks sincerely.

"A lot," I admit.

"Okay," he says with a slight smirk on his face. "Elaborate."

"Well, first things first, I'm not sure if having Shad and Ashei join us is the best thing," I say.

"Why?" he asks.

"I guess because Ashei is, well, Ashei, and Shad is," I try to think of the right word.

"A total kiss-up?" Link finishes.

"Well, that's not the exact word I was thinking of…" I say.

"Oh, please," He begins imitating Shad. "Oh, princess! It's wonderful to meet you!" He takes my hand and kisses it repeatedly, just as Shad did when we met. "Oh, mind if you bend over so I can kiss your-"

"Link!" I cut in before he can finish, although it doesn't sound very serious, because I am almost doubled over in a fit of giggles.

"But, seriously," he says, now more sober. "Why don't you want them to come?"

I contemplate the exact reason. "I suppose it's because I don't want to put more peoples' lives in danger. Too many people have died already."

"Trust me. Shad and Ashei can definitely hold their own," He assures me. "Is that all that's bothering you?"

"No," I say. We are heading towards the fountain now. The very spot where I watched three of my people die right before my eyes. And then I see it. The very evidence that this is not some horrible nightmare that I have woken up from. The proof that this is all really happening. Three large blood stains. The bodies have been cleared away, but those awful stains have not been washed from the stone yet.

I take a seat at the edge of the fountain and bury my face in my hands. Muttering that it's all my fault.

"Zelda, stop," Link takes a seat next to me, and puts a muscular, yet gentle arm around me. "None of this is your fault."

"Yes, it is," I respond. "If I hadn't surrendered Hyrule to Zant, none of this would have happened."

"Your right," he says. "This wouldn't have happened, but things would be a lot worse. We'd be at war with an army far stronger than ours. You made the right decision."

"But you're the one who saved Hyrule! Not me!" I can feel myself getting angry now, but Link still keeps his arm around me. "I'm basically useless. Just a damsel in distress that has to wait for a Hero."

"Fighting monsters doesn't make you a hero," he explains. "Doing what's right for the good of the people makes you a hero. In my book, you're more of a hero than I am."

"Do you really mean that?" I ask, lifting my head and looking him in the eyes.

"I wouldn't lie to you," he replies, wiping away a single tear that has found itself rolling down my cheek.

We get up to head back to the bar, but I notice something that I hadn't really paid much attention to since we first arrived at Castle Town.

The remains of my castle.

It is now only a crumpled heap of rubble, with not a single stone still intact. I make my way across the debris with Link following behind, pointing out certain places and events that once happened in those very spots.

"This would have been the garden," I say. "I used to love sitting out here and reading." I walk a bit further. "This was the library. Probably my favorite place in the whole castle."

"Why was that?" Link asks.

"I love books," I answer. "They were really my only outlet to life outside of the castle," I come across another familiar area, probably the most familiar, actually. My bedroom. I can even remember where my bed and dresser used to be. Then something brings itself to the front of my mind, and I instantly begin to dig through the pits and pieces of stone.

"What are you looking for?" Link asks, getting on his hands and knees and assisting me.

"A chest. One made of solid steel. Nothing could ever break it," I tell him. "Ah! Found it!" It's a bit dented, but I can still get the lid off. There are only three items inside. Just the way I left it. First, I pull out a necklace. It's very simple; just a small triangle hanging on a golden chain. I'm not really sure what the next item I pull out is. My mother gave it to me about a month before she died, saying that I was to use it only when the time was necessary. It is just a set of odd-looking clothes, but I have never found a use for them. The third item I pull out is my favorite of the trio. A harp.

Link looks at it with interest. "My mother gave me these things," I say. "The harp's my favorite. She said the very first Princess Zelda owned it, hundreds of years ago."

I begin plucking the strings to a tune that has permanently been etched into by mind.

"What's that song?" Link asks.

"It's called Zelda's Lullaby," I explain.

"Weird," he says. "I can remember howling that in the sacred grove."

"Howling?" I ask, chuckling a bit.

He nods. "I was a wolf for about half my journey; you'd be surprised at what I had to do."

I keep playing the song. "This melody is as old as Hyrule. Only very special people get to hear it," I say.

We sit there for a few minutes, enjoying the lovely tune. I yawn, finally getting tired.

"Ready to go back to bed?" Link asks. I nod. He picks up the clothes and the necklace while I carry the harp, gently plucking the strings.

As soon as we get back to Telma's, I place the harp next to my bed and drift off to a dreamless sleep.

I wake up to music. I look over and see Link sitting at the edge of the bed, playing my harp.

It's an amazing sight, actually. Seeing Link being so gentle, so calm. He's playing what I recognize to be Epona's Song, and humming along with it. His voice is soft and sweet. This Link is a completely different Link than who I have seen fighting numerous monsters. He seems completely at peace, with not a worry in the world.

"It's nice," I say, although I wish I hadn't. He stops and clears his throat awkwardly.

"Uh, yeah," he says, scratching his head nervously. "It's got a nice sound."

I come over to sit next to him. "You have a nice voice," I say.

"Thanks," he says, scratching his head again. He hands me the harp. "Sorry, I didn't mean to use it. I know it means a lot to you."

"No, it's okay. You play it really well. And I trust that you wouldn't break it," I slap myself mentally for how dumb that sounds, but he seems to understand it.

"I trust you, too," he says. And now I'm looking into his eyes. Those bright blue orbs that I swear could outshine Lake Hylia. They have an unearthly glow in what little light the room provides. As I'm sitting so close to him, I find myself taking in everything about him. The way his dirty golden hair slightly brushes his blonde eyebrows. The way his pouty lips open ever so slightly when he inhales. The way he smells of pine and fresh grass. Everything.

Before either of us knows what's happening, he leans in and can't help but do the same. When our lips make contact, it's like lightning is flowing throughout my body.

I don't really know how long the kiss lasts; I just know it's way too short. Link breaks away, eyes wide.

"I am so sorry," he says, getting up and walking away.

"No, Link, wait!" I call after him, but he's out of the room, muttering apologies.

And so I'm alone, completely and utterly confused.

Authors Note: Oh my gosh. Things are heating up! But seriously. This was by far my favorite chapter to write. It feels really nice to be developing Zelda as a character, because she didn't have a lot of development in Twilight Princess.

Oh, and before I go, I just want to thank everyone that has reviewed this story. I love getting reviews even if it's just a simple "cool," or whatever. So thanks.

And if you haven't reviewed, now would be a fantastic time to do so. :)