The irony of making a mistake in the sentence asking people to notify you of any mistakes in that last chapter

Going to try and stick to a schedule of uploading a new chapter once a week, we'll see.

Zelda had lost her voice. This man, whom she had been thinking about that very morning, whom she had hoped one day she might track down, without expecting much success for he had appeared, saved two entire kingdoms and then vanished back to the nowhere from whence he came, whose expression grew steadily more concerned the longer she stared at him, how had he found her?

"Your Highness?" Link raised his voice a little more, perhaps thinking she hadn't quite heard him over the gale and downpour still going strong. Zelda's gaze moved from his face down to the hand he was still holding out to her.

"Y-Yes, I'm fine." She took his hand and allowed him to pull her up, only to catch her as she fell against him, hissing as she put weight on her bad ankle.

"You're hurt?"

"My ankle, I fell and landed badly."

"Can you walk?"

"I...I don't know. It's very painful."

"Perhaps you shouldn't then. D'you think you can get on Epona? I'll lead you back." Back where? She looked over to the tall mare, taller than her own by a few hands, whichever leg she used to mount her, she was going to have to transfer all of her weight to the other, it wasn't going to work without causing her a lot of pain.

"No, she's too tall." Link nodded his head once, as though expecting her answer. He seemed to do some quick thinking and then moved himself around her while still offering her his support. He clasped their left hands together with hers on top, and crossed his right arm around her back, hand resting just above her waist where her ribs ended.

"Is this alright? It isn't too far a walk, we'll just have to move slower." She nodded her head, leaning into him as she tried to take a step, he supported her as she moved her weight onto her bad ankle and stumbled, grasping his hand tight and gritting her teeth against the pain shooting up her leg. He lead her towards a small opening in the high banks surrounding the clearing that she hadn't noticed before in her panic. The frigid wind and rain nipped at their exposed faces, and Zelda used her free hand to pull up her hood, for all the good it did her though being as sodden and soaked as the rest of her. Link glanced over his shoulder and clicked his tongue, Epona's heavy footfalls following almost immediately after.

Moving slowly and using Link for support turned out to be tiring work. She was panting with the effort of keeping as much of her weight off her injury as possible by the time they rounded the corner, fighting through waist high grass that whipped at them in the gust, entering what looked to be a cave, which then turned out to be a tunnel cutting right through the stone of a small cliff. The through-cave acted as a wind tunnel, their cloaks pressing against their backs as they staggered against the force, and tried to keep their footing on the uneven stone.

They emerged on the other side and Zelda looked up from the ground where she had been watching her steps. There was a spring here. The surface of the water, usually so placid and inviting as springs ought to be, was hazy with the pelting of the rain. She felt Link subtly push her on and realised she had stopped to stare. Tightening her hold on his hand again, she allowed him to half support, half carry her over the softened earth where the dirt met the sand of the spring. She tried to map out where she must be, and the only spring surrounded by woodland that she knew of was in Faron. Had she really come that far south? Did Link live in Faron Woods? From what she had heard and read, Faron wasn't a particularly hospitable place, with wild, dense woodland and many creatures wandering the deep heart of the Wood. Her recent experience there seemed to support this theory. But that was where Link seemed to be leading her, and that hut she had stumbled upon, as rundown as it had appeared, had been built there for a reason, she was sure.

They slipped and trudged through yet more woodland. Link seemed to know where he was going, so Zelda put her trust in him as they slogged through the muddy forest floor, her skirts hitting them both in the legs as they were blown about them. Zelda desperately hoped that wherever Link was taking her, it had a hot bath she could sink into and wash away the horrors of the day. The rain seemed to lash down with a whole new intensity and the sound of it hitting something wooden reached her ears, she squinted up ahead to see what was coming. A wooden rope bridge lay before them, spanning a chasm she had no hope of seeing the bottom of. The bridge swayed and creaked, and she pulled up short, squeezing Link's hand subconsciously. He squeezed back reassuringly, urging her across as the wind howled and threatened to blow their hoods down.

"It's alright." She heard Link call over the storm, "It'll hold us, just take your time." Zelda wanted to spend as little of her time on that bridge as possible. Allowing Link to walk her onto the boards, slick with the torrents of rain and moss, Zelda held her breath, trying her hardest to keep her eyes on her feet. The bridge swayed and jumped in the gale, and she prayed to every deity she knew that she would make it across. Epona's loud footfalls behind them did nothing to prevent her disquiet, despite knowing the faithful mount wouldn't have entered onto the bridge if there was even a chance it was unsafe.

Zelda exhaled slowly as the ground under her feet turned from wood to dirt. Link led them to the side of the road, closed in by high stone walls and maneuvered her to lean against the rock. "I need to close the gate." She turned to watch him and he pat Epona's flank as she passed him, closing the left gate and struggling to push the other one as the wind fought against him. When he managed to lock the gates behind them, he came back to her and took up his position again. As they walked, an opening in the rock wall caught her eye and she turned her head to see another spring. She didn't even know there was a spring this far south, and made a mental note to ask Link about it later if she got the chance. His arm tightened around her back as she slipped slightly and she returned her eyes to the path and her feet.

The path opened up briefly into a small clearing and she could see that it continued on the other side. The wind swirled around the small round space, buffeting and battering them as they crossed. As they entered the path on the other side, they had a small respite from the wind but the rain lashed down harder than ever as the tree canopies over head shrunk away, revealing another small clearing after a short walk. This time, on the other side of the clearing, a path lined with wooden fences sloped down and curved away out of sight. And on the left there a stood a tall, great tree. Zelda barely spared it a glance, assuming the path was their destination whilst simultaneously wondering how much farther they had to go, but looked up and stared when Link steered them towards the tree, and saw the ladder and door built into the enormous trunk. Link stopped at the base of the ladder.

"D'you think you can climb up?" Zelda had to tear her eyes away from what was discernibly a roof built into the trunk, and looked over Link's face, he clearly hadn't thought about this obstacle when he'd decided to bring her here. She turned her gaze to the ladder, it was more than twice her height, and with her barely being able to carry her own weight, she doubted her ability to climb it. Link seemed to sense her answer before she spoke it. "I can carry you up, if you'll allow it." Zelda thought she heard the 'I think' in his tone, but with the rain lashing and wind howling, she nodded her head.

Link let go of her waist, keeping hold of her left hand in his to keep her steady, he crouched down and Zelda's heart leapt into her throat as she felt his other hand lift her skirts to put his arm through her legs, wrapping it around her right leg at the same time as he pulled her over his shoulders with his left hand. She found herself lying across his shoulders and grabbed on tight to his tunic and cloak as he stood slowly. She had seen this lift performed before by the men in her army, being trained to carry their brothers away from danger if they were to become wounded in battle, but she never thought she would be the one to be carried. Link's right arm fit snugly in the crook of her knee, and his right hand grabbed a hold of her right arm in order to keep her secure around his shoulders. He stepped forward onto the bottom rung, and used his one free hand to haul them slowly up the ladder. She could feel and hear the effort it took, the way his body would tense and strain, and the way he held his breath as he pulled their combined weights up, and took a quick exhale and inhale in the time he grabbed for the next rung. Zelda's heart skipped every time he did this, trying her hardest to put her trust in him and not imagine the fall should he miss.

By the time they reached the top, Link was panting and he staggered slightly on the raised wooden porch, causing Zelda to gasp and tighten her hold on him. Using his free hand, Link fished around in the pouch on his belt, coming up with a small ring of keys, letting go of her arm to find the right one, before unlocking the door and turning sideways to get them both through the frame. He didn't put her down right away, instead crossing the dark room, his boots thumping on the wooden floor and floorboards creaking as he pulled a chair out from under a small table and dragged it around. He crouched again and let her down, holding onto her as he stood and helping lower her into the chair.

"Are you alri-" They jumped as the door blew shut in the wind, bouncing against the frame and cutting off the dim light from the doorway. "I need to secure Epona." Zelda nodded and watched as he strode toward the door, battling it open and disappearing back down the ladder. She shivered now that she was out of the wind and rain, looking around the room but seeing very little in the grey light from outside. She sincerely hoped Nylah was safe. She had been so frightened, she hadn't even been able to see where the mare had run. Had she come into the woods? Her blood ran cold at the thought of her beautiful mare falling to the blunted blades of Bokoblins. Hearing the sound of Link's return, she saw him through the open door as it swung on its hinges, he had Epona's saddlebags slung over his shoulder and he disappeared from view, walking left on the porch. Zelda only had a second to wonder what he was up to when another loud bang from above made her jump out of her skin. The already dim light dimmed further as what looked to be a trapdoor in the ceiling had been closed.

Then Link was back. He threw the saddlebags down on the floor just inside and turned to shut and bolt the door. The darkness became complete, and Zelda heard him catching his breath. She could hear the faint sound of water droplets hitting wood now that most of the sound from outside had been blocked out and wondered if perhaps there was a leak somewhere. She shivered again and started as Link's footsteps indicated he was on the move. She felt him come fairly close to her, stopping just in front of her and to the right, she could hear him shifting around, then the distinctive sound of flint being struck. Small sparks caught her attention, but didn't last long enough to provider her with any sort of visual clarity, until they caught on whatever kindling Link was attempting to burn. A warm, orange light grew from a circle in the pale, curved, protruding wall to her right.

Link took a step in her direction and halted as though unsure of himself. "Could you... uhm, there's some firewood…" He gestured to her right and Zelda looked down beside her chair. A small pile of wood, cut into foot long wedges, sat stacked up neatly beside what she now knew to be an earthen fireplace. She reached down and picked up a log, handing it over to Link, who took it from her with a small smile and threw it through the hole, holding his hand out for another one, and then another one. "That should be enough, thanks." Zelda nodded, wrapping her arms around herself and trying not to let her teeth chatter so loudly that her rescuer could hear them. The fire's warmth hadn't spread out of the hearth yet, and she was soaked through to her skin.

He seemed to realise, as he turned from her suddenly, crossing the room and stopping at a wooden bench, moving the buckets and a spare saddle onto the floor so he could lift the lid and rummage around inside of it. Zelda's eyes wandered now that her eyes had grown accustomed to the firelight and took in what she assumed to be Link's home.

The walls were pale and earthy tones, made from stone and wooden planks, with wood support struts joining the rounded space that looked to be made from the tree it was built into. The tree seemed to invade, thick branches curled around the walls and leaves still grew in places. Link had made use of them, tying ropes between the branches and support beams, crossing the space and spanning the walls where he had hung various belongings from them; clothing, obviously drying after being washed, blankets and even food; curing meats and vegetables hung out of the way of hungry rodents and critters.

To her right, past the fireplace, was a workbench with a square, metal box integrated into the surface. A sink of some kind, she assumed, although the lack of taps gave her doubts. There was another, smaller fireplace built into the base of the bench and a removeable lid in the surface above it, perhaps a sort of oven, and shelving nailed to the wall above the bench and a unit to the side held tableware and jars. Past that, there was what appeared to be an archway of sorts, with a rope tied across and a large curtain bunched to the side and tied with a rope. The firelight wasn't directed here, so Zelda couldn't see into this dark, shadowy corner, so moved her attention to her other side. Another ladder caught her eye, and her gaze followed it up to a small landing, also shadowed by the lack of light, and another ladder leading even higher and out of sight at the top of the dark room.

Zelda quickly looked at the fire when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Link stand up straight again and close the lid of the bench, she didn't want him to think she was prying. He walked back toward her with some blankets piled in his arms, depositing them on the table next to her. "I can take your cloak." His voice was so much quieter, now that he didn't have to shout over the storm that still raged on outside the walls of Link's quaint home. Zelda unclasped her cloak, accepting the hand that Link offered to help her stand so she could remove it, and handing it to him. He slung it over the back of another chair, and grabbed one of the blankets from the table, letting it fall open and then folding it half to thicken it up. He held it up as though asking permission, to which Zelda nodded and he threw it around her shoulders. As she pulled the slightly itchy fabric around herself, Link took her cloak and walked over to the shadowy area she couldn't see. He came back a few moments later, minus his own cloak, and from the sound of his lighter footsteps, without his boots too.

Zelda watched him grab two cups from a shelf and pad over to a barrel near what she thought to be his sink, he removed the lid and dipped the cups inside, before moving over to her and offering her a cup. She accepted the cup of water, uttering a soft "Thank you" and he nodded once before taking a sip from his own.

"Would you like some tea?" The thought of a warm drink was welcome.

"Yes please, if it's not too much trouble." Link shook his head and placed his cup down on the table beside her, then he moved over to the shelves, picking up a thick, quilted cloth and removing the pot that had been hanging from a pole and chain inside his fireplace. He used a jug to collect and pour some water into it and replaced it back onto the chain in order to warm. He then pulled a jar down from his shelf and a little ball on a small, tarnished silver chain. The ball had tiny, pin-sized holes all over the lower half, and Zelda saw that it had been made from a Deku Nut. She watched in fascination, as Link pulled the little ball apart and dipped his hand into the jar, pulling out what she recognised as Deku tea leaves. He put two pinches of the tea leaves into the ball and pushed it closed again, putting the jar back and checking on the water, which was still a little ways away from boiling.

"If you don't mind, Your Highne-"

"Zelda. Please." Link dipped his head.

"If you don't mind, I can get you some dry clothes, but they will be some of mine, I hope that's ok." His eyes were averted to the side, showing signs of feeling awkward and embarrassed.

"That would be greatly appreciated, Link. Thank you. I hate to impose on you and your home, you've been so kind." He shook his head again, choosing not to speak, and she could have sworn she saw his cheeks color slightly before he turned away. She watched as he crossed the room, heading for the ladder and climbing up it with practised speed and ease. Once on the first landing, he lit a lantern and she could see him looking around on a shelving unit, covered by a sheet of fabric. He returned minutes later, climbing one handed down the ladder again as his other arm held some items of clothing. Instead of adding them to the pile of blankets he had brought over earlier though, he crossed to the shadowy space. Lighting a lantern there as well, he placed the clothing down on a small wooden stool and loosened a small rope keeping the curtain to the side. He then came and picked up the other chair at the table, taking it into the now covered area. He returned to help her walk across the room, moving the curtain aside for her and helping sit her down on the chair so she could keep the weight off of her damaged ankle. He dipped his head to her and left her to change.

From where she sat, Zelda looked around this space she had been unable to see before. It was much the same as the rest of Link's house, but to her left there was a wooden banister, hers and Link's cloaks thrown over it to dry, blocking off a large, square hole in the ground. She could see the top of another ladder and wondered vaguely what lay down there. The wind and rain sounded louder now that she was away from the cheerily crackling fire, and she could feel a cold draft coming up from the hole. The curtain to her right was in the vein of the tapestries hanging on the walls of her castle, rich dark coloured threads woven together in patterns, and it hung half a foot off the ground, making her feel exposed even though she could hear Link moving around on the other side of the house.

She turned her attention to the clothing sitting next to her. Link had brought the stool closer to her so she didn't have to get up. Looking down at her dirty and ripped skirts, she sighed, it was safe to say that this dress had been ruined. Gently taking off her left boot, she sucked in a breath at the sight of her swollen and bruised ankle, and removed her other boot. She pulled at the lacing at the front of her dress, pulling it open and down her arms, before pushing it down to her waist. She lifted herself carefully with one hand gripping the edge of the chair, and pushed the dress down over her hips, lowering herself back down and pushing it down her legs, kicking it away with her good leg.

She sat shivering in her white cotton shift, which was also damp. She would have to remove it, she would catch a cold if she wore it any longer, and she doubted very much Link would have anything else for her to wear under the clothes he had lent her. Feeling self conscious, despite the fact that Link could not see her, she slowly peeled the cotton away from her, slipping out of it the same way she had escaped her dress. Covering her chest with one arm, she leant to the side and picked up the first item from the stool, allowing it to unfold as she picked it up to identify it. It was a shirt, an off-white linen, soft and comfortable feeling, a pull over, with lacing to close and a high collar, practical for someone such as Link no doubt.

Zelda lay it over her legs and she found the bottom and quickly pulled it over her head, slipping her arms into the sleeves, finding that they tapered slightly towards her wrists, probably so that arm guards could be worn over them without an excess of material to get in the way. The shirt was longer than she had first expected and guessed that if she were to stand, it would fall to the tops of her thighs. The hem at the bottom was rounded, with small slits at the sides where the back met the front. Looking down her front, the lacing left her quite exposed, so she pulled it closed right to the top, tying it in a neat bow.

Looking next to the trousers she had been given, Zelda felt the thick fabric they were made from, designed to be warm and hard-wearing. Possibly some kind of wool, woven in such a way to be strong and durable and dyed an inoffensive grey. She slipped them up her legs, again lifting herself so as to pull them over her hips, and tying the lacing at the front. The trousers also tapered towards her ankles so as to fit easily into boots, again, practicality clearly at the forefront of Link's clothing choices. She pulled the tie from the end of her braid and ran her fingers through her damp hair, untangling it to allow it to dry. Giving herself as best a once over as she could, and determining that she was decent, she cleared her throat. "Link?" There was a long pause, then his bare feet could be seen as he stopped on the other side of the curtain.

"I'm here."

"I'm dressed." He opened the curtain cautiously, and she smiled at him, holding her arms out to her sides slightly as though asking his opinion. He nodded his head once, smiling back and moving over to help her stand. Zelda noticed, as he walked towards her, that he had changed too, a similar outfit to hers, except it looked more worn, and lived-in. The trousers were weather beaten, the colour faded in places, and the lacing on his shirt was broken, leaving it loose and open. Zelda had to tear her eyes away from his chest as he bent, to help bare some of her weight as she stood. He walked her back over to the chair she had sat in before, only he had turned it toward the table and left the blanket draped over the back for her to wrap herself in, and he placed a mug in front of her. While she had been changing, it appeared the water had boiled, and he had a copper kettle sitting in his sink. He used the quilted cloth to fetch the pot from the fire and used another cloth to tip the boiling water into the kettle, spilling a small amount into the sink. Then, bringing the kettle to the table, he picked up the small ball he had filled with tea leaves before, and dropped it into the kettle, leaving the chain hanging over the side. She could see now that it was right in front of her, that the chain had a little metal ball on the end, to weight it and stop it from falling into the kettle.

"Oh! It's a strainer!" Link looked up at her bemusedly. She smiled apologetically. "I couldn't figure out what it was."

"Don't you have tea at the castle?"

"Yes, but we use these little silver spoons that sit across the cup." When his expression remained bemused, she continued, "The spoon has tiny holes in, you put the tea leaves onto the spoon and then pour hot water through it." His expression cleared for a moment, then he frowned slightly.

"That tea would be very weak." When she only blinked at him, he motioned to the kettle, "This will be stronger than you're used to." He poured the tea into her mug and she noted the dark amber colour. When he asked her if she wanted milk, he apologised for it not being cold, and that it was goat milk. She waved away his apologies, helping herself to sugar when he pointed out a small jar on the table. She blew on the surface of the tea for a moment, before carefully tilting the mug to her lips. Link had been right, it was much stronger than she was used to, but it wasn't unpleasant. It had an earthier taste than the tea at her castle, and the goats milk tasted slightly sweeter. She realised Link had been watching her, gauging her reaction, and she took another sip while looking at him, showing she was fine. He seemed to nod slightly to himself, and proceeded to pour himself a cup, pouring only a small amount of milk into his cup and leaving it unsweetened. "Are you hungry?"

"A little." In truth, she was starving. She had no idea what time it actually was, but she hadn't eaten until just after dawn, and after the exhausting events of the day, that felt like a very long time ago.

"I can make some pumpkin and goat stew, I'm sorry I don't have much else."

"That would be fine, thank you." She sipped her tea delicately. He set about gathering ingredients, taking covered dishes from his shelves and chopping the vegetables he retrieved from them, before disappearing behind the curtain for a few minutes. He returned with a wrapped package, which turned out to be raw meat, and Zelda figured that the hole in the floor must be a cellar. Cold enough to keep meat, and probably other foods, preserved for a few days. She watched him work, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and the loose collar of his shirt falling down his shoulder. His movements were easy and practised, obviously comfortable in his home, and though Zelda had thought much of him in the past weeks, she had never thought to see him being so domestic. His house was warm and inviting, and although he was halting, shy and quiet, he was warm too.

Link fetched another pot from his cellar, a bigger one than that he had used to heat the water, and began to throw everything in, before he hung it above the fire. "It will be a while, I can get you some bread and cheese while you wait?" When she nodded her head with an embarrassed smile, he went to fetch it. He cut her a few pieces, placing them on a plate with a heel of goat cheese. "I'm sorry everything is goat. We breed them here, so it's all we know." She shook her head to show she was not at all bothered by it, her mouth full. "We trade the meat and milk, and the wool, even the horns fetch a price. We grow pumpkins here too. It's sort of what Ordon is known for." His ears went red as he sat down opposite her and he became very interested in his tea, as though embarrassed he had overshared.

"Ordon is not in Hyrule, is it? I've seen Ordona written as the capital of Latoan on maps, but I had no idea there was a village named Ordon." Link nodded as he swallowed a mouthful of his tea.

"Ordon is a village in Ordona, which is a province and the capital of Latoan, and Latoan is a neighbouring country to Hyrule, but is still under the rule of, well...you."

"Because we are an empire." Link nodded, draining his cup and getting up to check on the stew. Zelda looked down at the table top. It felt strange to realise that Link wasn't from the same country that she had been born into, even if he was technically under her rule. But he had the long, pointed ears of a Hylian. She turned to look at him, confirming to herself that she was right. From her readings, she knew that Hylians were from Hyrule. Meaning, whether or not Link had been born in Ordon, a part of him was still from Hyrule at least. Should she ask him? Was it too personal a question to ask the origins of his birth? Would he even know?

"Why were you out in the storm?" His voice startled her from her musings, even though it was low and quiet and he turned to look at her while he stirred the stew.

"I was taking some time for myself. Since the Twilight War, I have been busy trying to heal my country. I needed a few moments to feel like a human, instead of a crown." He didn't say anything, just locked her with his piercing stare, and she looked away down at his table top "As someone who traversed all over a country and deep into ancient, forgotten places, and faced unimaginable horrors, putting your life at risk again and again, that must sound very selfish to you."

"Not really." Zelda looked back up at him again, he had turned back to the stew, but by the fire dancing in his eyes, she could see he wasn't really looking at it. "You have to try and rebuild a kingdom. You don't have anyone telling you how to do it, you're having to try and figure out how to do it on your own. At least I had Midna bossing me about, and telling me where to go, and yelling at me if I did something wrong. I'd take fighting through an old underwater temple over meetings and paperwork any day." Zelda laughed. He smiled and glanced at her, stepping away from the fireplace and taking his seat again.

"You fought through an underwater temple?" Link nodded. "What was it like?"

"Wet." Zelda laughed again. "I thought I'd never be dry again." They settled into a comfortable silence, the storm still howling outside and the crackle of the fire taking the place of conversation. "So," His voice croaked and he cleared his throat before continuing, "if you were taking a break from the castle, how did you end up in Faron Woods being chased by Bokoblins?" Zelda took a deep breath.

"Well. I was rather foolish actually. The fog rolled in and I lost my way back to the castle, and instead of turning around, I carried on. Then I was attacked on the road and my horse bolted, I fell from the saddle and decided to find shelter in the woods."

"That was foolish." Zelda bristled slightly and Link laughed quietly. "I'm just saying, for a Princess to go wandering around on her own in the fog, that's pretty dangerous."

"Yes, well, thankfully the goddesses decided to take pity on me, and they sent me a hero." Link's smile fell slightly as he got up to check on the stew again, grabbing some bowls from his shelf and using his cloths to remove the pot from the fire. He grabbed a ladle from a small rack above the circle in the wall and began to dish out the bubbling food. He carried the bowls to the table, going back to fetch some spoons, and settled down opposite Zelda to eat. She tucked in immediately, enjoying the hot, savoury dish, feeling the warmth flood through her as she ate. They ate in silence, an occurrence Zelda was unused to, she very rarely dined alone while at the castle and there was always some sort of conversation going on. She slowed her eating so as not to just sit and wait for Link to finish since he seemed to have taken his time with his meal unlike her. Her mind buzzed with questions she wanted to ask him, but he didn't seem to want to engage in conversation, keeping his eyes down as he focussed on his meal. When he finally put his spoon down and leant back in his chair, Zelda leant forwards.

"What other types of temples did you visit, while rescuing Hyrule?"

Ending on questions seems to be my thing

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