Hello!

Tears of the Kingdom has not been out for a full week yet and I already had to write something for it. That's how much I love this game and the story it is telling. This is a project aimed at exploring Link's own thoughts and feelings as he encounters and experiences certain story beats, hopefully fleshing out further his relationship with Zelda.

While I can't spoil the end of the game for you yet, at least at the time of publication, as I've not completely finished the main quest yet, I have gathered all the memories. The nature of this type of work is that there will almost assuredly be some spoilers related to story in later chapters. This first chapter takes place before the start of the game, so if you haven't gathered all of the memories yet, I would recommend only reading this chapter and then waiting to read anything further.

Bottom line, go play Tears of the Kingdom; it really is that good of a game. And if you're choosing to read what follows, I will assume that you have already done so.

Also, a group of friends and myself have started a Zelda fanfic discord server! We are hoping to provide a place where we can share ideas and get feedback and connect our favorite authors and readers to each other in a more meaningful way. If that sounds fun to you, feel free to stop by. We would LOVE to have you! discord . gg / dbxv3NgD

Link could not remember the last time he had felt so nervous, and not because he was previously a complete amnesiac.

It was all he could do at any given moment Zelda was around him lately to not completely have a mental breakdown. He had somehow reverted to how he behaved around her when he had been appointed to be her knight, tripping over his own words and being incredibly awkward around her.

She had noticed it, definitely. How could she not? Over the past five years after defeating the Calamity the pair had developed a deep friendship that gradually progressed into something more. They had hardly gone a single day apart from each other. It was no surprise Zelda had caught on to his general awkwardness around her, and though he promised her it was fine, and that he was fine, and that everything was okay, he knew she wasn't buying it.

He fidgeted with the small wooden box in his hands. Only one more day of this.

He sat on the hillside just outside their house in Hateno village, allowing himself one final afternoon of rest before they set off for Hyrule Castle. The timing was inconvenient, if he was honest, but it knew it would be more than worth it. He and Zelda had gone on these sorts of investigations plenty of times over the past few years. Before he knew it they would be finished and everything would go back to normal.

"Well, not everything," he muttered softly to himself as he flipped the lid of the small box open and peeked at its contents. The slim silver band inset with a glimmering diamond shimmered in the orange glow of the sunset. He grinned, rather proud of himself for selecting such a beautiful piece of jewelry. The jewelers in Gerudo Town had worked extra hard on it once they heard of Link's plan. He couldn't wait for the look on Zelda's face when she finally saw it.

He shut the box and put it back in his pouch with a sigh. For the better part of five years he and Zelda had worked together to begin rebuilding Hyrule, side by side, as the Princess and her Chosen Knight. Which was great. Truly. Nothing in all the kingdom brought him more joy.

He was just…ready to be more than simply her chosen knight.

Link wanted to be her husband.

He glanced behind him toward the well which Zelda had converted into her own private office. It was getting close to evening, which meant that she would probably emerge from whatever she was up to down there to join him for supper. He yawned and stretched his arms out before hauling himself to his feet. As he made his way back into the house to start cooking, he smiled a little bit, despite how nervous he felt.

After this trip to Hyrule Castle, once everything with the Gloom was squared away, he would bring her back here, and finally ask her to marry him.

He couldn't wait.