Link and Zelda stood on the balcony behind the palace, watching the soldiers interact with the activated Guardians below in the training fields. Link leaned against the rail curiously as the long legs of the machines moved about. The soldiers chatted and laughed as they followed the Guardians around. They climbed on top and inside, inspecting the mechanics, studying and learning how the machines worked in preparation for war. Not only were they intrigued by the machines, they were eager to see them in action.

"You'd think they just got their hands on the coolest toy," Zelda said with a light laugh.

Zelda, too, was intrigued by the machines. Over the last few days, while they were back in the city, Zelda lost herself in her books, mulling over the ancient Sheikah texts, hoping to learn anything and everything she could about their technologies. Link often found her in the palace library, her nose so deep in a book she hadn't even heard him come in. And when she did finally notice his arrival, she talked endlessly about something new she had discovered.

It was a side of her Link hadn't seen much of, but it was a relief to see her so happy after the way things had been going. At home in the city, she was relaxed. She was safe. And for a moment, it was as if they weren't preparing for an impending war. Zelda and Link could be themselves.

Link watched as she gushed over the Guardians and smiled.

"We're able to control them now, just like we can control the Divine Beasts." She turned to Link with excitement in her eyes. "When Ganon does show his face, he's going to be in for a big surprise."

But her excitement was cut short by the sound of her father's voice.

"What are you doing out here, Zelda?" King Rhoam said from behind them.

Zelda turned quickly to see her father approaching them, his stern gaze on her.

"I…" Zelda started, hesitant. She knew her father did not approve of her scholarly studies, as he referred to them. She made a fist at her side and spoke confidently. "I was assessing the results of the experiment with the Guardians. These pieces of ancient technology could be quite useful against the -"

"I know that," the king interrupted. "They are essential to Hyrule's future, and our research demands that we keep a close eye on them." His voice grew stern. "However, as the princess, you currently have a crucial unfulfilled responsibility to your kingdom."

Zelda looked down, defeated. She knew what he was going to say next.

"Let me ask you once more," her father continued. "When will you stop treating this as some game?"

"I'm doing everything I can," Zelda pleaded with him.

"You are here wasting your time. You need to be dedicating every moment you have to your training." The king's voice rose. "You must be single-minded in unlocking the power that will seal Ganon away."

"I already am," Zelda said. "I want to help in whatever way I can."

"No more excuses, Zelda!" The king said, shaking his head. "Stop running away from your duty. I forbid you to have anything to do with these machines from this moment on and command you to focus on your training." He turned away from her and looked down onto his soldiers as they continued to work with the Guardian. His voice lowered. "Do you know how the people speak of you? They say that you are the heir to a throne of nothing. Nothing but failure."

Zelda lowered her head in shame. Her father never missed a chance to remind her of that - that she was a failure.

"It is woven into your destiny that you prove them wrong," he continued. He turned to his daughter, his expression softer. "Do you understand?"

Zelda did not meet her father's gaze. "Yes," she said softly. "I understand." She did not look up as the king turned away and left her alone with Link on the walk. She did not move until her father was out of sight. As Link got to his feet, Zelda strode passed him in frustration.

Link trotted to catch up to her, his mind searching for some way to console her, but Zelda stopped suddenly and faced him. The frustration that creased her face was gone. Her expression was stark and cold.

"Tomorrow we will go to the Spring of Power," she said simply. Without another word, she turned away from him and made her way to the opposite end of the walk, disappearing behind the door as it slammed shut behind her.

It was early the next morning when Link saw Zelda again. After the interaction with her father, she had stormed off and disappeared for the rest of the day. And after having spent so much time with her over the last few days, Link couldn't help but to feel empty without her. But she wanted her space, clearly, and he wasn't about to test her and upset her even more.

So he was surprised to see that she was back to her bubbly self when she met him outside of the palace. Link watched her carefully as she slid into the seat beside him. He debated what to say to her, but to his relief, Zelda didn't waste a moment to open her mouth.

"I was thinking," she started before she even closed the door, "that maybe the Master Sword has some connection to the ancient Sheikah technology. I thought the slate would be connected to everything, but it doesn't seem to work on those mysterious shrines around Hyrule. Maybe the Master Sword will have something to do with that."

Link put the car into drive and navigated them out of the palace gates and through the city. He checked the rearview mirror as the sun glinted off the blade in the back seat. It hadn't left his sight since he retrieved it.

"Maybe," Link said, mulling over this information.

"What do you suppose is in those shrines?" Zelda mused. "There's some ancient Sheikah text written on the shrines. I bet if we could decipher the text, it would give us more clues."

Her mind raced wild with theories and Link simply could not keep up with her as she rambled on. Though she had some valid points that were worth looking into, he just couldn't focus on anything but the mysteries behind Dorian, Impa, and even the king. He had to take advantage of their trips to the springs, but he was sure that if Dorian was a traitor, the Yiga would be following them now more than ever. He couldn't afford to let his guard down, even for a moment.

This next week was going to be a very long week for him.

"Link?"

"What?" He could feel her watching him.

"What are you thinking so hard about?"

His eyes glanced to hers for a moment. "Nothing."

"You're thinking about Dorian."

Link didn't answer.

"I was thinking," Zelda started. "Maybe we can trust him."

"I'll never trust him," Link snapped.

"The Yiga Clan murdered his wife," Zelda reminded him. "They tried to go after his children. His girls, Link. He wouldn't put them in danger."

"Makes for the perfect cover up," Link said. "Makes him look weak and helpless and innocent."

"How can you be so cynical?"

Link's brows knit together. "I have no reason to be otherwise." He met her gaze briefly. "When you've been used and betrayed, you learn pretty quickly that everyone has an agenda. I can't afford to be anything but cynical." He turned his gaze back to the road. "Dorian was my mentor. I trusted him. My father trusted him. They were best friends." He hesitated. "Now, all I can think about is who else is involved in this. My father could have been a traitor, too, and I didn't have a clue."

"He wasn't a traitor," Zelda said softly, her eyes on her feet.

"I'm done with them," Link said. "Done with the SFU. I only have myself to trust. I'm doing things my way from here on out."

"You can trust me," Zelda said.

Link turned back to her for a moment. In all his doubts and confusion, she was the one person he never doubted for a moment. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind.

"Yeah," he said, his eyes on the road once more. "I can. I do."

"Okay," Zelda said simply. "So, what's the plan, boss?"

"The plan," Link started, "is to take out Ganon and the Yiga Clan before they make their attack."

"Which will be easier said than done."

"If Dorian is working with the Yiga, then he knows we're on to him."

"He said their hideout was somewhere in the desert."

"Which could be a trap."

"We don't have anything else to go by," Zelda said. "And I don't think we'll be able to sneak around Dorian looking for clues. He'll be on guard now more than ever." She paused for a moment. "Dorian mentioned the desert because he wanted us to go there. But then, wouldn't Dorian know that we would be skeptical of him? He'd know we wouldn't walk right into the desert just because he said that's where they are. So, that would mean he's telling the truth, right? Or maybe he'd think that we'd think he's telling the truth, but he's not. Reverse psychology?"

Link furrowed his brows as he tried to follow her train of thought. "I think you're overthinking this."

"Or, maybe we're not thinking enough about it."

Link rolled his eyes. "Let's head to the Spring of Power first," he suggested. "The other two will be to the south. Maybe we can hit the desert while we're there. At the very least, maybe someone in Gerudo Town will have some leads for us. If there's anything suspicious in the desert, Urbosa would be the first to know about it."

Zelda nodded. "Good enough for me."

It was early in the afternoon when Link and Zelda arrived at the Spring of Power. Zelda stood before the goddess statue in silence for a few moments in an attempt to clear her mind and focus on her prayers. She looked up at the goddess statue, her hands clasped together before her, but the longer she stood there, the more helpless she started to feel. She closed her eyes and prayed with every ounce of energy she had, but still the voices remained silent.

She looked upon the goddess statue and let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She stared at the statue for a moment, her shoulders dropping, and she began to mumble to herself.

"I've done everything I've been told to do to find this power," she said to no one in particular. "Prayer is supposed to awaken my power, or so everyone tells me." She let her hands drop into the water, her eyes cast downward. "Everyone in my family has heard the voices from the spirit realm. This power that has supposedly been passed down through the generations is supposed to develop within me. But I don't hear… or feel anything!"

She turned her gaze back onto the statue. "Curse you!" She let her fists punch at the water. "I've spent every damn day praying, pleading to the ancient gods, but to no avail. She brought her hands up across her chest, gripping at her arms. She closed her eyes in an attempt to hold back her desperate tears. "Please just tell me. What is it? What's wrong with me?"

Link stood just outside of the spring and, upon hearing her voice, walked in curiously. He watched as she muttered to herself, her desperation growing as she struggled to find her power. He felt helpless, wishing there was something he could do to help her or reassure her, but there was nothing.

Zelda moved across the spring, away from the goddess statue, her head hanging low in defeat. She stood before Link, her tears dripping off her cheeks and onto the ground.

"What if I can't do it?" she said softly. "How can this world depend on a failure of a princess who can't even awaken the power needed to seal Ganon away?" She met Link's gaze. "Is it all just a lie? What… What's wrong with me?" She let herself fall into him, burying her face into his shoulder as she sobbed.

Link hesitated for a moment, then wrapped his arms around her. He leaned his head against hers and sighed. "Nothing's wrong with you," he whispered to her.

"Something must be," she said. "The war hasn't even begun and I'm already failing."

"We've only come to the first spring," he reminded her. "Don't give up yet."

Zelda shook her head. "My father has pushed me day after day, ever since I can remember, to find my power. If I haven't found it by now, no spring is going to help."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Link said.

Zelda pulled herself away and wiped at her eyes. "When did you become such a believer of all this sacred magic?"

Link shrugged. "I've seen some weird stuff since we started."

Zelda chuckled lightly. "The Sheikah have rubbed off on you."

"They have made some pretty incredible technology, I'll give them that. Especially considering how little technology there actually was back then."

"I can't even imagine what Hyrule was like thousands of years ago."

"Come on," Link said. He pulled at her hand, leading her away from the spring and towards the car, but when Zelda's fingers squeezed his, he pulled away quickly and shoved his hands in the pocket, then proceeded to fumble for his keys. "Where next?" he asked as he opened the car door and slid inside.

"I guess to the Spring of Courage," Zelda said as she slid in beside him.

Link started the engine. "Faron Woods or bust."