Chapter 5- Give or take

She woke with a gasp. What was that? Those memories those feelings were so real it was like she had experienced Link's life his own emotions, his thoughts. He was so happy in those moments and his parents…

Oh goddess

Looking over she saw he was already up. Link sat upright on top of the rock. He was just looking out into the darkness deeply in thought. It felt almost like he wasn't all there, the blank expression clouding what emotions were really lying under the surface. The gem that rested around his neck had begun to glow a gentle green light as though it was slowly coming to life. It seemed to call out to her in the gloom.

It would seem that it was her touch that had triggered the memories. She was his anchor to the past…

"Link I-"

She stopped short as he stared her in the eyes. His face was still flat but those eyes were now filled with so much feeling.

Link cleared his throat to speak.

Link and Zelda made their way down the track, they were yet to get her a steed and so they had settled to just walking down the road, Link leading Epona along. Sunlight bore down heavily on them but the casual stroll was suiting Zelda quite well. She was more than glad to be far away from that prayer dress now. Impa had provided her with the travel attire she had worn 100 years ago and it felt beyond good to be wearing anything other than that damned dress.

Link hummed a cheerful tune content with the peace and quiet. Like her he wore simple clothes, a simple white cloth shirt that barely fit him and exposed a little of his midriff. Of course Link pulled it off well enough to make even a Gerudo envious. It infuriated her sometimes how effortlessly he managed to wreak havoc on her but how he was seemingly clueless in doing so. Still they had to remain incognito for now, as no doubt the whole of Hyrule had heard the news of their victory and she was desperate to not feel the incoming attention just yet.

That was not attention she wanted or needed. They would need to dress more formally tomorrow however.

"You still so sure it's going to rain hero?" She teased him lightly. Link had remained convinced that a storm was coming soon, despite the fact there was not a cloud in sight.

"You won't be laughing when I'm warm and dry in the tent I made and you're outside in the storm," Link retorted, narrowing his eyes trying hard to keep a serious face.

"Oh really? Wouldn't that go against a little oath of yours sir Link?" She grinned up at him, looking at the edges of his mouth which were struggling to not twitch up.

"I'm afraid I've got no idea what you're talking about…I remember no such thing." Link looked away realising prolonged eye contact was not going to help him keep a straight serious face.

"That's strange because I remember you pretty clearly being on your knees in front of me swearing fealty," she retorted cocking her head to the side. "If your imaginary rain was to turn up wouldn't it be you outside the tent not me?"

"You'll have to forgive me Princess," Link had broken now and was smiling back at her. She almost regretted triggering it as her strong demeanour began to falter. His smile in its rarity had always done something ungodly to her. "My memory is not what it used to be," Link continued.

Epona snorted at him.

"Hmm, that's even stranger I recall you telling me that was in fact the first memory that you recovered," Zelda said raising her eyebrows, her victory was at hand.

"Alright you win princess," he replied holding his hands up in surrender.

Memories… They hadn't talked about that night yet and the subject loomed over Zelda's mind like a dark shadow. For now though she refused to talk about it. After reaching Kakariko and finally reuniting with Impa, Link had swiftly departed the village. He had taken the responsibility of spreading the message of the demise of the Calamity to all of the leaders and, under the instruction of Impa, had begun negotiations for setting up a meeting.

Despite the seemingly good intentions, Zelda couldn't help shake the feeling that he had been trying to get away from her. Especially since Link hated politics more than anything in the world. She had been terrified that he wasn't going to come back and had spent most of the time in Impa's granddaughter, Paya's room trying desperately not to cry. Then one evening he had just burst into the room making both of the girls scream and had just collapsed onto Zelda's bed grumbling to himself.

"Link are you okay?"

More groans.

"Link?"

"I've sorted the meeting spot I'll take you tomorrow…"

And with that the Knight that sealed darkness itself had passed out cold on her bed and had begun to snore softly. The look of horror and confusion that Paya gave her pretty much summed up the whole experience. There was only one thing for sure: he was a complete enigma to her. Almost nothing he did made any sense.

"You know you could tell me where we're going or even what the whole plan is?" Zelda said looking at him expectantly.

Link sighed; he was still clearly uncomfortable with talking for long periods, despite his amnesia that much had remained. "The Gerudo refused to allow the meeting to take place in Kakariko, as they associate it too closely with the Yiga. The Zora refuse to step anywhere near the desert, as there isn't enough water nearby. The Gorons don't care as long as rocks are provided, which I spent hours digging up and the Hylians agreed they would not venture anywhere cold. In the end it was only the Rito, Hylia bless them, who didn't care at all. Of course they also all demand you perform a full tour of all the settlements to show your commitment to them."

Link gasped for air. He was as shocked as she was at the essay he had just recited.

"You know if you combined everything you ever said in your life, it wouldn't come close to how much you just said then," Zelda remarked.

"Yeah don't get used to it Princess, I think I'm done for the day," Link replied. "I picked a field up here near Hateno, it should work fine."

"But, you have to tell me about the envoys first," she said. Link shook his head clearly already exhausted. She grabbed his left arm with two hands and looked up at his shocked expression. "Link please…"

Link groaned. "Don't do that it's cheating," he mumbled. The knight looked to her for another second. "Fine! But later were already here."

She smiled quietly to herself and followed link up off the path and onto the gentle slopes of Ovil Plain. Already in a level part of the fields a tent was being put up by two strangely dressed Hylians. As Link approached the tall lanky Hylian who wore pink earrings and extravagant clothing perked up at the sight of Link.

"I see you've made friends Link," she whispered to him, which earned her a sharp glare from the hero.

"Heeeey!" The man whistled to Link, practically skipping over. His accomplice dropped his hammer in shock onto his foot and scrambled after his friend. As the flashy guy stopped in front of Link the other worker crashed into his back causing him to fly backwards onto the ground.

The man looked at Zelda quizzically for a moment before forming a wide friendly smile. "Princess I am pleased to meet your acquaintance I am Bolson and this is my associate Karson." He bowed down before her taking her hand to kiss.

Zelda looked across to Link. "I told you not only to tell the leaders."

"I did!" Link complained, shrugging violently.

"Oh please princess," Bolson remarked waving his hand dismissively. "I know royalty when I see it and I most definitely see it. Don't worry your secret is in my safe hands." Zelda felt herself blushing.

"Link asked us to help with setting up a meeting place and we obliged most gratefully," He continued.

"Yeah…" Link said. "For the small sum of-"

Bolson quickly cut in. "Of course such a task is beneath our talents, we are capable of so much more, for example that shabby looking Castle and Castletown," he tsked. "Now that's a mess if I ever saw one. For a generous price I could definitely spruce it up."

Zelda hesitated. "Well I guess I never really thought about-"

"May I ask have you ever considered changing your name to Zeldason?" Bolson enquired.

"Enough!" Link cut in, ever the knight in shining armour. "Don't you have work to do?"

Bolson sighed. "What a party pooper." With that the builder turned back to the tent Karson following him closely and began to work again on the tent.

"Of all the monsters, Yiga and mile long demon dragons, that guy scares me the most," he said visibly shuddering.

"I can see why," Zelda replied, smiling more in shock than anything else. Bolson did have all the qualities Link was terrified of. She started to laugh hard.

"What?" Link looked at her with that confused furrow in his brow which just made her laugh even harder. "What?!" he repeated.

Zelda would've preferred to sleep out under the stars but Link had set up a tent, insisting that rain was coming soon. Bolson and Karson had finished their work and returned to the village after she had politely declined to agree to name her future children in accordance with their company guidelines. The sun was beginning to make its decline and she sat watching the beauty of the country. She still couldn't get over how good it was to be back in reality. It turned out being cooped up in a desperate battle with the manifestation of evil for one hundred years really made you appreciate the small things, like the fresh air, smell of grass and gentle breeze on your face.

"You know." Link panted. "Even though-I am your protector-I could use-a little help."

"Last I checked this whole tent thing was your idea," Zelda chuckled watching him struggle with the covering of the tent.

"I did it in your honour," he moaned, the words barely escaped his mouth.

"Oh well great work hero, I see now why you should be the chosen one," she mocked him as he finished the tent.

He threw a peg at her but she dodged away just in time. And he wandered towards her collapsing next to where she sat breathing heavily. She wanted desperately to reach out and brush his wild hair away from his closed eyes but something in her held her back.

You don't know how he'd react.

"Now then. Words intended for him would sound much better in the tones of your voice, don't you think?"

She sighed. Link was the same and yet so different to how he was back then. Before it was like there had been some wall that prevented his personality from coming forward with all its dry splendour. Now that wall wasn't there, he spoke freely. It joyed her to see him in this way and yet somehow it managed to cut her off more from him. Sure that wall had made conversations harder than taming a great wild horse but, that wall had made those interactions in the last few months before the calamity so special. She had been let into a forbidden area of his mind that no one else had for many years and in turn she had let him in. There was something special in that connection.

That was why the man who lay down in front of her felt so somehow so different to the one she had 100 years ago. Nevertheless his eyes still shocked her to the core, his smile in its rarity warmed her very bones and his voice managed to send shivers through her every time.

She wondered what he thought of her now. Did he think of her as simply his duty, a continuation of the oath he swore all those years ago? Was it just pity, she had heard of his exploits in the land over the past year, was she just another quest or task to mark off the journal? Or did he genuinely think of her as a friend already.

Please Goddesses make it the last

"Link…" She asked voice unusually soft. His ears perked up at his name but his eyes remained shut. "You've done so much for me even after the threat of calamity, can I ask…why?"

He opened his eyes now and looked at her curiously, eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?" he said.

"You know, why have you done it all?" she replied.

He scratched his forehead uncomfortably. "I don't know, it just feels right, like it's something I've got to do…"

"You duty?" she inquired.

"Yeah I guess," he agreed.

"I see." The statement hit her harder than she thought. What the hell was she expecting, of course that would be his answer he hardly knew her anymore, save for a few scrabbled memories. Yet why was there that damned sense of familiarity with every interaction they had. Was it the gods playing some cruel trick on her?

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked concerned by her pained look.

"No it's fine sir Link," she said shrugging the feeling off. All that mattered was that they had defeated Ganon and they were together still, no matter if it wasn't going to last forever.

"We should tell Impa," he was holding the lightly glowing green charm. "We have no idea what this thing is and that guy just gave me the creeps I have no idea how he found this."

She hummed in agreement. It was strange that the man happened to have the exact charm his mother had given him when he was a child and creepy didn't even begin to describe the 'collector'.

"You know my other memories, the ones before going to the domain, they've slowly come back." Link said he had gotten up now and was walking over to Epona.

"That's great Link," she replied genuine gladness filling her voice.

Link had begun to rummage through the saddle bags as Epona eyed him impatiently, clearly bored with the lack of action the day had yielded. She chuffed at Link and he patted her gently. "Woah girl" he soothed. Zelda was still amazed at how similar the horse was to the one Link had 100 years ago, it was almost identical and he had somehow picked the exact same name for her.

"I still see them you know, it's like I can't escape their faces. They're in the flames, the clouds, the trees…my dreams," Link whispered. "I feel so much pain when I see them but I can't remember why."

She suspected he already knew that this story they were exploring was not one that was without its tragedies. However, she could not bring herself to tell him, it would just cause him more pain and he hardly needed that now. She walked forwards towards him her body had taken over completely, all worries had been brushed aside. He turned to her meeting her eyes as she placed her hand on the small of his back. It seemed to send shockwaves up her arm but she ignored it. "These memories may be hard on you, they're hard on me…" She said.

The sun was now ducking beneath the hill bathing the plains in a golden orange light. She persisted. "But after all we lost, those memories are all we have left of that world."

Link's expression had changed. His eyes had become more intense and an almost desperate look had captured his face. For a moment she felt him lean into her arm, moving his body slowly to face her, eyes still remaining fixed on hers. Her hand began to tingle slightly. Then his eyes closed and he turned back to the horse.

"I have to get some wood for the fire," he whispered, looking at Epona. The horse looked back at him expectantly for a moment and then turned away with a huff.

"Mind if I come with?" She asked moving her arm back to her side, the moment passing as quickly as it had begun.

"Sure," he replied, quietly.

"Tell me about them,"

"Hm?" Link looked at her.

"You said to ask later. You know the envoys who are coming tomorrow, what are they like?" Zelda asked.

Link ruffled his hair clearly collecting his thoughts. Darkness was swiftly falling and they had made their way to the wood that fell before Hateno and were now carrying two bundles of sticks back towards the camp. She had watched Link work dead silent but now it was too much, it brought back memories of what it was first like to travel with him. Back then the silence infuriated her. She didn't realise what was going on beneath that calm but cold demeanour.

That was back then you couldn't have known. It didn't make it any easier though.

"Well there's Sidon of the Zora," he said. "You remember him right? He's Mipha's brother."

"Yeah I remember him," she replied smiling. "I met him when I went to ask Mipha to become a champion. He was so adorable."

Link coughed. "He's a little different now."

"How so?" She asked.

"He's an adult now and very friendly." He spoke the last word as though the prince had caught some terminal illness. She chuckled softly, quietly glad that Link's shyness had not been lost in the shrine of resurrection. In the end, it just made him even more likeable, if that was even possible.

"Oh I see how terrible," she replied.

"Don't do that to him I don't think he understands sarcasm yet," he said.

"I would've thought he'd learn it from you pretty damn quickly," she remarked. Link nodded proud of his world famous sarcasm which seemed ingrained into his subconscious.

"Alright what about the Gerudo?" she asked.

"Lady Riju is personally coming to the meeting. She's still a child but is fiery and probably a whole lot stronger than she looks," he said. "I'd avoid confrontation with her, it wouldn't end well."

"I see." Zelda nodded she pushed the thoughts of Urbosa into the back of her mind, they were too painful to bear and she needed to be strong, especially since the fate of the Kingdom lay on tomorrow.

"I'm not sure about the Gorons they have a few coming they didn't really know what an envoy was but I know Yunobo. He's a good kid helped me with Rudania when no one else could, in some ways he reminds me of…" Link trailed off his expression had become twisted in confusion as he slowly became lost in his own mind.

"Link?" Zelda said nudging him gently causing him to sway slightly.

"Sorry," his expression returned to normality. "Teba is the rito envoy he's pretty fierce like Rjiu and he's not one to let his guard down in any way but…I like him quite a bit. He isn't the warrior he is for fame or glory or because he was told to but because he has to protect those he holds dear. He chose to become what he is for the benefit of people around him."

It was rare to see Link so captivated in his own speech and it surprised Zelda just how much he could make it suit him. From the description of the Rito warrior she could gage that were similar and yet so different in many ways.

"I can see why you'd like him," she said trying not to let the sadness creep into her voice. Although Link was less burdened by him memories his ignorance did mean he would say things, words that felt as though they stabbed at her. Zelda realised Link had come to a stop and turned to him, the Knight had a small grin etched onto his face and had extended both hands out in front. They were at the bottom of a small hillock on which lay their modest camp.

"What is it," Zelda muttered, noticing his smile had turned over the top and gleeful. It definitely did not suit him.

Rain began to trickle down at first in patters but then harder and harder until they both were soaked to the bone in an instant. Link looked at her with the "I told you so" look and all she could do was roll her eyes, although she was quietly glad they were back to this again. A shiver ran down her spine as she quickly realised just how cold she was.

"We should get back to the tent when you're done gloating…" she said raising an eyebrow reproachfully. The statement did little to falter Link's perceived victory as he walked over to her proudly puffing out his chest.

"Race you to the top?" Link asked, a playfulness in his voice that Zelda had never heard from the Knight before. It definitely did suit him.

Zelda turned to him staring at him for a moment and walked forwards placing a hand on his chest, she noticed how he pulled towards her touch and how his breath suddenly quickened. Then with a quick motion that even Shika would be proud of she took the Hero's hood and pulled it firmly over his face. She took off up the hill laughing as she struggled to keep a footing on the wet muddy grass.

Turning back she saw Link was glaring up at her all she could do was keep laughing at his apparent rage and continue up the hillock. She reached the top in record breaking time and Epona huffed in approval at her arrival, the horse had taken shelter under a tree near their camp.

"What can I say," she shrugged at the steed. Zelda had beaten Link in a race easily…

He was surely not going to be happy about this, Link with all his strength had been beaten by a Princess. She turned back expecting to see his glare or his smile, either look would continue to trigger that itching sense of familiarity. But when she looked down the hill her heart leaped into her throat constricting her breath suddenly.

Link had collapsed some way down the hill and was on all fours shaking uncontrollably. The rain was falling heavily on him and now his wet hair had fallen over his face obscuring what would presumably be a face of shock and pain, much like the one a few nights ago. Zelda knew what was about to happen but she still let out his name in a quick gasp as she rushed forwards.

She had expected it to happen straight away, the memories to come exploding through as she took him into her arms. Instead he just clung to her, his eyes were vacant but there was so much hurt and pain in them.

For a while the two just knelt down in the soaking grass in a tight embrace neither daring to say a word. But, as the rain fell harder from the sky Link's green charm lit up growing in intensity as they both collapsed into each other and felt their minds be sent back over 100 years once again.