They walk in a general malaise, the horses trailing behind as Zelda follows Link atop Shiny while torrential rain spits around them. Thankfully, she found her cloak in his bag. He refuses to get atop Epona and just walks on his two feet toward anywhere away from the Mabe Village… Massacre. He lets the water soak him to the bone; his cloak is forgotten in Zelda's hands.

"Link, dear," Zelda yells, squeezing her wet fingers against Shiny's reigns as he knickers quietly to himself under the screaming rain. "Will you please put on your cloak? You are going to catch your death out here."

Lightning brightens the sky, followed by a crash of thunder. Link doesn't respond and continues his dead man's walk to Goddess knows where—The still dripping Master Sword held tightly in his right hand like a reminder of his sins. Instead of continuing her desire to get him to speak, Zelda lets him lead her to wherever he needs to be. He's so distraught. She can feel his absolute sorrow wafting off his soul like a wave.

How could he not be? Zelda knows her husband; he is not a killer, cold-blooded and murderous. He is a slayer, to be sure, but a murderer he is not. She doesn't believe he has the capacity for it, as his heart is much too large and giving. Any death upon his hands, he will bare with pure unadulterated agony.

This is why her worry is so great. Link had just slain an entire village he had desired to save and formed a bond with an old soldier he'd been forced to kill. She worries about his sanity, the remnants of his purity.

They walk to a hill, the only one visible within the Great Plains south of Mabe, and Link finally stops. She pauses, pulling back on the reins to halt Shiny—Epona doesn't need to be told. She's an intelligent girl.

Zelda doesn't know what to say, letting the rain fill the silence between them as Link stares up at the crest of the lonely hill.

"Love," She tries again, calling past the downpour. "Please speak to me. Share with me your burning thoughts; I know you're in pain."

He does not respond. Instead, Link begins to climb.

"Link," She calls after him, knowing the horses will struggle on the incline. Zelda hops off, nearly slipping upon the slick grass and mud. "Link, please."

He continues undisturbed, stalking along the tall wet grass as if he were born to do so, his sword gripped as if it were keeping him alive. She struggles to keep up, huffing and puffing as she climbs. She continues calling him, trying in vain to get him to speak, but he refuses or cannot hear.

He is trapped within the confines of his mind, allowing whatever torturous thoughts to twist his psyche. Zelda had never felt such fear for him; even knowing the enemies he faced, she knew he would come out on top. But this?

This is a new facet of him she has yet to see.

Finally, he reaches the top, and she can see him pause. Zelda's stamina regains anew, a burst of energy drawn from her desperation to ease her husband's woes. When she crests, a lone willow stands like a sentry over an old, dilapidated grave.

Zelda's heart jumps into her throat as she brings her hands over her mouth to hide her gasp of recognition. She can make out a name, then an inscription along the headstone's cracks.

Here Lies Aryll, Lady of Mabe and Countess of Hyrule Field. Loving mother and wife. Hyrule has lost a dear soul, but the Sacred Realm has gained a stalwart friend.

"Oh, Link," Her tears fall freely, mixing their salty wetness with the cold and uncaring rain.

"I-I forgot where she was buried," His voice—! Finally, he speaks. It is clamped, tight, and so full of unrestrained sadness. The Master Sword he held so tightly hangs in a loose grip, nearly falling from his fingers. "Only remembered when I…I…!"

Zelda rushes to him, wrapping her arms around his body as tightly as she can, trying to convey through touch that she will always be with him and that he can be at ease when she's around. Her tears mixed with the rain again, dyeing themselves into the dark blue of his soaked Champions Tunic. She feels him shake, a choked sob and a gut-wrenching gasp.

Zelda pulls him tighter as his blade falls limp, burying herself in a sarcophagus of tall grass.

The two arrive at Lookout Landing not two days later. Link puts up the front of an emotionless General as Zelda watches him closely while he addresses his troops.

"Every one of you—even those who have not completed their training—Will be shipped out within the next few days to the towns of Hyrule." Even wearing his Champions Tunic that gives him the air of a Hero, he cannot shake the aura of a General as he paces atop his parapet with his hands behind his back. "Our people are under threat. I personally have destroyed Mabe Village and the Curse affecting them." He lets that statement linger. Zelda watches as his soldiers fall into shock, but Link is not done. "The enemy is strong and will use whatever it can to make us hesitate, using our citizens—the ones we swore to protect—as canon fodder. Do not let this shake your resolve. We will not go quietly. This is what you trained for."

The soldiers stare up at him, fear present in each of their gazes, but determination begins to flash. Zelda feels her heart twinge at his lack of care when discussing what he had been forced to commit. He has wholly disassociated from it. "What are your Oaths?"

"Security!" The men and women chant, answering immediately. "Wellness! Protection!"

"And if you break these Oaths?"

"Death by our forefathers! Death by our brothers and sisters!" Zelda does not know what this means, but they are evidently not done. They stare up at Link, stars in their eyes as he meets them like a wolf staring at his cubs. "Death by our General!"

For some reason, the finality of the chant strikes a chord within her chest. She cannot understand why. It feels like she's missing something, and Zelda hates missing something.

"What do you fight for?"

"Hyrule!"

"Who do you fight for?!" Link shouts. It's less a question and more a demand. She swears she can hear his voice crack.

"Our family! Our ancestors! Our Princess!"

Zelda feels sick to her stomach as the men and women roar with resolve, cheering at the emboldening speech from their General. She would be proud of him if she were not so worried. He can really move a crowd.

"Report to your Captains for assignment. Squires, to your Commander." The General almost sighs. He must be exhausted. "Dismissed."

She rushes to his side, trying to get as close as possible to get him to speak, share his feelings and pain. He disappears into the Citadels corridors, and Zelda follows closely in his shadow.

"General!" A man runs over to him, trailed by two others—both men. Link halts, spinning to face them. The minute he sees who they are, Zelda catches the grief that flashes through his eyes.

It's gone in an instant.

"Captain's Forester, Jekal." He nods, standing straight and clasping his hands behind his back. Zelda can see how tightly he holds them. "Kido. How can I assist?"

"We… wanted your account of what happened at Mabe," one of them starts. Zelda doesn't know their faces to their names. "My sister was staying at the Inn. She…"

"Oh, Link," Zelda whispers, as if she will cry again. No wonder he flashed with grief. Link knows where every single one of his soldiers is from, every single one of their families.

"She is dead," Link says hollowly, his emotion gone the instant they appeared. "I killed her myself. I am sorry for your loss."

The one who speaks choked, and another soldier hugs him. The final one stares in shock.

"I… they did not suffer. If you wish to take your leave from my military after what I have done, you will be released from your Oaths. I promise you that no ill will shall be held in your absence." Links hands twist, tightening until they turn white.

"General, I just…" the tearful one drawls out. "Lady Purah showed us the effects of the Gloom—they're husks which would have killed the Princess for her Light. We know you had no choice. Thank you for ending their torment."

Link does not respond, his fingers wrapped around each other like twine.

"If I may, before we head off on assignment," The one not hugging the tearful man stands straight, grief evident on his visage. "We request a leave of absence to bury the dead—to allow them safe passage to the Sacred Realm."

"Take as much as you require—bring along Batemy and Gora. They're from Mabe. A stipend will be paid to your remaining family members as recompense for their loss." Link stomps his feet, offering a salute, which all three return instantly, even the one who's crying. "You may leave whenever you are ready. Dismissed."

Zelda watches the soldiers leave before she moves, noticing that Link stands as still as a statue while his men exit the hall.

"Link," she offers slowly, pausing her approach and holding her hands as if he were a horse preparing to bolt. "Speak to me. Please?"

"There is nothing to speak of," he forces out, not even twitching from his statuesque form. "I performed my duty to the letter. I should be proud of myself."

"And yet…?" She trails, already knowing the answer.

"I…" he bites his lip, his Blue Tunic rustling with the rising and falling of his chest. "Not here. They cannot see me break."

"They would think no less of you." Zelda challenges.

He shakes his head at her stance, as if without words, stating that she doesn't understand. Zelda hates not understanding.

"It's not my soldiers I fear," Link sighs, the tension leaving his body like a wave is quickly replaced by malaise. "Come to my quarters. I have tea."

"Who do you fear, love?" Zelda asks, walking alongside Link as he leads her through the maze-like halls. "You know I will never think less of you."

"The Goddesses," He grinds as if stating their station was more a curse than a holy name. "I can only pray that my room is unclean so they refuse to torture me any further with their sight."

"Link, that's blasphemy." She gasps.

"Why is it so?" He growls, his tone of voice something Zelda has never heard pointed toward her. "What have they done aside from causing their subjects agony? What have I done to be cursed with such an existence?"

Zelda's own anger flares. As much as others like to say that their relationship is fire and water, she knows better than anyone that it is fire and fire.

Both are stubborn, temperamental and angst-ridden creatures.

"You consider life to be accursed? How could you say that? After everything you've—we've worked for?" Zelda is beside herself at his words, the anger resounding in his soul. He was so sad not hours before, and it is wholly replaced by a nihilistic rage—a blasphemous rage directed solely upon their Goddesses, and just Zelda's luck, she's catching the brunt of it. Her fool of a husband. "Do you consider me a curse? Our love and life we are meant to share?"

"Never!" Link denies it with a shout, spinning and grabbing her by her shoulders. "I would never! You are my life, Zelda!"

"Then show it!" She yells, hurt pulsating in her chest. He winces, her statement piercing something important. Good—The imbecile. "Your words betray your actions, Link. Think of how they make me feel."

"I'm sorry." He stares into her, his eyes conveying all the emotion he has buried since they arrived at Lookout Landing.

Zelda understands his feelings. Who better than her? She experienced the same emotions when she felt Hylia was forsaking her, that she was not allowing her awakening to the power to seal Ganon through some lack of something she could not know.

Zelda hates not knowing.

Of course, she understands. But he is not allowed to take his anger out on her. That is non-negotiable.

"You didn't deserve that," Link continues, solemn in his apology. "But… I cannot apologize for what I said about the Goddesses."

She stares at him, her eyebrows furrowed, before nodding in satisfaction. "I understand, and I accept your apology. Let us have tea."

Zelda pulls him by his hand, forcing him to speak by leading him forward even though she doesn't know the layout of Lookout Landing. Zelda plays this to her advantage, as Link would have to point out their direction, telling her where to go with his voice.

She can be sneaky when she wants to be.

"The large door at the end of this corridor is my office." Link pointing at a pair of unremarkable wooden doors. The entire Citadel is quite spartan; Zelda doesn't exactly know what to make of it. Aside from the tapestries of her family crest, there is no ornamentation.

"The walls and windows are quite bare, don't you think?" She asks. "No wonder you're always so moody. Your personal fortress is awfully dreary."

"It's not my—no, whatever," he shakes his head. "It's a Citadel, first off. Second, ornamentation just puts a target on it for thieves. It isn't a castle, Zelda. It's meant to hold against an invasion and stand as a training ground for new recruits."

"Well, personally, I think it could do with a bit more colour. Maybe a painting over there, stain-glass replacing those panes. Hylia, maybe a place or two to sit! It's meant to be a home, is it not?"

"No, it—" he pauses, thinking about her words. "Well… yes, I guess it is. But anyone with time to sit has time to be running drills. There's no place in the army for slackers."

She laughs at his strict attitude, a complete shift from how she remembers the gluttonous and lazy boy of their youth. Zelda distinctly remembers a time when she had to cover for him when he was caught by his father asleep in the Castle's kitchen. Empty bowls and plates were strewn about.

"You sound exactly like your father. I hope you know that." She grins as she glances up at him. A sour look passes across his face, and she laughs harder. "I mean it! Do you remember his rants to anyone he caught not performing to his standards?"

"Your duty is not to sleep! You can sleep when you're dead; I will introduce you to the reaper if I catch you asleep on watch again!" Zelda puts on a deep, gruff voice which sounds alien in her dulcet and vibrant tones. Link joins her in recollection of the speech, knowing every word-for-word, his rendition of Aganok's signature growl impeccably well performed. "We are knights! Sleep is for Royalty and Civilians! To be a knight is to be above the need for sleep!"

Zelda laughs while Link grumbles.

"If I ever start to sound like that, I expect you to relieve me of duty yourself, for I have finally and completely gone insane."

"Duly noted," she wryly says, skipping the final step to his office. Together, they push open the oak door, and she winces again at the layout. "Oh, my. Another minimalistic room. Why am I not surprised?"

"Minimalistic?" He parrots, sauntering over to a corner where he has a stove and tap. They are the only non-militarist things in the whole Citadel. "Is it minimal to have one of these in my office?"

"Touché," Zelda giggles at his squawking, deciding to sit on his couch before the fireplace. Surprisingly, it's comfy. "Wow, a comfy couch? In your office?"

"Zelda," He groans. "You're hurting my feelings."

"Consider it payback for taking your frustration out upon me."

"Hylia, what more could you want from me, woman?" He groans some more, putting his hands on his face, which only makes her giggle further. "I apologized, did I not?"

"Only your life and everlasting love, Dear. Fair trade, is it not?" She's all but mocking him at this point. How can she not? He is much too easy to tease.

"For the living reincarnation of our patron Goddess," Link grumbles, placing a kettle upon the quickly-lit stove and falling into the sofa beside her. "You're quite the vixen. What will I do with you?"

"I can think of many things," she sighs, scooting close to him and snuggling into his chest. "But those can wait until we're in our bedroom. For now, I would like to just sit here, and wait until you wish to tell me your thoughts."

Silence follows, but not one Zelda immediately wishes to quash. She allows him his moment to collect himself, to form his raging thoughts into a collection of words that will tell her exactly how he feels.

He was not kidding about breaking because the poor man does so almost instantly. All Zelda can do is be at his side.

"I am a murderer," He croaks. "Not only of men but women and children. I have stained the Master Sword with the blood of the innocent, and thus I feel myself shunned by our Goddesses."

"They were already gone," She whispers. "Existing solely to extinguish Hylia's Light in the name of Darkness. I may have been able to save them, but I would have died trying to do so. As much as I hate it, I cannot deny it. Try as I am to forgive yourself, love."

"How can I? When everybody doesn't bat an eye at the crimes I've committed in the name of my Oath. What makes me so deserving of forgiveness?"
"Your… Oath?" Zelda quirks her head. "What Oath? You mentioned them earlier when addressing your troops. What do they entail, exactly?"

His mouth screws shut again, fear at his words etching like a stencil across his face. Zelda is shocked; never has he made such an expression.

"Link," She asks, sitting up slightly in worry. "Why do you make such a face? What is an Oath?"

She stares at him, taking in every ounce of ingrained terror, oozing off his expressionless visage. "Darling, speak. Do you remember our vows?"

That gets through to him, as he immediately looks like he will cry. "I… I remember. I will try, Zelda. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I know how hard it is for you." She reaches out, rubbing his scruffy cheek with her palm. "It's not your fault. Your father didn't make it easy for you."

"I know he loved me—"

"I'm not saying anything about his care for you," Zelda interrupts. "He was a hard man who valued strength and duty above all else. You excelled at all he threw at you. I also know he lost himself when your mother died, and you had to force everything aside to step up. Your feelings matter, Link. Please don't think otherwise because some man told you they didn't."

"He's not some man; he was my father—My Knight-Commander. My thoughts and feelings when I took the Oath of Protection didn't matter. I needed to be strong. I needed to be unstoppable."

"There it is again, these 'Oaths.'" Zelda's getting frustrated. "Why did you need to pretend to be an unfeeling golem whose only worth was the Blade he wielded? You're but one man, my love."

"I needed to be an army." He replies starkly, his voice trembling with barely restrained venom. He's lucky he isn't directing it toward her. "The one we had was too terrified."

"That's not your fault. Fate was not kind to you and your plight—You were just the only one brave enough to pull out the sword."

That's not true, but her point stands. Aside from her, Link is the only one able to touch that sword without risking their demise. Zelda is sure that it's only because, according to the legends, her ancestor who helped forge the blade just happened to be the Goddess reborn.

"Sometimes…" He drawls, forcing Zelda into silence. His gaze flicks to the sheathe he placed against his desk, the Blade of Evil's Bane gleaming in the evening sun. "Sometimes I feel like she's the only one who can understand. As much as I tell you, I… I just can't word anything correctly."

"She knows your every thought, reads your every action," Zelda grimaces, feeling a burn of jealousy at the idea that a weapon understands her husband better than her. It's disheartening, but at the same time, she's glad he has something—someone he trusts aside from her. "Of course, she understands. But she is a weapon, not a mouthpiece. I will always be here for you."

That brings a watery smile to his lips as he finally turns to face her. "Thank you."

"Of course." She returns his smile with one of her own, nuzzling her body into his. "Tell me about these Oaths, please? I can tell they bother you."

"I… don't know how." He responds weakly. "It's like describing how to breathe; you just do it. They're all so ingrained into my daily life, I can't think of a time without an Oath bearing over my shoulder."

"Why haven't I heard of them until now? Can you tell me that much?"

He can, as he finds it within himself to continue talking. "They're private, usually regarding what a Knight or Soldier wants to uphold. However, when you take one, it's sort of like… graduation. You're not a true member of the military until you take an Oath. Only the King-General, Knight-Commander and your brothers know your Oath. They are expected to hold you accountable." He explains slowly, trying to get as much detail as possible. Zelda is confused, regardless. "The Queen and Princess were never… a part of the military. You had no reason to know."

"Ah yes," Zelda grumbles. "My father's old doctrine of not allowing women to enlist. Truly, we have gone to the wolves now that you allow all genders to join."

"It never made much sense to disallow women," Link shakes his head. "The strongest I knew were women who trained their whole lives. When facing one another, Urbosa and Mipha destroyed the Training Grounds up north."

"Goddess, do you remember my father's face when he read the report? I thought for sure he'd pop a blood vessel."

She laughs, a short burst of humour before she finds herself in silence again. A burning question passes over her, and she can't help herself from asking.

"What happens if you break an Oath?"

His tongue turns to stone, along with his face—stalwart and emotionless upon her flaming askance.

Zelda doesn't push him. Instead, she wraps herself into his body, sharing her warmth to melt his icy skin. She can gather an answer from his reaction. Zelda isn't stupid. All it does is make her fester with worry.

Link desired to spend a few more days within Lookout Landing, and Zelda couldn't find it within herself to deny him. He wants to ensure everyone is adequately delegated, equipped, and ready for placement. So, he stands at the front of a semi-circle formed exclusively by his squires and captains, explaining in detail how and what they will do.

The man is a leader in every sense of the word.

"Heyo, Princess," Purah saunters over, waving her recorder like a baton. Why she even has it, Zelda has no idea. "How're you?"

The Princess looks away from her longing stare at Link, smiling tiredly at the century-year-old researcher. "Hanging in there."

Her bubbly expression shifts the minute Zelda speaks, turning into an accurate depiction of what someone Purah's true age would make when faced with such a trying statement. "That's the most anyone can do, dear. It wasn't anyone's fault, you know that."

"I wish I could have done more," She sighs. "I wish Link wasn't forced to do what he did."

Purah joins Zelda in staring, gazing off at Link while he fills in his Captains. "Linky always did take on too much for a single man to bear. The weight of which will force him even further into his silence." The Sheikah looks up at the Princess, offering a light grin. "It's a good thing you're here. I think you've always been the only thing keeping him grounded."

"I couldn't even save my people. What makes you think I can save my husband—Hyrule's hero?"

"Because you're the only one he will let save him. Trust me, Zelda. Even before he regained his memory, he was focused on finding you. He didn't even know who you were. A pretty voice in his head asked him to kill the Calamity and save Hyrule, so he did."

"What a fool," Zelda laughs, but it's subdued. "If only I could have been faster, maybe they would all still be alive."

"That wasn't on you, and you know it." Purah firmly denies it. "You did what you could, Zelda. What happened to the Villagers was no one's fault but Ganon's. Or whatever is left of that thing."

Zelda sighs, unsure if the words are accurate. As much as she likes telling Link that it wasn't his fault, she struggles with telling herself the same. A hypocritical Princess.

"Have you found the source yet, Purah?" She tries to change the subject, desperately trying to disassociate like her husband by finding something else to focus on. "You mentioned in your letter that you have a lead."

Purah clicks her tongue at Zelda's evident aversion. Instead of jumping on her about it, she squats in front of one of the stone walls while Zelda leans her back against it. "You aren't gonna like this, Princess. But it's coming from Hyrule Castle." Zelda's blood runs cold while the researcher clinically reports her findings. "From our scans of the area using the Purah-Pad—Trademark pending—we can gather that the Miasma is definitely coming from the Castle."

"The Sanctum?" Zelda asks with her heart in her throat.

"No, deeper."

"The Grand Ballroom? Link fought him there before he became Dark Beast. Maybe it's a remnant? Some sort of detached limb that grew a mind of its own? If so, an examination—if possible, is a must. First, we have to—"

"Zelda, calm down." Purah places her hand on Zelda's shaking leg. She freezes. "It's coming from beneath the castle itself, a hidden passage."

"Hidden… Passage?" Zelda slowly parrots. "Which one?"

"None on any record, even the secret ones," Purah replies, tapping her recorder against her neck as she checks out each passing soldier. Zelda knows it's all for show; she'd eat them alive. "From what I can tell, this one was unknown even to the Royal Family. The sonar we tapped says it goes far down than we thought possible."
Zelda feels a chill run up her spine, remembering a specific moment from her childhood where she spent most of her time exploring the Castle, putting on a hat and calling herself a Pioneer like the ones in the books her mother read before bed. She remembers trying to get into a gaping hole in a wall and the King grabbing her ever so tightly, all but screaming in her face that some mysteries are best left unsolved.

The gap disappeared the next day. Her mother died shortly after, and Zelda never played Pioneer again.

"I… Think I know what you're talking about."

Purah glances up at her, the researches eyebrows shooting to her hairline. "Well, if you're up to it, why don't you and Link check it out? Use it as an escape, a time to help him gather his feelings? Maybe it'll help you, too, Princess." She then wryly smiles, easing the tension with its brightness. "Who knows? Maybe you'll find what's causing it and end whatever's left for good! We both know Linky is itching to destroy!"

Zelda offers a light grin, a forced one, yet still mirthful.

"Indeed." With a sigh, she pushes herself away from the stone wall and brushes off her behind. "I will ask him if he wishes to join me."

She has already started walking when Purah offers one last word. "You know he will! He won't miss a chance to watch your butt!"

"Back," Zelda corrects, looking over her shoulder.

"I said what I said!"

Another shorter and sweet one.

I like this chapter. There's a lot of conversation and character-building. Zelda and Link's relationship is a fun one to really delve into. I like finding out what makes them tick, and I hope you like them, too.

The next chap will be out soon. Tell me your thoughts.

I'm blasting the Demon Dragon boss OST rn, and it's got me feeling some typa way.