Hey, everybody. Back with another chapter.

Let's get to it.


Chapter 5- Discovery

Urbosa clambers over a slight ridge as she ascends up towards Dunsel Plateau. She and Revali had left their camp at first light and made their way east. They had begun their search around Lake Floria, focusing on the immediate surroundings of the cave where Revali had spotted the man who resembled Link. That had not yielded any results.

However, they had met a traveller who had been in the area for several days and, after the two Champions had questioned him, said he had seen a blond haired Hylian with a sword heading west from the area of the cave the day before around sunset. And so, the two had headed west.

As they headed west, the two decided to split up. Revali flew up to search the cliffs and hills due north of them while Urbosa continued along the road. This area had been settled by a few Hylians since the Calamity, so Urbosa had taken her time asking the new locals if they had seen someone who resembled Link. Some had said that they had seen a man who resembled him, but had never interacted with him.

Now, Urbosa has reached the Dunsel Plateau just north of Lurelin Village and is carefully ascending the plateau, heading towards Mount Dunsel to try and get a vantage point to establish a lookout point. Up here, she can also see a cottage and a collection of tents from new settlers. Urbosa starts moving in the direction of the cottage, hoping the inhabitants can give her something to go off of.

Suddenly, Urbosa hears the flapping of wings. Looking up, she sees Revali descending towards her. The Rito Champion lands just in front of her and immediately says in a slightly lower voice, "I think I just saw him."

"Where?" Urbosa asks.

Revali turns and points towards the pond known as Keya Pond, which is closer to a small swamp than a pond, with a number of trees and shrubs growing out of the water. "On the other side of that pond…swamp…whatever. There's another one of these cottages. I saw someone who looks a lot like him entering the cottage. He was holding a bow and had his sword with him, so I don't know why. But if we move quickly, we can get there before he leaves."

"Good. Let's go," Urbosa urges.

Urbosa and Revali start running towards Keya Pond. Sure enough, as they get past the first trees, Urbosa sees a cottage on the other side of the pond. One of the bigger cottages she's seen in the area, but not too special looking. There are a number of apple trees outside the cottage, and a small vegetable garden.

Urbosa decides not to draw her sword as they approach the cottage, not wanting to provoke whoever Link might be here to see, but holds her shield ready in front of her. Revali also grips his bow tightly just in case.

The two quickly reach the front door of the cottage, staying out of view of the window on the front of the cottage. As they pause next to the door, Revali whispers to Urbosa, "We kick in the door? Go in quick just in case it's a problem?"

"No. This could be someone Link is just here to see for some help. Or it could be his own home. Best to knock. But be ready for anything," Urbosa says.

Revali nods to confirm he'll follow her lead. Urbosa then steps forward, raises her hand, and knocks three times on the door.

The two stand there silently for a moment before they hear the door start to open. Then, it swings open, and to Revali and Urbosa's shock, there is Link standing right in front of them. He's wearing a common Hylian tunic and trousers, and his hair is not tied back like they remember. And yet, there's no denying it. It's the same Link they remember.

Link stares back at them for several moments before he asks in surprise, "Urbosa? Revali?"

"Link, is it really you?" Urbosa asks.

Link looks at them for another moment, as if he can't believe it's them, before he smiles slightly and says, "Yes, it's me."

Revali chuckles a bit and says, "You gave us quite a runaround, Link. But you should've known you couldn't escape me."

"Well, I did insist we focus in this area for this search, so i deserve some credit," Urbosa retorts. Revali rolls his eyes and Link smirks a bit.

Urbosa then looks at Link. "Link, why are you here? Why did you and the princess disappear after the battle with Ganon? What happened? Did something go wrong? Did we miss something?" she asks.

Link is quiet for a moment before he says, "I really appreciate that you kept searching for us, and it's good to see you again. Both of you. But…I think it's best you head back. I'm okay here."

"No, Link. We need answers," Urbosa insists.

Link is quiet for a moment, then sighs and says, "Alright. Come in." Link steps aside and lets the two enter.

Revali looks around the inside of the cottage. The front room is rather plain, but not drab. Still, he has to taunt Link a little, and says, "Would've expected a little nicer place."

Urbosa gives Revali a look before she turns back to Link, "Not bad, all things considered." She then gives Link a more firm look and asks firmly, "Link, please, what happened? And where is Zelda?"

Link rubs the back of his head, as if embarrassed a bit. "Um, you see…" he says, trailing off a bit as he tries to figure out what to say.

Suddenly, Revali and Urbosa hear a familiar young woman's voice call out from one of the back rooms, "Darling, is someone there?" Then, a moment later, someone walks out of one of the back rooms into the main room. And Urbosa and Revali stare in shock at the familiar sight of Zelda. Not just because she is here, but also because of the large bulge in her rather plain dress right at her stomach.

Urbosa, and even Revali, are speechless. The two look back and forth between Link and Zelda before Zelda is the one to break the silence. "Urbosa! It's so good to see you!" she cries, shuffling forward and embracing the Gerudo chief as much as she can.

Urbosa is still stunned into silence. It's not until Zelda pulls away before she asks, "How…how did this happen?"

Zelda smiles and asks, "Do you mean how Link and I came to be here…or this?" As she finishes her sentence, she rests a hand on her bulging stomach.

"Well, I know well how that happened," Urbosa says, gesturing to Zelda's stomach before she continues, "How did you come to be here? Why did you two vanish after Ganon's defeat?"

Link and Zelda look at each other before Zelda nods at Link. Link then looks at their guests and says, "Why don't we sit down, and we'll explain."

Urbosa nods, satisfied with this. Link leads them over to the couches near the door. He helps Zelda sit down on one of the couches, and then takes a seat next to her. Urbosa takes a seat on the couch across from them, while Revali decides to stand.

"You have a lot of explaining to do," Urbosa says, crossing her arms a bit.

"I know. I'm sorry for everything we put you all through, Urbosa. But we did what we had to do," Zelda insists.

"Which was what?" Revali asks.

Link looks at Zelda, signalling her to take point on explaining the story. Zelda nods and begins to talk, "For some time before Ganon's return, I had begun to develop romantic feelings for Link. As we began to open up to each other, and continue our journeys together, we grew closer, and my feelings for him grew into love."

"It was not until the battle with Ganon that I realized the extent of my feelings for Luke. I was able to finally unlock my powers just in time to save Link's life. Since then, I have begun to believe that it was my love for Link and my desperation to save him that allowed me to finally use my power."

Zelda pauses for a moment, then continues, "After Ganon was defeated, I could not keep my feelings secret anymore, and I confessed my love to Link. When I asked him if he felt the same way, he confessed that he had feelings for me as well."

After another brief pause, Zelda explains, "The two of us knew my father and many others in the kingdom would not approve of a relationship between us. My father in particular. He is so stuck in his ways that he would never imagine giving his blessing to us to be together. But, after everything we had been through together, we decided we did not want to lose each other right after we learned of each other's love. We discussed it there. Link said he was willing to face my father, but I was not. After everything…I could not bear to be separated from him. And so, I proposed that we leave our lives behind, travel into the wild, and live our lives together in happiness. We travelled to Lurelin Village, where we befriended a carpenter who built many of the homes in the village. He agreed to build us a home. After living in tents here for a month, as this cottage was almost done, we decided we wished to be married. So, we went into town, and the elder of Lurelin Village married us."

Link now speaks up as he takes Zelda's hand and says, "And we have lived here ever since. I go out when we need to forage for food and get us supplies in town, while Zelda tends the garden and enjoys time with her animal friends. We have made a few friends in the village who agreed to help us, and to keep our secret."

Zelda then breaks out in an big smile as she again rests a hand on her stomach and says, "And…six months ago, we learned that I was with child. We had begun to worry that we had overreacted before then. But since learning we were going to become parents…we knew that staying here was the best choice for us, especially as we are about to start a family." She then looks at Link and says, "I would rather live here the rest of my days, far from the royal life, than live another day without him."

"And I would not give up this life we have built for the world," Link says with a smile.

The young couple continue staring into each other's eyes for a few moments before they turn to look back at Urbosa and Revali. The two Champions just stare at Link and Zelda for a little while, shocked at everything they have just been told. They had formed many theories as to why the two had disappeared. But they would have imagined this was the reason why.

Revali is the first one to speak. "Well…that's certainly not what we were expecting," he says.

"That's an understatement," Urbosa adds. She pauses for a moment before she asks, "Why did you not come to one of us?"

Zelda looks at Urbosa for a moment before she says, "I'm sorry, Urbosa. But we did not want to take the chance that my father or the court would learn what happened."

"It's not that we didn't trust you two, or Daruk or Mipha, to be able to keep it secret. But we knew that if we came to your homes, someone would let it slip that we had been spotted," Link adds.

"We wanted to be together, and to truly start a relationship right. We knew that would never happen if anyone knew where we were. So we thought it best to disappear," Zelda says.

"But why not contact us since?" Urbosa asks.

Zelda looks down slightly, momentarily avoiding Urbosa's eyes, before looking back up at her. "I'm sorry, Urbosa. We wanted to…but we were just afraid," she says. She then looks at Link, and everyone can see that she is actually afraid before she says, "But after we learned about our baby…we couldn't bear it if we were separated. Not when we are going to be parents. Link proposed reaching out in secret. Using our friends in Lurelin Village to get a secret message to one of you. But I said no. I was too afraid something would go wrong."

Zelda begins to cry, and falls into Link's chest as she says, "I've been such a coward. But this is the first time in my life I've been truly happy, and now I'm going to have a baby. I couldn't risk that. And I let fear drive me."

Link holds tightly, trying to comfort her, whispering into her ear. Revali and Urbosa just watch as Link manages to calm his wife after a minute. As they watch, Urbosa can't help but let her heart break a little for Zelda and Link, realizing everything they've been through and how much they truly love each other. And at the same time, Revali finds himself softening a bit towards Link. He had always thought so little of Link, in part because he saw Link's involvement in the plan to defeat Ganon as insult to him and his skill as a warrior. And while Revali does still think he's the better warrior, watching Link be so protective and loving of Zelda, and everything he knows about what they've gone through in the last year…it's definitely changing his view of Link.

Urbosa is the one to speak first. "Little bird, you carry no blame here. I did not understand it at first, but now…now I do. I can see the love you two share." She pauses for a moment, before she says, "I cannot say I completely agree with your decision to disappear without telling anyone you trusted why, but I believe that you two made the right decision for yourselves."

"I'm guessing you don't plan on coming back anytime soon?" Revali asks.

"No. Perhaps one day, but for now…we want to live our lives in peace. Together, and with our child. Ganon is gone, so Hyrule doesn't need us anymore to protect it. Especially when it has you and the others," Link answers.

Revali and Urbosa are quiet for a few moments before Revali speaks up. "Well, I guess we can accept that," he mutters. After a pause, he turns and heads towards the door. "Now that we know you're safe, I'd better get back to Rito Village."

"Please, Revali. Don't tell anyone about us," Zelda begs.

"Don't worry, your highness. I'm not about to spoil your happiness. You have my word I won't say a word about finding you," Revali says. Revali pauses for a moment and looks at Link, an unreadable expression on his face. After a moment, he smiles slightly and says, "Link…well done." He then turns and walks out of the cottage.

Link stares in surprise, surprised that Revali had actually shown him some respect and approval just then.

Zelda now looks at Urbosa. "Urbosa, I have something I need to ask of you," she says.

"Of course, little bird," Urbosa responds.

"Before you return to Gerudo Town…could you stay here for a little while? We think that the baby will be arriving very soon, within the next few weeks. And…I would appreciate having you here with me when I give birth," Zelda says, a pleading look on her face.

Urbosa looks at Zelda in silence for a moment before she says, "Of course, little bird. This is a momentous occasion, when you will need all the help you can get. I would be honored to stay with you, and to help you when the time comes."

Zelda looks ready to cry again, this time from happiness. However, right then, everyone hears a rapid beeping sound. They all turn their heads in the direction of the sound, and see a tiny Guardian scuttling into the room, beeping loudly.

"What is this?" Urbosa asks in surprise as the tiny Guardian comes in front of her, hopping up and down.

Zelda giggles a little bit. "This is Terrako. He was my friend when I was very little. My father took him away from me when i was 8. He must have reactivated when Ganon awakened. And he came all the way across Hyrule to track me down. He's been with us since shortly after we came here. Our little friend to keep us company," she explains with a smile.

Urbosa looks down at Terrako before smiling. "Hello there, little one," she says. Terrako beeps happily in response before scuttling away.

Urbosa looks back at Link and Zelda. "I look forward to the next few weeks together. And you can rest assured, when I do return to my home, I will keep your secret. Nobody will know I even saw you without your permission," she says.

Zelda and Link look at her happily, glad to be able to see her again, and glad they have her on their side.


And, I'll end the chapter there.

I hope you liked this little twist and the direction this is going. I thought them disappearing into the wild to spend their lives together would create an interesting dynamic.

Also, for those wondering about the location of their home, I went back through Breath of the Wild and looked all across Hyrule for a suitable spot. The spot I chose best fit what I was looking for: something far enough out of the way that they wouldn't be found easily, but not too far out of the way that they couldn't get help if needed, and not too far out of the way to arouse suspicion.

Alright, next chapter will be up soon. Until it is, please leave a review and tell what you thought of this one, and stay tuned!