Time is meaningless without the light of hope to guide it, the shadows of doubt cast from its path as it marches onward...those who believe in a better tomorrow...those who believe that it will always get better...this is dedicated to such unwavering spirits.
- Shiek, Ocarina of Time
Chapter 1: Before
Golden evening light swept over Akkala, shining through the crimson and amber leaves of its unique trees and painting the fields in shades of sunny yellow. There was splashing and laughter nearby, in a little pond north of Tarrey Town, up in the highlands.
In the five years after the Calamity's end, Tarrey Town had blossomed into a calm, quiet little village on its stout mesa above Lake Akkala. Though small, it was the first new settlement built in Hyrule since before the Age of Burning Fields. To the people of the kingdom, it represented resilience, hope, and life. Though not nearly as populated as Hateno, nor as rich in exports as any of the regional capitals, it held a special place in the hearts of Hyrule's denizens. Particularly those who contributed to its construction; among them Link, the princess' knight, and Hudson, formerly of Bolson Construction.
Frogs chirped with the oncoming eve, betraying their location to the party of three that sought them in the pond looking out over Tarrey Town – Rhondson and her almost four-year-old daughter Mattison, and Princess Zelda herself, the three of them beaming widely as what had started out as the search for hot-footed frogs turned into a playful water fight.
Link watched on, his heart warm as he tended the fire with Hudson, barely aware of the smile across his lips as he gazed out at his princess. It was good to be part of this again – good to be part of her life, seeing her smile as she spent time with her beloved people.
"Ah… what an evening," Hudson sighed, placing a final piece of wood on the fire and sitting back, a hand draped casually around one knee. "I'm glad the two of you came to visit. Of course, I'm always glad when you stop by – and I wish those visits would become more frequent, if you catch my meaning."
Link glanced at him curiously, not catching on.
Hudson continued with a warm smile, "My door's always open to you, kid – you know that. You've been running yourself ragged these past few years, you and the princess both. And you've done a lot of good with that; I'm proud to see what kind of man you're becoming. You're a far cry from the skeleton of a lad I found on the road to Hateno." He chuckled, patting Link's shoulder. "But what happens after? Have you thought at all… about perhaps settling down?"
Settling down… His heart gave a sudden lurch, and a wave of anxiety passed over him. It was all too close to the reason he had brought Zelda here in the first place, and the old doubts rose up to the surface of his mind. The weight of past failures – the guilt, the shame. The question that had plagued him since the defeat of Calamity – How could I ask her to marry me, after I caused her so much suffering?
"I… yeah, a bit," Link answered at last, scratching the back of his head self-consciously. "I just don't know that I'm… enough for the task."
"Hmmm," Hudson murmured in consideration. "Well, in terms of physical might, there's not many settling-down-related tasks you're not capable of – and I know that from experience. You're a top-tier lumberjack, and a decent handyman to boot."
Though Link's wounds had healed, a hundred years in the Shrine of Resurrection had left his body weak and starved. Weak enough that though he remembered well how to use a sword, he didn't have the strength to follow through. Bokoblins beat him within an inch of his life as he traveled to Hateno at Impa's direction, but Hudson had found him, had compassion on him, and took him to Akkala to recover – and then offered him a job chopping down trees for Bolson Construction and the Tarrey Town project. Though grueling and painful, the work had helped him regain his lost strength, until he was able again to stand his own in a battle.
"I did some woodcutting recently," Link acknowledged with a grin. "For the school in Hateno." He shook his head ruefully. "Everyone there thought I was just another worker for the company."
Hudson laughed jovially, throwing his head back. "In everything but name," he said, a recurring joke between them. He clapped Link's shoulders fondly, nodding towards his arms. "Well, it shows. You're in great shape, kid. But I think I missed the mark – it's not the physical requirements of building a home and starting up a life that's bogging you down, is it?"
Link's smile faded, and he turned his gaze back to the fire, anxiety bubbling up once more.
There had been much to do after the Calamity's defeat. Zelda was exhausted – Link brought her to Kakariko, to be surrounded by her dear Sheikah friends as she rested from her ordeal. Then after that they traveled across the kingdom, and he introduced her to Hyrule's current leaders in this new age they found themselves in. Together they worked to strengthen the kingdom – starting up a monster control unit that had swiftly become a small but functional military, clearing away the worst of the debris to make room for agriculture, getting local exports across the kingdom moving through trade caravans again…
It was a long and arduous process, sometimes frustrating, but Link enjoyed it nonetheless. Traveling the wilderness of Hyrule with his princess, working together on various projects and finding solutions to problems that cropped up. Having that time to spend with just her, gaining insight into feelings he'd had before that were stronger now.
But a few years in, it seemed that Hyrule had stabilized. The challenges they faced were smaller, and there weren't as many. They discovered a new species of animal in Faron – large but lovable beasts Zelda dubbed 'Dondons.' Between Zelda's researcher spirit and Link's skill with animals, they managed to pin down what exactly the creatures ate, as well as what type of habitat worked best for them. They arranged for a stable to care for the creatures, and there was that problem solved.
Then Zelda bought a house in Hateno and Link found himself feeling suddenly conflicted. He felt that Hateno represented his greatest failures. It was at Fort Hateno that he was killed by guardians – and his failure there was the reason that Zelda had to fight a demon for a century alone. Then he had failed a second time, laid low by bokoblins – bokoblins! – of all things, only to be rescued by Hudson and brought to Akkala.
So when Zelda bought her home there, he decided to return to the monster control unit and continue training them up. He remembered her face when he told her he wasn't going with her to Hateno – the slight crease between her brows, the flash of disappointment before she put on a brave smile.
"I hope you visit often," she had said hopefully.
He hadn't.
Although they exchanged messages frequently, and traveled together outside of Hateno to continue the ongoing reconstruction, he couldn't bring himself to set foot in Hateno after everything that had happened. He found himself constantly dwelling on this moment too, wondering if his decision to remove himself from her constant companionship was yet another Hateno-related failure now acting as a barrier between him and the woman he loved.
When he heard that Zelda had plans to build a school in Hateno, with the help of Bolson Construction – which was now Hudson Construction, since Bolson was retiring in Lurelin – Link returned at last to offer the skills he'd learned from Hudson. He worked hard the first day downing trees, hitching them to a horse-drawn harness, and driving them to the build site. Then in the evening, after cleaning up in the river flowing around the southern side of the village, he made his way to Zelda's home on the outskirts and knocked on the door, his chest tight with dread.
But it was as if nothing at all had changed. Her face lit up when she saw him, and she flung her arms tightly around his neck.
They talked for hours into the night. She told him in detail about her plans for the school and for Hudson Construction itself, and Link described the progress that the monster control unit was making, how proud he was of their courage and diligence.
They met again the next night, and the next, each day that the construction project went on for the following two months. No matter how tired and sore he felt at the end of each day, it all seemed to fade away when she opened her door with a smile like the sun. His thoughts turned towards the future, towards more long-term arrangements.
"You're right," he said at last to Hudson, tearing his gaze from the fire. "It's… not the building or anything that's bothering me." He swallowed, considering how to explain. "One of the first things Zelda and I did after the Calamity was go to your wedding, yours and Rhondson's, under the Unity Bell in Tarry Town. I heard her say that she wanted her own wedding to be there as well, under the Unity Bell."
Hudson's eyes widened in understanding. "So you've asked her?" he said, a note of excitement in his voice.
Link bit his lip. "Not… not yet," he admitted. "That's the problem. I'm on… probably my third or fourth plan for how exactly to ask her, and when it comes time to act on each one, I just… I can't bring myself to do it."
Hudson smiled gently. "You're not an easy man to read, Link, but it's plain as day to anyone who knows you well that you love the girl with all your heart," he said earnestly. "And it's quite clear that she's in love with you, too. And you've seen how well she gets along with children – she wants to have a family. She wants that with you. I'd bet my company that you don't have to worry about her saying no."
Link grit his teeth, exhaling heavily. "That's not it," he said. "There's… a lot of weight on me, from the past. Failures of mine that have… caused her suffering. I'm… afraid… of failing again. That's why I… haven't brought myself to do it yet."
Hudson nodded slowly, gazing thoughtfully up at the sky, now spattered with early stars. "Have you asked her if she blames you for that?" he asked quietly. "Because the way she tells the story, you did everything you could, and she's deeply grateful for that."
"But it still wasn't enough," Link protested. "Even if that's true and I – I did everything I could, it wasn't enough to – to save her." He felt his shoulders drooping beneath the weight of it all. I died. If not for the Shrine of Resurrection, that – that would've been the end. For her, for everyone… all because of my failure. "If someday we do have a family, and… something happens again…" He let out a shaky breath, feeling sick at the thought. "I can't fail her again."
Hudson hummed pensively. "I feel the same worry every day," he told Link solemnly. "My wife and daughter are more precious to me than anything or anyone in this world. The fear of losing them is indeed a difficult trial to face, and one that I feel every good husband and father must overcome. And so I choose to treasure every moment I have with them, and I do my utmost to protect and care for them, instead of letting that fear of losing them steal the joy I feel with them."
He gripped Link's shoulder firmly, looking him solidly in the eye. "You should ask her about it," he said again. "See what she has to say. You've always been hard on yourself, Link. Give yourself a break." He clapped Link's shoulder and pushed to his feet with a grunt, stretching a bit. "Well, it's probably time we get started on cooking dinner for us all, eh? I've got all the ingredients ready to go…"
Link nodded, rising to his feet as well. As Hudson gathered the ingredients, he set up a pot over the fire and poked at the coals, spreading them out evenly beneath the pot. Before long they had mushrooms, onions, and venison all simmering together in the pot, sending a delicious smell wafting through the air. Zelda, Rhondson, and Mattison dredged themselves up out of the pond, dripping with water. Little Mattison had a strand of algae wrapped around her ankle. Zelda noticed and bent down to gently remove it – and then examine it closely with Mattison, pointing out all of its fascinating slimy details.
Link's heart felt warm as he looked on, remembering so many similar instances during the building of the school in Hateno. "Miss Zelda," they all called her, showing her interesting bugs or drawings they'd made or how they'd 'helped' the construction team that day. She made time for each of them, patient and kind. She's so good with children.
"Well, we know where your mind's at," Rhondson teased, coming over and wringing the water from her sirwal. "I lost track of how many times I saw you looking over at her during our 'expedition.'" She laughed.
Link smiled, some of the tightness in his chest loosening. "Did you ever end up catching a frog?" he asked.
There was an answering squeal of excitement from the pond and rapid wet splattering footsteps as Mattison raced up to them, her hands cupped tightly around something. "I got one! I got one!" she exclaimed, Zelda following behind with a mischievous smile.
"Hey, great job, kiddo!" Hudson grinned, ruffling her hair. "Well, now what are you going to do with it? Will you give it a name?"
Mattison grinned widely, all but dancing in place with her cupped hands above her head in her excitement. "No, it has to go have dinner soon, Zelda said," she explained. Then she turned to Link. "And she said – she said you have to lick it!" She burst into a fit of giggles at the mere thought.
Link glanced at Zelda, grinning, and squatted down next to Mattison. "Lick it, huh?" he asked. "But wouldn't that be all slimy and gross?"
Mattison laughed harder, tickled pink by the idea. "Yeah!"
"And it could jump on my face, which would be even more gross?"
"Yeah!" the little girl howled.
Link sighed dramatically. "Well, I guess I have no choice then," he said playfully, holding his hands out for the frog.
Mattison's eyes went wide as saucers, and her smile widened even more. She gasped loudly, placing her little hands in Link's and releasing the frog. He closed his hands around it quickly but gently, feeling it squirming around.
"Oh, boy," Hudson chuckled, a hand on Mattison's shoulder. "Do you think he'll actually do it?" he whispered conspiratorially.
Mattison giggled. "No way!" she said, watching Link's hands expectantly.
"Yeah, now that I'm this close, it –" he sniffed loudly – "it kind of smells bad." He held the frog up to his face, opened his cupped hands, and licked the frog's back. Mattison shrieked in delight, her hands clapping wildly, and the frog hopped quickly away. Link wiped his mouth on his sleeve, grinning, and glanced again at Zelda. The warmth and tenderness in her expression as she gazed at him made his heart feel soft.
By then the food was ready, and they enjoyed hearty helpings of deliciously sauteed meat and mushrooms. Then they spread out the bedrolls they had carried up to the pond and lay gazing up at the stars, sharing stories until, one by one, they began dropping off to sleep. Mattison fell asleep first, a wide smile on her face even in slumber. Hudson and Rhondson soon followed, and then Link found himself awake with only Zelda to keep him company, and he couldn't deny the convenient timing, as if perhaps the Goddesses themselves were pushing him towards taking action.
"Do you think Mattison had a good time?" Zelda asked quietly, breaking the silence.
Link smiled, but it was difficult to keep his full concentration on her words – now that he'd had the thought, that maybe the time was now, it seemed to completely take over his mind. "Yeah, I think she did," he said, glancing over to look at her, bathed silver by the moonlight. "What about you?"
She smiled widely, closing her eyes for a moment. "Oh, yes," she sighed. "It was a beautiful idea to visit Tarrey Town – I'm glad you suggested it." She chuckled softly. "Mattison will be leaving for Gerudo Town soon, and she's excited, but also quite nervous, I think. I hope today was a good chance for her to make some family memories."
"You do great with kids," Link murmured. "In Hateno, too. And… you said it yourself - they need a teacher."
Zelda rolled over onto her side to face him, her eyes wide. "You think… I…"
"You're the smartest person I know," Link smiled, rolling onto his side as well. "You love learning new things yourself. I think you could be great at teaching, if you wanted."
Zelda frowned, looking conflicted as she plucked absently at the grass beyond her bedroll. "I… well, but…" She sighed quietly, shaking her head slowly. "I can't just disappear to Hateno for the rest of my life. Hyrule's leadership is still incredibly fractured, and I – I have a duty to its people, as its princess." She winced slightly. "Not – not that I would force everyone to swear fealty to me, declare myself Queen, or anything like that. Hyrule's regions have grown firmly independent over the past century. But if I can continue what I've been doing, everything I can to help with even the little problems… maybe it'll be enough."
Link looked at her in concern, catching on to her self-deprecating tone. "Will… will that make you happy?"
She smiled, but there was a hint of melancholy to it. "I hope so," she murmured. She chuckled lightly. "What really does make me happy is spending time with you, like this here. I'm so glad you came back, Link – I hope you stay."
He smiled, anxiety rising up again in his chest. "I'm planning on it," he assured her, and then his heart seemed to jump up into his throat and he fought to keep his head clear. What do I say next? I may not get a better chance – I brought the ring, right? I –
"I'm glad," Zelda sighed with a yawn, rolling onto her back. "Well… good night, Link."
His spirits plummeted, and he stared at her in a moment of indecision, his heart hammering, torn between pressing forward or letting her fall asleep. His blood seemed to roar in his ears, until at last he let out a slow exhale and let his body relax, rolling over to stare glumly at the sky. "Yeah… good night."
It'll… it'll be alright. We'll be in Tarry Town for a while yet. I'll have another chance.
In the morning, as they packed up camp and began the hike back to town, Link tried to work through a solid plan. The ring he had commissioned for Zelda from the Zora silversmiths was in his pocket – a silver band with a wrought silent princess flower studded with luminous stones, instead of a diamond. She had always loved those flowers – he figured there would be nothing better. Before settling on his idea that they come to Tarrey Town, he had considered traveling out to any number of the wild-growing silent princess patches he knew about. In the end he had decided on Tarrey Town, remembering her comment about the Unity Bell.
So – so as soon as we get into town, I'll bring her to the Unity Bell, and – and I'll ask. No problem. The sun is rising, it's a clear day – it should be a beautiful setting.
They crossed the land bridge leading into the village proper, and Link drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out, trying to calm his racing heart. The weight of each moment as the archway into the city drew near built up on his shoulders, even as the seconds seemed both to drag and to speed by faster than he could comprehend.
There was a Rito messenger bearing a healer's pendant beneath the archway, his raptor-like features nearly impossible to interpret. Link felt a twinge of annoyance – did he have to be standing right in the middle of the road like that?
Then as the Rito started walking out to meet them, clearly heading towards Zelda, Link's annoyance deepened into frustration. Really? Now of all times, Zelda gets a messenger?
"Princess Zelda," the Rito said grimly, bowing his head respectfully. "Fyson told me you would be returning this morning – I am glad to find that he was right."
Link's heart sank at the messenger's tone of voice. This can't be good.
Zelda frowned slightly. "You go on ahead," she said with a smile to Hudson and his family.
"Stop by if you need anything," Rhondson nodded, and they continued beneath the archway into Tarrey Town.
"What's happened?" Zelda asked, once they were out of earshot.
The Rito sighed deeply. "You've known about the treasure hunters still plundering Hyrule Castle," he said. "Despite your requests that they leave the site undisturbed out of respect for those who died there, they continue from time to time. Well… word is, they found something, and it made them gravely ill."
"What did they find?" Zelda pressed, and Link's heart clenched tightly, a rising sense of dread bubbling up like magma in his gut.
Something in Hyrule Castle – the site of her hundred-year battle, and the Calamity's haunting grounds.
"A… substance," the Rito answered slowly, tapping his wingtip pensively against his beak. "Reports are mixed from the treasure hunters who made it out unharmed. Some said it's like a black mist, others that it's like… puddles of crimson acid. We're assuming that those most damaged by it could give us a better understanding of what it was, but they're… in a bad way right now. We set up a small medical camp outside Hyrule Castle, but… nothing we've tried has done anything. It's been a few days, and they haven't worsened, but we wondered if perhaps your light magic could do something, since they were digging around in a place that once housed such great evil."
Link felt a sudden rush of emotions – disappointment and frustration, that his plans to propose to Zelda were now thoroughly quashed. Worry and no small amount of dread, as he thought back to the puddles of magenta sludge left in the Calamity's wake. This sounded unnervingly similar. But it can't be. We defeated him! The Calamity is dead and gone!
And then Zelda was turning to him, frowning deeply, a crease between her brows. "I… have to try, at least," she said quietly. "I haven't had to use those powers since the Calamity, but… if it could help…" She gazed imploringly into his gaze. "Will you… come with me?" she asked. "This is all deeply unsettling."
Link nodded quickly. "Of course," he assured her, reaching out for her hand. "Like I said… I'm not planning on leaving your side."
The Rito coughed slightly, and Link felt the back of his neck heat up self-consciously. "Where are your horses stabled?" he asked. "I can fly ahead to have them readied."
Link's spirits plummeted further at the implication that they would be leaving right away - there would be no time for even a brief moment under the Unity Bell, and even if there was, he wanted this to be something special for Zelda. Not just something rushed on the eve of a long journey or randomly along the road. He tapped his free hand against the lump in his pocket where the ring was hidden, swallowing thickly. Goddesses willing, we can take care of this quickly and then come back.
The journey to the ruins of Castle Town was irritatingly uneventful, interrupted frequently by Rito messengers delivering updates on the situation of the afflicted, or simply checking in on Zelda's status. When they arrived, they found a gathering of tents erected just on the outskirts of Castle Town, where the Sacred Grounds had once stood.
"This is worse than I expected," Zelda murmured sadly as they walked side by side past the line of five cots bearing sickened treasure hunters. Link nodded his agreement, studying the listless forms of the afflicted – they didn't have fevers or coughs or any other apparent signs of usual illnesses, but they were chilled as if by blood loss. There were no visible wounds, but their faces were tight in grimaces of pain, and the occasional strained groans escaped their throats. "It's almost as if their very life force – their vitality – has been somehow damaged."
The treasure hunter who had been leading them nodded. "That would explain why I feel so tired," he said with a grimace. "I'm not sick or in pain like the others, but I'm still so tired that I –" he yawned widely, rubbing his eyes – "I feel like I can't keep my eyes open, but no matter how much I sleep the feeling doesn't go away."
"What exactly happened to you down there?" Zelda asked gravely. "Please, tell me everything."
The man nodded glumly. "Well… first off, I'd like to apologize for us being there in the first place," he cringed. "I feel darn ashamed about that now. But…" He cleared his throat. "Anyway, what happened. The floor in one of the lower rooms of the castle crumbled under our feet, revealing a secret, hidden passage. We followed it down, started seeing tendrils of this black fog and some floating specks rising up from the tunnel. Thought it was just dust or something, so we kept going, found some interesting carvings but nothing we could, er, loot. We must've gotten turned around on our way back – there were a bunch of puddles of… well, it kind of looked like blood. We've… taken to calling it all Gloom."
The man shuddered slightly, looking queasy. "Mina tripped in some, and suddenly she was screaming like she was injured. Mils went in after her and ended up just the same. We tried to figure out a way to get them out without touching the stuff, and… it didn't work very well, as you can see." He gestured sadly towards the beds. "I set one foot in it for a second or two, and still ended up… impacted, to a degree."
"Thank you for telling us," Zelda said quietly, following his gaze. "I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks, Princess," the man said gratefully. "We… er, we won't go back there again."
He lifted the flap of the tent aside and stepped outside, leaving them alone. Zelda turned at once to Link, looking more worried than he had seen in years. "What do you think?" she asked. "The castle was… the seat of the Calamity's power. Could this somehow be a relic of his? Something he left behind that we overlooked, simply because we didn't know where to find it?"
Link shook his head slowly, remembering the great orb of golden light emanating from his princess' hand as she engulfed the weakened Calamity in magic and it disintegrated into nothing. "We destroyed the Calamity," he said firmly. "It's been five years. If there was something we overlooked, surely we would have encountered it before."
His stomach turned. There was black mist rising up all around the castle when I went in to fight the Calamity. And that magenta sludge… it's undeniably similar to what these treasure hunters found. He swallowed thickly, meeting Zelda's gaze. "Although… there are certainly some things in common that… we would be foolish to overlook," he said heavily.
Zelda nodded, taking his hand. "I agree," she winced. "At the very least, we need to investigate this new tunnel that opened up. And for that, I think it would be best for you to reclaim the Master Sword."
Link felt a deep chill settle into his stomach. The Master Sword – the sword that seals the darkness, the blade of evil's bane. If she feels the need for that sword, then… this could really be something bad.
"Just in case," Zelda added with a small, strained smile. "We don't know what to expect, but whatever it is, we know the Master Sword can stand against it."
Link exhaled softly. Just in case, he repeated to himself, trying to settle his growing unease.
They set out for the Lost Woods, which was fortunately not far from Hyrule Castle itself. Link led the way through the peaceful haze of mist drifting through the quiet woodland, following the distant call of the Master Sword. The sacred blade seemed to be somewhat sentient; it knew when it was wanted. It had led him to the pedestal in the Lost Woods shortly after the Calamity's defeat, and bid him return it to its place to recover from its ordeals. Odd, certainly, that it needed to recover – after all, it had gone unused for a hundred years, and he hadn't had it for long before facing the Calamity. He had gotten the sense that the ancient blade was weary from its legendary ordeals over the course of Hyrule's history.
Korok Forest was as lush and vibrant as ever, teeming with vivacity. The trees practically erupted with birdsong, the grass with flowers – including silent princesses and blue nightshade. Link found himself wondering, as they neared the pedestal where the Master Sword stood in stone, if perhaps this would be the time and the place for his proposal. The ring was, as ever, in his pocket.
I… had something planned. But now it looks like I won't get to take action on that plan for a while yet. Maybe I should just… settle on something in the spur of the moment.
But he felt his chest tighten at the thought. It would be a disservice to Zelda to just settle on whatever convenient scenery happened across. He had a plan to make it special for her, something that she wanted. I can wait a little longer. There's no harm in that. If anything, I can even improve my plan. Find some way to have silent princess flowers and the Unity Bell.
The Great Deku Tree greeted them warmly, confirming that the Master Sword had been fully restored. Link drew it from the pedestal, the hilt comfortingly warm and familiar in his hand. No blade was its equal, he was certain. Whatever we find under the castle, we can handle it with this.
"It is amazing that a sword can heal itself, no matter how badly damaged it becomes," Zelda said, smiling as she inspected the Master Sword over Link's shoulder.
"It can do more than heal," the Deku Tree explained, a note of wonder to his ancient, resonating voice. "The sword will continue to gain strength if bathed in sacred power. The stronger that power, the more powerful the sword becomes. The potential of this fabled blade may well be limitless – truly the work of a Goddess."
So I wasn't even wielding it at its full power – and it still had the might to stand against the Calamity, Link thought, sheathing the sword at his hip and feeling some of the tightness in his chest ease, comforted by the reminder of the strength of his blade.
"A sword that grows ever stronger," Zelda murmured thoughtfully. "Bathed in sacred power… fascinating."
They set out back through the woods, the mist engulfing them once more and taking a journey that had lasted a good few hours on the way in and turning it into a short walk of a few minutes. Zelda was quiet until they reached clear skies outside of the Lost Woods once more, her gaze occasionally traveling to the Master Sword's hilt.
"You seem to have something on your mind," Link noted with a small grin, helping her into the saddle of her striking palomino mare, Memory, before mounting his own horse, a dark bay stallion named Fortitude.
"Well, after what the Great Deku Tree said, I'm thinking it was probably a good idea for us to retrieve the Master Sword anyway," Zelda explained excitedly as they set out on the return journey to Hyrule Castle. "I'm just thinking about all of the sources of sacred power in Hyrule, and the experiments we could run to see what effect they have! There's the sacred springs, of course, although they didn't do me all that much good when I visited them… but what about the dragons? Dinraal, Farosh, Naydra… of course, their power seems to be elemental, which doesn't necessitate sacredness. And then there's the regional sources of power – particularly mages among the Zora and the Gerudo. Oh, and the Great Fairies –"
"I'm not taking the Master Sword to them," Link snorted, grimacing. "If we're looking for 'sacred,' there's not really anything about the Great Fairies that I would describe that way."
"Fair enough," Zelda chuckled. "Still, once we've taken care of this Gloom under the castle, perhaps we could travel around and run some experiments on the Sword. What if different sources of power have different effects on it? That could be incredible!"
Link smiled, his heart warmed as ever by her excitement and her delight in learning. Riding side by side with her under the warm summer sun, it was a lot easier to dismiss tales of night-terrors in the dark underground. Here and now, in this moment, they were together in the land they loved, that they had fought hard to preserve. He turned his face upward, closing his eyes for a moment, feeling the gentle touch of a light breeze that carried with it the sweet scent of wildflowers as the sunlight enveloped him in warmth. Here and now, I feel at peace. I feel… home.
Goddesses willing, let it last forever.