A few years later . . .

"Oh, it is all shaping up wonderfully." Zelda really loved to see it. Lookout Landing. Trying to help build the main part of Hyrule. It would take decades. She probably would not see it in her lifetime. But to see that start again?

Over the distance, Link was coming. She waved him over. "Link, up here!"

He looked toward her with a smile as he climbed the stairs in his champion tunic. It was what he wore when they were going to go exploring, and would they be exploring today!

"I cannot believe all of the progress that has been made," she said as they started to walk toward Hyrule castle. "Yet here we go, into the deepest parts of the past." She had to. Besides, she had Link there.

Link was absolute courage in a bottle. Whenever she had to leave from Hateno for something important, he was always there waiting on the outskirts. He tended not to visit Hateno too much, maybe so she could have her sense of freedom now.

She never asked, and never would. She liked the way things had gone over the years. Links changes were also for the better.

She watched him climb the walls like a monkey, checking around, and darting from here to there around her. Something her personal knight would never do, but this Link absolutely would. He never fully retrieved all of his memories sadly, but he did know her and what happened. Over the years, the memories meant less and less too. They had been acquainted less than a year before Calamity Ganon. Now, it was years later.

They were closer friends now than they ever could have been. The question of 'prince' still lingered in the future, with no one even attempting a conversation about it. So far, she was doing just fine with the crown. The crown she didn't really even use. "Oh, Link, are you alright?" Of course he had a perplexed look at her for even caring about three keese he fought.

The gloom was definitely seepier down there. They kept heading downward as they ran into amazing finds. Zonai statues. A great big mural of the Zonai war! The greatest find ever in the history of forever! She had to take several snapshots with the purah pad.

The purah pad was similar to the sheikah slate. When Calamity Ganon left, all of the Sheikah tech had just turned off and died. They were taking what they had learned from it to make their own wonders now.

Oh and she was so glad! Look at the beauty of the murals. She talked about them endlessly to Link, probably talking his ear off, but it was so amazing. What an incredible find.

They continued onward.

Several things happened. Several things that were shocking and devastating.

And now?

Present day . . .

I still cannot believe that I really became human again. I have strange dreams at night about being a dragon but I haven't told anyone yet about them. I don't want anyone to worry, especially Link.

What was that sound? Oh. No. She turned around and saw him. "Oh, Link! How?" This had worked out fine for so long. "What made you think to come jump into a well of all things?"

"I checked for you everywhere, so yes, I checked your well." Yes, he had a disapproving look. "Hidden well. Zelda."

Oh, but what was she supposed to do? Zelda came closer to him and noticed something she had missed before.

Her mouth went wide. "Link, how dare you look into my things! That was a surprise." He ruined the surprise. He had found his new tunic while she was away.

He looked at it on himself. "Thank you?" he offered.

Oh. Oh. Oh! She stomped her foot. This was her place. Her well. Her dwelling to get away for over watchful eyes, and it was gone now.

Link gestured as he tried to explain. "You went missing, Zelda. No one knew where you were and all I knew was I missed your hand when you fell and disappeared. I searched everywhere."

Zelda started to climb out. "I know. I am sorry I scared you." She moved out of the well while a young child went by. She went into her house with Link tagging along. "It's getting later. Another day in another start for Hyrule." She looked toward him. "I am a brave woman, Link." New approach. "I am glad to hear you have a much more stable home now."

She smiled at the goof. He was trying to worm his way back in. Technically this started as Links house so long ago. Link was an explorer though and no longer bound to have to be next to her 24/7.

She liked that. It was easier to be a real friend when one didn't have to be there 24/7. However? "I will be alright." She heard the kid from before start crying and running away. "Link."

Link took off his strange oversized headed mask. Link tended to do that. Although he technically lived there hardly anyone knew him because he didn't want the children that ran around to bother him. So, he loved to wear scary masks.

It was mean yet delightful. The silent knight spoke so much more since he forgot so many things. All the past never came back to him, just snippets. Yet?

Link did technically live there and princess knight or not? He would rest right next to her. As little as Link slept there another bed wasn't needed.

But, well, 48 hours ago she did become human again from a dragon. It made sense he was . . . a little more worried.

He trotted right next to her. Princess' silent knight he was not. He gave himself a new position. 'Zelda's Chosen Bodyguard.' Yes, chosen. By himself. Appointed, by himself. He pointed up the stairs.

"It's still daytime, Link." Now that he knew her secret, he wasn't going to let her stay up all night. "Children might come in."

Oh, of course he fixed that. He opened the door and hung up his fish head mask. He closed the door back up and moved to the bed.

Ohh. "I won't turn into a dragon in my dreams, Link." She looked at her outfit. She moved to the spot below the stairs and got dressed. She went back up in her white pajamas.

She always hated this. Imagine if others knew? She got into the other side of the bed.

"I will take you to see some ruins tomorrow?" He offered.

Zelda wiped her face. "I don't want to mess with Zonai ruins right now."

"The depths?"

"You will?!" Oh she had heard about those! The gloom was all gone but these huge areas underground with nameless artifacts that were so old were down there! Oh she wanted to see them. "Okay." Oh how exciting. Something new to see.

Never officially moving out was the best thing he ever did. He barely needed the room to stay, he was more of a wanderer, going where he wanted. Especially treasure hunting. He mainly stayed with her for a little while after Calamity Ganon, to get to know her.

It was easier to get to know her, when he knew where she'd be at. He could stop by anytime and stir up conversation.

And right now? He knew where he needed and wanted to be. Did she even have any idea how he felt about it all? She did everything for the master sword.

Did she have any recollection of the strange things he did when he found out she had turned into a dragon? How many hours he rode on her back, just contemplating how he could get her out, knowing the answer would never come that easy?

Even his new 'stable home' in Tarrey Town she just addressed. Did she have any idea the open space concept of it's strange design was to make sure . . . a dragon could visit if it wanted to? If he ever reached her mentally again?

48 hours later. He still couldn't believe she was back. He held her closer as she started to shirk up. He had no doubt being an immortal dragon for thousands of years would have to bother her in some way. Probably not in a bad way since she didn't really remember it, but?

He watched her push her whole body in and out, like a dragon flying in the sky. He held her back area more firmly. She didn't mention finding herself on the floor this morning, but she seemed to be moving oddly last time he saw her. He was careful as she moved around, being cautious where he held her. She wasn't rowdy like a bucking horse, just a little kick off with her feet, and then her hands.

His former light dragon, still thought she was a dragon, in her dreams. Probably a part of her instinct still. She didn't seem unhappy in her sleep either as she moved like a dragon, and that made him feel better too.

The first time he saw her, knowing she was a dragon, flying overhead. When he saw her cry out when he took back the master sword. Losing her. It brought so much back when he felt her moving against him like a dragon.

Except this time, unlike last time he saved her, he knew her. He knew her for years. That pain was so intense. He just . . . wanted to be beside her for one night, to make sure she was okay.

She tried to brush it off. Tried to act like it didn't bother her because timewise, nothing was really lost to her. She didn't really remember a lot except 'waking up after a long slumber'. She reached her home.

Her home.

This was her home. He could see the absolute excitement in her. Last time she had come back after Ganon, she had been sad and confused with a little hopefulness peeking from her face. This time, there was nothing but pure joy in her expression.

She did become a little sad when they went upwards to say goodbye to Mineru. Once again, she did get attached to people, and she lost them. She kept it together though, like the royal princess she had always been. But?

That moment, when the sages had addressed Zelda.

"Those of us gathered here, swear on our lives, to support Princess Zelda and . . ."

That moment when everyone up there had almost pledged loyalty to him too. It brought back something that they hadn't addressed in years. They hadn't because no one else knew about it except Impa. They hadn't because Zelda was doing fine with her life in Hateno and rebuilding was doing fine. They hadn't because he didn't exactly speak up about it. They were all doing fine without a King or a Queen or a Prince. Even Zelda was mainly called Zelda and was just teaching a school.

None of that seemed to matter. Nothing was addressed. But?

If he was Prince Link, then he wouldn't have had to worry about her every night. He'd be right there next to her.

Zelda scared herself awake and found him holding her. Instead of being troubled by it, she grabbed on. "Link! You'll never know how dreadful that moment to that decision had been."

"I am staying until the bad dreams calm down. In both of us again." He didn't need to be a Prince Link to say that though.

"I don't like the bad dreams. Are you having bad dreams?" she asked. He nodded. "Okay. For a little while, Link. Until the bad dreams start to subside again." She looked at him funny. "What is it?"

"You are kicking like a dragon in your sleep," he teased.

Her mouth flew open, almost in offense. "I? I do not." He nodded. "I don't. I do?" She rolled her eyes.

"It will probably be short term," he said with a degree of comfort for her. "Long enough to deal with our nightmares again."

"Right." She seemed to agree to that. "I sort of had . . . fallen out of bed last night. Once or twice." She gave in. "Oh, I did so often that I just gave up and slept on the floor. I didn't get it at first, I thought I was stumbling with some kind of sleepwalking."

Link laughed at her.

"Fine, fine. You can stay, but if you get kicked while I sleep, I'm sorry," she apologized ahead of time. "This can't last too long. It won't be good if people start spotting you here too long."

"I'm your chosen bodyguard," Link reminded her.

"Yes, a position you gave yourself, Link," she reminded him. "A single woman shouldn't really be sharing a home with someone that isn't a family member. There will be talk if it's too long."

"So?" Link almost felt offended, wondering if he should say it or not. Prince. The world didn't need a prince really.

"Yes, I know, you are to be Prince Link." Zelda actually said it for him. "But, it's not like, anyone else knows that. Or, if that even needs to be the case? Does it need to be the case? Ganon was defeated. For good. Then again? Oh, I don't know, Link. It's been a little while since we've even discussed this kind of thing."

Link nodded. "Thousands of years." He found himself getting hit by a pillow. He didn't react, but she didn't like that joke. "Things are fine now. We don't know about the future." That was as far as he'd go for that.

"Always be prepared for the future. King Rauru really showed how much that meant to him," Zelda said softly. "He put everything on the line, just to give you your chance, Link." She smiled at him so lovingly until she heard a kid scream outside. "Your outfits sometimes, Link."

Link just smiled at her. "It works."

"If we ever do go through with this, will you promise not to wear a ridiculous outfit at the ceremony?" Zelda asked.

"What . . . counts?" he asked hesitantly. He had a lot of outfits, there were a great number in treasures across Hyrule.

"Just? Wear something simple, or your champion's tunic?" she suggested. "Don't. Don't wear all the lights. That big scary mask one from the depths. Not the stitched moblins, lionels, or goblins either. No stitched faces of monsters at all. Just? Nothing with a mask."

"Boring," he said back to her. He moved to his side and pulled out his clothes. He grabbed a simple green outfit, but something akin to Rauru's hair.

Yep, that got his treasured royal gasp and 'Link!' yelled at him. "The green, yes, the gigantic hair like Rauru's, no. Oh, just wear your new tunic. Not that it would still be considered new by that time," she quickly said.

Right. He put things away again as he heard another person scream. He went ahead and looked out the window, just to make sure. Yep, different person. Too many people skulking around the place at night.

"Link, where are you going?" Zelda asked as he went to the door and opened it up.

Link could still see some people in the distance. The house was a decent amount of the way from the busy part. Why were there people sticking around? "Curious." Yeah, they were already noticing him around Zelda's at twilight.

Fine, if they wanted to hang around to see him? He went back inside and grabbed his Dark Link outfit. He left to put it on away from Zelda's view, and went outside.

It didn't take long for sounds of fright to adorn the night sky, and most of the shadows in the distance had soon gone away. He went back to his bag to put it away.

"Link!" Zelda grabbed at her chest. "What are you doing in that?"

"Not this one either for the wedding?" he teased as he started to take it off.

"That isn't even a funny joke," she insisted. She may have become more relaxed over the years, but her royal airs did show themselves when she wasn't happy with him. "Champion tunic, nothing more, and take that thing off before I end up having a heart attack and Hyrule is left with no one."

Link already did. He'd just slid it over his other clothes. "There were a lot of lurkers outside. They are gone now." He moved back into bed, feeling more relaxed. Any stragglers left would get the door.

"People are just worried. That's all," she said softly. She relaxed too. "Goodnight, Link. Sorry if I kick you later."

"From thinking you are a dragon, or because of the outfit?" Link asked.

"Yes," she said. "Goodnight."