Central Hyrule – Mabe Village

When the afternoon heat grew too oppressive, Link called for a break. Especially when Zelda was kind enough to bring lemonade out. He thanked her for her thoughtfulness, but paused when he noticed that she appeared flush.

"Are you okay?" Link asked, concerned. "Is it too hot for you?"

Zelda stared at him wide-eyed. "Oh yes, you're very—I mean, we—I mean, I'm feeling a tad hot."

Link poured a mug of lemonade and offered it to her. "Do you need to go inside?"

Zelda gratefully, and quickly, took the mug and started drinking the contents. It wasn't quite chugging it down like he would have done, but it was borderline breaking all the etiquette lessons that had been no doubt drilled mercilessly into her. Once she finished, she placed the mug down and abruptly stood up.

"That sounds like a good idea," Zelda announced. She was avoiding looking at him now. "Um, your mother said that Romani and Cremia will be helping with dinner and that Fado will be joining us, so…"

"So, we can stay out here and train until then," Link said.

Zelda bit her lip and looked at Link. Again, her eyes widened, and she quickly looked away. "Um, I think I shall read one of my books for a bit until the weather cools. Um… don't overexert yourself."

"We won't," Link replied, now thoroughly confused by her behavior. "Are you sure you're all right?"

Zelda sealed her lips tightly and only managed to nod rapidly before turning on her heel and nearly appearing to run away.

Link turned to Aryll. "Did… did that seem strange to you?"

Aryll tilted her head. "Well, she was sitting there under the sun the entire time. I mean, does she get out of the castle a lot?"

He shook his head. "Not really. Still, she seemed okay in the Gerudo Desert, but maybe that's because we took proper precautions."

"Maybe we should check up on her," Aryll said.

"In a bit," Link murmured. He looked down at Midna, who was pining for another treat. "Go and be with her, Midna. Make sure she's okay."

Midna barked out an affirmative. Aryll grabbed a biscuit and tossed it. After leaping into the air and deftly catching it, Midna scampered away.

"Finish up your drink," Link said. "There's lots more to learn, and I'm only here until tomorrow."

Aryll nodded and took a sip. "Before we do, um, can we talk?"

"Oh, right. Rusl."

"Yeah. What do you think?"

"I like him," Link said. "You know it'll be four or five more years of this, right?"

Aryll nodded.

"There's also a lot of travel that happens," Link added. "Times where you won't even see home for months at a time."

Now Aryll frowned and looked at their home.

"Commitment, not a job," Link reminded.

Aryll sighed, finished her lemonade, and stood up. "And I'm committed. Let's get back to work."

Nibbling on a biscuit, Link nodded and joined her at their practice area. The rest of the afternoon swept by as Link not only showed her some Gerudo forms, but Sheikah ones as well. He decided to leave out trident combat for another time, when Aryll was more comfortable with the spear.

Or suggest a trip to Zora's Domain to Rusl and have Mipha teach Aryll.

That thought started to endear Link to the idea of letting Aryll go. Yes, he was still worried about her safety, but to stay cooped up in Mabe Village when there was so much to see…

She was young, and she deserved to see Hyrule just like he did. Even if he wasn't being trained as a knight, the things he had gotten to see and experience were things that he wouldn't have traded for almost anything. Aryll deserved to broaden her horizons, too.

This is the right choice. It has to be.

~o~O~o~

Come dinner, after Link and Aryll both washed up and ensured they were presentable, Link asked Cremia what Fado was like, and she practically launched into the man's life story, much to the bemusement of all present as they waited for their guest to arrive.

However, when the estimated time he had said he would make it came and went by about thirty minutes, the tone of the room shifted slightly. Cremia became distracted, her eyes locked onto the grandfather clock in the living room.

"I'm sure he's fine," Romani said bracingly. "I mean, it's Central Hyrule. It's safe here."

Cremia took a breath and nodded absently. Her eyes swapped to the door at the end of the entrance hall, as if expecting Fado to appear any moment now.

After another two hours of waiting, Cremia sighed and put on a smile for everyone. "You know, we shouldn't let dinner go to waste!"

"Cremia…" Romani said worriedly. She turned to Link. "Can't you do something? Maybe go and find him? See if there's anything wrong?"

Link was about to nod and offer, but his eyes landed on Zelda, and responsibility squarely pushed his shoulders down, preventing him from standing up. "I-I can't."

"I will send a message to Hyrule Castle," Zelda announced. She abruptly stood up and walked to her room.

Cremia's head snapped up. "Oh, thank you!"

After about a minute, Zelda reappeared, a piece of parchment in her hand. "Which direction would Fado be coming from?"

"He said he needed to get supplies for his father's stable and would come here on the way back," Cremia answered.

Zelda nodded and wrote something down. "So, he could be on the road south of Lon Lon Ranch or the road south of Castle Town. I'll see to it that soldiers are sent immediately to check."

"Thank you again, Your High—I mean, Zelda," Cremia said. "I should also mention that he walks the distance, so you'll likely find him on foot."

Nodding again, Zelda jotted that down as well. "His description?"

"Tall, large, muscular, with short brown hair and eyes," Cremia answered, though she blushed a bit and, despite her worry, had a small smile on her face. "Um… no identifying marks that I know of."

"That should be enough to go on," Zelda said, scribbling everything down. "I'll have one of the guards outside go and deliver this to the night commander."

Zelda left the room again and came back a few moments later. "They should find him."

"I wouldn't worry too much," Link said confidently. "Romani is right: the roads Fado should be taking are regularly patrolled and safe, and the guards Zelda asked for should easily spot him, since he'll have to be using a torch to see in the night."

Cremia took a breath and nodded. "Yes, you're right, of course. I just can't help but worry."

Marin patted Cremia on the hand. "Stay strong, dear. To worry is natural, but fear is a poison."

"Yes, milady," Cremia said. She turned to the table and smiled. "I did mean what I said, though. Dinner is growing cold. We should eat. I'm sure I can introduce Fado to you in the morning, Link."

"I'm looking forward to it," Link replied.

Dinner was a slightly subdued affair at first. Everyone did what they could to distract Cremia, chatting about whatever came to mind. It was then that Zelda took the stage, mostly, when she started speaking of the Guardian Stalkers being used near the garrison at the Passeri Greenbelt. Romani and Aryll were both hooked on the princess's words as she described the Guardians, their appearance, functions, and role in the last war. The Divine Beasts were next, and that even captured Cremia's attention, since all they could do was imagine what the massive war machines looked like based on Zelda's descriptions and impressions.

Once dinner was over, Cremia and Romani stayed behind to help with cleaning. Aryll took Midna to her room, and Link walked Zelda the short distance to hers.

"Well, goodnight," Link said.

"Goodnight, Link," Zelda replied somewhat shyly.

Link still saw her behavior as strange, and he wondered what was going on. Zelda merely bit her lip, even as the beginnings of a blush began to flood her cheeks.

Oh, she wants privacy.

Guessing that she needed to change into her nightwear, Link bowed his head. "I'll see you in the morning."

He quickly left and climbed up the stairs. Once in the sanctity of his room, he placed the Master Sword on his sword rack among the other blades he had used throughout his life, changed his clothes, clambered into bed, and promptly fell asleep.

~o~O~o~

Link didn't know what time it was, but it certainly wasn't morning yet. His slumber was interrupted by a large, unnatural thump. His eyes snapped open, and he leapt out of bed, grasped his scabbard, and drew the Master Sword. He quietly opened his door and darted down the stairs, his bare feet silently creeping along the hardwood floors with nary a sound.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Cremia said with relief.

Link relaxed just a little as he went down the steps and peered around.

A man was sitting on one of the dining room chairs, head down and breathing heavily. He was tall, with large muscular arms, short-cropped brown hair, and wearing a sturdy, functional outfit often worn by those working outside.

Looking around a little more, Link spotted his mother bustling around, gathering random things. Romani was also present; she was pouring water into a mug and handing it over to the breathless stranger.

"What's going on?" Link asked.

Romani was the one that answered. "This is Fado. He's safe, but we know why he's so late now. It's not good news."

That put Link on his guard. "Why? What's wrong?"

Marin was frantically putting things inside a large basket. "We just received word that Deya Village got flooded."

Link racked his memories before exhaling. "The fishing village in West Necluda? North of Deya Lake and south of the Hills of Baumer? Near the East Post?"

Absently nodding, Marin continued to put things in the basket, such as old hand-me-down clothes, spare blankets, and whatever food they could spare. "I don't know how much of it is true, but massive rainfall caused the lake to swell. The damage is bad, but I don't know how bad it is. We're putting together anything we can to help."

Nearby, Fado panted heavily. "Sorry, I don't mean to dampen anyone's moods."

"Are you all right?" Zelda asked, concerned.

Link jerked in surprise. Zelda walked into the room, wearing a robe as she approached him.

Fado waved her off. "Fine, fine. Just had to haul a lot of necessities down here. Was in Castle Town all day, getting supplies. Took on more than I should have. Thought I could handle the load. Weren't any wagons I could afford, though, so I tried to hoof it to Mabe Village. Didn't even make it halfway before I needed a break. Or twelve. Gonna need a wagon to take it all down to them, that's for sure."

Link looked at the heavy bags that Fado had carried and knew that it had taken a lot of physical strength to carry all of that and walk that kind of distance.

Daruk would certainly approve.

"That's why you're here so late," Cremia said. She was sitting closely next to Fado, wiping away sweat with a piece of cloth.

"Thanks for sending me some help," Fado replied. "Looks like I took on way too much. The soldiers were kind enough to help me carry everything here. Was sure surprised when they called me by name."

"Do you know people there?" Link asked. "At Deya, I mean."

Fado nodded. "I've got an aunt, uncle, and a couple of cousins. I'm really worried about them."

"What's being done to help?" Zelda asked.

Fado shook his head. "No clue. Didn't have time to ask. Didn't want to wait none, either. My next stop will be Riverside Stable, see if my pa can spare anything. It's his sister and nephews that's in trouble, after all. Then off to Gatepost, Outpost, East Post, then on to Deya."

"Wow," Aryll said, appearing behind Link and looking over his arm. "That's a lot to take on."

"I know, but we've gotta help," Fado muttered. He turned to Cremia and took one of her hands. "I'm sorry I worried ya. And I'm sorry I missed dinner, especially since it was Sir Revan's passing and all, but—"

Cremia shook her head and smiled. "There's nothing to apologize for. You're helping people, doing the right thing. You don't ever apologize for that."

Zelda looked up at Link before turning to Fado. "We will go and assist."

"It's unauthorized," Link said. "We're supposed to continue onwards first thing tomorrow. We need to be there in time for the solstice."

"We'll make it, don't worry. And I'll have a letter sent home informing my father about the change in plans," Zelda replied, resolute in her decision. "We cannot abandon those people."

Fado blinked and looked at Zelda. "You've got pull at the castle?"

"You might say that," Zelda replied. "Do not worry about that. You should rest. We'll take over from here."

Fado shook his head. "Can't do that; not with family in trouble. Just need a quick break, and we can be off again. Just need some wagons."

"We have one," Link said. "It can hold some of the supplies, but it's not made for heavy loads. Bo has one we can borrow, though. He'll want to help, too."

Romani raised her hand. "I'll go ask right now!"

"What would you like me to do?" Aryll asked.

"Get changed and help me load up our wagon," Link said. "Then we'll go around Mabe Village, start up a quick collection, and load that onto Bo's. You're not coming with us, though."

Aryll sighed but seemed resigned to that. "Yeah, I know. But one day, I will be."

"Yeah, I know," Link murmured. He turned to Zelda next. "Draft that letter, and we'll get one of the guards to ride back to the castle."

Zelda nodded and disappeared into her room.

Link retreated to his own room as well and quickly changed his clothes. Once he was ready, he put on his equipment and headed back downstairs. He waited next to Zelda's bedroom door patiently until she finally emerged.

"Are you sure about this?" Link asked. "His Maj—Your father might not be pleased about this."

"It's the right thing to do," Zelda said staunchly. She held up her missive. "We're simply delivering aid to beleaguered people. We won't need to stay once Father sends down others to assist."

Link nodded. "As you wish."

Zelda cocked an eyebrow. "Just like that?"

"My job is to guard you, but you're the commandant," Link said quietly. "As long as your safety isn't in jeopardy, I follow your orders, not the other way around."

Zelda nodded and went over to the front door. She opened it and looked at the nearest guard. "Soldier, your name."

Startled, the soldier said, "I-Ian, Your H—"

Quickly putting the letter into Ian's hands, Zelda said, "I need you to take that letter to Hyrule Castle. Inform the guards at the entrance who it's from. Tell them, 'Swift actions necessitate swift words'. Do you understand?"

"Um… I think so."

"Do. You. Understand?" Zelda asked sternly.

Ian took a breath. " 'Swift actions necessitate swift words'."

Zelda nodded. "Very good. Go now."

Ian saluted and quickly ran off to Lon Lon Ranch to claim his mount. He passed by Bo, who was pulling his wagon over to Link.

"Link! Good to see you, m'boy!" Bo shouted.

Link nodded and yelled back, "Morning, Bo! Did Romani break the news to you?"

"Aye, she did," Bo replied. "We'll get those people some help. Don't you worry none."

Aryll appeared, carrying a basket in her arms. She took it to their covered wagon. "Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to help?"

"I'm helping, I'm helping," Link muttered. He ran back into the house. "Cremia, as soon as Fado catches his breath, can you two start a collection around Mabe Village?"

Fado stood up. "I'm ready now. Thank you, Sir Faron. I know this ain't the best way to meet, but I'm glad to see ya. Cremia's had nothing but nice things to say about ya."

"I share the same sentiment about her as well," Link replied. "And it's just Link."

"Oh good, Link, you're still here," Marin said. She pointed at one of the large bags Fado must have brought. "Take those onto the wagon, please."

"Are you sure?" Fado asked. "They're mighty—"

Link easily hefted the load and walked out with it.

"—heavy…" Fado scratched his head. "Well, I'll be darned."

~o~O~o~

It took most of the morning, but two and a half wagons loaded with goods were managed. Link took the covered wagon, with Zelda sitting next to him. Midna lounged in the back, eager to get going. Bo offered to be the coachman of his wagon. Ilia demanded to come along, and Bo was forced to give in to his daughter's demands. Malon supplied the third wagon, which Fado took the reins of, with Cremia sitting beside him and Romani in the back.

"Stay safe!" Aryll said, waving.

"Take no unnecessary risks, any of you!" Marin added.

As soon as the horses were tethered, the wagon train took off, with Fado in the lead. He set a quick pace, though it was clear to see how comfortable he was with Cremia.

"They look happy," Zelda said. "In fact, I'd say that Cremia is entirely besotted."

Link nodded. "That's all we wanted for her, but seeing as he wants to help friends and family, that gives Fado a pass in my book, too."

"Oh, is he still under judgement?" Zelda teased.

"For the rest of his life as far as he's concerned," Link muttered. Regardless of his words, he smiled. "Still, he made a good first impression."

Their pace was brisk but still measured. The supplies needed to reach their final destination in one piece, after all. The caravan arrived at Riverside Stable by early morning. The stablemaster had already heard about Deya and was in a tizzy, but he was immensely proud of his son for stepping up and helping. They were able to offload more supplies but had no wagons to spare.

At the very least, they had three wagons full of goods to help.

"We can procure more at the other locations," Zelda said. "I'm sure I can get us more wagons and able-bodied volunteers."

The only way to get to Deya was to the south, across Proxim Bridge. The Squabble River, which flowed east to west, prevented a straight passage. Sadly, the roads from Riverside Stable to Proxim Bridge took them away from their destination a bit, since they had to circle around the Forest of Time, but it did allow the caravan to stop at three different places where they were able to secure more help and supplies.

At each location—Gatepost, Outpost, and East Post—Zelda remained with Link's wagon, keeping the hood of her cloak up to avoid unwanted recognition. Link had to use his rank to gather more men and materials to provide Hyrulean aid. Their humble three-wagon caravan grew to eight, along with armed escorts of either willing volunteers or those that the commanding officer ordered to assist.

"Think this will be enough?" Link asked.

"If it isn't, my father will send more," Zelda answered. "This will be enough to get started. We'll make assessments and adjust accordingly. For now, we'll have to improvise and adapt once we get there. Are we far?"

Link shook his head and pointed at the large hills to the right. "Over there are the Hills of Baumer. Just beyond them is Deya Village, but the entrance to the village and Deya Lake is down the road and around those hills. We should arrive within the hour."

"Good," Zelda said. She looked up at the dreary skies. "Those really are rain clouds. And during Din's Season. Have you ever heard of this happening?"

"No, never," Link muttered. "It might be worth sending someone to Kakariko, though. They might have reports about it."

She pulled out her notebook and scribbled something before tearing out the page and handing it to him. "Here, give this to one of the horsemen."

Link waved down one of their escorts and handed him the paper. "Take this to Kakariko. Find Elder Impaz and tell her Link sent you. She'll do the rest."

The soldier took the paper, tucked it into a saddlebag, saluted, and rode off.

"Link!" one of the soldiers shouted.

"That's one of the scouts we sent ahead," Link murmured to Zelda.

The soldier rode up to their wagon and saluted. "Just saw Deya Village with my own eyes."

"And?" Link asked.

"It's bad. Very bad," the soldier replied grimly. "The survivors have practically nothing, and there are people trapped on the roofs of their homes. Only one fishing boat from Deya Lake was still floating, and it sprung a leak. They're trying to patch it now. These people need help, right now."

"Get half the escorts and ride to the village," Link ordered. "If you haven't seen any monsters yet, there won't be any. We'll get the caravan there in one piece, but start helping those people now."

"Yes, sir!" The soldier called for two squads to follow and rode on ahead.

"How bad do you think it is?" Zelda asked quietly.

"Hopefully not as bad as we're imagining," Link muttered.

~o~O~o~

West Necluda – Deya Village

As it turned out, the damage was bordering on catastrophic, which sadly exceeded Link's worst estimates. A large part of Link was glad they had come now. The village itself was beyond help, and the survivors were still trying to rescue people that had sought refuge from the floods by standing atop their rooftops with what little belongings they could save before the waters could have taken them.

Aghast at the destruction before her, Zelda hopped off the wagon and quickly took charge of the refugees. She declared that she was a royal official sent to render aid.

"We need to unload the wagons!" Zelda shouted. "We can use them as rafts and rescue those people! Hurry!"

Under her direction, people quickly did as they were told as she turned to the soldiers.

"I need the three fastest riders. Send word to Fort Hateno. There should be Zora soldiers stationed there," Zelda ordered. "Have them come to aid us as well as anyone they can spare. Inform the commander stationed there that this is a royal order from King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule."

Several men shouted out affirmatives and were about to run off when Zelda stomped her foot impatiently and shouted, "Just three!"

The soldiers stopped and looked at one another indecisively.

Sighing in frustration, she pointed at three at random. "You lot. Ride out now. Come back quickly."

The three she chose nodded and hurried off.

"Can anyone tell me what happened?" Zelda asked.

One old man raised his hand and stepped forward. "Deya Lake, to the south. It suddenly flooded. We've had some heavy rains for the past month. We all thought it was good fortune, cooled us off from the summer heat, but then the waters surged and flooded our village!"

Zelda turned to Link expectantly.

"There are rainforests to the south," Link said. "Because of the humidity, rain can occur all year over there, but I've never known them to cross the hills that separate them from West Necluda. The Farosh Hills and the Spring of Courage are usually where the rains end. Deya should get a little bit of it, but never heavy and never long."

"He speaks the truth, milady," the man said.

Zelda set her jaw and grimly nodded. "I see. A mystery to solve later. For now, we must erect the proper shelters. It looks like more rain is coming, and we can't afford to have people at the mercy of the elements. Continue rescue efforts, and we'll begin triaging at once."

Once the group scattered to start their assignments, Zelda turned to Link and arched her eyebrow. "Well?"

Link blinked once. Hesitantly, he uttered, "Well… what?"

"You heard what I said," Zelda replied. "Get to the wagons and unload them. We have shelters to put up and rafts to create now!"

Automatically, Link saluted and hurried off to do what he was ordered to do.

The entire day was spent distributing food, clean water, and medical aid to those that needed it most, such as the elderly, infirm, and the young. Any open wagons were converted into rafts, while covered wagons were repurposed as temporary shelters. Zora soldiers managed to arrive by late afternoon using the waterways that brought them relatively close to the village before they needed to run over land. Their help was instrumental in the rapid rescue of several more families as well as deep diving to gather items of value that could be used to help the construction of a serviceable camp, such as ropes and pinions.

Despite how busy Link was, he remained close to the princess. She continued to coordinate efforts to maximize efficiency of aid, even as more wagons and manpower arrived from nearby towns or garrisons to assist. Her secret was eventually outed when some of the new soldiers recognized her and kneeled, calling out 'Her Highness!' in what could have been the loudest cry ever.

Zelda kept decorum, though, even amidst all the incredulous stares and shock that the princess of Hyrule was personally helping a humble fishing village. She hardly batted an eye at the scrutiny she was under and directed the soldiers to where they could be the most helpful.

Link found himself a bit jealous of her ability to remain so unflappable amid all that attention.

The work was long and grueling. Paradoxically, it was also equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming.

Their efforts continued well into the night. It was reported that they had managed to get all the survivors, thankfully, so now the Zora were conducting the unenviable task of finding the bodies beneath the waters. More soldiers showed up and were directed to gravedigging duty for the lives lost. The cries and wails of surviving family members still haunted many.

Fado learned that his extended family had lived, though they had lost one of their sons. He shed tears of grief and personally dug the grave where the young boy would rest.

Bo and Ilia were shocked to learn that they had been talking to and sitting next to Princess Zelda. Link merely shrugged and said he had been ordered to guard her and keep her presence discreet.

Ilia looked betrayed for a moment before sighing. "I suppose it can't be helped, if you were ordered to."

"Sorry, Ilia," Link said. "It wasn't my secret to give out."

"No, I suppose it wasn't," Ilia replied. She tried to keep the sullen tone out of her voice, but he still picked up on it.

"But you're still disappointed in me?" he asked carefully.

"No, of course not," she said. "Just… it seems like we're drifting apart. You never kept secrets from me before."

"I have a duty now," he said. "My father faced the same trials. He had to keep secrets from us, too. You still have me, Ilia. I just… have more going on than us now."

She took a deep breath. "I suppose so. Sorry, I'm overthinking things. You're right. We're still friends."

"Absolutely," he said.

"Good." She looked at the tents they had put up. "I need to set up more braziers if we're going to be working through the night."

He nodded and looked around. "Hey, have you seen Midna?"

Ilia nodded. "She's helping the soldiers hunt for game in the forest east of the hills, to supplement our food stores for the Deya residents as well as everyone else that's here to help. I heard that she's been very helpful. According to Cremia and Romani, I believe venison will be on the menu tonight."

"That's good. On top of the fish the Zora caught for us, food won't be too much of an issue," Link said.

"And there's my father," Ilia said, pointing down the road. "He and Fado have been carrying barrels of water from the Squabble River to ensure we still have clean water to drink and treat wounds with."

"We need wheelbarrows," Link muttered, hanging his head. "I'll make a note to have some made. We'll put something together tomorrow morning."

"I have to help Cremia prepare dinner," Ilia said, standing up. "You should rest."

Link shook his head and stood as well. "You need braziers up? I'll get them up. Go on."

By late evening, Link had to put his foot down and demanded that Zelda go to sleep. His wagon remained empty, and he promptly directed her to it. When she tried to argue, Link threatened to carry her, kicking and screaming if he had to, into the wagon to sleep.

Not interested in looking like a petulant child in front of the people, Zelda glared at Link but relented to his incessant badgering. She did warn him that if something were to happen that demanded her attention, she would be awake and present, or there would be hell to pay.

"Fair enough. Now get some sleep," Link said stubbornly.

"And what about you?" Zelda asked as she clambered into the wagon and tucked into the sleeping roll within.

"I'm the only Royal Guardsman here, so no sleep for me," Link replied.

Zelda sat up, wide-eyed. "What? That's preposterous. We have enough soldiers—"

"And Urbosa had enough warriors, yet you were still in danger," Link countered. "I can sleep later. Now close your eyes."

The closest she did was to narrow her eyes at him before huffing in annoyance and flopping back down.

Link leaned against the wagon and settled in for a sleepless night. Midna appeared a little while later. Before Link could stop her, she gracefully hopped into the wagon as well to sleep. He hoped that she wouldn't wake the princess, but that thought was dashed when Zelda spoke up.

"Link?" she whispered sleepily.

"Hmm?"

"I know the situation is horrible, and I know that there's absolutely nothing to be grateful for… but I'm glad we came."

"Hmm. You know you're more than just your powers, right?" Link asked rhetorically, having guessed what had brought on this moment of self-reflection. "There's going to be need of a princess and a queen when all of this Calamity business is over and done with. Intelligence, compassion, determination, leadership, and decisive action… all those other talents you have are going to be needed as well."

Zelda didn't reply. Just as Link thought she had fallen asleep, he heard a very faint, "Thank you," float out into the night sky.

"You're welcome," Link replied.

~o~O~o~

The next morning, after eating a light breakfast—only to keep their energy up, while the rest of the foodstuffs went to those that needed it more, such as the children—Zelda looked at Link in concern. "Are you well, Link?"

Link nodded but couldn't stifle his yawn. "I can go on for a while yet. Don't worry about me."

"Are you certain?" Zelda asked.

"Tell you what: when we are done here, you can take the reins of the wagon, and I'll catch a small nap, if that makes you feel better."

Zelda heaved a long-suffering sigh and turned back to the parchment she was scribbling on. She wanted an accurate inventory of the supplies, and they had to decide how best to ration it all, especially if people were going to be staying for a time until they were fit to travel, or more carriages and covered wagons could be provided to move all the refugees to suitable locations. Deya Village was no longer fit for habitation, so their only recourse was to move the people and ensure they had appropriate long-term accommodations until either they could stand on their own or a better solution presented itself. Besides the trade posts west of the Hylia River, there was Fort Hateno, both Riverside and Dueling Peaks Stables, and Kakariko Village. It was daunting work, especially since the overnight rains started making the roads muddy and difficult to traverse. Without new supplies, they needed to make the most of what they had for as long as they could, without endangering those that were already unable to travel.

Hopefully, we won't need to get too creative.

"Link, did the night watch report anything out of the ordinary?" Zelda asked.

Link shook his head. "Quiet so far, but I told the morning guard to be alert anyway. Sick and injured tend to bring out the bloodlust in monsters. If we make a large-enough show of force, though, that might make them think twice before trying anything."

Zelda sighed again. "Hmm… Are there Guardians at Fort Hateno?"

"Two Stalkers. They were sent there in preparation for monster displacement when Mipha starts weapons training."

"Has she begun yet?"

"Soon, if not already."

Zelda groaned and put her head in her hands. "So much for borrowing a Guardian, then. It's already bad enough we pulled the Zora away for this. If Vah Ruta diverts the monsters from Zora's Domain to the south…"

"All of our efforts here will be for naught," Link finished. "People would be in danger anyway. Maybe a Skywatcher, then? They can cover the distance and get here in a reasonable amount of time."

Zelda shook her head. "According to the reports I've read, we only have two: the ones we saw at Carok Bridge. They're more complicated than the Stalkers and Turrets, so it takes longer for Robbie and Purah to restore them."

"So we're on our own," Link muttered. "At least until His Majesty is able to send more help here."

Zelda picked her head up and looked past the tent canopy. It was one of many hastily erected shelters they had been forced to make. Zelda was currently beneath the biggest, the one that held most of their aid supplies.

"Yes, but only those that can get here on foot or horseback," Zelda replied. "The road conditions aren't good enough for anything with wheels."

"Well, we knew this wasn't going to be easy, but this isn't exactly ideal, either."

"Do you have any recommendations?" Zelda asked.

Link yawned again but shook himself awake and nodded. "We could ask the Gorons for help. Mud, landslides, and other terrain hazards are nothing to them. They can shore up roads with gravel and make travel easier. They already have defenses up and ready against the monsters, so there's likely nothing to worry about from the Eldin Province."

"Oh, that's a good idea," Zelda replied, perking up. "Do you think we should ask the Rito for assistance as well?"

Link frowned and poked his head out of the tent to peer up at the rain clouds. "I don't know. Rain shouldn't bother them, but lightning will. I don't see dark clouds, but the hills are blocking our view of the horizon, so it's difficult to tell. I'll send some scouts to the south and have them monitor the weather for us."

"Then we'll have to make do with the Gorons," she said. "I shall write a missive asking for aid."

"Although…"

Zelda glanced up at Link. "What is it?"

"This would no doubt please Revali," Link muttered reluctantly, but he gamely pressed on, "but I was thinking of testing Vah Medoh's ability to cover distance."

Zelda clapped her hands. "Oh! Vah Medoh can come here! It's large enough to shield us from the rain, maybe even ferry the worst injured to Castle Town if we need to!"

Link nodded. "We can send a message to Hyrule Castle, get a Rito ambassador or one of their aides to fly to Rito Village, and have Revali come here. Maybe even use Vah Medoh as a mobile fortress to protect the Rito during lightning storms and allow them to work during better conditions."

"That is an excellent idea!" Zelda said. "It hadn't occurred to me to use a Divine Beast as a means of aid during disasters. Link, that's incredibly inspiring!"

Link cleared his throat and looked away. "Thank you."

Zelda started writing letters to the proper people.

Link took a breath and looked around to see if they were alone once more before leaning close to her. "I hate to mention this, but I know I have to: Do you think these strange rains could be from Vah Ruta?"

Zelda looked up at the clouds above them, which heralded more rainfall. She tried to recall everything she knew about Vah Ruta's capabilities and finally shook her head. "I don't believe Vah Ruta has the power to manipulate weather this far south of the Domain. I can ask when we return to the castle, but I have my doubts. Besides, wouldn't the rain clouds be coming from the north if that was the case?"

Link slowly nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"But you bring up a good point," Zelda murmured as she wrote down another note to add to the growing workload. "We'll need to send people to find out why we're having so much rain and why it's coming so far north, especially during Din's Season."

Their discussion was tabled when a messenger arrived. More aid was to arrive from Hyrule Castle, but the wagons were stuck in the roads. Zelda quickly finished her letters. Once the ink was dry, she handed the messenger the letters. "One of these is to the Gorons. Inform Boss Bludo that we would like their aid. And the other is to Hyrule Castle, specifically to the Rito ambassador there. Please give this one to our fastest rider. These are urgent requests, and speed is key now."

"At once, Your Highness!"

After the messenger left, Zelda sighed and looked around. "Well, what next?"

"Wheelbarrows," Link answered. "To carry water from the Squabble River here."

"Is there anyone out there with carpentry experience?"

"I can ask."

Zelda wrote it down to add to the ever-growing list of complications they needed to navigate or solve. "Do it. And about tonight: you should be able to get rest. Impaz is sending some of her people to relieve you."

~o~O~o~

Acting under Zelda's orders, Link continued another hard day's work. After speaking to the refugees, he had no luck with finding carpenters—tragically, the few that had made Deya their home had perished when the flood had taken the village by surprise—but he did manage to find carpenters-adjacent: shipwrights and boatbuilders. When Link told them of what they needed, they agreed to help, but lacked the materials and tools. And so, Link had to go to the Zora, who were happy to dive into the floodwaters and search. They were successful in recovering the tools necessary to build the wheelbarrows and whatever else they may have needed to fabricate for the foreseeable future. Next, they needed materials. Metals were easy enough, being among the ruins of the village and supplies they had brought. A workable forge was constructed to smelt down the metals into whatever they required. As for the lumber, the Zora were also able to find several axes and saws. Link led several able-bodied men into the forest and began the laborious task of cutting down and dragging the wood needed to make wheelbarrows and create campfires.

"Of course, if we had those damn wheelbarrows, then we wouldn't be dragging these things to camp," one of the soldiers, Scorpis, complained.

It was a point Link had to agree with. Still, he kept his thoughts to himself. To complain to motivate himself was one thing, but a complaint that might drop morale was another. Instead, he redoubled his efforts, pulled the rope that the log was tied to, and dragged it toward the camp. The rain served to make their task easier, making the grass wet and slick enough to move the logs, so long as they were able to keep a firm grip on the ground with their boots.

"You've put on muscle, Link," Bo said appreciatively. He was dragging a log by himself. Link was only able to keep pace with the big man because he had two others helping.

"You can thank the Gorons for that," Link replied, breathing a bit heavily.

"Good folk, the Gorons," Bo said. "Don't know if I told you this, but I used to live near Death Mountain, me and my folks. Used to wrestle with the Gorons when I was a boy. Fun times."

That explains so much.

"You meet Bludo?" Bo asked.

"Yeah," Link grunted out. "You know him?"

"Sure do. Good man."

"He's getting on in years, though," Link said between breaths. "Looks like he's getting some back pain."

"Sorry to hear that," Bo muttered. "Should write him when we get back home."

"I'm sure he'll be happy to hear from you," Link replied.

In the distance, Ilia waved and pointed at the stakes she and a few others had hammered into the ground. "Put the logs here so they don't roll off!"

"We're coming!" Bo shouted back. He turned to Link. "You heard her."

"Yeah," Link said. "Two down, another bunch to go."

Nearby, Scorpis groaned. "So this is how I die."

The third soldier, Joren, nudged him roughly. "You aren't going to die until you finish, at least. Like hell you're going to let Link and me do this ourselves."

"You heartless bastard."

It took time and tons of effort, but now that they were supplied with the logs, the boatbuilders were able to fashion functional wheelbarrows. With those made, clean water was no longer an issue, as was moving fully boxed supplies around the camp. As productivity went up, so did the overall feeling of accomplishment, despite the tragedy.

As Zelda had promised, by early afternoon, several Sheikah—including skilled builders and carpenters—arrived to help. The rest were warriors, with the official story being that they would assist in keeping the area free of monsters. Link knew their real objective, though: to guard the princess with their lives.

Wiping the water droplets from his eyes, Link trudged around the camp, lending a hand to those that needed it and trying to keep the fires from being put out by the pattering rains.

It wasn't until dinner when Zelda found him, soaking wet from head to toe. She was flanked by two Sheikah. Seeing the state he was in, she ordered him to dry himself, change out his clothes, and get a full night's rest.

Link lacked both the energy and the will to argue, so he quickly ate his meager meal—he purposefully reduced his portion—and did as he was told.

When he saw the state of Midna, still dripping wet from the rainfall, he clicked his tongue. "You need to dry off, too."

Midna shook herself vigorously, but to little avail, since they were still standing in the rain.

"And what did you think that was going to do?" Link asked, amused.

Midna let out an annoyed bark.

Chuckling, Link led her to a relatively dry spot, grabbing a towel on the way. He vigorously rubbed her down, and the wolf panted in delight. Once she was more or less dry, she shook herself one last time before running for the wagon and hopping in before the rain could properly soak her fur again.

Link quickly dried himself off, changed clothes behind some boxes, and quickly made his way to the wagon as well. As he slid into the wagon, he pushed Midna towards the front. She did so begrudgingly.

"Don't give me that," Link said. "You still smell like wet wolf. Be lucky I care more about your health than your smell."

Midna gave him a haughty bark.

Once Link adjusted his sleeping roll, he flopped on top of it and prepared to rest. It was the first time in over a day that he had been allowed to lie down, and his body let him know how much it appreciated that by lulling him quickly to sleep.

Just before the darkness claimed him, he thought:

Wait, where is Zelda going to sleep, then?

It wasn't until later when he figured that out. Abruptly, his eyes snapped open, and a dagger was in his hand in an instant. His sudden readiness drew out a gasp in the darkness.

"It's just me," Zelda whispered.

"Wha—Zelda?" Link mumbled. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, where else was I supposed to sleep?" Zelda asked.

It was a fair question. Given the limited shelters they could put up in the space they had, people were assigned sleeping spaces to avoid confusion and maximize efficiency—one of Zelda's ideas. The problem was that he hadn't slept the previous night and didn't bother to ask if he had a spot to sleep. He'd thought that Zelda would have gotten better accommodations than his covered wagon by now and assumed the space was his.

Zelda moved to his left and unfurled her bedroll.

"Um…" At this point, Link's mouth had gone bone dry.

It was still too dark to see, so Zelda grasped his hand, found his index finger, and started tracing a line between their bedrolls.

"This is the border of your territory," she said sternly. "We now have an agreement that we will not invade sovereign regions."

"Um… okay?"

"The wagon is wide enough to fit both of us side-by-side comfortably without making things awkward," Zelda said, shuffling around a bit. "As long as Midna sleeps near the front, we should be fine."

The wolf opened one bleary eye, snorted, and proceeded to go back to sleep.

"Um… okay," Link said.

"Now close your eyes," Zelda ordered.

Link knew he was blushing. "But wait, uh…"

"I expect that you'll keep your hands to yourself and be a perfect gentleman," Zelda said evenly. She settled into her bedroll and turned her back to him. "Good night."

Link's head fell onto his bedroll. He put his dagger away and idly wondered if it was at all possible for him to go to sleep now.

As it turned out, it was not.

~o~O~o~

The next morning, Zelda woke up feeling rather refreshed, surprisingly enough. She turned around and saw that Link's bedroll was empty. Midna—who still smelled like wet wolf—was still there, awake and watching her.

"Got an early start to the day, did he?" Zelda asked their lupine companion.

Midna merely yawned, long and wide, before putting her head down and staring balefully at the rain still clattering outside.

Zelda popped her head out of the wagon to assess the amount of rain that was falling when she caught sight of Link standing next to the wagon. He was completely drenched. Again.

"This is certainly going to be a problem," Zelda said by way of greeting. "People are going to get sick, including you."

"I might be wet, but it's warm and muggy," Link replied quietly. "If it were cold, that would be a different story. This is just uncomfortable, but tolerable."

"That's a chance I'm not sure I wish to take," she said. She peered into his face again. "Did you get enough sleep last night?"

He nodded. "Some. Enough."

Zelda continued to stare, going well beyond propriety. Link's face was set in that same neutral look he often presented to the world. Though she had started to see what hid beneath the mask in recent times, she supposed that he needed to wear it among the refugees and soldiers that were looking up to them for help and guidance.

"W-was it because of me?" Zelda asked.

"No, no, it was the weather. Still warm and sticky," he answered quickly. "Don't worry, I managed to nap enough to feel better. I was trained to make the most of these kinds of situations."

Zelda nodded slowly. "Very well. I'm going to change in here."

"I'll keep a lookout."

Closing the flap, Zelda let out a breath and sat down, putting a hand against her chest in the vain hope that it could slow her fluttering heart.

It was a wildly impulsive and highly inappropriate move, but it was the only one she could think of; she had realized the situation too late. After she'd assigned sleeping places for everyone to make sure that they had a place to rest every evening, she had foolishly forgotten about Link. Cursing her mistake and absentmindedness, she furiously thought about where else she could sleep before discarding the idea immediately. It wouldn't do for her to displace someone at this critical point. They had just barely managed to erect more shelters for the Sheikah that had arrived.

Without other options, she had dismissed the Sheikah watching over her, dried herself off, changed clothes, and crawled into the wagon that she had used the previous night. She had tried to be as sneaky as she could about it, but had found herself startled when Link had unexpectedly woken up, small blade in hand and searching for threats.

After explaining the situation and the rules to him, Zelda had crawled into her bedroll. It had still been dreadfully dark, and she had known that she needed to sleep. However, her treacherous imagination had decided to rear its head, causing her to blush furiously.

Oh, my goddesses. Was he sleeping shirtless?!

Zelda had no idea how she'd managed to fall asleep that evening or feel so awake that morning, but she was grateful for it.

After she changed, she put on her cloak to ward off the rain and hopped out. "I guess it's a good thing I came incognito."

"And I'm eternally jealous of your foresight to do so," Link dryly retorted, still soaking wet. "I was only thinking about the summer heat and why anyone would wear a cloak. Silly me."

Something childish gripped Zelda at that moment, and she stuck her tongue out at him, something she hadn't done in more than a decade.

Link grinned back.

She started making her way to the table where she worked and kept her notes. "Did anything happen I should be aware of?"

"The Gorons arrived not long ago. Over a dozen, and six more coming later in the day. Something about their shift at the mines," Link answered. "They rolled all the way here throughout the day and throughout the night at top speed. I asked if they needed to rest, but they said they were ready to help, so I tasked them with fortifying the paths. I was about to assign others to help them, but they said they could handle it and started working immediately. They're crushing up rocks to make the gravel stones necessary to solidify the road. It'll still take time, though, so we'll have to make the supplies we have last until then. Also, scouts report seeing lightning clouds on the horizon and heading toward us. No idea when, though."

"I hope Vah Medoh will be able to handle these conditions," Zelda muttered. She took off her cloak and hung it on the nearby hook before she sat down and looked up at Link. "Who should I assign to liaise with the Gorons? Any opinions?"

"Hmm… you know, yesterday Bo told me that he had lived near Death Mountain and used to wrestle with the Gorons as a boy," Link said. "He would be a good candidate."

"That's a good idea," Zelda replied. She recalled meeting Ilia's father and had almost likened him to King Dorephan, but with this revelation… "And that might explain a few things…"

"I thought the same thing. On both counts," Link said wryly.

"Okay, let's begin today's inventory and see where we stand now," Zelda said. Opening a box and pulling out sheaves of parchment, she uncapped her pen and prepared herself for the day. "How many barrels of water do we have left?"

The morning went by as Zelda updated their inventory. Depending on whether they had a surfeit or deficit of supplies, she had to reassign people to cover for their losses—water was no longer a problem, but medicine was, so soldiers were now tasked with gathering medicinal herbs instead of wood and water. Thankfully, food wasn't a problem, as long as they were careful with rationing. Medical supplies such as bandages were fine, but disinfectant wasn't. Dry clothes were going to be considered under permanent shortage, and Zelda wondered if they should erect a tent solely dedicated to hanging and drying clothes near an ever-burning firepit.

Something to bring up later.

A report from the Gorons said that the road would be suitable for carriages in four or five days. Less, if their brothers arrived sooner rather than later.

"So, we just need to stay here for a few days longer before we can transport some of these people out of here," Zelda said.

"The healers haven't reported any complications that require rapid evacuation," Link said. "A few people are ill, though, and taken with fever. The healers are monitoring the situation carefully and deciding if they need to be quarantined or not. We can't afford sickness spreading right now."

"Unfortunate, but not unexpected," Zelda murmured. "No monsters to report?"

"None," Link answered. "The Sheikah and soldiers are doing their jobs."

"At least something is going our way," Zelda muttered.

"Just keep working on the problems one at a time, and we'll get through them," Link said. "That's all anyone can expect of us."

She eyed him speculatively. She was sure he had a deeper meaning behind his words, but rather than dwell on her failures, she refocused on their current tasks. "With the Gorons here, we only need to last a few days before we can get everyone out?"

Link nodded. "That's our current plan."

"Do you foresee any problems?"

"Well… rain is pretty much nonexistent on Death Mountain," he said. "I don't know if the Gorons are basing their estimates on their confidence or successes, but this could be something different or new to them, so there's a chance that things can still go wrong if they're unprepared."

Sighing, Zelda nodded wearily. "Stay on top of it, and keep me apprised."

Saluting, Link turned on his heel and marched out of the tent and back into the pouring rains once again.

As it turned out, Link's fears proved true, but the Gorons were nothing if not stubborn. They kept at it, trying to make the roads more traversable for wheels. Things became a bit easier when more Gorons showed up to help, but the work was still slow-going. It was a lot of dirt road to replace with sturdier rock, but the Gorons promised that it would work and continued their efforts. At the very least, they did not need shelter and were content with eating the rocks around the Hills of Baumer, so none of their current supplies were needed to supplement their arrival.

Once Zelda was sure that all basic needs had been met, she directed anyone able to aid the Gorons to speed their progress. It would be a race to get the roads working and have carriages be able to transport people out before illness and injuries took a turn for the worse, or if Deya Lake flooded further, destroying their camp in a deluge. For the next two days, rocks were smashed, carted, dragged, or carried onto the road, while medicines and other essentials were brought in by foot.

~o~O~o~

"Zelda, wake up."

The voice was distant and garbled. Zelda barely processed the words. She groaned and rolled away, trying to get away from the distraction that threatened to pull her away from her slumber. Her muscles ached something fierce, and it barely felt like her head had hit the pillow.

"Zelda, I am officially invading your territory and declaring war," Link said.

"You don't want to do that. I'll retaliate with a fury comparable to the Goddesses," Zelda mumbled. "Go away."

"Zelda, Vah Medoh is coming," Link said. He started shaking her awake. "We can hear it in the distance. I'm having all the torches and braziers lit to guide it in."

"Keep up the good work," Zelda murmured. "Now leave before there's a reckoning. Good night."

"Zelda, I know you're going to be angrier with me if you don't wake up than if you lose out on sleep, so wake up," Link said insistently. The shaking grew more vigorous.

"I heard you. Vah Medoh is coming—" The moment the words replayed themselves in Zelda's head, the sleep fairies lost their hold and her eyes snapped open. Sitting up, she stared wide-eyed at him. "Vah Medoh is coming?!"

"Get dressed," Link said. He was looking away now. "You can hear it approach."

He closed the flap and allowed her privacy. She quickly donned her traveling attire, but ended up struggling with her boots, much to her early-morning frustration.

"Oh, come on!" Zelda cried out angrily.

Midna poked her elbow with her nose tentatively. Zelda stopped struggling to give her a small, loving scratch before trying again. This time, her boot slipped on flawlessly.

"Thank you, Midna," Zelda said, giggling.

The wolf gave her a happy grunt of acknowledgement before hopping out of the wagon.

Zelda clambered out of the wagon as well, donning her cloak and running to where everyone was gathered. As Link had said, Vah Medoh's rotors—as the schematics called them—could indeed be heard, given how distinctive the sound was.

"What time is it?" Zelda asked Link.

"Early. Very early," Link answered. He pointed out at the darkened sky. "It's coming from that direction, but that's the most I can tell you. I can't even judge how far away it is with all this rain, but it must be close if we can hear the blades spinning despite all the ambient noise."

Zelda nodded and looked to see several soldiers trying to keep the fires burning so that Vah Medoh could navigate towards them, though how it would be able to do so with such meager light would only be a question for Revali.

"Link!" a voice happily cried out from above.

Zelda sought the source, but she appeared before them only moments later. A purple-feathered Rito landed next to Link. She walked up and embraced him, a gesture he readily returned.

"Rami?" Link asked, smiling widely. "You're here?"

"When Danta came to our village bearing news that you required aid for a flooded village, I volunteered to assist immediately," Rami said. "Sadly, Teboh could not make it. Without Vah Medoh patrolling our skies, there was worry that monsters might take advantage."

"I understand completely," Link said. "It means a lot to me, to us, that you came."

"But of course," Rami said. "Stand back. I need to launch the signal."

On her back was a canvas-wrapped bundle. She took it off and unwrapped it, revealing a small bundle of fireworks. She quickly set to work before they could get too wet to function. It took a couple of tries to get the flint to spark, but she managed to light the fuse.

It flew into the air, sending out a trailing line of sparks as it did so, before exploding with a pleasant, rather than frightening, boom. The children all gasped in wonder, which made Zelda smile. It was one of the few times that they showed positive emotions since their ordeal had begun, and she was grateful for the small mercy.

After the first one was sent off, Rami planted the second.

"Get a torch!" Link ordered.

"Thank you, Link," Rami said. A torch was brought to her at once, and she lit the next firework.

The light provided allowed more Rito to fly in, using Rami's fireworks as beacons to navigate by. Unlike the celebratory fireworks that Zelda was accustomed to seeing, the light produced from each kept burning in the sky for much longer than normal. She noted that for each Rito that arrived, all were carrying canvas-wrapped bundles of their own.

"What are those?" Zelda asked.

"The scientists at the Royal Ancient Lab call them flares," Rami answered after sending up her last. She stood up. "Unlike traditional fireworks, they're meant to burn in the air longer, providing light rather than show. Master Revali and the other Rito should have no trouble finding us now, despite the darkness."

The other Rito prepared their flares when the previous ones dimmed. Within an hour, Vah Medoh was soon flying just above Deya, providing some measure of shelter from the rains, but it needed to remain flying at a high altitude to avoid creating downdrafts and buffeting the valley with chilling winds that would make things worse for the refugees and aid workers.

A Rito approached Link. "We will try to get your wounded and sick aboard Vah Medoh during the daylight. However, some of our flyers reported seeing a lightning storm approaching. In the interest of safety, we'll either be down here with you or aboard Vah Medoh until the danger has passed."

"Understood," Link replied. "Thank you for the help."

"Well, it seems that you can't do everything after all," Revali said.

Zelda had to suppress a smile as Link did his best to suppress his sigh—or frown. He turned to Revali, mask firmly in place as the Rito Champion landed gracefully in front of him.

She appreciated Link's self-control as Revali pontificated and paraded in front of him.

"Well, you may stand aside," Revali said. "Vah Medoh and I have arrived, and we are glad to assist in any way we can."

"Come daylight. It's early, and these people looked absolutely drenched," Rami said stonily. She turned to Link, and her face softened. "We brought many fabrics that can be repurposed as towels and tents. We will keep you dry."

"I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we appreciate that," Link replied.

"Let's unload the supplies before the lightning storm arrives," Revali ordered to his fellow Rito. "Gather around me, and I shall get us back into the sky!"

All the Rito gave out a rallying cry and formed an orderly circle around Revali. The Rito Champion knelt, closed his eyes, and concentrated briefly. A gust of wind propelled the waiting Rito back into the air. Flapping quickly to maintain altitude, they started making their way up to Vah Medoh.

Revali executed his technique twice more to get all the Rito back up before turning to Zelda. "Your Highness. I hope things are well for you."

"Doing much better now that you're here," Zelda replied.

Revali bowed. "It will be my pleasure to assist."

"And your help is eternally appreciated, Revali."

Revali smiled widely before turning to the gathered crowd of refugees. "Never fear! We shall do everything in our power to help you."

The Deya residents and several aid workers ate it all up and cheered raucously for Revali. Naturally, he basked in the adoration while Link and Zelda quietly waited for the return of the other Rito.

Before Revali could continue to speak, several Rito carrying several large objects on their backs landed nearby.

"Where would you like these?" Rami asked.

"This way," Zelda said. She pointed at the tent they used to store their supplies.

Rami nodded and led the Rito towards the tent, dropped off their loads, and waited until Revali was ready to lift them up once more on what would be the first of many trips.

When daylight finally broke, there was a definite increase in morale. Not even the lightning storm that hampered the Rito efforts was enough to dampen the camp's overall spirits.

New shelters were put up, clothes were being dried and distributed, and the extra hands to help cook and support the camp were always welcome. Following Link's suggestion, Zelda ordered the workers to begin moving their stock of supplies to different areas of the camp, beneath the new shelters, to prevent any unforeseen disasters from occurring and risk losing everything they'd gathered.

Zelda spoke to Revali and decided that it would be best for Vah Medoh to maintain its position. The ability to carry any of the injured or sick to Vah Medoh was not worth the risk after seeking the opinion of the camp healers. Revali understood and instead offered to hasten the delivery of the waiting goods from the wagons stationed across Proxim Bridge.

"They are carrying medicines, are they not?" Revali asked.

Zelda nodded. "They are. It's been difficult to get them up here since the road conditions deteriorated."

"Well, fortunately for you, we Rito don't need roads, and that minor hill is but a trifle," he replied confidently. "You shall have more than enough in short order."

~o~O~o~

It wasn't until the following day that the lightning storm finally ended, much to Revali's ever-growing frustration. The Rito had been grounded the entire time, but unlike him, some of the Rito did not mind. Their feathers were naturally water-resistant, and they were able to walk out and about in the rain, assisting in more terrestrial means.

Rami seemed to view Link as a kind of nephew to dote on, much to Zelda's amusement. Rami had even brought him a proper cloak so that he would no longer be walking around soaking wet and had even fashioned a coat for Midna. What made Zelda laugh was when Link introduced Rami to her. The Rito was shocked and quickly bowed, asking for forgiveness for not properly acknowledging the princess. Zelda waved it off and merely thanked her for her compassion in these trying times.

When the sky was safe enough to fly again, Revali finally had his chance to show off by taking flight and speeding ahead of his fellow Rito to begin gathering sorely needed supplies. The rest of the Rito were quick to take to the skies as well, and soon the camp had more than enough supplies to last until the roads were completed.

Zelda sighed in relief as she completed the tally of their inventory. "Looks like we'll be okay. These supplies will not only last until we can evacuate, but they can be used to help the villagers rebuild their lives, wherever they choose to go."

"Always glad to hear good news," Link replied. "Here's some more: the rain has been slowing down. Might stop soon."

Zelda perked her head up and looked beyond the canopy. The strength of the rain did sound like it was weaker. "Must have been from the lightning storm."

"Spent all its strength, probably," Link said.

Zelda nodded. "Will that mean the Goron efforts can speed up?"

"If we can get some sun, I should think so."

"Princess, a moment?" a Rito warrior asked. He stepped inside the tent and bowed. "As you can see, we have returned."

"Of course, Sora," Zelda said. "What did your investigations reveal?"

"My team flew far to the south, and we discovered a raging storm occurring," Sora answered. "This appears to be a small hurricane, blowing in from Martha's Landing."

Link stepped closer and said, "Wait, Lakeside Stable is to the east. Are they okay?"

"My team and I split up and flew to the east and west. Lakeside Stable is fine. They have some strong winds, but no rain," Sora replied. "Highland Stable to the west doesn't even have any problems at all."

"So only Deya Village was in the path of the storm?" Zelda asked.

"It would appear that way, Your Highness," Sora said.

"Unlucky," Link muttered.

"It could have been much worse," Zelda retorted. "Lurelin could have easily been destroyed if the storms moved further to the east."

"Possible, but not as bad as Deya. Lurelin residents can easily take refuge in the caves of Mount Dunsel," Link said, shrugging. "Deya is pretty much nestled right up against the Hills of Baumer. They were trapped here the moment the lake swelled and their one road in and out became unusable."

"That's… that's true," Zelda replied, deflating slightly. Sighing, she turned to Sora. "Thank you for the report. Please keep an eye on the situation and tell us of any further problems that may occur."

Sora bowed. "But of course, Your Highness."

After Sora left, Link said, "Rain has stopped."

Zelda stood up and put her hand outside. "Finally. Let's go."

"Go?" Link repeated.

Zelda left her cloak on the hook, not willing to put it on in the humid, warm air. "I would like to see if the rains affected the Hylia River and Proxim Bridge for myself instead of hearing reports about it. This way, I saw a place where we can observe without risk a while ago."

She led the way west, and together, they climbed a slope that wasn't too steep. The wet rocks and grass did make for a challenging experience, but she felt that she was able to rise to the challenge well enough. With the Hylia River seen to their left, they continued to the north towards Proxim Bridge.

"Water looks to be higher than normal, especially for Din's Season," Link said.

"The bridge is our main concern," Zelda replied. "If it's unusable, we're going to be staying here for much longer than we estimated."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it," he said. "It's a well-maintained stone bridge, not a wooden one. And it's a vital trade route that connects Necluda to Central Hyrule."

She glanced at him askance. "And you would rather hypothetically say it's fine rather than confirm it with your own eyes?"

"Good point."

The rolling Hills of Baumer would have been fine to traverse if they were dry, but the wet grass meant treacherous terrain. Zelda made sure to be careful not to fall or twist her ankle. She didn't want Link to have to carry her back down, though that would mean she would be cradled in his muscular arms or carried around his back and shoulders…

No, Zelda! Bad!

She shook the fantasy away before her blush could become obvious and continued north until she was able to see Proxim Bridge.

"Look. You can see the caravans on the west shore," Link said.

"And there are the Gorons, working on the road," Zelda added. "The bridge seems to be intact, but we should have engineers look at it before we start using it. Barring any further unpleasantness, we should be fine!"

Just as she said that, a large rain droplet struck her nose. She wiped her face clean and held out her hand. Several more droplets began to fall.

"You had to say it, didn't you?" Link asked forlornly.

Zelda could only shrug back helplessly.

"Let's go, now," Link said authoritatively. "Climbing down will already be hazardous. I'd rather not do so while it's pouring."

Zelda nodded in agreement, and they started back south toward the only safe slope that would take them back to the camp. However, the rain slowed their pace, and when the water began to soak her blouse, Zelda called for them to take shelter beneath a large tree instead.

Link nodded, and soon Zelda sighed in relief when she found proper refuge under the large branches of an old oak tree. She was a bit wet, but not so much that her modesty was in danger. She sat down against a rock and ran her fingers through her hair to remove the moisture.

Maybe I should cut it short after all.

Link took off his scabbard and placed it against the moss-covered rocks before sitting next to her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, anything," Zelda replied.

"I know why we're going to the Spring of Power, but can I ask how you managed to convince the king to let you go to Mabe Village?"

Zelda picked up a small stone and fiddled around with it to give her hands something to do. "I asked my father if Sir Revan's sacrifice meant so little that he wouldn't let you go."

"You guilted him," Link said.

She shrugged. "I reminded him that neither of us were there when the service was conducted, despite the fact that we have attended all of the funerals for slain Royal Guards. We were also not present for the memorial service last year, either… and that we took you away because of your duties. So…"

"So you told him that my father deserved recognition," Link finished.

Again, she shrugged, but she nodded as well. "And he did. I know you felt angry at us for what happened, and I know there's nothing we can do to ease that pain, but—"

"I'm glad you came," he quietly said.

"W-what?" she asked, dropping the stone in surprise.

"I'm glad you came," Link repeated a bit louder.

Zelda smiled, reached out, and clutched his hand tightly. Reassuringly. "As we should be. Thank you for being there for me during Mother's service as well. I know you had to be, but it was comforting to have you there."

"I would've been there if you'd asked," he said softly.

They stayed quiet for a time, each lost in their own thoughts. Eventually, Link got up, unsheathed the Master Sword, and began going through some sword forms. Some, Zelda had seen before, and others were completely beyond her understanding. He had spent much of the previous few days soaking wet, so the rain hardly bothered him. At the very least, she appreciated his desire to practice, and it was comforting to know that he would be ready at a moment's notice to defend her when the need arose.

That is his role against the Calamity, after all.

Once again, Zelda felt heat creep along her neck as she recalled how handsome he looked when he had reached out toward her back in the Gerudo Desert. That look of concern and tenseness, and how gentle he had been with her, which had only served to hide his ferocity…

"I doubt this will let up anytime soon," Zelda murmured. She sighed and continued to watch as Link ran through his sword forms diligently, despite the pouring rain. "Your path seems to mirror your father's. You've dedicated yourself to becoming a knight, as well. Your commitment to the training necessary to fulfill your goal is really quite admirable."

Link paused and took a deep breath before turning around to face her.

"I see now why you would be the chosen one," she said, smiling softly. She looked away and finally decided to unburden the one fantasy she never dared to entertain. "What if… one day… you realized that you just weren't meant to be a fighter?"

She knew he was looking at her now, but she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. The words were tumbling out now.

"Yet the only thing people ever said… was that you were born into a family of the Royal Guard, and so no matter what you thought, you had to become a knight," Zelda said. She was still looking at the ground and focused on the green grass and mossy rocks. "If that was the only thing you were ever told… I wonder, then… would you have chosen a different path?"

Link walked up to the scabbard he'd left next to Zelda and sheathed the Master Sword. Carefully placing the scabbard back down, he gently sat next to her again. She distantly noticed that he took care to remain far enough that he wouldn't get her wet, making her grateful for his thoughtfulness.

"My father… he told Aryll something… about why I left a lot," Link said quietly. "And then she passed that lesson on to me after he was gone."

"What was it?" Zelda asked.

"Say you're right. Say I realized that I wasn't meant to fight but people kept telling me that I should because of family, or honor, or any number of reasons," Link said. He licked his lips and wiped his face and his hair to remove the excess water. "I don't know if I would choose a different path, because I don't know if that would ever be a choice."

Zelda finally managed to look up at him.

"See, Aryll had asked our father why I was gone so much. She had thought that I didn't love her or that I didn't want to be around her," Link patiently said. "His response was, 'sometimes you have to put aside the things you want to do in order to do the things that you have to do'."

"Responsibility," Zelda murmured.

"Responsibility," Link affirmed. "It doesn't matter what I want. What matters is what I must do. And what I must do is protect my family. I must protect you. And we must protect Hyrule. It doesn't matter if I believed I wasn't a fighter. I would learn, because… any other options aren't worth considering if it means losing everyone I love."

Zelda nodded and looked back up at the clouds.

"I know that wasn't what you wanted to hear…" Link said.

"No… it wasn't," Zelda quietly replied. She looked back and met his eyes with renewed resolve. "But it was what I needed to hear."