A Hero's Path

by LuxDragon

Link's journey from an exuberant child to a stoic knight. A retelling and reimagining of Breath of the Wild with Age of Calamity elements added. Will be AU eventually. Pre-Calamity.

22. A Premonition

Gerudo Desert – Gerudo Desert Gateway

"Take care of yourself, Little Bird," Urbosa said.

Princess Zelda hugged Urbosa. "You as well. I hope the improvements I made to Vah Naboris will help."

"I'm sure they will," Urbosa replied. "I will send word when we begin weapons testing."

"Be careful," Princess Zelda said.

"Oh, I will… after all, I have to be thorough when I scour the Yiga from my desert," Urbosa said darkly.

Her declaration caused some mixed reactions, but as ruler of the Gerudo region, it wasn't their place to question her.

Link busied himself with overseeing the carriage and its prep. The good thing about their departure being delayed was that it allowed ample time for the roads to be cleared for the princess's return, so security wouldn't be as big an issue going home as when they'd traveled to the Gerudo Desert. Nearby, Liena mounted a new horse.

Seeing Link's questioning look, Liena smiled. "Zephyria served me well, but I wasn't about to work her to death. She's at Lon Lon Ranch now. This is Zephyr."

Link nodded, walked up to the stallion, and started scratching around the ears and jawline. Zephyr enjoyed the attention and moved to butt his head against Link's chest playfully.

"Still have a way with horses, I see," Liena teased as Link laughed.

"Don't look so dismayed, Little Bird," Urbosa said as she walked the princess to the carriage. "I'll be visiting you soon."

"You are?" Princess Zelda asked, surprised.

Urbosa smirked. "Oh, don't tell me you forgot."

Princess Zelda blinked and looked uncertain. "Forgot what?"

"Your birthday is coming shortly," Liena answered. "Preparations for your birthday celebration had just started when I left. I suspect everything is well underway now."

Link blinked but showed no other outward signs of surprise. Truth be told, he had forgotten about the princess's birthday as well.

"Oh," Princess Zelda said, turning pink.

"Correct," Urbosa said. She playfully tugged at a lock of Princess Zelda's hair. "Sweet sixteen. Of course I'm going to be there for you."

Princess Zelda smiled widely and hugged Urbosa again. "I look forward to that more than the celebration."

Urbosa smiled and hugged Princess Zelda back. "I'll count the days."

Stepping back, Princess Zelda smiled and waved one last time before heading into her carriage. For the first time ever, she accepted Link's offer of assistance as she took his hand and stepped inside.

"I know you don't need the reminder, but this is for my own peace of mind," Urbosa said to Link. "Look after her. For all our sakes."

Link nodded. "I will."

Satisfied by his answer, Urbosa stepped back. "I sent patrols last evening and early this morning, so the canyon pass back to South Hyrule is clear. You have my word on that."

"Sarqso," Link replied.

"Sa'oten, I despise long goodbyes. I shall leave you here before I give in to the urge to hop into that carriage. Sav'orq!"

"Sav'orq," Link said.

"Sav'orq, Urbosa," Princess Zelda added.

With one last wave, Urbosa walked back to her sand seal and surfed away.

"Link, might I speak to you in here for a moment?" Princess Zelda asked suddenly.

Link, about to hop into the driver's seat, was a bit startled but managed to nod. He glanced uncertainly at Liena, who was mounted and ready nearby.

"Just us," Princess Zelda said. She popped open the door. "Come in, please."

Again, Link nodded. He removed his sword, shield, and bow and placed them aside before entering the carriage.

However, once inside, he felt a bit uneasy. It was still a royal carriage, with comfortable and expensive velvet seating, while he was dressed in rugged clothing; well suited for the wilds, but certainly not for the luxury he'd found himself in. He gingerly took a seat opposite the princess and sat back straight and stiffly.

"You may relax," Princess Zelda said, smiling slightly.

If Link did, it was almost imperceptible.

"I… I wanted to talk to you since… since that day," Princess Zelda said. "I wasn't sure how to approach you, however. I tried to get some advice, but it didn't quite pan out. I decided to be blunt, since formalities might make this feel more awkward. Will that be all right?"

Link almost chuckled but restrained himself. The act of asking alone felt formal to him. "I would prefer being straightforward, actually, Your Highness."

"Very well, then," Princess Zelda said. She started fidgeting in her seat, as if trying to find a way to relax within the confines of all the finery around her.

Again, Link repressed a chuckle.

"I wanted to apologize… for how I was treating you," Princess Zelda said. "I'm sorry."

Surprised, Link blinked a few times as he mulled over her blunt words in his head.

I did tell her to be straightforward.

Eventually, he settled for shrugging. "I can handle it."

She shook her head. "You shouldn't have to. Not from me. You were right: we do need each other to face the Calamity. I was frustrated, and I took it out on you. The fault is mine."

"Hmm. When I was a child, my mother told me once that one could learn wisdom from pain," he said. "I thought she told me that so I would stop crying, but perhaps she was onto something."

Despite herself, Princess Zelda giggled.

This time, Link chuckled with her. Another first. "If you're seeking my forgiveness, you have it," he finally said. "I suppose I should apologize—"

"No."

Link closed his mouth with a snap.

"You shouldn't apologize for being right," Princess Zelda said. "And no, you shouldn't apologize for the way you also spoke to us, not when we knowingly deceived you. Your presence was… objectively speaking, your presence was barely noticed. Subjectively speaking, I probably made up all manner of imaginary slights from you against me to fuel my childish tantrums. Do not apologize; you've nothing to be sorry for."

Link nodded.

"There was also one more thing…" Princess Zelda trailed off and bit her lower lip. Now she looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Actually, we shall speak of it later. This isn't an appropriate setting to discuss it."

Curious, Link almost wanted to press for details, but he felt that might have been pushing his luck too far. They had managed to make peace, and while it didn't feel tenuous, he wasn't going to start pushing boundaries, either.

"As you wish, Your Highness," he said.

"Zelda."

Link stared back at the princess. "I beg your pardon?"

"Zelda. You can call me Zelda," she said shyly. Her cheeks turned a rather fetching color of pink. "If we're to be working together, we might as well forgo propriety. If it makes you feel uncomfortable, you may call me Zelda in private."

Link's mouth fell open. When he realized that, he shut it with a snap and dumbly nodded. He had to take a deep breath before speaking. "As you wish, Your Highness."

Princess Zelda tilted her head at him and arched an eyebrow.

Realizing his slip, Link prayed he wasn't blushing when he corrected himself and said, "I mean… Z-Zelda."

Zelda smiled at him. "Thank you."

Now Link was really hoping he wasn't blushing. This early in the morning, in the shadow of the canyon, he could hardly put blame on the weather now.

~o~O~o~

South Hyrule – Outskirt Stable

Had they been riding horses, the group could have easily made it to the halfway mark at Hyrule Garrison and spent the night there before pressing on to the castle.

However, with their carriage rolling through the twisting canyon paths, their ride back was a bit more leisurely. They did eat lunch on the move but kept their slow pace through Gerudo Canyon Pass. They met with a few Gerudo soldiers patrolling, all of whom greeted them in friendly or professional manners. Their pace was slowed even further across the Digdogg Suspension Bridge. Liena went across first, then used a small signaling mirror with the fading sunlight to inform Link that the bridge was safe to cross. By the time the carriage made it, the sun was well into twilight, so they diverted to Outskirt Stable to spend the night.

The stablemaster had been expecting them. He had a letter addressed to Link. It was sealed with the royal crest.

Link tore it open and scanned the contents. What he read caused his brow to furrow in concern.

"What is it?" Liena asked. Pri—Zelda stood nearby, looking attentive.

"Security report. Sudden surge of monsters coming from the west," Link said. "We'll need to divert east. The garrison remains clear, though they're sending the soldiers stationed there to handle the problem. We'll probably have to cut through Mabe Village to get to Castle Town. That will add an entire day to our journey. We'll have to spend the night at the garrison if we want to continue traveling by daylight."

"Why are there monsters coming?" Liena asked.

"Unknown. We only know that monsters native to the west are rushing out of the Tabantha Frontier," Link said as he re-read the letter. "It's more than the Rito Militia can handle at once. They slipped through the barricades and were driven into Central Hyrule. Looks like they've sent the bulk of our forces there… Huh. They're even testing the battle capacity of the Guardians now."

Once he finished reading the letter, he passed it off to Liena. She quickly read it and, at Pr—Zelda's insistence, handed the missive to her so she could peruse it as well.

"So, to Hyrule Garrison by late afternoon tomorrow, then," Liena said.

Link nodded.

Zelda looked conflicted. "A complicated feeling. I want to see the Guardians at work, but if they're doing what they're meant to be doing, it means that they'll be…"

"Killing monsters; by the dozens, if the demonstration we observed was any indication," Link said sternly. He gazed into Zelda's eyes unflinchingly. "I understand what you're feeling all too well. Trust me, whatever academic curiosity you have, it won't be enough to hide the screams, the smells, and the feel of death."

"Link is right, Your Highness," Liena said, taking a more diplomatic and aristocratic approach. "What is happening is not for your eyes; at least, not yet."

Zelda looked like she wanted to argue, but one look at them, and she deflated. "Very well. I will defer to your expertise in this matter. Shall we have dinner?"

Liena took care of their meals while Link spoke to the stablemaster. When he returned, Liena and Zelda were waiting for him before they could eat in earnest. This was normal for Liena, but another first for Zelda.

"What did you talk about?" Liena asked Link as they began to eat.

"I wanted to know if any of the monsters diverted south, across Jeddo Bridge," Link answered.

"Oh, that's right toward us," Liena said, eyes wide. "What did he say?"

"The Rito, knights, and Royal Guard are there, holding the line," Link replied. "Captain Taggart is there. They know we're here, and they're making sure the monsters remain heading east to Carok Bridge or Mount Gustaf, where our forces are stationed."

"That's good to know," Liena said. She glanced at Zelda before turning back to Link. "I'll take first watch. You can take the second watch."

"Got it," Link said before smirking. "You know I'm your superior here, right?"

Liena rolled her eyes. "Going to throw your weight around?"

"Dame Serlut, I hereby order you to take the first watch," Link said in the most official tone he could muster.

Liena burst out laughing, enough that there were tears in her eyes. "Oh, Goddesses, that was horrible!"

"And unnatural," Link said, grimacing. "Ugh, I need to wash that out of my mouth."

Even Zelda was laughing. "You did seem uncomfortable trying. Presentation matters, you know."

Link's expression clearly revealed his displeasure. "I'm not used to this."

"It will be a skill you'll have to cultivate, I'm afraid," Zelda said, calming down. She suddenly grew serious. "The Royal Guard's authority is far-reaching. As they answer directly to us, the Royal Family, their word essentially means ours. It's also why our selection process is rigorous. The penalty for abuse of such power is execution."

Link glanced at Liena, who shrugged back at him and replied, "Remember what Master Impaz said? At least, one of the things she said."

" 'Be comfortable with being uncomfortable'," Link muttered irritably.

Liena smirked and stood up. "Get used to it. My shift starts now, so get some sleep and relieve me on time, or else I'll get a bucket of water."

Link mock-scowled at her, but he got up, stretched, yawned, and mumbled a "good night" before trudging off to his assigned bed.

~o~O~o~

Eventually, Link groggily woke up, yawned, and rolled until he was just about to fall out of bed. The sudden change and feeling of falling snapped his brain into wakefulness, allowing him to avoid curling back into the covers and continue sleeping. Now alert, he slid his legs down, sat up, stretched, and finally stood up. After collecting his equipment, he stepped outside.

"Hey, Link," Liena said, sitting on a bench.

"Hey," Link replied. "You can get some sleep now."

Liena nodded. She patted the spot on the bench next to her. "Sit with me for a moment."

Link plopped down. "Sure."

"Link, there's something important I have to tell you," Liena said seriously.

That got his attention, and he sat up straighter. "What is it?"

"The night before the attack, the princess and I got into an argument," Liena said quietly. She looked around to see if anyone was listening in. "It was spontaneous. She was saying terrible things about you, and I had to say something in your defense."

Link smiled a bit. "I appreciate that. You didn't have to, but I appreciate it all the same."

"I know," Liena replied, smiling back. "In any event, the point I'm getting at is that I mentioned Sir Revan to her."

Link stiffened, and his smile fell off. "What?"

"I wasn't thinking," Liena said softly. "I was just angry. She was saying such horrible things about you, and I needed to say something. The subject of the Master Sword came up because she was talking about how easy things were for you because all you had to do was get the sword."

Link frowned. "I think I see where this is going."

"Yeah. It seemed so wrong that I just snapped at her, propriety be damned, and… well… she now knows about what happened to him. I don't think she knew before," Liena said. "I'm mentioning this because it may come up in conversation between you two soon. It hasn't escaped my notice that you two seem to be getting along now."

"Because her wanting to talk to me inside the carriage was too subtle?" Link rhetorically asked.

Liena roughly nudged him with her shoulder. "All's been quiet, by the way."

"Always good to hear."

"So, with the princess's birthday coming up, can you help me out again?" Liena asked without preamble. "My mother has that look in her eye."

Link absently nodded. "Sure, sure. My family is likely invited, too. They can pick you and your family up so you can avoid the line."

"Thanks, Link," Liena said.

"I won't be hovering nearby as much this time, though," Link added.

"Duty, I understand." Liena eyed him. "Are things really okay between the two of you?"

"Saving her life bought me some goodwill," Link replied. "I would rather do without the life-threatening terror, though."

Liena giggled. "You couldn't just do anything normally, could you?"

Link made an indignant face. "You make it sound like the Yiga thing is my fault."

Standing up and stretching, Liena retorted, "Trouble finds you. And you just had to drag us all with you. It's absolutely your fault. Somehow."

Using his Sheikah training, Link's finger was quick to jab Liena in one of her ticklish spots before the knight could react. She almost shrieked as she covered the offending area with one hand and covered her mouth with the other. Mortified, she quickly peered past the tent flap and saw that she hadn't woken anyone.

Silently glaring at Link, she tried to give him a retaliatory kick, but he avoided it easily, and she was reluctant to make any further moves than that, lest she wake the princess or the other patrons.

"Jerk," she mouthed before going into the tent to sleep.

Link was grinning the entire time.

~o~O~o~

A couple of hours into his shift, Link heard footsteps approaching from inside the tent. He turned around and saw that P—Zelda was awake.

"Something wrong?" he whispered.

"No, not exactly, just couldn't sleep," Zelda softly replied. She had a brown wool blanket wrapped around her as she stood next to him and leaned back against the sturdy post of the stable tent.

"I've had nights like that," Link murmured.

"I guess I thought I could keep you company. Or you can keep me company until I can go back to sleep," Zelda said.

"Of course," Link amiably said. He scooted over to allow her to sit down on the bench he was occupying. "What do you want to talk about?"

"What I wanted to say earlier. This morning, I mean," Zelda quietly replied. She accepted his silent offer and sat next to him. "I know I was looking for an 'appropriate time', but then I realized that there isn't one. I… I heard about what happened. To your father, I mean. Sir Revan Faron."

"I know," Link said. He studiously avoided her eyes.

"Y-you know?"

"Liena told me when I relieved her a couple hours ago," Link said, "about the argument you two had and that she was angry and hurt and needed to defend me."

"It was justified," Zelda said softly. "I had thought… I knew my father sent expeditions into the Lost Woods before. I knew they had never returned, and it was always a painful loss. I knew those Royal Guardsmen, and the thought they are gone hurts me deeply. I didn't know Sir Revan was part of the latest expedition. I thought you were assigned, and you were successful. I suppose I should have suspected something when my father did not reveal the details, despite it being a success."

"What did he say?" Link asked.

"That the Master Sword had been recovered and that I needed to awaken my power to finalize our preparations," Zelda answered. "He didn't tell me who you were, or your status, or any particular details, including how many were lost. Looking back on it now, I think he felt guilty."

Link nodded and looked down at the sword on his lap.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Zelda said. Like him, her eyes were drawn to the Master Sword, but instead of resentment, it looked closer to sorrow now. "Had I known… I don't know. I like to think I would have treated you better, maybe be better, but at the very least, I like to believe I would have respected your loss and Sir Faron's sacrifice."

Link nodded again and took a deep breath.

Zelda leaned forward so she could look him in the eyes. "Could I ask… why didn't you say anything sooner?"

"I didn't know you, and the pain felt raw," Link answered quietly. "It was also my pain, and I know who I needed, or wanted, to share it with. Telling you would have only earned your pity, maybe some sympathy, and I didn't need that."

"I see." Zelda sat back and looked up at the night sky. "I wish I could say you would be wrong, but… I can't. I can say that you're strong… stronger than I could have imagined. But I still feel guilty."

"I said I forgave you," Link mumbled.

"I know, but I guess I haven't forgiven myself," Zelda replied. She brought her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. "I had hoped that I would have my powers before the Master Sword was found. When I saw you, a squire, pretty much the same age as me, I allowed petty resentment to fester within me, without knowing how someone like you could have claimed the Master Sword to begin with: by trying to save your father. Had I been in your position, I would have done anything to save my father, too, including going into the Lost Woods."

Link grunted but didn't say anything.

"I-I'm sorry. Let's change the subject," Zelda quickly said. She took a deep breath. "Would you like to start over? Just pretend the last year never happened?"

Looking back up at her, Link nodded. "I'd like that."

Smiling happily, Zelda nodded back. "Thank you."

"Can I ask you something now?" When Zelda nodded again, Link inquired, "Did Urbosa need your help with Vah Naboris? Truly?"

Zelda turned pink and looked away. "It turns out she did not. She wanted me to get away from the castle for a bit and relax. She hoped that it would help me regain my focus… although I cannot rule out the possibility that she did it for my own personal wellbeing as well."

Link shook his head and sighed. "So we were there for a vacation, then."

"I-it would seem so."

"I knew Urbosa was crafty."

Zelda looked abashed. "A-are you angry?"

Link shook his head. "No. Even I take breaks from training to rest. I can't judge you for wanting the same."

Suddenly, a loud snap happened to their right. Link didn't react, but Zelda jumped and clutched his arm.

"Wh-what was that?" she whispered.

"Grassland fox," Link answered. He was more interested in Zelda's behavior and scrutinized her. "I think it's trying to stop a Bushy-Tailed Squirrel from stealing its food."

Zelda nodded. She seemed to realize what she was doing and forcefully pulled herself away. "I, um, I do believe you are correct."

Link peered into her face. She blushed and looked away. He turned his gaze down to his hands. "I never got nightmares, but I do remember feeling like I needed to wipe my hands after my first encounter with a monster, like I needed to clean myself because of the blood that never seemed to wash off. That feeling stayed with me for a while."

Zelda's head snapped back at him.

"You're resilient. You will get over what happened," Link said softly. "Don't repress it. Just let it play out, and your mind will cope. Trauma is more than physical. Just remember, you're okay and you're alive. Anything else is just your imagination playing 'what-ifs', and you shouldn't pay it any heed. Take what happened as a lesson, not something to be feared."

Zelda took a deep breath and scooted closer to him. "Thank you. I… I shall try."

"Well, I'm here, if you need to talk," Link murmured. "Whenever and whatever you want."

Zelda gave him a grateful look and nodded.

They remained silent for a while, up to thirty minutes or so, before she spoke again.

"Well, there is something… I want you to know that you can say no, but it would mean a lot to me," Zelda said shyly.

Uh-oh.

"What is it?" Link asked warily. The way Zelda was speaking was eerily reminiscent of how Aryll would try to trick him into doing something.

"Link… before we return to the castle… can we divert elsewhere… just for a few days?" Zelda hesitantly asked.

Link arched an eyebrow at her. "That depends… where were you thinking, and how long is a few days?"

Taking a deep breath, Zelda replied, "Death Mountain."

"You're really going to have to try very hard to convince me on that."

"I just want a quick glimpse of Vah Rudania," Zelda implored. "It's the only Divine Beast I've yet to get a proper look at."

"And you won't, unless Daruk gets it off the mountain," Link said. "This isn't a leisurely jaunt. It's a volcano. With lots of monsters living in and around it."

"Yes, I know that, but—"

"And if any of the Gorons see us, you know they'll say something to His Majesty at some point," Link argued. "They're honest and blunt. They won't lie, and I doubt they'll keep it a secret. If they see us, His Majesty might very well ban you from leaving the castle until you're good and ready."

Zelda pouted. "Well, fine. I won't get a close inspection, but I would like to see it. Please, Link? Isn't there some place where I could at least get a glimpse?"

Sighing irritably, Link's treacherous mind had already thought of a spot, and he wondered if he was going mad for going along with such a plot.

"There might be… we wouldn't need Fireproof Elixirs, either…" Link grumbled. "If Daruk is still training with Vah Rudania near his training grounds, then we should have a good view without anyone spotting us."

"Then can we? Please?" Zelda pleaded, her green eyes wide and insistent.

Link knew he should have said no. He knew that an unscheduled trip would be bad. That the roads might not have been safe.

On the other hand, the Yiga wouldn't know and therefore couldn't be there, so it would only be monsters, and it was likely they'd been cleared out… probably.

Link sighed and nodded.

Zelda squealed happily before covering her mouth, looking horrified. She glanced back into the tent and saw that her excitement hadn't woken anyone up, including Liena. Sighing in relief, she turned and gave Link a hug.

The physical show of affection threw him off a bit, and he stiffened. "Um… we'll have to explain the situation to Liena. We can't just leave her here."

Letting him go, Zelda resolutely nodded. "Yes, of course. We can't ask her to lie, either. I was thinking, because of the monster presence, if she desired to help, you could relieve her of her duty here."

"Okay… but how do we explain the delay in our return?" Link asked.

"Oh, I have already thought about that," Zelda said mischievously. "Carriage malfunctions!"

Link opened his mouth, closed it, and exhaled. "That's… that might be plausible."

"So, I guess… the only thing is if you're willing to… um… cover for me?" Zelda asked, realizing that Link would have to report to the king and essentially lie about what would happen.

Link eyed Zelda and nodded. "Fine. It'll be our first secret."

Zelda turned pink but smiled back at him. "Our first secret. I like that."

The way she said that sent a small tingle down his spine that he resolutely ignored.

Once again, they lapsed into silence. Zelda pulled out her notebook and started scribbling something inside it, but Link could see that she was getting increasingly drowsy as time went on. Eventually, her head tilted forward, causing her long, golden hair to obscure her face. When Link leaned forward, he saw that her eyes were closed and that her breathing was even and deep.

Her pen and notebook were held loosely in her hands and in danger of falling to the ground. He reached over and grabbed both as carefully as he could to make sure they wouldn't get dirty. However, when he did so, Zelda inexplicably shifted.

Link stiffened once again when he felt a weight settle onto his shoulder. He turned and almost buried his nose into some long, blond hair. He almost had whiplash snapping his head to face forward. He wrestled with what to do. He could try to carry her back to bed, but that felt even more inappropriate than letting her sleep. He could wake her, but if she was having nightmares about the Yiga attack, then any dreamless sleep she could get would be a mercy.

Surrendering to the inevitable, Link decided to let her sleep as she was. He arranged himself in a way that would be comfortable for her and maintained his watch. Hours later, when one of the stable hands was awake and beginning his chores, Link waved him down and quietly whispered to the boy to inform the knight sleeping inside where the princess was when she awoke, to avoid panic.

And that was how Liena found them a few hours later. She smirked at Link's position and mouthed, "Really?"

Link scowled at her, though the effect was undoubtedly ruined by the blush he knew he had but couldn't control.

Still smirking, Liena left Link to his predicament. He had to avoid eye contact with travelers and the various stable staff as they all got up to work. Thankfully—mercifully—the Cucco's morning cry finally woke Zelda up. She blearily opened her eyes, sat up straight, and covered her mouth as she yawned before stretching.

In that intervening time, Link had subtly stood up and moved a step away, to give the illusion that he had been 'standing' guard over her.

Zelda rubbed her eyes and looked around. She finally seemed to realize where she was and sat up straighter, only to relax when she spotted Link standing nearby. "Oh. Sav'otta, Link."

It was the first time she had ever greeted him in the morning.

A lot of firsts these last few days.

"Good morning," Link replied with humor in his voice.

Zelda blushed. "Oh, yes. Good morning."

Link held out her notebook and pen. "Here."

She took them with a smile. "Thank you. Goodness, I can't believe I slept out here. Is it morning already?"

Link nodded. "Liena is securing breakfast for us and readying everything. I'll… um… talk to her while we eat."

"Thank you," Zelda said. She stood up and stretched again. "I'm a little surprised. That was more restful than I could have thought."

Link feverishly hoped his facial expressions weren't going to betray him. "You seemed at peace. I didn't have the heart to wake you."

"I really was. No night—no dreams," Zelda said. "I hope that means I'm on the mend, then."

"One can always hope," Link said. "Shall we?"

Zelda nodded. "Yes, I'm famished. And I need to use the privy."

"Then we'll definitely need to find Liena," Link replied dryly. He led the way around to the side of the tent. As he'd expected, Liena was there, talking to the stablemaster's wife and getting three portions of eggs and bacon. Liena saw them approach and waved.

Link privately thanked Liena for her tact. She didn't mention what had happened at all and was content with letting it lie… at least in front of the princess. Likely, there would be copious amounts of teasing at his expense very shortly, so it made the task of dismissing her a little bit easier.

Once their morning business was concluded, all three sat down to eat.

"Liena, I was thinking, since we're now in Central Hyrule, I can escort Z—Her Highness the rest of the way," Link said. He looked her in the eyes. "I think you should go to Captain Taggart at Jeddo Bridge and reinforce our troops there."

Liena looked surprised, then contemplative. "Hmm… you're probably right. Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Yes," Link said confidently. "It's a straight shot north from here, and I can't think of any problems occurring at the Garrison or Mabe Village."

"Very well, then," Liena said. She grinned at him. "Is that an official order?"

"It has to be to dismiss you," Link retorted.

"I'm not sure I hear it," Liena said teasingly.

Scowling again, Link looked her in the eyes, deadly serious. "Dame Serlut, you are relieved of duty. Report to Captain Taggart at Jeddo Bridge for further marching orders."

Both Liena and Link were a bit shocked, while Zelda appeared delighted.

"Oh, that was much better than last night!" the princess said.

Clearing his throat, Link stared at his plate of food. "Um… yeah. It… it probably was."

"Yes, it was," Liena said quietly. "Well done."

Zelda looked at both of them with concern. "Whatever is the matter?"

When Link didn't speak up—he had taken a spoonful of eggs into his mouth—Liena said, "It's just… he sounded very much like Sir Revan whenever he gave me orders when I was his squire. Almost exactly like him, in fact. I guess the nostalgia struck us both."

Link could only nod. He took care to hide his expression by taking a slow sip of milk.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize…" Zelda trailed off and looked at them with a myriad of emotions.

"I don't think any of us realized it until it was done," Liena said. "Sorry, Link. Um, of course. I'll go after breakfast, okay?"

"Right," Link replied quietly before clearing his throat. "Her Highness and I will also depart after she's done and ready. You needn't worry about us."

"Okay," Liena said. She took a deep breath and forced a smile on her face. "I also wanted to mention: Happy Birthday. I know that it's late, and I'm sorry I missed the party at Mabe Village. If I had known you were allowed to return home, I would have been there."

Link sighed. "It wasn't a party. It was just us and Cremia and Romani. It was a last-moment thing."

"I know, and I heard. Your mother and Aryll told me everything," Liena teased. "It was very nice of you to help her out, though. Cremia, I mean."

Link nearly blushed and busied himself with his breakfast instead.

As expected, Link finished first. Liena finished not long after. She stood up and saluted Zelda. "By your leave, Your Highness."

"Dame Serlut, wait," Zelda said. "A few nights ago, we had words. I wanted to thank you for opening my eyes to the truth. And if I offended you in any way, I ask for your forgiveness."

"I—yes, of course, Your Highness," Liena said. "It was a sweltering day. Clearly, our minds and patience were frayed by the temperature."

Zelda managed a small smile and nodded. "Clearly. Thank you for your time and service."

"You honor me, Your Highness," Liena said. She turned to Link and hugged him. "Take care of yourself."

Link hugged her back. "You as well."

Once their goodbyes were finished, Liena walked over to Zephyr, mounted up, waved one last time, and rode north to Manhala Bridge and Safula Hill.

Link sat back down and patiently waited until Zelda was finished.

She was looking at him, though. Scrutinizing him, almost.

"What?" he asked.

"It was your birthday?"

Link shrugged. "I'm a Child of Farore."

Zelda frowned and seemed to be trying to figure something out. "There was a period when Impa was with me a few months ago. You had left for a few days, right after we returned from Tabantha."

"I went home," Link said. "His Majesty informed me that there was something that needed my personal attention."

"Your birthday?" Zelda asked.

"Sort of," Link replied. "There were gifts given to me. A lot of gifts, coming from all over Hyrule, it seemed."

Now it seemed she understood. "I see. You needed additional security to examine your presents, since they came from unknown sources."

Link nodded. "Yeah. Is that standard for you as well?"

"Yes. The only presents I open are from trusted sources, such as from Urbosa or the Zora Royal Family," Zelda answered. "Were there any problems for you?"

"Thankfully, no," Link replied. "But it was more than what we could handle, so I ended up trading or selling some of it to help out a family friend."

"Cremia, was it?" Zelda asked.

"She and her younger sister, Romani, have been working for my family for years," Link said fondly. "They're like family, too. Cremia recently got engaged, so we're trying to finance a small home for her. The presents I got helped a lot."

Zelda smiled. "That's very kind of you."

Link looked down at his hands, embarrassed. "It's nothing like that. The idea was really my sister's. I'm just helping it along."

Thankfully, Zelda didn't say anything more on the subject. Instead, she asked, "And how old are you now?"

"Sixteen," Link answered.

"We are the same age," Zelda murmured. She continued to eat, but she suddenly grew thoughtful. "About Dame Serlut—Liena—I couldn't help but notice that she's very beautiful."

Though he kept his face expressionless, Link heaved an internal sigh and hoped they would leave soon.

~o~O~o~

East Hyrule – Trilby Plain

Once their preparations were complete, Zelda asked how they would get to Death Mountain. Link corrected her and said they were going to stay south of Death Mountain, closer to Eldin Canyon. Their route would largely be the same as the previous time they had traveled to Death Mountain, except instead of diverting right at the T-intersection past the Thims Bridge, they would go left.

"Towards Woodland Stable?" Zelda asked.

Link shook his head. "If someone spots you or the carriage at the stable, the king will inevitably know. If we really want to keep this a secret, we'll take the carriage to Trilby Plain and hide it there. You can wear a cloak to hide your identity, and we'll ride the horses bareback past the stable. There's a path north of Pico Pond that will take us up a mountain. From there, if we're lucky, we can see Vah Rudania if Daruk is taking it on the mountains above Gorko Tunnel and Gortram Cliff. That's as close as I can comfortably take you. If Daruk has taken Vah Rudania further east or to the north, there's nothing we can do. Most of those areas are completely inaccessible to Hylians unless we have Flamebreaker Armor, a huge stock of Fireproof Elixirs, or you're part Goron and neglected to tell me."

Zelda pouted, but she ultimately agreed.

It was a bit thrilling, but Link had to remind himself that it was nothing more than a childish thrill. They were acting in direct defiance of the king's orders. While Link had mildly entertained the idea—mostly for Midna's sake—this was different. The king's reasons were all valid, but with his and Zelda's relationship taking a turn for the better, Link couldn't believe he was now entertaining the idea of disobedience—or treason—for this.

Their pace had to be brisk, to minimize the amount of time they would lose. They did stop at Hyrule Garrison to report in. No doubt the garrison commander would dispatch runners to Hyrule Castle to inform the king of their arrival. After that, they were expected to be at Castle Town the next evening.

That was the part that worried Link the most. Once Zelda's delayed return was noticed, the king would wait a few hours—an estimate that Link felt was overly generous—and then send the entirety of the Royal Guard to search for them, or at least whoever he could spare.

Early the next morning, they left through the east gate of the garrison, but only for appearances' sake. Once far enough down the road, Link turned south and took a detour through Windvane Meadow. Zelda had to ride next to him for this part of the journey, since the terrain would be too bumpy to be inside the carriage. Link fervently hoped the carriage would be all right on the uneven terrain, or there really would be carriage problems. Thankfully, they made it to Whistling Hill and the roads east of Lon Lon Ranch and Mabe Village. Travelers using the east roads were sparse that day, and Link and Zelda managed to avoid populous areas until Rebonae Bridge, where they skirted Wetland Stable.

Thanks to Link's off-road shortcut, they arrived by late evening at Trilby Plain, southeast of Woodland Stable.

"Your father is going to be worried now," Link said, concerned. He opened the carriage door and offered his hand. "They're likely waiting for our arrival and wondering why we're late."

"We'll be a day or so late," Zelda replied. Taking his hand, she hopped out of the carriage and stretched. "Maybe a bit more, but we're almost there!"

Link sighed. Again, he questioned why he was going along with this madness. "We'll spend the night here, leave the carriage, and go to the spot I talked about at first light."

Zelda nodded. "Right. First things first, then. We should gather wood for a fire, yes?"

"Correct."

"Lead the way!"

Slightly amused by her enthusiasm, Link collected the necessary materials with her help, and soon they had a friendly campfire going to ward off the night chill.

Using ingredients he had bought at Outskirt Stable and Hyrule Garrison, Link was able to cook a rather appetizing dinner—if he did say so himself—for the both of them. Even Zelda looked on with anticipation as the meat sizzled towards perfection.

"Is it almost ready yet?" she teased.

"Almost, yes," Link answered. He smirked. "Ready, no."

Zelda almost pouted but refrained. She drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. "It's lovely here."

"Peaceful," Link murmured in agreement.

After a few silent minutes with Link carefully watching their dinner cook and Zelda contentedly observing their surroundings, the former was about to announce that dinner was ready when he tensed up.

"Link, I heard something," Zelda whispered.

Link had heard it, too. He stood up and slowly drew the Master Sword. "Get into the carriage, now."

Zelda quickly did as she was told.

Link readied himself. It wasn't unsurprising. The scent of their dinner would have easily carried on a light breeze, drawing any manner of animals to investigate. A bit of fire would scare whatever it was off easily. The worst-case scenario would be a monster looking to have some free food, which would be gained by getting rid of the people who had cooked it through wanton violence.

A low growling, which started progressing towards snarling, came from the bushes. Link brandished his sword. An animal, still shrouded in shadow, approached him.

Link took a branch from the fire and held it aloft to see what he was about to deal with and prepare to scare it away.

It was a wolf. It was aged, but still looked fit and strong, with awfully familiar markings around the crown of its head.

"Ammy?" Link whispered, nearly dropping his branch.

The wolf stopped growling and blinked, almost as if surprised.

Link put the branch back into the campfire, slowly sheathed his sword, and knelt down. He held out the back of his hand for her to smell. "Ammy, it's me."

The wolf cautiously stepped forward and took a few tentative sniffs of the air before recognition dawned in her eyes. Ammy grinned before bounding over to Link and started licking his face.

"Oh, good girl, Ammy! Good girl!" Link said happily.

Hearing him, Zelda opened the carriage door and hopped out. "Ammy?"

"Midna's mother," Link said. The surge of emotion nearly overwhelmed him, and he was only barely able to hold back the tears in his eyes. "Ammy was the wolf I raised first. When she left to make her own family, she gave me one of her cubs to raise."

"Oh! I see," Zelda said. She got down on her knees and held out her hand. "Hello, Ammy."

"It's okay, girl," Link whispered. "She's a friend."

Ammy got off Link and slowly approached Zelda. A few sniffs later, she was slowly rubbing her head against Zelda comfortably as well, causing the princess to giggle happily and pet her.

Suddenly, Ammy bounded off.

"D-did I do something wrong?" Zelda asked worriedly.

"I don't think so," Link replied. He was confused, too.

After a couple of minutes, more wolves appeared. Link blinked at their appearance. Some had some of Ammy's markings, others had lighter colorings of her coat, and others did not appear related at all. There were up to eight other lupines entering their campsite now. Ammy bounded up to Link, looking proud.

"Showing off your pack, are you?" Link asked bemusedly. He looked at all the wolves around them. "Well, tell them to wait. I have to break out more stuff to cook with."

When some of the younger wolves started eyeing the dinner over the firepit, Ammy barked at them warningly.

Giving Ammy one last scratch, Link carefully transferred the contents of the skillet to two plates. One he gave to Zelda, the other he started blowing on to cool before dropping portions of his dinner in front of the youngest-looking wolves. Ammy seemed to appreciate the move and batted him on the arm a few times.

Seeing what Link was doing, Zelda started handing out portions of her dinner as well. When he gave her an inquisitive look, she only smiled and shrugged.

~o~O~o~

After feeding Ammy's family, friends, in-laws, or whatever, Link used up the last of their supplies to cook one last dinner for himself and Zelda.

Rather than leave, Ammy's pack stayed, finding various places to lie down and sleep around the campsite. One or two of the older wolves remained awake; they were still lying down, but their heads were up and their ears twitching in different directions occasionally as they heard sounds only they could hear.

With Ammy's entire wolf pack watching over them, Link supposed he could get a full night's rest now, instead of spending the entire evening awake.

Zelda was carefully stroking some of the younger pups, cooing at how cute they were, and snapping pictures with her Sheikah Slate.

At Link's gentle reminder that they needed to get up at dawn, Zelda retired for the evening and used the carriage to rest in.

Zelda offered the use of the carriage's other half for Link to sleep in, but judging from how red her cheeks were and how hot the back of his neck felt, he politely declined and decided to sleep against the carriage's side instead. Among Ammy's pack.

Zelda giggled and joked about how he seemed at home among the wolves—in a good way.

Ammy herself snuggled against Link, evoking nostalgic and familiar feelings within him. Ammy's mate looked at Link with what he could only guess was a combination of both protectiveness and jealousy. Link almost wanted to laugh.

Zelda's sleepy voice cut through the night. "Link, can I ask you something?"

Link turned his head to look up and nodded.

Her head peeked out of the open door. "Why don't you talk more often?"

Falling quiet, Link stared at the fire. Sensing his distress as she had always done, Ammy shifted until her head was comfortably resting on his lap. He smiled and stroked the loyal wolf.

"I-if you don't want to answer, that's fine," Zelda said.

It took a while. Zelda might have even fallen asleep for all he knew, but with Ammy and her family around him, the comfort of the fire, and the stillness of the air, Link finally spoke.

"I'm sixteen," he answered. "To everyone, I'm just a boy. And now I'm supposed to be a hero. I don't know if I'll ever feel like that. I don't want to give off the wrong impression, say the wrong things, or just… dash their hopes away. So, it's just… better not to speak or show any anxiety or hesitation. I need to be that silent guardian they want, the one that's supposed to fight; not complain, not express fear, not… be weak. I have to be strong, to take on any burden; whether it's yours or theirs, it doesn't matter. If everything seems to be coming apart, I have to be the one that's still standing. To face the storm head-on, order against chaos."

When she didn't reply, Link assumed she had fallen asleep, so he was a bit startled when her voice floated back to him.

"I understand that feeling…" Zelda whispered. "Maybe that's the difference between you and me. I think you are strong and I'm the one that's weak."

Link looked up, but he could only see a few strands of Zelda's hair spill over the side of the carriage.

"With everything at stake, I feel so… hopeless," Zelda said. "Even if my power were to manifest, I don't know if I could do what you do. To face the Calamity with dignity and courage."

"It's certainly not easy," Link murmured.

"No… I suppose it isn't," Zelda replied. She was quiet for a time before tentatively asking, "Link? How can I be courageous like you?"

He didn't answer immediately. He started stroking Ammy's head, causing the wolf to exhale noisily but happily. The familiar feeling brought back memories of his test amongst the Sheikah.

"When I was nine, I killed my first monster… monsters," Link said.

The carriage creaked, and soon Zelda's head popped back out of the open door. "I remember Miranda mentioning that."

"That was a test by Master Impaz," Link said. "Usually, squires aren't supposed to do anything like that until they're fourteen. Circumstances were different for me. I had been training for two years by then, but I had never killed anything before. I needed to prove I had what it takes, or I would amount to nothing but wasting my time."

Zelda looked enraptured by his story and silently urged him to continue.

"I failed my test the first time. Miserably," Link said. He wasn't angry about it anymore, or even disappointed. He saw it how Master Impaz saw it: a lesson. "I was supposed to clear out a camp of monsters on my own. But when I had the chance and my sword was raised, I hesitated, and I nearly died because I failed to act. Ammy saved my life, along with Rei, the Sheikah we met back at the Gerudo Desert."

"Oh," Zelda softly said.

"I spent the entire evening and most of the next day kicking myself, hating myself, wondering why I was weak," Link said calmly. "After talking with Liena, I found the resolve to try again the next night, by myself, with only Ammy for help. That time, I succeeded, but… I still felt dirty. I even jumped into the nearby river to clean the blood off, but it still felt like I was covered from head to toe in it. In reality, it probably wasn't very much, but in my mind, it felt like I had bathed myself in blood. Not all trauma is physical."

Zelda's attention intensified now.

"Even so, I knew that I had to press forward," Link said. "I just… needed to make sure that I still had the drive, the resolve… and the courage to do it. That's when I understood the underlying point of the test. I didn't have the words then, but I do now."

He paused and shifted his head in order to look Zelda in the eyes so that she could understand the weight of what he was about to say.

"Courage isn't learned. You earn it."

~o~O~o~

Eldin Canyon – West of Goronbi Lake

After waking up the next morning, Link bade goodbye to Ammy and the rest of her wolf pack. Ammy looked forlorn—a feeling Link shared—but followed her mate and led her group back into the woods.

As planned, Link and Zelda unhitched the horses, left the carriage hidden, and rode northwest, past Woodland Stable, identities hidden beneath their traveling cloaks. Turning right and heading east, they followed the path until it led right up to the foot of Eldin Canyon. From there, they walked—and climbed as necessary—up to the place Link had seen when he'd been with Daruk aboard Vah Rudania.

The way was steep and unsteady. To Link's mild surprise, Zelda never once complained or begged to stop or go back. She did request help with some of the trickier parts of the climb but was determined to reach their destination.

It was mid-morning by the time they made it to the top. Zelda took several deep breaths before looking out over the arid vista. "Oh, I've always wanted to see Death Mountain!"

"Did Daruk meet you at the foot of the mountain then? When you asked him to be a Champion?" Link asked.

"I was still forbidden to make the trip. Daruk also mentioned that the monster population had increased, so it was the prudent course of action." Zelda giggled suddenly. "Actually, we spoke a little about you… after a certain incident, of course."

"An incident?" Link asked, curious.

"Sorry, but I promised Daruk I would not say," Zelda said. There was a mischievous glint in her eyes, though.

Now Link was really curious, but their talk of Daruk reminded him of why they were on top of a mountain in the first place. He surveyed the area below but could not see Vah Rudania nor hear its stomps.

Zelda looked around, too, but sighed disappointedly. "He's not here."

Link nodded. "He likes to train early in the morning and again after lunch. If we don't see him by mid-afternoon, we'll have to leave. We're not climbing down in the dark."

Zelda nodded back. She moved to a nearby rock and sat down. "Well, shall we talk in the meantime?"

Link shrugged and nodded. He found a suitable rock of his own and took a seat. "What about?"

"Tell me how you and Daruk met," Zelda said. "He seemed to admire you greatly."

"Well, he was my instructor when I visited here a couple of years ago, before the Four Swords," Link replied. "Liena felt I needed to get some heavy weapons practice in and bulk up a little to handle stronger opponents."

Zelda smiled. "I can see why the Gorons would be a fine choice."

"Daruk and I met when we were walking up the mountain paths to Goron City," Link said. "I think he was patrolling, making sure the monster population stayed down. He offered to lead us to Goron City. When we got there, we talked about why we were there, and he offered to teach me."

"What did he teach you?" Zelda asked.

"He taught me his shield technique," Link said. "The rest was strength training."

"Oh, you used that when you saved my life the first time," Zelda said. She looked embarrassed—or ashamed. She took off her cloak to busy herself. "Before my father assigned you as my appointed knight."

"Think nothing of it," Link replied.

"Impa also told me that you were the one that first thought about sabotage by the Yiga," Zelda added.

"It was a guess."

"I think you downplay your achievements far too much," Zelda said. "Are you not proud of them?"

"I'm confident in what I do and why I do it," Link said. "I'm not Revali. I don't need to bask in the adoration of the masses. I just need to know that I did the right thing."

Zelda tilted her head at him. "Did your father teach you that?"

"Liena," Link replied. "When I went to Tabantha to study archery, naturally all of the Rito told us that Revali was their best archer, so it would make sense to learn under him."

"But you didn't," Zelda said. "Did he rub you the wrong way?"

"Actually, I was probably too young to identify his… um… character flaws," Link replied. "Liena was the one that disapproved, and I learned under Captain Teboh instead."

Zelda nodded in understanding.

"Liena taught me that it was enough to know how good I am and that it wasn't important for others to know," Link said in remembrance. "She wanted me to have a 'quiet confidence' in myself and that there wasn't a need to show off or prove myself to anyone. I think that quality endeared me to Master Impaz when I met her."

Before Zelda could pose her next question, there was a roar, and it was dangerously close. Link shot up to his feet at once, Master Sword and Hylian Shield drawn and ready.

"Get behind me!" Link said sharply.

Zelda quickly took cover and looked around. "What was that?"

"Monsters," Link muttered. "And it sounds like a lot of them. You can feel the ground shaking now."

"Wh-why are they coming here?" Zelda asked fearfully. "There's no campfire, and we weren't all that loud."

Link shook his head. "Not the time to think about that. Get behind those big rocks and stay there. Depending on how the fight goes, either climb to the top to stay out of their reach or run down the path we came up. Trust your judgement."

"O-okay."

Link looked over the crest of the mountain and saw the monsters heading up the path. Leading the pack was a pair of Lynels.

Damn. Silver, too.

In terms of hierarchy, it was widely believed that the color of the Lynels' coats indicated their overall strength and position among that species. The theory continued to hold—as those that were lucky enough to survive such an encounter all staunchly believed—that Silver Lynels were the toughest foes they ever had the misfortune to fight.

And charging behind them was a small army of Bokoblins, mostly the weaker red and blue varieties, thankfully.

Deciding it would be better to engage them early than wait for them to get close to the princess, Link leapt from his perch. He landed atop one of the Lynels and swung the Master Sword, cutting deep gouges into the Lynel's back, dislodging its bow to prevent its use, and causing it to buck wildly under the onslaught.

The surrounding monsters were stunned to see a lone Hylian riding a fearsome Lynel, striking with abandon, and were openly staring.

Eventually, the Lynel managed to buck Link off. Backflipping with the momentum, Link landed on his feet and spun around, sword out. He managed to take down a pair of Bokoblins in one slice.

The second Lynel roared angrily and rushed at Link, its massive sword raised high.

Link brought his shield up and pushed back just moments before the blade made contact. There was an explosion of light, and the Lynel's massive arm was thrown back. The monster looked absolutely shocked, but its expression turned to rage when Link followed up with a diagonal slash that cut deep across its chest.

All of this was enough to spur the Bokoblins into action and rush Link en masse. Sadly for them, the Lynels did not care and trampled a few that were in their way.

As Link readied to meet them, another challenging roar caused Link to scowl.

Three of them?! What the hell is going on?!

The third Lynel had been relegated to the rear position somehow, even though it, too, was Silver.

Not appreciating the complication, Link needed to at least dispatch one of the two Lynels next to him before the third arrived, or his odds would sink into the negative digits.

Link cut down another Bokoblin as it tried to rush him, backflipped away from one Lynel, and charged at the first Lynel he'd wounded. Far from being afraid, it ran at him, its massive sword drawn.

As the Lynel swung its sword down, Link dodged it and capitalized on the miss with a series of strikes, each aimed at the weaker horse half, rather than the muscular Hylian half. His last strike was different; Link clutched the Hylian Shield tightly and rammed the pointed side right into the joint of the horse leg with all the strength he could muster.

He heard the expected crack and break of the leg and leapt back as the Lynel screeched and toppled over. Link batted away another annoying Bokoblin, and his retaliatory horizontal slash nearly cleaved it in two. Link ran up to the downed Lynel behind and slid the Master Sword into its throat, only to push out, effectively severing every vital organ in the way. The spray of blood was incredible, causing several Bokoblins to rear back in fear.

Careful to avoid the blood—he didn't want to slip in it—Link ran at the nearest Bokoblin and cut it down. The surviving two Lynels, rather than coordinating their attacks, gave in to their rage and tried to attack him simultaneously. One used its bow, while the other simply tried using its massive sword.

Link chose to attack the melee weapon user first. As the massive sword—bigger than Link's entire body—came down, Link distantly remembered having been timid of clashing against such a sword once.

Raising the Master Sword, Link met the blade with a loud clang that echoed throughout Eldin Canyon. The Lynel was shocked to see its sword stopped by a Hylian instead of shattering Link's arm and the rest of him. Their sword lock lasted only a moment more before Link glanced at reflection in the blade of the Master Sword, broke the lock, and leapt to the side.

Three arrows suddenly embedded themselves into the Lynel's right arm.

Enraged, the Lynel turned, saw that its own brethren was the perpetrator, and ran at it, seeking retribution.

There were a few reasons Lynels tended to be solitary. They were strong enough to give many monsters pause from encroaching on their territory, they didn't like to share their spoils, and they didn't get along with anything.

It made Link wonder how these three had avoided fighting one another as long as they had.

With the Lynels sufficiently distracted, Link turned to the Bokoblins and started clearing them out in earnest. They wielded all manner of weapons, but their talents were rudimentary at best, especially since they were the common red and blue varieties.

Although, if Link was being honest with himself, he was putting a tiny bit more effort into dispatching the blue ones than the red ones. It was hard to forget his first failed test and the Bokoblin that had kicked him and nearly killed him.

With the herd thinned, Link glanced over and saw that the Lynel that was in the rear of the pack had won. It swung its one-handed sword and cut the head off in one swipe.

Here we go again.

The surviving Bokoblins realized they were routed and tried to flee. Link drew his bow and started downing them one after another so that they wouldn't terrorize anyone, particularly anyone at Woodland Stable.

Once the bitter task was done, he heard the roar of the Lynel and rolled his eyes. He turned and launched an arrow, only for the Lynel to use its shield and block the projectile. A second attempt only yielded the same result.

Scowling, Link put his bow away and pulled out the Master Sword and Hylian Shield. "Yeah, yeah. You're big, you're scary, you're tough. I get it. Let's finish this already."

Link didn't know if the Lynel understood his words, but it apparently didn't care for the dismissive attitude the little Hylian was displaying. Growling deep within its throat, it leaned forward and started running on its arms and horse legs in a full-on charge, its pointed horns aimed directly at Link.

It was an attack he had never seen before—granted, his experience with Lynels was limited—but the gist remained the same: don't get impaled by pointy objects.

Link nimbly leapt to the side and scored a nasty gash on his enemy.

It looked more annoyed than wounded, though, and started taking a series of swings that Link blocked with his own shield.

During the sword lock, the Lynel tried to kick Link with its front hooves. Link brought his shield up to block but lost the footing necessary to brace himself when the Lynel used its own shield to attack. Link gritted his teeth and backpedaled. The sharp edge of the shield cut into the undershirt sleeve on his right arm, but he didn't know if blood had been drawn, and he didn't have the time to look.

Suddenly placed on the defensive, Link was forced to parry attacks as he tried to get his feet back under him or risk falling. The Lynel grinned and pressed its advantage. One particularly harsh clash of blades kept Link off-balance. The Lynel reared back its head and used its saber-like horns to slash at Link.

All Link was able to do was raise his shield and take the brunt of the attack. Unfortunately, the follow-up strike from the front hooves finally tipped him over, and he fell back with a grunt, sliding against the unforgiving ground. He felt the sleeve of his undershirt tear away and hissed as his bare arm scraped against the gravelly surface. During the scuffle, he lost his grip on the Master Sword.

Scrambling back, Link saw that the legendary blade was just within reach, but the Lynel was too close. All he could do was raise his shield as the Lynel brought its sword down in a stab. He felt the air rush out of his lungs as the metal pressed against his chest.

Well, damn. This thing wasn't in the back because it was the weakest. It was in the back because it didn't care. Which probably makes it the strongest.

After a few failed attempts to break through Link's shield, the Lynel dropped its own shield in order to grasp the edge of the Hylian Shield, intent on finishing Link off.

Instead, Link gripped the shield more tightly and was lifted to his feet… and then was lifted off the ground entirely as the Lynel held Link aloft. It roared triumphantly.

Only for it to be cut short when something struck its head.

It was a rock, barely bigger than Link's fist. Both Link and the Lynel turned to see Zelda standing on top of a tall rock formation.

"Let him go!" Zelda shouted. She picked up another loose stone and threw it, but this time, her aim was terribly wide.

The Lynel snarled, but the distraction was all Link needed. He dropped his right hand to his quiver, pulled out an arrow, and thrust it into the Lynel's left eye.

Screaming, the Lynel dropped Link and ripped the offending object out.

Landing on his feet, Link darted toward the Master Sword. The Lynel, not giving up, charged at Link and tried to slash at him from behind. Link dropped to his knees, slid along the ground, and scooped up the Master Sword. He leaned further back, letting the Lynel's sword cut the air above him.

The moment his momentum bled off, Link tried to get back to his feet, but the Lynel was relentless. It tried to cut down Link again and again, only to be blocked by the Hylian Shield. Frustrated at its lack of progress, it raised its front hooves to try to crush Link instead. Link fell onto his side and started rolling toward the Lynel. The front hooves smashed the ground behind him. Roaring angrily, it started stomping around awkwardly, even comically, as Link continued to roll back and forth, avoiding the hooves at every turn to avoid being stepped on or trampled.

Finally, Link was able to find an appropriate angle and, after evading one of the rear hooves, brought the Master Sword up and stabbed deep into the belly of the Lynel's horse half.

This time, the Lynel shrieked and tried to get away, but Link quickly got up to a kneeling position and viciously pushed and pulled the Master Sword so that it started to eviscerate the Lynel. The Lynel started screaming in pain as it dropped its sword and tried to grab Link and pull him away. The angle was too poor, though, and Link completed his task by pulling the Master Sword out from the hip joints, severing bone and muscle, and nearly dismembering one of the rear legs before rolling away.

The Lynel fell heavily on its side, unable to even muster the breath to issue another one of its roars. Link stood up, marveling over the fact that he had only gotten blood on his boots rather than everywhere on him, considering how much viscera was spilling out of the gash he'd made. Lifting the Master Sword to shoulder level, Link performed one last horizontal slash, and the Lynel fell dead.

Link looked down at his defeated foe dispassionately. "That was the only shot you were ever going to have."

Taking a deep breath, Link surveyed the bloody battlefield. He carefully walked among the dead, or at least he made sure they were dead in the event a Bokoblin was feigning it.

Once he was reasonably sure it was clear, he looked up at Zelda and nodded. "You can come down now."

Zelda nodded and carefully made her way down from her perch. It may have been inappropriate, but when she was within arm's reach, Link sheathed the Master Sword and Hylian Shield, grasped Zelda by the waist, and carefully placed her on the ground.

She blushed a bit from the intimate physical contact, only to gasp. "You're hurt!"

Link glanced down at his wound on his right arm and shrugged. "It's fine."

"We should have a look at it, at least," Zelda argued. "Come, sit over here."

She took his left hand and pulled him to a nearby rock. Despite the bodies of the monsters below them, she appeared unbothered by the sight. Instead, she forcibly sat him down, rolled up the right sleeve of his tunic, and inspected the wound.

"I need to clean this first," Zelda muttered. She quickly collected her discarded traveler's cloak and looked around. "Oh, maybe one of those weapons…?"

Link reached into his belt and quietly held out a knife.

"Oh yes, that will work," Zelda said. She took the knife and carefully cut a piece of her cloak away. Using her canteen, she wetted the cloth before gently dabbing at Link's wound. "Does it hurt?"

"Nothing I'm not used to," Link replied. He allowed himself to be fussed over as Zelda inspected the wound on his arm.

Zelda absently nodded. "That cut doesn't look too bad, actually. You're fine for now."

Once the wound was clear of blood and other contaminants, she held out his arm horizontally, carefully examining Link's reactions to see if it caused any distress or affected the arm's range of motion. He hardly batted an eye. There was pain, but it was within tolerable levels.

"But you know, there's a fine line between courage and recklessness," Zelda said. She took his knife and started cutting her cloak into longer strips. "As brave as you are, that does not make you immortal."

Link nodded, if only to humor her. However, something about what she said tickled the edges of his memories, and he found himself distracted as he tried to recall where he had heard similar words before.

Not Liena, I think. She usually teases me about it.

Once the makeshift bandages were ready, Zelda used the last of her water to wet and clean them, wrung them out to remove the excess fluid, and started tying them around Link's arm.

While she worked, Link looked back at the valley below them. He had never seen such a large concentration of monsters gathered like that before. And it was unheard of for Lynels of the same color to gather like that. Three Silver Lynels would cause friction, as each one of them were proud monsters and would fight—to the death—to assume the leadership role by proving which one was the strongest, usually by killing the competition. Lesser Lynels would cower before them and be bullied into submission.

Zelda seemed to be having similar thoughts when she looked over the valley herself. "It seems that… not only is the frequency of these types of attacks on the rise, but the scale of beasts we are facing is intensifying as well."

Thinking back to the report he'd read about Tabantha, Link found it hard to disagree.

"I fear that… I fear that this is an omen which portends the return of Calamity Ganon," Zelda said worriedly. After she finished bandaging Link's arm, she took a deep breath, stood up, and dusted herself off. "And if that's the case, I'm ready to expect the worst. We'll need to make preparations as soon as possible."

Link nodded. He stood up, dusted himself off as well, and followed her back down the path.

They were quiet for a time. For some reason, Zelda's words were bouncing around in his head.

"But you know, there's a fine line between courage and recklessness. As brave as you are, that does not make you immortal."

Finally, the memory that had eluded him finally manifested.

"… the line between bravery and recklessness is thin and blurry. You must always exercise the best judgement and caution. Always."

Link chuckled humorlessly to hide the tinge of grief that welled up within him.

Zelda stopped and looked back at him. "Something funny?"

"No, not funny… not really," Link replied. "Something you said earlier, it brought back some memories, when you talked about courage and recklessness. My father once told me the same thing."

Zelda's eyes widened. "O-oh, I'm sorr—"

"Don't be," Link quickly said. "It's not as if I'll break to pieces, and I know you don't mean any malice. In fact, it was a good memory, with a bit of a lesson behind it."

"Tell me about it." Zelda turned around to give him her full attention.

"I was… four, I think," Link said, casting his eyes upward and recalling distant childhood memories. "It was my first time in Castle Town. My father promised to show me where he worked, and I was excited because I hadn't left Mabe Village yet."

"And you found some trouble, I'm guessing?" Zelda teased.

"Nothing like that. At least, not yet," Link said with a rueful smile. "There was something called the STAR Game, and he allowed me to play for a bit. It was an obstacle course where you run and jump to touch some colored orbs within a time limit. There were some that were out of my reach, I was too short. I got those last orbs by jumping from a high place and won the game."

"And there's the reckless streak," Zelda said, smiling.

"Yeah, I gave him a fright," Link replied with a grin. "He had told me that 'fortune favors the brave' during a bedtime story, I believe. And now he had to compound that lesson with the 'line between bravery and recklessness'."

"It seems you're still learning," Zelda said with a sigh, offset by her continued smile.

Link shrugged. "Nobody's perfect."

"Clearly," Zelda replied. She continued walking. "Thank you, by the way. For protecting me."

"Of course," Link said. He turned serious. "You were right, though; it does seem odd. Monster attacks in Tabantha and now Eldin? If we hadn't come here, those monsters might have found their way to Woodland Stable. The people there would have been in incredible danger. It was good we came, even if we didn't see Vah Rudania."

"Wait, what did you say…?" Zelda trailed off and looked at him with a strange look on her face.

"Um… I said it was odd that we have a surge of monsters in Tabantha and now Eldin?" Link repeated uncertainly. "And that it was good we were here because Woodland Stable is down this path?"

"After that!"

"They were in danger?"

"After!"

Link blinked in confusion. "We didn't see Vah Rudania?"

Zelda's eyes widened, and she turned her gaze south.

Link did as well but couldn't see what she was seeing. The only thing he could identify was the Lanayru Wetlands in the Lanayru Province. "What? What did I say?"

"I think… I think I know what's going on!" Zelda exclaimed. Far from looking proud, though, she looked horrified. "We must return to the castle immediately!"

Without waiting for him, she started going back down the path at an even faster—more frantic—pace than before.

Link quickly followed. "What? What's going on?"

"It's our fault!" Zelda shouted back. She scrambled down the path. Dangerously, in Link's opinion.

Her desperation to get back was still lost on him as he scrambled to keep up. "Our fault?"

"The Divine Beasts!"

It was hard for Link to focus on sure footing while simultaneously thinking about what possible impact the Divine Beasts could have had on monsters…

Oh.Oh, damn.

"The Divine Beasts are driving the monsters into Central Hyrule!" Link shouted.

"Precisely!" Zelda yelled. "That's why we need to get back, now!"

By the grace of the Great Goddesses, neither of them fell or broke any bones. They quickly reached their horses and mounted up.

"Are we going back to the carriage?" Link asked.

"There's no time!" Zelda said impatiently. "We'll have to leave it!"

"We'll need proper equipment, then," Link said. "We'll have to stop at Woodland Stable to purchase saddles and reins. We're no good as messengers if we fall off and break our necks. Courage, not recklessness, remember?"

Zelda looked at him before nodding firmly. "Let's go, then."

~o~O~o~

Central Hyrule – Hyrule Castle

Link gave Zelda his cloak to avoid unwanted questions while he bought what they needed for their rapid journey back. Hyrule Castle wasn't far—they could see it in the distance—but given the late afternoon, it would be dark by the time they arrived, a full day behind their original schedule.

When Link mentioned to the stablemaster that they needed to get to Castle Town quickly, the man seemed to sense the urgency in Link's voice and offered to board their carriage horses and allow them use of a pair of stallions that would make the journey with minimal rest instead.

Link dropped all the rupees he had—his winnings from the sand seal races—on the table as collateral and took the deal without bothering to negotiate.

Once Link and one of the stable hands fitted the new horses with their saddles, bridles, and reins, Zelda quickly hopped on, with Link not a moment later, and they raced back to Castle Town. The stallions performed as promised. They were able to gallop past Rauru Settlement and across Helmhead Bridge before needing water at the Hylia River just off Boneyard Bridge. Finally, they galloped past Hyrule Cathedral, where Princess Zelda revealed herself to the guards on duty and demanded an escort and the roads cleared so they could quickly get to Hyrule Castle.

Shocked, the guards did as they were ordered without question.

As predicted, it was evening by the time they finally reached Hyrule Castle, though the faster stallions had saved time, allowing them to reach their destination a few hours ahead of Link's previous estimates.

Zelda threw Link's cloak to the nearest servant as they made their way to the Sanctum. A herald hastily ran ahead to announce their return.

When they finally reached the central dais situated in front of the throne, Link kneeled while Zelda waited to be addressed.

"Where have you been?!" King Rhoam asked harshly.

"Investigating," Zelda answered calmly in the face of her father's anger.

Link made sure the surprise he felt didn't reveal itself on his face.

"What?" King Rhoam asked impatiently.

"We heard about the surge of monsters coming from Tabantha," Zelda said. "I had a suspicion as to the cause and needed to prove it. I ordered Link to take me to Eldin Canyon."

King Rhoam narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"Father, listen to me," Zelda pleaded. "The Divine Beasts. They're the reason why the monsters are coming into Hyrule. It's not an attack; they're being displaced, running from a larger threat, and taking their chances against a lesser one. Us. It's our fault."

"It's a mass retreat, Your Majesty," Link added.

King Rhoam looked shocked before frowning. "I see… that makes sense."

"Father, we need to inform the Champions to cease training until the proper precautions are in place," Zelda implored. "An attack from one province is bad enough, but imagine if we have to contend with attacks from four provinces. Furthermore, what if Vah Rudania and Vah Medoh were to force monsters further east and south, respectively? The monsters would be driven into the Akkala and Necluda regions. They would be especially vulnerable to such an occurrence."

"Agreed," King Rhoam said. "We shall send messengers to the Champions and order a halt to training until we are adequately prepared."

"It may be time to dispatch any working Guardians," Zelda suggested. "If they're to be the ground forces against the Calamity, this may provide an opportune test."

"Very well, but now back to the original purpose of this meeting," King Rhoam said. "What news have you on your trip to Vah Naboris?"

Link and Zelda shared a look before the former said, "Your Majesty, it would be better to speak in private, in your office."

King Rhoam frowned but nodded. "Very well. Let us adjourn there."

Once in his private study, King Rhoam remained standing as he looked down at them. "Well, what say you?"

Link glanced at Zelda. She gave him a solemn nod back.

"The Yiga Clan attacked Her Highness," Link said. "I was able to repel the attack, though."

A series of emotions flew across King Rhoam's face, many of which were akin to rage or worry.

"I'm all right, Father," Zelda quickly added. "Link did his duty admirably."

Taking a deep breath, King Rhoam sat in one of the chairs next to the fireplace. Link and Zelda both took a seat on the large sofa and stared back at him.

Finally, King Rhoam said, "Tell me what happened. Leave no detail out."

Zelda started first, talking about the imposter that had entered her room and lured her away from Gerudo Town.

"Where was Dame Serlut?" King Rhoam asked.

"A diversion was sent first, and Dame Serlut had to assess the threat posed," Link said. "A mistake I would have made, certainly."

After that, Zelda said she had initially been saved by a pair of Sheikah, but they had been outnumbered. Link had been able to handle the ones that had pursued her and save her life.

King Rhoam nodded and stroked his beard. "Where is Dame Serlut now?"

"After we heard that the west border of Hyrule was under siege at Outskirt Stable, I dismissed Dame Serlut to assist," Link said. "When we arrived at Hyrule Garrison, Her Highness asked that we divert from our original path to Death Mountain. I disagreed and suggested Eldin Canyon to the south. We wanted to observe monster movements, and I thought that region would be safer."

"We didn't know that the monsters would take that path, but it was fortunate Link was there," Zelda said. "A large contingent of monsters, including Silver Lynels, were present. Woodland Stable and everyone there was in danger, not to mention our east flank was exposed, since we diverted to the west. Link was able to handle the monsters there single-handedly. Rest assured, Father, I was in no way in danger."

King Rhoam glanced at the two of them seated across from him. "Were there many?"

Link and Zelda nodded as one.

Before King Rhoam could ask any further questions, a knocking interrupted him.

"Enter," King Rhoam said.

Impa entered and knelt. "Your Majesty, Your Highness."

"What is it, Impa?" King Rhoam asked.

Impa held up a letter. "I received a message from Master Impaz. It's encoded, Your Majesty, but contains an account of the events in the Gerudo Desert from the warriors that we dispatched. According to them, Yiga traitors disguised themselves as Sheikah and lured Her Highness away from Gerudo Town to kill her. Sir Faron stopped them."

"We decided to return to Central Hyrule immediately," Zelda added. "I didn't want to place the Sheikah, or the Gerudo, in any more danger."

"Except you don't seem to mind putting yourself at risk," King Rhoam grumbled.

"It was a calculated, and necessary, risk," Zelda argued. "The knowledge we learned will save lives."

King Rhoam frowned but didn't refute her words.

"It was a bold move, attacking the princess," Impa said carefully. She glanced hesitantly between the king and the princess. "What of the upcoming celebration?"

King Rhoam sighed. "It should be cancelled, but appearances matter. To our allies, to the people at large. If we cancel it, it may show that we are afraid, and that is a message we cannot afford to send."

"I could feign to be ill, Father," Zelda suggested.

"Word will spread if the lie does not hold," King Rhoam replied heavily. "No, we progress as planned. We will simply have to take extra precautions."

"I will send word back to Master Impaz and coordinate," Impa said. "We will keep you apprised of our plans down to the letter, Your Majesty. Rest assured, the Yiga will not be able to infiltrate the celebration. You have my word."

"Thank you, Impa," King Rhoam said. "Zelda, Impa, you are dismissed."

It didn't escape Link's notice that the king did not dismiss him. Even if the words didn't register, the look King Rhoam was giving him was unmistakable.

Zelda stood up and bowed slightly, while Impa did so formally.

After both ladies left, Link turned back to the king. "Your Majesty?"

"Once I have time to process what has occurred—about the Divine Beasts and your unscheduled trip to Death Mountain or thereabouts—we will speak in detail of what has happened in the last month or so," King Rhoam said heavily. "For now, on to lighter matters. It seems that you and Zelda are in a much better position."

"We finally found common ground," Link said neutrally.

King Rhoam arched an eyebrow. "Did you, now?"

"We did," Link replied. "We took some time, sat down, and talked out our problems. Diplomacy at its finest."

"There is nothing I need to worry about?" King Rhoam asked.

Link sighed. "If you're inquiring about Her Highness's powers, I did not see any sign, nor has she mentioned any progress. She will continue to try her utmost."

King Rhoam exhaled, got up, and poured himself a drink. "And what of Vah Naboris?"

"I'm afraid I know little about that," Link answered. He figured it was best to let Zelda speak to the king rather than add any input on the matter and create a conflicting report. Strictly speaking, Link didn't know about the work done, so it wasn't a total lie.

King Rhoam took a small sip and met Link's eyes. "My last question before you are dismissed. Answer me honestly: Was my daughter ever in any danger?"

Link met his gaze unwaveringly and replied, "Not while I'm alive."

~o~O~o~

Author's Notes:

Tiny scene here inspired by Commute by Shar (Sharlene Yap).

Link here: commute: a zelink fan animation (BOTW AU) - YouTube

If the link isn't working, you can search for it on YouTube. It's unbelievably cute. If you're a Zelink fan, then I recommend you watch her other videos as well.

Camp scene inspired by artwork made by Mi, found here: (2) Mi on Twitter: "脸红了？ /JEmG3212Y7" / Twitter

If the link isn't working, search for: ALZi Legend of Zelda

The top result should be it. Seriously, I really wanted to stop at that camp convo, but it was too short a chapter and I liked where all of this was flowing, so I marched on.