POV Zelda

Still numb from the news I just received, I sit on the ground and lean against the tree near the chalet. After the excruciating weeks of anticipation, Link has finally made his decision — he's soon to depart on a mission alongside Kass to lands beyond Hyrule. My heart shatters into a million tiny fragments, tearing me apart from the inside out. My arms and legs are paralyzed with the terror of the impending loneliness.

My soul is in turmoil and anguish overwhelms me. Outwardly, though, I seem apathetic. Paradoxically, I feel everything and nothing at the same time. The pain is so intense and excruciating that it feels like I'm watching someone else suffer, not myself. And yet, it is everything, and I am it — and my mind can focus on nothing else.

I hear Link leaving the cabin and closing the door behind him. He has probably finished packing his bags. He walks towards me and sits silently by my side. I close my eyes; seeing him makes my heart contract painfully.

"I'm sorry," Link whispers.

There are no explanations to be given. We both know exactly why he's making this decision. And I don't blame him. I blame fate, the universe, Hylia, timing, circumstances, the unfairness of life. But even amid the most visceral fury, drowned in revolt and sorrow, I can't condemn him for, for the first time in his life, making a decision that puts himself first.

"Don't apologize," I say, still with my eyes closed. "You have no choice but to go."

"I hate this," his voice trembles, in a rare moment of vulnerability. "I wish I didn't feel this need, this restlessness. I wish this..." I open my eyes and see him gesturing to the landscape around us, then looking deeply at me. Link looks away to the ground and, after a pause laden with guilt and frustration, finishes in a whisper, "I wish this were enough."

I can't hold back the tear that rolls down my cheek. I keep telling myself it's not his intention to hurt me. Yet... it destroys me to hear that none of this — including me — is enough for him.

Realizing I'm crying, he lifts his hand to wipe the tear away; the touch of his fingers on my face makes my heart race. It's the first time Link touches me this way. He keeps his hand on my face, and I allow myself to rest my head on it. A sigh escapes my body.

"I hate being the one who makes you cry. I swore to protect you... and I'm breaking my word by leaving."

"I can protect myself," I repeat for the hundredth time. "Besides, there are others who can help me... Paya is an excellent fighter, she's learned everything Impa knows and perfected it. And Purah is working with Robbie to correct her age; soon she should no longer be a child. I'll be fine."

"I know. It doesn't make it easier," Link says and, before continuing, takes a deep breath. "I wish I could stay here, with you. But it's not fair to ask you to complete me. I need to find myself before I can be with anyone."

As much as each word feels like a stab, I know he's right. And I understand that even if I could abandon the kingdom again — which I can't — and accompany him, this is a journey he needs to make alone. I know the supposed "mission" with Kass was just a pretext he used to leave. They'll probably part ways soon as well.

After a few seconds of hesitation, I ask the question that keeps hammering in my mind:

"Will you ever come back?"

He looks at me and in his eyes there is only pain.

"I don't know. Maybe yes, maybe no... Please, Zel... Don't wait for me. I can't leave with that expectation on me. I need to start this new chapter without ties to the past. We're still so young... even though I feel like I'm thousands of years old."

I agree, for I feel the same way.

"Don't close your heart if someone else comes along. I made my choice to leave and I need to deal with the consequences that come with it."

The idea of being with someone else — of desiring someone else — seems inconceivable to me. But I understand what he's asking and I agree, freeing him from this concern. However, I know he will leave tomorrow at dawn. So I take a deep breath and make one last request before he leaves my life.

"Link..." I begin, but shame paralyzes me and I can't continue.

"Yes?" he observes me with a sad curiosity, if that's even a thing.

"I..." my voice fails again. I take a deep breath once more and pour everything out at once. "I understand everything you said. And I agree. But..."

I bring my fingers to the back of his hand. The simple act of touching his skin makes my breath quicken slightly and a gentle tingling sensation runs up my arm. Link tenses as he watches me move my fingers over his hand in a hesitant attempt at affection.

"I... I know you feel the energy too," I say, though not entirely sure. However, I can't let him leave without knowing what it's like... to be with him. I could never forgive myself. "And if this is the last night we'll have together... I want to spend it with you."

Looking into his blue eyes, I fight against the shyness that invades every cell of my body. By Hylia, please let him feel the same.

The seconds drag as he digests my invitation, slightly stunned. The uncertainty crushes me and my cheeks burn with my own boldness. I turn my head, unable to keep looking at him. I'm about to get up and run away when I feel his fingers touch my chin, slowly pulling my face towards him. I notice his hand is trembling.

His touch makes my heart race and soon I'm panting. As he approaches, his eyes scan my face as if trying to memorize my expression. I realize I'm holding my breath and force myself to exhale. I can feel the static in the air, and the hairs on my arm and the back of my neck stand on end.

I have fantasized about this moment many times. But no fantasy, no literature, could ever have prepared me for the sensation that knocks me out when his lips touch mine. Instantly, all my nerve endings awaken and my legs stop working for a split second—a tiny part of my brain that is alert and paying attention to every movement thanks the stars that I'm sitting down.

His fingers travel to the back of my head and intertwine with my hair, pulling slightly. My womb contracts with the anticipation as his tongue licks my lower lip, asking for permission to explore my mouth. Desperate to feel more of him, I grant the necessary space for him to deepen the kiss. While he kisses me, his hands start to wander through my body. Link grasps my shoulders, my arms, my hands. Then, his hands arrive at my thighs and move up slowly, reaching my hips.

Taken over by an unmeasured boldness, I entangle my fingers in his hair and use the grip as a support point to pull me onto his lap, sitting facing him. Holding my thighs firmly to keep me there, Link stands up. I trap my feet against each other, anchoring myself in his embrace. We do not break the kiss at any point. I don't know how, but soon we are inside the chalet and he closes the door behind us with a kick.

His hands and mouth roam over me as if marking territory. And there's nothing I desire more than to be his. Link kisses and explores me calmly, as if we had all the time in the world. He takes me gently at first, before completely losing control. My fingers dig into his flesh, and many times I feel like I might die from the intensity of the sensations.

That night, we often forgot our own names. We ceased to be individuals, and I believed we became one. We shared indescribable, divine hours. And I know I will never forget the way he looked at me while making me his. How, in that moment, it seemed he needed me more than water or air to survive. How he called my name like a prayer as he surrendered to me, over and over again.

When it was all over, we remained embraced, exhausted and breathless. Then he fell asleep, his face buried in the curve of my neck.

"I love you," I think, but don't say out loud. I don't want to make this even harder. In a few hours, he will leave. But for now, we will sleep together, in each other's arms, without thinking about what the future holds for us.


POV Link

I wake up to sunlight filtering through the cracks in the window. The warmth of Zelda's body heats me. She's sleeping deeply, lying on her side with her back to me. I watch her long golden hair spread across the bed, her face serene, and I notice she's smiling in her sleep.

"Just one more moment," I plead, though I don't know to whom. However, I know that the longer I stay, the harder it will be to leave. So I decide to go now, without waking her. Last night was the perfect farewell, and any more words would only taint those moments.

I find my clothes scattered around the cottage and dress quickly. I gather my bags and slip out quietly, closing the door silently behind me.

I watch the end of the sunrise as I finish loading Epona. Despite the farewells, I feel happy to be following my path. It feels like not just a new day is beginning, but a new chapter in my life. And I fervently hope Zelda does the same.

After a full day of traveling at high speed, I arrive at dusk at my final stop before meeting Kass: the Lost Woods. It's perpetually covered in a dense fog designed to confuse and deter intruders. If a traveler gets lost in the mist, they are magically transported back to the forest entrance. I need to cross it to reach the home of the Koroks, playful and mischievous forest creatures. There lives the Great Deku Tree. This entity has existed for millennia, through many eras of Hyrule and countless wars. It is the guardian of the Master Sword when I—or whoever the chosen hero of the generation is— am not wielding it.

Having made this journey dozens of times, I soon stand before the pedestal of the Master Sword.

"Link..." greets the Deku Tree, its deep voice filled with the calmness that only centuries of life can bring. "I was wondering when you would appear here to return the sword to its resting place. You're alone... I presume you're leaving."

I'm not surprised. Its wisdom is immeasurable, and I know it understands my plans—perhaps better than I do myself. I nod, confirming its observation.

"I expected nothing less. Now that the most urgent situation has been controlled, it is essential for you and Zelda to learn more about the past to move forward," it says, leaving me confused by its meaning. But before I can ask, it continues. "We will have a few years of peace before the final battle begins," it decrees. My blood freezes in my veins, and my muscles tense. It wasn't over, then?

"Final battle?" I repeat, stunned.

"Don't worry about that now. It is essential that you embark on your mission immediately and learn as much as you can. Zelda will also begin her own journey soon, though she doesn't know it yet. The future is uncertain, and the decision to return or not is yours. But be careful of fleeing destiny: you may fulfill it without even realizing it."

All the lightness I felt at the start of the day drains from me. What is it saying, that I have no control over my future? Unconsciously, I hunch, feeling the weight of the world crash down on my shoulders again.

"Don't let this trouble you, Link. And don't dwell on it too much. As I said, we have a few years ahead of us. When the time is right, you will know. Until then, explore, learn, live. And most importantly, have the courage to find yourself."