POV Zelda

Tauro gently strokes my face in a comforting way.

"I have to go, I need to stop by the lab this morning. Purah asked for my help to figure out something about the 'logic of teleportation' and how to 'integrate that with the Purah Pad,' whatever that means," he says, playfully.

I nod in agreement, and he stands up to go to the door. He opens it, but as he's about to leave, I stop him.

"Tauro… wait," I get up and walk over to him. I'm still in my pajamas, but the chalet is secluded, so I doubt any curious neighbors are watching.

He pauses and looks at me, smiling. He's always smiling, making any place feel lighter. I reach him at the doorstep.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," I say timidly, in a low voice. "I thought I was ready, but… I couldn't."

Tauro shakes his head as if I'm saying something absurd.

"Zelda, I loved every second of yesterday. I could listen to you talk for hours… it was wonderful. Don't worry about anything. We'll move forward only when—and if—you feel comfortable," he reassures me, concerned about my feelings. He also speaks softly, as if we're sharing a secret.

I blush at his words. I place my right hand on his arm, and slowly slide it down to hold his hand.

"Thank you," I give a slight smile. He smiles back. In a gesture that has become routine for us over the past weeks, he bends down and gives me a gentle kiss on the lips.

Just then, I hear a dull thud, like something falling. Tauro frowns, concerned.

"Did you hear something?" he asks, his voice a bit louder.

I wait a few seconds, listening carefully, before answering.

"I think it was just the wind."

He shrugs, smiles again, and finishes saying goodbye to me.

I watch him walk away and stop in the middle of the bridge, looking around, puzzled. I see his gaze linger for a moment towards the tree. Curious, I look too; but I don't see anything unusual—probably just some fruit or branch that fell. Tauro resumes walking, and I enter the chalet, closing the door behind me. Leaning against the door like a teenager, I get lost in memories.

It's been just over three months since we met at the Sacred Spring in Faron. Right after he rescued me from nearly drowning, Purah came running into the chamber.

"Zelda, are you okay? I thought I heard you scream, but then I didn't hear anything else and got distracted and… oh, who's your friend?"

Sitting up quickly, I straighten my posture.

"Hi, Purah, this is Tauro. I just met him… he stopped me from drowning in the spring."

Purah looks at the pool and frowns—its depth barely reaches a meter—then looks at me. She shrugs as if me drowning in a bowl wouldn't surprise her.

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Purah, one of Hyrule's scientists," she says, addressing Tauro. "Thank you for saving the princess."

"Princess?" Tauro looks confused.

I grimace slightly, nodding.

"Yes… I am Princess Zelda, of Hyrule."

He immediately bows, staring at the ground.

"Forgive me, Your Highness, I didn't know I was in the presence of royalty. I should have studied more about these lands. I never imagined I'd encounter a member of the royal family in such a remote region."

"No, no, please," I insist. "It's just a title; it doesn't mean much… there's hardly any kingdom left."

Tauro looks at me, still puzzled.

"It's a long story," I say, feeling an urge to tell him everything. "If you come back with us to our city, we can explain."

Purah looks at me curiously after I say this. I quickly add:

"And, in return, you can tell us more about your profession. Purah, he's a historian and knows the folklore of this region… things even we didn't know… he might help us understand more about the ancient technologies."

If Purah was intrigued before, her scientific interest now took over.

"Really?" she asked intently.

Tauro then accompanied us back to Hateno. Along the way, we told him about the entire Calamity history. He, in turn, told us what little he knew about the lost tribe of Faron—known as the Zonai—and some other curiosities he had learned about the region before arriving in Hyrule.

In a few days, Purah, impressed with the encyclopedic knowledge he carried, invited him to join the research team.

"Better than dealing with that old jerk Robbie," she observed. "And much nicer to look at, don't you think?" she added with a suggestive smile.

In no time, Tauro charmed everyone around him. He was kind, funny, intelligent, and well-traveled. He had countless stories to tell from all the places he had been and all the different cultures he had encountered.

Talking to him was easy, light. He could seamlessly transition from a light-hearted, hilarious anecdote to a deep philosophical discussion in seconds. Several times, I found myself fascinated just by listening to him.

I surprised myself when, almost two months after the day at the spring, I unexpectedly invited him on a "date". I needed to go to Kakariko to talk to Impa about the Triforce, as the voice had instructed me in Faron. Purah was busy with her research and couldn't accompany me.

"But Tauro isn't doing anything urgent today," she suggested. Without thinking, I asked if he could accompany me on the trip. He accepted without hesitation.

We set off shortly after. Initially, we were silent, both shy. It was the first time we were alone since Faron. But a few minutes later, we were talking as if we had known each other for years. I don't even remember who started the conversation. With Tauro, it was like that: easy. Being around him was comfortable. It diminished the constant cacophony in my brain.

And so it was that, after talking with Impa and learning what she had to say about the Triforce, on the way back to Hateno, I opened up to him about Link and our complicated history. When I finished telling everything that had happened, he nodded and simply said:

"I'm sorry. That must have been hard for both of you."

When we got back to the chalet—he insisted on walking me to my door—and dismounted from the horses, we stood there for a few seconds, awkward and unsure of what to do next.

Tauro spoke first.

"Thank you for today. It was a pleasure accompanying you to Kakariko. And… thank you for trusting me with your story. You've been through a lot that no living being should have to face."

A lump forms in my throat, and I'm moved by his empathy.

"If…" he continues, but then stops and blushes under his tanned skin. I notice him taking a deep breath before starting again. "If it's not too presumptuous of me… Zelda… I'd like to kiss you."

I'm surprised by the confession. After Link, I hadn't thought much about romance, and when I did, the fantasies revolved around him. I frown, wondering "Why not?". Tauro was close to my age, just a few years older. He was very intelligent, fun, and easy to be with. And, on top of that, he was quite handsome, with his tall, muscular body and wavy hair.

I say nothing, but nod timidly, looking into his eyes, consenting. And when he kisses me, it's… pleasant and comfortable. And I hate myself for comparing the experience to my memories of Link, where everything was so explosive.

But even though it wasn't as intense, it was still good. And Link left and probably won't come back. And even if he did, I don't know if I'd want to get involved with him again after he left and never contacted me. Tauro is here now and is sweet, gentle, and cares about me.

I decided then to give the relationship a chance. We haven't discussed labels, but since then, we've spent a lot of time together. In public, we keep a certain distance. I know Purah has noticed that something is going on, although I haven't talked to her about it yet. She always looks at us with curiosity and subtle satisfaction but hasn't mentioned it, giving us space.

When Tauro and I are alone, we spend our time talking about everything and anything. And we kiss—a lot—but nothing beyond that. Until yesterday, when I invited him to dinner with me at the chalet.

I thought I was ready to deepen our relationship further. But when the kisses became more intense, and his lips moved down to my neck, and his hands started to explore my body, I was knocked out by memories of Link.

I immediately pushed Tauro away, apologizing. Unable to understand why, I felt my eyes burning and had to hold back tears. Noticing, he pulled me into his arms, giving me a comforting hug.

"Hey, hey, hey," he said, concerned. "You don't need to apologize," he assured me, and kissed the top of my head. I rested it on his shoulder. He ran his thumb along my cheek, spreading the tears that escaped. "We don't need to do anything, Zelda."

I sighed sadly, and we stayed like that for a few minutes.

"Let's talk about something else," he suggested with a gentle smile. "Come on, tell me more about the different frogs you read about in the encyclopedia," he asked, changing the subject. And we spent the evening like that, talking about trivialities. At some point, I fell asleep in his arms, and had a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

Back to the present, I try to decide what I'll do today. Tauro will be helping Purah all day, and the demolition of the Sheikah structures in the Hateno area was completed a few weeks ago. The volunteer team is still deciding which region to go to next and organizing to start the journey.

I decide to review the notes I took on the Triforce the day I visited Impa. I confess I didn't pay much attention to what she was saying because I was thinking about Tauro. But I wrote down everything she said in my notebook. After searching every corner, I remember, irritated, that I left it in Purah's lab. I quickly change clothes and leave the chalet.

For a moment, I feel a strange sensation, as if someone is watching me. I look around and find nothing unusual. I shake my head, dispelling the concern, and continue on my way.

"In the beginning, before time, spirits, and life, three golden goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule. Din, the goddess of Power; Nayru, the goddess of Wisdom; and Farore, the goddess of Courage.

Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land and created the red earth.

Nayru poured her wisdom onto the land, and gave the spirit of law to the world.

Farore, with her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law.

After completing their task, the three great goddesses returned to the heavens. And the sacred golden Triangles remained at the spot where they departed from this world.

Since then, the Triangles have become the basis for the world's providence. And the place where they reside has become the Sacred Realm."

I reread the passage Impa quoted to me the day we talked about the Triforce. She said this tale has been passed down through generations for millennia, and it came to be known as the "Myth of Creation."

"Many things have been lost over the years," she lamented, disappointed. "We, the Sheikah and the royal family, have tried to preserve all knowledge. But regarding this subject, we have only what we heard from our parents and grandparents, and they from theirs. I even question whether this quote is accurate. Somehow, it feels familiar to me; as if I knew it from another life…"

And I understand what she meant by that; I feel the same way when I reread these lines. Impa told me that, according to the literature she consumed, everything indicates that for many millennia the Triforce was considered a sacred relic by the peoples who inhabited Hyrule. They said its power was such that it could alter the fate of the land, depending on who wielded it.

Today, however, its existence is discredited, falling into the realm of legends. No one has ever seen these triangles, except for those in the decorations of Hyrule's historical structures.

I try to understand what my connection is to this legendary relic. Impa was surprised when I asked what she knew about the Triforce. We both found it very curious that the voice that spoke to me at the Spring of Faron mentioned something that apparently doesn't exist.

Fi told me that after visiting each spring more memories would come to me. However, I still haven't remembered anything more, even though more than three months have passed. I'm beginning to wonder if all this is just a big waste of time.

Frustrated, I close my notebook. I'm sitting at the workbench in Purah's lab. It's just Tauro and me here, as she apparently had to leave in a hurry this morning for some reason. Tauro seemed strangely evasive when I asked what might have caused her to leave so abruptly.

I look up and see him watching me thoughtfully, as if pondering something. I watch, curious, as he seems to make a decision, walks over, and sits in the chair across from me.

"Zelda," his tone is serious, which is unusual for him. My heart tightens, and I wonder if he thought it over and got upset about last night. "Purah didn't want you to know before she got back, but I know that could take a few days. And I don't think it's fair to keep this information from you."

I frown, confused by his words.

Tauro takes a deep breath as if gathering courage, and says the words that make the ground fall away beneath my feet:

"Link is back in Hyrule."