I'm back! It has been over a year since I last posted on this story. Post graduate life will do that for you. However, I never had any intentions of ceasing work on this story. I have many ideas and a lot of inspiration to keep on writing. I hope you have all been doing well since I last posted last year. I will try to post as often as I possibly can, but I cannot promise quick updates. However, I promise that this story will carry on. For now, I hope you guys like this chapter and feel free to review and tell me what you think. It's been a while since I've written one of these, so forgive me if anything seems off. Please enjoy!

"So you found a sword and shield down there?" Zelda asked while sitting on her bed, watching Link mull through his thoughts, which he had shared with her.

He was lying down on his bed, looking up at the ceiling, as he replied to her question, "Yeah. I have no idea whose weapon that was, but it was placed there to not be found."

"Maybe you're not the only warrior in your family? Your father was a knight as well. Captain of the guard, if I remember correctly."

"He never had something like that and mom was no fighter. So there's nothing I can think of for it to be back there."

Zelda shrugged, "I don't think it matters too much. This house is old and anyone else could have lived here before you and your family did. It could have been anyone's. No need to have it consume your thoughts so much." She reached down and picked up Daina, with the small dog's tail wagging in happiness for being held by Zelda.

Link sat up and looked out the window, "I guess I have to learn to relax."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you for a bit now. I know you are sworn as my knight and are still protecting me, but we're in our home, where you can let loose and relax."

Link smiled and rolled over so he was facing Zelda, "Hey, I'm trying."

Zelda smiled and lay down, placing Daina on her stomach. She silently petted the puppy, who nuzzled her hand. She turned her head and looked at Link, flashing him a warm smile.

Link smiled back and asked, "What? Thought of something?"

"In a sense. I was just thinking…I want to do things that normal girls do. I lived my life as a princess and a researcher. However, I am well aware that all of that is so detached from what a normal person's life is like. So, I have a request…can you please stop calling me 'Princess' and no longer treat me like one. I'm just Zelda. You don't even have to protect me, if you don't want to."

Link sat up and turned his body until his feet touched the floor and his front was facing Zelda, "I accept all of it except for the protection part. I will continue to do so. I made a vow."

"You are no longer bound to it."

"Am I?"

Zelda sat up and matched him as she faced him, "At least not in my eyes. You're no longer my knight. You're…something else. Something different. Something more important." She said, looking away in an effort to hide her embarrassment for what she was alluding to.

Link nodded, "Of course! I also see you as a great friend."

Zelda's face dropped as she screamed in her mind, *Oh no! He's dense!* She sighed and said, "Yeah, that's it."

"In any case, I think we can have you learn how to do normal things. I mean, you're doing a good job already. You're dressing in normal clothes, socializing with the villagers, helping me clean the house and cook, and many other things. Believe me when I say that you're not too off the mark."

A knock caught their attention and they turned to see Paya standing at the staircase. She bowed her head and said, "I…I'll be retiring for tonight…I just wanted…umm…wanted to wish you both goodnight."

Link nodded, "Goodnight to you as well, Paya."

"Th…thank you, Master Link!"

"Please, it's just Link."

"Very well…Link."

Zelda then said, "Have a good night, Paya!"

"Likewise to yourself, your highness!" Paya said, bowing deeper.

"I don't know how much you heard, but please do not call me anything to do with my status. I want to be normal. So I'm just Zelda."

"I cannot do that, your majesty."

"Yes you can. Now please have pleasant dreams."

Paya bowed again and walked down the stairs, with the two seeing her enter the spare room.

Link chuckled, "It looks like it'll take some time for her to accept what you tell her."

Zelda sighed, "She'll come around. For now, I think we should also get some sleep."

Link nodded, "Good idea. We'll need the energy."

Zelda placed Daina on the foot of her bed and got under the covers, "For what?"

"We're taking another walk. I hear tomorrow is going to be a beautiful day. I'm sure you'll like to go through town and maybe buy some things."

Zelda's grin widened, "I would like that very much."

"Then we'll make a day of it." Link said as he got under his covers. He picked up the lantern that illuminated the room and put it out, leaving them in the glow of moonlight shining through the window. "Goodnight, Zelda."

"Goodnight, Link."

[The Following Morning]

Link waited outside of the house for Zelda, watching as Daina ran around, chasing grasshoppers. It was a beautiful day, as he heard it would be. The sun shone bright and illuminated the verdant fields, while a gentle but comfortable breeze blew on by.

Link heard the door open and said, "I take it that you're ready?"

"Yeah. Sorry for the wait." She said as she walked over.

Link looked at her and saw her dressed rather nicely in a white dress and holding a basket with food, "You look great!"

Zelda gave him a warm smile and said, "Thank you!"

"Are we having a picnic? I had no idea."

"Actually, it was Paya's suggestion."

Link looked at the front door and asked, "Is she coming with us?"

"Yes, actually."

"So where is she?"

Zelda looked back at the door and said, "One moment.." She walked back inside and soon came out dragging a protesting but equally as well dressed Paya by the arm.

Paya groaned and said, "Princess, please don't make me do this! Can't I stay in the house?"

"Aren't you supposed to be like a bodyguard to me?"

"Umm…sorta…"

"Then that means coming with me when I go out. Now come on! Besides, that blue dress looks great on you! Maybe we'll find you a nice boy in town."

Paya blushed but begrudgingly followed, "Please don't say such things."

Link laughed, "No need to be nervous. The people in this town are very friendly and welcoming to newcomers. Besides, it's just a walk and a picnic. Which, if I recall, was your suggestion."

"A suggestion for the two of you. I was going to stay here or go to my great-aunt's lab while you walked around."

"Well, by the looks of things, Zelda wants you to come with us."

Paya groaned in discomfort, "I'll do what our princess commands."

Zelda corrected, "Not princess. Just Zelda, your friend."

"My friend?"

"Yeah. At least, I'd like us to be."

At the sound of this, Paya was surprised. She did not remember when she had a friend, at least a true one. All of her life was devoted to her grandmother's home and the protection of their relic. She had very little time to socialize, especially since there were few of her age within the village. However, the thought did seem rather nice. Maybe she could allow herself to let her hair down, so to speak, if only a little.

Zelda giggled at the reaction and took Link's arm as the three walked down the road to the town. Paya took the chance to finally give the town a proper look in the light of day, seeing it as very peaceful and cozy. The people dressed differently from those in Kakariko, which she still felt a little awkward to emulate, as she was not used to wearing a dress. It made her long to wear her Sheikan garb, but she had to admit that the dress felt more comfortable, but marginally an alien comfort.

Looking forward, she saw Zelda and Link speaking casually with one another and greeting the townsfolk as they passed as if they had done it all their lives. A group of townsfolk gave Paya a wave, which surprised her. She nervously waved back, but tried to hide her uncomfortable expression. In her mind, she was still trying to process many things. Firstly, how was the princess so casual and comfortable in this situation? From what she knew, she had very little contact with the lower class individuals, but here she was acting like one of them so easily. To her, she was truly incredible.

Link and Zelda stopped in front of a food vendor and greeted her warmly. The vendor said to them, "Well, if it isn't my favorite pair. Here to buy something to munch on?"

Zelda nodded, "Yes. We're having a picnic and figured we should get some snacks and wittles. Hylia knows that we run out very quickly with Link's bottomless appetite."

Link chuckled, "Hey at least I'm not shoving frogs down your throat."

"That was for an experiment."

The vendor laughed, "Oh knock it off, you two. Feel free to get the things you need." She giggled to herself and said, "I remember when I was young, my husband and I would go on picnics when the wildflowers would be in bloom. Oh those were romantic days." She smiled as she reminisced with her eyes closed, not seeing Link and Zelda's blushing faces. She then opened her eyes and looked at Paya, "Oh? And who's this? A friend?"

Paya shrank back in nervousness, but was quickly pulled in closer by Zelda, "Yes. This is Paya. She's a friend of ours and she's staying with us for a bit. Because of that, we want to show her around."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Paya. Aren't you pretty!"

The comment made Paya blush a brighter red as blood rushed into her face, "Umm…thank you…"

"Ah! A timid one, are you? Not the town to be in and be timid. Everyone here is very outgoing and friendly and they WILL speak with you. Try to come out of your shell for a bit."

"I'll try."

"Well, at least let me welcome you to our little town. Link has been so helpful around town and Zelda really brought in a lot of light into this town. They're the town's most notable couple these days."

Paya was surprised and looked at Link and Zelda curiously.

Link and Zelda quickly called out, "We're not a couple!"

The vendor laughed again and said, "They're also so easy to tease."

Link groaned quietly, "First Riyu and now her."

Zelda followed, "It's a curse." Zelda finished her selection quickly and handed the vendor the appropriate amount of rupees.

The vendor counted the rupees and smiled, "Perfect! Now go have fun, young ones! Enjoy the beautiful day!"

The three bid her goodbye and walked off, all too flustered to speak. They walked off, down the road to the open fields to enjoy their day.

[Hebra Mountains]

The freezing wind rushed through the snowy fields and hills of the Hebra Mountains. A single figure made their way through the fields, pressing on against the hindering gales. Each step released a significant crunch under the weight of the individual.

The man, a large mountain of a man clad in black armor, looked around and raised a hand, creating a ball of red light. He spoke into the light, "My lord, is this the place?"

Aeris' voice came through the orb, "Yes. I have decided to force our little hero's hand once more with another test. Since he defeated one of his friends, I wonder how he will fare against a new foe. Well…'new' is not entirely correct. However, it's new for him."

The man knelt down and moved a pile of snow to the side, revealing a thick sheet of ice under his feet, "What exactly am I standing on?"

"A beast of old. When these mountains were once islands."

"The Great Sea?"

"Yes. Ancient as can be. You're standing above the beast's bones. I trust you have the silver blade?"

The man nodded and drew an ornate blade from his belt, "Right here, my lord."

"Then simply stab it into the bones and then leave. Once it feels the essence of the hero, it will awaken once more for another round."

"As you command."

The man stabbed the ice with the blade. He took a step back as the blade began to release a series of red energy pulses. A large outline then appeared in the snow before vanishing.

The man kept his gaze at the snow for a moment and then turned to leave, vanishing in the snow.

[Hateno Village, Two Days Later]

Link and Zelda sat at home, with Link cooking as Zelda stared outside at the rain that fell over the village. Paya was currently at the lab, spending time with her great-aunt, leaving Link and Zelda by themselves.

Link looked over at Zelda, seeing her looking out of the window. He smiled and asked, "Hey, Zelda?"

Zelda snapped out of the trance she was in and looked at him, "Yeah?"

"Thinking about something? You were out of it for a bit there."

"Oh no. I was just looking outside. This place is beautiful despite the weather. That and the rain just relaxes me."

"Well…do you want to help me here? Might give you something to do."

Zelda stood and nodded with a smile, "I'd love to. What do you want me to do?"

"You can help me cut the vegetables. I already peeled them, so you just have to cut them into little pieces. I'm making a bit of stew to warm us up."

"That sounds fantastic." She walked over and saw the vegetables and the cutting board. She picked up the knife and a carrot and thought on how to best cut the vegetable.

Link looked at her, seeing her thinking hard, "Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm just wondering what the best way to cut this carrot would be."

"It doesn't really matter." He looked at her for a few more moments and laughed to himself, "You don't know how to cut vegetables, do you?"

Zelda blushed, "Of course I do! I am a researcher. Surely this task is of little difficulty for me to accomplish."

"Then go ahead."

Zelda looked down at the carrot for a moment and moved to cut it, but stopped and second guessed herself. She was motionless for a moment and whispered, "Help?"

Link laughed louder, "I knew it!"

"I never had to cook for myself before!"

"Well, you did ask me to teach you. So here's your first lesson. It probably would have been smart to start with washing and peeling the vegetables, but this is so much more funny."

"Oh stop laughing and help me!"

Link gave one last chuckle, flashing her a smile. He then walked behind her and placed his hands above her own, beginning to guide them with his own. Unknown to him, Zelda's face began to become flush with a deep blush at the position and held in a gasp.

Link began to tell her, "Okay, so you hold the vegetable with your left hand, as if you have a cat's paw. Then you take the knife and begin to cut it crosswise, moving your hand as you cut so you don't end up cutting yourself. Understand?"

Zelda was silent, but simply nodded.

"Alright, now I want to see you try it."

Zelda emulated the motions he had taught her and lifted the knife, but her hand was not steady, as it shook uneasily.

Link noticed this and asked, "What's going on? Are you nervous? Don't worry. If you do it right, you won't cut yourself."

Zelda yelled in her head, *That is the last reason why I'm shaking, you dolt!*

Zelda took a deep breath and steadied herself before beginning to cut the carrot as carefully as she could.

"You're doing great! Now just add them to the stew."

Zelda did so and asked, "So what now?"

"Now do the same for the potatoes and onion."

"Same way?"

"Yeah. Remember, keep moving your hand in order to not cut yourself."

Zelda nodded and did as she was instructed. She breathed to control her heartbeat and her blush soon vanished.

Link chuckled to himself and said, "You know, living like this really does make us look like a married couple."

Zelda's blush quickly returned as she flinched and asked, "Where did that come from?"

"Relax, Zelda. I'm not teasing you like Riju. It's just a thought I had based on our situation. It's a little weird for the townsfolk to have a guy and girl live together and spend all their time together like we do and not be together. I mean, didn't you find it weird that some of the townsfolk refer to you as 'Missus'?"

"I thought that was just a way they refer to the ladies of the town."

Link smiled at her and shook his head, "Nope. I don't bother correcting them anymore. When I'm in town and you're not with me, I get asked a lot 'Hey Link, how's your missus?'."

"And what do you say?"

"I just tell them that you're fine. Not much for me to say."

"I hope word of this does not reach Impa. She'll have your head."

Link groaned and said, "Oh yeah. I forgot about Impa."

"How could you? For me, it feels like she's always breathing down my neck. Especially now that Paya's with us to 'watch over me'. Like some sort of spy."

"Hey, let's not be hard on her. This has to be very uncomfortable for her as well. Luckily, she doesn't take a lot of space and minds her own most of the time.."

Zelda sighed and went back to cutting the vegetables, "I suppose, but she…she's a reminder that this freedom of mine is only temporary and relative." With another sigh, she stopped chopping and looked around, "In a year, I'll be leaving all this behind. I know it's only been a short while, but I love it here. I love this simple life. Sure, I'm not researching as much as I would like, but it's nice to take things slow every once and a while."

Link stopped and looked at her. He thought to himself for a moment and then asked, "So…how about you stay here after the year? Disregard everything and just stay."

"As much as I would like to do that, I can't. I made a deal with Impa."

"Forget about the old crone! It's clearly not what you want and Hyrule has endured without the royal family. She's so intent on returning things to the way things were and never thought whether that truly is the best."

Zelda turned to him and said, "I get what you're saying, but…"

"Do you want to go back to that castle and be shackled to the responsibility again?"

Zelda quickly snapped at him, "Of course I do not! When I was the princess of Hyrule, that was when I was at my most miserable. I was nothing more than a tool and everyone saw me as a failure. Even my own father saw me as nothing else than a tool. My only purpose being to seal Calamity Ganon away and then continue the bloodline. It was suffocating. For the longest time, I thought you hated me. I thought you saw me as a failure like everyone else. I hated almost every moment of being the princess of Hyrule. Now, being queen of a restored Hyrule is hanging over my head and I can only imagine the misery that would entail. To be honest, I'm scared of this year ending. I am mortified. For once, I'm actually happy being here. I'm around real people, in a modest home, with people I care about, without a care in the world; weird people looking for me notwithstanding. I wish I could run away from all of it and stay here, but the Sheikah will never allow it."

"You're their princess. Just tell them to back off."

"And then what would be their purpose? The Sheikah are the retainers of the Hyrule royal family. If I abandon that, then what? What do they do?"

"They can find a purpose. They managed to make it this far without the royal family."

"I cannot be that selfish."

"You've been selfless your whole life. Your whole life was about devoting yourself to protect your home and your people. I think you earned a little bit of selfishness."

"And then what? Where would I go? I can't stay with you forever."

Link then blurted out, "Why not?"

Zelda blushed once more at the statement and asked, "What?"

"Umm…I meant that you can stay here, if you want." He quickly replied, backtracking and hiding his face.

"Well…I guess I do like it here." She said with a slight smile. "Still…what can I do?"

"Ignore Impa for one."

"I'll think about it."

Link considered this, but decided not to press the issue and returned to his cooking with Zelda in silence. Both trying to recover from what was said, trying to hide their shared flushed faces, with Link kicking himself for what he said without thinking.

[Later That Night]

Zelda sat in bed, restless, unable to sleep. Her mind was going wild, thinking about many subjects. The words she said to Link repeating in her head like an obnoxious echo. She remembered it well, the misery of being the princess of Hyrule. Her entire life controlled and planned for her. Forced to work on her powers day and night with only brief respites. All in an effort to stop the calamity that succeeded regardless.

She turned in her bed and looked at Link, who was sleeping soundly without care. How she envied his free spirit. No matter how long she pondered, she could not understand how he was so casual and calm in the face of so many hardships. All she can remember was the misery of being the princess, but perhaps that was not the most miserable she had been. Perhaps, being locked away with Calamity Ganon was worse.

Zelda felt a chill as she remembered the century she spent locked away with the demon. She shook her head to block the thoughts and forced herself to sleep, wanting to forget about the experience as best as she could. However, her dreams offered little in the way of respite. She remembered every waking moment, feeling like prey being stalked by a cruel predator that was toying with her. Since she was released, she had pushed the memory of the time out of her mind for the sake of her own sanity. However, she could recall the horrible whispers; the promises of tragedies that Calamity Ganon would bring upon those she loved as a consequence for her meddling. She remembered all the threats, all the taunts, and all the mental and emotional blows that he dealt to her during their confinement.

Zelda could remember seeing her precious Hyrule being torn apart that day, because of her failure. She remembered seeing the castle fall, with her father dying as a result. All of the Champions died as well. Those that she considered friends and that she grew close to were all dead because of her failure. Then there was Link…he was nearly killed because of her…because she failed. The thought drove a spike through her heart. Almost everyone she knew and loved were gone and it was all her fault. All...her…fault…

A sudden shake suddenly interrupted her thoughts and she felt someone touching her. The shaking caused her thoughts to slip away and returned her senses to her, as she opened her eyes and saw Link standing over her.

Link gave a relieved sigh and said, "At last! Are you alright?"

Zelda sat up and felt something running down her cheek. She wiped it with her hand and felt the cold of tear drop, "What happened?"

"You suddenly began to weep in your sleep. I was fearing that you were having a nightmare. Are you alright?"

Zelda looked at him and the memory of his near death flashed in her mind, welling pain in her chest. Tears began to fall unabated once more and she lunged forward, latching onto him in a tight hug, "Link, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry!"

Link, now even more confused, looked at her and asked, "What are you talking about? Why are you apologizing? You haven't done anything to me."

"If it wasn't for me…everyone would still be alive. My father…our friends…your father…and you wouldn't have…you wouldn't have…" To these thoughts, Zelda failed to hold back her weeping; sobbing as the pain returned to her.

Link now understood and returned the embrace, giving her a moment to attempt to calm down, "It's okay. It wasn't your fault."

"But it was. I failed to unlock my power in time."

"That wasn't your fault. Your power was fickle. That had nothing to do with you and you shouldn't feel accountable for it."

"But…"

Link quickly separated from her and held Zelda by her arms, "Zelda, stop blaming yourself. You didn't kill them. You didn't cause their deaths. Calamity Ganon did. He's the one that bears the blame. You did what you could and, in the end, you destroyed him. You avenged everyone and all I did was help. As far as I'm concerned, you did everything you had to and rid the world of the greatest evil it has ever faced. So I would be proud, not racked with guilt." He raised a hand and wiped her tears away, "You went through a lot. I can tell. I was asleep for a century, while you lived through every waking moment of it with that thing. I can't imagine how horrible it must have been. You're stronger than I am."

"No I'm not. I'm no warrior. Just a girl…a weak, scared girl."

"You say that, but you willingly locked yourself in the beast's cage to protect countless people. That's more courageous than anything I've done. You have wounds, like I do. They may not be physical, but they'll heal. Don't worry; I'm here if you need to feel safe again."

Zelda flashed him a weak smile and quickly embraced him again, "Thank you…I really needed that."

Link embraced her back and waited until he felt that she was calm and then separated, "Feeling better?"

Zelda nodded, "Yes. Very much so."

Zelda then tilted her head and looked behind Link, who turned to follow her gaze. To his surprise, he saw Paya standing at the top of the stairs, holding a blade and a lantern.

Link commented, "Well, that's terrifying, Paya."

Paya responded, "I'm sorry. I just heard crying and I thought that maybe something had happened. However, I simply found you two…embracing. I was not aware of that kind of relationship between the two of you…umm…I…umm…did not mean to intrude."

Zelda explained, "No, I just had a nightmare and Link was comforting me. There's no relationship here. Please don't jump to conclusions like everyone else."

Paya sighed in relief, "Oh alright. That's good. I did not think that we had an intruder, but I had to make sure. That being said, I will return to bed. Please have a good night." She gave them a quick bow before returning to her room.

With a shrug, Link stood and told Zelda, "We should get some sleep. We're going on a trip tomorrow and we need to be well rested."

Zelda lay back down and asked, "But what if the thoughts return?"

"Then come get me. I have no problem helping you again and again. Don't be afraid to wake me up." He lay down in his bed and turned to face the wall, "Have a good night."

He waited to hear Zelda's reply, but it never came. What came instead was the sensation of something joining him on the bed and a sudden warmth. Link turned around and came face to face with a scared Zelda.

Link appeared befuddled by the sudden action by Zelda and took a moment to collect his thoughts, looking at her all the while with a surprised expression, "Umm…what are you doing?"

Zelda replied, "I'm sorry, but I'm too scared of falling asleep and having nightmares about this again. Please, just let me be here for tonight, at least."

"Hey, it's not needed. I'm never far away. If anything, I sleep only a few feet away from you every single night."

"I don't care. Please, just for tonight."

Link groaned, trying to think, but soon relented, "I can't convince you otherwise, can I?"

"No."

"Then alright. Just mind your own, okay?" Link shifted to give her room, "Sleep well."

"Goodnight."

Link closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep, but feeling too awkward to effectively do so. His mind raced and then said to himself, *If Impa finds out, I'm dead.* He looked over at Zelda again and saw that she was already fast asleep. *How can she sleep in this situation!?* He yelled internally. *Oh…what am I going to do?*

He opened his eyes and looked out of the window, seeing the moon poking through the clouds, which illuminated the room in a dim and pale blue light. For Link, he was just happy that he would never have to see a blood red moon ever again. Each night that he remembered seeing one, he knew that most of the progress he made in clearing areas of enemies would have been reset. Now, the moon simply showed a celestial image of beauty.

He looked over at Zelda and saw her sleeping form. He blushed slightly, looking at her this closely, but he felt weird. The feeling felt voyeuristic and he felt as though he was in the wrong for looking at her, thus he looked away.

Soon, a groan was heard from Zelda and he felt his arm being pulled. He looked over and saw a still asleep Zelda pulling his arm and then rolled onto him, with her head resting on his chest. Link blinked in surprise and saw that she was still fast asleep, as if her body moved automatically to get more comfortable.

*Oh this is bad. I can't move her off of me. If Paya sees us, my head is going to be mounted on a pike.*

A light coo escaped from Zelda's mouth as she slept. Link looked down at her and smiled, feeling her warmth on him. He moved his hand and stroked her hair gently, glad that she was sleeping soundly. He wondered what would happen next and what he was going to do to help her. Throughout all that has happened, he didn't stop to think about the horrors she had faced. He slept for a century, while she was awake and aware of everything, seeing her kingdom and home being taken from her and decaying. Everything she knew was now just ruins, ghosts of the past. Not to mention holding back Calamity Ganon and being in its accursed presence the entire time. How could he possibly help reverse a century of pain and trauma?

Zelda cooed again and shifted slightly higher, her head still resting on his chest, but he caught a mouthful of hair. Link groaned and moved her hair off his face. *Yep! She's a restless sleeper. Still, I don't entirely dislike this. She…smells nice…STOP!* He yelled to himself, catching himself. *She's your princess! Do not think about it! This is just to make sure she feels safe for tonight! Don't think about it! Go to sleep!*

He closed his eyes and attempted to ignore the situation. Despite this, he was oddly happy.

[Following Morning]

Link blinked his eyes open as the room was flushed with the light of the morning sun. The world came into view as his sight adjusted to the light. He looked around and felt a weight on his chest, which made the memories of the previous night rush back into his mind. Turning his gaze down, he saw Zelda still asleep on his chest, appearing to still be in a deep sleep. Link wondered if he should wake her up so that they could get ready for the day or at least so that Paya wouldn't wake up and find them in this position.

Making up his mind, he moved his right hand and lightly shook Zelda, who groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. Blinking them into focus, she rose, rubbing the sleep from her eyes in the process.

Zelda looked at Link and smiled, "Good morning." She said weakly, as she began to yawn and stretch.

"Good morning. I take it you slept well?"

"I slept like a stone."

"I'm more surprised that you're so casual about this."

Zelda sat on the side of the bed, "What do you mean?"

"About last night."

"Hey, it was my choice and I didn't have a nightmare, so I have to say that it was a good decision."

Link sat up, now feeling the lack of Zelda's weight on him, "Well, I found out how restless of a sleeper you are. You kept shifting and pulling me until you found a position that you felt was comfortable."

"Your chest is comfortable."

"So you knew about it?"

Zelda walked over to her side and grabbed a hairbrush, beginning to fix her hair, "No, but I knew that might happen. Urbosa would have been able to attest to that. When I was little and staying with her, we would sleep in the same bed and she would complain that I would always find a way to sleep on her." She looked down and saw Daina give a light bark to greet her, "And good morning to you too, my darling." She reached down and picked up the puppy, "I hope you slept well."

Link chuckled and walked off to get ready, trying to organize his thoughts as best he could. Perhaps going out to get some fresh air would help him.

[Hyrule Castle]

Aeris sat on the king's throne, appearing to be asleep. The shadowy figure that always accompanied him floated over to him and looked at him with glaring eyes.

Aeris opened his eyes and addressed it, "Patience, my dear. Soon, all the pieces will fall into place."

A chorus of ethereal sounds emanated from the figure, who floated around him and wrapped itself around him.

"Yes, I understand. One issue I am facing is that the princess is very well hidden. I have my suspicions of where she is, but nothing concrete. For now, I'm focusing on testing the inheritor of the hero's spirit. I need to see his strength. Gauge it for myself."

The figure's glare intensified as it drew closer to his face.

Aeris lifted a hand and motioned for it to stop, "If I face the hero as he is now, what good would come of it? We would have one princess and a hero's corpse. I have no interest in killing him. I am aware that you don't care if he lives or dies, but let me have my fun while we're here. We have all the time in the world. You and I are not going anywhere." He stood and walked past the figure and looked out of a nearby window, turning his attention to the west, "This one will be a bit more interesting than the last. An old enemy of the spirit of the hero. This time…" He waved a hand behind him and a large red orb appeared above the crevasse in the center, which showed a snowy field with the silver blade sticking out of the snow, "...this time, we have front row seats."

The figure flew over to the orb and observed the scene before it. It saw the blade and noticed a red pulse beginning to leave it. The figure flew over to the throne and sat down, waiting patiently.

[Rito Village]

Link, Zelda, and Paya materialized at the Rito Village shrine, with Zelda and Paya being caught off guard by the sudden change in temperature.

Link chuckled as he saw them huddle together, "It's not that cold, ladies."

Zelda replied, "It's colder than in Hateno Village."

"Because we're in the Hebra Mountains, but if you're going to be shivering throughout this trip…" He scrolled through the Sheikah Slate and materialized two cloaks, giving them to the ladies, who swiftly put them on to warm themselves. "...Better?"

Zelda nodded, "Yes."

Paya looked around and commented, "This place is much different than any place I have seen."

Zelda smiled at her naive wonder, "It's a different land. While still part of Hyrule, the culture here is far different. This is the home of the Rito, as the name implies."

"The avian folk? I've seen a few of them in my life. Mostly those that come to Kakariko Town and trade."

A male's voice echoed through the air, "And who might we be?"

The group turned their gaze, looking for the source of the sound. Link looked up and said, "Great! He's here for once."

The girls followed his gaze and saw a tall, white Rito descending and soon landing before the group. Paya jumped in front of Zelda and drew her blade.

Link motioned for Paya to relax, "It's okay. He's a friend. This is Teba. He's the strongest warrior of the modern Rito. He helped me free Divine Beast Vah Medoh. He's the best warrior among the modern Rito."

Teba looked at Zelda and gave a light bow, "You must be Princess Zelda. It is an honor, your highness."

Zelda gave a slight smile and bowed her head, "The honor is mine, Rito Champion."

Teba laughed, "Champion? I am no Champion. That honor belongs to our dear Rivali alone. I'm just a warrior that's doing his job by protecting his people. That is all."

Zelda whispered to Link, "At least he's more humble than Rivali."

Link didn't hide his smile and replied, "And so much easier to work with. I can do stuff without hearing a condescending remark."

Teba turned his gaze to Paya, "Forgive me if I do not know who you are, my lady."

Paya took a deep breath and replied, "My name is Paya. I'm here serving as our princess' retainer."

"Well, it's great to meet you, Ms. Paya."

Paya nervously bowed her head, "Thank you…like…likewise."

Link asked, "Is the elder busy?"

"No, he's just loafing around as usual. Probably fell asleep in his chair again." Teba said with a chuckle. "Still, don't let that stop you."

Teba motioned for them to follow and began to lead them through the village. Paya looked around in wonder, seeing how the Rito lived for the first time. It was so different, just like Hateno Village. The structures were odd to her, as were the inhabitants, and their culture. She figured that perhaps people would say the same about her home, seeing as it might just be normal for her, who had never left before now. Her eyes glanced upwards and caught sight of a massive mechanical bird.

Paya asked, "What's that?"

The group followed her gaze, with Zelda answering, "That would be Divine Beast Vah Medoh."

"Oh yes. I remember hearing that there were four. Grandmother would tell me stories about them."

"We entered Vah Ruta."

"I would rather forget that experience."

Teba asked curiously, "Oh? Why is that?"

Link answered, "We had…an incident there a few days ago."

"I hope nothing serious."

"Nothing I couldn't handle."

"Good! Earning your title of the hero. I expected nothing less from the one that gave us back our dear Vah Ruta and thus saved our town."

Link gave Zelda a smile and whispered, "Compared to Rivali, he's an upgrade."

Zelda rolled her eyes and slapped his arm, but unable to hide her smile, "Oh hush, you! Have some respect."

The hut of the Rito elder soon came into sight and the group could see a colorful Rito with an accordion speaking with a massive elderly, owl-like Rito.

Link grinned and called out, "Hey Kass! Good to see you!"

Kass turned his head and saw Link and the group, "Do my eyes deceive me? Link? Oh! And you brought our dear princess as well." Kass gave a deep bow to Zelda and said, "Our dear princess, I have waited many an age to meet you as my mentor once had. You are just as stunning as he described you."

Zelda blushed and bowed her head, "I am grateful. Your mentor knew me."

"Why yes. He was once a member of the Hyrule court before the Calamity. However, this is a tale for another time."

Kaneli, the Rito elder, looked down at Zelda and exclaimed, "Princess? Princess Zelda? Well, pluck my feathers! It is an honor to have you within our flock."

Zelda bowed deeper for Kaneli, "The honor is mine, dear elder."

"Never in my days did I think this old bird would live to see you free once more, my lady. I say this calls for a feast!"

Zelda held her hands in front of herself, "That's not necessary. This is supposed to be a short visit just to see how the village has fared since I was last here."

"Oh nonsense! We must celebrate. So please, take a seat while I have our workers prepare a meal in honor of your liberation."

"If you insist."

Kass began to play on his accordion, "Let us all be merry and elated over the return of our princess. A feast will liven our hearts and a good song will enrich our spirits."

"Very well, dear Kass."

[Hyrule Castle]

Aeris viewed the orb and saw the silver blade begin to glow red. He grinned as he stood and said, "Let the show begin. Care to do the honors?" He asked as he looked at the shadowy figure.

The figure gave an excited hiss and floated over to the orb. It extended an arm and touched the orb, which caused the silver blade to glow a brilliant red.

Aeris began to call out, "Ancient being! Titan of the Great Sea! Hear my call from beyond the veil of death! Rise, if you would! Cover the earth below with your shadow once more! I call you to return to the land of the living! Rain your vengeance down and rule the skies once more! Hear me! Obey me! Return as a hurricane!"

A bright explosion of light came from the orb, to which Aeris closed his eyes, but flashed a wide grin.

[Rito Village]

A bright light illuminated the mountains, covering the nearby land and snow in a crimson glow. A wave of energy pulsed from a centralized point, which soon reached Rito Village. The wind from the pulse barreled through, causing everyone to cower.

Link grabbed Zelda and hid behind his shield to protect her from the wind and any flying debris. Teba held onto Paya and kept her from being swept up in the powerful wind. Kass held onto the supports of the elder's hut and the elder remained seated, almost as if he was unaffected, but his expression suggested great worry.

Soon, the wind ceased and everyone began to check on one another to make sure that they were alright.

Link asked Zelda, "Are you okay?"

Zelda nodded, "Yeah." She looked at the horizon, "What was that?"

Teba grabbed his bow and quiver and quickly went into the air to get a view of the origins of the light and the wave. He flew a few yards and stopped when he saw a large figure beginning to emerge from the snow. It was massive, larger than any beasts he had seen or faced in the past. It was clearly avian, with dark blue feathers adorning its body and even more colorful feathers adoring its wings and head. It shook off some residual snow off its body and exposed its long yellow and green tail feathers.

Teba was shocked and flew slightly closer to study the beast and noticed a large, ornate, metal mask covering the beast's face. It sucked in air, as if it was regaining the ability to breathe and then let out a loud screech, that caused Teba to stop flying and hold his ears momentarily, catching himself as he began to free fall.

The beast stretched its wings and began to flap them, as if to test them, before it rose into the air and soon began to soar in the sky.

Teba, having seen enough, flew back to the group as fast as he could and said, "It's…a giant avian beast! One I have never seen before."

The group looked at the horizon and soon saw the beast begin to rise from behind the mountains, covering the land below in its shadow.

Zelda unclipped the Sheikah Slate from Links' belt and pointed it at the approaching beast, taking a picture. She looked down at the slate and saw as information began to appear, including a name she had never heard before, "The Helmaroc King?"

Link got in front of Zelda and pulled out the Master Sword. Paya also jumped in front of Zelda, drawing the blade from her back, holding it nervously.

Teba strung an arrow on his bow and told Kass, "Get the Elder out of here!"

Kass nodded and began to slowly escort the elder away as the beast began to circle Rito Village from above. It made multiple laps around before flying below it and rising before the group, glaring down at them.

It looked them over, one by one, as if looking for something or someone. Its eyes stopped before Link and Zelda, to whom it looked at with narrowed eyes. Link glared at the beast as he attempted to keep Zelda safe from this unknown beast. The Helmaroc King focused on Link and then let out an angered shriek, shaking the mountain with its vibrations.

Link held his ears and looked back to see the beast opening its wings, as if challenging him.

Link nodded, "Alright. I don't know you, but something in me tells me that I hate you and somehow we have unfinished business. So bring it!"

Terror of the Great Sea, the Helmaroc King!

Alright, another fight awaits us in the next chapter and I'm excited to begin writing it. Sorta giving the lot of you who asked for more fluff something to melt over and I am going to give you action junkies your treat in the next chapter. I will try to update this story as soon as I can but being an adult sucks at times. Still, look out for the next chapter and I will try my hardest to give you guys more of Link, Zelda, and Paya's adventure. Take care and happy New Years to all of you! Here's to a much better 2022!