Chapter Three

It required work to get her eyes to flutter open. The night had gone by so quickly that Zelda wasn't certain if she had ever fallen asleep in the first place. Regardless, she woke up tired and refreshed.

Slowly, she pushed herself up. Her eyes squinted at the sunlight that was peaking into the stables, amber-orange and warm. The air smelt like fresh hay and saddle polish, the way Link often smelled from time to time.

"Link?" She pushed herself up, letting the scratchy blankets fall off of her shoulders.

Zelda glanced over at the bed beside hers, only slightly surprised to see it empty. If she were to guess where he had gone, he was most likely training somewhere nearby.

Quickly, she did her hair, making two small braids and then pinned them in place with blue clips.

"Good Morning, princess."

Zelda turned to the man who had addressed her. He was Hylian and dressed in the same attire as the rest of his staff. What differentiated him was the hat that he wore on his head, on the front it had an imprint of a horse head. Dark hair poked out from underneath it.

"Good morning," she said with a smile. "Thank you for the beds, they were just what my knight and I needed after a long day of travel."

The man waved it off. "May I ask where you are off to?"

"Something has come up in Zora's Domain that I must deal with personally."

"I see," the stablemaster frowned. "Well, I hope everyone is alright."

Zelda sighed quietly. The man had just voiced one of the many thoughts that she continued to stumble across during her travels. If a Zora had died because she hadn't been as focused on her duties as she should have been...

"That is why my knight and I are headed there for ourselves. We want to resolve the issue as soon as possible so no one else gets hurt."

"Shall I escort you?"

"Please," she took his arm. They walked toward the entrance.

"If I'm allowed to say so, I really admire what you do, princess. All you wish to do is make Hyrule a better place, and I wish to support you with that mission." When they stepped out into the sun, he stopped and looked at her. The man seemed determined. "That is why I will do everything I can to assist you. From now on, you and your knight can stay at any stable for free."

"No, no, please..." She shook her head, "I can't do that to you. You need to make money too, and I'm considered your customer. If I stayed for free..."

"Please, princess. Let me and the other stablehands do this for you." He smiled kindly. "It's the least we could do after all that you've done for us."

But... she hadn't done anything. Sure, she faced the Calamity, but that was her duty, what she had been training to do all her life. It wasn't as if she had chosen to face him alone.

Despite this, Zelda couldn't deny how useful it would be to have every stable on their side, willing to provide their horses with the best care.

"How about this," she proposed. "If my knight and I ever need our horses checked over or cared for, will you do so?"

"Well, of course, princess! Isn't that what I'm here for?"

She nodded and continued. "But if we ever need a bed to sleep in, allow us to pay for it. If I don't, I feel as if I'm stealing from you and I don't want to do that. You work hard for the living you earn, so allow me to support you in that way."

"So... treat you as normal customers?"

Zelda smiled, "Yes. Treat us no different than you would other travellers."

"If that is what you want, princess than I will make sure it stays as such." He slid his arm out of hers. "Now, I believe I've taken up too much of your time. I will get back to work."

"Thank you. It was nice talking with you."

His head inclined with acknowledgement. "And you as well, princess."

With that, the stablemaster headed back to the stables and Zelda turned, wandering around the outside of the building.

As she walked, she finally noticed the lack of pain in her shoulders. After all of the horseback riding she had done yesterday, her shoulders had been in extreme pain and almost every time she moved it worsened. But then, before she had fallen asleep, Link had taken it upon himself to massage both of her shoulders, releasing all the pain and tension in her muscles.

So, when Zelda came across him behind the stable, once again training even though there were civilians around, she immediately blushed.

She moved to stand next to a nearby tree, watching him.

He held his sword straight out in front of him and took a calming breath before he began another set, which Zelda could only assume was one of many that morning alone, slashing and stabbing at the air. Light on his feet, he turned one hundred and eighty degrees and swung from the bottom up. Link hit the pommel of his sword against an imaginary enemy of some sort, quickly adjusted his grip and slashed horizontally, the force so strong that it caused an eolian sound. He grunted and stabbed the air again, followed by his elbow which jabbed sharply upward.

Zelda swallowed nervously, feeling her throat throb. She would never want to be against Link in a swordfight, he was too skilled for her to ever beat even if she tried. And based on how hard he was training currently, she highly doubted that she would be able to leave with her life.

Panting, he lowered the Master Sword, letting the blade glint in the orange sunrise.

Perhaps she should have left him to have some time alone. But, before she could turn to leave, he turned to her and tore a hand through his hair. He froze, catching her gaze.

Her heart skipped two beats before she managed to force her gaze away. Really, she had only meant to locate him, and she did, so she could have turned and left him as he was. But watching his movements as he trained amazed her, how his muscles flexed with each movement. How could someone with so much power be so light on his feet?

Link cleared his throat and went to retrieve the Master Sword's scabbard that he had left off to the side, reclined against a nearby tree.

In the meantime, Zelda touched her cheek, feeling its heat. She was blushing again, and her face was probably so red that it was embarrassing. So, without saying a singular word to him, she hurried back to the stable, letting the morning breeze cool her down.

She waited out front but quickly found herself being drawn toward the river nearby. Once she arrived, she sat down on its shore which was not sand, but small stones that poked through her clothes. The breeze on the bank brushed against her cheeks, cooling them down like she had drunk a Noble Pursuit while wandering in the heat of Gerudo Desert. Hylia River's quiet lull was soothing and distracted her from what could have possibly been one of the most embarrassing moments of her life.

Zelda rested her chin on her knees and witnessed a fish leap out of the river. Once again she couldn't help but think of the Zoras. They were all good people, but she wasn't sure how forgiving they were going to be, especially about her missing their cry for help. Perhaps, after all of this, they were never going to ask anything of her again. The next thing she knew, the Zoras and the rest of Hyrule would be engaged in a war that neither would be prepared enough for, and it would all be her fault.

Clenching her fists, Zelda stood and headed back to Wetland Stable. If it could come to war, she was going to do everything in her power to prevent it from ever coming about. And, she hoped –after everything that had happened– Link would agree to stand by her side.

When she returned, he was dressed and collecting the horses from the stablemaster.

"Link, we need to go. Now."

"Zelda, what's wrong?" He asked immediately. "Are you in danger?"

"All of Hyrule may be in danger if we don't hurry." She turned to Storm and was about to get on when he grabbed her wrist. Zelda looked at him.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean Hyrule's in danger?" His eyes were filled with worry and his hand squeezed her wrist. "Zelda, what happened at the river?"

Realizing how alarmed she had made him for what could have been for no particular reason, she turned entirely to him.

"You know that letter that I read to you? The one Prince Sidon wrote to me?" He nodded. "I hadn't seen it until that night, maybe ten minutes before I showed you."

Link's brow raised in confusion.

"The Prince wrote that letter to me almost a month ago." Finally, his eyes widened in realization. Zelda continued, "I hadn't seen it until a month later, so the situation at Zora's Domain could be much worse than we imagined. And... if it is, then the people may lose trust in me. They could see me as unreliable or untrustworthy and begin to rebel until all of Hyrule is engaged in war with them. Hyrule... the Zora... can't handle any sort of conflict right now, nobody has the resources or the stability for it."

She held his gaze, watching as he pieced things together. Zelda released a breath that trembled.

"If all war breaks out... It will be entirely my fault," she whispered.

He met her gaze again, his blue eyes firmly fixed on her. Without a single word, she knew what he was going to say and because of it, she felt an immense sense of relief. If war were to break out between Zora's Domain and the rest of Hyrule, he would stay by her, fighting at her side. Still, his words didn't ease the weight of responsibility that sat on her chest.

"I don't want to be responsible for war, Link. I was already responsible for the Calamity and I can't take that kind of pressure ever again."

"I will get you there," he replied, acting on impulse. "We'll both use Epona, she's faster than Storm."

The white horse standing behind him made a noise that sounded like an offended grunt. Storm was a fast horse, but compared to Epona, he could never beat her back-breaking speeds.

"It's nothing personal," she said, patting her horse's side.

"Give me Storm's lead."

"Okay. And, Link." She grabbed his hand, stopping him. "Thank you."

His gaze softened as he gave her a nod. "Here, take Epona and get ready. We can leave as soon as I get back."

Zelda nodded and he lead Storm toward the stable's front desk.

By the time he came back, Zelda had managed to get herself in Epona's saddle, holding the reins tightly. Already she could tell that Epona was much tamer than Storm, she didn't shift merely as much.

Link stepped up and sat in the saddle right behind her, and when he looped his arms around her waist to grab the reins, Zelda held her breath.

"Epona's going to be galloping most of the way, hold on."

"Okay." She gripped tightly to his wrist and the horn of the saddle.

Multiple times he kicked Epona's sides and she broke into a gallop right away, throwing Zelda back a little in the saddle, her back pressing a little harder against Link's chest.

"Sorry," She blushed and scooted forward a little, giving him space.

There was a low sound that she was almost convinced was a chuckle.

They followed the path until it disappeared into the marsh. Zelda made sure not to speak, letting him focus as he steered Epona through the water and the burned remains of old villages. She stared as they passed, feeling a sudden sadness overcome her.

"There used to be whole villages here..." She glanced at one particular house, noticing some of the ruined furniture that was inside. "People used to live in these houses, but they were all wiped out... because of the Calamity."

Her fingers pressed a little firmer against Link's wrist, feeling anger and frustration stirring in her stomach.

Epona huffed each time her hooves hit the ground, the water seemingly draining her energy. As she began to slow, Zelda leaned forward and patted her neck, offering her some encouragement.

Eventually, they made it out of the marsh and far past it until they could no longer use Epona, a cliff too steep for her to climb blocking off access to the rest of the path.

"Will she be okay on her own?" Zelda asked, fingering the horn of the saddle. "What if a monster comes and notices her?"

"Epona will be fine, she can take care of herself, sometimes better than I can." Link reached up for her. "She's been through a lot already."

Placing her hand in his, Zelda slid out of the saddle and hit the ground hard with her feet. The shock crawled up her legs, making her wince.

Together, they approached the cliff head-on. Link searched the rock for a place to grip with both hands before he pulled himself up. Zelda followed behind, reaching for and taking his hand as soon as he offered it. Once he had pulled her up, Zelda caught sight of a sign of the Zora people. A bridge built out of a stone that was commonly found in the area, luminous stone was known for the way it glowed blue in the dark.

The path was slick with water and the treads in her boots didn't help much. They must have only just missed a rainstorm that had passed through.

After walking for a while in complete silence, she heard Link clear his throat. She looked at him.

"Zelda, about last night..." Immediately she knew to what he was referring.

Before she had gone to bed the night before, she had been suffering from sore muscles, riding horseback having jolted her a little more than her body was okay with. Link took it upon himself to ease her pain by massaging her shoulders. It had felt amazing and had eased enough of the pain to allow her to fall asleep.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke, a flustered quirk. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have overstepped my bounds as I had. At the time, I wasn't really thinking and I..."

His words ran dead and Zelda watched him for a little longer. What else was he going to say before he cut himself off? She stopped her train of thought before it could travel too far without her.

"It's okay, Link," she said with a smile. "If it were not for you, I wouldn't be feeling as good as I do now and I would not have been as willing to continue on this journey."

Link's eyes fell to the ground before drifting back ahead. "Still. I overstepped. I touched you without even asking for permission first. I'm sorry."

Pressing her lips together, she reached out, grabbing his hand to stop him. He turned to look at her.

"You don't need to ask permission to... to touch me," she said, holding his gaze. "You're my friend. Friends are supposed to help each other, they are supposed to touch each other from time to time."

His eyes moved down a little. "Zelda... I..."

She knew he wanted to say something by the way his lips remained parted, but not a word passed them. Instead, he clenched his jaw and moved his gaze away, looking toward the river.

"We should keep going."

Silently, Zelda nodded, slightly concerned by his behaviour.

Together, they crossed Inogo Bridge and followed Zora River until they reached Tabhal Woods. As soon as they were about to step foot within the trees, Link turned to her.

"This forest is infested with lizalfos, so, I need you to stay close to me. That way I can protect you." She nodded.

They continued along the path a little longer, the woods continued to get thicker with trees that stretched up to the sky like Sheikah towers. There were so many that their view was limited. The rainy haze didn't make it any easier to see what lingered in the distance.

They stepped behind a rock, one that was large enough to cover them both from enemy eyes. As he moved close to its edge and snuck a peek into the distance, Link reached back to her. Zelda ignored the red that had stained through his bandages and gently took his hand. Once they made it out of the forest she would wrap it in clean bandages.

Immediately, his grip tightened.

She wasn't sure what they were going to be up against, but something told her that it was going to require a lot of running. Nothing exciting had even begun and her heart was already pounding loudly in her ears, she could barely hear it when he spoke to her.

"Stay close, princess."

"I will," she promised, lightly squeezing his hand.

Link looked at her, the faintest smile playing with his lips. He exchanged a small nod with her before he stood, bending over to keep hidden, and hurried to another nearby tree. Zelda gasped as her feet slid out from under her, the grass too damp for her boots to cling to. When she stood again, she gave Link's hand a squeeze.

"I'm fine."

He nodded and turned back to what he was doing, keeping a close eye on his surroundings.

Zelda pressed her side against the tree trunk, ignoring the discomfort she felt as the soaked knees of her leggings stuck to her skin.

"You said there were lizalfos here... But, I don't see any."

"Oh, they're there," Link replied, his azure eyes sharp and focused on something in the distance. "They prefer to toy with their food first."

Zelda swallowed harshly. She understood why he would tell her something like that, but she also wished that he hadn't. Just the thought of seeing a monster was terrifying enough, but now knowing that they could be watching her without her even realizing it...

"Okay," Link breathed, adjusting his grip on her hand. He was preparing to run again. "To that tree, next."

"Which one?" She drew closer to him.

He stepped back, allowing her to see. "That thick one over there."

"Okay. I'm ready."

"Let's go," Link whispered.

She managed to keep up with him this time, running at his side until they reached the tree. She hurried in front and he stood behind her, looking over her shoulder.

When Zelda looked around the tree, she spotted something in the distance as it moved. It was the yellow undercarriage of a lizalfos, perched on a rock with a bow in its claws.

"Now I see them."

"Gross looking, aren't they?"

She took another look at the creature right when it flicked its tongue out, licking its own eyeball.

Nose scrunched in disgust, she looked at him over her shoulder, "A little."

Again his lips pulled together a small smile and she smiled too. It wasn't his full smile, not yet, but she still considered it a victory.

"Now where do we go?" she whispered.

Link pulled his eyes off of her and examined their surroundings, Zelda did too. There weren't any more trees with thick trunks other than the one that they had just come from, and the only rock formation that they could hide behind were the ones occupied by lizalfos. She bit the inside of her lip in thought, not sure what to do.

"We could split up."

Immediately, his eyes snapped back to her. "What?"

"If we were to split up, we would be able to use all of these trees for cover, not just the ones with thick trunks," Zelda set her hand against the tree. "We may be able to get out faster without being noticed."

It looked as if he considered it for a moment, but then he shook his head, his brows furrowed.

"No, we won't be doing that."

"But, Link, think about it, it could work. It may even be safer for–"

"No, it's not," he cut in. "It's not safe for you because I won't be able to protect you."

She blinked, staring at him. "I can protect myself. I don't need you to protect me all the time."

"Zelda," he said firmly, looking her dead in the eyes. "We are not splitting up. I'm not going to leave you alone while we're surrounded by monsters who clearly have an advantage. They'll pick us out like flies."

Getting frustrated with his stubbornness, she turned away from him and peered around the tree. Another lizalfos had wandered into her view, it too was wielding a bow. Two was nothing, they could handle two. Once they turned their backs, Zelda pushed herself away from the tree.

"I'm going."

Link caught her arm. "Not by yourself."

"Link, let go of me!" She hissed, tugging her arm. "We need to split up, it's the only way–"

"You're not going anywhere." His voice was low, warning her not to continue such a useless argument.

Ignoring him and the grip that he had on her elbow, Zelda nearly yelled her words. "Let me go, Link. I can fend for myself."

"No, you can't, Zelda! Without your powers, you'll be a walking target out there! You're not capable of protecting yourself without them!" Link stopped himself, aware of what he was saying a moment too late.

Her eyes burned with tears and she blinked, attempting to see. She felt his grip slacken.

"What did you just say?" She watched him open his mouth and then close it, his free hand clenching and unclenching into a fist. "You think I'm...?"

"No, I never..." He stepped closer, eyes filled with regret. "Zelda, I never said that..."

"Let. Go." Zelda glared at him through tears. "I order you to let go of me. Now."

His eyes widened and he slowly released her.

Zelda lowered her arm back to her side and refused to look at him. The sting of his words hit her in a place that caused damage to something inside. Her father had always said the same thing, that she was weak without Hylia's power on her side. Without it, she was merely a girl, a worthless girl who did nothing but get in everyone else's way.

Fists clenched, Zelda opened her mouth, ready to scream at him, ready to demand that he return back to the castle, that she didn't need his help and could do it all on her own because she was just as strong and capable. The flame that burned inside wanted to be released in a loud and violent fashion.

A loud, low noise that was often made when blown into a conch shell, interrupted her before she could release any of her anger. It had come from somewhere within the trees, not far off from their current location.

They exchanged a look and Link moved to grab her hand, but she yanked it away and curled it into a fist.

"I can protect myself," she said with tears stinging her eyes.

Link's mouth was slightly agape and his eyes were sore with rejection.

Tearing her gaze away from him, she turned and ran.

She hurried through the trees, hearing the horn blow over and over again, alerting the monsters that their prey was still in the area. Zelda hid behind a tree and pressed her back against its trunk as her lungs burned.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a flash of yellow light fly close to her face. Zelda flinched and turned herself to the tree, pressing her side against it.

From the other side of the tree, she heard a strange noise, one, she recalled, that was often made by lizalfos. She held her breath and watched the creature walk by, gripping a bow within its claws. In her chest, her heart pounded violently.

If she was quiet enough, perhaps it wouldn't see her.

Zelda stepped carefully around the tree. A stick cracked under her foot, much louder than it should have. The lizalfos turned, spotting her immediately.

She gasped and stepped back as it drew its bow and pointed it at her chest, the tip of the arrow crackling and sparking with electricity. If it fired the shock arrow, she knew she was going to die, probably instantly after it punctured her chest. Zelda turned her head away, bracing herself for the moment she would be in agonizing pain.

The lizalfos let out a cry and were thrown back a couple of feet.

Her breath shuttered as she released it slowly, keeping a careful eye on the lizalfos. An arrow was lodged in its left shoulder and a purple substance oozed out of the wound.

Zelda stepped closer, inspecting the corpse. Lizalfos were much larger up close and had many more teeth than she had imagined. The inside of its mouth was lined with fangs, each had edges so jagged that they could be used for the end of a weapon and do serious damage to anyone who was stabbed by it.

Its eye twitched and stared at her.

Zelda gasped, turned and ran before the lizalfos could catch up.

It wasn't long before she encountered another and was forced to weave through the trees in hopes of losing it. Lizalfos were faster than she had thought they would be and would have nearly outrun her if she hadn't changed direction so suddenly and let it straight into a tree.

Looking back only once, Zelda sprinted until she breached the edge of the forest, coming across the path that she was supposed to be following in the first place, the path that would lead her to Zora's Domain. She stopped and took a breath, waiting for Link who she hadn't seen since she had run off without him. Although she still hated the thought of talking to him, she didn't want to leave him behind. At the very least, she just wanted to make sure he was alright before she continued ahead on her own.

She was startled by the snap of a branch and quickly turned. Link emerged from the trees, struggling to catch his footing as he slowed.

"Link!" She hurried over to him and grabbed his hands. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." His eyes searched her face for injuries. "What about you?"

"I'm okay," she said with a smile.

Quickly, she wiped it away and slipped her hands out of his. Yes, she was relieved to see that he was alright and ecstatic to see that he made it out without suffering any sort of injury, but she was still furious with him.

Zelda turned and continued following the path toward the Domain. At this rate, it was going to take her longer than she had originally thought to get there.

Behind her, she heard his steps. He was still trying to protect her, even after she had stormed away from him and made it perfectly clear that she was capable of taking care of herself. With a huff, she continued ahead of him, refusing to think about it anymore.

They were forced to continue walking through the night because of all the time they had lost in Tabhal Woods. By the time the sun had come up they had managed to make it all the way to Luto's Crossing before Zelda suggested that they stop to rest. She collapsed onto a rock next to the river, exhausted.

Her feet ached up a storm as she pulled her boots off of her feet. When she set them on the ground, blades of grass tickled the bottom of her feet. Wiggling her toes, a sigh passed her lips. How much longer was it going to be until they reached Zora's Domain? She hadn't recalled it ever taking so long before...

"Link," she said, breaking the silence that had fallen over them for hours. "I was just wondering..."

Her voice drifted off and her brows furrowed. She had spotted Link crouching at the river's edge with his sleeve pushed up to his elbow, his arm gently swirling around in the water.

Zelda stood and went over to him, unable to help her curiosity. But as she got close, she stopped short, noticing the deep gash in his arm. The skin around it was as black as charcoal.

Link grimaced as he moved his arm in the water.

"Link!"

Quickly, he pulled his arm out of the water and pulled his sleeves down, covering it back up before he looked at her. Zelda frowned at him. Again, he wasn't telling her everything.

"Let me see."

As she tried to look at his arm, Link kept it out of her reach. He lost his balance and fell backward onto the rocks. Zelda fell onto her knees, right between his legs.

His face was so close to hers that she thought she could feel his breath on her face. Gently, his fingers were pressing into her waist. With his eyes right there, Zelda was unsure where else she was supposed to look. They were bright and stared right back at her, chilling something inside so it made her tremble.

"Link..." Her eyes fell to his lips, chapped and softly parted. In her ears, she could hear her blood pounding, nervous about his closeness. "Please."

Finally, he shifted his weight into his opposite arm, allowing himself to hold up the other.

Zelda took it in her hands and carefully rolled up his sleeve. Link breathed sharply and flinched.

"Is this a burn?" She lifted her eyes to his and he stared back at her for a moment before lowering his gaze. "Were you hit with a shock arrow?"

Receiving no kind of response, Zelda grew frustrated with him once again and shoved herself away from him.

He continuously injured himself over and over again, throwing himself into any situation to supposedly protect her. She hated how he kept throwing his life away as if it was entirely worthless. She hated it!

"Zelda, please..."

"Why can't you try to be more careful?" She whirled around to face him, fists clenched so tight that her nails brought pain to her palms. "Your life is worth much more than you realize, especially to me!" The last part wasn't supposed to slip out, but she didn't care.

Before he could say anything else, she stormed off to retrieve her boots. Zelda didn't even bother putting them back on her feet and continued on the path to Zora's Domain, determined to not keep the prince waiting there any longer.

She heard his hurried footsteps behind her, trying to catch up.

No matter how hard she tried he never seemed to understand and it was getting exhausting.

She turned briskly, facing him yet again.

"Stop following me! Go back to the Castle and stay there!" Her hands were shaking but she ignored it. "I cannot keep watching you get hurt over and over again for me! I'm going to continue on to Zora's Domain by myself. You are not to follow! Have I made myself clear?"

He silently stared at her and she wasn't certain if he had actually heard what she had said.

"Fine!" Zelda exclaimed before walking away.

If Link wanted to get himself killed, so be it, but she wasn't going to be the one to watch it happen. Not again

As she followed the path further and further away from him, she released her breath shakily. Holding her hands to her chest, she felt her heart pounding behind them with the velocity of a thousand drums. As much as she wanted to ignore the stinging in her eyes, her tear ducts had a different idea.

Zelda wiped away the tears that rolled down her cheeks and shivered at their warmth.

She hadn't yelled at him like that since before the Calamity and she still felt regretful about it. She had been stressed and afraid, he hadn't deserved any of the anger she had thrown at him.

Not hearing his steps behind her, Zelda shut her eyes tightly and took a deep breath. Perhaps he had actually gone back, listening to her demand.

Swallowing her regret, she convinced herself that it was for the best. She needed to do it to protect him, to keep him from being exposed to death to take and never give back.

Hours of walking later, Zelda smiled with relief, spotting the beautiful architecture on the horizon. All of Zora's Domain was built out of luminous stone, a special ore commonly found in the area that glowed a ghostly blue in the dark. Every piece of luminous stone that made up the Domain had been shined until it was opaque.

The Great Zora Bridge was built the same and was what separated her from the city.

Just as her foot was about to touch the bridge, she heard the scream of a child come from somewhere close by.

"Hello? Is someone out there?" She called back toward the path.

"Help! Help me, please!"

Zelda ran to a nearby rock and stepped around it, finding the Zora child to who the scream had belonged to. She was cornered by a Bokoblin.

As if there would be anyone else around, Zelda searched for help. There was no one around.

Her eyes widened, watching as the Bokoblin raised its club into the air.

"Please, Hylia, please!" She begged, lashes fluttering as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "Let me help her. Let me help someone else for once in my life! Let me save her!"

There had to be something she could do. She couldn't just stand around and watch the child die!

As fear gripped her heart with both hands, a familiar warmth spread through her body. The cold, metal grip of a bow materialized in her hand and Zelda gasped, surprised. The bow was light and sparkled gold.

She had managed to summon the Bow of Light at will. And with it, she would be able to protect the child.

"Hey!" Zelda heard herself call out before she realized what she was doing or even had a plan, "Why don't you pick on someone who is actually capable of protecting themselves?"

The Bokoblin turned, its red eyes staring at her before it threw its head toward the sky and screamed.

For some reason, she hadn't expected it to charge right at her and abandon the child completely, so she gasped and backed away on instinct. But then she remembered the weapon in her hand.

She pulled back on the bowstring, but it was much more difficult than she had imagined.

"Watch out, miss!"

Zelda looked up just in time to jump out of the way of the Bokoblin's club. It hit the ground so hard that it got stuck in the mud and in the meantime, Zelda used all of her strength to pull back the bowstring. Right in front of her, there was an arrow knocked, it was made out of pure light.

While raising the bow, both of her arms shook and she aimed at the Bokoblin who had managed to pry its weapon out of the ground. Her eyes shut for only a second and she released the arrow, but it missed its target completely.

Frowning, Zelda backed up a step, trying to maintain some distance.

She tried again, aiming the arrow straight at its head.

The Bokoblin cried out before it leapt, aiming its club for her head. Zelda released the arrow, throwing it back onto the grass. Its carcass lay there for mere moments before it vanished in smoke, just as the Keese had.

Exhausted, yet relieved, she lowered her bow with arms that trembled profusely. Finding that she was unable to hold the bow no longer, she let it slip from her fingers and fall into the grass. As soon as it made contact, it vanished, leaving nothing but golden particles in its wake.

"Are you hurt?" She asked the Zora child once she approached.

The child wiped at her eyes and timidly shook her head. "No... But I w-want to go home."

"I'll take you. Here, grab my hand." She reached up and took Zelda's hand, firmly holding her fingers.

As they walked back to Great Zora Bridge together, Zelda began to recognize the seriousness of the situation. With the Divine Beast not working properly, it was unable to guard the Domain against monsters that stray too close to the city. If she had not seen the letter when she had, how bad would the raids have gotten? Would Zora's Domain still be standing or would it all have been limited to a pile of ash?

She had never thought that so much could rely on a single letter.

Near the entrance of the city, Zelda watched as two Zora engaged in a heated –mostly one-sided– argument. One was dressed and equipped like a soldier while the other looked like a mere civilian.

The Zora child tugged on her hand.

"Dad!"

The blue Zora harassing the guard froze and looked over his shoulder. Upon looking at the child, his face was overcome with relief.

"There you are!" The child ran over to her father who scooped her up in his arms and hugged her tight. "I was worried sick about you! Did you wander out of the Domain again?"

"I didn't mean to! I saw something shiny and... and..." The child was unable to finish, giving in to her sobs.

The Zora patted his daughter's back before he turned his attention to Zelda. His eyes went wide.

"P-princess Zelda! I am so sorry to have troubled you, but I am grateful for what you have done for me today!"

She smiled. "You don't have to thank me. I was merely doing my duty."

Really, after the moment had passed, she had felt all sorts of accomplishment. She was able to stop a Bokoblin and save a Zora child all by herself! If Link had seen, it would have easily proved to him that she was more than capable of taking care of herself. He wouldn't need to linger around, fearing for her safety every hour of every day.

Once the father and daughter Zora walked off, Zelda felt a presence behind her. She turned and had to tilt her head all the way back in order to properly see them.

The Zora was very tall, had red scales, and wore a silver whistle around his neck. At first, he had been difficult to recognize since she hadn't seen him since he was a mere child. His charming smile is what ultimately gave him away.

"Ah! Princess Zelda! You have finally arrived!" He said, his arms outstretched enthusiastically. "It's wonderful to see you again!"

"You too, Prince Sidon." Her smile fell, remembering her failure, "I am truly sorry about not responding to your letter earlier. I have become very busy as of late and your letter had gotten buried under the stack on my desk."

"That's quite alright, princess! There is no need to dread the past because look! You are here in person!" He slowly lowered his arms. "Princess... Are you here alone? Where is Master Link?"

Her anger was no longer there when he mentioned her escort, all that was there was disappointment in herself. She had gotten so angry at him that she had left him behind, far, far behind. No doubt he was probably worried sick about her and, she would not lie, she was feeling a little worried about him too. After all, she hadn't seen him for almost a day.

"He was caught up by something," she lied. "He will be here shortly."

"Very well. As long as he is alright... Oh, and as long as you are alright as well, princess."

His question remained in her mind, ringing as she asked the prince a couple of questions about the functioning of the Divine Beast as of late. Sidon provided her with the same information that he had put in the letter and apologized, admitting that they did not know any more than that.

"That's okay, I'm sure all it needs is to be restarted."

"I know that Ruta will be safe in your hands, princess!" Sidon gave her his signature grin that made her smile in return. He placed a hand on her shoulder, it was rather large. "May the goddesses watch over you, princess. Keep safe."

"Thank you, Prince Sidon."

"Please, princess," he said with a chuckle. "Call me Sidon. You are a friend, and friends don't use formalities!"

She nodded silently and barely caught the glimpse of worry in Sidon's eyes before she turned and headed toward the mountain where the guardian of the Zora waited.

*~oOo~*

Nearly at the top of the mountain, she looked back, admiring the view of Zora's Domain and the beautiful blue rocks that created a natural wall around it. Out of all the habitations of Hyrule, Zora's Domain had to be one of her favourites. Every culture had something different to give, which was one thing that Zelda admired the most about each of them. The Rito had the Hebra Peaks, the Gerudo had the Stone Heroines, Goron City had the fire of Death Mountain, and Zora's Domain had a beautiful dam. Each corner of Hyrule had some sort of visual wonder and they were all so equally breathtaking.

A large bird flew overhead and Zelda watched in awe until it disappeared behind the peak of the mountain. She was almost there, then she could take a look at the Divine Beast and provide the people with some peace of mind, herself included.

But as she moved to take another step, a bone-chilling roar caused the ground to shake. Zelda stumbled and lost her balance.

Unsure of what had just happened, Zelda looked toward the peak, just barely catching a glimpse of a yellow light taking off towards the sky. Seconds later, it landed inches away from her hand and Zelda screamed, shuffling away from it. There was a shock arrow lodged into the ground only inches from where her hand had been.

"Where did that even come from?" She pushed herself to her feet and, by doing so, spotted the torso of a lynel as it stood with its bow knocked, ready to fire another arrow.

Petrified with fear, her feet refused to move from the spot she was currently standing. She was forced to watch as the lynel aimed toward the sky and released the arrow. Her eyes couldn't keep up with it as it plummeted towards the earth.

"Zelda!"

The wind was knocked out of her chest from two hard impacts only seconds away from each other. She gasped, desperately trying to breathe. Then she realized the weight pressing down on her chest and how it got lighter when the person pushed themselves up.

"Link?" She breathed, "How did you...?"

He rolled off of her, "Get up! Now!"

She struggled to stand with the ground being as muddy as it was, making her feet slip out from under her. Link grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up, keeping her stable as the ground shook with another terrifying roar.

"Are you okay?" He asked, eyes examining her face as he wiped the mud away from her cheek.

Vigorously, she nodded. Words no longer existed, she had none. How had he managed to find her so quickly? And how had he managed to catch up after she had at least a couple of hours ahead of him?

She shook her head subtly, deciding that none of it mattered now. What mattered was finding a way to escape with their lives.

The ground shook as the lynel jumped from the cliff above to the plane they were standing on. Zelda gasped and moved closer to Link who was still gripping both her arms.

"Link... What do we do?"

"You need to go," he replied.

She looked at him. "What?"

"You need to go." Link turned his head to meet her gaze, his eyes were firm. "You need to get out of here as quickly as possible and you can't look back. Just run."

"No, I can't do that."

The lynel put away its bow and drew its sword. The edge was chipped and covered in what looked like blood from its past victims. It stepped closer.

"Zelda, you're running out of time," Link urged. His eyes were begging her to go. "Please, go. Get yourself to safety."

She shook her head determinedly. "No. I'm not leaving you here by yourself! You're not fighting for me again!"

The monster roared and quickly lunged. Before Zelda had even blinked, Link turned away and had his shield out, stopping the blow of the lynel's sword. He grunted and pushed against the lynel's powerful swing.

"Go! Get out of here!"

Her fists were clenched at her sides. "Not without you!"

The lynel pulled back and made another powerful swing which Link once again blocked with his shield. With a cry, he managed to shove the lynel back, creating some distance between them. Link drew the Master Sword from his back and Zelda focused hard on the feeling that often welled up within her when she wished to use her powers. Just the thought of losing Link was enough. The Bow of Light once again appeared in her palm and she gripped it tightly.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed Link's eyes widen in surprise.

The lynel roared louder than before, causing Zelda's goosebumps to rise from the back of her neck. She clenched the bow tighter and created an arrow of light.

Link rolled out of the way when the lynel began breathing in, bright orange flames collecting in the back of its throat. Once he was back on his feet, he noticed her.

"Zelda!"

Her arms shook a little less as she aimed her bow and released an arrow of light. It hit the lynel directly in the eye, distracting it with a horrid roar.

"Go, Link!"

Understanding her plan, Link rushed over to the beast and climbed on its back. The lynel bucked and kicked like a horse, attempting to throw him off as he continuously slashed it with the blade of his sword. Blood rolled down its hair, dark purple.

The lynel's thrashing grew worse until Link was barely able to hold on anymore. He was thrown off its back and landed hard on the ground, nearly rolling under the hooves of the lynel.

Again, Zelda aimed for the head, but the lynel regained its wits and pulled out its own bow. She swallowed, staring at the shock arrow that was aimed directly at her heart. But, strangely enough, the lynel began to circle, galloping and readying the arrow. When it was released, it grazed her arm and Zelda cried out, gripping the wound. She was lucky that it had only been a quick shock.

Link hurried back to her and raised his shield. He wiped the rain off his forehead with his arm.

"You can't be hit by one of those," Zelda said, touching his arm so he would lower it. "If you're hit, you'll only be electrocuted. It will be worse because you're touching metal."

"I don't think that will be a problem anymore."

The lynel had put away its bow and bent itself nearly in half as it readied itself to charge. Link shoved her out of the way and dodged in the opposite direction, somehow managing to get in a flurry of attacks to the lynel's side.

They engaged in battle, the lynel constantly swinging its sword at him and each time he dodged it and time seemed to bend to his will, slowing down so he could get in some more attacks.

Zelda hurried over to a nearby rock, her feet slipping in the mud. While the lynel was distracted, she climbed on top of the rock, prepared her bow, and aimed carefully. The golden arrow sparkled in front of her eyes. Finally, when Link created an opening and was far enough away to prevent receiving any sort of harm, Zelda released the arrow and it hit the lynel at the back of the head. It cried out and reared before it collapsed, no longer moving.

Relieved and proud of herself, Zelda slowly lowered her bow and looked at Link who was already looking at her. The smile on his face was big enough to be considered a grin. It made her blush.

"Zelda... That was amazing!" His eyes sparkled in the light that peaked through the clouds, being the first amount of sun they had seen during the majority of their trip. They looked at her in awe.

Then suddenly, they widened.

"Zelda! Behind you!"

Before she could turn, a sharp pain seared through her back. Zelda cried out and her knees buckled, and because of the rock's slick surface, her foot slipped. She felt herself fall but didn't feel it when her body hit the ground or when her head hit something hard enough to cause such a sickening crack.

Blood pounded so loudly in her ears that it muffled everything else, Link's screams, the roar of the lynel, and even the sound of her own whimpers. Pain shot behind her eyes, so sharp that it disabled her limbs, being too painful to move even her head. As her body screamed in pain and a loud ringing harassed her ears, her eyelids began to flutter. She tried to fight it, but the pain was too much to bear. Finally, everything went black as her eyes fell shut.