Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When the blinding light at last faded, the young princess found herself standing before him in the green field. Him. The Hero of Hyrule. She studied his face, which looked so familiar and yet so foreign, like she had only ever seen it in a dream. It seemed unreal, to be physically here with him again. She had always had faith in him, had always believed that he could defeat Calamity Ganon, and yet a nagging part of her brain had also thought that she was undeserving of such success.

"Do you really… remember me?" she dared to ask. She was terrified. If he had no memory of her, after everything they had been through, would it all have been worth it?

For many agonizing moments, the world stood still. The man who stood before her remained painfully silent, and Zelda began to doubt her resolve. What if he hated her, after all this time? It would only make sense. She was the princess who had failed in the one task she was designed to complete: she had allowed Calamity Ganon to wreak havoc upon the land. He was the hero who had righted things. Perhaps he really did-

"Yes." He nodded at her. "Of course I remember you, Princess Zelda."

Link unsheathed the Master Sword and knelt before her, offering the legendary weapon. Zelda stood surprised by this grand gesture.

"I don't remember everything," he admitted. It was hard to read his expression, as his face was now directed at the ground. "But I remember walking Hyrule with you, before the Calamity. I remember defending you from Yiga assassins and fighting alongside the other Champions. I remember the day Ganon struck, when the Guardians turned against us. And I remember…" His voice began to crack. "I remember you saving me, Zelda. Without your aid, I would be dead." He lifted his face, and his blue eyes pierced her. "Thank you."

The next week was a blur. For the first two days after Calamity Ganon’s defeat, Zelda’s brain remained in an inescapable fog. Unable to focus and sleeping for many hours at a time, her mind drifted between memories from both before and during the Calamity.

Through it all, one constant remained: Link.

Whenever she became cognizant of the present, he was always there, sometimes spooning food into her mouth, sometimes sleeping, but always by her side. No matter what horrible memories surfaced, she could find some comfort in his presence.

Even after she had snapped out of the brain-fog and started feeling more like herself, it took another day for her to be able to walk again. One hundred years of keeping Ganon at bay had taken its toll - Zelda had been without a physical form during all that time, and her muscles were like a babe’s, having to relearn how to stretch and move properly. It was a humiliating process, yet Link never laughed at her. Instead, he gave her the Master Sword to use as a crutch. Step by hobbling step she found her feet. By the end of the third day, Princess Zelda could walk Hyrule once more.

Progress remained slow, however. Though Calamity Ganon was sealed away, remnants of his evil Malice remained throughout the land, and that included some of the Guardian Stalkers which patrolled the great plains of Hyrule. They took refuge among the ruins of the Sacred Ground and hid there for another full day.

Eventually, Link grew restless, and that night he wordlessly left their makeshift camp. Zelda, asleep, didn’t even notice he was gone until several minutes later, when an explosion bolted her awake.

“Link!” she cried out, fearing the worst.

The night was pitch-black. She scrambled to get up, but her feet - still exhausted from the previous days’ travels - screamed with pain, and she was forced to her knees.

A stormy night. They were gone. They were all gone…

Another explosion sounded nearby, and the flash of a Guardian’s beam illuminated the darkness. Zelda crawled along the stone of the ruins, willing herself forward despite her body’s protestations.

They were trapped. The warrior’s wounds were most certainly lethal: his right arm was black from the burns of battle, and he could barely lift the sword.

There! Another flash of light allowed her to catch a glimpse of a lone swordsman doing battle with not just one, but two Guardian Stalkers. They circled him, twin red dots marking the swordsman’s chest.

A mechanical beast saw them. Of course it did - their luck had been rotten from the beginning. It launched itself at them, a hulking mass of metal that stood at double her height. Her noble knight attempted to sit up, attempted to defiantly challenge the beast, but to no avail. He collapsed into the sodden mud.

The smell of ash making her nostrils flare with disgust, Zelda crawled towards the battle. She could do this. The power of the Goddess was in her. She could save Link this time. She could do it right.

The Guardians fired.

“No!” She stretched out a hand, but the light didn’t come.

Everything happened too fast. One moment, she could see the swordsman illuminated against the backdrop of incoming destruction. Then, with a swing of his shield - the Hylian Shield, passed down for generations in the royal family - Link deflected the beams and sent them back to their masters.

The effect was immediate. The beams, having struck that cruel eye of the Guardian, their only weak spot, caused the machines to whir erratically. Electricity crackled about their forms, and in a burst of Malice-filled light, they exploded.

A calm quiet filled Hyrule Field. The chitter of the sunset fireflies resumed, and a few startled birds tweeted out their frustration with the disruption. Zelda realized that she had stopped breathing, and released a gasp of air.

Link was by her side in an instant, gripping a hand protectively. “I’m fine,” she insisted. “I just thought…oh, why did you have to go off alone like that?”

He hung his head in shame. “No, please, don’t think I am ungrateful for what you did, but that was so dangerous! I don’t want…”

His lifeless form lay in the mud. “Please!” she shouted, as two Sheikah warriors arrived at the scene. “Please, you must save him! Take him to the Shrine of Resurrection immediately.”

She pulled away from him. “We should have done it together.”

Link stood up, the glow of the Master Sword’s blade providing a pale light in the darkness. In it, she could just barely see the swordsman look at her, sprawled out on the ground, and raise an eyebrow.

“I may not be perfectly myself yet, but I can still be useful!” she insisted. Desperate to prove this, she attempted standing on her own two feet again. Her knees buckled. Link rushed forward, but she waved him away. Gripping a nearby stone pillar, she found her footing and stood tall. Even now, as weak as she was, she stood taller than him. “I am Princess Zelda, and I will not be ridiculed.”

He bowed his head and walked away. Though he was of few words, Zelda could still pick up that he was frustrated with her. She sighed, breathing through her nostrils. Well, he would just have to get over it. She was frustrated with him .

The next morning, they awoke to cloudy skies and a drizzling rain. While Link ran off to find them food, Zelda inspected the remains of the two Guardian Stalkers he had slain the previous night.

Two small craters marred the ground, the grass around them charred from the explosions. Several other points around the craters were also marred with blackened grass: spots where their beam-attacks had landed, no doubt. Little remained of the Guardians themselves: small metal shards, a discernible screw. No doubt Purah, if she were still alive, would be thrilled to study the wreckage. Zelda wondered how many of those she had known so well before the Calamity remained, and frowned. Though she might have bested Ganon in the end, it didn’t matter. At the end of the day, she had failed when it mattered most.

Link returned with a collection of berries. Their breakfast was short, and Zelda remained lost in thought. How could she possibly make up for her failure?

A gentle tapping on her shoulder arrested her attention, and she found Link’s deep blue eyes boring into hers. What’s wrong? they asked wordlessly.

“I’m fine,” she insisted, though the crack in her voice gave herself away. “I’m just…thinking. I shouldn’t be resting here, wasting the days away. I need to be out there, working, making up for…well, you know.”

He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

She scoffed. “Oh, you know what I am talking about! I failed , Link. I failed my father, I failed the Champions, I failed…everyone! I failed you! Had I worked harder to awaken the Goddess’ power in me, you would never have needed to go to the Shrine of Resurrection. That was my fault!”

Link shook his head. Wordlessly, he stood up straight, kicked the remnants of their fire away, and strapped the Master Sword to his back. Offering a hand to help her up, he said just a single word: “Follow.”

She did. Somehow, she found the strength to. Link led her north, across plains littered with smoldering Guardian-beam patches, which littered the fields like a pox. He led her through the ruins of Castle Town, which had been so utterly ravaged that it was almost impossible to believe it had once been a thriving community, a center of commerce and joy.

A girl marched through a town ablaze. It had been abandoned on the first day, over a month ago. Her clothes were covered in soot and mud - her sandals, part of her royal uniform, were practically falling apart.

A spider-like machine scrambled over a burning house. In its haste it fell through the roof, but no matter. Its hulking form crashed through a wall, causing the entire home to crumble.

Before it had a chance to attack, however, the girl turned and pointed a hand in its direction. There was a flash of golden light.

The machine was turned to stone.

He led her across the Castle Bridge, which stretched over the moat that surrounded the castle. The main road was falling apart, no doubt from one hundred years of Malice coating the area. Here, the corpses of monsters - Bokoblin, Moblin, and Lizalfos - littered the area; they were recent additions, no doubt.

Several more machines sought to halt her progress, but like their brethren before they were each turned to stone. The castle rumbled with the snarls of Calamity Ganon as she continued her path. Yet even so, the beast refused to engage with her directly. He was scared. He knew she was coming for him.

Link led her through one of the castle gates, where they passed the remains of a Lynel. Zelda began to realize what the swordsman had gone through just to get to the throne room. No wonder those two Guardians hadn’t frightened him. He had fought a whole army just so he could take on Ganon himself.

At last, the throne room. It was broken, covered with the horrible red-and-black Malice that hurt to the touch, and yet the symbol of the royal family, the Triforce, remained defiantly in place. “I know you’re here!” she shouted. “I know what you want, but I, Princess Zelda, will defy you to the end. You’ve taken everything from me, but you know that so long as I still breathe, you will never succeed. Come and get me!”

As the castle quaked, the Princess searched for the power within her.

He stopped just before the throne room. Zelda shook her head, ridding herself of old memories. “Why are we here?” she asked his back.

He turned and pointed. She tried to follow his direction, but… “What are you trying to show me?”

“That’s Hyrule.” His voice was calm, confident. Everything she wasn’t in the present moment.

“Yes, I am well aware of Hyrule, thank you, but what does that-“

He held up a finger to silence her. Then suddenly, like a flood, words came. “Look around you. Look at what Hyrule used to be.” He gestured at the castle. “Look at what it is.” He swept his hand in an arc, indicating the whole scope of land before them. “See how Hyrule has survived? How, despite everything, Hyrule has endured?”

She wasn’t sure she got his meaning. “I suppose…”

“You say you failed everyone. You seem to think that just because your powers didn’t activate when you wanted them to, that the last one hundred years is your fault. But it’s not. If you hadn’t saved me when you did, if you hadn’t kept Calamity Ganon at bay for a century, if you hadn’t sealed him away for good, none of this would still exist.

“I’ve seen it all. To find my strength, to rescue the Divine Beasts and wield the Master Sword once more, I have traveled across every corner of this continent. And while, yes, the world has seen its fair share of grief and horror in the last century, it has endured. Joy, and love, and all the things that make Hyrule livable have persisted. Your sacrifice made that possible.” He paused. “You didn’t fail the world, Zelda. You saved it.”

He stopped talking then, leaving Zelda to process everything he had just said. She looked out across at the great expanse of Hyrule Fields. Off in the distance, she could spot the towering Great Plateau in all its majesty. The Dueling Peaks, and Mount Lanayru. Vah Medoh was perched above the Rito Village. The world was green and lush and thriving.

And she was responsible.

As she wiped tears from her cheeks, Link added, “Nobody escapes a war unscathed. You’re always going to lose people. When the monster first started attacking Castle Town, my father…” His voice trailed off.

“But if I had awakened my power sooner, if I had worked just a little bit harder…”

“No. Don’t ever think that way. You did all you could.”

“I…” Words failed her. “Why are you being so kind to me?”

Link sighed. He turned and looked out over the castle. “From the moment I woke up in the Shrine of Resurrection, I was chasing something. I didn’t know what at first - with no memories of my past, it was just a gut feeling. But as I started to regain what I had lost, I realized that what I was chasing, the one thing that I needed to save more than anything else…” He turned and gazed at her with his ocean-blue eyes. “…was you.”

Zelda cried out and enveloped him in her arms, wrapping him in the tightest hug she could muster. Everything she had been afraid of, all of her worries, had been washed away in an instant.

“Thank you,” she sobbed. “Thank you, Link.”

They stayed gazing out over Hyrule Fields for another hour or so. The sun flew high overhead, bathing them in delightful spring heat. Zelda had almost forgotten what it was like to actually feel , to have a physical form again. Even though most of her body was still aching with pain, the warm sunlight felt nice.

“So,” Link spoke up. He was like that - he could go days, even weeks, without saying a word, and then would suddenly talk your ear off. “What’s the plan?”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re Princess Zelda. Even when things went horribly awry, you always had a plan. And for the last hour, you’ve been lost in thought.”

“How do you know I’m not just wallowing in self-pity?”

He chuckled. “Well, excuse me, Princess, for assuming you had a plan.”

A wry smile graced her lips. “No, no, you’re fine. I think…you’re right. There is much to be done. We need to plot a course of action, and get the kingdom back on its feet. I assume the Sheikah still reside at Kakariko Village?” When he nodded, she continued, “Then that shall be our first stop. We will need the help of the Sheikah if we are to unite the people once more.” She looked down at the rags that were currently passing for her clothes. “And it would be nice to have a change in wardrobe. What think you, noble knight?”

He bowed his head. “I shall go where you go, Princess.”

“Good. Then let’s get started.”

One hundred years of suffering. One hundred years of fighting Calamity Ganon, time and time and time again, restraining her with all her might. Time had no meaning - there was no way of telling whether it had been a day, a week, a year.

…then, a spark. Somehow, she felt him waking up. A bolt of joy coursed through her. The Shrine of Resurrection had worked!

A rumble of fury from her captive. He knew what was going on just as she did. His rage was a bottomless pit, threatening to overthrow her at any minute.

Desperate, she flung a message out. “Link…Link…open your eyes…find me…”

As the beast around her roared with malice, she could only hope her champion would save her.

Chapter Text

Two teens, both garbed in aqua-blue outfits, roamed the countryside. The boy kept a sword strapped to his back, a unique-looking weapon which occasionally hummed with energy as if it were itself alive. The girl carried in her hands a small tablet-like device - her entire focus seemed to be on whatever information the device was relaying to her.

"...but if we want to turn back the Calamity Ganon," she said, mostly to herself, "they're our best hope."

Though she spoke of hope, inwardly the girl was hopeless. Unable to perform her duties as princess, unable to awaken the power of the Goddess within her, she had to try and raise spirits. What else could she do?

They had been traveling for a week when they happened upon the stable.

Travel had been slow because of the still-active Guardians, which, as if in a frenzy over the loss of Ganon, roamed the countryside blasting away at anything else which moved. Though Link had proven himself a capable warrior, and Zelda was sure she could call upon her light powers if necessary, neither of them wanted to risk an unneeded confrontation. Zelda was still exhausted from the last century holding back that terrible evil, and while Link said nothing (though was that ever any different from normal?), she suspected that he was worn out from his battle against Ganon, as well.

The first day out from Hyrule Castle, Link handed her the Sheikah Slate, the ancient device which possessed greater technology than anything anyone in all of Hyrule had created in the last ten thousand years. Zelda was glad to have it returned to her hands - even though it wasn't truly hers, it felt right.

When they camped for the night, she spent time going through files. Zelda was surprised to find a plethora of new photos, new objects and monsters that had been categorized, and more complete map data on Hyrule. She looked up to the knight who sat across the fire from her. "Did you do this?"

He nodded.

She looked back down at the screen, fascinated. Before the Calamity, when they had traveled together, he never seemed to take much interest in the Sheikah Slate. And yet here was so much evidence to the contrary, hundreds upon hundreds of files showing his journey since awakening in the Shrine of Resurrection.

That night, despite her exhaustion, Zelda spent hours combing through the photos. Many were basic shots meant to catalog items for the compendium, weapons and wildlife and monsters. Some were images of landscapes: the Akkala Highlands at sunset, the Gerudo Desert on a cold night, Death Mountain as a blood moon rose overhead.

But what fascinated her the most were the people.

The majority of the photos were not of pretty scenes or data entries, but images of people from all around Hyrule. It seemed that Link had photographed just about every single person he met: here was a photo he took of himself with a Sheikah warrior. Here was another photo of a wedding between a Hylian man and a Gerudo woman. Here was another photo he had taken of himself with a Rito children's choir. Hundreds upon hundreds of photos.

She looked up at him, only to find that her knight had fallen asleep. "I wonder," she said aloud, though quietly enough so as not to wake him, "if you did this because you lost your memories."

It certainly seemed plausible. Zelda could not imagine what that must have been like, waking up after one hundred years with no memory of who you are or what had happened. Though she felt as if she had missed so much during her time imprisoning Calamity Ganon, at least she had never forgotten who she was. Her memories, as painful as they may be, remained intact. Perhaps Link, out of a fear of losing his memories again, had used the Sheikah Slate to record as much as he could, so that if that were to happen again he would have photographic evidence to bring them all back.

"No, that's not it," she muttered to herself, continuing to look through all the pictures. These photographs didn't have fear in them - there was no desperation to these images. They were full of, well…joy. Joy in being alive, joy in the little moments spent with all of these people. Link's journey hadn't just been about rescuing Zelda from Calamity Ganon. These pictures showed that it was as much about protecting the people of Hyrule.

Zelda sighed. She wanted to experience it all for herself. But she was a princess - no, a queen now - and when things were sorted, she would most likely spend the rest of her days in Hyrule Castle.

For three more days, they traveled precariously over Hyrule Fields, avoiding Guardians as best they could. Link admitted that the machines seemed more frenzied now than ever before - normally they moved in patterns, following paths that could be predicted with some level of accuracy, but now their movements were erratic, ramming into each other and constantly firing their death-beams at anything unfortunate enough to be caught in their gaze. All of the victims Zelda noticed were monstrous in origin: Bokoblins and Moblins that probably had rushed to the plains when Calamity Ganon had assumed his Beast form there.

Signs of that destructive battle were visible everywhere. Like the Guardian beams and explosions Zelda had seen before, Ganon's attacks had left scars in the earth, black gashes in the ground where no life grew. She wondered whether life would ever grow in those spots again, or if Ganon's everlasting hatred would render them barren forever. Snapping a picture with the Sheikah Slate, she determined that that would be a topic of research for another day.

Near the end of their fourth day of travel, they encountered a fascinating sight: a battle between a Hinox and two Guardian Stalkers.

Zelda had seen Hinoxes from afar, of course, but had never witnessed them in combat. The one she saw before her was a Blue Hinox, a more powerful variant of the regular red ones. Like the Guardians, its singular cyclopean eye was its primary weak point: the Hinox's skin was tough as armor. It knew this, and kept its eye covered with one hand while it swung a tree at its foes with the other.

That was what was so confusing to Zelda: why were the Guardians attacking the Hinox? Hinoxes were known collaborators of Calamity Ganon, serving his needs and terrorizing the people of Hyrule with their insatiable appetites; in turn, the Guardians were all corrupted with Malice, Ganon's hatred given physical form. She would expect them to be working together, not fighting each other.

Yet there was no doubt as to the current happenings, as Zelda and Link both watched the Hinox smash one of the Guardian's legs into bits. The machine fired off several short blasts in quick succession, each of them pointlessly bouncing off the Hinox's thick hide. The other Guardian furiously rammed against the monster's legs, toppling it to the ground and taking one of its spider-like limbs and jabbing it against the Hinox's now unprotected eye again and again. It was gruesome to behold.

"Come on." Link's voice was barely above a whisper. "We should get moving."

"Right."

They began to make their way back down the bluff to sneak around the combat when Zelda noticed something that stopped her in her tracks: a red dot projecting right over Link's chest.

"Look out!" She dove and pushed him out of the way as a beam of light sliced through the air where he had been just a moment before. The resulting explosion from the beam striking the hill sent her spinning through the air, crashing to the ground and rolling down the remainder of the incline…directly into the leg of a Guardian Stalker.

It pushed past her, the machine's sole focus on Link, who was still sprawled out on the ground. He looked alive, but unconscious.

She had to do something. Cupping her hands together, she closed her eyes and willed the Goddess' power to her. Please, Goddess Hylia, hear my prayer, she begged. Grant me the power to protect Link in this moment.

There was a flash of light. She opened her eyes. Hovering before her was a golden-white bow.

The Bow of Light. Of course! Zelda grabbed it, recalling the moment when she had summoned the weapon for Link in his battle against Ganon's Beast form. If this weapon was powerful enough to stop that hulking beast, surely it would be enough to stop a single rampaging machine.

She drew the string back, and a bolt of light appeared in place. "Here goes nothing," she muttered, and fired.

The bolt struck the Stalker squarely in its body and vanished, having seemingly done no damage. "Oh, curses," Zelda swore. She desperately wished that she had paid more attention to the archery training her father had pushed on her at a young age.

Though her assault had done nothing to actually damage the Guardian, it did do one thing: it caught the machine's attention. Spinning away from the fallen knight, it now turned its attention to the princess. As it charged up its attack, she fired bolt after bolt after bolt. Each of them struck the machine in rapid succession, but none of them pierced its glow eye. The machine flashed with light as it finished charging up. Zelda closed her eyes, anticipating the worst.

"HYAH!" There was a cry and the sound of metal driving against metal. Zelda opened her eyes to see the Guardian careen off its axis, firing the beam but striking the ground several feet to her right off in the distance. One of the machine's legs had been sliced clean off.

And beside the now-sparking gap stood her heroic knight.

As the Stalker turned to face him, Link wasted no time. The Master Sword shining in his hand, he brought the blade down upon another of the machine's legs. The rubbery limb exploded in a shower of sparks as the sword ripped it from the metal body, and the Guardian fell over on to its side. Zelda, seizing the opportunity, drew up her bow and fired. This time, her bolt made its mark, and Link pulled her away as the Guardian squealed in terror, electricity crackling around it, and exploded.

Their troubles weren't over. One of the two Guardians from earlier had apparently heard the commotion and come to check it out. It caught sight of them and began charging up an attack of its own.

"May I?" Link held out a hand. For a split-second, Zelda was unsure of what he wanted, but then she remembered the glowing bow in her hands.

"Of course."

She handed the weapon to him. Link took one look at the Guardian and, without a second thought, unleashed a light bolt into its eye. Zelda barely had time to register the machine's demise when Link handed the bow back to her.

"You really must teach me to use this properly," she commented later, as they made camp for the night. "I do not want to rely on you for my protection at all times. You will not always be by my side."

The next few days were conflict-free, though they both moved slowly to avoid any further catastrophe. Zelda was glad for the slower pace; it allowed her to rest often, which in turn gave her time to further-analyze the data in the Sheikah Slate. Little by little, she was beginning to feel more like her former self, from the time pre-Calamity.

On the seventh day, they encountered the stable. Zelda had seen pictures of them in the Slate - Link had stopped many times at the different stables scattered across the continent, and it seemed that these had often been locations where he had met with locals, rested for the night, and registered a number of horses.

This stable, however, had seen better days. One of the dark scars left by Ganon's Beast form burned over the field, with the stable dead-center in its path of destruction. As a result, the roof of the structure had been blown off. Wooden fragments were scattered everywhere. A nearby tree still burned with small Malice-fueled flames. Several people looked to be attempting repairs.

Link hurried down the slope. "Let's see what we can do to help."

They weren't even halfway down the hill when a voice cried out: "LINK!"

A man in a blue hat ran towards them, waving excitedly. His shirt was covered in ash, and his pants were torn at the knee. "I thought we'd lost you, what with that great beast roaming the fields and all!"

Link grabbed the man's hand and shook it. "Ember. It's good to see you. I was worried when I saw the destruction."

"No kidding. And this is…" The man's voice faltered when he looked at Zelda. "This can't be…you're…"

"Princess Zelda, at your service." She shook his hand, painfully aware of how ragged her clothes were. "What's the status?"

It took several moments for the man to stop staring at her. He finally recovered, shaking his head and turning to Link. "We lost two horses in the explosion, and a couple'o'goats. The other horse scattered to the fields and hasn't been seen since. Gotter'n'me barely made it out alive."

"What about Beedle or Kazul? Were they here when it happened?"

"Nah, they'd both gone on weeks ago." Ember gestured to the people who were working. "Those two Sheikah there arrived yesterday to help out, on orders of Impa. We're just trying to get a roof over our heads again." He eyed them with concern. "I know there's not much, but can I do anything for you? We've still got some food left over, and you two look starving."

Link nodded. "I don't think either of us would mind a meal; it's been a full day since either of us have eaten. What can I do to help?"

The two men began to chat, but Zelda was far from alone. The moment one of the Sheikah warriors caught sight of her, they wouldn't stop talking. "Princess Zelda!? It really is you! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you need food? Do you need clothes? Do you need a horse? There aren't any horses here currently, but I'm sure I could catch you one if you really needed."

"I'm fine, really." Her lips curled into a small smile. Though it was a little frustrating, it was also nice to be doted on again. "I wouldn't mind a little food. Make sure Link eats some, as well, before he starts helping."

The Sheikah warrior was happy to help. Within minutes, Zelda was sitting on a wooden log with a steaming bowl of soup in her hands. The smell was intoxicating; she had eaten nothing but berries and cooked rabbit for two weeks. She devoured the soup in a manner that was most certainly not befitting a princess. No matter. There would be time for dignity later.

She washed herself in the river nearby and donned the clothes the Sheikah had found for her: black shorts, a brown tunic, and a pair of leather boots. They were old clothes, and didn't quite fit her, but it was better than the gown she'd been wearing these last two weeks - no, for the last one hundred years, she realized. She was almost happy to toss the rags into one of the two fires they had going.

Link had already begun helping with the construction of a roof by the time she had gotten her clothing situation sorted out. She watched him for a moment, seeing how effortlessly he dove into the work. He hadn't even hesitated to help these people, all of whom seemed to know him as if he had been their best friend for years: Ember was constantly trading jokes back and forth; one of the Sheikah warriors routinely tossed him an apple; and the other Hylian man, Gotter, swapped tools with him without even saying a word. It was fascinating…and somewhat infuriating.

Feeling restless, Zelda sought to find herself a task she could set herself to. Undoubtedly Link would not want to leave until he had helped them affix a roof to the stable ruins, and she had no desire to leave his company just yet. She looked around for something to do.

That man, Ember, had mentioned a horse escaping the destruction. Though it had been two weeks, Zelda knew that if the horse had been well-cared for (and she doubted Link would associate himself with people who treated animals cruelly), it would remain in the vicinity. Perhaps she could go off and try to find the horse herself, and bring it back. She did have an affinity for horses.

She took out the Sheikah Slate and surveyed her surroundings. A horse was like any other animal: it would seek an area where it could find food, water, and shelter. If it was a trained horse, it most likely wouldn't have strayed too far from the road, either, even in its panic. Using the Slate like a pair of binoculars, she examined the riverside. It seemed like a suitable area: plenty of water, and the nearby trees would provide both food and shelter. Scanning the area to the south of the stable, she searched for any sign of the stallion and found nothing.

Wait! Something caught her attention. It wasn't a horse, but it was…

Zelda smiled. She knew what to do.

She elected not to tell anyone where she was going. The Sheikah warriors would insist on accompanying her, and she didn't want Link to worry about her. And it wasn't like she was going far, anyhow.

She followed the road south until it reached a small hill to the left, butting up against the river within a circle of trees. There she could see a small figure standing atop, one which most individuals would be incapable of seeing: a Korok.

"Hello!" she called out, hoping not to frighten them. Koroks were easily startled.

"HELLO!" the Korok shouted back, leaping up and down and waving the leaves in their hands. "YOU CAN SEE ME!?"

"Yes, of course I can," Zelda chuckled, walking up to the small figure. "I was wondering if you could help me with something."

"OF COURSE I CAN HELP, YA HA HA." The Korok leapt onto her shoulder.

"There was a horse stationed at the stable nearby. When the stable was destroyed, it escaped. Did you happen to see where it went off to?"

"OH YES!" The Korok was brimming with excitement. "THE HORSEY WENT OFF TO THAT WAY," they said, pointing to the south. "IT GOT CAPTURED BY SOME MEANIES."

"Meanies?"

"BOKO-BOKIE…OH, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT YOU CALL THEM. THEY'RE MEANIES."

"Bokoblin." Zelda sighed. Figured. Nothing could ever be easy. "Thank you, brave Korok. I appreciate your help."

"ANYTHING TO HELP A FRIEND." They alighted from her shoulder, landing softly back on the ground.

Zelda pondered her situation. The smart thing to do would be to gather Link and the Sheikah warriors to fight off the Bokoblin. But then again…Zelda used the Sheikah Slate to scout out the area the Korok had directed her. There were just four Bokoblin: three red, and one white. The white Bokoblin worried her - those were always more powerful than their red brethren - but it wasn't so many that she didn't think she couldn't take them out herself. After all, she was empowered with the magic of the Goddess Hylia, and could summon the Bow of Light at will. What could possibly go wrong?

Sneaking her way towards the camp, she plotted several possible methods of attack. Obviously the white Bokoblin was her greatest threat - it was stronger and smarter than the others. Reducing the overall numbers to just that one Bokoblin, however, might also be in her best interest. That would require her accurately and quickly firing her bow, neither of which were skills she was sure she had just yet.

Three of the Bokoblin, including the white one, were sitting around a campfire, talking to each other in their language - the fourth stood watch atop a small makeshift tower. Zelda quickly darted behind a bush. The watchtower Bokoblin would need to be her first priority, or else it might alert the others. 

In addition to the campfire, an assortment of chests and barrels were scattered about the area: loot they had acquired by raiding Hylian settlements, no doubt. Some of the barrels were of the red explosive variety; Zelda eyed them warily, concerned about the possibility of one going off and injuring either herself or the horse, which was roped up to a nearby tree.

"You can do this," she told herself. She could prove herself to be more capable than others thought her. She wasn't just some helpless princess. She was Princess Zelda, the girl - no, the woman , with the power of the Goddess within her. A couple of monsters were no match for her.

Right?

Deciding not to waste another moment on self-doubt, Zelda cupped her hands together in a silent prayer. The bow appeared before her in an instant - at the very least, she had gotten very good at summoning it. Now she just had to prove that she could wield it with the same efficacy.

Her first shot missed the watchtower Bokoblin by a mile, veering off and striking the hill far away. Thankfully, none of the monsters had even noticed.

Her second shot, unfortunately, struck the watchtower itself.

Zelda hoped that the light-bolt would have knocked the tower over, shaken it, done anything to disrupt the Bokoblin, but instead all it did was alert the monster to her location. It took out a horn that looked suspiciously to come from a different Bokoblin (were they cannibalistic? Zelda had never seen evidence of such a practice, but she wouldn't have put it past them) and blew into it, alerting the others in the camp. Her third shot struck the Bokoblin squarely in the face, but by that point the damage was done: they knew where she was.

Her next shot took out another of the red Bokoblins, sending its wooden club skittering across the road as its body went flying into the river. The final red Bokoblin charged at her, crying out with its pig-like squeal as it leapt into the air with a sword in-hand.

Zelda spun on her heel, dodging the strike with more agility than she thought possible. "Hah!" she cried out. Perhaps she was better at this whole combat thing than she-

Something heavy smashed against the back of her legs, and she fell to the ground. It was the white Bokoblin, carrying a giant wooden club. It had played it smart, waited until she was distracted, to make its assault. Now, lying on the ground, head reeling, it lifted the club and prepared to deal a final blow.

She rolled out of the way, and the club smashed against bare dirt. Her vision was so that she could barely see anything in front of her, but there was no time to sit and wait to recover. She jumped to her feet and fired off two shots without even looking.

For the moment, she could only really rely on sounds. Bokoblin telegraphed their attacks, she recalled from her studies, and always shouted when they were mid-attack. That made it easy. As she heard one of them shout to her right, she darted forward to avoid it, hearing the sound of something striking the ground behind her. Desperate, she drew her bowstring and fired.

"Gyahahah!" The sound of a Bokoblin being struck rewarded her. Hoping for another lucky shot, Zelda let loose three more bolts.

No such luck. To her right, she heard the snorting and sniffling that indicated a still-very-much-alive Bokoblin.

Her vision was starting to return. Now she could see properly (or at least, as properly as one could with spots still dancing before them) that her remaining foe was the white Bokoblin. In addition to the wooden club it had struck her with earlier, it bore a shield of wood and bone. And it was smart about it, advancing towards her slowly with the shield raised such that she couldn't see its face. Experimentally, she loosed a bolt at it. The bolt struck the shield dead-on (was her aim getting better?), but otherwise no damage was done. The Bokoblin continued to advance.

Zelda tried to run through plans in her head. Any attempt to rush the monster would be foolish - with both shield and club, she didn't stand a chance in any kind of melee fight. The explosive barrels might take it out, but she didn't want to risk injuring the horse, which was still helplessly tied to the tree. Running to release the horse wasn't much of an option, either, as the Bokoblin had managed to circle around her so that it stood in the edge of the camp, between her and the chestnut stallion.

Unless…

An idea sprung to mind. Zelda raised the bow, taking careful aim. If she missed, this would all be for naught.

FWIP!

The bolt struck its mark: not the Bokoblin, which was still protecting itself with the wooden shield; not the explosive barrels, which would surely kill the target she had come here to rescue in the first place; but the rope which kept the horse tied to the tree. It broke in a flash of light, and with a terrified whinny, the stallion raced off up the hill.

The Bokoblin looked from horse to girl and snarled, advancing at a faster rate.

Taking a deep breath, Zelda enacted the second part of her plan. Grabbing one of the clubs that the other Bokoblins had dropped, she dipped it into the campfire long enough for the tip to set ablaze. Then, with an almost-blind throw, she tossed it in the direction of the explosive barrels and raced away as fast as she could.

The explosion was instantaneous. A shockwave knocked her to the ground, her face crashing to the rough dirt. Her ears were ringing, and spots danced before her vision once more. Body aching with pain, Zelda closed her eyes and fell out of consciousness.

Link wiped sweat from his brow, examining the day's work. Though it was ramshackle, a flat wooden roof now graced the remains of the Riverside Stable. There were a few holes still, to be sure, and so they would have some leaks whenever a storm rolled through, but it would provide enough shelter for now so that they could get themselves situated once more.

"Not bad, Link!" Ember clapped his back. "I can always count on you to lend a helping hand."

Link nodded. Something seemed wrong. He felt like he was forgetting something.

"Princess!" One of the Sheikah warriors called out. Link snapped to attention, following the man's gaze.

Princess Zelda was walking up the road. Her clothes were covered in soot - and in fact, her tunic looked to be somewhat singed at the edges - and her face was riddled with various cuts and bruises. She walked with a heavy limp, carrying a large wooden club in one hand that she used as a sort of makeshift cane.

In her other hand, she held the reins of a magnificent chestnut stallion.

"Cocoa!" Ember hopped down from the roof and rushed forward to meet them. Completely ignoring Zelda, the man grasped the horse's face in his hands and stroked the stallion's mane. "I never thought I'd see you again!"

Link made his way down carefully and approached them. She looked much, much worse up close - one eye was turning purple, half-closed from injury. He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Well, I couldn't let you have all the fun, could I?" she said.

He laughed as the Sheikah rushed in to offer her first aid. This princess was made of sterner stuff than she looked.

Chapter Text

They sat beneath the branches of a large oak tree, atop a grassy knoll. Though a light drizzle fell from the sky, sunlight peeked through the clouds and offered a modicum of light. While the girl watched, the knight practiced swordplay in the rain, swinging his weapon against imaginary foes.

He looked so perfect with that weapon, the girl thought to herself. There was no doubt: he was absolutely the right person to wield it.

"What if…one day…you realized that you just weren't meant to be a fighter?" she asked him.

The swordsman turned, surprised by the sudden conversation.

"Yet the only thing people ever said," she continued, closing her eyes sadly, "was that you were born into a family of the royal guard, and so that no matter what you thought, you had to become a knight." She paused, the words almost painful to think. "I wonder then…would you have chosen a different path?"

Princess and knight arrived at the village as the morning sun broke over the horizon. Light danced over the valley in yellow-white beams, giving the place an ethereal look as the pair passed under the wooden gate.

It was over a month since the defeat of Calamity Ganon, and both Zelda and Link were exhausted and travel-worn. One would have thought that with their foe's defeat, the many minions which made up Ganon's army would have disappeared or crawled back to the caves they came from. Instead, the opposite had occurred: on almost a nightly basis, the pair had found themselves besieged by Bokoblin seeking revenge. These creatures were hardly a threat, particularly now that the princess was improving her archery skills under her knight's tutelage, but the lack of sleep was beginning to have its toll. Zelda's eyes were constantly darting around, expecting a new foe around every corner; even Link, who was normally so stoic, kept one hand on the Master Sword's pommel at all times.

Their emotional state wasn't the only thing that was frayed as they entered Kakariko Village. Zelda's clothes were already weathered from their journey, her tunic tattered at the edges and the soles of her boots withered away. Even the knapsack full of food and water she had been given at the Riverside Stable was falling apart, despite her best efforts to stitch it up after a Bokoblin attack one night had torn open the side.

"And you're sure the village will be all right?" she asked Link as they made their way through a canyon pass.

Her knight nodded solemnly. "The village would be protected from Beast Ganon's assault. We can find refuge with Impa here."

Zelda nodded, but still she worried. In truth, what worried her most was encountering Impa, the Sheikah elder of Kakariko Village. She had known Impa back over one hundred years ago, before the Calamity struck. Then, Impa was just a young woman, no more than twenty. Now she would be over a century, a wise elder. They had been friends then, but would Impa be capable of forgiving Zelda for her failures? She bit her lip and pressed on, worry eating away at her.

They found the village exactly as Link had described it: safe and protected. Nestled between the surrounding cliffs, Zelda was actually surprised by how little had changed from when she last visited. A house or two more had squeezed into the tight space of the valley, but otherwise the structures remained the same. Have times been so hard that the village population stagnated? she wondered. Even here, in this safe place, have they suffered because of my inability to stop Calamity Ganon those years ago?

"Link!" A woman's voice called out to them. They turned. Standing beneath the shade of a tree was an old Sheikah woman. She waved to them, smiling. "Oh, Impa will be so glad to hear that you are okay. After that nasty business in Hyrule Field, we were all…so…" She paused, noticing Zelda for the first time. "My word! Princess Zelda!"

She nodded and smiled. "At your service, ma'am."

The woman knelt before her. "Princess, it is an honor to meet you! I am Nanna. Please, follow me. Impa will want to see you immediately."

She led them over a footbridge and down a path which led deeper into the valley. Zelda was struck by just how quiet the village was: growing up in Hyrule Castle, she had always been surrounded by the sound of hurrying servants, chatting lords and ladies, and the hubbub of the town below. Here, the only sounds she could hear was the clucking of distant chickens, the whistle of the breeze through the branches of the trees, and the occasional twitter of airborne birds. It was so…peaceful. She allowed herself a moment to relax.

The peace was short-lived. As they walked down the path, Zelda noticed faces staring out of the doorways and windows of surrounding buildings. It was as if Nanna had somehow communicated with the whole village telepathically - everyone seemed to know that Princess Zelda had arrived.

She noticed two tiny faces peeking out from around the corner of a house. Sheikah children. The sight made her endlessly happy. Life had flourished, even here. Her failure had not ruined Kakariko Village, or the Sheikah people, forever.

They arrived at a wooden archway protected by two Sheikah men. A nearby Korok, invisible to the guards, floated on a spinning leaf and waved at her. Zelda found a small grin escaping her lips but resisted the urge to wave at it, knowing that everyone was watching her.

One of the men stepped forward and clapped Link's hand. "Champion of Hyrule, good to see you've come back in one piece!"

"You as well, Cado." The knight gave him a wide smile. "Word was that you ran reconnaissance of the field after the battle. Run into any trouble?"

"Nothing I can't handle. Better than herding chickens, am I right!?"

Nanna waved him away. "Step aside, step aside! Can't you see that Princess Zelda walks among you?"

Both of the Sheikah men's eyes went wide with shock. "Princess!" they said at once, bowing.

"We are here to see Impa," Zelda said, nodding politely at them each in turn.

"Of course, princess!" the Sheikah named Cado said. "I am sure she will be most pleased to see you. Go up, right away!"

They walked up the steps to Impa's home, and Zelda felt all of her fears return. She hadn't felt this nervous in…well, in a century. She recalled the first time her father had brought her to court, not long after her mother's death, and boasted about how she was going to be the savior of the kingdom.

"By wielding Hylia's light, she shall ensure that the Kingdom of Hyrule will endure forevermore!" he cried, and his statement was met with wild applause by the assorted crowd of noblemen and politicians.

Back then, she had no power, neither political or magical. Now, at least, she had magic. She could do this. She could face her failures and whatever scorn Impa might have for her.

Link pushed open the double-doors of the house. It took a moment for Zelda's eyes to adjust to the dim lantern-light, but she drank in every detail. The room was exactly as she remembered it: small in comparison with the throne room, but larger than any room in any other Sheikah home. An elevated platform sat in the back and center of the room, a tower of pillows upon it. But it was empty. A young woman stood with her back to them, Zelda was struck by how familiar she looked.

"Impa?" she offered.

The woman turned, and Zelda realized how foolish she had been. "No, I'm…Linky!" The woman rushed forward and wrapped Link in a tight embrace.

Linky? Zelda thought with mild amusement. That's certainly new.

Link gave an awkward chuckle and patted the woman's back. "It's good to see you. Zelda, this is Paya. Paya, this is-"

The woman leapt back from Link and fell to her knees in a deep bow. "P-Princess Zelda! I…I am so sorry. I should…I should have…" She fell into stutters and covered her face.

"It is okay, granddaughter." Zelda looked up at the stairs. An old woman stood beaming down at them, leaning on a cane. "Nobody has seen the princess in a century. You can't be faulted for not recognizing her. Particularly in that state of dress."

Zelda glanced down at her weathered clothes sheepishly. "Traveling has been…difficult."

"Not to worry, my dear, not to worry." The old woman walked down the stairs with surprising speed and stood before Zelda in an instant. "My, my…it has been so long." She stared Zelda in the face, examining her.

Zelda gulped. Was she going to be mad at her? Would she chastise her? Refuse to help?

Instead, what the Sheikah elder said came as a surprise to everyone. "You are so skinny, my dear. Why, look at you - those clothes are practically falling off your bones!" She poked Link with her cane. "Have you been starving the poor girl?"

Link chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head with his hand.

"It's not his fault." Zelda felt it necessary to speak up for her knight. "The wilds are dangerous. We're lucky to be alive as it is."

Impa nodded. "Since the fall of Calamity Ganon, beasts have become especially bold. Our village is lucky to be shielded from such threats, but others are not as fortunate. Come. Sit. I will have Paya get you some food, and you both can tell me of your travels."

They sat with Impa for an hour, filling her in on what happened after the defeat of Calamity Ganon and eating an assortment of delicious foods. The old woman remained silent the entire time, her eyes simply passing from one to the other as they each provided different details. It was hard to read her face, which was a shock. Back when they were nearly the same age, Zelda had always been able to tell what her friend was thinking or feeling. Now, though, it was as if she was an entirely different person.

At the end of it, Impa nodded thoughtfully. "You have both endured much," she said. "If it were different times, I would suggest that you both take a long time to rest, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. But sadly, there is still much work to be done." She glanced up. "Paya, send a message to Robbie and Purah. Tell them to come here at once. I think it best we meet and discuss how best to proceed."

~~

Impa also ordered Link to go find some named Claree who could help repair his Champion's Tunic, because, as she put it, "I've seen squirrels with cleaner coats." Then she led Zelda upstairs.

"I had an inkling that you might return to us one day," the old woman croaked. "I had something made special for you, should that day ever come. Of course, if you had perished in your battle against Calamity Ganon, I might have refitted it for my granddaughter."

The upstairs room was small, with only one bed, two small desks, a chest, and a bamboo screen. Impa hobbled her way over to the chest and opened it, rummaging through the belongings for a minute before springing up with a parcel in-hand. "You might ask Paya to help you with some of the lacing in the back, my dear. I fear my shaky old hands will not be of much help." She paused, seeing the pained expression on Zelda's face. "What is the matter?"

Tears welled up in Zelda's eyes. "I…how can you be so kind to me? After what I did? What I failed to do? How can you forgive me so easily?"

The wrinkles on Impa's face softened. "Oh, princess…do you really blame yourself for what happened all those years ago?"

"Don't you?"

Impa set the bundle of clothes down on top of a desk and sat on the bed, patting the blankets. "Come, sit with me."

Zelda obeyed, wiping tears from her eyes. Impa patted her knee and gave her a warm smile. "You cannot be blamed for what happened, Zelda, no more than Link, Revali, or any of the other Champions."

"But I failed. And the Champions…they all died because of me."

"Link seems to be okay, does he not?" Impa chuckled. "And even so, my dear, you were a child. You could not help that Hylia's power did not come to you sooner, no more than I can help when storms blow in or when the crops grow poorly. If there is anyone to blame, it would be your father." Zelda looked up, surprised. "King Rhoam let grief cloud his judgment, believing that the people needed more hope after the queen's passing, and he put too much pressure on you. Had he considered all of his options - perhaps focused his efforts more on the Divine Beasts, or the Master Sword, or any number of other places, things might have gone differently. Or perhaps not. Perhaps, at the end of it all, this was the will of Hylia. Perhaps you were always meant to succeed now, in this time."

Zelda wiped a tear from her cheek. "You really think so?"

Impa chuckled. "When you get to be my age, princess, you realize that things are never all what they seem. Now go on. You ought to have the look of a princess about you, instead of garbed in those tattered threads. I'll fetch Paya for you."

Zelda grabbed the bundle of clothes and darted behind the bamboo screen. She was glad to be rid of these rags, in truth, though she wished there was time to draw up a bath. No doubt Impa could smell the road on her. She tried on the first garment, a set of black breeches which fit over her perfectly.

"Lady Zelda?" Paya's voice called from the entrance of the room.

"Over here." She threw on the undershirt that was provided. It was thin, and barely covered anything, but she still felt sheepish about anyone seeing her topless. "Impa thinks I'll need some help with the lacing on this tunic," she said.

"Of course, princess." Paya came over and began helping her.

"So…Linky?"

In the mirror, Zelda watched as the other woman's cheeks flushed red. "Master Link has been so kind to me. Since awakening from the Shrine of Resurrection, he has come by often, and…I feel that he believes I can be a good successor to my grandmother. He…he is a good friend."

"You care for him." It was not a question so much as a statement, and Zelda nearly clapped a hand over her mouth in shock that she would say something so bold. Speaking of one's affections had always been a forbidden subject in the castle.

Paya blinked but did not seem fazed. "Of course, princess," she said, her voice cool and collected. "He is the Champion of Hyrule. Our world would have been plunged into darkness were it not for his efforts. I care for him just as I care for you."

Zelda detected a hint of sarcasm in the woman's voice, but decided not to say anything more. It was obvious that Paya had feelings for Link, and, well…why should she not? Link was not only a hero, but he went out of his way to help people. She had seen that firsthand at the Riverside Stable, when he went to help them rebuild without hesitation. He was selfless, caring, a bit quiet, perhaps, but…

Inwardly, Zelda sighed. Her own feelings on the matter were complicated. When she first met the swordsman, she had resented him. After all, he seemed to have everything figured out: following in his father's footsteps, a renowned warrior, and the Master Sword had responded to him almost immediately. He had been everything she wasn't. But over time, as he followed her around the whole of Hyrule, protecting her, she had found herself growing more fond of him. Then Calamity Ganon had struck, and Link had died, and everything was thrust into chaos. Trapped for one hundred years, she had never had the energy to consider romantic implications.

But now…

"There!" Paya beamed at her. "All done. How do you feel?"

Zelda glanced at herself in the mirror. Her outfit was not all that different from the royal outfit she had donned back a century ago: a thick tunic in the royal colors of blue and white, with gold lacing around the edges. There was something a little different about this particular outfit, however, that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Impa had it reinforced with fairy magic," Purah said, seemingly knowing what Zelda was thinking. "It should take a lot longer to break down, and will keep you well-protected against harm."

Zelda grinned. "It's perfect."

~~

They made their way downstairs, where Link and Impa were already waiting for them. Link was no longer wearing his Champion's Tunic, instead garbed in a green tunic and brown breeches. He stared at Zelda as she stepped down the stairs, and she found herself blushing beneath his gaze. Was it possible that he might return the feelings she had for him? Was it possible that maybe, just maybe, they had a future together?

She shook her head. Right now was not the time for such thoughts.

"So…Purah and Robbie," she said. "They're still alive after all this time?"

Impa nodded. "And as eccentric as ever. But their insight into the technology of our precursors will be essential for the future of Hyrule."

"And they are close enough to be here today?"

As if on cue, a loud crashing noise sounded from outside. Link and Impa shared a knowing look before the knight pushed open the doors, and everyone filtered into the valley.

At first glance, Zelda thought that a Guardian Skywatcher - one of the flying forms of those great mechanical beasts - was invading the village. But then she noticed the fact that the head of the Guardian was missing, and that two figures - both exceptionally short - were standing on top of it. The machine slowly floated down to the plaza in front of Impa's house, where a crowd was beginning to form.

"DOCTOR ROBBIE IS HERE!" shouted one of the figures, throwing up their hands in a strange gesture. He was a short, older Sheikah man, whom even after a century Zelda vaguely recognized as the eccentric inventor Robbie. She had only spoke with him once or twice at Hyrule Castle, and each meeting had left her baffled and confused.

"Linky!" the other figure, a child, leapt from the machine and hugged Link around his waist.

Zelda raised an eyebrow at Paya. "Does everyone call him 'Linky' now?" The other woman smiled bashfully and shrugged.

"Robbie, Purah!" Impa shouted from the top of the stairs. "It is good to see you, old friends. Come, come, we have much to discuss."

~~

They assembled in the sitting room of Impa's home, with Impa taking a seat on her throne of pillows and the others sitting on the cushions before her. For a few minutes, they merely chatted about current events, with Purah and Robbie wanting to hear Link's story about fighting the forces of evil. Zelda couldn't believe that the small, child-like figure was actually Purah, no matter how many times it was explained to her that the girl had accidentally de-aged herself in an experiment gone wrong.

"We are gathered here today to discuss the future of Hyrule," Impa began, tapping her cane to get everyone's attention. "With Calamity Ganon gone and Princess Zelda returned to us, the kingdom of Hyrule can at last begin the true process of healing. But it will not come easily - with the land in a state of devastation for so long, our people are scattered, broken. We must decide on a course of action, and I believe I know what must be done first. Zelda must take her rightful place as the heir to Hyrule."

This caused some commotion, particularly from Robbie, who shouted, "But the castle is in ruins!"

Zelda stood up. "While I appreciate the thought, Impa, I am afraid that I must refuse."

Impa held up her hand to silence Robbie, who had been on the edge of another outburst. "My dear, it is the best choice. The only choice. Hyrule cannot be properly united without its princess - no, its Queen - on the throne."

Zelda shook her head. "For the past century, the realms of Hyrule have watched the castle be home to the very source of their destruction. They have managed to survive in isolation. Struggled, perhaps, but survived nonetheless. While there might be some who would be happy to see me restored to the throne, I have no doubt that there are some who would much rather continue on their own. If I am to take the throne, I will only do so on one condition: that all of the people of Hyrule want me to be their queen. I will not command a splintered kingdom."

Link nodded in agreement, but Zelda could see that Impa was still displeased. Quickly, she racked her brain. If she was going to deny their only plan so far, she needed to have one of her own.

Putting a hand to her chin, she began to pace about the room, aware of everyone's eyes on her. "The first thing we need to do is to ensure everyone's safety. While Ganon's forces will eventually fade without his presence, they are wild and dangerous, and people need protection." She glanced up. "Impa, would you be willing to take in refugees from nearby areas? People whose homes were destroyed in Beast Ganon's attack, or those who have been forced to flee due to monster activity?"

The old woman nodded, though she was still frowning. "Of course. Kakariko Village will always help those in need."

"Thank you. Purah and Robbie, the two of you understand more about the Guardians and their technology than anyone else in the whole of Hyrule. I would ask that you lend your talents to the dismantling of the Guardians. Though many of these machines still wander the land, I suspect that they will fall once the influence of Ganon's Malice fades from them. Feel free to utilize them for whatever purposes you see fit, but prioritize inventions that will improve people's lives."

Robbie grinned, and Purah raised her hands into a two-finger salute. "You can count on us!"

"Excellent. The more we can understand about the technology, such as why Ganon was able to influence the very machines created to fight him, the better."

"And what of you?" Impa was still eyeing her warily. "What will you do?"

"I think…" She paused, her eyes meeting Link's. He stared at her with his usual level of intensity. "I think I will travel Hyrule, and visit each of the major cities and villages. The Zora, the Rito, the Goron, and the Gerudo…they have endured much in the last century. We will see what we can do to help them, and seek their approval for my ascension. We can also examine the Divine Beasts while we are at it, and determine whether there is any further use of them. That is…" She turned back to Link. "If you'll agree to come with me?"

"Hm." He nodded. "Where you go, the Master Sword and I will follow."

"But how will we communicate with you?" Impa questioned. "I do not think it wise for the princess to go wandering the world, not when so much danger still lurks in the shadows. What if some tragedy should befall you?"

"I can fix that!" Purah leapt to her feet, though she was so short that it barely made a difference. She took out a small tablet from her pockets: a device similar to Zelda's Sheikah Slate. "Even though the teleport functions of the shrines and towers have gone offline, I think I've got it figured out so that they can allow us to message each other. Behold!" She tapped the screen of her device a few times.

Zelda felt her Sheikah Slate buzz. A message reading Hi! flashed across the screen.

"Then it is decided." Zelda clapped her hands together, a smile on her face. "We each have our parts in ensuring that the future of Hyrule is a bright one. Let's get started."

Chapter Text

She was only five years old when she first saw battle. They were traveling along one of the main roads to the Gerudo Desert - her father was having trouble negotiating a trade treaty with them again. It was a massive affair with the entire royal escort: four carriages in the front, each with ten armed guards on horseback, along with a dozen or so carriages carrying supplies behind them, each of which had their own armed guards.

The attack came on the third night. She was asleep in her mother's tent when it happened. She awoke to the sound of battle. Her mother was ill, even then, and didn't stir, so the curious little princess snuck out of their bed and crawled her way to the flap of their tent.

Soldiers fought monsters. The first thing she became aware of was the smell - monster blood had a particularly pungent odor. And it was everywhere. Just on the outside of the tent lay two Bokoblin, their heads severed from the rest of their bodies. Ahead, a soldier was fighting with another Bokoblin, which wielded a giant club. After a few back-and-forth blows, the knight drove his blade into the monster's chest, and the fight was over.

Behind him was her father, the king. She had seen him practice with his buster sword before, but now she watched as he swung it properly. One swing, two, and an entire group of monsters were slain before him. For a moment, it felt as if she were simply watching one of the stories her father told her at night: a mighty hero taking down hordes of horrible monsters.

Then a Lizalfos jumped in front of her.

She fell back, stunned. She had never seen this monster before. It looked like one of the small lizards she liked to play with, but it was the size of a person and had a large horn sticking out of its snout. Seeing her, it cocked its head to the side and licked one of its eyeballs with an overlong tongue, as if it didn't quite understand what she was doing among this carnage.

"Stay back!" she cried, crawling backwards.

The monster arched its back and skittered toward her. A dagger was gripped in its curly tail.

"No!" she screamed, falling against the bed. Still, her mother did not wake. "Dad! Dad, help!"

The Lizalfos stood up to its full height. In a fluid motion, it tossed the dagger from its tail to its hand. Licking its eyes again, it took a step forward, raising the blade to attack-

Urk! The monster made a strangled sound. A moment later, it fell over, dead.

The princess looked up. Standing behind the monster, a knife in his hand, was a young blonde-haired boy. She had seen him before, but she couldn't remember where. It didn't matter. "You saved me," she said.

The boy remained quiet, staring down at the monster he had just killed in a mixture of horror and fascination. He couldn't have been much older than she was. Finally, he seemed to realize she was there. With a bow, he said, "Of course, princess."

"What is your name?"

He looked up and gazed at her with piercing-blue eyes. "My name is Link."

~~

Several weeks had passed since Zelda and Link first arrived in Kakariko Village. Despite what she had felt was a perfectly fine plan, Zelda had not been allowed to leave until Impa understood exactly what she was planning on doing. It felt a little ridiculous - after all, she was the princess of Hyrule - but they stayed in the village for four days before finally setting off on the road.

Compared with her initial adventure post-Calamity, this journey through the wilds felt far more adventurous. For starters, she actually had a set of clothes that fit her well - Impa had found the time to craft two more sets of magic-infused garments, one to keep her warm and a cloak that could keep her disguised if necessary. Link, too, was outfitted with better clothing, and his Champion's Tunic had been repaired so that it looked as good as new. They also had a large traveling pack filled with food, two pouches filled with fresh water, and a pair of bedrolls. Even ignoring the extra supplies, though, Zelda felt refreshed for the first time since escaping Ganon's clutches. She had gotten a decent night's sleep several nights in a row and had an opportunity to take a bath.

They also left on horseback. Zelda was sad not to have the white mare who had served her obediently during her young adulthood, but the particular stallion Cado had provided her was still of noble breed. She patted his black-and-white spotted flank as they left. "I think I shall call you Dodger," she told him.

They encountered many wary travelers on the first leg of their journey, most of whom were either taking residence at nearby stables or attempting to get there. Every time they met someone new, Link offered them assistance, whether it was carrying them on the back of his chestnut stallion, Epona, or simply providing directions. It was very noble, but it also made for very slow travels.

That being said, Zelda could hardly complain. Each time they encountered someone on the road, it was also an opportunity for them to see that she was still alive. As strange as it sounded, seeing the hope she brought to people gave her her own sense of hope. Traveling the world and assisting people would do far more good than if she was just sitting on a dusty throne in a ruined castle.

On the sixth day out, they returned to the Riverside Stable to see it thriving. Other travelers had come and helped add fortifications to the structure, and already there were the makings of two houses. "It will be a village before too long," said a beaming Ember.

"Let us know if there is anything you need," Zelda promised. "We can send word to Kakariko to get you supplies."

"Much appreciated, Princess Zelda." He bowed to her, his blue hat nearly falling off his head.

"Let's see if we can't at least get a roof up on that structure there," Link suggested. He looked back at Zelda. "If you're okay with us staying the night here."

"Of course." She smiled and nodded at him. "Do whatever you can."

As Link ran off (quite literally leaping off Epona to go and help), Zelda got their horses settled in the stable and then got started with her own work. With the stables serving as the beginnings of new villages, there was a need to organize and plan ahead. At the Dueling Peaks stable, she had helped develop blueprints for a well that could support a growing population, along with setting up plots that would serve as sufficient farmland.

Here, there was less work needed, as Ember was already on top of things. He showed her a map of the area which was already drawn on. "As ye can see, Princess, we're gonna work on usin' that hill to our advantage. We've already got some lads laying down the foundation for a watchtower there, but once the city gets up'n'running, we can convert it to a windmill."

"That looks excellent," she admitted, examining the details. "You might consider putting a dock along the west bank of the river here," she said, pointing, "as it would allow for some faster trading and travel between the other stables. Once Hyrule Castle and Castle Town are repopulated, use of the river would even allow you to more efficiently trade with them, as the castle's boatmen could follow the natural flow of the waterway to provide additional resources."

Ember stroked his chin and grinned. "Not a bad idea! Why, princess, I daresay you'll make a great ruler!"

She blushed. "Thank you. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go and check that Link isn't hurting himself."

They remained at the stable for an additional day. By the end of it, two small homes were more or less completed, and the beginnings of a watch tower stood at the peak of the nearby hill. Link took some time away from construction to work with Zelda on her archery skills. Though she was getting better, she still felt a long way away from where she wanted to be.

Back on the road, they traveled for a week when they came across the Lizalfos.

Zelda had seen many of them after that first terrifying encounter when she was a toddler. Yet still, the sight of the monsters filled her with dread. Was it because of their strange behavior, like how they were always licking their eyeballs? Was it the way they seemed to communicate with each other so much more effectively than other Ganon-allied beasts like the Bokoblin? Or was it simply because seeing one made her feel like she did all those years ago, helpless and alone?

Now, before them was an entire village of Lizalfos, set upon the edge of the Lanayru wetlands. It was a strange sight, with the bones of large, barracuda-like fish sticking up out of the shallow waters to form crude structures. Different kinds of the monster - green, blue, and yellow - wandered about. It seemed chaotic, and yet Zelda could sense the organization lying underneath. What were they doing?

Link put an understanding hand on her shoulder. "We can go around. There are other ways into the Zora domain."

She shook her head. "No. I can do this." She spurred Dodger forward and summoned the Bow of Light. Behind her, she heard Link unsheath the Master Sword. If they had to fight their way through the entire place, they could.

But as the pair of them approached the front of the village, something unexpected happened. As Dodger charged towards the nearest Lizalfos, armed with a spear as it guarded the entrance to their makeshift village, the beast did not prepare to attack. Instead, it raised its hands and croaked out, "Peace!"

Zelda paused, and brought Dodger to a near-stop. Link and Epona dashed past her, still preparing to fight. The Lizalfos fell backwards and croaked again, "Peace!"

"Link, stop!"

Zelda's voice brought the knight to a halt, his blade mere inches from the monster's throat. Its tongue flicked up to lick its eyeballs nervously. One eye on her and the other on Link, it stepped backwards, stabbing its spear into the ground. "Peace, please!" it croaked.

She frowned. Were those the only words it knew? Could monsters even speak at all? She had never heard of such a phenomenon. Encouraging Dodger forward, she kept her bow drawn. "Is this a trick?" she asked it. "What do you mean by 'peace'?"

The Lizalfos stood panting, and it took a moment to speak again. "No…fight," it croaked. "We…want…peace."

Link looked back at her, a confused expression across his face. She shrugged. "Is there someone else you can take us to?" she asked. "I'd like to speak to whoever's in charge."

Before she knew it, she and Link were being led on foot by a Lizalfos through their strange village. She was conscious of all the eyes following her every move. Yet nobody attacked. Some of the creatures certainly gave the two of them strange looks - a mix of confusion and frustration - but none of them so much as moved to hurt them.

The Lizalfos led them to the largest of the platforms, upon which a throne of fish bones had been constructed. A black Lizalfos, adorned in scaly armor, sat upon it, watching them with its yellow eyes.

"New friends!" their guide croaked. The surrounding monsters croaked out sounds that were not in Hylian, and Zelda had never bothered to learn their language. She had no way of knowing if they were happy or angry.

What she did notice, however, was how the black Lizalfos remained silent.

When the crowd had quieted down, Zelda stepped before the throne and bowed her head. "As I assume that you are the one in charge, I wish to say that I am glad to come before you in a moment of peace. Admittedly, I am still unsure as to whether or not I should trust you. After all, my people have long-"

"Trust!" The black Lizalfos cried in a voice utterly unlike the others. It sounded almost…human. "You think you are the only ones who have difficulty trusting? After so many centuries of your kind butchering ours, bringing us to the brink of extinction again and again?"

"Because you have served Ganon all these years!" Zelda protested. "Your late master nearly brought all of Hyrule to an end!"

"Do you think we served Ganon willingly?" the Lizalfos countered. "Do you mean to say that you never once considered that we might be slaves to the dark powers of that vile monster? Unable to be our true selves?"

"I…" She let out an exasperated sigh, realizing she was beaten. "No," she said at last, hanging her head. "No, I had not."

"Then you are just as innocent in this war as we were." The Lizalfos sat back in the throne with a look she could only assume was smug. "I am Master Ripclaw. I recognize the sword of your companion, but I do not know you. Whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

Zelda straightened her back and looked the monster in the eyes. "I am Princess Zelda, heir to the throne of Hyrule."

There was an assortment of scattered croaking among the crowd. She didn't mind - in recent weeks, she had grown used to that sort of reception. Master Ripclaw nodded, flicking a tongue to his eyeballs. "The princess herself stands before us. What an honor it truly is." He stood up on his throne and croaked out some words she didn't recognize, then concluded, "Let us have a feast!"

For a split-second, Zelda was terrified that she and Link were to be the feast. But it became immediately apparent that their hosts were not, in fact, about to eat them, as other Lizalfos began scurrying about without so much as touching a weapon. They brought out a large round table and two chairs made of wood and bone. It took the efforts of nearly a dozen Lizalfos to carry the large metal tray which was laden with a pile of fish. Zelda wrinkled her nose. She had never been fond of fish, and this particular pile smelled awful.

Link had no such reservations. She noticed that the moment her hosts began to eat, flicking their tongues forward to snatch a bit of seafood, he grabbed a hearty salmon and began devouring it unceremoniously. He was a knight who had traveled the world, so of course he would leap at the opportunity for a free meal. But she was a princess - a dignified one at that - and therefore there was a level of decorum expected of her. She chose not to partake in the feast, and she noticed that Master Ripclaw was doing the same.

"I must admit," she told him, "I am surprised to find that the Lizalfos can be so…"

"Civilized?" the leader finished her sentence with an air of humor.

Zelda blushed. "It's just that for so long, the Lizalfos have been servants of the Calamity Ganon. Based on what you said a moment ago, however, it sounds more like enslavement than willing servitude. Is that true?"

He nodded. "It is. All Lizalfos know the history of our kin, passed from generation to generation. Would you care to hear it?"

She nodded. "Of course."

The table became still - the other Lizalfos had paused in their meal. She nudged Link to quiet down, and he set the remains of his second fish on the table. Master Ripclaw licked his eyeball, nodded at those assembled before him, and began his tale:

~~

"Once, before the land was known as Hyrule, creatures lived on the surface in relative peace. There was fighting between species, of course, as each sought to survive and thrive, but the Golden Goddesses had promised prosperity for all. We Lizalfos flourished in the oceans and bays of the world, but we weren't alone. The Zora, the fishfolk, demanded domain over the oceans, as well, and conflicts ensued. After many years of battle, the first Lizalfos leader, Master Sharptooth, made peace with Queen Ruphan, and together the two species ensured that the oceans of the Goddesses' domain were safe and welcoming to all.

"But such peace was short-lived. A monster, a demon king, broke through the barriers between our world and his, and sought dominion over all through the use of a powerful artifact. Some of his demonic minions, such as the Bokoblin, followed him, but even so the Demon King's army was too small to wage a full-scale assault. Using dark and twisted magics never before seen, he forced entire species into slavery under his rule.

"We Lizalfos were among the last to be taken. For a century, we fought side-by-side with the warriors of Zora, Rito, and Goron. Our numbers dwindled, and when Mistress Daggerfang fell in the Battle of Broken Bay, the Demon King saw an opportunity. He forged a new magic, a horrible spell that could break even our indomitable spirits. Though we resisted, he forced down our will under an iron fist.

"Though we were forced to fight, the Zora, our long-time allies, initially recognized that it was against our will, and did their best not to slay us with impunity. But as the years wore on and the struggle continued, they abandoned our alliance, leaving us to the will of the Demon King. Even when the goddess Hylia sealed the Demon King away, our kind were left to rot in the ruins of the world's destruction. We were cast out from civilization, no longer welcome at the table of those we had once called friends. And though the Demon King was sealed away, his sorcery remained, imprisoning us and preventing us from doing as we wished. For eons, this has been our way - to try to resist the will of the One Who Enslaves, only to be broken and beaten.

"But we will never forget what we once were: a proud and noble race who shaped the oceans and made the world a better place. And one day, we know we will be free from the Demon King's spell and be our own people again."

~~

Master Ripclaw finished his tale by snatching a fish from the table and swallowing it whole. "So you see, Princess, that we have not always been the monster of your nightmares. Though it has been many a year, we once were friends of those who called this surface home."

Zelda sat still, taking it all in. She had read about the Demon King in her books, of course, but most of those stories were simply regarded as myth, not truth. Could they have been wrong all along?

"Does that mean…are your people finally free, then?" she asked.

The black Lizalfos nodded. "When you destroyed what remained of Calamity Ganon, I felt more like my true self for the first time. Unless some fragment of the Demon King remains, my people are free to be who they want to be now."

"What will you do with that freedom?" Zelda chose her next words carefully. "For eons, my people have quarreled with yours. There are bound to be some bad memories." She failed to mention that some of those bad memories might be her own.

Master Ripclaw regarded her curiously, one eye staring directly at her. "You mean to ask, though you fear to say it, whether we might seek revenge on those who abandoned us: the Zora, the Goron, perhaps even Hylians such as that knight who sits beside you?"

Zelda swallowed nervously and nodded.

The black Lizalfos let out a croak that might have been a sigh. "My people have endured enough conflict, Princess Zelda. I will not seek out more in the name of petty revenge. But there is one thing I would ask of you."

"What is that?"

He straightened himself until he stood at his full height, which was several feet taller than Zelda. "Now that you know of our tale, and the plight which we have endured at the hand of the Demon King, I would ask that you spread the word and help us to ally ourselves with the other people of Hyrule. And perhaps, when the time comes and you ascend the throne, you remember us and allow us a seat at your table."

She sucked in a breath, and used that moment to collect her thoughts and find the right words. "I…cannot promise you that the other races of Hyrule will agree to your inclusion, Master Ripclaw. The wounds of Calamity are still fresh, and undoubtedly some will resist allying with you." She didn't even want to mention the fact that she might not even ascend to the throne of Hyrule. There were enough complications as it was.

"I am not asking for you to mend ages of conflict in an instant," Master Ripclaw croaked. "I merely ask that you help us to try. We know that we have much to prove before others will accept us." Around the table, other Lizalfos nodded and croaked their agreement.

"Okay then." Zelda felt her shoulders fall as tension faded. "If your friendship is true, then I shall do my best."

She extended a hand towards the black Lizalfos. He regarded it, then, carefully, took her hand in his own. It felt rough, foreign, and she wondered if any Hylian had ever shaken the hand of a Lizalfos in all of history. This was a momentous occasion.

"I have a question." Zelda turned as Link spoke. His face was a mixture of emotions: sadness, worry, and unease. She didn't think she had ever seen him so awkward before. "You mentioned that the Demon King enslaved many races. Does that mean that there are others who now have the same freedom as the Lizalfos?"

Zelda turned back to the lizard ruler. She hadn't even considered that. Was Hyrule about to get much, much bigger?

"I cannot say," was Master Ripclaw's answer. "Our history teaches us that the Bokoblin, and their kin the Moblin and Hinox, were one of the many demon forces which followed the Demon King through his tear between worlds, and though they seemed to serve willingly it might be that the Demon King enslaved them in his world, as well. Many, such as the wizards and Octoroks, followed him without question, and the noble Lynel, while enslaved like us, over time certainly grew fond of that dark one's power. Perhaps others will wish to find peace with the rest of the world, as well."

Zelda let out a deep sigh. No matter how much work she thought she had before her, it always seemed like there was more to be had.

Chapter Text

"Mipha, pilot the Divine Beast?"

The King of the Zora spoke in a quiet, doubtful voice. He was an imposing figure, thirty feet tall and wielding a trident that was even larger than he. She had always wondered how such a being even came out, given that the Zora usually grew just a little larger than the average Hylian. But biology wasn't important right now - she had to play the part of diplomat, representing her father and his interests.

"Yes," she said in a voice she hoped was confident. "My father, King Rhoam, has faith she will do her utmost. With your permission, of course," she added. She had heard about how protective King Dorephan was of his daughter. Not unlike her own father.

"Hmm." The Zora King put a hand to his chin and considered her words. "This will be a dangerous mission, piloting a Divine Beast against the Darkness." He leered down at her. "And, I understand that the knight who will seal that darkness has not yet appeared?"

She hung her head down in shame. "That is true," she admitted. Blast it. Despite how desperate times were becoming, it was as if Hylia couldn't catch them a break.

"I must refuse," said the king. "I cannot send my daughter into such peril."

~~

Zelda and Link spent a single day among the Lizalfos before continuing on their trek into the Zora Domain. Part of the reason for their hasty retreat was because of Zelda's promise to Master Ripclaw that she would work towards repairing relations between the Zora and Lizal people. The other part of it was that she really couldn't stand the smell of fish, and they ate nothing else.

After saddling their horses and making it across to the other side of the city, they said farewell. Master Ripclaw left them with a parting gift, a package wrapped in several layers of seaweed. "Give this to the King of the Zora when you see him," the lizard leader instructed. "He will understand what it means."

"We will," Zelda promised. Though forging peace would undoubtedly prove difficult, the princess felt up to the task.

Then, with a strange croaking sound that might have been music, the assembled Lizal bid them a fond farewell.

That morning was a good one for travel. The tall mountains partially concealed the rising sun, bathing the land in a rich orange-yellow glow. Their path took them along the winding Zora River, such that a light fog floated on the ground by their horses' feet. The pine trees swayed gently in the cool breeze, bringing with it the smell of nature in bloom. Zelda couldn't have been happier.

Still, there was work to be done. "Link, you've been to the Zora Domain recently, correct? Who is their current King? Sidon?"

Her knight shook his head. "Dorephan."

Unease caught in the back of her throat. She had met with Dorephan over one hundred years ago, and she remembered his stubbornness. Out of all of the various leaders she was going to need to meet with in the coming years, it was he who she worried about the most. After all, she had insisted - at her father's behest - that Dorephan's daughter, the princess Mipha, pilot the Divine Beast Vah Ruta, a task which had proved fatal for the Zora woman. It already would have been difficult to get him to accept her as the future Queen of Hyrule, but now she would have to try to entreaty on the Lizal's behalf. Would he even allow them to enter his domain?

"What troubles you, Zelda?" Link was staring at her with those deep blue eyes again.

She blushed and looked away. "It's…nothing."

"No, it's not. It's Dorephan, isn't it?"

"How did you-?"

"I was terrified to meet with him, too." Zelda looked up. Link never admitted to being afraid. Ever. He shrugged. "I don't think it's any secret that Mipha had…feelings for me. She hand-crafted a Zora armor for me, after all. I think that's why she was so happy to pilot Vah Ruta - after the Master Sword claimed me as its knight, she seemed to think that we were destined for a life together. And yet…I survived, and she did not. Dorephan had every reason to hate me."

"And…did he?"

He gave a half-smile. "Not even slightly. If anything, he was happy to see that I had survived, after all that had happened. Don't get me wrong, some of the other elder Zora definitely resented me," he added quickly, "but Dorephan isn't that sort of king. All he cares about is the good of his people. All of them. After I defeated the Lynel of Ploymel Mountain and stopped Vah Ruta from flooding his domain, any hesitations he might have felt for me were gone in an instant."

Zelda frowned. That was all well and good, but it wasn't like she could just go and fight a bunch of monsters to win Dorephan's favor. Especially since many of the 'monsters' living around the Zora Domain were now hoping she would forge an alliance between them and the Zora.

"You'll figure something out," Link reassured her. "You always do."

They arrived at a bridge, which was flanked by two Zora watch towers. Zelda had always admired the beauty of Zora architecture. Even something as simple as these towers were made beautiful, constructed from lapis, crystal, and silver.

But something bothered her. There were no Zora upon the towers. "Has something happened?" she asked Link.

"I don't know," he said, putting a hand to the Master Sword's pommel. "There's always been at least one guard here whenever I've come through."

They pushed on, steering their horses carefully over the bridge and continuing along the trail. Dark clouds began to pass overhead, giving the entire area a sinister feel. Zelda shivered. Something was certainly wrong.

They found the first sign of trouble after climbing a steep hill: a fallen Bokoblin. A club and shattered wooden spear lay nearby. Link unsaddled and inspected the scene. "Whatever did this was big," he determined. "This wasn't Zora handiwork."

"But if it wasn't Zora, who did this?"

"I don't know. But Zora don't shatter shields like this - their style of fighting is more evasive, jabbing at exposed weaknesses with their spears. This is just…brutal." He hopped back on Epona's saddle. "Ready your bow, princess. I suspect we'll find out what did this before too long."

She nodded, summoning the Bow of Light into her hands.

They continued further, nervously glancing around every corner. There were additional signs of fighting - weapons lying half-broken on the ground, arrows embedded into trees - but they discovered no more bodies until they had reached another bridge. Half a dozen corpses, a mixture of Bokoblin and Moblin, were scattered around the area. Again, Link inspected them and came to the conclusion that their deaths were not brought by Zora hands. "They died by blunt force, not from attacks by a spear," he concluded.

"In your opinion, what sort of creature might do this sort of damage?" Zelda asked as they continued their way through the pass. "You've fought plenty of monsters, surely you have some idea."

Link thought about it for a moment, a hand to his chin. "Hinox are large, but are basically just giant Bokoblin, so they'd have no reason to fight each other," he said. "Bears rarely come up this far into the Zora Domain. In truth…I don't know. Whatever it is, it will be a challenging foe."

The sound of screams pierced the air. Link and Zelda looked at each other. It was coming from up ahead.

The scene they saw before them would forevermore be ingrained in Zelda's memory. The bodies of slain monsters, Bokoblin and Moblin, were strewn everywhere, broken and beaten. The source of their violent ends was evident, but it was unlike anything Zelda had ever seen before. At first glance, the bipedal beast resembled something she had read about in her history books, a prehistoric creature that predated any living thing in Hyrule. But this was flesh-and-blood, a giant, scaled behemoth with large claws, a spike-covered body, and a gaping maw filled with rows of sharp teeth. She watched as a Moblin charged it, swinging a spiked club, and was promptly swept aside with a shake of the beast's head, dashed against a nearby cliffside.

"Link!" They turned. A tall, red-scaled Zora was waving at them from the river.

"Sidon!" Link spurred his horse down the steep hillside towards him. The Zora burst out of the water to meet him, revealing a set of armor around his body and a long, white trident in one of his hands. The two warriors grasped hands, and the Zora flashed him a sparkling smile.

"This is Princess Zelda," Link said quickly, introducing her as she arrived to the scene. "Zelda, this is Prince Sidon." He turned to the Zora prince. "Can you tell us what's going on here?"

"That beast came out of nowhere, my friend. We heard the beginnings of its rampage a few hours ago, and have watched as it has given chase to all of the monsters in the pass."

"Is it friendly, perhaps?" Zelda asked, hopeful.

Sidon shook his head. "I do not think so. I have heard rumors of this beast before: a Dodongo, they call it. But they were only supposed to survive underground, not up here on the surface." He winced as a Bokoblin went flying past them. "Its armor is impenetrable - nothing the monsters have thrown against it has so much as chipped it. I fear it may be unstoppable."

"That's nonsense. Nothing is truly unstoppable." Zelda jumped down from her horse and crept up a ridge to examine the situation. Admittedly, Prince Sidon was partially correct: no arrow, club, spear, or sword seemed capable of harming the Dodongo. She watched as a Bokoblin even tried slicing at its thick tail, only to be knocked into the river. The Dodongo opened its maw and let out a mighty roar that shook the very air around it.

That was it!

Zelda turned towards Link and Sidon. "I have an idea. Prince Sidon, if you would be so kind as to instruct your warriors to gather whatever explosive arrows they have and meet us at the end of Luto's Crossing."

The Zora prince glanced at Link, who shrugged. "Very well," Sidon said. "We will meet you there."

"So what's your plan?" Link asked, after the Zora had all vanished into the nearby waters.

"If we can lead the Dodongo to Luto's Crossing, Sidon and his warriors can finish it off. But we'll have to get its attention." She ran a hand along Dodger's side. "Are you and Epona ready to run for your lives?"

~~

"This is a terrible plan!" Link shouted over the roars of the Dodongo.

They were racing along the path which led up the mountainous terrain, Epona and Dodger wheezing as they struggled to keep ahead of the furious monster behind them.

Just as Zelda had theorized, while the Dodongo's scales were nigh impregnable, the monster could still feel it any time something struck its hide. So when she fired off a rapid succession of arrows - along with Link tossing whatever nearby weapons he could find - the monster whirled on her and gave chase.

Of course, she had not anticipated that something so large could move quite so fast. Even with just two legs, it nearly outpaced the two stallions, every step causing the ground to quake. She began to worry that the cliffside might collapse around them, leading both her and Link to an early grave.

"Just a little further!" she shouted, coaxing her stallion forward. They were nearly at the top of the ridge. Beyond that lay Luto's Crossing, a long bridge that spanned the length of Ruto Lake. If they could just get across, hopefully Prince Sidon and his warriors would be waiting.

The ground began to give way beneath them. Dodger just barely managed to get ahead of it, leaping onto the more solid platform of the bridge, but she glanced behind to find Epona struggling to keep up. The Dodongo charged forward, mouth open, preparing to gobble up horse and rider in one fell swoop.

"No!" Zelda fired off another shot from her bow, striking the beast squarely between the eyes. It snarled and changed directions, focusing on her instead. But even so, its tail swung in a wide arc, and with a loud whump it struck Link and sent him flying.

"Link!" She paused for a moment, watching as he sailed over the edge of the cliff. There was no way he could survive a fall from that height. But maybe he could…

Dodger whinnied and galloped forward along the bridge, and Zelda lost sight of him. Tears flooded her vision. No. He couldn't be gone. He was her knight. Her champion. They were supposed to unite Hyrule together , and then maybe after…

Booming snarls snapped her back into focus. The Dodongo had taken the bait and was now pursuing her across the bridge, just like she'd wanted. On the opposite end, she saw two dozen Zora warriors all armed with bows, explosive arrows nocked and ready. "When it opens its mouth again," she shouted, hoping they could hear her, "fire at will!"

"Ready!" She heard Sidon's voice calling above the din. "Aim!"

As Dodger reached the line of Zora, Zelda spun and leapt off of her horse, turning to face the incoming beast. Its maw was wide open in a ferocious roar, tongue flailing about as if in preparation for a delicious meal.

"FIRE!" she screamed, shooting an arrow from her own weapon.

Explosions rocked the mountainside as projectiles crashed against the behemoth. Zelda closed her eyes as dust and debris flew around her, and she felt rocks graze her bare arms and the shockwave push her back. Still she stood, not daring to fall over. She was Princess Zelda, and she would stand tall.

When at last the chaos settled and the world fell a little more silent, she blinked her eyes open. The Dodongo stood before them, but it was swaying from side-to-side. Its tongue now dangled out of its mouth, several arrows lodged into the muscle. The beast had barely fit on the bridge to begin with but now, as she watched, it slowly began leaning to the right. Zelda lifted her bow and brought another glowing arrow into her hands. "For Link," she whispered, before firing. The light arrow slammed against the side of its mouth, and with a final gasp, the Dodongo fell over the side of the bridge and plummeted into the lake below.

~~

The moments following the Dodongo's defeat were a blur for the princess. She vaguely recalled the Zora cheering and celebrating, and had a distinct vision of Prince Sidon flashing her a bright smile and calling her a total genius, but after that things grew hazy. She knew that the prince, upon seeing her disheartened expression and realizing that Link was missing, shouted for several of his warriors to go off in search of the missing knight, and then ordered her to follow him. How long the journey took into the Zora city, though, she did not know. Nor did she even remember getting there. All she knew is that in what felt like an instant, she was standing before the throne of King Dorephan.

"-all we can do to find him," the king said. "My hope is that he will have at least fallen into the river. Even if dear Link has met his end, we will at least be able to give him a proper burial."

"I…what?" She looked up into the massive king's face. "I apologize, King Dorephan. I…I do not feel well."

He looked down at her with pity. "Of course. Perhaps it is best that you get some rest. We can talk on important matters later." The king nodded to someone behind her. "Yona, please escort Princess Zelda to her chambers. See to it that she is made comfortable."

"Of course, my king." A green-scaled Zora took Zelda by the arm and gently guided her towards the rooms below the throne room.

She wasn't sure how long she remained in that room. An hour? A day? A week? All she could think about was how she had failed him. She had known that her plan to defeat the Dodongo was risky…but then again, everything she had done since properly returning to the world had not been without risk. She had just assumed that, like in every other situation, they would prevail. After all, Link had fought who-knows-how-many monsters before, had conquered the four Divine Beasts, and slain Calamity Ganon. In her mind, he had been invincible.

And now…

When she finally felt fit enough to leave her room, it was not guilt but shame that washed over her. She had wasted time, precious time, feeling sorry for herself. That wasn't what Link would have wanted. Taking deep breaths, she forced herself to come to the conclusion that she would just have to continue with the quest they had started together. It was the only way she could make it up to him.

Returning to the throne room, she found that King Dorephan was in the middle of a council meeting. Despite this, he seemed pleased to see her. "Come in, come in!" he cried, waving her over. Several of the council members, older Zora whose features were wrinkled with age, grumbled, but he ignored them.

"I apologize for my behavior," Zelda began. "It was unbecoming to hide away for…so long."

"Four days," mumbled one of the council members.

"Oh, shush," King Dorephan scolded. Turning to Zelda, he said, "Do not worry about Seggin. He's an old fool who would be grumpy even if all the monsters in the world vanished without a trace. How are you, dear?"

"I am as well as I can be. Erm, thank you, for not being upset with my behavior."

"Nonsense, princess. When I lost Mipha, I daresay I hid away for…what was it, Seggin, a few months? I understand your grief."

Zelda bit her tongue. Mipha. "I feel I must apologize again, King Dorephan. It was at my request that Mipha piloted Vah Ruta, and-"

The king held up a fin to silence her. "The time for blame and feeling sorry for ourselves has long since passed. Mipha would have made the choice whether I gave her permission or not. It is thanks to her that Calamity Ganon is no more, yes? I would say that hers is a noble sacrifice, worthy of remaining in the history books for all ages to come." He paused and released a heavy sigh. "Let us speak no more of those unpleasant topics. I wish to commend you in your efforts in vanquishing the Dodongo that threatened our territory. Prince Sidon has told me all about your exploit. How did you put it again?"

"A legendary feat for the history books!" Sidon applauded, flashing her a bright smile. "Why, what you did would dwarf even the legendary feat of our champion Link!"

His words nearly brought tears to her eyes. She blinked them away, clearing her throat. "Thank you, Prince Sidon. Thank you, King Dorephan. I was hoping…well, the reason I came to the Zora Domain to begin with was to speak of the future."

The king leaned back in his throne and nodded. "Those are the best conversations. Please, go on."

"Thank you." Zelda glanced around at the assembled council members. "I know that your people have suffered these past one hundred years, and while you say I don't need to, King Dorephan, I still feel I must apologize for my failure that allowed that suffering to take place. But now, with Calamity Ganon destroyed and his armies weakening by the day, we have an opportunity to bring peace to Hyrule once more. I intend to visit each of the great countries of Hyrule and ask you to work together, so that no one might threaten us ever again. I believe that it is only under a united Hyrule that we can ensure peace and prosperity for all, now and forevermore."

King Dorephan nodded politely. "And I suppose that you will lead this united Hyrule, taking your place upon the throne in your father's castle?"

"I…am not sure yet," Zelda admitted. "While I am King Rhoam's only descendant, I do not wish to assume that just because I was the princess of Hyrule, I am its rightful ruler. Whoever is to lead should be someone that everyone agrees to, to guarantee that there is no dissent."

"Hmmph." One of the advisors, a green one whose face looked like it was melting with age, crossed his arms. "Sounds like you are avoiding responsibility."

"I disagree," said King Dorephan, raising himself up a little higher. "I think that your decision speaks of accumulated wisdom, Princess Zelda. While the Zora will stand behind you and your campaign to unite Hyrule under one rule, there undoubtedly will be some who disagree. The Rito, in particular, I believe will prove difficult."

She nodded. "That is why I think it is imperative to visit the major cities and speak with leaders. Even if it is not I who ends up taking up the mantle of leadership, I think it is important that everyone has a voice." She paused. "On that topic…"

The Zora king looked at her with interest. "Yes?"

"I think there is a situation that you should be aware of. Tell me, King Dorephan, what do you know of the Lizal people?"

He leaned back in his throne, a frown across his face. "An interesting question, princess. To call them a 'people', I feel is quite generous. Monsters they are. Monsters they have been. And monsters they shall always be. For as long as recorded history, they have plagued the Zora, fighting over territory."

She looked him in the eyes. "What if I were to tell you that this wasn't entirely true?"

Zelda proceeded to spend the next several hours detailing the king and his council about her time in the Lizal village. It was clear from the outset that many in her audience found her claims dubious at best - when she began to describe Master Ripclaw's tale about the true history of the Lizal people, one of the advisors stood up and simply left the throne room. Still she continued, describing everything with as much detail as she could muster. She owed it to them: Master Ripclaw, the other Lizal, and Link. He had believed in her. It was about time she believed in herself.

When all was said and done, she found Dorephan regarding her with a look that seemed a mix between curiosity and frustration. "You say that the Lizal wish to have peace with us?" he said, sounding uncertain. "I am not sure this is possible. Even if this Master Ripclaw's tale about his kind is true, we have been warring with them for generations. My great-grandmother was slain by one-"

"He also asked me to bring you something." Zelda quickly fished out the seaweed-wrapped package Master Ripclaw had given her. "He said…he said you would understand what it means."

The parcel passed from her hands to Sidon's, then from Sidon to his father. The Zora King handled the package gingerly, as if he were expecting a trap to burst forth from it. Had Zelda not seen how earnestly the Lizal wanted peace, she might have thought the same. Still, she wanted desperately to know what Master Ripclaw thought would be an offering of peace, and stared intently as Dorephan unwrapped it.

It was a statue. She could barely see it from her vantage point, but Zelda was fairly certain that the statue was in the shape of the Goddess Hylia, like so many others scattered around the world of Hyrule. Only this one looked different: rather than being carved from stone, however, it was made from crystal and lapis.

"The Zora Divinity," King Dorephan whispered, though his voice was loud enough that she still heard him clearly. "For six centuries the location of this holy artifact has eluded my people. It was stolen by a Hylian, you know," he added, now speaking directly to Zelda. "A robber who saw it only as a prize to be cashed in. That it should return to us now, after the defeat of Calamity Ganon, I think speaks volumes of how our people shall thrive."

"So does that mean you will consider Master Ripclaw's offer?" Zelda asked, hopeful.

"Blasphemy!" shouted one of the advisors. Two others were shaking their heads.

King Dorephan was silent for a moment, staring down at the figure in his hands. When he finally spoke again, his voice remained somber. "The return of the Zora Divinity is indeed no small matter. I can at least agree to not wage war on their camp, as was planned. But to ally ourselves with such monsters, when our history is so full of bloodshed? I cannot justify such a decision."

Zelda hung her head low as Prince Sidon stood up and protested. The king shook his head. "My decision on this matter is final. While I appreciate your counsel, Princess Zelda, who else would possibly vouch for the sincerity of their claims?"

"I would."

The voice, confident and defiant, sent a chill down Zelda's spine. No…it couldn't be. She turned around to face the source.

Link, the Champion of Hyrule, stood at the entrance to the throne room. Though his face was bruised, and he was using the Master Sword like a cane, he managed to stand tall. Upon his person he wore the Zora armor, the very armor which Zelda knew Mipha had made especially for him all those years ago.

Zelda couldn't help herself. She rushed forward, and in an uncharacteristic display of affection, wrapped her knight in a tight embrace. "Oh, how I grieved!" she cried. "Oh how glad I am to find that you are okay!" She separated herself from him and stared into his face. "But…how did you survive? None of the scouts could find any sign of you."

"That was our doing." Behind the knight, looking awkward and out of place, was the black Lizal, Master Ripclaw himself.

"What is the meaning of this?!" cried one of the advisors. "How dare you bring a monster into our sacred home!"

King Dorephan leered at Link. "I think you had best explain yourself, little knight."

He did. Slowly, but gaining momentum as he did, Link explained that after the Dodongo swept him off the cliffside, he landed in Ruto Lake. Battered against rocks, he was swept down the river, until he arrived unconscious at the home of the Lizal.

"They found me, half-broken, and took care of me. That is why your scouts couldn't find me - they didn't dare approach the village."

The Zora King still looked doubtful. Speaking directly to the leader of the Lizal, he questioned, "You would really take in this knight, who has slain dozens, if not hundreds, of your people?"

Master Ripclaw straightened his back and locked his eyes with Dorephan's. "When Link slew Calamity Ganon, it was not just your people he saved. It was ours, as well."

Link went on to detail how the Lizal cared for him, fixing his wounds and feeding him even while he lay unconscious for two days. When he at last awoke, Master Ripclaw thought to take Link to the Zora himself, as a gesture of goodwill.

"We want peace," the Lizal said. "For too long, our people have waged war against one another. I do not expect forgiveness in a day. I do not even expect it to happen in my lifetime. But when I leave this world, I want to leave it knowing that our people might once again work together as allies."

"I agree." Prince Sidon stood up and walked over to Master Ripclaw. "I know I am young, but I have seen my fair share of conflict. I think it would be wise for us to share in the peace Link and Zelda have brought us, and to do our part to rebuild relations between our people." He extended a hand to the Lizal. "Even if my father does not, I accept your promise of friendship."

The two shook hands, and Sidon flashed Master Ripclaw one of his signature smiles. Zelda found herself smiling uncontrollably. She had her knight back by her side, and her diplomacy was finally starting to work.

King Dorephan scratched his chin contemplatively. "It is fate that the younger generation should see the world and how it can be improved better than the ones who came before them," he said. "Such is the folly of age. I would be foolish not to see my son's wisdom, and the wisdom of Princess Zelda, on this matter." He sighed. "Master Ripclaw, I cannot promise that things will be perfect. But, perhaps if we work together, we can ensure a brighter future for both of our peoples."

Master Ripclaw licked his eyeball and nodded. "That is all anyone can ask for."

"Then it is decided!" The Zora King stood up from his throne, towering over all who were assembled there. "From this day forth, may the Zora and Lizal people work together, to achieve a harmony like that of our ancient past. Master Ripclaw, I request that you send several delegates here to meet with us, and in turn I shall send several delegates to your village. It will take some time, but I am sure that we can-"

The ground began to rumble. Zelda caught Link before he could fall to the ground, but others were not quite so lucky. As the quakes continued, she watched as chunks of the cliffs surrounding the Zora Domain broke off and fell into the lake with a violent crash. Screams echoed up from the city as people attempted to find someplace safe.To the southeast, a plume of water rose up into the air, like the eruption of a watery volcano.

"What is this!?" Master Ripclaw croaked.

Link answered in a grim voice, barely audible above the din. "Vah Ruta has reawoken."

Chapter Text

Echoing booms thundered through the mountainside. With each explosive tremor, the princess felt as if she was going to be knocked to her feet. Yet despite this, she felt a thrill as the Divine Beast finally came into view.

Vah Ruta resembled a prehistoric creature known as an elephant: a massive, mechanical marvel from ten thousand years in Hyrule's past. Glowing with blue light, it stomped around the mountain and lifted its trunk, releasing a triumphant trumpet.

Va-rooooooooo!

A fountain of water rained down on the crowd. Screams of joy came from the younger Zora. The adults just sighed in exasperation, shaking their clothes to quickly try and dry off.

"Hmmph." King Rhoam looked up at the machine and frowned. "The Divine Beast is a weapon of war," he said, to no one in particular. "It should not be used for cheap parlor tricks."

The princess looked away in embarrassment. Count on her father to find a way to turn even this momentous occasion into a somber affair. She looked back up at the top of Vah Ruta, where, barely visible from so far away, a tall red figure waved down at them. Mipha. She had successfully managed to connect with the Divine Beast as its pilot.

A tremor shook the ground as the trunk of Vah Ruta slammed against the ground in a sudden, unexpected movement. A few collective screams escaped from some of the frightened onlookers as they ducked for cover.

"Sorry!" a voice echoed from the machine: Mipha, princess of the Zora and pilot of the Divine Beast. "I am still getting used to controlling it."

The Hyrulian princess gave a weak chuckle and glanced back over at her father, whose frown had only deepened. They had a lot of work to do.

All of Lanayru trembled as Vah Ruta thrashed around the lake, its trumpeting cries loud enough to be heard for miles around. A wave cascaded over the cliffs when its trunk swung around, showering the entirety of the Zora city in a spray of water.

Zelda was huddled in a corner of the throne room with dozens of Zora, Lizal, and Hylians who were taking shelter, trying to hear the voices coming through the Sheikah Slate over the chaos.

"It's just Vah Ruta!" Purah was shouting. In the background, Zelda could hear the sounds of papers being thrown about and mechanical parts falling - Robbie attempting to do something, no doubt. "The other three Divine Beasts are standing in the same spots they've been in since Calamity Ganon fell. It doesn't make any sense!"

"Could it be that somebody got inside and activated it?" Zelda asked.

"No, the Divine Beasts aren't like some random machine you can walk up to and turn on. It takes somebody with immense power to control it. Remember when we were finding Champions to pilot them one hundred years ago? Even Urbosa struggled to get the hang of things."

"It could be that Vah Ruta is acting on a sort of automated system!" Robbie's voice shouted, though he still sounded far away. "The Divine Beasts were designed to fight against Calamity Ganon's power - perhaps something caused a sensor to activate and reawaken it!"

"That's true!" Purah sounded pleased. "Zelda, you mentioned that the Lizal have a village nearby. Do you think maybe they still have a little bit of Calamity Ganon in them? Enough to awaken Vah Ruta?"

Zelda looked over at the center of the throne room, where the Lizal leader Ripclaw was poring over a map with Link, Sidon, King Dorephan, and a dozen others. She turned back to the slate. "I don't think so. The Lizal are very committed to helping Hyrule heal, and they have given us no indication that they are still under any influence from the Demon King."

"Hmmm." She could imagine Purah's expression right now, with one hand on her hips and another to her chin, deep in thought. "Well, in any event, keep an eye out for evildoers, princess. Something is causing Vah Ruta to act this way."

"I understand, but what can we do to stop it? I fear it will destroy all of Lanayru if we don't do something." She glanced back up at the group. "What about Sidon? He is Mipha's brother, after all - perhaps he could attempt to take control and pilot Vah Ruta?"

"That could just work," Purah said. "If worse comes to worst, though, you may have to destroy the console at the center of the machine. Break that, and it won't have the power to do anything."

"NO!" Robbie's voice screamed in the distance. "That is a precious artifact! We still haven't done any research into how the ancient Sheikah people powered such a machine in the first place! It's priceless, priceless ! You cannot simply-"

There was a crashing sound, followed by a moment of silence. "Robbie?" Zelda asked, concerned. "Purah, is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine, princess!" Purah sounded out of breath. "Just kicked Robbie out of the workshop for a minute. He'll be fine." She paused for a moment. "Obviously, we would like to keep Vah Ruta intact. After all, you never know when you might need the power of a Divine Beast. But if Sidon, or anybody else for that matter, can't control it…"

"We'll do what is necessary." Zelda nodded. "Thank you, Purah. I will reach out to you if we have any more questions."

"Sounds good. Stay safe out there, princess!"

"You, too." Zelda shut off communication and clipped the slate back to her belt. After taking a moment to collect herself, she returned to the group.

"What say the Sheikah?" Master Ripclaw asked her.

Zelda cleared her throat. "They believe that our best chance of stopping this rampage is to get somebody inside of Vah Ruta and take control, to pair with the machine and become its new pilot." She nodded at Sidon. "As Mipha was your sister, you seem the best candidate for the position, if you are willing."

He flashed her one of his signature smiles. "You can count on me! It would be my honor to pilot the Divine Beast."

"But how will you get close enough to seize control?" King Dorephan questioned. "Our scouts can barely get to the edge of the lake without Vah Ruta's defensive systems activating and repelling them."

A huge tremor shook the throne room. Link braced himself against the table and nodded at the Zora prince. "We'll do what we did before when I stopped it the first time."

"I will send some of my fastest warriors to serve as a distraction," Master Ripclaw croaked. "If the machine has activated because of our presence, then the least we can do is keep it from attacking you." He gestured at Dorephan. "With your permission, of course."

The king nodded. "Of course. In a time of crisis such as this, I would be foolish not to accept your assistance."

Sidon posed confidently. "Then it is decided! Let us hurry."

~~

As it turned out, Dorephan's scouts had understated the difficulty of getting anywhere near Vah Ruta, and the act of simply getting to the East Reservoir Lake proved to be a challenge in and of itself.

The easiest way to get to the lake would have been to travel east out from the city and make their way up a staircase alongside one of the lake dams. But the tremors had done irreparable damage: parts of the staircase had simply broken off and fallen twenty stories into the turbulent waters below, and the dam itself was beginning to crack, streams of water spilling through. Zelda felt a chill upon seeing the damage - if the dams broke, most of the Zora Domain would become completely flooded. The loss of life alone would be devastating, not to mention the permanent damage it would do to the surrounding ecosystem and infrastructure. They needed to stop Vah Ruta, and fast.

With their initial path destroyed, Sidon led them to a waterfall to the north. It was just the four of them - Zelda, Link, Sidon, and Master Ripclaw. The Zora prince turned to the Lizal. "Can you swim up waterfalls?"

Ripclaw let out a surprised croak. "Are you telling me you Zora can?"

"Of course! It's a bonafide right of passage, climbing your first waterfall! I did it when I was not but a small fry." Sidon sighed. "Very well then. Master Ripclaw, if you would be so kind as to climb on my back. Princess Zelda, I would ask that you put your arms around Link's neck. He knows what to do."

Zelda did as instructed, blushing as her hands felt Link's torso through the thin Zora armor. "I am not entirely sure I follow what he means, Link, but I hope you know what you are - OH MY HYLIA!"

With a burst of energy, Link began swimming up the waterfall. Though his movements were no different than as if he were swimming normally, they were positioned vertically, not horizontally. For a thrilling few seconds, they rushed upwards, until at last Link had reached the peak and they landed softly on solid ground once more.

Zelda turned and retched into a nearby bush. "Is the princess okay?" she heard Sidon ask.

Finally catching her breath, she stood up at her full height. "I was just…caught off guard," she explained.

"She doesn't like heights," Link added.

"That is not the point!" Whirling around, she stomped off in the direction of the lake. "Come on, we have much to do."

They made their way along the cliffside that spanned the north end of the lake. Much of the mountainous terrain was broken and shattered from Vah Ruta's rampage, which continued even as they walked. As queasy as she felt, watching the Divine Beast stomp around the lake gave her a better sense of what they were dealing with. Its movements were chaotic, frantic, as if the machine were desperately trying to find something.

"Was it like this when you faced it before?" she asked Link. He shook his head.

"I've never seen Vah Ruta like this," Sidon confirmed. His voice had lost its usual cheery tone. "Before, when Link and I saved it from Ganon's Malice, it just stood still, spraying water into the air. It never thrashed like this."

"It is almost like it's throwing a temper tantrum," Master Ripclaw suggested.

Staring back down at the Divine Beast, Zelda found that she agreed with the Lizal's assessment. The swinging of its trunk, the way it stomped its feet and trumpeted furiously…it did remind her of a small child throwing a fit when they didn't get their way. Was that all this was? Was the Divine Beast simply throwing a tantrum because it no longer had a pilot?

"Well, hopefully Sidon can get it to calm down," she said hopefully. 

He managed to flash half a grin before his face returned to its somber expression.

They followed a treacherous route down to a stony beach against the north edge of the lake. Across the lake, a mixed group of Zora and Lizal awaited their signal, both parties looking uncomfortable with each other. Still, Zelda was emboldened by the fact that they had agreed to work together at all - it was a sign that perhaps the two peoples could achieve peace when all was said and done.

"Remind me of the plan again," Master Ripclaw croaked, taking a soft step into the water.

Zelda held out a hand and flexed her fingers, a thrill running through her as the Bow of Light appeared in her grip. "Link and Sidon will make their way into Vah Ruta and attempt to either disable it or gain control. Our job will be to keep the Divine Beast busy and ensure that they make it on to the machine safely. Sidon, you mentioned that last time it threw chunks of ice at you?"

"Yes. Link used the Sheikah Slate from my back to block them."

She frowned. "Sadly, most of the capabilities of the Slate were lost after the battle with Calamity Ganon. But between my bow and the efforts of the Lizal and Zora warriors, we should be able to keep you well-protected. Are you ready?"

The Zora prince stood with the water up to his shoulders, and Link went and wrapped his arms around his neck. "We're ready, princess," Sidon said. "Let us begin!" He launched himself forward into the icy waters.

Zelda fired a shot into the air, signaling to the troops on the opposite side of the lake that it was time to begin. As they dove into the water, she spun to face the Divine Beast, whose course had brought it around to the east side in a counter-clockwise path.

The first sign of trouble came in those first moments. Vah Ruta, perhaps sensing the forces converging on its location, stopped mid-tantrum and slammed its trunk into the water. This resulted in a rippling wave which spread out over the entire surface of the lake. Several Zora and Lizal were caught in it and sent flying backwards towards solid ground - Zelda watched as Sidon dove beneath the water, Link around his neck, to avoid the wave. She didn't have time to check on when they resurfaced, as she had to duck behind a large boulder to avoid the shockwave of water that splashed around her.

Standing up, it was immediately apparent that their forces were already scattered. Half of the warriors who were supposed to be running interference were either on the nearby beaches or floating for their lives on the west end of the lake, trying not to be swept away in the continuous ripples formed from Vah Ruta's assault. Sidon and Link were above the surface once more, but giant blocks of ice were already bearing down on them.

"No!" Zelda drew her bow and fired three shots in quick succession. Two shots completely missed their mark, harmlessly striking Vah Ruta's legs. The shot that did strike an ice block didn't destroy the frozen block, but it did cause it to fall into the lake, where she hoped it would not continue towards her friends.

Ripclaw, surging along the top of the water, leapt out of it and spat out two bursts of fluid, both of which hit the remaining ice blocks. Sidon managed to avoid the last block which hurtled towards him, deftly dodging to the right. Still, more blocks formed in front of the machine and launched forward.

For a few minutes, the battle passed in a gentle back-and-forth as Vah Ruta flung ice blocks and everyone worked to keep them away from Sidon and Link. The Divine Beast seemed to almost know that the Zora prince and Hyrulian knight were coming for it - mayhaps it remembered them from before, or possibly it was just because they were the only ones who dared get so close. And though progress was slow, they were indeed getting close. Zelda was just beginning to think that the day was won when tragedy struck.

Sidon and Link were nearly to the Divine Beast's side. A few more ice blocks were lazily floating in their direction, but Vah Ruta's attacks had become less aggressive, less consistent. It had seemed as if the machine had given up, and was possibly going to allow them to board without incident.

Then it raised its trunk, and Zelda realized it had all been a ruse.

FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

A beam of light erupted from the trunk of the Divine Beast, slicing through the water directly beside the duo. Two separate waves, one on either side of the blast, rose up, sweeping up any unlucky enough to be nearby. This included Link and Sidon, who were tossed like ragdolls onto the northern shore.

"Link!" She rushed over to them as a tsunami of water washed over her, drenching her from head to foot. "Link, Sidon, are you both okay?"

Both warriors groaned in pain. They were unconscious, but alive. Sidon's body had bruises and scrapes all over, and his ceremonial sash had become torn and lay discarded on the pebbles nearby. Link was in worse condition, still recovering from his fall several days earlier. Zelda's shoulders fell. Neither of them were in a state to try again.

Master Ripclaw swam up to the shore, having managed to somehow avoid injury. "Princess, the dam…"

She faced where he was pointing. Vah Ruta's blast had directly struck the western dam, and now it was marked with a great crevice. Water was already pouring out, though a swarm of Zora were already attempting to patch the hole.

For a moment, her world fell silent as her mind fell into a sort of fog. It was all too much, too fast. There was no way they could hope to stop this, no way she could find a way to save everyone…

Then something echoed deep inside her. A light, no…a voice. You are Princess Zelda , it told her. You stopped Calamity Ganon and saved the world once before. Nothing else could possibly compare to that.

Her eyes snapped open, and she knew what she needed to do.

First things first: she needed to get out of these drenched clothes. She tore off her shirt and pants until she stood on the beach in only her undergarments. On any other day she might have felt self-conscious about her state of undress, but now was not the time for that. The sopping-wet clothes were only going to weigh her down.

Next, she needed some supplies. She grabbed Sidon's sash from where it lay discarded on the beach and then began rifling through Link's pack. He seemed to always be carrying a million things with him, if only he had…yes! She pulled out several ice fruit and held them, shivering at their touch.

"Master Ripclaw," she said, well-aware that he was staring in confusion at her. "I am going to need you to get me as close as you can to Vah Ruta. If you will?" She indicated the sash.

The Lizal seemed to realize what she was asking. "Of course, princess," he croaked, kneeling down.

She tied one end of the sash to his horn, wrapping the other around her left wrist. "But how will we stop the ice blocks?" he asked her.

Zelda threw an ice fruit at the edge of the lake, smiling in amusement as the water froze into a thin sheet. She stepped gingerly on it, causing it to sink up to her ankles, then threw another fruit down. The ice froze around her feet, sticking her to the sheet she had created a moment earlier. With both hands free, she re-summoned the Bow of Light. "I will keep us protected," she explained.

"And if it shoots another beam of light at us?"

"Let me worry about that." She glanced over to Link, who was still knocked out. "Stay safe, my knight," she said. Then, turning back to the Lizal: "Let's go."

Though she could tell he was hesitant, Master Ripclaw dove into the water and rushed forward. And their second attempt began.

Vah Ruta's assaults began almost immediately, with blocks of ice flying towards them. It was more difficult this time because Ripclaw had to focus on swimming, and most of the other warriors were either too dazed to be of assistance or were focusing on trying to prevent the entire lake from draining through the cracks in the dams. Zelda was on her own. She tried to be more intentional about her shots this time around, taking a deep breath before releasing the string each time. Her aim wasn't perfect, but she was landing more shots than she was missing. It was enough. Block after block fell into the water, and Ripclaw zipped around them with precision that rivaled even Sidon.

Then the Divine Beast raised its trunk again and prepared to fire.

Zelda knew that what she was about to do was risky. After all, she had never managed to replicate it properly. But as the massive machine prepared to blast her into smithereens, the princess raised her hands and willed the power of the Goddess Hylia forward.

The result was a brilliant ball of golden light which burst from her hand and spread outward. It only lasted a second, but it was enough that even the mighty Divine Beast was momentarily stunned. Its surprise gave Ripclaw enough time to slip below the trunk and away from any potential divine blast. Just ahead of them was a small platform, just above the surface of the water, designed as an entrance to the internal mechanisms of the machine. "We did it!" she exclaimed. "We actually-!"

A block of ice appeared out of thin air and slammed down on Master Ripclaw, sending him beneath the waves with a terrified croak.

"No!" Zelda felt herself flung forward. The Lizal's tail spun up and sent her into the air, and the force was enough that the sash came loose from around her wrist and she was freed from his company.

The momentum of the block, combined with Ripclaw's tail, was enough that she just barely made it to the entry platform. She slammed against the edge, crying out in pain as her body shivered with pain. She scrambled to get a grip on the wet, slimy stone - if she fell, it would be an almost twenty foot drop to the lake's surface below. Somehow, despite the pain, she held on. Heaving herself up, Zelda looked down for any sign of Master Ripclaw.

There! She saw him floating on the surface. He was alive, just barely. "Come here!" she called to him.

The Lizal dove underwater as another block of ice nearly crashed into him. When he resurfaced, he shook his head. "You'll have to go on alone, princess!" he croaked at her. Another projectile smashed against the water beside him, and he was forced to retreat.

She watched him go, glumly aware of the fact that he was right. Sidon and Link were out of commission. No other Zora or Lizal would be able to make it to Vah Ruta, not with the machine causing so much damage.

Turning, she faced the inside of the Divine Beast. It was up to her now.

Chapter Text

The princess glanced over the parapet at the grounds below. There, a group of Hylians stood around a spider-like machine which glowed with a pleasant orange light: a Guardian Stalker. The machine moved slowly, as if unsure of itself, when in reality the princess knew that it was the Sheikah researcher controlling it who was the unsure one.

As she watched, it took a few steps forward, paused, then sat down on the grass with its large body.

"Incredible," the princess gasped. "We're at a point now where we can actually control them." It was now over a decade since the first Guardian had been unearthed from the grounds of Hyrule Castle itself. Years of dedicated research, years of failure, and yet now finally some success. She smiled to herself. "At the current rate, we'll soon know all we need to know about the Guardians and the Divine Beasts!" Turning towards the knight who stood silently beside her, she beamed. "And should Ganon ever show itself again, we'll be well positioned to defend ourselves."

It was a vain hope, of course, but she allowed herself it nonetheless. After all, if these machines were as incredible as everyone thought they were, she might not even need to summon the power of the divine Goddess!

"What are you doing out here, Zelda?"

The voice caused her blood to turn to ice. She spun around, and the knight beside her knelt. Before her stood her father, Rhoam, the King of Hyrule. Large and imposing, she immediately recognized the displeasure etched into his features. It was one of his bad days, again. There had been more and more of those recently. She needed to tread carefully.

"I…" Her words faltered for only a moment. "I was assessing the results of the experiment with the Guardians." It wasn't a lie. "These pieces of ancient technology could be quite useful against the-"

"I know that." His voice was steady, but she understood the frustration underneath. He was always frustrated with her. "They are essential to Hyrule's future, and our research demands that we keep a close eye on them."

She looked up. Was he…agreeing with her?

"However…" he began, and her heart sank. "As the princess, you currently have a crucial unfulfilled responsibility to your kingdom. Let me ask you this once more: when will you stop treating this as some sort of childish game?"

A game? "I am doing everything I can." She clenched her fists. "I'll have you know that I just recently returned from the Spring of Courage where I offered every ounce of my prayers to the Goddess-"

"And now you are here, wasting your time." His words cut through her like a knife. With a sweep of his arm, he continued, "You need to be dedicating every moment you have to your training. You must be single-minded in unlocking the power that will seal Calamity Ganon away." There was a pause. "If your mother were here…"

Tears began to well up under her eyes. "I already am. Don't you see - there's nothing more I can do!" How dare he invoke her mother now? Did he not realize how much she was doing, how much she missed her, too?

She realized that anger was not going to win this fight, though. "My hope is…my hope is that you'll allow me to contribute here in whatever way I can-"

"NO MORE EXCUSES!" For the first time in many years, her father raised his voice to her. Even still, his face was unflappable. "Stop running away from your duty. As the king, I forbid you to have anything to do with these machines from this moment on."

And that was that. Her face fell. She knew she could not defy him, king or not. He was her father. His word was final.

~~

Zelda turned to face Vah Ruta, wishing so desperately that she had been given the opportunity to study the machine all those years ago. Instead, as waves swirled beneath her and tremors shook the earth, she could only hope that what little she knew about the Divine Beast would be enough.

Entering it, she immediately began taking in her surroundings. The first chamber was a large one, with a doorway to her right leading down to the main terminal, another doorway across from her that led to an exterior landing, and a small alcove to her left that held a terminal which could interface with the Sheikah Slate. She turned to the right, intending to see if she could take control of Vah Ruta herself, but the door slammed shut.

WHAM!

Behind her, the stone (or was it a kind of ancient metal? She never did get a chance to study the material properly) platform began to lift up until it covered the doorway entirely. The doorway across from her was doing the same, the exterior landing turning so that it blocked any exit from the room.

She was trapped.

Vah Ruta trumpeted triumphantly. It must be somewhat self-aware , she thought to herself. It's trying to stop me from accessing the main terminal, and so it will just starve me out.

But if the Divine Beast really thought it was going to thwart the Princess of Hyrule, it had another thing coming.

A skittering sound above her head arrested her attention. Glancing up, she saw what at first glance looked like three miniature Guardian Stalkers. Upon closer inspection, however, something seemed off about them. They had the same general shape of a Guardian, sure, but all three were unique: one had four legs while the other two had three; one had two eyeballs that were of unequal size; another's body was strangely misshapen, not quite as rounded and precise as its brethren.

"You made these," Zelda said aloud, speaking as if directly to Vah Ruta itself. "You must truly not want me to stop your current rampage."

As if in response, one of the rustic Guardians fired a tiny blast of light at her, striking the ground near her feet. She found herself nearly laughing - that shot was nothing in comparison with the deadly beams of the larger Guardians.

Quickly summoning her bow, she fired four shots at the spidery menaces, with only one shot missing its target. Upon being struck by her light arrows, all three machines shattered apart, tiny gears and bits of rusted metal falling to the ground with an echoing clatter.

"Well that's one issue resolved," she said to herself. "Now on to the next."

She walked over to the console in the alcove and pressed the Sheikah Slate to it. There should have been a reaction: a chirp of confirmation, or the Sheikah Slate glowing at the touch. Something to show that the device had interfaced with the console. But instead it remained blank.

She frowned and pressed the Sheikah Slate down on the console again. Again, nothing. "You are truly proving to be quite the menace," she huffed at Vah Ruta. It must have disabled the console, so that she wouldn't have control over the Divine Beast's mighty trunk.

Still, she wasn't entirely out of options. She couldn't climb the slick walls, and she doubted she had the strength to push any of those doors open. Vah Ruta had been thorough in its attempts to keep her locked in. But just like her father always told her: "When there is a will, there is a way."

Next to the alcove was a small waterfall, pouring into a pool of water that filtered through a small grate against the wall. She wouldn't be able to fit herself through the gap, but an idea sprang to mind.

Taking out one of her two remaining ice fruits, she threw the fruit towards the grate. Immediately, the area surrounding it froze up, and suddenly water could no longer filter out of the pool. Within moments, the water level began to rise.

The entire structure rumbled as Vah Ruta trumpeted in frustration. The blockages to the exterior platforms fell away, allowing the water to flow out and keep the entire room from flooding. Zelda found herself smiling at her own cleverness. Exactly as she had planned.

Now knowing that Vah Ruta would do whatever it could to thwart her, she had realized that she would need to make the Divine Beast work against itself. No matter how powerful it was, it was still just a machine, after all, and so its capabilities were limited. So long as she understood those capabilities and didn't do anything foolish, she could force the Divine Beast to do exactly as she wished.

The external platform led up to a second level, which was when things got truly complicated. On the surface it looked like it should be simple: there was a raised surface to her left that overlooked the main console, so all she would need to do is find a way up and then drop down below. But before her were a pair of gears so large they dwarfed even King Dorephan. They were powered by a torrent of water pouring from a pipe, which kept them in perpetual motion. Her eyes widened. This must be what kept the Divine Beast alive! Water was sucked up through the legs and brought here. If she just froze the pipe, Vah Ruta would shut down and she would have time to properly sort things out.

…or would she?

Zelda hesitated, her arm halfway in a throwing motion. This was her last ice fruit, and she didn't want to waste it on an effort that might fail. It was too valuable a resource.

Taking the narrow path that led beneath the water spout, she evaluated her options, absorbing every detail she could. There was another, smaller console on the inside of one of the gears, and another spinning around the very center of the other. The gears themselves were spinning in a counter-clockwise motion, with water churning around them.

Experimentally, she stepped into the water and waded over to the smaller gear. From this angle, it lifted upwards. If she could stay atop it, she might just be able to ride it and get close enough to leap onto the pipe, then find a safe way down to the main console.

Of course, things were never going to be easy. Just as she suspected, the moment she actually began standing on one of the gear's teeth, the water flowing from the pipe halted. The entire Divine Beast shuddered as the gears stopped their perpetual movement, but Zelda quickly came to the realization that these gears were not what kept the machine going, as she could feel it still stomping about the lake. As the gear itself was too slippery to climb, she would have to find another way to the main console. The second she hopped off into the nearby water, liquid began flowing from the pipe, and the gears continued in their turning once more.

She was now especially glad that she had not wasted her last ice fruit. But her failure had shown her, once again, that Vah Ruta would do whatever it could to prevent her from getting to that main console. Even if these gears weren't the source of its power, they clearly existed for a purpose, and the machine had ensured that it kept them moving as soon as it knew she was no longer using them for her own purposes.

So what if she could get the Divine Beast to destroy them?

The thought was a little crazy, she knew, but her options were limited. There was no telling what additional damage it was dealing out there, and if these gears were important, it was necessary that she shut them down.

She glanced up. There was no ceiling here: all she could see was the open sky. Vaguely recalling that Link had controlled Vah Ruta's trunk to get the larger gear moving initially, she wondered if she could get the Divine Beast to do it again? But in order for that to happen, she would have to make it believe that it needed to spray water. And as far as she could tell, there was only one way to guarantee that would happen.

She would need to start a fire.

If she were anywhere else, such a plan would have been simple to implement. After traveling around Hyrule to visit the sacred springs, she had learned much about basic survival skills, and starting a fire was something even children could understand. But here, in a place made up of stone, metal, and who-knew-what-else, such a task would prove frustratingly difficult. Still, Zelda wasn't about to give up hope.

The first task was to find something flammable. Again, not easy. There was no wood that she could see. Undoubtedly there wouldn't be any fabric, either…she glanced down at herself and frowned. Her clothes - undergarments which had been so thoroughly drenched they barely covered her properly - were hardly going to be suitable for this task, even if she removed all of them, and dried them, and set them up in a pile to burn. Not to mention she heavily disliked the idea of anyone seeing her in the nude. That certainly wouldn't be very princess-like. No, she would have to find something else. But what?

"Well, task two is getting into position in the first place. Let's start there." Talking to herself helped. She clambered on to a tooth from the bigger gear and began riding it up towards a higher platform across the way. Much to her surprise, Vah Ruta did nothing to stop her. Perhaps it didn't think that she was up to anything. Or perhaps it just didn't want to risk turning off that water pipe again.

Leaping to the platform, Zelda found something that might just aid her in her efforts: an unopened chest. The chest itself would be useless, of course, constructed of stone. But if Link had failed to open it…excitedly, she pressed the Sheikah Slate to the chest and delighted as it swung open.

A halberd lay inside. The blade was metal, of course, and so of no use to her, but the handle was made of wood! "At last!" she cried, lifting up the weapon. "This will do nicely."

Now that she had something flammable, she just needed a way to set it aflame. Thankfully, Zelda was quite sure that she herself was the answer to that problem.

Setting the halberd carefully so that it was at the edge of the platform, right next to the gear, she closed her eyes and summoned forth the power of the goddess. At the palm of her hand, a ball of golden light formed, warmth washing over her.

In her studies, Zelda had learned that daylight came from the power of a distant star, a massive ball of gas which had burned for thousands upon thousands of years. Light was a kind of fire, containing heat. If she could focus her abilities enough, narrow a beam of energy directly at the hilt of the halberd, she might just be able to start a fire.

Initially, progress was slow. She had never truly mastered the power of the goddess within her. How could she have? When the power first came to her, over one hundred years prior, there had only been a few days before she trapped herself and Calamity Ganon inside Hyrule Castle. And since awakening, she had only summoned it a few times more. Her prowess was limited.

Eventually, however, she noticed a change in the handle. First, it glowed faintly, as if some of the goddess' magic was imbibing itself into the weapon. But then a tiny thread of smoke began to rise. It expanded. Within a few minutes, the entire handle was ablaze with a golden fire.

Vah Ruta's reaction was exactly what she had hoped for. Realizing the danger, the Divine Beast trumpeted in alarm and began lifting its massive trunk to put out the runaway flames. Zelda backed away into a nearby doorway as the water came pouring down. An immense torrent flooded on to the halberd, soaking it and quickly dousing the fire…but not before putting pressure on the giant gear and spinning it opposite the direction it had been going.

For a split-second, she worried that nothing would happen. Then, with a terrible groan, the gears slipped, and both broke free of their supports. The smaller gear collapsed into the pool of water directly below it, barely falling but more than a few inches. But the largest gear, the one closest to her, pushed against her platform, snapping off pieces of it before crashing to the floor below. The Divine Beast shuddered, then came to a sudden stop, and Zelda was sent over the edge and into the pool of water below.

"Ugh," she groaned. Link had made adventuring sound so easy. So far her experience had been painful and frustrating.

Getting to her feet, she realized that her efforts had not been in vain, however. Whether because of the destruction of the gears, or perhaps simply because Vah Ruta had given up trying to stop her, the door to the main console room was now open. Zelda took a deep breath, wiped dirt off of her bare knees, and entered.

The room for the main console was large enough to fit an entire team of engineers, though historically it had only been home for a single individual: the Champion. Set against the back was a Sheikah Slate console, and behind it was the actual heart of the machine: the soul of Vah Ruta itself. To Zelda, it looked somewhat like a heart, or perhaps a large flower, glowing blue with ancient energy. Even this room had water in it, a thin layer which went up to her ankles. Finding no resistance, she hoisted her bow and prepared to destroy the console.

"Stop," a voice commanded her.

Zelda spun around and came face-to-face with the Zora Champion: Mipha. Or rather, an abomination that looked somewhat like Mipha. Her body was made up of various parts: arms that came from the legs of Guardians, a body of metal and stone fused together with ice, and five different eyes which stared at her. How such a monstrosity could even be capable of speech was beyond Zelda, especially in a voice that sounded very much like the real Mipha she had known so many years ago.

"You're not her," Zelda insisted. "You're just some…construct. Created by Vah Ruta, to try and prevent me from taking it down, once and for all."

"I am…not Vah Ruta." The abomination lurched towards her, stumbling on legs constructed from parts not meant to walk. "I am Mipha."

Zelda leered at it, her bow trained on one of its eyes. "How can I believe that? Mipha died one hundred years ago."

"I did. But my soul…lived on." The construct stopped, staring at the ground. "When Ganon was defeated, the other Champions faded away. But mine has…remained." Its head lifted, staring Zelda down. "I was…hoping for someone else."

Realization dawned on Zelda. She lowered the bow. "You were hoping for Link," she said sadly. Then, with a wry smile, "You always did have a soft spot for him." She paused. "But why attack us? Why hurt him, and make it so difficult for anyone to enter here? Your brother, Sidon…he might have been able to come in and take control of the Divine Beast peacefully."

The abomination…no, Mipha , shook her head. "It is…not possible. With Ganon gone, the Divine Beasts are all but…done. I did not mean to cause anyone harm. When I sensed that Link was near, I wanted to go to him. But I am trapped here, in Vah Ruta, and the Divine Beast's will is…indomitable."

"Vah Ruta fought against you," Zelda said. "It thought you were like the Blight which Link fought, and so it went crazy trying to stop you."

Mipha nodded. "Is Link…okay?"

"He will be. But, Mipha…this is no way to live. Surely you realize that this cannot continue. We have to shut down Vah Ruta, ensure that nobody can use it to hurt anyone else ever again." She frowned. "I have to destroy this console."

For a long moment, the construct before her remained silent. Zelda wondered perhaps if Mipha would try to stop her, maybe even attack her. But when the abomination finally spoke again, it was not with any malice. "I understand," Mipha said. "Can…can you tell Link something? From me. Tell him…tell him I am sorry. And that I cared for him. Very much." She paused. "I had hoped that one day…after we defeated Calamity Ganon, that we might…" The construct fell silent.

Zelda's shoulders fell. "I will tell him," she promised. It wouldn't be easy, but she would do it.

The facial structure of the construct shifted in such a way that Zelda thought it might be trying to smile. "Thank you."

Zelda smiled back, then turned around to face the heart of the machine. Drawing her bow, she took careful aim, released a deep breath, and fired.

A moment later, her world was bathed in a great white light.

~~

Those outside of Vah Ruta on that fateful day would make many varying claims about what they saw when the great Divine Beast finally fell. Some claimed that they witnessed the last of Ganon's Malice leave the machine, flying away before evaporating in a thick golden light. Others claimed the machine made one last trumpeting cry before it fell silent, a dying gasp final breath. Only a few claimed that, in the aftermath of the explosion, they saw the very spirit of Vah Ruta floating up from the wreckage, a cyan specter in the shape of a Zora warrior.

In any case, when all was said and done, everyone reported watching as Zelda floated out of the wreck and landed on the stony shore of the East Reservoir Lake, where Sidon, Link, and Master Ripclaw waited. Sidon hugged her, and Master Ripclaw croaked out a triumphant cry, but the Hero of Hyrule only stared at her in silence. Walking further down the shore, and leaning on her for support, everyone watched as she spoke to her knight about something private. Was she regaling him of her adventure inside the Divine Beast? Providing him with important information regarding the future of Hyrule?

Whatever it was, all they knew was that, when she had finished speaking, Link fell to his knees in tears. Zelda knelt down, and he sobbed into her shoulder. They remained like that for many minutes, two Hyrulians, comforting each other in a moment of solemn victory.

Chapter Text

"We must find a way to repel this force at once!"

Her father's voice rang out through the room. The other members of the war council stared forlornly in their laps. They were all experienced soldiers in their own right, yet the young princess knew that none of their efforts had proven effective.

One minister, a man with a curled mustache, finally raised his head. "We could divert troops from the castle gates," he suggested. "That would bolster our forces by three hundred."

"And leave us defenseless in the process," huffed an older minister.

The king leaned forward. The princess watched her father's bright eyes examine the map on the table. He was fascinating - it was as if she could see his thoughts churning, gauging all outcomes and creating new ideas.

After several tense moments, the king sat up. "We will only be defenseless if the monsters breach the city walls," he concluded. He began moving clay figures around on the map. "We reinforce the city walls with one hundred men from the castle watch. The remaining two hundred-"

"Yay, Daddy, can I move one?" the princess interrupted.

The king's stern expression turned soft. "Of course, my dove." He handed her one of the clay figures and helped direct her on where to put it.

The bitter minister from earlier grumbled something under his breath.

King Rhoam's attention snapped to him. "Something to say, Minister Albrock?"

The old man lowered his head. "Nothing, my King. I just wonder whether it is necessary for the princess to be attending such a serious meeting."

"She is my daughter," the king retorted. "Should you somehow outlive me, she will be your future Queen. Whether she is young or nice, it is imperative that she learn the matters of both state and war." He turned to the princess and smiled warmly. "Come, little one, why don't you sit in my lap? See what it means to be a true leader of Hyrule."

"Okay!" The princess happily clambered up and sat on her father's leg, swinging her feet enthusiastically whilst the men continued discussing the matters at hand.

~~

One week after the destruction of Vah Ruta, Hyrule found its princess traveling with her knight and the Zora prince up the northwest road of the Lanayru province.

The loss of the Divine Beast weighed heavily on the hearts of all three travelers. For Princess Zelda, it felt like somewhat of a failure on her part. The Divine Beasts were a symbol of strength for the people of Hyrule, and control of them was a sign of how the nations had recovered in the aftermath of Calamity Ganon. Yet she had failed. True, Vah Ruta had gone berserk because of the loss of its pilot, but Zelda felt that she should have been able to do better. Now the Zora had lost their superweapon.

Glancing at her stalwart knight, she knew that the loss of Vah Ruta meant much to him, too. After all, there had been some shared affections between him and the pilot one century past. The Divine Beasts' destruction was a final nail in her coffin, a confirmation that she would never return. Ever since that day, Link had remained entirely silent, with not a single word spoken. She wondered if he partly blamed himself for the catastrophe.

And then there was Sidon, the Zora Prince. Normally jovial and enthusiastic, he, too, had been uncharacteristically quiet as of late. True, he still cracked a joke now and then and shared his iconic smile with any and all who asked him for it, but it was clear that his heart was heavy in mourning his late sister.

But all was not despair. Because of their valiant efforts in not only rescuing Link after his grievous injury and aiding in the battle against Vah Ruta, the Lizal were being welcomed with open arms by the Zora. It helped to discover that the two races had once lived together in harmony, eons ago, and that it was the cruel corruption of the ancient Demon King who forced all Lizal into his service. Peace seemed a viable opportunity in Lanayru, and Zelda had certainly had a hand in forging it.

Plus, it was hard to stay despondent, in her opinion, in such gorgeous weather. Traveling up the trail that followed the western Zora mountains, with the sun glimmering over the peaks, was an invigorating feeling. A fresh breeze blew the scent of the pine trees downwind, carrying with them some butterflies that wandered from flower to flower. Yes, indeed, it was a perfect day for traveling.

"I think we should stop by the Akkala Citadel on our way to this…what did you call it again? Carry Town?" she asked.

"Tarrey Town," Sidon corrected. "But, Princess, I'm not so sure that going to the citadel is such a good idea…"

"Whysoever not?" Zelda questioned. "It would be a good place to stock up on supplies and survey the landscape."

Link and Sidon exchanged a worried look, and Zelda realized that there was something they weren't telling her. She shook her head and strode ahead of them, nearing the peak of a hill. "I'm not sure what you're making such a fuss about. As you can see the citadel is-"

She swallowed her words as the Akkala Citadel came into view. One hundred years ago, it had been one of the strongest fortifications in all of Hyrule, second only to Hyrule Castle. Standing one hundred feet high, built around a mountain, the castle had served as a symbol of power for generations, with dozens of torches lighting the sky. Now, however, it was clearly in ruins. Sections of walls had collapsed in on themselves, the torches were empty, and even from here she could see that the front entrance had been blocked in.

"But…what…"

"They did their best." Sidon gave a heavy sigh. "When the castle fell, most of the surviving soldiers and knights made their way here. Refugees flooded in from all over to seek shelter. But the Guardians were too much." He pointed up, and she saw flying in the distance several Guardian Skywatchers. "Nobody survived."

Zelda found tears welling up in her eyes. She forced them back down - she wasn't about to be the weeping princess, not here. Still, it was hard not to feel as if this slaughter had been a result of her own failings. If she had managed to activate her powers sooner, had managed to halt Calamity Ganon before it had a chance to make a ruin of the world…

A large hand gripped her shoulder. "This isn't your fault, Princess," Prince Sidon told her. He flashed her one of his signature smiles.

She half-smiled back. Eyes flickering between the citadel and the surrounding landscape, an idea began to form in the back of her mind. "I think we should try to clear it out," she exclaimed confidently. "If we can turn the citadel into a formidable fortress once more, it will go a long way to ensuring peace and security in the region again."

"Once again, Princess Zelda, I must discourage you from going to the citadel." The Zora Prince looked genuinely worried. "It is too dangerous."

"Nonsense! Link, you have been there before, correct? You activated that Sheikah Tower?"

The knight frowned, but nodded.

"He barely survived the journey," Sidon said, speaking on his behalf. "He only made it by avoiding those Guardians. They are simply too powerful. To rebuild and convert it into a fortress once more would require fighting them, and I'm not sure that we should risk such an endeavor."

"Risk is what makes a kingdom great," Zelda insisted. "Are you telling me that neither of you have taken any risks for the betterment of Hyrule?"

She had them there. Without another word, she strode confidently forward.

In truth, she wasn't planning on clearing everything out in this single instance - even she wasn't that foolish. But if they were going to restore the citadel, she needed intelligence on the area.

Getting to the citadel itself proved to be a greater challenge than she had expected. The great bridge which connected the fortress to the road had been blasted apart by Guardians a century ago, the rubble lying broken in the parade grounds below.

Link motioned for them to follow him, and they veered off the road towards a bridge of rubble on the left-hand side. An eerie silence filled the air. No birds chirped in the nearby trees. No deer darted across their path. It was as if the dead had taken hold of the area and frightened everything away.

As they crept along the rubble, Zelda glanced up at the Skywatchers that circled the citadel. She was surprised that any Guardians were still functioning - after Calamity Ganon's defeat, many of the machines had begun to collapse, the Malice that bound them together disintegrated. Perhaps, being further away from the epicenter of that evil's destruction, these machines were still able to maintain a hold of themselves.

Two Bokoblin had made camp in front of the staircase which spiraled around the outer edge of the fortress. They were hardly a threat - nothing less than an army might have bested the three travelers - but they needed to eliminate them before the monsters alerted the Guardians. Zelda began to summon her bow, but Link put out a hand to stop her. He shook his head quietly and put a finger up to his lips. She understood. The light from her bow might alert them.

Silently, Link withdrew his bow and fired two shots in rapid succession, one right after the other. The arrows made their mark, striking the Bokoblin head-on and knocking them dead in an instant. The Guardians were none the wiser.

They snuck up to the main entrance of the citadel, which was thankfully Guardian-free. Unfortunately, it was also completely blocked by giant boulders.

"Only a team of Goron could possibly dig this out," Prince Sidon commented.

"And even then it might take them a week," Zelda agreed despondently. The damage was much worse, seeing it up close. Her dream of restoring the citadel to its former glory was beginning to seem like pure fancy.

The sound of mechanical whirring stirred her from her stupor. A Guardian Skywatcher was drawing near.

"Let's go." Sidon led them back the way they had come, away from the machine.

WHIRR-WHIRR-WHIRR!

Without realizing it, a second Skywatcher had managed to sneak up from the other side. All three found themselves caught in the beam of its eye, which was now beginning to charge up one of its blasts.

"RUN!"

They dashed across the rubble-road. An explosion rocked the ground and sent Zelda sprawling. As the second Skywatcher's beam targeted her specifically, Link stepped between them, shield raised.

FWOOOM!

It happened in the blink of an eye. The princess watched as the noble knight swung his shield and deflected the Guardian's deadly beam, sending it straight back at the machine which bore it. The beam struck one of the Skywatcher's rotors and blew it clean off - now, unbalanced and flailing, the Guardian collapsed on the ground and exploded.

Zelda jumped to her feet and grabbed Link's hand to have him run with her, but it wasn't necessary. Whether as a result of its companion's destruction or simply due to age, the Skywatcher plummeted from the ground with a loud thunk .

For the moment, they were safe.

None of them wanted to stick around, just in case the short battle alerted the other Skywatchers in the area. They retreated to the other side of the broken bridge, set up camp, and decided to rest there over the course of the night. Link started a fire, and Zelda helped to cook some fish Sidon had brought with him.

"Why do you think those machines still persist?" the Zora prince asked her while they rested. "Calamity Ganon has been gone for several months."

She thought about it for a moment. "Perhaps it is because their programming has changed," she mused. When the Zora looked at her confused, she added, "The Guardians are not exactly alive like you or I. Inside of them are mechanics that the ancient Sheikah devised that mimic life. They can follow commands and general routines, but they don't understand in the same way we do. So if they were given a command by Calamity Ganon to protect the citadel from anyone who would rebuild it…"

"Then they would continue to do so until they are no longer capable of functioning!" Sidon concluded. "That is a brilliant idea, princess. I see why so many believe in you."

Her cheeks flushed. "Thank you. I wish we could understand the Guardian's programming better. My father had the best engineers, Hylian and Sheikah alike, examining them, and even then they were barely able to manage control."

The rest of the night passed uneventfully. Zelda couldn't manage to get much sleep, though. Chirping crickets and a gentle breeze were the backdrop to her wandering mind. What if she had activated her powers sooner? What if she had tried harder, studied more? How many lives might have been spared? How many lives might have improved?

She knew that these intrusive thoughts were foolish, and yet she couldn't stop them from playing out anyways.

~~

The next morning came with sad news: Sidon was leaving their traveling party.

"I have been away from my father for too long," he explained. "After the trials my people have undergone, he will have need of my spear and my leadership."

"I understand," Zelda said, bowing her head. "Please be safe, Prince Sidon."

"I wish the same of you, princess." The Zora knelt down and kissed the top of her hand. "If you ever have need of me or my people again, you need only ask. We are happy to serve."

And with that, he departed, though not before flashing them one of his toothy grins.

Link insisted that they should continue on to this Tarrey Town, under the belief that it would be a useful location for Zelda to continue her work towards uniting all of Hyrule. She wasn't so sure, but her noble knight had actually spent time across the continent, and it seemed unwise not to trust his judgment.

At the very least, the morning's travel was pleasant. She had never gone this way before - passing behind Akkala Falls - but the route was gorgeous. Bubbling creeks were filled with various fish and amphibians, crossed by narrow wooden bridges - flat, hastily-made structures which had only been constructed to allow for passage over the water, and served no architectural or aesthetic purpose. The trees, resplendent in their fall colors, chattered to each other in the cool breeze, sending leaves swirling through the air. Finches and sparrows fluttered from branch to branch, singing their songs and taking cover in the foliage while a great hawk floated on a thermal high above. Over the falls, one could see a majority of the Akkala region as it dipped below the horizon, a great hilly expanse that had been largely unclaimed by civilization.

They paused on a large outcropping overlooking Lake Akkala, providing Zelda with a preview of Tarrey Town atop a plateau in the center. Chomping on a fish skewer Link had cooked from fire, she took a moment to sit in peaceful bliss and let her mind wander.

If she was truly to be the princess - or rather, the queen - for all of Hyrule, she needed to make sure that she was aware of everyone's issues and problems. So far, she felt like she had been lucky: the Zora had long been a self-sufficient people, capable of handling their own issues. Her efforts with Vah Ruta might have saddened everyone (herself included), but it did protect their homes. But what about everyday Hylians with everyday issues? There wasn't always going to be some grand solution to everything, and that was going to be her biggest problem moving forward. She couldn't possibly micromanage everything . She would need to be smart about how she ruled the kingdom.

With these thoughts bouncing around in the back of her mind, she and Link made their way down to the town as the evening sun began to fade over the horizon. It was a strange construction - a tall plateau in the middle of a lake, with not but a natural, skinny stone bridge crossing the gap. Zelda's mind immediately went to problem-solving: if they built pathways into the valleys below, or perhaps even built into the plateau, the townsfolk would have better options for safety and security.

"Why did they choose this place to settle?" she asked Link, hoping for some insight before they arrived.

Her knight remained silent. He still hadn't said a word since Vah Ruta's destruction.

Already feeling a little frustrated, the princess' mood did not improve upon arriving into Tarrey Town.

"LINK!" A short Hylian man with a strange, oval-shaped haircut strode up to them. "Good to see you!"

Her knight nodded at the man and gestured towards Zelda. She stepped forward and introduced herself: "I am Princess Zelda. It is a pleasure to meet you…"

"Mayor Hudson," the man replied. "Never met a princess before!"

He then proceeded to turn away from her and talk to Link.

Zelda felt frustration rise in her. How dare he just turn away from her! Did he not realize that he was talking to the future ruler of Hyrule?

But getting angry wasn't going to help her cause, so she swallowed her pride and turned her attention to some of the others who had gathered to see the two visitors. One was a Gerudo, a tall and imposing woman who reminded Zelda of her dear friend Urbosa. Another was a balding man in the most colorful outfit Zelda had ever seen.

"Did I hear you right?" the man said, his voice high-pitched with excitement. "You're a princess ?!"

She nodded, grateful to have at least some recognition.

"Oh, my dear, then why are you garbed in such miserable garments?"

Zelda looked down. After ruining the outfit Impa had provided to her over the course of her journey, she had accepted some fabric from the Zora and crafted her own clothing. It wasn't perfect - she had never been one much for sewing - but it covered her and kept her warm at night. "I think my clothes are just fine, thank you very much."

"Oh no ." The man's voice was filled with horror. "You look positively dreadful. Rhondson, tell her."

The Gerudo nodded. "Bolson is correct. You look hideous. However, he is also fool. This is Zora cloth, yes?"

Zelda nodded.

The Gerudo looked at her with approval. "Very difficult to stitch together, particularly enough fabric for female form. I think we can make it work. Come see me tomorrow and we will make something beautiful."

Still unsure whether to be proud or insulted, she agreed to meet the woman tomorrow. By the time her conversation with those two had concluded, Link had managed to acquire lodgings for the two of them from Hudson.

"Rooms are small, but Link never needed much space!" Hudson said, laughing.

After a night of restless sleep, Zelda awoke ready to make the most of the day. Two items were on her agenda: getting the Gerudo woman's help in changing her clothes, and meeting with Hudson to determine what they needed. Both tasks should be simple enough.

She stepped outside into a cheerful sunrise and walked around Tarrey Town to examine it properly. There wasn't much to the place: just a few buildings and a shrine in the center. She didn't much enjoy the design of the constructions, finding them too square and dull to her liking. But it wasn't her place to critique anyone's preferred style, and nobody else in the town seemed to mind.

Thinking again of opportunities for expansion - and additional routes of escape in times of need - she strode over to the western edge of the town and stared out across the lake. Not far lay the Torin Wetland, a gross, not entirely hospitable place to the people of Hyrule, but someplace that could provide more land for the people of Tarrey Town. Perhaps they could build a bridge, or construct some sort of zipline system that would-

Something caught her eye. A red glint, barely visible behind the treetops. Zelda narrowed her eyes and stared intently at the spot. Surely not , she thought to herself, all the way out here?

But as she watched, her worst fears were confirmed. A Guardian stalked across the marshland, its unfeeling eye looking around for any potential prey. A few moments later, she caught sight of another metal monster roaming around.

Dread filled her stomach. No matter where she turned, the ghosts of the past remained to haunt all hope for a peaceful future.

Not all was lost, however. Zelda took a deep breath and collected her thoughts. Like with anything, a solution was possible. All she had to do was get people to work together, and they could figure something out. She could be the leader Hyrule needed.

As the townsfolk began to wake, the princess found Rhondson at a stall outside her and Hudson's home. "Ah, good!" the Gerudo greeted her. "I was worried you might not want my help."

"No, I would very much appreciate it," Zelda said. "How long will this take?"

"Give me a full day. Then I will have beautiful outfit for you. Come, give me that horrid garment."

Zelda looked around, confused. "Erm, this is all I have right now. Do you not have something I can change into?"

Rhondson frowned at her. "If you want other clothes, you must pay."

"But I would only need…ugh, okay. How much for the vai outfit you have here?"

"Four hundred Rupees."

"Four hundred!" Zelda sighed, exasperated. "Fine. Fine. Let me fetch my wallet and I will return."

After gathering the necessary money to pay, Zelda came back and handed the exorbitant amount to the Gerudo. "Very good!" Rhondson said. "Thank you. Here is the outfit. Might require some tightening to fit small girl like you."

Of course, now Zelda was presented with a new problem. "I don't suppose you have someplace private where I could change?"

The woman raised an eyebrow in question, and the princess realized that, no, there was not a changing room or anything of the sort. At this point becoming rather frustrated at the whole situation, Zelda returned to her bedroom and hastily threw off the Zora clothes and tried on her recent purchase. Rhondson had been correct: the clothes did not fit well. Zelda had to get a piece of string to force the top - which covered only her breasts and left her midriff exposed - to not fall off of her. The pants, too, had been designed for someone much larger than she and required additional adjustment. Staring at herself in the mirror, she felt truly ridiculous.

"I never should have put myself in this situation," she groaned. Still, she was in the thick of it now, and there was no giving up. After adjusting her clothing, she returned to Rhondson and provided her with the Zora clothing.

"Thank you," the woman said. "I will have new outfit for you in evening. Make sure you bring two hundred Rupees."

Zelda nearly exploded on the Gerudo then. More money? This single event had nearly bled her wallet dry!

Things did not improve as the day went on. Despite how small the town was, it was almost impossible to find Hudson to arrange a meeting. Everywhere she went, someone would tell her he was somewhere else. She swore Bolson told her two different places just to watch her run around.

Instead of allowing her frustration to grow, she decided to use this time to get to know the townsfolk better. All of them were associated with Bolson Construction, and everyone seemed to be incredibly Rupee-focused. Nobody was particularly worried about the safety of the village.

"Don't you fear an attack?" she asked Kapson, the elderly owner of the inn.

"Not one bit," he responded. "Who would want to attack us? We are but simple folk, trying to carve out a living."

Zelda glanced up at the citadel, whose shadow seemed to be looming over the town in the late afternoon sun. In doing so, she caught sight of the strange hairdo of the mayor.

"Thank you for your time!" she cried as she hurried across the plaza.

Hudson was halfway through his front door when the princess launched herself in front of him. "I humbly…request an audience…to speak on matters related to the well being of Tarrey Town," she panted.

The man looked at her in confusion. After a moment, however, he shrugged. "A'ight, come on in."

He showed her into a living area, which was occupied by a humble table and three chairs. After pouring himself a cup of tea (which she noticed he did not offer to her), Hudson sat down. "Well?" he said. "What did you want to talk about?"

Zelda took a deep breath and then sat in the chair opposite him. "I'm not sure if Link has explained to you, but I am working towards accepting the mantle as the future Queen of Hyrule. As part of my efforts to guarantee representation for all those who reside in the land, I am visiting each of the major cities to see what we can do to aid them. Admittedly, the places I have visited thus far were each established before Calamity Ganon, however, I am sure that you and your people have been affected in some way-"

She stopped, as Hudson had politely raised a hand. "I don't mean to interrupt," he began, "but the people of Tarrey Town aren't in need of assistance. We have a thriving economy here. There's no need for charity."

"This isn't charity!" she exclaimed. "This is establishing a government that works towards helping the people it governs!"

He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. "We're doing just fine without any additional overreach."

"But what if something happens? What if there is a natural disaster, or an attack by monsters? Who would you go to for help?"

"An attack?" He laughed, a deep sound that reverberated about the square room. "Nobody is going to want to attack us. We will be perfectly safe here."

Zelda was about ready to pull her hair out. That was exactly what Hyrule had thought for centuries until Calamity Ganon wreaked its havoc. Realizing that there was nothing more she could do to convince him to take the security of his town seriously, however, Zelda thanked him for his time and exited the building.

She stormed out into the cool evening air, wanting nothing more than to scream at the sky. Aside from making her look crazy, though, that was unlikely to actually help the situation.

Perhaps I should just give up on Tarrey Town , she thought to herself. They don't seem to want any outside assistance, and Hylia knows I have enough on my plate as it is .

As if the goddess had heard her, Zelda suddenly became keenly aware of the shrine in the center of the plaza. A whisper echoed in the back of her mind, the same kind of internal dialogue she sometimes felt when she was close to the Master Sword. As if on their own accord, her limbs bent, and she was by the shrine in an instant.

Listening to the sound of water trickling into the pond, she knelt before the statue. "Goddess Hylia," she began, her voice so faint she could hardly hear it herself, "I ask for your guidance. I want to help these people, to help all people, but it seems that many do not wish for my assistance. Would my time be better served elsewhere? Should I focus my efforts on places that will respect my rule?"

Silence was the only response she heard back.

She sighed. Despite her best efforts, the goddess had never spoken to her. It never mattered how much she prayed. Even in her most desperate moments, when it had seemed like all would be lost, the only voice Zelda ever heard inside her head was her own. Why should it be any different now?

Standing up, she brushed off her oversized pants and prepared to make her way back to her room for the night. There was much to think about, and she would need a good night's sleep if she was to manage to come up with solutions to any of the growing number of problems-

Help them.

She froze. Had it been her imagination?

Turning slowly, she faced the statue of the goddess which sat before her. And in that moment, the voice came again.

Help them.

There was only one voice it could be. Only one single entity with the ability to reach through the ether and speak inside her mind. And the goddess' command was clear.

She was going to have to help Tarrey Town, whether they liked it or not.

Chapter Text

Atop a lonely cliffside, a young woman examined the strange structure before her. All around the cliff were ruins of an ancient city, a place that had been desolated so long ago that not even she could find the name of it in her books. Yet among the crumbling stone pillars, unharmed and looking as if it had been constructed a day ago, was a Sheikah shrine. A tall, triangular-esque building with a raised platform and a small pedestal.

It was this pedestal the princess was examining with such care. In her hands was a tablet, a device from the ancient peoples who had built the shrine in the first place. Yet no matter how many times she pressed the tablet to the pedestal's surface, nothing happened.

"-appears that this structure was designed to be exclusively accessed by the sword's chosen one," the woman was saying to herself. "But designs can always be worked around, at least I hope. How do I get inside…?"

The sound of a horse coming up the broken stone steps arrested her attention, and she turned to watch as a young man rode towards her. Not just any young man, of course. Him. The chosen hero. The one with the sword that would seal the darkness.

Without a word, he leapt from his horse's saddle and ran up towards her. Furious, she attached the tablet to her belt and stomped to confront him.

"I thought I made it clear that I am not in need of an escort," she snarled. "It seems I am the only one here with a mind of my own. I, the person in question, am fine, regardless of the king's orders." She stormed past him. "Return to the castle. And tell that to my father, please."

She made her way over to her stallion. If this knight had any brains about him, he would saddle his own horse and follow her command. But as she walked off, she heard his footsteps close behind her own.

Furious, she spun around. "And stop following me!"

Her outburst didn't have any effect on him. He stopped, silent, his face expressionless. The princess wondered if he even understood what she was saying. She couldn't recall him having said anything before. Perhaps he was mute.

"Did you hear me!?" she shrieked. "Stay. Away!" Without even thinking, she extended her palms and shoved him away. "I don't want to see you ever again, you stupid knight!"

Even then, he remained stoic and continued to follow her. There was nothing she could do to possibly get rid of him, she knew. It was part of the reason the sword had chosen him. He was too great, too kind, too honorable. He was the perfect soldier to take on the fabled weapon.

And she hated him for it.

~~

Princess Zelda awoke the next morning feeling reinvigorated. For the first time in her life, the goddess Hylia had spoken to her. Really, truly spoken to her. Not just that, but the goddess had confirmed her belief: that she needed to help everyone as best she could, even if they didn't necessarily want it.

How wonderful to feel a proper sense of purpose again.

She dressed in the oversized clothing Rhondson had provided her yesterday and stepped out into the morning light. It was a delightful day. A mist had risen from the surface of the lake, but only enough to cover the ground, giving the town a sort of ethereal appearance as only the shrine and buildings were visible. One of the village dogs was running about, barking and leaping at the mist as if it were a cat in need of chase. Zelda giggled and took it all in, sighing with relief. Today was going to be a good day.

Her first stop was at Rhondson's shop, where the Gerudo woman was just beginning to set up. "Have you completed the modifications?" Zelda asked politely.

The woman nodded. "I have. Do you have the money?"

Zelda handed her the two hundred Rupees. It hurt to lose so much money in a single day, but if her plans panned out, money would be the least of her concerns. Rhondson handed her the modified clothing, and Zelda returned to her room to try it on.

At first, she wasn't entirely sure about the outfit. Rhondson had taken the Zora weaving and altered it into a kind of skirt, one which accentuated her curves and covered only one of her knees. There was no arguing about how unique the pattern was, though, with plates of metal mixed in with the cloth. The top was similar, though there were some clear Gerudo accents that had been included, with golden fibers providing a stark outline with the navy-blue Zora colors. She was a little disappointed to find that it left her midriff uncovered, but it fit her just fine. Overall, this outfit suited her far more than what she had been wearing previously.

Her next task was to find Link. He wasn't in his room, and she couldn't recall seeing him at all the previous day. Where might he have gone off to?

She had learned from her efforts yesterday that asking the townsfolk was about as useful as questioning a flock of butterflies for assistance, so that option was out. And after all, Tarrey Town was a small place - it wasn't like Link had many places to hide.

Starting by walking the outer rim, Zelda also used this as an opportunity to see areas where security could be improved. For the most part, the plateau was fairly isolated, which served it well as protection from attack - if someone wanted to truly raid the village, they would have to take a boat out on to Akkala Lake, which was known for rough waters. The nearby marsh was infested with Guardian Stalkers, and so nobody in their right mind would dare to attempt to invade from there. The narrow land-bridge that spanned the distance between the mainland and the plateau was seemingly the only accessible route.

She frowned. While the land-bridge meant that assailants would have a harder time attacking the village, it also meant that the villagers would have a harder time leaving should something catastrophic happen. And if the land-bridge itself were destroyed, Tarrey Town would be completely cut off from the rest of the world, unless they somehow learned how to fly.

Their best bet for future security would be to build another path elsewhere that they could guard over. Once again, she toyed with the idea of either digging into the plateau and constructing some sort of dock at the water level - which could risk destabilizing the terrain and potentially collapse the whole plateau - or building a bridge that extended out towards the nearby marshland. Neither were particularly good options.

One idea remained: to refortify the Akkala Citadel.

She had been toying with the plan again ever since the goddess spoke to her. It would certainly be a challenge simply to make the citadel a habitable space again: they would not only have to break down the boulders and rubble that currently blocked the interior, but they would have to clear out any monsters or Guardians which remained in the area. Nobody said it would be easy, but then again: Hyrule wasn't built in a day. If the citadel were refortified and supplied with rations and troops, they could protect outposts like Tarrey Town and aid in the reconstruction of Hyrule's military. Future generations could be kept safe from any who might try to do it harm.

But to set her plan in action, she needed Link. Where in Hyrule had that blasted knight gone off to?

If she hadn't been walking along the edge of town, she might not have noticed him standing below the land-bridge. She stopped, staring. He was practicing his stances, carrying the Master Sword in one hand and the Hylian Shield in the other. As minutes crept by, the knight fought imaginary enemies, slashing and bashing and stabbing.

"Link!" she shouted and waved to him. But he was too far away, and the wind carried her voice in the opposite direction. Zelda considered for a moment, then held out her hand, palm-forward. A beam of light sliced through the air and blasted the ground a few feet from where he stood, the heat burning the sand so hot it turned to glass.

That got his attention. Looking ready to go to battle, he turned towards her. He lowered his weapon and shield when he saw that she was fine, waving at him with a warm smile spread across her lips. With the sigh of one whose morning routine has been interrupted, he clambered his way up the cliff and walked towards her.

"I need your help," she began. "I heard from the goddess last night."

His eyes widened. After all, he had been with her all those times when her efforts to activate her powers failed. For a brief moment it looked like he might say anything, but his lips did not utter a sound.

"She told me that I need to help Tarrey Town," Zelda continued. "Though Hudson and the rest of the villagers don't seem to want it, I can't help but think that they are blind to the possibility of an attack. With no defenses, they would be quite vulnerable. Do you agree?"

He nodded.

That made her feel better - if she was to trust anyone's opinion when it came to matters of war, it was the warrior who had battled across the continent and taken down Calamity Ganon. "I think that our best course of action is to refortify Akkala Citadel. However," she added, stopping him before he could interrupt, "I agree that we need to go about it more carefully. If I recall, Robbie's home is not far from here, correct?" He nodded again. "Good. I reached out to him via the Sheikah Slate, but I haven't heard a response. Purah is worried that something might have happened to him. If we are to take down the Guardians which still reside around the castle, our best bet is to get assistance from that scientist. He's been studying the machines for years."

Much to her surprise, Link nodded again in agreement. She had expected some kind of resistance - a warning that it was too dangerous, or her plan wasn't thought out well enough. Perhaps she was just disillusioned by the lack of helpfulness from the Tarrey Town villagers.

"Then we should set out immediately. I will gather some necessary supplies if you will tell Mayor Hudson we are leaving."

~~

Thirty minutes later, they met up at the entrance to the village. Zelda's wallet was even lighter than before (Fyson sold her food items for almost double what she could have bought them for in Kakariko), but her spirits were high. Even the fact that none of the villagers came to see them off couldn't dampen her spirits.

The late morning light warmed her skin as they made their way down the path - quite literally down, as the steep slope led them to a wide valley at sea level. Ahead of them stretched the expanse of Akkala, with its rolling hills and shrouded forests.

Zelda turned to her companion with a smile on her face. "I don't think we could ask for a better day to travel, don't you?"

She was met with Link's usual silence. Her lips curled into a frown. The knight had always been on the quieter side, but it was strange for him to completely disregard her like this. What was going on?

"I think we should talk strategy," she said, hoping to break him out of his gloom. "If Robbie is able to fashion us a device we can use against the Guardians, we will still have to put in a lot of effort in order to get the citadel up and running again. I was thinking we should start by getting the kitchens cleaned out first, then emphasize the barracks for future soldiers. What do you think?"

He shrugged, offering no additional commentary.

Frustrated, Zelda turned away from him in a huff and pushed ahead. Fine. Two could play that game. If he wouldn't talk to her, then she wouldn't talk to him. See how he liked it!

The rest of the day was spent in silence. For her part, Zelda tried to focus on the surrounding area. Compared with some of the other regions of Hyrule, Akkala had remained largely uninhabited, which was strange given how pleasant it was - it never got as cold as Hebra or as hot as the Gerudo Desert; the terrain wasn't nearly as rocky as the area surrounding Death Mountain, nor was it filled with as many monsters as the jungles of southeastern Necluda. It was hilly, to be sure, but that hadn't stopped Hylians from building up Hateno Village. Between the lake and the sea, there were plenty of water sources to go around, and wolves had never had trouble hunting the various buffalo and deer that populated the region. Why did it take so long for anyone to properly settle down in the region, and why that plateau, of all places?

The last part of her question was easy to answer, at least. Hudson didn't seem like the sort of person who wanted others interfering in his business - an isolated location like that plateau was the perfect place to found a new city.

But it didn't explain why nobody else had settled here, particularly when she couldn't recall reading about anything particularly dangerous in the region. Nor was there anything remotely superstitious, often another factor in why people stayed away from certain places. Rumors of ghosts and strange horse spirits was at least partly why there weren't any major settlements in the south of Hyrule, not even where the Menoat River met the Faron Sea.

Despite her confusion at the lack of settlements in Akkala, Zelda found herself partly enjoying the peace and quiet. Out here, there was nobody telling her what to do. Nobody in immediate danger because of actions she had or had not taken a century earlier. Nobody ignoring her attempts to help them. It was nice.

By the time the sun had begun to fade over the western horizon, they had made it to the bottom of the steep hill. "Let's settle here for tonight," she suggested to her silent companion, indicating the nearby beach. He nodded and began assembling wood to make a fire. The princess was still frustrated with his silent treatment - and a little mad at herself for breaking her own - but was glad for a moment of rest, especially when the travel had been so peaceful at that point.

"I think things are going our way for once," she muttered as she drifted off to sleep.

If only she had kept her mouth shut.

She awoke with a start to the crash of lightning nearby. Even as her eyes blinked open to take in the surrounding darkness, the princess was distinctly aware of plummeting temperatures. A moment later, sheets of rain began pouring down, soaking everything in sight.

"Link!" she cried out. The fire had been smothered by the howling wind that whipped her skirt around her legs. She couldn't see him. Had he abandoned her?

"I'm here." For the first time in over a week, she heard his voice. It pierced through the storm that surged around them, and she felt as his hand snatched hers. "Something is causing this."

There was another flash of lightning, and over the sound of the thunder they heard a blood-curdling screech. The princess strained her eyes, trying to see the source - it sounded almost…

"There!" Link pointed into the sky, and as another bolt of lightning struck the beach near them, Zelda caught sight of the beast.

It was a massive creature the size of a house, hovering in the air on two large bat-like wings. With each beat another bolt of lightning slammed into the ground, sending up an explosion of sand and dirt. Three heads bellowed defiantly into the night, and the princess felt her blood run cold. She had heard tales of this dragon-like behemoth: a Gleeock.

Had the monster's focus been on the pair of them, princess and knight would surely have perished. But as they watched, the dragon did not swoop down and smite them with lightning or claws or fangs. With its back turned away from them, the Gleeock launched itself at a different target.

"Can you see what it's fighting?" Zelda asked.

Link shook his head. "Let's be glad it isn't us. We need to get away from this, and quickly."

They trudged their way west, away from the ocean. It was hard to be grateful with the wind and rain beating against them. The lightning, at least, remained back at the beach, and so the risk of destruction that way was minimal.

After many arduous minutes, they escaped the radius of the Gleeock's power, soaking wet and exhausted. Zelda stared into the tempest, still hoping to get a peek at whatever had attracted the monster's attention. The fact that the dragon even existed was cause for concern: the last sighting of a Gleeock had been two centuries ago, and not even Calamity Ganon's return had brought them back. What was it doing here?

The wall of water began shifting to the south - the beast was on the move. Zelda's eyes widened in horror. It was headed for Tarrey Town!

"Stay here." Link put a hand against her shoulder. "Lay low."

Then he plunged forward into the darkness, the glow of the Master Sword fading against the onslaught of rain.

Zelda considered her options. The smart thing to do would be to follow her knight's command and remain hidden, just in case other monsters were lurking about in the night. But she worried about how he might fare against such a beast. If Link fell, there wouldn't be another wielder of the Master Sword, not for another generation at least. Not to mention the fact that there were her own feelings to consider…

"Hmmph." The princess stomped her foot in frustration. There was only one thing to do.

She ran forward into the storm.

Rain pelted her like arrows. She was glad for the modifications Rhondson had made to her clothes - because of the Zora scales scattered throughout, the water was simply sliding off the fabric, preventing it from weighing her down. Still, the powerful winds pushed her back, and progress was slow, made even slower as she stepped onto the soft sands of the beach. It was impossible to see anything except for the occasional flash of lightning. Why in Hylia did I decide to chase after this boy? Zelda scolded herself. I, the future Queen of Hyrule, am going to die here in the darkness, all because I was too proud to stand and let him get himself killed.

She trudged forward, stepping into the shallow waters. The waves, made furious by the howling winds, battered her ankles, and it was all she could do not to collapse headfirst. If she didn't pay attention, she might simply walk into the ocean, and what good would that do Link?

An idea sprang to mind, and she summoned the Bow of Light. It was a risky move - any nearby monsters would not be alerted to her presence. But it was a risk she would have to take. She drew the drawstring back, aimed in what she hoped was the general direction of combat, and fired.

A beam of light pierced the darkness. It faded quickly, but she was able to momentarily catch sight of the beach's outline. Not much , she thought, but it will do.

She followed it, occasionally firing more arrows in order to keep herself from wading into deeper waters. The storm screeched all around her, tearing at her flesh, threatening to rip her asunder if she tallied for too long. After several long minutes, the princess began to wonder whether or not she would ever encounter the light of day again.

A flash, and one not from her bow. Zelda crouched low and peered forward in the darkness. There it was again! A hazy blue light on the beach, far ahead of her.

Lightning struck nearby, knocking her off her feet. But it had also given her enough vision to see what was going on ahead of her. Link was alive, and in the midst of a fight from the look of things. If she could aid him, perhaps this torrent would be over.

One thing at a time. First she needed to get to him.

Easier said than done. The closer she got to the battle, the stronger the winds became. The beach here was so drenched the sand had become a kind of sludge. Every step felt like a Hylian effort, an impossible task. Yet still she forced herself forward.

On a positive note, the closer she drew to the combat, the better she could actually see it. Link was jumping and running about, the glow of the Master Sword flashing this way and that as it slashed at his foes. And there were foes . For at long last she discovered the identity of the beast the Gleeock had been fighting in the beginning: a Stalnox.

She had seen a few of the undead cyclops from a distance, back when Calamity Ganon's malice spread across the land, but she had never been so unlucky as to come face-to-face with such a monster. The revived skeletal remains of a Hinox, its only weakness was the single eyeball lodged in the socket of the head. Try as he might, Link couldn't find a way to get high enough to strike it - any time he got remotely close, the giant would threaten to squash him, stomping around.

And there was still the Gleeock to deal with, as well. The three-headed dragon hovered in the sky above the knight and skeleton, screeching and spitting beams of pure electricity at them. It seemed ill-suited for its own weather, however, as it never could quite get close enough to either opponent to deal any damage.

Zelda weighed her options. The Gleeock would be harder to fight because it remained in the air, meaning only arrows might bring it down. But a thousand arrows might still not be enough to pierce its hide, not even her magical ones. They needed something bigger…

As an idea flooded through her, the princess ran forward and fired an arrow in the general direction of the two ground combatants. It struck far away from either of them, but she hadn't been trying to actually hit anything. What she needed was Link's attention.

She certainly got it. Upon seeing the bright light explode against the sands, he dodged a hand-slam from the Stalnox and raced towards her.

"What are you doing here!?" he shouted, his voice barely audible above the din of the storm. Up close, he looked in terrible shape: grime covered his face and clothes, and his cheek was suffering from a nasty cut. "I told you to lay low!"

"A knight doesn't tell a princess what to do!" she shouted back. "And besides, you'd be dead soon if I didn't come to help. I have a plan." 

She briefly shouted her idea at him. She was worried he might laugh at her or tell her it was foolish, but instead he just nodded in appreciation. "Okay!" he yelled. "Let's do this!"

They faced their foes. The Stalnox was lumbering closer, its heavy feet sinking in the sand with each booming step. The Gleeock flew above, hissing as lightning swirled around it.

Zelda forced the Stalnox back with a few choice arrows. She didn't actually want to hit its eye - not yet - but by striking the jaw bone, she forced the skeleton to stumble back, lifting a hand to shield its face. Excellent , she thought to herself, it will think twice about approaching us now.

In the meantime, Link was doing his best to get the attention of the dragon, tossing small rocks up at it. As Zelda circled her enemy, her knight managed to land a few small hits against the Gleeock's talons - nothing that could actually deal any damage, of course, but enough to enrage the beast and force it to hover lower to the ground.

The princess fired another arrow at the skeleton's hips, and even though no harm was actually done, it still roared in frustration. Not wanting to get any closer, the Stalnox put a hand to one of its ribs.

CRACK!

As thunder rumbled around them, the monster ripped off one of its own bones. Any normal person might have cowered in fear over what happened next. But Zelda, the princess of Hyrule, could only grin as the skeleton threw the large bone towards her.

Princess and knight ducked low, but the Gleeock, with its focus on the swordsman, was not fast enough. Zelda had witnessed this behavior from the Stalnox before (again, from afar) and knew that they tended to overcompensate with their throws. Thus the rib crashed against the dragon, sending it plunging into the shallow waters nearby.

She wasted no time in pulling out her bow and firing three shots in rapid succession. Each of them made their mark: the eye of the Stalnox. One after another, each bolt of light sent the organ spinning out of its socket. Link rushed forward with the Master Sword, and in a single stroke, cleaved the eyeball in half.

Seconds passed. For a moment it seemed that the giant was still with shock, as if it hadn't quite processed the fact that its time was at an end. Then, with a shudder, the mighty bones of the Stalnox fell to the ground, where they evaporated to dust and blended in with the surrounding sands.

A screeching roar pierced the air. Zelda spun around, and despite the danger found herself still smiling as she faced down this terrible foe. After everything she had faced, after all, what was one single, mortal beast?

The dragon flapped its wings, desperate to try and gain altitude again. But one wing - the left - was too badly injured from the Stalnox bone, and it did not move correctly. It rose slowly above the water's surface, but its left side hung low, the flesh splashing in anguish.

Neither of them wasted any time. The princess fired one arrow after another, a veritable volley which brightened the night sky like a series of meteors. Each bolt found their mark along the dragon's hide, whether it was head or neck or body or talon. The knight ran forward and leaped an inhuman height into the air. With a defiant cry he brought the glowing blade down upon one of the dragon's heads, extinguishing its life forevermore. Lightning flashed. By the time its light had faded, so too had the life force of the Gleeock.

As the dragon's body began to sink beneath the water, the swirling storm drew to a calm. Zelda felt her breath return to a steady pace and collapsed on the sand. It was over. Every muscle in her body ached with pain, and she wasn't sure her hair would ever dry out, but at long last the battle was over. Relief flooded through her. It was a wonderful feeling, and she wanted nothing more than to share it. She looked over to where her knight had been just a few moments earlier…

…and he was gone. Momentary panic made her wonder if he had been dragged beneath the waves by the Gleeock's corpse, but it didn't take her long to catch sight of the Master Sword's glow. Its owner was stalking off down the beach, back towards their original encampment.

Relief turned to annoyance. How rude! Was he really just going to leave her like that?

After taking a moment to find her strength again, the princess stomped after him. By the time she had caught up, he was already at the camp. It could hardly be called as such - everything was in ruins. Their bedrolls had been blown off up the hills, everything in their packs was soaked through or scattered along the beach, and the campfire had been smothered. Link was busy salvaging whatever he could find, completely oblivious as she arrived.

"Were you just going to leave me there?" she demanded. "What if I had been injured?"

"You weren't hurt," he stated simply, "at least, not badly enough to be of concern. And I knew you would come back. You made it quite clear that my instructions are of no importance."

The nerve! "I'm sorry, did you just expect me to sit idly by while you went gallivanting off into danger? And frankly you are in no position to be making demands of someone who outranks you!"

She regretted the words as soon as she'd said them. Never before had she attempted to pull rank to get her way - it had always seemed distasteful. In her fury, she had forgotten herself.

Her words sent Link over the edge. "Well, excuse me, princess! I didn't realize I was supposed to be bowing and curtseying every time you blew wind." Without another word, he tossed his pack aside and stormed off up the hill.

Zelda stood there in shock. In all her time of knowing the swordsman, she had never heard him even be remotely crass. Not with her, not with anyone. Frankly, she didn't think he knew how to be crude.

Once more I find that this knight is full of surprises, she thought to herself. Unfortunately, not all of them are good.

She spent the next hour salvaging what she could from their supplies. Most of it had been ruined by the Gleeock's storm. Their food was soaked through. Their medical supplies were in tatters. Even their bedrolls had been heavily damaged. After saving what she could, she glanced up at the hill - Link was sleeping up against a pine tree. Deciding that it was better not to bother him at the present moment, the princess spread out a blanket and tried to get some rest. They could try to salvage their friendship tomorrow.

~~

The next morning came too quickly. Zelda rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and groaned. Every muscle in her body ached from the previous night's activities. In particular her legs screamed in agony when she attempted to put weight on them. Her head pounding, she took a deep breath and braced herself. Today was going to be rough.

Before the Calamity, she might have simply taken a day to rest and catch up on sleep. Sit by a cozy fire, knaw on some herbs that would mend her wounds, and relax. Oftentimes she had traveled with one or more of the pilots of the Divine Beasts. Mipha, Daruk, Revali, and Urbosa. Her Champions.

She glanced over at the tree where Link still slept, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. They were all gone. She and Link were the only ones who remained.

No. She shook her head. I can't give into despair again. There's too much at stake . Too many people need me to hold this kingdom together.

Forcing herself to rise, she gathered up what she could and made her way over to the knight. "Come," she told him, nudging his feet with hers. "We should get moving if we are to make it to Robbie today."

The swordsman grunted with disapproval, but got up and followed her sleepily up the hill.

Despite the uphill climb, the day's travel went easily. They paused at a stable - where they were able to purchase fresh food and take a moment to sit and chat with the locals - and then continued their ascent. The weather was pleasant, no monsters were present, and she was able to ignore her companion's sullen attitude. Overall, it could have been much worse.

As was typical whenever she was starting to think things were finally turning out for the better, a serious problem was present when they finally neared Robbie's home.

A large, hulking shape was ramming itself against the front door, again and again. Two of its spindly legs were missing, as well as the entire upper-head portion, yet the identity of the assailant was undeniable: a Guardian Stalker. It continued to charge against the front door repeatedly, causing the entire structure to quiver in such a way that Zelda became worried it might fall over.

They approached with caution, giving her a better look at it. Indeed, the Guardian's head was just gone, with an empty hole where it should have been on the dome-shaped machine. She glanced at Link, who looked as confused as she was.

A thought crossed her mind: Cuccos were known to flail and run about after their heads were removed, sometimes for several minutes. Perhaps something similar had happened to this Guardian. If that were the case, then all they would need to do was-

As if on cue, the machine's motions began to slow. Its violent rams dwindled to small taps, which eventually gave way to stillness. After a full minute, the lights in the machine died away, and the Guardian was nothing more than a metal husk.

Zelda stepped out of cover at the same time the front door to the house opened and a short, white-haird man stepped out. The princess had never quite gotten used to Robbie's appearance, what with his golden goggles and tiny stature - the Robbie she had known over one hundred years ago had been a tall fellow, prone to eccentricity but not quite to this degree. He caught sight of her walking towards him and leaped into the air. "Princess! How good to see you!"

A grin spread across her face. "I am glad to see you alive and well, Robbie! After sending so many messages that went unanswered, I grew worried that something terrible had befallen you."

"Ah, that. Yes, my lab has been having some issues communicating with the Sheikah towers, it seems. Purah thinks it might be all of this Guardian tech I've been integrating, but what would she know? She turned herself into a child!" He nodded at Link, who had finally left the safety of the bushes. "Ah, Link! It's been awhile. Come to marvel at my inventions?"

"We're here on urgent business," Zelda said, hoping to stop the scientist from getting too distracted. "My hope is to reclaim the Akkala Citadel to the south, to refurbish it and turn it into a facility that could be revitalized for a new Hyrule Kingdom. But in order to do so-"

"You need to take out all the Guardians that are currently guarding it," Robbie finished grimly. "And you've come to me for help because of my expertise on ancient technology."

"Precisely." She smiled warmly at him. "Do you think you can help?"

He thought about it for a moment. "Come inside," he told her. "Let's see what I can do for you. Link, d'you mind grabbing that leg for me and bringing it with you? That's a lad."

The interior of the ancient tech lab was a complete mess, with papers strewn about everywhere, bits of metal and rubber discarded all over the floor, and random blueprints and designs pinned on the walls. Jerrin, Robbie's wife, was busy working on something in a corner of the room.

Robbie led them to a different corner. "I've been thinking that we might have need of a device that can permanently disable the Guardians from a safe distance," he explained. "This is what I've got so far."

The thing in his hands was small, with a trigger and a round nodule at the end. He handed it to Zelda, and she examined it. "What is it?"

"I call it the Guardian-Disabler!" Robbie threw his hands in the air, and for a moment the princess swore she heard a metallic musical note sound from nearby. "Once it's fully operational, all you'll have to do is point it at the closest Guardian and it will shut it down for good!"

"'Once it's fully operational?'"

The scientist looked a little sheepish. "Yes, well, in order to power it, you need ancient cores, which only come from fully-functioning Guardians. Sadly, with the collapse of Calamity Ganon, those have been harder to come by."

Zelda chose to ignore the fact that his tone sounded almost accusatory towards the pair of them. "We passed loads of fallen Guardians on our way here. Could we not just salvage those?"

He shook his head. "I tried years ago. No, the cores are fragile pieces of equipment. The cores of those you turned to stone faded to dust long ago, and the cores of any that fell dead or were defeated in battle become broken after a few weeks. If we're going to get this device of yours working, we'll need fresh metal."

"I know where we can get some." Link's voice rang out through the laboratory, shocking Zelda to stand up straighter. She turned. Her knight had been mostly focused on the strange machine in the center of the laboratory, but now his attention was on them. "There were a bunch of the flying Guardians outside the entrance to the Spring of Power when I was there last. How many do you need exactly?"

"Just one should suffice," Robbie said, an eerie grin across his face. "But if you happen to gather more…"

"I'll bring you whatever I can." Link shouldered the Master Sword and turned as if to leave.

"You're not going without me," Zelda insisted.

Immediately she knew she had struck a nerve with him again. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Fine. But don't expect me to slow down for you." And with that, he was out the door.

Robbie raised an eyebrow. "What was that about?"

Zelda shrugged. "We haven't been getting along as of late, I'm afraid. Last night some things were said and…well, I've tried to give him some space, but it is clear he is still resentful of my presence."

Jerrin looked up from her work and gave the princess a long look. "Perhaps it would be best if you stay here with us, dear. I can tell you're exhausted. It might do you both some good to have some separation."

"No." Zelda shook her head. "I know what Link is like when he's frustrated: he'll throw himself into danger the first chance he gets. And I know he can handle himself, but if something were to happen…" She stood up straight and looked right into the woman's eyes. "I need to follow him. Even if he doesn't want me to."

The Sheikah woman looked at her with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Well, if you really want to go after him without him noticing, I might just have an outfit that would fit you."

The princess glanced at her. "Really?"

Robbie frowned at them. "That old thing? I tried to outfit it with tech years ago and couldn't find a way to enhance it."

"It's a traditional piece for Sheikah ninjas," Jerrin explained. "Legend has it that a princess, not unlike yourself, wore it to disguise herself when her world was in turmoil, to keep herself from getting discovered by a villainous overlord."

That got Zelda's attention. "If you think it will work, I'd love to try it on."

Jerrin gave her a wide grin. "Excellent. Let's get you outfitted."