Summary: With Ganon destroyed, the Champions killed, and Zelda crowned Queen, Link ponders his future and works to recover a past love.

This entire narrative is taken from notes written by Link that he carried with him at all times.

Chapter 1 - Remembering

Link woke up suddenly to a clap of thunder and the sound of heavy rain beating against the window above his bed. The dawn sky was just starting to brighten. He could do without the thunder, but the sound of the steady rainfall that followed it was soothing. He had a meeting later that day with Dr. Purah at the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab which was nearby his house, but there was still plenty of time, and there was no hurry to get up. He lay there, his thoughts wandering.

A lot had happened in the past two years since Calamity Ganon's defeat. Monsters were almost all gone now, the few remaining hiding out in remote parts of Hyrule. Once the Blood Moons stopped restoring monsters, it was no longer futile to destroy them, and that had been one of the first tasks. People traveled safely now. The Yiga Clan could still cause trouble, but the Gerudo were doing their best to monitor them, and Ganon's defeat had demoralized them. They were lying low, at least so far.

Re-building Hyrule was still the top priority. He smiled at how successful the Bolson Construction company had become. They had plenty of workers now and plenty to do, and some healthy competition. And, thank Hylia, they no longer had time to hang around his house every day.

Yes, the construction everywhere was going well, but there was one building, in particular, Link was especially interested in, and that was the Temple of Time. The structure itself had been fully repaired. The gaping holes in the roof had been patched, and the masonry and brickwork restored. But he was more interested in what stories of old had described was within the Temple, and whether that could be restored too. The legends said that occasionally his heroic predecessors had traveled back in time to accomplish their mission. That was the topic for his meeting with Dr. Purah.

He had taken this house in the quiet farming community of Hateno Village to be far away from the hustle and bustle of Hyrule Castle. People left him alone here, and his comfortable little house on a hill afforded him a place to relax and reflect on his life on those occasions he wasn't traveling. It was when he was home that he recorded everything he could remember in a journal he was keeping. And that was harder for him than it sounded because he had lost almost all his memories. When he awoke from the Shrine of Resurrection a little over two years ago, his mind was a blank.

When he first awoke, he spent weeks recovering the memories he could from the pictures stored in Zelda's Sheikah Slate. But those were only memories of times he had spent with Zelda. He also regained some memories from visiting the major villages in Hyrule and talking with people there. That helped him remember a little about Urbosa, Revali, Daruk, and Mipha, his fellow Champions. And that traveling bard, Kass, had told him tales of the times Zelda recruited each of the Champions. Then later Kass found that group picture Mipha requested at Hyrule Castle and it triggered a memory of that occasion. The last memory he had of all of them together was that fateful moment by the East Gate of Lanayru Road when Ganon attacked, and each of the Champions raced back to their Divine Beast. They had trusted in that ancient technology from ten thousand years ago, but Ganon had learned his lesson and outsmarted all of them. He never saw the Champions again, save in spirit form.

But he had lived a life beyond those few memories he had recovered from the Sheikah Slate and the others he had stumbled upon. And after he fulfilled his duty to Hyrule, he naturally wanted to learn more about who he was and who were the important people in his life. Even when he first awoke from the shrine and began his quest to save Hyrule, there were hints of other important people in his life, people and places that must have meant a lot to him at one time.

The most fruitful source of information came from Zora's Domain. Quite a few people there had remembered him from over one hundred years ago. Some older ones hated him, blaming him for what happened. But others recognized him as a friend and former playmate. From conversations, he learned he must have spent a good deal of time there. And when he spoke with King Dorephan and Prince Sidon, it became clear there was someone very special in his life who had lived there and was the reason he spent so much time in Zora's Domain.

He learned Princess Mipha was much more than a fellow Champion. She was a friend from his early childhood, someone who looked out for him and took care of him, healing his injuries with her magic. And after he eventually caught up with her in equivalent age, she had fallen in love with him and crafted an exquisite set of Zora armor in the expectation they would marry. At the time he learned all this, he could barely remember Mipha or how he had felt about her. His only memory of her he recovered at first came from looking at her statue. He recalled the sunny late afternoon when they were sitting together atop Divine Beast Vah Ruta as she healed a wound on his forearm and promised to care for him. But he had made some progress recovering more memories in the past two years, memories Zelda's Sheikah Slate couldn't help him with.

Speaking of the Sheikah Slate, he no longer had it. Zelda had taken it back from him after their victory in Hyrule Field. And when the four Champion spirits departed Hyrule after Ganon's defeat, he could no longer use their special powers. Urbosa's Fury, Daruk's Protection, Revali's Gale and Mipha's Grace were all gone. It was yet another sadness: having those powers to call upon made him feel his friends were still with him.

Aside from their weapons, all he had left to remember them was that picture hanging on his wall: the group picture of Zelda, the Champions and himself that Purah took just after the Champions Inauguration ceremony with King Rhoam. He recalled it was Mipha's idea to take the picture, and he was glad she thought of it. He remembered how cute Mipha was, sidling next to him and taking a deep breath as she straightened herself, trying to look her very best for the picture. And then that big clown Daruk had "brought them all together." He looked at the picture now and then to remember all of them, but it was bittersweet. That was a happy moment of fun and togetherness, but little did any of them know how short-lived it would be. Now the only friend he had left was Zelda: the rest were all dead.

He got up, then walked over to the group picture. He gazed at Mipha's image, thinking of her now. It wasn't the best picture of her, but it was all he had.

He decided to make himself a vegetable omelet for breakfast, and soon he was eating at his small dining room table. The prizes that the village leaders awarded him for freeing the Divine Beasts filled the surrounding walls. There was Revali's Great Eagle bow, Daruk's Boulder Breaker, Urbosa's Scimitar of the Seven and Daybreaker shield, and most precious of all to him now, Mipha's Lightscale Trident.

Whenever he ate alone like this, he liked to read his journal as he ate, looking over past chapters to refresh his memory. He opened it to a chapter he had titled 'Ruta Reveries.' He had written that chapter over two years ago when he visited Zora's Domain for the last time before his battle with Ganon. It was his favorite chapter because he had learned so much from the event it described and it had been his last conversation with Mipha's Spirit. He sometimes wrote his journals in the third person so it would be easier for someone else to publish them or so he could publish them himself someday under a pen name.

Extract from Link's Journal

Ruta Reveries

Link's last conversations with Mipha's spirit before Ganon's defeat

It was late afternoon as Link stood atop the highest peak in the Zodobon Highlands, gazing up at the massive Divine Beast Vah Ruta. Ruta kneeled there quietly, its trunk raised high and its red targeting beams locked on to Link's next destination, Hyrule Castle.

His long quest to finish their ill-fated plan of one hundred years ago was nearly over. He had traveled throughout Hyrule, freed the four Divine Beasts, and reclaimed the sword that seals the darkness. It remained only to free the Princess at Hyrule Castle, the Princess he had slowly come to remember from recovered memories triggered by her Sheikah Slate. And then he would need to battle Calamity Ganon.

But he was not ready to take that final step.

It was not out of fear that he was unready, unprepared for the battle. No, he had trained well, and his combat skills were beyond compare now. The sword that seals the darkness filled him with confidence, and he was eager for his day of reckoning with Ganon, a chance to put an end to Ganon's threat to Hyrule.

No, it was something else entirely. It was his memory. He had prepared for many things in his travels, things he needed to do to survive in the wild, such as securing fresh food and cooking it, replacing weapons, destroying monsters. But he had not been ready for the shock of learning someone was in love with him and loved him enough to marry him.

He recalled how he stood speechless before Mipha's father and brother when they first spoke of her love for him. And then her father gave him her engagement gift, the armor she had so carefully crafted by hand one hundred years ago. Gazing at her statue helped him recall a time alone with her on Ruta as she promised to look out for him and hoped to spend some time together.

But that was such a small memory and only tantalized him to want to learn more. Link needed to understand what they had meant to each other. Only Mipha's spirit knew the answers. He sensed that once they destroyed Ganon, Mipha and the other Champions would be free to depart for the spirit world, their duty to Hyrule fulfilled. And then he would forever lose his chance to learn about his time with Mipha over a century ago.

He approached closer to Ruta, and a voice from within asked if he would dare confront a realm of illusion and memory. He knew what would happen if he agreed: a virtual battle against a Waterblight Ganon phantom would ensue. But he had already done that several times before and did not need to overcome his fears. And so he declined the offer.

He waited a moment longer, and then he spoke.

"Mipha?" said Link. "I know you can hear me. Please, I need to speak with you."

Only silence greeted him.

"I will light a fire, and I will camp here day and night until you speak with me, Mipha," said Link. "There are things I must know that only you can tell me."

Link took some wood he carried and lit a campfire. Then huddled next to it, rubbing his hands. The sun was sinking in the west and would set soon. The night might grow cold, but he didn't care.

He stared up at Ruta again. He knew Mipha's spirit was there, waiting to perform her duty, to strike at Calamity Ganon when the time came. He had seen her spirit all too briefly once and later heard her voice several times more. But they had all been one-sided conversations, her speaking to him. He hoped his stubbornness would move her to speak with him again and answer his questions. He wished he could climb aboard Ruta and perhaps see her spirit once more, but he could not approach Ruta closely and must be content to stay outside. All he could do was hope she would speak with him.

The sun was setting now, and the night sky was clear. Thank Hylia it wasn't raining, though that would not have stopped him. He took a moment to look around from this high vantage point. To the left and just behind Ruta stood the majestic peak of Mount Lanayru, home of the Spring of Wisdom. To his right was Hyrule Castle, centered in the four Divine Beast targeting beams. And behind him, Death Mountain glowed a fiery red. Each place held memories for him, but that was not what concerned him now. He walked to the northern edge of the peak, and he could make out Zora's Domain below with its beautiful architecture and soft blue glow. He was a welcome visitor to Zora's Domain now, having appeased Ruta and saved everyone. He returned to be close to the fire, sat down, and waited.

It was quiet up here alongside Ruta, quiet as a graveyard, he thought. The only sounds were the whistle of the wind and the crackling of the fire. Few if any animals would venture so high to this barren hilltop, and he had never been attacked by any evil creatures of the night here either.

He rubbed his hands together again. He would wait here all night and the next day too if he had to. The western sky turned orange as the sun set behind the distant hills, and stars appeared. Still, he sat by the fire. He had nodded off to sleep when he heard her voice.

"Hello Link," said a voice inside Link's head, a beautiful voice he knew by now.

Link stood up and gazed at Ruta. The voice seemed to come into his mind from no particular direction, but it was natural for him to look at Ruta where he knew her spirit was.

"I am happy you chose to visit me like you used to," said Mipha. "But you must not stay here. We must not neglect our duty, Link, and the Princess awaits your help."

"Mipha, thank you for speaking with me," said Link. "Yes, I know the task that awaits us. But after one hundred years I do not think a short time longer will matter."

"No, a short time longer will not matter," said Mipha. "I sense the Princess is still strong. It sounds so nice to hear you say my name, Link! It has been so long since I heard you speak it."

"I need to know more, Mipha, about us. You said you would never forget our time together. Help me remember it too," said Link.

"I dearly wish you could remember," said Mipha. "But remembering now may only make you sad, Link, and I do not want to see that. I want you to be happy and to get on with your life."

"I am already sad, Mipha," said Link. "Your father and your brother both spoke of your feelings for me. I promised your father I would never forget you, and I will not. But I have so little memory of you, of us, to keep from forgetting. I know what the armor you made for me means. I need to know more of what took place between us."

"How is my family?" said Mipha.

"Your father is well, but grief-stricken once more when I told him I had spoken to your spirit. He had hoped all this time you might still be alive. He regrets letting you pilot Ruta and wishes he could have done more to protect you. Sidon is a fine young man, and you know he helped me appease Ruta. But he dearly misses you, Mipha. He thinks of you each night and gazes at your statue in the plaza," said Link.

Mipha was quiet.

"The night grows cold and late," said Link as he rubbed his hands together. "Can you not tell me about us? I need to know, Mipha. Not knowing is worse. It haunts me."

"You look so handsome in my gift!" said Mipha. "You wear it well, and it still fits you perfectly."

"I cherish your gift, Mipha, and I always will," said Link. "And I feel you are one with me since you gave me your healing power. But will you not answer me, tell me about us, tell me what we meant to each other?"

"But why, dear Link?" said Mipha. "We can no longer be together in this world, and to know either way how you felt will only cause you pain. If I tell you that my love for you was all one-sided, will you not feel sad for me, that I loved you so much with no love from you in return? And if I say that you returned my love, will you not feel sad for both of us and mourn what might have been? To have forgotten is a blessing. You have your life to live, Link, and I can no longer share it with you as I once dreamed. Go now, fulfill your duty, and live your life in happiness. Knowing this, I will rest in peace."

"If you know me Mipha, and I know you must, then you know how stubborn I am," said Link. "I will stay here until you tell me about our time together. I need to know."

There was silence for a moment.

"Very well," said Mipha. "I can speak with you but only until sunrise. Then you must leave to fulfill your duty as I must mine. Will you promise me that?"

"Yes, if that is the most time I can have with you," said Link.

"You say you wish to know of our time together?" said Mipha. "But where to begin? I have known you since your childhood."

"No, not that far back, though if we had time enough, I would stay here day and night and listen to every moment we spent together," said Link. "Since our time is short, work backward from our times together, the latest first."

"Very well," said Mipha. "The last time we saw each other was at the East Gate of Lanayru Road when Ganon surprised us all. I was trying to help the Princess access her power, but I was too late. We had no time to speak, you and I, but rushed off to do our duty. I remember how worried I was when I left."

"I am so sorry for what happened," said Link. "You were right to worry about the danger within Ruta. I wish we had thought of Ganon's plan."

"But dear Link, I was not worried for myself. I was worried for you," said Mipha. "I had promised to look out for you, to heal your wounds, and yet you were rushing off to battle Ganon on your own. I was worried that Ganon might hurt you, and I could not be there to heal you. I never thought of danger within Ruta."

"All right," said Link. "That was a painful memory. Please, let's move back from that to the next earlier time we saw each other."

"Perhaps it would make more sense to jump to the time even before that one," said Mipha. "Then, you will understand."

"Very well," said Link. "Whatever you think best."

"It was your visit alone to the domain when we sat on Ruta's trunk, and I healed your arm and told you I hoped we could spend time together when our task was done," said Mipha. "You were quiet, tired, under stress from all your duties. It was too late to travel then, and you were too tired. So, you stayed at the Seabed Inn that night. You agreed to meet me the next morning, and when I met you, we walked together to Veiled Falls. You had told me once you had trouble sleeping, and you still looked tired. We sat on the large rock there, and the sunlight, fresh air and the sound of the falls put you to sleep, your head resting on my shoulder. You looked so peaceful and handsome, Link, I wanted to kiss you right then and there! But I cradled your head and then let it slide down and rest more comfortably in my lap. I brushed your beautiful blond hair back once from your face. You slept for quite a while, breathing gently. I was happy to see you get some rest, as I knew you needed it.

Then all at once, you woke up, startled, not knowing where you were. I calmed you and assured you you were safe. You sat up then, and our eyes met. I smiled at you, and then you suddenly leaned forward and kissed me. I felt like I was in a dream! You seemed unsure of my reaction, but I kissed you back at once, and then we held each other and kissed more times than I can count. Afterward, you told me you loved me but had been afraid of losing me as a friend. I told you I loved you too. I wished that day would never end!

"I had hoped to offer you the armor on your visit as you were without the Princess for a change, and I had prayed for the courage to do so. I had brought it with me in a bundle. You told me later you thought it was our picnic lunch, and we both laughed. But after you expressed your love for me, I had no fear of rejection. I offered you the armor, and you happily accepted it. Then you tried it on, and as I expected, it fit you perfectly. We discussed our plans next and thought it best to wait until after our task was done to tell everyone. You had to return to guard the Princess then, and I took the armor back with me when I returned home. That was the end of your visit, but it was the happiest visit of all for me. For a time, I felt my dreams had all come true, Link."

"That is wonderful to know, Mipha," said Link. "I am happy we found love with each other, if only for a short time. Thank you for sharing that with me. What was the time you skipped to speak of this time?"

"Oh, you made a surprise visit to me at East Reservoir Lake a week after that," said Mipha. "I was so excited to see you, not only because it was a surprise but because by then we had finally shared our love for each other. We spent all day by the lake, swimming and talking, kissing and hugging each other. You were like a different person then, more emotional and open about your feelings, which I loved. But you carried some secret with you you couldn't tell me yet. I didn't care! I was just so happy to be with you. I held you in my arms as we slept that night in the bed on the pier, and I dreamed of holding you as my husband one day soon."

Time was moving on as they spoke, and this was one time Link would be very sorry to see a sunrise.

"Thank you, you have told me what I needed to know," said Link. "I know now that I did love you and that I told you so. It makes me want to learn even more about our time together, though. What other times were we together?"

"Well, before we shared our feelings, we were still very close," said Mipha. "We swam, played games, collected fireflies, chipped Luminous Stones for good luck, hiked, sat together and talked as we waited for the rain to stop. You visited me many times, Link, and I was always so happy when you did. Even after you grew quiet from carrying the sword, I still loved seeing you."

"Please tell me some specifics," said Link as he looked toward the east.

"Well, there are so many to choose from," said Mipha. "But I will tell you one time I liked. We were hiking together by Ralis Pond, and a rainstorm came up. We waited together for the storm to pass, but you were soaking wet. All this happened before they appointed us Champions, so you were wearing your Royal Guard uniform. When the rain stopped, and the sun came out, you needed to dry off your uniform. I remember you were so shy taking off your tunic and trousers with me there, even though we had swum together so many times. You blushed, and my giggling only made it worse. Anyway, we sat together as we waited for your uniform to dry and talked for hours. I enjoyed sitting with you, leaning against the rock there. Being caught in the rain together made you speak more with me, which was very welcome. You were sometimes very quiet."

"Thank you, that is a nice memory," said Link. "I was trying to picture things as you told them, and I know Ralis Pond and the rock outcropping you mentioned. It helps bring the memory to life in my mind. Can you tell me of another time?"

"Very well," said Mipha. "It was a time I remember holding you in my arms. We were hiking near a pond, and it had rained earlier in the day. It was slippery, and you reached out to take my hand to help me. But you lost your footing and so did I. We collapsed on the soft ground near the shore together, and you landed on top of me. I held you from slipping, and I thought you might kiss me, as we lay there for a moment. But you were so embarrassed and blushed red. You kept apologizing and calling me Princess. Then I teased you a little. We laughed and went on our way. But for a few moments, you were in my arms. I thought of it when I went to sleep that night. I already had a crush on you by then."

Link glanced to the east again, and the sky was lightening.

"I fear our time grows short," said Link. "And I have a confession to make. When your father offered to let me read your diary, he thought you would forgive me, and so I read it. I am sorry I did not respect your wishes, but knowing about your love for me, I wanted to learn all I could about you. I'm sorry."

"I see," said Mipha. "Then you know about the Lynel and when my heart was yours and my plans with the armor. I forgive you, Link. What harm is there in it now?"

The sun was peeking now over the Lanayru Sea in the distance as the morning wind picked up.

"And now it is time to keep your promise," said Mipha. "We must say farewell, dear Link. Ruta and I will be ready to support you in your fight. I know we will be victorious this time."

"Mipha, this is a difficult farewell for me," said Link. "As I listen to you and you remind me of our time together, I begin to feel in my heart now what you say was true back then. I feel love for you, Mipha. I can't help it. I so want to be with you. If only there were some way."

"I cannot deny it thrills my heart to hear you say those words once more," said Mipha. "But now you must stop. Our time was in the past, Link, but your time is in the future. Do not spend your days grieving for me, grieving for us. Remember me, and do not be sad, but be happy for the time we had. I will never forget the wonderful times I spent with you, and the love we shared for one another. May the Goddess protect you and keep you safe. Farewell, my love.

The sun had risen now, and she was gone. But he had learned what he wanted to, what he needed to. He would keep his word, as he always did, but he needed to rest first. He dried his eyes, put out the fire, then made his way back to the domain and reserved a bed at the inn to sleep until noon. But before turning in, he had two things he wanted to do.

Link walked upstairs to the small statue of the Goddess Hylia, then bowed his head and prayed that Mipha and the other Champions would rest in peace.

Then he went downstairs and put a flower at the base of Mipha's statue, a Blue Nightshade. He thought she would have liked it. The blue matched the jewelry she used to wear that he remembered from his memory of her. He wondered what kind of flowers she loved? He didn't know and had forgotten to ask her. But he promised himself he would place a flower at her statue every day he stayed in the domain. He stopped to gaze at her statue again, and it seemed she was looking down at him with her kind expression. He knew much more now, and he knew he had loved her just as she loved him.

"I will never forget our love, Mipha, I cannot now," whispered Link hoping she could hear him somehow. "Never, not even for another hundred years."

Then he returned to the inn. He needed to rest for his big day. It had been a long night, but a night of answers he had needed.

"Good night, my love," said Link.

And as he drifted off to sleep, he thought he heard Ruta softly bellow. Could she still hear him? And if she could, and he closed his eyes, perhaps he could even be with her in his dreams, happy together again, chasing fireflies, or swimming, sharing a laugh and a kiss. If so, he must remember to ask her about the kind of flowers she loved. He would have one for her next time.

End of extract from Link's Journal

That was the end of that chapter in his journal. He enjoyed re-reading some memories he recorded there. But he had finished breakfast now, and it was time to put away his journal and clean up.

While he enjoyed his little house, he also liked to travel. He sometimes visited Impa at Kakariko Village and enjoyed talking with her and listening to her stories of the past. Impa had been a valuable ally and guide when he awoke from the Shrine of Resurrection with no memory. She was one of the few living Sheikah who remembered him from before Calamity Ganon's attack, and she had even saved his Champion Tunic for him for 100 years.

Impa would always welcome him warmly when he visited. She would ask him how he was and what he had learned from his travels. They would sometimes sit and have tea together. She was getting older, but her mind was as sharp as ever. And she was not entirely sympathetic with his efforts to recall his past. She would shake her head as if disappointed in him and then encourage him to move on with his life and put the past behind him.

Impa's granddaughter Paya still lived with her, and Paya was always nervous around him. Even to someone as bad at reading women's feelings as he was, he could tell she had a crush on him. Impa no doubt knew that, and he wondered if her urging him to move on meant she hoped he would develop a relationship with Paya. Paya was undoubtedly a lovely person with a good heart, very devout, and he liked her and respected her. In other circumstances, he would be happy to get to know her better. But he wasn't ready for a relationship with anyone now, and the fact he made Paya so uncomfortable was one reason he limited his visits to Impa.

Most of all he liked to spend time in Zora's Domain, talking to King Dorephan, Prince Sidon, and the others there who remembered Mipha and him from over a hundred years ago. Those conversations helped him remember. Or if not fully remember, at least learn more about the times he spent there with her. He almost always wore the Zora armor now. It fit him well, and that was one way of assuring he kept in shape. Besides, swimming up waterfalls often shortened his journeys. He still had other armor, and his blue Champion's tunic. He needed those for the few occasions he had to attend a meeting at Hyrule Castle.

Her Majesty, Zelda, was Queen of Hyrule now. Her coronation had been a grand ceremony, with crowds cheering, happy to see Hyrule under a new leader after a hundred years of desolation. At age 17, she was young to be crowned as ruler, but she offered hope to a long-suffering population amazed to see her alive after one hundred years. Of course, Link had attended the ceremony and even had a place of honor in the entourage. But soon after that, he began to feel no longer needed. Zelda was fully protected by the Royal Guards now, and there was far less to protect her from, anyway. Then too, Zelda was kept very busy with her duties, and he didn't like to intrude. It had been shortly after the coronation that he had requested a private meeting with her. He recalled the meeting with her now.

He was ushered alone into a private reception room. After a few minutes, Zelda entered and gave him a welcoming smile. He immediately bent down on one knee. "Your Majesty, thank you for seeing me. I know how busy you are."

"Link, I am never too busy to see you. I would hope you know that by now. And, as I've told you before, when we are alone together, please call me Zelda. I think I should start fining you a rupee each time you forget."

"Of course, uh, Zelda," Link laughed as he rose to his feet.

"How are you, Link?" said Zelda. "You are looking well. You know I am always happy to see you."

"I'm fine, Zelda, still traveling a good deal," said Link. "And I enjoy seeing you, too. You look wonderful! And everyone I meet speaks highly of you and how capable a ruler you are."

"I wonder if they sing my praises to you because they know we are friends?" laughed Zelda. "But I appreciate the compliment. What did you wish to see me about?"

"This is hard for me to say, Zelda, but I need to say it. I think it would be best if I left Hyrule Castle and worked on restoring my memory. I have made some progress here and there, but to push things further, I need to go out more and meet with the few people who remember me while they still can. Also, I'm not sure I'm needed here. Our task with Ganon is thankfully over, and you are well protected now. Of course, if you grant me leave, I will miss the people I've come to know here. And I will miss you most of all," said Link

He spoke this better than he usually did, having rehearsed beforehand. He nervously watched Zelda for her reaction.

Zelda smiled sweetly, but her tone was sad.

"I shall be very sorry to see you go if that is your wish. It was a comfort to know you were here if I needed to talk to a friend or reminisce about my father and the others. I admit that my duties as Queen have kept me busy, and we have not had as much time together as I would have liked. I wish it were otherwise. But I understand you wish to recover your past. And I think I know the one you want to remember most of all," said Zelda.

Link blushed. They both knew she meant Mipha.

"So, not without sadness, I shall grant your request and relieve you, for now, of your duties here. Please take as much time as you need to recover your memories. But, Link, I hope you know that you will always have a special place in my heart, and you are forever welcome to return here anytime you wish. And I hope you will do so often."

"Thank you for being so understanding Zelda," Link said. "You know, if I may be so bold, how special you are to me as well and that I will always cherish our time together."

At that, he started to bow to take his leave, but Zelda stepped forward and stopped him, and embraced him with a hug which he returned. He closed his eyes, fighting back tears as they held each other.

"Oh, Link, I will miss you so much," said Zelda. "Please remember I am your good friend. I wish you success in seeking your memories. But, as a friend, I would also like to see you happy. I hope you can move on with your life. I can imagine how painful your loss is. I too have had painful losses. But we cannot live forever in the past, Link. I would be happy to see you visit often and let me know how you are. In fact, I think I will make that a royal decree that you do!" Zelda teased him as they separated from their embrace.

"Yes, I will gladly honor your decree," laughed Link. "And thank you, Zelda."

Then he bowed and left the room.

That meeting had been almost two years ago. He visited Zelda once a month as promised and enjoyed seeing her. She always received him happily and put aside an hour or more of her busy schedule for him. He told her what he had learned from his travels around the kingdom, and she shared her plans for Hyrule's reconstruction. Zelda was indeed a very dear person to him. So much of the life he could remember was the time they spent together. She had matured from the sixteen-year-old girl her father had charged him to protect. Now she was a capable ruler. And yes, she was right. If the plan he would discuss with Dr. Purah couldn't work, he would need to move on from the past.

As he cleaned up, he recalled the times he had visited the Divine Beasts shortly before Ganon's defeat. At each Divine Beast, he had entered a virtual world where he could hone his fighting skills by battling once again those horrible blight creatures Ganon had created. It was valuable training for his final battle. And it also let him hear the Champions' spirits a few more times. The voice of Mipha lamenting his inability to remember their time together, and that she would never forget, made him choke up each time he thought of it. It was so cruel to lose someone who loved you so much.

And so, he had been gradually recovering more memories over the past two years. His mind had been slowly healing itself. And he had traveled all over Zora's Domain seeking places that would trigger a recollection. It seldom worked, but sometimes it did. And when it did, it only reinforced his need to learn even more about his time with Mipha. He still remembered just a little, but much more than before. Now he could recall a time they were sitting together watching a sunset over the water. Or another time they were sitting with their feet dangling in a pool of water covered with lily pads and the occasional frog. Mipha looked so happy being with him, and he remembered how happy and at ease he felt with her.

And as he recovered more memories, he recovered more feelings. He was in love with Mipha now and wished he could be with her somehow. They had been close friends since childhood, but as they matured, it had grown into much, much more. And shortly before the end, they had even planned to marry. Now it was all gone. But he was hopeful there might be something he could do about that.

Zelda had told him that he should get on with his life. But getting on with his life was precisely the problem. What was his life now? He had fulfilled his duty to her and Hyrule as the hero. Zelda had a kingdom to govern, but what was he to do? All the combat and survival skills he had trained so hard to master weren't needed anymore. He felt useless now. It was ironic, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt that his only future was in the past.