Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and all related characters are solely the property of Nintendo. I am making no money from this; I wrote it solely for my own amusement. Enjoy!

CHAPTER ONE: RECKLESSNESS

Or: In which our Princess learns to be careful with the orders she gives, and her Hero learns that reckless courage can be double-edged.

"And stop FOLLOWING me!"

As she'd strode away from the Shrine, the sound of Link's footsteps behind Zelda made her irritation flare to outright fury, and she'd whirled on the only one that she could heap her frustrations upon. At her shout, Link paused, his expression still infuriatingly blank, but his eyebrows had shot up in surprise. A twinge of guilt started to gnaw at her, but Zelda had been too irate to care. She'd grasped Tempest's reins, and her Castellan Silver mount had whinnied in complaint as she started to lead him to the road…but she paused as she heard the second set of hoof-steps behind her. "Was I unclear?" she snapped, turning around. "Must I repeat myself? Or are you simply insubordinate?"

Link and his horse – a beautiful white-maned, mahogany-coated mare named Epona – were following at a distance. This time, Link was unsurprised, and simply pointed to the road ahead, holding up his index finger as he did, arching a single eyebrow. It took Zelda a moment to understand: there was only one road leading off the ridge. He had nowhere else to go.

Zelda huffed, her cheeks burning. "Very well. You may accompany me at a distance until the road comes to a fork. After that, you will return to the Castle!" Closing his eyes, Link bowed his head in acceptance. Satisfied, Zelda turned back to Tempest, who seemed calm enough to ride now. She was about to hop on, but paused as she saw the other Champions arrive. With Lady Mipha as passenger, Lady Urbosa guided her horse to a stop, with Daruk rolling up next to her, while Revali touched down beside them.

After a quick dismount, Urbosa smiled at her. "You surprised us, Your Grace," she greeted. "We weren't expecting you to explore this ruin today. We would have accompanied you."

Zelda smiled back. "My apologies, Lady Urbosa. I simply couldn't wait."

Daruk chuckled. "We only got here because we saw the little guy racing out of the Castle gates; figured only one person could make him roll THAT fast!"

With a gentle smile, Mipha glanced to Link. "And you, Link?" she asked. "Are you well?"

Link answered with only a shrug and a low sigh, before he dismounted, walking to the edge of the nearby cliff.

"He is quite well, Lady Mipha," Zelda said, irritation creeping back into her voice. She turned towards her soon-to-be-departing Knight. "Sir Forester? Weren't you about to..?"

Facing away from her, Link shot his clenched left fist up so it was level with his ear, causing Zelda – and the other Champions – to freeze. Zelda had no illusions of military aptitude, but she could recall from her father's tales of his time in the Army that Link's gesture was the universal hand-symbol for "stop"…which was also synonymous with "shut up."

Her own Knight had just told her to be quiet.

Her eyes wide, Zelda felt her mouth drop open in shock…before her eyes narrowed with sheer indignation. "You…I…how DARE you..?!"

Link's glaring eye over his shoulder stilled her shout, as his left hand pointed to the horizon. Urbosa was frowning, but her expression was wary. "Your Grace…I think Sir Forester heard something."

Link nodded, as he pointed again. Curious, Zelda stormed to Link's side to follow his hand, while remaining ready to punish his insolence if this turned out to be nothing. Glancing in the direction of his pointing finger, Zelda spotted three figures – Hylians, a man, a woman, and a child – moving towards the treeline. "Three citizens," Zelda said. "This is why you..?"

Link's hand shifted left, to now point at a dozen Bokoblins on horseback, closing fast on the three Hylians, with one of them darting into the trees…as Zelda thought she heard a scream in the air.

As Zelda's ire began to wane, Mipha followed Link's pointing hand. "Oh, Nayru…Your Grace, we must do something!"

Daruk scratched his head. "No-one's arguing, Mipha, but what? On horseback, it'll take you a solid three minutes to catch up! At full roll, I could do it in two, but those people have one minute, maybe!"

Revali smirked. "I could be there in less than half of that," he boasted. "Give me a half-minute..!"

"…and those Bokoblin archers will fill you full of holes," Urbosa said. "You'd need backup, Revali."

Zelda felt her insides twist with anguish at the sight of her people in distress, but she didn't know what to do…

"Revali."

Zelda didn't recognize that voice at first – quiet, smooth, confident – until she realized it had come from her Knight. To prove it was no fluke, Link spoke again. "That "Gale" ability you squawked about; when I saw you use it, the updraft stuck around. Does it always do that?"

Revali frowned at the remark. "It does, but at this elevation, I won't require it to fly!"

"No, but I might need it to break my fall."

As Link walked to Epona, Mipha's eyes started to widen. "You're planning something."

The ghost of a smirk teased at the corner of Link's mouth. "You know me, Mipha."

Revali crossed his wings. "Oh? You intend to fly down?"

Link promptly fished a pair of goggles and a folded-up hang-glider from his saddlebag, looping the latter onto his back. "Glide, actually."

Revali's scowl turned to disbelief. "You're insane. You'd never reach them with a straight glide…"

"…which is why I'd dive to pick up speed and open up on them in midair. Hence, I need a break-fall."

Zelda was sputtering. "W-What are you..?"

Urbosa was frowning. "Sir Forester, I can understand your desire to aid these people, but your duty to Her Grace takes priority…"

"I'm afraid you're a bit behind, Ladyship." Link slipped the goggles over his forehead. "Her Grace had already told me to – perhaps in not so many words – go jump off a cliff. If I can oblige her AND aid these people, so much the better."

Surprise crossed the Gerudo Champion's face. "Your Grace?"

Zelda flushed. "I…th-that's not what I meant..!"

As Link lined up with the cliff's edge, stepping back to give himself running-room, Daruk's eyes widened. "The little guy's not going to…he wouldn't…"

Mipha shut her eyes in anguish and exasperation. "He would."

Fully aware of what her Knight planned to do, Zelda felt panic rush over her. "NO! Sir Forester, I…I forbid this! D-Do not even THINK of it!"

Link simply slid the goggles over his eyes as he glanced her way, his hint of a ghost-smile causing her heart to skip a beat – in outrage, for there was no other reason – and he spoke to her for the first time. "Never do, Your Grace."

And with that, he broke into a full sprint, racing away from her towards the edge. Zelda couldn't react for that first second, but as her mind caught up, she screamed and tried to catch him, but it was too late. Link leapt off the edge and pulled his arms to his sides until he was arrow-straight, diving straight down.

Her hands flying to her mouth, Zelda felt her heart simply stop.

Revali bristled. "Crazy groundling..!" Flapping his wings, he took to the air, flying after Link, who had already gained considerable momentum from his dive. He was mere feet away from impacting the treeline – which birthed a second scream in the back of Zelda's throat – when he drew and snapped open his glider. The durable fabric caught the rushing air and pulled him forward and upward, to sail directly over the approaching Bokoblins…where he snapped it shut and put it back, drawing his bow in the same smooth movement.

The sight of her Knight in midair drew forth the scream Zelda had felt in her throat.

By the time Revali had caught up to him, Link was dropping, firing on the Bokoblins as he fell. His first shot took the leader dead between the eyes, knocking him off his horse and sending him tumbling into the path of two others, who swerved to avoid the crumbling corpse. Their evasive action forced them to move in the same direction, making them perfect targets for Link's double-arrow shot, which took them full in the chest and knocked them off their mounts. Diving fast, Revali conjured a gale as he zipped under Link, spiralling up with the wind to unleash a trio of shots that felled an equal number of dismounting Bokoblins, their pursuit of the family halted. Snapping open his glider, Link caught the updraft just a few feet before he hit ground, slowing his descent from killing speed to a mere snail's pace. His descent slowed, Link snapped his glider closed, rolling forward as he landed. Snarling, two Bokoblins charged at him, dragon-bone clubs drawn to bash him to death…

Zelda had just mounted Tempest, and was riding after Urbosa and Mipha with Daruk rolling ahead, when she saw, her mouth open in a third scream, but this cry died in her throat as she saw her Knight in action. When the Bokoblins were less than an arm's length away, Link moved, drawing the Master Sword and cleaving the first Bokoblin in half, all in one lightning-fast motion. The second one tried to halt its charge and raise its wooden shield, but Link had already grabbed its comrade's club with his free hand, pulling back for a throw; with a whip of his arm, Link threw the club like a boomerang, burying its sharp edge in the Bokoblin's forehead.

Visibly unnerved, the remaining three Bokoblins started to inch back, but Link had drawn his bow, along with three arrows that he fit to it all at once, and fired in a fraction of a second. The two Bokoblins at the flanks were felled instantly, but the center had managed to raise his shield. Undeterred, Link charged the remaining Bokoblin, kicking out against the shield and using it as a step, to somersault over it and draw his blade, splitting its skull in twain before he landed.

By the time Zelda, Urbosa, Mipha and Daruk were within shouting distance, it was all over. Revali touched down next to the two remaining Hylians, but his boastful smirk faded as the woman frantically gestured, at which point Link darted into the woods. With the situation apparently contained, Zelda felt her anxiety give way to fury at her Knight's antics. 'Of all the brazen, hare-brained, irresponsible..!'

As the rest of her party drew close, the two Hylians spoke again. "P-Please! You must help us!" the man begged.

"It's alright," Urbosa soothed. "You're safe now…"

"No! Y-you don't understand!" the woman wailed. "Our daughter ran into the woods…a-and there's one Bokoblin missing..!"

She was cut off by the distant howling chortle of a Bokoblin from the trees…followed by a child's scream. With a wail of anguish, the woman tried to run to the trees, but her husband stopped her, as the Bokoblin's laughter turned to a death-scream, followed by silence. For a few seconds, Zelda didn't dare breathe, until she saw movement at the treeline, before Link emerged from the woods, with a little girl of 5 sitting in the crook of his elbow as he gently shushed her, the girl's little arms thrown about his neck as she sobbed into his shoulder.

At that sight, Zelda felt much of her anger wane, as something in her chest softened.

Once he'd gotten close enough, Link let the little girl hop down, and run to her parents. "M-Mommy!"

Weeping, the mother knelt to hug her. "A-Ayda!" she wailed, cuddling her close. "Oh, my little angel, thank the Three you're alright!" She looked up. "Th-Thank you, Sir Knight..!"

With a quiet smile, Link waved away the praise, and simply pointed to Zelda. Confused, the father followed his gesture…and his eyes went wide as he recognized her, dropping to his knees. "Y-Your Grace! P-Please forgive us!" he pleaded. "Did you send your Knight to aid us?"

Zelda was mildly taken aback. "Um…"

The mother was overjoyed. "Oh, bless you, Your Grace! Gods bless you!"

Zelda did not know whether to praise her Knight or throttle him. She simply smiled graciously as she and Urbosa dismounted, and Urbosa ushered the three away.

Glancing to Revali, Link smirked. "Pretty sure I counted 9 down, Revali. What was your count?"

Revali's expression was sour. "Very well. I will admit you are somewhat useful with that blade, and passable with a bow," he muttered. "That said, however, next time you can find your own damned updraft."

"Sounds fair."

Daruk was laughing. "Din be praised!" he guffawed, giving Link a slap on the back that nearly knocked the wind out of him. "You may be crazy, little guy, but you're MY kind of crazy!"

Link coughed. "Thanks."

Mipha was frowning. "Link…I thought you promised me: no more harebrained stunts."

"I said no more needless stunts, Mipha," Link countered. "If there's another way, I'll take it, but if an innocent family is in danger? All bets are off."

Mipha's frown waned. "Sometimes I do not know what I will do with you," she said, as she moved to hug him. "You frighten me, exasperate me, and make me proud of you all in the same breath."

Link grinned. "At least that much hasn't changed since we were kids."

With Urbosa busy giving directions to the nearest stable to the family, Zelda moved towards Link, her hands on her hips, her expression still cross. "Sir Forester? A word, please."

As Zelda marched away, she heard Link's sigh, and his response. "Well, Mipha, if I don't come back, at least you'll know who did it."

Zelda walked to the nearest single tree, waiting for her Knight to catch up before she rounded on him. "Are you utterly insane?!"

Link was unphased by her fury. He simply looked as if he were pondering her query, before he held up his left hand, with his index finger and thumb the tiniest distance apart, as if to say "A little bit."

Zelda's ire grew. "Are you attempting to be funny, Sir Forester? You think disobeying your Princess is a joke..?!"

"How exactly did I disobey you, Your Grace? You bade me not to think of it, and I did not. You told me to return to the Castle, and I intend to do so once you are finished shouting at me."

As Link whistled for his horse, Zelda kept fuming. "You knew exactly what I meant..!"

"Then you meant to order me not to save that family, Your Grace?" Link challenged. "If I offended you earlier, then I apologize; it was not my intent." His eyes narrowed. "If, however, you are expecting me to apologize for making sure that little girl didn't lose her family…I would advise you not to hold your breath, Your Grace."

He was right. Zelda absolutely hated to admit it, but Link was right. Still, royal pride demanded some small satisfaction. "You should have consulted me before you did anything!"

"There was no time, Your Grace. You heard Daruk: one minute at best. You have an excellent mind for research, but unless you have experience in operational planning that I don't know about, you can't plan that fast."

He'd parried her argument again. Zelda huffed. "Then from now on, we will devise hypothetical plans for possible emergencies as these, so that you do not leave me in the dark as you just did!"

Link nodded. "Of course, Your Grace," he conceded. He craned his head towards his approaching horse. "By your leave, I will return to the Castle. I will be certain to have a number of scenarios for your review…"

"You do not have my leave to go," Zelda said firmly. "I might have commanded you to leave, but that was before I knew of your penchant for recklessness. What assurances have I that you will not dash into some other attempt at heroics without any thought of the consequences, thus forcing me to explain to my father what transpired?"

Link's expression was flat. "I apologize that you would be inconvenienced by my potential demise, Your Grace."

"Accepted." Zelda turned to go. "By now, I imagine Urbosa should have advised those travelers on the safest route."

Link nodded. "It's a long route, Your Grace. I can lend them some of my provisions."

Zelda frowned. "Thus requiring either the other Champions or myself to aid you?"

"Not at all, Your Grace. I was planning on a hunt-forage run, anyway. Give me half a day in the wilds and I'll have all I need for meals."

Zelda laughed haughtily. "I should very much like to see that, Sir Forester."

Link's low chuckle made Zelda's heart hop out of step. "Your wish is my command, Your Grace."

As her Knight strolled towards his horse, Zelda fought a huff of indignant fury. 'The NERVE!' she fumed. As if his disobedience was not enough, he was cheeky about it! 'That's JUST what I need! An attending knight who…who..!'

…who acted like all the Heroes before him: leaping into danger at a breath's notice, in defence of the innocent.

Frowning, Zelda shook her head to banish that fanciful thought, along with the burning of her cheeks that it evoked. 'A madman! The Goddesses have given me a madman for a Hero! As if I did not have enough to worry about!' she mused, striding after Link. 'I only hope that his combat skills can keep up with such…utter recklessness!'

Despite her best efforts, however, Zelda found that she was having difficulty maintaining her ire…though the racing of her heart had no trouble lingering with thoughts of him.

Note: Hello again, my readers. As I'm sure you've noticed, I have yet to update my other works. Despite my best efforts, I am still too f# %ing slow. I hate myself even more for it (if that's possible).

I am hoping to finally get a couple of genuine updates out before week's end (though it wouldn't be the first time I failed to live up to a promise). To show my appreciation for your patience – and as consolation in the event of my near-inevitable failure – I opted to upload this. As the name implies, Memory of a Memory is based on Link's memories in BotW, though it will expand on each one.

Thank you all again for your patience. God knows I don't deserve it.

Next Time (since "Coming Soon" is never true, anymore):

Of Men and Mice (Or: In which our Princess learns more of Link's home life, and her Hero learns one of his Princess' more…embarrassing secrets.