The letter had had quite a considerable effect on both Link and Sheik. The prospect that Link may be forced to leave, to break the bonds they had managed to nurture through all the hardships they had been through and to leave Sheik on his own once more. This prospect, all things considered, was not a happy one at all.

After Link had finished reading it out, Sheik had become somewhat dejected, not just for the sake that Zelda had been the author of the letter, but that there may be no choice in the matter.

They had been wrenched apart forcefully too many times already, and Zelda had pulled too many dirty tricks; regardless of whether she had apologised for them or not. There was no telling what she could, or would do, and only tomorrow would explain it.

Link, of course, had plied Sheik and told him that yes, of course he had to go- now that the order was reinstated in Hyrule, one did not turn down the Queen of the country due to personal opinion.

His partner had merely stared at him with a shadowed emotion in his crimson eyes and mechanically explained that what Link wanted, he wanted- no matter how much it would hurt to achieve it.

After all this drama, Link figured that it would be best for him to leave early, when no-one would notice he was gone. He didn't want to worry Sheik more than he already was, above anything else. The Sheikah's normally pure and intelligent face had become perplexed and melancholic in only a few hours of hearing the news; both of them looks that didn't suit his beautiful features. The constant premise of this fiasco continuing drove him to slip out of the comforting bed that he shared with the other blonde man in the dawn-breaking hours of the morning, creeping over the floorboards like it was nobody's business and dressing without a sound.

The only person in the house that was up was Malon, due to her farming duties. However, she had anticipated something like this coming to a head and aided Link in what little ways she could as he prepared to leave. During this short period of time, it was strange that nothing was said between such old friends, until they met in the stable in front of Epona, during the saddling process.

She pulled the cinches tight with a practiced skill as Link adjusted and readjusted the shield strapped onto his back in a nervous habit, wearing a slight frown.

"Link?" Malon asked from Epona's other side, checking the cinch she had just fixed. The Kokiri looked up somewhat startled for a second due to the break in silence, and then his expression softened somewhat as an after-thought. "Yes?"

She let out the tiniest of sighs and moved around to the opposite side of Epona, carrying out the procedure once more. "I can guess what Zelda wrote in that letter." Malon said, her voice lacking in it's usual jollity and cheerfulness. "Are you… are you really thinking of going back through all those years?"

Link looked away for a second towards the barn door and narrowed his eyes a little, the real reason he was slipping away from his new home being reinforced.

"It was an offer, wasn't it?" He mused quietly, speaking more to himself than answering Malon's question. "An offer. But… her language was so forced… I don't know what to expect when I arrive."

Finished with the next cinch, Malon straightened up and looked Link in the eye, the frown still present. "We don't want you to leave, Link."

The blonde gave a sad sort of smile and placed a hand awkwardly on Malon's shoulder, to reassure her as best he could. He was never any good at this kind of stuff anyway.

"I… don't want to leave either. After all this? You must think I'm crazy."

Malon giggled a little at this and shook her head, pulling Link into a friendly hug.

"Crazy, yes. But, still; you better come back in a few hours. Or there'll be hell to pay."

Patting his friend's head, Link chuckled himself, not doubting what she had said.

"Yeah, I know. You'll come back into the past and kick my ass up and down Hyrule."

Pulling away, Malon grinned mischievously and poked him in the nose to emphasise her point. "Of course I will. Now, get going, before Sheik wakes up. If he asks, I had nothing to do with this."

Link smiled in recognition and thanked her, sliding past Malon and into the stall Epona was housed in. The motion it took for him to slid into her saddle again seemed so alien now that he wasn't doing it every minute of every day; but the position brought back memories of his trip that he had somehow managed to survive, and kindle a relationship out of.

So much had happened… and now it had to end this abruptly?

There was no point in sitting and pondering about 'what ifs' and 'maybes', Link decided finally, so he nudged Epona sharply in the side and with a quiet whinny, they bolted out of the stable and down the lane of Lon Lon Ranch.

xXxXxXxXx

Day had fully broken by the time Hyrule Castle edged into view, the sun shining much cheerier down on the fields than Link felt. Half of him wanted the sun to sod off, as he neared the destination he had been asked to come to. Though the worst of this was over, it didn't seem to be over for him, yet.

The big question hanging over his head, was; did he get a choice?

Pulling Epona's reins gently to the side to avoid a rocky cairn, he mulled the thought sullenly over as they passed quickly through the gates to Zelda's domain, hooves thumping in a constant beat on the ground.

If he were to go back, in the worst case scenario; he would miss so much.

All the life lessons he had learned throughout the whole escapade, the friends he had made. Just the prospect of being send back in time was starting to make him feel uneasy and slightly nauseous, and the fact he had just passed the entrance to the castle didn't help matters either. As he pulled the reins to make Epona do a u-turn, he noticed someone standing on the castle steps, waiting for him- that was most definitely not Zelda.

Coming to a stop just in front of the marble stairway, Link turned slightly in the saddle and slid off, landing on the ground with a soft thunk and looking towards his welcomer.

That slim build, blonde hair- Impa!

"Hello, Link." She said calmly, crossing the last few meters of space between them and offering the Kokiri a small smile. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Despite the nervousness welling inside his stomach, Link gave her a wolfish grin. "It has indeed. To what do I owe the pleasure? I thought someone completely different would be awaiting my arrival."

"The Queen was a little preoccupied before, so she sent me down- however, she is free to see you now, and eagerly awaits your presence." Impa explained, crossing her arms and looking down at the blonde man that looked more than a little fatigued from the hard ride he had just done to get there. "If you'll follow me?"

Link nodded tiredly and decided not to reply, instead choosing just to follow the other Sheikah in silence, trudging up the steps towards the double doors of the palace.

He walked through the elaborate (and as of this time, reconstructed) castle as if he were in a dream, not quite there as he deliberated on what he could do to get out of the situation. Surely Zelda would listen to him? She had been infatuated enough with him to kidnap Sheik and almost kill the man- his wishes wouldn't go unheeded. At least, he hoped so. Link didn't even notice that they had come to a stop outside a brilliant oak door, shining proudly in the light that was trickling in through the high stained glass windows lining the corridor. Impa studied him for a second and then gave him a sharp tap on the shoulder which jolted him out of his thoughts, turning towards her with a questioning look on his face.

"We're here." She stated simply, giving him a second to recollect himself before knocking tentatively, and then pushing open the giant door before them with surprising ease.

The sun that poured in from the room almost blinded Link as he followed Impa into the room, scanning the area for a second before he fixed his eyes on Zelda, sitting upon her throne and bathed in light- almost like a goddess. The impression was only further enforced by the stained glass windows behind her depicting the goddesses that Hyrule worshipped; Nayru, Din and Farore.

Impa merely bowed and then excused herself, leaving quickly with naught but a creak from the giant door they had come in from.

"Link!" Zelda stated, with a small smile on her face, as if she hadn't been expecting him. "It's so good to see you again. How have you been doing?"

Oh, better. And I want it to damn well stay that way. "… I've been alright. Working at the ranch with Malon." He replied with the barest of answers, looking around the throne room. He felt so exposed standing on the maroon rug leading up to the throne in front of Zelda. It was almost as if he were on trial for some sort of crime; and ironically enough, it was partly true. At least, there was a punishment set to dole out.

"I see, I see." The queen said with a nod, looking at Link's troubled face. With a small sigh and a rustle of fabric, she reseated herself in the too-big throne.

A small silence passed between them before she decided to speak again.

"You must know why I called you here, don't you, Link?"

A rhetorical question, to be sure. "Yes, I do. Though-"

Zelda cut him off, looking out to one of the stained glass windows. "You've done so much for us, Link… the world's problems have virtually dissolved now. People have rebuilt their homes, their families- their lives are no longer gripped by terror. And you sacrificed so much for us to be able to have that liberty! Your own childhood, missing so many years. Now that the arcane magic is dissipating slowly from the land piece by piece, I'm now the only person left that has enough power to return you back to your previous state. I'm the only one that can return you what you lost."

As she rambled, Link shook his head in disbelief. Only one phrase was repeating inside his mind, over and over again, like a broken record.

This can't be happening. This can't be happening.

"I can now bestow you with the ultimate gif-"

Something clicked inside Link's head as she continued her spiel. No.

This was not going to happen. He wouldn't let it, for the sake of his devotion, his development and above all, his faith. Faith that things would be okay whether or not he went back now, through time.

"No."

The queen turned her head back towards him, her blonde hair pooling slightly around her shoulders as she moved. "What?"

"I said no," Link repeated, facing the figure of his past. "I don't want to go back. I'm happy here, as I am."

Her beautiful expression crinkled slightly as she failed to see his motives, wondering just why he would turn down such an offer. "But-"

"Your gift was most thoughtful, your majesty, but I'm afraid I have to turn it down." The Kokiri replied, as politely and as final as he could manage. Hopefully that was enough to deter her from her crusade. A short silence passed between the two old 'friends' before the queen drew in a breath and decided to speak again.

"You know," Zelda said quietly. "That I'll only offer you this once, don't you?"

Link gave her a wry smile, the picture of someone with their mind already made up. This was useless. "Yes, I had imagined so- and so you have the right to. But now that it's clear of my decision, may I take my leave? Or have you other business with me?"

The blonde-haired woman looked down to her lap and shook her head slightly, as if she were taken aback that he had turned her down. Perhaps she had been wishing for her prior actions to be erased, for everything to go back the way it was- but, no.

No such chance.

"You may go."

With a bow as deep as decorum dictated, Link exited the room promptly, wishing to be out of the queen's presence and back to the side of the person he knew now without a doubt that he belonged with.