Chapter 10

"What do you mean, move this number?! It's supposed to be here!" Aryll pointed to her paper.

"Well, yes, but-" Link sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Aryll's homework was proving… difficult to explain. "…Ok, so… to do this problem, we need to get that letter" he pointed to one side "over to that letter," he said, moving his hand, "and combine them."

Aryll slowly nodded. "Ok… But how do you move letters? And what do you mean by combine? Like, I kind of get what you're saying because my teacher was kind of saying the same thing, but it's still weird-" she continued chatting.

Link sighed, wondering how best to explain. "Just… gimme a sec, Aryll," he replied, massaging his head. He and Aryll were sitting in his—yes, his—dining hall. The previous Friday, after wishing the Zora family a royal farewell, King Daphnes had ordered the servants to prepare a carriage for him and Zelda, and of course expected Link to accompany them. "The Hateno area is quite nice this time of year," he said with a twinkle in his eye as he climbed in. One ceremony later, Link was now officially a Lord with his own land and estate. And a considerable pay, of course. Though not nearly as large as Hyrule Castle and its surrounding land, Link nevertheless had a considerable manor at his disposal- far larger than anything else he had lived in before.

Just then, Link heard the heavy wooden doors to the hall groan open. He turned his head to see Zelda entering, wearing a simple blue and gold full-sleeve shirt and coffee colored pants- things fit for a journey outside. He stood, pulling out a chair for her. "Good afternoon, Zelda," he said cheerfully, moving to Aryll's other side so that she sat between him and Zelda.

"Hi Zelda!" Aryll waved cheerily.

"Good afternoon, Link, Aryll" Zelda replied in kind, taking a seat. She glanced down at Aryll's paper, frowning. "Arithmetic? Wait… What kind of method are they teaching you?!" She took the parchment, holding it up to the light incredulously. "Tsk! There's a much easier way, you know. Here-" she drew Aryll closer and began to teach her.

Link sighed in relief and excused himself from the table. He walked over to the large, sunlit windows and gazed out to the land- his land. Link technically only owned the immediate surrounding area around his estate, but he already considered this whole place a second home. Hateno Village was a relatively new settlement, with more and more people moving in every day. No doubt the King thought Link's presence here would boost the morale of the people and attract even more people to the area to farm crops and expand the town. His manor was relatively secluded from the main area, situated a bit higher than the rest and having a modest amount of land around it that served little purpose except as decoration.

He had a few servants roaming the halls and a few groundskeepers tidying the immediate area around the manor, but generally it wasn't crowded. Nothing like the Castle's bustling environment- or when the King was visiting Link. Strange that Daphnes had to leave so abruptly, Link thought to himself, yawning. Must be something extremely important.

Link turned and rested his back against the window, watching Zelda and Aryll tackle the problems on the paper. At least Zelda and Aryll keep me company. I think, when Aryll gets a bit older and can live by herself, this'll be a nice place for her. I may not be around that often since I'll be with Zelda—the thought gave him more pleasure than he cared to admit—but perhaps Father could retire and live here as well- assuming he ever chooses a new Sage.

Zelda was talking animatedly and teaching Aryll, and Aryll was slowly nodding and talking back. She seemed to be getting it, because as time went on Zelda spoke less and Aryll worked faster- until she finished a half hour later. "Done!" she beamed, dropping her pencil on the table. "Can we go to Hateno now?" she asked, turning to Link, then Zelda.

"If Zelda-" Link began.

"Of course we can go!" Zelda responded, getting up and taking Aryll's hand. "And visit the forest and lake nearby- I heard it's amazing at this time!"

Aryll nodded eagerly in agreement. "I want to buy things too, so we should shop too Zelda," Aryll said animatedly as she led the way to the stables. "And get lunch in town! I heard-"

Link hurried to keep up, his protests about a forest visit dying on his lips. Because Hateno was a relatively new village, it was more remote than most- meaning it had few safeguards against danger. Most notably, it didn't have enough dedicated trade routes to sustain a garrison. He worried about those Gerudo rebels- even if Commander Russell seemed to have the situation under control. Their guerilla tactics made them difficult to predict, after all.

As they reached the stables, Link approached Grante, the stable master, who was currently brushing down a horse. "Hello Grante," Link began, causing the stable master to turn and bow slightly. "Could we get a carriage? We're heading into Hateno for today." Grante nodded, and disappeared around the side of the stables with the horse in tow.

Zelda turned to Link, frowning. "A carriage? That is far too ostentatious for this jaunt down. Two horses would have been enough."

Link smiled. "Don't worry, Zelda. It's pretty simple- a wooden cart with seats, really. I think you and Aryll will like it." Zelda turned with a huff, but she didn't seem to be frowning anymore.

A short while later, Link heard the unmistakable sound of a horse and carriage arriving, and soon saw Grante turning the corner. It was as he said- the carriage was a glorified wooden cart, with a seat at the very front for the driver and a bench a little ways back for two or three passengers. There were a few carvings, such as the seal of the royal family, imprinted upon the side, but other than that it was rather unbuckled his sword as he prepared to board, placing the weapon on the front seat as Grante hopped off.

"Thanks, Grante," Link said, nodding. "Have all the horses been taken care of today?" Grante nodded, smiling. "Then feel free to take the day off and enjoy this weather," Link smiled. "If you have nothing else you wish to finish, that is." Grante grinned, quickly bowing to Zelda and Aryll before disappearing.

"Not one for talking, is he?" Zelda remarked as Link helped her into the carriage.

Link laughed. "Yeah, it was unnerving when first I met him," Link began, picking Aryll up and placing her into the carriage next to Zelda. "But he's not so bad."

Link hopped up into the driver's seat and took the reins. "Master Link! Princess Zelda!" he heard a voice cry out. Turning, he spotted one of his servants scurrying towards him, carrying a basket. Link raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Hello Merula," Link said as the servant girl reached them, quickly curtsying to both Link and Zelda. "What brings you here?"

She held out the basket to Link. "Um… we heard you and the Princess were heading out to Hateno to visit the lake- so we packed you all your lunches in this!" she smiled hesitatingly. "And some chocolates for Aryll."

Aryll gasped in delight, and Link took the basket from Merula. Internally, he was a bit shocked—and impressed—that they heard of and acted so quickly on this impromptu trip they planned. We may just spend the rest of the day by the lake at this rate. "Thank you, Merula," Link smiled, placing the basket next to his sword. "Very kind of you all."

She beamed. "We live to serve, Master Link," bowing slightly to him and Zelda before turning to leave.

"Wait!" Link said. "We probably won't be back until late tonight, so if you and the rest are finished with cleaning and your other duties, feel free to take the rest of the day off. I told Grante the same thing," he finished.

Merula turned and waved from the door. "Ok, Master Link! I'll tell everyone," she yelled, leaving.

Link shuddered slightly and ordered the horse forwards. "'Master Link' is too weird for me," he muttered to himself. He turned to look at Zelda and Aryll, who had begun talking. "I planned for us to get lunch in Hateno, but with this food, how about lunch at the lake instead?" he asked, directing the question at both of them. "Or perhaps some shopping first?"

Almost on cue, Link heard Aryll's stomach rumble. "Lunch it is, then," Link laughed. Zelda joined in as Aryll looked on, abashed. "I think I know the way as well, if that map I studied last night was accurate."

The weather really was serene at this time. The sun warmed Link's body as they rode on, the wind tousled his hair, and the clouds that lazily swam across the sky gave everything a peaceful feeling. I suppose that's why I gave in so easily… Geez, I'm already getting soft. As Link made his way past the immediate area of his manor, the path widened until he saw all of Hateno stretched out below him to his right and mountains far in the distance to his left and ahead, with the path winding slightly downwards in both directions. Link took the left path, since that would be closer to the forest and lake they had in mind.

Even if the weather made everything seem peaceful, Link didn't drop his guard. While Zelda and Aryll chatted happily in the back, Link's eyes roamed everywhere- from the cliff edge above to the trees below. If any bandits or would-be assassins tried to jump him, he'd be ready. I should buy a bow in Hateno, however. He thought to himself, grimacing. Can't believe I left my kit at the Castle… And I can't believe they didn't have a full armory at my place! He pushed his hair back. Well, with my new pay, I'm sure it won't take long to outfit it all.

Eventually, the path twisted and turned until it came to the entrance of a forest. Link forged onwards, enjoying the shade the tall trees provided while simultaneously observing every nook and cranny he could spot. The path got narrow in a few places, and the horse was spooked when a snake suddenly woke up and slithered away, but fortunately they made it to the lake without any major problems. Link hopped off and helped Zelda and Aryll down, before taking the basket and his sword and following them to the watery edge.

Beautiful was really the best word for the whole area. The lake was crystal clear and highly secluded, with an immense cliff wall blocking one side of it and the forest surrounding it on all the other sides. A small waterfall poured into the lake from the top of the cliff, and the mist cooled the air dramatically and produced shimmering colors. Aryll had already taken her shoes off to dip her feet in the water, and she seemed enamored by the multitude of fish that quickly darted away when she came close. The immediate area surrounding the lake was filled with rocks of different sizes and colors, so Link found a shaded, grassy area not too far from Zelda and Aryll and placed the basket down. Turning, he found that Zelda had taken her boots off as well and was playing in the water with Aryll.

Link squinted. Are they… trying to grab a fish? He laughed to himself. Oh goddesses…

"Aren't you guys hungry?!" he yelled, waving his arms. His own stomach growled. "Cause I'm starving!"

Link opened the basket and prepared to take out whatever Merula and the others had packed. He extricated the blanket they had thoughtfully packed and spread it across the grass, before looking further inside. He found a large assortment of veggie and fish sandwiches, along with a healthy assortment of fruit wrapped tightly in cloth. Further, he found two water flasks and a few utensils. Gotta make sure to return these-

"What's for lunch, big bro?" Aryll said, plopping down next to him on the blanket. "I want the chocolate," she said, looking into the basket.

Link quickly moved it away from her. "Nope! You're going to have at least two sandwiches and some fruit," he said, glaring at Aryll. She glowered. "…Then maybe a piece of chocolate," Link acquiesced, unable to stop the smile creeping onto his face. He handed Aryll a sandwich. "Try this. It looks like Hyrule bass."

Aryll sniffed at the sandwich. "I hate fish," she huffed, but nevertheless she began to eat. Zelda sat down beside her and took a sandwich from Link, beginning to eat as well. The three quietly munched on their lunch, and Link allowed the ambient sounds around him to flow. The soothing cascade of the waterfall, the sound of rustling grass and breeze, and the cacophony of multiple critters all came together into a strange and unknowable harmony. He grabbed another sandwich after finishing his first—vegetarian by the looks of this one—and continued eating.

After much coaxing, Link managed to convince Aryll to eat half of her other sandwich before giving her the chocolate she so desired, and once she was finished she zoomed off to play near the lake again. Link lay down, full, and closed his eyes for a second. If he ever took an extended break from his post, for whatever reason, he'd like to come here again. Maybe take a nice nap as Aryll played.

His eyes shot open. Unfortunately, I always have to stay alert. He yawned, stretching and sitting up again. His right hand was itching— probably a mosquito bite or something, he figured, scratching it absentmindedly. Turning, he spotted Zelda getting up, the wind making her hair fly everywhere. Link also rose, grabbing his sword and fastening it to his side before following Zelda to the water's edge. Aryll happily waved them over.

The next few hours passed by in a blur of activity. At first, Link was content to simply watch and observe from afar, but after Zelda and Aryll decided it was fun to soak him to his core, he had to get revenge. The lake was big, but Link was fast- first, he unceremoniously caught Aryll and tossed her (playfully) into the water, making sure she came up doused head to foot. Then, with a malicious smile on his face, he turned to Zelda-

Who was running up to him with the picnic basket- dripping with water.

"Hey- AUGH!" Link yelled, covering his face as best as possible as Zelda threw the basket on him. "I'M COMING FOR YOU, ZELDA!" he laughed, filling the basket.

"Not if you can't catch me!" Zelda laughed back, running away. Her behavior was so far removed from the Princess Link had grown used to, Link had to laugh again.

Gathering the basket in his arms, he began to sprint full speed towards Zelda. "You can't ruuuun!" he taunted as he quickly caught up. Her laugh rang in his ears.

By the time the sun was nearing the horizon, not a single one of them remained dry.

Link sighed, gathering up the remaining picnic supplies (including the leftovers Zelda had dumped out) as Zelda and Aryll boarded the cart. They'd stayed far longer than they had originally planned, which pretty much pushed shopping out of the agenda for today. Still, Link wasn't complaining- fewer things for him to worry about, at the very least.

"Ready to go?" Link asked as he handed Zelda and Aryll the picnic basket. "You haven't forgotten anything Aryll? Shoes? Socks?"

Aryll rolled her eyes. "No big brother, I got everything!" She shivered. "Now can we go home? I'm going to freeze!" Zelda pulled her in close, smiling.

"Alright, seagull," Link laughed, climbing onto his seat. Combined with his wet clothes, the pleasant night air was getting a bit too chilly for him as well. With a whistle, he began to drive the cart through the woods and back home.

Damn, I can barely see anything in this. The sun had yet to set, but the thick trees made sure very little light found its way into the dense, wooded area. Link could just barely make out the path ahead of him- and something was making him uneasy. His right hand flared up in irritation again, and Link strained his eyes and ears to see or hear anything out of the ordinary.

He could hear Zelda and Aryll breathing softly in the back- just about ready to doze off, Link figured. The steady clip-clop of his horse and the creaking of his cart continued onwards, disturbing the silence the forest naturally provided. He could feel the wind blow gently against his damp skin, and blow bits of fallen leaves across his path.

Aside from that, the forest kept its silence.

And yet… Link was still uneasy.

Again, his right hand flared, and Link absentmindedly scratched it. I'm sure I'll feel better once we leave. He urged the horse to go a bit faster.

The wind tousled his hair.

…fwip…

Without warning, Link's horse gave a mighty roar of pain and increased its speed, nearly throwing Link off his seat in the process. "Woah!" he yelled, trying to calm the horse. "Easy!"

Within a few seconds, however, the horse stumbled, frothing at its mouth and breathing heavily as it slowly sank to its knees… before keeling over. Dead?! Link wondered, his eyes widening. Ho- Nevermind how, just get the Princess out of here!

Link grabbed his sword and scurried to the back, where Zelda and Aryll were looking around- abruptly jerked out of their near-slumber. "Get out, now!" Link hissed, opening the cart and grabbing Zelda's arm. "Something's-"

Link's ears twitched. "Get down!" he roared, roughly grabbing Zelda and slamming both of them down to the hard, dirt path. The air was knocked out of his body, but he could hear the unmistakable sounds of projectiles hitting the inside of the cart- just where he had been standing moments ago.

Link groaned, wasting no time in unsheathing his sword and standing up. "RUN!" he gasped, looking to both Zelda and Aryll. "Back to the lake! I'll meet you there!"

Zelda's eyes widened. "Link, behind-!"

Without waiting for her to finish, Link spun around and met the blade of a hooded figure with his own. The assassin growled, leaping backwards and assuming a ready position. Link's ears twitched again. Six, maybe eight at most, Link estimated, based on the increasing noise around and above him. Surrounded.

Link gestured behind him as he held his sword out to the assassin. "Get under the cart," he whispered as calmly as he could. "Stick behind the wheels, it'll be harder to hit you with whatever they used to get the horse." He heard scuffling behind him as Zelda and Aryll obeyed.

Link exhaled, grasping his weapon with both hands and drawing it in close. If only I'd brought my shield… stupid! "…Gerudo, I guess?" he asked the masked figure in front of him. The figure was obscured in too much shadow to tell its gender, but Link could guess all the same.

No response. Sweat dripped from Link's brow. …I'll have to stick close to the cart at all times… Try to intercept anyone who wants to kill Zelda. He gripped the sword tighter. Or Aryll. Without a word, Link dashed forward.

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

Link's eyes flared, and he swung his entire body—along with his sword—clockwise, destroying all three projectiles the perched assassins had shot at him. Seeing an opportunity, the first assassin rushed towards Link and swung to kill-

Wham!

Link's kick to the assassin's head carried all the momentum behind his spin, and the assassin dropped her sword and fell limp to the ground. Link stumbled on landing, but drove his sword into the assassin's prone body with ease. One down.

He turned back to the cart- only to find two assassins blocking his path. His ears twitched: two others dropped in behind him and unsheathed their swords. Ah come on, he grimaced, readying himself again.

Link rushed towards the waiting enemies in front of him. His eyes were furious as he ducked underneath one of their swings and blocked the other. Using his free arm, he drove his elbow—hard—into the ribcage of the assassin that missed, before pushing off of the other assassin and swinging his sword in a wide circle around him- causing the all the killers to jump backwards cautiously. Oh yeah, they're Gerudo alright.

Link now had his back to the cart, and three poised assassins in front of him. The elbowed one was slowly recovering as well, behind her comrades. If I extend this fight, I'll lose all my energy. Sweat trickled down Link's temple. I'll have to end this quickly… but how?

He inhaled. Without warning, he lunged and chucked his sword with all his strength, causing it to embed itself into the chest of the middle assassin in the blink of an eye. The other two recoiled in surprise, and Link took advantage of that to rush forwards and grab the rightmost assassin by the throat and bring her to the ground. Faster! He raised his arm and punched the assassin, feeling his knuckles cracking—perhaps breaking—from the force behind the blow. Quickly, he rolled underneath the other assassin's swing and ran towards the recovering assassin, who was now right in front of him.

The enemy couldn't raise her sword in time to stop Link from ramming into her shoulder first, sending her flying back. Without a moment's hesitation, Link grabbed the assassin's blade and turned to face the uninjured assassin behind him, his knuckles flaring in protest.

The enemy swung, and Link parried the blow with one of his own, stumbling a bit as his grip weakened. She swung towards Link's legs, and Link took the opportunity to jump over the swing and back up, briefly looking over his shoulder to see if the tackled assassin had recovered yet.

"LINK!"

Link's eyes widened. He could barely make out a scuffle near the cart with his eyes, but he could definitely hear Zelda's scream.

And Aryll's cries.

"NO!" Link roared, rushing forwards. Not Aryll, Not Aryll, Not Aryll, Not-

The assassin in front of him took advantage of Link's distraction. With a flourish, she jabbed the blade straight towards Link's exposed left side.

Overcome by fury, Link grabbed the assassin's sword with his left hand and stopped her swing, immediately feeling indescribable pain blaze through his palm and forearm. With a roar, Link buried his own weapon deep into the woman's chest, before throwing the weapon he had grabbed into the shoulder of the recovering assassin behind him.

"ARYLL!" Link screamed, rushing towards the cart. Without breaking his sprint, he quickly extracted his own sword with a sickening squelch and ran towards the conflict. He could briefly make out someone running into the trees before coming upon Zelda, who was crying next to the cart.

"Your Highness!" Link began, looking around the cart. Zelda was hunched over, her body racked with sobs. "Are you hurt, Princess? Zelda?!" Link urged, shaking her gently.

"It's- it's Aryll," she hiccupped, trying to compose herself. "Th- They took her!"

Link froze, and his heart dropped into his stomach. The world itself seemed to turn gray, right before his eyes. Without a word, he rose to his full height and made to follow the kidnapper.

Wait- the area isn't secure, he hesitated, glancing to the two assassins he hadn't finished off. One was clutching at the sword Link had thrown into her shoulder, groaning, while the other still seemed to be unconscious from his punch.

Forget secure. Get Aryll! the other part of him rallied. There's no point to anything if she's dead.

You have a duty to uphold.

A duty? Anything you did, you did for Aryll.

But no longer. Now you have the Princess—Zelda—to think of.

The Princess can wait. Your family, on the other hand, cannot.

Stay, for her!

Run, for her!

Link pulled at his hair in anguish. Just… make a decision, he commanded himself. He glanced to Zelda, who seemed to have composed herself, then to the forest, then back again. Make a decision! Make A DECISION!

"Zel- Your Highness, I…" Link began, his throat dry. "I…"

"I understand," Zelda interrupted, simply. "Y- I order you to bring Aryll back."

"But-" Link began.

"We can debate all day over the benefits and harms of both ways," Zelda scowled, heading back underneath the cart. "As your Princess, I order you to leave!"

Link hesitated again. "You-"

"Go!" Zelda yelled. "I'll be fine." She looked up at Link, her eyes softening as she grabbed his arm. "Trust me."

Link met her gaze. "Thank you," he said breathlessly, before diving into the thick of the forest.

The assassin was careless- or perhaps Aryll was putting up a little fight. Either way, Link could clearly make out the broken branches and crushed leaves that highlighted the assassin's movements. Even to his relatively untrained eye, he could tell where they were heading.

"Aryll!" he yelled, slashing away at the foliage in front of him. His right hand was killing him, and his left forearm felt like it was on fire, but Link pushed those thoughts out of his head. "ARYLL!"

"LINK! LIN- MMPH!" Link could barely hear her reply, a bit to his right and ahead. He hacked away ruthlessly as he sprinted forwards.

"Argh! Stupid-" Link could make out a harsh voice ahead of him. "Damn it! How-"

Link gritted his teeth, forcing himself to move even faster. "ARYLL! KEEP FIGHTING!"

Muffled sounds of a struggle soon made their way to Link's ears, and his eyes began to make out a running figure in front of him. "Let her GO!"

The assassin cursed, grabbing her sword with one hand and Aryll with the other, turning to face Link. Aryll ceased struggling as the sword made its presence known against her neck.

Link stopped, breathing heavily. He pointed his sword towards the assassin, his eyes cold. "Let her go," he said, his voice a rasp. "And I'll let you live."

The assassin hesitated, before drawing the sword closer to Aryll. "…Your sister, Lord Guardian?" she asked, moving her sword gently across Aryll's neck. Aryll whimpered, her eyes glistening with tears. "We know the Princess has no siblings, after all."

Link quickly glanced at Aryll, before returning his gaze to the masked assassin. From previous experience, they don't respond well to intimidation, he analyzed, gritting his teeth. A challenge, then?

"…The Princess, currently, is defenseless," Link began, dropping his sword. "However, your comrades are all dead, or unconscious." He held his arms out. "Kill me, and you'll get what you want. Leave the girl out of it, though," he growled, glaring at the assassin.

She hesitated yet again, thinking. "Furthermore," Link continued, "I'm injured in both arms." He waved his left arm slightly, wincing as the pain brought new fury. "This hand killed one of your comrades with her own sword, while this one," he waved his right arm slightly, "felled another one with a single punch." He shrugged. "Perhaps she's dead. After all, I didn't become the Lord Guardian because of weakness. If anything, your comrade was weak to fall so easily."

With a growl, the assassin threw Aryll aside and lunged at Link, intent on his death. Link didn't care if she thought she could kill him, or just jumped at his bait- because now he had a chance.

There was only one move Link could do in this situation. Let it pass my arm… NOW! With lightning-fast reflexes, he grabbed the assassin's hand holding the blade and held tight, stopping the sword an inch from his chest. Link winced- the sword still sliced up the inside of his upper right arm pretty badly... But he was alive- much to the assassin's shock.

Pushing all his pain aside, Link brought his left fist down upon the assassin's hand, making her lose her grip, before turning her own sword around and driving it straight into her abdomen. She lurched back, still in shock, before falling over lifelessly. Link exhaled hard, and rushed to Aryll's limp body.

"Aryll? Aryll?! Please, say something," Link pleaded, kneeling next to her. He reached out to shake her. "Aryll, c'mon, please!" he begged.

She coughed, and Link sighed in relief. Thank the goddesses. "Big bro," she whimpered. "Is- are they-"

"Shh…" Link said, standing up. "We have to go now Aryll." I need to bandage these wounds, get them both to safety. "Can you walk?"

Slowly, Aryll sat up and nodded. "Then we can't lose a moment. C'mon!" he said, coaxing her up. He winced as she held onto his fingers.

Somehow, Link managed to make his way back to Zelda and the cart. "…Zelda?" he whispered, getting near. His mind was getting a bit foggy. "Zelda! I need help!"

He saw her emerge from beneath the cart. Aryll ran from Link into Zelda's waiting embrace, crying softly. As much as Link wanted to join, he knew he didn't have long. "Zelda, please, get the picnic basket out now," Link groaned, settling against the cart. "Please."

Sensing something was amiss, Zelda hurried over to the front of the cart and came back, basket in tow. "What-"

"Grab the blanket on top and cut it in half," Link breathed, reaching for his sword. Shoot. I left it back there, he groaned. "I don't suppose you have a dagger or something on you?" he asked, closing his eyes in exasperation.

"No, but-" she began, getting up and moving around. Soon, she came back with one of the assassin's swords in hand, and began to clumsily cut the fabric in half. "This ought to do fine!"

Link opened his eyes, watching her. "Thanks," he breathed as she held out the two fabrics, "let me-" he groaned as he reached with his right. "I can wrap my left arm slowly, I think, but the right is another story." His hands fumbled as he slowly began wrapping his left hand and forearm.

As he was finishing up, he held his arm out to Zelda. "Can you tie that, please? Anything tight."

Zelda swallowed nervously, but she nevertheless took the pinched cloth from Link and tightly bound his wound. Link would have laughed- a dainty looking bow knot on top of his bloody arm. It looked so out of place- but it was far better than bleeding out.

After fumbling around for a few precious minutes, Zelda managed to tie up his upper right arm as well, with guidance from Link. It wasn't perfect, but it would hold and stem the bloodflow. "Great job," Link smiled, trying to remain calm. "Seagull, could I have some water?"

Aryll jerked out of her reverie, and ran over to the basket to fetch a flask. She raised the flask to Link's lips, and he drank thirstily from it until it was nearly empty. "Ok, great… now…" he began, licking his lips. "Now… we walk."

He rose to his legs, shakily. Zelda held Aryll's hand, and Link loosely grabbed the sword Zelda used to cut the blanket. "Wait here a moment," he said to them, walking slowly to the unconscious assassin a bit away. He drove the sword through the body, before extracting it and looking towards the other assassin with the sword in her shoulder. Must have bled out, Link surmised, seeing how she had yanked the sword out before slumping over a few feet away. I suppose Zelda would have preferred me to keep them alive, if possible… but I can't risk them following us and attacking again.

He returned to Zelda and Aryll. "I'm sorry…" he hesitated. "You know, for… well, let's just go," he said. He held out his left hand slightly to Zelda, who gripped it tightly. Link winced, but didn't say anything. "...Close your eyes, and don't open them until I say so," Link ordered, looking to both of them. They nodded, and Link began the arduous task of guiding them home.

Hylia, Link cursed, navigating through the dead bodies. Home is closer than Hateno, but there's likely no one there to help us if we get attacked by reinforcements. However, the chances I'd make it to Hateno and recover without fail are far lower. At least I know where the red potions are at home, he grimaced. Red potions were a last resort- they saved you, true, but put you through unimaginable pain in order to knit your muscles back together and regrow your broken bones. Additionally, their side effects meant Link wouldn't be able to use his arms for a few days, if not longer given his injuries and the larger dose required. Better than dying or permanently losing my arms, though.

They passed by the immediate area of the conflict, and Link told them they could open their eyes. Zelda's hand rested reassuringly in Link's, and that gave him enough strength to keep moving forward. "Aryll, are you-"

Suddenly, Link heard a commotion ahead of the path. Voices of different people were coming towards them, and fast. Help, or…? He could hear both male and female voices, but he didn't want to risk it. "Quick, hide!" Link hissed, letting go of Zelda and readying himself. "We don't know if they're good or bad, but I'll see if they can help!"

Link assumed a ready position, his left arm hanging limp but his right arm holding up his sword. Soon after, he saw lights from lamps beginning to round the corner, and the frantic clip-clop gallop of horses made their way towards him, stopping as they saw him standing in the middle of the path. Link squinted- their lamps temporarily blinded him.

"Identify yourself!" Link barked, holding his sword aloft. His throat was still hoarse, but he had no doubt everyone heard him. His eyes flickered between the three riders leading the pack, before focusing on the rather large caravan behind them. …Hylians? Armored… What?

His eyes flicked back to the center rider, who had disembarked. "Stranger, I don't know how you're still standing after getting wounded like that," a rough yet familiar voice began, "but you better let us treat you before threatening us with that sword!"

Link's eyes widened, and he allowed his sword to drop with a dull thud. "…Commander Russell?" Link asked hesitantly, stopping the rider in his tracks. "It's me, Link- Lord Guardian."

A murmur ran through the caravan behind the commander, and Commander Russell whistled softly. "…Link? Hylia, you look… well, you look like a pack of rabid dogs used you like a chew toy!" His eyes widened. "Wait… where is…? Did the rebels-?!"

Link chuckled, wincing a bit as his chest squeezed in pain. "No, no, never under my watch," Link grinned painfully. He turned to the foliage at the side, where Zelda and Aryll had begun to step out. "Her Highness is completely safe, and unharmed" Physically at least.

"Highness!" Commander Russell said reverently, rushing to her side. "We thought- well, your Father sent us here after- erm, in any case-"

"In any case," Zelda interrupted smoothly, "I believe Sir Link here is in dire need of medical attention!" She turned to Link, who bowed slightly- before stumbling. "Inform us of everything on the way to the manor."

Commander Russell quickly turned to the caravan—more like army—he had brought with him, gesturing to a few soldiers to help carry Link. "Of course your Highness! We are… simply relieved to have found you alive!"

As they made their way back to the estate (Commander Russell sent a few soldiers ahead to prep the infirmary for Link's arrival), Link's impromptu bandages were quickly changed and he was helped onto a horse along with another soldier to support him on the ride back. Zelda was given her own steed to ride, Aryll with her, and the trio listened as Commander Russell described the exact sequence of events that lead to their meeting.

King Daphnes had quickly left Hateno because a new report had come, hinting at a large cell of Gerudo rebels— perhaps their main base of operations. As they all discussed their plan of attack in Hyrule Castle, another spy's report arrived- uncovering an apparent assassination plot against the Princess and King themselves. Though unsure of the time window of such an attack, the King nevertheless sent Commander Russell and a small company of soldiers to Hateno post-haste to ensure Zelda's safety. They came to Hateno this evening, as luck had it. After much searching in the empty manor, they luckily found a quiet stablemaster taking a nap out back—and they were eventually able to discern where Princess Zelda and company had gone. They made their way down the path… only to find an extremely injured Link when they neared the lake.

"How many were there, exactly?" Commander Russell asked Link, keeping pace with his horse. "Our reports hinted at a planned, small infiltration."

Link nodded slightly. "There were about six assassins, Commander," he began. "I believe they sent that many because they thought the King was also here. They must have missed his departure somehow."

Commander Russell dropped into thought. "Yes, hmm… In any case, how did you defeat six assassins by yourself?!"

Link smiled slightly. "Just luck… and recklessness. I lost my sword," he said. "Threw it straight into one of them before charging headfirst."

The Commander shook his head. "Din, Link. What were you thinking?"

Link shrugged slightly—as much as his body could shrug, at least. "Well, it worked. We're alive."

He turned his head to look at Zelda and Aryll. Aryll was slumped against Zelda, sleeping, while Zelda scratched at her hand. She looked up and made eye contact with Link, smiling slightly before gently rubbing Aryll's head. Link smiled as well.

The next hour passed in a blur. Link was helped off his horse and into the infirmary, while Zelda and Aryll were escorted to their rooms. Commander Russell began setting up patrols and night shifts, and Link's wounds were examined. He gladly downed a spoonful of red potion, feeling the healing effect beginning to coarse slightly through his body, before his left hand and forearm were sutured. His right hand, bruised and battered from combat, was gently wrapped, and his upper arm was bandaged. All in all, Commander Russell's healers did an excellent job in fixing Link up- far better than he could do if he was alone.

Link drifted in and out of consciousness for the most part, especially when they began to stitch his left arm. After everything was finished, he barely had enough energy to turn in his infirmary bed. Still, I could be dead, he thought to himself as he struggled to pull the white blanket up to his neck. Or Aryll. Or Zelda. Thank the Goddesses…

Suddenly, he heard a troupe of footsteps make their way in front of the infirmary door, and whispered conversation. Soon after, he heard the door creak open, and soft footsteps made their way to him. Link turned his head slowly to see Zelda making her way to him, clad in a royal and modest gown- and carrying Aryll.

"Princess," he whispered, struggling to sit up. "I'm so sorry, let me-"

Zelda made a shushing gesture with her hand, making Link freeze, and made her way to the cot adjacent to Link's. She gently (albeit awkwardly) placed Aryll down and tucked her in, before quietly making her way next to Link's bed with a small stool in hand.

Link looked at Aryll, who was breathing peacefully and seemed deep in slumber. "How's Aryll?" he asked. "She… I'm afraid that she's…"

Zelda sat down slowly, sighing. "She… well, she was really afraid, but she was also really tired… in the end, she finally fell asleep after crawling in with me." She turned to look at Aryll behind her. "…Then I decided to come down here with her, because it…" She shook her head. "Well, those windows made it feel too… open."

Link sighed, closing his eyes. "Thank you," he said gratefully. "I hope she wasn't bothering you too much."

"No, no, it's fine!" Zelda quickly interrupted. "I… also ne- enjoy, her company."

Link opened his eyes, looking at Zelda. She was rubbing her hand absentmindedly as she looked away. "Listen, Zelda- no, Princess," Link began. "I'm sorry you had to see me… you know. And then, even when I had the chance to let them go-" he swallowed— "I didn't. I know you would have shown mercy, but I-" he closed his eyes. "I don't think I could ever." His eyes felt prickly. "And then I abandoned you to go after Aryll-"

Zelda shook her head vigorously. "No! Don't say that. I ordered you to go after Aryll."

Link smiled slightly. "Yes… but I think I would have gone anyways," he admitted, opening his eyes to look at Zelda. "That's no way for the Lord Guardian to act."

Zelda shook her head slightly. "You saved your sister- as would any other person. Plus, I turned out fine, so there's no need to discuss it further," she huffed. "Honestly…"

Link chuckled softly. "…If I were less selfish, I'd have offered to resign by now… but this-" he looked around the infirmary, "is a pretty nice perk."

Zelda laughed as well. "Selfish? I'm certain you were thinking of moving Rauru and Aryll in with you as soon as you saw this whole place. You might be annoying, brash, and reckless, but selfish?" She gestured to his arms. "No selfish person would sacrifice so much."

A comfortable silence descended for a few seconds, save for Aryll turning in her sleep. "Link…" Zelda began hesitatingly. "Could I… try something?"

Link looked at her questioningly. "What?"

She huffed, dropping her hands to her lap. "Just… let me see your right hand," she replied, reaching for it.

He raised his arm as much as he could, allowing Zelda to intermingle her fingers with his. It was… comforting. That is, until his hand began to glow and sear in pain. What the-

Zelda gritted her teeth, single-minded in her goal. Her hand grew painfully hot against his, and try as he might to pull away, he found his right arm useless. "Zelda! What are-"

As quickly as it had started, the pain and light disappeared, and he jerked his hand away from Zelda's. She slumped a bit, seemingly drained at what had just occurred. "I knew it…"

Link looked at the back of his hand, his eyes widening. The mark of the Triforce had appeared…

And the bottom right triangle was glowing.

"You… you have it," Zelda said fervently, grabbing Link's hand. He flinched, but no pain arrived this time. "I had a hunch… but to really see it!"

"What- you knew?!" Link asked, pulling his hand away. "I didn't even know!" He looked at his hand again as the light slowly faded, along with the imprinted mark. He looked up sharply at Zelda. "And you-!"

"My own piece," she said, holding up her own hand as her mark began to disappear, "sensed something about you from the very moment we met. I thought it was trying to warn me against you, but…" she left the sentence hanging. "Clearly, I was mistaken, which likely meant it sensed another part of the Goddesses' gift." She pointed at his hand. "Bottom right glowing? Triforce of Courage." She pointed to her own. "Bottom left, Triforce of Wisdom."

Link looked at her, his mouth agape. "But… I don't… hold on!" he said, closing his eyes. This is wayyy too much to happen tonight, of all nights.

"After today's events," Zelda continued, "there wasn't a doubt in my mind. Especially when I saw you rubbing your hand on the way back, before the attack."

Link exhaled slowly, opening his eyes again. "This is… a lot to digest. If I had the Triforce this whole time, why didn't I know? Why do you know about yours?"

"The Triforce of Wisdom is passed down from one Royal family member to another," Zelda began. "So when Mother died, it automatically passed down to me. Power and Courage, on the other hand…

"Well, they go to whoever they feel is most worthy," she continued. "And don't awaken until their wielders embody the virtue… or if forced to awaken."

"Why did you awaken mine?" Link questioned.

Zelda looked baffled. "Because… it's your power," she began, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It's… it's yours. Not awakening it would be like… like…" she suddenly started to giggle. "Like not showing a child a better way to do an arithmetic problem!" she said, doubling over in laughter. "Kind of… well, that's how it feels to me," she said, her laughter subsiding.

Despite himself, Link smiled. "It doesn't really make sense, but if you say so," he replied. "But what can I do with this?"

Zelda shrugged. "I do not know. Perhaps basic magic, or perhaps it merely amplifies your abilities. Or perhaps it has already been amplifying your abilities," she said, thinking. "I suppose that is what I shall study when we return, Link." She huffed. "That is, that is what I should do if I have any down time."

Link nodded. "I go where you go, remember? Might be easier with two heads tackling it."

Zelda stood up. "If anything is inside yours, that is," she responded cheekily, moving to the other bed with Aryll. Link groaned, exasperated, as Zelda moved to turn out the lamps individually, finally bringing one over between her and Aryll's shared bed and Link's bed.

"...Link," she began hesitatingly. "Despite... well, despite the terrible events that transpired this evening, I..." she seemed to struggle to find the right words, "I... had fun. With Aryll, with you... It felt... normal." She turned to him. "Do you believe- that is, in the future, do you think-"

"In the future," Link interrupted, "you'll be Queen, and you can do whatever you want," Link grinned. "Just make sure the King isn't so stuck up, right?" he jabbed, enjoying the flash of irritation that crossed Zelda's beautiful features.

"Don't remind me," she groaned, moving next to Aryll. "That's what I'll be up against when we return- and it won't be King- it'll be Queen Consort!"

"Ah, how could I have committed such a lapse in protocol?" Link moaned, rolling his eyes playfully. "To think such a boor would hold such a Lordly title!"

He could hear Zelda stifle a giggle. "Oh, I cannot wait to see how all the other Lords react to you, Lord Guardian," she drew out the "Lord" sarcastically. "Although, it would certainly serve them right, those stuck up..." she sniffed.

Link chuckled softly. "You sure you're fine sleeping with Aryll?" Link asked one more time. "Because-"

"Quite fine, Link," Zelda replied readily, carefully drawing a blanket over herself. "Besides, we both know you can barely move right now. If Aryll were to roll on you at night… well, I don't wish to wake up to your pained scream."

"Hey- I would not scream in pain!" Link whispered furiously as Aryll shifted slightly in her sleep. "If anything-"

"Shh!" Zelda said, halting Link mid-sentence. She turned and smirked at him as she shut the lamp so only a sliver of light remained. "Good night, Link."

Like a spell was cast over him, Link's eyes were beginning to close already. "Yeah… sweet dreams, Zelda… Aryll," he whispered. As he fell into deep slumber, the whirlwind of thoughts circling his mind—his new power, Aryll's condition, and finally Zelda herself—ensured his dreams would be anything but peaceful.

A/N: Ah, hello. I am alive! I am perhaps more lazy and more procrastinationazy then ever! Honestly... the more I wrote this chapter, the less I wanted to look at it and write, haha. Well, I hope you, the reader, still have at least some enjoyment at reading this story! Rest assured, I will finish this... eventually. This definitely does not deserve to be a 1+ year story, let alone a 2+ year one like it's about to be.

Honestly, thank you to each and every one who reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. Each time I saw a new notification randomly pop up in my Inbox , it inspired me to at least open my story notes and figure out how to progress from there for a bit. They really help, and I'm really grateful for everyone doing that.

I think... that's all I have to say! It is pretty late, so maybe something's slipped my mind in my rambling, but to everyone, once again, THANKS FOR READING, AND I HOPE YOU'RE WILLING TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER UPDATE UNTIL WE FINISH THIS TOGETHER!