With a mighty battle cry that echoed off the trees around them, Link plunged the tip of his sword into the fatty heart of the massive Hinox that had been blocking the path ahead. The beast went down with a powerful howl, causing Zelda and Mipha to reel backwards a few steps and clasp their hands to their head. Link didn't seem affected by the loud noise, however, as executions like this were becoming commonplace in his occupation. Protecting the princess had been his duty for a few months now, maybe even a year or so. Now, though, with the frequency of monster appearances on the rise, his vigilance was needed more than ever. He found it to be good training for the inevitable return of Calamity Ganon, which Zelda was sure would be occurring in only a matter of a few years…or months.

A thick blanket of clouds hung low in the sky, casting the land around them in a dark haze of gray. The sheikah slate on Zelda's hip indicated that it was nearly suppertime, but the atmosphere was dark enough to see the glow of fireflies dancing among the trees of the meadow through which the explorers walked. Mipha could sense the strong likelihood of a storm on the horizon.

Zelda, before meeting with the Champions in a couple weeks to officially begin recruitment to the Divine Beasts, planned to conduct a field study of the spiritual dragon Naydra at Tarm Point, the southernmost spot of the Lodrum Headland. Frequent reports reached the castle from travelers about Naydra appearing there on the north side of Mt. Lanayru many mornings at sunrise. Zelda's interest arose from rumors that offering dragon scales to their respective sacred springs will cause mysterious things to happen. Her hope was that offering a scale from Naydra to the Spring of Wisdom would finally help unlock her sacred sealing power.

She traveled alongside the young and vibrant Zora princess, Mipha, who lived only a half-day's trek to the northwest in Zora's Domain. Mipha seemed like a good companion for the trip due to her detailed knowledge of the landscape far east of the castle, as well as her alleged encounters with Naydra several times in the past. Also, unbeknownst to Mipha at the moment, she had been selected by Zelda's father and his council to be the Champion of the Zoras and the pilot of Divine Beast Vah Ruta. For this reason, Zelda also wanted to get to know Mipha a little better before returning to her in a couple weeks to ask her the big favor. She seemed more than happy to set aside her spear and accompany Zelda on her quest, but when she met the Hylian princess at Zora's Domain and saw Link by her side, her face seemed to especially light up. Zelda expected this, since the Zora had spent many long days with Link in their past. Even now, Mipha seemed to keep her upbeat mood as the three of them foraged through the tall grass of Talus Plateau with the skies overhead whispering signs of rain.

Or…rather…yelling them.

Link held out his hand as a few sizable droplets of rain began to fall from above. The droplets pattered onto his outstretched palm, quickly forming a small puddle with their size. Zelda, noticing the droplets hitting the crown of her head with increasing frequency, crossed her arms in front of her in an attempt to at least keep her sleeves dry. She tilted her head downward and prepared to let her lengthy, blond hair direct the water past her face.

Mipha, on the other hand, did exactly the opposite. With a deep, refreshing breath, she closed her eyes, held out her arms, and turned to face the heavens. A relaxed smile appeared on her face as the droplets fell all around her. The water that landed on her face glided down her smooth, hairless cheeks with extreme ease.

"The rain is simply wonderful this evening." Mipha sighed.

Zelda couldn't help but to chuckle. "I may have to side with the contrary. We Hylians…" She paused to let her teeth chatter a bit. "…don't always have an affinity for moisture."

It was a difference Mipha was not unfamiliar with. Despite having similar mannerisms and identical levels of intelligence, the distinguishing factors between Hylians and Zoras were clear. The most obvious of these differences was Hylians' lack of dependence for water. Rain felt rejuvenating and empowering to Mipha, while Zelda and Link would likely prefer a warm, sunny day with few clouds. Hylians did, however, have a very well-rounded tolerance to all types of climates, which was something, she had to admit, the Zoras lacked. There were Hylians freely traveling to and from the Gerudo settlement out in the arid desert on a daily basis, and if any of Mipha's brethren were to follow suit with this touristic behavior, they would likely shrivel up and die before even reaching the oasis.

With these thoughts, Mipha trusted in Zelda and Link's resilience as the patter of raindrops steadily evolved into a torrential downpour. Each individual drop came down as big as an arrowhead, making the rain itself pack a discomforting punch as it pattered down on the trio. Zelda's teeth-chattering was now accompanied by a noticeable shiver as her clothes started clamping to her skin with the cold water. She had packed rather heavily for an overnight stay at the grassy peninsula, but she had not anticipated a rainstorm. Link, however, was always a step ahead.

Almost as soon as the weather had escalated to its current level, Link realized that Zelda would've quickly been affected by the cold and the wetness. Sheathing his sword on his back, he reached for his adventure pack, and pulled out a large Korok leaf. Mipha eyed the hero with playful confusion as he collected two sturdy tree branches from the ground nearby, laced them to the Korok leaf on opposite sides using the peeled edges of the branches' bark, and handed the completed craft to Zelda with a gentle grin. He had made her a makeshift umbrella.

Zelda looked up at Link with an affectionate smile and gratefully took his gift. Holding the leaf over her head with a tree branch in each hand, Zelda delightedly continued her walk under the small, dry canopy it created, while Link continued to get soaked by the forceful bullets of water the sky provided. Observing this spectacle from behind, Mipha's relaxed grin rapidly turned into a petty frown.

Mipha had been quite hurt when Link had to depart from the Domain to accompany Zelda on her missions across Hyrule those many months ago. She had mentioned that right in her diary the week it was all unfolding. The kind Zora had taken a liking to him since the first wound she had ever healed for him, back when he was basically still learning the alphabet. That motherly affection she had had for him, though, given several years, eventually kindled into a powerful flame of romantic desire. It had reached the point where his absence would cause distractions in her spear training as she struggled to shake him from her mind. She was mature, however, and vigilantly committed herself to being professional about her feelings and remaining a valued friend to Link. But now, it seemed to her that her deepest fear had come true. Link's time with Zelda had apparently bore fruit. Looks like Mipha would have to test that observation for herself.

The flustered Zora was snapped out of her thoughts when Zelda decided to strike up a conversation. "So, Mipha, our scientists discovered recently that Vah Ruta is capable of producing endless amounts of water from its trunk. Do you think that could perhaps prove useful to you and your people?"

The rapid transition in Mipha's head caused her to chuckle awkwardly. "One would think, I suppose. The truth is, and I don't know if you recall, it would actually be quite dangerous. We Zoras have committed ourselves to maintaining a stable equilibrium in the East Reservoir, as failing to do so would damage our home and flood the mainland." She noticed Zelda give a silent, thoughtful nod as she continued. "If I were ever the pilot of Vah Ruta, I'd make sure its ability be kept steadily under control."

Mipha made a good point, Zelda thought. Her father never mentioned much about the Zoras, but from what she had read in the castle library, the aquatic race had apparently been in a symbiotic relationship with the Hylians since ancient times. Had she more time, she would've surely read up further on their fascinating history. Admittedly, she had some learning to do on all of Hyrule's unique races. Her far-reaching relationship with Chief Urbosa of the Gerudo had made her tied intimately with their culture and more distant from the likes of the Rito, the Gorons, and especially the Zoras. She found it sort of ironic that Link's experiences were precisely the other way around.

Mipha caught her off guard with a question. "Princess, if you don't mind my asking…" Zelda turned around at the sound of the Zora's voice. "…has the king's council decided yet on who the Champions will be?"

Zelda suddenly looked at the ground. "Oh, um…" She tried not to make eye contact with Mipha nor Link. "…not exactly. I believe they've narrowed it down to a few individuals from each of Hyrule's five distinct races." She lied.

Mipha hummed with anticipation. "Do you know who?"

Zelda shook her head. "My father's very secretive."

"Well, I'd love to know as soon as you find out." She grinned, and Zelda grinned back, albeit slightly crookedly.

Mipha flinched suddenly as she bumped right into Link, who had completely stopped walking. Despite her urge to blush from her little mistake, the observant Zora princess knew that sudden changes in Link's behavior usually meant trouble. She turned to look at Zelda, who had also stopped walking upon noticing the change. The three of them glanced at Link, who appeared to have his gaze fixated straight ahead on the clearing at the end of the peninsula. The trio had reached the southern tip of the Lodrum Headland, and just beyond the clearing that lay before them would be Tarm Point: their ideal lookout spot for Naydra, and also their campsite to spend the night. Upon closer inspection, however, the princesses caught sight of what Link had been staring at.

Straight ahead, patrolling amongst the tall, wavy grass, was a monstrous Silver Lynel. Its jagged-edged sword, triple-pointed shield, and savage quintuple-shot bow sat readily attached to the beast's back as it searched its surroundings with an intimidating eye. A chill ran down both Zelda and Mipha's spines, while Link stood perfectly still, his eyes squinted in concentration, his soaking wet clothes seemingly unable to break his battle-ready trance. Almost as if on cue, the rainstorm plaguing the Lanayru Bay escalated to an ominous thunderstorm as several isolated bolts of lightning tore across the horizon like mighty cracks in the ever-enveloping slate of darkness. The agitated Lynel reared its head back and let out a powerful roar in perfect unison with the subsequent booms of thunder.

Link studied the beast's movements, as he often did before fighting an objectively stronger creature. Against an opponent of such strength, wit was Link's strongest ally. The princesses, unarmed and unprepared, had no choice but to entrust this battle to their seasoned bodyguard.

Once Link felt like he had a decent idea of what he was up against, he drew his sword and walked calmly forward into the clearing. Mipha and Zelda, standing hidden in the grass with their knees bent, held their breath as they watched their guardian swordsman, drenched from head to toe, approach the belligerent Lynel. It wasn't long before the beast sensed Link's movements and turned around to face him.

The thing caught one glimpse of Link's sword and went immediately into battle mode. Howling fiercely, the Lynel withdrew its own sword and shield and charged directly at Link with blinding speed, giving absolutely no warning. The princesses hiding at the edge of the clearing gasped, and Link quickly took out his shield. Judging by the charging creature's body angle, Link detected an incoming sideswipe-style attack, so he positioned his shield directly in front of himself with a slight rightwards tilt.

As soon as the Lynel swung its sword down to strike the hero, Link lashed his shield outwards, directly against the incoming blade. The beast stumbled backwards slightly, its momentum thrown off by Link's powerful parry. Wasting no time, Link seized the window and leapt forwards with a brief flurry of counter-strikes, cutting his opponent's chest several times and agitating it further. In retaliation, the beast closed the advantage gap by reeling backwards for another offensive slash. Sensing the positioning of his foe's sword, Link prepared himself for an incoming horizontal strike by bending his legs. Seeing their protector's shield not primed, the observing princesses flinched when they saw the Lynel's sword come down.

At exactly the same moment, Link extended his legs into a jumping backflip that propelled him upwards just inches above the monster's blade as it whipped through the air beneath him. His forward potential energy conserved by the backflip, time seemingly slowed to a halt for Link as his majestic dodge opened another window for an eruption of counter-attacks. Before the beast was even finished with his swing, Link was upon his weak spot unloading brutal punishment with each rapid whip of his blade. Upon receiving the last of his lashes, the Lynel stumbled backwards several more steps.

Mipha bit her bottom lip as she watched the battle take place from the sidelines. "By the goddess…" She uttered, shaking her head. "…Link is just incredible."

Zelda, having heard the entranced Zora's idle statement, shot her a raised eyebrow. "I assume you're referring to his fighting, correct?"

Mipha gasped suddenly, her cheeks turning pink. "Oh! Um…terribly sorry…I didn't mean to say that out loud." She awkwardly put a hand on her neck. "But uh…yes, I was talking about his fighting prowess."

Mipha's quiet compliment to Link left a bad taste in Zelda's mouth. The rather outgoing Hylian princess had had many emotional struggles to bear lately, a big one dealing with Link. In the early stages of his assignment to her protection, she had resented him for his numerous accomplishments and unwavering certainty of his own future. While she had wanted nothing more than to be a scholar, contributing to the research of the ancient sheikah tribe and its technology, she was forced tirelessly by her father to instead "focus on her training" and "unlock the sacred sealing power." Meanwhile, Link had wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and become a swordsman, and he had gotten all of it and more before he could even spell his own name.

The problem Zelda had now, however…was quite different. For the last couple months, her feelings toward her protective knight had begun to shift dramatically. More recently, she began to find qualities in Link that she strove to develop in herself. He was the reason she worked herself nearly to death trying to realize her power. His cutthroat dedication, resilience, and resolve, as well as the success these qualities had earned him, were things Zelda desperately wanted for herself. More importantly, though, as their history together had increased, she had begun to want him as well. After all, he was the living embodiment of the best possible version of Zelda, at least the way she saw it, and he did it all just for her.

Zelda knew already that Link and Mipha had spent copious amounts of time together throughout the years at Zora's Domain, but she had no idea it had gotten this bad. She got the feeling that Mipha was, in fact, lying about her accidental words and was instead being broad about Link's…incredibleness. Coupled with the young Zora's nervous behavior on the topic, it became clear to Zelda that Mipha also shared a romantic interest in Link. Zelda was also anxious of the fact that, under that scaly skin and shy complexion, Mipha had an incredibly strong will. The question was…had she already managed to reel Link in?

She jumped as a sudden loud, barreling howl echoed outwards amongst the trees. Jolting her head around to survey the source of the sound, Zelda observed the Lynel dropping its weapons and falling to its knees. After fading to a deathly shade of black, the entire creature vaporized into thin air. Its weapons, along with several other shiny-looking goodies, fell to the ground in front of their hero, who bent over to begin retrieving his prizes. She had apparently missed Link taking down their obstacle while she was busy thinking.

Mipha didn't miss one moment of it, however. The very second the coast was clear, the impatient Zora hopped right up from her spot in the grass and jogged over to Link, who was still slightly panting from the adrenaline. Zelda sighed before standing up and calmly walking over to them.

"I'm here, Link. Are you okay? Did he get you anywhere?" Mipha stammered, having scurried right up close to the Hylian warrior. She placed her hands on his shoulders and studied him all around for any cuts or bruises.

It wasn't long before she turned him around and noticed a sizable gash on the hero's left hip, likely from a sideswipe. She gasped, seeing the blood from the gash mix with the rain and spread all over his blue tunic. "Oh, my! You're pretty hurt…sit down here and let me help you."

Before Link could even notice he had been struck, Mipha pushed down on his shoulders to ease him into a sitting position. His pants sunk into some wet mud, but it didn't really bother him. Mipha, kneeling next to him, placed her hand over his wound. Zelda observed from a few feet away, still holding Link's handcrafted umbrella over her head with both hands.

A glowing aura began to emanate from the Zora's hand, causing a slow healing process that would soon leave Link's hip looking smooth and clean. His stained tunic would need a little more than a bit of healing magic to fix, however. While she worked, Link idly fiddled with the goods he had acquired in an attempt to fit them into his bulging adventure pack.

In a matter of a few awkward minutes for Zelda, Link's hip looked as good as new. Mipha removed her hand and took a second to admire the job she had done. Link found himself doing the same, even, as he ran his hand along his freshly-repaired flesh. He had to admit, she had done a pretty good job, and she had done it mighty fast, too. What was it that powered Mipha's healing ability again?

Appreciating a job well done, Link looked down at the last item that he still held in his hand from the Lynel. He had pretty much run out of room in his adventure pack, so he figured he'd instead put the item to good use. Looking back up to Mipha and meeting her gaze, he held the item out for her to take. It was a gigantic sapphire.

Looking down and seeing her desired lover's gift, she put a hand up to her chest. "Oh, Link…" She stuttered. Zelda rolled her eyes and looked away as Mipha gently took the glittering rock from Link's outstretched arm. "…it's beautiful!"

Setting the gemstone on the ground for a moment, Mipha leaned in, threw both arms around Link, and squeezed him tightly. Managing a small chuckle, Link put one arm around her waist and returned the gesture. He gently patted her thigh with his other hand. As the seconds went by without the lovestruck Zora breaking her embrace, Zelda began to clear her throat.

Finally, the slightly ticked princess spoke up with a nip in her voice. "Well, now that Link's okay, and the Lynel's dead, we should proceed forward." Mipha promptly let go of Link as Zelda gave her subtle signal. "Tarm Point's right over there at the edge of the water, and we'd best be setting up camp. The rain should hopefully let up soon."

With that, Zelda turned around and began the remaining short walk to the end of the peninsula. An old, mossy stone gazebo stood just ahead amongst the grass at the top of a small flight of stairs, marking the exact spot of Tarm Point. It was there that the group planned on laying out the tents. A campfire would've also been ideal, but unless Link had brought along a bundle of dry wood, nothing was going to light in these wet conditions.

Mipha stood up to follow the princess, brushing off her knees after kneeling in the mud. Before turning around, she looked directly into Link's eyes, smiled, and shot him a wink. Link raised an eyebrow, but his expression remained unchanged.

Before long, the trio had crossed the meadow onto Tarm Point and begun preparing their campsite. While Mipha didn't have anything on her, Zelda and Link each had a decently-sized travel pack containing any supplies they anticipated needing on the journey. Had their respective packs been combined, it would've probably looked like Beedle's backpack. Everything ranging from tent supplies to binoculars for viewing Naydra was in their packs. After removing his own pack, Link helped Zelda with hers so she could keep her umbrella over her head with both hands.

Opening both packs up, Link began removing items one by one while Zelda counted them out. "Four canteens…two notepads and their quills…gauze…"

Mipha watched with fascination as Link tossed a seemingly endless number of items out of the two large bags. When Zelda had offered for her to come along on the trip, she had mentioned the excursion lasting only one night, but it looked to the Zora princess like they were prepared to stay at Tarm Point for at least a week. Either that was secretly the case, or Zelda was just an extremely careful packer. The Zora noticed Zelda get a bit concerned when the delicate items she had packed started to get wet from the rain.

"Link, perhaps we should start by removing the tent items. They should be buried beneath all the other things." Zelda instructed. At this request, Link let out an annoyed sigh before putting the things back in the packs. He then began forcing his hand down through the cluttered contents of the packs so he could pull out the thin rope, waterproof fabrics, and wooden stakes that lay at the bottom of each one.

"Let's see, we got one, two, three…" She counted aloud, "eight stakes, about two dozen square yards of fabric…" She paused.

"…Is something wrong?" Mipha asked.

It was still a few moments before Zelda responded. "…We only have enough materials for two tents. I…I forgot we'd have Link with us."

An awkward silence hung in the air between the three adventurers as Zelda tried to contemplate solutions to their problem. Link, still hunched over the opened packs in front of him, glanced back and forth between Zelda and Mipha. For a brief moment, Mipha glanced back at him and met his gaze before looking away.

"Um…Link, do you think you could go find us some wild greens for supper later? I have a few ideas, but I believe we're a bit short on ingredients." Zelda asked. Mipha, having seen the sheer volume of items in those adventure packs, was shocked that they could've possibly been short on anything.

Link nodded once, stood up, and calmly wandered off to fulfill Zelda's request. Having just defeated the last monster on the peninsula several moments prior, he was sure they'd be out of harm's way during his absence. Zelda and Mipha watched him for a moment as he disappeared among the trees. The haze from the rain made it so they couldn't see past the end of the clearing, although the weather seemed to be on the way to letting up.

The two princesses were now alone on the edge of the peninsula, within the open walls of the gazebo. Zelda scratched her head with the bottom of one of the umbrella's branches. "I don't know how I could've let myself slip up on this. I prepared for so many circumstances, yet I forgot that my own bodyguard would be with me on the trip. The tents this fabric can make would never comfortably house two travelers at once, and I only have enough for two units. It'd be too much of a squeeze."

Mipha did not mind this fact, though. "It's not that bad, princess." She stammered quietly. "I'm really small compared to you two, so…" She looked down and paused to bite her lip for a moment before continuing. "…I can just squeeze next to Link in my tent."

Zelda's eyes widened. She turned to glare at Mipha. "…You'll what?"

Mipha nervously ran her hand down the long tailfin that extended behind her head. "Well, I just know you'd probably like having leg room, so…"

Damn, when that Zora wanted something, she really went for it. Zelda saw exactly what Mipha was attempting, since she wasn't exactly being discreet about it. Forgetting to pack for a third tent hadn't seemed like a life-or-death issue in the Hylian princess's mind, but now that Mipha had made a connection with the circumstances, the pressure was on. Zelda hadn't even thought of the possibility of sharing a tent with Link, but now that the feisty Zora had put the idea in her mind, it felt like something she couldn't go without. It seemed the two were now at an impasse, but Mipha did not yet realize it.

"Uh…actually, that's not really a big concern of mine. I know your people like to spread out a bit when they sleep, so I'm willing to let you have the free tent." She chuckled, albeit very tensely as she prepared to try and win her prize. "Besides, Link's my appointed knight, and I think it'd make us both more comfortable if he were in a readier position to defend me if need be."

Mipha rested her hand on the back of her neck and massaged it roughly. "Well, I guess…supposedly, but I doubt any threats will be finding us out here by Lanayru Bay, since Link already defeated the monsters living on the peninsula." She glanced up at Zelda in time to see her set the umbrella down on the ground. "I insist, princess. You deserve a chance to relax."

Zelda crossed her arms. By Hylia above, this Zora was cunning. It almost amused her seeing such a deliberate effort come from such a small, timid frame. She wasn't planning to lose, however. "Actually, don't you Zoras like to sleep in water? We're right on the edge of the peninsula, so if you settled in down there just for the night, all three of us would be able to have our own personal space. That should work, right?"

Mipha giggled softly, her heartrate slowly increasing. She was starting to catch on to the reasoning behind Zelda's resilience. Were they really about to argue over a mate?

"Princess, we Zoras are freshwater-dwellers. That down there is saltwater." She stated, pointing in the direction of the bay. "I mean…I can swim in it, but resting in it for an entire night would surely not be good for me. Plus…" Her muscles tensed. "…perhaps it'd be a little…unfair to have me sleep all the way down there in the water after you intended for me to have the second tent?"

"Well sorry for suggesting it. I just thought it'd also be unfair for one of us to get leg room while the other has to pile in on top of Link." Zelda responded. It seemed odd that they were still disguising their true motives, since piling on top of Link seemed to clearly be both of their preferences at this point.

Mipha nodded. "I agree, that would be unfair. That's why I'm trying to take the high road here by offer-"

Zelda cut her off, signaling the rising tension between the competing females. "Are you sure, Mipha? Are you really sure that getting to sleep with Link would be 'taking the high road?'"

Mipha opened her mouth to answer quickly, but paused, slightly confused by the sudden blunt wording of Zelda's question. She read the question in her head again. "Um…yes?"

Zelda shook her head, looking significantly more agitated. "Well maybe I would rather sleep with Link! We've really bonded together over the last many months, so I think he would want to spend some more time with me! If you really wanted to look out for us, I think you'd let me insist on this."

Mipha's fight-or-flight response activated. The gloves were apparently coming off at this point. "'The last many months?' Princess, I've known Link since before either of you could even read. Since he started his sword training at such a young age, I was probably the first female face he'd ever gotten to see that wasn't his own mother's. If anything, he deserves to connect with me a little more." She argued, keeping her voice at a relatively low volume.

Zelda scoffed. "Oh right, like that means anything. He hasn't exactly been pushing me to go to visit you at the Domain since being assigned to my protection. What does that tell you?"

Mipha couldn't help but be a bit intimidated by the rapidly increasing power in Zelda's voice. She stubbornly persevered, however, determined to win over her lifelong crush. For two young women with relatively similar mannerisms, they certainly had different arguing styles.

"It's not like he needed to, you know." She chuckled, crossing her arms to match Zelda's. "Ever wonder where he goes when he's on break? He heads straight to Zora's Domain to see me."

"You're lying." Zelda rasped.

"Ask him yourself when he comes back." Mipha shrugged.

"As if I'd humor you with that." Zelda grumbled. "I'm certain there's no way Link would have feelings for you. He's a Hylian like me, and you're a Zora! It would never work, and you know it."

Mipha stepped closer to Zelda and pointed a finger directly at her. "Princess Zelda Hyrule, that is not for you to decide. My species does not define who I am, and it does not define who Link is allowed to love!"

Zelda, while descending ever farther from her regal composure, was impressed at Mipha's ability to sound stern while keeping a quiet, level tone. That last statement, however, had apparently managed to tickle at Mipha's insecurities a bit. Perhaps Mipha was self-conscious of the fact that she was physically very different from Link, and also set to outlive him by a couple hundred years, no less. In addition to wanting Link for herself, Zelda was convinced that finding another Zora to love instead of a Hylian would be for Mipha's own good.

She allowed her voice to relax a bit once she had found Mipha's weakness. "How would any of that work, anyway? How would you even start a family? Like…do you even have a-"

"Yes, Zelda, I do. We're not that different from Hylians, you know." Mipha stated, annoyed.

Ignoring her remark, Zelda continued. "Regardless, don't you think it would fit with the natural order of things if Hylians and Zoras married with their own species? Hyrule has maintained a delicate balance like that for thousands of years."

Mipha gritted her teeth a bit. "I'll have you know that a Zoran princess married a Hylian knight thousands of years before even the Divine Beasts were created. It's an integral part of our history as a species."

"But are you sure that's what really happened?" Zelda asked, raising an eyebrow. She took notice of the deep red rising in Mipha's cheeks. "Relationships like that are not common enough to be considered normal, you know, and if it was that long ago…"

"That's not important!" Mipha cried, throwing her arms down at her sides with clenched fists.

Zelda had the fracturing Zora in a chokehold. She wanted to smile, but she didn't want to seem too cocky at this point in the conflict. "Also, just think of the difference in lifespans between you two. You're probably older than both me and Link combined, and you're only our age in Zora years! Link will pass by from your life before you even develop a wrinkle. Are you sure that's someone you'd want to marry?"

"YES!" Mipha finally yelled, causing Zelda to flinch. "Yes, I'm absolutely sure he is. I love him, Zelda! You don't know how hard that is to deal with!" Tears quickly began streaming down her face.

Zelda paused for a minute while Mipha began to sob. "Mipha, I…"

"Even if…if you did grow feelings for him on your journeys, you…you still don't know what it's like to have loved him as long as I have!" She confessed, pausing to take short, sporadic breaths between sobs. "And now with the return of this 'Calamity Ganon' inevitably on the way…I don't know how long I'll have with him before he leaves to…to put his life on the line…"

Zelda wanted to tell the weeping Zora princess that she was one of the individuals selected by the king to pilot a Divine Beast and aid Link in his confrontation with Ganon, but for some reason, now didn't seem like the best time. Suddenly, her victory in the argument, unsurprisingly...didn't taste very sweet. The precious opportunity to spend a night in close company with Link drove her to pry open all of Mipha's locked insecurities and complicated emotions. It seemed worth it at the time, but now…

"Mipha, I'm…I'm so sorry. I completely let myself get carried away. You see, when Link saved my life from Yiga assassins a couple months ago in Gerudo Desert, I did start to grow attracted to him as well. He had no choice but to follow me around wherever I went, but he did it with such humility and loyalty…" Zelda sighed. "…And unlike everyone else I had ever known, he never challenged my decisions nor questioned my woes. Even in his mesmerizing silence…" She held her breath and looked toward Mt. Lanayru, seeing Mipha looking at her behind damp cheeks at the side of her vision. "…he has become my most trusted friend."

"Um…Zelda." Mipha stammered softly, almost too quietly to hear. When Zelda turned to look back at her, she pointed behind her in the direction of the meadow.

Zelda glanced behind herself. She gasped in shock, putting both her hands over her mouth. There, standing at the foot of the gazebo stairs with a bundle of herbs in each hand, was Link, staring up at Zelda with his usual unreadable expression. He took a moment to study both princesses, confused as to why she was talking about him, and why Mipha was crying.

"Link! I, um…I was just…I…" She stuttered as Link raised an eyebrow. "…How long have you been standing there?"

Link only answered Zelda's question with a shrug. He walked up the gazebo stairs and quietly laid the herbs down on the wet ground next to Zelda. He then walked tiredly over to the tent materials laying bundled on the ground, organized them, and began building the two tents on the opposite sides of the gazebo according to his knowledge. Zelda and Mipha watched him work without a word. Somehow, especially after the events of the evening, Link's silence was contagious.

Zelda, using recipes she stole from the castle chefs, prepared a hearty meal of seasoned meat and greens for the three of them to eat, using salted beef cuts that she had wrapped in the adventure pack. She had finally been able get a fire started once the rain had let up. While eating, Zelda and Mipha shared a revitalizing conversation with each other and Link, who mostly just listened.

Link, while savagely ripping bites off his meat cut, paid close attention to his two companions during their conversation. He closely studied Mipha's reddened eyes, damp cheeks, and slightly choked voice as she spoke. She seemed to be recovering from something that had happened in his absence, but he was still figuring it out. On the other hand, he tried to study Zelda's posture, tone, and most importantly, her treatment of Mipha in the conversation.

He couldn't help but remember some bits from Zelda's monologue before she had turned around and noticed him earlier. It seemed like a love confession. Link had begun to have his suspicions in the past, but hearing Zelda's words had confirmed it in his mind. He didn't know what to do with the information, though. After all, he did have a history with her, but he also had a history with Mipha, and a pretty fond one, as well. Nonetheless, he never really found himself growing connected to either one of them on a romantic level.

Link had to admit, though, that he never really had time to consider anyone romantically. From his early days on, developing his skills and training into knighthood have been his primary goals, and now that he wielded the sword the seals the darkness, his life was ever more demanding. Settling down with someone just…hadn't crossed his mind.

He had deduced Zelda's hidden love for him based on what he had heard, and with that, he was starting to piece together what had been behind Mipha's sadness. If he had shown up to Zelda talking about him and romance, and Mipha was completely in tears at the same time, it could only mean one thing. If there was one amazing thing Link hid behind his eerie silence, it was an endless ocean of sympathy, generosity, and kindness.

Upon finishing his meal, Link stood up from the campfire, walked over to the tents he had built earlier, and began dismantling them. Zelda and Mipha looked at him with confusion.

Over time, as the sun dipped ever lower on the horizon, the clouds covering Eastern Hyrule slowly dissipated, allowing the radiant, orange glow of the sunset to bathe the travelers resting on Tarm Point. While gazing out on the horizon at the setting sun, Mipha admitted in her head that…perhaps joining Zelda had been worth it, despite their hurtful argument. Things were better in the end, and on top of that, she did still get to spend some time with Link. Every bit of it mattered to her.

Just as the sun had begun to set out of view, Link returned to the campfire where the princesses sat, looking sweaty, but feeling satisfied. Still curious as to what Link had been doing, they turned around toward the other end of the gazebo and glanced at where their tents had been.

Standing right between the locations of the former two tents, a single, bigger tent caught their eye. It had clearly been made out of the other two tents, with the same fabrics, stakes, and ropes. However, Link had apparently crafted them both together using some additional materials from his own pack to make one larger tent that spanned twice the width. In front of it all, sitting back between the princesses where he had been before, was Link, looking rather pleased with himself.

Zelda laughed, sounding slightly confused at the same time. "Link, that tent's still only wide enough for two of us to fit. Someone will still have to sleep outside."

Link looked at Zelda with a smug grin on his face before turning to look at Mipha, who returned a confused stare. He shrugged his shoulders, and then shocked them both with just four words.

"…She looks small enough."

Mipha's face seemed to light up with joy. Zelda's confusion, however, only seemed to rise. Still grinning, Link stood back up, and shocked the princesses again as he began stripping his clothes off. Starting with his weapons and gear, he followed up with his tunic, his undershirt, and then his boots and pants. Once he was standing before them in only his boxer shorts, his toned upper body gleaming in the fading sunlight, he took both their hands, and pulled them to their feet.

"Bedtime." He whispered invitingly.

He stepped backwards toward the enlarged tent, gently pulling Zelda and Mipha with him. Zelda felt her skepticism begin to slowly melt away with each step they took, while Mipha seemed entirely unable to contain her excitement. Getting on his knees, Link scooted between the flaps of the tent, pulling the princesses in with him. They never emerged for the remainder of the night.

The following morning, long after the sun had risen, Link and the princesses remained in the soothing, comforting darkness of the tent, showing no signs of waking up anytime soon. Link laid flat on his back in the center of the tent, his arms around each princess. Zelda laid pressed against him on his right, and Mipha laid cuddled against his shoulder on his left. All three of them wore a satisfied, content smile on their face.

Naydra had flown by above the bay several hours prior at the crack of dawn, going completely unnoticed by the travelers. That didn't seem to matter anymore, though.

THE END

Author's Note: I noticed that some of this probable seems out of character, but nonetheless, I hope it was enjoyable. :3 I tried to appeal to both Mipha and Zelda fans. Drama's pretty fun!

By the way, I made a new Ko-Fi page, so if you really liked this story, consider supporting me! It's always greatly appreciated! The link can be found on my profile page.