Chapter 7

Toronbo Shores

Link and Marin sat down on a collapsed palm tree by the ocean. After the events at the Face Shrine, Link remained eerily silent the rest of the night. Marin consistently tried to get him to talk, but Link said little in return, and nothing about what he had seen in the shrine. Marin was fearing the worst, that he would continue his push to escape the island, no matter what.

They spent the night in the grove, though in truth neither slept. Marin was too worried about Link, and Link was too busy thinking about how to best approach Marin regarding what he had learned from the owl. Should he tell her that the island was a dream? Would the knowledge really cause her to become one of those nightmares guarding the instruments?

The question kept Link up the entire night.

The next morning, Link led Marin by the hand back across the Ukuku Prairie. The entire time he didn't say a word, but rather than return to Mabe Village, he turned south towards the beach. He had finally decided on what to tell her, and the best place to tell her. Marin was just as silent the entire time, her heart rushing the entire trip.

"This is where we first met," Link finally said, watching the orange ocean ahead of him. It was a grueling hike across the prairie, but he managed to arrive just on time to see the sun set on the ocean.

"Y-Yeah," Marin answered. "But we didn't actually speak until you woke up at my house."

"I learned something at the Face Shrine, something that had me up all night thinking." Link's words struck a newfound fear in Marin's heart.

"R-Really?" Her voice was trembling, and Link noticed. He took hold of her hand, an effort to assuage her fears.

"Don't worry, it's nothing bad," he said, taking a few deep breaths himself. Any way he looked at it, it was bad. Well, almost any way.

"So, what was it?"

"The Wind Fish... it's a myth." Link's lie seemed to silence everything around them. Marin didn't notice, but Link felt the presence of the owl nearby. He also noticed when the bird took flight.

"You mean, the instruments...?"

"They're magical, sure, but the Wind Fish itself isn't real. The mural in the shrine said so." Marin couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"But what about the egg? Why is it there?" She was desperate to disprove Link, but it's not like she had anything to back up her desire.

"I don't know," he said, turning to look at her directly, "but does it really matter anymore?"

"I-I thought you wanted to leave the island!"

"Would it really be so bad to live here with you?"

Link's words pierced through Marin. Her face went red as she realized what he had just said. Link kept his grip on her hand firm, even as he felt her struggle to get out of it.

"I realized," he continued, "that there was a good reason for me to stay on the island after all."

Marin's heart could probably break out of her chest at this point. Her breathing became heavy, while Link's own heart began to quicken. He felt a million butterflies assault his stomach, but that wasn't about to stop him from saying what he had to say.

"Y-You mean..." Marin stammered, hardly unable to speak.

"Yes. It's you, Marin." Link gently placed his hand on her cheek, feeling its warmth on his fingers.

"I love you."

Marin's eyes began to well up. Before long, she was outright crying, unable to contain her joy. And despite her attempts to look away, Link's hands kept her face looking directly at him. She was finally able to utter the words she had been keeping contained to him.

"I love you, too."

Link smiled, as did Marin. They looked to the ocean for a moment, before turning to each other again. Then their eyes closed, and they shared a kiss.

The wind blew past them, no doubt the work of the Wind Fish itself. Or perhaps it was a small blessing from the nightmares. It really didn't matter anymore to either Link or Marin.

~o~

"We found this, your highness," the guard told the princess, handing over the piece of driftwood. She took it in her hands and inspected it closely, but there was no definitive proof it could be from the vessel.

"Is that all?" She asked, almost insulted they'd bring her such a trifle.

"No, your highness. There was one other thing."

The guard stepped back, allowing another guard to step forward. He also held something in his hands, but it wasn't debris from a possible ship. Princess Zelda took it in her hands, and a gasp escaped her lips. It was a piece of wood, with the letters 'L', 'I', and 'N' etched into it. There was a fourth letter, but the fragment was broken and it couldn't be read.

However, on the other side was the proof she didn't want to see. The Triforce, almost perfectly preserved in the shield fragment. This was all that was left of the ship carrying help for Northern Hyrule, as well as Hyrule's hero.

"How...?"

"There was a storm. The ship was probably lost during it. I'm sorry, your highness." The guard kneeled in her presence, as if that would help matters at all. Still, protocol had to be followed.

"No. Do not be sorry for me," Zelda spoke, turning her back to the guards.

"Mourn the loss of the Hero of Hyrule."