Couple of the Wild (ZeLink)

Chapter 15: Leaving Hateno

"Sheikah Slate... Clothes... Sleeping bags... wood and flint... food... I think that's everything Link!" Zelda called from outside. She stood in her hylian tunic, hair ponytailed, yet her signature braid did stay in her hair. She excitedly flipped through the Sheikah Slate screens, examining and ensuring that all their gear was ready and prepared.

In only a few moments, she heard the footsteps from inside the house and turned to see Link walking out, adjusting the Master Sword to fit securely on his back. He had returned to his bright blue Champions tunic and Hylian trousers. Zelda smiled as he walked towards her.

"I brought a white horse for you. I had one in the stables. I think it may be an descendant to your horse a hundred years ago..." Link said, staring at Epona and a pure white horse standing next to her. Zelda smiled.

"Good to know my horse was able to live on after the Calamity." Zelda said, walking towards the familiar mountain edge of Link's house. Link followed her until they both overlooked the deep mountainous cliffs of the Necluda Region. Zelda took a deep breath, taking in the air of the mountains before returning her gaze down, now viewing the Sheikah Slate in still in her hands.

"So... We'll make our way to Zora's Domain... The letter said that Vah Ruta has stopped working. Let's investigate the situation." She said. She suddenly brought the Sheikah Slate to her chest.

"Mipha's father... I believe he would like to hear more about her... The least we can do is offer him some closure. What do you think Link?" Zelda asked, turning to him. Link stood blankly for a moment before he took a small breath as a frown on his face.

"That's... a touchy subject... More for me than him really. He seems to have accepted what had happened... But I'm sure hearing from you and hearing you say good things about her will give him a good feeling. The other older Zora though... We'll see..." Link said, looking over the cliffs. Zelda couldn't help but catch what Link had said there. Touchy for him? She soon found herself staring off into the cliffs with him. She shook the thought away and focused on the mission at hand.

"This is it, Link..." Zelda said after a minute of silence. "Our journey is finally beginning. To bring Hyrule together again. I truly believe if we work together, we can make an even stronger Hyrule than before."

She took a breath before turning at her heel, now heading towards the horses.

"Well... Let us be off!" Zelda called. Link turned to stare at her, his hands on his hips. He smiled after a second and began to follow, stopping when Zelda stopped.

"The voice in the sword... You can hear it right?" Zelda asked without turning back. Link gave her a confused look before answering.

"I can..."

"I no longer can... at least for now. My power really has dwindled these last one hundred years. And you know... I think I can accept that." Zelda said, turning to him to give him the most real smile she had ever given him. Link took that smile in. He smiled back and jogged to catch up with her as they both walked back towards the horses.

Link hopped onto his horse and watched as Zelda climbed onto hers.

"This one is going to need a new name now... I wonder what it should be..." Zelda pondered. Link laughed. Zelda gave him a look from on her horse.

"What in Hyrule are you laughing at?" Zelda asked.

"You really have changed Zelda. For the better I would say." Link said as he signaled Epona into a trot. Zelda sat for half a second, processing what the knight had said.

"Wait, what do you mean? Are you talking about when I happened to be hesitant on giving my horse its bearings?" Zelda asked.

"'I thought he should have to earn it...'" Link mocked loudly as he rode away. Zelda gawked at him, offended before she too had her new horse trotting over the bridge behind Link.

"Well excuse me but I don't believe I was that bad. This horse's ancestor started off quite horrible, really! What did you think of me then?" Zelda asked, trotting beside Link. He suddenly had the slightest, almost unnoticeable flare of red in his cheeks.

"In what regard?" He asked. Zelda gave him a curious look.

"About how I treated my horses? What else?" Zelda asked, not catching what Link was getting at.

"Nothing, nevermind," Link said, trying to escape his accidental blunder, misreading the situation, however Zelda refused to let it go.

"No, tell me! What do you mean? What did you think of me then? How do you think of me now?" She asked, catching on to what he was getting at. Link stared at her for a second before signaling Epona into a full blown gallop.

"Don't run from me! Get back here!" Zelda yelled as she too, pushed her horse to a full gallop. With Zelda chasing after Link, the two continued to speed their way through the forest and cliffs of the region, Link and Zelda laughing as they soared through the cliffs. Eventually Link allowed Zelda to catch up to him and the two rode through the peaceful morning forest, eventually hitting the wall that led to the field of Guardians where Link had fallen.

Zelda, who had stopped laughing and was now listening to Link's gentle humming, caught sight of the now rusted and old guardian that she had destroyed sitting in the field a little ways over.

"Careful Zelda, I took care of the monsters that were on the way here the first time, but the Guardians may still be active, so make sure you don't go into the field- Zelda?" Link adjusted himself to look around the horse to spot the ex-princess, however she was nowhere to be seen. His eyes eventually caught the white horse, now standing still near what looked to be an old guardian. Link's face turned serious as he guided Epona towards the site. Zelda stood looking at the guardian she had defeated all those years ago as Link dismounted from Epona and walked towards her.

"I failed you here... I failed all of Hyrule here. But I specifically failed you. I could have saved you Link... I could have..." Zelda brought her hands to her chest and looked down at the grass, once splattered with Link's blood.

"You didn't fail me Zelda. If anything, you're the only reason I survived." Link said, observing the spot along with her. "If anything, I failed you. I hadn't and still haven't fully understood the power of the Master Sword. I couldn't defend you from all the Guardians..."

"Link, you were protecting a helpless girl, fighting an army of some of the strongest weapons and projectiles ever created with a sword. A sword without having its full power unlocked. If anything, Link... You over exceeded your job. I on the other hand..."

"Held back an ancient monster for a hundred years." Link finished. He grabbed her arm.

"Link?" Zelda asked, surprised at the knight's touch. He had never put his hands on her like this. Or at all for that fact, except for when they were running from Guardians.

"We're leaving. I won't allow you to sit here and sulk." Link said firmly, guiding her back to her horse. Zelda looked back one more time before sighing and allowing Link to guide her to her horse. Link and Zelda climbed back on their horses. After one last look from Zelda, the two made their way towards the Dueling Peaks Mountains.

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*Note from Kenny Boi!*

I do know that scene isn't exactly how it went in the epilogue, but this is a different Zelda and Link that went on a separate path, so I figured I would write my own version of the scene that fit the story I'm writing a bit better. I hope you guys enjoyed it!

Kenlair