"Are you sure you don't want to take anything else?" Link asked for the thousandth time. I replied with a sigh.

"Link, I've told you once, twice and I'll tell you three hundred more, I won't be needing anything."

"It's going to be a two hour trip, with one of us walking. Are you sure?"

"Can you keep quiet?" A knock at the door stopped our bickering and Link went to open the door. The kids came in, followed by Ilia.

"The kids wanted to 'help pack'." Link and Ilia chuckled and the kids surrounded me, talking to me about all sorts of things. "Oh, by the way Sheik, Uli wants to see you before you leave."

"She wants to see me?" Ilia nodded.

"She made something she would like you to have... Bother she and I worked on it." A small smile teased her lips, but she tried to contain it.

"Nothing for me?" Link asked and Ilia rolled her eyes.

"Please, you always get things when you come home."

"Well, this time I didn't."

"Well this time, you didn't come alone." She stuck her tongue out at him before turning to me. "Let's go Sheik. Kids, help Link pack."

Ilia and I headed over to Uli's home, where we found her nestled into the sofa with the baby.

"Just the girl I was looking for." She sat up slowly, telling Ilia to go get something from the children's bedroom. Ilia went and came back with a black leather satchel, handing it to me. I looked at it questionably, taking the strap in my hand.

"What's this?" I asked, holding it to my body and looking down at the sewed material.

"It's for you, a bag with closed." Uli replied.

"Clothes?" She nodded.

"Sometimes... A person needs to get a little freedom and running away seems to be the only option." My heart sunk in my stomach. "I'm not telling you to go back home, go, live, have fun, but... Just remember, rubbing away does not solve any problems." A silence ran through the room like a goat.

"Did... Did Link tell you?" I asked softly. Uli shook her head.

"Ilia noticed. You didn't seem to have any other clothes or possessions, aside from that cloak." Another silence. Another silence prolonged and I have a small sigh.

"We don't have anything against you running away, we just want you to be well-dressed for the trip you will be accompanying Link on. That and clothes aren't cheap to come by on." Ilia added. I sat down beside Uli and undid the small leather string tie and lifted the flap. Inside were several pairs of clothes and an extra pair of shoes. I gasped, tears feeling up my eyes.

"Oh Uli, Ilia... Thank you." Ilia was moved and hugged me with tear-filled eyes as well while Uli chuckled.

After some more gentle motherly scolding, I was let go. By that time, the kids had come back with Link in tow.

"You done yet? Or did they talk you into staying?" He asked. He leaned against the doorframe, hands in his pockets. I couldn't suppress my giggle and fixed the strap across my chest, nodding.

We went back to Link's house for Link to finish packing. While he did that, I looked at the contents of the satchel. Handcrafted with thinner Ordona goat leather and made with care. It was small, yet practical, however it seemed to lack.

"So... What did you do to the bag again?" Link asked, scratching his head. I sat with the satchel in my lap proudly.

"See for yourself." I handed the bag over to him and he opened it, reaching his arm into it. His face was nonchalant when he put his hand it, but it slowly turned into shock as he was now elbow deep into the satchel.

"What in Hylia..."

"It's an extension charm!"

"Extension charm?"

"Magic."

"You can do that?"

"A little." I shrugged. "It's not like I'm a princess who went from a blue eyed brunette to pink eyed blonde like nothing." He narrowed his eyes at my sarcasm.

"Oh, haha." He deadpanned. Can you do this to my backpack? It would make travelling a whole lot easier."

"Just don't tell anyone." I warned him and he nodded.

After an hour of unpacking, magic and repacking, we were ready to leave Ordon Village.

"Come back soon, kay?" Beth hugged me.

"Be safe." Ilia sighed and Link nodded.

"We will, don't worry." He reassured her. They all shared a hug and we said our final goodbyes. Link told me to mount Epona and we began to walk out of the village. We passed the Ordona spring and over the canyon.

• Faron Woods – Faron Province

We passed by the Faron spring and at the fork, we went to Coro, the lantern boy.

"Heya bud! Gonna go explorin'?" He asked with a smile.

"Yeah, going to the wilderness. I wanted to pay you for the lantern." Link reached into his pack and pulled out a purple rupee, unhooking the lantern off Epona's harness. "For the lantern and a refill, please."

"No problemo!" He took the purple rupee and the lantern, dipping it into a cauldron of oil, cleaning it up a bit then handing it back to Link. "Hey, if ya stop by the Lanaryu province, do tell my sis that Coro says hi, won'tcha?" Linked hooked the lantern back to Epona's harness and nodded.

"Will do."

"Goodbye! Have fun!"

"Thank you!" I called and we set on forward to Hyrule Field.

• Hyrule Field

The sun was still rising high into the sky, shining down on us. The smells of pine and goat cheese were being left behind, and welcoming the humid air of the field and the distance hint of red earth.

"What do you think?" Link asked. I took in the view – It was so much to take in, especially now that it was in sunlight. The boundless blue skies, Death Mountain in the distance. Towards the center, Hyrule Castle stood prominently.

"It's... Amazing." I said, looking down at him. "I've never had so much fresh air in my life. May I get down?" He nodded and Epona came to a stop. I was quick to dismount and bolted down the worn out path ahead.

"Sheik!" The wind whipped through my hair and laughter bubbled. The sun felt wonderful on my skin, making me feel energized and delighted, through and through. I laid under the shade of a large tree, watching how the leaves danced in the wind, the sun poking through. I closed my eyes, listening to the rustle of the leaves, the sound of the birds, the sounds of the world. The dull clopping of hooves on Earth and the thud of feet landing beside me made me open my eyes.

"Having fun?" Link asked. A smile flitted over my lips and I nodded against the grass. "We barely made it out of the woods and you're already having the time of your life. Imagine when you arrive at Kakariko." I sat up, plucking handfuls of grass and tossing it into the air.

"Freedom is nice." I mused. Link chuckled.

"Well, if you want to get to Kakariko before noon, you'd better get a move on. He looked up at the skies, examining the weather. "Scattered clouds. Sun shouldn't be too bad. Come on." He offered me his hand and I took it and he pulled me up.

I mounted Epona again and we began our walk to Kakariko Village, keeping a moderate pace to allow some sightseeing.

• Hyrule Field – Eldin Province

Link had said that most of the scenery was repetitive and boring after a while, but I didn't think so. Everything was so green and full of life. Castle Town was lively but the nature and freedom provided by Hyrule Field and the Ordona province was phenomenal.

We traveled through some hills that opened to another clearing, the mountain and its pillar of gentle smoke growing larger and larger. Trees grew scattered and the path led over a wooden bridge over the large Kakariko Gorge and the dust began to rise as we started to enter the gates into Kakariko.

• Kakariko Village

The village looked a lot different during the day time than it did during the night. People weren't bustling about as they did in Castle Town, but there was a good amount of people wandering around. Townspeople, travelers, and to my best surprise, Gorons.

I dismounted Epona and was about to wander off to a Goron sitting in the shade of the mountain, when Link grabbed my arm.

"Hold on." A horse pulled cart whizzed pass, leaving dust in its wake. I waved the dust away, coughing. "Watch your surroundings, or else accidents will happen." Link warned. I nodded, looking down sheepishly.

"Link, is that you?" We both turned, looking at a man who was standing out of the first building past the Eldin Spring. He was wearing tan, tribal styled robes with long, thick locks draped across his shoulders. He looked at Link wearily, yet in a friendly manner.

"Renado, how do you do?" Link went over to him and they shared a hug, their conversation muffled by the sounds of the townspeople and hooves. Renado took various glances at me, nothing to suspicious, yet wary.

"Sheik." My eyes met with Link's and he motioned me over. I watched for anymore horse-driven carts and people before crossing to Link's side. "Sheik, I would like you to meet Renado. He's a shaman who helped Rusl and I with the children when they were kidnapped." My lips twitched slightly as I remembered the kidnapping again, but I pushed the thought away and smiled.

"Hello, how do you do?" I offered my hand and he took it and held it between his two large palms, looking down at it. I immediately felt the traces of something magic come from within Renado, but I didn't pull my hand away as he gently gave them a squeeze.

"Kakariko Village welcomes you." He bowed his head. "Enjoy your stay with us." I glanced over at Link before nodding to him.

"Thank you."

"If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask, yes?" I nodded once more and he released my hand, smiling gently. "Take very good care of your friend, Link."

"Of course, Renado." Link nodded. "See you around, we're going to the hotel." Renado nodded and bid us farewell.

As we made our way to the hotel, Link whispered to me. "Does he know?" I nodded.

"Seems so, but I believe he is a trustworthy person." Link gave a nod.

"Don't worry, I won't let anyone find out." I smiled.

"Thank you, Link."

When we made it to the hotel, I rolled my eyes once the girl spotted Link. I'm sure we were both looking at each other with similar expressions because Link coughed awkwardly and stepped in between our gazes.

"Hey Malon. Mind if we have a room?" She muttered something under her breath and handed Link a key. We went upstairs, Malon keeping her eyes on me until she could no longer see me. When we arrived at the room, we were both surprised to find a two suite bedroom.

"I guess jealousy has its perks." I smirked. Link let out a chuckle and he went to his room. I went to my own room and put my satchel on the bed, looking out the window. The same path from before was right below my window and I smiled.

"Link? What are today's plans?" I called over my shoulder. There was a small groan and I could hear footsteps coming towards my bedroom.

"Well, I want to take you around town and probably end up at the hot springs upstairs." He laid down on my bed with a sigh.

"The hot springs?" I asked excitingly, before frowning. "But Link, I don't even have a bathing suit with me." Link opened up one eye, casting a lazy gaze on me.

"There's a town market, I'm sure you could find a bathing suit down there." He got up out of bed and went to his room, before coming back with a pouch. "Here, take this and go buy yourself a bathing suit. I'll meet you down there soon, okay?" I took the pouch and the money within jingled, putting it into my satchel. I put my satchel on and waved him goodbye.

As I headed downstairs, Malon was sure to send me a few death glares as I made my way out. When the sun greeted my eyes, I took in a deep breath and let out a happy sigh. Something tugged me to go and explore all around, but I decided not to break Link's trust in me.

Just to the left of the hotel was Kakariko's town market. I had to maneuver through several people coming out, making my way into the tall building. It was probably about four or five stories tall, three being open to the public. The first floor was food groceries, public. The second was clothing and cloth material, the third the et cetera floor, containing some valuables, such as bows, arrows, medicinal ingredients, even the infamously indestructible, Hylian Shield.

I hummed, going to the second story to look for a bathing suit. The clothing line in the market was limited, most of it was with discreet tribal patterns of the Gorons and Kakariko Village. I had chosen a pastel pink colored two piece, when someone startled me.

"Princess Zelda?" Someone grabbed my arm and turned me slightly, making me drop my things.

"U-Uh, who?" I turned to look at the person holding my arm and my eyes widened.

"O-Oh.. My apologies." The green eyes and black hair resonated in her mind as he let her go, before he was pushed away suddenly.

"Who are you and what do you want with her?" Link was between the two of them, holding the boy by the scruff of his shirt.

"Link, let him go!" I stepped forward, putting my hands on Link's arms.

"Why did he grab you?" Link demanded from me.

"He mistook me for the princess." I replied to him.

"Then it must mean something, right?" Link threw a glare at the boy who was struggling to get out of his grasp before I sighed.

"Put him down Link."

"But-"

"Put him down." Link was hard-headed and after a stern look, put him down. The boy sighed aggravatedly, fixing his shirt.

"Well?" Link asked, expectations of an explanation evident in his voice.

"He's fine, he's... A friend?" She turned to look at him. "Right, Cyder?" His eyes widened.

"So... It is... You." He blinked and regained his composure. "Do you know how worried I was? I thought Impa was going to kill me when-" I shushed him.

"This is not the time nor the place to talk about this."

"Or to acknowledge him all together." Link muttered and I shot him a look.

"Let me take care of this and we can meet in the hotel next door, okay?" We can talk privately then."

And much to Link's dismay, we did meet up in the hotel lobby and we were now in the sitting room of Link and I's hotel room .

"So would you mind explaining as to why you're in Kakariko Village?" Cyder rubbed the bridge of his nose, more than overwhelmed with the idea of finding the disappeared Princess of Hyrule in Kakariko Village.

"Well, um... I ran away?" I answered. Honesty was better than lying, right?

"Yes, clearly. Mind explaining why? And with him?" Cyder glanced over at Link, who was seated on a dining room chair, backwards. Link glared at Cyder and he was just as quick to return it.

"W-Well..." The two turned their gazes towards me. "I-I've never been outside the castle and I wanted to..." His green eyes pierced through me and I found myself intimidated by the boy.

"You wanted to?" I looked down.

"I wanted to explore the world." I replied in a whisper. A long silence dragged on before Cyder let out a sigh.

"Do you know how worried I was? I come to your bedroom to deliver breakfast, only to find you gone and with only a note?" Shame hit me like Ordon goat. "Do you know how terrified I was, to have to deliver that note to Impa? As much as you said you were going to be in safe hands, Impa went on a rampage. She sent my sisters and I home. Nobody knows that you're gone. The news has been confined within the castle walls and Impa swore that if word got out to anyone, our heads would be hanged as ornaments in the castle." I cringed. As expected from an infuriated and irritated Impa.

"I'm sorry."

"What are you trying to achieve here, kid? In all honesty, it sounds like you're trying to make her regret her decision on coming out. If my understanding is clear, she only has one caretaker, not two." Link straightened in his chair.

"Stay out of this!" Cyder told him and Link scoffed, standing.

"'Stay out of this'? This is as much as my business as it is hers. Your precious princess? She ran away with me. She trusted me. You're not getting anywhere with this guilt trip and I'm sure your princess would greatly appreciate it if you left, now."

"Guilt trip? I'm not trying to-"

"Leave, now. Before I make you leave." Cyder looked over at me but I couldn't even meet his gaze. He let out a huff before standing.

"I see I overstayed my welcome. Please, excuse me, Princess." I was only able to nod as Cyder left. Link let out an annoyed sigh once the door closed. He turned to me and sat beside me, an arm's length between us.

"You alright?" He asked softly. I couldn't find my voice to reply. The only response I could give are my shaking shoulders.

"I-I'm sorry Link, I-" I stood, going to my bedroom and closed the door behind me. I laid face down in my bed, screaming into the pillows.

Am I not allowed freedom? My escape cost the job of three others, not only that, bit their lives were threatened. What is Cyder going to tell his family when they ask as to why he's home? He can't lie to his family.

I don't know how long it was that I cried, I think it was until my throat was sore from the screaming. I don't know how long I stayed asleep in my room because I was being nudged away.

"Zel, wake up. I've brought some late lunch." It was evident in my eyes that I had been crying, as they were pink and puffy. It was just as evident that I had been screaming, as I could barely speak because of how raw my throat was. I could barely speak above a whisper.

Link had gotten a warm chicken vegetable soup, him getting some nachos that looked very inviting, but my stomach wasn't in the mood for. The warmth of the soup worked wonders to my throat, making the pain lessen.

"Zelda, listen." Link spoke up after a while. "I want to... Apologize for my behavior. Whenever I got the market and saw him holding onto you, something like, instinct, kicked in and told me to go protect you. I understand that he was one of the people who worked for you at the castle, but no one can be trusted. As for his guilt tripping you... I can tell it worked." I sniffled, looking down at my nearly finished soup. "I know it feels bad, the moment you leave the castle, trouble started. In one way, yes, trouble did start, but remember, you knew what consequences were going to come with leaving. You made your choice. Don't let some servant make you regret you coming out for a vacation." His words floated around my head for a bit, before I was able to muster up some words.

"Thank you, Link." I managed to say. He gave a little nod and remained silent for a bit, before looking over at me.

"Do you want to let off some steam?"

Well hey, boy howdy, it's been a while