I remember the first time I saw her—sunlight through stained glass, seven years old and kneeling in the garden. She handed me a white flower and said, 'For bravery.' I kept it until it turned to dust.

Now, standing at the edge of Lake Hylia, the Water Gem pulsing in my glove, I think of that moment often. I’ve fought fire, ice, shadow, and time itself. But none of it compares to the fear in my chest when she looks at me—like I’m something more than a sword in motion.

Tonight, after the banquet, she finds me on the balcony. Wind lifts her golden hair. 'You don’t have to do this alone,' she says softly. 'I see you, Link. All of you.'

My throat tightens. This is the closest she’s ever come to seeing what I feel.

Behind us, Malon waits with Epona, smiling sadly. In the shadows, Ganondorf’s spies watch. And in my heart, a question burns: Do I remain silent? Or do I finally tell her the truth?