"I…"

"… See you later"

Her disheveled good-bye still rung in her ears as she materialized into her own world. Gravity suddenly felt more aggressive, pressing on her with relentless force as her legs threatened to give out from under her. Tears stung her eyes and threatened to flow out with gravity's force. But she knew she could not show her weakened state. Not in front of her people.

With all the grace of a princess she could muster, she walked down the sloped hill toward the crowd that had gathered in the central piece of land of the connected islands. Murmurs of question rose from the beings like smoke from a fire. They all gaped at each other and at themselves as they discovered their true forms had been recovered, and they no longer were twisted under the suppressing bodies and masks that the Usurper King had condemned them into. Their chatter ceased as they spotted the elegant woman walking towards them with her head held strong and violet lips pressed into a regal line. Her outward appearance was deceitful, however, for she felt as small and damaged as a young child after the traumatic events that occurred only moments before.

But she could not allow her subjects witness a damaged ruler.

"People of Twilight. My people." Despite her saddened state, a pulse of pride still warmed her limbs at the victory that was won. "Our beautiful realm was wrongly usurped with a greedy force, as you certainly were aware of." A few heads hung in memory of the awful rein of the Usurper King, while others' eyes pooled with hatred at the very thought of him. "The strong Twili people were taken advantage of, and I, your Princess, was tossed from the throne like a stray dog into an alleyway." She bowed her head and close her eyes. "And I beg forgiveness for my weakness." She lifted her head once again and regained a strong posture. "But my kingdom, my subjects, would not so easily be taken from me, for this land is my home and its people are my friends. Each beat of your hearts is the beat of my own."

To her relief, the faces of her people showed tender forgiveness to their renewed ruler.

"I labored to free you, my heart beats. With the help of a hero," it took all in her power not to break at his mention, "we conquered the wrongful ruler and the Twilight Realm was freed once again." At first, all was silent, but slowly a few cheers called out and kissed a touch of warmth to her frozen heart.

"No more will you suffer the tyranny of Zant," she spat his name like it was poison in her mouth. "No more will you be imprisoned in a form that he forced you to. Our kingdom, our realm, is free." With that, she pushed her fist into the air and her robe swayed in the movement.

The solemn dam was demolished, and the cheers shook the ground beneath their feet like a thundering waterfall. A cautious grin tugged her lips, and her people continued to cheer. Their realm was finally freed. Joy was singing in her head and flaming in her crimson eyes, yet the nagging pierce of loneliness and regret still hung like a threat over her head. Yet, she managed convincing smiles and reassuring hand-squeezes to her subjects as she walked her way through the palace, her palace, and into the throne room.

She stood in the center of the room with a blank expression upon her pristine face until the door slid shut, separating her from her people. The room was silent and cold, and caused a shudder to ripple through the tall frame of the Princess. All she could see was the Hero standing courageously in this very room, facing the "King" that caused the chaos to begin with. Together, with unity that surprised them both considering their differences, the two defeated him and rid his wretched presence from both realms. The warming light nor ominous twilight would ever witness his heartless face again. Her memory soon was flooded with their final moments before she left, with the setting sun outlining his figure and causing what look like a halo around his dusty blonde locks. The looks of disbelief on both the Hero's and Princess of Hyrule's faces burned in her mind as she shattered the Mirror for eternity.

No longer could her body mimic false strength as she stood in the center of that throne room, and the Twilight Princess crumpled to the floor with the pendant upon her head pressed into the cold surface of the floor. Her tall stature reduced to a feeble pile of robes and sunset-colored hair, and the entire heap shook with sobs. She wept until she thought she would writher up from dehydration and her tears stained the throne room floors.

Though he knew there was no logical way, his mind kept attempting to concoct some way or plan to reach his adventure's companion once again. After days on end aiding each other and fighting their way through unforgiving dungeons and threats of Hyrule, it seemed so sinful to separate in such a brief and unceremonious way. The two were striking opposites, he being the Hero of Light chosen of the Gods, and she being the ruler of Twilight and decedent of exiled beings from Hyrule. Yet they found that their tactics and abilities quite complimented each other, and through their long adventures they learned to compromise and work together progressively better. At the ends of their journey to save both realms, they were nearly brother and sister in their contrary hearts. And yet, with the drop of a tear, she was cut off from him and the kingdom. The very thought grasped a cold hand around the Hero's heart as he mourned for his sister of Twilight. Though he could never forget her and her journey of enlightenment; his title would forever be bound to her as the Hero of Twilight.

The kingdom slowly began piecing the broken pieces of Hyrule together a few weeks after the tremendous journey. Few souls knew of the Hero nor his Twilight sister and all the effort they made toward restoring their proud land, save a few kind hearts such as the Princess, who aided much as well, and the people the Hero befriended along his journey. Though many did not know of his grand efforts, they knew him for the little tasks he selflessly completed in the process of restoring the kingdom. His face, though often not associated with a name, would be labelled as the kind, young man who said very little but did very much. Those who walked Castletown knew of his heroic duties due to the honorary ceremony planned by the Princess that took place in the central square to praise him, but they knew not the extent of his efforts. Only that he had saved the grand land of Hyrule from further destruction. The land's wounds began to heal over the course of several months, each subject lending a helping hand until the kingdom was wound together once again under the wise Princess.

The Hero retired from his adventures, and took home near the Kakariko Gorge where he could easily travel to his old home in Ordon or visit central Hyrule. His humble cabin lay nestled in the trees, and on the warm evenings he would climb to the top of the rocks to watch the sun set over the Gerudo Desert in the distance, the sun rays causing the sea of sand to look as if was aflame. He spent his days alone, adding to his cabin or traveling through the lands to reunite with the many people he came to know during his adventures. One place he avoided solely, however, was the desert where he knew memories of his lost sister would torment him with unrelenting claws. Months passed, and his cabin became sturdier, his shoes more worn, his expression more tired. He had visited every corner of Hyrule on the back of his loyal horse and helped all the kind souls as they pieced their lives back together. Nearly a year had whizzed by like a diving hawk, and he had almost nowhere else to visit.

He stood upon the tall rocks in the Kakariko Gorge, and watched the sun slip further down toward the sandy horizon. He grasped a warm coat around his lean frame as his mind wandered into those sandy dunes. Before long, the sun gave its final rays for the day, and fell behind the horizon. The Hero had made up his mind.

With a night of restless and nervous sleep, he awoke the next morning to jitters causing his body to twitch as he packed his worn travel pouch and strapped a shield and sword to his back. Though Hyrule was healing, the Usurper's and Demon King's beasts had been spotted here and there roaming, lost, around the land. He hoped a sword would not be necessary, but he was a cautious man. Before the day's sunrays had begun to grace the sky, he closed the wooden door to his stone cabin and set off for the land he so desperately had avoided.

The day brought a clear blue sky and warm air, and Lake Hylia's water was as smooth as glass that reflected the blue of the sky clearly. He allowed a small smile warm his features as he saw several houses in the process of being built along the water's clear shores. People had previously lost interest in settling around the lake when the water had severely drained, but now that the land was safer and peaceful with the lake filled to the brim, people were quickly building fishing homes and settlements. Perhaps Fyer and Falbi would be able to scrape in more business now. The Hero noticed a rough carved path in the side of the tall canyon of the plateau that raised the Gerudo Desert above Lake Hylia. In attempt to make all the land easier to travel about, workers must have been constructing a path to the desert for people moving around.

With strong steps, he walked up the rocky and windy path to the dreaded desert. The path was well used, as he passed several friendly faces along the way that claimed they were either exploring the ruins around the edges of the desert or simply visiting for the sake of seeing all Hyrule. Slowly the rich brown and green of the earth turned to the pale tan of sandstone as he ascended the pathway. The narrow walls opened to the vast desert, a wide sea of purely sand. He stopped to absorb the view, and attempted to push the memory of standing with his companion near the very spot where he now existed. His lively sapphire eyes grazed the horizon, but skipped over a particular structure that loomed in the distance. With a determined breath, he willed his feet forward across the loose sand, his worn leather boots sinking slightly with each step. Those boots had so much adventure, loss, and memory tailored into every stitch, and they were clearly showing their travel. But the Hero refused to wear anything else until the same soles that saved the land walked upon every inch of the kingdom once again.

The sun was beginning to dip lower into the sky, the noon light glowing into a richer amber color of evening. He was nearing the building now; his steps became less confident with every stride. But he pressed on. The entrance of the Arbiter's Grounds loomed over his head before long, and the cool, stale air of the stony walls pressed into his nose. Every trace of the threatening beasts that once stalked the rooms were long since cleared out thanks to the Hero's time spent here, yet the place seemed unnervingly empty, almost like a giant tomb. He allowed his calloused fingers to glide against the carved walls, his eyes exploring the tall ceilings and carvings upon the walls. The entirety of the place was dark and eerie, and he thanked the Goddesses for remembering to bring his lantern filled with fresh oil. With a solemn face, he lit each torch he passed until each room glowed with the dancing flames. After his slow and somber wandering, he finally fell upon the tall, cylindrical room that he had fought a skeletal beast in all those months ago. A poorly-built wooden staircase hugged the side of the room, connecting the remaining ruins of the ancient staircase that had once hung upon the tall walls. He gingerly tested the wood, and once he discovered they could withstand his weight began climbing them with his fingers trailing the dusty walls. The ascent led him to the opening to the outer part of what looked like a colosseum, the pillars beginning to crumble under the weight of the heavy sandstone.

His heart began to flutter with anxiety the more he climbed the slanted floor. His hands trembled, and with a nervous determination he pressed them to his legs. With a head hung low in avoidance, he finally reached the top of the colosseum where he had said his unwanted farewell to his Twilight sister. The sapphire of his eyes seemed to refuse to meet with the scene in front of him, and resorted instead to staring at the tired toes of his dusty boots.

After a long while, he finally mustered his courage that he was so notorious for, and met the pensive grounds with stony face. Everything was left exactly as he remembered, the open walls and six pillars of the sages extending like strong fingers into the sky. The sun was cradled in one of the arches of the wall, now beginning to dip into a flaming sunset. The scene looked so much like the one in his memory, and his heart tripped over its own beats as he saw the empty mount where the Mirror of Twilight once sat. With precise steps, he approached the empty frame and allowed his fingers to slide down its curved half-circle. The strength suddenly left his legs and he fell harshly to his knees in front of the empty frame and faced the lopsided rock that was half imbedded in the sand.

Though he felt as if he wanted to, no tears nor a single cry distorted his young features, and his clear eyes instead stayed blankly pinned to the large stone for Hylia knows how long. The sun caused the sky to increase in the stunning hues of topaz and rose as a few lazy clouds hung in midst of the blazing colors. The grounds were silent, disrupted only by the Hero's slow breaths.

"Link?"

His eyes returned to the present as he jumped at the gentle voice from behind him. With caution, he arose to his feet and turned to face the voice with his hand bracing to draw his sword. But with a single glance upon the person who inquired of him, his trembling hand fell slack at his side in shock.

The Princess of Hyrule stood in all the pristine glory that her subjects knew her for in front of him. Her sky-blue eyes were round and serious, though the familiar weight of sadness still dwelled within them. Her features were pulled into an unreadable expression as she stared at the Hero that saved her land. He remained silent and stunned; she expected no different from him. His eyes dropped in sudden shame and embarrassment as he realized that the Princess had seen him in such a weak and vulnerable state. But she gracefully glided to his side with a regal posture that testified of her royalty.

As she drew closer, however, her tight stance began to relax and her expressionless face began to flush with life and emotion as she drew nearer to her Hero. She stopped a few feet away and placed her careful hand upon the same empty frame that Link had moments previously touched. Her face was pulled in a soft frown as she stared at the structure, surely remembering the farewell that had occurred months ago. The Hero simply stared at her hand with the same solemn expression that he had carried the entire travel.

"I miss her as well." The Princess's gentle eyes lifted to meet the Hero's, and they quietly stared into each other's shade of blue with shared grief.

"I hadn't realized that you would be here," she stated softly. "I've visited this place at least once a month since her departure." Her eyes broke contact and instead wandered the colosseum, the pink of the sky making her eyes look as if they had been touched a gentle rosy kiss. "It pains me each visit, yet I cannot seem to stay away from the Grounds. I see you have felt the same pull." His eyes too returned to the large area as she said this.

They sat in a mourning silence for some time. She suddenly reached out grasped his bare hands, noting the tingle of what felt like electricity between the two that surprised them both. Heat rose to his face as her fingers gave a reassuring squeeze to the troubled Hero, and he returned the sentiment. They remained that way, faced toward the stone with lively blue eyes and their warm hands fit together as they remembered the cheeky woman that had been turned kind by the light of their world.

Whilst they stood, that cheeky Princess, in the now peaceful Twilight Realm, stood regally at the balcony of her personal suite, her deep eyes lost in the serene particles of twilight as she thought of a different, lighter realm. She recalled the courageous soul that she had grown to love as her own family and the selfless Princess that had sacrificed herself for the sake of the once selfish Twilight Princess. A sad smile sat upon her lovely features as she stared into the kingdom that was still rejoicing in their newfound freedom.

The three each stared across their realms, reuniting in thought with the contrasting souls they had grown to cherish.