Blizzaga Saga: Hello! At one point, this story was going to be much longer, stretching into Link's and Romani's adulthood. I scrapped many ideas as my goals for the fic changed, but I've taken a few and and combined them into an epilogue of sorts. This chapter isn't necessary for understanding the overall story, but it shows a few scenes I see happening a few years down the road. So if you like the fic and want to see more of the characters, enjoy!

Several years later...

Inside Honey & Darling's Shop, the two owners held each other close. When a pair of fourteen-year-olds walked in, they hardly looked away from each other.

"Look, Honey, a handsome couple has walked in. But the girl's beauty pales in comparison to yours. The sun itself cannot outshine you."

Honey tightened her hold on him. "Yes, Darling, and you are my everything: my life, my love, my happiness. If I am your sun, then bask in me."

Link and Romani shared puzzled expressions and walked back outside instead of playing a game as they had intended to do. As soon as the door closed behind them, they burst into laughter.

"Your hair is hairy," Romani said in a dramatic voice, playing with his blonde bangs. "It is hairier than any hair which ever haired."

Still shyer than his girlfriend, Link had been looking for an excuse to touch her all morning, so he placed a hand on the small of her back and brought her toward him. "I am hairy for you. I am a hairy wolfos, hungry for your love."

Romani giggled and repeated what she'd heard a drunken man say once while she made her milk delivery. "Your eyes are blue, like...something blue. That bluish kind of blue. Now let me in your pants!"

The atmosphere changed. Link look nervous, and she blushed at what she'd said. He was taller than her now, so she stood on her toes and pecked him on the lips. "Happy birthday, Grasshopper."

"Thanks," he said, quieter than her. "This is my favorite time of year."

Link had never known his birthday, and at first he was against Romani declaring that they should make it the day of the Carnival of Time. But then he realized that the Carnival of Time was when his new life in Termina began, and he thought her idea was appropriate.

She couldn't help her widening smile; Link had been so happy lately, as though he had found acceptance for something which bothered him.

"You're coming over tonight, right?"

"Yes. I just have to take care of something first."

Her smile fell. "You're going to Great Bay, aren't you? Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?"

He nodded. When she still looked apprehensive, he added, "I'm happy, really." He kissed her back. "I'm not going there to drown myself in bad memories."

"I still worry about you being near the Gerudo."

"I don't plan to visit for long. I'll see you later. And Romani...thank you."

She raised an eyebrow, amused. "For what?"

"For, well..." For too many things. This time of year brought memories to the forefront of his mind, things he had to be grateful for: his adoptive parents, his life (being nearly killed by the Gerudo and by his quests made him appreciate that a bit more), and the fact that (as Anju had told him) he didn't have to fight anymore.

Perhaps most of all he was grateful for Romani, the girl who showed him strength with her smile every time he saw her, who helped him see that the scars of his past didn't have to control him. He could live happily with others...with her.

Link wanted to tell her all this, but lately he had been tongue-tied around her. Her figure was developing more, her red hair shining in the midday sun.

Knowing the effect she had on him, Romani winked. "Don't keep me waiting."

"Come on, Link! I want to kick ass like you!" Jim whined. "Why won't you train me?"

Link stood with poise that came from years of staying fit. Jim privately thought that the blonde was tough enough to stand against anyone. But Link's eyes and voice were kind when he spoke.

"You can train with the swordmaster."

"But he's a coward!"

Link chuckled. "Yes, but you can still learn from him. His mastery course is hard."

"But you've fought Gerudo! He could never do that."

Link looked up at the moon and thought about how peaceful it seemed compared to the angry celestial body which greeted him when he first stumbled into Termina. He remembered fierce battles won and lost, but more than that he recalled all the happy times since.

"After the Gerudo kidnapped me, I wanted to hurt them for what they did. But you and everyone else showed me that there's a whole life outside of fighting. I'll always be ready to defend my family, but I don't want to use a sword any more than I have to. That's why I won't train you. I'm sorry."

Link walked out the South Clock Town entrance, leaving Jim to brood alone. He didn't understand why everyone was so relaxed. It was like they forgot how the Gerudo nearly killed Link. Jim's mom said he was just going through an angry phase, but he knew that as long as those thieves and any other criminals were left alone, everyone was in danger.

And why did Link want to hang out with Romani instead of him? What was so great about girls?

"I'M NOT ANGRY!" he shouted, raising his fists to the heavens. No one heard him; the carnival was too loud, everyone too busy.

...Or so he thought until he heard a gasp beside him. Lowering his arms, he noticed with embarrassment that he had startled someone.

"Er...sorry."

"It's okay," a girl his age said quietly, not quite looking at him. He frowned. What, did he have something on his face? "Um...I'm looking for a boy named Link."

"Aren't we all?" he asked sarcastically before apologizing again. "What do you need him for?"

"He saved my dad from a curse a few years ago. I heard he's been living in Clock Town, and I wanted to thank him."

Her eyes lit up, and he decided her freckles and short brown hair were cute...for a girl, at least.

"He's on his way to his girlfriend's ranch, but I'll tell him you were looking for him."

"Thank you."

"My name's Jim. What's yours?"

"Pamela. I live with my dad in Ikana Valley. How do you know Link?"

"He and I are both in the Bombers Secret Society of Justice," he announced, puffing out his chest. "We're a group dedicated to helping others."

Her eyes grew round. "Wow, really? That's so cool!"

"Yep. Link is the muscle in the group. He helps protect Clock Town. But I'm tough too!" he added quickly. "I've even saved his life before."

Jim had no idea why he said that. It was stretching the truth quite a bit, and as a Bomber he was strictly against lying.

But her smile made him decide it was okay this one time.

Lulu didn't have to look to know who approached. The steps in the sand were too stiff for a Zora's, and only one person from Clock Town ever visited Mikau's grave.

Incidentally, that person also made the grave. Link moved to her side, and they both stared ahead.

"How are you and your children?"

The Zora scoffed, but didn't answer. He should know how she was: she was the same every time she came here on the anniversary of her lover's death. As for her children, the seven toddlers were a handful, but at least the other members of her band helped her care for them.

"I came to let you know this will be my last time here."

"Why? Are you so eager to forget him?" Her tone was nastier edge than she intended. To keep from taking her anger out on him more than she already had, she kept her eyes trained on the fish bone guitar standing upright on the beach. It was a simple and powerful tombstone; Mikau would have approved.

"No. I thought I did a good job on the grave when I first made it, but now it seems small. I have nightmares about him sometimes, about how he died in front of me. He taught me a lot, though. He's always going to be with me, so I can't confine him to this place anymore. That's why I'm not coming back."

Link wanted to say much more than that, but knew from experience that it was easy to offend someone who didn't like you. He didn't know if she forgave him, but if not, that was okay. The Goron Elder's son, still a child, certainly hadn't yet, and that was something he just had to accept.

"I'll come back if Great Bay is ever in trouble again or if you need help...or a friend. I wish you nothing but happiness. Mikau wanted the same. I hope you find the comfort I wasn't able to give you."

She stared at the guitar a while longer, still refusing to look at him, but a tear rolled down her cheek. His words sounded like something Mikau would say. Her stupid, wonderful boyfriend had always protected her so fiercely, and abruptly she wondered if Link had someone he cared for like that, if that was why he reminded her of Mikau sometimes. When she turned to ask, however, he was gone. Only the ocean waves and her anger kept her company, and she decided she was tired of it.

She'd tried for years, but she simply didn't have the energy to both be a mother and maintain this rage at a boy who she only half-believed was at fault, so for the first time she buried it with Mikau and went to see her babies.

Cremia knew more from Romani's flirtatious giggle than from the door opening that their guest had arrived. With speed that was impressive even for the shorter girl, she yanked him off of his horse and pulled him into the house, their fingers intertwined.

For not the first time that day, the ranch manager doubted herself. Though she trusted her sister, Romani and Link were teenagers, so she wondered if allowing them to drink Chateau Romani together for his birthday was a good idea.

Link eased her worry with a small smile, his hair combed neatly for the occasion. "Hello. How have you been?"

The fakeness disappeared from her smile; though he was still shy sometimes, Link had traded much of his timidity for a warm politeness. Cremia felt like a second mother to him behind Anju, and it was wonderful to see how he'd grown since he stopped looking for Navi.

"I'm fine, Link. I've been looking forward to tonight."

"Me too," added Romani, twirling her long hair nervously but excitedly like she often did when Link was nearby, and Cremia at last decided that despite her motherly instincts, no harm would come from letting them flirt a little. She would be with them the whole night to make sure nothing inappropriate happened.

After supper, conversation drifted to what job Link would pick when he reached adulthood. Mayor Dotour, his grandfather, had expressed hope that he would become mayor one day, but like Kafei, Link had thus far refused.

"Have you thought about training to be a guard?" Cremia asked, and Link shook his head.

"I'll fight if you ever need protection, but I don't want to carry my sword everywhere like I used to. When I told Mutoh about how I helped fix your fence, he told me I could work with him. I already know a lot about carpentry, and I like working with my hands."

"That's great. You won't be lonely with that kind of work," Cremia answered, having worried for a while that he would choose to work with the old astronomer, away from people.

Romani had been oddly quiet for a few minutes until now. "Link...I've been thinking. I'm not satisfied with our relationship anymore."

He looked like he had been punched in the stomach. "You...I don't...Are you breaking up with me?"

Her eyes widened in panic. "What? No! I'm saying I want to spend more time with you." Link visibly relaxed. "I asked Captain Viscen if I can train to be a guard. That way, I can spend more time in Clock Town and see you more often."

His face lit up. "That would be great! Buy I hope you're not doing it just to spend more time with me."

"No. I hear people in Clock Town say such stupid things, especially the drunkards where I deliver our milk. I want to show everyone that women can be strong too! Also...I want to protect you, like you protect me," she finished sweetly. Ever since the Gerudo snuck past the guards and kidnapped Link, she lost faith in their ability to protect him.

Link was ecstatic. "I'd love spending more time with you. I've um...been thinking you a lot lately." He stopped talking, afraid he might blurt out some of his recent dreams about her.

"That's what I want to do, if it's okay with you, Cremia. I won't do it if it makes things on the ranch too hard for you."

Cremia had been smiling the whole conversation. Her precious little sister was growing into such a lovely woman, and she wouldn't be surprised if in the future they looked back on this night as the moment when the courtship between Link and Romani began.

"It won't be easy, but I'll figure something out."

Romani's and Link's nervousness passed, and Cremia distributed a few rounds of the ranch's signature drink. It didn't surprise her when Romani drank the most despite her small size; she always tried to experience everything to the fullest.

The younger girl giggled as the evening came to an end. "Hee hee! Grasshopper can't hold his milk!"

Link chuckled with her. He supposed she was right since he felt more uncoordinated than he ever had. Still, hearing her melodic laugh was worth it.

Cremia didn't enjoy listening to drunks at the Milk Bar, but she drank in the conversation. Romani and Link sounded like they had when they first met, proving to her that despite how much they'd changed since he arrived in Termina, Link and Romani were still at their cores the same good people.

She was so proud of both of them.

"I'm getting one more glass, and then we should go to bed, okay?" asked Cremia.

Link nodded lethargically, unused to feeling intoxicated. Contentment washed over him, and he looked at Romani upon realizing that she hadn't responded to her sister. They stared at each other after Cremia left. Somehow, Romani looked even prettier than usual tonight.

"I'm better at holding my Chateau Romani because I've had it before. You will too next time."

Link nodded, wanting to say something, but the most intelligent comment he could manage was, "Chateau Romani is really good."

To his surprise, she stood, and he lost himself in the affection in her eyes. "I want to taste Chateau Link."

The redhead looked tipsy as she walked toward him, but she lowered herself onto his lap so decisively that he didn't question her judgment. Even if he wanted to, he was soon distracted by her lips on his. When the kiss ended, Link looked up at her in awe, her face above his for once.

"I wish we could spend every day together," he said quietly.

His words and touch warmed Romani's cheeks. "Since we can't yet, I want something to remember for the rest of the week."

They kissed again, but this time they didn't separate their mouths immediately. When he moved his lips against hers, she moved hers as well, happy that she finally had a way to both stay in motion and cuddle with Link. Thrilled when he grabbed her sides to pull her closer, she pressed her body against his, and their inhibitions fell into a pool of Chateau Romani.

Cremia nearly dropped her cup when she returned to find her sister on top of Link, their lips locked. "What are you doing?!"

They didn't seem to notice her, so she pulled Romani off of her seat. Unfortunately for Link, his girlfriend didn't let go of him, so he toppled and hit the floor. Apologizing silently to him, Cremia pulled the more energetic of the two upstairs.

Romani giggled the whole way. "Hi, Cremia. Guess what? I want to marry Link! Then we can all be family!"

Cremia admitted to herself that she would be happy if Romani and Link married someday, but that didn't mean she wanted to watch them make out. Besides, it looked like they had more than just making out in mind. From the top of the stairs, she glanced with pity at Link, who lay in an uncomfortable position on the floor with a rare goofy smile on his face. Deciding that the hangover he received in the morning would be punishment enough, she laid Romani onto her bed.

"Can you bring Link here? We were in the middle of something."

"You're in the middle of going to sleep."

Romani was unable to argue, the alcohol finally catching up to her. She smiled against her pillow and fell asleep thinking of the romance and work and play which waited for her and Link. Resolving to be more careful in the future about leaving the couple alone, Cremia pulled Link to his feet and guided him to his bed.

Romani was amazing, he thought as he stared at the ceiling. Though he'd known for years that staying in Termina was the right choice, he was more convinced now than ever. He couldn't wait until they were both adults and could be with each other whenever they wanted. The memory of her in his lap and her lips moving across his, however, told him that the present was nice too, and he passed out with a smile.