Summary: With Ganon destroyed, the Champions gone, and Zelda crowned Queen, Link ponders his future and works to recover a past love. This story begins two years after the end of the game.

This is a work of fan fiction using characters and events from the world of The Legend of Zelda™: Breath of the Wild, which is owned and copyrighted by Nintendo. I obviously do not claim any ownership of the world or its characters. This writing is a work of my imagination and is for entertainment only. It is not part of the official Nintendo storyline.

Summary: Two years have passed since Ganon's defeat, and Link ponders his future.

Link awoke suddenly to a clap of thunder and the sound of heavy rain beating against the window above his bed in his Hateno Village house. The dawn sky was just brightening, though it cast only a dim light through the clouds. He could do without the thunder, but the sound of the steady rainfall that followed it was soothing. Since he was a young child, he had loved the sound of water, the splash of a waterfall, or the steady patter of raindrops against a roof or window. He took a deep breath, rolled over in his bed, and closed his eyes again - not to sleep but to think.

He had an important meeting later that morning with Dr. Purah at the nearby Hateno Ancient Tech Lab, but there was still plenty of time, and there was no hurry to get up. Link lay there, his thoughts wandering.

He needed to prepare himself mentally for the upcoming meeting, and he was completely unsure how it would turn out. Dr. Purah was a brilliant but eccentric Sheikah scientist, and you never knew what her reaction might be. She could surprise even those who knew her well, like her younger sister Impa or her research colleague Dr. Robbie.

How had he first begun thinking about what he wished to discuss with Dr. Purah? It had all started when he read the Zora monument about Princess Ruto.

History of the Zora, Part Five

The Sage Princess Ruto

As told by King Dorephan

Long, long ago... In a past more distant than even the Great Calamity or the creation of the Divine Beast, Vah Ruta... There was a Zora princess named Ruto. We know that she was an attendant to the Zora patron deity and that she was a fair and lively girl, beloved to all. Around that same time, an evil man with designs on ruling the world appeared, bringing disaster upon Zora's Domain. It is said that Ruto then awoke as a sage, facing this foe alongside the princess of Hyrule and the hero of legend. Her achievements are remembered not only by the Zora, they are also forever etched into the history of Hyrule. The Divine Beast Vah Ruta, built ages later to face off against Calamity Ganon, was named in honor of Ruto. That the Zora princess—my sweet daughter Mipha—was chosen to pilot Ruta is surely the work of fate.

It made Link curious to learn more about Princess Ruto, and so he consulted the information available in the restored Hyrule Castle Library. It was there that the story became more interesting and started giving him ideas.

The Link of that period was referred to as the Hero of Time, and he was called that because he traveled back and forth in time for seven years. In his original timeline, he and the Sages battled Ganondorf and finally destroyed him.

But that wasn't the end of the story.

There was another timeline created by Link and Zelda's actions. And in that timeline, Ganondorf's treachery was caught before he could accomplish his evil intent. He was arrested, imprisoned, and when he was unable to be executed, he was banished to the Twilight Realm. He eventually returned to cause havoc, as told in the stories about the Hero of Twilight.

But that wasn't the point. The point was that Link had changed things for the better for Hyrule through time travel. And if it had been done once, why couldn't it be done again?

He had wondered, of course, if time travel was still possible. There was still a Temple of Time, but could anyone make it serve its original purpose? He had been excited thinking about the possibility, not only for himself but for all of Hyrule. Could he go back in time and prevent Ganon's destruction just like the Hero of Time had?

The only one who might know about such things was Dr. Purah, and that had led to Link making an appointment with her for later this morning.

Of course, a good deal had happened in the past two years since Calamity Ganon's defeat. Monsters were almost all gone now, the few remaining hiding out in remote parts of Hyrule. Once the Blood Moons stopped restoring monsters, it was no longer futile to destroy them, and that had been one of the first tasks. People traveled safely and without fear now. The Yiga Clan could still cause trouble, but the Gerudo were doing their best to monitor them, and Ganon's defeat had demoralized them. They were lying low, at least for now.

Re-building Hyrule was still the top priority. He smiled at how successful the Bolson Construction company had become. They had plenty of workers now and plenty to do, and some healthy competition. And thank Hylia, they no longer had time to hang around his house every day.

Link had taken this house in the quiet farming community of Hateno Village to be far away from the hustle and bustle of Hyrule Castle. People left him alone here, and his comfortable little house on a hill afforded him a place to relax and reflect on his life on those occasions he wasn't traveling. It was when he was home that he recorded everything he could remember in a journal he was keeping. And that was harder for him than it sounded because he had lost almost all his memories. When he awoke from the Shrine of Resurrection a little over two years ago, his mind was a blank.

When he first awoke, he spent weeks recovering all the memories he could from the pictures stored in Zelda's Sheikah Slate. That was a helpful start, but those were only memories of times he had spent with Zelda. Along the way, he also regained some memories from visiting the four major villages in Hyrule and talking with people there. That helped him remember a little about Urbosa, Revali, Daruk, and Mipha, his fellow Champions. And that traveling bard, Kass, had told him tales of the times Zelda recruited each of the Champions, which helped him see more of their personality. Sometime later, Kass found that group picture Mipha requested at Hyrule Castle, and it triggered a memory of that occasion.

Thanks to taking notes in his journal, he had been able to sort out all those memories and put them in order of their occurrence. And he realized the last memory he had of all of them together was that fateful moment by the East Gate of Lanayru Road when Ganon attacked, and each of the Champions raced back to their Divine Beast. They had trusted in that ancient technology from ten thousand years ago, but Ganon had learned his lesson and outsmarted all of them. He never saw the Champions again, save in spirit form.

But he had lived a life beyond those few memories he had recovered from the Sheikah Slate and the others he had learned from Kass or stumbled upon in the villages. And after he fulfilled his duty to Hyrule, he naturally wanted to learn more about who he was and who were the important people in his life.

Even when he first awoke from the shrine and began his quest to save Hyrule, there were hints of important people in his life, people and places that must have meant a lot to him at one time.

The most fruitful sources of information came from Zora's Domain. Quite a few people there had remembered him from over one hundred years ago. Some older ones hated him at first, blaming him for what happened. But others recognized him as a friend and former playmate. From conversations, he learned he must have spent a good deal of time there. And when he spoke with King Dorephan and Prince Sidon, it became clear there was someone very special in his life who had lived there and was the reason he spent so much time in Zora's Domain.

He learned Princess Mipha was much more than a fellow Champion. She was a friend from his early childhood, someone who looked out for him and took care of him, healing his injuries with her magic. And after he eventually caught up with her in equivalent age, she had fallen in love with him and crafted an exquisite set of Zora armor in the expectation they would marry.

At the time he learned all this, he could barely remember Mipha or how he had felt about her. His first detailed memory of her was one he recovered by looking at her statue. He recalled a sunny late afternoon when they were sitting together atop Divine Beast Vah Ruta as she healed a wound on his forearm and promised to care for him. He could remember what she said to him and the look in her eyes. But he couldn't remember how he responded or what happened afterward. However, he had made some progress recovering more memories in the past two years, memories that Zelda's Sheikah Slate could not help him with.

Speaking of the Sheikah Slate, he no longer had it. Zelda had taken it back from him after their victory in Hyrule Field. And when the four Champion spirits departed Hyrule after Ganon's defeat, he could no longer use their special powers. Urbosa's Fury, Daruk's Protection, Revali's Gale, and Mipha's Grace were all gone. It was yet another sadness: having those powers to call upon made him feel his friends were still with him.

Aside from their weapons, all he had left to remember the Champions was that picture hanging on his wall: the group picture of Zelda, the Champions, and himself that Purah took just after the inauguration ceremony with King Rhoam. He recalled it was Mipha's idea to take the picture, and he was glad she thought of it. He remembered how cute Mipha was, sidling next to him and taking a deep breath as she straightened herself, trying to look her very best for the picture. And then that big clown Daruk had "brought them all together." He looked at the picture now and then to remember all of them, but it was bittersweet. That was a happy moment of fun and togetherness, but little did any of them know how short-lived it would be. Now the only one left was Zelda: the rest were all dead.

He got up and made himself a vegetable omelet for breakfast, and soon he was eating at his small dining room table. The prizes that the village leaders awarded him for freeing the Divine Beasts filled the surrounding walls. There was Revali's Great Eagle bow, Daruk's Boulder Breaker, Urbosa's Scimitar of the Seven and Daybreaker Shield, and most precious of all to him now, Mipha's Lightscale Trident. At least he had those things to remember them, and he could touch something they once touched in life.

While he enjoyed his little house, he also liked to travel. He sometimes visited Impa at Kakariko Village and enjoyed talking with her and listening to her stories of the past. Impa had been a valuable ally and guide when he awoke from the Shrine of Resurrection with no memory. She was one of the few living Sheikah who remembered him from before Calamity Ganon's attack, and she had even saved his Champion Tunic for him for 100 years.

Impa would always welcome him warmly when he visited. She would ask him how he was and what he had learned from his travels. They would sometimes sit and have tea together. She was getting older, but her mind was as sharp as ever. And she was not entirely sympathetic with his efforts to recall his past. She would shake her head as if disappointed in him and then encourage him to move on with his life and put the past behind him.

Impa's granddaughter Paya still lived with her, and Paya was always nervous around him. Even to someone as bad at reading women's feelings as he was, he could tell she had a crush on him. Impa no doubt knew that, and he wondered if her urging him to move on meant she hoped he would develop a relationship with Paya. Paya was undoubtedly a lovely person with a good heart, very devout, and he liked her and respected her. In other circumstances, he would be happy to get to know her better. But he wasn't ready for a relationship with anyone now, and the fact he made Paya so uncomfortable was one reason he limited his visits to Impa.

Most of all, he liked to spend time in Zora's Domain, talking to King Dorephan, Prince Sidon, and the others there who remembered Mipha and him from over a hundred years ago. Those conversations helped him remember. Or if not fully remember, at least learn more about the times he spent there with her. He almost always wore the Zora Armor now. It fit him well, and that was one way of assuring he kept in shape. Besides, swimming up waterfalls often shortened his journeys. He still had other armor and his blue Champion's tunic. He needed those for the few occasions he had to attend a meeting at Hyrule Castle.

Her Majesty, Zelda, was Queen of Hyrule now. Her coronation had been a grand ceremony, with crowds cheering, happy to see Hyrule under a new leader after a hundred years of desolation. At age 17, she was young to be crowned as ruler, but she offered hope to a long-suffering population amazed to see her alive at all. Her survival was considered nothing short of a miracle and a sign she was blessed by the Goddess.

Link had attended the ceremony, of course, and even had a place of honor in the entourage. But soon after that, he began to feel no longer needed. Zelda was fully protected by the reconstituted Royal Guards now, and there was far less to protect her from, anyway. Then, too, Zelda was kept very busy with her duties, and he didn't like to intrude. It had been several months after the coronation that he had requested a private meeting with her. He recalled the meeting with her now.

Link was ushered alone into a private reception room at Hyrule Castle. After a few minutes, Zelda entered and gave him a welcoming smile. He immediately bent down on one knee.

"Your Majesty, thank you for seeing me. I know how busy you are," said Link.

"Link, I am never too busy to see you. I would hope you know that by now. And, as I've told you before, when we are alone together, please call me Zelda. I think I should start fining you a Rupee each time you forget."

"Of course, uh, Zelda," Link laughed as he rose to his feet.

"How are you, Link?" said Zelda. "You are looking well. You know I'm always happy to see you."

"I'm fine, Zelda, still traveling a good deal," said Link. "And I enjoy seeing you, too. You look wonderful! And everyone I meet speaks highly of you and how capable a ruler you are."

"I wonder if they sing my praises to you because they know we are friends?" laughed Zelda. "But I appreciate the compliment. What did you wish to see me about?"

"This is hard for me to say, Zelda, but I need to say it. I think it would be best if I left Hyrule Castle and worked on restoring my memory. I have made some progress here and there, but to push things further, I need to go out more and meet with the few people who remember me while they still can. Also, I'm not sure I'm needed here. Our task with Calamity Ganon is thankfully over, and you are well protected now. Of course, if you grant me leave, I will miss the people I've come to know here. And I will miss you most of all," said Link.

He spoke this more eloquently than he usually did, having rehearsed beforehand. He nervously watched Zelda for her reaction. Zelda smiled sweetly, but her tone was sad.

"I shall be very sorry to see you go, if that is your wish. It was a comfort to know you were here if I needed to talk to a friend or reminisce about my father and the others. I admit that my duties as Queen have kept me busy, and we have not had as much time together as I would have liked. I wish it were otherwise. But I understand you wish to recover your past. And I think I know the one you want to remember most of all," said Zelda.

Link blushed. They both knew she meant Mipha.

"So, not without sadness, I shall grant your request and relieve you, for now, of your duties here. Please take as much time as you need to recover your memories. But, Link, I hope you know that you will always have a special place in my heart, and you are forever welcome to return here anytime you wish. And I hope you will do so often."

"Thank you for being so understanding, Zelda," Link said. "You know, if I may be so bold, how special you are to me as well and that I will always cherish our time together."

At that, he bowed to take his leave, but Zelda stepped forward and stopped him and embraced him with a hug, which he returned. He closed his eyes, fighting back the tears as they held each other.

"Oh, Link, I will miss you so much!" said Zelda. "Please remember, I am your good friend. I wish you success in seeking your memories. But, as a friend, I would also like to see you happy. I hope you can move on with your life. I can imagine how painful your loss is. I, too, have had painful losses. But we cannot live forever in the past, Link. I would be happy to see you visit often and let me know how you are. In fact, I think I will make that a royal decree that you do!" Zelda teased him as they separated from their embrace.

"Yes, I will gladly honor your royal decree," laughed Link. "And thank you, Zelda."

Then he bowed and left the room.

That meeting had been almost two years ago. He visited Zelda at least once a month as promised and enjoyed seeing her. She always received him happily and put aside an hour or more of her busy schedule for him. He told her what he had learned from his travels around the kingdom, and she shared her plans for Hyrule's reconstruction. Zelda was a very dear person to him. So much of the life he could remember was the time they spent together. She had matured from the sixteen-year-old girl her father had charged him to protect. Now she was a capable ruler. And yes, she was right. If the plan he would discuss with Dr. Purah couldn't work, he would need to move on from the past.

As he cleaned up, he recalled the times he had visited the Divine Beasts shortly before Ganon's defeat. At each Divine Beast, he had entered a virtual world where he could hone his fighting skills by battling once again those horrible blight creatures Ganon had created. It was valuable training for his ultimate battle. And it also allowed him to hear the Champions' spirits a few more times. The voice of Mipha, lamenting his inability to remember their time together and that she would never forget, made him choke up each time he thought of it. It was so cruel to lose someone who loved you so much.