if i die tomorrow - permanent hiatus

hope

     "So the Princess is dead." Sadie's fingertips grazed the words scrawled on the rough paper. 

     I nodded, relishing her bluntness. 

     "And you are the Hero of Hyrule." She raised her eyes to meet mine, pensive light sparkling in her hazel depths. "I should have known."

     Again I nodded, bowing my head.

     "But I still don't understand what it has to do with me." She placed the notebook back into my hands, her eyes slightly narrowed in thought. "I do want to help you. I hate this sorry state of Hyrule as much as you must do, but I am but a stable girl. Unless you want me to ride a horse through Calamity Ganon?"

     I played idly with the crinkled pages, a whirlwind of thoughts raging in my brain, contained by the blank mask plastered on my face. I couldn't afford to waste more time with Sadie in the dark with who she was, but if I awakened her before she was meant to, I couldn't promise her mental safety, I couldn't even promise her life. The Triforce was a burden, not a gift, as I knew all too well.

     I couldn't dump this information on her. Not now. Now when we regarded each other with nothing but wariness. 

     Then when? And how could I explain the tangled mess that was this situation without telling her?

     I need someone to help me, of course. I decided on a half-lie, lowering my eyes to my fiddling fingers. One Triforce against one doesn't play out well.

     "But why me?" She persisted, the beginnings of suspicion kindling in her eyes. "Why not someone that's actually held a blade before?"

     I sighed, cursing myself over and over again for my muddled head. She was more perceptive than I had dared to hope. You were there that night. I am not a man who believes in fate, but -- pardon my bluntness -- you called to me. I can't explain why. I sought you out and I found you. It had to mean something, something.

     "...Say I believe you, just for argument's sake, and follow along with whatever it is you're doing." She leaned back, folding her hands together in her lap, frowning at them. "What do you want me to do? I can't fight. I have nothing that can go against Ganon."

      And then I realized, a blinding flash of understanding that sent me reeling back. 

     She had no power. She wasn't any further along in her destiny than Zelda was.

     I hadn't even considered this possibility, so desperately I clutched to just the idea of her, another Zelda, still by my side, still living, still just existing in the same world as I, tangible, reachable.

     Which meant that I had one week, one week, to accomplish what my Zelda hadn't done in eleven years.

     "Sir." Sadie's soft tone brought me back from my hurricane of fears and surprise and dread. "Please explain. I want to help you, but I cannot if you refuse to tell me what I need to know."

     Okay, fine. Here's the deal. I will tell you everything I can't tell you, IF you tell me what you were doing out here in the first place. I slid it over to her and waited for her expression to change.

     All the colour drained from her face, then quick as a flash of lightning it returned, a brighter, more furious red than ever. "What?! N-No way!"

     I fought a smile. Then I believe we have an agreement. 

     She scowled at me, her mouth set. 

     I will tell you everything you want to know in time, but not yet. It's not safe for you nor me. For now, I need you answer this question as honestly as you can, because once you choose, you cannot turn back. Will you, or will you not, journey with me to save Hyrule?