[ "Not always," he says, and her expression slips, falling away into surprise as she looks towards him with raised brows and a slightly slackened jaw. Had she said something wrong, or had someone hurt him? Recently, or long ago? She wonders, rudely, and then turns away from him, snapping her mouth shut as she looks down at her feet, only slightly ashamed. She's always causing problems for Link, in some way, even he isn't her own era's Hero.

So, in the end, he's right: She is tired of it all. All Zelda wants, in the moment, is to be... Zelda, and not an amalgamation of a girl and a goddess, or a girl who wrote her own destiny and plays into it willingly, using others as much as she uses herself.

She huffs, pouting half-heartedly. ]

I won't hear that kind of talk from someone. Putting yourself down like that is just going to keep you from achieving your goals!

[ At least she truly believes this, so as they stand before the exit, the portal glowing with the promise of freedom, she turns to him, smiling apologetically. For what? Everything, of course: She looks at him, downtrodden, believing he can't always come out victorious even when the Goddess blesses him, and she thinks it's her fault. The least she can do is try to tell him that he deserves better.

But because she is just a girl from the sky, she thinks of a long, long time ago, when a boy offered her his hand in a temple that would, eons later, be forgotten. And they, too, would be forgotten, but he would still hold her hand, and lead her home, like he always planned to. Always.

Well, he may not be her Link, but she thinks she owes him that kindness, too, so Zelda reaches out, palm up, and tilts her head shyly. ]

Thank you for saving me, Link. Can we... go together?