After Link saved her from Inside Jabu-Jabu’s Belly, she fell in love with the hero and gifted him the Zora’s Sapphire as a sign of their engagement. Link never actually said yes, though. Seven years later, Zora’s Domain is frozen by Ganondorf, and Ruto goes to the Water Temple to try and save her people. After the Hero of Time follows her defeats the source of the curse, Morpha, the Zora are saved and Ruto awakens as the Sage of Water.