Chapter Text
The day Zelda ran off alone because she was too excited about a possible research discovery to wait for Link to accompany her, the day the Yiga Clan found her and ambushed her in the Gerudo Desert, she knew there wasn’t any denying how she felt about Link anymore.
At the last possible second, he came for her, just like he always did. He knocked the raised blade out of her would-be-killer’s hands and fought off the assassins without hesitation or mercy, protecting her with his very life. And he wasn’t calm and cool and collected about it either. He shouted at the assassin who’d tried to kill her, and his eyes blazed as he stared down the other two assassins, getting them both to retreat.
Finally, at long last, something had caused him to snap. To lose his composure. She simply stared at him as if seeing him in an entirely new light. He was so brave, putting everything on the line for her like that. How had she ever been so horrible to him?
Urbosa was right. She should count herself lucky she had such a powerful ally. Such a wonderful knight who would protect her without hesitation.
He shielded her with his body for a little while longer, giving her time to collect her thoughts. Once he was satisfied that she was no longer in danger, he sheathed his sword.
“Princess, are you alright?” he asked, offering his hand. His eyes were filled with worry, and his breathing sounded rather ragged to her. Maybe it was from racing to make it in time, maybe it was from the adrenaline rush of the fight, but he seemed rather winded all the same.
Maybe it was out of concern for me. She couldn’t mistake the look in his eyes. Maybe…maybe there was no denying how he felt about her either.
She took his hand, and his grasp was so steady and firm as he helped her up. She didn’t want to let go of his hand, and so she didn’t. “Thanks to you I am.”
She was lucky he’d made it in time. The Yiga Clan assassins had cornered her quite quickly and effectively.
“Please, don’t ever run away from me like that again,” Link said, his eyes anguished and his voice firmer than she’d ever heard it. “I made it in time, but what if I’m too late next time?”
A thrill rushed through her. He was scared of losing her, that much was clear. He cared about her, he truly cared about her. Despite all her efforts to sabotage him, he’d stuck by her side, and finally, finally she was seeing the true Link beneath the hero mask to see that he was truly a hero in his own right.
“I promise I won’t ever run away again,” she said. “I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you.”
He was standing so close to her, close enough that she could make out a small scar on his left cheek, a tiny mole to the right of his nose. Those little imperfections simply endeared him to her further.
She smiled. “Thank you, Link. Thank you for saving my life.”
His breath hitched, and she thought it was adorable how flustered such a simple thanks was making him. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her, he was still holding her hand, and his lips looked so perfectly soft and enticing. Seriously, how did he manage that, especially in such a hot, dry environment?
She licked her lips, the thought of kissing him flickering through her head. No, that would be inappropriate, she was in a position of power over him like Urbosa had said, she shouldn't take advantage of him—
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it instead. “You’re welcome,” he murmured, his voice low. When he looked up at her, she was so flustered that she completely lost her composure.
It was her turn to be speechless. Her turn for her breath to hitch and her stomach to lurch and her heart to bounce around like a Hot-Footed Frog in a shallow pond.
“Princess?” he asked, a concerned look in his eyes. “I know you’ve had quite the shock today. We’re right by the Kara Kara Bazaar, how about we rest and depart for Hyrule Castle in the morning?”
She nodded. The Gerudo at the bazaar were most helpful and made accommodations for the two of them. One of them even checked her for shock and gave her a blanket. She and Link sent word to Urbosa as well as her father about what had happened, and then Link procured a meal for them of steamed fruit, roasted bass, and seared steak.
Afterwards, she yawned and stretched. “I think I’m going to try to sleep,” she said, and Link nodded. She made her way to the bed carved into the orangish rock. A soft mattress, blanket, and pillow rested on the bed, and the whole thing was more comfortable than she would’ve expected.
Link simply hovered near her, his whole body tense as he kept checking his equipment and fiddling with it.
“Aren’t you going to get some rest?” she asked, frowning. She didn’t want him staying up all night after the day they’d had—
“I wouldn’t be able to sleep much anyway,” he admitted.
“Because you’re worried about me?”
He nodded, and another thrill went through her. He was so thoughtful and concerned. So loyal and dutiful. A blush crept up her neck as the moment he’d saved her life replayed in her mind.
“The Yiga Clan operates in this area,” he explained. “We don’t know whether they’ll try to attack again. The sooner we can return to the castle, the better.”
“Then let’s leave now,” she said. “Surely they won’t be expecting us to leave at this hour.”
Link frowned. “Traveling would be more dangerous at night, but the canyon should be cooler.”
“It’ll be alright,” she said. “I know you’ll keep me safe.” She didn’t mind the staring from Link this time. Not at all. She couldn’t get enough of him, and a smile spread across her face as she thought about how lucky she was to have him by her side. “I have the bravest, most excellent knight guarding me,” she told him, “and I trust him to get me home in one piece.”
He smiled softly. “You flatter me, princess. I was just doing my duty.”
“Is it flattery if it’s true?”
He rubbed the back of his neck, a faint blush on his cheeks. He was adorable when he was flustered.
“You deserve the praise,” she insisted. “You saved my life.”
“I know. I just…If anything were to happen to you, I would…”
She tilted her head. “You would what, Link?”
He cleared his throat. “Are you feeling well enough to ride back to the castle, princess?” he asked. “The ride will be grueling, and you’re already tired.”
She nodded. “The meal restored some of my energy, and there are places we can rest along the way.”
“Very well.” With that they quietly left the inn. He helped her mount his horse first, then joined her. She wrapped her arms around him, blushing at the way her legs touched his, how her chest pressed into his back. He was the consummate professional about it, of course, but she couldn’t get that hand kiss out of her head, couldn’t ignore how good it felt to be this close to him as they rode through Gerudo Canyon together.
They stopped to rest as needed and to give his horse breaks until they reached a stable and rented a horse for her as well. They journeyed like this for a couple of days until at last they arrived at the castle. The moment they were inside the Keep and had dismounted, her father scolded her and ordered Link not to let her out of his sight again. Sharp fear pierced her heart at the thought of Link taking the blame for this, of her father firing him and removing him from her life.
He made no move to defend himself, however. He was still kneeling in the respectful position he always took in the presence of her father.
“It’s not his fault, Father, it’s mine,” she insisted as the stable hands tended to the horses. “I ran off again despite repeated warnings not to, and Link protected me. He saved my life.”
Her father looked between her and Link and then grunted. “Very well. But if this happens again, I will find a new knight to protect you. Someone who won’t let you run around all of Hyrule indulging your silly fancies when you should be focusing on your training.”
“I promise I’ll behave myself.” Anything to keep Link from being torn from her life, just like her mother and grandmother had been—
“You had better.” Her father cleared his throat. “Link, accompany her to the court physician, please.”
She supposed that was the most her father was going to do to express his concerns for her safety.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Link replied, straightening.
“And keep an eye on her. No more research on silly, pointless things that won’t help her awaken her powers.”
Link shifted awkwardly as if he was warring greatly with himself, then said, “With all due respect, Your Majesty, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Princess Zelda do something silly or pointless with her time. She is one of the most hardworking, dedicated people I have ever met, and she inspires us all with her example.”
Zelda gasped. Of all the times to be honest, of all the people to talk back to, Link had chosen her father. The perfect knight illusion was now completely shattered, and she half-expected her father to rage at him and fire him on the spot.
Instead he just stared at Link, stunned. Link calmly stared back, refusing to back down just like he’d refused to back down from those assassins. Where he found the courage, she didn’t know.
At last her father blinked a few times, then cleared his throat and puffed out his chest. “Well, I’m glad my daughter has inspired you. She will be queen someday, and it’s good that she has such a loyal and devoted knight. You are dismissed.”
With that, Link accompanied her to the court physician, offering her his arm because she was exhausted from their journey and wobbly on her feet.
“You’ve come to my rescue twice in the past few days,” she said. “Thank you for standing up for me.”
“It was the right thing to do. You’ll never awaken your powers with your father pressuring you like that. I know I shouldn’t have spoken to him the way I did, but I couldn’t just let him berate you.”
“I’m glad you spoke up. I like it when you do things you shouldn’t.”
He smiled. “I like it too.”
Whether he meant the hand kiss or standing up to her father for her or both, she wasn’t sure. But either way, she felt like she knew the real Link better now. Not the hero or the legend or the man she’d put on a pedestal and despised for it.
She wanted to know this Link better. Not the perfect knight, but the endearingly flawed and wonderful man that was his true self. Thank goodness he’d stuck around long enough for her to see it. She hoped, with all her heart, that he would get to know her true self, too.
No, she corrected herself, no, he already did, and for reasons she could not fully fathom, he just might possibly be in love with her.
And she just might possibly be in love with him too.