Chapter Text
Link was never one to laugh at those who clearly were in distress or in need of help, but he couldn’t help himself. The person in need was the Princess of Hyrule attempting to secure Link’s weapons to his saddle, his bow and quiver, his dagger and the Master Sword that he trusted only her to handle. Although, seeing her nearly decapitated Epona after trying to tie the sword down finally made him step in to help.
“Ok ok, you need some pointers Princess?” He asked with a cheeky grin, with the stable empty he knew he could get away with teasing her.
“No! I’m in no need of assistance!” She said, her hands full of his equipment, his arrows falling out of the quiver and sword about to fall out of its scabbard.
Instead of another quip, he closed the short distance between them and put his hands over the pile of assorted weapons, ropes and camping equipment. He was almost tempted to move his hands to the bottom of the pile to meet hers, but knew this wasn’t the time or place.
“Here, at least let me show you how to not cut my horse’s head off.”
She quickly relented, letting him teach her the appropriate places to put each item. She was a quick learner and followed his instructions to a tee for her mount. Her bedroll, change of clothes, research journals and cooking supplies safe and secure on the saddle.
“See? I can do it, and there was no need for your rude, inappropriate sarcasm.” The Princess said after securing her bedroll, quickly crossing her arms with a smile on her face.
“All it took was nearly taking off Epona’s head. I don’t think I will ever be able to forgive you. And here I thought our friendship was improving.” He shot back, mirroring her expression while walking over to his horse.
“I know it really is a shame, but all it took was a few months for you to show your true colors, instead of a courageous knight I find an evil, sarcastic...prick.” She looked around the stables before finishing her sentence, never losing her smile.
“Wow, that kind of language coming from the future leader of Hyrule? Your handmaiden is right, you are spending too much time with me. My peasant vocabulary is starting to corrupt you after all those years of tutoring.” He said as he put his foot in a sturrup and got onto his horse.
“Maybe I like spending time with you…” She said under her breath, hoping that Link didn't hear her, he did.
It was odd comments like that that made Link’s head spin. It wasn’t everyday that a guy gets a compliment from the literal incarnation of the Goddess Hylia. And it was tourture. It was the way he caught her peeking at him whenever he would sneak away to bath in a river whenever they were out in the Wild. The way she clung to him at those dreadful dinners and balls, her arms gripped around his in a vice. He always told himself that he was just imagining things, that he should never get thoughts like that. But she wasn’t making it easy for him.
“Ahem. Shall we?”
Her words broke him from his daydreaming, he nodded his head and led the way out the stables. The smile that he was holding just moments ago quickly vanished in a split second, no longer the sarcastic boy and girl joking with each other, just the Princess of Hyrule and her personal knight. It was like flipping a switch for him, and it still amazed her how quickly her knight can go from happy and light hearted to cold and uncaring. It made her want to see the real him more and more, and made these trips well worth their wait.
Leaving the stables, they passed through a patrol of soldiers, all stopping and bowing at their Princess. Most people would love that attention, but Princess Zelda isn’t most people. That was another thing that both Link and her shared, hatred of the limlight.
The gates to the castle were open, foregoing the usual pomp and circumstance of a typical Royal retreat for which both were grateful. This in no way meant they would not attract attention when leaving Castletown, with the Master Sword on full display and the Princess’s unmistakable beauty. Today they made a calculated move to leave during afternoon mass, where the cathedral would be filled with citizens, leaving the main road barren for a short time. They were unable to do that during their last trip, the one to the Spring of Power.
After returning from the Spring of Power, Zelda informed her father both of her failure to unlock her divine power and of Haturo’s actions the night before her departure. To her surprise, he didn’t question her accusation and immediately canceled the betrothal. She had expected him to accuse her of shrinking away from her duties, but he surprised both her and Link. What was even more surprising was that he sanctioned both her and Link to visit Lady Purah’s Lab in Hateno, or soon to be Lab with it still being under construction.
Which is why the two were feeling vastly different emotions regarding the trip. Zelda could barely contain her excitement, a whole week tinkering and prodding ancient technology without having to worry about her father reprimanding her. And having Purah there was like icing on the cake, although she could be too overbearing at times, Zelda still loved her company regardless. Link on the other hand, was anxious. For the first time in well over a year and a half that he would be home, and most would assume that he would be happy to see his sister and mother again. It was true that he was, he missed his little sister especially.
It wasn’t because he hadn’t been keeping in contact with them either, he would both receive and send letters weekly back home. His sister would write him long winded paragraphs about who is dating who, what crops were growing and such and he would write back short, efficient letters with nearly five hundred rupees attached every week to help around the farm.
The real crux of his nervousness was derived from the fact that he was never truthful to his family. Even in his letters, he never dropped the act of the Hero he had created. He only wrote how sure he is that they will succeed against the Calamity and how he misses them. He was worried the second he walked through the door, they would see him for who he really was, a scared teenager with the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“Are you even listening to me?”
“Hm? Oh, I’m sorry just...thinking about..nevermind.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Zelda’s face turned quickly from annoyance to concern. “Thinking? Now you never do that, now I must know what is going on inside that head of yours.” She said with a smile, all while inching their horses closer and closer.
“Nothing important, just...family stuff.”
“Oh, right. It’s been a long time since you’ve seen them, they’ll probably hate me for keeping you all to myself to the past year and a half.” She knew what she was doing, to others it may seem rude to make light of a sensitive subject, Link likes to avoid sensitive subjects, so he deflects with either humor or just shutting himself out.
“Oh yeah, my sister especially might support a coup against your father.”
“Well then, I look forward to seeing you on the battlefield.” She said as their horses were pressed up against each other. With their horses pressed against each other, so were their legs. Link locked eyes with the Princess who sported a blush on her face. She avoided his gaze by looking at the horizon to see the sun fall being the Dueling Peaks.
“It’s getting dark, we should probably set up camp fo the night.” She said as she sped up her horse so that she was a few paces in front of an equally flustered Link.
“Y-yeah, you’re right.” He said, quickening Epona’s pace to catch up with her.