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It had been three days since her attempted assassination by the Yiga Clan.
Three days since Link saved her life without hesitation, despite the horrible way she’d been treating him for no other reason other than his claim to the sword that seals the darkness.
Three days since she vowed to apologize and so far hadn’t found the courage to do so.
Every time she made the attempt, he’d just give her that unreadable look he always wore. That, combined with the hilt of that sword mockingly gleaming at her, immediately caused her to tense and return to her cold demeaner.
She didn’t snap at him anymore, but she didn’t exactly try to make amends, either. And the more time that passed, the more she felt the guilt weighing down on her shoulders.
No wonder Hylia was deaf to her devotions; if she couldn’t be brave enough to apologize and face Link’s answer, then how could she ever be granted the power to seal Ganon away?
She wished it was as easy as saying ‘sorry’ and walking away, but she knew she couldn’t go that route. She needed to talk to him, make him understand how regretful she was about her unwarranted behavior towards him. That much was easy, it was just his ensuing answer that worried her.
He could respond in a number of ways. He could simply give her that blank look and look away from her, disregarding her apology entirely. Or he could finally do what she knew he’d always wanted: yell at her about her harsh attitude and spit on her apology. Then maybe throw in a few insults about her continuous failures to unlock her power. Or he might just tell her point-blank that her apology wasn’t accepted and then return his attention to his horse.
She didn’t know which scenario she was more afraid of.
But she knew she couldn’t keep running from this forever. Above all else, Link deserved to hear how sorry she was. If he didn’t forgive her, at least she could say that she tried.
That’s the mindset she kept as she quietly opened the flap to his tent that night. It was probably an unseemly thing for a princess to do, downright scandalous even, to sneak into a man’s sleeping space at night. But they were alone out here in the wild, no one would know. She knew Link wouldn’t tell anyone; his silence wasn’t solely reserved for her, after all.
She bit her lip, another doubt entering her mind. What if he broke his silent vow and yelled at her about coming into his tent, telling her how inappropriate this was and that he’d tell her father how he had a whore for a daughter?
She’d never be allowed outside her room again, and not only would she have to endure the shame her failure to access the sacred power brought, but she’d be known as the Hyrulean princess who snuck into knight’s sleeping quarters at night to have her way with them.
That was almost enough to make her turn around and forget this plan. She would have, if not the rational side of her mind shedding some light on the situation.
Would Link really do that to her? Would he intentionally bring shame and humiliation upon the girl whose life he put before his own when facing the Yiga? He had never betrayed her since becoming her appointed knight; he didn’t even tell her father when she used to try to ditch him all the time.
Link may be silent and distant, but he was loyal. He’d never try to hurt her like that.
With renewed resolve, Zelda stepped inside, and promptly froze at the sight before her.
Now, she was aware that her knight was handsome. She always knew, even when she despised him. She just ignored it all this time due to said dislike.
But she couldn’t ignore it now.
Because—oh Hylia—he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Link wasn’t wearing a shirt and she could see plenty of skin that certainly wasn’t proper for a princess to see until her wedding night.
Unbidden, her eyes roamed over the broad planes of his chest before moving down to the barely-there abs on his abdomen. He was fit and lean; but lacked an obvious show of muscle. Most wouldn’t assume he could wield the Master Sword and fight off a group of assassins single-handedly.
And it would be that assumption that would cost them. Zelda had a feeling Link must have used that at least once to his advantage.
She was hardly aware of how long she’d been staring, but once she realized she shook herself out of it. If she stood like a creep and stared at him all night long, then Link would definitely have no qualms of yelling at her and telling her father if only to get away from her.
Squaring her shoulders, she kept her eyes pinned to his face as she silently walked closer to him. It was then that she noticed that his hair was out of its usual ponytail. The blond locks were messily spread behind his head, the length probably reached to his shoulders.
She was tempted to run her fingers through it, to see how soft it really was, but held herself back. If he wouldn’t appreciate her staring at him, he’d hate knowing that she touched him.
When she was next to his head, she crouched down.
Time to set her plan into motion.
“Link,” she softly called. He didn’t stir. “Open your eyes.”
Nothing. She tried again, a little louder.
“Wake up, Link.”
A crease between his eyebrows formed. His breathing grew irregular, a puff of air harshly leaving his nose.
She steeled herself. No going back now.
“Link.”
His eyelids cracked open, revealing irises that rivaled the pure blue of Lake Hylia. They were dull at first, until they zeroed in on her face. They abruptly sharpened with clarity, snapping open as he hauled himself up. His left hand snaked around her waist while the other made a grab at the nearby Master Sword.
Zelda’s breath hitched in her throat as she suddenly found herself tightly pressed against Link’s side. It was impossible to ignore his body heat seeping through her shirt, and how her lips could brush against his cheek if she leaned in just the slightest bit. She also couldn’t help but take note of how snug she fit against him, almost as if she was meant to be there, and the way his fingers gripped her waist, like she was something precious he’d never surrender.
His eyes were hard and unblinking as he glared at the tent flaps. His jaw was clenched, the Master Sword pointing forward, ready to protect them from an unseen enemy.
But there was no enemy. Zelda had to tell him before he lost his patience and charged out of the tent on the warpath.
Clearing her throat, she tried to wiggle her way out of his hold. Her effort was in vain however, for he only pulled her impossibly closer. Her heart was thumping madly in her chest and for a wild moment she was afraid that he might hear it. But when she looked at him, his attention was fully dedicated to the tent flaps before them.
Don’t get her wrong, she appreciated how protective he was, but she had to at least get a foot of distance between them quickly before she passed out from the blood rushing to her face.
“No, Link. There’s no danger. We’re safe.”
The Master Sword faltered in the air. Link peered down at her, his eyebrows lowered, and for once Zelda could tell what he was thinking. He was unsure if he should believe her and wanted to know what was going on.
When Zelda tried again to remove herself from his hold, he reluctantly let her go. Able to finally regain her normal breathing pattern and heartrate, Zelda stood and cleared her throat. Her chin tilted up, regarding him as she always did in their roles as knight and princess.
“There is no danger. I woke you up because I have need of a star fragment for my research.”
She almost broke her cool demeanor when his eyebrow slightly lifted, and he frowned. He was confused.
You research the ancient Sheikah technology, not the stars.
I know that, she wanted to say, but had a feeling he would be perturbed by how she was beginning to read him. Link always wore his stoic mask, his true thoughts concealed; if he thought she might be beginning to see through it, he would throw up more walls to deter her.
No one was privy to his heart. Hopefully, she’d be the exception one day.
But that would never happen if they didn’t become closer. And what better way to start that progress than with an apology?
“I simply wanted to tell you that I’m going outside and will possibly be leaving for a brief time to get one, should one fall.”
Link stared. Zelda couldn’t see through the mask this time.
She bit her lip the longer the silence dragged on. Link hadn’t moved from his sleeping bag nor looked away from her. She was beginning to feel scrutinized under that gaze, like he was peering into her soul to try and figure out her true purpose for waking him up. Because she was starting to suspect that he didn’t buy her excuse.
She had to get out of there before her plan fell apart in his hands.
“I feel that as my appointed knight, you should be with me in case a monster attacks…or something.”
Link stared. Zelda forced herself to stand straighter.
“I shall be outside. Do hurry.”
And with that, she left the tent much quicker than she had entered. Once outside, she took several deep breaths and tried not to recall that piercing blue gaze. If she had stayed any longer, if she had faltered at all, Link surely would’ve questioned her, and her plan would’ve been ruined.
She also fought hard against remembering the way the blanket was lowered to his hips, his naked chest on full display for her viewing pleasure. With flaming cheeks, Zelda shook her head and dismissed it.
She was trying to befriend Link, and friends weren’t attracted to each other. Besides, it wasn’t as if she was attracted to him. He just happened to be the first boy she saw shirtless, so of course she was going to blush and be a little flustered. It had nothing to do with Link.
Nothing at all.
…
He had dressed in his Champion’s tunic. Zelda couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t worn it since acquiring it. Together, they walked to the top of a nearby hill to get the best view of the stars. Link hadn’t asked her a single question the whole way, and Zelda hadn’t provided an opening for one.
She sat down on the soft grass and was dismayed when she saw Link standing off to the side, back facing her, keeping guard. She couldn’t apologize to him like this!
“Link,” she called, and he turned his head in her direction, indicating she had his attention.
“Sit with me.”
He turned fully around at that. Zelda could practically see the questions in his eyes as he stared at her.
She smiled in a way she hoped was inviting, even patting the spot next to her in case he didn’t get it.
“Please, sit with me.”
His eyebrows drew down and he didn’t follow her request. He was still hesitant, suspicion shining clear in his eyes.
Zelda’s smile waned and she looked away, down at the grass. His rejection hurt, but she more than deserved it after the appalling way she had been treating him. This was only a minor dose of the repercussions she should suffer for her behavior.
And then she heard a rustle from her left side.
Curious, she turned to see what the cause of it was, and nearly gasped as she saw Link removing the Master Sword from his back and setting it down on the grass. He then sat down beside it, the sword acting as a makeshift barrier between them.
The irony wasn’t lost on Zelda.
“You know,” she started, once the ensuing silence became too much to bear. “Star fragments are incredibly rare. Our best chance of getting one is waiting until we see a shooting star. But that doesn’t happen a lot, so we could be here awhile.”
He turned to her, not saying a word and face as blank as ever, before peering up into the night sky.
She sighed. Easing into this apology would be harder than she thought.
“They fetch a high price when sold. I also heard that you could cook with them, of all things.” She grinned at him. “That would be perfect for you, wouldn’t it?”
He didn’t match her expression. Then again, he didn’t exactly frown, either. But his eyes seemed a bit brighter. Contrary to his lack of reaction, perhaps she held a bit of his interest?
If that was the case, it’d be best to continue. She didn’t believe in the notion of quitting while you’re ahead.
“Although, I can’t imagine what eating a star fragment would be like. Would it crumble into stardust? Or would it retain its hardness and feel like eating a rock? Does it even have any flavor? Then again, they do come from the sky, so it could taste like it. But then that brings into question of what the sky tastes like.”
She tilted her head. “What do you think?”
Link blinked. He likely didn’t expect her to directly ask him about it.
As the silence stretched on without an ingenious speculation from his end, with just the chirping of restless crickets ringing in the air, Zelda frowned and looked back up at the sky. What, did she seriously think that he’d talk to her just like that?
Sad thing was, that she did. She needed to stop being so naïve.
Zelda didn’t know what else to talk about. Nothing of interest came to mind, at least nothing that she knew, without a doubt, that Link would respond to.
Combat? No, he must hear compliments about his fighting prowess all the time wherever he went. The most he acknowledged them with was a simple nod of his head.
Cooking? Not likely, since she sort-of tried that route already and got nothing out of it.
His childhood? Ha! Her sealing power would come before she’d ever hear about something so personal.
The Master Sword? Keep dreaming. Everyone wanted to know how he got it. If he wouldn’t tell her father, the king, then his lips would be sealed forever.
Addressing the elephant in the room and explain why she slipped into his tent at night and practically demand he come with her to search for a star fragment, despite her lack of interest in the stars?
She sighed. Maybe that was it. Perhaps it was time to stop beating around the bush and finally be direct with him.
“Link.”
He removed his gaze from the sky to look at her, tilting his head as he did so.
She couldn’t meet his eyes. Instead she peered at the ground, twirling a blade of grass with her finger.
She took a deep breath and bit her lip. No going back now. He needed to hear this. He deserved to hear an apology ever since the first time she yelled at him. This was long overdue.
“Link, I didn’t request your presence here to look for a star fragment. To be honest, I just wanted a chance to look at the stars with you, and to apologize.”
She kept her eyes glued to the ground, not having the courage yet to face him. Who knows what kind of expression he was making? He could be getting ready to laugh at her for all she knew.
Still, she pressed on.
“I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you all this time. I was angry and frustrated with myself and ended up taking it out on you, just because you were able to acquire the sword that seals the darkness while I myself haven’t received the Goddess’s blessing. I shouldn’t have allowed my failures to get the best of me like that. You weren’t deserving of it in the least, and I wish to apologize for my deplorable behavior.”
She glanced up then, finally seeing Link for the first time since starting her apology. His eyes were wide, but he didn’t seem angry or disgusted with her. He certainly wasn’t amused, thank goodness.
She swallowed, hoping he would see the sincerity in her eyes as she next spoke.
“I’m sorry, Link. I dare not hope for your forgiveness, but I want to at least try to get on more…companionable ground with you.” She didn’t risk asking for his friendship, Hylia knew she didn’t deserve it. “I want to start over, a clean slate for us both. Would that be agreeable to you?”
His answer was quick.
“No.”
Zelda was shocked at first simply because he finally spoke. However, when his answer fully registered in her mind, her shoulders slumped and she looked away, a frown replacing her tentative smile.
His answer shouldn’t have hurt her the way it did. Her stomach shouldn’t have felt as if it had received the full brunt of a Goron’s punch. Her heart shouldn’t have stuttered the way it did, she shouldn’t have felt so wounded and hopeless.
The realization was a heavy blow to bear. She wouldn’t be able to merely apologize and have the entire thing swept under the rug and forgotten about. Link wouldn’t forgive her so quickly, if at all.
Goddesses, she was so foolish to think otherwise. Of course, he didn’t want to forgive her or start over, she didn’t blame him at all. If the roles were reversed, she suspected that she wouldn’t be so willing either.
“I don’t want to start over. I want to continue.”
He spoke again?
The curiosity of its purpose had her tilting her head, regarding him anew, breath caught in her throat.
Dare she hope…?
He was still facing the sky, legs tucked in and arms resting on his knees. His eyes were hard, pensive, his expression betraying nothing as to how he was feeling.
“I want us to acknowledge our initial problems and choose to rise above them. I don’t want everything brushed aside, forgotten about. I want us to be…companions, despite our beginning.”
His eyes softened upon looking at her.
“Would that be agreeable?”
Forget that this was the most he had ever talked in her presence. All she could think of was how relieved she felt, how the tension in her shoulders finally relaxed and how pure happiness swelled in her entire being.
The resulting emotion transferred to her smile; a smile so radiant that Link could swear he was gazing at the sun.
“Yes. I would find that very agreeable…Link.”
He didn’t smile. He simply kept staring, and it was only when she hesitantly raised an eyebrow did he move, flopping down on the grass and turning his head away from her.
Zelda grinned to herself, choosing not to question his strange behavior. He had agreed to a possible companionship between them despite her previously harsh and unjustified treatment of him. That was enough for her, and so she silently joined him, lying down on the grass as well to study the night sky ahead. Already she could pinpoint various constellations.
Link returned his stare to the stars only when he could feel his face begin to cool.
She has a smile like the sun…
Dear Hylia, he was in trouble.