Chapter Text
She turned around quickly upon hearing footsteps right behind her. Had she been so careless and trapped in her own thoughts that someone managed to sneak up on her?
Although the sight before her was all too familiar; blue tunic, the dark blue hilt of the holy sword over his shoulder, sky blue eyes. “It’s you.”, she sighed, turning her eyes down again.
Motionless he stood there, simply waiting. She guessed he waited for yet another outburst. Maybe he waited for her to order him away again - and maybe this would be the time he would be fed up with her childish anger and her temper. Maybe this would be her last chance to show him that she wanted to change.
“Since you found me here…” She started while gesturing at the ground right next to her. “Would you mind.. to keep me company?” If he noticed how her voice grew more silent or how she hitched a breath at the end of her question - he didn’t show.
She waited for one beat, then another one, then she could hear some rustling. Turning around again to her left she could see him sitting right next to her. Gazing down the hill like she had right before. Like he could see what she had been thinking just mere seconds ago.
Her heart started to beat faster. This was her chance. Letting her eyes travel back down the hill once again she tried to stop her heart from bursting out of her chest.
You can do this. Just like you have thought it through the last five days. Just look at him…
One small sideways glance at him and they immediately made eye contact. She looked away fast, whipping her head around quickly. Feeling her face grew warmer she cleared her throat awkwardly.
Ok, not like this. Take a deep breath now.
Closing her eyes she tried to take a deep breath. Almost immediately she could see his back in front of her. She felt the desert’s heat like she was still there. The sand under her fingertips, the rushing of blood in her ears, the crushing relief of him standing in front of her, protecting her - she could feel all of it again.
“I-” She sounded smaller than usual. Opening her eyes she let her gaze travel up into the sky. “I wanted to thank you.” Out of the corner of her eyes she could see him move the smallest bit; angling his body to her just a tiny bit, turning his head in her direction only a little bit.
It made her heart flutter once again in her chest.
“For saving me from the Yiga clan.” She tried to clarify. More so to buy herself some more time than to subdue the growing panic in her.
Brazing her once again she let her eyes wander back down from the sky, looking to her side and at him. They once again made immediate eye contact. “So… Thank you. For protecting me.”
To anyone else his gaze would be determined as unchanged; as always he kept his stoic face, the silent expression. However she could see his eyes wide a little bit; only a tiny fraction again but it was there. A small wonder, like he had not expected to be thanked for.
Then again she couldn’t blame him. “I know it was my own fault… I shouldn’t have left on my own that morning.” Starting to let her nerves get the better of her she turned her eyes down again to the small space between them. It was almost as if she could feel his body radiate the warmth right onto her skin. “And I am quite conscious of the fact this happened a few days ago…” She could feel her self esteem flowing right out of her body. A small voice whispered to her that this might be getting out of hand now. But after all she really had one horrible morning. “I had planned on talking to you right on the next day. But then I’ve tried to find the right words and.. well, I didn’t find them.” He listened closely. Whipping around a little bit her hands moved up and started gesticulating in the air. “This morning right upon waking I’ve sworn to myself that I will finally talk to you today!” He backed up slightly - almost as if she had startled him. “But then my morning prayers were quite fruitless and as I made for the library, I’ve caught on to some handmaiden talking about the “lazy excuse of a princess” and “when will she get her head out of these books and be more like her mother?” and I just had to get out of the castle.” Of course she had bumped into Link right upon turning around and starting to leave. But she need not remind him again. She had bumped right into his chest and almost had sent the two of them flying after all. After stuttering some inaudible words she had runned right out of the castle. Hoping he would somehow forget this horrible moment.
“This here was the only place that felt far away enough to calm down again. Which brings me right in the middle of nowhere, where you still managed to find me….!”
Panting slightly after her slight outburst it occurred to her that this was not what she had planned to tell him at all this morning. At some point she had even turned around to face him completely, sitting on her heels. He still seemed very surprised by her. His eyes were trained on her still being only a fraction larger than usual. Otherwise he was listening very closely, almost mesmerized.
Turning red she spun back around again, letting her back face him.
“I may have gotten carried away.” It was not what she had planned - and surely not what a princess should act like at all.
She needed to end this horrible embarrassing moment at once!
“Please don’t mind me rambling. All I wanted to let you know is that I’m very thankful for your protection.”
Silence enveloped the two of them. All she could hear now was his low breath, her blood rushing through her ears, her nerves almost screaming at her for her foolishness.
“You’re welcome.” It was simple; just two words spoken with a calm and unfamiliar voice. Blinking once, twice, she wondered if she just had imagined the voice behind her. Glancing over her shoulder she saw his hand moving from the ground to his neck.
She could feel her face growing even warmer than before again. But something about the idea of Link showing yet another small change in behaviour was stronger than her own embarrassment.
Turning back around her eyes grew big in wonder. He was still sitting facing her, but his gaze was now almost everywhere but on her. His cheeks were slightly red and - even though his face was still very calm and stoic - there was something in his eyes; almost like real excitement, surprise and wonder at once.
Seeing him being fluttered made her smile a little bit.
It occurred to her that his silence may not always have been one of a judging nature. Maybe he really was rather composed and silent. Maybe she could trust him not to judge her like her father or the handmaiden. Giggling a little bit she could feel her nerves calming down, her stomach fluttering, her restlessness disappearing a little bit.
Upon hearing her soft laughter he caught her gaze again for a small fraction. They locked their gazes once again and even though his mouth stayed the same it was just like he was smiling at her; his eyes glittered just the smallest fraction.
It made her heart beat even faster again, stirring in her researcher’s mind if he was expressing himself always like this.
Although his silence started to feel calming to her for the first time she still heard the faint echo of his voice in her mind.
Settling down again with him right next to her she heard his voice again and again in her mind, trying to memorize it.
Swearing to herself that she would manage to hear him talk to her again soon.