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The stew was starting to simmer when Revali entered the blond knight's personal quarters, lightly smelling the air as he entered.
"I smell... Creamy meat soup with... A dash of radish?" Revali tried to make it a statement of confidence but he was a bit unsure. Truth be told he had only become accustomed to trying to discern the food by smell when he started his courtship with Link. Before that food only had the purpose of giving him the energy to fight and to train for fighting. Dating the blond had taught him to savor the amazing dishes that the ploughboy knight cooked.
Revali had just removed his breast plate and slipped on a tunic when there was a light tap against the door. Revali was at the door a moment later to find no one there but on the ground was an item that made his beak contort into a frown. He picked it up and closed the door before noticing Link glancing at him and then at the item clutched in the feathery fingers of his left wing. It was the bone of some animal. Likely a cow's femur from the size and shape. With a flick of the spoon he motioned to a trunk near the door. Revali opened it to find it nearly full of bones.
"By Din this has to be stopped. Your the Personal knight of the Princess Zelda. The heir to the throne of Hyrule. This should not be permissible."
"I know I know. I will be taking them to the castle town shelter tomorrow." Link spoke. His voice holding that soft drawl that usually put Revali at ease. Emphasis on usually.
"That isn't what I meant, though I am glad to hear even your hoarding tendencies have their limits. Don't you see the disrespect being done to you?" Link merely sighed and went back to stirring the pot. Revali meanwhile resisted the urge to go out and hunt whichever low ranked scion did this.
The knights of Hyrule were in theory open to any Hylian who proved themselves worthy. In practice this meant the third sons of noble families who could easily afford the equipment. They often did all to ensure that those of "lower stations'' were kept out and they couldn't help but despise the farmboy from Hateno who by skill alone rose from being the son of a yeoman farmer to the personal knight charged with ensuring the protection of the heir to the throne. This contempt took different forms. The sons of the Dukes contented themselves with calling Link Sir in the most condescending way possible. The sons of counts would try to avoid saluting him whenever they could get away with it, they also called him Zelda's shade for the way he followed her like a shadow. The worst were the sons of the barons who liked to call Link the Princess' lap dog and it seems to have become a rite of some sort, for them to leave a bone at Link's door without getting caught.
"You represent the princess. Any insult against you is an insult against her isn't it?"
"Not the last time I checked. The oath goes, "Let any who insult your honor know that by doing so they insult mine as well and that I will meet them with sword and shield to defend that honor." Seems to me that the oath makes it clear its a one way street. Besides they aren't entirely wrong." Revali's look was one of confusion and so Link calmly began to clarify. "What is a dog? Its a symbol of loyalty, obedience, and protection. The fierce dog, loyally protects its master, while obediently following their every command. What better animal to represent a knight tasked with being the shield of the royal heir?"
Revali just sighed and wrapped a wing around the young adult's shoulder. "You know canines and avians don't get along well." He teased. Link turned to him with a feral grin that Revali found simultaneously disturbing and enticing.
"Will I have to hunt you down like a dog and keep you held tight in my grasp. Never to escape until death takes one of us?" His low, rustic voice made Revali slightly shiver and caused his feathers to puff a bit.
"Is that an offer?" Link's only response was to hand the Rito a bowl of soup and a spoon. They ate their meal while talking about the minor things. When all was said and done they headed off to bed for the night and as Link held Revali close for warmth, the Rito whispered gently. "They are partially right. You are a dog. But I think they are wrong as to whose dog you truly are." This earned a quiet chuckle as the lad drifted off to sleep.