Chapter Text
"Ouch."
"Are you okay, Your Highness?"
"I-I'm fine. It was only a stumble."
"..."
Link kept a silent lip as he slowly helped Princess Zelda up onto her feet after she stumbled down a rocky embankment. They had stopped along the Hylia River to give their horses a rest after spending the morning riding from the Zora's Domain for their return journey back to Hyrule Castle.
While resting, Zelda had brought out the Sheikah Slate from her saddle bag. It was a gift from one of the Sheikah engineers and her tutor's sister, Purah after she successfully reverse-engineered the ancient artefact into a functioning device. The Princess was so fascinated by it and the many possibilities that were still unknown to her. While experimenting with the strange device's functions, a signal tracker of sorts was activated and was making some sort of beeping noises. With her curiosity, she had wandered off towards Crenel Hills, following the noise as it grew louder and beeped more frequently. Her eyes fixated on the Slate, so much that she did not realise that there was a steep embankment until it was too late.
"I am quite fine. I can support myself," Zelda insisted with a huff as she supported herself with a nearby tree stump.
Link remained silent as he observed the Princess slowly walking away with a limp on her left foot. She tried to climb the rocky slope back up. Only to stumble back down a bit with her face cringing.
"I-I think I sprained my ankle..." She finally admitted with an embarrassed whisper.
If she was expecting for her appointed bodyguard to react - a laugh or a snicker at her predicament, there was none. Only a stoic look and a stiff nod. Link quickly looked around at their surroundings to make sure that there was no immediate danger. He then approached the Princess and knelt next to her before offering a hand to her.
"Please. Let me help you, Princess.”
Zelda looked up to him. His face remained unchanged but his bright blue eyes seemed to have softened a little. Though it could just be from a dimming light of the sun as grey clouds rolled above them.
With a reluctant sigh, she accepted his hand. Then to her startling surprise, Link suddenly lifted her up into his arms, bridal style. All, without needing too much effort to carry her weight.
"H-Hey!"
"I'll aid your ankle when we return to camp, Princess!" Link simply told her as he carefully walked up the rocky slope of the Hill. Making sure that he had secured the Princess in his strong arms.
Zelda opened her mouth, wanting to protest but no words came out. She quietly sighed and let her appointed knight carry her off. Even as her cheeks glowed a little pink with embarrassment.
While their horses grazed on grass nearby, Zelda sat on top of a large rock while Link checked on her sprained ankle. Once he identified where she was injured, she watched her appointed knight gently apply a healing ointment before carefully wrapping a bandage around it.
"How do you feel?" He asked rather softly, as he looked up to the Princess.
"It still hurts. But I'll be fine, thank you." Zelda smiled with appreciation.
Though to her disappointment, Link did not return the gesture. He simply nodded as he slowly stood up.
"I will escort you back to the Castle quickly so the healers can-"
"No, no!"
Link paused abruptly. He looked back to the Princess with a slightly confused look.
Zelda glanced up to him, a little startled by her own outburst before shaking her head.
"Let's...not go back to the Castle just yet...please?" She asked.
Link tilted his head a little, puzzled by the Princess' request. He could see that she had no desire to hurry back to her home in the safety of the palace, despite her injuries. In the short time he had been her appointed knight and bodyguard - by the King's order - he recognised that the Princess had preferred to be elsewhere, away from the Castle and often jump for any chance to travel. He knew that the Princess loved travelling, though he wondered if there was something else that she was trying to avoid.
His thoughts and the Princess' woeful mood were interrupted when they heard a loud thunder clash in the distance. They both turned their eyes upwards and saw a large storm was rolling in from the east. The sudden cold and strong winds signalling its arrival.
"The storm is moving rather quickly," Zelda commented with a worried frown. "We're too far from the Stables to seek shelter in time."
Link stood still as his eyes continued to observe the oncoming storm. Thinking. Then his eyes lit up.
"I know of another place," He told her in a firm yet quiet tone.
The rain arrived much faster than they had anticipated. By the time they had crossed the wooden bridge over Hylia River, the storm rained down so heavily that it shrouded the distant view of Hyrule Castle and Castletown from sight with thunder bellowing above.
Link had handed over his hooded cloak to the Princess to provide additional protection from the torrential downpour around them.
He quickly became soaked from head to toes as he guided their horses through the muddy forest grounds. Just as the Princess, riding on top of her white horse’s saddle, became more and more concerned for her silent knight.
She then noticed wooden fences in between the trees and shrubs. Then, a large stone house emerges through the greenery. The Hero quickly checked their surroundings before opening the back gates to let their horses through. There was a small flock of Cuccos that were roosting in their wooden coops nearby as they passed by. Zelda figured that they must be in one of the villages outside of Castletown’s walls, if they were such in abundance. Her thoughts then wondered on whose property were they trespassing through.
They soon stopped by under the shelter of the horses’ stall in the small courtyard. Link then offered his hand out to Zelda to help her come down from her white horse. Slowly, Link then guided her through the rain and muddy grounds towards the entrance. It was an old country house of modest-sized, fit for a small family. Complete with rustic stone walls, wooden features and a dark green rooftop to blend with the woodlands that surrounded it. Vines were creeping up along one corner of the house.
As they approached the front door, it finally occurred to Zelda.
“Wait… Is this…your home?”
There was a short pause before Link nodded.
“Yes.”
Upon entering through the front door, Zelda noted how dark inside as Link guided herself in. Her nose wrinkled a bit when she caught the lingering scent of herbs and baked goods. Link quickly removed the now wet black Hylian cape from Zelda's shoulders and set up a comfy chair for her to sit down in front of the fireplace. He then fetched a warm blanket to wrap around her shoulders and took away her soaked jacket and boots to dry.
"I'll set up the fire so you can keep warm, Princess."
"What about you? You're absolutely soaked from head to toe."
Zelda pointed out to him. His hair, clothes and tunic were dripping wet. She also noticed that his skin had turned a little paler than usual.
"I'll...I'll be fine, Your Highness." Link tried to reassure her before excusing himself.
Zelda frowned a little and eyed on her appointed knight as he quickly left the room to retrieve firewood. She let out a sigh and wrapped the blanket over herself a bit more tightly. Her ankle numbed with lingering soreness. She then looked around at her surroundings. In the dim-lit space, she noticed how well-decorated the living space appeared to be, with framed pictures and hanging ornaments on the wall. There was a shelf against the wall filled with trinkets. And on the opposite side, appeared to be a decorated table with a framed painting of a woman and a small vase of flowers next to it. The windows were covered with curtains as the rain continued to pour outside with a clash of thunder rumbling through the air.
Link soon returned, carrying a bundle of dry firewood to light up the fireplace. He had changed out from his wet Champion’s uniform for simple country attire - a tunic shirt, new trousers and socks.
The lingering chill in the room slowly gave way to a comforting warmth of the fireplace as Link continued to feed the burning embers into gentle flames. He had also brought a few candles to add more ambient light to the room. As well as more blankets and pillows for Zelda to help her relax more while under his roof.
"I’ll get you something warm to drink, Princess."
"Oh, you don't have to-"
Link had already gone to the kitchen before Zelda could finish her sentence. She let out a quiet sigh. She sometimes wished that her appointed knight could just slow himself down.
While waiting for her appointed knight’s return, Zelda took the chance for a second look at the living space around her. It had a very rustic look that seemed fitting for a typical country home with wooden flooring, with tall stone walls and a high ceiling with large wooden support beams. Yet it was decorated with things that suggested the family's more privileged status.
Gerudo-style tapestry and weapons were mounted on the wall.
The bookshelf displayed a few odd ornaments including an ocarina and a set of wooden carvings of a fox, a wolf and a long-necked bird.
Paintings with golden accents on the frame glowed slightly by the fireplace's light.
Zelda also noticed interior elements that were associated with Sheikah culture. Especially a small frog statue that sat on the fireplace mantle alongside a framed scroll written in the Sheikah language.
"Satoru... 'to understand' ..." Zelda deciphered the calligraphy.
She then spotted what looked like a painted portrait of Link’s family. Curious, Zelda carefully pulled herself up from her seat. She made sure not to put too much weight over her sprained ankle and slowly approached the framed portrait.
The image presented three family members with the name ‘Satoru’ written in ancient Sheikah writing. Standing on the right was her appointed knight when he was younger and was dressed in formal Sheikah clothing. Next to him was a young girl who had similar features to Link with braided pigtails and was dressed in similar attire.
It surprised her. She did not know that Link had a sister.
And standing between the two children was most likely their father who donned similar Sheikah-style clothes like Link but with a slightly more elaborate and dignified design. Zelda recognised this man as one of her father's close associates and the current Head of the Royal Guard knights, Commander Satoru.
Zelda stepped back a bit with a quiet smile. When she first met Link, she had assumed that he was from another aristocratic family like the many other nobles in Court that served her Family. She did not expect that the Satoru family were of more humbler origins. Though by just their surname, she did not find it surprising that they would be of Sheikah origins.
She felt a little guilty that she had judged Link a little too harsher. Expecting him to be like everyone else in the Court who only humour her and her father as a means to advance up the social ladder. Especially after her mother's passing.
Just as Zelda settled back on her nest of pillows and blankets, she heard the faint sounds of a horse galloping through the rain outside the house. It was then followed by heavy footsteps through the mud when the front door suddenly burst open. Entering inside was a young girl who looked no older than thirteen years of age. When she pulled down her soaked hood, Zelda could not help but remark about how this young girl looked almost identical to Link in appearance. The difference was her long braided ponytail that sat on her shoulder and slightly soaked from the rain. She had a wide grin that was accompanied with a spark in her deep blue eyes.
"Hey Link! Are you home? Since when did you get a white horse-"
The young girl paused when she noticed Zelda and immediately went pale with widened eyes of shock.
The Princess looked back to her with an awkward smile and gave a small greeting wave.
"Oh, hello~"
Link emerged from the kitchen area and his eyes immediately widened.
"ARIA!”
Link's sudden outburst startled Zelda. She had never heard her appointed knight speak so loudly, beyond his default stoic tone.
Aria, Link's younger sister, was just as startled. Her older brother hurried towards her with a very surprised if alarmed look.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were back in Castletown!"
Aria crossed her arm with a huff, "I was, but the Academy then got boring and the girls there are also kind of mean."
Link sighed as he rubbed his hands down across his face. "Oh, Aria! You know that dad is not going to be happy when he finds out that you skipped school again!"
"So what? The girls there are dumber and meaner than a Bokoblin on a bad day! And besides, someone needs to check to make sure that the Cuccos here are fine with this storm we’re having outside!"
Link frowned with a disappointed glare at his sister. His face then cracked when he and Aria’s eyes then glanced over to Zelda.
"Oh, don't mind me!" Zelda smiled at the two siblings.
As an only child, she never experienced this kind of interaction with another family member of her own age or younger. But what was more intriguing for her was that Link had let his guard down. She did not see the stiffness or the stoic composure that he often puts up for himself when performing his duties as her appointed Knight. This was a side of him that Zelda had never seen from him before.
Link's face became flustered with pink embarrassment on his cheeks. To let himself act so improper in front of the Princess.
"P-Please excuse us for a moment, Princess!"
He then grabbed his sister's hand and quickly pulled her away into the kitchen area where they could talk more freely without the Princess' direct gaze.
"Is that really....Princess Zelda?" Aria whispered to him.
Link bit on his lip before nodding, “Yes.”
"Are you serious?!" Aria gasped sharply, covering her mouth with her hands.
Link nodded again as he rubbed on his neck.
"You brought the Princess of Hyrule to OUR house!? Is that even allowed?"
"We...we..." Link let out a reluctant sigh as he tried to find his voice again. "We were caught by the storm. And the Princess had sprained her ankle earlier."
"Ow... that's bad." Aria frowned.
Both siblings then quickly checked over their shoulders and caught Zelda trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. The Princess quickly turned her attention away and pretended to not have heard their exchange as she let herself relax on her seat in front of the fireplace.
Aria then looked back to her brother and leaned closer to him to whisper more quietly, “...Does dad know?"
Link made a tight frown as he looked down at the floor of the kitchen. “It...it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. My decision."
Aria nodded. She then glanced up to her older brother. "How are you feeling then, Link?"
"I-I'm...fine."
"Link... You look as pale as the white horse outside..."
"S-Someone...someone needs to look after the Princess."
Zelda glanced up over her shoulders. She could see that Aria was looking up to her older brother with her hands on her hips and a firm huff. "Link, you may be in charge of looking out for the Princess but someone needs to look out for you too, okay?"
The older sibling paused as he looked down at his determined sister, "Alright, Aria... Have it your way." Link finally admitted defeat with a soft laugh.
It was the first time Zelda had ever seen Link smile.