Chapter Text
The Hot-Footed Frog
“I just cannot believe my father!” The young princess shouted across the field. Not that she needed to. The only other human for miles was a scrawny knight sitting by her side.
“I mean, you saw that dress right Link?” The knight nodded. “I mean, who does he take me for? I am not a Rito with a waist slimmer than my head”
Link continued to work on his little tasks. Folding clothes, preparing supplies, and setting up the tent. It was a long journey to the Spring of Courage, and this would be the first of many stops. Still, surely Zelda could just enjoy herself a bit now that she was out of the castle, right?
“I mean, seriously. I do not care what the current fashion is. I am the princess, I should make the fashion!” She said with indignance.
“The princess is usually very popular, your highness.” Link replied quietly, subtly hiding his grin behind the newly setup tent as he hammered in the spikes.
“Oh, now he’s getting cheeky. Nothing but the perfect silent protector whilst dads around, but now he’s piling on too. What are you going to say next, that I’ve been eating too many honey cakes?” Zelda said, having to hide a smile from the fact he was actually engaging for once. He was like a different person out here in the wild, so much happier and free. Of course, it didn’t help that he also now shot her a knowing look at her last comment. Confidence was a double edged sword, it seemed.
“Ok maybe I have been snacking a bit more than usual, but it’s stressful! Not to mention, we will be walking it all off on this very trip, so no worries there. I’m starting to think father didn’t do this for me to unlock any powers, but just to have me all in shape and dolled up to show off to the court.” Link was looking at her now, more serious than before, and her smile had slowly slid from joyous to rueful. She turned around, staring at the setting sun, wet eyes shining in the brilliant light.
“I mean seriously, I wish he would just look at me as his daughter, as a person at least! Yes, yes, you train every day from dusk till dawn whilst I relax with my servants, but it's a gilded cage Link, I really mean it. I just wish somebody, anybody would take me seriously”. Zelda turned back around, only to see Link dive onto the ground, over what looked like nothing. Seriously? All that speech, and he just goofs off? She thought for sure he of all people would at least understand her a bit, care for her a -
He rolled over, holding up a hot-footed frog. Still alive and well, it was blinking quite alarmingly at being caught by such a lumbersome creature, but Link was more agile than most men. He stared up at Zelda with a grin in his eyes.
“Well, considering you talked my head off about the theorised effects of these things for two hours on the journey today, and you clearly need to get your mind off things…” He sighed, as if he couldn’t believe what he was about to say. “You could test it on me. Some real scientist stuff, you know?”
Zelda smiled, sniffled away her last tears, then smiled even brighter, golden hair now ringed by the glowing ambers and scarlets of the setting sun. She laughed and threw herself at Link in a hug, before quickly disentangling with a blush, or maybe it was the sunlight?