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The soft rustling of grass flutters by April’s ears as she stands in one of Hyrule's many meadows. A light breeze blows across the plains, making the grass shimmer in the sunlight. In the distance, she sees some deer grazing as they take shelter underneath the shade of a few isolated trees. A few birds fly high in the sky, enjoying the draft that keeps them airborne.
The castle, however, looms behind her. It’s a reminder of her duty not only as a knight, but as the Hylian Champion wielding the sword that seals the darkness. It’s a heavy burden, and one she does not take lightly.
But right now, she ignores the foreboding symbol of her responsibilities. Instead, she focuses her attention on Prince Donnie, who has dismounted his horse to investigate the nearby flora. He carries the Sheikah Slate out in front of him as he walks around, pointing the strange device at various flowers and pressing a button on the screen.
“Ah, finally!” He exclaims as he takes a picture of a seemingly random patch of flowers. “I’ve been looking for these flowers everywhere!”
April cocks an eyebrow. “Need more flower pictures for your study?”
“Scoff! Don’t be so silly!” Donnie exclaims as he examines the photos he just took. “While the flowers we have in Hyrule are beautiful, I have more scientific intentions for them. You know they’re quite useful as ingredients for a variety of things.”
April tilts her head, looking between the patch of flowers on the ground and the prince. “How so?”
“Well, some flowers are used as ingredients for various dishes, like salads and soups, to enhance the flavor. However, I am more concerned with their other enhancement capabilities.” He walks over to her and shows her the photo on the slate. “For example, these flowers offer a defense boost when cooked in a dish.”
“Wow!” April leans in to get a closer look at the picture. “And what about that one?”
“That one? Oh! That’s–” Prince Donnie gasps, looking up from the screen and back toward the patch of flowers. Just beyond the cluster is a single, lone flower, and Donnie wastes no time walking over to and kneeling down next to it.
The prince looks at it momentarily before beckoning his knight over. She quickly follows, kneeling next to him and looking at the single, five-petaled flower. It’s a beautiful flower, with an inner part of the petals being a lovely shade of purple while pure white surrounds it.
“This one here is called the silent prince. It’s a rare, endangered species.” Donnie briefly looks over at her before returning his attention to the flower. “Despite our best efforts, we still can’t get them to grow domestically.”
“Wow, guess that would make ‘em pretty rare.” April comments.
Donnie hums, leaning down to gently cup the bottom of the flower in one hand. “The prince can only thrive out here in the wild right now. All that we can hope for is that the species will soon be strong enough to prosper on its own.”
April hums and nods her head, her eyes drifting from the flower to the prince. He seems so… melancholy. She’s used to his emotionally theatrical tendencies, going from being absolutely ecstatic in one moment to overwhelmingly crushed the next. But usually she’s able to trace why he’s feeling such emotions.
This time, she has no idea why the prince is so down in the dumps over the fate of this flower.
Her hand fidgets by her side, wondering if she should reach out to comfort him. It would go against everything she’s been taught as a Hylian knight, and she’s torn on whether, in this moment, her duties as a knight can be disregarded for just a few seconds.
Meanwhile, Prince Donnie blinks out of his woeful state and realizes that he’s left himself a bit… vulnerable in front of April.
His opinion on her has changed since she saved him from the Yiga in the Gerudo Desert, so much so that he feels a flutter in his heart whenever he catches her ever-watchful gaze. He admires her dedication and kindness, and he finds himself seeking out her company more and more as of late. While they are both under immense pressure from his father and the impending Calamity, her unwavering support for him brings him great comfort.
However, there are a few times when April’s concern for him makes him panic.
This is one of those times.
Internally, he scrambles for a distraction, and thankfully, one is just within arm’s reach.
“Is that what I think it is?! Look at this!” The prince scrambles forward, catching the perfect diversion between his hands before turning around and shuffling toward April. “I don’t believe it, but I actually caught one!”
“Caught one what?” His knight questions, her brow furrowing.
Prince Donnie continues talking. “This delicacy, which I have skillfully caught, is known to have very, very—that’s two very’s—potent effects under the proper circumstances. Tada!”
He opens his hands to reveal a small, green frog.
April blinks rapidly. “Huh?”
“Research from the castle shows that ingesting one of these amphibians can actually augment certain abilities.” The prince looks between her and the frog with a goofy smile on his face. “We wouldn’t be in a controlled environment out here, but with your level of physical fitness, you’d be a perfect candidate for the study!”
The knight sputters. “Wait, what?”
“Go on! Taste it!” The prince shoves the frog in his hands toward her, and she leans back, a distressed noise leaving her mouth involuntarily.
The little creature jumps upward in the prince’s hands, oblivious to the entire situation.