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“Good mornin’, Link!”
A chipper man turned from the shelving he straightened to greet Link as he approached the open counter. The shopkeeper looked down at the uncharacteristically vacant space and gave a disappointed twitch of his small mustache.
“Sorry about the stock, I was still working on setting it all out. What can I do for ya so early in the day?”
Link raised a hand to return the greeting. “Mornin’ Pruce. Just the usual chicken and rice, though I could use a few extra ingredients today if you have them.”
“Is that so? Looking for something unusual?”
“Not particularly, I just know it’s a little early for fresh items.”
“Oh, what did you have in mind?”
Link had already walked the length of the counter to stand before the ripened apple display. Though he wordlessly scrutinized each one with focused eyes, his mind was filled with blissful thoughts of fruitcake and the gleeful smile he knew one would bring to his dearest Zelda.
They hardly found themselves apart anymore since their victory against Ganon and heartfelt reunion on Hyrule’s grand plains. The Calamity may have brought about unfathomable pain and destruction, but in its charred wake lay a solid foundation and sturdy sprouts promising a flourishing future. No one wanted that prosperous future more than Hyrule’s beloved Princess Zelda. Her long hiatus seemed a distant memory now; her face was a stranger to none, her generosity a uniting force for her kingdom’s people and allies, her radiance a beacon of warm light pointed skyward.
In every way imaginable she was the same beautiful spirit who had captured Link’s heart some hundred years ago, and now that she stood tall as Hyrule’s burgeoning monarch and scholar, he hardly hesitated to let his heart drift from him once more in this new lifetime of theirs. And while Zelda’s feelings mirrored those of her former knight, Hyrule still felt a little too frail to let her focus wander. Royal relationships required a little more pomp and circumstance, especially when attempting to rebuild Hyrule’s image, and their resources to impress foreign nations were lacking. So, they happily agreed to keep their romance quiet—at least, for the time being.
“Are they not to your liking?” a concerned Pruce inquired. In the midst of Link’s internal musings, he had moved to stand before him holding his requested items.
“Hm?” Link stood straight and blinked away the fond image of Zelda’s beaming face to reveal the shopkeeper’s unremarkable visage pinched into a worried expression. He only then realized that he had not even bothered to pick up a single fruit. He was simply standing in front of the apples and silently brooding over them, and he dared not think how long…
“Ah, sorry, I was thinking about Zelda’s return from Gerudo Town today. The journey can be arduous and her arrival likely won’t be until late afternoon, but I doubt they’ll set-up camp for a day trip. I hoped to have dinner and a dessert ready for her by then.” Link couldn’t help but let himself smile at the thought of her homecoming. Though he was excited for Zelda to spend quality time with Riju, he still missed her presence terribly. But Riju’s invitation was the perfect opportunity for them to showcase a more casual image of their relationship—and Hyrule’s hardworking princess deserved a few days of carefree antics with a close friend anyway.
All he had to do was “watch over” the house and minimize any outward displays of anguish on his end. And dismiss the passive remarks commenting on their relationship without Zelda’s quick wit to aid him, of course.
“That’s right! Our Princess is set to return today, isn’t she? Her absence has certainly been felt by us all.” Pruce let out a hearty laugh and then jabbed one finger towards Link. “Especially by you, no doubt, aye lad?”
Link gave a half-hearted laugh in return and hoped to wordlessly reach for the goods Pruce had packaged for him, but the paper bag evaded his grasp as the shopkeeper knelt down to reach beneath the tabletop.
“Oh, here lad! If fruits are what you’re after, I actually had a rather large delivery of these this morning. Stranger merchant to this town, never seen them before! And they only offered up one item for trade…”
A bundle of bananas plopped onto the counter, and Link made a mental note to investigate the likely nefarious motives behind this mysterious merchant some other time. For now, he dropped the proper amount of rupees into Pruce’s outstretched hand before it found something else to occupy it and bid him a quick farewell.
The sun had barely risen from the horizon and marked the beginning of a splendid day. Today, Zelda came home! Her trip was short, only spending a day to travel and a day to relax before making the journey back to humble Hateno Village, but these final hours were agonizing. Her safety was not Link’s concern, a whole entourage of Gerudo warriors selected by Riju herself accompanied Hyrule’s princess. He just simply missed her and had no one to outwardly admit it to. Training soldiers at Lookout Landing and assisting Symin at the school filled his time well enough, but their Hateno homestead still felt a little too solitary without Zelda’s warm smile welcoming him home.
Link hummed to himself as he pushed the door open and thanked Hylia for granting him this quiet, uneventful day. Nothing was on his agenda aside from cleaning up the house and preparing a homely dinner—and of course surprising Zelda with her favorite dish. The fruit cake wasn’t just meant to extend the pleasantries of her short vacation, it was a quiet celebration of one whole year together in secret courtship. The thought of her face lighting up at the display made his heart stutter: He imagined her glittering eyes settling on a plump cake centered on the small table currently strewn with its ingredients, and he knew how joyous she would be to see that he remembered their anniversary—
“Heya Linky!” A shrill, childlike voice rang out from beyond the small table.
Link jumped and fumbled for the rogue apples that escaped his grasp and headed for the floor. As he leaned over, he caught a glimpse of white hair and the glint of thick-rimmed glasses adorning a small child who poised themselves against the table leg.
“Purah!” He exclaimed. “How—”
“You didn’t lock your window” she interjected with a wag of her small finger. “What would the princess think of your blasé attitude towards home security? And you’ve worked so hard to build this home together too.”
“I—” Link shook his head to rattle away the onslaught of thoughts and questions. “It’s not my window, Purah” he stated firmly, but she only cackled and climbed atop a chair to level their eyes.
“My mistake, Hero, I made the assumption that sleeping here seven days a week extended partial ownership to you. Outside of you outright purchasing the property, of course.”
“I do not—” Link instinctively looked over his shoulder for eavesdroppers and then hushed his voice. “I do not sleep here seven days a week.”
Purah clicked her tongue and passively examined her nails, only glancing upwards to smugly challenge his flimsy stoicism. “The towers don’t function anymore, I know you’re not teleporting in and out of here for convenience. None of the stable owners seem to know your face either. And how coincidental that you always seem to be around to answer the door when the princess is busy—”
“Purah!” He rubbed his eyes and gave an exasperated sigh. “What do you want? I see your aging rune was ineffective again, I’m not letting you fire the new prototype at me if that’s what you’re here for. I’m actually quite enjoying aging at a steady rate nowadays.”
“Not today, Linky! Haven’t you heard the news?” Purah whipped out a copy of the Lucky Clover Gazette and proudly stretched it in-place of her tiny frame. “Your beloved princess has been spotted sporting a brand-new hairstyle! All those luscious, royal locks chopped down to a succinct bob. If it weren’t for her royal attire, I doubt her people could recognize their princess at all.”
“New hairstyle…” Link took the paper and curiously glossed over the short blurb detailing rumors from several alleged eyewitnesses. He couldn’t be certain of the validity of this strange article, nor could he be certain of what a luxury Gerudo spa-package encompassed, but haircare didn’t seem far out of the realm of possibilities. Images of Zelda’s bubbly face framed by short, sun-kissed hair flooded his mind, and a renewed yearning for her return home washed over his wistful expression.
“Cut the goo-goo eyes, this is serious business!” Purah swiped the paper from his hands and tossed it to the side. “Girls don’t just cut their hair willy-nilly, they want to make a statement! Our Princess isn’t just coming home from a fun little getaway with friends, she’s opening up a whole new chapter in her life. And she’s going to expect you to keep up, I hope you know!”
The tiny finger that jammed itself between his eyes felt accusatory, though Link wasn’t entirely sure what he was being accused of. “I’m not sure I’m following, Purah. I know she’ll be tired and hungry, I’ve already planned to have her favorite curry and cake ready for her. Is there something else I’m supposed to do?”
Purah rolled her eyes incredulously and hopped off the chair with a wave of her hand. “The princess is coming back as a whole new woman, Linky. You’d better step it up, a new stage in life is a new act in whatever you both have going on in here.” She opened her arms wide to gesture around the house, then turned around to stretch a hand towards the doorknob. “I’ll see myself out, good luck Linky!”
Link was left with the house’s silent expanse and a creeping cloud of anxiety. He laughed nervously and pushed the hair from his face.
“That’s ridiculous, there could never be so much meaning behind a haircut…” Link attempted to reassure himself, but as he ran a hand through his own locks he couldn’t help the nagging thought that perhaps he really was missing something crucial. It was their anniversary, and his memory before the Calamity was still somewhat hazy. Perhaps he was forgetting a royal custom, or even a cultural tradition from the old days…
Impa’s house was buzzing with visitors per usual. Kakariko’s villagers often congregated throughout the day to express their woes to their chief in hopes that they might find resolution before the sun dipped below the horizon. And today Link was no different—he crossed his arms and patiently waited his turn behind the lineup of disgruntled Sheikah so that he, too, may receive Impa’s wisdom before Zelda’s return home. The Sheikah held a long history serving Hyrule’s royal family and Impa was once Princess Zelda’s attendant in her younger years. If anyone could provide insight into Zelda’s new hairstyle, surely it would be Impa.
“Ah, Link! That’s a familiar face I hardly expected to see this morning.” Impa’s wrinkled scowl stretched into a pleasant smile as Link stepped up to her pedestal with a respectful bow of his head. “What trouble could possibly bring Hyrule’s esteemed hero before me today?”
“Sorry for the sudden visit, but I hoped you could offer some advice about a situation with Princess Zelda I am unfamiliar with.” Link uncovered the newspaper from his folded arms and passed it along to the old wise woman. Impa squinted at the small letters and read out each word as her sunken eyes deciphered them:
“Royalty-Inspired Names…to Consider for Your Growing Family...” Impa raised a quizzical eyebrow and eyed him carefully from beneath her kasa’s wide brim.
“No—no!” Link closed his eyes and squeezed his fists to tune out the surge of murmurs behind him. He swallowed the embarrassment and then stepped forward to point at the article he intended her to see. “The one below that…”
Impa looked down to squint a second time: “Princess Zelda’s…Bold New Hairstyle…” She nodded slowly and looked up at him as if expecting further elaboration.
“Uh, well, assuming it’s true, does that…mean something?” Link attempted to ask coolly, but her perplexed expression only solidified how absurd he felt forming the thought into words.
“Is this what’s buzzing around the towns right now? We really are in an era of peace…” Impa sighed gruffly and handed the paper back to him. Link sighed too, though his swelled with relief.
“Purah really had me worried for a moment there, she showed up with this article saying something about new beginnings and new expectations for me and—”
The paper ripped itself from his hand with surprising force before he could finish his explanation. Impa sat up straight, her serious scowl returned to her face, and her leathered hand signaled for her spectacles.
“Purah, you say…” Impa’s beady eyes scanned the article a second time with the blessings of clairvoyance held before them. She shook her head slowly and looked up sullenly at Link as if she were preparing to deliver grave news. “You should heed my sister’s words, Young Hero. This is a serious matter, and you haven’t long before Our Princess returns from her renewal in the desert.”
Link felt his mouth go dryer than said desert. “Oh…” he choked out, feebly hiding his ballooning panic with a fist to his mouth.
“I’d listen to our chief, lad! I cut my hair first thing after leaving my cucco-obsessed husband” a woman piped up behind him.
“I cut my hair after moving out of my family home” another woman corroborated.
“Oh, Master Link!” Paya peeked her blushing face out from behind the altar she tended to. “Long hair is traditionally attributed to royalty! If Princess Zelda has shed her royal trademark, does this mean you both can finally stand as equals and be coronated together?” She clasped her hands in front of her and spoke sincerely with a heartfelt smile.
But Paya’s well-meaning words only melted into the cacophony of voices flooding Link’s eardrums. He fanned the collar of his shirt to dissipate the heat firing from his racing heart and stuttered some kind of farewell to Impa. As he fumbled his way towards the door, he was unsure if he had blurted out the obligatory “thank you” he intended or some rambling about the inadequacy of chicken curry as a gift.
Impa chuckled quietly behind a closed-mouthed smile and waved over her attendant. “Bring the messenger hawk, I must send word of this matter to Purah immediately.”
The Hateno home’s door swung open and swiftly shut upon Link’s hasty return. He pushed his back against the door and looked at the upstairs window. The sun now crept into its frame, a terrifying image as that meant Zelda’s return was imminent. And all he had to showcase their relationship with was the promise of a basic curry. And a cake she’s eaten dozens of times prepared by every well-meaning person she’s ever met. He didn’t know what an appropriate gift looked like for an occasion such as this one. He wasn’t even entirely certain what the occasion was; he just knew whatever it was, he was severely underprepared and endlessly embarrassed that everyone but himself somehow understood that. He frowned at the ingredient-littered dining table and pressed both hands to his face to hide its shameful site.
“Hylia, what am I supposed to do…”
As if answering his prayers, rapid knocks sounded behind him, and he scrambled to tear it open to reveal…
“Down here, Linky!” Purah squawked from below.
“Purah!” Link straightened his posture to iron out any outward signs of despair. “About that news you shared…theoretically of course, what would you recommend beyond a simple dinner in the event that maybe the situation here was something more than the occasional house-sitting favor, or maybe if I did sometimes sleep over here, or—”
“Don’t worry about that, Linky! I’ve already called for back-up; there’s no time to spare after all!” Purah flashed him a cheeky grin and her signature pose before disappearing behind the onslaught of recruited allies flanking the doorway.
A chic woman dressed in mushroom-patterned textiles shoved ahead of the commotion to grip Link’s chin with one hand. “Hmm…” She turned his stunned face about and clicked her tongue as she released him. “Those sad puppy-dog eyes are hardly befitting of a future prince, but that’s nothing a sharp wing won’t fix. You should have given me more notice dear, I could have prepared so much more for you!”
Link opened his mouth to question several aspects of that statement but was abruptly pushed back by a barrage of lively puppies excitedly scratching at his legs.
“Sorry Cece—Link!” Rhondson’s tall frame maneuvered around the fashionista, who now fiddled with a satchel at her waist. Rhondson placed a hand firmly on his shoulder and looked him in the eyes with a warm expression—as best as she could, anyway, given Cece’s prodding hand jabbing a small paintbrush around them. “I came as soon as I could! Sand seals typically steal Gerudo girls’ hearts back home, but I could not acquire one on such short notice. Please accept instead these refined creatures from me and Bolson! I hear they are popular with Hylians.”
They were admittedly adorable, but Link could hear their tiny puppy noses sniffing around the dining table behind him. He excused himself with an anxious laugh and broke away from Cece’s grasp to rescue Zelda’s dinner. As he danced around the bouncing puppies and gathered up the table’s contents into his arms, a large wing spun him around to face Rito Village’s dignified elder.
“Link, apologies for the intrusion, but I heard of your situation and wanted to present to you a rito tradition among couples.” Teba pulled a sturdy longbow from his back and anointed Link with it, threading it over his head and around his encumbered limbs to rest it on his back. “The hardwood of this bow was sourced from the oldest tree in our village and symbolizes an unbreakable bond; hunting together with its assistance will fortify your connection and grant you blessings from the forest spirits.”
Link dodged more prying canid noses to heave the ingredients onto a higher shelf their paws could not reach. “Thank you, Teba, that’s actually quite thoughtful, but ‘couple’ is a strong word and—”
“Just remember to avoid cooking the first kill when you consume it together! It is said the spirits regard this action as disrespectful and in return may choose to curse the offending couple.”
Link contemplated how to explain why Zelda might not be enamored by the idea of eating a whole animal raw, but as he turned to face Teba he was met by yet another close friend who eagerly answered Purah’s call to action.
“Link!” Sidon’s booming voice greeted him exuberantly. The towering zora knelt to somewhat reach his eye level and smashed Link’s sides between both hands to hold him there. The action forced the air from his lungs and Link attempted to smile through the discomfort, though he was breathless and could not offer an immediate greeting in return. Tears promptly sprung from the zora prince’s eyes as soon as Link looked up at him.
“Sidon, are you okay?” Link asked him both worriedly and wheezily.
“My dearest friend!” Sidon held a proud fist to his chest. “You and our noble princess have been through so much together! You must seize this chance!” He stood tall once more, swiped the tears from his eyes, and regained his regal composure. “I have something fitting for this splendid occasion! I simply need a water source!”
Link pointed hesitantly towards the front door. “Oh, well, there’s one just outside the house…”
As soon as Sidon made his exit, a jarring pounding started up that made Link regret whatever process he might have unintentionally aided him in. He rushed outside to investigate the ruckus and tripped over a novel addition to the front yard. A quick glance down at his boot revealed a line of rails snaking around the side of the house, and following them led to a helmeted goron hammering away at the iron tracks.
“Are these railcar tracks?!” Link exclaimed in disbelief. The goron appeared rather unbothered by his compounding distress as he looked up and gave a cheerful wave.
“Oh, hiya Link! Yeah, sorry about the tracks with no cart, Yunobo has that with him. Uh, but…I’m not too sure when he’ll get here! He stuck himself in a cannon fully confident it would speed-up the journey, but it definitely didn’t fire in the right direction…” The goron shrugged and then lifted his hammer to resume his work.
Link did not even know where to begin asking for clarification. Between the still unexplained rail cart system ripping through the yard and the fact that Yunobo was likely lost and required a search party to bring him home, Link was honestly more curious to know exactly what tragic tale Purah had spun about him to convince all of their friends to come here like this in the first place…
“I have found the water source!” Sidon announced zestfully. Link scanned the edge of the creek, yet there was no sign of his princely friend along the body of water. His eyes drifted away from the bridge and came to settle on the foreboding sight of Sidon standing next to the old well behind the house.
“No no no, Sidon, not that water source!” Link shouted after him desperately and attempted to point him towards the bubbling creek, but his efforts were in vain as Sidon already had an arm outstretched towards the chimney.
“This grand steeple is the perfect monument to mark your union! You shall meet each other atop your home, and as you overlook your glorious kingdom, you will join as one and together make the plunge down the ceremonial waterfall!”
At Sidon’s command, the well popped from the ground like a cork bursting from a fizzing bottle and unleashed an impressive geyser straight into the chimney. Link dismally watched the rushing waters smash away the plaster and eject several stones onto the rooftop. Link let out a steady exhale and wearily checked around him for more advisors before giving Sidon a relenting thumbs up and dragging himself back into the house.
He wished he could match the enthusiasm of the tricolored puppy litter bounding around his feet, but he only felt a profound sense of failure. Chaos now welcomed Zelda home, and he lamented the scene she was about to witness. He folded himself over the dining table and wondered if Sidon’s waterfall could redirect itself to Hateno Bay; at least then it would carry him out to sea and allow him to drift over the horizon, hopefully out of this plane of existence…
“Link?” A soothing, melodic voice accompanied the soft creak of the door, and it quickly broke out into delighted giggles when the gaggle of puppies redirected their attention away from Link’s boot flaps. “Oh Link, I didn’t realize you’d be puppy-sitting! It seems they’ve thoroughly exhausted you!”
Excuses tumbled around his mind and churned within his stomach. At this point there was no reversing what had or had not been done, so Link dared push himself up from the table to face the inevitable…
…except he forgot what exactly had been plaguing him once he laid eyes on Zelda.
The rumors had not lied. Her hair truly was shortened down into a succinct bob. But tabloid gossip could never capture how those golden locks framed a glowing halo around her radiant face and made her look as if she were the sun itself.
“I’m so glad to see you invited friends over while I was away, I hope you all had a good time! Whose puppies are these?” Zelda craned her neck to avoid the excited nips from the puppy she held.
“Um…” Link rubbed the back of his neck. He still felt a bit mystified and struggled to verbally express his thoughts to her. The sound of shingles plopping onto the wet grass reminded him of the ongoing antics outside, and he awkwardly mumbled out a “sorry about the well…” in response.
“Oh, that? Frankly I was considering repurposing that anyway, it’s not as if it was a functioning well” she stated simply with a quick kiss to his forehead. “Wow, I didn’t even notice your eyes! That looks nice on you, Link, it reminds me of our royal soirée days some hundred years ago.”
Link touched the corner of one eye and decided it was best to refrain from imagining how it actually looked—he couldn’t even be certain Cece finished her work before he tore away from her. Instead, he turned in his chair to soak up Zelda’s warm presence as she walked behind him to pull the vegetables he’d managed to salvage from the high shelf.
“You went shopping already, thank you! It’s okay if you’re too tired to help with dinner, but I will admit, I’ve missed cooking with you.” Her blushing face peeking over her shoulder set fire to his heart and snapped him up onto his feet without a second thought.
“No, not at all!” Link reassured her and swiftly stationed himself at her side. He couldn’t keep himself from sneaking glances of her heavenly face from his peripherals while they worked; he truly felt at home when she was home with him. In the rhythm of chopping and peeling vegetables, he finally found the courage to offer his stance on Zelda’s newest look:
“Your hair looks really lovely, Zelda...”
Zelda touched a hand to her hair and gave him a bashful smile. “Thank you! I worried that it might be too extreme, but I can always grow it long again if I come to dislike it.”
They fell into a cozy silence, save for the slicing of meats and vegetables, until Link spoke up a second time to complete his thought:
“…and, happy anniversary, Zelda.”
A wide smile spread across her beaming face and she leaned into him to rest her shoulder against his. “Riju wagered that you would forget, but I didn’t doubt you for a second! How lucky I am to have found you, Link.”
That instantly pulled a smile from his lips, and Link let himself sink just a little further into her, until his head found hers.
“Me too, Zelda.”