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"Princess, I truly don't think I—"
A rough shove to Link's shoulder.
“Not another word! Get inside, you!”
Scuffing of boots and high clicks of heeled shoes enter the only boutique in Hateno Village, Ventest Clothing. Link's unimpressed glare was met with one that radiated smugness. After many months, she had finally convinced Link to enter the store in search of something for him, not some grandma who needed help, not Zelda, but him.
Nearly five years ago marked the defeat of Ganon. Alongside his defeat, it also marked Zelda's return to Hyrule. Being able to breathe fresh air, feel the sun on her skin, and walk through the huge patches of grasslands brought tears to her eyes. She missed feeling like a person. Although, the one thing that made her feel alive was her love, Link. She was scared that if she looked away he would disappear again.
The pair quickly fled to Hateno to begin setting order to Hyrule again. The princess was aware of the ruin the kingdom was thrown into during the calamity, but she had not been able to talk to civilians during that period. Familiar buildings were nothing but dusty piles of rubble; statues no longer towered over her. From the castle she was not able to see the true extent of damage that befell Hylians, but she was determined to see a refurbished, strong kingdom once again. She longed to see proud flags displaying sacred symbols billowing in the wind. She wanted nothing more than her people to thrive. She felt it was the least she could do after leading them into downfall.
In the present day, it felt like the calamity was in the distant past. Castle town was a bustling, busy marketplace with a thriving economy. Small groups of knights began popping up along the country, who fought the ever-weakening bands of monsters. It felt like Hyrule was finally working its way back to the era Zelda had once lived through long ago. Peaceful.
It was then she realized just how much Link had given as the hero. He still wore the tattered tunic she made when he was still her appointed knight. She absolutely wanted to reach out to some of the new clothing stores in Hyrule to make a new tunic, but that was not today's purpose.
Zelda began her own quest: get Link new armor.
Every single advance she made towards making him buy new armor or even a new tunic would end in him saying, “I don't need anything. I'm content, Princess.”
She would argue, "You've had the same gear for a century, Link! You deserve something new!”
He would retort, “I don't need anything new.”
Which is not the answer Zelda wanted. What she wanted was to absolutely spoil him. Link was the most self-sacrificing person on the planet, and all she wanted was for him to feel special. Which is exactly why she lied to him and said she needed something from the market and promptly dragged him to the boutique.
Link shuffled towards Zelda's side and glanced at her.
“... Well? Do you see anything you like?” Zelda prompted.
He looks away from her and to the new, busy assortment of armoury. The owners of the shop thought that adding protective wear to their collection might entice more customers. Apparently Link was not one of those customers.
He looked back, with a shy smile, and shrugged. “Zelda, I honestly—"
"Oh! Look at this!” Zelda exclaimed as she tugged him to a mannequin. No regards for the excuses he was about to spew.
The mannequin was dressed in a variety of pieces to show off what was in stock. Zelda was impressed; such a small store offered a surprising amount of colors, textures, materials, and clothing types.
Miss-matched pauldrons sat strapped to the arms of the mannequin, one made of leather and one of metal, followed by purple gauntlets layered with thick leather bracers. The mannequin also displayed a myriad of belts with different sized and colored buckles. Its breastplate and barbute helmet caught the soft flickering light of the fires illuminating the shop. Even the legs of the mannequin were ready for battle, adorned with greaves and shiny shoes.
She nudges him in awe. "If I didn't know you, I'd think this was the hero. The hero of—um.” She stares at him. “The Hero of Mannequin. Steeped in the embers of store light, adrift through the seasonal pieces.”
Link snorts and slaps a hand over his mouth, ushering them into the armour section.
The couple slowly works through the aisles of the armoury. They poke and prod at leather pieces, testing the thickness. Zelda ogles at the many colors that the gauntlets could come in, while Link stared at a very shiny codpiece with mild terror.
Link, as always, ends up a few paces behind Zelda. He finds more entertainment in watching Zelda's dazzling smile as she jokingly throws a hat on her head than in imagining himself in a new baldric. As she plucks up pieces, showing them to him like a salesman, he quietly rejects each one and continues to follow her throughout the store.
Rack after rack, he finally stops, not just because Zelda paused, looking at a specific row of items. Zelda curiously peeks over his shoulder.
He carefully picks up a tough leather gauntlet. On the black material, it features small white triangles. He turns it over in his hands, sneaks a peek back up at the other ones on the rack, before settling with the one in his hand. He looks at Zelda, who gives him a small nod, and begins to quickly unwrap the ones he currently had on.
He slides on the new gauntlet to test its fit, turns his arm around here and there, satisfied. He grabs the other pair and nods Zelda along the aisle.
Eventually, they reach the end of the armor displays. With a sigh, Zelda turns around to level Link with a stern look.
“You.. Are you sure that's all you want?" Zelda asks quietly.
Link looks at her with mild surprise and opens his mouth to speak. As soon as a word begins to come out, he is abruptly cut off by Zelda letting out a loud gasp. Every ounce of irritation and sadness she has melts away as she spots something behind him. She clasps his hand and tugs him in the opposite direction.
“Link Link Link—LINK, follow me! Quickly now!”
Link sometimes wonders if he is Zelda's assistant or someone she keeps around just so she can drag something. He instantly obliges and whips around, following her footsteps without thought.
She drags him straight to the back of the store.
“Oh Link! Look at this!” The princess marvels while excitedly shoving him in front of another mannequin.
This time, the mannequin seems to be decked out in what is a matching set. Along the body is an asymmetrical chest piece and a pauldron strapped to both the arm and chest piece. Around the waist of the mannequin is a wide kidney belt, on each forearm features bracers.
He tilts his head, picking at the straps holding together the chest piece and testing the strength on the lame under the main pauldron piece.
Link stares at it and then hurriedly swivels his head to meet Zelda's eyes but finds her vibrating with excitement faced away from him. He glances back at the mannequin and follows her gaze.
Zelda turns around, grinning ear to ear and giggling, holding up a chainmail tunic.
Link gasps and stumbles back half a step, he doesn't even want to know how expensive that is, some gauntlets are more than enough, but as always, Zelda more or less chops his thoughts on a cutting board.
“Link, we absolutely need to get you these!” she excitedly rambles.
Link goes to object, words such as, I absolutely do not need all of that Princess please listen bubble on his tongue.
"Link, we are not leaving this store unless it is in tow with that set and this chainmail—oh, link! Look at that shirt!!” She whips around to grab another piece.
Link grabs her arm, sweating profusely. “Zelda- ZELDA- hold- no wait-” he yelps.
For a split second, Zelda stops her ravaging of the boutique, and looks at Link.
He stares at his boots and then back up at the girl in front of him. Link licks his lips nervously before speaking.
"Princess, I absolutely do not need all of this. I am more than content with new gauntlets—"
“Nonsense, I want you to have them.”
“Zelda I really can't afford-”
Zelda puts a hand on his shoulder. “I'm buying,” she states with a smile.
She brushes a stray hair from Link's cheek before continuing, “Link, you've sacrificed so much.” She slides her hand from his cheek to his chin. “You give and you give and you give, let me give you something," Zelda pleads.
Link's eyes widen and he flounders in her grasp. His mouth twitches once; hands twitch twice. “I uh-”
Zelda sets the chainmail in his arms. "Plus, I think you would look rather dashing in this.” She leans closer. "Is it so wrong I want to see my knight in nice armor? I'm a princess after all… “ she whispers with a giddy smile.
“Come on now, let's check out!” Zelda says with a spring in her step. Link has no choice but to follow her lead.
3000 rupees later, much to Link's displeasure, he's being shoved into the dressing room.
When he emerges, it's with all of the newly acquired items. His old undershirt and gauntlets are tucked under his armpit; he lets out a toothy, shy smile.
The chainmail is a comforting weight that drapes across his shoulders and back, which makes him feel secure. It's odd not to feel any air on the back of his neck from his old undershirt, this one Zelda had picked out was a dark blue and made from a thick cotton. He doesn't hate it, but the sensory feelings of new pressure in different places might take a minute to get used to. It's worth it to see her smile though.
Zelda is practically beaming next to the store clerk. She looked as if she could awaken her powers and demolish the entirety of Hateno in a millisecond. To him, she was the definition of sunshine.
“Oh my goodness, Link, you look so handsome!” She rushes over and starts to pick apart every detail in the new armor, smoothing his bangs, and muttering something about the wear and tear on your tunic. He flushes and scratches the back of his neck.
After thanking the clerk, the couple leave hand in hand, happily starting their trek back to their now shared house.
The sun is starting to set, Link looks at Zelda with a soft look. Being able to breathe the fresh air, feel the sun on his skin, and walk home to the house he lives in alongside Zelda was worth every bruise and injury from his journey.
“You know.. I guess this was appropriate timing “ Zelda hums.
Link cocks his head at her with furrowed brows.
Zelda looks at him with a serious expression. “We are going to explore underneath Hyrule Castle soon, to investigate that malice, remember?”
Link nods along.
“I don't know what I would do if.. “ she casts her gaze towards the sun, “if something happened to you again.” Her grip tightens on his hand.
Brilliant green eyes meet courageous blue ones.
“Thank you for saving me..Thank you for everything, Link.”