Link saddled up his one and only horse, it's pack loaded with fruit, milk bottles and strips of dried meat. He was at his home in Hateno, ready for a day outside. The sun was high in the sky, a few clouds milling around to protect them from its rays. When he went back inside, the giggle of his daughter made his heart warm in happiness.
She was the light of his life.
Sara was the product of him and Zelda, but Link was the only parent she'd ever known. Her mother had died during childbirth, even before she could utter a name or an exclamation of joy. It was something Link still couldn't get over.
Advisors of the Hyrulian court had begged and pleaded with its champion to take up the royal crown and lead them, but he had refused. he was tired, and he knew it was time for the Hylian race to get to its own feet and run for themselves.
Besides, he had a daughter to raise.
They left the castle the day after Zelda's burial, heading straight for his house in Hateno, and they've been there ever since. When they first arrived, Link was in a frenzy- where would he get the milk to feed his child? He didn't think the general store could supply enough to feed her every day.
When he shyly went up to some gossiping Hateno women to ask, they immediately went into action. One woman sat him down to talk about his child's needs while the other went around town looking for the two nursing mothers she was sure could lay some milk aside for him. When she successfully returned with the two women in question, they were glad to share, and there would be plenty for his girl between the two of them. Link promised in turn to deliver nearby game in payment. Before he left, all four women warned him not to use milk from the general store, as it didn't have the necessary nutrients his child needed.
They sent him home with three bottles of milk in one hand, a child on his hip and an hours worth of advice. he tried to remember it all while he was walking back to his home, but he still wasn't exactly sure what was going through his head.
He wouldn't have traded it for anything.
Now Sara was four and had gone from milk and cloth diapers to fruit, meat, and flowery dyed dresses. She giggled as Link easily lifted her into his arms, still tones and strong with his nighttime training. he made sure to work his body every night, knowing Sara was safely asleep in her room. He didn't need any more sleep either- his body was still used to working on only a few hours. He had to stay strong for any event, now that he had something he desperately wanted to protect again.
Today he planned a picnic by this beautiful pond just a little ways away from their house. He figured it would be a nice change of pace from their usual routine of reading and horse riding lessons at the house. He was also planning on training her in swordplay and archery, but he was waiting for her to get a little older. She was barely able to hold her stick whenever they roasted fish and mushrooms.
Taking her outside, Link helped her onto her pony, one he specifically bought for her beginning lessons. It was small enough for her while being slow enough for him to catch in case Sara lost control. Once they were both seated, Link checked how his daughter was holding her rains before they headed off. He kept a close eye on her riding stance and the horse itself, just in case anything happened. Sara was still getting a handle on things, but he could see that she was a natural.
"Back straight." He said, and she quickly straightened, smiling sheepishly. They took a walking pace, enjoying the feeling of the soft wind on their skin. Once they got to the pond, Link tied the horses' reins to a shaded tree, taking off both of their saddles and taking the food packs over by the water. He laid out the blanket and set the sacks of food on top of it, Sara placing small stones on the corners to prevent it from flying away in the wind.
"Do you want to eat first or swim first?" He asked, watching with a smile as her face changed as she thought.
"Eat first!" She finally shouted, and he chuckled. Maybe she followed him around a little too much.
"Alright, but then you have to wait fifteen minutes before you swim." He waggled his fingers at her, and she giggled.
"Then will you braid my hair? And then I'll braid your hair?" She asked, sitting across from him, mouth wide in her 'pretty-please' smile. Of course he agreed, and set about laying out their food.
Link didn't have a running job, per say, but the shops in town were always happy to pay him for his goods, and maybe just a little bit more whenever Sara was around. In turn, he made sure to buy out their wares whenever he could- wheat, milk, cane sugar. He didn't yet have the means to supply these on his own, so they stayed in their working circle.
Some nights he even went hunting, training his bow skills instead of his perfected sword arm. He was pleased to know each time he went out that time had not dulled his skills. In the winter, he hunted the land until it was almost dry. He took the Gerudo's idea and stored winter pond ice into the basement, and used it's cool storage to keep the meat cool until at least mid-summer. Then transitioning, he dried strips of whatever meat was left to eat until the next winter. It was easy that way, and he could sell whatever he killed in the summer for extra rupees.
Once their food was laid out, he let Sara pick out whatever she wanted first before taking for himself, and they sat for a silent moment before they ate. They weren't practicing any sort of religion, but Link liked to take the time to remember and thank everyone who'd helped him on his journey, while Sara said she usually thinks about her food.
Then they ate, Link wiping wildberry juices from Sara's chin a few times (He'd specifically had them imported from Gerudo for his daughter to taste.). It didn't take long for them to finish their food (it never did) and soon enough Link was braiding her hair. It was almost exactly like Zelda's- fine and soft, but in Link's dirty blonde color. he usually tried to get her to sleep in this way, as the rhythm touches had her lulling in no time. It didn't have the same effect now since it was barely midday, and the sun was shining brightly down on them.
Right when he finished, tying a piece of cloth on the end, she immediately whirled around and demanded to do his hair too. So obediently, he did as she said. The first few times she did this, her hands would struggle and frustrate her. Now, she was as skilled as him, fingers flying.
Then they were done, and Link stuck a twig in her hair, deciding to let her in the pond a few minutes earlier than he'd said. When he told her, she squealed and immediately tore her dress off, jumping into the cool water. It was completely safe, as Link had cleared all the greenery the day before while Sara had been napping. He watched her closely though as he stripped down to his underclothes before wading in, sitting down in the shallow water.
Sara splashed around and giggled for a few minutes, overjoyed at the fact that the water went almost to her shoulders. Soon enough she came over to Link, wanting to play. Obliging, Link took her in his arms and into the deeper end of the pond, where even his feet didn't touch the bottom (not that he was very tall in the first place.). He put her on his back and went a few laps around the rock in the middle before instructing her to hold tight. He climbed the rock and switched Sara from his back to his arms. She plugged her nose before he jumped in, a laugh rising in her throat. They did this a few more times before Sara grew tired of it, and asked Link to teach her to swim.
Going back to the shallow area, Link first taught her how to paddle, a complete beginners stroke. When she got that down and was able to stay above the water, he went to a larger stroke, which took her a bit longer to master. By then, Sara was getting tired, and they'd been swimming for several hours- sometimes her energy astounded him.
So they went back to the grass and dried off, Sara dozing on the ground while Link packed everything away. He picked her up when he was finished, holding her in his arms while he rode his horse back up to their house, steering his steed with only one hand. Once they were home, Link tucked his little girl into her bed before returning to the evening sun, back to catch her pony.
Her white pony named Zelda, who she had named after becoming fascinated with her legend.