The wind was at his back, blowing his golden locks into his eyes. He stood there, at the edge of Hyrule Field, watching the sunrise over the castle spires. The silent hero shifted his quiver that was hanging precariously off his shoulder and scanned the land that was blanketed in silence, everyone was at ease. Ganondorf was defeated and he no longer threatened the land that sprawled before him. To his right, he could see Death Mountain looming overhead, and he could hear the water flowing from Zora's River.
Everything was different though, Link found it hard to go anywhere without someone stopping him. Instead of ruling over the land that he just saved with Zelda, he would escape to the Lost Woods and battle the monsters that threatened to escape, finding it difficult to sit still for very long. He began his walk back to the castle, and knew that Zelda was ready to berate him for staying out all night.
Their relationship had grown after his quest was finished, Zelda was stunning, and strong, and very opinionated, and Link knew that all too well. He found himself stealing glances at her when she wasn't looking, and he would get lost in her beauty. But he needed to hide his feelings from her; she had become his companion, not his girlfriend. If his feelings were revealed, the connection between the two of them would surely break.
He was suddenly trotting across the draw bridge, nodding to the guards that saluted their fearsome hero. Since the sun was still rising, most of the citizens were still sleeping, it was easy for him to get to the castle unnoticed, but inside was a different story. The second he stepped inside, he was under fire.
"Where have you been all night?" Zelda had been waiting on the enormous staircase that made her seem small and meek.
Her striking blue eyes captivated him and rendered him speechless. She looked more tired than usual, she was exhausted, he knew that she hadn't slept at all that night, "well, are you going to answer me?"
He forgot that she had questioned him and swallowed the lump in his throat, "I got caught up, I'm sorry…" his voice began to trail off and he stepped towards her. She stood and approached him, reaching out for Epona's harness, which he had been squeezing.
"Go get some sleep; I'll take care of Epona." Zelda quietly lead the worn out horse to the stables around back, singing softly to her. She was beautiful even retreating, and as Link climbed the stairs, he began to wish that she would visit him in his dreams.