Leading Epona from the stables at the ranch, Link had been ready to meet Zelda at the gates when Malon flew out of the house in a fury. "Link!" She all but screamed at him, "You can't leave yet! We still have things to do!" It was still dark, the sun not yet risen but very much on it's way.
Wincing, Link tried to smile reassuringly at Malon. "Look, I really am sorry about this. I already finished brushing down the other horses and made sure everyone has water. I really can't do much more at this time of day, Malon. You know that."
Planting her hands on her hips, Malon frowned. "What about playing the cows a song? You could get your share of milking done before you leave. Please, today is going to be tough enough without you to lend a hand with Cuccos, you can't leave without at least milking your cows!" Anger was quickly replaced with desperation. "I know the Princess is coming today to get you, but do you know what else that means? People will want to come to see her, and that means business for the ranch, a lot of business. Me and my dad can't do it alone, so could you at least just do your milking?"
With a sigh, Link nodded. He knew all too well what kind of attention Zelda received whenever visiting a small place like Lon Lon Ranch, and he knew that Malon might even be underestimating it, but he still wanted to get a head start and ride to meet Zelda. It had been only few days, but it felt like an eternity to Link – and all he could think of was ways he could rebuild the relationship they'd developed before. He handed over the reigns to Epona and trotted off to where most of the cows were kept, knowing that if he didn't hurry, he'd miss his chance to meet his ruler at the gates and show how dedicated he was.
Playing the song and milking the cows took longer than Link had anticipated, and he was disappointed to see the gathering crowd at the ranch when he finally emerged. Zelda was either very close or already there.
Pushing his way through the crowd in a half desperate dash to get to where Malon had tied Epona. He'd just untied the reigns when a roar of a cheer nearly deafened Link – he really hadn't quite expected a crowd as big as it was. Zelda was very popular as a ruler who put the people first, avoiding conflict with the neighbouring kingdoms much more readily than the late King of Hyrule. And as such, it earned him many fans and an adoring public.
Epona was skittish, tugging at Link to get out of the pushing crowd as he tried to lead her into it, towards where Zelda was no doubt waiting for him. It took a little shoving on his part to make it through the crowd as it became more and more dense, but soon he had emerged on the other side, still holding fast to Epona's reigns and in one piece himself.
He didn't immediately see where his ruler was, squinting against the glare of the rising sun. When he did see them – Link counted at least ten horsemen – he was surprised by how far away they still were. How had these people known when Zelda was going to arrive – and how had they managed to get there before the royal procession? But then, the type to become obsessed with royalty were known for their ... commitment.
Before the crowd could push forward any further, and to spare Zelda from his adoring public, Link mounted his good friend Epona and she took off, glad to get away from the overbearing crowd of people. Link, too, was glad – glad for the old feeling of excitement at this new adventure, for the wind in his face, for the familiar movement of power and muscle between his legs he joined and melded with in riding. For a few sweet moments, Link and Epona were of the same mind, feeling free and happy, but when the heavy sound of many hooves became loud enough to drown out his thoughts, Link pulled back to meet the party accompanying the current Princess of Hyrule. He raised his hand in greeting as both Link and Zelda came to a stop next to each other.
"Hello, hero," said Zelda with a grin. His eyes seemed different somehow to Link, but he wasn't able to pinpoint why. Maybe it was just because he'd been thinking about Zelda for the last couple of days non-stop. "I see you're all ready to go." There was a note of amusement in his voice, a smile tugging at Zelda's mouth.
Link felt a blush threatening as he realized that maybe riding out to meet Zelda would look like he was overeager. "Yes, Princess." To cover his own embarrassment, Link gave a mock bow. "Where are we heading first?"
Seeing the smouldering look Zelda shot back in return for his sarcastic bow, Link dropped his gaze. He really had to remember not to do that with Zelda – at least not in public. "We are going to visit the Gorons first, to repair the relationship between their people and the Royal Family." Turning his own horse around to face the same way Link and Epona were, he continued, "After, we will visit the Gerudo Thieves."
"The Gerudo?" blurted Link to Zelda's back as he nudged his horse forward, following Zelda's lead. "But what about what happened with Ganondorf?"
Zelda shot Link a glare over his shoulder. "Do you not realize that it is exactly that attitude that bred someone like Ganondorf?"
Taken aback by the anger in Zelda's voice, Link was slow to urge Epona into a trot after his ruler, following after the rest of the party had taken off after the Princess. He hung back, not quite sure how to feel about what Zelda had said and not sure if he should be angry back at the Princess. After all, Ganondorf had kidnapped Zelda and tried to take the Triforce of Wisdom from him by force. Not to mention he'd killed the late King of Hyrule, destroyed the castle he'd grown up in, and nearly brought destruction and ruin upon the entirety of his kingdom.
After a while, Zelda slowed his horse's pace, allowing his attendants to catch up. The group was rather raucous – at least, it seemed that way to Link who normally travelled alone or with Epona – and everyone appeared to be friends with one another. Still hanging back, Link couldn't help but notice one girl who kept getting left out of conversations. She looked somewhat familiar to him, and every so often he would catch her glancing his way, only to quickly look somewhere else.
Taking it upon himself to make himself a part of the group, Link approached the young woman after yet another glance at him. Trying to be friendly, Link smiled at her as she shyly refused to meet his eyes, pulling her own horse away from Epona as if to give them more berth. "Hello," he said, waving instead of extending a hand – she kept moving away from him, making it impossible.
She nodded, clearly nervous, with a half-smile in response. Her face was all pink, making Link think that maybe she was getting a burn from the still-low sun or maybe a little heat exhaustion.
"Are you alright?" Concern was written on the hero's face, and it made the girl's colour to get darker. Link had to hide his amusement then, turning his attention back on where Epona was leading him so he didn't see her reaction when he added, "You're a bit flushed."
When Link glanced back over at her, she was moving her horse away, looking mortified. "Sorry," she muttered, barely audible over the sounds of travel.
Link was confused. Was it something he'd said? Maybe everyone was just in a bad mood that day.
He rode alone for a while longer, until a taller, more elegant-looking woman than the young lady he'd tried to talk to before – probably another one of Zelda's handmaids – approached him in the shadow of Death Mountain, sitting awkwardly in her saddle as if maintaining her straight posture was causing her pain as she bounced against the movements of her horse. Link couldn't help thinking that riding like that was incredibly inefficient before she opened her mouth to speak, her voice a deep timbre he'd seldom heard from women in Hyrule, "You are the Hero of Time, I presume?"
Startled only for the briefest of moments, he nodded. "Link. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss." He nodded, knowing better than to try to shake her hand when she was gripping her reigns so tight.
She smirked at him, startlingly bright eyes scraping over his body as if he was some sort of foreign dirt, no doubt judging him on his riding style. "Lady Arreil," she reply shortly, flicking her dark curls off her face. "I see you're trying to get to know the Ladies of her Highness, Mr. Link. I thought I would come and introduce myself so you wouldn't have to trouble yourself."
Link wasn't sure what to think of her, but his first assumption was that she was a pompous know-it-all. He knew better than to base all his judgement of her character on his first impression, but she still irked him. "How ... Nice of you," he replied awkwardly. He didn't quite know how to treat a Lady like her, so he was going with the 'say as little as possible' strategy.
"I understand that you were raised in the forest, Mr. Link? So I think I will let your disrespect slide for now." Before Link even had time to figure out what she meant by that, Lady Arreil was already talking again. "Lady Anise seems to have taken a liking to you. I wonder though, if you realize how close you are to losing the Princess right now. You do know about her suitors, don't you?"
Seeing the confounded look plastered on Link's face, Lady Arreil gave a laugh, her face pinching unattractively, making Link's face pinch in response. Who was this annoying woman, telling him what to do with his Prince, insulting him on his manners, and laughing when he didn't know what the hell she was talking about? When she was finished laughing, Link asked, as politely as he could muster, "You've lost me, Lady Arreil. I am loyal to Zelda and Zelda alone, and I have definitely not been around gossipers long enough to hear of these suitors."
The look of smugness on the Lady Arreil's face nearly made Link turn away in disgust. He really had no patience for people like her, no matter how much he had to deal with them. But this suitor business had him curious so he sucked up his prejudices to hear what she had to say about the matter. "It seems that there are many men from around the Kingdom who've been seeking the Princess's hand in marriage. Why, just this morning a man claiming to be the Prince of the Sheikah stalked her Highness to the stables to ask her for marriage! The Princess had nothing of that, of course. But you know, if you don't make your move soon, she may settle for someone else."
"Zelda would never settle! He's-" Link paused, catching himself. "Her Highness would never stoop so low, Lady Arreil." Link felt sick, not trusting his own words. Would Zelda ever settle? He didn't seem the type, but ... It was always a possibility. What if someone from a neighbouring Kingdom wished to make an alliance? Zelda would never let Hyrule fall just because of a little pride, so it was possible he might settle ...
Lady Arreil's voice cut through his thoughts, and he realized a moment too late that she'd been baiting him, trying to rile him up. "Oho, I see you've got some fire in you yet. I was beginning to wonder if that pretty face of yours ever showed emotion, Mr. Link." She grinned widely, a look of secrecy hidden beneath the surface. "Perhaps you should direct that passion towards the Princess now. She's been in a foul mood since you left." Lady Arreil nodded towards her ruler then, yanking on her reigns to move her horse out of the way. "I wasn't lying about the suitors, though. You really should move quickly, lest she pick what is best for the kingdom and not what's best for her."
Link sat in stunned silence for a few moment, turning the idea over in his head. It couldn't hurt to ask Zelda, right? Plenty of people were asking right now, according to Lady Arreil at least, so what would the harm be if he threw in his own declaration of love? Any lingering doubts about whether or not he was still in love with the man he'd fallen for during his journeying now that he knew he'd been lied to – twice now – dissipated. Link knew then that if he wasn't going to be with Zelda the rest of his life then he didn't want to be with anyone else.
Finally, Link shot Lady Arreil a grateful smile before urging Epona faster so he could catch up to the front of the party, where Zelda led them proudly. Once he was flank to flank with with Zelda, Link lost his sudden confidence. What was he going to say? He decided to start with, "Hello."
Zelda spared him only a glance, but it was obvious that Link's company was at least somewhat appreciated. "Hero," he replied, the affection in that one word betraying the rigid posture and cold body language.
They lapsed into silence, the ever-approaching Death Mountain looming in their path. Link didn't have much time until they would be passing through Kakariko, where they were likely to spend the night. "So, your Highness, I ... Heard about your suitors." Glancing shyly over at the other, Link was disappointed by the blank look.
"Hm?" he said, clearly distracted. "Sorry hero, it seems I was lost in thought."
Link lost his nerve then, staring down at his friend and companion's mane. "It was nothing."
Again, a silence descended over the two. It was when the group finally came to the steps leading to the village that Impa had founded that the current ruler of Hyrule finally spoke again. He turned in his saddle so he could see everyone as he stopped, nodding to Lady Arreil – who Link hadn't noticed take her place next to Zelda while they rode – before speaking in a commanding and booming voice. "We stop here for supplies only – we will be leaving the village before sundown. I wasn't aware our journey would take us quite this long, so I didn't give them notice of our stay. We camp at the base of the mountain tonight. Everyone understand?"
There was a general nodding of heads and a subdued echoing of "Yes, your Highness," before Zelda turned back around and kicked his horse forward. They took the long route up to the village, circumventing the stairs to spare the horses, and by the time they reached the village it was dark, the sun already hidden behind Death Mountain.
They didn't stay long, just as Zelda had said. By the time the group left Kakariko, the sun had fully set and the mountain, no longer rumbling and angry thanks to the Hero of Time, was all shadows and darkness. The Princess's Ladies were all skittish as they set up camp, not far from the Dodongo cave, but still helped as much as they could around the camp until the fires were lit. It was finally time to relax.