One Year Later...
Riju was unsteady on the bar stool as she giggled about, but to Link's surprise, she had not lost her balance and tumbled to the floor. She emptied another glass and shouted at the bartender for another. She turned to Link with a hiccup and grinned.
"We Gerudos excel at drinking," she said with a slight slur. She waved her hand erratically as she spoke. "I could out drink ya any day!"
"I believe you," Link said, his brows raised. He wasn't about to deny it; he was only on his second drink and Riju had well surpassed them all.
Sidon peered into his half empty glass. "Hylians have a weird taste in alcohol," he said simply. "It's much too bitter for my taste."
Yunobo's glass was empty, but he seemed reluctant to order a second. "Goron's don't have a legal drinking age," he said.
"So why do you look so inexperienced?" Riju said, leaning over Link to talk to Yunobo.
"Because… I am."
Riju giggled and waved a hand at him. "Minors," she said. She brought her new beer to her lips and took a long sip, then hiccuped again. She leaned over to Link, throwing her thumb over her shoulder. "Can you believe this guy?" she said, pointing her thumb at Teba who sat on the far end of the bar. "Pretending he doesn't know us."
Link's brows raised once more. "Can't say I blame him," he muttered into his glass.
Teba rolled his eyes. "You are an embarrassing drunk, Riju," he said.
"Can it, Birdboy!"
Teba shook his head and rubbed his temple with the tip of his wing. "How did I get dragged into this?"
"You know," Sidon started. "Link is your superior officer."
"Superior, superior," Riju said, raising her glass.
"I don't think that's what you meant to say," Yunobo mumbled.
"To secret missions and saving the world!" Riju said, raising her glass.
"They're not secret if you go blabbing everything," Sidon muttered.
To his relief, Link's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the text from Zelda.
Up for a secret mission? ;)
Link put his phone on the bar as he fished through his pockets, paying his part of the tab.
Riju lowered her glass and peered at the message still on the screen. Her face was serious for a moment. "Is that why I'm never invited to be part of your secret missions?"
"What secret missions?" Yunobo asked.
Riju pointed to Link's phone as he grabbed it quickly and shoved it into his pocket. "The secret mission Zelda's giving Link."
"You're going on a secret mission?" Yunobo asked.
"Oh, Hylia," Sidon muttered, covering his face in his hand.
"Idiots," Teba muttered. "It's not really a mission."
Yunobo's face reddened and Riju burst into a fit of giggles.
"Good thing," Sidon said. "Apparently we can't keep secret missions a secret around here."
"And that's enough for me tonight," Link said. "Duty calls."
"Your wife calls," Riju laughed. "Booty call! Tell Zelda I said hi!"
"That's exactly what I'm going to do," Link muttered, waving as he walked away. "Good luck, Teba," he called over his shoulder as he left the bar.
Teba shook his head and narrowed his eyes at Riju. "I think you're done."
Riju was beginning to argue with Teba when the door to the bar closed behind Link. He strode across the parking lot to his car, unlocking it and sliding in behind the wheel. He pulled onto the main road, driving through the city and back towards the palace, flashing his badge at the gate. The guard opened the gate with a respectable "Sir," nodding his head at Link and saluting him briefly.
Link pulled forward, navigating the drive to the palace, pulling up in front and cutting the engine. He stepped out of the car, tossing the keys to a nearby guard that stepped forward to take the vehicle. Link trotted up the steps and through the large double doors that brought him into the central room. He looked up as Zelda rounded the corner on the second level, standing at the top of the stairs. She had her phone in her hand, her brows furrowed together. She looked up at her phone, noticing Link then as he stood staring up at her from the center of the room.
"Why is Riju texting me about a secret mission?" Zelda asked.
Link grinned up at his wife. He shoved his hands in his pockets, his gaze not straying from her for even a second.
Zelda blushed, her lips pulling into a smile. "What?"
"She's mad I get to go on one without her."
Zelda's smile widened into a grin. She returned her phone to her pocket and leaned flirtatiously on the railing of the staircase. "You got here fast."
"You've got a mission for me?"
Zelda looked up in thought, her finger against her bottom lip. She turned her gaze back to Link after a moment. "A very important, very secret mission. Perhaps we should discuss it in privacy." She winked playfully at him before turning away and disappearing around the corner, letting her eyes linger on his before she did so.
Link trotted up the steps, taking them two at a time. But before he could think to round the corner, Zelda's fingers were twisted in his shirt, pulling him into the dark hallway and into a deep, passionate kiss. In just a few hours, the sun would stretch its rays over the horizon and shine upon Hyrule, blessing them with the promise of another new day and a new life that would allow to Royal family to prosper and lead the country into another era.