Author's note: So here's another sister fic in the family of my Spirit Tracks fics, which include Theme 17 and Theme 46. There may be others but I'm too lazy to look right now...sorry. Enjoy!


Theme 49 – Short and Sweet
ST – Link x Zelda

"You need to spend some time with your daughter."

Those were the first words Zelda told him at breakfast that morning. Link looked up from his eggs and bacon, meeting his wife's eyes. "I do spend time with her."

"Yes, that's true, but when was the last time you had a father-daughter day? Just the two of you?"

Link leaned back in his chair, thinking as he tipped his head up to look at the high-vaulted ceiling of their dining room in the castle. "Umm…"

Zelda rolled her eyes, and waited. After a few minutes of silence with no reply, she sighed.

Link returned his gaze to her. "Well, when was the last time you spent time with Caden?"

"Two months ago, when you went messing around in the Tower of Spirits and Zellie was making up some lessons from when she had the flu. But that's not the point. You don't remember, do you?"

"I read to her when she had the flu. I sat by her bedside a couple nights in a row."

Zelda smiled. "Yes, you did, like a good father. But I'm talking about when she wasn't bedridden."

Link sighed again, defeated, and returned to eating, studiously avoiding the gaze coming from across the table. After a few more minutes, Zelda spoke up again. "Link, all I'm trying to say is that she's growing up fast. They both are. One day, they'll be grown up with their own families. And you'll wonder where the time has gone. You don't want to miss it while they're young and still in the nest. Go somewhere with her today. Take her for a spin on the Spirit Train, tell her of our adventures together, point out the places we visited."

Link leaned back, a serious yet thoughtful look on his face. Then he grinned. "I'll take her to the beach," he said.

"That's a vacation for the whole family."

Link rolled his eyes. "Then what do you propose we do, oh wise wife?"

Zelda remained silent, lost for words. Finally, she huffed. "Fine, take her to the beach. Which beach did you have in mind?"

"Aboda, of course."

"Then it's settled. You spend the day at Aboda, and I'll go with Caden somewhere else."

Link grinned, and then glanced around the room. "Wait, where'd the kids go?"

Zelda rolled her eyes. "They left. Fifteen minutes ago. While you were busy reading the book that I know is in your lap."

Link sighed. "Fine." He produced the book and set it on the table. He stood. "I'm going to let Zellie know."

"First you have to find her and Caden," Zelda said, reaching across to pick up the book her husband had been reading. Link watched her and rolled his eyes, before heading out of the dining room.

He found his children playing with some of the other children of Castle Town by the fountain. After informing Caden and Little Zelda of the day's events and telling them to get ready, he followed them back to the castle and readied himself before heading to the private station where the Spirit Train now resided. He prepped the train, making sure it had enough fuel to get to Aboda and back.

After a few minutes, he heard the pitter-patter of small feet hurrying toward the train. Zellie came into sight, grinning. She wore a light blue skirt and a matching short-sleeve shirt. "Ready, Daddy!" she exclaimed, joining him on the train. Link grinned and started up the train. As soon as they were on a course to Aboda Village, Link glanced at his daughter. One day, he know, she would be a beautiful young lady, like his Zelda had been when they met so long ago.

But for now, Zellie was his little girl, short and sweet.