hello! happy sunday! back again with a surprise update!
it was slow going getting this out but I feel marginally better about this chapter than I did about the last one lmao - I was so stressed when I wrote it. but hey that was then and this is now! and I'm feeling a little better.
so yeah! gerudo town! let's get to it!
Zelda knew with full certainty that she loved Link with all her heart – but that didn't make her wake up call for the next leg of their journey any better. She still wanted to murder him for it, realized infatuation be damned.
He had, in the rudest fashion, decided to wake her up so early the next day that the sun had barely begun to lighten the skies. He was kind enough to make her some tea, to try and soften the blow and help wake her up, but it didn't lessen how horrible it was to be awake before dawn.
"It's still a long way to Gerudo," Link said, apologetic. "The sooner we get on the road the better – we can get a room for the night at the inn in the bazaar."
And Zelda understood – she knew that the road from here to Gerudo Town was a long one, and it would take most of the day to get closer to their destination. But having to wake up before dawn – ridiculous.
Even with the tea, it was hard for Zelda to keep her eyes open as she washed up and dressed for the day; not even breakfast was tantalizing enough for her to stay awake.
The one indulgence she had since defeating the Calamity was sleeping in; before, she always had to be up at sunrise for her morning prayers, and once she recovered enough for that bone-deep exhaustion to finally relent, to be able to sleep past sunrise just because she could was luxurious in a way she couldn't describe. But Link was so earnest and contrite, eyes constantly darting over to check on her as they sat by the cookpot, so Zelda would try not to be too upset about it.
She groggily poked through her breakfast regardless, and when it was time to mount up on the horses, the thought of riding on her own like this was…intimidating.
Maybe it was madness. Maybe it was the fog of exhaustion still clouding her mind. But regardless, her lips moved before she could really think on it, and Zelda found herself asking if she could ride with Link on Licorice.
It was almost funny, watching how big his eyes got at her question, and Zelda thought she saw a hint of pink on Link's cheeks – it was too dark to really tell.
"What – what's wrong with riding on Mint?" He asked nervously, and she squinted up at him, wondering.
"Nothing's wrong with Mint," she answered, "he's lovely. I just don't want to fall asleep on the road and then slip off my horse and crack my head open. It'd be a lot safer riding with you until I was more awake is all."
Link fidgeted in place, his hand absently reaching up to fiddle with an earring, and Zelda stared placidly at him waiting for an answer, blinking slowly and trying not to fall asleep standing up.
"…Well," he finally said, sounding…bashful, "I guess cracking your head open would be pretty bad. We can ride together for a bit."
Triumph flared up in her gut, and Zelda happily gave her thanks before Link reached for her, ready to help her into the saddle.
"Here, sit in front."
"In front? I can't just sit behind you, like before?"
"I don't want you to fall off without me noticing."
"But I didn't fall off before." Zelda frowned, but didn't startle as Link scooped her up like she weighed nothing, helping her climb up and settle onto Licorice's broad back.
"Well, now this way you definitely won't fall off."
With a grunt of effort, Link swung up onto the saddle and settled behind her, calling Mint's attention with a high, sharp whistle, and the heat of him immediately sank beneath Zelda's skin. She sighed quietly as he reached around her to grab the reins, tucking his arms close against her sides, and tried not to immediately give into the urge to press closer to that warmth.
"All set?"
"Mm." Her resistance didn't last long, and Zelda leaned back into his chest, just a little. "I might fall asleep on you."
Link laughed, and she tried not to shiver when his breath brushed lightly against her ear. "I'm expecting it. Don't worry – I won't let you fall off the horse. No cracking your head open on my watch."
"My hero," she said dryly, leaning further into his chest, and she felt the way his chest rose and fell with his laughter as he sent Licorice into a gentle trot, whistling again for Mint to follow.
Zelda could probably admit to herself now that she didn't ask for this to avoid falling asleep on her horse – it was part of her reasoning but…not the whole truth.
The whole truth of it was that she was tired, yes – but she also wanted to satisfy that selfish, girlish need in her heart. It always persists, that desire; the need to always be near Link, to reach out and touch him and always have him close.
She had wondered about it before, thinking it was a side-effect from a century long separation. But she understands the truth of it, now.
The world around them felt a little surreal, as they traveled down the path with the horses; dawn was slowly approaching, turning the sky a thin, pale blue, and the air was comfortably cool, none of the summer heat encroaching them yet. The only sounds filling the air was the quiet plod of horse hooves and the rising birdsong as the world slowly woke up. Being on the road like this made her feel like they were the only two people that existed in the world.
The calm of the starting day only made Zelda even more drowsy, but she stubbornly tried to stay awake as they approached the Digdogg Bridge, opening her eyes as Link made Licorice slow to a halt, and then realizing a second later she began to drift off without meaning to.
"What is it?" She mumbled, and Link hummed by her ear.
"Nothing serious – there was a Hinox, the last time I was here. I just want to check and make sure it hasn't come back."
A Hinox. Just the mention had Zelda sitting a little straighter in alarm, reaching out to grasp at the straps of Link's vambrace. "What should we do?" She whispered, trying not to sound too worried so she wouldn't alarm the horses.
"A Hinox is pretty hard to miss. They're always so noisy. We'll move slowly – if the Hinox is still there, we'll know."
A soft click of the tongue and Licorice was carefully plodding across the bridge, Mint following at their heels, and Zelda held her breath as they approached the second bridge. Link was tense at her back when they got to the second bridge, but once they were close enough he slowly relaxed; it was silent, and in the growing morning light Zelda could see nothing but an empty patch of grass awaiting them.
"No Hinox," Link said, relieved. "We're good."
"Goddesses," Zelda breathed, the tension leaving her in a rush, making her slump back into Link's chest. "Our luck has been holding when it comes to monster encounters, hasn't it?"
"I've been wondering about that."
"You have?"
"Yeah. I think I mentioned it to you, before." Link led the horses across the bridges as he talked. "Before, it felt like I could barely get two steps before I run into a nest of monsters. But so far…there's barely been any. It's been so calm, it kind of makes me nervous, sometimes. I've wondered how much of the number of monsters was from the Calamity's influence. Sure, with no one to handle them, the population probably got out of control, but…"
Zelda nodded in remembrance. "Right…I remember now. It makes sense. Before the Calamity came, there had been a rise in the number of monsters and their attacks and believed its influence was the cause…So it's possible that -"
"Yeah. With the influence gone, the effect has been reversed and they've just…fallen back. Though who knows how long our luck will hold – especially in the desert. There's always something hiding in the sand."
"We'll just have to be careful."
Her thoughts were interrupted by a large, jaw-cracking yawn, and she heard Link chuckle behind her as she swiped at the tears beading her lashes.
"I thought you said you were going to sleep?"
"I was!" She cried out, "but then you gave me a Hinox scare!"
"Sorry, sorry." But he didn't sound sorry at all – only amused. "You can sleep now, if you want."
"Hmph." She leaned against him more, "fine. I'm sleeping now."
It was properly morning now, the sun climbing further in the sky, and though sleepiness still clung to her, Zelda was reluctant to sleep right away. She soon got swept up in the sounds of everything around her; the wind brushing through the tall grass, the increasing birdsong and the slow, swaying gait of Licorice's pace. As the green hills slowly morphed into dry grass and orange, sandy paths, she was finally dozing off.
She opened her eyes to Hyrule Field.
The castle loomed before her, the pillars surrounding the broken stature glowing a calm blue. It was unnaturally still – there was no sound of wind, or nature, and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky. Everything around her felt calm.
Dead.
Zelda took a hesitant step forward, and noticed that she was wearing her prayer gown, her skin and clothing streaked with streaks of mud and dried blood. What…? She raised her hands, staring at her dirtied skin in confusion. What is this?
This didn't feel right. How did she get here? Why -?
She took another step, feeling like she needed to go…somewhere. Towards the castle. She felt called.
I don't want to. Another step forward. I don't want to go there.
You must. Something whispered back. You must, you must, you must go, go, go. Go.
Her footsteps sounded abnormally loud as she moved through the still grass towards Hyrule Castle. The lights on the pillars dimmed on and off, in and out, distantly reminding her of the lights on the Divine Beasts – like the castle was sleeping.
But that didn't make sense.
The crunch of her sandaled feet against the broken stone paths echoed in the still air, and Zelda stood beyond the gates of Hyrule Castle, staring up at the worn-down spires and wondering what to do. Why was she here? What was left for her to do? What could she possibly -?
Beneath her feet, the ground slowly began to tremble.
The wind picked up, and Zelda jerked her head up in time to see the sky swallowed up by the dark, roiling clouds spilling across the sky, red as blood, and the pillars around the castle changed from a calm blue to a fiery red. Forked red lightning darted across the sky as the clouds boiled together, came to a head before her.
And then two rolling, glowing eyes emerged from the cloud, wild with anger and pinning her in place.
Her heart froze in her chest.
The Calamity roared at her, and the ground churned beneath her feet, trembling violently at a tempo she couldn't understand. Above her, the Calamity opened its giant smoking jaws, and Zelda raised her hand just as it swooped down and slammed into her, snatching her up into its gullet.
The Calamity swallowed her down – and she was falling.
And she kept falling, the air sharp and cold against her bare skin, and she couldn't see, darkness pressing in on her as she was pulled down, down, down. The trembling started up again, but it happened all around her, rattling her teeth, and she realized, suddenly –
Thump – thump…thump-thump…
It was slow, and sluggish, but it was familiar - she could recognize it, now, from a dream long past.
A heartbeat.
The Calamity screamed all around her, and Zelda called on her powers, needing to do something – to hold it back, to smother, to blind –
"Zelda."
She awoke with a quiet gasp, struggling to sit up and gather her bearings.
"What is it?" She asked groggily, "what's happened, what –"
"Zelda, hey."
Link's voice cut through the sleepy, panicked fog in her head, her breathing slowing a little as she registered his hands, wrapped around her upper arms, pulling her back into his chest. "Are you okay?" He asked, "I was just trying to wake you up to let you know we made it to the bazaar."
She was registering her surroundings now, slowly; the heat in the air, the gentle lap of water and the overlap of voices calling out their wares, some in Gerudo, some in Hylian. They had made it to the Kara Kara Bazaar.
"How long -?"
"Most of the day." Link answered quickly, "It's nearing mid-afternoon, now. There's plenty of time to go into Gerudo Town if you wanted."
"I –"
Zelda shook her head, trying to gather her bearings. "Can we…we should board the horses and…buy a room. At the inn. We can go into town tomorrow."
Link quietly hummed his assent, carefully swinging off Licorice's saddle to help her down, but Zelda could feel his concern, hovering over him like a shroud.
"It's alright." She promised, bracing her hands against his shoulders as she hopped off the saddle to the ground. "I just…I had a dream, that's all."
His eyes sharpened with understanding, and Zelda squeezed his shoulders before letting him go, turning her focus to Mint, who was standing idly nearby. "Oh, poor thing," she sighed, reaching out to scratch behind the stallion's ears. "Having to walk all this way with us. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sleep so long. We'll go on a run soon, I promise! Link, can we give the horses apples before we go to the inn?"
After supplying the horses with a reasonable number of apples, carrots, and scritches, Zelda gathered her bag and followed Link into the Kara Kara Inn. They decided to splurge a little and purchased one of the softer beds – just the one, as usual, which made the innkeep's eyebrow tick upward - which Zelda quickly face planted onto with a sigh, legs dangling over the edge. Even though she had spent a good portion of the trip sleeping, she still felt so tired. It must have been from that dream; for as long as she had slept, the dream made her feel like she barely rested at all.
"Did you have another bad dream?" Link asked, and Zelda turned her face away from her hiding place in the mattress to look at him, sitting at the foot of their bed.
She pressed her lips together. "…Yes," she said, and sighed a little when Link frowned in concern. "Link, please, don't worry – I can barely remember it now. It was just…the same thing."
At least she thought it was. Zelda wasn't being dishonest when she said that she could barely remember what happened in her dream – all she could remember was the feeling. Confusion, trepidation –
Fear. Always fear.
She felt like something – she felt like there was something she was missing. A message she just can't hold onto long enough to decipher.
Zelda was pulled out of her thoughts by Link placing a hand on her calf. "Don't frown so much," he chided jokingly, and Zelda raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, like you're one to talk."
"I guess that means you should take my advice even more, since I'm apparently so knowledgeable about frowning so much." He sobered quickly though. "Really, though, Zelda – don't worry about the dream too much. Okay?"
Easier said than done. She sighed loudly, pushing herself upright. "Okay. If you insist. What do you think – should we walk around the bazaar and explore until dinner?"
"Sounds alright to me."
He hopped to his feet, offering a hand to Zelda to pull her to her feet, and the two of them left the inn hand in hand, ready to use up the last of the daylight.
-o-
Link dressed in Gerudo silks was a sight that wasn't good for Zelda's heart.
He awakened before her, as usual, and when he woke her up with breakfast – after dawn this time, thank the Goddess – he was already dressed in the attire. She could remember the ensemble when he departed to grab wedding gifts for Rhondson, and though it was a sight back then, how she had felt then was nothing compared to having to look at him now. She had seen him wearing much less than this, and yet – the sight of him wrapped up in cool silks and jewelry, giving her a little smile as he fastened his veil to his face…
It was a blessing when he finally slipped out of the room so she could dress, because her skin felt so heated, she thought she would burst into flame from how – overwhelmed she felt.
Zelda felt like she'd cooled down some, as she pulled on her own set of Gerudo silks – dyed a lovely shade of purple while they were in Hateno – tying her hair back into a ponytail and applying her veil as she left their room behind. They only paid for just the one night, so Link had taken her bag with him when he left to prepare the horses.
She fiddled with her outfit as she left the inn, dragging a hand down the cool sirwal and reveling in the texture. Zelda squinted out at the bazaar, raising a hand to shade her eyes from the sun and find Link's location. She found him at the mouth of the desert path that led to Gerudo town, straightening up the horses' gear. Her heart still squeezed in her chest over just how lovely he looked, but this time she was ready for the feeling, so she wasn't totally incapacitated by it.
"Link!" She called out, feeling light on her feet as she made a beeline straight for him. "I'm ready!"
Zelda could see his eyes crinkle at the corners, the way that only means he's smiling, before his expression drops, eyes widening as she approached. His eyes darted over her figure, a quick flick of motion before he jerked his head away, the tips of his ears suspiciously red as he continued to fiddle with Mint's bridle.
"You –"
He cleared his throat, turning his head slightly to shyly stare at her from the corner of his eye. "You – look nice. Purple really suits you."
Oh.
"Oh –" Zelda had automatically reached up to nervously tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, but remembered halfway that her hair was tied up, aborting the motion to pluck at her sirwal instead. "Thank you."
I look nice. He thinks I look nice.
It's not the first time he said she looked nice, but – she was so pleased all the same, a happy tangle of nerves pooling in her stomach. He said purple suited her! She hoped that the veil would hide her blush well enough, but it probably didn't matter since she felt like she was blushing pink all over.
"Should we – should we depart?" Zelda asks, trying her best not to nervously squirm in place.
"Yeah. Yeah, we – let's go."
The weather was tolerable at first, as they mounted up on their horses and ventured down the path into the desert, but the further they went, the hotter it became. The cool silk and sapphires helped some, and honestly, compared to the unrelenting heat she faced in Death Mountain, this was mild in comparison. They passed a few Gerudo heading towards the bazaar and a few merchant caravans, hoping to try their luck and gain entry into the city. The heat made the air shimmer on the horizon, and if Zelda squinted, she could see the faint outlines of Lizalfos, blending in with the sands as they lazily soaked up the heat. They weren't close enough to feel worried about an ambush at least, so Zelda eventually paid them no mind as the walls of Gerudo Town slowly approached.
An aching swell of nostalgia rose in her; just from the outside, Gerudo Town looked the same as it did a century prior, appearing untouched by the Calamity. There were the same Gerudo guards, keeping stray voe from passing their gates, the same tents scattered around the walls of husbands staying close to their wives or merchants that couldn't get inside.
She followed Link through the gates giving the Gerudo a nod in greeting as they passed and felt a prickle of tears in her eyes as a wave of noise washed over her, voices overlapping each other.
"It's exactly the same." Zelda whispered to Link as they dismounted from their horses, and his eyes crinkled in a smile.
"Let's go board the horses – then we can go see Riju."
They gave Mint and Licorice to the stables for safe-keeping, and Zelda tried not to vibrate out of her skin with glee at how familiar everything was.
She had spent so much time here, before – Gerudo was one of her most beloved places for the memories it brought, the days with Urbosa and the sanctuary it provided to allow her to find herself, to just be. Her eyes darted back and forth over the stalls, at all the women standing around and talking to each other, laughing.
A hand slipped into hers, and Zelda whipped her head around to face Link, who was staring at her with warm eyes.
"Riju first," he reminded her, squeezing her hand as he started to lead her towards the palace where she knew the Gerudo chief waited. "Then we can look around. Okay?"
Zelda tried her best not to puff out her cheeks and pout, because Link was right – they were in Gerudo Town for a reason. "Okay."
She tried not to let her nerves show as Link walked into the palace like it was no big deal, leading her to the throne room where Riju would be. She tightened her hold on his hand – what would Riju think of her? What would she say? Zelda remembered what Link had said of her, the night before…
She reminds me a lot of – us, I guess? She's only a kid, you know.
Slowly breathing out, Zelda straightened out of the nervous slouch she had unconsciously curled into. It wouldn't do anything, being nervous – Zelda just had to do her best and be kind. To reach out to the Gerudo chief, and just hope that she reaches back.
"Well, well."
A soft, light voice pulled Zelda from her thoughts, and she stared up at the young Gerudo girl perched on the large throne, resting her hand on her cheek.
"About time you showed up, Hero."
Link laughed wryly. "Everyone's been saying that to me – was it that concerning, me being gone?"
"Well, you always randomly showed up now and then; when no one saw you in town, people worried."
"I had a good reason."
She felt Link tug at her hand, pulling her forward until she stood in front of him, and felt him start to pull his hand away.
There was a stab of unease – unease because it felt like he was pulling away to – to what? Unbidden, memories of before rose in her mind's eye – Link, silent and held away from her, always three steps behind – close but never too close.
That's ridiculous. Zelda shook the thought away. That wasn't going to happen again; they could never go back to that distance, not now. And even though he had let go of her hand, she could still feel him nearby, a line of heat at her back. Slowly, she relaxed.
"Riju," Link was saying, "I'm really happy to finally introduce you – this is Zelda."
She watched the girl's eyes light up, sitting up straighter as he caught her attention. "Zelda?" Riju repeated, "the Zelda? Truly?"
Her cool façade quickly dropped, and her eager air made Zelda smile. "Yes."
She unhooked her veil away from her face, and her smile grew as Riju's eyes widened slightly. "It's nice to finally meet you," Zelda said. "Link has told me so much about you, and I must thank you for your bravery and aiding him in freeing Naboris."
"See," Link butted in, "it was for a good reason. I told you."
"So Naboris firing that beam," Riju breathed, "does that mean that -?"
"It does." Zelda confirmed. "The Calamity has finally been defeated. It's gone."
Even Riju's silent guard was stunned at the news. "By the sands," Buliara breathed out, her grip on her spear going slack. The air felt lighter now, and Zelda would never get tired of saying those words, just so see the growing relief on people's faces once they finally hear it. This is why she decided to visit the settlements – why she decided to reach out to everyone, even if the cost of this venture could mean a crown.
"Well," Riju breathed out, trying to bring back some semblance of calm to her face. "I'm relieved – but that was nearly two months ago. Why the wait?"
"I must apologize, but it was for my health – after vanquishing the Calamity, I needed time to fully recover – I wasn't expecting for it to take weeks. As soon as I was well enough to do it, I made a plan with Link to visit the settlements and spread word of the Calamity's end, and also reach out to their leaders and see how we can help each other in the rebuilding process."
Riju's eyes narrowed slightly at that. "I see," she said, thoughtful. "Buliara – see to it that I have no more visitors this afternoon. I feel that we will have a lot to discuss."
The Gerudo guard at her side nodded sharply before walking off to fulfill her request, and Riju beckoned them closer. "Come – tell me of your travels so far, and we will go from there."
Zelda tried not to give her delight away, blindly reaching back to grab Link's hand and pull him along with her until they were standing closer to where Riju sat. She relayed where they've been so far, Link interjecting at times to back up a point she made, or to bring up something she forgot to mention, and she felt warm every time – so glad to have him here with her, filling in her missing pieces.
They went over their time in Goron City, going over the deal she made with the Goron Boss in an attempt to bring more visitors to their area – and increased trade. "The Boss says they've got too many gems and no one to sell them to," Link says, and Zelda watches Riju's eyes brighten with interest at the notion. "We mentioned you, and how the Gerudo have a proclivity for gems, so if you want us to be a go-between and send a message –"
"I'll consider it. Where else have you been?"
Zelda moved on to their stay in Rito Village, of the scouts that were sent to the castle to confirm her claim and the promises she made to Kaneli. "I've informed him of a construction company that could be interested in expanding to repairing the bridges and fixing the roads," Zelda says, "and we're planning to scout out Central Hyrule, to see the status of the Guardians that frequented there."
Riju hummed quietly, eyes narrowed in thought. "But what does this do for you?"
"I…don't know what you mean."
"What do you get out of this? What do you want?"
Her sharp green eyes pinned Zelda in place. "This is just to understand – is it fealty you want? A promise to back your return to the throne?"
Kaneli's words echoed in her mind, then - what does this mean for our future? A crown? The world thrust under a Hyrulean royal banner once more? You must know that things will not go back to the way they were a century prior.
"I'm just trying to figure you out," Riju continued over the ringing in Zelda's ears. "I'm sure you want something in return – so?"
Zelda could feel Link touch the small of her back – just the lightest press of fingertips. But the touch kept her grounded enough to make sure her voice didn't shake when she finally opened her mouth. "I'm not expecting anything." She answered slowly. "All I want – I just want to see Hyrule rebuilt. I just don't want to see ruins anymore. I want everyone to be able to reach out and help each other, and no longer stay trapped and isolated in these four corners of the world. That's all I want."
She raised her chin, meeting Riju's piercing gaze, and didn't relent until she nodded slightly, leaning back in her seat. "Buliara – could you find someone to set up rooms for our new guests?"
"We only need the one room." Zelda said absently before her brain caught up with her, reeling at the sudden change of subject. She could feel Link stiffen up behind her as Riju raised an eyebrow, and Zelda could feel all the judgement in the world in that one gesture.
"Well." She said, and that one word had a thousand meanings in it. Zelda did her best to suppress the blush rising to her face. "One room then. And – hm. Link, go be helpful somewhere."
"What?" Zelda looked back just in time to see Link puff up, indignant. "How come I can't stay?"
"Zelda and I need to talk." Riju said patiently. "Privately. So go be useful somewhere – Malena has been crying to us for some time, asking for Molduga guts. Maybe get that settled."
She was positive that Link was pouting a little beneath his veil. "But Zelda hasn't had lunch yet," he said stubbornly. "And neither have I."
"Rest assured, I can have a lunch prepared so your dear Zelda is fed – you're on your own, though."
That just made him pout even more, and Zelda couldn't stifle her giggle, which made him turn betrayed blue eyes on her.
"Link," she said, sweet, placing a hand on his arm. "It's fine. Go fetch some Molduga guts – we'll have dinner together and I'll tell you everything."
"Everything?"
"Of course! Why would I leave you out of it? We're doing this together!"
That made him soften somewhat, and Zelda was overcome with the urge to touch his face – but she stomped it down and squeezed his arm instead. "I'll see you soon." She promised and then she stressed, "be safe.", just for good measure. He grinned, nodding at her and not turning away from her until he almost bumped into the doorway. Even at this distance she could see his face glow pink before her turned to jog out of the palace, and she didn't look away until he was out of sight.
When she turned back, both of Riju's eyebrows were raised, now, and Zelda couldn't stop her blush if she tried.
"We'll have lunch in my rooms," she finally said. "I feel that we have a lot to talk about, Princess of Hyrule."
-o-
Zelda wasn't sure what to expect when she followed Riju to her room – but she was surprised to see the hints of childhood still sprinkled around.
She stared at the stuffed sand seals scattered across her room and felt weirdly stunned by it. Zelda didn't get many opportunities to keep something as childish as stuffed animals – so the fact that Riju was still able to cling to such things was…it showed a different side to the cool, appraising girl she met.
"The food should be here soon – don't mind the mess." Riju waved a hand at the stuffed toys, looking bashful. "Have a seat."
"I'd apologize for being so frank with you, earlier" she continued as Zelda sat at the nearby sitting room, "but then I would be lying."
"There's no need to apologize." Zelda said quickly as Riju took a seat next to her, "I can understand where you're coming from." She would be a fool if she didn't. "I am wondering, though – you never said anything about the status of Gerudo Town."
The door to Riju's room opened and a few women entered, laden with trays filled with sliced vegetables and meats and cheeses and bowls of fresh cut fruit. The girl gave thanks with a smile as the trays were placed before them, but she didn't answer Zelda until the women had cleared the room.
"Our home was practically untouched by the effects of the Calamity," Riju began, reaching out to pluck a morsel off the tray. "But though we were blessed enough to avoid that, the Yiga were able to wreak the havoc the Calamity could not – and when it wasn't the Yiga, it was Naboris, sending up sandstorms and lightning and causing trouble for the nomadic tribes in the desert."
Riju leaned back with a sigh, closing her eyes for a moment. "Link coming to deal with both of those problems felt like a gift from the ancestors – that we came out of it with the town and the bazaar unscathed, even better still. Link – his coming here…"
She opened her eyes. "Having his help felt – before he came, I was beginning to feel like a failure of a chief. The Yiga infiltrating our walls, Naboris at our backs…I worried that my people saw me for the child I am, and not the leader I'm trying to be."
Zelda could see why Link believed they would get along well – she could understand Riju's feelings so much it was painful. Those days in Hyrule Castle, so long ago, walking through the halls and wondering if her people looked at her and saw nothing more than a failure of a Princess.
"I understand." Zelda said softly, lacing her fingers together in her lap, and Riju gave her a faint smile.
"Princess of Hyrule," Riju said lightly, and Zelda's posture automatically straightened some at the title, "there is not much you can offer that my home already doesn't have."
Her heart sank only a little.
Riju cocked her head thoughtfully, a tumble of red hair spilling over her shoulder. "Despite this, you did make a point. It is not good, being stuck in our own corners of the world. And though we are doing well, that doesn't mean we are thriving. Trade…that is always beneficial. It's only just started to improve after Naboris was calmed from her rampage. And to access goods and resources we haven't had for years…"
She picked up a cube of hydromelon, holding it aloft to inspect it before popping it into her mouth. "It's a tempting offer." Riju finishes, chewing quietly. "Tempting enough to consider your words – that it may be past time to reach out to the world, after all."
Zelda's breath left her in a quiet exhale, and her shoulders relaxed some. "Thank you," she whispered, "it's –"
"Please!" Riju cut her off, waving a hand, "it's benefiting me more than you, in some ways. Now – enough of that, we don't have to speak of this all day. And you haven't eaten anything! I won't have Link getting upset with me for not feeding you, you know."
"Oh -! Right! Yes!"
Now that they moved past the particularly heavy topic, Zelda was reminded of her appetite and reached out to the spread of food before her.
"Besides," Riju continued, her voice suddenly filled with mischief, "there's a topic that is much more interesting that I would like to talk about."
Chewing slowly, Zelda narrowed her eyes, suddenly suspicious.
"Just the one bed?" The girl said, eyes bright with glee, "should I be giving you congratulations?"
Zelda almost choked.
"Wh – what?" She gasped, pressing a hand to her chest while Riju practically cackled, throwing her head back in her mirth. "It's not – it's, it's definitely not like that! We just, we're – we're very –"
She felt like she was blushing all over, which was not helping Riju's laughing fit any, apparently.
"Don't laugh!" She finally cried out, so embarrassed. "I – is it obvious? Am I that obvious?"
"Obvious? You didn't look away from him until he left the room! And he was equally pathetic, if not more so."
"You – you think so?"
That made Riju stop laughing, and she stared at Zelda with wide, incredulous eyes. "He almost walked into the doorway," she said slowly, "because he wouldn't stop looking at you."
"But that – that could be –" Zelda felt like her head was going to burst, it felt so heated. "He could just – do you really think -?"
"Well I don't know!" Riju burst out, throwing up her hands. "But it seems rather obvious to me! Are you Hylians always like this when it comes to finding love? Always hemming and hawing and dithering?"
Food completely forgotten, Zelda gave into the urge to press her hands over her burning face and lean back into the cushions. "I only just realized it recently!" She peeked at Riju from between her fingers. "Literal days ago! I – apparently there were stories that, that before I – but I didn't know! And now –"
She sank deeper into the cushions. "We've always been so close, since we defeated the Calamity." Zelda whispered. "So I just, I don't – I don't know if he…you know…feels that way."
She felt awful, unloading her feelings on a girl she just met – but she didn't have anyone to talk to about this! She didn't want to sit here pining away for the rest of her days, but she wasn't – she wasn't sure. Zelda didn't want to scare Link, or anything…she didn't want to push him away.
"You could always test the waters."
Zelda pulled her hands away from her face at Riju's words. "Test them how?"
She shrugged, "I can't help there. Just – try something. See if he's receptive. If you really need help, there's always the classes taught in town on how to catch a voe – those could be useful."
"Mm…I'll consider it. Trying!" She explained quickly, "to see if – maybe. I'll consider it."
She sighed, trying to fan down the blush in her cheeks. "Riju…I'm sorry for unloading my personal problems on you like that."
"Why be sorry? I don't mind."
In a swift motion, Riju kicked off her shoes and swung her legs onto the seat, curling her arms around her legs and resting her chin on her knees, looking every bit the child she was. "I've enjoyed talking to you so far," Riju said easily giving Zelda a bright smile. "There aren't many people near my age, that I can talk to – I already have Link as a friend. I would be happy to call you friend, as well."
A friend…she has been very short of those, as of late. To be given an offer of companionship so easily...Zelda's heart swelled at the girl's words, and she found herself smiling back. "I have found myself short of friends, in this new world – I would be happy to make more."
-o-
Link's impromptu quest with the Molduga took longer than Zelda thought it would, and by the time she saw him again, it was practically dusk.
Zelda kept company with Riju for most of the day, and as the afternoon slowly passed, her concern grew the longer Link's absence went. Finally, she made her excuses, asking to be sent to the room she and Link would share to put away her things before heading out into the city to distract herself. She half-heartedly looked at the merchant stalls and perused the wares being offered, and though some items looked nice, she wasn't tempted enough to make a purchase. On a whim, she did poke her head into where Riju had told her those classes were going on, discreetly listening in as a Gerudo woman stood in front of a small group.
"…You're walking down the street on your way somewhere," the woman was saying, "and a handsome voe you've never met approaches…"
"Oh!" One of the Gerudo women in the group raises her hand. "I would wave casually to him but also keep myself prepared in case he's a distraction for a bandit ambush!"
"I would enthusiastically greet him, and approach with a smile with my hands clearly empty!"
"Well, I would walk casually towards him…and strike a fierce blow when he least expected it!"
Maybe, Zelda thought to herself, slowly creeping away so she wouldn't be noticed, these classes aren't for me, after all...
After spending a little more time wandering around, Zelda finally gave in and decided to return to her room, making a quick stop to purchase dinner for the two of them beforehand.
She didn't want to eat without him, so Zelda placed the dishes on the little table near the window before getting ready for bed, taking a bath and washing away the sweat and dirt of the day. By now it was dark, stars spread across the endless blanket of sky, and Zelda was sitting at the foot of the bed, running a brush through her hair when the door opened and Link stumbled in.
He looked like he'd been run ragged, covered in sweat and sand and, after a moment of investigation, dried Molduga blood.
"Where have you been?" Zelda asked, tossing her brush aside and beginning to braid her hair for bed. "I've been worrying about you for hours! I didn't think it would take that long!"
"I'm sorry," Link mumbled, pulling his veil away from his face. "I was going to look for the Molduga at the Southern Oasis, but I kept getting turned around – and then I lost my sand seal, so I had to walk, which took forever, and I kept running into Lizalfos. But I found the Molduga eventually, and then it took an age just to bring it down. But I did it. I saved you some Molduga guts, by the way."
"Oh!"
Zelda pressed a hand to her cheek, pleased. Molduga guts! They would be such a useful ingredient for elixirs – she'd be able to make them so much stronger! "Thank you, Link!"
He looked down and scuffed his foot against the floor, shy. "It's no problem," he mumbled, and she gave him a smile.
"Why don't you go a head and wash up?" She offered. "I bought dinner for us, while you were gone – though, I'm sure it's cold, now. But it should still be good!"
Link's eyes fluttered in surprise. "You…bought food? And you waited? Zelda, you could've eaten without me…"
"What? I didn't want to eat without you! And I promised to tell you what Riju and I talked about, so –"
His eyes went so soft, then, and Zelda felt lightheaded at how quickly the blood rushed to her face. "Anyway! Go bathe! And then I'll tell you what happened!"
Link's momentary absence gave her a minute to pull herself together, and she fiercely pat at her cheeks, forcing her racing heart to calm down.
Test the waters, Riju's voice whispered in her ear. Try. See if he's receptive.
She shook the idea away just as Link returned, soft and clean from the bath, but stubbornly, it lingered.
Despite being cold, the food was still good, and they sat together at that little table, knees bumping against each other as they ate. Zelda told Link what she talked about with Riju, about the possibility of getting the aid of the Gerudo in rebuilding efforts, Riju's growing receptiveness at the idea of trade. She also told him the fun, silly things she talked about with Riju – though if she overlooked a few things, he was none the wiser.
He gave her a sleepy smile once the plates were cleared, and he smothered a yawn into his hand, twisting his neck from side to side. "I'm glad you and Riju had a nice time," he said. "I told you that you two would get along."
"You did." Zelda agreed warmly. "Riju's very sweet – and fun to talk to! I already feel very lucky, to be considered a friend by her."
Link rested his elbow against the table and pressed his cheek against his palm as he gave her another smile. The lights were dim in the room, the candles slowly burning away to nubs, which did nothing but increase the tired air in the room, and Zelda let out a little laugh when Link yawned again. "Come on," she said, pushing away from the table, "let's go to sleep. You've done a lot today."
"So have you," Link protested, but he didn't resist when she grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. She noticed the way Link had started frowning, as they moved to the bed, rubbing the back of his neck as though to get rid of an ache.
"Are you alright?" She asked as they slipped beneath the blankets, and Link shrugged halfheartedly.
"It's fine – just a little headache, I guess."
That didn't sound nice. Zelda frowned, wondering what she could do – maybe make an elixir? It was late, but maybe it could help…
"I can hear you thinking." Link said, amused. "Don't worry about it – it's probably just from being out in the heat all day."
That doesn't make me feel better, Zelda thinks, burrowing a little deeper beneath the blankets. Huffing out a sigh, she wiggled a little, scooting up until she was just a little higher than Link on the pillows, ignoring the way he was resting on his elbows, staring at her with a bemused smile. It was impulsive, doing this, but –
Try.
She exhaled roughly. "Link, come here."
And she reached out, grabbed the back of his neck, and pulled him in.
Zelda could feel him stiffen as she pressed his face against her shoulder, one hand hovering over her side in surprise at her sudden movement. She prayed that he couldn't hear how fast her heart was beating and tried not to think about it too much as she reached up and tangled her fingers in his hair. She combed her way through the strands until she reached the nape of his neck and pressed her fingers into the tense muscles around his neck and shoulders before returning her fingers to his hair.
Link melted instantly, letting out a big, gusty sigh, and Zelda felt a shiver race down her back at the feeling of his breath drifting across her collarbone. She laughed a little and was glad she didn't sound as hysterical as she felt. "Good?" She asked, repeating the motion, and laughed again when he groaned an agreement into her shoulder.
"Really good," he agreed, sounding half-asleep. "That feels really nice – m'head hurts less already. Thanks, Zelda. You're so good. I -"
He cut himself off with a mumble, shoving his face into the fabric of her nightshirt, and it took Zelda everything she had to keep her hands steady as she continued to comb them through his hair.
Link's hands were sleep heavy and clumsy as he pawed at her, wrapping his arms around her waist and lazily tangling their legs together. He was so clingy, when he was half-asleep, and it made Zelda's heart swell into her throat every time.
"Go to sleep," she whispered, peeking down at the crown of his mussed head. "You'll feel better tomorrow."
She got a sleepy exhale in response and knew from the heavy weight of his arms around her waist that he was slowly falling asleep. Her heart trembled in her chest a little, and Zelda exhaled slowly, not knowing what to do with it all. Wondered how people lived like this, so full of love that they were constantly close to bursting.
She shivered again as Link's breath brushed over her skin, and felt –
It was impulsive. It was stupid.
But her heart was full and spilling over, and she couldn't resist the urge to bury her face in his hair, feeling the soft strands brush against her cheeks as she pressed the lightest, most selfish kiss against the crown of his head.
Link mumbled a little, and his arms tightened around her – but he didn't wake.
Thank goodness.
Her heart raced from the impulse she gave into, and Zelda squeezed her eyes shut and tried to calm her heart. She hid her burning face in Link's hair, and even though she felt so shaky, she wouldn't let him go.
She continued running her fingers through his hair and didn't stop until sleep called her away.
:)
GREAT spot to really put a pause on writing am I right? but it's for my own good.
the next time y'all get an update, I'll probably be a college graduate. which is pretty fuckin' sweet. so continue to send good vibes for that 'cause there's two weeks left and then...final projects. and my senior seminar presentation for my research project. oi.
but yeah! how we feelin'? I hope y'all enjoyed! I always love to know what you thought. comments and kudos are appreciated as always!
and yeah that's it for now! hope y'all are doing okay out there!
until next time!