"I'm not interested," Revali said before Urbosa could so much as open her mouth.

The Gerudo was not entirely certain how or why she had been unofficially elected to explain to the Rito that it was decidedly not okay to manhandle Princess Zelda, or anyone else for that matter, into doing something that they did not want to do. Especially after a day like today, and especially if it was the princess.

"In what?" she demanded, putting her hands on her hips. The Rito was staring past her in that particular way that suggested that he could barely see her in the darkness, but wanted to be certain that she knew he was intentionally refusing to look at her.

"In whatever it is you think you need to say," he snapped.

"One night off isn't going to undo everything she's learned about archery." Urbosa persisted. "Sometimes a person needs a break, Revali. I had hoped, in spite of the fact that you do your best to come off as an insensitive asshole, that you would have been able to recognize on your own that that girl, who for some reason very much looks up to you, needed compassion and understanding this evening, not some kind of harsh lesson about discipline and duty."

Revali rolled his eyes. "She understands her duty well enough," he retorted.

"You can't drag people around just because you're bigger than they are!"

Revali let out a long, exasperated sigh. "I can, and I will, if I think it's necessary."

"She's the Princess of Hyrule. Heir to the throne. Descendant of the Goddess Hylia-"

"She's a child." Revali hissed. "A girl-child forced to grow up too fast, who's constantly being reminded of her failures and too aware of how everyone else sees her to allow herself to be just that. She's a child who had an incredibly bad day, and instead of being able to react like any normal child would was forced to sit there, hiding behind a book, trying to pretend like nothing was wrong and she doesn't privately fear that the world's going to end and it's going to be all her fault. And you people treat her like she's an adult, and expect her to act like one, so yeah, I dragged her off somewhere where she could allow herself to be angry and disappointed and whatever else she needs to be, because I'm an asshole who clearly doesn't care about manners or what happens to be appropriate behavior for royalty, so it doesn't really matter if the princess mask slips off and she lets herself be human for a few goddess-blessed minutes, and I'll do it again if I think that she needs it."

Urbosa stared at the Rito for a moment. He was right, of course, in his own callous way. The Gerudo usually managed to remember that Zelda was still technically a child, and that she often tried too hard to be the adult her father expected her to be anyway. With everything at stake, however, and the constant issues that seemed to arise between various members of their company, Urbosa had not exactly forgotten, but had not remembered as clearly as she felt she should have.

Her shoulders dropped. "So you didn't make her practice?"

Revali huffed, far too indignant to note the change in her voice. "We got one round in," he admitted, still very much braced for further argument.

"And then?" Urbosa pressed. Just because the Rito had been trying to help in his own way did not mean he had been successful.

"And we talked. One of her practice arrows needs repaired."

Now the Gerudo was curious. "Did she open up to you? What did you talk about?"

Revali rolled his shoulders and turned his head away from her. "That, quite frankly, is none of your business. She's fine. Or at least better than she was. She can tell you, if she wants."

Urbosa felt the fight go out of her. She sighed, massaging her temple as if that would help dissipate the tension that had grown between the two of them during this conversation. "Look, maybe you were trying to help. And maybe you did. I don't know, I wasn't there. But you can't go around bullying people into doing what you want. Not Zelda. Not Mipha."

Revali rolled his eyes. "Mipha can stop me from doing anything she doesn't like easily enough," he grumbled. "She doesn't need you-or Link-to protect her. And as far as the girl..." he trailed off for a moment, searching for the right words to express himself. "I wouldn't do anything to hurt her. I make an effort not to say anything that might accidentally do just that. Maybe it doesn't come across as well as I'd like, but I try."

"I just worry about her," Urbosa admitted. "I've known her since she was a baby. Maybe that makes me overprotective sometimes."

"It's obvious you care for her." Revali looked away. It was, perhaps, the nicest thing the Gerudo had ever heard him say. She wondered why it had to be so difficult for him.

"Well, I could say the same for you." He sighed, shifting his weight at the accusation. "I mean, you saved her life, but it's more than that. You indulge her curiosity when it comes to Rito stories. You helped her bake a cake, and I've seen the disaster she is in the kitchen. In fact, you seem to go out of your way to accommodate our Hylian Princess. Maybe you don't completely drop the tough guy act, but you definitely hold back when you're around her."

"It wasn't so obvious when you were about to tell me off earlier," he grumbled, but most of his anger had begun to cool.

"It was a bad day for everyone. Maybe I was tired and stressed and overreacted."

Revali snorted. "Maybe?"

Urbosa shook her head. "Maybe," she threw an arm over his shoulder, startling him in the darkness, and started back toward camp. "Maybe not," she teased, then her voice grew serious. "If you ever do hurt her, there is nowhere in Hyrule cold or desolate enough to escape my wrath."

For once the Rito wisely chose not to argue.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and all contained within its universe do not belong to me