Link had expected a crowd when they arrived. Prompted by ill-wishing people, filled with sneers and jeers and even maybe a flying tomato. Maybe - He wouldn't put it past them -, but the people who looked at them just gave them a glance, the whispers were at a minimum, and Link arrived to the Castle feeling like he had achieved something.
Link went to the office of General Timotheus Glop and talked about the mission. Glop widened his eyes and had to ask twice if Link alone had really cleaned the cave. Robert was more than pleased to share his information on the case.
"So, General Glop," Link was dying for a hot bath, "if you-"
"Tim, please, I've told you, just Tim," Tim looked at Robert, wondering if it was safe to be so openly friendly with Link in front of him, "I'll be sure to pass the information to the council. You've done an outstanding job."
Link smiled - all politeness - and excused himself. Robert was sure General Timotheus wanted to talk more, to say somethings else, but his own presence had made the General doubt and Link had not gotten the cues. Maybe he had just ignored them.
"You going back to your inn?" Robert nodded. "Do you have enough to last you?"
Oh, Goddesses, was he willing to give Robert money now? What a lad. "I'm fine, Link, really."
But Link kept on talking, until Robert relented and gave him the name and adress of the place. Link was about to turn and leave, when Robert felt a tug, "What are your plans, though? From now on."
Link made a thinking face and shrugged after a while, "I have almost a week before I go back, I guess I'll go around doing my thing."
Robert was curious about what Link meant, but the braveness that had accompanied him through the trek had vanished, the camaraderie Robert had felt in the cave was nowhere, so when Link waved his hand and turned, Robert stood there.
It turned out that Link's thing was helping around. Robert woke the next morning hearing about a blond man who would help you with whatever you wanted and asked for nothing in return. Robert had thought of Link immediately, but why would he go out of the Castle to meet people who didn't like him, the very next day he had come back from a taxing mission?
No way, right?
Link appeared at his inn in the afternoon, looking exhausted, dirty, with mud on his knees, and a fresh cut on his cheek from what Link had called a 'vicious cat'. Robert felt his jaw go slack, but before he could take Link by the shoulders and ask him what the hell he was doing, Link had smiled and told him that he needed more hands and that Robert should come with him.
Robert smirked, waiting for Link to realize what he had asked and to whom he had asked that absurd, ridiculous question. There was absolutely no way Robert would go along with that. Robert still had the Keen brand tattoed on his face, still had the fiasco at the arena to answer for, even with those out of the way, Robert was- had been a noble and...
"I just can't fucking believe this, you know?" Robert was kneeled in the middle of a garden, digging with a hand shovel little holes to put plants on, "I thought I was freed of you and your good deeds, but no," Link gave him instructions on the color of the plants, "I still have to do stuff like this. I can't even remember when was the last time I did this, can you imagine?"
Link stopped to sit on his feet and move a strand of hair out of his face, "That's terrible, actually. Gardening is good for the mind."
"But bad for my fucking knees, Link."
Link snickered and Robert could feel a corner of his mouth going up.
People had said things to Link, things he had refrained from telling Robert. Or anyone for that matter. Some were mad he was following orders from the nobles 'Aren't you the Hero? What? Are they mad you're a peasant? You still were the one to save the Princess and not those fuckers', some were confused that he was still roaming around after the arena show 'They think they can treat you however they want. Take your stuff and leave, don't accept such treatment', some didn't even believe in his exploits 'Pssh, sure, you saved the Princess. Lies will bite you in the ass, you know? Whoever is paying you is obviously paying you well, but sometimes it ain't worth it, buddy', some were just angry he was offering help without asking for things in return 'What is this? A plot to get us to like you? You couldn't be more obvious if you tried'. In the end Link had been asked by an old man to get his beloved cat back - he got a scratch from that one - and and old lady had asked him to help with her garden, she lived near one of the entrances to the town and she had been affected by the monsters who roamed in the aftermath of the invasion. She had been delighted that a young man wanted to help her and she had been continuously giving Link and Robert refreshments throughout the afternoon and evening.
Robert complained the whole time, but he still finished everything Link set him up to do. When Robert had asked why, precisely, were they doing this, instead of, say, kicking some more monsters' butt, Link had taken a long look to their work in the garden. "One, it was the only thing available, and two, Misses Lorn said that her garden used to be a place of contemplation and..."
Robert had to stop his shoveling to look at Link. "And?"
"And I think there are a lot of people who are still grieving. It'll be nice for them to have this space back."
Link went back to work but Robert did as he had done, and gave a long concious look to their work. And of course, Link was right. No one had really healed, the people who had been lost had been honored in a ceremony held by the Princess, but... "Grieving, huh?"
Link hummed in agreement.
"Your boyfriend is gaining attention again."
Zelda scanned a document, searched for anything useful, but there was nothing and she moved that paper to the farthest corner, "So I've heard."
William played with the end of his shirt, "From what I got, people were suspicious and downright rude to him at first, but now... well, he's done a great job to better his public image."
Zelda nodded and looked at the next paper.
"Is it true you asked for a free day?"
"Yes."
William moved on his seat, "To... uhm, to be able to spend it with Link, I heard?"
"Yes."
William was used to short answers, but now... "Can I know why?"
"Because he asked for us to spend an afternoon together."
And just like that...? "Well, you do know what this will mean to others, right?"
"Yes."
William waited for Zelda to stop working and look at him, for Zelda to talk to him, but she kept on reading and moving papers, signing some and looking at others with distate. No sign of stopping. "Zelda."
She had to tell him, William knew, there was no point in anything if she kept things from him. They were companions, they were friends, why didn't she talk to him?
Zelda kept her eyes glued to the desk, but put her hands in front of her, "Yes?" This was too soon. How was she supposed to tell him that...
"Is there something wrong, Zelda?"
How was she supposed to tell him that she was tired and wanted nothing more than to stay out of everything, how was she supposed to tell William that she dreamed of living her life as a commoner, as anything but a princess. How was she supposed to tell William that the invasion just took out all the fight out of her, that she wanted to lay down in her garden and hum to the songs she still knew by heart.
How was she supposed to tell the man who had lost everything because of her that now the dream she had so desperately wanted - and to which William had pledged alliance to - she no longer wanted?
"Zelda, please."
Would he get mad? Would William look at her with betrayal in his eyes?
William stood and walked to the desk, Zelda was hunched over, probably pondering how her confession would hinder their relationship. Would it hinder their relationship? William had been exiled and kicked out because of her, he had returned out of spite, had wanted to look at her just to see shame in her eyes.
Zelda remained unmoving, stilling her breaths, controlling herself. William walked to crouch beside her, put his hand on her armchair, "Zellie?" A chilhood nickname, a treasure.
Zelda could hear William's words coming from far back in time, worried, smiling, laughing, hurt. Zelda looked at him, she was still fighting her feelings but there was just so much to talk about, "I'm tired."
William had thought it a win, back in the day, when Zelda's eyes had become filled with shame and fear and regret, had thought she deserved it. Had reveled in it. But now even when he could see pride and glory and the self-confidence that everyone knew her for, William could still see under all of that... dread. And there was no way she deserved that. "Yeah, I know that," William took Zelda's hand - she was trembling - and tried his best to sound confident and nonchalant, but his lip was trembling and he knew Zelda would see behind all of it, "I know, okay?" I'm tired too, "It's okay."
Zelda bit her lip and squeezed William's hand, "I just need to clear up my mind, all right?"
"Zelda..." Zelda was looking down, eyes glazed over. "I'll be waiting, all right? I'll back you up whatever you choose."
As they had promised before. As William had promised before.