If there was one thing Link hated about Cuccos, it was their affinity for being as annoying as possible, all the time.

This wasn't any exception. The peaceful crack of dawn was interrupted by a particularly loathsome cucco that had clucked the entire roost into a frenzy. This was what had caused him to groan in annoyance as he was pulled out of a previously peaceful slumber. Before he could even process where he was, he was whispering obscenities about cuccos and what he'd love to do to one just about now. Wherever he was was warm, and peaceful, and quiet up until that damn bird decided to ruin it.

The second thing he noticed (his brain seemed to be working at half capacity, at best) was his headache. A deep, concentrated pain that throbbed at the very front of his skull. He instinctively reached a hand up out of the blankets to rub it…

Blankets. That was the third thing the Knight noticed: he was in a bed. A particularly soft one, one he'd probably have to pay 40 rupees to sleep in at a stable (although he doubted any stable would be generous enough to give him such a hefty, luxurious blanket). Such a comfortable bed dissuaded him from even questioning why or how at first, until the screech of another Cucco drove him to complete consciousness. He sat up quickly. Too quickly. The burning pain in his head only intensified, and a groan escaped his lips. It reminded him of the feeling he'd experienced when he'd first awoken in the Shrine of Resurrection. Despite having spent a century recovering from his injuries, his initial experience when he'd sat up in that dark, looking room had been one of a similar intense headache that had almost pushed him back into another slumber. At least now, though, he vaguely knew who he was. A knight of the Princess Zelda- Zelda.

All care about his headache or the bed subsided as he quickly realized that he hadn't any idea where the Princess of Hyrule was. Despite his vision being little more than a blur, he slung his legs out from the comfort of the bed and onto the wooden floor beneath him. He must've been in an inn of some sort. His clammy hands rose to his eyes, and he attempted to rub some amount of clarity into them. He needed to think. Where was he, and much more importantly, where was she?

But when his vision cleared, his priority to find Zelda subsided for a moment when he saw the curled-up Sheikah on the floor. It was Paya. He knew instantly, even though her face was pressed against her pillow and a thin blanket was pulled over her. Carefully, now, Link stepped towards her, and in a split second decision, he crouched down and nudged her shoulder.

Paya's entire body lurched the moment Link's hand touched her. He instantly regretted his voice as the frazzled young woman scraped the blanket that was previously covering her off like a trapped animal trying to escape. "Master Link!" she eeped. How she knew it was him after about one moment of being awake was lost to him. He looked back at her with wide eyes as she clambered to her feet. "Master Link, hello!" the words stuttered out of her mouth. Her poor face had grown red faster than Link was able to open his mouth to reply at all.

"Good morning, Paya," Link hesitantly replied, as though she might shatter. her frightfulness put him on edge, but not in the same way that Zelda's presence did. With Zelda, it felt as though the entire weight of the world rested on whether she thought he was an idiot or not. With Paya, he just desperately wanted her to feel comfortable. It was a similar sensation to his rejection to praise. He didn't think himself important enough to receive either reaction. Why she felt so nervous around him wasn't something he understood, but a truth he knew and tried to subdue. Certainly, it was something he did wrong- a right he would right. Link, in that moment, committed to a new goal: making the young Sheikah girl comfortable around him. But first, maybe he ought to address the larger problem at hand.

"Paya, do you know where the princess is?" his eyes darted around the room, before returning back to Paya.

"Don't worry about the princess, Master Link! She's just in town- she has an escort of 4 Sheikah soldiers with her at all time!" Paya assured him, although by the tone of her voice, it seemed as though she was still very much so the one who needed reassurance. But that information did allow for Link's jaw to unclench itself (a bad habit he noticed he had in that moment). 4 Sheikah soldiers and just in town, where the biggest threat was the looming presence of the damned Cuccos.

He nodded in response. a part of him still wanted to go and check on her. Certainly there was some way he could be of use to her? But really, was there? What could he do for her that 4 armed Sheikah soldiers couldn't? Some already fulfilled legacy?

"How are you feeling, Master Link?" her deep grey eyes seemed to be studying his form for any kind of fault. He felt weirdly self-conscious, and he shook his head back at her.

"I have a headache, but nothing important," he sighed. He vaguely remembered hitting his head- surely that was the origin of the pain. A sense of dread ran through him as he processed the fact that he had fainted in front of Impa and Zelda. The miraculous Hero of Hyrule, falling helplessly like some maiden in need of beauty rest. It wasn't even as though he was overcome with fatigue. He didn't have an excuse, not that having one would have made him feel any better.

"I'll get you medicine!" Paya countered the moment the words left his mouth. He couldn't help but smile as she crossed the room to her desk. Something about her constant willingness to help was precious. It reminded him of himself, almost, although she was much more delicate and… pure, he supposed. She must've been less hardened by the world; he was glad. She was back in front of him in a split second. In her hands was a dainty glass water, full of some mysterious green liquid. She pressed it into his hands before flinching immediately after. "Sorry!" she corrected herself. She pulled her hand away as if she had touched an open flame. Her face never did lose its red hue.

"Thank you," he tried to assure her. "You're very kind, Paya," his hands fidgeted with the cork top. Typically, he would be skeptical of any liquid given to him. The thought to question it didn't even cross his mind. Upon opening it, he scrunched his nose at the odor it released, but still downed it in a swift motion. The medicine had the consistency of ink and tasted like rock salt, but Link did his best to stomach it. He was certain that him displaying any amount of discomfort would only upset her.

"Thank you," Paya echoed. She folded her hands in front of her chest, as if catching his words and pressing them to her heart. He could've sworn her smile quivered. She took the empty bottle back from him and placed it back on the desk. "It should come into effect within the next hour. Are you hungry?" Paya seemed to read his mind before Link could. As if on cue, he felt a ripple of hunger run through his stomach.

"A bit," he admitted. The last time he had anything to eat was lunch- lunch when? "How long was I asleep, Paya?" Link wasn't much of a talker by any stretch, but still, he found a certain amount of satisfaction in addressing her by name. 'Paya'. It flowed off his tongue easily.

"Only a day, Master Link. you and Princess Zelda arrived just yesterday," she seemed to be relaxing, if only a bit. That was enough to make Link's heart beam with pride.

He ran a finger through his hair, which had fallen out of its place during his sleep. At least it hadn't been too long. Still, the thought of having to see Zelda again after falling over like a rag doll was one that Link dreaded. He was always so honored to be in her presence, but he still found himself dreading it. It wasn't any fault of her own, truly. If he was a proper knight, a proper hero, he wouldn't have any problem with it.

"Master Link?" Paya once again pulled him out of his thoughts. Her brows furrowed in concern. "Do you know… please don't take offense- do you know why you…?" she seemed to be at a lost for words. It seemed as though she was constantly dancing over thin ice that she was terrified might shatter at any moment.

"Feel asleep?" Link tried to finish her sentence for her. A wave of embarassment still hit him at the choice of words, but he decided that it was worth it when she nodded her head gratefully. Link merely shook his head. "No, no I don't. I'm sorry- you could have just… left me there." he scrunched his nose at the thought of her having sacrificed her bed for him. A part of him knew that it must've been her proposal. She was the type to give up every earthly comfort for someone else, wasn't she? But she shouldn't. Link held the conviction that she deserved more than what she allowed herself to have. She deserved that damn bed, especially over him.

"Of course not, Master Link!" she countered immediately. Her voice cracked over the words as they hurriedly left her mouth. A look of horror spread across her face as she seemed to ponder the idea for only a second before discarding it just as quickly. "You are… You're the Hero! I would never- absolutely never- consider-"

"Thank you," he interrupted as her breathing seemed to be growing fast and sharp. What was meant as an expression of gratitude seemed to have been taken as an insult. Surely one of these days Link would learn the basics of how to communicated properly, lest Paya meet an early grave from stress. "Really Paya, thank you. I'm very grateful for your kindness." His throat grew dry from so much talking. It wasn't uncommon for him to go weeks at a time without speaking; the result of this being that he had to actively work to project his voice at all- and his already quiet voice never failed to falter and break after extended periods of speech (even if that period was only a few moments).

"Would you like to go find something to eat with me?" he offered after a moment of silence. His throat grew more irritated and coarse by the moment. food never failed to make him feel better… perhaps a Razorshroom omelet would help?

Paya didn't seem to take his offer particularly well. The flush that had just recently subsided came back in full force, and both of her hands rose to clasp her cheeks.

"Eat… with you?" her voice come out more so as a squeak than a coherent question. Link nodded sharply, before realizing the implications of his offer. a strike of warmth quickly flooded his ears.

"Yes, yes we can go- there's an inn. With food. Very good food." Paya's wide, grey eyes couldn't quite seem to meet his. Well, it was a little bit too late to back down. Besides, it wasn't as though he was against the idea of eating breakfast with her. Maybe he'd learn more about her. It had taken him months to learn about the origin of her name, and that had only happened because of Impa's intervention. Still, he couldn't help but be curious about her. Certainly a Sheikah girl like her would have some good stories to tell?

He responded by fixing his hair quickly and starting towards the stairs down. She blinked back at him, seemingly unconvinced that he was still extending the invitation to her. A gesture with his hand for her to follow along was enough for her to come along.

"Paya!" Impa's voice rang through the room the moment Link's foot stepped off the stairs. A small groan escaped his lips. A sharp burn rang through his skull at the sudden loud noise. Just the yell alone had caused his vision to blur for a few moments.

"Grandmother!" Paya replied softly as she passed by Link and into the large, open room. "Shh, please," Link felt her eyes on him. she knew- of course she knew. Paya seemed the type to just know things about people. A skill he wished dearly that he himself had.

"Has the Hero awaken?" Impa asked, before Link too joined Paya before the Sheikah Elder. "Mmm, I see he has. How are you feeling, Hero?"

Link wasn't thrilled to realize that the title might as well have replaced his name altogether. He felt arrogant even responding; he wasn't more of a hero than anyone else I'm the room. He had played his part, certainly, but so had everyone else. Paya had pursued her calling, cleaning and praying and keeping care of the Sheikah Artifact for many years. Impa had spent over a century fulfilling her promise to the Princess- and he helped him numerous times in his own journey. He had done what he was called to do, as did they, so what prerequisite demanded he be titled 'the Hero'? part of him wanted to correct them, insist they call him Link, and Link alone, but doing so would be even more selfish, wouldn't it? He could already imagine the look of horror on Paya's face at the very insinuation that she address him by his name.

"Good," he replied simply. He straightened his spine ever so slightly, as if to prove he was on top of the world. Impa only shook her head in response.

"I sense you are not. Zelda has told me that you collapsed after the fight with Ganon as well?" Link grimaced at the mention. A soft sound of concern escaped Paya's mouth, although he couldn't bring himself to look at her. Maybe he wouldn't have to correct anybody. It seemed that in time they'd all notice that their perception of him was wrong. He wasn't 'Master Link'- he was an above-average knight who was aided dozens of times, and now couldn't keep himself from falling over spontaneously.

"I don't know why," his voice grew hoarse at the end of the sentence. Impa's eyes burned into him. surely now she was beginning to realize. Surely now she'd realize the same truths only he knew so far- that he was barely short of a fraud, being paraded around by people who deserved more recognition than he did, certainly.

"Alright," Impa nodded. She appeared deep in thought. Her inquisitive eyes never left him. "Paya!" the younger Sheikah woman snapped to attention. "Go clean the idols outside, please. I feel as though we may need the intervention of the Gods sometime soon. and try and find books on medical abnormalities that may result in fainting spells." Paya opened her mouth as if to protest, before shutting it again.

"And Link-" Impa added, "You ought to go lay down for a bit. You look rather pale."