Scattering petals
Link & Zelda
Chapter 21: Healing process
When being forced to share vulnerable times together causes a rapprochement
Author's note: This is it, the final chapter of the first arc. Our kids are finally patching things up! I feel like this first part has been the worldbuilding of the story though we haven't seen Mipha nor Zora's domain yet.
I believe you all will guess the main development of the second arc very soon.
For now, enjoy the reading.
Twilight was ruling over the gerudo sky the next time he woke up. Somehow, the dim darkness inside the cabin offered a twisted solace that sheltered Link from strange dreams. Firstly, he had dreamt of an alternate reality of simpler times and despite the pleasant content of it, he couldn't help but feel guilty at the thought of thinking that way about the princess. The struggle to keep his eyelids open and fight the thought began to cloud his judgment. He could still feel his imaginary's wife body on him. A chill ran up Link's spine at the feeling of his body reacting to the impulses. Thinking about nightmares was far preferable. Then, in the next dream, he had been in the Lost Wood once more, reviving the challenge of the master sword with slight modifications and the presence of lurking entities around him. Next, a disturbing nightmare tormented him, showing images of his sister mourning on his father's grave after falling during the war against the calamity. That last vision had terrified him. Bearing the thought of leaving Arryl alone in an unknown world after such a trial of power was torture. Considering the mere possibility of failing in battle was something the knight didn't want to even imagine. No doubt returning to an uneasy reality was far better than being trapped in the nocturne realm.
Link's senses eventually woke up. His keen hearing could detect the distinct sound of the heavy wind howling outside the cabin. Probably, knowing what he had heard about the region, it was a nightly sandstorm. Those were common in Gerudo's desert, especially now that the calamity was drawing near. Every single soul around the area should be sheltered inside their homes by now. Not even the fiercest fighter would dare to step outside with such meteorological conditions. Disorientation was just the beginning of the troubles such phenomena brought with it, ending with much worse consequences for whoever got lost in the middle of the storm.
The intoxicating smell of wildflowers and berries came after that, claiming his lungs to breathe properly again. Despite his weary state, Link could compel the command. Because of that, his blue eyes moved to detect the source of the scent, finding the responsible very near.
Princess Zelda had fallen asleep on the floor. She was kneeling, holding his hand between hers. The golden mane that gleamed even with the moonlight partially covered her face. From that angle, she looked as if she were caught in an eternal ritual of prayer for his recovery. Yet, despite everything they had been through that day, her relaxed eyebrows showed that she was resting profoundly. It didn't seem possible at first sight since she was awkwardly leaning over the edge of the couch and her neck was in an apparent painful position. And still, she had managed to conceive some rest: among the sandstorm and the shadowing threat of the Yiga Clan.
And her hands-, Link didn't even want to get started on how comforting her affectionate touch felt. She was emanating a soothing warmth from her skin that contrasted with the now-fresh temperatures in the desert. Once he noticed it, there was no turning back. All of his body woke up as if her relaxed demeanor had summoned him to come back to the earthly realm. Even for a moment, the knight could swear to discern a bright glow from her finger's grip, but it vanished with the next blink of an eye. Magical powers or not, Zelda certainly looked enchanting.
Much to his dismay, the movement of his numb body stirred her dreams. Zelda slowly batted her eyelids as Link, unaware of the situation, was trying to reach for the blanket at the bottom of the couch to shelter himself from the low temperatures. Not letting go of her silky palms had been his only mistake. The minimum activity around the godly heiress managed to break her sleeping form. When her escort noticed, he didn't know if he should feel sorry, ashamed, or exposed for being seen so vulnerable before Her Highness. She, nevertheless, didn't seem to believe the same. Her effort to immediately look awake and present at the moment was noticeable.
"You are cold." She pointed out as intuitive as always though her voice was raspy because of the conditions of her sleep. Their physical contact also gave it away along with the fact that Link had been trying to reach for the blanket. "That's good. The fever should be gone by now."
The princess abandoned his right hand to get up and collect the several blankets. Seeing her attentive act, the knight tried to persuade her from doing so though he ended up regretting it. He could still feel his skin burning with each movement. The mere graze with the couch made his sunburns ache to the point he couldn't contain a whimper. Leaning forward had been a mistake. And Zelda was there to scold him for being so straightforward. The floral smell intruded on him once more.
"Don't make any efforts now." She said in a softer tone than expected, covering the lower part of his body with the blanket. He was still wrapped in wet cloth that now stuck uncomfortably to the skin. Yes, the fever was gone, definitely. And still, Zelda was acting as if he were on the verge of death. Witnessing her concerned form felt different. Far more personal. And human, -right-, at last.
Without knowing how to behave, Link observed as she carefully retired the washcloths from him. The reddened aspect of his shoulders had diminished considerably. His skin would continue to resent the effects of the prolonged sun exposure for several days, but the pain would eventually become a mere nuisance. The most important matter was that he had left his delirious fever behind, leaving room for improvement and healing at last.
Zelda met his glance as soon as her palm unconsciously caressed his lower thorax. Her fingers felt like a feather caressing the defined muscles that were usually hidden by the armor or the guard uniform. Green uncertainty met Link as he witnessed how the princess struggled to find the right words to speak.
"It was my fault, Link." She admitted painfully. His lips parted to say something, but he found her authoritarian finger before them to block the speech. "Don't try to free me from the blame. I was stubborn and I should have listened to you. Going alone was dangerous." The joy of finally hearing her giving him the voice of reason was relieving but, at what price? After all, she was feeling guilty about it.
"And so, I've decided to set our differences aside. You don't deserve the way I have been behaving. I treated you unfairly when you were only doing your job-... something I can't do myself." Zelda shook her head, vanishing the thought of her failures to finally convince Link of her sincere words. "Having you accept my apologies would put my mind at ease. Only if you are willing to forgive me, of course."
The way she leaned her head forward showed a hint of her honest regrets. The knight wished he could just lift her chin and tell her everything would be alright yet it wouldn't be proper to do so. Instead, he hummed gently with a nod, bringing her attention back to him. The moon's splendor reflected on her cheeks gifted the princess with an ethereal presence that made Link have to think twice before assuring the present moment was real and not just one of his dreams.
"You are doing your best." Link assured her with a recomforting expression. Her eyes lit up with sparks of hope. "In every matter. I know you do." He clarified, referring to both her sacred birthright and her duty as princess of the kingdom. She needed to hear that from time to time, he knew it too. The effect of his faith on her caused Zelda to frown with tenderness.
"You think we can start all over again?" The shy tone of her voice caused Link to shiver. How could he deny it? Even if he wouldn't be willing, he would have to. But it wasn't the case. He wished to finally experience the fruitful sides of being a royal escort and learn more about the job his male ancestors wished to accomplish one day. Being both hero and escort was a privilege Link felt he couldn't reach until now. The question almost made him sight out with relief.
"Sure."
What Urbosa had predicted was finally happening. A smile. A rare grin was gifted to him as Zelda placed her hand on her chest, feeling his forgiveness embrace her. A mere word had achieved to change her demeanor. Since when did reassuring conversations like that one become capable of changing so much about a person's behavior? Was the princess so used to deception and underestimating affirmations that the mere fact of accepting an apology from her become so cherishing? Would that finally grant her escort the necessary comprehension to be able to know the essence of her soul? Could that rapprochement grant them victory against Ganon? Whatever the answers to those questions were, it was some progress that would benefit the Hyrulean Champions. They could only move forward after the reconciliation.
"I'm so glad to hear that." She sighed as her grin slowly faded into her regular expression.
Her hands returned to the cautious labor of removing the damped cloths from him. She carefully placed them back inside the water bucket that once had been filled with ice cubes. It had melted with the passing of time, turning into cold water as the nocturne chill filled the gerudo region. He could observe that her fingertips were wrinkled because of the constant contact with the liquid. Her hair was not as tidy as she used to wear it, indicating that her sleep had lasted some hours at least. However, she possessed her iconic expression of concentration, very similar to when she was doing research. Her mind never seemed to have a rest.
"How long has it been?" He asked, truly intrigued by his absence in protecting the princess. A situation like that one couldn't happen again. He needed to be in all of his faculties in order to keep her safe. Passing out had been inevitable, but situations like this one had to be avoided at any cost. And much more if they were located outside the castle where no guards could take care of her in case he wasn't in the most optimal conditions,
"Nine hours, approximately." She looked over the windows. The bamboo shutters prevented the sandy wind from sneaking inside the cabin. "I kinda fell asleep too." She confessed later once the nursing labor was done.
At the mention of slumbering, Link realized he had been using the only bed in the cabin, leaving Her Highness to lay on the floor improperly. Ignoring the pain of moving his numb limbs, the knight rose from the bed. He earned a questioning glance from the princess, but he would have none of it. Hadn't they started over now? She should start listening to him at last.
"You should rest too." He pointed out while enjoying the feeling of having his feet on the ground.
Princess Zelda read the demanding expression from her escort and obeyed his suggestion without talking back. She replaced the pillows comfortably as Link fetched his beige hylian shirt from the table on the opposite side of the cabin. The contact with the cotton clothing was uncomfortable at first since his skin was still sore, but getting properly dressed was the minimum he could do to honor his duty. He moved in front of the main window afterward to catch a glimpse of the landscape outside. As he thought, there was a sandstorm looming over the wastelands, leaving both of them trapped inside the building for the meantime. It seemed like it would continue for a couple more hours minimum.
"Urbosa will return once the situation calms down." The princess spoke from behind as if she could read his thoughts. The knight turned to find her sitting on the superior side of the couch. She then motioned for him to seat at the bottom of the couch, leaving a prudent space so they both could rest properly. "It could take a while." She added as in a way of insisting.
Link found no other choice than to listen to the princess. If she had given him the benefit of doubt to obey his words, he would do so too. Not arguing over simple stuff like sitting on the same piece of furniture felt different. The knight still recalled how at first she didn't even stand his presence following her through the castle. Zelda had that gifted capacity to make everything around her aware of her feelings. The same thing was happening now. He could sense her will to make amends with him as she handed him one of the pillows. It was obvious that his polite affirmation was not enough for her to feel at peace with how she had handled his appointment to her. If he were in his place, Link would probably do so too even though his actions could seem too indulgent. He wouldn't say anything, for now, to not upset her.
She tossed in her position, trying to find a way to sit that could be proper and still comfortable. She ended up sitting with the pillow before her, embracing it to lean her head. The silence became too loud for Zelda to stand for too long. The knight waited for her to speak as he know she would. Knowing her well, it was inevitable to predict her uneasiness around sonic emptiness. Handling silences wasn't her strongest point.
"How about we make up for lost time and get to know each other better?" The princess impulsively proposed. "If you are in the mood for talking, that is."
Why not?
Link shrugged in response and joined the princess. He sat dramatically at the bottom of the couch to a point he could almost slide down from it. However, he decided to sit further as soon as he observed the plenty of distance separating him from Zelda. He ended up leaning his back against the wall, aiding him in maintaining a stretched back after so many hours of sleep. The silky blanket was used to cover his legs despite the lack of drowsiness. It was only obvious that sleep would evade him since he had spent almost ten hours resting. The knight got the idea of making the princess get some sleep into his head. But he couldn't just speak it out or she, despite whatever promise they made, wouldn't accept the suggestion. She wouldn't find it fair after his recently-gone sickness. His fever was unpredictable and despite the actual health condition, it could return any moment now. That was the reason for Zelda's worry still being written on her face. Link just knew it. Besides, her body language was still on guard, expecting the worse. He could also detect some uneasiness from the previous assassination attempts Definitely, some talk would help distract them both while being stuck in the cabin.
"I do like salamanders." Link said out of nowhere for no specific reason. He was staring at a blank point on the ceiling, so the princess kept wondering what reptiles had to do with knowing each other better.
"Lizards are sublime indeed." She agreed, not following his exact point. "But why bring them up now?" Zelda asked, trying to not sound too antipathetic.
"You asked me if I liked them during our first day together." The princess raised her eyebrows, trying to remember. He clarified to make the task swifter. "When you showed me your lab."
The princess made a small 'o' with her lips in realization. Yes, that had been her first attempt at engaging in a cordial conversation with her newly appointed escort months ago. But, quite the contrary to him, she had forgotten about it since he brought it up again. The sight of his dazing glance while staring at her terrariums, however, was hard to let slip. He had been the first to observe her personal study with remarkable interest. Nobody else back in Hyrule's castle that ever crossed the bridge to her private tower had shown the same interest. Despite not expressing it verbally, his declaration now made it clear that he liked her research on reptiles. And that he, indeed, possessed good memory. Once Zelda assumed that Link's lack of social interaction could bring along the absence of remembering conversations. But it clearly wasn't his case. She should have known only by the way his eyes were capable to scan every single movement around a chamber. Once more, her knight had managed to surprise her. Little did she know that was just the beginning. His next sentence would be solid proof:
"Rudania may look like a salamander but still creeps me out." He commented casually as if he were talking about the weather.
Zelda had to suppress a giggle. How random could Link be? That surely hadn't been in her calculations of an ideal 'getting to know each other' conversation starters.
"Is it because you fell into its dungeon?" She recalled the image of him surrounded by its darkness, the master sword becoming the only source of light. Daruk's face at seeing the hero in trouble had also kinda been remarkable. But that was a detail she would keep for herself.
"More because of the way it sounds." He confessed for once making eye contact.
The blush on his cheekbones from the sun made his slight grin look sort of childish. The princess felt one of her heartbeats skipping its regular beating but quickly whipped it away as soon as she recalled Divine Beast Vah Rudania's sonic capability. Not even Robbie had managed to figure out yet which animal was the origin of its audible battle cry. Nobody researched the sound mechanisms yet since they weren't a priority for the war against Calamity Ganon. Link pointing their existence, however, awoke curiosity within Zelda's scholarly interests. Salamanders weren't capable of emitting sounds… or at least that was what hylians knew. Maybe the lack of investigation had brought humanity to believe so. That was one of the possible purposes for her investigation back in the western tower she used as a lab. Link seemed to have created a bond between her uncomprehended passion for science and a random fact about his personal preferences on Hyrulean fauna. It was brilliant if he had made it on purpose.
"I didn't expect that statement from Hyrule's hero." She finally admitted out loud, keeping the grin to herself.
"Don't tell Revali." He joked, going along with the flow of the conversation. Despite the teasing, he had the capability to hide the amused tone in his words.
The princess tried to huff most discreetly. The try made her look goofier than she would have liked. That, however, allowed her to catch a glimpse of a spark from Link's white teeth during a swift smile. She didn't recall witnessing such an event before. Was he just being himself because they were outside of the castle? Or would he return to his statue-like behavior once everything returned to normality? Only time could tell. For then, Zelda proposed to enjoy the moment and take advantage of his will to speak.
"He is just jealous." She explained her opinion freely as well. The image of the kids from the court playing with sticks, pretending to be the master sword, came to her mind all of sudden. "Everybody wants to be the hero of the legends." She added then without thinking much about it before. The fact, however, was true. She had noticed the general acclamation towards the hero since the moment he had returned with the master sword from Lost Woods. She could still recall the bitterness stirring in her chest as she wished to be equally loved by her subjects.
A long silence filled the cabin with strange awkwardness. Zelda was on her guard again, overanalyzing her words to detect some kind of mistake or offense that caused Link to return to his taciturn behavior. Despite the attempt, she was unable to reach a firm conclusion. Her escort had broken the eye contact she had been working hard to achieve. And so, downcast, the princess looked down at the pillow as if it were the most interesting thing in Hyrule. The distraction wasn't enough to forget the weight of the quietness.
"I would gladly pass down the honor if I could." Link confessed, making her jade eyes open in surprise.
Zelda scanned a trace of sadness in her bodyguard's countenance. He really meant it. And this time, he wasn't joking. Some raspiness in his last words showed that he was serious about the matter. But, why would a knight like him, who had already given up his life for Hyrule's royal family, want to free himself from the master sword's burden? Making an oath of knighthood was already sacrificing enough. Did carrying the sealing sword affect that much his circumstances as a member of the royal guard? The Calamity would strike with or without a sword in Link's power. There had to be a particular reason behind his strong declaration.
"What do you mean?" She pushed, demanding a more specific explanation. A spark of hope irradiated in the princess' chest. Could it be that he, too, felt the burden's torment on his shoulders?
"I feel their scorching eyes following me anywhere I go." He explained further. He was fidgeting with his hands and fingers due to nervousness. "Sometimes I feel like everything would be easier if I retreated away from everything."
His statement darkened the nocturnal mood. He adopted a reflexive pose, flexing his legs towards his body in a sitting position. It made his young adult body drown on the couch slightly. That was the most impacting fact: they both were just teenagers. Hyrule's destiny was in their hands. The Calamity wouldn't wait for them to be ready, grow up and bloom into experienced warriors. Father always told that to Zelda: she needed to awaken her powers as soon as possible as Ganon lurked always closer. But, quite contrary to Zelda, Link hadn't grown up in the court in a castle. He had been born on a humble horse in Hateno Village, so the social protocols were harder for him. The princess could almost risk her good judgment and call his silent demeanor a consequence of social anxiety. Or a coping mechanism of some sort. Or both. Either way, it seemed that the social factor was the one reason difficulting duties as the kingdom's hero. The heiress to the throne never had that problem since she had grown accustomed to the constant attention and interaction with Hyrule's peasants. But for Link, it had been a drastic change. She had underestimated the impact of social pressure on a regular person like him. Having strangers knowing every fact about your life was shocking indeed. Especially if he had been designated as the Chosen One from night to day.
"You know you can talk to me about that, right?" She thought it was worth a shot to offer her comprehension. To some point, Zelda too considered herself to be introverted. Spending time alone, away from the public areas, was a blessing she cherished a bit much. Knowing the sensation well, she could only guess something similar happened to her escort. In fact, if someone could understand his demons, it was her. The destiny they shared was the greater bond that draw them closer, embrace it or not. Link didn't seem sure about accepting that offer.
"Words are often meaningless. Some can lead to misunderstandings." At that point, the princess thought he was rejecting her polite offering. She felt her chest sinking down with sorrow. But then, he continued: "I hope you don't mind the main expression through actions."
"Of course." What else could she say? If he wanted so, so be it. She couldn't force him to speak despite being the future ruler of the kingdom. Politeness was crucial to maintain a good start in their cordial relationship now.
The bodyguard switched his pose, letting his back fall against the wall. A sigh escaped his dry lips. He wasn't done speaking.
"Though I missed talking freely like this." He added, gifting Her Highness a warming, -but small-, smile.
"Like what?" Her logical mind pushed it further before assuming what he had just said. The surprise didn't allow her to hear the words that had just escaped his mouth. She needed to hear him say it to process the information properly. There was nothing as annoying as fake assumptions and false hopes of sharing mutual complicity.
"Like…" He was frowning, thinking long and hard about the answer. He struggled to find the appropriate word to describe the sensation. However, he concluded that adding trust in his reassuring sentence would maybe make Zelda feel better about their turbulent past together. "-... as if we were friends."
Link expected to detect some sort of happiness in Her Highness' expression. But the sparkly joy in her jade eyes never came. Instead, her pure reaction was filled with utter surprise. Her lips were arched in a slightly oval shape that made the breathing more evident before his eyes. On another occasion, the knight would have reprimanded himself for overstepping boundaries. What kind of servant in his right mind would dare to consider himself a 'friend' to his Lady? That sentence in a different context would be considered an offense to the royal lineage. But Zelda, however, didn't look humiliated. Not even close. Instead, she seemed to be flattered. Her gaze lit up, eyebrows arched up as a sign of unforeseen emotions going through the princess' mind. She wasn't offended. Furthermore, she looked as if he had sincerely complimented her: Flattered. Glad. Almost honored, privileged more particularly. Did another single soul know what was going through Link's mind?
A growl coming from his stomach interrupted the moment. Apparently, it was food that twirled in his mind now. Upon the detection of the sound, the princess realized too that she was also hungry. She didn't need to say it out loud as her knight recognized the symptoms of hunger in her face.
"There's canned food on the shelves." Zelda commented, foreseeing Link would make his best effort to get up. He needed to rest and stay away from the fire. She didn't want him to make unnecessary actions that could harm his health.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." He replied anyway, rejecting the thought of eating cold food out of a tin recipient.
She wasn't against cooking either. The consistent cobwebs surrounding the cans weren't welcoming at all. And so, the princess got up too in order to aid her escort, taking care of making the chimney burn with its fire as he prepared one of his master meals. Eventually, they forgot about the downward sandstorm outside the cabin.
The gerudo matriarch couldn't believe her eyes when she entered the south posting. Her mind had been spinning with worry even during battle, concerned over the princess and her valiant knight attendant. And yet, there they were: safe despite the heavy sandstorm, the Yiga attack, and the sun-sickness that had threatened them during the previous day.
Dawn was awakening in the desert, caressing the dune's sandy texture with its rays. Even the meteorological conditions in the region seemed to notice the relief of the gerudo victory in chasing the Yiga Clan away from the land. It had been almost 4 hours of persecution, but they finally succeeded in banishing the corrupt warriors that dared to attempt against Hyrule's integrity. Their punishment had been thrice times worse than Zelda's frightening assassination attempt as several blade masters had fallen in battle. The feminine army had really outdone itself, diminishing the numbers of Yiga soldiers considerably after the fight. Even the sand seals deserved a decent rest and copious amounts of food to celebrate.
A feast. That was precisely what Urbosa planned to have before Princess Zelda left the region. However, she seemed to already have eaten enough on her own while sheltering in the outlook cabin.
Despite the lack of food, the gerudo Chief could still smell the delicious scent of recently-made food. The cooking pot and cutlery on the table indicated that all the stored foodstuffs had been emptied. The cans, however, remained intact, covered with dusty particles and spiderwebs, indicating the guards posting the lookout cabin hadn't been nourishing themselves with what the town provided. Urbosa gave them a fatal glance that made them tremble even from the distance. Next, she motioned for them to remain quiet as she lurked over the bed.
Princess Zelda was sleeping soundingly, curled up against the pillow. Her braid had loosened with the desert's heat but she looked much better than when she found her after the Yiga attack. The matriarch felt utter relief calming her sharp instincts. She even blinked twice to really check if what her eyes were seeing was true. Her plan, though the previous circumstances hadn't been ideal, had finally worked. The most definitive proof was the presence of the hylian knight resting on the same bed, sprawled in the bottom half of the couch. His cheek was slightly leaning on the princess' calf despite the proper distance maintained between them. Apparently, sleep had brought them slightly together. Still, the boy was far enough for Urbosa to ignore the possible offense in the eyes of royalty. It was her time to check personally if her words with Link and Zelda separately had an impact on their relationship or not.
"Wake up, sleepyheads." She whispered as a not so effecting warning, raising her hand in the air to prepare herself.
As soon as Urbosa snapped her fingers, thunder struck gerudo desert. The hylian pair woke up immediately, alarmed by the lightning and the loud growl of Urbosa's summoned storm. Princess Zelda let out a high-pitched yell though she recovered her composure as soon as she realized Urbosa was the one responsible for the thunderous scare. Link, quite the contrary, woke up without flinching, readying himself to defeat whatever obstacle could be before him. What later scared him wasn't the thunder but the gerudo heirloom that the leader was wearing as head armor. Link threatened with an invisible sword, as he was used to carrying it with him anywhere. The face at realizing his weapon was anywhere near was priceless.
"You should have seen your faces." The matriarch laughed out loud, taking the gold helmet off her head.
"Urbosa! You scared the death of me!" Zelda scolded her with a hand on her chest, trying to calm her heartbeats.
More laughter escaped the gerudo's bluish lips as Link scratched the back of his head in confusion. He looked like he had gotten well during his stay in the southern cabin. Still, his cheeks and the bridge of his nose were still reddish from the sun's intense rays from the day before. The vision of its combination almost made him look as if he were embarrassed. Urbosa wondered if he was because, after all, she had managed to scare them both for real. Seeing Her Highness confused and out of place was always a refreshing sight. Pushing her buttons had become one of Urbosa's guilty pleasures over time. Link, too, was now on her list of favorite people to scare with her sudden thunders. The hint of emotion was rare on both. Witnessing them was recomforting at some point. The sight made them remember that they were still human despite the destiny they were sentenced to uphold.
"I see you made yourself at home." She mentioned, glancing over the empty cooking pot and the ashes on the chimney. "You'll need some free room for tomorrow's feast." She continued, making the knight's mood lighten.
"What feast?" He asked, disguising his personal interest as the duty to remain informed of the princess' activities and schedule. Zelda was smirking slightly at his question. The matriarch continued the talk right there to identify what was the reason for their sudden understanding. She could tell something had happened just by looking at them standing beside each other.
"To celebrate our victory against the Yiga Clan, of course." Urbosa announced proudly, tightening the muscles of her arms to display her strength.
"There's no stopping the gerudo." The princess praised in awe. "We will gladly assist."
"Then let's not waste time, Your Highness. I will need your help in picking the decorations." She teased, giving her a small pat on the shoulder. "You know I kinda hate the organization's progress." Zelda, instead, was ideal for the task since she was tidy and an efficient planner.
The happy expression on the hylian princess' face twitched to another one. It wasn't sadness or anger. Urbosa swore she had never seen that emotion on her before. Her eyebrows were arched up and the corner of her rosy lips was bent down. That could only mean one thing. Was she actually going to reject her invitation on spending time together?
"Actually-..." She started, playing with her fingernails as she thought of the appropriate words to excuse herself. "I'd like to go back to the bazaar and collect some peace to pray if you don't mind."
The matriarch couldn't believe what she was hearing. The Princess not only was rejecting some quality time with her but also renounced her hotel room to stay with her appointed knight. There's no way the gerudo could be a hundred percent sure, but she wouldn't discard the idea of Zelda finally caring about Link. Something in the shine of her jade eyes told her she wasn't just returning to his side to take care of his now minor sun sickness symptoms. The day she finally preferred to stay with a boy had arrived, she thought to herself proudly. If her majesty heard her, she would probably blush violently. There was no need to say it out loud, Urbosa was wise enough thanks to her experience in life.
"It's alright, Little Bird." The Gerudo Chief finally agreed with a slight nod. "I'll let your father know you are safe."
Worry vanished from the hylian princess as she heard the last part of the sentence for she knew the matriarch always had positive words in every mentioning of her.
Urbosa wrote the promised letter as soon as she got back to Gerudo Town. She commanded Captain Teake to send some guards near Kara Kara Bazaar just in case the princess and her escort needed help and, -taking advantage of the busy toil-, locked herself inside the chambers on top of the central building. The cleaning staff had left a scented candle lit on her desk. More paper had been restocked near the bookshelves too. The golden quill was ready for her to notify King Rhoam of Vah Naboris' progress.
Restful twilights like that one happened rarely. The land was more at peace especially after releasing a good dose of adrenaline. And having retrieved the gerudo heirloom from the Yiga Clan was one less problem too. It had been foolish of them to think getting away from both an assassination attempt and the robbing of a relic was possible. Either they had been very careless or leader Kohga was surprisingly dumb. She couldn't deny, though, that they were a ball of fire. And their threat had been really serious if her guards and Link hadn't stopped their plans.
Now, how would she put into words everything that had happened?
I had a lot of fun writing this one down. I didn't want to be carried by the emotion of the scene, but I think the reference to the second chapter about salamanders was on point.
Remember that if you feel like it, you can leave a review. It motivates me to keep doing my best.
Until next week.
Stella
