How The Met Pt 2

Link and Zelda walk together. They hadn't done that in a long time.

"So… what's new?" Zelda asks.

"Well… aside from slaying a few monsters still left from Ganon's takeover, not much. I am taking up chopping trees for firewood for extra money." Link says.

"I see…" Zelda says.

The two continued talking about their lives in current events as they even thought back to Link's time traveling Hyrule.

Link spent about a month's worth of time going through the various locations he was instructed to visit. It would be in that time he proved himself worthy and received three medallions. Curious, he returned to the castle. It was there, he heard tell of something amiss in town.

Zelda, on the other hand, spent her time going through her training to be the future ruler of Hyrule. She studied her ancestors. She also studied the power dormant within her. She also thought of Link. She wasn't used to boys her age, so meeting one was a surprise for her. She also thought of how nice his eyes were. She shook her head.

"Why am I thinking that?" She asked out loud.

"Thinking of what, Princess?" Impa's voice says.

Zelda looks back to her door from her desk to see her bodyguard and nanny.

"Uh… nothing, Impa!" She tries to change the subject. "How's your granddaughter?"

"Paya's fine." Impa says. "Certainly not nursing a crush on anyone."

"W-what?!" Zelda says, blushing. "I'm not nursing any sort of crush!"

"It wouldn't have anything to do with Link, would it?"

Zelda blushes, though she quickly turns away and returns to her studies. Impa only chuckles at this.

While they spoke, Link enters the castle. After asking around, he's directed to Zelda's room. There, he knocks on the doorway to get her attention.

"Impa! I told you, I'm not thinking of him!" She shouts with her back turned.

"Thinking of who?" Link asks.

Realizing who that voice belongs to, Zelda quickly turns and sees Link there. She gets up and panics.

"Oh, Link!" She says, panicking. "Uh… nothing! It's nothing important." She calms down. "So anyway. How did your mission go?"

"Check it out!" Link pulls out the three medallions.

One is green with the image of a leaf, Link received it from fighting a giant spider with one eye.

One is red with the image of a flame, Link received it from fighting a serpentine dragon.

The last is blue with the image of rain drop, Link received it from fighting a large eel.

Zelda walks up to Link and see the three in his hand. She even bends down a bit to get a good look at them.

"Amazing! I knew you'd succeed but I didn't think it'd be so soon!" She says after having seen Link in a month.

Link blushes. "It was nothing." His smile drops for a moment and he looks horrified. "Actually, it wasn't nothing. I really did experience some horrifying stuff I'm never going to unsee…" He shudders. "Uhh… that spider."

Zelda quickly places a hand on Link's shoulder, causing the boy to blush again.

"At least you've made it." She says. "Now I'll help you find the Master Sword."

"Is that the weapon meant to fight Ganon?" Link asks.

"One and the same!" She responds.

During that week at the castle, Link noted people in town acting oddly. People in robes were seen wandering around, simply loitering in the streets. He asked Zelda about it and she couldn't understand why. No one has been able to reach out to these people. They ignore everyone around them.

In spite of that oddity, the princess and her companion enjoy their time together. It was during their week together the two would talk about their lives. Link mentioned how his parents died roughly a decade prior, so he and his younger sister had to live with their uncle, their father's brother. Zelda brought up how her own mother died around the same time. She and her father don't really connect as much, yet she still worries when isn't home.

It was odd how despite having completely different lives, they found themselves easily connecting. They both had some unique quirks that others deemed dorky; Link had his love for food and gawking over incredible looking weaponry, Zelda had a love of her research and a habit of rambling while being cheerful about it. Link could recall when the two were having lunch together and she showed him a map of the country of Holodrum.

"So, legends say there is a rod that can control the seasons called, well, the Rod of Seasons. Just imagine if such a power could be used for good! Supposedly, it only works in Holodrum, but image if we could use it in Hyrule!" She starts to get more cheerful as she speaks. "We could control the weather and even help make things better for us. Rain wouldn't be a problem anymore when it happens out of nowhere! We could even help with crops to make the snow not fall! We could even make it snow when we want and where we want! We could even go ice skating even though it's been a long time since I did that but even then I think I can do well and I bet you could if you've ever tried it and if not I could show you-" She pauses when she notices how lost Link looks. She puts a hand to her mouth. "Oh dear… I did it again." She looks apologetic. "I apologize…"

Link blushes at the sight of her being apologetic. He smiles. "No! It's fine." He found her acting this way endearing.

Zelda smiles in relief. Even her father tends to be a bit concerned by her acting this way, but Link is the first male to accept it.

"Anyway, back on topic." She says, pointing at a map of Hyrule, where the Lost Woods are located. "Rumor is that this is where the Master Sword rests. Maybe taking the medallions can be used to find it." She says.

"Princess!" The voice of a soldier can be heard as he runs down the hallway to her room.

He barges in.

"Hey!" Link shouts. "Knock first!"

"Yes." Zelda says. "You should've-"

"No time!" He says. "There's conflict in town!"

It was now the two finally made their way to Link's house.

"How do you like this new home of yours, by the way?" Zelda asks.

"I like it. Far from the forests where I used to train, but that's a small price to pay so my family and I can have a roof over our heads." Link admits.

"That's good." Zelda says, feeling relieved at how her father's gift to him and his family for his services being accepted. "I'm glad you are all enjoying it."

"Shall we go inside?" Link asks.

"Let's!"

After a half hour of waiting, Link's uncle served his nephew, niece and nephew's date a roasted bird with vegetables for sides. Link was known for his large appetite, so he ate the two legs and even a breast with enough carrots and cabbage to even it out. Zelda and Aryll both find it endearing. Aryll liked that Zelda was someone who wasn't grossed out by Link's appetite, she would always look at it with an inquisitive mind and a level of interest in how much he can eat.

After this, the family and their guest toast and Link offers to walk Zelda home.

The princess bids his family bye as they leave. Aryll and their Uncle Alphon wave. Once they're gone, Aryll smiles to her uncle.

"You sure she's not his girlfriend?" Aryll asks playfully.

"After tonight, I'm not sure I should tell you to stop calling her that anymore." Alphon muses.

Link and Zelda walk and talk some more.

"I never thought I'd see someone stuff a whole bird's leg in his mouth like that!" Zelda laughs.

"You should have seen me when I was offered food at the Goron City. They gave me rocks!" Link stated.

"And?"

"I ate them!" Link says.

Zelda stares at him for a moment, disbelieving. Link's straight face with a smile indicates he's telling the truth. She then bursts into laughter. Link then laughs with her. Their laughter is enough to make them stop walking. Once they stop, they look to each other and blush.

Zelda quickly looks concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Why? Is something wrong?" Link asks.

"It's just… it's been almost a year since you faced Ganon. You aren't… having nightmares or anything, are you?" She asks.

Link's smile drops and he looks away and thinks to himself.

"Sometimes." He admits. "I think of that fight…" Zelda looks concerned. "I do my best to not think of it."

Zelda knew the fight he spoke of, she was there.

The battle was one she wished she could forget as well. She almost saw him die. He almost died months earlier after he came for the Master Sword's location.

It was at the end of the week Link stayed when monsters broke in to the castle.

Many men died that day. Regardless if they were good men or just men who wanted a steady pay, lives were needlessly lost. Supposedly, some men were promised a handsome pay to let the monsters in. Those men were likely killed by the creatures they made their deal with. Ganon and his forces of darkness were never to be trusted.

Link was left to protect Zelda in her room as Impa had to go save her granddaughter, Paya. Link saw a solder stabbed in the back by a large beast called a Moblin. Link was able to slay the beast, he had done so in his travels. However, this was the first time he did so in the presence of another person. Zelda was horrified to say the least, though thankfully the Moblin, being a monster of made from dark essence called Malice, disappeared once it died. That didn't help Zelda feel better, but it at least made her less horrified to see one corpse gone.

After some convincing, Link convinced her to come with him as he had to find a place for her to be safe. Even though he knew he'd be reprimanded for taking Zelda from her room without permission, he knew keeping her safe was more important.

As Link took her hand and guided her down the stairway, Zelda was able to calm down.

"Thank you, Link. I'm sure my father will reward you for this."

"Keep it." Zelda looked surprised. Link looks back to her with a smile. "You surviving is more important."

These words caused a blush to form on her face.

Zelda knew that day very well. Despite the horrors, it was the moment she realized her interest in Link was more than a physical one. Regardless of the horrors, she saw Link in a greater light than just a cute boy.

The two found an underground lair beneath was known as the Temple of Time, there she was safe… for some time.

"Despite it all, I'm really glad I met you." Link said. Zelda smiles. "You're a great person."

"Thank you." Zelda says. "I'm glad I met you too. Your family is wonderful too. Your sister is adorable."

Link look flushed with embarrassment. "Yeah… sorry for all the stuff she says about me."

"So, was it true you once got attacked by a flock of Cuccos?" Link grumbles in anger at his little sister. Zelda chuckled. "Well, Cuccos are pretty evil." She says.

Link smiles.

"Well, next time Impa gets to tell us your embarrassing stories!"

The two laugh again.

"Say, Link?" Zelda asks.

"Yeah? He asks.

"Is what Aryll said true? That you've never kissed anyone?"

Link's smile is replaced with shock and turning red.

"Uh… I… never did."

"So…" Zelda smiles shyly. "I would like for us to be each other's first kiss." Link's face somehow became a brighter red. "As a thank you for the dinner and for remaining my good friend since saving me and Hyrule."

Link just freezes there. He does have enough in him to nod. This makes Zelda smile and she makes her move.

Her lips touch his. He then has enough will to recognize what's happening and kisses her back.

The two then place their hands on their each other. Zelda around his neck and Link on her shoulders.

This lasts for about a minute when they part and smile at each other. They blush hard.

The ship from Ylisse reaches shore. Gangrel stands at the front of the boat, pleased at their arrival.

A young man with shut eyes and white hair walks up to him.

"We're here?" He asks.

"Yes, Henry, we're here. Get Tharja up, you two will be needed eventually."

A short chapter. I plan to make them longer.

I'll add more on Link and Zelda's past with each chapther.