Note: Hey everyone, here's another chapter for ya, hope you enjoy. Thanks for the reviews and feedback, hopefully I could implement a few things you all suggested. As always, let me know if you have any questions or comments!

CHAPTER 9: Tarrey Town

Around noon, Sidon and Mipha accompanied them to Ploymus Mountain. Link suggested paragliding down to Kaepora Pass and walking to Tarrey town from there. Mipha and Zelda hugged and Sidon took her hand as he bowed deeply. Link just waved as they leapt off of the edge of the mountain. Zelda's stomach still churned as she glided hundreds of feet in the air but she enjoyed the view nonetheless. They made it just past Ukuku Plains when they landed on the path headed towards Tarrey Town and the rest of Akkala. They travelled in silence for a bit as Zelda took photos of the ocean with the Sheikah Slate but Zelda was thinking about the day prior and spoke up to Link.

"So what did you and Sidon talk about yesterday?" Zelda asked.

Link just looked at her and waited for her to explain.

"He answered a little quickly when I asked him yesterday and it seemed to me like he was hiding something." Zelda elaborated. Link looked at the ground thinking desperately whether or not he should tell her.

"Link, you don't have to answer, I was just making small-"

"Mipha." He said cutting her off, still not making eye contact.

It was Zelda's turn to stare at him and wait for an explanation, after a while, Link sighed and spoke up again. "He was asking me how I felt about Mipha. I'm not good with these things but I'm not oblivious."

So he does know, Zelda thought to herself, But how does he have feelings for her? She wondered. "Link, if you want to spend more time with her I'm sure my father would be willing to relieve you of your post, especially after all you've sacrificed for the kingdom." Zelda knew Link had not had any relationships before, especially since taking up his duty at such a young age, maybe being with Mipha was what he wanted after all.

"No," he said softly, "I like her but not the way she likes me."

They both took a moment to process what he just said.

"Regardless, I made my oath to uphold my responsibility to you and the Kingdom above all else, even before my own interests." He said with a tone of dedication in his voice.

Zelda was a surprised by his statement, she always knew he was committed but it was strange to hear his devotion from him directly in such an honest tone. Although it made it easier for her to know that his duty to her wasn't keeping him from Mipha, however, the way he said it made her think there was still someone else out there he longed for. "But there is someone, isn't there?" she asked, slightly regretting it after doing so.

"Yes." It looked as though it almost hurt him to admit it and it made Zelda feel incredibly guilty. Before Zelda could say anything he spoke again.

"But it doesn't matter, and you don't need to concern yourself Princess." He said with a smile on his face but finality in his voice.

It only made Zelda feel worse, she hoped that Link didn't hate her for essentially being the barrier to his normal life. She couldn't help but feel somewhat heartbroken as well, thinking back to Mipha's confession, she realized that she may like Link as something more than a friend but the chances of that ever becoming reality were slim. Even more so after hearing that Links heart yearned for another. Trying to shift away from the awkward silence she tried to make conversation again.

"Prince Sidon also told me that you were responsible for the construction of Tarrey town." Zelda said.

Link eyed her for a second and nodded.

"How did you manage that?"

"Spread the word and cut wood, not much really." Link shrugged.

"I think you're being too modest again." Zelda said, to which he lightly smiled back.

"Well, we'll see what Hudson says about it when we arrive. He is the one in charge correct?" She continued.

He nodded.

Link said nothing after she stopped talking, he had just been thinking to himself since then. Hopefully he hadn't been too off-putting, but he couldn't stand talking about relationships, especially not at times like this. The sense of foreboding loneliness would always hit in the most unexpected times but he couldn't ever bring himself to tell Zelda. She was trying to give him an excuse to be with Mipha, which made it all the more obvious to him that she didn't feel the same way. Or in the worst possible case she didn't want him around anymore.

Childish, Link thought, chiding himself for his thoughts. It wasn't his responsibility to overthink things, just to protect her, and he was willing to do that with his life. He exhaled a long sigh, clearing his mind and trying to focus on what was ahead, he made a mental note to stop by Fyson's shop and purchase some arrows and an extra quiver for Zelda. They started walking down the naturally formed bridge, they were almost within the small town. It was just about sundown and Link was glad he would soon have some time to relax.

"That's Hudson's home," Link pointed out and Zelda made her way over to the colorful home.

A few of the other townsmembers greeted them as they passed, bowing to Zelda as low as they could. Link stopped to buy the extra quiver and arrows for Zelda, he made sure to get her a good variety of arrow types and nodded his thanks to Fyson. They soon made their way to Hudson's home and knocked twice on the dense wooden door. He opened the door and bowed deeply to Zelda was a little surprised by his hairstyle but quickly regained her formal attitude. Hudon invited them into his home as he stepped back to let them in.

"So, your highness, what brings you to our little town?" He said in his gruff but almost monotone voice.

"I've heard so much about this town but never had the opportunity to see it with my own eyes. I believed it was time that I paid it a visit. I must say you have done some fine work here, I can see the familiar Hateno architecture but its unique in its own right." Zelda replied.

"Thank you kindly Princess, but we couldn't have done it without the funds and materials provided by your knight. Regardless, we appreciate you going out of your way to come see us."

Link began to tune out of the conversation as they began to talk about the future of the town and its relation to the crown. It was political affairs which never brought him much interest anyways. He began to plot out their route for tomorrow until something Hudson said caught his attention.

"Your Highness, I'd like to offer you my extra room to stay in for the night, you may have noticed that we don't exactly have an inn yet so there aren't many places to stay and the stables are too far to travel to this late into the night."

"We wouldn't like to impose—"

"We insist. It is the least we could do." Replied Rhondson, Link hadn't realized when she had walked up.

Zelda bowed her head and thanked the couple for their hospitality and Rhondson led them over to the room.

"This is the room, make yourselves at home and let us know if you need anything. There are two beds in there and it has its own restroom as well, I hope that isn't too much of a problem your highness." Said Rhondson.

"Its perfect," Zelda smiled and the women bid eachother goodnight as Zelda closed the door to the room.

Link let Zelda pick her bed first and he walked over to the other, removing his boots at the foot of the bed and flopping down on the mattress. Zelda walked into the restroom to change while Link looked out the window. He was getting distracted too easily as of late, thoughts of Zelda kept flooding his mind and he wasn't sure what to make of it. He stood and walked over to the window next to his bed and took off his shirt, placing a palm just under his collarbone. The bruise was gone but the pain was still there, although he was starting to think it was unrelated.

"Link? Are you alright?" Zelda asked, causing him to jump.

Link looked over to her, she was wearing a gown similar to her prayer dress but a lot less ceremonial. "Yeah," he mumbled looking away again as he sat down on the bed, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight" she replied laying in her own bed.

What's bothering him so much? Zelda wondered. She had noticed his behavior getting more and more distant. He was devolving to his old self when he was first assigned as her knight. She needed to talk to him sometime but she was afraid of pushing him as far as she had today. Zelda fell asleep lost in her thoughts, sleeping better than she had in quite a while, but she was woken up by some mumbling in the room. Drowsily she opened her eyes and looked around the room until her eyes fell on Link's back. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, facing away from her. She noticed that he was gripping the edge of the bed tightly and mumbling to himself.

Zelda almost spoke up but she heard him talking to himself so quietly she thought she was imagining it and could only pick out a word or two. He suddenly stopped talking and raked his fingers through his hair, hunching over until his elbows rested on his knees. The look of despair in his figure was heartbreaking to her and she wanted nothing more than to go comfort him. But she didn't. She really needed to talk to him in the morning, she cared too much about him to let him continue like this and she had never seen this side of him. Forcing herself to turn away, she tried to go back to sleep again trying to push away the sounds of his restless movement.