Holy fucking hell. This story is so goddesses damned neglected. I majorly apologize to anyone who has been reading this (which is basically no one I know lololol) but I'll keep updating this until it's done. This story is not abandoned! ;u;

- sugar, 7/5/16

Awakening the next morning without a hint of a dream, I sat up in bed to the sound of a light drizzle against the window panes.

Dim light filtered in, a pale blue hue from the clouds.

"The heavens are crying, hmm.." I mumbled, rubbing my eyes.

I giggled softly.

"Or, perhaps the goddesses are watering their gardens..."

I sighed, stretching and climbing from the soft, warm embrace of the sheets to begin what I knew was to be a rather uneventful day.

I had been right; the day was slow and boring, and most of it was spent gazing out of the large windows in the throne room.

I decided that after hours of sitting and just watching the day slowly tick by, that I should at least attempt to make myself useful.

A few soft raps on the door, and a soft "come in," was called to me.

I let the door click lightly behind me.

Zelda didn't even need to look up.

"So, what've you been up to?" she asked, setting down the large white quill she'd been using, seemingly happy for a distraction.

I sat in a nearby chair.

"Nothing productive." I giggled softly. "Though, it seems you've been making light of a rainy day."

She shrugged, yawning.

"Same old same old, though I do have more time than usual to work on such things like this."

She gestured to the papers in front of her.

I raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, in case of it being private.

She smiled.

"Nothing private. Actually," she said, scuttling them together. "It's to be made public."

She then scoffed.

"Eventually."

I hummed.

"What is it?"

She stood to open the window, mumbling that there was a closeness in the air.

"Oh, well," she said, coming back to sit. "You might not know, but it's typically the Royal Family's duty to write the history books."

She picked up the page she'd been writing on, before apparently finding an error.

"And, well," she said, taking a cloth and soaking it with a strong smelling fluid, shaking her head. "That's what I'm doing. And have been doing for nearly four years."

She groaned, setting the page aside and pulling out a new one.

"Not that I'm really getting anywhere. Currently, I'm mostly just filling in what happened during the seven years Link was away; I don't know all that much of what happened before and after. I'm not the one who experienced it, really."

She then muttered under her breath;

"Though, since someone doesn't seem to like talking about it, I might just have to improvise as best I can."

I shrugged.

"Well, he's spoken to me very briefly about such things. Maybe he'd tell me, and I could relay the information to you."

She spun, her eyes lit up.

"Would you? Oh, it'd be a great help.." she sighed.

I laughed.

"Well, I can certainly try."

I'd found a task to complete on days that I could; but otherwise, I'd found something else to keep me occupied.

I found that I enjoyed drawing, especially people in the market. I would go out on busy mornings just to watch all the hustle and bustle, and on rare occasions, find one single event that caught my eye to capture.

That's where I found myself now, atop a stone wall, sitting with bare feel dangling and my diary and pencil in my lap. I moved my bag to the post next to me, crossing my legs idly as I watched for something interesting.

About a week ago, an argument had broken out over some arms, and I was able to capture the main form of angry faces before a guard interfered and helped settle the mater.

I laughed, recalling the stout man patting his brow from exertion.

I shook my head, deciding to just draw all of it.

When I'd started out, the motions were awkward and unfocused, but in only a few weeks of practice for long hours a day, I'd realized I had a bit of a gift.

I watched the shadows of my loose hair blowing in the wind as they danced across the page, forms beginning to take shape on the pale paper.

As I drew, I let my mind wander.

I frowned.

'I haven't seen Link for a while...'
I shook my head.

'I'm sure he's busy!'

The last I'd seen of him was in the market as I was drawing, actually getting a rather big haul of supplies. I'd only watched him with a curious eye before he left.

"Wonder what all of that was for..." I mused, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. I'd let it just do its thing for a while now, giving up on trying to keep it styled like Zelda. She'd mentioned just cutting it, but I nearly collapsed at the thought. Besides, even letting it flow free, it remained somehow nice-looking.

I was snapped out of my daze as I felt something slapping against my feet.

"Aella?"

I looked down, a bit startled.

Link.

I lit up.

"Oh, hello..." I mumbled, embarrassed that I had completely spaced out.

His brow furrowed, worried.

"Would you get down from there? You might fall."

I laughed.

"Link, I've been perching myself in such spots for weeks now."

He huffed.

"Well, I'd prefer if you didn't." he laughed, taking my hand as I hopped down. "Why such spots anyway?"

I shrugged, embarrassed.

"Mnn, just.. the view, I suppose."

He suddenly seemed as if he remembered something, lighting up.

"Speaking of views," he said, excitedly. "That's actually what I've come seeking you out for."

I tilted my head slightly, my face showing confusion.

He laughed, nervously.

"Well, that is, if you agree to this. Ah... I was going to ask you if you'd like to go on a bit of a trip with me?"

I smiled.

"What kind of trip?"

We began walking, my original white dress trailing behind me as warm flagstone touched my cool feet.

"You know how I said I needed to show you around Hyrule?"

I nodded, knowing where this was going.

"Well, I figured we'd go. Just go out and see all of these places."

He cleared his throat.

"That is, if you want to."

I laughed.

"Of course I do!"

I stopped.

"Let's go right now!"

His eyes grew wide, before letting out a breathless laugh.

"O-Oh, well, if you want we can..."

Before thinking, I spurted out a question.

"Is that why you were buying all of that stuff the other day?"

He stopped, looking confused.

I blushed.

"Oh, well," I said, knotting my hands in my dress. "I saw you as I was sitting out here the other day."

He laughed, then nodded.

"Mmn, yeah. Speaking of that, actually.." he trailed for a moment. "We could do this two ways. Just go one day, and save enough time to come back here for the nights, or just... go, and not come back until were finished."

He flushed lightly.

"It's up to you, I know you aren't really used to being on the road and such..."

I shook my head.

"No, no! Besides, if we saved time for travel, we'd have less time for wherever we go, right?"

He nodded.

"Well, then it's settled!"

He seemed happy to hear that choice, and then took my hand and began walking towards the castle.

"Well, then pack anything you think you'd need," he said, before adding; "Including that dagger."

We walked on the path, passing the gates.

"I'll do all the convincing Zelda may need."

I laughed.

"I'm going with you; I don't really see her objecting."

He shrugged.

"Never really know with her."

In the end, I'd been right. Zelda had no objections; the days of the past were over, monsters were very few and far between. And as I had said, I was traveling with Link.

I happily ran up to my room, packing clothes and a few various things I'd acquired.

I realized I didn't have very many dresses that weren't worthy of someone who was at least well acquainted with money's company, so I stole away to the maids storage rooms and took a few simple dresses.

Back in my room, I placed my hairbrush, ties, and a few basic toiletries in the thick cloth bag before tying it shut. I slung the other smaller bag I used over the other shoulder, and made my way back out of the castle.

Link had told me to meet him at his home out on the very edges of the castles grounds, though that apparently was much farther than what I'd thought.

I got a little lost, standing on top of a small hill and peering around.

'Ah, I should turn back and ask Zelda where it is...'

I shook my head, feeling ignorant for not asking in the first place, before I heard a horse approaching me.

Epona was softly walking up to me, though she was alone. She hadn't even a saddle on her back.

"Oh, hey there..."

I approached her gently, remembering Link's words concerning her attitude towards anyone but he.

She warmed right up though, and I assumed she remembered me.

I laughed softly.

"Do you just roam wherever you wish?"

I looked up, feeling a breeze drift by as I felt my emotions mixing.

"Can you show me where Link is?" I asked. "I can't seem to find him."

The horse must've understood, as she began nosing me towards her side.

"Ah.."

After a few tries, I managed to get on her bare back, and she then jolted off in the direction completely opposite of what I had thought about going.

I wrapped my arms around her neck, keeping myself steady as the winds rushed by.

We eventually reached where he lived.

A small home made from dark woods, nearly tucked back into the line of trees behind it.

A tiny little stable was connected to the house, room only for one horse.

Epona slowed, though I still kept a pretty firm grasp on her mane.

We stopped just as the door opened, nearly scaring the life from Link.

He immediately came over to help me get off, and once I was back to being used to standing on my own feet, Epona then began happily nuzzling me.

"Yes, yes, I know, we're here." I laughed.

Link looked slightly baffled by the whole ordeal.

He laughed, though.

"First of all, I'm astounded you managed to ride her bareback; second of all, how did you even find her?"

He scoffed.

"Takes me forever to, now that I don't have an instrument that can carry its sound even through time. But she hates being tied up, so..."

He softly patted her, before walking away to the stable, beckoning for me to follow.

"It's a good thing she found me, rather. I was about to turn back and ask Zelda to point me in the right direction." I laughed.

He looked a bit surprised for a second, before planting his face in his hand.

"That's right, you wouldn't have known how to get here..."

He shook his head, before looking at me.

"I'm sorry, that was stupid of me."

I shook my head.

"It's alright. Although, it showed me how bad of a sense of direction I have." I laughed. "Anyway, let's get going, hmm?"

He smiled, then.

"Mmn."

Link strapped our bags to Epona's saddle, tugging the ties to assure they were secure.
He tightened the strap of his sword, before glancing over to me, whom had been idly watching.

I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear as it was blown by a breeze, seeing him standing there observing me. He spoke softly.

"I suppose we're ready to be off, then."

I smiled softly.

"I guess so." I laughed.

Neither of us moved for a moment, though eventually I stepped up to Epona. He assisted me upon her back, then mounted on behind me. He tapped his heels to Epona's flank, and she set off at a brisk walk.

"So," he began, his voice close behind me. "I ah... didn't really think much about where we would head off to first."

I hummed, thinking.
"Well, isn't that village closest? How about we start there?"

I heard the smile in his reply.
"Ah, sure. We can visit the Gorons on the mountain, as well. It'll be a slow start to get you used to the road."

I looked up at the late morning sun above me. It warmed my face, my body, though a breeze drifted all the same, making the warmth comforting and not overbearing.

"The porcelain you call your skin will become sunkissed before you know it." Link laughed then.

I scoffed.
"Well, then so be it. I doubt it though."
I stretched my arms out beside me, to distract me from the harsh breeze that blew in response to the way he worded that.

I found myself reclining against Link's chest as we continued to move along at the leisurely pace. He'd taken some path through the thin skirting of trees surrounding the walls of Castle Town, instead of heading through it.

I was entirely relaxed, eyes closed in the shade of his face. The sway of the horse was about to lull me into sleep.

"You know," I heard above me, about as well as I felt it. "The whole point of this is so you can see Hyrule, right?"

"Oh, I know," I chuckled. "I just can't help it though."

He laughed, but I felt it more than anything. He clearly didn't mind my relaxation.

"Well, you might wanna wake back up soon. Look."

I lazily peeped my eyes open, squinting against the mid afternoon sun above my head.
Off in the distance, I could see a stone wall climbing up the steep hillside, before flattening out a little and then climbing slowly up. Little red rooves peeped out here and there.

I sat up a little, though my back still graced his chest, I being oddly aware of that.

"What was the name of this village, again?" I asked, softly.

"Kakariko. Kakariko Village."

There was a short, wooden overhand near the series of steps that lead up into the village. There were a few horses tied to some stakes under it, a man half asleep in a chair nearby.
Link pulled Epona to a stop, climbing off. I slipped down after him. He tied her up to a free post, before grabbing his bag and my own from her flank. He handed me the small bag I kept loosely around my waist, though he carried the other for me.

"We'll stay here tonight. Rent the room, or ah," he stopped, faint embarrassment on his face. "Rooms, if you prefer, then I'll show you around."

I smiled, taking the arm he offered as we ascended the stairs.

-end chapter-