It was high noon in the Gerudo desert.
Under the scorching sun a young woman with long golden blonde hair clad in royal blue travel gear was running frantically trough the desert.
Chased by three lanky figures in maroon bodysuits, their faces covered with a mask that depicted an upside down painted eye with a tear. Each of them carried a sickle that had the form of an almost full cirlce. The members of the Yiga clan emerged from the shadows to end the life of the princess of Hyrule and await the arrival if the great Calamity they worshipped.
Zelda desperately ran for her life. How could she get in such a perilous situation?
She escaped her appointed knight in order to investigate some ruins near Gerudo Town on her own.
One of her persecutors suddenly cut her way off. Zelda turned around quickly; only find being blocked from behind as well. In her panic she stumbled over her feet and found herself on the ground now; cornered by the three Yiga.
One of them raised his black sickle skywards, readying himself to strike her. Is this how she will die? Brought to death by her own foolishness and stubbornness that she is in no need of a protector. She truly was a failed princess. Zelda closed her eyes in fear of the strike that will kill her.
Suddenly she heard metal clashing and a thud. She opened her eyes to find Link in front of her, his sword drawn in a fighting stance, facing the two remaining Yiga. They fled the scene seeing as they won't stand a chance against the hero, after witnessing their comrade's quick demise.
Link sheated the Master Sword. Breathing heavily and covered in sweat, he must have run through the desert as frantically as Zelda did.
Only to save her from the grave danger she got herself into.
Zelda sat where she fell in silence, her eyes wide open trying to process what just happened. Link turned to her, with a concerned expression on his face.
"Princess, are you alright?"
"I... Yes... I am unharmed"
"I'm glad to hear that. Let us return Kara Kara Bazaar, it's not safe here."
"Y-yes, of course"
They walked in silence to the Bazaar.
Link organized a room for Zelda in the inn, as she was staying with the Gerudo chieftess Urbosa in Gerudo Town the night prior, where men are forbidden to enter. But since the town was heavily guarded by the amazon race of women he had nothing to worry about.
As he was about to show her to her room, Zelda broke her silence.
"Sir Link, there is something I want to talk with you about" She was nervous. She could fully understand that he would like to quit his position to guard her after all that has transpired.
"That is alright with me, princess. But please rest first, you look very exhausted."
Link had a point; she really felt completely drained.
"You are right, I do feel quite exhausted. Would it be alright if we talk in the evening?"
"Yes, I will be in the room next to yours should you need me. Rest well, princess. You are safe now, the Bazaar is as heavily guarded as Gerudo Town itself. And I am here to protect you as well."
Zelda felt a sting in her heart at his words.
How could he still be devoted to protect her?
"Thank you; until evening then."
The sun has already set and night fell upon the desert. The scorching heat of the day changed into a very cool, almost chilly night atmosphere.
After showing the princess to her room, Link decided to wash up and change into some fresh clothes, since he was covered in sweat and dust from running and fighting in the desert.
He then took a nap in his room, as much as he was used to run around and fight, doing so in the desert heat was on a complete different level for him. As evening came by, he lay awake on his bed, deep in thoughts.
He tought about what Urbosa had said to him the night prior, when she summoned him to Vah Naboris.
"...But don't be mad at her. It's not been easy for her. Every time she sees that sword on your back, her heart tears apart. She calls herself the unsuccessful daughter of Hyrule. Don't worry though, it's not your fault of course.
That immense pressure... It haunted her for such a long time now. In order to harness the sealing power, she was obliged to spiritual training from a very young age. Once she prayed in a cold spring for such a long time, that she fell ill afterwards. A high fever.
Yet, she was denied the sealing power .
In order to not feel completely useless, she started researching the Titans. She is... a good girl. And that's...Why we need to help her. Especially you!"
Link wondered how he could be of help to the princess. He didn't really got along well with her.
But he could feel that her animosities aren't truly personal. The princess didn't resent him as a person, but rather that he has already harnessed 'his' power, while she struggled almost all her life to do so. If he could only find a way to show her that he is supportive of her and not the extended arm of her father that constantly reminded her of her duties and fate.
Link was torn from his trail of thoughts by the sound of a knocking on his door. He rised from his bed an opened the door.
"Good evening princess. Have you been resting well?"
"Good evening Sir Link, yes I could rest well. I would like to go to a special place to talk, if you don't mind. The inn has a small tower you can clinb up to, I would like to go there with you."
"I don't mind princess"
So they climbed the small stone tower of the inn.
"I like this place very much, you feel closer to the stars as the palm trees won't block your view here. It also offers some privacy."
They sat down next to each other. Zelda took a deep breath and looked Link straight in the eyes.
"First, I want to thank you for saving me today.
If it weren't for you, I'd be dead.
Also, I want to apologize for my behavior all this time. I had some time to think and I realized that you're not protecting me because my father ordered you to. But rather that you wanted to protect me. I am truly ashamed of how horribly I treated you."
Link was surprised, he never expected the princess to change her attitude towards him so quickly, yet even apologizing to him. But a smile formed on his face, glad that he finally had a chance in getting along with her.
"I am not mad at you, princess. But I accept your apology. If it's not illplaced of me, maybe we can start over anew? After all, the princess and the hero are supposed to work together."
Tears ran down Zelda's face. She tried to say something but she struggled to do so while crying. Links heart sank at this sight, has he said something wrong?
"Princess, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you!
Please don't cry."
"Why are you now the one apologizing? You haven't said anything wrong. I am just glad that you don't seem to hate me for how I treated you. I made so many mistakes, I even put your life in danger! I could very well understand that you would resent me for all that..."
"I don't hate you, princess. On the contrary, I admire your strength. Urbosa told me a bit about you. You bear such tremendous pressure on your shoulders from a very young age, yet you never gave up despite all the struggles you had. I find that truly admirable"
"I... Would have never thought you would see me that way. I'm a bit embarrassed to ask, but... Do you think we can be friends?"
Zelda shyly asked, turning her gaze to the groud out of embarrassment.
"I gladly become friends with you, princess.
I had hoped we would get along someday."
Zelda smiled at Links reply.
"I'm glad to hear that. But I have one request. Please just call me Zelda when it's just the two of us. We cannot abandon royal protocol in the castle, but at least outside or in privacy I would like to be treated as if I was an ordinary girl. No titles or honorifics between us. If that's alright with you"
Link was surprised by her request, but he could understand where it came from. All her life she's been treated with a respectful distance, but being put on a pedestal like this prevented her from forming relationships like an ordinary girl without status could have. Her status as the princess of Hyrule put her in a lonely position.
"Sure. Zelda." Link said with a smile.
Zelda smiled back, her face showed how a heavy burden has lifted from her. Link and Zelda talked about what they like and dislike, how their life had been before meeting each other. I was as if an invisible wall between them fell.
Link felt that Zelda was a complete different person compared to before. When she talked about her research she got all extatic and happy. To Zelda it was surprising how Link loved all sorts of foods and wasn't afraid to try exotic creations. Link even got embarrassed admitting he was kind of a glutton.
"Link, there's something I wanted ask you for quite some time now. Why are always so quiet? You barely spoke to me ever since you were appointed to me."
Link took a moment to think about his answer.
"I think I can best describe it as shyness. And fear. I was afraid I won't be able to uphold the expectations placed on me. So I chose to bear it in silence."
Zelda expression changed to a sad face.
She knew all too well what it feels like to have high expectations placed on oneself.
"I really completely misunderstood you. But I am the only one to blame because I never bothered to ask until now. I mistook your silence for resentment towards me. I thought you resented me for being unable to harness the sealing power. I was so occupied in my own problems that I failed to see that you struggle as well. I thought you were so talented that everything you did went always smooth and effortlessly."
"I see. But I am glad you shared this with me. I can understand you better now. Besides, we cleared up all misunderstandings now, didn't we?"
"Yes... Link, I think we should go back to the inn and turn in. It's late night now, we completely forgot time. And I must admit, I'm getting tired..."
Link snapped out of his reminiscing. He wanted to be friends with her, but the more time he spend with her, the more he felt himself drawn to her. He didn't know when he had fallen for her. He longed to see her happy, see her smile genuinely. The sparkle in her emerald eyes. He wondered what would happen if they manage to beat the calamity.
One day he wants to tell her how he feels about her. He wondered, would the king allow him to court her with the threat of the calamity gone?
He was just an ordinary knight with no noble background. But he quickly shook this tought off, as he was getting ahead of himself.
He felt refreshed after his bath and dwelling in his thoughts. Link stood up and left the tub to dry himself.
Dressed in fresh clothes with his restless mind now cleared, he went to bed.
