Thank the goddesses they'd told him about the hot springs. He could feel the stress and tension in every inch of his body fading away as he leaned back into the steaming waters. not only was it quiet, but it was private.

Yes, sweet privacy.

Not that he'd minded the presence of Zelda or Purah or Daruk, but his mounting frustrations were starting to get to him; snapping at random people, the lines in his face giving the impression that he'd been worked to the bone endlessly in the last 24 hours. His expression wasn't cold anymore, but according to Daruk, it had been downright murderous as he sliced down lizalfos after lizalfos, shot down swarms of keese and he'd even kicked a poor Igneo Pebblit off the cliffside with his boot before realising he's slightly singed the sole. Not that it changed the way they felt when he walked, he could barely tell the difference. But it had made the walk down from the Mountain very awkward for anyone wishing to talk to him.

His mood had done a flip on everyone and no one was quite sure what to do.

"Hey little guy," Daruk had come to find him after they'd finished working on Vah Rudania. "You know, the Goron Springs are mighty fantastic for anger."

"I'm not angry." He snapped. He quickly reeled it in before apologising and realising that yes , he had been pretty frustrated that day. Maybe not anger specifically, but he wasn't too far from it.

He felt like he was one bad event from throwing himself from death mountain that day.

"No one's there at this time. Maybe you should stop by. I'll protect the Tiny Princess for a few hours." The idea seemed to aggravate him more, but he bit his tongue and nodded. There wasn't anything wrong with the Goron champion but he had no idea why he'd been so against the suggestion. He was strong and very focused on his task, and he loved the aloof, silly side that the Goron had. "When's the last time you took care of yourself Little guy?"

Too long. It had been months since he had last really paid attention to himself.

So now here he was, submerged to the chin in steaming hot water with no clothes and full solitude. A towel sat behind his head to cushion against the harsh stoney ground, ready to be used whenever he left the springs to preserve any dignity he had.

With the tension of his shoulders melting away in the heat, his legs turning to jelly in the warmth, he sighed happily. He had to do this more often. Without realising that his back had been aching until after he hopped into the water, he felt bliss.

But now, being completely alone, he felt he missed the constant company of the Princess.

His mind flashed back to last year when they had found a set of hot springs deep in Tabantha, maybe it was Hebra, he didn't quite remember the specific location. They'd gotten lost in a blizzard by accident and had wandered around for hours before finding the secluded cave.

"Link! Come on! The water is divine!" He heard her moan in delight. He knew she had sunk into the water completely, the steam of the water thinly veiling her nude form from him if he decided to turn around and take a peak. "You're allowed to get in! No one is here to punish you, Sir Knight of mine." She teased him, splashing water his way, catching the bottom of his pants with the splatter of water.

It was true. The closest person was likely miles out of the way. They were deep in the mountains today. The only person who would be looking for them was Revali, that dumb bird, but Link knew better. Revali wouldn't fly in such terrible conditions. He wouldn't be able to find anything further than three feet in front of him.

"Oh alright." He slowly unstrapped the scabbard from his back and set it aside near the water, just within reach if a monster decided to come into their shelter. He hesitantly stripped the blue tunic from his shoulders and moved towards the water, only removing his boots after that.

"Oy, pants too."

"Why?"

"You wanna freeze in soaked clothing out there?" No, no he didn't. They'd be waiting hours after getting out just for his clothing to dry if he did get in fully clothed. "Take them off, you'll freeze otherwise."

He turned red almost instantly. Zelda was telling him to get naked right in front of her. "Turn around at least?" He muttered out.

"Oh alright, you baby." It was then that he decided he'd be splashing the hell out of her the moment he got into the water.

He peaked around his shoulder, and seeing that she had indeed turned around and covered her eyes, he hesitantly removed his pants, pausing for his briefs. He weighed the possibilities of the Princess seeing more than she needed.

"Hurry up or I'm turning around now." Fuck the pros and cons, he didn't want her to see his bare ass.

"One second!" He hurriedly shouted back, tensing immediately and almost ripping his briefs off. Jumping into the water, he brought his legs up and hugged them close to his chest as the Princess turned around, as she had said.

"See? You're fine." She swam closer and sat next to him, almost glued to his side.

It took most of his willpower not to look at her small, supple breasts just beneath the surface of the water, their swell beckoning his eyes to move down. Glancing at her with red cheeks, he noted that the Princess didn't seem to care that she was naked next to him.

She seemed entirely too confident just sitting there, as if they'd done this hundreds of times.

"I won't look." She assured him, leaning her head back, eyes closed, as she moved a hand atop his knees and pushed them below the water. He was thankful for her closed eyes or she'd have seen his face turn pinker than it had already been.

He took a silent, deep breath before trying to relax, copying the princess' movements. Rather than let his mind relax, he remembered her threat and the splashing. He reopened them and glanced at Zelda, wondering if he could get her.

He silently brought an arm out from his side and splashed his hand into the water, sending some her way. He watched her eyes open with a snap, directed straight at him. "You." She stopped. Her body shifted to face him.

Just as he was about to apologise, he was greeted with a large splash to the face.

"You're on," he heard her say as he wiped the droplets from his face.

He answered her assault with another wave, much bigger than the miniscule splash he had started their new fight with. He heard a gasp through the sound of the water's contact before seeing another wave come his way.

It continued back and forth, with Zelda adding more power to her waves, getting closer and closer to Link as he responded with moderate splashes, when all of a sudden, his back hit the edge of the pool, stopping their little fight.

When he finally looked at her, they'd been so close they were almost sharing the same breath. He gulped as her hands came to rest on both of his sides, trapping him between them with nowhere to swim away.

He felt her muscular thighs rest beside his, straddling his waist in the water.

"I win."

Link nearly jumped out of the water, his face burning.

No, that wasn't how it had gone. They hadn't done that in the springs that time, he was certain of it. It wasn't until he felt a twitch down below that he wanted to smack his head against the hot stone behind him.

Think of something. Anything. He quickly ran through a list of unpleasant ideas

Fighting a Hinox. His mother. The stall back on the family farm. Revali. The King.

The princess .

Like a switch, the vulgar images returned to his imagination without wasting another second, though it wasn't unwelcome, he found. He looked around cautiously, assuring he was truly alone. He quickly lifted himself onto the side of the pool, relieving his skin and sensitive parts from the boiling water.

The princess straddled his hips, hands on both of his sides trapping him in, her face mere inches away. With every breath she exhaled, he inhaled the very same air. His body seemed to move on its own, his arms wrapping around the princess and pulling her flush against him.

"I think every winner deserves a prize, don't you?" He whispered to her, his fingers digging into her skin. Before she could respond, his lips were against her neck, nibbling and licking at the droplets. The surprise contact brought soft sighs from her lips, her hands shifting from the rocks to his body, her nails digging lightly into his shoulders.

Resting her against his aching groin, he rocked her gently with heavy breaths against her skin. Something about never wanting her to stop sounded so good, so perfect to him.

He dug his fingers into her supple flesh and thrusted up, thirsty for the whines that came from her lips at every little contact between them. Intoxicated by her scent and taste, he only ground harder, needing to feel what being inside of her would feel like.

"Link." He heard her whisper against his skin.

"Yes?"

"Link."

"Link!" He nearly screamed, his dream disappearing in a flash when he heard a voice, melodic, and cheery. And then he heard another. He quickly slid back into the water, mostly soundless in an attempt to hide his nude form and painfully hard erection. He'd been close, so close to it, but he felt the knot fade, frustrations staying with him very evidently.

Natural. Act natural. She doesn't know anything.

He took a silent deep breath, shook his shoulders a bit to appear relaxed and slumped back against the stone wall, his knees brought up to stealthily cover his prominent friend below.

No more than 10 seconds later did Zelda come around, her hair tied out of her face —the same way his imagination had conjured up—, towel tightly wrapped around her body, starting at the swell of her breasts and ending higher than her mid thigh.

He wanted to feel them like he had in his fantasies just a moment ago.

Then the one who followed was Purah, hair left alone atop her head with a similar look as the Princess.

Why the both of you? Right now?

He cursed the gods that moment. He'd been close, so close to ridding himself of his problem, only to have one of the living embodiments of his last erotic dream standing right in front of him, the way he'd imagined to top it all off. She stood before him in all of her divine glory, safe, for the towel covered her breasts and midriff.

And her friend.

You all hate me, don't you. He thought to the goddesses as the two girls came into view, waving at him ecstatically.

"Link! Daruk told us you'd be over here! Thought you'd be lonely by yourself!" Without pulling attention to himself, his legs drew closer to him, doubling his certainty in hiding his problem.

"Mind if we join ya Linky?"

"That's… great!" Slight hesitation laced his words. "Come on in…" he turned away from the two girls and slowly sank into the water. His mind focused solely on one task. How was he going to get rid of Zelda and Purah without seeming too out of place?

He silently lamented the fact that, had Zelda been alone, he might've been able to make a move on her, but Purah had to have been with her.

Two girls are always better than one.

Link nearly physically gagged at the very thought as the usually silent, independent voice made its presence clear. He silently watched from the corner as the two settled into the water, their backs to him until the water passed their chests.

He wondered if he'd be able to escape with his secret safe and his dignity intact.


It was many long and hot hours before the three returned to the city, the sun beginning its daily descent over the horizon while both Knight and Princess were thanking every deity alive for the temperature lowering ever so slightly. They no longer felt like they were completely on fire from mid-day, now only feeling like they were sitting too close to a bonfire instead with the use of the elixirs.

That evening, Daruk and the other Gorons went all out with food, forgetting that Princess Zelda did not have the proper functions to digest their many delicacies. Dozens of rock roasts and prime rock roasts were offered, which Zelda politely refused and opted for the plain roasted poultry Link had thrown into a random cooking pot nearby.

While she ate her dinner, she watched Link devour the molten rock roasts in questionable amazement. "I do hope our military's dental plan covers that damage..." She mumbled to herself as Link took another crunch into the rock, her own teeth hurting at the mere sight.

Of course he'd have a huge appetite. And one that would cover every type of delicacy on the continent. She didn't think she'd ever seen him deny a dish, no matter its composition. She fondly remembered him trying the deadly dubious food she'd created many seasons before. Many soldiers had politely denied her concoction but Link had immediately volunteered to try it, shoveling down the purple sludge as if it was his last meal. Despite his clearly green expression, he had asked her for seconds and who was she to deny him?

She wondered for a short moment if his digestive system was magic or out-of-this-world when he managed to swallow down more molten rocks from the Gorons' favourite dish. Did it hurt coming out as much as it did coming in?

"Princess! Try some!" Daruk leaned over holding a glass bottle of red powder. Link looked over curiously and cocked his head to the side at the interesting bottle. "Goron spice! A must in everything!"

"O-oh, I've heard of this!" Zelda took the bottle into her hand. Examining the contents closer, she could see specks of black, dark red, bright red, and pink. She popped the cork off and smelled it. Slowly bringing her face away, the interior of her nose burning. Oh dear... I don't think I can palate this, "Alright, I'll give it a try" she told him with a smile. She poured a small mound into her hand and sprinkled some over her poultry, lightly dusting it.

When she looked up, she could see happiness dancing in Daruk's eyes, the champion clearly excited to see her try their famed spice. She smiled briefly before praying silently and taking a bite of her poultry, attempting to ignore the searing pain that coated the inside of her mouth instantly.

"It's quite delicious!" She choked out a forced smile as tears threatened to form in her eyes. "It's quite… strong!" she swallowed, looking back to the chicken.

"Only the strongest for us!" Dark cheered. "Here, put some more!" The Princess' eyes snapped back to Daruk, who was motioning for her to pour some more onto her meal.

"It's quite… perfect the way it is! Don't want to overpower it, do we?" She improvised as she reluctantly took another bite of the poultry.

When the Champion finally turned his back for a short moment, she glanced over to Link, who was subtly passing her a bottle of milk with a quick wink.

What would I do without you… She thought as she took a long drink from the bottle to soothe her aching mouth.

The remainder of her evening was left to discuss recent novelties in her life at the Castle and new eating locations for the Gorons with Daruk. Link had been oddly silent, avoiding her eyes for the majority of the night. She found it odd at first, but assumed he must've been tired from the Hot Springs and having his personal time interrupted.

I should apologise for interrupting his personal time, he doesn't seem to get enough of that lately… She'd decided to do that later that night when it would be just them without half a dozen people around.


For the entire trek back to his room, he muttered profanities under his breath in hushed paces, slamming the stone door behind him and racing over to his satchel of personal goods. He anxiously moved things around, taking out small items and throwing them onto his table as he looked around for the small noisy bottle of suppressants and the small tub of cream.

Of course, it couldn't have had worse timing.

His snapping and anger problems boiling over since his initial trip up the volcano in the afternoon, his inattention that had gotten himself attacked too many times that day, his indecent thoughts at the hot springs and the absolute horny wreck he'd been since he left the relaxing waters, his insatiable hunger during dinnertime. He cursed himself for not seeing it sooner.

Miss me?

Not at all. It was that damned voice. The voice that accompanied him during his most hormonal parts of the year, the one that drove his primal instincts. The brain's yearly fog that haunted him.

Why now? Why did it have to come right when they'd started going to check on the beasts? Right when they were supposed to go to see Princess Mipha at the Domain to check on Vah Ruta?

He'd started his Pre-Rut phase.

Popping two pills and applying a generous amount of cream to his neck and wrists, he prayed that he wouldn't enter the full phase before their return to the castle. He didn't want to trigger half the castle by accident nor did he want to risk losing control outside of the castle.

A knock on the door had him shoving the bottle back into his satchel, frantic to hide the evidence of his state.

"C-come in!" He quickly shoved the satchel under the bed and watched the Princess enter his room, alone this time.

She quietly closed the door and fixed her posture as he looked her over briefly. She was dressed in a nightgown and a simple overcoat was thrown over her shoulders to preserve her modesty in terms of sleepwear. In her hands sat a small pack wrapped in a cloth.

A small cough came from her lips as she looked around the room, unsure of how to start her words. Link stood awkwardly at the other side, his neck uncomfortably damp from sweat and cream under his tunic, as he tried to choose what words to greet her with.

"I wasn't sure if you were asleep yet…" Her voice drifted softly. "I… wanted to apologise for earlier this evening."

Apologise? To him? Link wasn't quite sure why he was being apologised to, but here she stood, guilt traced lightly into her face.

"You don't need to Princess, really. You did nothing wrong." He started, unsure of her reasonings.

"No I do!" Her eyes met him in a flash, determination appearing. "I should have been more considerate of your time!"

Oh, that was the reason. She thought she had interrupted his private time in the springs… Well she had, he realised, but he didn't find their company to be a bad thing, rather it had been at the wrong time.

"I feel bad… You're always by my side no matter the day. And now, you finally have a few minutes for yourself and I wrongly intruded on your personal time." She took a breath, her eyes casting down to the ground. "I should have been more considerate."

A pang of guilt hit him in the chest. He hadn't meant for her to feel sorry about the situation at hand. How long would he have realistically stayed in the hot springs by himself? While he enjoyed the silence, he'd grown quite fond of said-silence when accompanied by a friend. Her.

"Zelda, please don't apologise. Don't worry about it-"

"Link, it was wrong. I shouldn't have done it."

"I enjoy having you by my side, It was far too lonely by myself." The words flew faster than he'd have liked them to, barely catching them before they registered.

It was far too lonely by myself.

His cheeks were quick to burn at the words he'd spoken out into the air. "I mean, it was a surprise! I wasn't expecting you both, it was nice to have some company." He'd paced halfway across the room, suddenly guilty that he had made the Princess feel bad, feel sad even.

Zelda's eyes drifted up to his, her hands fidgeting with the sealed pack as her mouth opened lightly for more words, only for her lips to close again. "You're certain? You're sure we didn't intrude?"

"As certain as I'll ever be."

He silently hoped she might stop by the hot springs with him one more time before they left the steamy volcano, maybe they'd be able to make another pleasant memory together before moving on to the Domain below, yet he knew such chances were slim, they were leaving early in the morning.

"Alright then." Her posture straightened up, her usual proud form back. "Oh, Purah asked for me to deliver you this, I haven't the faintest idea of what it is, but she claimed it to be urgent as she had to return to Kakariko Village." Her hands extended out to him, dropping the relatively light box into his palm.

He hadn't expected anything from the scientist, she hadn't even gotten to ask him about her little experiments she mentioned the day before at the guidance stone in the castle.

"Now, I'll be off to my room for the evening, we have much to do once the sun rises." She smiled and turned to the door.

"Umm…" He started, catching her attention. He could feel the heat in all its blaze on his face, burning his ears particularly. "Would you like me to escort you back?" He smiled a lopsided grin.

"I'm just two rooms over," Her smile reached her eyes, teasing him. His gaze remained as did his offer to her. "I'd love it, thank you." He joined her in a heartbeat as they left his room, the box left on his bed.


I'd love to know thoughts and feelings about this chapter 3 its got a lil spicy spicy for yall 3