As the sun began to set, the snow that had been falling since morning had begun to stop. The gray clouds started to disperse, allowing rays of twilight to cover the village in a gentle glow. The now thick snow on the ground sparkled as Link trudged down the road, carrying an exhausted and dirty Zelda on his back. He turned down the fork in the road, heading towards the bridge that led to their secluded side of the mountain. He continued forward towards their house, but halfway across the bridge, he paused and looked out into the mountain view. With a tiny smile, he nudged Zelda's chin with his shoulder, causing her to perk up.

"Are we home?" she asked as she slightly lifted her head and began rubbing one of her eyes.

"Almost, but take a look at that," Link said, gesturing at the sunset. With a yawn, Zelda looked over before a smile grew wide on her face.

"Oh, it's beautiful," Zelda said, wrapping her arms around his neck to stay balanced.

"It is," Link agreed.

"You know," Zelda began, now wrapping her legs around his torso. "I know we have some traveling to do later, and there are a lot of things I want to do before settling… But, I could really get used to this kind of life. I love playing around here with you. I love living here with you. I love being with you."

"I love being here with you too, Zel," Link chuckled as he started towards the house again. "You really do brighten my days."

"Oh? Do I brighten them enough to convince you to try one of my experimental potions?" she asked hopefully.

"I'm not sure if they're that bright," Link said defensively. "And I'm okay with that. I don't want it to become so bright I see the light."

"You really believe my potions would kill you?" Zelda pouted. "I work really hard on them!"

"I'm kidding, I don't think that," Link said, opening the door to the house. "I'll try them… After you perfect them."

"So you are nervous to try them again!"

"Only just a bit," Link assured her as he climbed the steps. "I'm definitely not as afraid of them as I was before. They've improved. Just like your cooking has!"

"What a wonderful comparison," Zelda sulked, tightening her legs around his torso.

"Oh come on, Zel, don't let it get to you," he responded, stopping in front of their bed. "It's not easy to make potions. You saw what Purah did to herself."

"That is true," Zelda admitted. "Still, it would be nice to have some successful creations come from my studies."

"And there will be," Link said. "You know I'll help you as best I can… As long as I don't end up like Purah."

"You're insufferable," Zelda complained, tightening her arms around his neck.

"Didn't you just say you loved being with me?" Link asked with a chuckle. "That couldn't have been a lie; I'm feeling all your love with how tightly you're holding me right now."

"No, I'll take it all back," she huffed."You're sleeping in the snow tonight."

"No! Not the snow!" Link exaggerated. When Zelda didn't say anything, he sighed. "I guess I really am sleeping in the snow. Well, I'd better be on my way then."

Zelda didn't release her grip. Link grinned.

"Zelda? I can't sleep out in the snow if you don't let me go."

"I never knew you to be such a quitter," Zelda said quietly, burying her face into his hair. "Isn't this the part where you're supposed to try and find atonement?"

"Aaaaaaah, is that what I'm supposed to do?" Link asked, acting oblivious. "Then… How about I prepare a nice warm bath for you?"

"And?" she asked after a moment of silence.

"And I'll set out a nice change of clothes," Link added.

"A-And?" Zelda asked in a hesitant whisper.

Noticing her change in tone, Link's smile faded as he looked back at her. Her face remained covered as she kept pressing into him. All he could make out was the glowing red of her pointed ears. A blush began to form on his cheeks before he looked forward.

"A-And… I'll join you?" he offered. He felt Zelda's body twitch.

"I-If you do that, then you're forgiven," she agreed quietly.

"Deal…" Link said.

Slowly, Zelda slid from his back and stepped away while looking down at the floor. After a few moments of awkward silence, Link cleared his throat.

"I-I'll go set up the pond then," he said. "I'll need the Sheikah Slate."

"W-Why?" Zelda asked, raising her head to look him in the eyes. "What for?"

"Wood and flint for a fire, and fire arrows to warm the water," Link said, raising an eyebrow, "and I might make a few elixirs as well. I'm not going to run away, Zelda. I promise."

He held out his hand, silently requesting for the slate to be turned over to him. Zelda looked him in the eyes before looking down at his palm. Though she wanted to refuse, Purah's words began to echo in her mind. Reluctantly her hand went to her hip, and after a quick unbuckling, she placed the Sheikah Slate into Link's outstretched fingers. Firmly gripping the tablet, he gave her a quick smile.

"Thanks… I'll see you in a few minutes?" he asked gently. After receiving a nod from her, he turned and headed downstairs before exiting through the front door.

Zelda stared at the staircase Link had disappeared down before looking down at herself.

"Okay… Let's try this again…"

...

Link slid into the water, he shivered a bit before leaning back against the rocks. With water now up to his chest, he sighed as his body began to adjust to the cold temperatures. Once the water felt warm and his body stopped shivering, he leaned his head back in relief and rested it against the snow covering the grass. While usually this would have frozen him to death, he had learned from his adventures in Hebra that a simple spicy elixir would warm the body, even when washing in frigid waters. He chuckled to himself. If only it had been thought of after he tried taking a frozen bath for the first time.

With his head sinking deeper into the soft, powdery snow on the ground, he looked up into the branches of the elder tree that sat on the edge of the pond. Its leaves had all disappeared and were replaced with icicles that now sparkled against the flames of the campfire Link had set up just next to the pond's edge, a precaution in case the elixir wore off. Link stared at the pointed frozen leaves hanging from the branches. The grooves of frozen water continued to glisten with the orange light of the flame, reflecting in Link's cyanic eyes.

Things were different.

Waking up to a roof every day, in the same bed, to the same views and the same village. It wasn't that he hated it. In fact, he could see the appeal of a peaceful life such as this. If only he could enjoy it the way Zelda was. Though she was struggling the past week with getting a job— and apparently watching over him— she seemed content and happy. He wanted to be like her and enjoy the peaceful days. Before, whenever he was nervous or stressed, he would go out into the wild. He would battle monsters and possibly even goof off in ways with the Sheikah Slate, something that was probably inconsiderate seeing as Zelda was holding back the scourge of Hyrule in the highest tower.

Once all his memories had returned, he had stopped his reckless fun and pursued saving his princess with his full attention, but he had noticed that ever since Zelda had been freed from the castle, he never truly went back to his carefree self. There was always something ahead, something to worry about, something to prepare for, and whatever the Master Sword had ready for him was no exception. Link furrowed his brow slightly as he continued staring at the icicles.

The Yiga wasn't either.

Link's thoughts traveled back to earlier that day. The sight of the silhouette was planted firmly in his mind.

Was that just in my head? He asked himself. The Yiga don't usually just walk into villages, especially not so casually. I know that I was considering resting as Zelda wanted me to, but… Will my mind really allow that?

Frustrated, Link closed his eyes and blew air through his nostrils, only for it to turn into wisps of frost before disappearing. Suddenly, his pointed ears twitched. He could hear the soft barely audible crunch of snow, growing slightly louder as whoever was stepping through it grew closer.

"L-Link…" Zelda's voice called out nervously.

"Hey," Link said, keeping his head in the snow and his eyes closed. "Did you drink the elixir?"

"Y-Yes," she answered. "Sorry, did I interrupt your thoughts?"

"Not at all," he answered back, lifting his head from the ground to sit up straight. "I heard you coming."

"Still as alert as always, I see," Zelda mumbled. "I-Is it alright if I join you?"

"Wasn't I the one who offered to bathe with you?" Link chuckled. With his eyes still closed, he began to move.

"What are you doing?" Zelda asked.

"Moving so you can sit behind me?" Link questioned as he stopped. "What's wrong?"

"A-Actually, y-you don't need to…" he heard Zelda say. Link hesitated.

"Are you sure?"

"Y-Yes…"

Though he still felt reluctant, Link leaned back against the pond's edge just as before. Keeping his eyes closed, he heard Zelda take a deep breath before hearing a light thud against the snow.

A cloth… Link thought to himself as he listened to Zelda slide into the water. It wasn't until she settled did he realize how close the sound of water rippling was. After half a second, it dawned on him: She had chosen to sit right next to him. He could feel his cheeks beginning to warm at her unexpected decision.

"I-I'm not too close, am I?' he heard Zelda ask. Though it was quiet, he could hear the uncertainty in her voice.

"Not at all," Link said, silently letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

The two sat in silence, listening to the crackling of the campfire beside them. Link sat as still as he could, making sure he didn't accidentally brush against her. Though he refused to move, the water around him continued to slightly wave and slosh around. He couldn't help but be acutely aware of even the slightest of his girlfriend's movements.

"Y-Your eyes are closed…" Zelda suddenly mentioned in a tiny voice.

"Y-Yeah…" Link confirmed. "I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

"I-I'm fine, so…" Zelda whispered.

"Then… If you'll excuse me," Link said cautiously. Slowly he began to open his eyes.

Instantly he noticed just how close Zelda had chosen to sit next to him. Their shoulders were only centimeters away from touching. Her pure skin was dotted with drops of water, giving her a sparkling radiance as they reflected the silver moonlight from above and the orange flames from beside them. He could just barely make out her figure, yet the water distorted it enough to where he couldn't see many details. The water practically covered her bosom, yet her slim collarbone and slender shoulders were clearly visible, something Link had never thought he would take such great notice of.

His eyes traveled further up her body, tracing the nape of her neck before noticing her hair. Her golden locks were drenched with water, with some strands sticking to her cheeks and forehead. Her ears were bright red, matching the blush that grew on her cheeks. Finally, he rested his gaze upon her eyes. They were looking down at the moon's reflection in the water that was mirrored in her emerald irises. He didn't think he would ever get used to being with such beauty. Suddenly, Zelda's eyes glanced up, meeting his own. Her blush grew even deeper before looking away.

"I-I… Um…" she stuttered quietly. "I didn't expect you to s-stare…"

"O-Oh," Link said, facing forward as the blush from earlier returned. Even he hadn't realized how strong his gaze was. "Sorry…"

His eyes were now fixed on the lilies and flowers that floated along the water's surface as he tried to avoid looking at her as best he could. He expected her to shy away, however, from the corner of his eye he noticed her slight smile.

"I… I a-actually quite like it when you look at me," she said. "It… makes my heart race. It's embarrassing, and yet it feels safe to know that your eyes are on me. It's like everything will be okay."

Link suddenly turned his gaze back to Zelda's averted eyes.

"Are you… nervous?"

"O-of course I'm nervous," she answered as her blush deepened. She pulled her arms close and wrapped them around her exposed body. "T-There's no way I wouldn't be when I'm-"

"No," Link said simply. "You're nervous about tomorrow, aren't you?"

Zelda's eyes grew wide. She looked back into his eyes. The embarrassment in his irises had been replaced with concern. After a moment of staring, biting her lip, she looked back down at the water.

"I-I've never done something like this before," she explained quietly. "What if I don't get the job? What if she changes her mind? If she needs help, I'm sure there are others in the village who are much more capable than I am. This is my only chance, yet I don't have any clue what sort of questions she's going to ask! I'm positive I won't know what to answer with that'll increase my chances in-"

"Woah, slow down there, Zel," Link said calmly, raising a hand to stop her. "Just because you've never done something before doesn't mean you're not fit for the job. Prima must have seen something in you when she decided to consider you for help, don't you think?"

"It wouldn't be the first time someone's seen something in me and I've let them down," Zelda muttered quietly, sliding a bit deeper into the water. "You've always said you see something special in me, and I honestly haven't done much."

"You've done quite a lot, Zelda," Link corrected. "You held the Calamity at bay for a century and then sealed it. You helped me through all of the trials that Maz Koshia gave me; you're actually the entire reason I proved myself to that monk."

"What are you talking about?" Zelda asked curiously. "I don't remember being able to help you at all during your battle."

"Just take my word for it," he chuckled, knowing that an explanation was pointless. Though he remembered some details, most of his memories from their talk in the other realm were foggy. "Look, I doubt working at an inn will give you as much trouble as your Sealing Powers did. You'll do fine."

"Still… What if I'm not?" Zelda muttered. "Even if she is willing to teach me what I don't know, I'm not sure I'll be able to keep up. You tried to teach me how to fight and I can barely keep up still…"

"I think fighting and taking care of an inn are two separate skill sets…" Link said. "Plus, you only had a month of training. You did well with only that level of practice."

"You're just saying that because you love me…" she argued."You know most of the fights I was in ended poorly."

Zelda went quiet, choosing to focus on the ripples in the moon's reflection. Link frowned, unable to come up with more words of comfort. She seemed well convinced that something was going to go wrong, a fear that he resonated with. The two sat in silence, listening to the water calmly react to their slight movements.

After allowing their silence to marinate, Link slowly lifted his hand out of the water. It glided across the water before passing Zelda's back. Gently, his fingers pressed against her shoulder. She flinched at his touch. Her eyes widened as her face flushed with color. Just barely, she glanced over at him.

"I'm not just saying that," Link said quietly, closing his eyes in order to try and focus on his words instead of the soft feeling of her skin. "About your sword skills or the job. I love you for many reasons, and your determination is one of them. I know that you'll get this, and when you do, you'll stop at nothing to become the best worker there is. You won't allow yourself to be anything less than that. I know you, and because I do, I have no worries that you won't do great."

He began to pull her closer until his arm was completely wrapped around her neck and shoulder. After taking a large breath to stay calm, he slid deeper into the water and relaxed. Zelda's face burned furiously as he could feel his entire body pressing against hers, along with the pleasuring touch of his arm around her. She felt the loosely hanging fingers from his hand brushing gently against her front. It took everything in her to resist the urge to shudder. She could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage.

Filled with embarrassment and confusion, she glanced over to Link. Her heart jumped. For what seemed to be the first time—at least to her— Link was for once completely relaxed. Though his cheeks remained slightly red, his breathing had become rhythmic and slow. His face remained still and his eyes closed. It was almost as if he were sleeping. Swallowing the knot in her throat, she relaxed her tense body as best she could. Taking a leap of courage, she slowly rested her head against his shoulder, where she took a deep breath and closed her own eyes, attempting to mimic Link's level of tranquility.

"I guess all that I can do is to try my best," she said calmly, allowing his warmth to cleanse her fearful heart. Link nodded.

"That's all any of us can do," he replied.

He could feel Zelda's breathing slow as she truly began to relax. He cracked a single eye open and looked down, noticing the smooth nape of her neck. He quickly shut his eye again.

Maybe relaxing like this every now and then isn't so bad, he thought to himself as Zelda adjusted herself under his arm, trying to snuggle closer to him. If my mind would stop messing with me, I could very easily get used to this…

...

Zelda's eyes slowly opened. She yawned as she turned over in bed, doing her best to ensure that the warmth of Link's arm remained around her waist. She glanced out the window, taking note of the dark, early morning sky. She remained still as she subconsciously counted the infinite number of stars that reflected in her green orbs. Prima had told her to arrive just before the sunrise. As nervous as she was, Zelda knew she had to get ready.

Reluctantly, she slowly moved from under Link's arm and carefully crawled over him. Her bare toes gently pressed against the hardwood floor, that ever so quietly creaked at the sudden weight. After adjusting the simple tunic she had worn to bed, she began to tiptoe across the floorboards, doing her best not to make a sound that would wake her sleeping boyfriend. After a few careful steps, she silently sat at the writing desk. She ran her fingers through her golden locks in preparation to do her usual braid, yet her fingers stopped. She sat quiet, lost in her thoughts before she felt a pair of hands gently place themselves upon her shoulder.

"I thought I was quiet enough this time," Zelda said, unsurprised at the sudden touch. "Usually I'm able to slip away from you unnoticed."

"Usually I allow you to slip away unnoticed," a shirtless Link chuckled from behind her. "But, I guess after last night I got pretty addicted to your body's heat. I just can't ignore when it moves away from me so suddenly."

"I'm so glad it's my body that makes you want to keep me around," Zelda teased, to which Link began to massage her shoulders.

"You know what I mean," he shot back with a grin. "So? What's on your mind this time? Is there something wrong with your hair?"

"I was just wondering if… maybe I should do it a bit differently than usual…" Zelda answered honestly. "I always do the braid, but when it came to formal occasions in the past, I let my hair down completely. I figured this would count more as a formal meeting, but my hair is somewhat strange since it's longer on the sides than in the back."

"I think you're overthinking it, Zel," Link said, taking one of his hands to run his own fingers through her hair. "I think your braid would be just fine."

"You think so?" she asked, glancing back, but refusing to fully turn her head to keep Link from removing his hand from her locks.

"I think so," he affirmed. "You're going to talk to a girl near your age about working at an inn in this old outskirt village. This isn't a royal meeting.

"Yes, I guess you're right," Zelda said, closing her eyes at the massaging feeling of Link's fingers against her head.

"See? I can be smart at times," he chuckled.

"Yes, you can. Hey, do you mind doing my braid for me?" Zelda asked, trying not to admit she liked the feeling of his fingers in her hair.

"Uh, what?" Link said, stopping his fingers (to her disappointment).

"What's the problem?" Zelda whined. "Do you not want to?"

"It's not that I don't want to," he answered. "I'm just not good with hair besides, you know, a basic ponytail."

"Give me a ponytail then," she said, closing her eyes and leaning back against the writing desk chair. "You can do that much, right?"

"Zelda, I really don't think-" Link began to decline, however, Zelda shushed him.

"I'm not going to some royal meeting, right?" she asked him. "I believe in you. Consider this a good luck charm for me. Please?"

In the end, Link gave in. After minutes of him running his fingers through her hair—much to Zelda's hidden pleasure— he settled for pulling the longer parts of her hair that would usually be put into a braid back into a simple ponytail, similar to how he would usually do his own hair.

"S-Sorry…" Link said as Zelda checked her image with the Sheikah Slate camera. " I guess I can be a one-hit wonder every now and then."

"It's perfect," she answered with a smile. "It's not much different from my usual hair, just with a ponytail in the back instead of a braid. I think you did wonderfully."

"Now it's my turn to say you're just saying that," Link muttered as Zelda stood. She giggled before giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"And I'll tell you exactly what you told me," she said. "It's fine. Now you go back to bed, I'm going to get dressed and head off to the inn."

Reluctantly, Link walked away from the table and jumped back onto the bed, seemingly wondering to himself whether or not she was telling the truth about his handy work with her hair. Still somewhat giggly, Zelda began searching through the slate's clothing inventory before tapping on a few icons. In a flash, her usual royal winter gear appeared in her hands, and in a matter of minutes, she was completely dressed.

"Okay, Link, I'm heading off," Zelda said, beginning to turn towards the staircase. Link, however, coughed noticeably loud.

"Kiss," he said simply when she looked around in response. Zelda raised an eyebrow at her lover still laying in the bed.

"That's the first time you've wanted to give me a kiss to see me off," she said.

"This is one of the few times I actually get to see you leave," he replied. "Also, I could say this is the first time you've questioned getting a kiss."

"True," Zelda said, allowing her giggles to return.

She turned back and strolled towards the bed, where Link was waiting with his hands resting behind his head as he remained sprawled on the bed. Pushing a few strands out of her face, she bent down, ready to kiss him on the lips. Before they could touch, she saw a blur before she could feel herself being pulled back into the bed.

"Link, what are you doing?" she laughed as Link held her tightly.

"Just a little bit more of your warmth will cover me for the rest of the day," he answered mischievously.

"Why you- I have to go!" Zelda said, trying to push away from his grasp with a large smile on her face. "You'll mess up my hair and clothes!"

"Well, your hair was already slightly messy," Link said. "But I believe it gives you a little character."

"Oh so now you like the style?" she teased. "Let me go! You said you wanted a kiss!"

"And I still do," he said.

"If you don't let me go, then you won't get one," Zelda said as sternly as she could. Link paused.

"An empty threat that would do us both harm," he said, calling out her bluff. "But, I'll give in nonetheless."

Pulling her body closer to his, the two locked lips before Zelda noticed the small light shining from out the window.

"Sunrise is soon! I'm going to be late!" she exclaimed as she pulled away and jumped out of bed.

Chuckling, Link sat up and watched as she hurried down the stairs and out the door. With a quick stretch, he climbed out of the bed and walked down the stairs. He opened the door to get a final glimpse of Zelda hurrying across the bridge. He smiled, beginning to lean his shoulder against the doorway.

Looks like that little show helped her calm down, he told himself. Though… I can't say I wouldn't have requested a kiss even if I wasn't trying to help her out.

Suddenly, his eyes darted to the large tree their cooking pot sat under. He stared at its branches, waiting to see if the rustling he'd heard had only been his mind playing tricks on him. He waited for what felt like hours before taking a large, cold breath.

It's just you… he told himself as he walked back inside. You're tired from being up early. Sleep it off. Sleep it off…

...

Zelda stood in front of the large green doors to the Great Ton Pu Inn. She put a hand to her chest and took a deep breath before stepping into the familiar large open waiting room. There, standing at the counter was the young innkeeper, writing in a check-in and out book that had a long list of names written in its pages. The moment the door closed behind Zelda, Prima looked up and smiled at her guest.

"Right at sunrise, just as I've requested," Prima said, glancing out the window at the slowly brightening sky. "You really are serious about this aren't you?"

"I-I am," Zelda said with a nod.

"Well, I only have a few questions for you, if you'll allow me to ask them," Prima continued, walking from behind the counter.

"Of course," Zelda answered quickly. The innkeeper smiled.

"Great! Why don't we talk in the dining area?" she asked, gesturing towards the doorway on the opposite side of the room.

After receiving a nod from Zelda, the two made their way into the dining area, where multiple large tables sat in rows. Prima sat down at the nearest chair before pointing towards the one next to her, where Zelda sat after a moment of hesitation. Prima giggled.

"You're so tense! You look so formal and uptight in those clothes and your posture" she said. "Relax a little, I'm not going to bite you. I see your hair is a bit different today, a lot more… characteristic."

"Oh, yes, Link did it for me," Zelda said, trying to hold in a chuckle. "He was… very nervous about it, but I insisted."

"There's a real smile from you," Prima said with a grin. "Trust me, I know a real smile from a fake one. Good for annoying guests, but I prefer to see a real one when you talk to me. You look a little less tense now, too."

"Well… He does have that effect on me…" Zelda muttered with a shy smile. Prima grinned even larger, almost mischievously, before giving a little cough.

"Matters to discuss later," she mumbled before straightening herself in her chair. "So, Zelda, you said you wanted to work in order to truly be a part of our little town. That's what I gathered from our last encounter. Is that true?"

"It is," Zelda said honestly. "I don't want to be seen as some princess that can't do anything. I want to be normal… at least, as normal as I can get for now."

"Well, being normal comes with a few downsides," Prima said coolly. "People can get rude, especially here at an inn where some people want…unrealistic… services."

"R-Really?" Zelda said, subconsciously allowing a hint of her nerves to show.

"It can be hard at times," Prima said. "Some people can be rude. Do you think you'd be able to handle that?"

"I…" Zelda began. "I'll have to. I can't accept any of the good without understanding the bad, right? I know it'll be challenging, though."

"It will be, and I'd be working you fairly hard, too," Prima said, becoming stern-faced. "I usually don't take on help, but I saw how determined you were yesterday. But I need to know if you're truly ready to take on such demanding work. This is one of the harder jobs in town besides farming. Do you know how to clean and how to serve?"

"I-I don't," Zelda answered honestly.

"Do you know the difference between alcohols? Or how to be nimble on your feet?"

"T-That would need to be… learned…" she answered again as color flushed in her cheeks.

"And you're still willing to give this a shot, despite knowing that you're completely unskilled?" Prima asked, raising an eyebrow.

Zelda paused. This was everything she had been nervous about the night before, everything she knew would be thrown at her during the meeting. Before her doubts could encase her, the warmth that had thawed her fears the night before returned. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before looking Prima confidently in the eyes.

"Absolutely."

Prima stared into the assured green emeralds. She folded her arms and brought a leg over her knee before looking Zelda up and down.

"We'll need to get you a new outfit," she said suddenly. "That one is far too nice to be doing labor in. I'll give you an old dress of mine. Can you sew?"

"Y-Yes?" Zelda said, a little confused by the sudden inspection. "It's probably one of the few things I properly know how to do."

"I'm sure you can make your own clothes based on what I give you," Prima nodded. "We'll get that, and then starting tomorrow morning, I'll show you how to do basic in's and out's of the place."

"O-Okay…" Zelda said slowly. "Wait, do you mean-?"

"Yes, you're hired," Prima chuckled, standing from her chair. "I want to see you bright and early tomorrow. Follow me into the other room. We're gonna get you a work outfit."

"A-Alright!" Zelda said excitedly, standing quickly only to be met with a finger to her nose.

"And one last thing," Prima said, looking down at the half-standing employee. "Don't make me regret this."

...

With the morning sun now shining brightly through the window planes, Link stood at the cooking counter, preparing the pumpkin shell he had preserved from before. Though his fingers moved skillfully, his eyes were dull as his mind was elsewhere.

A figure in the distance, rustling from the trees… he thought to himself. Is it really just my mind?

Before his thoughts could traverse deeper into his nerves, the door opened. He quickly turned his head, pausing the work inside the pumpkin's flesh to see Zelda walking in.

"Welcome back," he said as his body relaxed, subconsciously beginning to work on the pumpkin again. "How did it go?"

"Well," Zelda said as she closed the door behind her, holding a pair of fluffy white clothes in her arms. "Do you notice anything different about me?"

"Different?" Link asked, furrowing his brow.

Be began to look Zelda up and down before noticing the clothing held in her arms. Realizing those were the winter clothes she had left in, he began to inspect the clothes further. Now what covered her curves was a bright blue and simple dress. Under the dress was a long-sleeve tan shirt with a collar that covered half her neck. Wrapped around her waist was a white cloth, which held what looked to be a long wooly apron in place. Link's eyes grew wide. Quickly wiping his hands off with a cloth, he rushed towards Zelda.

"You got the job!" he shouted happily, picking Zelda up by the waist with incredible strength.

"I did! I did!" Zelda laughed as Link spun her around. "Put me down! I'm getting dizzy!"

Gently, Link placed her back onto her feet. She stumbled around for a moment before falling into his arms.

"By the Goddess, I forget how strong you are at times," Zelda said, still giggling.

"Sorry, sorry," Link chuckled, now holding her tightly. "I knew you had it the moment Prima asked me to pass the message."

"Are you sure about that?" Zelda asked, regaining her balance. "With how you reacted, I would have thought you were worried for me."

"Not at all! What do you take me for?" he asked.

"A worry-shroom," Zelda shot.

"And what would that make you?" he asked again.

Zelda narrowed her eyes in silent scolding, to which Link immediately backed down.

"Moving on, I knew you would get the job," he said, continuing as if he hadn't jabbed at her, "so, I made the best breakfast I could with what we have in celebration! A Meat-Stuffed Pumpkin!"

"That sounds wonderful," Zelda said.

Link lifted his hand, allowing Zelda to place her own in his palm. He guided her to the table where he pulled out the chair for her to sit in. Zelda sat in the chair after placing her former attire a safe distance away on the table. With an exaggerated twirl, Link moved over and took the pumpkin from the counter, setting it on the table before moving back to grab a large bowl full of meat and broth. With a pour, the pumpkin had been properly stuffed. Sitting at the opposite end of the table to Zelda, Link held out a bowl to her.

"To your job," he said with a grin as she took the bowl from him.

"To my job," Zelda said happily.