My Hero| Link X Reader

3•Horsin' Around

You two step away from the walls and look out at the expanding scenery. Beautiful rolling hills, trees and lakes. A diverse landscape from every direction.
"It's so nice down here." You break the silence. You turn to Link as he doesn't respond. He's looking somewhere else. A big castle looms menacingly over grassy plains over yonder. His eyes darken as he observes the structure burning black and red with malice.

"Hyrule Castle." He answers, sensing your curiosity.
"What happened to it?"
Link turns to you with a smile. "I really do have a lot to tell you, huh? I keep forgetting you weren't there on the roof last night." He rubs his neck shyly.

You found that kind of... cute. Link has been pretty shy since you've met him. He's gotten more confident at speaking, in fact, he carries most conversations now. His social skills have improved slightly and he doesn't randomly take out boars head-on. But he still keeps these small habits, like rubbing his neck or hiding his ears.

You smile at him and speak softly, "Well, you know where to go don't you? Why don't we walk and talk?" You suggest.
"W-Walk and talk? I've never heard that before."
"No?"
"No." He fiddles with his baby blue earrings. "I guess we could 'walk and talk'."
"Lead the way."

You and Link wander over the grassy fields, occasionally following the long dirt roads- Occasionally not as to avoid the rowdy bokoblin outposts. To your horror, there are much worse monsters then bokoblins. The so-called 'moblins' scared you half to death and chased you over the hills. During the times when you two were unbothered by the surrounding pests, Link shared what the 'old man' had told him the night before. Turns out he wasn't just any regular old guy: He was the King of Hyrule! King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule.  According to Link, King Rhoam detailed a war that happened a hundred years ago when a demon king transformed into a malicious beast that threatened all of Hyrule.

The demon king, Calamity Ganon, rose up and devastated the castle, killing all residents and taking control of these ancient mechs called 'Guardians' and 'Devine Beasts'. Calamity Ganon turned the ancients machines against their masters, leaving Hyrule defenseless as these machines continue to parole the fields around the castle. Even now when you look in the direction of Hyrule Castle, you catch the odd glimpse of their large spidery forms scouting the land. The thought sent a shiver down your spine just thinking about the destruction that occurred, the lives that were lost...

"...And then he told me I was the 'courageous knight'. I was supposed to stop Calamity Ganon and-" You stop Link and gently pat his arm. He was getting worked up and felt as if he was responsible for what happened.
"It's not your fault, Link. No one could have prepared for what happened."
"I- I was supposed to protect the people and..." Link huffs and tugs on his ears. "I was wounded... They put me in the Shrine of Resurrection to regenerate and now I'm here..."

You tilt your head, "Shrine of Resurrection? Where was that?"
"On the Pateau, you were there when I woke up but King Rhoam never said anything about you being fatally wounded. I carried you out... Remember how we first met?"
You remember the feeling of the hot blaze of the nearby fire on your cheeks and the itchy grass sticking to your skin. The first time you woke up. The first time you met Link.
"But why would I be in there with you if I wasn't hurt?" you quiz "How exactly was I connected to you?"
The two of you pass under the cliffs of the Dueling Peaks, trekking deep into the shadows and now nearing a rustic looking inn.

The boy thinks for a moment before he speaks.
"King Rhoam, he mentioned two of the Champions were healers, one was a hylian. I thought maybe it was you, that maybe you had to be there to heal me. Like, um, activate the Shrine or something... 'cus healing and resurrection is kind of the same thing, right..?" Link stutters, unsure of his hypothesis. But maybe he has a point, why else would you be there? And there was that voice in the Temple. Could Link be right? You smile softly at him and pat his back.
"If that's the case then... I'm glad I've found you again, friend."
"...Friend." He beams at you "Well, I'm so glad you're by my side again, friend." You share a laugh and walk up to the innkeeper and make conversation.

You and Link pay for your beds, which you were very much looking forward to, and place your belongings down on the soft covers. Falling back into the mattress, you let out a long sigh and sink into the cotton. Link hovers next to your bed with a smile and slightly leans over you. You squint at his suspicious behaviour. You honestly just want to nap.
"What do you want, Pointy?" You ask. Pointy was the occasional nickname you used to address Link, seeing as his ears were incredibly long and thin, whereas yours were half the average length for a hylian. Link pouts his lower lip.
"There's horses, wanna catch one?"
'"Wanna catch one?" This boy...'
"Wanna sleep first? These beds are pretty comfy." Link shakes his head.
"We can ride them the rest of the way to Kakariko. I was thinking we could get used to them now before we go tomorrow." He makes a good point. He guides you past the inn and near some ruins where a group of horses are grazing.

"They're beautiful." You state.
"Yeah, you see that one there?" Link points to a brown horse with white accents. "I want her. She's gorgeous." You inspect the horse. She is quite pretty but she's also slightly larger than the rest and has this stern look plastered on her face.
"Link, how exactly do you expect to get close to her, she's probably going to..." You turn to face Link but he's since left his place next to you and is now slowly creeping up to his chosen house. "...run away."

To your surprise, Link has gotten incredibly close without being noticed, making sure to stay within her blind spot.
'He might actually tame a horse.'
As he approaches, the mare's ears flick back and within an instant, her legs lift up as she sends her hooves flying into Link's stomach.
'NEVERMIND, SHE DID NOT RUN.'
You throw yourself across the field and support Link with your arm.
"Oh my Hylia are you ok Link?!" Your only response and only warning was a thick gurgle erupting from his stomach. Link chokes and chunders on the grass next to you. He throws his head back with a low groan as he finishes emptying his gut. You pick him up and hurry over to the inn.

The innkeeper meets you in the path and inspects Link.
"I saw what happened! I'm so sorry, we should have warned you. That mare is a tough nut and unbelievably stubborn. And now she's made a nuisance of herself!" The innkeeper cries out in distress. "I'm so sorry about your poor friend- I really am."

You place Link on his bed and undo his boots while the local boys inspect his stomach. You wipe his mouth with a damp cloth and clean up any streaks of vomit from his chin.
"(Y/N)..." He groans. You take his hand and squeeze.
"You'll be ok, Link. The people here will fix you up."
"Not really." A young voice interrupts "He's lucky his ribs aren't broken, but even then it's gonna take a long while before he'll be ok again." The young child explains. Link whines again.

The small crowd leaves as people are either leaving for their homes or are simply going to bed. You look at Link and have an idea. Unsure, you reach out your hand and hover it over Link's stomach. The inflamed area radiates warmth that passes through your hand with a tingly sensation. You feel a little stupid trying this. Maybe Link was wrong and you aren't some great healer from your supposed past life.

'Please, please work.' You close your eyes and imagine energy passing through your hand and into his body. A sudden change in the air makes your eyes snap open. Outside, it's pitch black, other than the blood soaked moon leaching its sanguine glow across the sky. Even the clouds are red. The atmosphere is eerily silent.

"I've never seen a blood moon before..." You whisper to yourself. You feel a little unnerved standing alone in the dark so you head back inside and lay down under the covers. Slowly, you drift off to sleep.

...

'The blood moon rises once again...'

Chapter 3 completed.
2305 words total.