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Link's POV
My first few days of being 16 were way more anticlimactic than I expected. After we got back from Akkala life has been going on as normal, Zelda still follows me around, and I still do my prayers and research. The words father said to me still gets to me sometimes.
'Quit wasting your time on playing a scholar.' I wonder if he thinks that's all I'm doing: just 'playing.' It's as if he thinks I take nothing seriously. Even now as we're eating lunch together he barely cares to talk to me. Not like I have anything good in response but he could try.
I stare at him in hopes that he understands what I'm trying to say.
"So, Link, how has your day been?" He awkwardly asks. He talks! I know he probably doesn't care that much though and he'll probably judge me if I say the wrong thing, so I just smile and nod.
I want to tell him about my studies but he might scold me.
"Have you done your prayers for the day?" I nod to his question while I poke at the food. It's tastes okay but the chef 'charred' the vegetables for too long and not at a high enough heat, the concept is good though. I definitely would've added a Hyrule herb for some more heartiness. "Are you not hungry, Link?" I shrug, I'm not famished and I'll probably end up going to the kitchen later today.
"Link," Father says, grabbing my attention, "I was thinking, maybe you should go to Kakariko village, I know that they have a very good connection with the gods and goddesses there."
"Oh, okay" I respond. Getting out of the village again will definitely be fun to leave castle grounds. I know father is letting me do this because of Zelda but I wish he would have let me have the freedom to go by myself. I understand the yiga have been pretty active recently, focusing their forces in the Gerudo region though. But considering their twisted history with the inverted eye I wouldn't be surprised if there were any spies.
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Once lunch is over Zelda comes back to her post with me. "How was lunch, your highness?" She always likes to ask pleasantry questions, while it does make me feel like I have company I'd rather not talk. Sometimes there's just so much going on that it's easier to just nod. But today is a calm day, it's a good day.
We're already walking towards the library so I might as well engage in conversation. "I actually didn't exactly like it," She giggles at my response, "Hey what's so funny?" I smile at her.
"Does your royal majesty not approve of the chef?!" She gasps dramatically, "straight to the guillotine!" She laughs. Honestly how can she just sit there and laugh and look so pretty, it's so effortless for her.
"Shhh!" I try to shush her but end up laughing along, "I could never behead the chef, who would feed the most wonderful knight then?"
Her cheeks are dusted with a rosy color, "I- well you know, Tyson can probably feed himself," She references to the captain.
"No, I was talking about you," I laugh, "You're the pretty one!" I say without double checking my words, "Er- I mean um pretty cool one," I look away flustered making sure she can't see my face. I always have to embarrass myself, don't I?
"Even then I've been able to make food for myself, hearty elixirs... yum!" She says rolling her eyes with a smile. I laugh at her attempt to make me feel better about accidentally calling her pretty.
"But don't they taste awful?" I ask as he reach the entrance of the library and I open the door for us, she kind of shrugs.
"Well they don't taste as good as actual food, considering it's you know" She pauses and fakes a cough for dramatic effect, "made of monster parts and bugs." I laugh at her humor. She's very funny. "Anyways prince, I'll stop distracting you so you can study." She kills the mood with a serious tone. I frown slightly not wanting this joyous time to end.
It is quiet in here, I don't think anybody else I actually in the library. I look around and scan the giant room, yeah no one is here. It appears one of the castle staff must have returned some books that I left on the table to their original spots... I should leave a note this time to tell them to leave it.
It's been been a couple of hours of studying the calamity and such, so the sun isn't quite as high as it was earlier after lunch. And since the windows are so grand the golden rays light up the room. Every once in a while some maids and such would come in the library, even musicians or court scribes. But the grand room as empty once again. We were up on the higher parts of the room and I was sitting down at a table, Zelda always insisted on standing, but hopefully she'll sit today. I mean she must be getting tired just standing there.
"Zelda?" She looked up and pointed her eyes at me.
"Yes, prince?"
"Would you like to sit down?"
"Oh... Actually I'd like that, my legs are getting tired anyways," I smiled at her response. Just as she sat down in the chair across from me, she moved into a ray of light from the windows. It shone so beautifully on her hair, making it glisten like fluffy sand. I kept staring at her for a bit until she looked at her shirt and touched her face, "Is there a stain on my tunic? Or something on my face?" She asked. Oh shoot, I really shouldn't be staring that much.
I felt my checks and ears grow warm and my lips were pressed into a line and I shook my head to let her know she was fine. And she wasn't just fine, she was finee. The most beautiful girl I've ever met. I can't judge by looks though, I wish to talk to her more and get to know her better.
She looked down at the book I was reading with a puzzled look, her one eyebrow was raised and the other pushed down. She pointed towards a spot on the page. "That's actually not right," I question what was wrong with it. She gives a heavy sigh of annoyance, "These Hylian records are wrong! Nabooru wasn't always brainwashed, she actually led a small rebellion against the king Ganondorf..." She brings her hand up to her chin and strikes a classic thinking pose. "At least I think so. She also was the second in command."
"I... I actually didn't know that, that's really cool."
"Well I guess the translators must have missed something because this is not what the Gerudo legends depict." I raise my eyebrows to her statement.
"How would you know?" I ask genuinely curious, not trying to mock her.
"Well I've read them."
"You can read the language of the Gerudo?"
"Of course I can, and speak it." Wow, that's actually really impressive. She picks up the book from the table, closes it and investigates the title, "Obviously this is a recent translation," She scoffs and stands up.
"Wait what are you doing with the book?" I'm a bit worried now.
"Burning it, duh," She laughs while closing her eyes before switching back to a serious look, "I'm putting it back. It's inaccurate, it'd probably be easier to go to Gerudo town and get a more accurate description yourself." She says as she looks for its original spot, I get up and stand behind her.
"Actually that's not an awful idea," She jumps slightly towards my presence. "Oh sorry I didn't mean to spook you." She smiles and shrugs it off.
"You've got a point there, however they don't let men in, even royalty like you." Ohhh, I totally forgot, she's right though.
"That's true... Father would probably prohibit me anyways so I can stay here to pray and train."
"No." She places the book on its shelf. "The Gerudo have a good connection to their ancestors, while it's not exactly the goddesses like Faroe or Dinraal, it would still be good to try to ask for insight from the Gerudo ancestors. After all, the chief herself might even have a couple of suggestions or provide some help."
"That'll work, but I'm already going to Kakariko village... sometime soon. And you said that men can't go in." I retort. But she laughs in return as she turns around. What?
"Of course they don't! That's why you'd need a disguise." My eyes widen in shock.
"A... disguise??" I question.
"Mhm," She nods as she goes back down to her chair, and I sit down too. "Have you seen traditional Gerudo vai garb?" I nod in answer, it's usually a short top with pants that flow, or a skirt. "Well then you would know it has a veil." ... A veil? What is she getting at... Wait...
"Are you saying that I?!-" She cuts me off with a shush and laughter.
"They'd never know! You have a lean figure and you're quite short," I think she didn't mean that as a backhanded insult, "No offense though."
"But it's not like they check under the veils when you enter town, you could walk in and out care free!" She giggles.
"Really?" I double check, she reassures that it would work.
"I have an extra pair you could borrow," Her suggestion doesn't sound all that bad... as long as father doesn't find out it could be a go. I nod and share my thoughts. "Seriously? Because that would be a lot of fun, you could try some of their food too, and of course you would have me —the best knight— as your royal translator." She speaks in such a way that her tone changes the world royal, making it sound like it had sparkles around it.
I laugh at the thought of me sneaking into an all woman's town, it's kind of ridiculous to a point, but past that it doesn't sound too improbable. "I actually think that could work... And I could tell my father that I'm just going to see the seven heroines."
Zelda laughs with me but also nods. We talk for a little while longer until the sun is set and it's time for dinner. After dinner I go do the evening prayers and return to my study. Once the day is finally over I go to bed and Zelda goes to hers.
Today was definitely a great day, and I wouldn't change anything if I could. I let out a sigh of happiness and rest my eyes, sooner or later sleep takes me away to a lands of sleep and joy.
A/N: What should I call Zelda's dad? I have no names for him and I feel terrible lmao