Author Note: The image on top is just one I found on Pinterest. I dunno, I love it so much that I decided to put it as the main image. All credits go to whoever drew it (: Also, thank you, my readers, for so many messages and comments regarding my book 🥺 I'm so glad many of you are enjoying it so far! Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. Personally, I had a lot of fun writing it :)
•••
Link couldn't wait to kill monsters. If that was a weird thing to be excited about, he didn't care. After possessing the Master Sword for a few days, he longed to come across Moblin's or Lizalfos, just to test out the power of the sword. Unfortunately, the path he ventured on had no such creatures. The road was surprisingly tame, which was strange (with Hyrule being infested with horrible creatures and all). With no monster in sight, Link slouched and groaned quietly.
"Link quit your whining," you said as you plucked a flower from a branch that was above you. You smiled and patted Zephyr's neck before glancing back at the groaning boy. Rolling your eyes, you kicked your horse's sides and moved her closer to Epona. "We'll come across monsters soon enough, alright? For now, why don't you enjoy how peaceful everything is?"
"No," Link huffed and crossed his arms, resembling a child's behaviour. "I want to fight monsters already."
"Yes I know, you've been saying that for the past hour," you clicked your tongue and directed your attention to the new flower in your hands. You began to pluck the petals for fun and then scanned the area. There really were no monsters in sight, but something about the tranquillity seemed off. Pursuing your lips, you dropped the flower to the floor and grabbed Zephyr's reins. A faint snarl was heard in the distance, which made you perk up. "Did you hear that?"
Link perked up as well. "Sounds like a Lizalfo," he grinned and quickly directed Epona to the noise. His eyes lit up as the sound got louder with each stride Epona took. He constantly looked around, searching for the creature.
You snickered when you saw how thrilled he looked. Wanting to help, you glanced from side to side, hoping to catch sight of the monster. The snarls became louder with each passing minute and eventually, you caught glimpse of a roasting fire. "Over there," you whispered, naturally slipping off Zephyr's back.
The Lizalfos were out in an open field, so to keep out of view, you moved Zephyr and yourself behind a few trees and bushes. You reached for your sword, but you stopped when you heard Link unsheathe his.
"I assume you want to fight them on your own?" You asked, watching as he hopped off Epona's back with the legendary sword in hand. You looked at the weapon and then raised your eyes to stare at him.
The boy, filled with excitement and confidence rolled his arm around, staring at the Lizalfos with a smirk. "If you don't mind, yes," he nodded, sparing you a glance.
You shook your head. "Just be careful. There's a lot of them," you pointed out. You counted about eight Lizalfos and even though Link had incredible skills, attacking so many at once could be overwhelming.
"I will," he assured with a nod. He sent you a cheeky smile and a wink before crouching down. Slowly, he made his way toward the open field, using the tall grass to hide. He carefully moved past many twigs and stones, making little to no noise. His stealth skill, over the months, had gotten better and the fact that he made his way toward the monster camp unnoticed proved it. Still, he didn't let this go to his head.
Though the Lizalfos would occasionally scout the area, they never once saw Link's head bobbing through the tall green grass. The creatures, unaware of the hero's presence, redirected their attention to the lit fire, and the delicious meat that was being cooked.
Link peeked through the dancing grass and grinned mischievously. Even though their backs faced him, he didn't pounce immediately. Instead, he waited until he felt the power of the sword reach every part of his body. The weapon wasn't at its full potential, no, but he figured he could still defeat the monsters with the power that flowed through him.
Taking a deep breath, Link gripped the handle of his sword and finally jumped out of his hiding spot. The Lizalfo he lunged toward spun around, startled by the sudden noise. It looked at Link blankly, but before it had time to process what was going on, Link drove his sword down to its head. The kill caused the other monsters to jump from the ground and all of them now stared at Link with hungry eyes.
Link drew his sword out the Lizalfos skull and pulled out his shield, smirking when the remaining creatures snarled at him. Wasting no time, he charged toward another monster, letting out a battle cry. The creature growled and raised its wooden shield, blocking the Hylian's strike, but the boy only chuckled. Using his foot, he kicked the Lizalfo back and in the monsters unbalanced moment, he pierced its exposed chest.
Two down, he thought, quickly looking over his shoulder when he heard angry growls. The monsters charged all at once, wanting to overwhelm him. Link only grinned at the challenge and swiftly pulled his sword out the dead creature's body, holding out his shield.
One of the Lizalfos sprung into the air, driving its spear down at Link. The boy counted mentally and then moved his shield over his head, parrying the attack. Ignoring the monster that now tumbled onto the floor, Link focused on the lunging Lizalfos. He thrusted his sword up and over his shoulder when another tried to attack by leaping into the air, but he made sure to protect his body with his shield. The sword successfully cut deep inside the leaping Lizalfo and the moment he saw its body turn a purple colour he moved the weapon down.
Another Lizalfo now shot its deadly acid at him. Luckily, Link was able to protect himself from the acid, but his shield suffered the consequences. The acid chewed through his metal shield, inching closer to Link's skin, but he reacted quickly. He dropped the shield, watching as the acid dissolved it easily before forcing his attention to the attacking monsters. Placing his sword in a hanging right position, he was able to block one of the Lizalfos strikes.
He growled and pushed the monster away, whipping his head around when he heard a sword's whooshing sound. Link jumped back, avoiding a Lizalfos blade perfectly. Time suddenly slowed and when Link's boots touched the ground, he sprinted toward the creature and swung his sword, killing it in mere seconds. As the monster disappeared in a puff of smoke, the boy quickly looked around him to see how many Lizalfos were left.
"Five," he mumbled, time going back to normal. Their snarls and cries grew louder as three surrounded him, while the other two worked on getting more weapons. Link breathed heavily as his eyes flickered from one side to the other. As they got closer, an idea popped into his mind. He waited for them to strike first and when they finally lifted their weapons he activated Daruk's Protection.
The impenetrable barrier circled Link instantly, but when the Lizalfos spears and swords touched the surface, part of it cracked. Still, the attack sent the monsters flying back, which was what he wanted. Their fall momentarily shocked them and that was all Link needed to defeat them one by one. He moved around quickly, slashing his sword clean into every one of them until two Lizalfos were left alive.
Sweat began to trickle down his temple and neck. But despite the uncomfortable feeling, the boy sprang into action once again. Link seemed to be in a trance as his body did a series of intricate movements. He parried every attack, ducked every weapon, and managed to swing his double-edged sword around, weakening the enemy. His actions came to him naturally, and at some point during the fight, he did everything thoughtlessly. His body needed no guidance whatsoever.
Eventually, the last Lizalfo vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a ghastly scent, but Link could care less about the smell. He looked around him, observing every fallen weapon on the ground as he worked on controlling his breath. There was a grin on his face and it seemed to display how proud he felt in that moment. His head flickered up when he heard you jogging toward him. "Did you see that?" He asked you with a boyish smile.
You sighed through your nose when you reached the boy with a dry cloth in hand. "I did," you said as you took another step toward him. You gently tapped the cloth against his glistening skin, soaking up every bit of sweat on his flushed face. When you were done, you moved your hand down and stared up at his fiery eyes. "You managed to kill them off, but you broke your shield in the process."
Link's smile and gleam began to turn into a sheepish one. He rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling somewhat nervously. "True... but it wasn't my fault. If the Lizalfo hadn't spewed acid at me, I would still have my shield," he explained. "Still, I did pretty well without it! And, I got to test out my sword against monsters."
You hummed and placed the damp piece of cloth over your satchel. "Yes, that's true," you looked at certain remains the Lizalfos left behind before vanishing in smoke. "Well, at least you didn't get injured or anything." You directed your soft eyes to him again. "But we need to get you another shield. Without it, you can get hurt in battle."
"I have Daruk's Protection."
"You can't depend on that, Link. After three hits the power needs to regenerate, and that takes a while," you grabbed his hand and led him out the field and toward the trees. "Do you think there's a place around here that sells shields?"
Link, using his free hand, reached for his Sheikah Slate and furrowed his eyebrows. Not wanting to let go of your hand, he leaned forward and used his nose to press a few buttons on the screen, grinning happily when the map appeared. He looked for the section you and him were currently in and when he saw the white arrow on the screen he hummed. "Well according to the map, we're a few miles away from another village," he mentioned, examining the map intently. "Maybe there's a shop there that sells them?"
You peeked at the screen and pondered. "Maybe. How long will it take us to get there?"
"Hmm, not long," Link said. "We just have to follow this path that goes south." He gestured at the screen, studying the trail before hooking the slate to his belt.
You moved your hand from his and skipped toward Zephyr. "Then let's get going. The faster we get you another shield the faster we can resume our journey," you stated, mounting your horse quickly. You grabbed her reins and glanced at Link, who stared at you with a tiny smile. "Are you just going to stand there?" You grinned, waiting for him to react.
Link shook his head, snapping out of the small daze he was momentarily in. "Ah, sorry," he faced the ground to hide his pink cheeks. He turned on his feel, mentally slapping himself for staring as he jogged to Epona. Once he reached her he placed his left foot on the stirrup and hoisted himself up. "Want me to lead?" He asked, getting comfortable in the saddle. He raised his head to look at you, waiting for your response.
"You always lead," you said, lightly tapping Zephyr's sides. She responded by trotting slowly.
Link laughed and kicked Epona gently. "Okay then, you lead," he smiled and grabbed his Sheikah Slate. "I'll tell you when we're nearing the village."
You nodded happily and faced the dirt path. You gave Zephyr another gentle tap to have her move at a more reasonable pace. As she trotted a bit faster, you glanced around again. The trees that sat on each side of the road started to become thinner as you entered another open region. Warm sunlight bathed the green area beautifully, and a gentle breeze accompanied the lovely scenery. You smiled, feeling goosebumps rise under your thin tunic as the soft wind brushed past you pleasantly.
The trail you travelled on started to curve around hills, but you didn't have to direct Zephyr around them. Your horse knew to follow the trail, and this allowed you to continue admiring the breathtaking area.
After fifteen minutes of silence and trotting through the many hills and grass fields, Link spoke his thoughts. "It's a really pretty day today." He looked from one side to the other, smiling before glancing at you. "Kinda wish we didn't have to spend the day travelling and all."
You looked at him and snickered. "Oh really? What would you rather be doing?"
Link looked ahead and parted his lips to respond, but he paused when he heard someone shout something. He raised an eyebrow and sat a bit more straight in his seat. The shout was by no means one of distress. It sounded like a selling type of shout. Link glanced at you, as if to make sure you heard the noise as well. "You hear that, right?"
You nodded and kicked Zephyr's sides. The two of you weren't close enough to understand the shouting, but as the horses continued trotting down the dirt trail, the noise started to become more clear. The trail, once again, curved behind another hill, and when your horse travelled around it, you caught sight of a few other travellers standing under a large tree. You arched an eyebrow, pulling back on Zephyr's reins so she could slow down.
The man that shouted continued saying things like, "Best shields for shield-surfing," and, "Shields were made to be surfed on!"
"What's... shield-surfing?" Link questioned when he heard the man.
"I don't know, but he's selling shields, look." You pointed with your finger to the amount of shields the man had stacked around him. Many were wooden ones, but you noticed a few metal ones lying around. The travellers there purchased one after the other, and each of them made their way to the top of the hills. You weren't sure what they were doing, but you didn't question it. "Let's go buy you one," you said, stopping Zephyr. The horse snorted and pawed the ground as you slipped off with ease. You fixed the hem of your tunic and looked up at Link, who was dismounting his horse as well.
"Can we find out what shield-surfing is though?" He asked, hopping onto the ground. "It sounds like fun."
You snickered and grabbed his hand, dragging him toward the man that sold shields. "Alright," you said, weaving past many chattering travellers that examined their new wooden shields. You looked to your right, observing a few teens that laughed and hurried up a steep hill with a shield in hand. Curiosity began to bloom inside of you, but your attention was then pulled toward the exclaiming man that directed his voice at Link and you.
"Hey! I've never seen you folks around these parts. Are you both here to have some shield-surfing action?" The man cheered, talking with so much excitement.
Link and you simultaneously glanced at one another before speaking up at the same time. "What's shield-surfing?"
"You two don't know what that is?!" He questioned, as if everyone should know what it was. He clicked his tongue and moved to the side, landing his gaze on another large tree that rested atop a hill. "If you guys want to know, go speak with my best bud, Russ. He's by that tree over there, teaching beginners how to shield-surf and all that stuff."
"Oh, that won't be necessary," you shook your head. "We only came to get a shield."
"Ah, alright then. Which one would you like?" The man stepped back, giving you a better view of the variety of shields he sold. Many you had seen before, but there was one that caught your eye. The shield was beautifully decorated, with silver lining edges and lovely red and blue colouring painted across the shield. And in the top centre, three triangles were forming an even bigger triangle. The peculiar design made you tilt your head. It was identical to the triangles engraved in Link's legendary sword.
"That one right there," you pointed to the captivating shield. "How much is it?"
The man followed your gaze and chuckled to himself. "3,000 rupees ma'am."
Your jaw drop. "I'm sorry, what? So much for a simple shield?!"
"Oh, this shield isn't simple, no. This shield, according to legend, has been passed down through the Hyrulean royal family," he explained, leaning to the side to grab the shield. The sun reflected off the smooth metal, giving the object a mesmerising glow. "And some say it was wielded by a legendary hero."
You blinked. That explains the triangles on it and the ones on the Master Sword's handle, you thought as you glanced at Link, who was staring at the shield with fascinated eyes. You pursed your lips, flickering your eyes between the more normal-looking shields before glancing back at the man. "Is the durability good?"
"It's fantastic," the man nodded. "In fact, the defensive capabilities outshine the other shields here. But sadly, no one can afford it." The man, assuming you wouldn't be able to hand him the money needed, started to place the unused shield on the floor. However, the sound of your clearing throat caused him to pause and look at you.
"I can afford it." You grabbed your pouch of rupees and began to take out the golden coloured ones you had. Once you had the exact amount, you closed your pouch and held the rupees on the palm of your hand.
The man, shocked, stared down at your hands and hesitated. "You... have the money?"
"Yes," you said plainly. "Can I have the shield now?"
He nodded frantically and grabbed the rupees from your hand. A large grin sat on his thin lips as he stashed it away in a small bag before handing you the Hylian shield. "Here you go," he beamed.
"Thank you," you bowed your head and took a few steps away from the man, letting other interested travellers make their purchase. You hummed and ran your fingers over the lifted triangles of the shield before holding it out with your two hands. "Here."
Link looked down at the shield and half-smiled. "You know you didn't have to get me this one, right? It was pretty expensive..." His voice trailed off as he took the shield from your hold. He bit his bottom lip, studying the unique object.
"I know, but this shield fits you perfectly," you smiled, watching as Link strapped the shield onto his arm.
"Feels nice," he mumbled, his mesmerising eyes going over every little detail of the shield. He glanced up at you, showing you his pearly white teeth as he smiled. "I love it (N/n), thank you."
"You're welcome. Now, let's get going, yes?"
Link removed the strap from his arm and shook his head. "Wait, not yet! I want to know more about this 'shield-surfing' thing," he quoted with his fingers.
"Oh," you scratched the side of your head. "Okay. The guy mentioned his friend was teaching beginners on top of that hill, right?"
"Yep," Link popped the 'p'.
"Alright, let's go to him then," you shrugged and started walking toward the hill.
Link smiled, hooked his new shield to the belt on his back and hurried to your side. His mind wandered as he tried to understand what shield-surfing could be. He pondered on this as he began hiking up the somewhat steep hill. It didn't take long to reach the top, but he did feel a bit of soreness in his legs.
"That must be him." You pointed to a strawberry blonde male that sat under a tree. You slowly walked over to the boy, who seemed to be resting, and hummed in thought. "Uh, excuse me?" You moved strands of your hair behind your ears. "I don't mean to be a bother, but are you Russ?"
The male slowly opened his eyes and frowned. He sat up a bit more, yawning as he came back to his senses before looking over at you. His eyes widened when he saw your face and in an instant he found himself fumbling off the ground. "Ah, yes. That would be me," he chuckled a bit nervously, brushing off the grass from his trousers. "And you are?"
"(Y/n). And this is my partner Link," you gestured toward Link with a soft smile and then looked back at Russ. "Your friend told us you teach shield-surfing."
"That's right, I do. Have you ever done it before?"
"I'm afraid not. I don't even know what shield-surfing is," you snickered.
"Oh," Russ smiled. "It's a pretty easy thing. You just place your shield on the floor, get on it and then slide down the hill."
"That doesn't sound easy," you grimaced.
"Yeah... But when you do it you see how easy it is," Russ chuckled. "If you slide down west from here, it's a smooth ride for beginners."
You faced west and then glanced at Link. "You wanna try?"
"Heck yeah," he grinned goofily and quickly walked toward the edge of the hill. He looked down, seeing many patches of grass squished from precious shield-surfing attempts. "So I have to get on my shield, right?" Link looked behind him, making eye contact with Russ.
"Yeah. The tricky part is keeping your balance when you're sliding down," Russ cautioned, walking a tad closer to Link. "It takes a bit of practice, but after a while, you get the hang of it."
"Hmm, alright. Thanks for the information," Link nodded and moved to grab his Hylian shield. Once it was in his hand he leaned to place it on the ground, but at that moment his eyes flickered up to look at you. "What?" He asked when he noticed the look you gave him.
"Are you really going to use the new shield?" You scoffed, going over to his side.
"Uh, yeah?" He snickered. "Why?"
"You're going to damage it."
"No, I'm not. The guy you bought it from said it has amazing durability, right? So a little shield-surfing won't harm it," he smirked and placed the shield on the ground.
"Ok yes, but why scratch it up now," you placed your hands on your hips.
"(Y/n), shields are made to be used, are they not?" He got onto the shield, moving his boots under the leather straps that usually went around the arm. He held out his arms, hoping to gain some balance before sliding down.
You chewed on your bottom lip and looked down the hill. "Okay... just be careful," you muttered.
"I'm always careful," Link chuckled and awkwardly shuffled the shield closer to the edge of the hill. A few rocks poked out the ground, but he figured he would be able to avoid them. He glanced at you, smiling cheekily before putting all his weight forward. The shield started to tilt forward and for a few moments, everything was alright... until it finally slid down.
The movement caught Link off guard, which resulted in him yelping and bending his knees in order to keep some type of balance. He didn't exactly expect this to be such a difficult thing, but when he tried to manoeuvre the head of the shield in another direction, he accidentally leaned too much to the right and ended up losing his balance. He shifted from side to side, trying to stay on the shield. Adrenaline began coursing through him as he picked up speed, feeling the wind whip through his hair and clothes.
There was a thrilled smile making its way onto his lips when he noticed the end of the hill nearing; however, he was so focused on his boots and keeping them under the shields strap that he didn't see the rock lying just ahead.
"Link!" You yelled, catching sight of the rock before him. "Slide to the right!"
Link raised an eyebrow and finally looked up. His eyes widened when he saw the rock, so he quickly tried directing the shield to the right, but the hasty motion caused his boot to slip out the strap. The boy fell forward, luckily avoiding the rock, but he wasn't able to stop himself from rolling down the hill. He winced each time his body turned, though he tried to stay as stiff as possible to minimise injuries.
You gasped and quickly rushed down the hill, jumping over any rock that popped out the ground to get to him faster. When you saw him finally stop rolling you let out a sigh of relief and jogged to his side before kneeling next to him. "Dear Hylia, are you alright?" You asked with worried eyes. You held his head in your hands as you scanned his face for any scratches or cuts.
Link groaned and pressed his eyes closed. "Yeah, I'm fine," he mumbled, scrunching his face as shifted to the side a bit. "Where's my shield?"
You looked up, spotting the Hylian shield scattered to the left. "Over there," you gestured toward it as you removed your hands from his cheeks. You glanced back at him and shook your head. "You should've paid attention to where you were going."
"Well it was hard to do that while making sure my boots stayed under the strap," Link retorted, finally opening his eyes to look up at you. He smiled, finding you pretty as your hair whipped wildly with the wind. "But you're right, I guess I should've tried." He used his elbows to pick himself up slightly and gazed at you. "Still, it was fun."
You smiled and ruffled his hair. "Hmm, now that you tried it, can we get going? We should cover as many leagues as possible while the sun is still out."
"It's gonna get dark in like an hour or so though."
"And?"
"Well, I think we should still head to that village we were going to. It's on the path toward Gerudo Town so we'll pass by it either way," he shrugged and slowly got up from the ground. He brushed grass and dirt off his trousers and tunic before jogging over to his shield. He picked it up and examined it, grinning when he saw no scratches.
"Oh. Does the village have an inn to stay at?" You asked, standing as well.
"I'm sure it does." Link turned to look at you as he hooked his shield to the belt on his back.
"Okay. How far away are we from the village?"
Link hesitated and grabbed his slate. He pressed a few things and then hummed. "Actually... the map says we're just a few minutes away." He pursed his lips and looked up. "We have to continue down the path over there and we'll reach it."
You nodded and went to his side. "Let's get the horses and then go."
He smiled and interlocked his arm with yours. "Okay," he chirped before dragging you toward the horses that waited for you two patiently.
•••
Link gaped at the wooden structures he passed by. After arriving at the village, he couldn't help but look around the beautifully decorated area. Each structure, home or store, had nice green banners hanging on the side of the doors. The roads of the village were made of stone, giving it an elegant look. Lovely flowers were either planted in specific parts or wrapping around large wooden poles in a vine-like manner. And in the centre of the village was a large fountain with a statue of Goddess Hylia in the middle. The region, to put it simply, looked very fairytale-like.
Link smiled to himself as his eyes then landed on a small shop that had a banner with a tunic sewn on it. "That must be a clothing shop," he said, gesturing at the store with his hand. He then looked at you happily. "We should go check out what they have."
You snickered and glanced at him. "You can go if you want," you said as you slowed Zephyr a bit more. "I'll head to the inn and get us a room."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Do you have rupees?"
"Yes," he nodded. "I'll try not to waste them all."
You giggled and glanced back at the wide path that led to the inn. "Okay, I'll see you in a bit." You kicked Zephyr's sides gently and sent Link a small wave before leading your horse over a bridge that was built above a tiny river. The inn you neared was adorned with vines that fell down wooden walls. This made the structure have a nice cottage type look (though it was much bigger than that). There was a horse pen just beside the inn, so you directed Zephyr toward it.
As you reached the pen, you pulled back on your horse's reins until she came to a stop. You then dismounted her and led her into the empty pen. "Look girl, there's hay for you," you pointed out, tying her reins to a pole. You looked at her and patted her neck. "Try to rest Zephyr."
You smiled at your horse and then walked out of the pen. The sky was already darkening, but the lamps of the village helped you see your surroundings easily. Quickly, you jogged toward the entrance of the inn and entered.
A lady that worked in the inn raised her head when she heard someone walk in. She offered a welcoming smile when she saw you and opened her arms. "Hello there," she said as leaned over the counter she stood behind. "Will you be staying with us tonight?"
"Uh, hi," you smiled back and walked toward the counter. "Yes just for tonight. Do you have a room with two beds available?"
"Yes we do miss," the lady nodded after checking a small book she had in her hand. "That'll be forty rupees."
You nodded and handed her the exact amount before taking a step back from the counter.
"Alright, the room will be up the stairs and first door to your left."
"Okay... oh. My partner, Link, will be coming in a bit. Could you possibly tell him which room I'm in?"
"Of course," the lady smiled nicely and bowed her head once. "Enjoy your stay miss."
"Thank you." You turned on your heel and walked toward the stairs. It didn't take long to reach the top and once you did you headed toward your room. You opened the door and went inside the neat room. There was one bed against the far end of the room, and another beside a large arched window. It was nicely adorned, which made you smile as you choose the bed at the end of the room. You began to place your things down on the bed until the weight of weapons and shields were off your shoulders.
You rolled your arm around, humming at the light feeling you now felt before plopping down on the bed. The sound of crickets singing filled the room as you laid on the bed, groaning as you stretched out. It felt good to be on a mattress once again, though your back was not at all used to it. You fumbled around, finding a comfortable position to sleep in. You figured Link would take his sweet time, so with that mindset, you closed your eyes and let sleep wash over you.
However, just as you entered a fatigued state, your dear friend Link decided to barge into the quiet room shouting, "Look what I got!"
You jerked awake, feeling your heart race at the sudden noise.
"Oh, sorry. Did I wake you?" Link asked in a hushed tone now.
You grumbled and rubbed your eyes. "No duh," you muttered, turning a bit so your feet touched the ground. You sighed, waiting for yourself to wake up a bit more before speaking. "What did you get?"
The boy smiled wildly and skipped toward you. He then got on his knees and handed you a worn-out fabric bag. "Look," he said, his eyes shimmering in a delighted manner.
You raised an eyebrow and hesitantly grabbed the bag. You smiled a bit and peered inside. The attire wasn't too visible, but once you took it out the bag you were able to admire the beautiful blue colouring. "A... dress?" You placed the fabric bag to the side and held out the long-sleeved dress with both of your hands.
"Yeah, I couldn't find anything for me so I decided to get you something," he beamed.
"Why?" You asked with a small giggle. You placed the garment on your lap and looked up at him.
"Well, first of all, you always get me stuff and second, I think you'd look nice in it," he spoke a bit sheepishly.
You blushed and ran your fingers over the incredibly soft fabric. "Thank you," you smiled, flickering your eyes between the dress and him.
"You're welcome," he smiled back. "You should wear it tomorrow!"
"Tomorrow?"
"Yeah, the lady that owns the clothing shop was telling me about this festival the village is having tomorrow. So I was thinking we could stay and have a bit of fun. She said there would be music, dancing, food, and all that stuff."
"Isn't getting to Gerudo Town more important than having fun?" You tilted your head with a tiny grin on your lips.
"Well... yeah. But I think we deserve a small break from travelling so much, don't you think?" Link reasoned, looking at you with a hopeful gleam. "So can we stay?"
You looked into his sparkling blue eyes and smiled. You couldn't say no to him, not when he displayed such excitement and hopefulness. "Oh fine," you said, playfully shoving him. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to stay for the festival."
Link grinned boyishly. "It'll be fun," he chuckled, nudging you.
You copied his grin and shuffled back, stopping once your back was against the bed frame. Your stretched your arms over your head and yawned. "I'm sure it will be. Hmm, can we go to sleep already? I'm tired," you said as you slipped under the covers of the bed.
Link nodded and stood up. He glanced over his shoulder, pouting when he saw how far away his bed was from yours. The boy had gotten used to sleeping beside you, but when he looked back at you and saw how comfortable you appeared, he decided to stay quiet about it. "Goodnight (Y/n)," he smiled, observing you for a few seconds more before walking to his lonely bed.
"Night," you mumbled, feeling your eyelids get droopy as soon as you hugged the covers close to you. You yawned once more and in mere seconds, you were asleep.
Link, on the other hand, stayed wide awake. He didn't feel tired at all, even as he laid on the comfortable bed. He sighed, paying attention to the crickets singing and your soft breathing. A smile spread across his face as he started to focus on you. He shifted around until he was laying on his side, with his cheek resting on the palm of his hand. Though you slept farther away, he could still see your shadowed figure sleeping soundly. There was an adoring look going on in his eyes as the light of the pale moon flooded the room.
The moons gentle light reached your bed, giving your resting face a different kind of glow. Link exhaled, finding you absolutely beautiful at that moment. His heart unknowingly fluttered as he stared at your delicate figure until finally, weariness washed over him. He yawned, getting into a comfortable position before closing his eyes. And the first thing that came into his mind as he drifted off into a deep sleep was you.
•••
Link raised an eyebrow as he looked around the blurry region. He sat atop a hill, and as he scanned the area, he caught sight of you running up the hill, laughing happily with flowers in your hand. His heart rejoiced at the simple sight of you, and he quickly got on his feet. Eagerly, he jogged to meet you as you reached the top of the tall hill.
"I've been looking everywhere for you!" You exclaimed, your voice sending pleasant chills down the boy's neck. You giggled and stood dangerously close to him, lifting the flowers in your hand so he could see. "Look, I found a few Silent Princess."
Link didn't glance down at the flowers. No, his eyes were glued on you. Your hair fell perfectly over your face, and when you looked up to gaze at him, he admired your (e/c) eyes. "They're beautiful," he said, even though he hadn't seen the flowers.
"I know. Apparently, they're a very rare flower," you hummed, your eyes gazing back down to the blue flowers. You stroked the petals delicately and then stared up at Link. "Want to help me look for some more?"
"Uh, yeah," Link nodded, shaking his head to get out of the trance he was in. He smiled shyly and took one of your hands. The warmth that radiated from your soft hand made goosebumps appear on his skin as he led you down the hill.
"Oh look! There's one!" You gasped when you saw a blue flower ahead. It looked darker than the ones you held in your left hand, but you decided to check and see either way. You tugged Link, walking down the hill at a much faster pace.
Unfortunately, the change in pace caught Link off guard, causing him to trip over a small rock and tumble down the hill, bringing you with him. The world around him rocked as he rolled down the hill and it stopped once he landed on a bed of grass. He was about to ask if you were alright, but when he heard you laughing he laughed as well.
You couldn't stop your laughter as you crawled toward Link. "That was fun," you said joyously, your leg going over Link's torso until you sat casually on his lap.
Link snickered and sat up with occasional chuckles. "Oh very," he grinned, raising his hands to brush them through your hair. He smiled happily, his eyes examining every inch of you before speaking up again. "You're not hurt, right?"
You shook your head, placing your arms on his shoulders. "No, you?" You asked, looking at him with a different kind of look.
The emotion in your eyes was one Link had never seen before. Love? He hummed, his hands slowly trailing down your body, stopping when he reached your waist. "Nope," he smiled as he slowly pulled you closer. Link made steady eye contact with you until his eyes flickered down to your lips. Taking a deep breath, he leaned forward, his eyes constantly flickering up to look at you. A grin then graced his lips when he saw you leaning in as well.
He closed his eyes when he felt your lips brush against his and he stayed still for a few seconds before finally kissing you.
•••
Link's eyes shot open. His heart was beating quickly while heat rushed to his cheeks. He stared at the ceiling wide-eyed as the dream that he thought was real, played over and over in his head. I kissed her, he thought repeatedly, but he reminded himself it was simply a dream. He gradually sat up from his bed, ignoring the soreness he felt on his back. His eyebrows knitted as looked around the room. Almost immediately he noticed you weren't there, but he was too stunned to even wonder where you were.
He fumbled out of the bed, hesitating as he slipped into his boots. His fluttering heart began to simmer down, and the heat in his cheeks was slowly going away. He had never experienced that warm feeling, yet there was something about it that he liked.
"(Y/n)?" Link called your name as he finally stood from his bed. Your belongings weren't by your bed, so he assumed you had woken up before him and left. He pursed his lips and quickly bent over to pick up all of his things before leaving the room.
He slowly walked down the stairs, hooking his slate to his belt and the Hylian shield on his back. Once he reached the first floor, Link strolled toward the counter and cleared his throat. "Excuse me," he waved his hand to catch a ladies attention. "Do you know where my partner went?"
The lady raised her head and nodded. "Ah, yes. I believe she left earlier this morning to look around the village," she answered sweetly.
"Oh, okay. Thank you." Link bowed his head respectfully and walked toward the exit. Once he stepped outside he sucked air between his teeth and raised a hand over his eyes to block the bright sun. His eyesight slowly adjusted to the brightness and when they did, he took notice of the many stands that stood just outside of a few shops. The stands were filled with meals, fruits, vegetables, and many other things that could catch someone's attention in an instant.
Chattering noises filled Link's ears as he looked around. There hadn't been many people in the village the day before, but now the paths were filled with many travellers and residents. Children ran around the people blissfully, and in order to avoid bumping into them, Link stayed at the edge of the path.
He continued walking down the edge, though he had no idea where to go. His eyes darted from one place to another as he searched for you, but he stopped when he heard the sound of instruments being played. Link raised an eyebrow and went toward the sound, avoiding many people that bought several things from stands.
The music got louder as he walked, and soon enough he spotted a set of people playing songs in the centre of the village, by the large fountain. Those that listened to the pleasing music formed a large circle and as Link got closer, he saw a few people dancing inside. The people's movements went perfectly with the song that played and the people that watched clapped their hands with the music's rhythm.
Link smiled to himself as he watched kids, teens, and adults dance around in pure happiness. When the song slowly came to an end, those watching cheered and began to disperse. It was then that he caught a glimpse of you at the other side of the circle. His heart rate quickened when he saw you, and he felt his cheeks heat up when he noticed you wearing the blue dress.
You clapped your hands, snickering as people took a break from dancing before doing it once again. You looked around the cheerful plaza and pretty soon your eyes landed on a staring Link. You smiled wide and quickly made your way past many people until you reached him. "Hey, you're awake," you giggled, moving a strand of your hair behind your ear.
Link blinked a few times before responding. "Oh, um yeah," he said, feeling nervous as he spoke to you. He smiled a bit shyly and rubbed the back of his neck. "How long was I asleep?"
You hummed in thought. "A few hours I think? I was going to wake you up in the morning, but you looked so peaceful," you grinned. "So I decided to look around the festival on my own."
Link nodded and then looked down at your body, or well, the dress you wore. "You look pretty," he acknowledged, admiring how alluring you appeared. He glanced back up and looked into your eyes. "You should wear dresses more often."
You smiled sheepishly and shook your head. "Trousers and tunics are far more comfortable," you laughed softly, looking down at the long dress you wore. Sure, it fit nicely and the fabric didn't bother your skin, but it felt somewhat strange.
The Hylian boy chuckled at your words and looked to his right. He noticed the musicians preparing their instruments for another song and hummed. "Looks like people are preparing to dance again," he pointed out, watching as many travellers and those that lived in the village partnered with one another.
You followed his gaze and nodded. "Yeah, they've been dancing since the morning," you smiled. "It looks like fun."
Link glimpsed at you momentarily when he heard a hinting tone in your voice. "Have you danced with anyone?"
"No. Some boys have asked me to be their partner in a song, but I turn them down because I don't really know how to dance," you admitted a bit embarrassedly.
Link bit his bottom lip and watched as the musicians tested their instruments before beginning. "I don't either, but it doesn't look too hard," he said, glancing at you again. He took a deep breath and offered his hand. "Want to try?"
Your eyes flickered from his hand to his smiling face. "Are you serious?"
"Yes," he nodded, his eyes crinkling as he smiled more. "Come on. It'll be fun."
"What if we embarrass ourselves?"
"Who cares? The important thing is to enjoy yourself, right?"
You glanced at his hand once more and exhaled through your nose. "I suppose," you said, finally taking his hand. "I want to apologise in advance if I step on you though."
Link rolled his eyes playfully and pulled you into the circle where many people waited for the song to begin with anticipation. He studied how the men held the women in their arms, so when he stopped he faced you and grinned. "If you do," he began to say, his right arm snaking around your waist while he held your palm with his other hand, "that's fine. I'm sure I'll make a few mistakes as well."
The sudden closeness made your cheeks burn, but you reminded yourself it was simply the way everyone else danced. Having seen the way women positioned themselves, you hummed and carefully placed your left hand on Link's shoulder delicately. "Well, that's good to know," you laughed quietly.
Link laughed as well, but he stopped when the gentle song began to play. He checked to see what the other people did and after a few seconds, he nodded. He began to sway around with you slowly, wanting to copy the music's soft pace. It seemed fairly easy at first, but suddenly, the mellow song transitioned into one with more beat and rhythm.
You looked at the other dancing people, wanting to see how they danced to the song, but you didn't fully understand their movements.
"(Y/n)," Link snickered, holding you a tad closer. "Stop looking at everyone else."
"I have to see how they dance," you whispered, going a bit wide-eyed when you saw a couple's graceful, yet intricate movement.
Link clicked his tongue and lifted your chin gently, having you face him. "No, you don't. Just enjoy yourself," he reminded you. He smiled and held your hand once again before twirling you around. It was a different movement compared to everyone else, but he didn't care. At that moment, the only thing he was focused on was you and the music in the background.
You let out a tiny squeak as he twirled you around, causing the hem of your dress to lift. The action made you smile and when he pulled you into his arms again you looked up at him with a glowing face.
The boy grinned and started to dance around with you, following no pattern whatsoever. And yet, the random movements matched harmoniously with the music that played. Link chuckled, entering a euphoric state as he held both of your hands. The two of you started to twirl around childishly as a series of laughter and giggles escaped your mouths.
At this point, Link and you didn't care if others watched the out of control dancing you both displayed. The two of you were simply focused on each other. As the music started to slow down once again, Link gently moved you closer so he could hold you with one arm while the other held your hand. He looked down at you, smiling blissfully when he saw the lovely expression on your face. His eyes then flickered to your lips and as the dance came to an end, he couldn't help but remember his dream and the kiss you had both shared.