"Do you want me to start the fire?" Link asked as he strolled toward the trees the two of you would set your beds between. He intertwined your fingers, glancing at you with a boyish grin while waiting for your reply. He saw this as an opportunity to admire your red cheeks, which made him realise how hot his cheeks felt as well. With his free hand, he lifted it to the spot you had kissed him on and smiled to himself, turning away to hide the flustered look that came over his features. Sure, you had kissed his forehead before, but you had never kissed his cheek, and something about that made a funny feeling enter his chest.
"Yes," you replied after a few silent seconds. You were still processing your sudden realisation of liking Link, though it seemed impossible to do this as the boy rubbed your hand with his thumb. Suddenly, holding hands seemed like the most heart-warming thing ever, and your heart swooned at the physical contact. You embraced the butterflies that fluttered in your stomach as the two of you walked under the moon's pale moonlight. "I'll set up the beds."
Link smiled when you responded and hummed as an answer. Once the two of you reached the trees, he reluctantly pulled his hand away from yours and began to search for a few branches to start the fire with. It didn't take him long to gather the things, and as he walked back toward you, he saw you getting the blankets and quilts from the horse's saddlebags. "Need any help?" He asked, seeing you struggle.
"I got it," you said, peeking over the quilt's and blanket's to look at him. You sent him a toothy smile, though he wasn't able to see it.
The boy laughed and dropped the branches and wood on the floor before jogging toward you. "No, you don't," he replied, taking the things from your hands. He stared down at you, smiling when you both made eye contact.
You rolled your eyes playfully and moved past him, stopping where he had dropped the wood. You knelt and started to fix up your bed, placing the blanket as your cushion first before draping your quilt over it. You then stood and skipped toward Link to take the things from his hands. "Where do you want me to set yours?"
"Next to your bed," he said, going over to the branches that were on the floor. He crouched and stuffed his hand into his pouch, searching for a piece of flint.
You nodded and began fixing the next bed as Link started the fire. After a few minutes, you stood up and glanced to the left, seeing Link strike the wood and flint with his sword. Sparks flew and within seconds, hot ribbons of fire danced high. You smiled, immediately feeling it's warmth as it stretched across the wood. You hummed and flickered your attention to Link, who now walked over to Zephyr and Epona. "What are you doing?" You asked, placing a hand on your hip.
Link, after having searched Zephyr's saddlebags for a bit, closed the flap and jogged back to your with a tiny basket of fruit in his hands. "Getting something for us to eat," he beamed, smiling brightly as he took his place on his bed. He gazed up at you before tugging you down beside him.
You snickered and positioned yourself comfortably beside him. "These are my fruits you know," you said, taking a berry from the basket.
"Well, sharing is caring," he responded, grabbing a piece of fruit from the tiny basket. He chuckled when you playfully hit his arm, to which he nudged you back gently.
You shook your head and looked back at the glowing embers that leapt and twirled, giving gleeful light to the area around you. You sighed out softly, shivering just a bit when a sudden gust of air blew past the two of you, weaving the fire to the right. "So," you began, filling the crackling sounds of the fire, "how far away is Gerudo Town from here?" You looked at Link and waited for his answer.
"Without the map of that region, I can't say," Link replied, pulling his eyes away from the fire and directing them to you. "But when I was studying the map earlier, it showed that we have to go down this bridge called the Digdogg Suspension Bridge."
"Digdogg Suspension Bridge?" You questioned, snickering a bit at the end of your words. "Funny name."
Link chuckled and shrugged. "It is. But anyway, the bridge is the only way to get to the Gerudo Canyon Pass, which I assume leads to Gerudo Town."
"You assume," you said, stressing his word. "We could very easily get lost, Link."
"True... but I'm sure we won't," Link remained optimistic and smiled. The boy turned around and plopped another piece of fruit into his mouth, taking the time to study the flames that danced.
"Hmph, we better not," you mumbled, leaning forward to grab another berry. After stuffing the fruit in your mouth, you leaned back and brought your hands to your tied hair, which you worked on untying. Letting it fall loose, you played with it a bit, twirling it around your finger as you stared at the fire, completely overlooking Link, who gazed at you. It was only until the boy slowly took your hand that you realised that his eyes were on you. His action drew you out of your thoughts, and when you met his sparkling blue eyes you smiled. "What?"
Your voice came out soft, and somewhat hesitant. After all, the sweet look he displayed and the gorgeous smile that was spreading on his lips was enough to make your heart race and your mind lose itself. Thoughtlessly, you gently ran your fingers over his and flickered your attention from one of his striking facial features to another.
"I, uh," Link parted his lips to speak, but he found it difficult to do so. At that moment, with the moon's light flooding from above and the hue of the fire enhancing your features, he found you absolutely breathtaking. A long shiver ran down his spine as you stroked his fingers, only to be followed by a warm sensation that built over his chest. Unintentionally, he looked down at your lips and gulped. They looked so inviting, and the dream he had of kissing you rocked in his mind as he studied their shape and colour. "You look pretty with your hair down." His gaze flickered back up to stare into your bright eyes.
Your cheeks turned red at the compliment. With a fast-beating heart you let out an airy giggle and looked down, in an attempt to hide your cheeks. Before, a comment like this would simply make you smile and blush, but this time, you couldn't help but swoon. "Thank you," you said gently, peeking up to look at Link. You smiled, noticing a pink colour appear on his cheeks before turning away to look at the fire.
Link bit his bottom lip as he looked down at your hands. He glanced back up to say something else, but he stopped when he saw your head lowering until it leaned against his shoulder. He blinked once, then twice, before grinning. "Are you tired?" He decided to ask, leaning his head against yours.
"Little bit," you responded, your eyes fluttering close at the feeling of his hand gently brushing over yours. Goosebumps formed under your tunic and trousers as you curled up a bit, leaning against him more. You enjoyed feeling his warmth, and his earthly scent made you sigh. "Are you?"
"No," he responded quietly, his gaze moving down to your hands. He smiled softly before moving his head to the side, wanting to see your face. "If you're sleepy, why don't you lay down?"
"Hmm, I like resting on your shoulder," you mumbled, before feeling slightly embarrassed. You gently moved your head up and looked at him, your heart beating at a quicker rate when you saw how close he was to you. "Unless... you don't want me to rest on you." You sheepishly smiled and attempted to move away, but Link quickly shook his head and slithered his arm around your waist.
"N-No," he stuttered out, feeling a bit sheepish himself. "I was only suggesting it. But you can sleep on my shoulder, I don't mind."
You blushed and nodded your head slowly, leaning onto him once again. You rested your head on his shoulder and subconsciously reached for his left hand so you could hold onto it. You hummed, smiling faintly as he rubbed circles on your waist and placed his head atop yours.
Link smiled boyishly as he laced his fingers with yours, keeping his right arm around your waist. He held you close, in a caring sort of way as faint howls could be heard. His gaze fell upon the fire, though his attention was entirely on you and your soft breathing. He planned on laying you down once you were fully asleep, but for the meantime, he enjoyed the pleasant warmth and the intimacy of the moment. "Goodnight," he whispered, flickering his eyes down to your hands.
"Night," you whispered back, your lips curling more when Link pulled you a tad closer. You naturally wrapped your left arm around his back and held onto him gently as you drifted off into a joyous sleep.
•••
If it weren't for the singing of crows or your snorting horse, you would've been able to sleep more. Sadly, that wasn't the case. The sudden noises jolted you awake. You sat up briskly, moving your eyes from side to side as you searched for something, though you didn't know what until you looked at the ground. Link's bed was not beside yours, and when you moved your head up to look at Zephyr, you noticed Epona was not there either. Worried, you fumbled onto your feet and scanned the area around you.
"Link?!" You shouted, ignoring the horrible scent the dying fire had left and the dark grey clouds that stretched across the noon sky. You frowned deeply and hastily gathered your belongings before rushing toward Zephyr's saddlebags. Without much care, you stashed everything into her bag and resumed your search for Link. You called his name once more, but nothing but a bird's chirp was heard. Groaning, you turned to look at Zephyr, who seemed startled. "Zephyr, where are Link and Epona?"
You didn't expect her to respond obviously, but your horse answered by directing her snout south. You looked in that direction and frowned. "Come on," you said, mounting your horse in mere seconds. You kicked her sides and urged her down the trail that went south.
After a few seconds of travelling, you were beginning to think you'd never find him, but just as you lost hope, you noticed a shrine in the distance and there, grazing on grass outside, was Epona. You let out a sigh of absolute relief and kicked Zephyr again, having her gallop toward Epona. Once she reached her, you tugged back on her reins and hopped off your mare's back.
"Epona!" You said, exhaling as you jogged toward the horse with troubled eyes. You took a deep breath and exhaled through your nose, taking a few steps toward Epona. You stroked her neck and pressed your lips together. "Is Link inside the shrine?"
Your question was answered for you when the Sheikah eye that was engraved on the shrine glowed a bright blue. You flickered your attention toward the shrine's entrance, huffing out when Link appeared with his eyes down on the slate he held. He seemed focused on the screen as he walked down the platform, and as he raised his eyes, he jumped.
"What are you doing here?" Link asked, hooking his slate to his belt with a confused smile. He was by far glad to see you, but his smile withered away when he saw the frown on your face.
"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? I woke up and you weren't even there!" You said, marching toward him with a mix of worry and relief.
"Oh...yeah," Link hesitated and rubbed his neck a bit nervously. "Well, I woke up about two hours before you did and went out to search for something to eat. And I just happened to come across this shrine here." He gestured at the shrine and then looked back at you. "I didn't mean to take so long."
Your expression softened as you heard him talk. You crossed your arms and pursed your lips. "Why didn't you wake me up?"
"It looked like you were really enjoying your sleep," he said with a tiny chuckle. Noticing that your frown was going away, he stood dangerously close and pouted his lips. "You're not mad at me, are you?"
You tried to look at him with a stern face, but your easily swayed heart got the best of you. "No...," you replied slowly before pointing a finger at him while giving him a tiny glare. "But you did get me worried so don't you ever leave again without telling me something."
Link was taken aback by your words, but he knew you meant good. As seconds passed, he dared to snicker before full-on laughing. "Okay, okay," he said waving his hand to dismiss your words, "next time I'll make sure to tell you."
You scoffed, smiling a bit when he laughed. "I'm being serious."
He cleared his throat and pressed his lips together, though a smirk threatened to appear. "Same here," he replied, not being able to suppress his smile any longer.
You shook your head, nudging him gently before sighing. "Was the shrine hard?" You decided to ask, inspecting him from head to toe. "Because the last shrine you entered was a Major Test of Strength."
"No, it was fairly easy," he answered, suddenly remembering something. "Oh, I got two new weapons, look." He reached behind his back and pulled out two new royal broadswords with a wide smile.
You gasped and took one of the swords to examine it with great interest. "This sword looks incredibly sharp," you said, running your fingers down the flat of the blade carefully. You grinned and looked up at Link, who stared at you in a boyish manner. "Can I have this one?"
"You can have both if you'd like. I already have the Master Sword so I don't need them," he stated, handing you the other royal broadsword. "But I suggest dropping another weapon so you don't carry a lot of things."
"You're right," you mumbled, taking ahold of the other sword. You hummed to yourself and placed the swords on the ground before taking out the weapons you had sheathed on your back. After studying each weapon you had closely, you dropped one on the ground and moved to put everything away.
Link, as you did this, finally moved his attention to the dark clouds that were taking their place in the sky. He knew it was around noon, but with the sun now tucked away he wasn't sure how many hours you both had before dark out. "It looks like it might rain," he pointed out, studying the thick clouds that began darkening the entire region.
You sheathed your new swords and flickered your attention to the grey heavens. "Mhm," you hummed, furrowing your eyebrows.
The boy tapped his chin and began walking toward the horses, having you follow beside him. "Well...let's try to cover a few leagues before it does. Once it starts raining we can set up camp somewhere." He stopped in front of Zephyr and held his hand out for you to take.
You looked down at his hand and raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"I want to help you on."
"You never do that," you snickered.
"I know, but I want to." Link grinned and took your hand and gestured for you to place your foot on the saddle's stirrup.
You giggled and did what he wanted. As he helped you onto Zephyr's saddle, you took ahold of her reins and looked down at him, blushing when you felt him place his hand on your thigh. "Are you going to help me on Zephyr from now on?" You asked, smiling when he scrunched up his nose cutely.
"Only when I feel like it," he said in a teasing tone. Link then laughed and hurried over to his horse, hearing the sky rumble as he mounted her. He grabbed Epona's reins and glanced at you joyously. It was funny how happy he felt, even when the weather didn't agree with him. And though the area around you was dark and gloomy, Link's cheery smile and sweet voice seemed to brighten everything. "Ready?" He asked, moving Epona closer to you.
You tucked strands of hair behind your ear and gave him a nod. With that, the two of you kicked your horse's sides in unison and started travelling down the trail that would eventually lead to the Digdogg Suspension Bridge.
•••
Link and you had no idea how long you had been travelling for. Normally, the two of you would simply look up at the sky and calculate the suns position. Unfortunately, the golden sun was completely blocked by the clouds that were now turning into a black colour. Thunder cracked across the heavens, startling Link and you as you neared the bridge that connected to two tall pillars of grassy land.
"So that's the bridge," you said. With the howling wind whipping around, you had to raise your voice so Link could hear you. You growled under your breath as your hair constantly fell over your face and to fix this problem you grabbed it and tied it quickly. You then huffed and held onto Zephyr's reins again, keeping your gaze on the wooden bridge that swayed due to the amount of wind. "I don't think it's safe for us to cross."
Link furrowed his eyebrows as he slipped off Epona. The wind definitely made the bridge appear unstable, but as he studied the wooden structure more, he didn't spot any type of problem. "I think it is. But to be safe, let's not ride our horse's. We should lead them instead," he suggested, turning to look up at you.
You stared at him and pressed your lips together. You didn't think it was a great idea to travel across the bridge with there being so much wind and all, but you didn't exactly want to wait out the horrible weather. "Alright," you muttered, dismounting your horse. You looked at Zephyr and grabbed her reins hesitantly. "Follow me girl."
Your horse responded by neighing, to which you smiled. Gently, you led her toward the bridge that creaked as it swayed, though the noise was slowly overpowered by the thundering sky. As you stepped foot onto the wooden bridge, you glanced down and gulped. A river flowed far beneath you, yet it's powerful sounds reached your ears. You looked behind, making sure Link followed you as you slowly walked across the bridge. With any little creak that it gave, you winced and felt your heart clench terribly.
"Don't be scared!" Link shouted, sensing the bit of fear you felt. He too felt a bit queasy, but keeping his eyes on you helped his fast-beating heart simmer down. "Just keep your eyes focused on the land ahead."
Easier said than done, you thought, constantly moving your attention to the raging river below you and the cracking clouds above. You took a quivery breath in and proceeded to lead Zephyr, who snorted each time the bridge swayed just a bit. You felt the urge to just rush across the bridge, but you dismissed the idea when a certain part you stepped on snapped. You yelped, gripping onto your horse's reins as your foot went through a small hole you had created.
"(Y/n)!" Link shouted, instinctively letting go of Epona's reins to run to you.
"I-I'm fine!" You said, slowly bringing your foot out of the hole, causing the worried boy to stop. You sucked air between your teeth as cold sweat formed on your neck and chills ran up and down your body. Looking over your shoulder, you sent a shaky smile at Link before carefully stepping over the hole so you could continue across the bridge.
Link frowned in concern, observing you intently until you made your way across the first part of the bridge safely. He let out a tiny sigh and clicked his tongue, having Epona follow him toward the first pillar of land that was connected to yet another bridge. The thundering sky above him cracked once more, and just as he set foot on land, rain began to pour down. Luckily, it came down softly, but part of him suspected it would soon become much heavier.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Link asked, moving a hand over his eyes.
"Yes," you repeated, grimacing as water showered onto you. You slowly looked up at the dark, cloudy sky, and groaned. "Come on, let's get across this other bridge before it rains any harder."
The boy agreed to your words and gestured for you to continue. "Try to be more careful this time," he said with caution, staying close behind Zephyr and you. He figured walking across the next bridge would be more difficult with it raining, and he was proven right the minute his foot slipped. Fortunately, he was able to stop himself from falling by holding onto the ropes that were at each side of the bridge. He quickly straightened himself, hoping you hadn't heard his little accident before continuing.
Being too focused on where you placed your foot as you walked on the creaking bridge, you remained unaware of Link's slip. You held onto Zephyr's reins tightly when the wind began to pick up, blowing against you at harsh speed. It was then that the rain decided to pour down more, drenching every single part of you. You glanced at your clothing that stuck to your skin and sneered. The uncomfortable feeling caused you to fidget, but before you spoke up about it you raised your eyes to see how far you were from the next piece of land.
To your surprise, you were just a few feet away from it, but you came to a sudden stop when you noticed something large in the centre of the land. You blinked and wiped your eyes to make sure you were seeing correctly. "Link," you said, turning around to gape at the boy that walked with Epona carefully, "do you see that?"
"See what?" Link lifted his gaze to check what you were referring to and squinted his eyes. To get a better look he took a few steps forward, making sure to tug his horse behind him as well. "What is that?" He pondered for a few seconds, staring at the large thing with a perplexed expression. Suddenly, thundering sounds and pouring rain weren't the only thing he heard. An obnoxious snoring sound, a type he had heard many times before, drummed into his ears, causing him and you to inhale sharply.
"Hinox," the two of you said simultaneously, watching as the monster's stomach grew with each breath it took before lowering during its annoying snore.
"What do we do?" You said, keeping your voice somewhat low.
Link had to lean closer in order to hear your voice. "There's enough space to go around it," he told you, pointing to the small piece of land that was around the sleeping Hinox.
"Okay," you slowly nodded your head, fixating your eyes on the Hinox. With there being so much noise, you figured it would be easy to get around the monster, so after taking a deep breath you stepped onto the next pillar of land and carefully began your way around. Zephyr, being in the presence of a large monster, snorted uncomfortably and began to paw the ground. This caused you to tense and quickly stop to see the Hinox sniff the air as it slept. You swallowed hard and stroked Zephyr's snout, hoping to calm her.
You waited for her to stop pawing the ground, and when she finally did you exhaled and led her around the slippery land. For a moment, you were glad that it rained so heavily. The rain and thunder masked your footsteps, making it easy for you to reach the final bridge.
Link waited for you to go around the Hinox first before stepping onto land and when he saw you safely reach the next bridge he gulped and cautiously stalked around the monster while leading Epona. Being so close to the creature made Link flinch. He half expected the Hinox to roll its head to the side and look at him with its single eye. Just as he crept past the monster's stomach, the Hinox unconsciously dropped its arm to the right, blocking Link. The action startled Epona more than Link, and out of instinct the mare neighed loudly and jumped over the monster's arm, kicking it in the process.
Epona's sudden reaction caused Zephyr to freak and the two of them rushed past you and cantered across the last bridge, leaving Link and you with the stirring Hinox. Link stumbled back as the monster's eye shot open, making a churning sensation erupt in his stomach. The boy cursed under his breath, pulling his Master Sword out as the Hinox fumbled onto its feet. He readied himself for the monster's attack, but he raised an eyebrow when the creature bellowed in what he assumed was pain.
Link crouched and looked between the Hinox's legs, seeing you shoot arrows at the monsters back. "What are you doing?!" He asked in a shout before standing back up.
"Driving its attention to me!" You yelled, releasing arrow after arrow. "Once I hit its eye it'll fall and we'll have a few seconds to run away!"
"Runaway?" The idea of running off made Link shake his head as he went toward the monsters. As you shot arrows, he decided to slash and stab the Hinox's unprotected legs. "We should just kill the monster and get it over with!"
You weren't surprised by his suggestion. If anything, you expected him to say that. You drew your bowstring back and pointed the arrow at the Hinox that stomped toward you. You did your best in moving past the shaking ground and the pouring rain, and after calculating the winds speed you released another arrow, letting it fly directly toward the monsters single eye. A ringing sound was then heard, and when the creature fell onto its bottom, you looked at Link, making eye contact with him as he took a few steps away from the Hinox.
"Fine," you said, loud enough for him to hear. "I'll be in charge of shooting arrows to the eye!"
Link nodded, knowing what he had to be in charge of as he focused on the groaning monster. He pushed his bangs back, blinked away the water from his eyes, and charged at the creature, taking advantage of its weak state. He slashed his sword against the Hinox's blue skin, letting the sharp blade cut through it repeatedly. This made the monster cry in agony, but it didn't stay on its bottom for long. As the boy left deep cuts in its legs, the Hinox decided to finally pick itself up from the ground while holding a hand over its eye to protect it from your sharp arrows.
You growled under your breath and reached for your quiver, grabbing two arrows. You placed them between your fingers and pulled the bowstring, focusing on shooting them between the Hinox's parted fingers. "Try to distract him!" You yelled, seeing that the monster was now slowly stomping toward you.
"I'm trying!" Link shouted back, piercing the Hinox's ankle with his blade.
The Hinox howled in both anger and pain, finally lowering its hand from its eye. But before you could release your arrows, the monster turned its head and growled deeply, raising its foot to step on Link.
You gasped and shot your arrows, wanting to draw the creature's attention to you even if you missed the eye. "Link, look out!"
The boy flickered his head up to see the foot hovering over him before briskly jumping to the left, avoiding the monsters attempt at squishing him. Now, under better circumstances, Link would've been able to land on his feet no problem, but that wasn't the case. His foot slipped on the wet land easily, causing him to fall on his back with a loud thud. A loud groan was heard from him, and as he moved to pick himself up, he saw the Hinox walk heavily toward him again.
Acting on instinct, Link rolled to the side before picking himself up, dismissing the mud that now stuck on his neck and tunic. He held out his sword, dodging a boulder the Hinox threw at him. "Now would be a good time to shoot an arrow (Y/n)!" He yelled, barely escaping another rock that was thrown his way.
"What do you think I'm trying to do!" You snapped, aiming at the monsters eye. But each time Link moved, the monster would turn to follow him. "Maybe if you stopped moving around I'd be able to get its eye!"
Link looked between the monster's legs, seeing you on the other side. With a huff, the boy dashed through them, slashing the Hinox's leg in the process. He stopped running once he was in front of you, and with an exasperated expression, he jerked his head toward the stomping monster. "Try not to miss."
You parted your lips to say a witty remark, but the Hinox's frustrated cry caused the two of you to look away from one another. You frowned and lifted your bow and arrow, fighting to keep your eyes open as the rain poured down roughly. The Hinox caused the earth to shake with each step it took, but you didn't let this faze you. Keeping your eyes peeled on the furious monster, you drew your bowstring back, and with an exhale you let go.
The arrow flew straight into the Hinox's undefended eye, which made the creature wail as it fell, shaking the land once more. Link grinned, but before he could praise your excellent archery skills, he sprinted toward the monster, readying his Master Sword. As the Hinox groaned from the pain it felt, the Hylian boy slashed his sword here and there, earning more cries of agony. He expected the monster to finally turn into a puff of smoke, but when the creature responded to Link's stabbing by sitting back up furiously, he swallowed hard.
The Hinox, though in a weak state, fumbled onto its feet, keeping its single eye locked on the Hylian. A long growl could be heard from it, and just as the creature took a step toward Link, you aimed your last arrow at its eye and released it. Your arrow was all that was needed to successfully kill the monster, and as the Hinox's fell onto its knees, you let out a heavy sigh before jogging toward Link.
Link watched the monster vanished in a puff of purple smoke and then glanced at you. "How did you even hit its eye?" He asked, stunned at how good you had gotten with your bow and arrow.
"I honestly have no idea," you admitted, flickering your eyes up to look at the clouds that were slowly beginning to part. The harsh rain that poured down gradually lessened until it turned into a mere sprinkle. You slowly strapped your bow over your shoulder and pulled your soaking wet hair away from your face so you could glance at Link more clearly. "Your tunic is covered in mud."
He blinked, finding it slightly amusing that, that was the first thing you pointed out. "I'll clean it later," he said, flickering his eyes toward the final bridge you both needed to cross before looking back at you. He smiled, raising his hand to tuck strands of your damp hair behind your pointed ears. "As soon as we cross the bridge we should make a fire so we can dry up."
You pursed your lips and lifted your gaze to look into his eyes. "I agree. If we don't, we might catch a cold," you noted, moving your attention to the bridge, and the large canyon that it was connected to. "Do you see Epona and Zephyr?"
Link hummed in thought, directing his eyes to the other side of the bridge. "I think that's them over there...," his voice slowly trailed off when he noticed his surroundings turn a red hue. He knitted his eyebrows in confusion, wondering if you noticed the surreal colouring as well.
You rubbed your eyes to make sure you were seeing correctly. "Why's it so red?" You questioned, flickering your eyes toward Link. While you stared at him, you noticed something glowing a bright red in the sky, and when you turned your attention toward the cloudy heavens, you were able to catch sight of the moon's colour. Blood moon. Bright red smoke began to circulate in front of Link and you almost immediately, forcing both of you to take a step back.
Both of you had heard about blood moon's before, and how rare it was for them to happen, but neither of you had ever seen one during your travels until now. As the red smoke circulated, a sudden voice entered Link's ears and yours. Link... (Y/n)... Be on your guard. Ganon's power grows...it rises to its peak under the hour of a Blood Moon. By its glow, the aimless spirits of monsters that were slain in the name of the light return to flesh. Both of you...please, be careful.
"Princess Zelda," Link mumbled under his breath, but his attention was quickly ripped away when the massive red smoke began to disperse, revealing the Blue Hinox you and he had just killed.
You inhaled sharply and cocked your head up to stare into the monster's hungry eye. Out of impulse, you quickly moved your hand back to your quiver, but your heart clenched when you didn't feel any feathers. "Link. I don't have any more arrows," you said, worry clear in your tone.
"We need to go. Now!" Link yelled, grabbing your hand instinctively. He made a move to run toward the last bridge, but the Hinox blocked the way by stepping to the side. The monster held its arms out as it stared down at Link, growling. With heavy steps, the creature stomped toward the two of you, making you both lose balance.
You held onto Link's arm, trying your best to hold your ground. "Through its legs!" You blurted out, and just as you said that the Hinox raised its hand in an attempt to swat Link and you away.
The boy's eyes widened, but rather than rush past the Hinox's legs, he pulled you close to his chest and activated Daruk's Protection. The force-field hummed the minute it was turned on, and the second the monster's hand struck the surface, the force of the blow caused it to fall back, leaving Link and you completely unharmed. The Hylian boy felt a wave of energy flow out of him, since using the power to protect two people rather then himself exhausted him greatly. But he didn't have time to pull himself together.
Seeing the Hinox down and groaning in pain let Link know he had a few seconds to run off before it sat up, and he took the opportunity. "Come on," he said, tugging you toward the final bridge that swayed. Keeping his balance as he rushed down the moving bridge was not an easy task, but he didn't plan on stopping, especially not when he heard the Hinox's loud growl.
Once the two of you stepped off the bridge, Link figured he would be able to rest and regain his energy, but he groaned when more red smoke circulated different parts of the land, reviving dead Bokoblins. "Are you kidding me?" He asked, flickering his eyes up to look at the blood moon that continued shining down.
You worked on controlling your breathing as you glanced around, seeing a variety of Bokoblins appear amidst the red smoke. You groaned and hurriedly searched for Epona and Zephyr. "The horse's!" You said, pointing a finger toward your mare's. An angry group of Boko's surrounded Zephyr and Epona, holding their spears and swords out toward them.
Link checked where you pointed and frowned. Though his stamina was low, he forced himself to rush to the Bokoblin's with you by his side. "You distract the one's on the left," he yelled as he unsheathed his sword. He charged toward the snorting pig monsters, catching their undivided attention with his footsteps.
You pulled out your new royal broadsword and jumped in front of a few Bokoblin's that threatened to stab Zephyr. Their irritating snorts made your stomach tighten as you swung your sword, having them move back. You took a glance at Zephyr, who was neighing and bucking her legs around frantically. With furrowed eyebrows, you looked back at the Bokoblin's and took a taunting step forward.
The monsters waited for you to do the first move, but as they accumulated confidence one of them charged toward you, holding their wooden spear out. Like nothing, you deflected their weapon and thrusted your sword into the Boko's stomach, successfully killing it. As it vanished into a puff of smoke, the other six Bokoblin's that stood there snorted crazily and came at you from different angles. A hint of worry flashed across your eyes as you brought out your shield, blocking one of their attempt's at jabbing you from the side.
While keeping your shield in place, you slashed your sword to the right, hoping to cause them damage. But the black and white coloured Bokoblin's simply jumped back.
"Have you killed them all?!" Link shouted, ducking a swing of a Bokoblin's sword.
"No!" You yelled back, holding your ground as the Bokoblin's continued attacking you. You were able to parry their swords and clubs, but your muscles weren't exactly helping you whenever you tried an attack as well. Not to mention the wet clothing that weighed you down more than before.
Link groaned, finding it difficult to keep up with the number of strikes he was blocking with his sword and Hylian shield. He knew taking them all was somewhat possible, but his pulsing arms yearned for rest. He raised his leg and kicked a Bokoblin, and when the monster fell back, he drove his sword through its body and pulled it out.
"I really think we should retreat Link!" You spoke again, wincing when a Bokoblin struck your shield roughly. The number of vibrations that shot through your arm caused you to whimper before pushing the monster back.
The blonde was about to disagree with you. Retreating was the same thing as running away from a fight, but as he thought it over, he knew he couldn't push you, or himself to defeat every Bokoblin that came back to life. Stupid blood moon, he thought as he flipped back, escaping the blade of a sword. As time slowed, he landed on his feet and rushed to defeat at least one more monster.
"Get on your horse," Link ordered when time went back to normal.
You didn't think twice about his command. Hastily, you ran toward Zephyr and placed your foot in her stirrup. As you worked on placing your sword away while boarding Zephyr at the same time, a black and white Bokoblin scurried toward you and slashed the side of your leg. The metal weapon cut deep, earning a hiss from you as piercing pain shot down your leg. You whimpered and bit your bottom lip to hold in your scream.
"Are you alright?" Link asked as he mounted Epona quickly.
Using your left leg, you kicked the pig monster back and then boarded Zephyr, blinking away the tears that threatened to roll down your cheeks. "Peachy, now let's go!" You forced yourself to say, kicking your mare's sides. You didn't want to focus on the excruciating injury that the Boko had done. Instead, you centred your mind on getting away from the monsters that chased after the two of you.
Link didn't believe you, but he decided to question you once the Bokoblin's were no longer in sight. As Epona galloped through the Gerudo Canyon Pass, the boy glanced up at the sky. It was no longer sprinkling, and the clouds finally dispersed to show the moon that was slowly returning to its usual pale colour.
After a few minutes, the snorting noises of pigs died down and the only thing that could be heard was rustling leaves and singing crickets. Hearing this helped Link's tense muscles relax and feel somewhat at peace. A long sigh of relief escaped his lips as he glanced at you. He hoped to see you relieved as well, but his face twisted in concern the minute he noticed your pained face.
"(Y/n)? What's wrong?" Link questioned. His eyes widened when you turned to look at him with glistening eyes.
"Nothing," you said, not wanting to worry him. "I just got a bit hurt during the fight."
The boy's eyebrows furrowed deeply. "A bit hurt?" He gently pulled back on Epona's reins and led her close to Zephyr. "Where did you get hurt?"
You tugged your horse's reins back and sniffed, feeling your injury pulse more with every passing second. "My right leg..."
Link grimaced and made Epona stop trotting. He glanced around, making sure the canyon was clear before sliding off her back. He jogged toward you and held his hands out, wanting to help you down. "Let me see."
You chewed on your bottom lip and slowly placed your hands on his shoulder, carefully moving your right leg over Zephyr's back so Link could help you down with ease. Under normal circumstances, you would've blushed at the feeling of his hands holding your waist as he lowered you onto the ground, but the agony you felt wouldn't let any type of blissful feeling enter you.
Link gently brushed his hands down to your hips and then knelt. He moved his eyes down to the side of your right leg, and he instantly saw the deep cut the Bokoblin had left. He grimaced, his heart tugging painfully. "Does it hurt a lot?" He asked as he stood back up. He knew what the answer would be, but he felt it right to ask.
"Yes," your voice croaked a bit.
The boy's lips pouted at the sound of your voice. He quickly went toward Epona's saddlebags and took out an old tunic of his. After ripping off a piece, he walked back to you and came down on his knees to inspect your injury once more. "Alright... you won't like this then," he said, looking up at you with an apologetic look. He then focused on your injury and grabbed his leather canteen from his belt. Carefully, the blonde poured water on your wound and flinched when he heard you gasp and hiss. "S-Sorry."
"It's fine," you spoke through clenched teeth, squeezing your eyes closed in hopes of focusing on something else. Tears streamed down your cheeks as Link worked on cleaning your oozing wound before wrapping it with the ripped fabric he held.
"That should stop it from bleeding," Link mumbled, standing back up. He glanced down at your face and frowned sadly. "There's a stable a few minutes away from here," he began to say as he cupped your face with his hands. He used his thumbs to brush away your tears and then continued, "when we're there I'll make a healing elixir, okay?"
You fluttered your eyes open and stared into his caring ones. Your leg shook a bit, but you weren't sure if it was because of the pain, or the blissful sensation that finally presented itself. "I hate elixirs," you sniffed, lifting your hand so it caressed Link's.
The blonde half-smiled and looked at your hand that was on top of his. "So you rather be in pain then?" He gazed back into your eyes.
"Not really..."
"Then it's settled. You're drinking an elixir when we get to the stables."
Your lips formed a shaky smile. "Do I really have to."
Link gently ran his hands down your face, having them rest on your neck. "Yes, now come on. You'll ride with Epona and me."
"What? Why?"
"I'm not letting you ride Zephyr with that injury."
"I can ride her perfectly fine."
"Hmm, no. You're riding with me and Epona," he said, sending you a charming grin. He lowered his hands to yours and slowly led you toward his horse. Though his muscles were tired from the recent fight, he made the effort to help you onto his mare and then boarded her. "Zephyr," he looked back at your horse, "follow us, okay girl?" Link then looked back at you and smiled. "Comfortable?"
"No," you hummed in thought. You hesitantly wrapped your arms around his torso and leaned against him to feel his warmth. It was a new experience, to be like this with him, and your body, even though it was in pain, still managed to send you fluttering feelings to your stomach. "Now I am."
Link glanced at your hands and blushed. "Good, now hold on tight." He winced when you held onto him tightly. "Gah, (N/n), not too tight!"
"Sorry." You snickered and loosened your grip.
The boy only chuckled and kicked Epona's sides, having her continue through the wide canyon walls. "I hope we never experience another blood moon," he said, wanting to converse with you.
"I agree," you nodded and gently pressed your cheek against the small of his back. You winced when you felt another shot of pain, but it went away just as quickly as it came. "Is it okay if I sleep for a few minutes? My eyelids are heavy."
Link smiled and hummed, looking over his shoulder to glance at you. "Sure. I'll wake you up when we reach the stables."
"Thank you," you said, nuzzling into his back a bit more. You exhaled slowly and hugged him as you went into a light sleep.
Although he couldn't see you very well, Link still looked back at you until Epona snorted. "What is it?" He asked her softly, not wanting to wake you. His horse responded by neighing and nudging her head a bit forward. Link raised a brow and looked up, spotting a tent up ahead. "The stables."
He rubbed Epona's mane and tapped her sides gently, clicking his tongue so Zephyr could trot at a faster pace.
"Welcome to the Gerudo Canyon Stable!" Someone exclaimed as Link got closer. "Will you be staying with us tonight?"
Link blinked, forgetting what to say. His social skills lowered as he glanced at you. "Uh, yes," he responded, having Epona trot closer to the counter the stable owner stood behind. "I'd like to board my horses and pay for two soft beds."
"Of course sir," the stableman said, opening a tiny book he had on his wooden counter. He yelled for someone to ready the beds before looking back at Link. "That'll be eighty rupees for the soft beds."
The blonde paused and let go of Epona's reins. "Can I pay you after I put my partner on the bed?"
"Ah... yes, that's alright. The soft beds are to the left."
Link nodded and slowly unwrapped your arms from his torso. He tried his best on not waking you, but unfortunately, he wasn't too good when it came to being discreet.
"Why are you moving so much," you muttered, keeping your eyes closed.
"We're at the stables already," he whispered as he dismounted Epona. He gently moved you down, placing his left forearm under your neck and his other arm under your knees.
You smiled, pressing your head against his chest. "You know I can walk, right?"
"I know. But I rather carry you until your leg is healed."
You hummed, opening your eyes just a bit to stare up at him. The view was certainly pleasing, and when his eyes met yours, you swooned. "Okay," you said, pinching his cheek gently before closing your eyes once again, enjoying the feeling of him carrying you in such an adorable manner.
Link grinned and stepped inside the tent. The lanterns were dimmed down to not disturb the many travellers that slept on the beds. He looked toward the left and saw two empty beds, though he frowned when he saw that they were far apart from each other. He walked to the bed as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake the travellers as he sat you on the bed. To help you sleep more comfortable, he removed the belts strapped over your back and placed all of your weapons on the ground before lowering you onto the cushioned bed.
"I have to pay eighty rupees. Do you have any?" He asked in a hushed tone, leaning in closer to you.
"Don't you have rupees?" You said just as quietly.
"Yes, but I don't want to use them."
You snorted and, with your eyes closed, you reached for the pouch full rupees you had attached to the belt around your hip. "Get a gold rupee," you yawned, parting your eyes to look at him. "You can keep the change they give you."
He smiled and pressed a kiss on your forehead. "Thank you," he said, moving a bit back. "I'll come back after I've made the healing elixir."
You hummed, chills merging with the pain you felt. You scrunched your face momentarily and then relaxed, closing your eyes again. "Okay," you replied, enjoying the heat that spread on your cheeks.
Link ran his fingers through your hair and sighed as he slowly stood up. He stretched his arms out, sucking air between his teeth before glancing back at you. He found it interesting that, despite the dirt stains that stuck to your cheek, and the crazy look your hair had, you still managed to look pretty. Then again, Link always found you pretty, regardless of how you looked.
He smiled to himself, welcoming the glee sensation his heart was currently experiencing. As he took a few steps back, toward the counter, he could only think about the feelings he had developed for you over the months. This made him wonder if his feelings for you would be reciprocated. And every part of him hoped you did like him because he was certainly falling for you.