It had been several days since the attack by the Yiga. Urbosa had been furious, sending out several patrols to search for any remaining Yiga as well as any monsters. Two attacks within two days time by two different enemies - Urbosa was not pleased with such chaos in her domain. Link had helped where he could, joining several patrols to help hunt down any monsters or Yiga.
I, in the meantime, remained at the palace, unable to help due to my ankle injury. Despite my protests, Urbosa had insisted that I remain at the palace and give my leg time to heal. Thus I stayed mostly in my room, leaving now and then to walk around Gerudo Town, however a guard was always with me to ensure I was safe. Although I also knew Urbosa had asked the guards to follow me so I wouldn't go off on my own again.
By the fourth day from the attack, I had finished reading my book on desert fauna and hoped Urbosa would still allow Link and I to go on our desert exploration. My ankle was healed and I was itching to get out of the palace; additionally I still wanted to show Link around the desert. Although Link had probably gotten a good view of the desert after all the patrols he went on with the Gerudo warriors. And as for the patrols... they hadn't found anything else. No signs of monsters or Yiga despite searching every corner of the desert.
Walking out of my room, I went to the training area, bow in hand. The sun was setting, thus the training area was deserted, drills over with for the day. I did not mind though, I could train in peace.
Practicing for a while, I stopped as I saw Urbosa walk down from the Palace. "Find anything?" I asked, lowering my bow.
"No." She replied, her mouth in the shape of a frown and her eyes wary. "The Yiga have to be out there somewhere."
"Could they be in the highlands?" I asked, knowing the patrols hadn't searched there.
Urbosa sighed, "Perhaps. Although it is rough terrain to build a fortress in."
"But that would also make it hard to find and offer natural protection." I countered.
"Yes... although I think searching the highlands would be a fruitless endeavor."
"You're probably right." I agreed. "It would take forever to search and even then you might not find their hideout."
Urbosa sighed again, clearly frustrated. Her eyes shifted to me, "How are you doing? I've been so busy, we haven't had any time to talk."
I shrugged, "You have a lot to handle right now, Urbosa. So don't feel obligated to entertain me. But to answer your question, I'm fine. My ankle is healed although I'm a little tired of being stuck in the palace for most of the day."
"You always were one to keep busy." Urbosa said, "Didn't bring along any projects? You always seem to be working on something."
"I did, but most of that I left at the Canyon Stables. I only brought the stuff needed for my elemental arrows. And I've tweaked each recipe once more, so there isn't much else I can do."
"Quite the conundrum you're in Little Bird." Urbosa put a finger on her chin.
Shifting nervously, I asked, "Perhaps Link and I could still take that desert excursion we talked about?"
Urbosa arched her eyebrows, "You really think that's a wise decision right now?"
I looked away from Urbosa, "I mean, you haven't found anything and it's been four days."
"But you have a knack for finding trouble, Little Bird." Urbosa remarked.
I frowned. It wasn't like I was trying to find trouble... it just happened. "Link will be with me." I offered.
Urbosa snorted, "The two of you can't fight off an army of Yiga."
My shoulders dropped, disappointed. "Link and I are going to be traveling all over Hyrule, just the two of us. We could handle a few days in the desert." I mumbled.
Urbosa shook her head, running a hand through her long, red hair. Looking at me with light green eyes, she held up one hand, two fingers outstretched. "Two days. If you aren't back by the second day I will send the entire Gerudo military out to find you."
I beamed with happiness, delighted she had given me this. "Thank you so much, Urbosa!" I ran to hug her, earning a surprised inhale from her. However she quickly hugged me back.
"You have to promise to be careful. And Link has to agree to it too. If he thinks it's unsafe, no deal." She informed me.
Pulling back, I looked up at her face, nodding vigorously. "Of course! I can talk to him now. If he agrees, we can leave tomorrow!"
Urbosa chuckled, "Always so eager." She smiled at me, "Very well. Go ask him. I shall see you in the morning, Little Bird."
"Goodnight Urbosa." I said, my face still smiling, "Thank you so much."
With that, I left Urbosa, walking swiftly back into the palace, past the throne, and down the corridor that led to guest rooms. Link and I hadn't seen each other much since the Yiga attack. He had been busy going on patrols, leaving early and getting back at odd times, while I had been in my room most of the time. We had passed each other once in the hallway, but other than that, the last time we had talked had been after the Yiga attack.
My breakdown was still fresh in my memory, and I felt heat going to my pointed ears upon remembrance. I couldn't believe I had started blubbering uncontrollably in front of Link. And yet, he had held me while I cried, as if he didn't mind. I bit my lip, my heart fluttering as I thought of his arms around me.
Reaching Link's door, I gave a light knock, almost afraid to talk to him now. I shook my head, trying to focus my mind. What's wrong with you, Zelda? I asked myself, unsure why I was feeling so nervous all of a sudden.
As I thought this, the door opened, making me jump. Link's face appeared in front of me, and for a second I lost my train of thought. "Link!" I said as if I was surprised to see him. He arched an eyebrow at me in question and I wanted to slap myself in the forehead for acting like a clueless idiot. "I... ah... I-" I stammered out.
"Is everything ok?" Link cut in, his brows furrowing.
"Yes!" I said a little too forcefully. Clearing my throat, "Yes, everything is fine. In fact I just talked to Urbosa. Although hesitant, she said it would be ok if we still wanted to explore the desert a little. As long as you're ok with it."
Link scratched the back of his head, contemplating. "You think it's safe?"
"None of the patrols have found anything." I said. "Besides, we wouldn't go far. We can explore the old ruins and visit the icehouse. If we have time, we can even go up into Karusa Valley."
Link still didn't look completely convinced, so I resigned myself to another few days in Gerudo Town. Although we should probably leave soon, since our business was done here. And there was still a lot of ground to cover.
"We wouldn't be going too far?" Link checked.
I shook my head. "No. The ruins are just outside the main entrance. And the Icehouse is just beyond that. In fact, we could easily make it there and back to Gerudo Town in an afternoon."
Link nodded. "Alright. Let's do that. Plus I'm curious to see how such a thing like an icehouse could exist in the desert."
"It's actually not as mysterious as it sounds." I replied, "And its more of a hole than a house..." Link gave me a questioning look at this. "You'll see." I said. "We can check it out tomorrow."
Link nodded. It was a plan.
Happy to finally get out and do something, I rose early the next day. Link was already up and we ate a quick breakfast. Then we left through the back of the palace and made out way to the front of Gerudo Town, the ruins coming into view. Since it wasn't very far, we walked. The cool morning air felt nice as we entered the ruins, decaying columns all around us.
"What was this?" Link asked, gazing around at the ruins.
Kicking a small pebble, I ran my hand over a broken and beaten pillar, the surface rough from years of wind erosion. "It was a temple." I replied. "It was said to have been used by the seven heroines of old."
"What happened to it?"
"No one knows for sure." I replied. "It may have been destroyed during a battle or perhaps it was abandoned."
Link and I slowly explored the ruins, weaving between columns, turning over rubble in the hopes of finding some long lost item, and climbing over crumbled walls. As we went along, I took out the Slate, snapping some pictures of the ruins, curious to see if the Slate had any knowledge of this place. However nothing registered in the Slate as I snapped some photos. It appeared the Slate didn't contain information on everything.
Eventually I spotted some vegetation growing amongst the ruins and quickly made my way over to investigate. Even before I took the Slate out, I recognized the plant as warm safflina, the bundle of burgundy flowers on it a clear indicator. I captured an image and then took a sample, knowing it did have cold resistance properties. I stored it in the backpack I had brought, which was actually the one I had bought Link at the Gerudo Canyon stables. It was small and since we didn't have to bring a lot of things, it worked nicely for a days' excursion in the desert.
"Zelda." Link called back to me. "What is that?" Standing, I turned in the direction of Link's voice, spotting his figure further in the ruins. Jumping over rubble, I carefully made my way over to Link. In the distance, there was a large rock, three rocky legs underneath it, creating a tall opening underneath the rock. There were several ladders propped up against the rock, which led to an overlook on top of the boulder.
"It's the icehouse." I answered.
"That's it?" Link said, sounding surprised, "Not what I anticipated. Where is the ice?"
"It's underneath." I replied, earning a peculiar look from Link. "You'll see." I assured and then began to walk towards the icehouse. Once underneath the giant rock, an opening became visible in the ground. A large door was propped open, revealing a staircase that descended into the sandy earth.
Going down the staircase, a small room came into view, which then opened up into a bigger room. The air was chilly down here and I crossed my arms, rubbing my biceps with my hands to try and warm myself up.
A small pool of cold water flowed into the room and there were bricks of ice scattered around. A familiar Gerudo woman was sorting through the ice, preparing it for delivery.
"Aveto." I said, greeting the Gerudo woman. The red-haired woman turned to me, her hair tied into a high ponytail and her blue lips forming a smile as she saw me. "Sav'aaq, Princess Zelda. It has been many years since you visited me here."
"Yes it has been awhile. Although I'll never forget the time I had to help you transport ice from here to Gerudo Town."
Aveto laughed, "You were quite distraught."
I gave a feeble smile, "I was worried I'd destroy your whole operation."
Aveto waved her hand, "Nonsense. It's just ice. Even if it had melted, there is plenty more here."
Hearing footsteps behind me, I turned and ushered Link to come by me. "Aveto, I have someone else with me." Pointing at Link as he came into view, I said, "This is Link, my knight."
Aveto arched an eyebrow, a devious smile creeping across her face. "My, what a handsome voe." Her eyes raked across Link and then went back to me, her smile growing. "Why Princess, you've grown up since I last saw you, bringing a man here with you." She brought her hand up to her chin, studying Link and I.
"He's my knight." I gritted out in as pleasant a tone as I could muster. However her words had caused a wave of heat to go to my face and I was grateful for the dim lighting in the underground cavern.
"That's even more romantic." Aveto swooned, "A Princess and her knight. Forbidden love, yet so passionate." My eyes widened in horror at her words and from the corner of my eye I saw Link blush.
"Will you stop?" I nearly shrieked, all attempts at keeping my voice level gone. "This isn't like your romance novels!"
"No?" She continued to tease. "You are at that age Zelda. It's perfectly normal if you want to explore the world of love and bodily-"
"NOPE!" I cut her off, my face as bright as a bokoblin. I didn't dare look at Link and kept my eyes rooted to Aveto in a glare. "Link is my knight. That's it."
Aveto nodded, finally seeming to understand. "I see." She smirked, "You wish to keep it a secret. My lips are se-"
"AVETO!" I yelled, completely mortified. In response, Aveto merely laughed at me, amused by our discomfort.
When her laughing had subsided, she said, "Alright, I've had my fun. At least for now."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself as well as wash the redness from my face. Ignoring her last remark, I spoke, "I wanted to show Link the icehouse. I hope that is alright."
Aveto clapped her hands, "Why of course! It isn't everyday a beautiful Hylain couple comes to visit me. Please, have a look around."
Putting a hand to my temple, I sighed. "Aveto..." However she had turned away from us, promptly going back to work. Swallowing, I turned to Link, nervous to see his reaction. As I looked at him, he glanced down at me and I could see the blush in his cheeks still, mirroring my own cheeks. "Sorry about her." I mumbled, still mortified from the whole ordeal. "I forgot what a hopeless romantic she is."
Link scratched the back of his neck, "It's alright. Just wasn't expecting that."
"No one ever is." I retorted, leering over at Aveto one last time, although she was oblivious as her back was to me. "Anyways, this is the icehouse." I said, trying to distract us from the embarrassing moment just seconds before.
"This is also not what I was expecting." He replied.
I arched an eyebrow at him, "Did you expect a house made of ice?"
Link frowned, "I know I'm not smart like you, but I do have common sense."
I laughed at this. "You'd be surprised, some people do think that. But as you can see, it's where Gerudo Town gets its ice from. It's a pretty important place considering shaved ice and Noble Pursuits are famous all over Hyrule."
"Noble Pursuits?" Link inquired.
"An alcoholic beverage only made in Gerudo Town. It is a specialty of the Gerudo." We looked around the icehouse for awhile, however there wasn't much to do here and I figured we shouldn't stay long and continue to distract Aveto, even though she seemed perfectly content with us there. Still another part of me wished to leave to avoid any more embarrassing situations.
Leaving the underground cavern, Link and I returned to the land above, feeling the drastic change in temperature. It still wasn't very late in the day, thus the desert was still relatively cool, yet the icehouse had been almost near freezing, a startling contrast to the desert above.
"Did you want to explore a little more?" I asked, "Karusa Valley isn't too far away from here. It's really neat. We don't have to go too far into the Valley."
Link shrugged, "Sure." He replied, seemingly enjoying himself. Thus we left the icehouse and began to walk beside the rocky cliffs just north of the icehouse. It extended in both directions, however we followed it westward towards the valley. Since the sun wasn't high in the sky yet, the cliffside still provided comforting shade, which made the trek through the desert pleasant.
The walk to Karusa Valley wasn't that interesting. We passed an outcropping of rocks, not too far from the icehouse, but past that was mainly barren desert. There were several cacti in the distance, red voltfruits plump upon their branches. A soft breeze stirred the sand as we went, and I knew I'd be covered in a thing film of sand after this adventure.
"Zelda." Link suddenly spoke from behind me, making me turn to look back at him. "Can I ask you something?"
Slowing my pace, I fell in stride next to him. "Go ahead." I answered, interested in what he wished to ask.
"You've mentioned you got lost in the desert once before. What happened?"
"Oh." I said, not expecting that. "It happened when I was still very young, not long after my mother died." I started the story, my eyes looking up at the clear blue sky. "I had come to Gerudo Town to train as well as get away from the Castle for a while. Urbosa had thought it might help for a change in scenery... as well as a more nurturing environment." My eyes hardened as I recalled how aloof my father had been after my mother's death. No consolation came from him, he just shut me out and told me that my power was needed more than ever now.
"Things had been going alright, until one day I just broke down. I was only six years old and even back then I felt as if I had to carry everything on my own. And one day I just couldn't... I was frustrated about my power and how I felt so alone now that my mother was gone. So I ran... and ran and ran until I was deep in the desert, alone and unprepared. It's bad enough to go into the desert without provisions, but a storm had been brewing all day. I basically walked right into a sandstorm. I don't know how I managed to survive until Urbosa found me the next day. But here I am."
There was a pause after I had finished my recollection of those events, but after a moment, Link asked, "How did Urbosa find you? Aren't sandstorms impossible to navigate through?"
"Yes." I replied and then looked over at him, captivated by his bright blue eyes. "And I'm not entirely sure how she did it; she isn't either. I think it was more along the lines of she knew she had to find me. There was no other option."
"It seems she has always cared for you a great deal." Link surmised from the story.
"Yes." I smiled at this, thinking of Urbosa. "She and my mother were good friends, so she was like an aunt to me while my mother was still alive. After my mother's passing, Urbosa became like a second mother to me. She's really looked out for me and supported me throughout the years." Fondness filled my chest as I thought of the Gerudo Chief, so strong yet caring. My eyes flitted to Link once more and before I could reconsider, I asked, "I know your father was a very famous knight Link, but what about the rest of your family? Your mother... and sister?"
From the corner of my eye, I instantly saw a smile emerge on Link's face. He clearly cared about his family very much. "My mother is actually a blacksmith." Link informed me, and my eyes widened in surprise, not expecting that at all.
"I had no idea!" I interjected.
Link chuckled, "Most people don't. She's pretty well known amongst other smiths and weapon connoisseurs, but she prefers to keep a low profile. She's more reserved and keeps to herself, but she's the best mom. She always cooked meals for my sister and I growing up and gave us words of encouragement."
By the look in Link's eyes I could see the respect and love he had for his mother. She sounded a lot like Link, strong but reserved as well as handy in the kitchen. "What about your sister?"
Link's eyes brightened more at the mention of his sister. "Her name is Aryll. She's a few years younger than me, but she seems to have everything figured out."
"Oh really?" I inquired, amusement sparking in my eyes.
"Although my father started off training both of us to be knights, Aryll wanted to be a blacksmith like our mother. So she's been training to be a smith for many years. Our mother says Aryll is a natural and will surpass her skill eventually."
I was happy to see how at ease Link was, talking about his family. His family seemed to be very supportive and accepting of each other; it was something I envied. "That's wonderful. She sounds very talented. Like you." I remarked, enjoying learning more about Link.
I wasn't sure, but it almost looked like Link blushed at my comment, however he quickly continued, making me uncertain if I had imagined it or if it was just the heat of the desert. "She definitely is. Although sometimes I think she would have preferred a more adventurous career. She always loved traveling with father."
"Well maybe one day she can. She could make her wares and then travel around Hyrule selling them."
"She'd actually love that idea." Link grinned, "Although our mother may not be too fond of that. She's already nervous about me being a knight; Aryll traveling across Hyrule would only give her more to worry about."
I laughed, "I think it's normal for a mother to worry. It must be hard for your family that your going to be gone for so long."
Link shrugged, "They understand it's a part of my duty."
My eyebrows kneaded together. "Still, I'm sure they miss you. And you must miss them!"
Link nodded, "Yes I do."
"Well then, when we return to Hyrule Castle, I want you to go visit them. Take a few days off and spend it with your family."
Link didn't respond right away, making me wonder if I had said something wrong. I glanced over at him to find his cerulean orbs fixed on me. "Are you sure?" He asked hesitantly.
"Of course!" I said. "Besides, you'll have earned a vacation after having to spend so much time with me."
We both laughed at my joke. "I don't mind." Link said after our laughter died down. "Being around you..."
I felt my ears heat up at his words, "Well that's good. Since you'll be stuck with me for the next several months... and we'll undoubtedly be seeing each other again at the Castle. There'll be plenty of preparations we'll both have to see too." Feeling myself beginning to ramble, I stopped. Why was I suddenly so nervous around him? I chanced a glance over at him, finding his eyes fixed ahead of us. He seemed at ease, as if he was enjoying the day and time away. My eyes flickered to the sword on the back, the pomel glinting in the sunlight. I stared at the sword, trying to discern how it made me feel now. At one time I had felt contempt for it as well as its wielder, both of them a painful reminder of all I had been unable to achieve. But now, those feelings were gone. Instead, I felt rather curious about the sword.
"Is that it?" Link pointed ahead of us, tearing me from my thoughts. Looking in the direction Link was pointing, I saw an opening in the cliffside, revealing Karusa Valley. Excited to see the Valley, I began to race towards it, the arrows in my quiver rattle together as I did so. Soon I saw Link beside me, running towards the Valley just as I was.
As two giant cliffs appeared on either side, I slowed my pace, stopping to stare at the beautiful valley. The cliffs rose high above us, casting us in shadow. Rocks jutted out in sporadic intervals along the Valley walls. Another like most of the cliffs along the Gerudo highlands, the rock of the Valley was multicolored, going from dusty red to pale brown. There were many overarching rocks, protruding out far into the valley, casting shade below. There were many ledges throughout the valley, creating an almost zigzag pattern and further into the valley I knew were rocks that connected both sides of the canyon together, like a bridge.
My eyes looked over at Link, who was silently studying the valley, in awe. "It's pretty amazing, isn't it?" I said.
He nodded, "Is it like this further in?"
"Yes." I answered. "The Valley does incline the further in you go, so it is a bit of a workout to get to the end, but it's really pretty. And there are little toad statues scattered throughout the canyon. There used to be a temple at the very end of the valley. The ancient Sheikah monks built it for their training."
"Toad statues?" Link inquired.
I gave a small giggle, "Yeah. For some reason the ancient monks had a thing for toads. If we walk in a little bit you'll be able to see some. There are more further, but we probably won't have time to go to the end of the valley."
Link nodded and with that we began to walk into the valley, taking our time as we gazed up at the odd wall formations of the valley, thin stripes of different colored rock all along the valley bluffs. I scanned the walls, searching for the charismatic stone toads. Spotting one perched on a ledge above us, I pointed to it, "There." I said, drawing Link's attention. He looked up at the toad statue, a wry smile on his lips.
Taking a few more steps further into the valley, I spotted something in the distance: a flash of color. My eyebrows creased, uncertain as to what it could be. Taking a few more paces in, I stepped past a ledge and directly above me I saw white rope strung back and forth between the cliffs, small red banners hanging from them that rattled in the wind.
My body instantly went on alert. These hadn't been here the last time I had visited the valley. And based on their appearance, they hadn't been hanging here for too long, the colors were still bright, unfaded from the sun, and the banners looked smooth, untouched by the elements. Slowly I backed away, unease creeping through me.
"Link?" I said softly. He must have heard the alarm in my voice for in a second he was at my side, hand on the hilt of his sword. "When you were searching for the Yiga Clan with the Gerudo, did any group happen to check this valley?"
Link's eyes widened in surprise, but a second later they turned serious and vigilant. "Not that I know off." He replied, his voice low.
I grimaced, "I may have found it." Taking a few steps forwards so the ropes came into view, I pointed them out to Link. "They're new. And I don't think the Gerudo put them there."
"We should report this back to Urbosa." Link said, ready to leave.
I bit my lip, my eyes looking further into the canyon. "I want to make sure."
"Zelda." There was a warning in his voice. "Let Urbosa and her warriors handle it. They can send a whole patrol in here to check."
"It won't take long." I replied, ignoring his words. Before he could stop me, I backtracked and began to climb to the top of the ledge. If I could get a high enough vantage, perhaps I could see further into the valley and make out any Yiga activity.
"Zelda!" Link whispered fiercely from below me. I could see the frustration in his eyes and while his suggestion was the safest option, something inside me propelled me forward. It was as if I had to prove something to myself; what that was, I wasn't sure.
The scrape of shoes on rock sounded below me, and I glanced down to see Link climbing after me. Increasing my pace, I began to climb faster, not wanting Link to catch up and stop me. I reached the top of the ledge quickly, and sticking close to the wall, I looked further into the valley, trying to spot something. However more rocks and ledges jutted out, preventing me from seeing too far into the valley.
Hearing Link haul himself onto the ledge, I was spurred into action and began to climb to the next ledge. "Zelda, stop!" Link said, his voice low, but rigid. "Are you trying to get us killed?"
"I'm just going to the next ledge and that's it." I responded, knowing Link was right. "I just want to check if I can see anything."
Link was clearly not pleased with my decision, however he sighed and gave a brief nod. "That's it then. We are leaving and going straight back to Gerudo Town."
"Sounds good." I agreed, already climbing. The next ledge wasn't too far from the first and did not take long to reach. I felt the strain in my muscles, yet after what Urbosa had put me through this was rather pleasant. Crouching on top of the ledge, I kept low and looked out from the top of the ledge.
I could see further into the canyon, however much of it was cast into shadow, making it hard to see anything. I scanned every corner I could find, not seeing much in the shadows. Just when I was about to turn away and return to Link, movement caught my eye. My eyes widened as they spotted a Yiga, his thin figure slinking along the cliff. This was confirmation enough for me and once the Yiga had disappeared behind more rocks, I carefully and quietly returned back to Link, who was waiting for me on the previous ledge, arms crossed.
"Anything?" He whispered as I set my feet down.
"I saw a Yiga." I whispered back, Link's face becoming blank and emotionless, as if he was ready to go to war.
"Let's go." He bit out, clearly on edge. I nodded, knowing if our presence was discovered here, our odds wouldn't be good.
Link and I cautiously climbed down until we were at the bottom of the valley. Then we sprinted out, keeping to the shadows. We continued to run after we left the Valley, running all the way until we reached the icehouse, which is where Link slowed. He turned to look back in the direction of the Valley, his eyes grim, but his face was more relaxed now.
"Link?" I said hesitantly.
His eyes shifted to me and he shook his head, a hand running through his hair. "Zelda, are you crazy?" He hissed, his words taking me aback. "You could have gotten us killed!"
I took a step back from him, not expecting this. My eyes fell downwards, knowing he was right. My actions had endangered both of us. "You're right." I replied, feeling ashamed. "I'm sorry Link."
Link sighed. A moment later I felt a hand on my shoulder, making me snap my head up, where I met Link's gorgeous blue eyes. "It's ok, Zelda. Just promise me you'll listen to me in the future. My job is to keep you safe. Please let me do that."
"I will." I replied, looking down once more. "The Sheikah did train me in stealth, so I know how to keep my presence hidden. Despite that, I should have listened to you. Going straight back to Urbosa was the smartest option and I ignored that."
There was a slight pause and I peaked up at Link again, feeling very nervous. "Zelda..." He started, his eyes glancing away from me, "I know you wish people would take you seriously, but you can't put yourself in dangerous situations to prove to people you're strong and can do things on your own. No matter what you do, onlookers will always judge and never understand. But those around you, like Urbosa and I'm sure your Sensei Daruk and Archery instructor Falnor, they see how strong you are. You don't need to prove yourself because they see it. I see it too."
My mouth fell open slightly, shocked at his words. Had I really endangered us just to prove I could do it? It did sound like something I would do actually. Perhaps Link understood me more than I realized, more than I did myself it seemed. But then the full power of his words hit me as I mulled over the last part of what he said...
I see it too.
He saw how strong I was. That I wasn't a failure, but a capable partner, despite my lack of powers. "Link..." I whispered. "I'm so sorry." I looked down again, feeling even more ashamed. My own stubbornness could have gotten us killed. "I promise I'll listen to you in the future." I bent my head, deeply regretful of my actions.
"Hey." Link's voice filled my ears, but it was softer now, the serious tone gone. Suddenly his hand came into view and to my complete shock, a finger touched my chin gingerly, his skin warm on mine. A tingling went through me and I felt a gentle pressure on my chin, my head raised up so my green orbs were locked with brilliant blue ones. "It's alright. You don't have to feel bad about it. We discussed it and we're on the same page now. Let's hurry back to Gerudo Town to tell Urbosa though." His finger fell from my chin. I stared at him a moment longer, wondering why my heart was beating so fast.
"Yes, let's do that." I breathed. Link nodded and then began to head towards the ruins. I stared after him a moment, a thought flashing through my mind.
Do I think of him as just a friend?
"Goodnight Zelda." Link said as he bid the Princess farewell. She turned away from him, giving a slight wave as she did so and then disappeared into the room across from his. Turning the knob, he entered his room, and took his sword off, propping it up against the nightstand. He took off his armor and top, leaving the flowing red bottoms on.
They had just finished having dinner with Urbosa. Before that, they had informed Urbosa about their venture to Karusa Valley and the Yiga Zelda had spotted. Urbosa had immediately told Natuma, and the Gerudo Captain went about planning a patrol to investigate the Valley. Once that was taken care of, Urbosa had invited both Link and Zelda to join her for a meal. Urbosa and Zelda mainly talked, reminiscing about previous times Zelda had visited the Gerudo. Eventually the conversation fell to when Link and Zelda would leave. It was something Link was curious about too as Zelda had not mentioned anything to him about leaving soon, however he knew their time in the desert had to be drawing to a close. They had accomplished everything they needed to and more: Urbosa had agreed to become a champion, the Gerudo had become allies in defeating Calamity Ganon, Zelda had given Urbosa a mysterious power, and the Yiga's existence had been confirmed.
And after all the action in the desert, Link was ready to move on. He ended up liking the desert more than he thought he would, however it was getting annoying having to hide or sneak around all the time. And he knew that the Rito Village was their next stopping point and he was excited to see his childhood friends, the Elder, and even his rival once more. It had been several years since he had been to Rito Village and he missed the crisp air and winding village. Rito Village had been his favorite place to visit as a kid. Additionally, he was looking forward to teaching Zelda how to shield surf.
He smiled, thinking about the feisty princess. He supposed that was another thing that had come of their time in the desert: He and Zelda's relationship was much more stable now. She didn't hate him anymore and they were both coming to understand each other and rely upon each other. She had even begun to open up to him, which he appreciated. It seemed they were even friends now.
Friends...
Yet was it just that? He couldn't help remember the rage he had felt when he learned Zelda was in danger. He had rushed off to find her, thinking of nothing else. Yes, it was his duty to protect her, but he had always been level headed, his mind unclouded by strong emotions. Yet when he had seen Zelda in the sand, facing off against a slew of Yiga, he had felt intense anger, instantly putting himself between the Yiga and her. And when she had broken down and cried, he could have just politely listened to her, however something had compelled him to hug her, as if he could chase away whatever plagued her.
And today, how worried he had been when she ventured further into Karusa Valley despite his warnings. The worry was more than what he should feel as her knight. Although she had said herself they were more than Princess and Knight, to the rest of the world, that was their relationship... which made it completely impractical for him to care for her like he did.
Ever since that day at the beach, he had started to see the Princess in a different light, and gotten to know her, Zelda. She had surprised him time and time again and he had grown very fond of her. Yet he had taken it as a sign of friendship and nothing more, ignoring the growing feelings deep down. However, when the Gerudo woman at the icehouse had called them a couple, he couldn't help but feel like she had been calling him out. Heat had risen to his face and by Zelda's protests, he could tell she was mortified, never having considered the possibility. Which made sense; at the end of the day, she was a princess and would likely marry someone of high status, not a knight from a commoner bloodline.
Thus he would ignore his feelings and Zelda would remain as just a friend.