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Father,
I write to you to inform you of my and Link’s safe arrival to Gerudo Town. We have been welcomed into the ever generous hospitality of Chief Urbosa, who sends her regards.
More importantly, I regret to inform you of our decision to remain in Gerudo Town for a few days more than expected. Chief Urbosa has informed me of troubling occurrences which have been taking place in the desert of late. The Yiga Clan has become steadily more active. It appears they are growing in numbers and strength and have begun staging attacks on desert residents and visitors, even going so far as to raid entire villages. I fear that the Yiga are plotting something terribly sinister.
Chief Urbosa has sent informants to survey the hideout, but they have unfortunately not returned. Link has volunteered to retrieve them and conduct the espionage himself, hence our extended stay. I will continue praying to the Goddess for wisdom and strength while I am away.
Be well. I will return home soon.
- Zelda
Zelda handed the letter off to the hovering Gerudo guard, an act that served as both a request to fulfill and a silent dismissal from her temporary chambers. For the first time since that morning, she was once again alone with her knight. Link stood guard on the balcony, hands folded neatly on the hilt of the downturned legendary blade, staring out across the desert sands. She could not see his face from her position across the room, but she could imagine how it looked: stoic and emotionless as always. She watched him for a moment, savoring the rare opportunity to be his shadow for once.
Except, it dawned on her, it was not the first time she was staring at the back of his head for a change. The first time had happened that morning outside the bazaar. Her heart rate quickened as she recalled how she felt in that moment: collapsed on the shifting sand, staring into the blood red eye of the Yiga member as their sickle glinted off the harsh sunlight, mind and body alike drowning in fear.
And then he appeared.
It should not have come as a surprise to her. She had been surrounded by guards her entire life. She had been warned of the threat that could come from her sheer existence since she was a child. She should have expected that, even though she thought she had successfully slipped away from his line of sight in order to have a few moments alone, he would still be following her, watching at all times just in case. And yet, even knowing these things, she had been shocked to see him appear in her time of need. As she lay on the sandy earth, staring in awe at the embodiment of courage standing before her, baring the Sword to the remaining enemies, she felt the weight of overwhelming guilt. He had risked his life for her, though she had done nothing to deserve such sacrifice.
She continued to stare at the back of his head once more, now from the comfort and security of the highly guarded Gerudo palace. Before she could realize her feet were moving, she found herself standing on the balcony beside him, wringing her hands together and staring out at the sands, trying desperately to find something interesting to fix her gaze upon. She noticed his eyes flicker in her direction ever so briefly, causing her heart to leap.
“You depart in the morning, yes?” she spoke, heart in her throat. He nodded once, gaze unshifting.
“Right. Good. Thank you for doing this. I know Chief Urbosa is grateful as well.” He responded yet again with a single, silent nod. Zelda squeezed her hands together, suppressing the knee-jerk anger which attempted to bubble in her chest. A pang of guilt replaced what, prior to today, would have been silent rage. She sighed.
“Link… Thank you. For this morning, I mean. I… It was foolish of me to run away like that, especially with the desert being in such a state of discord. I do not know what I was thinking. I… will be forever grateful for what you did. Thank you.” The words tumbled clumsily from her lips, leaving her to wonder whether anything she had said was coherent. She glanced sideways toward the knight, who continued to stare blankly into the distance. She could have sworn she heard a small sigh escape his lips. Feeling some guilt lift from her chest, she chose to continue alleviating the weight. “I also wanted to apologize. I have been awful to you, taking my anger out on you when you have done nothing to deserve it. So… I am sorry. Please forgive me.”
Her knight neither sighed nor nodded. The weight which had slowly been lifted from Zelda’s chest began to descend upon her once more with every passing, silent second. He would not forgive her, she realized.
And why would he?
Cool desert air flowed through the balcony, sending a shiver down Zelda’s spine. She flinched as Link abruptly sheathed the Master Sword and stepped back into the room, leaving her to ruminate on her failures alone in the cold. Before she could spiral too far, she jumped once more as a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Link stepped beside her again, resuming his stoic guard stance while Zelda desperately tried to hide the pink which had flushed in her cheeks. While she fidgeted with the edges of the blanket, her heart leapt as she heard his raspy voice speak for the first time.
“I forgive you.”