The Silence Between Them | ✔

12) Mission

⚔ In which Zelda has a task to complete ⚔

Zelda

Link must come with me to visit the Champions and their Divine Beasts. The day before we're set to leave, I go to my father in his study.

"He can't come, father! I will be fine with any other knight," I say, trying not to raise my voice.

"You're forgetting, Zelda, that he too is a Champion. Not to mention good friends with princess Mipha and Daruk."

I think quickly. "So, perhaps him coming along would jeopardize his duties to me," I say.

Father chuckles. "I don't think Link's focus on his job will easily be swayed." I'm running out of ideas, and my father knows it. He smiles. "Nothing you say will change my mind. We all knew the implications if Link agreed to become your knight, and this is one of them."

"Father," I try again, "he's so boring! And rude, honestly. He never speaks, never says thank you. He completely-"

A knock at the door stops me, and it opens without my father's permission. Link pokes his head in the door.

"Your majesty, you summoned me?" he says softly.

Father nods. "Yes, come in, Link," he says, making quick mocking eye contact with me. I huff and sit on one of the chairs.

Link turns to me and bows at the hips before sitting next to me.

"Well, since I have the both of you here together, I suppose we should go over what this trip is about," father says. "You will go to each region to check on the Divine Beasts and the Champions and send me full reports for each one and their status." He turns to me specifically after Link silently nods in understanding. "Zelda, whenever you get the chance, continue with your prayers. We cannot waste time when it comes to your power." I bite back my argument and nod. "Well then, you leave tomorrow morning. Go get your things together."

Link nods, stand, and walks out without another word. I look back at my father.

"See? Not a single word of goodbye, thank you, nothing."

He looks from the door Link just left to his desk. "He's a good knight and, more than that, a good kid, Zelda. You should learn to tolerate him, at the very least." There is something distant in his voice, like the slightest disappointments he won't actually voice. But I grit my teeth and don't say anything else before bowing quickly and leaving. I go up to the library's balcony to the shelf of old legends. It's where I found Link the other day, reading a book about the dragons. Damn, that was embarrassing. I could have used what he said today, but it was awkward to even bring the interaction up. I fix my eyes on the shelf as I grab a few books for the road. One about the goddesses, one about the Springs, and, without it really registering, the one about dragons Link was reading the other day. I take them back to my room, where I find Chloe already packing the saddlebags.

⚔

The following day, I go to the stable to see Link already there, attaching his small bag to his own horse. He should be letting a stable hand do it for him. But he did it himself and stepped back when he was finished. He doesn't look at me while I get a stable hand to get my bags in order.

I watch Link as he soothes his horse, feeding it apples and petting its muzzle and mane. He smiles slightly at the mare. I glance at the nameplate on her stall. Epona. A nice name. Fitting for a horse.

Link quickly runs out of apples and walks out of the stall. That's when he sees me and bows. Silent. I nod in response, and he walks away. He returns a moment later, a few apples in his arms. He puts them in his saddle bag.