A Couple of Trials (ZeLink)

Chapter 31: A Stubborn Realization

Snowflakes slowly descended from the darkened clouds above, adding to the already thick sheet of snow that covered the ground and the purple-colored top of Jules's head. She quietly sat against the wooden wall of the stables next to Link's house, listening to the sound of the horses chewing on whatever snack Link had given them earlier before he began his practice out in the field. She watched as he swung around the burned, curved blade in his hands with nothing on but his trousers and boots- tempering his bare upper body against the cold.

She hadn't bothered saying anything to him. For the past few days–ever since he had seen whatever it was on the village rooftops— he had subjected himself to ignore just about anything that wasn't related to training. At least, that's what it looked like. It was unclear to her how he acted around Zelda since, by the time she returned home from the inn, Jules was already either leaving or gone. Despite this, she could take a pretty good guess about how things were going judging by the few glances she recently got of Zelda early in the mornings at the beginning of her workday, and she didn't seem too happy.

Because of this increasingly unapproachable aura around Link, Jules resorted to simply watching from afar, acting as whatever moral support she could be. Still, in the back of her mind, even she believed that it didn't mean much if anything at all.

With a depressing sigh, she reached up a cold hand and brushed the thin pile of snow collecting on her head before doing the same to the sheet on her legs. She looked up, allowing the gray clouds and falling snowflakes to mesmerize her. While the sight of Link dancing with his sword could usually hold her attention for hours on end, now that she could see what encouraged him, it almost didn't seem right to feel so awestruck. For her, it was one thing to be prepared, but even she could see when things were being taken too far, and the ever-growing darkness under his eyes only supported this. With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and leaned the back of her head against the stable's wooden beams.

"Isn't it about time you took a break?" she said quietly to herself. "Even if it's just a short one?"

"I'm going to take a breather in just a moment," Link suddenly called back as he continued to swing his sword. Jules, who had slightly jumped at his unexpected words, returned her gaze from the clouds and back to him.

He heard me? she asked herself. Is he really that alert?

"So you're finally going to put the sword down, huh?" she asked, trying to continue on as normal as possible. "I didn't think you had it in you."

"It's just a bite to eat, and then I'll be back at it," Link said simply. He swung a few more times before bringing the blade down to his side.

"You could use a bit more than that," Jules said as he began to walk back over, wiping sweat from his forehead with his free arm. "Maybe a nap?"

"You know what I'm gonna say to that, Jules," he said as he walked past her. "Do you want me to make you some of whatever I'm eating?"

"I'll never turn down something made by a master chef," Jules said, twisting her body to watch his backside as he made his way toward the tree and cooking pot on the other side of the house.

With a grunt, she pushed herself up to her feet and dusted the rest of the snow off her dress before following him. By the time she arrived at the cooking pot, Link had already squatted down to light the wood from under it. Taking a seat next to the pot, she watched as he moved his hands, adjusting quality sticks while finding a good piece of flint that remained from the last time he had started a fire. Taking the sword he had placed in the snow next to him back in hand, he tapped the blade against the flint, which finally allowed a fire to spark. Instantly, Jules felt relief wash over her body as the heat washed over the front of her.