A Hyrule Holiday

Snow fell from the sky, covering the ground with a thick layer of white. It was exactly the sort of weather one would hope for on Solstice, and Zelda could not be happier. It hadn't snowed in Central Hyrule in years, and she hadn't celebrated Solstice properly since her mother was alive, spending the holy day praying from dawn until night instead.

But now she had her powers, and finally, finally she could celebrate with her loved ones.

She only wished she had been able to sleep in a bit longer. At an ungodly hour, Daruk burst into her room, Link in tow.

"It's solstice!" Daruk thundered, his voice so loud that books fell off Zelda's shelf. "Wake up, sleepyhead!"

Link raised an eyebrow, despite Daruk facing away from him. "I tried to keep him out," he signed, "I really did. But he's as stubborn as... well, as a rock."

"Is that a saying?"

"Is what a saying?" Daruk asked.

"As stubborn as a rock."

"I don't know. But anyway, it's solstice, Princess! Urbosa told me you haven't celebrated in a long time, so we all decided to throw a party!"

"I didn't agree to start it so early," Link interjected. Daruk didn't see him say this, either.

"That's very sweet of you," Zelda said. "Is there anything I should do to help?"

"Nope!" Daruk marched over to the curtains and pulled them open, then opened the window. A freezing gust of wind blew into the room. It flipped open one of the books Daruk had knocked over. "Ahhh, feel that cold winter air!"

Link ran behind him and closed the window. "I am not going to let Zelda get hypothermia again. Especially not with all the planning we've done for the party."

Zelda was appreciative of the window's closure. She still had goosebumps from the brief moment it had been opened. Still, she decided to tease Link a bit. "When did you get so grumpy? Trying to stop Daruk from waking me up at—" she glanced at the clock, "—6:14am. Trying to stop him from letting my eyelashes grow icicles."

"He woke me up at 5:30. I'm cranky."

"Exactly!" Daruk boomed, "It's solstice, little guy! The time for cold air and waking up early!" He shoved the window open again and cupped his hands around his mouth in a makeshift megaphone. He shouted out into the training grounds. "Stop training, soldiers! It's solstice!"

The grounds were mostly empty, but the soldiers that were there cheered.

"You don't have clearance to do that," Zelda pointed out. "Besides, the soldiers are off today for solstice."

"Then... who're those people?" He pointed down at the handful of people.

"Those are people decorating the training dummies with lights."

"Huh," he turned back to the window and shouted again. "My bad, everyone! Get back to work." By the time he had yelled this, though, all the decorators had left, leaving their lights trailing on the floor around the dummies.

Link closed the window again. "Hey, Daruk! I know what you should do. How about you go make sure the fire is still going?"

"Are you just trying to get rid of me?"

"Yes."

"I appreciate your honesty, little guy. I'll leave so the princess can get dressed. Then we'll come back!"

"The party doesn't even start until after lunch!"

Link and Daruk kept bickering as Link guided him out of the room and down the hall. "See you after lunch," he said before they left the room. "We'll come get you."