New Home - BotW Link x Reader (Undergoing Revisions)

Chapter 22 - Treasured

I awoke that next morning to the sound of humming. It was a pleasant sound, a little scratchy and definitely not following any sort of tangible melody, but it was a pretty sound to wake up to all the same. I was warm, wonderfully so, and I was tucked in comfortably between the blankets I'd brought with me.

One of the rarest, but most wonderful ways to wake up was just like this. It was natural - the sound of the humming did not wake me, nor did a fright or scare or the duty of routine. I was awake before I even opened my eyes, and began to consider my surroundings before I even remembered where I was.

Of course, it was all too easy to realize where I was because of the simple fact that I was lying against what felt like soft, mossy earth, so we were still where we had set up camp just last night. The horses were, of course, not here. We'd hiked on foot to get here after a certain point, so they were closer to the canyon than we were, certainly waiting patiently for our return.

But I... I was dreading it. It wasn't seeing the horses I was dreading - it was the fact that in doing so, we'd have no choice but to ride along, ever closer to Kakariko.

So, at least for now, I kept my eyes closed and eased myself to get comfortable once more. Link continued to hum, and it sounded to me like he was puttering around in the secluded spot of our camp, doing something or other. I could never be sure - not unless I opened my eyes. Dammit.

I decided first to do the opposite. I squeezed my eyes closed tighter as I stretched my limbs out, and I could hear the string of satisfying creaks and pops of my joins as they eased out of their slumber. A low, contented sort of groan passed through my lips, and then I relaxed, letting my eyes flutter open to the pale sunlight streaming through the trees and filtering down to the forest floor.

It was early, which wasn't surprising. Link did seem to be an early riser, and it made sense to set out for the day before the true heat settled in, especially in an area like the winding canyons leading to Kakariko, where the sun bounced mercilessly off the rock.

I looked around the camp, though even saying that was a bit overkill. Our "camp" was a hastily cleared bit of space, with most of it taken up by the campfire which Link had clearly tended to this morning with fresh kindling and fuel. It was roaring now, and even as he passed through the clearing doing drills, though incredibly easy ones that were surely as easy for breathing to him, his sword proudly in his hand, he kept a close eye on it.

I felt a bit embarrassed to just sit and watch him, but for now, it's all I wanted to do. His movements were with the ease of muscle memory and practice, well-controlled and well-adjusted for the size of the clearing. As he mimed parrying a blow, keeping the blade moving slowly, his muscles hardly even wavered as he lifted the weapon above his head and then downwards, slower than before.

When the blade was parallel with the ground, Link held it there, and heaved out a puffy breath that had some of the air lifting away from his face momentarily. He thought nothing of it though, and went on to the next pose. After a few more poses, it seemed he decided to rest for a while, though from where I was lying it didn't look like he had broken a sweat at all.

Still, to the fire he came, and he lowered himself to sit and settled before the roaring flames with his legs crossed before him. He set the sword down to his side gently, then retrieved a small pouch from his hip and poured its contents out onto his palm. He began sifting through a pile of berries, ones that looked fresh. This forest had to be teeming with them; perhaps he went foraging before daybreak?

Whatever the case, I decided to finally sit up and announce myself. As soon as I began gathering the energy to do so, Link glanced over at me, having to do a double-take, as though he hadn't believed I was actually awake.