Autumn in Akkala

Ch.13 White Sands, Empty Hands

Peruse the Midnight Sands
!Link Lurelin Village

My concentration on recovering Majora's Mask wavers throughout the day. Y/N continues to monopolize my thoughts. It isn't until I see the rise of the blood moon that I am once again reminded of why we are together in the first place.

Not because she wants to be with me. But because she thinks Zelda told her to.

Still, my mind repeats her question from last night by the fire. I know I must answer her at some point. I fear her getting close to my true self. Which will be inevitable the longer we spend time together here in the wild. Banquets, sparring, and royal splendor are not who I am.

It's who I was. Before the amnesia. I find it hard to go back to that version of myself. This is the version of me the queen is besotted with.

The version of me that she loves. The gallant knight who always raises the sword of destiny in her honor.

It is my greatest hope that this time together with Y/N shows her who I really am. She may be like Zelda. She may simply find me fascinating as this "silent knight" moniker I've claimed.

Just like the heroes who have come before me, the Link prior to my century slumber is a different man.

I find I am rather not fond of him.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

"Purah is nothing like I had heard. She may be high-energy, but she's quite kind. I suppose you were both right. I wouldn't have been comfortable in my lab clothing." Purah lent you a Shiekah tunic; its billowy silhouette drifted away from your frame in an effortlessly chic way. If the weather became humid, you could remove the tunic, as you had a simple camisole beneath it. Secretly, you hoped it wouldn't come to that. Your reserved side once again reminded you why it was imperative to keep your distance from the queen's knight.

Queen's in possessive was the key word.

Distance would also include your blatant ogling of his body. It's not like you'd ever get to feel it. The thought seized you of Link lying on his straw mat, strumming the straw the way he grabbed your hand and strummed Revali's bow. Forget humidity, your own thoughts were making you hot enough.

You and Link continued to dawdle up a steep cliff. Reisz and Epona both huffed in unison. Link chuckled at the sisterly horse bond that's been forged since your departure. "Almost there, ladies." He patted Epona's head, tangling some of his fingers in her mane in a manner of affection.

He turned to you with a sly grin. "That includes you too Y/N." He let out a hearty laugh as he gave Epona a hard tug of her reigns, forcing her to gallop forward.

That Link! Such a scoundrel! Deceiving people with his 'silent' facade.

You replicated his maneuver, slapping your reigns gently and urging Reisz to catch up. You had made it to the cliff's summit. Link slowed Epona down, jumping off and stretching his arms beneath a caress of the sun's light. You went to dismount Reisz, only for his hand to be suspended in the air, waiting to assist you. "May I offer you a hand?"

"I'm capable of getting off myself." The phrase came out before you could stop it. Link lowered his hand, his eyes covered by his bangs, hiding his expression.

"Look down below." He ignored you, instantly changing the subject. You hadn't meant to sound the way you had. Not to mention the poor choice of words. You brushed it off until you saw Link's face slightly aglow, emphasizing again why you should choose your words more carefully.