Redemption (Link x Reader)

Chapter 17: Mending Broken Hearts

On your time off (when Ray was busy), you lost herself in the books of the castle library. Despite Ganon running rampant throughout the halls for a century, many of the books had survived his destruction. The library wasn't entirely repaired, but it was enough that the old librarian, Murtaugh, found no problem with her curling on the plush couches with a book in her lap.

Zelda visited the library often as well. Sometimes, the women sat together and read in silence, just enjoying each other's company as they completed their separate tasks. You both commented to one another about what they were reading every so often. You felt like  had learned more about ruling a kingdom than most of the royal line of Hyrule.

You suggested to Zelda that, sometime in the future, they hire more healers.  That way if there were an emergency and you were out in Castle Town, no one would be at risk. Zelda had agreed to the idea, but said that it likely couldn't happen for a while, due to funds being allocated elsewhere.

Finally, the weekend arrived once more, and your excitement increased exponentially. The weekend meant that Ilia and Peter would be arriving at Hyrule Castle. According to the letter the knight had written back to Zelda, Ilia had made him wait in their village for days until they was finally ready to travel. You could only grin at your friend's habits.

As soon as her day ended promptly at five in the evening, You ran like a exited child throughout the castle. You tore through the front doors, startling the knights that stood on watch, and speed run down the stone steps. 

Two horses were approaching the gates of the castle, and you grin only widened when you saw the familiar glint of blonde hair in the sunlight. Despite how much you wanted to run toward your friends, you walked toward them so as to not frighten the horses.

Their steeds slowed to a stop, Ilia and Peter had barely put their feet on the ground before you were wrapping your arms around them. Your friends grunted, uncomfortable with so much affection in front of so many people, but their arms still came up to hold you.

"You two smell like a horse, I missed you guys." You said to your friends, to which Ilia snorted.  You pulled away from your friend, taking in her appearance. Their had tanned significantly from the trip, their face far darker than you had ever seen them. Peter and Ilia looked exhausted, which your supposed was only natural, since they had never traveled outside of their village. 

But the smile they gave you was still bright, turning into a smirk as they glanced up at the castle that loomed above them.

"When you said we should visit you wherever you ended up, I never expected it to be the castle ." Peter ran a hand through his hair. "I bet Link didn't have to do much talking to get you to stay in a place as fancy as this."

For a moment, your smile faltered. You replastered it onto your face and hoped that your friends hadn't noticed your slip-up. In the months since you had ended things with Link, you hadn't mentioned any of it to them. You had drafted dozens of letters that tried to explain everything, but you had been unable to finish any of them. Writing down what had happened, like telling people, made it seem all the more real. And you hadn't been ready to accept that for months.

"I've got this from here," You told to one of the knights, Ross. He had visited her for an ointment to cure a mysterious...ailment in his nether-regions. You had sent him along with the ointment and protective measures for any chance encounters he might find himself in.

Ross nodded and walked over to his fellow knights. One of the stable hands took the horses away as You clasped Illia's hands in you. "What would you like to do? Are you hungry? Tired?"