A Couple of Trials (ZeLink)

Chapter 86: The Weight of a Sword

Morning sunlight peeked through the wooden slats of the inn's window blinds, brightening Link's eyelids. Wincing, he buried his face into the back of his lover's golden hair, trying to shield himself from the light in order to fall back asleep. Unfortunately, now that he was awake, it was impossible to ignore the loud screeching of seagulls from outside, forcing him to remain conscious. With a groan, he hugged the woman in his arms tighter, enjoying the softness of her hair before rolling onto his back to look up at the ceiling.

"Good morning, Lurelin," he said quietly, as memories from the day before flooded his mind. "So it wasn't just a dream."

With a grin, he rolled back over, the tired burn in his eyes going away as he focused on his princess. There she lay, her skin radiant in the sun's rays, seemingly unbothered by the light hitting her own closed eyes. Link chuckled, reaching over to brush a few strands of shimmering golden hair out of her face.

"You pushed yourself too hard yesterday," he said quietly. "Thank you, Zelda."

He listened to her steady, rhythmic breathing—the peaceful susurration replacing the harsh cries of the seagulls—before looking toward the inn's other beds. All of them were empty—some beds made while others were less so. After rubbing his eyes and stretching as best he could while still lying down, he carefully searched the sheets until his hands finally found the stone slab he was seeking. Lifting the Sheikah Slate up above his face, he tapped on its front and swiped over to the map, where the time could be read in the corner.

"It's already past eleven?" he asked. "I guess I also used up more energy than I thought last night."

With a yawn, he lowered the slate down to rest on his stomach. He looked back over at his sleeping lover one last time before hoisting himself up into a sitting position. After carefully climbing over Zelda's sleeping body, he stepped onto the floorboards and gave another spine-cracking stretch. Adjusting his ponytail, he looked down at Zelda and smiled before sitting on the edge of the bed to put his Lurelin-style sandals on.

"We didn't even change clothes before getting into bed," Link mumbled to himself. "We're gonna have to clean the sand out of it before sleeping tonight. There's no way Zelda won't notice the mess by then."

Chuckling, he sat up, running his fingers through his hair before sighing.

"Let's get another day started," he said, pushing himself to his feet. "I wonder what everyone else is up to..."

Turning back to the bed, he took in Zelda's sleeping face once more before lowering himself to a knee. Leaning down, he planted a gentle kiss on the princess's forehead.

"Rest well, Zel," he whispered before pushing himself back up. "I'll make sure to have a fresh dish of food prepared for when you wake up."

Having given Zelda his quiet farewell, he headed out of the inn (giving the innkeeper a rather awkward wave in greeting, who mischievously giggled and waved in return) and into the seaside village. He walked through the town, greeting the cheerful villagers and playful children he passed, until eventually he reached the sandy beach. There, preparing the fishing boats and small rafts, were some of Lurelin's fishermen.

"Armes?" Link asked, stepping up to the dark-skinned fisherman of the group. "Are you guys going out fishing today? We had so much yesterday."

"Link! Hey!" Armes said cheerfully, placing a pair of oars into one of the boats. "Yeah, we did, but that doesn't mean the work stops. There's always fish to be caught! We had a fun night, and thanks to that, we're more invigorated than ever!"

The other fishermen behind him cheered, carrying crates and barrels onto the rafts.

"We have to hand it to you and the princess," the long-haired fisherman Link knew as Numar said from one of the rafts. "You both really know how to inspire people."