I Live to Serve

Chapter #14: The Mountains and The Desert and The Sea

Link didn't speak much during breakfast. He'd come back shortly after his escapade into the woods. He wouldn't let pointless bouts of melancholy get in the way of his responsibilities. Paya had to eat, and it was negligent to leave her alone for too long anyways. He had cursed himself for leaving her in harm's reach. Ganon might've been carried off with the wind, but common cruelty hadn't. That much was obvious after the escapade from the day before.

Paya didn't pry too much. Although he caught her stares, he appreciated that she didn't ask why he was all but silent during their meal. He wasn't much of a talker anyways.

He was finishing up his last few bites when she interrupted his brooding. "Do you mind if we... break up the riding today?" She asked. Her voice was laced with cautiousness. "I'm not really used to it, and my legs are really..."

"Sore," he concluded with a slow nod. "Yeah, of course." He slid the Sheikah Slate off his belt and opened his map. His steely blue eyes traced the screen. "The next stable is a while away. About a day's ride... Why don't we stay here today?"

"Surely not!" She replied immediately. Her entire body noticeably stiffened. "I won't slow you down! We can leave and ride right there. That's just fine with me!" Any amount of confidence that she'd adorned herself in had quickly been torn away.

"No, it's fine, Paya. We can rest here for a day. I don't mind," he insisted. The look on her face compelled a sort of guilt inside him. Had he come off as so short tempered that he inspired fear? Why did he draw such anxiety out of her? Surely she wasn't like that with everyone. "We aren't in any kind of rush. It'll be nice to just enjoy the scenery. I'll go hunting. Get us some meat and more food for the road."

"Well... okay. If you say so... These mushrooms-" she poked at the food in her bowl. "How do you know what ones are safe to eat?"

"You just have to remember what ones are okay," he replied. "...I could show you. Would you be okay to walk?" Learning to forage would be a good practical skill. It wouldn't be overly arduous, and it might prevent her from becoming too bored.

"Yeah, absolutely," she replied. It was hard to trust any of her self-assessments given her overly selfless disposition, but it seemed honest enough.

He returned his empty bowl to his bag and rose to his feet. The patio outside of the stable was noisier now. It was mostly single travelers standing around, making friends out of strangers with hearty laughter and shared food. He caught slivers of conversations that whisked through the air. References to wives and grandfathers and old friends were woven through the chaotic assortment of exchanges that caught his ear. Stories and lives blossoming around him like dew drops in the dawn horizon.

He didn't notice at first when Paya stood up beside him. Had it not been for her clearing her throat, he might've become lost in the myriad of people's offhanded comments.

"There's a forest to our immediate west," he said, regaining focus. "We can go there, and I'll show you mushrooms, and I can hopefully get some game."

Paya nodded and followed him as he turned towards the direction of the woods. They passed out of the stable patio and onto the grass. It was a hot day today; the later it got, the more aggressively the sun poured its warmth down on them. The forest's coverage would be a great relief.

"Where was it that you said we were headed to again?" Paya asked. She peered at Link from the corner of her eyes.

"Tarrey Town," he replied. He watched as a bird darted across their path. Too little. Not worth shooting down.

"What's that like?"

"Well, it wasn't much of anything when I was there last," he explained. "Just a small community trying to develop into a proper town... I met the founder in Hateno, and I helped him a bit with it, but obviously I didn't have the time to do a whole lot."