Link, Learn to Take a Sick Day

Stop Acting You're OK 1

Link had just finished his journey with princess Zelda to the Rito village. Since the princess could sense the calamity's arrival, and out of fear from her lack of Sealing Power, she was making extra rounds on all of her champions. Link found it somewhat annoying, but he simply loved the outdoors. Fighting bokoblins and moblins, well, that was kind of his hobby.

If you ever asked him to tell you why he loved it, he couldn't say. It just was. The best answer though, would have to be how he felt a sense of accomplishment and a dash of pride whenever he made Zelda feel safe, even if she never thanked him.

Zelda made the decision to stop at Vah Medoh first; Link had expected it after hearing all her "talking to herself" on horseback about being fearful of Revali's ego, and how it might affect the war. Link was pretty easy going himself, especially compared to the princess' fiery nature, but even he could hardly stay quiet to the over-grown bird's jeers. 

Even though they had paid for inns, Link still never slept much. That and between his lack of appetite and a cough every so often, he was starting to worry about how much he truly worried about the calamity's coming. Then again, he hadn't been to this part of Hyrule and this time of year, maybe it was allergies? But did allergies make you not eat and sleep?

If that were the case, he felt sort of mad. The outdoors had always been his favorite thing, his friend. Now, as his body changed through his teen-aged years, it decided to attack him and hurt his sinus and throat.

One thing that seemed to happen kind of naturally was not talking. He used to talk all the time as a child, but once he had to fit the mold the triforce wanted of him, he never really found a need to speak. Even if he wanted to, his voice would be unready of the sudden wishes and would hardly make a sound. It wasn't much of a conscious effort, but what just felt natural.

"Oh! Princess!" Exclaimed the perched Ritos on watch duty. They waved and both Hylians mirrored. Link went up the stairs a little bit more draggedly today than he remembered the last trip, but nothing compared to how red and out of breath Zelda was. Link almost laughed, before remembering one mistake like that would set off her mood.

    "Why Princess Zelda. A true honor to have you in our village." Revali said after he shot up in the air, only to pause with a majestic pose of his wings spread wide, to gracefully land on his feet.

            "Good to see you too," she smiled. Link could tell she was trying to force that smile, in hopes of tricking herself into enjoying his presence.

            "Oh, and hello, Link." Revali said with distaste. An awkward tension clung to the conversation.

            "Anyways," Zelda took control of the conversation. "May I have a look at Vah Medoh? I sense Calamity Ganon's rising. As you know, other triforce wielders are already ready." She glanced towards Link, "so I'd like to make sure that Hyrule is ready."

            "Sure thing! I'll take you up for a quick pop in. I can only take one up though." He said with fake disappointment.

            Zelda nodded, and Revali took her up in the sky. Now that Link had time to think, the weight of what his feet were screaming at him made him sit. Half-way through the journey, Zelda had been bucked off her horse and it ran away. Once she was able to stand, her steed was out of ear shot. He had offered her a seat with him on his horse, but she refused. It began to feel uncomfortable for him being so much taller than her after a while, so he eventually boarded his horse at the next stable.

            But what he didn't know was why his feet ached so much? He had run double the length before, and it felt to be the same level of exhaustion as that event. It didn't help that he apparently didn't grab his warm clothes and was freezing on the high hills the Rito lived. On top of that, he never carried as much money as it cost to buy a new set of clothes, and he didn't want to ask the princess for a favor like that. So, he sat with his back to a wall, freezing in the mountains.

Link had drifted off to sleep and was abruptly awakened by an angry Zelda, "Why don't you have your Rito clothes equipped?! From the looks of you, you've lost half your life force!" He noticed his nose was running, his legs had goosebumps, and his chin was shivering. He tried to get up, but fell back down. Spots annoyingly covered his vision. He tried again and took a deep breath, but that only lead to that cough he had earlier coming back. Zelda reached for his hands and dragged him up. "You stupid knight!" She scolded. About that time, he noticed Revali standing further back, giving him a judging stare.

            "Princess," Revali bowed, "you've looked at my divine beast, it looks like you can leave with your frail protector now."

            "It would do some good to get him out of the cold. Wait..." She dug in her pouch to retrieve a type of meat that smelled as if it had cold resistant properties. Link had made meals and potions enough to have a well understanding of those types of scents. "Eat it. It should help until we can get down the stairs."

            "Farewell! And safe travels to your next stop! May Ganon's reign never see the light of day." He gave a mini salute, and took to the sky.

            After they had left the village, Zelda slapped Link. "What the heck was that for?"

            "Your clothes!"

            "I guess I forgot to pack them.  I'll be fine."

            "But what about other cold areas we might have to go through, hm?" She sighed, "let me buy you some clothes on the way out."

            "I'm fine, really. I think I have some po-"

            "Save it!" She marched up to the cashier at the clothing store and asked for the set. When she leaned over to ask him what size he was, she realized he had kept walking. This made her have to leave and catch up to him, and by then, they were too far away.

            "I'd feel bad if I made you use your money on my horrible memory." Zelda couldn't tell if it was from the cold environment, but it seemed his cheeks got a shade pinker when he said that.

            She seemed touched by this, but still, she'd rather pay for him to have a double set, then to have to carry him while he felt nearly dead. While it would be her fault. "I guess it's off to see Urbosa."