му нєяσιиє (Prince!Link x Hero!Reader)

ʜʏʀᴜʟᴇ ᴄᴀsᴛʟᴇ: ᴜɴɪᴛᴇᴅ

((Image made by BitteredMilk on DeviantArt))

The following day, the atmosphere of the hideaway wasn't welcoming and afraid anymore. It was that of tension and a deep anxiety that spread like wildfire. If one were to step into the room from the outside world, they could almost feel the thickness of the rising tensity as they passed through.

You, however, seemed completely immune to such feelings. Your energy and your focus were dedicated to your upcoming battle with the queen herself. Your whole day consisted primarily of training yourself in every way you could. There were even points when you snuck out of the hideaway to fight against some of the guarding monsters that got close to the den. No farther. Your heart was constantly pounding, your mind reeling with every passing minute. A glare seemed to permanently control your face as you trained, imagining each strike was another blow to Ganaduar's heart. While others attempted to usher you to rest, you rarely did so. You had only stopped to silently eat and ease cramping arms.

The sun began to set much later than you had hoped. Your anxiety caused the day to last for decades. The red in the sky above became dimmer with the fleeing light, and the citizens were preparing to go to sleep. Even though they were as anxious as you were, they were exhausted from trying to get you to calm down. So as each Hylian fell asleep one by one, you were pacing around the library area.

"Tomorrow's it. My last chance…!" You muttered, your hand fiddling with your amulet. "The Blood Moon's tomorrow night. If that thing fully rises, then I lose and Link will be lost. I need to get there in the morning, but with all of those beasts around--"

"(Y/n)? Are you okay?"

You stop in your tracks, quickly turning around. In the entryway, Malon was standing there with a small pillow held in her right arm.

"Oh…" you breathed, sighing as you put your hand over your racing heart. "Malon, you scared me…!"

"S-Sorry, (Y/n)," Malon said softly, quietly walking over to not disturb the dozing group. "I-I found you an extra pillow for tonight. Linebeck took the bed, so I figured you'd want at least something comfortable." She held the pillow out to you, which you took from her.

"Thanks," you say, holding it to your side, looking at it as you brushed off a bit of access dust. "But comfort is the last thing I want to worry about. Especially tonight."

She looked at you with pity, then gave a small sigh. "Look, (Y/n)," she said softly, stepping a bit closer. "I know you want to get out there. But I want you to know that there's nothing wrong with possibly failing. Even if that woman manages to beat you, we still admire your courage. And we'll be eternally grateful for you trying."

""Failing"? "Trying"?" You asked, turning to her. "Malon, I don't have a choice. This battle is for life and death. If I fail, then Ganaduar's gonna come find any remaining Hylians here and slaughter them for her kingdom of darkness. If I fail, she might even go for the other tribes! The Zora, the Gerudo, the Goron, Sheikah, Deku? All of them are counting on me! I can't lose!"

You both fell silent, her expression worrisome while yours was desperate. Moments of silence passed, and she finally stepped two steps closer, pulling you into a loose hug. "I know…" she said softly, her voice seeming to waver a little. "Just… just be careful… and come back safely…"

You didn't move for a second, taking in her quiet plea. Your mind only settled for a few moments, allowing you to return the embrace with your free arm. She stepped back after a minute, her face just a little red. From embarrassment or her tears, only she knew. "I…" she cleared her throat a little. "I-I'm going to bed. I-I think you should, too. You know… for your fight…"