Before the Wild

Father and Daughter

Two days later, Hyrule Castle, Zelda, Day 6

"The effects of the hot-footed frog seems to provide a temporary boost to stamina. Test Subject #1 explained that he had no desire to rest the first day after making contact with the specimen, and that stamina seemed to stay on the following two days, not falling asleep until late in the third night. The test was performed in the wild, but besides horseback riding and a little combat, there was no other way to determine the performance of the stamina boost versus his normal limit. In the future, further tests shall be performed."

Zelda closed her notebook, looking to a disgruntled Link with a smile. "I believe that was an apt report, don't you?"

Link looked away, deeming the door of the study more interesting than the subject matter. "If I knew you were going to write it down, I would have never done it. Surely there is a reason why knights don't kiss frogs in the stories."

Zelda chuckled as she turned to her desk, assembling her notes. "You mean the story of the princess and the frog, where the princess kisses a frog to reveal her prince?"

"Yes... Would you do that? Kiss a frog if he was a cursed prince?"

Zelda blushed as her mind went rampant at Link's question. If it was Link, I'll make out with the frog. You know when the other noble women say "What that tongue do?" Frogs have good ones. "I... I wouldn't if he was a frog, a pink bunny, or a blue-eyed wolf, a Goron, a Deku, or a Zora." Her composure regained, she set her stack of notes to the side and rose to her feet. Link turned to her, rising to his feet, sensing she was ready to leave the study. She allowed a small smirk as he stood, making note that she was almost, if not barely, taller than him in her heels. Link was shorter by male standards but had always towered Zelda. Today was one of the rare days he didn't. "I believe we should go get out the Guardian testing. Hopefully, we're not too late." Link nodded silently, opening the door for Zelda to exit. She went out ahead, walking slowly along the bridge until she spotted the Sheikah researchers and the Guardian. Excited, she skipped to the side of the bridge, leaning over as the Guardian rose up and began to slowly march forward, per the commands of the researchers. Link walked up beside her, arms folded as he looked down as well, in awe as much as she was.

"Wow."

"Incredible. We're at a point now where we can actually control them. At the current rate, we'll soon know all we need to know about the Guardians and the Divine Beasts!" She turned to Link, putting her weight on her left arm as she leaned on it. "And should Ganon ever show itself again, we'll be well-positioned to defend ourselves."

Link looked up to Zelda, a discomforted smile on his face. He opened his mouth to say something, but something behind Zelda caught his eye, widening as his mouth closed and moved aside. For a moment, Zelda thought something was wrong, and for once, she was right.

"What are you doing out here, Zelda?" That voice forced her to turn around, gasping as she spotted her father walking towards her and Link. Of course, he was here, to ruin her fun. She had just returned to the castle the day prior, and though Link had made the case to leave later today for the Akkala region, Zelda decided that they will be gone for a few days to the two remaining springs and that a day of relaxation wouldn't hurt, She really did want to see the Guardian testing.

But somehow the King of Hyrule got word of her day. As he stood before her, she dropped her hands, tightening them into a fist to compose herself. Though she was an adult in her own right, being in her father's presence was enough to unnerve her like a child. "I... I was assessing the results of the experiment with the Guardians." She stepped forward, in front of the kneeling Link (what a suckup he was. Never had he bowed so long or low in the presence of her!), to stand center to her father. She made a glimpse at the three armored soldiers standing guard at her quarter's door, seeing their discomfort at what is to come. "These pieces of ancient technology could be quite useful against the-"