Hero by Heart

Chapter 8

The days slowly flowed into each other. One day the sun was hidden behind thick clouds filled with rain, only to reappear the day after, shining brightly as ever.
Link and Zelda kept to his house most of the time. Occasionally they would walk through the village, meeting with people and hearing all the latest news.
Everybody here was warm and welcoming, but they kept their distance. They seemed to respect the famous pair greatly and wouldn't bother them with their mundane lives unless asked for it.
Everyday they made a short visit with Purah, to see how she progressed with the Sheikah Slate. Zelda would often stay behind and discuss things that were too advanced for Link to care. He would then go out and explore the surroundings, or take Epona for a ride, hunt for the local shopkeepers, or find little tasks to do to help others.
He and Zelda both enjoyed staying here, a little on the outskirts of town, having their privacy and doing their own things. Still, Link started to grow a little restless again.
The research up in the Ancient Tech Lab didn't seem to go anywhere and he was running out of ideas to occupy himself and his mind.
Ever since they arrived here, he had felt a nagging feeling in the back of his mind, telling him that they could be happy here. Living in his house, together.
His sane mind, however, kept reminding him that she would never want to do that. She belonged in the castle, to take her rightful place as queen.
The thought of her as queen made him feel nauseous every time it popped in his head. She would be great, of course, but she would be unreachable. He could maybe take his place as her appointed knight, as he had been, but that was it. Nothing more could happen.
He kept pushing thoughts of her away, but every time she looked at him with that sparkle in her eye, or a broad smile on her lips as she discovered something new, or her face when she had just woken up and was already enjoying another day no matter the weather, he couldn't help but feel drawn in.
Being around her constantly made him incredibly happy, but also frustrated and uncomfortable. The thoughts that kept creeping into his brain were distracting and inappropriate. Let alone his very confusing memories of her.
Sometimes he was certain that she had hated him. Maybe it had subsided a little over time, but he didn't know how far her feelings had developed in the other direction.
Other times he was certain they had been great friends, possibly even more. When her hand lingered on his just a moment too long, or she looked at him just a little too much, he started thinking that maybe there had been something else going on.
It killed him inside that he could not remember their relationship from right before the Calamity. He had no way of knowing how she saw him. Not unless he asked, but he could not find a way to do that without sounding desperate, or weird.
He knew that somewhere along the way, when they had traveled across Hyrule together, he had grown fond of her. She had earned his respect by being so determined, so ambitious. She knew her goal and would try everything to achieve it. He admired her attitude towards things that might seem too difficult and challenging to others, but for her never stood in her way. He had seen her struggle, but she always kept her head up high, never showing weakness. She was kind to everyone she met and didn't listen to prejudice. She was just a truly good person.
Link realised that his feelings towards her were complex, even back then. He had been her knight, nothing more, but they hadn't acted like it. They had spent so much time together, just them two, that it was impossible not to talk.
He wished he could remember more of their talks, of her. Maybe it would help him find out what it had been between them, that now left him so confused.
     Everyday he went through a whirlwind of emotions, always leaving him confused as he lay down in bed.

It had been more than a week since they arrived in Hateno Village. Link didn't see Zelda very often, as she was hauled up inside the Tech Lab most of the days now. She would go up after breakfast and only came down for dinner, which she gladly cooked with him.
     He had been teaching her to cook more and she now felt confident enough to occasionally do it on her own, leaving him free to finish some task he was doing.
     He didn't tell her outright, but he was secretly quite impressed with how fast she picked it up. It tasted good and often left him asking for more. But that could also be because he was always hungry.
     A few days ago, after they had finished their meal, he had started his daily training routine. For a while he practised as Zelda sat by the fire, watching him. He had tried to block her gaze out of his mind, but her piercing green eyes made it hard to concentrate.
     Just as he was about to ask her if there was something on her mind, she had started to speak. With a serious expression she had asked him if he wanted to learn her too.
     At first he hadn't understood what she wanted him to learn her, but as she gestured towards his sword, he realised, his jaw dropping, eyes wide.
     After his initial shock, however, he saw the sense in her question and determined that it wouldn't do much harm. So he had found her an old, blunt sword to practise with.
     That night had been a little awkward and clumsy, as he tried to find a decent way to show her the techniques. She had been a little hesitant and careful, but slowly grew more confident, as she pulled off a few good moves.
     When they eventually went to bed, Link had lain awake for a while, thinking of her with a sword in hand, fierceness in her eyes. A warm smile spread on his face and remained there, until he had fallen asleep.
     They developed a steady routine of practising after dinner, until the sun had set. He was proud to see Zelda slowly making progress and getting more familiar with the feeling of a sword in her hand.