As Dawn Rises (Link x Reader)

Chapter 1: Dinner

        "Should I move to Kakariko? Or, what about Lake Hylia?" Her finger glided across the map laid on the table, stopping whenever she debated a location. "Although, I don't remember any villages or houses by Lake Hylia, except for Falbi and Fyer's flying game." She chuckled, bringing her hands up to rest her head upon them in thought, her eyes wandering to look at the only other person in the room, who was busy placing his muddy boots by the door as a reminder to wash them later. She leaned back in her chair. "What do you think, Link? Ha, that rhymes."

        Link turned to look at her, shrugging silently as he made his way over to where she was, passing the table with the map and standing before the fireplace with a cauldron hanging over. He could feel her eyes watching him as he grabbed the knife and flint from the end table beside the fireplace, striking them together to create a flame below the pot to begin the process of cooking dinner. Things were silent between them, Link too focused on preparing the ingredients and she engrossed in watching him work.

        That is, until the creaking of a wooden chair being pushed backward sounded out, a low grunt following as its only inhabitant stood up, leaning her weight to the left to avoid aggravating an injury on her right leg. Link stopped his actions for a moment, turning his head to look at her.

        "I'm alright," She assured him, softly limping her way toward the new sofa and 'coffee table', as she called it, Link had received after his return home to Ordon as a gift. She sat down on the rightmost side, where she always sat, and took up her unfinished knitting project. Only then did she continue. "Its healing up nicely, so I'll probably be good to go soon enough. Ah, but, Ordon is so nice. Maybe I should move in here!" She laughed heartily, her hands working on their own from years of practice. "Nah, I'm just kidding. You're probably tired enough of seeing my mug everyday. Plus, you'll probably be called to Hyrule Castle soon enough, once Zelda finally has her coronation." A big smile plastered itself on her face, as if she was proud of the Princess like a mother would be of her own child.

        Link turned back to preparing dinner. He knew that what she said was true, as it always was. Even during their time together dealing with the Twilight, she always told him of what was to come next. Whether it was something simple like the location of treasure, or something as big as Ganondorf taking control of the Princess' body, she was always right. He never understood at the beginning, how she knew so much, until Midna pressed her hard enough that she confessed the truth.

        At first, it was impossible to believe. That she was from another world, where the stories of Hyrule were merely a game to be played, and that she knew so much from playing the events they were currently going through. It tossed and turned in both Link and Midna's minds, the two of them conversing in secret- well, Midna did most of the talking- in an attempt to grasp it. It wasn't until the encounter with the Light Spirit Lanayru and Zant that they began to believe her. While Midna was incapacitated, she hurriedly guided Link to the Princess without a second thought, taking them through a secret waterway that led back to the Castle, explaining that the Princess would have to temporarily sacrifice herself for Midna to survive, but that she would come back. And come back she did, possessed by Ganondorf's malice, which she had also predicted.

        A shudder of pained remembrance almost made its way up Link's spine. The battle against the King of Evil was still fresh, and the events afterward still lingered. It was during that battle she sustained her current injury, catching Link in a mistake that could have cost him his life. Shoving his beast-form out of the way of Ganon's claws, those talons of his sliced her instead, although only on the lower part of her right leg. The injury was deep enough to see bone, and if it wasn't for the Princess' quick thinking, neither of them wanted to think about what could have happened.