Zelda was the first to wake up though the sun had barely risen. Everyone else was still asleep as well so she figured she had slept for at most three hours. She noticed her hand still in Link's, hoping he wasn't awake when she reached out to him. It was tightly wrapped inside his. She turned on her side to face him to see he had been awake long before her. His eyes soon ran towards hers.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't sleep any longer," she whispered. He only nodded in response, disappointing Zelda a little as he talked much before. "How long has it been?"
"Three hours." His whisper was very weak and timid unlike the boy it came from. His voice brought a shiver to her body. Zelda was still not used to him talking.
"No, how long has it been since..."
"Two days." Her eyes turned downcast again as the remaining food in her stomach from two days began racing around again. She was at a loss at what to do.
"Where shall we go now?"
"Hateno." He replied fast as if, and he was, planning all night.
"Okay," She responded after a long pause. "How long is the trip?"
"About four days. We will have to make camp outside for all of the nights if that's fine with you princess."
I have true hope that Link will protect you if a day comes where those guardians will put your life in danger. Her late father's words echoed in her brain and reverberated harshly within her chest.
"That's fine, I trust you." She swallowed. Her eyes remained on his and his on hers during the period of silence.
"Are you okay princess," Link had found the courage to ask after all this time. She toke another long pause.
"How old are you Link?"
"Eighteen."
"Ah, you're legally considered an adult. But you're not much older than I am," the Princess had frowned. "And yet you seem so composed. Maybe that's what comes with adulthood." She flipped back around to her original position but her hand remained in his. Maybe his guilt and confusion with the princess were the forces that finally put him to sleep.
Two hours later, they were awoken by the stable owner and Telma, who had their dried clothes in hand. Zelda stayed behind to thank the couple for their hospitality as Link went over to the traveling merchant, whose backpack and equipment looked very much like a beetle, to buy a water skin and loaves of bread with the remaining money they had. Zelda waved them off and caught up with Link who lead them down the road.
The two continued along the road and unlike before, they did have some safety since they were this far from Hyrule Castle. They ate part of the first loaf Link rationed them for two days. He had only eaten a little as he gave the princess half of his part for this morning. He was surprised that she was not looking at their surroundings with awe. Though, maybe his idea that she had never left the castle before was wrong. The princess's stare was forever chained to the ground. Ah. He had remembered that she had lost her kingdom, her home, and most of all her family. I am the biggest asshole for forgetting. Link thought to reach out for her hand again because it did seem to console her. However, the princess's statement this morning left him in confusion.
"Link?" He turned back towards the princess, who was a distance behind him, looking out to the distance. She was staring at a frazzled pair of travelers running away from little red people. Little red people? She wasn't aware of the term for them but it did seem like the little red people were terrorizing them. He looked in the direction she was looking. "Shouldn't we help them?" Link pursed his lips, debating on whether he should save the pair or focus on getting Zelda to Hateno without. "Link?" Damn it.
