@RyuHll
24 hours.

It had only been 24 hours since Calamity Ganon was annihilated. Most of Link's neighbors in Hataeno Village were up and farming at this hour in the morning, but the Hero was taking his well-deserved rest. Zelda said she would meet him at his house today after making a brief detour into Hyrule Castle to gather what was left of her belongings, which gave Link time to clean up his place before her arrival.

Hataeno was a quiet farming town, the only one unaffected by the Calamity. As such, it became a popular place for refugees. Already Bolson and Co. were tied up building new homes for the newcomers, and the sounds of their work kept many folks up at night. And the construction work was only just beginning.

Not far away, a certain lovely blonde introduced herself to the town mayor and asked where Link's house was.

Link, for his part, was none the wiser. He had been utterly exhausted from the previous weeks adventure, never getting a true night's rest until it had ended with Calamity Ganon's defeat. Just as he had hoped, he returned quietly in the night and was able to sleep in his own bed once more.

Given this, he had been blissfully unaware as the princess made her way to his home. The directions from the mayor were not that difficult to navigate, finding the house across the bridge in Hataeno. Nor would he be awoken by the initial knocks, the tiresome adventure having finally taken its toll on him.

Zelda knocked.

No answer.

She knocked again.

Still no answer.

She knitted her brows. What was Link doing? Zelda dared to turn the doorknob and peer inside. His table was still clean, and his weapons were still mounted on the walls. She glanced up the stairs to the overhang where the bed sat and listened for a moment.

Gentle breathing.

That boy is still sleeping! She stepped inside and shut the door. Link would need a solid breakfast when he got up, but having little practical experience with cooking, she decided today was an excellent day for experimentation. Zelda rifled through his pouch (sitting on the floor) for any ingredients that looked appealing, and picked out an egg, a slab of meat, and a couple herbs. Now, how did this work again? Do I break the egg in the pan? She hovered the egg over the edge of the pan and gently rapped it on the edge. Nothing happened. She hit it harder, and it cracked, but still nothing spilled out. Frustrated, she smashed it into the edge and splattered yolk and egg shell bits all over the pan.

Zelda grumbled at the "stupid egg" while she fished out the bits and dropped them in the sink. With the flame turned up, the eggs started to sizzle and snap at a pleasant rate. They browned considerably at the edges before she turned them over, and while a professional chef might have fired her for making them dry and ugly, they weren't awful for a first-timer.

Next came the meat. Suffice it to say the meat turned a bit too black before it occurred to Zelda that it was done. Finding it dry, she doused it in water and put it back. The resultant flare up didn't make the meat any moister, so she took it off entirely to preserve whatever meat hadn't yet turned to charcoal.

Zelda stared at it and scratched her head. Maybe I'd better get my own meat before trying this again. I'll have to get Link to show me how to hunt. She peeled off the charcoal, set the eggs and meat on a plate, and scattered herb bits on top of everything. Now, all that was missing was Link.

Hopefully, the smells and cooking noises would have awakened him.

The first sound to disturb him was the loud crack as the egg was broken into the pan. This only served to make him groan, though, rolling over and burying his face into the pillow.

However, it didn't end there. He continued to hear her setting up the meal, the faint stench of burnt meat filling his house as he slept. Normally, he would be far more attentive, having ventured through the land and faced many creatures. With the events through, he had taken full advantage of the first good night's rest. Thus, he didn't stir in the sanctity of his own home, despite the noise and smell that shouldn't be coming from his otherwise empty home.

He finally did stir, the smell getting to him. He winced as he took it in. A moment passed as he tried to settle in, but then his eyes snapped open, his mind catching up with what he was registering. Trained to be on edge from the weeks of adventure, he instantly tensed himself to battle, realizing that this should not be happening if his house was empty.

Rolling out of bed, he reached out for the one weapon that stayed by his side. Leaning against the wall beside his bed, he grasped the purple hilt of the Master Sword. Turning back towards the stairs, he edged forward, preparing to be faced with some form of monsters, still on the prowl even after he had defeated Ganon.

What he saw made him relax instantly, though. Zelda, frowning over the meal she had just finished. Link's shoulders relaxed and he took a step back, returning the blade to its spot against the wall. He walked back to the stairs and began his descent to meet her. "I'm sorry, were you waiting long?" he asked, yawning lightly as he fought off the last few dregs of weariness.

Even with bed hair, he was still the most beautiful man she'd ever known. With his soft, boyish face, his lean, tough muscles, and deep blue eyes that could hypnotize her, he made her feel lucky just to have met him. But it would all be for naught if he was of poor character. The man was a hero, through and through. He'd battled frightening monsters, braved disease and the elements, and faced down death itself. Had she not known him longer, she might have swooned at his feet at every meeting.

Instead, she simply blushed and pretended to be annoyed.

"N- yes! You made me wait forever! I was wondering when you'd wake up, sleepy-head."
The tug at the corner of her mouth gave it away that she wasn't serious.
"Are you...going to eat that?" she asked, and shrank down a bit as she considered how he might react to dry eggs and burnt steak.

Link simply smiled at her brashness, glancing down at the food. "Well, you went through the trouble of making me breakfast. Of course I'll eat it," he replied. He could tell from the smell and from the look that they were not made properly. It would be rude to say otherwise, though. Besides, he enjoyed the fact that the princess had at least tried to make him this meal for when he awoke.

He went past her, into the kitchen to get a fork and knife for himself. "So, where will we be heading off first?" he asked her. "We need to make sure the other villages are doing good now, right?" He wasn't quite sure what that would entail. Zelda seemed to have a pretty good idea of what was needed for the other villages. He just fought off monsters and he knew they were still an issue, with or without Ganon. He would need to help keep them clear of civilization, but he was sure that was not all that was needed at this point.

@RyuHll
"Well, you went through the trouble of making me breakfast. Of course I'll eat it," he said. Zelda reddened slightly and murmured her gratitude. Link acquired a couple utensils and sat down to eat. "So, where will we be heading off first? We need to make sure the other villages are doing good now, right?"

Zelda pulled up a chair across from him at the small table and leaned forward. "First, we will have to pay a visit to Puraha at the Hateno Tech Lab. It is a solid trek up the mountain, one you have probably made yourself to upgrade the Sheikah Slate. After that, we will make our way to Kakariko Village so I can visit Impa. I have not seen her in ages, and she is doubtless worried sick about me."

She fell silent for a moment.

"You will be coming with me, right?"

@Thinslayer

Link had sat down, beginning to cut off a piece of his egg as Zelda explained their plan. It made sense to start there and gather what supplies they might need to ensure the safety of the rest of the land. He ate a piece of the eggs, smiling in delight despite the slightly overcooked taste. She'd need to work on her cooking, but he was sure he could help with that during their trek. He was about to compliment her on her first time when she asked another question, stopping him in his tracks. "You will be coming with me, right?"

"Was that ever a question?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "There are still monsters about. I wouldn't want you to go off alone like that. Besides, I'm your knight. Where else do I belong if not with you?" With that said, he cut off and devoured another piece of his egg, smiling at her happily again. "The food is great, by the way. Thank you."

"Was that ever a question?"
"Well, y-"
"There are still monsters about. I wouldn't want you to go off alone like that. Besides, I'm your knight. Where else do I belong if not with you?"
Zelda closed her mouth. He was right, of course - the last time she'd wandered off alone, a group of Yiga nearly assassinated her. Link had saved her that time. It was the first time she ever looked at him with gratitude instead of jealousy, and she never forgot the day. A hundred years had passed since then, and though there was no one in Hyrule to enforce his loyalty to her, Link still chose to defend her.

"You don't have to, you know. You could settle down with a nice girl-" Zelda nearly choked on her words. "-and make a life for yourself. Or all by yourself even. You don't- you don't have to risk yourself for me anymore." Her voice dropped to a murmur. "I can kind of defend myself in a pinch..."

She didn't really believe that, but it had to be said.

Link's glance showed that he didn't truly believe that. "Knight to the princess. Captain of the princess' guard. That is my life," he replied simply, taking another bite from his food. He saw the hesitation she had. It was hard to admit that he could start a life here while she pieced the land back together. Slowly, he placed his fork and knife down, reaching out to take her hand lightly in his, drawing her eyes to him.

Smiling slightly, he reassured her, "You've spent a century trying to hold this country together. I've only been able to support you a few weeks. I'm coming." Giving her hand a light squeeze, he released it, returning to his utensils. "I'll be your knight for as long as you'll have me, Zelda." He didn't use her name often, and when he did only when the two were in private. It wouldn't do to have a knight speaking disrespectfully to the princess, but after everything they had been through together, it felt like they were beyond simply a princess and her knight.

There was a soft clink. Zelda looked up to see Link put the utensils down. His hands felt calloused, yet gentle, as he took up her own. She lifted her gaze into the beautiful blue of his eyes.

"You've spent a century trying to hold this country together," Link said. "I've only been able to support you a few weeks. I'm coming."
Zelda pulled in her lips to hold back her sigh of relief. Links squeezed her hand, and she squeezed his back before releasing from his grasp. Then he said something that set her heart aflutter.

"I'll be your knight for as long as you'll have me, Zelda."

That cheeky boy should have known he'd make her swoon. She arched slightly and leaned back her head, eyes fluttering half-closed. "Oh, Link..." she breathed. Realizing she was swooning, she reddened and dipped between her shoulders. Zelda tried looking away, but the wall and weapon rack were poor substitute for Link's kindly face. So, reddening further, she returned her gaze to Link.

Then her stomach rumbled.
Zelda continued staring.
"Can I have some breakfast?" she suddenly blurted out.
Well, why not? He's a great cook...

He knew the effect he'd have, of course. It wasn't too hard to guess. He knew how his words sounded, but it was something he thought she'd need to hear. He had every chance to make a new life, to put down his sword and do whatever he wanted with his skills. He didn't want to, though. Zelda was his princess, regardless of the situation. Without the order that their kingdom once had, she needed her knight more than ever. He'd ensure that she was safe.

The boy smiled a bit as he watched her redden, turning away in embarrassment. She was adorable when she was flustered. She should have known by now that the two of them didn't need to be coy about their feelings. He wasn't blind to her feelings for him and he was rather open with his feelings for her.

Amidst his thoughts, he heard her stomach rumble. He could have sworn her face darkened a bit, if that was possible with her already present blush. "Can I have some breakfast?"

Link let out a small laugh as he got up from his seat, placing a hand gently on her shoulder as he passed. "Of course, of course. Just give me a minute, I'll cook something up. What do you feel like having?" he asked, already moving to get the ingredients out.

Link's laugh immediately put her at ease. Zelda released the tension in her shoulders.
"Of course, of course," he reassured her. "Just give me a minute. I'll cook something up. What do you feel like having?"
She held her chin for a moment. "Meat pie with a little armoranth. I remember the first time you made that for me, and it was so delicious! It made me feel tough, like I could take on the world. I want that. Do you need me to grind the Tabantha wheat?"