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It was late into the night, and the festivities gave no indication of slowing down. Link could understand that, or at least he thought he could. Over a hundred years of monsters running unchecked, malice corrupting so much all around the land, and the same divine beasts that were supposed to protect them causing trouble, people had a right to be happy that it was all over now, even if there was still a lot to be done, and things wouldn’t be better immediately.
He only saw some months of that, maybe a year or two, it was hard to keep track, but it already felt like too long. Some of the people there never knew a world without the Calamity, others had to live through one hundred years of a prolonged defeat, not knowing when it would be over.
He couldn’t help but feel that he had failed them somehow, by not helping Princess Zelda enough the first time around, by taking so long to wake up, and then needing even more time to recover, most of his memories and strength gone even after a century of healing. He tried to help everyone, wherever he could, but it just didn’t seem enough. Maybe now that they won, and all the kingdoms could start rebuilding, he would be able to just rest.
The festival celebrating the Calamity’s defeat was held at Zora’s Domain, at the invitation of King Dorephan. Link didn’t follow the plans closely enough to know why, but he supposed it made the most sense. Hyrule Castle was still falling apart, even without malice, and there were only a couple significant Hylian cities still standing, none quite equipped to host hundreds of people from a variety of races. Of the other four races that helped with the defeat of the Calamity, the Goron’s Death Mountain was inhospitable to outsiders without heavy protection, Gerudo Town wouldn’t allow men as a general rule, and Rito VIllage, being mostly vertical, wasn’t particularly suited for a party full of people who couldn’t fly. Zora Domain, despite being surrounded by water, wasn’t so hard to reach without the monsters, and at least had a lot of room.
He enjoyed the festival well enough, but he couldn’t stand all the people coming to talk to him, wanting some great insight into how it was like to save the world. Nearly all of his friends died, along with countless people, and even if a century had passed, it didn’t seem like that long for him, so he didn’t know how to describe what it felt like to have it be over. That was always the problem, the more people looked up to him, the more responsibility he had, the harder it became to find the right words to explain himself, and he didn’t want to risk saying the wrong thing. Somehow, it was almost easier when he had just woken up and could barely remember anything, he didn’t have to overthink things as much, and no one gave any weight to what he said.
Not wanting to leave, but tired of people wanting some great speech out of him, Link had discreetly climbed above the throne room. It wasn’t the most comfortable place to stay, but he could still be a part of the party while having a moment of peace. He didn’t expect for anyone to look for him there, but he had barely been there an hour when he heard a splash of water, and someone landing next to him.
His first instinct was to reach for his sword, but he relaxed when he saw it was only Prince Sidon. It was a relief, an interruption that he actually didn’t mind. Very few people could understand how difficult dealing with the Calamity had been, and Sidon was one of them. They had fought together, for a moment sharing in the great responsibility that was like having the fate of an entire kingdom in their hands, and that created a bond. Sidon was the champion of his people, and so he could understand the weight of being responsible for the lives of so many others.
Link smiled and waved, to indicate that Sidon’s presence was welcomed.
“There you are,” Sidon said with a smile. “The star of the show, and he’s nowhere to be found. Or one of the stars, at least, there’s a line to talk to Princess Zelda, and I noticed that she has been talking to people with an empty plate and an empty glass for the last hour or so, but they won’t leave her alone. I have quite a few admirers too, but I’m used to this, and most of the ones that are interested in my side of the battle are Zora, so they already asked me all about it.”
Sidon was being generous as always. Link had more attention than he knew what to do with, but he was hardly the star of anything. He noticed how each of the four people seemed to give the most credit to their own champion, and of course everyone knew by now that Zelda held back the Calamity for one hundred years. Not only that, but the ultimate defeat of the Calamity came through her goddess powers, and the light could be seen for miles. They knew Link was important in that fight, but that wasn’t quite the same thing. They couldn’t see him and Epona trying desperately not to get crushed, facing a monster almost too big for words.
He nodded towards the place next to him, and Sidon sat down. Even sitting, Sidon still towered over him.
“So, what are you doing here? You should be down there, receiving all the praise that you deserve. You were amazing, but I never doubted that. I knew you would do amazing things since the first time I saw you fighting," Sidon said, bumping him on the shoulder.
Link shrugged. If anyone else had said something like this to him, it would probably only have made him more nervous, but something about Sidon's sincerity was almost disarming. His compliments might sound a bit much, but he meant every word he said. And something about the way he said it made Link believe that he might actually be right.
"Let me guess, you had enough of people organizing the 'Link, savior of Hyrule, hero of legend, fan club', and wanted to run away from them. Take it as someone who also has a fan club, it can be exhausting, but they mean well."
Link rolled his eyes, but nodded. It was close enough to the problem. People expected too much of him, and the worst part was he wanted to help, but he didn't know if he could be all that they wanted him to be. Traveling around Hyrule taught him how much was destroyed in that time, and he tried to fix things wherever he went, but some things couldn't be fixed so easily, and he couldn’t be everything to everyone. They needed houses and roads and trade routes, and all he could do was take the monsters out of the way.
"If you want to make your escape, I can cover for you. I'll have you know that I can get a lot of attention, when I want to," Sidon said with a characteristic side smile that showed too many teeth.
Link laughed at the understatement. If there was one thing that Sidon could do, whether he wanted it to or not, was drawing attention to himself. Not just because he was incredibly tall, handsome, and had those vibrant red scales that made him so rare even among the Zora, but because his personality filled the room. He just had this radiant energy that made everything around him seem better. Link didn't know how someone could have lived through that century and still be so optimistic, but somehow, Sidon still could.
He shook his head, and gestured at the city below them. Under the moonlight, the Zora buildings, made of luminous stone, shone beautifully. The lights of the festival only added to that effect, and although they could still hear the music from there, the voices were too faint to be discernible.
"I get it. It's peaceful here. I would swim up the waterfall there when I wanted to get away, but that's because someone might see me here," Sidon said, making a sweeping gesture to his red scales.
Link couldn't exactly see Sidon wanting quiet, as he so often saw him standing in the central courtyard of Zora’s Domain, where he would easily be seen and was close to most movements. Still, perhaps even someone like that could get tired of it all. Or maybe it wasn’t a matter of wanting to be seen, but knowing that he had to. Sidon was the hope of his people, after all.
For a while after that, they just sat there in a comfortable silence, listening to the music. It was nice, just a nice moment not tainted by knowing that there was something else he should be doing. He hoped there would be more of these moments now.
"Have you thought about what you'll do now? Now that you have already saved all of Hyrule?" Sidon said.
Link was still a knight of Hyrule, so he had no doubt that he would return to that… eventually. With no active threat and the castle still being rebuilt, there was no reason why he should remain there for the time being. He was Princess Zelda’s guard, but that didn’t mean having to stand with her at every moment, only when she was traveling and might be in danger. He had his home, but the idea of sitting at home waiting to be called back wasn't exactly appealing. Mostly he just wanted to keep doing what he had been doing, only with less monsters on the way. He liked traveling, and had seen some wonderful places during his journey, so it would be nice to see them again with less of a chance of being attacked by monsters.
Link didn't understand what he wanted enough to even explain it to himself, so he simply signed, "Travel." Hopefully that would be enough.
Sidon smiled. "That's so amazing! I bet you know all the best places in Hyrule. You know, I almost never even left home. I always had to be around to defend us against invading monsters. I suppose that's not a problem anymore. Thanks to you, of course. You’ve helped us more than I could thank you for if I spent the next thousand years doing so."
His voice was wishful, and that actually gave Link an idea. Just because he wanted to travel, that didn't mean that he had to do so alone.
-
Sidon checked over his pack a dozen times to make sure that he had everything that he needed, which wasn't exactly helpful, because he didn't know what he needed. He had never traveled so far and for so long that he might need to pack anything.
This journey was entirely spontaneous, and not something that he would risk thinking too long about. When Link asked him to come with, Sidon didn't even ask where he was planning on traveling to before jumping at the chance. Considering how much he looked forward to Link's visits, he could imagine how fun this would be.
So he packed, or attempted to, and went out to meet Link just outside of the city. These days, both of them received too much attention to be able to sneak away together, but Link could be stealthy when he wanted to, and it wasn't unusual for Sidon to go on lone fishing sessions, so it would be easier to meet away from prying eyes. The last thing they needed was more people wanting to join their travels.
Sidon was still in the water when he saw Link, leaning against an illumination pole, just past the Great Zora Bridge. Sidon called out to him, waving. Link waved back, and Sidon jumped from the water to reach him. Thankfully there was no one around to bother them.
"How did you get here so fast? And you weren't even swimming. You never cease to amaze me. I hadn’t heard from anyone that you left, I hope you didn’t have to wake too early to escape notice. I didn't know what to bring outside from some rations," Sidon said, tapping his pack.
He didn't even know where they were going, much less what he was going to need. Link tapped on his own pack, considerably fuller. Aside from that, Link also had the bow of a Lynel, a quiver, a Hylian shield, and some sort of Gerudo sword, but not the sword of legend. Sidon had brought a pair of tridents, but those were the only weapons he had.
Hopefully neither of them would need to use their weapons, but the Calamity wasn't the only source of evil in that world, so they couldn't travel without any means to defend themselves either. He heard of the Yiga Clan, and of robbers on the roads, although usually Zora weren’t affected by either, and they favored traveling in the water.
"So, where are we going?" Sidon asked, looking around.
Link pointed towards Luto's crossing, and kept following the road without checking if Sidon was following him. Without hesitation, Sidon did just that. They were going on a grand adventure, and for once it wasn't a life or death situation. Sidon didn't know if he ever had one of those in his life.
Sidon fell into step with Link, who he noticed wasn't walking as fast as when he was making his way to Zora’s Domain. Sidon looked around as they walked. He couldn't remember when he last walked through these roads, although they were still well within Zora territory. Sidon favored rivers to move around, it was faster and he was less likely to encounter enemies, but of course he couldn't expect Link to be able to swim as well or for as long as he could. When they fought to gain access to the divine beast, Sidon carried him on his back, but that wasn't practical for a long journey, and rivers would only take them so far.
In this case, the route through Ruto Mountain was maybe five times what it would be to go through the lake, and it would be maybe ten times as fast for Sidon to rush through the water, but there was no great urgency in their journey. It occurred to him that Link probably didn't travel in this way normally, as Sidon had seen him climbing around, jumping and using a glider, riding a horse, and even using strange powers of the ancients to transport himself to shrines. This might even be the first time that Link was taking the time to walk around, without needing to rush from one place to the other.
"Aside from leaving Zora territory, what did you have in mind? I don't know much outside of the Lanayru region. Will you show me some of the amazing places you encountered in your journeys? I heard Faron has a river in the shape of a dragon, and if you're lucky you may see a dragon somewhere around there. Have you ever seen a dragon?"
Link raised three fingers then took something out of his pack and showed it to Sidon. Everything about it emanated power, it was a tooth fragment, but so large that the creature it belonged to had to be…
"Is this a dragon tooth? Wow, this must have been quite an adventure. I can't believe you saw all of the dragons. Are we going to find dragons?"
He grew up hearing stories of the dragon in Mount Lanayru, corrupted by evil. And then one day the stories changed, telling of the dragon that protected Mount Lanayru, cleared from evil. He should have known that Link had something to do with that, because of course he had. All the good that happened, all the things that changed for the better in these last several months, it was because of Link, going around and helping people.
"First," Link signed, then used another sign Sidon didn't know, "later, maybe."
Sidon finally had a clue as to where they were going, it was something he didn't know. Zora used sign language even more often than Hylians, to communicate underwater, so Sidon wasn't used to encountering a word he didn't know.
"What's…?" Sidon asked, repeating the sign.
He was really showing how much he didn't know of the world outside, but Link didn't seem to mind.
"HA-TE-NO," Link fingerspelled, but that didn't offer Sidon much, aside from clearly being the name of the place they were going to.
"Hateno. There's something familiar about that, but I'm not sure I know what it is. Is that close?"
Link nodded. "Between Mount Lanayru, Necluda Sea," he signed, then pointed at himself before adding, "Home."
Sidon smiled at the idea of getting to know Link's home. He supposed it made sense that Link would have a place for himself, despite how much he traveled around, but it was strange to think that the hero of Hyrule happened to live in some little Hylian village, so small that Sidon had never heard about it. Of course, it wasn’t as if Link could live in Castle Town, or in Hyrule Castle, at least not anymore.
Now that he knew that Link had a home, he couldn't help but wonder what sort of place it would be. Link deserved something like a mansion with a statue in his honor, but with how uncomfortable Link seemed to be with excessive attention, that probably wasn't the case. If he didn’t think Link might dislike it, Sidon would commission a statue in his honor.
"I've never seen the Necluda Sea, I didn't know you lived near there. That shows you have good taste, living near the water," Sidon said, trusting that Link knew where they were going, even though the crossing would take them to the north-west, but Necluda Sea was to the south.
They continued in a comfortable silence until the sun was starting to get low in the sky. Sidon was used to traveling at night, but only in the water, where light disappeared quickly even during the day. There was still light when Link touched him on the wrist, then gestured to a place off the path.
Sidon followed him, and was surprised to find a small clearing with a stone pot on the ground, seemingly left there a long time ago. Link sat in front of the pot, and Sidon sat opposite to him, watching with curiosity to what he was planning to do. As a general rule, Zora would take roasted, or sometimes frozen, fish as road rations, or would catch fresh fish on the way, so he had never considered cooking in the wild. He didn't even know there was a pot there, although he knew Zora territory well.
"How have you found this? I didn't see it from the road," Sidon said as Link took out a red piece of chuchu jelly from his pack and hit it with a sword to start a fire. That was one way to make fire.
Link shrugged, and took out a couple of bright-eyed crabs, eggs, a rock of salt and some rice. He hummed as he cooked, the first time that Sidon heard him do so, cooking the rice first, while he broke down the crab, and then beating the eggs with the pieces of crab to cover the rice. He took a couple of plates from his pack and once the eggs were lightly golden, he put out the fire and placed the food on the plates, offering one to Sidon.
Sidon took it, unable to keep the amazement from his face. "I didn't know you could cook! I should have known, really, there's nothing that you can't do, once you put your mind to it. This really is amazing, we are still in Zora territory and I’m already learning so much more about you."
"Trial, error," Link signed, although Sidon doubted someone could just stumble upon a recipe like this.
Sidon took a bite out of the dish, and nodded at the rich flavor. The rice was soft without being mushy, the crab was perfectly mixed with the eggs, which were fluffy and light. It seemed impossible that Link had learned how to do this by himself, without studying under some great chef, but perhaps that was a testament to how long he spent traveling alone, often away from any village.
"This is the best omelet I've ever had in my life! You really are so incredible, anything I find out about you only makes me admire you more. And I didn’t think it was possible to hold you in even higher regard than I already do."
Link blushed and looked away, signing, "Thanks."
For a moment, Sidon just stared at him. He hadn't expected Link to look this cute when blushing.
-
They traveled mostly following the roads, occasionally cutting the way through water or a swamp. It was strange, traveling in this way, more like a regular Hylian might, but Link found that he liked how peaceful it was.
Sidon had no problem filling the silence by himself, but any silence that did fall between them was far from uncomfortable. Sidon clearly admired him, but he didn’t look at Link with that loaded anticipation of expecting Link to be able to solve every problem in the world.
Link made a point to avoid Kakariko Village, afraid that people there might have new problems that they needed his help with, and they cut way near the spring of Lake Siela, cutting a few days of travel by not having to go to Kakariko Bridge. As they reached the road again near Fort Hateno, he noticed that they could probably make part of the way through the water, which would be easier on Sidon, but he hadn’t quite planned that yet. They were close to Hateno now, but it was something to consider for the future. He wasn’t used to traveling by swimming, but he also wasn’t all that used to following the roads, so either way it would be something new to him.
“I had only heard of this destruction, but I haven’t seen it. It makes me think that at least we were fortunate, having lost so few a hundred years ago. Even if we lost…” Sidon trailed off, but it was clear that he was thinking of Mipha.
Link hated passing through this place, even before remembering that this was where… He hadn’t died, but it felt close to it, and at any rate, it was the place where he failed. He walked faster, urging Sidon along. There were no more corrupted guardians around, but he didn’t want to spend any longer there than he had to. It was already bad enough that he would have to pass through there again, in his way to the stables.
-
Sidon saw the village in the distance, but instead of going to the entrance, Link pointed to the woods nearby, and left the road. It was nearly night, and going this way would guarantee that they wouldn't be able to get there while the sun was still out. The woods quickly ended in a cliff, and he could still see the road from there, but instead Link grabbed the rockface and started to climb.
"Isn't that the village we are looking for?" Sidon asked as Link quickly made his way to the top.
Link put his finger to his lips, and Sidon understood the message. For some reason, they had to be secretive. He grabbed the rock, trying to climb as well, but being unused to it. Link laid on the ground and stretched a hand to him, and Sidon jumped to take it, managing to support his feet against the rockface to push himself up.
Once they were both over the cliff, Link pointed at a lone house in the distance. Even if he hadn't indicated as much, Sidon would have guessed that was his house. It was no different than any number of other Hylian houses, but although it was part of the village, it was away from it. It was the perfect house for someone who might not feel as part of the village people, and also perfect for arriving without being seen.
"Is there anything dangerous nearby?" Sidon asked, wondering why he wasn't supposed to make noise.
Maybe it was because of monsters, but they hadn't found any so far. Malice seemed to be gone with Calamity Ganon, and with that most if not all of the monsters.
Link shook his head. "Don't attract attention," he signed.
If there was any reason behind that, then Link didn't want to explain it, but Sidon knew to trust him. If Link told him to do something, he didn't need a reason to follow these instructions.
Link kept guiding him through the side of a small pond, so silent that surely no one in the village would listen to them, even if there was someone in that house. They approached from the side, and Sidon noticed Link sighing in relief as he saw something, although Sidon couldn't tell what that was at first.
Link went to the horse that was housed in the stable there, checking if it had enough food, then took out an apple from his pack to feed it, smiling as he petted it on top of the head.
Sidon remembered having seen Link with this same horse before, although using a horse in Zora’s Domain wasn't very practical. It had a rich brown fur and a white mane and tail, with white down its legs as well.
Once Link was satisfied with the care of his horse, he signed asking Sidon to follow him and went to the front door, opening it without a key.
Sidon stepped inside after him, noting how little Link had in the way of personal items, at least on the first floor. He could see the stairs to what had to be the bedroom, but the ground floor was nearly empty. What he had were mounts on the walls, with weapons and shields. It made for a slightly terrifying decoration, and it didn’t seem like a very lived in place.
"Epona," Link signed, spelling it afterwards, and Sidon didn't need to be told to know the sign referred to the horse, it was close enough to the sign for it, with a slight modification that reminded him of the sign for sacred. "Separated after battle. Couldn't search, no time. She comes here, when lost."
It was probably the most that Link ever told him at once, and unprompted. Although they had only been on the road for a few days, Sidon felt closer to Link than he had been before.
"You needed to come check on her first, before we could go anywhere else. I'm sorry, I must have terribly delayed you," Sidon said, realizing now that this was what Link had always planned to do after the celebrations.
If he had been by himself, he could have arrived that same night. Instead, he was losing time guiding Sidon through roads. No one could swim as fast or for as long as Sidon, but his body was made for water, and his legs always seemed too short for his size on land, making him slower to walk.
Link shook his head. "She's fine, enough food for weeks," he signed quickly.
It occurred to Sidon that Link seemed more at ease there than he had ever been when visiting Zora’s Domain, and certainly more than he had been on the road. Most of the threats were gone now, but there was still a certain alertness to Link. It wasn't exactly tension, Link was remarkably tranquil and well humored considering the amount of responsibilities that he had, but something like a constant awareness of his surroundings. That had to be exhausting.
"Will you take her with us?" Sidon asked, slightly apprehensive at the thought of having to follow a horse, or worse, having to ride one. "You won't just leave her here by herself, will you?"
Link shook his head. "Stables, tomorrow morning."
Sidon nodded, as that made the most sense. He didn't know of any stables nearby, but if there was someone who knew all of Hyrule and how to get anywhere, it was Link. He could have asked for more details, but there was no need. It wasn't all that important where they were going, only that he got to know more of the world, and that Link was the one to show it to him.
"We'll be staying the night here then?"
Link's home wasn't too small, but it was nearly empty, and it didn't seem like there was room for much on the next floor. It didn't seem like Link was used to getting visitors, which made it all the more special that he allowed Sidon to come with him.
Link nodded. "Hungry?" he signed, not waiting for his response before taking some supplies from his pack and going back outside.
Sidon followed him, already curious as to what Link was going to make. So far, Link had cooked throughout their whole trip, having refused Sidon's offer of fish skewer or steamed fish, the only dishes that he could reliably make. If they weren't close to a cooking pan, Link always seemed to have an unlimited supply of pies, cakes, and rice balls in his pack, all still fresh. Sidon would surely not go hungry on their journey.
By the time he got out, Link had already lit the fire. Sidon didn't recognize what he was making, but it had rice, porgy, and snails, and it smelled amazing. Sidon stood back, watching the concentration with which Link was stirring to keep the rice from burning at the bottom. Link truly seemed to enjoy this, cooking, and it was nice seeing him get to be good at something that wasn't all about fighting. It didn't escape Sidon's notice that Link's home was isolated, but he also made sure to have a cooking pot in front of it. This was his home, where he chose to live, and that told something about him.
Even more than wanting to learn more of Hyrule, Sidon appreciated this, learning more about Link.
-
It was only after they had eaten that it occurred to Link that he hadn’t thought through this part of their journey as well as he should have. He had thought only of Epona, and he had to get home to find her before getting lost in another adventure, as she was slightly rebellious and didn’t like to return to the stables on her own. Still, she was his favorite. For some reason he felt a connection to her.
But the problem with that was how unfit his home was for visitors, especially a prince. He had never shown anyone his house before, and now he had a guest who had nowhere to stay. He glanced up from the table to his room. It was more than enough for just him, but he only had one bed, and it was sized for a Hylian, not a Zora who was twice his size.
There wasn’t much to be done now. Having invited Sidon, he couldn’t suggest now that they went camping, although it was a lovely night. Sidon would have to take the bed, as small as it was, and Link would sleep in the living room.
“Show you upstairs?” Link asked, with a nod towards the stairs.
It was already somewhat late into the night, as they had pushed towards the last of the journey since they were close to town, rather than stopping at nightfall. If they intended on leaving early in the morning, it would be time for them to rest already. During his journeys, Link had been forced to forgo sleep more often than he would have liked, and now that this wasn’t necessary he would like to avoid it if possible.
“Of course. Thank you once again for the wonderful meal,” Sidon said with a large smile.
Link hoped that he wasn’t blushing. He wasn’t used to being complimented so often as Sidon did, especially with it being so sincere. More often than not it seemed like people were nice to him when they wanted him to do something, usually fight something, but he had already done everything he could to help Sidon, and Sidon was still nice to him, even when he had nothing to gain.
Link went up the stairs first, so he could stand there awkwardly as Sidon took in the great sum of his room, which meant, almost nothing at all. It made Link wish he had decorated more. Or anything at all. He only had a picture, and some of his favorite weapons on display, everything else came with the house.
“You can sleep here. Sorry it’s small,” Link signed.
Seeing the bed and Sidon close to each other, it was even clearer how small it was for him, as he kept his head low in the room. He would surely be left with his feet dangling from the edge. Link sighed, he could save Hyrule, he could kill by himself monsters that terrorized villages, and he could even relearn all of his skills after losing his memory, but he couldn’t properly plan for a visitor.
Sidon looked around. “Is this your bed? Where are you going to sleep then? Oh, no, I won’t take you out of your own bed, Link,” Sidon said in quick succession, not allowing him time to respond.
It was his bed, and there wasn’t any way that he could pretend it wasn’t. By now Sidon had seen all of his house, and unless he claimed he slept in the stables with Epona, which didn’t seem like too bad of an idea right about now, he couldn’t hide that this was his room.
“I’ll sleep downstairs. Living room,” Link signed.
He had slept in worse places, at least it wouldn’t rain indoors. Link might not have guests often, or at all, but even he knew how to be hospitable.
Sidon put a hand on his shoulder, visibly distressed. “No, I couldn’t possibly do that, Link. You have already been so kind by taking me on this trip, I couldn’t bear to be any more inconvenient to you than I’m already being. Please sleep on your own bed, I can sleep downstairs. I can even sleep in the water outside. You have a lovely pond there.”
Link waved his hands in front of his body, to catch Sidon’s attention and urge him to stop. This wasn’t what he wanted at all, he was being a terrible host to one of his greatest friends.
“It’s fine. I don’t mind,” Link signed. He swallowed, then let out in an unsure tone, “Please?”
It got out lower than he intended, but it still had the desired effect of catching Sidon’s attention and showing that he was being serious. He felt a little nervous over not being able to find the right words that might convince Sidon that this was what he wanted, but he also felt comfortable enough around him that he could risk saying something beyond a ‘hey’ to catch someone’s attention.
“I…” Sidon said, seemingly stunned, then he sat down on the bed, still taller than Link by quite a lot. “If you insist, but I’ll only accept it if we share it. My manners won’t allow me anything else, and I won’t have you uncomfortable in your own house,” Sidon said after too long a pause.
For a moment, Link just stared at him. The idea was absurd, even just sitting down on the bed it was clear that Sidon couldn’t fit comfortably in it, and that was without adding Link. Besides, Link had never slept so close to someone, not like this. Even when they were on the road there, he had only slept in short intervals, wanting to keep a light sleep so he could keep watch for any danger, and had done so slightly away from Sidon, so he could jump swinging his sword if necessary.
Link nodded, despite knowing how terrible of an idea it was. In all likelihood he would roll off the bed and end up sleeping on the floor, but at least that was better than having his guest sleep outside. Especially when he didn’t want anyone in the village to know that he was home, in case they wanted to ask more things of him.
Sidon clapped his hands. “Explendid! I shall take off these garments then,” Sidon said, standing up to do just that.
Link nodded, and pointed at the dresser where Sidon could leave his things. Irrationally, Link felt slightly embarrassed by the notion that not only they would be sharing his bed, but that Sidon would take his usual clothes to do so, although it made sense that when not camping outside he might not want to sleep in so much metal. His embarrassment made no sense, as calling Sidon’s garments clothes was generous, as they only really covered his neck and a portion of his upper chest, but still Link averted his eyes as Sidon undressed.
Link was using regular Hylian clothes, although he had lowered his hood when they weren’t near where they could find people. He wanted to be discrete, and so couldn’t walk around in his champion tunic, and by then his blond hair was well known all around Hyrule, but he also didn’t want to cover himself so much that it would be hard for Sidon to see his expressions, as that was an important part of signing.
He could sleep in these clothes, but the small armored portions over his tunic might make it uncomfortable to share the bed. As Sidon was removing what little clothing he had, it also seemed rude for Link to still be fully dressed, so he quickly undid his straps before he could think better of it. He stripped down to his undergarments, only the absence of the sheikah slate making this different from the many times he had stripped to swim or fish, or simply because he was completing tasks on a warm beach and didn’t want to be bothered with sand on his clothes. He did so with his back turned, and when he turned back, he caught Sidon quickly glancing away.
It said something about how imposing Sidon was that he still seemed royal even without his crown and jewels, but there was also something oddly vulnerable about seeing him in this position. Link wondered how he might look to Sidon, without any of the traditional marks that made him recognized as the chosen hero, for whatever that was worth. Probably just a normal Hylian, still early into adulthood, and not at all like someone who had slept, or been suspended, he didn’t entirely understand how that worked, for a century.
“I will, uh…” Sidon started, climbing on the bed and laying on his side, with his back to the wall.
As Link had predicted, his legs didn’t fit, and he didn’t seem to be in a particularly comfortable position. Link shouldn’t have agreed to this, but he didn’t know how to explain that now, so he tried to lay down as close as he could to the edge. He knew that when soldiers shared quarters like this, they would usually sleep opposite to each other, but that would land him with his head to Sidon’s crotch, which would do nothing to improve this situation.
Trying to find a less awkward position, he ended up lower down the bed, with his face to Sidon’s chest. It seemed more intimate than he had intended, and he was suddenly very aware that he was nearly naked with Sidon on his bed, which was not the sort of thought that Link wanted to indulge in. He still felt like his life wasn’t his own, and there was so much that he still had to do, so much that needed to be done until Hyrule was stable and at peace again. He didn’t have time for…
“I’m sorry, this was an inappropriate suggestion on my part, wasn’t it? I can leave if you want,” Sidon said, probably noticing the way that Link tensed.
He shook his head. He couldn’t remember a time he didn’t feel like the entire weight of the world was on his shoulders, but he refused to let this be one more thing that he would be anxious about. It was simply sharing a bed with one of his closest friends, he once killed a Lynel with a stick of wood, he could do this.
They were too close together for Link to sign, and he couldn’t move back without falling. He didn’t know if he could trust his voice to come out, so he moved a finger across Sidon’s chest and traced the word ‘stay’. Sidon shivered, and for a moment Link wondered if he had crossed some sort of boundary, and he reflexively pulled away slightly. He started to fall, but Sidon put an arm around his back and pulled Link to his chest.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. Besides, I’m still hoping you’ll show me a dragon.”
Link laughed, and allowed himself to relax next to Sidon.
-
Sidon woke up with a weight on his chest, and he needed a moment to remember the previous night. He couldn’t believe his own words, suggesting that he and Link should share a bed, but he had been taken by surprise by Link’s sweet voice, and couldn’t deny his kindness.
Sidon had some suspicions for a while that his fondness for Link might be more than simple fondness, but their journey together now was making it increasingly clear that he had fallen for Link. How could he not? Link was astonishing, a kind and gentle man who was also a formidable warrior, braver than anyone that Sidon had ever met, and so heroic that he couldn’t see anyone with a problem without going out of his way to help. The only surprising part was that Link didn’t have a line of suitors that went all the way around Hyrule.
But of course Sidon couldn’t say anything. Link had his duties, and was already going out of his way to help Sidon now, simply because he wanted to see the world. He couldn’t burden Link with his feelings, not when he didn’t know if they would be welcome, and Link had given him no indication that they would be. It was clear that Link liked him, but all that existed between them was friendship.
Sidon opened his eyes, and saw that the weight he felt was Link. They must have shifted during the night, because Sidon was laying on his back, with his legs and one arm dangling from the bed, and Link was laying over his chest. Link seemed so peaceful like this that Sidon didn’t have the heart to wake him. He realized that his other arm was holding Link in place, but didn’t move it, for fear of having Link roll off the bed.
This reminded him of swimming with Link on his back. Despite the dangers of battle, he had felt something about Link’s proximity then, that he had forced away from his mind. He shouldn’t be thinking of these things now, after all that Link went through, he should get to have some relaxing travels with a friend.
Link stirred, and turned his head up, looking at Sidon. He blinked twice, slowly, and then blushed, struggling to get up and then accidentally elbowing Sidon on the belly before rolling off the bed and landing loudly on the floor. Before Sidon could turn to see how he was, Link had already jumped up.
“Sorry,” he signed. “Startled.”
Again Sidon wondered if he had been wrong to suggest that they share Link’s bed, although Link had seemed so relaxed a moment before. Link was still blushing, an adorable shade of pink that was fascinating to Sidon, but Sidon refrained from commenting on it. He had some suspicion that Link was less startled and more embarrassed.
“No, please, I should be the one to apologize, I have taken all the room on your bed,” Sidon said, standing too fast and hitting his head on one of the ceiling poles.
He had forgotten the height of the house, as the living room was spacious, but there in the bedroom, especially closer to the wall, the ceiling was too low for him.
“We should leave early,” Link signed, “before Hateno awakes.”
It was clear by now that Link didn’t want others to know that he was there, either because he didn’t want the attention or some other reason. That this was what Link wanted was reason enough, so Sidon nodded and went to gather his things.
“I just need a few minutes,” he said as he put on his bracelets.
With how discrete Link was being, Sidon wondered if perhaps he should forgo his royal garments, but realized it would be a moot point. Few Zora were as tall as he was, and among Hylians both that and the color of his scales would draw attention wherever they went. Even if they didn’t know he was the Zora prince and heir, he wouldn’t pass unnoticed.
As promised, he was ready in just a few minutes, and glanced at Link to see if he had finished dressing, just in time to see him pulling his tunic down. Sidon tried not to think about the way Link’s muscles moved, and looked away to give him so privacy, hoping to curb his thoughts. Not long after, Link tapped on his shoulder and pointed at the stairs.
“Where are we going? I don’t know this region very well, or the stables that might exist around here,” Sidon asked as they went down the stairs, realizing that once again he was going to follow Link without even knowing where.
In truth, he didn’t need to know. He would have followed Link either way. Link simply had that way about him, which made him so easy to trust. He was the sort of person who inspired others to follow him, so it was no surprise that it took him returning for so many of the problems that were plaguing the world to be solved, by him allying himself with others along the way. Link made him believe that they could face any threat, as long as people stood together bravely against evil.
Link jumped past the final couple of steps and turned to him. “Dueling Peaks stable,” he signed.
Sidon frowned, he knew where the Dueling Peaks were, even if he wasn’t familiar with the stable, and it didn’t seem very close to where they were. He had seen them in the distance in their way there, and it was a few days away. Link would have to bring his horse with them, but Sidon couldn’t hope to match its speed on land, nor could they share it. Most Zora didn’t know how to ride a horse, and he was certainly too big for it, especially with someone else.
“You should go by yourself, I’ll only get in your way. I could wait for you at the Necluda sea,” Sidon said, mindful of the difference in that journey.
If Link rushed there by horse, he could probably reach Dueling Peaks by nightfall, and he still had the sheikah slate, which would allow him to return instantly or nearly so. If he had to wait for Sidon, even running at his top land speed, that journey would take days. They weren’t in any hurry, but he didn’t know enough about horses to know if this could be a problem, only that horses needed to rest and needed to be fed. It wouldn’t be the same as their journey to there, which had already certainly been slower to what Link was used to.
Link shook his head. “Trust me. Plan,” he signed, then tapped at his sheikah slate.
Sidon didn’t see how he could have found a solution for that, but he certainly trusted Link, absolutely. Link knew these lands better than he did anyway, if he thought that Sidon going along wouldn’t be a problem, then he had to have found a way around that. Either that or he was being polite, but Sidon had learned the night before that he couldn’t argue against Link’s politeness.
“Of course. Then lead the way, my friend,” Sidon said with a nod, realizing just how much he trusted Link.
-
With another horse, Link might have been inclined to keep to the road, but with Epona he knew they could cut way leaving the same way they came, down the hill directly to Midla Woods.
He understood Sidon’s concern. Link wouldn’t complain about it, but they were making way slower than Link could have done alone, not that it mattered. There was no need to hush now. And yet he didn’t want to spend days taking Epona back to the stables. Thankfully, he didn’t have to. He had seen how fast Sidon could be, as long as he was in his element.
Just as soon as they were out of the woods, Link pointed at the lake below.
“Is this part of your plan? Are we going through the lake?” Sidon said, trying to follow the path where the lake connected to the river with his eyes.
Link took the sheikah slate, opening the map function. By now he knew most of it by heart, so he hadn’t bothered putting up markers where he wanted to go. He pointed at the map, then followed with his finger up Fir River, then to Squabble River, which passed between Dueling Peaks. Through this path, Sidon could go nearly all of the way through the water, only occasionally having to pass through land. Then he pointed back to where they were, and showed a path that mostly followed the river’s coast, aside from cutting the path in some of the most pronounced curves of the river. They had already followed Fir River along the coast some of the way to Hateno, only they had followed the road around Camphor Pond rather than going all the way to the lake, so this place wasn’t completely unknown to Sidon.
“Oh, you want me to go through the river as you go with Epona through land. I suppose that would be much faster. We should be able to go to the stable by nightfall,” Sidon said excitedly.
His enthusiasm over even such routine things was infectious, and Link couldn’t help but smile with him.
“Race you?” Link signed.
It had been a while since he truly raced with Epona, and that was always a joy. He had also seen Sidon swim, and knew that he enjoyed that as well.
“You want a race? Then it’s on! I’ll meet you at the stables,” Sidon said, then jumped in the water.
“Heya,” Link told Epona, pulling at her reins.
Sidon had the advantage at the start, as Link still had to make his way downhill, but the river didn’t quite reach the stables, so Sidon would have to run the final leg of the journey. Link raced, feeling the gust of wind on his face.
Every so often, he looked at the river, seeing Sidon cutting through the water with grace, occasionally jumping out. A couple times, Sidon caught him looking, and waved at him without stopping. It was silly, but it was fun and enthusiastic as everything about Sidon.
It was what Link loved about him.
He nearly fell off Epona when the thought crossed his mind. It wasn’t entirely unexpected, but he hadn’t thought of things in these terms before, and the realization still took him by surprise.
He didn’t have the time to think about these things before, when he still had the Calamity to defeat. Most of his life had been lived only in his function as a protector, since he was a child and started training to be a royal guard. He was still a guard now, and he wasn’t without responsibilities, but it wouldn’t be the same now. He still had duties, but maybe they didn’t have to be the entirety of his life. Maybe he could have…
He pushed these thoughts away from his mind. Sidon was his friend, and Link was never much good at thinking about his future anyway.
He was nearly at the stables when he saw Sidon jumping out of the water, water droplets dripping gloriously off him. Sidon was closer now, but Link still had Epona, so by the time Sidon arrived Link had already dismounted, and was giving Epona to the stablehead.
“It was a great race, and I concede victory to you, my friend,” Sidon said, offering him a hand.
Link shook it. “Here tonight?” he signed, and Sidon nodded in response.
It was nearly night, so they wouldn’t be able to get anywhere while there was still light. Link was used to travelling at night, but Sidon wasn’t, as they hadn’t even decided where they were going from there.
Link had an idea, but he hadn’t quite decided how they would get there. Sidon wanted to see dragons, and that gave them a few options, but he wasn’t too inclined to go to Faron Woods, which was closest. It would be hard to avoid lightning completely going through there, and Link had insulating clothes, but nothing for Sidon, and the Zora were especially vulnerable to electric attacks. Link didn’t want to put Sidon in danger, so he would have to choose another one of the places that dragons were known to pass.
They could either go east to Lanayru or west to Lake Hylia, or then all the way north, although he suspected that the heat and dry air wouldn’t be good for Sidon either. Whatever the case, he could make that decision in the morning.
They went inside, and Link asked for two beds. The beds were small, just as Link’s, but at least by himself Sidon would have some more room, even if it wouldn’t quite be comfortable. Link blushed thinking of the night before. He had been too comfortable with Sidon, it was easy to relax, despite the circumstances, and then he panicked in the morning, because his response to new situations was always heightened awareness. It usually didn’t lead to him falling off something, but sometimes it did. Thankfully, falling off a cliff and using his glider happened to be a good way to escape unexpected monsters with minimal injury.
Link paid for the beds, and dropped his pack on one before going outside.
“Hungry?” he signed with one hand as he went, carrying the ingredients on the other.
His favorite thing about stables, better yet than a warm bed, was that they provided cooking pots. He would always make extra food to take on his journeys, but it was good to be able to eat a hot meal straight from the pot.
“Here, I’ll help you with that,” Sidon said, taking some of the ingredients from his hand before he could drop them.
Link nodded with a smile. Since he started traveling with Sidon, he found that he really liked cooking for someone else. Not only that, he liked having company when he was traveling.
-
Sidon clapped once as Link finished explaining his travel plan.
“Dragons! I’m so glad that we are going to see a dragon. You are always impressing me so much,” Sidon said with a large smile.
Link looked away, and put a lock of hair behind his ear. Link was always so charming, so adorable, so powerful, and so incredible in every way, that it was hard for Sidon not to say everything that he thought of Link. The way Link reacted, he might not be so used to hearing that, which was a shame, because Link deserved to know how amazing he was. Sidon would have to make sure that Link knew, at least during the time that they were together, how special he was to Sidon.
Link turned the map to him, and pointed to an island in Lake Hylia.
“Are we taking the river here?” Sidon asked, pointing at where Squabble River merged with Hylia River.
He knew enough about this region, or at least its rivers, to know that they could get the whole way there through the water, and if he could swim at a good speed, then they would get there in only a few hours. Hylians often thought of what connected the places in Hyrule as the roads, but there were rivers to most places, covering vast distances. They were the roads of the Zora, faster and safer, for the ones who knew how to navigate strong currents.
“I can’t swim so far,” Link signed, shaking his head.
“Well, I can take you, it’s not far for me,” Sidon said.
He thought of when he carried Link on his back to fight against Divine Beast Vah Ruta. Despite the danger of the mission, he had enjoyed fighting alongside Link. But now they didn’t have to fight anymore. Hyrule was safer because of Link, and they owed him a debt that could never be repaid.
“Sure?” Link signed, then quickly measured the distance on the map with his fingers. “Five, six hours.”
A fair assessment. Sidon couldn't swim at his top speed carrying Link, especially not for such a stretch, but he was used to swimming much farther. This was just a matter of having a little extra weight, and he thought it would be fun to take Link in this way. It had nothing to do with them spending all this part of the journey in close contact. Or at least it wasn’t primarily about that.
“I wouldn’t have offered it if I didn’t know I could make the journey. I’m the best swimmer of the Zora, and I know how much you weigh. It will be long, but I think less tiring than walking all the way there on land would be,” Sidon said honestly.
For Hylians it was the other way around, but Zora could more easily swim than go on long walks, as long as the waters weren’t working too violently against them. Their life was the water, and stories even told that long ago most of Zora Domain was built underwater, only being raised to facilitate trade with the Hylians.
Link nodded, then signed, “After breakfast. Omelet?”
“That would be fantastic. I love your cooking so much that I don’t know what I’m going to do when I get back home. I’m surely going to miss it, although of course not as much as I’m going to miss you. But we shouldn’t talk about this now, no reason to anticipate the goodbyes,” Sidon said, patting him on the shoulder.
He was far too aware that they hadn’t truly planned these travels, so he didn’t know how long he would have with Link. He hoped it would be enough to make him not miss Link so much when he left, but at the same time he knew it would be impossible. He cared about Link too much not to miss him, even if they spent years travelling it wouldn’t be enough.
-
Link took off most of his clothes and all his weapons, putting them in his pack. He trusted Sidon when he said that he could do this, but he would still try to make himself as easy to carry as he could, and he knew from experience that it was faster to move in the water with just his undergarments.
Sidon had already entered the water, and was very obviously trying not to look at him as he got ready.
Link grabbed his pack and entered the water, still cold so early in the morning. Sidon offered him a hand, and pulled him closer, helping Link to his back. The last time they did this, he had his armor, but this way, with their skin in contact, made him think of them sharing his bed. Link put his hands around Sidon’s neck, and his legs on Sidon’s sides, giving him a little tap when he was ready.
“There we go then,” Sidon said, then sped across the river, quickly moving down the river.
Sidon was right, it was far faster than they would be able to walk, and at any rate they could only reach Hylia Island, the best place to wait for Farosh, swimming.
As they moved past Dueling Peaks, Link rested his head on Sidon’s shoulder and allowed himself to relax, focusing only on holding on to Sidon.
By the time that they arrived on the island, his arms and legs were aching from the sustained position, but he still missed the contact just as soon as they parted. They had made good time, so they would have to wait until Farosh might decide to appear. Or not, going after dragons was something that required some patience, and a lot of time sitting by the fire and waiting.
“You should put on some warmer clothes, I wouldn’t want you to get sick,” Sidon said, when Link shook his hair to take off the excess water.
Link shook his head, he wouldn’t want to get any of his clothes wet, and it was still warm enough. He could always get dressed later.
“When should we expect a dragon? Is this something that we have to look for?” Sidon asked, looking around as if a dragon might be hiding somewhere in the small island.
It was strange to think that most people never saw even one of the dragons, while he had taken their blessings so often. For him this was just another task that he had to learn to do until it became routine.
“Midnight,” Link signed.
If Farosh even came that night. Faron Woods would have been more of a guarantee, but it was better to go with the safer option.
He placed some wood a little away from the water, and started a fire, then took some pie from his pack for them to eat. They were going to be there for a while.
-
Sidon was starting to doze off when Link shook him by the shoulder, pointing at the lake, where the water was beginning to glow.
He jumped up, going near the water, but didn’t dare get in.
“Stay,” Link signed, then kneeled on the floor, wind gathering under him, and then he was tossed in the air, taking out his glider to approach the glowing water.
Link was nearly at the glowing spot when a bright horn breached the water, and what followed was a magnificent sight. Farosh, the dragon of courage, a giant holy being moving towards the sky.
Sidon was so fascinated by the dragon that he almost didn’t notice Link letting go of his glider, quickly shooting an arrow, and grabbing his glider again before he fell. Sidon gasped, surprised that Link would attack such a magnificent beast, but the arrow did nothing to slow the dragon, simply causing a point of light to fall from it into the water.
Link directed the glider towards the point of light, and let go of it to fall on the water.
Sidon glanced back at the dragon, who was moving away now, flying through the air as if it was swimming. Sidon fell back, sitting on the beach. It was as magnificent as he expected it to be, and he didn’t have words to describe that encounter.
He was still stunned when Link came running from the water, stopping in front of him and handing him something. Sidon took it, and looked down to see that it was a scale, a giant scale bright as a jewel. A dragon scale. Sidon raised his eyes, looking at Link.
“Gift for you,” Link signed with a smile.
Impulsively, Sidon leaned forward and kissed Link, immediately jumping back as he realized what he was doing.
“I’m sorry, I overstepped,” he hushed to say, then tripped over his own words trying to explain the significance of scales and jewels in Zora courting, making very little sense.
Link’s expression went from surprised to a soft smile.
“Sidon,” he said, slow and deliberate, and it was enough to stop Sidon’s rambling.
Sidon stopped, assuming that Link would tell him something, but instead Link held his face with both hands and pulled him down for a proper kiss.
Sidon could hardly believe that this was happening, that Link might have feelings for him as well, it gave him a joy that seemed as though it might burst out of his chest.
When they separated, Link hugged him, resting his head on Sidon’s chest, closer to his height now that Sidon was sitting and he was still standing. Sidon hugged him back, tightly. He wished he would never have to let him go.
For once, Sidon didn’t go on an effusive speech over how amazing Link was, there didn’t seem to be a need. They would probably have to talk about this at some point, but he knew how hard that might be on Link, so he was willing to wait. For now, he was simply glad to know that his feelings weren’t as hopeless as he had thought.
-
Sidon was sleeping a few inches away from him, but Link was still sitting by the fire. They were making their way to Hebra, as Link insisted on getting Sidon some warm clothes with the Rito before they set out to find Naydra.
He had the journal function of the sheikah slate open, where he had been working on a letter for a few days now, since he and Sidon first kissed at Hylia Island. They had talked about it somewhat since then, although Sidon did most of the talking, but Link had been able to give at least some words as to how he felt about Sidon. He preferred it this way, in writing, in his own time, this way he would find the perfect words to make Sidon understand how much Link loved him. It was still a work in progress, but Sidon had assured Link that he could take his time to find his words.
He added a couple more lines to it before deciding to call it a night, putting away the sheikah slate.
He laid down next to Sidon, trying not to disturb him, but even without awakening Sidon turned and put his arm around Link, sensing his presence. Link snuggled closer to him.
This journey was making Link realize, for the first time in his life, that maybe he could get to be happy, even with all of his duties.