AS YOU WIIIISH

[sealedsun]

[ There were few places in the castle that Zelda found any freedom. Her soul was chained to the responsibility she had to her destiny, the responsibility she had to her father and mother, to her people. Unlock her sealing powers, the holy birthright she held but had no idea how to use. The reason she spent every single day praying, devoting herself to the gods in hopes that she would be granted some kind of divinity.

Her study was her first sanctuary. With all her books scattered around her desk, she could easily bury her nose in texts and waste the hours away on research on Sheikah technology and relics. The second was the kitchen. It was pleasant on the nose and on her weary soul when she walked into meats, vegetables, and her favorite fruit cake.

The third... was the stables. Hay, the earth, and a musky wood surrounded her. It was like being out in the field and away from the confining castle walls. As close as she could come to it while still being on its grounds.

Her white horse, Prince, lifts his head when Zelda enters the royal stables. It's as if he can sense her presence. Prince isn't the only familiar at the stables. Messy, dirty blond hair and a bright blue tunic -- of course, Link is there waiting for her. Almost as if he's been waiting. ]

Good morning.

[ They've been on better terms. After what happened with the Yiga Clan, Zelda has been trying to see him differently. She's not immediately put out that she's alone with Link and joins him as she reaches for her horse's bridle. ]

I suppose I'm not surprised to see you down here. Were you waiting for me?

Comments

[wokeup]

[Epona makes another huffing sound and seems to enjoy the contact. Link smiles and pats the horse on her side before checking a few more of the straps for another moment. When he feels like enough time has passed for the princess' horse to have been prepared, he glances to her and then back over to the stable hand.

Wordlessly, the blond makes his way over, and right as the stable hand looks to be leading the horse back to Zelda, Link takes the lead from him without much of a second glance at the other male. Then he finds his way back to the princess, holding out the line for her.]

We're ready.

[With a little smile and a nod, he hands it to her before hooking the toe of his boot into one of Epona's stirrup and hefting himself up onto the saddle to wait for Zelda to take her mount as well.]

[sealedsun]

[ When Link does something for her, it feels normal. It feels natural. It doesn't feel like he thinks less of her or that she can't do something. He's just being Link. Now she knows that. She takes the reigns from him, feeling a flutter in her heart when her fingers brush his. Stupid girl. With a shake of her head, she turns Prince until he's standing next to Epona and then hoists herself onto her saddle too. The stablehand doesn't get a second glance from Zelda either before she digs her heels into the sides of her white horse and lopes out of the barn and onto the cobble streets of Hyrule Town. Leading the way to the front gates, out into the green, waving fields of her kingdom. She doesn't stop until they're at the same Sacred Grounds she initiated Link at, tugging back the reigns to look at the center. Prince dances on his toes for a moment and then snorts. ] If I performed the ceremony now, it would be different... [ She would actually put feeling into her blessings. If they amounted to anything. ]