Couple of the Wild (ZeLink)

Chapter 72: The Orb in the Hideout

"This is the Yiga Clan Hideout?" Zelda asked as she and Link traversed through the sand. Link nodded, glancing up at the small flag linings that hung from the tall, rocky walls of the canyon. The afternoon sunlight shined from the tops of the cliffs as a gentle breeze blew through the chasm, causing the Yiga branded fabrics to wave on the boulders that littered the sandy pathway up to the hideout entrance. The girl wanted nothing more but to enjoy the marvelous site of the ravine-like landscape, however an overwhelming weight in her chest had begun to grow with each passing step as she noticed Link hadn't properly answered her earlier question.

"Are you sure it's... safe?" Zelda attempted to ask as they continued up the pathway. Link once again hadn't answered immediately, still entranced by the flags above as he seemed incredibly lost in his own thoughts. The girl's eyebrows furrowed as her chest grew even heavier. "Link?"

"Huh?" he grunted, looking down into the worried green irises that starred up into his blue ones. He stared down for a moment before shaking his head, collecting his thoughts before refocusing on the path ahead. "Yeah. Yeah, we'll be fine, don't worry, Zel."

"Well that surely gives me confidence," Zelda said, her face filling with disapproval as she now began to study his features. "Link, what's going on?"

"What do you mean?" he responded, tearing his gaze away from the sandy avenue once again to look down into her eyes. Zelda huffed a bit as the frown that had grown on her face became much more prominent.

"Ever since we left our sand seals, you've been ever increasingly lost in thought," she remarked, instinctively bringing her hand to her head before rubbing the back of it where she had impacted Link's rock hard torso. "It's rare to find you thinking so hard."

"Are you saying I don't think about things?" Link asked as he raised an eyebrow, however Zelda shook her head.

"The opposite in fact," she responded as her face began to calm with her thoughts beginning to fill with her time with Link. "Usually you're very quick to come to a conclusion after a quick analysis of a given situation. It's rare for you to have trouble coming up with some idea about something regarding tasks and trials."

"That was surprisingly nice," Link said, who was genuinely expecting to be told he didn't think through most of his decisions. Zelda furrowed her eyebrows once again, returning from her thoughts.

"Did you think I would say something hurtful?" she asked curiously. "What do you take me for?"

"I mean it could have been. Sometimes you always talk about how reckless I can be, or how much I eat, so on and so forth," Link said, folding his arms as he looked up into the sky. Zelda huffed as she puffed out her cheeks.

"Yes, but it's either when you've hurt yourself or I'm teasing you; like you're doing right now!" she called out, gently shoving Link's shoulder as he chuckled from her calling out his bluff.

"You got me, you got me," he said, raising his arms in defeat as a grin grew on his face. However, the grin had lasted only a moment before his thoughtful features returned as he dropped his arms. "Though, to answer your question... it just all seems a bit easy."

"Easy? You mean the trials?" Zelda asked as curiosity began to form on her face once again. Link nodded, returning his gaze to the clouds above.

"Compared to before, a Molduga and a sand seal race isn't all that troublesome. It's actually kinda underwhelming if I'm allowed to be blunt," Link explained. "It just makes me wonder what comes after this..."

Zelda watched Link continue to think in silence as the Yiga Hideout entrance became visible just ahead. Noticing the entrance before she could respond to the knight's thoughts, she began to slow as a hand raised to her chest. Link, sensing Zelda's disappearance from his side, looked around before spotting her standing a few steps behind him. Her gaze was stuck on the entrance of the hideout, where two tall individuals stood guard. She had begun to take a step back, however a gentle touch appeared on her shoulder. She looked down at the touch before looking up to see Link's blue eyes staring down into hers.