Destinies Entwined ||| LOZ

~1 ⟁ a special favour

A gentle breeze blew through the air, leaving brief cool kisses across your warm, exposed skin. The sun was slowly setting in the sky above, casting an array of warm hues in its fading wake.

Peacefully you shut your eyes, a small smile playing on your lips as you leaned back onto your hands, fingers digging into the soft soil underneath. Today had been just as toiling as any other day, which when broken down wasn't a lot. You had no set job unlike the other villagers in Ordon, maybe because you had not been born in the village you often thought. Instead you carried out any odd task requiring further aide, helping those who needed it the most. Some days it made you wonder if it was ever enough, if maybe there was something

"Tell me..." a voice cuts through the air, disturbing the silence. ""Do you ever feel a strange sadness when dusk falls, after the sun sets below the horizon?"

Slowly you blink open your eyes, and turn to face the speaker. Your (e/c) irises briefly meet brown before they turned back to the water.

Rusl, the soldier of the village, was the reason you were outside the village walls. He was a good man you had come to learn over the many years of knowing him.

"They say it's the only time when our world connects to theirs..." Rusl continued, and it was then that you were reminded of another presence beside you.

Link leaned in closer towards Rusl, in turn slightly caging you in between the dirty haired Hylian and older man. You had almost forgotten that the ranch hand was beside you, what with his silent and reserved nature it made it easier to lose track of his whereabouts. He too was not of Ordon Village, and maybe because of that the two of you were closer than any of the others.

The sound of Rusl clearing his throat brought your attention back to him and away from the bright eyed Hylian.

"It is the only time when we can feel the lingering regrets of spirits who have passed on to the other side. That is why loneliness pervades at the hour of twilight," Rusl explains before dismissively waving his hand. "But enough with all this sorrow talk."

You chuckled softly at the man's enthusiasm, rolling your eyes at the end of his little story. You didn't expect Rusl to take advantage of your break to get all philosophical on you, yet here you were.

Suddenly you felt an elbow dig into your side, making you scrunch up your nose in slight pain and look over to see the culprit. Link met your gaze with a mild look of disapproval for what you could only assume was for mocking Rusl, even if you meant no harm behind it.

If it weren't for the small glint in his deep blue eyes, you would've thought he truly was upset with you. Instead his action was merely a playful warning, one which you fake pouted at in return, rubbing your side as if it greatly hurt. Link only shook his head, a ghost of a smile pulling at his lips.

Rusl laughed lightly at the both of you, causing you and the blue-eyed Hylian to stop and face him once again.

"Link, [Y/n]. I have a favour to ask to you two."

Your brows rose in minor surprise hearing the man's words. Rusl wasn't one for favours; he was a man who liked to do things himself when he could. To hear him blatantly ask for help came as a surprise to you.

"I was supposed to deliver something to the royal Hyrule family the day after tomorrow... The mayor himself told me, but would you go in my stead? There haven't been any big reports or sightings of monsters, so you could go without trouble if you decide to agree."

Your mouth nearly almost fell open upon his request. Getting to go to the Castle was one thing, but possibly meeting the royal family? Since you could remember, you had always wanted to visit the land outside of Ordon, to visit the places you had only ever seen on the frontside of a map... to visit the place you had been born. And now, you were finally being offered a chance to go.

"You two have never been to the Hyrule Castle before, have you?" Rusl asked.

Both yourself and Link shook your heads at his question in unison. You could feel a grin begin to form across your lips at the prospect.

"Good, this will be a chance for you two to see the world with your own eyes. And who knows, you might even see the princess!" Rusl jokes, his last statement clearly aimed at Link, causing the man in return to blush very lightly.

You laughed in amusement at the both of them, before looking up at the sky. It was getting late now, the once comforting glow of the sun fading into nothing more than an inky blackness.

With little difficulty you stood up, and dusted off any dirt that may have clung to your clothes when you were sitting down. Once done, you gave a curt nod of approval and walked over to where Epona, the trusty steed that belonged to nonother than Link, was waiting.

Sensing someone coming towards her, the large horse raised her head and watched you walk over. Once you stopped in front of the mare she gave your head a nudge with her own, making you giggle at the affection.

"Hello girl, tired of waiting for us are we?" You quietly jested, earning a tiny whiny as a reply and another head nudge. You giggled again. Link wasn't the only person whom Epona loved.

"Come on now!" You called out to both Link and Rusl, taking Epona's reins into your hands. "It's getting late and I do think we should head back."

Both men nodded and stood up, dusting themselves off just as you had done earlier.

"Oh, and Rusl?" The said man looked up at you upon hearing his name. "I'd love to take you up for that offer of yours! Link needs to meet his future bride sooner or later, and someone has to be there for the ceremony!" You called over your shoulder, a large teasing grin on your face knowing Link would be flustered at the thought. It was just too easy to tease him.

"[Y/n]!" Link shouts out in embarrassment jumping up to his feet, his face dusted with pink. All you did was laugh and begin to lead Epona away from the spring. Heck, she even whinnied a little as if she was laughing at Link.

"Of course [Y/n]," Rusl laughs, gently patting Link on the shoulder in comfort. "I'll make sure to discuss the arrangements with the mayor for the both of you."

Your smile twitched at his words. Ah yes the mayor, or as he would have you call him, father. Bo was the man who had taken you in when he had found you as a child, abandoned and alone at the gates. He was a good natured person, and quite protective over you given your upbringing. But he wasn't the one who had you worried about with the idea of leaving Ordon, but his daughter, or rather, your sister.

The walk back was short and fast, with Rusl and Link talking amongst themselves and you jumping in at times. Besides stopping at the end of the bridge to lock it up, the trip was uneventful and rather peaceful.

Once at Link's house—or his treehouse as you liked to call it—Rusl bid his goodbyes, and walked off to the entrance of the village, where his son Colin and his wife Uil waited for him. Rusl patted the small blonde boy's head in affection as he walked by, before heading down the path with Uil.

Before following his father, Colin turned around and smiled at both you and Link. You waved your hand to him in goodbye, which he returned, before running after his father.

Watching the family disappear around the bend, you let a soft sigh leave your lips. You should go back to yours now as well.

"Well, I should also head back. Ilia is probably going to get worried if I don't." You mumbled to Link, thoughts of your foster sister flying around inside your head.

You nudge the ranch hand in the shoulder with a soft smile plastered on your face. "I'll see you in the fields tomorrow okay?"

Link rolled his eyes, a smile of his own painted on his lips as he returned the soft bump in the form as a jut from his elbow. "I'll see you tomorrow [Y/n]."

You released a slight snort, punching the messy haired male in the arm. He slightly stumbles to the side, an almost funny look of a bewilderment in his eyes. "I get last hit, remember?" You wink before sauntering off in the direction Rusl had left.

Link blinked at your words before he simply shook his head with a sigh, not even bothering to chase you down over such a dumb jest. Instead he watched only until you were out of sight, then he turned back to Epona and began to unsaddle the steed.