A Princess's Problem.

The Perfect Gift.

Link was hectic. What was he going to get her? What could he get the Princess of Hyrule for her birthday? The King had finally given in to Urbosa's argument and let the Princess and Link have an entire day off. Link was relieved and fearful at the same time. He had been hoping for something like this, a chance to find the perfect gift for Zelda's seventeenth birthday.

Link was now running down the vast market of Castle Town, a large pouch of rupees jangled from his belt. Many of the inhabitants of the market stared at the Hylian Champion, his royal blue tunic sticking out in the croud. Link internally slapped himself, he should have worn his old green tunic, he slapped himself again in his mind, everybody knew his green tunic as well...

He had just gone past a Gerudo saleswoman who had shown him a selection of exotic clothes and drapes. He still couldn't find the perfect gift for Zelda. She was the Princess, she had everything! Link passed a Rito traveler who tried to entice Link to buy his collection of rare gemstone encrusted rings. Still nothing.

Think, think, Link, think! He searched the markets for hours. It was a good thing he had gotten up around dawn and taken immediately to Castle Town, it wasn't even midday yet. He still had the afternoon. Think! What is it that makes Zelda happy? What is the one thing I can get her that nobody else can? Then it snapped.

Link found a vender who sold him a large painted container. It seemed big enough for the job. Link carried it on his shoulder and made sure that Zelda wasn't in the corridors when he made his way up to his room in the castle. Upon arrival, Link filled the colourful pot with soil from the castle gardens, to most, this would have made it harder to carry, but Link was strong and it didn't hinder him.

Once he had placed the pit in his room, Link left for the market again. This time, Link brought back a glass dome that was the same size as the pot but this wasn't full of soil, this was to go on top. Link fitted the glass dome over the top of the pot and it was a perfect fit, this meant that nothing could get out by accident. Link was very specific when it came to the glass dome he had bought, he specifically asked that it have small holes in the top, the importance of which, Link didn't want anyone to know. He couldn't exactly say to the vender that this was a gift for the Princess out of his love for her, now could he?

Once he had secured the rather large container in his room, Link again went back into Castle town, but this time he only came back with a few glass jars and a book of botany. He knew he would need them.

***

Now I just need to find them, he thought. Easier said than done...

Link patted Epona and dropped down from his saddle into the wet grass. He looked all around the field in search of one particular type of flower. Link threw his hands up in the air when he saw the familiar blue and white petals of the Silent Princess flower.

Link went back to Epona and got the botany book out of his pack. Link loved nature, and he very much felt as though he was more in tune with it than others. He was quite young when he had become the Green Ranger, living in the forests. But when it came to the science of nature, Link was at a loss. Link flicked through the pages and found the extract about the removal of plants and flowers. This book had been written by a Sheikah scientist so Link knew he was right in consoling it's knowledge.

"To ensure a long lasting freshness and to enable the ability to grow, remove the plant or flower with it's roots intact..." Link whispered to himself, mentally making a note of it.

With that, Link took of of the glass jars from his pack and went back over to the wild flower. Zelda had told him before that the Silent Princess was untameable, but Link didn't care. He delicately removed the flower, making sure the roots were not harmed, before he paced it gently in the jar.

One down, he thought... This will take a lot of time...

***

Link secured the full jars into his saddle pack, making sure they were in no danger of damage before he took the last one in his hands and made his way over to the small pond.

Link crouched down low, making no noise as he entered the tall grass that surrounded the water. He heard something move in the weeds ahead, it was close. Link crept forward before he pounced and grabbed the slimy creature by the hind legs and quickly put it into the jar before he held it up to examine the small amphibian.

"I can't believe Zelda is so interested in you..." He chuckled on his way back to Epona.

***

Link put the last container on his desk and he stood back to contemplate what he should do next. Finally he came to the conclusion that he wasn't knowledgeable to come to a conclusion and therefore went back to the Sheikah book. He opened it up and stood it up on his other books so that he could read but also have his hands free.

Link started to take out all of the flowers from their jars and put them into the pot of soil. The pot was really large and you couldn't put your arms around it, this meant it had a good amount of space inside to house the flowers. He put them around the outside of the perimeter, leaving a clearing in the middle. Link thought it was nearly ready for it's first inhabitants before he realised he was missing something...

Ah, of course! Link went to his cupboards and found a rather deep clay bowl. It seemed sturdy and the dimensions were perfect. He took the bowl into the bathroom and filled it up with water. He placed it on his desk while he dug a hole in the soil in the middle of his large pot. Link proceeded to place the water bowl into the hole and made sure that it was secure in the dirt before finally turning to the last unopened jar.

Link slowly took the little frog out and placed it on the edge of the water bowl, inside the pot before he put the glass dome back on top. He was finally done with his gift.

Link knew that Zelda was at her best when it came to the unusual things she wanted to study. Link loved seeing her like that, when she was fascinated by things others would overlook. She had talked to him about the Silent Princess and expressed her want for them to grow domestically. She had also tried to get Link to eat a live frog, though it seemed weird at the time, she had truly been to excited about catching one to realise she was trying to shove it down his throat.

With Link's gift, she would have an unusual pet. She would be able to study the Silent Princess flowers and see if she could get them to stay alive or not. She would be able to study the frog's effect by taking samples of it's slime and by observing it's behaviour. Link examined his handiwork... Not bad, he mused... He had never thought of himself as a craftsman, but apparently he had a back for it...

Anyone could get Zelda some exotic clothes or some gemstone rings, but only Link could get her this...