Link hadnāt been sure what to expect.
He wondered if he had ever served as an escort for an envoy before, prior to the century war. Maybe. Possibly?
Wellā¦well, it didnāt matter much what he had or had not done in a life long dead and forgotten, did it?
Link was there long before the ships arrival. He cooked a lunch for himself, Tofu, and Calypso; a dark, sweet mare borrowed for their new guest. Tofu seemed to get along with her quite well, and Link mused on the idea of offering to purchase her when all was said and done. Two horses was a lot to care for, though, and the Princess already had her own steed, and they were so often traveling these days, andā¦
And it didnāt really matter.
He felt oddly nervous as the ship came into its dock and found himself setting his lips in a hard, neutral line (muscles remember what the mind does not) before making his way up where their guest would first step foot on Hyrule land.
It was a massive thing, all dark metal and bold red, nothing like the trading ships of soft brown wood that Link was used to. His fingers flexed, itching to curl around the handle of his sword, but calmed themselves just the same.
Ok. Time to be an escort.
Link had pictured someone older, with a rounder belly and maybe a beardāsomeone like the late king, he guessedābut the Prince who stepped off the ship didnāt seem that much older than himself. They shared the same round cheeks of their youth, but the signs of a life roughly lived were there; the sharp depth to the eyes, the scar across his face, the way he moved with a warriors stride.
Young, like him, but not naive.
That was a luxury warriors couldnāt afford. Even with a crown.
Link listened to him, hands resting on his belt, and nodded once. Twice. A pause, and then a third, final time.
A broken nationā¦supposed thatās what Hyrule had come to be, when one looked at it from that angle. But not for long.
āI hope we can, Your Highness,ā Link agreed, and with a smile, added, āWelcome to Hyrule.ā
Turning on his heel, Link motioned the man to follow him. āPrincess Zelda is expecting you in Kakariko Village. Itās not too far from here by horseāā
He stopped suddenly, halted by a rather unfortunate thought.
āDo you ride horses, Prince Zuko?ā
