001 .         ( taking a small bit of wind waker’s story here ) as kids aryll and link were told stories of the legendary hero the wields the sword that seals the darkness & the princess with the goddess blood that runs through her, and both had thought that story was?? amazing. the aspects of adventuring and being a hero were just so intriguing to them. they would constantly play pretend of being the legendary hero ( and got into fights because of it : “it’s my turn to be the hero!!” “that’s not fair!!” ), but as the grew older, and link actually ended up being the one to wield the master sword, they both realized that it wasn’t all fun & games & there’s a lot more grief that comes with being a real hero than what stories let you to believe.

002 .         before link is chosen to be zelda’s appointed knight he and aryll go on a bunch of mini adventures together, like treasure hunting around the zora’s domain, or to the nearest stable just to get a change of scenery. and while they were traveling they 100% were a kickass team ready to take down bokoblins, and they had dumb bruised goofy faces ( with a huge smiles !! ) when they come home only to have their mother scold them for being so reckless.

003 .         after being pointed zelda’s knight link went through rigorous training with the master sword on days zelda was at the castle & he didn’t have to keep an eye on her, he basically trained all day and night, to the point where he just wouldn’t come home most days. the family was allowed to visit him during practice, especially because their father was a knight as well but link didn’t really want them to show up JSGUVJHBKJA. at first it was out of embarrassment but later when link quickly grew more distant he just felt like he didn’t want them to see him at all, out of fear of disappointing them and the kingdom because of his own disattachment to being the one who has to fulfill the role of the hero  + he was going through a LOT of pressure from all sides. knowing aryll too she probably was always coming to see him ( link needs lunch, let me visit him and bring him some!, link needs someone to make sure he’s at his top form, so on and so forth ), so at some point link just told their parents to let her know that he can’t really deal with her visiting him during training anymore. he bs the excuse as to why though, saying that his training is only going to get harder from here on out and he can’t really afford to even let a second of his focus stray away from his task, the real reason he didn’t want her to come anymore was because he couldn’t take her witnessing how closed off he has become along with the fact he doesn’t want to let her down.

         link’s never put much thought into what he considered BEAUTIFUL,   it’s just not something that constantly crosses his mind.   sure he’s had fleeting thoughts of what he considered to be beautiful  :  sceneries,   sunsets,   sun rises,   horses,   a field just after a storm has past,   even the storm itself could be beautiful.   all those thoughts only last a second though & then he has to focus back on the task at hand.   his duty is more important than idly stopping to really take in how beautiful hyrule is,   how beautiful the wild is.   it’s saddening to think he doesn’t have time to appreciate the wild he loves so much,   to bask in the loveliness of the kingdom he’s trying so desperately to save–––   or at least link use to think it was saddening.   traveling alone gave him too much time to think...   especially about what he doesn’t even remember  ( that too would constantly gnaw at him ),   but at the end of the day did it really even matter anymore ?   

         since letting sidon accompany him the journey has felt...   lighter ?   his quest is still as urgent as it had been from before he met the zora,   but he has been enjoying it much more now that he’s not constantly alone with his thoughts about the past & the kingdoms future in his hands.   

         from the few things he does remember about himself from 100 years ago,   he can tell he wasn’t very happy–––   or maybe that wasn’t the right word to describe how he felt.   his destiny was far greater than he was & it became too unbearable to the point he had shut everyone out,   including the zora’s deceased sister.   perhaps that could’ve changed considering he doesn’t remember everything as of yet,   but with each memory he does have from that past he can feel a sense of loneliness coming from himself.   in the beginning of his journey after waking up from the slumber of restoration he somewhat felt that loneliness seeping in again,   thankfully not as drastic as he can gather it was from the memories,   however it was still there.   traveling with someone––– with sidon,   he doesn’t feel that way anymore & he can’t connect with who he was 100 years ago anymore  ( and for once that thought doesn’t scare him ).   traveling with sidon made everything he loved about the wild and adventuring even better.   so to hear the other was ‘trying’ to be beautiful like the sceneries they passed by or like the SILENT PRINCESSES that bloom on their own in the wild,   when he was already beautiful and so much more...   it made link stop in his tracks.  

         ☞   you don’t have to try to be such,   to me you already are.   ☜   link feels somewhat embarrassed being so straightforward but the other needs to know how he deeply feels in regards to this.   ☞   sidon,   in all the things i’ve seen,   in all the places i’ve traveled from now to 100 years back–   ☜   he swallows a nervous lump building up in his throat,   ☞   you are by far the most beautiful thing i’ve seen.   ☜   sidon’s bravery,   his selflessness,   his kindness...   everything about sidon was beautiful.   ☞   and you also make my world much more beautiful,   being alongside you has been nothing but a pleasure.   ☜

         realizing he’s been rambling and is about to go on for much longer,   link is quick to stop himself by letting out a nervous chuckle.   ☞   sorry.   we still have a long way until we find the lost forest and it seems it’s about to be nighttime.   let’s try to find a stable close by so we can rest.   tomorrow we’ll hit the tower and try to ask around to see what people know about the forest and if the master sword really is there.   ☜   he swiftly begins back on the path toward what he hopes will lead to a stable,   quick in each step to hide the amount of embarrassment that is being displayed on his face from the zora who is now falling behind in a daze. 

         link couldn’t understand how an dish with a frog as the main ingredients could possible taste like cough medicine and still be good,   but then again they haven’t tried it themselves;   they were far too hesitant to take a taste of it.   ☞   is that so ?   supposedly it has potent effects to boost certain abilities but i wouldn’t know that for sure.   ☜   a chuckle escapes their lips,   realizing how ridiculous it seems to be wary of tasting a frog after facing far more dangerous things out in hyrule’s fields and mountains.   & only moments later does link come to realize something else,   they felt as if they’ve heard those words before telling him to try the frog because it’ll increase certain abilities.   perhaps not verbatim with the way they worded it but something about it seems  ODDLY FAMILIAR,   so much so that it was gnawing at the back of his head trying to piece together just where he had learned this information from. 

         the chuckle that escapes their lips isn’t intentional,   but once it started they couldn’t put a stop to it.   not once in all of his adventuring throughout hyrule had he encountered someone to do something so  ‘ HEINOUS ‘  that it would warrant their arrest.   well maybe the only other person who can account to something like that was kilton,   but he was misjudged and only wanted to sell monster parts because it was his passion   (  & there was no harm in that,   right ?  )   link highly respected kilton and his shop,   no matter how heated at link he got whenever they would tease that they were more passionate about monsters than the shopkeeper.   ☞   how does that even happen ?   what did you do in order for you to warrant an arrest on yourself ?   ☜

               Fantastic! A warm welcome is enough to calm his doubts that perhaps he may be disturbing the rambunctious adventurer : considering the speed with which he oft caught him racing over the sides of Zora’s Domain and tumbling down hills with a trail of foes after him, it’s difficult to discern when a ‘ GOOD TIME ’ to catch him even is. He clears his throat, somehow managing to stand taller as he collects his thoughts. In truth, some part of him is nervous to ask a favor of him, when he is already doing so much. When he already has.

               “Well, you see…”  Clawed digit raises to gently tab at the edge of his lips, trying to find the best way to word this without stumbling over himself. If he seems embarrassed, it’s because he partly is.  “Events here have led me to take an interest in the state of the other Divine Beasts. If our domain has suffered, then surely others are as well. I wish to aid, where I can, now that I am certain my people can stand their ground. As my most recent contact was with the Goron…”  He bows his head, clearing his throat in an attempt to speak with some confidence.  “  …  I’d very much like to accompany you in order to see the state of Vah Rudania for myself!”

   he shouldn’t be as surprised as he is to find out that sidon has taken an interest in the divine beast, it’s only natural to after having to engage with one in combat with one so to speak. plus link figured sidon had a strong sense of courage... seeing his own kind dealing with vah ruta & assisting link in gaining control over it again, talking to a goron to only find out others are dealing with their own issues in their homes with the divine beast, it’s also natural for him to want to aid there wherever he can in these situations as well, at least that’s what link guesses was his thought process was. 

   coming out of his dazed state link can only slowly sign to sidon how he thinks he’s brave. not many hylians he knows or has met would offer up such a thing if it can be avoided. while only doing smaller task prior to this the most he’s gotten from hylians he’s helped from bokoblins attacking them was a cooked meal or elixirs (not that he’s complaining), and one time he only got one rupee. to propose the idea of accompanying him in his journey, to see the state of another divine beast and also probably trying aid him in regaining control of it from calamity ganon, when the risk far outweigh the possible “rewards”... sidon was not only brave but  extremely selfless it seems. and while not completely remembering her link gets the sense that mipha would be proud of her younger brother.