Ͳhҽ Ꝉìցhէղìղց Cհìҽƒ ×~° ʗⲏⲁⲣⲧⲉꞅ 10 ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── Link followed Kira into the Emergency shelter, staring at his feet. His heart pounded rapidly in his chest, as he replayed the events from earlier over and over again; Riju missing him, Riju hugging him, Riju... he shook his head, shaking off the memories. Kira was leading them deeper and deeper into the shelter, and Link had the uneasy feeling of adventure churning in his stomach; the feeling when you knew you were being watched. It reminded him, sickeningly, of the Lightning Temple - the way the levels had felt almost haunted, the way the battlefield had been empty of gibdos until the very end; it still had him puzzled. He gulped, pushing the memories to the back of his head, and walked a little faster, drawing level with Kira and leaving Riju a few metres behind to follow. "Did you see that?!" He hissed to Kira, sounding a bit accusing. "She-sh-she..." Kira turned round and smiled at him knowingly, but Link thought he saw a glint of jealousy in the corner of her green eyes. Really? But he grinned goofily, and it disappeared, Kira slowing to a walking pace so her friend could catch up. "Buliara and I were discussing your reward - you both did amazing work! No more sand shroud! Hardly any Gibdos! Peace in the desert once again!" She took a breath. "And you REALLY need a reward for those things, because no one else could've done it! And you did it, so here's your reward." Kira had stopped, picking up two neatly wrapped gifts in the shape of - Link laughed. Riju choked on the candy she was eating. Clutching Link's arm, she stared at Kira, who stood grinning next to the table. "Thought you might need a souvenir," She joked, pointing to the Gibdo-shaped packaging holding their presents. Eventually, they pulled themselves together, and Riju gulped, ripping off multiple layers of tape that were supposed to look like bones. Link had an expression of deep confusion on his face, staring at the piece of paper and reins stored inside his package; he raised a questioning eyebrow at Kira, holding the reins as though they were a breed of particularly poisonous snake. But Riju was laughing, happy tears filling her emerald eyes. "Sand seals!" She said to Link. "That's the ticket for a sand seal! You own one now!" He looked delighted. "I've always wanted a pet!" He cried, sounding unlike himself. Riju slung her arm through Kira's but the girl wasn't done. "And what's in yours?" She prompted, gesturing to the half-unwrapped present lying next to Link's destroyed one. Riju rushed over to it, Kira peering over her shoulder as she picked at the packaging. But when she finally reached the gift, wrapped securely inside its paper shell, she gasped, almost dropping it. Kira giggled, fiddling with her gold bangles; Link wore an expression of pure joy, sunlight reflected in rays off his shining - "Diamond Circlet," Riju breathed, taking off her gold crown - which she often complained about - and laying it gently on the table. "It's a diamond circlet! Oh, sarqso, Kira!" She hugged her friend, a huge grin spreading across her tanned face. "And it's just like mine!" Link cried, pointing to his own silver crown, sunbeams dancing off the Diamond at its center. Riju just beamed at him, slipping her new circlet very carefully on her head. "It looks beautiful on you," Kira observed, awed. "Perfect," Link agreed, blushing slightly. One side of Riju's mouth curved upwards in a half-smile, and she waved Link over to sit next to her. "Kira, could you just get Patricia ready for me? I want to teach Link to ride his seal, and help him pick one!" Her friend nodded and left, still grinning. Now they were alone, Link became anxious, and uncharacteristically tucked a strand of tangled blonde hair behind his ear; Riju cocked her head, raising an eyebrow, and he laughed nervously. A determined glint shone in Riju's eyes as she stretched out a hand to Link, who gently took it. Easing herself towards him, she took his face in her dark brown hands, looking him in the eyes. And then - as though they'd been anticipating it, waiting for it - they both leaned into each other, and the hero of Hyrule kissed the lightning chief with happiness blooming in his heart. And the Gerudo head kissed the princess's appointed knight with joy in her mind, and hoped this feeling of freedom would last forever. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣀⣄⣀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⠤⠖⠋⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠙⠲⣄⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⡴⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢹⣦⣠⠤⠖⠓⠒⠒⠒⠦⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⢠⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⣯⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⢶⠀⠀ ⠀⢀⡴⢾⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣦⠀⣦⢰⣤⣤⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⣇⠀ ⢠⡏⠀⠀⠈⠑⣧⣶⣀⠀⣦⢠⣰⣿⣆⣸⣶⣿⣿⡟⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⡆ ⠈⢧⡀⠀⠀⠸⠛⠙⢿⣷⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠋⣽⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⠃ ⠀⠀⣩⠶⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠀⠉⠛⠋⠻⠣⢽⣶⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⡇ ⠀⡖⠁⠀⠈⠳⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡾⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⠇ ⣰⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠑⢤⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡇⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⠀ ⢹⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⢦⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⣷⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣦⠀⡿⠀ ⠀⢧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣄⠀⣿⢷⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⣇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣦⣹⣴⡇⠀ ⠀⠈⢣⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⣦⣸⣄⡀⠀⠀⢸⡇⢹⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣾⣿⡿⣿⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠳⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⣆⠀⠙⢧⣄⣀⣧⣈⣆⣀⣀⡠⠤⠤⠴⠟⠉⢿⠁⢽⠃⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠹⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⢧⣀⣰⣇⣸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣸⠂⢨⣧⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢹⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠑⠲⠤⢤⣀⣀⣀⣤⣤⠤⠞⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡿⢦⡀⠀⣀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣸⠉⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⣹⠋⠉⠓⠒⠒⠲⠦⠤⠄⠤⢀⣠⢿⠚⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
