there was always something in him that compelled him to explore. as a kid, he’d tried on multiple occasions to wander the forest surrounding his village home. he’d rarely made it past the bridge beyond the spring before someone found him and brought him back to safety and supervision. now, even though he’d seen most of what hyrule had to offer, sometimes he felt suffocated if he didn’t wander. so, that was what he did.
he figured, with the first sound, and the following few as well, that it was an animal amidst the cover of the trees nearby. he was used to animals, had a way with them most other hylians didn’t. beyond that, he simply just… liked them. curiously, he glanced around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the creature – and was met instead with the flowing of fabric as its wearer ducked behind another tree. a twig snapped, and he could hear the sound of a hard footstep on a rock. he suppressed an amused smile. he wasn’t the most stealthy of people, himself, but this person was even worse than he.
he continued a little ways, trying to gain insight into this person’s intentions. so far, they didn’t seem dangerous, but link knew that being clumsy wasn’t something that prevented someone from being deadly. he kept his guard up, ears tracking the sounds of footsteps and keeping an eye out for the movement of their cloak in the foliage.
no, they weren’t making any move that implied they meant anyone harm. who were they in their seeming desire to stay hidden ?
“ i see you, ” he finally spoke up, after a false start with his voice. it happened sometimes, when he didn’t use it for a while. “ who are you ? ”
she froze, delicate hands balling into fists against the bark of the tree she hid behind. he didn’t sound hostile, not at all. curious, perhaps, though she dared not peak from her hiding place to gauge his expression, his body language, even if revealing herself was all but inevitable at this point. what other option did she have? to wait silently and hope that he would move along?
no, no. that would never work.
slowly, carefully, she moved, until the top half of her face were just barely visible. timid, uncertain. “i--” and she stopped short, as realization struck her.she had left in disguise, without the oh so distinctive pink dress, without all of the golden regalia that so commonly decorated her person. because she had left due to all of the pressures of being a princess, the lack of freedom and the constant over protectiveness of her guards. admitting herself to being royalty, the ruler of the kingdom, was only inviting back everything she thought to escape.
and why be the princess when she could be anyone?
“i am...merely a lost traveler,” though as much as she wanted to pretend, she could not rid herself of her overly formal manner of speech. “i came from hyrule’s castle town for a small bit of exploration and seem to have lost my way.” just as slowly, carefully, as before, she stepped out fully from behind the tree, one hand braced against its side.
“my name is --anju,” the slightest falter as she spoke the only name that came to mind. she prayed he would not notice. “i apologize for sneaking up on you...i hadn’t seen another person in quite some time, and i was a bit excited but...nervous that you might be hostile.”