It was cold. You were shivering and you were not enjoying yourself in the slightest. Link looked like a child with the way he watched the snow fall around him, but you were huddled up in two cloaks, your thickest tunic, and three pairs of pants. You only had your finger-less gloves with you, so your fingers were clenching the reins with all the force you could muster and then releasing them just to keep them from going numb.

At least you had some pretty scenery. You had made it to the snowfields and Link insisted that you didn't stop at the stable for the rest of the day, though you had been able to spend a short while there while Link took care of a nearby shrine. The snow was up to the horse's shoulders in most parts but the roads were much less deep.

The stable hands regularly went up and down the roads with special machines attached to the horses, so that the snow was pushed off of the road. It was slow work for them, but they did it so that travelers like yourself and Link could travel safely and easily through the fields.

The snow sparkled as the sun shone on the drifts and that was a beautiful sight, but you cursed the snow for being able to withstand the sun's warmth and refuse to melt. The trees were now few and far between, but the tall evergreens in the distance were quite lovely with the way their vibrant hues of green stood against the pale backdrop.

The tower, glowing an eerie orange and standing imposingly over you partway up a mountain trail, still seemed so far away even though you were so close. You were nearly to the foothills of the snowcapped mountain that the tower sat itself upon, and from there you'd be forced to wind up a trail that twisted around the side of the mountain. Riding in the snow was no fun, being in the cold no more so. Riding up a hill in these conditions did not seem like a good time for you.

You still preferred this over the desert, though.

Link stared up at the gently falling snow with a childlike amusement. There was a twinkle in his eyes and his cheeks bore red patches from the cold. The tip of his nose was red and the wind nipped at his bare neck and down his tunic but he didn't seem to care. You sighed and took off your scarf after a particularly bitter blast of wind.

Reaching to your left, you grabbed Epona's reins and stopped her and used your other hand to slow Nayru simultaneously. Still leaning over, you wrapped the scarf around Link's neck as he looked at you curiously. You made sure that it was nice and snug before settling yourself back into your saddle.

"Won't you be cold?" This was Link's dumb question as you urged Nayru to walk again. The mare obliged and Epona fell into step next to her without Link needed to signal her to.

"Weren't you?"

"Not really," he said. "I can handle the cold pretty well."

"Even if you don't feel cold, you'll get sick that way. And when you do get sick, I'm not going to take care of you."

"Why not?"

"Because I told you to wear more layers to prevent you from getting sick, and so if you choose to ignore me and get sick anyway, then why should I feel bad and use my own energy to take care of you?"

"That may be a logical way to look at it, but will you really be able to deny this innocent little face help?"

You looked over at him, saw his cheeky smile and the eyes you'd grown to love to see, and flashed him a quick smirk before looking away. "Yes," you said, "and quite easily at that."

---

The snow was falling heavier now, so much so that it was getting tough to see more than a few feet in front of you. The large flakes of snow danced in and out of your vision and all you could see were varying shades of white and barely discernible objects just out of your range of sight.

The horses were picking their way through the snow, taking their steps slowly and carefully. Large, shadowy shapes that you knew were trees drifted past. You and Link, to make sure you stayed together, had taken some extra rope and tied the ends to your horses so that you couldn't stray apart.

You weren't even entirely sure if you were on the trail anymore. Link checked his slate periodically and it seemed as though you were still going in the general direction that the road was, but you could have wandered off of it twenty minutes ago and you'd be none the wiser.

The only thing you were sure about, direction-wise, was that you were still heading towards the tower. Through the billowing snow, you could see a dim orange glow far above you, which you knew was the tower. You wouldn't be able to climb it any time soon, though. You hoped that this storm would blow over soon, so you could get to the tower, climb it, and get out of the snow.

You had once appreciated the beauty of snow, but now...

After wandering around in the snow for quite some time, you and Link found yourselves face to face with a giant, dark mass. Link slid off of Epona and walked towards it. You could barely see him but you watched with narrowed eyes as he approached the structure.

"It's a cabin," he said when he reached it. He turned to face you and struggled to keep his eyes on you as the snow blew past his eyes and the wind nipped at him. "What should we do?"

"We can't stay out in this blizzard," you said with a slight tremble to your voice from the cold. "Knock on the door, and see if anyone's inside."

Link walked with his hand sliding against the wooden side of the cabin until he found the door. The snow was falling even heavier now, if that was possible. You shivered violently now. You heard the solid knocks on the wooden door, and Link stepped back to wait. When he got no answer, he knocked once more and called, "We would like shelter from the storm; may we come in?" He asked again, and received no answer. "Now what," he called out to you.

"I guess we can just go in," you said. You got off of Nayru carefully and slowly, knowing that after so long of staying as still as possible, clenching together in a futile attempt to save body heat, your limbs would not be so happy to move again. You curled your numb fingers around Nayru's reins and led her over to the side of the cabin. Tying them to a small tree you found, you hurried back over towards the door. Link was already inside and when you were inside, you closed the door behind you.

You were met with immediate relief from the cold. Whoever had built this cabin had evidently done a good job. There was a fire roaring already in the fireplace and a pot and cooking supplies sat nearby. There was a single bed in one corner next to a frosted-over window and a nice dining table with two chairs. Link was lighting the lanterns in the cabin and when he finished he looked at you.

"You tied up the horses?"

You nodded and put your pack on the ground. "Yes, and if you give me a minute I'll go and put their blankets on them." You bent over to unzip your pack and grab the horses' blankets but Link grabbed the pack and took the blankets out in one swift motion. He put the pack back down and fixed his scarf to cover his lips and nose again before heading back towards the door.

Before you could say anything else he was outside the cabin and back out in the snow, fixing the blankets on the horses so they'd keep warm. You shook your head in disbelief but placed the pack in an empty corner where it'd be out of the way.

You stepped back towards the door and took your boots off stepped away from them. You peeled off your outer cloak and coat and removed your hat from your head. Your outer layers were taken off and placed on a drying rack set against one wall until you were in a simple outfit of a thin white scarf that hung loosely on your shoulders, a red sweater and dark leggings. You felt much freer like this and went back over to your pack. You lifted it up and set it on the dining table so it was easier to look through, and began to look for ingredients to make some dinner.

When Link came back in, he was covered in a layer of fresh snow and shut the door quickly behind him. A quick yet sharp wave of cold blew through the house before the heat from the fire warmed you again. "Do you have everything you need to make dinner?" Was all he asked from where he stood by the door, lowering his scarf.

"There aren't many vegetables, but I can still-"

"What do you need?"

"Link, you're not going back out there for some vegetables."

"If we're staying the night here, I won't settle for some sub-par meal, so just tell me."

"You're so stubborn," you said, but relented and gave him a small list anyway. "Don't worry if you can't find everything, I can make do with what I have." You noticed that his hat wasn't covering his ears properly. "Oh, hold on." You walked over to him and rose slightly up onto your toes so you could meet him at eye-level and make sure his hat was even. You gently placed it over his ears and lowered back down. You made sure that his jacket was fastened properly and as you fixed his scarf for him you said, "And don't go too far, alright? I don't want you getting lost."

"I'll just walk up the trail a little," he assured you. "And with the slate, I'll be able to find my way back anyway."

"Just don't get into a fight without me, got it?"

Link smiled and pulled scarf back up to cover his mouth and nose. "I wouldn't dream of it."

---

To pass the time, you took up reading. You hadn't brought any books with you for the trip but the cabin had a small, three-shelved bookshelf that was only waist-high and was full of old novels. You loved the journeys that fictional characters had, and hadn't read one since you were a child, so you picked up a book at random and read the back's short summary.

This first book was of the travels of two women as they searched the world for two suitable men to wed. You frowned and put it away. You had enjoyed the thought of two women going out and making their way across the land, but just to find some husbands? You could do without that one.

The second book you grabbed detailed the adventure of a simple farm boy who was thrown into the middle of a civil war in his land with the birth of a dragon for him. There were dragons and horned beasts and other dark creatures, and seemed like a good one, so you set it off to the side for later.

The next book was one you had read before, as a child, so you put it away. None of the other titles caught your eye, so you picked up the book you set aside and sat down by the fire. You contemplated going to get a blanket to drape across your shoulders but you were already sitting down so you decided against it. The fire provided enough warmth anyway.

You were already halfway through the second chapter when the door to the cabin opened again. As a wave of cold blew through the room, you winced but turned and looked at Link as he shut the door behind him. You stood up, marking your place in the book and setting it on the table as you walked by. Link reached up and took his hat off carefully so that the snow covering it wouldn't fly everywhere. You took it from him and set it on the nearby drying rack next to your clothes. He stepped out of his boots and you put them in a dry corner and you assisted him in taking off his extra layers.

When all of his outer-clothes were off, you noticed that he was still shivering and his cheeks and nose were bright red from the cold. His ears were bright red and he was visibly shaking. You gasped upon seeing his state and hurried to the bed to grab a throw blanket. It was thin but it would definitely warm him up. You grabbed Link's wrist and led him over to the fire and set him down on the rug in front of it. You wrapped the blanket around his shoulders and asked if he felt alright.

"I'm just a tad cold," he said as if he wasn't shivering violently. "I'll be fine." He told you where the ingredients were (which were in various pockets of his outer clothes) and you started on dinner. With Link sitting so close to the fireplace, you were able to keep a close eye on him as you cooked.

You made a simple beef stew, which was sure to warm Link up. It was one of his favorite meals and you knew that he would appreciate it so much more than usual this time around because he was still so cold. When it was done, you filled two bowls and sat down next to Link on the rug. As you sat, Link reached around you and tossed one end of the blanket around your shoulder so the both of you were covered. 

You smiled at him and lifted up his bowl and spoon for him to take. He took them from you with a soft smile and you grabbed yours. And sitting there, the warmth from the fire soothing you, Link by your side, a delicious meal in your lap, you felt more content than you had in a long, long time.

---

Later that night, when your stomach was full, you and Link decided to get ready for bed. Since there was only one bed, you decided that you'd simply curl up with the throw blanket on the rug by the fire and let Link take the bed. Link, however, refused to allow this and he dragged you up onto the bed with him. Seeing your flustered face, he stammered a quick explanation that he didn't mean to do anything other than sleep, and he didn't want you to sleep on the cold, hard floor.

You finally relented and got into the bed first, since the bed was set by a wall, and slid over as far as you comfortably could. Link sat down on the edge when you were settled on your side and yawned. He stretched his arms above his head (which you could see in his shadow that danced on the wall that you were facing) before lying down on the bed behind you.

Link fell asleep quickly; only minutes after he got settled in and you exchanged your "good night's" he was out and snoring quietly. You were unable to get to sleep so easily. You were wondering how you had gotten into this situation. You were lying beside the ancient hero of legend because he didn't want you to sleep on the floor. You quietly eased yourself onto your back, and turned your head to look at him. A small smile slid onto your lips before you knew it, as you thought about how you would ever explain this journey to your parents.

You only hoped that Link would be by your side when you finally got back home and help you tell the story.

You realized just how weird you were for just staring at your hero, and instead turned your gaze to the window above the bed. The curtains were still and moonlight crept through them to cast small shadows across the bed. You were very happy that you were lucky enough to have found this cabin, and that you weren't spending the night out there in the cold. You were extremely grateful for the warmth that the fire and Link provided at this moment more than ever.

You yawned- the warmth was getting to you now- and you rolled back onto your side. You hadn't slept in a proper bed- not a rickety one from an inn or stable- in quite some time and right now you felt like you were on a cloud. Your eyes closed and you fell asleep shortly after.

---

When you opened your eyes the next morning, the bright light startled you and you had to close your eyes again. You eased them open, letting your eyes grow adjusted to the light slowly and easily. You noticed, when your eyes finally focused on what was in front of them, that you had rolled over in your sleep and you were now facing Link. And here he was, looking at you with a small smile across his lips.

You didn't know why he was looking at you, but he knew. He was looking at you because you really looked quite pretty in that moment. Despite your messy hair and tired expression, the pale light of the rising sun gave you an angelic glow. He didn't even notice that you had opened your eyes, but you sure noticed that he was watching you.

You shifted slightly under his gaze, realizing the closeness of you two and the intimacy of the moment. Now that you moved, Link finally came to his senses. His eyes widened and his cheeks brightened with red before he scrambled backwards to create some distance between the two of you. He begins to stumble over an apology before he falls right over the edge of the bed and onto the floor, taking most of the blanket with him. You shivered with the sudden cold, but slid across the bed to peek over the edge.

He was flat on his back, his limbs tangled in the sheets and blanket. He still looked more startled than hurt, and you took this as a good sign. You smiled down at him and received a shy one in return. "I'm good," he said.

"I'm glad," you replied. "Because I think now would be a good time to go out and play in the snow."

Author's Note: I love ice skating y'all

and that's it really

that's all I had to say