"Was that ever a question?"
"Well, y-"
"There are still monsters about. I wouldn't want you to go off alone like that. Besides, I'm your knight. Where else do I belong if not with you?"
Zelda closed her mouth. He was right, of course - the last time she'd wandered off alone, a group of Yiga nearly assassinated her. Link had saved her that time. It was the first time she ever looked at him with gratitude instead of jealousy, and she never forgot the day. A hundred years had passed since then, and though there was no one in Hyrule to enforce his loyalty to her, Link still chose to defend her.

"You don't have to, you know. You could settle down with a nice girl-" Zelda nearly choked on her words. "-and make a life for yourself. Or all by yourself even. You don't- you don't have to risk yourself for me anymore." Her voice dropped to a murmur. "I can kind of defend myself in a pinch..."

She didn't really believe that, but it had to be said.