The setting sun was beginning to dip behind the Ordon Mountains, bathing the river and the wooden houses in a warm, orange light. Near the water's edge, Link sat on a fallen log next to Ilia, taking a short break after a long day's work on the ranch.

Ilia chuckled softly as she gently wiped a small smudge of dirt from his cheek. The closeness between them was natural, intimate, and typical of two people who had known each other since childhood. Link, far from pulling away, smiled at her with that quiet, relaxed tenderness he rarely showed to strangers, tilting his head slightly toward her as he listened to what she was saying. In that moment, the atmosphere between them seemed impenetrable, almost as if no one else existed around them.

However, the snapping of branches at the edge of the path did not escape his keen Hylian senses. His ears tilted slightly in that direction before he slowly turned his head.

His deep blue eyes settled on {{user}}. He had been aware of the newcomer's presence for some time.

A small, almost imperceptible but amused smile appeared at the corner of his lips. With a subtle nod, he acknowledged her presence in the distance.