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zelinkwrites · 3 years

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The First Royal Baby in 125 Years

hi!!! my name is kate and im going to be using this account to write probably small one shots from ideas that pop into my head. i post a lot of my ideas on my twitter @/korokkinnie so if youd like to follow that feel free to ! i am first going to focus on making some one shots on a thread i made a few weeks ago, all sfw ! this is the first installment in that twitter thread series. also i kinda changed the situation for this one but oh well

Zelda had been the last royal baby born in the last 125 years. For a very long time, she dreaded the idea of having a child, feeling as though it was one more thing wrought upon her from her royal heritage. She had no siblings, so she was solely responsible for continuing the lineage of the Goddess Hylia, so of course she was expected to have children. Many children, most likely. Whenever she thought about her future, she always assumed she would wed some strange noble man she’d never met before in her life and then have about five consecutive children with him. That is, if she even survived the Calamity. That makes two life-changing events that she was obligated to by decree of the Goddess Hylia.

Of course, she didn’t expect to officially be the last remaining member of royal family, 107 years into the future, and she especially did not expect to be married to Link of all people. If only 18 year old her could see her now! The very thought of having of a child with that spoiled royal knight of hers probably would have made her vomit immediately.

Zelda chuckled to herself while she sat in the chair in the loft of their Hateno home. The castle reconstruction was going great, and in fact, the couple lived there for most of the year. During the last few months of her pregnancy, however, Zelda had decided to stay at Link’s house in Hateno village, opting for the cozier, more peaceful feel of the small farming village rather than the loud, bustling castle. She was happy she made that decision now that she was due any day.

She sat a hand on her belly, gently rubbing to try to soothe the baby that was kicking furiously in there. Already so much like their father, who at the moment was outside tending to the horses. Zelda stood up from her chair, and walked down the wooden steps, holding up the skirt of her maternity dress that Paya had handmade for her. She made it to the bottom of the stairs (thank Hylia) and walked over to their small kitchen, opening a cabinet and hoping there was some leftover fruitcake from when Link made it the other night. As she reached up, she felt a sharp pain in her lower belly. This had been happening for a few hours now, gradually picking up in pace. She knew soon she would deliver this new royal child.

Zelda turned around when she heard the old door creaking open to see Link walking in with a brush he must’ve been using on the horses. She smiled and asked “Would you please get the fruitcake down from the cabinet? I tried but the baby keeps punching me whenever I reach up.”

Link chuckled and walked over, setting the brush down on the counter and getting the last piece of fruit cake out of the cabinet. He sat it down on their dining table and then came back and took Zelda’s hand, escorting her to safety in the dining chair.

“I don’t know if you know this, Link, but pregnant women can still walk.”

Link laughed under his breath and blushed at the cheesy thing he was about to say. “Yeah, but they don’t have to when their husband will carry them everywhere...”

Zelda sighed in resignation. “I suppose that’s true.”

Link sat down at the chair next to her as she took a bite of her fruit cake. “How are you feeling? Ok? I know you said the baby was punching you.”

“Oh, I’m alright. Although the contractions are definitely picking up their pace.”

Link hummed in answer, taking Zelda’s hand that didn’t have a fork in it and traced circles in her palm. Once she was done with her fruit cake, Link went to take the plate from her to wash, but Zelda insisted she do it herself. Zelda rose with a groan, plate in hand, and began her trek (hobble, really) over to the wash basin. She got about halfway there when a very, very sharp pain hit her and she felt something wet running down her leg.

“Oh! Oh Goddess, Link!”

Link stood up, possibly faster than she’d ever seen him move (which is impressive) and was by her side in an instant, holding one hand and his other hand supporting behind her back. “What? What’s wrong? Is it the baby?”

“Hnggg,” Zelda groaned, putting a hand on her belly, “my water definitely just broke.”

“Oh God, oh God, ok ok, I am going to warp up to Purah’s and tell her to get here will you be ok here on you’re own?” Link said, clearly nervous and very unsure of himself.

“Yes, yes just help me over to that chair please.”

Link basically picked her up and sat her down on the chair. Then he got the Sheikah slate and in record time warped up to Purah’s lab. As soon as he rematerialized, he was rushing through the door.

“Purah! Purah!”

“Linky is that you?” said the teenage girl peeking her head through the back door. “Oh, hey Linky! What’s got you all freaked out? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so on edge before, except maybe that time after you woke up and you-”

Link didn’t have time for this. He cut Purah off with “Zelda’s in labor”

“Well why didn’t you say that in the first place, Linky! Jeesh, kids these days need to get their priorities straightened out! Ok, well lucky for you, I had Symin pack all the things I would need for delivering a baby a few days ago, so we won’t need to scramble to find anything. Oh also, Symin! Symin! Warp to Kakariko and tell Impa to ”

Link just started walking out the door, knowing by now that was the only way to get Purah to make good time.

When they got back to the house, Purah slammed the door open and scanned the room, eyes locking on a very hunched over Zelda sitting in the same chair Link left her in. “Princess, how are we feeling?”

“Not good.” Zelda growled, clearly displeased with Purah’s question. Maybe she should have rethought her choice of midwife. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Of course, Princess, I delivered both of Impa’s snotty little kids and they turned out fine! Although they never go to see her...”

“Purah.” Link said trying to get her back on task.

“Oh right! Let’s see what we’ve got here... Holy Hylia, Zelda! How long ago did your water break!”

“It’s been about an hour now.” Link filled in for his currently indisposed wife.

“Well, good for you, this isn’t gonna take long at all! I can already see the little guy’s feet. Or girl, at this rate we’ll know in about thirty minutes!”

“Purah! Shut up!” Zelda yelled and both the excitable young scientist and the terrified husband shut up.

Link walked to the wash basin and wet a cloth with cold water. He walked back over and began dabbing Zelda’s face with it. As another set of contractions rolled in, Zelda grabbed her husband’s hand. And squeezed entirely too hard.

“Ow, ow, Zelda, ow, you’re gonna break my hand! Stop it!” Link pleaded to no avail.

“You did this to me! You can handle a broken hand!” Zelda grunted as Purah instructed her to push.

Link decided to endure the pain. He focused on the opening door and the very, very old woman hobbling through it. “Impa you’re here-Oh God Zelda please at least let me switch hands!”

“I see everything is going well.” Impa said with a sly little grin on her face. ”Link switch me spots, she clearly does not want to see you right now.”

Link’s ears got red but he agreed, at least to get out of the vice grip his hand was currently in. He helped Impa over to Zelda’s side, and took back his post at Purah’s side. He looked to see how much longer he’d be hearing his wife’s blood-curdling screams.

“Linky, I’m impressed! Most men get real grossed out about this stuff!”

“Eh, I’ve seen worse.”

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Princess Zelda Urbosa Hyrule was born at 4:35 PM that day, weighing a staggering 9 lbs, 6 oz. Guess we found out where her mom was putting all that fruitcake.

Zelda and Link sat on their bed, the young mother cradling her baby in her arms. Link sat and pet the baby’s head, running his fingers through the plethora of dirty blonde hair she had.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you like that.” Zelda said, tearing her eyes away from her new baby, looking at her husband.

“It’s ok. I know you didn’t mean it. Besides, my hand will heal.” He said, holding up his bruised hand.

“Next time I’ll make sure you have a thick glove on.”

“Oh, next time, huh? When did we decide that?”

“Mmm, when I saw her.” Zelda said sleepily, nuzzling her head into the crook of her husband’s neck.

Link sat and traced circles into the palm of his daughter’s tiny hand.

#loz #zelda #princess zelda #link #fanfic #purah #impa #aoc #zeldasinlabor!!#linkisnervous #purahispurah #domestic #cute #fluff #botw #tloz

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pastelsandpining · 3 years

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Christmas Wrappings (Missed Connections)

The tenth prompt in 12 Days of Christmas by @zelink-prompts, a sequel to prompt #4, Broken Heart

Prompt List

Words: 3072

Summary: Zelda attends Kakariko Village’s Hylia’s Day Celebration with her roommates, and Link shows up to join in on the fun.

Warnings: second hand embarrassment probably, statements such as “contemplated jumping into the nearest pond”

BotW Modern AU

Zelink-mas 2020 l Masterlist

A semester had passed by in the blink of an eye.

Well, that wasn’t very accurate. There were periods of time where the semester felt like it was just crawling, and there were times she became so overwhelmed with her work that she considered dropping out. But she loved her work with Sheikah technology, and she was at the top of nearly every class, and she loved the group of friends she’d made at Akkala Technical University, so she pushed through to the end.

Three of those close friends were Sheikah, which was incredibly helpful whenever she got stuck on a research paper or a lab. Two of those Sheikah friends were also her roommates, which meant she had help at all times. It also meant that she would be begging them all to come visit over the winter break.

That went both ways, of course. So when Impa and Purah demanded that Zelda come spend a week with them in Kakariko for the Hylia’s Day celebration, she couldn’t say no.

The village was quaint and Zelda fell in love with it immediately. Winter break or not, she could learn so much from just being around so many Sheikah. She was excited, to say the least.

Her phone vibrating in her pocket broke her moment of peace. She fished it out of her pocket and frowned. That slap of guilt had never left, which she was kindly reminded of every time she saw his name pop up on the screen.

[Hey, are you coming back to Castle Town for the break?]

Zelda took a breath and debated throwing her phone into the nearest pond. It was complicated. She tried ghosting him in the first few weeks of the semester, but that hurt more than talking to him did. So she chickened out of it with some lame excuse and decided to stay frustrated with herself for her stupid choices for the rest of time.

[I’m in Kakariko with some roommates for Hylia’s Day, but I’ll be back home in a week] she replied. His response was almost immediate.

[I’m in Hateno! You should come visit :)]

Goddesses, he was still annoyingly adorable. It was a good thing she was way past crying, or she’d be sniffling.

[Why don’t you make your way up here, lazy bones?]

[Is that an official invite? :D]

Zelda bit her lip and glanced around her, as if someone would be watching her mistakes over her shoulder. She still hadn’t entered the village yet. It wasn’t too late to book it to Castle Town and then revoke the playful invite.

[If you can make it here, then yes :)]

“Who’s got your nose glued to that phone?”

She jumped, sending her phone flying out of her hands and into a nearby bush. Of course, Purah doubled over in laughter as she went to fetch it.

“Purah!” Zelda exclaimed, just barely keeping herself from stomping like a child.

“Sorry,” Purah replied once she’d gained her breath back. But she wasn’t sorry at all. “Ugh, Link is still bothering you?”

“He’s not a bother,” Zelda defended, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Really? Because you told me you were over him.”

“That.. well, uh, might’ve been a teensy lie.”

Purah stared at her with what could only be described as a I-Shouldn’t-Be-Surprised-Because-You’re-That-Obvious-But-I’m-Disappointed-Anyway look and Zelda looked at anything but her roommate.

“You invited him over?!”

“I panicked!”

“How on Hylia’s green Hyrule you are the highest placing student at Akkala Tech is beyond me. Do you need a 101 in how to avoid ex boyfriends?”

“I don’t want to avoid him,” Zelda argued, but this conversation was going to take a turn if she didn’t stop it. “Where’s Impa?”

“She’s getting stuff ready at the house, but don’t think this is over because I’ll drag her into it too,” Purah warned as she linked an arm through hers and tugged her into the village.

“I’ll just tell him nevermind! It’s a girls week, right?”

Purah huffed and gave her another tug.

“Cherry’s coming at the end of the week and wherever Cherry goes, Robbie goes. So, no, not girls week.”

Zelda almost laughed. Seeing Robbie again was going to be interesting, but she was excited for it. A week away from home with some of her favorite people in all of Hyrule, what was not to love?

Purah took her to the largest house in the little village, and her excitement rose.

“You’re here!” exclaimed Impa when the door swung open. Zelda ripped her arm free from Purah’s hold so that she could hug her best friend.

“I love your house!” Zelda replied, looking around with wide eyes. “I’d stay here forever if I could.”

“We’re just getting started.”

It took less than ten minutes for Zelda to get settled in with the girls, and even less time for her to end up being scolded by both Sheikah sisters.

“Look at his photo,” Purah said, handing the phone off to Impa.

“And you let him go?” Impa asked incredulously as she looked up with wide eyes. Zelda felt like she was being interrogated.

“It’s complicated,” she defended, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Well, let me uncomplicate it.” Purah plucked the phone from Impa’s hands and Zelda nearly tackled her when she started typing.

“What are you doing?!”

“Helping you.”

When Zelda managed to wrestle her phone back to herself, Purah had already done the damage.

[Check it, it’s Z’s roommate. Come down any time ;) She’s gotta talk to you]

“Why?!” Zelda exclaimed, throwing the phone onto the nearest pillow so she didn’t have to see his response.

“Because you’re helpless!”

She looked to Impa for help, but Impa only shrugged.

“It’s for your own good, Z.”

Needless to say, day one of her trip to Kakariko didn’t go as planned.

The rest of the week went rather swimmingly compared to that. Zelda was coaxed into playing countless games with the village children, which was absolutely fascinating. They were so lively and intelligent. She remembered when she was like that, young and full of life before college sucked it right out of her.

Impa took her all over Kakariko, and then out to Goponga Village up in Lanayru Wetlands, and to Deya Village for a tour of places she’d never seen. The people were incredibly kind to her, and she was having more fun than she had when they were confined to the campus of their university.

It almost took her mind off of things entirely.

And Hylia’s Day came quickly. She spent it hanging up lights with Impa and Purah, watching a few other Sheikah return from the woods with game for the feast. Music was pouring from one corner, and Zelda scampered her way out of a dance with a poet by hiding behind Robbie—who’d arrived with Cherry for the celebration.

It was so different from how they celebrated in Castle Town, which was more of a carnival that lasted over a span of days. This was quieter, more personal, which made sense given the Sheikah were people of Hylia. It felt so much more intimate and real, and Zelda loved it. She wasn’t a diehard believer, but she respected it. During the opening prayer, facing the statue of the goddess, she even felt a sort of soft connection.

And then the festivities really kicked up. Zelda was almost ready to lose herself in the fun with her roommates, but in the process of searching for Purah with Impa, she ran into a very familiar face. Quite literally.

She scrambled backwards, grabbing onto Impa’s arm so she didn’t lose her footing.

“Hey,” Link said, giving her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Hey,” she stuttered in return.

“Hey,” Impa input with an awkward wave. Zelda laughed just as awkwardly in an attempt to snap herself out of it.

“Um, Link, this is my roommate Impa. Impa, this is Link.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Impa said. Zelda resisted the urge to crawl under a rock and stay there forever.

“All good things, I hope,” Link replied with a laugh, glancing over at her. Zelda laughed again, just as awkward as the first.

“Totally. You’re welcome to join us for the festivities. There’s enough food to go around.” With that, Impa turned and continued her search for her sister. The crowd wasn’t that big, but Purah could be quite the escape artist when she wanted to be.

Zelda followed, falling into step with Link. She tried not to look at him too much. College hadn’t changed him at all, so he was just as, well.. Link as he was before. But she didn’t want the awkward and tense air to suffocate her, so she fiddled with her fingers and spoke again.

“So, um, is Hateno celebrating too?”

“Not like this. It’s more of an individual family thing,” he replied.

“It’s fascinating how everyone celebrates differently. What.. what made you decide to come up to Kakariko?”

“Well, you and your roommate invited me over and it’d just be rude to refuse.”

She made the mistake of looking over at him, and he smiled at her again. Zelda fought back her own smile and stuck her hands into her pockets.

“How’s.. life?” she asked, and tried not to visibly cringe.

“It’s okay,” Link answered with a shrug. “I see we both survived the first semester.”

“Barely,” Zelda corrected, glancing at Impa ahead of them. “If it weren’t for my roommates, I don’t think I-“

“Hold that thought, Z. Robbie incoming,” Impa warned. She hardly had time to brace herself before the eccentric genius was in front of them, and he’d dragged Purah and Cherry with him.

“Ah, there’s the rest of my entourage. What’s up, pretty ladies?” he greeted, wrestling to keep Purah under his arm.

“I thought you were supposed to be keeping him reigned in,” Impa said, setting her hands on her hips as she looked at Cherry.

“There’s no reigning in a party animal,” Robbie defended as Purah broke free of his grasp.

“Right,” Purah replied with an eyeroll. “Because a party animal passes out in our dorm at midnight after living off of energy drinks for forty-two hours.”

Robbie gave her a finger gun and clicked his tongue, and Zelda considered using this as an escape. But if she did escape, she wouldn’t have her friends to cover for her if Link decided to try talking.

“Um, these are my friends,” she told him, gesturing to the mess. “Purah, Cherry, and Robbie.”

“So this is the ex boyfriend, huh?” Purah asked as she lit up and circled him like a predator.

“That would be me, yes,” Link replied sheepishly.

“Again, I don’t know how you’re the top of your class, Z.

“Can we not insult my bad decisions?” Zelda asked with her hands on her hips.

“Not a chance,” Purah answered. “You’re just lucky the feast is about to start.”

“Thank Hylia,” Zelda muttered and followed after the chattering group.

“They seem nice,” Link said, nodding ahead of them.

“And genius,” she added. “Sometimes, next to them I feel extremely ordinary.”

“There’s nothing ordinary about you, Zel,” he replied. Zelda averted her gaze and laughed.

“Of course you would say that.”

“The truth?”

She shook her head with another smile, sticking her hands back into her pockets. In the middle of the village, a row of tables had been pushed together to form a banquet table that spanned the length of the place. Zelda took her seat besides Impa, and Link besides her, and then the feast really began.

“Have you learned any new recipes?” she asked curiously as they ate.

“Yeah, actually. I’ve started putting together a cookbook so I can always reference them.”

“Very smart. I don’t suppose you live off of microwaved noodles then.”

Link smiled and replied, “Sometimes.”

She could admit to herself, and preferably only herself, that she’d missed this. Talking to him, hanging out with him, it was part of her routine schedule and she didn’t realize that until she wasn’t texting him and calling him and meeting up for whatever silly activities they'd planned for the day.

And so far, despite how awkward she felt, it wasn’t going horribly. It could’ve been a lot worse. Like, goddesses, what would she have done if he’d appeared with another girl? Okay, no, she knew better than that. He wouldn’t do that to her. But did he have—

Why did she care oh goddesses Zelda get it together if you’re gonna spend Hylia’s Day thinking about a boy instead of having fun with your friends why did you bother coming Impa and Purah are going to tear you apart for this they will never let you live it down-

Zelda attempted to crumple those thoughts the way she’d crumpled failed outlines of research papers and tossed them into the nearest pit of fire in her brain.

The feast gave way to dancing. Tables were moved off to the sides, opening an area up for children and couples alike to do whatever they pleased. Purah and Robbie were some of the first to participate, and Zelda snorted when Impa looked away like she wasn’t aware of, or for that matter related to, one of them.

“You should join them,” Link teased, nudging her with his elbow. It was the first contact they’d made all evening. She hated that it sent her heart racing.

“Absolutely not,” she replied and crossed her arms over her chest. “Besides, I don’t dance.”

He hummed sarcastically in response, making it clear that he knew better. He’d caught her dancing in her room when she thought she was alone, he’d roped her into dancing in the kitchen at two in the morning, and he’d dragged her to prom (which she would insist until the day she died that she was not interested in).

“Maybe you should start,” Link ended up saying. “Because it looks like someone’s about to ask you.”

Zelda’s heart stopped in her chest. Was he..? But then she followed his gaze and was disappointed (disappointed??) to find the same poet boy from earlier eyeing her like he was indeed thinking about it.

She could admit it wasn’t one of her best plans of escape, but she turned to Link and bit her lip.

“Save me?” she asked, extending a hand. He eyed it for a second, leaning back against a railing with a shrug.

“I dunno. Seems like a fitting punishment for someone who lied about dancing,” he replied, mischief twinkling in his sky blue eyes.

Oh, she was not about to beg for his help. Two could play that game, and she wouldn’t be the first to cave in.

“Fine, then maybe I will dance with him. He looks nice,” she answered, dropping her hand. She didn’t know what she was hoping for, exactly. To stir up some jealousy?

But Link only shrugged again.

“Suit yourself.”

So when the young poet approached her with a nervous smile and an extended hand, she did accept, offering what she hoped was a charming smile.

She made as much conversation as possible, and she liked to think it was going well.

Until Link swept past her with Purah, shooting her a grin. She glared playfully back, and her roommate winked.

“Trade off!” she shouted, and before Zelda could realize what was happening, much less protest to it, Purah had whisked the poor poet boy away, and she was back in Link’s arms.

“So you decided to save me after all?” she asked, hoping to combat the blush on her cheeks and the butterflies in her stomach.

“Did you not want me to?” he asked as he raised an eyebrow. “I can always go back to Purah.”

“Oh, Purah can do better,” she replied with a roll of her eyes.

“C’mon, Zel, I wasn’t that bad.”

“No, but you were too perfect.”

“Glad you can admit it.”

Zelda laughed and gave him a shove, but he pulled her back against him by her hands and she didn’t fight.

“I missed you,” she said, without a thought for what she was saying.

“Did you?” he asked. His cheeks were red, but his smile told her he already knew. “What are you gonna do about it then, sunshine?”

Well, maybe Purah was right about her being the top of her class, because she was about to do something real stupid. He was smiling at her with that stupid smile, and he was holding her like nothing ever happened, and goddesses, she missed him.

She cupped his face in her hands and pulled him into a long craved kiss, and she pretended she couldn’t hear Robbie whooping in the background.

“There’s my Zel,” Link said once they parted, leaning his forehead against hers.

“You didn’t have to wait for me,” she pointed out, brushing her fingers through his hair.

“I didn’t want anyone else,” he replied simply, then pressed a kiss to her nose.

“Is this my Hylia’s Day gift?” she asked with a laugh.

“Yep. Me, in all my glory. If it’s what you want.”

“I do.”

“Thank Hylia, now we can stop hearing about it,” said a voice that did not belong. Zelda whipped around to face Purah with wide eyes.

“Ooh, exposed,” Link sang, hugging her waist like he couldn’t get enough of her.

“Happy Hylia’s Day, you’re very much welcome,” Purah replied with a bow. Zelda contemplated throwing something at her.

“You are my least favorite roommate,” Zelda complained.

“Yeah, yeah, you can thank me on your wedding day.”

She buried her face in her hands as Purah skipped off, and Link’s laughter filled her ears.

Yeah, maybe one day she would thank her. But for now, she owed someone an apology.

“I’m sorry for.. you know,” she mumbled, turning back to face Link.

“Don’t apologize for needing time to figure stuff out,” he replied as he set a hand on her cheek, running his thumb over her cheekbone.

“Well, I figured out one thing,” she said.

“And what’s that?”

“That I don’t really want to be without you. Is that dumb?”

“Not at all.”

Link pulled her into another kiss and she hugged him close, deciding that this was probably one of the best Hylia’s Day celebrations she’d been to in a while. The goddess must’ve been smiling upon her today specifically, and she didn’t mind at all.

#zelink #botw zelink #modern au #christmas prompt #zelink prompts #link calling zelda sunshine is just #it hits me right in the heart #forever his nickname for her in my work

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loruleanheart · 3 years

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Desired Fate, Chapter 11

Read on FF.net

Read on AO3

Fireflies glided through the air like green-yellow orbs of light. Zelda was grateful for the comfortably humid evening air of Damel Forest, welcoming it against her skin.

She, along with Link and Impa, approached the entrance to the Spring of Courage, which was marked by the wide-open maw of a stone dragon, carved by an ancient tribe in the distant past. Zelda pushed ahead of Link and Impa, ascending the stone steps and moving towards the spring at the end of the walkway, eager to get this whole ordeal out of the way.

Fallen leaves floated in the ankle-deep, crystal clear waters of the spring. Zelda looked back momentarily at her companions. Link had stopped some distance away and had his back turned to them, guarding the two women should monsters encroach on Zelda’s duty at the spring.

Impa gestured for Zelda to get in, giving her a reassuring smile. “Everything is going to work out.”

Zelda hung her head slightly. She made her way over the last bit of the walkway where it started to space apart, carefully balancing herself as she navigated the stepping stones. She began her prayers aloud, watching the water ripple out from her as she waded through the water.

“I will do whatever I can, as I am right now. Even if all I have to give is my faith that things will work out. This is the thread I have been following all this time.” Zelda hated the worn-down quality of her voice.

She came to a stop, directing her attention to the towering Hylia statue in front of her, and she absentmindedly wondered which had been carved first: the monument to the dragon Farosh or Hylia.

She stared up at the goddess statue. It had a simple smile carved onto its face, and Zelda couldn’t help but feel a tinge of irritation. It was almost like it was mocking her, as silly as that sounded.

She was already quite exhausted just from the journey itself. And there was a terrible ache in her heart, weighing her down.

What's wrong with me? Am I not enough or am I just a joke to you?

And Zelda can almost hear the statue whisper back. “It’s because you’re not trying hard enough... You’ve got a poor attitude... It’s because you’re wrong. It’s because you’re impure, not holy like all the royal girls of the past. You’re a stain…”

Every real or imagined slight she’s ever endured came to mind and she broke. Zelda unclasped her hands, letting them fall to her sides. “I can’t… I can’t do this…”

“Princess Zelda?” Impa’s concerned voice called out from the edge of the spring. “Why don’t you take a moment of rest before you continue.”

“But we just got here…” Zelda replied, a little embarrassed that she had lost her composure so soon.

The silent knight turned to give Impa and Zelda a pitying look but said nothing.

Impa clasped her hands, a look of resolve dawning in her eyes. “Okay, I want you to try this. You say whatever’s on your mind and know that there is nothing you can say that will make us think less of you. You can get whatever it is off your chest, and then you can try again with a clear mind. Need to scream and rage? Want to gush about something you love? Anything. No judgment.”

Zelda gave Impa a strange look. This was the most unorthodox suggestion.

“It works for Purah when she gets stuck in her research.” Impa nodded for Zelda to at least give it a try.

“All of the research into the relics - if I cannot awaken to my power -will have been in vain. Impa, you are carrying out your duties with such grace, just as much as Link and the Champions. I am the only one who cannot live up to her own potential...”

“I didn’t ask you to self-flagellate, and there’s no need to butter me up. I’m asking you to air your rawest and darkest thoughts and emotions. Come on, give the goddess a confession that will make her proud.”

“I don’t have anything to confess.” Zelda choked out defensively. If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought Purah had used a glamor spell to impersonate Impa. Zelda bit her lower lip, knowing there was no use trying to fool her closest friend and royal aide. “Well, I…” She took a steadying breath. “If you must know…. I can’t help but -”

The Princess’s expression went lifeless, being frozen in place as she was enveloped by a transparent dome characterized by a familiar feverish pink glow and constellations.

“Your Highness!” Impa yelled, noticing with alarm that Zelda’s eyes were glassy, the irises a faded green as if they were viewing something beyond their perception. Her lips were slightly parted as if in surprise.

Link quickly closed the distance between him and Impa, helping the Sheikah woman in her attempt to dispel the magical barrier holding the princess, but it was no use.

Impa pressed anxiously against the dome. “Is this the power? Please tell me it’s the power…” Impa’s voice went up an octave, although already knowing this was a ridiculous conclusion.

Link shook his head, pounding on the barrier with a look of desperation in his eyes.

Zelda’s eyes focus on the Prophet of Doom. They are both standing within an expansive luminous pink dome with its constellations creeping across its surface. Outside the dome, there is nothing but darkness. He’s not facing her, but he looks like he’s waiting for her. Zelda gives a sigh of longing, relieved that he is still alive. He is the one who consumes most of her thoughts. He was the first person she thought of when she woke up in the morning and the last she’d think about before she fell asleep. He had summoned her for some reason, and her heart skips a beat wondering what he could want. He’s not facing her, but he looks like he’s waiting for her.

“Good evening, your Highness...” There’s something about the tone of his voice that sets her at ease. It’s far less antagonistic.

Astor turns to her, and she’s not sure what to make of his expression, but it’s different from the way he looked at her before. She can feel his eyes on her, and she doesn’t move to cover herself, letting his gaze fall over her. His pale complexion does nothing to hide a massive bruise on his cheek, and Zelda’s hand goes to her chest.

Astor’s fidgeted with his hood, trying to hide his face from her. “Oh… You’re wondering how I came to be in such a sorry state? A certain Princess ordered her champions to attack the Yiga Hideout and Kohga’s right hand took exception to that…”

“I did no such thing! I was trying to protect you. I begged you to stay, but you wouldn’t listen.”

“Hmph! It is not befitting for you to fear for my safety. I have seen the future and you have not. I am far more powerful than a mere Yiga footsoldier. Ganon would not allow me to fall, for I have his resurrection and victory to ensure.

Zelda recognizes doubt in his voice, she has heard the same pained inflections in her own prayers.

“Ganon’s chosen or not, you are mortal. I can’t imagine Ganon to be a merciful master who would revive you if you were to fall. Did Ganon even punish those who did this to you?”

Astor didn’t answer, her point having landed.

“So… What are you going to do now?”

The question catches Astor off guard, but he responds with what comes naturally and makes him most comfortable, not ready to feel disloyal to Lord Ganon. “Continue my purpose without them, of course, and when the Calamity returns the Yiga Clan will face the full brunt of Lord Ganon’s wrath.”

“Just tell me… Does my seventeenth birthday mark the return of Calamity Ganon? Is it true?”

Astor nods, giving her a taunting smile, “It is fated by Lord Ganon himself, so you won’t awaken your power in time to stop the Calamity.” He doesn’t know why he persists in torturing this poor girl; not being able to help but fight against Hylia’s plan for him, set in his devotion to Ganon.

“Then… I’ll just have to go to the Spring of Wisdom early. I don’t care if I get in trouble or what happens to me as a result - if my father wants to punish me, that's fine. At least no one could say I didn’t try… not even him.” Zelda thought back to what Impa said, but she wasn’t confessing her most personal thoughts to Hylia, she was telling them to Astor.

“Naughty Naughty... Breaking Lanayru’s decree, are you? Nice try, Your Highness, but you don’t stand a chance of holding back the Calamity, even by going up to Mount Lanayru prematurely.” Astor couldn’t help but admire her devotion to her duty. Perhaps she wasn’t that different from him.

The princess sighs. “Maybe you are what’s wrong with me.” A sad, introspective expression crosses the princess's features. “You… being the reason I can’t find my power… Does that give you some satisfaction?”

Astor blinks. Was she even listening to him? It is like she is in her own little world as she looks at him… And Astor knows he has already lost to her. He is overcome at how vulnerable and beautiful she is at that moment, and he is stunned into silence by her admission. He had summoned her to shake her companions to the core and make a show of his power, or at least that is what he convinced himself of to not feel like a failure before Lord Ganon for wanting to see her so badly, but it is the princess who breaks down all his defenses with her words and her gaze. He can see the weariness and desire in her eyes. A Desire for him?

“What do you want from me? Why did you bring me here?” She asks.

“I- I don’t know…” He says, sounding… afraid? Zelda’s heart melts. Was she actually getting through to him?

“Astor… I hope you will allow me to give you what Calamity Ganon cannot…”

The seer panics, losing all control of the illusion, and the dome that held them shatters violently. Zelda screams, shielding her eyes as she reaches out for him.

Zelda blinked a few times and then looked to Impa and Link with surprise. “Oh…”

“Your Highness, you’re not hurt are you?”

It takes her a moment to fully come to. “Oh no, I’m fine,” she said, managing a melancholy smile. “I… I think I’m ready to continue.”

Link and Impa exchanged suspicious looks.

“Wait a minute. Aren’t you going to tell us what that was?” Impa demanded.

“Oh… That was… Astor.” Zelda said, trying to keep her voice serious in tone, although not being able to hold back a dreamy look in her eye.

“What? That was him? He didn’t hurt you, did he? What did he say?”

“Calm down, Impa. I’m fine, really,” Said Zelda, gently.

They stayed for about an hour more. The Princess eventually grew increasingly exhausted from her training and the group returned to Hyrule Castle.

After a day of rest, Zelda proceeded to the Spring of Power in Akkala, once again going through the motions of what was expected of her.

Her seventeenth birthday was closing in. She was growing more and more disillusioned by the day, although not willing to give up.

Zelda recalled when she’d first began her training at the age of seven. Urbosa had accompanied her to this spring during the winter months. The idea was to push her mind and body to the limit by standing in freezing cold water, and she had done just that for hours growing weaker and weaker. Urbosa had rescued her when she noticed the young girl begin to sway. Zelda had become very ill from that incident.

Now she stood in that same spring nearly a decade later, although thankfully it was a much warmer time of year.

Would prayer really awaken her power? She was questioning it more and more these days.

She thought of her mother, trying to recall memories that were growing dull with age.

Mother promised that her own power would develop within me… But she was wrong…

It was becoming harder and harder to return to the castle unsuccessful, mostly because her father was looking at her like she had disappointed him.

When she returned from the Spring of Power, King Rhoam issued the decree to evacuate Hyrule Castle Town, instructing his citizens to take shelter in villages that were furthest away from Hyrule Castle.

Zelda went to her chambers and collapsed into her bed, quickly falling asleep.

Zelda looks out over what she assumes to be the Spring of Wisdom, which is completely taken over by gelatinous red-purple matter... Malice. And she sees the eyes, like the one she saw in The Lost Woods; like the jewelry Astor wears to signify his role as Calamity Ganon’s chosen, that stare up at her as she calmly steps into the malice, wading through the waist-deep, undulating plasma.

She stands there a moment in silence, just accepting the state of things, and then she perceives a light growing above her. She looks up to see the goddess… Or at least the same woman from her dream before, the same one she had seen playing a harp and singing silently, as Zelda could not hear her voice.

The goddess was looking right at her, trying to speak to her, but again, no matter how urgently she spoke the goddess was silent. Zelda focused, trying to read her lip movements.

“Wake up” or “Don’t give up.” That was what she seemed to be saying. “Go now!”

#Astor #Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity #Age of Calamity #HWAOC #Zelast

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ranger-kellyn · 3 years

Note

Okay but, I love the idea that after the events of AoC that Master Kohga, Robbie and Purah hang out sometimes because they're all freaking chaotic and goofy. There's even a little sidequest that talks about how the Yiga clan gave some supplies to the lab.(So it seems like they're on good terms now.)

Poor Impa, she's probably like "Oh no, now I have to deal with three of them..". 😂

Chaotic uncle Kohga? He tries teaching little baby Jakahl how to spawn the spiky metal balls and Purah and Robbie have to tell him "He's a baby, teach him when he's older."

While Impa is the overprotective aunt and is like "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! That's dangerous! Why are you encouraging him?!"

okay admittedly i had never considered it but like.............u might have SWAYED ME.

like. i'm in the middle of cleaning, saw this ask while waiting for the sink to fill, and as i was mopping i just. this silly scenario came to mind ignore me i'm just riffing but like.

Purah, Robbie, and Impa are with a group going to the Yiga Hideout to like. idk. Work on stuff with them as a part of continuing to mend the relationships and whatnot.

All three of them were probably on the fence about even bringing Jakahl with them in the first place, but with the yiga having done nothing nefarious in YEARS and no signs of them returning to Ganon, they figure the best way to break the cycle is to not hide things from the next generation.

Jakahl is supposed to at the very least stay with Impa for the main part of the day. Seeing as Purah and Robbie are probably going to be dealing with who knows what kind of machinery, Impa insisted he stay with her. (he's maybe. 7 or 8 at this point?? idk a younger child but not helpless)

Jakahl...gets bored. Impa's work being more of a historian, it's not that Jakahl doesn't like spending time with her, he'd just...rather be doing something a little more exciting. In his boredom, he. Accidentally. Teleports himself away. (with purah having very limited powers and robbie having none, nobody really eXPECTED HIM TO HAVE THEM? SO??)

Impa is INSTANTLY. OH GODDESS. WHERE DID HE GO??? WE GOTTA FIND HIM

The others she's with try to calm her down like, "it'll be fine. nobody here will hurt him, and if he gets too close to something that could hurt him, he'll end up near his parents anyways"

But she says, "Nothing here will hurt him, but his parents???? will LEVEL this place trying to find him if we tell them we LOST HIM"

And half the yiga have probably had their asses handed to them by Purah and Robbie so like. Instant search party. Research can wait whERE IS THE CHILD-

Tearing up the place, they can't find him. Everywhere they look, they just. Can't find him.

Eventually, Impa, in her own teleporting frenzy, falls down in front of Purah and Robbie, absolutely frazzled.

Purah laughs at first. "You good?"

She stays kneeling on the ground. "Can't find him..."

Robbie hears her clearly, and is instantly like "uh-oh".

"Can't what?" Purah asks, kneeling down in front of her.

"Jakahl- he poofed away, I didn't know he has powers- he poofed away and i can't find him- I can't find him-"

And there is just. A noticeable TENSION in the air as Purah stands up and looks at Robbie. A bit of a. Manic. Smile on her face. "Robbie," she says, her voice strained and up an octave.

He grabs her hand. "It's gonna be okay- he's our kid. He's smart- he won't get hurt. We raised him-" (and don't be mistaken, he is JUST AS WORKED UP AS SHE IS. he just knows oNE of them has to be rational in this moment)

She ignores him, turning on all the scientists they were working with. "If anything happens to my baby- if anyone lays a single hand on him I will level this place!!!" and poofs away with Robbie in tow before anyone can say anything else.

Hell hath no fury like a mother who can't find her child.

Meanwhile.

Jakahl is having the time of his life. Poofing in and out of places, getting further and further away, stirring up a little trouble before poofing away again.

But then he exhausts himself. On his last poof, he ends up at that back arena area where you meet Kohga for the first time in BoTW.

Falls right on top of a sleeping Kohga, bouncing off him almost comically, landing in the sand.

Kohga is iNSTANTLY on alert like. "WHO'S THERE? WHO'S LOOKIN' FOR A FIGHT WITH THE ALL MIGHTY MASTER KOH-"

and then he just. sees this small child, who is exhausted and about to start crying bc. It's finally caught up to him that he can't poof around anymore AND that he has NO IDEA where Aunt Impa is.

A crying kid is the laST thing Kohga wants so he's just. He kneels down. "Whose kid are you??"

Jakahl has clammed up, and won't talk.

Looking him over. "Well. White hair. You're a Sheikah kid...didn't those scientists come visit today or somethin'?"

Jakahl nods.

Looking at his face, Kohga puts together who he is. "Oh, yeah. You're those wack job's kid. Jack Fruit, right?"

He shakes his head.

"Close enough, though?"

He shrugs.

Kogha hums, sitting across from him. "How'd you get out here?"

Jakahl finally answers him, and at least now that he's got him talking, Kohga relaxes.

"Can you help me get back to my mom and dad, or aunt impa?" Jakahl asks.

Kohga shakes his head. "Nah, kid, that's work! They'll come lookin' for you. You're exhausted from all that poofin' around. Take it easy."

Eventually, Sooga comes to find Kohga, intent on telling him that Purah is essentially, tearing the place apart looking for her son.

Needless to say, he's surprised to see that Kohga is just. Entertaining the kid. He doesnt' have a large spike ball out, but he's got a few tiny ones and making them float around, and it's absolutely got Jakahl entertained.

"Master Kohga..."

"Oh, hey Sooga! Check this out!"

"His parents are looking for him. His mother is tearing the base apart-"

Kohga just laughs, not taking his focus off Jakahl. "Bring 'em here! he's fine." More quietly, just to Jakahl, "See, told you they'd come get you. Way easier."

Barely a few seconds after Sooga is gone, Purah poofs in the arena, right behind Jakahl, scooping him up. She poofs away again, handing him off to Robbie and Impa who arrived a fraction of a second after she did, and then she is BACK in front of Kohga, snatching him up by the collar as the mini spike balls fall around them.

"WHAT WERE YOU DOING?"

He's nOT looking for an ass beating from her, Robbie, or IMPA (bc if he thinks about it too hard, he can sTILL feel how walloped he got by her back before the calamity [in the Destroy The Yiga Clan mission]) but he's able to play it cool.

"Relaaaax, Purah. Was keepin' the kid entertained till you lot showed up. He was poofin' around too much and exhausted himself."

"I was having fun!" Jakahl yells from across the arena.

"Promise?" Purah asks.

She can see him nodding, and can tell that Robbie and Impa are confirming with him again.

Her anger is just. Instantly gone. "Guess you get to live another day, Kohga," Purah says, letting go of him. He falls to the ground, and she just. Plops down in front of him. "Damn, I'm worn out. Big base, you got here."

And just like that, tensions are resolved, and now that it's over, it's easier to laugh at. (impa tho...is gonna need a Minute to recover)

Kohga, "Some promising powers on that kid! Should let me teach him how to summon the spikes!"

Jakahl instantly looks at both his parents, "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE"

They shake their head, looking at one another, Impa breathing a sigh of relief.

Purah, "He needs to be a little older."

Robbie, "Wait 'till he's like...ten."

and impa is just like "NOOO W H Y"

and thus Uncle Kohga is a regular in their life, much to Impa's chagrin. (she'll come around to him eventually, but the poor woman has probably gotten a few stress ulcers from their combined shenanigans)

#that was A LOT #IM SORRY #let me not hijack ur character like that 😅#purobbie #hwaoc #iaintcallinyafordinner #long post

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cascadena · 3 years

Text

Rekindled - Ch 2

SUMMARY: Post-BotW. Zelink. Hyrule now turns to an exhausted Princess Zelda to pick up the fragments of the fallen kingdom. Link, who is still piecing together his own past and traumas from his own journey, realizes that he has to be the one to help Zelda back on her feet. Together, they travel the land to begin the rebuilding process, and uncover a new, mysterious threat along the way…

GENRE: Adventure, Romance, Hurt/Comfort

WORDS: 44K (12 Chapters)

STATUS: Complete

RATING: T for Teen | Contains Action/Violence, Blood, and (Of-Age) Alcoholic Beverage Consumption, Kissing Scenes.

Start at Chapter 1 here, or

[Read on FF.Net] & [Read on AO3]

...

CHAPTER 2 - The Princess Releases Her Knight

Zelda

Impa somehow caught onto my intention to leave before I even stepped down the stairs into the gathering room the next morning. “Where will you and Link be headed?” She asked before I greeted her. Paya sat beside her.

I froze in place. “How did you—?”

Impa laughed. “We saw you two talking outside in the moonlight last night, all romantically,” she said. Paya clasped her hands to her cheeks in embarrassment at her admission of spying on us and stepped out of the room.

“Oh, Impa! You watched us?” I sighed in exasperation. If one thing hadn’t changed, it was Impa’s keen senses of my feelings towards Link. A hundred years ago, she had claimed she knew I’d develop a crush on him even when I still despised him for holding the Master Sword. Ironically, her granddaughter, Paya, seemed to be exponentially more shy than Impa at the same age.

“I was disappointed I didn’t see a kiss, but maybe he hasn’t quite caught up with you yet,” Impa smirked, and I felt my face heat. “So… where are you two going?”

“Hateno Village. I have been convinced to take a rest before starting my duties,” I said.

Impa hummed. “Hateno, huh? You might not be resting much if my sister gets wind you’re there…” She pointed to a small plate of scrambled eggs on the table and I sat down across from her.

“We will only be there a short time. However, I have faith that the Sheikah can begin cleaning up the castle without my presence...” I said between bites of egg. My stomach immediately protested at the presence of food but I managed to keep it down, thankfully. At least Paya remembered to only prepare a small amount for me.

“I will see to it, Your Highness.” A hint of sorrow touched Impa’s smile. “I should have known better than to direct you back into the castle so soon. I’m sorry.”

I shook my head. “No need to apologize. It’s important to begin as quickly as possible but I…” I trailed off, unsure how to put my feelings into words. I’d always been shot down quickly by my father when voicing my opinion on the running of Hyrule in the past.

“You are lucky to have him looking out for your health,” Impa said quietly, referring to Link. “He has always looked out for you, even before the calamity.”

I nodded as I finished up the breakfast, and Paya stepped into the room. She held out something folded in her hands. ‘Your Highness, these are yours.”

I gasped. It was my old field research clothes. A hundred years ago, I had stopped at Impa’s home to change into my prayer dress before traveling to Mount Lunayru before the calamity. I couldn’t believe they were still intact, and Impa had kept them in perfect condition over all these years.

“I always had faith you would return victorious, and then want them back,” said Impa with a grin when I went to hug her.

I found Link outside the inn tending to his horse. He’d seemingly stuffed the saddlebags with as much produce from the shop as possible. His eyes looked tired—I hoped he hadn’t stayed up all night on guard. “Good morning,” I said. “Did you sleep?”

“Enough to ride. Are you ready to go, Your Highness?” He asked. I frowned, wondering if he had stayed up keeping an eye out for monsters all night. He tightened a belt on the horse to secure an impressive spear—one of his spoils from the castle, no doubt. “Epona can hold us both, though I’m willing to walk to give her a break every so often.”

I patted the nose of his horse as it turned its head to me. It was a slightly larger beast than his old horse. A pain shot through my core as I remembered that my beloved horse was most likely yet another casualty in the calamity. Link’s horse seemed to sense my change of heart because she nuzzled into my hand.

“I’m ready,” I confirmed.

After thanking Impa and Paya for their hospitality, we set out on the southern path. I had never ridden with Link on the same horse before. Before the calamity, we used to ride around on our horses together, exploring Hyrule between my training sessions—only after I had warmed up to him, of course. On those days in the wild, riding around with Link, I felt free from my burdens.

It felt… familiar to be alongside him again. It was just the two of us, riding through the lush, quiet mountainside to the rhythm of Epona’s drumming hooves. We passed over the Kakariko Bridge and I watched sunlight dance on the water surface below.

I wrapped my arms tightly around Link’s torso to steady myself as Epona trotted up a steeper hill, and I was a little surprised at his slenderness. Perhaps he’d lost a lot of weight during his slumber, or maybe his knight armor had always made him appear larger than he was in actuality.

“You are quiet, Your Highness,” said Link.

Admittedly, I was still incredibly tired which lent to my abnormal quietness, however I was still taken aback with his comment. “I guess… I’m not yet used to the idea that you’re much more conversational now.”

“I just seem to remember you speaking a lot in the memories I do have, Your Highness, even if it was a one-sided conversation.”

I scoffed. “What is that supposed to mean?” I couldn’t hide my giggle when I heard Link chuckling. That was a rare sound to hear… Or was it, now?

Initially, it horrified me to think about how his personality could change and he could grow to resent me after his restorative slumber. Robbie and Purah had explained, upon the shrine’s discovery and excavation, how the facility would deprive patients of their memory, and its restorative powers should be a last resort. I had no choice when he fell, and the spirit of his sword told me it would save his life.

Yet, he still returned to me with a smile, and though he acted a little different around me now, I decided I did like this new, more relaxed Link.

I eyed the Master Sword, still on his shoulder, and I wondered if he should return it to the Lost Woods to slumber, now that the calamity was over. Its spirit hadn’t spoken to either of us, as far as I knew, since the calamity. Perhaps we would need to visit the Great Deku Tree soon.

I bumped lightly into Link’s shoulders when his horse stopped. I looked around in confusion as we had not yet reached Hateno Village. The damaged remains of the gate to Fort Hateno sprawled ahead, and a plain littered with Guardian corpses spread around us.

I inhaled sharply. “Blatchery Plain,” I breathed. My chest felt heavy. “Can we stop at the wall? I would like to pay my respects.”

Hundreds of decaying Guardians, frozen in time, destroyed by the Hylian soldiers and my own awakened power, were spread across the field. I crossed my arms as I looked out at them from where we stood. The tall grass that fluttered in the wind revealed piles of rubble and small graves decorated with flowers from loved ones hidden around them every so often. The damaged wall of Fort Hateno was covered in moss and vines, unkept and left to the elements over years of abandonment.

This was the state of the once great Kingdom of Hyrule. Ruined.

...Because I only found the secret to unlocking my power too late.

I dropped to my knees and made no effort to stop the tears from flooding down my cheeks as I sobbed. Link stood beside me and held his sword to the ground. I had no idea how long I sat there and cried, looking over the battlefield, and letting the remorse wash over me.

Link stepped away behind the wall for a few minutes at one point. I paid him no mind, figuring he’d gone away to relieve himself or something. However, I was surprised when he returned with food in hand. Cooked food.

“Where did you—?” I gasped, wiping tears away when I saw the cooked bird leg he offered in front of my face.

“There’s a cooking pot outside a cabin back behind the wall. Try to eat. You need to build up your strength,” he said.

I nodded and dried my cheeks before accepting the meat. I bit into the flesh, surprised to find he’d seasoned it with some salt and spices. I had never seen Link cook in the castle when he was just a knight, so he must have learned in the wild.

He seated himself beside me and leaned back against the stone walls, gnawing on a bird leg of his own. I ate about half of mine until I felt my stomach twist and decided against eating further.I offered him the rest and he took it without protest.

Link stared down at the grass. His eyes glossed over. “This is where fell—where I failed you.”

“Link…” I whispered and rubbed new tears away from my eyes. “You protected me to the last moment. I could not have had a better Hero.”

Link exhaled and I saw him staring at one of the guardian corpses from afar—possibly even the exact one that had prompted me to unlock my power. I wondered what he was imagining in his head. “Your Highness, I will attempt to live up to the knight I once was to you…”

I offered him a small smile. “Just please try not to jump in front of a laser for me and die again, if you can help it.”

He clicked his tongue. “If I have to do it again, I will,” he said. I blinked, feeling my face flush even though his sentiment should not have been a surprise to me at this point.

We arrived at Hateno Village late in the day. I had fallen asleep against Link’s shoulders shortly after we passed under the Cliffs of Quince, and I only woke once I heard the high pitched giggle of a child as we trotted into the village. Link waved at a villager hunched in a field of bamboo that called out to greet him. I sat up in the saddle, attempting to look more presentable, but the villager paid no special mind to my presence. Two small children bolted by us, waving at us as they passed before continuing on. I waved back at them before Link directed his horse down another path. Another person sweeping the area outside her house greeted us briefly before continuing her work.

I’d never experienced this feeling of… anonymity? No, normalcy, perhaps, before. No matter where I traveled in Hyrule as a child, the people always knew who I was. If not for my royal clothes, then because of my entourage of knights or accompaniment with the King. A hundred years later, with no formal entourage, none of these villagers knew my identity yet. In their eyes, I was probably just a guest of Link’s.

It was...strangely refreshing.

We passed over a bridge that led to a cozy looking little cottage. Link stopped the horse in front of the door. “This is it,” he said before helping me down. As I stretched my legs out, he unlocked the door with an old key on his belt, and ushered me inside. “Welcome, Your Highness.”

I stepped inside as Link fetched his groceries from Epona’s saddlebags. It was a humble home in size, yet the lofty ceiling impressed me. On the walls in the dining area were various weapons and shields hung on simply crafted display racks—more of Link’s spoils. The kitchen occupied one side of the space. A small sofa looked towards the fireplace on the far side of the room. Stairs to the right led up to a lofted area. Link slipped through the door behind me and lit a lamp on the wall.

“This is lovely,” I said. I wasn’t sure what I expected from the house of Link, a bachelor knight of Hyrule, but it was certainly a lot nicer than what I imagined many of the knights had in the barracks. “Is this the same home your family once owned? Your father’s?”

Link froze mid-movement as he packed fruits away into the cold storage below the stairs. “I…. I’m not sure,” he said very quietly.

“Oh…” I realized I may have struck a weak point in Link’s memory. I remembered Link’s father, a knight of the royal guard for my father, originally hailing from this village before moving to Castle Town. I wondered… Did Link even remember his own family?

My thoughts drifted to my own family. My mother, who passed away of sudden illness when I was seven, and then my father who cared so much for Hyrule and always pushed for me to train… Regret of leaving him under bad terms and never reconciling before he was killed by the calamity clawed at my soul.

Link stepped over to me and the floorboards creaked under his steps. “I’ll start the fireplace,” he said, then he put a hand to his head. “Oh, I am such a bad host. I do have tea somewhere, I think, from Gerudo Town...”

His fretting flattered me, though I was just glad to be in a peaceful place away from the castle now. Link started up a fire in no time which warmed the house to a cozy temperature.The patter of rain on the roof above us signaled a shower had blanketed over the area. I sat at the table while he warmed a kettle and watched him as he gathered up ingredients to presumably cook later. I’d never seen him be so… domestic before. It amused me.

Once the kettle whistled, he poured us each a cup of tea. He handed me the ceramic cup. “Your Highness…” He said.

I took the cup. “Link, there is no need for such formality with me. In the past, we hardly used them with each other outside of the castle, and there is no Kingdom of Hyrule at the moment, anyways. Please, just call me Zelda,” I said.

He stared at me and raised an eyebrow. I wondered if I had somehow offended him as I wasn’t used to his new expressiveness. Finally, he spoke. “As you wish… Zelda,” he said. He grinned when he said my name, as if the word was sweet on his tongue.

I felt a hard beat in my chest that I hadn’t felt in… quite a long time.

We sipped our tea quietly for a few minutes, listening to the rain hit the terracotta roof above. I was unsure what to speak about with Link. The horrors of fighting the Calamity were so fresh in our minds, I’m sure neither of us wished to discuss it. Link seemed content to lean back in his chair, and listen to the rain, as if the sound grounded him to the moment.

It wasn’t long before I once again felt the pull of exhaustion on my eyes and my head nodded. Link stepped up into the loft above for a few minutes. When he returned, he held out a hand for me. “If you would like to head to sleep, I just put new blankets on my bed. It’s all yours while you’re a guest here. I can take the sofa down here.”

I let out a nervous laugh. “I apologize. I know it is still early to retire for the night, I just…”

“Nonsense, you haven’t slept for the last hundred years.”

Link beckoned with his fingers and I accepted his hand. He led me up into the loft. It was small, only large enough for a small bookshelf, a desk, and a single-sized bed in the corner of the room. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “It’s uh... not fancy, and probably not anything like your old bed at the castle but… I always found it comfortable enough on nights when I was able to sleep here.”

“It’ll be perfectly suitable, Link, thank you,” I said as I pulled back the quilt.

He nodded before going back to the stairs. “Sleep for as long as you need. Whenever you’re hungry, I’ll be glad to cook something for you. Good night, Zelda.”

I nodded in gratitude as he stepped down out of the loft. I wrapped myself in the comfortable blankets, and quickly fell asleep as exhaustion once again took its hold on me.

I must have slept through the evening and the entire night, because when I awoke again, early morning sunlight spilled into the window. I sat up, disoriented by the unfamiliar walls, and blinked a few times before I remembered I was in Link’s house. My stomach growled for the first time since I sealed Ganon.

The whoosh of a sword splitting the air outside caught my attention. I crawled to peer out the window by the bed and looked down below. Link was outside already, practicing his swings. I smiled as I watched him. One thing that hadn’t changed was his dedication to routine training. His style was different though: rougher than before. He raised the Master Sword in a slow arc around his head, until he faltered to the side. I tightened my lips in concern. It had to be the injury on his arm. I decided to go down to see him.

Sparkling drips of water fell from the eaves above as I emerged from the cottage. I looked across the bridge towards the village beyond. Children played as adults whistled, carrying goods on their shoulders. It was such a lovely, peaceful town, completely untouched by the calamity.

I shifted my gaze back to Link, who hadn’t noticed me yet. The villagers had welcomed him here so warmly. Who wouldn’t want to live the rest of their life in peace here?

I was the tie keeping him away from such a peaceful future. As long as he was with me, he would follow me into political situations, battles, or anything else that came with being involved with the Royal Family. It was not a passive lifestyle.

My heart ached for the suffering Link had gone through. His scars were only the tip of the pain he’d endured. I couldn’t force his duty upon him any longer, after his incredible service to Hyrule.

“Good morning, Zelda.” He’d finally noticed me. I stepped over to him as he wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.

“Good morning, Link.”

“Did you sleep well?” he asked.

I nodded. “I do feel much better than yesterday.”

He sheathed his sword and placed his hands on his hips as he smiled at me. I had no idea where he picked up that stance after his restoration but it amused me. “I’m going to clean myself up inside, but how does breakfast sound?”

“Excellent. I do feel hungry now,” I said. When he moved towards me, I noticed dark circles under his eyes. “Didn’t you sleep at all last night?”

He hesitated. “Yes.” It was a short answer.

“...Link?”

“Yes, Zelda?” He said again, and stopped to turn to me.

I folded my hands as I considered how to put my words together. “Seeing this lovely little village, I wouldn’t be surprised if you wanted to stay here for the rest of your days to live peacefully. I… I want you to...not feel pressured to continue as my Appointed Knight now that our sacred mission is over. You have given Hyrule incredible service. I want it to be clear that you are released of your duty, if you wish.”

He stared at me, speechless, as an incredulous look appeared on his face. A songbird fluttered overhead and landed on the roof above us. Then, he laughed as if I had told an incredibly funny joke, holding a hand to his face. He stepped closer to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. “Princess, I’m not leaving you any time soon. Wherever you go, I will be by your side, for as long as you allow.”

I blinked, not expecting him to refuse my offer. “But…?”

He grinned. “If memory serves me right, you’re my friend… I can’t just leave you now when you still need so much help, especially after I went and died for you once already.” He patted my shoulder and then re-entered the house.

My eyes dropped to the ground and I laughed to myself as my cheeks warmed. How silly of me to think my friend would ever leave me alone.

We decided to visit Purah’s lab after breakfast. Link had changed out of his dirtied champion tunic into a Hylian styled red tunic with leather braces and armor. When I complimented his new outfit, he beamed. I still wasn’t used to his new expanded range of expressions.

We reached the center of town when Link told me to wait outside one of the shops for a minute because he wanted to surprise me with something. I’d taken the sheikah slate from him and was playing with its camera feature as I waited. Link soon re-emerged from the shop and handed me something. “What’s this?” I asked as I belted the slate and took it from him.

“It’s a hood. I have one too in the house. It’s good for traveling,” he said. I unfolded the hood. It had a pattern on it that resembled a flower. He rubbed the back of his head. “I thought you’d like that design better than the one I have, since you really like flowers—if I remember right.”

I smiled. It was a lovely gift, and the Goddesses knew I needed new clothes since mine probably all burned up in the castle. “Thank you, Link,” I said as I threw it over my shoulders. My long hair caught up in it a little bit but it still fit. I twirled around, feeling like a schoolgirl showing off her new outfit. “How do I look?”

Link smiled. “Great!”

We continued up the hill until we reached a curious looking building: the Hateno Ancient Tech lab. I frowned as I recalled the violent destruction of the Royal Ancient Tech lab. Thank the Goddesses that Robbie and Purah made it out alive and were able to migrate their work to safe locations...

Link was about to knock on the door when he turned to me. “Oh, I should probably tell you…”

Whatever he was about to say was cut off by the door flying open. “LINKY!!!” A child’s voice trilled. “I KNEW YOU WOULD DO IT!”

A small girl rushed into Link’s legs, embracing them tightly as she squealed. I tilted my head in confusion. The child had the signature hair of a Sheikah, and even wore their traditional clothing—though sized down considerably. But it was her red glasses and hair accessory that gave her identity away to me. I could never forget her signature style... but why was she—?

The child noticed me and gasped. “P-Princess Zelda!? You’ve come too?” She turned her head back to Link. “She looks so weak. Linky, aren’t you taking good care of her?”

Link’s cheeks reddened in embarrassment at her chiding. I was fairly certain I was not mistaken by the child’s identity now. “Purah? Is that… you?”

She grinned. “Yup, it’s me. I guess I have to explain it to you now. Come on in and let’s catch up! Click, snap!”

We entered the lab and I was introduced to Symin, Purah’s current assistant, before she sat us down at the table. She snatched the sheikah slate away and placed it on the Guidance Stone nearby, stating she had an update for it. As it loaded, she informed me about why she had reverted to a child-like form, and how she’d been continuing research over the last hundred years. I glanced around the lab and my eyes drifted to her shelves of books about ancient civilizations and sheikah technology: my past passion. She noticed my attention drifting to the shelves and laughed. “Princess, you’re welcome to come study here any time you’d like.”

When the slate’s update was complete, she handed it back to me. “I’ve created a feature where you can check the operational status of the Divine Beasts in real time, remotely. It should make studying their efficiency much easier.”

“Thank you Purah, this will be incredibly helpful in managing them,” I said, tapping the screen to view the new functionality. Link poked his head over my shoulder in curiosity. All of the Divine Beasts were currently functioning at full capacity, though their most powerful lasers were still recharging from blasting Calamity Ganon a few days ago.

“Fascinating,” Link commented.

We chatted a little longer about our current plans and the Sheikah’s order to begin clearing out the castle. I instructed Purah and Symin to continue their research, as there was still much to learn about the ancient technology and how we could prevent it from being corrupted by malice again. We left the lab, and I continued to fiddle around with the slate.

“You’ve missed tinkering,” said Link as we walked through the village.

I nodded before I opened up the camera feature again and snapped a few pictures of some textiles on display outside the clothing shop. We passed beneath a shrine looming on the cliff above, and I snapped a photo of it.

“I should show you the inside of one of those shrines sometime,” said Link.

I gasped. “You would take me?”

He nodded. “Only once you’ve recovered, of course, and as long as there aren’t any guardians inside.”

I smiled at him and felt more motivated than ever to regain my strength. I placed the Sheikah Slate at my hip once more. Only much later would I notice a cloaked figure peering at us from behind the shrine that I’d captured in the photograph.

#this is up on AO3 now!! yes I made an AO3 just to post this lol #botw zelink #zelink fic #zelink fanfic #botw fanfiction #zelink fanfiction #zelink fanfics #zelink botw #breath of the wild #legend of zelda #linkxzelda #LoZ #botw #My fanfics #fanfics

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botwstoriesandsuch · 4 years

Text

Where Time Takes Us

Destination - Part 1

- - - - - - - - - -

Watch the home while she is off to war

The Slumber King versus the rearing boar

Awake, arise, do not be blind

To tales and destinies entwined

In the world we said that we would leave behind

— excerpt from folk song, The World Behind, writer unknown, dated back to the Era of Myth

- - - - - - - - - -

6 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days before the Hyrule Castle Slaughter, the Akkala Citadel Massacre, the slaying of the Champions, the death of the hero, and the rise of Calamity Ganon...

Her job ends on doomsday.

She should be working, and truly she wanted to, but circumstances had led her to walk towards the echoing laughter.

Already trying to prepare the quip she would throw back at them, (as undoubtedly they’d complain about her being late again), the researcher weaved through the familiar roads of West Castle Town. Most of the houses were dark, with the only light source coming from the occasional flickering lantern, and the pale complexion of the midnight moon. Needless to say, it made the warm glow of The Adequate’s Tavern stand out all the more as she approached.

Another roar of laughter and shouts escaped from an open window on the south side of the pub. The bags under her eyes curved with her smile as she recognized one of the voices. She absentmindedly traced her fingers along the outer walls of the tavern as she walked, loose chips of faded blue paint falling to the pavement below. The wooden sign above the door creaked with its askew weight. The Adequate’s Tavern was printed in bold, blue letters atop a faded yellow outline. The missing e’s and t’s gave evidence to the building’s true quality.

Pushing open the door, the researcher was met with a swirl of familiar scents, ranging from alcohol, apples, bread, and leather, along with a smokiness coming from the fireplace near the back of the bar.

Closing the door behind her, she walked through the entrance, passing under a wooden overhang, and alongside a long, stone-slated bar counter. She overheard a conversation between the barkeep and a waiter.

“Yes, they’re here again, so get out there already!”

“The scientists?” the waiter asked.

The man started shoving her towards the storage door behind the bar. “Yes, yes, now hurry up and stock up on that apple cider. I’ve already turned four full pitchers from the three of them, and the fourth is no doubt on the way. We can turn a bigger profit from those kids than any random alcoholic that stumbles in here tonight!”

The waiter disappeared into the back, and the barkeep was left muttering by the counter. Chuckling to herself, the researcher moved away, starting to search for the scientists in question. Other than a single, beige wall that separated the edge of the bar with a support beam in the middle of the room, the pub was very open and lively. Square and circular tables were littered across the floor in mismatched patterns, ranging from oak brown to birch white. Clearly, aesthetic was not the centerpoint of the place.

She walked about the pub, scanning the faces of the men and women alike who crowded by the booths and tables. The tavern mainly housed a sea of Hylians, who let out the occasional drunken laugh, or hearty chuckle. It was a miracle she could hear her thoughts at all, as the air was rich with the sound of clattering dishware and the patter of dancing feet, as in a small corner to the left was a semi-circle stage housing a small band. A Hylian man with umber dark skin, much like her own, blew away at a Lurelin-made, seashell harmonica. To his left, a blonde woman extended her arm in quick and elegant strokes with a bow and fiddle. Two others struck away on small drums and bells, and the playful gig they performed had gotten several people up from their feet to dance for Hylia knows how long. The music wasn’t terrible, but she had heard better, from a certain Sheikah in particular...

As if fate had read her thoughts, she finally caught sight of her friends.

It hindsight, it was easy enough to expect the bard to be at the table closest to the stage. Yet, it was probably the three heads of cloud white, Sheikah hair that gave them away the quickest. A young teenage boy sat across a square table from two other Sheikah, a boy and a girl. He was looking at nothing in particular, as he plucked away at his lute, presumably tuning it. Wrapped around his head was a small cluster of green wooden beads, woven with brown string. They dotted like a line of stars in his fluffy, white hair, alternating between pine and sage shades. The knot tying the strings and beads around his head hung loosely like vines just by his right ear. He was just asking to look like a starstruck, homeless traveler, if it weren’t for the bright red cape pinned across his shoulders. The golden, Hyrulean emblem holding the crimson cloth together signified his status as an important worker of the palace. Although, no one would be surprised that this thin, skinny teenager was a bard and court poet, and not a royal knight.

Suddenly, the bard looked up and met her gaze, a pair of warm, red eyes catching the light of familiarity. He patted the empty seat next to him and said something to the other two Sheikah in front of him. One of them looked back, a young man with storm wild hair that seemed to part like lightning. He had a beige, long sleeve coat over a red tunic, as was the classic Sheikah style. However, the style of his white jacket told of his rank as a scientist. With chocolate eyes and a contagious grin, he nudged the girl next to him and fake coughed.

The young woman wore roughly the same outfit, although she had a navy blue skirt and boots compared to the other guy’s black pants and shoes. Her eyes were also red, albeit, with a more striking scarlet color, compared to the other boy’s warmer wine shade. Looking back, she adjusted her bright, Sheikah red, round, sparkly, diamond decorated glasses, complete with white accents that matched her hair. It was pulled in a messy bun, a hairstyle that her close friends knew was less for looks, and more for practical purposes, as supposedly, “the stupid strands always find ways to bother my eyes. No, stop, I don’t need a comb! My eyeballs are just sensitive, okay?”

Pivoting past a waiter, the researcher finally moved closer to the trio, brushing her curly dark hair above her shoulders as she prepared for the sarcasm to begin.

The stormy eyed scientist spoke first.

“Purah, Purah! Is that...a ghost I see? It looks like Adello, but I feel like I haven’t seen her in a century, I surely thought her dead! Am I being…haunted?”

Purah turned in her seat and gave a fake gasp. She adjusted her red rimmed glasses at the sight of her. “You’re right, Robbie! I’ve heard about these spirits. They only come at midnight under a full moon, and they appear when you have friends that don’t know how to time manage and haunt you by coming to your birthday party with their terrible fashion sense 45 minutes late!” She clapped her hands along with the syllables of “45 minutes” to let her point be known.

Robbie awed at Adello in sarcastic wonder, and the boy across from him exhaled out of his nose with a smile.

Adello put a hand on her hip. “Save your breath, I was just working a bit overtime on the Divine Beast sketches. You know, work? For the jobs that we all have? So we can pay our taxes and shit? Unfortunately, not all of us have fancy salaries Mrs. Royal Scientist.”

Purah turned to Robbie, pulling down her glasses and looking at him sternly. “See, this is another trait of these kinds of spirits. They’re cursed to only say excuses for eternity.”

He shook his head. “Coupled with the fact that their fashion only ever consists of one color? Truly, a terrible fate for a ghost indeed.”

Adello narrowed her eyes. Smoothing out her juniper colored tunic, she said, “Okay, first off, green is a great color on me, it pairs well with my skin tone. You’re both just blind, no wonder you need glasses.” Purah put a hand on her chest dramatically, but she continued. “Plus, I’d really rather not get fired since that ceremony thing with those Champions is tomorrow and, as you all know, I just got that promotion.”

The researcher propped a black leather boot up on the empty chair by the table, flipping her jet black hair dramatically. “How does it feel to be in the presence of someone with an actual on-the-field career?”

Purah stuck out her tongue, and Robbie cupped his hands and booed. However, the boy sitting on the other side of the fourseated table gave a celebratory strum of his lute, giving Adello’s pose a bright background flourish with a few upbeat chords.

She winked. “Thank you Zimiri, at least someone can recognize skill.” The bard gave a little bow with his head, grinning. “A few chords is all it takes to enhance a dramatic, late night entrance.”

Adello chuckled, finally sitting down in the empty seat beside him. The old oaken chair and floor creaked under the new weight. Robbie let out a huff.

“You kids need to learn to respect your elders.” He announced the word “respect” with the tip of his tongue. The researcher rolled her eyes.

“Ah yes, a whole one year gap between us. What astounding age and experience that these elders emit.” She gestured at Robbie and Purah with a sweep of her arm.

“Uh, excuse me, but I believe in my case it’s now double that. A whole two years, my dear, naive child. For as of 4 hours ago, I now emit the knowledge of an existence spanning two decades!” Now it was his turn to pose dramatically, pointing towards the ceiling.

Everyone at the table groaned, turning to occupy themselves with something else. Purah started writing in her journal which she pulled out from her satchel, and Adello started to become very interested with the ceiling. Zimiri continued to pluck nothings on his lute.

Robbies crossed his arms, his white long sleeves folding across the Sheikah red shirt underneath. “Oh I see! So when Adello brags, she gets a musical accompaniment, but when I do it, it’s suddenly annoying and embarrassing?”

Adello smirked to herself, and answered, “Yep, that’s how it goes!”

“Alright, you don’t get to speak, Miss I-don’t-know-how-to-be-punctuation!”

Purah promptly smacked Robbie over the head with a pen.

“Hey! W—”

“The word is punctual, you idiot.”

Robbie slumped his shoulders and made a face. He tapped his thumb and fingers together, mimicking the opening and closing of a mouth while he muttered mockingly in Purah’s tone under his breath.

Purah finished off a note in her journal before turning to the rest of the table. “Alright Adello, time to catch up. We’ve been playing ‘Till You Spill and I’ve already got some juicy stuff in here!”

Turning the pages of her journal towards Adello, she gave a chaotic grin. “Last round, Zimiri revealed that he once got teary eyed in front of the King himself after reading a poem about clouds.”

Zimiri raised his hands in defense. “Look, the clouds were an analogy for lost childhood innocence and I got choked up with that author’s amazing choice of imagery and descriptions, okay?”

Purah pointed her pen at him to hush, and continued. “Of course, him being a sentimental dork isn’t anything new, so he lost that round to Robbie who revealed the identity of his first crush.”

Zimiri muttered something about the game being rigged towards the birthday boy, but Adello talked over him, excitedly.

“Ooohhhh? Robbie?? Who are they?” She propped up her elbows and cradled her chin in her hands, excited at the prospect of more embarrassing information she could hang over his head.

He mumbled, looking to Purah for assistance, but she only cupped a hand over her ear, waiting for him to respond. “You all fuckin—” he sighed, “it’s…she’s…c-ch…” he avoided everyone’s gaze, “her name is...Cherry…”

Adello gasped, gleefully. “That girl from your old university?? The writer you hung out with!?”

Purah beamed, shaking Robbie’s shoulders excitedly. “I know right???” She loosened her grip and allowed him to wiggle out of her grasp for a moment. “Oh sweetie, campus days may be long gone for all of us prodigies and geniuses,” she flipped a few strands of her white hair with a turn of her head, “but I’m sure you’ll get her someday. You just gotta turn up the charm, find a way to woo with words. I’m sure writers love that.” Purah pulled down her glasses and gave a forced wink at him.

Adello tried to hold her tongue to no avail. “Pffft. Yeah, you can try wooing her with your punctuation.” This got a snicker out of Purah, and caused the birthday boy to blush furiously and slump further in his seat. Zimiri finally spoke up.

“Now, now, let’s all play nice. We don’t need to pester him further about it, he did win the round after all.”

“Uh, yeah. Speaking of the game, you still need to drink up, mister.” Purah slid a tan brown cup of apple cider towards him, the translucent contents sloshing around like muck in a gutter.

He leaned on the back two legs of his chair. “Isn’t it punishment enough to smell it? The cider isn’t even near my face and my mouth is already burning.”

She shrugged. “Them's the rules of ‘Till You Spill. Your secret sucked, so swig!”

The poet groaned, but complied. Tipping the cup towards his lips, Zimiri took a hearty slurp of the cider, much to everyone’s amusement. It felt like hot, molten copper mixed with old apple skins. How could something both burn and freeze your throat at the same time? He let out a gag, to which Adello patted him on the back with a short laugh.

Raising his posture, Robbie crowed, “When we finally have Zimiri’s birthday maybe then we’ll actually upgrade to the alcohol.”

Adello raised an eyebrow. “Uh, right, because the upgrade from disorientingly strong, smelly apple cider, is you two being flat out drunk. Right...”

Purah slammed both her fists down with pride, letting the cups and pitchers slosh a few amber colored drops onto the worn wooden table. “Bold of you to assume I’d drink at all, considering I’ve never lost a round! Mwahaha!” She blew a raspberry at her. “This tongue is apple free, baby.”

She gestured with her pinky and index finger at Zimiri and Adello. “Now, you two! The late combatant and the latest loser shall spill next. Give us your juicy gossip!!”

The bard, still reeling from his drink, leaned back in his chair and gave a nod toward Adello. “Ladies first?”

While she wasn’t undefeated in this drinking game, she sure as hell was playing to win. Especially since somebody needed to knock that smug expression off of Purah’s face. Adello thought to herself quickly.

Zimiri, no doubt, is probably gonna say something self-deprecating again, as he’s too nice to actually reveal anything embarrassing about anyone else. So...I just need to say something unexpected and interesting...perhaps something embarrassing about...hmm, I’ve already exhausted all my info about those cushy nobles and guards in past rounds…

Suddenly, she snapped her fingers. “The princess has a secret stuffed animal collection.” Seeing the light in her co-workers’ eyes twinkle, Adello knew she had chosen her words well. Purah leaned in. “Ooh? And how did you come across this juicy piece of information?” She rested her chin on an arm with an innocent smile.

“When I sent my application for the new job a few weeks ago, I gave it to the princess directly. It was late at night, and I bumped into her as she just left her room. The door was cracked open for a few seconds, before some royal, pompous guard slammed it right in my face. Yet, it wasn’t before I saw the pile of,” she counted on her fingers, “cow, sheep, bird, dog, and several horse stuffed animals piled high by her big, blue bed. I bet if I peeked for just a few more moments I could have found enough to pin her as a true horse girl.”

Robbie shrugged his shoulders, unconsciously rapping the table with his finger. “Well, speaking as a horse guy myself, I can attest to the fact that the childhood horse obsession phase never leaves, so I find Princess Zelda’s collection quite admirable.” He gave a nod towards Zimiri. “Either way, it’ll be tough to top that, Zim. Cute, yet slightly concerning, fact about our future queen? Quite the competition. Shall I signal the waiter for a refill now?”

Zimiri plucked a few more strings from his lute, before finally setting it down on the floor. He tilted his head, playfully. The string with sage green beads seemed to sway with the tavern’s music, and he spoke with a glint in his eyes. “Well, I might be faced with impending failure and ultimate defeat, but hells if I’m not one to try instead of mope.”

He combed his fingers through his messy, white hair, pondering his next choice of words. Fiddling with the beads and strings wrapped around it, he thought out loud.

“Let’s see...to top out on an embarrassing fact about a respected princess...it's natural to combat it with something...personal? That always seems to be the more valuable information in this game…” Adello shook her head. He was playing right into her hand.

“Well...Robbie won last round with the identity of Cherry...so, how about I dish out something similar. See, I’ve...uh…” he rubbed the back of his neck, “Oh! Well. Court poet, shrine researcher, the job gets you close with the princess...kinda...I’d like to think we’re close anyhow…” He mumbled the last part of his sentence and let out a short cough. Then, he went back to fiddling with his short, messy hair.

“So… ever since I moved into the castle, When did my mom move… five years now? I’ve, uh… had a crush on... Zelda…” He gave an uncertain grin, and raised the palm of his hands as if to ask, “well?”

At first he was met with silence. In his head, he started to celebrate the victory of his first ‘Till You Spill round in literal months. That was until he was met with groans and pitiful mutters.

“Oh Zimiri,” Purah sighed, “I was rooting for you too.” Seeing the bewilderment creep onto the poet’s face, Robbie answered the question before it even escaped his lips. “Literally everyone here knew that bud, it’s not a secret.”

The bard started to sputter, moving his hands in wild, questioning motions.

“But? Wha— I? You!? Didn’t you— I… W-Well I mean, I know Adello knew, I told her years ago, but you guys—”

“Oh my gods. Zimiri, you literally talk about her all the time, you’re totally in love. Given that we’re also the recipients of your long spiels and ballads about how ‘intelligent and thoughtful and amazing Zelda is,’” Purah said the words to mimic the tone of Zimiri’s honey sweet voice, “it’s exceptionally, extremely, very, very obvious.”

“R-Recognizing a person’s positive traits doesn’t instantly mean in love!”

The royal scientist leaned across the table and patted his head. “Right, but you also started attempting love songs a coincidental 2 weeks after starting your job of shrine research with her. Your eyes are already red, so whenever she passes by it’s like your pupils magically form into adoring hearts. Try to stay away from poker, it’s for your own good.”

Zimiri continued to sputter, his cheeks becoming roser by the second. Robbie turned to Purah. “So, all in favour of finding Adello’s spill better than Zimiri’s?” The two of them raised their hands in unison. “Alright buddy, secret sucked, so swig! WAITER PLEASE!”

Adello watched as the same woman she had seen near the bar earlier made her way to the table. Picking up a pitcher, she poured out a fresh cup of Adequate’s Apple Cider. The four of them had been here so many times, they didn’t even need to verbally ask for the order.

Before he could even start to reach for the cup, Adello snatched it out of the way. “Nah, it’s okay. I’ll do one for you, Zimiri. These two monsters have already tore you to shreds, and I’m sure I need a punishment anyway for coming in so late.”

He started to protest, but after catching the look in her dark, iron eyes, he relented. “Well, I thank you for your generosity.” The other two, however, were not as compliant.

Purah cupped her hands around her mouth, yelling, “Booooo... Boo to pity! Boo to generosity!” Robbie mimicked her.

“Yeah you have to respect your elders’ wishes. We demand blood! Suffering!”

Adello cracked her neck for show, before downing her glass of cider in a few gulps. The stench and tingling sensation seemed to stick to the sides of her throat. It would take more than water to clear that out. “Adequate” was being very generous when describing its quality.

“Mmmm. The cider’s weirdly salty tonight, I think your attitudes got mixed in here.”

Purah blew another raspberry at her.

They played for a few more rounds, the clatter of cups and breaths of laughter decorating the hours. Much to everyone’s distaste, Purah continued her winning streak, getting by with unbeatable information about the King, royal guards, and one embarrassing anecdote about how her little sister, Impa, had caught her writing an interesting letter to the “local archery hunk.”

Yet, Purah laughed along with the rest of them, the eyes behind her red rimmed glasses held no shame, which Adello envied. Of course that sort of attitude would make you a master at this game. Robbie and Adello attempted to team up and be biased towards Purah in an effort to get her to lose, but either Zimiri didn’t take the hint, or he just really liked playing fair which wasn’t exactly out of character, even if it meant more drinks for him.

Suddenly, a bell towards the back of the pub rang, signifying the end of the band’s gig. The dancing paused, as people gave their thanks, varying from politie applause to drunken yelps. Robbie then rapped the table with his hands, excitedly.

“You know what else tonight needs? Some amazing music, eh Zimiri?” He bounced his eyebrows up and down at him, and gestured towards the lute leaning on one of the table legs.

“I don’t know,” Zimiri replied, “I’ve only a part-time hire for the weekend rush hours, and I wouldn’t want to blindly get on stage and sing without being given permission.”

Adello scoffed. “Uh, are you kidding? The owner would love for you to play without paying you. Haven’t you heard the talk around town? The Adequate’s Tavern: Home of alright food and acceptable ale, but an outstanding bard!”

He fiddled with the string in his hair again. “Oh yeah? I’d love to meet him someday.” At this, Adello clicked her tongue and promptly shoved him out of his chair with her hip.

He laughed to himself as he stumbled aback. “Alright, alright, but only because the birthday tyrant requested it.” Robbie clapped his hands in a “chop-chop” fashion, to truly signify his role as the newly dubbed tyrant.

Suddenly, Zimiri perked his head. Stepping back towards the table, he reached for his cup. “Oh wait, I just lost that round. I still need to drink my—”

Adello grabbed the cup right out of his hands. She tipped it 180 degrees and let the cider spill completely onto the wooden floor. He hopped back, and Purah let out a surprised yelp, saying something about letting the stench seep into the floorboards. Robbie just started to laugh, wildly. Noticing the small commotion, a few other guests looked back at them and started to snicker to themselves.

Setting the cup back on the table, the researcher said, “Great, now you don’t need to ruin your voice any longer. Now get up there and one-up the last band.”

The bard pushed his chair under the table. Picking up his lute as he stood and faced Adello, a charming smile on his face. “Heh, well. My singing voice is grateful. I suppose now I’m in debt to comply.” He gave a curt bow.

Robbie clapped his hands again. “Great, great. Now quit the manners and let’s go already! I still have to order the cake pie!”

Both of the girls rolled their eyes in unison. Zimiri shrugged and started to walk through the small crowd of standing Hylians, and towards the small stage.

A few of the regulars who recognized him let out whoops and whistles, yelling out “Bard!” or “More music!” in support. It seemed that no one really knew his name, but it was nice enough to know that even working here part time would grant you the honor of being recognized by a bunch of random folk. One confused patron, who only associated him with “z” yelled out “Yeah, Zelda!” before promptly slumping under the table. Looking around, a blonde girl caught his eye, as it seemed she was staring at him. He waved, and her cheeks, much to Zimiri’s confusion, turned pink at his gaze and she turned to her friends who started giggling.

Moving past the last of the Hylians with an, “excuse me, sorry!” he finally stepped on the stage. The bard pulled up a small stool to the stage, leaning against it. Most of the folks continued to whoop in approval, seemingly eager for another chance to start dancing. Even the barkeep clapped his hands, probably excited at the thought of a free gig.

I guess, if no one is stopping me…

It was a rowdy bunch, but not a new one. Zimiri had played for these kinds of audiences before.

“I see that quite a few people are itching for a new tune. So, uh, any requests?” he announced as he strum a chord on his lute.

A mass of different voices bounced around the tavern, requests ranging from The Babbler’s Jig, Misko’s Tale, The Eldin Bluffs, and Can I Get More Ale? Although, Zimiri wasn’t quite familiar with the chords of that last song.

He couldn’t stop himself from being biased towards the request of a certain dark skinned girl to his left.

“The World Behind!” Adello said. “Enough with those new ballads, I demand a classic!”

Robbie pumped an arm in the air. “Yes!” he shouted. “I second that! So is my decree as birthday tyrant!”

The bard smiled, preparing the fingering on the neck of his lute. He turned towards the audience. “Well, I’m afraid I have no choice but to heed to such authority.” He began to pluck the beginning notes, tapping a tempo with his boot against the stage. “Now then, a beat, if you all would be so kind?”

The tavern chattered in approval, before piping down. There probably weren't more than 30 people, but the beat they made was definitely sufficient. The sound of stomping, banging mugs, and clapping filled the room. The tempo didn’t even need much adjusting, as The World Behind was pretty familiar around Castle Town. The beat was like a child pretending to be a marching soldier, unconcerned and playful.

Zimiri’s smile widened. A lively crowd indeed, this will do nicely.

With that, he started to sing. His silvery voice echoed across the tavern, as he closed his eyes and began to play.

The boys have gone out to the wishing well

Will they come back? Oh only time will tell

A rupee for a life refined

But time and dreams never align

So tell the world we’ll leave it all behind

Many of the guests had started to dance again, while the rest continued the beat of the song. As Zimiri plucked rapid notes on his lute, he heard a supporting holler from Purah. Next to her, Robbie was slamming his fist to the beat, clearly enjoying himself.

Have you seen the soldiers’ drinking ale?

They wish to sing along with nightingales

To dance on home with songs and rhymes

To banish all the fears from mind

Yes tell the world we’ll leave it all behind

Another pause between the verses, and the bard played the “decorative” rapid notes in between. He didn’t mean to seem like he was showing off, but Adello would attest to the fact that this happened whenever he got too into the music. Looking towards her, Zimiri saw her give a double thumbs up.

Of beasts and men and all atrocities

The damn-ed fate, she owns all that you see

To a better day of new design

Forgot about the gods divine

Oh tell the world we’ll leave it all behind

At this point, some of the guests were singing along, though not to the point of overpowering his own alluring voice. Laughter rang out around the warmly lit room once again. Zimiri looked out at the dancing patrons and smiling guests, grinning at the feeling in his chest this brought. He continued the last verse.

Watch the home while—

“HEY!”

The sudden gruff voice startled the bard to the point where he nearly slipped off the stage.

Lumbering through the double doors, three guards entered the tavern. The one in front, who had interrupted the music, wore a typical knight’s outfit, the same as his male and female coworkers behind him. However, the black hooded cape he wore atop his metal armour swayed with every step he took across the floor, his supposed rank silencing the room.

Well, mostly, silenced the room. A few ticked off guests were booing, groaning, and mocking him for ruining the entertainment.

“Oh would you lot shut up for 2 seconds?!” he said, his voice booming across the tavern. “Listen, I’ll be blunt. I gotta give two messages for this establishment.”

The guests shook their heads, mumbling. Their booing and insults continued, but their volume quieted, it was too early to be getting cross with a couple of knights. Even Zimiri quietly slipped off the stage back towards his friends so as not to be at the end of the knight’s intimidating voice.

The female guard behind the knight handed him a slip of parchment. Unfolding it, the guard cleared his throat.

“Firstly, your music and pounding is disturbing the noblemen next door. He’s staying at the inn or something and wants you to, quote,” he read from the paper, “quit the mindless thumping, for Castle Town is a place of serenity and peace, not of nonsense jigs and banging.”

The groaning and insults started up again; the man gave a shrug, stating something about how he was just following orders.

Adello couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “HA! Well, with an attitude like that, this’ll probably be the first and only time he’s been banged— he should be grateful.”

The room exploded into a mess of laughter and whoops. Even the guard smirked to himself, but attempted to hide it with a shake of his head, saying “Watch the mouth, girl.” Although, his stern tone wasn’t in it.

After a second, he cleared his throat again. With a stomp of his boot he regained the pub's attention, the laughter suffocated out.

“Now, we’re also here looking for a Dr. Robbie Kimura? I received word they might be around here?”

With the attention now towards a single table, most of the guests went back to their idle banter. A few waiters nodded their head towards the table in the back, and the man caught sight of three, white haired teenagers, who were sitting with the dark haired girl who had quipped out earlier.

The scientists turned around too late, in an effort to avoid the knight’s gaze. “Gee, what a bunch of snitches,” Robbie mumbled. The three guards started to walk over to the table.

“Dr...Robbie?”

“Who’s asking?” Robbie squinted with his dark brown eyes.

“Doctor? Really? Is this some kind of prank? You and your friends don’t even look old enough to drink.”

He scoffed. “Okay, first, yes I am a doctor! I didn’t fly through all those courses over four years just to be called, ‘Mr.’ And secondly, I’ll have you know that I am a ripe 20 years of age today, and I’m here drinking expired apple juice with my associates. So take that, pal!”

Beside him, Purah gave a proud nod in agreement. Zimiri started to wave politely at the guard, but Adello grabbed his arm before he could finish the movement. The guard was a bit unsettled with the way that girl was glaring at him. What was some random Hylian doing hanging out with a bunch of Sheikah anyway?

“Right, well, look here, son. Some curious aristo-brat snuck into the courtyard and caused one of those flying, metal Sheikah things to fall apart. My boss said that it was your prototype so you should come back and clean it up before something explodes, and possibly give a sincere apology to the meddling kid who got a few scratches.”

Robbie threw his hands in the air, exasperated. “You’re really gonna pull me out of a birthday just so I can go apologize to a spoiled kid for breaking in and ruining my Guardian?”

“If it lets me keep my job, then yeah.”

Robbie mumbled something about not getting a slice of the apple cake pie.

Suddenly, Adello got up and pushed her chair in, smoothing out the belt around her tunic as she walked towards them.

“Ah yes, well, thank you my dear assistant for the assessment but I’m capable of taking it from here.”

The guard raised a bushy, black eyebrow. “Sorry, wha—”

“You said you only wanted Dr. Robbie? Well great job, you found them. Now let’s get going, I need to finish up a new design anyway.”

“You’re...Robbie? You’re a... clearly not—”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I should have had my mother consult you for your opinion before I was given my name.”

This time, the guard didn’t smile along with her quip. “This is not the time for—”

She held up a finger to silence him, and glared at the three guards with her iron eyes.

“Look, I’m not a nobody. I’m more than capable of fixing up the guardian and any other disasters you might have left lying around the castle grounds. If I’m feeling generous, maybe I’ll even lick the kid’s boots, it’s not my first time dealing with this, alrighty?”

The knights looked at each other, quizzically. The researcher crossed her arms.

“You’re still following your precious orders, aren't you? How would you know what Dr. Robbie looks like? You can’t be faulted for not knowing someone you never met. So, you’ll just have to take my word for it.”

The blonde man behind the gruff, black caped guard, whispered something to his female coworker. Her gaze switched between the girl and the man. Still seeing the uncertainty in their eyes, Adello leaned closer to the knight and lowered her voice. “Come on, have a little heart, it’s his birthday.”

A beat of silence sat, only filled by the mild mumbling and chatter of the tavern. Finally, the guard let out a sigh.

“Alrighty Dr. Kimura. I’ll help escort you to the site.”

Robbie started to protest, but Adello quickly silenced him with a wink. The guard turned towards the rest of the room, yelling, “The rest of you, the sun is gonna rise in a few hours so save your rioting for then! Am I clear?”

The patrons just responded with stupid groans and half-hearted agreements. They started walking towards the door. The female guard started to put a hand on Adello’s shoulder, but she brushed it off, saying something along the lines of “I can walk on my own two feet, thank you very much.”

Purah turned in her seat. “I’ll save a slice of cake pie for you!” Adello turned her head and responded with a two fingered salute, before disappearing out the door with the guards.

The tension in the tavern was almost immediately cleared, the moment the knights left. Most of the people went back to their normal conversational volume, and the waiters began to patter about with more confidence. However, Zimiri slumped in his seat, letting out a sigh.

“Why does she always do things like that?”

Robbie fiddled with the edge of his cup, tracing his finger around the rim. “Well, you know her. Undermining authority? Check. Insults and quips? Check.”

Robbie continued to list off more traits, but it faded out of Zimiri’s ear. Always jumping onto other’s burdens. Ah, that idiot. I bet she hasn’t slept for the last two days.

Purah suddenly piped up, taking out her pen and rapping it against the table. “Alright you two, let’s not let the sacrifice be in vain. Pool your rupees, we’re getting Robbie the fancy cake pie.”

The clatter of a few red and blue rupees echoed on the wooden table, although Zimiri knocked Robbie’s share aside, saying how the birthday tyrant shouldn’t have to pitch in. Purah turned in her chair and started to wave her hand, in order to get the attention of a waiter. The bard watched as a woman with a tray started to walk over to the table. Then, he turned to Robbie.

“So what should we do while we wait?” Zimiri asked. Robbie stroked his chin, looking around the room.

“I think...the people could still use some music.”

Looking out at the crowd, Zimiri noticed how the guards' interference had really dampened the atmosphere. The warm and lively laughter that was present just a few moments earlier was now replaced with more monotone chatter.

He nodded his head in agreement, putting on a charming smile. The place needed a new pick-me-up, did it?

Well, what else is a bard for?

Stepping back onto the stage, he strummed an open chord, double checking the tuning. The whooping and clapping started to return, much to his delight. Plucking a familiar melody, the warm feeling in his stomach returned as he watched the new smiles that started to fill the room. However, before he began to sing, Zimiri first focused on craning his neck to look out a window, trying to catch a glimpse of a certain girl in the night.

It seemed the moon and sun were balanced on the edge of the world. The night had started to submerge behind the walls of West Castle Town, with only the brightest stars still perched upon the ink of the navy blue sky. The silver lining of greying clouds just barely glowed from the faint light of the day, still trying to break out of the eastern waters.

Adello’s footsteps echoed through the cobblestone streets, but she could barely hear it against the shifting of metal plates from the guards in front of her.

The gruff man looked back, scratching his peach fuzzed chin as he spoke. “Listen, if you finish your work quick I might be able to escort you back here.”

Adello shook her head. She turned to retrieve a journal from the pouch on her belt, opening its pages as an excuse to avoid his gaze. “No, it’s fine. I still have some more work I should be finishing up at home anyhow.”

“You...live at the castle?”

“Mmm.”

The guard took her blunt response as a sign to not continue with the niceties, much to Adello��s relief. Looking up, she gazed at the looming castle. Its towers were like mountain peaks, sitting above the blurred silhouettes of the buildings of Castle Town.

Taking out a bit of charcoal, she started to sketch its outline on a fresh page in her journal. While she only had one color, she tried to capture the shadows and lighting that cascaded on one side of the castle to the other.

The female guard slowed her step, starting to walk alongside the researcher.

“Already working?”

Adello didn’t look up from her journal. “Uh… you could say that.”

She laughed. “Well you best hope you know what you’re doing. This kid’s father has been yelling at Her Highness all night. Supposedly because she’s helping to lead Sheikah research, so everyone associated with guardians is at fault.”

Adello finished up the tower of Princess Zelda’s study in her sketch. She smiled to herself at the finished work. It was one of her better pieces. Putting the journal away, she turned back to the guard and scoffed. “Is that so?”

The guard hummed a yes, her blonde braid swaying to each side as she walked. “Apparently, the kid is the son of some visiting nobleman from the East Post. It’d be in your best interest to apologize profusely if you still wanna walk around alive.”

Adello shook her head. She didn’t know it then, but looking back, many moons from now, she would laugh at the irony of her response.

“I’d rather die.”

#botw #breath of the wild #legend of zelda botw #loz botw #botw fanfiction #where time takes us #botw oc #adello #zimiri

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minsyal · 5 years

Text

[Mutual Feelings Pt. 13, Revali x Reader]

Author’s Note: I ain’t sorry.

Summary: Who knows? We can only go up from here, right?

“No.” You called out to whoever was knocking. The knocking persisted despite you barricading the door with stacks of books and unused chairs that had been left in the hall days prior. Ink dribbled across your desk, large blobs of black liquid obscured your old workpapers that were now crumbled and torn. They didn’t matter anymore.

The old book given to you laid open on the board in front of you. Its pages were tattered and picked at, ripping slightly at every seam and corner. It had to be in here somewhere. Keumi had passed a few weeks ago and you hadn’t bothered to return to the Village as facing Seoi was something you had no desire to do. The least you could do for her was stay away. Afterall, that is what she wanted.

“Open up!” It was a male’s voice, Revali. He had been visiting often after the incident. The majority of the time, he was already on the grounds for Champion-related events and had found your room at the direction of a few gossiping maids. The talk had taken an upward spike in the castle after your return. Very few would stop you, but those that would always asked about your relations to Revali. It wasn’t any of their business. Plus, nothing was official. Nothing was going on.

“No.” You repeated with the same monotone sound.

“Then I’ll break the door down.” The door began shaking, almost comically. The hinges creaked and squeaked as the handle juggled this way and that as the assailant attempted to grant himself entrance. The nob turned and stopped, then turned the other direction. “Excuse me?” He must be speaking to someone outside. His voice became muffled as you assumed he walked away, possibly giving up. You should have known him better than that by now.

You traced the map in front of you, a small line linking your route in the desert to the other locations of materials you gathered for the elixir. Everything had been done exactly to the “t” as per the book’s instructions. How could it have gone so horribly wrong? You had been trying to contact this supposed “medicine man,” but each and every Zora you spoke to couldn’t identify where he resided nor where he was currently. The bowl the elixir had been made in was encased in glass in the corner of your room. The cage you used in the desert was next to it. Maybe you had miscalculated something there? Perhaps the material used to encase the flower was incorrect… or maybe there wasn’t enough water flow.

Shaking your leg at a swift pace, you studied the excess materials. The minerals were all fine, they were typical ones used in medicine. The greenery was fresh when used, now dried and pinned to the wall. You groaned, squeezing your eyes shut to ward off the third headache of the day. It wasn’t even lunch yet, just past breakfast in fact.

“I hope you don’t me letting myself in.” Revali stepped through your window, a gust of wind swirling the loose papers around the room.

“Revali!” You rose to your feet, jumping to grasp every paper. He paid no mind, trotting over to the unmade bed where he sat down and crossed one leg over the other. His eyes scanned the room, he had never been in here before. Your desk was a mess, stacked high with new books and papers while older ones were stacked in front of the door. The bed he was sat on was inlaid into the wall, a few trinkets were posted and sat on shelves. He noticed the drawing of him you had done around the time the two of you first met, the extensive studies on the Divine Beasts, and the group photo you had been left out of at the time.

“Good to see you too.” He chuckled, making himself comfortable. “When did you last sleep?”

Too homed in on your work, you brushed him off.

“When did you last eat?” Persisting, he kicked one leg over the other and continued ruffling up your blankets. “When are you going to answer your lover?”

Eyes wide, you shot him a confused look only to get a proud one in return. He gave you a tight-lipped grin, closing his eyes. “We aren’t together.”

“The castle gossip travels fast. According to everyone out there, we are.”

“Well, we aren’t.” You turned back around and focused on a small passage hand-written in the book.

“Whatever you say, but that’s not my opinion on it.” He hummed. “Clear this out from your door while I’m away. I’ll be back.” He motioned to the junk near the door. Kicking some stuff from his path, he pried the door open and left.

While there is currently no evidence of the ability for revival from death, it has been recorded in legend regarding the Goddess Hylia and the Hero. Given this knowledge, there is chance that this phenomena is existent in Hyrule. Mouthing the words as you read, you groaned. There was nothing telling you what to do. You had been attempting to find a way to bring her back since you got back to the castle after her death. Nothing was turning up.

The attacks on travelers and villages rose as the Calamity’s power grew. Red ash would rise from the ground some nights, the clouds would rush as if in a hurricane, and low growls could be heard echoing from the castle’s depths. The moon would turn blood red on nights like these. Nobody would go out.

Another ceremony was scheduled for tonight, but you had no intent of attending. The King had never required you be present for any of them, only present when he needed updated information on how the scientist’s research was coming. You hadn’t heard from Purah or Robbie in a few weeks. It was hard to when they didn’t live on castle grounds.

The book turned up no trails to follow, no leads to take. Tossing it aside, you scrapped everything on your desk relating to Keumi. It was over. She wasn’t coming back. Throwing your window open, you let the cool air flow in and swirl around the cramped room. Laughter resonated from the upper levels; the stomping of feet signaled they had just begun their celebrations. The rich aromas of mouth-watering dishes were swept through the air, a sweet smell blanketing the area.

With a renewed sense of direction, you grabbed everything you had relating to your updates on the Divine Beasts. Opening the book you kept on Medoh, you began writing. In the margin, you wrote: Resurrection = possibility?

Revali wandered the halls as he attempted to recall his way to your room through the maze of sprawling entryways. He passed kitchen staff carrying platters of steaming-hot foods. Snatching a plate from one of them, he continued on his way. Finally arriving at his destination, he tried the door. To his surprise, it gave way with ease.

“Still buried in work, I see.” He looked more put together than he typically did. A new garb was wrapped around his figure, dawning the blue color of royalty and the crest. His old one was hidden beneath it. It was far gaudier than his original. Gold speckled the trim, thin silver chains were attached to shoulder pieces, and his braids were done differently.

“Here.” The plate clacked against the wood of your desk. “Now, I need to get this off. It’s rather…” he racked his head for the words he wanted, “not me.”

Metal clinks rained down upon the room as his shoulder pieces and the new garb landed in a pile along with your discarded work. A plate clanked against your desk, its smell alluring. Tearing your focus from your papers, you eyed the plate. It was steaming. A perfectly grilled pork steak sat on wild greens with a side of rice from Hateno. The smaller plate held a slice of decadently rich chocolate cake that looked to have been prepared just minutes ago. Caramelized sugar dripped over the sides, gliding down to the chocolate shell below.

“Would you mind undoing these?” His braids whipped around in your face as he turned his back to you. “I would, but I don’t want to.” He continued speaking as you moved to detangle the intricate designs. “You know, the ceremony was as dull as ever. I had searched the crowd for you, but I suppose expecting you to breach these walls was rather idiotic of me.” He tossed his head to the side, eyeing you. “Have you had enough tea lately? Have your teeth gone yellow yet?” When you didn’t respond, he continued on. “I do really think you need to rest more. Your lack of sleep is troublesome.”

“I’m fine.” You finished the last braid, leaving the ribbon strewn into it on the floor.

“You’re not. You need sleep…” he pondered for a moment, taking a deep breath before stating, “Keumi would want that.”

The beating of your heart thrummed in your chest loudly. Your breathing stopped, catching in your throat, suffocating you. A cold sweat broke out upon your brow and at the nape of your neck. Your determination turned to anger as you pushed yourself up to your desk, turning your back on Revali. “Don’t talk about her.”

“It’s what she would have wanted, and you know that.” He approached the back of your chair, the heat radiating from his body only adding to how uncomfortable you had become. Your leg bounced up and down as you attempted to work out the tension that grew within you. It felt as if vines were climbing up your spine.

“Revali, stop.”

“No.” A firm grip held your shoulder as he attempted to tug you around to face him. “Face me and listen. She didn’t die so you could sulk around here all day.”

You had enough. Pushing up from your chair, you disregarded it as it went tumbling to the floor. “Shut up!” More than anything you wanted to slap him. You wanted him to go away and never come back. Why was he here anyway? What did he really care?

“You need to listen to me. Quit acting like a child. That will get you nowhere.”

“She wouldn’t have died if I hadn’t tried something so risky!” You jerked your shoulder away from his grasp and immediately began gathering a few notebooks in your arms.

“You did what you had to!” He said firmly, stepping to block your exit.

“I did something stupid and I ruined a family.” You choked back the tears that were brimming your eyes. “They’ll never get that back, Revali. It’s all my fault.” You had grown considerably quiet, almost whispering.

“It’s not.” His tone had weakened a bit, his stance was softer. “Come here.”

Crashing into his arms was more comforting than you had expected. He rubbed circles into your back as he walked the two of you over to the bed. “We’re going to fix this.”

“How?” Your words were muffled by his thick coat.

___________________________________________________________

“Excuse me?” An unfamiliar voice called as the door creaked open. Revali’s head rose from his spot on the bed.

“Yes?” He called back, keeping his tone hushed. A gentle wing covered your head, stroking your hair down. The motion coaxed soft snores from you and put a loving smile on his face.

“The King requests your presence in the dining hall, sir.”

“Give the King my deepest apologies, but I have to decline.” A moment passed as the guard pondered what to do. He was taken aback by Revali’s answer, expecting him to join him in an instant.

“Of course.”

The door closed as a hushed silence fell upon the room once more. It had grown dark in the castle, the only light in your room came from the candles that threatened to extinguish themselves in the melted wax below. The papers remained scattered across the floor along with the chair that was still overturned. The meal he had brought had grown cold, hardening with each passing hour. But none of that mattered.

What mattered was what lay softly upon his chest, breathing deeply as exhaustion finally gave in. What mattered was the little moments that prospered from your twisted and tangled history. What mattered was the way Revali’s chest swelled when he thought of you and how his heart grew as he finally admit something to himself. It was true.

#revali x reader #revali imagine #botw #revali botw #botw fanfic #loz botw #mutual feelings

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jinmukangwrites · 5 years

Text

Somebody Different (3/???)

Beginning, Previous, Next (To Be Released)

Summary: Decisions must be made, a life hangs in the balance, Time and Twilight scramble to keep broken pieces together.

Note: Sort of a filler chapter but very important nonetheless. Angst of most kinds can be found here. Tread carefully. And by that I mean enjoy.

-o-o-o-o-

Epona huffs through her nostrils, her body pumps beneath his legs as he lets go of her reigns and aims an arrow made of light at the stomach of the terrible beast snarling above him, trying to find and probably smash him into the ground as a new dish called "the Hero's pancake". He takes a steadying breath and lets the arrow fly, and it's thanks to months of practice that he hits his target dead center.

Calamity Ganon screams and rears its head up, snarling, almost desperately trying to shift so it can get a better look at the one who will defeat it.

Link thanks whatever gods there are—he's still learning—for Epona. The beautiful horse knows how to hold her own in battle, and he hardly even had to steer her towards safety, she did it herself. He rubs her neck and she whinnies. This could be it, he thinks. He could fail here, and he could die here. It's all been leading up to these moments, and it could all have been for nothing…

He shakes his head. No. He can do this. If he dies… Epona will die. Zelda will die. Purah, Impa, Paya, Beetle, everyone, all of Hyrule and the unknown lands to the north and west, all the uncharted seas to the South and east, all of it will be doomed.

He cannot fall here.

Though, true to the theme of his life, everything suddenly goes downhill. A leg of the beast above him moves suddenly and too quickly for him to avoid. Epona stumbles below him and he barely has time to wince at the pitiful noise she makes before he's thrown clear off from her back. He rolls for a long time, limbs flailing and skin rubbing raw to the point of blood each time he makes contact with the ground. His head spins and it takes him a moment to recognize that he's no longer rolling.

Groaning, he curls his hand around the grass and dirt below him and forces his head up, ignoring every pang of pain trying to coax him back down.

In front of him is the beast, smoke steaming from the corners of it's lips, the sky runs a blood red and darkness seems to be closing in. However, he doesn't need Zelda to call out to him that there's a last weakness, that not all is lost. Looking up at the head of Calamity Ganon, he can see light wanting to burst through in a giant, long crack. A single eye opens in that light, wildly looking around as if confused why it's there, why it's exposed.

He has to get to that. How? How does he get all the way up there?! Revali's Gale isn't strong enough to lift him that high, there has to be another way-

The beast in front of his roars and Link quickly rushes to his feet, pushing all pain to the back of his mind to deal with later. It's charging up, a deep purple beginning to glow at the back of its mouth. Before Link can do anything, the beam of malice he has managed to avoid up till this point is firing right at him.

And then he wakes with a start.

His chest is pounding and he's too hot and too cold at the same time. The other man, the one who calls himself "Legend" is still against the tree, resting somewhat fitfully if the wrinkles between his eyebrows are anything to go off from. Link sighs and leans back against his own tree, pulling his Hylian Cloak closer to him to ward away the chill of night. The campfire cracks, still strong, letting Link know he hasn't exactly been asleep long.

What happened… after Calamity Ganon fired at him? He can't remember anything past that, and it tears him apart. Did he defeat it like Legend has said? Did he fall? Was the whole battle actually fabricated? He used to think losing all of his memories was the worst thing that could happen to him, yet it seems the Resurrection Shrine has called his bluff and took half of his memories away.

Now he has three separate lives he must put together, one of a boy raised to be a knight, one of a memoryless knight training to be a hero, and one of a hero with seemingly no purpose anymore. Three versions of himself. If anyone is allowed to have an existential crisis, Link thinks he's probably the most entitled to one right about now.

Cricket's sing as he tries to calm his mind and heart. It's late, and he needs to sleep… but after a few minutes of trying he recognizes how impossible that is and instead reaches towards the Sheikah Slate connected to his hip. He turns it on and with practiced movements he flicks the screen towards the hundreds of photos he has stored onto the device. He started taking pictures of everything after he found out how important Zelda's pictures were to his memory. He's always been paranoid about forgetting everything again, so he thought that if there's a chance he forgets he'll be able to easily track down his memories.

If only it were that simple. It seems with each new beginning he has, the more difficult circumstances will make it for him.

He flicks his fingers through his very short second life until he comes upon the last photo he actually remembers taking. The beast. Calamity Ganon. He thought, at the time, that Zelda would be shaking her head in exasperation as he jumped of Epona to quickly snap a picture of the beast hell bent on destroying Hyrule. For the memories, you know?

It takes him a second to work up the courage to slide his finger across the screen to come across the next photo, and when he does his breath is taken away.

She's beautiful. He already knew this of course, but he's only ever seen her in blurry memories with half the information stuffed inside them. Seeing her like this, smiling at him with the endless expanse of world behind her… it fills him with so much joy... and so much sadness that he doesn't remember taking it, doesn't remember seeing her in person.

The next photo is a picture of them posing together in front of a silent princess. The next one is of her chasing a frog, and the next is her arm nearly being pulled out from her socket as she shakes Sidon's hand.

There's plenty of pictures like this, documenting a life after success, until the first strange photo pops up. It's simple yet so out of place. It's a picture of a bowl of soup that he figured out and perfected the recipe of just a few months into his journey. There's a child holding the bowl in his hands, bits of carrots and creamy soup dripping from the corners of his mouth as he smiles widely, as if it's been a very long time since he's had a good meal.

He studies this picture for a moment, trying to find familiarity with the person he's seeing, until he gives up with a huff and flicks to the next confusing image. This one strikes something in him… it's of a man, probably just a few years older than Link himself, tattooed on the face and clad in a wolf pelt. Link's posed in this one, his arm slung around the man's shoulder, making him lean down awkwardly as he's forced to bend unnaturally towards Link's shorter height. Link's smiling widely, and the man is frowning in surprise as if the photo was of complete surprise, like Link decided at the spur of the moment that he should have a picture with this man and took it before the other could complain.

The reason this photo stands out to him is because it tugs something in his gut, something that screams he should recognize this but for the life of him he can't place it. It reminds him of the time he came out of the resurrection chamber… the first time he came out of it. Alone, not a single memory to his name, hell, he didn't even have a name, at least not one he was sure about. It reminds him of when he first laid his hands on the Sheikah Slate, when that strange feeling of familiarity washed over him yet he had no recollection of actually seeing it before.

It's exactly like that, now that he thinks about it. The Sheikah Slate was the first thing he interacted with, this man was the one who pulled him out the second time.

More pictures, more faces, some striking more feelings than others but each as mind boggling as the one before. A small one with strange colored clothes and a bright smile that hides many secrets. A soft, middle sized one with a kind gaze and welcoming arms. A taller one who reminds Link just a bit of Revali, but his smile isn't as arrogant, it's the grin of a great leader. One that looks to be the eldest, a single eye hiding so much pain and wisdom but his expression is genuine and open. Another who looks like he laughs more than anything else, who looks like he's seen many mountains and many monsters, whose friendly stance and welcoming expressions screams that he's never let a single bad moment take away his hope.

Then there's Legend, he's only in a few pictures, he's probably mastered the art of avoiding the camera, but in the photos he's in there's always this glint of… happiness he's trying to hide behind layers and layers of unreadable expressions. He's happy, but he's trying to not let anyone know about it.

Well, that's what it looks like at least. Link likes to think he's good at reading people; when it comes to the Yiga clan, he really has to be.

He studies a few more pictures, flips back to look at them again, and all the while a brick begins to settle deeper and deeper into his stomach.

He shot a bomb at these people.

Sure, he had just woken up, the last thing in his mind was a powerful monster about to kill him, but he doesn't intentionally ever hurt people, even the Yiga. The only human whose death he's responsible for is Master Kohga, and he will make sure he goes the rest of his life without the death of another human on his conscious.

The more time that passes from the moment he woke up again, the more he regrets freaking out and using a drastic measure like taking a hostage. Maybe he should have stayed and talked with them... he hopes they're all okay… however, he also has to keep reminding himself that there's no way that he can know for sure that Legend's story is true… the one he was told piece by piece through the day, the story that each of these other faces are past incarnations of himself and that they're working together to fight an unseen threat larger than what any of them has ever faced before.

The pictures cannot be taken at face value. He already knows the Yiga can adopt the look of any person, so it's possible that each of these photos, even the ones with Zelda, are doctored.

He exits the gallery before the brick in his gut can grow any larger. Instead, he turns to where the map of Hyrule should be. Instead, it's all static. Nothing, not even any border lines that suggest there's a tower or some sort of way to get information of the land he's lost in.

He sighs and sets aside the slate, finding it useless for everything except making him anxious. He sets his eyes on Legend and stares for a second.

He has a decision to make, leave this mysterious man behind and make his escape to figure out where he is, or slow himself down, take Legend with him, and have a source of information. Questionable information but information nonetheless.

He'll decide in the morning…

-o-o-o-o-

"Will he be okay?" Wind asks and Time looks up from where he's nursing his bruised back. Twilight meets his eyes as he's wrapping Four's's head, both avoiding the youngest's questioning glance.

Time, instead turns to rest his gaze on Warrior, the only one in their group who's still unconscious, laying out on the forest floor with Twilight's pelt used as a pillow. Hyrule sits against a tree nearby with his legs pulled against his chest and his forehead resting against his knees, not bothering to look or talk to anyone.

At this point, Wind could be talking about either one of them.

What does Time say? Yes! Warrior will be completely fine, what's a few broken bones and a major concussion? He'll one hundred percent be okay even though they already used up all the red potions they had to cure the worst of everyone's injuries. Yes, they'll all be okay even though all of their travel bags were lost in the world switch. Everything is completely, without a doubt, a-okay even through Wild's gone hostile and took one of their own hostage.

Thankfully, he doesn't have to answer. Sky does for him.

"He's Warrior, he's never down long," Sky replies, brushing dust and dirt off from his Sailcloth. He sounds confident, even looks somehow confident despite how he's covered in dust and bandages, but Time catches the unnerved glance Sky sends towards the unconscious member of their team.

Twilight pats Four's shoulder and stands up from his position, his eyes darting around the forest they all now find themselves in. "We need to find our stuff," he says, "It shouldn't be far. They'll be more supplies for Warrior there."

Time nods, and regrets it instantly when his head pounds with the motion. He winces and brings his hand to his temple and rubs. "You can't go alone," he grinds out. Twilight gives him an unimpressed glare and before he can argue with Time about him being the one to go with him, he glances over to where Hyrule is still moping.

Understanding flashes in Twilight's eyes. Hyrule, after helping Twilight wake everyone up and drag the group to the surface, has fallen into some sort of depression and has been silent and still for way too long. A Hyrule that isn't bursting with life, kindness, and exaggerated movements hardly isn't Hyrule at all.

Time smiles in satisfaction when Twilight nods and walks over to where Hyrule sits, he taps Hyrule on the shoulder. "C'mon, you up for joining me?"

Hyrule stays silent, not acknowledging Twilight in the slightest. Sky moves forward and opens his mouth, as if he's about to offer to go in Hyrule's place, but one look from Time he seems to understand what Time and Twilight are trying to do.

When a few seconds pass and a reaction from Hyrule is still lacking, Twilight clicks his tongue and gently places his hand around Hyrule's bicep. Hyrule let's out a growl of frustration as Twilight slowly drags him to his feet. Hyrule lifts his face, cheeks red, and steadies his stance as Twilight wraps his arm around his shoulders and starts to guide him away.

"You can mope later," Twilight says, smiling, though his eyes betray worry, "for now, help me search the forest."

Hyrule simply nods and Time has to look away because he can't stand how expressionless the boy looks. Something is eating at Hyrule, and if it's left alone it will begin to eat at the rest of the group, and with Warrior as wounded as he is, with Wild gone rogue, with Legend MIA, bad moral is the last thing they need.

Instead of watching them go, Time leaves Hyrule in Twilight's capable hands so he can take care of the rest of their broken family.

"Whose hungry?"

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tfloosh · 6 years

Text

Discovery

Week 4 is here!!! I’m starting the week off with some post-game BotW Zelink. Enjoy!!!

Zelda was exceptionally giddy when she woke that morning. Today was the day Link promised to take her exploring across Hyrule. Sure it was disguised as a trip to reestablish diplomatic relations with the four faces across Hyrule, but Zelda knew Link saw it for what she really wanted: a chance to rediscover Hyrule. So much had changed over the past one hundred years. Even little Hateno Village had grown from a few sparse rice patties and homes to a thriving town. She had enjoyed staying at Link’s house there and talking with Purah about the changes in technology while she had been fighting Ganon, but she needed to get out and see what was left of her country.

“The Princess can only thrive in the wild,” Link had said teasingly the night before.

Link had their horses saddled and ready for their journey just as the sun was breaking into the sky. They had enough food for the first leg of their journey, which would take them to the Zora’s Domain.

“Are your old friends still there?” Zelda asked once they set out on the path to the Dueling Peaks. “The ones you would play with when you were younger. What did you call yourselves? Bazz’s Bad Bunch?”

“The Big Bad Bazz Brigade,” Link corrected, his cheeks turning slightly pink. “And yes, they are all guards for the Domain now. One of them, Rivan, even has a daughter.”

“That’s so strange to think about,” Zelda mused. “So much of Hyrule seems untouched through those hundred years, but then you meet the people. The grandparents who were children during the Great Calamity, the people who grew up with the legend of Hyrule at its height.”

“The Rito assumed I was a descendent of the Hylian Champion,” Link explained. “I didn’t know how to correct them. How do you say you’re not a descendent of yourself?”

Zelda laughed.

***

“I want to show you something,” Link grinned as they repacked their horses. They had stopped for a quick lunch in Kakariko Village and were about to head out again, but apparently Link had other plans.

He grabbed her hand and led her back toward the east gate. Zelda wanted to ask where they were going, but the grin still on Link’s face told her he wouldn’t say. They raced up the side of the mountain and past the shrine that was there. Link picked a beautiful blue flower and handed it to her.

“Nightshade,” he said. “It will help reduce noise from movement if cooked properly, and it glows in the dark.”

“Link, did you study the properties of herbs and plants while you adventured across Hyrule?” Zelda’s eyes lit up.

“Inadvertently,” he grinned. “But that’s not what I really wanted to show you.”

He led her further into the forested area until they caught sight of what appeared to be a giant flower.

“It’s a Great Fairy’s spring,” Link explained. “I thought you would want to see it.”

“Why didn’t you show it to me any of the other times we were here?” Zelda gasped as she walked forward to inspect the spring further.

“Because we were busy then,” he shrugged. “And this trip is all about discovering new things.”

Zelda rolled her eyes and gave Link a small shove. They spent the next twenty minutes looking at all the different plants around the spring. Zelda smiled at seeing a small cluster of Silent Princesses, and Link informed her of the augmentation properties of all the samples she had collected.

“I’ll have to start a research journal for this trip,” Zelda said as they rode down the slope to the ruins of Goponga Village.

“We can get a book in the Domain,” Link said.

***

“I will forever be amazed by the beauty of the Zora’s Domain,” Zelda sighed as they stood before the statue of Mipha. “It is fitting that the greatest craftsmen in all of Hyrule would memorialize her in stone. I pray the ending of Calamity Ganon has given the Zora here even more closure over the loss of their Princess.”

“It truly has, Your Highness,” Prince Sidon smiled down at them. “The elders have even welcomed Ruta shutting down. I would even go so far as to say Father doesn’t mind it either.”

“Oh, I don’t mind Vah Ruta shutting down,” Zelda said. “I would just like to know why. Even after all these years, we still know so little about how the Divine Beasts work. I’m afraid those who would know best are our lost Champions.”

“But that can wait ‘til tomorrow,” Link said.

Zelda whipped her head around, “What?”

“We’re going exploring tonight,” Link smiled. “Sidon agreed to show us the Veiled Falls.”

“I remember that waterfall,” Zelda grinned as the two led the way to their destination. “I believe that’s where I first met you, Sidon, though you might have been too young to remember. Mipha was teaching you how to swim up waterfalls.”

“I do remember her teaching me,” Sidon frowned. “But I did not know you were present.”

“Yes, Mipha agreed to pilot Ruta then,” Zelda saw Sidon’s frown deepen, so she changed the subject. “You were so small then, I almost didn’t believe Link when he introduced you.”

Sidon laughed, “At least swimming up waterfalls is easier now.”

***

“These fireproof elixirs are disgusting,” Zelda made a face as she took another swallow.

“You seemed to enjoy making them well enough,” Link smirked.

“Because that was science,” she complained. “I wish your flamebreaker armor fit me.”

“You still feel the heat in that,” he pointed out. “So trust me when I say drinking the elixir is much better, despite the taste.”

“It’s been so long since I’ve been to Goron City,” Zelda skipped along the path to examine a smotherwing butterfly. “Has it changed any?”

“There’s a new rock sculpture of Daruk,” Link answered quietly so he wouldn’t scare off the butterfly. “At least I think it’s new. You’ll remember better than me.”

“Is your memory really still that spotty?” she turned away from the butterfly to examine him more closely.

“I remember memories of us best,” he blushed. “But details from them are hard to make out sometimes. And it’s hard to piece together memories from when I was younger.”

“Do you remember your family at all?” Zelda’s brow furrowed.

“I know more about them from what other people have told me,” Link started walking again to have something to do. “My memories are best triggered by locations or sensations, and we lived in Castletown.”

“Which is in unrecognizable ruins,” she nodded understandingly. “Then we will have to rebuild.”

“What?” Link froze where he stood.

“You deserve to remember your family and other childhood memories,” Zelda said without stopping. “I remember mine far too clearly, and I don’t want to be the only one that suffers with embarrassing childhood memories.”

“Hey wait a second,” Link jogged to catch up with the now laughing Zelda.

***

“So how much of our time together do you remember?” Zelda asked as they cut across Hyrule Field toward the Gerudo Desert.

“More than you think,” Link said, a small smiled crossing his face. “Those pictures you left on the Sheikah Slate really helped, and I could fill in most of the rest on my own.”

“And the, uh, feelings that came with those memories?” she blushed, letting her hair fall in front of her face so Link wouldn’t see.

“Those are a little disconnected,” he admitted. “I didn’t find the places in your pictures in order, so I got a little mixed up with the feelings I had while experiencing the events and the feelings I felt remembering the events. I felt anger toward you when you went to that shrine in Tabantha without me, but when I remembered it, I had already remembered your struggles and anxieties, so I knew why you were taking your anger out on me. So I remembered I felt anger, but now I also remember compassion and wanting to help you, and I really want to slap the old king sometimes, Hylia bless his soul.”

Zelda couldn’t help but laugh, “I understand. I’m surprised you can keep it all straight.”

“I tend to focus on my feelings from the second go round, which makes things somewhat easier,” he shrugged. “And probably better for you anyway.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” she cried indigently, but Link was already sprinting away on his horse, laughter flying with the wind.

***

Link found Zelda sitting on the edge of the platform next to the Akh Va’quot Shrine. She was talking with Kass. Link could imagine Kass telling her all about his teacher, the Sheikah poet who worked in the old Royal Court. Zelda was aware of the bard’s feelings for her; the Sheikah’s songs were not subtle, but she never had the heart to spurn his feelings. Link thought the whole thing was quite ridiculous, but he had enjoyed Kass’ stories of his teacher after the Great Calamity struck nonetheless.

“Ah, hello Link,” Kass said cheerily when Link finally joined them on the ledge. “Here to enjoy the beautiful night as well?”

“There is no better place to see the stars,” Link smiled and let his legs dangle next to Zelda’s off the ledge.

“Kass, would you mind if I talked with Link alone?” she asked in that sweet way no one could ever say no to.

They sat for a time in silence after Kass left, and Link was never one to start a conversation, so he waited for Zelda.

“I’ve been debating whether or not to talk to you about this,” she started. “But after talking with Kass, it would seem that you already know.”

She looked at him, her green eyes shining in the blue light from the shrine.

“Link, I have romantic feelings for you, and I didn’t want to make you feel pressured to return them, which is why I held them in since we were reunited,” she smiled. “But I have loved you for one hundred years.”

Link smiled back and moved his hand so it rested on hers, “I don’t remember much of the past, but I do know I loved you until my dying breath, and I remembered I loved you before I remembered your name. I would be happy to always walk by your side, if you would have me.”

“Only if you consent to walk beside me,” Zelda laughed. “No more of that three paces behind business. I could always feel you staring at me.”

“It was a part of the job,” he laughed back. He squeezed her hand. “I’ll always protect you.”

“I know,” she said before leaning in to kiss his cheek.

Link reached over to cup her cheek in his hand and gave her a proper kiss.

“I’ve been waiting one hundred years to do that,” he smiled.

“Well you don’t have to stop now,” she grumbled.

Link pulled her closer, “Yes, Princess.”

#zelink #zelink month #zelink month 2018 #botw zelink #botw #loz #flooshfics

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seynabri · 6 years

Text

Tokyo in Tulsa 2018

It is time for the story of Tokyo in Tulsa 2018. It all starts on a Wednesday....

Wednesday

The Wednesday was where all the craziness started. Being newly married and living in a house I was the one whose place was best suited for everyone staying over before leaving the next day. So that meant my brother, Kelsey, and Dani sleeping at my place. But wait! There's more! Skyler and Erin decided the drive from Minnesota to Tulsa was not something they wanted to do again. So they drove down to Omaha on Wednesday as well. To also stay with me! Full house!

So fun story about the korok costumes. While I went to church that night Dani and Kelsey went outside and spray painted the three of them and left them laying on the lawn. When you drive into our neighborhood toward our house there’s a part of the street where you can see our backyard. I look over. What are those colorful things on our lawn??? Those skiiiiins???

Well Dani came over first and we spent the day working on cosplay. Since you know... we're so great at getting things done on time. Kelsey came over a little later and... worked on cosplay. Then I had to leave for a bit. But then I came back and Brock arrived and we ate dinner and... worked on cosplay. Until eventually Dani and were like. Okay. We HAVE to get the skit audio recorded. Because it's not just cosplay that we do last minute.

Enter. The Husband. Remember the mention of newly married? Said husband has a little mini studio. Recording equipment. Instruments. Recording software. Clearly I married him so our skit audio could be better than previous years. (Like the time we used the mic on a pair of iphone earbuds in the hotel room closet. Good times.) So he got that all set up. And we proceeded to take several hours to record a 3 minute skit...

It was just so scary! Dani and I, two can't get any whiter girls, trying to rap the Zelda/Hamilton parody we had written. But honestly. The rapping wasn't the worst. It was when we got to the singing. No one in our group could get past the auditions on American Idol. Let's just say that. But being the least worst I got stuck with the singing. Which was... super fun. I maybe cringe a bit every time I hear the audio. But that could just be one of those "you're your own worst critic" scenarios.

Eventually Skyler and Erin showed up and we all talked and worked on stuff and got stuff ready and passed out way later than we should've. But we were ready! To go to Tulsa. Not.. the cosplays. But they were ready to be brought down to get finished!

Thursday

So we got a later start than we usually do on Thursday. On purpose. We wanted sleep. And since Skyler and Erin came down and there were six of us we split between two cars. It was finally my year. Year nine of us going down and I was finally the one who had to drive. I mean. I did finally get a car last year. A Prius. With it's excellent gas milage. So naturally it was my turn. In my car we had myself... obviously, Kelsey, and Brock. So the other car was Skyler, Erin, and Dani.

Before leaving Omaha we hit up Walmart to get our groceries for the weekend. And then we were off! The usual, non eventful, drive down to Tulsa. Although Dani almost died so there was that. She was sitting in the back in the other car and Erin noticed the door open light was on. Dani's back there, leaning on the door, listening to music, no seatbelt, oblivious to the whistling from the door.... She survived though!

So we get to Tulsa, check into our hotel. Haul all our stuff up to the 3rd floor. And there was a lot of stuff. But the 3rd floor was great because it's only one floor above the floor that leads to the sky bridge that goes over to the convention center. So we basically got to avoid the elevators the whole weekend. Which if anyone here has been to a convention at a hotel with elevators you know how crazy those waits can get.

After getting a little settled Brock and I ran down to go pick up our badges. We were the only ones who happened to pre-register. Which ended up being not as convenient as it sounds because the line we ended up in because of our last names was the longest one. It took... a while. And then when the others got their badges the next morning they were back to fast. Jealous.

THIS MONSTROSITY

The rest of the night was working on cosplay. I still had my wig to finish but I pushed that one off until the next day and worked on some other miscellaneous things. Little things here and there with the other cosplays and painted the props for the skit with Erin. A few of our Tulsa friends also stopped by to say hello. Other than that it was a pretty chill night.

Friday

Friday morning, after waking up and treating ourselves to the free breakfast the hotel provided it was back to cosplay work! I actually worked on my wig this time and finally finished that monstrosity! When it was time to go down to the con I threw on my K-ON! uniform because it's comfy and I didn't know what else to bring for Friday. Dani was Tsukimi, Brock was Spider-Man, Kelsey was comfortable, and Skyler and Erin were casual Hawke and Fenris.

Aww yiss Fenris.

Friday was a lot of wandering and getting the lay of the land. We hit up the vendors room first and that might have been when I bought a couple of new phone charms. In the artist alley we found the cosplay contest sign up and went ahead and did that. Honestly I can't remember much of what we did on Friday at the convention center. I know there was a lot of finding each other, losing each other, and then window shopping. At one point, Kelsey, Brock and I spend a couple hours very slowly going through the artists alley making mental notes of what we liked.

The one picture I have of me from Friday.

After all that though we went back to the room to eat some food and continue our work on the costumes that needed to be ready for the next day. That's kinda how last minute we were. At some point we had to stop and go practice our skit. So it was down to our usual practice spot!

d’awwwww

I'd say this was the longest we spent practicing. We had a lot of blocking to do. We wanted to make sure we had movement and plenty of fun things to look at. Dani and I by the nature of our skit were mostly just standing to the sides for the whole thing so the two of us were the ones who stood back and did the blocking. I kind of felt like a crazy, demanding person telling people where to go and what to do. I'm sorry if I got a little bossy guys! But it was fun and I think it turned out very successful!

We were super mature about this way this looked...

Also I've heard that song we did so many times that I now sometimes mix the lyrics with the song it's actually based off of. Yikes. Afterwards we made sure we finished everything else that needed to be finished and then passed out so we could get up in time to go to pre-judging.

Saturday

So pre-judging! It was a mad dash getting ready in the morning. I had to get up particularly early because I hadn't had time to do a makeup practice. And my character had a mildly intricate design on the face. Which... mostly got covered up by the wig later. But it still looked cool, I promise! Our koroks got to get ready the quickest since they weren't going to be seen underneath the costume. On the flip side though because they were so covered they were dying from the heat the whole time they wore those things.

Paya is ready for her day!

Paya and Purah checking in!

Too much cute!

Selfie with the hero!

It was humid and boring while we waited. But we had our fun!

One of the few full body shots of me. All those layers killed any curves I have. I need to figure that out for next time. Paya most definitely has some definitive curves.

The Tator Jaegars!!!

So we go down to the convention center and... had to wait for a while before they opened it up. We get up to the room we'll be judged in and also where the contest will be and... more waiting. There was a shift in the cosplay staff this year and it definitely had some of those... transitioning feels. So not as smooth as we're used to but oh well. After a while the skits were called to go backstage and... guess what! More waiting! But eventually we did get to go on and perform and outside of a couple of timing issues it went pretty well!!

Practicing while we waited.

I love when we look nice and colorful!

Waiting backstage to perform.

Right afterwards we went back to the room. Our poor koroks were dying from the heat. We ate some food and our koroks changed to more comfortable clothes. And then... it's been a month since the con. I've been so busy that I've been writing this in little spurts. Stuff happened on Saturday! I know there was a lot of wandering around. I ordered a couple of commissions in the artist alley.

Caught!

Model alert!

Something about those eyes.....

Taking a quick break.

Hmm. What did we do. Mostly lots of walking around. We didn't go to a single panel. So we did a lot of shopping. Ate some Dippin' Dots at one point. Yum. Poor Dani wanted to go outside and take pictures but we kept getting distracted. And when we finally did make it outside we only got a couple of pictures in before. Dun dun DUUUUN. It started raining. And with the wigs Dani and I were wearing. Rain would have been disastrous. So we had to run inside. I'msorryDani.

The beautiful before the rain started pictures.

See! It exists!

So adorable!

Silly times in Hyrule....

Some pics from The photoshoot our Link and Purah did together!

Mmmmm.

I know we went to the hotel room then. I think we were hungry so we ate some food. And by then it was about time to be getting to the contest. After getting all ready we went down to the convention center and waited until we were let into the room. Unlike previous years the skits went backstage right away and got to hang out in this curtained off area. Which had a little bit of seating, which was nice. So we sat back there waiting to go on. Playing on our phones. Chatting. Peaking out at the walk on line every so often to see if it was getting close to the skits yet.

Speak no evil. Hear no evil. See no evil. :D

Guys! It’s picture time!

Yay!

Eventually it was time! As usual the time onstage was a bit of a blur. The thing I most distinctly remember was the clatter as Dani's chopsticks from her hair fell one by one and hit the stage. I don't think the audience heard it but I was definitely very confused for a minute there. Other than that though things went wonderfully! And after leaving stage we were pretty excited about getting through it and hearing the crowd cheer and laugh. After a bit we were escorted to the back of the room to watch the rest of the skits and the results.

They killed him. D:

No remorse.

Passionate pointing!

There he go.

git it gurl

YAAAAAH

Giving my to-do list to Link.

Link is not amused.

More pointing!

So we get to the results and as usual they announce the hall cosplay winners first and then get to the skits. This is where things got crazy! They announce third place and lo and behold it's the people who have won first place every year we've done this. We were shook. And let that little hope into our hearts. Although Dani and I kept looking at each other and saying not to get our hopes up. And then second place is announced. Not us. So we're like. Okay. There's no way. Right?? Right?!?!

BUT GUESS WHAT!!!!! WE GOT FIIIIIIIRST!!!! We were shooken as Dani says. We walk on upstage all smiles because OMGWEWON. And then we had to stand there for a while with our certificates but it was so awesome!!! Once they ended everything we had to go and get our prize (moniiies) and fill out forms for the best prize. Badges for next year!!! So that was pretty exciting!

So happy!!!

We went outside after to get some pictures of all of us. Finally got some outdoor pictures because it had stopped raining. Which was nice. After that we went up to the room to order our celebration pizza! Which we used the money we won to buy. And divided up the rest. Which... took me way longer than it should have. I'll admit that. Even with a calculator I was having a rough time. Mostly with how the bills were divided.

It’s research time!

Waiting for that hero to appear!

Creeeepyyyy.

FIRST PLAAAACE

Paya getting ready in the morning. :D

Some koroks are very close with each other..

Cuties. All of them.

fab

Super sneaky korok <_<

Oh boy. We all know what time it is! Climbing!

So now that’s it’s been announced officially online elsewhere. Kelsey is having a babyyyyyy!!!!!!!

Anyway. We ate pizza. We watched tv. Our friends visited. We had a good time! By the end of the night I was exhausted. Somehow everyone else still had energy enough to go to the rave but I just couldn't. I really am the great grandma of the group. My age is showing! So I passed out while they went and did that.

The best my hair has ever looked after being under a wig all day. Plus a good shot of that makeup because I’m proud of it!

Sunday

Sunday, Sunday. The last day. I'll admit I was alone for most of Sunday. After getting all packed and checked out I wanted to do the last of my shopping. And I kept getting separated from everyone else so I kinda just wandered alone. I mostly bought stuff in the artist alley. Although I did get some stuff for my husband's birthday in the vendors room. I picked up a commission. Had some long, fun talks with some artists. Bought myself some more Dippin Dots. Just generally had a good time wandering around.

The Tator Jaegers about to say goodbye to Tulsa for another year!

I did eventually meet up with Dani and Brock. And we sat around in the hallway exhausted and people watching. By the time we found everyone else we were also finding our Oklahoma friends. So there was some meeting and talking and we figured while we had everyone we may as well say our goodbyes and get going. So there were hugs and well wishes and we were off!

TULSA FRIIIIEEENDS!!!

Well. Off to find lunch. At Arby's! And then really on the road! For the most part it was uneventful. Until we drove through a storm. Which happened to also be when we had to take a detour. So that was interesting. Driving through small towns on an unknown road while it's storming. Apparently the other car saw a mini tornado! We didn't get anything quite as scary.

Otherwise we made it home okay and all was well. Another year of Tokyo in Tulsa. It had a slightly different vibe than previous years what with the staff changes. But otherwise it was a blast! Winning the skit contest was most definitely the highlight of the weekend! Thanks to everyone who made that possible. And just thanks to all my friends for being the best and making the con such a good time. I love you all and until next year!

youtube

Our short shenanigans video!

#tokyo in tulsa #cosplay #anime #convention

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pocketseizure · 7 years

Text

The Price of Wisdom, Chapter 2

An Alchemy of Kindness

Looking for answers, Zelda enters an old stable that has been converted into a makeshift Sheikah laboratory, where she sees a strange vision of the past.

Chapter 2/6 ☆ 2,000 words ☆ Also on AO3 ☆ Cover Illustration

* * * * *

If Zelda were going to start looking for Ganon, the logical place to begin was the Sheikah laboratory. It had been set up in the old stables next to the training yard under the eastern guard tower, and it was where the machines used to control the Guardians were stored. It was also relatively easy to access from the castle entrance, which meant that she would be able to leave the oozing darkness of the interior.

Zelda slowly made her way up the path to the yard, the loose gravel covering the paving stones crunching beneath the soles of her sandals. Bits and pieces of the castle had gradually been built onto the side of a hill from which a plentiful spring of clear water flowed, and over the centuries the complex had become quite large, much larger than anyone had any use for in her own time. Most of the politicians and courtiers preferred to live in the town that sprawled out beyond the castle walls, as did the soldiers.

Even in its inefficiency, the symbolism of the structure had never been lost on Zelda. The royal family benevolently presides over the people of Hyrule, the waters of life flowing from the seat of its power. Someone with a more pragmatic view might say that this symbolism was secondary to the castle's ability to withstand a siege, but who would attack it? The Hylian monarchy had been at peace with the tribes that occupied Hyrule for centuries, and travelers from beyond the formidable natural borders of its territory were few and far between.

Zelda had always wondered about the purpose of the royal guard, who seemed nothing more than a drain on the financial resources of her kingdom. She considered their existence to be a form of social welfare, a means of employing young people whose foolhardy ambitions and aggressive impulses would otherwise be directed into destructive channels. When monsters began creeping into the kingdom under the cover of night, however, the castle and its soldiers began to make sense. In the end, however, neither the strong walls of the castle nor the polished blades of its soldiers had been of any use. How could mere humans fight the Guardians, which had been designed to combat a legendary demon? How could a castle be defended against the insidious black mucous that seemed to bleed from its very stones?

Zelda's mind snapped back into focus as she approached the large wooden door of the Sheikah lab, which was standing wide open. The darkness on the other side of the threshold was illuminated by the blinking lights of the equipment, which were now magenta instead of cyan. Zelda regretted that she had not had time to learn more about the ancient technology. She knew the basics, such as how to operate the Sheikah Slate and how to direct the movements of the Guardians, but she did not understand the fundamental principles guiding them. What was inside the ceramic casing of these machines? What powered them? And why had the color of their tubing changed?

As Zelda stepped warily inside the converted barn, she remembered the first time she had come here. A young Sheikah woman named Purah had met her at the entrance and steered her through the hulking Guardians and the backlit screens surrounding them. Purah obviously had no experience dealing with royalty, but despite being a bit awkward she was eager to make a good impression. She spoke quickly, and Zelda understood some of the terms she used, such as "radial symmetry," while the meaning of others, such as "user interface," were lost on her.

When it seemed that Purah would keep talking indefinitely, Zelda complimented her on the pair of glasses she kept nervously adjusting. Purah had been so surprised that she fell silent, and the brief moment of quiet was so unexpected that both of them started laughing. After that, they became quick friends, swapping books and papers and sharing stories and information. Unfortunately, Zelda's time in the lab was limited by her daily prayer rituals, a practice that only grew more onerous as the stars aligned into the positions forewarned by the oracles.

How strange that Hyrule still relies on stargazers when we could have used this technology to aid us, Zelda thought, the glow of the machines lighting her way through the darkness. All of the Guardians once sheltered here had charged out of the cavernous space, and the earth floor was still littered with the remains of the violence of their passing. There were screws strewn about underfoot, and gears and wires and ceramic plating. Zelda was ashamed to admit that she didn't know what most of this equipment did, or even how it fit together. It had been enough of a challenge to figure out the Sheikah Slate, which only gradually revealed its secrets through hours of patient trial and error.

Zelda stopped in front of a large screen, which was made of the same glass-like material as that of the slate. The tubing that surrounded it pulsed with an angry magenta, and a thick crack split the center of its surface. Zelda paused and listened but could hear nothing – no metallic clanking, no hiss of steam, no voices, not even the skittering of rats in the walls.

It seemed there was nothing here. Zelda sighed and reached out to touch the screen, but the moment her fingertips alighted on the jagged edge of its fissure she was immediately struck by an overwhelming sense of vertigo.

She closed her eyes, and she felt the ground shift underneath her feet. Her breath caught in her throat, and she opened her eyes to find herself in a place that was the same yet completely different.

The first thing she saw was herself – or, at least, a girl a year or two younger than herself whose features exhibited an uncanny resemblance to her own. The girl's face bore an expression of deep concentration that Zelda recognized from her own reflection in the mirror that hung next to her desk in the castle tower. The girl was surrounded by three softly glowing screens whose casings were not caked with the grime of long disuse, but new and clean and beautiful. A smaller screen resembling a Sheikah Slate lay under the girl's hands, and she typed furiously while chains of random numbers and characters scrolled from screen to screen in front of her frowning face.

Zelda waited for the girl to acknowledge her, but she didn't seem to have noticed that someone was standing right at her side. Zelda cleared her throat, but this invoked no response. Perplexed, she opened her mouth and prepared to speak, still wondering what she was going to say even as she inhaled, but then a voice interrupted the tapping of the girl's fingers on the glass.

"Excuse me, miss? I'm looking for Kaepora."

The language was unfamiliar to her, but Zelda was somehow able to understand the words. She looked up in amazement and saw a young man who, judging from the color of his hair and eyes, appeared to be a Gerudo. She had never seen a Gerudo male before, but he could be nothing else, not with his thick sideburns and broad shoulders. Although still quite tall, he was much shorter than Urbosa and the other Gerudo women she knew, and he wore a collared Hylian tunic. He was around the same age as the girl, but the lines of his face were striking. Perhaps one day, when he was older, he might become handsome.

The girl looked up at him and furrowed her eyebrows, apparently not understanding why he had interrupted her. Her frown deepened, communicating her annoyance, but the boy pressed on.

"I'm new here. I was just hired as a junior programmer, and Kaepora is the supervisor I was told to report to. Can you tell me where I could find him?"

The girl's face softened, and then she smiled. "I have no idea," she said, turning away from her screens. "To be honest, I've never gone looking for him, but he always seems to find me, especially when I least want to see him. I'm sure he'll show up if you stick around long enough. You're welcome to sit here with me. Go ahead, pull up a chair. I'm sure there's one around here somewhere."

Along with the young man, Zelda glanced around the room. It had none of the clutter of the laboratory she was familiar with, and an incredible number of large screens were arranged neatly into workstations. Tubes of clear light ran along the high ceiling, casting an illumination so bright that it banished all shadows. Gone were the rough wooden slats of the barn, and the room's walls were smooth and almost blindingly white.

Instead of doing what he was asked, the young man approached the seated girl. Neither of them acknowledged her presence. Zelda, who had already witnessed more strange things in the past day than most people see in a lifetime, simply accepted that she was experiencing some sort of vision. She could think about what this meant later, but for now she would keep her eyes and ears open and try to learn what she could.

"What are you doing?" the Gerudo boy asked, looking at the girl's screens instead of her face.

"I'm trying to locate an error in this stupid code. I've been sitting here and scanning it for the past fifteen minutes, but I just can't find it."

"Sometimes they hide. Can I take a look?"

"Excuse me. You just walked in here, a fresh hire who hasn't even checked in with the boss yet, and now you think you're going to find something I missed? How rude."

"I'm actually pretty good at this. It won't hurt to let me try."

The girl shot him a dirty look, but he was already reaching for her Sheikah Slate, the fabric of his sleeve brushing against her arm. He obviously cared more about solving whatever sort of problem the girl was working on than he did about being polite.

"There's a memory leak somewhere, and it's draining the system resources," the girl muttered, scanning the text on the screens as the Gerudo boy scrolled through it. He gave a noncommittal grunt in response. A beat later, however, his face was transformed by the excitement of discovery.

"You're going to get mad that it's so simple," he began, "but it's – "

"Right there," he and the girl said at the same time as they both pointed to the center screen. There was a moment of silence, but then their eyes met, and they burst out laughing together.

"I'm being a bit of a boor," the boy said, still smiling. "I never asked you for your name."

"I'm Zelda," the girl responded in a dry voice. "You may have heard of me."

The young man seemed taken aback, but he recovered quickly. "I have indeed heard the name before. It practically reeks of tradition."

Zelda was not in the least bit surprised to find that the girl was her ancestor, but it was strange that the Gerudo boy would speak in this manner to royalty. The princess herself, however, seemed to appreciate his lack of formality.

"If we're going to be working together," she said, grinning up at him, "I think it's only fair that I ask your name as well."

"My name is Ganondorf. It's just as traditional a name as yours, and I don't much care for it. Please, call me Ganon."

As soon as the word left his mouth, Zelda's heart stopped. Everything went dark in front of her eyes, and she felt herself yank her hand back from the cracked screen. She blinked, and everything was once again ancient and broken. The bright light had disappeared, and she was back in the dead castle, the easy laughter of her ancestor replaced by the ragged rasps of her breathing.

( Chapter Three )

#Zelgan #Breath of the Wild #Princess Zelda #Ganondorf #Calamity Ganon #Zelda fic #my fic #The Price of Wisdom

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your-reference-here · 7 years

Text

Books (BotW One-Shot)

[Takes place soon after the ending of the game. Mild spoilers!]

“Thank you again for all your help with Vah Ruta, Prince Sidon,” Zelda said with a slight nod of her head. Prince Sidon bowed low.

“It was an honor and a privilege, your highness,” he replied smoothly. He looked up and flashed the princess a smile and wink. Zelda had to resist the urge to roll her eyes, but she couldn’t stop the smile that came to her face.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer to stay another day?” the prince continued as he leaned back up. “I’m sure the king would be more than happy to host you, as would I.”

Zelda shook her head. “I appreciate the offer, really, but I believe it best if Link and I began our journey to Hateno Village as soon as possible. There are some things I’d like to discuss with Purah about the Divine Beasts.”

“Another time then?” the prince offered. Zelda nodded. “And Link,” the prince continued, his attention turning to the swordsman standing beside Zelda. “If you’re ever around, let me know. I want to see how much that Zora armor improves your swimming.”

Link smiled and nodded, quiet as ever, but Prince Sidon didn’t seem to mind. Zelda assumed he’d picked up on Link’s quiet nature, just as she had before. With their enemy defeated, however, she was surprised that he still felt the need to remain stoic.

The journey to their designated midpoint was rather uneventful. The countryside had calmed down considerably the past few days as the last of Calamity Ganon’s monsters dwindled. The blood moon was no longer an issue, so once the monsters were defeated, they stayed defeated. It was a huge relief, especially after their journey to Zora’s Domain had been filled with so many of them. Link had mentioned the path being treacherous, but she’d severely underestimated the number and strength of the monsters along the way.

She was glad to have Link there with her, protecting her as he’d done all those years ago.

For a moment she’d turned to look at him as he rode slightly ahead of her. He looked exactly the same as when she’d last seen him, and yet somehow he seemed…older. The weight he carried himself with was that of a seasoned warrior. It made sense after everything he’d been through. She couldn’t imagine how hard his journey must have been, and she was awed at the strength it must have taken to face it.

Looking at him then, Zelda smiled to herself as she felt admiration well within her.

The sun was just beginning to set when they finally arrived at the Riverside Stables. There was no one else there, save for the people who ran it, and Zelda felt relief wash over her. It wasn’t that she didn’t like being with people, but she found it hard to relax when others were around. Years of growing up under the watchful eyes of an entire kingdom left their lingering effects.

Zelda looked up from her spot next to the fire at Link as he talked with the stable’s manager. Link was the sole exception to that rule, because he was the only other person who understood how that felt. He looked over suddenly, and when his eyes met hers he gave her a smile. She felt a small amount of heat rise in her cheeks, but she didn’t look away as she smiled back at him.

Words would never be able to describe how happy she was to have him back in her life.

Some time later, after they’d been fed – Link did most of the eating admittedly, still as gluttonous as ever she noted – Zelda found herself rambling about one of Link’s adventures.

“It still amazes me how little we know about the dragons,” she said, fascination bursting from every word, “especially since they’ve been alive for thousands of years! I had no idea that their scales were linked to the shrines like that. What I wouldn’t give for the chance to examine one.”

Link perked up suddenly. He reached over for his bag and began to rummage through it, but in his haste a few things spilled out onto the ground. Zelda giggled at his clumsiness and reached to pick the objects up, but when she finally laid eyes on them she froze.

“Link…is that...?”

The diary sitting there by the fire was unmistakably familiar, even after not having seen it for a hundred years. The leather cover was worn and stained, but as she reached down to pick the book up she swiped her palm over it and saw hints of the vines and flowers that used to adorn it so vibrantly.

“Where did you find this?” she breathed.

“The castle,” Link explained. Zelda looked up to see him staring firmly at the ground, attempting to hide his embarrassment. A thought crossed her mind.

“Did you read it?”

Even in the glow of the fire Zelda saw Link’s face turn a slightly redder shade. He nodded. They sat in silence for a moment as Zelda processed that Link had seen the things written in her diary. She had told him some things about her anxieties before, and she knew he was smart enough to pick up on others, but there were things in here that she hadn’t shared with anyone. Things that she kept buried deep inside and only allowed to exist externally on these sheets of paper. The thought of Link being privy to those thoughts, those fears, those secrets…she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Partially mortified, and yet strangely relieved?

Link leaned down to collect the other books, but before he could put them back in his bag Zelda spoke.

“Wait, what are those?” she asked, glad to have something to distract her from the contradictory thoughts in her mind. The other two books had the crests of the royal family on them, but one was far more formal looking than the other. It had remnants of a golden border and white cover, and appeared to have some kind of utensil overlaid on the royal crest. A cookbook maybe? The other book was harder to figure out. Aside from the crest, the cover was mostly blank.

“I found this cookbook in the library,” Link said, handing the first towards her. Zelda took it in her hands and opened it up. The pages fell immediately to an entry near the end, and when she saw what it was she smiled.

“Fruitcake.”

“Your favorite,” Link added. Zelda nodded without taking her eyes off the page. What she wouldn’t give to have some right now. Unfortunately, her craving would have to wait. She placed the cookbook gently on top of her diary before looking back at the other book still in Link’s hand.

“And that one?” she asked. Link seemed more hesitant about this one for some reason. He wouldn’t meet her eyes, but he handed the book over to her. Zelda flipped open the first page, and when she recognized her father’s handwriting she gasped. For the next few minutes she read the journal in silence, an ache growing in her heart the further she got. As she read the last entry she couldn’t stop the tears that began to silently fall down her cheeks.

“He was proud of you.”

Zelda looked up at Link with teary eyes. Without a word he got up and joined her on her bench, silently offering his comforting presence to her. She accepted it, and leaned into him and rested her cheek on his shoulder before wrapping her arms around his waist. Zelda felt his arm drape across her shoulders, gently holding her to his side as the tears continued to fall.

“I…I didn’t know,” she managed, her voice cracking. “I thought I-I was just a disappointment to him.”

“You were his daughter,” Link responded. “I don’t think you could ever really disappoint him.”

“I just wish we’d had more time,” Zelda whispered. Link squeezed her arm and held her closer.

“I know,” he said gently. The fire crackled as they sat in silence for a while. Zelda’s tears eventually stopped, but the ache in her chest was persistent.

“Do you wish you could go back? To how things were before?” Zelda asked. She leaned back enough to look up at Link and watch as he considered her question. His eyes were focused on the fire for a long moment before they shifted to look at her. Zelda watched as his gaze softened.

“Yes and no,” he answered. Zelda waited for him to explain. “I would like to see our friends again, but back in that world I don’t think we’d be happy. All those expectations and duties hanging over our heads made us both miserable.” Link gestured to the open field in front of them. “Now we have the chance to live, and build our world even better than before, just like you said.”

Link’s answer triggered something in her heart, changing the ache there into a feeling far lighter. Happier. She looked into his eyes and smiled.

“I’m glad you’re here Link.”

Link smiled. “So am I.”

#oops i made myself emotional about these two again #breath of the wild #botw #loz #zelink

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katedoesfics · 4 years

Text

Shadows of the Future | Chapter 59

Rusl’s eyes opened. He blinked in the sunlight that streamed through the window. It was morning. He had slept through the night without further incident. He felt Dorian shift under him, his arm sliding off of Rusl. Rusl sat up and turned his gaze to Dorian, but he was still asleep. Rusl smiled, then pushed himself off the couch. He needed a beer, but figured coffee would suffice. Coffee and a cigarette.

He opted to smoke first, stepping outside and letting the morning sun warm his face. He inhaled deeply, then exhaled the smoke. He had almost completely smoked the entire cigarette by the time Dorian stepped outside, squinting in the sunlight. He yawned loudly.

“Why?” he grunted. “How can you still be smoking?”

Rusl smirked and flicked the butt to the ground, putting it out with the toe of his boot. “Heading out?”

“I guess I should.” He met Rusl’s gaze. “I’ll try to get back tonight.”

Rusl shrugged and turned his gaze to the horizon. “I’ll be fine,” he said. He hesitated. “Thanks.”

“I did what I could,” Dorian said. “Healing the mind is far more complicated.”

“The alcohol will take care of the rest.”

Dorian frowned. “Rusl,” he warned.

Rusl waved him off. “Don’t you have to go suck Kohga’s dick or something?”

Dorian chose to ignore his comment. The stupid, snide remarks had always been his first line of defense, after all. He didn’t push the subject any further, not wanting to upset him anymore than he was. “Please stay out of trouble,” he said before disappearing.

*****

Dorian stood with Impa and Roham in the large conference room. They looked to him with expectant gazes. Impa’s question hung in the air. Well? How is he? It was a more loaded question than she realized, but he knew the answer she wanted.

“He’s alive,” Dorian said. “We got to the safe house. As far as I know, we were undetected.”

Impa’s shoulders dropped, visibly relieved by his report. She pinched the bridge of her nose. “What you did,” she started slowly, her eyes closed, “was so incredibly stupid! ” She opened her eyes and her brows furrowed deeply at Dorian. “You could have blown your cover! You risked countless lives! Yours, Rusl’s, Link’s, your daughters! What the fuck were you thinking?!”

“He was going to die!”

Impa stared at him in silence for a moment. Though she hadn’t give Dorian specific orders not to act on the situation, she didn’t think he would be so reckless. Rusl, sure, but Dorian? He was smarter than that. And though she couldn’t afford to lose Rusl, Dorian put them in far greater danger.

Roham’s gaze narrowed on Impa. “What’s your plan moving forward?”

Impa sighed heavily. She pulled her gaze away from Dorian. “Keeping your appearances with Kohga will be especially crucial, now. You’ll be lucky if he doesn’t suspect you. Both you and Rusl are gone, now. How are you going to handle this?”

“Kohga told me to kill him,” Dorian said between his clenched teeth.

“So, you killed him and disposed of the body?”

“Yes.”

Impa held her gaze on him. “You think he will believe that?”

“Let me take care of this,” Dorian said fiercely.

“You’re right,” Roham said. “Let him fix his own mistakes.”

“Saving Rusl’s life was not a mistake,” Dorian snapped.

“Watch it,” Roham hissed.

“Enough,” Imp said sternly. “Both of you. I have had it up to here with you stupid men. Don’t fucking test me.” She waved Dorian off with a hand. “Go. Do what you need to do with Kohga. Report back when you can.”

Dorian didn’t wait a second longer, promptly leaving the office to make his return to the Yiga Clan hideout. He drove out of the city and towards the edge of the desert - his preferred method of travel in order to reserve his energy - then promptly transported himself to the hideout. He made his was through the dark, damp corridors until he found Kohga. The Yiga Clan leader turned to him expectantly, his gaze narrowing.

“Where have you been?”

“Cleaning up,” Dorian said. “Checking in with Impa.”

“And? Did you give her the slate?”

“She has no plans to activate the Divine Beasts yet,” he said. “She is keeping the slate inside the city.”

“Fine,” Kohga said. “Keep up appearances in the city,” he said. “And work on those heroes. Do what you need to do to lure them out.” Kohga turned his back on Dorian, leaving him alone in the room.

Dorian stared at the door as it closed behind Kohga. He turned his gaze to the ground, thinking as quickly as he could. The slate remained hidden under his jacket. Impa had no clue that he was in possession of it. His orders were to bring it to the city, and though Impa expected this and was waiting for it, he was not ready to hand it over just yet.

He promptly left the hideout, setting foot across the desert briefly, then transported himself out of the desert and back to his car. He drove into Central Hyrule, staying clear of the interstates and keeping to the back roads until he found himself north of the city in a rather remote location. He pulled out his phone and texted Koko, and within a few minutes, the air pulled as his daughters apepared at his side. Dorian pulled the slate from out of his jacket and handed it to Cottla.

“This is it?” She turned it over carefully.

“Listen to me,” Dorian hissed. “Rusl is alive.”

They turned their wide gazes to Dorian, staring blankly at him.

“What?” Koko’s gaze narrowed. “You told us -”

“I know what I told you,” Dorian snapped. “I lied. He and Cado were ambushed by the Yiga Clan. Kohga had Rusl captive for the last two years.”

Koko frowned. “And Cado?”

Dorian hesitated, meeting her gaze. “Dead.”

Cottla’s eyes brightened, hopeful. “Uncle Rusl’s alive?”

“You can’t say anything,” Dorian hissed. “Not a word to anyone. Do you understand?”

Cottla’s lips pulled into a childish frown, but she nodded.

“What do you want us to do with the slate?” Koko asked.

“There is a location of a shrine on it,” he explained. “Somewhere in Hyrule. A resurrection shrine. Find it. And see what you can find out about it.”

“A resurrection shrine?” Cottla repeated. She met her father’s gaze. “Why? Why us?”

He hesitated. “Rusl needs me,” he said. “Impa wants me to keep up with the Yiga Clan. Kohga wants me in the city. And right now, Rusl takes precedence. Eventually, I’ll need to return the slate to Impa, but I need you to look into the shrine. I can’t ask anyone else. Impa will want Purah and Robbie to research it, and I’m afraid that any activity from them will draw the attention of the Yiga. I’d like to keep the shrine quiet as long as possible, at least until we know more about it.”

“Does Kohga know about it?” Koko asked.

“Not of its location,” Dorian said.

“Are you going to tell him about it?” Cottla narrowed her gaze on him.

Dorian hesitated. “Yes. Eventually. But not until I know he cannot use it to his advantage.”

“And if he can?” Koko asked.

“I’m sure Impa will have a plan to destroy it. I’ll do everything I can to make sure Kohga can’t access it’s power.”

“Alright,” Cottla said slowly. “But if you ask me, it sounds useful.”

“Not worth the risk of it falling into the wrong hands,” Koko said.

“Can you handle this?” Dorian asked.

Cottla rolled her eyes at him and waved him off. “Can we handle this?” She scoffed. “Please. Who do we look like? Link?” She turned her gaze to her sister. “Can you believe this guy? Like we’re not Sheikah or anything. Like we don’t live and breathe in fucking Sheikah training.”

“Are you done?” Dorian growled to his youngest daughter.

She turned back to him and grinned. “Come on, old man. We’ve got this. Go take care of your boy toy. And tell him I’m kicking his damn ass when I see him again. If he thinks Kohga is scary, wait until he witnesses the wrath of Cottla!”

“Keep it quiet,” Dorian growled.

Cottla made a motion to zip her lips closed, and in a snap, she and Koko disappeared.

*****

As promised, it was evening when Dorian returned to the safe house. Rusl was outside smoking a cigarette when Dorian pulled up, and he lifted his chin casually in a wordless greeting as Dorian stepped out of the vehicle.

“Did you have a nice day?” Rusl flicked ash off the end of the cigarette.

“Peachy,” Dorian muttered. “What did you do all day?”

Rusl sighed and turned his gaze to the starlit sky. “Smoked a butt, watched some porn, smoked another, talked to the trees, ate some shrooms, smoked three more.”

“Sounds fulfilling.” Dorian said dryly.

“Well, this is my life now, apparently.” He paused to smoke. “I do puzzles on my phone now like an eighty-year-old.”

“If you had just -”

“Don’t start with me,” Rusl muttered. “I know where you stand and you know where I stand.”

“An impasse?”

“One of us will be right,” Rusl said. “I’m sure we’ll see who soon enough.”

Dorian turned his gaze to the horizon. Silence fell between them for a moment until his spoke. “Cottla says she’s going to kick your ass.”

Rusl smiled. He flicked the cigarette to the ground and put it out with his heel. “She probably will.” He stretched his arms over his head. “She’ll have to get in line, though you might kill me before she gets her chance.”

Dorian watched the twinkle of the stars, giving Rusl no further response. They were quiet for a moment, their gazes on the night sky.

“So,” Rusl started with a sigh. “Your place or mine?” He turned to Dorian and grinned.

“Get a decent night’s sleep in my bed, or stay up here with your dumb ass.” Dorian pretended to consider his options.

“Well, when you put it that way.”

His expression turned serious. “What do you want?”

Rusl turned his back on him, making his way back inside. “I don’t care what you do,” he said over his shoulder. He stood in front of the door, hesitant, then met Dorian’s gaze. “But if you’ve got some magical cure-all, I won’t say no.” In truth, he was terrified of being alone for the night, but he couldn’t put that burden on Dorian.

Dorian frowned. He watched as Rusl opened the door and disappeared over the threshold. He hesitated, then followed him inside, dropping onto the couch beside him. Rusl had his face in his hands and he let out a heavy sigh. Dorian moved toward him, pulling his hands away and meeting his gaze. Rusl’s lips pressed together as Dorian searched his eyes, but he found no reassurance in Dorian’s gaze.

“D-” Rusl started, but Dorian cut him off.

“I’ll do everything I can,” he said.

“You can’t be wasting your energy on me.”

Dorian pressed his palm to Rusl’s head. He closed his eyes and concentrated, willing his power to move through Rusl and targeting his mind. It was not unlike healing the physical body, though it would be far more difficult to find the mental wounds as opposed to the physical wounds. It took far more strength than he was accustomed to, but now was the time to do it before the trauma settled in too deeply. And he was confident that he had bought himself enough time to focus on Rusl, at least while Koko and Cottla looked into the shrine.

It took only a few moments before the effects of his power showed on Rusl. His eyes closed involuntarily, his breathing slowed, and he slipped into a peaceful unconsciousness.

#sotf #shadows of the future #loz #botw #legend of zelda #breath of the wild #fic #fanfic #sotf59

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botwstoriesandsuch · 4 years

Text

Where Time Takes Us

Hey all! I’m almost done with Chapter One of a fic I’m working on, so in the mean time, why not have a quick teaser?

Eventually I’m gonna also post the full thing on AO3 so the format is better, and it’s also gonna have zelink and some revali stuff in the future...although I’m mainly gonna focus on character growth and arcs than the romance. All in all, when I’m done you’ll have to read it for yourself. In the mean time..

Enjoy!

Where Time Takes Us 6905 words (of like...15k it’s a teaser ok)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Watch the home while she is off to war

The Slumber King versus the rearing boar

Awake, arise, do not be blind

To tales and destinies entwined

In the world we said that we would leave behind

- - - - - - - - - -

6 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days before the Hyrule Castle Slaughter, the Akkala Citadel Massacre, the slaying of the Champions, the death of the hero, and the rise of Calamity Ganon

She was supposed to work until whenever doomsday struck, and truly she wanted to, but circumstances led her to walk towards the echoing laughter.

Already trying to prepare the quip she would throw back at them (as undoubtedly they’d complain about her being late again) the researcher weaved through the familiar roads of West Castle Town. Most of the houses were dark, with the only light source coming from the occasional flickering lantern, and the pale complexion of the midnight moon. Needless to say, it made the warm glow of The Adequate’s Tavern stand out all the more as she approached.

Another roar of laughter and shouts escaped from an open window on the south side of the pub. The bags under her eyes curved with her smile as she recognized one of the voices. She absentmindedly traced her fingers along the outer walls of the tavern as she walked, loose chips of faded blue paint falling to the pavement below. The wooden sign above the door creaked with its askew weight. “The Adequate’s Tavern” was printed in bold, blue letters atop a faded yellow outline. The missing e’s and t’s gave evidence to the building’s true quality.

“Yes, they’re here again, so get out there already!”

“The scientists?” the waiter asked.

The waiter disappeared into the back and the barkeep was left muttering by the counter. Chuckling to herself, the researcher moved away, starting to search for the scientists in question. Other than a single, beige wall that separated the edge of the bar with a support beam in the middle of the room, the pub was very open and lively. Square and circular tables were littered across the floor in mismatched patterns, ranging from oak brown to birch white. Clearly, aesthetic was not the centerpoint of the place.

As if fate had read her thoughts, she finally caught sight of her friends.

The young woman wore roughly the same outfit, although she had a navy blue skirt and boots compared to the other guy’s black pants and shoes. Her eyes were also red, albeit, with a more striking scarlet color, compared to the other boy’s warmer wine shade. Looking back, she adjusted her bright, Sheikah red, round, sparkly, diamond decorated glasses, complete with white accents that matched her hair. It was pulled in a messy bun, a hairstyle that her close friends knew was less for looks, and more for practical purposes, as supposedly “the stupid strands always find ways to bother my eyes. No, stop, I don’t need a comb! My eyeballs are just sensitive, OK?”

Pivoting past a waiter, the researcher finally moved closer to the trio, brushing her curly dark hair above her shoulders as she prepared for the sarcasm to begin.

The stormy eyed scientist spoke first.

“Purah, Purah! Is that...a ghost I see? It looks like Adello, but I feel like I haven’t seen her in a century, I surely thought her dead! Am I being…haunted?”

Robbie awed at Adello in sarcastic wonder, and the boy across from him exhaled out of his nose with a smile.

Purah turned to Robbie, pulling down her glasses and looking at him sternly. “See, this is another trait of these kinds of spirits. They’re cursed to only say excuses for eternity.”

He shook his head. “Coupled with the fact that their fashion only ever consists of one color? Truly, a terrible fate for a ghost indeed.”

Adello narrowed her eyes. Smoothing out her juniper colored tunic, she said, “Ok first off, green is a great color on me, it pairs well with my skin tone. You’re both just blind, no wonder you need glasses.” Purah put a hand on her chest dramatically, but she continued. “Plus, I’d really rather not get fired since that ceremony thing with those Champions is tomorrow and, as you all know, I just got that promotion.”

Adello chuckled, finally sitting down in the empty seat beside him. The old oaken chair and floor creaked under the new weight. Robbie let out a huff.

“You kids need to learn to respect your elders.” He announced the word “respect” with the tip of his tongue. The researcher rolled her eyes.

“Ah yes, a whole one year gap between us. What astounding age and experience that these elders emit.” She gestured at Robbie and Purah with a sweep of her arm.

“Uh excuse me, but I believe in my case it’s now double that. A whole two years, my dear, naive child. For as of 4 hours ago, I now emit the knowledge of an existence spanning two decades!” Now it was his turn to pose dramatically, pointing towards the ceiling.

Adello smirked to herself, and answered, “Yep, that’s how it goes!”

“Alright you don’t get to speak Miss I-don’t-know-how-to-be-punctuation!”

Purah promptly smacked Robbie over the head with a pen.

“Hey! W—”

“The word is punctual you idiot.”

Robbie slumped his shoulders and made a face. He tapped his thumb and fingers together, mimicking the opening and closing of a mouth while he muttered mockingly in Purah’s tone under his breath.

Turning the pages of her journal towards Adello, she gave a chaotic grin. “Last round, Zimiri revealed that he once got teary eyed in front of the King himself after reading a poem about clouds.”

Zimiri raised his hands in defense. “Look, the clouds were an analogy for lost childhood innocence and I got choked up with that author’s amazing choice of imagery and descriptions, OK?”

Purah pointed her pen at him to hush, and continued. “Of course, him being a sentimental dork isn’t anything new, so he lost that round to Robbie who revealed the identity of his first crush.”

Zimiri muttered something about the game being rigged towards the birthday boy, but Adello talked over him, excitedly.

“Ooohhhh? Robbie?? Who are they?” She propped up her elbows and cradled her chin in her hands, excited at the prospect of more embarrassing information she could hang over his head.

He mumbled, looking to Purah for assistance, but she only cupped a hand over her ear, waiting for him to respond. “You all fuckin—” he sighed, “it’s…she’s...c-ch…” he avoided everyone’s gaze, “her name is...Cherry…”

Adello gasped, gleefully. “That girl from your old university?? The writer you hung out with!?”

Purah beamed, shaking Robbie’s shoulders excitedly. “I know right???” She loosened her grip and allowed him to wiggle out of her grasp for a moment. “Oh sweetie, campus days may be long gone for all of us prodigies and geniuses,” she flipped a few strands of her white hair with a turn of her head, “but I’m sure you’ll get her someday. You just gotta turn up the charm, find a way to woo with words. I’m sure writers’ love that.” Purah pulled down her glasses and gave a forced wink at him.

“Now, now, let’s all play nice. We don’t need to pester him further about it, he did win the round after all.”

“Uh, yeah. Speaking of the game, you still need to drink up mister.” Purah slid a tan brown cup of apple cider towards him, the translucent contents sloshing around like muck in a gutter.

He leaned on the back two legs of his chair. “Isn’t it punishment enough to smell it? The cider isn’t even near my face and my mouth is already burning.”

She shrugged. “Them's the rules of ‘Till You Spill. Your secret sucked, so swig!”

Raising his posture, Robbie crowed, “When we finally have Zimiri’s birthday maybe then we’ll actually upgrade to the alcohol.”

Adello raised an eyebrow. “Uh, right, because the upgrade from disorientingly strong, smelly apple cider, is you two being flat out drunk. Right...”

Purah slammed both her fists down with pride, letting the cups and pitchers slosh a few, amber colored drops onto the worn wooden table. “Bold of you to assume I’d drink at all, considering I’ve never lost a round! Mwahaha!” She blew a raspberry at her. “This tongue is apple free, baby.”

She gestured with her pinky and index finger at Zimiri and Adello. “Now, you two! The late combatant and the latest loser shall spill next. Give us your juicy gossip!!”

The bard, still reeling from his drink, leaned back in his chair and gave a nod toward Adello. “Ladies first?”

Suddenly, she snapped her fingers. “The princess has a secret stuffed animal collection.” Seeing the light in her co-workers’ eyes twinkle, Adello knew she had chosen her words well. Purah leaned in. “OOoh? And how did you come across this juicy piece of information?” She rested her chin on an arm with an innocent smile.

“When I sent my application for the new job a few weeks ago, I gave it to the princess directly. It was late at night, and I bumped into her as she just left her room. The door was cracked open for a few seconds, before some royal, pompous guard slammed it right in my face. Yet, it wasn’t before I saw the pile of,” she counted on her fingers, “cow, sheep, bird, dog, and several horse stuffed animals piled high by her big, blue bed. I bet if I peaked for just a few more moments I could have found enough to pin her as a true horse girl.”

He combed his fingers through his messy, white hair, pondering his next choice of words. Fiddling with the beads and strings wrapped around it, he thought out loud.

“So… ever since I moved into the castle. When did my mom come here… five years now? I’ve, uh… had a crush on... Zelda…” He gave an uncertain grin, and raised the palm of his hands as if to ask, “well?”

At first he was met with silence. In his head, he started to celebrate the victory of his first ‘Till You Spill round in literal months. That was until he was met with groans and pitiful mutters.

The bard started to sputter, moving his hands in wild, questioning motions.

“But? Wha— I? You!? Didn’t you— I… W-well I mean, I know Adello knew, I told her years ago, but you guys—”

“R-recognizing a person’s positive traits doesn’t instantly mean in love!”

Zimri continued to sputter, his cheeks becoming roser by the second. Robbie turned to Purah. “So, all in favour of finding Adello’s spill better than Zimri’s?” The two of them raised their hands in unison. “Alright buddy, secret sucked, so swig! WAITER PLEASE!”

Before he could even start to reach for the cup, Adello snatched it out of the way. “Nah, it’s ok. I’ll do one for you, Zimiri. These two monsters have already tore you to shreds, and I’m sure I need a punishment anyway for coming in so late.”

He started to protest, but after catching the look in her dark, iron eyes, he relented. “Well, I thank you for your generosity.” The other two, however, were not as compliant.

Purah cupped her hands around her mouth, yelling, “Booooo... Boo to pity! Boo to generosity!” Robbie mimicked her.

“Yeah you have to respect your elders’ wishes. We demand blood! Suffering!”

“Mmmm. The cider’s weirdly salty tonight, I think your attitudes got mixed in here.”

Purah blew another rasberry at her.

“You know what else tonight needs? Some amazing music, eh Zimiri?” He bounced his eyebrows up and down at him, and gestured towards the lute leaning on one of the table legs.

“I don’t know,” Zimiri replied, “I’ve only a part-time hire for the weekend rush hours, and I wouldn’t want to blindly get on stage and sing without being given permission.”

He fiddled with the string in his hair again. “Oh yeah? I’d love to meet him someday.” At this, Adello clicked her tongue and promptly shoved him out of his chair with her hip.

Suddenly, Zimiri perked his head. Stepping back towards the table, he reached for his cup. “Oh wait, I just lost that round. I still need to drink my—”

Setting the cup back on the table, the researcher said, “Great, now you don’t need to ruin your voice any longer. Now get up there and one-up the last band.”

Robbie clapped his hands again. “Great, great. Now quit the manners and let’s go already! I still have to order the cake pie!”

Both of the girls rolled their eyes in unison. Zimiri shrugged and started to walk through the small crowd of standing Hylians, and towards the small stage.

I guess, if no one is stopping me…

It was a rowdy bunch, but not a new one. Zimiri had played for these kinds of audiences before.

“I see that quite a few people are itching for a new tune. So, uh, any requests?” he announced as he strum a chord on his lute.

He couldn’t stop himself from being biased towards the request of a certain dark skinned girl to his left.

“The World Behind!” Adello said. “Enough with those new ballads, I demand a classic!”

Robbie pumped an arm in the air. “Yes!” he shouted. “I second that! So is my decree as birthday tyrant!”

Zimiri’s smile widened. A lively crowd indeed, this will do nicely.

With that, he started to sing. His silvery voice echoed across the tavern, as he closed his eyes and began to play.

The boys have gone out to the wishing well

Will they come back? Oh only time will tell

A rupee for a life refined

But time and dreams never align

So tell the world we’ll leave it all behind

Have you seen the soldiers’ drinking ale?

They wish to sing along with nightingales

To dance on home with songs and rhymes

To banish all the fears from mind

Yes tell the world we’ll leave it all behind

Of beasts and men and all atrocities

The damn-ed fate, she owns all that you see

To a better day of new design

Forgot about the gods divine

Oh tell the world we’ll leave it all behind

Watch the home while—

“HEY!”

The sudden gruff voice startled the bard to the point where he nearly slipped off the stage.

Well, mostly, silenced the room. A few ticked off guests were booing, groaning, and mocking him for ruining the entertainment.

“Oh would you lot shut up for 2 seconds?!” he said, his voice booming across the tavern. “Listen, I’ll be blunt. I gotta give two messages for this establishment.”

The female guard behind the knight handed him a slip of parchment. Unfolding it, the guard cleared his throat.

“Firstly, you’re music and pounding is disturbing the noblemen next door. He’s staying at the inn or something and wants you to quote,” he read from the paper, “quit the mindless thumping, for Castle Town is a place of serenity and peace, not of nonsense jigs and banging.”

The groaning and insults started up again, the man gave a shrug, stating something about how he was just following orders.

Adello couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “HA! Well, with an attitude like that, this’ll probably be the first and only time he’s been banged, he should be grateful.”

The room exploded into a mess of laughter and whoops. Even the guard smirked to himself, but attempted to hide it with a shake of his head, saying “Watch the mouth girl.” Although, his stern tone wasn’t in it.

After a second, he cleared his throat again. With a stomp of his boot regained the pub's attention, the laughter suffocated out.

“Now, we’re also here looking for a Dr. Robbie Kimura? I received word they might be around here?”

The scientists turned around too late, in an effort to avoid the knight’s gaze. “Gee, what a bunch of snitches,” Robbie mumbled. The three guards started to walk over to the table.

“Dr...Robbie?”

“Who’s asking?” Robbie squinted with his dark brown eyes.

“Is this some kind of prank? You and your friends don’t even look old enough to drink.”

He scoffed. “Ok, first, yes I am a doctor! I didn’t fly through all those courses over four years just to be called, ‘Mr.’ And secondly, I’ll have you know that I am a ripe 20 years of age today, and I’m here drinking expired apple juice with my associates. So take that, pal!”

Beside him, Purah gave a proud nod in agreement. Zimiri started to wave at the guards, but Adello grabbed his arm before he could finish the movement. The guard was a bit unsettled with the way that girl was glaring at him. What was some random Hylian doing hanging out with a bunch of Sheikah anyway?

“Right, well look here son. Some curious aristo-brat snuck into the courtyard and caused one of those flying, metal Sheikah things to fall apart. My boss said that it was your prototype so you should come back and clean it up before something explodes, and possibly give a sincere apology to the meddling kid who got a few scratches.”

Robbie threw his hands in the air, exasperated. “You’re really gonna pull me out of a birthday just so I can go apologize to a spoiled kid for breaking in and ruining my Guardian?”

“If it let’s me keep my job, then yeah.”

Robbie mumbled something about not getting a slice of the apple cake pie.

Suddenly, Adello got up and pushed her chair in, smoothing out the belt around her tunic as she walked towards them.

“Ah yes, well thank you my dear assistant for the assessment but I’m capable of taking it from here.”

The guard raised a bushy, black eyebrow. “Sorry wha-”

“You said you only wanted Dr. Robbie? Well great job, you found them. Now let’s get going, I need to finish up a new design anyway.”

“You’re...Robbie? You’re a... clearly not—”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I should have had my mother consult you for your opinion before I was given my name.”

This time, the guard didn’t smile along with her quip. “This is not the time for—”

She held up a finger to silence him, and glared at the three guards with her iron eyes.

The knights looked at each other, quizzically. The researcher crossed her arms.

A beat of silence sat, only filled by the mild mumbling and chatter of the tavern. Finally, the guard let out a sigh.

“Alrighty Dr. Kimura. I’ll help escort you to the site.”

The patrons just responded with stupid groans, and half-hearted agreements. They started walking towards the door. The female guard started to put a hand on Adello’s shoulder, but she brushed it off, saying something along the lines of “I can walk on my own two feet, thank you very much.”

Purah turned in her seat. “I’ll save a slice of cake pie for you!” Adello turned her head and responded with a two fingered salute, before disappearing out the door with the guards.

“Why does she always do things like that?”

Robbie fiddled with the edge of his cup, tracing his finger around the rim. “Well, you know her. Undermining authority? Check. Insults and quips? Check.”

Robbie continued to list off more traits, but it faded out of Zimiri’s ear. Always jumping onto other’s burdens. Ah, that idiot. I bet she hasn’t slept for the last two days.

Purah suddenly piped up, taking out her pen and rapping it against the table. “Alright you too, let’s not let the sacrifice be in vain. Pool your rupees, we’re getting Robbie the fancy cake pie.”

The clatter of a few red and blue rupees echoed on the wooden table, although Zimri knocked Robbie’s share aside, saying how the birthday tyrant shouldn’t have to pitch in. Purah turned in her chair and started to wave her hand, in order to get the attention of a waiter. The bard watched as a woman with a tray started to walk over to the table. Then, he turned to Robbie.

“So what should we do while we wait?” Zimiri asked. Robbie stroked his chin, looking around the room.

“I think...the people could still use some music.”

He nodded his head in agreement, putting on a charming smile. The place needed a new pick-me-up, did it?

Well, what else is a musician for?

Adello’s footsteps echoed through the cobblestone streets, but she could barely hear it against the shifting of metal plates from the guards in front of her.

The gruff man looked back, scratching his peach fuzzed chin as he spoke. “Listen, if you finish your work quick I might be able to escort you back here.”

“You...live at the castle?”

“Mmm.”

The guard took her blunt response as a sign to not continue with the niceties, much to Adello’s relief. Looking up, she gazed at the looming castle. Its towers were like mountain peaks, sitting above the blurred silhouettes of the buildings of Castle Town.

The female guard slowed her step, starting to walk alongside the researcher.

“Already working?”

Adello didn’t look up from her journal. “Uh… you could say that.”

She laughed. “Well you best hope you know what you’re doing. This kid’s father has been yelling at her highness all night. Supposedly because she’s helping to lead Sheikah research, so everyone associated with guardians is at fault.”

The guard hummed a yes. “Apparently, the kid is the son of some visiting nobleman from the East Post. It’d be in your best interest to apologize profusely if you still wanna walk around alive.”

Adello shook her head. She didn’t know it then, but looking back, many moons from now, she would laugh at the irony of her response.

“I’d rather die.”

#botw #breath of the wild #legend of zelda botw #loz botw #botw fanfiction #purah #purah botw #robbie #robbie botw #zimiri #zimiri botw #adello #adello botw #botw oc #where time takes us

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