#(and also it makes zelda feel slightly at ease knowing one of her soldiers is keeping an eye on a bunch of dragons)

[kheprriverse]

Hello, me again! I just wanted to tell you how much I adore your stuff for Volga and dragons! It's making me want to get back into my own stuff for him and the dragons in my stuff.

Also, I was wondering: what's Volga's relationship with his parents? And if he had kids of his own one day, what would his relationship be like with them?

Loving, until they're old enough to be on their own? Do kids visit their parents or siblings on occasion?

You don't have to answer if you don't want to, I just love seeing people's ideas :)

My brain is alive right now lol

aaaaa hello!!! I'm so glad you like my Volga lore he's so fun to draw and mess with. You should definitely update me if you ever get back into your volga and dragons stuff 👀

-> previous post for context

This also gets long for the second question because brainrot so it will all be below the read more button👍

What's Volga's relationship with his parents?

His relationship with his parents, and the rest of his siblings, is actually not too bad. He and Ares do get to see them again and at first he seems wary when encountering Gargoyle, but that's actually more likely because he's afraid he won't be remembered. They were afraid him migrating when he was so small (being the runt of his clutch) would be too dangerous and were rather protective of him. But they taught him well and he talks and thinks about his parents with pride.

Also dragons rarely ever see family members after migrating. They live at the nest and are taught what they need to learn for a year before instinct drives them to leave. Sometimes it doesn't happen and they stay, and other times they may return, it's just not very common. Smolder and Gargoyle though have been around long enough and are strong enough where if dragons do visit it's never a problem like it'd normally be. They're kind of in a weird spot where they've never been challenged and aren't likely to ever be challenged. I wouldn't be surprised if anyone in the family did visit them often, I know the twins Blitz and Blaze do.

If he had kids of his own one day, what would his relationship be like with them?

I think about this too much tbh. I know for a fact he never actually planned to have any ever, primarily because he's perfectly fine being a loner-type and he already has enough to deal with with the gorons and lizardfolk, and then the hylian kingdom practically at his doorstep.

But then the idea of having any does get kinda complicated when you add the hylians into the mix. Because his territory is shared with Hyrule (him and Zelda are both so so stubborn) he's had to make a deal with Zelda that prevents other dragons from making their home in Hryule. He was perfectly fine with this originally (it was a spoken promise which dragons rarely break) because he not very social to begin with, let alone with other dragons. So he just figured he'd probably never have a mate, nor was he really into the idea anyways.

Until post-War of Eras. Scorn shows up suddenly, driven from her own territory across The Great Sea in need of a temporary nest after having been attacked by a hoard of wyverns. He is able to convince Zelda to let Scorn stay long enough to nest only because he knows her well enough to know she's not really interested in fighting anyone, let alone hylians.

When Scorn's eggs do hatch Volga makes sure to help her raise them, teaching them everything his own mentor taught him, along with everything their parents passed onto the siblings. He actually builds a rather healthy relationship with them as their uncle and is admittedly a little surprised when he realizes maybe having a family wouldn't be such a bad idea??? His niece, Harpy, probably ends up being his favorite lollll

But again sadly everything gets too complicated when his agreement with Zelda re-enters his brain. No extra dragons means no kids :( unless Ares convinces Zelda to change her mind.

I do like to think he'd be a lot like his parents though. Protective, but not overbearing. While Volga is aware of what causes dragon parents got abandon their hatchlings, he sees value and potential in them all a lot like his mother did for him. He'd give them all a chance.

I also think Ares made him rethink his perspective on relationships a lot more than he realized, especially after Scorn shows up as well.

Really hope this answered at least something. I tend to just ramble on until eventually something coherent comes out.

But a lot of the Scorn stuff I plan on actually showcasing eventually. Which also eventually leads into meeting Smolder and Gargoyle.

^ wip storyboard of Scorn after being attacked by Hylian soldiers.

[titanias-stolen-shoes]

Hey I finally did something with that Austen AU thing

Summary: Gorgug is new to the Village Elm and goes to a assembly with his friend Fabian. There, he meets the wonderful and shy Zelda

Read on AO3!

---

Gorgug was nervous. But that wasn’t much of a surprise considering he was generally nervous at parties. It didn’t help that he was new to the area with only his friend and fellow soldier Fabian to accompany him. It also didn’t help that Fabian was teasing him while he stood on the far side of the room, avoiding looking too long at anyone.

The building where assemblies and balls were held was a rather large one. A hundred or more people could fit comfortably and dance without risking bumping into anyone on the sidelines. It was a rather nice place, with a lot of wonderful people, though Fabian didn’t think much of it.

“It’s, you know, not what I’m used to,” he said, leaning over to Gorgug while another group came to great him. He bowed gently, trying not to feel too put out by the fact that none of them would look in his eyes. He was notably large by most standards and never looked happy while resting on his own. It was the reason for Fabian’s incessant teasing.

“Fabian, your increasingly high standards aren’t as cute as you think they are.”

He laughed. “So, you think. Why don’t you dance? We didn’t make an appearance merely to stay hidden.”

“If you dance, then there’s no reason for me to embarrass myself next to you.”

“You flatter me.” Fabian left his side, going off in search of a partner.

He stood straight, gazing around the crowd, distantly wondering when he would be able to go home. It was loud, which he didn’t mind, but he was alone. He had moved from his childhood home so he could be able to stand on his own. And he was. The house he’d moved into was a tad more extravagant than he wished, but Fabian insisted Gorgug needed something worthy of his stature. He was assured that he wouldn’t be alone for too long, the village of Elm was a close community.

That didn’t stop him from being unfortunately awkward around new people.

As he stood idly scanning the room, a group he otherwise wouldn’t have noticed if they weren’t so unabashedly loud, came laughing and whooping over to him. The man, not as tall as Gorgug, but close, and a woman at least a foot shorter, stood in front of him.

They introduced themselves with a bow and curtsey, but he barely registered them as they stepped aside and gently pulled their daughter forward. She was small, but there was something large about her presence. She curtsied, eyes cast down, but they flickered up for a moment and Gorgug’s heart skipped a beat. He had never cared much for his own brown eyes, too dark to even be considered, but hers… He felt like his breath had been taken away. Behind her dark hair were two pools of beautiful honeyed amber. They reminded him of when he was younger, how his mother would always give him just a spoonful when preparing tea. They reminded him of home.

He bowed, trying not to stare.

Mr. Donovan pushed her a little closer. “This is our daughter, Zelda.”

“H-Hi,” Her gazed flickered from the ground and met his again, before looking off again. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine.” He paused, giving himself a mental push forward as he asked, “I-If you aren’t already spoken for, may I have this next dance?”

“Absolutely not spoken for,” Mrs. Donovan said with a wide grin. “She’d be happy to dance with you.”

Gorgug held out his hand and she reached for it. For a moment—for one aching moment—she hesitated. The warmth from her hand lessened and his heart clenched with worry before she slid her soft hand in his and they took to the floor.

The dance was fast paced as they swung around each other. It was a dance that Gorgug had learned a long time ago but was coming almost as naturally as breathing. But he was less concerned with his own dance skills and captivated by hers. She was radiant, her movements fluid and sure and she moved like silk between the other dancers, twirling with ease.

By the time the dance was in full swing, Gorgug was once again taken aback by her, her eyes alight with excitement and a small smile he would have given the world to keep seeing.

When the dance ended, she stepped back, hair resting in her face again, and curtsied. This time, however, she was looking in his eyes without dropping hers and Gorgug realized that she was the first person to hold his gaze all night.

The patrons cheered, the band gearing up for another song. The two moved away from the center, settling near the edge of the party. She fiddled with her hair and Gorgug nervously cleared his suddenly dry throat. He took a breath. “Would you care to dance again, Ms. Donovan?”

She looked up, her face going red from her beautiful mouth and freckled nose to her ears. “I—”

“Zelda!” Two women rushed over to them, talking quietly to each other as they linked arms with her. They were roughly her size, both with the same bow that donned each of their braids. The slightly taller of the two spoke. “Zelda, we—” She stopped once she noticed that Zelda had been speaking to Gorgug. “Oh, I didn’t realize. Ostentatia Wallace, sir.”

“Penny Luckstone. Our apologies, sir.”

“Gorgug Thistlespring.” He bowed, taking a step back so as not to be towering over them. “Continue.”

They turned to Zelda again, Ms. Wallace taking her hand. “I’m sorry, Zelda but we must be going. My mother has taken ill again and I can’t tend to her myself.”

Zelda nodded and Ms. Wallace and Ms. Luckstone made their way to the doors. She sighed, pushing her hair away from her face, then pushing it back. “Apologies, Mr. Thistlespring. Another time?”

She met his eyes and for a moment the music seemed to fade as he focused on just her, wondering why he had ever worried about coming here, and smiled. “Another time, Ms. Donovan.”

-

@pldubrahs @allsevenmaidens tagging y’all bc you seemed interested

[heartofhryule]

Heart of Wisdom - Chapter 2

Posted a second chapter, because why not?

WARNINGS: Contains Hyrule Warriors spoilers and story items. I highly recommend playing the game if you haven’t! It’s complete fluff, but fun fluff…. minus Lana. ______________________________

Heart of Wisdom - a Tale after Hyrule Warriors | Chapter 2

The Gerudan envoy marched into the throne room in a blaze of color and shining gold. The morning sun streaming through the high windows in the stone walls glinted off bracelets that chimed together as their wearers moved equally as brilliantly as the sharpened edges of their bladed spears and scimitars.

Link stood steadfastly beside the throne to Zelda’s right, Impa to the left and despite his earlier fluster of the General’s interruption, the Hero had no doubt this was of a time it had been necessary. Stealing a glance to Zelda, she sat regally, hands resting delicately on the stone arms of the throne before she stood to greet the Gerudan platoon. They’d been introduced as a diplomatic envoy, but Link knew warriors when he saw them. These men and women were not here for trade or diplomacy.

At the fore of the three dozen desert soldiers was a woman. She was average height and athletic, her hair pulled back severely in a high, long red ponytail that still managed to hit the back of her knees. Her clothing was light and airy in a pastel pink, a stark feminine contrast to her muscles and battle scars visible on her torso and arms, all of which were exposed for the desert style clothing that barely covered her.

The front line directly behind the woman stopped and took a knee, but the woman did not. “Naburoo of the Gerudan Tribes,” the herald called, the woman meeting Zelda’s gazed sharply. Her skin was darkly tanned, eyes upturned in an almond shape and a strange shade of amber orange. Link thought idly that the woman might have been pretty if her nose wasn’t quite so large and pointed, making her look not unlike a large, red, desert bird. The kind that circled over carrion if her venomous expression was any indication.

“Welcome-” Zelda started, but the Naburoo woman cut her off.

“I need no welcome, Highness,” she hissed, clearly not meaning the title respectfully. “I merely wished to inform you that after your devastation of my tribal home in the desert, that we were passing through your lands, for at this time we mean no open aggression. However know that this slight will not be taken lightly.”

Ever composed, Link felt tension radiate from Zelda, but doubted very much anyone but he and Impa could tell. “Never has there been a slight meant from the heart of Hyrule to the lands of Gerudo. I can promise you that.”

“That is not how the Battle of the Ruins was seen,” The Woman sneered. “By Hylian law, my fiance and heir of the tribe was branded a criminal and exiled to the lands North.” Link frowned, unfamiliar with this, but watched the expression on Zelda’s face remain unchanged. No doubt she meant the battles that occurred in the Gerudan Desert when Gannon had returned when Cia, the once Guardian of Time, had been corrupted and weaken the seals on the soul of Darkness enough to resurrect him. He’d plucked the Demon Lord Ghirahim and the Usurper King Zant from their different places in time and made the heart of the Gerudan Desert their stronghold. It had been Zelda’s plan to strike at the stronghold to weaken Gannon’s forces - and it had worked. But there had been no exhile...

The Gerudan woman was continuing, however and Link was broken from his thoughts. “Then, within a few years, monsters and demons swarm and overwhelm our ancient ruins, forcing us into hiding. And what does the great law of Hyrule do?” Naburoo outright spat on the floor of the throne room, causing a few of the twitchier guards to reach for their swords. “Lays waste to all with no concern for the ancestral sites being destroyed.”

“Why have you come, Naburoo?” Zelda asked evenly, the touch of chill to her words could have stopped an army in its tracks.

Naburoo merely sneered. “I and my tribesmen are going to the North. When next you hear from us, it will be from my Lord and to be King of the Outlands. Perhap new King of yourselves. He is amassing forces and followers, and Hyrule will kneel.” With that she turned, her platoon parting to let her through before reversing rank to follow.

The doors of the throne room boomed closed with a strange foreboding finality as Link turned slowly to watch Zelda. Looking to what court could be assembled on such short notice, the Princess’s expression was stoic and unchanged. “Dismissed,” she said to the court and held her hand to Link who supplied her with his arm as they turned to leave through the side door, Impa trailing behind.

The moment they were out of the public eye and in her private study, Link stepped in front of Zelda and took her arms gently to steady her and meet her gaze. “Are you alight?”

“I’m fine,” she said coolly, but he knew that tone. That was her ‘addressing the troops and the Council purely business’ tone.

“Zelda-”

“I’m fine, Link…”

She wasn’t fine. Her heart was racing at the thought of another war so soon after the last. The battles with Cia and Gannon had depleted their resources… and the army. If it weren’t for Link’s hands on her arms she would have been swaying.

“Zelda, here sit down,” he said sweetly, but she was afraid if she moved she’d pass out. He could clearly see something in her eyes or expression, so she wasn’t doing as well as she hoped at hiding her fear.

“I am the ruler of Hyrule,” she said, not budging, “I cannot show weakness. Princesses don’t show emotions or… I do not need to sit. I am fine-”

Or that’s what she meant to say. “Fine” never made it all the way out before she was weightless and the world went dark. When she came to, the first thing she saw was worried blue eyes in a familiar but pale face. Link was dabbing her brow with a cool cloth, Impa standing behind him with crossed arms.

“I’m fine,” she lied and tried to push his hand away, but he caught hers and brought it to his lips, pressing a cool, trembling kiss against her knuckles.

“No, I’m not listening to that anymore. Because you’re not.” His voice held the timbre of worry as he watched her, fearless that he was contradicting the ruler of Hyrule.

She was laying on the lounge chair in her study, and realized suddenly she couldn’t remember the last time she laid on it - if ever. It was very comfortable. When Link leaned away to rinse the cloth for her brow and refresh the cool water, she shivered, realizing just how close he’d been. As he leaned back, she grabbed a handful of his tunic and pulled him closer. “I’m cold,” she admitted tiredly.

While he looked briefly surprised, Link smirked. “There we go, honesty. You’re a princess, I get it. But here it’s just Impa, and me. Here, you’re just Zelda. Or Sheik, I guess if you want,” he teased gently, “But hey, look at me.”

She didn’t want to, he was right and she knew that, and the Gerudan woman's threats struck her more deeply than expected. A gentle finger, warm and slightly calloused, touched her chin and turned her face to meet Link’s forgiving smile. His finger traced her jaw and Zelda felt herself shiver in delight. “You don’t have to lie to us. To me. You’ll always be my princess, but you don’t have to be a princess always. Follow?”

He was so kind. Impa had always worked around her stubbornness, but not Link, Link was honest, sincere and seemed determined to work the bad habit away. He was also so handsome her heart gave a strong pang, and it distracted and eased her mind. “I follow,” she acquiesced softly. “Thank you.”

“Zelda,” Impa said drawing her attention away from Link finally, the General's arms crossed. “How seriously are we going to take this woman’s words? She and her cadre were clearly not all of the Gerudo nation.”

There had been times Zelda had not felt up to her royal duties, but endured because it was her burden to bear in those moments. For the first time she could recall, she hesitated to shoulder that burden - with a surprising desire Zelda discovered she wanted to lay here or in her bedchamber and feel badly for just a little while longer while Link fawned over her. His affection was more what she desired than anything else, and that seemed to make all of the difference.,

But she was ruler and she knew she could not do that.

Turning her face to the ceiling, she pinched the bridge of her nose. “We need to take her seriously until proved otherwise. We need send an envoy to the Gerudans, to see how they feel, and one to the North to speak to this warlord. What do we know of him?”

“That he is vicious and been putting the fear of the Goddess into the monsters of the North,” Impa said, beginning to pace. “He was being assessed by myself and the army, gathering information before Cia’s monsters began. Nothing that had been taken seriously as it was keeping our own monsters from attacking the borders. But we also did not know it was an exiled Gerudan.”

“Griffin,” Zelda sighed, squeezing her eyes shut. “It has to be.”

“Griffin?” Link asked as Impa paused in her pacing. “Who’s that?”

Zelda didn't realize until his hand came up to cover hers that she was still gripping the front of his tunic. He didn’t remove it, but instead his thumb began drawing affectionate circles over her knuckles when he saw her growing distress. “A Gerudo Warrior who killed a Rito Diplomat from the East. He’d claimed it was self defense, and a misunderstanding.” She shook her head against the pillow beneath it at the recollection. “I despise executions. I know some are necessary, but I could not order his execution if there was any question that he might have been telling the truth.”

“Despite the fact he seemed to have no remorse, the circumstances were suspicious, the Rito were outraged and seemed to have the evidence they desired to prove his guilt,” Impa ticked off. “The man was guilty, and I encouraged Zelda to have him executed… but her wisdom and mercy are the treasures of this land.” Impa seemed to genuinely believe her words, despite being irritated. “So he was exiled.”

The weight of guilt and fear for her people, all of them - Rito, Gerudo, Hylians all- was like a physical weight on her chest. “Was I wrong?”

There was heavy silence a moment, where Link looked subtly back and forth betwixt Zelda and Impa. Eventually he leaned slightly into Zelda with that sigh-inducing smirk of his. “I don’t think mercy is ever a wrong call. At least not the first time.”

With a grateful sigh and nod, Zelda turned to look at him fighting back tears. Even if she had been wrong, the words of her Hero eased her mind a touch.

“I will go make preparations for the envoys to be sent North and South,” Impa said heading for the door, her anger diffusing in the face of action, even menial instead of battle. “Hero,” she added pausing at the door, “I trust I can leave you to accompany the Princess to her chambers?”

Zelda smiled as she watched color flush to Link’s cheeks, but he nodded. “I think I can handle that.”