#I was sad but than I saw her made Sidon smile again and was like

[afriendlygoblin]

my thoughts on TOTK because i need to ramble about it somewhere and my friend hasn't finished it yet

SPOILERS

i'm gonna go through the main quests/parts as i completed them

1) the opening, Great Sky Island, Temple of Time and landing in Hyrule

it made me really really really happy to see that Link and Zelda were still around each other like this, exploring stuff together and all. the awakening cutscene gave me chills and really all i could think about was finding Zelda.

discovering the Great Sky Island was fun, though i was used to my comfort in BOTW so it was quite a shock to not have the paraglider and get one-shot by literally anything. but i guess that's normal

then i really liked meeting Rauru though i missed having at least a clue of what was going on. like in BOTW, the king tells you "alright, the world is shit because this happened, Zelda is over there waiting for you, now u do u". there i had this feeling of being absolutely clueless for the first few hours of gameplay and it was frustrating at times.

Lookout Landing was a heartwarming sight, seeing people rebuild and stuff genuinely made me smile. i did feel a pinch in my heart when i recognized that it was built on the very ground where Link swore his oath as Zelda's appointed knight. but overall it was great and i loved the concept of the new towers.

2) the Temples and Sages

i started with Rito Village and the Wind temple. i love Tulin with all my heart and i have to say i use his ability the most. the temple was a pain to access and the cold was annoying but i had a blast with the boss battle. didn't really use Tulin's help there because it was really easy to do on my own but i enjoyed having a supporter during the fight.

i was favorably surprised when i found out that Tulin's clone would accompany me forever. BOTW was a pretty lonely game. peaceful and beautiful but lonely nonetheless. also seeing Teba give his son the Great Eagle Bow made me emotional i admit. i wish there were more references to Revali (and the Champions in general) but eh at least he has a Landing named after him. also where did the Flight Range go?

next i went to Goron City. it felt strange to not instantly catch on fire but well, i was happy with no more elixirs and ugly outfits (not a fan of the fireproof set). the battle against the 3 headed monster in Death Mountain was awesome and it reminded me of how fun it was to yeet Yunobo around. speaking of which i was so relieved when i got him back to normal because that rock boi is precious and seeing him being mean was not cool.

the Temple was a bit annoying tbh, i got lost in the rail system so i just went and monkeyed around climbing everything and flying everywhere. the boss fight was also quite forgettable though i liked using Yunobo's ability more. again, there was zero mention of Daruk (that i remember) and Daruk's Protection has been entirely forgotten. i know the goal isn't to live in the past but i find it sad to see it pretty much forgotten about in some areas.

after that i went to Zora's Domain and had fun yeeting splash fruit at the sludge. i almost had a heart attack when i saw that the Mipha statue had been replaced but i was so thrilled to see it relocated to where the Lynel used to be. they really built her a splendid memorial and she can really watch over her people from there.

i had missed Sidon and his smile, and helping Yona bringing him back to his true optimistic charming self was really great. i liked that since the Zora live long lives, everyone remembered me (Link) more than in other parts of Hyrule. oh and Sidon's coronation had me smiling ear to ear because i was so proud of my fish brother.

i had so much fun in the temple and its weird gravity, sometimes i go back just to jump around and dive in slow motion. the boss fight was correct, though it was annoying to go so slow through sludge.

finally, i made my way to Gerudo Town. the gibdos surprised me but by pure luck i had a fire lizalfos horn weapon equipped so i was never in any real danger. i loved organizing the defenses of Gerudo Town and fighting alongside Riju's warriors.

i loved seeing how Riju had grown since we last saw her, she and Tulin were like my young niblings and seeing them grow made me so proud. again i don't remember any tribute to Urbosa but seeing Riju's dual Scimitars of the Seven was a nice touch so i didn't say anything.

the temple was really cool and the boss fight made me rage quit once or twice so i consider it to be awesome. i thought i was gonna throw my Switch against the wall but then i remembered Zelda needed me so i took a breath and went back to the fight.

overall i really liked this part of the game, seeing my old new friends was very heartwarming and having their clones follow me in my daily life made the game so much less lonely than BOTW was.

3) Tears of the Dragon

no. i am still sobbing, throwing up, rolling on the floor. no. seeing Zelda finding not one but 2 loving parental figures only to lose them 20 min later, Ganondorf's ascension, Rauru's sacrifice, ZELDA'S SACRIFICE ABZBZBFKGNDKDLS I WAS NOT READY. i didn't find the memories in chronological order so when i found the one that hinted what was going to happen to Zelda i rushed them all and stayed up until like 4 am to see them all. the final one tore me apart and i basically cried myself to sleep (not really but almost). i actually had to go spoil myself online just to put my mind at ease because like what if we could never get her back???

after that and the Master Sword quest, whenever i saw Zelda not too far from a tower i'd go see her and rest on her head for a little while while imagining Link talking to her.

i was at a point where i didn't really know what to do with myself, i still had Gerudo Town to visit but eh i was a bit sick of boss battles at the moment. seeing the memories remotivated me and pushed me to finish the main quests as fast as possible to get Zelda back.

4) the Master Sword

as eager as i was to just go and beat up Ganondorf, i couldn't imagine doing it without my trursty blade, and also the reason why Zelda sacrificed herself. so i decided to go see the Great Deku Tree so seek counsel. after a quick in and out trip to the depth, i found a dying tree in no shape to answer my questions.

Phantom Ganon handed my ass to me a few times but once i got his attack patterns right, it all went smooth like a baby's butt cheek.

getting the Master Sword from Zelda's head made me so emotional, i had just seen a fanart of that scene where Link let himself fall while crying and clutching the sword against his heart. that was how i felt it really.

5) the Depths and Fifth Sage

so after crying my eyes, heart, lungs and intestines out, i had to continue investigating to know where the hell Ganondorf was. that led me to the Depth, searching for all the abandonned mines and everything. on the way i had fun in the battles against Kohga, i had missed his ridiculous... him.

i'm not the biggest fan of the Depths but hey, you can find pretty awesome stuff down there so i do spend a lot of time farming Zonaite and throwing Brightbloom seeds around.

finding and assembling Mineru's construct felt a bit ehh. the shrine like puzzles to get the limbs were thankfully not too long but really all i wanted was to get over with it. funny enough i was fully prepared for a big twist like Mineru revealing that she was with Ganondorf and having to fight the construct i had just built myself.

what i got was even better. like mech fight??? hello?? that was awesome though it took me some time to get the controls down. but ah as a kid who grew up playing Solatorobo, riding the construct was just cbfkdkd SO COOL.

6) the Final Fight

i'll just focus on the battles because the way to get to the Gloom's Lair or whatever was just like yeah sure go off i guess. chasing Zelda through the Castle was just a delay of what i knew would happen underground and then i mostly dodged the monsters except the Lynel because come on who has time for that.

the. EPIC. BATTLE. AGAINST. AN ENTIRE. ARMY. my Goddess fighting hordes and hordes of monsters alongside my friends with the most epic music was just so euphoric and cathartic and just fullfilling ahhhhgg. when i saw the temple bossed coming back to life i was gully prepared to take them on with my friends but nope, the game had other plans for me.

and what plans oh bloody hell this FIGHT? THAT is what i call a boss battle. in BOTW, Ganon wasn't hard to kill. like it had taken me less than 5 tries i think, 3 of them being just to learn the fight's mechanics. but here? the first part i got quickly, after all it was just a one on one against a (large) human sized villain. the pace was slow, there was no music, in a word : a warmup.

then he activates his secret stone and turns into a human emo LED. alright sure. and then his health bar replenishes. AND KEEPS GOING. i was expecting it to just go beyond the screen border at this point. and oh the clones, how many times did i accidentally get killed by one of them. having my friends fight them for me was cool but too many times i ended up ignoring them and taking a lost bullet becayse of that.

then comes the real 1v1 againt the Demon King. THAT was the fight i'd been waiting for. the final confrontation between the Hero and Evil, the final battle that would- he can Flurry Rush? what do you mean he can Flurry Rush?? alright then, i'll just be careful, good thing i have a good shield haha HE CAN FLURRY RUSH MY FLURRY RUSH?????? HOW WHAT WHY WTF ah at least i can Flurry Rush his Flurry Rush that he Flurry Rushed from my Flurry Rush. McFlurry.

after at least 20 tries, tears and a break because my left index was sore from keeping my shield up, i finally got to deal a final strike. and then oh my GODDESS THIS PART

Zelda rushes to my aid and together we face that giant Demon Dragon. she soars, allowing me to dive and land right next to one of the Demon's weak point. i attack it, then bet blown off. Zelda gets me back and we repeat the maneuver 3 times. finally, i dive one last time to the Demon's head and shatter the Secret Stone.

no more Demon, no more Ganondorf, it really is over this time.

7) the End

is it? the sky is peaceful, as i, behind my screen, thank the princess for her help and tell her that we succeded, i start floating off of her head. Rauru and Sonia appear and somehow channel their magic through my arm.

and there she is. my princess. my Zelda. the one i travelled through Sky, Land and Depth to find. the one i've been chasing for (in game) months (days irl).

and she's falling. shit. so i dive as fast as i can, i extend my freshly restored arm and.... i got her! a perfect echo to the opening, an exquisite parallel, i took so many screenshots of this scene and i will cherish them forever.

then i watched the last cutscenes, my Zelink heart that was already screaming exploded when i saw Link gently put Zelda down on the grass. she wakes up, sees Link, looks around and... "you really did it" no princess, we did it together. "Oh Link... i'm home" AAAAAHAHBBFNDKDBBF I SCREAMED i really screamed and thank the Goddess that i live alone because it was again 4am and had i been at my parent's place, Zelda's smile would have been the last thing i'd seen before certain death (not that i would have minded). i wish i could hug my princess in that moment. yes, you're home. i promised i'd get you back when i saw your memories so here you are. and you're never leaving me again.

end credits, i use that time to process what i just lived. then i watch the post credit cutscene, shed a tear watching Mineru rest in peace and the new Sages swear their oath. everything's good now.

and then i'm transported back to Castle Chasm. yay.

Additional 1) the Gameplay

as an engineering student, i had been waiting for this game for so long (only could play it a month after release because of finals) and it didn't disappoint. well to be honest i was used to BOTW's controls and though they were similar here, i missed using the cross' top arrow to pick a rune. minor stuff like that. BUT WHO CARE WHEN YOU CAN BUILD CARS, PLANES, ROCKETS AND TORTURE DEVICES

i fully started enjoying vehicle building when i expanded my battery. from then on i was unstoppable, roaming around Hyrule on my Turbo Deadly Flying Tricycle that shoots fire and laser beams.

also i'm a pretty peaceful being but i have to admit that nailing a Korok to a cross and pulling it around with your horse like "do you have time for our Lord and Savior Korok Christ?" is really really fun.

Additional 2) the World

also i loved the additions they made to the stables like the Pony Points system. and ah finally i don't have to talk to this random girl to change my saddle.

i'm a sucker for fantasy sky island so i was so happy to see some in Hyrule sky. though i wish there were a bit more or at least some bigger ones. Great Sky Island was nice but then in other regions, aside from a shrine here and a dispenser there i didn't spend a lot of time up tthere.

Hyrule was at the same time the good old same and a totally new and foreign place. cities and villages were in the same place but they were so different. Tarrey Town had grown so much (btw fuck you Rail Car guy i built this place you should pay ME). Kakariko had its new Ring Ruins, Hateno had developped a mushroom frenzy... AND ZELDA HAS STOLEN MY HOUSE??? HAY PRINCESS YOU HAVE A CASTLE AT LEAST LET ME HAVE THIS oh? is that my hair tie? and... you're writing about me in your diary? oh so we live together... alright then all good! also seeing the photo from Champion's Ballad exactly where i hung it in BOTW brought a tear to my eye. no, our omd friends aren't forgotten. and they will always be home.

i'll stop there because i'm hungry and i've been rambling for an hour and a half but this game is just so so so good. the story touched me a bit less than that of BOTW for some reason but it did make me emotional af. i wish we had a postgame which solely consists of completing the secondary adventures and like... farming in Hateno Village with Zelda but eh, be grateful for what you have i told myself. i think i will go have a cutscene marathon starting with Age of Calamity now.

Additional 3) the Side Quests

while i ignored most of them (will get to them eventually no worry about that), i particularly appreciated the Monster Control ones and the Lurelin line. these quests really made me feel how important community and cooperation are in this game. because you have your own community of heroes with the Sages and also the researchers, people who are in the heart of the story but there you get to see other communities. the losers with a valiant heart, fighting silver moblins with mops and buckets as helmets, the exiled fishermen who lost their town but with your help get to rebuild their home etc. this makes this game whole because it reminds you that yeah, there are always epic tales of legendary heroes, dramatic tragedies and heroic sacrifices but there are also smaller, equally as important stories. there's the story of how anyone can rise up and fight monsters and there's the story of how to rebuild your home after it was totally destroyed. and you get to be a part of all these stories, big or small. and that's beautiful.

also i liked stealing Zelda's horse again. you took my house i take your horse, fair is fair.

[fatefulfaerie]

Guilt

Fic-art trade with @rebuildingkonohaonceagain !! You sent two pictures so here is 2,000 words. I hope you like it!

Trigger Warning: mention of death

The whirring of guardians always made Zelda feel at ease, the way their inner-workings clicked, the way their mechanisms whistled. It was something Zelda felt she understood, and something that gave her great hope in their prospects of victory.

Her pride in the prowess of ancient Sheikah technology could be seen in the way she looked at them now, smiling at their apparent perfection. 

The blush on her cheeks, however, came from the knowledge of who was standing behind her, pensive in his duty and yet ever-vigilant of danger. He saw no danger in these skulltula-like machines, and thus allowed Zelda to run excitedly to peer at them with no word of caution passing his lips. Zelda loved looking down from the bridge of her study and seeing the Sheikah’s progress with the Guardians. Although she often felt Hyrule doomed with her sealing power still locked deep inside her, her hope returned when she saw the Guardians or the Divine Beasts.

“Amazing,” she remarked. “We’re at a point now where we can actually control them.”

Zelda turned around to face Link with a smile.

“At this rate, we’ll be well-positioned to defend ourselves, should Calamity Ganon return.”

Link’s expression moved slightly out of its neutrality, betraying Zelda’s expectations of her knight, and yet she welcomed the tease of emotion with open ears.

“Are you sure about that?” Link asked.

Zelda felt something grip her heart, like the cold hand of an Icy Moblin.

“Of…of course I’m sure,” Zelda said. “What…”

“I mean who are you kidding?” Link asked rhetorically, with an edge to his voice Zelda had never heard before. “We all know we’re missing a pretty big piece of the puzzle. Everything else is in line except you. Do you not care about the kingdom?”

Zelda’s eyes stung with betrayal and the cold hand seem to pull her heart down, farther and farther into unknown caverns below the castle.

“Of course I care, Link, what…” Zelda said trying to find her breath. She backed away in fear, her hand meeting the cement ridges of the bridge. “What has gotten into you?”

“I’ve trained all my life,” Link continued, his brow furrowing in his rising anger, “tired myself to constantly better for Hyrule to what? Serve a Princess who sees the Calamity as a joke? Who frolics around and pretends to pray to goddess statues? It’s time to wake up, Your Highness. Own up to your failures and we might even get out of this alive.”

“Link, I…” Zelda said, shaking her head. “You know better than anyone how hard I…”

The ground suddenly shook violently beneath them, Zelda looking down with wide, green eyes to see the bridge under her feet crack.

“Come on,” she heard Link say as he grabbed her hand and started to run towards the innards of the castle, towards perhaps more stable ground.

Yet the floor buckled beneath him at his next step, Link slipping off the bridge, hanging by the hand that connected him to Zelda’s.

They both looked down to what Link was hanging over and Zelda didn’t quite understand what she saw.

It was a large hole, with Calamity Ganon swirling in his own malice like a fish in a small pond of blood.

Link looked back at Zelda, whose gaze was panicked as she started to lose her grip on Link’s hand. She gritted her teeth trying to get a better hold, but it was no use.

Link’s gaze, in contrast, was rather settled for someone whose life was in danger, as if he weren’t surprised in the slightest.

“This is your fault,” he said before Zelda accidentally lost her grip.

“No!” Zelda exclaimed, reaching down with tears in her eyes as Link fell, lost to the darkness of the calamity.

Zelda stood up quickly onto what remained of the bridge, Calamity Ganon’s burning yellow eyes and pig-like snout rising to face her, it’s wispy red and black emanations trailing behind him.

Zelda, with panting, heavy breaths and cheeks endlessly replenished with her tears, held out her hand palm-first towards Calamity Ganon, wishing with all her might that luck would grant her the sealing power she sought, if not the endless years of prayers to cold and unyielding goddess statues.

Yet no power came, even on repeat attempts extending her arm.

Calamity Ganon gave a growling chuckle, smiling insidiously at such a failure.

“Finally,” he said in his groveling voice before surging forward with an open mouth. Zelda crouched in defense, her last resort before darkness succumbed her as well.

She didn’t know where she was falling from or to, nor how long she had been falling or long she had until she met the ground. She had no idea how she was changed from her royal blue dress to her white prayer dress, or what to do about it as the wind whipped through her long, blonde hair, almost tugging at it.

She felt almost dead, like she could fall, float, drift, drop for a hundred years until time became eternity.

She felt herself torn apart, like the Ritos, who pluck the feathers off their deceased before offering the body to the goddess Hylia.

She felt herself chocking on rocks and dirt, like the Gorons, who bury their deceased in the rich grounds of Death Mountain.

She felt herself rocked by unforgiving waves, like the Zora, who dispatch their deceased on a small boat lined with violets.

She felt herself dissipate, like the Gerudo, who burn their deceased to ashes and make them one with the sands.

“Zelda,” She heard a voice echo, surprised she could hear it, surprised someone could still know her, remember her.

“Zelda!” She heard again, louder.

“Zelda!!”

Zelda jolted awake to Link shaking her, Zelda grasping her hands on his arms as she gasped for air.

Her green eyes were absolutely panicked, looking everywhere but at Link, her head twitching like a shaking leaf.

“Zelda,” Link insisted. “Zelda, look at me!”

Link placed his warm hands on either of her cheeks, suddenly aligning her gaze with his with a soft gasp. Her shaky breathing calmed as her eyes filled with recognition, as her ears heard the cracking of a nearby campfire, as her skin felt a blanket fall from her shoulder to her lap.

As soon as Zelda distinguished the line between nightmare and reality, she hurriedly embraced Link, diving her head into the crook of his neck.

“It’s okay,” Link said, clutching the back of her head, her blonde hair entangled in his calloused and yet gentle fingers. “You’re okay.”

He held her and he rocked her as she cried into his tunic, whispering over and over into her ear soothing words that assured her safety, and his safety, and their safety, and their victory, their final long-awaited victory after a hundred years of insurmountable loss.

Link ended up leaning against a nearby tree as he held her in his arms, neither caring at all that their proximity would once, a long time ago, have been scandalous. Their titles were something they were glad to throw away.

Zelda drew circles on Link’s chest as he stared at the campfire, his head leaning on hers.

“Was it like your nightmare last night?” He finally asked, after probably hours of Zelda being awake. Zelda had observed that Link was good at knowing exactly what to say and when to say it.

Zelda nodded against his shoulder, her green eyes sad and frankly haunted, despondent as she lamented her nightmare.

“How do you feel now?” Link asked, looking down at her with a soft, blue gaze.

“Better,” Zelda answered quietly, as if she could barely manage to find her voice. “Safer.”

Link kissed the top of her head before leaning his own head on it again.

“Good,” he said.

A distant cicada started to chirp, Zelda immediately sitting up, ears penned and alerted.

“It’s okay,” Link said as he softly rubbed her arm with the backs of his fingers. “It’s just a bug.”

Zelda’s shoulder deflated from their tense state as she took a calm exhale. She nodded and yet didn’t return back into Link’s hold.

“I don’t think I can do this,” she said.

Link’s gaze moved downward.

“I suspected you might say that,” Link said. “The good thing is that Dorephan doesn’t know we’re coming, and neither does Sidon, turning back is an option. We can always visit Zora’s Domain later.”

The fire crackled as Zelda considered Link’s words, and yet her mind veered off in another direction.

“Do you feel as I do?” Zelda said, turning her head to her shoulder. “This…guilt?”

Link nodded, sitting up.

“I do,” Link responded. “But then I remember what we were able to do because we survived.” 

Zelda turned around to face Link, who was distracted by her beauty in the light of the fire until he saw in deep pain in her green eyes.

“Do you ever think I should have died instead of them?” Zelda asked. “Do you think it’s what I deserve? For failing them?”

“No,” Link said with sunken blue eyes and a shaking head. “No. Zelda, we all did the best we could. You know better than anyone how hard it was to unlock your sealing power. Everything was in place. We just ran out of time.”

“So…” Zelda started. “You don’t…blame me?”

“Of course not,” Link answered. “Why would I blame you?”

Zelda lowered her gaze.

“I’ve ran through it all a hundred different ways in my head, over a hundred years and, the loss is always my fault. A hundred different ways it could have gone, a hundred things I could have done different and…it’s always me.”

Zelda looked up at Link, who was shaking his head. He even graced a small smile.

“See, that’s where you are wrong.”

“Am I?”

Link chuckled, bowing his head before he raised it again.

“Who possessed the Guardians?” Link asked. “Was it you?”

“No,” Zelda said matter-of-factly. “That was Calamity Ganon.”

“And the Divine Beasts? Who possessed those?”

“Calamity Ganon,” Zelda answered, not sure what the trick was, what sort of test this was.

“Who came completely unannounced from beneath the castle and started attacking Hyrule by summoning all sorts of monsters?”

“Calamity Ganon,” Zelda answered again. “Link, what are you even getting at? Of course he--”

“Oh,” Zelda, realizing what Link was doing.

“Who saved my life by awakening her sealing power?”

Zelda sighed.

“Me.”

“And who, may I ask kept Calamity Ganon trapped inside the castle for hundreds of years, thus allowing Hyrule to flourish and grow because they were protected.”

Zelda was starting to blush.

“Me, again.” She said.

“And who finally sealed him away once and for all, bringing Hyrule to peace?”

Zelda rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

“Me.”

“Nope,” Link said jokingly.  “That was all me.”

Zelda scoffed and hit him playfully, them both giggling and laughing.

“All right, I get your point,” she said with a smile. “How do you always know what to say?

Link shrugged.

“Maybe it’s part of being the chosen hero,” Link said, Zelda glaring at him in disbelief with a tipped head. “Hey, you never know.”

Zelda laughed and her heart felt full as she looked into Link’s eyes, that were just as joyful and warm as hers.

They both smiled at the unspoken invitation between them before mutually leaning into each other, meeting their lips in an indulgent kiss that expressed their love.

Link cupped Zelda’s cheeks as they rescinded with a smile borne straight from pure happiness, admiring her for a lingering second before he spoke.

“It’s your choice,” Link said. “Whether we continue our journey to Zora’s Domain. It doesn’t make you weak to wait until you are ready.”

“I know,” Zelda replied, placing her hand where Link’s was on his cheek. “But I’ll have to face Mipha’s father and brother eventually. I would have trepidations no matter what…I think I just need to work through this.”

“Then I’ll do anything I can to help you.”

[pastelsandpining]

Belongings

A BotW Post-Calamity Zelink hurt/comfort one shot

Summary: Zelda struggles to find her place in this time she should not be a part of, and she doesn’t understand how Link makes it look so easy.

Words: 8156

Warnings: blood mention, depression, honestly not sure what else to add here so proceed with caution and let me know of anything I need to tag!

tagging @etiquetteemotions :) I hope you enjoy!

When she watched him, she wanted to be upset that he couldn’t remember everything. It wasn’t his fault of course, and she knew he was probably facing deep turmoil for it, but she still cried out for the knight she fell in love with. Yet she couldn’t be upset, because he smiled now. He seemed so free of the burden on his shoulders all that time ago. He smiled and laughed and talked.

But it was never with her. Not the way it was with everyone else. 

She saw how he interacted with Sidon and Riju and Yunobo and Paya. She saw how he spoke to stablemen and village people. She saw how his smile was wider, his eyes were brighter, and it was a stark contrast to when he was with her. 

At least, she thought so. Because when he looked at her, his eyes seemed distant. His smiles didn’t reach her heart like they used to. And when he touched her or held her or did anything of the sort, he was so careful. Like he was afraid she’d break apart if he were to touch her in any other way.

There were many times when Zelda felt like she would never fit in with this new life. That she would never connect with Link in his Hateno house, or fit in with all of his new friends, or be anything other than Princess Zelda. Sure, helping Purah and Robbie with research and talking with Impa brought her back down to Hyrule—made her believe that it wasn’t as bad as she thought it was. But then she would return to Link’s home, eat dinner across from what might as well have been an empty chair, and lay in bed, feeling the hopelessness wrap around her like a weighted blanket. 

Some nights, she would feel Link’s arms hugging her ever so gently, and she’d think that maybe it wasn’t so bad.

And then the morning would come and she would wake up alone. 

Maybe it was her. Maybe she’d just become... unreachable. With nothing but the Calamity to keep her company for a century, maybe she’d changed without realizing it. Or maybe she was just a reminder to everyone about what the Calamity had done—how she failed them all the first time. Had it not been for Link, Hyrule would’ve been devastated beyond hope of returning.

The Hero of Hyrule. The savior of them all. Even her. 

And after a century of growing doubts and fading hope, she supposed she would be different too. But her difference didn’t come with the freedom his did. Because Link had done everything right up until the very end. She did nothing right until there was nothing left to do.

There was nothing left to do. No pieces to pick up and put back together—not here. Not in Hateno. 

And after staring at a page filled with scratch outs and unfinished sentences, Zelda decided there was really nothing she could say. Nothing but a sincere thank you, and a hope that his life of newfound freedom would bring him nothing but happiness. So that was all that she left behind. 

Her hands were scraped and blistered from the hours she spent yanking at rubble, at the cave in that cut off the entrance to her bedroom. It was the first place she wanted to see, even though she couldn’t imagine it looked very good. Link said he’d gotten in through climbing, but she certainly didn’t have the upper body strength to climb the tower to her study. She was left with no choice but to use a rusty old sword she’d found to try and help her loosen the rocks and stone and dirt. And she’d done a decent enough job too, or at least that’s what she wanted to believe. The most she’d done was get the rubble to crumble and slide just enough for her to be able to squeeze between the top of the pile and the ceiling. 

Zelda let out a slight scream when the rock beneath her hand gave out and she went sliding head first down the rubble, into her room.

It was completely trashed, which she’d sort of expected. But seeing it was a different story. Her living space, what she’d called home for her whole life, was reduced to practically nothing. Her bed had collapsed in on itself, her papers and books were yellowed and ripped, the staircase to her study was completely gone, and it looked so sad and empty. Yet she had seen so much destruction that she could not bring herself to mourn any more than she already had. 

She ran her fingers through the layer of dust on her vanity. Her mirror was cracked, and spiders had taken over. Her rugs were torn and looked to be burnt up, and the only thing that looked truly intact was the Royal Guard’s Bow above her fireplace, that Link had gifted her a century ago.

She peered out to her balcony, and then up at the missing staircase. Going to her study was out of the question entirely, so she supposed she’d have to wait until the staircase was rebuilt. At least she still had her journal, which Link was kind enough to recover for her. 

She busied herself by carefully pulling down the time-worn papers above her desk. The edges crumbled under her fingers, but her writings and drawings remained untouched—other than the fading. She set them down on her desk in a neat stack and gathered the ones from the floor, then set the paperweight on top of them. Then she got to work on pulling her small, circular table back upright. She pulled the yellowed table cloth off of it and tossed it into a corner. Soon, the pieces of broken chair joined it. 

Her bed was going to be a little tougher to deal with, so she stuck to small things for now. Picking up what rubble she could, using the sword to knock down spider webs, throwing everything she didn’t want to keep into the pile. But it didn’t look like she’d done anything. Maybe her room was also too far gone for her to do anything with.

But to rebuild everything from start..? 

No, not for her room or study. She could manage. But the rest of the castle—she could gather people willing to help. Gorons, Sheikah—all of Hyrule could help if they were willing.

She could invite the Sheikah to return and implement their technology—or at least encourage them to return to creating, and use that in the restoration of Hyrule. She could take the kingdom a step further than it was before, bring it into an entire new age with the help of those her family had wronged.

With the ideas filling in her head, Zelda fished her journal from the bag she carried and quickly scribbled down everything she was thinking of. 

Gorons to help get rid of the rubble. The Bolson Construction Company could work with the Sheikah to create new floor plans and interior designs. The Zora could bring their designs in too, and incorporate the beautiful luminous stones that lit their architecture.

But how would she go about bringing this up to them? She would have to go up to all of the leaders individually—which was not an issue, since she’d been considering going to each region to propose the permanent station of the Divine Beasts as memorials for the Champions. That would be another thing to the list. 

Zelda paced in her room, relaxing into something that felt familiar to her. Brainstorming, keeping herself busy. She could bring in Purah and Robbie to help rebuild the Research Lab too, which sent a flood of excitement through her.

Maybe once she thought she could stay away, but this was where she belonged. She had a duty to her people, to her kingdom, and she refused to fail them again. She refused to sit idly because of what she’d been through. She wasn’t the only one, so she had no right to sit and sulk. Hyrule needed her.

Didn’t it..?

Zelda’s pacing slowed, and she looked back towards the pile of rubble with a frown.

Did Hyrule need her?

Now that the threat of Calamity Ganon was gone, was she really of any use? A century without rule seemed to do Hyrule just fine—even if the kingdom was only beginning to recover. The four regions were thriving well on their own, under their own leaders. And the remaining Hylians—what did they truly need her for? Other than reconstruction, but even then, did they need her for that? She could propose ideas all she wanted, but she could do very little with her hands. 

And now that it was safe for Hyrule to begin rebuilding, who’s to say they wouldn’t? Who’s to say they wouldn’t rebuild on their own? There were brilliant minds out there that didn’t need her permission or her ideas.

Zelda took a slow seat into the red velvet chair and looked around her crumbling room again. 

Did she not belong here either..?

There was no one. Her father—everyone within the castle walls had perished when Ganon rose. Sadness and bloodshed were embedded deep in the walls of this place. There was no one left to tell her how to be a queen, how to rebuild a kingdom. She’d spent her entire life devoted to awakening a sealing power that came all too late. Her father had been right, it seemed. She was an heir to a throne of nothing. Nothing but failure. 

Maybe she shouldn’t have come back. But if she was the heir, didn’t she owe it to the kingdom to rot alongside that nothing? To be reminded of her failure everywhere she looked? 

She didn’t realize she was crying, screaming her voice raw, clutching her father’s journal to her chest, begging aloud to deaf ears—like she’d done for years. What she would give to feel her mother’s hugs, or Urbosa’s comfort again. What she would do to see her father again, even if he were looking down at her in his disappointment. What she would do to have someone, anyone left to guide her. 

To get an answer from Hylia about what to do now that they had won. 

But no one would hear her. 

Zelda curled up in her chair, hugging her knees to her chest, and leaned her head against the top of it. She was reduced to gasping for breath and squeezing her eyes shut, as if that would stop the flow of tears.

It was getting dark now. She’d spent hours here, but she couldn’t bring herself to move. Where would she even go if she did? 

It was getting colder. In regular circumstances, she would have someone light her fireplace. But this was not regular circumstances, and there was no one left to do anything. 

She must’ve cried herself to sleep, because she certainly didn’t remember going willingly. But instead of the nightmares, she was left with a dull ache. Nothing but darkness. Nothing but nothing.

———

When Link returned from hunting to find his house empty, he knew something was amiss. There was a sense of loneliness—the same one that filled the house when he first bought it. He didn’t quite know what to make of it, but he tried not to make assumptions. As much as he wanted to protect her, to not lose her again, he also didn’t want her to feel suffocated. Perhaps she just wanted to take a breather.

But it didn’t feel like Zelda had just gone on a short outing. It felt more like standing among a village of ruins. It felt sad and dull, like the life that once filled it took all the color with it when it left. There was something she brought with her to Hateno, and that something was gone now. Maybe he was simply overreacting, and he would find her at the lab with Purah. 

She would come back later.

Except, the minutes turned into hours and she still hadn’t returned. Link became restless, and he took his horse up to the lab to check for himself. But Purah said that Zelda hadn’t come by at all that day. 

Link raced back to his house to search for any sign of where she might’ve gone, but what he found made him feel nauseous. In her neat handwriting were the words:

Thank you for all you have done.

I wish nothing but happiness for you, and that a day will come where we can meet again.

He read the message over and over again, desperate to pry some other meaning out of it, but it was useless. He knew what she meant by this. 

From the weeks he’d spent with Zelda, to the memories he recovered of her, he knew this wasn’t like her. It wasn’t like her to disappear, or hold back whatever was on her mind. He saw how hesitant, how closed off she’d become since she gained freedom, but he always hoped that maybe she’d talk to him eventually. He shared stories of his journey, took her to see everything he’d seen, in the hopes that she would someday feel comfortable enough to speak. He never wanted to force her.

But maybe he should’ve, because she was gone.

Link didn’t bother grabbing anything other than his gear before taking off towards Kakariko. He had a feeling she wasn’t going to be hiding with Impa, but he was going to need help. 

There was only one other place she could be, but he struggled to imagine why she would return to the castle alone. Why she would suddenly leave without a word. Had he done something? Did he say something that made her want to leave? Did she feel trapped? 

He didn’t know, because she hadn’t talked to him. 

It was dusk by the time Link was finally able to set out for the castle, accompanied by Purah, Symin, Paya, and Impa. He’d been weary about so many people at first, but he let it slide for the sake of finding her before something happened. Sure, he made sure to kill every monster he found when he explored the castle, but there was no way of knowing if other monsters found their way in. Or people looking to find treasure. Or anything, really. Did she even know of the danger she was in?

Of course she did. He needed to give her a little more credit. She faced Ganon alone. Surely she could take a few monsters, or people, right? There were weapons in the castle, scattered everywhere. She would be fine, right? 

Still, Link urged Epona to go faster. They raced past Dueling Peaks, through Central Hyrule, through the gates of the castle. 

“Go,” urged Impa at his hesitation, with a nod towards the tower he’d climbed what felt both like yesterday, and a year ago. “We’ll find our way. Take this. Go find her.”

Link took the damp towel and bandages into his hands and slipped them into his bag before turning on his heel and sprinting towards the tower. He knew at the top would be the study, and the bridge that led to her room. Would she be there..? He couldn’t imagine how she’d accessed it, but no one knew this castle better than Zelda. He was sure there were ways in even he didn’t know about.

The pattern of the stone bricks underneath his hands and feet were familiar as he scaled his way up the tower, going as fast as he could. With no guardians to shoot him down, he was able to reach the midpoint and use Revali’s Gale to get him the rest of the way—at least, to the open window. The study looked as empty and depressing as ever. Zelda was not in here, though he wasn’t surprised. The stairway was broken, after all.

The bridge was empty too, so Link continued on to the princess’s room. 

He could spot her from a mile away. Even if it was dark, and he was descending slowly on his paraglider, he saw her curled up in that dusty chair. Part of him wondered how she got in, and the other part broke upon closer look. She was asleep, but still she looked troubled—almost like she’d been crying. And—was that her father’s journal, in her hands?

And oh, her hands. He crouched besides the chair and gently took hold of one of her wrists. He pulled it gently to him, causing her to only stir, and examined it up close.

Years of climbing experience made him recognize the blisters, but she hadn’t climbed. No, because there was dirt underneath her fingernails and under the torn skin, and there were scrapes caked with dry blood. A glance towards the rubble pile outside the doorway confirmed his suspicions. She’d dug her way in.

Link looked back to her hand and gently pressed the towel to it. She flinched away and was awake in seconds, her wide eyes searching over him like she couldn’t believe them. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

“Hi,” he said softly.

“Link,” she replied, her voice hoarse. “I-“

“Your hands,” he stated, holding one of his own out. “They’ll get infected.”

Wordlessly, Zelda placed her hand back in his. Her father’s journal rested on her lap in favor of the Sheikah Slate, which she tapped away at with her free hand. Link only looked up when he heard the familiar warping sound of an item. 

“Here,” she said softly, holding out a glass bottle filled with water. Link took it with a quiet “thanks” and dumped some on the cloth, figuring he could ask about herbs for medicine later. The priority right now was cleaning the wounds.

He dabbed at one of her palms, mumbling an apology whenever she would wince. He knew from experience that it stung, and it made him feel even worse. And the silence—it was more agonizing by the second. So he tried to fill it.

“You tidied up,” he said, nodding his head towards the trash pile.

“Hardly,” Zelda replied. “All I really managed was stacking some papers.”

“And that, if I recall correctly, is new.”

Her smile was weak and small, and hardly sincere. It didn’t belong on her lovely face. He took care with wrapping her hand and fingers, for an excuse to hold onto her a little longer. 

“I think if there wouldn’t have been a Moblin in here, it wouldn’t be as bad,” he continued, thinking back on what a scare it’d given him originally. The last thing he’d expected to find in her bedroom, a place that was supposed to be so private and safe, was a monster. But then again, a monster had long since taken over her home. “They don’t have the best manners.” 

“A Moblin?” Zelda asked, her eyebrows furrowed. 

“Not sure how it got in,” Link said with a shrug, wetting the cloth again so he could begin cleaning her other hand. 

“A century is a long time,” she replied, her voice breaking just enough to make his fingers twitch with the urge to hold her hands tighter. “There’s really no way to know if the collapse happened during... or later on. It could have found its way in at any point. You mentioned monsters of all sorts infested nearly every room.”

“Not your study. I wish I could take you see it, Zel.”

She was quiet. Link looked up at her to find her gazing at the missing staircase, but he didn’t know if she was actually seeing, or if she was lost in thought. He watched her for a moment, wondering just how much she was thinking of. What memories she must have been replaying—if they were ones he no longer had, if they included him at all. He knew he had been in her study with her at least once, if not multiple times all those years ago. Maybe he used to help her research, or kept her company while she did. He wanted to take her to her study, show her the Silent Princess that bloomed right in the middle. He could remember her mentioning prior attempts to grow them domestically and save them from extinction. Did it result from an attempt of her own, only able to actually flourish a century later?

Link returned his eyes to her hand. It was cold against his, despite what the red, irritated, and torn skin suggested. He tried to stay as gentle as possible as he wiped the grime and blood away, feeling worse every time her hand stiffened in pain. The silence was getting to him again, as was the still overhanging question of what drove her here.

“Zel..” he spoke. If she looked his way, he didn’t know. He busied himself with wrapping her hand. “I would’ve come with you.. You didn’t have to come back here alone.”

“It’s home,” she whispered out. Link glanced up at her, holding her hand just a little tighter.

“I know,” he said. “But home doesn’t have to be just one place.”

Zelda did not reply, but he could faintly hear his name being shouted. He’d nearly forgotten about the others, and clearly Zelda was as shocked as he was. But he stood from his position, letting her hand go at last, and jogged to the pile of rubble.

“—in there?” someone said, muffled by the wall of filth.

“We’re in here,” Link called back, wincing at how loud he sounded. “There’s a hole in the top that you can squeeze though, or we can try to remove more of the cave in.”

He thought he heard something like “stand back”, but he wasn’t sure until he heard a loud crash, and rubble began sliding down towards him. He backed up just in time to miss being pelted by a large rock and the rush of dirt and dust behind it. He coughed, waving his hand in front of his face to try and disperse the cloud it had created. 

“This’ll take a lot more force to clean up entirely,” came the voice of Purah after a coughing fit of her own. 

“We’ll manage,” replied Impa. Once the dust settled, the four were able to enter the bedroom at last. Link gave them all a polite nod and turned back to Zelda, who was staring at them as if they were ghosts. She looked pale.

He crouched before her again and raised the cloth to her face. When she didn’t move to pull away, he started wiping at the grime and scratches.

“This is quite the place to run off to when you’re upset,” spoke Impa again. She sounded far closer than she had before and Link had to keep his surprise that she could move that fast at bay. 

“It’s home,” Zelda repeated, adverting her eyes. Though this time, something about her voice gave away that she didn’t believe it. 

“Maybe once, a long time ago,” Impa said. 

Link raised a hand to Zelda’s cheek, holding her still while he wiped at a scratch on her forehead. She was making a point to avoid looking at anyone. She looked a little guilty, too, though he couldn’t think of why. 

“We can rebuild,” Purah promised, standing to the side of the cushioned chair. “Really, your room isn’t that far gone at all. And most of the castle structure is still intact—at least, the parts we can get to. Really, Princess, it’s not as bad as it looks.”

“That’s kind of you,” Zelda replied, but she shook her head. “But reconstruction will take years.”

“It’s not impossible,” Purah argued, grabbing the arm of the chair with her little hands. 

Link slowly lowered his hands now that Zelda’s face was, for the most part, clean. He capped what remained in the bottle and set it aside, reaching instead for the Sheikah Slate. When she didn’t stop him, he placed a hesitant hand on her knee and got to work looking through their gathered materials. He could make a healing potion for her hands with the right parts.

“No,” Zelda agreed, leaning back in the chair. “But it’s long and tedious and.. and we— I do not deserve your help.”

He furrowed his eyebrows and looked up at his princess with a frown. He wasn’t the only one, but her eyes remained stubbornly glued to the floor. An overwhelming desire to see those green eyes sparkle with happiness once again hit him, but he didn’t know what to do about it. Was it even his place?

“The concept of being ‘deserving’ of anything is silly,” spoke up Paya. Her voice was soft and rushed, like she were nervous to be speaking up to a princess. Link didn’t blame her. He felt like that too, in the beginning. “I’m sorry, Princess, but everyone deserves kindness, regardless of what they themselves think. To imply that they don’t is to say that they’re not.. human.”

“Paya is right, dear child. But I can think of no one more deserving of a comfortable home and happiness than you,” Impa said. 

Zelda looked like she was trembling. Link set down the Slate and gently took her bandaged hands in his own. Only then did she look at him, her green eyes glistening with unshed tears. The sight tore his heart in half. 

“Talk to us,” he whispered, running his thumbs over her knuckles. “To me. Please.”

He wished he could read her mind, soothe whatever fight she seemed to be having with herself. But all he could do as tears slipped down her cheeks was kneel upright against the chair and wrap her in a hug. And the journal she kept in her lap fell to the floor when she pressed closer, holding parts of his shirt in tight fists. He held her tighter, hoping just maybe, he could keep the remaining pieces of her together. 

“I’m sorry,” she said again. Link shook his head.

“Don’t apologize, please. You have nothing to be sorry for. But if there’s anything I can do-“ 

“Link, you’ve done so much.” She was looking at him again, like he were some kind of grand hero. He was, according to almost all of Hyrule. But when she addressed him as such, and looked at him as such, it was different. Like he were her hero, and hers alone. Sometimes, he wished he were. “Really, there is nothing more for you to do.”

“I can be here, with you. If you really wanted to come back, I would’ve come with you.” 

He felt like he was begging. Begging for her to still give him a place in her life. For how confused he’d been when his journey began, he felt so inexplicably complete when he finally got her back. He wanted to feel that way again—wanted her to know that feeling if she didn’t already. But he would struggle greatly with acceptance if she didn’t want his help.

“Why come back?” she asked, pulling back from his embrace and leaving him empty. She looked so sad. “The heir to a throne of nothing. Is that really who you want to follow?”

He could still hear those words, spoken originally in the gruff voice of the king. At the time, Link found him to be acting as neither a king or a father. It was cruel, to spit those words in a sixteen-year-old’s face. To relay to her what the gossip mongers said behind her back, to imply that they were correct in some sort of way. She tried all she could, but they refused to let her be of any help outside of her supposed destiny. Little did they know her destiny involved facing a great evil alone, locking herself away for over a century. And yet, all these years later, those words still bit deeply into her. Did she truly believe them? After all she had done?

Link had never once believed in those words. Though he was as clueless as anyone else on why the goddess remained silent, he instead believed that she would save them all. Her worth and ability were never tied to any sacred power. Not to him, not to her friends, and not to her father. It was just a shame the king picked so late to act like one.

He reached up to hold her face again, trying to get her to look at him. 

“I follow the princess who cared so much about her kingdom that she sealed herself away with evil incarnate for over a century. I follow the princess who worked tirelessly to fulfill her duty. I follow the princess who knelt in freezing waters for hours at a time to pray on deaf ears. I follow the princess who did everything she could, and not just because she was told to.”

“You follow a princess who killed you and countless others with her inability to do her job,” she spat, but there was no venom to her words. She just sounded.. tired. Link shook his head again, racking his brain for the right thing to say. What had he said back then, in moments like these? What would work to comfort a broken soul? 

“Please.” He was begging again. He was desperate, because her coming here alone meant more than what she was saying. “Please don’t blame yourself for the things Ganon caused. I hate to admit it Zel, but we were fucked regardless whether or not you unlocked your powers. But they don’t blame you—and neither do I.”

“But why don’t you?” Zelda asked, finding a grip on his shirt once again. “I was so cruel to you, so jealous of you.. and in the end... I don’t understand.”

“I took a vow to protect you with my life, Zelda.” He brushed his thumbs over her cheekbones, wishing he could get rid of her unshed tears that easily. “And I’d do it again. Without hesitation. Wherever you go, I will be there.”

Because without her, it felt so very empty. Even with the friendships he’d made along the way. And the why evaded him until he’d come to understand that it was better left unspoken. And the weeks spent with her in Hateno, while they tried to adjust to this world neither of them were really a part of, was when the pieces of the puzzle fell together. 

“That vow was made as a knight to a princess and a king, in preparation for the Calamity. There is no threat. There is no more king. And there is hardly a princess. But should you need it, I, Princess Zelda of Hyrule, officially release you from your vows.”

Link shook his head again, as if it could prevent the words from reaching his brain, his heart.

He felt like she was slipping right through his fingers. Just as she had with every memory along the way. One minute she would be there with her green eyes and warm, sunny smile, or annoyed glare, or concentrated expression. Then he would open his eyes and find himself alone, with any lingering warmth fleeting to join her in the castle, locked far away from him. He would look towards the castle and think of nothing but her. This Zelda that he knew long ago, this voice that compelled him to find her, this Princess that a century ago, he had fallen in love with and given his life for. And maybe his memories were fragmented, and maybe he’d never get them all back, but he was certain of that much.

“I made a promise to protect you, Zelda, princess or not. Because I want to. So if this is where you want to be,” he freed a hand to gesture to the room around them, “then I will be there too.”

“You belong to the wild,” Zelda replied simply, bringing her hands to cover his. “I can’t take you away from that.”

“Then stay with me there, please. Or, or with Impa in Kakariko, or Purah in the lab. Anything is better than here, cold and alone.” She had to know that. To return to a place of nightmares...to consider staying... Link was so afraid she was too far gone, and they hadn’t caught anything until she’d broken. 

Zelda peeled his hands from her face and shook her head. Link couldn’t find the right words, and he’d never felt so hopeless before.

“I’m afraid,” began Impa, joining them at the chair. Her wrinkled hands covered theirs. Link hoped with all his heart that they were bringing warmth back to her icy fingertips. “That her century with malice has driven the light from her mind. Princess, why have you convinced yourself that what you want is unreachable?”

Zelda recoiled at the question. Link tightened his hold on her hands ever so slightly, because he felt her trying to slip away again. 

“There are times when the darkness can extinguish the light,” she replied, tearing her green eyes away. 

“And the blame for that does not fall on your shoulders, sweet child. In fact, Hyrule would not have been able to recover at all, had it not been for your selflessness. The horrors you endured, sealed away with a beast, are something we cannot ever understand. But we can recognize that without you, Hyrule would have fallen completely to Ganon’s control. When you focus solely on your stubborn power, you ignore the other things you were able to do. Without your help, the Champions would have been unable to master their Divine Beasts.”

“The Champions are dead,” Zelda repeated, her voice trembling again. Link knew the feeling, and goddesses, how he wished he could grant her the closure he’d received. He found himself praying, begging out for Urbosa to somehow come to her aid, appear to her and let her know in a way he couldn’t that it was alright. 

“The Champions knew just what and how much they were risking when they answered your call, Princess. You chose well. But I’m afraid Link is right, Ganon would have taken them out even if you had awakened your power. The beast was prepared for our attack, and I’m afraid by following our ancestors so closely, we doomed ourselves. But the blame for that does not fall upon you.”

“But if I had just worked harder, if I had done more, prayed harder, then maybe-“

“Zelda,” Impa said, her voice stern. Even Link felt like he was being scolded, and he was nothing more than a bystander. “You gave all your efforts and in the end, prayer was hardly what woke your power.”

Her eyes drifted to Link. She looked defeated, because she did know. And so did he. When Kass relayed to him the song, he’d nearly cried. It wouldn’t have been the first of the tears shed on his journey. And it wasn’t the first time he’d learned of a princess doing something out of her love for him. He remembered quite clearly when he found out—how he spent that night asking into empty air if it were true. No answer ever came to him. 

“I know,” Zelda replied at last, ducking her head and instead looking at their hands. In two simple words, his answer had come.

“Then I trust you to make the decision you believe is best for you. But no decision should be made at this hour. I suggest we get some sleep before dawn’s light is upon us.” Impa’s hands lifted, and with a simple gesture to Paya, they disappeared through the rubble at the doorway.

“If you ever need a place to go, or someone to talk to about ideas, my door is always open. But I have to agree with my sister on this one. You should get some rest, and make your decision in the morning.” And Purah and Symin were gone as well.

Now that they were alone, Link wished he knew what to say. He wished he could leave it at that and tell her to get some sleep. But he couldn’t.

“I still don’t understand,” he said, releasing her hands so he could dig in his pockets. Zelda lifted her head to look at him, and he held up the piece of paper she’d torn out of her diary. The writing that was burned into his brain. “Why?” 

She lowered her gaze again, but she did not answer. 

“I thought you might’ve been at the lab with Purah,” Link continued to fill the silence. “And then I thought maybe you went to Kakariko, but Impa said she hadn’t seen you.”

“I’m sorry,” Zelda said softly. Her eyes were fixed on the dirty rug beneath her chair, but he could tell she was looking far past that.

“Why didn’t you talk to me..? Or say goodbye, at the very least?”

“I just.. I couldn’t,” she admitted, hugging her arms. “It would’ve made it harder.”

“How long have you been thinking of leaving..?”

“A week or so...” 

Link let out a sigh, dragging a hand down his face. He felt guilty again, for not saying anything when he first noticed her drawing back. Maybe she thought he was disappointed, because she continued,

 “I just—I didn’t know what to say. I’m sorry.”

“Did something happen, Zel..?” he asked hesitantly, lifting his gaze back to her’s. It was selfish, but part of him needed to know if it was him, or the setting. “To make you want to leave, I mean. Do you not like it in Hateno?”

“No, no-! Hateno is lovely, Link.” She straightened up, reaching out a hesitant hand towards him. But she dropped it before it made any contact. “I just...”

“You don’t have to talk to me,” Link said, lifting a hand to her face, though he desperately wanted her to. “But if there’s anything you need, please let me know. You don’t have to suffer alone.”

After a moment more, he dropped his hand to his side and picked up the Slate again. He wished there was more he could say or do, to help her. But this wasn’t something he could swing a sword at and disintegrate.

“Do you ever feel like you don’t quite belong here?” she asked, ending the stretch of silence. “Like you shouldn’t be, because you belong to a different time?”

Link looked up at her, masking his surprise that she was perhaps finally speaking what was on her mind. He nodded once, but said nothing more, urging her to continue. She did.

“At first, Hyrule didn’t look much different than it had before.. But seeing Castle Town and Central Hyrule in ruin was still... so fresh. Something that took years to build and was once full of life, was destroyed in minutes. So many lives lost... And then I find this new village—two, actually, filled to the brim with life. Like the Calamity had never touched them at all. And it was so.. different.”

“A Hyrule one hundred years later,” Link said, finding her hands again. “Toeing the line between recovery and destruction. And the only thing keeping that line steady is you.”

“I’m sorry,” Zelda said again, her hands twitching like she wanted to pull them away. “I shouldn’t be complaining when you’ve no memory of the Hyrule we were a part of all those years ago.”

“But maybe that’s a good thing,” he responded. It made her finally look at him, her eyes wide with shock. But he’d thought long and hard on it, and he was being honest.

“Link-“

“I’m serious,” he insisted. “I don’t remember everything. And it hurts sometimes, that I can’t remember everything about you, and about our friends. But I don’t feel the pain that came with fighting Ganon, or fending off guardians. I don’t feel the burden of the sword. I’m.. a little more free of that trauma than you are. For a century, you sealed yourself away with nothing but evil incarnate. And you still remembered everything you had done and been through up until that moment.”

“You make it look so easy. Living in this Hyrule, I mean. You have so many friends, you seem so comfortable and at home..”

“It’s hard not to make friends when they risk their lives to help you. And I don’t think I’d be as well off if I still remembered everything. But it’s not easy. I’m living in a world I really know nothing about. And as for home, well... it didn’t feel like home. Not until you were with me and safe.”

Zelda blinked. She looked like she wanted to cry again, but Link was being more honest than he’d ever been. Yet for some reason, a fraction of hurt took over her eyes. It was gone as quickly as it had come, but he saw it.

“You hardly know me,” she said. Even she winced at that and went to apologize, but Link held her hands a little tighter and willed her to look directly at him as he spoke, pouring everything he could into his words.

“I know that you love your people so much, you faced Ganon alone. I know that you love to research and wanted to learn as much about Sheikah technology as possible. I know you faced criticism from everyone, even your own father, but you pushed yourself to your limit anyway with a silent goddess. I know you saw me as a reminder of your own failures, and I know you tried to convince me to taste a frog. I know your favorite dessert is fruit cake, I know you had a white horse you named Storm who you struggled with at first, I know Urbosa was like a second mother to you, I know Revali annoyed you just as much as he annoyed me, I know we somehow ended up as friends, and I know what woke your powers in the end.”

Zelda looked as if she couldn’t find the words she wanted to say. It wasn’t impossible to believe, given he’d mentioned some things only someone who was close to her would know, but maybe that last part should’ve stayed to himself.

“Urbosa did always say it was quite obvious.” She shook her head and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. “Did she tell you?”

“Kass did,” Link replied, adverting his eyes. He felt a little guilty to admit it. “The Rito Bard. His teacher, the court poet, set out to.. learn some ballads about the ancient hero, so he could help me. He mentioned it in his song. Though, now that I think about it, it was a little... rude. I mean, it’s no one’s business and..”

Zelda looked amused. Link forced himself to stop speaking, which was new. He was still getting used to a lot of things.

“Well, he didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. It’s better you hear it from them, than a gossip monger who has nothing better to do but impose on the life of others.”

“I’d rather hear it from you,” he replied with a shrug before he could stop himself. Even in the dim lighting of the room, he could see the way her cheeks flushed. 

“You just did,” she argued, ripping her hands away so she could cross her arms. Link held his hands up in defense. 

“All I’m saying is that having a descendant of the goddess Hylia herself love you is quite the feeling.”

“Oh, so being Zelda isn’t enough for you then? You’ve got to play the goddess card to inflate your already big head?” But there was no malice behind her words, and the faint smile on her lips was more than worth it. 

“Now I never said that,” he defended, fending off a smile of his own. “I happen to find Zelda absolutely wonderful all on her own. But having goddess powers is cool, too.”

A small giggle passed her lips. The light was returning to her eyes slowly, but progress was progress and Link was desperate to keep it up.

“I’m glad someone around here appreciates Zelda,” she joked, leaning back in her chair once again. He rested a hand on her knee and looked up at her, letting the smile onto his lips.

“Someone should tell her that she’s deserving of love, and happiness, and a fresh start too.”

Zelda’s smile was weak, but it was there. It was enough to make him swell with hope that maybe, maybe they’d figure it out eventually. But something was still eating at her. He could see it in the way she adverted her gaze again, for what seemed like the hundredth time.

“What if I don’t get along with your new friends?” she asked at last. “If I don’t fit in?”

It would’ve been rude to laugh. Her fears were absolutely valid, and he took her hands again in an attempt to show that. But it was hard for him to imagine any of his friends not getting along with Zelda. She was lovely, even after years of nothingness. He was sure she would fit in perfectly.

“Sidon will absolutely, enthusiastically praise you for every little thing you do,” Link began, counting off his closest friends. “Yunobo will bow to you with your strength, maybe even ask you to help him with his own. Riju will be the little sister you never had. And Teba may be just as proud as, but he’s less openly arrogant than Revali. They will love you, I promise.”

“And if they don’t?”

“Zel, I can’t believe you’re worried about that. If you could hold the Calamity back for a century and make me fall in love with you twice, then you can easily make friends who’ll love you just as much.”

The confession he hadn’t intended on making caused a smile to tug at the corners of her lips, and Link knew maybe, finally he’d said the right thing. He gently pulled her forwards by her hands but before he could kneel to meet her, she’d joined him on the floor. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing her into his chest with an unspoken promise to continue being by her side until the end of time.

“If you’re really ready to be here,” he whispered out, “then I’ll be here. But if you’re not, it’s never too late to come back home.”

Zelda pressed her face into his shoulder, and he leaned his head against hers, drawing gentle shapes on her back.

“Thank you for coming after me.”

“Of course. If I didn’t, people would think I was mad at my princess or something.”

Zelda let out a quiet laugh and he felt her hold him a little tighter. 

“What, so you only came after me to protect your reputation?” she joked, tilting her head up so she could look at him, forcing him to lift his head.

“Obviously,” Link said as he looked back down at her. “Can’t be the Hero of Hyrule if I leave their princess all alone.”

“If I recall, you did that for over a century.”

“My bad.”

Zelda laughed again, the sound bright and joyous in the empty room. It filled him with comfort, and he couldn’t help simply gazing at her, taking in every little detail he could see. Part of him wondered if he’d really forgotten her, because it felt impossible to imagine a time he didn’t know her face. Her lovely eyes, her warm smile, her infectious laugh, her pink lips—it wasn’t something that could be forgotten. A beauty like hers transcended that. 

“I meant it when I said thank you for everything,” she said with a small smile. “Hyrule really is in your debt.”

“I would do it again and again.” Without thinking, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. It was lucky for him that her love lasted over a century. 

“Get some sleep,” she said softly, tugging the cushion from the chair and tossing it behind him. “You must be exhausted.”

“I slept for a hundred years. I think I’ll be fine,” he replied, but laid back and rested his head on the cushion anyway. Zelda laid gently on top of him, resting her head against his chest. Link folded his arms around her and took a deep breath so her scent enveloped him again. Her fingers tapped against his shoulder, keeping time with his heartbeat. He knew, just as he had for a while, that they were right where they needed to be. He couldn’t speak for Zelda, but he knew that he belonged with her, no matter what life it was.

And he closed his eyes, missing the dawn’s light peaking over the horizon.

Masterlist

[pototters]

Untitled SidLink Part 2

A/N: Here’s some more of these two, getting in deeper conversation about their mutual loss. Enjoy!

Warnings: none, sfw for now

You can read Part 1 here~

Word Count: 1,871

With Sidon being nearly twice his height, Link found that he had to take at least a step and half for every one of Sidon's. Keeping up with the Zora male wasn't an easy feat. Luckily, the walk from Mipha's statue to the Great Hall Pools wasn't a very long one and Link had more than enough stamina to not let the stairs wear him out, even at a quickened pace. 

Once they arrived, Sidon picked a pool farthest from the Zora children that slept soundly within a couple of the other pools. The pool nearest the architecture had a waterfall and the prince chose this one, removing some of his ornamental adornments before entering the water and sitting halfway beneath the waterfall. Link watched a moment as the water cascaded over Sidon's shoulders and down his chest before pulling off his boots and rolling up his pants. Sitting on the edge of the pool, he dangled his feet in and ignored the water that soaked through his pants where he sat. While in Zora's Domain, Link had resigned himself to being in a constant wet state. It was impossible to stay dry here.

Once Sidon seemed to become more relaxed, letting out a satisfied sigh, he turned his gaze on Link and looked at him curiously. "You're not going to get in? You'll feel better if you submerge yourself. The water here is better than anywhere else. We wouldn't have chosen this place to build our domain, otherwise." He grinned with pride, then realization dawned over him. "Oh, but I suppose you would get your clothes all wet." This dilemma seemed to puzzle him, and Link watched Sidon, almost seeing the cogs turn in his brain, smiling with some amusement. "Oh, but you could just take them off! We are both men, are we not? Just because we're different species doesn't matter. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

Link's eyes widened in surprise at the suggestion, a light pink dusting his face. "Uh, no. That's okay." He still had female Zora to worry about and he'd rather not worry about them seeing his nakedness, regardless of species. "The water is very deep, and I would have difficulty swimming for an extended time." Sidon looked taken aback at the statement. 

"Of course. My apologies, I completely forgot. Then, in that case, would you allow me to support you as I did against Vah Ruta?" He smiled and extended his hand. Link stared at it, wondering exactly what it was that he meant by that.

After blinking a couple of times, Link glanced back up at Sidon and gave him a slight smirk. "I appreciate it, but I think that the waterfall may try to crush me." He laughed softly but cut short as Sidon slid into the pool and out from under the waterfall. 

"Then I will move away from it. Come, swim with me while we talk." Sidon gestured for Link to get in the water, again. With a defeated sigh, Link stood up and stripped to his underwear, then lowered himself into the water. Once he'd swam close enough, Sidon grabbed him and pulled him onto his back. Link yelped a bit in surprise, gripping Sidon tightly with his legs as he rode piggy-back. "There. Just like before. Link, are you getting enough to eat? You barely weigh a thing. I'm amazed at how much you've accomplished considering how small you are." 

Link playfully ground his fists into Sidon's head. "Hush you. I don't want to hear that coming from someone who got eaten by a giant Octorok." 

Sidon laughed at that. "Ow, ow! Okay, that's fair." The prince laughed some more. "Now, why don't you tell me what's on your mind. What did you want to ask me about my sister?" Link lowered his hands, all humor melting from his features. There was so much he wanted to know, but he had no idea where to start. Was there a line that he shouldn't cross? Or could he ask anything? He gnawed his lower lip in thought, all of his questions spinning around his mind. "Link, you've gone quiet, again." 

Link jolted from his thoughts at the sound of Sidon's voice gently berating him. "Oh, sorry. I guess there's so much that I want to ask that I'm unsure where to start." He was quiet only a moment more before finally asking a question. "I guess, what do you remember about her?"

Sidon hummed a bit in thought. "Well, I remember a lot, really. I looked up to her. Mipha was amazing, so I always strive to be just like her. When I discovered that I did not share her ability for healing, I focused instead on my strength so that we could carry each other. Alas, I never had the opportunity to step into battle with her." 

Link's hand rested gently on Sidon's shoulder as he spoke softly. "I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. You could have very easily met the same fate back then." His hand squeezed slightly. "What would your people have done without both of you? Where would they be now?" Sidon was quiet a moment, conflicted by his feelings. However, Link made a good point. 

The Zora prince shook his head. "You would have saved them even without me. You're just that kind of person." Link huffed and smacked his shoulder sharply, earning a surprised yelp from Sidon. "Ouch! What was that for?" 

"Your people need you. You give them hope, someone for them to look up to and be inspired by. Just like Mipha was for you. Don't forget that." Sidon lowered his face halfway into the water and blew some frustrated bubbles, realizing Link was right. 

Lifting his face back out of the water, he glanced over his shoulder at the Hylian swordsman. "That doesn't explain why you hit me." Link blinked a couple of times in response. Was this Zora prince actually pouting? He grinned. 

"You were being so negative that it didn't sound like you. I was hoping to bring some sense back to you." Sidon's eyes widened in surprise and he quickly looked away. 

"You're very observant, aren't you?" Sidon glanced back again, a toothy grin stretched across his face. "Thank you for that. You really are a good friend." Link chuckled lightly. "Tell me, what do you remember of my sister?"

A frown etched into Link's mouth as he fidgeted slightly at the question. Would Sidon be angry with him? Would he never speak to him again? Link didn't want that to happen. He'd been silent for too long and he knew it. He would have to tell the truth and deal with whatever consequences that came with it. Not that he could bring himself to lie, anyway. Not to Sidon. The prince deserved the truth.

Sidon was starting to get antsy; Link could tell by the way the fin on his head had started to twitch. Leaning back, Link rested his hands on Sidon's lower back to prop himself up as he cast his gaze into the rippling water. He tried to catch a glimpse of Sidon's reflection so that he could gauge his reaction, but it was impossible and he spoke, anyway. "Back then, when we first confronted Calamity Ganon, I suffered fatal wounds. It was only thanks to Princess Zelda's quick action that I even survived. I've been asleep, slowly recovering, for the past one hundred years." 

Link gnawed on his lower lip, hesitating before pressing on. Sidon had gone entirely still. "When I woke up, I had no memories. I didn't even know who I was, though I heard a voice calling out to me. I only knew my name. Since then, I've recovered some of my memories from before, but... I regret to say that there are still a lot of holes." Link paused and saw that Sidon was staring into the water. Link wished he could see his expression, hoped to glean some bit of insight to what he might be thinking. 

He quickly spoke again. "I remember Mipha and I do have some memories of her, but only after Princess Zelda requested that she be the Champion of Va Ruta. My other memories, even those of my childhood, have been slowly restoring themselves, but only bits and pieces at a time. None of them are whole." Link swallowed hard, a lump forming in his throat. His heart pounded wildly in his chest as he waited for Sidon to respond. It was a long moment, a moment that Link felt as though stretched on for forever, before Sidon finally looked over his shoulder at him.

His eyes were a little sad, but they saw the pain etched into Link's face and Sidon knew he couldn't fault the Hylian for his circumstance. "I see now why you sought me. Do you hope that if I speak about her, that you may remember more of her?" Link nodded and sat up again, slumping over slightly as he trembled. Sidon noticed the tremor in Link's body and sensed that the swordsman was genuinely upset, but didn't address it to save Link's pride. "Are you cold, my friend? Shall we get out of the water?" Link had been so worried that Sidon would hate him and the relief was so great that his body actually shook.

He looked up at Sidon's inquiry and couldn't help smiling. The Zora prince had taken notice, but had the grace to give Link another reason for his reaction. "Yeah, let's get out. It's really late, anyway." Without thinking, Sidon straightened himself and sent Link careening into the water. When Link resurfaced, he coughed a little and spat out some water, shooting the Zora a withering look. "You could have at least warned me." He couldn't keep a straight face as Sidon had the decency to look sheepish over it, quickly grinning at the Zora.

"Sorry about that. Here." Sidon reached under the water, his hands closing around Link's torso, and pulled him up and out onto the ledge. Link blinked in surprise at how easily Sidon had lifted him, as though he'd weighed no more than a feather. Despite himself, and he wasn't even sure why, his face heated as a slight blush crept across his face.

"Thanks." Link quickly leaned down to gather up his dry clothes as Sidon emerged from the pool. Sidon grinned, completely oblivious, and gave him a winning pose, just like when they'd first met.

"Not at all, dear Link." His hand lowered and his expression softened. "Listen, come see me tomorrow evening. We'll have dinner and I'll tell you all that I can remember of my sister. In return, you can tell me a tale of one of your more recent battles. Sound like a deal?" Link stared up at him in surprise, but he quickly nodded and gave him a wide smile. 

"Deal. I'll see you tomorrow, Prince Sidon." They exchanged a nod and, after Sidon collected his adornments he'd taken off prior, they went their separate ways to their own bedchambers. Feeling a bit lighter, it didn't take Link very long before he slipped into a deep sleep.

[triforceangel13]

An Accidental Mating Ch. 7 (A SidLink Omegaverse Story)

Chapter 7: Seeing the Truth

Getting a moment alone with Link was becoming exceedingly hard for the prince. Ever since that day in the library Link was never left alone with him. Whenever they tried to even get a moment together  Ezra was there as well, putting himself purposely in between them so that they barely talked and never made contact.

Sidon was tempted to stop trying all together, bowing out respectfully to the man who actually had mated Link as the weeks dragged on but a few things made him stay and still keep trying over and over everyday.

Zelda had buried herself so much in her research that she was scarce. Link barely knew Ezra so Sidon felt it was necessary that he had at lest someone familiar in the room even if they really never got to speak with one another.

There was also the tickling feeling in the back of his head that he was missing something when it came to this whole thing. It still didn't feel right to him that Ezra was the man who had done it. Sidon remembered kissing Link the night it happened so why would he just let another man take him from him? One thing he remembered from when he was little was his sister always scolded him for being a man that never shared. It wouldn't make sense that he would let Link go into the arms of another man even if he was intoxicated.

The last thing that kept him going back over and over...was the smile that Link had for him whenever he saw him. Those blue eyes lit up when he saw him and that smile that grew across his face. If only he could just kiss his forehead again and pull him into his arms. Whether or not this baby was his he was willing to help Link raise it. Link had said he would pick who his alpha was in the end when the baby was born. Sidon just hoped that it was going to be him in the end.

Today was different than the rest. Normally he would try to catch Link while he was eating in the dining hall, a public place so it wouldn't seem like he was coming to see specifically him, even though he actually was. Today however his father had said, through Muzu, that there was work that needed to be done and it was waiting for him in his study.

Despite that Sidon wanted to go against what his father wanted he knew he should try to stay on his good side lately. With still not having found an omega for himself his father was becoming a little impatient with him.

Perhaps when he was done he could find Link and come up with an excuse to be in the same room with him. Maybe it was more than love that kept him coming back. He also had a sense of wanting to protect him from Ezra.

He shook his head, letting out a sigh as he walked down the hall .He had to get going before he changed his mind again. He had to get this work finished whatever his father wanted him to get done that day.

For now he had to get Link out of his head and focus.

With a heavy sigh he stepped into his study, frowning a bit at the sheer darkness of the room. He normally kept the curtains open, letting the light shine in. Furrowing his brow he flicked the light switch on, expecting to see a huge stack of papers on his desk. The sight before him was not one he had expected to see.

But with the way his father had worded his demands and what had been happening lately he could understand fully what it was he wanted.

Three Zoran women sat around his desk chair, the desk having been moved to the wall out of the way for what he assumed where he would be taking one of them, barely clothed and waiting quietly from their seats.

“There he is,” one whispered, the other two looking up from the floor to look at Sidon. The smiles were warm but also...eager. It set Sidon's teeth on edge.

He had been afraid of this. He vaguely remembered telling Link he was afraid that his father was going to lock him in a room with a bunch of omegas and he would go crazy. A hungry look was in their eyes one quickly rose, grabbing his arm and pulled him towards the chair, her grip tight as she held onto his arm.

A strong scent wafted off the three of them and it took all Sidon could not to throw up. It smelled sour, and disgusting. Was it all omegas that smelled like this or was it the fact that they were in heat and this was what they smelled like?

But this wasn't what Link smelled like. Granted he wasn't in heat, and wouldn't be for a while and he didn't smell like this when he was around him due to his pregnancy, but he smelled sweet like sugar and it brought out a primal need to protect him and want to be near him.

“Oh sweet hylia,” Sidon mumbled, his eyes widening. Was he...actually Link's alpha? He had thought it odd that he had wanted to protect him more than he had before. He had thought it was just his burning love for him and the fat that he was pregnant but there was something else underlying there. Something else that didn't make sense unless he was the alpha.

And that meant Ezra was a liar and wanting to keep Link all to himself, maybe even mark him to make sure he became the alpha after the baby was born. If he didn't get Ezra away from him he could very well end up doing that. He was waiting it out, trying to earn Link's affections that way he would choose him.

Sidon quickly turned on his heels, his hand reaching for the door when he was suddenly yanked back by one of the women.

“Don't you want to play with one of us?” one of them asked, tugging him down into his desk chair. The others knelt in front of him, hands moving up his legs.

“Stop,” Sidon said to them but they did not, unbuckling the belt that he wore around his waist, the third female rubbing his shoulders.

He jammed his eyes shut tight, trying to pull himself from their touches but it was difficult. Their strength combined made it hard for him to move as well a he didn't want to hurt them. He knew why they were doing this. They were being pushed by their pheromones as well as orders from the king. He was sure if another unmated alpha had gotten there first they would be at the mercy of these women as well.

The flush of their skin, the scents that were rolling off of them in waves of their heats, as well as the burning desire in their eyes would make any unmated man go mad. But Sidon was not. In fact he wanted to get away and wash himself with the strongest soap he had.

But the longer he sat there thinking on it, the clearler the image that played in his head, making something much like a snap go through his mind.

Link laying on his back, bare with skin flushed and that same look in his eyes. His hair laid about the pillow under his head, a little blood dripping from the mark that matched the blood on his own lips, the taste sweet to him.

There was no way he was just day dreaming this. It was all too vivid. It wasn't a dream it was...a memory.

“I need to go,” Sidon said, pushing up in the chair but the one rubbing his shoulders pulled back into the chair hard, inhaling slowly as she pressed her face into his neck. Though as soon as she did she stopped, sitting back as a look of confusion crossed on her face.

“He smells weird,” she stated.

At that moment the door to the study opened followed quickly by the sound of a shattering plate. All eyes turned to the source of the noise.

Link, with a smashed bowl of salmon meunire at his feet and a look of utter betrayal written on his handsome face stood in the doorway.

“Link!” Sidon said quickly, pushing up from the women and came towards him. Link, his omega, who carried his baby.

He had to share this news and he had to do something about Ezra lying through his teeth and try to take something that was his!

But first he had to tell Link what he remembered.

“Link, I know what happened that night-”

“How could you,” Link whispered to him, lifting his gaze up to him. Such anger and sadness. Sidon just wanted to pull him against his body and kiss his troubles away. But that was when it dawned on him. Link had been able to get away from Ezra and brought food to share with him in his study for breakfast. And what does he see when he opens the door? Three women pawing at him in the middle of the room.

“Link, it's not what you-”

Sidon quickly stopped speaking as Link threw a punch into his gut. The prince grunted, kneeling down onto his knee. For someone so small he certainly could pack quite the punch enough to take his breath away.

“Link...wait,” Sidon wheezed as Link ran as fast as his feet could carry him.

*

Link quickly closed his bedroom door behind him, tears leaking down his face. How could he do that to him? Just when he thought there was something there with him he went and tried sleeping with three other women.

Shaking his head to try to get the image out of his head he slowly settled down onto the floor near the door, his hands cradling his stomach.

“Sidon....why?” he whispered, wrapping his arms around himself. He wanted to be angry but he was mostly just hurt, plus the hormones were just making the tears come non stop. He loved Sidon. He loved him so much that it hurt. He was willing to give up the man who marked him and go through so much trouble to be with him.

He felt like he had nowhere to go. He didn't feel safe there especially not with the man that was his alpha. He had become so possessive that wasn't allowed to do anything without him. He was surprised he had been able to get away this time.

A soft knock on the door broke him from his string of thoughts.

“Go away,” he said as he wiped his face. “I don't want to talk to you Sidon.”

“Link, it's me,” came Zelda's gentle voice. “Can I come in?”

Wiping his eyes Link reached up and opened the door, looking up at her worried green eyes as she gazed upon him.

“Oh Link...” she said softly, coming in quickly and closing the door behind her. She sat her bundles of papers on the table nearby and knelt in front of him. “Talk to me link. What happened? Did you get sick again? Did Ezra do something?”

“No...it...is was Sidon,” he said. Just saying those words felt like a knife through him. “He did something terrible.”

Zelda blanched a moment. “Link, about Sidon. There is something you really should know.”

“I don't want to hear it,” he snapped. “He told me he was in love with me and I just caught him in the arms of three other women.”

Zelda paled a it at that. “Link I'm sure you just miss saw something.”

“No, I know what I saw.”

“Link, he loves you with all he is. And I did not slave over this research for the past couple of weeks for nothing.”

Link wiped his eyes again confused. “I don't even know what you've been researching. I really do need you with me. You're the only one that I can trust right now.”

“But you should trust Sidon. Link, I have a strong belief that he is your alpha,” she protested. Link froze. Sidon was his alpha? The dream he had actually come true that Sidon was his alpha and that the baby growing in his stomach as actually theirs?

“Then why did he sleep with other omegas?” Link asked, his voice cracking as he felt a sob run through him again.

“I..I don't know...” Zelda said softly, rubbing his arm. Link wrapped his arms around himself again, shaking his head as he rest his face against his knees. Zelda sat next to him, pulling him into a loving hug for her best friend.

“I want to leave,” he cried softly. “I want to go back to the castle.”

Zelda nodded her head. “We will. This stress isn't good for the baby.”

“But don't I have to be here?” he asked.

“I read that you need at least your alpha's scent with you. I just want you to relax Link. I'll take care of everything,” she promised him.

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[h3rmitsunited]

Continuing Thoughts on Age of Calamity: I am about 19 hours in at this point and oh man are things going down. Just wanted to record some of my thoughts, theories, reactions, etc... before I get to the last four missions of the story because I’m just thinking about this non-stop and want to share.

Spoilers below the read more, so don’t read if you plan on playing the game. It is a lot more fun to experience in the game than reading it, so just you know, don’t read it.

THE NEW BOTW CHAMPIONS ARE HERE, THE OG CHAMPIONS ARE ALIVE! 

-After the siege of the castle mission that ends with the king's death at the hands of the guardians off screen and the menu music changing to the awesome dark theme and the prompt on the screen saying that Mipha, Daruk, Revali, and Urbosa are trapped in the Divine Beasts, I legitimately cried a little bit. Like I was mostly tearing up because of the bit with Zelda and her father and Link dragging her away, but with the context of BOTW and the Divine Beasts and the Champions having been killed in battle with the Calamity Blights, I was like holy crap, they killed them, they're trapped because they died, but then I started the next chapter and decided to do Urbosa and Revali's first and then it starts and they're both still alive and then we see that Teba and Riju come through and like I lost my shit. I was like WHAT!? IS!? HAPPENING?! I thought that it was a really cool way to get more characters to play as (because this is a Warriors game so the vast array of characters to play as is a selling point) and a cool way to keep the OG Champions from being dead which is depressing. So I got Urbosa and Revali back and then realized what this meant for the other mission, that Mipha would be saved by giant grown Sidon and it was just as cute and sweet as I thought it was going to be. And then them working together on the Divine Beast and teaming up and you can see how much Sidon missed his sister and looks up to her, despite the fact that he is literally ginormous and she is a tiny little thing. It made me tear up. The other champion relationships don't really hit that hard because none of them actually met each other before, but it was pretty funny the bit with Teba and Revali when Revali is once again being an asshole to Link and Teba is just like.... WTF? This is the Rito champion, he's like kind of a di- and Urbosa is like yes, we know. Moving on. Because like damn, they really turned Revali's dick factor way up in this game. Like seriously, bird, can you like chill?

-Anyways, another thing that got me going literally insane was the bit in Hyrule field with Astor and Sooga and Kohga when Astor was like...pulling soul power or something from the Yiga soldiers and like turned it into Hollow Link and when I saw that I was like losing my mind. I don't know why it got me so hyped up, but it did and I'm very excited to battle it out with this dark Link character.

-I just finished the battle at Akkala citadel, which was a pretty cool fight, and going to go into the next battle, something about thunder, so obviously another Divine Beast lead in with Divine Beast support trying to fight off Guardians and monsters and stuff. From the placement, it appears like it'll be near Hateno, and will be involving Urbosa and Vah Nahboris. I don't really care for the Divine Beast levels. They are frustrating to control and the camera movements are annoying and the targeting system just is frustrating. The level with Vah Rudania fighting off the guardians was so annoying, just trying to target the guardians and move around and then I just kept getting stuck on the walls and stuff and the movements are so slow, and it was just like, I don't really care for this at all, thanks... I much prefer the on the ground, quick fighting. Obviously, Link is the most intuitive and easiest to use, he's the highest level, and he's the main fighting character, so he's my favorite to use. I really want to unlock the Hyrule Warriors armor set, so I'm going to have to do a ton of quests and stuff which is a lot, but it will make me keep playing the game for a while, which is good since the game cost sixty dollars. It's fun to play though, so I feel like it's worth it. -Regarding the timeline pieces, I'm really conflicted about the backstory elements that we're getting, and I realize that the moment the eggo was introduced, it set this timeline off into a completely different direction, but it brings up questions for me about the original timeline. We don't really know exactly when the Hyrule Warriors timeline starts out and how far from the Calamity attack it was in the past. I would assume that it wasn't too far in the past, most like like less than a year, maybe less than six months? It's difficult to tell because we don't get a whole lot of context. We are given the information that in this game, the Calamity attack on the castle happens at the same time as in the original timeline, on Zelda's 17th birthday, maybe a little sooner, since in the OG, she's coming down from Lanayru with Link and in this one, I think she's leaving the castle to go to Lanayru when the attack happens. But when did everything else happen? How long has Link had the Master sword and been the chosen knight? He's been following Zelda in this timeline since eggo was introduced, but he was still "just a knight" at that point, even if he was a really good and talented one. But wouldn't that mean that he activates his power in Korok forest like barely anytime before the Calamity attack? I mean I guess in the OG timeline, we can kind of get hints that Link hasn't been chosen for a super long time, since Zelda questions him about how confident he is with the Master Sword and can he hear the voice, and is a bit more antagonistic with him, so he probably hadn't been doing that for a super long time either, but it does feel like he's had it longer in the OG timeline memories compared to here when he gets the Master sword and then like two missions later Ganon is popping up at the castle. I mean, it wouldn't make sense really to drag things out a super long time, so I understand that having a bunch of extra cut scenes and missions that aren't super plot relevant would be kind of weird, especially with this Astor dude's involvement, he would want to push things along. But the Ganon attack still happens the same time as the OG timeline, so all of these things happen within the same amount of time. I don't remember in the OG timeline if we ever got any details about how Link awakened his power. I do like how they did it in this version, how it was like a parallel to how Zelda awakened her power protecting Link, which gave me all the Zelink feels, but I just want canon backstory for the OG timeline, you know? We know that this timeline isn't canon for the OG timeline because of eggo being involved, so we can only really pull character elements from this timeline rather than specific plot elements. I also wondered about Impa since she is there kind of escorting Zelda in most of the missions, but was only in BOTW as an old lady, which is fine because they likely hadn't have developed that into the story at that point, but I also think maybe since Link in AOC hasn't become the chosen knight until later, he wasn't seen as capable or trustworthy enough to be her sole escort knight and wanted to keep Impa around for additional protection or something. I don't know, doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but whatever. I'm also trying to remember... when did the Champions get their champion clothes? Does Link have the blue tunic on in all the memories? I'm pretty sure that one of the first memories is that depressing one where Zelda is like knighting Link or something in the gazebo thing in front of the castle, but I can't remember the order... It's just all so confusing and I'm sure I'm deeply overthinking everything and that they're kind of just like retconning elements, but like what does it all mean? I mean maybe... maybe... since Zelda remembers the eggo in her like baby dream memory in that one cut scene, maybe that means eggo was also sent way back in time to the beginning of her life, so this timeline is deeply changed from the beginning of her life, so while the initial difference weren't super evident, just some small things, once they got to later in the timeline and all the Master sword/Champion stuff, it really just like threw everything in the air. I don't know why it bothers me so much, I think it's just me Zelink heart wanting Link and Zelda to have more time together when it's not just crazy monster fighting sad Zelda all the time like in the AOC cutscenes. In BOTW, we get these soft little memories of Zelda and Link researching in the field and riding horses and stuff and like yes the ever present concern about Zelda's power and Ganon is there in the memories still, but it feels more intimate and slow and down to earth. I think it's also because in several of the memories, it's just them two, and in AOC, there hasn't really been any memories with just the two of them together, so it has a different feel to it. I liked in BOTW, the stories in Zelda's diary about talking to Link about his destiny and why he doesn't talk and how he feels the weight of this title and it keeps him silent and it gave Link this interesting depth and emotion that you couldn't really see without that, and then in the AOC, there are some little moments where you see Link having a scrap of emotion, tiny smiles he gives to Zelda, serious face, confused, happy to eat stuff, but most of his moments are the little grunts and blank stares that he gives. Like seriously? Zelda's father just died, she feels like it's all her fault and Link's response is a tiny smile and a "huh". Like yes, there are dynamics with them, she's a princess, he's a knight, he's protective of her and doesn't push her boundaries or whatever, but like just hug please. I loved that memory in the forest in BOTW where she just collapses into his chest and he holds her and we see this pained expression on his face and it's like yes please give me more not lobotomized Link. Like I know this sounds like complaining, because it is, and like I do understand they want Link to kind of be this blank slate, character insert type of character, but give him something please! 

-I'm hoping we get some good content in these last few mission cut scenes. I'm getting down to the last few missions, only four left, and looking at the chapter titles, which is the only spoilers that I have allowed myself, I'm like, okay, what is going to happen next. And like I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that we win and the bad BOTW timeline ending is subverted and Ganon has to go night night, but like who knows, maybe they'll surprise me, but probably not. This is supposed to be a game that you keep playing after you finish the main story, so like killing off a bunch of playable characters and having it end in destruction would be probably not so smart...

-Okay, that's all my current thoughts. I'll be playing more tonight and we'll see if I finish the story tonight, or maybe I'll have to stop myself and take a breather before blasting through the remaining missions. I finished I think three missions(?) last night, and I had a break for dinner, but like I don't work tomorrow, so like, I could probably blast through the last ones, but I'd also still need to do some additional quest stuff in between for level up purposes since I just go through rupees like crazy. Oh my gosh, that reminds me... it is so dang annoying when you get one of those like quest find item marker things that lights up when you have all the items and you're like sweet I'll complete this and as you're pressing the button, out of habit, without super paying attention, you realize it's going to cost like 2,000 rupees or something and it's like... not again! I can't tell you how many times I have done this and it's so annoying. Like warn me if I have to pay rupees, I don't want to use my brain, game! Lol yes, it's my fault, I'm not really mad.

-Okay, the end. For now. TLDR: This game is fun and unexpected, but it is also not BOTW, so don't go into this expecting BOTW mechanics or gameplay. But hey, smashing through tons of enemies is also kind of satisfying too. Also, like the new enemies are wild. Elemental Moblins, Hinoxs, Lynels, Guardians(!), the use of the Elemental weapons is a cool mechanic, and it's cool having some cinematic fight moments, even if it might get repetitive after playing the game for a while, but you also can use a ton of different characters, so there's variety there, I just have yet to leave my boy because he's the easiest to blast through anything and everything, though Impa is pretty cool too, even if most of my moves with her are random button smashes since I don't really have a good grip on how her moves work. At least with Link it's pretty obvious and I've gotten better about actually having some sort of strategy with how he works, the other characters I haven't played enough to have any sort of knowledge on how they work. Also Zelda's moves are not fun to play at all, sorry, but they're just annoying and useless. Also Daruk is bad at fighting Hinoxes. Okay, now, the end.

[lezzybugo3o]

That’s Amore

A Linksona fic made for a challenge on a Linksona Discord server.

Summary: On one rainy day, Swift Wind reminisces about her past love life and muses on her current one.

                                                  That’s Amore

The rain poured down as the young hero and her wolf ran towards the Dueling Peaks stable. Once they made it to the establishment, Wolf Link shook the rainwater off his fur with a groan. “The sky looked sunny when we left the shrine. How did this rain come in so suddenly?”

Swift wrung out her tunic’s hem. “Nature’s funny that way. It looks fun out there though. Sure would love to stomp in some of those puddles.”

“I am NOT dealing with a sick teenager, so stay inside the stable,” growled the wolf.

Rolling her eyes, she took off her wet tunic and quickly put on an old shirt. “Fine then. Party pooper,” Swift huffed.

As Wolf Link settled in next to one of the stable beds, the Hylian gazed out, watching the rain. She soon caught sight of a couple running into the stable to avoid getting any wetter. She then noticed the male Hylian putting a cloak around his girlfriend, keeping her warm. The woman smiled at him and the two rested their foreheads together. Swift couldn’t help but feel warm inside at the sight of this. Love had always been such an interesting thing to her and she was no stranger to it as well. Swift closed her eyes as she began to let her mind reach back into the recesses of her memories of those she cared for in the past.

Swift could barely contain her excitement as the small ceremony carried on. She had been chosen to be Zelda’s personal knight along with being one of the Champions to seal away Calamity Ganon. Swift had always heard of Zelda’s name, but never had the chance to meet her properly until now. Needless to say, she was awestruck by the princess’ beauty. The way the wind blew past her golden locks and dress, one could have sworn they were in the presence of a goddess. Of course, once Zelda opened her eyes, Swift could sense a feeling of sorrow and possibly bitterness in her. She wasn’t sure where it was coming from, but the least Swift could offer was a genuine smile, hoping it would help. To her joy, the princess returned the gesture with a grin of her own, albeit a sad one. The Hylian Champion made a mental note to find ways to have Zelda smile more often, for her own sake and to experience the wonderful sight again and again.

Of course, Princess Zelda wasn’t the only lovely lady who caught Swift’s eye. During the ceremony, she could have sworn the other Champions were talking about her. She could tell one of them didn’t think that much of her, but she chose to ignore the negative comments made by him. The voice that caught her attention was one that she later found out belonged to the Gerudo chief herself, Lady Urbosa. Just the mere sight of her was enough to get Swift’s heart thumping like mad. She was gorgeous and fierce like the Lynels the Hylian had seen once or twice. Usually Swift had no problem trying to woo others with her words, but when she tried to turn on the charm with Urbosa, the Gerudo woman responded with a gentle caress on the younger woman’s cheek and sweet words of her own, causing Swift’s face to redden immediately. The action also elicited a hearty laugh from the Gerudo, a most melodious sound to the Hylian’s ears.

As if that wasn’t enough, Swift somehow found herself falling for the same Champion that thought she wasn’t all that special, Revali, Rito warrior. While most couldn’t stand the bird’s arrogant way of speaking and how much of a showoff he could be, Swifty thought it was a bit charming. Irritating but charming. Revali at first thought of her flirty behavior as unbecoming of a Champion, but at the same time he relished in the fact that someone was interested in him. They would spend long moments just exchanging snarky comments about the other person. Swift giggled to herself as she remembered one of the conversations they had at Rito Village. She had made herself a delicious fruit pie and she was savoring every bite like it was a treasure. The Rito Champion saw her and remarked, “I'm surprised you haven't broken any of the bridges with your chubby butt.”

Swift in turn shot back, “I’m surprised you're able to fly so high with how huge your ego is.”

Revali gave a smirk and smacked her back with his wing. “Little imp.”

Swift Wind then took a spoonful of her pie and smeared it on the Rito’s beak with a giggle. “Feather brain.”

Revali licked the sweet food off his mouth and bit back a surprised squawk when the Hylian girl cuddled up to him.

Swift certainly wasn't a picky girl when it came to finding a partner. The most important aspect to her was their personality and whether or not she could have a good time with them. She had had a few flings with people here and there… but there was one person who Swifty felt more than just mere infatuation… the one and only Princess Mipha. As a child, Swift already thought she was a pretty Zora, but meeting with her again after all those years, the young hero saw her old friend in a new light. Swift found herself visiting Zora’s Domain more often just to spend more time with Mipha, even with her new duty as Zelda's knight. The Zora princess would often fret that her friend would get in trouble with her frequent visits, but a peck on her cheek was enough to melt her worry away. Every time she came by, Swift would tell Mipha about something new the princess had never seen outside of the domain and even treat her to a new recipe she learned. In turn, the young Zora would teach Swift how to swim faster and improve her sparring. The Hylian sighed heavily as she recalled one of the last conversations she had with the princess.

“Perhaps we could spend some time together.”

Swift smirked. “You mean more time than we already do?”

Mipha’s face flushed as she tried to find her voice. “Ah um, m-my apologies! I did not mean to intrude on anything important you had to-”

“Heh heh heh, I’m only teasing, Mipha!” The Hylian reassured her with a gentle kiss on her forehead. “I love spending time with you… and your little scamp of a brother.”

“Again, I apologize for his rude behavior towards you,” she said sweetly.

“Ahh, think nothing of it. I've got three little brothers of my own. I know how it is with younger siblings,” Swift mused. She then took a breath before putting her arm around Mipha, chuckling when the Zora female squeaked.

“Swift Wind… if… if it is not too personal for you to answer, may I ask you something?”

The younger champion looked to her comrade and responded with a grin, “Sure thing. Ask me.”

Mipha took a deep breath as she gathered her courage. “Have… have you… (Oh goddess, Mipha, just spit it out! You are a proud Zora princess! And surely Father would love to have her as a second daughter!) Have you ever thought about marriage?”

Swift blinked in surprise which made Mipha's stomach drop, thinking she messed this up. Suddenly the princess felt her fellow champion hold both of her hands. “A few times… with you on my mind,” the hero playfully said with a wink.

The Zora gasped at this response. “I… I'm not dreaming, am I?”

Swift Wind leaned in and pressed her lips tenderly on the princess’, smiling when Mipha kissed back.

The Hylian champion fell back on to the stable bed with a sigh that was mixed with sorrow and reminiscence.

“What’s got you such a good mood?”

Swift sat back up to see Wolf Link watching her on the side of the bed. “Hm? Oh, just thinking is all… about Mipha… Revali… everyone I knew before. Heh, I found out she wanted to marry me before Ganon decided to rear his ugly head.”

Wolf Link raised an eyebrow. “You certainly have a way of attracting others, don't you? Like that prince you met at the domain?”

The champion snickered to herself as she remembered her first meeting with said prince. Last time she saw him, he barely reached her knee and by goddess, his grin was much too big for his tiny sweet face. But now, that same child towered over Swift, keeping that charming smile with a twinkle. His enthusiasm was as infectious as his positive mood and his muscular frame was enough to make the Hylian’s legs turn to jelly… so why couldn't she bring herself to flirt openly with him as she did with his sister long ago? Could it be guilt? The fact that she devoted her heart to Mipha and could never love another like her again? Maybe it was the fear of seeing him as a consolation prize compared to his sister. Whatever the reason, she wouldn't try to woo him as constantly as other people in her life… or so she thought. “Ahh, Prince Sidon could get any other woman. He is quite a sweetheart… not to mention those rippling muscles of his~”

“You're turning red again,” groaned Wolf Link.

She cleared her throat, trying to rid her brain of any lewd thoughts of Sidon… no matter how tempting it was. “Not as red as that adorable Goron we met back at Death Mountain turned when I held his hand. By Hylia, Yunobo was a yummy little cinnamon roll. What I wouldn't give to kiss that soft goofy face again.”

“Do that and he might accidentally knock you into lava, idiot,” the wolf growled. “Like when you almost walked off that cliff staring at that Rito bard.”

Swift burst into laughter at the memory. “Can you blame me? Kass is a very pretty bird. His looks are as mesmerizing as his music.”

The dark-colored canine shook his head in frustration. It seemed like everywhere they went, his companion had at least three new infatuations towards the residents of Hyrule. “Seriously, is there any place in Hyrule you HAVEN'T fallen for someone?!”

“I wonder if that cute Hylian girl with the purple hair is still in Gerudo Town,” Swift gushed, oblivious to the wolf’s question.

Wolf Link put his paw over his face and sighed in defeat, “You're hopeless.”

[sidon-reader-support]

Hello! I was wondering how Sidon might react to finding out his S/O has a wonderful singing voice, but they never sing in front of others. Not because they're shy, but because they're actually a type of Siren which makes the melodies they sing affect others based on the mood (say, a sad song will make others suddenly start crying even if they're not feeling sad), so they're worried about what could happen if someone else ever hears them, so they only do it when they think they're alone.

(Ooh~ This was a really neat idea especially because I’ve always loved the Siren style, music and singing being a superpower, and other things like that~ Hope this turned out well also shout out to Song of the Sea for providing me with the inspiration for this piece~ Enjoy!~)

A Tone of Enchantment

Word Count: 2428Warnings: Songfic, Fluff, Slight angst, Moonlit romance (the best kind)

Night settled upon Hylia, cloaking the vast land in a shade of dark violet that only evening was capable of, however, while the darkness did drape over the land hiding away most of the land’s natural beauty it only made the Zora’s Domain shine brighter. Blue light from the glowing stones that lined the pathways of slick metal and all of the pools of water inside of the kingdom gave the Kingdom a rather ethereal glow that stood out when everything that surrounded it was now dark.

It was not an overwhelming brightness, especially not to  the residence that had come accustomed to the light, but it was enough to give all of the domain a chill glow. You had come to take great delight in the blue that lit up the entire palace and the sound of the waters brushing up against the great architecture; such a sight reminded you a lot of your home. Though you did miss your home you did not want to leave here, especially not now that you had found your dearest one.

Besides this domain did not feel much different from your old one. It was surrounded by large bodies of water and they ate everything that you had ate before though perhaps a little fresher than you were used to. Regardless, you preferred this home much more as in your old home you had basically been alone with just your parents for company thought that was for a good reason.

Either way it was just busy enough her that you never felt lonely while still being quiet enough that you had plenty of privacy whenever you needed it. Lately it had become something you needed a lot more often, probably because you had gained your muse.

Most of the Zoras had already retired for the evening including your dear lover now asleep in your shared bed. However, you were restless and full of a longing desire that had pulled you of the bed and to the balcony. Now here you stood looking around for something to take your mind off of things but the serene brightness of the brilliant moon and the gentle whisper of the wind was calling to you even more.

Everything was tranquil, everything was well lit like a wondrous stage, everything was perfect for singing.

“Everyone is asleep,” you murmured considerately, casting a quick look over your shoulder at the Prince still laid undisturbed in bed. The moon’s soothing light was passing through the now open glass panes doors and illuminating the Prince’s face. You smiled sweetly seeing how peaceful Sidon looked resting his head against the pillow. His arm lay outstretched against the empty spot where the covers had been tussled when you left the bed. Your heart did a small flutter seeing him and before you knew it a song began filling your heart quickly spreading everywhere.

Turning back to face the night sky you smiled and let your eyes close taking a deep breath to relax your body and let that song swell up throughout your entire body. Right now, the Siren in you did not need to worry about other people. The Siren in you was alone now.

The Siren in you was free.

That thought only made you more excited until you finally couldn’t contain it and before you even realized it your lips were parting so that you could free the voice that you had been restraining for quite a while. No words in particular came out at first, your heart favoring instead to test out this song that was bubbling inside of you. So you held different random notes trying to figure out the melody for this song; everything starting out soft and wary but gradually got louder and more confident as you found the right sounds.

It was not a new song, it was actually one you had been pondering and testing out for a while even before you had met Sidon. One of sweet grace that held a true compassion that you had never felt properly until Sidon so you supposed that it had never taken form because you had never had the write inspiration. Now it felt more like second nature to you as you opened your mouth again and began to let the words flow.

“Hush now - my story - close your eyes and sleepWaltzing the waves, diving the deepStars are shining bright, the wind is on the riseWhispering words of long lost lullabies”

The wind stirred up around you, rustling your pajamas and your hair as it sent a shiver down your spine. Your whole body felt almost weightless as you sang as if the wind could give one strong gust and you would be swept away into the night. This was the feeling you had been missing. A wide smile crept onto your lips and you pushed yourself away from the balcony to bow your head to the moon holding your hand out as if to ask the charming onlooker of your performance to dance.

“Oh, won’t you come with me?Where the Moon is made of goldAnd in the morning sunWe’ll be sailing.”

Your eyes closed again and you pictured that a figure had accepted your request and now held you in their hands, one on your hip and the other grasping your hand gently. The weightless feeling persists as the figure in your head takes a step and you follow their lead dancing slowly around the balcony while you continue your song.

“Oh, won’t you come with me?Where the ocean meets the skyAnd as the clouds roll byWe’ll sing the song of the sea.”

You wish you could feel this free with Sidon, not having to hide your ability from him, and just sing whenever you felt like it possibly even serenade him with your voice. However you know that you could never do that, especially not with other people around, still you could dream. Your dancing partner shifts to a familiar face and your heart pounds harder in your chest as Sidon is now leading you in your dance.

He is made from the light of the moon, glimmering like a freshly polished pearl but you would recognize that sharp-toothed smiled anywhere. The image is burned into your mind and every time you see it it fills you with joy and you can’t help but sing a little louder as you move on to the next verse.

“I had a dream last nightAnd I heard the sweetest soundI saw a great white light And dancers in the round Castles in the sandCradles in the treesDon’t cry, I’ll see you by and by.”

The Sidon constructed from moonlight and your imagination twirls you and you happily follow his guidance as strange as it is to be dancing by yourself. It feels so real though. So real that you could reach out and he would take your hand in his own supporting you every step. You can’t help but open your eyes as you twirl to watch everything spin; a flash of red in your peripheral stops you dead in your tracks. The chorus gets trapped in your throat as you are too busy staring wide-eyed at Sidon - the real Sidon - staring right back, smiling sweetly even though he has been caught staring.

“S-Sidon!” You stammer quick to clean yourself up in an attempt to act bacterial as if you had not been singing your heart out just a moment ago. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up. I know you’re probably tired.”

Sidon only chuckles at this but you don’t dare meet his eyes as you turn around to hide the embarrassment on your face and lean on the banister. “Quite the contrary, I feel rather refreshed after watching you,” he says and your body tenses up instantly.

You hesitate to speak for a moment but eventually you manage to respond, “How much did you see…?”

There is movement behind you and soon Sidon has crossed the distance between you and is also leaning against the sleek metal banister. “Well I heard you singing if that is what you are worried about, my love.”

You knew it. A round of scolds run through your head for being so careless as you lower your head into your hands. Why couldn’t you just suppress your urges? Why couldn’t you just wait until he was farther away? Why couldn’t you stop singing? You sighed softly and shook your head knowing fully well that it was ingrained into you. What was a Siren if they could not sing after all?

Sidon sighs as well and you can hear him move but you keep your face buried in your hands. “My pearl, do not feel bad. Truth be told this is not the first time that I have heard you sing-”

“I know… when we first met. You caught me sitting by the river.”

Sidon chuckles, “That is true, my love, one of my fondest memories of you. However, I meant more recently.” You lower your hands hesitantly, just enough to meet Sidon’s eyes and make sure that he is telling the truth though you know he would never lie. The certainty in those piercing golden orbs only confirm your suspicions and you instantly grow more nervous. “Yes, I’ve heard you on rare occasions whenever you sneak off to a quiet place or when you are in the tub and think that you are alone. I confess that sometimes I follow you… intentionally so that I can listen to you.”

At this point your hands have dropped down to just your finger tips touching your chin, looking up at your partner shocked by his sudden confession. All this time you had been trying not to sing around him yet he had been listening to you anyways. He looked down at you smiling sheepishly before reaching out to wrap an arm around you and rest it on your shoulder pulling you a little closer to him. “My love, you know that you don’t have to hide it. I love your voice, your singing is absolutely enchanting. From the moment I heard you sing that night I knew you were special.”

You break away from the Zora Prince abruptly when he says this, wrapping your arms tight around yourself. Was this all just because of your singing? Tears brim in your eyes and you quickly turn away again so that Sidon cannot see you; your fists cling to the bed as if it is your life line as your legs will surely give out if you do not hold onto something.

“My love?”

“Sidon, did you fall in love with me because of my voice?”

“What?”

“Do you love me because of my voice?” You shout this more insistently unable to bear the thought that these long months together with Sidon were just the result of your bewitching voice. Turning hesitantly to face the Prince you are swept from your place at the balcony and pulled out to the center of the balcony - which was a rather easy feat considering Sidon’s strength and the rather small space between the two of you.

Eyes wide and slightly blurry from the tears now falling down your cheeks, you watch as Sidon takes hold of you much like your imaginary Sidon had when the moon had you in its trance. This time however you are completely captivated by Sidon’t golden gaze, sniffling softly as he twirls you and gently guides your spin to his other hand before pulling you close to him again. With your back pressed to his chest you are encompassed by his strong arms filled with that familiar warmth you felt whenever you were so close to the male. Something that felt this real certainly couldn’t just be the product of your singing, could it?

“My love,” Sidon speaks and your attention is quickly drawn to him, “I fell in love with you not because of your singing but because of the true passion in that voice. I saw you sitting their on the bank of the river drenched in moonlight and you were absolutely breathtaking I was enraptured. I remember that shocked look you gave me when you caught me staring at you and how you stumbled to stand up.”

You pout up at him the memory rather embarrassing to you. However, Sidon just smiles and continues speaking as he sways back and forth with you in his arms,

“You looked like you would take off running if I moved any closer but I had to anyways, I had to meet the mystery person whose voice was so soothing. Now I do and to be frank I could not be happier.”

Heart fluttering at the sound of such sweet words you could only smile and blush in response gently gripping Sidon’s hands and holding them tight. That weightless feeling returned and you let Sidon take control of your body spinning you lightly again before dipping you with his special kind of clumsy grace that makes the both of you laugh a little. The Zora looks at you and then leans close to peck your lips before pulling you back to stand feet again. “Won’t you please sing for me now? If you want to that is.”

The Zora’s nervousness and the end of his sentence makes you smile and that fear that had once held you back vanished - not completely because there is always a lingering doubt - and you nod your head letting not the moon fill your heart but Sidon’s sweet words making you sing. No longer did you want to hide your voice from the Zora knowing that he loved you so dearly.

You parted your lips and began singing your song again with more volume and conviction for once proud to be able to sing and show off your voice.

“Oh won’t you come with me?Where the moon is made of goldAnd in the morning sunWe’ll be sailing.Oh, won’t you come with me?Where the ocean meets the skyAnd as the clouds roll by.”

You lean up, pulling Sidon down closing the distance between your lips for another kiss, this one just as quick but that brief moment of contact was full of a new depth of passion. A smirk crosses your lips seeing the dazed and loving look in his eyes.

“We’ll sing the song of the sea.”

[goodmorningawfulbye]

A Pearl Becomes an Oyster

This piece is sort of an adaptation of a couple prompts that @darthsuki​ got; I took parts of the pregnant s/o prompts and ran with them. Soooooo the s/o (spouse, this is after the wedding) is female-bodied in this, BUT still gender-neutral, because I strive for maximum enjoy-ability for all of you!

Hope you enjoy! (also sorry about the part at the end that can be considered cliche, I just felt it... worked.)

You rarely went out to your spot anymore. It was just… too much work, in your condition, even though you did want to go out into the greenery the rock was nestled in, or look at the Domain from the outside. You had really only seen it from the inside now, where you were allowed to walk (just so the medically trained in the Domain could keep an eye on you), and it was a beautiful place, but even beautiful things needed to be looked at whole every once in a while.

You sat up in bed, stretching your arms out in front of you while you crossed your legs. You thought about going for a walk. You were so near to your due date, though; you were pretty sure everyone would want you to stay in bed, even if you weren’t lying down. You were so tired, you probably wouldn’t argue, even though the only thing you wanted now was to move around. You lay back down again, running your hands along the sheets. You would get up later.

You thought back to before the last 9 or 10 months had passed, when you and Sidon were trying to conceive. People had a lot to say to (and about) you back then, from offhand comments like “I didn’t know that was possible!” to the outright hurtful ones “it shouldn’t be possible; it’s against Her Grace’s order…” and of course, those who wished to pry into your lives, sexual, magical, or otherwise (you weren’t even going to force yourself to remember those comments—some of them were simply over-curious, but some were, it seemed, purposely invasive. It made you shudder). Overall, there seemed to be a bit of shock that you two were even trying, and a sense that there was something… unnatural about it, for better or worse.

None of it felt unnatural, though. You hadn’t even done things differently than you already had been. Honestly, it was kind of nice, because even though you were trying to conceive, Sidon was allowed to spend more time with you outside of that, on the off chance that you were expecting. It had been a welcome change, as the elders let Sidon prepare to be a father rather than a king (and at this point, they felt he was probably ready anyway, with no need to rush anything more). So, you two spent your time doing all sorts of things around the Domain, or in slightly further-off parts of Hyrule, if you could ride there, and Sidon could swim.

Oh, and you hadn’t ridden your horse in months, either. You sighed, a little sad, but went back to the happy thoughts.

You two had grown even closer in that time, with each other, obviously, but also, with the Zora community as a whole. They came to know you, not just as the Hylian who was always around, often trailing behind the prince or off on their rock scribbling away, but as someone who would one day rule by said prince’s side, goddess willing. So far, it seemed, She did, and they decided they liked it that way. They had come to see what it was Sidon saw in you, and even some other positive attributes, and they loved you for it. As such, when the news had come that you were indeed pregnant, the Domain had gone up in an absolute roar—not only were they excited, but that was when the speculation really began.

Almost nothing they said, though, had come to be. You weren’t expecting 12 pups, you didn’t grow scales or gills, crave raw fish, or any other physical characteristics that would signify the baby changing you to be more like them or your husband. Just your belly slowly swelling over the last 10 months, and that glow that Hylians and Zora alike seem to attribute to a parent-to-be (though, for what it was worth, you did sort of think Sidon was glowing in his excitement, so maybe there was some truth to it).

Oh, speaking—well thinking—of, Sidon tapped the door lightly and entered the room. “And how’s my pearl doing today? Oh, dearest, you look absolutely exhausted.”

You waved the comment away. “I’m fine. I mean, I am tired, but it’s nothing too bad. I want to go outside. Our room is great, but I just… really want some fresh air.”

“We can go on a short walk, if you’d like,” he offered, along with a hand to help you up. “I just don’t want you over-exerting yourself, especially so close to the big day.”

“Yeah, I know,” You said, taking wobbly steps to get dressed. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

The two of you took a walk, holding hands and chatting. You talked about possible names for the baby, deciding that when you saw the child, you would decide if it would be more appropriate to name them something Hylian or Zora, or maybe something in between, and then you asked Sidon for a little bit of Zora history.

“Haven’t there been other hybrids? I mean, everyone acts like we’re breaking new ground here, but I thought I’d heard of another hybrid.”

“There have been rumors,” he said after a moment of thought, “but I don’t know if it was ever said for sure. It was… a complex time in our history, after all.”

You nodded. “I was just wondering, since I’d heard.”

“And as ever, I admire your curiosity,” he told you, squeezing your hand. “Why don’t you tell me a fact about Hylians, then, in exchange?”

“Well, I’m not a historian,” you replied.

“I’m sure you know something interesting.” He encouraged you.

“All right. Well, I heard that our pointed ears are to hear the goddesses better.”

“Oh, everyone says that.”

“That’s true. What about the Sky people?”

“The what?”

“Yeah, a long time ago, Hylians lived in the sky and grew exclusively pumpkins.”

“Wow. See? That’s interesting!”

You smiled, though it faded quickly. Your hips had begun to ache, and you made note of it to Sidon.

“Well, we could go back.”

“No! I mean… not yet, please.” You flushed, embarrassed by your outburst. “I haven’t gotten out enough lately.”

“I’m just trying to protect you and our heir, dearest,” Sidon said, as if to defend himself.

You placed a hand gently on his arm. “I know. I appreciate it, I do. I just felt cooped up, and I’m enjoying being out in the sunshine. How about we go to one of the pools? Then I can float around to take the weight off my legs but I can stay out?”

He thought for a moment. “I suppose. I don’t see why not.” He said finally.

“Yay!” You hobbled off towards the nearest pool. It was just a shame that it wasn’t the Eastern Reservoir.

You slipped yourself into the pool with ease, and Sidon stayed at the edge of the water, keeping a careful watch over you, more so than usual. You lazily paddled over to him, saying “Well, this is quite an inversion of the norm.”

“It is. But someone has to make sure you’re safe, and I’ve taken on the responsibility. Gladly, of course, but it’s a responsibility all the same.”

You sat up, bobbed in the water, and began to kick your legs gently to stay afloat, adding in your arms soon after. “And what a good protector you make. What a great father and ruler you’ll be. How lucky am I.” You made your way onto the water’s edge, nestling yourself next to Sidon. “I’ll get back in the water in a moment,” you said, “but I wanted you to know that I’m serious about what I just said.”

Sidon gently pushed you toward the water. “I know you are.”

You scooted into the pool and went back to floating, until Sidon pulled you back towards him. You wanted to sit up a little, so you could look at him, but obviously, your own body was in the way. Instead, you chose to just say, “Yes?”

Sidon didn’t say anything as he began to rub one of your feet.

You bent one knee, keeping the other foot out of the way (and Sidon’s sight…maybe). “What are you doing?”

“Is this not what a Hylian would do for a pregnant spouse?”

“I mean, some of them. Where did you find that out?”

“Some visitors –travelers, no one you know—have been stopping by the Domain, and when they hear about you, they have all sorts of advice.”

“Oh. Well.”

“I wouldn’t know if they’re right or not, I only know two Hylians personally.”

“M-hm, I know.” you replied. You shrugged then. “It’s a matter of personal preference, really.”

“…I see. Should I stop?”

“You don’t have to. It feels good.”

He continued, and you lay back and relaxed. You were half asleep by sunset, so he scooped you up out of the water and took you back to the room you shared, and put you to bed. Before he left to hunt some dinner for the both of you, he bent down and kissed your temple, whispering “I can’t believe my pearl has become such a lovely oyster for another little pearl we get to share.”

[xoleahbeanxo]

Figurine of Memory

Okay, so my wife’s birthday is tomorrow and I decided to write her a story. Now she hasn’t had a chance to sit down and read it yet because she’s been so busy today. But I wanted to post it on here anyway because I hope that she’s scrolling along and see it and remembers that I wrote it for her LOL. Anyway, I posted it below the cut. I’m not going to post tags just yet because I want her to be surprised. Anyway, if you do read it, don’t spoil it for her.

           Hateno was beautiful this time of year. The rustling of the leaves in the cool breeze reminded him of the ocean. He’d frequented so many times since he became king. There was comfort to be had there, memories that weren’t so easily forgotten. A soothing touch of when he was younger lingered in the warm sand and salty air.

The young king spared himself a moment to glimpse back there. To the time of the blonde champion in the cornflower colored tunic snatching crabs straight from the water and dropping then right into the pot to cook. The hero had such peculiar mannerisms that were so much a part of him that even when he saw another do them in passing, he remembered the hero as plain as day. Whether they shared love or maybe it was just youthful infatuation, it didn’t matter. All that did was the time they spent together was real and some of the finest memories the young king possessed.

“Your highness?”

“He said ‘I’ll see you tomorrow’, I’m sure of it?” The young king whispered the statement as more of a question.

“What was that, Sidon?”

It wasn’t until that moment that king Sidon even realized he said anything at all. He spared a glance to the slender Rito that sat nearby. She’d since finished strumming her lute and sat forward.

“Oh, Cree,” The king smiled sheepishly. “It was nothing, some light musing from the past.”

“You were thinking about him again, weren’t you?” Cree got up from where she sat and delicately adjusted her tail feathers.

“You know me so well.”

“No, but I do know my father and he often times had that look about him when he remembered the hero.” Cree snickered and ran a feathered finger along her black hooked beak. “When I met him, I was but a chick. But he left quite the impression on me. He had a way of getting things done.”

“Very inspiring, I know.” Sidon smiled so wide that it showed both rows of spiked teeth.

“He’s the reason I became guardian of the village. I figured if he could do the impossible, if he could take down Calamity Ganon, then I should, at the very least, be able to keep safe what he worked so hard to free for my people.” There was a determination in her voice that made Sidon happy, yet sad at the same time.

“When you became a guard, your father was so proud of you.” Sidon’s smile was chased away fully this time. “I miss him so,”

“As do I. My father was a great Rito and one of the best mentors I could ever have.” Just then her azure feathers ruffled all around. “The wind is picking up! Here he comes.”

Sidon was on his feet in a second, grabbing a shimmering silver-scale trident. The handle was wrapped tight in a springy black fabric.

“Same plan as last year?” Cree asked.

“No, that was way too dangerous.”

“Yes but even as I was pulled from the water, I never doubted you for a second.”

“You’re too reckless.”

“So was he and you never would have stayed his hand.” Cree’s sharp eyes glanced beyond the tall king. “Besides, we’re out of time.”

Sidon snapped around to see the snout of a great green dragon coming over the rise. The wind started whipping around them, nearly freezing Sidon’s moist skin and ruffling Cree’s feathers. They shared a look and before Sidon could talk her out of it, she opened her wings and let the updraft carry her into the sky.

“Reckless!” Sidon yelled up to her with a laugh in his voice.

He immediately dove into the water, angling himself towards the great falls. The head of the trident cut through the waters, his legs worked to propel him forward. He didn’t look up, he didn’t have too. He knew all too well that Cree was already hard at work on her part of the plan.

And she was. Cree teetered back and forth on the uneven gusts of wind but she never lost sight of her goal. The shimmering golden horn of the great green dragon, Faron, called to her but first she’d have to dodge the glowing electrical current that was coming in fast, faster than last year, almost too fast. One passed by so closely that it ruffled her cheek feather with static. Another bolt was moving in faster than she liked.

           Sidon hit the bottom of the falls and propelled himself up the current so fast that he felt his body streamline like an oversized raindrop and then he was free, air born like that of his friend’s daughter and for a brief moment they were as one of the same species.

           Cree could hear the silly, yet telltale laughter of her friend as he gracefully tumbled into a roll before stretching out with his trident held aloft. Suddenly, all the electric bolts jetted out towards the shimmering metal head of Sidon’s weapon. While the head of the trident absorbed the electric current, the rubber wrapping kept him from being electrocuted and even more importantly kept Cree from being electrocuted as well.

           Sidon rolled again, this time he held the Trident back and flung it as hard as he could so that it stuck in the ground like a lightening bolt. It was followed by a loud snap of thunder that barely covered up the young king’s joyous laughter.

Lastly, he did one final roll into a dive to the water below. “Now, Cree!” He called to her.

Cree scoffed at his bravado and did her own acrobatics. With a quick barrel roll, she slipped her bow from her back and knocked an arrow. Once it snapped free from the string, it gleamed in the sunlight. Cree could hear the soft ting of the pronged metal striking its target as it did last year, as it did every year since she’d promised her father that she would take up the tradition he’d leave behind. The shard broke free of the horn and fell.

Cree did a slow flip, tucking her bow into the holder on her back before entering into a steep dive towards the glowing shard.

“Pull up, you fool!” Sidon called up to her but she ignored him.

The shard was nearly in her feathered hand and she wasn’t about to let it slip away now. By the time she caught it, she was falling more than flying and correcting herself only managed to hurt more than slow her down. The gaping mouth of the basin opened to her and was quickly reaching up for her. Cree attempted one final time to slow herself down, if it worked, she’d not noticed. Just then, she remembered what Sidon had told her once, a long time ago.

“When diving into water, make yourself into an arrow. That way no harm shall come to you.”

Thus she did. She put both of her clawed feet together and straightened her whole body out with her hands gripping the shard above her head. She snatched a quick breath and felt the icy water envelop her as she sunk down.

The force from which she struck the water numbed her toes and racked her leg with a dull ache. It forced the air from her lungs the deeper she plummeted. The world around her was black but she was not afraid. She knew, just as last year, she’d be safe. Cree felt a strong arm wrap around her, just above her hips. The force of King Sidon’s swimming folded her over him and soon she was free of the water and he gently laid her on the grass next to the pool.

“You’re absolutely insane, you know that?” Sidon was nearly on top of her.

Sidon’s hands gripped her shoulders as he shook her. Water sloshed out from between the folds in her feathers. It dripped down her face and rolled off of her beak. When she looked at him, his face was bent in a smile but his eyes overflowed with concern.

Cree started to laugh and gave his stomach a gentle punch. “You worry too much, old boy. I’m fine.”

“You might not have been!” Sidon gasped at her dismissive attitude.

“I knew you had me, I’ve never lost faith in you and I never will.”

Sidon pulled her close, placing a kiss on her beak. Her blue eyes went wide for a moment but softened. She let the shard slip from her hand to settle in her lap as she touched his chest. The kiss lingered for only a moment longer until they parted, Sidon pressed his face to hers.

“I’ve loved and lost him as I’ve loved and lost my sister, my father too. My sweet Kass and my wife were taken all too soon.” Sidon sighed. “I cannot lose you too.”

Cree’s face softened as she caressed a feathered finger down the center of his chest. “I’m not going anywhere, my sweet. One day soon I’ll make that trip to Zora domain and be so charmed that I’ll never leave. Then we’ll be together forever. Until that day, I will always enjoy these traditions, our meetings, and our time spent together.”

Sidon smiled widely, his eyes misty from the thoughts that plagued him. “Yes, perhaps I hold too tightly to past.”

“You do but that just one of the many things I love about you. Though my life is a fraction of yours, even in my passing, I know I’ll never be forgotten.” Cree wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Never.”

The two lingered on the shore together for the better part of the day. Cree let her feathers dry in the warm sun, while Sidon swam around recounting tales of Kass, the champion, and even a few of his sister’s misadventures. Never did Cree lose her smile as she listen to him ramble on. If anything, her heart fluttered a time or two at the glisten that came to his eyes when he was engulfed by excitement at the memories he shared.

When the sun painted the sky orange and dusk was upon them. Cree passed the shard of Faron’s horn to him and kissed his cheek.

“Same time next year then?” She looked back at him from over her shoulder.

“Yes,” Sidon followed with another step or two behind her, much like puppy wanting just one more second of her attention. “May I see you before then?”

“Of course,” Cree giggled. “I’ll send a messenger of when and where we can meet again.”

“Maybe then, I can show you my collection!”

“I’d love that.”

Cree knew that if she stayed even a moment longer, she’d never leave. So, before another word could be spoken, she took to the sky, flying off towards the setting sun to the west. Sidon watched her until she was no longer in sight. He returned to the water for the lonely swim home.

             When Sidon reached the cool domain of his home, it was late. Only the guards were still awake to greet him. They knew just by the soft glowing sight of the shard, what he’d been up too. That day, after all, was the King’s only holiday. They greeted him with a nod which he returned in kind.

Sidon wasted no time heading to his workshop and getting to work on his task. He unrolled his tool kit out on the marble table. He plucked a few of the delicate silver-scale tools free of the treated leather and started to work on the horn shard. He already had a vision in his mind of what he wanted to carve. He always did.

As delicate as a leaf falling upon the surface of the water, his fingers new how to shape and form the hard material perfectly. Each piece he carved was precisely accurate to who it was to represent and there was no questioning the likeness.

The muscles in his arms ached. His fingers stung from the thousands of tiny cuts that always came from working with the delicate tools and the strong material. As always, he felt none of once he finished the masterpiece. He held in his hand a lounging figure of Cree while she played her lute. It was so lifelike that even Sidon could feel the warmth of the smile on her beak.

Carefully he set the figuring on the shelf above his work station in its own little niche. When he stepped back he looked at all the figures he carved over the years. There were easily several dozen of them, enough that he lost count. Each one different, special in their own ways and each were carved from shards from Faron’s horn.

There was one of Mipha binding his skinned knee when he was young. Then there was one of his father, the king, teaching him how to throw a spear when he was younger. One for Revali, the guardian who taught him that confidence was something to be proud of and not shy away from. Then there were the statues of the ever lovable Kass, who went on to the great winds in the sky.

Sidon paused on the ever stoic hero. There were several figures of him in different outfits, masterfully using the many weapons from his arsenal. The sight of his figure caused the young king’s heart to ache. For the loss of the hero was different than the others. He’d just disappeared into the folds of time and space, never to be seen again.

There were several figurines of his wife that he’d carved over the course of time that they’d known each other. Her loss was still the freshest in his mind. A birth illness that was passed down from her mother and her mother’s mother made their blood line burn furiously but dim so fast. It was a fate he accepted when they first kissed and though he was sad now, he would not trade those years he’d spent with her. For without her, there would never be…

“Dad?”

Sidon’s misty eyes cleared almost instantly from the sound of a lad’s voice. He wheeled around and saw a small dark purple Zora leaning against the door frame. He was rubbing his crystal blue eyes before belting out a long yawn.

“Link!” Sidon chuckled. “You’re up early.”

“Early, dad? It’s near mid-morning.” The boy’s eyes went to the figurines placed in the wall. “Wow, you have toys too?”

Sidon loosed a big belly laugh. “No, no these are not toys. These are…memories of all those that I’ve love.”

“Really!?”

“Yes, see, here’s one of you.” Sidon pointed to the small figurine of his boy, holding up a fishing pole with a fish dangling from the line.

“That’s when I caught my first fish,” The boy rested his hand on the shelf in front of it.

“It’s one of my happiest memories.”

“Who’s this?” Link looked at the Rito statue next to his.

“That’s Cree, she’s my…friend.”

“She’s awfully pretty.” The young Zora gave his dad a smile that mirrored one of his own.

“She is and I care for her very much.” Sidon thumbed his chin nonchalantly.

“Can I meet her?”

“Someday I suppose.”

“Wow, who is that?!” The boy’s eyes found the figurine of the hero in mid spin attack.

Sidon snickered and rubbed the back of his neck. “That, my boy, is the hero of Hyrule. He’s my dearest…friend and the one who you earned your namesake from.”

“I’m named after him?”

Sidon nodded. “Because when I look at you, I see the same fire in your eyes as I saw in his.”

“He looks so neat!”

“He was, my son.”

“Was? What happened to him?” The boy looked up at his father and cocked his head.

“Well, one day,” Sidon thought for a moment as to how he should respond. “He was summoned to a land far away from ours, maybe even another time.”

“Why?” Link’s eyes went wide.

“To help them right the wrongs that had been thrust upon them by wicked men or women.” Sidon felt his heart start to pound as if he could almost see the hero clad in blue, maybe green or even red this time, fighting off Ganon for the safety of all in the land.

“Will he win, dad?”

“Oh yes, because there’s nothing that can keep Link down. You see, he will rally all of his allies to his side and we will see him to victory no matter the cost.” Sidon chuckled.

“Me too?”

“Certainly, my boy.”

“Then I want to be just like him when I grow up.” The boy pumped his fist and smiled wide.

“That’s my boy. Come, training will start immediately.” Sidon swept the boy up in his arms and raced out of the room. “We shall be the guardians of Hyrule and shall never fear from calamity, Ganon or otherwise.”

[therantingsage]

Troubles

Link POV

I sat, back to a tree, face in my hands. Shade slept at my feet, paws twitching as if he was dreaming. I had no reason to assume he couldn’t dream, of course, but there was never a way of telling anything with this creature.

I was at a loss. I’d regained a few more of my memories, though a few seemed to be evading me persistently. I’d even ventured into territory that was dangerously close to the castle to visit the first picture in the Shekiah Slate’s memory. Being that close to the hoard of Guardians wasn’t something I was quite prepared for yet, and I’d warped out of there as quickly as I could once I’d recalled what had occurred there.

And it hurt. It hurt that she started off with such a…distaste for me, if what Urbosa said was correct. I wanted someone to talk to, but…

The wolf shook himself awake, staring at the dirt with a perplexed expression on his face. He pawed at the ground.

I pet his head, which he seemed to appreciate. Even if we couldn’t communicate, I was happy to reassure him if he looked like he needed it. I cooked a steak for him and had him eat it after what I saw him do at Arbiter’s Grounds. I didn’t know what upset him about the place, but I knew he wouldn’t mind an attempt at cheering him up.

Perhaps he’d do the same for me, I realized. I gave a sigh, looking him in the eye. “Shade. Would it be ok if I spoke to you of my troubles? I have no one to talk to and-”

He interrupted me with a paw atop my hand. He nodded. His ears twitched alertly.

I smiled, grateful. “I remember more about Zelda…she didn’t seem to like me at all during the ceremony in which I became her knight. But…the first memory I regained was the one where we’d fled from battle. Everything had failed. Ganon had turned our forces against us. The Champions were killed. And…she was crying on my shoulder, unable to bear the pain of what she perceived as a loss that was entirely her fault.”

Shade let out a quiet whine, resting his chin on my calf. I scratched him behind his ears, the action more to keep my own composure rather than his. I stared up at the sky, which was dull, gray, and cloudy.

“I found Zora’s Domain. Prince Sidon was very nice, but…I remember the Zora Champion, Mipha. We were, apparently, very close. I remember her healing me…and it seems that time only grows upon what I saw at the Domain. I think I spent a lot of my childhood among the Zoras…” I sighed, the hand on Shade’s head growing still. “I miss her, Shade. I don’t know for sure what we had exactly, but I miss it, too.”

The wolf whined again, a little louder this time. He sounded sympathetic, and he rubbed my hand with his nose as if reinforcing that fact.

I felt myself tearing up a little, but I wiped them away with my free hand. “I don’t know if I’ll even remember everything about my past, either. It seems like the only things I’m remembering are specific instances that are important to my journey right now. Nothing insignificant seems to come back to me. What was I like before all this happened? Will I ever know? I remember Mipha saying I was a ‘reckless child’ but…that’s all I know. I…at the moment, I can only hope things will come back to me after I defeat Calamity Ganon, but…there’s no telling if that will really happen.”

I put my free hand to my face again, somewhat frustrated. “And yet! Even if insignificant things in the past aren’t coming back, it doesn’t stop insignificant things in the now from getting to me. I caved and read a bit of Paya’s – she’s a girl from Kakariko – diary, and I think she has a crush on me. I don’t think she even realizes that’s what it is. She thinks she’s sick, Shade. I feel bad for her, but at this point I don’t know if I was in love with anyone ever. What if I was in love with Mipha like she was with me? I don’t remember everything about Zelda yet, either, so for all I know she and I were a couple!” I let out a groan. “It’s such a stupid thing to worry about, but she’s kind of cute, I suppose. I’d just feel guilty if I didn’t do something about it. But I don’t know what! I’m trying to save the world and here I am stressing over one girl’s opinion of me. Some hero I am. I need to get my priorities in order.”

Shade sat up, looking me in the eye. There was a peculiar expression on his face. I presumed it was because he’d never heard me speak so much, but there was no way to read his mind. He didn’t even have a human face, so I couldn’t read facial cues to any reliable degree, either.

I sighed. “I’m sorry, you probably don’t care about any of this nonsense.” I looked down sadly. “Calamity Ganon could regain his power at any moment. I shouldn’t be wasting time trying to sort through my emotions.”

I was about to stand up, but Shade gave a low bark. I was startled, thinking he was warning me of danger like he usually was when he barked, but that didn’t appear to be the case. I looked back at him, seeing he’d written something in the dirt.

It was one simple word: NO.

I gave him a look. “What do you mean ‘no’?”

He gave a snort, pointing his paw towards the word again.

I was confused. “Do you mean that...uh, I’m not sure I understand you.” I didn’t think he was advising me to take time for myself, but he seemed pretty adamant about being against what I’d said.

He snorted again, writing more letters in the dirt. It took him a while, but once he was done, I understood.

‘YOU CAN’T HELP ANYONE IF YOU DON’T LET THESE THINGS OUT. THEY WILL FESTER INSIDE YOU. HOW CAN YOU SAVE ANYONE IF YOU CAN’T EVEN SAVE YOURSELF? I SHALL HELP IN ANY WAY I CAN.’

I was startled by the wisdom the wolf imparted. I had never thought of it that way. I sat back down, a sad laugh in my throat. “Y-you, you’re really smart, aren’t you? What are you, Shade?”

The wolf looked away, brushing his tail over the words he’d written until they were no more. He didn’t appear to want to answer my question.

I laughed, tearing up again. This time I made no attempt to fix it. “That’s fair. Thank you for listening, Shade. Is it…is it ok if I confide in you more from now on? I don’t need you to, uh, talk to me with writing, I just really appreciate someone who can listen.”

Shade nodded. He put a paw on my knee, bowing his head to me.

I was lucky to have him.

[lesserfandomappreciation]

scenario where shy s/o starts distancing themselves with sidon because they become depressed and sidon finally realizes why because they *may* have confided that to one of the small kids they usually hang out around (shhh...) and he comes to the rescue? Like depressed as in depressed in general and doesn't know how to cope

Of course sweetie. Reminder to all those out there feeling down and alone, I’m always glad to talk.

-Mod Pinks

Depressed s/o distancing themselves (Sidon)

Three days. It had been three days. And he still had no clue as to what he had done.

Despite his best attempts, remembering and going over every single little mistak, for the life of him, Sidon could not figure out what he could have done to cause his little (Name) to avoid him such. They hadn’t argued, nor had he done anything particularly terrifying. Why were they hiding?

It was times like these where he wished that they weren’t so shy. It’s adorable, but it also made them impossible to find in a crowd.

Mid-day in the Zora Domain meant that the streets were filled with life, laughter and chatter, reds and blues and greens of people zipping through the city going about their day. Except for (Name). Again.Sigh.

“-pass it here-!”“No way it’s my turn!”“How can we play if you keep the ball to yourself! We wanna play too!” Ah children. Three little ones, all hardly up to his knee, splashed in the water as the tallest held a red ball high above her head, keeping the two younger boys from engaging in play. And the youngest boy seemed quite ready for things to escalate from the way he was thrashing- best stop the fight before it starts.

“Young ones, young ones, calm yourselves. What troubles you?” In the presence of a much bigger adult they hushed, looking up at their prince with some surprise.

“Tamia is hogging the ball all to herself again!”“Was not! They just don’t know how to play at all, they’re so boring.”

“That’s hardly fair. If they do not know how to play, then wouldn’t teach them work better than being mean?” The eldest, Tamia, hmmed in thought.

“I...I guess so...”“And that way all of you can play together! It’s much more fun to be with someone than alone!” Hm? That’s odd- all three of the young ones were exchanging an odd look before the middle one stepped forward.

“Is that why you look really sad?” Eeee.... kids really are too perspective. No point in lying to someone.

“Unfortunately. The person I love, (Name), has been avoiding me and I haven’t a clue as to why... but do not worry for me, I can fix things between us, I’m sure of it. As soon as I find them.”“Oh! OH! I’ve seen them, I’ve seen them!” Eh? In a flash Sidon was crouching before the youngest one, trying really hard not to scare them.

“You have?”“Mmm-hm! I was at the quiet part of town and I saw them and-and-and they seemed sad so I asked what was wrong and they said they weren’t feeling good and they didn’t think they were good enough for the Prince and that they didn’t want to bother you.”“You said you saw them where?”“Up in the bridge, where its real quiet!” Thank goddess, finally, a lead! He patted the little one’s head, smiling widely before standing.

“Many thanks my friend! Now play nice together!” He shouted over his shoulders as he rushed over there.

The bridge. The one that overlooked the town, how could he not think to look there? It was the first place they confessed to one another, where (Name) learned that Sidon felt the same for them as they did for he. 

And sure enough, leaning against the railing, was the small figure of his love. He didn’t stop his smile, how could he, when his heart soared in joy. 

“Beloved! There you are! Are you well?!” (Name) jumped a bit, glanced at him, and froze in... fear? Anger? Shock? Too many emotions for him to place his finger on. He ran up to them and knelt, bringing them into his chest. 

“Sidon? What.... what are you...”“Why didn’t you tell me?” Sidon felt them tense in his arms. “One of the children told me you were sad and avoiding me because you were feeling unworthy of... well...”“...It’s more complicated than that, Sidon...”“Yes it is. So please tell me. Elaborate. Or don’t, and just use my shoulders. Let me be your shield to stand guard until the day you wish to speak of it. But please, please, my love, do not push me away. No one should have to feel alone. Especially not you.”

Although he couldn’t see their face, pressed against his chest, he could still feel their wet eyes against his skin, their arms un-tensing and circling as much as they could around him. It was true that there was a good chance they wouldn’t solve this within a day, a month, maybe even longer. 

But no one should ever have to journey alone. For they are loved. 

[fatefulfaerie]

Broken Heart (Last Christmas)

Day four of the 12 days of Christmas prompts orchestrated by @zelink-prompts

Incarnation: Breath of the Wild AU where they were victorious over the Calamity and everyone survived

“I understand that the young Prince Sidon has taken an interest in learning to fight.”

“Yes, Father,” Mipha said with a single nod, her intricate Zora crown jingling only slightly as she returned her yellow gaze to the Zora King. “Although I must admit it makes me worry. He is still so small.”

The Zora King gave a resounding chuckle that shook his large chest.

“You must remember, Mipha,” the King said. “You weren’t much older than him when you kept grabbing the spears of our soldiers. They humored you for you irresistibly adorable looks. I fathom all our people had little choice in the matter of loving their dear princess.”

“I suppose you have a point,” Mipha said with a slight blush at the flattery. “I suppose he is better off trained than injured, and since there seems to be no more monsters plaguing the domain, I--”

Mipha was interrupted by the growing flapping of wings, looking over to see a Rito, the messengers of Hyrule blessed with strong wings and known for their skills in archery. Zora’s Domain got dozens of letters daily from various parts of Hyrule inquiring about trade and various other correspondence, yet this Rito in particular had a royal blue sash tied diagonally around his torso, which meant he brought news directly from the Royal Family.

“Thank you,” Mipha said with a polite nod as she took the letter into her smooth, red hands, the Rito departing for what was surely a busy schedule. She faced her father as she elegantly opened the envelope, somehow leaving no tear as she prepared to read it aloud.

“It’s from King Bospharamous himself,” Mipha said, looking at the very top of the letter. “But it is not specifically addressed to you. He likely sent the letter to all the leaders of Hyrule.”

“What does it say?” King Dorephan asked, Mipha preparing to project her soft-spoken voice.

“Fellow Hyruleans, trusted comrades, and long-lasting friends,” Mipha started reading. “I hope this letter reaches you with good health in your bodies and and good spirits in your hearts. Before my seal brings you worry, I must tell you that I write to you of good news. Here in Hyrule Castle we very much have been reeling with happiness, as it seems we have been given a great glimpse into the future of our kingdom! Our very own princess, my very own lovely daughter, is now…”

Mipha had trouble voicing the next words, scanning ahead and almost not believing what she saw. Her heart sank and again broke into a million pieces. It was as devastating as exactly a year ago, when Link politely declined her proposal. It was like no time had passed at all and her voice weakened because of it.

“…engaged,” she continued, “to be married to none other than high-ranking General Link.” Mipha attempted to swallow her heartbreak but it was deeper and thus harder to get rid of. “He is to be Prince Consort within the week, their wedding scheduled for this coming Saturday, and when I step down as King in the next few years, the royal couple will rise to their titles of Queen Zelda and King Consort Link.”

Mipha cleared her throat and denied the watering of her eyes.

“You and your people are more than welcome, in fact, encouraged to come celebrate the festivities with us. There is indeed a place at my table for champion Mipha and you may bring as many of your denizens as you see fit to celebrate the occasion. Let us celebrate together an entire year free from the calamity with this exciting prospect of our kingdom’s future! Signed King Bospharamous of Hyrule.”

“What great news!” The Zora King exclaimed with a large smile as Mipha folded up the paper, meek and demure and forlorn and disappointed and so many other things that contradicted this news the was indeed great. “We must make preparations immediately!”

She kicked herself for thinking things may still work out in her favor and she kicked herself for not being more happy for her dear friends, who had suffered so much and deserved their happiness more than anyone else. Mipha hated herself for her sadness. How horribly selfish she was.

——————————————————————————————————

It was incredibly awkward for Mipha to be a guest at the wedding of the man she knew she would still swoon for if she allowed herself to. Somehow, a year had passed and she still hadn’t gotten over her feelings for the blue-eyed knight who still caught her eye. She thought herself a fool, and even more so considering that one kiss like the one in her fantasies and he would be able to fool her again.

However, during the actual ceremony, sat next to her good friend Urbosa, Mipha’s heart was much more occupied with happiness for Link and Zelda. The way they looked at each other was with a deep love that made Mipha smile. 

Mipha couldn’t help the thought that Link never looked at her like that and yet, the thought afterwards seemed to liberate her from her seemingly eternal prison of non-mutual pining. 

Mipha never quite had that connection with Link either. 

Perhaps a childish infatuation that had grown fonder over that web of lies created by distance, Mipha felt for the first time that her crush on Link perhaps wasn’t what she thought. Gradually, as the night passed, Mipha felt herself less in love with the fantasy of Link and more determined to find love like the one he shared with Zelda.

Mipha revved up her courage and finally approached them, wishing them congratulations for their nuptials. To her surprise, they both insisted on hugging her. Mipha was thankful she had such friends.

Mipha had in fact garnered enough courage to be completely honest with them. At first she was hesitant, thinking Link would judge her crazy for the way her feelings had lingered, but Link smiled in the way only Link could smile and told Mipha that he, of course, understood, and that it was okay. Mipha told them of her wish to find love like theirs and Zelda blushed, Link scratching the back of his head. Zelda told Mipha that her and Link’s love was much more complicated in its growth than it perhaps should have been, so they maybe aren’t the best to ask for advice, but Zelda declared herself matchmaker nonetheless.

Selflessly, Zelda and Link spent a portion of their wedding night helping Mipha be brave talking to all sorts of eligible bachelors, all the while assuring Mipha not to lose hope if she doesn’t find her soulmate tonight.

However, Link and Zelda left Mipha to her own graces when the Zora princess seemed to forget about them completely, deep in conversation with a male Zora. Link and Zelda smirked and hastened to the dance floor, peppering each other with kisses and hugs and every little gesture and word that could show their love to the other.

Last year, Mipha gave Link her heart. But, the very next day, he gave it away. He was in love with Princess Zelda and although he said he appreciated Mipha’s honesty, he could not reciprocate her love for him truthfully. This year, to save her from tears, Mipha gave her heart to someone special, someone new and exciting, like a safe version of electricity.

And soon, Mipha was glad Link didn’t say yes last year.

[mewshuuartblog]

Time to run

so here we have a short story of my sidon x mew... well more like pre- sidon x mew but yea

CanonxOc, if you no likie, no readie~

Summery: mews secret is out, and the prince knows. time to hit the road!

this was done in like, one day, so its probably not the best story iv done. but i think its pretty good for a quick short story *is proud of herself*

i might not have nailed sidon completely, but that is something im working on, so bare with me |D

---*---

Mew was an upset wreck. Her secret was out now thanks to one of her zora friends.

An accident,

yes,

but it only got worse when she heard that the prince was standing close by, hearing it all. Mews face lost all color when her friend said that. Before the female zora could even attempt to calm the human down, mew was already gone. The woman frantically packed her bags at the little zora inn. She would have to leave now, and was probably never coming back.

Some might say she was just over reacting. But mew had done this more than twice before.

Back when she traveled a lot she would come across guys who were sweet and kind. Mew would inevitably develop feelings for them. However each time she confessed, they would let her down as gently as they could, then avoid her all together. The last one taught her a lesson tho.

After that, she vowed to never admit her true feelings to someone else. They became best kept secrets for her, but when you join a persons fan club, its bound to get out there. Knowing that prince sidon now knew her deepest secret it killed her inside. It wasn't out of embarrassment, but the fear of him walking up to her to say 'we cant hang out anymore' then avoid her like the others. Mew enjoyed the zoras company, hell she loved zora's domain, despite she was scared of water and couldn't swim. Having the prince as a friend really helped her self-worth.

Once her bag was packed she tossed it over her shoulders and ran off with a rushed goodbye to the zora innkeeper. All the zoras just stood in a confused daze as they saw the short, round human woman rushing off down the bridge.

Mew made it quite far without bumping into any other zoras. Once she felt far away, her quick pace slowed down to a normal walk. The girl looked down to her feet as emotions started to swell up inside her again. She didn't want to leave the zora's domain, having called it home after a years stay. But she knew what was going to eventually come to her if she hung around any longer. To her, it was just best to leave and avoid contact with the prince.

The woman walked over the last huge bridge to zoras domain, it started to feel like an eternity would pass before she got to the other side. Images from the first time she tried walking across flickered in her mind. Thankfully the monsters that once lived around here were long gone by now, no more games of 'chunk the human over the bridge'.

Mew paused as she looked around at the bridge. It was still the same, even after a year had passed. She still remembered that day quite well.

A fellow traveler she talked to at a stable told her of the most beautiful scenery she had ever seen, with people to match. It sounded so wonderful that the round human just had to go see for her self. A few times she wanted to turn around and leave, the large amount of water terrified her, her biggest fear in the world was actually death from drowning. But she had made it so far, it would have been a wasted effort to leave then. Thats when she saw the monsters at the end of the bridge. Her heart raced at the sight. She was ill equipped for any sort of combat, armed with only a knife. Mews entire being was telling her to run back to the other side. It was a futile effort, however. A large moblin stood only a few feet from her, fierce and armed with a large club. Out of pure fright, mew froze in place. She didn’t budge, she didn’t even know what to do, her brain decided it was time for a vacation and left her standing there.

The moblin yelled at her and swung its club. Thankfully the womans legs turned to jelly at just the right time, causing her to fall to the ground and totally dodge the club, if you would even call it dodging. It was in that moment mew knew she had to try something, even if it would prove futile in the end. She fought with the pocket on her backpack, reaching into it and pulling out the small knife. Her reflexes were slow tho, the moblin snatched her up in the blink of  an eye. It raised it club up high, readying for another swing. Subconsciously, the woman sheathed her knife in the monsters hand. The moblin hollered out in pain, and from reflex, tossed the woman over the bridge.

Mew hardly remembered much between the moment she was falling till she woke up on side of the river below. When she finally came to, there he stood over her, prince sidon.

Halfway over the bridge, mew started to hear the faint calling of her name. The voice, at the moment, was too far away to clearly make out. As she was pulled from her other thoughts, she began to think it was her friend trying to stop her. Brushing it off, the woman continued across the bridge. The voice got louder, and closer. Mew immediately froze, her heart raced. She was recognizing exactly whos voice it was.

Reluctantly, her head turned, peeking over her shoulder. To her dismay, a tall, red and white zora in royal garb came running. How she wanted to run but was unable to do so, her body refusing to cooperate with her.  

Sidon stopped just a few inches from mew. He was obviously wet, having swam down the river to get there quicker. The water dripped off him and made puddles under his footsteps.

"Mew! How I searched high and low for you!” he began. “The zora's told me about how you were frantically running about. Did something happen?" The zora looked down to her, sadness clearly in his eyes. Mew looked away quickly yet remained silent.

Sidon looked the woman over, calmly trying to read her. He took a few steps closer "If anything is troubling you, you know that you can tell me." He walked around till he stood in front of her. Yet the woman once again turned away. Her cheeks were burning hot, yet she was unsure what for, cause it was the prince or cause of the situation at hand.

The prince stood there silently, deep into his own thoughts. It was strange to see a close friend of his act so strangely, had he don’t something wrong? He leaned a little closer to the human, placing a large hand on her shoulder. "Is this about the crush I over heard you had for me?" When he felt her tense under his hand, he knew he was right. The zora leaned back up, looking over the girl once again.

Mew heard a slight chuckle behind her. This slightly annoyed her enough to turn around. "Whats so funny?..." she asked, feeling a little hurt and offended that he found some joy in this.

The prince quickly put his hands up, waving them to the short woman. "Oh no, pardon my rudeness. I didn't mean to do that aloud." He couldn't help but smile at the look the human was giving him. Yes he knew she was mad at him, but with a round face like hers, anger only made her look cute.

"Please allow me to explain myself. I find amusement in it cause you are the first to act like this. Most of the female zoras just get embarrassed and apologize for it. I am by all means flattered that you have feelings for me. But if you don’t mind me asking, for how long?"

Mews face quickly reddened. Looking away, and at anything other than the zora, she started to stutter. “S-since... you rescued me... and it only got worse the more I hung out with you afterwards...”

The woman quickly looked back up to him, small tears in her eyes as the embarrassment became to much. "A-arint you the least bit disgusted to know a human like me has a crush on you?"

Sidon tilted his head, confused by all belief. "Disgusted? Why in hyrule would I be disgusted for by that?" The zora noted the blush deepening on her face, but this only added to his confusion. "Did... Something happen in the past to make you think this way?"

Mew stuttered around with her words even more, tho try as she might she couldn’t stop. Her hands began to fidget with a need to be busy with anything. "I-i don’t want to bother you with boring stories.” she fussed. But the look in the zoras eyes told her he truly did wish to hear it. To understand why she had such a mindset like this. Mew let out a heavy sigh as she brought back old, painful memories. “Years ago... there was a guy I liked. We became pretty close friends, or so I thought. He was nice and kind to me, so of course I started to like him. After a four months of hiding a crush I walked up to him and... confessed it." There was a long pause before she continued. "He... didn't take well to it. I found out he didn't like fat girls at all. The only reason I was allowed to travel with him and his group was cause I could make and mend clothes. He... ended up throwing me out of the travel group out of disgusts.” she sighed once more “Since then, I learned to just keep my mouth shut."

She took a glance up to sidon. His face was no longer the smiling, bright one she always saw. It was now an angry contorted look, his eyes sharp enough to kill. "T-that wasn't the only reason. I-I've confessed to a few other guys before him. But they were nice about it and gently told me they wasn't interested in me. However, afterwards our friendship wasn't the same, and they avoided me..." she looked down to the ground, eyeing the large puddle around sidon. "I assumed you would avoid me too...or...get disgusted and tell me to leave the domain. So I thought it would be best to just leave." A large sigh escaped sidon, his features calming down and becoming soft once again.

"Mew, I must admit, that I do not share the same feelings as you do. However, I would never ask a friend to leave zora's domain, unless they were a threat to my people." The prince watched as mews eyes grew wide at his words, tears collecting at the bottom, he tensed yet prepared himself for the water works.

"W-wait” she balled her small hands into tiny fist. “So were still friends???" She finally asked. The zora blinked, stunned at her response but quickly started smiling. "But of course! Just cause I know you love me doesn't mean I no longer wish to be friends with you!" Sidon watched the huge round tears flow out of the little humans big eyes. "T-then that means we can still hang out?! A-and I can still live in the domain, right?!" The zora couldn't help but release a bolstering laugh. "Of course we can! And of course you can! You did say yourself this was your new home did you not?"

Mew threw her fist up into the air, giving a loud "YEY!"

During her excitement she rushed over to sidon, possibly giving him the biggest hug she ever gave.

"THANK YOU SO MUCH SI- wait, we can still hug, right?"

Sidon chuckled. "Right!"

"THANK YOU SO MUCH SIDON!!" mew finished. The prince lifted mew up, giving her an equally large hug. "Now then, Shall we return home, friend?"

Mew nodded with happy tears still pouring down her face.

[needs-to-stop-looking-at-yigas]

(same guy that asked you a question about the champions “capacity to hurt” that you got confused on) I hope I’m not being a nuisance to you, but in all honesty I think what I’ve been asking this entire time is just for a fic of mipha absolutly destroying a horde of monsters after link gets hurt whilst helping fight them off. basically I see her as the type of person who would protecc her hubby to the ends of the earth from any danger and would go into a blindless rage if she sees anyone intentionally do link physical harm. Then after it’s all done, she’s back to normal. And when I mean blindless rage I mean so mad that it looks like she wants to slice up what ever hurt him into 1000 little peices in the most agonizing way and then throw it’s remains to the stratosphere, but she can focus that rage into improving her trident skills on the battle feild making her even more deadly for what ever the hell just hurt link. Anyways thanks for all the great Fics and keep up the good work, hope your having a good day and thank you!

Ah okay, okay! I see what you mean! You essentially want super protective Mipha who wants to total some bitches. I got you, anon, sorry you had to wait so long for this!

“Sister! Someone’s waiting outside for you!”

Mipha was busy cleaning up her trident, when Sidon poked his head into her room. Who could be demanding her attention? She wasn’t expecting anyone. She walked outside, and nearly melted into a puddle. Link was right there, on horseback. Dressed to the nines in his royal guard armor, and even his horse was decked out in shiny royal knight armor. Knockout WAS one of his more prettier horses, and with his coat all shiny, he was a sight to see. Mipha chuckled into her hand, blushing brighter than a rose.

“Oh, Link, you silly boy. Bringing Knockout all the way here just to show off.”

Knockout pawed at the floor, huffing. Right, Knockout was easily one of his more prideful steeds. She chuckled, taking a moment to pet his snout. She was well accustomed to every one of his steeds, and they adored her tender heart.

“So, what brings you all the way here?”

Link leaned down a bit to give her his hand. She pieced it together, and found herself swooning.

“I’ve...never ridden a horse before. Are you sure?”

Link nodded. She didn’t hesitate to reach for his hand, letting herself be hoisted up, and right onto his saddle. Sidon waved at his sister, clearly happy for her.

“I’ll be sure to tell father where you went! Have fun you two!”

Link nodded at him, signaling Knockout to go for a steady trot. Mipha wrapped her arms around his front, a bit shaken up by how bouncy this apparently was.

“It’s a lot more jumpy than I once thought!”

Link turned to look at her, clearly wondering if she wanted to get down. She shook her head. Not only was this tolerable, but she loved ANY chance to be with Link.

“No no! It’s quite alright! This is fun! And I trust you.”

Link nodded, keeping his eyes focused ahead. She watched as Link not only took her past the domain, She was trying to guess just where they were going, based on where Knockout was trotting.

“Hmm...Can I guess where we’re going?”

Link nodded. She hummed a bit, taking in the sights, while simultaneously fiddling with his outfit. He looked so dashing in this uniform, she pictured him wearing it time and time again.

“Is it...satori mountain? No? Hmm...korok forest? No? Oh Link, you’re making this difficult!”

She chuckled. She supposed it didn’t matter, ultimately. She hummed a bit, fiddling with his little ponytail. So much pretty, blonde hair, and he let her touch it as much as she wanted.

“Hmm...well. Suppose it doesn’t matter, so long as I’m with you.”

Link turned to look at her, and was about to press his lips against hers, when he suddenly cried out, falling right off the horse. Knockout became frighted, neighing as his legs flailed madly. She yanked on his reigns, sating him so she wouldn’t fall off, before she looked down at Link. He had an arrow right in his shoulder, and blood was staining the blue of the suit. She turned to look at the direction, and saw a pack of lizalfos. Hungry, eager for prey. They wanted to hurt her Link. And that was enough to make her angry. She grabbed a hold of his reigns, and signaled for him to run. Knockout obeyed, dashing in the direction of the lizard beasts. One of them tried firing at her, only to receive a trident right to its face. She let Knockout dash off well past the battlefield, jumping off the steed, and letting her trident wedge itself deep into the chest of a Lizalfo. She brandished her trident against them all, before hearing that all too familiar horn. They were calling reinforcements. She considered running, maybe even calling for Knockout and dashing away, when she saw a Lizalfo approach Link. Cowardly, greedy creatures, after HER Link.

“I’m sorry.”

Was all she had the heart to say. Could one say anything else towards a creature so foolish? She wasn’t an angry person in the slightest, but hell hath no fury like a princess scorned. She immediately summoned a body of water, and pushed the hoard away from her. She dashed towards Link, plowing her trident right into the gut of the lizalfo who DARE to brandish his sword at her Link. The monster cried out in pain, but she would grant no mercy. She stood in front of Link, taking a moment to look around her surroundings. Many of these filthy, scaly beasts. More for her to take down. She made her trident thunk against the ground, and summoned big, mighty waterfalls to nearly drown her enemies. They were the lucky ones. The ones that survived, suffered only more of her fury.

She dove into the water, and found herself right on the other end of the waterfall, and as soon as she found herself on the other end, her eyes met the monsters. For a brief moment, she felt humanity for them. Then she recalled that they made her love bleed, and any compassion that was in her heart, evaporated like water in the sun. She brought her trident down across their chests. Blood spilled into the once pure water, and she cared...well. Not at all, honestly.

“You have made a great mistake, hurting my love. Therefore, I shall hurt you.”

Mipha’s fury was unique. It wasn’t like Urbosa; furious and chaotic. It was like a cold block of ice; quiet, yet bitter, unrelenting in its power. Monster after monster tried to hurt her, but none succeeded. Each one disarmed, sliced until they were nothing but talons and horns. Blood stained the ground like heavy rain, and not once did she grant even the unarmed mercy. Their cries of pain fell upon deaf ears, and even those who tried to run away- couldn’t. Walls of water kept them in the area, stuck with her trident, fueled by vengeance. Monster after monster slain by her love for Link, and only Link. Hundreds swiftly fell to her, determined to put out that cold look in her eyes. Even when there was but one left; she did not show kindness. The pathetic, green creature tried to run, only to scream in its pain; feeling her trident stabbing right into its leg. Its chin hit the dirt below, and it tried to defend itself with its shield.

“Pathetic thing. Don’t fret. Your death will not linger. Long.”

She peeled her bloody trident away from its tail, using it to smack the shield to the side. She pressed the bloody end against its neck, face firm and lips pursed.

“You’re a sad, sad thing. Unknowing of your own consequences. Should you somehow come back, should others seek to avenge you. Know this. I will kill you, each, and every time. I will not refuse your spilled blood. I want you to know I will never relent. Goodbye.”

Her trident pierced right into its hide. One swift, deep thrust, and it was gone. She looked around the massacred area, littered in horns, tails, and other such bits. She strapped her trident to her back, and walked past it all, unflinching as she kicked them out of her path.

“Link? Link? Are you alright, my dear?”

Link sat there, holding onto his shoulder, and looking back at the absolute carnage that his girlfriend just left behind. She knelt down to him, studying the arrow at his shoulder.

“Oh my...it’s in there rather deeply. I’m going to pull it out, understand? If not, it'd be healing the wound over it, and it might get an infection. It’ll be just a moment of pain, my dear.”

She held onto the arrow, and pulled. Link didn’t cry out, strong as he was, and she felt relief. The entire arrow, head and all, made it out in one piece. She let it fall to the ground, before putting her hands over his wound, relaxing her body as she allowed her healing aura to sooth the wound. Soon enough, the gash was gone, and Link’s face was no longer decorated in pain. She smiled softly at him, holding his face.

“I will always be there to heal you. But I will also always be there to fight for you, my love. No beast, numbers be scorned, will hurt you.”

She lightly squished his face, chuckling.

“Call Knockout back, won’t you? I’d very much like to continue our date.”

Link was slow to nod, and she giggled to herself. Suffice to say,

Nothing was going to take her Link away from her.

[fatefulfaerie]

New (Part 2/3)

Part 2 even though they all kind of stand on their own.

Part 1: https://fatefulfaerie.tumblr.com/post/621364335842820096/new-part-13

“Purah, do you mind?” Link inquired with a gesture of his head and a smile.

“Um...Link…” Zelda warned.

“Oh,” Purah said before she could. “S-sure.”

Zelda handed her the slate hesitantly.

“How about we make it like the picture,” Sidon suggested. “Yunobo in the back, Teba and Riju on the left of the Hylians and then me right here.”

Before Zelda could object, they were already in their places.

It was like no time passed at all. Here she was surrounded by people she was uncertain of, closed off from. She knew, like she did a hundred years prior, that she wanted to bridge the gap, but she didn’t know how. The potential friendships around her were so new.

And next to her, right next to her was Link. The mere inches between them made her heart leap with an anticipation she couldn’t identify a hundred years prior.

She supposed, in that respect, things had changed. She knew now that she loved him, that at any given moment she wanted to leap into his arms and tell him how much she loved him.

But this was new. He was new. The memory loss made everything new for him and she feared that her one-hundred-year undying love would be too old for him, too scary, too much and not enough all at once.

So she stood with a soft smile, bigger, more genuine than a century ago, but not betraying her elegance. She could only wonder, in this slowed moment, if Link was smiling too, if Yunobo would suddenly smash them all together, if this time she would stay in Link’s arms when he instinctively caught her. Not push him away and try to forget it happened, but to stay in the new moment, reveling in what would happen next…

She shook herself out of that train of thought, taking in a deep breath and reassembling her soft smile, her hands clasped low in front of her.

“Good,” Purah said. “Get ready for a click snap on three! One...two…”

Purah didn’t continue, the slate shaking in her hands before she dropped it. She stared with panting breaths at it on the ground, everyone in a state of alarm, concern, and uncertainty until Zelda rushed forward.

“Purah,” she said with a hand on her shoulder.

“What? What is it?” Link asked, cautiously stepping forward.

Zelda turned her head to Link.

“She took the original picture.”

“Oh, I...I didn’t know,” Link said. “I...I didn’t mean to...w-we don’t have to...”

“I saw them,” Purah said, despondent, her hands shaking.

Link bowed his head as Zelda ran her hand gently up and down Purah’s shoulder.

“I know,” Zelda said, a deep sadness in her voice. “I see them too.”

Purah shook her head. Zelda’s expression melted as she studied the girl. Everything about her except for the age and burden in her eyes was youth. No accident but death could erase that burden.

“Symin,” she said, the man’s expression perking from its prior sadness. “Please, the Princess’ request...take their picture. It’s hard for me to let go of the past, but they have a chance to indulge and celebrate the future...please.”

Purah was still so shaken up, Symin smiling as he knelt down in front of her.

“It would be my honor,” Symin said with a hand on her shoulder, Purah handing him the slate.

His hands were steady as he stood up and aimed the slate.

Link’s eyes darted from the readied slate to Zelda leading Purah to sit next to Kass, back and forth.

“Link, what happened to that smile?” Symin asked.

“Zelda?”

“Coming,” she said before rushing to return to his side.

Soft smile, arms in front, deep breath.

SNAP

One normal picture was done and it seemed Symin was aiming for another.

Suddenly she felt Link’s arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his side. Zelda felt herself smile bigger, and from no force at all.

SNAP

His grip still held her tight. Zelda looked to her left to meet his eyes. Blue, soft, locked into hers, she forgot where she was.

SNAP

But she didn’t hear that one, nor did her ears pay attention to Symin’s,

“Just one more.”

It happened quickly.

Zelda felt someone suddenly push her, so fast she couldn’t help her lips landing exactly where Riju wanted them to.

SNAP

Zelda pushed herself away with heavy breaths, frozen on Link’s wide eyes.

If the Princess ever doubted that Riju was Urbosa’s descendant, this was proof right here. Urbosa, if a little more impulsive and a little less refined very well may have attempted to push Zelda into Link a hundred years ago if given the chance.

The current Gerudo chieftain, however, was now covering her mouth trying not to laugh.

“Really?” Teba said with a disapproving glare at the young Gerudo.

It was, apparently, too hilarious for her to even respond to the retort.

“Wait, what happened Goro?” Yunobo said, looking between all of them.

“Riju pushed Zelda into Link so they would just get it over with and kiss. The child is clearly amused and now dinner will likely burn because these two have forgotten how to speak.”

“I…” Link tried.

“Case in point,” Teba said.

They all kept watching to see what would happen next, backing away slightly.

“I don’t get it,” Yunobo said. “What’s the big deal about them kissing?”

“I...I didn’t…” Link tried again.

“N-no, that...it w-wasn’t,” Zelda finally got out.

“I’m not explaining it to you,” Teba said to Yunobo.

“Do you guys want me to delete that one?”

“Aw,” Riju said with a distinct pout. “But that ruins the fun.”

Link and Zelda’s focus on one another finally broke when Link did a double take that landed on Symin.

“I’m sorry, what?”

Symin was looking down at the slate, flipping through the pictures.

“Yeah, it’s right here.”

“Yes, of course delete it,” Link said with a furrowed brow, Symin looking up. “It’s disrespectful to the Princess.”

Zelda felt her heart sink. An inner bubbling rose within her, threatening to start a war where she’d have to fend off tears. She bowed her head.

“Unless,” she said quietly, instantly regretting it.

What was she doing? Why would she say that?

Link turned to her with parted lips.

“Unless what?”

The word was said now, there was no going back. No matter what it would eat at both of them more than it ever had before, to have come so close and not said anything, to disregard the truth.

“Unless you want a do over,” Zelda suggested quietly.

“Zelda, what are you saying?” He asked with a cautious step forward.

“I think you know what I’m saying,” Zelda said as she finally looked up, summoning her bravery. “I think you know about me and what I feel. I think you’ve had every opportunity to find out, from Impa, from Kass...to come to terms with it on your own and that’s great. But I’m so tired of the ambiguity, Link, I...I can’t keep guessing how you feel, it...it hurts so much.”

“Are you happy now?” Teba asked, leaning over to Riju.

Riju now had both hands on her mouth, nodding excitedly at Teba’s inquiry.

Zelda closed her eyes with an exhale, shaking her head back to its downward gaze. She tried to forget how shocked Link looked.

“I shouldn’t have said that,” Zelda said timidly. “Your memory is still fragile...I have no right to complain about ambiguity after what you’ve been through. I apologize.”

“Besides,” she continued. “We have company. They came for dinner, not a show.”

Link nodded silently.

“I mean we’ll take both,” Teba said under his breath, Riju looking at him in surprise.

Link approached Symin, taking the slate back as he tried to continue the pause in that particular conversation that still weighed on him, pressed upon him.

The slate was in gallery mode, Link able to see smaller versions of many pictures. His eyes grazed along random pictures of blood moons or weaponry until he saw the four pictures at the end of the last row, unmistakable by the orange coloration of the sunset behind them.

“Dinner will be ready soon,” Link said, clipping the Slate to his belt. “We should head inside.”