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skyloftian-nutcase · 2 months

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Breath of the Sky Ch 15 (Skyward Sword meets BotW)

Summary: When Princess Zelda goes to the Spring of Courage to pray, accompanied by her appointed knight, a giant magical cog spitting out a goddess is the last thing she expects, but it is what she gets. Meanwhile, the Spirit Maiden Zelda is trying to figure out what the heck is happening and where her missing chosen hero is.

Skyward Sword meets Breath of the Wild pre-calamity, and it changes everything.

Chapter 15: The Champions

Zelda couldn’t sleep.

She and Link had eventually made their way indoors for the night, getting lost for what felt like an eternity before royal guards escorted them back to their room. The bed had been a welcoming sight, and Link had immediately fallen asleep, but Zelda…

She just couldn’t. It was like her first night on the Surface all over again. She was filled with so many thoughts and feelings, with the certainty of massive change on the horizon, with the dread of facing a horrific foe once more, with the excitement of an adventure. She recalled she hadn’t slept her first night on the Surface, either.

Sighing, she eventually gave up. Link didn’t notice as she slid out of bed. She hesitated as she moved towards the door. She didn’t want the guards to see her, to question her. She just wanted to move without causing a gigantic fuss. She looked back towards the window, which was now boarded after Link had broken it a few nights ago, and she smiled.

It didn’t take much to pry the wood away, and Link was a heavy enough sleeper that he didn’t stir. Zelda grabbed her sailcloth and jumped.

The cool night air was a blessing, the openness a reprieve to her caged anxieties. Her bare feet touched down on soft grass, and she sighed as she walked through one of the castle’s many gardens. Crickets chirped alongside countless nighttime birds (and oh how she wished she could see them all – nights on Skyloft were far different than on the Surface), a gentle caress to her mind as she finally felt her muscles relax.

Zelda felt strangely alone all of a sudden. In the past, she used to pray when she was unsure. Now that… well…

Perhaps the Golden Three could still listen. Surely they would, right? Even if she was still a little mad, even if her memories did make her question them a bit (they hadn’t helped they never helped me when I struggled against him—).

Zelda remembered there were benches littered all over these gardens, and so she sought one out. Fireflies glimmered in the air, always just out of reach, making her smile as they illuminated her way. When one glowed near a dark silhouette, she paused, eyes widening a moment, and then crept a little closer from behind it.

The silhouette was very still, but she could see the person breathing, the strong shoulders belaying that it was a man, the smaller figure making her think maybe it was a young one. But his hair was familiar, his posture perfect… was it Champion? He looked a little bigger than him, though.

The man turned, hearing her despite how quiet she was trying to be, his blue eyes barely visible, though the sharp look they held was still apparent. It softened immediately in recognition, though, and the man stood, turned to face her fully, and genuflected.

Zelda initially felt frustrated at being noticed, but once she recognized him it wasn’t nearly as awful. The man looked a little different, dressed down as he was in a simple black tunic and pants, and he wasn’t wearing the hat the royal knights wore; his golden blonde hair was what made her notice him in the first place.

Wow, he really did look like Champion. Weird.

“Hi,” she greeted a little awkwardly, her voice quiet.

“Your Grace,” he acknowledged.

Well… now what? Zelda sighed. “You can get up. And sit on the bench if you want. I was going to sit down too.”

The knight rose, motioning towards the bench with his hand as he stepped back. “Please make yourself comfortable, Your Grace.”

Zelda smiled, approaching and plopping down, patting the space beside her. “Only if you join me.”

The knight watched her silently for a moment, face carefully neutral (just like Champion… she was beginning to notice a lot of similarities between the two), eyes alight with different thoughts, before obeying. He moved cautiously, hesitantly, as if he should spring to his feet and ready himself for a fight in an instant. There was no air of hostility, though – bemusement and anxiety were the better words, and Zelda almost laughed at it.

“I feel like it’s a little late for you to be out,” Zelda noted with a small smile. “Do you ever sleep? I swear you’re everywhere.”

“I am the captain of the royal guard, Your Grace. It’s my duty to know everything and be everywhere.” He answered before shifting uncomfortably. “I… beg Your Grace’s forgiveness for being so underdressed. It is, as you said, admittedly late, and I am… not currently on duty.”

“It’s okay,” she reassured him. “I’m not dressed properly either.”

At least she was just in a nightgown and not wearing her dress backwards like with that other Impa. Good grief.

The knight remained pointedly quiet and neutral, eyes looking ahead. Zelda waved dismissively, remembering how horrified the princess had been at being caught in casual attire in her bedroom. “I don’t care that you’re dressed down, or that I am. Really. I don’t know what it means in this culture, but to my people it’s not really a big deal. I mean, I wouldn’t go out like this but still. It’s not, like… the end of the world or something.”

When she got no acknowledgement, she pressed on, “What are you doing out here, though?”

The knight sighed. “I was… checking on someone.”

“Are they okay?”

“He is, Your Grace.”

Zelda tilted her head to the side, growing a little exasperated, but still enjoying the man’s company. Even though conversing was somewhat akin to pulling teeth, he still had a calming presence. She listened to the crickets for a while, looking out at nothing in particular before her eyes settled on the machines that the princess had talked about. They were deactivated right now, quietly resting up ahead.

“Is the person out here?” she asked.

“No, Your Grace,” the captain answered. “He’s asleep in the barracks. I just… check on him sometimes. And I come here to clear my mind. It’s too quiet to spar now.”

“Funny,” Zelda said with a chuckle. “I came here to clear my mind too.”

The knight glanced at her, though despite the obvious curiosity in his eyes, he didn’t question her. Zelda… appreciated it.

And, somehow, it opened the floodgates in her heart. “Everyone expects me to know everything, to have a solution to all the problems going on right now, and I just… don’t. I came here blind, I just… wanted to find Link, I…”

She trailed off, hugging herself and sighing heavily. “I’m going to help. I promise that. I want to help kill Demise, I want to protect everyone here. I just wish… there was a plan, you know? I mean, there is a plan, but the Triforce doesn’t even factor into it, and that was how I killed him last time, and… do you know anything about the Triforce? You said it was your job to know everything.”

As she glanced at the knight once more, she found him staring at her. His eyebrows were a little raised, and just a smidge closer to each other, but those were the biggest signs of his reactions, tempered by his valiant effort to remain stoic.

Zelda huffed. “You remind me of Champion.”

The captain grew even more confused, and she clarified, “Link. Your Hero of Hyrule.”

There was a pause, a moment where the captain simply continued to stare, before he let out a little exhale through his nose, a smile ghosting his lips, and he took a steadying breath and looking away.

“Do you know him well?” Zelda asked. “He’s so quiet, it’s hard to get to know him. But he’s very sweet.”

“I know him fairly well, Your Grace,” the knight answered quietly before continuing, “As for your question of the Triforce, I’m afraid I will fail you on this matter. I beg your pardon, but I know very little of the item, aside from its symbolism.”

“What symbolism?” Zelda questioned, desperate for any scrap of information she could get.

“The Triforce was some sort of powerful item used by the royal family,” the knight explained, eyes gazing towards his hands, which were clasped in his lap. “I don’t know what it was used for, specifically, but only that it helped them protect Hyrule. But the power of the goddess also protects Hyrule. The Triforce just appears in art and architecture now. I don’t even know specifically what it was used for in the past.”

“It was used to defeat Demise,” Zelda immediately said. “Link used it. My Link, that is. He destroyed the calamity with it.”

The crickets’ songs filled the air, and Zelda grew tired, not wanting to ponder the issue, emotions too raw from her fight with Link earlier in the day, from her revelation with the king, from all of it. “So you came out here for some peace of mind? I’m sorry I disturbed it.”

“I… please, don’t apologize, Your Grace, you didn’t disturb anything.” The knight stumbled over himself to appease her, stiffening a little as he looked at her once more.

“What were you doing, then?”

“I, um—I was—” he cut himself off, shifting, eyes looking between her and anywhere else. Zelda grew genuinely curious now, tilting her head to the side, waiting for him to explain himself. “I was, uh, p-praying, Your Grace.”

Oh. That was why it was awkward. “Uh… well, if it’s any consolation, I didn’t hear it.”

Zelda realized how bad that sounded, remembered how poorly the king took that information, and she hastily added, “But like—I can’t hear it, I mean I’m—look, I’m not Hylia, I mean I was, but I’m not now, and—”

This was getting worse the more she tried to explain it, but the knight at least didn’t look outright horrified like the king had. Instead, he looked almost relieved. “Your Grace… forgive my curiosity, but…”

“Please,” Zelda encouraged him, facing him fully. “Please just ask, it’s okay, I promise. I’m a normal person, I swear.”

“Your Grace is… Hylia, but not?” the knight questioned, looking genuinely confused.

“Yeah,” Zelda answered. “Look, I—Hylia died, long ago. She died fighting the calamity. Or, well, she was dying, and—Demise—Ganon mortally wounded me—I mean her, but she sealed him away. I—Hylia decided to be reborn in mortal flesh, because I knew the seal wouldn’t last, and she—she became me. But I’m also just a normal girl, born and raised on Skyloft, training to be a knight. Make sense?”

“Does Your Grace… remember being Hylia?”

“Yeah, mostly,” Zelda answered, rising and hugging herself. “It’s a little… I’m still sorting it out.”

“I suppose… you eventually will, Your Grace,” the captain said a little reassuringly. “You’re remembered and revered to this day, after all.”

“Time travel sure is a funny thing,” Zelda noted with a weak laugh. “Sorry to dump all that on you, but… thanks for listening.”

Goddesses, it felt amazing just to say that, to know somebody actually listened to her instead of assuming everything. She smiled genuinely, wanting to hug the man, and then remembered abruptly, “Oh gosh, I don’t even know your name! I’m so sorry. I’m Zelda—well, you already knew that, but—I mean you’re calling me by—it’s okay. Yeah.”

The captain watched her with obvious uncertainty before he tried to get himself together. Then he said, “My name is Abel.”

“Captain Abel…” Zelda said carefully, trying to memorize the name. She was usually pretty good with names, though it was really hard to say one way or another considering she hardly ever met anyone new until her journey. But then she smiled, filled with energy and relief, and she dashed forward to hug him. “Thanks for listening.”

XXX

The castle looked strangely… empty. Every time he looked outside one of the cavernous windows, he saw something different. Sometimes it was rivers of lava, their heat making the air swim in ways he’d never seen until going to the Surface. Sometimes, it was a field with strange four-legged animals grazing peacefully. Other times it was islands amidst endless water, like the Lanayru Sea before it had dried up.

He didn’t know what to make of any of it.

The castle hallway he was in never seemed to end, though. But he could still hear familiar sounds in the air, a magical hum that he knew intimately, a growl from beneath him, light and dark swirling in strange arrays, like bits of cloud floating through the air.

When he finally reached where the hallway seemed to terminate, he realized it was simply a dead end. He was suddenly surrounded by stone walls, and he wanted nothing more than to claw his way out and see the open sky again.

But he wasn’t alone.

His successor stood there at the end, holding a torch, watching him silently. His face was stony, eyes piercing, stance broad and strong. Fi was strapped securely to his back, humming.

Link took a hesitant step back, unsure what this meant, what to do.

The flames on the torch flickered and rippled as if blown by a breeze. Then the flames extinguished entirely, drowning Link in darkness. He felt his breath quicken, and he took a startled step away, but then suddenly the torch was lit again, and—

Someone different was holding it. Another teenager, though this one was a dirty blonde, hair stained nearly brunette, shorter and messier. He wore clothes that looked like Link’s own uniform, albeit with some modifications and in a darker shade of green. His own expression was more severe than the champion’s, eyes discerning.

Link tried to ask who he was, but he found he couldn’t speak. He clutched at his throat, and then his chest, trying to figure out why the words wouldn’t come out. He started to panic.

Another figure stepped out from behind this new one. Another dressed in green, with lighter blonde hair, and then another, and then—

Was that Link?

Amidst the crowd, he saw himself walk to the front, looking worn thin, clothes tattered and oversized for his ragged frame.

Fi chimed again. Link backed up until he hit a wall. When had there been a wall behind him?!

Arms encircled him, and he balked, trying to push them off. They were strong, but they were gentle, a caress and hug rather than a choking hold. Feathers floated in the air, white and airy, promising the sky and freedom and home.

“It’ll be okay, my dove,” a voice whispered in his ear.

Zelda?!

“Link. Link.”

Link twisted as best he could to find her. She sounded so far away all of a sudden.

“Link?”

Link’s eyes snapped open with a gasp. He was in the castle room, the large bed nearly swallowing him whole, wrapped in multiple blankets. He glanced around to see Zelda sitting beside him, hovering over him.

“Are you okay?” she asked worriedly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Link rubbed his face, trying to slow his heart rate. One weird dream was just a weird dream, but this was the second nightmare like this. Just like…

He had a bad feeling about this.

“I’m fine,” he lied.

Zelda watched him a moment longer, certainly not believing it, and sighed. “You’re a terrible liar.”

Link huffed. “You really are pushy when it comes to me, aren’t you?”

Zelda poked him, and he yelped in protest. “Because I love you, ding dong! Tell me what’s wrong!”

Link groaned, collapsing back into the pillows and pulling the blanket over his head. The bed shifted, and Link distinctly felt Zelda crawl under the blankets to wiggle up to him and get in his face again. He laughed, unable to really be grumpy about it anymore, and she giggled too.

“It was a nightmare,” he sighed, but waved it off dismissively, in good spirits. “But I’m okay.”

Zelda hummed a little, pushing the blankets off both of them and sitting up. Then she brightened. “Well, this might help get your mind off it – I asked Captain Abel to teach us how to ride a horse!”

Link blinked, confused. “Who’s Captain Abel? What’s a horse? It’s not even sunrise yet!”

“Captain Abel is that royal guard we keep running into! He guided us out of Castle Town that night we were exploring,” Zelda explained. “And horses are big four-legged animals that people ride here, like we ride loftwings. Except they can’t fly.”

“What’s the point, then?” Link asked, raising an eyebrow.

“They’re cute enough,” Zelda shrugged. “And since there aren’t loftwings here, I guess they have to get around somehow.”

Link swallowed, feeling a little sad at the remark that there were no loftwings. He couldn’t imagine life without this crimson companion. But he was certainly curious to see what a horse was, and he felt almost kind of eager to see that guard (at least now he knew his name… assuming he remembered it) – something about the man was reassuring in all this insanity. He'd certainly appreciated the guard's help earlier in the day.

Link smiled, following his beloved out of bed as the pair quickly dressed in their knight uniforms and ran outside.

XXX

Princess Zelda paced her room somewhat anxiously. She’d planned this trip meticulously, hoping everything would work out, sending letters to multiple locations in anticipation of their arrival. She’d arranged for all the provisions required for such a journey with the entourage they would be bringing, and she tried to be considerate of all the races and not offend anyone in her chosen destinations and guests. It was exhausting.

Worst of all, though… “Oh, but what if somehow Her Grace is unhappy with it all?”

Her friend and advisor, Impa, huffed a little, staring out the window. “Believe me, Her Grace is quite capable of acting like any other person. She’s not as haughty as you assume.”

“I mean, I have spoken with her, but still,” Zelda fretted. “This is different!”

It was different, after all. So far, everything that had happened was out of Zelda’s control. This trip was entirely on her, it had been her idea. Despite the information Hylia had relayed yesterday—that, somehow, she was but wasn’t the goddess—it didn’t change the fact that she was Hylia in some major capacity, that she would be Zelda’s instructor, and that she had to make this work.

“Zelda,” Impa interrupted her frantic worries. “She’s here to help, isn’t she? You can’t be worried about offending her like this. Just talk to her and listen. She’s… I bet she isn’t as intimidating as you think.”

The princess sighed, hugging herself and settling a little before smiling at her friend. Impa seemed so levelheaded on the matter – Zelda hoped one day she could have such faith and trust in matters like these. She was certainly grateful for her friend.

Taking a steadying breath, she reached for the Sheikah slate and clipped it on her belt. It was time to begin this journey.

XXX

Hyrule castle was buzzing with activity as the sun climbed into the sky. Attendants from all the corners of the kingdom were gathering in an entourage, ready to escort the royal company across the land. It had been agreed that each respective champion would remain in their territory once that Divine Beast was visited, as they would continue to work on preparing for the coming Calamity. The order in which they went, then, was up for some debate.

Revali was eager to show off his abilities and his Divine Beast first, and had said as much to the princess. However, Daruk was insistent that he get back to Death Mountain as soon as possible (he didn’t have the heart to admit that he really needed to practice piloting his Divine Beast, having almost made it step on his city once or twice), so they would have to backtrack a little. Princess Zelda tried to plan out everything as best she could, determined to show the goddess and her hero the beauty of the land they’d created and protected through the millennia.

Mipha shifted anxiously as the champions and princess awaited their divine guests. She glanced at Link, who was stoic as ever, and she tried to emulate his posture, hovering close to Daruk. Urbosa, meanwhile, stayed just behind the princess, while Revali nearly pushed himself to the front.

Honestly. Everyone acted so anxious. It wasn’t as if Hylia had shown any indication of being upset with anyone. Revali wasn’t nervous, for certain. He didn’t have anything to prove. Not at all. He knew he was the best. He’d worked for it. Hylia likely knew it too. She was a goddess after all.

What an honor this was! To go to the divine protector of Hyrule and be able to show her his prowess in battle. To go to the Hero of Myth, the man who had defeated the Calamity in ages past, and prove that he was the superior warrior to Link. Revali felt himself smile in anticipation, stomach definitely not in anxious knots like the others. He was certainly irate that he would not be the first to show his Divine Beast, but he would make the greatest impression. Let Daruk’s be a warm up round before Revali showed what a true Champion could accomplish.

The sound of horses caught everyone’s attention, and just around the bend came the goddess herself and her hero, both atop chestnut stallions. They sat up straight, wearing what seemed to be traditional attire of the Hero according to legends past (notably, Hylia wore her hair in a braid, which caught Revali’s attention as those were common among the Rito), the picture of regal perfection, and for a brief moment Revali did feel his heart speed up a bit.

No matter, though. He would prove himself just fine. He would.

The divine couple guided their steeds to join the group, towering over nearly everyone. King Rhoam led the crowd in genuflecting towards them as Hylia looked over the entourage.

As the massive group of people knelt before them, Zel glanced uncertainly at her husband. The pair had just been practicing riding the horses after the captain had dismissed himself. They hadn’t really meant to find the entire castle waiting for them.

Do you remember how to get off these animals? Link seemed to ask with his eyes, motioning his head a little towards the ground.

Well. It seemed fairly straightforward. But the ground was a little far, and the saddle a little wobbly when Zelda tried to shift her weight to dismount. Loftwings were certainly different. And they didn’t have these foot things—stirrups, right?—that got in the way.

“We wish you the safest of journeys,” King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule pronounced solemnly, rising. The others took this as an indication to do so as well.

Zelda and Link exchanged looks again, not entirely sure how to answer, so she simply said, “Thank you.”

The group began to move, forming a protective wall of people all around them. Link shrugged at Zelda. At least they wouldn’t have to try to dismount in front of everyone.

The loftwing-like person from the festival approached them, bowing deeply. “It is an honor to be traveling with Your Grace and your spouse. I, Revali, Master of the Winds, will ensure your safe journey. We will be going to my domain shortly, where I can show you the true power of the Divine Beasts and assure you that Hyrule will be safe with my protection.”

Oh! Zelda remembered this man clearly! He was the one who had reminded her of Groose! At the time they’d first met she’d been exasperated, but now she was amused. She almost giggled, but instead she just smiled and nodded.

Link’s smile was far more mischievous.

Zellie looked absolutely excited as she walked up to them, hands clasped in front of her heart. “I arranged a carriage for Your Grace if you wish. But in either case, I’m very eager to show you Hyrule! We’ll be going to Death Mountain first, so we’ll be heading northeast. We have plenty of provisions for the journey, and we’ll be arriving at the Moor Garrison by the end of the day. After that it should be a little under a day’s ride to get us to the Foothill Stable, and we can camp there and arrive at Goron City the next day. I figured after that you should see the Akkala Citadel, as it is the pride of Hyrule’s military, before we move on to our next destination.”

Zelda nodded along, growing equally excited to see all those places. Though… did they have to bring enough people to fill all of Skyloft?

“I don’t know if you were ever actually properly introduced to all the Champions,” Zellie continued. “So I wished to do that as we all will be traveling together and Your Grace will be seeing their Divine Beasts. You’ve, ah, met Revali, of course. This is Urbosa, Chief of the Gerudo, Champion of Divine Beast Vah Naboris.”

Zelda glanced at the tall woman, remembering her from the festival as well. Urbosa nodded respectfully.

“Then there is Daruk, pride of the Gorons. He is Champion of the Divine Beast Vah Rudania.”

Zelda recalled seeing some Gorons during her journey, and she knew their people from—before. She smiled eagerly at Daruk, remembering the Goron people’s exuberance and passion for life, excited to get to know him a little more. Link seemed at ease with him as well. Daruk, for his part, waved casually, bringing both Skyloftians some relief – at least someone would act normally around them.

“Lastly, Princess Mipha of the Zora, Champion of Divine Beast Vah Ruta and heir to the Zora throne.”

Heir? Princess? There was another kingdom? Princess Mipha looked very serious, stiffly bowing her head from where she stood on the ground below. Zelda tried to smile kindly, easily picking up on the stress the girl was radiating. Maybe it was a princess thing to be so anxious.

“It’s a pleasure to meet all of you,” she acknowledged. Link smiled at them as well, though he didn’t bother speaking.

With the pleasantries aside, Zelda found herself starting to feel a little uncomfortable. They were surrounded by a veritable army, and though she was introduced to the notable people they would be traveling with, there were still… so many around them.

Link seemed equally uncomfortable with the group, glancing at all the soldiers. When Zellie and the other champions mounted horses or prepared to leave, the Skyloftians quietly followed along. Zelda caught sight of Captain Abel in the group of soldiers who were watching them depart, and she was a little sad he wasn’t tagging along. She desperately needed him to remind her how to get off this horse, among other things.

As they passed through Castle Town, attracting the attention of literally everyone and making Zelda and Link want to disappear, Link started to goad his horse to move a little faster. He had to back down on the pace as there were too many people, but Zelda picked up on her husband’s restlessness, and what he was planning.

She smiled and winked at him. As soon as they were outside the city walls, they both bolted.

The wind blew through her hair, somewhat reminding her of flying on her beloved loftwing, and Zelda laughed, nearly standing in her saddle, filled with energy. Link was giggling with the same exuberance, throwing his arms out and letting the wind carry him a little. They outran the entourage quickly as people yelped and moved out of the way, and before they knew it, they appeared to be alone out in this vast world.

Zelda looked around, enamored at the sight of the Surface, and then heard hooves stomping and wings flapping. She looked up first, excited at the sound of feathers tearing through air, and saw the one called Revali quickly catching up to them. A short distance away, Zellie, Champion, and two of the three other guests were following on horseback, and the Goron was rolling along to keep up.

“Well,” she looked over at Link. “At least we outran the rest of them.”

Link’s cheeks were flushed with adrenaline. He wanted to keep running. Zelda moved to continue the chase before the bouncing from the horse nearly knocked her off her saddle. Her husband gasped, leaping from his steed to get to her and knocking both of them to the ground by accident.

Well, that was one way to dismount, she supposed.

“You okay?” Link asked just as the others caught up to them.

Zelda laughed in reply.

“Your Grace!” Zellie called, dismounting with ease as she ran up to them. “What happened? Did the horses get spooked? You’re not hurt, are you?”

Just behind the princess, Zelda could see one of the stranger looking champions wobbling uncertainly in her saddle, and Champion reached out to steady her, making her pale cheeks flush as she spluttered. Link huffed overtop Zelda, rolling off and sighing.

“I’m fine,” Zelda answered, sitting up. “But let’s keep moving before the rest of those people catch up!”

She felt herself filled with excitable energy, climbing atop the horse she’d borrowed from Captain Abel, and Link scrambled to do the same. Zellie seemed bemused, but she followed along, glancing back at the entourage uncertainly.

“We’re far less burdened this way, anyway,” Revali noted.

“We’ll attract less attention too,” Urbosa added. “That would make traveling safer. Let the entourage follow behind and bring the crowds.”

Yes, please, let them deal with the crowds, Zelda thought gratefully.

“Don’t worry about my Goron brothers, they’ll catch up to us at Death Mountain just fine!” Daruk added. “We can move on without them if we want.”

Link didn’t need any other impetus, goading his horse to run ahead, bouncing a little haphazardly in the saddle as he tried to remember what Captain Abel had taught them. It was… somewhat equivalent to riding a loftwing. But also completely not – there was no bond with this animal, not nearly in the same way that Zelda felt with her loftwing. This felt far more dangerous and wild, out of control and thrilling.

She did miss her loftwing, though.

Much to her relief, it seemed she and Link weren’t the only ones struggling on saddles, though. Princess Mipha did not seem very comfortable riding a horse, either, given how she seemed ill fitted for the saddle anyway. Champion hovered close to her, sharp, watchful gaze shifting between the two princesses and the Skyloftians.

Zellie eventually got ahead of Link, leading the way as they all charged across the field. Zelda hardly had a chance to really admire the scenery, eager as she was to escape the confines of the castle and its countless attendants, but what she gathered as they went took her breath away. She still hadn’t gotten over the beauty of the Surface, its vastness far beyond anything she could understand, even with her memories.

Eventually the group reached a bridge, and Zellie slowed their pace. Zelda noted with slight discomfort that it was midday, and her stomach was loudly reminding her (and Link) that they had skipped breakfast in lieu of riding lessons.

And wow was she sore from riding.

“Well, we’re making better time than I thought,” Zellie observed, looking at the sky. “I suppose it is a little easier at a faster clip, though the horses can’t maintain it for much longer. Let’s go to Moor Garrison for a rest and then perhaps we can make it to the stable a little after nightfall if we try?”

“I agree,” Urbosa piped up, giving Zellie some confidence in her decision.

Now that they were going at a more reasonable pace, Zelda had time to catch her breath and observe the others a bit more. She wasn’t entirely sure if it was worth striking up a conversation or not – there were so many of them now; she felt a little overwhelmed trying to establish a connection. Zellie seemed very focused on navigating, so she didn’t bother her. Champion hovered between Zellie and Princess Mipha, while Daruk lumbered cheerily. Revali seemed to be taking a break from flying, walking alongside the group, while Urbosa nearly rode alongside Zellie – those two seemed to have a close connection.

Zelda sighed, guiding her horse to be beside Link’s. The pair glanced at each other and smiled. It helped her feel a little more at ease.

Maybe part of the issue was that she had to reintroduce herself as someone to not be worshipped, that these were four new people who thought she was just Hylia.

“So we were in Central Hyrule,” Zellie suddenly said, pulling out a map to show them. “We’re going to be passing briefly through Lanayru before we get to the Akkala region.”

“It’s all very beautiful,” Zelda commented genuinely. “I… could have never imagined our settlement would grow into this.”

Zellie beamed. Link’s eyes softened as he watched her, looking between the two young women. Then he asked, “You keep mentioning them, and I know they helped defeat the demon king in the past, but… what’s a Divine Beast?”

“Oh! I—I didn’t realize I’d never explained,” Zellie gasped. “They are ancient relics, mechanical beasts designed to help fight the Calamity.”

Oh. So they were machines too? Like the guardians, perhaps?

It was weird, honestly, to hear of something spoken as ancient and know it was still in her future. She wondered how old Hyrule truly was at this point. She was certainly curious what they’d look like – perhaps they had stemmed from the technology of Lanayru’s past? Or were they something completely different?

While Zelda spoke with the princess, Link found himself suddenly feeling something in his personal space. He glanced over to see the Champion Revali lazily flapping alongside him.

“It is an honor to make your acquaintance,” the loftwing man said with a nod of his head. “Speaking with a warrior of your caliber is a once in a lifetime opportunity, after all, and an honor for us both.”

Both? Link bit back a smile. This man really did remind him of Groose.

“I wanted to take this opportunity to speak to you about the princess’ plan for Calamity Ganon,” Revali continued, catching Link’s attention fully. “I was hoping we could discuss the matter when we reach Moor Garrison.”

Link nodded, eyes focused, eager to hear his idea. Revali gave what seemed to be a smile and then flew ahead.

Meanwhile, Mipha was wiggling her feet in a desperate attempt to reach the stirrups for what felt like the eighteenth time that day. She’d nearly fallen off her horse when they’d all gone to a full canter. She wished they designed saddles for Zora, but her people hardly rode these animals.

If only the path included a river in which I could swim, she lamented. At least Moor Garrison was close, and that was by water.

Honestly, this entire venture so far had been stressful and strange. Hylia and her Hero were quiet but almost endearing – she could sense anxious energy off them initially, reminded painfully of Link, but once they’d rushed ahead of everyone they seemed far more cheerful.

It was strange. She’d never suspected a goddess would not like crowds. She wondered if Hylia didn’t like her.

When the garrison came into view, Mipha finally gave up on the horse, wiggling off the saddle, letting Link help her to the ground as he hastily moved to keep her from falling. She smiled shyly in thanks, pointedly trying to ignore the way her heart fluttered, and walked in the back of the group as Link moved ahead to keep up with the princess.

Moor Garrison was a rather small place of respite, but it was pleasant enough. The soldiers had a grand welcome for them, standing in parade formation, and Princess Zelda had sent the court poet ahead of them, so he was there waiting to entertain the group with stories of old while they were served lunch. Mipha settled beside Daruk, who was chatting happily about how he’d share some rock roast with everyone upon their arrival to Death Mountain (Mipha was… not looking forward to the visit, but she had some elixirs at the ready), giving herself as much space from the esteemed guests as possible. On Daruk’s other side was Link, then Chief Urbosa, Princess Zelda, Hylia, her sacred spouse, and Revali.

As everyone settled in for the meal, Revali started to bring up his topic of conversation once more, catching the Skyloftian knight’s attention. “As I was saying on the road, I wished to discuss Princess Zelda’s plan of attack with you, if you are willing to hear me.”

Link nodded, eyes wide with curiosity.

“At the festival, I noticed your hesitancy in returning the sword that seals the darkness to Princess Zelda’s knight,” Revali noted, and Link started to squirm uncomfortably, feeling immediate dread. What was this about? “I understand your concerns, of course. While he is a somewhat capable fighter, there are those who are far superior in ability. I cannot fathom why the sword might have chosen him, but due to that sacred relic, the entire kingdom is convinced he must be the one to face Ganon, despite my superior skills.”

Link bit the inside of his cheek. “Aren’t you all fighting Ganon?”

“The Divine Beasts are meant as support,” Revali explained. “And the actual task of dealing the final blow to Calamity Ganon falls to that Hylian, while Princess Zelda must learn how to seal it away. I believe this is a mistake.”

Link nodded, eyebrows rising. “You want to be the hero.”

“It’s not a matter of wanting, it’s simple logic,” Revali mildly argued. “If I am the better warrior, then I should be the one on the front lines, not relegated to being a sidekick.”

Wow, this one really did remind him of Groose. He sighed a little, glancing at his goblet of water. “The role of hero is not one that we choose, I’m afraid. Are you asking that I suggest your plan instead?”

“I can suggest it myself, good Hero,” Revali huffed, seeming entertained at Link’s question. “But it might have some more… poignancy if you are in agreement.”

It was strange, listening to this. During his own journey, Groose had been little more than a thorn in his side until his classmate had gotten his act together, and then he’d been exceedingly helpful. But this Revali person seemed outright a threat, trying to undermine Fi’s new master. Link didn’t particularly like it.

Not that he really liked any of this, but that was a moot point by now.

“If the sword chose him, then it is the will of the goddess,” Link finally said. “I will not argue with that.”

Revali’s feathers ruffled in the same way Crimson’s would when annoyed. Link almost laughed, but he kept it together. For his part, the Rito warrior was at least polite, humming his annoyance away and picking at his food.

The court poet caught everyone’s attention at this point, playing music and singing for their enjoyment. He spoke of a Great Calamity of ten thousand years ago (ten thousand?!), of a hero of old and how the guardians and divine beasts helped him defeat the Calamity before the sacred princess sealed it away. Link started to wonder exactly how many heroes there had been between his era and now, and the nightmare from that morning nagged at him. He put his fork down, losing his appetite a little.

At least Zel looked like she was having a good time. Link could be happy for that.

It wasn’t that this journey wasn’t interesting or anything, but… he didn’t know. He felt restless and aimless, agitated to be here but wanting to help but not knowing how. What could he do to assist? Fi had chosen another, better master, Zel had to help Zellie, the champions all had their tasks… Link was just… there.

Was this better than being the one solely responsible for saving the world, or was it worse?

Whatever. He could support Zel. At least this time they weren’t separated.

He wasn’t exactly looking forward to this Death Mountain place, though. The name wasn’t promising, and it wasn’t as if he couldn’t see Eldin Mountain in the distance. He wondered if they were the same thing.

He hated volcanoes. He hated everything about them. No good thing had happened in Eldin. Not a one.

At least that Daruk fellow seemed friendly. The Goron archaeologist, Gorko, had been kind and friendly too, so perhaps it was a Goron thing. The mogmas… well, they were hit or miss. He hoped none of them would need rescuing this time around.

…Oh wait. He’d not seen any mogmas at the festival. Were they…?

Link swallowed, heart aching, stomach twisting a little. He wasn’t sure he liked this whole time traveling thing.

Farther down the table, the Hylian Champion listened to the retelling of the Great Calamity for what felt like the thousandth time. He’d heard the tale so often he could probably sing it in his sleep at this point. It didn’t make it any less awkward when it was sung around him, what with the implications of his own position.

Link did find that he was fairly grateful that they’d outrun the entourage. He rarely traveled with such a large group, and to think that he’d be under such scrutiny for a trip across the entire kingdom had nearly made him nauseous when he’d seen the crowd gathering. He was eternally grateful that Hylia seemed equally unhappy with the prospect. She’d at least dismissed the idea in a seemingly unobtrusive way, so as not to offend the princess.

The princess was probably grateful for it too. Link knew she’d organized it, but still. She liked traveling with little to no accompaniment.

He sighed, staring forlornly at his empty plate, wishing for another helping, half listening as Princess Zelda told Hylia of the Akkala region. The goddess seemed particularly interested in the hot springs. Link felt his heart warm at the thought of the hot springs too – they were quite nice. He should find some once they got there to make sure Mipha could be comfortable too.

More than anything, though, he wanted to go to Gut Check Rock. He really enjoyed hanging out with the Gorons there, and Daruk wouldn’t pass up a chance at the challenge, either.

Perhaps… perhaps he could… glancing at the end of the table, he caught sight or Revali flapping his beak at the Hero of Myth and Legend. His mood soured a little at the sight of it, worry and annoyance fighting for dominance. He wasn’t sure what Revali was yapping about, though he imagined speaking ill of him was part of it, but the last thing the Ancient Hero needed was a reason to feel more doubt in himself, and Revali was certainly good at stepping on others to make himself look taller.

Or maybe he just reserved that behavior for Link. Who knew.

Well, lunch would be over soon enough. Zelda seemed eager to get everyone to Death Mountain as quickly as possible. It would be interesting figuring out sleeping arrangements at the stable, though – would Zelda send word ahead for the goddess? Surely they would have a private area set apart for her, yes? A stable was far too public a place.

This journey was certainly going to be interesting.

Link’s musings were interrupted when Hylia herself rose, walking around the table and tracing her hand across the mythical hero’s back invitingly. He smiled at her as she skipped down to the court poet and asked if he knew any songs for dancing. The bard eagerly replied that he did, only looking slightly nervous at having to entertain the goddess herself (or, well, her past self… Link was slowly trying to wrap his head around what he’d observed and what she’d told them). As he played, the couple started to dance something foreign, mirroring each other and circling the room while laughing.

Their giggles were infectious, relieving the tension that had built up around the group, and Link felt himself relax as well.

“Well, it’s good to know that Hylia herself has a sense of fun!” Daruk whispered cheerily. “I was worried this trip might be a bit serious, you know?”

She certainly had a sense of adventure, that was for certain, but Link wouldn’t admit that.

Eventually, the cheer from the couple’s dancing spurred more to accompany them. Daruk was so eager, feet tapping away happily under the table, that he grabbed Urbosa and rushed out to the dance floor with her. The Gerudo chief seemed fairly amused with it, and she motioned to the princess with her head. As soon as Zelda joined the fray, Hylia and her Hero (Cloud, he remembered now that they'd decided to nickname him Cloud) dragged her into a dance, giggling the entire time. Seeing the princess’ exuberant smile actually brought some relief to Link – she never had this much fun usually.

Curious, Link looked to his left again to see Revali scowling a little, and he almost laughed. He wondered if the sourpuss even knew how to dance. He kind of wanted to join in, but this was far too public a setting for such a thing. Mipha, on the other hand, was covering her mouth to hide a smile as she enjoyed the spectacle, eyes darting between Link and the dance floor.

“Oh come on, you three!” Daruk bellowed in his deep voice. “Don’t leave us hangin’ like this! We all gotta have some fun!”

Revali rolled his eyes, grumbling and crossing his arms. Link shifted a little awkwardly, while Mipha grew nervous.

Hylia took notice of the matter, and she nearly galloped over to them, skipping in time. She reached for Link first, much to his alarm and horror, dragging him down to the dance floor and then standing across from him with a beaming smile. She clapped in rhythm to the music, and Link shakily followed suit, unable to really hide the absolute terror from his face, but it only seemed to bring her all the more amusement.

“I suppose none of you would know our dances,” she commented as she took him by the wrists. “We’ll have to improvise!”

With that, she started to spin, dragging Link along with her until the two nearly crashed into everyone else on the dance floor. Hylia laughed, giddy and dizzy, and the two stumbled until Link rammed into Daruk’s belly while Hylia found her husband and leaned against him, breathless with delight. Then she took off for the table again, finding another victim. She honed in on Revali next, and Link really did nearly lose his composure at the Rito’s alarmed expression. He couldn’t exactly say no to the goddess herself, but it was very clear he’d rather die than be in this situation.

Link almost felt bad for him. Almost.

That left Mipha, who Cloud singled out with an inviting hand and a gentle, happy smile. The Zora princess shyly took his hand, not quite sure what to do but not as completely humiliated as Revali seemed to be.

Mipha tried to follow along with the dance moves that the Sacred Hero was doing. The Zora princess watched his feet intently, and Link found himself smiling at her intense focus paired with her wide, anxious eyes.

Goddess, she was really cute sometimes.

He got distracted when Princess Zelda nearly slammed into him, laughing breathlessly as Daruk and she had been spinning around the room. Link stumbled backwards to avoid an outright collision and backpedaled directly into Urbosa’s abs. Blushing profusely, he scurried to the corner of the dance floor, trying to disappear into the shadows while Hylia continued to play with (torment) Revali, Daruk and Zelda started bouncing around each other, Urbosa gracefully moved to a different corner to watch, and Cloud and Mipha matched steps in beat with the music.

Eventually, the spectacle came to an end. With lunch finished and everyone thoroughly winded, they headed outside the building to catch their breath and prepare to continue their journey. The soldiers escorted them to Thims Bridge, where they crossed into the Lanayru Region to make their way towards the base of the mountain.

The beach glistened, and Mipha took a delighted, yearning look towards the water as they went. Link moved his steed a bit closer to hers, catching her attention. He glanced between the water and her as well, a silent invitation, and she needed no further impetus. Smiling in delight, she leapt off the horse and into the water, swimming with speed that nearly surpassed any canter Link could reach with his mare. It caught Hylia and Cloud’s attention as well, and they watched her with awe as she moved gracefully.

“It seems Princess Mipha wishes to lead the way for a bit,” Urbosa commented, amused. “We should keep moving if we want to get there by nightfall.”

“Yes, right,” Princess Zelda agreed, goading her horse to move forward once more. Link’s mare fell in step behind her, eyes alert.

Revali flew overhead, having seemingly given up on any socializing after the dance. Link found he couldn’t complain about the matter. Hylia and Cloud often looked up at him with a strange, distant expression, though. He wasn’t sure what to make of it.

“Our provisions!” Zelda gasped, realizing only now that with the entourage left in the dust, a bulk of their supplies were missing.

“Don’t worry, princess!” Daruk piped up. “I’ll roll ahead and get some fireproof elixirs for everyone!”

Cloud glanced over at him, waving him off. “I’ll be alright.”

“The temperatures on Death Mountain are not to be trifled with, Hero,” Urbosa warned mildly. “None but Gorons can tolerate it.”

“I can,” Cloud insisted, playing with his red earrings. “These will protect me.”

“He’s right,” Hylia agreed, smiling at him gently. “Those are blessed by Din herself. The heat won’t harm him.”

“Maybe we should share them,” Cloud suggested, glancing at Hylia.

“They’re my gift to you,” Hylia replied waving her hand. “I’ll try the elixir.”

Her gift? A gift that held the blessing of one of the goddesses of old?

Link swallowed, remembering just how otherworldly these two were.

Daruk settled on the matter, moving ahead, and the realization that the Hylian Champion was fighting with seemed to settle with the others as well, making the group grow quiet. The beauty of Hyrule didn’t escape Link’s notice, though, as they moved through forests to head to their destination. Akkala Citadel towered in the distance, catching Hylia’s attention, and Princess Zelda explained briefly for her, informing her they would go there after Death Mountain.

At this point, Mipha had long abandoned the river, but had also abandoned any notion of trying to ride the horse provided to her. Link felt a little guilty watching her walk alongside the group, but she seemed much happier on the matter, even if her shorter legs had to work harder to keep up.

The Foothill Stable came into view just as the sky grew almost too dark to see the path ahead. The lamplight of the stable was a welcome sight, and everyone picked up their pace. It seemed the stable personnel had erected some kind of separate addition to their large tent, allowing for a private place for Hylia and her immortal spouse to rest, and the area had been cleared of other visitors so the princess and the champions could inhabit the main tent.

Link watched as Princess Zelda chatted excitedly with Urbosa about the next day, and he relaxed a little. She was safe here, and the first day of this strange journey was over without any major issue. He glanced at Mipha, who had huddled on a corner bed, rubbing her feet a little, looking exhausted. He approached her, settling beside her, wishing he himself had healing magic to make her less sore than she likely was. Perhaps he could find a way to help her ride her horse tomorrow.

Across the way, the Skyloftians stood outside, staring at the foreboding mountain ahead.

“I hate volcanoes,” Link sighed.

Zel bit her lip uncertainly. He knew she wasn’t a fan of them either, honestly. It made him feel crushing guilt just seeing the expression on her face, reliving a moment that could have been avoided if he’d just moved. Her eyes softened, though, as she said, “I’ve heard there’s a redeeming quality to them, though. Zellie said that there are hot springs nearby, and they’re supposed to be quite nice. Want to see? There should be some close by from what I heard.”

Link shrugged. Honestly, he just wanted to sleep – after their fun at that garrison, he’d been growing steadily more uncomfortable riding the horse, aches and pains that he was still trying to become familiar with calling for attention. He’d collected so many injuries during his journey, but they’d mostly healed by now. Long days just… tended to remind him of them. Nevertheless, he was willing to play along. Zelda smiled excitedly at him as she led him away from the stable and the scrutiny of the others.

It was in fact a very brief walk to find some hot springs, based on how they’d been described to her. The water was steamy, looking akin to a bath, but far brighter blue than he was used to.

“Is this it?” Link scrunched his nose in confusion. “It’s like a bath?”

“Sort of,” Zelda giggled. “They said it’s like a little lake, but it’s heated by the volcano.”

Link winced. “Volcano heat is bad, Zelda, it’s too hot. You can’t go in there.”

“They said this is comfortable, silly,” Zelda reassured him, slipping a gentle hand into his and leading him away from where they were standing.

“Why do you want to try it so badly?” Link asked.

Zelda shrugged. “I just want to try it.”

Link was an airhead, it was true. But he was observant when he needed to be. Zelda had an ulterior motive; he just wasn’t sure what it was. He was already in too much pain to argue, though, so he stayed silent for the rest of the trek. His mind started buzzing more than his scars, and next thing he knew he was back in the Earth Temple, fighting for his life, his lungs burning, trying to catch up to Zelda only to be too late. He was so caught up in the image of her standing beside Impa, her ankle distinctly red and angry and painful, blisters appearing from the heat of the shackle that had held her, the words too late burning in his mind more than any magma could, that he barely registered his clothes being removed until he gasped a little as his shirt was tugged.

“Arms up, Link.” Zelda prompted gently, her eyes searching his. “Are you okay?”

He was too dazed, too disoriented, too dizzy, too hot—

Link flinched away from Zelda, squeezing his eyes shut. He felt Zelda’s small hands touch his elbows in a gesture to pull him close to her. He pushed her away. He wasn’t in the mood, not here, he was tired, he was in pain.

“Link… Dove, open your eyes.”

The loving, soft tone made his breath hitch, and he obeyed. Zelda was watching him with concern, and he wanted to kick himself for worrying her so much.

She stroked his cheek gently, giving a small smile. “It’s okay, Link. This is just a bath in some nice, warm water. I just… I just wanted you to try it. Zellie said it’s good for easing tension and pain out of the body, and I know you’ve been hurting since lunch.”

Link cursed himself again. He usually was so good at reading Zelda, he should have known she was insisting because of him, because he couldn’t keep up, because pain, injury, slow, useless was written all over his face. He didn’t have an argument for it, either, and that made him even more frustrated. Relenting, he pulled his shirt off, and then his trousers. Zelda watched his face carefully, and the hunger in her eyes from a few days ago when they’d last been in this position was completely missing. Instead, it felt… comfortable. Familiar. She slowly pulled her uniform off and walked with him into the water.

The instant the heat touched him he flinched despite knowing it couldn’t hurt him. However, then the warmth trickled into his skin, easing his tense muscles, and relaxing him to the bone. He sank into the water with a heavy, relieved sigh, and his head automatically rested on Zelda’s shoulder. He felt her wrap an arm around his waist as the two sat on some rock formation that served as a bench under the water. The bubbling hot spring reached their collarbones, immersing them in a pleasant massage that Link had never felt before. And yet… something about this situation felt familiar, but distantly so, like from a dream.

“Better?” Zelda whispered into his hair.

Link hummed in reply, closing his eyes. He floated in warm bliss until he heard Zelda hiss a little. His eyes snapped open in an instant. “What’s wrong?”

Zelda held his right hand and pulled his arm out of the water. He followed her gaze, his eyes briefly glossing over the feather like patterns of lightning scars tracing their way from his hand to his shoulder like ivy growing along a tree. Then he watched her trace the patterns with her hand.

“I didn’t realize they traveled all the way up,” she whispered.

Link blinked. Wait, had she never…? Oh. No, he supposed she hadn’t seen them in their entirety. They were a bit… preoccupied the last time he was shirtless. He skipped answering and went straight to comforting, partly because he could clearly see how much it bothered her to look at it and partly because it bothered him to think about it. “They’re old, it’s fine.”

Zelda’s eyes transitioned from his arm to his shoulder, to the scars on his chest and abdomen, old reminders of his hasty, frantic, and reckless attempts through so many temples to get to her. Then she looked him in the eye, her eyebrows scrunching in that familiar determined and worried expression. “But they’re what’s hurting you, aren’t they?”

Link swallowed and looked away, unable to answer. He heard Zelda sigh.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered, her voice thick with emotion.

Link snapped his attention back to his wife. “Don’t even, Zel. We’ve already talked about this.”

Zelda bit her trembling lip, eyes filled with tears. “You… you almost died, Link. When it was all over you almost died. And you… you didn’t say anything was wrong, you just fell, I almost…”

This wasn’t about their current predicament. This was about… about what had happened to them, personally. Link pulled her gaze to him with a guiding hand to her chin. They locked eyes. “I would do it again, Zelda. I would do it a thousand times for you. I chose to do it.”

“You chose because I made the connection, because I chose you.” Zelda argued, growing agitated.

An uncomfortable feeling crept into Link’s skin. He’d comforted her time and again about this, how, despite everything Hylia had done, Zelda was still Zelda and she hadn’t remembered and…

Despite telling her time and again that it was fine, Link himself hadn’t really reconciled with the matter. He hadn’t addressed it. Even during his outburst yesterday, it had been less of you manipulated me from the very beginning and more you knew everything yet were still wrong.

Had he thought about how Zelda claimed that as Hylia she had used him? How she had singled him out before he was even born, and ensured that she was reborn in his time so that they would be attached to each other? Not really… once, he’d tried to consider it, but he’d banished the thought process from his mind entirely after a few moments – Zelda never wanted to hurt him, would never intentionally do so, and even if what she claimed was true, she’d punished herself by sealing herself away for thousands of years. She'd been suffering from that for the past ten months, and that was what he had always tried to address.

But sometimes… sometimes it did scare him. Sometimes it did make him insecure. Because… because if she had planned that… then…

How could he know if she truly loved him, if she inherently had a deep-seated desire to protect him because he was just… her chosen hero? Had Hylia fallen in love with him in the past, simply through observation, and then…

Link shook his head. “You said you were my Zelda, just as I’m your Hero. We’re here for each other, Zel.”

Zelda’s eyes softened once more, and she sighed, relenting with a small smile. Link pulled her to him in a tight embrace, and the two drew strength and warmth from each other far more than what the water could offer.

Tomorrow would promise their first sight of a Divine Beast, their first glimpse at how exactly this land intended to defeat Demise. It would certainly be interesting.