#a gift from riju

[bonus-links]

DOES SLATE’S SOFT FRIEND HAVE A NAME :D

technically, it's Zelda's! Slate has commandeered it lol. I haven't thought of a name, but Im open to suggestions!!

[gothic-soda]

Accepting help: Tulin and the Champions

For all the problems I have with totk, one thing I love about it is the development of the sages, particularly Tulin.

His arc is about learning how to accept help from others, which is so interesting when compared to Revali, who was very isolated and had to be self reliant. Revali seemingly had no family or anyone else in his life to fall back on, and as a result he had to become the best possible version of himself as a warrior to make up for that. In BotW we see Revali go to EXTREME lengths to be the best warrior he can be.

A comparison could even be made between Revali and the rest of the Champions. What they all have in common is that they all died alone in their divine beasts. No one came to rescue them. Zelda and Link had each other, and that’s ultimately how they both managed to survive the calamity. The champions had only themselves to rely on in their final moments, and in the end it wasn’t enough.

But back to Tulin, his arc (and to a lesser extent the other Sages arcs are about this as well) is about accepting help from others. Tulin has his parents, Link and the other Sages to fall back on. Tulin wanted to prove that he was strong enough on his own, but eventually realised that his strength came from those around him. Tulin receives the Great Eagle Bow when he shows that he can be strong AND accept help when he needs it.

Even the new Sage’s powers are all designed in a way that reinforces this. The Champion’s abilities were all gifts that they honed to use by themselves, they used their powers to fight alongside their allies, but still their powers were never really meant to be used though a second party. In a way, their gifts are weakened when they are given to Link. For example Mipha’s Grace can only be used on Link in BotW, but when she was alive she could heal anyone.

By contrast, the Sage’s abilities are supposed to be used with the aid of another, they are amplified by Link. Tulin’s gust is more or less useless to Tulin himself, but with another person it had a lot of utility. Yunobo requires someone to aim him to get the most out of his charge. Riju is still learning how to control her lightning and needs someone else to direct it. While Sidon could probably use the water shield on himself, Sidon wants to protect others, so his power manifests as a physical shield to protect his friend.

This idea of the champions being isolated and not being able to receive much help from others makes a lot of sense. They were the last line of defence for Hyrule, they were the Plan B incase Zelda did not awaken her powers. When they became Champions, all of them were well respected warriors amongst their people, a lot of responsibility fell on them to be the protectors of not only their people, but all of Hyrule. For them to show weakness would mean Hyrule losing faith in their beloved champions.

The new Sages have a support system that the Champions did not have, they are allowed to have faults and not be perfect, because they have other people to support them and I think that’s beautiful.

[zelda-wiki]

We've got a gift for you!

We have turnaround shots of Tulin, Yunobo, Sidon, and Riju from Tears of the Kingdom, and more are on their way!

We hope these can be useful for artists. Full versions of each image can be seen on their respective pages.

[blueskittlesart]

So my first LoZ game was TOTK. I got it as a gift and I just recently obtained BOTW. After watching the Echoes of Wisdom trailer, I have a few questions and figured considering the document u could prolly answer.

Are the Rito a staple of the game? They don't appear to be in EoW.

Are Sidon, Riju, Yunobo, and Tulin/Teba similar staples? Do their tribes appear without them, the characters changing?

What are Deku? Are they korok alternatives?

Finally, where do u think the game would fall on the timeline?

Thank you so much.

omg yaaay i havent talked at length about zelda lore/theories in a while lets go

Rito are a relatively new addition to the franchise. the only games which feature them are wind waker (2002) and its sequels, and botw (2016) and its sequels. the canonical explanation for why the rito just showed up is that they evolved in the thousands of years between wind waker and the game that came before it on the timeline. Based on the general vibe of eow i've seen in the trailers, it looks like it probably comes before wind waker on the timeline or exists in a different timeline entirely. so i think the rito probably haven't evolved yet. because the rito haven't been around since the very beginning like other races in the games, the devs seem to have more freedom to pick and choose whether they want them around, so i wouldn't exactly call them a staple race in the way that zora and gorons are.

While the RACES of hyrule are staples of the franchise, the specific champions we see in botw/totk are not. those characters don't reincarnate the way link, zelda, and ganon do, so they only exist within that one specific link's time. So while we'll definitely zee zora and gorons in eow, we almost definitely aren't going to see any familiar characters.

Deku are a race of forest spirit-adjacent. things. their first appearance was in oot iirc. the great deku tree, as you may remember from botw/totk, is a very old, very powerful forest spirit who rules over the forest. in oot, deku scrubs were usually hostiles you had to either fight or negotiate with, and in mm, link could become a deku scrub via a kind of terrifying mechanic we don't have to get into here. based on the eow trailer, in this version of hyrule the deku scrubs are korok/kokiri substitutes. the race that lives in the forest is one of the most inconsistent pieces of overarching zelda lore, so yeah tldr you can just assume theyre basically koroks.

the timeline question is. well. before the most recent trailer I was almost completely convinced that it was going to be on the alttp timeline, somewhere after link's awakening. but that was based solely on the vibes and the bare glimpses of the hyrule map we got in the first trailer. now that we've gotten a much more extensive look at the map and the races of hyrule, I think it's a little more likely that the game takes place sometime before oot. the map looks similar enough to minish cap while featuring races and regions that made their debut in oot, so I think that it makes sense for the game to fall somewhere in between the two, and I think that a lot of the choices they made sort of lend themselves to the game being a transition between minish cap/4 swords and oot. the crack theory is that it takes place AFTER botw/totk, purely because of how visually similar bind looks to ultrahand and the appearance of certain races being super similar to botw/totk, but i think the pre-oot theory is MUCH more likely.

[ganondoodle]

so, after this phase of depression, i am back at too many ideas at once and getting overwhelmed by all of it bc i cant do it all and dont know how to decide which one to focus on or which ones actually good and not just a brainfart

(so, some more botw2/totk rewritten ideas-

mostly text but i am unsure what to actually work on and draw or if its even any good, so id be very happy to hear your opinion on some of this qoq)

-was thinking about designing the sonau even though they might not show up physically, to keep their mystery alive, but i am playing with the idea of a dead one preserved in crystal in a larger cave, perhaps their last stronghold, i like the thought of them being rather small monkey like creatures with long tails that end in a light fern looking thing

--been also thinking more about the ancient queen zeldas and ganondorfs relationship bc i feel its compelling for them to have had a much more personal grudge agaisnt each other than i previously planned, gives more weight to everything-

though it is mostly background stuff that is not directly shown in the game, except for environmental storytelling -which botw was pretty good at- and diary entries you can discover (perhaps finding it and then telling riju and a gerudo researcher about it since it would be in ancient script zelda hadnt encountered before?), current thought was to have there be a secret lair that one of ganondorfs daughters used to live in after the sealing disaster sent both kingdoms into conflict, and with their mother dying in battle the eldest daughter would surrender and agree to whatever the princess of hyrule demanded, while the younger one would not bow down and those that followed her split off to live in the gerudo highlands, like another reoccuring theme with this being the prescursor to what happens with the shiekah and yiga later- of those are none left by this time (or should there?) and the diary of the younger daughter talks about her fathers secret hideout having being sealed shut as a sign of respect- it is inaccessible due to the structures beign damaged, but its serving as a hint there will be more; it will be made accessible after the mid game fight with ganondorf, in which you see the scene of the sealing, and he changes his position from hyrule castle that fell into the underground to the innards of the plateau- that being the final dungeon- in his room, might also be a part of his diary, at least from his younger days, and a bracelet of obviously hyrulian origin, which is meant to imply-

that the ancient queen zelda and him were in love once when they were both younger, though neither really acted on it (noble families pressures and conflictions yippie) until it was decided she would be married to a young knight of a noble hyrulian family, as it had been per tradition, after which they would not be able to visit each other anymore in the way they sued to as her father wanted her to prepare to take the throne and was way more strict than before, with one last meeting in that secret chamber and her leaving a bracelet there as a gift-

now heres the problem i ran into, that they had feelings for each other and used to be very close, as well as both having their own families later on is pretty solid and i want to keep all that but i also randomly thought about weaving the drama further (in that noble families kind of way especially, though again this would only be mentioned in his diary entry from the secret room you unlock, and since his younger daughter doesnt mention anything at all save for makign a point about not rummaging through her late fathers things out of her deep respect for him, its pretty clear she didnt know and neither did anyone else except for ganondorf himself and perhaps his mothers, this is all meant to make all of these characters have more depth even with getting little to literal no screentime, not to be a big focus)- so there was the stray idea of the ancient queen having a daughter 'just' after being married to that hyrulian knight.. and it being obviously not his, but gerudo, as gerudo traits are rather dominant(i think?) and the knight and ganondorf look nothing alike, so to avoid any sort of royal disaster that daughter would be secretly given to ganondorf to raise instead (which he would gladly do), and the official story being it was stillborn (the whole thing being worked out by a few maids sworn loyally to their queen .. im torn about the queen herself knowing or not tbh or if that even matters in the grand scheme of things (though i do like the idea of her knowing but acting like it is nothing to live up to being a wise and proud queen now thats shes under that pressure, she would change alot during her time of reign, going from that more typical unsure of herself but trying her best princess to a self confident cold and calculating queen, maybe he could even make a short remark about it), again this is still just vaguely implied background details most wouldnt even find out about, i just .. like to think about the background of things that make sense and give more weight to it all but arent what it revolves around and its neither essential to know, might as well be one of those things people would likely hear about in youtube videos)

i didnt find or dont know if theres any rule that princess zelda cant have siblings (i think she had a brother once but idk that may be different about sisters is the question) bc ganondorfs older daughter then not awakening any special (zelda reserved) powers could be simply bc she wasnt trained to do so (perhaps she would be able to hear things like zeldas often do but that too being only mentioned offhand) and him just not putting any focus on royal hyrulian traditions, it could be a secret rite too and honestly .. why would he try to train her to be the traditional princess of hyrule, awakening powers that are reserved for the hyrulian royals would make everything go haywire in terms of the secret about her mother, though im worried it would seem like her being gerudo is seen as 'tainted' instead, like she isnt a 'real' or 'pure' zelda and that being the reason, which somethign i do not like at all

either way that second part is purely an idea that i am 50/50 about using since its really not a big deal in the end and ultimately doesnt change much except make their relationship a bit more messier

---ahem, anyway, i also decided i wanted to model most sky islands after this one photo in my collection since it looks cool and would make sense to have these island be worn down by constant winds

---- i also want to flood the tabantha canyon with the forgotten temple and considered actually breaking of some pieces of landmass, like it is now a giant island, imagine akkala a kilometer away from the mainland for example, it wouldnt inherently change much about the structure but it would make it feel alot more different and provide good ground for different kinds of interactions since the people there would need to adjust to that, you can melt ice around the riot region easier than you can reattach a broken off giant piece of land after all

[nightttoon]

Who fell first/who fell harder? Love language Pet names

Yona:

You fell first, but she fell harder. She has Sidon already, so it took time to accept your feelings. But if you fell for both of them it makes everything easier! She adores you and Sidon so much!

Her love language is physical touches. She gives you the warmest hugs and sweetest kisses! And if it's Sidon x Yona x you, your days will be full of physical affection from both zora. You better be ready :) She also loves to give you cute little things she found, bought or made. (Like necklaces, corals, shells and everything she finds beautiful! Maybe something to remind you of her)

I guess pet names are.... "Dear, sweetie, love, pearl, my sunshine"

Riju:

She fell first, but you fell harder. Gerudo shief is so deep in love, so she is all around you. I bet she taught you how to deal with Sand seals.

Her love language is gift giving. She probably bought you every jewelry from Gerudo's masterpieces and everything you looked at in the shop. She will definitely try to master the hobbies that you love so that you can do it together!

Most of time she calls you by affectionate form of your name. But she also can use "Darling, cutie, sweet one, cupcake"

Urbosa:

You fell first and you fell harder. This strong, independent lady will fall for you with time, but then she does.... My god. You can't get enough of her love.

Her love language is quality time. She will spend all her time with you. Sweet talks and a lot of shared interests are here! She will be interested in things you like just as much as she would like to show you what she is mad about.

Pet names she uses can change depending on her mood and situation. But her personal favorite ones are "sugarplum, beautiful, precious, lovebug" Maybe she will call you "kitten" at times.

Mipha:

She fell first and she fell harder. No doubt about that. Poor princess can't handle with herself, then you are around. She is so shy about her feelings, so you will know about them from her father or if you confess first.

Her love language is quality time. She will learn about everything you like, so you had things to talk about. You will do a lot of little things together, like hand crafts, swimming together, gazing at stars at night from top of domain. She will teach you about holidays, traditions, courtship of Zora if you are interested.

Pet names are "Cutie pie, sweetheart, muffin, sweetie, my hero" And yeah, I am sure about last one. She wants you to feel strong even if she is champion here :)

Part with male characters is here!

Requests are open! Write me if you wish to make one!

[rex101111]

Zelda, living under the same roof as Link: We're just friends

Zelda, helping Link cook meals and making him gifts: We're just close friends

Zelda, sharing a bed with Link: We're just REALLY good friends and I didn't want him to be freezing, its totally platonic, NOTHING GOING ON.

Riju, tired of her shit and ready to give some electroshock therapy: *sharp inhales + eye twitch* REALLY!?!?

Zelda, in bed with Link after he rescued her, at the end of a very long lovemaking session fueled by the happiness of finally reuniting after 10,000 years of separation:...Link, what are we? Fi, from within the Master Sword, causing the weapon to shake with the sheer force of her outrage, nearly busting her way of it: YOU CAN'T BE HYLIA-DAMNED SERIOUS!!

[theredloftwing]

something that's bugged me about totk is that the secret stones don't amplify the pre-established powers of the characters?

like.. Zelda is established as having light/sealing powers, so why does she get the time stone when Link is established as slowing down time (flurry rush) through the diaries in botw??

Link should get the time stone, and Zelda the light stone.

and Sidon and Tulin are never hinted at having any gifts/abilities beyond the ordinary skillset of their species in botw..

Yunobo inherited the shield from Daruk, but that's never even hinted at being fire based so why is his stone the stone of fire??

the only one who makes sense is Riju who as a descendant of Urbosa, could have inherited/learnt Urbosa's lighting summon, and did inherit the Gerudo lightning helm.

but then why go to all the effort of making the stones parallel to the elements, air/wind & fire & water, but then not do earth but instead do lightning???

ugh it all bothers me so much

[aromanticannibal]

Post-totk headcanons!

heavy spoilers ahead

ZELDA.

this woman spent millenia as a dragon she is going to have goddamn antlers.

so yeah, she keeps small antlers. they glow. big golden eyelashes too, eyes keep a strange glow to them

she's generally more eldritch.

I think she tends to have more memory issues after coming back. nothing too bad, but she struggles a bit sometimes.

Now Link- he does not just get back his arm. Amputate that man.

yeah so he loses his right arm from a bit above the elbow once Rauru disappears for good and takes his arm and magic back.

He gets phantom pains and all, sometimes he reaches for ultrahand and is just like. ah yeah

he takes it pretty well honestly. Purah and Zelda figure out how to make him a prosthesis and he wears it most of the time, but doesn't like it that much - he just would hate to get caught by surprise by monsters or the Yiga and fumble w/ his left arm.

Zelda and Link are always together after totk happens, but like. even more always together. And it's not just Link protecting Zelda anymore, she's protecting him too.

I think she gains a sort of very faint healing power from her time as the light dragon, so she tries to find ways to always be touching Link so he doesn't get too hurt

Mainly because he has the habit to just. not say when he's hurt, or when something's wrong.

The sages ask a lot about their ancestors, and Zelda loves to tell them and Link everything about her time in the past. She warns that she may not remember everything well, but they don't really care.

more than 100 years after the calamity started, some of the champions are starting to get forgotten - mainly, Revali and Urbosa. Daruk literally has his face carved in a moutain and the Zora live so long that most of them still remember Mipha, but Revali and Urbosa are really becoming more legend than anything. Link and Zelda make sure people remember them.

After everything starts to calm down, Link is forbidden from coming into Gerudo Town again, unless there's something happening and he has to come and protect the city, so Zelda visits often and tells him all about how everyone's doing. Riju sometimes comes out of the town and goes on walks with Zelda and Link.

Link spends a lot of time in Rito Village, telling the kids about Revali and how annoying he was- but mostly about how strong and skilled as an archer he was. He doesn't want Revali to be forgotten.

Sidon is so stressed lmao, Link visits him often. He brings gifts for him and Yona and spends time with them and everyone at the Domain. Sidon is very thankful for his friend.

Link hangs out a lot around Mipha's statue, just letting her watch over him. it's one of the rare places he feels safe enough to put his sword down and just relax.

Tulin is SUCH an excitable little bird child. He loves hanging out with Link. They're siblings I'm deciding right NOW

Link shows Zelda his dream house in Akkala and she just loses it. Link. Link you put my paintings around? Link you out our favorite flowers here? Link you got a bigger bed for the both of us? Link our horses are here? Link I'm Going To Marry You

They move here and make the house in Hateno a safe house for everyone in the village and every traveler that might come. They place travel gates near both houses so they can still go to the school.

They get married because I said so-

Back in the King's time the wedding would've been really big and public and annoying, but Zelda isn't having it. She does make a public announcement that they are getting married, but the actual wedding is a small thing (lol small).

They get married under Satori Mountain's cherry blossoms, and invite the sages, Yona, Purah, Impa, Paya, a lot of the kiddos they met in their adventures, etc. they wear flower crowns too. Link cries. Zelda cries. Everyone cries.

Link doesn't really become King because the second Zelda goes yeah you're kinda legally King now he just goes EW. NOPE.

So Link stays the Queen's knight, they're just yknow. wed.

Hyrule is rebuilt! Nothing bad happens again! because I cannot have these babies hurting again

I think Zelda learns how to fight cuz like. Come on this girl is definitely going to want to explore the Depths and Link is not going to let her go in there without a sword.

She's going to love Froxes. like so much. They're Frogs Link!!!! They Are Frogs

She finds she's most comfortable with a bow and gets a strong golden bow made for her (not the bow of light but something similar, way less powerful) and a shield cuz like goddess pls use shields people

edit after finding the dusk bow and that one person in the notes said she should get the dusk bow she gets the dusk bow

omg they build cities in the sky. They make big ass stairs.

anyways pls add on if u got headcanons for post totk.

[sokkas-first-fangirl]

“What can I do?” Zelda asked, running a shaking hand through her tangled hair. It was still damp from her great dive from the island above. “If even you and your friends could not stop him for good…King Rauru, my magic has been greatly weakened, the Master Sword is shattered and you say Link is still ill from the gloom.” 

She thought of the painted chamber, the gigantic murals, full of bold colours and gems. She remembered the titanic form of the Demon King and his army of monsters (and people! People had sided with him!) sweeping across Hyrule, the mural coloured with so much red. He’d been grinning. He’d looked excited, like it was all tremendous fun. And the mural of Rauru and his team…The Sage of Light, the Sage of Spirit, the Sage of Wind, the Sage of Lightning, the Sage of Fire, the Sage of Water, the Sage of Time. A whole team had not been enough to kill��the Demon King. Rauru had to seal him. The seal was broken. What could she do? 

“You have the Triforce of Wisdom,” Rauru said. “As well as Hylia’s Golden Power. I have been informed the Master Sword can heal itself? That was what my dear Sonia told me, when she first told me tales of the sword. When I asked Link he confirmed it. Do you have a team of your own?” He asked the question as if he already knew the answer. Perhaps he did. 

The Big Bad Bazz Brigade. Kaneli once called them The Champions Reborn. Mayor Reede called them all living legends. 

Link, Sidon, Bazz, Rivan, Yuki. Fi. Yona, Gaddison, Kayden, Kodah, Torefeau. Dorephan and Muzu. Impa, Paya, Purah, Robbie, Josha, Jerrin, Granté. Dorian and Cado. Riju, Buliara, Barta, Vilia. Hudson, Bolson, Karson, Rhondson. Teba, Saki, Harth, Kaneli, Tulin, Molli. Yunobo, Bludo. Beedle. Cece, Sophie. The Deku Tree, Hestu, Ivy and Skull Kid. 

They were not all warriors. Tulin and Molli were not even teenagers yet. But they were family. They were all dear, brave, amazing friends. 

Yes, Zelda had quite the team indeed.

*

Joined by Rauru, her ghostly ancestor, Zelda explores the Great Sky Island and visits its shrines. Gifted mysterious Lights of Blessing and Zonai abilities, her magic grows for the first time in years. Finally, she can enter the Temple of Time.

Unfortunately, the temple leaves her with more questions and fears. The chief among them: where, exactly, is Link?

[marimbles]

A gift for @gathos! This is my first Zelda fic so I hope it's OK 👉👈 Thanks for the inspo<3 I had fun writing this!

Word count: 2.9k

Summary: Riju and Zelda drink Noble Pursuits and talk about a certain noble someone.

A Noble Pursuit

The desert shimmers in the setting sun.

It’s a beauty she can never quite get used to, despite countless hours spent on the back of Vah Naboris with Urbosa, watching the sand shift like water far below them. The desert’s gold seems boundless, stretched out like an open palm to call to the horizon. She used to dream of answering that call��of sailing on the sand-sea to the edge of the world, to discover just what secrets lay beyond it. (Link says he’s been there, and there isn’t much to tell. But still, she wants to see it for herself.)

“Zelda!” Riju joins her at the window, taking her elbow. “Come. Sit. Our drinks have arrived.”

She steers Zelda to the cushioned seats at the end of her bed, where a giant plush sand seal takes up most of the space.

“We have a guest, Nabooru,” Riju informs the seal. “I’m afraid you’ll have to surrender your seat.” She tosses it unceremoniously onto the bed.

“Er, sorry, Nabooru,” Zelda says.

“Oh, she’s honored to make room for the princess of Hyrule.” Riju gently pushes Zelda onto the cushions and presses a cold glass into her hands. “Try it. It’s a crowd favorite. We’ve just got ice again, and the whole town is vying for a taste before we run out.”

Zelda raises the glass to her lips. The drink is fresh and fruity—sweet, but well balanced. “Mmm. What’s it called?”

“The Noble Pursuit. Palm fruit, hydromelon, voltfruit, and a touch of something apparently even the chief of the Gerudo isn’t allowed to know, unless she takes a part-time job at the canteen.” Riju grins. “Refreshing, right?”

“Absolutely.” Zelda takes another sip.

“Oh, don’t be so princess-y about it. There’s plenty. Go on, drink up.” Riju drains her own glass and reaches for the pitcher on the table.

“Do you think we could deliver one outside the gate to Link?” Zelda asks. “I hate to think of him pacing around the city walls in this heat.”

Riju waves a dismissive hand as she tops off both their glasses. “I convinced him to rest at Kara Kara. I’m sure he can find his own refreshment there.” She sets the pitcher down again. “Don’t worry. He’ll be back to collect you in the morning. But until then, it’s just us.”

Riju raises her glass, eyes bright, and Zelda taps her own against it with a giggle and a clink.

“Ah.” Riju sighs, settling back on her cushion. “Speaking of noble pursuits, I think it’s time for you to spill about yours.”

“Oh, you mean the schoolhouse?” Zelda sits up, eager. “It’s coming along splendidly! Bolson says it should be ready by the end of the month. All the children are so excited. And I think I might be able to persuade Link to help me teach there sometimes. He knows every corner of Hyrule, after all. And while he’s rather modest about it, he is a key point of our history.”

“Undoubtedly,” Riju says. “And that sounds wonderful. But it’s also not what I meant.”

“Oh, then are you talking about the Sheikah technology project? We have almost all of it dismantled and repurposed. Link has been working at it tirelessly. He has just a few more shrines to deactivate, over in Faron.”

“Oh?” Riju fishes a piece of fruit from her glass and pops it into her mouth.

“Yes. We’re going there next week so he can take care of it while I do some research on some local fauna that may have an interesting connection to luminous stones. Anyway, I know it might seem like a waste—the Sheikah tech, I mean, not the luminous stones—although, they do, potentially … well, they produce the waste, supposedly—quite a remarkable kind of waste, in fact. But—but as for the Sheikah parts, we’re trying to be as resourceful as possible. Reuse what we can and safely dispose of what we can’t. We just can’t risk another Calamity, you see. There’s no telling when Ganon might return, and the abundance of ancient machinery leaves us vulnerable. It just seemed like it was tempting fate again. Don’t you think?”

“I think that sounds both wise and noble.” Riju tips her head back to finish off her second glass. “Although I don’t know if I can say the same of luminous droppings.”

“It’s—the droppings aren’t luminous,” Zelda replies with a blush. “Just the stones that produce them. The droppings are gem deposits. At least, that’s what I’ve been told.”

“Interesting. Are you planning on making any jewelry with them, then? We have a fine jeweler here in Gerudo Town.”

Zelda blinks. “Well, no. I wasn’t planning on taking the research materials. And to be honest, I’m not very interested in jewelry.”

“But isn’t it Hylian custom to offer your betrothed a piece of jewelry?” Riju asks, filling her glass yet again. “A ring, I thought.”

“Well … yes, that is the custom,” Zelda says hesitantly. “But I don’t see quite see how that relates to what you’re asking.”

“No?” Riju peers at Zelda over the top of her glass, a smile half hidden behind it. “You don’t see any connection?”

The room suddenly feels rather stuffy, despite Zelda’s heat-resistant outfit and the fact that it is nearly nightfall. The breeze drifting through the windows is pleasantly cool, but not enough to soothe her burning cheeks. She buries her face in her glass and doesn’t resurface until the drink is gone.

“Another?” Riju offers politely.

She really shouldn’t have more. She rarely drinks, on principle—partly because she prefers to be in full possession of her faculties, and partly because she is an embarrassing lightweight.

But Riju has already filled her glass again, and the Noble Pursuit is delicious. So she gulps the whole thing down, trying not to worry about how it will affect her half an hour from now.

“Ha! Now we’re getting somewhere.” Riju seems far too delighted—suspiciously delighted, honestly—and she is quick to pour yet another drink.

“I’m glad you are properly enjoying the tastes of our fine town,” Riju declares. “Although, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were avoiding my question.”

That sly smile is driving Zelda mad. She sucks in a breath, fighting back another blush. “I can’t avoid the question if I don’t know what it is, can I?”

“Oh, come on,” Riju teases. “The princess of Hyrule is famously wise. Legendary in her wisdom, one could say. Surely she can figure out this simple riddle.”

“I’m not in the mood for riddles,” she replies, a bit sourly.

But Riju just laughs. “You, objecting to a riddle? There’s one I’ve never heard before. I’ve never known another person to be so fond of puzzles. Except maybe … Link.”

She’s got Zelda now, and she knows it. Riju’s smile grows practically devilish while Zelda takes another humiliating drink, her cheeks no doubt rivaling than the sinking sun outside the window.

“Let’s seeeee …” Riju props her elbow on the sofa, threading her fingers through the fresh crop of her scarlet hair. “A noble pursuit, hmm? What could that refer to? Is there anything in Hyrule that we might consider noble? Or perhaps … anyone?”

Zelda pointedly looks away from Riju’s grin. “There—there are many noble citizens of Hyrule. Of every race, in every region.”

“To be sure,” Riju agreed. “But wouldn’t you say there is someone who is the most noble? Someone with a very noble heart, and a noble mind, and noble sword upon his noble, and strong, and sculpted back?”

Zelda chokes on a bit of hydromelon, falling into a coughing fit. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Oh yes, you do. You were ogling him in that voe outfit all afternoon when we went sand surfing.”

“I was not ogling!” Zelda insists. “I was just admiring his form! He’s a very skilled surfer.”

“You were admiring his physical form,” Riju says. “Personally, I don’t see what’s so impressive. For how strong he is, you’d think he’d have more muscle. And height. Goddesses, he’s short.”

“He’s—he’s not that short. You’re just used to all these great, big Gerudo women. We can’t all be nine feet tall.”

“Please. Even for a Hylian, he’s tiny.”

Zelda sits back with a huff. “Did you really invite me here just to make fun of my knight?”

“Oh, calm down. You know I think very highly of Link. I meant it when I said that he was noble.” Riju pauses. “I admit I haven’t had the chance to meet many voe, but I’m positive that he’s the most noble one there is.”

The spirits are already making Zelda feel slightly fuzzy at the edges. “You … you think he’s that noble? The most … worthy voe?”

“I do.”

“So then …” Her head is swimming, and something twists deep in her stomach. “Does that mean you want him as your husband? To rule by your side?”

Riju breaks into a laugh. “Truly, all your royal wisdom is no match for Gerudo liquor, is it?”

“Huh?”

“Zelda, I’m not the one in love with Link. You are.”

Something jolts through her, and Zelda thinks, suddenly, of Urbosa, summoning lightning with just a snap of her fingers. She’s frozen in place, heart pounding in her chest, and the breath feels trapped in her lungs.

“Aren’t you?” Riju asks, softly this time.

Zelda’s eyes fall closed, and in the black he’s there, like always. On the backs of her eyelids, in the cage of her ribs, in the very map of her flowing veins. In every heartbeat, every breath, every silent thought—it’s him, him, him.

For a moment, there’s silence. The last rays of the dying sun slip out the open window. Then Riju sets her glass down with a sigh. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t pry. You don’t have to talk about this.”

“No, I want to,” Zelda whispers. “Because you’re right. I do love him. I …” She swallows. “I have loved him for a hundred years.”

She looks up, and every trace of mirth is gone from Riju’s face. She’s solemn. Gentle. Waiting. Zelda lets her eyes fall to the floor.

“While he slept,” she says quietly, “it was the memory of his face that gave me the strength to keep on fighting. Time passed so strangely in that place … sometimes, it felt like only minutes ago that I had held him in my arms and watched him die. But at the same time, I felt the ache of every hour we were apart. I was determined to be by his side again. And I believed, more than anything, that he would come for me. He always did. He always would.”

There’s a smile in Riju’s voice. “You have so much faith in him.”

“It’s easy to have faith in Link. He has never let me down.” She bows her head, staring into the contents of her half-empty cup. “Though I have failed him every moment since.”

“What do you mean?”

Zelda releases a breath, deep and slow. “I made a promise, before I sealed myself away. I promised that when I saw Link again, I would tell him.”

“Tell him what?”

She traces a finger around the rim of the glass. “That I love him.”

“Why don’t you?”

Zelda smiles weakly. “Courage is Link’s virtue, not mine.”

“But what exactly are you afraid of?” Riju leans forward, gaze earnest. “Do you really think he doesn’t love you back?”

Zelda’s cheeks warm. “Link is … reserved. Of course, he speaks more freely now than he did before he lost his memories, but even still, he doesn’t easily express the way he feels.”

“He does to you,” Riju points out.

“Some feelings, yes.” Her blush deepens. “But not … other feelings.”

Riju rolls her eyes. “He doesn’t have to say it. Anyone with eyes can tell.”

“He’s just—he’s noble, like you said. His heart is good, and his loyalty runs deep. But to an outside eye, the line between duty and affection may seem blurred.”

“Are you kidding me?” Riju shakes her head. “He would follow you to the ends of the earth. He is always at your side. In fact, it’s so impossible to separate you that I had to lure you out here to the desert, to the single place in Hyrule where he can’t follow, just to have a private conversation.”

Zelda sighs impatiently. “He follows me because he is my knight. A duty which I have attempted, more than once, to relieve him of—but he refuses every time.”

“Because he loves you!”

Zelda hesitates. “If he loves me, why hasn’t he said it?”

“Why haven’t you?”

She buries her face in her hands. The effects of the alcohol are beginning to come back again, pressure mounting at her temples. (The familiar ache in her chest, she’s sure, has an entirely separate origin.)

“Zelda,” Riju says gently. “You said yourself that Link has never let you down. Why would you lose your faith in him now?”

“This—this is different.” She roughly wipes away a tear. “This isn’t something I can—can ask of him. I can’t expect him to love me. Because—because it’s not a duty to fulfill. Or a service to be rendered. It’s not a feat of heroism. Or an act of courage.”

Riju is quiet for a moment, considering. “Isn’t it, though?”

“What?”

“It is an act of courage, isn’t it? To love someone? And tell them so?” Riju tilts her head. “Maybe this time, you need to be the brave one.”

Zelda’s voice breaks around a sob. “I can’t.”

“Yes, you can. Listen.” Riju straightens in her seat. “Link follows you. Always. But he can only follow where you lead. I think the reason he hasn’t said it is that he’s waiting for you.”

Zelda lets out a sad, desperate sort of laugh. “He can lead the way this once, can’t he?”

“Well, he’s never been a voe of many words.” Riju shrugs. “I think he’s already said it in every way he can. Apart from, well, saying it.”

Zelda bites her lip. “Are you sure?”

Riju snorts. “I’m sure. Honestly, we should bring you both into a ‘Voe and You’ class. So all the vai can see how a voe’s face looks when he’s in love.”

Zelda looks down at her lap, tugging at the end of her long hair. A bubble of warmth swells inside her chest, and she can’t fight back a smile.

“Trust me,” Riju says firmly. “When he comes tomorrow, watch his face. It’ll be there, as soon as he sees you.”

Zelda lifts her head. “And then?”

“And then you’ll know. And you can tell him.”

“What if …” Zelda takes a shaking breath. “What if I’m still not ready?”

A smile tugs at Riju’s lips. “Then I guess a noble pursuit that has waited for a hundred years can wait a little longer.”

————

The desert shimmers in the morning sun.

Link waits by the entrance to Gerudo Town in his blue tunic, quiet and gentle and patient—a golden boy more gilded by the dawn.

(It’s a beauty she can never quite get used to, no matter how many times she sees him.)

His face is smooth and calm, like usual. But when he spots them, it breaks into a smile—something rare and radiant, like a desert bloom, or a diamond geode, or a shining, pearl-sheen shell.

“Sav’otta!” Riju greets him. “How was the trip from the bazaar?”

“Fine,” he says. “It’s still early. Not too hot.”

His gaze shifts to Zelda, and his eyes are bright and soft—smooth-edged sea glass catching sunlight in its hands.

“Right,” Riju says. “Well, thanks for letting me steal Zelda for the night. It was nice to catch up. Good luck with the school and the shrines and the poop.”

Link’s eyebrows rise. “The poop?”

“Never mind about that!” Zelda says quickly, neck burning under her collar. “Um, thank you, Riju. You’re always a lovely host.”

“Any time.” Riju slips a bottle into Zelda’s hand with a wink. “For the road. Safe travels to you both!”

They wave goodbye, and then together, Zelda and Link turn to face the golden stretch of desert sea.

(If he would follow her to the ends of the earth, where else would he follow?)

She swallows, squinting against the glint of the shining sand. Her heart feels caught in her throat.

“Did you sleep well?” she ventures.

Link shrugs.

“No?”

He wets his lips, gaze darting downward for a moment before meeting hers again. “I just rest better when I know you’re near.”

She searches his face. It’s earnest and open—strong beneath its softness, soft beneath its strength. He looks sun-gold and moon-silver and every beautiful thing in between. (And with the way his features soften when they’re turned toward her, she must look much the same.)

How a voe’s face looks when he’s in love.

“Me too,” she says.

He nods toward the bottle in her hand. “What’s that?”

“Oh.” She lifts it to read the label. “It’s the drink Riju and I had last night. I think you’d like it.”

“What’s in it?”

“Fruit. And other things we’re probably better off not knowing.”

A laugh slips free from his lips, and her heart soars. She has loved him for a hundred years, and she would love him for a hundred more. As long as she has heartbeats left, he will live between each one.

“Um …” Zelda keeps her eyes on the bottle, tracing the label with a finger. “I know it’s too early now, but maybe later …” She takes a steadying breath and looks up with a smile. “Link, would you share a Noble Pursuit with me?”

He smiles back, sun-golden. “I’d love to.”

[ladyrijus]

i need more interactions between botw link and the gerudo like. riju and him go sand surfing every second weekend of the month and it's a whole thing for the town because that's their chief vs their favorite token hylian vai and no matter who wins, everyone's having a great time. or sometimes isha sends link home with more hydromelons than his sheikah slate can carry because in a land of scarcity, giving gifts is the language the gerudo choose to love in. and don't get me started on buliara who definitely has a rivalry thing going on with him based on who can protect riju the best; from a distance it looks like they hate each other, but really they would fight for each other as comrades. funnily enough, neither of them end up "doing better" at protecting riju — in the midst of their attempts to defend her from a molduga, she ends up electrocuting it three times on her own. and all link can feel is this vague sense of deja vu, like he's seen this display of raw power before.

[16mistypaw]

Misty's Whumptober 2024

Day 4 (Hallucinations) (You're still alive in my head)

Sometimes, the past comes back to haunt us. Sometimes, we haunt ourselves with our past.

The Champions are long dead and gone, yet Wild still believes he carries their spirits with him.

Sky could feel the static crackling in the air, building up in a way that said it was about to break. He raised his sword up just as a sharp crack accompanied by blinding light felled weaker monsters blocking their path. Electricity surged into the improvised lightning rod, lighting the blade with a brilliant glow that was released into the remaining enemies, effectively vaporizing them.

He resisted the urge to plant his sword in the ground to lean on it. Channeling lightning took a lot out of him, and he didn't want to have to listen to Four's complaints about the treatment of his sword. Before he could ask where said lightning had come from on a clear sunny day, Wild was anxiously hovering over him.

“Sky, are you okay?! That wasn't supposed to hurt anyone, why did you purposely get hit?”

Sky met Wild's nervous stare with his own, significantly calmer gaze. “I'm fine. That was you?”

“Yeah. Why did you do that?” Wild repeated.

“I learned how to channel lightning during my quest. It doesn't hurt me anymore since I refined the technique, and it gives a huge power boost to my sword beam.” Sky explained. “How did you summon it anyway? That was more lightning than I've seen your items make before.”

“I, ah-.” Wild's tone shifted from worried to anxious as he hesitated. “Some old friends gifted me some abilities. Like the lightning, a wind ability to launch my glider, a shield. And one other I hope you guys never have to see.”

“They sound like some pretty great friends. I'd like to meet them sometime.”

Wild's eyes turned down and refused to meet his again. “They're gone. They only show up when I use their powers, their spirit helps me control the magic.”

This conversation was becoming concerning for Sky “What do you mean they show up when you use their power? You've used them before, and we've never seen anyone.”

“What?” Wild froze, eyes wide as he finally looked at Sky again. “Their spirits.. they do- you haven't seen them? But they appear every time.”

“Wild-”

“No!” Wild turned to the rest of the group who had been listening to their conversation. “You must have seen them at some point! Anyone?” He was practically begging at this point. Tears pricked his eyes as they answered with various negatives.

“But…” His protest died as his throat grew tight.

“Wild-”

“They promised… I already lost them once. They promised they wouldn't leave me alone again.”

“Hey.” Sky wrapped an arm around Wild, pulling him close in a hug. His other hand settled firmly on Wild's head as the younger Hero buried his face in Sky's sailcloth. “They may be gone, but that doesn't mean you're alone.”

The dam broke and then Wild was sobbing in Sky's arms. Sky carefully lowered them both to the ground, ending up sitting awkwardly with Wild halfway in his lap. “I will be. All of you will leave too. When this is all over. I will be.”

“Pup.” Twilight had wandered over, joining the two where they sat. “We're not all you have. What about your Zelda? That overbearing Zora? The Gerudo girl, Riju? Hylia knows Teba's practically adopted you. Even Purah, as eccentric as she is, has a soft spot for you. People come and go, but as hard as it is, you have to keep going.”

“Sometimes, you need to learn to let go.”

[cocopurplepompom]

Which Link has the most stuffed animals? Do the others know about them?

I wanna say Wild or Legend, for different reasons.

I feel like Wild likes to have sleepovers with Riju, and they sleep on her piles of sand seal plushies, so he starts his own collection to rival hers for when she visits his house. I also like the idea that he learns to make them, and gifts Riju a hand made sand seal plush. He unabashedly loves plushies and soft things - he didn't get a lot of them as a soldier before the calamity.

Legend hoards things, and I doubt that habit stops at magical items. I sadly don't know much about him, but I'd like to think his bedroom is absolutely full of soft things, and he has a pile of emotionally significant soft toys at the foot of his bed. He generally keeps people out of his room and doesn't speak about them, but when Ravio finds out about the stuffed animals, he makes a stuffed rabbit for him.

Special mentions to:

Hyrule, who I am certain would adore stuffed animals if he came by them in his era. Wild definitely made him a sand seal plush as well.

And Sky, who likely has one or two particularly well loved stuffed animals in his room in skyloft, which he sleeps with every night. Sun gave them to him to protect him from his nightmares/prophetic dreams.

[mistresslrigtar]

Chapter Nineteen: Secret (written of @zelinktines24 day 19 prompt)

Read below or HERE

Star’s escape and Tulin’s sudden arrival curtail any further discussion regarding the secret stones for the immediate future. Zelda still isn’t sure what she’ll say to Link, and is happy for the reprieve, especially when a knock on the door, reveals Riju standing on the other side. Beyond them, Riju’s entourage is already erecting a large, colorful tent that will be their quarters while they are in Akkala. Her guard, Buliara stands by the front stoop, spear in hand observing the operation and barking commands when the workers aren’t doing something to her satisfaction.

Riju throws herself at Zelda, her anklets and bracelets jingling pleasantly when she pulls Zelda in for a firm hug. “It’s so good to see you! Thank you for inviting us.”

Zelda doesn’t bother to correct her that it was Link’s initial idea, and smiles warmly at her friend when they part. “Of course. Please, come in. You must be tired from traveling. I’ll brew us some tea.”

Riju makes herself at home on a cushion by the table and gazes out the panoramic windows. “I’ve never been this far from Gerudo before. It’s so different out here — it feels wild and uninhabited.”

Aside from the garrison that had been stationed at the Citadel, there weren’t very many people in the past who made the region their home. Zelda has noted that the trend seems to be changing as travelers visiting Tarrey Town discover the beautiful, lush green countryside.

“It’s a hidden gem.” Zelda sets the kettle over the cooking fire, and rifles in the cupboard for the tea tin and her delicate porcelain cherry blossom tea set she reserves for special occasions.

“Indeed.” Riju turns away from the windows to watch Zelda work. “Where’s Link?”

“Oh, Tulin arrived yesterday, so Link took him out to show him the surrounding area and hunt. I imagine they’ll be back shortly.” Setting the tea set on a tray, Zelda sprinkles tea into the pot before removing the kettle from the heat and adding water. She carries it to the table and sits down before serving the tea.

Riju accepts the cup Zelda offers and plops several sugar cubes from the bowl in until Zelda is certain the sugar to tea ratio has dipped strongly in favor of the sweetener. Stirring it with a spoon, Riju takes a sip, lightly smacking her lips and declaring it delicious, before folding her arms on the table and leaning toward Zelda. “I’ve got a secret!”

“Oh, what’s that?” Riju’s excitement is infectious and Zelda smiles as she pours a splash of milk in her tea, forgoing any sugar.

Red lips curving into a big smile, Riju’s eyes brighten. “I’ve found my true love. Of course, Buliara doesn’t approve,”—Riju rolls her eyes—“but I don’t care what she thinks. My love’s name is Alaura, and she’s intelligent, strong and gorgeous. I don’t know how I ever managed before without her.”

True love. The words tumble over in Zelda’s mind. Riju makes it sound so simple and easy to be with the person she loves. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

Eyes brightening, Riju’s smile widens. “She’s helping set up camp, but I’ll introduce you and Link to her later. Speaking of, how are you two doing?”

“We’re all right…” Her eyes flick to Riju’s earring and sees her amber stone sparkling innocuously in the sunlight streaming through the windows. Link said he wanted to speak to their friends about the stones, so… “Link has asked me to consider destroying the secret stones. He’s afraid of them falling into the wrong hands again.”

“Hmmm.” Riju sets down her cup, and rests her chin on a closed fist, a thoughtful look in her eyes. “That is a troubling possibility, but you seem to disagree with him.”

“I am hesitant to take such a drastic action,” Zelda agrees, glad she decided to bring up the subject with Riju, and garner a third, perhaps more unbiased opinion. “Don’t you need it to utilize your gift fully?”

“No.” Riju reaches a hand to lightly finger the stone dangling from her ear. “Link is the one who helped hone and harness my gift. The stone merely allowed him to call upon my power when he was searching for you, and I wasn’t able to physically be by his side.”

Riju leans back on her cushion, her eyes thoughtful as she studies Zelda. “If it’s validation you’re looking for to help make the final decision, I agree that the risks outweigh any further benefit they offer. We didn’t need them before, and in the end, they aren’t what helped us defeat Ganondorf and his forces. It was teamwork, and that we have in spades, no?”

Zelda nods, realizing what Riju is saying is what Link had been trying to articulate yesterday. “When he suggested it, I shut down. I keep hoping I’ll sense Rauru or Sonia through the stone.”

Frowning, Riju’s brows pull together. “We’re in the land of the living, Zelda. The ghosts of the sages, Rauru and Sonia have done what was needed and hopefully, have found peace in the spirit realm.”

Riju’s words make Zelda pause, the rim of the cup at her lips, warm steam misting the skin beneath her nose. Her heart clenches in her chest, recalling the hurt look in Link’s eyes when she’d said she would have to think about it. Her consummate love for Link had initially unlocked her power, and now she realizes it was her filial love for Rauru and Sonia that had helped her hone it, not the stone. Love has always been at the core of her power. How could Zelda have forgotten that?

[ganondoodle]

i dont know if anyone from not here is awake but .... yesterday i had the idea to perhaps bind the champions 2.0 abilities to the inventory/weapons

(totk rewrite "botw2")

so, for example, yunobos would be tied to a permanent two handed weapon (his signature weapon for example) in your inventory that doesnt break and doesnt need repairing (considering my craft and repair system otherwise) but instead needs recharging to recast the ability somwhat like when the master sword looses its power, but instead it just deals the base or reduced weapons damage (perhaps using the ability function via the throwing mechanic, like the MS swordbeams? or a different way to control it when using that speciffic weapon)

teba/tulins would be either a magic bow or arrow that similarly doesnt break/run out (unsure whether arrow or bow is better)

sidons water shield + heal would be tied to a shield

rijus would be tied to the hookshot, when aiming it thered be a button prompt to switch to send the lightning instead, thought to tie it to this bc i wanted it to be aimable similar to the hookshot and combining them saves you from making yet another aiming system and menu

the idea was that i could also use the tie to a weapon as an explanation for how they give it to you without repeating botw but worse (since in botw they are ghosts of the dead and a spirit knowing how to give an abilitiy tied to their spirit to you is more sensical than your childhood friend that didnt even have an ability at all even after a hundred years time last game suddendly not only mastering one but also somehow knowing how to give it to you within .. 5?) the explanation being that the weapon has been charged with their magic over the course of using it for so long or doing so during the dungeon

(like in yunos case, he was the only one that actually had the ability in botw, he always used a .. stone breaker weapon thing, and he gifts it to you at the end; teba/tulin would discover charging their arrows with magic during it and give you the bow at the end (perhaps them having to pull on the same bow to shoot it during a miniboss fight in the dungeon makes it charged with it); sidon would use your shield to channel his magic in a way to make it useful for you and since hes still new to using it, perhaps he gives you the permanent one at the start of the dungeon bc its the one hes been practising it with and at the end gifts it to you since its charged with it (if you leave the dungeon before beating it hed want it back sicne .. its his practice tool); riju charges your shiekah arm with lighting, like overcharging a device just before it breaks, perhaps discovered accidentally during her dungeon ? so we have a variety and not all work the same ... and overcharging bricks your arm for a short time lol)

the possible downside of this is the menuing, but you dont really have to use all of them all the time (maybe longer cooldown but more powerful anyway just like in botw- also each permanent weapon would be the first in the row) and .. anythign is better than those god awful sage ghost controls of canon totk imo lol

other idea would be that its NOT tied to a specific weapon, but just to the category in general, so when you got a shield out you get an extra button prompt to activate sidons ability (very similar to botws system but giving you the control of activating it or not) BUT that has the issue of lacking the explanation on how they give it to you and the downside of not having anything permanent, and while i like my reworked weapon system, also givign players a permanent thing even if not very powerful sounds kinda right to mitigate those complaints without destroying the system outright