#botr7

[katedoesfics]

Breath of the Resistance: Chapter 7

The drive from the desert to Zora’s Domain was the longest stretch of their trip which meant that they would once again need to stop for the night before continuing on to the last leg. Zelda was willing to stop this time, and even more willing to share a room with Link.

“I was thinking,” she said as they walked across the motel parking lot. “I want my alias to be Ari Sentara.”

“Ari Sentara?”

“A girl I used to know in school.”

“We don’t need fake identities yet,” he said. “If Dorian is involved, he’ll get suspicious if we use fake names.”

Zelda hung her head. “Damn. I really wanted to try out being a redhead.”

Link smiled. “Redhead, huh?”

“You have something against redheads?”

He shook his head. “Not at all. I had a crush on this redhead girl when I was little.”

“Oh, that’s it. You have a thing for redheads.”

“Whatever.”

Zelda grinned. “You’re blushing.”

Link’s pace quickened. “No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are,” Zelda teased.

“You’re immature.”

“You’re immature,” Zelda mocked.

Link rolled his eyes and leaned against the front desk, speaking to the young woman who stood at the computer. She smiled and giggled when he spoke and flipped her hair over her shoulder. Zelda watched curiously at the interaction until Link returned to her side a moment later, his hands shoved in his pockets.

“We’ve got time to kill.” He sniffed at the air, catching a whiff of something good, and followed his nose down to where he hoped he would find food.

“Where are you going?” Zelda called after him.

“I’m hungry.”

Zelda didn’t bother to follow him. Instead, she wandered down the hallways and mosied about in the lobby, studying the random collection of paintings hung on the walls. It wasn’t long before Link returned. He stood at her side, chewing rather obnoxiously. Zelda turned and gawked at the plate of food in his hands.

“Where the hell did you get all that?”

“The kitchen,” he said simply. “It was free.”

“Free? How did you manage that?” She picked some grapes off of the plate and popped them into her mouth.

“That’s a good question,” he said, peering at the painting on the wall. “We were just talking. I said I was waiting for a room. She gave me a plate of food.” He paused for a moment as he came to a realization. “I think the girl behind the counter was trying to hit on me.”

“Wow.”

Link turned to Zelda, raising a questionable brow. He took a bite of a danish.

“Is that typical? Do women just throw themselves at you like that?

Link grinned and shrugged as he took another bite. “What can I say? I’m sexy.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Hm.” Link turned back to the painting thoughtfully.

“What?”

“Do you think they’ll make some burgers? I could go for a burger.”

“Amazing,” Zelda muttered. “Is that all you think about? Some days, you hardly say two words to me, but when it comes to food, you don’t shut your mouth.”

“I’m sorry,” Link said as he finished off the danish. “Should I talk more?”

“Just be honest,” Zelda said, crossing her arms. “You think I’m a bitch.”

Link practically choked on the second danish he attempted to devour. Once he cleared his airways, he continued with the danish.

“You didn’t answer,” Zelda said, narrowing her eyes at him.

Link shrugged. “What do you want me to say?”

“Anything! Like, a normal conversation.”

“That wasn’t in the job description,” he said. “I’m just here to make sure you don’t get killed.”

“Right,” Zelda muttered. “Of course.”

Link sighed. “What do you want from me? I have a pretty important job. Life or death, you know? Save the world from some evil bastard that somehow keeps coming back over and over and oh, use this magic sword to do it, and if you fail, Hyrule is dead. But don’t worry, this is what you were born to do. Literally. You’ve been training your whole life and shoved into a job you’re expected to just do. You got this. If your ancestors could do it, so can you. No pressure.”

Zelda turned her gaze to the painting, though she wasn’t really interested in it anymore. She hadn’t realized how similarly Link felt, and just how much they were both pressured into doing something without a second thought. Neither of them had a choice in the matter and were expected to just put their own lives on the line. And the more she realized the severity of the situation, the more daunting and hopeless it all seemed.

“I guess I never considered that,” she said softly. “You seem to have it all together.”

Link finished off his second danish. “Good, that’s how it should seem. I don’t get to have it anything but together.”

“For what it’s worth,” Zelda started. “You don’t have to around me, you know. We’re in this together, and whatever. So, might as well make the best of it.”

Link shrugged. “Might as well.”

“I’m sorry for being a bitch.”

Link smirked. “Oh, wow, and I thought this was nice Zelda the whole time.”

Zelda rolled her eyes.

“Apology accepted,” he said rather smugly.

The woman behind the desk called to them and she smiled flirtatiously as she handed Link the key. Zelda followed him down the hallway until they got into their room and she collapsed with a sigh onto one of the beds.

“These motels are getting old,” she said. “I’ll be glad when we get to Zora’s Domain.” Zelda propped herself up on her elbow. “I bet you’re eager to get there, too,” she said with a grin.

“Why would I be?”

“To see Mipha,” Zelda said, as if it were obvious.

“Oh. Sure.”

“She likes you.”

“Apparently all the women do.”

Zelda rolled her eyes. “Right, of course, because you’re sexy.”

Link sat on the edge of his bed and grinned at her. “Thanks.”

“I wasn’t calling you sexy.”

“But you just did.”

“No! I was… what you said… in the lobby.”

“Right. Duh.”

“You never answered my question the other day,” Zelda said quickly. She pulled out her phone and pretended to busy herself on it in an attempt to hide the blush on her face. “Do you like her?”

“I’m madly in love with her.”

Zelda looked up and met his gaze. “You are?”

Link grinned. “Yes. We’re going to get married and have little half Zora babies.”

Zelda wrinkled her nose at him and turned back to her phone.

“Jealous?”

“Hylia, no.”

Link folded his arms across his chest. “Don’t ever talk to me and my children again.”

Zelda tossed her phone onto the bed. “Well, don’t lead her on if you’re not,” she said.

“Thanks, I needed relationship advice. You’re so wise.”

“Stop talking,” Zelda muttered. She leaned over and turned off the light. She listened as Link shuffled around in the other bed.

“So, Ari has red hair?” Link’s voice said.

“Yeah.”

“Hm.”

Zelda turned over and smiled.

*****

This time, when Link awoke, Zelda was still sleeping soundly in the other bed. He watched her sleep for a moment before sitting up and stretching his arms. He reached behind him to grab a pillow and threw it across the room at Zelda. Zelda groaned and swatted at the air with her hand before opening her eyes and, upon seeing Link awake, she groaned once more.

“It’s too early,” she said as she pulled the blankets over her shoulder.

“If we leave now, we can get there around noon,” Link informed her. “We still have a few hours to drive.”

“What’s the hurry?” Zelda said, turning over in the bed. “It’s not like there’s some impending doom on our horizon or anything.”

Link pulled the blankets off of her as he walked by the bed. “I’ll see you down there,” he said. “I’m getting food.”

In the dining room, Link grabbed himself a couple of danishes. He walked back towards the lobby, happily eating his breakfast, and leaned against the front desk to check out.

“Where’s your girlfriend?” the woman asked with a smile.

“Ha. Please.” Link slapped his payment down on the desk.

“Oh, come on,” the woman said. “You know how many guys would kill to be with her?”

“Well, I know her father pretty well,” Link said. “And I’m not in any hurry to die.”

The woman laughed. “As the daughter of Hyrule’s ruler, I’m sure she doesn’t have much of a say with who she ends up with, anyway.”

Link took a bite of his danish and chewed it slowly. “You think they still do that? Arranged marriages?”

The woman shrugged. “Her ancestors have ruled since the dawn of Hyrule,” she said. “I’m sure that’s a matter they take very seriously. Gotta keep those good bloodlines going, you know?”

“Hm.” Link looked up as Zelda came around the corner.

“Let’s go,” she said with a yawn.

“Good luck,” the woman behind the desk said to Link with a wide grin.

Zelda followed Link quickly out of the motel and across the parking lot.

“Good luck?” she echoed. “Why did she say that?”

“No idea,” Link muttered. “She’s crazy.”

Once more, they got into the car and Link pulled out on the road, following the highway north towards Zora’s Domain. They talked casually to pass the time; Link about his childhood on the farm, Zelda about her antics in the palace. To Link’s surprise, she had a way of getting into as much trouble as he had, keeping the guards in the castle constantly on their toes.

As Link predicted, it was just after noon when they finally pulled off the highway and followed the road to Zora’s Domain. Sidon and Mipha were waiting just outside the palace as Link and Zelda approached, and Sidon immediately took Zelda’s hand in his with a bow.

“Princess Zelda,” he said. “I trust you had a nice trip?”

“Link’s not the worst company to have,” she said with a smirk towards Link. “It was fine.”

“Let’s not waste a minute,” Sidon said with a burst of energy. “I’m excited to see this Divine Beast once it’s activated.”

Link and Zelda followed Sidon and Mipha up to the reservoir where Vah Ruta slept. Zelda followed Sidon to the main control panel, and just as she did with the other three Divine Beasts, she placed the Sheikah slate on the panel and within moments, Vah Ruta came to life. Sidon spoke excitedly at her side as the Divine Beast started to move about. It’s large trunk lifted in the air and water spewed out of it.

“Everything seems to be just fine,” Zelda said as she returned the slate. “I just need to make sure Mipha can control it without any problems.” She looked around, now realizing that she and Sidon were alone. Sidon walked ahead across the Divine Beast and Zelda trotted over to his side.

“I’m sure she’ll have no problem with Vah Ruta,” Sidon said. “She’s been very excited to see this thing in action.” He stopped and looked out with a smile.

Zelda followed his gaze to Vah Ruta’s trunk where Link and Mipha stood talking together. She watched them for a moment, wondering what they were talking about. It seemed to Zelda that perhaps Link had the same feelings that Mipha had for him. It seemed rather odd. And what was more strange was the sinking feeling in Zelda’s chest; a combination of disappointment and even jealousy.

But why should she feel that way?

“You see it, too, then,” Sidon said, interrupting her thoughts.

Zelda turned to him as Sidon continued.

“Muzu tells her time after time that she has no business with the Hylians. But you know how our elder Zora are. They hold grudges.” Sidon smiled to Zelda. “For what it’s worth, my father and I believe in strengthening our alliance with your father. That’s why Mipha is involved in the SFU. You have our support no matter what.”

“Thank you, Sidon,” Zelda said softly. She mulled over what Link had told her the other day. If Dorian was a double agent, they were all in danger, including Mipha and the Zoras. Zelda knew how their relationship with the Zoras had been strained over the years. If the Zora found out that the Hylians let in a double agent, the country would be torn once more, and they could not afford that with Ganon’s undoubted return on the horizon. Being involved in with the SFU only put Mipha in danger. For the sake of her safety and the safety of all the Zora, perhaps it was best if Mipha were no longer involved in the impending war.