#from not being able to handle the yiga clan

[gerudospiriit]

[Just got reminded that, not only did the Eighth Heroine bs employ the male white savior of the Gerudo in this legend, but they had Link's experience in Gerudo Town in TotK literally parallels this from Riju NEEDING him to perfect her lightning strike technique to just...saving the town from the Gibdos because I guess they couldn't do it themselves? Even though iirc they figured out that they could put the fire and electric element things on weapons and arrows I THINK for themselves (which is still weird because Link did that through the special fusion technique Rauru's arm gave him so...).

GRAH. ANGY.]

[sombersummerskies]

A Champion's Love: Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Normalcy Word Count: 4660 CW: None

Want all the chapters? -> Masterlist

~~~ <> ~~~

You didn’t get the chance to speak to Sidon privately once you returned to Lookout Landing.

The other leaders had arrived as well.

Now you found yourself crammed inside the largest tent, sitting at the table surrounded by some very notable faces from your travels and adventures. 

Representing the Gerudo was of course Chief Riju, accompanied by Buliara and a handful of guards. On behalf of the Rito, Elder Kaneli had traveled across the land and had brought Teba and Harth along with him. The Goron leader Bludo had shown up as well, with Yunobo at his side.

Lady Impa had traveled alongside a group of Sheikah guards. Both the scientists Robbie and Purah had shown up as well, with Robbie having brought his wife, Jerrin, and Purah having brought her assistant Symin. The mayor of Hateno, Reede, was also present. Even Lurelin Village, the small Hylian beach settlement to the southeast, had sent a representative: an elder named Rozel.

Everyone seemed to have something to say. You sat beside Zelda quietly, hands in your lap and a perturbed look on your face, as the tent erupted into conversation. Arguments and ideas being shouted across the table. Concerns about both the Yiga Clan and the divine beasts being mentioned. Worries not discussed since before you’d slain Calamity Ganon being brought back to light.

You glance over at the Princess who seems to have the same exasperated expression as yourself. She’d been attempting to raise her voice and control the energy in the room, but to no avail. You glance across the table and see Sidon sitting beside his father. He casts you a look of pity.

It had been your hope that you would be able to pull the Zora prince aside to talk before this meeting would begin. You had so many questions to ask him. What had happened within Ruta? How was he healed? How did you escape? Most of all, you’d simply missed him, and rather selfishly wanted to keep him to yourself for a few spare moments.

You could admit you were selfish from time to time. At least whenever it came to Sidon you were.

The shouting and discussion persists, pulling you from your thoughts. You look back towards Zelda and finally open your mouth to speak, “would you like me to do something about this?”

“Please,” she sighs, her brow furrowed.

With a nod you stand from your chair and roll your shoulders back. With your good arm you reach behind yourself and grasp the handle of the Master Sword. The princess seems confused as you angle your arm back, before flinging it forward. A beam of sacred light emits from the sword and goes flying towards the ceiling of the tent, exploding into a cloud of light particles.

The movement causes the bruises on your torso to sing with pain.

Evidently however, this does the trick, the display catching everyone off guard and causing them to fall silent.

You loudly clear your throat as you sit back down in your chair, gesturing for Zelda to proceed.

The princess quickly takes the opportunity, standing up as she speaks, “I would like to start by thanking everyone here for their attendance. I understand that many of you have traveled far, and I know that for quite a few of you it is not easy to leave the safety of your settlements. It is my hope that this meeting will help us create an efficient and safe solution to the problem that plagues us.”

“The Yiga Clan,” Riju speaks up.

Purah, still stuck in the form of a young child, pipes up as well, “yes, but the Divine Beasts too!”

“The Divine Beasts?” you repeat in a confused tone, “why would they be a problem?”

“It cannot be ignored that the Yiga possessing knowledge of how to control the beasts remains to be a risk of security,” Lady Impa explains from across the table, “even if that knowledge is incomplete.”

“How’d they even get their hands on those instructions anyhow?” Bludo grumbles, “I thought those were supposed to be locked up tight and secure.”

You spot Impa slowly glancing over to Purah, her sister, who huffs and crosses her arms. “They were stolen… from my lab,” the little scientist confesses, “I was tricked by a Yiga who disguised himself to look like Symin.”

“I can’t believe this, Yiga Clan sneaking around in Hateno,” bemoans Mayor Reede, “how could this have happened?”

Zelda quickly interjects before the conversation can veer further off course, “regardless of how the Yiga got access to this information, it is in the past now. While the Divine Beasts were a tremendous asset in our fight against Calamity Ganon, that time has seemingly passed now as well. I know that part of my plan to rebuild Hyrule was to train four new pilots for each of the machines, we’d already dedicated weeks to this. However… I do think the best course of action would be to disassemble the beasts, permanently.”

It feels as if your heart stops. You stare up at the princess with wide eyes. 

“... what?” you whisper, shocked by her words.

She gives you a sympathetic look as she continues, “it wasn’t an easy decision to make, I promise. We were already in the process of preparing the champion ceremony, and I’m sure each pilot chosen had already begun to form a bond with the Divine Beasts. But for the sake of the safety of our people, perhaps we need to reconsider this. The risk of the Yiga attempting to hijack them once more is a threat far too dangerous to take lightly. I believe we were fortunate that the damage and harm was minimal, but next time I do not think we will be so lucky.”

“But it will not be a waste,” Robbie speaks up, “the technology can be repurposed.”

“Precisely!” Purah interjects excitedly, “not only the Divine Beasts, but all of the ancient Sheikah technology. To rebuild Hyrule, much of it can be dismantled and used for brand new construction and even a new era of Sheikah tech- Robbie and I already have plans drafted.”

Your brow furrows. “All of it? The shrines… the towers… even the guardians?”

The princess places a hand on your shoulder as she continues, “I know it may be hard to let go of, but I believe it will also be for the better of the kingdom. So much of this technology will continue to remind our people of the Calamity. Dismantling could help all of us to move on and build a better future.”

The room erupts into conversation yet again. Agreements and disagreements, but you’re too lost in your own thoughts to acknowledge the discussion surrounding you. The dismantling of Sheikah technology felt monumental to you. It had been all around you since as long as you could remember, since you were still a young knight training with the army. Everywhere you went there was ancient technology. The idea of it all being taken away felt unfathomable.

Zelda manages to regain control of the room without your help this time. You listen as she speaks up, “of course, this means that the champion ceremony will no longer be occurring. This is news that we will have to share across the land in due time. But this leads me to the next point I would like to bring up. I recently got in contact with a woman named Traysi, who has the brilliant idea of starting a newspaper.”

“A newspaper?” Elder Kaneli repeats in confusion.

The princess nods, “yes, she would like to found an organization with the sole purpose of chronicling events that happen in Hyrule and sharing that news around the land. I think it’s a rather splendid idea, a new way to ensure all of our citizens are kept knowledgeable.”

You make a small noise of agreement. This ‘newspaper’ does seem like a good idea.

The rest of the discussion amongst the leaders seems to go smoothly. Talk of new security measures, adjustments to routes of trade, and eventually it dwindles down to more casual conversation. Before you realize it, hours have passed, and you find yourself weakly shuffling out of the large tent.

Much to your surprise, the sun was already beginning its ascent into the sky. Early morning rays of light were pushing away the inky darkness of night. A yawn manages to escape your lips as you blink away your tiredness.

You stand beside the princess as she bids goodbye to each of the leaders. Some were preparing to rest in Lookout Landing, such as Kaneli and Impa. Others, though, were readying themselves to return to their respective regions already, such as Riju, Bludo, and Dorephan.

Bazz bids his fellow guards a farewell, opting to stay in Lookout Landing to assist in construction and protection. If you try to hide the disappointment on your face as you say goodbye to the Zora, you evidently don’t do a very good job of it. King Dorephan smiles softly and gently bows his head as he looks down at you. 

“It is good to see you in better shape, young knight. Do I hope your full recovery is swift.” he says graciously.

“Thank you, your highness,” you respond, “and I hope your journey back to the domain is pleasant.”

“Father,” a voice speaks up, “may I have a word?”

You turn and realize Prince Sidon is standing behind you. His gaze flickers down to you and he smiles, before looking back up at the king. “I would like to request a small amount of additional time here in Lookout Landing. I should be capable of catching up during the return to Zora’s Domain.”

King Dorephan chuckles as he nods his head, “I see nothing wrong with that request. Consider it granted, son.”

You watch as the group of Zora return to the east, the silhouette of the king looming above all the rest.

“Why aren’t you joining them?” you ask quietly, heart pace quickening once you feel Sidon move to stand beside you.

“Is it so wrong of me to want to enjoy a few more precious hours with the one I love?” he replies cheekily, giving you a grin.

You feel your face warm, whether it’s from the rising sun or the prince’s compliments you can’t tell.

“I spotted some rather gorgeous lakes to the south-east of here. Would you care to join me there?” he asks, pointing in the aforementioned direction.

“Unfortunately the princess has prescribed me bedrest while I heal from my injuries…” you answer, voice trailing off. Your mind wanders to the wounds the prince had sustained when the Yiga attack, but you do not ask about them while out in the open.

The Zora prince muses, “surely she wouldn’t mind an excursion if you’re being chaperoned.”

You shrug your shoulders to the best of your abilities, “you know, I think you’re right.”

…

The cool water of the lake soothes your nerves as you walk along the shallow edge. Giant water lilies are scattered across the surface of the water. Near the deeper parts you can see groups of fish, most likely bass, swimming in the murky depths.

“I think this one is called the Bottomless Pond,” you murmur, recalling your knowledge of the map from the Sheikah Slate, “it’s one of the few lakes that remain in central Hyrule. According to some of the older maps in the castle, the lakes used to be more plentiful.”

You glance over to the prince. He sits at the edge of the water, reclining as he basks in the sunlight. When he notices your stare he beckons you closer. You take a seat beside him, not caring if the water soaks into your clothing.

For the first time since reuniting, you finally get a chance to really examine the prince. Your eyes travel along his body. There isn’t a single scrape, nick, scratch, scab, stab, or cut on any part of him. His scarlet scales seem brighter and healthier than ever before.

“Sidon…” you mumble, your voice quiet, “what happened?”

His smile falters and he averts his gaze. You watch his chest rise as he takes a deep breath. “Well, as I figured out all-too-late, the letter that stranger had given me was a ruse. I’d been brought back to the domain through Yiga trickery. Against my better judgment I foolishly chose to journey to Ruta, where unbeknownst to me or my guards an ambush was awaiting us. I… I do not recall much of the attack. But I do know it caused me quite a bit of pain.”

That same pain is etched into his expression as he recounts the events of that day. You gently grasp his hand.

“It becomes quite foggy after that. But eventually I opened my eyes and I saw you, surrounded by that Yiga scum. I became so enraged, but I was weakened as well. And then- and then I heard a voice. This voice enveloped me, as if in a warm embrace. It gave me the strength to reach out and call upon the divine beast. I begged Ruta for her aid, to help me save the one I love most. She must have heard my pleas.”

The voice must’ve been Mipha, you were sure of it.

“Suddenly the body of the machine was filled with water, scaring off the Yiga. I felt stronger than ever. I took hold of you and escaped. Alongside Bazz and my guards I returned to the domain with you in my arms. Though it… it was not a joyous occasion,” his voice wavers at the end, and you notice his gaze drift down to your bandages.

“Oh, Sidon,” you mumble, overcome with guilt, “I’m so sorry- you should have never-”

The prince gently shushes you, “dearest, whatever are you sorry for?”

“They used you because they wanted to get to me,” you sob, unable to stop the tears as they form, “they hurt you so terribly- and I was so scared, I didn’t know what to do-”

“Are you blaming yourself?” he asks, taken aback, “you’re taking the blame for the actions of those ruffians?”

“If it weren’t for me they would never have attacked you,” you whisper.

“And if it weren’t for my brazen foolishness I wouldn’t have fallen into their trap, thus allowing them to attack you,” he retorts, his own eyes filled with emotion.

“If I can’t blame myself, neither can you,” you mutter, wiping away your tears with the back of your hand.

“Then that makes us even, little one,” the prince replies softly. Sidon pulls you into his arms, careful not to touch your bruises. You relax into his touch, doing your best to calm your shaky breathing.

“Look at us, beloved,” he murmurs, running his hand down your back. You shiver at the way his nails trace your spine. “We’re both safe. We’re together. And in due time, you will be healed once more.”

You nod, “I know… I just… I don’t want anything like that to ever happen to us again. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful for the lives we live, but sometimes I wish we were more… normal.”

Sidon chuckles, his lips pressed to your forehead, “you wish that we weren’t a prince and a skilled knight? Well… sometimes I can’t help but feel the same, beloved.”

You trail the tips of your fingers along his scales, “do you think maybe after all this Sheikah tech has been sorted out, we’ll return to a bit more of a normal life? Less monster attacks, more time to spend together?”

“One can only hope,” he responds with a grin.

…

You’re unsure how much time passes as you lay there with the prince. You spend a short while dozing off in his hold, not having gotten any sleep the night prior. Once the sun is at its highest point you find yourself picking at the flowers on the lake’s edge. You do your best to tie the stems together, but the calluses on your hands make it difficult to handle the delicate plants.

It isn’t until after you've made a few attempts that you realize the prince is staring at you.

“... yes?” you ask aloud, awkwardly fumbling with the stems in your hands.

“Am I not allowed to look upon you?” he responds, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

You blush, “I never said that, I just don’t think of myself as something all that interesting to look at.”

“You act so coy, little Hylian, yet you’re perfectly aware of my affection for you. I could gaze upon you all day long, admiring the way you glow in the sunlight. In fact…” he trails off at the end, and you notice how he’s begun to blush as well.

“In fact?” you repeat, goading him into continuing.

“I shouldn’t,” he shakes his head, “it’s a rather un-princely thought.”

“Well now you have to tell me,” you laugh, tossing aside the stems in your hands as you move closer to him.

The prince flusters, dropping his voice to a whisper, “in all my admiration of you, I couldn’t help but be reminded of a certain evening we spent by the river. Do you recall?”

Your face feels even hotter as you think back to that day. It must’ve been almost three weeks ago at this point, but it was still fresh in your mind. Your escapade with the prince that resulted in a rather intimate night. You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t wanted more ever since.

“Yes, I do recall,” you whisper in return.

He reaches a hand out, brushing a few loose strands of hair behind your ear. He allows his fingers to linger, tracing along the side of your jaw. You fight the urge to shiver beneath his touch.

“It’s unfortunate that I was not able to assist in fully healing you,” he murmurs, “for I am now prevented from touching you in the ways I most desire.”

“Oh-” you gasp, “is that so?”

Sidon grins, bearing his teeth, “yes, but that last thing I would want is to exacerbate your wounds, dearest. So I must be patient.”

“And just how patient are you?” you respond, feeling emboldened to match his tone.

He chuckles lowly, and you notice the way his eyes dilate as he looks down at you, “patient enough not to ravage you right here on the lake’s edge.”

You hum, cheeks hot just from the thought, “my my, out in the open? If someone were to see us it would be quite the scandal. Not a very prince-ly thing to do, is it?”

This pulls another laugh out of him and he leans back, basking in the sun, “you’re quite correct. What was it you mentioned earlier? About a life of normalcy? Perhaps that would be another perk, to be left alone.”

“Perhaps…” you sigh.

…

Upon your return to Lookout Landing, you bid the prince goodbye. While the last thing either of you want is to be separated again, you both have individual roles to fulfill. He must return to work in the domain, and while you’re not actively working as a knight you still act as a council to the princess.

“Please notify me as soon as you’re healed, beloved,” Sidon urges as he kneels before you, “better yet, visit me in the palace at your soonest convenience.”

“You’ll be one of the first to know, I swear it,” you respond with a nod.

There’s a hustle and bustle of people surrounding you, as all the different crews for construction were working once again. You peer around shyly, before quickly reaching up and giving him a quick kiss.

“I love you,” you whisper to him, adjusting the sash across his torso.

Sidon takes your hands into his own and squeezes them gently, pressing the backs of your hands to his lips. “I love you, my darling,” he mumbles against your skin, “endlessly, and completely. I will be thinking of you until our paths cross again.

You feel a pang in your heart as you watch him leave, exiting towards the east. The ceremonial trident is slung across his back, and the sunlight bouncing off of his silver adornments gives him a glow.

A hand gently touches your shoulder. You look and see Zelda who gives you a sympathetic smile. “Will you be alright?” she asks softly.

“I’ll be fine,” you say with a smile as you turn to her, “I feel much better now that I have some answers. Was there something you needed?”

The princess nods, “yes, actually, a private matter I wanted to discuss. But first, would you like to survey some of the construction?”

You follow Zelda around as she explains various aspects of the project to you. How Purah will have a new laboratory, how there could be shops, how there was discussion of a stable. The most interesting part to you was the old fountain in the center, which apparently had a secret tunnel beneath it that the royal family could use in case of emergency to escape from the castle. Currently there was a team working to excavate the old mechanisms to open the bunker.

You tease the princess for how flustered she gets when she spots Link- who today happens to be shirtless as he helps haul construction materials across the site. Zelda’s cheeks and ears visibly turn pink as she averts her gaze from the blond.

“Bet you wish you could take a photograph,” you whisper to her teasingly, resulting in her attempting to give you a swift jab to your good arm.

The two of you share a meal in the kitchen tent. With your appetite finally returned to normal, you happily feast on pumpkin stew, bread, and egg pudding.

After the walk Zelda surprises you with the champion’s tunic, which she’d had cleaned and sewn. You trace your fingers over the stitches that match the scar on your arm. You quickly change into it, the fabric comfortable and familiar to you.

Once you return to the large tent where the princess’ temporary study is, you have a seat at her table. “So what was it you wanted to talk about?”

The princess sighs, crossing her arms over her chest. You notice that she looks at a map of Hyrule before turning back to you. “As much as I dearly enjoy overseeing the construction of Lookout Landing, there are moments where I would prefer a moment’s quiet and peace rather than being stuck in the middle of all this commotion.”

You nod, leaning back in your chair, “you’re saying you want your own place?”

“A home,” Zelda mumbles, “which is difficult for me to admit. The only home I ever knew before the calamity was the castle.”

“I know you well enough to know that a castle was never going to be the perfect home for you,” you respond with a laugh, “so what were you thinking of?”

She drums her fingers on the wood of the table before answering, “something quiet, but not too far from other people. Something small. Preferably in a town, so that if I am needed I can quickly access a road to travel. The issue is that there hasn’t been much new construction ever since the calamity, and I doubt we could find anyone willing to sell their house. But I wanted to ask you because you’ve done your fair share of traveling in the last year, and I was hoping that maybe you’d have an idea of where I could go.”

You think, recalling the many locations you’d been to. So many people, so many places, and so much open space. But not many vacant homes. You rack your brain for a solution- and then it hits you.

“Actually,” you say with a smile, “I think I know just the place.”

…

Hateno village.

When you’d notified Bolson of your interest in the old house at the edge of the village, he was ecstatic. He insisted on lowering the price for the princess, and he ended up lowering it so far that you questioned if his business practices were sustainable. He and his assistant Karson rode ahead to Hateno to ensure that the old house would be in suitable condition for Zelda to move in.

Over the span of a few days you assisted the princess in packing any essentials and clothing into a handful of satchels and bags. Zelda coordinated with Hudson, leaving him in charge of operations in her absence. You have a few more checkups with the resident nurse before being given permission to travel- with the promise you won’t partake in strenuous behavior that would agitate your bruises.

The various crews of Lookout Landing are eager to say goodbye to the princess and yourself. Bazz wishes you well on your journey. You can’t help but grin as Link wordlessly offers a bouquet of plucked wildflowers to Zelda, quickly signing ‘for you’ with his hands before disappearing into the crowd.

Your journey to Hateno happens over the course of two days on horseback, spending a night at the Dueling Peaks stable to rest. With the Sheikah technology temporarily offline as Purah and Robbie get to work on dismantling the Divine Beasts, you no longer have the option of quickly traveling from shrine to shrine. You try to look on the bright side of the matter, considering how you now have more opportunities to bask in the natural beauty of Hyrule.

The people of the village are happy to greet you, and Mayor Reede seems particularly thrilled about the princess herself becoming a part of the town’s community. Zelda is eager to decorate her new home, and you watch as she giddily plans out the location of each item of furniture. You can’t help but laugh as she meticulously fusses over every little decoration and detail.

With one of your arms still healing you have to work at a slower pace, but eventually you’re able to help move everything in and get it situated. Bolson had graciously thrown in a few extra pieces of furniture with the purchase of the home, including a bed, a dining table, and some shelving. A few folks from the village offered unused goods as well, adding a tablecloth, curtains, and some cutlery to your collection.

“Congratulations,” you say to Zelda once the move is complete, “it looks good. It feels… homey.”

“Thank you,” she replies graciously, powering some water into a vase of flowers, “if you don’t mind, there was one more thing I wanted to ask of you.”

“Hmm?” you respond, kicking off your boots so as to not track any mud into the house.

“I…” she trails off, gently adjusting the petals of the flowers, “I’ve never been accustomed to living on my own. The mayor has offered security to ensure my safety, that is not a concern of mine. It’s simply an adjustment, going from living in a bustling castle, surrounded by people at all times. I’d like you to know that you’re welcome here, at any time. And… and if you’d like a home of your own, I’d be happy to accept a housemate.”

You blink. A smile spreads on your face when you realize what she’s saying. You take a moment to look around at the quaint home. The warm atmosphere, the decor, the simple wooden furniture. If you think hard enough, it starts to remind you of your childhood home.

If you lived in a place like this, perhaps you could start to feel a little… normal.

“Housemates, huh?” you answer, “yeah… yeah, that sounds nice.”

Zelda grins at you, “perfect. I already know the first thing you can help me with, as my new housemate.”

“What’s that?” you respond with a laugh.

“I’d like to cut my hair.”

~~~ <> ~~~

Previous Chapter

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[merriclo]

i need to post more hcau wips so here a wip of spirit fucking dying, vio having horrible bedside manner, hero trying his best, and traveler of all people being the smart one lmao

content warning: lots of injury descriptions, almost major character death, vulgar language, small descriptions of how terrible potions taste, and also they’re in a sewer

There’s blood seeping out of Spirit’s leg, and it’s the first time in a while that Vio doesn’t know what to do. Obviously, the wound needs to cleaned, sewn shut, and dressed, but the cut is so long and ragged and deep that she might be dead by the time a quarter of the stitches are in. And even if she does somehow make it past the blood loss, the likelihood of her dying of an infection from getting stitches in the middle of a sewer system is too high to even think about.

“Holy fuck, holy fuck,” Traveler says in a panic, sprinting past Vio to Spirit’s side. He helps her to the grimy ground, even rips off his cloak to set under her leg as a sort of towel. After an embarrassing amount of time, Vio finally moves to help prop her against the wall, and Traveler starts to clean the wound.

This is normally where they’d force feed her a potion. On any standard day they’d be desperately shoving it to her lips and tilt her head back. The tension would fall from their shoulders as her bleeding would slowly become more manageable, and death would no longer loom over her. They’d have to restrain her, of course; the kid’s always been particularly sensitive to the potion’s rancid meat flavoring. Vio holds the memory of Ages holding her arms and head back as Blue pries open her jaw to pour the liquid down her throat quite fondly, despite the fact that Spirit was actively dying then, as well.

But they can’t do that. They don’t have the luxury of pulling her out of death’s grasp, not when their last red potion is on the floor, mixing with glass shards and sewage a few yards away. It was shattered by one of the Yiga clan members that had attacked them just moments prior, in the exact same battle that cleaved the poor girl’s thigh open.

Vio wants to scoop the potion’s remnants up in her hands and force it onto Spirit’s tongue; she wants to drag their fingers through the groves in the stone where the liquid gathers, then drag those same fingers into her throat. She’d drag the girl over to the puddle by her fucking hair and force her to drink from it if it meant that she’d survive.

But it wouldn’t. It’s common knowledge that magic is a fickle thing, so fickle in fact that once a red potion is contaminated, it’s loses all potency—and what’s more contaminated than a potion full of glass, dirt, and sewage?

Traveler looks to Vio. They’re visibly exhausted from overextending their magic as they work through this dungeon, and the grim look on his face says that he’s intimately familiar with these kinds of situations and how they often end. The tears that flood Spirit’s terrified eyes tell Vio that she is as well.

Well, at least she’s small. They might be able to give her family a body.

Traveler still cleans the wound. He moves quickly, which means being much harsher than normal. Why he’s acting like she still has a chance Vio doesn’t know, but Spirit handles it shockingly well. She only clenches and unclenches her fists with every fresh wave of pain and… looks up and starts to nod?

“What’re you doing, kid?” Vio asks as gently as possible, taking one hand in their own to offer some kind of emotional support.

Spirit swallows harshly, and when she speaks her voice is ragged and breathy. “Hero… the—“ she winces, “—the ghost.”

Right. Hero, the dead Link that only Spirit can see, and who can sometimes vaguely speak to the rest of them. He would be there too, wouldn’t be?

“What about Hero?” Vio prods.

“He’s—“ she pants, and her grip on Vio’s hands tightens to the point that it feels close to shattering. Vio often forgets how strong the girl is. “He’s.. gonna get some of the others.”

As much as she wants to feel a wash of relief at her words, they only make Vio feel worse. The group split into several smaller groups in order to finish the dungeon quicker—a choice which likely won’t happen again after today. It’s been just over an hour since everyone parted. The chances of a ghost being able to find and effectively lead someone with a health potion to them quickly enough are…

Vio swallows. Her tongue feels thick. “I don’t think you have enough time for that.”

“Oh,” the engineer says. Her bottom lip quivers as she musters up a pathetic smile. “Okay.”

Another tear slips down Spirit’s round face, and Vio realizes at the worst possible time why Blue is so fond of her.

Then, Traveler’s face lights up as their eyes lock onto Vio. “You still have a little bit of a that stamina potion, don’t you?”

“Huh?”

“Stamina— the green one! I know you do, you always leave a little bit of potions left for situations like this! C’mon, gimme!” He leans across Spirit’s legs and grasps at Vio’s bag.

She grabs his wrist before they can reach anything. “A stamina elixir won’t help her, it’ll only make her feel more awake as she dies!” A pang of pity hits Vio’s stomach when she sees Spirit flinch at it so plainly put.

Traveler shakes his head. “No- for me! I can heal her enough for stitches if my magic isn’t fully depleted.”

Within an instant the elixir is in his hands, and soon after the remaining green liquid disappears down his throat. He gags momentarily—that one has the taste of pure salt and the texture of spoiled milk—before clasping the sliced flesh shut between his hands. Spirit’s scream is loud and mangled and the only thing Vio can do is pull her close, muffling the wretched cries that tear through her little body into their chest.

[neon-lights-stardust-nights]

🔗 || What's the most extreme thing they have ever done for you? - for ganon? :D

Me, seeing you manage to ask a question that has layers and being fondly reminded of all the times you've poked The Hugo Box and gotten an answer that also has a Shrek meme's worth of layers

[meme]

So! Ganon(dorf) and Ymir!

As of now (though this is subject to change,) there are three incarnations of Ymir in relationships with Ganondorf. They are:

Zanzo (Kokiri)

Velzin, kinda (Twili)

Zedriel (Sheikah? Yiga? I'm debating making up my own clan, but the design was inspired by OoT Impa, SkSw Impa, and the Yiga from BotW)

That's a lot of incarnations! In comparison, Vaati only has one (Fufunmir - Minish,) and Ghirahim was with the first incarnation of Ymir (who uhhhh WORKING ON IT!) Zant has two incarnations to his name, but that's as close as anyone else gets to Ganondorf.

Now, granted. That's partially because he's been alive so goddamn long. (Or... Revived so many times?) But still. I am trying to contextualize that he has had a lot of time to wrack up "extreme things he has done."

I think on some level, the necklace he fashioned Zanzo could be considered one of them. After all, he had to have a portion of The Lost Woods torn through just to make it (not that he TOLD Zanzo that though.) The metal, gems, glass for the locket-thing part, and water inside it are all sourced from the woods, allowing him to enchant it so that it could sustain Zanzo. After all, Kokiri who leave the forest die eventually (and sometimes unpredictably) after they begin aging... The Lost Woods is a small price to pay for his lover's safety.

But on some level, that's understandable! It's not even the worst thing OoT Ganondorf has ever done. No, no. This boy has done plenty worse. A man who turned basically everything alive in Hyrule Castle Town into fucking Redeads is not a man who stops at tearing up a forest and their partner's former home.

Velzin is a Twili, long lived and complicated. Fae technically had a whole character arc before TP took place, before Ganondorf or Zant ever had a chance to do much of anything. By the time Ganondorf is properly alive again, able to recognize Velzin as an incarnation of Zanzo... I mean, Velzin didn't even remember being Zanzo. Let alone why Ganondorf was slinging all these claims about. Zant also had been talking about a prince for his master, and now it all clicks. That was apparently fucking faer.

Ganondorf sort of kind of killed Velzin with magic to try and force a quick reincarnation, for lack of better description.

IDK, killing a version of your lover who refuses to acknowledge the truth of their past in order to potentially obtain a version of your lover who does feels pretty extreme to me. Velzin didn't exactly appreciate being magically incinerated. I think Velzin would whine and say this was it, if Velzin were capable.

There's also just all the shit he's done for Zedriel and Zanzo. Especially Zedriel. Fae is supposed to be his prized assassin, but he's more than willing to handle "things" for faer that fae doesn't want to. Zanzo also sat on a throne of bloodshed.

People have died in their names.

This too could be rather extreme.

I'll say it's either Velzin's death, or Zanzo's necklace.

[awkwardspontaneity]

Battles And Bananas

BOTW Link x GN!Sheikah!Reader

Part 3 of Memories of You

Prev | Next

Decide to post another part of this series, tbh I’m not sure how many parts I’m gonna write just yet cuz I have so many ideas. This one was exciting to write because I’ve never written action scenes before but the trope of having a conversation in the midst of battle is so fun to me I had to write it.

Anyways all of this is memory so no italics. :)

Link was running as fast as he could, a tight feeling constricting his lungs, stealing his breath. How could he have been so stupid. He had been so distracted with trying to reconcile with Y/n he had allowed the princess to slip away on her own. Both her and his partner were angry with him, although one he could handle more than the other, but that didn’t mean he wanted to. 

Link was a personable guy. And with his new position as the princesses appointed knight he found himself lacking close friends. Of course he had the Champions, but he couldn’t see them all that often. And the one Champion that he should see often had been too busy. 

Y/n had been away from the castle often after the incident in the Zora Domain, something he felt responsible for. The Sheikah had been tense since they had left Ploymus Mountain. They had snapped at him for throwing them off the waterfall and stormed off to find Mipha. 

That led him to this moment. Chasing down the runaway princess for the millionth time despite her resistance. It was bad enough she would demand he keep his distance in Hyrule, but in the Gerudo Desert? With the Yiga clan running around? He shouldn’t have gotten distracted. 

Reaching the top of the sand dune, Link was able to see the runaway princess. Surrounded by the Yiga. Instinct took over and in the blink of an eye he was there. Time slowed as the Yiga lunged only to meet Link’s blade. Using all the force he could muster, Link thrust his blade forward meeting the Yiga’s chest plate and knocking them back.

He crouched in front of the princess as the other three Yiga hesitated, sizing him up. They seemed to decide they could take on the Hylian because all three lunged at the same time. Link was quick to dodge under the first, spinning up to drive his sword through the second's abdomen. He parried arrows with his shield, twirling his sword to block the first Yiga’s sickle. Twisting his own sword, Link locked the sickle before throwing his head forward. 

Ignoring the burst of pain, Link spun to face the final Yiga, lunging to meet their blade. A short clash of swords ensued before Link gained the upper hand, disarming his opponent before he slashed their chest. 

He tensed as he heard the faint crunch of sand from the Yiga he had headbutted jumping at him. He wouldn’t be able to dodge them without injury. He heard Zelda cry out when an arrow shot past his face. He froze as the sound of porcelain cracking under the sharp arrow rang out, and the Yiga fell.

The eyes of both Hylians snapped up to the sand dune where a horse stood. Y/n hopped down from the horse, taking the reins as they walked down the hill. Link felt that same coil in his chest as he took in the stoic look on the Sheikah’s face. 

“Are you alright princess?” The white haired teen reached out a hand to the princess, carefully helping her stand.

“Thank you.” The blond smiled wearily at her friend, glancing towards Link, “Both of you.”

Link nodded, carefully sheathing his sword. The coil loosened when he met Y/n’s eyes and saw the small smile slip across their face. 

“You really should watch your back.” 

He missed their smile.

------

Zelda had taken the horse back to Gerudo Town leaving the two Champions to track down the Yiga. After they had checked on the princess they had found one of the Yiga was waking up. The trio questioned the traitor, not without much resistance, and had found out that the Yiga clan was making a hideout in the desert. That was all it had taken for the Champions to decide they would be best to check out the camp. 

And that was how Link found himself hiding atop the cliffs next to Y/n. They had found the camp pretty easy seeing as the Yiga were still scouting the area with only a small group. 

“So this is what they’ve been preparing for.” Y/n was glaring at the group working below them. It still made Link feel tense seeing his partner look so serious. But it was their words that caught him this time. They knew more about the Yiga clan than he thought. 

Apparently they had caught his questioning gaze because the Sheikah pulled themselves away from the edge to face him.

“Impa told me that our scouts noticed the Yiga clan seemed like they were making plans. Y’know being more sneaky than usual, stocking up on bananas, the usual craziness. Just... more.” Y/n looked exhausted, something that made Link feel guilty for. He had really thought they had gone away because of him when in reality it was about the safety of the kingdom. “Anyways, I’ve been tracking the Yiga down, trying to question any lone scouts to figure out what’s going on. But they’re very secretive. I get being willing to die for your cause but come on.”

Link couldn’t help but let a snicker escape him at Y/n’s tone towards the end. “I’m glad you’re back okay.”

Y/n gave him a soft smile glancing towards the setting sun. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything. It came out of nowhere and I had to run off.”

Link coughed slightly, embarrassment clawing at him. Was he that transparent? He was sure he had hidden how much it bothered him to no longer be accompanied by their chatter and glowing smiles.

Suddenly a shout came from below and the Champions looked down to find all the Yiga staring up at them.

Shit.

The Yiga sprinted to their weapons as the two scrambled down from their overlook. They landed on the sand right as the first Yiga came rushing back. Link was the first to meet blades with the Yiga, locking swords as Y/n slashed their chest with  one of their blades. 

The two shot off into the fray, knocking down Yiga until they were pushed back together again.

“I meant it y’know…” Y/n stepped back before shooting forward and slashing down three of the Yiga with their twin blades. “I was really a jerk to you back when we went to the Zora Domain, and then I go and run off without a word. I’m-” 

Link cut them off by grabbing their hand. He pulled them into his chest as he struck down the Yiga behind them. “Y/n, I threw us off a waterfall, you’re allowed to be upset.”

“Yeah, but you did it to save our lives.” 

Another slash as Link threw himself into a spin attack.

“But I could have found another way.”

Link cut down one final Yiga and Y/n shot down the last before the two met together in the center of their impromptu battlefield.

“Well I could’ve-” Y/n snorted, reaching out to squeeze his hand. “We’re arguing like kids”

Link laughed at that grinning at his friend, “I guess we are. Sorry about that.”

Y/n laughed loudly, their voice echoing off the rock walls. “What matters is that we’re both okay. We may not have the best of luck,” they gestured to the damage surrounding them,  “but I can handle the chaos as long as we’re doing it together.”

Link squeezed their hand in response

“Together.”

[deiliamedlini]

Whumptober 2021- The Darkness I Know

Lost & Found

trunk | trapped under water | solitary confinement

Fic Summary: After the world as she knew it was destroyed by the corruption of Malice, Zelda allies herself with her saviors from captivity: a disgruntled former governor, an alert paramedic, a cocky pilot, an excessively overt optimist, and a blind strategist. While the corrupted, malice-filled Yiga Clan looks for revenge on them, Zelda has to learn how important it is to find family in others... and how much more dangerous the stakes become if she fails to protect them.

Previous /Chapter Index/ Next

~~~~

“How are you doing?” Link asked as he moved closer to Zelda. Her footsteps were almost too easy to discern from the others. They were shuffles, and there was a weak limp. She was usually the one furthest behind aside from Daruk, who simply kept watch over the rear rather than from a lack of speed.

She hummed and pulled the edges of her blanket closer around her shoulders. Despite being back on the road, Mipha had insisted Zelda take a blanket to go; she’d lost too much blood, and to her dismay, she couldn’t seem to stop it any longer. All she’d been able to do was slow it down. So Zelda lived in a perpetual state of cold, and the blanket was her saving grace. It went around her bow and arrows that were slung over her shoulder, and Daruk had taken her backpack and portion of their things that she carried.

Link halfheartedly tapped his staff in front of him as they walked on, feeling her energy draining him with her. He missed her laugh and her jokes, but for the last few days, he had barely heard more than a few words from her.

When they stopped, she fell asleep, even if they were stopping for little more than someone tying their shoe. Daruk, Urbosa, and Revali had taken turns carrying her the first two days they’d been out, while Link and Mipha kept her awake with idle chatter.

Mipha locked her arm around Zelda’s good one and pulled her to keep her up, but she’d only ended up stumbling and falling, cutting her palms on top of everything else. Link tried some over the top flirting that would have normally cracked a smile, but she only hummed in response.

Now, she shuffled down the abandoned road, tripping over more pebbles than Link ever had, and he’d found his fair share of inconvenient walking hazards.

Link fell behind, slowing until he could hear Daruk’s heavy footsteps.

“What’s up, Little Guy?”

“Do we have any idea where we’re going? No more of that ‘oh, there’s a town in this direction’ shit.”

“Bad mood?”

Link rolled his eyes and sighed. “We’ve been walking for days.”

“The world is bigger without a car.”

“Can’t you hotwire one that we’ve walked by?”

Daruk chuckled. “Sure! Then drive all of a mile before we hit a traffic jam or Malice that will eat at the tires. You know better than that, Link. What’s got your head off your neck?”

Link made a face but didn’t say anything.

Which only made Daruk laugh again. “Oh, to be young again. It’s the end of the world, and all you can think about is a girl.”

“She’s dying.”

“We all are! That’s nothing new!”

“Don’t sound so excited,” Link muttered as a light breeze picked up and tickled his face. “I don’t know how much more death I can handle.”

Daruk sobered and clapped Link on the back before gripping his shirt to steady him. “I hear ya. But we’re all stronger than we think we are. One day, we’ll all be gone and only you youngin’s will be left, and it’ll be hard, but you’ll do fine. Survivin’ is an art and dying is a finished picture. It’s bittersweet, but it had to happen sometime. But everyone looks on and remembers it when it’s done.”

“I can’t see art.”

Daruk stopped and stared at Link’s face, his blunt tone and deadpanned expression, and burst out into raucous laughter. “Goddess, you ruined my moment! I thought I was doin’ so well, too!”

Link snorted and shook his head. “You were. You know, I liked interviewing you, back then. You just kept talking, and talking, and I never needed to ask a follow up because you had already answered it before I could even think to ask.”

“Well, I aim to please!”

Link huffed and felt Daruk hit him again, sending him flying forward only to catch him by the collar… again.

“You have a bad memory,” Link said, straightening out his shirt.

“It’s a habit! I can’t break it!”

“Mhmm.”

They fell silent for a time, the only noises the whole group made were the sounds of their footsteps and Link’s staff. Link kept himself close to Daruk with ease, but the light slowly dimmed until there was nothing, and the cool night air took away any warmth left.

“What do we want to do?” Urbosa asked.

“It’s going to be impossible to see anything out here tonight. We should just stop,” Mipha offered, shuffling around.

“Why?” Link asked, curiously.

“No moon, and cloudy. It might even rain tomorrow, or in a few hours.”

Link clicked his tongue. “Great.”

Revali made a strange noise, the sound of skin rubbing something. “She’s going to freeze to death in the rain. We can’t stay here.”

Zelda mumbled something unintelligible, and Urbosa sighed. “I don’t know. We’re going to lose the last of the light soon.”

“There’s the highway,” Revali said, rubbing Zelda’s arm faster. “We can all at least stay in some of the cars while it rains. And we can get there before we lose the light.”

“Let’s go, then. When we get there, me and Daruk in one car; you, Mipha, Link, and Zelda in the other. We need to make sure there’s a watch in each car, so you’ll want to find a van, I assume. Obviously, Zelda is unlikely to be able to keep watch right now, so it’s on you and Mipha.”

“Sounds good.”

They turned into the building wind, and Daruk came up behind Link. “Couldn’t afford to give you two your own car.”

Link snorted. “Thanks for the thought.”

Daruk paused for a long time, making Link think that there was nothing left to say, but he cleared his throat. “We don’t live in the same world anymore, Link. Moving fast isn’t a bad thing. You can… make a big gesture.”

Link scoffed, hitting the ground with his staff a little harder than he’d intended. “She’s dying, Daruk. She can barely hear me.”

“Well, if that’s the case, when are you waiting for?”

Hesitating, Link shrugged. “Shut up,” he muttered before picking up the pace back towards the group, listening to Daruk’s ever-optimistic chuckling behind him.

As he got closer, he could hear Revali’s hushed voice, a whisper, and kinder in tone than Link had ever heard from him.

“…and then, I had to put the plane into a nosedive just to correct it. We leveled out, but Goddess, I think I came close to losing my lunch in more ways than once. You’re the only one I’ll admit that to, though. So, my co-pilot ended up in the hospital after it all. I think that’s still the worst day I’ve ever had. Almost lost my best friend, and my life. So you can make it through this, too, okay? Because I said so, more than anything. And everyone knows I outrank them here. Governor Urbosa, pffsh. Nothing on a Captain.”

“…thanks…”

“Anytime. It may be hard to believe, but I enjoy hearing myself speak. I have an excellent penchant for storytelling, so I’ll indulge whenever you want. Did you hear any of the plan? You, me, Mipha, and Link are going to stay the night in some car. You’ll get to rest up there.”

“He okay?”

“He’s a sad sack, but he’s fine. He’s… whoa,” Revali hissed. There was the sound of stumbling, and then a set of footsteps disappeared. “Got you. Goddess, Zelda, you’re a hassle.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re lucky you’re worth some extra effort.”

Link sighed and shook his shoulders out. Maybe Urbosa was right. Maybe he was… a little jealous. He should be grateful that someone was able to look out for Zelda while she couldn’t take care of herself. But there was a deeply rooted selfish part of him that wished it was him who could carry Zelda if she fell. But no, he needed his staff so he didn’t crash, or walk them both off a cliff. He needed a better sense of balance, and carrying someone was easy when you didn’t have far to go, but after that long, even a little shift in her weight could throw him off without sight or a staff.

Before the Malice, he’d had a much easier to hold white cane. It folded when he didn’t need to use it, and it was easy to pull back out. It wasn’t heavy, wasn’t clunky, and above all that……. was lost in the initial panic when the Malice appeared near him.

Daruk had been the one who guided him around at the beginning, when everyone still ran and crashed and tried to outrun the substance that came from everywhere. He was the one who found Link a long branch for a while. And while none of it had been as good as his cane, he’d taken it gratefully.

Before, he’d even considered getting a guide dog. Not that he couldn’t get around fine with his cane, but he’d always wanted a dog, so why not just double up and get one who was trained to help him out.

Maybe that could have allowed him to help Zelda better now.

“Link,” Mipha said, appearing next to him. “There are crashed cars and glass all over the place. The highway is a mess. It might be easier if…”

“Yeah,” Link said, feeling for her arm. He didn’t like it. He’d never been like this. He’d never been this affected by his lack of sight. And he hated it all: all the feelings, all the help he needed, all the help he couldn’t offer. “Thanks,” he said, trying to sound genuine.

She helped meander through the winding path, warned him when there were large shards of glass in their way, and stopped with him while everyone else conferred on a plan.

“Link,” Revali called, his footsteps getting closer. “Can you hold her for a bit. Just stay here with Mipha. We’re going to find a safe area.”

“Yeah,” Link breathed, setting his staff against the car he’d found himself leaning on before feeling Zelda being handed to him like a doll. Revali moved her head, so she was against Link’s shoulder.

“She’s totally out right now. We’ll be back.”

Link listened to them walk away, and focused hard on Zelda until he could feel the steady rise and fall of her chest against him.

“She’s very pretty,” Mipha said suddenly. “Just so you know.”

“I know,” he said, leaning against the car for extra support. “So are you, Miph.”

“Thanks,” she chuckled, tucking her hair behind her ear.

He hummed and smiled slightly, just as a raindrop hit his nose.

Zelda stirred, her hand sliding up Link’s chest and wrapping around his neck feebly.

“We’ve all got you, Zel,” he whispered, kissing her hair.

She didn’t respond, but turned into him before her arm went slack again, as it had been before.

“She gets a nickname, too? More serious than I thought,” Mipha joked.

They waited around patiently until the other three returned. Revali took Zelda back, and Link took Mipha as they made their way towards two cars they’d managed to open. A van and a small coupe.

Link slid into the back of the van, and Revali handed Zelda off again, while the others settled into the more accessible seats. Everyone got comfortable just in time for the rain to start slamming into the roof.

Link dreamt of his life before, of interviews and writing, and the layout of his house.

But he woke up for the umpteenth time that night, this time, feeling Zelda shiver against him, uncontrollable to the point that he thought she might be having a seizure. But he pulled her blanket tighter against her and pressed his face close to hers so his breath could warm her as best it could.

Zelda, unfortunately, couldn’t stop. Link had her hands in his armpits, had her entirely engulfed in any and all body heat he could provide, had his jacket over her with the blanket, had done early everything he could possibly think to warm her up. Her teeth chattered involuntarily in his ears, and she made a low burring noise.

Before the Malice, there had been a television show that Link remembered, one where a character was freezing, and another had stripped them both down to nothing for the most body heat. And while the prospect itself didn’t sound like a bad idea by any means, the logistics of lying naked in a car with Mipha and Revali and without Zelda’s permission had Link shaking the idea from his mind.

Zelda’s hand bunched his shirt into a tight fist, and Link sighed. He’d come to realize this was a reflexive pain response, and he adjusted his hold on her so her hands couldn’t reach up to claw at her arm just before she made the attempt.

Link started to drift off again, too used to this as a routine to feel any new levels of concern until he was nearly entirely asleep.

He could feel Zelda’s racing heart.

Sitting up immediately, he felt around her chest to be sure he wasn’t imagining things, and when he felt it racing so fast he could barely discern different beats from the other, he choked out Mipha’s name.

Mipha didn’t even have time to get into the back of the van when Zelda’s eyes flung open, startling Mipha.

Zelda’s grip somehow tightened, and Link heard the hem of his shirt tear. “Link!” Zelda choked out, gasping like she needed air.

He was holding her, his hand running along her sweating skin. “I’m here.”

“Don’t ask me how, but the Yiga are here. There are Yiga here. They’re here, I know it. They’re here! They’re here, Link!” Her voice cracked in her panic, and she let out a whine. “They’re going to find us. I’m going to get us killed! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m—”

Link ran his hand through her hair soothingly, but nothing else about him was calm. “Can you see anyone?” he asked, not caring who responded.

“No,” Revali said, and then the car door opened and closed as he checked the perimeter.

“—sorry! Link, I’m sorry!”

“Stop,” he tried softly, but Zelda was gone, muttering her apologies without hearing the world around her.

“A nightmare?” Mipha offered, joining in as she stroked her hair.

“No. Zelda hasn’t said more than a few words in days. Something’s wrong.”

“It’s my fault! It’s my fault!”

“Zelda, it’s not—”

Revali pulled the door open. “She’s right. We have to go.”

“They’re following me,” Zelda whispered. On any other day, in any other situation, she might have sounded like a conspiracy theorist. But she wasn’t. She was right. “Leave me here and go! They’ll find me if I come.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Link hissed, holding her tighter, fully prepared to rip her from the car if needed. “Mipha, let Daruk and Urbosa know to get out. We can meet back here once they leave.”

Mipha slid out of the van, leaving Revali and Link to handle Zelda as she tried to get out and chain herself somewhere as a sacrifice.

“How close are they?” Link asked.

“Close enough to find them in the rain. We have to move fast.”

Link let out a long breath and moved Zelda into Revali’s arms. “Take her and go. I’m no use out here.”

“What?” Zelda gasped, only echoed by Revali.

Link pushed Revali and Zelda until all three were in the rain. “Get her out of here. I can’t run through a maze of cars without help, and we don’t have time for that. So, go. I’ll stay.”  

Revali hesitated a moment and looked Link over. “I can get you out.”

“Get her out. They can track her. They can’t track me.”

Nodding, Revali tightened his grip on Zelda. “Okay. We’ll find you when it’s safe.”

“No!” Zelda cried, still trying to break free from Revali. The veins in her neck were bulging with effort, and she let out a strained wail of pain that had her legs slacken beneath her. Revali took advantage, and locked her tightly against him. Kidnapping a stranger would have been easier. “Why are you doing this, Link? Come on!”

Link felt around the outside of the van, getting his bearings. “Because I’ll get you killed. And I don’t care if you hate me for this, because I think I might love you, and I’m not letting you die, so Revali, get her out!”

Revali shoved a knife into Link’s hand, and Link heard the retreating footsteps until Zelda’s voice disappeared into the rain.

Well, shit.

Link had been lost and alone before. But that was before, when he could be guided by the sounds of traffic, or the aid of a passing stranger. He’d been turned around while alone, but never while he was in danger. He’d even faced the Malice alone, hell, he’d killed bokoblins on his own, but always while he had his hearing. And, he’d had his staff, which was sitting somewhere outside the van, forgotten hours ago when he’d thought he wouldn’t need it until the morning.

The rain took that all away, and the only thing he had left to rely on was his sense of touch.

Okay.

He’d come out the back of the van, around the right and past the trunk. He couldn’t stay in their van, because if they could track Zelda, they’d go there first. Urbosa and Daruk had been staying two cars over on the left.

The left.

Link felt for the door of the van, the slits, the handle, the window, anything to let him know he was on the left. He found the window and went forward until he hit another car. Wasting no time, he made his way around the back and ducked down, unsure if the Yiga were close, or far, or in front of him, or behind. At least the lower, the better.

Shit.

He had to guess. From here, he didn’t know if Urbosa and Daruk’s unlocked car was in the front or the back, or wherever the hell it could have been. He just knew it was the next car over, in some direction.

The Yiga were quiet. They were always quiet. There was no safety in waiting around until he could hear them over the downpour, so he picked a direction, and ran forward, still crouched as low as he could go.

He hit a car, fumbling around until he got to the door handles.

He found a handle, but it wasn’t to the front or back. It was the trunk.

For a moment, he weighed the decision, and the anxious nerves to get himself out of sight overrode his desire for space. He pulled the handle and the trunk started to lift. He held it so it didn’t go all the way up, and slid inside, closing it as quietly as possible.

The first thing he did was feel around for for the emergency release, memorizing where it was in case he needed it quickly. And then his fingers were tight on the knife in his hand, and all he could hear was the patter of rain on metal, his rapid breaths, and the loud thudding of his heart.

He lost all sense of time, unsure how long he was in the cramped space. The darkness didn’t bother him, obviously, but he was none too pleased with the muffled sounds from the outside, and now, his lost sense of touch, because he wasn’t going anywhere.

Well, this must be what hell is like, he thought.

It wasn’t until there was a heavy thud on the car that he even snapped to reality.

“Check inside!” he heard from the outside. And his chest clenched. Hands shaking, he had his knife as accessible as possible, and he let his other hand rest on the emergency release, so if anyone went for the trunk, he might be able to get the jump on them.

“She’s not here!” another voice called out, much closer. Almost on top of him.

He let out a long, slow breath before sucking in another and holding it.

“Look anyway! I don’t give a damn if it looks like they left!”

“She figured it out. They left quickly. Their shit is here still.”

The car shook, first with the opening of a door, and then with a body inside. “They aren’t coming back. It’s nothing they can’t get somewhere else.”

Link had to let his breath out again, timing it with the slam of one door, and his intake with the opening of another.

“Yeah, they’re gone, boss! We’re going to lose her if we waste time.”

“Damn. We could have gotten to her.”

“She went north, but the trail is already going cold.”

“Let’s go, then! Come on!”

The car shook once more, and then there was silence.

Again, Link didn’t know how much time had passed. The rain picked up, and it slowed down, but he still didn’t have it in him to get out of the trunk, and his hands never moved from their ready position.

“Where do you think they went then?”

“Link said they’d meet back here.”

Link nearly choked when he heard Urbosa and Mipha’s voices, finally pulling the emergency release and letting the trunk creak open a hair.

“Mipha?”

“Link?”

There was a slosh of footsteps, and then Mipha’s surprised squeal.

“What are you doing in the trunk?” Urbosa asked. Her tone would have been amusing any other day.

“Where are Revali and Zelda?” Daruk asked, helping Link out with ease.

Link shook his head. “I made a big gesture.”

“Oh boy.”

“Revali took her to get her out, and I stayed behind so I wouldn’t slow them down. I only know they went north, and the Yiga are on their tail. They can sense each other because of the Malice, and they’re going to find her.”

“Revali is outnumbered,” Mipha muttered. “Let’s go quickly.”

Urbosa and Mipha gathered what they could from the cars, one of them handing Link his staff back.

Daruk, on the other hand, stayed with Link as he tried to regain a proper heartbeat. “I didn’t mean a gesture that could get you killed.”

“We’re all going to die, right?”

“You have a death wish, Little Guy. So, Revali has her?”

Link smirked, though it wasn’t joyful. “I trust Revali. I hate him, but I trust him, especially with Zelda. He’ll keep her safe for as long as he can.”

“Then let’s get to him before he reaches his limit. Because for all his squawking, even he has a breaking point and will be overpowered. So let’s move.”

[salemorbit]

Hi, sorry if I'm overwhelming you with Requests, but I had an idea for an Imagine that I'd really love to see you write!! Could you please write some Headcanons for how Link, Zelda, Sidon and Revali (Age of Calamity timeline for Sidon btw) would react to a young woman who has a very strong connection to the Spirits being sent to teach Zelda how to unlock her power? Like it's a young woman, around 18 years old, who has a natural ability to communicate with all manner of Spirits, maybe even is part Spirit in some way, so she gets appointed by the King of Hyrule to teach Zelda how to do the same? And maybe she's super nice and excited too? Thanks so much, I really appreciate it!!

oh darling you're totally fine i really appreciate it :D

i hope i did this justice! it's a really neat concept

i also made it an x reader with those attributes if that's okay :)

~~~~~~

Hylia's Guide

[BOTW x fem!Reader]

Headcanons (Link, Zelda, Revali, Sidon)

warnings: none

takes place during Age of Calamity!

also for headcanon's sake,,,,,being a descendant of hylia in this case doesnt mean that you're of the same family? if that makes sense? okay so like reader is descended from hylia and technically so is zelda but they aren't blood related in any way HAHA hope that makes sense

~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~

Let's set the scene, yeah?

You were one of the descendants of Hylia from centuries past, now a ghost in the afterlife as part of the universe itself.

Naturally, you would be surprised when you became sentient once more and blinked open your eyes in the middle of Hyrule Field. In your head rang a soothing voice that you both heard in your head and felt in your bones. In an instant, you knew it was Hylia communicating with your physical form again after years of dormant sleep.

The voice instructed that you were to aid Zelda in her studies of connecting to her powers. Hylia could not intervene directly with Zelda, of course, but the most the Goddess could do was send someone in her place. And that was you: a descendant of Hylia's own bloodline resurrected from the dead come to help the princess in her efforts. Easy enough, right?

Convincing the King and his guards of the situation was difficult, let alone trying to get him to allow you to assist his precious daughter with her practice. The only proof that you had of any story that you told were the markings on your hands and chest.

Three distinct triangles etched themselves on your body: one on the back of each hand and the third on your chest. Your powers had long since been passed on to the next descendant of Hylia, but you were still full of the knowledge of how to use Hylia's gift and how to communicate with the spirits.

•••

Link

Link was wary of you at first, being the princess's appointed knight and all, but he soon figured that you weren't as much of a threat as he initially thought

You were kind and excited to meet someone else who also held Hylia's gift (albeit not necessarily awakened, but still) and Link knew that Zelda would be safe in your hands

While going on spiritual treks with Zelda and Link, you almost always made the meals because both Zelda and Link can't really cook lmao

Coming from an entirely different era, you had a big book of recipes in your head that you brought into reality with every meal you made, and Link definitely wasn't complaining

He appreciated your wide breadth of knowledge of different foods, plants, and wildlife that you might encounter on your travels

It made planning protective measures for the princess all the easier

Sometimes the ventures to connect to Hylia didn't bear any fruit (and that's okay because the gift takes plenty of patience!) and the mood could become solemn quickly

But you were always determined to lift the mood and lighten everyone's attitude, and it always worked!

You would excitedly ramble off stories about where you grew up or what you liked to do on your own travels back in the day, and it would always make Link feel warm that you had such fond memories you were willing to share with him

When Zelda needed time to herself to try to connect to the spirits and Hylia, you and Link would hang around each other and bond

Link would listen attentively as you talked about the cultural and time differences between your world and this one, sharing sympathy when you expressed nostalgia over your time lost

But you would quickly turn it around to the positives, which is what Link thought was a wonderful quality that you had

If you ever got caught off guard while on ventures by the Yiga Clan or rogue animals, Link would fight just as hard as he would in larger battles to keep you safe

Over the time you spent together, Link grew very fond of you and always was at your side if he wasn't immediately attending to the princess

Once your guidance and knowledge finally broke through to Zelda and her power awakened, Link was so proud of you for fulfilling your duty

He was worried that you would disappear from his life once you completed Hylia's task, but you connected to the spirits after the fact and bargained with them

At the end of it all, you were able to live your life through again with Link by your side :)

•••

Zelda

Goddess was Zelda relieved when she found out that she would be having a guide to help her unlock her powers

Upon meeting you, she was absolutely floored with your kindness and willingness to help her with her problems

You were a wonderful mentor to Zelda, teaching her things about the different spirits and how to harness the power that she never would have dreamed of researching on her own

And wow there was a lot of information HAHA

Zelda was also transfixed with the fact that you came from another lifetime, and you were more than happy to tell her all about your life before this one

She would also take very detailed notes about everything you said, enamored with the way you spoke and how excited you got about things you loved

Quiet study time in Zelda's room would often turn into challenges of you trying to make her laugh with small tidbits of stupid stunts you would pull

Of course Zelda couldn't hold back a smile when you were around, so the challenges would fall short but with you falling into fits of laughter

You always brightened Zelda's mood whenever she was down about a failed connection attempt, urging her to try more and be patient with herself

Zelda was thankful to Hylia for sending you because honestly she wouldn't know what to do without someone that was as kind and generous as you were with spreading knowledge about your gifts

And when they finally awakened, Zelda couldn't be more happy!

Hyrule was now safe with Zelda's power awakened and Ganon on the edge of being sealed away

She pleaded that you find a way to stay in her time and teach her more about the spirits and Hylia herself

Your heart warmed at the thought that someone wanted you to stay, and it warmed even more at the fact that someone loved you enough to want to keep you forever :)

•••

Sidon

Sidon met you when he was summoned with the other Champion successors

You were the first to greet him and explain what had happened with the time jumping and all that, and you helped to put his nerves at ease

His own excitable and boisterous personality bounced off of your own energy and buzz!

Fighting side by side with you, Sidon admired how you always had a strategy and were looking out for Zelda as if she was your own sister

He was surprised upon learning your story: never had he known that Hylia had the power like that to bring someone back to help those in the present

Sidon tried his best to stay by your side whenever he could, wanting to keep your blind spots covered just in case

In your time, you had known the Zora and actually knew King Dorephan when he was a young little guppy, and your stories of Dorephan never failed to make Sidon laugh

Sidon in turn shared his own tales of the evolved Zora Domain, and you found his storytelling absolutely captivating

Sidon felt a pull to you like he had to no one else before, and he nurtured that pull with his own heart

He made sure you had enough supplies, checked in on you immediately when you came back from a far off mission

Just an all around softie I think! Sidon has always been caring like that :)

When it was time for him to go back, you discovered a way that you could jump with him back to his own time

After all, your mission with Zelda from Hylia was over. Why shouldn't you be able to live your life through again?

You jumped back with Sidon to a world vastly different than the one you had just been in, and even more different than the one you were born into

But with Sidon, it always felt like home!

•••

Revali

Revali didn't want to be impressed, but he was Definitely Impressed

Your composure about the whole situation was amazing, and you handled all the questions everyone had with grace

And your kindness was overwhelming (in a good way) with the fact that you opened your mind to such possibilities of even being resurrected like that

Revali admired you through and through

He would be incessantly curious about what the afterlife was like, how the spirits communicated with you, what Hylia was like

You, of course, couldn't accurately answer most questions because, well, you couldn't remember, but you appreciated his desire to learn

You loved the way that he fought: with purpose and intent. There was little to no hesitation with Revali, he always had a plan

When you would go to treks with Zelda and Link to try to summon Zelda's power, Revali would make comments here and there insisting that he tag along just in case

Poor Rito really just wanted to spend more time with you, that's all!

If he did tag along, it would be to Lanayru with his knowledge of the cold weather

He would rattle off safety facts of mountain weather and gear you would need, and you would be happy to listen as long as he was talking to you

Revali would also love to hear about your old life, and since you could go on for hours about it all, he would sit and absorb everything that came out of your mouth

He was smitten in a matter of weeks!

He could see the care and sympathy you had for Zelda as she struggled and triumphed in her process of opening her powers, and he appreciated that you could care so much for someone like that

Revali subconsciously protected you even if there was a leaf that fell in the way of your path, as he was always on alert in case someone caught you off guard

As your time came to a close and Zelda awakened her powers, Revali demanded that you stay (with love, of course)

And stay you did, making a bargain with the spirits and living the rest of your second life in the company of the Rito warrior :)

~~~~~~~~~

hope i got this good!! i thought the concept was really neat and i kinda wished they did something like that actually :/ zelda didn't deserve that angst

requests are welcome :)

[the-unicorns-of-nienna]

Lately, I’ve been thinking...

…about the Fanon that Sooga is a Gerudo man. If it’s true, than Sooga would almost certainly have lived his entire life in Ganondorf’s shadow.

Growing up, Sooga was probably forced to hide his identity for his own safety, and that of his people. The few people who knew the truth might have treated him like a bomb that could explode at any moment.

When it all became too much to bear, Sooga fled to the one place in Hyrule where a Gerudo man would be welcome: the Yiga Clan. The Yiga assumed that, being a Gerudo man, Sooga must be the next incarnation of Ganondorf. When it became obvious that Sooga wasn’t Ganondorf, I doubt his fellow Yiga handled it well.

Could Sooga’s devotion to Master Kohga stem, at least in part, from Kohga being the first (and for a while at least, only) person to value Sooga for Sooga? To judge him based on his own deeds, instead of those of a man who lived centuries prior?

It’s canon that Master Kohga is a title borne by all leaders of the Yiga Clan, beginning with their founder. Perhaps Kohga was able to empathize with Sooga because he too knew how it felt to be viewed only as the continuation of a legacy, instead of as an actual person? Not too different from a certain Hero and Princess, in that regard.

[dolcetters]

some botw verse thoughts on dol’s combat style because reasons

in my initial verse post, i briefly mentioned that dol’s father passed on the yiga clan’s stealth and martial arts techniques to his children in hopes that if the clan ever sought revenge for his defection they’d be capable of defending themselves, and training likely started as soon as each kid reached an age they were able to effectively learn, and it went until... well, that first bloodmoon incident at age 15. so combat is not something he picked up late, he’s been doing this as far back as he can remember. and i’ve been thinking about how that affects other aspects of dol’s involvement in... things.

for one, when he starts “working with” the royal guard in the time before zelda returns, it’s likely that his fighting style/knowledge conflicts with that of knights. the swords are built different, handled different--the armor likely doesn’t allow for the nimble movements he grew up practicing--and, despite his best efforts, it never fully clicked with him. so on top of his lack of connections or lineage to the guard causing them to sneer at him, he’s now beefing a lot of their training, not meeting their standards, etc etc. when zelda does show up claiming to be the princess, and they don’t believe her, they hand off dol to be her body guard not only to get him out of their hair but also as a lowkey “haha take the worst of us” jab.

but now that he’s left to his own devices, it’s a helluva lot easier to shift back into what he knows. as in his normal verses, he’s strong, extremely fast, and uses his environment to his advantage (jumping off of things, hiding/ambushing, makeshift weapons, etc). early on, he probably steals a yiga member’s sword out of their hand during combat and that becomes his regular weapon going forward, as it’s a build he’s familiar with. broadswords? ew, pass. don’t even hand me a shield wtf. this sickle and windcleaver tho, don’t mind if i do. throwing knives?? YES, please.

and i guess that’s where shit would get interesting from, like... an outsider perspective. anyone who witnesses him fighting the way he’s most proficient might be able to make connections of where the style came from and potentially find it.. a lil SUS that someone using yiga clan arts is acting as the princess’s body guard (if that really is her... this probably just makes proving that it’s her a lot harder doesn’t it... aw, beans).

the yiga undoubtedly pick up on it after a few encounters, saying something like “wait, you fight like us??” and dol being the ass that he is just responds “nah, i fight better :)”.

you dumb idiot.

i’m sure he’s also put two and two together that his dad at minimum mimicked the clan’s method of combat or at max was unwillingly involved with the clan at some point (he has no clue that his grandparents were high-ranking and that the bloodmoon curse was one of their making). if zelda asked him directly, it’s not something he’d hide because--again--he assumes his father was unwillingly involved and has no idea about his grandparents.

i have no idea how to wrap this up as it’s not a formal HC post and i’m just kind of spewing my thoughts into the void.

[silentprincess17]

Sometimes Things Have To Get Worse Before They Get Better

This is essentially a darker, heavier alternate take on Memory #7 - Blades of the Yiga. I wanted to write a fic with a competent Yiga Clan. (Yes you read that right). It is very angsty in the beginning and then becomes fluffy (hence the title!)

Summary: Link and Zelda have returned from Vah Naboris with Urbosa and have spent the night in Kara Kara Bazaar Inn. Link wakes up and finds her missing.

Cue the angst.

This story is complete and I will post each chapter daily on here but you can read the whole thing on AO3

Rating: Mature (Graphic descriptions of violence) Pairing: Link/Zelda (Zelink) Characters: Link, Zelda, The Yiga Clan, Master Kohga

Chapter 1: Everything goes wrong when you don't have breakfast

Link was having a bad morning. He’d missed breakfast, a cardinal sin, and now he was anxiously darting around the Bazaar, weaving between the trees, in an attempt to see if he could spot a glimmer of blonde hair or a flash of a blue shirt.

She just had to run away. Again.

He sighed. It wasn’t that hard to understand why she constantly gave him the slip, even if he wished she didn’t. He knew it wasn’t fair of him to think such things, especially when he knew it wasn’t really him, she was running from, rather it the sword that was strapped to his back. It wasn’t him she was frustrated with, it was herself. And the sword symbolised how he was apparently fulfilling his destiny and his side of things, whilst she struggled endless with the stone-cold Hylia and had nothing to show for it. Essentially, the sword meant destiny and fate had already set out a predetermined plan for her, and she was currently set for failure. So yes, he could understand why she felt the need to escape what was surely a suffocating sight every day- the boy with the sword that has it all sorted, geared and ready to go, whilst she stumbled in the dark, Hylia’s Divine Blessing evading her.

If only she knew how much he struggled too. He didn’t just pull a sword out a rocky pedestal and boom morphed into Hyrule’s Saviour. He’d trained long and hard too. And frankly, he had felt compelled to draw the sword, it hadn’t been something that was in his control- if he had a choice, then he would also choose to just leave it be in the Lost Woods. It sounded naive and foolish now, but he hadn’t anticipated what the consequences would be when twelve-year-old Link had jumped up and wrapped his hands around that cursed mauve handle. Mostly, the thing he regretted the most about pulling the sword was that he’d effectively doomed them all. Did he want to be the one to basically foreshadow what was now surely coming? No. Another was that it had put a timer on the Princess to find her powers, and he didn’t want to cause her such anguish at being unable to unlock supposed birth-right sealing powers that she clearly didn’t have and didn’t know how to obtain. But… there had been a hidden consequence, one that he couldn’t for the life of him have predicted- when he released the sword from the pedestal, it didn’t just end with him now possessing the mythical legendary blade, oh no. He’d also obtained a whole wealth of memories, memories of past lives, past successes, past failures, and he’d lost whatever childish innocence he’d had then. And it crushed him, having this soul that apparently was doomed in this endless fight, and now he had to live up to them. He had to live up to these past Heroes and by Farore he had no idea if he’d be able to.

Every word that had come out of the Princess’s mouth at his blessing ceremony had cleaved him in two. All those past disastrous events that happened in Hyrule, and all the lengths his predecessors had gone to save the country… Adrift in time indeed. IN TIME. How was he supposed to do the same? And it made him fearful. And he was not easily frightened. He liked to think he was a little bit brave, he would run headfirst into any sort of challenge, be that eating rocks, defeating hordes of monsters, including Lynels, or even redirecting errant guardian laser beams but when he thought about what those Heroes had gone through… He certainty didn’t feel very brave when it came to imagining what exactly he’d have to do, what trials he would have to face, in line with theirs.

He finally finished strapping the sword properly to his back, he’d ran out as soon as he realised she was missing, and he tried to find any distinguishing patterns of her boots nearby. It was a useless venture, because sand shifted, constantly, and as a result any tracks were lost pretty much as soon as they formed. He sighed, deciding to do another very quick run through the Bazaar in case anyone else had spotted her, or she had come back from the baths maybe. He was clutching at straws, he knew it, and he felt that familiar churning feeling in his gut that something was wrong, but he decided to keep calm and check again just in case he’d missed something.

He sighed, even before Urbosa told him how the Princess’s behaviour was in fact coloured by the sword, he could have guessed. One of the biggest signs was that she always looked at it, instead of him. He only wished to tell her that he was just as lost as she was, because yeah sure, everyone Impa stated that he had the Sword that Seals The Darkness. Okay, but how did it do that? How does one go about killing darkness? Monsters he knew. Monsters he’d trained for. But darkness? And the thing that frightened him the most was that most of the past Heroes had fought a man. A power-obsessed, strong-willed and formidable opponent, but still, fundamentally, a man. None of them had fought this… Calamity equivalent that he seemed to be up against. Hence why he was uncertain, and fearful even, if the sword would be enough.

Not to mention how much it pained him that the arrogant idiot bird had managed to find his greatest insecurity, but that was neither here nor there.

But in truth, every time someone mentioned how he was their savour he wanted to cry. Perhaps she didn’t realise that whilst everyone had pinned her as a hopeless case and a lost cause, he’d been saddled with double the expectations to succeed. So much pressure, so many eyes, that he’d all but gone silent. Every word spoken could be misconstrued in some shape or form. Nothing he said was ever safe from scrutiny, so to continue to play the perfect, composed Hero that he was supposed to be, he decided to stop talking. What he wouldn’t give to explain to her that these praises that were lavished on him made him feel sick. Made him feel suffocated. Made him like a liar. Because really, he felt like a failure too- he had no plan other than maybe try and hit the darkness with the sword and hope that works. And the foreboding feeling he had that he hadn’t yet faced the supposedly impending huge trial that most of the other Heroes had, and they had all done said trial well before they obtained the Master Sword. He felt unworthy of it, somehow. All he’d done was train hard, fight and try to eradicate the plague of monsters in the land. He hadn’t travelled through time, he hadn’t transformed into a wolf, he hadn’t lost his sister, or his best friend. Hence why he was dreading meeting Ganon. There was a catch somewhere. He could feel it.

He exhaled heavily, sweat starting to build on his brow. This was why he wanted to tell Zelda that she wasn’t alone. That he knew what she was going through. They were a pair in destiny, fate… even souls after all. But she hated him, his very being, and probably wished he didn’t exist- no correction- she wished the sword didn’t exist, then he wouldn’t have pulled it and wouldn’t have become a direct comparator for her success. It all felt futile sometimes, and he wondered why exactly he was in such a melancholy mood this morning. Probably something to do with not eating.

She wasn’t in the Bazaar. He’d now checked over every stall twice. And Link felt rising trepidation. Of all the places for her to run away, she’d chosen the desert. She’d chosen where the main dissenters of the Royal Family lived. She chosen the one place where it was highly probable that there would be an assassination attempt on her. And he wasn’t there to protect her. Link could freely admit to himself he was scared. What if he didn’t find her in time, what if – No. He had to think positively. And then his eyes fell to his Champion’s tunic, embroidered, as it was, by her hand. Goddesses above, how would he present himself back the Castle if he’d actually lost her this time? And in such a worrisome place too. A stone settled in Link’s gut, as he desperately racked his brains, replaying last night’s events trying to remember if she’d dropped any hints as to where she was going.

He drew a big fat blank.

In the name of Din, where else could she have gone? She had been silent on the way back from Vah Naboris, probably reproachful that he’d managed to find her, yet again. And he had, admittedly, found it suspicious that she’d remained mum, accepted going to the Bazaar, and sleeping in the Inn, and leaving to head to Goron City the next day without a single word of dissent. He should have known that she was planning something.

And now, it was starting to get hot, as he quickly ran off towards the path, wondering if she’d gone back to Gerudo Town. But she’d already said her goodbyes to Urbosa last night... Link sighed, the heat already causing his tunic to stick to his back. It was a desert after all, one couldn’t expect it to get cold during the day, and he hadn’t had time to fill in their canteens, and oh for the love of Farore could he at least get a single sign as to where Her Highness had deigned to grace her presence at. He didn’t want to be beheaded for incompetence so soon.

He saw a small cloud of sand rise in the distance. At this point, it could be a mirage and he was seeing something that his mind had conjured in desperation at trying to find the missing Princess.

And then he saw a flash of red.

And his blood ran cold, despite the heat.

[shiekah-marine-embassy]

How Did We Get Here?

A summary of an upcoming tale about my character Anderson, inspired by my own recent struggles.

Anderson spends several days comatose. Wakes up in an unfamiliar place, bound tightly to chair. Is unable to speak. Minutes later, attacker walks in. Attacker commentates on how Anderson was found on the coastline (attacker’s territory) in Yiga Attire. This was received as a threat and Anderson is now subject to imprisonment, torture for information, and Master Kohga will be contacted for ransom arrangements.

Anderson displays elevated levels of distress, which continually continues to increase as the attacker gets closer to establishing contact. The operation is temporarily forfeited when his screaming and begging is so loud that the gag may as well not have been there. Attacker displays frustration and confusion at Anderson’s distress, which is extreme even given the situation he is in.

Attacker removes the gag, and Anderson takes some time to compose himself before explaining that he was actually on the run from the Yiga, after a demon god accused him of treason and sabotage, turning his former lover, several of his friends, and the clan leaders against him. In the ensuing fight he managed to slaughter his ex-lover, incapacitate the right-hand man, severely wound the leader and demon god, and just as quickly made an escape.

He expresses fear and concern that if the leaders were to be made aware of his whereabouts, they would most definitely want him back for the sole purpose of subjecting him to what he describes as a “fate worse than death”, and that traitors and killers like him are not killed, but instead brutally and slowly tormented for the rest of their lives. Anderson undergoes extreme emotional distress and remorse upon recalling the events and is no longer able to compose himself to form words.

Attacker is skeptical, and comments on how the story sounds quite unbelievable. However, despite their skepticism, attacker agrees to not contact Master Kohga right away, and instead will bring the matter up with their boss. As collateral, though, it will be necessary that he is kept heavily restrained until it can be proven that he is not here on a sabotage mission. Several interrogations will follow for the next few days, sedatives will be administered as necessary, and any noncompliance will be met with unrelenting punishment.

Anderson reluctantly agrees, deciding that a few days of hell would be better than a lifetime and maybe more of unbearable agony. The attacker acknowledges, re-gags him twice over, blindfolds the man, and plugs his ears. They then shut off the light to the cell and secure the door, leaving to presumably report this new development to the boss. Anderson then experiences a full mental breakdown, crying and thrashing against his restraints until he passes out.

An approximate 16 hours pass before someone enters the cell, and removes the captive’s earplugs- but leaves all other forms of restraints in. This person is presumed to be the boss- and their footsteps can be heard pacing the cell as they begin to mark on the preposterousness of the captive’s story. Anderson cannot shake hearing a certain familiarity in the boss’s voice, but nonetheless is terrified of what is to come of the situation.

Very shortly after, boss slowly removes the blindfold. Is revealed to be the Captain Sonii of the Shiekah Marine Embassy, and she remarks on how this wouldn’t be the first time that the Yiga try to break in by pretending a part of the clan was betrayed by the others. However, she does admit that there is a certain sadness, fear, and fury in his eyes that she has not seen before.

Captain Sonii continues on by saying that she does know what there is a demon god that stands by the Yiga, and that Anderson must have done something drastic to anger the entity so much- to which the captive responds by squeezing his eyes shut and turning his head away. It seems that the Shiekah Captain is able to infer the source of his distress.

She goes on to remark that, if her intuition is correct, she could draw the fact that Anderson was falsely accused of treason, to which the captive replies with surprise and looks back at her. Captain Sonii chuckled and begins to explain that the whole reason the Shiekah Marine Embassy was founded was to give those who have been framed, misinterpreted, and accused a second chance. And she herself was one of those victims and built this army so no one would have to suffer the way she did, having no one to fall back on.

She concludes that, if there are no rescue attempts by any Yiga within the next three months, she will offer him a high-ranking position on the crew. However, until then, he is not to be left unrestrained, and under constant remote surveillance. Other stipulations follow, along with warning him that in the meanwhile he will be interrogated regarding both the Yiga Clan, and the events that conspired up until his capture.

She appears to snicker to herself, before producing a small knife, and explains how misinformation and fabrication are not tolerated. She begins to draw the knife very slowly up his throat, merely slitting the skin open and deliberately avoiding airways and major arteries, all the while making delicate yet terrifying threats about the consequences if he truly is lying and plans on sabotaging them.

He withholds his pain and terror- yet still in agreement with himself that as bad as things were now, they at least have an ending in sight. The captain notes his resilience, and reminds him of the stipulations one more time, before dismissing herself. Anderson seems relieved that she is gone, and several nightmares within the following few days about what would happen should he be captured by the Yiga confirm his confidence that this is the better option.

Over the following few months, his restrictions are gradually loosened, from a few weeks of full body restraints to a few weeks of wrist and ankle shackles and the allowance of basic entertainment, to simple handcuffs and special requests of food, to complete freedom to move about his cell and partake in recreations under supervision.

After a period of a little over three months, he is called in to be formally interviewed by the boss. He explains that his specialties lie in the operation of, hijacking, and repair of hardware is his specialty, along with an innate knowledge of robotics and machinery. He goes on to admit that he is the owner of a divine beast and use that divine beast in any missions they may need it for.

Under the agreement that she is allowed to connect the divine beast to the Embassy’s centralized army database, to which Anderson shows no opposition to, she hires him and as promised is given the title of leader of the tech division, more specifically the hardware sector, while he will be working aside another leader, August Staghorn, who oversees the software sector. He is given his own room and is now allotted all the freedoms and benefits of a level 3 crew member.

August and Anderson were initially very hesitant about one another, Anderson being intimidated by the software leader’s large stature and reluctance to speak, and August being intimidated by the hardware leader’s very apparent stoicism and distrust. However, as time goes on, they learn more about one another- Anderson learns that August is mute and communicates completely nonverbally (although he can hear and comprehend things perfectly fine), and August learns that Anderson suffers from a small case of Autism Spectrum Disorder and sometimes has trouble handling himself.

Both, in secret, study for months on end about the other’s problems; Anderson teaches himself to both use and interpret sign language, and August teaches himself how to effectively communicate with, comfort, and understand people with neurological disorders. They gradually become more compatible with one another, but neither seem to really notice any large change until they are put on a collaborative project together.

The two and their teams are instructed to begin work on a new semi-terrestrial divine beast construct. The ease at which they have communicating with one another seems to surprise them both, as each admits that they spent a long time studying how to communicate with the other more effectively. Upon realizing, both are overwhelmed with a feeling of rejoice and instantly embrace, getting emotional over one another.

August then goes onto admit that he had admired Anderson ever since he joined the tech division and heard about what happened to him beforehand. August expresses his empathy and admits that while his stature may be big, he considers himself to be rather meek. He reveals a bit more about himself, and states that the reason he was hired here was due to five or six years back, he was subject to a series of tests against his consent and ultimately had his vocal cords completely dissolved which led to him not being able to speak, and complications eating.

Due to these complications and receiving no compensation for the damage done, and the perpetrators never caught, he ended up losing the job he had and not being able to pay rent. He couldn’t find any new jobs either due to any hirer’s lack of understanding of his condition and refusing to change their policies. Ultimately he came down to Lurelin where he intended to spend what he presumed were his last days, alone.

However, at that time, the Shiekah Marine Embassy was surveying the area and they pulled August aside for questioning about his apparent loitering around the area. When he could not answer the soldier, he was asked to attend an interview with an interpreter and the boss, where he explained his story. The captain immediately could tell he had exceptional potential that others couldn’t see, and he was offered a position.

The two go on to discuss how the captain is quite the powerful woman; she clearly went through a lot of effort to found this army and is quite ruthless- but at the same time seems to have an innate understanding and compassion for those who have been wronged, just hidden behind a cold, yet ambitious exterior. Anderson admitted that he wasn’t so sure about her first, but soon came to realize that regardless of how tough she is, what was most important to him was her understanding.

August commentates that he knows about Anderson’s distrust of having a significant other and expressing affection and did not know how long it would take him to heal from that traumatic event. Regardless he confesses that he has feelings for Anderson, however, to the other’s surprise, reciprocates those same feelings, stating that he was truly taken back by how much August put into being able to communicate and understand him better, something that no one in the past had done before.

August humbly dismisses it as nothing more than something he was passionate about and should not be praised so highly for. Anderson intervenes, however, by mentioning that he knows that the two of them would not have studied each other’s issues without their knowledge if they were not meant for this. August cannot supply an argument against this, and thus, their relationship is made official.

 And so, life continues on, there are ups and downs, but one thing is certain- there’s definitely room for a whole series here.

[so-i-dont-forget-again]

So I Don’t Forget Again: A Breath of The Wild fanfiction

*My friend, much has happened. The doctors are keeping you on the sleep medicine to see if you can heal without eating, being able to heal slowly would be so helpful for you, they worry about you healing and trapping stones in yourself again, it shouldn’t happen because they are caring for you, but… It would be great to know should you retain injuries like this again. They say the medicine may make your memory fuzzy and I realized you were rushed off to get healed, you never got a chance to write, so I’ll do my best for you! I’ll wright down as much as I can so I don’t miss a single thing. I may not be able to capture your thoughts, but I can recall the moments we shared.

*It was a pleasant surprise to see Kass had come to visit the Domain once more. He spoke of his misadventures with you and Bossa Nova. I always love hearing these tales from him, they show just how much you do, how you’re always fighting on, seemingly without rest, it makes me feel you are nearby. Yet, his last tale, he spoke of how pale you were, how you were so distant, constantly getting lost in thought and how Bossa Nova kept bucking you to get your attention back. You just couldn’t concentrate long on the task he said. He also noted how you held your side stiffly. You’re footing was unsteady, you constantly swaying even when standing. He also told me how you slept for two weeks straight in the shrine. He knew he could not do much except try to find you help, so he came to me. He told me of your plan to come to Lanaru Tower and how you were to pass through Rutala River.

*I left with some fishermen who were going to do their work by Rutala River so I could go search for you.

*I’m so glad I did.

*I found you and Bossa Nova in a fight with some Yiga Clan members. Even with but a fishing spear and not a proper weapon, I believe I was of help, and we were able to drive them off. I was so relieved to see you both, I hugged you close, just so glad you were safe. I was not surprised to see that attack though, the Yiga had been camping by the waters, attacking any zora they see, I can only guess they wish for revenge against me for having a hand in their leader’s demise. Your expression, that horror, it’s etched into my mind and will not go. I assured you that we are all well, and simply sending a guard or two with any party fishing outside of the Domain is enough to protect them. We are all safe.

*I asked you to come sit by the shore with me to just talk for a while. I asked you if you were feeling well. You only said you were feeling very tired. I simply could not believe exhaustion was the only thing plaguing you, it had to be a sign of something bigger, you looked so sick. I realize zoras can withstand the cold better than Hylians, but surely it was not cold enough for you to shiver so violently, right?

*I’d never wish to push you into speaking, but I had to ask if that was all.

*You told me you were scared of yourself. You wondered if you were a monster like a Hinox or Lynel. If you were killed, if you’d turn to purple smoke. I answered sincerely, I don’t believe you’d turn to smoke. You asked me what I thought of them, if they were intelligent creatures like you and I. I think so, I know they can make buildings like us, they can fight like us, they seem to communicate in their own languages, I’ve even seen them horse around with one another before or playing a simple game of kick ball.

*You told me you think you’re a monster.

*You spoke of how the monsters relentlessly chase you, they never stop hunting you, they may be easy to beat, but they never give up, they fight to the death unlike the Yiga who on rarer occasion run. You told me you have that same drive as them, and that you’re weak like them, and you feared it so much. My heart broke hearing how your voice quiver and quaked, so quiet, so tired. You told me how you have this overwhelming need to keep going on this journey. This relentless pursuit you can’t let go of. Even when you feel awful, your thoughts go dark, you just keep going, no matter what. I know it’s not a mindless pursuit, it’s your courage. You keep going even when you're scared, you are so strong to make that choice every waking moment, so many in your place would have collapsed under the pressure of all this, of the Divine Beasts and the Calamity, so many would have been too scared to even consider facing all that you have, they would have run, but you keep choosing to do this no matter how hurt you are. That is your courage, choosing to do that even when you are scared. It’s like being a good person. Even a good person could think about not helping that stranger in need or to do bad things, but they still have the strength to choose to do so, and that’s what makes them good. You by far are the most courageous individual I have ever known… And that means something, to me at least, I knew my sister, Mipha, someone who’d race onto the battlefield to heal all who were injured no matter how dangerous, I believe you are even stronger than her, the strongest person I knew till you came into my life once more.

*You spoke of how weak you were, how you are unsure you’re strong enough to save us all. You told me that you don’t know what’s going to be different this time that will allow you to win your battle against the Calamity. You told me of how you feared that it’d simply take control over the Divine Beasts once more once you approach it. But things are different this time Link, the Princess is in the castle, even right now, holding back the Calamity so it shouldn’t do that, if it could, it likely would have done so by now. I told you if you weren’t strong enough to face the beast, you would not have been placed in the healing chamber that kept you asleep for a hundred years. If you weren’t strong enough, you would not have been placed there in order to beat it now. You asked why you fell in the first place. You said it was surely because you tried to fight it, and you failed, you couldn’t think of any other reason why you’d get so injured. You couldn’t remember why, but you couldn’t think of any other reason. I can think of one, and so I told it to you. You must have fallen when protecting someone, in your memories the princess was struggling with unlocking her power, I bet she only unlocked that power because of you. She must have seen how hard you were working to protect everyone, and when you fell, it ignited something within her allowing her to reach her power. I bet you inspired her; I at least know for certain you inspire me. She must be holding back the Calamity specifically for you, and she only can because of you. You are strong, but even the strongest person can’t handle the fate of the world on their own, no one can, and for a moment a hundred years ago, you did, but even as strong as you are, even you couldn’t handle it. But you are not on your own this time, so this time you can do it. This will work. I know this will work. I realize this may feel like I’m placing pressure on you and I apologize if I am, but I can not think of any other way to describe this.

*Link, you are a hero, a hero working with other heroes, and you all will succeed. You are not alone in this fight, even if you are from time to time in this journey. You are amazing, I know you are strong enough in so many ways to be able to do this.

*You told me you already failed in all those regards. Each and every last one, you had failed.

*You told me you killed Friend, and that you were just going to do so with everyone else. You told me you almost got Bossa Nova killed almost starving him, and asked what was going to stop you from killing everyone else, saying that if it indeed was courage and strength and not maddening pursuit and weakness none of that would matter if you got everyone killed before facing the Calamity. You told me that everyone in Hateno must be dead because of how the Yiga are pursuing my people to get revenge on me and how the villagers in Hateno have no one but you to protect them, but the Yiga are chasing you, so you’d only bring more danger if you left to check on them. You told me that if you went to Rito Village to save their Divine Beast, the Yiga would follow you and kill them all so there was no point in going, but you still find you need to go, that is the pursuit you fear, going anyway, despite knowing the danger you would be bringing. You were just going to get everyone killed, no matter where you went.

*It was like when you spoke of my sister. Your next words were just like that moment. Something within you just caved in and broke. You cried, begging me to not die, to not leave you. You told me you couldn’t take losing anyone else. I honestly did not know what I could do for you, other than hold you tightly and securely. I told you that no matter where I am my thoughts are always with you. Even if not physically, I am with you. I will never leave you.

*You fell asleep in my arms, so Bossa Nova and I took you to the Domain for a proper rest.

*You wouldn’t wake up. For so long. When you finally did, it seemed you had to fight yourself to do so. You needed to see a doctor, even though you can instantly heal by eating, clearly something was wrong.

*You have so many infections eating away at you, it likely spread from your arm to your shoulder, then your side. You told me you were going to be more careful with your arm, you said you’d take better care of yourself, yet this happened. It seems as though this was a long time coming, even before you gave your word, I believe it started back when you were chased by those guardians and your arm was crushed under ruble, that was when it started healing slower and always hurting, right? I would look, but it feels wrong to do so with you asleep, that’s even why I’m writing all this on separate pages. Your journal is your memory, I dare not tamper with it without your explicit permission. The doctors had found your flesh had grown around pebbles that were inside you, even getting attached to them with some connective tissue. When you first came here and were taken to the doctors, it seems your healing capability had already covered this up, so they didn’t find it last time. You also have so many infections they had a difficult time discerning one from another, there was even one they didn’t recognize, thankfully one of the Gerudo woman I had traveled with is a doctor and she decided to stay here a while and recognized what you had gotten, it was an infection she had seen many warriors get from battling with the Yiga, but your case was by far the worst she had ever seen, it must have been when that scythe was stabbed through you, keeping you pinned to the ground. It seems your healing ability more so quickly regenerates your flesh, trapping anything caught within its way, it’s likely how your infection was able to be within you without showing signs. With every battle you got hurt and ate, you healed some of the damage the infection had done, but you could not get rid of it, so it been able to so slowly build up. It was so slow you didn’t even notice how far the pain had spread; you body must have gotten so exhausted trying to fight it off constantly.

*And now here I am, sitting by your bedside, rattling my brain, playing these events over and over searching for even the smallest of details to add.

*The doctors fear missing a part of any of the infections should you heal quickly, they want to keep an eye on you to make sure they got everything. They also said your judgement on pain must be unreliable now, the only way you could have survived without getting help or any anesthetic sooner was for your tolerance for pain to increase, they explained it like going nose blind, smelling something so often you eventually don’t notice it getting so used to it, so feeling the same amount of pain in one place for so long, you likely wouldn’t notice if there was any new pain there so they have to keep an eye on you instead of you telling them what you feel.

*Bossa Nova has refused to get off the extra space of the bed.  On occasion he’ll lick your hand or use your legs as a pillow.

*Link, my dear friend, you are amazing to have gotten this far. I just hope you know that. You are extraordinary, the light of my life.

*I plea with any and all gods that you now finally have a restful sleep. You so deserve it and so much more.

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[volganic]

If that is what you wish (2/?)

[part 1] || [AO3] [discord]

wowee i cant believe im writing this as fast as i am bc everything else im working on is on the backburner :( 

as far as “official” dialogue im pulling inspo from both the english and spanish dubs of the game (but the spanish dub is so so much more emotionally grippin than english and i will fight everyone who disagrees)

but i cant believe i love me an angry rat man and i blame unsanctitude and every one of those anons that send such good headcanons for him, 10/10

The assassination of Hyrule’s princess had failed. It failed, and the loss fell squarely on Sooga’s shoulders. With the Champions and her knight following her every footstep and command, Zelda was sure to find her knight worthy to pull the sword that could prevent the Calamity — their destiny.

Sooga returned to the hideout deep in Karusa Valley with the weight of both Kohga’s and Astor’s disappointment on his shoulders. He’d never forget how his master seemed both dissatisfied and apathetic with him — he had his reputation and standard to uphold — and how Astor seemed unperturbed by the news, as if he had expected the loss to begin with.

“Enough of your groveling,” Astor hissed, gesturing for Sooga to sit upright from his place on the floor. Disgusting, he thought, their second-in-command pleading for mercy for his failure. “Her united champions are merely a miscalculation in our plans, but things are falling in place as they should.”

The prophet was hiding something. It made Sooga’s blood boil.

“And the boy?” Sooga inquired. “This is the second time that Hylian has thwarted our plans. He’s a persistent warrior, always close to the princess. Perhaps our strategies should focus on him a little more closely.”

Kohga’s fingers drummed against the armrest of his chair. “He’s got a point. Blondie’s the one screwing everything up. Personally, I’ve got a bone to pick with him.”

“They are moving forward to the Lost Woods.” Astor ignored their comments to sip the last of his tea, swirling the cup three times before delicately placing it upside down on its saucer in front of the altar where his harbinger continued to rest. “Perhaps, given your failures thus far, it shall be I who will meet them deep in the forest.”

Sooga stood to take his place back at his master’s side. He bit his tongue from arguing with the prophet. “I have no objections.”

“You’re the one runnin’ the show, pal.” Kohga glanced at the unmoving Guardian hidden among the bananas. “Is that thing gonna stay?”

“I admit, your ancestors have chosen a well-hidden slice of this world to establish your clan. It will remain here until I return,” he replied. He finally picked the cup by its handle and inspected it carefully, reading where the leaves had gathered on the inside. Ah, there it was. The leaves dotted the bottom of the cup in a familiar pattern, likened to the malice that Calamity Ganon would soon use to consume Hyrule Castle.

Simply exquisite.

Satisfied with the placement of the black leaves, Astor waved his hand over the cup once more and placed it back upright on its saucer. He turned to leave. “I shouldn’t be long. I will execute the boy myself, and that sword will remain on its pedestal. The princess will continue searching for her knight in time for the Calamity to reign supreme.”

When Astor seemed to be out of sight, the Yiga exchanged a doubtful glance between themselves. Reading tea leaves was a practice that not even Kohga himself had much experience with, nor did he care much for any methods of fortune-telling. As far as he knew, it was all a bunch of hocus pocus compared to his own knowledge of the esoteric arts. Kohga warily stepped up to the altar where Astor had stood to peek into the teacup, Sooga following closely behind him.

It was empty.

——

The air inside the Yiga Hideout was stifling. Sooga couldn’t place his finger on exactly when he noticed the change. Astor had left nearly two moons ago — probably the longest amount of time he had ever spent outside of their shared space — with no signs to return.

It troubled Sooga more than it did Kohga.

‘He knows what he’s doing,’ his master would chide with a yawn. Kohga had taken to pretending things were all fine and going according to their grand plan, opting to worry less about the prophet’s true intentions to enjoy his time loafing about as he usually did. It was late in the evening, at least running an hour over Kohga’s usual nap time.

Sooga paced restlessly in front of the altar of their meeting place, waiting for Astor’s triumphant return while the Guardian listened to the sounds of his footsteps. As much as he distrusted the prophet, he was the only one pulling the strings to ensure the prophecy of Calamity Ganon’s return came true. While he served Master Kohga, the Yiga as a whole served Calamity Ganon. They alone couldn’t bring him to life.

When Astor had first arrived at their doorstep deep within Karusa Valley nearly undetected, coming with promises and visions to set their destiny in motion with a dormant Guardian, Sooga thought it was almost too good to be true. He could smell a rat when he saw one. However, it wasn’t his choice to deny him. Master Kohga welcomed him with open arms.

He paused in front of the center of the altar where Astor’s empty cup had remained. Truly, he believed that this prophet was a cancer slowly spreading into their clan, bringing them not closer to their victory, but to their doom. His fingers lifted the empty teacup to peek into it once more; it was enough evidence for Sooga to question his motives. Something was in the tea leaves, only to be swept clean by Astor’s hand. What was he hiding?

“And what is your role in all of this, little one?” he muttered, glancing upward to the Guardian. Its orange light would glow through the dark room then grow dim, the singular eye fixated on the ceiling as it always did. It never seemed to respond without Astor present — not that Sooga would understand its answer if he was given one.

However, when the light began to glow again, he noticed the eye had focused on him.

An unpleasant chill ran through his bones.

“Talking to yourself, are you?”

Sooga, startled by the sound of a familiar voice, turned quickly to find Astor standing on the other side of the table. He looked disheveled with his hood down, long hair strewn about his shoulders in every which way. The assassin had never seen him without his hood concealing the better part of his face; either Astor had stopped taking care of himself to dedicate his life to bring about the Calamity, or he never bothered to do so in the first place.

The Guardian’s eye moved to follow Astor’s movements as he skulked to take his place at the altar, ripping the teacup out of the Yiga’s hand. Looking closer, Sooga could tell that his eyes looked even more sunken in than they usually did. “Here I was, expecting the tea to be ready upon my arrival.”

“The boy has pulled the sword, hasn’t he?”

The way Astor’s lips turned into a deep frown spoke more volumes than he would ever care to admit, especially to Sooga. “Where is your oaf of a master?”

“Master Kohga is asleep. Waiting for your return is rather exhausting.”

“Fetch him. I have news to discuss with him.”

“With us,” Sooga interjected. Again, the teacup was pulled from Astor’s hand into Sooga’s and cast aside. “I will not allow you to fail us again, ‘seer’. What you may consider our failures are nothing but your own. Whatever vision you have next better guarantee us putting a stop to the princess and her champions, especially now that the Hylian is in possession of the legendary sword.”

Astor tilted his head up to glare at Sooga. “You doubt the validity of your true master?”

Sooga’s large hand reached out to pull Astor closer by the front of his robes. “I question the integrity of your objectives,” he snarled. “You have done nothing but lead us blindly into danger on the promises of bringing Hyrule to its collapse, yet their forces continue to grow stronger with each passing day. You are but a blight, poisoning our clan, and I will not tolerate another deceitful lie that will put Master Kohga’s — or our clan’s — life in jeopardy.”

The prophet remained cool under the threat of Sooga’s words. He chuckled and brought his hand up to pry the Yiga’s fingers off of his clothing. “By all means, if you think you can bring the Calamity to fruition yourself” — he presented his neck, more than amused when Sooga’s hand tightly wrapped around his throat — “go on and tempt fate.”

The thrill of being able to take matters into his own hands rushed through the assassin’s veins. All it would take was one squeeze—

"Sooga, sir!”

The doors to the hidden room slid open with one of the blademasters poking their head through the opening. There was a long, drawn out pause at the sight of the second-in-command with his hands around Astor’s throat. “Sir?”

“Leave us.” Sooga didn’t acknowledge his presence, solely focused on counting down the seconds it would take for Astor to take his last breath.

“M-Master Kohga is awake, sir.”

Astor craned his neck — as best as he could, anyway — to glance behind him to the blademaster for a brief moment. While the Yiga’s timing was questionable, it was impeccable at the wrong times. He sneered back at the mask Sooga wore as he fixed the hood of his robes back over his face, mouthing his words. ‘Go on.’

After a few more seconds, Sooga reluctantly released the prophet with a huff. He couldn’t kill him within the presence of one of his own clan members and with the Guardian still watching them ominously. Oh, how lucky Astor’s fortunes were on his side.

The prophet took one step backward to smooth out the wrinkles in his robes, nonplussed by his underling’s actions. Instead, he turned his back to Sooga to fully acknowledge the blademaster with a wave of dismissal.

“Send him up.”

——

After a course of favorite Kohga’s dessert — a small platter of Voltfruit and Mighty Bananas drizzled with honey — Astor delivered the news neither of the commanders had wanted to hear: the chosen hero had awakened with the Master Sword in hand. The Sheikah Towers were their next target, and with one close by…

Kohga’s chin fell into his hand as he struggled to put two-and-two together with his mind still hazed over from his long nap. “So, if they activate all the Sheikah whatsits—” his hand idly spun, trying to formulate the correct words, “— how does it affect us?” Astor stood in his rightful place, his ancient core in his hands as he meditated, ignoring Kohga’s rambling thoughts. Kohga tilted his head toward Sooga at his side for clarification.

The taller Yiga leaned in to whisper into Kohga’s ear. “Those Sheikah whatsits would reveal our location and what we are doing.”

The threat of their hideout — their home — being uncovered after thousands of years in hiding provided some clarity: they were in danger of losing everything. Suddenly Kohga’s mind cleared with the severity of the situation. His nails scratched deep across his head as he grumbled to himself. “If they discover our lair, we’re royally fucked.” His other hand banged against the table with a heavy thud.

Sooga knew Kohga had a penchant for being angry — and he had every right to be. Words of comfort weren’t his strong suit. He could only nod in agreement.

“Leave it in my hands,” Astor said, just loud enough to garner their attention. He opened his eyes and addressed them, a thin smile placating on his lips. “Bide your time until the time comes for you to play.” His eyes fixed toward Sooga specifically, daring for him to object again.

The Guardian screeched with a bubble of Malice, casting the candlelit room into a hue of purple. It drew Astor’s attention back to the core in his hands, and made Kohga sit upright in his seat as Malice continued to shroud the Guardian. Again, he was struck with awe, sensing the presence of someone greater than himself. Finding Sooga still standing upright, Kohga jabbed his elbow into his midsection.

“Show some respect, Sooga! These are the wishes of our Lord Ganon!” he hissed quietly.

Quickly taking the hint, the taller Yiga bowed swiftly. “A-Apologies!”

“A Guardian controlled by Ganon…” Astor’s words lingered in the air, the sheer power of the Guardian striking a sense of fear into Sooga’s veins. “With him at our disposal, Hyrule will be at its knees, and the world will be ours!” The sound of the prophet’s laughter filled the room, delighting Kohga in his seat. Maybe, just maybe, things would start to turn around for them.

Sooga glanced at the Guardian on its pedestal. ‘The immense power of Ganon… could it be controlled so easily?’ he wondered. From the top of Kohga’s headpiece, the Guardian seemed to stare straight into his soul. Through the uncertainty, the assassin knew that even this Guardian was more powerful than Astor himself. No, not even a self-proclaimed prophet could control this being.

“Laugh with us, Sooga! Don’t kill the mood.” Kohga patted his arm in a bid to relax.

Through a tear of the Malice cloud, another vision had procured: green fields littered with rubble and trees of all autumnal colors filled the void. Astor hummed lowly to recall the name of the region. “The Akkala Highlands... that is their key to unlocking the last of the towers. We must not let them gain control of the tower, if you wish to keep your home safe from discovery.” The Malice evaporated, basking them again back in the candlelight glow. “This is perhaps your last chance to make yourselves useful, lest you are willing to lose your home.” His head turned to face the Yiga. His smile was gone. “Am I heard?”

Neither of them said anything: they understood the risks. Kohga's chin fell into his hand again as he looked to his second-in-command. Sooga lowered his head with another bow.

“If that is what you wish.”

[hylian-champion]

Link’s Letters, the last Champion’s Diary

The first few entries are old / posted before but I decided to post them all together in one place anyway!!

        Aryll,

        I know I haven’t been able to see you for a while. I hope this letter makes up for it. People look at me differently lately. They treat me differently too. But I don’t feel any different. Am I different to you too? … Is it because of that sword?

        They say I’m the reincarnation of the hero of legend. As such, it is my duty to fight and win against the beast that threatens Hyrule.

        That hero… he was said to have tremendous courage. He must have in order to face such a terrible demon. If that’s the case, I don’t feel like a hero either. But I’ll try. I’ll keep up a brave face for everyone’s sake. Though, honestly, I’m terrified…

        P.S. Don’t tell dad I said that.

        I met the BIGGEST Goron today. Though I can’t tell what’s bigger: him or his appetite. I never knew Gorons ate rocks either. Weird. He offered me to try something called ‘rock roast’ which is apparently a local delicacy on Death Mountain. It’s… crunchy.

        Daruk is a very warm and friendly soul. It feels like you could have known him for ages when you’ve only just met. I really like him, and the Gorons in general. They’re pretty straightforward people. Incredibly strong too. Daruk seems to think I’ve got Goron-like strength as well. Maybe if I eat more rocks I could be as strong as him one day.

        It’s been so long since I last saw Lady Mipha. I heard that she was the one chosen to pilot Divine Beast Vah Ruta. To imagine her on the front lines of this battle… I was hoping to talk her out of it.

        When I arrived she told me about a Lynel on Polymus Mountain that has been terrorizing the Zora with its shock arrows. If you didn’t already know, those arrows can be deadly to the Zora. So I set off straight away to deal with it but Mipha… she followed me. Despite how dangerous I insisted it was, she wouldn’t turn back and we argued. I never knew she could raise her voice like that. The Lynel must have heard us and got the jump on us from behind. I took an arrow or two to the back though I didn’t actually feel it until after the monster was long gone. I’m alright, though, don’t worry.

        Having Mipha there… her support means a lot to me. I don’t know what I’d do without her.

        Today we have all been formally appointed as Champions. After the ceremony, I wanted to see those relics—the Guardians—up close. They’re meant to help us in our fight against Ganon, and… I have to say I’m glad they’re on our side. One of the ancient machines went out of control and started shooting a deadly beam at anyone who came close to it. I only had a pot lid to reflect its attack, but it worked!

        The king saw what happened and wanted to have a word with me. I thought he was upset because I broke one of the relics meant to save us…

        As if being a Champion wasn’t enough, it seems your brother is now the princess’s appointed knight.

        I should feel proud, shouldn’t I? It’s a great honor…

        The princess and I have arrived at Rito Village. I bet you would love the Rito. They resemble birds, though I don’t think they bear any relation to your cuccos. It may be rude to ask.

        Oh, but I did get to talk to the Rito Champion, Revali. Or… more like he talked to me and flew off. I can’t help but feel he looks down on me for some reason. Maybe it’s because of his height. Or that he spends a lot of time in the sky. You would have no choice but to look down on people from up there.

         If I were up there, I would never look down. For the most part because I’d just get terribly dizzy from the view. Do you remember when one of your birds got itself stuck on top of that old flagpole? I never want to climb anything like that again for as long as I live.

        We set out for Goron City today. The princess is intending to help Daruk with his control over Divine Beast Vah Rudania. It’s really quite admirable how determined she is. When she sets her mind to something she’s so focused on it, it’s like I’m not even there… Or, rather I get the feeling she wishes I wasn’t. Maybe I’m overthinking it?

         Still, the first time she addressed me, she wanted to know about the sword. Of course. The old legends say there is a voice that’s supposed to guide the chosen hero. She asked if I could hear it. I didn’t know what to tell her. So I said nothing. But I imagine she already knew the answer… She must despise me.

        It was nice to see Daruk again. I wanted to ask him for some advice about… you know. Turns out he needed some help too. His control over his Divine Beast has been a little… rocky. Honestly how can a big guy like that be so hesitant? All he needed was a little push to get the boulder rolling. Now, his handle over Rudania is rock solid.

        By the way, the postman can’t carry a whole rock roast all the way to Hateno for you. I asked. But I got you another Goron specialty: Goron Spice! Try it with some Hylian Rice and Goat Butter. It’s delicious!

         I always had the feeling that the princess hated me, I just never realized how much she did. I don’t know what to do. She does everything she can to get away from me, even travel alone despite the dangers. She’s made it very clear that she does not want my company, and yet it’s still my job to protect her. I can’t disappoint the King.

        But… I can’t stand being the reason she’d put herself in danger in the first place. I guess I can’t do anything right.

        I can’t ask Lady Urbosa for help. I mean, you make a very good point, Aryll. But what do I tell the longtime friend of the Royal Family? ‘I lost the princess… again!’ She’s way too smart for me to keep up. She does everything in her power to avoid me. And, worse, she’s really good at it.

        Though, I suppose if she keeps abusing Gerudo Town’s laws to separate us, the one person who has any way to address it is the Chief of the Gerudo…

        I hate when you’re right.

        It’s been days. I’ve searched every corner of this desert for the princess. Lady Urbosa said if she saw her she’d send word immediately. I get the feeling she knows exactly where she is. At least I hope so. The Yiga Clan has been all too active lately. But if she stays with Urbosa, then I know she’ll be safe. I just have to trust her. 

        Until then, I’ll stay close by at the Bazaar to keep an eye on things.

        That reminds me I got you something. There’s a lady in Gerudo Town who makes all kinds of jewelry from circlets to earrings to pendants—don’t ask me how I got it—but I hope you like it.

        Urbosa sent word last night that she’d found the princess but today, just like that, she was gone again in an instant. By the time I caught up to her I was almost too late.

        She’s safe, now. A little shaken up, I think, but unharmed. Though this all started because she tries so hard to avoid me. I think… Tomorrow I should tell her… If she would rather have another knight accompany her, then I will send in my resignation to the King. Regardless of the shame and disappointment that will come with it. If my job is to protect her, then I have no other choice than to leave. She should be a lot happier with whoever ends up my replacement. Less inclined to run away too.

        She… apologized… for everything. I think I get it. The princess carries such a heavy burden, and she does it with her head held high. She’s working harder than all of us to stay ahead of this prophecy. She’s so brave. I wish I could be more like her in that regard. 

        I could fight anything from lynels to hoards of moblins, but when it comes to… speaking… There’s so much I want to tell her. I’ve made up my mind, I’m going to try.

        P.S. Maybe I should offer to cook for her? I could make her grandma’s famous pumpkin stew! Do you think she’d like it?

        Zelda is staying at the Castle today to further her studies. With the whole royal guard there, she granted me some time off. This time I know it’s not just to get rid of me. I’ll be home soon, but I hope you don’t mind… I made a quick stop at Zora’s Domain to see Mipha. She took a look at that scar from the attack on Death Mountain and healed it right up.

        Out of the blue, she started telling me about the namesake of Divine Beast Vah Ruta. Apparently it’s named after a Zora princess and one of the legendary sages from an age far older than the Great Calamity. Legend has it she fell in love with the Hylian hero of that time.

        Do you think my past life married a princess? I can’t imagine.

        We got caught in a rainstorm by Lake Hylia.  

        I’ll be honest. I used to hate this destiny stuff. But… sharing it with Zelda the Princess isn’t so bad. As long as we have each other, we can face anything.

        By the way… How is father doing?

        Is it wrong to butt heads with the King? I guess that’s a very stupid question. Of course it is. It isn’t my place to interfere and yet… You have no idea how much I wanted to say something today. To stand up and tell him he’s wrong.

        Can they throw a Champion– a “hero of legend” in jail for speaking out of turn? I don’t know why that should even stopped me. I really am just too much of a coward.

        It’ll be Zelda’s birthday in a couple days. She’s working harder than ever to unlock this sealing ability. The day she turns 17 she’s heading straight for Mount Lanayru without even a moment’s rest. 

        That’s right, you’re coming to Castle Town with father, aren’t you? It’s a national holiday, but the one person who doesn’t get the time off to enjoy it is the one who needs it most. Maybe meeting you will cheer her up before we head out to the Spring of Wisdom. I’m counting on you! I’ll see you soon.

Love, Link

[katedoesfics]

Shadows of the Yiga | Chapter 24

“Link, get the… the door…” Mipha tiredly hit Link. She meant to tap his shoulder, but it turned out to be a slap in the face instead.

Link groaned loudly and blinked in the darkness. “The… door?”

“I mean…” Mipha yawned and turned over in the bed.

Link turned his gaze to his phone. The ringer was off, but it was vibrating loudly against the nightstand. His eyes squinted in the light of the screen, and his brows furrowed. Why was Teba calling him at two in the morning?

His fingers fumbled in the dark as he reached for the phone. He answered it and brought it to his ear with a yawn. “What?”

“Get up.” Teba’s voice was fierce. “I’m outside. Let’s go.”

The call ended. Link stared blankly at his phone in confusion. “Teba?” he said out loud to no one in particular.

“What… what’s he want?” Mipha asked.

Link sat up in bed, and his heart began to race. Something was wrong. He quickly got out of bed and made his way downstairs, pulling his pants on in the process. He stumbled through the darkened kitchen and opened the door.

Teba regarded him with a fierce expression at first, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he looked Link over. “Are those Mipha’s pants?”

Link looked down at the pink, plaid, fuzzy pants that he managed to squeeze into. He cursed under his breath and rubbed at his eyes. “The fuck is going on?”

Teba’s face grew serious once more. It was only then that Link noticed the weapon on his side. His brows furrowed as he met Teba’s gaze.

“We don’t have time,” Teba said quickly. “Roham’s got a warrant out for your arrest. A few of my guys, a few of Dorian’s. He’s not fucking around.”

Link blinked at him. “Arrest?” he sneered. “What fucking for?”

“For being a threat to Hyrule,” he said frankly. “Are you going to keep asking stupid questions or are you going to get moving? My ass is on the line too, you know.”

“Fuck,” Link spat. “Zelda -”

“Zelda is powerless right now,” Teba said. “Roham went behind her back. Besides… she’s preoccupied elsewhere.”

“Doing what?” he snapped.

“Can we do this later?” Teba said in an exhausted tone. “You need to get out of the city, now. ”

“If they’re looking for me, they’ll find me,” Link said. “You can’t possibly hold them off by yourself.”

Teba stepped aside, and Link looked around him. There, standing in the dark, were several other soldiers under Teba’s command. They were dressed in dark clothing, making them appear to be just dark figures in the night, though he could tell that they all carried various weapons and even wore their bullet proof vests.

“This is insane,” Link muttered.

“You’re lucky you have this many supporters right now,” Teba hissed. “You’re on thin ice. Would you like to keep pushing it? You’re wasting our time.”

“Alright,” Link growled. “Give me five minutes.”

“You have two,” Teba called as Link left them alone outside.

Mipha was waiting in the kitchen. She had pulled on one of his shirts and a pair of shorts. She regarded him with a worried gaze. “What’s wrong?”

“Roham,” Link muttered. “We need to leave the city.”

She nodded quickly, not once questioning him. “I’ll wake up Aryll.”

Mipha hurried to Aryll’s room to wake her, and Aryll jumped suddenly. She sat up in her bed, rubbing her eyes.

“What? What’s - what’s wrong? Is Link okay?”

“He’s fine,” she quickly assured her. “But we need to leave.”

Aryll blinked at her. “Leave? Why? Where are we going?”

“I don’t know,” Mipha said. “But we need to hurry.”

Aryll nodded sleepily and got out of bed. “Is this a ‘pack everything I love ‘cuz we’re blowing up the house and faking our deaths’ kind of thing? Or, should I just pack a toothbrush?”

Mipha sighed. “You’ve been around Link for too long,” she said. “Just grab the essentials, alright?”

Aryll frowned. “I was looking forward to faking my death,” she said dryly. “But I guess being on the lam is just as fun.” She started to grab various items, throwing them on her bed. “Maybe we can take the train across the kingdom like hobos.”

Mipha rolled her eyes and left Aryll alone. It seemed she had just gotten unpacked, and now she seemed to be moving again. Hopefully it was only temporary.

Within ten minutes, Link was packed, though most of the items he grabbed consisted of the various weapons his father had kept in the safe in his closet. The three of them moved through the darkened house and outside where Teba impatiently waited. He tapped at his foot, then pointed at his wrist, though there was no watch on it. Link rolled his eyes and threw their things into the car.

“Girls are with me,” Teba said. “They’ll be looking for your car.”

Link didn’t argue. It made sense, but still, he didn’t like the idea of being split up from them. And it seemed they didn’t appreciate it, either.

“Who will?” Aryll asked, her gaze narrowed on Teba. “And what happens if they do find him?”

“Link can handle himself,” Teba said. “Let’s go.”

Link winked at his sister before sliding into his car. Aryll rolled her eyes, but followed Teba and Mipha into one of the other vehicles.

One by one, they pulled out onto the empty road and drove through the sleepy city. After a moment, Mipha called, but it was Teba’s voice that greeted him. “Where do you want to go?”

Link hesitated. “How the hell should I know?”

“Think of something, then split from the convoy. One of my guys will follow you.”

Link searched his brain quickly. “The ranch. Aryll can get you there.”

The call ended, and Link did as he was instructed. He stopped following Teba and took a different route out of the city. As Teba had said, another vehicle broke away to follow him. A few of the vehicles split from the convoy, each one taking a different route out of the city, and he quickly lost track of them as they disappeared down other roads. He didn’t like being out of sight of Teba, but even without any extraordinary powers, he trusted Mipha and Aryll with him. As long as their escape went smoothly, he knew he’d seen them within the hour.

*****

Zelda and Paya stood in the empty office, their search rendering the same results as it did in Impa’s office. If Purah had anything of use, it was secured elsewhere. They quickly found, however, that they were not alone. They spun on their heels at Purah’s voice to find her leaning against the frame of the door, her arms crossed.

“My sister warned me you would be stopping by,” she said with a sly grin. She inspected her nails as if their presence disinterested her. “You can hide your face all you want, Paya, but I can see right through Zelda’s disguise.”

Zelda met Paya’s gaze, hesitant. Her red eyes turned to narrow on the Sheikah that stood before them.

“Relax,” she said, dismissing them with a wave of her hand. “Unlike Impa, I don’t believe in keeping you in the dark. Just don’t tell her you heard anything from me.” She stepped into the room and moved around her desk, letting her fingers slide across the wood as she did so. “You’ve done well to hide the queen’s identity, though. The Yiga are hunting her. They shouldn’t see through the spell like I can.”

“What do you want?” Paya asked coolly.

“I want to help,” Purah said. “You were right to come here. You want to know about the shrine. Let me save you the trouble; it won’t fix Link.” She sighed heavily. “Unfortunately, there is a small problem in regards to the shrine. The Yiga Clan robbed us just the other day. They got their hands on the Sheikah Slate - the only item that will allow the shrine to work.”

“What can you tell us about the shrine?” Zelda asked.

“The shrine was created several thousand years ago by the Sheikah,” Purah said. “It works with the Sheikah Slate to secure anyone inside and puts them into a stasis to allow them heal from fatal wounds. It has been used on heroes past before they had a chance to defeat Ganondorf.”

“A healing shrine?” Zelda asked.

“Of course,” Paya said. “With the Sheikah Slate, the Yiga Clan can use it for Ganondorf.”

Purah nodded. “Yes. I should have left it with Impa. It would have been safer in the protection of the city.” She smiled sheepishly. “But, you know how am I with these things, Paya.” She sighed and sat behind her desk. “I had been trying to get it to work for our own purposes, should history repeat itself.”

“History did repeat itself,” Zelda said through gritted teeth. “Link died.”

“But, he didn’t,” Purah offered cheerily. She put a hand on her chin. “Regardless. We must get the slate back.”

Zelda sighed and rubbed her temple. “Add it to our to-do list,” she said. “But we still need to figure out how we can fix Link.”

Purah frowned. “I’m sorry, but I cannot help you there.” She clasped her hands together. “If I knew anything, I would gladly help you. Impa and I have discussed it at length. It weighs heavily on her mind, you know. I do not believe the shrine will be able to help him. However, I won’t dismiss it entirely. I cannot know for sure until we test it ourselves. But to do that, we will need to get the slate back.”

“Alright,” Zelda said. She turned to leave the office, but Purah’s voice stopped her.

“I’d like to be able to tell Impa that she won’t need to worry about the slate,” Purah said. “That we have someone trustworthy looking for it. She will inquire. Surely I can’t tell her Hyrule’s queen is on her own rescue mission. How should I call you?”

Zelda glanced over her shoulder. “Sheik.”

*****

It was nearing four in the morning when the caravan reunited at the ranch. Link was not surprised to see one of the front windows cast aglow by a lamp inside. He knew Talon was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with his usual cup of coffee. When the sun rose enough to warm the cool air of the night, he would be enjoying his second cup on the front porch in his old chair before finally shuffling over to the barn to answer hungry calls.

The headlights of the vehicles flashed over the window as they pulled into the long, dirt drive, likely alerting Talon to their presence. When they stepped out of their respected vehicles, Talon was standing on the top step, his coffee in hand, peering curiously at him. He visibly relaxed when he saw Link move toward him, but his brows were still knit in question.

“I know I tease ya ‘bout bein’ lazy,” Talon started, “but did ya really need to bring a whole crew to help ya much a couple of stalls?”

Link offered him a tired smile. Talon sipped at his coffee, peering at him over the brim of his mug. His eyes moved to Mipha and Aryll, then looked over the heavily armed soldiers as they stood around cautiously.

“I guess yer not here to get a head start on the day,” Talon muttered.

“Not exactly,” he said. He turned his gaze toward Mipha and Aryll, hesitant.

“Ah’right,” Talon said with a great sigh. He straightened and adjusted his worn jeans. “Whatever ya need, kid.”

Link’s lips pressed together. “I just need them somewhere safe.”

Talon grinned. “Well, ya came to the right place. Ain’t nobody gettin’ passed me or the dogs.”

Link frowned. He moved his gaze to the open door. Talon’s three dogs were sprawled out lazily on the wood floor. “I wouldn’t be so sure.”

Talon whistled sharply and the three dogs sprang to their feet. Their tails wagged as they regarded Link before trotting over to him, then immediately passed him to greet Aryll and Mipha and their other visitors.

“Well, screw you, too,” Link said to the dogs as they ignored him.

“I’m not gonna get thrown in jail for harboring some fugitives, am I?” Talon asked, narrowing his gaze on Link.

Link shrugged. “Maybe.”

Talon smiled. “Ah, well. I s’pose there’s a first time for everythin’.” He whistled again and the dogs returned to him in a lazy lope. He turned away from Link, making his way back inside and speaking loudly over his shoulder. “More than ‘nuff room s’long as Aryll pulls her weight.”

Aryll yawned and rubbed her eyes. “Yeah, alright, man. But let me catch a couple more hours of sleep.” She grabbed her bag out of the car, saluted the soldiers playfully, and made her way toward the house.

“Next time we need to make a late night escape,” she started when she reached her brother’s side, “you can just leave me home.”

“I’ll remember that.”

Aryll grabbed Mipha’s wrist. “Come on,” she muttered. When Mipha tried to argue with her, she cut her off. “You know Link won’t have it any other way.”

Mipha sighed and met Link’s gaze before letting Aryll pull her into the house.

Link stood on the front porch as the door closed. He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to look down the dirt drive. The sun was just starting to peak above the distant mountains, casting hues of dark purples and pinks across the sky. The soldiers had gathered together, talking amongst themselves, and Teba parted from the group to join Link on the porch. He lit a cigarette, then pulled his phone out to text as the cigarette sat between his lips. He paused to hold it with one hand and he exhaled a puff of smoke with a heavy sigh.

“When Paya gets back,” he started, “she’ll be able to put a ward up. That should help keep you out of the eyes of the Yiga.”

“What is she doing?”

“She’s doing her part,” Teba said simply. “Don’t worry about it.” He put the cigarette out on the railing. “You need as many people on your side as you can get right now.”

Link turned away from Teba. “You don’t need to be a part of this,” he muttered.

“Well, that’s not your call,” he said frankly. “I work for the queen. And right now, I’m the only guy in her own army that she can trust.”

Link frowned. “You have a kid, man.”

“All he cares about is eating and sleeping. He won’t even notice I’m gone.”

“He’ll notice if he has to grow up without you.”

“Guess I’m sticking around, then.” He let a hand rest on Link’s shoulder before trotting down the steps. “I’ve got appearances to keep up with,” he said over his shoulder. “If you get scared, I’ll send Revali over to protect you.” He grinned at Link before slipping into his car, his face hidden behind the tinted front windows, then pulled out of the driveway.

Link watched until the car disappeared, then pulled out his phone and dialed Kit.

“Do you know what time it is?” Kit snarled in greeting.

“Figured you’d just be getting home.”

The line was silent for a moment. “Yeah, alright. What’s up, Mr. Hero?”

“You said you could get me things,” Link started. “What kinda things?”

[deiliamedlini]

WIP Wednesday

I have been mentally down and writing poorly for a few weeks now, and even my friend was like “oof, yeah don’t post this yet. It needs work” and thankfully has been stopping me from making rash decisions like randomly posting fics to AO3 on a whim.

The WIP below (even though it needs more editing) is the beginning of the new fic I’m going to post next. I’m finally back to the pirates too, which is making progress, but is just slow going because I’m making sure I’m not forgetting plots (which I already have so I am not rushing the chapter but it is in progress finally!).

It’s a Pre-Calamity AU with heavy emphasis on the AU. It’s basically Zelda being forced to train with Link for her safety. Antagonistic-but-not-enemies, to friends, to lovers trope. I want to call it Dance With Me because it’s not really about dancing (I like the other meanings of the phrase), but my friend says it sucks as a title and now I’m rethinking 😂 I’m doing so well! 

~~

When Princess Zelda was seventeen years old, she’d been fully prepared to die.

Ancient prophecies had foretold a Great Calamity that would sweep the land of Hyrule into a great blight and destroy it all unless those chosen by destiny could stop it.

Zelda had been one of those who’d been blessed by the Goddess’s alleged favor: Hylia’s spirit and magic coursed within her.

But the wielder of the Master Sword hadn’t been found in time.

Four champions stayed by the Divine Beasts: Urbosa, Revali, Daruk, and Mipha. And for a year, the five of them waited while King Rhoam of Hyrule went on a mad search for the Chosen Hero and for the location of the Master Sword itself.

Zelda had spent that time relentlessly pursuing the Goddess’ power; she passed out in the holy springs, prostrated herself before Goddess statues for hours at a time, devoted every waking second she had to prayer. But despite her greatest efforts, her attempts were fruitless.

But perhaps the Goddess were showing their favor after all, because despite every prophecy, despite every prediction, wall carving, and palm reading, the Calamity never came, and Zelda was spared a horrific death at the hands of darkness incarnate.

One year after the predicted date, the Champions felt like they could finally move away from the Beasts, ever watchful, but able to maintain some of their daily lives. Zelda stopped spending day and night in freezing water and instead moved to the Temple of Time where the weather was bearable, and the distance was well within reach of the Castle while still spending most of her time in holy grounds.

Two years after the predicted date, the Champions began to lead normal lives again, freely leaving their domains, though they were still ready to return at a moment’s notice. Zelda began to spend more time in the library, sifting through ancient tombs and personal diaries of past monarchs, hoping her answer lied in pages rather than prayer.

Three years after the predicted date, the Champions were harder to find on a day-to-day basis. But Zelda remained steadfast and relentless with her nose in books and her knees in the spring’s water. The Sheikah had to pull her out several times. They had to force her into recovery.

But by the fourth year, the Beasts had gathered dust, and Zelda had utterly given up, instead helping Purah and Robbie with their ancient tech and Guardian research, which—despite the lack of the Calamity—still had other practical applications.

It seemed that everything had been built up for no reason, that there was no Calamity after all.

So, it was only when they’d all gotten comfortable that the Yiga Clan, a cult devoted to the demon lord Ganon, began their relentless assault on Princess Zelda, heir to the Goddess’ devastating sealing powers.

The entirety of that year had been spent with Zelda running from attack after attack, losing her guards, losing Sheikah. She was sent back to the castle where Purah set up protective wards around her room that ran off ancient tech, and she continued working on them so they might be able to encompass the entire castle.

King Rhoam’s royal command had been that Zelda could not touch any Sheikah tech. She couldn’t look at Guardians, or ask about runes and wards. So, Zelda returned to her studies once more until her eyes burned from sitting over tombs in the candlelight.

She had to admit, she’d become proficient in her royal duties, following her father to almost everything she was permitted in. What she wasn’t, he’d fill her in on after.

At this point, a vast majority of Hyrule believed the peace was a sign that the Calamity was never going to arrive. The other school of thought, which Zelda subscribed to, was that the Calamity should be feared far more than ever, its unpredictability keeping the other half of the kingdom in a deeply rooted state of caution and suspense ever since.

Though Zelda had asked her father to let her leave the protection of the Castle more often for experiences outside of prayer, his answer was always the same: “I lost your mother to those cultists; I will not lose you as well.”

“I just want to swim in Lake Hylia,” she’d tried once. “The days have gotten unbearable. Please, father? I’ll take an entire company of guards with me.”

“I’m sorry, Zelda. No. You may go to a spring of your choice. The waters there will likely be a cool temperature. Perhaps try the Spring of Wisdom.”

Zelda was 21, though she felt as though one hundred years had passed. She was tired, bone weary with an exhaustion that had set in so deep, she spent a decent amount of her days simply sleeping. When she was awake, she stared at her hand, waiting for magic to miraculously hit her in the face. Perhaps if she stared long enough, the Goddess would take pity on her patheticness.

The days when she’d been sent out to pray were now her favorites. She’d found ways to coerce her guards into taking longer routes, stopping for longer breaks.

That’s what happened on the day her father had reached his breaking point regarding the attacks on her life.

She returned to the castle shaken and sore, but his tight arms held her as his body shook with relief. He sank to his knees and held her in his arms the way he’d done the day her mother died, and he realized he needed nothing more than to hold his child in his arms to remember that the world was still spinning as long as she was alive.

He’d told her that when he’d said goodnight to her, standing in the doorway of her room with poorly concealed heartache written all over his sagging body.

“I’m really fine,” Zelda said for the fourth time that hour. She sat on top of her long, blue satin sheets, sliding a bit as she tried to adjust her leg. Something about being curled into herself in some way helped make her feel comfortable as she smiled to ease her father’s mind.

“Okay. Well, I’m going to stop by in the morning, if that’s alright.”

“Sure,” she said, shrugging as if she were entirely unaffected by everything she’d been through. She was good at that façade after five years of stares and whispers.

“Okay. Goodnight. May the Goddess watch over you.”

That was how Zelda found herself in the library before the crack of dawn, perched on a ladder in the top shelves of the restricted section. She had access, of course, but she was reading an untranslated a Sheikah tomb from a former handmaiden of the Princess of Hyrule before her ascent to the throne. That Princess had practically bled power, and Zelda hoped her handmaid noted something of interest.

She tucked the book under her arm and climbed down, crossing the library that was filled with several lifetimes worth of books, and stopped in the government documents. Her eyes trailed the spines for a familiar one with territories clearly outlined. She went to the language section to grab a reference book for Ancient Sheikah. Though she was mostly fluent in that, among several other languages, the ancient variations on words occasionally tripped her up. So she set back up to her room with her pile of books, ready to be confined by her father for her safety once again.

Zelda nodded to several of the guards she passed as they stood at their post. Despite the castle being one of the safest places in Hyrule thanks to all the tech, guards were still positioned in the most well-traveled places on their patrols, while two guards stood at her door and her father’s.

Biting her lip, Zelda craned her neck around her pile to try to find the doorknob, fumbling her hand around blindly, just barely able to turn the handle. And because the Goddess never wanted to cooperate with her, she dropped two of the books, though she managed to cling to the relic with tight fingers. The other two fell right onto her guard’s foot.

“I’m so sorry!” Zelda muttered, bending to pick them up.

The guard was beside her, nearly banging heads with her as he grabbed the heavy translation tomb. Thankfully for her, he flinched away in time; he was wearing a helmet that covered most of his head, and she didn’t want to be on the receiving end of that metal. “Don’t apologize,” the guard said softly, picking up the other book for her. “Would you like me to…” He gestured vaguely to her room.

“Oh, no thank you. Just stack them on top of this one.” He did, and she took a step inside before backing up. “Actually, would you mind getting the antechamber door for me, please?”

He stepped inside and pushed the second door open before backing up respectfully.

“Thank you so much,” she said, about to use her foot to close the door when she looked back. “And again, I am sorry I dropped a heavy book on your foot.”

He bowed his head and stepped back out, so she closed the door and set her books down.

Her father came into her room early, as promised.

“Zelda,” he said with a strained greeting. The corner of his lip twitched, like his muscles had become tired under the strain of holding it up for so long, and his eyes held no joy, no spark. It was forced chipperness, and Zelda picked up on it immediately.  “May I sit?”

“Of course.”

She sat on a chest at the foot of her bed, and he pulled the chair away from the desk to face her. “Well, let’s not beat around the bush. There have been many attempts on your life, but I have felt none so potently as yesterday’s. When they told me you’d been attacked, all I could remember was the news of your mother. And then when you were brought in…” he ran a hand along a bruise on her cheek that she didn’t realize she had until she felt a flare of pain cause her to flinch. “You are my precious daughter, and I love you. I never want to see you harmed. That said, others do. It’s becoming impossible for you to safely leave the castle.”

Zelda braced herself. This was where he confined her to her room or to the palace grounds for the foreseeable future. She folded her hands over her lap so he couldn’t see the shaking grow more visible.

“You’ve been unable to protect yourself with your powers, so we must resort to other means. You’re to learn to defend yourself, starting immediately. We still need you at the springs, so I cannot command you to stay here. You still are a priestess of Hylia. So, given your setbacks, you’ll need to learn.”

Zelda’s mouth dropped open as she let the words process through her mind. “I’m sorry, what?”

“We’ll hopefully have a sword in your hand soon enough, but you’ll be able to defend yourself from these cultists.”

“A sword?”

“It’s too dangerous. We’ve lost too many guards. And you can’t fight as it is. This is the best option.”

“No!” she said, much louder than intended. “Fight the Yiga?” She shuddered just at the word.

“Zelda, we need you to live. Hyrule needs you to succeed, and to succeed, you must survive.”

Standing up didn’t make it any easier to breathe, as Zelda had hoped. “You think I haven’t tried?” Tears threatened her eyes as her voice cracked on her last word. As if years of her life sacrificed to unreturned devotion wasn’t enough for her. For him. For all of Hyrule. She’d tried, she’d bargained, she’d offered up her comfort, her breath, her mind, her years, her time. She was one person. What was left for her to do?

“Do you think I just stand there and watch my knights get murdered? Do I just drop to my knees and pray? Is that what you think I do?”

“Zelda…”

“No! You’re right, father. I’ll lead the Yiga right to the Goddess Spring that you need me to go to again just so I can brandish a sword and strike one down with my prowess! Because, Goddess knows that my Knights have an easy enough time with the Yiga, so it should be a cinch for me!” The sarcasm oozed from her in an unintentional venom drip.

“You’re telling me that I’ve failed! You’re telling me to give up and grab a stupid sword! Give me some armor next time I go to the Temple of Time! I don’t need my priestess garb. I have my sword! Because it will absolutely save me!”

“Zelda, please.”

“Please,” she scoffed, finally feeling a hot tear on her cheek. “You’re telling me I’m going to die! Five years ago, I was ready. I knew I’d failed, but I stood vigil waiting for the Calamity to give my life in the final hope that it might stop Ganon! But now, I was blessed with time, and still I can’t do it! I can’t access her powers. So you want me to fail one more time by using a sword to defend myself? This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard, and I was there when Lady Styla proposed that sham of a fashion show to lift spirits.”

“That’s irrelevant, Zelda.”

From the look on his face, she could tell he was not budging. She tried another tactic. “I-I shouldn’t be near a sword anyway! What if I stabbed myself by accident? Then there’s no way I’ll ever unlock mother’s power. I’ll be dead with or without the Yiga! I already dropped a book on my guard today! That could have been my foot with a knife! And before you tell me that there have been warrior queens and princesses throughout the history of Hyrule, that’s because they never met me. I’m not a fighter! I read books all day! I take notes. I can bore the Calamity to death with a detailed review of the territory lines in Northern Akkala! That might be more effective than a sword, at least.”

“Zelda, you’re not thinking of the big picture…”

“But if I don’t unlock the power because of some silly distraction like learning how to fight, then the world will fall to the Calamity. My time will now need to be spent in that wretched training area with all kinds of sweaty men. Do you want your precious daughter exposed to such a sight? Worse yet, what if I like it and decide to spend all my days there with… shirtless men!” She grimaced and blushed all at once.  

“This is the most absurd argument I’ve ever heard. You leave me no choice but to make that a command from your king rather than a request from your father. Because as much as I love you, I also am obligated to keep you safe.”

“Obligated?” her voice cracked again, losing some of her rambling thunder. “I’m an obligation? Is that how you see your daughter?”

She gasped when he let the silence answer for him.

“You start your training now. Your instructor has already been informed and will be ready for you.”

“Who?” she asked, glancing at the four guards at her door. Two hers, two her father’s. They were all hearing her shame. How long until everyone knew?

“He’s the most renowned swordsman in all of Hyrule, one of our best fighters, and he’s about your age, so he should be someone you can get along with.”

“The best fighter in all of Hyrule is only 22? No wonder the Yiga are everywhere, if those are our standards.”

“Be kind, Zelda.”

“Is that another order, My King?”

He sighed and crossed the room, stopping at her door. “One more thing. While you’re there, I’ve given him permission to overrule you if you command him not to train you. You will learn to stay safe, whether you want to or not. Now change and go. He’s expecting you now.” He turned his head to her guards. “Make sure she goes to the training yard, and if she refuses, come fetch me.”

As soon as he was gone, she slammed her door and sagged into the wood.

She did consider hiding out, but she knew her father would simply bring the soldier into her room to train if he had to. At this point, with the number of times the Yiga had come after her, she wouldn’t have really blamed her father if he’d locked her in a door-less room and dropped this instructor in through a hole in the ceiling until she learned to protect herself.  Truthfully, the idea itself—in theory—wasn’t the worst. Except for the fact that the Yiga were deadly warriors who trained to kill for most of their lives and slaughtered companies of trained Hylian knights.

Grabbing her most comfortable pants to train in, Zelda slowed as she remembered the event that had started this all.

The Great Tabanthan Bridge crossed the long expanse of the Tanagar Canyon, and she was always careful of the crossing. The fall alone would not only kill someone, but it’d likely flatten them clean out from a drop of that height. So, crossing it was not something that was taken lightly on a good day.

Being that far out there was entirely her fault to begin with.

She’d desired to visit the Temple to Hylia that was at the edge of the gorge, but she’d opted to lead everyone along the scenic route to enjoy some of her free time outside of the castle. The guards had protested briefly, but Zelda was adamant about a scenic detour.

What she hadn’t been able to predict or expect, no matter how much research she did, was that the Yiga were there, lying in wait for her and her guards.

She’d been bucked clean off her stubborn horse, and she’d been left on the great bridge as three Yiga ran for her. Though she’d gone to run, she was caught by one who appeared in front of her in a puff of smoke.

Trying to fight them off of her had been like the great struggle of praying for the Goddess’ powers: utterly futile, and a waste of time.  

Half of her attempts to shake them had been by holding the rope handle of the bridge and throwing herself precariously close so they’d have to follow.

The soldiers eventually reached her and fended the Yiga off, but they’d also recounted the entire incident to her father in horrific detail: how she was winded by the time she’d run halfway across the bridge, how she nearly fell off the great, how she couldn’t fight any of them off and had been overwhelmed, and how her weak strength had caused two large wounds in her palms from where she’d tried to push a blade away from her at one point.

Glancing down at her now-healed hands—thanks to the castle medics—Zelda pulled on her boots and tugged up the laces tight. She wasn’t weak. She just wasn’t… physically domineering. But put any puzzle, any riddle, any impossibility in front of her and she’d find the solution. That’s not weakness. That’s strength. She is strong… just not traditionally.

Her shirt was loose, and she tied up her hair before looking at herself in the mirror for a long time, finally noticing the bruise she’d sustained. She was going to hate this almost as much, if not more, than she hated horseback riding.

Resigned to her fate, Zelda trudged slowly toward the training yard, hoping to be late enough to at least remind everyone that she didn’t want to be there.

Glancing at the sun, she’d determined that she managed to be at least fifteen minutes late. Not bad. She could do worse next time.

The yard was empty of the usual hustle and bustle that went on, and she imagined that her father must have ordered it be kept clear for her private sessions. But it was also clear of an instructor.

She stood in the middle of the training yard and fisted her hands tightly as she looked around. No one. Her eyes narrowed at the empty space, searching for some sign of trickery. But the only others there were the two guards she had brought with her.

“Is this some sort of a joke?” Zelda asked, placing her hands on her hips. “Hello?”

There was no answer.

Shrugging happily to herself, she was ready to leave, but one look at her guards standing near the entrance reminded her of her father’s orders to fetch him if she didn’t go; either she stayed here long enough to prove that she made the attempt, or she’d be embarrassingly dragged back down by her father’s guards, humiliated as they would keep hold of her arms to ensure she followed them right back here. Her father would make sure she was here, no matter what.  

Crossing her arms, Zelda walked around. She rarely went to the training yards unless she was up in the parapets, so being down in the dirt and grass felt like she was in an entirely new world. One she didn’t belong in.

There were training dummies lined up against a wall and a worn dirt track in a wide circle around the outskirts of the otherwise square area. There was a bench. There were weapons on a rack.

And that was it.

She looked at the footprints etched in the dirt, kneeling down to read the story told by the shoe treads. There was a large step forward, and then several overlapping smaller ones as the wearer clearly stumbled back. Then a single skid mark as they were forced back. And then the imprint of a body where they’d fallen.

If Zelda were here under any other circumstances, she’d have smiled and tried to find all the stories in the dirt, but instead, she stood back up and sighed, craning her neck towards the barracks just past the archway. No one was outside, and no one was coming.

“Okay,” she muttered to herself, prepared to leave. But her eye caught on a weapon rack, and she glanced one more time at the barracks before heading to the largest spear. She held it, pretending she was one of her knights. Goddess, if a Yiga came at her, she’d die. Fear first, and then clumsiness, because who could control this glorified stick well enough to kill a Yiga?

She shuddered and put it back.

“You can get there eventually,” someone said.

She spun around to see one of her two guards walking towards her. He removed his helmet, shaking out his blonde hair. Zelda watched in confusion as he set the helmet down on a post and pulled a blue band off his wrist to tie his long hair back.

“But only if you’re not fifteen minutes late on purpose,” he said, not looking up at her. “Princess,” he added with a bow of his head.

Her mouth dropped slightly and her cheeks warmed at the light scolding. “I beg your pardon?” she asked, almost doubting if she’d heard him correctly.

She scoffed at his audacity, recognizing the bright blue eyes of the guard she’d dropped her book on. Did he think that a conversation with her this morning gave a guard the right to chastise her?

He held out his hand, and she instinctively handed the spear back, though in hindsight she wished that she’d hit him with it instead. She’d been too stunned. He returned it to it’s place, and walked across the entirety of the training yard without so much as looking at her.

Her feet tumbled after him as she mentally and physically struggled to keep up. What was happening? Why wasn’t he answering her? Why was he even talking to her? Who was this man?

“Hey!” she finally called. He stopped and turned.

That’s when he looked up for the first time, his downcast blue eyes lifting off the dirt and settling on her green ones.

Pride swelled in her when she saw them waver, because clearly her voice had rattled him in some way. He clearly didn’t like looking her in the eye either. His eyes kept darting off of hers, and he had to keep forcing them back. Her own eyes narrowed, trying to understand this guard. “Who are you?”

“Your instructor.”