#i’ll always believe in you; {princess zelda}

[silentium-symphony]

So This is... Lust (Link x Reader) SMUT

(a/n) ya'll, i finally finished it ToT i'm so sorry for the wait, but it's finally here now! i had so much fun writing this!

i took a look at my schedule for next semester and i have *a lot* of free time, so hopefully that'll mean more time to write and, in extension, finally open up my inbox for requests!!! i've never done requests before at least on this account because i was always so busy. i'm not too sure how much time my new research position will take up (i was told it would be time-consuming, but i'm not sure how time-consuming), so i'll keep you guys updated!

as always, i hope you enjoy this ~steamy~ oneshot! and remember: if you are a minor, do not interact.

cw: afab!retainer!reader, reader wears a dress, link masturbating to the thought of you :), mentioned reader masturbation (like one line), cunnilingus, missionary, mentioned doggy, overstimulation, tried to make link a soft dom heheh, swearing, dirty talk, dumbification, fingering

wc: 6.5k

♤♢ ~~ ♡♧

"(F/N)?" Zelda slinked her back against her chair, sinking into the worn, plush cushion that coddled her stiff vertebrae.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Please prepare the horses... We're going to take a little walk." She pinched the bridge of her scrunched nose. "If I am to look at these documents a moment longer, I believe my head will explode."

"But Your Highness, Link should be coming any minute now. We must discuss the security details for the upcoming ball." Your usually terse expression softened at the royal's groan. "But we can go out afterwards.”

"Yes, you're right... Apologies (F/N), I completely forgot about that meeting. Will anyone else be coming?"

"No, Your Highness. It will just be—“

Knock knock knock!

"Ah! Perfect timing." Zelda tapped a thick, disheveled pile of documents against her desk into a more manageable bundle. "Come in!"

The brass doorknob shifted slightly and clicked open, revealing Hyrule's most renowned knight. A pair of cobalt eyes went from you to the Princess and he bowed wordlessly.

"Link. Thank you for—“

A loud bang, then wood stuttering against stone, quickly followed by the airy splish of dozens of documents fluttering to the ground. You dove across the desk, grasping a few documents you were lucky enough to catch and watched the rest pool by the table’s legs.

"Oh Hylia—!”

"Your Highness! Are you okay?!" Your hand flew to the staggering princess, documents be damned; Link sprung to Zelda’s side and placed a restful hand on her shoulder.

"I-I'm fine, really...” She muttered, rubbing her sore knee. “Goodness, I'm so sorry for the mess. Let me clea—“

"Absolutely not, Your Highness. I’ll take care of it." You cut, already circling the desk and shuffling the disarrayed documents on the floor. Link joined you on his hands and knees, carefully scooping up piles of paper onto the desk and into your arms. A jolt of electricity shot through your heart as you felt worn leather chafe against your skin. You turned away, 'looking' for other scattered documents, and coughed out,

"Thank you Link, but please don't worry. I can take care of this."

A determined look gripped his features as he stared and shook his head. Without uttering another word, Link once again began gathering the parchment. A soft sigh left you, and an even softer smile graced your lips.

"Can you hand me that document, please? I think these go together... Oh, and... these have matching headings, so I'll take that and you can have those..."

Even in her mildly frazzled state, Zelda wasn't blind to the faint red that whispered the surface of your cheeks when Link got a little too close, or the shifty flash of Link's blues whenever your fingers 'accidentally' grazed his. As much as she wanted to jump in and rectify the mess she made, maybe... She should sit this one out. Enjoy the show. Or better yet... Hm... When was the last time you and Link had a day off?

In no time at all, all correspondence was off the floor and either in your arms or on the desk. Your fingers flew this way and that, reorienting texts right side up and shuffling this paper behind that, and this one goes over here, and wait… Shouldn’t these be bundled together?

"Once again, I apologize for the mess I had created. Thank you both for cleaning it up."

"No worries at all, Your Highness." You finally looked up and cast a warm smile at the knight. "Thank you for helping me, Link."

A bashful grin cracked the stoic man's lips and he awkwardly rocked his feet. All that extra motion certainly drew attention away from the fists tightening behind his back. Zelda cleared her throat and eyed some documents pertinent to the upcoming social.

"Right. Now that that's all settled, let's get down to business."

♤♢ ~~ ♡♧

"A-Ah... Mmph..."

The knight threw his head back, feeling his temples drum in time with his cock. Sweat dewed his ivory skin and his Adam's apple bobbed a name he dared not utter, lest someone discover the target of his hidden fantasies. A scene from earlier that day has been playing in his head on repeat, fueling the sensual fantasies that has drawn him awake past the midnight hours; his fist thumped faster against his thighs and his back careened toward the ceiling.

You—gorgeous, gorgeous you—bent over a desk grasping desperately for a document fluttering to the ground.

With slight modifications, of course. The hem of your dress pooled about your hips—hips he oh so desperately wished to sink his teeth and fingers in—your hands tied prettily against your lower back as he thrusts into you again and again, his fingers tenderly coaxing your feathery soft hair... But the best part? You looking back at him, tears stinging the corners of your eyes, and his name spilling out of those plump lips he yearned to taste.

He could hardly remember what the Princess had told him. Something about the security details for the upcoming ball, but Hylia only knew if he retained anything past that. All he could think of was you, you, you—the Princess's loyal, respectful, diligent, beautiful retainer. How he craved your presence! If only you knew how much he liked you! Oh, the things he dreamt of doing to you.

"Ngh... (F-F/N)...!"

♤♢ ~~ ♡♧

The garbled talk of Hyrule's high society bounced off the castle walls and the guards' helms, which flickered bright flashes of torchlight. A pair of cobalt eyes flitted about every corner of the room, filing away mental notes of the ball's invitees and the stream of people that flowed in and out of the ballroom. Link scooted along the wall—weaving around young, giggly wallflowers and decrepit, lonely barons in search of another wife—always making sure you the Princess stood in his line of sight.

After sending you away to drop off another gift at the crowded gift table, Zelda turned around with the polite smile most nobility had during these sizeable socials. She caught eyes with her loyal guard and slowly made her way over, skillfully avoiding conversation with the withdrawn, mysterious grace of a royal. Eventually, she found herself at the side of one of her most trusted confidantes.

"Link, I believe the next song shall be a waltz. Do you still remember how to dance?"

Link nodded dutifully, sensing an incoming question. Is Her Highness hinting that she wants him to ask her to dance...?

"If so, why not dance with (F/N)?"

Link, who happened to be swallowing his spit as she said that, hacked it all back up and proceeded to draw the most distressing and deprecating attention an introvert could draw to themselves in a single night. He turned to her, lovestruck panic evident in his eyes, and shook his head like a wet, storm-logged puppy.

"Now now, don't be shy! I'm sure she'd be happy to share a dance with you."

"Your Highness! There you are." A bright voice from yonder drew closer to the duo, and Link could feel himself shrinking. "I've been looking all over for you. Why are you all the way over here? Have you grown tired?"

The torpid, repetitive chords that most patrons had droned out this part in the night livened into a steady waltz. Link could feel Zelda's smirk and knowing gaze burn into the side of his head.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, but I assure you I'm fine. I just wanted to have a little chat with Link. But (F/N), you should dance! Enjoy yourself! You've been working far too hard these days."

"Thank you for your concern, but I would feel better if I were attending you."

"(F/N), don't be like that." She squeezed a gentle hand on your shoulder. "I'm saying this more as a friend than your queen. Please go have some fun. Maybe you'll meet your Prince Charming, just as you've always hoped you would.“

"Zel—Princess!" Your heart dropped to your stomach and a pair of hands immediately flew to cage Zelda's arms. "T-That was so long ago—I mean, I was only a little girl and—!"

A genuine, lighthearted laugh alighted your friend and she gazed at you with a sisterly fondness.

"Just teasing. It's always so fun to do so."

"Your Highness..." Your head hung as low as your spirits as you felt Zelda's frame shake from a stifled laughter.

"Your Highness?" All eyes turned to the clear, bold voice a few bodies past you. "Can I have this dance?"

The young suitor flashed a kind, dimpled beam as he held out a gloved hand to Zelda. The royal returned her own practiced, elegant smile and took his hand.

"I would be honored." She turned to you. "My apologies. I'm afraid I must go. But do have fun tonight, okay? You deserve it."

And with a swish of her gown, she was escorted through a parted sea of people to the middle of the dance floor. She locked eyes with you for a second, and cast a knowing tilt towards him.

You two were locked in a domain of stiff silence, both looking helplessly towards your mutual friend who had seemingly forgotten all about you. Link's timbers began shivering like no other as he replayed a thousand ways this night could go.

Freeing himself of his chains of self-doubt, he pushed himself off the wall and slowly made the short way over. Your heart had practically stopped pulsing while Link's was pounding away all breath from his lungs. He felt a sickly pallor drain his cheeks; he silently thanked the gods for the bright lights that filled his cheeks with artificial ruddiness.

"(F/N)...?" You turned, your thundering heart almost drowning out the Hero's squeak. "Can I have this dance?"

Pure, unadulterated sincerity crinkled Link's eyes, which held a certain life-like sheen typically absent for the soldier; for the briefest of moments, you felt that you were allowed a glimpse into his heart. Fighting the urge to scream 'til your lungs gave out was the understatement of the century as you dipped your fingers into his palm.

"I would be honored."

The small, anxious smile widened into one of pure delight as he led you further into the ballroom. He pulled you into the fringes of the waltzing couples and placed a steady palm close to your shoulder blades, inadvertently pressing you closer to him. Clothed fingers weaved through your own and pulled your hand away from your trembling frame. You could only hope he couldn't feel the aggressive thumping in your chest.

"Are you okay?" His voice rumbled in your ear.

"Y-Yes!" You blurted suddenly, your nerves not quite heeding your volume. You were practically melting from the stinging, judgemental stares thrown your way and you swallowed thickly.

"Yes, I'm okay. Thank you for your concern."

"We don't have to do this for very long if you don't want to." He muttered, his hand slipping to your waist as he dipped you. Your delusions led you to believe that his eyes lingered on your neck a moment too long... But surely your eyes were just playing tricks on you.

"It's just... Well, I'm rather nervous, so..."

You slowly turned your gaze upwards, peering through quivering lashes and fully expecting the knight's visage to be contorted in mockery; you were pleasantly surprised that his eyes held nothing but warmth for you.

"I understand." He effortlessly guided your next movements into a spin. "How can I help you feel more at ease?"

"Mm..." You unknowingly gave his shoulder a light squeeze, causing Link's heart to flutter. "Would it be all right if we talked some more?"

"Of course. What would you like to talk about?"

"Well... I've actually always wondered this, but have you always wanted to become a knight?"

"Hm... That's a good question." He chuckled, his hot breath tickling your cheekbones. "I wasn't particularly against it. As you may know, I come from a long line of knights, so it was only expected that I became a knight too."

"How did it feel when you found out you bore the legendary Triorce?"

"... Surreal." He concluded, a glimpse of wistfulness in his eyes. "My life hasn't been the same since."

"Oh... I'm sorry if this brought up difficult memories."

"Not at all!" His tired eyes snapped to life. "Yes, training became much harder after that and the pressures of the throne are very much there… But it wasn't all that bad. After all, I got to meet you—“

At the utterance of the last syllable, Link's face twisted into horror; not even the bright, warm lights could disguise his drained cheeks. You felt your entire face engulf in flames and screamed your heart out smiled shyly.

"That's... really sweet of you, Link. Thank you."

He cleared his throat and desperately wished for a Link-size hole to swallow him up this very second. Every gear in his brain cogged away as he chose his next words carefully.

"You and the Princess seem close."

"Yes..." A bittersweet comfort gripped your heart as deeply cherished memories flashed through your mind. "We were girls together."

"How long have you been her retainer?"

"Since we were very young. Like you, I come from a long line of individuals who serve the royal family and, well... Zel and I have been best friends for as long as I can remember."

"'Zel?'"

"O-Oh!" Panicked side glances jittered here and there; you let out a deep breath, thankful that no one heard your insubordinate casualness. "Please forgive me. That was a nickname I used to call Her Highness."

"No worries. I just... thought it was very cute."

The both of you were completely oblivious to the crimson that coated the other's cheeks—how could you be when your own face ran hotter than the lava at Death Mountain? You were startled out of your mushy haze with a bright, chime-like laugh.

"Her Highness was right. You are fun to tease."

Before you could retort some type of response, the ensemble played its final note. While all the other couples were separating and bowing to their dance partners, Link was quite slow to release you, and you were even slower to leave his arms.

"Thank you for the dance, Link. You are a wonderful dance partner."

"Likewise," he straightened his back, "I hope we can do this again."

♤♢ ~~ ♡♧

Gods, you wanted to go to bed.

Your nice, warm sheets were all you could think of as you clicked the door to the Princess's bed chambers shut. You threw your arms above your head and groaned out the tension that had carved its way into your joints.

Your feet automatically led you down the long winding corridor, past the soldier's quarters and towards your—

"Mm... F-Fuck..."

Wait a damn minute.

Your feet ceased their dragging as a voice that sounded eerily similar to a certain Hero echoed nearby. You gripped your chest, as if that would quiet the thundering pounding in your ears.

… Silence...

Were you losing your mind?

Chalking whatever... that was to your perverted imagination, you once again began your trek towards—

"Ah...!"

—Link's room wait since when did you start moving in this direction oh gods oh Hylia

"Mmph! Fuck- yes- hah..."

The noises were undoubtedly coming from his room, your ear pressed against the door confirmed that. Your hand flew to your mouth as your knees locked in place, your ears feasting listening to the sinful whimpers and pants of Hyrule's sword and shield. You were thrown into the deep end, drowning in a cacophony of your own thoughts.

What the fuck holy shit what the fuck holy shit what the fu Was he alone? Wait, but the bed squeaked just now, so does that mean he’s with someone? And if so, who? But if he's alone... Who could he be thinking of?

This was wrong. This was so, so wrong of you to be violating his privacy like this. You would be mortified to learn that someone was listening to you pleasuring yourself—everyone's entitled to have these moments to themselves. So why couldn't you just... walk away?

"Mm... Oh, (F/N)..."

... Huh?

“I need you I need you I need you…” He slurred with sloppy breaths. Shame swelled within you as a wet heat pooled between your legs and wickedly delightful thoughts ruminated in your mind. Your chest constricted, sensing the crossroads that would undoubtedly decide your future relations with your long-time crush; you toyed with either option as carefully as your lust-hazed brain would allow. With your heart mere moments away from seizing, you carefully lifted your hand, suddenly aware of every muscle needed to execute the simple motion.

Four docile raps lisped the wood. You froze, the veil of sensuality finally lifted from your senses as the gravity of the situation bucketed you like cold water. Oh gods, what have you done? Your heart raged against your ribcage and beckoned you to flee! Run! There’s still time, go!

A quiet click.

A pair of blown-out pupils amidst a thin strip of blue peered out at you.

“L-… Link?”

“… Yes?”

You listlessly felt yourself move forward; sex-clung darkness draped over your bodies as you pushed yourself through the door, slamming your lips against his in heated desperation. Link returned your fervor with a fluidity that made you wonder if he’s fantasized about this as much as you have. You cocked your heel against the door, shutting out all unwanted light to carry out your feral desires in the dark.

He pressed you against the thin slab of wood, rough hands claiming residence in the plush of your hips while his lips conveyed a primal urge to claim. You didn’t hesitate in welcoming his tongue, feeling the hot muscle drag against your bottom lip and wrapping itself with your own in a sloppy but passionate dance. Thick golden locks tangled your fingers and you pulled him closer, closer, closer until his muscly frame was melded into yours.

He departed from your lips and quickly found refuge in the crook of your neck. His hot breaths dragged across your flushed skin, sending an anticipatory chill down your spine as he speckled your softness with nips and butterfly kisses. Large hands explored what they could, never settling in one place for long while his lips began imprinting deeply-colored marks by the junction of your neck and shoulder. His grabs and kneads were desperate, as if he fully believed that at any moment you would depart from him forever, leaving him with a ghost of what could have been.

Your chest heaved into his. Colors you’ve never seen before danced before your eyelids in a pandemoniac parade while hellish flames seared through your core. Link lapped and kissed and teethed your neck, relishing in the bit-back mewls that occasionally leaked out of you. The moonbeams that had passed through the clouds applauded the red desire he worked into your skin and Link felt a surge of boldness rush through him. After speckling your rising and dipping chest with his spit, he dropped lower and lower.

The cold absence of his hands didn’t go unnoticed by you, and before you could process what was going on, the unfamiliar cold that whipped your exposed legs pinched a yelp out of you. In one smooth motion, the Hero of Hyrule was under your dress and kissing the pillowy softness of your thighs—as he always dreamt of doing—silently worshipping Hylia’s masterpiece.

And oh, how he worshipped you. How each fiery, wet kiss was a prayer of gratitude to the goddess for creating someone like you. How every bite, every mark he left you with was all in the name of you, his true deity, and your moans that served as his gospel. By the end of the night, he was determined to have you chanting his name like some mantra that would bind you two past a one night stand.

Your heart roared in your ears, anticipation for where his lips would fondle next nearly causing the overworked muscle to implode; your legs nearly gave out when you felt his teeth graze the edge of your drenched panties. The lace dragged and coiled into a thin strip as Link buried his face into your sex, relishing the ambrosia he was to partake in. Before that though, his lips traced a languid line to your hips, which was promptly suckled and bitten with the gentleness of a doe. His fingers hooked themselves under your panties and, with painfully slow movements, dragged the nuisance down your hips, your thighs, and finally, the ground. With all obstacles out of the way, Link turned his attention back to your throbbing lips, licking his own with the hunger of a starved animal.

He wasted no time in burrowing himself into you, tonguing and lapping the juices that have dared to slip out and refusing to waste a single drop. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he completely lost himself in you, rubbing tight circles into your clit with his thumb while drinking up whatever you could give him with his mouth. You bunched the noisome fabric about your waist, desperate to sink your fingers into his hair. He chuckled at your slightly buckling knees, and a wonderful idea flashed through his head.

He threw one of your legs atop his shoulder, and his heart nearly gave out from the sheer joy of seeing you spread like this. The new position allowed him deeper access into you, and a lone finger soon replaced his tongue’s sinful ministrations as the latter wrapped and toyed with your puffed-up bud. A full moan lapsed out of you in earnest and you unknowingly tightened around his digit. Link’s cock tented painfully against his pants, but he was set on having you cumming all over his face before he even thought about touching himself.

One of your hands anchored itself in his hair, knotting his disheveled locks into messy bunches that only grew wilder the faster he went. Uneven, haggard breaths and pleas for more echoed off his walls and Link had never been more pleased to carry out a request. His fingers and tongue would take turns wrecking you, never giving your poor clit and drenched entrance a break as he tongue-fucked and fingered you closer and closer to blissful oblivion. Link knew the milky white end was in sight, and he eagerly pressed his tongue flat against your cunt.

“Cum for me… Fuck, give it to me. I need you to cum in my mouth…”

His filthy request buzzed mind-shattering tingles to the deepest parts of your core, finally tipping you over the edge. You fell from a high you’ve never experienced before and your orgasm was borderline violent. A silent scream left your gaped mouth and you collapsed, panting, quivering. Link’s heart and ego swelled at your blissed out face as he leisurely wiped the juices dribbling down his chin. He scooted closer to you and pressed a deep kiss against your lips, leaving traces of you in your mouth. He pulled away with a pop, a smile, and an effortless huff as he carried you to his bed.

You were still fighting to regain some semblance of normal breathing when he set you down on his sheets. He pressed a soft kiss to your forehead and pulled away, taking a moment to relish in how you looked in your sensual vulnerability. His pulse quickened and his pants tightened further, eager for release, but Link was patient. He waited for your breathing to slow, caressing your cheeks and cooing praises into your ears. His tenderness was enough to almost lull you to sleep.

“(F/N)…” Adoration dripped from his tone. “Can we go further?”

You opened your eyes slightly and practically melted from the gentleness in his voice and the care in his eyes. With a soft, albeit tired smile, you nodded and traced small circles into his cheek. Puppy-like enthusiasm exuded off him and he kissed the tip of your nose, plucking a small giggle out of you.

“Just relax… I’ll take care of you.”

He worked the hem of your dress into a bulky bunch by your hips before throwing the whole thing over your head and gently discarding it on the floor. A soft, wonder-filled smile cracked his lips as he drank in all of you.

“You look beautiful… You are beautiful…” He murmured to the air, voicing his most private thoughts aloud. A slightly pruned finger traced down your sides. A shiver ran through your body and his name whimpered out of your mouth.

“Say it again.” He breathed shakily. “My name. Say it again.”

“Link…” You flushed under his piercing gaze. His expression flickered darkly for just a moment before his eyes crinkled warmly.

“You have the prettiest voice, you know that?” He nuzzled into your neck. “I can listen to you for hours.”

“Link…” You cradled his face in your palms. “You don’t… have to hold back. I’ll let you know if anything hurts.”

His eyes widened before a small chuckle left him.

“We’ll get there eventually, I promise. For now though…” His lips coupled with yours in tender obsession. “I want to make you feel good tonight.”

While his lips reunited with your own, his fingertip traced lazy patterns from your chest, down to your stomach with swirly circles, and finally in between your legs. He moved his hands with battle-hardened precision, skirting around your still-pulsing clit, being extra careful not to overstimulate you yet. The simple trail coaxed the neediest whine out of you and you jutted your hips up and down, side to side. You could feel him smile into the kiss.

“Eager, are we?” He purred, skimming the surface of his lips on your cheek before redirecting his efforts towards your nipples.

"Gods, look at you... You're so beautiful all spread out like this, just for me." His tongue swirled and sucked the perked bud while your other nipple rolled in between his thumb and index. He dragged the tip of his tongue from one nipple to the other, repeating the process again and again until he was satisfied with the glistening rawness. A long moan, honeyed with need and fringed with desire, escaped you as your back arched in toe-curling pleasure.

His fingers hastened their movements, circling the hardened pearl with calloused finger pads and teasing your slit, sometimes dipping the beginnings of a finger past its entrance. But it was never enough. Never, ever enough. Your pleas and cries and begging only sent Link further down this power trip, molding your sex-steeped senses however he wanted until you were a sobbing, hiccuping mess.

“Please Link…” You sputtered in between sobs, the knot in your gut constricting and loosening in sync with his tease. “I need you inside, please, please, please…”

“Shh…” He murmured, silencing your chants with a soft kiss. “Patience.”

“Link, please, I-I can’t—“

“Yes you can. Just a little more… Show me more of those lewd expressions.” A rough pinch on your clit scored a scream out of you and your eyes rolled to the back of your head. “Good girl… So pretty for me. You’re all mine, aren’t you?”

“Yes! Gods, yes! I’m all yours Link, so please—“

Your voice sputtered to a stop, caught in edged ecstasy as the friction you had been craving for for the past Hylia-knows-how-long was suddenly served at blinding speeds.

“This is what you wanted, right?” He cooed, his chill tone contrasting the growing flush in his cheeks. You squirmed and writhed uselessly under him as your mind blanked and reeled from the sudden onslaught of pleasure.

“T-Too fa— Link, you’re—! I’m—!”

You were practically catapulted into your next orgasm, but despite your shaking release, Link never let up—in fact, he picked up his pace until veins marbled the surface of his arms. Another orgasm was ripped out of you, then another, and another, all while Link whispered,

"Oh, sweet girl, I know you can do it. I know you can cum one more time... Just one more, c'mon..."

Nothing else mattered to you at that moment. Nothing in the world could pull you out of the ecstasy Link had so readily given you. The only sensations you were capable of feeling were the coiling and spasming release of your gut as the man before you worked you into a mindless little thing. Link’s heart swelled at the fucked-out, dazed look on your face and he finally released his cock from its clothed prison.

"Do I have permission to fuck you senseless?" He husked into your ear, tending to his weeping cock with the residual slick left on his fingers. You nodded your head vigorously, dumbed down to your most base desires.

He slotted himself in between your legs, rubbing and dipping his tip a little bit past your entrance before his patience snapped in time with his hips. A gaspy whine rasped out of both of you, thickening to sweet, candied moans for more.

You were so tight… So warm... So wet… He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing—a concentrated attempt to not just immediately cum on the spot. Link stretching you out choked a groan out of you and your arms clung tightly about his neck, clawing desperate lines into his back.

"Gods, you feel so good... So tight for me... You're just made for me, aren't you? Made to take my cock..."

His fingers doled soft dips into your hips, coaxing the tight muscles into releasing their tension. All you could do was nod fervently, your voice too hoarse and mind too fogged to formulate any words. Link pervaded every single one of your thoughts, and all you could really muster was a gaze into his darkened blues, glazed over with lust. It took every ounce of mental fortitude to keep Link from pounding you into his bed; he softly kissed away the tears that threatened to spill.

"I'm gonna start moving now... Are you ready?"

A nod; Link positioned himself until your noses were almost touching, braced his hands on either side of your head, and slowly rocked his hips. The simple, fluid motion ellicited a moan out of the man and a whine out of you, electric pleasure shocking you to your core. His watchful gaze gauged your reactions, your comfort always at the forefront of his mind.

He flooded you with kisses and deluged your senses in heartfelt tenderness. Your head rolled into his arm, nuzzling him, and he smiled softly.

"You're so cute... My heart just explodes whenever I see you..."

"Liiink..." You reached up to caress his cheek. He pressed further into your hand before turning his head and kissing your fingers.

"You're perfect. Everything about you is gorgeous." He breathed, his hips slipping into a racy tempo. Your breasts pooled and trembled with each thrust, which didn't go unnoticed by the starved knight. Sounds of wet suckling filled his room, accompanied by your airy mewls and calls for his name.

"Say my name..." He growled into your chest, eyes flitting to look at you through quivering lashes. "Say it again."

"Link..." You squeaked, hiding the lower half of your burning face behind trembling hands.

"Louder." A hand clutched your wrists and dragged them down, fully exposing your slutty expressions to his hawkish eyes.

"Link...!"

"Louder." He scurried to the crook of your neck and bit down. "I want everyone in this castle to know who's fucking you breathless."

"L-Link!"

His pace quickened, the steady rhythm degenerating into wild pistoning. Shaky, uneven breaths stretched into high-pitched whimpers while his hand fondled your abused clit, repeating the circling motion that had you seeing stars several minutes (hours?) ago. His lips traced the shell of your ear, your jaw, down your neck, and finally your lips. Again and again, his mouth met yours in messy passion, each kiss more crazed than the last. He pulled away just enough to see your sloppy expressions, a thin strand of spit connecting your moistened tongues.

"Can you cum for me one more time? Just one more, I promise."

"I can't, I can't—Link, I'll die—“

"No you won't, love." He crooned. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head, just in time to see stars exploding into a symphony of colors. "Just one more. I know you can do it."

Your face scrunched in response to the nearing summit, the precipice that you had been thrown over more times than you could count. You could feel your core spasming and knotting and folding in on itself; Link was totally immersed, body and soul, in your essence as he neared his own powerful climax.

"You're all mine." He panted, his hips accentuating each word with increasing ferocity. "Mine, mine, mine."

A tremor unlike anything you've ever felt before rattled your bones. A voice unrecognizable to you called for Link as you released all over his twitching cock and sheets. Your violent clenching rocketed Link to cloud nine, who pulled out just in time to cover you with thick, white ribbons. His warmth splattered onto your thighs, your stomach, your chest—all of which still tingled from his earlier acts.

His quaking frame crumbled, landing squarely on top of you. Your breaths hitched and mixed with each other, and a satiated silence enveloped the room. Once Link had mostly recovered, he heaved himself off of you and draped a lazy arm over your spent form.

"Are you okay?" He rasped, smoothing the sweaty nest that your hair had become. "Let me clean you up."

You tried to lift an arm—a finger even—to assure Link that you were okay but gods if you had to exert any more effort you were certain you would disintegrate. Link swung his legs over the bed, tripped into his boxers, and hobbled over to a pitcher sitting on his desk. The clear sounds of liquid life flowing into a bowl were like music to your ringing, pulsing ears.

In just a few moments he was by your side, bowl, towels, and cups in hand. You tried to sit up, but the bed stuck to your back like a bond that could not be broken. The rough cloth gingerly wiped away Link's earlier messes, and he dipped the other towel in the bowl before patting your face with the same degree of care. The cool water against your flushed skin sent pleasant jolts through your body.

"How are you feeling?" He asked again, pressing his palm into your cheek and pulling you up to drink. "Are you hurt anywhere? Was I too rough?"

You took the most refreshing swig of water in your life, feeling your parched throat soften enough for use.

"I'm okay, Link." You croaked at last. How long had it been since you last spoke coherent sentences? "Thank you for taking care of me."

"Of course." His warm smile alighted butterflies in your stomach; however, his features faltered slightly and his eyes turned downcast. "I, um..."

Quiet hesitance warbled his voice into a gut-wrenching tune; you gently cupped his hands, running your thumbs over each scar as you steadily held his gaze.

"I don't want this to be a one-time thing, I want..." He sucked in a quivering breath. "To be with you."

A kiss, soft and sweet, silenced all the doubt pounding away in his chest. Your lips moved purposefully, taking time to convey all the pent-up feelings that had been swirling inside you for so long. You dangled your arms behind his neck as you pulled away, your eyes fluttering open to meet his blown-out pupils.

"I want to be with you too."

Relief unfurrowed his brows and relaxed his jaw.

"Really...?"

"Yes! Though to be honest, I've always pictured our first few moments together as a couple in a more... innocent setting." You gestured to... everything and Link's belly flexed in laughter.

"So did I. But gods..." His lips ghosted the curve of your shoulder, traveling up your neck, and ending at your ear. "You felt so good, (F/N)..."

"L-Link..." You whimpered, your body lowering back down while your now-lover towered above you. Without warning, an arm snaked under your knees and the other wrapped behind your back. With a yelp, you spilled into his arms and two towels fell into your lap.

"The baths are just around the corner." A soft warmth bloomed on the center of your forehead. "Let's get cleaned up, shall we?"

♤♢ ~ bonus scene ~ ♡♧

"Your Highness, are you sure about—?"

"Yes, yes! I've already got it all figured out. All you have to do is pack your things and go!" Zelda shoved two official-looking documents into your arms and scooted you and Link closer to the door. Your dug heels were no match for the princess's sudden prowess.

And what could those documents possibly be?

Why, records of a cabin rental in Faron Woods, of course!

"B-But what about Link? He's your personal knight, after all."

"I've already arranged security details with one of the squadrons. They will be watching over me until you both get back. In regards to who will be overseeing your duties, I have a few staff members who will help me keep track of everything."

"Your Highness—"

"It's decided!" Zelda exclaimed with more effort, her energy sapped from lugging two unwilling bodies. "You both have been working so hard, so I've been thinking about giving you a weekend off for awhile. Now that you're a couple, this is a perfect chance to have your own little romantic getaway!"

"Wait, Princess Zelda..." Link started slowly, the gears in his head churning away. "It says here there’s only one bed. If you didn't know we were a couple until now... Why did you prepare a cabin with a single bed for the two of us?"

"That...!" Though your back was toward the royal, you could clearly see the 'oh shit' expression on her face. The corner of Link's mouth twitched into an amused smile while your cheeks scarleted.

"Zel, I swear to Hylia, I'm—"

"—gonna have a wonderful time in the woods where you can be as loud as you want. Farewell, and safe travels!"

With one last push, Zelda managed to shove the two of you out of her office before a resounding slam sounded the finality of her decision. But Zelda's closing remarks hung in the air, thickening the atmosphere in blood-chilling realization.

"What's wrong?" Link's sing-song voice mismatched the gravity of of the situation.

"Oh gods... Oh gods oh gods oh gods... How many people do you think heard us last night?"

"Enough for the whole castle to know who fucked you breathless." His face lowered until you were eye-level with his mischievous simper.

"Link!"

"Her Highness was right—you are fun to tease."

"LINK!!!"

[dreamdepot]

New Story: Dreams of the Kingdom

[Link x Male!Reader]

Power. Wisdom. Courage. The legend of Hyrule has always been the story of three. Where does that leave you, oh mighty prince of the wild?

A sequel story to Prince of the Wild.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Edited 7/5/2024 - Links have been updated

Chapter 1: The Slumbering Beast

>Next

Chapter 1 is now up on Wattpad, A03, and below the break

For links to the prequel Prince of the Wild, please see the following links:

Wattpad AO3

The ballroom was filled with laughter and music. The moonlight streamed down through the windows on the festivities. You straightened your crown, trying to make sure you looked just right in your reflection on the window. Tonight was going to be special; you just knew it.

The music swelled with a flourish of the violins. People glided across the polished marble floors, twirling to the beautiful piece. You could see your best friend, the royal poet and maestro Sharpe, absolutely beaming as he conducted the orchestra.

You let your eyes wander over the crowd. Your father, King Rhoam, was stoic as ever, watching from his own corner. Princess Zelda, your younger sister, was happily chatting with Robbie and Purah, no doubt sharing research notes. Impa and Mipha were laughing over drinks while little Sidon chowed down on snacks. Revali was attempting to dance with the ambassador from Hytopia, but it was impossible to tell who was worse at it. Daruk was drinking each of the castle guards under the table. Apparently, none of them ever heard that Gorons were unaffected by Hylian liquor. Your heart swelled with happiness, though it still felt a little empty without the one who was most important to you.

“Waiting on someone, sparrow?” Urbosa asked, gently laying a hand on your shoulder. She had a knowing glint in her eye as she sipped her Noble Pursuit.

“You wouldn’t have happened to-”

“I believe I saw him walking towards the Sanctum.” Your heart skipped a beat, and you were ready to run upstairs, but Urbosa’s grip held you back. “Don’t get into trouble, sparrow. You still need to make an appearance later tonight.”

You blushed but nodded. “Of course, you know I’m always professional.”

“Of course,” Urbosa said. She brushed a stray bit of your hair back and smoothed some wrinkles off your coat. “Go, I’ll cover for you.”

You barely got out a “thank you” before dashing out of the ballroom to the stairs. The music grew fainter and fainter as you made your way up the castle. A giddy bubble of happiness felt ready to burst out of your chest. You were Prince [Y/n] Daltus Hyrule, Lord of Akkala, Order of the Picori, Colonel in the Grand Hylian Army, Defender of the Holy Triforce, and Champion of the Goddess Din – but the most important title of all was Boyfriend of the Hylian Champion. Reaching the top of the steps, you pushed the doors open as quietly as you could.

“Link?” you called out. The torches were all lit inside, but all was quiet. You shut the door and entered. “Link? Are you here?”

No response.

You frowned, walking past the thrones, ignoring how the shadows danced on the walls. Suddenly, a wooden training sword clattered to the ground right at your feet. You looked up, seeing the knight grinning from the upper floor. “Oh, you’re on!”

You picked up the sword – slightly upset it was a single handed one instead of your preferred claymore – and mounted the stairs, charging up to the hidden lounge above the Sanctum. Link met you halfway, your swords clashing with a dull thonk. You drove him backwards up the stairs, slash after slash. Link laughed with each one, parrying them effortlessly.

The two of you clashed, when you saw your chance. You parried his blows, and…

…pulled the small rug from under him. Before he could get up, you pointed your sword at his chest. “Finally!” You shouted. “I win!”

“One out of – what, a thousand?” Your knight grinned.

You shrugged. “Hey, I’ll take it.” You helped him up and pulled him into a hug. “You didn’t get hurt when you fell right?”

“No, I’m fine,” he laughed. “Takes more than a practical joke to hurt a knight, your majesty.”

You took his hand and started leading him downstairs. “We should head back before Father gets upset.” You reached for the door but stopped. Someone was standing on the balcony overlooking Hyrule Field.

“Hello?” You let go of Link’s hand as you walked over to the balcony. The music seemed to fade away as you got closer. The figure didn’t seem familiar. “Oh, pardon me, but all guests should be downstairs. I’d be happy to show you the way.”

“There’s no need for that, I’ve been waiting for you,” a rumbling baritone voice said. The figure turned, revealing a wall of a man with a piercing glare. It felt like he could see you through to your soul. Your head throbbed with a migraine. For some reason, your left hand – the hand emblazoned with the mark of the Triforce of Power – felt like it was burning.

“Who are you?”

The moonlight turned a bloodstained red. “Of course you would forget me, but I certainly haven’t forgotten you and your treachery.” He reached out, firmly gripping your chin and tilting your head up to look you in the eyes. Panic rose in your throat looking into his glowing red and yellow eyes. He let out a low rumble of a laugh. “Don’t worry, I’ll be seeing you soon to take what is rightfully mine, little prince.”

The world swam and grew dark as a terrible laugh filled your ears. A scream tore from your throat. Pain shot through your body…

==

“[Y/n]! [Y/n]!!” Link shook you gently. “It’s okay! I’m here, I’m here…”

You gasped for air, looking up to see your handsome knight looking down at you. He wrapped you in his arms. “It’s okay, it’s just a nightmare. You’re going to be okay.”

You held him close, not caring how tangled you were in the sheets. It was still late, and the moon hung outside your window – thankfully still its normal pale color.

Your heart slowed as Link held you and stroked your hair. “Big spoon or little spoon?”

You told him your preference, and the two of you shifted to a more comfortable cuddling position. “It was the same dream,” you finally said.

“The royal ball and the stranger?”

“Yeah,” you said. “He knew me. I… I don’t know how to explain it but looking at him felt like… pure evil… It was almost like the Calamity.”

Link nodded. “Do you want to go talk to Symin about it? He helped Zelda when she had those nightmares last year.”

“Maybe,” you said. “I’m just confused. He knew me, Link. He said he was going to take what was ‘rightfully his’.”

“I’m sure it’s just a silly dream, but…” Link frowned and pressed his hand to your forehead. “Hmm doesn’t seem like a fever, but maybe the gloom is getting to you.”

“It’s not the gloom,” you said, pushing his hand away. “Maybe I’m stressed out? Maybe… maybe I’m just missing them.”

Link sighed. “I miss them too.”

“I did beat you this time though.”

Link snorted. “So, you’re saying you can only beat me in your dreams?”

“Shut up,” you laughed.

The two of you stayed quiet for a moment, just enjoying the cuddling. It was hard to believe it had been five years. Five years since you woke up in a cave, five years since you found Link without his memories, and five years since the two of you saved Hyrule and your sister. The life of the “lost prince” was never dull with Hyrule’s greatest swordsman as your boyfriend and Princess Zelda as your sister. The three of you had helped to rebuild most of Hyrule, bringing the people back together and creating a semblance of a government. Your New Hyrule Trading Company was now run through the Stable Association, a union-run business, giving you more time to train the new militia taking care of monsters across the land – not to mention helping your sister run things. “Helping” may be a bit generous, as Zelda was much more suited to academics than government and diplomacy. Most of the time, you and Link helped to set treaties and lead major reconstruction projects while Zelda focused more on educating Hyrule’s children and surveying old ruins.

Everything had been going well for a time, until a few months ago. Certain caves and old wells began to leak an odd crimson mist. At first, it seemed harmless, but then the sickness came. There were a few isolated cases that seemed to clear up quickly, but over the past few weeks, reports were getting worse. The mist was only growing thicker and more toxic. Purah named it the gloom, and it seemed to be tied to the malice that Calamity Ganon once produced. The difference was that this gloom was toxic and lingering. It seemed to seep from underground, though no one could figure out where or why. The worst of it came from the depths of Hyrule Castle. Whatever it touched, it devoured in decay. Your pride and joy, the construction of New Castle Town, was rotted back to rubble. Each time you had Hudson Construction try to rebuild it, they never got past laying the foundation before the houses would begin to decay. Residents were forced back to build a new settlement called Lookout Landing, just south of the ruins. Even then, it was little more than a lightly fortified trading and research outpost.

“Hey, I can tell Zelda to postpone the expedition,” Link said.

“No!” You said, then paused. “I appreciate the thought, but it’s too important to investigate the gloom. We need to get to the bottom of it – literally.”

Link rolled his eyes. “Right, but if you need to rest, you need to rest.”

“I know, but I promise I’ll be fine.” Link frowned, staring into you. “Okay, I’ll go see Symin after the expedition, but I promise I’ll be fine.”

“Good.” Link smiled, leaning forward to give you a gentle kiss.

The two of you talked for a little while more before you both drifted off into a gentle sleep. While Link may have been next to you, something still made you feel restless.

==

The next morning seemed to pass in a blur, and you weren’t truly shaken from your thoughts until you were descending into the depths of Hyrule Castle.

“This gloom keeps getting thicker,” your sister, Zelda, commented as you descended. She held the torch for you and Link. The two of you remained calm, but you were both on high alert. The weight of your Sword of the Six Sages was a comfort, not knowing what could be around the next corner. “We’ve been descending for a while now… These tunnels are deeper than I thought. What could be down here?”

“I have a feeling even Father didn’t know about these tunnels,” You commented as you passed some luminescent moss. “Some of this looks older than even the Sheikah tech.”

“I wish we were coming down here to explore for more academic reasons instead of trying to find the source of the gloom,” Zelda said, scanning over the wisps curling around her feet. “Though here, it seems almost misty and not concentrated enough to harm us…”

“What’s the plan then?” Link asked.

“We’ll keep going. With it coming up from beneath Hyrule Castle…” Zelda paused, then turned to you and Link. “We do not know what waits below, so we need to be ready for anything. But I know I’ll be okay with both of you. Let’s go solve this mystery.”

“That said, it may be best for you to stay behind one of us.” You drew your secondary weapon, an Eightfold Blade, and took the lead.

“As you wish… General,” Zelda said with a little laugh.

“You appointed me as head of Hyrule’s military, let me do my job, Princess,” you snarked back. You led the way deeper. Water dripped down the walls, leaving chalky stains. You could see just ahead that the cave looped into some ruins. “I bet no one has been down here in centuries…”

“Exactly, isn’t it exciting?” Zelda said. You smiled, happy to see your sister in her element. You couldn’t begin to count the number of ruins you explored with her over the past few years. While her obsessions may have moved on from the Sheikah, the promise of a new discovery always got her excited.

Before you could take another step, you heard something you hadn’t heard in five years. It was a familiar chime. Both you and Zelda turned to Link, seeing the Master Sword begin to glow. “It must be sensing something,” Zelda muttered. “I knew we had reason for concern…”

“Maybe we should have investigated the castle sooner,” you added. “Perhaps something from the Calamity is still lingering here.” Zelda shifted uneasily.

Link was always quick to notice when your sister was worried. “We’re going to be okay. If it really is something left over from the Calamity, it can’t be that strong with Ganon sealed away. Between the three of us, I know we can handle it.”

“Of course,” Zelda said, “I needn’t worry with the two best swordsmen in Hyrule around. All the same, we should proceed with caution.”

“Onward then,” you said, though you swapped from the smaller blade to your primary weapon granted to you by the Great Deku Tree: the Sword of the Six Sages. Link too drew the Master Sword and joined you in front of Zelda. It was best not to take chances. The soft white glow from your sword and the soft blue from the Master Sword was a small comfort to the three of you in the dark caves. With that, you continued deeper into the ruins.

As old as they were, the ruins were well preserved and mostly still standing. A few walls had collapsed to rubble, but the path was still clear. The gloom had grown a little thicker but clung to the floor and merely wrapped around your ankles, harmless for now. Zelda paused for a moment to observe the architecture. “Easily older than the Sheikah, and this unique style… wait!” She knelt at a fallen relief. “Something is written here… yes. I think this may be from the Zonai!”

The farther you walked, the better condition the ruins were in. “Yes, yes!” Zelda said, getting more excited with each step. “These carvings are absolutely Zonai in origin. I can’t believe we’re finding evidence of one of the oldest civilizations known to history directly under the castle.”

“The Zonai built those labyrinths, right?” Link asked.

“Yes, and they were said to worship the dragons. It’s said the Zonai had godlike powers and at one point lived in the sky. Unfortunately, we still know so little. Many history books on the Zonai give us more stories than factual history.”

Soon you came to the end of the hall, where two towering statues stood. Zelda stopped to inspect them further. “Is this what the Zonai looked like? They seem so different than us, and such large ears… I wonder if they were associated with the ancient city-state of Skyloft? Or perhaps they were some sort of precursors to the Oocca Civilization?”

You had a different question on your mind. “If they lived in the sky, why are they here underground?”

“An excellent point…” Zelda muttered, lost in thought. “Let’s see what else is ahead.”

You looked at the statues and for a moment, they seemed to shift. Their eyes seemed to glow with the faintest light, watching you. You rubbed your eyes and they appeared normal again. “Maybe it is the gloom,” you muttered to yourself.

You caught up with Link as the three of you made your way down the stairs, deeper and deeper. The ruins opened into a massive hall. Suddenly, you heard a familiar chittering. “Heads up,” you said, easily dispatching a keese. Link nodded, charging the second while you cleaved the third and final. You sheathed your sword, watching the keese fall to the ground.

“You aren’t hurt, are you?” Zelda asked.

“Zel, they’re keese. Link and I take care of keese like every day.” Still, she looked the both of you over, before giving a nod of approval. You couldn’t fault her, since you knew you’d be doing the same to her and Link if the roles were switched. With the monsters dealt with, you could take in the room. One wall was mostly covered by fallen rocks – likely from the Calamity – but the rest of the room was filled with sprawling carvings.

Zelda turned and let out a little gasp. “Look at these murals.” She walked the torch closer, letting the light dance across the eerie images. “The written histories of the Royal Family include stories of a great war fought long ago.”

Your many hours of tutoring in the Castle library played back in your head. “This isn’t just any war, Zelda,” you frowned looking at the murals. Zelda may have been the brains of the family, but you certainly knew the stories of your kingdom inside and out. You stopped before a carving of a wave of monsters. “This was clearly a very bloody one, and if we’re in the oldest part of the castle, it might be… Zelda, you don’t think it’s… that legend, do you?”

“What legend?” Link asked.

You felt a pit growing in your stomach. “The legend of the Demon King… an evil to surpass Demise.”

“Precisely,” She said, running along the walls. “It’s said that our ancestors – the first of Hyrule’s royal family were born from a union with the gods who descended from the heavens. These murals tell a similar story, and if they are accurate, then the gods mentioned were the Zonai… They must have forged a relationship with the Hylians of that time, working together to establish the kingdom of Hyrule!”

She turned to where the murals started to depict a man with a grotesque wave of red behind him. You felt a chill go down your spine. It couldn’t be possible… he couldn’t be the man from your nightmares. “This figure,” Zelda continued, “He seems to be stealing something of incredible power from the young kingdom. This all aligns with what I’ve read during my studies… and this!” She said, running back to the last panel. “And this shows the Demon King, and a fierce battle against him. If the creature depicted here really does represent the Demon King, then…” She stopped and gasped. “Incredible! This mural must be the great war recorded in the royal histories! This is the First Imprisoning War and the events that led up to it! This is a huge discovery!”

Zelda started fiddling with her pack. Link took the torch for her as she fished out her Purah Pad, Purah’s fantastic upgrade to the Sheikah Slate. You on the other hand stood frozen at the last panel, staring into the gargoyle-like grin of the monstrous Demon King. You took a shaky breath. “First Imprisoning War?” Link asked you.

“The First Imprisoning War sealed the Demon King. The Second sealed the king of thieves – who once tried to steal the Triforce from the Sacred Realm. Right, Zelda?”

“Yes, exactly, though some scholars suggest the Demon King and the king of thieves could have been one and the same – not that I necessarily subscribe to that theory,” she said, snapping photographs of the mural. “Why are you so jumpy?”

“No particular reason,” you muttered back. Link placed his hand on your shoulder, asking a silent question. “Later,” you whispered to him. He offered you a smile that helped to calm you.

“The part I don’t understand,” you said, steeling yourself, “is what he stole.” The three of you walked back to the third panel. “These objects… what do you think they are? Tears of Light? They don’t look anything like the Triforce.”

“Another excellent question,” Zelda said, lowering the Purah Pad. ��Perhaps this was before our ancestors discovered the Triforce? Or perhaps it was hidden away. I would hate to think of what could have happened if the Demon King had stolen it.”

“Yeah,” you said, instinctively rubbing the tattoo on your hand. The power thrummed through your body for a moment, but it didn’t make you feel any better.

“Only more and more questions,” Link said, handing the torch back to Zelda.

“Maybe we’ll find more answers farther ahead,” she said. “Let’s keep moving deeper.”

This time, Link took the lead with Zelda while you brought up the rear. Your hand twitched and your gut twisted. It wasn’t like you to be so unnerved by something like that, but something felt deeply wrong, and the deeper you walked, the more the feeling grew.  

The three of you exited the staircase and entered into a massive chamber. “Oh Hylia…” Link muttered. A twisting ribbon of light drifted from some kind of pyramid collector lined with runes, feeding into a skeletal glowing arm with a warm green-blue light. Most disturbing of all was the desiccated corpse the hand was pinned to, digging into the chest. Dark clouds of gloom spilled from the wound.

“What is that...” Zelda murmured. “How long has this been under the Castle?”

As the three of you drew close, the arm’s light faded, and it fell to the ground. A glowing tear shaped stone popped out of the arm’s bracer, bouncing on the floor to Zelda. She tapped it hesitantly before picking it up. The stone glowed with warm golden light in her hand.

Suddenly, the three of you heard a crack and a heartbeat. You and Link instantly moved in front of Zelda, drawing your swords. The corpse cracked, its fingers starting to move, then its arm, then its spine, until finally, the head snapped towards you, demonic eyes glowing in your direction.

A burst of concentrated gloom and malice burst from his chest, rushing straight for Zelda. Link stepped in, shoving you away and knocking it back with the Master Sword. It doubled back, crawling up Link’s arm, burning away at his skin.

“Link!” You shouted, preparing to swing your sword at the gloom.

“No! It’ll get you too, don’t!” Link summoned every ounce of strength and swung the Master Sword at the gloom again.

You could hear a crack, and the Master Sword’s blade shattered in his hand.

The tip of the sword flew from the mess, slicing across the corpse’s cheek. You and Zelda rushed to Link’s side, helping him to stand. You tried not to look at the terrible burns on his arm, keeping your attention on the monster in front of you.

“Was that the sword that seals the darkness?” A raspy voice came from the corpse. “A blade that shatters so easily against my power cannot save you from me.” His eyes scanned across you as he tried to pull himself up. “Zelda… and you, who carries that fragile sword is Link. Rauru placed his faith in you and that was all you could do?” He turned his eyes to you, and the monster seemed to smile.

Suddenly, the eyes felt very familiar. You could hardly choke out the words. “It’s him.”

“Ah… [Y/n], you do remember me. And here you are, right where I want you. Millenia of preparation, all coming down to today. Oh, how I’ve waited for this moment.”

“How do you know our names?” Zelda asked.

He didn’t answer. Instead, he summoned a miasma of pure gloom and malice, releasing it from his chest into the runed pyramid above. The caves shook and a terrible earthquake tore through the walls. Boulders tumbled from all above you as the ground started to give way. You looked up and could see the stars as the corruption forced Hyrule Castle into the sky. As the gloom dissipated, the altar collapsed, and the corpse tumbled into the darkness below.

The earth still shook as Link fell to his knees, the decayed Master Sword still in hand. “Link!” you and Zelda both shouted, but it was cut off by a scream, as the ground gave way. Both of you began to fall back into emptiness. Link leaped after you, reaching out to catch you. He opened his hand, stretching out…

Your fingers barely missed his.

You turned to reach Zelda, but the stone glowed bright and she disappeared in ribbons of light. Link tried to reach you again, but the glowing hand seemed to regain its power, holding him aloft before yanking him upward in a burst of light.

You fought to stay calm, hearing the demented laugh of the monster somewhere deep below you. You pulled your left hand close to your chest. A familiar warmth spread through your body as your hand began to glow with a golden light.

A familiar voice whispered in your ear, albeit more urgent than the last time you heard it. “Sleep. He won’t get his hands on you today.”

As your consciousness began to fade, you wanted to ask what she meant. Instead, as sleep overtook you, there was only one thought in your mind.

Link, Zelda, please be safe.

[talkingaboutmybullshit]

old Zelda wip that I don’t plan on finishing but I don’t want to just sit in my notes app.

“I don’t know where to go. The castle is destroyed,”

“I have a home in Hanteo,”

“I couldn’t possibly,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“You’re always welcome,” he said. “You could never impose.”

————-

“Hey, Link,” the village guard waved at him. “Who’s that with you?”

“Hi,” she peeked over Link’s shoulder and gave a small wave. “I’m Zelda.”

“So, Link, you got yourself a new girlfriend?” The guard gave him a cheeky smile.

Link shook his head and gave the guard a wave before continuing into the village.

—————

Zelda and Link just shared a passionate kiss and now are arguing about a future relationship.

“I can’t. It’s not proper as your knight.” Link looked down

“Then you’re fired,” she said.

“What?”

“You are no longer my knight, so there’s no problem.”

“Princess—”

“Are you disobeying Hylia’s word?” Zelda raised her brow. “Am I not the only one in this land with Her blood in me? The reincarnation of Hylia Herself?”

“Stripping me of rank makes the situation worse,” Link countered. “I would be no more than a simple peasant.”

“Goddess, Link, do you not want to be with me? Say the word, and I can stop this silliness, and we can forget it.”

“I didn’t—” Link stumbled over his words. “It’s just—”

“I’ve loved you for a hundred years, and I am determined to love you for a hundred more,” Zelda said.

“We can’t,” he argued. “You can’t be with me. It’s against all protocols. You have to be with someone of rank, and—”

“Who’s going to stop us?” she exclaimed. “By your logic, I am the highest authority in Hyrule. There are no more Hylian noble families in the land. Some mayors and elected officials here and there, but no more old proper royalty. You are the only knight. You are the only other Hylian of title, given by the royal family of this land.”

She sighed deeply. “No one else wants to touch this kingdom because they think the Zelda line is cursed. And honestly? They’re right.”

What she said was true. All the Hylian noble families had been wiped out 100 years ago. If they weren’t, their titles had vanished in post-Calamity days. Link technically held the title of knight and had a long list of accomplishments. He was chosen by the Goddess Herself. Still, none of that could cover up that he was born a mere peasant.

“I’ll go to a different continent and start a new life. You can come with me if you want. We could set up a small store. Between my knowledge and your people skills, we could do it. Plus, I’m sure there are plenty of descendants of royal bastards if Hylia deems it too dangerous—”

Link cut her off with a laugh. “You would never.”

“I could.” She stood up and banged her palms on their kitchen table. “Watch me.”

“I believe you could, but you never would. You love it here too much, even if you gave up being a royal. You want to help the common folk here. You’re already establishing a school.”

Zelda sighed and sat back down. “You know me too well.” she traced the grain of the wood the table was made out of.

A few moments later she asked “What would you have done if we were not trapped for 100 years? At best, I would have been married off to a man twice my age. Would you have stood there and watched as he kissed me, held me, and I bore his children?”

“Yes,” Link said, rubbing his face. “I would have stood there and watched.”

“How?” Zelda said. “I wouldn’t have been able to live with it if I saw that happen to you.”

“It would have killed me, Zelda. Don’t you get it?” He pleaded for her to understand. “I would die for you if it’s for the best. If that meant watching you get married to someone who guaranteed Hyrule’s safety, then I would be more than happy to die every day watching you with him.”

Zelda sadly smiled. “Your plan was so much nobler than mine. I do not get how I am the princess.”

“What was your plan?” Link asked cautiously. “I bet you had a hell of one.”

“To be frank, I would have asked you to sire my children.”

Link looked as if he’d been struck by lightning.

“Hopefully a romantic affair under the moonlight,” she sighed. “That’s what I used to think about late at night. Cheesy and stereotypical for a princess, I know.”

Link was still processing everything as she continued.

“I cannot only offer you this lifetime but infinite ones. Isn’t that what we’ve been doing for centuries? Over and over, finding each other? Because we can’t do this on our own. Not every version of us were romantically involved but we are tied by something deeper,”

“You deserve a simple life, Zelda. Not one tied to this insane destiny.” Link said softly, taking her hand. “But denying you love because of the situation of our births feels like the most complicated thing of all.”

“Then don’t deny it.” She leaned closer. “We’ve suffered too much. Let’s live for ourselves now.”

Link shyly grinned “ok,”

[hopeymchope]

The Legend of Zelda and shipping

I can't understand people who are like "I only ship Link in every game with one single character ever." What the hell... HOW?!

This seems to be most most common with people who ship Zelda/Link or "Zelink" — always wanting every Zelda to be with Link, because they're the main characters, though the phenomenon does exist with Malink and some other ships as well. And that’s not to hate on Zelink and Malink, because I love them! SPECIFIC INCARNATIONS of them, I mean.

Because there are a bare minimum of EIGHT different incarnations of Link, and you can’t tell me you think every single dude named Link has chemistry with/should have romance with every single girl named Zelda. Like EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.? I just can't with that. It's unfathomable, IMO.

I mean, OKAY, let me back that up: I get that people find it romantic to think that these are like... some kind of soulmates who always find each other through every reincarnation ala Hawkman and Hawkgirl or something, but it's not like they even display the same personality traits or share memories or something in each version of themselves. They just... act like totally different people quite regularly. Because by all accounts, they are.

Furthermore... shit - if we assume the incarnations are all descendants of one another and the same descendancy lines keep hooking up with the same partner lines, at what point do we wind up becoming dangerously incestuous with this repeated pairing? Because that shit seems INEVITABLE in such a case…?

NAH, my fam — I believe each Link and each Zelda are their own person, with their own traits. Their only unifying truth is that every person Link will ALWAYS look best in a green tunic and matching green, pointy flop-hat. (Sorry; I don't make the rules. Facts is facts.)

With that in mind, these are my sundry ships for various Links. And I apologize in advance for the fact that they're all boringly het. :P

Skyward Sword — Zelink, absolutely. Childhood Friend Romance always gets me right in the heart. I love these two together. The casual playfulness and fondness they display. The lengths they'll go to in order to see each other/protect each other. And although Zelda loses some of her distinct personality when she learns she's a reincarnation of Hylia, she gets her groove back near the end, so it's all good.

Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask/SC2 — Malink with a bullet. The singing farmgirl and the boy without a fairy, two people who felt alone in the world and find each other. The nicknames! "Don't be long, fairy boy." The fact that you can declare your romantic intentions for Malon while you're still a fucking KID! The Gossip Stone that tells you how much Malon pines to be saved from her daily life by a hero on a horse! It's SO GOOD.

Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass — I'm only mentioning this era because this Link is an ACTUAL CHILD. He's like, what? EIGHT? Maybe ten, if we're feeling generous? So I just want to say: Yeah... I just can't bring myself to ship this literal child with anybody. It ain't RIGHT.

Link's Awakening — Marink. If you weren't feeling these two by the time their sunset beach conversation wrapped up, I don't know what to even say to you. This was probably my first serious ship from playing the TLoZ games. Plus this ship is a good reason why the original black-and-white Game Boy version's secret ending is actually the best version of that bonus scene.

Twilight Princess — Ilink. Is there even any other contender worth mentioning? The writing and direction of the cut scenes makes it pretty clear that Link and Ilia are sweet on each other. You barely even meet Zelda in this game, and the only other option would probably be, well... Midna? You know - your partner imp that spends most of the game trash-talking you for her personal lulz and repeatedly slamming her body weight down HARD onto your spine? Mm, I’ll pass.

Breath of the Wild/Age of Calamity/TotK — Miphlink/Miphalink, no items, FINAL DESTINATION. Their story makes my heart just ACHE. The flashback to Mipha healing him up... Mipha's diary (OMFG that diary)... the Zora armor and its descriptions... holy SHIT, fam. And even if that story DIDN'T melt me into a complete puddle, Zelda put herself out of consideration by stealing my fucking house. I don’t understand why she pulled that, but given her privileged upbringing, I doubt she understands the value/expense of home ownership. So maybe she thought this was like yoinking a french fry. :P

Haven't Played — The only major entry I haven't played yet is "Spirit Tracks" on the DS. So I can't speak to that incarnation at this point. But the two things I can say is A) The Zelda/Link relationship sure appears cute? but B) This is also the same style of Link seen in Wind Waker, so I won't be surprised if she's supposed to be a LITERAL CHILD again (and therefore not a shippable character for me).

[smilesrobotlover]

Whumptober day 24- alternate prompt, aftermath of a failure

Revali and Zelda are a criminally underrated duo that I had to write something for them. As much as I hate the idea of this Zelda being a fighter in any way, she DOES fight with the bow of light in AOC, and I thought it’d be cool if she asked Revali for help since he’s a master archer. This isn’t written very well or very interestingly but whatever it’s fine. Another super short one, but don’t worry, tomorrow will be very long lol.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Revali watched unamused as the princess of Hyrule struggled against the bow, pulling it back as hard as she could, only for it to barely go a few feet when fired. Zelda let out a frustrated huff as she went to collect her fallen arrows, glumly gathering them in her hands.

“Alright, let’s try again,” he said as Zelda returned to her spot. She gave a defeated sigh and tried again, straining as she pulled the bow back. She released it and it didn’t reach the target. Revali waited for her to try again, but she instead walked away, sitting on a log. Revali looked at her in surprise, and he wandered over to where she sat.

“What are you doing?” He asked, and she shrugged.

“I— I need a break,” she huffed, clutching the bow in her hands. Revali let out a sigh and joined her on the log.

“I know you’re not tired, not physically anyways,” he muttered, and Zelda stiffened. “I know it’s frustrating, but you need to accept that you’re not gonna be good at it immediately. You’re gonna fail.”

Zelda shook her head. “I don’t have time to fail. I’ve just awakened my power, with the bow of light, I can be strong enough to save Hyrule from the calamity. But,” she angrily put her bow down, resting on her head in her hands, “I’m not good enough. I never am.”

Revali scoffed. “Goddesses Zelda, will you ever give yourself a break? You’re asking yourself to do the impossible! Sure you have the goddesses' blood in you, but you’re still a person!”

Zelda shriveled up, not looking at him. He sighed and got up, grabbing his own bow and arrow.

“Your form is sloppy, maybe it’s making it harder for you. Watch me.” Revali aimed for the target and hit the center with ease. He couldn’t help but feel pride with how quickly he did it, but he returned his attention to Zelda, who was watching him solemnly. “Stand up straight, have the arrow line up with your elbow, and don’t be afraid to pull as hard as you can. These bows are built for this. It won’t break.”

Zelda didn’t say anything, and she watched as Revali set his bow down, and invited her to try again. She didn’t move.

“C’mon your highness, you wanted me to teach you archery, I need you to listen to me.”

Zelda looked down. “You make it look so easy.”

Revali paused, then shook his head. “Yeah, I do make it look easy. You want to know why? Because I’ve been training in archery for fifteen years. I’ve worked harder than any other Rito so that I could be the best. It’s almost second nature to me.” He walked up to Zelda and grabbed her bow. “How can you expect yourself to have fifteen years of experience in just a couple of days?”

Zelda shrugged, so Revali continued.

“You won’t. It’s a harsh reality but you won’t.” Revali handed the bow back to her, his gaze softening. “But it doesn’t hurt to try now. You may not be good now, but you will get better. I know it.”

“You…” Zelda pursed her lips. “You really believe in me?”

“Tch, I always have. Come on.”

Zelda smiled slightly, resting her hand on her bow. “I’ll never be as good as you.”

Revali hummed. “No, you won’t. No one will ever be as good as me.” He let go of her bow when she held it and he leaned forward, a teasing smile on his beak. “But I think you could be as good as Link, maybe even better.”

Zelda stared at him in shock, then started giggling. He smirked and stepped back as she laughed, chuckling quietly to himself. She had a contagious laugh he had to admit.

“Alright Zelda,” he said when she slowed down, “let’s try a few more times, then we can continue training tomorrow. We don't want you to overwork yourself, ok?”

Zelda nodded and got up, holding her bow reluctantly. She got into position and pulled the string back, and Revali walked over to her, deciding to be more active as a teacher. He studied her form, helped her pull the string back further, and then told her to release. She hit the outside of the target, not making it inside the target itself, but it was a major improvement from the last few times. Revali felt pride swell within him as Zelda cheered over her accomplishment.

“I hit it! I hit it!” She shouted excitedly. Revali chuckled.

“That’s one step in the right direction, princess. Good job,” Revali gave her a nod of approval. She beamed and grabbed another arrow.

“Let me try again,” she said quickly, and got in position, pulling the string back. “How do I look?” She called out in a strained voice, and Revali studied her.

“You’re good.”

The arrow was let loose, and that afternoon was full of arrows hitting and missing the target, but everytime Zelda was getting closer and better. Eventually, Revali had to pull her away so she wouldn’t overwork her arms, and he had her do some stretches to help with soreness. Zelda was much more motivated though, and she was excited to work on it again tomorrow. Though she wouldn’t be a master archer by the end of this battle, it was good that she believed in herself again.

[introverted-scribblings]

Cosplay || (Yoosung x Reader)

This was initially self-indulgent but I loved it so much that I'm sharing it here. I hope you all like it! This (can be) connected to my "seamstress MC" headcanons.

Notes: Fem!MC (w/ implied brown hair) and a love for the Legend of Zelda series. (wc: 1558)

“I totally don’t believe you,” one of his guildmates laughed through through the game’s voice chat. Yoosung couldn’t help the frown on his face and roll of his eyes.

Some of his online friends, the ones he met through LOLOL, refused to believe that he had a girlfriend now. However, in their defense, sometimes Yoosung himself found it hard to believe that MC was dating him. Of course, MC would flick his forehead and kiss his nose every time he told her this. “Hush, Yoosungie! I’m proud to be your girlfriend, okay? I love you so much!” She would pout.

This particular time, however, the disbelief was strengthened by Yoosung’s comment that MC wanted to cosplay with him. Apparently, the fact that MC shared common nerdy interests with him was “proof” that his girlfriend was fictional. “You’re just jealous,” he scoffed into his mic.

“Yeah, sure,” his friend laughed. “I’m jealous that you have such a wild imagination.”

Yoosung’s brow furrowed in frustration.

“Hey, someone is starting a raid!” Another teammate called out and the subject quickly changed.

It was a while later when Yoosung finally logged off, hanging his headphones on the little stand that MC had gifted him. “To keep them nice and the cord untangled!” she had told him.

Standing and stretching, Yoosung found himself walking to the little kitchen in his apartment where he found his wonderful girlfriend heating water for tea. “Yoosung,” she smiled when she saw the blonde enter. “Are you done for now? Would you like some tea too?”

“Sure! And yeah, I’m done for today I think. One of my guildmates was being annoying,” he sighed, causing MC to giggle.

“Do they still think I’m made up?” She laughed. Yoosung only pouted. He had complained about this to her before, and while she found it a little funny it was clear that he was feeling particularly upset about it this time. “Hey…” Her voice softened as she set another cup on the counter for him. “It’s okay, Yoosungie. I promise I’m very real and really in love with you~”

Yoosung could feel his cheeks burn. He couldn’t help it whenever MC said those things. “I know,” he sighed, watching her pour the boiling water into their two mugs. “It just bothered me this time because I told them you wanted to cosplay with me…” he trailed off but MC motioned for him to continue. “They said I was making it up because there’s no way I could get a girlfriend who has interests like that.”

MC scoffed. “Well that’s pretty rude,” she tutted. “They’re just jealous, Yoosung. Next time, I’ll get on the mic and chew them out!”

Yoosung laughed at the adorable pout his girlfriend wore. “It’s okay, MC. You’re right, I shouldn’t let them bother me. Their opinion doesn’t matter.”

MC smiled. “Exactly! By the way…” she pulled her phone from her pocket and opened it up. “I’ve decided who we should cosplay!” Turning the device, MC showed him a picture of the two characters she chose.

Yoosung recognized them of course. It was the green-clad hero, Link, and princess of Hyrule, Zelda. Though he didn’t play the games himself, he was aware that MC did and was a big fan of them. He’s listened to her talk about the games for hours, going into their lore and real life history. She was always so excited when she spoke about them, and he lived for the passionate sparkle in her eyes as she did.

“I thought Zelda had blonde hair…” he questioned. Not that he minded the choice, of course, he would happily be the hero to his princess.

“She does normally, but in the game Twilight Princess she’s a brunette,” MC explained with a grin. “Please, Yoosungie? You would make such a handsome Link and I’ve wanted to cosplay Zelda for so long! Please~?”

Yoosung’s blush came back tenfold at MC’s words. Would he make a handsome Link? He wasn’t sure but MC certainly thought so. Still, he’d already made his decision when she asked the first time if he would cosplay with her. “Of course, MC! I already said I’d dress as anything with you,” he chuckled, trying to ignore his burning cheeks.

“I know, but I want you to have fun too,” she said, tucking away her phone.

“I know I will,” Yoosung smiled. “I’m happy to be your hero, MC.” He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and she giggled.

“Thank you, honey~” MC turned back to their mugs of tea. “Go sit down and I’ll bring you your cup, then I’ll give you a crash course on cosplay.”

*~*~*~*

MC spent the next two months working on their costumes. Ordering pieces, buying cuts of fabric, stitching and restitching hems. The late nights Yoosung spent gaming, MC spent at her sewing machine. There were fittings and pinnings and measurements taken.

Yoosung couldn’t possibly be more impressed that MC was able to craft two intricate and detailed costumes in the short span of two months. Though he really shouldn’t be surprised, she managed to plan a big and successful party in only eleven days. She was a determined worker for sure and a true inspiration to him.

And when the costumes were finally ready, she asked him if he’d be willing to do a photoshoot with her. “My friend is studying photography and agreed to take pictures of us if she’s allowed to use some for her project,” she explained. “And I would love to get some nice pictures of us together!”

How could Yoosung possibly say no? He couldn’t. And he wouldn’t, certainly not after all her hard work. She was even loaning him her replica Master Sword for the photos! There’s no way he would turn this down. Not in a million years.

The day of the shoot came. MC’s friend was picking them up and taking them to a location they had scouted beforehand. As Yoosung got dressed in the handmade tunic, he felt a flurry of nerves in his chest. He hoped he would look good in the cosplay that MC had spent literal months on. With a deep breath, he looked in the mirror.

He never noticed it before, but with the pointed ears and colored prescription contacts that MC had gotten him, he really looked the spitting image of the hero of Hyrule. Twisting and turning, Yoosung tried to get a good look at himself from various angles. MC truly was a master when it came to sewing.

“Knock knock~” MC called from behind his bedroom door. “Can I come in?”

“Oh- Yeah! You can!” he called back.

Yoosung could feel the breath leave his lungs when he saw her.

If his tunic was well made, MC’s dress was absolutely perfect. “Wow…” he whispered. The crown on her brow shone like real gold, the delicate embroidery that ran along her dress gave her a subtle elegance as she moved towards him. Her hands, covered in long white gloves, held the sheathed replica sword. “I was right,” she smiled. “You do make a very handsome Link.”

Yoosung blushed and looked away, her beauty and compliments too much for him to handle. “Th-thank you… You’re a very beautiful Princess Zelda…” He wanted to say so much more. That she was the most stunning person in the world. That her beauty was there in and out of cosplay. That seeing her like this was enough to make his knees weak and his heart race.

MC smiled. “Thank you,” she giggled. “Here, it’s dangerous to go alone…” she placed the sword in his hands. “...take this!”

Yoosung laughed along with her at the spoken line before her phone chimed from her bag on his floor. “Oh!” she grinned. “That must be our ride! Let’s go take some pictures, Yoosungie~” Picking up her bag, she took his free hand and tugged him out of the room.

*~*~*~*

It was a few days later when MC’s friend sent her the polished up photos. Yoosung was in awe of how nice they looked. It truly looked as if they stepped out of the game itself and into the real world.

Among the poses they had done, there were a few candid shots that were taken that day. Including one of their gentle embrace after MC had fixed his hat, their eyes were closed and their foreheads rested against each other. They were smiling. Yoosung remembered that moment well, all the love he had in his heart for MC as she introduced him to something so fun. Something she was so passionate about that she wanted to share with him.

It was clear that MC remembered it too as that picture ended up as her phone wallpaper after she had sent it to the RFA chat. Everyone was impressed, even Jumin said something nice… well, as nice as Jumin could be.

Yoosung was very happy. Happy that he could do something so fun with his girlfriend. Happy that the pictures looked so nice. Happy that their friends liked the pictures. Happy that MC had fun. And of course…Happy to make his guildmates eat crow when he sent some of their pictures. Including a cute—maybe a little smug—picture of MC showing off her wallpaper of the two of them. His girlfriend was very real and very cool.

[fioreofthemarch]

Finding Her - Chapter 16

Link makes notes, takes photos and keeps time on his quest across Hyrule, in the hopes of finding Zelda and staying sane until he does. [ Previous | Next | First | AO3 ]

Log Date: 15:30. 8th month, 21st day 104AC Location: Minshi Woods, North Hyrule Weather: Foggy

I can’t believe it. It’s finally happened: I’ve found her! 

I wish I realised it sooner. There's a reason I haven’t seen her anywhere: I’ve been looking in the wrong places. 

Been thinking while I walk. Open air helps with the clarity. She wasn’t in any of the towns or the Temples. That cruel ghost in Hyrule Castle wasn’t her. She isn’t up on the sky islands (have explored most of them now) and I hope to Hylia she’s not stuck down in the Depths, but I think the Yiga would’ve let me know if she was. If they’d captured her, they wouldn’t bother trying to impersonate her. 

So what is left. Not much. But, it’s always the last place you look, right? 

I thought, you know, good time to go see the Deku Tree and get the Master Sword back (again). That’s when it hit me. What better place to shelter Hyrule’s Princess than the Korok Forest? 

The Lost Woods are completely sealed so it looks like I’ll have to go through the Depths to get into the forest. All the Koroks here are talking about it but they don’t seem worried, so neither am I. 

It’s nearly over. We’re so close. By this time tomorrow, she’ll be home. 

A photograph of the dense woodland of North Hyrule, and the korok diaspora hanging out amongst the trees. They look at the camera with blank but inquisitive expressions, somehow. 

Caption: They're just friendly little guys.

---

Log date: 15:30. 8th month, 22nd day 104AC Location: Korok Forest, Great Hyrule Forest  Weather: Clear. 

I don’t know what to say. 

No, I do: Link, you fool. You idiot. Getting your hopes up, for nothing. Stop lying face down in the grass and get back on the trail.  

The Koroks are side-eyeing me, I can feel it. And they don’t even have eyes. Mr. Hero seems upset, they whisper. Yeah, I am!

Zelda’s not here. The Master Sword is not here. I can’t fight the Demon King without the sword that seals the darkness. No one is being sealed anywhere by a Bokoblin Horn. 

I guess it was good that I came here. Ganondorf’s blight reached even this sacred place. Found and fought some Gloom Hands within the Deku Tree. Didn’t take any chances. Rained bomb arrows down on that thing until it shrivelled up and then cut down the Phantom Ganon that followed afterwards. Didn’t take long. Have fought worse. 

I can sense the presence of the Master Sword, the Deku Tree told me, and then a new map marker appeared on the Purah Pad. But … the marker is moving. And fast. It doesn’t make sense — I’d have noticed a sword hurtling across the countryside by now. 

I asked the Deku Tree if he had any more clues, but all he talked about was the time Zelda and I came here to retrieve the Sword, nearly half a year ago now. He said something about the Sword’s strength growing with time, along with my connection to it. The truth is within you, he said, you just need to listen for it. But I don’t hear or feel anything. 

I need to think. And I need help. Maybe more answers will come on the road…

A photograph of the towering Deku Tree, his stern expression unreadable and inscrutable. Koroks hover at the edge of the frame, eternally persistent and unphased by the ebbs and flows of fate. 

Caption: This place should be a haven, and yet.. 

---

Log date: 09:30. 8th month, 24th day, 104AC Location: Kakariko Village, Necluda  Weather: Rain. Light snow overnight. 

Back in the familiar embrace of Kakariko. Coming here was the right choice. 

Needed advice. Rode south from the Korok Forest and sought out Paya as soon as I arrived. Caught her up over some green tea and pickled swift carrots. Let her know that, surprise, ‘Zelda’ was a ghost the whole time. Paya took it surprisingly well. Only children fear ghosts, she said, and I swore it was Impa’s voice speaking. Those who are gone cannot hurt us.

Anyway. I told her I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t have any clues about Zelda or the fifth Sage. I tracked the Master Sword to Eldin using the new map marker, but I couldn’t see anything. Nothing but rocks all around and a cloudy sky above. There are more geoglyphs I could find, but… I need to make more progress in the present before revisiting the past. 

Paya knew just what to do. Trust the Sheikah to have all the answers. Change comes not through contemplation, but action. She pointed me towards the floating Ring Ruins and all but commanded that I investigate. Act then, Master Link! 

Found some ancient writing inside the ruins that the researchers Tauro and Calip deciphered, with Paya’s help. Seems like they point to someone named Mineru, in the Zonai Ruins to the south. We leave in the morning. Tauro is beside himself with excitement. I’m sitting in his camp, watching him pace back and forth trying to write Paya a ‘going away’ letter. Can see him blushing under his bangs — he’s smitten. 

Feeling optimistic. It would make sense for the fifth Sage, maybe an ancient Zonai, to take Zelda into protective custody. Maybe hidden in the ruins and cut off from the world, Zelda doesn’t know that we’re looking for her. It would make sense, for her to be there. It would make perfect sense. 

A photograph of the floating Ring Ruins in Kakariko Village. In the foreground are Paya and Tauro in private conversation. Paya whispers something in Tauro’s ear, as he crouches down to listen with intense focus. Paya has her hands clasped in front of her waist and stands with a calm confidence. 

Caption: Good for them. 

---

Log date: 20:13. 8th month, 26th day 104AC Location: Jo-ku Usin Shrine, Thunderhead Isles  Weather: Thunderstorm 

Need a break. Sheltering in an ancient Zonai cavern. All go, go, go since leaving Kakariko. Waded through marsh and swamp at the Zonai Ruins with Tauro for a whole day, examining murals and fighting off lizalfos. Hate those guys. 

We found some Zonai armour, completed an ancient ritual (Tauro enjoyed that), unveiled a whole new archipelago — but no sign of Zelda, or the fifth Sage. 

Getting frustrated. Might just be this storm. All my gear is completely soaked. It’s just… the more places I look, the more I fear it — the thought that I buried months ago to stay sane. The thought that answers a terrible question – when someone goes missing and doesn’t come back, what does everyone assume happened to them? 

I thought I could sense her, and sense the Sword. But maybe they’re just echoes. Just ghosts. Apparently the Master Sword is nearby, moving past the SkyView Tower on the Popla Foothills. If it is, I can’t see it through the clouds…

Pressing on. Will find this fifth Sage if it kills me. What else to do? I’m a hollow machine, the only thing real about me is the air I breathe. 

If I stop moving, I’m gone. 

A photograph taken from the Thunderhead Isles of the Popla Foothills to the north. The Light Dragon is seen flying just below the clouds. There's a sense that, no matter where someone is in the world, the dragon’s light would shine upon them. It's a familiar feeling, like the light that shone from Hyrule Castle when its Princess called out to— wait. No, stop that. That’s— what are you talking about? The feelings aren't familiar at all. It’s just a dragon. Nothing more. This isn't even a good photo. It’s blurry, and dark, and should just be deleted. 

---

Log date: 07:45. 8th month, 27th day 104AC Location: Construct Factory, The Depths Weather: Not applicable. 

Finally good news. The fifth Sage is here, in the Depths.  

Barely made it to the end of the Thunderhead Isles. Didn’t sleep. Heart’s been in my throat all night. I had braced to find a tomb, but found instead a Zonai mask that led me to this Construct Factory. Then I heard the voice in my mind – Link, Zelda’s Chosen Protector. I am Mineru, the Sage of Spirit.  

She couldn’t say much, except that she had been hidden in the Purah Pad all this time. Since it wasn’t designed to hold a living spirit, she had to lay low. Remembering now that Purah told me the Purah Pad was the key to the final Sage. I guess she figured it out, somehow. 

Mineru’s little more than a poe, so we’re building her a new body. She says she’ll explain everything when we get to the Spirit Temple, and that we have to hurry. Zelda’s Chosen Protector is going as fast as he can, because I think it all makes sense now. Zelda IS down here in the Depths, safe in the final Temple. I thought… something worse had happened to her. Something that couldn’t or shouldn’t even be possible. But, it wasn’t true, in the end. Thank the Goddess. 

I’m so tired, Zelda. I just want you home with me. Surely, this time, I’m right? 

Surely, this time, you really are here? 

A photograph of a large construct, half-built and still ensconced in its protective shell at the entrance to the Construct Factory. Though its eyes are open, the Construct is not yet awake. 

Caption: We’re close, I know it. 

---

~ Welcome to the Purah Pad ~

Today's Purah Pointer: Always make sure to che###%%% mon[][]rs%% in--

[Mineru.exe initiating...] [Initiation complete]

Message Medallion activated.

Connection established.

MNR | 11:00 Link? Are you there?  I’ve routed my comms through the Purah Pad, it’s easier to communicate this way.  Telepathy is a strain, after a while. 

LNK | 11:02 I don’t want to talk.

MNR | 11:02 I know what I showed you at the Spirit Temple was a lot to take in.  Zelda told me you would be upset, but she was sure her plan would work, and that the Master Sword would be–

LNK | 11:02 There’s nothing to be upset about.

MNR | 11:02  Link.

LNK | 11:03 We don’t have any proof she went through with it. 

MNR | 11:03 Yes we do.  You have met her.

LNK | 11:03  No. 

MNR | 11:03 Link, she was guarding the Great Sky Island. She saved you from a Gleeok in Hebra. In Hateno, she guided you to Lanayru. And I saw the photo you took of her on the Thunderhead Isles. 

LNK | 11:04 That wasn’t her. That dragon isn’t her. 

MNR | 11:04 Denial serves no one. The dragon is a dragon of light. It would make perfect sense for it to be her.

LNK | 11:04 Don’t say that. 

MNR | 11:04 Say what? 

LNK | 11:04 Nothing makes sense.

MNR | 11:04 Link. Go to her. You will see what I see. 

LNK | 11:05 I don’t want to talk about this.

MNR | 11:05 You cannot ignore the truth. 

LNK | 11:05 Leave me alone. 

MNR | 11:05 Do this for her, Link. She missed you so much.

LNK | 11:05 LEAVE. ME. ALONE.

MNR | 11:05 Link, wait—

Purah Pad power down initiated. 

Powering down in 3,2 — *blip*

[whirlwren]

Ok so uh, gonna post some of the fanfiction I’ve written on here. Never used tumblr before but my fiance convinced me to post my writing on here. First one I’ve got is some Sidlink fanfiction. Feel free to give me tips and suggestions!

Chapter 1: On the Road, Again.

With Calamity Ganon defeated, I set out with Zelda, now the new Queen of Hyrule. Zelda had always dreamed of uniting the tribes and peoples of Hyrule. I suppose my job now was simply to escort her to different locations. Since she didn’t have a Sheikah Slate, all our traveling was done on foot or with horses. Presently, she and I were riding together towards the Zora’s Domain, planning on meeting with King Dorphan. I was focused on the road until Zelda spoke up,

“Link, what is that?” I looked up, unsure of what she was referring to, until I noticed a looming figure in the distance.

“Stop.” I said, bringing my horse to a halt and gesturing for Zelda to stay quiet as I helped her down. “That’s a Lynel,” I said, hoping it hadn’t seen us, “they’re very territorial animals, and incredibly aggressive.”

“Can you beat one?” Zelda asked, a tinge of fear in her voice.

“Yes,” I replied, “however I’m not a big fan of fighting them.”

In the distance I could see the Lynel perk up and sniff the air. My stomach dropped as I saw it turn towards us, and begin to gallop.

“You and me, trees, now. Leave the horses.” I said, dragging Zelda behind a rock just in the tree line.

Zelda didn’t argue, she simply gasped and followed my lead as we both ducked down behind the rock. I could hear the Lynel getting closer, they weren’t exactly quiet creatures. I heard the horses turn and run, I cursed silently, knowing that it would be a fine at the stables to have them returned. The Lynel slid to a stop, I peeked around the rock to get a better look at the beast that just cost me 100 rupees. I almost had a heart attack right there. I had fought Lynels, taken out entire waves of enemies, even stopped the great Calamity Ganon. None of that compared to the massive white Lynel in front of me. I held Zelda down and put a finger to my lips to keep her quiet. After what felt like an eternity, the Lynel stomped off, nearly shaking the earth with each step.

“Is it safe?” Zelda asked, fear still lingering in her voice.

“Yes, it’s gone now.” I replied. I didn’t know that. The size of that thing was unlike anything I had ever seen. I almost didn’t believe it myself.

After talking, we decided to take a different route to the Zora’s domain. I wasn’t a fan of this route, it took too long and was annoyingly steep, but it kept that Lynel far away, so I kept my mouth shut and walked. Losing the horses was a pain in the ass. Two days of walking later, we finally made it to the Domain. Upon our arrival, we found a concerning sight. The guards for the Domain were all on high alert, and security had been almost doubled.

“Stop!” Called out one of the guards. I knew that voice.

“Baz! It’s Link!” I called out, hoping that he would recognize me in the evening light.

“Link! Welcome back to the Domain my friend! I see you have the princess with you. I’ll send word to King Dorphan and Prince Sidon that you’ve arrived.” Baz replied, examining us both for any injury.

As we walked towards the main part of the Domain, several guards bowed to Zelda, as much as she tried to stop them. She wasn’t a fan of the publicity, or the extra attention it got her.

As we checked into the inn for the night, I heard the familiar sound of Prince Sidon’s voice outside the inn.

“He’s here? As in, he made it through to the Domain? I wouldn’t expect anything less from the great hero!” As if on queue, Sidon burst into the inn, eyes settling on me. “Link!” He exclaimed, running over to me and nearly tackling me to the ground in a hug.

“Hey Sidon,” I coughed a little, “missed you too buddy, but you’re kinda crushing me.” I gasped out.

He released me, looking almost upset that he had nearly hurt me.

“Prince Sidon of the Zora,” Zelda began, trying her best to keep formalities while nearly falling over laughing at the sight of the large fish man hugging me. “It is an honor to meet you again, the last we met, you were much smaller.”

Sidon looked over, apparently just now realizing the princess was there. “Princess, I mean Queen Zelda, my apologies. It is a pleasure to have you here in the Domain. Please rest the night and my father will see you in the morning,” he said, before excusing himself, probably out of embarrassment.

I went to bed, tired after walking so far the past two days. Sleeping wasn’t hard for me, which was unusual. Normally sleep wasn’t important to me, having gone days without it before. I drifted off, still thinking about that massive Lynel.

Chapter 2: It’s All In Your Head

(From Link’s Perspective)

I was running. I didn’t know why, or from what, but I was running. I couldn’t hear it, or see it when I glanced over my shoulder. Really, I couldn’t see much of anything. Suddenly I tripped on something. Falling to the ground, I finally saw my pursuant. That same white fur and massive body loomed over me. I reached for any weapon I could find, but my hands found nothing. I cursed myself for leaving my sword somewhere. The Lynel raised its sword, but I knew I couldn’t dodge in time. The sword came down, and in a moment I was sitting upright, cold sweat running down my back as I struggled to breathe. What was that dream? More accurately it was a nightmare, but still, I didn’t have those. I hadn’t had a dream in years. I stood up, walking out of the inn and out into the main courtyard, trying to calm myself down.

“Link?” I heard a voice ask from behind me. I turned around to find Sidon standing next to the statue of Mipha, looking concerned. “What are you doing awake at this hour?”

I sighed, meeting his worried gaze. “It’s nothing, just a nightmare.” I replied, trying my best to not show the fear I really felt.

He walked over, his stride smooth and slow. “Would you like to talk about it?” He asked, clearly unsure as to what to do.

“On our way to the Domain we encountered a Lynel.” I explained. “Normally that wouldn’t be so bad, but this Lynel was massive. I’d say double or triple a standard Lynel.”

Sidon’s eyes widened, realizing what I was referring to. “You saw it as well then?” He asked, clearly more concerned now than he had been. “That Lynel took out at least a dozen of our guards out on patrol. The scene it left behind was horrific.”

We talked for a while longer, Sidon seemed to be getting cold, so I suggested we go inside somewhere that he could stay warmer.

“We could go back to my living space if you’d like.” Sidon suggested gently, trying not to make it sound awkward.

I agreed, and we made the short walk back to his area of the Domain. I sat as he brought me a drink, and we caught up on the events since I had defeated Ganon. Before I knew it, light was peeking through the windows, and it was time to see King Dorphan. Leaving his chambers, I returned to the inn to grab my gear and Zelda.

I was never a fan of diplomatic meetings. They were long, boring conversations that never got anywhere. Zelda and King Dorphan had been interacting for what seemed like days when finally the meeting was complete. Zelda decided to go shopping for a bit, and visited with the people of the Domain. Typically I would escort her, but she was safe here. I spent my time with Sidon, exchanging stories and offering advice as I could. It was late in the afternoon when Baz came sprinting into the courtyard, yelling for Sidon.

Chapter 3: Deja Vu All Over Again

(Link’s Perspective)

Sidon and I hurried over to Baz, who was very clearly bleeding from a nasty cut on his shoulder.

“Baz, what happened, is everything alright?” Sidon asked, trying to keep Baz on his feet.

Baz coughed, trying to stay conscious. “They took the princess.” That’s all he managed to get out before collapsing into Sidon’s arms.

Immediately I was on high alert. Upon inspection of Baz’s wounds, I realized something that terrified me. I knew what blades made these cuts. The curved blade used by the Yiga Clan were unlike anything else I had seen before. Given the wounds on Baz, it wasn’t likely he would be awake for several days.

“I have to go.” I said, as I began running to the bridge connecting the Domain to the rest of Hyrule.

Sidon called after me, eventually coming up on my side, keeping pace easily with legs almost double the size of mine. “Link, let me help you save her.” He said, concern and worry in his voice.

I know he was trying to be kind, that was his nature. Sidon was always so caring. But I couldn’t let him get hurt trying to follow me. Without a word I just kept running, waving him off as I continued down the path.

Chapter 4: Maybe, Just Maybe.

(Sidon’s Perspective)

There he went again. Running off to save the princess. Link was always off on some mission. I would never tell him how I truly felt. That I worried about him day and night, hoping he would return to the Domain. My father knew I had a personal connection to the hero, but he did not realize how deep that ran for me. Link was amazing, his golden blonde hair and small frame was perfect to me.

I returned to the infirmary, where Baz was being treated for his wounds. He stabilized when dipped in water, but still took very shallow breaths. I stayed by his side for a week. Barely eating or drinking, and stricken with worry for both Baz and Link. I only left to speak to my father, who requested my presence to check on my wellbeing.

After a week, I finally heard a commotion from the bridge, not thinking any of it until I heard someone yell

“Isn’t that Link and princess Zelda?” I bolted up, sprinting as fast as I could into the courtyard. Across the bridge I could see Link, princess Zelda in his arms, limping towards the Domain. I ran to him, as I arrived he simply collapsed in a sudden burst of tears and rage. I heard him shout obscenities, but I was more focused on the condition of the princess and Link. Zelda looked as if she had been beaten and tortured horribly, her breath almost nonexistent, and her heartbeat was difficult for even my senses to detect.

“I tried to save her faster, I did everything I could.” Link sobbed, trying to stand again, desperately trying to get her to the Domain.

I took Zelda from him, carrying her to a nearby guard and ordering him to take her to the infirmary immediately. I turned back to Link to find him unconscious, blood soaking through his shirt. I panicked and ran him to the royal doctors as fast as I could, begging Hylia to save them both.

Chapter 5: The Cart to Gerudo

(Zelda’s Perspective)

I stood near the window, looking out over the Domain, remembering how I used to accompany my father when he would come here on diplomatic missions. I heard the sound of something shuffling behind me before everything went dark. When I woke up, I was tied to a cart being dragged by people in deep red uniforms. The Yiga clan, a group that Link had caught me up on after my return. Apparently they had formed some time after the Calamity and were intent on finding the Hero and destroying him. I could hear them whispering in hushed voices, unsure of what to do to escape with my bonds keeping me quiet and in place.

Suddenly, the cart came to a halt, as if they had sensed I was awake. As I heard them walk around to the cart I pretended to be unconscious still, hoping they wouldn’t notice any changes. As the curtain to the cart opened, I felt the heat of the Gerudo desert hit me like I was back in the kitchens of the castle learning to bake. I felt the ropes around me loosen as one of the clan members picked me up and tossed me into a cell, forcing the wind out of me as I hit the ground.

I felt one of them approach me, and nearly gasped as something poked me in the neck. The last thing I heard before passing out again was “I hope you like it here Queen. You’re going to be here a very long time.”

Chapter 6: Failures

(Link’s Perspective)

Damn it! I let my guard down once. I knew better. I got too busy catching up with Sidon to realize I still had a job to do. This is what it gets me. The Yiga had Zelda. I failed as a knight…

I ran. I ran all the way to the Gerudo desert. I didn’t sleep for days. All I could think about is Zelda. My duty. My charge. Her father once trusted me to protect her with my life. I had betrayed that trust. I knew where the Yiga hideout was. I had fought them before. I knew they would have traps waiting for me at every turn but I didn’t care. I kept running.

I killed so many. I dipped into my ancient arrow supply. I cursed their souls to oblivion. A fate worse than death. I don’t know what made me do it, I had sworn to never use those arrows on a living thing, let alone a person. All I could think about was Zelda. We had won, we had our moment of peace. And they ruined it.

When I finally found Zelda, she had been beaten and battered, clearly unconscious for several days and severely malnourished. I picked her up, ignoring my own wounds to carry her. I picked her up and I ran, harder than I had to get here. I had to get her to the Domain. It’s the only place with doctors who could fix what the Yiga had done to her.

I’m sure my arm was broken, and I probably fractured more than that, but none of that mattered. I made it to the Domain, my body giving out as I reached the outer end of the bridge. I tried to lift myself, crying and yelling to Hylia, begging her to give me strength. I felt my body completely give out, the last blurry image in my mind was that of a large red fish barreling towards me.

Thank you for reading! I’ll post more sometime when I get around to writing it. I don’t expect this to end up doing well but if people want more I’ll make more.

[linkcities]

link's conjecture | zelda/link, botw/totk

I cannot promise you healing, nor can I promise you fulfilling redemption. I cannot promise you that the moon will stop revolving around us in order to give you more time; in the first place, time was what we didn’t have, what we don’t have, and quite possibly what we can’t ever be in total possession of.

or,

Link gives Zelda a letter, a year after the calamity's defeat.

—

pairing | zelda/link, zelink

tags | letter format, implied zelink, drabble, post-calamity botw, pre-totk, light-hearted.

for @zelinkcommunity's zelink week, day 3 | letters.

word count | 630 words.

notes | 1/2 of my entries for this year's zelink week! this is part of a much larger 'fic that i'll be publishing within the year, if ever i get around to finishing it. cx

ao3

—

Zelda,

Perhaps it will never be easier. Not for us, anyway.

I see the effects of the calamity on you vividly, when you’re walking right beside me, before you sleep at night; in the middle of it. You don’t like wearing your heart out on your sleeve, princess, but you’ve been trying too hard lately that you’ve forgotten how to conceal it. But I believe, fervently, that you shouldn't have to conceal it.

When you walk: there is a nervous skip to your step, even in lands filled with grass and green. I was the same when I came out of the Shrine of Resurrection, but mine was because I felt like I was in unchartered territory, which rang true for the most part. I can tell that we’re not the same in that regard. My caution stems from my initial knowledge about the world around me, or the lack thereof. Yours stems from your incapacity to look at things without getting reminded of the red, the screams from one hundred years ago. I’ve long forgotten about the past. You’re the only one tying me to it—though that’s not how it goes on your end.

Your exhaustion is apparent everyday. I understand why. It’s hardly been a year. I doubt that six moons’ worth of sleep is going to replenish your energy all at once. You always tell me to rest as though you weren’t as tired as me—as though you weren’t twice as restless. You were awake for a century, your consciousness barely felt, barely existing. Even now that you’re with me, you’re barely there. You’re always drifting somewhere else entirely, a place I don’t know how to get to just yet.

I’m a light sleeper next to you. I have to wake up lest trouble stirs up on the horizon. I wake up at dusk, sometimes, when I feel you clutching the sheets tighter until your knuckles turn pale. I’d give you one look the next morning and you’d smile, almost as if you knew just by sight alone that I was worried. You’d always say that you were fine, just unused to sleeping with someone next to you. That’s a lie. If it were true, why is it that you only fall back to peaceful sleep when I hold you in my arms?

Princess, it’s only going to get more difficult from now on.

I cannot promise you healing, nor can I promise you fulfilling redemption. I cannot promise you that the moon will stop revolving around us in order to give you more time; in the first place, time was what we didn’t have, what we don’t have, and quite possibly what we can’t ever be in total possession of.

I cannot promise you anything of substantial value, princess, I don’t think the Goddess granted me that power. I can promise you lasting efforts. I can promise you that I’ll try. Over and over again. I can promise you my world, everything I have left to give, but I’m certain that still wouldn’t be enough.

I would give you everything if I could. Even if I cannot, that doesn't mean I won't try.

I would go through the ends of the earth for you again if that is what you would wish of me. I would do anything.

I would. For you.

Perhaps you should let me start again.

Zelda,

My Zelda. Perhaps it will never be easier. I’m sorry it can’t be. But you have my word; and by word alone, I swear to walk at a pace that allows you to breathe. Should you choose to stay still, I’ll stand beside you until you’re ready to move forward. Really, I wouldn’t mind.

We have all the time in the world.

Link.

[roy-dcm2]

Zelda Theory - The Triforce in TP

For hardcore Zelda theorist, the status of the Triforce in Twilight Princess has always raised a few eyebrows. Why do Ganon, Zelda, and Link already have it at the start of the game? I mean, it makes sense that Ganon has it because he’s literally the same guy from Ocarina of Time… but that’s in the Adult Timeline, not the Child Timeline.  Why do Link and Zelda have their pieces? (Link is shown to still have the Triforce when he re-meets Zelda at the very end of OoT) But, the Link and Zelda from OoT are long dead. How did it pass on to their descendants? Why does it work that way here, but not in any other instance?

It just raises too many questions.

But, as I like to say, sometimes you have to discard your preconceived notions. I’m here to blow this whole thing open….

Ganondorf didn’t have the Triforce of Power until he touched it again. I’ll let that sink in.

Everyone assumes that Ganondorf’s execution took place right after the events of Ocarina of Time. Like, Young Link told Zelda what was happening, they convinced the king, and the king would wave war with the Gerudo, until Ganondorf was captured, and executed. (That’s what the official timeline would lead you to believe)

Alternatively, I say after OoT, Ganon realized his plans were thwarted, so he ran away to bide his time. He was always a very powerful sorcerer, so living for (let’s assume) 100 years would be a very easy task. Then, some time before the events of TP (let’s assume 15-20 years) , Ganon and a horde of monsters invaded Hyrule and were able to touch the Triforce. Of course, shortly after touching the Triforce, Ganondorf was subdued by the sages and ultimately banished to the Twilight Realm. This is what we see in the flashback at the Mirror Chamber.

Think about it... why do the Sages not look anything like the Sages from OoT? But they're still around in TP (allegedly 100 years later)? Because these events take place 15-20 years before TP.

Obviously, when he touched it, the Triforce split and it went to a very young Link and Zelda. And that's why they all have their Triforce pieces at the beginning of the game. As you know, it was those Triforce pieces that saved them from the effects of Twilight.

But wait... you might be itching to ask... why was the Triforce complete in the first place? (As was pointed out earlier, Link still had the Triforce of Courage in the last scene of OoT.)

I'd have to assume that there is a time limit to how long you could keep the Triforce, or some special rules to when the Triforce resets. I could be that if at least two of the Triforce holders DIE without extracting the Triforce piece, then the whole thing gets reset. This would explain why Ganon doesn't just kill Link and Zelda outright, if he killed them, the Triforce would reset.

So, even if OoT Link kept his piece, (or if Zelda had a piece, too) when they died of natural causes, the Triforce was reset. Setting us up for Ganondorf to try grabbing it before the events of TP.

When you think of it that way, the events at the start of the game make sense. Maybe, someone touching the Triforce happens in every game where Link has the Triforce of Courage.

[ordon-shield]

Whumpril Day 8: Hope in Your Heart

nausea | comfort food | dehydration | alt prompt: ransom

ao3 link (2nd in a series)

Zelda was already worried when the four Links never came back from going to face Vaati. It had been days since they had freed her and gone to fight him, long enough for her to make her way back to the castle and start taking steps to help the kingdom recover. As busy as she was trying to manage missing knights and towns burnt down by a dragon, she still sent out scouts to try and fight them, hoping that they’d only been injured in the battle… and not anything worse.

Her worst fears seemed to have been confirmed when she sensed a wave of familiar magic, rushing to the castle courtyard in horror as a dark portal opened up in its centre, shouting to the guards to hide away. A tall and unfamiliar figure stepping out. No, she realised a moment later as she met his eyes. She knew this person, even if the form they took now was different from the one she’d seen before. Hovering just above the ground before her was Vaati, taking the shape of a tall sorcerer with long purple hair, a golden crown on their head, and a familiar eye looking out from the void beneath their robe.

Steeling herself, she stepped forward, calling upon her inherited magic, which took form in her hand as a bright orb of light.

“Vaati. Why have you come here?”

They turned to face her directly and smiled, the sides of their mouth stretching too far as they did so.

“Don’t worry Princess, I have no interest in you any more. Now that I’ve recovered my true power, I’m much more interested in something I heard about from that… boar beast that tried to command me. Tell me, Princess Zelda, where can I find the Triforce?”

Zelda’s eyes widened in shock at the word. The Triforce… it had become nothing more than myth and legend to the people of Hyrule, but the royal family had still retained their knowledge of the sacred artefact.

“The Triforce was lost centuries ago, soon after the end of the Hyrulean Civil War. It was kept in the Sacred Realm, a world adjacent to Hyrule, but when my ancestors finally opened the door to try and access it during a time of need, it had disappeared. You won’t find it here, Vaati.”

They tilted their head at her.

“Are you sure about that, Princess?”

With a wave of their hand, a small figure appeared next to them, held up in the air by chains made of shadow. Zelda instantly recognised him as Link, the Four Sword missing from his back, and his clothes the familiar mix of green and white he’d always worn before drawing that blade. She didn’t trust it for a moment.

“How do I know that isn’t just his shadow? We’ve been tricked before by that summoned shade!”

Vaati chuckled, as if amused by her question.

“That traitorous little spirit? It’s been… disposed of. If you need a guarantee though… I’ll let him speak.”

The shadows around Link seemed to loosen, and he shouted out to Zelda.

“Don’t listen to him! I’m fine, just don’t—“

The shadows returned, cutting him off, as Vaati loomed over Zelda.

“Do you believe me now?”

Zelda met Link’s eyes, pleading at her to refuse what Vaati had asked of her.

“… Free Link first. Then I’ll tell you what I know.”

Vaati shrugged and the shadows dissipated, sending Link falling to the ground where he lay limply. Giving him a worried glance, Zelda took a deep breath, meeting Vaati’s eyes with her own.

“The Triforce comes in three pieces. Power, Wisdom, and Courage. The Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Courage were last seen during the Twilight Invasion, centuries ago. The Triforce of Wisdom… was passed down through my family from the Queen of that time, until we chose to hide it away to protect it. You’ll find the Triforce of Wisdom in a sacred grove hidden deep in the forests of Faron. That’s all I know.”

Vaati’s grin split their face wide open, filled with more teeth than Zelda cared to think about.

“Thank you Princess. That’s all I need for now.”

With a burst of dark magic, which pushed against her senses like a vicious wind, the wind mage vanished into a portal just like the one they had arrived through, leaving Zelda and Link alone in the courtyard.

She rushed to his side, thankful to see him whole again, but worried about what he must have gone through with Vaati. Helping him up, she realised he had no visible wounds, which should have been a comfort, if she didn’t know just what a powerful mage could do to someone’s mind without ever drawing blood.

There was a reason she chose to accept Vaati’s deal, something more than their personal ties. It was something even Link didn’t know about himself, a well kept secret of her line. The divine power held by the Hero of Twilight was passed down through his descendants, and she’d been told enough stories of Hyrule’s past to recognise the shape of the faded birthmark on the back of his hand, even if he didn’t know its true meaning himself. To let Vaati keep him, even ignorant of his ancestry was a risk she couldn’t take.

Helping Link on their way to the castle infirmary, she tried to ask him what had happened, but he stayed silent, his eyes avoiding contact with her own. She had to wonder though… did his eyes always have that slight violet tint?

[lucky-clover-gazette]

Shadow shakes his head. “You’re doing perfectly. I just don’t want this to be a bad memory for you.” Dreaming Vio startles at the comment. Is this a bad memory? He doesn’t think so, but his definition of ‘bad’ is far from conventional. That’s what months of corruption does to a person, he supposes. Shadow runs his hands down Vio’s waist and hips as the blonde pushes him against the headboard. Vio kisses him deep, almost as if sucking poison from a wound. Shadow’s eye widen as he watches strange patterns appear on his own skin. Dark purple veins run down his arms and neck, almost resembling the complex root system of a tree. They seem to almost be alive, the lines pulsing as Shadow kisses Vio harder. Vio whimpers, but doesn’t let go. The lines transfer from one body to another, tendrils of gloom creeping their way beneath the thin fabric of his blouse. It appears to weaken him further at first, and he loses the energy to kiss Shadow hard. He falls into the other man’s arms, his body jerking around every three seconds as if taking prolonged damage from the direct exposure.

— —

I think one of my favorite things about your writing is how you take so many concepts from other games in the Zelda series (like the gloom or the addition of the Hero’s Shade in this fic specifically) and use the elements given through canon but also add your own twist. I’m mostly curious what inspires you to use those things, and also how much more complex the systems might be than what we get from reading the character’s perspectives. I also just really like this scene and the concept of this fic as a whole; it’s definitely one of my most favorite things I’ve read :D (Also I’ve been meaning to ask if there’s any specific songs you’d tie to scenes in any of your fics or music you listen to while writing in general).

Anyways thank you! Hope you're having a good day!

thank you so much! i always appreciate your comments.

with other zelda things, it’s really kind of connected to my overall experience with the series. loz was an iceberg for me, like i started with botw, got really into it, started watching other people play the other games, read the twilight princess manga, got a wii u to play the oldies, and eventually just kinda randomly picked up the four swords manga almost a year ago. so i already had a lot of love for this series before writing four swords fic, and a lot of thoughts about the games. esp bc it’s not a nostalgia thing for me, i’ve approached zelda as an adult, i think my analysis of and connection to the media has been pretty “deep” or whatever. these stories mean a lot to me, and i’ve always been someone to take stories and their importance in my life seriously. botw in particular was a very healing experience for me at the time that i played it. that game holds a lot of philosophical and emotional meaning to me, and i get why others may not enjoy it, but as someone who has now played the other games, i still think it’s a master piece. my favorite game of all time, honestly, and totk was such a gift. it did so much right for me. it’s been delightful experiencing the series how i have.

i don’t love all of the choices made in terms of story and themes in loz, but there is a LOT to play with in fic. esp bc it’s a reincarnation type series, i don’t give a shit about the timeline, i just want to draw parallels and do clever interesting things. so a lot of the time i’ll have a vague idea of what i want to do with a story, and there will be a way to make connections, if only for my own enjoyment. i’m a strong believer that all art is derivative, but like, if you know the author loves it and is having fun, that only makes it better. it’s hard to pinpoint what i thought of and what was put in my mind by other things in the series, and honestly, i’m totally cool with that :)

i want to tread lightly talking about the gloom and corruption stuff in that specific fic because spoilers buuuuut the core concept of that part was just for it to be vaguely toxic and kinda … yknow… and i liked the idea of gloom/gloom hands being this confused force of harm and affection. honestly this whole fic is just me putting some very personal feelings and experiences on blast, and it’s been exhausting to write. i actually scrapped the final chapter and i’m rewriting it now, for the best!

hmmm i do connect my writing a lot to music but i think (?) you’ve seen my vidow playlist already! for the final chapter i’m doing a little bit of a tone shift and i’ve been listening a ton to the bottoms (movie) soundtrack. going for something more lively and active and cinematic, instead of two people being miserable. inserting a little dark humor too, closer to the og corruption but it’s chill au. while working on earlier chapters of corruption but it’s unchill i associated it with “eyes half open” by cinders, and (TOTK SPOILERS) i listened to the totk memory ost of rauru sealing ganon pretty much the entire time i wrote the chapter where vio kills green. been listening a lot to “pain” by king princess (also in bottoms, that movie is living rent free in my brain rn) while working on the final chapter.

hope this answers your questions! thanks so much for reading <3

[xaymak]

At the question, Zelda’s throat closes up.

Wild. Her knight. Her Link.

She knows where he is. The Deku Tree was kind enough to input a marker upon her Purah Pad so she could always know where he is. He’s a flighty little beast, as always, so the tracker is much appreciated.

The problem is…

“Princess?” one of them prompts, and she closes her eyes. She takes a deep breath.

Stay strong, Zelda. Have courage. You will find me. You will know what to do.

“He’s alive,” she says. There’s more than one sigh of relief. Her voice sounds far away to her ears, and bile threatens to rise up her throat. “Link is in Lanaryu right now, last I checked.” She’s been checking every half hour on the dot ever since she was gifted the tracker.

“Aw, it’s too bad we’re all the way here, then,” the youngest hero says—Wind, if she remembers correctly. He explains before she can ask why being in Thyphlo Ruins was too far for travel. “Our portals have been really weird lately, so we’re barely anywhere before we go ffshuy! off into somewhere else.”

The disappointment he feels is only for missing her knight. It’s not…

Before she can stop herself, she says, “There’s something you should know.”

A pause. “Princess Zelda?” Time asks.

Is there any delicate way of saying it? “He’s not himself.” A wave of alarm and confusion goes through the heroes. Is it even worth it to say delicately? She chooses her words with care. “He’s… I suppose you should know we’re undergoing a crisis, right now. Would you mind me giving some context?”

It’s not a question.

About half an hour later, Sky abruptly stands up and leaves the camp. She can’t meet his eyes; she doesn’t think he can meet hers either.

With a heavy exhale, Four hauls himself up as well. “I’ll go keep an eye on him,” he promises. “Don’t stop on my account, I’ll hear it later.” The night swallows his form as he steps out of the campfire light.

Zelda hasn’t even gotten to the Sky Islands yet. First was the sickness—like a plague, it spread from the castle perimeter astonishingly quickly. Next was the gloom that seeped into the air from below, heavy to breathe in and infecting the body for much longer than malice had. Then the exploration below the castle… the depths filled with artifacts none of the heroes before her recognized, history none alive remembered, and the corpse of a Gerudo, withered and leaking amusement and disdain.

“I believe,” she’d said, “that he was the source of the Calamity. That Calamity Ganon was the corpse’s hatred given form, and we had stumbled upon where he was sealed away the past ten thousand years. But it was weakening even as we watched, and so he… he returned.” And Sky had gotten up and left.

Her voice doesn’t shake as she narrates the misfortunes that have fallen Hyrule. A small stone in Link’s hand. Cruel, red energy that degraded sword and flesh right before their eyes. Their fall; a golden light taking him, a green hand taking her.

She keeps it relevant. The sky islands for their background with the Zonai. The Zonai for the whole context, really. The regional phenomena to explain what she’s been doing. The sages, stemming from that.

And Zelda can’t put it off anymore, and she explains the dragon’s tears.

You know what would be fucked up? A totk role swap au where the Link Universe guys get dropped in Wild hyrule and Flora has to break the news that Wild is now an immortal dragon. Would that be fucking up or what?

[skyward-floored]

hi you seem like a zelda expert

is Link in the wind waker actually not part of the hero's spirit?

i keep seeing so many people saying he is not and it confuses me

Ahhhh okay, this is a bit of a grey area, and subject to interpretation as well, but I’ll try to explain my understanding of it best as I can :) and no shade to anyone who disagrees with me, this is just my understanding of the whole thing.

First off, to understand the whole deal in wind waker, you have to understand first what exactly the deal is with both Ocarina of Time, and the hero’s spirit itself.

In ocarina of time, the Hero of Time draws the Master Sword but is deemed to young to wield it and defeat Ganondorf, so he’s put to sleep for seven years in order to be given time to grow. He wakes up, continues his quest and eventually succeeds in defeating Ganondorf.

Princess Zelda thanks him, and uses the ocarina of time to send Link back to the time before his sleep, seven years back in time so he can enjoy the years he lost. In doing so, Zelda causes a timeline split; Link goes back and stops Ganondorf from taking over, but the time Zelda sent him away from continues on.

The timeline where Link defeats Ganon and is then sent away is what leads eventually to Wind waker’s flood, and the events of the game.

This is why many people believe the Hero of Winds doesn’t have the hero’s spirit. If the previous hero left the timeline, how could his courageous spirit pass on to the next hero? Which leads me to this:

What exactly is the hero’s spirit?

All the different versions of Link are connected by way of all being chosen heroes of the goddess(es), generally wielding the triforce of courage, possessing a commonly referred to as “courageous spirit”, and being able to draw and use the Master Sword. It’s not really a specific thing per say, it’s a mantle almost, an unseen indication of being a Hero of Hyrule.

It’s what Demise cursed to always come back and fight against him.

It’s what makes Link Link, and not just any old guy. It’s unnamed qualities of courage that are a part of him, it’s what made him choose to listen to a voice in his head and rescue a princess from a dungeon, the reason he leapt off of Skyloft, why despite being hurt he chased after the kids he cared about after they’d been kidnapped. It’s what made a kid who’d never been away from his home island chase after the monster that stole away his little sister.

I think in a lot of ways it’s love. Laying down his life for the people and kingdom he cares about, whether it’s family or friends or complete strangers; Link acts out of love, and that’s what the hero’s spirit is.

So to answer your question, I think the Hero of Winds does have the hero’s spirit.

I don’t know if he has the original one, if it somehow hopped timelines and went to him, if he got a new one or what. But the Hero of Winds does have a courageous spirit. He’s the Hero, who fights back against Ganon, who draws the Master Sword, who fights for the people he loves.

If that isn’t the hero’s spirit I don’t know what is.

[thebreathofthewild]

i very much prefer the story of breath of the wild to the alternate timeline we got in age of calamity. not because i’m a timeline purist, i don’t really care much whether it splits off or not, but what DOES matter to me in a story (next to the plot itself) is mainly characterization, relationships and theme.

my main issue with age of calamity’s story isn’t just what they changed... it’s what they DIDN’T change, which then didn’t fit with the new stuff they’d written.

breath of the wild’s story is, in my mind, far from perfect, but it has a consistent, vibe, flow, and a character arc for princess zelda that i believe. more than an individual arc, it’s also a relationship arc with link. the development of that relationship is a key driver of the plot.

in age of calamity... despite reaching the same conclusion - that zelda saves link, her love for him activates her power - that development is absent.

i rewatched all the memories from botw and its like. bro. age of calamity can't even begin to compare. their relationship in botw has an arc.

every scene they're in together serves a purpose to establish a new relationship status or milestone. zelda goes through a Bunch of emotions about link: first quiet resentment, then Louder resentment at how he’s doing better at his role than she is at hers, then full-on ANGY, then admiration, mixed with guilt and regret for having lashed out that way to someone who would save her anyway...

from then, she humbly tries to be nicer through tending link’s wounds. she allows herself to be more playful and goof off with him, then Actually Opens Up about her insecurities - displaying true vulnerability when they're caught in the rain together. we know from zelda’s diary that link also shares his own troubles with her, and that she was trying to get him to open up was well. 

then, zelda’s excitingly sharing more hobbies (ancient tech) and hoping that maybe, just maybe, her research can substitute her lack of powers. in the same scene, link gets to witness a true relationship milestone: a parent yelling at your friend/gf in front of you. then zelda shows Even More vulnerability as she has a meltdown about her fears & insecurities at the spring of power in front of him (knowing he's there & not afraid to show him). at this point, she even allows herself to be angry at her dad, instead of solely blaming herself. 

then she gains further appreciation for link teaching her how to handle horses (and says she’s trying to be a bit more empathetic to the horse, as a metaphor for her being nicer to link and more selfless in general), sharing her faint hope for mt lanayru...  then that hope is crushed, and zelda decides to stay by link’s side (instead of urbosa hiding her) regardless of danger.

the calamity strikes. they flee together - which leads to zelda having a total beakdown, as the others die and link’s the only one she has left. the mix of guilt, despair and grief becomes too much, so she leans on him, both physically and emotionally, and he is always there to comfort her. 

THEN, finally, zelda has reached a point of loving link enough to be able to save his life, knowing he will do the same someday. which he does, and in the epilogue, she acknowledges both the pain of the past and how (because him remembering her is what unlocks this ending) he is a big part of the reason why she can accept herself now, even with her power fading & her role fulfilled.

that's an ARC, baby! 

i have my problems with botw as an overall narrative (especially its muddled messaging on whether zelda should be forced to have this traditional role), but i cannot fault how carefully they built the zelink relationship step-by-step without taking shortcuts. in these brief snippets, you see just enough to understand how zelda went from almost hating link to truly loving him.

by contrast... here’s the AoC zelink arc, despite having 3x the cutscene runtime: zelda feels quietly insecure, but doesn’t take it out on link. link saves her, as a bodyguard is supposed to. they exchange glances. they don’t talk / bond. link saves zelda again. they exchange glances. they don’t talk / bond... they flee together. then she saves link out of “love.”

that’s it. that’s literally it. 

AoC-zelink go from two (2) Meaningful Glances to zelda activating her powers, because of a bodyguard she has not spent one real second bonding with. 

link saving zelda was a turning point for their relationship in botw, yes - but here’s the key difference: it was a starting point, not the end destination. it made zelda re-evaluate how she saw link, because she was a dick to him first. THAT prompts her to try to understand someone who was kind and selfless despite how poorly she treated him. which leads to many scenes of them bonding more.

so, hot take: the real, original sin here which almost all of these issues grow from, is that they didn’t let zelda be flawed in age of calamity. 

because age of calamity-zelda was never a jerk to link, she has no reason to go out of her way to be nicer and get to know him when he saves her anyway. that’s just standard bodyguard stuff, and that’s all it’s allowed to be. they don’t share private moments of vulnerability. they don’t share at all, really.

because of this, their relationship - which became its own, organic thing in botw - is never allowed to grow. it stays knight & princess without any real flavor to it. 

i think this could be avoided if age of calamity-zelda was as strong of a character as botw-zelda was. neither is like, a literary masterpiece, but there’s a clear contrast. both are insecure and want to stop ganon, but... that’s all AoC-zelda is allowed to be, until she’s suddenly a Perfect Badass Goddess with no personality other than shouting “for hyrule!”

botw zelda didn’t just have that central insecurity. she has hobbies, she goofs off, she gets angry at people, she starts out with a huge inferiority complex towards link. she can be selfish and rebellious and clearly likes research more for its own sake than its ability to stop the calamity. she becomes nicer over time and more compassionate (unlike age of calamity, which treats it as given that she was always “boundlessly” compassionate), but that’s where she got because link was nice to her, not where she started out. 

and all of this fits into theme. age of calamity is a power fantasy in a notoriously over-the-top warriors franchise. its all about self-empowerment and looking good while kicking ass. breath of the wild is about exploration, slowly piecing together what happened 100 years ago and moving past grief into hope for the future.

i’ll put it this way - botw zelda had an arc to become a better person. aoc zelda only ever became a more powerful person.

[linksthoughtbrambles]

Spin Me

Part 44 of Link's Thought Brambles. [Note: This is only 1/2 of the full chapter I wrote because Tumblr says it was too long! So, you'll be getting 2 chapters today (but it's really one long chapter I was forced to divide).]

Zelda kissed me this morning... in public.  Now she’s on my arm... in public.  We’re approaching the threshold of the ballroom.  And we’re going to dance in public.  And… it’ll be fine, won’t it?  Like the king said, it’s better to be seen together normally than separate suspiciously.  They’ve both made it clear this is okay.  They have.

It’s going to be fine.

“Link… you’ve tensed. Are you alright?”

Her eyes.  The exact color of dappled sunshine on leaves in deep woods.  Always the light.  Everything about her.

“…Link?”

“Sorry.  I was looking at your eyes.  They…”    A twitch of her cheek.  Almost a smile.  “They remind me of my favorite places… lit by the Sun.”

“…And yours, mine, Link—eyes of the sky.  Of wide-open places.”

“Hh.”

Every feature of her face seems trained on me.  Aligned with mine.

And we’re inside.  A lot of other people are, too.  I recognize a lot of their faces.  Vaguely.

“W-well.  It looks as though they’ve- ah- made an extraordinary effort!”

Mipha’s right.  That’s not only a lot of food.  The way they’ve arranged it is spectacular!  I feel like I’m looking at a giant bird’s plumage.  What’s-

“Heavens above.  Is madam Plynne here?  I’ll be paying her a visit later to be sure.  I’ve never seen the like.  Daughter?”

“It’s the shape of Jirolie’s new symbol!  From the tunic!”

Wooow.  I have never imagined that many sugared cranberries could exist.  What’re the things that look like itty bitty oranges?!

The royal guards are moving to the wall already-

!!! What about- “Princess, Seggin and Sharoo are guests, right?!“

“Of course.”

“Ohh… good.”

“I’m glad I could relieve your concern so readily.   It appears as though Mipha is quite hungry.”

Wow.  Yeah, she’s loading that plate up.  She didn’t eat very much when we stopped, but she usually doesn’t.  Seggin and Sharoo are joining her.

“Are you alright, my lady?”

“O-oh yes, quite well.”

Why are they whispering?

“Hey, hack-n-slash.  Here.”

SLATE in my face- “Huh?”

“You have a belt.  I don’t.  Neither does the Princess.”

Cruddy planning.  Her satchel is in her room.  “Yeah, okay Purah, hang on… uh-” Get the hook on there first.  There.  We’ll be dancing, too, better tie it aaaand where’s the cord?

“Oh.  Link, I believe the wrap was in my pocket.”

“Um.  Okay-“

“I got you, Link!  I don’t need all these ribbons in my hair.  The bottom one can go.  It matches your shirt!”

“Chee, you don’t have to-”

“Too late!  Here.”

I’ll… have a hair ribbon on my hip all evening.

Better that than a smashed slate, for sure...  OR a stolen one if we left it lying around.  I wouldn’t put it past people in this room.  Somehow, I doubt all these people got wealthy and influential by putting things IN the lost and found box.

“That seems secure, I think.  I shall have to design some better way to attach it to a belt.”

“The hook’s good, Princess, it just needs a clasp or something.”

They’re tuning the instruments.  It makes everything surreal somehow.  Crowds out indistinct worries about whatever’s in the bailey. 

Here comes Zuho.  Wow… that’s… the fakest of fake smiles I’ve ever seen!  He looks PISSED OFF.  Why?!

“Sire.”

“Ah, Zuho.  Such a variety of instruments today!”

“Yes, Sire.  I’ve foregone some traditional themes in favor of celebrating our Princess.  Many of today’s pieces are new.”

“Many, you say?  How could you pull that together in so short a time?”

Ohhh.  That’s a falter-face.

“I haven’t, sire.  I have been preparing for this day at length.”

“A man with some forethought.  Well, I ought not be surprised.”

“May I speak with you about opening the ball, sire?  And the Princess, as well?”

“Certainly—daughter?”

 She’s not letting go of my arm, so I guess I’m supposed to go, too.  Don’t get yanked, Link.  Be smooth for once!

And by Hylila’s holy light, he just shot me the nastiest glare I’ve ever gotten from anyone.  ?!??!!?

Okay, Link.  Even if his music stinks (it usually doesn’t, but there was that time with the song that was supposed to sound like a bunch of herons and that was just an uncomfortable five minutes for everyone involved), you have to tell him it’s awesome.  Like the best music you’ve ever heard. 

“Sire. Princess.”

Pick something to rave about. 

“The first piece, while new, is fairly traditional in structure-“

There’s a cool-looking Sheikah instrument over there.

“-moderato in 4/4 timing with an accelerando to open the floor, intended, as most are, to be danced with a single partner.”

Like a giant laying-down lute with extra strings.

“I’d hoped each of you would grace us by dancing to open the ball.”

I’ll say his use of that was… poetic?

“Of course, Zuho.”

“Yes.  I’d better find a partner!”

“Sire?  You won’t be dancing with the Princess?”

“Oh ho ho!  No indeed.  I shall not cut in quite so early.  Ah- Princess Mipha.  Would you care to dance?”

Honor the visiting royalty!  Good idea.

“O-oh.  Well, I—o-of course, sire.  I’m honored.”

She seems flustered.  She didn’t even eat her food yet.

“Link… do you know how to dance?”

“I’ve watched people do this a bunch, Princess.”

“Hmm.  Perhaps follow my lead at first.”

“I would’ve anyway.”

A warm smile.

And… vision-daggers from Zuho.

“With your permission, sire?”

“Certainly.  We’ll take our places.”

The center of the dance floor.  People are gathering around.  The king has Mipha’s hand, too.  Her face is downturned.  Is something wrong?

One last tuning check.  Zuho has some kind of complicated wind instrument, and he’s not the only one.  The band is usually smaller than this.

“Jitters, Link?”

“…Some.”

“…Just the dance, or the sword?”

“It’s not the sword.”

“Good.”

Okay… a hand on her waist.  The other holding hers up.  “Is this right?”

“It is, Sir Knight.”

Eye crinkles from her and a thrill through me.  I never would’ve expected those words to strike such sparks.

“Try to stay loose, but not so loose you lose hold of my waist or hand.”

“Ha!  Just like holding a sword.”

“Please do not swing me at your opponents.”

“Mmm, what about my allies?”

“Indeed not!”

“I thought swinging was a thing in dancing.”

“A swing in dance is considerably different than the type of swinging you’re accustomed to.”

“I totally swung Rayan in the yard.  You sure you don’t want to try it?”

“Hmm, I believe Sir Rayan yielded after you did that.  I suspect I would not enjoy it.”

“I could be gentler.”

“Perhaps later.  Tempo moderato is typically not suited to vigorous swinging.”

“I’ll remember you said that when the tempo picks up.”

“You shall be careful?”

“I’ll always be careful with you.”  …I’d like to say ‘when you’re in my arms’… but I’m not sure how many of these people can hear me, even with the crowd buzz.  You can read this later, Princess.  Uh.  At least, you can if Purah never turned it off.

They’ve stopped tuning.  One last flex of the hands before we start.  Loosen up, Link.  …Her waist.   It shivered under my palm.  Will I feel that again later tonight?  I want to chase those vibrations across her skin.

“Ladies and Gentlemen.  I am pleased to declare the ball officially open!”

Zuho sounds genuinely happy about that, at least.

The harp and strings setting the timing.

One two three four

One two three four

A gentle pull…

We’re moving…

It’s easy! So easy

to follow her.

Two points of contact

and the slightest shift sends us gliding

…in perfect harmony.

.

The music… it’s lifting us up.

…It’s so beautiful.

It must be one of Zuho’s.

.

Her smile...

She feels it, too… this is no

ordinary song complacently keeping

time while we step.  It’s a

description… something

deep, heartfelt and joyous

that’s waited too long to be expressed.

…Something that finally

has freedom…

soaring through a clear sky. And it’s

exactly, perfectly, boundlessly

right. …And it’s

SO CLEARLY about her!

There’s no need to learn this

dance. I know this song.

…I feel it when I’m with her.

…This is a love song.

...The sky help me,

how is it possible music created by

Zuho could give shape to my

very soul?

.

She’s squeezing me.

“…Can you hear me, Link?”

“…I can.”

“The music so fills the room,

I thought you might not.”

“It’s special.  Made for you.”

“Yes… I hear it.”

.

“Zelda?”

“Yes?”

.

“…I think maybe I know why Zuho doesn’t like me.”

.

.

“I think I do, too.”

.

.

“…Does it make you uncomfortable?”

.

“…When this is what it sounds like?

No. This isn’t the sound of

possessiveness or jealousy, is it?”

“No.  Definitely not.”

.

.

“I- I am… moved.”

.

“So am I.”

“Truly?”

“How could I not be?

It sounds like what I feel for you.”

.

.

…Another squeeze

and the tempo’s changing

…Speeding up

.

We’re sweeping across the floor

now- It’s the signal!

Everyone else is

starting to dance, too.

.

Goddess forgive me,

but I can’t help myself.

Her waist in my hand,

her hand in mine,

her unrestrained smile,

and my unstoppable grin...

… I just can’t help it!

.

It’s so wrong of me.

I’m music-mooching,

and it’s not at all fair.

I didn’t put all my sweat, blood

and tears into writing this for her, but I-

“You suddenly appear as a man torn.”

.

She caught that fast.

“I just-“

“You’re feeling sorry for Zuho.”

Wow.  Real fast.

“Might I…”

?

“Might I selfishly request that…

??

“during this first dance…”

???

“you not think of anything else?”

.

Only you could feel guilty

About feeling guilty, Link.

…Quit being a

walking bramble-bush.

Squeeze her hand.

Press down and in,

just slightly,

on her waist.

…See her

breath catch…

…I hope the

slate’s on, Princess.

.

I want you to know exactly

what I’m thinking.

.

I love you.

.

I wish I could pull

you flush against me.

I have to resist for now,

but later…

Later, Princess…

Th-the song’s ending.

Aw.

.

We’re clapping.  I guess that makes sense.  Original composition and the ball opener and all that…We’re not clapping after every song, are we?  They usually don’t.

She’s touching my wrist.

“That was wonderful.”

“I danced okay?”

“You did quite well!  Though that’s hardly the only reason I enjoyed dancing with you.”

Ooooh, a few people definitely heard that one.  There’s some head-snapping going on.  “Hehehehe-“  Link! Get a hold of yourself!  Nervous giggling is not cool.  Not EVER, but especially not in the middle of this crowd.  She’s doing the confused-blinking.  She doesn’t do it often, but I’ve seen it before, and that’s definitely it.  Blinky blinks, eyebrows up, no smile.  “Sorry.”

Another blink.

“You’re sorry I enjoyed dancing with you?”

“Oh no, that part’s great!”

“So why apologize?”

“Well, I-“  OOPS!  Link, what’s wrong with you?  You didn’t tell her YOU enjoyed it!!!!  “I enjoyed dancing with you, too!  A lot!!”

What am I holding my hands up for?!  Put those down, put those down- why’d she get blinkier?

“You’re… sorry YOU enjoyed dancing with me?”

“What?!  No, that’d be crazy.”

“Thank the heavens we’re on the same page there.”

“Sorry.  Sorry, it was the laughing, it was awkward.”

“Pkhp.  I see.  Link, you do realize if I disliked awkwardness, I wouldn’t be quite so taken with you?” 

I am now the color of a voltfruit.  The sort of transition music’s loud enough that most people couldn’t hear us, but that lady with the tall hair right there isn’t even trying to hide how much she’s enjoying this.

Better check… yeah, everyone’s still in here.  Our whole group.  The king’s, too.  Chee- heh.  Pestering Jeralt. Better double-check with him- oh.  New music-

“Your sister has no fear of rejection as you do.”

Fear of- “Huh?”

“She speaks freely, and to everyone regardless of their station.”

“Yeah, she’s like that.”

“…Well, Link.  Another dance, or would you prefer to investigate the foo-ooh!”

“Does this answer your question?”

“Heheh, this is a lively one-“

“Fast!”

“Can you keep up with me, Sir Knight? I- goodness, it just got faster!”

“Guess he wanted to build us up to it!”

One two three four five six seven eight

One two three four five six seven eight

Holy crap four five six seven eight

This is fast four five six seven eight

“Ah-heh!” - That’s a laugh four five six seven eight

She likes it three four five six seven eight

LOUD two three four five six seven eight!

LOUDER three four five six seven eight!

Rise to the challenge, Link!

WHOAH- that’s a swing!

You missed it, Link

Not this time four five six seven eight

Wait for it four five six seven eight

SPIN her! YES! - “Ah- ha!”

And back in four five six seven eight

Changing in the beats, changing in the beats

SPIN her!

Spin her- under!

And we meet four five six seven eight

Here it comes four five six seven eight

SPIN her!

Under- and meet!

“Hehehe- Link!”

Joy two three four five six only

joy two three four five six in her

eyes two three four five six and in-

side me- SPIN!

Fire two three four five six in my

arms three four five six seven like the

Sun two three four five six seven eight

SPIN her… and

crash two three four five six into

her two three four five six seven she’s

molten-

sunshine- SPIN!

Bend two three four five six at the

waist two three four five six seven and

her hair

scrapes the floor-

Drums! Two three four five catch our

breaths two three four five heaving

breaths two three four five leave me

breathless… and-

One two three four five six seven eight

One two three four five six seven eight

She two three four five six leaves me

breathless.

SPIN her- SPIN her

SPIN her- UNDER!

CRASHING- SPINNING

UNDER! Three four five six seven eight

She’s two three four five spinning

me! Two three four five she is

SO two three four five six seven eight

fearless!

She two three four five pulls me

in two three four five arms ac-

cross two three four five six seven her

shoulders- she’s

Spinning me spinning me spinning me dizzy and she’s

under me over me under me and she

SPINS me!

Spins me!  She’s

beaming and leading me, swinging me

out and out and twisting and we meet, doesn't miss a beat and

Spin me!

Spin me! We’re

swinging we’re swinging and twisting and diving and

ducking and crossing and tunnelling, dipping and

spinning!

Spinning!

And it’s slowing...

Dip her down, Link!

“Ah!  Link!  Hahaha- you’ve been holding out on me!”

“Not intentionally.”

“Must I remain bent halfway to the floor?”

“Only until the ending’s done.  Seems like they’re stretching it.”

“Hmm.  Kind of them.”

Surprisingly kind considering Zuho’s among them.

People are clapping again…

Oh.

Ohhh.

They cleared the whole middle of the dance floor.  Because we went a little nuts, didn’t we?  No one wants to get smashed in the midsection by an unnaturally strong spinning Princess imbued with extra momentum by her also-unnaturally strong dance partner.  Some people were definitely still dancing, though.

“…Breather, Princess?”

“Only if you need one.”

“I can go a long time.”

“Is that a challenge, Sir Knight?”

“…It’s a promise.”

Now THAT look is probably not appropriate in public.  Lucky we’re shifting around a bit and the crowd’s re-filling the space.

No one’s tried to cut in yet.

Would’ve been kind of difficult with all that spinning.

“Link?”

She's quiet. Staying hidden in the music.

 Me too.  “Yes?”

“Later.  How… how…?”

“…Not sure yet.”

One two three four five six

One two three four five six

She knows the steps to this.

“…Have you waltzed before?”

“No.” Two three four five six

“Not even at home?”

“Not a thing there.”

One two three four five six

I see the appeal.

Vibrant but time to feel

Oooh, oops-

Keep your hand up, Link.

You weren’t really at her hip anyway

but waist is where it belongs.

“I must say, Sir Link...”

“Yes?”

“You’re-“ - Woah—loud!

She has to lean in

to be heard – her hair

strands tickling my neck-

“You’re the only man whose hands

I wish to wander low.”

…Good!

“Yet also the only man I’ve ever danced

with who has corrected

himself when they did.”

Noooo.

Nooooo WAY.

“Do people do that to you?!”

“On rare occasions.”

“…Who?”

“You’ll know if I say not to let them cut in.”

Okay, Link.

Don’t see red.

Just dance.

She doesn’t need you to be angry.

The song sounds like victory.

Let it be that.

She’s with you,

not stuck with some jerk

for political reasons.

…

It’s one of Zuho’s again,

isn’t it?

Victory.

It’s about her again.

That she’s found her power.

His music speaks.

A quiet part.

…No buzz.

People aren’t talking much…

Maybe they’re listening for once.

Maybe- oh. 

Her hand on my shoulder.

Her thumb.

Caressing me.

Imperceptibly, I think,

to everyone else.

But steady.

Like her eyes on mine.

Ensnared

with a simple touch.

…Or

It’s a clue.

My hand on her waist.

Move that thumb, Link.

Widen your grip.

“Hh-“ - Her breath…

She tried to tamp that gasp down.

I heard it anyway.

Ready, Princess?

Caressing.

And she is struggling…

visibly straining…

not to let her chest heave.

Goddess…

I want to keep doing this to her

But if I do…

It might cause a scandal.

.

What would she do

If my thumb was lower?

Nearer her navel?

Below it?

Her hipbone?

I think she knows

what I’m thinking.

Because her hand shifted.

That is so not

proper dance position.

Her thumb.

My collarbone.

Tracing it.

Just the part

nearest my shoulder

...and back in position again.

Stay calm, knight.

You can’t lose it here.

Can’t trace hers.

“Clavicle.”

…Huh?

Eyebrow-pointing…

At my collarbone.

Oh.

Search your brain, search it.

Do you know any of these words?

“…Pelvis?”  Oooh.  That did NOT sound confident.

“Pff.  Mm hmm.  Though it wasn’t a test.”

You ruined it, Link.

And it was such a nice mood…

And the song’s over, and the next one’s starting right away I guess.  This one sounds a lot lighter.  More traditional.

“I must unfortunately confess I’m quite thirsty.”

“Salty cracklings.”

“And not enough water.  I take it you shall avoid it?”

“…No, Princess.  I’m not getting the warning here.  It’s probably better to keep myself fed and watered.  We’ll stick to our group plan, though.”

“Of course.  No matter how uncomfortable it makes you.”

“Heh.  Yeah.  Or anyone else.”

We’ll probably get a few gawks.  Did I…?  Yes.  Mipha, Sharoo, and Seggin all moved to the head table with the king.  Mom’s there, too.  Chee…?

Chee?

“Link?”

CHEE-

Oh.  Oh, Goddess.  “I- I’m good, Princess.” Though frankly, Chee’s cradle-robbing.  Tobe’s what, nine at most?  How’d he even get in here?  He’s not dressed fancy but that’s snazzy dancing.  Doesn’t look like anyone cares- oh, except that lady.  She keeps sniffing the air near him.

That’s just uncalled for.  Tobe isn’t smelly.  She’s being a snob.

…Hehe.  Link, you know from experience sniffing in people’s general direction makes them uncomfortable.  This woman is employing that very same knowledge in order to embarrass a (totally oblivious) kid (thus she’s failing miserably).  Turn her own weapon against her.

Next chance… breathe in deeply.  EVERY TIME you pass her.

Yes.  Plan.

I’ll have to actually pay attention, though.  Hmm.

Rope Zelda in?  She’d help.

Yeah.  Better plan!

“Prin- oh.”

Damn, she’s way ahead of me.  Did I not JUST tell myself to pay attention?

I wasn’t like this outside.  Better channel whatever the sword was doing.

So… anxiety.

Be… nervous, Link?  Is that really my best advice for myself?

She’s gulping that mint-water like a fresh-water octorok.  Looks tempting.

“Gmng.  Goodness.”

“I’ve never seen you do that before.”

“Perhaps not.  I typically reserve such behavior for excavations and surveys.”

“I… missed most of your last one.”

“…Yes.  I’m sorry about that.”

Sheepish Zelda doesn’t happen often.  “Don’t worry about it.  I’m just glad nothing bad happened.”

“Nothing bad?!  I behaved most unreasonably.”

“But nothing attacked you.”

“True.  Though perhaps if it had, we’d have known of my unforeseen physical strengths earlier… You’re sipping your water quite daintily, Sir Knight.”

Hehehe.  “Well, some people are staring.”

“As usual.  You’re concerned with their opinion of you?”

“I want to see if I can get them to think I’m more civilized than you.”

“Ohhh, I see.  Perhaps I may aid you in your quest.”

“How?”  Okay, lots of the sugared fruits on her plate, but Mipha did that and she’s as civilized as they come.  In goes a cranberry.  And another. And another and another and one of those orange things, don’t know what they are, and more and more and she’s not even chewing yet and joining in my pointless little scheme is not at all her only goal here, is it?  Or maybe I’m overthinking it, she has happy-closed-eyes-face, so it must taste good and there she goes, she’s finally chewing like a squirrel with two cheeks full of acorns.

Aaaaand her eyes are still closed and here comes Morovo.  And a woman who’s VERY large in every direction towering over him.

“Uh, Princess-“

“PRINcess Zelda!”

Woooow.

��Mm. Mdm Rcca.”

“Oh dear oh dear, forgive me, Princess.  Please take your time.”

Bleeeeh.  I don’t like her already.

“The night is SO young, Princess-”

Is he still drunk?

“and I’d hoped to take a turn with you on the dance floor.”

That’s a tiny headshake, that’s-

“Ah, Morovo!”

The king!

“Excellent, excellent.  There’s someone I wish to introduce you to.”

“Oh… oh, and who might that be?”

“Ah, Sir Eberoy.  One of my royal guards.  I believe you’ve met his wife.”

“Ah hahaha, I can’t recall.”

“Unsurprising--it was likely forgettable for you.  I assure you she remembers.  Come along, come along.”

Wooooooow.

…The woman’s still here.

“Ah.  Well.  Allow me to greet you properly, Madam Riecca, now I’m able.”

“Ah HAHAHAHA!”

?!?! Is she drunk, too?

“Please, DON’T trouble yourself, Princess!”

…And what the HELL is that very strange smile with way too many teeth and why is its horrible mockery of delight directed at me?!

Zelda?!  Oh, oh she’s confused too-

“SIR Link.”

…That’s me-

“I appear to have lost my husband!  But I’d be TICKLED if you’d do a dance with me instead!”

Way too close WAY TOO CLOSE HER CHEST HOVERING OVER ME AND SHE SMELLS REALLY REALLY WEIRD HELP HELP HELP- “Wuh!”

“I’m afraid I’ve quite tired him out, Madam!  We were about to sit down.  Enjoy the dancing!”

Shebwehrptzndvngklswlpqtthewhuhuh?

“…Hylia, give me patience.  I didn’t know they made such a dreadful pair.  I was NICE to her last time. Thought her lecher of a husband had married her for her money or some such nonsense—quite clearly a fabrication generated in my imagination.”

“Wh- what just happened?”

“You were propositioned by a very tall person.”

“…But I’m a very short person.”

“Kph.”

“…No one does that.  No one.  No one likes me.”

“I like you!”

“I mean women don’t just look at me and think, hey I like what I see, I’d like to drag him behind a tapestry.”

“I do.”

“You’re different! You actually know me.  She just wandered over!”

“I’ve little insight for you, Link.  A good sit with the Zora and your mother ought to help.”

Mom.  Yes.  Mom.  She’ll know what’s going on.  She understands these people things.

And she is giving me SOME LOOK.  She saw the whole thing, didn’t she?  Will she be mad?  Was I mean?  How could that be?  I didn’t even get a chance to say anything.  Zelda rescued me.  Oh!  “Thank you.”

“I would not leave you in such dire straits.”

She’s been leading me by the hand this whole time.  Can’t help that little smile popping out.  The cucco’s totally out of the bag at this point.  After today, everyone’s going to know.  Might as well squeeze her hand back.

“Hello everyone.”

“H-hello, Princess.” “Mmph.” “Lovely music in here!” “Hello, Princess.”

Seat next to mom. That’s the spot.  Definitely.

“Link… are you alright?”

I feel like a mouse has left its tiny turd in the raisins of my soul

“Oh dear.”

 and I’ll never find it and I can never eat the raisins-

“Say something.”

“…Bad raisins.”

“Oh hh hh…”   “It’s worse than I thought.”

Mom pity-face.

“Take a deep breath.  She won’t bother you again today.”

“H-how do you know?”

“I know the type.”

“Sh-she- why?  No one’s ever done that.”

“Hphhhh.  Link, you… happen to be a type that appeals to a certain kind of older woman.”

…OLDER… woman?  “Why?  No one- no one at home-”

“You were too young at home until recently, and most of the older women there are married.”

“Sh-SHE’s married!”

“…It’s not the same.”

“Link?  I’m sorry to interrupt, but I see Misk heading this way.”

“Misk, Princess?”

“He’s the Windvane Exchange Manager.  Him, I ought to dance with should he ask.   You needn’t worry.  He’s all business.”

Okay.

And of course, my stomach would start growling now since we’re nowhere near the food.

“Princess.”

That’s a deep bow.

“I’d be honored if you’d grant me a dance.”

“Of course, Misk.  I’ve been meaning to inquire after your associates’ finds in Tanagar Canyon.”

Oh, excavations?

“Then we are of the same mind, Your Highness.”

“Excellent!  Let's to the floor."

"They’ve yet to breach the entrance at ground, Highness.  Safety concerns—how much of the structure is held by the supports themselves, and how much by the fill.”

Entrance?  Is it another one of those shrines?

“I recall you mentioning that.”

“The good news is they’ve cleared a small area high up for entry.  It’s possible to rappel in.”

…High up?  Doesn’t sound like a shrine.

“Marvelous!  They’re finally inside?!”

“They are, and it’s more surprising than we’d imagined.”

“Do not read anything into this, Misk, but I may have to dance with you twice.”

“Hahaha, have no fear, Highness.  In fact, I’m rather taken with a young woman stationed at the Hyrule garrison.”

“Indeed? What’s her…”

Into the crowd.

Relax, Link.  She’ll be okay.  Jeralt and Merendith are right at the exit and they know the plan.  Plus… super-strength.  No one’s getting the better of her on that dance floor.

___

[Note: This chapter was written to a playlist to keep it in time. Each line during one of those dances is matched to a measure of the music. Transitions between songs are a little free-form, though. The ball opener is the Link/Zelda romance theme from Skyward Sword (the slower version first, then transitioning to the quicker one). For the transitions and the 2nd and 3rd dances, I was listening to music by The Corrs (my library is a little limited, but I really wanted something instrumental but lively so they could smash some dancing out of the park). The 2nd dance specifically was their song "Toss the Feathers" (which was critical for the timing of all that spinning, etc.). The 3rd dance was their song "Erin Shore" (which I would like to find a replacement for because of the drum solo, but timing-wise it worked well). There are electric instruments in those two, but... well... I can use my imagination to pretend that out.]

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