#the hylian child

[im-totally-not-an-alien-2]

Robin landed on the roof next to him and Bruce could already feel the headache building. They were looking down on a young blond man with pointed ears and a large halberd on his backriding on a white horse. The guy looked like he had come straight out of a fairytale. He knew that if this was a new rogue Damian would argue about keeping the horse. Actually he would probably want to keep the horse even if he wasn't a rogue.

Deciding the guy had gotten close enough they swooped down to confront him. The man, startled, stopped his horse and pulled the large halberd off his back. He held it in front of him, as if in warning. The man looked wary of them but not afraid. They stared at eachother for a moment before the man spoke in a language neither Batman not his Robin knew.

---

Link was having a wierd day. He had literally just saved Princess Zelda a week ago (and for the second time) when he encountered some kind of demon in black and white. The Master Sword glowed in the demons presence which was all Link needed to know before chasing after the being. The thing, looking like a teen in odd clothing that reminded him of links own rubber suit, bolted into a green portal it had created.

Not hesitating he had his horse leap into it. And now he was in a strange place with no sign of the demon. After getting attacked by a man yelling in a language he didn't recognize, he switched out his sword for a halberd for that extra reach on horseback and continued on his way, leaving the unconscious man on the road side behind him.

This place was odd. Parts of some walls would light up, showing images of people and places he didn't know along with a written language he didn't recognize. He came across many people who looked at him oddly...or at least he thought they were people. They looked like Hylians but most of them were taller than the average Hylian and to Links horror they had short rounded ears. How could they hear thier gods with such tiny ears?

He was scared, but he carried on anyway. Eventually he gets confronted by someone dressed as a monster and a child. They manage to settle thier...dispute?...without violence so that was nice. He pulled a few apples and swift carrots out of his tablet-to the curiosity of the duo- and hands them to the child. The kid caught on quickly and raced off to feed his horse her favorite snacks.

Link will have to figure out how to overcome this language barrier

Bruce however, has discovered this was not a man, but a teenager lost in a foreign world and is set on adopting him.

[hotcheetohatredwastaken]

BDOR Prologue: The Sword that Learned to Speak (Febuwhump Alt Prompt: Human Weapon)

TW: none

A little hum that Wild almost didn’t seem aware of danced upon the afternoon air as he stirred at the pot propped over the fire. His wooden spoon clack clacked against the metal edges of the cooking pot, and the fragrant scent of the herbal soup with mushrooms mingled with the impromptu music to create a comforting atmosphere that evening. Twilight stared at the kid over the campfire, chewing at a cuticle in thought as he listened. Ever since he���d met him about a month ago, he’d always been… quiet, for lack of a better word. No, there was a better word. That word was eerily, frighteningly, completely and utterly silent.

He didn’t make a sound around Twilight, if he could help it. He spoke solely in gestures that Twilight was only just beginning to learn how to translate, his body language guarded and his face near expressionless except for an annoyed scowl. Unflinchingly mute and stoic, he didn’t seem to voice a single verbal sound if he could help it—he didn’t laugh or cry or shout, didn’t even let out more than a few whimpers that one time a few weeks back that he’d gotten a monster’s arrow in his thigh and Twilight had been forced to dig out with no more equipment than a rusty dagger, a scrappy tourniquet, and a cheap bottle of alcohol. As time went on, Wild started to become more inclined to show that emotion on his face and through his posture—often in amusing mimicry of Twilight himself—but even then he was careful to walk and eat and even fight in near complete silence besides the clashing of blades in battle. Hell, Twilight wasn’t even sure if the kid farted. He couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

It had been a little better when he was only known to the boy as Wolf, but not by a lot. Wild still hadn’t spoken or laughed often , but at least when he moved he had a sound to him, rustling leaves as he walked past, humming or whistling songs that he seemed to have made up to himself. That was, until he’d discovered that Twilight and Wolf were the same, at which point he’d retreated into that stoic, almost unearthly silence around the both of them. One thing that Twilight had missed the most was the humming that Wild didn’t seem to realize he was doing now.

“Say, why’re you so quiet all the time ‘round me?”

The words were out before Twilight could reconsider their effect. And indeed, that hum in the air fizzled out abruptly, and the wooden spoon froze in its continuous circular path in Wild’s hand. The resulting look the kid shot Twilight over the cooking pot was guarded and icy, almost. His shoulders raised up to his ears defensively.

“I… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked ya that. None of my business.” Twilight backtracked mentally, cursing his stupid mouth. Uli had always told him to think before he spoke, but he never seemed to be able to catch up with his stupidest thoughts before they were already past his lips. Maybe he could just pretend he hadn’t said it? Twilight rubbed at the back of his neck as he averted his eyes, pretending to find something interesting in the line of the treetops at the edge of camp, as he asked as casually as he could manage, “Say, how long until the food’s done, ya reckon?”

Wild let out a little long-suffering sigh—still more than Twilight had heard from him in the last few weeks—and set down his wooden spoon. He stood, then moved to sit opposite of Twilight, his face set into a concentrated frown. Twilight cringed, and apologies began to spill from his mouth.

“Listen, I’m sorry, I’m real sorry. I shouldn’t’ve asked nothing ‘bout it, I didn’t mean no…” 

Oh. Twilight trailed off when he realized that Wild was moving his hands in that odd, focused way he did when he wanted to say something. Sign Language, the gestures were apparently called. Most people of Wild’s world seemed to know it, which hurt Twilight all the more that he himself did not. When Wild did deign to speak to him, their communication was rarely true sign, and more a bizarre game of charades to get across what he wanted to say, but Twilight would be damned if he didn’t try his hardest to understand.

“Okay, I’m sorry,” Twilight sat back, eyeing him carefully. “Start over. And just a little bit slower please.”

A twist of Wild’s lips. His hand moved through the first gesture again: a sign that looked similar to no , then a flick of his wrist out from it into… a pointing motion?

“Uh no…. not…” Twilight fumbled, repeating the sign to himself. “Not… not… not going? Like your voice doesn’t work? I’ve heard you before, that ain’t true.”

Wild shook his head vehemently, then signed a combination of two simpler words, both of which Twilight recognized.

“No… good? Not good?” Twilight said to himself as he mimicked the sign. That received a nod of the head from Wild, and Twilight’s brow furrowed. “No good? Wait, what’s not good?”

Wild tapped his voice box, raising an eyebrow in emphasis. 

“Your speech isn’t any good? Like it hurts to speak? Or it sounds bad? Ah, I get what you’re saying!” Twilight said triumphantly. But when he only received another shake of the head, he melted in sullen disappointment, crossing his arms. “Well nevermind then. I’m sorry, Wild, I ain’t understanding you.”

Wild wrung out his hands and abruptly shot to his feet, apparently deeming it all nothing more than an exercise in futility. 

“No, no, no, don't leave!” Twilight yelped, scrambling up after him. “Wait, please just say it again, I’m doin’ my best to understand ya, I swear. Come back, please, gimme one more try.”

Wild, as requested, sat back down with another long-suffering sigh of his. He signed through a completely different phrase, his fingers moving far too quickly for Twilight to follow.

“Hold on, hold on, hold on!” Twilight sat up taller, waving at him to stop . “I wasn’t ready, I’m sorry. Slowly, please, I’m trying to understand. One word at a time, please.”

Wild’s frustration was nearly tangible in the air. Very pointedly, he tapped his own throat.

“Voice?”

A nod. Wild motioned pulling a sword from its scabbard.

“A sword… a—a weapon?"

This one also received Wild’s approval. The next word was a bit harder to understand. Wild signed no , then made a grasping motion towards himself, like taking something in both of his hands.

“Has?” A frown of disapproval and a shrug. Close, then. “Needs…. wants? Okay, so…” Twilight ran back through the words in his head, piecing them together. “A voice, a weapon… does not need? A sword does not need a voice?” Twilight furrowed his brow, thoroughly confused by now. “What weapon, Wild? We don’t even know where the Master Sword is yet. Do you mean that one?”

Wild shook his head, then placed a hand on his own chest.

“You the weapon? Wild, you’re not a sword, you’re…” Twilight’s tone was joking, but he trailed off as Wild’s face flashed to ugly frustration . He very emphatically pointed at his own chest again, then turned away pointedly, signing something that Twilight clearly caught as You don’t understand.

“Okay, Wild…” The kid was upset, now, no need to make it worse. “I, ah… I understand.” He did not understand at all, but at the same time, he was starting to think that he did. Maybe this silence was to do with something to do with his past that he couldn’t seem to remember. “Is… is food done, do you think?”

Wild scoffed, clearly not falling for that lie, and stalked back over to the pot. He stirred its contents, nodded to himself, and began to distribute the servings into bowls. Twilight stared at the top of his head, lost in thought.

A sword needs no voice? Who in his past had taught him he was nothing more than a voiceless weapon to be pointed towards an enemy?

Whoever it was, Twilight was going to have words with them, whether it be in this life or the next.

Visit this fic on ao3 here BDOR Prologue: The Sword that Learned to Speak or the Febuwhump series here HotCheetoHatred's Febuwhump 2024

Or, for any of you interested in the BDOR series itself, you can read the main fic here Blood Drops on Roses: Linked Universe and also check out other completed Prologue works here! BDOR Prologue: A Haircut ; BDOR Prologue: Ballgowns and Buffoonery ; BDOR Prologue: The Yiga and The Sheikah.

[errorwarblesrr]

I refuse to believe botw/totk Link is 5'2 and is actually shorter because even at 5'2 it isn't that hard to find people shorter than you

[captainn-hook]

Kokiri kid:

TW: Blood, splinters.

"MIDO"

Mido sighed where he sat by the entrance of the path to the Great Deku Tree. One of the triplets came running to him, Ludo, he thinks, as he could see the tiny scar on the base of his nose where a tree ranch had hit him once (he'd laughed at him, he remembered). The boy came to a stop right in front of him and panted, trying to catch his breath. Mido sat there, cross legged with his chin in his palm looking bored already, until Ludo took a breath and said "Link's hurt."

"..."

"Okay? What do you want me to do about it?"

"well, he's bleeding a lot and crying real loud and we thought maybe you can come and check him out and-"

Mido stopped him right there. "So get Saria" he said in a matter-of-fact tone, like he should know this since he's a know-it-all brother. "but she's in the lost woods again! And before you ask me to go get her, Fado and Finoa went to look for her and couldn't find her."

Mido was still unimpressed. He was no babysitter, that much was certain. And besides, why should he be responsible for that twerp anyway? But Ludo was pulling the puppy dog eyes and he couldn't resist any longer. His face twitched before he threw his head back and sighed loud enough to let the other know he was being a nuisance.

"Fine," he spat out, "go get my bag".

Ludo smiled and rushed to Mido's house.

Mido strolled extra slow to where the others were playing before, and then a little further up to where the sound of Link crying got louder.

Link, the youngest and most peculiar Kokiri of them all, was sat with his bloody knee drawn to his chest and tears flooding his face. Mido rolled his eyes. He would never understand why Saria took such a liking to this kid.

Zono and Rimo (the remaining 2 triplets) and Nelo were all surrounding Link in a poor attempt at comforting him while freaking out because, admittedly, it was quite a bad gash. Just how the hell it happened, Mido didn't even want to know.

"Quit suffocating him and go do something useful, like cleaning up all the toys you used before I take them away again."

They did as they were told, like they always did when it was just Mido and not Saria, because he's the oldest and by birth right, he was the boss (also Saria wasn't there to stop him).

He turned and looked down at Link who was still helplessly sobbing.

"Alright, alright, calm down, I'm here" he said in the driest tone he could muster.

Link immediately ceased his wailing, though the pain he was feeling still prompted him to cry, albeit softly.

Mido crouched down and gently took Link's knee into his hands and inspected it. It had bled a lot and there were a few splinters stuck here and there, but overall, he only needed some water and a bandage.

As he started to pick out the splinters, Ludo jogged up with his bag and wordlessly went to help the others clean up at his glare. It was just the two of them now.

"You need to be more careful when you're playing with the others, they're older and bigger than you, you should know that they play rougher" Mido snapped.

Link hiccuped and nodded, tears still flowing out of his eyes.

"Stop crying" Mido mumbled and brought his palm up to brush the tears off his face. He immediately relaxed and leaned into his brother.

"S-sorry" Link whispered.

Mido's face softened just a bit, his drawn eyebrows unknit themselves slightly and his frown lessened. Sometimes it took a little reminder to remember that Link was just a child, and not the 'l've been a kid longer than normal- I'm a Kokiri' type of chid, he was a 'child' child.

Link was delivered to the Great Deku Tree as a 'baby', something the Kokiri had never seen before. Actually, Mido himself happened to be the one to find the small bundle of blankets one night while in the lost woods looking for Saria and Fado. Of course he picked up this strange creature and took it to the Deku Tree because, naively, he thought the little thing was hurt, what with all the crying it was doing at the time (much like now actually). When he arrived with this tiny Kokiri-like 'thing' in his arms, the Deku Tree welcomed it as his new brother. The tree had told him that its name was 'Link' and that he should stop referring to it as an it and to stop making that face whenever its, his name is said just because it doesn't end in an 'o' or an 'a', like his and Saria's and all the others' names.

The Deku Tree also said that this 'Link' was a 'baby' (a month or two old), and that one day he would grow up and become just as tall as Mido, and then taller. He had scoffed at his father and told him that it wasn't possible.

Now, he thought, 6 years later as he wrapped up his little brother's knee in a clean bandage, that he was foolish to ever doubt his father.

Link had fallen sound asleep under Mido's care, soft breaths leaving the small boy with his back on the forest floor and his injured knee placed on the others lap. When Mido finished adjusting the bandages, he carefully lifted Link, who didn't so much as stir, and sat him in his lap. Other than the kid's busted knee, the only other injuries seemed to be a few scrapes here and there and a small bump on the side of his head. With that in mind, Mido shifted so that Link was on his back, the stood up, leaving his bag (knowing someone will pick it up and return it to its place) and made his way over to Link's house.

Once he got there, he realised his mistake. How the bloody hell would he climb the ladder to the tree house with the kid on his back?! He grumbled and kicked at the dirt.

Eventually, after a good bit of brooding and glaring up at the house, he turned away.

It was getting dark and he was starting to get tired.

-

Saria felt awful for not being there to help Link when he hurt himself. She was playing her favourite melodies to the skull kids when Finoa found her and told her of Links tumble off one of the platforms.

Although she did her best to make it out of the forest as quickly as she could, she ended up back in Kokiri forest not long after night fell.

Rimo walked up to her, his brothers both trailing behind, all three ready for bed.

"Hi Sar, you don't gotta worry about little Link no more, Mido dealt with 'im!"

She sighed and put a hand on her cheek, "that's what I was afraid of."

No matter, she knew she would be cleaning up some sort of mess.

She set off to Mido's house to hopefully find out what happened.

The walk to his house was short and she quickly made her way to the front door and knocked. When no answer came, she quietly let herself in.

She knew she had to be careful because Mido was a early sleeper and didn't take to being woken up with a start too well-

She stopped.

Mido was sleeping in his night clothes, arm draped around a tiny Link curled up ontop of him.

He had his usual pout on his face while he slept, but his head was turned towards the younger in a sort of protective manner.

Saria wished she could have kept this memory forever.

Mido had put a cushion under Links hurt leg and had changed him into clean clothes, which made her smile.

As much as she wanted to just stay there and burn every other detail into her mind, Saria knew it was time for her to go.

She shut the door with a soft click.

[hylianengineer]

I saw another post debating whether kids should have access to the adult secrion of the library (the answer is yes), and in response I present this list of 'adult' books I took a random interest in at the age of twelve or thirteen

Physics for dummies

String theory for dummies

Quantum physics for dummies

Calculus for dummies (because there was calc in the quantum physics book)

Trigonometry for dummies (because I needed it as background info for the calculus)

Parents beware: given unrestricted library access, your child may attempt to learn calculus as a result of a special interest in theoretical physics - or chase some other special interest into the depths of the grown-up nonfiction section. I did not actually understand the calculus, or the trig either, and eventually got bored and gave up, but I did have fun with it for a while. And when I got to the point of being able to take classes in physics, trig, and calc, I wasn't scared of them.

[mylonelydreaming]

Why is my brain imagining a zelink daughter having the ability to go feral dragon mode. Come collect your daughter Link she's got magic scales again yeah she started eating drywall

[zoroshark]

Firstly, I love the nickname you got for Rauru. I can truly imagine Sonia calling him Rwandan when they are not in public but in private with each other. Secondly, do you got a headcanon of what their child would look like or even how Sonia was copping with it to have a child from a Zonia?

Secondly, do you got a headcanon of what their child would look like or even how Sonia was copping with it to have a child from a Zonia?

Thank you! The nickname Ran Ran was made during the time TOTK wasn't released and no one knew of Rauru's name, so I came up with it. For the second part of your question, I'm going to need some clarification as I'm a little confused on what you are asking. For the first part, I actually made a fan child between the two!

Here is my Rauru/Sonia fan child, Solis!

For Solis' design, I did my best to combine both Zonai and Hyrulean features. Solis would have ears that are longer than Sonia's but smaller than Rauru's. Her facial features do lean a bit more on the Zonai aspect, especially from the forehead to nose, but from there it's similar to a Hyrulean. Her skin is fur-like/fuzzy with scales. The rest of her body is proportioned normally unlike Zonai, with her long neck being an outlier.

More info on Solis is down below! Warning for TOTK Spoilers and a long wall of text!

Gender: Female

Age: 26 (years after Imprisoning War)

Height: 6'8"

Species: Zonai/Hyrulean (Hylian) Mix

Personality: Kind, Inquisitive, Stubborn, Playful, Adventurous

General Info: Solis was a child of King Rauru and Queen Sonia. As a child, she was free spirited, with her sense of adventure and curiosity sometimes getting her into trouble. She would often sneak off from her studies to watch her father hunt or to pick berries with her mother, but always made up for time lost. Her family would teach her to love and care for everything around her and she was a happy princess in their care.

Sadly, that happiness would be taken away after tragedy befell her home. After the death of her mother, father, and aunt, young Solis became mute, and a shut in. Due to her shift in personality and being too young to take the throne at that time, others in her family would take a temporary charge in her stead. It would take many years after the Imprisoning War for her to open up again, slowly coming out of her bubble and enjoying the world around her.

As a fully grown adult, she hopes she can make her family proud and be a strong, kind ruler just like her parents.

Notes:

-She was around 5-7 years old when both of her parents and aunt passed -She also witnessed Zelda's transformation into a dragon (hence experienced the loss of 4 family members) -She has no secret stone of her own -She is proficient with swords and bows -She was either under the care of Sonia's relatives or by the three dragon sisters (Farosh, Dinraal and Naydra) depending on the AU -While having both time and light powers, she was closer attuned to her light magic -When she was off her royal duties or outside of the castle, she was a bit of a goofball and willing to try out new things that her court may deem as reckless (Ex: trying to find ways to fly up and get on/near the four dragons)

[rawliverandgoronspice]

Alright I think I’ve sent a ask in before and you answered it, I’m not sure if I’m just repeating myself but if I am feel free to ignore!

Alright I wanted to talk about changes in the gerudo culture, now naturally culture norms will change and fade as time goes on. But with the gerudo I can’t help but feel that they were forced to change much of their culture just to appease the other races.

Like why did they stop training Molduga? Why did they change their style to be more feminine etc.

Personally I feel like they were forced to change their culture so they wouldn’t get attacked. Why? Well example the sheikah, the sheikah are a tribe very close to the royal family. They will take out anyone who is a threat to the royal family, correct? Well who used to actively oppose the royal family, the gerudo.

I believe the sheikah still have a prejudiced against the gerudo because, you cannot find a single gerudo in kakariko village. You can find gerudo npcs outside the village thought, on the dangerous rode. Wouldn’t it be easier and safer for them to just cut through kakariko village? Unless there was still bad blood

I’m sorry to bother with my my insane ramblings I just wanted to share and I felt this place appropriate to share my thoughts.

Thank you for reading and thank you and have a nice night/morning/afternoon

Hey, thanks for the ask!

I mean, regardless of what actually did happen in canon, if anything did, I have to say that BotW, and then TotK's internal narrative regarding the gerudos feels rather worrying to me --for several reasons, some of which you do mention here.

The gerudos, by virtue of having the strongest culture that differs from hylians, is the one that is also the most dynamic in these games' shared reality (so TotK's mythical past, BotW, and then TotK modern era), the one that is the most malleable and ongoing internal change.

The first time we see the gerudos, historically, they have a certain political structure that seems to rely on kinghood, have certain skills related to war (the molduga situation), and even have fashion sensitivities that are relatively different to modern era's gerudos (the mohawk, etc, and I Will Not mention the ear situation for the inconsistent mess that it is). Then, the whole shenanigans with Rauru happen, we see the Sage of Lightning having a fashion sense that feels closer to what we know, and we get to see active collaboration happening.

Fast-forward hundreds-to-thousands of years later: not only are gerudos vassal to Hyrule pre-Calamity, but, while their town is still closed behind walls, the gerudos have a strong cultural focus on seeking (mostly) hylian husbands. We get to hear about the younger generations pushing against the strong rules keeping the city closed, and that the walls aren't as closed as they used to be.

In TotK, not only is the actual language evolving (so even if old hylian seems to have been a thing, the speed of language evolving is to be noted imo), but we see clear examples of the ancestral rules being challenged to the point of near annihilation. By the time we leave the gerudos behind, two hylian men have snuck inside the walls/forced their presence upon them, and we have heard of at least another group who have been working for years to make them bend the rules for their sake. Zelda came around and influenced their war techniques, and even their ancient legends get recontextualized as involving hylian men with the Eight Heroin, or as monstrously evil and something to seek forgiveness for in the case of Ganondorf. Subtextually, I'd argue we are assisting to a culture being assimilated in real time. It might be portrayed as a good thing, as old, useless or even arguably bigoted traditions being cast aside, but I still have to insist that while gerudos are yielding their cultural identity under (mostly) hylian pressures, hylians spend the *entire game* rediscovering and reinforcing their own culture and pushing forward a cultural heritage that is thousand of years old --even reinjecting lost elements of its roots into its prosperous future.

And, yeah. It's kind of worth noting at least.

[ezlo-x]

Me when I do a connection between two of my characters 💥💥💥

[uhhhhhhhhhummmmmmmm]

I just killed my first (but also technically second) lynel and I am happy about that :)

For the last 2 or 3 days whenever I decide to mess around in botw I've tried to mainly fight with flurry rushing cause I wanted to eventually fight a lynel and it not take forever and cost a lot of bomb arrows so today i decided "Hey, I just accidentally helped a child and adult get into a romantic relationship together and I would like to die really quickly, so I'm gonna go try and fight a lynel"

Today has had its ups and downs...

[molassified-minipak]

it’s been done but it’s been loved. another triforce swap au with big brother ganondorf and gerudo-raised smol link

[pocketramblr]

AU where Ganon surprise adopts toon Link the first time they face each other.

1- Link tells Tetra to free the girls while he focuses on Ganon and the Helmaroc King to keep them from being seen. But as he's fighting, the bird isn't really trying to hurt him- just grab him, which is admittedly difficult with the kid swinging the Master Sword at it, but eventually it manages and takes Link up.

2- Upon being deposited in the broken ship atop the fortress, Link quickly learns that the Master Sword will not bring down Ganondorf- who corrects him on the name- and doesn't even seem to touch him. Instead of explaining why, Ganondorf sits down and pats the floor, and begins using one of his secret skills: lying. Ganondorf is like "look, boy, I don't know who told you that old sword would kill me, or how you even found it, but they were using you. Was it those pirates? You should stop trusting people who shoot you out of cannons." Link is offended on the King of Red Lions and Tetra's behalfs, and his reaction tells Ganondorf enough.

3- "Ah, well, I suppose I can respect that. You know, long ago my people kept a fortress not in a sea, but a desert. Some hylians, fleeing the civil war or their kings' cruelty, would make it though the desert. Those who could survive that were granted protection, and those who could break into our fort were welcomed as warriors into our tribe. Not the first time they did, but if they continued trying after that first failure." Link is like "uh huh" and only half paying attention because he's trying to figure out if Tetra got all the girls out before he books it himself.

4- he does start paying attention when Ganondorf then says, "Welcome to the Gerudo tribe, vevko." At Link's confusion, Ganondorf just asks "Well, as the newest son of the Gerudo, who else could be your parent but me?" Link then has many protests, some about his grandmother but most about his sister, and Ganondorf nods. "I will let you decide then, if you agree to stay. Will your sister stay here with us, or would you send her away?" Link just wants Aryll safe at home, so Ganondorf nods and the Helmaroc King goes to frighten Tetra and Aryll to the ship, as the younger girl was trying to run to her brother instead of following the pirate. Ganondorf says it's very wise of Link, sending Aryll away means she can return to be welcomed into the tribe as well, as a warrior sister. Link does not want his little sister in danger or fighting at all, and Ganondorf recommends he get over that, because as much as he once felt the same about his kinswomen, reality demands more. The Ganondorf claps him on the shoulder and orders a few monsters to start helping prepare a proper child's room, discussing how they're going to get to get Link into some proper clothes, and eat some real food, because he can't imagine a child ate all that well on his own. Link protests that he's of age, and wears the hero clothes as custom. Ganondorf is like "hmm yeah no twelve is not adulthood, let's go vevko." and ignores Link's five attempts to attack him as he figures out a room situation for the kid.

5- Ganondorf's motivations are not as pure as he claims, as always. He does feel some gratitude for Link drawing the Master Sword and unsealing his full power, while also being sure the boy himself isn't a threat as the Sword didn't have the power it did in the hands of a true hero. Keeping the boy and the sword here might draw the Princess and the Real hero out, however, allowing him to collect the Triforce. Especially since the "collect children" plan didn't work, so the current daughter of the royal family might be an adult and harder to narrow down. Also, the kid genuinely impressed him with his breaking and entering skills and doing all of that for his little sister, so it's not like it's babysitting some crying brat all day. The Ritos', Valoo's, and pirates' attempts to get him away or hurt so they can grab Link also make Ganondorf dig his stubborn heels in: this crazy kid is his vevko now, if they wanted him they should have done better with the sword situation.

[serandipity]

I generally go by how OoT handles zora aging, so they reach adult hood the same time as Hylians, but then age slower after adulthood. Their general life spans are just longer than Hylians

I say this because M.ipha absolutely would be childhood friends with both L.ink AND Z.elda. They're both princesses come out. They would absolutely commiserate about princess duties together.

[balladetto]

     Once, when Link was even smaller than he feels, he'd knocked his shoulder out of its socket in a terrible fall.

     Terrible in that he'd cried about it, ashamed and at the then-height of pained, not that it was a particularly horrific tumble. He'd just landed wrong, he remembers someone telling him — frantic and almost apologetic in their reassurance. Too much has happened for him to reconstruct a face for the memory, but Link can still recall the stutter in their words. You're g-gonna be okay. Y-you're gonna— gonna be f-fine.

     And he was. Someone had gone to fetch a healing fairy while others came to keep him company. It'd been the right shoulder, burning at the joint and numb all the way down to his fingertips, but he'd found a spot of hurt he could grit his teeth through; then breathe through; then eventually speak through. By the time the fairy was brought over, Link had been so deep in the rhythm of holding himself together that he'd nearly slapped her away when she broke it.

     He remembers her, he thinks, the most out of everything. There's a distinct clarity associated pain will give you with any recollection. She was rose-pink, a little darker than he was used to, and she'd bristled when he whimpered through a fresh wave of tears and pushed at her with his pinky.

     "Stop that," she'd said. "Bones aren't easy, you know. It'll only hurt for a pinch, it has to for me to fix it. You're already being so brave! Can't you be brave a while longer?"

     Outside the memory, Link lays crumpled on cold tiles, eyelids like crushed butterfly wings and the cave of his chest barely moving as he looks up and up and up. He thinly wonders, for a fixing like this, how long he'd have to keep being brave for.

     Neither of his shoulders took the landing this time, but he knows many things are wrong with both of them. By extension, many things are wrong with all of him. He should take stock, a part of him understands. He'd like to take stock, another part realises, if only he had the capacity to. Each breath shifts the slivers and splinters his bones have shattered into. Agony twists through every vein like a replacement for the blood he imagines paints his trail from platform to windows to the far below floor. He can't feel his fingers, which twitch as if to grip something — his left hand, mangled, rests as if in graveyard dirt.

     There is no amount of searching in this sea that will land him in a place where this might be bearable.

     "Link!" Navi yells, a trilling bell that drowns out the sound of dying. His heart threads an extra thump, like he still has it in him to be scared alongside everything else, before it fades back into a whisper of a pulse. She wheels above him in panicked, powdery circuits: hair to boots and back. "Get up! You have to get up!"

     He does. He does have to. Link doesn't get to think he's gonna die now. He doesn't get to be tired enough — small enough — for that. He draws a rattling inhale, head practically cracking open with how the air presses against its seams. He's sixteen. The world will end if he's nine. He's sixteen, sixteen, sixteen.

     He chokes on liquid rising in his gorge, coughs it up, and closes his eyes when gravity brings the blood down in blotches on his skin. It's— really gross, and that's such a mundane thought in the face of what he has to reckon with that his chest starts spasming with strangled laughter instead.

     "Link!"

     Navi, he replies in his head, 'cause that's all he can do. He traces over more names: Sheik, Zelda, Saria, the Sages, the Kokiri, the list goes on as his voice dips into hitching, searing gasps. It's an awful thing to realise — that's all he can do. Link has to get up, has to be Courage, has to be more than what he is.

     And he can't.

     Sound drifts down from above, mocking. Cruel. It's a laugh getting louder and louder, and Link prises his lashes apart with the sheer will borne from a unique dread. A kind of fear, if you felt it not in sensation, but in the dizzying spiral that is the certainty of where this will all end.

     A kind of fear — and a kind of fury.

     Link is nine, thrown to the ground, battered and muscles stinging with a magic he tastes as something crackling on his tongue. He glares up at the tall man on the tall horse, smouldering so brazenly with protective, frustrated outrage that he shakes with it. He is not unafraid of the sneer that answers him, but he does not look away.

     Link is nine, broken over the ground, near dead and stuck in a body he's tried to make his. His eyes are cold as he watches Ganondorf descend, burning with tears dyed red from failure. The brand on his left hand glows, resonating with a magic he no longer has the nerves to feel. Navi doesn't leave. There are a thousand things he wishes he could scream.

     Large fingers fold around the wrist of his gauntlet, deliberate in their ignorance of the softness a joint that bent must be afforded. As his arm is lifted, the pain dragged along every passing second like some horrible, continuous song-note that eclipses even his fears, he pretends none of the noises coming from him are his and thinks everything that could mean: I hate you.

     He thinks everything that could mean: I'm so sorry.

     The man raises his other hand, palm closing in, and Link forces another entire earth on the child he can't be even here — even now. He does not look away. Navi, oddly muffled, rings something wordless.

     Link waits for the end of this story.

[soralinklokidottirofmirkwood]

Savior: BoTW/ToTK Link x younger reader.

Age: 8 during breath of the wild 15 during tears of the kingdom. On the way to deliver her father lunch Reader Chan is kidnapped by monsters when she was 8 years old but Link saved her and brought her home, 7 years later she joined Link in his adventure to look for Zelda.

During BoTW:

You are outside practicing sword fighting and archery while your mother is inside cooking lunch.

Your father had opened up a training camp at an open field right outside the woods where your family home was in, ever since he was saved by a swords man named Link from a Yiga clan soldier and the same man helped him gather up materials for his camp he decided to revive the family bloodline of hylian knights by making a boot camp to train young people how to fight, you wanted to join but you couldn’t until you turned 13 so you’ve been training at home with your father’s old weapons that your grandfather gave him when he started training at 13 and some home made targets shaped to look like monsters.

As you’re shooting at a wooden target shaped like a Bokoblin your mother called you “Y/N! Time for lunch.” She said from the kitchen window “Coming mom.” You said gathering your things and the training dummies then you went inside the house to see that she made stuffed meat balls.

After eating your about to help your mother clean but she stopped you “Dear can you take this to your father?” She asked holding up a basket with stuffed meat balls in it “Of course.” You said taking the basket and walking out of the house to get your pony Penelope (you can change it to a different name if you’re name is Penelope btw *the pony’s name*) “Be carful, and don’t talk to strangers.” She called out “Ok.” You said galloping off to the boot camp.

So far things were going well until you heard very familiar screeching and growling, looking around you saw some Bokoblins and a moblin heading right towards you, scared you tried to urged Penelope to a gallop but the silver bokoblin took out a bow and shoot the pony causing her to die instantly “PENELOPE!!!” You screamed in fear when the black bokoblin hit you over the head knocking you unconscious.

A minute and 30 seconds later:

You slowly regained consciousness from the monsters making loud noises as they jumped around the camp fire, you tried getting up but you saw that your hands were tied behind your back and your ankles were tied together “What???” You tried struggling out of the ropes but they were tied to tight.

As you continue to struggle you heard a pained shriek, looking up you saw a red bokoblin droop dead and turn into purple dust, looking around again you saw the other bokoblins and moblin getting shot and turn into dust until it was just the silver and black Bokoblins left then a person jumped out and attacked the remaining monsters.

You couldn’t see their face because they had on a navy blue cloak with its hood up but you saw that they were actually a man wearing a sky blue tunic with beige pants and brown boots, wielding a sword and a blue shield with Hyrule’s symbol on it, after he finished off the silver Bokoblin the man removed his hood to reveal short blond hair in a low ponytail then he turned around to reveal that he was still young, possibly 9 or 10 years older then you but his blue eyes showed that he was much older then he looked “Thank you for saving me Mister.” You said as he made his way towards you “are you heading to F/N’s knight boot camp?” You asked making him nod “I’m on my way there to, I was bringing lunch to my dad but I got attacked by those monsters.” You told the man what happened as he cuts the ropes from your wrist and ankles “I could take you.” The man said in a youthful voice “Thank you mister.” You said “Link, just Link.” He said making you pause “Your Link!? The Link??? My dad told me and my mom that you saved him from a Yiga clan soldier and helped him gather materials for his camp.” You said excitedly picking up the basket that was surprisingly still in tack and checked the food to make sure that it wasn’t cold or eaten yet and was still in perfect condition ‘Guess I wasn’t out for long, it’s still noon.’ You thought to yourself “You’re F/N’s daughter? He told me a lot about you.” He said whistling then a horse came up to you two and he helped you up on to it.

As you galloped you both talked and you asked him questions on his adventure, the regions he’s been to and the people he met “You’ve met Mr Kass to? He’s a great musician, his songs are very lovely and historical.” You said until you saw the camp in view with a lot of tents “Theirs the camp.” You said “Alright, hang on tight kid.” Link said urging the horse to gallop faster until you reached the camp and your father was talking to a Zora warrior “Dad.” You said hopping off the horse and running up to him “Y/N, why are you here?” He asked until you lifted up the basket “Mom made lunch.” You said giving him the basket “Alright I’ve been craving your mother’s cooking since breakfast, LUNCH BREAK.” He said taking the basket and sitting down while you went to train with a target while you’re father and his new students had lunch “Link, I’m sorry to trouble you but can you take Y/N home? I don’t feel comfortable with her walking alone in the forest after you told me how you two met.” Your father asked the hylian champion who smiled and nodded “Sure, she’s a great kid.” Link said.

After lunch you gave your father a hug goodbye and said bye to the people training “See you at dinner Dad.” You said as Link helped you back on the horse, once back on the road you gave Link directions to your family home, where you saw your mother waiting for you “Y/N what happened to your head and who is this?” You and Link explained to your mom what happened of course she nearly had a heart attack but when Link told her he saved you and brought you to the camp she calmed down and offered Link a thank you meal for dinner.

After Calamity Ganon was defeated Link took Zelda around new Hyrule when they both saw you at the woodland stables with Sidon, Yunobo, Riju and Tiba you ran up to Link to hug him which he gladly gave back then he introduced you and the new champions to Zelda and she immediately adored all of you and Link became your new mentor after asking your parents to train you himself and you moved to his house in Hateno village.

7 years later during ToTK:

You didn’t know what happened but you remember being underneath Hyrule castle with Zelda and Link, finding some ruins and Murals, Link took some pictures then you all found a dried up corpse that some how moved, all of you fought and then everything went black.

You woke up in a cave in nothing but undergarments until you found a white and green dress with sandals (think of Zelda’s ceremony dress but with green on it) and after so much walking and swimming you saw your mentor and savior “Link.” You said happily and hugging the older Hylian making him smile and hug back.

You both saw that your on some sort of island in the sky, met these robots that reminded you of friendlier versions of the guardians called Steward Construct one gave both you and Link a Purah pad each and the Steward Constructs gave you very useful information, you went to the temple of time but couldn’t get in because you have to visit three shrines.

After visiting the shrines and facing obstacles like enemies and harsh weather conditions you were able to enter the temple of time but you couldn’t get through the second door behind the goddess statue because non of you had enough energy and it turns out there is a fourth shrine and after more running around you and Link finally had enough energy to open the door only to find a platform with a table on it then you saw Zelda and she took yours and Links swords (you have the skyward sword master sword) and told you to find her thus starting your journey.

When you and Link landed in Hyrule you went up to a tower that was surrounded by some sort of fort, there you met Purah, Robbie and Impa, you told Purah what happened underneath Hyrule castle and that Zelda was missing.

Purah gave you a quest to find Zelda and that’s how yours and Link’s adventure started with Link training you on how to use your sword The sky sword and your own Hylian shield.

On the way you guys met many familiar faces such as Your parents who now lived in Tarrey town, Sidon, Riju, Teba, Yunobo, Tuline (Teba’s son), Saki (Teba’s wife), Bruno, King Dorephan, Buliara, Paya and the Son group (that’s what I’m calling them) you met new faces as well like Yona (Sidon’s fiancé), Mattison (Hudson’s and Rhondson’s daughter) and Josha (Purah’s assistant)

After finding your swords on the head of the light dragon, your shields in the docks of Hyrule castle and seeking out the sages you and Link are training on how to control your new abilities “And now, RELEASE.” Link instructed as you shot a lone red bokoblin with Riju’s thunder “Good job Y/N.” He said “If we continue to train, help people, find dragon tears for memories and shrines for more hearts and stamina we’re ready to face the demon king.” Your mentor said “And save Zel.” You said calling the princess by her nickname (I’m not entering the castle yet because I still need memories) making Link smile “precisely Kiddo.” He said happily as he cooked creamy heart soup “We’re running low on hearty radishes.” He said looking into his bottomless satchel “I have a few that I harvested in the south Lanayru Archipelago.” You said handing him the heart shaped vegetables “Thanks.” He said taking some for the soup “Oh look there’s hearty truffles over there.” You said going over to collect the mushrooms but as you’re collecting a familiar high screech was heard, looking up you saw five silver bokoblins.

You reached for your sword only to remember that you left it along with your shield, bow and arrows at camp so you got ready to use puff shrooms but sadly you only had one left so you used elemental enemy parts, bombs and fruit to keep the monsters at bay when an arrow came and struck one of the pig like monsters in the horn then Link came out with a Silver lizalfos Cliver and beat the bokoblins with ease, after the attack and going back to camp you got a good scolding from Link “Y/N, next time you’re in a situation without weapons you call for me, your not allowed to venture off into forest alone and no desert for a week.” He said sternly symbolizing that he was going to watch you like a hawk.

[gay-jesus-probably]

yknow how i mentioned I'm thinking of writing a spite fic that's just TOTK but the narrative is allowed to acknowledge that imperialism is really fucking evil? Yeah so I might be outlining that fic and let me tell you i have Plans. I've now got a whole backstory about the Gerudo sage, namely what kind of person she must have been to be in the position to meet Rauru and Sonia (aka accompanying Ganondorf to Hyrule Castle, meaning someone he put a lot of trust in), while also being the kind of person that Rauru and Sonia would consider a viable option for a Sage (aka someone clearly opposed to Ganondorf). That's an interesting contradiction, and made me wonder why this woman would be part of Ganondorf's inner circle, but also look like his political opponent on a surface reading, and I wound up following that to the logical conclusion and now her story is making me really, really sad.

Also I found the helmets worn by the four non-royal sages to be really ominous and creepy, along with their complete lack of names, personalities, and that one scene with the four of them spontaneously swearing eternal loyalty to Rauru with zero prompting yet still speaking in perfect unison. That has Implications. I have done things with those implications.

Oh and I thought it was kinda bullshit that Sheikah are completely brushed off in this game, so I dug into wtf is going on there. I mean, it's weird that to fight a war against the Gerudo, Rauru decided that it would be a good idea to try recruit a Gerudo woman to fight against her own rightful king, instead of like... recruiting a Sheikah, y'know the people that can be trusted to be diehard supporters of the Hylian throne. That's a really weird absence, and I've decided that the fourth sage was originally a Sheikah, and they wound up turning on Rauru (over legitimate greivances!), and the resulting backlash caused the split that formed the Yiga Clan, AND caused them to be allied with Ganondorf.