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aheathen-conceivably · 2 months

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Long before the last note Antoine had grown aware of Zelda’s presence; but as he finished, he looked up at her with a newfound vulnerability in his eyes. As she stared at him unmoving, he absentmindedly moved his hand along the strings to fill the quiet left by the watching stars, “Was it alright, you think? Writing lyrics, it’s new. Harder than assembling notes, if you ask me.”

She looked at him in amazed silence. His original piano pieces had been brilliant, and sometimes he had written ditties for her to sing, but never before had she heard him sing his own lyrics. She had always known how much he loved it - this place that he had left but that walked alongside him everywhere he went; but it was so much clearer this way, so full of both love and hate, loyalty and disdain, longing and relief, that it was difficult for anything other than music to encompass it.

She brought her hands together in something that may have been a clap if she wasn’t so afraid to disrupt the stillness of the desert air. On silent footsteps, she left her reverie behind and moved to sit where he had made room for her on the worn wooden bench.

She looked at him earnestly, trying to ease his fear with even just the movement of her eyes, “It’s brilliant, Antoine, truly.” And she meant it, not just because she was under his spell and not her own now; the judgmental eyes of God and her sisters were shut out when she was in his orbit. Now there was only him and his memories for her to get lost in.

He left his hands on the strings, still playing the familiar notes as though they helped make the admittance easier to utter, “You were right, you know? When I play it’s like I can see it all laid out in front of me. Or better yet, under me. Like I’m above it, observing it all like a story. Makes me realize I loved it more than I thought I did. That house. That place. Her. I wrote it because I know it’s gone now, probably nothing but rubble under a cheap government build. I just don’t want to forget. Or maybe I don’t want the world to forget.”

The stars looked down on them as his smile widened with every inch she drew closer to him. They reflected brightly in her eyes as she leveled them to his, “Would you sing it again? So I can hear it better?”

He let out a small laugh, just as much in relief as in humor. “Surely you would prefer to sing it? With a voice like yours I would hate to imagine what mine must sound like.”

She brought her knee up on the bench with them, curling as close as she could without dislodging the guitar from his arms. “Hush and sing. You don’t need me now.”

“I always will, Mrs. Duplanchier. No matter what. But as you wish….” 🎶

Part 3/3

(As Antoine is meant to have written House of the Rising Son in this universe, I’m going to leave a little disclaimer about this song and its origins under the cut, in case you are interested!)

The origins of the song House of the Rising Sun are much older and more complicated than I have presented here. Folklorist Alan Lomax has written more on it if you are interested, but it is commonly thought to have originated as an English folk song, morphing into the version we know today amongst various groups of American immigrants.

Perhaps best known for its 1964 version by The Animals, it has long formed a staple of American folk, blues, rock, and country recordings, with recorded versions by everyone from Lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, Doc Watson, Nina Simone, Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Alt-J (amongst so many others). However, I have taken inspiration from the earliest known recorded version, which was done in Appalachia in 1933.

Of course, in having Antoine write this song I have compressed much of this history into a single figure, as well as slightly twisted the meaning of the song to fit the story line. The latter is mostly based on personal interpretation of the lyrics and is purposefully meant to draw a line from this family’s musical heritage through the 1960s and beyond. It also gives a face to the very real figures behind many of the staples of American music that have come to us from the early part of the 20th century, many of which were written or played by black men and women whose songs have continued onward while many of their names and stories may have been forgotten.

#1934 #sims 4 historical #ts4 historical #ts4 decades challenge #sims 4 decades challenge #the darlingtons #sims 4 legacy #ts4 legacy #sims 4 story #ts4 story #Zelda Darlington #Antoine Duplanchier

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mylove-iv · 6 months

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❝fearless child, broken boy; tell me what it's like to burn.❞

ʚ aged up, botw! link x fem! reader ɞ

synopsis: when the kingdom goes to war, the goddess's chosen Hero is desperate to keep you safe. in his attempts to give you everything, you gradually became nothing.

genres: angst, romance. | set pre-calamity.

content warnings: slight spoilers (slight canon divergence)

reader specifications: reader is detailed to be wearing a body hugging silk dress (i had vivienne westwood's 'grace' dress in mind while writing that specific scene!). no pronouns were used but was written with a female reader in mind.

word count: 2.66k words.

―originally posted on @mydarling-iv, sep. 6, 2023

ʚ part i ɞ | ʚ masterlist ɞ

Two weeks, two cursed weeks that you lover was away in Gerudo, wasting the time away with the princess beside him and only when he does get home—to you—he is ripped away once more.

“A ball?” You inquire softly, having no energy of meeting Link’s eyes, exhaustion apparent with the ache embedded deeply in your bones.

“Come with me?” He blinks softly, his sky blue eyes reminding you of the times where he and you would nap beneath the shade a tree has to offer under a stunning cloudless sky.

Link sees your eyebrows furrow, “Are you sure? You wish to bring a common woman who’s a simple painter to a ball?”

A stab of hurt spreads throughout his chest and before he can answer your question, you speak. “With your achievements, Princess Zelda is more of a favorable person you should escort. 'Lest we want to sully your prestige, my love.” Your words drip with false indifference, hoping your lover will not notice.

He’s no fool, he sees the flurry of emotions pooling into your eyes and Link’s heart cracks. He’s endured war, massacring monsters and Hylians alike—stars, he even tolerates the unreasonable orders spewed from the king’s mouth and the princess’s unpleasant gaze and fleeting touches—just so he is worthy enough of you.

“No.” Link’s resolve strengthens itself as your eyes momentarily flicker to his, surprise oh so evident. “What kind of coward am I to settle for another when my heart belongs to you?” His words are firm, reassuring and you find your guard lowering.

You then melt against his sturdy body when he embraces you, and suddenly, you unfold like a love letter read in the dark, a secret that only moon and stars would know. “Promise?” Link allows his walls to drop momentarily for you.

“Promise,” His words are a whisper, pressed gently to the corner of your lip as Link looks into your eyes deeply. “I chose you and I’l choose you over and over. Without pause, without a doubt, in a heartbeat. I’ll keep choosing you.”

Tear well in your eyes before they roll down your cheeks. Your hand cups Link’s face and you see his eyes soften before you’re enveloping him with your arms as he too, reciprocates the hug by holding onto you even tighter.

“I love you.” His promise is burned into your skin with his lips, yet why does your heartache never seem cease?

┊ ੈ✩‧₊*°࿐ྂ。

Looking into the mirror, you see how the silk hugs your body and how the corset’s asymmetrical look enhances your shoulder and clavicle. The layered pearl necklace shines with a milky iridescence that creates a dreamy look.

But as you continue to stare at your in the mirror, you’re caught off guard by the woman who greets you. She held no twinkle in her eyes, they were dim and almost lifeless.

A knocks rasps you out of you reverie and you’re welcomed by the rare sight of Link’s smile and his eyes crinkling sweetly.

You smile softly, feeling a phantom ache in your heart as you take his hand, your mind drifting back to the tired woman in the mirror and before you know it, you’re off to the banquet hand in hand with the man you love.

┊ ੈ✩‧₊*°࿐ྂ。

You don’t know how to feel when the music starts and a hushed silence falls over the crowd of nobles and royals alike. You see Princess Zelda in the middle, seeming to wait for someone.

Eyes clashing against blue ones, you see hesitation flash in them before Link is turning away from you and everything suddenly clicks in place.

Your lover takes her hand, placing a kiss on the back of it and you feel like you’re intruding on something intimate. It’s a cold and unsettling feeling.

It’s almost invasive as you continue to watch the Princess and Link—your lover—dance perfectly, almost as if they’re puzzle pieces destined to fit.

Numbness has set in as the music reaches a crescendo, Zelda’s dress fluttering prettily as Link keeps his eyes on her. It’s odd, to be haunted by someone that is still alive. You muse, heart aching.

The music softens into the diminuendo and the claps entering your ears snap you out of your thoughts. Your eyes refocus and despite the signal of the dance ending, Princess Zelda and Link stay rooted in the middle.

Silence befalls the massive ballroom and anxiety prickles at the bottom of your stomach as you notice the look in the princess’s eyes—it's the very same look you also hold for the man standing in front of her.

“Thank you, Link. For everything you’ve done for Hyrule.. and for me. I -um,” The princess of Hyrule trails off, a pinkish hue coloring the apples of her cheeks as she gently holds your lover’s hand.

Your heart drops, an overwhelming wave of anxiety and despair washing over you as you have a horrible feeling of what is to happen next.

“I want you to be happy,” Zelda hums cheerily, a pretty smile adorning her face.

“And I would love for it to be with me.” Despair pools in your stomach, your eyes quickly fly to our lover’s face. His eyes are unreadable and he’s stiff as a board but Zelda nor the nobles crowding around them don’t seem to notice.

There’s this overwhelming ache in your chest, a severe melancholy wrapping so tightly around your heart, it snaps abruptly as your eyes continue to linger on Princess Zelda and Link.

Your eyes meet Link’s momentarily and you’re taken back to the moment where you looked in the mirror earlier, you remember the woman—you—who looked so defeated in the mirror.

Another stab of pain hits your heart and your mind clears itself of thoughts but one. I love him, but stars, I want him to stay away from me. You curse mentally as the pain intensifies, borderline burning as unshed tears sear your eyes.

A choked cry tumbles from your lips, tears blurring your vision as you abruptly turn away. You turn your back on the man you loved, taking the battered woman he’s turned you into with you.

┊ ੈ✩‧₊*°࿐ྂ。

Link’s blood runs cold at the Princess’s words, but despite the people surrounding him, he tears his eyes from the princess in front of him and looks to where you once stood but you’re no longer there.

Desperation tugs at his entire being, his soul aching for you as the ring hanging from his neck burns against his skin.

But alas, he forces himself to push down the urge to chase after you because if he were to leave and follow his heart—the being who his heart yearns for—the kingdom would stop at no means of having your head on a spike.

┊ ੈ✩‧₊*°࿐ྂ。

Stars, you were a fool.

You stayed despite his silence, despite his distance, despite how he treated you.

You stayed.

And the wounds inflicted by Link, the man that supposedly loved you, left scorched marks burned into your heart.

The wind widely flies by your face as you urge your steed faster, faster to a safe place, to home, and away from him.

A field of white baby’s breath enters your vision and your breath hitches as the dam breaks, tears freely rolling down your cheeks as you sobbed.

“I was robbed of my life. I could have been happy—I could have been alive but he took my heart and murdered it.” You screamed to the stars, the fire consuming your heart intensifying the pain you feel.

She pops into your mind, the woman before the capital, the woman before being engulfed by the fires of love Link allowed to consume her, the woman—you—before all of the forsaken heartache burnt you whole.

“Am I supposed to be grateful to have survived this?” You cried, stumbling from your horse and into the small cabin surrounded by baby’s breath, the very cabin you and Link once called home before your loves' downfall.

┊ ੈ✩‧₊*°࿐ྂ。

Stars, he was a fool.

A fool for leaving you alone, a fool for choosing duty-

A fool for letting you go.

A complete and utter fool.

Link feels his frustrations rise, his skin burning as he worries where you are.

You were gone, not a single trace of you in the mansion. Almost as if you had left the place untouched.

He curses under his breath, tears welling in Link’s ultramarine eyes yet none fall.

He must be strong, for the kingdom, for him, for you.

A field of white enters his view and the morning dew twinkles at the sunlight peeking from the horizon.

Link’s breath catches in his throat at the sight before him.

It’s the cabin where you both originally stayed in, shaped it into home, and allowed your love to flourish.

Home.

His heart aches and there’s a deep yearning in his chest, a yearning of wanting to go back to how things were.

He dismounts his steed and races for the door hoping to see the fire lit and you home yet he’s met with darkness and the cabin being untouched.

His heart seizes as he recalls of what you had said before and Link realizes that you missed home, you miss how everything was once before.

He too shares the sentiments but he realizes it too late, “Stars, how was I so blind?” He whispers as he travels through the cabin, making his way to the back porch.

Link opens the door as dawn breaks and his breath hitches, his heart skips a beat.

He feels like a young boy once more as he sets his cobalt blue eyes on your figure sitting in the gazebo.

The sight of you and the effect you have on him reminds him of the day you both confessed your feelings, bathed in sunlight and absolutely breath taking.

You’re painted in a golden glow, the silk against your body shining softly forcing Link’s heart to tighten.

Oh stars, he’s missed you so much, the yearning to have you in his arms growing stronger as the ring burns even more against his skin.

He’s quick to make his way towards you, his footsteps on the grass and moss covered step stones softening his already quiet steps.

Link’s heart soars as he’s eager to get to you as soon as possible and yet, it’s short lived as your tired gaze pierces his eyes. His heart sinks slightly as panic rushes through his veins as he comes to an abrupt stop in front of you.

“Link,” Your sweet voice is hoarse, tired and run dry, which forces a slight pang of hurt across his heart.

His heart suddenly drops as you speak the words with a painful finality, “I can no longer do this.”

┊ ੈ✩‧₊*°࿐ྂ。

You’re leaving, you’re slipping through his grasp and it destroys him. Link looks up to you, your eyes unreadable and it forces him to impulsively move. He yanks the ring attached to the necklace hooked around his neck.

He sees your eyes widen as you glimpse the golden ring in his hand, confusion evident in your eyes. But the pain is overwhelming in Link’s heart.

Link falls to his knees before you, begging for forgiveness as would a sinner pleading to the Goddess. And like the sinner he is, you recoil, denying him of his retribution and sending his heart into despair.

“This was not how I wanted you to find out, but my love, please listen to me.” He croaks in between cries, hands grasping the silk of your dress as he buries his tear stricken face into the tops of your thighs.

“You will never lose me. I will always be right here beside you. I’m all yours my love.” He whimpered, hand shakily putting the ring on your finger and the golden ring burns against your skin.

You shake you head softly, “Yet it never felt that way, Link. You whispered sweet nothings in my ear and you told me you loved me. I found myself believing your lies when it all struck me at once, I haven’t felt loved by you.”

His heart aches at the shakiness of your tone and his arms wrapped around your waist tightens even further as he buries his face further into you naval, seeking refuge while hoping to make you stay.

“You no longer love me, Link. And I you.” A chill wracks his entire body, his eyes snapping to yours quickly in disbelief.

No no no. Link internally screams. “You love me, and—“

Your eyes hardens and Link’s resolve weakens even further. Stars, what has he done? “Loved. I loved you, Link.”

His breath hitches and you close your eyes as a choke gasp leaves your former lover’s lips. His hand gently squeeze your hips, a motion you once found reassuring, now burned your skin.

“Love, you love me.” Link croaks out weakly, his body trembling against yours.

┊ ੈ✩‧₊*°࿐ྂ。

You stared at him, and no longer did your heart ache at the love you both held for each other, instead, your heart thumped slowly and numbly. Yet, you feel a spike of guilt as he had provided a roof over your head, food for you to eat and so much more.

As the last act of love you so generously bestow upon your former lover, you cup his face gently, his teary bluebell eyes meeting your tired ones. You don’t have the energy for feign a smile but your thumb is gentle against his cheeks, softly swiping away any stray tears of his.

You see how much love is in Link’s eyes, it’s practically overflowing, almost like an ocean capable of drowning you. Inhaling a shaky breath, you murmur, “The truth I learned here is, you had to leave because you’re you.”

“And the reason I loved you is because you’re you. And who you are is someone who leaves, Link. The Link I remember doesn’t exist here. He doesn’t exist in the courts, in our home, and in you.”

He’s speechless, his tongue feels heavy as lead as your emotions of sadness and vulnerability seep into your tone.

“But he did once exist and you left him with me. A presence to yearn for—a part of you who I so badly wished for to be beside me—who gradually became a ghost to haunt me.” Link sees a glimmer of regret in your eyes. “Despite it all, I loved him.”

You swallow thickly, a small yet feeble smile tugging at your lips weakly, and the coil of pain tied tightly around his heart tightens, leaving Link feeling weak and breathless.

“To this kingdom, to her, you’re someone who stays.” He feels fear creep in his heart, the blood in his veins turning ice cold as you gazed at him with a thousand yard stare completely devoid of the loving warmth you once held for him.

It all comes to him and shame envelopes his entire being. As he built his walls to protect himself —the Link he was once before entering the palace, the Link you once loved—he failed to realize that he also cast you out.

Even as he worked tirelessly to provide you what he convinced himself that would make you happy—prestige, wealth—he had turned a blind eye to how much he had neglected you.

In the process of wanting to make you safer—happier—Link ultimately traded your happiness for what he thought would be your happiness and as retribution, he himself brought the ruination of the love between you both.

He’s forced to come to the abrupt realization that he’s to be haunted for the rest of his life, haunted by what lived, died, and could’ve been between you and him.

The cord snaps and Link feels his heart burn, leaving marred and scorched scars embedded so deeply in his heart. Link looks to you, face a calm mien but his eyes are a dead giveaway of the despair he shamefully feels.

Link’s words are subdued and quiet almost as if he's mourning, “If I could have done it all over again, I would have loved you better. But I couldn’t have loved you anymore than I already do.”

Your eyes dimmed and Link dies inside, stars, he was supposed to protect the shine in your eyes—you—he was supposed to protect you but-

“Know that I loved you, Link, but know that it was not enough.”

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theabigailthorn · 1 year

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hello from a fellow abigail here! huge fan of your videos and how easy you make things to understand for someone with as little knowledge on philosophy as me haha

i was just wondering if you did any voice acting for the legend of zelda tears of the kingdom? i was playing through and i got to a part with a character who sounded just like you! i trying looking up the voice actor but i couldn’t find any information on the role. if it wasn’t you though i’d love to know if voice acting for video games is something you’d ever consider?

I didn't do anything for Tears of the Kingdom, but I am in Harmony: The Fall of Reverie which comes out in June, and I'm also going to be in another big video game that I don't think I'm allowed to announce yet but which is scheduled for release later this year

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slaingelo · 4 months

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dragon behaviour

#reverie au #violet reverie #shaymie reverie #zelda reverie #four swords manga #my art #did this as a break from another thing im working on bc omg i needed one #thin lineart my beloathed. silly doodles my beloved

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turtleduckscribbles · 20 days

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Close to Home

“No matter where I go to offer aid, Link remains at my side…”

After a hundred year battle waged against the incarnation of evil, Princess Zelda has finally returned from the brink, brought back by her faithful and devoted knight companion, Link. But a lot has changed between now and yesteryear. The kingdom is healing, and with her work cut out for her, it’s all Zelda can do to stay afloat. A lifetime of fighting has sapped her strength, and rest has evaded her for too long.

As princess and knight work together to restore a devastated Hyrule, they must also reacquaint themselves with one another after a century of misplaced memories and time spent apart. What’s more, Zelda struggles to reconcile the grief of her past with the pressing demands of the present. With the castle laid to waste and her former life buried beneath the rubble, she’s never felt more displaced, so far removed from any refuge she might call home.

But with Link at her side, Zelda comes to find that the future may not be as fearsome as she once imagined, and sometimes, home is closer than we think.

~A brief exploration of Zelda’s personal journey toward home, and how she finds it in Link.

Read on AO3 or continue below.

~o~o~o~o~o~

PART ONE

Chapter 1: "The Princess and the Frog"

The late morning sunlight crowning the slick rocks of the Zodobon Highlands cast the lush glen in a brilliant, dreamlike glow. Stripes of dewy green stroked the land like a painter’s brush on a textured canvas. Far below, the Zora River wended its way down the valley, its low murmur barely discernible amidst the rustling of juniper shrubs. Tranquility at its finest.

Princess Zelda shut her eyes and inhaled, drawing it all in, every trace of nightshade and hint of mint amongst the overwhelming stretch of evergreen. The remedy of the wilds. She pictured it filling her, restoring her, allaying the burn in her lungs from the laborious hike up Ruto Mountain. A damp breeze tossed her waist-length hair, the perfect salve for her flushed skin. This was it. This was what they had fought so hard to preserve: a Hyrule at peace.

Her people at peace…

Zelda’s eyes snapped open. As if pulled by an invisible hook, she looked out across the valley from whence she came. The distended eyes of the large stone fish ogled her from its lofty perch, visible even from this vast distance.

Seeing it, fixed unblinkingly on her, doused Zelda in a familiar wave of anguish. She would never, could never, escape that gaze. The gnawing guilt that had spawned within her ever since the Calamity’s defeat threatened to return in full force, just as it had during her visit to the Domain. Standing before the Zora Royal Court again… Mipha’s father, and Sidon—now quite the imposing and mighty prince—all beaming brightly down at her… It had finally proven too much.

They were, of course, nothing but kind. They always had been, Mipha and her relations. They had been astonished, elated even, to see Hyrule’s princess again, to find her alive and well after such an extended absence. But seeing them, witnessing their magnanimity with her own eyes, in spite of all that transpired one hundred years ago, had broken something inside of her.

She had cried without restraint then, losing herself in her sobs. There in the throne room, in full view of the entire nobility, her tears took her by storm, leaving her flayed open in a way that her recent trip to Kakariko had not. A mortifying display of vulnerability. Taken aback, the Zora king and prince had succored her as best they could, quelling her tear-choked apologies, offering the warmest words of solace. Insisting wholeheartedly that they did not blame her for past traumas. They did not blame her for the loss of their kin.

And yet, Zelda couldn’t help but feel that the one who stood before them was the wrong princess.

A light tap on her arm lifted her from her reverie. She turned with a start. Link proffered her water canteen, his bright blue eyes searching her face.

“Oh, yes… Thank you, Link.” With a small, grateful smile, she accepted it and brought it to her lips. The first draft hit her throat like an icy spring plunge. Clearly she hadn’t realized how parched she was. She replaced the cap and returned it to him, her fingers lightly brushing the leather of his glove.

Link stayed put with her half-empty water canteen, his eyes raptly taking in the minutiae of her expression. Warming under his scrutiny, Zelda tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear, and the wind—impish sprite that it was—untucked it just as quickly.

As if suddenly aware of his effect on her, Link gave a single hard blink, severing his concentration. He turned in the direction of the cooking pot and raised a quizzical brow.

Nodding reassuringly, Zelda followed him away from the cliff’s edge toward the abandoned monster camp ensconced in a rocky alcove. It appeared to have been deserted for some time: moldering fruit rinds and splintered fish bones littered the pebbly ground at her feet. Picking her way over the debris, she chose a seat on a log next to a heap of dulled, rusted weaponry—lizalfos, from the look of it—and placed her hands neatly in her lap. Link crouched at the opposite side of the fire, pulling sundry herbs from his packs.

“Right,” she began. “We’ll need to decide what our next course of action will be. So then, I suppose the question becomes, once again: Where to next?”

From his squatted position, Link tossed a few sprigs of armoranth into the searing pot. A handful of wild greens followed. Zelda watched him work before discreetly clearing her throat, straightening in her seat.

“...I’ve reevaluated our trajectory and believe it’s in everyone’s best interest if we shift our primary focus to rebuilding efforts. Surveying ancient technology will only get us so far at the present. With Divine Beast Vah Ruta inoperative, it would appear that the Champions have… have gone on. But…” She took a shaky breath before continuing. “But that’s not to say the machines are obsolete. There is still much this technology can do for us. It’s just, without aid from fellow researchers, it will be difficult to begin the repurposing process on our own. Disassembling the machinery en masse may prove to be quite the challenge, and with Hyrule so scattered, we don’t want to overwhelm ourselves. So our first order of business should be opening lines of communication between groups. We’ll also need to establish some sort of main innovation center. As the Royal Ancient Laboratory is no longer serviceable, I’m not sure where that should be…” She sucked on her lip. “But for now, let’s direct our efforts on outreach. The Zora have already lent us their support, so that’s an encouraging start. Perhaps we should head to Goron City, or… Tarrey Town, was it called? From here, the northern settlements are most practical since they—”

“Hateno.”

Zelda’s speech came to a screeching halt. Link used a wooden spoon to stir around the contents of the pot. His voice was fleeting, barely heard above the sizzling ingredients, but all the same, she latched onto it like a castaway to a liferaft.

“...Hateno Village? In Necluda?”

Link nodded, his attention on his task. “Purah’s there. And it’s safe.”

Zelda considered this as Link adjusted seasonings. Safe. There was weight to the word, but to what degree, she couldn’t say…

It struck her as somewhat odd. Was the land not already safe, due to the end of the Calamity? With the blood moon gone, the bulk of the monster population had followed it, allowing for safer territories all around. So what did he mean?

It wasn’t that the remote farming community had slipped her mind; far from it. She knew Hateno was a sizable Hylian settlement—probably the largest standing, come to think of it—and it was true that a research facility now resided there. Genuinely, the thought of a countryside sojourn sounded remarkably appealing. And yes… she was elated at the prospect of seeing Purah again, truly… But, well, after a succession of emotionally taxing reunions back-to-back, Zelda had to admit that the idea gave her pause. Truth be told, she wasn’t sure she was ready for another.

“Well… I suppose. Having an ancient technology center in our vicinity would be useful. And I really would love to reunite with Purah. It’s just… the other races…”

A fragrant bowl of sautéed herbs and mushrooms suddenly filled her vision. Before she knew what was happening, Link had placed it into her open palms and plopped himself on the log at her side, heartily digging into his own dish.

“All in time,” he said between mouthfuls of mushroom.

Zelda looked down at her bowl. She drew in a ravenous breath; the savory, nutty scent went straight to her stomach. After thanking him profusely, the two of them tucked into their meals in silence.

Slyly, she watched him from the corner of her eye. Link sat close to her on the log—not touching, exactly, but close enough that she could think of little else. She wondered what drove him to suggest Hateno as their next destination. Was there a particular need there that had arisen during his ventures across Hyrule? She had witnessed his journey in her mind’s eye over the past year whilst beating back the Calamity; doubtless she would have known if there was business there to attend to. But at the moment, Zelda couldn’t recall anything pressing about the isolated village. She couldn’t see why he’d set his sights there, of all places, when there was work to be done elsewhere.

Although, if Link suggested it… Surely the option had merit…

From out of nowhere, a hot-footed frog leapt onto her foot. Zelda gasped and instinctively kicked out, nearly upsetting her bowl of sautéed vegetables. The frog clung steadfastly to her boot, undeterred, as if hitching a ride on a flailing Hylian leg was a regular occurrence for it. Mouth open, Zelda froze in place, her fingers gripping her bowl.

Time hung suspended by a thread. Princess, hero, and frog all gawked at each other in a droll imitation of a plot twist. With her leg awkwardly extended before her, Zelda eyed the tiny intruder incredulously, stiff as stone. The frog eyed her back, its bobbing vocal sac the only point of movement among them.

After a rather charged pause, the frog seemed to concede its mistake. With what could only be described as a sheepish croak, the creature turned tail and hopped from her foot, disappearing into the surrounding bushes.

Stunned silence. Zelda sat gaping at her recently vacated boot. She turned toward her knight companion.

Link gazed thoughtfully at the shrub where the frog had vanished, his empty bowl resting in his lap. A few seconds passed before his eyes drifted over to her, straight-faced and collected.

“Sorry. Missed my chance.”

Zelda raised an eyebrow at this. Link shrugged.

“A rare delicacy got away.”

Zelda stared at him. In her haste to comprehend his meaning, her tongue seemed wholly unable to formulate words. A small smile was forming at the corners of his lips. Then, it dawned on her, the realization striking her like a thunderclap.

He remembers! she thought.

Without warning, a torrent of emotion swept through her. Link’s face, so mild and unguarded, plucked a chord hidden within her, catching her entirely off balance. Unable to bear it, she broke contact, swallowing to quell the tide that had risen in her throat.

Sensing her distress, Link too looked away, his expression reverting to default impassivity. He stood quickly and brought his dirtied dish over to the nearby mountain stream. As he rinsed it out in the brisk water, Zelda took a moment to compose herself. Taking in a steadying breath, she rolled back her shoulders and addressed him once more, her unfinished lunch tucked close.

“I appreciate your input about our goals. And I agree; Hateno Village is a fitting next stop on our journey. We’ll speak with Purah and go from there.” Pausing, she nodded to herself. “Yes… That is what we’ll do.”

Finished with his washing, Link packed his bowl and made his way back over to her. He resumed his seat beside her on the log and held out his hand, palm up. Obliging, Zelda handed him her half-eaten meal, and Link wasted no time scarfing down the remainder of her food.

In the midst of his munching, she caught his eye. Even with bulging cheeks, it was easy to spot the care in his expression, the endearing quirk of his mouth that fortified her spirit more than any elixir could. Warmth blossomed unrestrained in her chest.

Despite all the unknowns the future held, the one thing Zelda knew with unequivocal certainty was that she would be okay with Link. Safe, with Link.

Wherever they went, it mattered not, so long as she was with him.

~o~o~o~o~o~

>> Chap 2 >>

#turtle scribbles #legend of zelda #zelink #zelink fanfiction #zelda #link #botw #post-calamity #totk #romance #slow build #grief and mourning #hateno house bequeathing #close to home chapter 1 #this will update weekly with a brief hiatus in october #stay tuned for 10 chapters and incoming sneak peeks!

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gryphonlover · 1 year

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Whumptober 2023 Day 7

Prompt: alleyway

Victim: Four

Words: 907

Notes: It's the anniversary of Shadow's death. Death anniversaries suck, especially if they're for people that you were close to before they died.

Four… couldn't exactly say that he enjoyed doing errand runs, but he also couldn't exactly say that he didn't enjoy doing errand runs. The part of his brain that is, or maybe was, Vio reminded him that the word "apathy" existed.

That seemed to fit. Four was apathetic about doing errand runs.

Sometimes they went well, like when Wild buzzed through town like he was hunting down his Zelda again, and all Four had to do was come along and provide minimal opinions on which fruit was correctly ripe. (He had no idea, he just ate the food and hoped for the best.) Sometimes they went poorly, like when Legend and Warriors both went only to abandon him with the shopping list in favor of stocking up on whatever things they used for personal reasons. (One of the few times they got along.)

So Four wasn't exactly pleased to be shopping with Sky, but he wasn't exactly displeased either. He was distinctly apathetic.

They had been assigned to collect the things that the knights had decided they needed to restock the medical kits with. Sky made the whole process a lot easier, since he knew what he was looking for, and all Four had to do was carry things. Pretty simple.

They had just collected all of the cotton, gauze, and other types of fabrics they needed from one of the shops when something caught Four's eye. Something was off about his shadow today. It leaned just a bit too far towards an alleyway.

Now, Four didn't know a lot of things. He didn't know Lorulean, he didn't know how to suture a wound, and he definitely didn't know how to calculate a trajectory for a flying object. But the thing that he did know was shadows. Only Hylia knew how many hours he had spent staring at his shadow and other people's shadows. Well, shadows in general, really.

…okay, so maybe he'd gotten a little bit obsessed with shadows after the whole Four Sword thing, but that wasn't the point!

The point was that he needed to give Sky an excuse so he could go into that alleyway and figure out what was going on with his stupid shadow.

A nudge to his shoulder jolted him out of his thoughts.

"Um."

"Are you okay?" Sky asked, concern evident on his face. "You seemed a bit…"

"I'm fine!" Four protested. "It's nothing, I just… need to take a breather. You know."

Sky seemed suspicious, but nodded. "Alright. Do you want to sit down at one of the benches we passed earlier?"

Four shook his head. "No, I'll be fine, you go ahead and I'll catch up with you at the apothecary's shop." He punctuated the statement with a smile that he hoped was convincing enough.

Sky didn't really look convinced, but he relented. "Alright. But if I finish up, and you're not there yet, then I'm coming to find you."

Four resisted the urge to roll his eyes and settled for a sigh. "I can handle myself."

Sky raised an eyebrow.

"I know, I know, teamwork, blah blah blah, just… just go, okay? I promise it won't take long."

Sky hesitated at the sound of weariness in his brother's voice, but left him alone like he'd said he would.

Four's shoulders sagged. Goddesses, he felt tired. He… he missed Shadow.

He shook himself out of his thoughts, pulling himself out of the reverie he could feel himself slipping into as he rearranged the things in his bag. He peeked into the alleway, his shadow stretching unnaturally towards a corner in the back with a couple of empty wooden crates.

The alleyway was your normal alleyway, not very wide, and not very well-lit. Why Shadow– his shadow wanted to go there, he didn't know, but he cautiously creeped forward anyway. He ran a hand along the rough brick wall to his left, memories of the time Vio had taken Shadow out on "dates" before… he rubbed a hand across his face. Now was not a great time to have a mental breakdown.

He grabbed one of the crates and set it upright, sitting down on it. The wood was pale and rough, but more than sturdy enough to hold his weight. He had put on a little weight with Wild's cooking, but he'd never weighed very much to begin with.

His shadow wavered on the wall across from him, and if he squinted, he could almost make out a thin sliver of light that sort of danced across it like a smile.

Just like his smile. It had been a while since he'd thought about Shadow last, but now everything trickled back into his mind. Every time Blue had cursed Shadow out, every time Red had tried to hug him, every time Green had rolled his eyes at a joke, every time Vio had read a book to him… the resulting swirl of emotions was overwhelming, and he found himself staring at the wall as tears rolled down his face, paralyzed by the strength of what he was feeling.

He didn't bother to try and keep track of the time, and sure enough, Sky showed up just as he'd said he would.

Four didn't have it in him to explain. All he could do was look despairingly at Sky and allow himself to be gently led back to camp to grieve in peace.

#linked universe #legend of zelda #lu four #lu sky #lu shadow #whumptober #whumptober 2023 #fanfiction #gryphon writes #grief #death anniversary

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reverie-starlight · 2 years

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NEW TEARS OF THE KINGDOM TRAILER???? HOLY SHIT?????

maybe now I’ll actually be motivated to finish BoTW 6 years after getting it :’)

#reverie rambles #i'm gonna have to make anew tag just for zelda #holy shit #IT LOOKS MORE AND MORE LIKE ITS GONNA BE THE FIRST *AND* LAST GAME IN THE TIMELINE CHRONOLOGICALLY #AHHHH

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margindoodles2407 · 5 months

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Can I have the au from this post?

Looks super fun!

/nf

Hi there friend!

Full disclosure, I actually kind of forgot about this fic until you brought it up, and I only have one thing written for it- but if you'd like to see more, I'd be more than happy to write more for this! I think it's a really cool concept and it makes me so happy to know that people would actually like to see it.

I'll post the ficlet under the cut. I hope you enjoy!

Oh, and a quick note: It’s not exactly how I’d rewrite the story from Speedrunner!Link’s perspective, more like how the aftermath would go if you took the speedrunner approach.

It’s over, it’s finally over. The thing that had loomed over Hyrule Castle ever since he woke up two days ago was gone- hopefully for good.

He gazes at the girl across from him- Zelda, the old man had said her name was- the girl covered in malice and the grime of a century of hatred. Her blonde curls are matted and tangled and she’s covered in what looks like burn scars as she stares back at him with eyes the color of things that are alive- the only bright spot in her tarnished facade.

She blinks, hesitant, as if she’s not sure whether to stand there or run to him and fling her arms around him. He doesn’t know which he wants. So he stands there catching his breath, and she stands there dithering, and then the fleetest flicker of a smile crosses her pale lips, and she says:

"May I ask... Do you really remember me?"

He stands there, because he doesn't really know what else to do. How could he? Her smile is widened in anticipation of what she wants to hear, a smile so warm and bright and hopeful that it makes him want to say yes, of course I remember you and see that smile turn to tears of joy that they can cry together.

But he can't. He couldn't lie to her. It would break her heart. He doesn't remember a thing about her- everything he knows about her he's learned in the past 48 hours.

So it's all he can do to clear his throat and stammer out, "No."

The smile vanishes in an instant, replaced by knitted brows and eyes full of concern. “Oh- oh, I see.” She crosses the field, her luminous gown flapping in the evening twilight like a tattered battle standard, and she halts in front of him to cup his face in her slender hands and gaze into his eyes- as if she could figure out what’s wrong with him simply by staring hard enough.

“Do… if I may… can… do you remember anything? Anything at all?”

He screws his eyes shut and tries to reach back behind the curtain of blackness, but as hard as he tries, the furthest thing he can grasp is a sweet voice- her voice- begging him to open his eyes. He shakes his head in wordless apology, opening his eyes just in time to see hers cloud with disappointment.

“I’m sorry,” is the only thing he can think to mumble.

“Not your fault,” she mutters back, almost to herself. She’s lost in a reverie, thinking of what next to do, and then her eyes snap back to his and the disappointment is replaced by determination.

“You know what? That’s not important right now. We’ll figure something out. Just… come with me; we’ll make camp somewhere and pick this up in the morning.”

#speedrunner!link au #margin writes #breath of the wild #botw #the legend of zelda #tloz #you ask margin babbles

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