Chapter 1: Eclipsed
Notes:
Welcome back my friends. Yes, you saw correctly. This is, in fact, 20 Thousand Words. I anxiously await your comments on what you experience from here on out! Also, please know that this will not be a trend for future chapter lengths; I can't say I'll never do it again but, well, not very often.
A big thank you to sksninja and Aeghina for beta reading this eeeeeentire first chapter. They're SO STRONG. 💜
And before you begin, please take a look at this WONDERFUL art I had commissioned for Father of Time. Dad Nocturne and Armored Link 💚 My boys! I love them. I hope to embed the pictures into the fic at some point but a link will have to do for now.
And finally, with no further ado, I leave you with one thing to carry you through, one word in give you fortitude now and in future chapters: trust.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Whispers.
Darkness.
Something evil was coming out of the desert.
Link gasped as he yanked the sword out of its scabbard and stood, alone, on the hill looking out over the canyon. Something was wrong. This wasn't how this played out before. Something was missing and his hands trembled like leaves when the Great Deku Tree died. A tall, terrifying figure approached, wreathed in fire and smoke, long hair flying loose around its head. Its lips curled into a parody of a smile as red dripped from its eyes, spreading long trails of crimson down his face.
It was coming for him, for everyone, but his soul felt empty in a place where something important belonged. He opened his mouth to scream defiance but the words were consumed by a bright, burning wind. The thing grew closer and he held the sword tighter in sweaty hands.
Link.
He had to run but it was calling for him, demanding they fight.
Link.
He couldn't. He wasn't strong enough. He couldn't. It was coming for him.
It was here.
A hand reached out and closed around his neck, lifting him off his feet as the cold brilliance began to consume him. The touch was agony, the fingers burned on his skin. He couldn't fight it, wouldn't dare to lift a hand against it despite all the evil it meant to do. He couldn't. He wouldn't. The solution was missing. Something inside him was gone. He opened his mouth to scream…
Link's eyes snapped open, unseeing for several moments as his mind adjusted to the new reality. His head ached, burned with the fire of the creature that had grasped him. The light was too painful and his eyes closed again as his palms pressed hard into them. What happened? Where was he? This wasn't home, was it? Home was–
Another lance of pain dug directly into his forehead and he sat up, trying not to cry with the agony. The light was too bright, it seared into his eyelids through his hands and he bent over his legs, recognising in some part of his mind that he was in a bed. Was he home? If only his head wouldn't hurt so badly, he could think. Surely this was home. The pain began to ebb slowly and he pulled a hand away, stroking at the sheets he sat upon. Smooth, soft. The mattress was light and comfortable. Certainly this was a bed he'd be happy with if it was his own.
The pain subsided more and a single eye cracked open experimentally. Everything was still brighter than he would prefer but at least it didn't spike directly into his brain. This place…might be home.
Maybe.
What had happened to him? He pushed at his own mind and found a suspicious number of blanks. He knew his name, for sure, he knew he was the Hero of Time, he knew he was several years past Ganondorf but…wasn't there something else? Something important? Every time he tried to pick at the empty spots, pain stabbed him again and he groaned, wondering if it would be okay to throw up in this very comfortable bed. No, that seemed bad. It was time to get up, find a bathroom and maybe some water. His mouth was so dry and he was so very thirsty. If this was home, he should be able to find both.
Slowly, carefully, Link opened his eyes all the way and looked around.
Grey stone, green wall hangings, a tall, stone window on the wall next to the bed. The furniture was nice, very nice, and the mattress he was laying on was more than a simple cloth envelope covering dried grasses and cucco feathers. He couldn't tell what it was made out of but it was springy and soft and if he wasn't in so much pain, he'd lay back down and sleep again. Link looked around blearily, taking in tapestries of the Lost Woods, little statues of forest critters on decorative shelves and all the little touches that seemed to indicate that this room belonged to someone.
Someone like him? He liked the forest, he was sure of it. He had grown up in the forest until…until…..
He turned and put bare feet on cold stone, shivering at the touch, then slowly and carefully pushed himself up, testing the weight on his legs. He wasn't wearing much, a pair of loose pants and a thin undershirt, but that was common bedclothes, weren't they? And when he stood, brushing long bangs out of his face, he found that his weight was manageable. The pain lessened even more.
But he was alone and confused and his head still ached in a way that made his vision blurry and uncertain. Surely there was someone around he could talk to, find out what was going on. There was an open door ahead of him, leading to another room. Very carefully, one step at a time, he wobbled into it and leaned on the doorjam as he looked around. It was much like the bedroom he had just left, a pleasant space decorated with greens and golds and warm, brown tones, with a fireplace and comfortable chairs. And there, another door, this one closed. Taking a deep breath, he continued in that direction, pausing a time or two to be absolutely sure he wasn't going to empty his stomach onto the floor. It was a victory when he finally made it to the heavy, wooden slab, to rest his hand on the iron lever that was all that was between him and freedom. Hopefully water. And food. Releasing a tired breath, he pulled.
It was locked.
Link frowned, then pulled again. Still locked. He shook it a bit and pulled again. Still locked. He put both hands on the metal and yanked with everything he had, immediately regretting it deep in his skull, but the only thing that came from his effort was the door rattling in its frame. He was trapped. With a groan, he rested his head on the rough wood and tried to will away the pain and the lock and the sudden desperate desire to go to the bathroom, wishing with all his heart that this day would suddenly improve. He didn't want to be here. He wanted to be home with…
With someone.
Another bolt of pure agony ran through his head and he staggered backwards, then dropped to the floor as his hands pressed against his aching forehead. "Please…someone…anyone…" His voice echoed strangely in a way he wasn't sure it should but he couldn't focus on that when his head was trying to split in twain. No other sound joined him, nothing but his voice small in the beautiful room that might not be home. A sudden desire to know he wasn't completely alone in the universe grabbed him and he cried out as loud as he could. "Someone! Please! HELP!"
Voices, there, perhaps on the other side of the barrier? He crawled to the door, surprised at the desire to cry, to panic, that overtook him. Pressing one long ear against cold wood, he listened hard for any hint at what was out there. Voices, both deep and high, muttered words he could almost make out.
"...very hard… sleeping? Can't tell… did you hear something?"
"Not going to be able to keep this up if…"
"...talk to him if it continues…"
"...got to let…maybe if we…"
What? What were they talking about? He had been sleeping. Were they talking about him? Were they waiting for him to wake up? Link groaned again and banged his fists against the door, tears finally leaking down his face.
"Please! If you can hear me, I just need some water! Some food! I need out! Why am I locked in here?!"
There was a faint click and under his hands, the door started to move. Gasping, Link scrambled backwards on his hands and feet. He tried very desperately to stand and just barely managed it, swaying as the pain in his head ebbed and flowed. When the door swung open, he was blinded by the much brighter light before him, a hallway of some sort, and a single person cast in deep shadows against it. He squinted, trying to make out features but the light was too bright, too painful, like the vision in his dream. Another blink, a rub to his eyes, suddenly cleared the black silhouette and the person became a girl, a young woman. Her blond hair curled beautifully on her shoulders and her deep blue eyes were wide with anxiety as she looked at Link from head to toe. Recognition snagged his tired mind and he rested his hand on his forehead as the pain flared brightly behind his eyes; he stumbled forward, not able to control the pitch of his collapse as he nearly fell into the girl's waiting arms. Her hands closed around his own and just like that, the pain was gone. A gasping, shocked word made its way past his dry mouth and his brain stuttered in surprise. "Z-z-zelda!"
A smile brighter than the sun flashed from the princess' face and happy tears gathered at the corner of her eyes. She grasped his hands harder, then pulled him into a tight hug. "Oh Link! You're okay! We were all so worried after what happened! This is the first time you've recognised me since, well…"
"I…what…?" Link's head swam with confused thoughts, the memory of pain still strong. His eyes refused to focus correctly, like his brain was trying to force clarity of vision into where it shouldn't be.
"You were hurt! You've been out of your mind, delirious, for weeks! That's why we had to keep your door locked, so you wouldn't get out and get hurt. I'm so glad you're doing better though!" Zelda leaned back, her blue eyes watery with unshed tears, but her smile was still brilliant and Link felt a strange sinking feeling in his stomach when he saw it. His room? He was hurt? But the princess was so happy to see him and… Before he could process what she had told him, Zelda raised a hand and tenderly pushed a lock of hair away from his face. "Thank you for coming back to us. I wouldn't have been able to bear it if we'd lost you. Oh Link! I was so, so worried!"
And, with no hesitation or doubt, the princess pushed herself up to kiss him as if she had done it a million times before.
It was much later, after Link had a drink and some food and was feeling less shaky, when Zelda and Impa tried to explain what had happened. There had been a fight with a small force of Gerudo and one of them had been a spell caster of some sort. No one had seen precisely what had happened but when the smoke cleared, the Gerudo was dead and Link was prone on the ground. The healers had done everything they could for him but they said a spell had been cast directly at the young hero, leaving his mind altered somehow. Right in the middle of his forehead was a strange scar, red and puckered as the skin attempted to heal itself. Impa told him he had been in a coma nearly ever since but occasionally, for no reason anyone could name, he would wake up screaming strange stories of masks and battles and horrible dungeons. He'd be frantic in those moments and it would take the mages casting sleep enchantments on him to induce a state of rest once again. There had never been recognition for anyone in his eyes, not even Zelda, and they were beginning to believe he'd need better treatment for whatever ailment had been laid upon him.
Link sat on a chair, in a room he didn't recognize that was apparently his, hot tea steaming from the mug in his hand. Nothing sounded familiar, except he knew he was Link and he knew he grew up in the Kokiri forest. Every time he tried to remember what happened after Ganondorf, pain assaulted him worse than before.
Zelda sat next to him, not touching but very close indeed. He didn't understand why she would do that. After she had kissed him, he had reacted violently, pushing her away while screaming words even he didn't recall. She had cried out in fear, which had of course summoned the guards to restrain him, but had stayed nearby as he thrashed about in panic. Both then and now, her soothing voice spoke words of calm and comfort, reassuring him that it would be all right. She had even gotten food and drink once he had calmed, then continued to stay near as pain screamed into his eyes.
"I don't understand." Link's voice spoke up after a long silence but his eyes remained fixed firmly on his cup.
"What do you mean?" Zelda reached out to him but pulled away quickly, settling her hands back in her lap.
"It doesn't…it's not right. I don't remember that, any of that."
Impa sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back against one of the tapestries. "I had feared something like this would happen." When Zelda looked over at her, the white-haired woman shook her head. "A spell, landing on his head? All those weeks of unrecognition? Something was perhaps damaged in his mind. I did have the priestesses check on him while unconscious but…"
Link's eyes narrowed and he shook his head again. "It doesn't seem right! I…I remember me, I remember both of you. You don't look unfamiliar! But…there's something missing. All the years in between."
Clearing her throat slightly, Zelda twisted her hands together, not looking the teen in the eyes. "You…don't remember moving into the castle? Or…or staying with us?" There was an implied "me" that made Link shudder. "Where do your memories stop?"
"I don't know. I mean, I feel like I can remember things but it hurts every time I try. But the clearest memories I have are of the king sending Ganondorf away and…and the Lost Woods and riding around Hyrule Field and…battles but they're fuzzy and indistinct. Kakariko Village, Lake Hylia…I remember doing things but I don't know what those things are!" His voice leaked anguish and Zelda reached over to rest a light hand on his knee. Link didn't pull away, instead burying his face in his hands at the soothing feeling through the thin cloth of his pants.
"Well, if you want, we can help you." Zelda gave him a comforting smile and gently squeezed. When he didn't react negatively, she inched her chair closer to his and gave him another bright smile that cut through to his heart when he glanced up. "We can take you around the castle, see if it helps. I can tell you what I remember, of course, as can Impa. Your memories are there, right? We'll help you."
Taking several deep breaths one after another, Link finally looked directly into Zelda's eyes. She was so earnest, so sad at something she wouldn't name but he thought he understood. Had they been close, before the accident? He knew he had feelings for her in the past, had clung to her desperately after being sent back from the future, but did that mean they had finally become friends? The memory of the kiss shuddered through his mind and he closed his eyes, expecting pain but getting none. Had they been more than friends? Something in his heart screamed no, beat against his head with a desperation he didn't understand, but that was where the pain was, agony where the wrongness lurked. What was wrong with him?
"If you think it'll help…"
Zelda's eyes brightened immediately and she ran her hand over his knee in excitement. "Oh yes, I'm sure it will! We'll get started right away! Impa, can you ask the servants to get a bath ready? He'll want to get cleaned up after everything!"
For the first time since he woke up, a feeling of real happiness ran through Link and he looked up at Impa with a smile. "Oh, yes, I'd love a bath."
He perhaps spent more time there than expected but the servants attending to him said nothing. Link knew Zelda was waiting for him, anxious to help him in whatever way she could, but just soaking in the warm water, a hot fire burning in the grate, did more for his mental state than anything else could. He must have dozed off at some point for when he opened his eyes to water that had long started to lose its warmth, the room didn't look the way he expected, a different memory trying to push its way in.
Pain pinched at his head and he closed his eyes again.
When he was finally dressed in an embroidered tunic and brown tights, his stomach growled so loudly even Zelda could hear it when she walked into the room. She laughed and Link looked over from frowning at his reflection in the mirror, wondering if he usually wore these tights because they felt very odd. The princess stepped up next to him, forming a pretty picture of the two in the glass, and took his hand with a gentle caress. "I was hoping to go for a walk around the castle grounds but shall we get some food instead?"
"Y-yes."
As the pair walked familiar halls, a quiet guard trailing them several paces back, Link glanced at rooms and out windows, trying to get his mind to behave. He had been here before, plenty of times before, and the hushed whispers that followed him were also familiar. Gossiping servants fell quiet as they walked by but Zelda ignored them all, almost giddy as she held his hand; Link could feel the excited tremble against his cold skin. She was so happy for him to be well again, so eager to be close. Confusion battered at him and he lagged behind, suddenly feeling guilty that he didn't remember the things she did. Part of him fought desperately at the idea of the two of them being together but it was so plain that they were. Zelda wouldn't just act this way if there wasn't reason for her to do so, he was sure of it. As Link's feet slowed, she stopped and turned towards him, questions in her eyes.
"Are you okay, Link?"
"I don't know. I wish I could remember more."
The princess smiled and squeezed his hand, giving him a gentle tug forward. "We'll get there. I promise."
He nodded. When they finally settled down to eat, he dug into the food almost immediately as Zelda chatted blithely of their time together in the past few years. He had moved into the castle that first year after they sent Ganondorf away. It had been hard at first, as Link had been a rather unruly boy and was not used to living in a building that wasn't a tree, but they had worked through it. He had started schooling with Impa after a disastrous few days in the class with other noble children. Link and Gerin, her cousin, had not gotten along at all. He had also been very resistant to wearing anything but his Kokiri tunic but changed his mind quickly as winter settled and the cold forced him into warmer clothes.
Zelda's voice was full of laughter, happy memories bubbling out of her as she gently poked fun at his previous wild ways. He had grown out of it, of course, but in the beginning he had doggedly followed her around, begging to play, to talk, to listen to music with her. He had been so insistent, she gave him the Ocarina of Time to keep him company. Maybe she shouldn't have been giving away their important family heirloom but he had been so thankful, so enthusiastic about it that she never regretted it once. Anyway, if he was the Hero, as he claimed, then it was his right to use it and she wouldn't deny him. Link nodded to everything she said, not remembering even the smallest bit. When she brought up Starfall, his ears perked up at the memory of a food he particularly liked but the rest of it was like listening to the tales of someone else's life. It didn't resonate at all.
The gnawing in his stomach slowed slightly but didn't abate. Impa drily remarked on growing boys and their stomachs when she passed through but he just shrugged. The portions on this castle food seemed too small to really sate his appetite and he reached for a bottle of milk, hoping that would help. As his hands closed around the jug and he lifted it to pour into his glass, he paused. A very familiar logo rested just under his thumb and he set the container down, passing a hand over the label of a cow and the characters that spelled out Lon Lon Milk.
His hand shuddered.
Lon Lon Ranch, the largest supplier of milk for the kingdom. Where Epona had come from. Where…
Suddenly he was yelling, words his heart knew but his mind rejected as pain lanced through his head once again. Soldiers rushed him, trying to hold him down, keep him from lashing out, but he dodged past them and sprinted down the corridor, red licking at the edges of his vision, a rushing in his ears. Shouts echoed and battered at him, yells to stop him before it was too late, calls for assistance from others even as an armored body slammed into him from a side corridor. Another grabbed his legs from behind and he grappled, fought, screamed to be let go he had to go this wasn't where he was supposed to be and more soldiers piled on but above it all was Zelda's voice begging, pleading for them not to hurt him he was getting better couldn't they see please get him back to bed where he could rest and then something slammed into him hard knocking him to the floor and his head hit it with a loud crack and then there was only darkness.
A weeping, a wailing…
Link, don't leave me! Please!
No, go back, try again.
Running through the forest, holding Zelda's hand as they dodged moblins' spears and the lunge of deku babas. Saria was missing. Saria had gone to the temple and now she was gone. Mido said she had gone to check on something and now they had to find her before it was too late. Zelda screamed as they ran up the stairs and faced the moblin with a giant club but Link was quick to aim their hastily crafted hookshot (Link, that is such a dumb name why do we have to call it that?) and aimed at the beast's head. Somehow, it worked. The creature yelled in agony as the pointed bit collided with its eye and Link finished the job with a well-sharpened Kokiri sword. Until he was big enough for the Master Sword, this one would have to do. The creature gurgled and died as the children ran past it and into the dark clearing.
"Link, I don't know. Are we ready for this?"
"We gotta be, Zel. I would never forgive myself if Saria died."
Gently, the princess squeezed his hand. She hardly looked like herself at this point, still wearing the Kokiri clothes that disguised her so well, her hair short under the pointed hat Link had given her. She was dirty and scratched after a year of living on the run but she still smiled at him and he found himself smiling back. "We'll get her back. I promise. I have faith."
"Thanks, Zel. Me too. We'll do it together."
When Link opened his eyes again, he was in bed, a headache pounding through the entirety of his skull. His hand reached up warily to touch the place where a fading warmth had been, feeling the puckered scar he had seen in the mirror just….when? Yesterday? Two days ago? More? He stared upwards at the grey stone ceiling, taking even, measured breaths. Memories slid out of reach, too painful to bear, and he licked his lips nervously. What had happened? He had been eating lunch with Zelda, she'd been telling him about the past and then…
Nothing.
A knock came, light and tentative. He tried to lift himself up but found his body was too tired, ached too much, and called out with a dry, scratchy throat.
"Come in?"
The door swung open and Zelda peeked in, eyes looking a little teary, but she smiled so bright at him that his heart thumped painfully in longing. Behind her was Impa, dressed in a simple fighting unitard with more armor than he was used to seeing her in, not the simple Sheikah panels from before. But Zelda strode forward despite her guardian's imposing presence, filling his vision with her light and cheer, and she pulled a chair up to the side of his bed, grasping his hand in her own when she sat.
"Link, how are you doing?"
He paused, twitched a muscle or two, then grimaced. "I hurt."
"Well, yes, I imagine. You fought off ten soldiers in your hurry to…leave."
Sudden sadness engulfed him. "Zelda, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I don't know why I did it. I don't…I can't…there was something wrong, I swear, but–"
The young woman's hands clenched tighter over his and she shook her head emphatically. "No, Link, there's nothing to apologize for. You're in recovery and we need to expect relapses sometimes. But! I had an idea that I think might help you today."
"What…what day is it?"
"Oh, you were asleep for a day and a half but it's fine. We're all very excited that you're awake again. They didn't even have to force you into sleep and that's a very good sign!"
Link grinned ruefully and raised a hand to the side of his head. The pain in his forehead was gone but not the agony in the back. "Yeah, I think the concussion I got probably helped with that."
"Oh dear, yes, we will get a priestess in here right away to look at that. I already had someone check you over but a followup should help." She turned and made a gesture to Impa and the woman nodded, then spoke in an undertone to someone outside the door. Link glanced over but another smile from Zelda pulled his gaze back to her. "That won't take more than a minute. And after that, we will go outside! A ride through the castle grounds if you think you can handle it. Maybe a walk through town. You always did prefer being outside and, even though it's chilly, the sun is bright and warm and I think it will do wonders for your health. There's someone who's been waiting to see you, you know."
Link blinked in confusion. "Who?"
"You'll see." A wide, mischievous grin stretched across Zelda's face even as she pulled him up. And an hour later, after a checkup and a light snack, he found himself at the castle gates, an old friend waiting anxiously for him.
"Epona!" Link laughed and strode forward towards the chestnut mare, quick to run a hand over her nose and bury his face in her mane. The horse neighed cheerfully and immediately began snuffling at his hair in affection. Zelda watched them, a brilliant smile on her face, and muttered something quietly to the stablehand that held her own horse. Link barely noticed. This was Epona. His Epona and he could tell she had missed him desperately. The pair shared a few tender moments as he ran his hands over her neck and checked for any signs of strain or injury but the mare stomped her hooves impatiently, eager to be off. She was well-fed and clean and showed all signs of having been perfectly cared for.
"She missed you very much, Link." The boy turned to look at Zelda and she was wiping happy tears out of her eyes. "We tried to get you out to her but there was no way to manage it. Either you were unconscious or delirious and we didn't think it would help her to see you in that state. But I knew, after you woke up, that it would help you both so much! I'm so glad."
It was like a stone dropped into Link's stomach and he clutched the mare's mane tight in his fingers. She had missed him and he hadn't been there for her. Guilt folded over him and he hid his face in her hair. It felt like a failing in some way, that he had let something keep him unconscious and sleeping once again. That it was only a tiny fraction of seven years barely made him feel better. "I'm so sorry, Epona. I promise I won't leave you this time."
A gentle wuffle accompanied the horse's head knocking into his own and he laughed weakly. Behind him, Zelda stepped up onto her own mount, riding in a strange side saddle that allowed her to spread her skirts out around her. Link narrowed his eyes at it, brows tilting down with an annoyance he didn't understand. Had she ever used one of those before? But he shook his head and gave Epona a comforting pat before swinging himself up into his saddle. He wasn't going to ruin this moment, not the first time he'd been riding in weeks. Epona deserved more from him than that.
So he pushed away uneasy thoughts and rode next to Zelda, enjoying the feel of spring air moving through his hair, letting go of the constant sense of wrongness he had felt since waking up. Zelda and Impa had said he was attacked, that he'd get better with time, and he just had to trust that right now. The memories were surely there, waiting for him to uncover them. The pain would fade. He would feel normal again.
And as they trotted out in the wide, open fields behind Hyrule Castle, the knot in his chest unclenched a little bit more. Zelda couldn't keep up with him as he galloped through the brilliant afternoon sun but he wasn't trying to escape, didn't want to leave. He and Epona ran like they were racing the wind and determined to win. After they both had their fill of speed, he spun around and galloped back to Zelda, beaming with happiness. The princess had a hand up to her neck, looking so incredibly relieved at the sight of Link's enthusiasm that he swallowed hard to push down a lump of guilt. She was worried about him, HAD been worried about him, and see what he had done? Yelled at her, tried to run away, fought with the guards that were only trying to protect her.
How could he?
The pair opted to head to town, leaving the horses with a stablehand once they reached the city streets. Castle Town citizens greeted their princess with joyful cries, bowing to her as she went but she waved them away from such formality as she spoke easily with shopkeepers and shoppers alike. Link followed nervously but familiar faces approached him as well, bowing with a reverence that made him immediately uncomfortable, wished him well and exclaimed their relief at him looking so hale after such a long convalescence. Children ran up and cheered, shouting about how "the Hero" was recovered and they were safe once more.
Zelda laughed and waved the little ones down, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear in an endearing way. "Now now, he's only just recovered. We need to give Link time to settle in. Let's not put too much pressure on him."
A wave of protectiveness washed through Link and he crouched down in front of the small group of children, some with wooden swords and paper shields. The teen gave the kids the biggest smile he could manage, ignoring the faintest twinge of pain in his head, and held up his fist in determination. "Don't worry. I'll be fine in no time! You can count on me to protect you, no matter what!"
Cheers rose up from the children and one little girl with dark hair threw herself at the young hero for a hug that barely wrapped around his midsection. Laughing, he raised the girl up onto his shoulders and continued down the city street while Zelda's face looked fit to split with as wide as she was smiling. Satisfaction settled around Link's shoulders, a sense of belonging, of rightness. The pain in his head was gone as he walked with the people of Hyrule and found that it felt like home.
That night, he stood out in the castle gardens, looking over Hyrule Field towards the dark, misty forests of the Lost Woods, arms crossed on the stone walls. The stars were just starting to come out, brilliant for the lack of moon in the sky. It had been a wonderful afternoon and a perfect evening where he and Zelda shared a quiet meal in his rooms, her telling stories of little moments the two of them had spent together. It still didn't feel like a life he had lived but perhaps it was one he'd be proud to claim. Protecting people, being the hero, those were things he could embrace, would make him happy. Even if he never unlocked those moments, was stuck with this blank in his mind, he would still do his job. He would protect them. His determination to do that would carry him into a bright future where evil would not prevail.
Yes, he could learn to be happy with that. He was sure of it.
A delicate cough turned his head and he smiled weakly at Princess Zelda. She wore a casual dress of blue and white, no jewellery or ornamentation to glitter in the pale light from stars and torches. It was more intimate than her usual royal attire and Link felt his heart beat faster, a small voice in the back of his head whispering about how pretty she was. Waving a hand at the empty place next to him, Link managed a smile and tried to settle the nerves in his stomach as she stepped up next to him. He could see relief in her eyes and tried to ignore it, too big of a burden to bear on such a beautiful night. At first, nothing was spoken between them; the sound of early insects, the occasional shout between servants in the castle, were all that intruded on the calm between them. It was Zelda who eventually broke the silence, her voice barely audible.
"I hope today helped."
Link nodded. "Yes, more than I realised." He paused, then turned to look down at her. "I'm sorry about earlier."
"No no, I'm the one who should be sorry. I knew about your injury and how confused you've been the past weeks. I was just so happy to see you finally looking at me with something other than fear and dismay that I thought…I had hoped… Well, I just made a mistake, that's all. If I was in your place and was missing many of my memories, I would have screamed too. Maybe the meal and everything was just too much at the time."
Inhaling then exhaling softly, the young man shuffled slightly on his feet, feeling awkward. Everyone around him was so ready for him to be back to normal but an emptiness in his chest didn't understand what normal was. For a brief moment, down in the town, that hole felt smaller, like he knew what he was supposed to be. But here was Zelda, apologising for something she shouldn't need to and he…he wasn't sure how to move on.
"Zelda?"
"Hmmm?" She looked up at him and it struck Link how close they were. He could see lights reflected in her eyes.
"Tell me, honestly. Were we in…in love. Before the accident?"
The girl hitched her breath in delicately, fear settling on her brows and the curve of her neck. Her words were light, airy, tentative, as if she was worried he would bolt like a frightened animal. "Well…I mean, we're only just fifteen and who really can say at this age what–"
"Please, Zel. I need to know."
She exhaled again, eyes looking away. Link reached over and put a gentle thumb under her chin so she had to turn back. When they gazed at each other in the starlight, bald-faced hope was on her face. "Yes. Oh yes, Link. I'm so sorry. We…we're betrothed. I mean, we were going to announce it very soon. But we don't have to if–"
Link leaned forward, face very close to hers indeed and the girl stopped, swallowed visibly even in the dark. Love was there, a sort of steady calm, but also nervousness and sadness and a touch of fear. Gently she pushed herself upwards to meet the face that was so close, eyes closed, breath held in anticipation.
Thoughts warred in Link's head. A long-distant feeling of desire and love, felt when he was seventeen and all alone in the world. A calm questioning now, wondering if a kiss could help him remember who he was and what he meant to the princess. A sudden rush of desire from his body left his mind reeling with the force of it. His breath quickened and he made the decision to do it, to find out what Zelda meant to him. As he leaned forward to touch his lips to hers, something flashed before his eyes.
A face. A person that made his heart beat hard. A girl that was not Zelda. He stopped, mere centimeters away from kissing the princess, and learned back with a startled gasp. The face was gone, he couldn't make out who it was. His throat was dry once again.
"No…"
Zelda opened her eyes, confusion and sadness in every starlit line. "Link?"
"No, I can't. I'm sorry Zelda, not…not yet." And without another word, he turned and ran into the castle as if chased by the past.
Sometimes Zelda really missed what she called normal food and Link had to admit that she had a point. Discovering milk and eggs and bread had been life-changing for him and while the Kokiri food was good and filling, it just wasn't the same.
So in the very early hours of the morning, Link held Zelda's hand as they snuck into Hyrule Field to do some grocery shopping. "There's a farm with a lady who sells bread. She's really nice and will probably sell us some loaves. Then there's Lon Lon Ranch for milk and stuff. Do you have bottles?"
Zelda sighed and shook her head. "No. Most of the milk we got at the castle was already in jugs."
Link made a hmm noise in his throat then shrugged. "Well, maybe if we ask Talon really nice, he'll give us another one. I only have two."
"Is this safe? Isn't Ganondorf all over these days?"
"We'll be careful. It's either that or you're stuck with the Kokiri food."
"Why can't we just send a message to Impa and have her deliver some food to us every so often?"
Link sighed as he glanced from side to side, then pulled the princess over behind a tree. The dew was still thick on the grass and the sun only just began to show on the tops of the trees. "Yeah, we'll do that too I guess. But we could have some bread today if you just trust me a little."
With a little pout, Zelda closed her mouth again and followed her guide into the wide open spaces of the field. It wasn't too long of a run to get to the woman Link had mentioned and they could smell the enticing aromas of fresh baked goods wafting out from the chimney. The princess' mouth began to water at the idea of having something warm that wasn't roasted nuts but Link was cautious, always careful, and hid Zelda in a bush while he scouted the area. Privately, she thought he was going a little overboard with protectiveness and was determined to better learn how to be less helpless. She had magic! She was practicing how to hit things with the deku sticks! Soon she'd be more of a help than a hindrance to Link. When the boy returned, he held a finger up to his lips and quickly ran up to the farmhouse door with her.
Tilly's eyes lit with relief when she saw Link and ran to embrace him. "Oh goodness, I heard about the destruction of Castle Town and was so worried about you, Link. You haven't been by in weeks!"
"Hi Tilly, yeah, I had to go back to the forest because, um, well…" He turned and looked at Zelda and the woman focused that way as well. The redhead's hands flew to her mouth as she gasped, instant recognition in her eyes. Link was quick to wave his hands at her, making adamant shushing noises. "Nope! Don't say it! This is my friend, uh–"
"Alex!" Zelda smiled brightly, trying to tuck more of her hair into Link's borrowed hat. "Alex! Just, uh, a normal fores- Kokiri! Just…yes, one of them. Of us! Right."
Tilly looked between the two, then sighed and rubbed her forehead. She knew the King was dead, that the Gerudo leader had taken control. She also knew that there was a bounty on any information about the young princess. No wonder she had been impossible to find. "So, young Link and Alex, what brings you here this early in the morning?"
"We just wanted some bread, that's all. Alex, uh, really wanted to try some."
"Right, well, I'll grab you some then. And maybe a warm egg sandwich each for breakfast, hmm dearies?"
Zelda could not resist an enthusiastic YES and covered her mouth with her hands, embarrassed at her lack of manners. The Kokiri were rubbing off on her something horrible. But Tilly laughed and bustled up to the kitchen door, calling out to someone else inside.
"Malon, dear! Would you mind getting some scrambled eggs ready? We're going to make some cheesy egg sandwiches to go." Tilly turned and gave the two a tight, anxious smile. "Did you need any milk or eggs? There's problems over at Lon Lon and Talon sent some of his cows over with his daughter, as well as his favourite cuccos. We're hoping things resolve soon but…"
"Oh, yes, thank you Tilly! Do you maybe have a bottle we can borrow?"
"Of course, dear. Just let me get on that after I pack up your food."
And then she opened the door, revealing the kitchen and its racks of bread. At the stove, a girl stood on a stool, her bright red hair shining in the light that just began to flow into the room…
The days passed and Link did his best to re-integrate himself into the life he was supposed to have. He tried to help with chores but the servants would wave him off. He visited the army garrison to perhaps train and get his muscles back into fighting shape but none of the soldiers would dare to touch him. Zelda offered to set him up with a personal trainer but after one session Link had the man flat on his back in under ten seconds, a thin line of blood on their arm. It was not enough of a challenge for him and he quickly gave up trying to find anyone better.
His dreams got stranger, filled with Zelda, but not doing the things the waking Zelda said. He definitely didn't remember going into the temples with her and they were far too young anyway. Why did nothing in his life make sense anymore? Why couldn't he just remember what he was supposed to and be happy?
There was one more instance when Link lost control of himself, where panic and fear and a desperate need to escape overtook him. They were going to the Temple of Time, Zelda at his side, when something in his brain snapped. Once again he lashed out, ran, and once again he found himself in his room with no idea why he had reacted that way. First a meal, then a temple. They didn't seem connected.
But the second one changed something.
Riding Epona was perhaps his one joy and he took time every day to exercise her and spend quiet time alone with his best friend. Zelda would offer to come but most of the time he just wanted to be by himself, not thinking about his past or his future or what he was supposed to do about being betrothed when he couldn't remember why he had agreed to the betrothal in the first place. Every day he tried to accept that this was his life and he needed to just live it to remember it but nothing ever came. Whatever memories were trapped in his head stayed there. Several days past the first, he sat on Epona's back, staring off into no direction in particular, and tried to convince himself that he should speak in private with Zelda once again, maybe give them another chance. A small part of him whispered that if only he had accepted that kiss, then everything would be okay again and he wouldn't have this gnawing doubt in his chest at all moments. He'd know, one way or the other, what to d–
Link.
Sitting up straight, the teen looked around, sure he had heard a voice. There was no one there in the field, not even a soldier to keep an eye on him. He frowned into the middle distance, trying to figure out if the voice had sounded familiar or not but it didn't repeat itself. Epona's ears hadn't even flinched.
He rode back to the castle, feeling disconcerted, forgetting his resolve to meet up with Zelda.
The next day was another day to walk through town, following Zelda quietly as she spoke with the people who ran the city for the kingdom. It was a boring job, despite the beautiful weather, and Link found his eyes and mind wandering far away from the room they were in, staring blankly out the window.
A Zora walked by.
This, by itself, was already strange. The four races of Hyrule didn't mix much and the king liked the fact that they were separate, said it was safer after the civil war. Zelda had been trying to integrate everyone more but with little success. If you wanted to see a Zora, you needed to go to their Domain to do it. Before Link realised what he was doing, he had the door open, staring in the direction the Zora had gone. He was still there, the green head-fin taller than the average Hylian, and the teen followed quickly, ignoring the voices that were directed his way. He wove through the crowds, looking for that spot of green and blue, and when he turned a corner to follow him, the alley was empty. No doors, no windows, no exits for the Zora to have left by. A dead end alley with no one at all that he could see.
His head ached once again.
Zelda looked concerned when he met back up at the city offices shortly after but he had no answers for her questions. He had seen something. What? He wasn't sure. A Zora maybe? But he couldn't explain why they had so much green on their skin or why they had been wearing what looked like a skirt…
It had been three years since Ganondorf took control. Three years and now another temple, buried deep in Lake Hylia. Link, Zelda and Ruto hid in the ruins of the laboratory, looking across the broken bridges to the island that marked the temple entrance. The weather was rainy with the potential for storms and the water surged with rough waves. Zelda sighed and sat down, running her hand through her close-cropped hair.
"I don't like it. It's too quiet."
Ruto shook her head and waved a scrap of blue fabric at the girl. "We want it to be quiet! We don't want Ganondorf to know we're here!"
"But there should be patrols or something! Why would he leave a temple unguarded?! He knows we're out here now."
Link frowned as he crouched by a cracked and broken wall, warily watching the bouncing tektites. He had a bigger tunic now and was wearing some ripped and stained pants he had liberated from a ruined farm. On his back, the Master Sword, though still slightly too big to use comfortably. He was perhaps skinnier than he should be, but the lean muscles showed plenty of training to remain strong despite their circumstances. While he was not any taller than the two girls next to him, there was an air of maturity that could not be denied; the past years had aged him. "He either doesn't think we can get down there or has an ambush waiting."
"Well let's get going and find out which one!" The Zora princess tossed the shirt to Link and he caught it easily, frowning as he shook it out.
"You only have one? Zelda needs to breathe underwater as well!"
"Oops! Guess it's just you and me then!" Ruto smirked at Zelda and the blonde girl rolled her eyes at the Zora.
"Well, thankfully, I figured out a way to breathe water without your assistance." Smirking, the Hylian princess wiggled her fingers a bit, causing a blue glow to settle over her skin, then sprinted out into the turbulent water nearby. Link sighed at the bickering girls and pulled off his green tunic to replace it with the blue before following her. Sniffing with disdain, Ruto made a running jump and gracefully dove in, zooming off at the usual Zora pace to outstrip the two Hylians. The swim was long but Link rather enjoyed not having to worry about holding his breath as he dove down deep to avoid storm-churned waves. They had specifically come on a day when the weather was bad in hopes to mask their presence but it was still surprising that there was nothing here at all. Shouldn't Ganondorf have guards here? They had managed to oust that weird phantom version of the Gerudo King, though it had cost Link a bit of his ear, and gotten Saria settled down as the sage just fine. Shouldn't there be more resistance now that they'd shown him they were out here and fighting him? That this one was so quiet was worrying.
A quick blast from his newly-improved hookshot (It's a longshot, Zel! I made it longer!) opened the door and the three crowded into the narrow corridor. The swim through a tight tunnel wasn't comfortable for any of them but after too many ambushes, Link didn't dare leave the girls without his assistance. Ruto was the first out of the water and shouted at the two about more tektites when they surfaced as well. Well, they'd expected that, after all. Ruto was here because she knew the temple and was the only guide for what it might be like. As Link crouched at the entrance, taking stock of the situation, Zelda rummaged through her bags and pulled out two pairs of boots, both covered with panels of metal that had been sloppily attached. She began pulling her pair on and shoved the other at Link.
"Okay, this should keep us on the ground underwater, if my calculations are correct."
Ruto wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "You Hylians are so weird. Why do you need them?"
"We don't have fins and webbed feet! Link and I need more control underwater to fight."
"Hmmph. Whatever. I'm going to swim on ahead."
"Princess! Wait!" Link tried to grab her but she dove into the water too fast for him to keep up. With a frustrated exhalation, the boy watched her go with his hands on his hips. "Damnit all, why does she have to be like that?"
"Because she's angry you won't marry her."
"I explained to her that I didn't know what I was doing! I gave the sapphire back!"
Zelda laughed and leaned forward, brushing her lips lightly on his damp cheek. "Yes, but she offered it for a reason. Anyway, I can't fault her for that. She's got good taste." And with a wink, Zelda dropped into the water even as Link sputtered with flattered embarrassment.
"Zel, wait up!" Link hastily switched to the heavy boots, watching the girl sink down into the depths before him. Even with his need to join the others, to protect them, he paused for a moment, hand resting on the cheek Zelda had kissed. A giddy little grin flittered across his lips before he too took the step into the temple waters.
That night, after a nap that left him more drained than before, King Lorsham called Link to a private audience in his chambers.
Zelda was with him and the pair stood stiffly before the red-robed man. His face was stern at first, but a twinkle was in his eyes and he was smiling when he approached the young man, clasping him on the shoulder.
"Link! It's wonderful to see you up and around again. You had us all very worried, you know. Very worried! Well done on handling that nasty business with the Gerudo caster but it almost came at too high of a cost. How are you doing?"
Nervously, the teen glanced at Zelda out of the corner of his eyes but she merely smiled and nodded her head towards her father. Link cleared his throat, dry mouth aching for some water. "I'm okay, sire. I mean, not perfect, but getting better. I'm sure I'll be back to normal soon."
"Good! Good! We can't have the Hero of Hyrule incapacitated right when the situation between us and the Gerudo is so tense." The king turned and beckoned the pair to follow him. Next to the fire was a small tray of refreshments and a quiet servant was quick to pour them all drinks and offer delicate cakes. Link took a glass of water and tossed it down his throat with no preamble, smiling sheepishly at Zelda's bemused look. The king merely chuckled and swirled his glass of wine a few times then gave the contents a quick sniff. The teenager mumbled something about being very thirsty and took another glass of water before the servant bowed themselves out of the room. Zelda took a delicate sip of her tea and shook her head.
"Father, what is this all about?"
"I felt I should check up on you two! See how things are going. I know, I know, you've been very worried about Link's health but I have the weight of the kingdom on my shoulders, after all. The suitors' families are asking if we are going to announce a betrothal or if there is still reason to stay."
Link gave a start and looked over to Zelda quickly but her face was perfectly calm. "I'm unable to give you an answer for that just now." She turned to look at the young man and gave him a tight-lipped smile. "We could certainly keep entertaining them for a while yet if need be. Several of them are even pleasant company."
Sighing ever so slightly, Lorsham nodded and took a sip of his drink as he paced in front of the fire. "But you're uninterested in them, of course, and we do have the pressure of the Gerudo conflict looming. I would hate to put these young men at risk. Perhaps I will speak to the parents quietly, see if I can convince any of them to head back to safety."
"Perhaps. I don't want to lead them on needlessly but…" The princess sighed and took a drink of her own cup, eyes now avoiding Link's. "Speaking of the Gerudo, father, have we considered the option of retrieving the stones?"
An electric shock ran down Link's spine and he clutched his water tight. The father and daughter were speaking around him but he caught the furtive glances and hesitant questions in their voices. Lorsham made a deep, contemplative hum in his throat, continuing to pace slowly.
"I have considered it but it's too soon. After all, with recovery having its ups and downs and we're not yet sure if it's even needed, well, no. I don't think we're ready for such desperate measures, certainly." The king turned and gave Link a real smile. "We'll know when it's time."
The teen tried to swallow past the dryness in his mouth, then took a long drink. "The spiritual stones? I…I can get them again, if we need them." He faltered under the regard of the royals and looked down at his feet. Something internally was screaming at him but he didn't know why. Lorsham gave him a fatherly pat on the shoulder.
"Now Link, you've barely been awake a week and the skirmishes with the Gerudo are still only minor ordeals. We are being much more cautious after what happened to you. I still don't believe we have need of the Sword yet."
Hand tightening around his cup, Link shook at the mention of skirmishes. "Has Ganondorf been spotted?"
"Not as of yet, though we're sure he's lurking in the desert somewhere."
Zelda stepped next to Link and put a comforting hand on his arm. "You don't have to do this if you're not ready, Link. We have plenty of defenses to rely on. You had told us that it was a mistake, pulling the Sword the last time."
"R-right, but it's different now, isn't it? We'd have soldiers there to protect me. I…" Link looked down into Zelda's eyes and tried to smile at her even though a voice in his head was shrieking. "I want to help protect the kingdom. I'm the Hero. If this is what it takes, I'll do it."
"Oh Link, you're so brave. I'm sure we can wait until you're fully recovered but if you're sure…"
Suddenly resolute, the young man set his glass down and stepped up to Zelda, cupping her face in his hands. "I am, Zel. I'll do it." The yelling voice turned to pain but he tried to ignore it, pushed aside the doubt and worry. He needed to protect everyone, right? And this was a better way to do it than the last time. Not caring that her father was right there, Link leaned down and stared the princess directly in the eyes. The pain ebbed slightly, as it did every time they got close, and he inhaled several quick breaths in a row. "We'll do it together, right? We can…we can tell the others…about…"
Zelda's hands rested on his, a cool, refreshing touch that sent a soothing wash of relief through his mind. She was smiling, tears in the corner of her eyes. "Are you sure? Really sure? I don't want to force you…I can wait, but…but if you're absolutely certain…"
The words wouldn't come but Link nodded and leaned in closer. Zelda closed the distance and the two kissed, an awkward tenderness that lasted a moment too long. A voice was shouting in his head. But the feel of relief fought with the pain and a single tear leaked out of the corner of his eye. Mourning, anguish, relief, sorrow, stop, need, STOP, why? When the two pulled away from each other, Link wrapped his trembling arm around Zelda's waist and turned to face an enthusiastically smiling Lorsham. The princess leaned into him, all happiness and relief. "Sire, you can tell the suitors Zelda is engaged. I will fight for our kingdom, for her, no matter what. You can trust in me."
The parting of the two lovebirds that night was hard. Link held tight to Zelda's hand, the relief of her touch keeping away the anguish that clutched at his heart. In her room, holding hands by the door while the two servants waited giggling off in a side chamber, Link clutched both her tight and tried to work up the courage to leave. Sighing happily, the princess leaned up and kissed him again then pulled back with a rapturous smile.
"I'm so happy. I was willing to wait, to be sure, but I knew in my heart you'd come back to me."
Link's hands spasmed and his breath came in quick gasps. "Stay with me."
The girl's face flushed. "Oh, well, as much as I'd…I mean, we can't. That's not proper, you know, and I am the princess."
He sighed. "Yes, sorry, I don't know why I asked. But, Zel, if anything happens, you have to remind me of this moment, okay?"
"I'll never let you forget, I promise." Smiling, Zelda pulled a hand away and rested it lightly on the back of his neck, pulling him down into a kiss that was much more passionate than the one in her father's rooms. The sounds in Link's head all quieted and he sagged into the blessed relief of her love. When she finally pulled away, there was a mischievous happiness in her eyes. "And there is more where that came from, in the morning. Remember it."
Nodding, looking a bit dazed, Link very nearly ran into the doorway as he tried to back out. The giggles from the servants grew louder. Rolling her eyes, Zelda helped steer him in the correct direction and gave him a loving shove out the door.
"Now go, before I lose my resolve. Remember, in the morning! I will be waiting."
Link nodded again and stared into her eyes until the closing door cut them off completely. Trying to hold onto the warmth and relief, the teen turned and made his way to his own rooms, not far but still too long. The scream, once silent, built up more and more the further away from Zelda he got. It became a wail, a burning agony in his head once again. Just before his door, he had to stop and rest a hand on the wall, the other pressed up against the scar on his forehead, gasping in pain.
"Ooi, Ocarina, somethin' wrong?"
A voice, right behind his ears, sent a cold shock down his spine and he spun to say something, ask for help.
But there was no one there.
He could have sworn he heard…
Despite the pain, he staggered into his room. There were no more guards here, nothing more than the usual patrols, and he closed the door behind him with a click that made him wince. He was so thirsty. His stomach grumbled uncomfortably as he poured a glass of water from the pitcher on a side table but he would not be able to handle food with the building agony in his head. The water was tossed down in a hurry before he kicked off his boots and fell into bed.
Think of Zelda. Zelda makes the pain go away.
He couldn't help a sob as a rushing horror built up inside him. How could he how could he how could he do this? Pain and sorrow pushed at him. He'd never be able to sleep. He wouldn't see Zelda in the morning. He
He woke up but it was still dark. Voices, loud in the corridor outside his room, shook their way into his ears, past the rushing wind of pain.
"...coming out of it again!"
"Again?! There's already five of us here! How is he…"
"I knew this was a bad idea from the start."
"Well we can't stop now or else…"
"....even working?! This sort of…"
The voices ebbed and flowed as Link pulled himself out of bed, staggered towards perceived help. He gasped, mouth a desert, reached for the door and pulled it open with agonizing slowness. "Please he–"
There was no one there.
A whimper escaped his throat and he staggered back to bed, fumbling for water and drinking another full cup with no release from the dryness in his throat. He crashed into bed again, mouth dry and head thudding pain. Someone, help, please, anyone…
Link!
A new voice, a female, desperate to reach him. It shouted again and he reached out an arm towards it. Seconds ticked behind the voice, sounding strangely slow, then fast, the feeling of time grabbed him and held him close and then it was gone into the darkness again. Help, please help. I am lost and alone!
Help!
When his eyes cracked open again, his first sight was Zelda, gently pouring water into his parched, dry lips. He could taste blood in his mouth, a faint metallic tang, but was so thankful for the liquid relief he stopped considering it immediately. The princess' arm was cupped tenderly around his head, keeping him upright just enough to not choke. When she noticed his open eyes, she gave him a smile that was both relief and pain.
"Good morning, sleepyhead. I woke early, hoping to surprise you, but found you mumbling about being thirsty, tossing and turning in your sleep. I hope this helps?"
Link could only nod, his eyes fixed on hers as he drank and drank, finally feeling like his thirst was being quenched. He couldn't understand why he was so thirsty; he'd been drinking every chance he got. A wave of relief nearly drowned him in its intensity, a certainty that Zelda had saved him once again and he was so, so lucky to have her at his side. As she pulled the empty bottle away from him, he couldn't keep the look of adoration off his face. The girl's eyes sparkled and she traced a finger around his lips, sending excited shivers down his spine.
"All better now?"
"Yes! Yes, Zel, thank you. Thank you so much."
"It's just some water, silly boy."
"It's not. It's–" He began to push himself up on his elbows, wanting to be strong for her, and next thing he knew she pulled him up with her arm, pressing her lips against his in another passionate kiss like before. He closed his eyes and leaned into it, desperate for the relief from the constant yelling in his head. The feeling of being alone abated and when he was released from Zelda's hold, a dazed smile stayed on his lips.
"There. I did promise you. Now, there's much to do today so let's get you some food and get going, okay?"
He would have agreed to anything from her. He followed Zelda around like an enthusiastic puppy, eyes only for her. There were meetings with Lorsham, with the royal outfitters, with the men and women who ran the affairs at the castle. He found himself wanting to touch Zelda, sneaking little caresses here and there, every time closing his eyes in bliss at the relief it gave him from the pounding in his head. And she was more than willing to reciprocate. She pulled him around pillars, into quiet alcoves, and kissed him as enthusiastically as she had that morning. A haze of happiness engulfed Link, making it hard to think, but it silenced the voice in his head and that was enough.
An announcement was planned for the next day. There would be a grand party, food for everyone in Castle Town and beyond. Massive quantities of goods were ordered at the last minute and in the evening, Link found himself being fitted into an ornate green tunic that hung nearly to his knees, the white tights underneath pristine. A glance in the mirror showed a boy, a teenager, that he almost remembered from his lost future. Zelda clapped enthusiastically when she saw it, exclaiming how handsome he looked. Link held himself taller, thinking of a Sword and a shield, thinking that this time he would be able to stay with his princess forever. Then Zelda kissed him again, ignoring the tailors nearby, and his mind drifted off to happy scenarios of his future.
The next day was chaos. Servants ran to and fro, hanging decorations, getting last minute adjustments made. Link stayed with Zelda as much as he could and she did not deny him, shooed servants with important information away if Link needed her attention. As the time drew nearer, she grabbed his hands and dragged him to the gardens for a walk, dodging servants and guests alike, looking for a quiet place to act very inappropriately. Zelda whispered into his ears, in between delicate kisses, that they'd have to wait a couple of years to be married but perhaps they could push it much sooner. Lorsham would not be against it, she was sure. Link leaned in, breathless and waiting for her to kiss him again, when a deku scrub in a green hat walked by, making a disapproving noise deep in it's throat.
Link froze immediately and watched it go.
When Zelda turned, the deku scrub was gone and she frowned, turning back and forth from where Link was staring. "Is there something wrong?"
"N-no…Zelda, are there deku scrubs in the castle?"
"No, of course not. They're from the Lost Woods, aren't they?"
"Yes. Yes of course. I don't know why I asked."
The princess laughed and then pulled him back in for another kiss. But the voice in the back of his head was growing louder and not even Zelda's attentions could dispel it.
He was nervous as the two waited for the engagement announcement, holding hands. Zelda bounced on her toes, not able to keep the giddy smile off her face. Link peeked outside as the milling crowds grew and grew and grew. Every resident of Hyrule must be out there, he was sure of it. As the king announced the pair and Zelda pulled the teen out the door and into the open air where everyone could see them, he paused, staring out into the thousands of faces. A smile tried to work its way out and he wrapped an arm around Zelda's shoulders, not just for show, but to help keep himself upright through the panicked ringing in his head. He raised a hand, trying to look the part of a soon-to-be-prince and Hero, then froze, eyes landing on a tall figure in the middle of the crowd.
A Goron, in a green hat, glaring at him as if disappointed.
Link blinked, looked down at Zelda, then back at the Goron. It was still there, arms crossed over its chest, the tail of the long hat swinging with every annoyed shake of his head. Link's eyes scanned the rest of the crowd. There, the Zora from before. And there, perched on a short wall, the deku scrub. They all glared at him, somehow shunned from the rest of the crowd but drawing no attention. Sweat broke out on Link's brow and his pulse quickened. He tried to look away, tried not to see them, but when he looked to the back of the crowd, to the furthest he could see, something tall, enormously tall in armor that gleamed silver in the sunlight, stood sentinel to catch his eyes, kept hold on him without lifting a finger, and glared deep into his soul.
Link was sure he was going to scream, could feel himself trembling. Zelda's arm tightened around his waist, holding him upright as the king's voice droned on above them, saying words his heart rejected. The feeling of wrongness increased as the four beings held his soul steady, carried him past the pain to a truth he needed to hear.
He was…
And then chaos.
Hands held him but he was not fighting. He had no bones left to fight with. Zelda held his hand, pleading for him to stay with her, calling his name out of the darkness and into the light. But the light burned and he was so angry that he was being used this way but what way he didn't understand why but yes he definitely understood and the king was yelling something about the Gerudo and an attack but they were carrying him back into the castle and his head hurt but he had to open his eyes open his eyes open his eyes
LINK!
The voice was water and waves and the undulating motion of the tides but no that was the back and forth swing as they carried him, dragged him through halls and corridors back to his room his prison his room the place he had lived ever since he had moved in they had locked him here he needed to be safe because he was hurting himself he hadn't realised what was happening at first the attack had hit him in the head and he was a threat to others he was a threat to them he had been unconscious for so long and Zelda called to him her voice reached out to him and he opened his eyes Zelda wasn't there she was gone and the girl was staring down as the servants carried him, her eyes full of worry and tears and he reached out a hand to hers like they were back in the plane of clouds and sky and she had sent him away forever.
Zelda grasped his hand tight again, moving with them, heading to safety where the danger was and he opened his mouth to say something. She leaned in close and his voice whispered for only her to hear.
"Are we close to an ocean?"
The girl stared at him, shocked, and began to fall behind. "N-no, Link, of course not."
"I didn't think so."
And then darkness took him.
Ganondorf, always Ganondorf, fighting, rewinding, fighting, rewinding. Zelda died, no she was alive, no she died, no, he was going to die he knew it, but the goddess had trusted him with these powers and he had to use them to save everyone. He had to defeat Ganondorf. He couldn't defeat Ganondorf. The Gerudo was half god, a monster of a man with powers Link could not overcome.
There was only one way they'd be successful. Zelda must live. Zelda must seal him away. But he couldn't figure out how to do that without sacrificing himself. Zelda, beautiful precious princess of a kingdom destroyed, who loved him with all her heart and who he loved back. They were going to win, they had promised each other. They would win and then they'd be married and rebuild the kingdom together. That was the goal, that was the shining hope that held them together as the losses piled up and more friends, more companions, died to keep them floating.
And now there was one more death to be had.
As Link walked up to Ganondorf that one last time, he knew what he'd have to do. He didn't tell the goddess, didn't tell the princess, barely even whispered the final notes to his heart. If he sacrificed himself, then Zelda would win. She would have to carry on without him but she would WIN and life in Hyrule could continue.
And as much as he wanted to kiss her one last time, whisper the vows they had taken one more time, he knew this was the end. There would be no more second chances.
With Master Sword raised, the Hero of Time stepped forward to his destiny and his death, chin held high as he accepted his fate.
When he opened his eyes, he stared up at the ceiling with a dull acceptance. He didn't move, didn't try to get up, just laid there with his mind feeling sluggish and oh so tired. The light in the room moved across his wall and ceiling and was taking on the luminous quality of twilight when the door finally cracked open. It was Zelda, because of course it was, and she walked quietly next to his bed only to startle when she saw his eyes open.
"Link, are you…?" She didn't finish and he didn't know how to answer. Instead she knelt by his bed, rested a hand over his chest and stared into his eyes, her own full of tears. "Please, oh please, come back to me."
He simply stared, then turned his head away to stare at the wall. There were sniffles and a few strangled sobs that did nothing for him at all and after a few minutes where neither said another word, Link closed his eyes and fell backwards into darkness once again.
The sand was everywhere. His face was wrapped against the blowing, stinging granules but it never really helped. This was where he had lost it, he would find it again. It was here, he knew it.
Falling to his knees in the grit, Link began digging, deep deep but the sand was always blown back into the hole. He dug until his hands were raw, cut open to the very bone but he knew if he didn't dig, didn't search, then the empty place in his soul would never go away, would always be clawing gnawing eating at him until there was nothing left. Tears ran down his face as he searched, though he knew not what for, he knew he needed it. It was in the desert. Lost in the desert. Lost
Lost
Lost
Something evil was–
A hand reached out of the hole he was digging and he screamed–
–he was still screaming as someone grabbed his hand trying to comfort him, tried to make the nightmares go away. He tried to find relief in the touch but the inner core of his being refused it, denied the soothing chill of smooth hands, commanded that he listen, for god's sake, listen. But he was so tired. So very weary and, for the moment, he pushed away the part of him that wanted to fight and collapsed into the waiting arms, only wanting relief.
Zelda held him as he gasped out his fear, the terror of the visions that haunted him. Why did he remember those but not the history he yearned to know? Why? The princess held him close to her heart, running her hand over his hair with gentle murmurs of comfort. When the terror receded, it left him empty and barren, too tired to even pull away. The faintest memory of the feelings he had for her danced on his skin then faded into nothing.
"Link, it will be okay. We will find a cure for this terrible malady and then…" She paused, but he said nothing, merely rested against her chest with his eyes closed. "I promise, we'll get vengeance on the ones who have done this to you."
Something in him stirred at that. This was something that had been inflicted on him. Was the angry screaming inside part of the horrible curse that had been set on him? Was he throwing away everything because of a spell, a trick? Shouldn't he try harder to be what he promised to Zelda? A betrothed? A partner?
His heart clenched in fear and he fought internally for a moment, neither side winning. Why couldn't he just live his life without this horrible shrieking in his mind?!
Zelda leaned down and he pulled away suddenly, not wanting to be touched any longer. She gave him a sad look, then stood. "Link, I promise. I'll be nearby if you need my help. You know where to find me." With no response from the hero, she turned to go and made it all the way to the door before a word from him stopped her.
"Zelda, am I going insane? Nothing…nothing feels right."
The girl hung her head for a moment, then shook it wearily. "I don't know. I don't. But I won't stop until it's fixed."
And with a gentle click of the door, she was gone.
Link tossed and turned and didn't get any sleep. Somewhere in the back of his head, he heard another voice call his name, as if from the opposite side of a long tunnel. A voice that was cold winds and the high, sad cry of a bird of prey on the wing. It was a chorus of voices sometimes but he couldn't reach them, couldn't call back, there was something in the way. And when he opened his eyes finally, the room was still dark and he finally got out of bed to get a drink and pace around in the dim light of pre-dawn.
His brain bounced between conflicting thoughts. Was there a guard at his door, was it locked? He should go find Zelda. He should run. He should stay and protect the kingdom from the Gerudo from Ganondorf from the evil coming out of the desert from the demons and their minions and the hatred that throws dark shadows on the light.
Link
Voices call his name but it's not her voice who's voice? not Zelda's but hers not her theirs the chorus of time and ocean and cold and the whinny of an animal that wasn't a horse and the wind through the trees the rumble of Goron speech the high ring of fairies the cool drip of dark water and stars and the moon and the moon and the
Link
He grabbed his head and fell to his knees, groaning. A war fought itself inside him, wanting the voices to end, wanting them to find him. What was wrong with him? The spot on his forehead felt warm but not burning, was smooth skin under his fingers instead of a pinched scar. What was wrong with him? What was wrong with him?!
"Link!"
It was a real voice this time and he lifted his head, eyes red and weary. There was no one in the room but an insistent voice echoed from somewhere, muffled but close. It was near, it was in something, it was deep and desperate and searching and Link crawled towards it, burning on his forehead and cheeks and wrists, trying to find the voice. It was coming from his bed. It was under. It was in his old adventuring bag Zelda said he hadn't used in years but he scrambled for it, the call of Link a constant refrain in his ears. Soon he was reaching in, fingers brushing against old, familiar friends. A bottle, a scale, a slingshot, the cool, powerful presence of wood that he grasped and pulled out and held up to the faint light of morning.
A mask.
"Link! Where are you?"
White hair, empty eyes, blue and red symbols on the skin. Link ran his other hand over the familiar nose, touched the carved hair. Hot tears ran down his face as the voice in his head grew very, very quiet. His lips moved silently, a single short word that couldn't be spoken but he knew the flavour of it in his mouth.
He rose to his feet, clutching the mask as if his life depended on it. He was in the corridor, not knowing how he got there. His vision blurred and spun, voices in his ears screaming terror but no one was there.
No one was there.
"It's too late! We can't hold it anymore!"
"You need to! Just a little more!"
No one was there as he fell sideways into a wall, gasping, almost dropping the mask.
"Get someone else in here! We need backup!"
"This is a horrible idea! Let it go! He's going to–"
"NO! I almost had him! I can do it again!"
No one there. Zelda. He had to find Zelda. The mask screamed his name and he clutched it tight to his heart, the empty place in his chest thudding with need. The mask slipped into the emptiness, the last piece of a puzzle.
He found a door, was inside the door, and there was Zelda, reading a book. She flickered, smiled, flickered again and was yelling, then she was smiling up at him all light and comfort and her lips moved but he could hear nothing.
"Zelda," he gasped and reached for her, "I think I'm going crazy. Please, help me. I don't know what's wrong. There's something wrong in my mind. Please!"
She smiled again, the perfectly pleasant princess, and held out a hand.
"Link, you need to get up."
It was Zelda's voice but her mouth didn't move and it sounded more frantic than the look on her face would appear. He faltered, stopped, held the mask closer and did not reach out. "What did you say?"
"Get up, Link! Get up!"
He took a step backwards but the door was closed. Zelda smiled at him, arms outstretched, offering him love and comfort, a deep blackness behind her. Under his arms, the mask was no longer there but it was there still. Behind him, around him, voice pitched high in anger and fear, was Zelda.
"What are you doing to him! Stop, by royal order of the princess! Stop immediately! Link! You need to get up! Link!"
He gasped and looked up and into the darkness. Something was there. A shadow and an evil that caressed the princess' shoulders while she stood there smiling, smiling wide and beautiful and perfect like a doll. He was held frozen, horrified, the mask rattling around in his chest and lungs and spirit. And then, a scream from the voice of Zelda one more time…
"Link! Open your eyes!"
And he did.
Zelda gave a perfunctory curtsey as Aspen was led up to her by a servant. He smiled brightly, the red tones in his hair brighter in the morning sun, and took her hand to rest a gentle kiss on it as he bowed. The easy friendliness on his face put the princesses at ease, though she tempered that feeling with caution. There was too much at stake here to give in to a winning smile and beautiful hair.
"Prince Aspen, it's a pleasure to get some one on one time with you finally."
"Just Aspen is fine! But it is all my pleasure, princess, to be able to spend such a glorious day with you." The teen winked as the two approached their horses. The hunt had been going well, the young men and women who partook of it in good spirits. Over the past few days, Zelda spent time with several of them, as she was meant to do over the course of the official courtship ritual. While it was good to learn more about the others should they reach an engagement, it also helped cement political bonds for the future. Zelda had been preparing for this for months, reading dossiers on her suitors every day and brushing up on important information about them. She would be prepared to do this duty well, though her heart rejected the idea of falling in love with any of them. If she couldn't have what her heart cried for, then she'd make the best possible choice for the future. Aspen was an interesting one, the oldest child of the King of Akkala, and she wondered why he was allowed to be here.
"Now now, if we're not to use titles, you must call me Zelda. After all, we are the same rank. Though I admit I'm surprised your father allowed you to come. Are you not the royal heir?"
Aspen paused as a horse was led up to him. Zelda was quickly astride her own white one and she looked down at him when he sighed. Hands fluttered in the ghost of shapes, much like one would mutter without words, and he shook his head. "I am the eldest child, yes, but the succession will pass on down to my brother. I am something of a free agent, I suppose!"
Blinking in confusion, Zelda held the reins and waited for the young man to mount and look back towards her before speaking again. "But why? That seems unusual."
"Ah, because of these." With a wry grin, Aspen tapped one of his ears, then gestured out towards the forest. "Shall we go see the sights, then?"
Zelda frowned a moment, then nodded and pointed towards a distant, but visible, outcropping. "I thought we would ride over there. It's far enough from the others for privacy and I have a small spot set up for a picnic lunch."
"It sounds amazing! Let us go!'
The ride was not long and soon the pair were walking up a gentle slope to one of the best views of the northlands behind Hyrule Castle, their horses left behind to graze. The air was cool, but pleasant, and there were the earliest signs of insects flittering around the young grasses and plants. It was perhaps a little early for a camping trip but Zelda desperately wanted to get the suitors out of the castle and no one would dare question her right to choose the events. When they reached the top of the ridge, the princess turned and faced Aspen fully, raising her hands a touch awkwardly to move them in slow, measured signs. [Thank you for accompanying me, Aspen.]
The brunette's eyes lit up and his own signs accompanied spoken words. "Why thank you, Zelda! I'm honoured! How long have you been learning?"
The princess laughed. "Only a couple of weeks." She tried to sign a few more words but frowned at clumsy hands. "Honestly, I wish I had started sooner. It was easier to learn some of the other suitor languages. I thought since Akkala speaks mostly Hylian this wouldn't be so hard."
Aspen laughed, grey eyes twinkling with mirth. "It is a bit different." His own hands spelt out a brief sentence that Zelda squinted at, trying to interpret the meaning.
"I…am doing well? Oh! Um…" She blushed a little. [Thank you.]
"I can help you with your studies, if you're interested."
"Honestly, that would be wonderful. I don't think we use this language much here and I never realised there was a lack in communication for our people."
Aspen tilted his head to the side, a curious expression in his eyes. "Does everyone in Hyrule have perfect hearing?"
"Oh, no. No, not at all."
"Then how do those with reduced hearing function?"
Zelda squirmed uncomfortably. "Writing and pictures, I imagine, though I admit my knowledge on that is sadly lacking. My father perhaps hasn't covered that sort of thing yet."
Aspen's smile took a grim cast but he kept his eyes carefully on Zelda, an intensity she found unnerving. "Or no one cares."
There was a pause but she didn't pull her gaze away as she might have done. "I care. I care deeply about my people. I will figure out a way to help them."
Nodding, Aspen made a few more signs that Zelda couldn't interpret, then he gave her a smile. "I could help, of course. We often have nobles visit to learn the language, pass it on to those who need it. I could remain here, help teach others! I've been looking for a larger purpose in life and this might be exactly what I need."
That brought to mind the words Aspen had said before they rode over and Zelda made a gentle 'hmm' in her throat, her gaze on him matching his intensity. "Isn't that why you're here? For a chance at my hand in marriage? While I would certainly love to employ you as a sign language teacher, it seems premature to make those decisions now."
"Ah, princess, you humour me."
"It's Zelda, as I told you, and what do you mean?"
Aspen fell silent, his fingers twitching slightly in the void. It reminded Zelda a bit of Link and how incessantly the young hero's fingers moved. The brunette before her made a nearly inaudible hum in his throat, not meeting her eyes for several minutes, then turned back with his usual cheerful, light-hearted smile. "You are too kind, pretending you don't know. I understand that my hearing issues make me unsuitable for marrying a royal heiress. I believe my father sent me off out of guilt but hopes I will meet with some minor noble who will take pity on me."
Sputtering wildly, her face growing red with her ire, Zelda reached forward and took Aspen's hands in her own. His skin was smooth and cool and, under the flush of anger, the princess could feel a little thrill at the touch that she quickly brushed away. "Pity!? From what I've observed, our dance at the ball and our conversation today, anyone would be lucky to have you! You're only fifteen and already more mature than almost every suitor I've had the misfortune of being with thus far. Pity?! Honestly! What is your father even thinking?"
"He is thinking that our noble families threatened unrest if he allowed a son with defective hearing to take power." As Zelda inhaled for another tirade, Aspen raised a finger and shook his head "You have to understand, I'm used to this. Very used to it. Father didn't want it to happen this way but he's prioritising the health and prosperity of our kingdom, as well he should. I would have done the same. I am doing the same. You have to understand, being hard of hearing in Akkala may not be the detriment it is here but it is still a malady. One they tried very often to cure to no avail. This is the way I was born and this is the way my life will be. So I'm okay with it. If you want to hire me to teach sign language, I will happily live here until my job is done. Then, perhaps, I will look into being a priest at our god's temple. It won't be a bad life, Zelda. I promise."
"Oh bother! Aspen, I won't discriminate against you for not being able to hear every sound for several hundred meters!"
He chuckled. "It's a bit worse than that but no matter! You have many prospects. Like Link, of course. He's an upstanding young man! Very much looks the part of the hero, doesn't he? And so very friendly."
"Oh, yes." But Aspen didn't miss the grimace on Zelda's face and his eyebrows arched right up into his hairline.
"No? He's not on your list of favourites? Why ever not?"
"Well, you see, there's a bit of…history between us. And we're just not right for each other. My father is the one who invited him to be a suitor. Don't get me wrong! We're friends but we're not…we can't be…it's just better this way."
Aspen frowned. He was still holding hands with Zelda, lingering long past the point they might have released their hold, and stepped forward just once. The stormy grey eyes remained fixed on the princess and she felt her heart flutter. "Is that why he's not here on this trip? Did you send him away at the last minute?"
"Oh, he's not here because I didn't invite him."
There was a pause and Aspen's hands spasmed. "But princess, you did?"
Zelda frowned, looking down at the way their fingers were intertwined, then looked back up at the brunette. "No, I assure you I didn't. This was my event to invite who I wish."
"I…I hate to tell you this, Zelda, but Link was under the impression your father invited him once again. The last we talked, he was saying he'd see me here…"
And then fear was in Zelda's eyes as she stared at the teenager in front of her. Her father had invited Link to the hunt. He hadn't told her. She hadn't even seen Link as the group had left, to much fanfare. And now…
"Aspen, I need to get home right now!"
"Brother, where did you say Link had gone again?"
Enma drifted down the stairs, as ze often did, trying to practice Aevum's floating transportation. Hovering wasn't any particular deity ability but it took time to master and Enma was long out of practice. Still, ze was getting better at it and it would give zir much satisfaction to see zir Sister's face when ze pulled it off for real later. Ze landed gently on the ground in front of Nocturne, who was discussing something with Hebra in the chairs by the fireplace, and the god looked up at Enma's question, eyebrows furrowed in exasperation.
"On a hunt with the other suitors for Zelda. Enma, why must you ask questions you should know the answer to?"
Waving away the inquiry with an ashen-tinted hand, the deity frowned and shook a finger towards the general direction of the castle. "So he's still here, in Hyrule?"
"Yes, of course."
"That's odd."
Hebra sighed and rubbed one of the blue tear-drop marks under her eyes. "Enma, are you planning on explaining yourself any time soon or is this entire conversation going to be half thoughts and subterfuge? Because I am rather tired of having to hunt out the point already."
"Well, it's been very silent in the golden dream with him gone! And it hasn't been up to this point and he doesn't normally improve that quickly with dream things!" The two deities stared at Enma, Hebra with a bemused concern and Nocturne with narrowed eyes. The ashen-skinned deity hurried through zir words, suddenly worried ze'd done something wrong. "Well, you see, that's unusual! half the time I have to keep a proverbial foot at his mental back to keep him from slipping his annoying nightmares into the dream. I think his brain has started searching it out! I'm sure he's not doing it on purpose but do you know how awful it is to have to keep an eye open for that all the time? I am trying to train him but his mind is still too new to this! Brother, I am trying so hard to teach him control! I honestly am! And I realised today it's been very quiet and I thought maybe he'd caught on finally but now there's a strange absence where he should be and I thought maybe he was in that other universe already and…"
Nocturne sighed, wishing Link's continuous train-of-thought speaking wasn't the one thing Enma seemed to have picked up from him, but he understood the point all the same. Then his eyes narrowed again, a nervous, infuriating thought taking hold in his mind. "Enma, what do you mean his thoughts are gone?"
"Like I told you! They are absent! Like, I think I can get the faintest echo of something and his soul has not passed through my domain so I'm sure he's alive but I can't find him!"
With a suddenness born of fear and anger, Nocturne stood and looked to Hebra. "Start calling for him. I will sing for Oceanis. Enma, I need you to contact Aevum. Link is supposed to be here, in Hyrule. He is here. Something has happened to him."
There was a shift from deities at rest to active status; armor appeared, weapons sheathed and ready, power flaring at the need. Enma's eyes were wide with terror as ze looked at zir Brother's countenance. "Nocturne, I'm sorry! I didn't realise…I should have said something sooner!"
A heavy, but friendly, hand rested on the dark deity's shoulder. "This is not your fault. I am glad you noticed, for I did not. Thank you, from the depths of my heart. Now come, it is time to begin the hunt."
"For who?"
"For my son."
White eyes opened, brilliant red and blue markings surrounding them and Link stared upwards, not seeing through the darkness that consumed his mind. There were hands on either side of his head, pressed up against his ears and temples. A voice above him gasped but the pressure of touch didn't abate. Somewhere, Zelda's voice screamed and there was much scrambling and yelling and…
And there was a demon above him.
It swam into view slowly as the darkness abated, not a large creature but it loomed over the head of a Hylian, hissing amused happiness at its prey. It had its fingers, too long tendrils of blackened rainbows, sunk deep in the skull of the mage it was possessing. Very much like a fox with Hylian arms and legs, it was the smallest demon Link had ever seen and its dirty white hide with shadowy stripes undulated in glee. The mage, a younger man, yelled for assistance but the others were being held at swordpoint by Aspen while Zelda yelled at them, demanding answers. The princess turned back towards the possessed mage, ordering him to get his hands off Link immediately, her face terrified but stern.
Link's heart thumped in agony, the vision of the beautiful, loving Zelda superimposed against the furious one in front of him. Some part of his mind was able to compare the two, to place them side by side, and found the perfect one wanting. The princess before him was sweaty and dirty, looking as if she had ridden for hours through rough terrain and perhaps plunged through a few tree branches on the way. Her hair was disheveled, a twig or two caught in the blond strands, and a small line of blood ran down the side of her cheek. She was practically seething with power as she approached Link and the mage holding him still. He almost cried out in joy, half caught in the dream still, and then
Malon
He remembered. He remembered the last several years; Termina, the agony of looping time, the mask, the return, the sacrifice, his dad, his dad, the travelling, his Family and Malon and Malon and Malon and Malon
And he had practically fallen over himself to try to fall in love with Zelda again.
He hadn't lost the memories, they were there. Just shuttered away while he…what? Was sleeping? Was mind controlled? An agonised groan of pain and horror made its way out of his throat and the mage made the mistake of looking down, only to see a god looking up at him with murder in his eyes.
The power in the room swelled suddenly and Zelda took a step back, breath tight in her chest as Link's anger washed over her. On his face she saw brightly shining Goddess marks, more brilliant than she had ever seen before. Impa had told her of the full transformation, though Zelda had never seen it, and the princess held that secret close to her heart so that no one else would know what the Hero could become. Somehow she knew that the surge of energy precluded Link becoming more than he was and she shook with a sudden fear. He was being held by one of their own mages, potentially being manipulated or controlled in some way, and the thought of him lashing out at them terrified her. There were too many people in this room who were at risk. "Aspen! Take them out of here! Hurry!"
"Yes, princess!" That five grown mages were easily menaced from the room by a teenage boy said much for their state of mind. Some of them were holding their heads in pain, having expended too much magic to keep Link compliant. Others were terrified, looking at the blonde on the bed with horrified realisation. Almost as one, they rushed out, Aspen chasing them to keep them in sight. Zelda turned back to the last mage, determined to save Link from whatever was being done to him, not sure how, only knowing that she must. Her power began to flare up again, the brilliant light she had inherited flooding the room. The shadowy form of the demon began to take shape…
And then another feeling hit her and she staggered, power dimming with fear.
Just like the first time she met Nocturne, it was the growing horror of being hunted, of white eyes searching in the dark, the pressure of anger against the castle. Not hunting her, never her, but someone who had caused pain. Someone very close to her. The gods were coming and they knew exactly who they were looking for.
The king had made a grave mistake.
A whimper passed her lips and for one, brief moment she agonised about what to do. She could let it happen, stay here with Link and make sure he was okay, that they hadn't damaged him with whatever hamfisted spells they were trying to cast on him. She didn't have to save Lorsham, it was not her duty to do so. Surely her father deserved whatever divine retribution was coming for him for setting these events into motion but…but she couldn't just let that happen. She couldn't. She wasn't ready.
She was only fifteen. She wasn't ready to rule.
In those moments of indecision, Link's anger gained control and Zelda saw him fully become a god, clad in silver armor with golden shapes on his chest. The mage screamed in terror, or something on the mage did, and tried to get away but it was too late. A song, a scream, made its way out of Link's throat as he reached up and grabbed the Hylian's head, encasing the both of them in brilliant, cool light that filled the room. Not the warm brilliance that Zelda was used to, but white and distant like the stars. It engulfed them all and she gasped, throwing her hands up in front of her face in a desperate attempt to protect herself.
She needn't have bothered. The light surrounded her and all was white divinity, a song that wrapped her in its embrace and kept her safe from the evil presence that screamed with horror and fear. A swift shadow flew past her, running for its life, and a silent explosion of magic threw both Link and the mage violently away from each other. Even as the light faded, Link's now-normal body slammed into the wall and the mage similarly careened into the far one with a sickening thud.
The sounds and bangs and the sudden expelling of power paused Aspen in mid-run and he turned back, deciding whatever was behind him with Zelda was more important than keeping the terrified mages in sight. What he found when he returned was a Hylian potentially dead in the corner, Zelda holding a mostly unconscious Link and strangely familiar colours on the hero's face. Something in Aspen held very still at the sight, recognising what those meant, and he inhaled sharply. There was no time to process any of that information so he shoved it to the back of his head and skidded on a floor damp with water next to Zelda. She was shaking Link, begging him to please wake up, HE was coming and he needed to see that Link was okay. Please, Link, please. Even with his reduced hearing, Aspen could hear the desperation in Zelda's voice. "Princess, is everything alright?"
Zelda turned, fear in her eyes. "Aspen, we need to get him to the castle gates."
"Wouldn't he fare better if we get him medical attention? I don't know what they were doing to him, but–"
"No!" Panic shivered through her voice and, in her arms, Link stirred slightly. "No, Please, I'll explain later but we need to get him to his family before…before…"
Link groaned as he forced his eyes open, head pounding and thoughts trapped between one reality and another. When Zelda turned to look down at him, he physically recoiled, the memories of what he had been through crushing what few thoughts were clear enough to matter. He screamed and tried to push away, not knowing what was real, horrified at his utter betrayal of Malon. He didn't have the energy to escape from Zelda but he tried, inching further from her, anger and hurt and confusion banging at his mind, too loud, always too loud. Aspen swooped in, blocking the view from Link's sight even as the princess recoiled at the hero's reaction, and struggled to get Link's arm around his shoulders while muttering comfort all the while. Something in Link's head recognised the sound and he slumped against Aspen as the other boy struggled to lift his weight.
"I'm not sure I understand but whatever you say, princess."
"Aspen…" There were tears in Zelda's eyes as she stared at Link. Her heart thudded against her ribs, wondering what could have elicited such a response.
"No time for gratitude. You said we should go?"
"Right! Yes! We need to hurry. Before it's too late!"
Too late for what, Aspen wondered as they bore Link's body through suddenly quiet and empty halls. Out the windows, the teen could see a strangely early night begin to fall and his heart thudded hard in his chest. He didn't know what they were going to be too late for but he had a sinking suspicion he was about to find out…
Night was falling, though it was only just past midday. A disc passed over the sun and the people of Hyrule quailed at the sight. At the Temple of Time, High Priestess Nadile looked out her office window, a stain of fear settling on her heart. People tracked these things, could often predict when a natural eclipse would appear, and this was in no way natural. An angry presence was making itself known, was heading this way. She didn't know what had angered it but knew very well the one it was from. She spun, turning from the sight of a sky going dark, and went to find her priestesses.
In Castle Town, the once-busy streets began to empty, people rushing into buildings as if it were raining. Whispered reminders not to look, never look at the angry moon, passed between citizens. Shopping stopped, conversations halted, and in the three tailors' shop, Lakie quietly locked the front door and crouched in the apartment over the shop with her brother and sister, muttering prayers their mother had taught them.
In Hyrule Field, the farmers and ranchers looked up at the sudden darkness, took shelter in their barns and homes. Something angry was coming out of the Woods. Malon, working diligently at the garden, paused, dropped her tool into the dirt and, for once, was glad for the fences that blocked her view of the grasslands. Her hand grasped the fairy pendant Link had given her, legs trembling with the sudden desire to run, run to the forest and find out what was wrong. Instead, she turned for the farmhouse, yelling for her dad long before he could hear her.
A god was moving.
Darkness fell, only a thin ring of light where the sun was meant to be. Trees shuddered in an invisible wind. Birds were suddenly silent. Animals trembled where they stood.
Starlight and ice passed across the field.
Moving with impossible swiftness, the pair were soon at the town and their presence passed through like death given form. No one was hurt, nothing harmed, but fear crushed the air out of many lungs, chased children under bed covers to whimper silently and animals to cower under whatever shelter they could find. There was no darkness to hide in that would protect from that presence and yet people still tried.
A low, melodic voice whispered between the pair as they passed, Hebra keeping pace with her Sibling easily, a quiet reprimand in her tones. "Brother, you cannot do this."
A growl in response, words spoken through grit teeth. "I am going to save my son."
"As you should, but do not kill the mortal." Another growl was her only answer and fear wormed its way into her heart. "Brother, no! You cannot kill the innocent!"
"He is not innocent!"
They were at the castle gates. The guards did not abandon their posts but they did nothing in the face of the god's fury. Hebra didn't fault them as they cowered, impressed with how long they stood before wrath. The moment she crossed into the cold halls, a spike of power twitched at her nose and she glanced sharply to the side. A demon was here, had been here, she was sure of it.
"Brother! Wait, the enemy has invaded these halls." Nocturne did not respond, simply continued on ahead, and she grabbed his arm, halting his movement forward. "Nocturne, please don't do this! There will be consequences!"
"I do not care! I will have my son back regardless!"
"Hmm, how touching." Aevum suddenly stood before them, her gaze shifting between the two. Hebra released a relieved breath, though not her hold on Nocturne's arm.
"Thank the Mothers. Aevum, help me talk sense into him before he makes a mistake he will regret forever. We need to find the demonic presence!"
Aevum turned to Nocturne and the two stared at each other for a long moment, nearly identical expressions of resolution on their faces. The goddess looked back to Hebra and nodded her head towards the outside. "I will stay with him. You need to hurry and find that demon before it escapes. If it gets its claws into another mortal, there will be trouble."
"But–!"
"Please just go. I promise I will keep my eyes on him."
Frowning, the brown-haired goddess released her Brother's arm and sped away into the dark. The eclipse lingered long past the point it should have and there were the earliest sounds of panic echoing from the town. Nocturne said nothing to Aevum as he strode into the castle, his destination unerring. The goddess fell in beside him, one moment her normal self, the next a young child of around ten.
"So tell me, Brother, is this the age you will prefer to be when you are stripped of your powers for disobedience?" There was no response and between one step and the next, she was older, a teenager. "Perhaps this one, so you can have the most time possible to live and still be independent? Or perhaps…"
And then she was an old woman, stooped with age, her eyes still sharp with power but every other aspect one of infirmity. "Perhaps this so you will not have much longer for this world when your son dies after you've abandoned him to his fate."
A fist flew out in front of Aevum's face and connected with the wall next to her head, a spiderweb of cracks splintering outwards from the impact. She paused, now her normal, deity self once again. There was none of her usual self-righteous attitude, no hint of a smirk. Just a steady disappointment and a slow, simmering anger. Nocturne growled once again, then turned and continued on.
"Don't do this, Brother. It's not worth it."
"It will be worth it if it brings Link home again."
And without another word, the god made his slow way forward, the equally silent goddess behind him.
The closer Zelda got to freedom, the more she glowed and Aspen noticed, though he didn't think she was aware of it herself. Before his very eyes, the princess went from a dirty, dishevelled girl full of fear to a goddess of power and vengeful anger. Link's weight pushed down at him and he glanced between the barely conscious boy, marks of godly power barely visible through his curtain of hair, to the resplendent Zelda. They were almost the same, both in looks and magic, and Aspen wondered at the circumstances that had brought him here to this moment, caught between two legendary forces for good. Ahead of him, Zelda paused at her father's chamber doors, eyes narrowed as she changed her trajectory suddenly. With a sudden flare of brilliant magic, she pushed at the doors and was able to open them easily.
"Father! What have you done!?"
Aspen couldn't see the king but he could certainly hear a faint static where a voice boomed into the hallway. He strained very hard to make out the words, cursing his inefficient ears.
"Zelda! How dare you burst into my rooms without asking! You are supposed to be with your suitors."
"Yes I am, but then I come to find that you invited one for me and held him captive! You are a fool and your actions will have consequences! They will–" The door at the end of the corridor slammed open and Zelda's voice stopped with a squeak. "Oh Goddesses above, it's too late."
Aspen couldn't help but see what was coming down the hall, could feel the wave of divine power that pushed up against him, fluttering his hair in the sudden breeze. He liked to think he had a good relationship with the gods and goddesses that Protected the lands. He had even visited the ocean temple on the coast before coming here, asked for a successful journey and also, very politely, that he could have some luck in making connections that would lead to his future happiness. That was his only hope for this trip, this courtship that would never come to be, but there were always other opportunities! Such as with Link, or Jessa, or Rylan, or…. Well, that was beside the point. The point was that he had never felt like he had done anything to offend the gods, hoped to one day meet the Ocean Protector in his temple as a rite of passage, then settle down to a life uncomplicated by ruling.
But when he saw that , a god of terrifying starlight and darkness, he was immediately disoriented by the vision before him. It was Link, coming down the corridor towards him. Link, the same teenager he could barely hold up, but older and taller and exuding power into the air like he was made of it. Aspen's mouth dropped open and for several seconds, he forgot himself, forgot that Link was, in fact, hanging off his shoulders, forgot the princess and the king and everything except the god who shone with a light that dazzled him. He mouthed Link's name, barely audible, and the boy draped on him groaned suddenly.
Several things happened at that moment.
Zelda and her father both ran into the hallway, blocking Aspen's view of the god. The king looked down the corridor as well and made a high-pitched keen of severe, desperate panic. Long legs propelled the god forward faster than seemed possible and Lorsham collapsed to the ground under the approaching storm. Zelda squeaked out something as she backpedaled wildly, desperately gesturing to Aspen to come forward, to bring Link up to the front. The young hero muttered words no one could make out but the god heard, saw him disheveled and disoriented, clearly suffering from something.
Unnatural silence settled on the corridor.
All the air in Aspen's lungs held still, refused to move through his body as it should. An expression that defied explanation was on the god's face as he watched the trio of teenagers. It wouldn't be until years later that Aspen understood, when he would sit up in bed at the sudden realisation of that moment in time. A god had looked at Link, had let the anger of the hunt fall from his face as he gazed at the teenager, had openly displayed love and tenderness at the sight of his son.
Then it was gone and the rage returned. With a single, strong hand, he reached down and lifted the prone king up into the air. The god's face was a mask of terror and for a moment, Aspen wondered if the marks of power were starting to weep down his skin.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SON?"
The king whimpered and Zelda hurried up to the furious deity. There was no answer forthcoming from the greying monarch though the young noble thought he saw a few hairs turn even whiter. Zelda reached up a hand that barely seemed to be glowing now, lost as it was in the greater power, and her voice trembled when she spoke.
"Nocturne…"
He didn't notice. His grip tightened on the king's shirt, pulling the man even closer to the horrifying rage in his eyes. "YOU HAVE VIOLATED HIS TRUST! HE HAS DONE NOTHING TO YOU!"
Aspen cringed as he made his slow way forward. By all accounts, the god's voice was much too low for his usual range of hearing but it resonated in the corridor and his ears and his head in a way no sound ever did. Was this what it was like to hear correctly? Or was it worse for the others, only bearable to him because of his defect? Ahead of him, Zelda reached out more, almost touching the god's arm.
"Nocturne, please!"
"I should kill you right here and now before you harm any others in your country. You do not deserve to rule if this is how you treat those you are sworn to protect!"
"Brother, you must stop." Aevum stepped out from behind Nocturne, her eyes narrowed at the king as well. Aspen stopped suddenly and Link whimpered at the jerking, halting movement. The young noble had never seen the Goddess of Time, never even saw any pictures of her. She, out of all the Protectors, was the one hardest to capture in art and stories but he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was her. Time sat heavy in the air.
"I will not. Look what he has done to Link!"
"Yes, do please look at Link and think of him instead of this anger that is eating you up inside." And indeed, the longer Nocturne held the trembling King of Hyrule, the more the marks on his face wept in long streams down his skin. His expression slipped into anguish as he set the king down with perhaps just a bit too much force.
"He does not deserve…not after what he's done."
Tears running down her cheeks, Zelda grabbed Nocturne's arm finally and clung to him. Surprised, the god looked down at her and paused. "Please, Nocturne, please don't kill him."
"He has caused you nothing but pain most of your life."
"I know, I know he has but please, I'm not ready. I'm not. If you kill him, then I have to become Queen and…and please, please! I'm not ready for that! There's still too much to do!"
In the blink of an eye, the god's face was normal again and Aspen wondered if he had merely imagined the strange, weeping colours. The tenderness was back, this time directed at Zelda, and the teen's world was shook. He had heard, many times, that Hylians were special, that they were close to the Goddesses, that they were the best at magic and blessed beyond measure. He had heard that but had never expected to find it true. Nocturne reached over and rested a hand lightly on Zelda's hair.
"He will try this again."
"I won't let him. I promise. Please, please. Don't do this. He doesn't deserve to bring you so low."
And the anger faded out of Nocturne, gone as suddenly as it came. Zelda released his arm, a sob of relief escaping her lips. The god turned to face Aspen and every last bit of moisture in the boy's mouth disappeared as if stolen. Link shifted again, muttering into the silence.
"Dad…….dad, I want to go home, please."
Aspen was relieved of his burden in a blink and the god stood before him, looking down with those eyes that contained universes. "Thank you for bringing my son to me."
"I… I… yes. Welcome." For the first time in his life, Aspen could think of nothing to say. He stared up at divinity and it stared back at him…and smiled.
And just like that, they were gone. The god, the goddess and Link, a song lingering in the air even as the sun slowly made its way out from behind the shadow of the moon.
Notes:
WOW THAT WAS A WILD RIDE, WASN'T IT? Hello! I'm so proud of you for making it this far. I love every one of you. 💜 My lovely readers, I'd apologise for baiting and switching you like that but, really, I'm not sorry. A long, long time ago when I first imagined what the Ganondorf War would be like, I knew that I wanted Link to be kidnapped by the king. The reasons for that changed over the months and eventually I made Link so powerful I had to come up with a reason why he wouldn't just escape immediate. Well, this is what happens. How many of you knew what was going on from the beginning? How many of you were fooled? Who held out hope that it would end up being okay in the end?
You should also know that I considered just stopping at the point where Link first "opens his eyes" and leaving Chapter 1 at that cliffhanger. So any time you think about how mean I am, please remember that I didn't do that to you today. :)
Finally, a few notes here and there for your enjoyment:
Man, that was a beautiful OOT Zelink story, wasn't it? It was ALL a LIE. Don't worry MaLink shippers, that boat has not gone down. Link will see his girlfriend again soon. :)
Did you enjoy the sneak peaks into the Downfall Timeline? Poor Link. I've mentioned this in comments and on Discord before but I imagine that Link didn't sleep his first go-through. I have a short fic I've started and I've been working on it a bit more since the break, which is why we had so many cool memories now. The idea that Link and Zelda worked together the entire time, trying to make their way through temples when they were too young, actually creating the items that Link finds in the Adult timeline, it's so fascinating. And after all, I did say Zelda had a child in Downfall and I think it makes more sense if the two of them got to that normally. Falling in love as they have to fight together, learn to work together, and hoping they can have a life together after all is said and done. Well, it's beautiful and tragic, isn't it? Not gonna lie, that last Downfall snippet made me cry.
Aspen fans, don't you worry. Our boy is here and he's planning on sticking around for a while. :D And we get more LORE! Outstanding! I hope I portray his hard of hearing issues well. I've gotten some tips from lots of really amazing people on the Adjuration Discord so I'm doing my best to show his disability in a honest way while also explaining why having it might make things hard for him in his kingdom. His partial hearing loss tends to take out the lower wavelengths but he can hear a good amount and is fairly good at lip reading. It's not an exact science but he gets through.
I've been trying to figure out how I want to handle alternate languages, including sign! I've decided that magical languages will have italics, but magical sign language (aka deity stuff) has that and brackets around it. Regular sign language will have brackets. Other languages? Well, I'm still working on that.
I'm running out of characters so let's wrap this up. :) Nocturne's anger still exists. Sometimes it takes control. He might have killed Lorsham if it wasn't for those around him to keep him grounded. And you should know, I've been imagining this scene since chapter 5 of Father of Time. Yes, there are a few things I will plan very, very far in advance. :)
Anyway, the fallout is coming next chapter! See you NEXT WEEK! Yeeeee! I'm so excited for everything! SO EXCITED! See you soon!
Chapter 2: Consequences
Summary:
The King had betrayed Link's trust. These are just some of the consequences of those actions.
Notes:
I will generally try to get chapters out by mid-day on Sundays, but, uh, Mother's Day. Oops! Had to actually go do stuff with my kid I guess. Anyway, enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Zelda turned to Lorsham, a careful, steady blankness on her face. The king was still on the floor, curled up on himself in petrified terror, and next to her, Aspen was gasping in shock, his hands moving like lightning in signs she couldn't hope to read.
She sighed and looked down at her father. "Look what you've done."
Silence followed but she continued regardless. "You must know what he is now and I hope that information comforts you in the waking hours of the night. You have lost yourself a powerful ally."
"He…but he's been…it's not possible…" Words muttered into the floor were barely discernible but Zelda heard them all the same. Several realisations shook Lorsham and he trembled with the memory of fear. "How did I miss… Inconceivable!"
Zelda sighed and rubbed arms, hugging herself to ease the weight of responsibility she couldn't escape. "Father, get up and try to purport yourself with dignity. You can't logic yourself out of this one. I am going to send a message to Impa, have her bring the hunting party back, then you are going to pretend like you didn't just try to mind control our Goddess-given Hero and be the proper host to our guests that you should be."
At the commanding tone in Zelda's voice, Lorsham lifted his head and glared at her as he pushed himself shakily to his feet. Zelda couldn't help but notice how much more grey there was in his hair than there had been before this whole debacle but she said nothing as Lorsham raised a trembling arm and pointed it at his daughter. "How dare you order me thus! I am your father, the KING, and deserve respect!"
Zelda surged up to stand in his face, eyes more grey than blue as they stormed with anger. She wasn't aware of how much she looked like her mother in that moment, but Lorsham was. "If you are going to act like a damnable CHILD and nearly ruin our kingdom, then you do not DESERVE my respect! Both Link and I warned you that you were treading on dangerous grounds and yet you enacted this moronic plan anyway! You upset the GODS, father! You abused and tortured the one hope we have for surviving Ganondorf's plots! If you don't want me to order you around, then GROW. UP!"
She turned to go, gesturing for Aspen to follow her. The boy stood there for a brief moment, a strange wonder in his eyes, then hurried after the princess with haste. Zelda only got a meter or two before she stopped and turned back, still glaring at King Lorsham.
"And you will no longer send invites to Link, ever! You will not command him to do what you wish and will not search out his residence to punish him! Should you harass him in any way, I will know! And I will not stop his father the next time he comes after you!" Taking a deep breath, she met her father's eyes and held them. "Never once did you believe in the visions Link and I saw, that we pleaded for you to believe. Only once did you ever listen and that was after you had independent verification! I am my mother's daughter and the same power that was in her is in me as well. I am telling you now, father, that if you don't start listening more and doubting less, you will die."
Taking Aspen's arm, chin lifted, Zelda stalked out of the corridor and down another towards her rooms. Out the long windows, the sun had already returned but it was getting late, the afternoon approaching its end. For most of the walk, the young man next to her was quiet but she could see him sneaking quick glances at her profile, most likely noticing her stern countenance. What a horrible impression she was making on him today. Really showing her good side, wasn't she? She cringed at the delicate throat clear next to her then stopped and turned to the brunette, trying to ignore the remorse that clogged her throat and threatened tears. She had to be strong today. As the two faced each other, Zelda's eyes searched Aspen's for any sign of how he felt about the previous events; was he confused? Annoyed? Scared? He had been dumped unceremoniously into the family drama without even a by-your-leave and she didn't even know how well he had heard any of it.
"Aspen, I'm–"
"Was that really Link's father?" The brunette's eyes were wide with recent memory and Zelda bit her lip. What an uncomfortably delicate situation. Aspen appeared to be nice but he now held several very important secrets that could be Hyrule's undoing.
"Y-yes. It's a very long story, I'm afraid. Aspen, I'm so sorry you had to witness all that. He–"
The boy barely heard her as he inhaled sharply. "I thought it was him for a moment, that the god was Link."
"Oh, yes, they do share a strong resemblance. Are you okay? Nocturne is very…" Zelda struggled to find words but Aspen had no issues there.
"He was resplendent." A slow smile entered the teen's eyes, then he gave himself a small shake and focused more fully on Zelda. "Nocturne, you said? I've never heard of that god before."
"God of the Night, Protector of the Hylian people. He's…been gone for a long, long time."
"Goodness! Where did he come from?"
"Link found him." Ignoring the sharp inhalation of breath between teeth, Zelda turned and pushed the door to her room open. She waved Aspen in to follow her and hurried to start a letter at her desk. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the boy looking around with polite, but bland, interest. Well, that was a comfort, knowing Aspen could handle himself with integrity even in her private chambers. He was passing tests she hadn't even remotely considered for her suitors yet. After scribbling several words, Zelda rested her hand on the page to leave a magical imprint Impa would recognise as her own, then folded it several times before sealing.
"Aspen, I need you to return to the hunt and give this to Impa immediately. I'm going to spend this evening trying to get things settled here and we should be ready to bring the suitors and their families back by tomorrow."
The brunette tilted his head to the side as she carefully placed the message in his hand. "Princess, I mean, Zelda, will you be okay by yourself? I could help, if needed."
"That's so nice of you." For a moment, tears threatened to overwhelm her but she pushed the feeling away. "I…I trust you to handle this duty with the haste it deserves. I'll be fine here; the castle staff will listen to me but I need the visitors here to create a distraction so no one notices what happened with my father. If the nobles realise he upset a god…" She trailed off, pushing down the emotions that filled her throat. "Anyway, normalcy, that's what we need. I can come up with a reason why the hunt had to end early; perhaps we can use the moon omen even. We'll plan for another event here at the castle soon. Archery maybe? I don't know. I'll think about it. But please, Aspen, I need your help and your silence in all this."
Aspen stared long into her eyes, then glanced down at the letter he held. When he looked up again, he was smiling sadly at the princess. "Of course. Anything. You can trust me with this missive and I will see to it that Impa knows the urgency involved."
"Thank you. Thank you so much. I don't know how I can repay you."
"There's no need to repay me, Zelda. I'd help any of my friends who are in trouble." He arched an eyebrow at the blonde, a silent question heavy in his words. "I would be honored to count you amongst them. You need only call when you need me." Then with a smile and a wink, the boy turned and hurried out, down the quiet halls towards the entrance they had hastily left the horses at.
For several moments longer than she should have, Zelda stood in her room, staring at the door, trying not to think of Link's last look at her or the way her father very nearly ruined everything. Instead pushed her mind towards the kindness a boy her age had shown her and the hope that everything would still be fine in the end. Then she too gathered herself, pulled the tattered remnants of her determination together, and ventured out to save them all.
It was not the house in the woods the deities had teleported too, but Lon Lon Ranch. Nocturne strode towards the farmhouse door even as it flew open, showing the father and daughter silhouetted against the lights inside. When the god was close enough for the pair to see the burden he held carefully in his arms, Malon screamed and rushed over, her eyes trained on Link's limp body. Nocturne stood before Talon, the man unable to say anything at the sight, his mouth wide open. He had seen very few emotions on the god's face and now there were many. When Nocturne spoke, his voice was very tightly controlled.
"Talon, if it would be acceptable, I would like Malon to stay with Link for a short time, perhaps a week."
Between the rancher and the god, the redhead was completely engrossed in Link, her head at level with the teen as she rested a hand against his cheek. With a groan, the blonde's eyes fluttered open slightly and he let out a gasp when Malon's face came into view. Weakly his hand went to cover hers and he muttered her name softly. Neither were aware of those around them as Talon and Nocturne matched gazes. The rancher furrowed his eyebrows and looked away, Link's apparent ailment sitting uncomfortably on his shoulders. "What happened?"
"The king betrayed his trust."
Talon sputtered with disbelief. "Betrayed his trust? What do you mean?"
"He lied about his intentions for Link to join the suitors and has held him captive for days."
The silence was immediate and stifling. It was Aevum who eventually cleared her throat, jostled the others from their reverie, and got them moving once again. Malon spun to Talon, now gripping Link's hand tight as he slipped into a semi-conscious state once again. "Dad, I want to go. You and Ingo can handle things, right?"
"Well, yes, of course. Will you not be able to come home at all?" The rancher frowned up at Nocturne even as the god shook his head.
"For his safety and peace of mind, I am sending him to Kafei."
"Ah, understandable." The rancher pulled on his mustache as he stared down at the ground. "Yes, Malon may go. Let me know if there will be any delays in their return. I could always say…well, that's no matter. I can ask the others on the Field for help…plenty of young boys and girls who need the experience."
"Let me go grab some clothes! Link, listen, I'll be right back, okay? I promise I'll be back!" With a strong squeeze of Link's hand, Malon rose up on her tiptoes to kiss the blonde on the cheek. Though his eyes were closed, his mouth moved in a motion that could only be her name and before she could no longer pull herself away, Malon ran back into the farmhouse. Still fiddling with his mustache, Talon looked at both of the gods, a faint sheen of sweat on his forehead. A jittery nervousness over two deities in full fighting regalia weighed on him.
"Are there going to be problems?"
The dark-skinned goddess laughed bitterly. "Oh, most definitely."
"Is the war starting?" There was a hint of despair in Talon's voice and Aevum's face softened ever so slightly; here was a mortal who had fought through one war already and knew another was at hand, as much as he tried to pretend it was not.
"Not immediately, but soon. You should prepare your home for defense, if you can."
Talon heaved in a deep breath, then clenched his hands into determined fists. "Can I tell anyone else about this? About what the king has done?"
Aevum looked to Nocturne and he frowned, eyebrows furrowed. "Be discreet; I do not believe the princess will wish this widely known. If any of the king's men asks about Link, deflect their attention away."
Talon pulled himself to his full height and nodded. "Well of course. None of us Field folk would betray our own. Let me know if you need anything else but I'll just spread the word, quiet-like."
"That is much appreciated, Talon."
At the tail end of the conversation, Malon rushed outside again in a flurry of skirts, shoving last-minute items into her bag. She dropped a hurried kiss on the top of Talon's head, already thinking solely of Link as she stepped up next to Nocturne. "Sorry daddy, I promise I'll do extra around the house when I get back."
"Don't worry about it. Ingo and I will be fine. You just make sure Link gets better, okay?" He waved as the gods turned to go, Malon once again holding tight to Link's hand. Talon did not see them off as he strode across the lawn to the stables, only vaguely heard a song in the air as he reached the door and by the time he was inside, the group was gone.
Only seconds later, the four were in front of the house in the woods. The door was thrown open even as they approached and Oceanis stood aside to let them in, his eyes taking in everything.
"Brother! What happened? I was calling and–" He swore softly as he saw Link. "Put him on the couch, hurry."
Confusion clattered across the house, suddenly full of noise and movement. Link was laid down, silent tears running down his cheeks as he clutched Malon's hand tightly. Enma and Saria stood off to the side, darkness and light together, both watching in horror at a teenager who looked more haggard than he ought. After carefully depositing his son, Nocturne stepped back next to Aevum and the pair stood like silent sentinels at Link's feet, identical expressions on their faces, arms crossed over armor in nearly the same way. Walking out of the hallway, Holo stopped nearby and the six deities formed a loose circle, a ring of protection even Malon could feel. Oceanis walked the length of the couch, easily stepping around the redhead, a soft song echoing in his throat. He stopped at Link's head and kneeled down to rest a finger against the blue V that showed on the teenager's forehead, a ripple of power emanating outwards that caused the other marks on the teenager's skin to flare into being. The god's eyes brightened, then he glanced up at the others.
"It was a combination of mortal magic and demon trickery."
Almost as if on cue, Hebra stalked into the house, the door slamming into the wall with the force, and tossed a shadowy, twitching creature on the floor behind the others. "It was this." Her foot was on it before it could try to scurry away but the demon was thoroughly cowed by the presence of so many deities. Aevum crouched down as she glared at the creature, causing a high-pitched squeal of pain as she prodded the tendril-like hands.
"Dream Eater, I think."
Oceanis nodded as he placed his hands to the sides of Link's head, not touching but not needing to. "That makes sense. His mind suffers greatly at the moment, confused. We all know what the demon's plan was but I believe the Hylians were trying to affect his decisions, push his unconscious thought to a new path. It wasn't working the way they expected; even asleep his mind is surprisingly strong."
"Can he be healed?" Saria's voice was small against the weight of the others but Oceanis nodded to her as he concentrated on the boy below him. Malon stared at him as she clutched Link's hand, her heart beating fast in concern. What had they done to Link? Why? Had she heard correctly? A sound grabbed her attention and she glanced up at Nocturne's stern face, surprised by the song he sung that was already echoing against the high ceilings.
First his voice, then another as Aevum joined with a strong soprano to match his baritone. By the second measure, Holo's crystalline voice joined in, his skin glimmering in the light from the fire and the setting sun in the windows. Rainbows danced on the walls in time with the slow, stately song. Picking up the melody, Hebra joined them with her mezzo-soprano even as she held her foot on the trembling demon beneath her. The song grew louder and Malon clung to Link's hand as she trembled with emotion. Finally, the last three joined in as well, Enma's strong contralto with Saria's high, child-like soprano and, next to the redhead, Oceanis' deep tenor picked up the second round of the song. Malon was sure she knew it, had heard it before, and very soon it ran through her own head, played on an ocarina, sung under a starlit night, taught to her by a boy who often wore green.
The Song of Healing, sung by a choir of deities, was performed for the Hero in their midst who had saved them all so very recently.
Somewhere under the heavenly chorus, Malon sang along, tears running down her face. She didn't know how she kept the melody up but she did, not able to match the magic that the voices exuded but performing her part all the same. Next to her, Oceanis continued to sing and an odd cloud appeared around Link's head, pulled out slowly by the song and the magic and the demand from the deities. Slowly, ever so slowly, until Link's head looked perceptively brighter, the cloud coalesced in the air above him, held by the force of the god's will. In Oceanis' hands, the fog hovered for only a moment before the essence of water flowed through it and washed the evil away.
The chorus lingered as the young hero gasped, eyes wide and bright, the marks on his skin as luminous as the deities' own. Music shivered on his skin, hid in the bend of an elbow and the spaces between the curves of his ears, and he sat suddenly, glancing around as he took in the choir. His eyes lingered on each deity in turn until he stopped at Nocturne and his face flooded with relief.
"That…was a dream. You're real!" The god nodded as he stopped singing and smiled at Link. The teen turned towards the smaller voice next to him and his eyes immediately watered at the sight he saw, arms opening in welcome. "Malon!" With a sob, the redhead threw herself at him and the two held each other as the music faded into the air.
There was a pause, a moment of contemplation, the divinity easing into the quiet background of life, then the gods and goddesses began moving.
Oceanis gave Link a hearty pat on the shoulder as he stood and walked over to the others, clustered into a loose circle nearby. There were smiles of relief but there was also anger, mostly directed at the demon who was holding very, very still under Hebra's boot. Aevum straightened, her gaze pointed toward Link before she turned to look at the blue-haired god. He frowned and held his hands open towards her in an apology. "Sister, I am sure they shook loose memories from the first timeline. Otherwise, he is fine. The demon hadn't the chance to get a good hold on his memories with as hard as Link was fighting it."
Aevum sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "It was bound to happen eventually; the divinity in his blood allows access to them. I'll keep an eye on it but he knows what happened in the end. A fair warning to us all though; there will be the occasional confusion and instability to deal with. It wasn't a pleasant time for any of us."
Nocturne turned to Oceanis, eyes narrowed. "Brother, I would like to send you to Termina with Link. I would go myself but my ward is currently the strongest one on the desert and I cannot leave the Heroine to break free without accepting my challenge."
"Of course. I am currently bound to Link anyway. Aevum, would you be able to replace my part of the boundary should a visit to Termina break it?"
"Fine, I wasn't planning on going out of time now anyway."
"We are agreed then." With a fluid movement, Nocturne pulled out his sword and stabbed it into the squirming demon's head, his lip curled up in anger. Hebra sighed as she yanked her foot away quickly, releasing an exasperated breath.
"Brother, that stain is going to be impossible to remove. I could have killed it outside."
"May its death be a warning to any other who would dare touch my son." Re-sheathing the blade on his back, the god turned and strode to the couch where Link was now shaking with sobs, Malon holding his head against her shoulder. The redhead looked up at Nocturne, confusion and fear in her eyes but the god kneeled down next to the two, resting a hand on Link's head. "Son, Oceanis is going to take you, Saria and Malon to Termina so you do not have to miss the Carnival of Time."
Link gasped and looked up, hastily scrubbing his face; his voice was wobbly and thick with emotion. "Wait, what? Dad! I…I just got home. They...they were holding me somewhere. I don't know what happened but I think I was sleeping! Please, I just…I just want to be home! With you!"
"Yes, I know. I wish we could stay together as well but I believe it will do you more good to be outside of Hyrule right now. It is only for a week and you were very much looking forward to celebrating with Anju and Kafei. Do not let the pain others inflict on you prevent you from enjoying your life." Nocturne's hand moved down, cupping Link's face in its large span. "I will be here when you return, I promise."
Closing his eyes, the teen breathed deep, one hand holding Malon's, the other going to cover his dad's. He took several breaths then nodded. "Okay. But dad…"
"Yes?"
"I…they made me forget…everything from the last four years. And it hurt. It hurt so bad because I was trying to remember but you were missing." Malon pulled away gently as Link turned and threw his arms around the god's chest despite the armor, dry sobs shaking his body. Nocturne wrapped his own arms around him, resting his head against his son's.
"I am so sorry, Link, that I was unable to protect you against that. But you were strong, very strong, that you were able to pull yourself out of it on your own. Had we not discovered the treachery, I believe you would have exacted your own vengeance on those who hurt you."
Malon swallowed past a dry throat and licked her lips uselessly. "What did they want with Link? He's…he's always helping everyone! Why would the king need to take him? Link does so much for Hyrule."
"I do not know." Nocturne held his son tight but Link pulled away with a hiccupping breath, eyes suddenly angry.
"I think…he wanted me to get the Master Sword for him. No…for me. He wanted me to use it for him."
Aevum hissed in a deep breath and there was a sudden chorus of mutters among the deities. Malon looked at them all, ignoring the chill at being surrounded by so many gods and goddesses, then focused her eyes on Nocturne. "I don't understand."
It was Link who answered though, back straight and muscles tense, a jittery fury in his voice. "The Master Sword locks the Sacred Realm, keeps evil people out of it. Only the Hero can remove the sword and that's me. The last time I took up the sword, Ganondorf ruined everything and I have no intention of leaving that door open ever again. Lorsham got annoyed when I told him I wasn't going to get the sword this time but that's my choice, not his! I told him that it was a bad idea! He doesn't fucking listen to me!"
Every word grew more angry until the blonde was nearly shouting. Tenderly, Malon took his left hand and squeezed lightly, even though her eyes were filled with fear. The last time, when he was seventeen? Link had never really explained what he meant by that and she was too afraid to ask him now. "We'll support you, Link. Me and dad and the others in the Field. Everyone knows you want to help Hyrule. Even if Lorsham is our king, they know you and that's worth more than any decree. There's been a lot of talk since the Queen died; they know what he's like now."
Link tried to let the words calm him but now that the haze was cleared from his mind, anger at what had happened threatened to crowd out everything else. "I don't think any of us know what he's like! He just let some stupid mage into my head! Malon, I thought I had decided to live in the castle after…after… You don't understand! They were using my past against me! Every nice thought I'd ever had about Zelda and the castle and everything!" He began to swing his legs, causing Malon to shift out of his way. Link was so mad, he didn't notice Hebra speaking to Saria or the Kokiri running out the door. "I'm going to give that ass a piece of my mind! He can't just kidnap me and–"
"Link! Wait, do you think that's a great idea?" Malon scurried to her feet even as Link jumped to his own. "I thought your dad said we were going somewhere."
Nocturne's strong hand settled on Link's chest even as the young man took a step forward. He looked down at his son, face a pool of calm that contrasted sharply with the anger from not even an hour before. "Son, this is why you are going to Termina."
"Dad, you can't expect me to just let this all go! He's trying to ruin everything!"
"I can and I do expect exactly that. I understand that you were not as coherent as you might have been today but know that the man has suffered from my wrath." The dark look that passed through the god's eyes gave Link pause and he stopped trying to push forward towards the door. "You, Malon and Saria will go to Termina. There will be no more said or done to the King of Hyrule at this time. Do you understand me?"
Link frowned but he nodded, a small sulk settling on his lips. "Fine. Whatever. When are we going?"
"Now." The quiet in the room erupted into noise and movement. Outside, Saria played Epona's Song on her ocarina and the horse's whinnies were soon heard through the wide-open door. Link stepped up next to Malon and wrapped an arm around her protectively as the other deities shifted around them; he could hardly pick out one voice in the many that were speaking, talk of supplies and protections being spoken of over his head. He did see Oceanis rummaging around in the kitchen before the dark form of Enma appeared directly in his line of sight, a frown resting on zir thin lips.
"Link, I'm sorry I ever complained about your dreaming. I should have noticed the presence of a dream eater on your person and it took far too long."
"Oh, um, that's okay. I know my dreams are pretty weird sometimes. What's a dr–"
"Enma!" The three looked towards Nocturne's voice, startled by his sudden call. The white-haired god adjusted the straps on his armor as he stepped forward but his gaze was currently only for his Sibling. "Would you be willing to keep watch on the castle and its king? They have already had one demon infestation and I would prefer to have no repeat occurrence. We shall need a closer watch on the mortals from here on out so nothing infiltrates this territory again."
Hebra paused in mid-step next to the group and blinked in confusion at her Brother. "Wouldn't Enma's presence at the castle cause discomfort to the mortals?"
The smile on Nocturne's face was grim. "I certainly hope so."
Enma grinned enthusiastically, a strange look for zir, and clapped zir hands together with an excited smack. "I get to put the fear of death on them?"
"You are far too excited to be doing that." Aevum raised her eyes to the ceiling as she pushed her way past the dark deity to stand in front of Link. Enma sniffed and flipped a long braid over zir shoulder.
"Excuse you, I take pride in my work! Sometimes mortals need a reminder to look after their souls." Ze smirked over at Nocturne. "Though I have a feeling a certain king may have had a lesson on just how fleeting life can be."
"Do not allow him to forget it." The god paused for a moment then placed a letter in zir hand. "Perhaps a few others as well. Do not harass the princess, Sibling. She has suffered plenty this day."
"Hmmph. There's enough of our Sister in her still to adjust with continued exposure. She'll be fine."
Even as Enma hummed the Prelude of Light, Aevum gently steered Link aside and placed herself between him and Malon. The teen looked about to complain but the goddess had a finger over his lips before he could and leaned down low to his ear. When she spoke, it was in the jingling tones of fairy speech. "Oceanis said you experienced memories of your first pass through time." Link froze and his eyes shifted to Aevum's; there was identical sorrow in both the blue and the white. "I had hoped you'd be older before that happened but if you need to talk, the Giants will listen. We may also speak when you return. Will you be fine until then?"
Link swallowed hard, then nodded. "I think so. I have a question though." He paused when Aevum nodded her assent, then spoke in the barest whisper. "Was I awake the whole seven years?"
"Yes. I'm sorry you had to find out this way."
"It's…it's okay. And, um, one more thing. I saw Ganondorf." The goddess inhaled sharply and Link winced. "Is he going to be like that this time?"
Aevum straightened and looked down at Link, so much taller and stronger than he had been. Confident, even after what he had just been through. Strong enough to hold Din's blessing and flourish. When the goddess spoke again, it was in Hylian. "Even if he is, you are different as well. You will be evenly matched." And without another word, she turned on her toes and strode out the door.
Malon was quick to place herself back at Link's side. "What was that about?"
"The past. And the future." Link wound his finger's through the redhead's as he stared blankly at the comings and goings around him. He couldn't focus on any of them, not really. The confusion from the dream was gone but his mind was a swamp of real and false images that threatened to pull him under. He knew the whole thing with Zelda had been a lie but it was still there, taunting him with his weakness. As a small groan pushed its way past his lips, Malon grabbed his hand and squeezed it hard.
"Are you okay?"
"I will be." But his voice did not sound convincing and the redhead leaned against him to provide what comfort she could. She noticed the way he looked at her occasionally, as if he was terrified or ashamed. She didn't know why but had heard the talk of dreams, of trying to manipulate his mind, and she wondered what he might have been forced to do.
She didn't have much time to dwell on the matter; Nocturne swept the pair away to the front clearing where Saria waited next to Epona. The Kokiri held the reins nervously as the mare pounded a hoof into the dirt, trumpeting her impatience into the evening air. With a sigh of relief, Link strode forward to his horse and buried his face in her mane. In the dream, Epona had been a comfort but he didn't think it was the mage or the demon who had done it; his mind had tried so desperately to find peace, an escape, and it had found his oldest friend. Hadn't he even heard the deities calling to him for the first time while on Epona's back?
A shocked gasp from Malon pulled his head around and he saw another gigantic horse, a blue roan that wore its colour name very well. Saria laughed and ran up to it as the beast lowered its large head to show the white eyes and the swirling blue marks belonging to Link's Uncle. The teen rolled his own eyes and pulled Epona over. "Uncle Oceanis, what's this?"
"It's a horse, Nephew. I thought you knew that." The god grinned wide, showing off strong teeth, and Link eyed them warily; he had been bit by the ranch horses before and knew how painful their ire could be. Oceanis probably wouldn't bite but the chance was there.
"I know that but what about the elk?"
"I thought this would attract less attention once we are in Termina! Now, if you'd be so kind as to help the girls up, we can be on our way." The horse winked at Tael and Rosie as the fairies flew up in between his ears and settled down. Tael jingled down at Link but the teen waved off the concerns as he lifted Saria up onto the high back then turned to his girlfriend.
Malon stared up at the horse, licking her lips nervously. She was still not as used to the deities as Link was, wasn't sure if she ever would be, but the idea of riding one for hours was a pivotal line she didn't know how to cross. The part of her mind that knew this was a god warred with her senses; he moved and smelled and felt just like the horses at home. Never was there a finer looking beast than the one in front of her and normally she would adore the chance to ride him, and yet…
"You coming, Malon?" Link looked her way and held a hand out as a step. The redhead took a deep breath then vaulted up the side of the god with the teen's help and grabbed onto the much-too-blue mane. This was fine. Riding a horse-god through the woods at twilight on a trip to another realm was definitely a normal thing to do and not something at all to be worried about. Saria scooted up behind her once she was settled and grabbed onto the redhead's shirt with nervous fingers. Malon turned to give the Kokiri a comforting smile then glanced over at Link and Nocturne as the pair had a quiet moment together. The hustle and bustle of the deities had quieted as they each attended to their tasks and the clearing was still aside from the horses and the breeze through the trees.
"I promise this trip will be good for you." Nocturne briefly cupped Link's face in one hand again and the boy leaned into it, his eyes closed for just a moment. Starlight rested in that palm and the cool, chilly scent of a night under the moon. That was what he had been missing in the dream, the thing he had ached for. It was a part of him now and with it being locked away, the hole had kept him from ever really succumbing to the vision imposed on him. He hadn't realised it after the mask broke but that twinkling presence was with him always, even in the war. Did he even remember what it felt like to not have it there?
"Dad, don't go to the desert." Link's eyes snapped open and he stared up at his father with more gold in his irises than there should be.
Nocturne's eyebrows raised high on his head and he searched his son's face for something he couldn't name. The blue V, the sides of it swept inward much as the sides of his own chevron did, glowed faintly. "What do you see?"
"Something evil. Something that shouldn't be."
The god looked to the west. "Is it her?"
"I don't know. Just, please, don't go while I'm gone. Please."
"I will not. I swear it." Nocturne was not in the habit of ignoring a message from his Mothers and would not do so now. That it came from his son made the weight of it so much heavier.
Link breathed out, relieved, then threw his arms around his dad's chest. "This feels too fast. I want to go but I want to stay here and sleep and scream and…I dunno. Is this the end of peace? I'm not sure I'm ready."
"There will always be peace in strife. You will find those moments, will know them when they appear. Go, enjoy time with your friends and we will plan on the next Father's Day together." The god's arms held the teen tightly, then released him and pushed Link gently away. The teen was laughing even as he wiped tears away from his eyes.
"That's still two months away!"
"That has not stopped you from organizing elaborate presents before."
"Fine, fine!" Swinging up on Epona's back, Link looked at his father and sighed. "It won't be the same when you're not there."
"I understand. But everything in life changes, even the Goddesses. Go."
"Love you, dad."
"And I love you, son. Now go!"
And then they were gone, riding hard through the forest getting darker by the moment. Nocturne watched them, stood still and silent until they were long gone, then spun and returned to the house to make plans for the future.
It was growing dark by the time Aspen rode his sweating, exhausted horse back into the camp. Exclamations surrounded him, some he could hear and others he couldn't, but he pushed past the questioning servants and boys, looking for the one person he had been begged to find. Internally, he recognised that Zelda's absence must have been noticed a while ago but if he could just get his message to Impa, then everything would be okay. The brunette ducked and wove around people who tried to halt his progress forward and soon he came to the tall, white-haired Sheikah woman.
"Impa! I have a message from Princess Zelda!"
Turning, the woman gave the young man a wide-eyed look and gasped as he staggered forward, shoving the letter directly at her. Guards' hands grasped at him but he didn't run, merely stood limply in their hold, grey eyes trained on the red ones above him. Impa glanced down at the letter, noticed the seal and the magic, then quickly opened it as silence fell around them. "Where is she?"
"Back at the castle. She told me to deliver that to you immediately, though I offered to stay and help."
"Help…" Red eyes scanned the letter quickly and the Sheikah hissed in a breath as she read.
Impa,
No time for formalities. Father has done something unforgivable and the gods very nearly took their vengeance. I will explain more at home, where we can have some privacy. Have everyone pack up tonight and leave at first light; I will make sure the castle staff know to have a large breakfast ready.
I'm sending this letter with Aspen. He bears many of the secrets we keep and he now knows about Link and his father. I believe that he is trustworthy but I know you'll want more observation on him. Treat him kindly, please, for today has been overwhelming for everyone.
Hurry. I fear there is too much for me to handle on my own.
Zelda
"Release him." Impa raised her head to the guards and they did as she said. Aspen looked up at her, breath shallow, but the woman smiled at him with a rare show of friendliness. "Thank you for helping her today. I will let the others know we'll be leaving first thing in the morning."
A relieved sigh passed the teen's lips and he swallowed hard. "I'd like to leave tonight, if that's possible? My mother's servants will pack up my things for me."
Impa arched an eyebrow as she looked down at the distressed boy. "She wanted us back in the morning."
"I know, I know." Aspen's hands began moving along with his words, faster than Impa could interpret. "I'm just worried about her. We…it was…I just don't think she should be alone? And if you go to her, who will take care of the nobles? No one will listen to me. I'm just a boy who can't even hear correctly. So I thought, well, that maybe…"
The bitterness in his voice did not escape Impa's notice. "I have no hold over you, young Aspen. If you wish to return tonight, you may do that."
"Thank you!" Eyes brightening, a sudden smile on his lips, the teen nodded and turned to go back through the crowd. Behind him, he could hear Impa calling the group to attention, already beginning to spread the news. Soon they would be frantically packing things down, save for tents and beds, preparing to leave the moment light hit the horizon. He stopped quickly at his own tent, an austere but comfortable dwelling, and let his mother know what he was going to do. The events of the day still rattled nervously through his blood but he wasn't about to leave poor Zelda all alone to deal with her father's betrayal. That wasn't right!
If it was him, he'd be up all night trying to handle everything that happened there. Perhaps she would still be awake when he got back and they could talk about it together. Some things transcended the whole suitor nonsense he was caught up in. The both of them needed a friend tonight, he was sure of it. He just hoped Zelda realised it as well.
Weary to the bone, Princess Zelda slipped back into her rooms after a full evening of organising the castle affairs. Everyone was nervous, still glancing out the windows even when the sun had begun to set, but the terror of a god's wrath was slow to abate. Lorsham had not left his rooms, something Zelda encouraged, and only spoke with servants long enough to demand food and a bath. This was how she wanted it, for now; let him stew in the mistakes he made while she handled his mess. Looking up from her thoughts, she saw Josey standing before her, twisting her hands together. Zelda knew she should explain but found she did not have the energy for it at that moment. She waved the young woman off, exhaustion nipping at every movement, and tried not to sound as tired as she felt. "You and Laday may have the night off. I want privacy for myself and my thoughts."
"Of course, your highness. But if you need us…" The servant curtseyed low and Zelda could not hold back a grimace at the very formal title. She was not yet the ruler of the kingdom, didn't want all that weight while Ganondorf loomed over them all, but the role she was taking in this emergency was undeniable. She just hoped no one did it in front of Lorsham.
"I will ring for you, I promise. But I expect I will be asleep soon anyway." A lie, but a necessary one.
"Of course. Sleep well. I will return in the morning." The woman bowed herself out the door and carefully closed it. Once she was gone, the quiet became oppressive and the princess trudged to a window, pushing a small part of it open even though the air outside was still chilly. There weren't many of the louder bugs and frogs yet but the breeze blowing around the castle towers and the occasional hoot of owls was enough to satisfy Zelda's need for noise.
Now her mind could process what had happened.
What were they going to DO? How could her father have done this? He very nearly ruined everything! She had told him herself that obtaining the stones and the Master Sword was not a good idea, had reminded him what they had been told just 5 years ago. Oh how foolish he was, how terribly idiotic in his desire to make up the perfect plan to stop the Gerudo King. They'd be lucky if Link would ever help them again!
Link…
Her hands gripped the windowsill tight as the memory of his face forced itself on her once again. She'd been trying to avoid thinking about it all night but now…now she no longer could. He had been terrified, disgusted, scared of her. What could have ever caused that sort of reaction from him? What had she done to him in whatever dream state the mages had forced upon him?
She had been furious when she confronted the mages she could find. Some of them had disappeared, fled from the castle, but she would have someone hunt them down later. Others had been waiting with tired resignation. The one that Link had attacked was alive, though barely, and there were servants and a priestess looking into his health. When Zelda had confronted one of the mages who had stayed, the man had answered with a dull acceptance of his part in the ordeal. A young man in their order had offered the king a way to subtly affect someone's mind, push thoughts towards obedience, all through a sort of dream magic. Of course, Lorsham had been intrigued by the idea. The mage had tested it, shown the king how well it worked and promised it could be done on whoever he wished. That it was the young hero hadn't really appeared to phase the young man at all and quick plans to get Link into the castle had been made.
None of it had gone to plan, not really. When Link had shown up to the castle, Lorsham had invited him to a private audience. A simple sleeping draught was made that should leave the boy unconscious but it hadn't even remotely worked. There had been a hurried conversation between the mages while Lorsham and Link had begun to argue about the stones and the upcoming Gerudo conflict in earnest. No one wanted to hurt the boy, their Hero, but Lorsham had been tossing dark looks towards the room they had been waiting in and finally, one of them cast a sleep spell on the teenager.
That hadn't worked either.
It took three of them working together, casting the strongest spells they could, against a boy who suddenly realised what was going on, to get him to collapse and even then, it didn't want to hold. The dream mage urged the others to get Link into the holding room so he could start his work but it had taken too much magic to keep the boy complacent. They didn't dare let him wake up even for a moment, not to eat or drink, and they rotated casters all day and night to keep him unconscious. In the end, it took five of them and the special mage to keep him in the state of sleeping memory they wanted him in.
Groaning, Zelda staggered away from the window and buried her face in her hands. The mages had been trying to make Link compliant to Lorsham and while none but the hero would ever know exactly what he had been dreaming, the princess thought she could make an educated guess. What would be the best way to get a boy like Link, who cared so incredibly much, to do whatever the king wanted of him? Why, of course he should fall in love with the princess. A sob fell from Zelda's lips as she contemplated what Link must have been going through, how magic must have been twisting his thoughts and emotions. What about Malon? She didn't think the mages knew about the relationship between the two. Had the magic faltered against Link's memories or had it pushed the ranch girl away? If the process had been successful, would Link had woken up, ready to court Zelda? Would he get the stones back from where he had hidden them and taken up the Master Sword to protect the kingdom? To protect her?
Zelda could not deny she loved Link still, no matter how much she tried not to. If he had suddenly presented himself to her as a real suitor, would she have been able to deny herself the chance at his affections? Be strong enough to figure out what had suddenly changed? She didn't know, didn't trust the answer in her heart. She mourned at what would have happened to poor Malon if that had come to be; the heartbreak the girl would suffer from was not deserved in any way. She had never done anything worthy of that kind of betrayal. No, that was not the path to anyone's happiness And Zelda did want Link to be happy, honestly, with choices he could make for himself. A false joy would never last, would cause them both pain, and not even she deserved to be afflicted with that sort of torture.
This future was her own fault, after all, though she didn't know the reason. She had sent Link away, threw him back into his past, and only her future self knew why. If only she had known, then she could have showered Link with all the affection he deserved and maybe she could have had the happiness she desired now! Why hadn't she sent some sort of message to the past? Wasn't she the Sage of Time? If she could send Link backwards, why not tell him words of comfort, a message to bring back with him?
Why did this have to happen this way?
Why?!
Sobs ripped from her throat as she fell to her knees. This was so hard, so very hard. All she wanted to do was keep her kingdom safe, to be happy in the knowledge that evil wouldn't threaten them anymore. She knew now that she couldn't have happiness for herself; that didn't seem to be the lot for a descendant of a goddess. Suffering, horrors, then you push past it to rebuild and move on, knowing that the next evil would be there for your own descendants someday. It wasn't fair. It wasn't FAIR!
She screamed and screamed into her hands, letting out every hateful feeling she had ever had. Why did it have to be her? Why couldn't she just be happy? Why was it always HER that hurt the ones she loved!? She didn't want to be Zelda anymore, didn't want to bear this horrible burden that chased her in her dreams, that left her riddled with doubt and confusion. Couldn't she just be someone else? Couldn't she just know peace for once?! Couldn't she be FREE?
Hot, angry magic ran through her blood and she wrapped her arms around her chest, screaming at the pain in her mind and body, wishing with all her heart that life could be different for her, that she didn't have to be this person that she hated. After all, Lorsham was her father, wasn't he? Blood of the Goddess but also of the king! She would end up destroying everything Link had worked so hard for just the way her father was. How could she do anything else? The power ate at her skin, squeezed at her lungs and she collapsed on the floor, crying out once and then falling silent as the magic filled the room, then slowly dissipated.
Time passed, somehow.
It couldn't have been very long for the bells had not yet rung at midnight. When the pain and anger faded, Zelda lay gasping on the floor, trying to understand what had happened. She'd never lost control of her power like that before and it had hurt as sorrow had pulled at her muscles and skin. Heaving in a deep breath, she pushed up on tired hands, hair loose around her head. The colour of it in her peripheral vision gave her pause but the day had been stressful and Lorsham might not be the only one who had gained white hairs.
Muscles screamed in anguish but she pushed on, climbed shakily to her feet. Something felt off, different, but it wasn't a feeling that was pinned down easily. The ripped and stained clothing from before hung off her body in odd ways and she glanced around, a quiet fear settling in a shocked and tired mind. She needed to see…see if she had been hurt, then maybe go see a priestess. She needed…
There, that was her mirror. Step by step brought her closer, worry gnawing at her every second. As the reflection came into view, she looked up and screamed, stepped backwards and turned immediately to look behind her. Hands flew to her throat at the voice that had sounded in the empty room and the princess turned back to the mirror once again. It couldn't be. It couldn't. How…
The reflection that stared back was not her own. It was a Sheikah boy, a teenager, hair the same length as her own but a much lighter blonde. Face the same shape as but with red eyes and a pronounced bump on the throat. The body was the same, mostly, the clothes were what she was wearing though they were tight around the shoulders and hung loose on the chest. The boy moved when she did, opened his mouth when hers opened and closed at the same time. She stared and stared then back pedaled in a sudden fear.
Zelda looked down at a body suddenly unfamiliar and fell to the floor once again. Somehow, impossibly, she…
…had become a he.
Notes:
Hello, welcome to Father of Time cliffhangers! Sorry, you will see them again.
Nocturne might not have killed Lorsham but Zelda has told him the fuck OFF. Good. Aspen is, well, he's okay I suppose. If you had told him he would have ended a perfectly normal day with seeing some gods and goddesses nearly kill a man, he would thought you mad. This is his life now. It's fine. But once again we discover that countries that are NOT Hyrule seem to know about the gods! We can probably blame Aevum for this.
Nocturne and Talon have a *whole conversation* about serious shit. Good for them! Talon also talks to *Aevum*, holy shit! Real growth here! Anyway, guess Malon's coming to Termina again! Horray! Also, yaaaaaay! Malon! She's still there and she's SO WORRIED.
Ahhh, the deities singing the Song of Healing. A beautiful, overwhelming angelic chorus. I'm still not sure I did the sequence justice but it's hard to describe the indescribable sometimes. Here is Rozen's version of the Song of Healing if you'd like to listen. :)
Look, Link might have changed his mind on Termina but Nocturne, for all his problems with mortal emotions, sometimes *really* gets it. If Link was left at home to stew in the memory of what happened to him, he would have done something inadvisable. Time to get him out of town, out of universe, and have a much deserved vacation.
Enma is such a gremlin sometimes. I think ze's actually doing a lot better, probably not even grounded, but there's so much going on that ze doesn't want to leave. Oop! That's specifically what Farore said, wasn't it? :D
I thought about giving Oceanis a horse *to ride* but frankly, that is the least likely thing he would do. Still, he's a very pretty horse, trust me on this one.
Evil in the desert mention! I feel like we should have a count going.
Awww, Aspen. You precious boy. *pinches cheeks*
Zelda is not having a good day. Not a good week really. Probably not even a good spring. I'm sure it'll be fine. I'm sure she'll have a good cry and everything will be...
Oh.
Oops.
Anyway, BYE! See you next week! :D
Chapter 3: Dawn of the First Day
Summary:
Back to the Carnival of Time!
Notes:
Small content warning: The teens start having puberty-related thoughts and Link has memories that are quite a bit older than he is. Nothing shown, just implications for the future.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Link and the others had not gotten more than thirty minutes away from home (oh Goddesses, he knew what time felt like again) when Oceanis tossed his equine head up and glanced backwards at the teen. "Saria, please give Link the bag I packed."
"Oh right!" Still clutching tightly to Malon's shirt, the girl rummaged around in her travel sack and pulled out a bulging bag. "Catch, Link!"
On two moving horses, it was a close thing but Link did not spend the last nine years riding to be bad at it. With a click of his tongue to Epona, the two surged forward just in time for him to snag the bag as it passed overhead. He opened the top just enough to glance in, then yanked it wide open to pull out a loaf of Tilly's bread. So desperate was his need that he immediately pulled off a huge chunk with his teeth.
Both his hands were occupied by the food, only his legs gripping the mare's sides, and within a matter of moments half of it was gone. Malon looked over and down, confused at the ferocity he leveled at the food, and leaned forward towards Oceanis' ears, not wanting to interrupt Link's desperate task. "Has he not eaten today?"
A rumbling "hmm" shook the equine body and the god's voice was very quiet. "I don't believe he's eaten for several days, actually. His energy levels were very low when I checked him back at the house. If he's been dreaming since he left, it's been perhaps four days without food. I do believe they gave him water at one point at least but it could not have been a comfortable sleep for him."
Malon's hands clenched hard in the mane. "What?"
"I'm sorry you had to discover this way." Comfort was heavy in Oceanis' words but it barely touched her.
"W-why? Why would they…"
"If you gives you peace, I don't believe it was on purpose." The giant horse looked sideways towards where Link was pulling more food out, the bread long gone. That the boy could eat the way he was and ride was impressive. "I believe they didn't expect it to take as long as it did and were not prepared to give him nourishment after the process dragged on."
The redhead sputtered wildly. "But that's just careless! How could they!? They might have kil–" She stopped suddenly and hitched in a breath, glancing at Link nervously. Behind her, Saria clung tight to Malon's shirt. "Did they almost… Were they trying to…"
"Hmm, it was not as close as it could have been. Link fought to be free of the magic. I would have to speak with him and Zelda about it later to get a full picture of what happened but I am confident he would have broken free before it got that bad. Nephew, be sure to drink as well."
"Mmmrph." Link glared up at the other horse and Epona tossed her head, tipping the bag of food dangerously. The teen scrambled for it, desperation in his eyes, then pulled it tight to his chest as he shoved what looked like half a sandwich into his still-full mouth.
"At any rate, I don't think he realised how empty he was until just now. There was no time for food before we left but I knew once things calmed a bit, the hunger would return."
Malon nodded and clung to Oceanis' mane, falling silent as she watched Link work his way through a full bag of food. Why hadn't she thought about offering him anything to eat? Well, how could she have even known? The last she had spoken with Link, he said he was going to one of the suitor's events and that he'd see her before he went to Termina. Instead, the terrifying moon happened that afternoon followed soon by Nocturne carrying his son up to her door. It was a nightmare she hadn't realised she feared until it happened. Link was so strong! He could become a god and even with all that, he had been tricked and ensorcelled for days, unable to even feed himself. How unfair. How horrible! The king had invited Link personally, she had seen the message! Was it really Lorsham who wanted the teen under his thumb?
Anger hit Malon like a hammer and she bit her lip at the force of it. Never before in her life had she disliked the royal family. Until very recently, she hadn't even seen King Lorsham in anything but festival speeches. It wasn't until she grew closer to Link that she found herself involved with the monarchy, discovered that she actually liked Zelda as more than just a princess. The girl was pretty and friendly and never treated the redhead like someone lesser. The subject of Link's affections had created a rift between them, sadly, but she didn't think that would keep them from being friends someday. Zelda was fair and just and as long as Malon didn't brag about Link (and why would she ever, ever do that?), the matter would settle itself on its own. The suitors were all that Hyrule gossiped about now and several of them sounded very nice; she was sure Zelda would find her own happiness someday.
No, it was the king she was upset with.
He was failing as a ruler and Malon didn't know how to handle that. She couldn't keep standing by watching him treat both Link and Zelda as horribly as he did. He ignored everything they told them and threw Link into the suitors without even asking! Maybe he was trying to stop the Gerudo but was that even going well with everything else he was doing wrong? For the first time in her life, Malon doubted those in charge, felt anger and injustice towards the king. What was she supposed to do about that?!
Well, she knew where her loyalties lay anyway and it would always be with Link. Whatever he wanted to do about the kingdom, she would follow. And while she wanted to trust Zelda, knew the girl was not her father in any way, shape or form, she would wait and see what he wanted to do about her as well.
Malon hardly noticed the moment they passed from dark forest to a more complete blackness. Around her, the marks on the other three flared into brilliance and she stared in wonder at the red, green and blue on the horse under her; the patterns were always slightly different when the god changed shapes. Next to her, Link was staring stoically ahead, his food long having run out, and she wondered at the thoughts going through his head. It hardly seemed possible what had happened today, though it was only hours ago that she had been working in the garden. Her hand went up to the fairy pendant as she looked over at the boy, no, the young man that she loved and wished she was riding with him, not acting as a pillow for Saria snoozing on her back. He glanced over as she stared and gave her a sad sort of smile, his glimmering eyes taking in what she grasped so tightly, then urged Epona over to give her leg a pat before riding ahead as if anxious to get out of the dark.
Malon understood. She wanted out of this place too, wanted to be somewhere with a bed and warm blankets to cuddle into and sleep for hours. Oceanis was careful with his passengers and strode along at a moderate pace that brought them to the invisible hole that signaled freedom but it still felt much too long. With a sigh of relief, the redhead released cramped fingers from the blue mane and gave the stallion a pat on the neck much as she would any other horse then flushed an unseen red in the dark night. Overhead the sky was filled with only stars.
"Would it be too much trouble to walk for a little? I need to stretch. Maybe I can put Saria up against your neck?"
"No need. Let's just get to the field and we can walk to town from there."
They were into Termina Field in mere minutes and Link slipped off Epona first so he could hold out strong arms towards Malon. With a relieved smile, she slid off the side and into Link's waiting embrace, resting there a moment to hear the steady cadence of his heart. When she looked up into his face, his eyes were pointed skyward, searching for something in the star studded black. Tael landed on his shoulder and jingled a phrase in the fairy language but Link sighed and shook his head.
"Yeah, I know it's not there. I just had to look."
With a rush of divine power, Oceanis was once again his normal form, holding Saria in his arms. The girl mumbled and curled up against his chest, no armor there to make for an uncomfortable bed. Winking, the god strode off towards the town with long strides while Link took Malon's hand as he led Epona with loose reins. The mare barely needed to be led; she followed him as if loathed to let him out of her sight. Had the horse any idea what had happened to her friend? Was she worried about him too?
"Let's get going. You look exhausted."
Yawning, Malon could only agree. "It's been a long day. Probably longer for you, I guess."
"Well, considering I slept through half of it, probably not." There was bitterness in his voice and the redhead could only manage to squeeze his hand. What could she say to anything he had been through? Her heart thumped painfully, wishing she could have done something to stop it, wondering how she hadn't realised he was suffering so badly. It felt like she should know, somehow, when he was in pain.
Maybe that just happened in stories, in silly tales told around the fire at night.
The walk across Termina Field was long and tiring and by the time they reached the open gates into the city, Malon was half asleep. At one point, Link had wrapped his arm around her, half holding her up, and offered for her to ride Epona but she was so comfortable in his grip she merely muttered no and kept walking. As they approached the eastern gates to Clock Town, her head was on his arm and even the strangely active bustle at the gate didn't rouse her.
Link looked around at the people clustered around the entrance with shock, wondering what would bring them out in the middle of the night. There was even a sleepy stablemaster to take Epona in, muttering about the Carnival as he waved them towards the gate. He didn't even spare a glance towards the towering god in the group, merely complimented costumes they weren't wearing and plopped down into a chair to doze off once more. Once they were in the city proper, even more visitors were wandering through lantern-lit streets, laughing and talking in good spirits. The Milk Bar door was wide open and the bouncer was chatting easily with patrons coming and going. There was a festive air to the town and Link found himself shuffling closer to Oceanis, disconcerted by the activity. It was so busy! There were people here! As they approached the Stock Pot Inn doors, Link glanced up at the quietly ticking clock tower. Nearly midnight, just like at home. A small fear clutched his heart as time settled around his shoulders and the exact day hit him with an electric shock.
The First Day.
It was almost three days until the Carnival of Time.
In six hours it would be exactly four years to the day he first came to Termina.
Before panic had a chance to take hold, Oceanis gently pushed him and Malon through the Inn door, ducking down very slightly to follow them. It was quiet in the waiting room, no one around to meet them, but when the god gave a light tap to the bell on the desk, Link could hear someone moving around in the back.
"Sorry, sorry, no vacancies. Didn't you see the sig–" Kafei ducked through the door behind the desk, yawning as he pulled a robe over his bedclothes. He stopped dead at the four visitors in front of him, dawning comprehension finally reaching him through the haze of sleep. "Link!? I thought you were coming– Giants above! It's great to see you!"
With a total lack of propriety, the purple-haired man vaulted over the counter and was soon embracing both Link and Malon, the redhead squealing as she was squished between two much taller men. Link tried to smile, he did, and was sure he managed a half-hearted grin but it soon fled from his face. The events of the day slapped into him once again and he sagged into the hug with angry tears dripping down his face unbidden. "Kafei…"
"Link, what–? Are you okay? Shit, wait, let's go back to the kitchen and talk. We should be okay to not wake the twins back there." He glanced up at Oceanis and the god nodded, still carrying his own sleeping burden, then followed the purple-haired man into the back. "It's incredibly late but did you need anything to eat? We have some leftovers, at least. What about some bacon sandwiches?"
Scrubbing his eyes, trying to pull himself together, Link could only nod. Malon, fully awake now, helped him to a stool and gave his back a comforting rub, glancing between the teen and Oceanis. It was an awkward moment that Kafei quickly diffused with food as he began cutting thick slices of bread. In the silence, Link rubbed the sadness from his eyes and watched the chef slather on sauce, cold strips of bacon and thin layers of cheese before handing them across. Malon and Oceanis turned down every one but Link consumed each sandwich with methodical haste. Kafei watched the teen eat, questions building to a breaking point in his head and he looked up at Oceanis, opening his mouth to say something.
The god smiled an interruption, shifting Saria up to his shoulder. The pinkish fairy fluttered up then landed on the Kokiri's hair again. "I'm very sorry, Kafei, for the late night arrival." Almost on cue, the clock tower began chiming midnight and Link huddled in on himself as he finished the last of the food. "There was a problem at home but Nocturne insisted on getting Link here for the Carnival. I don't recall which day he was meant to come originally but are you still able to keep at least the three children here for the duration? Perhaps a week?"
"That's no problem at all! We did a lot of renovations on the Inn the past year, especially once Anju's mother moved out. There's a spare room with a couple of beds in our family suite, usually only used by my parents if they're watching the kids for us. I told them they'd have to stay at home because we had guests coming." Kafei chuckled, then looked nervously over at Link as the teen moaned and hid his face in his hands. "What–?"
"I will explain in a moment, if you can wait, but may we get them into bed for some rest first?"
"Uncle Oceanis, I'm not–"
"You will sleep, Nephew. Despite what you've been through, you need some real, healing rest."
Link sighed and stood, a bit wobbly on his feet, but Malon was right there with him, holding his arm steady as he took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll lay down at least."
Looking between the others again, brows tilted down in concern, Kafei gestured for them to follow him, voice just above a whisper. "Follow me then. The guest room is first on the left, where grandma used to stay. The twins have ate recently so they should be sleeping soundly but let's keep it down just in case." Despite his worry, the chef grinned wide at the sleepy teenagers. "I can hardly wait for you to meet them! But morning will come soon enough."
The group walked around the corner to a door that Link recognised but, when it opened, there was a long hall instead of the cosy bedroom he once remembered. A door just to the left was opened and there was grandma's bedroom, storybook still sitting on the table, but slightly rearranged for the new door placement. Oceanis was quick to sweep into the room, the smell of saltwater wafting out behind him, and placed the sleeping Saria on the nearest bed. He had her out of cloak and boots and under the covers before Malon could do much more than sit at the table. She glanced around as she pulled boots off, then sat straight with sudden realisation. "Um, sir?"
"Oceanis is fine, Malon."
"R-right. Um, where'd you put my bag?" With a flourish, the god produced the teen's travel bag from somewhere she couldn't quite make out but she thanked him all the same and set it on the table. Already she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open and looked to the bed with longing. Link frowned down at his feet and Malon had to smile affectionately at the sleepy confusion on his face. Gently she led him to a chair and helped him sit. "Come on, Link. I want to get to bed."
Looking startled, like he had forgotten that undressing was a thing people did for bed, Link also began pulling off dusty boots. Oceanis nodded to the two, then motioned for Kafei to precede him out the door. "You two get some rest while I fill Kafei in on pertinent information. I won't need sleep tonight so I'll see you later in the day. Link, if you need anything at all, please use my song immediately. There is no problem too small, do you understand?"
"Yeah, thanks."
Kafei nodded as well, then pointed out towards the hallway. "We have a toilet just down the hall. I'll let Anju know you arrived but we'll let you sleep in as long as you need. You kids get some rest. I'll bring in some water before I head back to sleep in case you get thirsty overnight."
With muttered acknowledgements, Malon managed to get Link back on his feet again as the pair walked out. It took some doing as the young man seemed to have lost every bit of impetus he had been running off of earlier but she steered him towards the bed and got him in without much trouble. As he collapsed into bed, the redhead looked at him then over at Saria already deeply asleep, wondering where she should rest tonight. A little thrill ran down her spine and she walked around to slip under the blankets next to Link. This was no camping under the stars, this was an actual bed and, though they were still fully clothed, it felt like doing something wrong. Talon would never agree to this! But they were both fifteen and that was almost adulthood after all! Without thinking, the young man wrapped his arms around Malon and she froze in his grasp, her heart beating fast as his warmth and scent engulfed her.
Oh, this is nice.
When she dared to move enough to look up, Link's eyes were closed and she heaved out a relieved sigh. The god had been right; he was going to sleep after all. Nothing to worry about! Leaning up to rest a quick kiss on his lips, Malon cuddled into his embrace and was soon asleep herself.
The steady ticking of a large clock woke Link the next morning and for a few, terrifying seconds, memory froze him in place. Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. He wasn't outside and there were no sounds of construction anywhere but it took him far too long to realise both of those things. Without warning, a loud bell sound, the all-too-familiar sound of the clock tower striking the hour.
Gong-gong!
Gong-gong!
Gong-gong!
Still immobile, Link counted the chimes, four five six, and then silence fell. Dawn of the First Day. Dawn of the First Day! Reflexively, his body spasmed and he found himself clutching something in front of him that was very soft and warm and not at all what he was expecting to feel at six in the morning on the first day.
"Ow!" A startled exclamation, then a sleepy mumble followed. "Mm, Link? That you?" The teen hitched in his breath as he let go, covering his mouth with his hands. Malon turned slowly, looked over her shoulder with heavy-lidded eyes, her hair a mass of tangled red. She blinked at him, then glanced over at the curtained window, yawning. "What time is it?"
Face a bright red, Link swallowed hard and whispered so as not to push her out of sleep any more than she was. "Six in the morning. Sorry, I had a bad dream. Go back to sleep."
"Mmm, kay." As she turned back away from him and snuggled deeper into the blanket, Link released a breath and slowly, carefully, scooched off the bed. There was no way he'd be able to sleep again now; his heart hammered too hard in his chest and the remembered terror from Termina jangled around in his mind. Had he spent all night sleeping with Malon? The idea had his heart racing even faster but he tried to distract himself by getting a better look at their room.
Saria was still sleeping in the other bed and the embers in the fireplace were barely glowing. On the table was the book, Malon's and his bags and a pitcher of water that reminded him just how thirsty he still was. He nearly tripped over himself to get to it, not even bothering with a cup as he tipped the side into his mouth directly. Even with the bottles of water and milk Oceanis had supplied yesterday, even with whatever it was Kafei had given him to drink with the sandwiches, he was still parched far beyond what was normal for this time of morning. The edge of the earthen container scratched against his bottom lip and he set it down on the table with a thump, running a finger over what he now realised was cracked skin. As he pulled his hand away, the smallest trace of old and new blood was visible and he inhaled sharply.
How long had he gone without anything to drink?
At one point, during his trials against Ganondorf, he had travelled into the desert without being adequately prepared. He had gotten so thirsty trying to make his way across the sands, not realising there wouldn't be any water at all out there. Navi hadn't even warned him but perhaps Aevum simply hadn't known he needed to drink so frequently. By the end of the first day, he was parched. By the second one, he knew what it was like to be dehydrated. On the third and final day, his lips had started to bleed and all he could think of was water, blessed, precious water that he had never had a lack of before. That wasn't an experience he was likely to forget, ever, and the knowledge that he had been in the castle, where there was plenty to drink, and had almost died of dehydration infuriated him. What the hell!? Were they trying to kill him?!
Link looked down at the empty pitcher regretfully, then made his way out of the room to search for somewhere to get water. The newer section of the Inn was too unfamiliar to him so he wandered out into the quiet halls towards the kitchen. It wasn't completely quiet though; even though it was only just past six, there were already sounds on the floor above, people moving around in beds and getting ready to start the day. The teen paused, disconcerted, never having been here when there were more than just a few scattered visitors. With a shake of his head, he continued into a bustling, busy kitchen where Kafei had several pots and pans filled with various breakfast foods. A small boy, perhaps around ten or so, slipped past Link, giving the blonde a curious look, then grabbed a tray set with bowls and plates filled to the brim and rushed out again. Kafei looked up and sighed faintly.
"Dustin! Don't tilt the tray so mu– Oh! Link!" The purple-haired man grinned as his eyes landed on the teenager. With a practiced hand, he quickly scooped up some rice and eggs into a bowl and handed it over. "Good morning. I thought you'd be sleeping in a bit today."
The blond juggled the pitcher and hot bowl for a moment, then set the empty water container on a counter. He snatched up a pair of chopsticks from a drawer and licked his lips at the enticing aroma. "The, uh, clock tower woke me up. I was looking for more water. But thanks! I'm starving!"
"Yeah, I could see that last night." Even as the older man was preparing another platter of food, his eyes scanned the blonde and what he saw twisted a pit of anger that had sat with him since the night before. The god had told him briefly what happened to Link and now that they were sitting in the light of day, he could definitely see the tell-tale signs of someone who had been neglected for several days. Quietly, he refilled the pitcher and set it down in front of the teen who only had a few grains of rice left in his bowl. Barely taking breaths between one bite and the next, Link put the bowl down and picked up the pitcher, drinking the water straight out of it again. Kafei's frown deepened.
When he was done, Link wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and smiled sheepishly. "Thanks. Your food's great, as always."
"I'm surprised you were able to taste it." The chef already had a new bowl of food ready for Link and the teen seized it nearly immediately.
"Sorry. There were, um, problems at home. Do you know where Uncle Oceanis is? It was just me and the girls in the room."
"Your uncle filled me in on the situation last night. He asked me for a list of food supplies and said he was going to go shopping." There was a pause as Kafei watched the blonde devour yet another serving in mere minutes. When the god had insisted on getting them more food today, Kafei had weakly countered that they didn't need it. They had plenty ready for the carnival and deliveries of fresh ingredients ordered for every day. It had all been arranged! But watching Link work his way through two helpings and still look hungry made him realise Oceanis' meaning. They were going to go through a lot more food if the boy kept this up. With a sigh, he handed Link a new bowl, this time with porridge, and walked over to the cooler to get a jug of Romani milk.
"Oh. Okay." Link stepped off to the side as the boy from before rushed in and grabbed another tray before hurrying out again at barely a slower pace.
"Dusty! SLOWER!"
"Yessir!"
Then the kid was gone and Link reached for the milk, looking confused. "Kafei, who's that?"
"Oh! Just one of the city boys. That's Dustin. We need help in the mornings and evenings to run food to our guests. He gets 40 rupees for today's work."
"Wow! That's a lot of money for a kid."
Kafei laughed and refilled the water pitcher, then Link's bowl of porridge. "Yes but it's incentive that works very well! We usually get a few boys and girls every Carnival, knowing we pay well and wanting to have the funds to spend on the big event. I'll take whoever gets here first but promise the wages go down if I find them fighting about it. They're good kids. Motivated, you know?"
"Yeah, I do." Pulling up a stool to the counter, Link consumed his fourth bowl slower, occasionally stopping to take a drink from the pitcher or the milk bottle, and considered what he might have done for fourty rupees at that age. When he had been here during Majora's time, there hadn't been enough visitors to need a job like that.
"Ha! Well, I can't deny that you were a bit of inspiration for the position, you know? Always running around, doing work for people. I figured there's probably lots of kids who would do the same thing if given the opportunity." There was quiet between the two for a few moments as Kafei continued to get breakfast ready for the guests, Dustin running in and out. Calm filled the room and Link took a deep breath, letting the air fill his lungs entirely before letting it go again. This was a first day as he had never seen it before. For the residents of Termina, there had never even been a first day, just them going about their lives with the creeping terror overhead. Now it was normal, vendors and visitors travelling in for the Carnival, performers practicing, everyone excited for the party to come. Had it been like this the other years he'd been back at home? Had it been like this before he had ever come to Termina at all?
The idea of Termina, of Clock Town and all the other regions, settled in his head. Not a place of horror, just a world that had been under siege. He knew that, of course he did, but for two years of his life he had watched it be the same over and over again. Now he had seen it in winter and summer and, for the first time in four years, at exactly the same time of year he had lived through. His dad had said he should go, that every trip to Termina was part of the healing, and while Link never really doubted the god, sometimes it was harder for him to accept certain truths. It felt more possible now, sitting here as an honoured guest, just existing in the city without evil overhead.
"Link! There you are. Good morning!" Anju bustled into the kitchen, carrying one of the babies on her hip. The twin was four months now, awake and aware and cooing happily, and Link grinned back at the baby then up at the redhead.
"Morning! Sorry we came in so late last night. And, uh, brought extra people."
"Oh don't be silly. Kafei was able to fill me in on a little bit and we're happy to have you, though I might have to rush order a few things to accommodate Malon. I got us Carnival outfits, remember!" She gave Link a critical look, then smiled again. "I guess you haven't grown more since winter. That's good!"
"Right, uh, well you don't have to. I mean, I don't know what Malon all brought to wear but–"
"Tsk, don't bother talking me out of it. This is so exciting Link! You'll be able to take part in the mask making tomorrow! Our Link is so happy to be making his first one this year, though it won't be anything complicated. Ah! I'm so happy you could come!" The redhead gave Link's hand a happy squeeze then turned back to her husband. "I just need the food for me and little Link, dear. He was starting to wake up and I desperately need some tea and toast before I have to feed Misu. This little glutton almost drained me dry just now."
Laughing, Kafei turned to prepare another platter. "Of course, I'll bring it back in just a moment."
"Oh! I can help." Link stood, placing his empty bowl in the washing bin with the other dirty dishes Dustin had been bringing back. "It's the least I can do, since you're letting us stay here for free."
Anju gave him another pat on the arm as she moved around him to give Kafei a quick kiss. "Link, that is so sweet of you. You're our guest though!"
"Didn't you say I was more like a brother? Or something? I'll help."
Laughing, Kafei handed Link a large tray with more bowls and plates of food, plus a clean pitcher of water and another of milk and yet a third with juice. "See Anju? I told you we had adopted a brother. He knows his place. Link, if the girls wake up, let me know and I'll send hot food to your room but after last night, I think you're the only one who is going to be up this early."
Link grinned and balanced the tray easily, following after Anju even as the baby cooed and reached for him. The walk into the back apartments was short and he looked around curiously as they passed the only door he had seen thus far. It was a modest sized suite with three more bedrooms and a living room, as well as a small washroom with a tiny metal tub, toilet and sink basin. That reminded Link he had other needs to attend to and he excused himself after setting down the tray at their table. Anju waved him off with a laugh as he apologised and he had to laugh a bit at himself as well. It was so normal. When did Termina start to feel as much like home as, well, home did?
When he walked back out a short while later, wiping damp hands on his wrinkled pants from yesterday, he was still grinning. It was just like every other day, not like every day in his fight against Majora. Even the differences to the Inn were settling the tight knot in his chest that had appeared when he woke up to the clock tower that morning.
Anju was already eating while the two babies babbled happily in a high chair and the violet-haired younger Link happily shoved spoonful after spoonful of porridge into his small mouth. He looked up when Link sat next to him and waved the spoon around in the air while yelling a cheerful hello. The teenager couldn't help but grin; he and his namesake were very different but he didn't mind that at all. It made his name feel more like something anyone could have, not just scattered heros through the centuries.
"Hey there, buddy! How are you? Do you remember me?"
The boy frowned slightly, then nodded! "Party!"
"Yeah! Great job. Do you remember my name?"
Little Link looked over at his mom, who laughed. "Dear, do you remember your name?"
"Link!"
"That's right! And do you remember what I said your uncle's name was?"
"Um, Link? That MY name!"
"Yes! You have the same name!"
"MY NAME!"
The older Link laughed and tousled the boy's hair much the way everyone did to him. "Can't we share a name? I know a few other people with the name too and it's okay to have the same names. It means we're special, right?"
Sucking on his spoon contemplatively, the boy nodded then went back to his breakfast, considering the matter settled. Link grinned and turned back to Anju, who was trying to entertain the twins. "Did you need any help?"
"Oh, well, if you're offering, can you watch Tira for a moment? She's the one who looks half asleep already but that's because she just ate." Standing, Anju lifted the other girl, identical to the sleepy one she pointed out, and moved over to a more comfortable chair just behind them. "They're going through another growth and I feel like I'm one of Cremia's milk cows half the time!"
Still grinning, Link lifted the other baby out of the chair before she could fall over and held her just the way Malon had taught him. "That's what Tilly said too last summer. I didn't realise feeding babies was so hard."
"Ug, it wasn't this bad with Link, I mean, our Link. But feeding two at once is definitely more difficult. Kafei offered to see if any of the other ladies in town were able to help but I told him if I don't feed the girls myself, it'll never get better. It's not always this hard." The redhead laughed, glancing over her shoulder, then turned back to focus on her daughter. "Thank you for the help. You just got here and you're already up bright and early, helping with the kids. Normally Kafei would be here but the Carnival takes all our attentions. We hired Pamela to watch the desk during the day occasionally just because we're so busy! I told her she should be out enjoying the festivities but she swore she wanted to help."
Link shuffled the baby in his arms a little and the dark-haired infant cuddled into his shoulder with a faint burp. The teen grinned, remembering his first time holding Tilly's newborns; the boys were older now, nearly a full year, and Tira was not a newborn herself so Link felt more comfortable with holding her. He was proud of himself for adjusting to babies as well as he had! Uncle Oceanis had been right; by the time he and Malon were ready to have kids, he'd probably be a lot more comfortable with the idea.
"How's everyone doing in the four regions, anyway? We didn't have a chance to talk much at my birthday."
"Oh, it's not too bad. The Zora and the pirates have been having some tussles but we've actually seen more of the Gerudo getting away from that lifestyle. There's talk of them maybe settling into Ikana canyon. After that ordeal with the Tower, the skeletons have almost completely disappeared; I think they might actually have moved on. No more of the Garo either."
"Hmm. Bet dad did something about that the last time we were here."
"You might be right. How nice of him to keep Guarding after he had gone home." Anju hummed a song at her daughter, just on the edge of familiarity to Link, then continued. "Anyway, if you have a chance, Kafei can maybe take you out there. There's plants starting to grow! I was astounded." Chuckling a little, Anju shifted her baby from one side to another. Link sat down again next to toddler-Link, who was more playing with his porridge than eating it, humming a happy tune under his breath. Reflexively, Link joined in with the harmony.
"Everything else okay?"
"I'm sure I'm missing something but yes. Even the Dekus have been much nicer since the princess became Queen. A bit friendlier, I think. We get more trade with the business scrubs these days. Oh! I think you'll be excited by the new band that's the headliner of the Carnival this year. Very interesting music! A fascinating mix of Termina's culture. That's all for now but I'm sure you'll pick up on other news as you're out and about."
A companionable silence settled on the small room. Young Link climbed down from his chair to plop down on the small couch. The dark-haired baby on the older Link's shoulder was breathing deeply, fully asleep. Through the walls, he could hear the clock tower chime the hour. Seven am, less than three days until the Carnival of Time begins. Dawn of a new day.
Link smiled and closed his eyes. Somewhere inside, new trauma warred with the old but he could ignore it for now. Dad had been right; not being home gave him enough separation from what had happened to him so that he wasn't wallowing in fear and anger. He could relax and enjoy the time with his friends, his family, that he had found here on Termina. He had never been so happy he had been brought back to this place that had once caused him pain.
Maybe he would never have to be worried about it ever again.
That thought left a smile on his lips.
After Anju finished breakfast and got the babies down for a nap in their cradles, she shooed Link back to his own room, insisting he try to get more sleep. He didn't think he'd be able to, honestly, but as he slipped into the quiet, dim bedroom where Saria and Malon still slept, his eyes began drooping almost immediately. Yanking off his rumpled, torn tunic, Link gratefully crawled back into bed beside the redhead and almost immediately found himself drifting off to sleep. His stomach felt almost full, he wasn't thirsty and the blankets (and Malon) were warm and comfortable. It was a healing sleep he fell into, one free of magic and fear. It was exactly what he needed.
And when he woke up a few hours later, he was holding the redhead once again and she smiled at him with heavy lidded eyes, her face very close to his. An almost forgotten memory he had borrowed from the future drifted into his mind, a scene with a bed and Malon, her face above him, the long red hair trailing on his bare skin. She was smiling at him with love and something else and his heart beat faster at the prospect of what was about to come…
Not thinking, his mind caught between present and future, Link leaned forward and kissed Malon with a passion rooted in his older self.
There was only a moment of shocked pause before the redhead returned the kiss and pressed her face forward, her hands going up to hold his face, to push away the trailing blonde bangs that got into eyes and mouths. Link may have forgotten which year his body currently inhabited but Malon did not and she felt the first real touches of need for something she wouldn't dare name. Link's arms pulled her tighter and in her mind, something sighed with satisfaction, even though a part of her knew this was a dangerous position to be in. It was okay. It would be okay. It was just a kiss, after all.
In Link's mind, a memory of Zelda appeared, laughing and happy, and a confused disorientation settled over him. Malon, Zelda, it wasn't…that couldn't… The future faded as suddenly as it had come and the reality of his current life crashed into him. He couldn't stop the hot tears that began dripping out of his eyes onto Malon's lips and she released a confused hmmm in her throat as she pulled away, only to see Link crying like he had been the night before at his house.
"Oh…oh no, Link, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean…please, I didn't mean to…"
The blonde pulled her closer and pressed his face into her neck, trying to hold in the hiccupping sobs that had taken hold over him. He had been having such a nice morning too! And now the only thing he could think of was that terrifying not-Zelda and the life he thought he had been living with her and the emptiness where his dad had been and how badly he had betrayed Malon by forgetting about her entirely. The bed shook with his repressed sobs and the redhead held him tight, making comforting noises into his hair.
Over Link's shoulder, Malon could see Saria slink out of bed and wave to her, then quietly exit the room. Hopefully the Kokiri girl would get food and water for them all, ready for when Link calmed down. And he would calm down, the redhead was sure of it. It was hard to believe it hadn't even been a day since the gods had shown up at her door, an incapacitated Link in his dad's arms. It was still so fresh, a wound bled freely. Link deserved to rid the pain out of himself in whatever way he needed but he would heal. He always did. "I'm sorry, Link. I won't do that again. I–"
"No." Malon more felt his voice rumbling against her skin than heard it and she bit her lip lightly.
"No?"
"It wasn't…" Link pulled away from her, eyes red with dark shadows underneath. The redhead shifted her arm slightly, wanting to touch him, to wipe the streaks of tears off of his skin, but he pushed himself up into sitting and leaned back against the headboard with a tired sigh. "It wasn't you. Nothing…nothing to do with you except…"
Malon found herself holding her breath as she pushed herself up on her hands. "Link…"
"Except I betrayed you."
Heart sinking into her knees, the redhead could feel her own tears gathering. "What?"
Link pressed his palms into his eyes and groaned with distress. "They put me to sleep and I dreamed…I dreamed that my life had been different. That I never came to Termina, never saved dad, never…never got to be with you in the Field. They told me I was in love with Zelda and…and I believed them. Let myself fall in love with her again. I didn't know. I didn't remember that we were in love! How could I ever do that to you?"
Malon pushed up fully and moved to sit next to him, resting a light, warm hand on his knee. Link shuddered then lowered his right hand to cover hers. The girl's thoughts were a mess of contradictions, happiness that Link had missed her, sad that he blamed himself for things he shouldn't, anger at the ones who had done this to him. "It's not your fault that someone was casting spells on you."
"But it is. It's…they used my own memories against me. I do love Zelda, I did back then and I've never really let that go. They pulled…" He paused, not wanting to explain the memories of his first timeline, not knowing how. "The time when I was older, everything I've gone through, they used that to pull that love out and shove it back in my face. I don't know how to get over that, Malon. I…" Once again Link covered his face with his hands, inhaling a deep, shuddering breath. Next to him, Malon pulled her own hand away and sat, heart pounding rapidly, thoughts bouncing from side to side in her mind. As the giant clock ticked through several minutes, she eventually took a breath and stared down at her hands.
"I'll see if your uncle can take me home."
Link jerked with surprise and yanked his hands down to stare at Malon in shock. "What?"
"I…" She swallowed hard, then shook her head before she continued. "You deserve to be happy, Link. You…you should go to Zelda, let her know how you feel. You can still be together."
A distressed sound started in the back of Link's throat as Malon turned and shuffled to the edge of the bed, attempting to get off. Before she could get very far, the boy's hand grabbed hers once again. "Malon! No!"
"If you still love her–"
"NO! Oh Goddesses, no! Malon, please, don't leave me! Please don't leave me!"
The redhead turned, eyes full of tears. "It's…it's not about me. I would stay as long as you would have me. But you just said–"
"I love you, Malon! I love you so much! Please don't leave me! Please! I couldn't stand it. You will shatter my heart into tiny pieces. I can't!" His eyes were so tortured, so sad, that the girl threw herself into his waiting arms and kneeled on the bed as they clung together. Link's chest heaved with frantic breathing and suppressed tears. "I love you, Malon. You were there but I couldn't remember you like I couldn't remember dad. My head was always screaming for someone else but I didn't know who. I clung to Zelda because I missed you. I love you! I can't stop loving her but I don't want to stop loving you! I need you. Please! Please love me back, don't leave me. Please…"
She was beginning to cry as well as she held Link, letting herself feel both of their sorrow together. "I would never leave you, Link. I promise."
"Then why!? Why would you say that?"
"Because I love you. Because I thought you needed something other than me. Because your happiness is so important to me. That's why."
"You are my happiness too. Without you, I'd be lost." Silence descended between them as Link shook in Malon's hold, then he swallowed hard as he buried his face in her hair. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't know why I can't let go, why my old feelings keep pushing their way in. I want us, Malon. I want to have the ranch and the horses and the wide open spaces. I want to see those three kids in more than just memory. I want to have dad and Saria and Uncle Oceanis all there with us. I want you, want you so badly it hurts when we're apart. I don't know why I can't stop caring for Zelda, can't stop that stupid, stupid voice from reminding me what we might have had. I don't know why I'm so messed up. I don't–"
Malon pulled away slightly and put a finger to his lips, shaking her head. "No, Link, you're not messed up. There's nothing wrong with you. You have been through so much and yet you love so deeply. You love her for a reason and that's so, so important to who you are! Never regret love. Maybe I'm just a silly fifteen year old girl who hasn't seen as much as you or knows as much as the princess but I do know that we should always cherish love, even if it's confusing or scary or sad. I never want to crush your capacity for caring." With tears in her eyes, Malon leaned forward and kissed him with all the comfort she could press into it, accepting who he was. The two lingered there for a breath or two, then Malon pulled away and settled herself next to him, resting her hand on his leg.
With a sigh, Link rested his head on Malon's, entwining his left hand fingers with her own; the Triforce glimmered very faintly in the dim room. "I love you, Malon."
"And I, you." She paused a moment, then took a breath. "You know, I understand. I love Zelda too."
Link's hand spasmed. "You do?"
"A little bit. She's my princess, you know, and I think everyone in Hyrule cares for her. She's so very nice and friendly, really pretty too, and you can tell how much she cares for her people with everything she's done. Whenever we've all been together as a group, she's listened to me and treated me like an equal, not a subject and…well, I understand. Maybe it's not the same way you feel about her but I think if we just accept that it's okay to love people freely and know that we're dedicated to each other, it'll be okay in the end."
Laughing softly, Link kissed the top of her head. "Except maybe not going around kissing everyone, right? Isn't that what you said?"
"Yeah, that's true." The redhead giggled a little and looked up into Link's perfect blue eyes. "It'll be okay. I'm sure it will. I trust you, Link, and I trust our love. I'm sorry I said I was going to leave."
"I'm sorry that my life is so complicated." Carefully, Link cupped Malon's face in his hands, staring into her own, darker blue eyes. "Thank you for understanding."
With a slow smile, the redhead leaned forward and kissed him once again, not pulling away this time. As they held each other, heartbeats slowing and the strain of loss draining from their shoulders, Malon promised herself she would never do that to Link again. It would not be her that pulled his heart to pieces. No matter what happened, no matter what came their way, she would stay with him until the end of time itself.
Somehow, she knew their love was strong enough for that.
Notes:
Man, this update is LATE. Sorry, it was my birthday yesterday! Except I got sick. So I haven't been enjoying much of anything, haha. It's all good. I got this out on Sunday, somewhere, technically. Don't worry about it.
So you might have noticed there's no Zelda in this update. We're going to be going back and forth for a little bit until Link is back in Hyrule again. I know, I know, cliffhangers and all but it'll be fiiiiiiine. Trust! If I don't have enough to fill an entire chapter with one POV, then I'll put them both into a chapter, but you know how I write. 😇
Anyway, Termina! Dawn of the First Day! Or midnight, leading into dawn. You know how it goes. This is Link's final act of real healing for his Termina life arc; facing the Carnival of Time once more. And it's working! He gets to see how the Carnival is *really* supposed to work! It's making him feel better!
Though he still has to deal with the new trauma too. Fun fact! In chapter 1, the mages gave him something real to drink *once*. Did you notice when that happened?
Happy Anju and Kafei family moments. I love them. 💜 I renovated their home so it would make more sense for a growing family, haha.
And yes, look, I rated this fic Teen for a reason. There's not going to be any *actual* explicit material but we're going to have to start dealing with the horny teens a little bit. I drive a school bus for a living and you'd be surprised how much high schoolers think about this. Or maybe you wouldn't be. And Link, poor Link, has a real hard time with his memories right now. He had a demon digging around in his head, shaking loose all sorts of things he's not supposed to be remembering. His memories are kinda soup right now and he has no idea what he's going to pull out at any given time. Poor boy got a memory he was not prepared to handle.
Ah, here comes the angst. Link did not come out of that castle experience well at all. Guilt! guilt guilt guilt guilt guilt. You see, one of the things I've thought about a lot is how Link has a lot of potential pairings in OOT and I think that says something about his personality. I've already said he was bi but I think, in general, he just has a very caring personality and has it in him to love more than one person at a time. But that's not how they do things in Hyrule. He was conflicted about what happened with older Zelda, didn't know how to handle those feelings when he was a kid again, then got his emotions ground down in Termina. If the dream from chapter 1 had been truth, would he eventually had fallen in love with Zelda again? Would he have been able to wait for her to fall in love with him? Maybe. Would he have still fallen in love with Malon? Maybe! There's so many fics with several OOT pairings and honestly that just feels like something he would do.
At the end of the day, this is still a MaLink fic because I just don't think Link's prepared to handle more complicated feelings as a teenager, and neither is Malon or anyone else either. And Malon is definitely going to stop suggesting he *leave her* because she's being all noble or something. Maybe she's learning a few things about love along the way as well. Now we just get to deal with Link having complicated feelings about Aspen, maybe. hehehehehe!
Anyway, next week we're back to Zelda! I'm sure everything is okay with her, I mean, him. Definitely fine. 💜
Chapter 4: Prince and Princess
Summary:
She had become a he. What was he supposed to do now!?
Notes:
Reminder: Sign language is bracketed to translate what's being said. [ ] around regular text is standard sign, around italics is magical language based.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Zelda stared at herself (himself?) in the mirror, breath heaving in his (her?) chest. His hands, somehow slightly larger, gripped the edge of the mirror as he tried to find herself in the glass, as if maybe this was just some strange dream and any moment, the princess would walk back out of the reflection and step into her spot in his skin.
His skin!
Goddesses! How the fuck had this happened!? Absolutely nowhere, anywhere, had magic like this been mentioned. Not even his (her?) mother's journals had the smallest note about being able to change gender completely. Was it complete? Frantically, she stripped off the torn and stained dress, threw it into a corner and stared at his body in the underclothes. Then, terrified at what he knew she would see, Zelda stripped those off as well with eyes closed. Once every last bit of clothing was removed, she trembled and opened a single eye, making sure to stare only at his face for a while before shifting down to his chest. Yes, the breasts were gone, or mostly so, leaving only some well-toned muscles. He had been working very hard in her training with Impa, knew that in his usual body she never did have a very large chest to begin with but usually there was something there!
Okay, okay, this was fine. This was… His eyes scanned down further, even as her hands covered his chest. For whatever reason, having it bare was now a problem, even though he was the only one around. Swallowing hard, she scanned her eyes down further, all the way past his stomach, down and down until…
Yup. That was definitely a…
Curiosity overtook embarrassment. A quick prod provoked a reaction, a feeling, and Zelda turned away quickly, face flushed with a million emotions he didn't know how to name. It was a complete gender switch, not just a disguise. Oh Goddesses above, how? WHY? What was going on!? Why was she suddenly a boy!? This was the absolute worst possible time for this to happen! Impa was still gone, his father was hopefully still holed up in his chambers and Zelda had about a million things to do tomorrow that absolutely involved him looking like himself and not some strange, Sheikah-ish boy!
Okay, wait. It was his (her?) magic that did this, right? Surely he (...she?) could fix it with magic! Deep breath, another deep breath, concentrate on the feeling of bright light that was her (his) inheritance. It was there. It was THERE! Zelda breathed out with relief and focused with all his might on the magic, willing it to return her back to normal, willing it to fix whatever had been broken. For a moment, the bright power flowed through his veins and he tilted his face upwards into it, closing her eyes against the glow. After a moment, he glanced down again and…nothing had changed. Frowning, she tried again, thinking the strongest female thoughts he could manage. Back to his normal self, back to the parts of him that he was used to! Once again there was the warm, yellow light and once again…nothing. Was he not asking for enough of the magic? Wasn't he explaining what he wanted clearly? There had never, ever, been this many problems doing things with the power! The mages had all been astounded with how well Zelda had picked up new abilities and could manipulate them right away. Why was it suddenly failing him!?
Impa! He needed to talk to Impa right now but how was he even going to get out of the castle without anyone seeing? The princess was supposed to be sleeping! And what was he even going to wear?! Running to his bedroom was not a comfortable experience; his body moved in the wrong places and the weight was distributed just differently enough that he nearly tripped and fell into the closet doors. Grumbling, he yanked them open and stared inside, suddenly faced with the knowledge he had absolutely no idea how to dress as a boy.
Oh Goddesses, what do I do!? If he wore a dress, would he be able to pass as himself? As the princess? They were unlikely to fit very well and there were just enough changes to his face that he doubted very much it would work. Not to mention the lack of padding up top! And his VOICE! He hadn't said much yet but even the few yells had sounded different, deeper. Link's voice had changed, hadn't it? Gotten lower as he got older. A thin-fingered hand settled on Zelda's throat and he could feel the strange bump there. Was that what made men's voices lower?
Sighing, he rested his head on the edge of the door and pushed down the panic that threatened to engulf him. Think it out. You can do this. It'll be fine. What did he need? Undergarments for sure. Certain new body parts hung uncomfortably and his face turned red once again at the thought of it. Of course he knew the difference between boy and girl anatomy but had not expected to have such a personal experience with it. In desperation, he grabbed a pair of underwear and yanked it on, managing somehow to get everything pushed into place. It wasn't comfortable exactly but he'd figure out something different when he could talk to Impa later.
As the time passed, a desperate urgency grabbed hold and Zelda began rummaging through the rest of his clothes. What to wear?! Pants seemed like the way to go. Plenty of boys wore tights but the idea of wearing something so form fitting sent a thrill of terror down his spine. No thank you! Did he even have pants here at the castle? All his riding outfits were at camp! A switch to a different closet pulled up an older outfit, nearly completely outgrown with a recent growth spurt, but it would have to work. As he yanked the pants on, Zelda made a desperate mental note to have more made up once he was back to himself again.
If he ever was.
Best not think of that. By the time he was fully dressed in a shirt that clung tightly to the newly flat chest, the bells for 1am were ringing and he swore under his breath. It was so late. It would take hours to get back to camp and if Impa took Aspen's message seriously, she might be getting up at that time to rouse the suitors. Would it be better to stay here, get some sleep? As the adrenalin wore off, he realised how exhausted he was. The bed was right there, after all. He could sleep and get up at first light and–
Shit, no, Josey or Laday would be in bright and early. If they discovered a strange boy in Zelda's room, well… Maybe he could sleep somewhere else tonight? Somewhere no one would second guess the presence of a Sheikah-like boy suddenly hanging around. Impa's room! That was perfect, both her and Hilie were at the camp! He could hide there and then when the Sheikah came home, they'd deal with it immediately! That was definitely the best option for tonight.
Now equipped with a plan, he began setting it into motion. It wouldn't do if the girls found the bedroom empty; they'd be suspicious immediately. But if he made it look like he had been sleeping… Blankets were thrown aside and tousled to look as if the bed was slept in. The torn dress and discarded underthings were put with the dirty clothes where they belonged. A quick note was scrawled out and Zelda spared a moment to be thankful his handwriting hadn't changed before leaving it on his desk where the handmaidens would see it, simply stating that he (she) had gotten up early to train and meet with Impa when the suitors got back. With a grateful sigh, he put out all the lights and quickly slipped into the hallway, hoping the lateness of the day would be cover enough to keep from being seen. He was too rattled to try out the stealth lessons Impa had been instructing him on.
So of course, he was completely surprised by turning a corner and running full on into another person. Gasping, Zelda staggered backwards just as the other person fell forwards and the two shared a brief moment of confusion where they tried not to fall over each other. In the dim light of the few night-time torches, Zelda looked up and found himself face-to-face with none other than the prince of Akkala, Aspen.
Oh no.
The brunette straightened and smiled, his hands moving in the signs that Zelda couldn't follow. With a startled jump, he laughed as he apologised. "Sorry, terribly sorry, I forget myself. Hello. Didn't expect anyone around here this time of night." Even a quick glance showed that the teen looked exhausted and dirty. He must have ridden right back here after delivering the message, assuming he had delivered it. Zelda had a brief moment of terrified uncertainty, wondering if he had misjudged the young prince so entirely.
"Er, hi." Yes, his voice was definitely lower now and a little rough sounding after the earlier screaming. He honestly should have spoken more before heading out. He hoped it was unrecognizable; it didn't sound that different to his ears.
"Um, I don't think we've met before but I am Aspen, one of Zelda's suitors." He stuck out his hand to Zelda and the now-boy took it nervously.
"No, uh, I don't think we have. I'm…a student of Impa's." He froze suddenly, realising he didn't know what to call himself. He couldn't say Zelda for heaven's sake! Think fast think fast think fast! I need a name, now! "My name is Cyrus!"
Well, it wasn't the worst choice.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Cyrus." The two shook hands and Zelda felt a small thrill at the touch. "Sorry to have slammed into you so hard but I wasn't expecting anyone to be up this time of night!"
"Er, right. It is very late and…" Zelda paused, then narrowed his eyes at the teen. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be with the suitors?"
The faintest tint of embarrassment touched the young man's cheeks, hard to see in the flickering lights but there all the same. "Oh, I was. I, uh, I was delivering a message to Impa at the camp and…" He paused and Zelda could practically see the young prince weighing his words carefully. "After the earlier events, I thought the princess might want some company. My intentions were honest, I swear on it. We had been together when…"
"Yes, the moon." Zelda paused as well, building a story with every word. "I saw it from Kakariko and rushed to the castle as soon as I could. Perhaps we just missed meeting earlier. I met up with the princess as she was, ah, questioning some mages."
Aspen's eyes lit briefly. "So you've seen Zelda? Is she doing well? I was worried after…what happened."
Zelda had to hide a smile as the Akkalan tried desperately not to give any information away while at the same time hinting that he was trustworthy. He had not realised who Cyrus actually was but had already learned that the Sheikah were very close to the royal family. Smart boy. "The princess filled me in a bit. She wasn't feeling too well this evening so I made sure she went to sleep. Seems like there was quite a bit going on today."
Running a dirty hand through his long, tangled hair, Aspen laughed weakly and sagged in obvious exhaustion. "You could say that. But she's okay?"
"Yes. Well, mostly okay I suppose. I'm sure we'll hear more in the morning."
"Ah, I guess I came all this way for nothing then."
The young man looked so morose that Zelda took his arm in friendly camaraderie and led him out of the corridor towards the wing the suitors were assigned to. "I know she'll be happy to hear you were thinking of her. I'll let her know next time I see her, if that would give you peace? You're very kind to think of our poor princess in these difficult times."
"Poor princess?" Aspen gave Zelda a bemused smile as he was led down the corridor. "What is poor about her?"
"Oh, uh, well I meant with her parents and, um, the whole thing with the Gerudo. You know…" Zelda began to sweat a little, not sure why he had even said it. He had certainly heard it plenty in his past and had been angry every time, yet here he was parroting what everyone else said about him.
The brunette laughed and gave Zelda's arm a friendly pat. "I suppose. What little I have gotten to know of her thus far has shown that she is strong and proud, with a willpower unmatched. I would never describe her as 'poor' in any way." There was such affection in his voice that Zelda was glad the lighting was dim in this part of the castle; he was sure his face was turning a brilliant shade of red. Trying not to look at Aspen and yet make his words audible enough for the suitor was proving very difficult.
"So you hope to win her hand?"
Aspen glanced down the hall and when Zelda turned to look at him, he saw a sad sort of smile on the young man's lips. "Oh, I don't stand a snowball's chance in hell of marrying her. I merely hope she finds someone worthy of her inner fire."
The princess tripped over his feet, apologising under his breath as Aspen held him steady, then walked in silence until they reached the teen's rooms. He didn't know how to deal with the boy's naked affection but long after the door closed behind Aspen, Zelda stood there considering many things with no clear path forward.
"Who are you and what are you doing in my bed?"
Zelda's eyes snapped open to see a thin blade millimeters from his neck and Impa's red eyes trained on his own. The teen swallowed but didn't move, keeping his voice low.
"Impa, it's me, Zelda. I–"
"Bullshit." The blade pressed in ever so slightly on the boy's new Adam's apple and he hitched in a breath.
"Please, Impa, I swear it. I sent Aspen to you last night with a letter to bring you back home at dawn but something happened to me when I retired to my rooms. Let me prove it to you, please."
The woman's eyes narrowed but she didn't push the blade in deeper. She didn't pull away either. "Speak your piece."
With a heavy swallow, Zelda kept his eyes trained on the Sheikah and spoke quickly. "Almost five years ago, the hero, Link, came to us in the castle garden and told the tale about him travelling from a future where Ganondorf destroyed everything. Months later, he left, then returned with a god as his father."
Impa sighed and straightened, sheathing the blade at her side. "Show me the magic. That information is perhaps not as secure as it once was."
Nodding, not bothering to sit up, Zelda held out his hand and filled it with the power that was in his blood. It looked like a small sun and felt like a warm summer's day. At the sight of it, Impa kneeled and bowed her head. "Forgive me, Zelda. You have to understand my caution."
Waving away the gesture, the boy sat up stiffly and gazed out the small window. It was early indeed, as the sky still held traces of morning colour, and he knew he needed much more sleep than he had gotten after yesterday's events. Impa had delivered the suitors promptly, as Zelda knew she would. "I am in so much shit right now, Impa."
The woman tsk-ed at the language but said nothing, gesturing for the boy to stand. "That seems like an understatement." Her cool, red eyes scanned Zelda up and down and she frowned as she rested a gentle hand on his chin, taking a closer look at his face. "If this is a disguise, it's the best one I've ever seen."
"It's not."
"You are fully male then? That is extremely odd. Take this off please." Impa tugged at a sleeve of the riding tunic then crossed her arms over her chest. Sighing, Zelda did as he was asked, hunched over on himself with his arms also crossed self-consciously over his chest. An uncomfortable thought entered his head and he stammered out a tentative question.
"Um, Impa? I, uh…"
The woman looked up from scanning the teen's body and her eyebrows furrowed. "Yes?"
"I…I have to…relieve myself. Um…I don't know how to do that like this! It's…it's not the same down there!"
Impa pinched the bridge of her nose, wondering what she ever did in a past life to deserve this particular situation. "Have you never seen young boys try to–"
"NO! Impa! I am the princess! You would have had a fit if I saw anything like that!"
"Ah, yes, that is true. Okay, let's give you a quick guide on using the toilet and then we can worry about clothes and…everything else."
It was mortifying, every bit of it. Impa had been helping to care for him since he was a baby but to be guided through the use of unfamiliar body parts was a situation Zelda could never have even potentially planned for. He didn't even ask how the Sheikah woman knew, nor how her assistant Hilie knew either. They handled Zelda's embarrassment with grace, never once mentioning mistakes or clumsy hands, and when the young assistant left, she returned with food, drink and a change of clothes that were often worn by Sheikah men. All the lessons Impa had been giving in her people's history and culture no longer felt like a waste; he would be using them very soon. Once they were done, the princess slumped in the bed, looking the part of his new gender but utterly exhausted.
"What now?"
"Hilie will consult with Nadile and then the mages to see if there is any potential solution to this issue. I already let your handmaidens know you do not wish to be disturbed and will inform the suitors that you are temporarily indisposed." The tall woman stared down at Zelda and shook her head with a sad smile. "You may get a bit more sleep."
The boy nodded and rubbed his palms into tired eyes. "Right, yes. Um, but what about…what about my…my…"
"The king?"
"Yes, him." Zelda gasped and grabbed Impa's arm, wide-eyed and awake. "I still need to fill you in on what happened!"
"One crisis at a time, Zelda. The king has spoken to no one that I can tell. He is currently sequestered in his rooms."
From the desk chair, Hilie spoke up quietly. "Rumours around the castle say he is sleeping off some sort of sudden illness, perhaps related to the angry moon yesterday."
Releasing Impa's arm, Zelda leaned back against the wall once again, taking several deep breaths to calm the panic in his chest. This particular crisis needed to be handled right away. It may have happened less than twenty-four hours ago but it felt like a million years. "You don't understand, Impa, he fucked up. BAD. When Aspen and I were out yesterday, he told me that Link had been invited to the hunt by Lorsham. Instead, father kept him captive with magic!"
Both Impa and Hilie gasped but the teen continued without pausing. "By the time the two of us got here, we found mages holding Link unconscious in a room but they were struggling to keep him under their control. I'm mostly sure there was a demon on one of them but its presence is gone. I was going to look into it today after I got some sleep but how am I going to do that now?!"
Impa rested her hand on Zelda's shoulder but the teen continued on despite terrified memories impeding his breath. "Impa, I've seen what Link can do, what you told me about. For a brief moment, he was a god. By the Goddesses, I never doubted you but to see it up close was…was… But that's not the worst of it. Nocturne…he came to collect Link. The sky went dark. He was going to get vengeance on Lorsham for his transgressions and I almost let him, though the consequences would have been dire." With a strangled sob, Zelda hid his face in his hands. "The only ones there to witness it were Aspen, Link and myself but Impa, it was so horrible. We've almost lost the Gerudo fight before it's begun. I can't be queen yet. Not yet. There's too much to do."
Sitting on the bed next to him, Impa wrapped an arm around Zelda's shoulders and pulled him in for a hug. "You have done so well. We'll figure out something to do with your father. Get some rest while Hilie and I work out cover stories. If we can't figure out how to return you to yourself, I can spread word about my new assistant and you may look into the situation unharassed. Though we should get you a temporary name; can't have a Sheikah boy introducing himself as Zelda."
Grimacing, Zelda looked up at Impa sheepishly. "I met Aspen in the halls last night and told him my name was Cyrus."
"Cyrus it is, then!" Impa smiled down at Zelda, her look encouraging, though tight with stress, and gave his shoulders another squeeze. "This is not an insurmountable challenge, princess. We will get through it."
Zelda sighed and ran his hands through his hair, thinking of the many, many things they needed to do and all the problems his strange ailment would cause. The comfort of sleep sat heavy on his eyes. At least he had Impa and Hilie; he would not be alone. "From your lips to the Goddesses' ears. I only hope we have the time needed to overcome."
Aspen woke with a start to a gentle hand on his shoulder. One of his mother's servants was smiling down at him and began signing as soon as she saw his eyes focus on her.
[My apologies, Prince Aspen, but there is someone at the door. The Sheikah woman, Impa, wishes to speak with you.]
Groggily, the teen sat up and rubbed an eye as he looked at the window, then turned his hands back towards the woman. [Thank you, Meera. What time is it?]
[Nearly the noon hour. Your mother is resting now; she wanted to let you sleep but this seems important.]
[Of course! Just let Lady Impa know I'll be out shortly.] The brunette tumbled out of bed as quickly as possible, running fingers through his thick hair and wincing at the tangles. He really should have brushed it before bed last night but by the time he had walked into his suite, sudden lethargy hit and there hadn't been enough time to do much more than strip down to underclothes before he was asleep. His mother's return at dawn had roused him enough to greet her sleepily with promises to explain more later but there had been no attempt to clean up then either. With a frustrated sigh, he yanked a brush through his long hair and considered, with no seriousness, cutting it all off. No time for that either, thankfully. He would just have to suffer.
It took him about fifteen minutes to dress and clean himself hastily and he was still brushing nonexistent dust off his clothes when he stepped into the sitting room. Before him was Impa, talking in an undertone to a familiar teenage boy. The woman turned and gave him a small, tired smile and inclined her head in greeting.
"Hello, Prince Aspen. I'm glad to see you got some rest." Impa stepped forward, gesturing to the teenager at her side. "And this is my assistant–"
"Cyrus!" Aspen grinned at the boy, pleased to see he wasn't some sort of hallucination born of exhaustion. Cyrus smiled back but he noticed how worn it looked.
"Yes, I was told you met last night. Cyrus will be staying at the castle for a while to help with the current situation. I was filled in on the pertinent details when we spoke with Princess Zelda this morning."
"Oh! Is she doing okay? She was asleep by the time I got back." Aspen saw a look between Impa and Cyrus and his heart gave a thump of concern.
"She is feeling a bit under the weather after everything that happened yesterday but is very thankful for your help. She specifically asked that I tell you she hopes to speak again once she is able."
Aspen exhaled a relieved breath and glanced out the window. Now that he had some sleep after the events yesterday, his mind was slowly beginning to process what had happened. A god! He had met, and briefly spoken to, one of the gods! And saw the Goddess of Time as well! At home, it was always said that one could meet with the God of Oceans in his temple if you were blessed enough. He would even speak to some of the chosen few, would ask questions and give blessings. Aspen truly hoped that one day, he would have that opportunity and now he had seen a god and goddess, in action! That one of them looked so much like Link, well… With a nervous smile, he turned back to Impa and Cyrus, carefully settling his features into neutrality. "Well, tell her I hope she recovers soon. Yesterday was…it was a day to remember, certainly."
"Hmm, yes." Impa glanced at the closed doors to the rest of the suite. "I did need to speak with you about that. Shall we go somewhere we won't disturb the queen?"
Aspen smiled with resignation, a hint of humour around his eyes all the same. "There is not much you could do that would disturb her, Lady Impa, less you break down the very walls around her. But if you would like to get away from the functional ears of our servants, we could certainly do that."
Only a small twitch of the lip betrayed embarrassment on Impa's face and she nodded while gesturing towards the door. As Aspen passed Cyrus, he could see the apologetic look in the boy's eyes but he merely grinned with a hint of a smirk. He was used to foreign dignitaries forgetting, to the flustered and embarrassed excuses. It rarely bothered him these days. So he said nothing more, knowing his mother wouldn't like him shaming their hosts, and fell in beside the blonde boy in the corridor.
He found the examination of Cyrus to be fascinating. There was something very familiar about the teen but Aspen was sure he would have remembered meeting a Sheikah boy. There was not many about, though he was sure at least one distant part of his father's kingdom had a village or two, and their path through history was mostly unknown. Cyrus had mentioned Kakariko village, a place Aspen hadn't visited, but he was very familiar with the castle as well. Perhaps he could learn more.
"I'm sorry about running into you last night." Out of habit, Aspen matched his words with sign and noticed that the other boy watched his hands with intense curiosity. "I hope you had a good rest?"
Cyrus sighed. "Not as good as I would have liked but thank you. There's been a lot to do this morning." He paused, then glanced askance at Aspen. "Well, with both Lorsham and the Princess being down for the moment, it's caused a bit of chaos. Zelda doesn't get sick very often and it tends to upset the staff, disrupt the day to day routine."
"That's a rather heavy weight on her shoulders, isn't it?" Cyrus stopped dead in the middle of the hall and stared at Aspen. He stopped as well and tilted his head to the side with curiosity. "What?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, a single member of the royal family shouldn't have that much responsibility for the well being of their kingdom. If my father was sick, surely everyone would be concerned for his health but it wouldn't upset the workings of the kingdom. He's well liked, the king, and everyone does the best job they can so that he doesn't have to worry unduly when he falls ill."
Cyrus frowned and looked down at the ground. Ahead of them, Impa realised she was not being followed and stopped, looking back at the two teenagers. Shaking his head, the blonde looked back up at Aspen. "Things haven't been right in Hyrule since m… since the Queen died. You're probably right that the staff rely too heavily on the princess, hoping that she'll replace the good influences of the queen someday. I… I don't think anyone ever really thought of it that way before."
"Ah, a kingdom that still mourns is a difficult one to lead." Aspen slipped his arm through Cyrus' and began moving forward again to follow in Impa's wake. "You know, my father insisted on my learning governance even though it was obvious my hearing was impaired. I think he hoped the nobles would overlook it since I'm not completely deaf. I know a surprising amount for someone who will never rule a country so if the princess needs any advice, I'd be willing to help in any way I can. I am even willing to tutor the boy she favours if need be!"
Cyrus shook his head, a rueful grin on his lips. "You said last night you weren't likely to be picked but you certainly seem to know your stuff. Is the loss of hearing that much of a detriment to your chances?"
"Well, it was at home, certainly." Laughing, the brunette turned and winked again. "You know, you seem like a nice young man. What about you? I know Impa said you're part Sheikah but surely that wouldn't preclude you from trying."
Face flushing bright red, the blonde coughed into his hand and tried to laugh. "Oh, ha, no, that wouldn't be allowed at all! Not because of the Sheikah but…" He trailed off and Aspen laughed.
"So you are related to her then!"
"What!?" Cyrus nearly tripped in shock as he stared at the brunette, wide-eyed. "How did you…?"
"Oh, well, I wasn't sure at first but the resemblance is startling now that I've had a few extra glances. You're very similar to Zelda! Are you perhaps a brother from another husband? A cousin? Sometimes resemblances are very close, even with some separation in the bloodline."
Stammering and not daring to look Aspen in the eyes, Cyrus glanced over at Impa, then out a window. "Something like that! There is…um, definitely a family connection there. Enough that we'd feel uncomfortable, um, getting together."
"Ah, such is life I suppose!" Aspen fell silent as they continued on and glanced at Cyrus' profile. He was a handsome boy, much as Link was, and the Sheikah had a very mystic quality to them. He seemed pleasant at least and Aspen made a vow to introduce the boy to his friends. He had a good feeling about Cyrus, much as he had about Link, and his instincts were never wrong. This was the time to make new connections, even though most of them were still fairly young. And then, when he was cut from the roster of suitors, he would have a place to start in searching out his own future
But oh, it would be so hard. He had seen Zelda in all her glory. To be so close to such a brilliant soul and have it be forever out of reach was a difficult burden to bear. He could love her, he was sure of it, but couldn't allow his heart to be broken that way. It would do no good at all to love someone he would never be allowed to have.
It was probably already too late.
Zelda heaved out a weary sigh as he dropped down onto the bed in his new room. It was a perfectly serviceable space; close to his own room so he could sneak in to retrieve items as needed but very spare and bleak. It felt like a bad omen to be barred from living in his personal space. Link had said the castle was destroyed in his future; was that something they couldn't prevent? Would Zelda never get to sleep in his own room ever again?
With a worried groan, he pulled his legs up to his chest and huddled on the edge of the bed for a moment. What if he never returned to his normal self? Would he have to be Cyrus forever? What would Lorsham say? They'd have to tell him! It was too dangerous to let the king believe anything else. With his unpredictable state of mind, the king might accuse another country of kidnapping her and start another war!
Zelda shuddered and pressed his face into his knees. This was horrible. Everything was confusing, his body felt weird and he didn't think he liked having, well… He wanted to be a she again! The only saving grace was not having to spend time with all the suitors today. Some had looked concerned when Impa announced the temporary halt to the festivities, others had been bored, others looked angry or frustrated. Zelda had kept track of every reaction, filed away in his mind for later, knowing he'd want to use that when he was back to being a girl again. Assuming he ever was.
The thoughts kept spinning around and around in his head, bouncing from one outcome to another, looping back into each other continuously, when a dark shadow rose out of the floor directly in front of him. Understandably, he screamed.
"Princess Zelda, you are very difficult to track down. Also, did you know your male parental unit is broken?"
Enma stood before Zelda, who had collapsed backwards onto the bed, hands on zir hips as ze frowned at the boy. The teenager gasped as the shock of being recognized settled on him and he opened his mouth a few times, rather like a gasping fish, trying to sort what he'd been told. The slow realization of not being stunned by the dark deity's presence also dropped onto him but he shoved it aside for future study. There were other things to worry about now.
"You recognised me?" His currently-deeper voice was tentative, almost scared. Yes, this was one of the deities but everyone else had been fooled by the change in appearance.
"Of course I did. Your mortal divinity is very unique." The deity frowned and narrowed zir eyes at the boy. "Though now that you mention it, you do look a little different, I guess. Haircut? Whatever. That's not important! Your father is broken, didn't you hear me? I'm supposed to be putting the fear of death on him and he's barely noticed my presence all day!"
Zelda could not make sense of what the god was telling him at all. Lorsham was broken? How? He couldn't sense deities? Well yes, he never was as good at her but that…that was normal, right? That… "Wait, are you trying to scare the king? Threaten him?"
"Threaten!? Why would I do that? I'm merely here to remind him that his soul is on thin ice! You have personally felt the effect of my presence before. He does NOT! No wonder he was so incredibly stupid about Link." With a flourish, Enma pulled a letter out of zir robes and held it out to Zelda. The boy stared for a moment then took it with a shaking hand. It wasn't sealed, merely folded in half, and when he opened it, perfect Hylian characters greeted his eyes; he could practically hear Nocturne's voice in them.
Princess Zelda,
I apologise for my behaviour with your father. My temper runs hot when those I care for are threatened.
I have been observing Lorsham since we first met. At first I thought it was my own failings that allowed him to completely discard what I am but I am certain that is not the truth. He has completely missed all signs of demon infestation as well as the presence of several Protectors. Needless to say, I am concerned.
Enma has agreed to monitor the castle for the duration and if zir own aura has no effect as well, I believe there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Please send word if you need any of our assistance. As an aside, my son shall be visiting Kafei and will not be available to speak with. I am sure after some time away, he will be more able to handle the emotions he is grappling with. When such time arrives and he is once again prepared to face the situation, we shall meet up again to discuss it.
The word under the Hylian characters was a language Zelda was not even faintly familiar with but he knew it was Nocturne's name signed there, innocuous and yet terribly incriminating towards his relationship with the gods. Without a word, he stood and tossed the paper into the low fire in the grate then turned and looked up at Enma. "Did you read it?"
"Pffft, I didn't need to. Anyway, come with me." Without waiting for a yes or no, Enma grabbed the teen's shoulder and proceeded to propel him directly through the wall. Zelda gasped and threw his hands up in front of his face but they passed through the solid surface easily, making a much more direct path towards his father's chambers than would otherwise be possible. As they travelled, the princess could hear a song coming from the deity's lips, one that reminded him very much of time. When they stopped just outside the doors to Lorsham's rooms, Aevum was waiting there with a scowl.
"What do you need now, Enma? Can't even handle one little duty?"
The deity waved zir hand in dismissal and gestured towards the room. "I need him immobile, first and foremost, and another deity present to act as witness. Zelda doesn't count."
Aevum's lips thinned to a narrow line but she nodded. "Fine, I will witness your actions against the mortal. Know that you accept the responsibility for any act that you do."
"Wait, what do you–" Zelda looked between the two deities, growing concern settling in his throat, but he was once against pulled through the solid surface of the doors and stood nervously in the sitting room where his father was settled at his desk, muttering out loud as he wrote something with hurried urgency. The trio were so quiet that Lorsham didn't even notice as the Goddess of Time made a quick gesture with her fingers, causing him to freeze in place. Not even breath raised his chest and Zelda began nervously chewing on a fingernail. "What did you do to him?"
"Froze his personal time, obviously." Aevum crossed her arms over her chest and looked to Enma. "Let's get this over with."
"So impatient!" The dark deity stalked over to the king, then pulled the chair out to walk around him more fully. Once again, Zelda heard music but could not make out the tune, no matter how hard he tried. How did Link do this all the time? He could play something almost as soon as he heard it. But Zelda watched as Enma continued to circle the king, then rested a hand on the older man's head and pulled something yellow and flickering out of his body.
Zelda gasped then wrapped his arms around his chest with a sudden fear. He had been told that poes and spirits were invisible but he had seen them before, had no trouble at all perceiving them. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that what he was seeing was Lorsham's soul. "Wait! Are you killing him?"
"Of course not. We're not supposed to damage innocent mortals."
"Is that…."
Aevum sighed. "Yes, that's why our Brother stopped yesterday. You helped remind him that there were more important things than vengeance, like his duty to Link…and you."
Falling silent once again, letting the weight of that push down on his shoulders, Zelda watched as Enma lifted the strangely coloured fire away from his father's frozen body. It wasn't so much yellow, now that he could get a closer look at it, but a strange almost tan colour. Every so often, another colour would show through the flickering tongues of flame and curiosity pulled the princess closer, caution forgotten. "Is that normal?"
"No!" Enma frowned and turned zir hand this way and that to look at the soul better. "I told you, he's broken. Are you seeing this, Aevum?"
"Mmm hmm."
"Well, it's an easy fix at least." And then the deity took a deep breath and blew at the flickering flame. Except long after Zelda thought ze would have to take a breath, ze kept up a steady stream of air. At first, nothing happened, then the yellowish colour began to swirl away from the flame, coalescing into a cloud of what looked very much like sand. The princess' mouth fell open and he took several steps back, stopping just before Aevum. It might have been two minutes or a dozen but when all the cloying granules had been removed, the flame was a cheerfully flickering blue and Enma made a satisfied sound in zir throat. "See! All better. I think Brother knocked some loose yesterday but this should finish the job."
Zelda sputtered as the deity pushed the soul back into her father's body, suddenly filled with questions he needed to have answered right now. "What was that!? Has that been on my father all this time? Was his marriage to my mother all a sham!? What's going on!"
Long finger tapping on her chin, Aevum stared at the king then shook her head as she glanced at Zelda. "His senses were muffled. Perhaps something Ganondorf did, or someone close to him. I rather think it was the Gerudo king though. I would like to think I'd have noticed this myself if it was another goddess."
Enma snorted with disdain. "Please, you're a horrible Protector to people. I don't know what they were thinking, setting up a temple to you."
Bristling, Aevum stood straight, her head a few centimetres higher than the dark-skinned deity. "ExCUSE you, soul-mule! At least I don't hide away in the dark Depths to avoid the living entirely!"
Zelda frowned up at the two bickering deities. "Just one momen–"
"Oooooohhh, did you just compare me to a common beast of burden? How dare you! I know the importance of my job and I have never shirked it! I do not NEED to stand Protector to any particular mortals! I guard their souls from tampering and getting lost!"
"And I have been plenty busy Protecting this land and trying to keep time from splitting into a million pieces. I'd like to see you babysit a mortal Hero for–"
"Now just hold on!" Zelda stomped his foot then paused at the deeper boom of his voice when he shouted. Gritting his teeth, he pushed on even with the eyes of the deities on him. "We don't have time to bicker like children! How long has my father been ensorcelled!? What did they do to him? Is anything I know the truth?!"
Enma sighed and turned to Zelda and waved zir hand at the still-frozen king. "It's not been that long. A very short time, perhaps a few years? This kind of enchantment needs physical contact to initiate anyway. When would he have been close enough to this Ganondorf to be in range?"
Mouth open in shock, the princess stared up at the deity. "You mean…perhaps five years ago?"
"Sure, I suppose. It's hard to keep track of such small amounts of time. It was not a complex enchantment, merely a way to muffle his extra-worldly senses. It wouldn't have changed him, not really. Just given the Gerudo king the ability to do certain magics around him that wouldn't be noticed."
"Like…poisoning the Great Deku Tree. Or…strengthening the dodongos…or putting a parasite in Jabu-Jabu." Zelda sat down with a thump in a nearby chair, memories from years ago rushing through her head.
Aevum leaned up against the table, eyes focused on Zelda. "It would have kept him from noticing demon energy…and deity energy as well."
Face a tortured mask, Zelda closed his eyes and leaned into his hands. Blood of the Goddess, the source of her own magical prowess, was very much a deity-based ability. No wonder her father…
A young Zelda, just recently ten, knocked on the door to her father's chambers deep in the dark hours of the night. The guards traded looks but kept their eyes carefully pointed away from the young princess. When the door opened, Lorsham looked down at his daughter sadly and let her into the room. Once it was closed again, Zelda rubbed her eyes, trying to let the fear fade from her skin, but found it would not let go.
"Papa, I've been having horrible dreams. The closer the Gerudo get to our home, the worse they get."
Crouching down so as to be on eye level with his daughter, Lorsham rested a careful hand on her shoulder. "What kind of dreams, little light?" He always tripped on the honorific, knew the words didn't roll out of his mouth the way they had his wife. Zelda gave him a strained smile, her voice shaking with fear.
"Something evil is coming out of the desert. I'm scared."
"Now Zelda, you've never even met the Gerudo before. How do you know it's them?"
"I don't! But you said they're coming and the dreams get worse. I don't think it's a coincidence!"
Lorsham frowned and rubbed the girl's shoulder awkwardly. It was times like these he wished he had tried to form more of a bond with his daughter before his wife had died. He found children difficult and, despite young Zelda being a very easy baby and toddler, had never quite made the connections he could have. He would have to speak with Impa about these dream concerns in the morning. "I know you don't like what's happening but your mother wished there to be a peace treaty between all the races that border our lands. The Gerudo are the last holdouts. If we can do this, then there will be peace between all our peoples."
"I know, papa. I know! But I don't think it's going to go well."
With a sigh, the king pulled Zelda closer to him and gave her a stiff hug. "Well, they'll be here tomorrow and I'll take your advice into consideration, okay? What have I always told you? You have to look at a problem…"
"...from all sides before making a decision. I know, I know. I'm so worried though! I just know something bad is going to happen."
"We will make sure every protection is in place, Zelda. Now get back to bed and try to get some sleep. Perhaps the kitchen will make you a warm drink to soothe your troubles away…"
And he had never believed her again. It wasn't an immediate change of attitude, but a disbelief in her ability to have accurate visions, then any visions at all. The royal envoy had met Ganondorf at the gates, there had been words spoken and promises made, then the Gerudo king had spent time in Hyrule, looking around (setting up traps), meeting with the other races (destroying what they cherished most) and then eventually promising to swear his allegiance to Hyrule.
Then Link had met her in the garden with a tale that matched all her fears. That had gotten through to Lorsham somehow, where her own advice would not touch. But now, he didn't believe Link either. A Link who was much closer to divinity now than he was before…
"Princess." Aevum was in front of him, frowning as she also crouched down, though she still towered above the teen.
"I just…I need a moment…"
"When did you become a man?"
"Oh THAT'S what's different!"
Both Zelda and Aevum looked over at Enma in startled shock and the goddess frowned deeply at her Sibling, then turned back to the princess instead. Zelda's hands shook as he put them in his lap, the shock of the last two days finally settling in with horrifying speed. "I…yesterday…it was…"
Aevum stood. "Enma, take Zelda back to the room you found her. She needs rest. I will release the king once you are both gone."
Grumbling, the dark-skinned deity took Zelda's arm and he rose to his feet obediently, eyes pointed at the floor as his head swam. "Why do I have to–"
"Because you brought her here! Now get going before she passes out."
"Fine. FINE. Come on, Zelda. We'll get you back to bed."
The walk was mostly quiet, slipping through walls like ghosts, and Zelda was barely aware of being led into his new bed even as his legs crumpled under him. Above him (would he ever be a her again?), Enma's words broke through the shock and pain as only a god's voice could.
"Well, I'm sorry about all that. At any rate, the king should now know when we're nearby, as he probably had before the whole debacle with Ganondorf."
Zelda swallowed hard and spoke down to the floor. "Will this change him?"
"I don't know! Maybe not? It wasn't doing anything to his personality, just made it so he couldn't see demons and divinity. It's like having your eyes blindfolded and still believing you can see. Do you think that would change him? I wouldn't suggest bringing Nocturne around any time soon though; he will no longer believe my Brother is, ah, mortal."
"What about you?" Shuddering, the princess wrapped his arms around himself, keeping his sanity intact through pure force of will.
"Oh, I'll be around! He won't see me, but I'm sure he'll feel judged." Enma smirked. "I won't even have to do much! But we can't leave your castle unguarded, I'm sure you understand. Anyway! Good luck with all that. Ta ta!"
And then the deity was gone, sunken into the floor as easily as ze had risen out of it just a short time before. Zelda shuddered some more, then hastily removed boots and socks, leaving clothing on as self preservation to prevent having to think about his new gender. Within seconds, he was buried deep in the covers of his blanket, not wanting to think about anything at all except sleep.
Up on the ridge looking over the desert, the Protector of the Night stood as he had done many times before since last summer. Like all the other times, it was quiet, no voices other than the moaning of the sand, nothing to see but the endless pale yellow darkness that blocked any path inward. He stood vigil, thinking about his son, about the King of Hyrule, about Zelda and all the people he swore to protect. It was a solitary job but he was used to that. The memories of his early years guarding the young mortals were with him now.
Still, it was lonely as it had never been before. He had grown used to companionship.
Thankfully, it wasn't as desolate as it might be. He could take breaks with the protection in place. The ward had not been jostled out of position when Oceanis left for Termina and Aevum's contribution easily took his place. The Heroine of the Sands would not be able to leave until she accepted his challenge and there was no indication she was in a hurry to face him. He didn't blame her. He had been training thoroughly, every day with both Siblings and Mothers, and was perhaps even stronger than he had been before Majora; he knew his Sister recognised this. Whatever she was doing to gather her own power, he wished her luck. She would need it.
So it was a surprise to see the sands shift suddenly, to move and part and reveal a tunnel that led deep into the desert. Eyebrows raised high on Nocturne's forehead as he watched the path form, then heard a voice deep inside calling to him with the gritty, sandy voice of his Sister.
Come…
Face me.
I accept your challenge.
……
Just how stupid did she think he was?
The sword came out, tip down on the stone, and he stood there unmoving, uncompromising stone in the face of a wild wind. The sand moved more, stuck out tendrils to blow in front of his face but he merely waved them away with one hand. The voice laughed at him, tried to entice him forward, promising an end to his wait so he could return to the Family. Promising him peace at last.
He stood immobile.
He considered going after her, knew he was stronger. But she wanted him in her territory, to confuse his mind and give her the advantage. He might still have gone after her regardless, trusting in his abilities to pull him through, except for one, small thing.
Link had asked him not to go into the desert. And Nocturne had promised not to.
His son had looked at him with golden eyes, with a fear that had been in his Sister's face when Night had gone off to Ikana. Back then, there had not been a choice but now…
"No, Sister. I will not. Come to me if you wish to fight."
The wind screamed around him, cursed his stubbornness, then was gone once again. Silence fell, but the loneliness was gone. Nocturne stood sentinel once again and anger buoyed him as he waited. So she wished to entice him, did she? It would not work. He would do his duty and they would fight on neutral ground or not at all.
But they would fight. And he would win.
Notes:
Back to Zelda! Finally! Sorry you had to all wait but we will be alternating chapters for a bit, I think. :) Just got too much to say in both Hyrule and Termina!
I did rate this fic Teen for a reason, and it wasn't all for violence. We're going to dance around saying a lot of things straight out but the implications are there. Sorry Zelda, you get to deal with body parts now.
And now we have given male Zelda a name! What? You thought we'd name him *Sheik!?* It's such a dumb name, especially when I am constantly saying Sheikah because of Impa and Hilie. Look, a lot of these heroes and princesses are kids and things tend to get named with a very child-like mentality but now that we have a chance to do better, we can! Also, it's easier to differentiate the Adult Timeline Sheik from Child Timeline Cyrus. They are very much different people. Link doesn't know that though, does he? *evil smirk*
Aspen continues to be the most precious cinnamon roll in all of Hyrule and Akkala with the shittiest self esteem I have *ever* seen. Despite what little we have seen and heard about his family (honestly, the king of Akkala doesn't seem that bad, does he?), Aspen continues to completely miss his own worth. I'm sure this will cause no problems anywhere, at any time.
Oh hey! Enma follows through on zir job, or was trying anyway. Ze was a little late in giving the letter to Zelda but let's be honest, Zelda was not where he was supposed to be. At least ze found the problem with Lorsham! And fixed it! I'm sure THAT won't cause any problems later either! :D
(lorshamdidnothingwrong)
Okay, but let's be honest, Lorsham has his problems. He's not a bad man and he was never expecting to be the sole leader of Hyrule, nor did he WANT to. His entire motivation since the death of his wife was to finish the job she had started; bring peace to Hyrule. And while Enma was right that the suppression spell wasn't going to change his personality, certainly having part of your senses effectively turned off would cause more problems. So what is likely to happen with Lorsham when several tough realisations hit him all at once? hahaha ha...ha....I'm sure it'll be fine.
Best line in this entire chapter: "Oh THAT'S what's different!" Enma cares not for gender and it cares not for zir.
Oh ho! We get Nocturne again, finally! And what is going on in the desert, I wonder? I wooooooonder.
Anyway, next week! Back to Termina! :D
Chapter 5: Night of the First Day
Summary:
Majora wasn't in Termina anymore, Link could relax. There was nothing more to fight.
Right?
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Despite having spent several days trapped in a dream, Link found himself spending most of that first day of freedom napping on and off. When he wasn't sleeping, he was eating, cheerfully enabled by Kafei and a seemingly endless pot of stew. When Saria returned that morning, trailing a smiling Dustin with a plate full of food, Link ate just as much as he had at his first breakfast and the Kokiri teased him about his endless pit of a stomach. Malon scolded her but Link laughed, a spark of warmth settling in his stomach that had nothing to do with the meal. It was normalcy and that's what he needed.
Occasionally the dream would drift back into his mind and he'd huddle in on himself, trying not to dwell on the life he might have had with Zelda, the one he no longer wanted, and Malon would wrap her arms around him when she noticed, muttering comfort. That was something he needed as well and Nocturne had known that before Link had, which was why their first stop had been to the ranch. The young hero wasn't the only one who experienced growth in the past four years.
Oceanis was in the room when Link woke from a nap later. Their conversation was harder but necessary. When the god embraced him in arms of soothing ocean waters and the scent of salty sea life, it was a new kind of healing Link had never considered before. He always called Oceanis uncle but the god had a fatherly way about him as well, an energetic counterpoint to Nocturne's serene stability. In that hold, tears being washed away with the tide, Link took a moment to consider how lucky he was. Despite everything that had and would happen to him, he still had this.
Anju and the kids were yet another bit of healing for his soul. Little Link was a cheerful toddler, always wanting to play games, and the two spent a pleasant hour or two together, sometimes with Saria and Malon, sometimes just the two of them, playing with little wooden figures or building things with blocks. It was a relief to know that this was a Link who would not have to live the way he had, isolated from his own kind, learning how to fight at too young of an age. Kafei and Anju were great parents and Link was happy for his namesake; Termina was going to be a great place to grow up.
He took a bath, a long one, and Kafei laughed when he exited the tiny washroom, mentioning hot springs the Gorons had opened recently. That was a comfort for another day, perhaps after the Carnival had ended, and he knew he'd enjoy that as well.
Though they didn't do much overall, by night Link was exhausted and he dropped into bed as if he hadn't been napping all day. He was only vaguely aware of Malon climbing in next to him and before he knew it, he was asleep once more with his arms wrapped around her, face pressed against the red comfort of her hair.
***
Link was sure it was a dream when he found himself sitting on top of the clock tower where he had occasionally seen his dad on previous visits. The sky above had a moon, the smallest sliver of one, and was filled with stars that whispered in his ears in a musical cadence, much the same way the Giants spoke. With a satisfied sigh, the teen closed his eyes and breathed deep for several seconds, letting peace flow through him. It was perhaps the first time he had ever dreamed of Termina completely free of the terrifying moon and he wrapped that knowledge around himself like a blanket. There would be nightmares in the future, he was sure of it, but there would also be comfort.
Something tickled at the back of his mind though, a feeling like he was forgetting something. Night of the First Day, right? But Majora was gone and everything they had done was gone as well. There was nothing more to worry about, no more notes to take, no more horror hiding around the corner.
Right?
A startled yell pulled him from quiet contemplation and he turned to see another blonde-haired teenager teetering on unstable feet next to him. Panic crawled across the boy's face and Link reached out to offer a hand, a wide smile on his lips. "Windy!"
"Ocarina! Holy shit!" Grabbing the hand offered him, the sailor clung on and pulled himself down next to his friend, glancing around in wonder and the remainder of his fear. "What th' hell? Is this th' moon place again? Yer nightmares cling real tight, don't they?"
Laughing, Link wrapped his arm around Windy's shoulders and gave him a light punch with his opposite hand. "You've got a good memory, but this isn't a nightmare for once. I'm visiting Termina for the Carnival! What are you doing here? I didn't think the dream worked the same!"
Windy exhaled with relief and pushed his palms into his eyes for a moment. He was used to heights but being up here without water underneath was unnerving, to say the least. When he got a hold of himself, he leaned up against his friend and shook his head. "I've been tryin' to get ahold of ya fer days. I saw ya in a dream, but only fer a second. It was super fuckin' weird!"
Link froze and pulled his arm away, then placed his hands in his lap as he stared straight ahead. "Oh, wow, that was you."
"What was me? Ya okay, Ocarina? I tried to tell Oceanis about it but he just sighed and mumbled something about it bein' that time. What's going on?!"
"Ganondorf. Sorta."
Windy let out a low whistle and shook his head as he leaned away. "That war th' Captain didn't want ta tell ya about, huh?"
"Yeah, I knew it was coming. I know it's coming but it's much closer on the horizon than it was before. Something happened between me and the king and that's always a sign, isn't it? Troubles start up close to home where you can see them and then… This is how it always begins." Link fiddled with his fingers and felt Windy give his knee a pat. "When I go home again, after this…things are going to change and I don't know what to do about it."
"Well, you'll do what ya always do, yeah? The best you can. That's what I did. That's what th' Captain did. It works out, somehow."
Briefly, Link considered the image of a hero in blue, seen from a portal, running for his life with a princess in tow as the glowing-red Guardians chased them. Did it always work out? He would never know if that boy had escaped, if their flight had 'worked out' for them, but he liked to think it had. The alternative was far too depressing. Then again, in one timeline it hadn't worked out for him, had it? "Yeah, I guess you're right."
"Hey." Windy snapped his fingers softly and Link turned to look at him. "Are ye alright? You seem mopey and when I got a look at ya in that castle… Had ta push myself into th' dream an' then got shoved out again almost immediately. Ya looked sick."
"I'm okay now. They had me trapped in a dream and I didn't know it wasn't real. I got out with dad's help. Dad and the other deities, you know? And…and Zelda. She helped me too." Link shuddered and wound his fingers together, the fake Zelda temporarily filling his mind. That dream had felt more real than this one and the deities' dream space felt very physical indeed. A quick pang of 'what is real?' shuddered down his spine and he crushed his hands together for a moment, remembering the part of himself that had denied that dream every step of the way. The part of him that was his dad. It had known, had thrown itself against the demonic cage and screamed its pain into his mind. He would know if anyone tried something like that on him again.
And Zelda, the fake one, she was not what he wanted. The real Zelda had rushed to his aid, had screamed at the ones holding him captive, had looked at him with a desperate worry and got him to his father. That Zelda had been a true friend to him and he would do right by her.
Windy's voice cracked through the wall of his thoughts. "Well that's good! Because if I had found out someone hurt ya, I would have harassed yer aunt until she let me travel back in time ta save ya." Windy smirked at Link's sudden laughter, then nodded seriously. "I mean it! Ain't gonna let you die just because yer king is being a right ass. I'd do it!"
"I bet you would, Windy. You'd–"
Link stopped suddenly as the clock under them hit the hour and the entire contraption vibrated as it rang a single GONG-GONG. Windy cursed and pressed his hands onto the wooden surface but the other teen frowned deeper. 1am. It was almost important, but not quite. One o'clock on the Night of the First Day. What was he forgetting?
Letting out a sign of relief, Windy shook his head and glanced down towards the ground. "There any way ta get down from here? I'm not lookin' forward to th' clock shakin' like that again."
"Don't be such a wuss, Windy. That was only one. You just missed midnight! Two isn't even going to be that ba–" He paused, eyes widening. Two in the morning. 2am, night of the first day.
The ranch!
Link jumped to his feet, eyes wide with concern. "Shit! Windy! I gotta go! I almost forgot! It's been years! We can catch up again soon, okay!? Just give me a few days because the Carnival is really busy and…how do I wake myself up!?"
Sighing, the sailor stood and grabbed his friend's shoulders. "Ya gotta tell me what this was all about later, okay? Can't leave me wondering what's so important forever! Well, maybe I'll ask yer uncle when I wake up. Anyway, git outta here!" With a sudden shove, Windy sent Link flying backwards off the clock tower. The teen screamed as he fell–
***
then woke up in his bed with a soft thud. Next to him, Malon screamed with surprise, her eyes opening wide as she clung to the blanket. Saria yawned and sat up in the next bed, rubbing an eye as she stared blearily at her brother. "What's up, Link?"
"It's almost 2am!" Body still half asleep but mind fully awake, Link rolled out of bed with another, louder thud. Above him, Malon sat up fully, eyes wide and hair a cloud around her head but he couldn't spare a moment for that particular problem. It was almost two in the morning on the first night! Scrambling upwards in a rush, he slammed a leg into the end of the bed and nearly screamed a jingling stream of fairy swears as he limped over to the table to grab his bag.
"L-Link…what's going on?" Malon pulled the blanket up to her chest, though she was fully dressed, clinging onto it with desperation as her mind tried to shift from pleasant dreams to this loud reality. Saria took it all in stride, pushing back the blankets as Rosie complained from her perch on the Kokiri's neck. Already rummaging through his bag with sleepy stiffness, Link heard the redhead, though his concentration was far away, thinking more of what he was supposed to be doing before the clock struck two.
"I can't believe I forgot! I've got to go! I can't just rewind this anymore and Romani…" Casual clothes from the day were yanked off and replaced with something more hardy, his usual belts strapped on in a matter of seconds. He didn't even look up as he dropped into a chair to yank on his boots.
Malon slid off the bed, watching Link with confusion and a growing fear. What would make him act this way? Something must be wrong but the inn was quiet, the ticking clock the only real sound in town aside from the occasional drunken reveller making their way out of the Milk Bar. She had no way of knowing what would put him in this kind of mood at one in the morning; he had told her so little of Termina. "Link, please. What's wrong? Where are you going?"
The blonde turned and stared at her, a blank confusion in his eyes. For those brief seconds, Malon wondered who he was seeing, if it was her or perhaps some other redhead that occupied his thoughts, but recognition snapped back into his face and he gave her that particular, lopsided grin he always did. "I…I forgot. About the ranch. There's something that always happened there before the Carnival of Time. Romani told me it happened before Majora and that it's been going on even after I left and I forgot! Romani needs help! I can't just leave her alone to fight Them all alone. If I hurry, I can teleport out to the Milk Road and maybe get there with enough time to–"
"Okay, that's fine. We'll go." Malon grabbed her brush from the nightstand and began yanking it through her tangled hair. Link watched for a few seconds, his mind blank on what she meant, and when he looked over to Saria, she was already pulling on cloak and boots, tucking Rosie up under the hood. When the teen looked back at Malon, he stuttered a little before getting anything out.
"W-wait, you're coming? You don't even know what's out there, what I'm going to fight."
"Link, I climbed down into an old, haunted well with you. I fought that gigantic…thing. Do you honestly think whatever is out here is going to bother me?" Malon frowned as she hit a snarl in her hair, then yanked her brush free. "Whatever it is has you worried enough that you could probably use the help, right? Let's go."
"R-right." Grinning sheepishly, the blonde clipped on his bag and turned towards the door as it was pushed forwards. Looking half asleep, still yanking a robe on over his pajamas, Kafei stared at the trio with blank eyes, his brain still too sluggish to process what he was seeing.
"I heard… Are you all okay? What…" He yawned and rubbed an eye, waking more with every second. "Wait, what are you three doing? Are you going somewhere?"
Link swallowed nervously but held himself straight, trying to look the part of an adult who knew what he was doing; he was much better at it than he realised. "Romani needs help, at the ranch. They are coming."
There was a long, long pause in the room. Kafei stared at Link and Link gave him a calm look back before the purple-haired man rubbed his temples in concerned exhaustion. "That thing Romani talks about every Carnival? You know Cremia–"
"She's wrong. Look, Kafei, I'm going to go help her and we're running out of time. I don't care what you believe, but I'm going."
With a frown, Kafie broke Link's gaze and turned away. "Just give me a moment, I'll get you some food to take with you."
"Er, okay."
"Malon, here, let me help." Saria jumped over onto the other bed, her feet light on the rumpled covers, and took the brush from the redhead's hand. Link's foot tapped nervously as he waited for Kafei, the seconds ticking down in his head in a steady, unnerving beat. He didn't tell Romani or Cremia he was coming but now that he was here, in Termina, during the Carnival of Time, he felt obligated to help. He could just leave without the others but felt he was already on thin ice with Malon and didn't want to disrespect her wishes to come along. At the very least, he knew that the redhead could handle a bow and would definitely be a help out there. If only he could stop feeling so guilty about dragging her into yet another fight.
By the time Kafei returned, all three were ready to go. Link nervously fiddled with the ocarina as the man passed over a basket to Malon, then stopped and turned towards him. He frowned again, taking in the sword on the blonde's back, noticing the change of clothes. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Link?"
"Yeah, sorry. I just…I need to do this. We'll be back around dawn?"
"All right then." As Link put the ocarina to his lips and began playing the Song of Soaring, he was startled by a strong hand closing on his arm. With the girls holding onto one side and now Kafei on the other, the teen threw a little extra power into the song just in case. His eyes shifted to meet Kafei's and just before the last notes of the song began to carry them away, he could hear the man's voice close to his ear. "I'm coming with you."
Link was already playing a familiar tune as the group appeared at the Milk Road owl statue. He was the only one who was not disconcerted by the sudden teleportation, though Saria only needed a moment to shake off the feathers before she gave Link a rueful smile. Malon plucked a single feather out of her hair and narrowed her eyes at the blonde as he grinned sheepishly at her.
"What was that?"
"Sorry, it works a little different here. I should have said something." The neighing of Epona echoed down the shallow canyon and he was quick to yank something out of his bag, shoving a yellow pair of bunny ears on his head. Kafei looked at the oncoming horse, then at the cluster of people on the dark road, then back at Link.
"How are we supposed to get to Romani Ranch?"
With a sigh, Link eyed Kafei, noticing just now that the man had thrown on a change of clothes while he was off "getting food." This threw something of a wrench in his plans but he didn't really need to ride Epona to get to the ranch quickly. "She can carry you all, no problem."
Right on time, the horse skidded to a stop in front of the group and Link ran a loving hand down her neck even as he whispered what a good girl she was to get there so quickly. He had stopped worrying about her ability to come to him from anywhere months ago. Malon swung up into the front easily as the blonde held the reins then pulled Saria up behind her. Link gestured for Kafei to join them and the man put his hands on his hips in annoyance. "And what about you?"
"I'll be fine. You're the one who wanted to come! Now hurry up or we'll be too late."
With a sigh, Kafei let Link propel him upwards with his hand and settled uncomfortably behind the Kokiri girl, his hands gripping the bare back of the mare. With a deep breath, the blonde began to run and Malon clicked her tongue, urging Epona to follow. Kafei closed his eyes at the sudden lunge, wishing he was more comfortable around horses, and reflexively grabbed onto Saria's shoulders in front of him. The girl merely laughed and he opened an eye ruefully, swallowing his fear as best he could. When he dared look ahead, he saw Link miraculously pacing the horse, those ridiculous ears bouncing with every long stride he took. A memory of him and Link, travelling into Sakon's hideout together, sat at the front of his mind, sending jitters into his stomach that were oh so familiar.
They were going into danger.
The sky was filled with stars and the thinnest sliver of a moon recently returning from its darkest phase. Further ahead, Kafei could see torchlight at the barns and farmhouse with a dark figure running between the spots of brilliance. As they approached, the proud silhouette of Romani paused for several heartbeats then lifted her bow up to eye level, an arrow already notched. Link surged ahead suddenly, waving his hands and yelling at the top of his lungs.
"ROMANI! Stop! It's me, Link! I've come to help!"
The ranch girl pointed the weapon towards the ground, relief in every word as Link skidded to a stop in front of her. "Grasshopper! Romani is so glad to see you! You're cutting it close, you know!"
Link embraced the redhead briefly, then dropped to his knees, bag plopped on the ground, as Malon pulled Epona to a stop in front of them. Romani eyed the group and Kafei waved sheepishly at her before he carefully slid off the side of the mare. The wild ride had not been friendly to fear of horses but he still helped Saria down before he collapsed onto the grass with his legs still shaking. As Malon dismounted, still holding the reins, Link pulled out bows from his bag and handed them out one by one.
"Saria, here, this is probably the smallest. Malon, I think this is what you were using in the dungeon, yeah? Um, Kafei, you'll have to use mine but it's pretty strong so let me know if you can't pull the bowstring back, okay?" He frowned into the dark depths of his bag then looked back at Romani. "You don't have any spare bows, do you?"
"Nope, sorry! Romani never expects anyone to come and help, you know that."
Link sighed and clipped the bag back onto his belt. "Okay, whatever. Does fire work on them? I mean, it should. I hope. We'll find out."
Staring at the bow in his hand, Kafei looked up at Link and Roman with a frown. "What exactly is going on here?"
Romani sniffed and flipped the corner of her neck scarf over her shoulder. "Romani has told you and told you and told everyone else that They come and attack every year before the Carnival! No one ever believes me! Except Link believed me and he helped me fight them off! Romani doesn't think we'll need any of you but thank you all the same."
In the background, Saria cheerfully shot arrows into a haybale with Romani eyeing her aim with growing admiration. Malon ran her hand through her hair and turned to the other redhead. "How bad is this attack?"
Before the girl could answer, Link jumped to his feet, glancing at the sky nervously. "It wasn't too bad when I was here four years ago. I mean, they're incessant but not fast and easy to kill." Malon tsked at her boyfriend and pointed to Romani.
"No, I was asking her. She's hiding something."
Nervously the other redhead dug a boot toe into the dirt and avoided Link's eyes as he turned to look at her. "Well, it's not that bad. Romani has it under control!"
But now Link was giving her a suspicious look. "Romani…"
"Okay okay! Maybe it's been getting worse! There's more of Them now! Different types! But Romani has still been defending her home! No one gets through!"
The blonde sighed a little and rested his hands on his hips. "You should have sent me a letter! I would have tried to come back to help! You should have dragged your sister out here and shown her what was happening! Someone would have believe you eventually!"
Off in the distance, the loud clock bell could be heard hitting the second hour and Link said a word in fairy that elicited a tsk from Saria. Malon clutched her bow tighter and looked around, wondering what these mysterious enemies were. Both Romani and Link looked concerned, their eyes scanning the sky for something Malon could only guess. "Ah, Romani, where do we get arrows from?"
The other redhead pointed to crates lined up against the barn walls. "I stock up all year for this. There should be plenty."
Malon frowned at her twin, noticing the sudden drop in usual speech patterns but Link placed himself between the two girls and yanked the rabbit ears off his head while they both stared at him in confusion. Without preamble, he placed them onto Romani's head and left her with a quick no when she opened her mouth to protest. "Wear these. They'll make you faster." When she gave him a perplexed nod, he turned to Malon. "Can you ride and shoot? You'd be able to reach more places if you can. We could use more roaming defenders."
"Uncle Ingo showed me a little bit but I haven't had a lot of practice."
"Do what you can. If it's not working out, you can come back here and defend the farmhouse and I'll use Epona." Link was unaware of how well he took charge in that moment. His voice had a nervous edge but the commands were simple and sensible and he gave them with all the courage he possessed; the Captain had taught well through example. "Saria, you stay here by the house and barn and get anything that sneaks up on us, okay?"
"Can do, little bro!" The Kokiri grinned wickedly but dug around in a box for a stack of arrows before jogging to the back of the barn. When Link turned to Kafei, he paused a moment, suddenly aware he was about to command someone older than him. The man's voice was gentle when he spoke.
"I'm okay with a bow, perhaps better with a sword, but where did you want me?"
Link released a breath. "Stay here with Saria then. It'll be easier to target if you're not running around." Opening his bag again, he put his arm deep inside and pulled out the one-handed sword Nocturne had given him to use. "I could never get them to take any damage with swords but Romani said things have changed. Better safe than sorry." The blonde glanced up and inhaled sharply. "No more time. Here they come."
And so they were. All five of the defenders turned towards the Milk Road where strange, glowing creatures were streaming into the Ranch fields. Malon gulped in a breath, then ran over to Epona and jumped on with a fluid movement. Kafei swore and pulled a short length of rope out of his pocket, tying back his hair into a loose ponytail at his neck. Tentatively, Romani glanced to Link, the bunny ears swaying with the moment, then tightened her hand on her bow, ready to defend her home. Standing with the others, Link raised his chin in defiance.
"They're going to regret ever coming here, thinking this an easy target."
A brilliant ball of light, so very familiar to both Link and Romani, zipped around the field. The young hero raised his hand full of Din's Fire and tried to intercept the, well, whatever it was. That was what he remembered so well from the moon. The other Them that were pushing in from the Milk Road were different and he worried at the numbers that were already making their slow way down the road. Well, there wasn't much he could do about any of that. The ball was too fast to hit but he ran forward towards the larger group of targets even as Malon and Romani split apart to chase after creatures of their own. When he was sure he was close enough to hit one, he pulled his arm back and threw a ball of fire at the closest one like he would a ball for the Castle Town dogs. The alien didn't attempt to catch it but it hit the target all the same, lighting up the entire creature in a red flash of light. It screeched loudly then disappeared in a cloud of ash that blew away on the night breeze. Proud of how well that worked, Link smirked and filled his hand with magic once again. "Alright you assholes, come and get me."
The following minutes were a blur of fire spells and screaming Them. At the edges of his awareness, he could see Malon riding back and forth across the field, sitting tall and proud as she shot arrow after arrow at the approaching monsters. Link couldn't help the pride and awe that washed through him at how well his girlfriend handled herself in battle; perhaps they were more alike than they both realised. He pulled his attentions back to the enemy quickly, knowing he didn't have time to think of those things right now. In between spells, he saluted to Romani as she sprinted past, the bunny hat lending the speed she needed to kept most everything from reaching the house and barn. What did make its way through was easily handled by Saria and Kafei, their shouts back and forth carrying across the starlit grasslands. They were doing okay! Actually okay, even without Link's ability to speed his own time up. He didn't even need it this time. If only Romani had managed to get others to help her in previous years, maybe the Termineans could have chased Them away for good already! As Link ran into a group of clustered aliens and slammed Din's Fire into the ground around him, he heard Romani shout in shock. Once the last of the flames cleared, she sprinted up to him and shook her bow in his face.
"You watch out with that fire, Grasshopper! Or maybe I should call you fire lizard! How long as you been able to do that?"
"Years. It just takes a lot of magic. Don't get so close when you see me tossing fire around, okay? I don't have a ranged weapon to use!"
"Next time don't bring more people than you have weapons!" Sticking her tongue out at the blonde, Romani shot her bow twice in quick succession, taking out a nearby alien.
"Wow Link, I'm really glad you came and brought more defenders to help!" The blonde was managing a passable imitation of the ranch girl's voice and she sputtered in indignation while he continued. "Even though you only just got here in the middle of last night! You're far too nice! And hey, thanks for the run speed increase! I look really cute in these bunny ears!"
"Aw fuck you, Grasshopper! I'm going back. Don't get yourself killed!" Turning, the redhead flipped Link her middle finger but she didn't take the ears off and he was sure he could hear her chuckling as she went. He only had time for a small respite before he was back tossing fire at the odd creatures. Every time he turned towards the farmhouse, he could see the others defending it well, not a single alien getting through, and he had to grin. Regular time or not, having more people made all the difference. Soon he could hear the faint chime of the clock tower striking the hour and he heaved out a relieved breath. Only three more hours to go. This would be easy.
Ahh, now why'd he have to go and think a thing like that?
The first tendrils of exhaustion wrapped around him as Malon rode up. She looked down from her perch on Epona, giving Link a probing look, then shook her head with concern. "You need a break."
Grinning sheepishly, Link leaned up against Epona's side and the mare turned her head to snuffle at him with affection. "I'm getting a little tired, but it's fine."
Malon was already swinging her leg off the horse, the start of a slow anger in her eyes. "Nope, you're not going to get away with that." Link stuttered in confusion but she merely shoved the reins in his hands. "Go back to the house. Get some food and drink. I'll watch the entrance."
"Malon!"
"No! Just two days ago you were starving and dehydrated! You'll take care of yourself or else!"
Under the redhead's furious glare, Link felt like a scolded puppy but he took the reins and pushed himself up onto Epona's back; he could have sworn the mare was laughing at him as her eye twinkled in the starlight. He spared a glance for the oncoming enemies but Malon cleared her throat with a loud 'A-HEM' and pointed back towards the farmhouse. With an apologetic grin, he did as he was told and urged Epona into a slow trot away from the fighting. Romani passed him, smirking at the dressing down he had gotten, but was soon at Malon's side, shooting at the enemies that seemed never ending even as she laughed heartily.
"You sure told him!"
"He needs to take better care of himself. Watch your back, Romani!" Malon raised her bow quickly and aimed behind the other girl. Romani spun as well and, almost in unison, the two destroyed the alien with their combined attacks. Sharing nearly identical, wide smiles, the pair nodded and faced the oncoming creatures as they loosed arrows one after another.
As Link rode up to the barn, Saria skipped past him merrily, Rosie jingling advice over her shoulder and the little white dog barking happily as it followed. Kafei looked up from an empty crate he had turned over as a seat then reached into the basket of food they brought. Almost before the teen could slide off Epona's back, the purple-haired man had a sandwich out and into the teen's hands. Link shook his head in mild exasperation but did not turn down the offer of food. "Did you guys make a pact to keep me fed or something?"
Kafei laughed. "Something like that. There's been no movement from inside the house so we think Cremia is asleep. I told Romani we should wake her up but she yelled at me, said I wasn't to disturb her sister." He laughed again, a low chuckle. "Though if she can sleep through all this, I'm not sure a knock would wake her anyway."
"She never woke up when I did this either. Never once." Link sighed and took the offered bottle of Romani Ranch milk Kafei handed him, then paused at the complicated expression on the man's face. "You're wondering how often I did this, aren't you?"
Grimacing, Kafei nodded. "That obvious, huh? Sorry, I don't mean to bring it up."
"Don't worry about it. It's getting better." Link took a long swig of the drink then another bite of the sandwich as he watched the two redheads race around, shooting arrows at the strange monsters as they streamed into the field. "I never really kept count of specific events, believe it or not. I know how long I was in here, how many cycles I lived through, but I couldn't do everything every time, no matter how much I wanted to. Cycles where I was fighting my way through temples were ones I never helped Romani, never saved the cows, never…" He glanced up at Kafei. "Never helped you and Anju, or Pamela and her father, or… Well, you get the point. At the beginning I tried, just about burned myself out with trying to help people, but eventually I had to focus on just one thing at a time just to get through. When I left, I wasn't even sure who I could really help. Probably why I left so quickly. I don't know."
Despite Them and the chaos of the three girls running around, Link took a moment to let that pain run through his veins, wind round his heart and dissipate with only a faint whiff of regret. It was easier now, definitely. It helped to know he had succeeded here, that everything he had done mattered to the ones he had left behind. And he hadn't left them behind really, had he? It might have taken some time (and encouragement from his deity family) but he had come back and would continue to come back, spend time with the friends and family he had made here. That also mattered and it made the years of struggle mean something.
Termina finally felt okay.
In the silence, the scream from Malon was extra loud and Link jumped to his feet, nerves tense, heart thudding with horror. Out of the milk road entrance were coming…things. He couldn't hear what Romani was saying but he saw her gesture back towards the farmhouse, run up to her twin and drag Malon back towards them. Link swore loudly, in Hylian this time, and did a mental check of his magic. Low, still low. It would have to do.
"Kafei, bow!"
"Catch!"
If Link would have had time to focus on it, he might have laughed at how his and Kafei's places had been switched from their time in Sakon's hideout. Back then, it was the purple-haired boy who had shouted commands. But he didn't have time to think about it and instead focused on his magic, on wrapping fire around the arrow, until the bright red flames threw black shadows onto the barn. With a quick prayer, he released it and the fiery projectile flew true and strong right into the oncoming monster's metal hide. The light threw it into sharp relief, showing the round, bowl-like shape with many more legs than the strange guardians he had seen in the war. It might have been silver but it was still too far away to tell. The arrow slammed into it with a clang that reverberated across the grass and the two redheads screamed in unison. The creature staggered, shook tongues of flame off its side, then started moving again.
This time Link charged his attack with ice and Kafei hurriedly took steps back to avoid the cold that poured off it. On the teen's face, the marks began to glow faintly in the darkness. With no hesitation, he released his shot and it embedded itself in the quickly-approaching alien, frost covering the large orb and halting forward movement. A collective sigh of relief lifted from the defenders, Romani and Malon finally running up to Link's side, when the tell-tale crack of breaking ice shot out into the night. Before he had time to second-guess his decision, Link notched a third arrow, this one glowing with a brilliant yellow light, and shot it with all the power he had into the beast. The moment it hit, the field lit up like daylight and all the aliens screamed in unison as they crumbled to dust.
Silence fell. Link let out a shaky break, weak from the pull on his low magic reserves.
Then more began pushing their way into the ranch from the Milk Road.
"Fuck!" Desperately, he dropped the bow and pulled out his bag, both hands rummaging around in the depths, looking for potions he didn't think he had packed. Far, far in the bottom, buried in a corner of his inventory, were two bottles he had nearly forgotten. One blue potion and a single bottle of Château Romani.
He had never been more thankful for his inability to do a complete sort through his things before. Even as the others stared at him, Link uncorked the bottle of blue potion and tipped it down his throat with a single, desperate gulp. Kafei watched with an awed astonishment then shook his head at Link's grimace. "Those things aren't cheap and you just drank it like water."
"Yeah, and it did just about as much good." Sighing, the blonde looked at the empty bottle and considered his Aunt's earlier comparison to filling up a lake with a single glass. The blue potion had done very little to touch his magic reserves, he could tell. It used to both heal and replenish magic at the same time, all the way, and now it didn't even fill up what he had just used..
"Link!" The teen looked up as Romani glanced back down the road. "They take so many arrows to kill. I almost didn't succeed last year! Can you do that again?!"
The redhead's eyes were full of tears, an unusual look for her, and Kafei shifted over to give her a hug; surprisingly, Romani did not pull away. Link frowned at the oncoming creatures, trying to judge how much magic he'd need to kill them all. They still had two hours left. With determination, he uncorked the Château and downed that as well.
It was still not enough.
How much magic did he have now?! If only he hadn't been nearly drained! Would more Château help?! The rate they were going now, They would definitely get to the barn. Would he at least be able to save Romani this time now that he was older and stronger? Damn! They needed help but it was the middle of the night and he'd never be able to get a force out here in time. If only his dad was here!
Pieces settled into place in his head with an almost audible click. Bag back on his hip, he yanked out the ocarina even as he pointed to the farmhouse. "We need more of the Château Romani! Someone wake Cremia up! Malon, Saria, can we get all the remaining arrows here where I can reach them without running around? I'm going to charge them up the way I did in the dungeon!"
Saria took off the moment the ocarina was on his lips, Malon following behind. Despite Romani's protests, Kafei dragged her to the farmhouse even as the watery tones of Oceanis' song floated out from Link. With impressive punctuality, the god's voice boomed into the air a mere second later.
"Link, what's wrong? It's nearly four."
"Uncle Oceanis! Thank the Goddesses! The ranch is being attacked by those weird monster things I told dad about! You know, Them! We need help!"
"I'm on my way!" The connection went silent and Link turned to the box of arrows Saria pushed up to him. Concentrating the same way he had in the Sheikah dungeon, the teen grasped as many arrows as he could hold and pushed the light magic into them. When Navi's voice jingled in his head, he flinched and looked up towards the road; there were still more of Them coming out.
"What's wrong?!"
"There seems to be quite a large number of enemies in this canyon. I am going to attempt to find the source of their arrival because it certainly isn't from Termina Field."
"Er, when you say a large number…"
"I don't have the time to count, but well over a thousand that I can see right now."
Link stared ahead in stunned shock then turned on his toes, running for the farmhouse as fast as he could. At the door, he could see Kafei and Romani arguing but he was in too much of a hurry to stop for something as trivial as that. With surprising strength, he picked up the redhead and set her down to the side, then yanked the door open and rushed inside, very nearly running into a sword that was held up to his midsection. Link skidded to a stop and grabbed the flat of the blade, throwing on what he hoped was a not-entirely-panicked smile at the tanned woman standing alone in front of him.
"Oh! Hi, I'm Link and I desperately need Cremia to give me some of her Château Romani so we can keep the ranch from being overrun by Them." Behind him, Kafei was already pushing his way past Romani into the door as well and the man grabbed Link's shoulder as he leaned forwards to the woman.
"Tacy! Hi! Sorry for the interruption but remember, I told you about Link? Please don't hurt him. We're having something of an emergency."
The copper-skinned woman frowned, then looked back over her shoulder as a voice spoke from the stairs. "Tacy, it's okay." As Cremia stepped into the light, the dark shadows under her eyes gave evidence to her fear and worry. "Link, Kafei, this is a surprise."
The Gerudo woman gave a tug on her sword and Link released it with a weak laugh, then glanced over the shorter woman's head at Cremia. "Hey! Look, I know it's 3:30 in the morning but this is really, really important! What Romani has been telling you about the monsters is true and they're getting worse. I can kill them but I'm running out of magic and I desperately need more of that milk of yours to keep me going!"
Sighing, the ginger-haired woman stepped up next to Tacy and the two women clasped hands, the Gerudo giving Cremia's a tight squeeze. When no answer came from the ranch woman, the other looked at Link with a serious expression. "She's got what you need but you'll have to forgive her for her silence. We were up late and when she went looking for her sister, she found all of you outside fighting. The presence of the monsters was something of a shock."
Romani threw up her hands and pushed her way forward. "You were supposed to stay inside! You weren't supposed to know!"
"Romani, I'm so sorry." Cremia's eyes welled up with tears but Link held up his hands, the first edge of panic hitting his eyes.
"Look! I'm sorry, can we have all these tearful apologies later? My Uncle said there were…a lot of these things outside on the Milk Road and there's more coming for the house and if we don't get back out there to fight them, they're going to steal the cows again!"
Several things happened at that moment. Cremia paused, a shocked 'again?' whispered into the candlelight. Tacy and Kafei hurried over to the storage closet where the bottles of Château were kept while Link turned for the door, keeping an eye on the approaching enemies coming down the road. Then Romani whispered something that everyone heard, stopping every action immediately.
"They're not after the cows anymore."
Link turned, his hand on the doorjam. "What?"
The redhead only looked over towards her older sister, fear in her eyes. Link and Kafei both caught the gaze and traded looks of their own. With a soft curse, the purple-haired man started grabbing bottles of the alcohol and gave Tacy a desperate look. "Tacy, stay here with Cremia, keep the door shut at all costs. Cremia, please don't come look no matter what you hear. We'll be fine. Link!" Hurriedly, he tossed a bottle of Château even as the teen's foot was out the door. Link grabbed it with a precise grab and yanked the cork out with his teeth.
"I'm going to need more! Meet me outside!" Outside, Malon and Saria were pushing the crates of arrows together, one of them still glowing brightly.. Moving slowly, ever closer, They were approaching the house and the white dog was barking with surprising ferocity. Now that Link knew what Romani was so afraid of, he could tell the trajectory of their approach was subtly different from what it had been four years ago; They were definitely heading for the house and not the barn.
Downing the Château, Link went immediately to work on infusing as many arrows as he could with light magic. He could tell the effect wasn't as strong as when he did it but it would have to be good enough for now. Next to him, Malon shoved as many of the glowing arrows into her quiver as she could and went back to shooting at anything that came close. At some point, she had tied her hair back into a loose ponytail and the flyaway strands created a red halo around her head, highlighted against the glowing arrows fired one by one. Saria winked at Link as she charged arrows with her own magic, the ring of leaves around her neck glowing more brilliantly than the ones on Link's wrists. He noticed his own marks at that moment with a startled jump, then shook his head and continued his work. By the time he was on the last crate, Kafei was next to him with an armful of bottles.
"Link, how many did you need? I can put them aside for–"
"Everyone should take one. You, Malon, even Romani. Wait… Saria, do you need more magic?"
"Nope! I'm good!"
"Okay, then that should be fine. It takes a bit of power to fire these things and the Château should give you guys unlimited magic at least for a few days. That's what it always did for me." While talking, Link grabbed a third bottle and drank that as well, his lip curling at the taste. It was working! But it still wasn't quite there yet. Even as his stomach growled, he grabbed a fourth bottle and drank that too. Looking down at Kafei's horrified expression, Link wiped his mouth with his arm and pointed towards the others. "Come on! There isn't enough time to stare! You too! Let's go!"
With a stunned nod, Kafei took off towards Malon. Glancing around, the young hero took stock of the situation, noticing that pretty much all the monsters were coming from the Milk Road now; whatever that strange ball of light was, the light magic had scared it off. Or destroyed it. He found Epona calmly eating grass under the house awning and spared a quick moment of appreciation of how she never got spooked when he kept putting her in situations like this. Romani was hovering near the door to the farmhouse and Link whistled to her, waving her over to his spot. She looked sulky and wouldn't meet his gaze but took the handful of glowing arrows Link shoved at her.
With a huff of annoyance, the teen stomped his foot lightly. "Look, Romani, I'm sorry but she deserves to know. Why didn't you tell her when you found out what they were after?"
"I would have loved for her to know before! If only she would have believed me! But then, last year, one of them got to the barn and I thought 'well, we're done for now' except it passed the barn and headed for the house where Cremia…" The redhead exhaled deeply and shook her head. "Well, I sort of figured they were out for the Château, you know? And not just a bottle of it. They want the way to make it. I knew the cows weren't the important part, not entirely. It's that secret process of making it that dad taught to Cremia and she wants to teach to me someday. I won't let her though. It would just make it harder to defend the ranch."
"You should have told her! Told everyone!"
"I DID! Only you ever believed me!" Tears gathered in Romani's eyes but she wiped them away furiously. "Whatever. Let's just do this."
Jogging up, Kafei held out a bottle of Château to Romani with a crooked grin. "Drink up, little firecracker. Welcome to adulthood."
"HA! Cremia already gave me my first. So there!" With practiced ease, the redhead downed the drink then shoved the bottle back at Kafei. She stalked off towards the other side of the farmhouse, closer to the doggy races, to protect the house from any stray aliens. Shaking his head, Link took another bottle from the purple-haired man and drank it down as well.
"Link, are you sure you should be–"
"Don't worry, I can't get drunk but MAN is this stuff vile. I didn't really notice it one bottle at a time before. Blurg! Anyway, you take the bow back. I'm going to see if I can do the same thing with light that I did with fire earlier."
Tucking the extra bottles into a crate next to the arrows, Kafei shook his head, tightened the rope around his hair, then picked up the bow again. "I think you might be able to use this better than I do."
"Look, I had to do all the fighting the last time we teamed up. I think it's only fair that you do a little work this time." Link grinned wickedly at the purple-haired man and he laughed, then shoved glowing arrows into his quiver as well.
"Fine, I get the point. But you let me know if you need this and I'll pass it over. You're right, the weight on this is a little more than I'm used to but I can keep going." For a moment, the two matched gazes, then Kafei held out his hand to Link and the two grasped tightly. Somehow they matched, though they were nearly opposites. Light versus dark. Younger and older. Hero and…
Link paused, thinking he got a sense of what his dad had mentioned on their last visit. There was something about Kafei, something more, and in this moment when he pulled himself along into a fight and stood there resolute, not even trying to run and hide, it practically radiated off of him. Maybe Kafei was The Hero, but for Termina, and it took conflict to bring that side of him out. The sounds of fighting broke the pair out of their reverie and they both turned towards the enemies filtering their way in. Link smirked and pulled his hand away then took off running.
"Uncle Oceanis, how's it going!?"
There was a pause that worried the teen but the loud voice settled in his ears soon enough. "These are tenacious foes, unusual. But they do not stand up to my attacks. I believe they are coming in through a hole, much like the portals you mentioned during the future war. I apologize for not being able to join you, Nephew."
"That's fine. Maybe you're slowing them down." Pausing next to Malon, Link stopped and held out a hand the way he would with Din's fire, instead concentrating on the feel of the light arrow magic. When it bloomed in his hand, he cheered internally and tossed it directly at another of the large, circular monsters that was lumbering through the ranch entrance. This time all of the marks on his skin glowed brightly, as well as the outline of triangles on his hand, and the creature exploded in a brilliant burst of magic that splashed onto surrounding Them. The redhead grinned over at him and wiped a hand across her brow. Somewhere, what felt like a million miles away, the clock tower rang out again..
"How's your uncle doing?"
"I am well, Malon! Thank you for inquiring." Behind the words, there was the impression of a weapon swinging, of water rushing and the brilliant tang of deity magic. Link grinned at his girlfriend's startled expression then prepared another attack.
"I left the connection open so we could plan together. Watch out!" Grabbing Malon and holding her tight, he dropped the two to the ground as a beam of energy stabbed out of the darkness. "They have attacks now!?"
Leaning backwards into Link, the redhead drew her bow and released a bright arrow at another large, round alien that rushed in. It didn't glow with the ferocity that Link's magic did but there was a bit of extra oomph she put into it, trying to work the power the way Link had been teaching her. It was hard, harder than he said it would be, but Malon had a suspicion her boyfriend was just too good at it and would never really be able to relate. "Well, it can't be any worse than the dungeon, right?"
The blonde grimaced. "Uncle Oceanis said there were over a thousand of these things out there."
Huffing out a breath, Malon climbed back to her feet and notched another arrow onto her bow. "Link, is it always like this, the whole…adventuring thing?"
"I mean, sometimes it's more boring than exciting." The blonde was on his feet as well with a simple hop and, around him, the sound of Oceanis laughing could be heard. "Hey! No commentary! You weren't even around back then!"
"I beg your pardon, little Hero." There was definitely a feeling of smirking from the other side and Link rolled his eyes. "Anyway…ah, hmm."
There was a pause and the teen's eyes widened. Malon looked over after shooting another arrow, an icy pit of fear settling in her stomach. The young hero's hand closed into a fist. "Uncle? What's wrong?"
"Something large is coming, Nephew. Do you have the energy to tap into your inherited power?"
"I…I think so."
"Be ready. They come."
Link and Malon exchanged glances and the redhead backed up slowly. Behind them, Kafei suddenly began yelling. With a yelp, Link grabbed Malon's hand and began sprinting back towards the barn, shouting to the others to group up. The girl could only spare a single glance back at the pace they were moving but what she saw froze her insides to her core.
A gigantic, silvery monstrosity was coming over the hills, covering huge amounts of ground with every step of its multitude of spindly legs. Like the other large creature, its top was round, rather like a saucer, and had to be made out of some sort of metal. The pale lightening to the east and the stars in the sky above reflected off the surface in a way that only metal could and Malon felt her throat dry out immediately as the full weight of what approached them settled on her. A huge, metal monster was heading right for them and she had no idea how they were going to stop it. It towered well above them all, taller than even the clock tower in town, taller than even the tallest spires of Hyrule Castle. How were they supposed to attack something that large!?
By the time they reached the others, Link was already shouting something that Malon couldn't hear over the ringing in her ears. Kafei yelled as well, Oceanis' voice grew faint as the source of it ran further from the group. Frozen in fear, Malon watched Link climb up the side of the barn, up vines that sprouted from nowhere and curled around the building as if they had been there all along, while Saria directed their growth with her fingers and a song. Romani stood guard over the house, her stance determined as she glared down the monster that threatened her home. That, above all else, shook Malon from her stupor and she glanced over to where Link was standing on the roof of the barn, yanking his so far unused sword out of its scabbard, filling his right hand with magic. As she looked back at the towering creature that approached faster than she expected, the redhead took a deep breath and raised her bow once again.
She didn't know how they were going to fight this thing, but as long as Link was willing to do so, then she would be right there with him. They would fight until the end, no giving up.
On the barn, Link held himself to his full height, Goddess marks bright on his skin, the light from his magic throwing his face in sharp relief. He wouldn't let Romani Ranch fall, not this time, never again. Internally, he reached for the god in his blood, ready to use it at a moment's notice. They would win, they had to.
Together, they would strike down this final threat to Termina even if it took every last bit of what he had to do it.
Notes:
This is not my best editing job. The chapter fought me the whole way and on top of that, it ends on a cliffhanger. I've decided to take on a little too much this month, what with regular updates, the Link Fic Fight and this being the end of the school year so absolutely everything happens now. But we'll push on. I'll get it done! And then summer vacation, where I hope to have a little bit more time to catch up on sleep and write. We'll see how it goes, haha.
I'm trying out a slightly different "break" to distinguish that it's not a full break like the full lines are. I'm trying not to use italics quite as much for dream sequences because a lot of the dreams Link is having are not very dream-like anymore, feel more real than they used to. I don't know if I like this yet but we'll see if it catches on.
But hey! Windy! He keeps on sneaking in. Yes, that WAS him in the other dream, he just didn't get to stay very long. Worried the shit out of him, you can see. I don't know how Link has gotten this far without learning how to wake himself up from a dream but sure, I guess pushing him off the clock tower works. Looks like Enma's got some more work to do later.
This was an interesting fight scene to try to build. I wanted to get everyone out to the ranch to help defend but would Link take Kafei willingly? He'd certainly take Malon and Saria if they wanted to come but he's never seen Kafei fight a day in his life. Well, now he has I guess.
I'm too tired to get a lot of commentary out on this chapter. This wasn't the hardest fight scene to set up and the monsters are actually really easy to write. Oh noooo, they float ominously in one direction! Ahhhh! The newer Them are a little different but they still progress onwards without fail. It's more of a battle against time, isn't it?
Speaking of the newer Them, did anyone get what I used as references? :D There's two very specific things! It'll let you know if you're right if you guess in the comments, haha.
Anyway, sorry for the cliffhanger. I even CUT stuff from this chapter to put in another one and it's still almost 10k long. Please send help; I keep trying to write chapters that won't take me all week to write and edit but then this happens. Ah well, my pain is your gain I suppose!
Next week, we return to Male Zelda (so you don't even get to see what's happening with Link! Oh no!) and we meet more of the suitors! :D See you then!
Chapter 6: Running With The Boys
Summary:
We were kind of feral, wicked, little machines
Captains and cavalries, forming empires in the shade of the trees
Without hesitation, kings of the forest town
Holding the ocean down
We were half this heavy and twice this loud
So turn up the noise
Dress to the nines
Running with the boys
Your hand in mine
Singing every song, loving every line
'Til the night is gone"Running With The boys" by LIGHTS
Notes:
Sorry I was a tiny bit late this week. I was very tired yesterday. 😭
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The morning after Enma's visit saw Impa, High Priestess Nadile and Magister Raenald standing in a cool meeting room waiting for King Lorsham. The Sheikah woman stood at a loose attention stance, calm confidence on her face as she traded glances with her companions. Despite Zelda's propensity for magic, Impa had not often associated with the leader of the mage's guild and her serene red eyes scanned Raenald with studious indifference. The man looked exhausted, as well he should, his dark skin more pale than usual and his clothes in a barely perceptible amount of disarray, very much against his normal habits; the magister was fastidious to a fault. He could hardly even look at her, knowing the Sheikah had thoroughly questioned the involved mages herself the day before, and Impa sent a single smirk his way when he dared to look. He must know what she did and Impa had no problems letting him stew in his guilt.
It was pure laziness, what happened. Raenald had okayed whatever the king wished, hadn't even looked into the spells they were going to be using. The young mage in charge of this "dream training" was in no fit state to discuss anything now and his helpers had no idea how it worked. No one had bothered to follow the processes they had in place to avoid just such an incident or ask the most important question of all.
Should they have even been doing that to Link, the hero, in the first place?
No, of course not.
Behind the three, the door opened and they all straightened imperceptibly, eyes facing forward. When Lorsham came into view, Impa contained her shock internally; he did not look the same. Sharp lines crossed his once-distinguished face and he had more grey hairs than brown on his head and face. He had aged, drastically, and even the grooming he had done before the meeting could not hide that. In her peripheral vision, Impa could see the other two reacting to the king's changes as well and she knew that he had not missed their reactions. As Lorsham walked with as much dignity as he could muster to the far side of a large table, Impa also noticed a limp on his right side. Had Nocturne hurt him the other day? Zelda had said the god was not gentle.
Without preamble, highly unusual for Lorsham, he opened his mouth and spat out hoarse, angry words. "When were one of you planning on informing me that a god was walking around our kingdom?"
Impa said nothing but that was expected of her. The other two exchanged shocked glances, something the Sheikah woman found interesting. Not shock from the god's existence, everyone was aware of him by this point, but shock that the king had not known. No one answered and the silence stretched on. With a suddenness that made them all jump, Lorsham slammed his hands on the table and yelled into their faces.
"WHEN was someone going to TELL ME there was a god in my castle?!"
It was Nadile who braved the anger first. "Your highness, we thought you knew."
Raenald nodded, the thick curls of his dark hair bobbing along with the desperate motion. "You invited him to Starfall, my liege! You were deferential!" The man's skin gleamed with clammy sweat as his bright blue eyes shifted up to Nadile to confirm. "When many of us were still unsure of his status, you gave him honour. How…why did we need to tell you?"
Lorsham straightened and dropped down into his chair with a dull thump. Something in his eyes gave the two pause but Impa was sure she knew what thoughts travelled through his mind. Zelda had told her what happened when the sun darkened and, this morning, informed her what happened the night before. The king was faced with his own mistakes fully. Zelda warned her not to mention the enchantment though; if Lorsham found out the Gerudo really had done something to him, his paranoia would consume him. Impa wasn't sure she agreed but respected the princess' judgement. She rather thought the paranoia had come from a man who suddenly found himself missing a very important aspect of his senses and felt a pang of sympathy for how his last five years must have been.
Clearing her throat with a gentle 'ahem,' Nadile glanced down at the king with steel in her stance. "I assume this has to do with the events of two days ago." Her gaze slipped to Raenald and the man could not match her eyes. The collar of his robe darkened with sweat. "The Protectors of this land are magnanimous and we are lucky to have their presence with us at this crossroad of conflict. They–"
"How many are there?" Lorsham's voice was low but projected well. His hands grasped the arms of his chair so tightly the skin turned red, then white. Nadile looked to Impa, who nodded, then turned back at the king.
"I am not entirely sure, of course. The white-haired…." Her voice trailed off, then picked back up brusquely. "Another giant has been seen, this one with blue hair who's description bears resemblance to the Akkalan god. Since the destruction of the Kakariko Graveyard, a dark-skinned being has been observed amongst the ruins, of a similar height to the other two. There are some who believe it is the god who ushers souls upon their path. Occasionally at the edges of the lost woods, a chill presence can be felt and there is a great hawk often seen in the skies. And then, of course, there is our own goddess."
Raenald snorted in disbelief. "Assuming we are still honoured by her presence. No one has even seen her."
A weighty pause hung in the air and Nadile raised her chin. "I have seen her."
Face going even paler, the head mage swallowed loud in the resulting silence. "How do we know it was really her? And not some trickery by–"
"When she spoke to me, I was in the main temple and time around us halted. I could walk up and touch the immobile visitors. No mere mage can do that, can they Magister?" Her eyes forced Raenald's gaze to hold on her and he shook his head slowly. "She said you would doubt. She has left me with a message for those here, as she knew this meeting would be called."
Lorsham trembled imperceptibly but Impa didn't miss it. His eyes were dark and the emotion on his face was impossible to read. The meeting had been called very suddenly and Impa was sure the king himself had not planned it until he woke this morning; that the priestess knew of it said much. Nadile continued as she stared at the mage next to her.
"The goddess wishes for me to convey this: all those who were involved in the betrayal of the hero are barred from the temple until such time as they are called forward to apologise. When that moment comes, they will make their way promptly to do her bidding."
"Y-yes. Of course. None would resist the call of a goddess. I will make sure they are aware of their shame."
"You as well, Raenald."
The man went so pale, Impa honestly believed he was mere moments from passing out but he nodded weakly. "Of course."
Standing straight and tall, the high priestess turned her eyes upwards, looking at no one. "She also bids me say that the king is amongst those who may be called forward to apologise, though it will not be at the same time." There was another pause where no one said anything before Nadile continued. "If that is all, your highness, I would ask my leave. I have much to do today."
The king's voice was surprisingly steady as he looked up. "You may go."
Nadile nodded and turned towards the door; as she walked past Impa, the Sheikah held out a hand and touched the woman's arm. Their eyes connected and Nadile gave a single nod to Impa's silent question, their communication completely unnoticed. Lorsham already had his focus on Raenald and the mage was sweating under the king's regard.
"Magister Raenald, we both know what part we played in our near disaster so I will not repeat information we both know." Slowly the king stood, staring down at the shorter man before him. "I would expect, in the future, that if you think I am making a mistake that you would speak to me about it instead of allowing me to blunder along needlessly."
The bump in the dark-skinned man's throat bobbed frantically while his mouth opened and closed a few times. After several aborted attempts, he managed to squeak out a barely audible "yes sire" before looking down at the floor.
"All the mages involved in this situation are required to perform remedial training and must offer a generous tithe to the Goddesses. This matter will be spoken of to no one, do you hear me? If news of what passed between them and the Hero reaches any other ears, they will be immediately jailed."
"Y-yes, your Highness."
"What happened to Jenith?"
Raenald winced. "He has been unconscious ever since and there is no current sign of his awakening again. The princess was asking about a demon but none of us saw any sign at all of evil presence. He was a brilliant student, always coming up with new spell ideas and trying different potion concoctions. His behaviour was not suspect in any way."
Lorsham made a dismissive snort in the back of his throat and rubbed a hand over his bearded chin. "You will inform me the moment he awakes, if he ever does. I and a priestess will be there to greet him."
"And…if he doesn't?"
"Then his next of kin will be notified. Now, moving forward, you will begin training all our mages on offensive and defensive spells, prepare them to be working with the army. I want them on a full schedule, no time for experimenting. Send me your timetable when you have it planned out. Oh, and send Madam Nadia here as soon as you find her." With a casual wave of his hand, King Lorsham dismissed the mage and he turned to go, face still with fear. Before he could get far, Raenald stopped and turned back again, hardly able to choke out the words in his throat.
"Sire, are…am I fired?"
"No." There was a heavy pause. "Not yet."
As the mage hurried out of the cool chamber, Lorsham turned to Impa finally and lifted his chin as if daring her to say something. "Lady Impa, would you accept the position of General in my army?"
This was not a surprise to the Sheikah woman. She knew he had been keeping tabs, had noticed the watchers that were supposed to be his best spies and laughed at them as they passed her by, unknowing. They saw only what she wished them to see but she allowed the king to know some secrets, at least. Still, the shame of the Sheikah had been long standing and it said much that he was willing to put her into a position of power. Of course, she couldn't say yes.
"I apologise, King Lorsham, but I am unable to accept."
"That is what I thought. It didn't hurt to offer." Walking around the table to stand next to the woman, the king looked at her, his hands clasped behind his back. "Would you be willing to take on another duty for me, as a favour, perhaps?"
Impa didn't trust how deferential Lorsham was being. What conclusions had he come to last night? What plans were forming in his clever mind even as they spoke? Impa had seen him in his prime, knew that Hyrule's success was very much due to his ability to see situations from many angles and plot accordingly. Now that he'd been pushed to the breaking point and his mind cleared, what was he going to do? "That depends entirely on what you are going to ask me."
"If you would be willing to look at my current generals and officers and make any suggestions you may have on their performance, suggest any replacements, I would be most appreciative. I'm sure you have plenty of opinions on my current war cabinet." Lorsham smiled mildly at her. "I know that you and the remaining Sheikah would be overjoyed to have your names cleared and this would certainly go a long way towards reconciliation."
Ah, so perhaps this was what he was leaning towards. Impa smiled serenely at Lorsham and tilted her head to the side. While her attitude might be bordering on disrespect to the royal family, the Sheikah woman knew he would do nothing about it. As the best friend and advisor to the former Queen Zelda, she held a rank that the king would not touch. "I can certainly look over the information and get back to you." There was yet another pause as the two exchanged looks, then Impa glanced to the side. "If that is all, I have some things to do with the suitors this afternoon and I would like to prepare."
The king nodded and Impa turned to go. She was almost to the door when his voice stopped her in her tracks. "Lady Impa, where is Zelda?"
She did not turn back to face him. "She has been under the weather since that night, King Lorsham."
"She won't even see her servants."
"Yes, well, I think you can agree that the situation was very trying."
"Impa, where is my DAUGHTER?"
Turning, the Sheikah gave Lorsham a dark stare that caused him to take a single step back. "She does not wish to see you, Lorsham. You nearly ruined everything for her and she will be taking as much time as she needs until she sees anyone again, much less you. Do you think your wife would have agreed with the way you've been treating her for the past five years? Consider that before you push the rights you have to her presence."
Without waiting for a response, the woman swept out the door and closed it calmly behind her. Out of the shadows, Zelda appeared and glanced up at her face. "How did it go?"
"About how I expected. He wants me to overhaul the command structure of the army"
The boy made a sardonic hmmph and awkwardly pulled down the blue tunic he was wearing. It was quite different from the training uniform but still had the Sheikah eye embroidered on a sleeve. "He'd be stupid not to. Father knows you ran the spy network before he and mother married."
"Cyrus, may I remind you that you should refer to him as "the king" while you are like this." The boy flushed red in embarrassment but nodded and mumbled an apology. "Anyway, he offered me the position of General."
Sputtering wildly, Zelda stopped dead in the hallway. "He wouldn't!"
"He did. I turned him down. Now come." Impa turned a corner and the princess hurried to catch up, stopping short as the tall, stately figure of High Priestess Nadile came into view. She turned and smiled at the pair, then fell into step beside them.
"Did he really not know, Lady Impa?"
"Unfortunately, yes. Do you have a few moments to speak of important matters?"
"For one so blessed by the gods, always." Her grey eyes landed on the blonde boy, curiosity waiting in the depths. "There have been very strange things happening, hasn't there?"
With a grimace, Impa nodded and led the way to an exit. "Yes there has. Let us retire to your office to discuss them."
Zelda was having a difficult day.
As he stood trying to be inconspicuous with the other suitors around him, he kept fiddling with the fabric on his pants, trying to avoid itching in awkward places, wanting to shuffle certain parts of his body to ease the discomfort. How did boys deal with this? He wanted to crawl out of his skin half the time! Convinced he was making a grievous faux pas, Zelda avoided the curious gazes of the young men around him and stared upwards towards the ceiling. When Impa finally stepped up to the small platform and the muttering voices settled down, Zelda nearly sent an audible thank you to the Goddesses.
"Gentleman, thank you for gathering here and waiting so patiently." The red eyes flickered to Zelda as he snorted and he ducked his head to avoid the look. "As some of you may have heard, Princess Zelda has urgent business that is keeping her away from the castle at the moment. Yes, yes, I understand, you are all here to better get to know her but she has left a series of events for you to participate and compete in while you are waiting for her return."
Hushed voices spoke amongst the boys and Zelda's ears twitched as he picked up various mutters of both interest and annoyance. With a sigh, he looked at Impa but the woman's attention was elsewhere. A soft touch on his elbow made him jump and he spun to see the bright, grey eyes of Aspen giving him a probing look. With a tight smile, Zelda simply waved and jerked a thumb in Impa's direction. She was talking again and the noises amongst the boys settled down quickly.
"You may have noticed one missing from your number. Link has respectfully removed himself from the running as he has business to attend to at home. I'm sure you will all be sorry to see him go." There was a haughty scoff from a tall, black-haired youth that was quelled with a glare from the Sheikah woman. The boy merely sniffed and turned away to whisper something to another teen next to him, a darker-skinned boy with auburn hair done up in elaborate braids. Once again Impa continued. "You know how to reach me should you have any other questions. The list of events is up by the wall. I will see you tomorrow for the first! Good luck, gentleman, and may the best challenger win."
There was an immediate babble of voices, a mix of excited speculation and gossip about the princess from what Zelda could pick up. He started to move away to gather what information he could when Aspen grabbed his arm and began steering the boy through the crowd. "Well! This is unexpected, isn't it? I wonder what's going on with the princess. Seems mysterious after everyone being shuffled off the hunt so quickly, doesn't it? And Link! I wonder what could have driven him off. I do hope he's okay."
Despite how hard it would be for anyone in the crowd to make out his voice, Aspen said nothing of importance but every question was loaded with double meaning. Was the princess okay? Did it have anything to do with the gods? Did something happen to Link? Zelda's lips twisted into a rueful smile; the Akkalan prince engaged in double speak very well but at the same time was incredibly sincere.
"I'm sure the princess is okay." She's fine, don't worry. "I've heard no news on the Hero but he's very strong and clever. I'm sure he's doing well." I don't know anything but we should remain calm. He attempted a sincere smile and Aspen nodded, still pulling Zelda away from several of the other teens who were giving him curious looks.
Ah, but he did know something about Link and guilt lapped at his cheeks. That situation was very complicated; Nocturne had mentioned Kafei but Zelda knew so little about him that it was like she knew nothing at all. Even their meeting at Link's birthday dinner had given her no real information aside from the existence of his family. Link had once mentioned a place she had never heard of before; was that where he'd gone? Where even was Termina? Zelda had studied many, many maps of the land that Hyrule was on but not a single one of them had mentioned that place. Did Termina exist? It must! Link didn't just fall off the edge of the world into nothingness, after all.
By this time, the pair were approaching a loose group of young men who were laughing and chattering amongst each other. A boy with curly black hair and deep brown eyes raised a hand to Aspen and Zelda quietly filed away the name Aedan as they approached. All those nights of studying dossiers on the suitors was going to pay off now, he hoped. One on one meetings were one thing but a loud, energetic group was going to be difficult to keep up with.
"Aspen! Where've you been hiding? Weren't there yesterday morning when we broke camp and spent half the day sleeping, eh? C'mon, spill the details! Everyone knows you were with the princess."
The brunette sniffed and lifted his chin, then gave a little wink. "A gentleman never shares secrets, you know that. Anyway, there's more interesting things to talk about! I have recruited another friend into the fold, Cyrus! Shall we do introductions? Everyone, this is Cyrus, one of Impa's Sheikah students. Cyrus, this rude Lordling here is Aedan, from Salari. He's learning magic! Isn't that fascinating? I don't think I have any myself but you never know." Zelda tried to mutter something to indicate there was no need for introductions but Aspen either didn't hear him or pretended not to and continued through the group one by one.
"These two here are some of the Hyrulean noble boys, Blair and Brennan. Do you know each other? No? Well, that's all right. Blair is the brunette, like me! His family has land down by Lake Hylia, right? Of course. Brennan, the redhead, is apparently related to one of the more distant queens or kings but I haven't finished my reading on Hyrule history so you'll have to learn more from him."
The redhead eyed Zelda up and down and tapped a finger on his lips. "You're one of the new Sheikah, huh? There's been talk that Impa is bringing more in from the further settlements. I've met Hilie briefly but they're all very hush-hush about how many more there are." The teen grinned wickedly. "I don't suppose you're willing to share Sheikah secrets, are you?"
Before the princess could respond to the negative, there was an outburst of laughter between all the boys that drew irritated glares from some of the other groups. A boy with honey-brown hair and brown eyes, Mikel perhaps, wiped a tear out of his eyes and shook his head. "What's the old saying? You can separate a Sheikah from their honour but not their secrets?"
Zelda bristled almost immediately. "The Sheikah are honorable! They- WE have proved ourselves ten times over in the Civil War!" He would not let these boys, who knew nothing, disrespect Impa's good name, no, the Sheikah name even! Maybe they weren't all great but he'd learned the history of what happened and Impa had more than repaid every debt her people might have still owed the kingdom.
Aspen gave his arm a comforting pat and shot a look at the others that saw them quieting with soft chuckles. "Now now, Cyrus just got here. Is this how we treat our new friends?"
Brennan raised his hands in surrender. "Come on, the only Sheikah we've ever known is Lady Impa and she's been old forever. You can't blame us for trying. Sorry, Cyrus. I don't think some of the others know how bad the war got. Easy to make jokes when you're not a part of it."
"Hmmph. No harm done, I guess." Zelda shrugged with a small frown on his face, then settled back into silence. The easy way the boys accepted him and joked around gave him an unsettled feeling. Very few people ever treated him with such casual companionship when he was the princess. Link, of course, but he wouldn't know propriety if it smacked him across the face. Malon was nervous at first but under Link's cheerful guidance, she too had learned to treat Zelda as almost an equal. She had to wonder if the other royals from these countries might have been more casual and friendly if the whole ordeal of courtship hadn't come up. Some of the girls were even her age but how could she trust their intentions during this time? Were they friendly because they wanted companionship or were they only trying to bring favour to their brothers?
A gentle tap on Zelda's shoulder caused her–him to jump and he looked at Aspen while the boy made a few signs that the princess could only vaguely interpret as [are you all right?]. "Cyrus, friend, are you in your mind again? I was beginning to wonder if you too had a hearing affliction; I don't think you heard a single thing we've said for five minutes."
"Oh! Just…distracted, I guess. I'm sorry, go ahead."
Mirth dancing in his eyes, Aspen gestured towards a boy with short, greenish hair and deep, yellow eyes. "Goldon was just trying to talk about his home."
The swarthy, muscular boy laughed and held out a hand to Zelda, then nearly crushed the blonde's fingers in his strong grip. "Pleasure to meet you! Ever been down to the jungles? I was just saying how much cooler it is up here! Had to pack my winter wear!"
"Oh, no, can't say I have. Though one of my friends had been a few years ago. Faron tends to worship the Goddess Farore more than others, doesn't it?"
Chuckling, Golden nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. He was one of the older suitors, already 18, and despite being a lord's son, looked like he did heavy labour regularly. Zelda had to admire his muscular arms and chest, eyes lingering slightly too long on the strong chin and windswept hair. Not all of the suitors had sent in drawings or paintings and descriptions of them had not done them much justice. At the ball, they'd all been wearing highly formal outfits that didn't really show off certain aspects of their physique; Goldon was an extremely fine looking young man. He seemed to catch Zelda's wandering eyes and winked. "I don't live too close to the Holy Land but we all do appreciate the Green Goddess' blessings."
"Hard not to when you live so close to her holy land!" A boy with dark, blonde hair and blue eyes gave Goldon a light punch to the shoulder. Zelda remembered him as Rylan, one of the boys he'd already had a chance to have some one-on-one time with. He was cheerful and often used sign language with Aspen, something the princess had observed at her birthday ball.
Mikel shook his head. "Doesn't seem to help you, living within sight of Nayru's Mountain."
"Pah! Just because you can see it doesn't mean it's close! I'm sure my da would have appreciated it if I was more in tune with wisdom though. He thinks I should know more about magic but I told him I'm not like Glen. Give me a sword any day!"
Trying to mentally shuffle names and places, Zelda tapped a finger on her– his lips and squinted around at the room. "Glen is here, right? Your brother?"
"Hmmph, unfortunately. I don't know why mom insisted he come. He's way too old for the princess! Not that I think him being here will hurt my chances but…" The teenager sighed and fell into a sulk, signing for Aspen even as he spoke to the others. "...but he's SO good looking and all the servants flirt with him and, c'mon, there's plenty of ladies who would marry him closer to home. I'd just like a chance without him looming over me all the time."
Aspen settled a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder and smiled his brilliant, friendly grin. "It's okay, Rylan. I'm sure Princess Zelda will see through him and boot him out. He's already twenty! And his personality is so overbearing."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Anyway, what are we doing today? I don't want to hang around here all day. There's some bad vibes lingering around and I need some fresh air."
Zelda had to suppress a startled jump. Rylan might not be good at magic but he apparently picked up on the deity energy hanging around the castle just fine. A good sign, honestly. One of the other boys, one who hadn't been introduced but Zelda knew him as Larch, from a far-distant island nation to the south of Faron, fluffed out his curly blue hair and glanced around. "I heard there was that one town nearby with the giant sinkhole. Might be good for a look."
"Er, that's not a great idea." Zelda grimaced, worried about the ruins. Hadn't they mentioned the area was off-limits to the groups when they arrived? Surely the boys wouldn't go somewhere actively dangerous.
"Oh yeah, isn't that where you're from?" Larch grinned and leaned in conspiratorially. "Look, I'm not asking for Sheikah secrets but surely you can tell us something about what's down there, right?!"
"Uh, well, I mean…" Zelda bit his lip and looked down at the floor. "It's just an underground dungeon that collapsed after decades of abandonment. We had to wall off the area because there was poison in there."
There were several disappointed looks amongst the suitors and Aedan breathed out a sad sigh. "So no treasure at all, huh? No ancient books or chests of golden rupees? Damn! Ruins just aren't what they used to be."
Chuckles spread through the boys and Aspen's eyes crinkled at the edges in mirth. He pointed towards the exit where some of the other suitors were already heading and looked around at the group. "What about that one tavern again? Get some lunch, maybe see about getting some fresh air afterwards? Unless anyone had any better plans for today?"
General murmurs of agreement spread through the group and they headed towards the door. Zelda looked around for Impa but the woman was long gone. Their plan was for him to socialise with the suitors anyway, try to keep going with the process even if the suitors weren't aware of who he really was. As much as he wanted to be dealing with other much more important matters, Zelda recognised that there wasn't much he could do when he didn't even really look like himself. At least getting to know all the boys would help him decide quicker later on!
Once again distracted (it was just one of those days, wasn't it?), he didn't notice a tall, black-haired teenager step in front of him until they almost collided. Zelda was proud of his reflexes as he jumped back, alert and ready as he eyed the one in front of him. The other young men stopped as an uncomfortable silence dropped on the room and all eyes turned towards the impending confrontation. It took a moment to filter through the list of names in his head but Zelda remembered dancing with this one at her birthday ball. Ug, his birthday ball? Whatever. Ambrosias, from the coastal lands of Afromsia. He had not left a good impression that night, speaking of very little except himself but Zelda was inclined to let that go. They were supposed to be getting to know each other so a little selfishness was understandable. Even with that, there had been something about the teen that unsettled her at the time.
Now, standing before the other suitors, he thought he better understood the reasons why. Ambrosias held himself with an easy grace and looked down on them all with the faintest sneer on his lips. His hair was extremely long and straight and his eyes were so perfectly highlighted that Zelda knew he must spend a long time on makeup every day. The young man was not much older than the princess but he carried himself as an adult regardless. Even his clothes were in a more mature style with his tunic having a plunging neckline that went nearly to his waist, made of a flowing and translucent material. He was certainly someone to ogle over and he knew it.
"Well, well. What do we have here? A new lad for the princess to choose from? Have you replaced that delicious blonde hero?" His words dripped with honey but even Zelda could taste the bitterness in them. He was actually offended in Link's stead; did Ambrosias have any respect at all for the young hero?
"I am not a suitor. I'm merely here to support the princess." Zelda's red eyes narrowed and he did not stretch out a hand to shake. Neither did Ambrosias. Aspen sighed faintly and glanced at the young man, then leaned to the side to see the few boys behind him. Nothing on his face indicated any surprise but there was definitely a resigned look in his eyes.
"Cyrus is a relation to Zelda, much like Gerin I imagine. He's here to keep us company while the princess is busy with other matters."
"Ooooh? That is interesting." Ambrosias stepped up to Zelda and the princess could feel his hackles rise immediately. Why did the taller boy make him feel so trapped? "Well, perhaps you should come spend time with us instead. I could certainly use some company."
"I think I'll stay with this group for now, Lord Ambrosias. Perhaps later." As Zelda moved around him, a delicate arm reached out to block his path.
"I think you should give us a chance before Aspen's group of layabouts can poison your ears with gossip. I'm afraid he has nothing good at all to say about me and my friends."
The brunette narrowed his eyes at the taller teen and clenched hands at his side; Zelda noticed the tension rise immediately. "No one here has said anything negative against any of the other suitors, Ambrosias. It's not our fault that your reputation precedes you. Link chose on his own not to associate with you and frankly, I don't blame him after your behaviour at that dinner. Shameful to ooze all over him the moment the princess left."
Ambrosias' lips turned up in disdain. "His loss. I don't need some Hylian freak when there are so many other options to indulge in after all."
The immediate bristling of the boys in Aspen's group was as loud as if they had all shouted. Zelda's hands tightened as he spoke through his teeth. "He is not a freak."
"Hmmph, I've heard the rumours. Lived in the forest? Tried to stop the Gerudo king? Keeps himself separate from everyone. And look how tall he's gotten! That can't be natural. He reeks of magic. That boy is not normal, no matter what you may think."
Pushing ahead, Aspen faced Ambrosias and glared upwards, shaking a finger in the other teen's face. "Being different does not make someone a freak, Ambro, and if that's the way you treat people, it's no wonder you can't get any further with anyone than a quick lay!"
A chorus of "oooOOOoo's" echoed in the room and Ambrosias bared his teeth at the brunette. He opened his mouth to respond, then stopped and pulled away with a disdainful sniff. Very obviously, he turned so that Aspen couldn't see his face and looked at Zelda with a self satisfied air. When he spoke, his voice was noticeably deeper. "Cyrus, I think you should seek companionship elsewhere. A failed prince who can't even keep hold of his own kingdom is a poor choice when you can have someone who knows their station and their worth."
Zelda could see Aspen's fists shaking with anger and his gaze travelled over to Rylan who was subtly making signs for the brunette to see. When Zelda's gaze slipped back to Ambrosias' smarmy face, he narrowed his eyes. "No thanks. I'm fine right here."
The black-haired youth leaned forward so his lips were right next to the blonde's ear. "Ah, but if you come with me, know that I will be able to hear every word that drips from your gorgeous lips and I will appreciate them as he will never be able to."
It was a shock to everyone, even Zelda, when his fist swung around and slammed into Ambrosias' face with a satisfying crunch. There was silence for a good thirty seconds before the taller boy began screaming while blood dripped from his face. One of the other boys behind him, Zelda thought his name might be Ashford or something like that, rushed to Ambrosias' side, already pulling an embroidered handkerchief out of his pocket. Zelda stood there for a moment, then felt himself being pulled away as the cluster of boys from Aspen's group shielded him from view. They were out the door and half running down corridors before the alarm went up in the meeting room. Several guards and servants were heading in the opposite direction from the boys and Zelda watched it all with a detached distraction. He had never punched anyone before, no matter how angry he had ever gotten with anyone, and the heady rush followed by their hurried escape had his mind reeling with new feelings.
He had punched one of the noble boys right in his stupid nose and he didn't feel bad about it. In fact, he rather thought he'd do it again.
Next to him, Aspen was saying something and it took real effort to focus on the words. "....really understand but honestly, Lady Impa did warn us against physical fighting and the moment she hears this, we're all going to get a talking to. I appreciate you standing up for whatever honour you think I deserve but it's very unnecessary."
"He deserved it."
"Well, that might be true but it wouldn't be good for anyone to get in trouble. You're not even noble and I'd hate to think what they'd do to you."
"Hmmph. I'll be fine. I'll talk to Impa later."
Almost before Zelda realized, they were outside and several of the boys laughed with relief. Goldon shook his head and wrapped his arms around himself. "Bother, I didn't have time to grab my coat."
Brennan chuckled and gave the teen a friendly slap to the shoulder. "Buck up! It's a beautiful day! Summer will be here soon!"
"Not soon enough!
Aspen laughed with the others then slipped his arm through Zelda's, giving the boy a wink. The princess swallowed slightly, suddenly nervous. Aspen was so friendly; had he guessed who he really was? Or was he just this way with everyone? A vague ringing in his ears made it hard to hear what the brunette was saying but after the rush of anger and the sudden flight and now being so very close to a young man his age who was giving him with dedicated attention, his emotions were swinging from one extreme to another.
"Well, I guess you're with us now, Cyrus. Welcome to the crew! You might want to watch your back with the others for a bit; they'll jump you the moment they can get away with it. Mullin, one of the Hyruleans, knows all the good hiding places."
Zelda managed a smile that was more confident than he felt. "Maybe they better watch out for me. I am Sheikah, after all."
Aspen's brilliant peal of laughter shivered in the spring sunshine and he leaned into Zelda for a long, heart-pounding moment. "Oh yes, of course, I nearly forgot. I hope you do get the jump on them, my dear Cyrus. I honestly do. I imagine your hearing probably helps as well. They always manage to surprise me."
Suddenly reminded of Ambrosias' behaviour, Zelda stopped and turned towards the brunette. "Wait, what was it that asshole was doing earlier? He made his voice sound different."
"Ah, yes, well, I have a much harder time hearing lower sounds. If it's low enough, I can't hear them at all and Ambro knows this, of course. He found out at a function a couple of years ago and uses it specifically to harass me. I'm used to it."
Zelda clenched his right hand, then winced and shook it out. People's faces were hard and the pain from the punch was finally beginning to set into his bones. "Aspen! You don't have to take people being an asshole to you!"
Tsking softly, the brunette shifted himself to Zelda's other side, taking the injured hand in both of his own. "Fighting never does anyone any good. I would be covered with cuts and bruises if I fought everyone who insulted my ability to hear." As he spoke, he rubbed the princess' hand with his thumbs, eyes connecting with Zelda's while he worked at the injury. "Ambrosias will get his someday, I'm sure of it. He can't help but be the way he is to people. Everyone who matters sees through his charm and I'm sure Princess Zelda will too. A pretty face isn't everything, as my maman always said."
Zelda felt a soothing warmth in his joints as Aspen continued to massage his hand. The young prince certainly had a pretty face and Zelda's face turned the faintest shade of pink at the thought. "She sounds like a smart woman."
"Oh yes, very smart! Perhaps you'll be able to meet her someday." As one of the other boys shouted back at them, Aspen looked up, then hooked his arm into Zelda's again to pull the blonde towards the group. Already the princess' hand was feeling better and he relaxed in the brunette's hold.
"That would be lovely. Maybe tonight at dinner in the great hall?"
Aspen laughed, a sound that Zelda looked forward to hearing more and more. "Oh no, maman isn't here. She's back in Akkala with my dad and papas. Of course, if Zelda keeps me on for a while, there's a chance my entire family will come for a visit. Blythe would definitely enjoy the library here. " He shook his head, not convinced of his continued presence with the suitors. Zelda stared at him for a long moment, remembering something he had read on the boy's file but not really understanding it at the time. Aspen was the son of King Alder and his wife, Queen Tumlea, but there had been other names listed as parents too and Zelda had never stopped to consider what that meant. When he got back to his room later, he'd have to ask Impa for more books on Akkala to understand what their culture was like. Breaking into his thoughts with a little out-of-tune hum, the brunette suddenly snapped his fingers and grinned over at Zelda. "I know! You can come to Akkala someday! Once Zelda has chosen and we're all back off to our homes, you won't have anything else to do here, right? Come visit me! I'll show you how beautiful my land is."
Visit Akkala? That would be nice, wouldn't it? Zelda felt a grin settle on his lips as he imagined travelling, seeing more of the world, experiencing so many new things. Link's tales of his own travels were always so adventurous and exciting! Just imagine, heading off with Aspen across the fields and forests, learning more sign language from the brunette and sharing all sorts of stories with each other. Sitting around a cozy campfire, talking about what it was like to grow up as royalty, leaning up against the other boy in the dark. Just the two of them, fingers entwined together and–
Reality crashed down on Zelda and he faltered even as they caught up to the other boys. Aspen pulled away to sign at Rylan and the princess watched his back as he pulled ahead, heart clenched in sadness. For one, brief moment, he had forgotten who he was. He was going to rule Hyrule someday. Surely this curse wouldn't last forever and then he'd be back to being a she and trying to figure out who she wanted to marry and fighting Ganondorf and everything else that was going on. There would be no travel to Akkala, no more being invited to a tavern by people his age, no life free from worry and stress. He had only been a boy for two days and was already forgetting himself.
Maybe a part of him really wanted to forget.
But, maybe he wasn't Zelda right now? Sure, yes, being a boy didn't suddenly change all his thoughts and memories. He'd always be Zelda but for as long as this strange magic lasted, surely it would be okay to exist in it, right? Take advantage of the situation! Turn the negative into a positive. He could maybe even enjoy himself for a bit.
As one of the other boys, Blair this time, grabbed his hand and pulled him into the dimly lit building towards a busy table, he was already pushing his worries aside, making the decision to enjoy the socialisation. In the short time he'd been with the suitors, he'd talked and started making friends and had even punched a self-satisfied jerk in the nose. Cyrus had more freedom than Zelda, could go places and say things the princess would never be allowed. When Impa had suggested he spend time with the suitors, he'd been dreading it but now…
Now he wanted to see what else he could do.
He could do it. He could! He could become the Sheikah boy and experience a small slice of freedom. Just remember not to get carried away, don't make promises that can't be kept. It would be fine. He'd become one of these boys and discover everything he needed to know about them. It was the perfect disguise.
Smiling, Cyrus sat at the table with the others and decided to see what the next days would bring.
Notes:
HYRULE STUFF!
Lorsham had literally the worst night ever. Did he sleep? What thoughts ran through his head? WHAT'S HE GOING TO DO NOW? Well, that you'll have to wait for. He's a complicated man.
Let's all say hello to the head of the Mage's Guild, Magister Raenald. He's middle-aged mostly, worked hard to get to his position. Why didn't he look more into the dream magic? Well, I'm sure people can guess. (also, yay! dream-mage dude has a name. Not that it's doing him much good at the moment)
Y'all were right. Aevum is not happy. She rarely (RARELY) shows herself to mortals, even her high priestess, so her having a *meeting* with Nadile was very, very unusual. Nadile is both honoured and terrified.
Impa would make a great General. She's just busy right now. Bugger off, Lorsham.
ANYWAY! Welcome to the suitors! I've been looking forward to exploring their personalities more. When I have more time, I hope to have my favourite picrew designs up on tumblr though there's a certain lack of body types to really show how some of these teenagers look. Hopefully you enjoy the descriptions! I angsted a bit about whether or not I should give some of them fantasy hair colours but damnit, if people can have green and purple hair in OOT and MM, then they should be able to have blue and orange and whatever else I want. We will meet more of the "mean" suitors later but I hope you enjoyed how much of a little whore Ambrosias is. He and Aspen are basically polar opposites when it comes to personality, though they are both rather incorrigible when it comes to flirting and relationships. But again, opposites, because Aspen is a bit younger and willing to wait until he finds someone he connects with (poor boy connects with *a lot* of people) and Ambro, uh, is....you know.
And yes, that bit about Link and Ambrosias was something I didn't write before. :D I mentioned that Link did events with the suitors between Zelda's birthday ball and the whole *kidnapping thing*, which was about two months or so, but I never said what they were. Let's all just imagine that Link almost punched yet another noble in the nose and leave it at that. Zelda finished the job for him though! GET PUNCHED ASSHOLE! I foresee some fights in Zelda's future...
Or should we say Cyrus' future?
Anyway, sorry for the late update. I know one day isn't THAT late but c'mon. June is very busy for me and my 2-chapter buffer is already gone. haaaaaaaa. Once summer vacation starts up, I'm hoping to spend some dedicated time writing but I'll also have my kid around all the time and we need to get out and do things. Guess I'll be writing outside in the parks a lot again. But I still have three weeks to go until then! We'll get through somehow. <3
Next week! Link and crew fights A THING! How exciting! Dawn of the Second Day is about to hit. :)
Chapter 7: Dawn of the Second Day
Summary:
They just have to survive until the dawn...
Notes:
Arrrrgg, June is my busiest month! I'm hoping to get back on schedule next weekend. A day late again but none the less loved for it. 💜
Also, while this isn't specifically connected to this chapter, I think this music makes a good background for reading. Enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Link's hands clutched his sword as he watched the creature walk towards them on too many legs.
In fairness, it wasn't the legs that bothered him. He'd done that before, somewhat recently even. Pestula had tons of legs. Skulltulas had lots of legs. Wallmasters were kinda like legs. Twinmold….okay, maybe that one didn't have legs but it felt like it should have. And then there was all those weird things in the War of Eras. Anyway, it wasn't the legs that bothered him! It was the height!
How was he supposed to kill something so tall?
"Uh, Uncle Oceanis! Any suggestions?!" There wasn't much time before the strange walking saucer would reach them. Where had it even come from? Was it coming over the ocean? Link's sense of direction wasn't always the best but he was mostly sure the only thing in that direction was the Great Bay.
"I suggest you kill it, of course."
With a sigh Link knew his uncle could hear, he closed his eyes and vowed to hit the god in a way that wouldn't hurt himself. "Yes, thank you for that terribly obvious suggestion. How?! I can't reach the top! It would take too long to take out the legs! It'll only take a few steps before it reaches the farmhouse!" Internally, he cursed at himself for not bringing the Giant Mask with him. That one he definitely planned on keeping so it remained at home, safe and sound with the other saved masks. Being gigantic certainly would have come in handy here, wouldn't it?
"Calm yourself. No challenge is insurmountable. Give yourself time to consider our options."
Link smacked himself in the forehead, annoyed at his own stupidity. Give himself time! Why did he think he couldn't use his Chosen abilities here? Just because they were doing well earlier didn't mean he couldn't use them now. "Inverted Song of Time! That will help! It'll take longer to get to sunrise but that's okay!" Even as he watched the metal monstrosity step over the trees into the field, the sword was switched for the ocarina and notes began to play. In the background, he could hear Oceanis shouting something about making sure everyone was included in the effect, even him, and Link closed his eyes to concentrate. Aunt Aevum said he could bring people along, and he had before! He had pulled his dad with him once and Oceanis and Enma in the mountains! Surely speeding everyone up would be just as easy.
It was not as easy as he thought. The drain on his magic was immediate as he stretched his powers out to include his allies. For a brief moment, he was sure his knees would buckle but he held steady while the song played and clocks ticked in his ears and he closed his eyes to focus harder. Why did his Chosen abilities work off of his personal magic now? They hadn't before.
But then, something had changed when he used his divinity to save himself and Malon from the dungeon. He had demanded more from himself and somehow, despite how much magic he thought he had, more had been there. Where had the extra reserves come from? Had he always been using some deep, quiet well of magic to play the Song of Time, to go backwards and forwards and slow things down or speed things up? Was there something Aunt Aevum hadn't yet told him? Someday, when he wasn't in the middle of a gigantic fight, he would have to ask her about that.
Startled yells from below drew his attention back to the present. Link grinned and opened his eyes again to see the monster moving at half the speed it was before. It was working! Perfect! Now he just needed to figure out how to get up to the head or whatever it was!
"Link! What's going on!?" Link glanced down at Malon, clutching her bow. Even from up on the barn roof, he could see her trembling; next to her, Romani gave him a confused look, her eyes quickly darting from target to slowly-moving target. Only Kafei and Saria didn't look shocked, though the man shook his head at Link before turning to look back at the gigantic monstrosity. Link hitched in a breath and pulled the ocarina down from his lips.
He had never told them about time powers.
"That's much better. Thank you, Link! I shall endeavour to make more progress towards their egress point."
"Uh…"
"Is there something the matter?"
"I never told anyone about the time thing! Everyone's staring at me! WhatamIsupposedtodonow?!"
"That is a later situation to deal with. Battle first, explanations afterward."
Link eyed the slowly moving machine and took a deep breath. "Right, yeah, okay." Turning to look down, he waved an arm in large swoops while yelling to be heard. "HEY! I'll explain later! We need to take this thing out first! Aim for its legs! We've got to try to topple it!"
A sudden scurry below sent a rush of relief through him. No one was yelling at him! He wasn't exactly sure what he thought Malon would do when she found out he could control time but one of these days he really should just sit down and tell her the weird stuff before she found out accidentally! But that was for later. Now it was time to kill this thing before it got to Cremia. Taking a deep breath, Link crouched on the roof of the barn and eyed the distance between him and the slow-moving target. He could probably make the jump. He'd been practicing a lot of running and jumping with his dad and Uncle Oceanis. Guess it was time to find out.
With a slightly shaking hand and an encouraging pep talk to himself, he pulled his Termina hookshot out and readied himself for something he had never tried before; attaching the hook in mid-air. With no further second guessing, he backed up to the very edge of the roof, sprinted as fast as he could and pushed off into a leap at the far end. Below him, he could hear Malon scream. Don't worry about it. Focus. He had to focus! Already aiming the hookshot for the closest of the legs, he tried not to think about his trajectory towards the ground as the chain flew out from the contraption. He wanted to close his eyes but forced himself to look, to keep his gaze on the hook as it slammed into a metal joint with a dull clang and held tight, to see the incoming leg that he braced himself to hit. Maybe he did look away at the last second, just to make sure he didn't slam his nose into the very solid surface, but surely he deserved some grace for pulling the whole maneuver off in the first place.
Wheezing with relief after all the air whooshed out of his lungs, Link clung to the leg as it lifted slowly and he groaned as his stomach churned. Even moving at half speed, it was like trying to cling to Twinmold and the food in his stomach complained bitterly. Below him, there were shouts and screams but he continued to ignore them as he glanced upwards towards the flat bottom of the saucer. If he could get up there, maybe he could puncture the metal, do some damage? Goht had been metal and that could be damaged. Sure, he didn't have any bombs with him but one of the magic spells should work and he still had his sword. Holding the hookshot up again, aiming for a spot higher on the leg, Link did the process all over again, slowly making his way up the leg to the far distant body.
Safe on the ground, Malon, Kafei and Saria ran up to the closest of the giant legs, trying to avoid the larger, round bases at the bottom that kept the contraption from falling over. Kafei and Saria shot light arrows at the legs with little success, barely even scratching the surface as the projectiles ricocheted off the shiny surface. With an annoyed huff, the purple-haired man yanked his borrowed sword from the scabbard and swung at the joint that connected the leg with the foot and surprisingly, it sliced easily through the metal. A glimmer ran down the blade as he stared at it and if it seemed to whisper at him in the dark in a voice suspiciously similar to Nocturne's, well, the chef was inclined to dismiss it due to the lateness of the hour. He went to swing again but the gigantic foot was already starting to rise.
"Saria! Can you do that vine thing again? Hold it in place!?"
"Yessir!" Raising her hands in the air, the green-haired girl hummed a cheerful tune and directed the path of the suddenly growing vines up and around the metal foot. Even as the plants held the alien in place and yanked downwards, Kafei clambered on top of the round base and swung the blade hard at the damaged joint, this time severing it completely. There was the smallest wobble as the weight of the creature readjusted and the man grinned at his success. Exactly what he was hoping for!
"Come on! We've got more legs to destabilize! Malon, are you doing okay?"
The redhead, who's eyes were more on the blonde above them and less on the duty at hand, gave a startled jerk and turned away towards other feet. "Er, yes! I'll work on these over here!"
"Aim for the joints if you can. That will be the least stable place."
"Okay!" With another quick glance upwards, the redhead dodged around the silver stalks and stopped to aim an arrow at another foot. She knew her attention wasn't where it was supposed to be but the way Link was trying to climb up a monster that was many meters tall had her completely distracted. Her arrow went wide as he aimed his strange hookshot upwards and she tried to hold back a cry when he flew after it. Every time he scrambled to cling to the legs, she trembled. How could he keep doing this? He had only recently been exhausted and ill! How could he ever, ever keep this up!?
But keep it up he did. One desperate hookshot at a time he climbed ever upwards. At some point, he really wished he had a second contraption, thinking there'd be more stability if he could leave one hook in and aim with another, but there wasn't much use wishing for something he couldn't have. He could see the barn and farmhouse come closer with every slow step but with one final hook, he found himself up at the base of the strange saucer and glared at the metal underneath. Now he just had to figure out how to hang and fight at the same time.
"How goes the battle, Nephew?"
"I've had better." The strange nature of their communication made it possible for the god to sense the way Link was straining to hold on, fumbling with his things as he prepared to attack, just as Link had the faintest sense of an axe cutting down creatures with terrifying rapidity and the tang of watery magic washing through the Milk road. Most of the time he could ignore it but when they talked, it was much more prominent.
"I am making progress towards their entry point but it is slow going. Are you in distress?"
"NO. It's just annoying! I'm up very, very high right now and…okay, well, I'm not going to look down. It's fine."
"Remember to shift forms if needed. A bird would serve you well should you fall."
Link sighed as he filled his hand with light and threw it awkwardly at the monster. The entire creature rocked briefly but it didn't have quite the same effect as it did on the smaller Them. They were already adapting. "I don't know how to fly, Uncle! I told you that!"
"And I mentioned there are inherent abilities in different forms. But that is no matter, we will have lessons later. Perhaps you should try a more physical attack next time."
"Yeah, yeah! It's not easy hanging off this thing and attacking! I'm getting to it." Link could hear chuckles behind his Uncle's presence and rolled his eyes. Lessons in the middle of a fight! He just wanted this to be done so he could go back to sleep. With no small amount of grumbling, Link yanked the Biggoron sword out, arm straining to hold it like a one-handed blade while he clung to the golden hookshot that was the only thing keeping him from falling to the ground far, far below. Carefully he wrapped his legs around the long, metal one and lowered his blade in readiness. As a last-minute adjustment, he breathed out the song that would wrap fire around the sword then swung upwards with all the strength his arm would allow.
It worked surprisingly well.
The hot blade melted into the silver skin of the beast and a loud, rattling cry echoed across the fields. The thing swayed dangerously and Link spared a glance down to see that several of the feet had been severed in the time it had taken him to reach the top. Even Romani had joined them, though the arrows looked less effective than Kafei's sword. There would not be enough undamaged legs to hold it up soon.
Suddenly the creature began to sway and Link desperately shoved his sword back into the scabbard as his legs clung to safety. Sooner than he thought; the monster was coming down whether he wanted it to or not! Free of his sword, he grabbed at the leg then aimed the hookshot onto the flat surface above him, into the strangely oozing slice he had made. It looked like the thing was going to fall on top of the barn and farmhouse but he wasn't about to let that happen on his watch! A rapidly forming plan sprung to mind. It might not work, maybe he wouldn't be heavy enough, but there was nothing left to do but try at this point. Something would work eventually; it always did.
The chain yanked him towards the bottom of the creature, already beginning its slow fall, seemingly hanging in mid-air. There was just enough lean that Link could pull his feet up and brace himself in a crouch. As it fell further, it was like clinging to a vertical wall, then a steep slope, then a hill he could run up. Taking a deep breath, he sprinted up to the edge of the saucer, now pointing straight up into the air, and surveyed the alien landscape to confirm his idea. With no time to second-guess his plan, Link sprinted down the curved edge until right before he would begin to slip and fall. With a graceful spin, much like some of the flips he would do when he was younger, he faced towards the monster and aimed the hookshot into the metal hide so it would embed deeply, then used his momentum to fly out into the open air. A single scream below him echoed.
And then he shifted into a Goron.
The heavier body of his now-massive Goron form did exactly what he hoped to. With his weight pulling on the still-attached chain, the creature was yanked to the side and away from its trajectory with the house and barn. Link suffered a sickening jolt to his arm but held on tight as his body made a lazy pendulum swing at the end of the fully extended chain. Only once he was sure the monster wouldn't land anywhere dangerous did he shift back into his Hylian body, hands spasming with the pain it caused him but never letting go. A quick click of a button sent him flying back in towards the metal body but it was falling faster than him, even with the time effect, and he was now above the saucer, still tilted on its side. Another idea split his face with a grin; just before the creature hit the ground, he released the hookshot completely and found himself almost flying upwards for a breath or two, then soaring downwards as his arc made its inevitable peak and fall. Below him, the creature impacted with the ground with a crash that surely everyone in town must have heard.
Face serious, nerves tight, Link yanked out his sword as his path brought him back towards the now-top of the saucer. The tip of the blade pointed straight down, his hands clutched tight to the hilt, the young hero slammed the sword into the monster so hard it went all the way up to the hilt. Even Link's feet on the edge barely did much against the force that crunched into his arms but knowing there would be time to ache later, he held on tight as he began to slip down the smooth side, dragging the blade as he went. By the time his feet finally touched dirt and grass, he had carved a rent three times longer than his height and yanked the sword out with a satisfied grin.
"Uncle Oceanis! We did it! It's on the ground!"
"Well done! Now make sure it is dead."
Dead? How could it not be dead? Hands on his hips, Link surveyed the metal monstrosity even as his eyes caught the sight of Kafei and the others, covered with dirt and dust, running around the edge of the creature towards him. It was unusual that the monster was still here, but the slice he had just inflicted on it was oozing some strange substance that didn't quite look like blood and it wasn't moving even a little bit. It looked dead, didn't it? How could anything survive that much damage and–
A round patch of metal opened and something much like a beamos eye stared balefully at the four running past it. Link was moving before he consciously made the decision to do so. As much as he could rewind things if something happened, he didn't want to see it happen in the first place. In his head somewhere, he could hear his uncle asking what was wrong but he pushed it to the side, his only focus on reaching the others before a white beam of light could reach them. A sinking feeling settled in his stomach, knowing he couldn't reach them in time at his current speed. He would need more, need to be more, and so he dug into his magic and wrapped godhood around him once more.
In the rush of power and pain, he could see Malon's lips move in the shape of his name, could see Romani and Kafei freeze in shock, saw Saria turn towards the gigantic eye and gasp in horror. Link's strides covered more ground, his stronger muscles pulled more speed from each gigantic step. And still he wasn't sure if it was going to be enough. He could get there but what could he even do to stop the attack from hitting those he loved? What could stop it? Shield! That's right! He needed a SHIELD!
And then he had one. He didn't know where it came from or what it looked like but it was on his right arm as he ran up between his friends and the alien and he braced himself to take the full brunt of the damage that suddenly burst out the huge eye. He could feel the beam pushing him back, could see the furrows in the grass his feet were making, and he glanced backwards to see all but Saria completely still as if a time stop had landed on them.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? GO! GO!!"
Saria was already running but Kafei was the first to snap out of his stupor; he grabbed both the redheads' hands and nearly yanked them off their feet as he ran for the farmhouse. Link watched them as they left, his muscles straining to hold the beam back. He couldn't remember a beamos that could hold their attack for so long but They were strange things that didn't like to obey the rules, apparently! With the others safe for the moment, Oceanis' voice pushed through, booming even louder than usual in concern. It struck the now-deity Link that his Uncle must have felt what he'd done over their communication bond.
"NEPHEW! LINK! What's happened!? Are you well?!"
"I'm fine but it's not dead! It's firing those stupid beam things at us! I did so much damage to it, Uncle Oceanis! I'm not sure what else I can do!"
"Aim for the eye, if you can!"
Well yes, duh, that was what he wanted to do but he left his bow with Kafei and the eye was currently shooting out energy that he was pretty sure would hurt a lot if it didn't kill him outright. While he was trying to figure out how to get a weapon into the eye yet still hold his shield in place, an arrow from behind him dragged his attention back to the others. Malon was already notching another to her bowstring and next to her, Romani shot a second arrow into the eye, then the two girls fired nearly in unison for their second shots. A tortured scream faded into the air and the eye went grey and dead.
Then another began to open.
Link could only stare for several seconds, his brain too tired to process what he was seeing. There were at least a dozen of those weird circles he could see in the half of the monster that wasn't embedded in the ground. And even as the eye opened slowly, he could see Them lifting up off the ground, slowly, but still moving. The long slice he had carved into it wasn't doing much good if the thing could still move around! Someone was screaming his name, maybe Kafei this time, but he just couldn't work up the energy to do anything about it. He needed something to take this thing out. It needed to be quick and deadly and utterly huge.
Perhaps it was because he was in his deity body and it better remembered where that divine part of him had originated from. Perhaps it was because he was in Termina once again. Maybe it was both of those and something else but his mind immediately jumped to the Stone Temple Tower and what had become of it. He remembered what his dad had said about how he destroyed it and a song appeared in his mind as if waiting to be considered. A song that would call down the moon.
In the darkness, Link glowed in more ways than one. The marks on his face and wrists shone with the power he clutched tightly to himself. The silver armor glowed red under the baleful gaze of the creature before him. And his eyes were the brightest of them all, gleaming power that drained him every second he remained in this body. Not even bothering to pull out his ocarina, he opened his mouth, held out his hands and began to sing.
The universe listened.
It was a moon he wanted? Panic ran through him like ice. No, not a MOON! Smaller! Something much smaller! The sense of the power working through him modulated slightly and he had a strange image in his head of a burning rock, somewhere out in the deepest black of night. Yes, that was what he wanted. The part of everything that was in him agreed to his request and his divinity gave a hard yank at the boulder that nearly pulled him off his feet. His body felt like a fishing pole that had hooked a gigantic whale. Link had been using time powers for years now. He thought he knew what Chosen abilities felt like, knew that this was something he could do because of his dad. It couldn't be that bad, could it? Surely he was able to handle whatever magic and divinity came his way.
He was wrong.
Chosen by two deities, wasn't he? He had said it blithely, assuming the larger, godly body and increased strength were the blessings from his dad. That was enough, wasn't it? He could hold the double helix sword without being stung. He looked nearly identical, he had been the god several times! That's what his dad's blessing was, right?
No, it wasn't nearly that simple.
It was night and he could feel it. Every insect, every animal, every being that was awake or sleeping where darkness reigned. The cool breeze from air not warmed by the sun. The deep darkness under the trees and the way everything was sapped of colour until the sun's rays touched them once again. It was the whispering of stars and the quiet thrum of the moon and the deep blackness of space outside the boundaries of the air but oh Goddesses what was space? It was a place outside of the glittering carpet of stars that encased the world it was the stars and the spaces between them it was night the purest night and for those brief hours the world and space were one and he was a small part of everything that existed could smell the swift scent of smoke from the campfire that a traveller used and felt the lovers that hid in the darkness as they embraced and the bright spark of light that was a house where someone had woken early or went to bed late to finish some handiwork for the Carnival and it grabbed him and held him and he was still pulling the asteroid down onto the creatures that were tied to the night in a way that was completely unlike the God of the Night…
Nocturne.
"Link! LINK! You need to stop! It's too much!"
The voice was in his ears but couldn't reach him as his body shook, trying to hold power he had never held before, had never even begun to fathom even when wearing the mask. Someone was pulling his larger-than-normal body frantically and someone else was pushing from behind and Saria was screaming but nothing made sense except the night .
"Malon! Snap him out of it! Hurry! Whatever works!"
SLAP!
The redhead held him by the edge of his armor, pulling him down close enough to reach his face, a desperate fear in her eyes as her hand stopped hard on his cheek. Flat palmed, it rested there on his skin as the two stared into each other's eyes, powerful white meeting the dark blue for the second time. Night faded from his eyes and his mind and he heaved in a breath, felt something warm and wet on his face just under his nose. When he went to wipe it away, it was not water.
"YOU NEED TO RUN NOW!" Oceanis' voice was loud enough for everyone to hear, even over a high pitched whine that rent the air. Without preamble, Link picked up Malon and ran to catch up with the other three, already running. With his mind still half caught in the aftershocks of divinity, he glanced back towards the thinnest connection he still had to the thing he had called to Termina; a burning rock that fell from the sky with horrifying speed, even moving at half the time it should be. Moments before impact, Link caught up to the others and slammed into them, pushing them together in a pile that he crouched over with his shield held behind him for safety.
The world exploded.
A sudden silence interrupted the boom of impact, protected their ears from the damage that might have been done. When Link looked up and back, he could see the tall, blue form of Oceanis conducting a wall of water that shielded them and the rest of the field from the inferno that consumed the large alien. Every mark on the god's body was alight as he flexed his domain, his hair moving as if tossed by a storm that did not exist. The usual smile was gone, though it lingered in the spaces around his eyes and mouth, and his power flooded the field just as surely as if it had been dunked in the ocean. Link could feel the easy way he commanded the divine elements and something inside him had a need that scared him. To be like that, to hold the power fully instead of just borrowing it. To be a god. That was what he needed and it terrified him.
With a thunderous crash, the water landed on what was left of the metal monster and took the debris away, leaving only a smoking crater in the middle of the field. Link tried to stand but collapsed to the side instead, his divinity and magic merely a single drop of the amount he had before. The shield disappeared, his body returned to normal, and he could not rise from the ground. Pushing herself out of the group, Saria took off for the crates in front of the barn while Malon practically fell over in her attempt to help Link. Yanking off her neck scarf, she dabbed carefully at Link's face, sobbing something about 'dangerous' and 'worry' that he couldn't make out over the ringing in his head. When she pulled the cloth away, there was a dark stain on it.
Kafei also scrambled to his knees next to Link, patting down his pockets fruitlessly, wishing he had a potion or something to drink, anything at all. "Holy shit. What was that? Wait, no, I mean are you okay, Link? That was…"
The teen stared at the stained fabric Malon held and put a hand up to his nose again. The colour was hard to make out in the darkness but he was sure it was blood. The ringing grew louder and louder, his body strangely weak. For a brief moment, the certainty of his imminent demise settled on him and he began to shake. "I…"
Through darkening vision, he could see the glowing form of his Uncle run over, voice loud in the suddenly quiet field. "Sister! I need you!"
I am awake
Kafei scrambled out of the way as the god slid to a stop on his knees in front of Link. In his left hand was a spear, no, a trident that looked like water made solid. With a fluid movement, he placed Link's hands around it and immediately Link's senses were doused in warm salt water. A friendly presence ebbed and flowed around him, familiar and yet not. Comforting warmth instead of refreshing coolness. Hot sand between his toes while watching the sunset over a jungle ocean. Arms wrapped around him, holding him tight while giving him healing and power.
Hello Link, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am the Protector of Western Oceans.
"Th-thalassa."
Do you like that name? I was fond of it before I lost my body.
On Romani field, the others watched as Link clung to the trident, his eyes closed and barely conscious. Though they couldn't see the presence that surrounded him, held him upright, some of them could feel the divinity that radiated from the weapon. Malon reached out for Link, then pulled away, then set her jaw and grabbed onto his arm, holding him as close as she dared. The gods were good and she would not be intimidated by their presence anymore.
Romani looked at the two, then gazed outwards into the field with an arrow notched on her bow. Her eyes scanned from side to side, not yet ready to relax. Their time had slowed once again, marching with the normal flow and the sounds of birds and insects briefly returned to the field while they waited. Kafei looked up at Oceanis, hardly daring to interrupt whatever process was going on with Link, but he needed to know. "Oceanis, are They…?"
"No, I couldn't get close to the portal. Once I'm sure Link is well, I'll go back."
"There's more?!"
"Yes, many. There is still time until dawn. We must hold the line."
Kafei's hand tightened on the sword he still held. The thought of Romani going through this every year, all alone, prickled at his soul. How could everyone have ignored this going on for so long? The girl had asked for help, for years, and no one came. Vaguely, he considered the girls' parents and wondered if perhaps they hadn't run afoul of these unwelcome visitors to their land. It was so easy to write off their father's death as a terrible accident, a heart attack at night where no one could find him in time to lend aid, but what if it had been more than that? So what if Romani had been a little strange, had seemed unreliable and young? It would have hurt no one to come and check at least once! He, and everyone else, had failed her.
With a determined set to his chin, Kafei held himself straighter as he looked towards the canyon and the rest of Termina. Never again. He would not allow anyone to go without help if he had anything to say about it.
Link groaned softly as his eyes fluttered open. Oceanis leaned forwards and cupped the teen's face in his hands, looking into his eyes carefully. With gentle fingers, he traced a triangular shape that connected the wisdom and power marks that still clung faintly to the skin. Knowing of Link's sensitive hearing, he modulated his voice down so as not to startle his nephew. "How are you doing, Link?"
"Uh, o-okay…I think? What…?"
"You attempted to tap into too much power. My Sister helped bolster you while you recovered." He glanced over as Saria finally ran back, several bottles of the Chateau clinking in her arms as she stopped next to him. The god was careful not to unbalance her load as he took a bottle and uncorked it, offering it to the blonde. "Hang onto that weapon until you are sure you won't pass out; it allows her to share her energy with you. Drink up; we will get you more food in the morning but this will have to do for now."
With a shaking hand, Link took the bottle and choked down the drink, swearing to himself he would never touch it again after tonight. Finally letting go of his arm, Malon rested a hand on his knee and he leaned up against her, head swimming in exhaustion but no longer feeling the dread he had just experienced. What had happened!? For those few moments, it was like there was too much in his head, too much in his body. If he had to compare it to anything, it was like…
…when the mask broke. And he had nearly become the Fierce Deity.
Kafei's voice broke into his thoughts and Link looked up to see the man pointing towards the exit. "We've got company!" The slower, easier Them were pushing their way in, a few of the larger, bowl-like creatures following close behind. Romani walked up next to Kafei, then glanced towards the east. If the clock tower had rung, none of them heard it. Dawn was approaching but they still needed to defend Cremia until the sun chased the creatures away.
" Link! Stay here!" Oceanis was already pulling his large axe off his body as he ran towards the amassed aliens. The blonde tried to stand but found Malon had wrapped her arms around him firmly, keeping him from moving from her side.
"Hey! I can't just–"
"Here, little brother, drink another one." Saria shoved another bottle in his free hand, sending him sputtering indignantly at the treatment. Malon shook her head and frowned at him, not letting go.
"No Link, you can stay here until you've recovered. I'm pretty sure your uncle is plenty strong enough to take out these monsters."
"Yeah, but–"
Saria nudged his hand. "No buts! Drink up!"
Disgruntled, but knowing the girls were right, Link tossed down another bottle, his face twisted in disgust. Even as he watched Oceanis, Kafei and Romani go to defend the ranch, his hand tightened on the trident and he had to force himself not to run after them. He should be out there with them! That he had just destroyed the biggest of the creatures with nearly every bit of magic in his body didn't even come to mind. The important thing was that more were coming and he was trapped here by a body that couldn't keep going when he needed it most. If only he had more power! It rankled him to be left sitting in the grass, forced to watch. These monsters weren't even that hard to kill!
As if mocking him, three more of the bright orbs flew into the field. His eyes traced their path but they didn't drop more of Them the way they had before. Slowly, a half-full bottle of Chateau in his hand, he stood and leaned on the trident for stability. Malon followed, her eyes also stuck on the oddly-behaving lights. Nerves sloshed in her stomach and she turned to Link, her voice high-pitched and tight with tension. "Didn't they drop more of the creatures earlier?"
Link nodded but he didn't take his eyes off them. They weren't dropping more creatures, just roaming around and dipping into the hole where the largest creature had died. From the other side of the field, Kafei noticed the orbs as well and ran back over to their group, panting with exhaustion. By the time they reached them, the orbs were floating over the crater, unmoving. "Any idea what they are?"
"No. I thought they were, like, a vehicle or something but…" Link's voice shook and his hand closed tighter over the weapon he still held. "Are they looking for something…?"
Malon screamed again as the three orbs separated and began glowing bright, brighter, each forming a large shape that was much like a saucer. The light gave way to gleaming silver and long tendrils began sinking down out of the brilliance. It was only a matter of minutes before three of the enormous, many-legged creatures were standing before them. Horror settled on Kafei's face and Malon pushed herself into Link's arm, her hands shaking so hard he could feel it in his blood. A blank silence settled in his ears, like someone had shoved his head into a pillow, and the only words that came to his heart were 'we're doomed.'
Next to him, Kafei closed his eyes, face tilted upwards, the god's sword still clutched in his fingers as if keeping him tethered to life. It was that final moment before the moon fell all over again but this time he wasn't going into the end in the arms of his beloved. Link's heart ached for Kafei, for the life that kept getting snatched away from him, but the man somehow looked at peace regardless. He opened his eyes again and held the sword ready, for whatever good it might do.
"Giants protect us."
Link's heart thumped once, hard, and he looked up at the alien creatures with dawning realisation in his eyes. Fumbling with his free hand, he pulled the ocarina out and took a deep breath. Malon looked up and Link shoved the trident at her, knowing he'd need both hands to play, not wanting to sing less his voice crack and break the spell. Maybe it didn't matter but there was a certain way to do these things and he wanted it done right. The notes were ready in his head as he settled his long fingers carefully on the cool ceramic, then raised it to his lips and began to play.
In the waiting silence, the melancholy notes of the Oath to Order rang out.
It was a call, a plea for help, one Link had never forgotten and would never forget for as long as he lived. It was the voice of the Giants, their language, calling out to them to come and help. Maybe this time the reasons were different but the words still held power. At first, there was nothing but Link knew it would take a little while. It had before and it would now. The Giants were busy but they were always listening. As Link continued playing, he added to the song, notes that explained the danger that they were in, the help they needed. He played and played while everything around him held still, held by the power in the music.
An answering song rang out from the ocean, then another from the swamp. Voices singing in harmony, promising aid. Gigantic silhouettes rose above the trees and mountains, their colours not yet visible in the pre-dawn dark, but Link knew what they looked like. How would he ever forget? Next to him, Kafei stared in awe.
The presence of the Giants broke Them out of whatever stupor the music had induced. Once more they moved forward but this time, something their own size was there to meet them. Link wasn't sure how he had missed the creatures being the same height as the Giants but as they clashed in the middle of the field, it was more than obvious. Large, orange hands grabbed metal skin, swiped at many legs, shoved the saucers into the ground. The beam eyes would try to open only to be smashed closed again by a huge fist. Though there were three of the enemy, the two Giants were more than a match for them. The air vibrated with a strange song that was both anger and triumph.
Oceanis ran towards the group, Romani clinging to him in his arms. Link released a relieved breath, put away his ocarina and gently took the trident back from a strangely quiet Malon; when she was free from its touch, her eyes snapped back into focus as she saw the chaos happening around her. "Wha…what's going on?"
"Giants came to help." Link leaned on the weapon with a tired sigh, resting his forehead on it lightly. The voice from earlier laughed in his ears and he felt a gentle caress on his skin that came from nowhere.
I like her.
Before he could answer, Oceanis was gently setting Romani down, gesturing towards the farmhouse. "I suggest you attend to your sister, assure her the battle goes well. Saria, if you could join her, put your new talents to use." The Kokiri girl saluted then grabbed Romani's hand to pull the still-stunned girl back to the buildings. The god turned towards Link and rested a hand on the teen's head. "Yes, you are doing better but I'm afraid I must ask more of you tonight, Nephew."
"Right, sure, whatever!"
Kafei swallowed hard as one of the Giants passed overhead. The fight continued but Oceanis' presence kept their group safer than any building could. "Are we going to have to…help the Giants?"
"No, they have this well handled. We are going to shut the door these beings are coming in through. Head's up, Link." With only that warning, the god scooped up the young hero into his arms and took off for the Milk Road entrance with Malon and Kafei scrambling to keep up. Link protested as he clung to the trident tightly, the goddess' laughter vibrating through his senses. Oceanis' own laughter was almost identical sounding. "You have gotten quite cumbersome to carry. If you weren't so thin, it would be like carrying one of my Siblings. I shall have to rethink picking you up again in the future."
"Good! Then I won't have to worry about being manhandled unawares!" The trident shivered in his hands and he shook it with a frown. "And no laughing from you, either! I am fifteen! I don't need to be carried like a child!"
"This is not because you are young. You very nearly drained yourself to the point of death. Let me care for you while you are weak. You will need your strength for the duty ahead. You see, I do not have much experience with non-physical gates; your expertise will be needed."
Link fell silent then and squeezed the weapon tightly. The doom he had felt, was that his body starting to give out under the strain? He had been doing so well lately! The power wasn't taxing him as much as it used to and there were days he felt like he could almost keep up with his dad even. Had all that been a sham? Would he ever really be able to help people with this power that kept trying to kill him?
Young one, you are fine. It is in the nature of youth to test their limits and with this knowledge, you will know better the next time. And with every year that passes, those limits are extended! Patience is needed.
Shaking his head, the teen pushed away the urge to cry. He didn't have time to get better! Ganondorf was coming sooner rather than later and these creatures were here now! The evil in the worlds weren't going to wait for him to get stronger. They never did!
Yes, but there will be others to help you this time. Rely on the allies you have made, take comfort in their presence. You are not alone.
As he thought about that, Oceanis ran through the arch, a wave of water rushing ahead of them to destroy whatever it touched. When Link could finally see the length of the canyon before him, he inhaled sharply at the numbers of Them that waited. Surely Uncle Oceanis had been under-reporting the numbers he'd been fighting. The god paused briefly and turned to the pair behind him, gesturing with his head towards a too-dark splotch on the canyon wall.
"That is our destination. I will do what I can to keep the enemy at bay but you must protect Link while he attempts to dismantle it. More will try to come out."
Malon nodded adamantly while Kafei clutched the sword tightly. They followed along as Oceanis pushed his way towards the strange opening but by the time they reached it, They noticed their presence and turned with angry eyes in their direction. The god set Link down with a thump and pulled his axe off his back once again, then held out the hand for the trident. As the teen passed it over, he could hear a faint farewell before the goddess' presence was gone completely.
Well, maybe not entirely gone.
The chaos shook that knowledge from his mind. Kafei yanked him down out of a swipe from one of the usually-passive Them and rammed his sword through its midsection, killing it immediately. Instead of the unusual yellow-light eyes, they were tinged with red, giving the area an eerie orange glow. Standing tall, Malon covered the two as she shot light-infused arrows at every target that came close, allowing the two men access to the (now obvious) magical gate. He frowned at it, then put a tentative finger into the opening, trying to get a sense for how it worked.
"It's not a time gate."
Kafei frowned, then turned away to slash his sword at an oncoming Them. "Okay?"
"Well, I mean, it's more like a tunnel, a shortcut. I'm more used to things that travel through time."
"But can you fix it?"
"I can definitely break it."
Glancing up to where one of the Giants could be seen grappling with the metal monsters, Kafei dodged another alien then stabbed it firmly with the blade. "Then I suggest you do that!"
With a sigh, trying to ignore the ominous music that decided to echo in his head at that exact moment, Link shoved both hands into the magic and grimaced at the foreign feel of it. The gates in the War of Eras had never felt so uncomfortable on his skin but at least this one had some of the same features. It was like working in the dark without a flashlight but he could sense the strands of energy in the void. Grabbing them stung horribly and he had to stop and duck a few times as aliens would approach him and be instantly shot or stabbed by his two companions. There had to be a way to take these out that didn't involve using his bare hands.
Pulling away, Link yanked the Biggoron sword out of the scabbard and frowned down the length of it. Well, it had worked before when he was a deity. There was no reason why slicing through the magic like this wouldn't work while he was normal. Just in case, he risked a small amount of drain to put the light magic on the blade, then took a step back and thrust the sword into the side of the hole and sliced all the way to the other. Then for good measure, he did it vertically as well. The portal sputtered and died immediately.
A scream split the air from the ranch, a horrid, metallic screech. Link, Malon and Kafei rushed back down the canyon, leaving Oceanis to finish what was left, then stopped immediately in the entrance to the field. There was only one of the gigantic saucers left and one of the giants had it by the long, tendril legs as it tried to lift off and escape. On the edge of the eastern horizon, the sky was growing lighter. Dawn was finally here but it was too late for the creatures that had dared to attack the land of Termina. There would be no escaping this time.
The second Giant grabbed the monster and squeezed it between their big hands until the grinding of metal made everyone wince and cover their ears. Slowly the being was folded in half and fire erupted from the mangled body. Before the twisted remains could even hit the ground, it was ash and soot that blew away on the dawn breeze, leaving nothing behind for the sun to touch. The other two saucers were already gone. The portal was closed and even now Oceanis was finishing up the leftovers. Link released a breath and swayed on his feet; he could find out what time it was if he really wanted to but his body hurt in a hundred different ways and he was just too tired to deal with anything at that moment. Over by the farmhouse, he could see the door crack open, surrounded by vines and thorns, then close again.
Everyone was safe. The enemies were gone. They had done it.
A gigantic hand reached down and carefully scooped the three up, lifting them high into the air. Malon screamed, her voice hoarse from all the work it had done that night, but Kafei merely looked to Link, who shrugged. There were no words left in him to try to explain. As the hand stopped in front of the strange face of the Ocean Giant, Link held up a hand in greeting. He was sure he could speak their language again, even with as tired as he was, and was not about to end this night with rudeness. "Thanks for the help."
"You can always call on us for aid. We're glad you did."
"Maybe someone on Termina should know the songs so they can call you when they need you. I won't be here forever."
"Ah, but some on Termina already do. They'll know it when the moment demands it."
Link glanced sideways at Kafei and the man gave him a startled look back. As strange as the sing-song language was, it made sense that a Terminean might know it instinctually. Grinning, the teen glanced up into the smiling, bright eyes of the Giant.
"You know I want to help but…"
"Yes, you have your own world to look after. Be at peace, little guardian, and do not worry about us."
Gently the Giant put the trio down near the farmhouse, even as Oceanis stode up from the Milk Road. The two Guardians trumpeted a musical farewell, the god returning with his own, and turned back to their regions to rest. As Link reached over to take Malon's hand, he could swear he heard one sing that they would return for the Carnival.
On the horizon, the edge of the sun touched the land, the rays hitting the ocean and trees and mountains. Far off, as if an afterthought, the large clock tower began to ring out the hour.
6am. Dawn of the Second Day.
The vines around the farmhouse receded and the door slammed open as Saria ran out with Romani hot on her heals. With a sudden, sharp laugh, Link ran to meet the pair, pulling Malon along, Kafei close behind. The group crashed together, laughing and shouting as they held each other in their efforts to be absolutely everyone was alive and present and okay. Slowly, Cremia and Tacy walked into the early sun as well, holding hands as they surveyed the damaged fields. Cows mooed from the barn, the crowing of a rooster echoed from the Cucco Shack and the sleepy yips of dogs were just starting up at the racetrack. It was as normal of a morning as it could be, if they ignored the presence of another god at their doorstep.
Kafei slapped his hand on Link's shoulder, a wide grin on his sweaty, stained face. "If that's the sort of thing you do frequently, maybe give me a pass on this heroing thing." But the smile on his face made a liar of his words and pride lingered in his eyes. There was a new lift to his shoulders, a duty that he wore like it was made for him. "When we get back, I'll make you the biggest breakfast you've ever…"
The purple-haired man stopped, eyes wide. Malon gave him a curious look and tilted her head to the side. "Something wrong?"
"BREAKFAST! I'm supposed to be making breakfast for the Inn! SHIT!"
Grabbing the man's hands, Link clicked his tongue to get Kafei's attention, much as he would with Epona. "You can sing, right?"
"Well, about as much as anyone else in Clock Town can–"
"It'll be enough!" Quickly, Link hummed the notes to the Song of Soaring. "Just sing that and think of the owl statue by the new bank, okay? You'll be home in no time."
Eyes wide with adrenaline, Kafei nodded and pulled away, running shaking fingers through his hair; the rope tying it back was long gone. "Right, yes, thank you! Don't stay out too long, okay? I'll feed you all up when you get home."
"Sure, fine! Get going!"
With slightly wobbly notes, the new song uncertain in his throat, Kafei sang and was whisked away in a swirl of feathers. The others exchanged looks, then Romani laughed loud and threw her arms around Link. "Grasshopper, I'm so glad you came. I think I'm going to have to find a new name for you though. God-kid maybe. Demi-dork. Saviour."
"Oh Goddesses no. Grasshopper is fine. Or Link! I like that name a lot." The look in his eyes was pained but Romani just laughed and punched his arm, her eyes twinkling. Even Malon laughed with her and the girls traded a look of companionship born from their shared experience. Link just shook his head, then looked out over the damaged fields as Cremia stepped up next to him. "I'm sorry we made such a mess."
Cremia laughed softly. "How is this your fault? You managed to save both our house and barn, plus us and the cows. The field is nothing. We'll get some folks out here to smooth it out, or maybe get a pond out here! That would be nice, wouldn't it, Ro?"
"Yeah! A fun place to swim in the summer! Maybe get some fish! Oh no, hero-boy, I see that look! No fishing in Romani's pond!"
As they laughed together, Oceanis rested a hand on his nephew's shoulder, a steady smile on his face and his white eyes brilliant with joy. There was no sign of the axe or trident but his armor was stained and in need of cleaning. They all were in need of a good bath at this point. "Link, shall we go? You need food and rest this day."
"Oh, yeah." The teen yawned, exhaustion finally breaking through the rush of adrenaline that was keeping him going. "Man, Cremia, I'm sorry. I don't mean to just run off like this. We're staying past the Carnival so we'll come out and visit later for sure!"
"Don't worry about it. We'll see you in town tomorrow and the next day for the festivities! Plus, there's some news I'm happy to be sharing with you and everyone very soon. We'll not let you leave until you've heard it." The ginger-haired woman exchanged a secretive smile with Tacy and the Gerudo winked in return. Goodbyes were shared around, promises to visit more frequently, then with a deep, resonate tenor, Oceanis sang the Song of Soaring and the Hyrulean group was gone. Romani watched with a shake of her head, then turned back to the house.
"I'm going to sleep! Cremia, let's get some windows in the house. I don't want to ever deal with not knowing what's coming ever again."
Notes:
Let's do a fight scene 7 chapters in, she said! It'll be fun, she said!
Ooi.
Not going to lie, my favourite part of this chapter is just Oceanis and Link having what amounts to a Bluetooth phone conversation with each other while fighting. A speaker-phone conversation because absolutely everyone can hear the deities when they're on the other end of the line. And Oceanis is absolutely using this call to do his job right now. He is never not a teacher; every moment is a learning moment, even if you're hanging off the underbelly of a large spaceship-type monster many, MANY feet off the ground! He's so great. Really gonna get Link all educated and everything.
I think we can all agree that Link absolutely shouldn't have been doing half of what he was doing in this fight. My boy, your magic bar (magic pond at this point) is at, like, 1/8th a tank. CHILD. SON-BOY. PLEASE. That Chateau Romani is all empty calories! Whelp, oops, he went all god-like too. Which, you know, Romani and Kafei have never seen! Oh boy! And then there's the time magic, which no one but Saria and Oceanis have seen! He's doing great in this fight, real good.
The funny thing was I wasn't planning on doing the time magic reveal until later in the Ganondorf War. It was going to be a whole moment between Link and Malon but Link just DOES THINGS when I write for him and it always feels more authentic when I let it happen. So now future plans will shift ever so slightly. It's fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine.
Goodbye, weird deity shield. Maybe we'll see you again later.
We're going to keep meeting Thalassa on and off, probably. She's more and more awake as time goes on. What does that mean for the twins? Well, I mean, I guess we'll see. There's been hints on and off, here and there.
Link will probably throw up if he has to drink any more Chateau Romani ever again.
We will actually follow up with this fight in the next chapter. The Termina stuff is taking a little longer than I thought; I might end up doing two Termina chapters in a row but we'll see how much Suitor stuff I can write in the meantime. :D Anyway, they won! The Giants came to help again! HORRAY! Are They gone for good? Will they return again next year? Will Kafei be able to rouse defenders if they do? Only time will tell. But hey, at least Link can enjoy the Carnival now! I'm sure he'll be fine, no trauma at all. :D
Next week, more suitor stuff for sure! The boys are being, well, incorrigible. As they will be. Poor Cyrus.
Chapter 8: Compliment
Summary:
Now I've taken the side
Of a beautiful calm
Can you see this disguise
Fading to a resolve?And there it goes, my innocence
While gathering, up a compliment
And here I lie, with words to swear
There's something more
Than the world out there
Compliment by Collective Soul
Notes:
Alas, this is late for my posting schedule. I know people keep telling me it's okay but my own expectations say it's not! June is a busy, difficult month for me and I keep forgetting that.
So just as a head's up, I'm skipping the next update to give myself time to recover from this month and do some catch-up writing. I'm about to hit my unemployed summer vacation (school bus driver weeeeee) and while I have plenty to keep me occupied, I'm hoping to get ahead again. Amazing how quickly my buffer erodes.
Edit: Going to need another week to recover from all that stuff I posted, ha! I will definitely have the next update ready on the 13th! (and hopefully be closer to getting some other updates done as well) See you then!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It didn't take long for the noble boys to try for revenge on Cyrus.
Tried but did not succeed.
No one knew where the new boy's rooms were and the servants they tried to bribe were either unknowing or unwilling to share. When Archibold came to see Ambrosias in his rooms later while the young man was getting his nose healed (and pushed back into place so there would be no physical sign of the break, a very painful process), the news instantly infuriated the black-haired teen.
"No! Unacceptable! I want that stupid Sheikah whore to know the pain I have suffered!"
Archibold frowned down at the boy and crossed his arms over his chest. He was not particularly tall, with skin that looked permanently tanned, a sturdy, muscular build and red hair that he wore in a high ponytail. His people were known to share distant relations with the Gerudo and bore many similarities, the main exception being their men were not nearly as rare as the Gerudo's. As one of the older suitors, these games and petty rivalries between the other boys bored Archibold but he maintained relationships to further his own aims at home. The Vartosa leadership was a much more complicated affair than some of the other kingdoms, a loose coalition of nobles who ruled separately, and when the need arose, they would band together under a single, elected leader to pool resources and form an army. This was a position the recently-knighted young man aimed for. Very few of the boys understood the life he lived and he humoured their ignorance in thinking he had little status. "First time you've been punched, is it?" The redhead smirked, thinking of various sparring sessions and fights he'd been in. Ambrosias just sniffed in disdain, then winced and put a hand to his tender nose.
"I prefer a more elegant mode of combat! Rapiers at dawn! A dagger in the back from the shadows! Physical combat is so low brow."
"Of course, you have no problems sending the other boys to do your dirty work."
Ambrosias glared up at the redhead, then sighed and waved a dismissive hand. "A lord delegates to others, of course. I'm sure if I ask Axel to keep an ear open, he'll discover something. His brother is close with Aspen's crew. We'll get that boy, one way or another."
Archibold smirked. He knew Ambrosias was keen to have the young prince from Tabantha in his little crew. The "Ahs", as he called them, due to all their names beginning with the sound. He knew the younger boy also enjoyed the lewder connotations but chose to ignore it. Most of the time. Walking around behind the chair the dark-haired boy was sitting in, Archibold ran delicate fingers across the teen's bare shoulders and pulled his hair aside just enough to place a tender kiss on the pale skin. "Until then, perhaps you would like a diversion from the pain?"
Ambrosias pouted but did not pull away. The redhead knew he was considered lesser to the lordling but he also knew Ambrosias was allured by the attentions from an older suitor. Archibold was not interested in Princess Zelda and wasn't likely to try hard for marriage. He didn't need the status of becoming a Hyrulean king but was very interested in seeing how the situation with the Gerudo played out. As he gathered information, he would also gather what pleasure he could. Young nobles were always so easy to entice. He allowed Ambrosias the time needed to feel like he was in charge of the situation but laughed silently in his head when the dark-haired youth stood.
"Well, if you're so bored, I suppose I can indulge you."
"Of course, Lord Ambroasias, thank you for your time."
As the two walked off towards the younger teen's bedroom, Archibold's lips turned up in a smirk and he placed his hand gently, but possessively, on the boy's back.
Aspen led Ambrosias' spies on a merry chase the rest of that afternoon. He kept them moving, never quite in places where the other suitors would expect, never stopping until he was sure they weren't being followed. And of course, he was so friendly to everyone that many of the castle servants were happy to redirect any inquiries as to their location somewhere else. After lunch, the boys wandered the city, slipping into stores and games any time they spied someone who might be looking for them. Cyrus melded into their group easily, like an ever present shadow, and the Akkalan was happy when they were the last to part ways. As the pair walked the castle halls back to the visitor quarters that evening, Aspen found his mind wandering to the events of the last two days.
After their clandestine midnight meeting and Cyrus' quiet presence at Impa's questioning, Aspen found himself thinking of the boy more and more. He was positive the Sheikah and the princess must be very closely related with as similar as they were. And as much as he knew that he would never be chosen for marriage to the princess, he couldn't help how much his heart ached at the thought of her. Stupid. He was being so stupid. He didn't intend to get feelings for her, hadn't expected her to be so kind and caring and smart. Everyone knew that Princess Zelda was beautiful but how many of them knew that she had a soul that burned brighter than the sun? How many of them knew of her power that was worthy of the gods?
He knew. And in the moment he had witnessed it, his heart was lost.
Zelda…and Link. He too had burned so brightly under the shadow of an angry, dark moon and the sight of him being carried away in a god's arms left Aspen weak at the knees even in memory. What had happened to Link? Was he okay? But no one would tell him anything. Impa had only explained that the king had ordered the hero to be held against his will and that no one was to speak of it. It had only been a couple of days but the announcement about Link dropping out of the suitors had been disturbing, to say the least. Was Link really okay?
And now here was Cyrus, who was so much like Zelda, who walked with a similar gait and talked in similar patterns, that if it wasn't utterly impossible, he'd believe the two were the same person. Yes, magic could do many things to disguise someone but Cyrus didn't have the tang of it sitting on his skin. Secretly he wondered if Zelda had an illegitimate brother but that felt like too delicate of a question to ask.
Oh but how he longed to sit and talk with the red-eyed boy, to know him better, to bring a smile to those pale lips. It was as sudden and intense of a feeling as it had been with Zelda on that sunny field that felt like a million years ago. And Cyrus wasn't royal, had no reason to turn him away; there was a connection there Aspen wished to make stronger. He wanted to…to…hold hands and push stray hairs away from eyes and to lean against warm shoulders and…
Maybe his mother had been right. He was too young for this. His chest ached with emotions he wasn't sure how to balance in himself. He had spent his whole life trying not to let his feelings get away with him, accepting that he would never be able to hear the way others could, knowing no one would want him to be king because of his physical failings. He clung to the one hope he knew he could have; a large family with as many spouses as he could love, with many children that they could all adore together. He didn't need to have perfect hearing to experience that joy.
And then the call for suitors for the Hyrulean princess had gone out. Aspen was just shy of the acceptable age but no one had to know. He would be fifteen in a few short months. He could go, the king decided. Aspen could find his way in the world. But Tumlea had argued with Alder, saying their boy was too young to be thrown into the political intrigue and teenage emotions of a royal courtship. He needed time to mature more! King Alder disagreed, as had Aspen, and the young prince and his mother were then on their way to the distant Hyrule shortly after Starfall.
If he had known what this particular courtship process would be like, would he have still wanted to come? Oh yes, most definitely. As much as his heart hurt with budding emotions, to not be here and meet all these interesting people was unacceptable. This was still fun and he prayed constantly to the God of Oceans that it would all work out somehow.
"Hyrule to Aspen, are you there?"
The brunette jerked with surprise as a hand waved in front of his face and he noticed Cyrus staring at him with those piercing red eyes. All the Sheikah he'd met had them and they wielded them like swords, stabbing straight into their target's soul with unerring precision. It was disconcerting. It was amazing. Aspen couldn't recall the last time he'd ever felt so seen. "Oh, I'm sorry, my mind was busy."
"I can tell. I've been trying to make eye contact with you for five minutes. We're being followed." Aspen turned to look but Cyrus quickly placed a gentle hand on his face and turned his eyes forwards again; the brunette could feel his skin flushing warm with the contact. "Don't look or they'll know I'm on to them. Here, there's a spot that we can slip into. If they get ahead of us, I can ambush them when they pass."
"You're going to…Cyrus! If you attack another noble, I'm not sure Impa's status can keep you safe."
The boy tsked and shook his head. "I won't hurt them. My hand still aches from the last punch, though your ministrations helped a lot."
Now Aspen was definitely blushing and he tried to hide it. He was usually the one who was calm and collected, always keeping his emotions in check. That's the way he had to be, after all. Even if he wasn't going to be the king, he could still show the noble houses they were wrong in thinking he wasn't worthy of the position. "Right, okay, but what–?"
"Quickly!" The brunette gasped as his companion grabbed his arm and yanked him into what could only be a hidden place under a stairwell. It was dark and cool and the two were pressed very tight to each other. Cyrus was in front, looking out into the corridor and waiting for his prey to pass by, so Aspen had a very good view of the boy's profile. His jaw was set in determination, the shoulder-length hair pulled back in a tight bun with small bits of it escaping to frame his face. The brunette's heart thumped in his chest with feelings that seemed to be wrapped up in both the Sheikah and the Princess all at once. Was this what falling in love was like? Getting all his feelings tangled up between multiple people and not knowing how he felt for who?
His dad had said he would know when the right people came along. King Alder should know, after all, he had four spouses and he loved every one of them. Most Akkalans would have troubles stretching their family so far but Alder did have the resources of an entire kingdom at his disposal. Being married to the king meant options for lifestyle choices that most people never got. His own mother was the queen and helped run the kingdom, but his second mother filled in easily when needed, especially now so Tumlea could be with Aspen during the courtship. His other two fathers had no real interest in kingdom business and that was fine; they spent their time in other pursuits. It was lovely having such a big family at dinners and there was always someone around to ask for advice. The only real regret was the lack of siblings; only Tumlea had any children and while it wasn't impossible for his maman to have kids eventually, they were all on the older side. (Practically ancient! Way past 30!) Aspen looked at large families with lots of children wistfully, knowing that's what he wanted for himself someday, wondering if his partners would want that as well.
He sighed faintly at Cyrus' back. Hopefully he found someone who liked more than one spouse. Hyrule was more of a single-partner country, you saw it everywhere, and he knew if Zelda were to choose him, that was something he'd have to deal with but why worry about such an unlikely outcome? He would engage in the courtship rituals until the very end, be the person he was with no apologies, and when it came time to dismiss him, he could turn his eyes to other potential partnerships.
Like Cyrus. Or Link?
Or both?
Gentle fingers tapped on his shoulders and he glanced up at the Sheikah boy next to him. He was pointing and gesturing, making clumsy signs that were horribly inaccurate, but an attempt was made and Aspen appreciated it. Tomorrow, during the first competition, he would teach young Cyrus the proper basics and get him started on real lessons! The more people who knew how to use the language, the easier it became for everyone like him and his mother. Even as clumsy as they were, the signs were still understandable; the boys following them had passed and Cyrus wanted to go after them. Aspen nodded, then moved his hands and fingers slowly, clearly enough for the Sheikah to understand most of what he said. [I will follow you. Lead the way.]
Cyrus gave him a skeptical look but Aspen merely grinned. Sure, he wasn't as good as the Sheikah at being stealthy but he'd been sneaking around his own palace for years; he wouldn't embarrass himself. Shrugging, the pale-haired boy led the way, footsteps utterly silent on the stone floors of the castle. Aspen knew he was there but the way Cyrus slipped from shadow to shadow, using every possible visual trick to sneak up on the trio of boys in front of him, was so impressive that he had a hard time following his path. Outstanding, these Sheikah folk. How did they get so good!?
And then Cyrus was directly behind the boys, knocking two of them together so they collapsed to the floor with startled sounds. The third boy he grabbed and spun around, pulling the noble's arms behind his back even as he slapped a hand over the mouth. It was smoothly done, but without the true force it needed to be totally effective. The boys on the ground were barely stunned and up on their feet in moments; thankfully Aspen knew an opening when he saw one and he rammed into the shorter of the two, sending him flying into the wall with a dull thud, once again sinking to the floor with a moan. The third looked between Aspen and Cyrus, a look of dawning comprehension on his face, but when he turned to run away, Aspen's voice held him still immediately.
"Bartholomew of Hytopia, don't you dare move or I will tell your mother what you've been up to! You should be ashamed! Trying to jump a boy you only just met today! And don't you try telling me you weren't planning on giving him some bruises! If you don't stop right now and sit down I will march right to your quarters and tell everyone how badly you were about to treat your fine outfit."
The blonde-haired boy paused for several seconds, as if considering his chances, then sighed and sat down on the floor with a thump. Cyrus eyed Aspen with surprised admiration, then pushed his own noble boy up against the wall face first, anger in his voice when he spoke. "Alexander of the Scablands, you should know not to sneak up on a Sheikah. If you don't want me to tell Lady Impa aaaaaall about this little attack you were hoping to enact, then you and your cohorts will drag yourselves back to your quarters and speak of this to no one." The boy paused, then narrowed his red eyes. "And if I hear that you've hurt anyone else, and I will hear about it, then the princess will send you packing so quickly the shame of your dismissal will be all anyone gossips about for weeks. Do we understand each other?"
The brown-haired boy muttered a muffled yes into the cold stone, his eyes looking nervously at Aspen. The prince merely smiled at him as he yanked the third boy, a young Hyrulean lordling named Owen, onto unsteady feet. As Cyrus released Alexander, the boy swayed, then glanced nervously at the Sheikah until the delicate hand waved him away. The sound of the noble-boy's feet scrambling on the floor was the only one for a moment, then the other two also shuffled to follow as they headed for the suitor's wing of the castle. Aspen's voice followed them lazily.
"And I mean it, Barty! Don't fall in with the wrong crowd or your dear mumsy will hear about it!" He chuckled and looked over at Cyrus with a grin. The blonde returned the smile but ran a hand through his hair with a sigh.
"That didn't take long for them to try to push their weight around."
"Meh. It's how things work when you're trying to be your parents, you know? Gotta show the others that you'll not let people overrun your lands. Plus, you know, sometimes people just want to beat up other people."
Rolling his eyes, Cyrus glanced down hallways to see if anyone had witnessed the scene, then carefully wound his arm through Aspen's and began walking in the same direction. "Still, I think I'll escort you to your rooms today, just in case. I know all the hidden passages and back hallways to get myself to my own without detection and I'd really rather not risk it."
"Why Cyrus, how very protective of you! We've only just met." Aspen laughed lightly and thrilled in the contact of their skin. A thread of guilt ran through him, thinking of Zelda once again, but Cyrus had been initiating all afternoon. Surely the boy would scold him if they were doing things the princess wouldn't approve of.
Or was that just flimsy reasoning to soothe his soul?
Oh God of the Deep, he didn't know. He didn't know! It felt too fast. Ever since that day when the sun went dark and his world was upended, all his emotions lay in a jumble at his feet, unwilling to organise themselves neatly in his heart anymore. This was only the second day knowing Cyrus. How could he be this smitten so quickly? And almost immediately after falling head over heels with Zelda? Ahhh, Golden Goddesses, growing up was so hard and he didn't know what to do about it.
Still with entwined arms, Aspen looked over and saw that Cyrus' skin had a pale flush of colour on the cheeks. It could just be the reflection of the sunset through the high windows but the brunette didn't think so. His heart thudded rapidly and he had to desperately push down the gleeful voice in his head that cheered. No, calm thyself, young prince. It could just be a mistake. And yet in his mind, a tiny part of himself already began to make plans. Staying to teach sign language to Hyrule, spending more time with the Sheikah boy, bowing out gracefully of the suitors, making plans to visit Akkala together…offering the boy a position in his own home.
No, Aspen. Calm. Steady. You barely even know him.
Oh but how he wanted to.
Cyrus was saying something he couldn't quite make out over the muted thrum in his ears and he turned quickly to catch the movement of his lips. Something about promising Zelda.
"I'm sorry, I missed that."
"Oh, uh, right. I promised Zelda I'd keep you safe. I mean, all the suitors. Er, because of…what happened." Cyrus' face grew more flushed with every word and while he attempted to keep his face turned towards the young prince, his eyes refused to settle. "And I feel responsible for getting you in trouble with the other boys. If you got hurt because of me, I would never forgive myself."
The pair pulled to a stop in front of Aspen's suite and the brunette nearly cried. It was too soon. He wasn't ready to part but there was no good reason not to. "That's very kind of you, Cyrus. I…I really appreciate it." He paused, heart beating loud in his chest, head screaming at him. Invite him in! Invite him in! "Are…are you coming to the first competition tomorrow?"
He was such a coward.
"Yes! Of course. Probably all of them. Im– Lady Impa wanted me to help."
"So I'll see you there?" Aspen's hand was on the doorknob but his whole body was facing the Sheikah boy, practically vibrating with emotion."
"Yes! I mean, yes, obviously. See you there. Bright and early."
"Definitely. Well. Goodnight, Cyrus."
"Goodnight!"
The moment held itself for a second too long, then Cyrus reached out, gave the brunette a hearty handshake and practically ran down the corridor. Aspen couldn't help the silly smile that spread across his face as he slowly turned the doorknob and slipped into the safety of his own rooms, humming an out-of-tune melody of his own design.
When Zelda, no, Cyrus woke up the next morning, he stared at the ceiling of his temporary room in mute astonishment of the dream she'd, no, he'd been having. Link had been there, but also Aspen and they'd been talking over her head (she'd been herself again), arguing over her and she'd been giggling and blushing and then Malon had shown up and dragged her away but she was Cyrus and Malon had turned into Brennan and then they were running for their lives through a deep woods, Ganondorf's forces chasing them, moving too fast to escape and then Aspen had been there, brandishing his sword at the moblins the way he had at the mages, fire in his eyes.
"Save the princess, Cyrus! I need to tell her, to make sure she knows… I cannot let her go without…"
And he had tried to tell the young prince that he was Zelda, that he had something to say as well but…
And then he had woken up before he could finish what he wanted to say. With a muffled curse, he sat up and angrily rubbed an eye. It was only the third day after turning male and his dreams were already as confused as he was. Even as he swung his bare legs around to sit on the edge of his bed, he could hear the main door open and the tell-tale sounds of a platter of food being set down on the desk. His rooms were small, not anywhere close to the size of his usual suite, but if they treated him with the same respect shown to the princess, then the secret would come out and panic would settle in and no one wanted that.
Standing and stretching, Cyrus looked out the small window at the sky just now touched by morning colours. It was going to be a beautiful day, just perfect for the upcoming hastilude. While he wasn't exactly looking forward to the sword dueling, the idea of seeing Aspen again immediately put a smile on his face and, completely unbidden, several not entirely appropriate images filled his mind. When Hilie walked in a minute later to find him staring vacantly at the window, she cleared her throat delicately and arched a thin, white eyebrow.
"Good morning, princess. Did you have a good sleep?" There was a delicate pause and when she spoke again, a hint of humour was in her voice. "Any…interesting dreams?" Cyrus suffered a startled jerk and met the Sheikah girl's eyes, then noticed her quick glance down. When he did the same, he swore and pulled his sleeping shirt down over a very pronounced reaction his body was having to his pleasant reminiscences. Oh Goddesses, why did this keep happening? When he was a girl, sure, there were…feelings but they were never on display for all to see! Despite his determination to enjoy his time as a boy yesterday, a sudden pang of sorrow hit him; would he ever be able to go back to being himself? Herself! Was he going to forget who he even was? Hilie's voice broke through his embarrassed, pensive thoughts and he glanced up once again. "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you, Cyrus. I know this isn't easy for you. I grew up with three brothers and I assure you that those sorts of things are very normal. Now eat up, there's plenty to do today."
With a mumbled apology and a thankful rush to the tray of steaming food, Cyrus began shoving eggs and potatoes in his mouth at an astonishing rate. By the time Impa showed up a short while later, he was much more composed over the whole situation. The woman had a sword in a plain, wooden scabbard at her side and she set it down carefully next to the door.
"Good morning, Cyrus. I hope you had a pleasant evening. Are you prepared for today's tournament event?"
The boy shoved one last spoonful of food into his mouth, eyes focused on the empty bowl in front of him. The embarrassment just now and the strange onrush of feelings the night before had left him so confused that he desperately needed advice before he headed out into the lion's den again. "Impa, can we talk candidly for a moment?" His voice cracked a bit at the end of the sentence but the Sheikah said nothing about it, merely raising an eyebrow and pulling up a chair to sit next to the boy.
"Yes? What did you need?" She paused, getting a good look at her young ward. "Zelda, is there something wrong?"
"Er, well, I think our plan is working a little too well?" At Impa's raised eyebrow, he continued quickly so as not to lose his nerve. "I definitely learned a lot about the boys yesterday and I'm very, very sorry about Ambrosias' nose but I'm not actually that sorry, he totally deserved it but I'm worried I'm getting too close to some of the boys and that they might figure out what's going on." He rushed through the words, trying to keep his voice level but there were definitely quavers of emotion leaking out. Leaning forward, Impa took the boy's hand and gave it a surprisingly tender squeeze.
"Did you need to step back? You could take the day off."
The rush of panic at not being at the day's event and seeing Aspen hit Cyrus hard and he tried to shove it down deep. "No! I mean, I promised I'd be there and…and I want to…I was hoping to see…" Oh Goddesses, he was blushing. He knew he was blushing and Impa could see it and… "I want to go. I'm just…"
"If you were still a girl, do you think your feelings would be different from what they are right now?" Impa always knew how to get to the crux of the matter, didn't she? The candid question struck right into Cyrus' heart and he opened his mouth several times to answer but failed every time. After more than a minute of staring at the woman's hand, he looked up at her with a sad expression.
"I don't know? I don't think so. I just…I worry I'm going to give hi–them, give the boys the wrong impression. Some of them are very nice and…and I won't be Cyrus forever, right?"
Impa sighed. "I've always said we start courtship too early. Your father and mother…well, that is a rather different situation. I think they would have ended up together anyway but the stress of that and the war certainly didn't help the process. But no matter. Zelda, if you have feelings for any of the boys, that is what we were hoping for, weren't we? Once we figure out how to correct this anomaly, then you can pursue that as you're meant to."
"What if…"
"What?"
"What if they only like me because I'm a boy?"
With a heavy sigh, Impa leaned forward and wrapped him in a hug. Cyrus sniffled then pressed his face into the woman's shoulder and held her tightly. Impa had always been gentle with Zelda, especially after her mother had died, and though it had been years since the princess had gone to her for comfort, finding that he could do so as he was right now was a balm on his soul. Nothing had really changed. Nothing important at least.
"I think anyone who would like you as Cyrus will also adore you as Zelda. The parts your body contains does not change who you are. I still see your intelligence and creativity and passion for your people even now, just as it was before. If the boy you like suddenly hates you because of your gender, then they are not worth the effort and you will find someone better, I promise." The moment held, the warmth of the hug shared between them just as the weight of the kingdom was. When Cyrus finally pulled away, he rubbed damp eyes and took a deep breath.
"You're right, as always. I worry that I'm…I'm getting attached too fast. What if I'm making the wrong choice? What if…what if I make the same mistake that I made with Link? I'm not sure my heart could take it."
"Even when broken, our hearts are strong." Carefully, Impa cupped the boy's face in her hands and gave him a fond look. "I know it hurt you at the time, but you recovered and have been better for the experience. Don't let your earlier failure prevent you from moving forward. I trust your instincts and I think you'll choose what's best for you."
Cyrus could not help a bitter laugh. "Because they did so well with Link."
"I know this is difficult to hear, but they weren't wrong. Remember what you told me? That he had loved you, once. So they weren't wrong, he had unfortunately moved on by the time you approached him. A sad side effect of the difficult life he leads, princess, and that has nothing at all to do with you. If you find your heart turning to someone else, trust it. I don't think it will steer you wrong."
Taking a deep breath, the boy nodded then pulled away to run his fingers through his hair. "You're right. You're always right, Impa. Thank you. I…I don't know how I'm going to handle all of this but I'll figure it out." Cyrus paused, then let his eyes wander for a few moments, not really focusing on anything before he turned and matched red-eyed gazes with Impa again. "There's some boys I'd like you to keep an eye on. I guess there's been scuffles between some of them and I was the target of an ambush yesterday."
Impa frowned deeply. "Do I need to–"
"No, no. I think it's natural for the noble boys to…well, as awful as it is to say, I think the different groups would find ways to beat each other up regardless. Maybe this hastilude will help give them an outlet on the field. I'll be careful, Impa, I promise. They were woefully easy to counter and I think at least one of them was scolded enough by Aspen to negate his bad attitude. I'll let you know if it gets worse though."
"Very well then." Slapping her hands on her knees with finality, Impa stood again and looked down at her ward. "If that's all, you should get ready for the tupinaire. It will take a while, there will be several rounds before we get to the final two, of course. You are not up first but watching will give you information on your opponents."
Cyrus grimaced and stood as well, looking at the sword with trepidation. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Come now, I've been teaching you the blade as well as the other skills. You can hold your own."
"I'm just scared. I've never gone up against real opponents before. It's a lot different from sneaking around and shooting arrows or throwing knives. And I have a feeling a few of those boys will be out for blood today."
Impa grinned, a sharp smile with a predator's teeth in it. "Then you will show them the meaning of fear. Remember, you are not Zelda to them, you are a boy from a mysterious clan who are well known for their abilities. And I have been teaching you for years. You are ready and you will decimate them. You may not see me, but I will be cheering you on from the sidelines."
Warmth filled Cyrus' heart and he pushed down the urge to cry at the woman's declaration. It was surprisingly easier than he thought it would be. Impa had always cared for him but there had been a shield of duty and royalty between them. As Cyrus, Zelda felt closer to the Sheikah than he ever had before. How different his life would have been if he wasn't the princess.
"Cyrus!" Aspen's eyes lit up the moment the pale-haired boy walked out onto the sparring field. All night he had been tossing and turning with confused thoughts and even a ridiculous fantasy or two. When he had dropped off to sleep, his dreams had been filled with visions of blonde-haired Hylians (and perhaps a god or two) that certainly didn't help his turbulent feelings.. Trying not to make eye contact with his mother while still reading her signs was hard but he managed it while shoving food he couldn't remember into his mouth. Even while being helped into his sturdier gambeson and tunic for the fight ahead, he kept his own words short and to the point. He was not ready to talk about his feelings, no matter how much he loved his mother. Not yet. Not until he better understood them.
He had been disappointed when a certain red-eyed boy hadn't been waiting with the others. Casual conversation between those in his group had been traded in between anxious looks around. He barely even noticed Ambrosias glowering at him. So when the pale-haired teen finally slipped quietly into the crowd, Aspen was overjoyed.
And the others noticed.
"Ooooooooohhh, look at little Apy!" Rylan grinned and draped an arm over his friend's shoulders. He was slightly taller than the brunette and rubbed that in any chance he got. "Did you finally grow up overnight and discovered feeeeeelings?"
[Shut up!] Aspen signed right in the blonde boy's face then ducked down out of his gasp only to have Larch snatch him and swing the both of them around in an imitation dance. Considering they were attired for fighting, it was extremely awkward.
"Our little Aspen in love, finally! After all these years of pinning! Can it be?!"
"Shut UP! I will kill you, every last one of you. My sword will slip while we're on the field and oh no! Whatever shall we DO? I swear to Oceanis if anyone–" In the middle of Aspen's frantic diatribe, he stopped as Cyrus finally reached hearing distance. The red-eyes were scanning the laughing, cheerful group and when they landed on the brunette, he could tell the skin had a faint, pink flush to it. Had Cyrus heard their teasing despite being so far away? Hylian hearing really was as good as they say. He could feel his own face turning more red and rushed into the first greeting he could muster. "Hi! It's a morning, isn't it?"
Well, that was just about the dumbest way to start a conversation. Where did his usual charm go?
But the teen nodded, a smile settling on his perfect lips. "It is, yes. Good morning. Has the event started yet?"
Goldon shook his head, watching the ring where Aedan and Mulin, one of the Hyrulean nobles, were practicing. "The first two are warming up. Once Lady Impa arrives, we'll begin."
Rylan eyed the crowds then elbowed Goldon lightly. "Any words on the odds for today? Who do you think will be favoured?"
"I know who I would choose but I'm hoping none of you boys get lucky and knock Archibold out of the running. I need a rematch with him." The yellow eyes narrowed at a memory and Blair, another Hylian, gave his arm a gentle shake.
"Look, we all know what happened between him and your betrothed but…"
"I'm not going to hurt him." The green-haired boy's teeth bared in a feral grin. "Not more than we're allowed. Don't worry about it. I should thank him for showing me her true colours. Dumped me the moment something better came along, didn't she? It's fine. I'll be perfectly pleasant."
Aspen eyed the muscular Faron boy, then shook his head. Goldon was one of the few of them strong enough to wear actual plate armor and Archibold was an accomplished fighter. They were of a similar age; a fight between them would be outstanding but also vicious. He hoped the match-up happened. At his elbow, Cyrus made a faint hmmm and Aspen's face warmed once again. What did the Sheikah boy think of their petty rivalries? Clearing his throat, the brunette put on what he hoped was a casual grin and gestured towards the ring.
"So, what do you think? Are you fighting? You're not wearing much armor." In fact, Cyrus was wearing the same Sheikah leotard he had seen that first morning after the eclipse. Dark blue with white wraps around wrists and knees and chest. Most everyone else was wearing at least quilted gambesons or chainmail. It seemed foolhardy to go into a one-on-one battle in so little. But the teen merely grinned and winked.
"I wasn't planning on getting hit. Don't worry about me."
"Well…I'll try." There were many rumours about the Sheikah and much said about their prowess in battle so maybe there was something to be said for the boy's confidence but a thin tendril of concern wound through his heart anyway. No one was supposed to strike to kill but accidents happened and Cyrus was quickly earning enemies amongst Ambrosias' group. Was it folly that the pale-haired boy looked so unconcerned? "Hey, when is your first match up? Did you want to warm up together?"
"Sure, let's find a quiet spot."
It was impossible to be completely alone in a big event like this. Parents and entourages claimed seating in the tents, the higher status families getting the best spots. Servants wandered through the crowds, offering refreshments as they went. There were even visitors from Castle Town, though not quite as many at these early pairings. The crowds would grow thicker as the final rounds approached. But there were places set aside for the suitors to relax and practice and the two boys found a corner that was mostly devoid of others. Aspen adjusted his armor, settling narrow pauldrons more securely on his shoulders, then eased his thin sword from its scabbard.
"Did you want to go first?"
"Age before beauty, perhaps?" There was a grin on Cyrus' face that immediately made Aspen laugh. He certainly wasn't the aged one but he couldn't deny the Sheikah's beauty.
"Okay, you're going first then."
Cyrus' eyebrows raised into his hairline and he nodded. The sword he had brought was wonderfully made, with a plain handle and a slightly curved blade. The teen held it firmly, grip solid but not over-tight. There was a nervousness in his stance that confused Aspen. Had Cyrus never actually engaged in combat before? His form was superb and he slipped into stance easily. "Whenever you're ready."
"On your guard then!" Aspen's blade went up; a quick thrust from his opponent was blocked and he returned with a slash that was easily shunted to the side. Their moves were slow and practiced, nothing strenuous, just easy strikes to test reflexes. A few more forward thrusts, all easily parried, and the boys were grinning at each other, the smooth rhythm of combat settling between them. Then, with no words, they both began fighting in earnest. Cyrus stabbed forward as Aspen shoved the blade to the side, sliding his own up in an attempt to break through to the chest. But the red-eyed teen laughed and spun to the side, his own sword tip now pointing towards Aspen's back. The brunette could feel the scratch of metal against his tunic and gasped reflexively. So quick! That would definitely count as a hit.
Aspen soon found he couldn't return the favour. Young as he was, the brunette had been taking lessons for years, like most nobles his age, and could easily defend himself in a fight. Cyrus, though, had an easy grace in how he moved, a fluidity that was as elegant as a song. Was this the famed fighting artistry of the Sheikah? Trying once more to get a hit on the boy, Aspen lunged forward but Cyrus was already around his arm, grasping it tightly as if about to dance. The move was so quick, Aspen didn't even have time to balance himself before his sword was twisted out of his hand. He would never be able to tell what happened, only that he felt his arm being pulled behind his back and a warm, delicate hand grasping his left shoulder to pull him in tight. When they stopped, Cyrus held him firmly, his mouth at Aspen's ear, laughing out breaths into his neck. The prince froze, knowing if this was real combat, he'd be as good as dead but relished the heady rush of pleasure at being clasped so firmly. When he tried to speak, his voice was the barest whisper. "I yield."
"Do you, young prince? I wonder."
He nodded, then swallowed hard. "You are a better fighter than me. I'm impressed. What they say about the Sheikah is true." A muffled reply that he couldn't make out (curse his insufficient hearing!) was followed by a gentle push forward as he was released. Both boys were sweating lightly in the morning air and both had red faces, though Aspen knew his was not from exertion. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that last bit."
Cyrus turned even more red and inverted his eyes. "I said thank you for the compliment. No one's ever said I was good aside from Lady Impa."
"But…that must be high praise from her!" Aspen was surprised that no one complimented his friend's fighting prowess; surely others must have noticed.
"She's my teacher. Of course she would say I'm doing well."
"Would she?" Cyrus fell silent, looking pensive. While Aspen wasn't entirely sure what was going on, there was a story there that made him desperately curious. The red-eyed boy produced more questions than answers. It was clear he needed more positive socialisation though. Smiling, Aspen picked up his blade and re-sheathed it, deciding he could help with that. Whatever feelings existed between them would work themselves out. Meanwhile, they could at least be friends. "Well, we still have some time before either of us fight. Did you want to get some water? I could start teaching you my sign language while we wait."
Cyrus looked startled at the suggestion, but nodded slowly. "You want to teach me sign?"
"Of course! It would be my honour. Then we can talk easier!"
"You…want to talk?"
"My dear Cyrus, I would like nothing more than to speak with you for hours." And with a bright smile, Aspen held out his hand to the Sheikah boy. Maybe it was too forward but at this point, what did he have to lose? The pale teen smiled shyly and slipped his hand in Aspen's grasp. Joy rippled through his senses as he clasped tightly.
As they walked back to the others, Cyrus looked over and met his gaze. The red eyes were serious suddenly. "What about Zelda?"
Happy feelings slid away but Aspen merely gave the boy a sad smile. "I would like to do the same for her but…I know nothing can come of it. I hope she finds someone worthy." He could feel a tight spasm on his hand and gave Cyrus a searching look. The Sheikah just shook his head and did not break their gaze.
"I'm sure she will."
Notes:
You know, one has to wonder what the noble girls are doing while all this is going on. Maybe we'll find out at some point. But yeah, look, there's going to be a lot of insinuations about things happening but no showing because this fic is only rated T and I'm not planning on bumping it up. (Though we'll how the war actually goes) My teenage years were quite a while ago but I still remember them. Amazing how catty and bitchy we can be at that age, honestly.
Most of the suitors are based on places that exist in SOME form of in-game map. BotW was the biggest offended because it covers the lands that are within the boundary of what I consider the Hyrulean continent. For instance, Vartosa is on the BotW map. :) Can you guess where? I actually read somewhere that Hytopia is supposed to be north? I might just put it past the "great divide" or something but we're just going to go "northish" for now. I'm not here to solve all the LoZ map problems; hell, I'm probably making them worse. Oh well!
Zelda chapters are very wordy. Very exposition-y, aren't they? And as such, we are learning a whole heckuva lot about Aspen today! Is this the first time I mentioned his dad's name? I think so. The boys in their family all have tree names (something I accidentally did the same as a different Zelda creator, oops!) We haven't met Aspen's younger brother yet, but he ALSO has a tree name, though a much less common one. I'm sure it'll come up eventually. I also have names and designs for Aspen's other parents and yes, he definitely does think of them as parents. I decided that Akkala likes poly families, though most of them rarely go over three spouses. I guess it's good to be the king.
And you know, Aspen definitely has wanted a big family for about foreeeeeever. He might be a little young but I don't think he really knows what all entails with having multiple spouses, just as kids don't really know what it means to be an adult or parent until they get older, right? He's on the cusp of adulthood, just started to feel the feelings and the poor boy has already fallen in love with three (two) people. When he finds out about the Zelda/Cyrus thing, I bet his reaction will be hilarious. Or really sweet. Or both!
And poor Zelda, falling in love all over again. And worrying about her fight with Link. And being the "wrong" gender. And everything else. At least Impa is trying to help her! Him! Whatever!
Anyway, I don't thing I'm going to run the full tournament because, uh, I don't want to. I might do a quick summary of what happened and who won, then move on to more days. Zelda's gotten a little head of Link in the "days past the Incident" thing but once Link does the Carnival, time is going to start skipping ahead. Man, I've written a whole lot of words about a very short period of time, haven't I?
So I'll see you in a week and 1/2 or something like that. At least there's no real cliffhangers or anything going on! I promise Link is getting a rest in the next chapter, haha!
Chapter 9: Night of the Second Day
Summary:
The battle is done. Now it's time to rest.
Notes:
Mild warning. This is rated T for teens being, well, teenagers sometimes. Very, very mild suggestive behaviour ahead.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
When the quartet walked into the Stock Pot Inn, they found barely contained chaos. Anju spoke with guests, one baby on her hip and the other in a highchair, apologising for the lateness of the morning meal. The voices rose higher and higher with complaints but the moment Oceanis walked by, all fell silent. The god grinned down at them with a wink, causing a few flushed faces, and he gave the assembled crowd a boisterous morning greeting. When he and the others walked around the corner, conversations picked up again in more gentle tones.
Malon hurried ahead into the kitchen where Kafei was frantically throwing ingredients into a large wok. She glanced around, then pointed to a cutting board on the counter. "Kafei, did you need help? I'm good in the kitchen!"
"Oh! You're back! You kids should get some rest, don't worry about me."
"Don't be ridiculous." Not waiting for a yes, the redhead picked up the knife and began chopping, aiming to imitate the pieces left half-finished on the counter. Saria stood on tip-toes to look at Kafei, bouncing in her efforts to see better.
"I can help too! Did you need me to get anything?"
Kafei paused and looked at the four clustered in his kitchen; they were his guests and yet…he had called Link family. And they were offering to help as family would. "Okay fine. Can you visit the bakery, tell them it's an emergency? I need pastries and bread as soon as possible. They can charge it to my account."
"Okay!" As the green-haired girl ran out, Link watched for a tired moment, then turned back to Kafei. Malon was already working with him like the two had grown up in the kitchen together. There wasn't much room to assist with cooking or prep but despite how exhausted he was, he felt like he needed to help as well.
"Um, what about me?"
Kafei gazed at Link out of the corner of his eyes, then nodded towards the front hall. "Go pick which kid is going to be my runner today, then get some rest. No, don't argue. You did more work than most of us last night." The orange eyes glanced upwards at Oceanis and the god nodded to the silent question. That Link didn't argue with the missive said much. As he turned to go, Malon paused long enough to reach her hand to his and gave it a squeeze.
"I'll join you in the room later, okay? With some breakfast!"
"Right, yeah! That sounds great." Link's stomach grumbled and he remembered the basket they had left at the ranch with longing. Oops! Oh well, there would be more food soon. As he walked back out into the hallway, Oceanis became the large, bluish hawk again and settled on the teen's shoulder. Even with as tall and strong as Link had gotten over the last year or two, he staggered under the weight. "Giants above, you're heavy!"
The bird chuckled through his beak and winked very obviously. "You haven't used that sort of exclamation before, Nephew. You must be tired."
The blond head bobbed in agreement. "Yeah, probably. Near the end of my time here, I picked up a lot of their phrases and I guess I'm kinda slipping into those habits again. I stopped in Hyrule pretty fast." His voice lifted as he approached the small group of children waiting and staring at him with wide eyes. "Hey there! I'm Link. Kafei asked me to choose his helper for today. So which one of you is ready to work?"
Most of them were strangely silent but a girl with honey-brown hair piped up and pointed to the hawk on Link's shoulder. "Why do you have the bird with you?"
"He's keeping me company before he flies off to the Great Bay. Did you want to pet him?" Link completely ignored the glance the god gave him out of one eye and grinned at the girl but she merely shook her head at him in awe.
"Oh no, sir. Not a wild bird like that. He's lovely to look at though."
"He certainly is. What's your name?"
"I'm Caity!"
"Well, congratulations Caity, you're up for today! Try again tomorrow everybody!" There were groans but none of the other kids argued as they shuffled out the door, running into each other as they attempted to keep their eyes on the hawk for as long as possible. Oceanis clacked his beak cheerfully but remained perched on Link's shoulder as the teen led the girl back to the kitchen. She was quiet for a moment, then blurted out a question as if afraid she would be told to stop.
"You're that Link, aren't you?"
The teen glanced down at the girl, surprised. "Which one?"
"The one that stopped the moon. The Hero of Termina! All the kids pretend to be you when we play fight, did you know that? Everyone wants to swing around a real sword so the guards will say we're adults and let us do brave stuff outside as well! You're famous!"
He was too tired to stop the embarrassed flush that spread over his cheeks. "Yeah, I guess I am. Were you here during that?"
The girl nodded her pig-tailed head seriously. "I was five. It was weird and mommy wouldn't let me out of the house but I remember peeking out of a window and seeing a kid with a sword and shield." She squinted. "You don't wear green anymore."
"I do sometimes." Just outside the kitchen, Link crouched down to look the girl in the eyes. After such a long fight, he was dirty and disheveled and his hair half hung in front of his eyes. The usual hairband he wore to keep it tied back had snapped long ago and he found himself pushing the lot away from his face, annoyed at the inconvenience; his dad's hair never got this tangled and messy. "Were you scared, when the ugly moon was in the sky?"
The girl frowned at him, then at the bird, then back at Link. "Maybe."
"Well, I was. I was afraid a lot."
"You were?"
"Yeah, but it's okay. It's what makes us careful, keeps us from stupid mistakes because we think we know everything. It's what you do after the fear that's important. Being afraid and doing things anyway is what makes us brave."
Looking down at the floor, the girl grasped her hands together. "Yeah, I was scared."
"That's why I saved everyone. I was only eleven, did you know that? But everyone was so scared and no one knew what to do so I did it for them. Maybe I'm famous now, but I wasn't then. I hope pretending to be me gives you courage." With a genuine smile, Link gave the girl a friendly head rub and stood again, staggering under the weight of Oceanis, then beaconed for her to follow him into the kitchen. There he paused, watching Malon laugh as she helped Kafei pull together the morning meal. A warmth settled in his chest, watching his favourite person from Hyrule socialise so easily with his favourite person from Termina. Something internal snapped into place, a sense of self completed. Maybe he didn't have two lives after all.
Caity pulled tentatively on his hand and Link grinned down at her, then cleared his throat to get the others' attention. "Kafei, I have young Caity here to help you today."
"Caity! Great to see you! How's your mom doing? Still working at the grocers?"
"Yessir. Thanks for having me today. And thank you, Link."
Trying to hide a yawn, the blonde nodded wearily. "No problem. Good luck! I'm going to go get some rest." A chorus of goodbye's followed him out into the hallway and he squeezed past Saria, only just running back in with an overfull basket in her arms. He waved to Anju, who was getting the last of the guests to head back to their rooms, promising them food in short order, then dragged himself back to the family suite one exhausted step at a time.
Once inside their room, Oceanis hopped off his shoulder and Link dropped down onto the side of his bed almost immediately. As heavy as the giant hawk had been, apparently contact with the god had been keeping him going through his slow energy drain. With a quick and easy shift to his Hylian form, Oceanis settled on the floor across from the teenager and held out his hands. "Link, I would like you to meditate with me instead of sleeping."
Yawning, the blonde looked down at the mattress longingly. "I thought you wanted me to get rest!"
"Yes, but I want you to eat as well. The food will help replenish your energy faster, which was dangerously low I might remind you."
"FINE, whatever." With a sigh, Link tried to settle himself comfortably. He was probably tired enough to slip into the weird meditative state the deities would use instead of sleeping but it still didn't come naturally to him most of the time. Oceanis wiggled his fingers again, hands still waiting to be taken, but Link just gave him a confused stare. "What?"
"Come, join me."
"Oh, uh, you mean together? I thought…"
"Normally it is private, yes, but I need to be sure you're okay. If we rest together, I can monitor you and keep you safe. Your father would do the same, as I'm sure you know."
Link chewed his lip a bit. Would his dad do that? But then he recalled the nights when Nocturne would let him crawl into bed, had held him tightly to keep away the dreams that haunted him. He'd never thought about it much but those nights in the god's protective embrace had been filled with golden light and calmness. Had Nocturne been accidentally pulling him into a meditative state? Or on purpose? Maybe doing so wasn't as weird as he thought. So he placed his hands into his Uncle's and closed his eyes to concentrate.
It came so, so easy.
The sounds muted around him as he drifted into a realm that was brightness and light. He could feel his Uncle's hands on his but at the same time, there was nothing there but a tingling presence on his skin. Everything was a brilliant blue and gold tinted light. Looking down, he could see his own body, could move if he wanted to, but the rest…
It felt like that moment when he had first met Grandma Nayru, tendrils of energy that caressed him, held him lovingly in the strangely warm waters of an icy mountain spring. It was that but the deepness of an ocean he had barely touched, a darker blue and a paler gold. The idea of a hand rested on his forehead and another pressed in on his chest. In the energy was a song that hummed in his ears, wound round his limbs and he sighed with relief as he relaxed into the presence around him. Or was it perhaps two? Another was there, with the god and separate, its voice just different enough in the song to tell them apart. Two beings, the same yet different. Connected but separate. East and West, hot and cold.
Oceanis and Thalassa.
Link closed his eyes, somehow, or perhaps just let darkness encase him. Some part of himself, deep down, resonated with the divinity around him, a sensation that tickled at his soul. A warm voice laughed in his ear when he mentally shook his limbs and tried to squirm but it was the cool one that spoke to him first, mere impressions in Link's mind.
What's wrong?
This feels weird.
I'm sorry. I could present a more solid form if you wish.
No, it's not that. Okay, I mean, it's not entirely that. I just don't think of you guys as being…this.
If it makes you feel better, we too grow fond of solidity. Most of us choose to take on mortal forms almost as soon as we lose one. This is why I keep offering a certain someone a chance with my body but she continuously refuses. I thought she would want to experience sensations again!
The warm voice laughed, a salt water tang filled with sand. I told you I was fine, Brother. Your thoughts and memories are enough. Besides, it smells weird and makes my brain itchy to sit in your body.
We smell THE SAME, Sister!
The teasing was light-hearted and familial. It was the smallest hint at what life would be like if the Siblings were separate and whole. It too was healing. Link continued to float, or whatever it was, thinking about the gods and goddesses, wondering what would happen to him if he tried to be less solid in his mind. He decided he didn't want to know. The general thread of thoughts between Oceanis and Thalassa continued but Link was barely aware of it. His consciousness drifted in the blue and gold, a sort of pure, restful sleep that still left him very aware of the sounds in the room around him. So when the doorknob turned and the usual click happened, he was already pulling his thoughts out of the light and into the present moment.
Ah, perfect timing.
Link's eyes opened slowly as he felt his Uncle's hands pull away from his. Droopy-eyed and yawning, Malon set down a tray of food while Saria placed another beside it. Behind them, Kafei carried in another, his own tired smile brightening as he saw Link.
"Ah, you're looking better! That rest did you a lot of good. All right kiddos, eat up and let me know if you need more. Once you're done, you can get some sleep. Not much going on today that you need to be present for, though there is the feast this evening."
Standing and stretching, Link looked at the spread and heard his stomach grumble loudly. "Wasn't there something Anju wanted to do today? Masks?"
"Oh, don't worry about it. She understands. You'll just have to come back some other year, okay?" The purple-haired man winked then turned to go. "No wonder Romani hasn't been to the mask making in years. Poor girl must have been exhausted after defending the ranch all night. Next year we'll get people on shifts so everyone gets some rest. Anyway, eat up! I'll get breakfast for myself and Anju and we'll check on you later."
Oceanis stood to follow the man and gave Link a friendly wink. "You will need sleep, Nephew. I would follow his advice. Same for you, Malon and Saria. I shall be back tomorrow. Rest well."
"Yeah, yeah. I will." Link dropped down into the chair and grabbed the closest food to him while Malon waved to the god and flopped into a chair next to him. Kafei had provided a truly impressive spread of food with traditional Terminean dishes of fish and seaweed, rice and omelets. Link had spent enough time there to be familiar with the customs, though Malon looked confused and he spent precious moments explaining the various dishes. Their last visit had been short and contained only food the redhead had been familiar with. Once the meal was portioned out to the three, Link tucked in with a ravenous enthusiasm, not sparing much attention for the girls as he aimed to fill his stomach as much as he could.
It didn't take long for the trio to finish their food, even with Link consuming the majority of it. What Malon and Saria did not eat, he did. Both girls noticed the hollowness in his cheeks, the places where bones showed through skin a little little more than they should. Though neither of them went hungry that morning, Malon stopped a bit sooner than she might otherwise and Saria pushed whole dishes in front of Link where he could gain access to them easier. And when every last scrap of food was gone, he sighed with relief and leaned back in the chair, eyes already drooping.
It was finally time to finish their night's rest.
Boots were kicked off towards the door. Saria took no time at all to strip down to an undertunic even as she was crawling into bed with Rosie hiding in her hair. Malon carefully removed her ripped and stained skirt, hung it over a chair to care for later. She tsked as she looked down and saw Link's similarly damaged tunic in a pile on the floor and draped it over her own clothes. As she turned, Link flopped down onto the bed with a muffled thud, groping for blankets with his eyes mostly closed and hair splayed out over half his face. There was a moment when the redhead paused, wondering if she should actually share a bed with Saria, but when Link held a hand out to her, her resolve was lost. Once again she cuddled up next to him in the bed and the two were asleep within moments.
Even as the guests tramped through the Inn, even as the clock chimed the hours, even as a familiar pair of fairies flew in through the open window and settled down to wait, the three slept through it all, replenishing what they have given to save Termina that night. None of them woke when Kafei stuck his head to check on them, nor when Anju did it again later. If there was anyone who had earned an uninterrupted rest, it was them and all three got what they so desperately needed.
Link woke to fairy speech, a susurrus of muted jingles. He couldn't tell what was being said but the annoyed cadence from one side and the laughing beat of the other told him exactly who was waiting. When he opened his eyes, yellow and purple hung over him on the headboard and he squinted at the pair. It was Tael who noticed first and he jingled in a trying-to-whisper sort of way that still managed to fail horribly.
"Link! What the hell!? Were you fighting monsters last night? Without me!?"
The blonde groaned and pulled his pillow around to cover his head. Next to him, Malon muttered something in her sleep and rolled over on her side. Link said something incomprehensible even to himself then waved a hand towards the fairies. "They were at the ranch again last night."
This time it was Tatl who spoke. "They come back every year."
"It was worse this time, according to Romani."
On the other bed, Saria sat up suddenly, Rosie tumbling off her onto the mattress with an annoyed squeak. "Morning! Tatl! You came to visit!"
"It's not morning and you know it."
With a laugh, the Kokiri jumped out, cheerful and bright-eyed as usual, and scooped up the yellow fairy in her hands. "And you are as grumpy as always. I'm glad you came to see us!"
"Yeah, well, brother dearest was filling me in on everything. I figured I should come say hi at least once before the Carnival ends."
"Don't be such a grumpy gus! You know you missed us." The green-haired girl gave Tatl a gentle hug, bumping her up against her cheek in affection. The fairy grumbled but it was a good-natured sort of sound and by the time the two were done, Link had lifted the pillow off his head just enough for a single eye to be showing.
"So I guess there's no more sleep today, huh?"
"It is almost 4pm!" Tael laughed as he landed on the top of the pillow, kicking his feet in glee. "If what Kafei said is correct, you got quite a few hours of sleep! You're going to miss more of the pre-Carnival events. And you have to tell me what happened! I leave you alone for one night and you decide to fight off a hoard of monsters!"
With a casual flick of his wrist, Link sent the pillow flying, taking Tael with it, then grinned when the fairy found himself half buried underneath on the floor. Several loud curses greeted the boy and the young hero laughed out loud. "I can always tell when you've been hanging out with Tatl. Your language gets downright foul."
"You're one to talk!"
Saria laughed and rummaged through her bag for a clean outfit while Rosie flew over to Tael, attempting to help him earn his freedom from the soft prison. The Kokiri was dressed and ready before Link had even sat up. As she made her way to the door, she snatched up the pillow and tossed it so quickly at her brother that it hit him smack in the face with no chance to dodge. Sputtering, Link fumbled in his haste to grab it and return the favour but Saria was already half out the door. "I'm going to see about food! Byeeeeeeeee!"
"Saria! You come back here! I'm not done– Ah fuck." In the chaos and hurry to throw his "weapon," the pillow flopped directly onto Malon's head and she woke suddenly with a muffled scream. For a moment, the boy and all three fairies remained frozen as the redhead sat up, eyes wide. With a nervous chuckle, Link pulled his improvised weapon back and hugged it close. "Er…sorry. Um…good morning?"
Slowly Malon turned, eyes narrowing as her vision focused on the blonde next to her. The suddenness of being woken after all the fighting the night before left her breathless and scared but a smoldering anger was moving in quickly. "Link…"
"It was an accident!"
"I was sleeping!" With speed no one quite expected from the ranch girl, Malon yanked out her own pillow and slammed it into Link's chest with a lot more force than he was expecting. He was so surprised that the girl managed to get two more good hits before he considered any sort of defense. "Stop waking me up with shouting!"
Now laughing, Link tried to ward off more blows while scrambling out of the bed at the same time. "I'm sorry! I said sorry! Malon, mercy! I almost died! You can't just decimate me this way! My delicate body can't take it!"
The redhead stopped in mid-swing at the mention of Link's brush with death, the remembered horror fresh in her conscious memory. Tears pushed at her eyes and she tried to hold them back, was about to stutter out an apology when the rest of Link's words settled in her mind. Delicate? Delicate?! "Oh! Oh you…you…you utter GREMLIN! How dare you try to make me feel bad and then….then…!"
With renewed vigour, Malon began swinging the pillow at Link once more. In a rush, the fairies flew up to the ceiling, not wanting to be a casualty of the brewing war and Link ducked down to the floor while the redhead's throw swooshed over his head. He threw his own weapon at her, easily striking her midsection and sending her toppling backwards onto the bed with a low scream. With red hair tangled and flying around her head, Malon rolled off quickly, stood with Link's pillow in hands, and tossed it with all her not-inconsiderable strength at the blonde. The hit connected with him as he stood up to return fire and pushed him back a single step. Shocked at the power behind the throw, he stared for a moment then grabbed both "weapons" with a wide, mischievous grin on his face. All bets were off now.
"Uh oh, Malon. You better watch out!"
"Ack! No! No fair! AHHHH! LINK DON'T YOU DARE!"
The chase around the bedroom lasted for several minutes as the two ran and dodged and laughed, knocking things this way and that. Link's height left him at a disadvantage at times when Malon would duck under his arms but it wasn't too long before he had the girl trapped between both pillows, his arms tightening around the whole bundle as he stared down into her eyes. Joy settled on the both of them as their breathing slowed from the frantic chase, as they looked at each other and forgot what had brought them to this place, the fears and horror of not just the night before but what they had left behind in Hyrule. Peace dropped over the room, a deep breath of wonder and the knowledge that everything was, for once, perfectly right.
In that moment, Malon pushed herself up on her toes and, without warning, kissed Link hard on the mouth.
He returned it, no hesitation at all, and the pillows flopped onto the floor as he raised his hands to cup around the redhead's face. Now free, Malon's arms reached up to clasp her hands around his neck and she leaned into the embrace even more, pulling herself up to better reach. As the kiss continued, Rosie's embarrassed jingles danced around above them while Tael let out an impressed exclamation. Tatl scolded her brother soundly and pulled both the fairies off to the window. Companions were meant to have more decorum than the common fairy. The couple below didn't even notice.
Mumbling something into Link's lips, Malon pushed him backwards slowly and he held her tighter as they embraced. Neither wanted to let go, desperate for the moment to continue, and when Link's legs hit the side of the bed, he gasped as they tumbled backwards onto it, as Malon's weight fell fully onto him. It wasn't enough to stop them in their desperate need to be closer, to be together in a way they didn't completely understand but desperately wanted. Memories that Link had not yet experienced, that he had borrowed from his future self, crashed into his consciousness and he held the redhead tighter, whispering her name into her mouth. The redhead's hands wandered down his neck, under the soft material of his under-tunic, her skin warm on his cool body. Though he had no real goal in mind, his own hands began to wander as well.
The doorknob clicked as it turned.
Malon squeaked and pulled away, rolling off Link's body with a suddenness that left him light headed and breathless. As the door swung open, revealing Anju with a tray of food and Saria behind her, the teenagers stared at them with wide, guilty eyes. Link sat up quickly, hands nervously trying to find something to do as he ran them through his hair then settled awkwardly in his lap, fingers tapping out ocarina patterns. The woman stood there for a moment, her eyes taking in the rumpled sheets and the pillows on the floor before she walked to the table and set her tray down. Calmly, without a word, she righted a chair that had gotten knocked over.
"I hope you two had a pleasant rest. It's a bit late for lunch but Kafei won't be making dinner today. There's a city potluck soon so these should tide you over until then."
"Er, Anju…"
The woman turned to Link and gave him an indulgent smile. "Don't worry about it. Next time, I'll knock. What you do in your private room should remain private, of course. Sometimes I forget that you're not a child anymore."
Malon's face flushed bright red. "We weren't–!"
"Tsk, I was fifteen once, you know. Anyway, eat up! You'll need to get washed and changed as well so don't take too long!" With a wink and a secret smile, the older redhead slipped out of the door again and closed it firmly. Saria looked between the teenagers, then shook her head and dropped into one of the chairs.
"Pffft. Hylians."
Groaning, Link stood from the bed and sat again at the table, not daring to look Malon in the eyes. She was smiling though, a grin that held a bit of the same secrecy that Anju's had, and she ran her fingers through her hair for a few minutes to settle the tangled mess before joining the other two at the table. Before she sat, she leaned over and placed a kiss carefully on Link's cheek, causing an instant flush to his face. She winked at Saria but the girl just rolled her eyes as she took measured bites of the sandwich in her hands. The rest of the lunch was quiet. They took turns in the washroom cleaning up. Link kept sneaking looks at Malon behind her back but said nothing about what had nearly happened. By the time they had finished getting ready, Anju was by the door to their room with the three children in tow, a small bag in her hand.
"I know you all were tired today so I'm not fussed about you missing the mask making, but when I was talking with some of our neighbours, they decided to band together and make some for you!"
As she handed over the bag, Link took it with a startled blink and pulled out two hand-carved, wooden masks. One, in the likeness of a horse with beautiful carved lines and flowing red hair, was smaller than the other and Link handed it to Malon. She gasped in joy and immediately put it up to her face, kneeling in front of toddler Link and making him laugh with her horse noises. Meanwhile, Link held the other mask in his hands, emotions welling up inside him.
During his time in Termina, he had noticed that a lot of the masks seemed to be modelled after the Giants. After all, the Carnival was the Terminean's celebration of spring, a moment to praise the gods and ask for a good year and harvest ahead of them. Had he not listened to the stories granny told him over the years he had been here? Hadn't he endured that creepy mask in order to fight against the sleep his body desperately wanted on those long, long nights? But the Carnival masks could be anything and everything, whatever you wanted to celebrate. The one the people of Clock Town had made for him was the Fierce Deity.
Not exactly, of course, not the way the transformation mask had been him so perfectly. It was more a perception of the god, the memory of him that ran through everyone's consciousness. It was an impression of his face, the blue and red lines of power carved over the whole surface in elaborate patterns that meant more to Termina than they did to Hyrule. The white around the edges was carved in intricate curlicues of wood only vaguely representing hair and golden stars were painted into the strands. It was the fifth deity of Termina. It was a thank you. It was a goodbye. A tear slipped out of Link's eye and he held it to his chest. "Anju…"
The woman looked up with a smile. "Yes?"
"Can you…I mean…thank you. Can you tell everyone thanks for me? This…"
"Of course I can. But it's also our thanks to you." Still smiling, the redhead shifted Tira on her hip, then nodded towards Misu in her arm. "I'm sorry to ruin the moment, dear, but would you mind?"
"Oh!" Putting the mask down carefully on the table, he reached over and took the baby from Anju's arm. "Sorry, I should have–"
"Don't be ridiculous. You were opening your gift. I should have planned this better but the pram's just out in the lobby. Kafei's out helping with the cooking and I told him we'd meet his family out there so let's get going!"
Grinning, Malon set her mask down on the table next to Link's and held her hands out for Tira with little grabbing motions. Anju laughed and obliged, then took little Link's hand in her own while Saria cheerfully took his other. It was a large, cheerful group that passed through the hallways, greeting guests and being hailed in return as they made their way to the front door. Before they could get past the counter, a man with a drunken weave to his steps laughed raucously and leaned on the opposite side of the wood, tilted towards the innkeeper with a leer.
"Aaaayyyyeee Anju! I knew Kafei wasn't enough for a firecracker like you! Who's the new boytoy?"
Frowning, the redhead stomped firmly on the man's foot as she covered her son's ears. "Belton, there are children present! That is my little brother, Link, and you know it! If you can't keep a civil tongue in your head, I will dump you out on the street and sell your room to someone who will appreciate it!"
Thoroughly dressed down, the man limped backwards and held out his hands in surrender. His gaze slipped to Link and the teen narrowed his eyes, icy with anger; if he hadn't been holding one of the twins, who knows what he might have said or done. Anju did not deserve to be treated that way. Belton swallowed hard and ducked around the group, no longer looking anyone in the eyes. "L-l-little brother, eh? Ain't nothing little about him." And before anyone could do more, he slipped back up the stairs where a distant slam of a door marked his retreat to the upper exit. Anju sighed and shook her head.
"Honestly, I don't know why I rent to him. The moment the drink takes him, he loses all propriety." With a flustered huff, the redhead held out her hands to Link and he handed over the baby, watching with concern as Anju plopped the infant into a long pram. "I am allowed to have friends and family over without these sorts of comments and I will not feel guilty for inviting you over for the holidays!"
"It's okay, Anju." Malon slipped the other twin into the basin next to the first and tucked blankets around them. "No one would think to accuse you of anything! You're so loyal to Kafei!"
The woman huffed and pushed hair angrily out of her eyes. "It's not about that. That isn't the problem! It's about that…that…JERK making assumptions and spreading them around. Next thing you know, he'll start making up lies about me and him and I am much too busy to be dealing with that mess! As if I or Kafei would do anything with the likes of him!"
Link had to choke back a laugh as Anju flounced out of the door he was holding open, her voice rising and falling with emotion as she continued her tirade out into the main square of East Clock Town. He was following along, nodding in the correct places during her rant, when he finally caught sight of the transformed town. Dozens of long tables were set up in any space possible, many with chatty, cheerful people filling the benches. Colourful banners decorated the walls and Mr. Barten had kegs set up on the wall next to the Milk Bar entrance for easy access. The steady susurrus of the crowd mixed with a shivered anticipation was so utterly unlike the second day Link remembered that he was rooted to the spot. It was the second time Termina had surprised him so thoroughly that his mind couldn't process it and his friends and family were quickly leaving him behind.
Of course, it was only a few seconds before Malon noticed his absence. She turned to speak with the teen, stopped, looked all around and finally found Link blank-faced and stunned by the Stock Pot entrance. With a quick word to Anju, she hurried back and took Link's hand with a gentle tug.
"Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." Her other hand went up to stroke his cheek and he gave a brief but violent tremor at the feeling. Vision cleared and he blinked several times, then smiled at the girl.
"Uh, yeah. I'm fine. It was just…memories." He followed the gentle pull, letting her lead him through the crowds. People said hello and he raised a hand in greetings, but continued on uninterrupted until the couple were back with Anju. Bending down to put his face closer to her ear, he lowered his voice so as not to be overheard. "Anju, what's going on? Um, Kafei told you about…you know, didn't he? This isn't at all what I remember!"
The woman clicked her tongue quietly as she tilted her head in contemplation. Her eyes widened and she snapped her fingers. "Oh right! It was raining!"
"What?"
"Oh, they won't do the big town potluck on the day before the day before the Carnival." She ticked off on her fingers as Saria took over the pram, pushing with a snickering grin. "So the Carnival starts at midnight, right? There's music the day before. Mask making and dinner two days before, that's tonight! Three days before the tower is finished and decorated but you slept through most of that. Well, you slept through the masks too but that's okay! Anyway, they'll cancel some things if the weather is bad. Plus, well, back then so many people had left and there weren't enough food supplies coming into the town to have a potluck…"
Her voice continued and Link followed alongside, a perplexed wonder in his eyes. It didn't cause pain, this confusion. It was unsettling but that was only because he realised his experience with the Carnival, despite it going on for so, so long, had not been normal. All the people he'd talked to and helped, all the events he'd seen, had been affected by Majora and now he was, for the very first time, seeing what the Carnival of Time was really supposed to be.
What was he supposed to do with that?
So distracted by tumbling thoughts, Link fell behind again while Malon asked Anju questions about the Carnival. He thought he knew what the event was supposed to be like but of course he didn't. He'd just been a kid, hadn't he? Even with all the memories of Ganondorf knocking around in his head, he had still seen things with a child's eyes and hadn't noticed key hints. Hadn't Mutoh been complaining about the tower not being done? Hadn't Gorman mourned about the performances that would be cancelled. Of course nothing was the same! Of course…
So caught up in his thoughts, Link slammed into a much shorter red-haired person that was not Malon or Anju. The two staggered away from each other with the force of their collision but the teen grabbed the other person's hand with lightning-fast reflexes before they could fall over. He stammered apologies and so did his unwitting victim in a deep, accented voice. Still clasping what was now obviously a darker-skinned hand, Link had time to fully observe the man he had nearly trampled in his distraction and the sight left him breathless with sudden fear as he pulled his hand away.
It was a Gerudo male.
Now, Link had only ever seen one of those and it had, of course, been Ganondorf. This was not the Gerudo king though, not even close. While Ganondorf's skin had a greenish tinge to it, this man looked oddly normal in comparison. The same brown skin, rounded ears and red hair he'd seen in every Gerudo woman ever. The eyes were more of an orange than yellow but the man had a cheerful twinkle in them once he straightened. With an enthusiasm Link was not expecting, the Gerudo stuck out his hand.
"Hallo! Sorry about that! I guess neither one of us was looking where we're going, eh?"
"Er, no. Ah, I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention and…" Tentatively, Link grasped the man's hand and shook.
"Well neither was I! I guess we're even then! Anyway, my friends are waiting, no time to chat. Maybe we'll meet again at the carnival." Pulling his hand away, the man waved and jogged off towards a table that had several Gerudo, men and women alike. Malon, once again noticing they left her boyfriend behind, looked on with interest as she approached.
"Oh! I don't think I've ever seen a guy Gerudo before."
"They…at home, they only have one every hundred years or so."
"I didn't know that! You know, my granma is part Gerudo, way back." She paused, then giggled. "I guess that means I am too! But dad always says I'm Hylian through and through." The girl gave the faintest wiggle to her ears and winked. Link couldn't help but laugh, trying to temper the hysterical edge he heard in the sound. Termina had Gerudo males. Lots of them. How had he never known about that before?
"Right, me too."
"Ha! Not anymore you aren't." Still laughing, Malon grabbed Link's hand once again and pulled him through the crowds. He wanted to stop her, to ask her what she meant by that, even though he knew. He did know. It was just surprising how blithely the redhead had said it, had accepted it as if it was the most normal thing in the world to not only be Hylian. To be…
In the main square of South Clock Town, it was a riot of confusion and noise and delicious food smells. Anju wound gracefully through the people and tables, making her way up to where longer tables groaned under the weight of dozens and dozens of dishes. Giant pots stood waiting around the back walls, flavourful steam rising into the air. A familiar purple head leaned up from one and made his way around to embrace his wife and son before leaning into the pram to see the twins. Link watched it all, noting how good of a father Kafei was, how satisfied Anju was at having her family close to her. They were such good parents, no, good people , and the teen experienced a brief moment of terror considering what might have happened last night. They could have ruined everything!
"Link! Malon! My dad saved everyone seats. Why don't you go claim them with the kids and Anju. I'm only on the first shift of cooking so I'll be by shortly." Kafei was smiling as usual but the blonde could see the bags under his eyes and the exhaustion in the droop of his shoulders.
"Kafei…are you okay? Did you get any sleep?"
Yawning behind his hand, the man nodded. "Yeah, once breakfast was done, but I could probably use more. I'm going to sleep so good night."
"That's what he thinks." Anju leaned in close to his face with a smirk then gave him a less-than-chaste kiss on the cheek.
"Anju, c'mon! I just saved the world! Don't I get some rest after that?"
Link had to laugh. "Not in my experience."
At Kafei's crestfallen expression, Anju laughed again and lifted little Link up into her arms. I'll go find Dotour and Aroma. See you soon."
Lights were snapping on in the city as the group made their way to the Mayor's table. It wasn't any fancier than the others but there was a constant stream of people stopping by to offer him well wishes and talking about the upcoming Carnival. Link enjoyed the change in Dotour from the Majora time. He had been annoyed with the mayor back then, thinking the man was indecisive and not a very good leader but the older Link got, the more he was beginning to realise that an outlying event like the moon falling into the city was probably not a good time to judge someone. Dotour cared about Clock Town and knowing there was nothing one could really do must have been a horrible weight to hold. When the group approached the table and began settling down (there were even baby chairs for the twins ready), the mayor's eyes brightened as he saw Link.
"My boy! You've come for the Carnival! You know, Anju did tell me but I don't think I quite believed it. Of course you'd come on the fourth year after. Of course you would."
"Ah, yeah, I guess I should have stopped by sooner but there was alway–"
"ANJU! My dear! You're looking radiant! Oooohh, precious Link, my sweet flower, you are the best little boy ever, aren't you!" Madam Aroma's loud voice broke through Link's conversation and he glanced over to see her embracing both Anju and little Link enthusiastically. There was an indulgent smile on the redhead's face as she passed the toddler off to his grandmother and bustled over to get the twins ready. With Malon and Saria helping, soon everyone was settled at the long table. Link leaned over towards the older redhead, his eyes on how the madam cheerfully engaged with her grandchildren, as well as Saria and Malon, telling loud, boisterous stories of setup for the Carnival in town.
"Um, Anju…"
"Oh, food will be soon, dear. Don't you worry." The woman smiled and pat Link's arm affectionately but he waved her off with a nervous chuckle.
"It's not that, but, okay I AM very hungry but no. I mean, what happened with Madam Aroma? Last time I was here she was still, uh…"
"Ah! Well, after my mother and I had our falling out, she seemed to take that very personally. I think the two of them had a fight as well. Anyway, Aroma seems determined to step into my mother's place and the children do seem to love her attention so it's fine. It's better than her fawning all over Kafei and being sad that he's a real grownup, you know?"
Link nodded, then furrowed his eyebrows for a moment. "About your mom…er, I mean, I don't want to pry or anything but…was that our fault? The things dad and I said to you?"
"Oh, oh no. Listen, what happened between my mother and I was a long time coming. When I found out about her lying, well, I had already suspected. Maybe knowing pushed things forward faster but I'd rather us have our words now than wait until the children grew really attached to her," her voice dropped down to a low mutter. "Not that she ever really tried. But anyway! I tried very hard for us to have some sort of relationship but she hates Kafei and I love him and her bitterness over the years didn't help her case at all. It's not your fault and it's not your father's fault. I'm happier now, Link. You don't have to worry about it."
"Okay." As the pair turned away from each other, Anju to her children and Link towards the crowd, he saw all sorts of people milling around, chatting and waiting for dinner. There were Gorons laughing with Zora. Dekus squeaked nervously with everyone. A group of Gerudo were having an adamant conversation nearby but in their own language, making it nearly incomprehensible to Link. And of course, many of the usual humans. (that's right, they did call themselves that. He had nearly forgotten) He had never seen Clock Town so vibrant, so much a mix of every region. It was confusing and wonderful all at the same time.
"How are you enjoying the pre-feast chaos?" Kafei dropped down on the bench next to Link, the lines on his face laughing but there was something in his eyes that gave the teen pause. "We'll be able to go up soon. Dad's table always gets first dibs and Anju loves that we don't have to deal with crowds with all the kids. Just promise me you'll save some for everyone else, okay?"
"Heh, okay." Tilting his head to the side, the blonde paused for a moment before blurting out a question. "Are you okay? Really?"
Running a hand through his tousled hair, Kafei chuckled and shook his head. "Damn, couldn't hide from you this time either, could I? I didn't sleep well. Couldn't…couldn't forget what happened, you know? That was terrifying! How close did we actually come to losing everything?!"
Link frowned slightly, then shrugged. "No closer than any other time, I guess."
"Giants above…"
"It's okay! I wouldn't have let anything happen. I would have fixed it."
Kafei stared, the exhaustion and fear clear in his eyes. "The entire time we were out there, fighting, the only thing I could think of was Anju and the kids. What would have happened to them had we failed? Romani had been telling us about these things for years and we just ignored her. Just…fuck, fighting off pirate attacks or boes or wolfos aren't like…they're not that and I've never had to deal with a horde of monsters before! Was that what you had to do when you were helping us? You were eleven! How did you do it? How do you ever sleep at night?"
"Sometimes I don't." Link hummed briefly, then shook his head. "Well, now I do. It's gotten better. I did it because it had to be done, you know? Like, when I was trying to save Hyrule, I didn't really think about it that much. I'd been living in the forest, cut off from pretty much the entire kingdom, and when I finally had a reason to leave, everything happened so fast. Next thing I knew I was older and people were telling me I had to save the world. I guess I just believed them."
Kafei opened his mouth but Link shook his head. "No wait. Look, when I came here, it was different. I'd been through a lot and I promised someone I'd get the mask back so I did. Because you keep your promises, right? But in the time it took me to do that, I got to know people. I asked questions. I did errands. I helped! And when I finally went to defeat Majora for good, I had more on my mind than just winning. I had to win for you. All of you. And even though I left afterwards, I had to believe that Termina would be okay or maybe I never would have slept again. I was sort of stuck in those three days in my head but some part deep down knew I had saved you. It was great to actually see that was true the first time I came back."
"Link…."
Laughing, the teen flushed red and tugged on the bottom of his ear. "Look, I dunno. You get used to it. You get too tired to hold off sleep and it gets easier and easier but it's okay. You don't have to worry about it. I wouldn't have let Them win. I wouldn't. So get some sleep tonight. Give your kids all the hugs you need to and if you have nightmares, well, you've got Anju, right? I had dad and it helped me a lot."
Mayor Dotour stood suddenly and held his hands, gesturing towards the food. "Fifteen minutes until six! Let's get going before the clock releases the masses upon us!"
Link jumped to his feet too fast for Kafei to respond to his earlier speech. He didn't see the purple-haired man gazing at him for several moments before rising to help his wife with the kids, though there was plenty of assistance in Saria and Malon. Free of her "burden," the ranch girl hurried to catch up with Link and grinned up at him when she slipped her hand into his.
"What were you and Kafei talking about?"
"Oh, you know, hero-ing stuff. Like what we talked about after the dungeon."
"Ah!" Malon glanced back at the man, surprise in her eyes. "Is he having a hard time with it too? I thought…"
Wrapping his arm around the girl, Link leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "What?"
"I thought, well, he's a grown-up, right?" Malon blew upwards into her bangs. "I don't know what I thought. That he wouldn't have a hard time? That he'd be better at handling it than I did. He didn't seem scared last night!"
Link hummed under his breath. "I don't think age has anything to do with it. After the dungeon, Aunt Hebra told me that even the deities need to process big fights, that they need to talk about it or they suffer. So the older we get, maybe we can take more but that doesn't mean we'll be immune. Right?"
Malon considered that for a while. Even as she filled a plate with food, as she watched Link try to juggle two, piled as high as he could manage without things falling off, as they returned to their table, she let ideas of adulthood and bravery wind through her mind. All that morning, Kafei had let her babble about the fight and her worries about Link. He'd given her comforting words while preparing food, no sign at all that he too had been worried and scared. Maybe being an adult didn't mean you were never scared, but that you could hold it better to help those around you.
Maybe being grown-up didn't mean you had all the answers after all.
Maybe that was okay.
As the redhead sat at a table with people she barely knew, celebrating a holiday she didn't understand, she looked over at the young man she was going to marry and smiled. Last night had been hard and if she thought too much about how close to death Link had come, she might just break down immediately but he was still here. She was still here. Everyone was. Maybe none of them had answers to any questions but they'd figure it out somehow. They didn't have to be fearless to do what's right.
And even later, as the clock rang out the midnight hours, 24 remaining until the Carnival began, and she danced and sang with the people of Clock Town, no, all of Termina, she kept that feeling carefully in her heart and sealed it with a kiss she and Link shared. She would keep it close and carry that courage into the fight against Ganondorf.
Whatever happened when they got home, she would be ready for it.
Notes:
This is the last chapter that will be following the Majora's Mask "Day/Night of the" format. For now. Actually, maybe for good. I think I've used it just about enough, ha!
I want to know how I keep managing to write 9k chapters when the characters are just relaxing.
Lots of thoughts in this one. Link thinking about his demi-god status, Malon and Kafei thinking about the stress of saving the world, Anju thinking about her family. Also Link thinking about Termina once again. This is full circle for him, in a way. I think we'll find him focusing on the adventure part of Termina much less and have more family-friends thoughts from Link in future chapters. I'd like to think that both Link and Malon will visit the world regularly when they're adults.
Kafei's casual mention of the aliens "next year." :)
I promise this fic will never get spicier than some pretty standard teenage make-out sessions. The teens are hitting puberty pretty hard now and there's a lot of feelings crashing around in their heads. Saria is not impressed.
I had a hard time thinking about what sort of mask someone else might make for Link. If he were making his own? Well, it would probably have been a horse mask as well. Or maybe one of the Giants just because he wouldn't know what to make. But let the people of Termina choose? Well, the Nintendo devs did once say FD could be the collected spirits of all of Termina, didn't they? :) Maybe it's more like a little bit of him is in all of them. Honestly, a world could do much worse than having the Fierce Deity at its core.
Look over there! Gerudo men! Maybe *that's* why some version of Koume and Kotake moved to Termina. Assuming they're still here. We haven't heard from them in a while.
Malon has taken to the idea of her boyfriend being part god *very* well.
Kafei has a bit of PTSD. He'll get what help he can, I promise.
Ending Malon thoughts are always so positive. 💜
Okay! back on my usual schedule! Next week, Zelda/Cyrus gets to see (and do) sword fighting! There is *more* teenage romance, oh my GOD I just can't let that go, can I? No, no I can't. It's what many teenagers do. :) Don't worry, once Link gets home from Termina there will be a lot more of the actual war starting, ha!
Chapter 10: Frame of Mind
Summary:
We missed the point in living
So caught up in this moment
We threw out all convictions
And traded them for substance
This life we hold so dear
Will fade in...
Time spent wasted on a lie
It's time you found some frame of mind
This life you hold so near
Will fade in time
"The Cheyenne Line" by The Ataris
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The tupinaire shaped up about as well as Impa expected. Several of the boys were well trained, others were merely performative and those who were not interested in winning were quickly eliminated. Zelda, or Cyrus as he must be thought of at these times, did exceptionally well; Impa expected that of course. Hyrule was no stranger to conflict and when the princess had approached her about training, she did not coddle her. Over two years of dedicated schooling from a Sheikah warrior was nothing to laugh at. In fact, it had taken some delicate excuses to convince Zelda's handmaidens that there was nothing at all wrong with the princess having muscles. Impa scoffed at some of these Hyrulean proprieties; how were they expected to defend themselves if they weren't even allowed to show physical strength? The princess would never be large, both her parents were slender, and it would hurt nothing for her to be toned and athletic. Honestly. How ridiculous.
When the princess had become a boy, none of that had changed. Now that he wasn't wearing long dresses and ornate, ceremonial accents, the true scope of his build was evident. Lithe and strong. Quick and intelligent with his movements. Zelda had struggled with believing in her ability to face real opponents but thus changed, faith in her skills had soared. Impa smiled to herself as she watched match after match conclude with Cyrus defeating yet another opponent. Excellent. Zelda would surely gain confidence in her skills from all this and would take that into their future war against Ganondorf. It could not have worked out better if it had been planned.
With all luck, the princess' time as a boy would give her the confidence she needed to rally the people against evil and make short work of the upcoming conflict. With Link as the Hero and Zelda as the Goddess, they were sure to win.
Tension was high as Goldon and Archibold stepped into the fighting ring together.
The matches were finally reaching their conclusion. Almost all of the young men had competed. Eliminations had been cheered and booed, bets had exchanged hands, friendships and rivalries were cemented. Aspen shouted loudly with his friends as Goldon was introduced to the now-large crowd that waited with baited breath to see a round between two well armored and evenly matched young men. On the other side of the ring, Ambrosias and his small group made a surprising amount of noise when Archibold had his time in the limelight. Soon the pair would have their long-awaited duel. Cyrus watched all of it quietly, his red eyes moving quickly across the crowd, then settled on the green-haired suitor from Faron. With a gentle tap on Aspen's shoulder, the teen leaned in closer to better be heard. "Earlier, there was talk of Goldon's fiancé?"
In such a boisterous crowd, Aspen leaned close to the other boy's ear, his voice a breathy tickle that sent a shiver down Cyrus' back. "Goldon had been engaged recently to what most of us thought of as a nice girl, close in age to him. I won't speak her name here." He paused as the roars of the crowd grew louder. The combatants were facing off, blades raised in readiness. "Anyway, Archibold has been raising support for his clan, or whatever, and was visiting Faron. No one knows exactly what occurred as neither the lady in question nor Archibold will speak of it but Goldon found them in, well, a compromising position."
"Ah." Cyrus' eyes narrowed as the crowd's voices raised to a fevered pitch, the swords clashing together for the first time. Aspen wondered what the Sheikah boy was thinking; he was slated to fight the winner of this match. The Akkalan had been disappointed not to fight with his companion earlier but was relieved that it was Rylan who had defeated him and gone on to fight Ambrosias instead. And then it was Rylan who had lost to Cyrus after his match with the snobby lordling. The blonde fought like a shadow given life. On the positive side, it gave Aspen plenty of opportunities to watch the lithe Sheikah dance through the ring, each touch of the blade expertly maneuvered. But Goldon and Archibold were tall and muscular, more like men than teenagers. Goldon wore ornate, but functional, plate armor. Archibold had glimmering, golden chainmail under his tunic. They were a force to be reckoned with. They were exactly that with each other in the ring now.
The ringing of steel was the only sound now. The crowd held a collective breath as red and green lunged and slashed at each other, dodged and jumped to avoid attacks that were more than just for show. Golden's yellow eyes focused solely on his opponent as he lunged forwards, a stab that would impale Archibold's arm for sure had the auburn-haired man not vaulted sideways at the last moment. For his part, the Vartosan did not have his usual self-satisfied smirk. No, this was a very real challenge from an opponent who would not hesitate to claim his blood. It was just as much of a fight as any duel back at home and losing to a southern pretty boy would not look good on his record. But as Goldon's sword slammed down into his own with surprising power, Archibold began to reassess his people's opinions on Southern fighting.
It wasn't until Goldon spun around and slammed the flat of his blade against the other suitor's back that the crowd roared once more. Archibold staggered but slipped into a roll forward that just barely avoided a follow-up attack. The other suitors cheered as loud as the crowd and Aspen was no exception, his eyes bright with enthusiasm for his friend in the ring. Next to the brunette, Cyrus inhaled sharply and leaned into the teen's shoulder. Aspen's heart pounded as he wrapped an arm around the blonde's shoulders and he couldn't suppress a giddy sort of grin. Now this was nice but he was also confused by Cyrus' reaction to the fighting. The Sheikah had been so cool and collected out in the ring for his own battles but watching two of the young men have a go at each other was too much? Surely the boy had seen plenty of combat by now.
Still, Aspen wasn't complaining about the closeness.
Archibold had the next hit, a slash to the legs that would have done serious harm had the green-haired man been less armored. The scraping of metal against metal was loud even over the cheers of the crowd and Cyrus closed his eyes as he leaned in close to Aspen, his voice lilting up into a higher register. "Are they trying to kill each other? I don't want anyone to die for this."
With a bit of a hem and haw, the prince shrugged. "Maybe not actually kill each other for real but I don't think they'd mind if they do serious harm to the other."
"Maybe I should get Impa…"
"No, let them have this out. Otherwise they might do it away from prying eyes and then someone really will be going home to a funeral."
Cyrus' eyes snapped open and he stared at Aspen. "Are nobles always like this?"
"Hmm, well, sometimes. Zelda didn't fill you in before setting you loose amongst us?" Aspen grinned at the perplexed shake of Cyrus' head.
"I…don't think she knew. I mean, there's the noble families here, of course, but, well, she wasn't really involved with them that often and there's something to be said for being the sole holder of the Blood of the Goddess and…" His words faded as he turned to stare at the young men still bashing at each other with swords. "I wasn't expecting everything to be so personal."
Aspen nodded, then squeezed his arm around the blonde's shoulders as he too watched the match. The pair were sweating openly now, hair disheveled, faces red with effort. Hits came faster, first Archibold with a glancing slice across the shoulder that was not blocked by armor, then Goldon with a pommel hit to the back of the other's head. Soon the boys were nearly at each other's throats, swords pushed together, hands shaking with the effort not to lose ground. Golden's teeth were bared, a grim smile that was met with a sneer from Archibold, and the crowd fell silent so the tang of scraping metal could be heard once more. The next hit would determine the winner and a wire-sharp tension hung in the air. Aspen's hand clutched at Cyrus' shoulder while the blonde clung to his gambeson with one hand.
The moment shivered with anticipation.
It was impossible to say who moved first. One moment the pair pushed swords at one another, the next Golden had a bloody nose and Archibold yelled expletives as he bent over double. Both weapons were abandoned on the grass. Seconds later, the two grappled like wrestlers on the ground. Noise erupted from the crowds once again, cheers and jeers, advice screamed over the heads of shorter watchers. Cyrus cringed into Aspen, covering his ears, and the brunette considered that the extra long ears that many Hyruleans had would not be a blessing in situations like this. No wonder Zelda didn't mingle much. Nor Link for that matter. The surging crowds separated the pair from the other noble boys, pushed them away from the ropes that marked the edge of the combat ring and blocked their view of the much less civilised fight that was currently happening. Still, through the occasional gaps, Aspen could see green and red flashing by as the young men rolled around on the ground. He was sure he caught a glimpse of Archibold using a piece of Goldon's own armor to hit the lord but a strong pair of armored boots pushed back on the metal, sending the auburn-haired man toppling backwards onto the grass.
Crowds parted as Impa and several large, muscular soldiers strode up into the ring. Even as Goldon kicked at his opponent, even while Archibold threw the piece of metal at him, strong hands grabbed them both and pulled them away, using only as much force as needed; no one wanted to be responsible for hurting either one of them more than they had themselves. Cuts and scratches covered both, interspersed with purpling bruises that would only get worse the next day. Grinning, Goldon pulled himself away from the soldiers and turned his back to the redhead, raising his hands towards the crowds where hundreds of spectators shouted his name. Behind him, Archibold also yanked his arm away from a nervous guard and stalked out towards his own people, ignoring the other suitors completely. Neither had won.
Disqualified.
Aspen's hand spasmed on Cyrus' shoulder, eyes wide as he looked at the teen. "You're up against Glen. He's the oldest…and a really good fighter with both weapons and magic."
The Sheikah boy pursed his lips. "It'll be fine. He's not allowed to use magic in a tupinaire."
"Did you want to borrow my armor?" Aspen didn't know why he asked; while the two weren't that different in height, Cyrus was thinner and a few centimeters taller. That would matter when it came to how the armor fit. But despite the Sheikah going through every fight without a single hit on his person, it seemed unlikely to continue against a more formidable opponent. Cyrus just smiled tightly as he shook his head, red eyes meeting the grey ones in both thanks and denial. It was then that both boys realised the brunette's arm had shifted down to Cyrus' waist and they were very close indeed. There was a pause, a held breath that could have gone one of two ways, then the two quietly pulled away with red faces. Another lost moment. Cyrus did not avert his eyes.
"You know that wouldn't work."
"Yeah, of course, but…"
"I'll be okay."
"I believe you. I'm just worried. He's huge."
Cyrus smiled again and gave the brunette a comforting pat on the arm, then turned away. "I'm going to go see Impa before my match starts. I'll see you afterward?"
"Of course! I'll be–" He couldn't say it. His heart yearned to say it but he couldn't. He'd only known this boy three days and he was already willing to wait for him as long as it would take. "I'll be cheering you on."
"Thanks." And then Cyrus was gone, blending into the crowd as easily as a deer in the forest. Aspen inhaled deeply, then went to find the others. They were clustered in a group, frantically discussing the fight between Goldon and Archibold in hurried, hushed tones.
"They're not going to remove Goldon from the courtship, right?" Larch looked nervously towards where the older boy was standing straight in front of one of the officials even as a healer tended to his wounds.
"Naw, not for a first offence like that." Blair flicked his fingers dismissively. As one of the older Hyruleans, the others looked to him for expertise on the kingdom's rules. "He's not been a nuisance so far so they're unlikely to treat this too seriously. Plus, if Lady Impa knows about the history between those two, she might just give them a scolding and prevent any more match ups from happening."
Rylan's eyes roamed the crowd, his attention only half on the discussion at hand. "Makes sense."
Tugging on the blonde's arm, Aspen pulled him closer to keep his words private. Though not many of the others were conversant in sign, they were learning and he didn't want eavesdroppers. [Where's your brother?]
Rylan sighed. [I was just wondering that myself. Warming up, probably. He really wants to win this thing.]
[I don't suppose we could convince him to go easy, huh?]
The young viscount gave Aspen a shocked stare and completely forgot to sign. "You have to be kidding."
The brunette made hushing motions. [Look, I'm just concerned. Cyrus doesn't even have any armor.]
[Oh come on, that guy has been decimating us all day. Just because your boyfriend isn't–]
Aspen slapped Rylan's hands down with a frown. [He is NOT my boyfriend! We just met three days ago!]
[For fuck's sake, just kiss him already and get it over with. There's no time to move slow at these events!] Rylan rolled his eyes and gave his friend a shake before signing again. [You are practically giddy over him. We all see it. Look, I know how old you are but that doesn't matter! It's not that young! You lose nothing from stating your affections!]
Pulling inwards, Aspen kept his eyes down, his signs small. [But the princess…]
Rylan sighed again. [Look, you said yourself your chances aren't great. Why are you…] His hands slowed to a stop as he looked at Aspen, acknowledgement in his eyes. [Oh Goddesses, you got feelings for her too, didn't you. That day you were together? And then she disappeared. Aspen, that's got nothing to do with you. Maybe she–]
[It's fine. I know we can't… She would never choose someone like me.]
[But you still want to try, don't you?]
The lack of response said everything and Rylan draped a companionable arm across Aspen's shoulders. "You know these Hyruleans don't go for multiple spouses, right?"
"I know." Aspen's voice was so low it was almost inaudible.
"Kiss him anyway."
[What?!]
Rylan turned back, pulling his arm away. [Kiss him anyway. Zelda's not here. Find out if you two are important to each other but tell him about Zelda too. Tell him about your family at home. Tell him so that he knows, then you can decide what happens next.]
With a sigh, Aspen nodded. [Yeah, you're right. I'll…I'll try.]
Slapping the brunette on the back with hearty cheer, Rylan grabbed a hand and pulled his friend along with the others. He glanced back with a grin on his face. "Now come on! We've got to find a good spot to root for your pretty boyfriend. Don't tell Glen I wasn't cheering for him though, otherwise I might have to hide in your rooms tonight."
Aspen's face turned bright red but he didn't deny the allegations this time. He had no idea how he'd find the courage to do what Rylan said but his heart was pounding in his chest at the idea. Maybe he would, maybe he could. Maybe…
And then they were at ringside and the match was about to start.
Just do it, Impa had said. Just fight, try your hardest, and it will all be okay in the end. Cyrus wasn't entirely sure he believed her but he figured he'd come this far, might as well finish it. The part of him that was still the holder of Wisdom was screaming frantically, sure all of this was a horrible idea, but he was determined to keep up this whole thing and take advantage of not being the princess for once. And if that meant fighting a man five years older than him, show off his skills for the first time in his life, then so be it.
Still dressed in his Sheikah blues, the teen held his sword ready as he sized up the indomitable Viscount Glen of Horon. Aspen had not been wrong when he said the man was huge and Cyrus had half a mind to yell at the royal advisors who had okayed his inclusion into the courtship. Had the young noble's father or mother lied about his age? Were the Hyruleans nervous about Zelda not having enough choices? Should this man be the one who wed the princess, he would definitely try to overwhelm her with his experience and stature. For a moment, the princess stepped to the forefront in her mind and her teeth ground in annoyance.
There was no way she could win this fight, boy or not. Only magic would guarantee her a win and that was strictly not allowed, nor did she want anyone knowing Cyrus could use divine magic. She was still nervous every hour of every day that someone would notice that the Sheikah boy looked too much like the Princess and the presence of that type of magic would surely be her downfall.
Okay, okay, this will be fine. I'm sure I can at least negate some of the damage so I don't end up completely covered with bruises from this. It's fine. But I am absolutely not marrying this man, holy shit.
Across from her, Glen stood straight, light plate armor shining in the late afternoon sun. He and his younger brother, Rylan, looked similar with darker blonde hair that was worn short, no longer than their chins. The styles were different, of course, and Zelda had rather thought Rylan bore a passing resemblance to Link. Were they related, perhaps? She had never bothered trying to look up Link's family records, didn't even know if there were any to find. He had only said that his father had been a soldier in the Hyrulean army. Perhaps his mother had been from further East. But that wasn't important at the moment and Cyrus pushed it from his mind to better focus on the task at hand. He couldn't let his mask slip as it almost had with Aspen earlier. Focus on Glen, on the tough gambeson he wore under the sheets of dark metal armor strapped to chest and arms and legs. Focus on how he held his sword, with the barest sign of confident swagger. Focus on not getting hurt.
"Well then! It's a pleasure to meet you, Cyrus. Sorry for what's about to happen here but I didn't come all the way out to Hyrule to lose at competitions." The tall blonde grinned down at the Sheikah boy, his sword resting across his shoulders. Glen wasn't nearly as tall as Link but he was taller than most of the other suitors and Zelda could see the pale start of a beard on his face. Goddesses, what sort of man enjoyed beating up teenagers?
"I'm not going to let you win easily." Cyrus was proud that he let no quaver into his voice. Even when he was a girl, he rarely let himself show fear.
Glen shrugged and pulled the sword down. It was a large two-hander but Cyrus knew that would only slow the man down. He could make use of that. For a moment, the two faced each other, then Glen smiled wide. "You first. Can't say I don't play fair."
"Hmmph." With a sound very reminiscent of Impa, Cyrus rushed forward with a feint at the man's left side and dodged quickly to his own left when Glen's sword came down in the place he had been. For a brief moment, he thought he might be lucky enough to get a strike on the man but Glen was far faster than he looked. Sword still on the ground, he spun around it, putting the blade between himself and the Sheikah boy; a clang of the weapons meeting reverberated through a crowd silent with anticipation. Outwardly, Cryus showed no sign of distress but internally he was gasping at the audacity of the move. Aspen hadn't been wrong; Glen was good.
It became a whirlwind of barely avoided attacks and parried blades. The older suitor got the first touch, a thrust that definitely would have injured Cyrus had he not dove forward at the last second. It was never meant to do serious damage; no matter what Glen's motives were, he was not here to maim his opponents. He knew the rules and followed them most precisely. But without armor, such pricks and cuts would slow the princess down and make his inevitable loss quicker. Perhaps it would be better to allow the match to end but some part of Cyrus' soul was too stubborn to let it happen so soon. He would give his all, no matter what.
The next touch was also Glen's, a glancing slash to Cyrus' right shoulder. The man laughed and paused as he turned, shaking his head. "You're a fast one. In a few years, you'll be a formidable opponent."
"Do you enjoy fighting those who are lesser than you?" The red eyes narrowed at Glen but the man just waved a hand dismissively before readying his weapon once more.
"Just because I want to win doesn't mean I enjoy the lack of a challenge. Hopefully my former opponents learned a few things from my technique." Grinning, the man rushed forwards and very nearly ended the match then and there. Cyrus was quick to jump high into the air, landing just enough on Glen's right pauldron to flip over the shoulder, though he felt his feet slip slightly. On the fall behind the man, he twisted and slashed downwards with his own sword, scraping the point against the heavy gambeson. As his feet touched the ground lightly, the crowd roared in appreciation of the move. Glen spun on his toes and faced the Sheikah, eyes narrowed.
Cyrus merely smiled. "That was educational. Thank you."
The fight continued. Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen. Both opponents were sweating under the late afternoon sun. Cyrus knew he was close to the end. After the one hit, Glen kept himself carefully guarded, not taking his eyes off the boy for a moment. He stabbed forward but Cyrus would jump back. A simple slash at max range was easily avoided. Glen was testing him, seeing how far his reflexes would go, and for a brief moment, the Princess spoke quietly in his head, muttering about how well the young man would do leading an army. Perhaps, if he had no particular hurry to return home, Glen would be willing to join their forces…
But the older blonde was rushing in, having noticed the distraction, and Cyrus had no more time to consider anything else but protecting himself. Dodge, parry, gasp for breath, ignore the faint sting from the two cuts, try to hit again but be blocked, always blocked. In one moment of brief rest between the pair, he scanned the crowd looking for Impa but instead found Aspen and the others. Most of the boys were cheering for him, even shouting his name, and a warm flush of acceptance filtered through him. They liked him, really and truly, and wanted him to win! And Aspen? The brunette clung tightly to the rope that blocked off the fighting ring, eyes wide with worry. He still cheered with the others but it was distracted, half a second behind the crowd. Cyrus held still, his own eyes meeting those of the young prince. A smile rested briefly on his lips, then he shifted his attention back to Glen and the sword that was coming right for him; he had taken too long and the man was ready and willing to take advantage of the distraction.
It was bound to end eventually…
And then, time slowed.
Cyrus watched as each step of his opponent thunked into the churned mud and grass. Slowed seconds ticked by in his ears. His opponent's blade raised in a lazy arc upwards. He could avoid it completely at that moment, could see in his mind how to dodge and twirl and get another hit that would tie the score but he could also see fear in a pair of grey eyes. The moment elongated, stretched, lingered. Tick, tock, tick, tock.
Tick
Tock
A goddess' dark fingers slipped into Zelda's memory, manipulating the fall of seconds, humming a familiar song, the one the princess had taught to Link all those years ago when they were but children and he was going to leave Hyrule.
Song of Time. Sage of Time. Hero of Time.
Goddess of Time.
Link, play this melody in front of the altar in the Temple of Time. You must protect the Triforce!
Zelda's eyes widened as he watched the blade come down in slow motion, as it stopped, as the sounds from the crowd slowed and became silence. A memory of being himself, of hiding running fighting always on guard, learning songs from gigantic fairies in caves, of waiting for the hero to appear once more, of owls and Impa and fire and ReDeads and ghosts and destruction.
Unfamiliar memories lingered…
Then gone, a bubble that pops, a dream that fades once awake.
Sage of Time
Blood of the Goddess
The sword moved down towards his shoulder and, at the last second, Cyrus shifted away so that it was merely a glancing blow from the flat of the blade. Glen paused, eyes wide as he and the Sheikah exchanged looks, then the red-eyed boy nodded and stood straight before his opponent, sheathing his sword with a quick flash. As the man straightened as well, Cyrus bowed in graceful defeat and a horn blast announced the end of the fight. Glen bowed in return then spun to face the crowd, raising his sword high in triumph. Chaos erupted, cheers and shouts and music and everything else but Cyrus heard none of them. He turned and moved to go but was stopped by Impa's hand on his shoulder.
"You did well. Getting tired?"
"I didn't want it to go on all night." Cyrus smiled tightly up at his mentor, determined to show nothing, and the woman's red eyes smiled back in agreement.
"I think you might have won had you kept him going."
"Bah, I'd rather not. Anyway, go do your thing. We can talk later tonight."
With a soft laugh, the white-haired woman proceeded to the winner, her voice raising to be heard above the spectators. Cyrus waved off the healer that hovered around him and headed to the edge of the ring, though the ropes were quickly falling under the press of people that were making their way to the center. Before he could take more than a few steps, the suitors were around him with a confusing babble of voices.
"DAMN! That was a good fight! Where'd you learn to spar like that?"
"I honestly thought Glen would be up against Goldon or Archibold but that was a way better match."
"Next time there's weapon practice in the courtyard, can you teach me to move like that!? Maybe my sisters will stop picking on me!"
"Come on, you can't learn to move like that with one lesson." Blair laughed and rubbed the blue hair of the boy next to him, then gave Cyrus an enthusiastic thumbs up. "Excellent fight! If all the Sheikah are like you, I'd be proud to fight next to them. Damn, I really want to see Lady Impa in a battle someday!"
Laughing, Cyrus tried his hardest to sound normal, to be what they expected him to be. Part of him desperately wanted silence, to consider what had happened back there, but another part wanted to just be normal for a day, even if the normal wasn't what it used to be. It had only been three days since his entire life had been upended completely, so many carefully laid plans smashed to pieces while new ones teetered unstably before them. Did he also need awareness of his duty as the Sage of Time to be thrown into all that? Couldn't he just not think about it for a moment?
Luckily, Aspen provided a convenient distraction as he pushed his way to the inner circle and took Cyrus' hands in his own, holding tight. "Maybe next time you'll wear armor?" The grey eyes wandered to the cuts but Cyrus just laughed with relief and rested a hand under the brunette's chin, pulling his gaze upwards.
"You were worried for me. I guess you're the protective one now."
"Of course I was! I know it's not a duel to the death but you're out there with no protection! What if you had gotten hurt? What if…" The prince paused, then licked his lips nervously. "Well, I just don't want anything to happen to you. I hate losing new friends before I've gotten a chance to know them."
Cyrus' heart fluttered nervously in his chest. "Well, we'll have plenty of time to learn about each other in the next week or so, right? All these events, we should spend them together. Right?"
"Right! Yes! You…want to spend the hastilude together? Officially?" A smile spread over the boy's features and Cyrus couldn't help but smile in return. A part of his mind was screaming to slow down, consider the consequences of forming a relationship with one of the suitors while still a boy, while the pressure of destiny pushed in hard on his shoulders. Angrily, he buried those thoughts down deep and tried to focus on the happiness on Aspen's face. He needed to trust that it would be okay, that once the truth came out the young prince wouldn't dump Zelda immediately. He tried to put real joy in his smile and succeeded, at least in part.
"Of course! And would you mind if I joined you at the feast tonight? Impa is very busy and, well, it would be so lonely by myself. We never did get to the meal last night and I would be honoured to meet your mother tonight."
"Definitely! Yes! Of course, any time!" Aspen's hands clutched hard on the Sheikah boy's, grinning as if he just won the entire competition himself. Cyrus laughed, then pulled away gently. The other boys were already elbowing each other and moving away from the pair, heading towards the castle with the usual guards and servants in tow. He tucked his hair behind his ears and gave himself a quick pat down to be certain nothing was forgotten.
"Okay, well, I need to wash up before we eat so let's head back before the stars greet us."
"I would love to watch the stars come out with you!" The words blurted out of Aspen's mouth and he squeaked, slapping his hands up to cover it. The red flush on his skin got brighter.
"Maybe not today." Entwining his arm through Aspen's, Cyrus leaned up against the brunette then pulled him forwards towards the castle. The confused images from the match were fading even as his heart pounded from the contact with the prince. Normal. They would have a normal evening together. No one knew he was Zelda, there was no pressure to perform and be distant. Just him and getting to know Aspen better. The two walked arm-in-arm, laughing about nothing, leaning in close to hear better or maybe just to be closer to one another. When they reached the corridor where they would need to part ways, Aspen reluctantly pulled apart and began signing as he spoke, clear and slow movements. "So, see you soon?"
"Yes, of course!" The blonde grinned again. "You never did get around to teaching me more sign language."
"Tomorrow for sure."
"Yeah, for sure." He paused for a breath, loathe to leave. "Okay, I need to go or I'll be late. See you soon?"
"I definitely will." There was another pause, then both boys turned away almost in unison and split to their own destinations. Cyrus turned back only once, just before a corner, and saw Aspen doing much the same. He grinned and waved, then quickly slipped out of sight. It wouldn't do to dwaddle, no matter how much he wanted to. After all, he had a date.
[So, who is he?]
Aspen's face flushed a bright red. Of course his mother would be waiting for him, her hands poised and ready to be the first things he saw as he walked into their suite. After that rather obvious display at the end of the tupinaire, his attentions towards the Sheikah boy could no longer be denied. [His name is Cyrus. I met him a few days ago, after, well, the incident.]
It felt weird keeping secrets from his mother but they were not his secrets to share. What had happened between him, Zelda and the gods was too important to risk spreading, even as trustworthy as their servants were. The more people that knew a secret, the harder it was to keep. All Tumlea knew was that something had happened in the castle and her son had been a part of it. She sighed at Aspen but let the matter go; he was old enough to make those sorts of decisions. [Are you serious about this? You are here for the princess, after all.]
[Oh come on, mom. We both know that's not–] Hands covered his own, long fingers gentle in their touch. Tumlea shook her head at her son and gave him a look filled with both love and exasperation. It was times like these that Aspen realised how he must look to others; he had gotten his mother's eyes almost exactly and her gaze was sharp as a tack. Once she was sure he would not begin talking again, she lifted her hands free.
[My son, you know that I disagreed with this trip but you and your father were very determined. I don't know what your intentions are for this gathering but he wouldn't have wanted you to come if he didn't think you could be a good match to the princess. You have as much of a chance as any of the other boys. Perhaps more than some.]
Aspen sighed. His mother made good points but if he couldn't even be king of his own land, why would anyone make him king of another? [Well, the princess isn't here right now. No wait, look, I promise I'll speak with Cyrus about all this. He might not mind that I'm a suitor, you know. He knows why I'm here. Once Zelda comes back, we can see how it goes from there.]
Running her fingers through her greying, black hair, Tumlea released a breath and stared out of the window before continuing. [I wish this land was more like home. You might find resistance to the idea of multiple partners and I doubt they will allow it with the princess very specifically. You cannot have both, here.]
[I know, mom. I know. But it's okay, I've got time to figure things out. I can always go back home and become a priest, like we discussed.] As the woman held her arms open for a hug, Aspen fell into them and closed his eyes. They both knew priesthood would not be bad for him; in fact, it almost guaranteed him a large family. It had nearly been decided on before the news of the Hyrulean courtship had reached them. The Ocean God's temple wouldn't take him until he was at least 17, preferably older, so there was time to give his heart a chance at other kinds of happiness. Hyrule might be exactly what he needed. In his mother's embrace, he couldn't help but feel like this was where he was meant to be.
The dark-haired woman pulled away and smiled at her son. [I trust you, little sapling, but I hope your heart doesn't have to suffer to find what it yearns for. You are only fourteen.]
[I'll be fifteen in less than three months! I'm not that much younger than some!] He grinned, then began stripping off his gambeson, pausing only to sign again. [Anyway, you'll be able to judge for yourself. Cyrus wants to sit with us tonight and I need to get cleaned up so we're not late!]
With a hurried flutter of fingers, the teen excused himself and began preparing for the meal to come. After a quick scrub to the worst of the grime on his skin, Tumlea helped him pick out a rusty orange tunic that highlighted the reds in his hair and complimented his skin just right. It was perhaps a little fancier than was warranted but it made him look more grown up and Aspen knew that his mother was trying to help in her own way. They were ready exactly on time and the pair, plus his mother's translator, were soon at the door to the large banquet hall and there, waiting quietly to the side, was Cyrus, dressed in a beautiful blue suit that complimented Aspen's own outfit extremely well. When the brunette presented the Sheikah boy to his mother, he noticed the proud smirk around her lips; she looked very satisfied with herself.
"Cyrus, this is my mother, Queen Tumlea of Akkala, first wife to King Alder." His hands moved in rapid sign along with his speech and he noticed the red eyes trying to follow them, though he signed for his mother's benefit. They would definitely work on tutoring more during the tournament to sate the Sheikah's curiosity. "She can read lips very well and talk somewhat but using the translator will work best. Just speak normally to my mother and Krisa here will cover the rest."
The blonde bowed, a little awkwardly as if he had moved to do something else first, then straightened and face the queen. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Queen Tumlea. I apologise for not knowing more sign language. I'm afraid I haven't had much use for it in my life but I plan to change that soon."
A rapid flurry of signs followed and the brown-haired woman next to the queen spoke in a smooth, high-pitched voice, one that Aspen could hear well even in the crowded hallway. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir Cyrus. You bring the honour of the Sheikah to us with your presence."
"The honour is all mine. Thank you for sharing your table with me."
Aspen grinned at the interactions between the teenager and his mother. Cyrus knew all the correct things to say and Tumlea's eyes shone with appreciation. Introductions finished, he held out a hand and the Sheikah took it gracefully. They made a handsome pair in the large banquet hall and he knew there were some who took notice. Rylan was grinning fit to split his face but Aspen just smirked and turned away. He'd take his teasing gracefully tomorrow but tonight was for him and Cyrus.
Once again, Princess Zelda's absence was noted by the crowd and her place at the head table was a void that sat heavy on the group. Even Cyrus looked disconcerted but Aspen just gave his hand a comforting pat and smiled. He knew the Sheikah must know more about Zelda's whereabouts than most but whatever she was doing must be very important to keep her away so long. Hopefully she would be back soon. But once food was served and everyone was distracted with chatter of the day's match, the blonde began to relax and leaned in to speak privately.
"I hope the food here agrees with you. I imagine you get more seafood than we can offer here, though Lake Hylia has some delicious trout."
Aspen laughed. "It's fine. Believe it or not, the palace is so far inland that we too get mostly red meat. Akkala might be known for its coastal lands but it's very hard to get fresh ocean fish at home and it's something of a delicacy for us. The mage traders manage pretty well though! Papa pays well to get fish for holidays."
"Mage…traders?" Cyrus paused his fork on the way to his plate, eyebrows raising.
"They charge extra, of course, but their goods are always extra fresh. You know how it is."
"I, uh, don't. All the mages in Hyrule are employed by the temple or the castle."
Aspen paused as well, looking shocked. "All of them?"
"Yes. Children are tested early on to see if they have a propensity for spellcraft, you see. You can tell what type of magic someone has by the colour it presents as. Divine magic is generally white in colour and the temple will take in those with strong enough ability. Red is fire magic, blue is water and ice, purple is shadow magic but that is almost only ever in Sheikah. Green is nature magic, of course, but surprisingly rare; there are theories that the Lost Woods holds its magic close to itself. At any rate, anyone with strong affinity to those types are sent to the mage guild when they're old enough and are trained in offensive and defensive magic." Cyrus paused long enough to spear a bit of meat on his fork. "For a while, after the war ended, they weren't testing people so strenuously but I know f…" the boy coughed for several moments and Aspen rubbed his back in concern, "the king has been recruiting more in preparation for the war."
"I thought every Hyrulean had magic though?"
"Well, low levels of it, surely. But those who can manipulate magic are still a commodity. Magic firepower is what helped us win the Civil War fifteen years ago."
There was a long pause while Cyrus ate and Aspen grasped his fork tightly. When he spoke again, his voice was quiet. "How horrible for them."
The blonde turned and looked, even that soft sound not escaping his ears. "What? For who?"
"The children, those strong in magic. Is there no say? Do they not get to choose? How horrible to be taken from your family and told what you will be doing for the rest of your life. And the princess is okay with this?"
Cyrus' hand spasmed on his own utensil and it dropped from his fingers. He scrambled for it again, face flushed. "Absolutely not."
"But she hasn't done anything to stop it!" Giving up on food entirely, Aspen stared at the other boy, searching for something in the high cheekbones and red eyes.
"And how much say do you have in the running of your kingdom?" The words snapped out of Cyrus like a whip, cruel and barbed, and the young prince flushed in anger.
"Now that's not fair! I told you–"
Sighing, the other boy rubbed the bridge of his nose then looked up. "That's not what I meant. You are fifteen, the same as her. Do you think any kingdom would change a long-standing tradition just on the demands of a teenager? No, that is something to work on once she is queen and can carefully dismantle the infrastructure around it."
"Oh." The anger dropped from Aspen's ears and he slouched in his chair in shame that he'd assume such a thing from Cyrus. "Sorry. I just… Well, nevermind. Has she talked much about this? About the changes she wants to make?"
Once again with fork in hand, the blonde stabbed idly at his food. "In a manner of speaking. Uh, we've had some talks recently about…about how the kingdom could use improvements."
"You sound like you have a close relationship with Zelda." Aspen watched a series of confusing emotions pass across the Sheikah's face and found himself wondering if they were actually related or if there was something else going on between the two. Nothing seemed to fit the reactions Cyrus was having. Had he lied about being related to Zelda in order to cover something up?
"Close? I suppose, uh, we do." He muttered something Aspen couldn't make out but perhaps that was for the best.
The remainder of the meal turned to more comfortable topics and soon the boys were laughing together again. As desserts came out and people began to mingle and separate into their usual groups, Aspen was sure Cyrus was standing very close to him on purpose and a surge of feeling ran through his blood like the tide. While Dawson told stories of his own duels and tournaments, Aspen's hand brushed against Cyrus' and, in a spike of bravery, he grasped it tightly. The Sheikah's fingers wound through his own and it was all Aspen could do to not shout out his glee to the others. He knew the smile on his face was ridiculous and he tried to ignore the rather juvenile signs Rylan was giving him but he had to pull his hands away to sign back. It stung to have to let go so quickly but he wasn't about to yell and draw attention to himself.
But at the end of the meal, as everyone returned to their rooms and homes, it was Cyrus who took his hand first. Warmth settled in Aspen's heart and he felt like he could sing with happiness. Tumlea very carefully stayed ahead of the boys, chatting idly with Krisa, and she was the first to enter their suite, leaving the teenagers in the hallway alone. Aspen turned to face Cyrus, knowing the smile on his face gave away all of his feelings.
"Well, that was nice."
"It was." The blonde reached over and took Aspen's other hand. "Tomorrow, then? Archery, of course, but after breakfast, we can meet up? And…and you can teach me more sign language? I want to be able to speak with you better. Um, so you don't miss anything. You know…" On the pale skin, the red flush was very obvious and the boy looked down at his feet, his hands squeezing tightly all the same. Aspen's smile grew wider.
"Yes, of course! I want us to understand each other very well. Hopefully we have time. If we win too often, we'll be busy competing." He laughed and so did Cyrus but there was a contemplative look on the pale face. The two stood in silence for a few more moments while Aspen debated whether or not it was the right time to take Rylan's advice but before he could decide, the blonde pulled his hands away and tucked a lock of hair behind his ear. When the white-blonde strands weren't pulled back, the resemblance to Zelda was startling.
"Anyway, tomorrow then. I look forward to spending the day with you."
"And I, you. Good night, Cyrus. The morning can't come soon enough."
Cyrus' face turned even more red and his smile hid a giddy cheer behind it. Aspen's heart soared. "Yes, agreed. See you soon."
And then the boy was gone. With an out-of-tune song on his lips, Aspen slipped into his own room and shut the door.
Zelda, Cyrus, whatever his name was, leaned up against his door and held a hand to his pounding heart. Aspen was quickly becoming his favourite part of this whole gender nonsense and while he knew that growing closer to the suitors was his end goal for the courtship process, the intensity of his feelings was taking him by surprise. Impa had said to trust his instincts but some of his internal fantasies were becoming quite loud, just as they had been with Link last year.
Guilt burned through him. Aspen didn't know he was the princess. Aspen thought he was falling for a Sheikah boy. Certainly Zelda and Cyrus weren't that different, at least, he didn't think they were. He was just being herself! With different body parts! And…different expectations, a more free existence away from the eyes that perceived her always. No need to pretend to be the perfect princess now. She could act how she wanted, be sharp with her words and angry at injustice, joyful in someone's defeat. She could punch someone who deserved it and…and…pull pranks if she wanted to and sneak around without fear and test her meddle against the guards finding her without shame. She could be…free.
But wasn't that lying, in a way? When he returned to being Zelda, wouldn't he have to go back to being careful and proper? A leader to look up to? Never saying what's on his mind? Just being the perfect princess and eventually the queen? Wouldn't he have to give up being the way he was now to be that again? The Diplomat, the Peacekeeper, the Blood of the Goddess.
The Sage of Time?
No, no, that wasn't true. With the person he chose to marry, he'd be able to be himself, herself, whatever! The freedom of Cyrus didn't have to die when they broke this curse and Zelda returned again. She could pick things up with Aspen and surely he'd find her just as interesting then as well as now.
"Did you know your parental– I mean, your father is being very weird again?"
Cyrus screamed as the Protector of the Depths rose out of the floor in front of him and pushed backwards into the door, panic on his face. The deity merely waited with a bored expression on zir face until the princess calmed down and rested a hand on his chest. "Holy shit, do you start every conversation this way?"
Enma smirked. "No."
Cyrus rolled his eyes as his breath returned. "I'm honoured. Anyway, what did you need this time? Anyone else in the castle being subtly influenced by outside forces that I should know about?"
"Not that I've seen. Though several people have started visiting the temple more often now that I'm keeping an eye on things." Ze snickered, a strangely mischievous look in zir white eyes. When the deity moved to bush braided hair away from zir face, Cyrus noticed the green marks on zir arm forming a fully flourishing tree unlike any he had seen before. That was different from the very first time he'd seen the deity, wasn't it? Hadn't there only been a couple of leaves? Odd. Quietly, Cyrus stored the information for later and tried to match eyes with Enma.
"My liege…"
"UG, titles. Enma is fine."
"Right, fine, Enma." The name got stuck in his throat at first but once he said it, the sound settled in his mind more easily. "Okay, what was this about my father?"
"Well, understandably, he's been a bit off since finding out the last five years were basically a lie but he's started moving your soldiers to the training grounds, getting them in shape to attack."
"Attack? What do you mean?"
If deities could roll their eyes, Enma's would be doing exactly that. "Don't you have Mother Nayru's aspect? You know! March march march, fight the enemy with weapons, blah blah blah."
"Wait! You mean, more than just defending Hyrule?" With sudden urgency, Cyrus hurried to his desk and began rummaging around in papers Impa had left him to take care of. If they could still get some of the princess' work done, it lent credence to the announcement that Zelda wasn't missing, just busy elsewhere. Somewhere in the mess was her father's war plans and she dug anxiously to find them again. They weren't supposed to be attacking anyone right now!
"Yes. I believe he plans to attack the desert sooner rather than later. Which is reaaaaaally dumb with the sandstorm barrier still up." With a small thump, Enma settled into a sitting position on the ground, zir robes spread around zir.
"No! It's too soon! We're not ready! The army would need to recruit more and the Gerudo haven't even declared war yet! If we attack first, then we are the aggressors and that would cut our support from the other kingdoms in half."
"Mmm, yeah. So you didn't know."
"Of course not! He doesn't even know I'm Zelda like this! I haven't spoken with him since…since…"
"You know, I was wondering why you changed your gender at such an inconvenient time. And you're telling me the mortals don't know you're the princess? Are you in hiding from your father? Surely this is the worst possible time to be missing."
Cyrus spun to the deity, eyes angry. It was becoming easier and easier to forget ze was a god. "I didn't CHOSE this! Of course I would prefer to be there for my people!"
Enma's eyes widened. "You…didn't? You can't change your gender at will?"
"No! Of course I can't! That's not something people can do!"
Standing suddenly, the deity tapped zir chin. "Hmm, interesting. I need to talk to my Siblings." And without a word, ze sunk into the floor, gone without a trace. Cyrus stared at the empty spot, breathing heavily, then buried his face in his hands and let out a small sob. This whole week was severely testing his fortitude.
When would normalcy return? When would he no longer have to worry about hiding and strange memories and his father shaking the kingdom to pieces? Surely it would have to be soon, right?
Oh Golden Three, please let it be over soon.
Notes:
Well, we're getting close to the end of the split chapters. Next week is Termina, then I start advancing time a bit faster. :) I think I have at least a few more before Link comes home but we'll see how it goes.
Oh my LORD I wrote TWO fight scenes into this one. AHHHHHHH!!! Fight scenes are always harder to write and require a lot more editing but there's a certain flair you need to actually write action without it sounding boring, you know? Domestic fluff is way easier. Which we get in here as well! But first, Goldon and Archibold beating the ever living shit out of each other. How wonderful for them. Teens will be teens, after all. Give them power, money and weapons and you have...whatever it was that happened there. On a side note, the disqualifying moves? Headbutt into Goldon's nose and knee into Archibold's private parts. Ouch!
And then Zelda/Cyrus gets to fight in the final match! WEeeeeeeee! And yes, I did have to go back and check to see when she first asked Impa to get training. It was right after Link came back from the father-son camping trip, after he was 13 and right before SHE turned 13. So it's been over two years, technically. I'd like to think if anyone got trained by a Sheikah, they'd be a pretty good fighter. And so Zelda is. And, oh, oops. What was that, Zelda? THAT isn't something that happened in your timeline. Uh oh. Whelp, it's gone. Never mind all that!
Giving personality to all these suitors is fun. They are complex. We've heard some very negative things about Glen and, while he's not the greatest, he's not all bad either. Is he here to marry Zelda? I have NO idea yet. I don't think so. Then why is he signed up as one of the suitors? Maybe we'll find out.
Cyrus and Aspen are falling for each other hard and fast. Hopefully nothing bad comes from all this. They are VERY cute together.
But we can't end on that, can we? Hello Enma, are you bored? You certainly didn't have to tell Zelda/Cyrus what his father's been up to and yet you did. It's been *three days* since the Dark Sun and already Lorsham is making moves that....might not be the best. And Zelda is currently Cyrus and is in no position to stop him. I'm sure nothing bad will come from this. Certainly not. *nervous laughter*
Chapter 11: Carnival's Eve
Summary:
The day before the carnival had finally arrived and there were a few surprises in store.
Notes:
In my usual style, I kept writing and writing until the chapter was too long, so I split it. Next week will be another Termina chapter! I just really want to get this Carnival done guys, plus Zelda is getting ahead. :D
Also, please consider Theophany's song Clocktown for this chapter. There should be a link in the fic as well. :)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Despite the late night dancing and talking, holding Malon as close as he could, Link found himself waking early on the Third Day. The clock struck nine times as he yawned and stretched, realising the girls were already gone as he looked around. Not that early then. How did they get up first and not wake him up? Saria wasn't exactly quiet. There were no signs of breakfast and his stomach growled angrily, not caring he had spent most of the previous night eating. He would have to go find the food himself.
With a sigh, he sat up and scratched his bare chest idly. An unfortunate collision with a Terminean at the dance last night had left his tunic and undershirt soaked through so he'd left them with Anju to clean today. It felt weird to sleep without a top on while it was still a little chilly out, weirder still in a room he was sharing with two girls, but there hadn't been much choice last night.
As he swung his legs out of bed with another yawn, Tael flew into the room with a cheerful hum and landed straight on top of the mess that was Link's hair. The teen rolled his eyes but didn't complain about being used as a perch as he stood and went to find clean clothes. He dug through his bag then reached all the way in, even getting his whole head inside despite Tael's complaints, but no sign of any scrap of clothing could be found. He had only the shorts he kept for sleeping in and he straightened with an annoyed huff.
"Tael, do you know what happened to my clothes?"
"Mmmm, nope. I just got here. Tatl might."
"She's not here to ask. Maybe Kafei is still around." Without a thought to his state of undress, assuming there wouldn't be many still around the inn this time of morning, Link wandered into the halls. He ran his fingers through tangled hair, prompting Tael on another round of swearing, and wondered if he could use deity abilities to keep his hair nice. His dad's hair was always perfect! Surely that wasn't natural. It was such a hassle to keep his hair tidy but he could think of no way to ask that didn't make him feel very selfish.
The halls were quiet as he headed straight for the kitchen, figuring Kafei might be there or, failing that, he'd find some food to ease his aching stomach. As he turned into the door, the two possibilities became three and he stared in shock at a muscular, blonde woman that was putting a crate of produce down against a wall. She and Kafei were chatting casually about nothing in particular, not noticing the teen, and Link froze immediately, the greeting he'd been about to say stuck in his throat. Almost immediately, he crossed his arms over his chest and tried to back away.
Some noise or movement caught Kafei's attention and he turned, a grin on his face. "Link! Good morning! We weren't sure what time you'd be up today but there's some porridge warm on the stove, plus I can get some eggs and toast any time you want." Behind him, the blonde woman straightened and looked at Link, her green eyes scanning the teen up and down, then she rested a hand on her hip and smiled. Kafei's voice continued, mentioning something about music and, while that was normally a topic the boy loved, he hurried to interrupt.
"Er, sorry but…" He took the bowl of porridge the chef shoved into his hands but his eyes kept sliding to the woman. "Right, thanks, but Kafei, where's my clothes?"
"Oh! Yes, Anju and the girls took all the dirty stuff to the laundry pool this morning after breakfast. And there was something about the tailors too, so they might be gone for a bit longer." The man paused, then noticed Link's discomfort for the first time and his gaze also shifted to the woman. "Ahhhh, right. Link, this is Jas. She does deliveries in town. Why don't you take that food back to your room and I'll bring you more in just a minute."
"NicetomeetyouJassorrybye." The teen was gone as quick as he could manage with a piping hot bowl of food, Tael jingling an angry response at the rush, and Kafei shook his head with a chuckle. The chef was already turning towards the simmering pot and scooping it into a large bowl when Jas let out a low, appreciative whistle.
"Kafei, that is one fine looking young man. Maybe you can introduce us better later. I wouldn't mind–"
"Stop right there. Didn't you hear his name? That's Link."
"Wait, that Link? Green Link!? The kid who was everywhere all at once? The one who stopped the moon!?"
Kafei rolled his eyes as he began spreading the food out on a tray. "Yes Jas, and he was eleven then. He's only fifteen now. So watch your tongue."
Another low whistle slipped out of her lips as she walked past Kafei towards the door. "The years were very good to him, weren't they? I wonder…"
"He's got a girlfriend and is much too young for you, even if you were willing to wait. Which you aren't, I know you too well by now. He's basically my brother so you and your friends better leave him alone or I'll come knocking on your door after the Carnival with a few words you won't want to hear."
Laughing, the woman gave him a salute as she backed out into the hallway. "Sounds more like you think of him as your kid if you're going to be like that!" She raised her hands in surrender with a wink as Kafei opened his mouth. "I'll leave him be, promise, and tell the girls to lay off the tall, handsome blonde. He's too skinny anyway, needs a few more good meals. I'd be afraid I'm going to break him in half at some of the dances! You better put out word he's off limits, Kafei. He's going to get a lot of attention tomorrow!"
"Not everyone is as incorrigible as you and your crew!"
Laughter followed Jas as she made her way out of the Inn and Kafei turned back to food preparation. Of course, he knew that Link looked like an adult, even without a sword in hand, and even now it was hard for him to think of the young hero as the skinny, energetic kid that he'd broken into Sakon's hideout with. He had looked more like Kafei's memories during that first visit, taller of course, but it was after his disappearance that he'd really changed. Whatever had happened to Link had aged him considerably. He even acted older, though perhaps that was because of the time loop and everything put together; he'd matured before others his age. Maybe that was normal.
Maybe he'd just had to save the world too many times.
With a shake of his head, Kafei hefted up the tray in his hands and carried it back to the room. A serving bowl full of porridge with syrup, an entire loaf of bread and both milk and water. After watching Link eat his way through the banquet last night, one might have thought the young man would still be full but he knew better. As he pushed open the guest room door, he was not surprised to see Link huddled self-consciously at the table, his bowl empty, with Tael chirping happily on his head. The teen looked up, eyes brightening at the food, then laughed nervously.
"Sorry for rushing out. Uh, I wasn't…I mean, there was a guest and…"
"It's okay. Just bad timing that she was here when you got up. Probably should have left a note for you so you wouldn't worry." Kafei watched as Link began working his way through the large bowl, then turned to go. "I'll get some more, then we can sit and chat. Deliveries are done and I need to keep an ear open for Little Link while he naps. Tael, you need anything? Potatoes? Berries?"
"Sure! I'd love some berries!"
The purple-haired man nodded and slipped out again. Extricating himself from Link's messy hair, Tael hopped down to the table and tapped fingers against the milk bottle. The young hero rolled his eyes and poured some into the small dish that once held syrup and the fairy gave an excited jingle at the treat. For several minutes the pair were both distracted by food but it was Link who leaned back first, releasing a happy sigh. Tael shook his head, wiping milk residue off his mouth as he gave the boy a once-over.
"I didn't realise how skinny you'd gotten. Usually you're wearing clothes at home."
"Got tired of speaking common?" Link yawned and looked down at his stomach, giving it a poke. "I've always been skinny."
"You weren't when we met up in Termina for the first time. Not in the beginning of the war either. Not this skinny."
"Hmmm, yeah. Dad got a lot of food after I left Termina the first time. I guess he still does. It's fine. Kafei's giving me, like, a million meals a day and there'll be more food at home too."
"Hmm. I wonder." Tael licked syrup residue off a finger, eyes narrowed. His glow dimmed slightly with worry. "Link, are you really okay?"
"What? Why wouldn't I be okay?"
"Seems like every time I leave you alone, something bad happens to you."
"You were there for the dungeon! That was pretty bad, honestly!" Link waved his arm adamantly but Tael just fluttered into the air, jingling in distress.
"Yes, but I helped! I was there to help you and we all ended up okay! I mean, yes, there wasn't much I could do about the collapse but you know what I mean. And then you went off to the castle without me and look what happened! Then the whole thing with Them and where was I!? Just hanging out in the woods sleeping. Rosie said you almost DIED! She said you used too much power and that your Uncle was very worried and you looked paler than usual and…Link, are you okay?! Really and truly?"
The blonde was silent, desperately wishing Kafei would hurry up with the food. He couldn't bring himself to deny almost dying. It was too much of a lie. It was nice that Tael was so worried about him but having the fairy around wouldn't have changed anything. Not anymore. "I'm fine. Really. I'm too old to have a companion fairy, Tael. You know that."
There was silence as the purple orb flared bright, then dulled again as Tael landed on Link's upraised hand. "You don't want me to help you?"
"I didn't say that. As long as you want to be with me, you should stay. But you have a life of your own too. You don't have to cling to me every moment of every day. I can make my own decisions now." Link inhaled, then released it with a sad sigh. "If you had been with me at the castle, maybe the mages would have captured you and you'd be trapped in an enchanted bottle somewhere, waiting for who knows what. I know you guys can get out of mine on your own but remember what we saw in the dungeon? And while it would have been okay to have you there the other night, it wouldn't have changed the decisions I made."
"I'm worried about you. I worry that…that what's happening to you isn't… Link, I know the Goddesses are good and all but maybe they don't realise how much of a strain this is on you. Maybe they don't know you're hurting."
Link gave the fairy a little poke and smiled faintly. Even here in Termina, the faint presence of the Golden Three lingered in his ears sometimes. An indignant snort from Farore was almost like imagination but he knew better. Slipping back into fairy speech, the young hero tried not to laugh at his friend. "Tael, come on. You know better than that. They're not going to stop me from making stupid choices and I'll try to be better with what I can do. I'm fifteen, right? I have to learn these lessons on my own. I want you around but I don't need a babysitter anymore."
"Hey! That's not–"
"You know what I mean. Live your life. Spend more time with Rosie; I've seen the two of you together and I know you're crazy for her. And sure, you can tell me when I'm being stupid but know that I can choose not to listen to you. I always have. Ask Aunt Aevum how much I listened to her when she was Navi. The answer might surprise you."
"Oh, but…"
There was a knock then the door pushed open and Kafei staggered in under a heavily-laden tray. Link was quick to push empty dishes aside, stack them up on the other tray, then helped with the man's burden. His mouth watered at the sight of so much food and his stomach growled once again.
"Oh Goddesses, Kafei, thank you. This looks amazing!"
"Thank your uncle. He went grocery shopping again. I don't know where he's getting all this food as most of the suppliers here are completely booked for the Carnival but his choices are impeccable. Very flavourable. I'd love to have access to this quality of food all the time, honestly."
Link was about to shove an entire slice of bread-and-jam in his mouth but paused long enough to respond. "Probably best not to ask."
Laughing, Kafei returned to the door and stuck his head out, then left it open and dropped down into the chair closest to the exit. "I wasn't planning on it. If the Giants were to leave me a gift on my doorstep, I wouldn't question that either." He watched Link eat for a while, then snatched a rolled omelet off the stack. "I am sorry about the clothes. I probably could lend you something of mine but it might be a little too short. Anju said you really only had a few outfits."
In between one bite and another, Link nodded his head. "I didn't have that many changes of clothes with me and we were in such a hurry to leave, I forgot to grab more."
"Well, I think Anju is going to change that. I hope you don't mind wearing Termina fashion." Link shook his head as he continued to eat and the pair fell into a companionable silence for a few minutes. Outside, the clock ticked. Tael hummed quietly as he munched on berries. The sound of kids playing drifted in through the open window, interspersed by snatches of adult conversations. It was relaxing.
It was peaceful.
When the food had finally been reduced to empty dishes once again, Link yawned and drooped down in his chair. His stomach finally felt full, at least for the moment, and he was wondering if he'd be able to catch a nap before the girls returned with his clothes. Outside, the clock rang the hour and Kafei glanced up.
"You should get washed up. I think you still smell of that mead from last night and the music starts in two hours."
"Music?" Link's ears perked up. Now that it had been mentioned again, he recalled both Kafei and Anju mentioning something about music today. On the table, Tael slapped one tiny hand into the other.
"That's right! The music! We missed last year's because of the war! Skullsie is going to be so excited!"
"Wait, what's going on? What kind of music?" The blonde sat up in his chair, suddenly more alert, but Kafei just grinned.
"Wait Tael, let's make it a surprise." Kafei winked as he turned to Link. "Best part of the Carnival, in my humble opinion, and you've definitely never seen it before. You're going to love it."
"Arrrg, fine! I hate surprises." But anticipation surged through Link and he stood. "I'll go get that bath. Don't want to miss whatever your mysterious music is!"
By the time noon approached, Link was cleaned and dressed in one of Kafei's outfits. Despite being several centimeters taller now, Link's skinnier build meant the shirt and pants fit him okay, even if the legs were a little short. It wasn't the purple outfit he was so used to seeing four years ago, but instead a blue shirt that brought out the vivid colour in his own eyes and had all the fancy embroidery that was often on Terminean fashion. He was fiddling with the edge of the fabric by the Inn door when Kafei joined him hauling two large baskets.
"We'll just have to meet the girls out there. Anju said she'd get us a spot in North Park, near the new playground there. Remember that old slide? Dad pulled some money out of the budget to make it more of a place for kids. They just finished it for the Carnival!"
"Oh nice! The Dekus don't mind?"
"Naw, the sprouts have a good time there too. Little Link adores it." Kafei handed off a basket to the blonde and the two walked out. Link turned and glanced behind him at the desk but there was no one waiting, just a sign that said "Be back soon!" He wanted to ask Kafei about leaving the counter unsupervised but the moment he closed the door, Tael dive-bombed him, hyper jingles about excitement and music the only things he could make out.
"Tael, calm down!"
"No!"
Link laughed and shook his head, sending the purple fairy careening to the side, grabbing onto the teen's ear at the last second. He did calm down though, dropping carefully onto the blue-clad shoulder, and the trio made their way up to North Clock Town. People were out in droves, talking and laughing with each other. Snatches of songs and instruments met Link's ears and he swivelled his head left and right, trying to see where the sounds were coming from. Reflexively, he found himself humming and whistling along, bobbing his head to the beat. All sorts of Termineans were everywhere; Zora with guitars and horns, Gorons with drums and tubas. A group of grown Dekus had several sets of pipes and horns in a corner, squeaking and squealing in their own language about an upcoming performance. Humans and Gerudo were mingling freely with all sorts of instruments, some Link knew and others he didn't. The excitement was palpable.
By the time they made it to North Park, Link could barely contain his excitement. He wanted to mingle, talk with all the people, find out what they were singing. Kafei laughed and kept a hold on the teen's sleeve to keep him on track but it was easy to see their destination. Oceanis' large form was settled in the grass by the playground, his cheerful voice loud over the crowd as he held both of the baby twins in his arms. Behind him, Saria played tag with children in the playground while Anju stood with other parents, all of them laughing, as excited as everyone else. The sight of Malon finally brought Link's attention back to the others and he practically skidded in his hurry to sit next to her on a blanket laid out on the grass.
"Did you see all the instruments!? I've never seen so many in one place in my life! Did Anju tell you what the music was? Kafei and Tael won't tell me anything and I think after everything I've been through, I deserve at least a hint!"
Laughing, the red-head took the basket carefully from him and shook her head. "They won't tell me either. Link, your hair is a mess. Didn't you comb it?"
"Tael keeps landing on my head!" The blonde frowned at the purple glow on his shoulder but the fairy was indignant.
"It was messy before I got into it!"
"It was not! I had it free of tangles when we left!"
Malon laughed again and stood, pulling a rough comb out of the little pouch she wore around town. "Boys, no need to fight. Here, I'll fix it. Hold still." Standing behind Link, she began running it through his hair. There were a few snarls that he barely even reacted to but the steady motion over his head soon settled him into a peaceful stupor. Kafei chuckled at the pair as he set his own basket down nearby and called to Anju.
"Food before the festivities start? We've still got some time."
"Coming! Link! Saria! Lunchtime!"
Warmth settled in Malon's chest as the family gathered around. Oceanis handed the babies back and settled into cross-legged serenity, watching the events around them with curious intelligence in the bright power of his eyes. Saria held hands with the purple-haired Link as they dodged people and pets to get to them. Kafei pulled out dish after dish of delicious food, then leaned over and gave his wife a kiss when she settled next to him. Just like the last time Malon had been here, it felt like a piece of home. She understood why Link loved Termina now, why he risked his life for it. As much as she adored her home and everyone in Hyrule, Malon knew this place was special too.
Gently the redhead ran her fingers through the blonde hair and she felt a tremor run down Link's back. A small smile turned up her lips as the teen leaned into the touch and she bent down to kiss his cheek, fingers still entwined in the pale strands. When Kafei cleared his throat, she pulled away suddenly, red tinting her cheeks, and the man smirked.
"Lunch, you two? Trust me, you'll want it before the fun starts."
Malon laughed nervously as Link shook himself, blinking rapidly as the crowds returned to his awareness. He turned to see the redhead pulling away but grabbed her hand and gave it a quick kiss before sliding himself closer to the food. Now Malon was sure her face was the same shade as her hair but it took every bit of willpower she had not to grab Link's face and kiss him for all the town to see. When she looked away, determined to not make a fool out of herself, her eyes turned to Oceanis and found the god staring at her with a strangely intense gaze. For a brief moment, she wondered if the gods could, in fact, read her mind. Embarrassed fear had her turn away again and concentrate all of her energy on eating whatever food was in front of her.
Link noticed none of the exchange. Still feeling the effects of Malon's gentle touches on his scalp, he hummed happily around bites of food, finally truly relaxed since his whole ordeal at the castle. He was glad he'd decided to come to the Carnival of Time. It was so much better than he could have imagined after his fight against the moon. He was already trying to figure out if he could come next year when the sound of the clock striking noon reverberated through the city. Mouth full of noodles, the young man looked around as people began packing up food and blankets, exchanging them for instruments. Conversation quieted to a dull hush and excitement hung over the city. Link turned to Kafei and the man grinned, holding a finger up to his lips.
As the last bell rang for the hour, another sound chimed. Then another. Notes played together, an introduction to a song that sat deep in Link's heart. His ears perked up immediately. Kafei gently took the bowl from Link's stunned fingers just before the teen stood slowly, head turned towards the clock tower itself. There was music. There was a lot of music and it was coming their way.
Behind him, Kafei muttered an explanation to Malon and Saria. "South is usually the best place to wait because that's where it starts but they head North first. Plus it's better for the kids here. Anju is going to be staying put because of the babies but feel free to wander as you like." Link barely heard the words, didn't really understand what they meant, but the sound of pipes and horns and strings was coming his way and that was all that mattered.
The band, orchestra, whatever it was passed under the arch between the districts and the familiar sounds of Clock Town music echoed against walls, blared out for all to hear. Link knew the song. He had heard it every day for two long years. It was his favourite part of being stuck saving Termina so long. Someone had always been playing it in Clock Town, somewhere, and while he hadn't really understood at the time, he now knew why it had always been present. It was their song, the song of the Carnival and everything they loved.
The voices of the people were part of the song. The cluck of a cucco. The strum of a guitar. Children laughing and babies crying and friends with their arms wrapped around each other's shoulders as they sang along with words he didn't know. The band was not organised, there was no one to lead, but it gained and lost members as it marched along the cobblestone roads and dirt paths of North Clock Town, somehow the out-of-tune and off beat notes a welcome part.
And there, in the middle of the group, cheerfully bouncing along with a flute in hand, was Skull Kid.
He wasn't wearing the skull mask this time, his strangely wooden face with glowing orange eyes an odd counterpoint to the other people who marched with him. Above the straw hat, Tatl bounced in time with the music. Tael jumped off Link's shoulder with a cheerful jingle and joined her in a silly dance between the two. As the melody paused for a moment, the strange spirit laughed and waved for Link to come, like it was the most normal thing in the world to do.
Maybe it was.
It only took a few steps for the young hero to join the performers. The old, blue ocarina was already in his hands, up to his lips as he mentally considered the notes he'd need to play. There was a pause as the shifting players readjusted for newcomers, as friends joined and instruments were readied. Skull Kid laughed again and played the high notes of the Clock Town melody while the blonde nodded his head to the beat. A cheerful Zora guitarist strummed notes in an interlude and then Link was playing with the others.
He had never performed with a large group before and had only barely played with an ensemble. He was not entirely prepared for the swell of music around him, for the complex harmony of many instruments playing together, and the sound settled in his chest with a pressure he could feel. The thump of deep notes in his heart, the high flute vibrating along his spine, the strings that flowed through his arms. It was amazing. For several moments, the impromptu orchestra stayed in the park and Link played the melody with Skull Kid, the high flute complimenting the tenor tones of his ocarina.
When he stopped to breathe, to open eyes that had closed of their own accord, he found Malon smiling at him brightly and for a moment, as voices chattered and cheered around them, Link took her hand and spun her around with a laugh. Then the music began again and the group moved on.
Their numbers swelled as they marched down to East. Saria joined the trio, her own ocarina trilling high soprano to match the flute of the nature spirit. The redhead danced with their music, laughing and singing wordless notes to match their song. More voices moved in as the orchestra stopped, just outside the Stock Pot door, and there were again some players who joined, others who left to speak to friends and family. Dancers wove through the players, children skipped around the edges. The deep drum beat from Gorons blended with the bright horns of Gerudo players. Plucked strings from Zora guitars blended with those of human fiddles. Deku pipes mixed with the mass voices that sprung up and the group moved on, always playing, always celebrating the Carnival to come.
By the time they reached South Clock Town, Link was improvising melodies around the main one and others joined him. Faces he knew flashed by as he played and danced; Jim and Pamela, shopkeepers he had never learned the names of, the Rosa Sisters who laughed and complimented him. For a brief moment, he swore he saw Romani but she merely laughed and ducked behind a group of Gorons, completely gone from sight. On the stairs of the West district, Link nearly stopped playing when he saw a very familiar Zora cheering and waving. It was none other than Lulu, surrounded by the band members and seven small children, one of them held proudly in the singer's arms as the pair joined the chorus.
An hour later, the entire large group filtered around the clock tower as the bells struck the time and then kept on going. Voices raised to sing a counter to the melody. The swelling music echoed off the clock and the festival tower that stood decorated and ready for the night to come. The Carnival of Time was nearly here, the celebrations had already begun, and the people of Termina, and a few of Hyrule, sang to welcome in the day.
On the edge of thought, in his ears that were made to hear the Goddesses, Link was sure he heard the deep tones of the Giants echoing in the breeze, rising up out of the cobblestones and grass, rippling in the breeze that blew over the land. As his final note drifted off over the crowd, as performers wandered to other parts of town, some still strumming and blowing and striking their instruments, Malon slipped her hand into his and looked at him with shining, wet eyes and he knew that she too had heard the blessing of the gods, and the faintest, baritone echo of the one who was here no longer, but had left a piece of his essence behind.
"Link, you need to come home and get changed! Anju picked up the new clothes for tonight and I know you haven't had enough to eat." Malon laughed as she pulled Link's hand, trying to disengage him from an enthusiastic conversation with several Zora about their guitars.
"Right, yeah, I'm coming! But look, what if the Zora where I'm from don't play? Where am I supposed to ge–Malon! I'm coming!" As the blonde was pulled steadily away from the burbling laughter of his companions, he sighed and turned his eyes towards the east. "I was just trying to talk about my guitar!"
"You've just been talking to everyone for hours. You need a break." Malon grinned as she wound her fingers through his. Though she was determined to assure his continued health, seeing him happy and talkative was more than she had hoped for when they had left Hyrule. The infectious excitement of the Terminean people was running through her skin and she had to hold back a happy skip. It was a holiday! An amazing, musical celebration and she felt like she was eleven again, about to go to Starfall with Link for the first time. It was impossible to calm down with the buzz of music and conversation that was everywhere.
The day before the Carnival of Time was a day of song. Booths with all sorts of delicious foods were set up, favours for the night to come were sold on every corner. Flags and banners in a riot of colour hung from every roof and awning. Pre-made masks for visitors and those who didn't have time to make their own were advertised from every hawker in the city. Every sound, every smell, shouted out loud; the Carnival was HERE!
The late afternoon was supposed to be a time of rest but how could they? How could any of them relax and sleep when there was so much to do, so much to see?! So Malon didn't begrudge Link his excitement or his distraction but she would try to temper it enough for him to eat, drink and rest.
There were just too many distractions.
The moment they walked in the inn door, they were instantly greeted by red hair and cheerful voices. Cremia and Tacy were chatting with Anju while Romani chased the purple-haired Link around the halls. The two lovers were very close with the Gerudo behind her girlfriend, holding her arms around the rancher with a protective possessiveness that Link noticed immediately. Maybe he wasn't always great at picking up signals for himself but it was so much easier to see in others. There was something going on between the two. But he raised his hand in a greeting, deciding he didn't need to keep collecting information on people all the time, determined to relax and enjoy life for once. "Hey! The ranch ladies! Romani, I knew I saw you earlier!"
The teen laughed and popped up behind the counter. "Damn you and your eyes, Link! I wasn't about to get dragged into the march. Nuh uh! Romani is not a dancer!"
Cremia let out a peal of infectious laughter and leaned into Tacy's embrace. "Maybe one of these days, little Ro." Behind her, the former pirate pressed her face into Cremia's neck, whispering something into the other woman's ear. The rancher's face flushed, then she giggled. "Are you sure? Now? We were going to wait."
"I'm positive. It's the perfect time."
"Oh fine." Cremia turned and gave Tacy a quick kiss then looked back at Anju. "Can we get Kafei in here? We have some wonderful news to share. I thought we were going to wait but, well, it's the Carnival! Why not now?"
Anju's face brightened immediately and she ducked around the corner towards the kitchen. Link squeezed Malon's hand tightly and the teen's eyes lit with happy anticipation. When the couple returned a few moments later, Kafei had a tray of cups and bottles of some sort of drink in hand. Cremia laughed, her face flushed with happiness.
"Oh goodness, I think maybe you misunderstood."
"Cremia, any news you have for us is worthy of celebration!" The chef was already pouring and handing out the cups to the others, even Link and Malon. Romani popped up at his elbow, an empty mug in hand that she held out to him to fill. Saria wandered out with Little Link in tow, the boy looking droopy and tired after all the excitement, and Anju gave her a whispered thanks. All of this Link saw as he watched the couple while they giggled together in childish excitement. Cremia waved off the mug Kafei offered and Tacy plucked it from his hands even as the redheaded rancher turned even more red.
"No, you don't understand! You see, I can't! I'm pregnant!"
Anju squealed loudly, then slapped a hand over her mouth, her gaze slipping back to the door to their rooms. She tossed down her drink and threw her hands around both her friend and Tacy, tempering the noises she made so as not to wake the babies. "Crem! This is wonderful! Pregnant! Giants bless and protect you and the little one! Ahhhhhh! I'm so happy!"
While the two women held hands and squealed quietly, Kafei laughed and raised his glass to Tacy while Link, Malon and Romani followed suit. The sharp tang of alcohol burned down Link's throat and he set the mug down on the counter as he looked at the Gerudo. "Wow! That's awesome! But, uh, how? Look, I don't know that much about…all that but isn't that hard to do with two ladies?"
Malon gasped in horror at Link's rudeness but Tacy just waved it off with real cheer. "Boy's got a point, little lady. No, see, Crem and I knew we wanted kids but we weren't sure what to do about it. There's always adopting, right? But I have a brother who decided to come down with the others settling in Ikana. He always said he'd help me with anything! We started meeting up to make arrangements."
Cremia blushed further and pulled her hands away from Anju's to cover her cheeks. "He's a very nice man, just like, well, like Tacy and we hit it off. He's not going to stay at the ranch or anything and it's purely business, in a way, but it's worked out very well!" She turned and held out a hand to Tacy, which the other woman took and gave a strong squeeze. "And it'll be our baby, mine and Tacy's. Still a part of her."
Romani snorted into her drink and shook her head. "That's why you've been all weird about being alone at nights, or heading off to town. Pah! Well, that's okay! I'm gonna be an aunt and teach them archery when they're old enough!"
Clapping her hands, Anju couldn't contain her excitement and made yet another high-pitched sound. "So are you two already married? Is Dotour keeping secrets from us?! I would have gotten you a gift!"
"Oh, well, no." Cremia looked at Tacy and smiled. "We were thinking maybe in a week or two? The Carnival is so busy and all and it's not like it matters that much, Tacy already lives on the ranch with Ro and I so it won't really change anything."
Kafei shook his head and poured another round of drinks. "Why not tomorrow? During the Carnival?"
"Oh! Oh no, I, we…we couldn't!" Cremia's eyes shifted to Anju, a nervous jitter to the glance. "That's your anniversary! It's your fourth! I couldn't take away from your joy! Not after…"
With an angry huff, Anju stalked forward and grabbed her friend's hands. "Don't you dare, Crem. Don't you dare do that. I love you like a sister! You don't want us to celebrate our marriages together? We would have so much fun! You don't think I'm still harbouring a grudge after all these years, do you? How could you think so little of me? Besides! Lots of people get married at the Carnival!"
Cremia sobbed and pulled her hands away to wrap Anju up in a hug. "Oh An, I'm sorry. I should have known but I was so worried."
Grinning, Kafei tossed down his drink and slipped through the others towards the door. "I'll go let dad know! He loves doing weddings and I don't think he has any on for tomorrow. But even if he does, he'll fit you two in for sure!"
Still wrapped in her hug with Anju, Cremia gasped, eyes wide. "Oh no! I don't have anything to wear! Tacy doesn't have anything to wear!"
The Gerudo woman grinned and finished her own drink. "Actually, I have a traditional outfit that'll work fine, belonged to my mother. Pato brought it over with him. And you have that beautiful dress you made for the Carnival this year. We'll be fine!"
With a nervous flutter of her hands, Cremia nodded. "We'll have to go home early and get supplies. Oh no! We hadn't finished our wedding masks yet!"
"That's fine! Why don't you bring your things here and we can work on preparations together! Eeeeee! Cremie, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to find your happiness!"
"Oh An, I don't deserve a friend like you." The woman sobbed into her friend's shoulder but Anju just laughed and pat her back.
"Of course you do. Kafei always says the same thing but you all deserve friendship because I said so!"
The click of the door opening interrupted Anju's heartfelt speech and she rushed over to Kafei when he stepped in, tossing her arms around him. "And? What did Dotour say?"
"He said there's to be a wedding tomorrow!"
The cheers that followed definitely woke the babies in the back rooms but no one minded.
It was even harder to relax after that, though Link did consume another large quantity of food. Malon sat with him, encouraged him to stay in his chair despite a million distractions both in and out of the Inn, and even managed to get him to settle in bed under the guise of her own exhaustion. He might not always think of himself when it came to rest but for those he cared about, he would do nearly anything. She had barely settled next to him on the bed before he was asleep and laughed softly to herself as she rested a hand on his cheek. Not so hollow looking anymore, not so many bags under his beautiful eyes. The old scars looked softer in the dim light from the shuttered windows and she had a moment where the perfect image of Nocturne was reflected in Link's face. Inhaling sharply, her eyes roved over his features but Link was still there, his cheeks and hair and nose all the same. It was just a reflection of the god, a familial resemblance settling on a boy quickly becoming a man.
What had Link looked like when they were children, before he came here? He hadn't changed, right? Maybe his hair was lighter than it used to be but that was barely anything. Had the god changed when whatever mysterious event happened between the two? Or had they always been similar, separated by many millenia? Had the god been just as destined to meet the boy he claimed as a son? Malon didn't know, couldn't know, but decided it still didn't matter. She would love Link no matter what he was. Some part of her heart had known that 5 years ago when she handed a boy in green a cucco egg.
As she settled next to him and cuddled close, her breath slowed and peace settled over her. Soon they'd be celebrating but now was a time for rest. Several minutes later when Saria slipped into the room, she found the two deeply asleep, Link's arm draped over Malon's shoulders, his face in the red hair that sprawled over the pillow. Grinning, the Kokiri pressed a finger to her lips as she winked at Rosie and Tael, then slipped into her own bed and was soon asleep herself.
After a quick, late dinner and a change of clothes, Link practically dragged Malon outside while she said goodbye to Anju and Cremia, still giggling together while holding sleeping twins. Tacy, Saria and Kafei, holding his son, were close behind but the excited, undulating crowds were quick to separate them. It didn't matter. There was time to explore before midnight. Link paused before the growing line at the Milk Bar, wondering if it was worth waiting to get a spot for the first concert that began promptly at 1am. Several were sporting the cow mask but none of them were Clock Town natives. The bouncer, precisely the same man that had let them in for the Indigo-Go concert the previous summer, winked at the two teens, then waved them over.
"Link, yeah? Mr. Barten said you have a special spot reserved for tonight's shindig."
"Really?" The blonde blinked in confusion while the bouncer, Jarel, chuckled.
"Yes, of course. He says you're welcome any time. Loves that music of yours. If you want a spot for the concert, you've got it."
"Wow! Thanks! So we can still get in later?"
"Yup. Now go enjoy the Carnival."
And so they did. Link tipped rupees liberally into vendors' hands as he bought food and trinkets for him and Malon. He stopped to talk with musicians in between songs and ended up playing with them almost every time. The sky was dark, stars hard to see with all the lights from the town, but there was so much sound and movement that it felt like midday. The clock struck eleven and cheers rose into the air. Excitement swelled as people struggled to get into the best spots for fireworks. In the South district, children tried to climb the tower but were pulled down by their parents. A strong hand grabbed Link's elbow as he walked by and he turned to see Kafei grinning at him, Little Link fast asleep on his shoulder.
"He hasn't yet made it to midnight but he's young. Come on, join us at the tower while mom and dad do their speeches, then you and Malon can enjoy your night. I'd suggest coming home after the Four Chord concert though, get some sleep for tomorrow's events."
Link laughed and followed the chef through the crowds. There were many shouts of 'happy anniversary!' for the man but even more cheers for the young hero when people realised who he was. While surprising, he took it well and waved shyly as yet another person called his name. Soon it felt like the entire crowd knew the "hero of Termina" was visiting for the Carnival and they were all looking to shake his hand and thank him.
Nervously Link tugged down the special tunic Anju had given him, feeling self-conscious. He was in green again, which probably didn't help, but the embroidery around the long tails of fabric that hung down were in red, green and blue, a nod to his parentage and the Golden Three. Malon leaned up and gave him a kiss as they reached the base of the carnival tower and gave his hand a squeeze. With a jingle he could barely hear, Tael settled on his shoulder and Tatl landed primly on Malon's hair. A laughing Saria bumped up against his side and off on a nearby roof, Link could see the blue hawk form of Oceanis, trilling a birdsong to match the crowds below. Maybe everyone wasn't here, and the absence of his dad was felt particularly hard, but those who were nearby felt like enough.
As midnight approached, Mayor Dotour and Madam Aroma climbed to the top of the tower and a waiting hush settled. The woman raised her arms, the shimmery fabric of her new dress reflecting the city's lanterns. "Welcome, everyone, to the Carnival of Time!" A raucous cheer went up and she laughed, "thank you, thank you! Everyone's hard work has brought us another wonderful festival and I hope all of you get a good night's sleep for tomorrow! But of course, don't forget the special night performance of our very own Four Chords band! If you miss out, don't worry! They have another show tomorrow!"
More cheers, more speeches. Link could hardly concentrate on them all. He wrapped an arm around Malon, holding her tight to his side, his heart thumping with excitement…and a little bit of remembered fear. The minutes were counting down to midnight. No moon was in the sky but even four years on, a kernel of anxiety held tight. It was okay. It would be okay. There were so many people here, not like before, and he had saved them so they could have these moments, so they could celebrate for real.
As words droned on above his head and he watched the minutes tick past on the clock, he thought of Windy, who had promised he'd take on the Majora stuck in his mind. He thought of Malon, who had followed him into a dungeon without a second thought. He thought of Kafei, who had shoved himself into the fight with Them even though he had so much waiting for him at home. And he thought of himself, who would never turn down the opportunity to help. The Great Deku Tree has said he was destined to save the world but maybe destiny was more than something you had to do.
Maybe destiny was knowing that you wanted to do it.
Under his arm, Malon squealed happily and Link shook the thoughts from his head. Dotour was speaking now and midnight was nearly upon them. Over the clamorous crowd, it was hard to hear the mayor but he shouted something about the time, and the clock tower, and a happy new year, which gave Link a small shock. This was their new year? Had he known that before? But he couldn't focus on that now. Five minutes left. Then four.
Three.
Two.
One!
The clock tower mechanisms groaned to life as fireworks, bigger and more impressive than Link remembered, flashed above their heads. The thud of the tower shifting into place could be felt deep in the chest even though the sound was lost amongst the wild cheers from the crowd. Dotour and Armoa climbed down from the tower, helped by whoever was close enough to assist, and people parted for the two as they made their way to the clock. Link found himself being pushed gently from behind and he realised Kafei was following his parents, beaconing for him to follow. Even as they approached the tower, the blonde could see the door to the stairs opening and he almost stopped, almost let the sounds of Final Hours overwhelm the music and cheer of the people around him.
But he didn't.
He walked up the stairs, hearing the ticking of the clock mechanism surround him (beating in time with the seconds that marched through his head always), then stepped out onto the platform he had been to only once since his final fight with Majora. But this time, it was Tael who hovered above him and Malon clung to his side and Kafei was laughing, pointing upwards into the sky while his young son groggily looked towards the path his dad revealed. The noise had been too much even for the exhausted toddler.
More people flooded the platform, people singing and dancing and wearing masks. Malon was putting on her own, giggles lost to the noise but Link could see them dancing on her lips right as she attached the horse-head to her own. With shaking hands, he took out the mask the people of Clock Town had made for him and held it for a long moment. The Fierce Deity mask. That's how he had gotten here in the first place, hadn't it? If he hadn't taken that mask, if he hadn't brought it home with him, maybe he'd never have gotten to this point at all. And so he placed the homemade one gently on his face, almost expecting something to happen but not quite. Nothing did happen, nothing at all, but a part of him felt a little closer to his dad all the same.
Fireworks continued to boom overhead. People had begun to sing and dance, instruments played along, and the first ritual of the Carnival of Time began. Granny had told it to Link in her stories and he remembered, though he had never seen it himself. He knew the Termineans would use this time to sing to the Giants, to beg and pray for a good harvest in the year to come, but he had never heard the song before. No one had dared go up so close to the moon during those final hours. Now that he could hear it, he had to laugh. It was a variation on the Oath to Order; not a command, but a plea and a thank you. No wonder the Giants said people knew how to reach them. They did. All of them did. They just didn't realise it.
As the dance continued, as he and Malon joined in with Kafei for the song, an answering hum rumbled over the lands. The voices quieted, shocked, then started up again with less chaos and more reverence. Stepping up to the edges of the four regions, just dark shadows against the starry skies but occasionally lit by the fireworks, were the Four Giants. Their voices rose in harmony to the melody of their people, filled all the lands with their song and their greeting. It was an agreement to the request. An assurance that the year to come would be good. It was a reminder of what had happened four years ago but would hopefully never happen again.
It was a promise and a thank you.
It was the beginning of the Carnival of Time.
Notes:
The drama behind naming this chapter guys, you have no idea. Well, someone has an idea.
Anyway, welcome to my most indulgent chapter yet. I *filled* this one with music and celebrations and everything I like to think Termina could be. Welcome to the Carnival of Time, please enjoy your stay. When I picked up Theophany's music last year, one of the things I've really enjoyed is how Clocktown is not a song that sounds scary or depressing. It is a song of hope, of the people who live in Clock Town and the lives they live. I love Rozen's version as well and how it covers the variations in all three days of the Clock Town background music but there's just something about the Theophany music that feels like the city as it was before Majora and how it will be after the moon is gone as well. I love it. It's hope and now that the moon is gone, it's joy.
That is what this chapter is about. Joy. Celebration. Termina as it should be, not as Link saw it four years ago.
More joy. The pregnancy announcement and upcoming wedding of Cremia and Tacy. And brief mention of some of Tacy's family! I had to think about whether I wanted to go with what is essentially a sperm donor arrangement for the couple or not. It seems fitting though. Tacy prefers women but Cremia obviously can swing both ways. And they're all adults who are treating the situation very respectfully. They ladies are going to have such beautiful red-haired children together, haha.
And then midnight approaches. Final hours? Not hardly. One of the things I read in a wiki is that the Carnival of Time is basically a New Year's celebration. It's never explicitly stated in the game to be that but hell, why not. They can have new years in the spring if they *want to.* And it means it's warmer for their outdoor celebration, haha. When do you think Hyrule's New Year is? Starfall? Before it? After it? I hadn't thought of it much but maybe I should.
And Link has his thoughts about four years ago, about the things he's done and how different it is now. The REAL Carnival of Time has finally begun.
And we'll see more of it next week! :D With the Carnival out of the way, Link and Zelda will be synced up in days and I'll start "skipping ahead" a bit. After the Carnival, Link's Termina trip is going to be a lot more vacation-like. Zelda/Cyrus' days are going to be more tournament and Aspen. It'll be fun!
Until it is no longer fun.
Well, let's not worry about that now. See you next week for more Link shenanigans! Music! A wedding! An anniversary! Yaaaaaay! Okay bye!
Chapter 12: The Carnival of Time
Summary:
"The carnival is almost here, so it's good for you to learn its meaning. It's a little long, but I'll read it with some enthusiasm. Ahem... "The Carnival of Time." Each year, the season of harmony begins when the sun and moon are in alignment. Paying homage to the way that both nature and time are tirelessly in the process of progressing...the Carnival of time is when the peoples of the four worlds celebrate that harmony and request fruitfulness for the year." -Granny
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
By the time Link and Malon managed to escape the crowds on the clock tower, the Giants were gone and 1am was fast approaching. Still wearing masks, the two wound their way through the streets, heading to the Milk Bar for the special concert. People of all types were dancing and singing in the streets, most faces covered by masks and many that didn't had intricate designs painted on their faces. If Link hadn't wanted to see the concert so badly, he might have stopped and joined the fun but there was one thing on his mind for tonight.
Music.
Saria and Kafei had gone home for the night, Little Link once again dozing off on his dad's shoulder. Tacy and Cremia said they would return to the ranch to prepare for tomorrow's wedding but Anju promised Romani could use their couch for the night. Link hadn't seen her recently but a glimpse of her fancy Carnival dress had been caught here and there through the crowds. She was out there somewhere, perhaps harassing the Bombers or trying to sneak free snacks from food vendors. It was the start of Carnival! Everyone was having fun.
The crowds by the Milk Bar were thick but Link and Malon breathlessly knocked on the door, just minutes to spare. Jarel let them in with a wink and whispered the location of their seats. They were good ones, at a table that was quickly vacated when the pair arrived, and the former occupants quietly slipped behind the bar only to return as servers moments later. Drinks were dropped at their table without ordering; Link tried to find someone to pay for them but no one ever approached and he shrugged helplessly. Malon had already taken a large gulp, the chaos of the night making her very thirsty, and she giggled at the taste. When Link sipped his own, it was some sort of bubbly, fruity drink that had the same tang as the Château Romani. Alcohol, not magic. Most of the crowd looked to be drinking the same thing so perhaps it was a traditional Carnival drink. He drank it without thinking about it and when servers came past again later, they filled both cups.
Neither teen noticed. The opening bands were playing and Link cheered as loudly for them as if they were the headliner. Some he recognised, others he didn't, but every bit of Termina music he enjoyed and absorbed to attempt a playthrough later. Malon cheered with him, her face flushed and happy, and the pair sat as close to each other as they could without sharing a seat. The masks were off, the room steamy with the press of bodies, and an expectant hush settled over the room as the stage was set up for the main event.
When five people walked on, it was to deafening applause. The Four Chords was the first truly multicultural band in Clock Town and it was such an unusual group of players that their sound was unique and engaging. A Zora who played a giant shell horn. A Deku youth on a set of drums that looked like giant leaves and flowers. A Goron on a massive tuba. A Gerudo woman who had a guitar similar to a Zora one but made out of bones of a creature Link couldn't hope to imagine. Then, finally, a familiar woman that nearly made Link laugh out loud; the purple-haired woman from the treasure chest maze game. Amazing.
They looked unusual but they were a band born of the four regions coming together once again and when they played, to much applause, it was all Link could do not to join in. The music was so energetic, so uniquely Terminean, that everyone in the bar was cheering and clapping immediately. It wasn't the Indigo Go's but it didn't have to be.
"Link!" Malon hiccuped and leaned in close to his ear to be heard over the music. "Why are they called…call…called the FOUR Chords if," she hiccuped again, "if there's five of them?"
Chuckling, the blonde carefully shifted Malon's half-full cup away from her and waved down one of the servers. How many had she drunk? He had completely lost track of his own refills. As he wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders, she leaned into him gratefully. "It's four because of the four regions, right? And the four Giants. But there's always a center to the square, and that's the fifth. Just like Hyrule has threes but there's a fourth triangle in the middle, yeah?"
Malon scrunched up her face, a look Link found incredibly cute, then hemmed and hawed while he requested water or milk from the server who stopped at his elbow. There was a grin on the man's face as he watched Malon snuggle up tighter into Link but he merely nodded and disappeared into the crowd. The redhead seemed to forget her question entirely as she ran a finger over the patterns on Link's tunic. "Mmmmm, you smell nice. Like trees and magic."
The dim lights in the bar made it hard to see Link's face turning bright red and he sent a quick thanks to the Goddesses for small favors. "Th-thanks." His arm tightened around Malon, torn between listening to the music and finding somewhere quieter to cuddle with her. Pleasant thoughts of what they could do with a little privacy drifted through his head in time to the music, vague fantasies that had no weight. The noises and lights were overwhelming in their own way and while the drink hadn't affected him, everything else certainly was. Here he was at the Carnival of Time with a beautiful girl who just happened to be his girlfriend, listening to amazing music and not worrying about fighting the moon. It made him want to shout in joy. It made him want to run in circles around the city. It made him want to sit very still. It–
Once again, it was Malon who leaned up and kissed him hard. He could taste the fruity fermentation on her breath and inhaled the enticing scent of vanilla and hay that always followed her. For maybe the first time, the music settled behind his desire for something else and Link leaned down into the press of her lips. He might have been more embarrassed by the crowd around them but no one noticed. In fact, other groups were distracted in much the same way. When he finally pulled up for air, he noticed the song ending, the lead singer shouting out for requests and Malon's hands inching up under his tunic, her warm fingers sending shivers up his spine.
"M-Malon, there's…we can't…people everywhere."
"Thaaaaat's okay. Just want…cool my hands…just a touch. So nice."
Carefully he pulled Malon's hands out of his shirt and wrapped them around a glass of water that had been left for them while they had been otherwise occupied. In the background, the music started up again and Malon hummed along even as she tipped the cup up to her lips. Most went into her mouth but some spilled down her face and neck. Link swore softly to himself in fairy jingles and Malon laughed when he tried to clean up the mess with a handkerchief that had been tucked into a pocket by Anju before they left.
"Oopsie! I dunno why I'm so so so so clumsy. You gonna get me all cleaned up?"
"Yeah, of course I am. What–?" He gasped as the redhead tipped forward into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and almost falling out of her chair.
"Liiiiiiiiiiinnnnnk, I loooooove you!" The girl pushed herself against him more and he slipped out of his own chair to keep her from falling onto the floor in her efforts to get closer. She clung tight to him, eyes brighter than normal, smile wider than he'd ever seen it. With hands clasped at the base of his neck, she pulled him down and latched her lips on his again. Even like this, her grasp was strong and Link found himself bracing his hands on the table to not be pulled down to the floor under her weight.
Malon was drunk. Very drunk. Link had seen it in Windy and, while he had never seen the redhead this way before , he recognised the signs from that ill-fated party during the war. Just like Windy, she really wanted to show her affection and Link suddenly knew how Tetra must have felt on that night. The redhead wasn't keeping her kisses contained to his mouth and her hands wandered up his shirt once again. A part of him, several parts actually, really wanted her to keep doing that and enjoyed the attention maybe a little too much. The intelligent side warned him that this was a horrible time and place to be behaving this way and they should stop because Malon was not entirely in her right mind. A smaller, older side of himself said they should at least get to somewhere more private if they wanted to continue.
Link's gaze shifted to the side, to the band he had so desperately wanted to see, but they were mostly done, taking encores and requests, and there would be another performance to watch in the afternoon. Perhaps without quite as much alcohol. Decision made, Link grasped Malon and she wrapped her legs around his waist with glee as she clung to his front. This wasn't quite what Link meant to do but it would be easier to get her through the crowds. Overjoyed with her position, the redhead showed her pleasure by trying to smother Link with more kisses. When he gently pushed her head away so he could see his way out, she moved to his neck and his knees very nearly collapsed at the touch. This was unfair! He didn't deserve this fate when he was just trying to get her up the stairs and into bed before she hurt herself. He needed her to stop (oh Goddesses please don't stop) if they were going to get home in one piece!
Somehow, he managed it. The haze of music and kisses and people left him feeling a little dizzy as he passed by the bouncer, muttering some sort of apology while the man laughed, then he also managed to carry her several steps before she latched onto his lips again, muttering happy, slurred phrases into his mouth. For that one brief moment, his resolve crumbled and he fell back against a wall, finally letting himself give in to her not-so-gentle ministrations. If it wasn't for the group of revellers who catcalled at the pair, he might have let it go on all night but the reminder that there were other people in the city and that it was a holiday slapped into him all at once. No, they couldn't stay here; they were so close to home. He would not let Malon be ogled in the street.
Carefully he shifted Malon's weight so he was cradling her in his arms. It gave him the reprieve he needed as the girl's head lolled backwards while she laughed. Though she tried to pull herself up again, it was enough to get them into the inn, past the sign on the desk that said to ring for assistance, down the hallway and past the cold kitchen to their room. It took forever. They were there before he knew it. It took everything Link had to get Malon to drink another glass of water, to remove boots and the fancy dress, to get her into bed and even then she was tugging at his shirt, begging for him, giggling and singing. It was so difficult but he managed it and was proud of himself for listening to the smart, grown-up voice in his head. Finally, right as he got her settled, she reached up and pulled him down for another kiss. He turned his head, trying not to encourage her, and instead, her lips landed on his ear. With a breathless enthusiasm, Malon bit the edge of it and nibbled up to the very tip.
Link crumpled like all his bones had gone missing, dropping to his knees next to the bed as the redhead fell backwards onto the covers with a giggle. What was THAT? Shivers ran up his spine and the low hum of desire to be with Malon became a scream. It took everything he had to stay put and not follow her onto the bed.
Regret over not speaking to his dad or uncle about… that washed over him. The urgency to do something more consumed him and he wondered if the talk would have helped with his conflicting emotions. He waited, knees trembling, clinging to the bedside, knowing if Malon started kissing him again, he would not say no this time. But seconds went by, then minutes, then he dared to look up again and found her fast asleep, one arm hanging over the edge and a small spot of drool at the side of her mouth. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed.
By the time he had gotten his own things taken care of, boots and tunic off, water drank and ready for bed, Malon was still asleep and he was exhausted. A quick glance over showed that Saria had slept through the ordeal but the tell-tale glow of Rosie peaking out from under the green hair told him someone had seen the entire embarrassing affair. Well…that was something to deal with later. Link gave real thought to joining Saria in bed but he decided it really didn't matter at this point and crawled under the covers next to Malon.
Link found himself standing at the edge of a field, staring at a lone tree in the distance.
Inhaling sharply, he crouched, hand going to where his sword hilt would be but there was nothing but empty air. Panic flooded his senses for several, endless seconds before he realised how different the scene was from normal. The sky was not a blue, cloudy expanse and when he glanced up, what he saw stole the breath from him completely.
Stars. So, so many stars. A carpet of them spread across the sky, unnaturally sharp and clear from what he remembered of nights at home. Of course, the faint glow from the forest always hid some of the dimmest pinpoints of light but he'd seen many at Malon's house. There was yet more here. Even the dim glow from the grass and the tree could not smother the light from the stars.
Slowly, hardly able to pull his eyes from the sight, Link moved forward towards the tree. Little lights twinkled amongst the leaves as if some of the stars had come to roost in their branches. Step by step dampened his feet with dew. The sound of crickets grew in his ears as the stars drifted overhead. The walk took an eternity but with a blink of his eyes, he was suddenly close enough to see a gently glimmering body under the tree, leaning against the rough bark while he gazed into the leafy canopy.
"Dad!" A smile split Link's face as he jogged the rest of the way to the white-haired god. Nocturne rose to his feet just in time to embrace his son when the teen threw himself into the wide arms. Here, the god wore long, teal robes, his hair braided down his back nearly half way. It hadn't actually been that many days since they had seen each other but for some reason, it felt like a long time. Was this really possible? He had just seen Windy two nights ago but wasn't Nocturne supposed to be busy guarding against the sand goddess? Frowning slightly, Link pulled away enough to look his dad in the eyes. "Wait, are you really here? Is this real? I thought you couldn't come to Termina right now."
"Ah, yes. This is real but I remain in Hyrule. Hebra stands watch at the desert for me, most likely shouting abuses into the storm."
"Aunt Hebra? Shouting?"
The corners of Nocturne's eyes crinkled in amusement. "You have not yet seen her truly angry. But she felt I deserved the night off to celebrate the Carnival so I am meditating, such as it is." Gracefully, the god sat back on the ground and pat the grass next to him. Link dropped down with a huff and a suspicious look.
"You celebrate the Carnival of Time? Really? You've been home, with me! Every year! Okay, not that one year. But why didn't you say anything?"
"I did not wish to bother you."
Link sighed and leaned up against his dad's arm. "Why? I mean, why do you celebrate? Not that I'm complaining, it's pretty neat now that I've seen it, but…"
Nocturne's arm, comforting and slightly cool, draped over his son's shoulder and squeezed. "I must admit that Oceanis was correct. Some part of me exists in Termina and always will. After all, I was the first god, the one the Giants built around. I cannot completely abandon its people, I realise this now, but I am also not an active part of it. Perhaps I shall remain myth and legend to them as they push forwards into their future."
"Oh. Yeah, that makes sense. I'm sorry you had to miss it this year."
"There will be more. We shall return once our land is safe once more."
For several minutes, the two sat together as the fireflies drifted around them and an owl hooted in the higher branches of the tree. Link gazed outwards towards the stars that shone past the covering branches. Nocturne hummed an ancient song that Link eventually joined in with the harmony. He could feel the power in the notes, a pull at the part of him that was no longer mortal, and he shuddered.
"Dad. Something…something happened on the first night. Have you had a chance to talk to Uncle Oceanis yet?"
The hand on Link's shoulder tightened ever so slightly. "No?" There was a warning in the question. The teen took a deep breath, knowing he should be the one to tell his father, knowing it wasn't fair for Oceanis to take the blame for his mistakes.
"If you remember, I mentioned Them and how they'd attack the ranch every year before the Carnival. Well, they did it this year too but…there were more of them and different types. More difficult enemies." He inhaled deeply and looked down at his hands. All around them, the night held its breath. "I was exhausted, you know? Even though I'd been resting all that day, it wasn't enough I guess. But I can't just let Termina fall, not after everything we've been through together. Uncle Oceanis was there but there were thousands and thousands of the creatures and this really huge one and they were going for Cremia because, well, I don't know why exactly but I think they're trying to get Château Romani or how to make it or something. And…it was as tall as one of the Giants and even though we crashed it into the ground, it wasn't dead and I used, um, the part of me that's you. I called on the Night and it listened. But it was too much."
Pain etched itself across Nocturne's face and he pulled Link into his arms, practically in his lap, his chin resting on top of Link's head. The teen could feel the large body shudder around him and he pressed his face into his dad's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, dad. I'm so sorry. I called down that rock thing and I could feel the night and everything in it and it took everything I had, I didn't know how to stop until Malon slapped me and Uncle Oceanis called for, um, Aunt Thalassa and she, uh, she kept me alive and…I mean, it was okay in the end but I was sure I was going to die, I had nothing left at all. I'm sorry, please don't be mad. It's not Uncle Oceanis' fault. I don't think he knew I would, or could, and he came to me so fast and…" Link was crying again, wrapped in his father's arms. He thought he had gotten all that out earlier but there was still sorrow hanging around his heart. Nocturne held him, a hand resting gently on the blonde hair, muttering musical sounds of soothing into a trembling ear.
When the tears faded, the god's voice was low and strangely rough with unspoken emotion. "Link, I apologise."
"It's not your fault either, dad."
"I should have done more to train you. You had shown very little inclination towards my abilities and perhaps I remained quiet so you would not realise they existed." The hand on the back of Link's head clenched slightly and the teen looked up into a face that was full of sorrow. "I feared they would be too much for you. I was correct."
Link pushed away, frowning as he shook his head. "No, dad. I mean it. It's not your fault. I just do stuff like that. I try and I try until I find something that works, even if it's dangerous. I'll…I'll try not to do that with the deity stuff anymore but–" He quieted immediately as Nocturne cupped his hands around the teen's face; even now they were so large they covered nearly the length of his head.
"It is just as Mother Farore said. I misunderstood her meaning. You must be taught how to use your abilities safely because your magic grabs at whatever it can reach. I can teach you. I should have already been doing so. I allowed my own fears to interfere in my duty as your father and one of your patron deities."
There was another moment of silence, broken only by the quiet chirp of a fox. Without pulling his eyes away, Link opened his mouth and let the words spill out into the night. "What happened to your Chosen? The one who died? I heard you and Aunt Aevum back then."
Nocturne took a deep breath then let his hands fall into his lap. "Much the same as what happened to you. She was overwhelmed. I had been teaching her but it was still very early in our partnership and while the instruction had been going well, it was not enough. True Chosen, ones who are granted a small portion of our abilities, will never have access to what you did. Yes, to call down giant rocks from space is more than any mortal is able to achieve. When you use your deity power, you are one of us for those moments. Chosen do not have that. Things that are difficult for Chosen are not for you. Do you remember calling down a star when we first left Hyrule?"
Link's eyes widened and he stared into Nocturne's eyes. A song played on the ocarina, the feeling of a distant star falling. He remembered it. He had been twelve years old.
The god nodded. "It is easy, for a deity. It is not so for a mortal, even one granted a tiniest part of our divinity. A single drop. She was outnumbered and called down the stars to destroy the demons that hunted her. They did not survive. Neither did she."
"Dad…" Link reached out a hand and the god took it.
"I am glad the Twins were there to help you. I will thank them personally when you return home."
Sad thoughts tumbled through Link's mind, thinking about a woman whose death had affected his dad so strongly, thinking of what might have happened if he have died two nights ago. No, he didn't want to think about that. He was finally enjoying himself in Termina but there was always more sadness hiding in the corners. When he got home, there would be Ganondorf and Lorsham to deal with, not to mention his complicated feelings about Zelda. It didn't seem fair that he got so little enjoyment or rest. When he opened his mouth again, the words that came were not what he intended to say but were the most true ones in his heart.
"Dad, can we stay longer?"
The god blinked. "Pardon?"
"I mean, I miss you a lot and I'm really glad we could see each other tonight but I'm…I'm finally relaxing and I don't have to worry about anything here. I…I thought maybe I could stay and get more rest. Do you think you could ask Talon if it's okay?" There was such a long pause this time and no indication of what Nocturne was thinking that Link squirmed. "I'm sorry, there's nothing going on at home right now, is there? If there's trouble, we can come back sooner."
Time passed, Nocturne thought. He thought of the courtship that his son would no longer be joining. He considered Zelda's unfortunate situation, one that would not sit well with Link should he learn of it. He pondered the news Enma had given of Lorsham and how unstable the king's actions were becoming. He thought of Sands, taunting him from the desert. When he looked at Link again, he smiled.
"That should be acceptable but I will check with Talon in the morning. If he agrees, I will send you a letter so that Kafei and Anju can see you have permission. But you need to ask them as well. Do not invite yourself over to a friend's house without their permission."
Now grinning, Link leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his dad once again. "Thanks! I'll try to ask tomorrow but, well, the Carnival and all. Definitely right after though, at the latest! Oh man! I should write you a letter too. We just found out that Cremia is pregnant and she and Tacy are getting married tomorrow and the new band's music is really great and I've had so much new food and–"
Nocturne tsked faintly but his eyes held joy in them all the same. "Write to me. The dawn approaches and you have many things to do." He pointed and Link turned his head to see the edges of the field lightening. "I look forward to hearing from you, son. Enjoy the Carnival."
Laughing, Link pulled away and pushed himself to his feet. "I definitely will. I've had a great time so far. See you soon dad. Another week and a half isn't that long for you anyway, right? I'll be home before you know it."
"Of course. And Link," the teen paused and gave his dad a questioning look, "please let my Brother know I am not upset."
"Can do, dad. Love you!" And with that, the young hero turned and ran into a brightening horizon.
When Malon woke the next morning, her head pounded but a gentle hum was next to her ear while a cool hand settled on her cheek, both things keeping away the ache. She couldn't tell what the song was but the voice was so familiar that her heart didn't even question why she would be woken to a song. Of course she would. Link could hardly do anything else.
As her eyes cracked open and she winced at the light that was much too bright, she saw Link leaning over her with concern. Oh, he was beautiful, wasn't he? Too beautiful for her aching head, but she smiled weakly and rested her own hand over his. His eyes brightened and her heart thumped loud in her chest.
"Good morning, Malon. Are you okay? You were tossing and turning a lot."
When the music stopped, Malon's headache throbbed behind her eyes and she closed them once again. "My head hurts but, um, I'm okay." The words were scratchy in her throat but she pushed on. "What happened?"
"Oh, you got drunk." Link pulled a hand away to push hair damp with sweat away from her face. "I think maybe that concert was supposed to be adults only. They just gave us a ton of alcohol, didn't even ask."
Laughing weakly, the redhead wondered why she hadn't noticed. The drinks they had gotten were fruity and bubbly and tasted amazing. She had drank several while listening to the band last night and hadn't even noticed the dizzying buzz in her head until it was too late. The rest of the night was a pleasant hum in her memories though she had clear pictures of how incredibly forward she had been with Link. The memory of clinging to him, of grabbing him and kissing, made the dull ache in her head hurt more. What possessed her to behave that way?!
But a quiet part of her wished she had done more.
"If you're doing okay, I'll go see about getting some breakfast?" Link gave Malon a gentle kiss on her forehead and slid out of bed. "It's close to nine in the morning and I think you could use the food and drink."
As the young man opened the door, Malon called out faintly and he turned to look at her. "Link, I'm sorry about last night. I…well, I didn't make you uncomfortable, did I?"
With a bright smile, the blonde waved away her concerns and gave her a small salute. "No worries, okay? I know what alcohol can do to people. I'm just glad you're alright. Anyway, I'll be back! Happy Carnival!"
Malon sat up carefully as the door closed behind him, moaning at the agony behind her eyes. She had behaved horribly during that concert! Except…except Link had been into it, she was mostly sure. That first kiss, that had been nice! And then she had wanted to touch him and be with him and… Every single one of her inhibitions had gone down last night, every voice that told her to stop and wait had been quieted. She had wanted Link, wanted to hold him and touch him and claim him for her own and there had been no shame or sense of propriety to hold her back.
The problem was, even now, she wasn't sure the shame had returned. The past months, ever since Starfall really, a growing need had settled in her chest and the older she got, the stronger it became. She knew what it was, of course. Tilly had been very thorough in her talk about the 'keese and the cuccos' but to actually be feeling the desire was another thing entirely. She knew better than to do anything, well, intimate but it was getting harder and harder to be normal around Link. He was just so…so…
With the usual click, the door opened and Anju bustled in with the blonde close behind, holding a tray of breakfast. The innkeeper took one look at Malon and clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Did they honestly give you unlimited Midnight Fireworks at the show!? The audacity! I am going to have a talk with Mr. Barten about his serving practices after the Carnival is done."
Malon stared at Anju in stupefied confusion but Link had no problems vocalising what the redhead was thinking as he set the tray down on the table. "What's a Midnight Firework?"
"It's the traditional alcohol for the start of the event! It's a mixed drink so you won't see it much out by the clock tower but they always sell it in the Milk Bar for the late night show. Link, how many did you buy?" During her tirade, Anju prepared a bowl of hot porridge, liberally mixed with honey, and poured out a strong tea, also mixed with honey and a pinch of spice from a small container in her pocket. The whole room began to smell delicious and Link's stomach growled audibly. He frowned down at it, then looked back up at the innkeeper.
"I didn't buy any. No one would take my money. There were always refills in our cups."
Sighing, Anju rolled her eyes and helped Malon stand and led her shakily to the table. "Did you throw up last night, dear? How are you feeling?"
"I…I don't think so. My head hurts pretty bad but that's it?"
Link fiddled nervously with his fingers. "Yeah, she was, um…very happy and friendly and fell asleep pretty fast once we got back but that's it."
"Well that's fine then. Eat up, drink all of the tea and you'll be right as rain in no time at all. How are you doing, Link? Did you need some of this?" She jiggled the little jar but the blonde shook his head.
"No, I'm fine. No really. I, uh, didn't drink much last night." It wasn't exactly a lie but he didn't know how to explain that alcohol didn't affect him at that moment.
"Okay, that's fine. Eat up, I'll send the server around with the last of the food. Kafei's about to close up shop so we can get ready for the wedding and the party! We're going to set up tables out in the square and celebrate both our anniversary and Cremia's wedding at the same time." Now the redhead was smiling again, eyes bright with happiness. "You two have the day off, okay? This is your first carnival and you should go play games and have fun! Just make sure you're back here at 11:30 so we can head out to the ceremony!"
"Can do! Thanks!" As the woman left, Link dropped down next to Malon and filled a second bowl with steaming porridge. Malon watched him eat at his usual break-neck pace, then turned to her own food. Bite after careful bite made its way into her mouth. It helped her feel better almost immediately and when she took a sip of the tea, the bitterness mixed with sweet helped even more. Just having food in her stomach was dispelling most of the headache. She had barely gotten a quarter of the way through her food when Link leaned away from the table, resting his hands behind his head. Done already, his face serenely satisfied, he began humming the same song from the morning, modulating it as he went. It was such a wonderful, peaceful moment that the desire to kiss him again overwhelmed Malon for a minute, her headache forgotten.
Goddesses, but did she ever have it bad for Link.
Face turning as red as her hair, she pushed her attention back to the food. They were only fifteen. Link had an upcoming battle with evil to worry about. They weren't going to get married for years! How was she supposed to deal with him being so cute all the time until then? It was absolutely not fair!
"Hey Malon…" The redhead looked up from her food to see Link staring out the window and made a sound of acknowledgement. "About last night… I, uh, well. I had a great time. You know, with everything. I'm glad you're here."
Immediate happiness rushed through her. He didn't even mention her behaviour. Maybe it wasn't as bad as she imagined. Maybe he even liked it. Maybe she could be normal about him but also enjoy, well, other things sometimes too. As she nodded enthusiastically, her mouth still full of warm food, her mind danced forward to the rest of the day ahead. Soon they'd be out in the streets, enjoying the holiday and celebrating a wedding! What more could she ask?
With determined seriousness, she shoved the quiet answer in her head down deep, determined not to think about it.
Once the two had cleaned up and dressed, they bid the grown-ups a goodbye and met up with Saria outside the Inn. Link was enthusiastic to have his sister join them, Malon perhaps not quite so much. Saria might look like a ten-year-old but she knew better and suspected the Kokiri had ulterior motives in mind. But really, it didn't much matter. There was too much to see and do for the Carnival that the teens were unlikely to find much alone time anyway. Anju had written Link a list of all the events and what times they were and, despite the late start, it seemed like he was determined to see them all.
In the Deku hall to the north, they had already started the competition to run the flower course at the fastest time. This was the only time of year that non-Dekus were allowed to watch and Link was pointing excitedly, trying to explain how many times he had run the course to win it. Malon considered asking him how he found the time to do all that when he was apparently here only three days but the blonde was already dragging them away to another part of Clock Town to do something else.
Games, food, races (how the postman managed to beat Link, Malon would never know but he was faster than even her neighbour who always ran around the Field) and friends were the order for the morning. Pamela was running around with a gang of giggling girls but she stopped and exchanged Carnival greetings with Link. When she ran off with the others, Malon could hear the girls giggling, exactly like the ones in Castle Town Market did every time the hero passed by. An eldery lady in a simple Carnival dress stopped Link in the street to wish him a happy holiday and made him lean down to give his cheek a pat. When she shuffled off again, the blonde just laughed and said he knew her from the Bomb Shop. They met up with Romani and Jim as the redhead tried to pull the now-taller teen towards the Observatory but Link managed to save the boy from his fate by reminding the ranch girl that her sister was about to get married.
"Oh yikes! Is it that time already!? How was I supposed to know?" The redhead dropped Jim's hand and hitched up her fancy Carnival skirt as she took off towards the Inn. Saria laughed as Link rubbed a hand down his face and traded glances with the other boy.
"There is a giant clock in the middle of town."
Jim chortled enthusiastically. "There sure is, but that's Romani for you. Hey, thanks for the save. I need to go meet up with the boys. I don't mind being around her, you know, but she can be a whole lot to handle. And a little crazy to boot."
"Romani isn't crazy." Link straightened and looked down at the brunette teen. "She's been fighting off monsters for years; that'll make anyone a little high strung."
Squirming under the intense glare, Jim shrugged helplessly. "Right, yeah, I know Kafei said that was real and everything but…you know what? Never mind. See you around the Carnival, Link! Let's meet up at the concert later, okay? I know the best place to sneak in. See ya!"
Link rolled his eyes and took Malon's hand, barely noticing how she squeezed it tightly and pulled a little bit closer to him. "I know Romani is eccentric but how could she not be?"
"It's okay. Everyone will figure it out. Maybe she'll be able to spend more time with people her age if she's not fighting off their disbelief all the time." Malon rubbed her thumb in small circles over Link's hand, considering how unusual he must seem to the kids in Hyrule. He wasn't anything like Romani though, even with his dad being an actual god. Sometimes people were just weird. On the other side of Link, Saria laughed and tossed a small ball she had won at a game.
"I like her. She would have fit in well with the Kokiri, I bet. I'm sure she'll find her place. Wait until people see her fight!"
By the time the group got back to the east district, there was confusion in the streets. Several volunteers were helping to set up tables near the Inn while there was already a crowd of people lining up at the door for the Milk Bar. The concert was set to start at 4pm but there were no advanced tickets sold for the event. It was first come, first serve and some people would camp out as soon as the guards would let them. The anniversary/wedding party was set to start at 1pm but Anju had said the more, the merrier. Those waiting in line would probably enjoy the socialisation. Link wound his way through people setting up last minute decorations, using his height and presence as the Hero of Termina to get through unyielding crowds, and snuck into the building with the girls, laughing over the chaos.
Of course, there was more inside. Anju held a baby as she tried her best to clean off Little Link's face, smeared as it was with some sort of food. Hopefully food. Kafei had the other baby and Malon finally let go of Link's hand to run up to them, cooing cheerfully and exclaiming at the matching dresses the twins were wearing. She scooped the child up out of the man's hands while he thanked her quickly and ran into the back. Saria took over the toddler's cleaning from Anju and the woman sighed with relief.
"Thank the Giants you're back. Link, can you hold Misu while I go help Cremia get dressed? Kafei has Tacy in the kitchen and they're going to head out first."
"Yeah, sure!" Malon stepped up next to Link after he took the baby and grinned up at him, letting herself imagine for a few moments how this could be for them in the future. Babies in arms, celebrating a holiday with family. It was a comfortable and pleasant fantasy that didn't feel so horribly fantastical at all. Not like her old dreams of being a fairy princess. Someday she and Link would have this, she just knew it.
It wasn't long before a trio of ladies walked out and Malon squealed in excitement. Cremia's dress was a brightly coloured Carnival affair, all in a deep blue that complimented her eyes. Bright panels of colour on sleeves and skirt, covered with yellow and purple embroidery, made for a beautiful sight. Romani had freshened up and her own layered skirt in shades of purple showed signs of recent cleaning. In her hands was a giant bouquet, made from spring flowers and vines. Anju had changed into a pale pink blouse and purple skirt that reminded Link strongly of Kafei's favourite shirt. In fact, the more he stared at her outfit, the more familiar it looked. When the innkeeper found him staring, she winked with a grin, then took Misu from his arms.
"Everyone presentable? Let's get going!"
As the group left the inn, cheers from the crowd set Cremia blushing a red to match the colour of her sister's hair. She waved while shouts of "congratulations!" and "best wishes!" followed them through town, then a few more lewd things that caused Saria to cover Little Link's ears. Cremia returned with better and the people roared in approval while Romani laughed and Malon blushed deeply. Frowning, Link leaned down to his girlfriend's ear to be heard over the noise.
"What do they mean by eat–"
Quickly the girl pressed her hands over Link's mouth, her face blazing with embarrassment. "Link! Maybe…maybe ask your uncle about that later, okay?"
The teen frowned then nodded and draped an arm over her shoulder as they passed through the crowds and out the east exit. Though he hadn't been there for Anju's wedding, she had told him all about it during one of his earlier visits. The group just outside the gate, in full view of the field. The returning procession inside to the crowds of well-wishers. There was a grainy pictograph in a frame in their rooms but it didn't really do the couple justice. Out of all the things Link regretted, not being there for their wedding was one of the biggest. He made a promise, then and there, that he was going to invite them to his. No matter where or when, he'd have the people he cared for with him.
Friends and family were outside waiting for the wedding to begin, just as Anju had described her own. A whole host of Gerudo on one side, many people from town on the other. Dotour and Armoa were at the edge of the platform, the taller woman adjusting her husband's Carnival suit, ready to officiate for the happy occasion. Romani joined the other Clock Town residents when Anju and Cremia stayed behind in the archway and Link saw several faces he recognised. Pam, Jim and several of the Bombers, Shikashi from the Observatory, and many more. It was nice, a real celebration! As Link looked off to the east where the Ikana canyon was, thinking about how the Gerudo here were moving into the region and how it was the perfect side of the city to face, he suddenly realised that something was missing from the view. "What the hell?! Where'd the tower go?!"
Several of the Gerudo drifted over, led by a man who bore a strong resemblance to Tacy. "The Giant stomped on it last night!"
"What!?"
The man threw his head back, his long hair swinging from a high ponytail. "That's what we said when we were celebrating the new year! All the Giants came out at midnight and started singing, then when they left we realised ours had completely squashed the remains of the tower. Collapsed it right into the pit. Oh hi, I'm Pato by the way, Tacy's brother." He held out his hand with a grin and Link shook it. Once again, he had to repress the weird, unsettled shudder he had from seeing so many Gerudo males in one place.
"Link, friend of Cremia! Nice to meet you, Pato. Hey, at least you don't have to worry about it falling over anymore."
One of the women in the group laughed. "No kidding! We were in talks with the Gorons to see if we could use dynamite to bring it down but we couldn't figure out a way that wouldn't cause more destruction than there already was in the area. This is a big relief."
One of the other men made a complicated symbol with his hands. "Blessed by the Giants! We were meant to live here. Aveil is going to be so pissed." Raucous laughter was shared around the group and Link joined in easily. He didn't have a lot of respect for the pirate ladies but found himself enjoying the other Gerudo in Termina. They were a cheerful, inviting group so far. He hoped it stayed that way. He hoped maybe the ladies in Hyrule could have that someday as well. After all, it wasn't their fault Ganondorf was their king. The Gerudo he had met in the Fortress in his other future hadn't been too bad once he'd gotten to know them. Maybe once he got rid of Ganondorf, they would be free to build better lives for themselves.
Overhead, the clock tower began its long process of counting out noon and a general scramble amongst the group began. Kafei and Tacy walked around from the side, the purple-haired man chatting cheerfully with the Gerudo woman. With a thump on her shoulder, he left her to wait with the other Gerudo and took Anju's hand when she joined him from the entrance. The couple fell in next to Link and Malon and everyone turned to watch the bride enter.
They were beautiful, even Link knew that. Of course, Cremia and Malon looked very similar so he was not surprised he felt that way. Tacy was gorgeous too, her long hair done up in a cascade of long braids instead of the standard ponytail. They were woven with jewels and bits of metal so when the woman took Cremia's hand and began to move, she jingled like a windchime, or perhaps a fairy. As if called by summons, Tael flittered down onto Link's shoulder and chimed appreciatively. He could see Tatl and Skull Kid sneaking up from behind to join them and grinned down at his friends. When Cremia walked by, she smiled with tears in her eyes and several of the women sobbed happily into hands and handkerchiefs. Link thought he understood; sometimes he got a little teary-eyed when good things happened after a long string of awful events. When Malon looped her arm through his and clung close to his side, he almost felt like he would do so again.
It was perfect.
Then Dotour began speaking of love and Giants and a bunch of things Link had a hard time concentrating on. He found his eyes wandering the field and the regions, remembering what it had been like after the moon had vanished, thinking about where he had been standing on the field. It was close to here, between the south and east entrances, just by the Observatory there–
Someone was standing in the field. Someone with a large backpack and auburn hair and a smile Link could see all the way from where he was.
He turned back to the wedding suddenly, arm tightening on Malon's. She looked up at him, concerned, but he just smiled and kept his eyes on Tacy and Cremia. They had masks out, ones he only vaguely heard called Hope and Joy, but he knew without looking that the Salesman was still out there in the field, still waiting, still smiling. The pair held up their masks towards the sky and, with a brilliant flash of light, the two became the couple's mask. A cheer went up from the crowd as the pair held the mask together and kissed with enthusiasm.
Bells not from the clock tower began ringing. Above them, confetti drifted down and Link glanced up to see Tingle, looking the same as always, giggling and waving around his clipboard as he floated on his usual balloon. The teen tried very hard not to roll his eyes, wondering where the little weirdo had been on his other visits and decided it didn't matter. Apparently Tingle's dad had no luck getting the wannabe fairy to settle down.
A tug at his arm pulled his attention back to current events. The wedding group was cheering and throwing rice at the happy couple as they held hands and walked back towards the town. At the last moment, Tacy scooped Cremia up into her arms and carried her back into the city to much applause from the Gerudos. Malon pulled gently at his arm again and pointed to Saria, still keeping the toddler busy and following Kafei and Anju with the babies in their pram.
"The party is going to begin as soon as everyone's inside! Come on!"
"One moment. There's…something I need to do in the field."
The redhead paused and gave him a searching look. "Did you want me to come with you?"
"No, it's fine. Join the others. I won't be longer than a few minutes. Promise."
"Okay…" She didn't sound too sure but she lingered in holding his hand before running after the others. With a deep breath, Link turned towards the south and started jogging across the field.
The Happy Mask Salesman still waited.
Link gave no preamble as he stopped in front of the man. "What do you want this time?" He towered overhead, an odd feeling for sure. The Mask Salesman had only ever come out when he was a kid. Surely there was no reason to be afraid of him anymore but there was still something about him that left the young hero deeply unsettled. "I don't have any more masks for you."
"No? Not a single mask to your name? I don't think that's true." The man laughed in his usual, high-pitched cackle and Link grimaced.
"Those are my masks. You said they were happy, and they are. I've got plans for them."
"Oh, I'm sure you do." In his usual, blink-and-you-miss-it movements, man's hands went from empty to holding two halves of a mask that was intimately familiar to Link; the Fierce Deity. Link gasped and took a step forward, then stopped.
"Where did you get those?"
"Nowhere. Everywhere. From your heart, and his." Without warning, the wood crumbled to ash in the Salesman's hands and the teen inhaled sharply. "You made good use of it. It is happier than all the rest."
Link's face flushed, not with embarrassment, but with anger. His dad had said he had been trapped in the temple with Majora, but the Salesman said Skull Kid had taken that mask from him. So had he been up there, in that horrible temple, and only took one mask? "Wait a minute! You could have saved him! Did you leave him up there alone when you took Majora's mask!?"
More of the high pitched laugher met his ears. "I could never touch that mask, never ever. It was never mine to take. It only ever belonged to one person."
Link inhaled sharply. He'd had thoughts, his dad had made comments. But how could a mask made thousands of years before he was born belong to him?
How could it not?
A loud bird screech above their heads made Link jump. Takkuri still prowled the field and he hadn't thought to bring a weapon to the wedding. It was a different bird though, an enormous blue hawk that dropped to the ground next to Link and turned immediately into Oceanis. If the teen thought the Salesman was short compared to his current height, then it was nothing compared to the god. A smirk crossed the tanned skin and the white eyes focused on the grinning man below.
"So this is what you're up to."
"I have no idea what you're referring to."
"Of course you don't. Sister said you had taken up shop in Hyrule not long ago."
"I gave up the business as a bad job."
Link watched the two talk riddles back and forth like a spectator at a game. They knew each other! He fucking knew there was something weird about the mask guy!
Laughing, Oceanis rested a hand on Link's shoulder and stared down the Salesman. "What business did you have with my Nephew? He has a party to go to."
"No business at all! I merely wanted to reminisce about the events of four years ago. Fours are quite important here, you know. We worked closely together back then."
"Yes, but the Three have blessed him, as you know."
The Salesman's laughter echoed in the field and he was suddenly walking away as he did the last time Link saw him. "Of course, I wasn't trying to claim otherwise. Enjoy the Carnival, both of you. Link! I hope you have a wonderful four years."
And then he was gone. Again.
Turning to his uncle, Link gave the god the most perplexed look he had and gestured towards where the Salesman had disappeared. "EHH!?"
Oceanis laughed and steered the teen back towards the east entrance. "It would be very hard to explain in a way you'd understand."
"Try me! I have been harassed by the Happy Mask Salesman for years!"
"I'll tell you when you're older."
Link gave the god a suspicious look. "How much older?"
"Much older."
"Yeah, that's what I thought."
Nothing more was said between the two of them and Oceanis followed his nephew to the party, settling down to celebrate with the others. Link rushed off to say congratulations to the brides, then joined Malon in the crowds. After playing with the purple-haired Link for a while, the god passed the boy back to Saria and wandered off to find a quiet place to observe. Even in Termina, his presence was not always handled well and he had spent the Carnival watching and observing and taking notes for later. Studying the interpersonal relations between mortal races was one of his favourite things to do when he was off duty and there was so much to see and experience in this universe. The previous night, he had even engaged in flirtatious communication with several of the celebrants and it had gone quite well. Small numbers of mortals could handle his aura better, after all. Much like his temple at home.
And so he sat on the Stock Pot Inn porch, watching and enjoying the spectacle. The party celebrating both a wedding and an anniversary was a beautiful affair, with the new wives taking every opportunity they could to engage in public displays of affection, cheered on by their friends and family. And of course, Anju and Kafei were included in the fun. It became a challange to see who could show off the most affection and Oceanis chuckled heartily at the enthusiasm. There was a brief moment when the god lost track of Link, only to see him and Malon having a drawn-out kiss together in a quiet alcove; he made a mental note to speak with his Nephew later. This trip was bringing the pair much closer together than they might have been otherwise.
At four, the party mostly dissipated while many of them joined in the lines waiting for the concert. The door was open and the music floated out of the Milk Bar so Link and Malon stayed outside at the tables with the others, talking and laughing, sharing stories of weddings in the past and weddings to come. Normally Oceanis would not eavesdrop, though he easily could, but he made another note that Link renewed his vows to Malon publically and the girl blushed as the others hollered in glee. He was sure the freedom of not being near the king was what prompted the display and would not blame him for the moment.
The day shifted to twilight. Tables were cleared, small music groups set up in the streets, booths with food and drink lined the walls. Masks were put on once again and the dancing began.
Thalassa stirred in his head.
"You have been more awake these couple of days, Sister." Oceanis was overjoyed, of course, and he knew she could feel that in their shared mental space.
Yes, it feels good to stretch again. I think the time will come soon when we will work together once more.
"Did you wish to–"
Patience, Brother. We will know if that is necessary, but I don't believe it will be.
Oceanis sighed, watching Link swing Malon around for a dance, laughing behind the mask that had been made to look like his Brother. A god for Link, a horse for Malon. It was fitting, if not a little silly, but something stirred in his head once again and this time Thalassa sat up in his mind, supernaturally aware of a vision he had only vaguely grasped. The both of them sat, eyes blank as a divine message passed between them, a moment in time, a present and a future combined as if one. The goddess' voice was loud in the encroaching silence in their head.
A future seen. The two together. Song and hearth, joined forever.
Relaxing from the premonition, Oceanis watched Link enjoy the Carnival, feeling the echoes of the vision sit on him. It was a happy scene; not a warning but a promise. Comfort to get through what was about to come. Link and Malon together and happy, confirmed by the Golden Three. The god released a breath as Thalassa settled into silence again, not sleeping but observing quietly with him. They would get through this, all of them, and it would not end in tragedy.
Oceanis closed his eyes and tilted his face skywards. All would be well. They need only have faith.
Notes:
I probably could have gone one for at least one more chapter just talking about the Carnival of Time but....man, I want to move on. It's time to push things forward!
Yay! New band! Aaaaaaand Malon got really drunk. Oops. Neither of these kids are handling their hormones well at the moment, are they? Link discovered Adult Responsibility of Handling His Drunk Girlfriend! Good job! Boy, wouldn't it be a shame if Malon remembers all this in the morning?
Oh look! Dad time under THE TREE. Pleasant, also sad. Link also discovered Owning Up to One's Own Mistakes and Continued Handling of Trauma. Good job, Link! Nocturne learned how to shield his boy from the hot mess that Hyrule is right now. Well done, you two. Successful father/son relationship goals.
Ooooooooooooops. Malon DID remember it all in the morning. 😇
And see, the actual carnival events is where I started to realise how much longer this could go on but I REALLY didn't want to. So we're summing up. Someday I hope to send them to the Carnival again and maybe we can look at some of the day-off events more. This year, we've got a WEDDING to do!
This is meant to be basically the same setup as the Anju/Kafei wedding in the credits for Majora's Mask, just with Gerudo! How exciting! And....the Giant apparently squishing the Stone Tower. No one needed that old thing anyway. Anyway, hello Pato, you'll probably show up again. Gerudo men are basically similar to Gerudo women; much, much smaller than Ganondorf. That man is on steroids or *something*, holy shit. Brown skin, orange eyes, red hair. There's variations, of course. Some of them probably have more ginger coloured hair, some have different shades of eyes, though they tend to be in the warmer colours. I just don't have the time to describe all of the variances.
Link's short attention span is great when I don't want to write up an actual ceremony.
Guess we can't go without a Happy Mask Salesman visit. What is he? Well....I don't know. I might know. Maybe we'll find out later.
And so we end on Oceanis PoV. And a happy vision. That feels like a good way to end the Carnival of Time for this particular year.
Next week, FINALLY, we're back to Zelda's terrible, no good, very bad week. Okay, it's not that bad.
Also, I have a new LU fic up if you want to click on my dashboard. "White Hair", a look at how Time is handling a loss of self. Probably not very well.
Chapter 13: The One Moment
Summary:
This will be the one moment that matters
And this will be the one thing we remember
And this will be the reason to have been here
And this will be the one moment that matters at all
"The One Moment" by OK Go
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The Hastilude became the most enjoyable part of Zelda's day. Yes, he was stressed with everything happening but to be just another boy in a group of boys enjoying themselves gave him a modicum of peace in an anxious time. It didn't hurt that Aspen was there and his wonderful grey eyes were focused on him as much as possible, or that the pleasant scent of his soap didn't remind him at all of Link or the king or anything else that was causing him pain. He could ignore the low chatter of half-formed solutions to his problems that ran under everything.
The second day, the suitors lined up for the first round of archery. Cyrus was situated with some of the older boys but he could see the Akkalan a few spots down. The prince wasn't that bad but he was far from an expert; he would shoot his arrows, get close to the bullseye a few times and pass on to the next round. Cyrus, for his part, would get his first arrow right in the center, not noticing the looks the others gave him, then pulled back and continued to watch Aspen. When the targets got trickier, Aspen was out almost at once.
And so was Cyrus.
Impa gave the boy a suspicious look but said nothing as he joined the brunette in bemoaning his lack of skill. Soon the two were stripped out of gloves and overtunics, sipping juice on a quiet corner of grass away from the competitors.
"Honestly, I thought you'd do better." Aspen's fingers moved in slow signs as he spoke, letting the Sheikah boy watch as he did. Cyrus had an intense look in his red eyes as he observed and when Aspen finished, he leaned back with a frown.
"Your signs don't match up to the words, exactly."
"You're right! Sign language doesn't follow the exact grammar that spoken language does. I don't have to think much about my signing so I do both at the same time, especially at home. I don't always while I'm visiting other kingdoms or queendoms. Not everyone understands." Cyrus frowned but Aspen waved away the concern. "Did you want to work on the base characters again?"
As there were 46 characters in common Hylian, it was a lot to memorize in sign as well but Cyrus was a quick study. He noticed how surprised the brunette was when he repeated them nearly perfectly.
"Wow! That's the best of anyone I've taught! Rylan took weeks." Aspen snickered and looked up at his friend, waiting for his turn at the targets. "You'll be able to have a full conversation in no time."
"That's the goal." Internally, Zelda grimaced, though he kept his face cheerful for the prince. After a very long talk with Impa the night before about Lorsham's disastrous decision-making, he had come to the conclusion that crisis was imminent. Impa swore the army was not ready to attack anyone but even the preparations had been moved up several months. While Lorsham and his daughter had been preparing for the inevitability of the Gerudo attacking sooner rather than later, they were doing so quietly. When the first attacks came from the desert, they would then move the army into active service. Of course, they already had smaller squadrons of knights and mages standing guard at the border lands, ready to defend their people, but that was very different from a full scale assault. They needed the Gerudo to be the aggressors here. The other kingdoms would support them in a war where they had been assaulted unprovoked. Someone needed to stop Lorsham from ruining his own carefully crafted plans.
There was nothing he could do as Cyrus though!
So now there was a new plan. Spend every night studying a way to return to normal. Spend every day with the suitors so when she did return, Zelda could send as many of the boys home as possible. Then go yell at her father for a bit. Then save Hyrule. Hopefully Link wouldn't hate her after what happened and they could make more plans. It all hinged so carefully on the pieces falling into place that it made her nervous. Him nervous. Whatever! But he was determined to at least succeed in sign language before everything went to shit.
At least Aspen was a cheerful companion. At the midday meal, the usual crew gathered together to discuss the competition results thus far. Rylan signed some things to Aspen that Cyrus couldn't follow but the single finger the brunette gave as a reply made everyone laugh. Goldon dropped down on the brunette's left side, tapping him on the hand before speaking clearly for lip reading. Cyrus knew the young man's voice was lower and he was impressed by how accommodating all the boys were to Aspen's disability.
"You two had a pleasant afternoon, huh? While the rest of us were slaving away on the field, bright sun in our eyes. Must be nice."
"That's what you get for being so good." Aspen smirked and rested a hand on Cyrus' shoulder. "Next time you fail at sports, you can join us. I'll teach you how to swear at Archibold in sign."
"Ha! The only sign I need for him is this one." As the young man scratched his chin with his middle finger, the group laughed and passed around food brought out from the castle. Cyrus found it interesting that Aspen's group didn't congregate with their parents but several of the other suitors did. It was a rare display of comradery amongst nobles. He knew he wouldn't want to spend time with most of the Hyrulean nobles, though maybe he'd just never given them much of a chance. They weren't all like Gerin, after all. Blair and Brennen at least seemed personable but they had behaved very differently when he had been the princess.
Speaking of, the conversation shifted to the courtship and he grew very quiet, feeling like the Sheikah spy he was pretending to be. Goldon sighed and leaned against a nearby tree as he chewed idly on bread. "I mean, Hyrule is okay. A little cold but I could adjust. I just feel weird, being a few years older. And I can't even figure out what she might be like, you know? I'd be an idiot to turn down the chance, at least. Would certainly show a certain lady back at home that I'm worth something."
The blue-haired boy, Larch, gave Goldon a gentle pat on the hand. "You've got nothing to worry about! Even if things don't work out with the princess, all the girls are a-twitter about you! Even my sisters! Goldon, do you have any sisters? We could trade! No one would want a scrawny runt like me."
A chorus of disagreements made hearing difficult but Goldon leaned over to Cyrus and winked. "Mercay islanders are known for being late bloomers. Probably in a few months, certainly no more than a year, he's going to hit his growth spurt and have ladies lined up at his door to be an island princess."
Aspen grunted. "If any one of them was smart, they'd try to get to know him now. He's lovely and deserves someone who appreciates him. Sixteen is close to adulthood."
"He's sixteen?!" Cyrus turned quickly to see the youthful looking boy trying to pull his head out of Aedan's arms. He looked so young! Barely fourteen or fifteen! At some point, the princess realised all the careful dossiers and records of each boy had stopped carrying meaning. They were people with their own complicated histories and looks. He knew them in a way the documents could never have taught him.
Goldon laughed again. "See? I told you. Just wait though. In a few months even you'll be giving him second glances. Maybe third!"
"I would never! I'm perfectly happy with–" Cyrus hitched in a breath, then his face flushed red. Next to him, Aspen coughed behind his hand to hide a look that had to be a smile. Goldon's face could hardly have a wider grin on it had he tried.
"You know, Aspen's never wrong about who will fit into our little group. You're doing just fine, Cyrus. Hope I get a chance to compete with you later."
Face still red, the Sheikah nodded but secretly doubted his chances. He'd be instantly crushed should he be forced to keep his mind on fighting while in such close quarters with the muscular boy. Cyrus knew he liked Aspen but oh goodness some of the boys were very good looking.
Very.
It wasn't fair, really. How was he supposed to concentrate with all these handsome, polite boys around all the time? They didn't even realise who he was! As Goldon shouted for Brennan not to hog all the meat, Aspen bumped into Cyrus' elbow with his own and grinned. "You'll have no luck with Goldon. He prefers the ladies."
The blonde jumped and looked over, face warm with embarrassment. "I, uh, it's not…I mean, he is good looking but…" Flustered, he tried to push the topic around to something else. "And what about you? What do you prefer?"
That was not the topic he wanted to jump to. Shit.
But Aspen just laughed and picked up his glass of wine. "Oh, I prefer anything."
"Anything? So boys and girls?"
"Mmmm, I don't distinguish. Mama made fun of me when I was talking to a Goron not too long ago, said I was flirting up a storm but they'd never go for a Hylian. I told her no one would ever know unless we tried!"
Cyrus pulled himself upright, thinking hard about what that meant. "So, boys and girls and anything? What about someone who's neither?"
"Wow! That would be fascinating. I'd give it a shot if I thought they were receptive."
"And both?"
Aspen sighed happily and took a sip of his drink. "Now that would be interesting." The brunette smiled, his eyes revealing some truth about himself that Cyrus noticed immediately. He said nothing about it but when the others went back to participate in field archery to discover the winner, he sat a bit closer to the prince as they continued their lessons.
At the end of the day, it was Archibold that won. It was close between him, Goldon and Glen but the mountain tribes were known for their archery skills and it proved true for the tournament as well. A smirk settled on the redhead's face but he didn't socialize with the crowds when the match was done, opting to return to his own people and eventually to the castle. Perhaps he was afraid of running afoul of Goldon again. Cyrus couldn't help but think that both he and Link probably would have beat the Vartosan but he was supposed to be keeping a low profile. Winning too many of the matches would be suspicious.
And at that night's dinner, Cyrus joined Aspen's table again, sat close, chattered cheerfully about nothing important, practiced some sign language with the gracious Queen Tumlea, then excused himself to study in his rooms. Between the paperwork that Zelda was supposed to be getting done, studying reports from the soldiers' training ground and browsing ancient spell books for some hint as to a full gender change spell, he was swamped.
When Impa came to check on the princess after 1am, she found him head down on the desk, snoring softly, stripped out of the Sheikah dress suit with hair loose around his shoulders, strands of it sticking to the side of his head. He almost looked female again, like the tired young woman he'd been before all this began. Impa inhaled deeply at the vision but when she got close enough to touch a shoulder, it was more obvious that nothing had changed. So she gently roused the boy, helped him back to bed half asleep, then covered his shoulders with a blanket. The urge to leave a kiss on the side of Cyrus' head surprised her, as if the boy was her own child. It had been a long time since she had been a mother to one so young. Zelda had been something of a grandchild to her ever since her birth but now that she was a he, it brought back many motherly feelings from when her son was but a boy.
How strange.
But she didn't give Cyrus a good night kiss, not this time. Instead she smoothed the blankets, tidied the papers, covered documents with sensitive information and blew out the candles. Her quiet goodnight provided no response but that was okay. Zelda needed sleep. Tomorrow was another busy day.
"Are you sure you're not going to join today's event?"
Aspen and Cyrus were in the royal stables while someone fetched the Akkalan's horse. When the stable hand brought the large, black stallion out, Aspen's eyes lit up and he was quick to mutter affection at the horse's muzzle, scratching the large beast with affection and smoothing out the mane. Cyrus watched with bemused affection. What was it with the boys he liked and horses?
"No, I've not trained in the joust at all and it's much too late for me to start now. I have a few errands I can run this morning and I will join you at the midday meal, okay?"
The teen couldn't hide the disappointment in his voice. "Yes, that's fine. I will endeavor to not be murdered before you have a chance to see me at work."
Cyrus couldn't hold back a disbelieving snort and laugh. "Please! They're not going to risk any of the suitors' pretty necks. The lances are the weakest wood possible and you're not even allowed to gallop your horses. As much as I would love to watch you all afternoon, I still have other duties to perform before Lady Impa has my hide. I have an appointment in the temple today."
It wasn't even a lie and that made the princess feel better. First thing this morning, he had dragged himself out of bed to make an appointment with High Priestess Nadile, one of the very few who knew him for what he was. As much as he could have benefitted from extra sleep, it wasn't in the cards for today.
Aspen sighed, then gave his horse a last pat and led it out of the stables towards the tournament field. "I understand. Perhaps I should be happy that I won't be embarrassed when I fall off my noble steed and you see how ridiculous I truly am."
Cyrus laughed. "I–, ahem, Zelda said you handled yourself on horses quite well. You'll be fine."
Aspen perked up immediately. "You spoke with her recently?"
"I've had some notes. She's hoping to be able to return soon but, ah, private issues keep her away from the castle. I mentioned your progress, and the other boys as well, through the hastilude thus far and she wishes she could be here to cheer you all on." Cyrus paused, then smirked a little to himself. He knew more about Aspen than the teen realised and had a sudden desire to sate his curiosity on something he'd noticed. "You're quite interested in Zelda, aren't you? Even after you said you didn't have a chance."
Aspen's shoulders tensed immediately. "Ah, yes. Of course. I'm one of the selected suitors, aren't I? I wouldn't have come if I was just planning on giving up immediately."
"Certainly, though I've noticed some of the other boys are less than attentive to her whereabouts. You seem to care for her just as much as you do for me."
The poor prince's face went brilliant red and Cyrus began to regret this impromptu questioning. Before he could apologise, the brunette stopped and looked at the reins in his hands. "I mentioned that I have multiple parents. In Akkala, it's not unusual to have more than one spouse. While I know who's bloodlines I belong to, they are all my beloved parents. I had thought to have that for myself as well but when the invite to the courtship came, I knew I needed to accept. I also know that should Zelda accept me, I would no longer be able to have multiple partners but…"
"It's okay, Aspen. I didn't mean–"
"No, wait." Turning to face Cyrus, the brunette rubbed the nose of his horse as if to give himself courage. "I want you to know that I am capable of loving many people but I also know that there are many fine and worthy suitors here for the princess to choose from. I…I like you a lot, Cyrus, but what time I've spent with Zelda has been wonderful as well. If you're okay with my continued pursuit of the princess, though again, there are many fine choices for her, then I would like, um, I would like to keep…doing what we're doing. If you're okay with it."
Cyrus very nearly told him the truth then and there. He might have, if there had been any way to prove it, but the shame of not being in control of his own magic and the state of his body held him quiet for reasons he didn't completely understand. But he did take Aspen's free hand and squeezed it tight. "Hey, it's okay. I don't mind. I'm not saying you can have, well, what you do at home with, uh, the princess or anything but don't worry about it. Maybe it'll all work out in the end anyway, right?"
Smiling weakly, the prince nodded. "Yeah, of course. But, um, you're okay with this? Just…hanging out and being together? Even with the whole courtship thing?"
"Yes, I absolutely am."
Aspen released a breath, then smiled with his usual cheerfulness. "Thanks, Cyrus. Anyway, I'll go try to purport myself with dignity and you go do your errands. I'll see you later."
"Definitely." And, before he could second guess himself, Cyrus leaned in and gave Aspen a slightly-more-than-friendly kiss on the cheek. Then, with casualness he didn't feel, he turned and headed towards town, leaving a stunned Aspen staring after him. He didn't even spare a glance backwards, not wanting the prince to see his face turn pink.
Impa had said that he'd know his heart when the time came, that he could trust his instincts. He just wished this had happened when he was a she. It was too confusing trying to navigate a new body and all these feelings at the same time! So distracted by those thoughts, Cyrus barely noticed passing by crowds of people out and about on their normal shopping. There was the occasional call out from people who had seen him fight Glen the other day but mostly it was casual indifference, only occasionally punctuated by the looks from those who found the new Sheikah an odd occurrence. It was a remarkably freeing experience for someone who was used to being stared at and venerated for being the princess. And then he noticed the giggling.
Cyrus had spent most of his time in the castle since becoming a boy. Even the hastilude was mainly on the grounds and he'd been surrounded by noble boys and girls and visiting parents. He hadn't much taken the opportunity to wander the people and when he'd do it as Zelda, there was always an issue of being The Princess. Now he was just a boy. An unusual one, but a boy all the same.
And the girls were giggling.
His pale face flushed as he stopped in the middle of the road. The giggling increased and a crowd of young women and girls, huddled on a corner, clustered tighter together while throwing glances his way. Unlike Link, Zelda had always been very familiar with what that sort of attention meant and he ducked his head down low to avoid prying eyes seeing his embarrassment. Of course, now that he was a boy, he'd get the attention of the local gossiping girls, but he'd never really thought of it before.
Zelda never had much time for love. The weight of prophecy and being the heir to the throne had weighed heavily on her. When her feelings for Link had reared their ugly head, she had enjoyed them up until it had all come crashing down. For weeks afterwards, she swore off love completely. Eventually getting married to a noble boy to carry on her line was a foregone conclusion but there had been no joy in the imagining of it. It was going to be what it was and she'd deal with it.
Then everything had gone to hell and she'd become he right as she had been getting to know Aspen and it was such a mess that he couldn't even begin to figure out how to untangle it. It had felt natural to begin falling for the young prince. Now there was a gaggle of girls giving him appreciative looks and they didn't know he was a she because how could they? Some of them were even quite cute and one black-haired teenager met his eyes as he passed, then winked and blew a kiss at him. There was a physical reaction to the girl and Cyrus hurried on, hunched in over himself as confused feelings rippled through his brain.
He knew that some boys liked boys and some girls liked girls but he'd never thought about it himself. He knew Aspen liked both and there were at least a couple other suitors who did as well. He just thought that he only liked boys. That's how it was supposed to be, right? The princess marries a nice boy and settles down to run the kingdom while providing heirs. There was no room for anything else, was there?
The face of the black-haired girl loomed in his mind as he hurried towards the temple. She had been very cute, just an average citizen of Hyrule, perhaps not usually his type (did he even have a type?) but pleasant on the eyes. Why did she stick with him though? He liked Aspen, right? Why was seeing a nice looking girl making his insides tie up into knots in nearly the same way the brunette did? Was it because he was a boy now!? Was he going to start liking girls because his gender was different?
Or had it been like that all along and he'd never realised it?
It was too much. Don't think about it. Get to the High Priestess and try to find a cure so he could go back to being Zelda, tell Aspen…something and then life could get on towards being normal again. That's what he needed right now.
Whatever normal meant anymore.
Sadly, Nadile had no new information to help with his goal.
"Of course, I have spoken to none of the others about this, as you requested your highness, but I don't believe that information is pertinent to our research anyway. I've had the girls taking shifts on looking through the books and scrolls we currently have but there's been no luck. Admittedly, the language has shifted a bit over several hundreds of years and we're having a hard time deciphering the more ancient Hylian script but I have a feeling those wouldn't help us much either."
The two bent over tidy notes written to sum up the information found while a stack of ancient looking parchment waited nearby. The High Priestess sighed and straightened, stretching her back as she did so, then picked up one of the old documents. Cyrus glanced at it, then shook his head. "We haven't kept up with it in the castle either. It's information long lost by this point."
With a sigh, the older woman sat down in her chair and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I can't imagine this particular magic would be so completely lost to time. It could just be completely new."
"New? How? Don't we know everything about magic?"
"Oh no, not hardly. I know it must seem like we have a vast suppository of information on magic but there are new things being discovered all the time. It's one of the wonders of life, your highness."
"But it can't be new! One of the Protectors seemed surprised that I hadn't done this purposefully. Surely the gods must have knowledge about the process." Cyrus leaned on his hands as he scanned the ancient script in front of him. The book that was currently hidden away in his princess bedroom came to mind but it had been written in a modern-enough Hylian to be recognisable. But it was ancient information about the gods! Perhaps if he collected it again to study… "Have you been able to speak with the goddess? Perhaps she would know something."
Cyrus missed the long look Nadile gave him. "I have spoken to the goddess all of once in recent years, and before that only the day I took on the position of High Priestess. I believe you have spoken to the gods and goddesses more than I have, Princess."
"Oh." Looking up, the teen's face flushed with a sort of embarrassed shame. Of course, as the Blood of the Goddess, no one would be surprised if he had connections to divinity but it struck him that perhaps the priestess might actually have thoughts about some young girl (or boy) having more connection to the Goddess of Time than she did. Even if that boy was the princess. "Um, I…don't know how to contact them, exactly."
It was a lie but going into the forest to speak to Nocturne after what had happened felt particularly hard. The letter had been friendly enough but he wasn't sure how to broach the subject of Link or of all these gender issues. Maybe as a last resort.
"Well, if they approach you, I would suggest asking for their favour."
"Yes, of course." With a sigh, Cyrus ran his hair through his bangs, trying not to upset the Sheikah-style bun he wore when outside his own room. "Thank you for trying so hard, Nadile. I appreciate all your efforts to help."
"We will keep looking, princess. There are other scrolls to search, hidden books to discover. And if the goddess does reach out to me again, I will surely ask her for her guidance."
"Thank you. I should get going but send a message to Impa as soon as possible if you find anything, no matter how small."
With a respectful bow, the High Priestess escorted Cyrus out of her office and the teen released a faint sigh as he stood alone in the hallway. They were getting nowhere fast. Enma had not been back since the previous night and he really wasn't in the mood to speak with Raenald about magic. The man didn't even know Cyrus' secret and there were no plans to tell him either. They'd just have to figure out things some other way. Maybe he should start doing experiments with his magic at nights as well.
"Oh, hello Cyrus!"
Aspen's familiar voice startled him out of his thoughts and he blinked as the brunette waved while he walked into the main sanctuary. The altar for the gems was still present, empty as always, as was a large shrine set up to the Goddess of Time, offerings and gifts scattered on the dais around a large, stylized clock that ticked quietly in the open space. It was a newer setup but Zelda had been very proud when it was completed. And of course, there were smaller altars set up to minor (and major) gods. Even the visiting deities had gathered attention and an out-of-the-way wall contained a small shrine to an aquatic god. He wondered what Aevum thought of her temple being taken up by so many of the others now.
As he approached Aspen, he noticed the teen had stripped off armor and gambeson, replacing them with a hastily donned tunic that was splattered with still-drying sweat. His hair was tangled and there was a new scratch on his cheek that was still red from recent care but otherwise he was grinning and cheerful as always. His presence was a mystery; there was no way the joust was over already. "Why are you here? What happened at the joust?"
"Oh, my first match-up was against Ambrosias and honestly, he just doesn't play fair. I was eliminated immediately. You said you'd be here so I figured I'd stop by!" With a grin, Aspen turned and bowed to the Goddess of Time altar, then turned to some of the others. "I haven't yet been here, you know? I supposed I should have but I'm not used to all this formality. The Ocean God's temple at home is a much more casual building, meant for other things. The palace has the Temple of the Three, of course, but it's for the priests and priestesses mostly."
"Mmm, are you okay? Did Ambrosias try to hurt you?" Cyrus stepped close, trying to gauge the other teen's mental state and health. The scratch on the brunette's face suddenly seemed more serious but Aspen just waved off the concern.
"I can defend myself but I wasn't able to get a single point. It's okay. Obsidian doesn't much like the joust either so I gave him the day off. He'll be much happier in the fields with a treat than pawing around waiting with the other horses."
Cyrus laughed. "You're just like Link with horses. I swear he babies them."
"You know Link?" Aspen's eyes were wide as he looked at the blonde. The princess grimaced internally, leaving his face purposefully blank.
"Oh, just barely. Impa was training me quietly in Kakariko for years but wanted to make sure other Sheikah would be welcome before revealing my existence. I've seen him in passing, you know?"
"Ahh." Aspen turned away and glanced around the temple, moving almost automatically towards a mid-sized altar set up in a quiet, dark corner. Offerings for the God of the Night waited with reverence; food, letters, art, flowers. Without touching them, Aspen crouched down to read a note thanking the god for assistance against a moblin raid. "You said Zelda told you what happened that night, yes?"
Cyrus swallowed, trying very hard to keep his face still. "Yes, we talked about it extensively."
"So you know about the gods." Aspen didn't wait for a response as he stood straight again. "This belongs to him, doesn't it? Link's father."
"Nocturne, yes."
Aspen wrapped his arms around himself. Cyrus took a step forward, not sure what he meant to do but he stopped before closing the distance completely. The brunette shuddered, eyes closed, then looked up at the blonde. "I had no idea there was so much divinity here in Hyrule. Everyone said Hylians are favoured by the Goddesses but to see it like this…"
"Um, it's kinda new for us too. Something happened when Ganondorf came here. It changed things."
"It's said…that the gods are dying. That there were more in the ancient wars but now there are only a few left. My land is lucky to have a Protector to guard us against evil but so many go without now. And yet you have many." The grey eyes looked sadly down at the altar before him and Cyrus sucked air in between his teeth. He knew that the deities here had come from a long distance. Knowledge of who Akkala's god was slapped him across his senses. Link's uncle was from Akkala. Aspen's god was here in Hyrule, helping to train Link for the conflict to come.
What the hell was he supposed to do with that information?!
"I, um, I think the gods are…are fine but their job is very hard. They're not…dying. Just, sometimes things happen to them. Anyway, Princess Zelda told me that there are more, less Hylian ones. She met the Deku Tree god and, if the Zora grant you the honour, there's Jabu-Jabu in their domain." This time Cyrus did move forward and took Aspen's hand. The brunette smiled at him sadly and released a breath.
"Thanks. I worry, I guess. If the gods are gone suddenly, what will happen to us? Everything I've read about demons and their minions was terrifying. How can we stand up to such horror?"
"Well, that's where heroes come in, yeah? Heroes like Link and," Cyrus paused for a moment, then continued, "and Princess Zelda. They are the ones who stand against the evil that plagues us. That's what being blessed by the Goddesses is."
With a little laugh, Aspen bumped into the blonde's shoulder. "Well, that's terrifying. I guess I hadn't thought of it that way before."
"Yeah…me neither."
As the two wandered out towards the exit, Aspen stopped short as he saw a lone figure by the pedestal for holding the spiritual stones. Gently he tugged Cyrus with him as he walked over. There was a boy there, probably a teenager but he was petite and pale and young-looking. His hair was greyish as were his eyes but he wore a strangely golden shirt, a colour that contrasted sharply with his overall appearance. The robes were rumpled, untidy as if dressing was never the focus of his thoughts, and the round glasses he wore were slightly askew on his face. Aspen walked right up to him and gave the boy a light touch with his free hand.
"Hey, Quercus. Weren't you going to watch the tournament today?"
Cyrus jerked against Aspen's hand. This was one of the suitors! Quercus Junior, son to a minor noble of a country to the west, near the Satori mountains. There had been almost no information about the boy in Zelda's files and seeing him up close was something of a shock. Aspen was friendly, almost protective even, and the grey-haired teen looked up from his study of the altar blinking rapidly at the intrusion.
"Oh, hallo Aspen. How are you today? I was just studying this pedestal, you see. It holds spaces for gemstones and the story goes that those stones were left with one of three peoples of Hyrule and if anyone wished to access the Triforce, they would need to work together to–"
"Yes, Q, that is honestly fascinating but you're missing the joust."
The teen stopped in mid-word then turned to look at Aspen as if surprised by having company. "Why would I want to go to a silly joust when I could study all this? Don't you understand? This is where the door is! This is how one gets into the realm! I have never had a chance to see it in person!"
Small spots of colour appeared on the boy's pale skin and energy filtered through his quiet voice. Cyrus, on the other hand, had gone quite pale. The Sacred Realm was a royal secret, as was the process behind the stones and the entrance to it. Did this teen know where the Triforce was? How was that possible?! Wait, Link has said that Ganondorf had known the Triforce was held here as well. She had believed him, of course, but it was only now that she realised what that actually meant. The location of the door to the Sacred Realm was not the secret the royal family thought it was. And that was a problem.
Aspen was blissfully unaware of his companion's inner thoughts and kept trying to coax Quercus away from the temple with friendly persuasion. It was ultimately unsuccessful. With a sigh, he tugged Cyrus' hand to get him moving again and the two left the grey-haired suitor behind. Cyrus spared the teen a final look, then turned to Aspen and spoke urgently in as quiet of a tone as he could risk.
"Who was that? Why is he so interested in the Sacred Realm? Should I be worried?"
Aspen chuckled and gave Cyrus' hand a squeeze. "That's just Quercus Jr. I don't think Zelda had much chance to spend with him and he'll actively try to avoid being with people so I'm not surprised you haven't heard anything. He's an expert on the Triforce, believe it or not! He's been fixated on it since he was a little lad, I hear. I think the only way his family got him here was so he could do more research."
"Research? How old is he?"
"Seventeen! Yes, I know, he hardly looks it. If he didn't have to shave every morning, I'm not sure I'd believe it either. But look, Q is a nice guy. Don't let his attitude put you off. And don't let him talk all over you. He'll tell you about the Triforce for hours if you let him. But he is nice, when you get to know him."
Cyrus' right hand, held comfortably by Aspen, spasmed suddenly. He knew the artifact wasn't in his hand but it displayed there whenever it felt like doing so. No one ever seemed to know other than the deities but it made him nervous all the same. What would the poor boy say if he knew he was so close to one third of the Triforce right now? Would he somehow be able to tell? He shouldn't but then again, he shouldn't know that the door to the Sacred Realm was guarded behind the pedestal he was studying so adamantly. Why was there just one more thing after another settling on Cyrus' shoulders these days? Why couldn't he just relax and spend time with Aspen?
All through the rest of the day, he thought about the Triforce and his gender issues and the creeping worry of a war against Ganondorf. His only faint relief was knowing he hadn't been getting dream visions yet. Not regular ones, anyway. Even with his father stepping up the army's training regimen, maybe the war wouldn't start early after all? Maybe there would still be time to build a proper defense against Ganondorf.
Please Goddesses, couldn't one thing go correctly for once? Just one?
The day after the Carnival of Time, Nocturne stretched and yawned as he left his room, not from any real need but more because some body functions were more instinctive than not. The house was quiet, as it had been the last few days, but he was not surprised to see Hebra sitting at the table with Holo, sipping a cup of tea casually while the other god had a book open in front of them. Deities being gathered was far more casual than what Nocturne remembered from the early years but it was cozier in ways he couldn't explain. Holo glanced up, his crystalline skin crinkling upward into a smile exactly the way real crystal would not. "Morning, Brother. How was your commune with Termina?"
"Enlightening. I saw Link briefly and he…" There was a weighty pause. "He is currently doing well."
Hebra looked up, grinning. "Did he find trouble already? It's not even been a week."
Nocturne sighed and went to prepare tea for himself. "I am positive mortal parents do not have to deal with these ordeals at the frequency I do. If Talon is any indication, most would fall apart from the strain of having a child so determined to be involved in every bit of trouble that exists."
Brilliant laughter rose from the goddess and she tapped a finger against the blue marks on her face. "I'm sure you're right, Brother. But you said he's doing well now, at least, so that is a comfort. When are we to expect them home again?"
"Link asked to stay longer. I will visit Talon later today and obtain permission for Malon to continue as well but in a week and a few days."
"Oh! Well, I guess he's enjoying himself, troubles or not. I think I will maintain my part of the barrier from home for a bit. I was hoping to speak with Oceanis but it's not urgent and I have an important matter to handle at my temple."
Holo glanced up from their book, giving the brown-haired goddess a long look. "Ah, something to do with your temple, hmmm? Perhaps with those who reside there?"
"You shall see! If all goes well, I'll speak of it next time I am visiting again."
"Excellent! Perhaps I will go with you to visit your lands once your matters are resolved."
A quiet camaraderie settled between the three. Nocturne sat down with breakfast, a habit he could no longer shake even when Link was gone, and it wasn't until Hebra stood to go several minutes later that anything broke their peace. Almost at the same time, two songs echoed in the clearing and two voices rose in complaint at being forced into close contact. Nocturne's eyebrows raised at the sounds of Aevum and Enma approaching the house, arguing the entire way. It was the ashen-skinned deity that pushed through the door first, stalking up to the white-haired god with a purpose.
"Brother! You're back, finally! There is something very important I need to discuss with you."
"Excuse you, Enma, but I was here first and I also have something important I need to discuss with everyone." Aevum was not gentle as she flicked her sibling to the side with a tiny bit of magic and the younger deity yelled in indignation.
"HEY! I have been waiting all yesterday to speak with him–"
"As have I! You do not have priority above me!"
"I'll have you know this is important and–"
"You think a sword injury is the end of the wor–"
"You two will stop now." Nocturne stood from his half-finished meal and glared at the bickering deities. "Aevum, you know better. Enma, you should know better. If you want my attention, you will do so in a way that does not disrupt the peace of my house."
Frowning, Aevum crossed her arms over her chest. While she was a few centimeters taller than even her Brother, it always felt like she was smaller than him. It was extremely discomforting. "Nocturne, I apologise but while you were otherwise occupied, Zelda had a moment where she touched upon time and I am concerned."
Enma frowned even deeper. "My news is about the princess as well. Did you know she doesn't have control over the gender change that happened to her? Him? Ug. Whatever. I know we don't usually interfere with mortal lives to such an extent but I feel like it's the power of our Sister that's causing some of this."
Nocturne furrowed his brows at the two, then turned to Enma. "Sibling, we will need to discuss that in more depth. Please wait. Aevum," he turned towards her, "what exactly is it you need to do?"
"I wasn't planning on leaving this timeline but now I think I'll need to step out for a short period to figure out how much Zelda has seen. And to view the path of these timelines, make sure something didn't disrupt them. We should not be getting cross contamination at this point, even if the princess does hold some of our Sister's ancestry. I would like Holo to take my place at the barrier if that's not too much of a problem." With a sniff, Aevum turned to Enma, though her gaze was not angry. "You should know that in the previous timeline, Zelda was able to turn into a young man named Sheik. This was why I wasn't surprised the other night. There is also a similar connection with the first timeline but I am uncomfortable speaking about it at this moment."
Nocturne turned and looked at the other two deities again. "Holo?"
"Yes, of course I'll help! Though we're running out of backups now, aren't we?"
The white-haired god smiled grimly. "We are, but I could instruct the Deku Tree if needed. Jabu-Jabu holds his part of the barrier fine. And the others will return soon enough."
Aevum spun for the door again, urgency in her steps. "Good. You know how to reach me if there is an emergency. I don't expect this will take more than a few days, definitely not more than a week. The mortals at the temple don't expect my continued presence anyway." Then, before anyone could respond, the goddess walked out and was gone in a flurry of notes. Enma sighed as Holo rose, already singing in their strong voice the notes that would lend their aid to the barrier against the sand goddess. Nocturne sat once again, returning to his half-finished food, and gestured for Enma to join him.
"You mentioned the princess' gender switch earlier. Why are you concerned now?"
With a huff, the dark-skinned deity sat and rested zir hands on the table. "I thought she had done it on purpose, the way we can do. I didn't realise she was trapped. That's a much bigger issue!"
"Link has never done this either. It's not normal for mortals to change their bodies in that way without strong magic."
"Well I didn't know that and I think it's a problem for her! Or him! Or whatever I'm supposed to call them now."
Nocturne paused, took a sip of tea, and gave his Sibling a long, serious look. Then he lowered the mug again, he arched an eyebrow. "Why are you concerned about this?"
"What? I'm…I'm not! I just…you told me to watch out for the mortals and I am! I don't think this is a mortal issue, if you know what I'm talking about!" Looking around nervously and finding only Hebra grinning suspiciously at zir, Enma quickly turned back to Nocturne, the smallest hint of a pout on zir lips. "You gave me a job and I'm trying to do it."
"Enma, I believe there might be a connection you are noticing. Please lean into your instincts and consider carefully what you discover. You are currently closest to the princess and I trust your judgement."
"Y-you do?"
"Of course. I must go back to my vigil but I know you can discern what the problem is. Mother Nayru's blessing be upon you for this challenge. Let me know if there is any demon involvement but you've done well with the royal family thus far."
"Thank you, Brother! I will do so immediately." Grinning, Enma jumped to zir feet and also rushed for the door, disappearing outside in much the same manner Aevum did. With a soft chuckle, Hebra passed by Nocturne and gave his shoulder a sympathetic pat.
"By the Mothers, it feels like there is so much going on right now. You're doing a wonderful job handling it, Brother."
"Thank you." Nocturne sighed and closed his eyes as he took another drink. "Time certainly does seem to be rushing by quickly these years. This is what happens when we get so involved with mortals."
"Ah, you know you enjoy it." Winking, Hebra moved past towards the door herself. "Blessings of the Mothers upon you, Brother. Let me know if there is anything you need assistance with before Link returns home."
"And to you, Sister." Now left in a quiet house, the god gazed upwards into the colony of fairies at his ceiling. Hebra had been correct; he enjoyed having the feel of life and activity around him. After being held in a mask for so long with nothing happening at all, it soothed his soul to be active once again. In many ways, he couldn't fault Link for his constant need to be moving, to be helping people and having things to do. It was satisfying to be, to have purpose in life.
Standing once more, food and drink finished, Nocturne moved on to the next part of his day. There was a rancher to speak with and other duties to finish. And now he would need to plan lessons to teach his son how to use his Goddess-given abilities. Even for an immortal, there was no time to spare. When Link returned home, he would be ready.
Notes:
Oops, this one was a day late. Sorry, lots going on these days and yet, feels like nothing at all is happening. Weird how life is like that. Next update should be on time. (I could be lying to myself but shhh)
I tried to push the hastilude further but only got two days. Oh well! I'll probably do something similar next update too. I actually figure out the precise timeline for the past week in FoT and it's interesting how the Hyrule and Termina groups started together and then got just slightly off. Man, I'll be glad when they're all in the same place again.
Zelda/Cyrus is...a little stressed. Puberty, being a different gender, saving the world. It's a lot to throw on one princess' shoulders! Can you blame her for engaging in a little escapism? Learning sign language with Aspen is easy compared to everything else he's got going on.
Aspen might only be "almost fifteen" but he knows what he likes. And what he likes is everything. I feel like pansexual means more in a world where there are many types of humanoids and magic can make gender kinda....whatever. But you know, teenagers be teenagers and Cyrus still isn't sure how well his secret will be handled.
Ah, we've learned something else about Impa. How interesting. I've seen a lot of guesses about her age but something we learn specifically from BotW Sheikah (and Impa in Skyward Sword, maybe) is that they are very long lived. OOT Impa could be in her 50s and that would still be considered more equivalent to the 30s.
Horsegirl boys. I love them. 💜🐎
SOME matters are actually coming up between Aspen and Cyrus. This will probably make certain truths easier to handle. But does Aspen think that Cyrus is okay with it because he wouldn't mind sharing with Zelda or...? Who knows!
Cyrus/Zelda is having *feelings* and he doesn't know what to do about them. That's okay, princess. None of the rest of us did either in our teens.
Talk about the gods! Finally! 😂 Oh man, Zelda knows Oceanis. Zelda knows that he is Aspen's patron deity. Throw just another straw on the pile of things Zelda knows. I like to imagine that the kingdoms/queendoms and all that remember the existence of the protector deities also have noticed that there's been less and less of them over time. Of course they'd worry that the deities are dying. Many of them HAVE died. It's just not exactly what they're thinking of. I'm sure it'll work out somehow. After all, Link's going to become one, right? So maybe all is not lost. There can be more.
We finally meat one of the suitors with the weirdest names. Good ol' Quercus Jr. He is definitely not here to date the princess.
Oh hey! The deities! HEY GUYS! I missed you. Aevum and Enma continue to have the best sibling relationship ever. Nocturne is an exasperated dad/older brother. Nothing much happens but now we know how they're looking at some of the issues that Zelda is running into. Aevum is *concerned.* She knew Link would have issues with the multiple timelines but Zelda absolutely should not be. Oops! Also, let's all laugh about Enma, of all people, having pronoun problems. Thank you.
Well, that's it for now. Next week, back to Termina. Maybe I can get further than two days there. 🤣 Don't laugh at me. I can sense you laughing at me. Ta ta! See you soon! As a final note, feel free to comment on spelling and/or pronoun mistakes. I appreciate it! Some chapters get less editing than others.
Chapter 14: Betrothals and Baths
Summary:
The Carnival of Time is over and life in Termina continues on.
Notes:
I'm sorry for the missed update. Last week, we had to put our cat to sleep and I wasn't able to pull things together to get the chapter out. I'll often talk about delays on Discord (it's an invite link to a server I co-run) and I'll try to post things on Tumblr as well.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Malon woke early the morning after the Carnival. It had been a celebration to remember, just like her first Starfall at the castle, and it made her long for similar events at home. At one point, Hyrule also had elaborate spring and summer festivals but Talon had told her they'd never really returned after the war ended. Only the elderly remembered, plying the children with fanciful tales of flowers and banners and fireworks, speaking of treats no one quite remembered how to make anymore. Malon had listened with all the rest, wishing for a return to the olden days where war did not hang its heavy head over the land. Even though all but the first year of her life had been peaceful, it was hard to recover from decades of strife. Perhaps this time, once Ganondorf was truly defeated by Link, they could claw back that sort of peace for real.
Speaking of Link, the redhead sat up and looked down at the sleeping boy next to her with a smile, even as her hand drifted towards her neck and a small lump under her sleeping shirt. The memory of his proposal the previous night sat in her mind, fresh and sparkling. Talks of weddings had led to talks of future ones and Madam Aroma had cheerfully (and drunkenly) asked Link when he was going to get married…
The woman had perhaps had a few too many Fireworks for her own good but she was cheerful and gregarious as she raised a glass to an unknowing Link while he and Anju chuckled over a shared memory.
"To our brave hero, Link! May love and life bless you always!" She laughed and took a drink, then leaned across the table towards the blonde. "And when will we be celebrating your wedding, my boy? Certainly a handsome young man like you has plans for the future."
Kafei rolled his eyes as he shifted the twin he was holding to the opposite shoulder. "Mom, you've had too much drink. Link is only fifteen and his girlfriend is right next to you. There's still a bit more time before they get married."
Suddenly reminded of the proximity to Malon, Aroma turned and engulfed her in a hug. "Another beautiful redhead! I should have known! All the best men appreciate fiery haired women! You absolutely should marry him, dear girl! He needs you to keep him warm at night!"
"Mom! Maybe you should go lay down." Kafei began to rise but Link was up instead, carefully unwinding Malon from the perfumey arms of Madam Aroma. He smiled as he took the ranch girl's seat and put her on his other side.
"It's okay, Madam. I promised I'd marry her when we're old enough and I will."
Pinching his cheeks, Aroma squealed happily. "Just like Kafei when he was your age, aren't you? I'm sure he proposed to dear Anjie when he was a teenager as well. She even gave him that lovely pendant as a gift."
"Well, he gave me that bracelet, you know. We both wanted to exchange tokens!"
Laughter and conversations flew between the party goers but Link had gone very quiet. Malon noticed and her breath hitched up in her throat. A seriousness settled on the teen and his ears were very still as the others raised toasts to the anniversary couple, the new couple and the one yet to come. Time seemed to slow for the redhead and she held her breath as the pressure built between the two. With barely a breath, Link shook his head and turned to face Malon fully, taking her hands between his own.
"Malon, look. I've been thinking about this a lot since that one ball and even more since we got here. Termina is safe, right? We don't have to hide what we want while we're here." A hush settled over the group and Link's words suddenly sounded loud. From the open bar door, a gentle love song played. Without warning, Link pulled a small box out of his bag and held it out with trembling fingers towards the girl. "Malon, will you marry me? Officially? When we're older, of course, but I want you to know I'm a hundred percent serious about this."
In the waiting silence, Malon's hands went to her mouth and she nodded happily, tears already running down from shining eyes. It took her a moment but the words came eventually. "Oh Link, yes! You know I would never say no."
The cheers that rose from their friends were almost louder than the entire crowd in the bar.
Carefully, Malon extricated a chain with a pendant on it, holding it in her hands. She had never seen such a design in her life; tiny purple and red beads on thin wire wrapped around an elaborate metal sun, giving it an impression of sunset. On the back of the circle, engraved in the metal, were their names entwined together. Where had he gotten this? When? It was a Clock Town design, she was sure of it, but they had been together almost the entire time. When she rested it back on her chest, under the fairy pendant he had given her, the two together formed a beautiful scene; magic at sunset, forest and flame.
Happy tears ran down her face once again. Link had proposed, officially with witnesses, and she had said yes. She'd have to tell her dad when she got home but…it was too dangerous to tell anyone else. She wanted to scream it from Death Mountain, tell everyone in Hyrule that the best boy she'd ever known had chosen her, her, to be his wife. At least all of their friends here had appreciated the moment fully.
Their friends. Yes, though she'd only been here twice, Malon absolutely thought of Anju and Kafei as their friends. And Cremia and Tacy and even Romani who was too much like herself but, at the same time, completely different. She had never had to see Termina the way Link had, threatened by evil and devoid of hope, but she knew that as it was now was something special. She would cherish every moment. For a brief moment, she pictured herself in a beautiful dress by the city gates, Link waiting for her in a handsome suit, the two of them being married in front of Dotour just as Cremia and Tacy had done. It was a beautiful daydream but she shook the vision from her eyes; she wanted to get married at home, have a party on the land she had lived in all her life. Celebrating with the Termineans would be wonderful but it couldn't be the main event.
Urgency to do her morning business chased thoughts and dreams away and she leaned down to give Link a soft kiss to his forehead before rising from the bed. Now that the Carnival was done, they had a few days to relax before going home and she was going to make the most of every last one! Malon, Link's fiancée for the first time, was ready to see what the day would bring.
The day after the Carnival was one of rest and cleaning. Most of the guests to the city would leave by noon and Malon helped a sleepy-looking Kafei with the final breakfast of the holiday, the final hiring of the boy or girl to help, and getting meals off to those who were packing and getting ready to go. Link rolled out of bed once again right after the clock finished striking nine and Malon carried a tray of all the leftover foods up for him and Saria to enjoy. The three laughed together, shared with the three fairies and enjoyed reminiscing of the previous day's events.
"And what about your little question to Malon, Link? Been planning that a while, huh?" Saria leaned forward, chin in her hands as she smirked at her brother. He flushed red and glanced down at his hands.
"Sorta. It felt like the right time."
"I think it was the perfect moment." Malon's eyes shone as she leaned in to rest a kiss on his cheek. When her aim slipped and the kiss landed nearly at his ear, the blonde froze suddenly, a complicated expression in his eyes. Malon apologised, curious about the odd reaction, but didn't want to embarrass him further by asking in front of Saria. She'd have to be more careful in the future. Before the moment became too awkward, a knock at the door preceded Anju and the twins. In the hall, Kafei could be heard chasing their son up and down the length, the toddler laughing all the while. The woman surveyed the group, her eyes twinkling at the sight.
"Hope you had a good breakfast! It's time to go clean up, then there's a town picnic when we're done! I'm so glad you can be here for this. The post-Carnival tidy is so relaxing and really helps build the community. I know several people who are half expecting you to disappear, Link, and I'm very much looking forward to the looks on their faces when you walk out there." The redhead smirked and the others couldn't help but laugh with her. Link thought he understood. He hadn't been at the Carnival four years ago but maybe no one had really noticed his disappearance until the fifth day, the quiet one.
As he followed Anju and the others out of the inn, he almost asked her what that day had been like. His first visit back, she had mentioned how worried she'd been, scared that the moon had stolen him away. Had she, and others, frantically searched for a young boy who had disappeared completely? Had they called his name, not willing to give up until they'd searched everywhere? Maybe it would hurt too much to bring it all back up again. None of them, not even him, had known what was going to happen in his life just a couple short months later that would eventually bring him back.
As soon as he walked out the front door, he could hear conversation pause briefly, then enthusiastic shouts calling his name. Grinning wide, he grabbed Malon's hand and jogged into the crowd past a laughing Anju and Kafei. For the first time, and not the last, Link would join the Clock Town citizens for one more Carnival ritual.
Surprisingly, it was a fun day. Even Oceanis was out, using his height to help retrieve things that would normally need a ladder. Link watched him laugh and talk, thinking about how good he was with people, all sorts of people. It was so different from his dad, the cool, beautiful brilliance of the stars in the sky, untouchable but still a comfort to those that looked upon him. Oceanis was the embrace of water, healing and yet still dangerous if you underestimated it. As Link passed the god later that day, leaning down to speak quietly to a blonde woman that could only be Jas, he considered the closeness of some deities and the distance of others.
What would he be like, if he was one of them?
By the time the city was looking decidedly not festive, his stomach was grumbling again, though perhaps not as urgently as it had before the Carnival. When he concentrated, he realised his magic didn't feel so empty anymore. Recovery was coming, finally, and he released a breath he didn't realise he was holding. By the time he got home, he'd be more than ready to face whatever was coming. But speaking of home…
"Anju!" The crowds moved towards Termina Field and he jogged to catch up to the redhead and her pram, Malon calling out as he pulled away suddenly. It wasn't far but Link's long legs covered ground so quickly that he often forgot that the redhead had a hard time keeping up. "Anju, hey! Can I ask you something? I forgot earlier."
The woman turned and looked upwards at Link, smiling as she often did. Sometimes it still surprised the teen how frequently people in Termina smiled. "What's up?"
"Oh, um, I was wondering if we could stay an extra week?" He glanced sideways as Malon huffed her way up next to him, surprise in her eyes. "I was talking to dad and he said he didn't mind but that I had to ask you first."
"Well of course! We've got no plans for after the Carnival and I'd love to spend more time catching up without all of the hectic rush."
"Um, Link?" Malon tugged on his sleeve with concern. "When were you talking with your dad?"
"Oh, the other night. Don't worry, he said he'd ask Talon if it's okay. He also said he was going to send a letter so Anju and Kafei would know I'm not making it up."
The innkeeper chuckled and shook her head. "Link, I don't think either of us would doubt you at your word. But that is very thoughtful of him. If it's okay with both your parents, you can definitely stay here as long as you're able."
"Thanks so much, Anju!" Link leaned in and gave the woman a hug, crushing her right up to his chest. She laughed breathlessly and pulled away, turning back to the pram to check on the sleeping babies. Far ahead, already heading through the north exit, Saria and little Link could be seen skipping along cheerfully. Anju increased her pace while the two teenagers followed along beside her.
"Honestly, it's not a problem. I love having you here and you're all so helpful. It's going to be a bit lonely not having you around to play with the kids. "
"I wish we were closer, I really do." Link's ears tilted down but he had a crooked smile on his face all the same. "I mean, I'm glad you don't have to deal with the problems back at home but it would be nice to just pop in any time, you know?"
Reaching over, the woman gave him a friendly pat on the arm. "The trip isn't that long. I don't like all that darkness but once you're done helping everyone and have some free time, I expect you to come visit us more frequently, okay? Not every week or anything, but at least a few times a year. You can't just leave my poor children without their uncle, right?" A grin was tossed towards Malon and Anju winked. "And their aunt!"
The long-haired redhead flushed with happiness and Link wrapped an arm around her shoulders, dropping a kiss onto her head. "Yeah, that's right! I'll figure it out somehow, I promise. We'll be here all the time, at least every year! Maybe we'll name one of our kids Kafei or Anju just to make things really confusing in the future."
Anju could hardly contain her mirth. "Oh, name your first boy Kafei, please. I would be tickled pink if you do."
They were in good spirits as they joined the boisterous crowd on the field setting up blankets. Kafei was already waiting, tickling his son as Saria rummaged through one of the large picnic baskets. Raising a hand, Link shouted to the purple-haired duo about being given permission to stay longer and enthusiastic cheers followed the news. Soon they were eating Kafei's delicious meal while talking amongst themselves and anyone nearby. Without warning, Romani dipped down and stole a sandwich out of Link's hands with a wink, taking a huge bite before he could retaliate and retrieve his food. Malon rolled her eyes and handed him another one then waved as Cremia and Tacy joined them. The pair were practically glowing with happiness and the Gerudo's arm hardly left her wife's waist the entire time.
It was almost perfect.
Link hummed little snatches of Nocturne's Song as he ate, thinking of the one whose absence he sorely missed. The music made his dad feel closer and, while he was sure some part of the god did exist here in the land and sky, he hoped some year soon they'd all be here together in person, celebrating Carnival or maybe just on a relaxing vacation. In the peace and relative quiet of a murmuring crowd, Link's mind drifted, his eyes finding a distant future.
A purple-haired teenager, nearly Kafei's twin, swings a practice sword against a brunette man who is almost familiar to Link. Nearby, twin girls with deep, burgundy hair laugh together and with a darker-skinned, redhead boy, all of them younger teenagers. Kafei, older now with laugh lines around his mouth, has his arm around Link's shoulder, a feat only possible while the blonde sits. Nearby is a group of red-haired women with several children and babies clustered around them; Anju, Cremia and Tacy. It is impossible to tell who the children belong to but none of them care; they are as comfortable with others' children as they are with their own. A girl with strawberry-blonde hair runs up to Link, perhaps 6 or so, with the word 'daddy!' on her lips.
Melody, his oldest child.
He scoops her up, laughing, then the girl reaches further over, hands grasping for another, and Link turns to lift her into the waiting arms of Nocturne. The god smiles at his grandchild, happiness sitting easier on his face now. He spins the giggling girl around and rests her carefully on his shoulders as the pair stride across the field, the girl calling for Tael in fairy language jingles.
Link stands as his name is called and turns to embrace Malon, comfortably pregnant and practically glowing, and gives her a kiss that is cheered on by the friends and family around them. They share a tender moment before she pulls away to attend to a red-haired toddler and another takes her place, a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes and such shining happiness in her face it makes Link's heart ache with longing. She, too, is pregnant and she falls into Link's laughing embrace with joy.
It is Zelda.
The fencing brunette calls out, bows to his opponent and runs to the queen, though she is not known by that title here. Link releases her and the man takes the Hero's place, swinging Zelda around and dipping her low for a kiss despite her gravid state. Only then does the hero recognise him, just a boy in his current time. Aspen, the friendly prince of Akkala, who Link had last seen as his father carried him away from the castle.
The vision broke when he blinked, a cookie in his hand crumbling onto the blanket, and Malon turned to watch him in confusion. "Link, are you okay?"
It had been happy, a vision of a future that he desperately wanted to see. Zelda had been there too, and Aspen, and they had all been celebrating together in peace. Had it been real? Was he allowed to have happy visions? But he smiled at Malon and tossed the mangled crumbs away into the grass as he leaned down to give her a kiss.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Better than fine. I think things will be okay in the end. I was just daydreaming about what our future might be like, with everyone together. Something to look forward to, you know?"
The redhead laughed and turned to give him a longer, lingering kiss. As she kneeled on the blanket and wrapped her arms around his neck to reach better, she murmured against his lips, "I know exactly what you mean."
The next day, a leisurely breakfast was shared in Anju and Kafei's dining room, everyone crowded around the table aside from Oceanis. The god stopped in frequently to check in on Link but he spent most of his time away, "getting to know Termina" as he called it. The teen was glad his uncle was getting a vacation too; the deities didn't relax that often and they certainly deserved it. As Link leaned back in his chair, feeling comfortably full, he considered potential options for the day. Kafei's voice broke into his quiet contemplation and the blonde looked over.
"I think we should visit the hot spring baths today." The man had Tira tucked carefully in his arm as he fed her from a bottle. At the first mention of water, Little Link cheered and slid out of his chair, toddling as fast as he could to his bedroom while Saria watched. When neither Anju nor Kafei rose to chase him, she didn't either and returned to her toast and jam.
The older Link slapped a hand excitedly on the table, making Malon jump. "Yes! I would love a good, long soak in something that I can stretch out in! Er, sorry you guys. I mean, your bathroom is fine and all but…"
Kafei laughed quietly, not wanting to disturb his daughter while she ate, and Anju rolled her eyes in a friendly way, feeding the other twin herself. "My dear husband also has a hard time fitting but we can't all have elaborate bathing rooms like you, Link. That's why we go to the springs regularly. Our Link loves playing in the water. Maybe he got it from his namesake."
As if to prove it, the child ran back into the group, waving a carved boat in the air, shouting 'pool! pool!' as he did. Kafei grinned at his son and nodded. "We'll go to the pool this afternoon, kiddo. After your sisters get their nap, okay?"
"Awwww." With a sad frown, the toddler dropped to the floor and began zooming the toy from side to side. Anju gave Kafei an exasperated look and stood carefully, holding a now-sleeping baby as she readjusted her clothing.
"I've told you not to mention fun outings too soon."
"I'll take him out to play for a bit. It'll be fine."
"Anyway," Anju faced the visitors, nodding her head towards the clock tower, "you'll have a couple of hours if you want to do something else. The Gorons probably have races going on today. They usually have a post-festival competition you can watch."
Link's ears perked up immediately. "Oh right! I missed the Carnival races. That sounds great! And you said the springs were there too, right? That'll work out great. Can we just meet you over there?"
"Certainly, dear. You can't miss the springs entrance; it's just before their village, so meet us there around noon, okay? Did you need money for food at the races?"
"C'mon, Anju, you don't have to pay for us. I have plenty of money."
"Aren't you all grown up then! Fine! Just remember not to eat–"
"I won't eat any of the rock roast!"
"I might!" Saria grinned wide, causing laughter from the others but Link squinted at her suspiciously. The Kokiri were not entirely human and he wouldn't put it past her to do something ridiculous just to prove a point. Maybe he'd have to keep an eye on her today but as they were leaving a short while later, a visitor to the inn drove the thought completely from his mind. The postman ran up, tipping his hat to Link with a wink, and handed the teen a letter addressed to him in graceful, perfect handwriting.
"Mail for you, Link!"
"Oh hey, thanks!" He looked up from the familiar penmanship but the hard-working postal employee was already gone; no one had even seen where he disappeared to. It suddenly struck Link that maybe he should visit the post office and ask the man a few questions about mail delivery between Hyrule and Termina but that was an errand for another day. Instead, he ripped open the envelope and shook the paper out into his hand, eyes skimming it as soon as the words were visible. A wide smile crossed his face and he waved the letter as he shouted into the mostly empty inn. "Anju! Kafei! We've got permission to stay!"
The innkeeper's voice floated down from the hallway, moving as she did towards the front desk. "That's great! If the weather stays warm, maybe we can make it to the beach later! And we can go visit Ikana and see what the Gerudo are up to. This is going to be such a great vacation for you all, just you wait!"
The three picked feathers out of their hair and clothes as they appeared at the Mountain Village. Malon glanced around at the cosy cabins and melting snow, wondering how the Gorons here fared with such weather. The ones at home always preferred the heat. "Is this it?"
Link grinned and gestured towards a path upwards. "Sorry, bit of a hike up to the Goron Village. Over there is where I got my sword upgraded to the gilded version!" He pointed to a larger building with a continuous plume of smoke rising from it. "Maybe we can visit before we go back home. They're good guys, Zubora and Gabora. A little weird, but friendly enough."
When they wound upwards and onwards though surprisingly monster-free roads, they eventually came to the bridges and what they found shocked Link. It had just been some islands in a lake but now the islands had been expanded, connected together with stones and mortar, with a fancy building off to one side and a sturdy bridge that led upwards into the mountain on the other side. There weren't a lot of people coming and going but there were some and that was more than Link had ever seen here before. When he'd come up on his first trip back to Termina, it had been winter and everything had looked the same. A large sign behind the new hut pointed to the Goron Racetrack.
Saria pulled on Link's sleeve, looking at the three options. "What's all this, Link?"
"Well, straight ahead is the city. The sign points to the track and…" He squinted at the fancy sign over the new shop. "This is apparently the hot spring baths? Oh! Yeah, that's right, there was a hole that dropped into a cavern with warm water back in the day. That's why Anju said we couldn't miss it."
"Link, can we go see the Goron city before we go to the track? I've never been to one, not even at home." Malon tugged on his sleeve towards the bridge and he looked momentarily confused.
"Never?"
"Most Hylians don't go up the volcano, you know."
Link nodded, letting the acceptance of his abnormality settle easily. He should see if Malon would like to go anywhere else in Hyrule. There might as well be some benefit to her being with a hero to make up for the whole fighting monsters thing. So instead of heading left, he led them up into Goron Village instead.
The view from the tunnel entrance was as spectacular as he remembered from the first spring, the first time he had completed the temple. The curved roads and rounded buildings still held some Carnival decorations and there were cheerful Gorons rolling from place to place, attempting to pull them down. The edge of the mountain behind the village was blue and full of clouds, showing just the peaks of nearby mountains. The "invisible" path was on full display, leading off to those other rocky "islands" but he knew the lens would be gone from the lonely shrine and there was no need to visit it.
Malon and Sarnia were utterly charmed by the city. Young Gorons waved hello and chattered about the upcoming races. Older Gorons greeted Link enthusiastically, thanking him for his help with the moon. The store had some leftover souvenirs that Link cheerfully paid for and split between the three of them. Saria took a necklace of highly polished rocks and proudly looped it around her neck; the teen considered telling her they'd be considered candy to Gorons but decided against it when he remembered her earlier threat. When the elder heard Link was back in town, he invited the entire group into the great hall and Link caught up cheerfully with the young son. The boy immediately offered to take them to the races and they agreed readily.
"You know, we thought Darmani had come back but I guess he hadn't. I thought I saw him race four years ago!"
"Well, you were pretty young, yeah? Maybe it was just someone who kinda looked like him." Link kept his voice light and casual but didn't dare look the boy in the eyes.
"Yeah, maybe. I don't remember Darmani wearing a green hat and I DO remember that on the visitor. He still helped save us though so I guess he was a hero like Darmani after all! Just like you too!"
"Yeah, definitely!" Link suddenly grinned and Malon looked up at his face, suspicious. Every time he got that look in his eyes, he was about to do something unusual. As the elder's son chatted enthusiastically the entire way up to the racetrack, Malon shifted her attention away from Link to listen, fascinated by the stories of how they survived the colder winters and how some of the Gorons would travel up to the highest mountain peaks, where there was always snow, to trap ice boes and other frost-magic elementals, which were then sold to people in town to keep food and drinks cold. It was such a good idea that Malon didn't know why it hadn't already been considered at home. Imagine how much easier it would be to preserve food in the summer if they had ice all year round! When she turned to talk to Link about it, he was gone and she pulled to a stop suddenly, swiveling her head from side to side to find him.
"Link! Where are you?"
"Right here!" Malon turned and gasped as an enormous Goron stepped up next to her. He was definitely about the size of Link, though more expansive in size without the skinniness of the Hylian boy, and there was something strangely shiny about the usual Goron skin. She didn't doubt him for a moment though. Perched rakishly on the Goron's large head was the long, teal hat that Link cherished, though Malon didn't remember him having it earlier. She stared at him for a long moment, then frowned at the memory of him throwing himself off the gigantic alien and changing into…something. He had mentioned being able to turn into things way back when he was telling her about the war but she didn't recall Goron being one of them.
"What is this?" Malon lowered her voice, letting Saria and the young Goron move ahead to the stands.
"I thought I would race! They give gold dust as a reward and you never know when that'll come in handy, right? I even have an empty bottle to keep it in."
Malon squinted suspiciously at her fiancé. "What makes you think you're going to win?"
With a dismissive wave of his large hand, Goron-Link rolled his eyes. "I'm very good at this. Trust me!"
The redhead sighed and touched the large hand. "Link, can we maybe talk about this later? Like, I don't mind this, you have to understand, but maybe I'd like to know more about it so I don't have to be surprised all the time."
"Didn't…didn't I tell you about shapeshifting?"
"You mentioned something about a Zora but, well, you didn't even really explain that very much and I just want to understand better. That's all."
Carefully, Link took Malon's hands in his own and nodded. "I'll do it, I promise. I didn't mean to forget to talk about these things, really! It's just…"
"I know, sweetie, I understand. You've been through so much and things keep happening to you right when we get comfortable. But maybe we can try? While we're here?"
"Yes! Definitely!" He opened his mouth to say something more but the horn for the upcoming race blared out through the canyon and he pulled away quickly. Not sure how safe it would be to give her a kiss in this form, Link wrapped Malon up in a hug quickly then hurried away. Malon watched him roll up into a ball, just like every Goron she'd ever seen, and zoom off towards the starting line. Every time she thought she understood what Link was like, something new would show up and she'd be reminded of just how different his life really was. It was strange but a small part of her had to admit that it was also exciting. Maybe not that small of a part. Her life was turning out even more interesting than the brave princesses in her stories.
When she joined Saria and the young Goron in the stands shortly afterward, the Kokiri gave her a long look. "Where's Link?"
"He wanted to race."
Saria shook her head. "He's never been able to resist a challenge."
The Goron boy looked between the two, surprised. "Link is in the race? But it's for Gorons only!"
As the contestants filed out into the starting line, Malon pointed at the large form of Link, teal hat waving as he jogged into place. "That's him."
"Ah! Darmi!" The boy laughed. "So it wasn't Darmani, was it? Link can be a Goron! No wonder everyone was confused."
There was no more time to discuss the matter as a loud bang went off and the racers rolled off down the track. Malon had never seen a race like it before. Plenty of foot and horse races for Hylians but the speed the Gorons rolled was dizzying and they kept banging into one another as they went, trying to keep their opponents off kilter. Link was easy to spot, being the only racer to wear anything, and Malon cringed every time he slammed into someone. Even worse when it happened to him! But he maintained a steady lead and eventually passed the others with a burst of speed as he flew over the finish line. The redhead cheered with all the rest when Link was announced the winner.
Unlike during the carnival, this wasn't a single race. A total of three races were rolled to win the grand prize and the spectators in the stands were cheerfully shouting odds to each other with the upset to the norm. While waiting for a cleanup on the track, the contestants were offered big chunks of rock roast to keep their energy up and Malon could see Link looking at his with a conflicted look on his face. Saria laughed as she clung to the redhead's arm.
"Oh man, do you think he'll eat it?"
"Um, if he's hungry enough, maybe?" And Malon was right. In only three bites, Link consumed the meal and joined the others at the next starting line. Saria laughed so hard she nearly fell out of her seat while the young Goron next to them watched her curiously.
"He said he wasn't going to eat the rock roast! He SAID! HA! Oh man, I'm going to tell Anju."
"Saria, don't you dare! He's…he's a Goron now! I'm sure it's fine!" But Malon couldn't help but wonder. Did turning into something different make him totally that thing? She had only seen him as a god twice but he certainly looked very Hylian both those times. Nocturne and many of the others were just like Hylians; they even ate food and slept and did very normal things like shopping. But when Oceanis had been a horse, he had smelled like a horse and felt like a horse. Would he eat grass and hay when he was an animal? What did all this mean for Link when he was something else?
The races once again distracted her from such odd thoughts and she cheered loudly as Link won the second, then the third. At the end, he was given a jar full of gold dust and a beautiful green gemstone, both of which he put into his bag as soon as he returned to his normal body. It seemed like everyone wanted to shake his hand and ask him about his ability to be a Goron but he ushered the girls off the track and back towards the entrance, knowing they were running late. As they hurried down the ramp, they could see Anju and the rest of the family waiting just outside the door, the woman playing with little Link in the grass while Kafei leaned over the pram with the girls inside. On a whim, Link dug into his bag and pulled out the pictograph, snapping a quick picture while the girls ran on ahead to meet up with the others. Then he got another one with the group laughing and exchanging greetings. He wasn't entirely sure why but something inside him knew he'd need those memories of happiness in the future.
As Anju led them down a wide stairwell and through twisting tunnels, Link realised the small pool of hot water he'd used before was only a small part of an elaborate cluster of hot springs. They walked past a steamy stream and emptied out into a small valley, nestled between cliffs, surrounded on all sides by rock, trees and hanging plants. There were fences and dividers between different sections and several people from town were coming and going, saying hello and gossiping about happenings at the Carnival. Anju spoke with a friendly Goron attendant just as Oceanis stepped up behind them and rested a large hand on Link's shoulder.
"Nephew, very good racing! I noticed you've managed to shed the gloves and boots as a Goron. Well done."
Link flushed red and his eyes shifted towards Malon. "I have a hard time, uh, not wearing the skirt though."
The god laughed. "I don't understand why. You had no problem with nudity when we were in the mountains. Or at home in the bath. And you've made great strides with your Zora form."
Link squirmed uncomfortably and Saria laughed at him. "He's gotten all weird about it recently. He used to bathe in the river just fine with the Kokiri."
"That's different! That's bathing!"
"On your birthday, you yelled at me when I came to tell you Malon was there! You said you didn't want me to see you naked! I used to wash your bare butt all the time when you were a toddler!"
Link groaned and hid his face in his hand while Malon desperately tried to pretend she wasn't listening to the whole thing. Kafei grinned at the group as he led the way to the more private spring they rented. "Not used to public baths?"
Link mumbled something inaudible and Malon quietly shook her head, eyes wide. Saria sighed at the two, hands planted firmly on her hips. "Hyrule doesn't really have any. My people bathed in the river mostly but I think the Hylians usually use wooden tubs. Link didn't used to care but now he does."
"Well, I didn't realise. Link, did you want to use the segregated pools? It's not too busy this time of day."
"I'll be fine." The teen stared down at his toes, face red. He couldn't deny being more self-conscious about his body these days, considering how much taller and older looking he had gotten recently. The thought of Malon seeing him undressed was at war with his desire to be soaking in warm water and he kept his eyes firmly planted on his boots.
Anju gave the younger redhead a friendly pat on the arm even as her son loudly proclaimed his need to have a bath for all to hear. "I'm sorry, Malon. You can keep on your underthings if you want and wash up at home later." The girl squeaked out something barely audible and Anju tilted her head to the side. "You're sure? Okay then. It'll be fine, dear. The water is very effervescent, you can barely see through it. We'll keep things as separated as possible."
Despite Saria's laughing and Oceanis' quiet amusement, the group managed to get through disrobing and storing clothes in cubbies. Anju had a basket with towels and soaps ready as she ushered Little Link into the shallowest water on the edge. The family got the twins settled in a special harness in the shallow water while Saria offered to help as always. The air was warm and steamy, the water looked refreshing and clean, and Link quickly undressed and got himself in the water before he could think too hard about it. He ducked down into the deeper part of the pool and closed his eyes, humming the Song of Healing quietly to himself.
Malon stood at the edge of the water, shirt and skirt off and in the thin, white garments she wore under them. Oceanis stepped down into the water, still wearing the robes he normally did, then stopped and turned towards her.
"Malon, there is no shame in being nervous and wishing for privacy. No one here will mock you for needing the space you desire." His gaze shifted slightly to the side and the white eyes crinkled up in mirth as they landed on Saria. "At least not seriously."
The redhead licked her lips nervously, trying to ignore how much more strongly the god's divinity felt around his element. How could he understand her embarrassment? He was a deity, a perfect being that surely wouldn't be ashamed. When she didn't answer, Oceanis smiled gently and held out a hand to her.
"Did you wish to borrow my Sister for a few moments? You spoke with her the other day and she could comfort you in your indecision, perhaps lend you courage."
The redhead blushed and wrapped her arms over her chest. Those few moments she held the trident were something she hadn't spoken about with anyone, not even Link. "I, uh, no. I mean, thank you for offering. She was…" her voice trailed off for a moment then she shook her head, "maybe not right now. Thank you."
"Then might I suggest you decide quickly so you no longer have it picking at your mind." With a wink, the god stepped into the warm waters and Malon watched as his clothing washed away into the currents. His bare chest nearly stopped her from breathing all together but the water clung to his body in ways it definitely shouldn't, obscuring parts of him in a constantly shifting current. He was quick to join Link at the far side of the pool, speaking in a cheerful undertone to the teen, and Malon lifted her chin resolutely. A sudden determination settled in her soul as she stripped down and ducked into the water herself.
Quietly, she kept the water up to her chin and watched Anju and Kafei play with the kids while getting them scrubbed down. The twins were still very young and were not yet close to crawling but they watched with wide eyes while held. Despite Kafei's presence, the urge to help with the purple-haired Link and the twins pulled the teen closer. Anju caught her eye and cheerfully shuffled through the shallow water towards her; Malon was briefly jealous of her lack of shame. Life in Termina was more different than she realised.
"Did you want to hold Misu, dear? You have to be careful in the water but as long as you keep their heads above the surface, they'll be fine."
The idea of sitting up enough to hold a baby in the water turned Malon's face as red as her hair. "Oh, I, but…"
"Hey Anju! Can I take Little Link over to play with Uncle Oceanis?" Saria was pulling the boy, who had an impressive paddle already at his age, through the water and pointed to the corner where Link was lounging on the edge of the pool with the god. Malon made the mistake of looking over and saw that the teen was leaning up on a stony ledge, elbows holding him half out of the water, Oceanis sitting in a nearly identical way. Malon's eyes were held hostage for several seconds but Anju's laugh and agreement to Saria's question shook the younger redhead out of her stupor. She spun away, hands automatically covering her chest even though she was still underwater.
"Here, An. I'll put the girls in the pram if you two wanted to soak for a bit." Kafei approached slowly through the water and Malon shifted her hands up to cover her eyes. A whispered conversation between the two parents saw the babies placed carefully in their temporary bed, well in sight of everyone, and soon the family was once again in the water. Kafei joined the others in the deeper end and Anju carefully led Malon to a spot on the other side that was deep enough for the women to lounge with water up to their chests with a small waterfall nearby. Once settled, Anju sighed and pulled out soap and worked lather through her hair.
"I'm so sorry, Malon. If I had known this was so uncomfortable for you, we could have planned to come at a separate time from the boys."
"Oh! N-n-no, it's okay. I mean, it's not your fault. I, uh, I don't know why it's bothering me so much."
"Well, if you're not used to it..." The innkeeper ignored the sounds of splashing and playful yelling coming from the other side of the pond as she washed. "I forget that not all humans have the same culture, you know? Clock Town has a bathhouse as well but this new one is so much nicer. Kafei gets along with the Gorons so they give us a substantial discount."
Malon made a contemplative hum, then furrowed her brows. "Are you not Hylians? You have the long ears!"
Laughing, Anju shook her head, spraying water and soap everywhere. "I've never even heard that before. Is it because your country is called Hyrule?"
Forgetting her embarrassment, Malon sat up suddenly. "No, that makes us Hyruleans. Hylians are all the people with long ears! I don't know what people with shorter ears are called. They mostly live outside of Hyrule, except the Gerudo. The long ears are a sign we are blessed by the Golden Three."
"Well that's interesting." Anju stepped over to the little waterfall and began rinsing carefully. "We have ancient legends of the Golden Goddesses, of course, but the Giants are our gods. There's been nothing mentioned about the ears but we generally just assume it's in the blood. Why don't you try washing up, dear. Then we can relax."
Anju was so good at keeping Malon distracted, she barely thought about her state of undress as she began working the soap through her long hair. "Does Link know all this? How…how does that work with his family? You recognise them as goddesses and gods, right? Would you worship them? What did you think of Link's dad? Do you also have spirits? What about demons? I hadn't thought of any of this before!"
Before the woman could respond, a large splash drenched the two, sounds of laughter following it. Anju sighed and wiped water from her face, giving the boys and Saria a long-suffering look. Oceanis held the toddler Link, having just sent an impressive wave at the teenager Link that shoved him towards the girls. The lavender-haired boy was squealing in laughter at the trick and Kafei was doing everything he could not to laugh. Saria had no such hang ups as she pointed at her brother, cackling with glee. Link, for his part, was laying face down, submerged in the shallower water with his longer hair free from his usual ponytail and hanging over his face. He laughed sheepishly at the two sodden women as he lifted himself up on his arms.
"Uh, hi…"
Anju sighed. "Boys, this is a bath, not the ocean."
"No, see, I was just hoping to ask for the soap but Uncle Oceanis said it was taking too long and he wanted to show other Link how to make me hurry and I said I'd like to see him try and then, well, he did and I didn't–"
"LINK!" Malon was once again covering herself frantically, her face flaming with embarrassment. Link pushed himself backwards into deeper water, his own face a similar shade of red.
"Right, yeah, I'll just…I'm really sorry, okay, maybe I'll get that later, um, bye!"
Anju shook her head at the watery antics. When Saria waded her way through the water to fetch the soap, the woman handed it over with a soft admonition then turned back to Malon, pushing the girl towards the waterfall to rinse. "Don't over-think it, Malon. It's okay."
"This was a horrible, horrible idea!"
"I promise seeing a little extra skin will not hurt."
"I know, I know. I'm sorry." Keeping her back turned, Malon covered her face with her hands as she stood under the steady stream of water. She didn't know how to explain to Anju why she was so embarrassed but at the same time, how badly she wanted to stare at Link and–
No, don't think about the and.
But the innkeeper seemed to know, or at least she understood the embarrassment. Once they were rinsed, Anju ushered Malon out to the changing room, all the while murmuring comfort while she dressed herself and tucked the twins in with warm blankets. Malon stayed in her corner as she dried and heard Kafei's quiet voice at the entry. The couple had a quick conversation that the teen purposefully didn't try to listen to and soon the two redheads were outside in the open air where Malon took a deep breath, feeling like she could breathe again.
"I'm so sorry, Anju. You and Kafei arranged this nice day and I ruined it."
"Don't be silly. I should have asked your preferences. We all made some mistakes! Nothing that would bring down the Giants, dear."
"I'm just…"
"Confused? Embarrassed about new feelings?" Malon nodded in agreement and Anju grinned mischievously. "Desperately wanting Link to do things you've only just started to imagine?"
"Anju!"
The woman laughed quietly. "It's okay. Lots of us go through that. Talk to someone, anyone! Get that weight off your soul before it crushes you. You can even write me letters if you want. I promise I'll respond promptly."
Malon squirmed under the friendly regard of the older redhead then stopped and looked up towards the mountain peaks. "Yeah, maybe."
"Anyway, no more mixed baths until you're a bit older, I think. How about you and I come back before you go home? We can giggle about whatever you wish; parties or fancy outfits or horses. Whatever strikes your fancy!"
"Oh, I'd really like that! Um, but what about…"
"Link can find something else to do; he's got people I'm sure he wants to catch up with. A day out for just the girls will be fun. Pamela would probably come; school doesn't start back up for a couple of weeks. And maybe Cremia and Tacy too! Though Crem wouldn't be able to soak much. Well, we'll figure it out."
Malon released a breath and smiled. "That sounds perfect. I think I need some time to myself. Well, I mean… Not that I don't want to be with Link! But you know…"
"I do! Even being betrothed doesn't mean you have to spend all your time together. There's plenty of room for hanging out with him or me or Kafei or anyone else." Anju stopped and rested a comforting hand on the teen's arm. "I'm so glad I've had a chance to meet you, Malon. You remind me a little of Cremia and I when we were teenagers. I look forward to knowing you better! We're all going to have so much fun while you're here."
"From your lips to the Goddesses' ears."
"And the Giants!"
Notes:
It's been...quite a month. Anyway, moving on.
How many of you caught Link proposing to Malon at the end of the Carnival of Time chapter? *Really* proposing. Guess it's the real deal now! Not that anyone in Hyrule can know but...I'm sure they'll tell a few people.
I very much enjoy making up traditions and events for Termina to take part in. Someday maybe I'll do Yule for them. I like to think the Clock Town residents are a close-knit bunch, especially after the Moon Incident. I keep wanting to bring up every single NPC I possibly can but it's hard. Just...imagine they're all there in the background for me. Thanks.
Readers who hang out in the LU Write-a-thon got treated to an explanation of certain aspects of Oceanis' personality a few months back. It's starting to come out now. :) I'm very much looking forward to Oceanis addressing Link's "keese and cucco" talk. Someday we'll get there. Someday!
Aww, Link misses his dad. 💜 Link misses his dad so badly, he has a vision!? Or was it just daydreaming? Guess we'll just have to wait and see! It certainly seems nice, doesn't it? This is not ominous! Not meant to be ominous at all! But it is the first time Link's had any sort of vision that wasn't evil laughing in his face. 😂
In Majora's Mask, there's that zone that has three little islands and, in the spring, they're surrounded by water. Tingle hangs out there with his maps and there's wolfos who want the beat the crap out of you. On one of the islands there is a hole that has a pond of warm water you can jar up and use and THAT is why I think there's a ton of hot sprints around the Goron Village. Welcome to comfy headcanon territory!
But first, the Goron races.
I have officially made Link eat rocks. I wasn't planning on doing that but....here we are. He and the Age of Calamity Link are going to have a lot to talk about. As a PS: Link didn't cheat at the races, he just got very, very good at them after so. many. attempts. to win that fucking GOLD. (I'm fine. I'm very good at this game. shut up) I left Link in Termina for two years. He's an expert at everything.
Termina is much more Asian coded than Hyrule is. I've based these baths off of a conglomeration of Japanese onsen. Some of them are gorgeous and many of them are meant to be lounged around in while nude. Back when I was first getting into anime (many, many years ago), I found it interesting how much more casual the Japanese tend to be about nudity in certain situations. Thus, we have this current situation.
Link has complained about people seeing him naked all of twice, believe it or not. The first time was in the WoE and that was more of a "I want some fucking PRIVACY" than it was about the lack of clothes. (You might remember that he got out of the bath and dried off directly in front of Windy) The second time was on his birthday when he yelled at Saria. Every other time he's talked about bathing or was in the hot springs, he undressed and jumped in. Obviously, readers can interpret this however they want. Was he wearing underwear? Was he not? Whatever makes you most happy.
But today, no, today we are making the teens U N C O M F O R T A B L E. Poor Malon, this trip has really been rough on her emotionally. She's finally starting to get thwaped in the face with grown-up feelings, a very normal occurrence around her age, and she's not entirely sure how to handle it. Just like Link, really, but I think she'll probably find a more normal outlet than a bunch of deities to talk to about it. 🤣
Anyway! Next week, back to Hyrule. I *should* be okay getting the next chapter out on time but, well...lots going on. Zelda/Cyrus has some surprising revelations in the next chapter! It'll be FINE, certainly. :)
Chapter 15: Stressed Out
Summary:
Wish we could turn back time to the good old days
When our mama sang us to sleep, but now we're stressed out
"Stressed Out" by Twenty One Pilots
Notes:
Hello my friends. Yes, I've missed another update once again. I've posted on tumblr about my delays but so soon after the loss last month comes more health issues, this time with my mom. She's okay for now but there's going to be a lot of uncertainty in the weeks to come.
So I might miss more updates. I'm going to try to stick to my usual update schedule but there might be more times when I just can't make it. I'm trying to give myself grace by not rushing too much so if it's not up by Monday, I'll just wait until the following Sunday to update. Yes yes, I know, you're all going to tell me not to push myself and I'm not but I still have so much to say in this story. 💜 I hope you'll stick with me until the end.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Zelda wished he could have enjoyed the rest of the hastilude but he found himself getting more jumpy by the day. The jousting went well apparently, though the two boys didn't see Glen in the winning match. The others said it had been close between him and Goldon with the two young men parting on friendly terms. At the dinner that night, Glen joined Aspen's group briefly, gave his brother an affectionate hair tousle, then wandered off to talk to Dawson. The younger teens leaned in immediately to gossip but Zelda, no, Cyrus, excused himself early to return to his rooms.
Aspen gave him a worried look as he tried to sneak away. [Are you okay?]
[Yes.] "Just tired." The blonde smiled weakly and gave Aspen yet another more-than-friendly kiss on the cheek and was chased out of the dining hall by enthusiastic cheers.
Zelda, you are a coward. You should have stayed.
But he didn't go back, only returned to his room to study magic and read the reports from the castle. Those didn't help much either. Lorsham had sent out advertisements offering a bonus and further incentives for anyone over 17 that wanted to join the army. Impa's suggestions for the leadership positions had been adopted the moment they hit Lorsham's desk; Zelda was sure the ink on them hadn't even had a chance to dry. Servants were buzzing with rumours. Citizens began stocking up on non-perishable food. There were no signs of the Gerudo but everyone knew something was coming. Despite the festive air from the visiting guests, a dark cloud hovered.
That night, the premonition dreams came back.
He hadn't even realised they'd gone. The last several days had been so busy and life half felt like a nightmare he couldn't wake from (except for when he was with Aspen and the other boys) that the absence of a looming darkness hadn't even registered.
But now?
Dark skies, brilliant sand
A laughing Gerudo king
Zelda ran hand in hand with Cyrus, both and yet neither, s/he a presence looking down at the pair as they fled a horde of monsters chasing them.
Cyrus turned, a white sword raised. Zelda turned, a goddess' bow with brilliant arrows in her hands. She was alone. He was scared. There was nothing more to do.
"If no one stands against the"
"darkness then we all die."
The Lost Woods, a place of mist and shadows, shone with a light that transcended beauty. It hurt but also comforted. There was something there that held hope. Someone. Link. Gold in his hand. Music on his chest. Moon in his hair. The elements surrounded him, Protected him. Ocean and shadows, ice and nature, time and seasons. On his back a ranseur made of sand. At his side, a watery dagger that flowed with warmth
pearls in a necklace across his throat
a god and still a boy
He was speaking but Zelda couldn't understand. He needed something that only she could give. Cyrus shouted, Zelda shouted, their voice was one and the same. Darkness closed in. Someone was calling his name.
Zelda
Cyrus
Zelda…
Cyrus woke with a gasp as a gentle hand shook him awake. Hilie leaned over his bed, concern in her red eyes as the teen stared up at the ceiling, breathing as if he had run all night. "Are you okay, princess?"
"Yes! No. ……..yes. It's just another one of my dreams."
"Did you need to speak with Lady Impa? She was getting ready for today's tournament but I could fetch her if you need me too."
Sitting up suddenly, Cyrus looked out the window; it was much later than he expected. A tray of warm breakfast sat on his desk, the papers stacked tidily to the side from cleaning he had not bothered with last night. Hilie was determined to keep both Impa and Zelda functionally organised but Cyrus personally thought it might be a lost cause. Impa was too overworked to bother and he had lost some of his more fastidious habits since becoming a boy. Where males messier as an inherent state of being? Or was his life just that much more complicated now?
Grumbling, the threat in the dream still buzzing through his head, Cyrus stalked over to the desk and sat with a thump. He didn't want to deal with this today. Avoiding Hilie's gaze, he shovelled food into his mouth as fast as he could, hoping to push the vision away with the morning routine. He wished the Sheikah girl would leave him in peace but she simply stood nearby, waiting for the answer to a question he had nearly forgotten she asked. If he were in his normal rooms, a quick wave of his hand would have dismissed Josey and Laday and, for a moment, he missed their obsequience. But Hilie just wouldn't be her without her self-assured independence and he realised he appreciated that more than expected.
A gentle clearing of Hilie's throat reminded Cyrus of the question again and he frowned, shoving another spoonful of food into his mouth. Her wide, mischievous smile was annoying him for reasons he couldn't name. When she continued to stand there and smile at him with an unnerving steadiness, he forced the food down his throat and scowled at her. "No, I don't need Impa. I can handle it. I've had lots of visions before."
"If you insist." She turned away but stopped at the door and looked back. "I understand you've had a difficult morning but if you don't hurry, you'll be late."
Cyrus groaned. "The races." The last thing he wanted to do right now was participate in foot races with the boys but after missing the last event, he didn't think skipping another so soon was a good idea. He was supposed to be getting to know the suitors better. With everything going on, maybe it would be best to avoid the day's events, especially the horse race he really wasn't sure he was ready for, and work on releasing his magic. Impa certainly wouldn't mind and he could use the practice. Except…
Aspen.
Frantically he inhaled the rest of breakfast then hurried to wash up and get dressed; going to the bathroom didn't even faze him anymore. Wearing the blue Sheikah outfit was as natural as his old dresses. When he stepped back into the room to gather his things, pulling down his sleeves with annoyed mutters, Hilie surprised him (hadn't she left?) with a gentle hand on his chest.
"One moment, princess. Hold your arms out, like so?" The Sheikah held her arms out in a T-pose and Cyrus frowned.
"I'm going to be late!"
"Not more than you already are." When he complied, she sized the boy up with her eyes, tugged on the edge of the sleeve, then pushed his arm down again. "Yes, that's what I thought. Would explain the grumpiness too."
"Hey! I'm not grumpy! What do you mean by that?"
"I think you're going through a sudden growth. You've gotten a little taller in the past week and I had noticed that you've been more moody. I'll see if I can get your clothes adjusted or at least replaced by something a little bigger. And bring you more to eat in the mornings."
Cyrus' face flushed and he crossed his arms over his chest. "I thought I was done growing."
"Well, this is a normal time for many boys to hit their final growth spurts. My brothers grew quite tall in a matter of months. You'll want to be on watch for unusual joint pain, especially with all the exercise you're doing, but I imagine the other suitors may be going through the same so at least you'll have plenty to commiserate on."
A stricken look settled on Cyrus' face. "Wait! Am I getting taller because I'm a boy?!"
"Princess, I can't answer that. I don't know how much your physiology has changed, though aside from the obvious, you don't appear that much different. Perhaps you would have grown more anyway."
Cyrus gripped his temples, turning away from Hilie as he tried to decide if this would be the one straw that would break him. Impa had said her mother wasn't that tall and they had both assumed Zelda had reached her final height when she'd shown no sign of growth in the past year. This felt wrong somehow but not in a way he could name that made sense. "I…I don't have time to worry about this. I need to get to the hastilude!"
"Of course, princess. Let me know if you require anything."
Cyrus rushed from the room, no time to spare to reach the course set up for the day. By the time he arrived at the lineup of young men, he was gasping with exhaustion. Aspen stepped aside for him to join in and leaned in to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, somewhere between friendly hello and a little bit more. That stole what little breath Cyrus had left and he bent over his knees, hoping the flush from running hid his emotions. Glances exchanged between nearby suitors showed that it hadn't.
There were to be three different races; short, medium and long. Nothing fancy, just simple runs on the lawns behind the castle. Cyrus knew this wasn't going to be his strongest competition, especially in the endurance race, but he was pleasantly surprised that he could keep up with Aspen through the marathon. It was only five kilometers but competitors quickly sorted themselves into sprinters and distance runners after the first quarter. Glen jogged along easily in his full armor as if proving a point but it was Goldon who came in first, neck in neck with Archibold. The two nearly had another altercation but the oldest suitor stepped between them smoothly, easy congratulations for both young men on his lips. Cyrus wasn't there to see it but the commentary from Dawson later made his stomach regret the hurried breakfast. They were going to fight again, he was sure of it, and there was nothing he could do that wouldn't seem out of place.
There were a few scattered boys who crossed the finish line shortly after the older ones; Larch, from the islands, Blair and Mullin, both from Hyrule. Then a majority formed the middle group with Aspen and Cyrus; Rylan, Aedan and Mikel plus several who had no particular allegiances. Cyrus recognised Lindon, Bartholomew and Axel from earlier interactions but had not yet had time to get to know them. Guilt at sticking to one group of boys prickled at him. How was he supposed to get to know the suitors if he didn't mingle more?
Behind the large group, at a pace that was obviously meant to separate them from the rest, were Ambrosias, Ashford and Alexander. It was sad that Alex hadn't learned his lesson from his attempted ambush of Aspen but as long as he behaved, he was allowed to be friends with whoever he wanted. Personally, Cyrus didn't think it was worth remaining firmly attached to Ambrosias' ass but there was no accounting for taste sometimes.
After a short break, the middle race was a much more intense competition. With only one kilometer, several of the boys showed their speed at the end. Axel, the dark-skinned Prince from Tabantha, pulled up past the three oldest in the final meters and crossed the finish line to loud cheers from Dawson and Galera. Surprisingly enough, Aspen also pulled away with a little wink and a wave and came in at a respectable sixth place while the rest staggered in behind him. Rylan plowed onto the brunette, laughing and joking about him practicing in secret but Cyrus merely stood by, wheezing while his heart pounded. He should have spent more time running as Zelda and less time with the bow and arrow, though Impa always did require him to jog at least a little. It was just harder to do any sort of distance running when you were trying to avoid being recognised as the princess.
In the final race, the short sprint, it was once again Axel who won. None of the others could even pretend to catch up to him and Glen laughed cheerfully as he clapped a hand onto the young prince's shoulder. Many of the suitors clustered around the teen to compliment him on his wins but Cyrus caught grumbling from Ambrosias as he and Ashford loitered away from the rest. "Oh, of course he's fast. If you don't keep moving in Tabantha, you freeze to death."
Ashford smirked behind his hand. "So proud of his cold kingdom, isn't he?"
"About the only thing he can boast of, isn't it? Nothing of note out there at all. The cold even permeates his bed."
As the pair laughed with each other, they were surprised as a shower of water splashed at them from Aspen's cup; the brunette had gestured too wide as he spoke to Goldon and the contents of his mug sprayed over the gossiping boys. Rylan was quick to run over with a towel, apologising profusely, but he slipped and fell into Ambrosias, the towel slapping into the black-haired boy's face. Chaos descended as several more of Aspen's crew hurried over to help but instead, they only made it worse. Flustered and swearing, Ambrosias and Ashford hurried away to get changed. Once they were out of range, Aspen and Rylan fell over each other laughing and joking about their performance.
"Rylan, that was the most convincing trip yet. I might have believed it was true if I didn't know better." The brunette snatched a dry towel and tossed it at the blonde's head.
"Oh, it wasn't all fake. Mikel pushed me to give it an air of authenticity. Brilliant, I do say so myself." Wheezing with laughter, the teen gave the honey-haired boy in question a light punch to the shoulder. The loud laughter caught Axel's attention and he frowned deeply at them for the interruption, brushing away his brother when the man leaned down to whisper to him. With a huff, he stalked away towards where the horses were being kept for the next event and Dawson walked over to the rest.
"One of these days…"
Goldon gave the man a friendly bump with his elbow. "You can't force him to like us, your highness."
"Ooi, don't curse me with that title so early, lordling. My parents are still in fine health." The older prince sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I do worry about him though. I don't think much of his people skills if he's pulled in by Ambrosias so easily. As far as I know he doesn't even lean that way so I'm not sure what he's hoping to get from an alliance with boys who live on the opposite side of the world, practically."
Cyrus' ears twitched with interest. Every time the suitors, and the other visitors to Hyrule, spoke of allegiances and allies, he learned something new. These whispered rumours told tales that were not contained in his dossiers and it was startling how much information had not been taught to him as Zelda. Was that on purpose? Or was Hyrule too caught up in its own problems to be involved in the rest of the world? He glanced at Aspen and the brunette pulled him away under the ruse of getting more drinks.
"You look confused."
"I am, actually! I thought Ambrosias was trying to get Axel on his side! And then, what was that with you and the others? That was FAKE?! Did you rehearse that? Why would you need to do such a thing?"
Aspen laughed. "Oh, every time Ambrosias and Ashford get together, they say some really vile things about their supposed friends. Axel might not like us that much but he shouldn't be subjected to Ambrosias' vitriol after his amazing wins today. No one deserves that."
"Oh." Cyrus stared at the direction Axel had disappeared in. There were only three actual princes in the suitors, Aspen, Axel and Larch, and Zelda had been considering them as potential politically sound matches. Of course, he knew which one he preferred now but they had all seemed like nice boys in the beginning. Larch was a friendly yet shy boy who would most likely be an attentive partner. Axel had seemed more standoffish and unfortunately associated with Ambrosias but perhaps there was more to him than met the eye.
Cyrus sighed sadly. There was so much more to all of the suitors but he could only choose one. Someday, soon perhaps, he would have to send the others away and potentially never see them again. How could he do that now, knowing what he did of their personalities? When Aspen took his hand and led him over to the horses, he barely noticed but the scent and sounds of the large animals was enough to yank him out of his melancholy. Never ride distracted.
He would be riding Impa's mare, a strong grey roan, to avoid anyone questioning why he had the princess' mount. While nervous about the race, at least the horse was familiar enough with him to put them both at ease. So he took the reins from the attendant and fell in next to Aspen and Rylan, still discussing their earlier misdeeds. As they walked the sunny paths, a strange sight greeted them; the grey-haired Quercus Jr was leading his small, blonde gelding along the side of the road, content to be passed by as he held a book up to his face. Laughing, Aspen shuffled to walk next to the young man and tapped on the top of the book.
"Q! What are you doing out here?"
Sighing with an outstandingly morose expression on his face, the teen looked over at the others with his owlish gaze. "Mum said I had to do at least one event or we'd go home immediately. Can you believe it? She just doesn't understand how important my research is! Why, there's rumours this is the location of the Triforce's creation! I really wish she would prioritize my work over this whole ridiculous courtship ritual. We could stay in Hyrule without being part of all this nonsense! But no. 'You have to play nice with the other boys, dear. And once the princess gets back, you'll need to talk and dance and be charming!' Ugh! Zelda's not going to marry me anyway. I don't know why I bother."
Aspen gave the young lord a friendly pat on the arm. "Maybe if you make friends with Zelda, she'll invite you to stay. You know, to get your important research done. I doubt your mother would say no to that."
Quercus fell silent, a thoughtful expression replacing his irritation. "You make a good point, Aspen! Maybe this won't be so bad after all. Anyway, coming out for a ride on Goose will be nice, I guess. Get him some exercise. We don't have to go that fast."
"That's the spirit! You'll have fun for sure. See you at the finish line!" Aspen traded grins with Cyrus while Rylan snorted indignantly. When the Sheikah boy turned, he saw the blonde boy signing at Aspen while he rolled his eyes.
[I don't know why you encourage him. He doesn't even want to be a suitor.]
[Oh, leave him alone. Q isn't hurting anyone's chances and he's having the time of his life. He's wanted to visit Hyrule since he was young. This is like his birthday and Starfall all wrapped into one!]
Rylan rolled his eyes again but he shrugged indifferently as the trio pulled away from the quiet teen. Quercus was walking so slow that Cyrus wondered if he intended to reach the starting line at all. But once they were all mounted and ready, the sounds of jingling tack and excited horses permeating the field, he could see the calm horse with its quiet rider holding back and waiting for the event to begin like it was just one more check mark on an annoying to-do list. Once Impa stepped up to the podium, most noise stopped and the teen was pushed firmly from Cyrus' mind. As the crowd quieted, her red eyes scanned the expectant group seriously.
"Remember, stay on the course! If I catch wind of anyone taking advantage of the relative solitude to engage in mischief or fighting, I will pack all involved back home before you blink! Princess Zelda will not tolerate it! Take out your frustrations during tomorrow's event." A spattering of nervous chuckles followed, joined by a few sideways glances at various boys. When Cyrus looked at Goldon, he just laughed and gave the Sheikah boy a thumbs up before settling into his saddle. As the anticipation of the race grew, the horses became more restless and Aspen murmured to his black steed, stroking the stallion's neck to keep him quiet. Silence fell over the crowd, a pronounced hush that meant only one thing.
A loud horn rang out into the clearing. The horses surged across the starting line in a mass of heaving, large bodies and Cyrus clung to his reins, suddenly scared. His borrowed horse followed the leads of the others, much more enthusiastic about running than Zelda's own gelding had ever been. He had been planning on just hanging back, knowing his skill on the animals was not up to a race of any sort, but now found himself in the precarious predicament of sitting atop a horse that was unwilling to slow down.
The princess was perfectly adequate at horse riding and had been trained by the best of teachers. When she was young, she could trot around on a pony very well unassisted. As she got older, being familiar with riding was a necessity; they couldn't take a carriage out to every location and certainly not Zora's domain with those narrow canyons and paths. She had ridden horseback to many places, Link's home included! So she knew how to ride, thank you very much, but being taught to race a horse, well, that just wasn't a priority. Now that sh– he was faced with the reality of it, it felt dangerous. This was a mistake! Why hadn't he sat this race out? Ahead, Aspen urged his stallion onwards, staying in the top quarter of the group and leaving poor Cyrus behind. There was no time to look at one another when any wrong movement could send you falling to your doom under those pounding hooves. So he clung to his mount and closed his eyes, hoping for the best.
The horses surged down the open field, heading for a smaller gap into the trees. As light turned to dark, Cyrus opened his eyes once again and held back a gasp at the sudden turns into the trees ahead of them. He could see one of the younger suitors, Bartholomew or Caelan, glance over curiously as they pulled ahead. Despite the horse under him wanting to match pace with the others, it slowed as the hand guiding it sat immobile. Cyrus found himself frozen by indecision and fear; the path twisted and turned, the horses ahead of him making quick jumps and leaps over small obstacles. This was not safe and the fear of being hurt without ever returning to himself (herself?) again sent a shock of fear through him.
The other jockeys pulled away more.
He considered just stopping, going back and admitting his inexperience to Aspen and the others. He wasn't a suitor, after all, and there was nothing to prove! But another part of him didn't want to be defeated by a wild ride through the countryside so easily. Frowning with determination, he sat a little straighter in the saddle and snapped the reins. The horse took off immediately, blowing air out of its nose in released frustration. Ahead, he could see the tails of some of the others whipping around a corner and he urged the stallion to catch up. The pair leaned into the sharp turn, then another, then one more turn the other way. The exhilaration of the chase settled on Cyrus and he found himself grinning, actually starting to enjoy the frantic pace. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all. Maybe there was a reason why Link enjoyed horses so much. Maybe–
Bright sun broke through the dim, forest light and blinded him for a moment. He didn't see the low-hanging branch, didn't realise the trajectory it had to his face. Still blinking spots out of his eyes, Cyrus slammed into the branch at face height and tumbled backwards off his mount with a cry of pain. Momentum sent him rolling off the path and into the thick brush and trees of the woods. Before he could stop himself, head still reeling with the impact, his body slammed into another tree and he collapsed into the ferns, unconscious and unseen by anyone.
It was dark.
Cyrus rose to his feet and glanced around. The woods were different, not where he remembered being. There was no sign or sounds of anyone and magic hung in the air like a shroud. Mist rose to his ankles, a warning he shouldn't ignore, and in the absence of sounds, distant giggles were louder than they should be.
Wrapping his arms around himself, the Sheikah boy shivered and moved forwards. Only forwards, never back and so he walked on and on, on forever, not knowing where he needed to go or what to do. Step after step, endless fog and whispered laughter. The clatter of bones, the rustle of plants that moved far more than they should. His feet moved faster. He was running. Thick hedges became thicker and he pushed through trees and branches. Sounds returned to the quiet woods, snapping branches that were not under his own feet, rattling spears and thudding maces, gurgled chuckles that sounded like…
Moblins.
Cyrus veered away from the gigantic bulk that moved down a path he had been hoping to reach. Dark things were moving. Evil things breathed hate. He had to keep going. He ran and ran and ran until
a clearing
a door
a fortress that rose out of the trees, ancient but not crumbling, ivy falling down the stone walls from the battlements high above. It was a mansion, an ancient home, a place of power. Zelda had learned of these long ago. It was the Forest Temple.
He stopped at the edge of the trees, as quiet as a ghost. The moblins had not made it up this far and the clearing, with its stone platform and Triforce symbol, was deathly still. Cyrus huddled where he stopped, terrified, not knowing how he got into the Lost Woods from the northern forests where he had been. It wasn't possible, was it? Had someone carried him away when no one was looking? But why would anyone kidnap a Sheikah boy?
Did someone know who he really was?
A sound from the opposite trees sharpened his focus back to the present. A boy staggered out of the shadows, a bloody dagger in one hand, a strangely familiar item in the other; he wished he could see it better. The boy wore blue, just like him, with white wraps around wrists and neck. A white tabard covered his chest and…
Cyrus covered his mouth with his hands and spun around to hide behind the tree. The Sheikah symbol. White headwraps covering hair and mouth. The person across from him was…him. But this wasn't a memory! Link had mentioned the Forest Temple and Impa had been inside it as well but he, Zelda, had never, ever been here. And certainly not as a boy.
Another sound filled the clearing, music that somehow reminded him sharply of this place, filled with the power of the Goddesses. He recognised that sound, knew the Goddess of Time's high voice anywhere, and couldn't resist peeking around the tree despite knowing it was the worst possible thing he could have done. Neither of the pair in the clearing noticed.
"Greetings, princess. You are prompt."
"I…I go by the name Sheik now. So no one knows who I am."
There was a sigh from the goddess and a barely perceptible shake of her head. "If you insist."
"Where is the hero!?" The boy yanked down the wrappings in front of his face, showing the resemblance to the princess he once was and the other boy he didn't see watching. "It's been years and the kingdom only grows worse. Father is dead, Castle Town is haunted by undead and the castle is no more. Ganondorf rules with an iron fist! Where is the hero, Goddess? We need him, more than ever."
"It is not yet time for him to reappear. You will have to be patient."
"I am trying to be patient but I can't just wait around while more people DIE!" The boy's voice echoed in the forest and Cyrus cringed at the anguish in it. A princess who had lost everything, whose pain was greater than his. His heart pounded with shared suffering.
"You are my sage, Sheik, and as such you must learn your place. You have things you must master before the Hero awakens, songs and lessons you must teach him. He will not remember these years the way you will."
Stunned, red eyes stared up at the dark-skinned goddess in front of him. "What?"
"Learn this song, then search out the Great Fairies who can instruct you on the others. Use your Wisdom to teach Courage how to succeed. It all rests on you." With a flourish, the Goddess pulled out a lyre very similar to the one that was now recognisable in the boy's hands. Sheik hastily dropped his dagger on the grass and settled his own instrument into the crook of his arm. Six notes floated into the clearing, the same ones that had been sung when Aevum appeared, and then were played again. The boy tentatively repeated, then played again with more surety. Silence descended. Aevum slipped her instrument away and gave Sheik a level stare. "I cannot risk being seen again. Learn well. There will be hints. You have an important job to do, Sage of Time. Do not fail or all will be lost."
And then the goddess was gone.
Cyrus spun around again, facing into the trees. He could hear the other him pause, put the lyre away with a gentle strum to the strings, then the faintest rustle of the dagger being cleaned on the grass. Still he didn't move. Eventually faint sounds of someone moving through distant trees met his ears and the true silence of the forest dropped onto his shoulders once again. He could feel his muscles trembling, shaking, his heart beating fast in his chest. A strange twist in his vision shook him and suddenly he was the other princess, pushing his way through the darkness, his mind filled with thoughts of the goddess and his new duty. He was Sheik, not Cyrus, a different Zelda with a different past. The memory of destruction and fires, of a desperate flight from the castle with Impa, clawed at his mind. No, that wasn't correct. Link had warned him of Ganondorf's treachery. He wouldn't be lost to that future!
With a cry that did not echo, Cyrus yanked his mind back to himself and fell into a tree. His hands glowed with a shadowy magic that came from deep within himself, a counterpoint to his usual sunlit brilliance. The feel of it slid through his veins like an underground river and he tried to right himself, stand straight, but his head hurt, his face was agony, and he fell into the prickly underbrush on the forest floor. With the faintest whimper, darkness closed around Zelda and then there was nothing.
This isn't the life you are meant to remember.
The walls of time grow thin.
Sage of Time, your power must awaken fully for you to be yourself, once and for all.
"Oh, hello."
Cyrus groaned and lifted himself up on his arms. His head and face pounded with pain but the voice above him was friendly and curious. He cracked open eyes that felt crusty and bruised and the impact with the tree branch fell back into his conscious mind once again. He had fallen off his horse. He had been in a race. Glancing up, the teen squinted at someone sitting on a blurry, blonde horse. "Qu-Quercus?"
"Yes! That's me. Is that you, Cyrus? Your face is a mess! What happened?"
"R….ran into a tree branch. Wh-what time…?"
"Oh, the race started probably half an hour ago, maybe longer. I'm not good at keeping track of time. I'm sure the leads have already crossed the finish line. I got a little distracted by an interesting bird but remembered I ought to finish a few minutes ago."
Cyrus opened his mouth to respond, though his brain was remarkably blank on what he was supposed to say to all that, when the jingling of tack and pounding of hooves distracted his pain-addled mind. Coming around the curve that had been his downfall was a small host of riders, all in elaborate riding clothes. It was the girls and young women of the nobility, both visitors and Hyruleans alike, led by the beautiful Galera with her dark skin and ornately styled hair. Today it was in a variety of thick braids that bounced with every step of her energetic filly.
"Quercus, there you are! Your mother is very cross, you know. Lady Impa told me that I should encourage you to finish the race immediately so they can announce the results."
"Pah! I don't care. They know I'm last. What does it matter what time I come in?"
"My dear boy, it wouldn't hurt you to–oh no, what's this?"
Cyrus staggered to his feet carefully, holding a hand to his chest as a flurry of sounds from the other young women greeted his ears. He must look bad indeed to provoke that sort of reaction. Quercus waved a hand in annoyance. "I just found poor Cyrus here when I rode by! I believe he's quite hurt. Did no one notice when he failed to cross the finish line?"
With a tsk, Galera slipped off her mount. She wore riding pants and coat, the beautiful embellishments on her outfit highlighting her fit and muscular form. Cyrus couldn't help but admire the way the woman moved with grace and power and a surety that would do her well when she married Dawson and the two became the rulers of Tabantha. A couple of other young women behind her also dismounted, hurrying to catch up even as Galera took Cyrus' face between her hands, tilting it back and forth to see the damage.
"Hmm, yes, hit that branch good, did you? Did you fall unconscious?"
"I…I think so."
"We should get you to the healers right away then. Where is your horse?" The woman stepped back to look around while a cheerful blonde took her place and carefully removed her riding gloves.
"Hey there, Cyrus, I'm Natalie. I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting. I have some minor healing magic so we'll get you cleaned up quick and I can stop the bleeding, at least. Lis, get this handkerchief wet from the water skin, okay?"
A brunette behind her nodded and hurried off. Quercus also dismounted and joined Galera to look for signs of the errant mount but the hoof prints quickly disappeared into the woods and were lost. When the pair returned with their news, Cyrus groaned and was scolded by Natalie for moving while she held a faintly glowing hand over his wounds. Galera sighed and gestured to the girls still waiting idly on horseback, giggling amongst each other. Several of them were eyeing Cyrus appreciatively, even with his wounds.
"Okay ladies, we're going to have to pack it up. I'm taking Cyrus back for medical attention. If someone else wants to lead, you can continue but this takes precedence."
Another girl with long, loose curls in vibrant purple hair spoke up from the middle of the group. "The excitement will be back at the castle anyway. We'll go back with you."
"If the others are content to let you speak for them, Evelyn, then so be it." There were some disappointed murmurs but most of the young women nodded in agreement. Galera helped Cyrus stand again and led him towards her own mount, a sturdy draft mare with a mottled tan pattern. "We'll let Lady Impa know about the horse. Don't worry your handsome head about it. You can–"
"He can ride with me!" A volley of giggles slapped into Cyrus' back and he hunched self-consciously at the attention. It was the same sort of giggling he had heard in town before and it was just as discomforting now. These weren't city girls, these were nobles! If he had acted that way as Zelda, why, Impa would have scolded him thoroughly. He couldn't tell who had called out but Galera glared, made a loud tsk at the others, then waved for Cyrus to climb up on her mount.
"He will be riding with me. Behave, ladies, we are meant to be an example."
As the Sheikah boy clambered up on the front of the horse, he could hear disgruntled mutters from some of the others. "Hmmph, we're allowed to have fun occasionally."
"Not even let out of the castle half the time to be an example anyway."
"Why do the boys get all the fun!"
Galera sighed and easily swung herself up into the saddle behind Cyrus. The woman's strong arms wrapped around the boy and he could feel his face flushing. "I know, I know. I'll speak with Princess Zelda just as soon as she returns. The king refuses to assign guards until the princess is home. We'll get it worked out."
Grumpy acknowledgements followed as Galera turned her steed back the way they came. Quercus, once again on his friendly gelding, trotted along just behind her. Cyrus remained still, feeling like a child where he sat but eternally grateful not to be holding himself up. The longer they bounced along, the more he hurt. But the press of Galera's body against his, holding him in place while he kept a damp cloth against one of his eyes, made his heart pound much harder than it should. The woman was strong and beautiful, but also engaged already! And a woman! Was he attracted to another girl?! The acknowledgement that he still considered himself female was comforting in a way but also confusing at the same time. What was happening to him?
It was a short ride back to the start and there was already a commotion waiting for them when they finally arrived. Lady Impa shouted commands when she saw the women ride up but she paused long enough to notice the pale blonde rider with them. Cyrus' eyes met hers and relief immediately flooded the woman's face as she ran over, her usual cool indifference gone.
"Cyrus, thank the Goddesses. When you didn't come back, I was so worried." Impa's hand grabbed his and she squeezed it tightly. So engrossed in the boy's well-being, she didn't notice the whispers and speculations making their way through the observing young women.
"It's okay, Impa. I, uh, hit a branch and fell off your horse. I'm so sorry, we don't know where he went." Cyrus was hurrying through the words, as if afraid he wouldn't get a chance to say them. But Impa's expression didn't change, even when the horse was mentioned. "Um, Quercus found me on the ground."
Galera cleared her throat lightly. "Maybe let Quercus' mother know what happened? He was too busy helping Cyrus here to finish the race."
"Certainly, of course. My thanks, Lord Quercus, for your aid. Cyrus, let's get you to the healers for a closer examination. Was this your work, Natalie? You did well to ease the injuries." Impa was already raising her arms to hold Cyrus and he flushed red with embarrassment.
"I'm not a child anymore, Impa. I can get down."
"Of course, I know."
All eyes were on Cyrus as he slipped off the horse, as he tried to hide his damaged face behind a bowed head and tangled, half-undone hair. On the far side of the clearing, voices rang out and a flurry of movement showed people hurrying over. As he looked up, red eyes met with grey ones when Aspen pushed through the crowd. He tried to smile into the horrified expression on the young prince but it didn't land very well.
"Cyrus! What happened!?"
"I, uh, hit a low hanging branch. Was going pretty fast…"
"Yes, and we are going to get you to the healers immediately. I apologise, Prince Aspen, but you'll be able to speak later. Pardon us, we need to get through. Excuse us!" The white-haired woman parted the bystanders in front of them and Cyrus glanced back to see Aspen watching with tearful concern.
When the pair made it to the medical tent, the looks on the healers' faces echoed those of the crowd outside. Impa spoke in low tones with the head priestess, then escorted Cyrus into a separate tent to the side and sat next to him, holding his hand quietly. The teen stared up into the woman's face, a strange feeling working its way through him. Impa was concerned, more than just because he was the princess. The look on the woman's face when she saw him was the same one Zelda had seen on the god when he saw Link in the castle just days before. Fear, concern, love. Cyrus swallowed hard and squeezed the hand holding his.
"Impa, I'm okay."
The Sheikah released a small breath. "I know. But you don't look okay, even with the healing Natalie was able to give you. You look as if you were hit in the head by a moblin."
Feelings roiled around in Cyrus' chest. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get hurt."
Without warning, Impa turned and grabbed up the boy in a hug. It reminded him of when he was a young girl and Queen Zelda would comfort her after falling and skinning her knees. A mother's love, holding her tight when things went wrong. She had been so young when her mother died, only seven, but the memory of that love held her up on the darkest days. And now, despite being the wrong gender and in the wrong place, Impa gave that to him again. A shuddering release of tension shook his body and he leaned into the strong embrace from a woman who also saw him as her child. A hiccupy sort of sob fell from his lips and he tried not to push his injured face into the smooth blue tunic, knowing it would hurt. How could he not have seen what Impa was to him all these years? Why did he have to become something different to notice her love? Impa's long fingers stroked the boy's hair and she murmured comforting words in the Sheikah language. In the back of her throat hummed a song, a lullaby of her people, something Cyrus almost recalled hearing when he was very young. Had it been Impa who had sung to him? Or had it been his mother? It didn't matter; the music held comfort in the way that very little else did.
When the High Priestess arrived shortly afterwards, that was how she found the pair; Impa holding the boy that shouldn't be and Cyrus leaning against her, tears running down his injured face. Nadile delicately cleared her throat to make them aware of her presence and Impa looked up, brushed a delicate kiss on Cyrus' head, then stood and fetched a small tray with healing tools. Nadile pulled up a chair to Cyrus and took the boy's face in her hands, her own immobile, professional and calm to a fault. The teen sighed faintly and tried to smile, regretting it instantly.
"That bad, huh?"
"What makes you say that?" The woman's gentle fingers poked at a tender spot and he winced.
"I recognise that look. You only look bland when things are bad."
Nadile chuckled softly and pulled a small, reflective piece of metal off the tray, holding it so Cyrus could see his wounds. He sucked his breath in, then put a tentative hand up to his face. Both eyes were blackened and he suspected the minor healing Natalie had given him was the only reason why he could see. His nose had somehow avoided a break but a jagged cut from the branch left a sharp red line across his face. Smaller cuts and bruises were fading but the corner of his mouth was bleeding and a large bruise in the shape of the branch was turning yellow even as he watched. Cringing, he pushed the metal away and looked to the side. The Priestess pulled his face back and began prodding it once again, her fingers warm and exuding a soothing light. "Well, it could have been worse."
"Worse?! I look horrible!" Impa made a sound deep in her throat and Cyrus glared at her. "I do! I'm surprised anyone recognised me! How am I going to function like this?!"
Nadile tsk'd in her throat and rubbed her thumbs into the teen's eyes. He swore loudly, eliciting another tsk from Impa, but the Priestess didn't seem concerned with the language. "I can heal this up with only the faintest of bruises remaining, and those will fade by tomorrow. Normally we don't bother with such measures because it takes a lot of magic but you are rather more important than most people."
Cyrus flushed red, though it was nearly impossible to see through his bruising. It was a sudden reminder of his normal life, of Zelda, that was slowly being overshadowed by his life as Cyrus. He was still the princess, even though no one recognised him, but there were times where he was beginning to forget that.
But he couldn't forget! There was too much at stake to not be Zelda again. His people needed him to be her, to be the Blood of the Goddess and save them from evil. Too much was already going wrong because Zelda was missing. The noble girls were being treated unfairly. His father was falling apart faster than ever because there was no one to provide a calm counterpoint to his radical ideas. The populace was already murmuring about her extended absence. If word got through to the Gerudo, would they attack sooner than estimated, sensing a weakness? Is that why Lorsham was pushing so heavily to ready Hyrule for war?
Still, Cyrus wasn't sure he wanted to let go of this new life that was forming. The suitors were so much more than just boys to marry. Aspen's smile and the strong movements of his hands was quickly becoming a fixture in his life. Rylan's easy grin as he tried to help with signs. Goldon's brotherly encouragement. Larch's innocent enthusiasm. Aedan's friendly boasts. Even the Hyrulean boys had shown sides of themselves they had not to Princess Zelda. The laughing and joking and playful competitiveness of all the young men gave him joy in a time when all he knew was stress.
As High Priestess Nadile worked on his face, he sat and thought and couldn't decide what he wanted for his life. Did he even have a choice? He couldn't set himself right and neither could anyone else. He was stuck in this horrible middle ground where he couldn't be what he should be and didn't know what he even wanted in the first place. There was no good answer, no ready solution. There was only confusion and doubt.
And for the first time in his (or her) life, no amount of wisdom could get him out of his predicament.
He didn't go to dinner that evening. Once Nadile finished her spell, worn out from the expenditure of magic, she cautioned him to take care. His body was healing much more rapidly but it would take time to complete and she'd return the next day to finish what might be left. So Cyrus sat in his bedroom and ate a quiet dinner while his skin prickled and stung with the continued accelerated healing. He was surprised when someone knocked on his door and when it opened, he found that his heart knew who it was all along. Prince Aspen stood in the doorway, looking morose with a vase of flowers in his hand as the other signed a brief [sorry]. When he looked up, surprise was echoed in his eyes but he almost immediately smiled as he held out the flowers.
"Oh, you're looking much better!"
Cyrus took the cluster of pleasant-smelling blooms and held them to his chest where his heart thudded against them. "Yes, I had some healing this afternoon."
"That must have been a strong spell! Your face, well…it was a mess, honestly. I mean, I'm sure there's been worse but I was surprised you were even walking upright with that sort of injury. When you weren't at dinner, the guys assumed the worst."
"Oh, well, Lady Impa has status, you know. I, um, can't do my job very well if my face is a bruised mess, right?"
"Of course not! Still, I'm glad you're not in pain. You're…not in pain, right?"
Cyrus laughed. "No, not anymore." An awkward pause hung between them, then the blonde stepped to the side slightly. "Did you want to come in?"
"Certainly!" Aspen was smiling again, his usual bright enthusiasm shining out of his face, and he glanced around the spare, barely decorated room. "Not your usual residence, is it?"
The blonde laughed faintly, then regretted it as the smile lines stretched uncomfortably. "You really are observant, aren't you? No, but this is my current home and I'm trying to make it more personable."
"The flowers will help!"
Cyrus nodded and set the vase down on his desk. The bright, spring blooms made the room automatically feel more homely. "Yes, thank you. Sorry, I don't have a lot of space for people to sit but make yourself at home."
With a laugh, Aspen plopped down on the bed and patted the place next to him. Cyrus joined him, a small smile settling on his lips, and tucked loose hair behind an ear. "So, um, who won?"
"Won? Oh! The race! It was Glen, though I honestly thought Rylan had a chance for a moment. He's very good at riding and loves racing the other nobles in his area."
"And you?"
"Oh, I was fourth or fifth or something like that." The brunette waved a dismissive hand but Cyrus' eyes widened.
"But that's very good!"
"Oh sure, but it's the horse that does most of the work there. I'm just nice to mine so he tries very hard, you know?"
Cyrus chuckled and shook his head. "If you say so. I'm still upset about mine. Impa said no one's been able to figure out where he went. I can't believe I lost her horse." Sighing, he buried his face in his hands but a gentle touch from Aspen pulled his gaze upwards again. The grey eyes were very close to his own and he hitched in a breath.
"I was really worried about you when you didn't cross the finish line."
"Um, sorry."
"Don't be sorry. I just wanted you to know."
The boys' faces were centimetres apart. Cyrus could feel Aspen's breath against his lips as the prince leaned even closer. A blank silence sat in his head, a waiting quiet he'd experienced only once. A touch as light as a butterfly pressed up against his chapped and healing skin, then pressed in a little harder when he didn't pull away. An electric feeling of joy settled in the teen's head and he leaned in just enough to assure Aspen of his returned interest. There was something comforting in the boy's lips, a sense of rightness that made his heart soar. The kiss pressed in a little more and he closed his eyes…
Then a stinging pain poked at his lips and he pulled away with a gasp, hand going to the tender skin on the side of his mouth.
Aspen blinked and put a hand up to the blonde's face. "Oh, I'm sorry Cyrus. You're still hurt. I…I got carried away."
"It's okay." The teen rested a hand over the other boy's, sadness filling his throat for what had almost just been. "I…I'm supposed to get another checkup tomorrow morning but Na– the priestess said it would take overnight to heal completely."
Aspen smiled and pulled his hand down, taking both of Cyrus' in his own. "Okay, that's not too bad. I guess maybe you'll not be able to wrestle tomorrow? It's the second to last event."
"Um, probably not."
"That's okay then. You can come and watch, right? And then we can have dinner together and…if you're interested, maybe we can continue?"
Heat ran through Cyrus' skin but he found himself nodding. "That…that sounds nice."
"Great! It's a date then."
"Yes, definitely!"
The two smiled at each other for a moment and once again, Cyrus considered telling Aspen right then and there about his horrible gender mix up. He even opened his mouth to begin but a frantic knock at his door choked the words out of his mind. A hurried yes gave way to the open door and Hilie ran in, looking frazzled, bits of her platinum blonde hair loose from their usual ponytail.
"Zzzze….oh hello Aspen! What brings you here this late at night?" The young woman stopped, her eyes taking in the two holding hands on the bed, then shook her head and continued. "Never mind that. Cyrus, there's been rumours around Castle Town this evening. Link has been spotted, except he's behaving very strangely."
"Link?" The boy's red eyes blinked as he stared at Hilie. "What do you mean by weird? I mean, didn't, uh, Zelda always say most people see him as kinda odd?"
"Yes, but not like this. Link is usually pleasant and friendly, helpful to a fault. Usually he's not stealing from them!"
Notes:
Well....
I fought with this chapter. It's not a bad one and in fact, there's a ton of stuff I like in it. But I guess having to deal with all the real-life shit I am right now just made it very hard. First week of school, back to work, a lot of other things going on in real life that I have to juggle. It just made editing very hard. I did get a ton of writing for FoT done in the LU Write-a-thon so I expect the next update will at least be on time.
Anyway, let's continue.
OOPS, premonitions! Oh boy oh boy! I get to do more of these now! :D It's going to be so much fun! Hints to the future!
I originally was going to have Zelda be, you know, the height she was in OOT and then I thought no, no, let's have all this gender fuckery mess with his/her hormones something horrible! What's gonna haaaaaappen? How tall is she gonna be? Who knows! Not me! I just write this thing. (ps: I really like Hilie)
I'm just pulling out whatever I fucking feel like doing with this tournament. They're just trying to keep the suitors busy so they don't beat each other up. So let's do foot races! Yay! Also, Ambrosias is *still* a bitch. This surprises no one. And I love putting these little tidbits and stuff about the suitors for people to find. They're a complicated bunch. I love them. Also, Quercus gets another appearance! I don't know why he amuses me so much, but he does.
Okay, be honestly, how many of you realised where Zelda was before I said "Forest Temple"? How many of you guessed that Zelda was seeing something that happened to Sheik at exactly the same moment in the other timeline? See, Link was asleep through his current years so he doesn't get the same problems Zelda/Cyrus does. And with Zelda as a boy *again*, there's definitely some bleed-through happening. Oops. No wonder Aevum was concerned.
I swear that "Oh hello" is the funniest thing I've ever written. Maybe I'm just tired.
Gueeeeeeessssss what! The GIRLS are going to start making appearances now too. I've mentioned a few but the fic has been very heavy on the suitors and that's not going to be true for much longer. Hmm, I wonder what the catalyst for Zelda hanging out with the girls more often could be? It's a mystery!
And we get another tender moment with Impa. Impa loves Zelda so much and Cyrus reminds her of her own son and...well, I should do an Impa POV sometime soon. We'll see if it happens.
And finally, we end on a cute Aspen/Cyrus moment. Are they moving a bit fast? Probably. Is Zelda going to tell Aspen who he really is? Who knows! Is Link actually back!? I mean, he shouldn't be.... but we'll find out! Probably!
Next time, well....that would be telling, wouldn't it? Mmmm, cliffhangers. Gotta love them. Ta ta for now!
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