#Castletown House

[mypepemateosus]

Irlanda, Condado de Kildare, Celbridge, Castletown House, la escalera Hall.

[oceancentury]

My Top 10 ‘original’ posts of 2023.

[unexpectedstormy]

Angsty story idea I just had:

Wild is feeling homesick for the home he had before the calamity and before he drew the Master Sword. All the other Links have their places of origin and he wants to know his own. He asks Flora but she doesn’t know where his home was. She only knew him at the castle. He prays to Hylia to show him his home.

Later, the Chain's in his Hyrule and they’re riding horses somewhere and Wild sees a ruined house out in the wilderness surrounded by blue nightshade (which is the symbolic flower of BotW/TotK Link). He realizes that this is his home and he ends up having a long memory of some of his life as a child living there.

He then finds something from that old time like a buried chest of valuables his family buried before the Calamity for safekeeping.

[skyward-floored]

You should totally do an update/vibe post for your fics! I bet for the True Form AU right now Link and Midna are taking shelter for the night and Midna’s griping about how freaking weird ooccoos are and Link’s just laughing and agreeing.

Well... okay you convinced me XD

You were right about true form; Link and Midna have moved on from Snowpeak and are camping out in a safe spot near Hyrule Field. Link is trying not to laugh his head off over Midna’s apt description of Ooccoo as being “a flying abomination with eyes more creepy than Zant’s” and trying to defend her usefulness while admitting that yeah, she’s creepy. They‘re holding hands and looking up at the stars while having this conversation.

Castletown wedding... things aren’t going so great. I’ll skip what the Links and Artemis are doing because, well... they’re basically either stuck or being prodded back to Cia. Things are kinda hopeless. The bridesmaids on the other hand, led by Linkle, are making a valiant effort towards fighting off the monsters attacking the main square at the moment!

In Brethren in a Cradle, Twilight and Warriors are having a quiet conversation about everything that’s going on, Four chiming in occasionally. Wild is asleep on Twilight’s lap, and Ember is asleep in Warriors’, and our captain is putting on an excellent “I am not freaking out right now” face. Meanwhile with the other group, Time is fuming, Epona is nibbling at his hair, and all the heroes are wondering how on earth Twilight managed to get away from the old man and go look for the other group.

Over in Up in Arms, Toon and Mask have helped Link (Warriors) limp out to sit at the edge of camp, watching the sun go down and the fireflies start to come out. Mask has halfway wrapped himself up in Link’s scarf, and Toon is leaning on Link’s remaining arm, being careful not to bump any of his injuries. Link is resting his head on Toon’s, and none of them are saying anything.

[bobthebobking]

thinking about the what if of spirit tracks ending with niko and alfonzo coming to pick up link and zelda again... we could have had it all

[thecagedsong]

Okay, so I've seen a lot of complaints about the writing in totk, but I think the critiques are taking too narrow a view. Sure the arcs seem flat if you start from the point of Zelda and Link traveling below hyrule castle, but I don't think that's where you, the viewer, are supposed to start. You're supposed to start the story from the true ending of botw, and in doing so, the character arcs become not only beautiful, but complimentary and fulfilling. Spoilers under the cut.

Why should you start at the end of botw instead of the start of the game? Easy, because the game has to start in medias res, it's the nature of the game, but the story the game tells starts where botw leaves off.

They did this in botw. The game starts in the shrine of resurrection, but the story starts with Zelda's first journal entry/memory and the story is really about discovering your own fall and the rebirth that comes after destruction once hope exists in the light. The character arcs are about Zelda going from stubborn isolated powerless princess to conquering evil with the power of love. Link goes from the stoic knight that puts up with every expectation and falls to Link the amnesiac going at his own pace, at his own freedom, and succeeding.

The same way botw's story starts 100 years earlier, you have to start Zelda and Link's totk arcs from the true ending of botw. From the girl that had come to terms with her own powerlessness and sought to begin rebuilding from ash and the boy who fulfilled his one task, and is still choosing to use his freedom to help the dethroned princess rebuild.

The way Zelda is written is beautiful if you start from there. Because botw ended with her accepting that she had worth and duty beyond the golden power, and totk tells you how she showed that worth through service to her people. That girl that dreamed of being a scholar became a school teacher. That girl that had to fight so hard for her father's love and was convinced that everyone hated her own powerlessness? In her powerlessness she shared her knowledge with people and became loved for it. That girl who we left seeking the Zora, the only people that would remember her, when almost no one knows about the princess who was locked in the castle, is now known throughout the land. The girl that was missing for 100 years with only the sheikah remembering her, she disappears and the whole kingdom fights to find her.

The girl we saw walking away from the ruins of her home and her cage, listening to the distant goodbyes of her long-deceased loved ones, now has a home in Hateno where children run up to her house with just as much love screaming her name.

Now, in the middle of her arc, the start of totk, Zelda goes to confront the ghosts of Hyrule castle. In all her adventures in the time skip, Castletown and the castle are nowhere on the list. They are as destroyed as they were at the end of botw. BUT she has healed and grown, and is now strong enough, and ready enough to fulfill her duty, that she can return.

But she doesn't come back as it's princess, seeking to rebuild, she comes back as the archeologist, seeking to plunder its secrets. She hides the Champion's tunic there, (with a riddle involving light) and gasps in delight over all the archeological discoveries that had laid hidden beneath her feet all these years. She can handle the empty castle as a scholar.

But then she's in the past, and she's without Link, and she's meeting the people that established the kingdom she let fall to ruin. Zelda learns about the importance of being unified, as seen from her requests to the ancient sages, a central theme of totk. Zelda faces her own powerlessness when Mineru tells her there is no way back, and when Sonia begins to teach her control. Zelda immediately despairs over ever having the control and power Sonia wields, and it's the same frustration she had with her golden power when she was younger. But she asks for and accepts help this time (like she should have from Mipha in botw) and she gains control and power and it isn't enough in the past, but she knows how to make it enough.

Having united the sages, they watch her sacrifice in a sign of respect. The sheer ceremony of the moment is like nothing we've heard about what Zelda was like during the time skip. It isn't Miss Zelda the teacher that built a school in hateno, or Zelda the scholar that walked through Hyrule castle, it is once again Zelda the Princess making this sacrifice to swallow the stone.

It's meant to parallel the moment in botw where Zelda gets swallowed up by the Calamity. But you can see that she is surer of herself, centered, unafraid, and she does not ask Link to save her. She is not praying and looking back and asking Link to come save her. Instead, she tells him to save Hyrule. And it has meaning because she is also Zelda the scholar and Zelda the teacher and the thousand of other things we learn about her activities during the time skip. That is the hyrule she wants to save. That is the Hyrule she seeks to unite by asking the sages to bind their people to help Link in the future.

(She pressed the sword to her chest in a way that mirrored her stabbing herself, this time it is Zelda who died so that Link might live in the future.)

When Zelda tells Link that she's come home, you cannot say she has not changed from the homeless girl who had just learned to accept that her worth did not lie in birthrights and golden power. Zelda had learned her worth in the skills completely absent of any power, political or golden, but in the second half of her arc took up power and leadership again because that was what Hyrule needed of her. Because of the examples of Sonia and Rauru and because her fallen kingdom wasn't united and it needed to be. She is so much more complete than at the ending of botw, or even the start of totk. She has retaken the mantle of Princess, but she knows what it is about now and I don't know how else to say it if you aren't getting it.

Then comes Link, whose flexibility as the player has always required a less complex character arc, and probably deserves its own post, but I want to give it a quickshot anyway. Link leaves off botw probably still missing most of his memories, with the mastersword on his back, this time choosing to protect and walk with Zelda on her journey around Hyrule.

In the time skip, we learn that he sticks to her like glue. Princess Zelda and Link are perpetually paired by the people of Hyrule. Link barely even registers in people's memories without Zelda around, because he hasn't truly left her in all 5-7 years during the timeskip. He is known (again?) as 'Princess Zelda's loyal swordsman'. Is that a sign of him reclaiming some of his past life? Could be. What's important to learn about Link in the time skip is that he is no longer alone. Which is a big step from botw ending Link, who was always alone and had just begun traveling with Zelda again. From the rootlessness of botw, to saving Zelda, to making Zelda the place he always chooses to be, that's how Link's grown in the timeskip. He is no longer alone because he has Zelda.

He has someone worth fighting for now, he has memories of someone precious, someone he scours Hyrule to find. Link's freedom in botw was about discovering himself, but in totk, he is using his freedom to do everything to go to her. HE HAS A HOME NOW AND ITS CALLED ZELDA. Investigating rumors, walking into obvious traps, asking everyone and their dog about her. The goal of the game is to find Zelda. Bring her back.

And then you learn about Zelda's transformation. You see her crying. He pulls each of her tears and memories into himself. And this time it's Link asking 'do you really remember me?'. He has to take up Zelda's role and bring the amnesiac back to herself, give her back her memories. The job's not done because he found her transformed, she needs her memory back, it's not done until she's back and knows herself.

This arc is coupled with Link confronting his own failures. He was at the height of his powers when the demon king Zapped him and he let Zelda slip through his fingers. He failed her, just like he did before. And the people that do recognize him without Zelda all ask him where she is, and he has to admit he failed to them too, something he didn't have to do in botw.

But unlike botw, where he failed and the solution was to get strong enough not to fail/be strong at the same time Zelda is, in totk, the solution is to unite with allies. Unite the tribes, accept their help, and only then is Link and crew strong enough to take on the demon king.

It is only when he also takes up the mantle of Rauru and Sonia and unites Hyrule into a single force, it is only when he accepts aid from the past and pulls their vision of hyrule into the future, that he gets Zelda back. Zelda needed to learn how to take up being a princess again for the sake of Hyrule. Link needed to learn how to unite Hyrule for the sake of Zelda.

And though I would have liked Zelda to be a little dragonish, or Link to deal with being an amputee, it doesn't bother me that much because their arcs weren't about that. I don't think it makes the stories bad writing.

But you have to start from the true ending of botw to get that.

[bokettochild]

LU Moms

List of LU boys I'm giving a mom because I can <3

Sky: His mom's name is Robin and she's a weaver who lives on one of the smaller islands. Sky moved to Skyloft for schooling, but he visits his mom from time to time. They are sass/gossip buddies and he got his looks and sense of humor from her. She's far bolder than he is (and with a far dirtier mouth) and quite the chatter-box. She taught him embroidery and anything of his that he or Zelda didn't make, she probably did.

Warriors: Lyra Tailor is a soft-spoken sort of person. She used to sew to provide for the family, but she's getting on in years and her eyesight isn't what it used to be. In some ways, Legend reminds Wars of his mother (arthritis and determination), and she held their family together even after the loss of both her husbands. Currently, she lives in a lovely house in Castletown that Warriors bought for them, sitting right over the tailor shop that his sisters currently work at (and own). She's an amazing singer and while not a bold woman, if asked, she's the strongest person the captain knows. She no longer can sew very much, but she tends the flower beds around the house religiously.

Four: His mum, Myrtle Smith, is the daughter of Grandpa Smith. She's a lady-in-waiting to the current queen, and thus isn't around as often as Four's father. She's soft spoken and, unlike her husband and son(s), doesn't tend to talk much at all. She loves gardening though, and she and Leon (Four's Dad) actually met in the castle gardens while she was gathering some flowers for the (then) princess. Out of all the colors, Blue takes after her the most, with a love of cooking and a keen focus on tidiness. Like him, her temper is terrifying, but it's is much harder to trigger.

Legend: Technically, she's believed to be dead, but I have headcannons, so here we go. Loretta Hyrule was the previous queen of Hyrule. Due to the fall of the hero some generations ago, her kingdom is far from peaceful and she was well known as a warrior queen. Petite in size but with a very strong presence, she was good at commanding the room and leading her troops into battle. She was a bold, determined sort of person, with a strong love of horses and art, as well as being a hopeless romantic. Fable inherited her leadership skills, but most castle staff say that Legend is her living legacy, as he takes after her in terms of both looks and personality.

[joeinct]

Flies in the Window, Castletown House, Ireland, Photo by Alen Macweeney, 1972

[illegiblehandwriting1]

been thinking about the adult timeline, oot zelda went from being this pampered 9- or 10-year-old crown princess with servants and maids and a full royal guard and a giant house and so much food and clothing and safety and anything she could ever want, and suddenly this whole-ass child wakes up one night from a prophetic dream, her father doesn't listen, and suddenly she goes from having everything to nothing, her father's probably dead, the castle is no longer home, her one hope disappears, she and her one bodyguard hide away with the threat of being discovered around every corner, and everything has turned into her worst nightmare overnight.

And now she has to scrounge and steal and barter for food instead of having it handed to her, she has to dress herself with whatever they have on hand instead of having a maid do it, she has to sleep on rocks and in grass with nothing but her bodyguard's arms around her in some semblance of safety. She looks at everyone else doing the same and knows that it's her fault. She looks at impa trying to keep her safe, suddenly forcing her into Sheikah training for days on end and making her work herself to the bone for the first time since she was born, and she complains because she's a royal kid, but she knows that impa's training is going to keep her alive in this new hell she's created for herself.

She becomes Sheik, becomes him wholly and completely because he is quick and silent and smarter than she could ever be, and he won't make stupid mistakes and get his subjects killed because of it, and he is tough and unimportant and dedicated and, incredibly, more comfortable than Zelda ever had been. Sheik can stay alive and fight from the shadows and train for hours on end without dropping from exhaustion. He can survive and fix childish mistakes and help his subjects, though they will never know it's him. and then impa has to leave him for one of her many, many reconnaissance trips, but for once, neither of them are scared to leave the other because he won't get himself killed at the first sign of trouble. And she doesn't come back, but he doesn't fret, because she can take care of herself and he can trust her.

And he still worries, just a little bit.

And then he's seventeen, and it's been so long, but he scouts out castletown one more time, hiding from all of Ganon's eyes like second nature, when a flash of light catches his eye from the Temple of Time. So he sneaks over to the stained-glass window that looked down upon the Master Sword. But the Master Sword isn't in its pedestal: it's being held by a gangly teenager with a green tunic, a fairy, and a blue ocarina at his belt.

And maybe Sheik realizes he finally has a real chance to fix his mistake.

ANYway I'm just saying that child timeline Sheik probably had an easier learning curve for his ninja-assassin training

[airplanned]

Castletown Academy 2

Zelda produces an overwhelming amount of legal paperwork to make this happen.

--

Zelda passed a thick binder across the table at the coffee shop.  "The first section is my proposed prenuptial agreement--it should be straight forward, since we will not have any joint marital assets.  The second section is a lease for the mother-in-law unit behind my house.  It's set up like a rental unit, so it's self contained.  I've never used it for anything other than storage.  You'll be able to have privacy and autonomy while we share a mailing address.  It will also be easy to car pool.  I don't expect rent, but you would be responsible for your utilities."

Link's eyebrows hiked as he looked over the pictures she'd put in at the back.  His friend leaned in over his shoulder to look too.  Supposedly, this man was a lawyer, but it was clear from the look on his face that he had not been prepared for the full force of Zelda's paperwork.  The man had a bushy mustache, spoke even less than Link did, and looked as if he might start sweating.

Maybe this was a bit overkill.  Maybe this was a bad first impression on Link's friend.

She hurried to say, "The details are in there.  You can come and look at it first, of course.  The lease is a formality, just to protect us both if things go wrong.  If there's anything in there you would like adjusted--"

"You don't want rent?" Link asked.

Oh.  "You're going to be my husband.  That would be strange."

He snorted and then tried to act like it was a cough.  The friend hummed.

"The next section is a draft of an addendum I'll be adding to my will once we're married.  It will set up a trust fund for Flora to use for school in the case of my death."

Link nodded, but the lawyer hummed again in disapproval.

Zelda was about to bristle and explain that they had an understanding, but Link cut in first.  "I don't need to be in her will."

"Okay," he said.  Then, "Most husbands are in their wives' wills."

"We're doing things differently."

"Okay," he said.  Then, "Just seems kinda weird."

Link rolled his eyes.  "You knew your wife for two weeks before you proposed."

The man shrugged.  "Knew her last name before I did."

"That's--"

"And now I get to kiss on her."

"Do you have anything helpful to add?" Link asked.

"...Nope."

"Okay then."

"...Just seems like a bad idea."

"Your official lawyer advice is that it seems like a bad idea?"

"...No, that's friend advice.  I'll have to read first to give you lawyer advice."

"That's--Great.  Thanks, Hudson."

The lawyer friend nodded and hummed to tell Link he was welcome.

Link's eyes darted up to hers in apology, and she bit her lip and took a deep breath.

"The last section is information that might be useful about me and Ralphie.  Contact information for his doctor and baby sitters and piano teacher.  He's allergic to amoxicillin.  That kind of thing."

"Oh, that's a good idea," Link said.  "I should type something up about me and--"

He flipped to the section, and his words died in his mouth.

Yes, she had definitely gone overboard.  But it all seemed like things he would need to know if he became a part of their lives.  Overviews of their schedules--when she left for work and what day Ralphie had therapy and how he was expected to do homework and piano before he played any video games.  Some house rules.  Some information about what she did for a living, which people tended to not understand.  A family tree in case one of her cousins dropped by.  Information about the house.  Medical histories.  Some background information about where she grew up and went to college and work history (Goddesses, it looked like a resume).  Some background about Ralphie's anxiety and the timeline she'd drawn up about the bullying he'd faced at school.  A copy of the restraining order they have against Ralphie's father and a copy of the paperwork terminating parental rights.

Her whole life laid bare and handed over to someone she barely knew.

And it was a lot.

She cleared her throat.  "I--"

The lawyer leaned in again to read over Link's shoulder, and Link flipped to the front of the binder, popped open the metal rings, and removed the sections the lawyer would need to look over.  He took the papers, and Link closed the notebook, quietly protecting her privacy.

"Are you okay with getting married at town hall?" he asked.  "We could do a party later.  A temple service if--"

She hurriedly agreed, "Town hall is fine.  I think the children should be there, but beyond that..."

"Exactly.  I have a black suit and Flora has a pink dress and a green dress.  They're from Malo Mart.  The dresses, not the suit.  But I can get us something nicer, if you want."

"I'm sure they're cute.  Ralphie has a button up shirt and a bow tie."

"That sounds adorable."

"It is."

"Flowers?" he asked.  "I can get flowers."

"Do you want to get flowers?"

"Yeah.  What's your favorite kind?"  He'd had a note pad in front of him the whole time, but he had yet to write anything down.  Now he reached for his pen.

"Silent princesses," she said.

He nodded, writing it down. "Do you want to go eat afterwards?  There's that Tabanthan place nearby.  The food is really good.  It's nice. But not so nice the kids couldn't come."

"That would be excellent."

"Would Friday work for you?  We could go after I pick up Flora from school."

"About 4:30?  That sounds good as long as all the contracts are signed by then."

Link turned to his lawyer friend, who shrugged.  "I'll see what I can do."

"Good."  

Link pulled a folded sheet of paper from the back of his note pad, but hesitated before handing it over.  "These are some ring designs I thought were nice, but now...maybe I should read your packet and see if I can find something that's more you?"  The tips of his ears pinkened as he passed it across. 

"You don't have to--"

The perfect ring looked up at her.  One round diamond with two little ones on either side set flush in a simple band.

There were eight other rings on the page, all in a variety of styles--geometric and swirling, clunky and delicate, different cuts and different sizes, some with additional colored stones.  He was giving her options.  But he'd found the perfect one.

She lay the paper down between them and pointed.  "That one."

A smile twitched across his face, and he circled the ring in a haphazard circle with his pen.  "What's your ring size?"

"Six.  Yellow gold, please.  I do get hives with other metals."

"Gotchya.  Does tomorrow work for Flora and I to come over to see your mother-in-law suite?"

"Yes."  She shook herself and pulled out her slate to check her schedule.  "I won't be home until six."

"Is 6:30 too late?"

"Not at all."

He wanted to get her a ring.  He wanted to get flowers.  He wanted to take her to dinner.  Her heart shouldn't flutter so much.  She should put a pause on the conversation and make sure they were on the same page that there wouldn't be any romantic entanglement.

She should.  But she didn't. He was just being kind, trying to make this process as pleasant as possible.  He'd been married before, and was probably well aware that this could scarcely be called a wedding.  The rings were just to keep up pretenses with the school.  Surely, they didn't give tenants and roommates sibling benefits.

"Awesome," Link said, finishing his note to himself.  "Flora will still have another week of school after we go to the court house.  I don't want to be too disruptive, so once school's over, we can pack up the apartment and move the week after."

"I can hire movers if you'd like.  They can pack for you."

He looked up at her in confusion.  "They would...pack my stuff for me?"

"If you'd like."

He blinked at her.  "Let me think about it."

"Alright."

"Okay."

They stared at each other.

"Are we good?" he asked.

She straightened her spine and gave a relieved sigh.  "I think so."

Link smiled at her.

The lawyer friend mumbled, "Fastest wedding planning I've ever seen."

[mea-gloria-fides]

Castletown House.

[wanderlustmagician]

Skyloft Valley things;

Time is the local Guild leader, he’s only kind of grizzled since he undermines himself with his big ol crush on Malon

Malon runs the local ranch, Lon Lon, and is besties with the Mayor.

Lullaby is the mayor and lives in the Mayor’s house with her younger sister, Dusk. Dusk works part time at Malo Mart and is taking college classes online.

Ravio runs the local general store. He and Legend live together behind the shop. Legend is the local seamster. Legend and Ravio are friends with Fable, who lives in CastleTown. Legend knows Marin, who lives on Koholint.

Warriors is a recently returned War veteran who lives in one of the houses in town with Wind’s grandmother and sister, Aryll.

Four is the local blacksmith, he lives at the smithy with his grandfather. He is friends with the region magistrate, Dot. They exchange letters often.

Telma runs the local pub. She lives in an apartment behind the pub. Wild helps her out. He lives in a trailer close by.

Flora, the only teacher in town, lives with her father… who’s basically never around. She sometimes will work at the clinic to provide support to Aurora.

Sky runs the local carpentry shop. Sun lives with him and runs the hot springs slightly north of them. They’re horrifically lovey dovey and everyone both loves and hates it. They live in a house in the mountains. Groose lives in their basement and is a sort of mad engineer. Things routinely get blown up and everyone hears it across the Valley.

Aurora is the local small town doctor. She lives above the clinic. Her sister, Dawn, lives in the cabin in the woods and is studying the ecosystem.

Hyrule lives in a tent in the mountains for the most part. Sometimes he’ll crash in the hot springs or on someone’s couch if it’s particularly cold.

Artemis lives in a cabin on the beach. She’s also a recent war veteran. She’s there to find herself after the war.

Wind and Tetra own and operate the local bait shop and boat service. They routinely bug Artemis who pretends they annoy her and Warriors who meets them at their level far too often. Wind is usually in the bait shop and Tetra captains the boat. They’ll swap when they want to prank someone.

Shad runs the local museum. No one is sure where he lives (he has a living space in the museum). He’s very enthusiastic about artifacts.

Twilight is Malon’s nephew runs the old farm that’s down the road from her.

[oceancentury]

The staircase at Castletown House, Kildare, Ireland.

[alicewritingstories]

Whumptober Prompt Fills Part 10: Failure

~Also on AO3~

No. 29: “I only sink deeper the deeper I think.” | Scented Candle | Troubled Past Resurfacing | “What happened to me?”

Alt 2: Aftermath of Failure (Replacing 16)

Warnings: Discussion of past failure, implied trauma and flashbacks, mention of injury

Central character(s): Time, Wild

The battle was effectively over; even as Time looked around, sword at the ready, the last gold bokoblin fell to a combined attack by Wind and Four, leaking black blood on the ground for a moment before it exploded into smoke. Time sighed and nodded to himself as the others instinctively gathered around the wounded: Wild had been trampled by a lynel as it made its final charge - he'd shot it in the throat just before impact - but was stirring feebly under Sky's hands. Warriors was pulling an arrow out of Hyrule's shoulder while Legend held him down, telling him firmly that he was to accept healing for himself before going to check on Wild and that squirming was just making the wound larger. They all had the usual collection of cuts and bruises, but overall had got off lightly apart from those two.

"I'm going to check there are no more lying in wait," he called.

Twilight had joined Sky kneeling over Wild and was uncorking a potion, but he looked up and nodded. Four and Wind also looked round from hovering between their injured brothers and Four hurried to a ruined wall to climb up it and get a good vantage point. Wind stayed where he was, looking around carefully, his sword still in his hand.

Time smiled proudly and set off.

The battle had taken them into the edges of Wild's Castletown: a sad collection of ruins that, unlike other ruins in Wild's Hyrule, had not been taken over by nature. Only a few green shoots were starting to sprout between cracked stones and the shadow of the deserted castle fell ominously over everything. Once Time had turned a few corners away from where his boys were recovering from the battle, it was mournfully quiet.

Familiarly so.

As Time looked around the ruins of Castletown, destroyed by Ganon while its hero was deep in a magical sleep, his armor suddenly felt strange. He almost thought he heard Navi's voice in his ear, so clear that it made him look round for her.

In the distance he saw Vah Medoh, resting peacefully on its perch, and that reminded him that he was in Wild's Hyrule, not his own. That he was a grown man, no longer a child suddenly thrust into a teenager's body.

He shook his head hard and hastily continued his patrol, just watching for movements and trying not to look too hard at the empty, roofless houses marked with scorch marks.

He couldn't get back to the others too soon.

They had set up camp a little way further from the town and both Wild and Hyrule had been healed. Time smiled and spoke to them in something close to a daze, ate dinner without really being aware of what he was putting in his mouth, brushed off concerned questions, and went to sit on a rock overlooking the town. He knew it was a bad idea. He knew sitting and looking at a standing reminder of the moments after he had left the Temple of Time wouldn't help anything, but he felt drawn to it despite himself.

With a sigh, he picked up his ocarina - not the Ocarina of Time, but his own - and started playing it softly, settling into Zelda's Lullaby to stop himself drifting to the Song of Time.

"Time?"

He startled and looked up as Wild came and crouched down on the rock next to him, balanced on the balls of his feet. The champion nodded a greeting to him, then looked out over the ruins with a sigh.

"How are you feeling?" Time asked softly.

"Still bruised, but barely worth mentioning." Wild shifted to sit down normally and rested his elbows on his knees. After a long moment he said softly, "I hate coming here."

Time looked round at him again.

"I don't remember it except ruined and full of Malice and guardians. I've been back with Zelda a few times - she has big plans to rebuild - and she tries to tell me what it was like before, but…" Wild shook his head.

"What does she say?" asked Time, curious and glad of the distraction.

Wild shrugged. "Busy. Colorful. It sounds like it was a lot like your Castletown, actually."

Time looked back at the ruins. "Yes. It does remind me of my Castletown."

He could almost feel Wild's stare, but wasn't sure how to elaborate.

"I suppose… the fountain is in the same place? Relative to the castle?" ventured Wild.

Time sighed, shaking his head. "Sorry, it's… difficult to talk about. You remember I told you that when I took on Ganon the kingdom was already in ruins?"

Wild nodded.

"Well… Before that happened, the sword made me sleep for seven years while Ganon triumphed. When I emerged…" Time gestured to the maze of crumbling stones in front of them and the dark mass beyond it. "This was what I found."

Wild looked back at the ruins. "How many times did you defeat him? Ganon, I mean?"

"I hardly know the answer to that myself any more."

"But he never defeated you. Well…" Wild's eyes flicked back towards the camp, where a sudden peal of Legend's laughter had just rung out. "I see why you don't like talking about it. Just thinking about it makes my head hurt."

Time chuckled. "Indeed. But to respond to what you're really saying, I did fail. I was a child and I couldn't stop Ganon and that's why I was forced to sleep for seven years until I was taller and stronger, but in the meantime Zelda and the people of Hyrule saw Ganon rise and suffered under his rule and when I emerged from my sleep a thriving town was a deserted ruin." He glanced at Wild and patted his shoulder. "Seven years, a hundred years, and it comes to the same thing in the end."

Wild scowled. "I wasn't a child, though. I just… I don't even remember what happened. Just a couple of moments that tell me we ran." He picked up a small stone and threw it morosely to rattle down the slope towards an empty street. "I don't know why. I don't know what I saw or what I tried to do or if I even tried anything to fight. You did, I assume."

Time remembered Ganon looming over him and laughing as he lay on the ground, a helpless child not even worth killing. "Oh, yes, I tried. But even if I might not recognise Princess Zelda's Appointed Knight, I know the Hero of the Wild and I can't imagine he was all that different. I can't imagine you didn't even try."

Wild made a noise halfway to a bitter laugh.

Time laid a hand on his shoulder and said softly, "It's OK, Wild."

Wild shook his head.

"Wild. It's OK."

Wild shook his head again, but this time he leaned a little closer and let Time wrap an arm around his shoulder. After a moment, he relaxed his head onto Time's shoulder.

"It's OK," said Time again, resting his cheek on the top of Wild's head. The silence stretched as they looked out over the ruins, but Time felt better. His Castletown and his Hyrule thrived. This one was as scarred and weary as its hero, but Wild was healing. One day his Hyrule would do the same.

[gifshistorical]

FILMING LOCATIONS OF MR MALCOLM’S LIST (2022)

· Castletown House (Kildare) — Malcolm family Estate · Newbridge House (Dublin) — Mrs Finch's Ladies Academy · Powerscourt Estate (Wicklow) — Powerscourt Estate · Irish Georgian Society (Dublin) — Dulwich Picture Gallery · Luggala Summit (Roundwood) — Summit in Sussex · Farmleigh Phoenix Park (Dublin) — Malcolm family Estate gardens · The Gaiety Theatre (Dublin) — London theatre

[maitaitiu]

love's shining circle OCxCanon week 2024 Day 6: "an intimate moment" Pairing type: platonic + romantic (unlabelled) Canon Character: Zelda OC: Lila Fandom: the legend of zelda botw/age of calamity Wordcount: 1704

AO3 link

CWS: mentions of death/murder

Synopsis: Both Lila and Zelda are desperate for some sense of normalcy. Both are just children forced to bear a burden they never asked for. It's nothing an evening walk in the woods can solve, but it might help a little bit. (set pre-calamity)

Lila pulled a brush gently through her horse’s silvery mane. It was evening, but for once the night was still.

It usually was in Castletown, after all. As the residents slept the night away, safe from the critters that ruled the night. Safe from winds and monsters and any natural sounds that might dare to exist nearby, shielded by unnatural brick walls and guarded by stern guardsmen.

Lila wasn’t the biggest fan of Castletown. It was too busy, too rich… the people were too distant from each other. Emotionally, anyway. Physically, houses and streets were so cramped together it was hard to go anywhere without knocking into people’s shoulders. It was an awful combination.

Humming to herself as she brushed her horse’s mane was a simple, quiet way for Lila to calm herself down after another long day away from home, without drawing too much attention to herself.

She missed Lurelin so much. And her parents.

She knew she had a supposed duty here in Castletown- or wherever Princess Zelda went- but the homesickness never really faded. She was doubtful that it ever would.

Her horse- Eponine- snuffled and chewed at Lila’s hair, so she ceased brushing her for a moment. She found a carrot in one of her bags, and held it out to the horse, who took it and munched on it happily.

“Good work today,” Lila mumbled, petting Eponine’s face as she ate the snack, “It was a very long day.”

The horse gave no response other than nuzzling the side of Lila’s face, which made her smile slightly.

“Oh, Lila. You’re here quite late.”

The young knight turned, a little startled, and was greeted by the calming sight of Princess Zelda, still in her travelwear, and who had appeared in the doorway of the stables that led into the Castle itself. Lila made to bow, out of instinct, but was cut off by Zelda.

“You don’t need to do that. May I speak with you?”

Lila stood back up and gave Eponine’s mane one last brush, before putting her equipment away. She turned back to Zelda, and nodded, “Of course.”

She watched as Zelda crossed over the stables and sat down on a hay bale. After the Princess patted the space next to her, Lila sat down as well without hesitation.

Zelda fiddled with the fabric of her shirt for a minute. Lila stayed quiet, kept her hands folded neatly in her lap as she’d been taught to, and waited.

“Lila, have you ever…” Zelda paused, “Have you…”

She took a deep breath, and then shook her head.

“Sorry. This is stupid.”

“Have I… what, Princess?” Lila pried, watching her friend closely.

Zelda pursed her lips. Lila tried not to focus on them too much, and instead looked up at Zelda’s eyes. And noticed the dark shadows hanging beneath them. How much sleep had she been getting recently?

“Have you ever considered what it might be like to be… normal?”

Lila blinked.

To be honest, she had. She knew exactly what Zelda meant. She had never asked for her destiny as the Goddess’ Chosen Knight, just as she knew Zelda had never asked to be the Princess, or for her still-dormant powers.

However, as she thought, Lila’s silence seemed to be misinterpreted by Zelda, who’s face bloomed with a soft pink in embarrassment, and she quickly tried to backtrack.

“Of course you haven’t. It was a ridiculous question, I’m sorry-”

“I have!” Lila cut in, and then felt her own face warm up, shocked at her own interruption, “Sorry!”

But Zelda just stared at her with wide eyes.

“Go on…?” the Princess asked quietly.

Lila froze. Took a deep breath. And once the words started coming, she could hardly stop herself.

“Well. I do like swordfighting, and protecting you. And, um, people. but I like lots of other things too. I always just wanted to be an adventurer like my parents, maybe even on the seas. I’d love to sail to new lands and learn about new plants and animals. I like to play music, and dance, and feed the dogs and cats and other animals back home. I like to watch the sun set and rise over the sea,” she sighed, “I can’t do any of that here… I miss it. And I miss my family. Very much.”

“You can go home to Lurelin though, right?” Zelda asked, eyebrows furrowed,  “And visit them?”

“My family aren’t there,” Lila said quietly, and hesitated for a long moment before adding, “My parents were killed. By the Yiga Clan. Because I was chosen by the Sword.”

When she turned back to the Princess, her face was pale, and her eyes wide and stricken.

“I’m so sorry.” Zelda whispered, “I’m so, so sorry.”

Her eyes filled with tears that spilled over like a waterfall as she apologised over and over, and Lila reached out to hold her hands gently.

“It’s not your fault.” She murmured.

“But- I still- I just…” Zelda’s breath hitched, and she curled in on herself. “I’m sorry.”

Lila, knowing this was improper but not caring at the current moment, where there was nobody there to see, pulled Zelda into her arms, and rested her chin on the other girl’s head.

“It’s not your fault,” she repeated, “It’s not yours. It’s not mine. None of this is our fault. This isn’t fair. And I hate it, too. I wish we could just be normal kids.”

“I… I heard some of the castle staff gossiping the other day,” Zelda choked out through her tears, “About nothing much. But they were talking about their first crushes, and old schoolyard drama, and just… things that are so normal to everyone else… But my… my whole life… has just been this…People getting hurt ‘cause of me… Failing over and over and OVER again. And I’m just… so sick of it!”

Lila tightened her embrace of Zelda.

“I’m so tired of all of this, Lila. I want to attend school, I want to learn how to farm, or, or be a librarian. I want to be a teacher. And a researcher. I want to fall in love, and sneak out with my partner, and pick berries in the woods and cloudgaze, and, and... What did I do wrong?! Why is this my life?!”

“It’s not your fault.” Lila whispered, “It’s not. It’s not.”

And then, spurred on by what was possibly insanity, and possibly bravery, but most likely both, she curved her hand around to hold Zelda’s tightly.

“Let’s go.” She said, and Zelda looked up at Lila, confused, her eyes red, and tears still rolling down her cheeks. “Let’s sneak out. Let’s go pick some berries. And we can stargaze ‘til the sun comes up. I can show you where the North Star is.”

“What…?” Zelda looked around, puzzled, making sure nobody was listening in, “Lila, we could get in so much trouble!”

“So what? I’m the strongest knight in the whole kingdom. You can’t be better protected out there than that.”

“But we have stuff to do in the morning!” Zelda insisted, “We need to train… and prepare for the trip to the Spring of Power!”

“We can do that later. That trip isn’t for three days. We deserve some fun. Some time to just be Zelda and Lila. Not Princess and Knight.” She got to her feet and offered Zelda her hand, “Right?”

Zelda wiped at her face with her sleeve, and looked around again. And then she smiled.

“You’re right.” She murmured, and then again, louder, as though convincing herself, “You’re right. Let’s go. Right now.”

Lila grinned, and guided Eponine out from her stable, and re-saddled her as fast as she could. The horse nuzzled Zelda as she waited. She also found a spare cloak lying around in the stable, and put it on after giving Zelda her own. It was a little threadbare, but it would do.

With everything ready, Lila carefully helped Zelda onto the back of Eponine before climbing into the saddle herself. She guided the silver horse out of the stable, and pulled up the hood of her cloak. The rustling of fabric told her that her companion did the same. When they were out on the street, Lila looked back and shot Zelda a mischievous grin, and then kicked Eponine straight into a gallop.

Zelda yelped, and quickly wrapped her arms tightly around Lila’s waist. Lila bit down on her lip and resolutely stared forward as she felt a blush warm her face.

And through the Castle gate they galloped, out the East entrance of town, and across the riverside bridge. Safe from view by the cover of nightfall, and the convenient timing of the guards shift change leaving the East gate unattended for just a few minutes.

They found their way into a little wooded area, far from any prying eyes, and Lila speared some fish and set up a little campfire to cook them on while Zelda picked mushrooms and berries. They laughed and chatted while eating their late night snack, pretending they were just any normal pair of teen girls, instead of teen girls with the weight of the world on their shoulders. They picked flowers and wove them into chains, and chatted about the most inane things they could think of, stories from Lila’s childhood, gossip Zelda passed on from the castle staff. But both froze upon the notion of talking about any crushes they may have.

It would be improper, after all.

For a Knight to love her Princess.

For a Princess to love her Knight.

Especially when they had such an important duty to the world.

But they caught each other’s eye and understood.

For tonight, under the stars, they were just two girls. And it was okay.

It was okay when they wove their berry-stained fingers together.

It was okay when they drew closer to one another.

It was okay when their lips pressed together. Uncertain, and shy… But…

It was okay.

It was warm.

It was safe.

It couldn’t last forever. They knew that.

They’d find the North Star together, and one day it would guide them to peace, to safety, to home.

To each other.