#and everyone’s like ‘wow what’s hateno doing’ and the answer is they all had a great big brother

[merriclo]

i love the idea that Wild is a big brother to basically all of the kids in his Hyrule. it’s such a good heacanon that i never see utilized.

[quepasta]

A Relentless Past - Chapter 6

Author: Quepasta | AO3 | Twitter

Find Chapter 5 here 

Summary:  Link wakes up with no memory, but discovers he has been asleep for 100 years. Now he must struggle with remembering his past, a painful past he has no memory of, and confronting his destiny in the present. Not to mention dealing with the crazy characters he meets while exploring the new world he has woken up in and the foes he runs into. Takes place during Breath of the Wild and expands on the story we know from the video game. (Part 1 of this trilogy. Also, you know I ship Zelink but this is the slowest slow burn I have ever written)

Link led his horse away from the shrine he had just come from, toward the odd structure that was before him. It was a tent of some sort, topped with what appeared to be a large man-made horsehead. It was a sight unlike anything he had seen so far, which maybe wasn’t saying much. But there were people here, and Link hadn’t run into too many yet. 

“Well hello there, traveler! Welcome to Dueling Peaks Stable! Do you need directions?” A man who was standing at the front of the structure called out to Link. He was wearing a plain tan shirt with a red vest over it and darker traveling pants. The man had dark skin, thick eyebrows, and blue eyes that contrasted heavily against his coloring.

As Link walked closer, he realized that there was another man standing behind the counter and he looked exactly the same as the first man. They must be twins, Link thought.

“That’s a nice horse you have there, would you like to register it?” The second man asked. 

“Register it?” Link asked

“For a fee of 20 rupees, we will give you a bridle and a saddle, the horse will be recorded in our records so if it is ever lost we will know who to look for, and you can leave the horse here at our stable whenever you want.” The man behind the counter said, politely smiling. 

It seemed like a good deal. Link didn’t have a lot of money but he did have enough to cover the fee. “I suppose a saddle and bridle would be nice. I’ll do it.” Link said, pulling out the rupees. 

“Excellent! What is your name, for our records?” The man asked, pulling out a large leather book and setting it on the counter. Link could see the countless rows of names on the pages from where he stood.

Link paused for a moment, before replying. “Link.”

“Alright, Link. I’m Tasseren, the stable manager ‘round here in Dueling Peaks. This here is my brother Rensa, he don’t do much ‘round here.” Tasseren chuckled, waving a hand at his brother. 

“Hey. That ain’t fair, Tasseren. I sweep them dirty floors once a week!” Rensa retorted back, chuckling as well. 

Tassaren shook his head as he jotted Link’s name down. “Okay, Link, I have you down in the books. What’s the stallion’s name?” 

Well then, that was a good question. It was time to give the wild thing a name, but Link hadn’t given much thought to it yet. He stared at the brown stallion, which had wide eyes as it stared at the two brothers. It made Link chuckle a bit, and for some reason a name came to him. 

“Wolf. His name is wolf.” 

Tasseren nodded, writing it down in the book. He then turned around to fetch a bridle and saddle and while he did Link piled the rupees on the counter. 

Rensa was leaning against the stable, his arms crossed in front of him. Rensa’s eyes kept glancing from Link to the shrine that Link had just come from, and then back to Link. Rensa raised an eyebrow in question, but didn’t say anything. It made Link feel somewhat uncomfortable, but this was also his first time around people. Perhaps he was the one acting weird. Regardless, he hoped to exit the shrine without being noticed. It seemed he had failed in that attempt.

“Here ya go, Link. Did you want to board Wolf as well then?” Tasseran came back, leaning over the counter and handing him the items. 

“Ah, no. I won’t be staying long. Is it alright that he stays out here for a few minutes?” Link asked, fiddling with the bridle in his hands. 

“Of course! He seems well behaved enough, come in and warm up. I can get you a drink too if you want.” Tasseren answered, waving his hand toward the door.

“I’m good for now, I’ll let you know if I change my mind though.” Link replied, leaning down to grab the saddle where he had laid it against his leg. He turned and approached Wolf, keeping his movements slow. 

The horse seemed to trust him, but he didn’t want to spook him now. Link made shushing sounds as he laid the saddle on Wolf’s back and was careful as he strapped it around the stallion’s stomach. Wolf didn’t seem to mind, he just watched Link from the corner of his eye. 

Link then walked over to the front of Wolf, giving his velvety nose a pat. “Alright buddy, this might be a little uncomfortable. But I think you will get used to it. Do you trust me?” Link asked Wolf, reaching up to scratch behind his ear. 

Wolf lowered his head and nudged Link’s arm, playfully biting his sleeve. This caused Link to laugh under his breath, and slid the bridle in Wolf’s mouth and over his head. After securing the straps and satisfied it was on properly, Link stepped back and had a look at Wolf. Everything seemed to fit him well and Wolf didn’t seem to mind his new ensemble. 

Link pulled out an apple and laid his palm flat out. Wolf gave an excited huff and bobbed his head, then leaned down to bite the apple. Much like Link, Wolf ate his food quickly and in one bite. 

“Stay here, I am going to go inside for a minute.” Link patted the stallion’s nose again, and turned to head inside. He passed Rensa on the way in, who still monitored Link with watchful eyes.

Inside the stable was one large room, but it was bustling with activity. Most of the floor space of the stable was filled with chairs and tables that were occupied by other travelers. But against the wall there were beds lined up, Link guessed that one could rent one for the night if they wanted. 

He glanced around. There weren’t that many people inside, but it felt a little overwhelming to him. Most were sitting and talking, some finishing up a meal. 

“Hey there! Did I overhear that yer name was Link?” A man called out to him. He had dark brown hair and matching facial hair. Link walked closer to where the man was sitting down at a table. He was sitting across from an elderly woman, who turned and smiled at him. 

“Uh, yes.” Link replied, uncertain why the man was asking. 

“Well that’s interesting. Isn’t it Edna? Just like the knight from one hundred years ago. Did yer parents name you after ‘im?” The man asked, tapping his fingers on the wooden table.��

“The knight?” Link questioned, trying not to show the shock on his face. Were they talking about him?

“Don’t tell me you haven’t heard about the fallen knight? You ain’t from around ‘ere then if you ain’t heard about the knight and the princess. You know, I can tell from your accent that you ain’t.” The man replied.

Trying to think quickly, Link nodded. “You’re correct. I’m not from around here, just passing through. What is this story, if you don’t mind?” Maybe he shouldn’t have been lying, or should have not asked. But he was curious, and these people might have the answers he’s been looking for.

“Oh young one, it’s the most famous story in all of Hyrule.” The woman, Edna Link assumed, spoke. “One hundred years ago, a great evil appeared. The royal family had been prepared to protect the kingdom from it, as the ability is passed through the bloodline. It’s said through our legends that the Princess of Hyrule possessed the sacred power, the power to seal away evil. But the land’s foe was too strong and everything fell apart. So many lost their lives that day, including the King of Hyrule. King Rhoam, may he rest in peace.” Edna said solemnly, and everyone in the stable echoed her prayer. 

Link hadn’t realized everyone was listening now. He looked side to side, there was a small crowd now, listening intently to Edna. Even those who had been outside earlier were listening from the doorway. Link felt nervous, his hands twitching and his heart was beating faster by the second. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Rensa glaring at him from the doorway. What was his problem?

“Most of the army had been defeated, the skilled champions chosen by the royal family were killed, it was just the Princess and her knight left.”

The man from before picked up the story where she ended. “Her and the knight fled the castle, saving any civilian they could find along the way. They passed right through ‘ere, across Blatchery Plains, trying to aid the soldiers who were defending Fort Hateno. It is said the knight protected the Princess with his life. You could say he was not a normal knight, he was the only one that could wield the sword that sealed the darkness. Our legends say that the two are reborn into this land to work together to protect it from evil. Blessed by the Goddess to protect us. But I guess how blessed were they if they failed, huh?” 

Edna rolled her eyes at the man and shushed him. “Hush now, Hino. We don’t joke about the darkest day.” She said, her voice emphasizing darkest day. She pulled the shawl around her shoulders closer and shivered.

“No one knows exactly what happened. But the knight fell, and when all hope was lost, Princess Zelda, hallowed be her name, realized her power.” Edna paused as everyone repeated her. 

“Hallowed be her name.” The crowd murmured. 

“She saved this part of Hyrule and ordered her knight to be brought somewhere safe. It is said that he still sleeps somewhere in the wild, healing to one day return to us. Supposedly, the Princess is still inside the castle. Keeping the evil at bay until her knight returns to her.” Edna finished.

“It’s all very sad really. My grandmother lost her parents in the calamity. But she doesn’t remember it, she was so young.” Another woman spoke up. Several people raised their drinks in agreement.

“Has it really been one hundred years? Wow, am I getting old. I remember when we used to only say fifty years.” An elderly man joked, smiling a grin that was missing a few teeth. 

“You sure you weren’t there the day of the Calamity, Bervis? You look old enough!” Someone else in the back yelled. Several members of the group laughed.

It seemed everyone had something to say about the story.

“Hino, do you believe that the Princess is really still at the castle?” A young woman asked, looking at the man who had first talked to Link. 

“You know, I ain’t sure. No one has ever been able to make it to the castle, it’s too dangerous. But you know what, Hey Edna. Isn’t this month the anniversary of the Calamity?” Hino asked. 

Edna frowned in thought. “I believe it is. It happened in the summer for sure.” Edna paused with a look that showed she was lost in thought.

 “My mother used to tell us stories about the calamity. She said that according to a sheikah she meant once, the knight would be asleep for at least one hundred years, before he would be able to return. I remember that we used to lay flowers down in the field over there, to pay respect to the princess and the knight, at the spot where the knight fell. May his soul return to us.” Edna said pointing towards the fields behind the stable, and once again everyone repeated her. 

“May his soul return to us.”

Link, supposedly the one with the soul they were praying about, gulped loudly at the prayer. At this point Link knew he had to get out of there. This was too much, but his feet felt like lead and stayed planted in place. 

“Well if the story is true, I guess we will know soon enough. About time too, I am tired of running into the monsters and guardians. Nowhere feels safe.” A young man said, thumping his mug on the table. 

“I don’t see how they could be alive that long, they weren’t sheikah.” Someone else piped up.

“They weren’t normal hylians either. Two souls blessed by the Goddess and bound by legend. They’ll come back. One day.” An old man said, chugging the remnants of his mug as if their return depended on him finishing his cup.

“Well what do you think about that story, lad?” Hino smiled up at Link, but his smile fell when he saw Link’s face.

Link had been silent the whole time, Hino had thought it was because he was intrigued by the story. But Link’s eyes were wide and scared, his face had lost all it’s color. And Link stood in front of the story tellers trembling. 

“You okay there, son?” Hino asked him, his face scowled in concern.

“I-I have to go.” Link said abruptly, running out of the stable as fast as he could. Wolf popped his head up from where he was nibbling on the grass when he saw Link, and didn’t flinch when Link landed on his back with no warning. 

“We have to leave now, buddy.” Link whispered to the horse, and pushed his heels lightly into Wolf’s sides. Wolf understood and took off, faster than Link had dared to ride him yet. 

Behind him he heard Rensa yell something after him, but Link ignored it. He focused on the reigns in his hand and tried not to look at the field behind the stable. He was hyperventilating, his hands still shaking. He had died here? In the plains behind the stable?

His vision felt blurry and his head hurt. The scar on his left side throbbed, and he knew then that had to have been the fatal blow to him. What happened to him? What struck him so hard that he had lost his life? And when would the time come that he would have to face it again?

Link felt tears form in the corner of his eyes and he let them fall. He didn’t think he was much of a crier, but it’s not everyday that he was told the story of how he died. He let himself sob, feeling the loss of his previous life for the first time.