#i have a Vision in my head for my own link and zelda at the very least + ive got the barebones of a setting and plot laid out.....

[verflares]

semi-related to what i was rambling about in the tags earlier but would you guys still like me if i started posting my og zelda stuff.............. like designs or silly little sketches and worldbuilding..........

[flowering-thought]

Part fourrr-

Lowkey not sure how my insane simping for Ganondorf when TOTK came out would lead to this

This is the final part but maybe I'll make more stuff about it one day just probably not anytime soon-

Hehe welcome to part 4! Drama and reunions and an ultimatum as well. I wonder what will come to pass hm? Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four

WARNING - MINORS DNI

AFAB reader and reader is described as feminine and chubby/plus sized.

Yandere themes, slight gore??, angst and tears, eventual fluff, pregnancy and birth-

Yandere Ganondorf x Archeologist Reader (part three)

Just when you thought you wouldn't feel that familiar sensation of falling, that light that blinded you and took your consciousness appeared once again.

You felt like you were in a dream. Visions of Zelda becoming a dragon crossed your mind, her tears falling to the ground and those visions were soon combined with the sight of Ganondorf being sealed away.

You wandered through what looked like red fog, the sounds of monsters and the clashing of swords echoing in your consciousness.

You were dreaming, you knew that, and yet you didn't know what you were dreaming of.

Apart of you wanted to forget everything, you wished that nothing had gone wrong. And the whispers echoing in the red fog along with the constant sound of fighting affirmed that.

You heard his voice, the voice of the man you fell for in an Era you never thought you'd experience.

"Why? Why did you leave?"

"We could have been happy together!"

"If you had just let me protect you-"

The constant whispers became louder but suddenly went silent. Erie silence until the fog cleared, and what filled your vision was the sight of the man you love hunched over with his knees on the ground.

"Can't we just go back to what we were?"

You were about to touch him, to beg and plead with him. You wanted to cry as you reached out, using your arms to cover him and bury your head into the crook of his neck.

You cried as you held tight, never wanting to let go.

"I wanted to be with you forever." You whispered, "I wanted to live peacefully with you, just you and me." You confessed between sobs, your hands balling tight.

"But you wanted power. You wanted authority. I would have done anything to stay with you if you had just believed in me." You confessed.

And as sudden as the fog disappeared, it came back, rushing your senses as everything went black.

You suddenly woke up in a bed that was all too similar to Purah's in Lookout Landing. You noticed how tightly you held the sheets, letting go to wipe the tears from your cheeks.

Link sat by your bed, shoulders, and head drooped as you guessed he probably fell asleep while watching over you. Purah sat at the small desk she had set up, writing in her own journal until she realized your movement, getting up before she checked on you, her brows furrowed in worry as she felt your forehead.

"Where have you been? I've been worried about you." She asked, her hands running through your hair, "Link told me you and Zelda were still missing. That you both disappeared.".

Upon looking at her you burst into tears, your lips pressed together in an attempt to stifle the cries coming from your throat.

She hugged you close, pulling you up to sit up with her, she felt you burrow into her, all the comfort made you feel safe, you felt like you could finally just rest.

But when Link woke up and more people came to check on you finally you told Link everything that happened on your end. You told him of Ganondorf, you told him of Zelda and how her power returned you due to the secret stone.

And then you remembered how Zelda turned into a dragon, a lump filling your throat as your mouth opened but no words came out.

Link told you of what happened while you were gone, how he found memories from a dragon's tears, ones that showed him visions of the past. He told you how Rauru gave him his arm and how he led him to shrines of light to regain the strength he lost. And as well as the secret stones that are now in the hands of four sages.

You wanted to tell him about Zelda, you wanted to tell the truth but something in you couldn't say it.

So instead, "Find the rest of the memories. I don't think I should be the one to explain the rest. What happened is too hard to explain." You said. There was a slight frown Link showed but he nodded and agreed with you.

You got up and went to see the four new sages, and watched as Link explained that they would have to wait to rescue Princess Zelda whom they saw in the castle as things weren't adding up. And yet many of the sages disagreed, trying to convince Link that it couldn't wait.

You picked up what was going on and knew that it had something to do with Ganondorf. You watched as they argued back and forth, Link mostly silent as he listened to their advice and suggestions.

"I think maybe you should go." You stated, watching as everyone halted their rising voices of frustration. Link looked to you to let you explain, "It won't be easy to get into the castle but I think there may be something I can do to stop this mess." You say, your fists clenching by your side.

You knew it would be risky, but maybe if you could convince Ganondorf, you could stop this nightmare. But you didn't want Link to know how far you'd be willing to go to prevent bloodshed, so you weren't going to try to talk to Ganondorf until Link couldn't try to stop you.

"I can stay out of the way but I think there might be something in there that could help get Zelda back." You added, trying to seem convincing. Not to mention since you now know that the castle was built on top of the place of the final battle this entire time it might be true that something hidden inside the castle could help. But for now, you just needed to convince Link to bring you along while the sages secured the property since you prolonged Link going into the castle to see what was happening.

You kept a hand over your stomach unconsciously, your mind wandering to what to say. "I'm going with you Link. I'll stay out of the way just like I did when we traveled! But please I need to be there with you just in case." you insisted.

Link shook his head, his brows furrowing as you took his hand, "Please Link you don't understand. There are things I can't yet explain so please just take me with you." you begged, giving his hand a squeeze.

Link didn't want to, you could tell in his expression but he could also see something in yours. He could see a desperation he had never seen before adorning your face and as much as he wanted to keep you safe a part of him knew he had to agree. So much to Links' displeasure, he nodded, giving you a squeeze back before he let go of your hand.

Before long the sages stayed near the entrance to the castle, mentioning a plan in case things go wrong and that they would survey the castle for any signs of something going wrong.

Luckily you and Link were used to traveling together. You knew to stay a few paces behind at all times and help carry most of the inventory except for certain elixirs that were better staying with Link if he ever got into a pinch.

You held onto the food and medical supplies, often you also carried the map and extra arrows as well. You and Link figured out early on in your travels that it was best that he didn't carry too much and way himself down when fighting. You also tended to help remind him when the sun was about to go down or when the weather was about to turn.

Somehow you were better at certain things while he was better at others. Staying a few paces away tended to make sure Link was in control of the situation if a monster appeared out of nowhere.

But as you gathered some supplies and eventually joined Link on his way to the castle. He reminded you that the castle itself is filled with more powerful creatures; so to stay as away as possible and if he has to check out a room to stay behind in the already cleared room.

Which honestly sounded the best. According to everything that went on with the leaders/sages of the others who informed you about things happening around Hyrule you came to understand that Ganondorf was not only trying to make things more advantageous for himself but also seemed to me looking for something.... or someone..

It unsettled you that the castle felt the same as before, just as dangerous and dark as it felt when Link had gone to rescue Zelda all those years ago. You stayed paces behind as rooms were cleared and as you watched Link battle monsters. And as "Zelda" appeared and words were left behind by "Zelda" you were more certain this was a trap and you were wondering if Link knew that too. After all, Zelda never had this kind of demeanor and Link knows Zelda just as much as you do, maybe even better than you.

You watched as he fought and would toss health elixirs if you thought that he was getting too hurt. You hated that you could only watch but still tried to provide as much as you could.

But unknown to you, a familiar figure watched on, his fists clenched at the sight of you and that damned Link.

You looked the same as the day you left, the same as the day he was sealed. And he knew you had to have come back recently, as at the beginning he saw it, the sight of you and Zelda falling and reaching for each other.

And he saw the light that enveloped you both as you disappeared.

He only realized it too late that you were there. But he knew that he couldn't reach for you then, if he did it risked something changing. He didn't know fully what would change, but he knew better.

And he saw it from a distance, the sight of your form descending from the skies in a pool of light, the same clothes you wore back then, the Gerudo attire you wore around the village. He can still remember the sight of you with that precious sun umbrella the kids made you, your feet having a light spring in their step, and the bright smile you had as you walked around the village in front of him.

He watched carefully as both you and Link made it through the castle, all the way to the final destination.

The throne room before the hundred years of sleep was beautiful as you heard from Link. You once asked him to describe it to you and you sketched it out on your notebook. You also would look at the paintings for the place used to look.

You both knew that the sanctum only had a few entrances and exits, so instead of following Link to a place you couldn't help you asked if you could hide in the place above, the place where the big hole in the ceiling allowed access to the throne room, where you could freely drop health elixirs or aid should he need it. You could also see if you could signal to Tulin if needed as he was patrolling the skies of Hyrule castle.

So you found a place where the gloom couldn't reach near the hole and sat down, keeping low to the ground made you feel less like you'd fall over and more hidden.

You watched Link enter the throne room, watched as Zelda appeared and approached, her voice echoing off the walls of the castle;

"Link! At last... I've been waiting for you to arrive... There's something I want to show you.." was what you heard as you leaned over the edge to get a better look, a glamour coming over the castle as though by magic appeared, the throne room that Link had once described to you now appeared before your eyes, the same floor you were on transformed to the castles former glory.

You watched as "Zelda" grew closer, never knowing where she would appear next, Link stood on guard, feeling as though he definitely wasn't safe.

"Hyrule castle.. Perfect and glorious... Does it bring back memories of our time here?" She asked, you thought for a moment you could hear the malice in her voice. "Take a good look Link... for it's the last thing you will ever see."

You listened and peered over the entrance from the ceiling, watching as the form you had seen below Hyrule castle appeared like a puppetmaster above the fake Zelda, her body going limp as though the strings that held her were cut.

You watched her body disappear and held your breath, watching as Ganondorf spoke to Link, you couldn't help but clench the edge of the ledge. You wanted to cry at the sight, your mind going blank before Ganondorf summoned what looked to be shadows of himself to attack Link.

You watched carefully as Link fought, your heart beating anxiously. What you had yet to notice was the figure of Ganondorf behind you, his weakened form watching you carefully before pulling you away from the ledge.

Startled you whipped you head to see who on earth was there only to see him.

The love of your life, the only person you had come to love in your short life. Tears welled in your eyes but you refused to cry in front of him, rapidly blinking and trying to think of something else, "What are you doing? Stop this!" You yelled, moving away from him quickly.

You saw the hurt in his eyes quickly be subdued, his form standing there eerily silent. "Stop this? You cannot be so foolish my love." He spoke, his voice nearly making you tremble as he grew louder.

"This has to be done. You ran away, you ran and let me be sealed for nearly ten millennia. Was our love so fragile that you could dare to do such a thing?" He shouted.

You watched as he took a few steps closer, his hands reaching for your shoulders. Despite how angry he was, despite how much you had hurt him, his grip was only tight and not painful. You thought for a moment you could feel his hands trembling.

"And now you've carried the fruit of our love all the way to now. Haven't you little vai?" He added. Your hand unconsciously reached down to your stomach, your eyes blown wide open.

"Had I known you would not stay in the past after allowing me to be sealed away I would have come to greet you. The sight of you falling into that abyss still haunts me but I understand that you had not yet known who I was when you fell." He states.

You didn't think he knew as much as he did, how could he know you hadn't birthed yet? How could he know that when you and Zelda fell you had yet to know who he was? Or had he truly pieced it together with a few guesses?

You shut your eyes, thinking of how to respond. And then a thought popped into your mind. So you shook free of his grasp, staring straight at him with determination.

"You're right Ganondorf. Watching you get sealed away was one of the worst things I could have ever witnessed. I regretted it. I wanted us to be happy." You confessed, watching as he grew impatient at your words.

"Then how could you stand by! How could you watch?!" He yelled, his hands clenching into fists at your words. "Because you left me no choice." You claimed.

"Because if you could so harshly kill when things were going so well then how could I know our future would be secure? You didn't trust me. You didn't trust that I wouldn't stay, you didn't trust me in the slightest."

You watched as his eyes widened and his shoulders hunched over, his hands clenching at his sides.

You moved closer to the entrance in the center, glancing over the side to see that Link was still occupied with the Phantom Ganons', he looked worried when he caught a glimpse of your figure up above.

You then looked straight again at Ganon once more, taking a breath in and out before continuing with your words, "I want this to end Ganon. I want us to live together once more." You confessed.

You watched as his features turned hopeful, stepping closer to you with excitement that could make him nearly burst. "Yes! Yes! I want that too!" He beamed.

You smiled a little, seeing a glimpse of the man you loved. "Then you must do something for me. And if you do this we can be together with no one else to interfere." You persisted, weight added to your words and Ganondorf nodded eagerly, "What is it? I'd do anything my love!" He stated, outstretched his arms to reach for you.

"Throw away the secret stone and stop this. Throw it away and come with me to live somewhere. We could have a home in the plains! We could live near my hometown or even far away from a village! Just as long as this does not continue. This cannot continue." You begged.

You watched as he hesitated, as his hands stopped and his eyes filled with uncertainty.

Tears filled your eyes once more, a rough laugh leaving your lips, "Can you truly not throw away power? You cannot do that to live with me in peace? To live in a place to call our own and raise our child together?" You scoffed.

You held yourself tightly as tears fell down your cheeks, Ganondorfs' mind quickly trying to come up with words to say.

You took a step backward towards the ledge, staying on the edge as you glanced at him, "A week." You stated.

"I will return to the castle in a week and if you do not have an answer for me then..." You gulped before speaking again, "Then I'm afraid I'll have no choice but to never let myself love you again."

Ganondorf reached out for you only for you to yell out Link's name, you tilted backward and allowed yourself to believe Link would catch you. And luckily he did.

At that moment the rest of the sages burst in, helping Link defeat the Phantom ganons and allowing you to stay safe.

You had only wished that you were not crying at that moment.

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It was soon that you made it back. And you didn't know how to answer any of Links questions. So you merely told him to finish gathering the dragons' tears. That when he collected them all he would come to understand what had happened.

You didn't have the heart to answer what happened to Zelda. And hopefully by forcing him to look for the memories he wouldn't be back before the weeks' end.

You were sure he would also try and do the tasks that Purah had wanted him to do as well, such as checking Kakariko village now that it was confirmed that the Zelda everyone had seen was a fake.

You decided to get a carriage ride back to your village, soon arriving at the entrance to Hateno Village.

You wanted to meet with the village chief wanting to discuss about your home and the wish to sell it. While it was the last thing your parents gave you, the memories you had there weren't something you wanted to keep. You often felt rather lonely in that house. Maybe that was the reason you could so readily leave.

The reason you wanted to sell was so you could build a new home elsewhere, hoping that Ganondorf would say yes to your proposal.

So that's what you ended up doing most of your week, looking for places on the outskirts of villages, including your own, where you and Ganondorf would not be bothered. You even looked at just land itself, knowing you had enough money left over to hire someone to build your house should there be the need.

While you were hopeful that Ganondorf would say yes you were also preparing yourself for him choosing power over all else.

What you didn't know was about a singular Phantom Ganon hiding in the shadows watching your every move.

While Ganondorf wanted to trust you and your words he wasn't sure at the beginning when you proposed such an ultimatum to him. What if it was a trap? What if you truly despised him now?

Yet with every move you made you only showed hope about him accepting your request.

He watched as you traveled quickly from carriage to carriage, often sitting with food storage in the back of a wagon to travel fast enough. He saw how you looked at every house and land, taking into consideration how you thought he would feel about each one.

You never looked at places in Gerudo nor in the northern regions, always looking to the southeast or towards the central region. He also saw you consult with a midwife on the best things to eat and what to not do.

His only dilemma was wondering if he could throw away such power.

He loved you, yet that dark part of him wanted both you and power, telling him he was strong enough to take both. But then he would remember the look on your face at every bad thing he did. That look of sorrow and distrust made his heart squeeze.

He slightly wonders what would have happened had he believed in you, had he asked what your wishes were. And had he listened to you, would you both still be wrapped around each other? Would you both be lying in bed preparing to welcome the child growing within you?

But it was too late to have regrets. He had to focus on the now, as the decision he made could allow him to lose you forever.

He knew that Link was remarkable. As much as his pride didn't want to admit it, he had to, or else he'd end up dead. Link was not only strong but extremely skilled. If he were to fight with Link? He's not sure who would make it out of the two. Not to mention that the goddess Hylia strongly supports Link, and with the help of the sages it is likely Link could make it to him unscathed.

But who would win? It's an answer he's not sure he wants to know.

He needed his strength back. If he's going to answer his lovely little vai, he should at least look the closest to himself as he was back before he was sealed.

Soon he would have to make a decision. And let's hope for his sake he makes the right one.

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As the week past you made sure to always have a ride back to lookout landing.

You made it back just before the deadline and started the trek to get up to Hyrule Castle.

You wondered how you would even make it up without running into any monsters but you were sure if you took some secret paths through the castle you'd be able to make it through.

So you embarked on your journey, slowly finding different paths to take if you run into any moblins or bokoblins or even lizard kin.

Most paths seemed to be oddly cleared out and it didn't take long for you to reach the sanctum without a scratch.

You wished it had been this easy the other day but you pushed that thought to the back of your mind before gazing at the entrance of the sanctum. You took a breath in and out and then walked in, finding that the sanctum looked as it did when "Zelda" had made it look new again.

You glanced at every corner, taking in how gorgeous the castle once looked. To think that such a glorious castle once stood here tall and mighty, yet 100 years without care and monsters running rampant was enough for it to fall into such disrepair.

And a certain tall man leaned behind you, wrapping you in his arms tightly, his once sickly form restored to what he once was. You hadn't even heard him or detected him, and now you stood there being held in his arms.

As much as you wanted to stay there, to let the warmth of his body comfort you, your anxiety would not stop until you heard his decision.

You took his wrist gently in your hand and guided his arm away from you, taking a step away from him before turning around and lifting your head to face him.

You saw it on his face, that look of love and warmth that you weren't able to see for what felt like such a long time. Those eyes that looked at you with kindness and warmth.

Your heart beat fast, the anxiety pooling in the depths of your stomach and creeping around your heart continued on despite how much the sight of his love for you made your heart ache for him.

Before you could even speak, his hand rose to the secret stone embedded into his forehead, his fingers fixing themselves around the stone before grasping it tightly. You watched in shock as he tore the stone from its place, a scar left behind by its place before he took your hand in his and placed the stone in your palm.

You could feel tears rushing down your cheeks, your fingers clenching around the stone and your palm tightly, the relief flooding you as sobs escaped your lips and your knees gave way from shock.

He caught you as you sobbed, his face worried as your other hand clenched at his robes and broken sobs of words you struggled to get out escaped your lips, "I... didn't think!" You sobbed, your sentences broken between heaves.

Ganondorf watched as you tried to form words before he eventually took you into his arms. He hated making you cry but the relief that you showed at his actions was worth it

He carried you out of the castle, a certain hero arriving at Lookout landing only to watch as soldiers and others gathered towards the gate, their enemy holding one of their comrades close to his chest and standing tall in all of his glory.

Link instinctively drew his sword, his hands wrapped around the hilt tightly, his teeth clenched as he prepared to fight. You quickly wiggled out of Ganondorfs' grasp, making him let you down as you presented the secret stone that once belonged to Sonia.

When the shock of Ganons' willingness to give up the stone vanished what filled you was a certainty that if you took the stone to the temple of time that you would be able to get Zelda back. Something in you just knew and after everything that had happened, you knew it couldn't wait.

"With this, we can get Zelda back. We need to go to the temple of time right now." You asserted. You could tell by the look in his eyes he had seen all the memories. And that while he knew the relationship between you and Ganondorf could be skewing your judgment, he saw something in you that knew something he didn't. And he trusted you just as much as he trusted Zelda.

So after telling everyone that Ganondorf was no longer an enemy and to stay put for you would explain in detail later, you and Link used the Purah Pad to go to the temple of time.

Standing at the decaying temple felt unreal as just a short time ago you had stood at its gate with Zelda, it's decayed form such a staggering difference to its current form. You allowed Link to lead the way for you through the temple, shaking your thoughts as you stelled your mind. Soon, coming to the place where Zelda had once pushed you back to the present time. For you it was only a little over a week, but for others, it's been longer since they've seen her.

So with Links' help to the platform where he once laid his sword, you slowly approached, a familiar dragon appearing suddenly wind rushing as you held the stone over the altar and finally placed it atop the surface. There was a light quick to blind you until you and Link were floating amidst what looked like clouds of green, the Dragon of Light floating before you.

You see Links' hand glow, Rauru and Sonia appear behind him, lending him the power needed to restore Zelda, the dragons' form slowly disappearing and Zelda's form returning.

And as just as quickly as Rauru and Sonia had appeared, they gave a sad look towards you before fading away.

And as everything unfolded, another blinding light appeared, revealing Zelda on the alter where you had placed the secret stone.

And it's as though you could finally let out a sigh of relief.

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Soon you would explain everything to Zelda, who would in turn explain to Link and the rest. Many felt uncomfortable letting Ganondorf go unpunished but considering the possible alternative of him attempting to rule all of Hyrule made them allow it under certain conditions.

He wasn't allowed anywhere near the Sky Islands nor Hyrule castle. It was decided that he could not travel to Gerudo either. Most of the southeast of Hyrule he could travel to. And after lots of talking with your husband, he agreed.

Zelda and Link would help make a system of precautions about where the secret stones would be held and who could access them.

And you had asked for a home to be built north of Zelkoa Pond on the outskirts of Hateno Village. In the end, you wanted to remain close but at arms' length.

The home took time and You and Ganondorf would stay at the lab atop the hill. He would often go down to chop wood for materials and began talking with a few of the villagers about farming.

As the months flew by and your home was built and furnished, Ganondorf made a bassinet himself for the nursery and slowly became more open to the villagers. You had started feeling more and more comfortable around Ganondorf as you watched him become his old self. The man you loved.

As your pregnancy advanced you watched him become more protective. He'd worry over every little thing you carried and if you ever showed any hint of discomfort he'd force you to sit down in a plush rocking chair he had built himself. He had started to work a lot with wood outside of farmwork so he had made much of the furniture inside your home.

Ganondorf had formed a habit at night where he would help you get nice and comfortable, fluffing up pillows and making sure you were pampered before bed. And once you were comfortable he would lay down carefully, adjusting himself till his feet lightly dangled off the bed so he could position his ear next to your stomach.

The grin that would adorn his face in these moments always made you happy.

And blissful moments would come often now that you had no worry about time traveling or Ganondorf getting ahold of the secret stones. You had made a point to Zelda before that you did not want to have the knowledge of what would be done with the stones.

It wasn't only so you wouldn't slip up or maybe tell him accidentally. It was so you didn't get comfortable and think that it was safe enough to tell him. You knew that you were incredibly weak when it came to Ganondorf, just as he was for you. So you would help with any other research, just never the secret stones.

It made things more peaceful and less stressful in your mind, never having to overthink it.

And then your water broke.

Ganondorf was outside working on something in a shed he built to work on things to make in when he heard you calling for him, the panicked tone in your voice made him drop everything before sprinting and slamming open the door nearly off its hinges.

He saw you holding onto the dining table, using it for support as you stood in a pool of liquid and held the bump on your stomach tightly, contractions beginning to become painful.

Purah who had been staying in the village for a short time arrived quickly, already sending word to Zelda and Link about the state you were in.

And every step of the way you clenched Ganondorfs' hand the tightest you've ever held it. He hated seeing you in pain, his body hunched over the bed you laid in and the sweat forming on your forehead.

He hated that all he could do was sit there. It's why he held onto your hands and let you squeeze him.

All you would hear from him were loving coos and encouragement, the occasional dab of a wet cloth across your forehead before a kiss followed.

And with a certain push brought one life into the world, one that cried the moment they came into the world.

You cried as you held your child, a boy with Ganons' distinctive red hair but with your lovely eyes. And when he looked down at the bundle in your arms he was so glad they had inherited your eyes. His hand carcasses your hair, tucking strands behind your ear as he leaves kisses on your forehead and cheek, leaving one across your sons' forehead as well.

It was a fresh start, a completely new beginning.

You and Ganondorf could now let go as the babies' cries stopped and everything finally felt peaceful.

That lingering thought in the back of your mind would later come into question. As your son was now the first male born to the Gerudo in quite some time..

But as you gazed at the loving child in your arms you put away all those thoughts that would make you anxious, you decided no matter what to protect them. Ganondorf came close, enveloping you both in a hug, smiles, and tears of relief adoring his cheeks as everything settled into place.

You hoped this peace would last for a long time.

[linksthoughtbrambles]

HUMMMMMM

What about Links to Zelda’s point of view of pre relationship after calamity BOTW, where everybody and their brother (AND SISTER) is in love with Zelda and hits on her, she’s oblivious of course because, yknow super in love with Link.

Every place they travel to post calamity, poor links cheeks STAY clenched.

Thanks for the prompt, @raziasark! I have been very slow, so I decided to post this one in installments. This first one is about 1100 words. I hope you enjoy the beginning and I'll try to be less slow 😂

Thanks @newtsnaturethings for bouncing ideas back and forth with me!

---

The Princess Vibe

At first, Link didn’t notice. He had a lot to deal with, and he was disoriented. Who could blame him? He’d just shot a giant purple boar on magenta-fire with magical golden arrows which somehow emerged from his soul while riding Geranium (who had somehow materialized in Hyrule field despite Link knowing for a fact when he last left him, he was happily munching hay at Riverside Stable).

Zelda’s arms around him were even more disorienting.

“Thank you, Link. Thank you,” she said, over and over like someone still half-dreaming, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

He held her firm, but so, so careful—she deserved every ounce of support he had in him, but she was his Princess, half-remembered and half an ethereal vision from his life before. Was it real? Was she real? Did he love her? He thought he did, but nowhere in all those glimpses of his past life had he said or done anything about it.

He could be imagining things, especially if they were in the past.

His head could be coping with all that secondhand drama.

Past-him might’ve just been doing his duty.

Past-her might’ve expected him to do his duty, too, and that was it.

Now-her might be glad he finally finished his duty, but that’s all.

Zelda shook like a dry, crackling leaf against him.

Link stroked her hair without thinking. He winced, waiting for an objection, but she just kept thanking him. He swallowed the taste of malice-fire, acrid and sulfurous in his dry throat.

She was free for the first time in a hundred years. She deserved that freedom. He wouldn’t foist his own feelings on her.

Later, he found himself wishing everyone else would see it that way.

--

They arrived, filthy and exhausted, at Riverside Stable.

“Huh?!” Ember said, his mouth agape as they approached on the unmistakable giant horse. “When’d you take him out?”

“Snuck him out like a thief in the night, eh?!” Gotter said, squinting at Link. “Why didn’t you ask us like normal?”

Zelda’d been half-dozing against him in the saddle, but her head rose at that. “Indeed not. I teleported him.”

“You-“

“What?!”

“I apologize for any inconvenience,” she said.

They stared at her.

As Link dealt with Ember and the logistics of re-boarding the horse, Gotter seemed unable to stop staring at Zelda, who’d sunk onto a stool to rest.

“Eh- do you- teleport often?” the portly stablehand asked in a strange tone of voice.

“Only recently,” Zelda replied.

“O- oh. I see, so- eh-“ Gotter wrung his hands and took a step closer to her. “What kind of things have you- tried?”

“Only Link and that horse.”

“Oh! You can teleport people?!”

“Not anymore,” she said.

“Eh? Why not?”

“I suppose it must be due to my renewed corporeality.”

Gotter scratched his head with a befuddled squint.

Link finished exchanging rupees just in time to see Zelda listing sideways. He rushed over, thinking to scoop her up, but she hugged his leg instead.

“Thank you,” she said.

He blinked. “You’re welcome.” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked up to see a sort of intense vacancy on Gotter’s face, totally fixed on Zelda.

Link hadn’t planned on staying there overnight anyway, but it gave him the creeps. He whipped out the Sheikah Slate. “Ready?” He asked.

Her face turned up, her eyes glazed and smeared face pale. “For what?”

“Let’s get you somewhere to rest.”

“Oh! Oh, there are beds here!” Gotter said.

Zelda started pulling herself up with Link’s thigh as anchorage. He helped her. Gotter reached out a hand, then pulled it back with an odd little…

Giggle?

“Oh- you have it, haha,” Gotter said.

Link had enough of the weirdness. “Ready?” he asked again as her arms wrapped around his neck. At her nod, he reached around her shoulders and tapped the icon for the Myahm Agana Shrine.

He adored her little gasp by his ear as the blue energy shivered through them. It was lucky, really—he could pass his own shiver off as that, instead.

--

They spent days just recuperating.

Zelda slumped onto a seat at his table as soon as they walked in, but he didn’t let her stay there. He carried her to his bed, deposited her there, and took her sandals off for her—she was already asleep.

He wrapped the comforter around her, grabbed a bedroll, and laid it out on the floor beside her. (This, it turned out, was unwise, since she stepped directly on his bladder about two hours later when she awakened to empty her own).

That incident aside, they each slept the rest of the night and morning away. Link awakened to the gentle pat of Zelda’s fingers on his cheek, and he turned to find her hanging partway off the bed to reach him.

“Where do you get your drinking water?” she asked.

Link was up like a shot and trotting to the well around back for her. He drew three hot baths that day, too—two for Zelda and one for him.

Time passed in a complete haze while they got used to being rested, clean, fed, and safe again. Link kept startling with this sudden feeling he’d forgotten to do something important—a false sense of urgency, leftover signals rattling around his nervous system (except on that first day, after Zelda’s first bath, when he realized with horror the only women’s clothing he had was his vai outfit, and he would feel like a monumental ass if he offered her that, so he offered his typical day clothes instead and that was worse—the way she looked coming out of the bathhouse with his undershirt and—shorts?!).

“Oh, uh,” he'd said with a nervous tremor in his voice. “Yeah, so those are undershorts, the pants are-“

“Too tight, I’m afraid,” she’d said with a furious blush (Link felt awful for embarrassing her), “around my- ah- posterior.”

Link had started to sweat as he feverishly searched his brain for the meaning of the word “posterior," which he knew he knew when his internal monologue wasn't screaming.

“Perhaps,” she’d said, “you could spare those Sheikah tights instead? They ought to stretch.”

“Oh! Sure,” he’d said, extremely happy for the excuse to escape any potential revelation of his temporarily-depleted vocabulary.

He later had a small moment of enlightened panic when he realized how she must’ve known about his tights (“every step” of his journey? Every single one?!).

There were quite a few other small panic attacks involved in not looking at all, not one little bit, at how those tights fit her. Eyes up, straight out at all times, absolutely no looking anywhere below neck-level at Zelda. None.

But apart from those things, his jumpiness was nothing but leftovers.

At first.

---

[To be continued! Not sure how long this will be, but clearly a multi-installment fic!]

[hero-of-the-wolf]

Someone was running their fingers through his hair in comforting motions. Twilight couldn’t help but relax at the touch. For a few minutes it was all that he knew. Then an uncomfortable ache started to build in his chest, growing with every passing second until the white hot agony made it hard to breath. His breath stuttered in surprised pain.

“Shh, shh, it's alright pup.”

Twilight forced his eyes open to squint up at the figure looming over him. The Hero’s Shade was staring serenely down at him, haloed by the light of the setting sun. Twilight blinked, and suddenly the shade was his ancestor, his face drawn up tight in worry.

When he saw Twilight looking at him he forced a smile. “Hey. Don't worry, I've got you.”

Trying to speak made his vision go dark. Twilight shuttered a breath, curling more into himself. Something had happened, but the more he tried to grasp onto his thoughts the more distant they became.

“Don't move,” Time's firm voice echoed in his ears. “Just hold on. Help is on the way.”

Time. He’d taken that hit for Time. Twilight didn’t know if it would have been the finishing blow or not, but he couldn't have very well just stood by and watched. Not when he could do something about it. Not when he—

“Link.”

Twilight’s breath stuttered again. Something about the old man’s voice gave him pause. He opened his eyes— when had they closed?— to look up at Time. He almost startled when he realized that his ancestor was crying. Was he hurt? Had Twilight not succeeded in protecting him after all?

He shouted for someone, but all Twilight could focus on was the way Time’s fingers resumed carding gently through his hair. His eyes started to close again against his own will. It took more effort than it should have to keep them open, his eyes crossing at the strain. He needed to make sure Time was alright first. Then he could rest.

He jerked in surprise at a new touch at his side. It only made the pain worse, quickly swallowing up prodding hands and panicked voices and those gentle fingers until all he knew was agony. He must have passed out, because the next thing that he knew he was on his back, staring up at the darkening sky. Time was still above him looking off to the side. His fingers continued to run through his hair, and for a moment Twilight contemplated going back to sleep.

Then Time glanced down at him, and his eye widened in surprise. He managed a faint smile down at his descendant. “Hey, pup.”

“Hey….” He moved to sit up, and was pleased when he felt only sore. He felt his chest to confirm that the fatal wound from before was only a faint scar now. “Are you okay?”

Time gave him an incredulous look. “I’m not the one who nearly died here.”

“But you… you were crying?”

“Twilight, you nearly bled out in my arms. I….” Time’s face hardened. “I don’t know what you were thinking out there. That was careless, and it nearly cost you your life.”

Twilight couldn’t find it in himself to feel bad. After all, taking the hit to save Time had been his intention when he’d jumped in front of the man from the start. He’d known then that Time would be angry, and he knew that without explaining why his actions most certainly came across as reckless. But he couldn’t tell Time about the Hero’s Shade, he couldn’t, so instead he said nothing.

Time sighed. “This conversation isn't over. But I think it’d be best if you got some more rest.”

His tone invited no argument. Twilight relented, laying his head back in Time’s lap and closing his eyes. He didn’t regret it. No matter how mad Time got, he couldn't regret it.

In his dreams the battle had gone very differently. He was frozen in place, forced to watch in horror as Time crumbled to the ground before his very eyes. He still couldn't move, couldn't look away, as Time’s skin rotted away, leaving nothing but the all too familiar skeleton underneath. He gagged at the sight, horrified tears running down his face.

Then the Hero’s Shade calmly stood up, leveling Twilight with a severe glare. “I trained you better than this, pup.”

“I'm sorry, I—”

“Your current power would disgrace the proud green you wear,” he continued. “We may be blood, but you're no descendant of mine.”

When he woke up again Time was gone. Twilight sat up with a frantic gasp and surveyed the area. Most of the others were gathered around the fire, talking in low voices. Hyrule was still sound asleep in his bed roll. But Time was nowhere to be seen.

“Well, look who’s up.” Warriors was the first to notice that Twilight was awake. “Enjoy your beauty rest, rancher?”

“Where’s Time?”

He shook his head with an exasperated sigh. “He went out to collect more firewood awhile ago.”

Twilight moved to get up but Warriors’ voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Leave him be, he looked like he needed some space.” Warriors patted the spot next to him. “C’mon, come sit with us.”

Twilight hesitated, glancing out towards the woods. He didn’t know where exactly Time had gone, but if he could get far enough away he knew that Wolfie would be able to track him down in no time. If he could just—

“Twilight.”

Reluctantly, he got up and sat down next to Wars with a huff. There was no reason to think that Time wasn't okay. The still aching wound in his chest was proof that Twilight had taken that hit, not the old man, so he was fine. It’d only been a dream.

… was Time really so disappointed in his successor? When he looked at him could he only see his failings? Was Twilight himself the reason he was so full of regret?

Warriors nudged his arm, bringing his spiraling thoughts to a sudden stop. “You okay?”

Twilight blinked at him. “Huh?”

“Are you okay?” He repeated, brows drawing together in worry. “You look… ill at ease.”

“I'm fine,” Twilight insisted. Then he realized that everyone else was looking at him, too. It was too much. He stood up abruptly, making Wars lean back in surprise, and stumbled away. “I just… I think I need some air.”

Nobody stopped him as he quickly fled into the woods. He leaned against a tree, trying to get his breathing back under control.

Get a hold of yourself, Link.

He had taken the hit, right? He pressed a hand against the scar, but it did nothing to abate his increasing anxiety. He wished that Time was here. He knew that he was mad at him, but if he could only see that the old man was still okay, it would be worth the disappointment he was sure to see in his eye.

He slid down the tree until he was sitting on the ground and hugged his knees tightly. No one else was concerned. But they didn’t know what he did. How could they? It was Twilight’s burden alone to carry. No matter how heavy it was, he couldn’t share it with anyone else. Especially not Time.

A twig snapped. Twilight’s head jerked up, his hand instinctively reaching for his sword before remembering he’d left it back at camp.

Oh.

As if summoned from his thoughts, Time himself stood in front of him, a bundle of firewood under one arm and an axe in the other. He set both down, taking in Twilight’s surely pathetic appearance, and without a word came and sat down next to him. Twilight stiffened in shock as the old man wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him into his side.

They sat there in silence for a long moment, Time’s steady heartbeat grounding, until Twilight finally found that he didn’t have to fight so hard to breathe.

“You okay?” Time finally whispered.

“I’m sorry,” Twilight said, because he didn’t know what else to say.

But Time only sighed at that.

“We need to talk.”

Twilight inhaled sharply. He knew that this was coming. He also knew that there was no getting out of it now.

“I know.”

“Listen….” Time sighed again. Twilight’s heart started to beat faster. “What you did back there… I don’t understand what gets into you sometimes, pup.”

Twilight opened his mouth to reply, but he found that he had no words and quickly closed it again.

“Twilight.” Time pulled him even closer, wrapping his arm more protectively around him. “I need you to be more careful. I can’t… I can’t lose you. Earlier, I really….”

He trailed off, and they were left in an uncomfortable silence.

Time couldn't lose him? But Twilight couldn't lose Time. Even if he was fated to, he couldn’t just let it happen. Maybe this whole adventure was his chance to spare his ancestor some of his suffering. Maybe if he could ease his burdens enough, if he could just be good enough, he could save him. He had to try.

“I’m sorry. But I can’t just— just let—....”

“It’s not your job to protect me, Twilight,” Time said gruffly. “I’m a fully capable hero in my own right, y’know.”

Twilight bit his lip hard. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

Twilight fell silent again. He didn’t say anything for a long while. He didn’t know what to say. Time started idly rubbing his arm, the soothing motions more than he felt he deserved.

“Something’s been weighing down your mind.”

Twilight felt his heart freeze in his chest. He held his breath, waiting for Time to continue.

“We all have our secrets, but this one… I fear it’s tearing you apart.”

“I can’t talk about it,” Twilight managed to whisper.

A beat passed.

“Okay.”

Time pulled away, giving Twilight one last pat on the shoulder before picking up the stack of wood and the axe and started to head back towards the camp.

“You can always talk to me. I hope you know that, pup.”

Then he was gone.

Twilight wrapped his arms around his knees again, that familiar heavy sorrow weighing down on his chest. Maybe it was tearing him apart. But he still couldn’t tell him, or anybody else for that matter. He couldn't.

It was his burden alone to carry.

[crazylittlejester]

We are always making Wars suffer in this house, man 😔

So fluffy headcannons time ✨

Wars was gifted an orange sapling by Impa even she found out he liked them the most, and he takes pride in having nurtured it to be able to have fruit. He likes to give his friends oranges if he has to many to store/preserve, and sometimes even makes baked goods from them as well.

Wars made a sort of birdhouse for the fairies he rescued during his adventure. He made sure that there was a wardrobe for their clothes and plenty of food while he's away. He has Linkle check up on them during his journey with the chain.

Is trans! Both he and Zelda are, and upon realizing as such, they just swapped lives and called it a day. It was an awkward conversation having to explain to the others why he had the triforce of wisdom instead of courage and can harness holy light. He likes to joke that the fates got confused and mixed them up by accident.

Doesn't know if he wants kids or not. Mask, Town and Tetra were all hellions and gave him more migranes than he can count, but those softer and more wholesome moments he spent with them also makes him want a kiddo of his own. Might just become the cool wine uncle who sees his neices and nephews as his own kids.

Animals love him. Every single one, even usually hostile ones. Wild nearly had a stroke upon witnessing a Lynel acting like a full blown house cat demanding pets from him. This also means cuccos love him to death, even though he is scared by them.

Ginger, bleaches his hair to hide it. Likes scaring kids by saying if they look him in the eyes he'll take their soul. Mask, upon being told this, said he didn't have one. This was the start of Wars' concern of the child.

Has a huge sweet tooth. Like, it puts even the fairies to shame. It is a miracle his teeth haven't rotted out his head, and that might be from divine intervention.

Cat mom, and he babies them. They are spoiled and chonky and love being cuddled and held like babies.

The scarf wasn't apart of the uniform he was meant to wear. In all honesty, nobody knows how or when Zelda got the scarf, or how it became a part of his attire. It's just apart of him now.

Speaking of the scarf. It's huge. Like it straight up could be a blanket if he unfolded it and laid it felt on the ground. It's his security blanky.

OUGGHH I’m so with you on these

- THE ORANGE TREE GOT ME MAN. HE’D ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO HAVE ONE OH MY GOD 😭

- He is SUCH a friend of the fairies, they all love him to death and I’ll fucking die on this hill. They absolutely adore him

- TRANS WARS REAL. Link in general is just such a transgender icon and I love him for it

- I headcanon him as ace so I don’t think he’d ever have his own biological kids, but look me in my eyes right now and tell me he wouldn’t take a kid in who needed it. Also he’s such a girl dad, yknow? (I am so obsessed with the idea of him being a girl dad I’m writing a fic about it-)

- I have this vision in my head now of the cucco’s lookin at him like “OMG it’s Link 🙌!” and they love him so much and he runs away screaming in fear. It’s such a clear vision too 😭

- I LIKE THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ALSO THINK HE DYES HIS HAIR. Like we may have different headcanons on his natural hair color (for me I think it’s a dark brown) BUT SO MANY PEOPLE HEADCANON HES A FAKE BLOND AND IM OBSESSED.

- Oh he is SUCH a sweet treat kinda guy, I headcanon he has blood sugar issues, so small little snacks with a lot of sugar in them would be so good for him actually if his blood sugar dropped suddenly

- CAT MOM REAL. I think he’d have two of those hairless cats and he’d make sweaters for them. He treats them like his children, and he cried when Legend called them ugly (the cats are hideous but like in a cute way)

- Oh that scarf is fr gigantic and definitely bug enough to be a blanket. That’s his emotional support blanket and he takes extremely good care of it

[turtleduckscribbles]

Happy One Year to Tears of the Kingdom! 🎊

Hope you've all had a wonderful year making delightful new Zelda memories! I know I sure have—it's seriously bonkers how jam-packed this game is, like what. (As of 12:10 last night/morning, the map on my game file officially reads 100%. 🥲 PHEW. And still the completionist grind never ends... Darn you, Great Fairy upgrades!!)

It probably comes as no surprise that I've hardcore had Zelink on the brain for far too long... They're the little monkeys on my back... TOTK was no help to my addiction at all, so in honor of the game's 1-year anniversary, here's a sneak peek for the passion project that's been stewing away in my head over this past year. Plan is 3 parts, 3 chapters each. Post-BOTW, Pre-TOTK. For anyone who's fallen for them as much as I have. 💚

Dropping soon(ish) to AO3~

It took Zelda a second to process what she was looking at. When her vision finally focused, she found herself gazing at an image: A group of snout-nosed bokoblins stood awkwardly before the camera. It was only after considerable study of this image that she realized she was actually looking at a picture of Link.

Posed at the center of the group, Link was the star of the composition. What she had originally taken to be another bokoblin was in reality a bokoblin mask—or rather, helmet—and he wore it proudly. It had a bulbous nose with stitched-in button eyes, and a gaping, toothy mouth where his head fit snugly inside. He appeared to be having a grand old time; with one hand on his hip, he saluted the sky in a show of theatrics, a look of mock seriousness on his face. The encircling bokoblins all gawked at him in utter stupefaction. They clearly had no idea what to make of him. One of them was sniffing his armpit. Another was attempting to wedge its finger into his long felt ear.

It was, simply put, the most ridiculous, the most adorable thing she’d ever seen.

Zelda slapped a hand to her mouth, failing to stifle the strangled noise that bubbled up past her lips. What was the story behind this photograph? Was Link not in danger here? Had the monsters somehow accepted him as one of their own? Where did he even get that helmet? Questions such as these ran rampant in her mind as feelings of mirth crowded out the waves of despair that had threatened to drown her since their abrupt arrival at Fort Hateno.

Link hadn’t taken his eyes off her. He seemed to be waiting for something, some sort of cue or signal, stuck with bated breath in a limbo of uncertainty. Zelda’s heart melted. Even in a sea of stormy, violent tumult, his only concern was for her. She offered him a watery smile.

It was as if she had personally granted him permission to breathe again. With his shoulders loosening, Link smiled back, and to Zelda, it was pure light.

[skyward-floored]

For the ask gsme: Lost? Or First and Shadow?

I’ll do Lost, since First and Shadow is an idea I’m not quite sure what I’m doing with yet XD

Lost is the spot where I put everything for his au (Lost is my Link oc, for those who have missed it), all the random oneshots and things, and some character and ideas. Most of it is angsty. In fact almost all of it is angsty. I think there’s only one oneshot in there that isn’t angsty XD

So here’s some angst (the battle to free Link!)

Something dark was dripping from his nose, his eyes, and Zelda shut her own as she gave another push, the entire room lighting up with her magic.

The powerful hum in her ears mixed with Link’s gut-wrenching scream, and for a moment, something under Zelda’s hands resonated. Weak and beaten, trapped and worn by darkness... but there.

Link.

Zelda reached out and touched it, and Link let out an animalistic shriek, worse then any of the screams he’d let out so far, a noise that Zelda knew would haunt her the rest of her life. The entire room lit up with her power, and Zelda was blinded, vision going gold as a melodic hum rang in her ears.

Then it was over.

The light faded, and Zelda heaved in a gasp, her head spinning as her vision darkened at the edges. She’d used every bit of magic she had, and her insides felt hollow, drained of strength and shaky.

But she couldn’t pass out. Not yet.

She had to know if it worked.

Zelda looked down at Link, motionless below her, the dark markings gone from his face. She shakily shifted herself around his limp form, then lifted him up slightly, resting a trembling hand on his cheek.

“Link,” she whispered, brushing some hair from his face. “Link, can you hear me?”

He lay unmoving in her arms, eyes closed as blood trickled down his cheek.

“Link?” Zelda begged.

He didn’t move.

[axewchao]

Decided to turn a couple of my OCs into Zelda races!

Why? Because I know for a fact that I can't just draw Dal n' Rev all day. One day I'll branch out, and that means I need more practice with everything else Hyrule has to offer =w=

'Specially the Zoras. Those damn fish... head... tail... things =_="

I'll be sticking their mini-bios under a readmore :3

Makani

A Gerudo journeying across Hyrule. Blessed with fire magic, she left Gerudo Town to learn how to properly control said power, mainly via fighting as many monsters as she can. She hopes to one day return to the desert and challenge the legendary Molduking. Has an affinity for baking, and has considered establishing her own bakery somewhere pleasant and pretty.

While Makani has a number of goals on her mind, one she struggles with revolves around her eventually finding a voe. She doesn't want to just... have a kid for the sake of adding to the next generation, then waltz off to continue pursuing her own desires like her mother did. She wants to find a husband and start a loving family, but still has dreams, and only has so much time to do either. Subconsciously, she feels like she's being rushed to pick one thing and stick with it forever, which stresses her out.

Dusty

A Goron traveling with Makani. He considers Makani his sworn sister because of the matching heart-shaped marks (okay Dusty's is a rock) on their necks. Like his name implies, he's known for leaving large trails of dust clouds whenever he rolls around. He uses this to his advantage when fighting monsters; blocking their vision with dust, then striking from behind. He can also use the spikes on his back to scale up various walls.

Dusty is particularly fond of crashing into things. Monsters, large rocks, ore deposits, you name it, he'll crash it. Like most other Gorons, he doesn't like the taste of gems, but still collects them to make easy rupees. After hearing about the powers each gem can hold, he's kept one of each type for himself, as he's now debating over whether he should just attach them to his weapons and call it a day or keep more and have them converted into jewelry later. That "diamond circlet" thing sounds pretty badass, after all...

Tuno

A young Zora that was found washed up on the shores of Hateno Beach by Symin some time prior to the events of BotW. Rather than let the child swim back out to the unknowns of the sea, Tuno was instead brought to the Domain, where he was taken in by Laflat. Much like Link, Tuno never says a word, but can communicate with other Zoras by wiggling his fins.

Tuno has abilities similar to that of a puffer fish, in that he can puff up his tail and raise a set of spines to stab/scare any would-be assailants or threats. However, unlike puffer fish, he isn't poisonous in any way. He rarely puffs up, both because he's difficult to scare, and because it looks embarrassingly silly. The one thing that does scare him, however, is Octoroks. It's possible that some kind of Octorok had terrified Tuno in the past, maybe even drove him away from the sea entirely.

Tuna

A Hylian boy who lives at the Woodland Stable. He's Tuno's best friend, and the two are as close as siblings. Tuna often wonders if it's possible for a person to turn into a Zora, and likes to daydream about what his "Zora form" would look like. Prefers playing with the horses rather than actually tending to them, and is often begging his parents to let him start his riding lessons.

For reasons unknown, Tuna is prone to falling ill on the night of a blood moon, often left bedridden by sunset. He's become a sort of alarm at the stable because of this, where if anyone is wondering when a blood moon will rise, they just check on him. If he's feeling dizzy, that means one's coming. He'll recover the following morning without fail, but this doesn't stop his parents and fish bro from worrying about him.

[flutefemme]

"The Minstrel and the Prince"

A Zelink Week Fanfiction for @zelinkcommunity

Chapter 2: Forbidden

Song “Rich Man’s Garden” by Johnny McEvoy

“Wait, so walk me through this before I completely cover for you,” Aryll crossed her arms as they sat in the hidden portion of the library after breakfast the next morning.

I went out to the woods to play, and this girl showed up suddenly while I was playing. 

Aryll grinned. “Really. Was she pretty?”

Link rolled his eyes.

“Well?? Was she?? OH MY GODS SHE WAS GORGEOUS, WASN’T SHE!” Aryll squeaked as she gripped her brother's arm.

Link smacked her shoulder playfully, frantically looking around the library for anyone who might've overheard.

"Shut up, Aryll!" He hissed in a low voice.

"Oooooh, she's got you so riled up you're bringing out the voice!" She wiggled her fingers in mock intimidation as she said 'ooh' and 'voice', earning her a growl and a headlock. She screech-laughed and cried out in mock horror, "Help! Help! I'm being attacked by my stinky brother! Save me!" The interchange ended with mutual belly laughs and big smiles.

I mean it, Aryll, Link signed pointedly. Mother wouldn't approve and I need you to be discreet! He punctuated his last sign by smacking his hands together.

"Ugh, fine. But you have to tell me her name. That's my only condition." Aryll crossed her arms.

Zelda, alright?

"How old is she?"

That wasn't part of the deal!

"You don't know, do you! Link, you're eighteen. I won't have you waltzing around with a thirteen-year-old."

Link groaned. She's not thirteen, Aryll.

"How do you know???!"

He stared at her hard, like it was the stupidest question ever and she should know the answer.

"What? That's a fair question! And as your superior, I demand an answer!" Her poor suppression of a smile belied her command.

Oh my Gods, Aryll, you are not serious right now. I am not answering that question. He flicked his left hand up violently to mark his irritation.

"Then I'm not being discreet." She lifted her chin.

You're not playing fair!

"Life's not fair. Sorry about that. Best you learn now."

Link growled out loud in frustrated defeat, throwing his arms up in the air. With an accompanying eyeroll he dramatically grabbed his chest with both hands, then grabbed his hips. Aryll's pout turned into an amused smirk, which then turned into a grin, and then a full guffaw as she bent over and held her stomach, convulsing with laughter.

You're awful. Link gave her an angry stare.

"I'm…sorry…" she managed to heave between laughs. "Sort of. Alright, alright, you win, I'll cover for you. Just don't do anything stupid like get her pregnant."

"Aryll! Gods!"

"I'm being serious!"

"So am I!"

"Alright. I believe you." She gave him a tight hug. "I love you, brother. I don't want to see you get hurt. That's all. Be careful, okay?"

"I will. I promise." Link smiled and crossed his heart with his index finger. Aryll held out her pinky and wiggled it, and he grasped it with his own, yanking her down for another proper headlock.

******************************************

The sun was low in the sky by the time Link was able to get away from his daily responsibilities. He nearly sprinted back to his room to change into soft riding pants, his favorite leather boots, and a simple, loose, cotton tunic he'd managed to swipe from the scullery. He threaded his thick black belt as he walked swiftly down the hall and out to the stables, pulling his hylian hood over his head so as not to draw suspicion.

He tied up his horse on the outskirts of town and walked toward the Mercay Tavern. The lilting melody of a fiddle reached his ears before the vision of her playing reached his eagerly awaiting gaze. Quite a crowd had gathered, making him anxious, but he pushed through the feeling and managed to find a seat near the front of the audience.

He held his breath as he took her in, a fiddle in her hands and eyes closed as she played deftly through the section, fingers dancing on the strings. She was dressed in a flowing, deep violet skirt with vibrant magenta fringe. A delicate, mesh-like belt hung from her waist, with tiny baubles dangling from the bottom edge that chimed seductively as her hips swayed. A cropped, strapless bodice, low-cut and showing just enough skin to tease his sensibilities, ensnared him and cast out any hope of rational, pure thought. He took in a measured, shaky breath, slowly breathing it out through his nose. There was no other word to describe her: she was a ravishing beauty.

She hadn't spotted him yet. He wasn't sure she'd even remember what he looked like--it's not as if he had any kind of attribute a woman would find memorable anyway. As the music drew to a close, he pulled his hood around his face a bit tighter and glanced around the audience. He didn't spot anyone familiar, but wanted to make sure nobody recognized him. He'd pulled his hair back into a ponytail to help adjust his initial appearance--he was well known in noble circles for his thick, dirty-blond, long hair. He rolled his eyes. Maybe that was one memorable thing?

Zelda took a generous bow as the crowd whistled and cheered for her. He saw her glance around the crowd like she was looking for something. Or someone? He felt a grin slowly spreading on his face. Was she looking for him? He was suddenly aware of his heartbeat as he slowly grasped the edges of his hood and pulled it back a bit, leaning just a little bit into the aisle. Her emerald eyes got closer and closer to his section until green met blue and she stopped immediately. Her face brightened in recognition, her teeth biting her bottom lip as she smiled. Goddess was she pretty. Goddess. Suddenly she was singing.

On that day when first I saw you

How my young heart filled with joy

You were picking Silent Princesses

When I chanced to pass you by

Her voice was smooth as silk, the lilting melody encircling him with its spell. Everything disappeared and then it was her and only her.

I felt some strange thing happen

And I felt something had changed

Somehow I knew because of you

I'd never be the same

He swallowed slowly and blinked. How was she–

You lived in a rich man's garden

Fairest flower of all that grew

In a land I had no part of

Where no harm could fall on you

She was right in front of him then, leaning down, down and into his space. His skin prickled with a hesitant anticipation as she reached her hand out to grasp the edge of his hood and push it back off of his head. He held his breath, blue eyes wide, dry lips parted.

And I never got to know you

For you never looked my way

So I left you in that garden

And I sadly walked away

She sat in his lap and he nearly rocketed off the chair. His eyes fluttered shut as he allowed her cinnamon honey scent to overtake him. Her warm lips grazed his left ear as she continued to sing. Somewhere in the distance, he thought he could hear whistling and cheering.

Your father he had riches

With nothing left to crave

A lord of all the people

With a soul cold as the grave

And I knew he'd give no quarter

To one as poor as me

So I never crossed that garden

Where I knew my heart to be

And then she stood up and walked away back toward the stage, and he nearly felt cold at the loss of her! Opening his eyes, he realized that all eyes were on him, some laughing, some in disbelief, and some burning with jealousy. His gaze darted all around and he started to panic as he flipped his hood back up over his head and stared down at the ground. What had he been doing? He shut his eyes tight and tried to focus. He'd barely ever worked up the courage to talk to people in general, let alone beautiful women. And now he was breaking at least five rules that would give his mother a heart attack and most likely get him restricted to his quarters for the rest of his life?? What had come over him?! He looked back up and watched Zelda as she played her next set. She was vibrant, joyful, and radiated happiness. When he watched her, he could feel those emotions seep into his heart, too, and he knew he'd been taken in by this mysterious, musical, green-eyed girl who was currently staring right at him while she crooned another tale of lost love. 

He was doomed. Wholly and perfectly doomed. He accepted his fate with a shy smile in her direction while he wondered how much longer the performance would last so he could try talking to her again.

Chapter 1

[justworthlessreblogs]

if your concern is being annoying you should just make a pseudonym (aka give us synopses of your other ideas pretty please?)

rubbing my hands like a little gremlin buckle up. they're all ciel & rio centric because the possibilities are absolutely endless with those two

a full-on ciel and rio role reversal, where ciel is the one who joins noir in paris (and rio doesn't as a result). ends in cure parfait and cure waffle, obviously. what i really like about this one is that it gives me the chance to explore a rio who never went through the julio stuff, because it's implied in canon that he used to be a pretty happy kid before the paris incident went down. i actually half-wrote this back in june but never finished it. i'd like to someday

this one is mostly a joke au based on a discussion my beta reader and i had back in october: au where julio gets a shitty otome isekai protagonist moment by hitting his head at the start of the series and receives a vision of his "death" in 23. he obviously doesn't know that he'll survive in the end so he sets out to change his fate. this is another one that i actually half-wrote out and plan on finishing at some point, so i don't want to spoil too much sdfhj

modern, human au where lumiere and noir are a divorced couple. each of them got one kid in the divorce. lumiere got ciel and noir got rio. somehow rio ends up with lumiere and ciel (haven't figured the reason out yet because this one is still pretty new) and gets to unlearn all the shitty stuff that he internalized from noir because noir is the opposite of world's #1 dad. this one is mostly for fun because this type of plot is one of my guilty pleasures in fanfic

kirakira botw au!!! i might actually post this on its own someday, but basically ciel & rio are link & zelda. there's a prophecy that noir (who takes ganon's place) is going to awaken soon. lumiere is hylia. ciel awakens as one of the precure of legend needed to defeat ganon (i.e. link with the sword) and everyone expects rio to be the other but no matter what he does he can't seem to activate it (i.e. zelda). the original 5 precure are the divine beast pilots. rio finally transforms in this au's version of the zelda's awakening memory. after this it gets a little more fuzzy, because i can't decide who i want to go into the shrine of resurrection. while it would make sense for ciel to go into the shrine since she's the link analogue in this au (and i love writing ciel's pov) it'd also make sense for rio because he has a magical healing coma in canon just like link. also i just really enjoy botw aus where zelda/the zelda analogue is the one in the shrine. i also haven't figured out who all the npcs will be, because while kirakira's main cast is huge its supporting cast is pretty small. might have to pull cures from other seasons. elisio is master kohga btw (but a lot more threatening)

[rjhpandapaws]

Like a Rose Something will Grow

//TW: Low Self Worth, Self Deprecation, and mild suicidal thought

Link has always been a light sleeper, or at least it feels that way. He's been a light sleeper since he woke up in the Shrine of Resurrection, he doesn't know if the Link he was before that was a light sleeper, and he doesn't care to find out. Since coming back to his house in Hateno it's been worse, the slightest noise will set him awake for the rest of the day. Unless it's raining. The rain reminds him enough of Zora's Domain that he can manage a few hours of rest despite the noise beyond the walls of his house. Which is why he finds himself surprise to be woken up by something despite the heavy spring rain. His ears flick as he resigns himself to being awake and listens for what his mind tells him is a threat. Instead he hears Sidon's voice, "I promise I mean no harm, I am looking for my friend Link. Prince - Queen - Zelda told me he often resides in this town when he isn't traveling." He can't hear Boulson's response over the crack of thunder but shortly there after he hears the bridge creak dangerously. It wasn't meant to carry the weight of anything much larger than a horse. He prayed it wouldn't break as Sidon crossed. That thought was immediately followed by the realization that Sidon had found his house. Found him.

Link hadn't expected him to come looking. When he had gathered his senses and teleported away, he assumed that would be the end of it. Everyone else had moved on without him. Was it so cruel of him to expect the same of Sidon? He sighed and braced himself for the knock that was sure to come to his door. Sidon was never good at letting him sleep, but it never comes. Well not at least until the sun is well over the horizon. "Link, I know you're here. Your horse is in the yard." Sidon's voice has a hitch of, something, to it. "I just want to talk. Apologize, actually, for my outburst at the river. Please let me in." Link rolls out of bed, might as well get this over with. Sidon will apologize for reacting to his sadness, remind him that he is a hero, and over a place to stay if he needs one in the same strained way everyone else has with the hopes Link never takes them up on it. He won't of course, he has this house and it's nice enough, and sometimes it even rains enough for him to sleep.

When he opens the door Sidon is crouched almost comically to fit in the frame. Link steps aside and gestures for him to enter. It would be better for Sidon if they had this conversation outside, he wouldn't have to bend uncomfortably; but Link would rather not have the whole town witness his weakness. Sidon takes a seat on the floor once Link has closed the door, he's less at risk of bashing his head on the ceiling like this. Worry pinches his brow as he looks Link over. And Link pretends not to notice. He knows how he looks. His hair is in a loose bun and uncombed, he's in an old shirt that's seen much better days, and pants that are in the same state. He's got dark circles and he hasn't been eating enough. He knows this already. "You look unwell my friend." The gentleness of Sidon's voice threatens to pull him apart at the seams.

'I'm Fine.' He signs sharply, but it doesn't matter because Sidon's eyes have landed on his sister's spear mounted safely on the wall. Unused since it was gifted to him. "You are not fine." Right, Sidon had a wide field of vision, "I won't ask if you don't want to tell me, but I cannot leave you on your own while you are like this." 'You Should.' He replies dryly, 'You Have Better Things To Worry Over.' Sidon bares his teeth, and Link knows he's crossed a line, but as soon as the anger is shown it gets buried, "Let me decide what is worth my worry Link." There's a coolness to his words that keeps Link's hands firmly at his sides, "I wanted to apologize for the scene I made at the river, it was rather undignified of me to declare I still needed you when you've had so little time to recover. I am sorry I made you feel like you had to hide from me." 'Not From You.' Link signs carefully, 'I'm Just A Coward.' Sidon opens his mouth but Link beats him to it, 'Don't.' He signs sharply, 'I Do Not Want Praise. I'm Not The Hero, He Died In The Castle. I Am Just Link. I Am Afraid.' He paused, 'Let Me.'

Zora can't cry, not physically at least, Link isn't sure why or how he knows that, but he does; despite this Sidon looks like he's ready to shed heavy tears at Link's words. He closes his eyes for a long moment and Link watches him collect himself. When his amber eyes open again there is a distance to them that hurts Link more than Ganon or any of his blights had. "If that's what you want." Sidon says quietly, "I will be out keeping watch until you are ready to reach out." He struggles with the door for a moment, his large claws are too big for the handle, but once he has it open he's out quickly enough that someone might have thought he'd been burned. In a way, Link supposed he had. He settles in the pond as promised and the door closes between them. Link lets it.

He loses count of the days eventually. Link catches another glimpse of him through the loft window and sighs quietly. Of course he hasn't left. On some level Link knew he wouldn't. Not until he knew Link was well. Guard sleep, Sidon had called it once. It was a common practice among Zora who were particularly close. One would guard the sleeping pool of another until they recovered. Be it from illness, injury, or low mood. He should have been honored that Sidon cared enough to do this for him. Except Link couldn't see himself coming out of this anytime soon, and that pond was far too small for Sidon. There wasn't much to come out of, there wasn't much of anything. He'd saved the world. There was nothing left for him to do except wait for any one of the deaths he had cheated to come back for him. Sidon didn't need him, despite his outburst at the river. He was strong and had his whole life ahead of him. He could get through this. He just needed to let Link go, like everyone else had.

By the time spring had turned into a sweltering summer, Link couldn't look outside without feeling some form of guilt. This weather was far too warm for Sidon, this much time in it had to be bad for his health. Still Link waited until he was properly asleep before leaving the house. He'd made ice pillars with the slate and put them on either end of the pond. The chill it seemed was enough to wake Sidon. He spotted Link in a matter of moments and gave a weak smile, "You're here." Link wasn't sure how to respond to the weigh of relief in his voice, and pulled up the warp screen on the tablet. Sidon was faster and grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the water. "No running this time." He took the tablet and set it on one of the pillars out of Link's reach, "I've done my waiting and we need to talk."

'Then Talk.' He signs flatly. "Why do you hate me? If it wasn't the river then why?" He lets go of Link if only to clench his fists, "I don't understand, I've given you space, and my words, nothing seems right." 'You Don't Want Me.' Link signs, all his old anger bubbling over, 'You Want Champion. Hylian Hero. You Want Savior, Dear Friend. You Do Not Want Link.' A sob rattles up between them and Link isn't sure who it came from, 'I Am Not Hero. I Am A Corpse With Too Much Time Left.' Sidon is quiet, truly quiet for a very long time, and Link learns from his silence, that it's him that's crying. He curls in on himself as if that would be all it took to hide this from Sidon. "No, Link... I never meant to make you feel that way." Sidon says and it's barely above a whisper, "I thought.... I'm not friends with the Hero of Time. I'm friends with a ridiculous little Hylian who doesn't sleep enough even for the dead, and solves most of his problems by setting them on fire. I'm friends with someone who's still learning who he is, and one of those things needs to be how dear he is to me. My hands are full enough with him that I wouldn't have time for whatever hero may come my way. So please don't cry."

Link feels something break, whether its something physical, or just one of his many layers of armor he isn't sure. But he finds himself crashing into Sidon and finally letting go. Sidon, as kind as he is, holds him while he cries and when he's collected himself Sidon gives him back the slate. "Let's head back." He says kindly, "You could use some real sleep, and I have rather missed my resting pool." Link nods before grabbing Sidon's hand. They fade into blue light together and when they arrive in Zora's Domain again, Link almost feels like putting down roots.

[dreamdepot]

DotK - Chapter 6 Preview

Hi all, the next chapter is gonna be a big one, so I thought I'd share a little preview. It's time for you and Link to take care of a few side quests!

=============================

Link led the way on the climb up, testing all the footholds for the best path for you. You followed, passing him pieces of honey candy to keep both of your energy up. Soon, you dismounted at the edge of the canyon.

To your surprise, the supposed Zelda was there, trapped in an unstable-looking iron cage. Despite what you saw in the vision back on the Stormwind Ark, this potential Zelda was at least much closer to your Zelda – by appearance at least. “Oh Link, please save me! Thou must get me out of this cage!”

“Thou? That’s definitely not my sister. Oh, wait a second,” you whispered. You pulled out a Mighty Banana and dropped it on the ground. This Zelda’s eyes snapped to it like a magnet before you picked it up and put it away. “Well, that answers that,” you groaned.

The fake Zelda gave you both her best puppy-dog eyes, which was completely ineffective. “Please lift this cage and we can be together again, my love!”

“I am actually offended,” Link whispered back. “Like, sure, we’re not super big on the lovey-dovey stuff in public, but five years. C’mon.”

“I mean they literally have been underground for five years,” you shrugged. “Wanna mess with them?”

“Oh yes.” Link’s eyes gleamed with mischief. He turned to the fake Zelda, clutching his chest. “My Princess, I am so glad to see you’re safe, but I can’t believe those terrible Yiga have trapped you in this cage.”

“Terrible?!” Not-Zelda scoffed before composing herself. “I mean, yes! Yes, and you should free me!”

“No, I can’t let you – for this is my chance!” You said. Both Link and Not-Zelda gasped. “Mwha-ha-ha! I can finally take over the kingdom and depose of Zelda!”

“Y-you what?!” Not-Zelda stuttered. “But, I’m your sister? You want to get rid of me?”

You laughed maniacally. “First, I will take over Hyrule, then the world! Ganondorf himself would even tremble before me! Then, once I’ve taken your kingdom, I’ll take…” you paused impressively. “Your man!”

“No!”

“Yes! And I’ll… I’ll dress him in the most beautiful clothes as my personal muse and servant!” Link shot you a look, but you could tell he was trying not to laugh. You slammed your arms on either side of him, trapping him against the cage. “You dare laugh at me, knight? Maybe I should show you your place.”

“L-Link no!” Not-Zelda said, voice quivering. “Be strong!” Her words were weakened however by the flush on her face and her slowly growing nosebleed. She watched with rapt attention. “Don’t let that evil prince have his way with you!”

Link looked into your eyes, a smolder in his own. “Oh really, Prince [Y/n]? You want me to submit to you? Make me.”

“I… uh… this is a bit public…”

“Oh, come on, where’s your nerve?” Link teased. “Or maybe you’d like me to put you in your place instead?” You felt something poke into your stomach. Your eyes drifted down for just a moment to see Link passing you a bomb arrow. His eyes flicked to the cliffside behind you.

“Oh, I’ll show you nerve…” you growled. You whipped out your bow and fired the arrow behind you, taking out the hidden Yiga soldiers.

“Have I mentioned how much I love watching you fight?” Link sighed. “As for you,” he said turning to Not-Zelda and leveled his bow at her head, arrow tipped with an Ice Fruit. “Tell us what the Yiga Clan is up to.”

Not-Zelda flushed, trying to compose herself. “Not fair, you fight dirty!”

You leaned against the cage with a smirk. “It was just us having fun. Now, come on, you want to tell us, right? Believe me, you don’t want to see my boyfriend mad now, do you?”

“Wait, you guys really are together?”

“For masters of stealth and espionage, you really aren’t that great at your jobs. And we thought Kohga was bad at his job.”

She stamped her foot. “Don’t speak about Master Kohga that way. At this very moment, he’s working on his master plan to help the Demon King!” She clasped her hands over her mouth.

“You’re new at this aren’t you,” Link said, never letting his arrow drift from his mark.

“Only my third week,” she said meekly.

“So Kohga did survive…” You sighed. “Okay, listen. Tell us where he is, and we’ll let you out of the cage.”

“And if I don’t?”

“I think a Lynel lives over the next ridge. Maybe he’ll let you out.” You shrugged and turned, pretending to leave.

“No, no, wait!”

=============================

Chapter 6 will be out this Friday!

[shade-pup-cub]

Ugh... the things I do to these poor boys, but still one of my fave scenes!

Wild's reunion after TOTK, Chapter 11 "A Deity's Son"

Content warning: magic possession, seizure, blood, someones are is missing... this was writen before the game came out.

"Dametrius?" He looked over to see Time, awake and confused.

"When did all of you get here?"

"No idea. Must have switched in our sleep. We were in Skyloft last night."

"No point in asking if you have seen my wildling then."

The others were waking up to their voices. "Mornin' y'all." Twilight called out as everyone tried to wake up.

"Morning Pup. Look where we are."

"Wild?" The wolf hero jumped to his feet, grabbing his head immediately after looking up to the balcony.

"Not here and I'm just as clueless as the rest of you."

Legend shivered and rubbed his arms. "Can we start the fire? It's freezing!"

"Sure." Demetrius then scoffed, "Wouldn't be so cold if you wore some fucking pants." He wasn't really trying to hide it.

"Heard that, you shirtless asshole!"

Dametrius shrugged with a laugh, raising his arm up and aimed for the fireplace. "Watch yourself." He gave just enough time for Legend to move before fire scaled down his arm and bust from his palm to the fireplace. He laughed as he turned to his closet to put on his long sleeve, high neck, black tunic and black pants. He pushed up his sleeves before running his fingers through his hair to pull it back into a higher ponytail. He splashed water onto his face to fully wake. He slid brown boots on, overlapping his legging style pants.

Everything seemed peaceful at the moment as he heard the light banter between Legend and Warriors, Time and Twilight sharing a laugh, Sky yawning as he tried to stay awake. Four was looking at his own shadow that the god thought would joi- oh wait, there's Shadow. Wind just pounced onto Warriors back, both falling to the ground. Hyrule slapped Legend for laughing at the two.

Dametrius was smiling, thinking of how it would be if his Link had siblings to cause havoc with.

Peace never lasted around this group though.

Twilight had gotten up from his spot to go outside, but stopped when he opened the front door. "Cub?" Everyone was silent. Waiting. "Cub!!" It wasn't a holler of excitement or of missing someone. It was the kind that was filled with worry, fear and pain. "DAMETRIUS!"

He jumped over the balcony to the first floor as the door was kicked back open by Twilight with Wild clinging to him, cloak wrapped around him and hiding his face.

"What happened?" He asked as he knelt down and helped support the young man who looked to be a few inches taller than last time.

"G-ganon… we won, but it hurt." Wild was trembling and flinched at every sound around him.

"Cub?" Twilight was moving his bangs from the too still hero.

Like a switch turned on, Link crumbled to the ground, half in his father's arms. "Make it stop, Dad, please make it stop! It hurts and I don't… I don't want this!!"

"Wild, what hurts? I need you to tell me so I can help." From under the hood, a flash of glowing green was visible. "Wild, take off the hood."

"I can't… please."

"Link, let me see you." He was not prepared for what he saw.

Wild's hair was down to his mid back, much like it was when he was a child. It was no longer the beautiful blond, but a dark red that matched the Barbarian Headset he owned. His skin was tanner than it had ever been too. He still had his eyes closed tightly.

"Can you open your eyes for me?"

Wild let out a pained whine, but did look at his father slowly. His eyes… his cobalt blue eyes like his mother's were now a bright, light green with a sheen over them that had to be for when he was outside at night.

There were gasps and startled noises followed by shifting. "How?" Dametrius asked as he cupped his son's cheek.

"We found Ganon, just like in my visions. The seal was so weak and it fully broke when we got there. We were standing nowhere close to the edge, but the ground under Zelda gave way and she fell. I went to save her, but something grabbed me. It was an arm, The Zonai Sage's arm that held the seal. It fused with mine and the magic is trying to take over… It already has this much." Wild unclasped his cloak with his left hand, allowing the material to fall from his shoulders and the others to see him fully. His arm was a dark decayed color, adorned with metal that wrapped around it and his fingers like rings.

Wild let out a bellow as his body quivered. The arm became a light green color, glowing and the metal was a golden color. His eyes flashed open and they too were glowing.

Dametrius recognized what was going on. “The magic is too powerful for your body. At this rate it will kill you.”

“How long do we have?” Twilight asked.

“When did this start?”

Wild gritted his teeth, clenching his father’s tunic in his hands. “Two hours ago. The second I killed Ganon.”

Demetrius rubbed a hand over his mouth in a stressful manner. “Maybe thirty minutes and that is being generous.”

Another wave of magic went through the boy. The black rectangles on his skin got darker and more started to form. “Cut it off! Please!!”

What?

Wild’s eyes rolled back and his body twitched. Dametrius laid him down onto his side and made sure his airways stayed clear.

“What is happening?” Wind was half tucked behind Wars, blue scarf in his fist.

Dametrius kept his voice calm. “He is having a seizure. Zonai magic is meant for the Zonai, not Hylians. It's trying to use his body as a vessel, but it is overpowering his system. Even him being a demi-god isn’t enough.”

Time came to their sides. “What do we need to do?”

There was no other option for the time remaining. “Cut it off.” The expressions he received were no different than what he was feeling inside. “If we had more time, we could try to find a better solution, but we don’t have that luxury right now.”

Wild, uncharacteristically for a seizure and could only be explained by the magic, sprang to his feet. He did a hand gesture and the Master Sword appeared, except it wasn’t the same anymore. It had its original hilt and first quarter the same, but the rest looked to be made of some kind of magic. The colors matched Wild’s arm and eyes. The concern in the father’s chest grew. He was happy to see that Fi was watching out for the others still. She burned Wild’s hand, making him drop the blade.

Weapons were drawn by most in the room as Wild took a defensive stance. “He is hallucinating.”

The red haired Link charged on the other heroes, starting with Legend. He had just enough time to move, but was grabbed by his forearm and swung around, thrown into the nearest wall, head crashing backwards with an audible crack. Hyrule was by his side in an instant, casting his life spell.

Almost no one stood a chance against Wild's speed as he zig zagged between bodies, not killing, just disorienting them. Wild, even like this, refused to kill anyone outside of the Yiga or Ganon. The closest one to take him down was Shadow as he shadow-jumped, latching onto Wild’s leg and torso. He could only hang on so long before the elemental demi-god pulled flames from the fireplace into his hands to get rid of his own shadow, therefore banishing Shadow from him.

Dametrius watched Twilight sneak towards his cub and went to grab him. The other turned and dodged at the last moment. Shit! Dametrius, just as fast as his son, lurched forward before the sword Wild pulled from Warriors back could reach skin and wrapped his arms around the young man, the other hand gripping around his wrist holding the blade.

As time went back to normal, they rolled across the floor before slamming into the wall holding shields. "Link! Listen to me!"

"Get off!!”

He pulled the boy's back to his chest to secure him. "You are stronger than this and you know it. Son, this isn't you. Fight this!"

The boy under his bruising grip stilled his thrashing. "Dad?" he half choked out the word.

"Hey kiddo. I’m here"

" 'm sorry." Wild convulsed. "Hurry! I can't hold it back too much longer."

Dametrius basically ripped his son's shirt off the one shoulder it hung on. He could feel the magic pulsing, but fading. He looked around the room scanning for things he was going to need, while keeping a tight grip on his son.

"Clear off the table! Four, I need the sharpest blade you have, preferably some kind of ax. Heat it up to sanitize it. Hyrule, you are going to be needed for healing. Legend, gonna need that Ice Rod of yours. Twilight, you're the strongest, need you to hold his right arm out for me. Time, hold down his torso. The rest of you, try to keep his legs still." Everyone jumped to their proper places.

He picked up Wild and placed him on the table to where his right arm was flat on it. Twilight gripped it firmly as Time placed most of his body weight onto the small torso. Warriors had a hold of one leg as Wind and Sky had the other. Four surprisingly had the ax blade already ready and went to Wind's side after handing it over.

"D-dad?" His breathing quickened with his panic. He clearly could see the blade near him. It raced faster as his father tied a tourniquet around his upper arm.

Dametrius placed his forehead to his son's, upside down. "Freya, give me strength and forgive me for what I'm about to do to our boy." He kissed the deep red locks of hair that still had the single lock of pure white in the bangs.

The magic began to rise once again. They were running out of time.

"Dad, please!!" Wild thrashed again, but was held firmly in place.

"Wild, Cub! Look at me." Time cupped the unscarred cheek and turned his head away from what was happening. "It's okay. It'll be okay. Just… just look at me." Dametrius was beyond thankful for the bond his son had grown with his ancestor and for the resemblance Time and he shared. He knew it eased some of the anxiety Wild had as he went to other eras, to be able to see someone that looked like his father.

The god put a strip of leather between his son's teeth so he wouldn't hurt himself. He took a deep breath, "Everyone ready?" Nods were given and he raised the ax high into the air. He could hear everyone's heartbeat before he brought the ax down.

The screams Wild let out with tears rushing from his eyes broke Dametrius’s heart.

Time gripped the boy's face with both hands to keep his head towards him. Tears of his own slipped down his cheeks. "Cub, it's almost over, I promise. Just a little longer." He placed his forehead to the other’s to block out everything except himself. Wild was sobbing around the leather strip, staring into Time’s eyes, both eyes. He was gripping onto the back of Time's tunic, nearly ripping it and probably was leaving welts underneath.

Dametrius summoned the smallest amount of fire he could in his palm and placed it on the new, extensive wound to cauterize it. New screams filled the house and Wild violently moved around to get away. He took the Ice Rod from Legend and chilled the wound, though there was no covering up the coppery smell and burning flesh.

He had forgotten about Twilight for a moment, but when he heard the sharp breaths being taken in next to him, he turned towards the source. He was shaking with blood splatter on his clothes and face. Twi looked at his cub, to the detached arm, then up to Dametrius’s white eyes. Dametrius took the arm, blood running down it and threw it into the flames.

Turning back to the now crimson colored table, he saw Hyrule already using his magic to heal what he could, anguish across his face and he looked a bit green.

He walked towards Twilight, spun him away from the sight and pulled him close. The other didn't hesitate to put his arms around him, death grip on his black shirt. He ran his fingers through the dirty blond hair, kissing the top before looking at Time. He signed to him, 'Switch'.

Time walked over after pressing his lips to the scarred cheek and coaxed Twilight to sit with him against the wall.

With shaking hands, Dametrius gingerly picked up his unconscious son from the table and sat next to Time and Twi with Wild in his lap, pressed to his chest. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He pressed soothing kisses to the feverish skin of the young hero. "I'm so sorry for everything."

The flames in the fireplace roared as the last bit of the arm disintegrated into ash. A teal flame appeared, expanding into a person. Dametrius recognized the man, Link of the Zonai tribe. They bowed to each other before the flames went out.

Sky walked over with bloodshot eyes and collapsed in front of them. He looked regretful of what he was about to ask or say. “Dametrius… Where is Zelda?”

[zeldaelmo]

Thank you so much for all the love for this story. I'm positively blown away. People are making fanart already and the subscriptions won't stop going up — it's my second most subscribed story already! You're the best readers!

As always, my thanks go to my beta @itcantbe. I edited quite a bit after her suggestions, so potential errors are on me. 😅

The Promise, Chapter 5

"Link!" 

Link was frozen, too paralyzed to shudder at the deep disgust and disappointment his mother managed to put into the one syllable that was his name. 

"Link!" she shouted again. Before he could even think of the word 'plan', let alone make one, his mother crossed the room in a blur of forest-green and slapped him across the cheek with her palm. His head flew to the side from the impact, mostly because he was unprepared. She hadn't hit him in ages and...and he had held onto the promise! Stars clouded his vision for a moment, a lingering effect from Ghirahim's fist refreshed by his mother's slap. After twitching his cheek and the bruise growing there to examine the damage, he faltered. If he was honest with himself, he probably deserved it, but did she have to treat him like an immature teen in front of Zelda? She was making a complete fool out of him and for what? He had just tried to keep the promise and held the family honor up! 

"What do you think you're doing, boy?" Her piercing voice gave him an instant, skull-splitting headache. "I permit you to go to a nasty public ball to do what you failed to achieve in letters or other convenient ways, and even this one thing you manage to mess up! Are you aware of how bad attending a tacky event like this looks for our family? And then you have the audacity to bring back a—” She fanned herself with her hand and blinked rapidly. “I won't even say it out loud!" 

[silentprincessandsweethibiscus]

Three Plus One: Sometimes the choices we make lead to unexpected situations, and sometimes those situations leave you longing for something missing, and far more questions than answers. But no Link has ever been able to walk away from a good mystery, so that’s no problem for the Heroes of the Four Sword.

Chapter One- This is not the Eternal Nothingness I signed up for: Shadow knew breaking the mirror would be the end of it and was ready, or so it thought, but this is nothing like what it expected. I am honestly so fuckin excited to post this chapter. its a bit shorter then the first two chapters of Four Minus One were, but its also the first appearance of my favorite little void creature, and im quite happy with how it turned out!

This chapter takes place before Four Minus One, but after this if you want to avoid any spoilers for that fic I will start each chapter of this one by telling you what chapter you should be up to in the sibling fic. I hope you enjoy reading both of them as much as I’m enjoying writing them.

The last thing it remembered was the sounds of something shattering mixed with it’s own screams. The feeling of arms, familiar and loving, desperately pulling it into their chest. Reassurances from its new, friends? It was unsure on what exactly the other three felt about it, and that's where the confusion set in. It felt unsure. It should not be feeling anything. It shattered the mirror. It’s very life. To take back control from those who had been in control of its entire life, and to protect the one… No, the ones it loved. It may be unsure of how they had felt, but it did know it cared for them. Regardless of what they thought, they were its family, and if it had the chance to go back and do that all again, it would make the same choice.

The more Shadow became aware of its seemingly impossible train of thought, the more it became aware of the ever increasing need to survey its surroundings, and assess whatever situation it had gotten itself into with its most recent stunt. However, peeling its eyes open did little in the way of helping it understand. There was nothing. Just blackness. Total and oppressing. Even the shadows it had been born from had the faintest light by which one with any kind of night vision could see. Moving its limbs was like trying to swim through a chu-chu, but there was no sensation on its skin. No heat or cold, not the faintest breeze. Trying to speak yielded some interesting results. It could hear its voice only in the way one could hear their own voice while their ears were plugged. It could hear it in the back of its throat, but the sound did not carry past its lips even so far as to reach its ears.

Shadow hadn’t expected a nice afterlife, after everything, Demise knows it didn't really expect an afterlife at all. Who would have guessed there would be something waiting for a shadow after death, but when it had considered the eternal nothingness waiting for it this was not what it thought it meant. It had thought it would simply cease to be, not that it would be stuck in the eternal nothingness. It wondered, just for a moment, if this had been worth it. If, knowing that this was waiting on the other side of a broken mirror, it would still do it. Was freedom from Gannon and Vaati truly worth it if this was its reward? Its thoughts returned to Vio, safe with their brothers. With Vaati gone, and some of the power Gannon was drawing from gone, the four of them surely defeated him, rescued Princess Zelda, and returned to their home. Maybe they stayed separate. Or maybe they became Link again. Either way, Shadow knew it had been more than worth it.

As Shadow’s thoughts drifted to Vio and the others it started to imagine how things could have gone. If Vio had actually betrayed the others. Hyrule under their control. A sadness washed over it, the two of them had made such a great team, it was still hard for Shadow to wrap his head around the fact that it had mostly been a lie. It thought back to the day Vio had tried to break the mirror. Pacing in front of them in a cell, pleading with Vio to understand why they would fake all of this. The friendship Shadow could understand. Respect even. It was underhanded, conniving, and brilliant. All the things Shadow had wanted Vio on its team for. But the relationship? Why had they faked that? Why lie about those kinds of emotions? That was beyond underhanded. That was pure evil. Everyone thought Shadow was so bad, so why was Vio the one who had done this. Shadow had been enamored by them, sure, but Vio was the one who pushed them over the edge from friends to something more. It took hours of arguing, in that tiny cell, for Vio to convince Shadow that the relationship had been real. They're feelings had been real. An uncalculated variable, that Vio had not expected, and had not meant to act on. They knew they would have to hurt Shadow in the end, but in the moment that it had happened they had not been thinking about that. That they had only been thinking about the way the moonlight was shining off Shadows hair, and the way it threw its whole body into even the smallest chuckle. 

And Shadow had believed them, had let them leave. It couldn’t just let them out of course, the punishment from Gannon had it done that was unthinkable, but it could manufacture a situation for their siblings to come save them. So it had faked an execution. It was still punished for allowing a traitor in, and for failing to stop Vio’s siblings from rescuing them, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as it would have been, and that was alright. Even if it had to lie during the planning, to convince Vio it wouldn’t be punished for that.

Then, on the other end of everything, how would things have changed if Shadow had left with Vio. Would Gannon come after them? Or send the flying rat? Would the five of them have been able to come up with a different solution? A way to take them both out without breaking the mirror. A way for Shadow to have lived. Would the other three have even entertained the notion that Vio had changed Shadow’s mind. Had changed Shadow. It hoped so. Fighting alongside the others for the short time it did had been nice, even if they had thought it was Vio at the time. It had felt wanted when Vio joined its side, but that was the first time Shadow had ever felt like part of a team. It had always known it was nothing more than a tool to Gannon. And despite being instrumental in freeing Vatti the damn rat never saw it as anything more than a pawn. The momentary, albeit false, sense of community it had felt with the Links had done nothing but solidify the plan it had already started to formulate when Vaati had taken Princess Zelda from her place in the tower. Had made the decision to break the mirror easy. And if it was truly stuck in this void for the rest of whatever existence awaited it, the feeling of that sense of belonging was something it would treasure until it could no longer feel, as expected when entering this place.

Lost in its own thoughts Shadow did not notice when the woman's voice began, but once it noticed it was impossible to miss it. “Shadow.” It briefly wondered if its mind was playing tricks on it, but surely if it were to hallucinate a voice in this endless nothing it would be hearing Vio’s. “Listen.” Or Zelda. “Awake.” One of the other Links even. “Follow me.” Gannon or Vaati if its mind had really wanted it to be afraid. “You have more yet to do.” But this was not anyone Shadow recognized, so why was she speaking in its head? “You still have purpose.” There was no regular interval to when the voice would speak. “Come now.” No way to guess when or what it would say. “Shadow.” And the more it spoke the more Shadow began to fear it. “The Heroes approach.” Began to fear what exactly it wanted from it. “You must awake now.” There was not much it could do either way. “There is no time.” So it simply shrunk further into itself. “Little shadow.” Tried to ignore the voice the best it could. “Let me help you.” And tried to ignore the pull in its gut. “Finish what you started.”

[cicidarkarts]

Find the Word

I was tagged by @tales-from-nocturnaliss and you can find her post here!

Rules: scour your writings and Find the Word!

Words I was given: Beloved, Silence, Mourning, Star 🖤🖤🖤 <<Beloved>> (Robert Terwilliger x OC) For the past two weeks, Robert had walked with her down the slope and parted ways at the parking lot. To have that gone made the wind blow colder at her side.

Past her beloved garden, the night seemed heavier, oppressively blotting out the streetlights. Still, she tried to shake off the ominous feeling as she reached into her bag for her newest read. She past the corner of the library, then stopped when someone caught her eye. Though his face was covered in darkness, his eyes glinted oddly like two glowing pinpricks.

"Lilith," he said, voice haggard and thick. "Mason?" she asked. "What are you doing here?" "I needed to see you."

He stepped closer, and she shuddered at his appearance. His sallow skin brought out his bloodshot and bagged eyes. His once kempt face was dotted with rough and sandpapery stubble.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice quivering, legs frozen to the spot. "I really like you, Lilith. But you keep rejecting me over and over, and I don't know why. But that guy—that felon? You and him together—" Mason grabbed the sides of his head like the very idea of it caused him pain. "It's so frustrating!"

<<Silence>> (Ominis Gaunt x OC) "Don't sympathize with me!" He snapped. "I don't deserve it! I purposefully hurt those people; I wanted them to suffer so I didn't have to! And my family and I tortured them ruthlessly—we destroyed them! They were tortured and killed all because I wouldn't stop my family. Their blood is on my hands!" He hugged himself, shuddering and trembling. His breathing hiccuped as his sobs broke through. "I'm such a coward…"

Credence didn't register that she'd gotten up until after she embraced Ominis. He turned to face her, his arms around her waist and back. She comforted him in silence. In his state, she didn't think any words could help, so she let him cry, sure from the intensity that he'd been holding onto his guilt for many years. She understood the lament in his tears, the horrible bleeding wounds being strong brought. The sound of it made her own wounds open as she cried quietly alongside him.

<<Mourning>> (Legend of Zelda) Ozavo leapt at Link, fist clenched as his other hand snatched Link's shirt. "What the hell is wrong with you!? You killed him!" Link held his eyes shut tight, trying to block out the horrible vision of Alfonse's blood on his hands. "Ozavo, stop!"

But the Rito didn't listen to Neeko. His fist bashed Link's face, once, twice, three times. Agony shocked his senses, but the pain by Ozavo's hands was nothing in comparison.

Ozavo wasn't finished. "I'll kick your ass! I'll–I'll–!!"

Link hit the ground with Ozavo on top of him. Punch after punch battered his face and jaw. He had no will to stop Ozavo. Why should he? Why should he, when he deserved it.

The beating stopped. Link opened his eyes to see Neeko holding onto Ozavo's arm, tears rolling down both of their faces.

"Stop it," Neeko pleaded. "This isn't what Alfonse wanted. He was being controlled by Ganondorf. Link didn't want to—" "Shut up," Ozavo spat, voice cracking. "You think I don't know that!? You think I can just let it go!?"

Hot tears burned across Link's wounds. The face of his friend as his life drained away had dug itself deep into his memory. He felt Ozavo and Neeko's pain. And he sobbed just as much as they did. Ozavo collapsed with his face in Link's shoulder, mourning the loss of their friend.

<<Star>> (Butch DeLoria x OC) "Sorry," she said preemptively as she typed up her password, "it's a little messy."

The door slid open revealing the piles of books she left on the kitchen table. Even on the couch, a place where she was supposed to relax, gave away signs of her obsession with space: rolled up charts, textbooks, and a clay model of the moon half-finished with a few craters and lack of paint. She headed straight for the kitchen to get some food ready for them.

"Man, you really are into space," he said, gazing now at her ceiling whereupon she hung her previously made sun and several clay asteroids. "It's so cool," she said, crushing the packet of mac n cheese in her grip to avoid spewing too many space facts. Butch shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so. Black holes are pretty cool." "I love black holes," she said, grinning wide as she poured water into her pan. "The way that a star can get so dense after its inevitable supernova— um, well, yeah. It's neat."

She held her breath. Please stop talking… When Butch didn't respond, she resumed breathing. 🖤🖤🖤 Yet again, I have no one to tag that Nocturnaliss didn't already tag, but wanted to join in the game anyway. If you see this and want to join, your words are:

Words given: Grief, Tombstone, Wolfen, Rapture