#the bow is in zelda's room but close enough

[bloomingbluebell]

hi im ranting (positively! this game kills me but in a good way) about breath of the wild again

i know it's controversial but i love the way the story of the game is told. because you start the game in the middle, perhaps near the end, of the story. the game is entirely through link's perspective and he wakes up knowing and remembering nothing. in turn, the player starts off knowing nothing. the past is revealed as the story goes along, and the player learns about the past and about the land as link does. there are little tidbits about hyrule and about the calamity scattered across the land. an old woman in hateno village tells you of an age of desolation that she grew up in. the travellers you see on the road are younger people because they're described by older characters as more bold, whereas the older characters grew up being told to never leave the village, it's too dangerous outside (compare this even to tears of the kingdom, where travellers are more common because the land has been safer. even older characters have left their home to travel elsewhere (not including the lurelin villagers)). battlefields are still strewn with old rusty weapons and deactivated guardians that no one but monsters will go near. myths and legends about the princess and hero have been passed down, to the point where their legitmacy is questioned and everyone has a different opinion on them.

it's environmental storytelling. it's things like seeing drawings and a bow in zelda's study and seeing a child reading a storybook with a hero that wears a blue tunic similar to link's. it's the stories that the villagers share about old myths that turn out to be true. it's the ruins scattered across the land, long since overtaken by monster camps but still unmistakably being houses that people once lived in. it's the utter lack of civilization anywhere remotely near the castle and the feeling of dread in the ruins of the town that surrounds it. it's a kingdom entrenched in its past, with no ability to move away from it until the calamity is finally defeated.

[kaisers-house-of-desires]

May I request fluff with Ganondorf x reader where the reader is his husband?

You, my friend, have some wonderful taste~

Title: Late Nights

Characters: Ganondorf x m!reader

Contains: fluff <3, pet names(love, dear)

Fandom: The Legend of Zelda

Full request below the cut

All characters are 18+

MINORS, FEM ALIGNED, AGELESS/BLANK BLOGS DNI (This may not be smut, but I still want the above to be followed)

Reblogs > likes

The bed was cold, and much too big for one person.

You sat up with a yawn, stretching as the moonlight trickled into the room. You noticed your shared bed was void of its other half, leaving you to wonder.

Though you wouldn't have to wonder long, as you could see the large gerudo man sitting in the large off side room, his eyes intently focused on something on the table. Sliding off of the bed, you shuffled over to him, noting that the thing he was staring at was a marked up map of Hyrule.

"Ganon...you're up late again," you spoke tiredly as you rubbed your eyes.

"I'm planning..." he simply responded, circling an area of the map with a pencil before erasing it. "Mm..."

"And this is the third night you've done this." You weren't mad with him, but rather worried. A king needed his rest, but ever since a failed takeover, he's been at this map for a new nights straight. Admittedly, you've been quite lonely at night.

"Well once I have a plan, I'll join you."

You didn't think that was good enough, so as he sat up to stretch, you made yourself comfy on his lap, your legs swinging over one knee, and your head resting on his chest as you closed your eyes.

"...Love..." Ganon let out a sigh. "Please get off of me. I have to finish this."

"Mm-mm." You hummed your rejection, getting comfy on him. "If you're going to be staying up like this, I wanna be here."

"I promise I'll be back in bed. Once I get a good plan to conquer one of the regions then--"

"--then you'll be back in bed, and we can snuggle. You said that last time..."

Things were silent between you two for a moment, save for the sound of the torch on the wall with its quiet crackles. It was only tolerable for a couple moments.

"Hyrule can wait...There's no rush, dear." You gazed up at him with saddened eyes. "Besides...look at you. The strongest warrior I've ever seen~" You gently caressed his face, your expression changing to one of admiration. "So you had one bad defeat. But who's the man that sweeped an army in minutes?"

"...Love--"

"Who's the most feared man in all of Hyrule?"

Ganon could't fight you on this, so he simply let out a huffed chuckle. "I am."

"These hylians fear you every day, and if they found out you sat here, slaving away at making a plan, well they wouldn't be shaking in their shoes." You stretched up to kiss his cheek, nuzzling into his neck after before setting yourself back down again. "You'll have them bowing to you in no time, but to do that..." You trailed off, expecting him to finish.

"...then I need to sleep."

You smiled, resting yourself against him again. "That's right. Now...king's orders. Get to bed."

Ganon quirked a brow at you before scooping you up into his arms. "King's order's, huh?"

You let out a small squeak as you were lifted, but you quickly recovered as he carried you to the bed. "Damn, right! I became a king when we got married, so I say king's orders!"

Ganon let out a small chuckle as he lowered you onto the center of the large bed, carefully joining you at your side. "You're lucky you're cute."

"And you're lucky you married me at all," you teased.

"Aiming for the heart, aren't you?" As you started to slowly succumb to sleep thanks to the soft bed and blankets, Ganon picked up your hand, pressing the back of your fingers to his lips in a gentle kiss.

"I'm very lucky I married you...~"

[syndxlla]

Some Wholesome Pre-Calamity Zelink thoughts

Link demanding he stays watch all night when they’re traveling, only for Zelda to find him slumped and leaning against the hilt of the master sword buried into the ground when she wakes up

Zelda asking Link to teach her how to draw a bow, and Link helping her with her form, both of them desperately trying to focus as he adjusts her arms, her back to his chest.

Zelda watching intently as Link puts his hair up into his wolf tail, specifically admiring how he holds his hair tie in between his teeth as he does it.

Link always walking three steps behind her even when she tells him he doesn’t have to. That he can walk side-by-side with her. But it’s easier to look at her this way.

THE PININGGGG. Zelda giggling about him as she writes in her diary when they’re at the palace and her handmaidens sharing glances of amusement.

Link taking off his shirt to go for a swim in the ocean one expedition and Zelda taking approximately three days to recover from it.

Link sneaking up to her room from the Knights quarters in the castle because he knows she has nightmares when he isn’t close by. She told him about them when they were leaving Gerudo Desert.

Zelda accidentally tripping and falling into him and both of them nervously laughing and trying to regain composure as their pointed-ears blush red.

Zelda challenging Link to an arm wrestle when they’re at a stable and losing desperately, but she keeps asking for a rematch because its an excuse to hold his hand.

Link going easy on her one time and letting her win when he noticed she was getting frustrated and she never let him forget about it.

Link helping her in and out of the sacred springs so she wouldn’t slip, offering his hand as she walks into the water.

The two of them sitting next to one another in front of a camp fire, just close enough that their thighs are brushing against one another, both of them trying to stay calm.

Zelda looking at her reflection in the water and telling herself that he’ll never feel the same. He’s too dedicated to his duty to. Besides, why would someone as heroic and him ever have feelings for a failure like herself? He probably thinks of her as a chore, she must be delusional.

Link pressing his hands to his forehead as he lays down, scolding himself to repress his feelings and move on. He would never stand a chance with a Princess like herself. He could never be with someone as soft as her when he is this calloused and broken.

the post-calamity thoughts

[needfantasticstories]

Read here below:

Summary:

Legend is not happy with the Yiga who captured him.

Notes:

Trigger Warnings: Canon-typical violence Spiders Cursing/foul language

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Furious

They had teleported. Even as the Yiga blademasters wrestled Legend’s hands behind him, the veteran found muddy ground replaced with solid, reliable stone underfoot. Supplanting the damp forest was a musty cavern full of crates and vender’s stalls. 

“Astor needs the vials! Hurry up with him!” yelled a reedy voice outside the circle of giant red soldiers crushing him. 

With the benefit of solid ground, Legend planted his feet and wrenched his arm forward enough to break loose and shove a hand into his bag. Before they could stop him, the veteran’s fingers closed on a well-worn, familiar handle. 

Legend ignited the brilliant red gem. 

The swarm of Yiga reeled back as he swung the flaming rod. He aimed fiery orbs that rocketed into the nearest one’s mask. The Yiga had reached for their blades too late; the reek of singed hair and burnt flesh remained in the wake of their retreat. 

They gave him room to breathe, room to think, to look. 

“ HYRULE !” Legend shouted, and the word echoed in the cave amid shouts and grunts as they lunged for him again. But he fired volley after volley, pressing them forward and carefully scanning the room. Tapestries with the inverted Sheikah eye in red and black glared down at him, but he found no sign of Hyrule nor the pale white demon here. But he did find a hoard of bananas: in boxes, on market-like stalls, and in barrels. 

Puffs of smoke around the room revealed a wave of six scrawny footsoldiers along the walls and atop crates, aiming scythes and a pair of drawn bows in his direction. Their clothes were muddy and torn, some bleeding from wounds his brothers had given them. 

The archers fired. 

Legend rolled and dodged the shots, rising again with a shout and a fresh wave of fire from his weapon. “WHERE DID YOU TAKE HIM?” Legend roared, panting, sweeping his fire rod across the Yiga soldiers like a scythe. Alone within the enemy’s stronghold, he found no reason to hold back. He could handle the heat, his rings already pulsing with protective magic. Dark scorch marks painted the walls, and high-pitched screams reverberated as orbs hit their targets.

Waves of heat radiated over the back of Legend’s hands as he aimed and released, but it was gentle compared to the scorching gales he invoked on them. 

“Stop, you idiot!” one footsoldier shouted as she fumbled to lose an arrow. She missed him entirely when, with a squeal, she dove to avoid a fireball. She jumped back up, crouched low, and panted, “Yield… and I’ll… make sure… that you…will see him!” Her voice was mockingly kind, a honey laced with poison.  

Legend responded without words, and she danced away to dodge a fiery end, disappearing to the smell of burnt hair. He sent a matching attack to the other archer, who dropped his bow as he shrieked and vanished. 

“You’re going to die here if you keep this up!” yelled a deep-voiced  blademaster as he hurled forward to strike Legend, but the veteran adventurer leapt high, feet far above the blade’s path, and sent an attack of his own toward the man, forcing him away. They did not know about his rings that would keep him safe from the heat. They didn’t know he’d already sworn to burn this whole place down—for Hyrule, for Wild, for his own satisfaction—it would be wiped from the map.

They were starting to keep out of range, but they’d also blocked the door. Hyrule could be in there. 

Another pair of bulky soldiers slammed their palms to the ground, and Legend felt the earth rumble. From the impact points sped circles of burning red light, the air above whistling up from the heat. Magic , tapping into the powers of Din, he guessed. They rushed at him. Legend leapt aside, but the glowing heat followed. Heat scorched his legs, despite his numerous protective enchantments, as he was forced to run, his boots moving him beyond the soldiers that lurched to catch him. 

Behind him, the red glows finally burst, pebbles pelting his back. Legend turned only to see another pair of the red spells giving chase, their creators laughing. 

Legend grinned at the Blademasters and made a rude gesture, letting the lights come closer. At the last moment, he flipped backward and let the lights pass under him. They burrowed under a pillar of stacked banana crates. 

The crates exploded. 

The Yiga shrieked and wailed in horror.  

This could keep them busy.

Legend dodged between shrieking Yiga soldiers as they rushed to put out the fire. Aided by the pegasus boots, he sent blast after blast of fire into the other crates and barrels, and scorched the bunches lying on the tables.

Like a nest of ants, the Yiga scrambled in vain to put out the flames as the whole supply caught fire. More importantly, they left a clear path to the doorway. Scorched bananas landed in the frame, and without thinking Legend scooped them into his bag. He sent back a few more blasts, just in case, as he left the room only to collapse against the stone hallway. 

He could not afford to rest long, not until he found Rule. Soldiers could appear at any moment. But sweat dripped from his face, his hands shook, and the places where his magic usually pooled ached with an emptiness as sharp as hunger. 

Legend hadn’t eaten in hours. He reached for a potion when his hand brushed something warm. He grabbed it too only to find one blackened banana. Shrugging, he ate it quickly, the flesh surprisingly soft and sweet. He’d eaten bananas before, but not like this one. Far more strength than he was expecting fueled him, even replenishing a small portion of his magic. He retreated into the shadows cast by the door, hoping no one saw him beyond the blaze within.

He sipped half of his last magic potion as he scrounged in his pack again. He needed to hide, and fast. And just a moment to rest. Ravio’s bracelet? No paintings here, and he didn’t have a direction. Ice rod? No... His cape! He’d discovered it within a tomb underneath the graveyard just outside Hyrule Castle, long ago. He avoided using it often since it drained his magic quickly; it was difficult enough keeping reserves up before meeting Hyrule, but the fire rod drained him already, despite the thrill of the fight.

 Legend pulled out the heavy garment, dark red with gold trim. He threw it on and hurried into a far corner of the hall, magic fueling the cape. His body faded out of sight. And just in time. Shouts erupted as red lights revealed new soldiers in the hall. Legend pressed into the corner as a half dozen soldiers hurried past into the blazing room.  

“Where is he?” the newcomers demanded. Each voice fought to be heard over the others. “Put that out!”—“The whole place is burning!”---“Sooga is going to kill us!” “He ran that way!”--“Where’s the other one?”---“The Demon Lord said –-”

They don’t know where Rule is? His successor had been limp and unconscious when he last saw him, a sight the veteran wished he could forget. His successor wasn’t brawny or one to pick fights, but he was scrappy, determined,and powerful in magic. And they couldn’t find him! He escaped! For all his confidence in the kid, he could have cried in relief. Sure, the kid could take down a lynel, and could make anything into a weapon. But they both needed to get out of here fast, and the kid might not know he had an ally in here. But how to tell him?

“We need the mage!” one shrieked loudly as he streaked past Legend down the echoing hall. 

Mage? Could that be the pale demon?

“Go! Find them! Now!” a deeper voice roared from inside, drowning out the rest of the yelling.  

Soldiers ran from the room. Legend followed, then passed by on his boots, looking for the soldier who mentioned the mage. 

The cape and pegasus boots were draining what little magic he’d recovered with worrying speed, but he could hold on a bit longer. He had to. Catching up to the soldier who’d run for the mage, he followed close. It was as good a clue as any. He memorized the switchbacking tunnels as he chased after the soldier. How big is this place? They ran for what Legend could only assume was several miles, though it was probably just exhaustion dulling his senses. They passed room after room in quick succession: storerooms, living quarters, mess halls, a smith’s forge.

At last, the soldier ran through a set of double doors. 

Yiga fighters scrambled everywhere. With all the yelling and commotion inside, Rule had to be inside! Legend hurried to follow. 

But the commotion within was not Hyrule. Instead, he entered a foreboding armory: racks of blades and bows covered the left half; three giant, spiked balls too big for a hinox to carry provided the centerpieces dead ahead, a painted, glowing red eye on the largest glared at him, as if alive; ot the right, towers of ghostly white masks filled the wall. Fresh fighters scrambled to arm themselves and receive orders.

Legend stuck to the wall and carefully tracked the soldier he’d been following. The figure dashed past the other Yiga, hurrying behind the dais with the spiked spheres.

Legend followed quickly, catching bits of banter: colorful complaints over and over that neither the Heroes called Legend nor Hyrule could be found.

How do they know us? How does Ghirahim know about Hyrule’s curse? Why take me too?

With a muffled grunt of pain, Legend hid behind the giant metal ball just as his magic ran out. His chest ached, and his blood felt cold and slow, but he forced his eyes to take in the narrow, secluded area in the back of the armory. He was visible now, but the soldier leading him to the mage was already halfway through a hidden doorway. 

Legend ducked low, and followed. 

The Veteran caught the door before it closed. He shoved it open just enough to slip inside, noting how the torch nearby slid down as he did. 

A massive table stood in the center, surrounded by stiff-back but elegantly carved chairs. A symbol had been scratched out and recarved on each – an eye poorly covering the triforce. 

A war room. Schematics and charts and maps covered the wall, from strange looking helmets decorated with lightning bolts to designs for flying platforms (manned by what he guessed were bokos), to poorly drawn maps of Wild’s Hyrule.

Including a map of the caves. 

Another door on the far wall stood ajar. “Your Eminence?” a voice called from inside. 

Legend snatched the map and ducked under the table. It wasn’t the safest place, but it would have to do. 

A grumble preceded the soldier’s return from the mysterious room beyond. He passed Legend’s hiding place, muttering, “where in the shadow realms is he? Sooga is going to kill us!” as he returned to the armory. 

The mage wasn’t in the room? Perfect. Legend rolled out and forged ahead, eating another banana as he went. 

Licking his fingers, he entered a large study and immediately gagged. It reeked of foul body odor and wet dog hair and rotten fruit. He covered his nose and mouth, and looked around. Shelves overburdened with books lined the walls, the tomes crammed mercilessly and coated in dust, veiled in cobwebs. One book lay open with obvious care on the central table, perched atop an elegantly carved stand and flanked by tall glass oil lamps, glowing orange.

His stomach growled. Two bananas wasn’t nearly enough.

Fumbling in his bag, the veteran snatched the last banana and glared at it as he peeled. Stupid Yiga and their inexcusably delicious fruit. It refreshed him more than he cared to admit. Unfortunately, it still did little for his dwindling reserves of magic. Between the firerod, boots, and cape, he barely had enough magic left to hide for a few seconds, and his quick glance at the map revealed a sprawling dungeon complex. 

Moving carefully around the crowded table, Legend looked around for something useful. It was quiet enough he could hear the rustle of his clothes, completely immune to the chaos and shouting two rooms away. A silencing spell? The room pulsed with enchantments, spells, and curses, their auras tangling and mixing to the point that he could not identify most of them. Each had a sort of flavor or sense to them, but one dominated the rest: a sense of endless hunger mixed with anger, glowing magenta and tasting like wine and ashes. It was hard to pin down, but it made his throat burn.   

On a shelf beside a crowded desk stood a battalion of bottled potions in rows. Legend hurried to read the labels. He blew dust off of the corks and fluted shoulders, and then smiled. Healing, stamina, magic, and electricity resistance. Legend uncorked a green one and smelled it. Dancing Din! A Magic potion!  

He dumped the whole stock into his pouch save the one he’d smelled, which he guzzled, the liquid tickling his dry throat. It tasted like spring sunshine in a bottle. It soothed and filled and spread from throat to chest to arms and legs to toes and fingers. His boots hummed with power, as did the firerod sheathed on his hip. Legend smiled and sighed at the tingle of magic racing down his veins.  

This was going to work. He had enough potions to search the caves for days. Weeks! No one would see him, and nothing would stop him. 

Legend grabbed the whole stock of healing potions and, after removing a bit of firewood he had been storing for Wild, he had plenty of room for all of them. Legend dumped the whole supply in his pouch. With a satisfied grin, he replaced his cape and disappeared once more. 

Legend pushed back the bookstand and set the pilfered cave map on the table. The layout was strange, with zigging, zagging, and curving halls, but he could see the layout. He’d need to search every room, and leave a trail to make sure Rulie could find him as he went. 

Course now set, Legend glanced again at the massive book.  

Browned pages, cracked with age, showed a heavily stylized ink drawing, angular and ugly: a tripod lashing dominated the page: three logs tied securely into a triangular structure. A Hylian in a pale tunic dangled by the wrists under it. Dark red ink trailed down the arms and chest and dripped into a wide stone basin. Red ink flowed down a channel within the basin into a large clay pot. A beastly, tusked shadow sat inside it.

Shit shit shit shit!

Legend slammed the book closed and shoved it in his bag. He had to get Rulie out of here. Now . Who the hell was this mage? 

Cape and fire rod at the ready, Legend left two bombs on the floor atop the firewood, and ran back the way he came. He barely closed the door to the war room when the explosion shook the cave.

Soldiers in the armory shouted in response. He hurried along the wall to avoid detection. 

He paused beside the door as a group of footsolders ran into the armory. 

“They blew it up!” one shouted, his voice high-pitched with incredulity.

“Where the hell are they!”

“Damned heroes!”

“I’m gonna gut every last one of them when he’s finished with them!” The others yelled in agreement, surveying the damage from the side while others ran to put out the flames. 

And Legend knew that, given a chance, they would. He stopped feeding magic to the cape.

The Yiga soldiers startled when they saw him, then crouched and raised their weapons.

“Where is the Hero of Hyrule?” Legend demanded.

“We’ve got one!” a soldier shouted into the hall behind Legend. The Veteran grinned. Good. Let them come. 

“Surrender, Hylian filth!” one laughed. “You’re outmatched! There’s no escape!”

“WHERE? IS? HE?” Legend demanded again, voice echoing down the hall as he adjusted the grip on his fire rod.  

The five soldiers moved fast, but not one reached him. 

Legend left the blazing room behind, and no longer bothered with the cape. Hyrule can find me better this way. I’ll mark a trail for him. 

As if in a trance, he slashed and burned hallway traps, footsoldiers, blademasters, stockpiles, and weapons racks. Scorches, ash, and embers trailed in his wake. Passing an underwater canal and a hoard of bokoblins hiding there, he cleared every room he found, sweating and panting, but he downed one of the stolen potions and forged on. Yiga popped away almost as soon as they appeared.

He blazed through a sort of court, empty but for a few sleepers rudely awakened. He let them vanish. 

There was a crease in the wall behind them, marking a hidden passage. He used his power bracelets, their hum familiar and soothing, and he shoved the wall open.

Snow and sand drifted in on the wind. It was strangely dark. 

“HYRULE!” He screamed, and immediately regretted it.

He took it in rapidly: Sand. Snow. Webs. Skultulas.  

The spiders stopped their slow creeping and turned to face him. A multitude of eyes locked onto the hero. They began chittering and clacking. 

Fuck! He wasn’t expecting that.  

He sent out a barrage of fireballs, then slammed the door on them and leaned against it, just to be sure it stayed put. He breathed hard, his body begging for rest and his legs trembling, his mind reeling at the new enemy. 

This was not on the map.

Notes:

Writers block was HORRIBLE, so thank you HotCheetoHatred for your patience, and Estelian for your amazing art that broke me out of it. I have been DYING to get this chapter out ever since I wrote it. It feels great to finally set it free! I hope you enjoyed the update! There's so much more to come!

(@la-sera I updated the fic! I hope it entertains!)

[aegon-targaryen]

Zelink Week Day 5 - By a Thread

read on AO3 | read on FF.net | @zelinkcommunity

The violent crash of thunder shakes Zelda from a dream. Only a moment ago she was standing on the rolling deck of a pirate ship, cutlass in hand, a fearless girl astride the raging sea.

How cruel it is to imagine power and wake up with none. She slips out of bed to lean her forehead against the cold windowpane, watching rain ripple down the glass, until she hears something else: the creak of the drawbridge.

Earlier tonight, a young farmer boy stumbled into Castle Town on a half-dead horse to tell a gruesome story: monsters were pillaging Mabe Village, a small settlement just to the south. The king deployed a company of the royal guard minutes later, and the brilliant sight of Link’s blue tunic among them came as no surprise.

Zelda went to sleep terrified—not for her knight, not really, for she’s never seen him face a foe that even stands a chance. But monsters attacking in such great numbers, so close to the castle, can only mean one thing: she is running out of time to do what she was born to do.

The company must be back if the drawbridge is lowering this late at night. Let him be safe, Goddess, Zelda pleads, let them all have come home safe. But she reaches for her boots and cloak anyway, because prayer is as fruitless as ever; she has to see for herself.

She plunges down her tower’s pitch-black staircase before she can consider what her father would say. The storm swallows the familiar shapes of the castle and spits out a frightening, featureless place of imposing shadows. She’s half-blind and soaked to the bone by the time she reaches the ground, thinking, If I had my power, I could navigate any darkness. If I had my power, nothing would ever touch me.

Zelda finds herself running the rest of the way to the first gatehouse.

By the time she ducks breathlessly into the orange light, the guards are arriving through the opposite entrance, trudging in with heads bowed and exhausted horses trailing behind. Zelda sees a man with his arm in a makeshift sling, another getting sick against the wall, a third half-carried by a companion who’s staggering as much as he is.

“Move, girl,” growls an irritated voice from behind, and she scrambles out of the doorway to admit a cluster of bedraggled nurses clad in white. No one is expecting the princess to be here, and no one has time for a cloaked teenager shaking in her nightdress, not when the room has devolved into a loud flurry of stretchers and bandages and bloody wounds.

This is only the beginning, Zelda thinks, and only the cold stone wall at her back keeps her upright.

As the drawbridge squeals shut, he is the last to ride in. A dark hood shields his face from the rain, but she’d never miss the blue tunic she stitched with her own hands, even though it’s smeared with crimson. A nurse shoots to her feet, but a guard catches her arm, and Zelda is close enough to hear him mutter in her ear, “No way that’s his blood. Nothing ever touches him. Focus on those who need you.”

The crowd parts for Link and his drenched horse. Whispers and sidelong glances trail behind him. He doesn’t notice Zelda when he passes her, because under the hood his chin is raised and his eyes are nowhere at all. She has watched people give him their awe, their hope, their envy—has felt all those things herself—but what slithers through the gatehouse now feels more like fear.

He halts his mare at the far wall and slides from the saddle stiffly. The ground feels unsteady beneath Zelda’s feet, but she’s hurrying towards him anyway, unable to believe that in this entire room of people, she is the only one worried for him.

When she says his name, one end of Epona’s girth jerks from his hand, swinging wildly towards the floor as he whirls. Link’s gaze travels up and down Zelda’s body, like he can’t believe what he’s seeing.

“You’re covered in blood,” she blurts out.

He doesn’t spare a glance for his tunic, just stares back at her with an expression she cannot read, as smooth and blank as the screen of the Sheikah Slate. I thought we were past this, she thinks plaintively.

“Link,” she says instead, “Are you all right?”

They stand there in the chaos of the gatehouse, waiting helplessly for words he doesn’t have, until he breaks away to circle Epona. Zelda swallows down a jagged stone of grief, trying to decide whether to follow or flee, when another guard approaches him.

“Everyone’s accounted for,” the stranger says. “I…that was masterfully done, Link.”

Interesting, Zelda thinks. Most people only call him hero or swordsman or appointed knight of the Princess.

“I know it wasn’t easy,” the other guard continues gruffly. “But—Link? Won’t you say something?”

The ensuing silence brings Zelda around to Epona’s other side. The older man, whose uniform marks him as the company’s knighted lieutenant, snaps to attention instantly. “Princess,” he greets. “I hope my son has done well as your bodyguard.”

She has gotten Link to talk about food, horses, swordplay—all in tiny and manageable increments. But if she asks about his family it’s only fair to discuss hers in return, and that is something she feels wholly unprepared to do with the boy whose eyes seem to travel straight to her soul every time he looks at her.  

Still, this is a surprise. Surely Zelda’s own father would have mentioned it when he appointed Link, if he knew. There is a resemblance in the two men’s wheat-colored hair, but where the lieutenant is broad and rugged, Link has a slight figure, and those long-lashed blue eyes, and such delicate features that one could even call him ­­­­pretty.

Pretty? she repeats to herself incredulously. Where did that come from? Focus, Zelda! “Yes,” she confirms aloud, regaining her composure. “He saved my life, you know.”

“And saved many more today,” the lieutenant replies. His subordinates, many of whom are goggling at the scene, jump to make themselves look useful at his sharp glare. “Please know that to be true, Princess, whatever else you might hear.”

The words are directed more at Link, who’s ignoring them both to unbuckle the other end of Epona’s girth, using one hand for a task better suited for two. Feeling oddly protective, Zelda watches the lieutenant’s frown carefully—and then he steps closer all at once, lifting the folds of Link’s cloak to reveal the half-broken arrow buried between his collarbone and shoulder.

Zelda’s stomach plummets to the bottom of Tangar Canyon.

“When—” the lieutenant chokes out.

Link, glassy-eyed, blinks up at his father twice before stepping back. Someone across the gatehouse calls for the lieutenant; he half-turns towards the voice, torn between his battered forces and his bleeding son.

And Zelda sees everything in that moment. She sees that Link is hanging on by a thread in more ways than one. She sees his father’s terror. She sees all the world’s whispers wedged between them—favoritism, distraction, the weakness that stems from love—because her own father has allowed those same forces to push them both into a barren place.

“I’ll take care of him,” she offers quietly.

The lieutenant’s shoulders drop in shame, or relief, or both. “Thank you, Princess,” he murmurs. Touching Link’s uninjured shoulder briefly, onlookers be damned, he adds with surprising kindness, “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Can you make it to the infirmary?” Zelda asks Link as his father walks away.

He nods at her, upright and unfaltering. She hands Epona off to a stablehand and leads Link into the downpour. The night shrouds them both, but she can feel him following her as doggedly as ever, and something about it breaks her heart a little.

Inside the infirmary, Zelda gets them behind a privacy screen, where a stern-faced surgeon takes one glance at Link and begins lining up a row of intimidating tools on the side table. Only when the surgeon begins cutting the Champion’s tunic away from Link’s wound, sending Zelda’s handiwork to the floor in wet pieces, does he press his lips together in the first sign of alarm.

“I can make another,” she promises.

The surgeon hands Link an elixir, and he closes a white-knuckled grip around it without drinking. Stripped of his layers, he’s pale and lean and scarred, and Zelda can’t look at the arrow jutting out of him, can’t look anywhere but his eyes, which have fixed on her like the shivering flame of a candle. She’s struck all at once by how small he looks, how human.

Does anyone actually see him that way? Maybe his father and Mipha and Daruk, but no one in that gatehouse did. And Zelda didn’t recognize it herself until that moment in the desert last month—not when he put himself between her and that Yiga without a thought for his own life, but after, when he turned around to ask if she was all right, even as his hand trembled on the bloodstained sword.

The moment breaks when the surgeon faces her. “Princess, I hate to ask, but we’re stretched so thin. Can you hold him down?”

“Yes,” she says in a small voice. “Whatever you need.”

“There are cloths over there—give him one so he doesn’t bite his tongue when he screams.”

Reading the refusal in Link’s face, Zelda says, “He won’t scream.” The surgeon chortles out a disbelieving laugh—one of exhausted stress, not malice—but Zelda silences her with a glare anyway.

The rest is unspeakable. Zelda doesn’t watch, and Link doesn’t scream. He only turns to rigid ice under her hands and holds himself that way for long, suffocating minutes, eyes squeezed shut, until the surgeon’s tool grabs hold of the arrowhead.

He faints the moment she starts to draw it out. For five seconds Zelda feels herself paralyzed in the freezing water of the sacred springs, hopeless and unmoving, until the world returns in vivid violence: Link is awake and confused, twisting instinctively away from the source of pain.

Her arms tremble with the strain of keeping him still. Even now, he’s strong enough to break her hold if he panics badly enough to try. She’s never imagined her levelheaded knight capable of panic, but the way his chest shudders with jagged gasps—so quiet and so horrible—frightens her beyond belief.

Zelda remembers their trip to Eldin last week: a small army of dead monsters at Link’s feet, a long red scratch on his arm, another on his forehead. He only noticed them when Zelda did. He indulged her concern without expressing any of his own.

She’s long past thinking that arrogance fuels his silence, but she can’t understand why he hid the arrow, why he didn’t ask for help. He even recoiled from his father, there in the gatehouse with the watchful eyes and fearful murmurs of their comrades. Nothing ever touches him, one of the guards said scornfully, and not so long ago, Zelda would have agreed.

But the proof of her ignorance is everywhere, no matter that Link has locked his face up tight as a vault. He’s all over blood and scars. He’s so cold, she can feel it under her palms, just like she can feel the frantic hammering of his heart as the surgeon continues her grisly work. And his gasps are getting faster and thinner, nearing hyperventilation; maybe it’s better than screaming, but it’s still the worst thing Zelda has ever heard.

“Link,” she says helplessly. “Please breathe. I’m sorry it hurts, but try to breathe.”

His hand scrabbles for purchase along the edge of the cot. Taking a risk, she shifts to catch it in her own, and he turns his bone-white face towards her slightly.

“You’re going to be just fine,” she manages through her aching throat.

Gripping her fingers tightly, Link drags in his first full breath and opens his eyes to find her. Zelda sinks to her knees beside the cot. The world falls away. Everything is right here: his small, calloused hand, his heartbeat, his gaze telling her everything he can’t say.

She stays long after he falls asleep. Despite the moans of the other wounded and the reek of blood, something inside her settles to the steady sound of Link’s breathing.

Maybe she sleeps, maybe not; either way, some indeterminable time passes before she raises her head at the lieutenant’s footsteps. He pulls off his helmet to reveal a shaggy, tired face and sits down on the other side of the cot, watching Link’s chest rise and fall.

“The surgeon expects him to make a full recovery,” Zelda assures him. “Will you tell me what happened?”

“The monsters baited us into a trap,” the lieutenant says wearily. “Most of the villagers were dead by the time we arrived.”

Zelda presses a hand to her mouth at the image of enemies flooding Mabe Village’s single tiny avenue, boxing the guards in, raining arrows down from above. If the monsters have grown this intelligent—she can practically feel the fangs of their master closing around her.

“I had us behind a shield wall, waiting them out,” the lieutenant continues in a hollow voice. “Link disobeyed orders and broke through the monsters’ line. Turned the entire tide by himself.”

That’s a good way to describe it. Zelda has seen the force of nature Link becomes with the Master Sword in hand. She imagines how he must have looked—fierce and blood-soaked and silent, parting the world before him—and almost doesn’t blame the other guards for their fear. Then he curls in on himself, making a small sound of pain in his sleep, and she thinks furiously, Almost.

His father clutches the helmet between his broad hands and says, “Princess, may I speak freely?”

“We’re both too tired for anything else,” Zelda replies, trying to make her tone far lighter than she feels.

The lieutenant’s smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’m only here filling a vacancy for the month,” he says slowly, watching Link’s sleeping face. “Then I return to my permanent station at Akkala Citadel. Princess, did you know they deploy him on every out-of-town mission, even if he’s just been on guard duty for eight hours or returned from traveling with you?”

“No.” Her voice sounds weak to her ears. “I—why would they do that? We’ve no shortage of guards.”

“Because if he’s there, no one dies. No one gets hurt either, unless it’s as bad as tonight.” The lieutenant shakes his head at her horrified expression. “It’s not you, Princess. It’s this castle—these people—that godsforsaken sword. I think you know of what I speak better than anyone, and tonight proves that I’ve failed to protect Link from it.”

She realizes what’s in front of her: a father who regrets his shortcomings. A father willing to breach protocol for his son’s sake. Maybe he fails sometimes, but at least he tries. “It was chaos,” Zelda points out. “You had twenty people to command.”

“Only one of whom was my son. And I let him—” the lieutenant stops, shaking his head. “Apologies, Princess. You’re only being kind. He said you were.”

“Link said that?” she splutters. “But I was awful to him. For months.”

“I think he’d disagree,” the lieutenant says sadly. “When I can get him to talk, Princess, it’s mostly about you.”

Zelda’s breath catches in her throat. Link following five paces behind, listening diligently, accepting her ire like rain rolling down stone. Link unflinching before the Yiga, the Master Sword bright and red, every line of his body honed into a threat.

“Yes,” she answers his father’s unspoken question. “I’ll be here for him. As he has been for me.”

.

.

.

Link wakes to pain, morning sunlight, and a nurse changing his bandage. She’s gentle and efficient and it still takes everything he has not to pull away. He searches the room, finding the Master Sword leaning against his cot and his father asleep in a chair, stripped of his armor but still wearing his muddy uniform.

The nurse sweeps away, leaving an elixir behind on the nightstand, and Link closes his aching eyes when his father starts to stir. Three minutes pass before a cork pops and he says, “You’re a bit old to be faking sleep. Drink the elixir.”

Link opens his eyes. The contents of the bottle are crimson and thick. His stomach churns: the rain, the screams, the sword carving through flesh.

“The princess was going to stay. She only relented when I told her you’d want her to rest.”

That’s exactly what Link would want. Zelda doesn’t get enough sleep. He hears her tossing and turning when he guards her door on the nights they spend at inns or garrisons on the road. She cried once too, on their way to Gerudo Town, while he stood uselessly outside.

Wait: the princess. Her green eyes holding him fast. Her long golden hair spilling around her face. Her—her hands on his bare skin. Link’s face floods with heat.

Things have been so good between them, better than good, ever since she gave him the apology he never needed. Zelda wants him to talk to her, and she’s so patient and interested that he actually can most of the time, and when he makes her laugh he feels as strong as people claim he is. He feels like he could vanquish the Calamity here and now.

But now she’s seen the truth. She’s seen her appointed knight bleeding and whimpering like a pathetic child, and in one fell swoop, Link has knocked over everything they were building. She’ll never lean on someone who can’t even hold himself together.

“Oh,” his father remembers. “She asked to be notified when you woke up. I’ll have someone—”

“No!” Link’s voice cracks horribly with disuse. He covers his mouth.

His father’s brows snap down over his tired eyes, and he draws Link’s hand away and presses the bottle of elixir into it. “Drink,” he orders, not letting go until Link closes his fingers around the cool glass and sits up to obey.

“Now lie back down and listen,” his father says firmly. “Milo told me how you came back and took an arrow meant for him. I would give anything for that bastard—that fucking bastard who I’ve seen jeering behind your back—to be in this bed instead of you. But he’s not, because you’re a better person than him or me. If you believe for a second that your princess isn’t sharp enough to see the truth, then you’re doing her a disservice. Understand?”

Link nods meekly.

“Good. Hylia knows I haven’t given you the life you deserve, but I won’t let you deny yourself a friend who needs you as much as you need her. Now—the king must want a report.” He stands briskly, then adds in a softer tone, “I’m sorry I didn’t come back for you.”

By the time Link realized Milo was missing, the rest of the company was five hundred feet away. In that rainy night, with half their people seriously wounded, he was the only one who could’ve gone back. The same injury that he’s already healing from might have killed someone else.

But there’s anguish in his father’s eyes—his father, who tried to keep him from the Master Sword, who threw everything away to train him after it became inevitable. Soon enough Link will lose him to Akkala, and then he might lose himself to the Calamity. So he finds the words, hoarse and halting: “I was okay, Dad.”

Shaking his head, his father steps forward to cup Link’s face briefly. “I love you, son.”

He’s gone before Link manages to say it back, but it’s enough. It’s courage for what comes next. After he leaves, Link finger-combs his hair into a neater ponytail and winces his way into the plain cream-colored shirt the nurse brought him. It’s several sizes too big, but better than the princess seeing his scars again. He tries not to think of the ruin he made of the Champion’s tunic—tries not to think of anything as he waits.

Zelda arrives with a tray of tantalizing breakfast. She’s changed into a simple green dress that matches her eyes—he tries not to blush at the memory of how that wet nightgown had clung to her—but her hair is loose and unbraided, her face shadowed.

“Can you eat?” she asks, smiling a little at Link’s answering nod. “You can always eat, can’t you?”

She’s brought cheesy scrambled eggs, wildberry crepes slathered with whipped cream, and potatoes sliced and crisped just the way he likes them. Two plates, but the one Zelda hands him is piled much higher. He’s inhaled half his food by the time she starts on hers.

“How do you feel?” she asks, noticing that he’s eating one-handed.

Link makes a reassuring noise around a mouthful of potatoes. Zelda chews her own meal, taking on that analytical look she gets when she’s interpreting his meaning. Link remembers what his father said, and he remembers what she did for him when he was fraying beneath the pain, the dreamlike feeling of her hand gripping his.

He’s not going to make her guess anymore.

“I wanted—” Link starts. Zelda’s golden head snaps up at the sound of his voice, and he almost breaks, but somehow he gets the rest out. “To thank you. For yesterday. And to say sorry.”

“Sorry?” She looks at his wounded shoulder incredulously. “Whatever for?”

For your sleepless nights, he thinks. For the way you look at the Master Sword. For the bruises on your knees when you pray for too long and I don’t know how to make you stop. For letting your father treat you the way he does. For being such a coward.

Link swallows again and says, “For not talking.”

“Oh. There’s no need for that. You’ve been trying, and I know by now not to take it personally.”

“But I,” he stammers as a vice squeezes the air from his lungs, “I—” And he can’t finish the sentence. It was a mistake to try. His jaw clamps shut in mortification, shame flooding his face with heat, the one reaction he can’t control.

“Link,” Zelda says in the same clear voice that brought him back to himself last night. Her hand slips into his peripheral vision as it transfers one of her crepes to his empty plate. “Eat that, and try to remember that you never once judged me. I intend to return the favor. If you’d like to tell me what makes you stay so quiet all the time, I’ll gladly listen.”

I want to be better, is what he was trying to say, and he repeats the mantra silently, over and over, as he eats the crepe more slowly and absently than he’s ever eaten anything. Link is a walking reminder of everything fate has denied Zelda, and now she’s seen his weakness twice in less than twenty-four hours—but she’s still here, patiently occupying herself with the Sheikah Slate while he regains his composure.

If you believe for a second that your princess isn’t sharp enough to see the truth, then you’re doing her a disservice.

Inside himself, Link circles the mountain that has been growing up through his core every day since he found the Master Sword, displacing everything else with its sheer size. He can’t see the peak anymore. He doesn’t know if he can make the climb. But he knows it’s keeping him from Zelda, so he has to try.

“If I…falter,” he says haltingly, and she looks up at him instantly. “Like—if people in the gatehouse had seen this.” He touches his wounded shoulder. “What would happen?”

“They would help you, like your father and the surgeon did,” Zelda answers. But she reads his reaction and shakes her head. “No—you’re asking what they would think and feel and say, not what they would do.”

Link nods.

“Well, we’re supposed to smite the Calamity when it comes,” she muses. “Unlike me, you’ve already acquired the means to do so. That raises people’s expectations. So if you falter…if you give them a reason to doubt that you can deliver…they’ll lose hope.”

He looks down at his hands, because Hylia, she understands. She’s defined the mountain better than he ever could. Better than anyone could, because the way people watch her—like she’s a vessel to be filled—is not so different from the way they watch him.

“Lose hope, lose the fight,” Link says very quietly. His father had taught him that.

“Oh,” Zelda whispers. A long, frightening minute passes before she takes a shaky breath and asks, “Do you keep any hope for yourself?”

That question burrows into his viscera like the arrow did yesterday. He turns his face away.

She must see something in it even so, because she stumbles to say, “I’m sorry, I just meant—it seems an unfair way to live. Thank you for telling me, all the same.” Another pause. “Link…will you look at me?”

When he does, her brows are knitted together, her lips forming a thin line. Sadness? Because of him? Or—for him?

“I guess we’re the same, you and I,” Zelda murmurs. “I’m sorry if that’s presumptuous, but when you came into the gatehouse last night, I just thought—you’re so alone, Link, and I am too. Except that we’re stuck with each other. And maybe we don’t always have to hide. Wouldn’t it be better if we were friends?”

Link stares at this person with her tired eyes and her white-knuckled grip on the Sheikah Slate, understanding what she’s offering, understanding that she’s as terrified to step out onto the ice as he is. Getting stuck with her, as she puts it, is the best thing that’s happened to Link in years. But he never expected more. He never expected her to draw out the tangled truth, thread by gentle thread, without turning away.

“I’d—really like that,” he answers, surprised by the clarity of his voice.

“Good.” Zelda wears the beginnings of another smile. “And for whatever it’s worth—I think your father would like to hear you speak, too. So would the other Champions.”

He arches an eyebrow. “Even Revali?”

That makes her laugh, and Link might as well be free in the wide-open wild with the sun shining down upon him.

He does have hope, he realizes, but it doesn’t come from him. It comes from Zelda’s radiant smile, from how hard she works at the research she loves and the prayer she hates, from the way she held his hand through the dark night. You’re going to be just fine, she promised, and now he is, because she stayed with him.

Someday—someday soon, Link hopes—he’ll have the voice to thank her.

.

.

.  

[ultimate-link-project]

Poll Masterlist

Gender (Result: Genderfluid, any pronouns)

Age (Result: Older Teen- around 17)

Steed (Result: Epona)

Triforce (Result: Only Courage)

Backstory (Results: Strange forest creature tied with remembers alt lives) 

Magical Ability (Results: Balanced, though may slightly lean towards more magical due to the vote ratio) 

Mutism (Results: almost completely mute but can be really sassy in sign) 

Popularity (Results: Normal if a little hermitty)

Mental Health (Results: Neurodivergent AND traumatized!)

Transformation(s) (Results: Yes)

Edgy Variant (Results: All three possible but more focus on Shadow)

Scars (Results: Visibly very scarred, noticeable facial scar)

Sexuality (Result: Asexual) 

Hair Color (Results: Dirty Strawberry Blonde)

Companion (Results: All listed- Fairy, Fi, Heroes Shade- wolf edition, Epona, Several versions of their own spirit, Zelda/Sheik and/or whoever their SO ends up being, if we decide they get one)

Hair Length (Results: about shoulder length, maybe slightly longer)

Bangs (Results: Soft Left bang ie. Sksw & botw)

Hair Tails (Results: Long enough to have fun with)

Pink? (Results: Incorporated in a subtle gradient)

Hair misc. (Results: A couple little braids)

Eye Color (Results: blue and green heterochromia)

Eye Shape (Results: Mainly botw inspired with a hint of tp bc they were pretty close)

Eyeshadow (Results: subtle green smokey eye)

Nose (Results: crooked and a little pointy)

Ears (Results: Straight and Long)

Earrings (Results: blue hoops +dragon cuff)

Eyebrows (Results: Tp inspired, a little fluffy)

Lips (Results: hint of sksw but able to do the toon :3 kind of face)

Facial Scars (Results: Magic injuries, small slash marks/claw marks, and lightning feathers, using the multiple because we’ve already established that they’re going to be very physically scarred)

Freckles (Results: Yes, lots)

Scarf/Cape (Results: First Link’s red scarf mixed with a botw inspired cloak)

Undershirt (Results: collared white, slightly unlaced)

Chainmail (Results: yes)

Tunic Color(s) (Results: Forest green but I’m adding a tiny bit of blue out of spite)

Tunic Style (Results: Twilight Princess inspired)

Hat (Results: Also Twilight Princess inspired)

Belts (Results: Three plus a little chest armor, totk inspired)

Belt Buckle (Results: Mostly simple dark brass, but one is the iconic toon swirl)

Pants (Results: Light Brown Shorts)

Gloves/bracelets (Results: TP inspired bracers and fingerless gloves)

Boots (Results: OoT boots mixed with Pegasus boots)

Armor (Results: Alt outfit with heroes shade chest armor and pauldrons)

Belt Contents (Results: Potions, Quiver, Little knife/dagger, Rupee Pouch, Hookshot and/or Lantern, if there’s room the sheikah slate, horse call or various pouches will be added, perhaps it depends on their mood)

Fairy Color (Results: Pink healing Fairy and Navi)

Wolf Dad (Results: Both heroes shade and wolf Link) 

Partner (Results: Ultimate Zelda/Sheik)

Fi Redesign (Results: similar to totk redesigns, a little old and damaged)

Shield (Results: Classic Hylian with hints of the mirror shield)

Family (Results: only their companions/ found family)

Body Type (Results: 5′3, somewhere between soft, muscular, and femboy aka sksw, tp, and botw)

Bow (Results: Forest Dwellers Bow)

[shade-pup-cub]

Couldn’t get this scene out of my mind. Added some art to it.

Six hours later and Wild was no better. If anything he got worse. He had opened his eyes a few times, mumbled incoherent sentences about Zel, then went back to sleep. Dametrius had to finally place Wild in his own bed down the hall so he could stretch and try to think.

Sky was pacing with him. "And you said there are no healers in this era."

"Right. Most Hylians know how to make elixirs and mend their own wounds. The closest thing to a healer would be the Zoras, but they don't treat Hylians often enough and this is magic. The last magic holder that was a healer was Mipha. Her spirit isn't here… anymore… Wait."

"You can't be serious." Hyrule stepped between him and the hallway. "You can't do that."

"No not that… spirits. There's a spirit or being that can help." He walked into Wild's room and scooped him into his arms. He was lighter than an hour ago. He didn't have time to explain anything. "I'll be back. It's nearly nightfall and the spirit should be there tonight." He teleported to his destination.

Fogged breath clouded his vision at first, then he heard the chattering of teeth. Wild was shivering violently. The water he walked into with different shades of pink petal like leaves was warmer than the air around them. Everything was quiet and still though.

He went to his knees, still cradling the too light of a son in his arms. He bowed his head and closed his eyes. "If you can hear me, please. I need help… My son needs help. Lord of the Mountain, hear me."

There was a rustling of grass and leaves to both sides of him. Hooves that sound like they were able to hammer metal, but also had a soft sound to them was coming closer. The water rippled around him and he bowed lower to the being.

Blue fur-like hair touched the top of his head, then a hand. "Fierce Deity. I hear your plea. What service can I aid you and your son, the hero of our lands?"

He looked up into the two sets of eyes, blue hair draped down light blue skin with pink lined markings. Their nails were gold colored, matching the gold hooves they had when in their other form. Blue glowing light surrounded the area around them. They were neither man nor woman, just a being. A spirit with great powers. "Satori, I come to you, begging for a way to save my child. Magic was forced into his body and is killing him."

The spirit knelt and placed a hand on Wild’s chest. “Much of the ancient magic has left his body, but I must agree, this is killing him. He is nearly out of time.”

“Can you help him, save him?”

“Normally I would let life take its course, no matter the outcome. I am conflicted with this one though. He has saved this place twice now and has died for its survival, but he didn’t save Zelda this time. That is my conflict.”

“What do you mean, didn’t save her? Where is she?” His mind was telling him that she was only missing.

“She was sacrificed to Ganondorf. She has perished by his hand.”

“Dead. You mean she’s dead?”

“I do.” Dametrius’s chest clenched. That couldn’t be right. “Hearing this, do you still wish to save him?”

“Of course I do, he is my son. My flesh and blood. There has to be more to what you say.” The spirit was that, a spirit. The idea of family was unknown to them.

“Then I will do it. I won’t be able to draw out all the magic, but enough that his body will stabilize. There are a few things I need from you and him.” A bowl was presented to him. “Like you said, he is your flesh and blood. That is what I need from both of you, though hair will do in place of flesh.” Wild had lost enough flesh, he would settle for hair too. “A lock of hair and enough blood to cover them.”

With the bowl, a blade was given to Dametrius. He took a small lock of Wild’s long hair from behind his ear, cut it and put it in the bowl. He took Wild’s left hand and placed the almost translucent blue blade against his palm. A deep enough cut was made to allow blood to spill into the bowl and not rapidly clot. It was concerning that Wild didn't so much as flinch.

He turned the blade on his own hand and made a deep gash, blood pouring from the wound, mixing with his son’s. Their blood shimmered with their godliness color of silver and gold. He didn’t have time to admire the swirling colors. He took a decent size lock of hair from behind his left ear, cut it close to his scalp and dropped them into the blood-hair mixture.

The spirit took the bowl from his shaking hands and the contents inside ignited in a blue fire. “Place him in the deepest part of the water. What must happen next will test you, not him. It is the only way this will work.”

“What is it?”

“The blood and flesh connect you to him, but this is the will of love. How far will you go for your love of your son?”

“I’ll do anything… give anything.”

“And I believe you, Fierce Deity. Come, place him in the water.”

He did as he was asked and Wild floated on the surface. “What now?”

“These waters are magical on their own. They will burn a cold fire and you will need to hold Link under the water after the magic is called upon. When the flames go out, he can rise and his body will have been purified as much as it can be. No matter what, do not let him breach the surface before the flame leaves. If you do, it will be his death.”

Swallowing thickly, he agreed to the terms.

“We begin.”

Satori stood with the bowl over their head, fire growing brighter. The words that left their mouth were unknown to Dametrius, but they rumbled with power and demanded attention. With a bellowing roar, Satori aggressively and precipitously slammed the bowl into the water, startling Dametrius as the whole pond caught fire, but didn’t burn him.

He laid his hands on Wild’s chest, pushing him fully under the burning water. Satori danced through the flames in a hypnotic and dramatic way, gathering water and fire alike in their hands and throwing it into the air. They spun in circles and stomped their heavy hooved feet to a rhythm that Dametrius couldn’t hear.

He would have loved to watch the magical spirit do their work, but his focus was on Wild and keeping him under the water. Bubbles of air left his child’s mouth and was beginning to struggle under his grip. Nails dug into his pale skin, legs kicked at whatever they could reach. Dametrius wanted to let up, wanted to let Wild breath, but that would be his death. He kept the pressure on the other’s chest, but straddled his legs to pin him more. He gritted his teeth as the tears blocked his vision. The tears fell from his eyes without shame, directly into the water. Sobs broke free, it was the only thing he could do while Wild’s movements slowed to a stop and the last few bubbles burst at the surface.

The time between his body stilling and Satori stopping their dance was infinite to the father. The cold flame died and spirit placed a hand on Dametrius’s face, removing tears, saying, “It is done. He can rise.” They sounded exhausted.

Wild’s body broke the water and Dametrius recognized the boy there more than when he went under. His skin was the lighter tanned color, pink cheeks. His hair was not deep red, though it held a red undertone to his golden blond strands. The white bang was still in place. The black rectangular shapes on the remaining part of his arm and chest were faded, but he wasn’t breathing.

Lord of the Mountain laid a hand over Wild’s nose and mouth, drawing water from his lungs. The young hero coughed, bringing the last bit of water out of his airway. His cobalt blues were back, but like his hair, the glowing green could be seen at different angles.

“Link, can you hear me?”

Blue met white. “Dad, what happened?”

Dametrius smiled and pulled the boy into a needed hug. “Doesn’t matter, you are okay.” He savored the feeling of the younger gripping his tunic. The deity looked around, Satori was nowhere to be seen. He sent a quiet thank you to them.

[airplanned]

Silence. 12

Table of Contents....Chapter 1

.

Zelda had always assumed that her nightmares of the approaching Calamity were created from pieces of her fears and imagination.  She was terrified that the Calamity would come and she would fail and the country would fall, and so she dreamed of that happening.  She assumed her subconscious had made the great beast look like a boar because of the rather creepy tapestry in the Sheikah's meeting room.

But if Link was seeing the same thing in his dreams, then it was not a construction.  It was a vision.

The knowledge that she was having prophetic visions did not cheer her, given that she would let her kingdom fall to ruin.  Besides that, it couldn't be a sign of burgeoning sacred power if Link had the visions too.  Maybe it was a warning sent by the Goddess (which would imply she did know who Zelda was and how to reach her!), and maybe a lot of the monks and acolytes had had the same dream and simply found it less upsetting than Link.

Zelda had certainly hardened herself against the nightmares a bit.  At least she no longer woke up crying.

And then the weekly delivery of supplies to the abbey came late.

The abbey didn't require much from the outside world.  They were mostly self-sufficient with the exception of flour and meat that wasn't poultry  (and beef was hardly a necessity). Aside from these food stuffs, they mostly received items like soap and cloth and materials to pursue their artistic endeavors.

This all usually came once a week, carried by a donkey.  

But this week, the donkey moved more quickly, either because of its smaller burden or because the man leading it was so embarrassed that he wanted to leave as quickly as he could.

A small crease formed between the abbot's eyebrows as the man from Gate Town unloaded two bags of flour in front of the kitchen and then lifted his hat enough to bashfully scratch his head.  Only flour.  No fabric or beef from Hateno.  No goldenrod or midnight blue paint from Deya.

"Sorry, sir," the man said.  He always used the unnecessary honorific, and always ducked a little bow.  No one ever corrected him.  "The shipment from over east didn't arrive.  We think monsters got it.  There's been an awful lot of them lately."

Zelda froze in her tending to the mustard greens.  Monsters.  More of them lately.

The colors of Link's painting danced behind her eyes.

She looked up to find the abbot's gaze locked on her, but he looked away quickly, nodding his thanks and understanding to the man and then drawing a triangle in the air before his face, blessing his trip back home.

Zelda quickly went back to the greens, but her mind spun.  The Calamity pressed closer each day and yet she made no progress.  No progress at all.

You are such a failure!  Do you want people to die?  Do you want them to go hungry? Do you want Castletown in flames?

She chopped hard at the greens with her sheers, shnuk shnuck shnuck, berating herself with every clip, with every hammer of failure, failure, failure.

She nearly chopped off a finger when someone grabbed her arm, and then she almost stabbed Link when she whipped around to face him.  He was breathing hard and sweating, his eyes wide with fear that had nothing to do with the sharp blades in her hand and her careless use of them.  In fact, he seemed not to have noticed them at all.

A moment of staring at her, almost without seeing, and he closed his eyes and heaved a breath, his tight shoulders sinking.

Had he run here?  He'd been chopping firewood off in the woods.

She tucked her sheers under her armpit to ask, What happened?!  Had they been attacked?!  Where the monsters here?!

He shook his head, then gripped it with both hands, squeezing his eyes closed and shuddering.

The voices had gotten bad again.

She gave him a sympathetic look, and set down her sheers so she could squeeze both his arms.  (At least it wasn't monsters.)

You came to me?

He hesitated.  You're good.  You make me think that I could be good too.  

She boggled at him, because she was anything but good. The world was going to end because of her.  She was a mess.

He seemed to misunderstand her skepticism, because he explained a little too fast, It's calming to remember that you believe in me.  That you don't think I'm a lost cause.  Because I think you would tell me if I was.

She rolled her eyes at that and pressed one finger to her lips.  She'd taken a vow of charity.

He snorted quietly.  Then he started to rattle off something else that was far too fast and with far more grammar than she could follow and she ended up interrupting him.

He blinked, then collected himself and said simply, Sorry.

What for?

I something you.

What?

In frustration, he looked around, then in excitement picked up a rock, presented it to her, and pointed at it.

She lifted an unimpressed eyebrow.  I'm a rock?

He grabbed his head again in frustration and exasperation.

You're my rock.  My rock.  You are a rock.   Something something rock. Yes?

Her face turned red.  Her fingers stroked over the rock's surface, and she lowered her eyes to look at it.

I'm not a rock.  I'm...

How could any single gesture encapsulate her failure?  Even if she knew the word, it wouldn't be enough.

Such a failure.

His grip on her wrists tightened, and a tear splattered against the stone in her hand.  Even as her vision blurred, she rubbed it away with her thumb.

Link's hands cupped her face.  Lifted her head.  He looked...concerned?  Confused?  Angry?

He brushed the tears from her eyes, then gestured, first with one hand and then with two when he started getting into it and felt he could let go of her face.  You are--then he rattled off a half dozen signs, none of which she followed.  But the enthusiasm she understood.  Even if it was completely misplaced as he apparently sung her praises, she couldn't help the silent laugh that bubbled at the back of her throat.  

She wiped at her eyes, and he dropped his rant to help her.  Brushing her cheeks.  Holding her face.  Looking into her eyes.

The bell rang for prayers, and when he pulled away, he was determined.  He held her hand in his and didn't let go, even as they sat in the pew, even as they began their prayers.

She looked down at their entwined fingers, defiant in the face of her failure, holding fast despite what anyone might think of their friendship.  He held fast.

The rock in her pocket pressed against her leg.

You make me think that I could be good too.

If Link thought she wasn't a lost, then maybe he was right.

Believe him.

But how could she believe him?  He didn't know what he was saying.  

She squeezed his hand tighter, closed her eyes, and focused on her breathing.

.

Chapter 13

[theangelicstoryteller]

This is my Day 2 entry for @zelinkcommunity Zelink Week 2023!

You can also read it on AO3!

Cycle: A Link to The Past

Title: Gaze Rating: G Words: 1,149 Summary:

A knight had no place to look at the princess as he did. Hero though he was, he had no title, no status, and was not even high ranking within her armies. But hero that he was, he was able to stay close, to at least see her every day.

It had to be enough.

Happy readings to you all!

Link walked through the corridor of the castle, looking around uneasily. Though he understood that Ganon was gone and things were calm now, the only thing he could remember in the castle walls was his uncle dying in the dank, reeking sewers below, seeing guards try to attack him at every turn. This place was not a place of honor. At least for him.

And yet, here he was. Though he tried to blend in with the rest of the knights, hoping the knight’s cloak he wore would be sufficient, it didn’t help that his armor was just a magical tunic (even if it was a very nice tunic) and what made matters worse were his ears marking him as one of the last descendants of the Hylia people and the Knights of Hyrule. It made moving through the palace almost as difficult as when everyone was trying to attack him. Honestly, he thought he preferred when all the knights were trying to kill him. He was better than the gawking. He missed being a simple farmer…

Finally, he made his way to the throne room. A group of nobles all stood around the throne, which was currently empty, and did not even glance his way as he came through the doors. He moved around the edge of the room to the side to get closer to the throne. He moved carefully through the room and did not catch any of the noble’s eyes, much to his relief, (he really did not want them to get wind that the Hero of Hyrule was here) as he stood at the bottom of the stars that led to the throne. He stayed at the edge of the room, not wanting to press his luck, and waited.

It was here he could enjoy the real reason he always came back to this hated place.

Queen Zelda stood away from her throne as she spoke to the small crowd of nobles milling around her. He couldn’t hear what they were talking about and didn’t try to listen - he wouldn’t have been able to understand anyway. He watched her closely, noting every small gesture of her hand or movement of her face. And what a face she had. She was so beautiful…

Though his eyes did not leave her, he could not help the longing that filled him. What he would give to be able to hold her delicate hands, to touch her beautiful face, to kiss her soft lips… But he knew, it could never be. He was just a simple farmer, despite what blood he might have. Though the people of Hylia seemed to be regarded as some sort of distant nobles, Link had only known the simple life with his uncle. His love would never be allowed with the Queen of Hyrule.

He was probably already pushing his luck as it was, being as close as he got with her. Even now, looking at her like he was, it was probably several layers of not allowed by the knights that he knew, even if he did not respect the soldiers that tried to kill him not too long ago. He probably should be watching the room or the nobles to make sure no harm would come to their queen, but he could not take his eyes off of her. But this, being able to see her, to be her knight… it would have to be enough.

Eventually, she dismissed the nobles and they started to leave. It was here that Link actually started to do his job, now with more things shifting around and more people to watch. He made sure they all were almost out the door, before he came out from the corner of the room to approach her.

She turned to face him after he had taken only a few steps. He bowed before her slowly, reverently, as if she was more holy than regal. For some reason, the reverence felt right, even if he could not explain it.

He smiled to himself as he rose, meeting her gaze. She smiled up at him softly, her eyes shining. “I’m glad to see you have returned from the Zora’s Domain safely,” she said. “I trust the king did not give you many problems?”

”No, your majesty,” he told her, giving her a smile. “He took your rupees happily enough,” he shook his head, still smiling. “He says he will work to make sure the Zora will stop attacking those who approach the waters, but he seemed unhurried to follow your commands.”

”Of course,” she said with exasperation, frowning.

He wanted to kiss that little furrow at her brow. The very sudden thought made him blush, but he laughed instead. “Your majesty, I think you’re being extorted,” he told her around his laugh.

She let out a sigh that turned into a huff, crossing her arms. “So it seems so. If it will keep my people safe, I will pay it, but the Zora king does not seem to want to have the same command over his own people.” She looked at him sharply, as if to direct her frustrations now at him. His eyebrows shot up, his smile falling in surprise as he leaned away from her slightly. “And what have I told you about calling me “your majesty”? You saved my life, Link, as well as all of Hyrule. I think you earned the right to call me by my name.”

Link blushed again. So casual? With the queen? Was that allowed? “Are you sure?” he asked, looking worried. “Is… isn’t that forbidden?”

”I was sacrificed to bring about a would-be Demon King that tried to end the world,” she said with an air of command, her voice and face hardening. He blinked at her tone in shock and… a little bit in aw. “I sat imprisoned in a crystal so that I might seal him away again.” Just as quickly as her tone turned serious, her face soften and her tone turned playful “I think I am the one that would decide what is and is not forbidden, sir knight?”

The sarcasm used in his title was not lost on him, but he could not help but think back to the nobles. She might say that, but would it still be accepted by her court? Would her word still be accepted by her people or her army? He wasn’t so sure. But she smiled up at him, so sweet, so kind, he could not help the smile that grew across his own in response. He bowed to her, a little less revered and more playful and mocking, as he had seen some of the more disrespectful nobles do. “As you command, my queen.”

She laughed and he joined her. It felt so wrong to be so cavalier with his queen. And yet… he never wanted to stop.

[a-bit-too-much-of-a-zelda-fan]

FSA: A Funky Puzzle in the Eastern Temple

Most of the puzzles in Four Swords Adventures, at least in the first six levels, play out essentially the same between singleplayer and multiplayer. The way you get to the solution may be a little different, but the solution in the same. There's one instance in level 6: The Eastern Temple, that is absolutely different, and it tripped me up hard. Let's talk about it. Spoilers, obviously.

I'm going to describe the room. You enter from the north, and right away you can talk to a ghost who essentially tells you to get a Moon Pearl. Gotcha. The path bends around and there is a long stretch where huge balls are being thrown at you at such an intensity that it's impossible to pass. After that stretch, the path curves north and there are four switches on the floor to be stepped on, which are right next to a closed door. It's pretty obvious that the goal is to get everyone across. Meanwhile, at the entrance, there are two eye switches that need a bow to activate.

So you get a Moon Pearl from a neighboring room and open up a portal. But wait. The portal is color coded. Only one Link can go through. Not just that, but it's one-way. Once you're in the Dark World, you can only get out by crossing the stretch of balls and going through the one-way exit portal there. Luckily, the balls are much more sparse in the Dark World, making passing the stretch pretty easy.

My friends (we'll call them by their colors) and I were stumped here for a time. It wasn't clicking. I thought maybe that shooting the eyes with a bow would stop the balls, but after back tracking through literally the whole dungeon, we couldn't find the bow. Finally we found ourselves back in this room. The portal set itself to green when we entered. Blue said "see if you can carry me through." So I grabbed him, stepped through the portal, and he got left behind. That's when I saw his shadow.

Mind you, in the previous level (the Village of the Blue Maiden) we were fucking around and found out that you can pick up another Link when you're in the Dark World and they're not. We only found that out because Blue was actively looking for ways to fuck with us.

So here we are in the puzzle room, I see his shadow, he had just told me to carry him... Wait. I picked him up across dimensions, then carried him easily through the ball hall. We all kick ourselves for not seeing it earlier. Especially considering that when we found out you can pick up others across dimensions, one of us said "oh there's definitely going to be a puzzle that uses this." But I carried the rest of them over, we opened the door, and sure enough, the bow was waiting for us on the other side.

First note: This is a devious puzzle and I actually kinda love it. It's tricky, it's clever, and it felt so good to solve.

Second note: This could have been designed much better. Sometimes Zelda dungeons will lock you in a room until you figure out the puzzle, to let you know that you have everything you need to solve it and you wouldn't benefit from back tracking. This very game uses that strategy now and then. This puzzle is not an instance of this.

Blue and I pieced together that the reason they don't lock you in here is probably that you actually do need the Moon Pearl from a different room. But surely they could have built in a check that was like "once portal is opened, lock doors." The difficulty of the puzzle wouldn't be affected at all. I believe it would actually force the players to think hard on the tools they were given.

The other potential design problem is that it is never required before this puzzle to pick up another Link across dimensions. We only found out we could do it because we were fucking around. The puzzle philosophy in most Zelda games tends to be "you figured this one out, try this harder version." But at least in these first six missions, this the only time the particular mechanic is used.

Granted, putting the introduction of the mechanic here increases the "ah-ha!" feeling when you solve it. But combined with not being locked in, it can be a weakness depending on your preference for how puzzle mechanics are introduced and distributed.

This was also the first part of this playthrough that I felt truly stumped. I had only played it the level as an adult once before. That had given me an advantage on other puzzles, but here, my previous experience was worthless. The thing is, to solve it in singleplayer, all you have to do is use the portal, cross the ball hall, get to the switches, and summon the rest of the Links to you. It's so simple, and it's essentially a different puzzle entirely in multiplayer. That's pretty cool.

In conclusion, this is a devious puzzle and I think it could have been executed better, but as it is it's still a super fun one. Good shit, designers, on your 19 year old game. Can't wait to see what else is in store for me and my friends!

[fatefulfaerie]

Journal

BTF TotK prompt #2

Prompt List

This oneshot is based on trailers officially released by Nintendo. I have looked at no leaked copies, nor have I looked at the leaked art book.

Without the Sheikah Slate, Zelda had continued the compendium in one of three journals she frequented. One of them, which Link was far too afraid to touch, was similar to her diary of a hundred years prior, composed of entries of a more personal nature. The other was scribbles of observations, things she put together for the far neater compendium. For each page, she drew a square for Link to sketch his drawing of whatever her new finding was, in that square and only in that square.

It seemed controlling, but Link understood. This was to be a database for generations to come. There was no room for error when it came to scientific fact.

By the end of their first year in Hateno, Zelda had three new entries, the Eastern Oxen, the Short-Haired Cat, and the Hylian Loach (all of which were beyond exciting since she figured that Link not seeing them in his adventures meant they had gone extinct during the Calamity).

Zelda was meticulously drawing another box for Link on the night they decided to go to the caves.

The new entry was a Ladybug, and Zelda was uncharacteristically silent when she handed him the journal, the pencil, and the caught red bug with black polka dots. Link had only drawn one arc of the first wing before he said something.

“I’m sorry,” he said without moving his head, his eyes fixated on the charcoal created by the pencil. Zelda had one foot on the stairs when she froze, only slowly bowing her head.

“I shouldn’t have…” Link stopped himself, hesitating. She knew what he had said earlier, there was no sense in repeating it.

Earlier that day, they had gotten into an argument. Zelda spoke again about her dreams, the malice, the dark skies, the mysterious figure with blonde hair and painted tears on her face, the sight of Link falling into an unknown abyss. Link loudly told her to stop. He was fed up. He didn’t want to hear anymore. He didn’t want to think that this peace they had found in Hateno was temporary, and he took it out on her. The words “I’m scared” came out as:

“They’re just dreams, Zelda!”

Those words were loud enough to echo between them throughout the rest of the day. Now, the night old and restless crickets chirping outside, Link put down the pencil and looked over at her.

“I shouldn’t have,” he repeated, far more sure. “I’m sorry.”

The apology finally erased his prior words, and Zelda reveled in it, taking a deep breath.

“You think I’m crazy, don’t you?”

Link stood up quickly.

“No, I…” he began. “Zelda, that’s…”

He hugged his arms close and sighed.

“I’m scared,” he said. “Because I wish you were.”

Zelda looked over, it looked as if she was going to be mad, until her expression softened. She looked away.

“I wish I was too.”

They stayed up by the warm of the candlelight talking about their next steps, they drafted letters to King Dorephan and Chieftain Riju, to Boss Bludo and Chief Kaneli, to Lady Impa and the infamous Rumor Mill “journalist” Traysi to get the word around that danger was yet again on the horizon. They counted out their rupees for what supplies they might need, how they might catch one of these Eastern Oxen, and they debated which Hateno residents might take care of their horses while they were away.

They decided they would leave at dawn the day after tomorrow.

Link had his own journal, similar to Zelda’s, filled with personal musings. He started it after the Calamity was defeated and, by now, the leather-bound book was almost full. The last entry in it was written with the help of the moonlight, Zelda sleeping beside where Link sat on the bed.

Tomorrow we make our final preparations to venture into the unknown of Zelda’s dreams. I’ve tried to deny its inevitability, but it was foolish. In fact, I should feel ashamed of my comfort here in Hateno. As the hero, I should be glad I got the year that I did, and that my neglect of the rising dangers in Hyrule didn’t cost any lives thus far.

And Zelda…goddesses I hope that my heart can grow a coat of steel on this journey, for Hyrule’s sake. Our love saved Hyrule once, but if I lose my head, could our love doom it?

Even now I feel my selfishness eroding at my heroism, I wonder if she would have said “yes” to my proposal, and I get giddy in the mist of fantasy.

Link stopped to massage his hand, letting his thumb rub and press and swirl as he looked across the room at Zelda’s desk.

Her journal sat there, and it had the answer to the question he was asking himself. He let his eyebrows knit as he considered doing something that would make him dreadfully unworthy of her.

He decided markedly against it.

Hyrule is doomed.

[amiharana]

The champs would also have their respective weapons in the csmp,,, like mipha would have a trident and revali would have a bow and they would name them the lightscale trident etc,, idk what daruk would have, maybe an axe or something? And they would be enchanted with something close enough to their powers or something their weapons do in botw?? (Idk bc I’m not very knowledgeable in minecraft enchantments)

I FUCKIN. PREMATURELY SENT THIS POST AT FIRST SO I HAD TO PUT IT ON POST PRIVATELY GOD HAHAHA

but yessss link with a fully enchanted netherite Master Sword PERIODDD i have no idea what daruk would have either because i don't really know how to classify the boulder breaker into a real-life weapon bc it's like if you made a sledgehammer in style of a sword, but an axe i think would be close enough? daruk would probably somehow enchant a fuckin shovel and use that as a weapon tbh DKFHJDJF

i'm also not too well-versed in minecraft enchantments bc i rarely play (i really want to though i just never have the time ㅠㅠ), but i'm gonna pull up the wikia rn so we can get down to business on this

zelda has like five different rooms in the castle just dedicated to enchanting like she has an entire hallway just full of enchanting rooms and libraries and shit, but each champion has at least one enchanting table. i doubt that daruk knows or cares too much about the whole bookshelf-to-enchantment ratio thing bc i barely know how it works either, but revali and link have the second largest amount of enchantment rooms and be enchanting like crazy. all of their armor and weapons are fully enchanted, they even have an enchanted diamond hoe like 😭

link's netherite master sword would have knockback, sharpness, and maybe looting. revali is always bothering him to get mending or unbreaking because link breaks shit frequently, and link will only use a weapon with mending/unbreaking because revali forcibly enchanted it for him <3

revali's great eagle bow would have feather falling, infinity, multishot, and unbreaking. i considered the other bow enchantments but i think these are the best choices for revali until he decides to change it up.

mipha's lightscale trident has aqua affinity, depth strider, loyalty, and of COURSE, riptide. what is mipha if not her epic waterfall climbing abilities.

daruk's boulder breaker (axe?) would have fire aspect, efficiency, and sharpness for sure. MAYBE silk touch for gems and shit but he mostly doesn't care that much for enchantments

urbosa's scimitar of the seven would have smite, sharpness, knockback, and mending. i'm not sure if shields can be enchanted to the same degree but probably would have like. mending or unbreaking on it at least.

i'm thinking since zelda's primarily a magic user (and as far as i'm concerned the closest thing to magic would be potions in minecraft), she would at least have either an enchanted sword or pickaxe. it has silk touch, fortune, mending, and unbreaking.

these bitches definitely do enchantment pranks like putting curse of binding on leather pants and making revali wear them so he can't take them off. revali dyes an entire set of leather armor green with a curse of binding on every piece of clothing calling it the "set of thet wild" and makes link wear it lol

[bungou-stray-chimera]

Daughter

She really doesn't know why she went back to the house.

Edgar would have no reason to, not knowing the place even exists, and Francis-

Oh, there's a reason he avoided it.

The lady of the house is as sweet as she remembers. Just as mentally unaware, too, considering how easily she accepts the story that Lenore is one of her daughter's friends, and that they go to school together. 

"She's getting so big, isn't she?" says Zelda, with a soft smile.

Lenore nods, unable to choke out even a single word.

It's a nice stay. A chef is fired, two maids are also, but the arguments and yelling are kept behind closed doors. The house is cold, even with the best heating system paid for monthly thanks to Francis. Zelda offers her room, clothes, three meals a day- it's more than enough, and her heart aches because of it.

Zelda encourages her to take from her own closet. The first few days, she refuses. By the second week, it's a tentative habit.

She doesn't know how to feel in the dresses. She was made from two men- her shoulders are Edgar's, her torso Francis's, legs of one and jaw of another and none of it is right.

But Zelda somehow sees a young girl named Lenore, not her husband. So both she and the dresses stay.

And then she takes that one.

It's dark blue, modest, and the skirt is long and wide. It covers up most of what she hates, and her face- well, she's learned a thing or two about make-up, and that helps. Not much, but it's enough to look distinct from the two faces haunting the mirrors of her memory.

Zelda comes in as she’s twirling her hair, trying to decide on a bow. She gears her laugh, and that gentle sigh, before,

"Oh you look so much like her, you know."

And that soft hand melts from memory onto her shoulder.

"Like my daughter," Zelda says, "so much like her, I can look from the corner of my eye and see her."

Lenore holds no love for mirrors, not since she became a her instead of two hims.

"I'm glad she has someone like you. To look out for her."

But Lenore has never been more grateful to lack one than at that moment, when she holds back the tears burning her eyes just long enough for Zelda to leave. When any semblance of certainty and comfort crumbles, and she stares unmoving at the wall for near an hour.

It's then she knows she must leave.

-

She says goodbye on a warm summer day, early enough that the crisp winds of autumn have yet to rustle through her hair. Sweat dampens her palms as she holds onto her luggage, and bows her head in gratitude to her host.

“It was no trouble,” Zelda says, “no trouble at all, for a friend of my daughter. Bring her here next time, won’t you?” She smiles. “We’ll host a party for you all. It will be lovely.”

Lenore smiles, too.

“It will be,” she says smoothly, now able to speak even when she’s choked. “I look forward to it.”

With one look at the house, at Zelda, for the last time, she waves and walks away. She lets herself into the pale yellow car, and only the corner of her eye sees Zelda turning back as they drive away.

When she visits the grave with a young girl’s name on it, she makes sure to leave her favorite flowers.

[sunset-peril]

Trial of the Zora Armor - Chapter Six - Calling in the Calvary

"Your Highness!" Impa cried as she raced into the Zora inn. Seeing Link and Zelda in the room, she bowed down at the entrance and greeted again. "Your Highnesses."

Link nodded. "Impa." She rose.

"Impa… I'm glad to see you…" the weary princess greeted. 

"How are you feeling?" 

"Not well, I'm afraid…"

"Well then you take your rest, Prince Link and I will handle things from here." She turned towards Link once Zelda nodded. "Your father and sister are on their way with the midwife from Hateno Village, it was determined that she would be a better advisor on the Princess' and her baby's health than any Sheikah from the Castle."

"Thank you, Impa. We should both hope they arrive quickly."

"Of course, Your Highness. Now, may I ask what is already being done for her?"

"We are all stationed here until the midwife has determined her well enough to travel, then we'll make our way back to the castle. Mipha has some commonplace remedies in place to help her pain and ensure she still meets her nutrition requirements."

"That is good. I will await the midwife’s arrival and let her know of this." Impa stepped back out of the room, Link reached over and rubbed Zelda's ear again. 

"You seem exhausted, Link. Why don't you rest here with me? We're not going anywhere…"

He smiled softly. "Would that make you feel a little better?"

"I think it would make you feel better…"

He chuckled, then climbed into bed, snuggling up next to her. "Just let me know if I make you too hot." He then closed his eyes. "If for some reason I'm asleep when she gets here and you're not, shake me awake please."

Zelda chuckled softly, kissing his forehead. "Of course."

~~~~

Around noon the next day, the tired party from Hateno Village arrived. 

"Welcome, weary travelers." Mipha greeted. "It's been quite a while since I've seen you."

Link's father nodded. "Now you go play, Sydnei."

"Okay, Daddy." She then ran off to find Sidon.

"We traveled as fast as we possibly could. How are they doing?"

"Link is fine, just weary and concerned. Zelda is… stable." 

"Stable is good. Stable opens the road for recovery."

Mipha nodded, turning to the midwife. "I will lead you to her room, we can go when you are ready."

"Let's go now." She replied. "I don't wish to keep Her Highness waiting." 

They walked into the inn at this time, Link's father just standing in the square as he tried to keep his mind from wandering. He wasn't sure if Sydnei knew what was going on, but he wanted her to stay peaceful. He caught sight of a Goddess Statue up above and walked to it, mentally crying out to Hylia to save her final two descendants. Don't take them from us… they're both so young… don't end your line… don't take Hyrule's only hope… don't take my son's newlywed wife… don't take their baby… 

He heard a gasp and rose. "Lady Mipha? Please, you are alright."

"My apologies, Sir Knight, I just wanted to see how you were doing. I am sorry I interrupted your prayers." 

"No matter… I am just distressed. The Princess, though she has only been family for an incredibly short amount of time, has become painfully dear to me."

"I understand… I have only known about Zelda’s pregnancy for a mere two days, yet my heart is attached to her child already." 

“I worry for them all: my son, his wife and their baby.”

“He hurts as long as she does, I’m sure. I have not heard anything too terrible from Link yet, so I can only assume she’s still doing decently.” 

“Will he be delivering the news to us?”

Mipha nodded “Of course, Zelda is not to move and the midwife must monitor her.” She then touched his shoulder. "If you would come on down, we could wait and talk together."

He nodded. "That sounds lovely, actually."

They walked down the stairs, constructed of luminescent gemstones, and sat down at a table in the armor shop. "I assume you've known about the pregnancy for a while?"

He chuckled. "Only if 'a while' is subjective; she hasn't been pregnant all that long. But that's not to say I didn't have suspicion at their wedding."

"Indeed," Mipha stirred the drink in her cup. "she was not well during the first month. I'm surprised I didn't suspect it sooner."

"You say that like she's fine now."

"What I meant was, she was nauseous all the time, had horrible cramps… several of us thought she had gotten food poisoning… but no one really knew and she still had to train and travel just as hard… It was rough. It's still rough now but at least all of us are supporting her." They both paused for a while. "You said you were suspicious at the wedding, how'd you react when they told you?"

"To be honest, I thought Link was pulling my leg for a while, he kept dropping hints but I didn't pay much mind… till the letter with the royal emblem arrived… then I thought 'Oh sweet Hylia… they weren't kidding.' Let me see if I can describe it to you."

~~~~

The early morning sun rose close to midday in the sun, Link's father was tidying up the house, preparing for lunch while Sydnei was playing with Mr. Cucco, her pet Cucco. 

A royal messenger had ridden up to their home, then asked Sydnei if he might speak with her father. "Sure!" She had replied, calling as she ran into the house. "Daddy! There's a messenger here for you!" 

The former knight stopped what he was doing, ruffled his daughter's hair and went outside. 

"Message from Master Link, Sir." The stoic guard said while handing the letter, sealed with the Emblem of the Royal Family, to him. 

"Thank you, soldier. May Hylia be ever with you." 

The messenger nodded and rode off.

Sydnei gasped in awe. "It's from Link?" 

Her dad chuckled. "Yes, now let's go eat. Make sure to wash up."

She giggled, responding "Yes, Daddy!" as she went to get ready.

Going inside, he looked the letter over. "Strange to get a letter so soon…" He wondered aloud. "What could it be?" 

"All done!" His daughter called, sitting down at the table. He carefully slid the letter open, unfolding it to reveal Link's penmanship. 

Dear Father, The letter began, much more formal-sounding than a letter from Link typically read. Thank you for attending the wedding. It meant so much to both me and Zelda to see you two. 

Ah… a thank you letter?

I deeply regret that we are unable to tell you the news in person, but the times and circumstance forbid. 

...What news? His brain asked. 

We are so excited to tell you, and I hope you'll be just as excited for us.

Zelda found out she's pregnant. I'm going to be a father.

He gasped and covered his mouth in shock, tears of joy forming in his eyes. 

"Daddy? What's it say? What did Link say?"

Her father stepped down the stairs, then bent down to her level with a smile on his face and joyful tears in his eyes. "Your brother's gonna be a daddy… Zelda's gonna have a baby."

Her tiny heart flew up her chest in excitement. "Zelda's gonna have a baby!" She repeated in awe.

"Uh-huh, and you're gonna be an auntie."

"Ooh! Yay!" She clapped before scratching her head. "Wait… so what will that make you?"

He laughed. "A granddad."

"When do we get to meet Link and Zelda's baby?"

He laughed once more. "They'll be in Zelda's tummy for quite a while, so I guess you can meet them whenever we see Zelda next. I don't know when exactly she's supposed to have her baby, but I know it will be quite a while."

“...They? Zel is gonna have a bunch of babies?”

He chuckled slightly “No, she’s just going to have one, at least as far as Link knows. He just doesn't know whether she's having a boy or a girl, and we just don’t wanna call our new family member an ‘it,’ do we?” 

Sydnei thought for a second and shook her head, satisfied with the answer. "Is her tummy going to get really big?" 

"Eventually."

"Oooh, I hope we see them soon! I can't wait to see them again, and to meet their baby!"

He smiled softly at her. So naïve… so innocent… 

He, of course, was excited to see his son and daughter-in-law start a family, but he was worried for Zelda. It was a dangerous time and she was now in a dangerous place… however, he still vowed to love and support her with all his heart… she was family now. 

No longer just the Princess of Hyrule who both father and son were paid to defend, she was Zelda Hyrule, wife to his son, sister-in-law to his daughter and mother to his grandchild.

~~~~

"Awww, that's sweet… it sounds like you were quite conflicted."

He nodded. "I've really tried to be excited around both of my children, especially because her father hasn't been so accepting, but I've been worried about her since the beginning."

"We all have."

"Miiiiphaaa!" A small, male voice suddenly called out. The tiny Prince of the Zora, Sidon, ran up and jumped into her lap. "Did you hear Sydnei's gonna be an auntie?"

"Why, yes! Isn't it sweet?" Mipha responded.

Sidon nodded, showcasing an adorable grin. 

“What’s going on in here?” A deeper male voice asked, chuckling slightly.

“Link!” Mipha called. 

“Link!!” Sydnei ran up to him and wrapped up his leg in a bear hug. “How are you?”

Link bent down and hugged his sister. "I'm alright."

"How's your sweet wife, son?"

"The midwife says she's just overstressed and having a rough first trimester. Wants to move her to Hateno to ensure she's in a happy, safe environment with minimal stress, even though I told her we need to go back to the castle. With a little rest, making sure she's eating well and keeping her stress under control, both Zelda and the baby should be good as gold. She said that, once Zelda's better, she still needs to avoid overexerting herself. Told the both of us to keep her in bed for a while and make sure she stays hydrated. Didn't put her on bedrest, thankfully."

"Oh! That's a relief to hear!" Mipha responded, Link's eyes snapped open. 

"That reminds me! Mipha, would you know where to find some voltfruit, a fortified pumpkin and some milk, meat and eggs?"

The question was so random and awkward that Mipha began to laugh. "Link, I'm sorry! I don't know why that struck me so funny."

"Ah, welcome to pregnancy cravings, my boy!" Link's father laughed. "Come on, I'll help you get everything for her."

"I has voltfruit," Sydnei said with realization. "Let me get it for you." She ran off to dig through her bag, then returned with several of them. 

Link smiled. "Thanks, guys." He then laughed. "She's had such a sensitive stomach her whole life, for her to request something so wild is kinda unexpected."

Everyone, even Sidon and Sydnei, chuckled before leaving to help Link gather the things that Zelda had requested, him telling them the story to pass the time.

[deiliamedlini]

...Power Ranger AU (BOTW HAS ZORDS!)

OH MY GOD THIS IS THE BEST IDEA IVE EVER HEARD! NO LIKE, IM DYING RIGHT NOW!?!?!?! THE CHAMPIONS AS THE RANGERS?? I COULD ALSO SEE THE OOT SAGES BUT OMG WAIT BECAUSE TRINI, JASON, AND ZACK LEAVE THAT'S ROOM FOR THE OTHER CHAMPIONS HELLOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! Kat doesn't exist to me sorry. I did not like her she would not get a counterpart

OMG OMG OKAY! Not 1 to 1 on personality, and I'd prob swap colors and whatnot but bear with me!

Tommy= Link (because i had a crush on Tommy and Adam SO BAD like they were among my first crushes so Link has to be one of them and Tommy is in it sooner and he can be Dark Link while he's still with Rita!

Kim= Zelda BECAUSE HELLO SHE USES A BOW AND HAS A THING WITH TOMMY AND IS THE BEST

Billy- Has to be Mipha. They both use trident-like weapons (the lance and teh trident look pretty similar) and are softspoken badasses

Zack- Daruk. Zach loves to dance and that reminds me of Darunia but if we're sticking with BOTW it has to go to Daruk. Plus he always struck me as one of the strongest, and weilding an axe is like hello pretty close to the buster whatever daruk's weapon is LOL

Jason= Revali. The one who thinks he's the leader until Tommy/Link comes around BAHHAHAHAHAH!!! SORRY REVALI! LOVE YOU THOUGH!

Trini-Urbosa because Trini was the baddest badass on the team and single handedly took out more monsters without any help and was just too cool to handle and I miss her. Love Aisha, but Trini supremacy.

Adam- Teba. The other softspoken but don't mess with me badass. Teba would crush anyone and then go read a book and then go to practice. AND OMG HIS SCORPINA CRUSH COULD BE SAKI OR SOMETHING (sorry no happy ending with that one. We have evil Saki today)

Aisha- I get Sidon vibes from Aisha. None of them are quite peppy enough, but she's the closest to the most optimistic on the team. They vibe, I can see it

Rocky- It's in the name. It has to be Yunobo the rock BAHHAHAHAH! no I just ran out of people. I don't see Yunobo as anyone from MMPR but he can be red today since I'm out of rangers.

Riju would be that little kid in Turbo who took Billy's place. But we don't acknowledge the Turbo era here except a few scenes in the movie that were fun.

Bulk and Skull would be like, Groose and.... idk. Groose is perfect though. Telma would be Ernie the JUICE bar owner. Rita, Goldar, and Zedd would be Ganon, Ghirahim, and Zant (omg or Cia could be Rita and Ganon could be Zedd). Alpha and Zordon would be Impa and Rhoam LOL

OMG THIS WAS TOO FUN IM SO TEMPTED NOW

[zeldaelmo]

I posted 1,898 times in 2022

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My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

How about something Pre Calamity? Link getting jealous over the Sheikah poet for saying/doing something that just doesn't sit right with him

Hey there Anon! I hope you like your 400 words of Link vs Sheikah Poet. 😆

This was fun. Big thanks @drsteggy and @zeldadiarist for taking a look at making a few suggestions.

Patience

Link could barely breathe because he used his strength to grit his teeth instead of turning the pretty smile before him into a toothless grimace. 

"A handkerchief with embroidery of a Silent Princess, how attentive!" Princess Zelda sang, clasping her hand around the poet's forearm.

The bastard bowed. "Everything for you, my Princess."

Link's teeth made an alarming noise, and Princess Zelda raised an eyebrow at him. "Anything the matter, Hero?"

He shook his head, turning his gaze skyward. 

No, nothing was the matter. Only that the bastard pretended the token Link had left in her room as a peace offer was his. No wonder she was as cold as White Chuchu Jelly towards him!

Link corrected his stance when the man gave him a self-satisfied smirk. A good warrior had patience. He was the best warrior, his time would come. Focus and wait.

Two months and a gaze shifting from relief to adoration in the desert sands later, everything had changed. 

Everything? No.

She still gushed over the handkerchief when the poet was around, but Link was patient. He would strike soon.

The next day, he remained silent when the poet joined them on her stroll through the garden. Lurking.

"Oh!" Zelda greeted the Sheikah, holding up an Ancient Core. "Is this another gift of yours?"

"Uhm… Yes. I thought you'd like the… pretty… glow."

Link huffed. The idiot didn't even know what it was.

"I love it!" 

And now she did what she always did when she found a new core. She opened it. 

"A hidden message!" She giggled.

"For your research…" Zelda raised her gaze to him. "Yours, Link…"

Link nodded, his grin turning smug.

"It's from you?!"

"Yes."

Oh, the stupid poet had it coming. "You pretended it was — oh, I can’t believe you!" She poked her index on the man's chest and he fled.

Link blushed when Zelda stepped closer and waved with the handkerchief, his smugness dwindling with every inch that shrunk between them. “Is this from you, too?”

"It is, Princess."

"You should have said something!"

See the full post

145 notes - Posted March 22, 2022

#4

164 notes - Posted April 27, 2022

#3

Just a little reminder that the German description of the memory "Blades of the Yiga" translates to this:

"After Zelda declined Link to accompany her to her research about the ruins, the Yiga-Clan attacked her. She fled, but was stalemated. In the very last moment, Link appeared and saved her."

So. Zelda explicitly told him to leave her alone. He disregarded her orders (again) and stayed close enough to get to her in time, but not so close that she knew he was there.

I think that says a lot about his character. He must have followed her to guard her without making himself known or otherwise her desperate flight doesn't make sense. He respected her wish to be alone as long as he could. And she didn't spend her time praying or with other princess duties, but he let her do her research (!) although he probably knew the King wasn't too fond of that.

This way, her surprised and admiring reaction makes a lot of sense, too. Zelda realizes at this moment that he must have been there for quite some time and has gone out of his way not only for her safety but for letting her follow her passion, too.

295 notes - Posted June 3, 2022

#2

Speed-run Link is fun and all, but can we take a moment to appreciate that Link canonically tames the descendant of Zelda's horse? If he completes one of the main quests of the game, finding all memories, a secret cutscene is unlocked where we see them both traveling to Zora's Domain together and Zelda has the white horse with the royal gear.

So when Link remembers Zelda, he hears of the rumor about her horse and invests time to find it. One day in the early morning hours, our hero sneaks through the wet grass to tame a horse for no other reason than to make Zelda happy.

341 notes - Posted July 20, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Have you ever wondered about the seemingly random cooking pots in BOTW? Not the ones next to stables or bridges, but sometimes you just mind your business in the wild and stumble over a cooking pot. 

What if these cooking pots are leftovers from a campsite Zelda and Link visited 100 years before? What if the two of them sat exactly here, Link quietly pressing a bowl with stew in Zelda’s hand? At some of them she might have stared into the fire, trying to ignore his looming presence and the sword. But what if it was here where she apologized for being so cold to him after the Blades of the Yiga memory? Or where he reluctantly opened up to her, bonding over a shared meal? She might have called him a glutton exactly here for the first time.

Maybe Link only remembers bits and pieces at first. A snapshot of him at the fire and a glimpse of blonde hair. A smell that comes from the cooking pot that stirs something in him. Later when he’s able to put more together, he seeks them out because he knows a memory will come back to him. It’s not always something good, but often enough, it’s a quiet memory of someone who understands him. Towards the end of his journey he begins to avoid them if possible because they remind him of his loneliness and how lost he is in this big, scary world.

And then, the first thing they do when Zelda is finally free, is setting up camp. Link passes a bowl of stew to Zelda and when their fingers brush, he asks,

“Do you remember?”

377 notes - Posted February 3, 2022

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